Food Maker, Chef, and Traveling Diner
A delicious grocery and dining establishment, Follow Your Heart adorns the streets of Canoga Park on Sherman Way. Amongst the dollar stores, small antiques marts and other dining establishments is a valley landmark for Vegans and Vegetarians alike. A store unlike many, it’s a one-stop …
In keeping with the theme of modern inspired eateries, I have a small sampling of a couple of dishes brought to you by Chef Antonia Lofaso and company of Black Market Liquor Bar. Located in the posh styling of trendy small plate establishments is Black …
What is Minestrone? It’s said to be a soup comprised of the things you have on hand; maybe vegetables, meat, broth, beans or pasta. In Italian, minestrone, roughly translated, means the big soup. The kind of minestrone I like, is simmered for long periods of …
Sometimes great ideas just come to us. There we are, faced with a fridge full, or maybe not so full, of food and we decide there’s something that has to be done about it. Like the culinary super minds we all can be, sometimes things …
often find myself checking out the fridge because I’ve forgotten that I should eat something. I know most people don’t do that, but I think it’s the reminisce of chefdom which occasionally peak it’s head out of the shadows and stops me from eating even if I’ve been cooking all day. When I was Executive Chef I was the skinniest I’ve ever been, STRESS period end of the story.
This is one of those pantry empty type items which came to me in a time of great hunger and quick thinking; where all of our most simple, yet delicious ideas come from. Without a doubt, I always have tortillas, cheese and beans in my house. Those are staples in my food repertoire along with rice, pasta and some form of canned tomatoes. I can’t live without these things, so as you can see, I have a big carb problem. Well, I wouldn’t say problem, more like affinity to these ingredients. The possibilities are endless, which is why I try and keep them stocked at all times.
So for my little hunger pang I decided that I should make some quesadillas. Now I normally wouldn’t write about something so simple, but I love the crunch combination of what fresh herbs and a little veggie love can accomplish with something as simple as a quesadilla. I hope you enjoy these meatless hearty stacks of cheesy goodness.
Mashed Cumin Black Bean Quesadillas with Extra-Sharp Cheddar and Cilantro
1 cup grated extra sharp cheddar
¼ bunch cilantro leaves picked from stems, washed and dried
8 corn tortillas (small size)
1 can black beans drained and rinsed twice
1 pinch cumin
1 pinch cayenne pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons salsa (your preference)
2 teaspoons sour cream
3 leaves Romaine, chiffonade (thinly sliced)
1 Roma tomato
Salt and pepper
In a small pot, add rinsed beans and heat over medium. Add 2 tablespoons of salsa to beans and mash with a fork or masher and then add cumin and cayenne pepper.
Place 4 tortillas on cutting board and spread beans on one side of tortilla.
Add cilantro to the top of the beans.
Add cheddar to the top and cover with remaining tortillas.
Heat a skillet with enough extra-virgin olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan, until very hot. Place quesadillas in hot skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes on one side and then turn and cook about 2 minutes until cheese is melted.
Repeat with remaining quesadillas.
Once finished cooking top the quesadillas with lettuce, chopped tomato, salt and pepper, a little bit of salsa and sour cream to your preference.
A very dear friend of mine asked me about a month ago if I would be able to help cater his 26th birthday for about 14 people. Of course I obliged, birthdays are my very favorite times to cook for others. As you’ve seen I’ve …
I love going out almost as much as I love eating in. It isn’t uncommon for me to spend a good chunk of money supporting my favorite local eateries or going to try somewhere new on the map or at least new to me. My …
Life, I’m sure is overwhelming at times for us all. And if it’s not, please tell me what planet you’re residing on, I’ll take a ticket there any time. My life over the last 10 months has become a place where I frequently feel at peace and content with the path I have decided to take, that will ready me for the next phases of my life. The simple pleasures and the brief moments shared with friends and family where peace and laughter are the focal point of our meetings are the times I truly enjoy.
My sister is supposed to be having my niece any day now, today April 6th was her doctors said due date. The family and friends are pouring in over text messages, lunch dates, and outings while we’re trying to stay peaceful and calm till Maleeya gets here. I can’t help but feel the pressure myself so I know my sister is tirelessly counting the seconds till her lovely baby girl meets us all.
As for me I’ve been running my mind over the whole situation, I’ve never lived with a small child and this is my big sister we grew up together going crazy over one another and the whole situation for me makes me a little scared but very excited. I know I’m really happy to help but this does really change everything. So my peace maybe interrupted a bit, well more than a bit but it will all be worth it to see this beautiful little girl bring so much happiness and joy to so many people’s lives.
Lately I’ve been cooking simple meals and not photographing too much, too many people around, too many things to do, and so much on my mind.
Yesterday I must have been a bit unkind to my body in yoga because it was screaming at me all day and very unhappy, luckily my back seems to be doing much better today after a good night’s rest. Tonight will be my 30th Yoga class in a row. I will of completed my challenge but I’m pretty sure until I for some reason (AKA BABY BIRTH) can’t make it to class I’ll keep going every day. My yoga studio has this wonderful program where you work about 4 hours a week volunteering your time helping at the desk and you receive yoga classes for free. I think things do happen for a reason, the precious gift of yoga has been placed in my life for a wonderful reason and I’m glad I can be a part of the experience.
So for you today I have these lovely easy pizzas, they are made atop thicker pita pockets that I found in my local Middle Eastern market. I love to scour that place for new breads, spices, herbs, and pickled vegetables whenever I can. These pizzas were thought of with a touch a veggie friendly influence as well as just making simple cheese pizzas for my brother in law. My sister loves pizza and she loved these little pockets. The pizza sauce is made with spinach instead of basil to achieve the veggie goodness that I love and to hide it from those suspecting doubters, plus i had no fresh basil. This sauce will also make a wonderful pasta sauce as well and can be used in recipes where you’d like a vegan tomato base. I hope you enjoy!
Pita Pizza’s with Spinach Pomodoro Sauce
Pita Pizza
4 thick pita’s
1 ½ cups of mozzarella cheese shredded
Kalamata olives
Sundried tomatoes
Roasted bell peppers
Spinach leaves thinly sliced for topping
(choose whatever type of toppings you would like!)
Spinach Pomodoro Sauce
1 large can of peeled whole tomatoes
2 cloves of garlic chopped
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 large pinches of salt
1 pinch of black pepper
3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
2 cups of chopped spinach
8 oz of tomato paste
Place all the items in a large blender leaving aside the tomato paste
Garlic
oil
Spinach
Salt and pepper
Blend till the tomatoes are mashed and ingredients well incorporated about 2 minutes of blending.
If there are still large chunks of tomato puree for longer depending on your blender
Place mixture in a medium sauce pan one medium heat
Add to the mixture the tomato paste
Cook till incorporated about 10 minutes
Color should be vibrant red, check seasoning to your preference, and set aside
Preheat oven to 450
On a sheet tray with parchment paper place pitas on top
Spread sauce over the top keeping a rim along the edge of the pizza
Place cheese on top of sauce and toppings to your liking
Place in the oven cook about 10-12 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling and browned
If you’re still not getting the bubbling brown effect put them in the broiler for a minute or two and you got it
Cheers
Shattered Cauliflower Farfalle with kalamata olives, sun dried tomatoes and spicy garlic rosemary olive oil Shattered cauliflower is just boiled cauliflower till it melts off of its stems. I kinda wack it with the back of the knife and it shattered into small pieces. I …