Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto

This tasty recipe is from Giada De Laurentiis and is perfect for summer, all you need is a food processor. We usually cook up some penne pasta and top with this pesto, its delicious served warm or cold.

Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto

Recipe from Everyday Italian by Giada De Laurentiis
Makes about 1 1/2 cups

1 (8.5 ounce) jar sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil 
1 cup (packed) fresh basil leaves
2 garlic cloves
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

In a food processor, blend the sun-dried tomatoes and their oil with the basil and garlic until the tomatoes are finely chopped. Transfer the pesto to a medium bowl, and stir in the cheese and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper.  Season the pesto with more salt, pepper and oil to taste.  This pesto will last for 1 week if stored in an airtight container. 

Bon appetit!

Pizzeria Bianco

One of my happiest pizza memories was at Pizzeria Bianco, in Phoenix Arizona. The crust was thin, crisp, charred and full of flavor. The toppings were fresh, simple, locally grown and delicious. They even make their own mozzarella each morning. Chris Bianco, is the man behind this pizza phenomenon. He has been proclaimed "America's premier pizza maker" by the New York Times, and is a James Beard Award winner.

My boyfriend had an audition in Scottsdale, Arizona for the Golf Channel, so I went along for the ride. Arizona is about a 5 hour drive from where we live in Los Angeles. A friend of mine heard I was going and she told me about a restaurant that was rumored to have "the best pizza in the country". In Arizona?

We went on a Monday for lunch. Fortunately we arrived 20 minutes before they opened, because as we walked up to the restaurant, there was a crowd already forming. The air had a distinct energy of excitement as everyone was quietly awaiting the opening. Apparently Chris Bianco has a cult like following. We were seated in the first rotation. I felt a little bad for the people who arrived after us because there is limited seating.

The inside of Pizzeria Bianco is quite small, but has wonderful rustic charm. Brick walls, high ceilings, warm tones and many windows. The main focus of the room is this incredible wood burning brick oven.

We are vegetarians, so we ordered a margarita pizza and added wood roasted mushrooms. It was amazing. We also ordered local organic greens with a red wine vinaigrette that was fresh and lively. It was the perfect balance to our pizza. Simple, pure and delicious. Even the olive oil for the bread was fantastic.

There are three other Bianco restaurants in the Phoenix area. Trattoria Bianco, Pane Bianco and Bar Bianco. A second Pizzeria Bianco location just opened in Phoenix and another is opening this winter in Tucson. Arizona you are so lucky! Here is the website www.pizzeriabianco.com.  

Bianco has also teamed up with Britain's celebrity chef Jamie Oliver to launch Union Jacks in London unionjacksrestaurants.com. Their concept is wood-fired pizzas with British toppings.

For those of you who cannot make it to Arizona to experience my favorite pizza, Chris Bianco is working on a cookbook, Pizzeria Bianco, which is scheduled to release this fall. 

Happy Earth Day

One of my favorite places on Earth is Devil's Postpile, located in Mammoth Lakes, California. Camping at Mammoth Lakes is a family tradition. My Dad came upon this glorious place in his early adventuring/backpacking days. He started bringing my family here camping since I was a child. 

I find peace in nature and this is such a beautiful place with all it's tall pines, flowing rivers, waterfalls and lakes. On Earth Day let's remember how wonderful this planet is and let's do everything in our power to keep it as beautiful and clean as these mountains I love.

Spring Vegetable Udon Noodle Soup

Spring vegetables and vegan noodles make a healthy fresh soup for a light weeknight dinner. I was able to use some beautiful produce for this soup, but you can use whatever you have on hand.

Rainbow Carrots are not only gorgeous, they are packed full of antioxidants, vitamins, and fiber.

Brown Beech Mushrooms fall apart into dozens of little individual mushrooms when you cut off the base. Isn't Mother Nature just amazing.

Spring Vegetable Udon Noodle Soup

12 ounce pack Annie Chun's Japanese Style Udon Noodles 

4 cups organic vegetable broth

1/2 cup sliced carrots, sliced on the diagonal

1/2 cup brown beech mushrooms, cut from stem

1/2 cup sugar snap or snow peas

1/2 cup chopped green onions

2 teaspoons soy sauce

1 clove garlic, crushed

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

sea salt + fresh ground pepper

fresh lemon

In a large saucepan, bring vegetable broth, garlic and red pepper to a boil. Lower heat to medium/low and add several twists of fresh ground sea salt and pepper. Add the carrots and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms, snap peas and cook for 30 seconds more. Remove from heat, then add the noodles, soy sauce and green onions. 

Spoon into bowls and add a healthy squeeze of fresh lemon. Serve with additional lemon wedges on the side.

Variation: Make a miso udon vegetable soup by replacing the soy sauce with 2 tablespoons white miso. 

Enjoy!

Book Club

My new books have arrived! As I mentioned in my Small Changes Required post back in January, one of my goals this year is to read more books. To quote my boyfriend Jake (who makes a killer Veggie Chili), "reading is like jogging for the mind"... and my mind could use a workout.

I saw Michael Moss, author of Salt, Sugar, Fat, a few weeks ago on HBO's Real Time with Bill Maher. I ordered his book moments after the interview ended. Michael Moss, is a Pulitzer Prize winning reporter, and through his investigations he was able to get executives of the world's largest food companies to admit that they have only one goal...to maximize sales and profits. He was able to acquire startling confessions and reveal how they deliberately entice consumers by stuffing their products with salt, sugar, and fat. I think this is an important book for everyone to read. Here is a link to Salt, Sugar and Fat on Amazon.

The Beauty Detox Foods, is Kimberly Snyder's latest and greatest book. I am a fan and follow Kimberly Snyder. I purchased her previous book, The Beauty Detox Solution and I subscribe to her email newsletter. Her principles are simple and represent a popular voice for change. Health from the inside out. Her new book is loaded with beautiful 4-color pictures and recipes that look spectacular. Here is a link to The Beauty Detox Foods on Amazon.

Happy reading!

Kumquat-Rosemary Marmalade

My friend recently gave me a bag of kumquats from her yard! The word kumquat comes from Cantonese and it means "golden orange". Their sweetness is concentrated in the peel, which provides a nice contrast to the bold tartness of their pulp.

Kumquats provide potassium, vitamins A and C, anti-oxidants, essential oils, calcium and iron. They're also a good source of fiber.

One way to eat them is to roll them between your fingers to release their juice, bite into one end, suck out the insides and then eat the peel. They are also good cut in half and drizzled with a bit of honey. I decided to make a marmalade.

Kumquat-Rosemary Marmalade

Recipe adapted from Robin Bellinger on Serious Eats

Ingredients:
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup organic sugar
12 ounces kumquats, rinsed, cut into 1/4-inch rounds, and seeds removed
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns, coarsely ground
1/4 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary

In a saucepan over medium-low heat, add the sugar and water, and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Add the kumquats, ground peppercorns, rosemary and stir to blend. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10-15 until the kumquats are translucent and the marmalade starts to thicken. Remove from heat and cool. Saves well in the refrigerator for several weeks.

Toast some multi-grain bread, spread with soft goat cheese, and top with Kumquat-Rosemary Marmalade for a unique open faced breakfast sandwich. 


Here are some other wonderful ways to use marmalade:

• As a condiment on a cheese platter
• Inside a grilled cheese sandwich
• Swirled into oatmeal or yogurt
• Mixed into pancake batter
• Spread onto french toast or crepes
• As a crostini topper, with soft goat cheese

Enjoy!