A Dish of Seduction for All Your Hump Day Needs

Gluten-Free Pasta Aglio e Olio (Recipe by Roy Choi)

Looking for an elegant supper to make for you and your sweetie? Cooking dinner for a date tonight and not sure what to make? Forget all the innuendos, this is Chef Roy Choi’s Spaghetti with Garlic and Olive Oil from Jon Favreau’s latest film, Chef.

A Little Game of Pretense and A Good Use For Cod

Let’s pretend I’ve been here all along. Let’s just skip the casualties and move right along to what’s really important…Portuguese cod, potato, Mediterranean olives, grape tomatoes, wine, lemon, fragrant thyme, garlic–perhaps that’s a good cue to cut. This is my go-to recipe for a quick, delicious and unsuspecting dinner. This is Portuguese-style Cod and Potato.

One Extraordinary Ingredient

Black Bean and Chili Stir-fry Noodles

Sometimes all it takes is one ingredient to elevate an otherwise ordinary dish. That ingredient could stand alone or be part of a whole–like Herbs de Provence to roasted poultry or green mango to a West Indian fish curry. When you’re eating it, you just know. I’ve discovered that everlasting ingredient for possibly every Asian dish I plan to make from now on. Black Bean Chili Paste. It’s so freaking good I could spread it on toast and eat it for breakfast! This is Chinese Stir-fry Noodles enhanced with the best chili bean paste I’ve ever had.

Farmers Market Find – Asian Inspired Fish Sandwich

I’ve on many occasions expressed my love of Chopped, my ultimate fantasy of standing before a basket of mystery ingredients with a pantry of opportunities before me. Well, there is no basket involved, but today I stood before a reusable bag of farmers market finds and boy did I succeed. This is my Farmers Market Fish Sandwich with Apple and Cabbage Asian Slaw. 

I swear I’ve Been Cooking…Look!

Click on any of the images below for a larger, more appetizing slideshow!

 

 

Tacos made with Stage-4 organic, grass-fed, pasture-raised beef, organic blue corn taco shells and my super-awesome guacamole

Lemon-Caper Spread with Vegenaise, Cream Cheese and Dill

Flounder and Oyster Mushroom and Mesclun salad with a Sesame Shitake Vinaigrette

Pala’s Arribiata Gluten-Free Pizza

New York City’s Pala

Smoked Salmon, Radish and Clover Sprouts, Asparagus and Lemon-Caper Spread on Grilled Toast

Quinoa, Carrot and Kale Soup

No-Dial Broccoli in Garlic Sauce

…as in you don’t need to dial a number to get this awesome take-out side dish. Imagine garlic sauce that doesn’t come from a Chinese restaurant or a bottle and doesn’t use cornstarch or flour as a thickener. This is No-Dial Broccoli in Garlic Sauce.

Sweet Potato, Mushroom and Olive Empanadas

I try to focus my posts on recipes that are simple and easy to make but this is by far the most complicated one I’ve posted yet. I don’t bake well at all and since these are made with gluten-free flour, they were much more difficult to manage than regular flour dough. But, the result was very satisfying and so I pass this recipe along to you. This is Gluten-Free Vegetarian Empanadas made with sweet potato, olive and mushroom.

Thai Coconut Soup

My bowl is still steaming as I type. This is simple and quick Thai Coconut Soup in real time.

Carrot and Zucchini Falafel

I would be an awesome contender on Chopped. I think well on my feet and I have a magic fairy that follows me around the kitchen making sure that all the cockamamie things I throw into the pan come together in the end.  Not to mention, all the other players will love me because I’ll be the first one to chop a finger off–I dice better in concentration. While I sit here waiting for Ted Allen to show up in my kitchen with a basket of mystery ingredients, this is the recipe that makes me feel like a Chopped Champ.

Roasted Veggie Vegan Sushi

Cucumber avocado. Garden roll. Futomaki. These just won’t cut it anymore. This is out-of-the-bento-box cooked vegan sushi.