and soul magnets. from fringe. absolutely precious!
Author Archives: j
pride
i may not have the prettiest car on the block but that doesn’t keep me from having a tiny sense of pride and satisfaction when i get it cleaned.
coincidence
my neighbor and i left for and returned from our respective bike rides at exactly the same time today. do you believe in coincidence? it was hot by santa monica standards today – the sun was overwhelmingly bright and i returned from my ride covered in sweat beads all over my face.
14.80 miles / 1.20.20 hrs / 11.0 mph avg spd
methi murg
still there
veggie grill
is it so wrong that we have gone to veggie grill the past two nights for dinner and will probably go again tonight? you see, m is scheduling and the world as both of us know it has come to a standstill and there is a moratorium on cooking at home. it might not be wrong to go to a restaurant three consecutive nights, but it is certainly wrong that we don’t eat until 9 or 10 pm. veggie grill is open until 11 pm and walkable from home so that makes it our go-to late night nosh spot.
the first night, i had the quinoa mac and cheese. i must say, i like quinoa pasta as it doesn’t have that grainy quality that whole wheat pasta has. i also sampled the nachos (love me some spicy raw jalapenos!!!) and the buffalo wings. ah, yes, buffalo wings which are actually soy protein in the shape of a tender smothered in spicy vinegary wing sauce (salivate *here*).
last night, i tried the baja fiesta salad and added the soy protein chicken. this was overkill as we ordered the buffalo wings again and i was way stuffed on soy protein disguised to resemble chicken. but the salad was very good and it wasn’t drenched in the ginger-papaya vinaigrette. the lettuce was extra crispy which was really what i was looking for.
before this recent series of trips, we ordered take-out from veggie grill when it opened many moons ago. we had the chili, the kale salad, and the v-burger. none of these were standouts, although i think most of southern california swears by the kale salad. i love me some kale, i just don’t remember being blown away by the salad.
so what am i having tonight? the buffalo wing salad, of course. with a side of buffalo wings. ;)
omg. spinach. omg
from a tasting table recipe (so far, the only good tasting table recipe of the 4 i’ve attempted). i was so excited about it, i forgot to take a photo. i probably overdid the lemon juice since i really didn’t have 1 lb of spinach. the dish wasn’t as sweet as i had expected and all the different textures and the nutty flavor of the pine nuts as a counterpoint to the lemon/zest and raisins was perfect. m wasn’t as keen on it, but enjoyed it nonetheless (despite the fact that i left the stems on the spinach). some recipes just turn out well – this is one of them. so easy yet so complex in flavor and presentation.
Espinacas a la Catalana (Catalan Spinach)
Yield: 4 servings
1 cup water
1/4 cup raisins
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 medium Granny Smith apple, diced
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
1 tablespoon dry sherry (omitted, just because i didn’t have any and didn’t bother buying any)
1 pound baby spinach
Kosher salt
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice (from about half a medium lemon)
Finely grated zest from 1 medium lemon
1. In a medium saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Turn off the heat and add the raisins to the hot water. Set aside to rehydrate until plump, about 5 minutes. Strain the raisins and set aside on paper towels to drain.
2. In a large skillet set over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the apples and cook gently until they’re soft but still retain their texture, about 3 minutes. Add the raisins, shallot and toasted pine nuts. Cook until the shallot is soft and translucent, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the sherry and spinach, tossing to coat. Season with salt and lemon juice and immediately remove the skillet from the heat before the spinach is completely wilted.
3. Use a pair of tongs to remove the spinach from the pan and place in a serving dish, leaving any water behind in the skillet. Top the spinach with the lemon zest and serve immediately.
words
prisserati: (in my words) those politically correct types who try to censor anything they don’t like regardless of how it may restrict one’s freedom of expression. it belongs to kathryn schulz. it’s not in urban dictionary…yet.
on a different note, m referred to a guinness as a “guinea pig” which i thought was the cutest. thing. ever.
no race today
14.80 miles / 1.22.31 hrs / 10.7 mph avg spd
giardiniera
after having some most excellent giardiniera in chicago and given my recent pickling obsession, here’s a recipe we found. veggies are currently in the fridge brining. salt and vinegar – what’s not to love?
6 serranos thinly sliced
2 red bell peppers
1 celery rib, diced
1 carrot diced
1/2 head cauliflower, stems removed and florets chopped
1/2 cup salt
3 cloves garlic
2 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon celery seeds
black pepper
1 cup white vinegar
1 cup Canola oil
Dump the serranos, red bell peppers, celery, carrot, and cauliflower into a large bowl. Sprinkle on the salt and mix until well combined.
Pour in the enough water to cover the vegetables. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 12 hours.
Drain the water and then rinse the vegetables under cold water to remove some of the excess salt.
In a small bowl combine the garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, celery seeds and a pinch of black pepper.
Add the vinegar to the bowl and stir until combined. Then slowly whisk in the oil.
Dump the vegetables into some jars and top with the oil and vinegar mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least 48 hours. They will last for at least 2-3 weeks.