Recipes, Cooking & Art Direction: Mariana Nuño Ruiz McEnroe | Photography: Ian McEnroe |
Published: March 18, 2015
Semantically Ambrosia is a powerful word, the food or drink of the immortals, Greek goodess, sweet luscious juicy fruits, sweet honey smells, something that will bring youth, pleasure, and health. In my crazy fantasy food world I imagine Homer, Penelope, Aphrodite, and Sappho and their ambrosia offerings of sweet and incredible nectars. But the enchanted elixir got shattered when I Googled “ambrosia salad” and the record sounded broken. To my surprise his ambrosia salad it is an abominable concoction from the 50’s. Where all the Greek Gods must of been under the marshmallow influence, along with cans of syrupy fruits like cherries red no.5, pineapple chunks of yellow no.5 undistinguished cubes of fruit matter, bright green grapes and that fluffy component all tied up into a sweet coma. That’s what I call fulminating love…(Pepé Le Pew style hehhee)
Being lost in translation and trying to rescue the origins of the word, this salad came to my mind. Lately I’ve been seeing a lot of “no wimpy salads” and a lot of encouragement to try and thrive while you feed not only your body, but the enticing act of eating consciously present and awake.
Althoug, I can not promise all of this matters in just one salad, I will assure you that this is not a wimpy one. In fact it does have the Ambrosia elements, fruits, smells textures, sweet, salty, acidic, juicy, creamy, crunchy all the components that make a salad a memorable meal, and the kind of salad you will crave the next day and perhaps the next weekend too. Spinach, strawberries, avocado, grapefruit segments, cucumbers, salty, creamy feta cheese, and crunchy nutty and meaty walnuts, all carefully combined and drizzled with a simple three ingredient Dijon-honey -grapefruit juice vinaigrette. Needless to say the salad is healthy, energetic, nutritious, beautiful and delicious.
This Spinach Ambrosia Salad with Dijon-honey-grapefruit vinaigrette is what you need to welcome Spring and feel like a greek goddess, Enjoy!
Recipes, Cooking & Art Direction: Mariana Nuño Ruiz McEnroe | Photography: Ian McEnroe |
Published: March 5, 2015
Beans are the perfect food to cook during this seasonal transition. You know, those days when the weather shows a great deal of indecisiveness . Cold-warm-windy-rain-sunny all in one week. What to cook? Beans. Whether you add them to vegetable soups, tacos or salads they are always there for you as a quick route to make great meals. The trick to it is a little simple plan, a slow cooker, and patience (my little grasshopper).
Beans don’t like to be rushed. They like to soak over night,( preferably) and they like to cook at a steady low, low simmer almost like one bubble per 3 seconds. They like to be cooked in plenty of water lightly seasoned. Usually a piece of onion and one dry or fresh chile is all they need. Salt should always be added at last once the beans are cooked and are soft enough to absorb the salty flavor. They also love clay pots, slow cookers, cast iron pots, Dutch ovens, or any heavy pot that retains even heat and keeps them well snuggled.
As you can see once you have these four factors down it is extremely easy to make a great batch of beans. I always make a big pot of beans and freeze small batches. I can’t tell you enough how much of a life saver this is. Even if you forget to take them out of the freezer, It will take 10-15 minutes to defrost in a microwave or a conventional pot with a lid on. Frozen beans keep for up to four months. I make a batch every month and a half and it works great for the two of us.
Now let’s talk about what kind of beans to cook. For those who have not yet read our “about” page, Beans are my favorite grain and my ultimate last supper. Being from Mexico, beans are a huge part of our everyday diet. So, I am always looking for the ultimate bean, fresh and of good quality, that cooks evenly and has great flavor. I finally found it a few years ago when In the search for a bean that tasted like the ones home, I ran into Rancho Gordo. The first time I saw this brand was at wholefoods. Unfortunately they do not carry them any longer, but the good news is that you can buy them online. Rancho Gordo is not only a brand, Steve Sando owner, and grower is dedicated to find and save heirloom bean grains. He is part of Seed Saver Exchange where he rescues and grows beans and grains of the Americas.
He is recuperating our American diet roots. From North America, Mexico, Central and South America. Me being Mexican, knowing any one with this kind of mission goes straight to my heart.
My favorite beans Ayocote negro, Mayocoba, Midnightblack, Rosa de Castilla, Royal Corona uff etc…
If you are a bean fan like me, you can enroll into the Rancho Gordo Bean Club. Yes, you read that correctly, they will send you an amazing bean allowance 4 times a year. Also, you can enjoy some of the rare bean varieties. For more details click here:Rancho Gordo website
As you can read I’m a 100% bean lover.
I hope you enjoy this recipe these Corona beans are a special type of bean, they are huge almost the size of a prune. In flavor they are buttery, potatoey and very starchy. These beans are easy to pair with any meal or a satisfying main dish for a meatless Monday. This bean does require the pre soaking overnight, it’s a must so plan ahead. Once they have been soaked, they cook more evenly and plump up.
I hope you like the recipe, which I feel is more like a pairing since it is so effortless.
Get into the bean club soon! Enjoy!
Recipes, Cooking & Art Direction: Mariana Nuño Ruiz McEnroe | Photography: Ian McEnroe |
Published: January 27, 2015
Loong time no see my friends! We apologize for the post delay, we have been dealing with some household chaos. I’ve been out of order for about 10 days, rough times I’ll tell you Back issues can be really painful I heart for people who have chronic pain. Thanks to Ian and his caring I’m feeling much better these days. In the meantime I hope you had time to make all the soup and all those recipes that you wanted to make last year , but you didn’t, because you can’t, but you want to, and you will and today is a good day to start. I hear you…. all this time in bed and I wanted to cook so bad, and I couldn’t. I made an awesome 3 1/2 minute soup that tasted just like it 3 1/2 minutes of big effort and glory! For me it tasted like if it had been simmering for hours. I guess when you are sick you just want some warm comfort. Any way this smoothie made my morning one of these sicky days it just put a smile on my face it felt like I was having a healthy dessert in a glass.
Let me tell you all about this green creamy smoothie. The matcha and dates are a combination made in heaven; the sweet caramel dates play so well with the bright intense green tea flavor. The supporting cast: the almond milk, a couple of tablespoons of almonds and of course for texture and body a frozen banana. A small squeeze of lemon to brighten all those flavors, all goes to the blender….bleeeehhtzzz, blitzzzz, a little more blitzzz blitzzz …then pour it in a chilled glass and add a straw or two if you are willing to share… Enjoy!
Matcha Date and Almond Smoothie
Makes 1 large non-sharable smoothie or two skinny glasses for a little afternoon snack.
1 cup almond milk
1 medium frozen banana peeled.
2 tablespoons slivered almonds
1 1/2 teaspoon matcha green tea powder cooking grade
2-3 medjool dates / remove the pits. Start with 2 dates and from there decide if you want it more sweet, add another date.
1 small squeeze of lemon
4-5 ice cubes
Directions:
Place all ingredients on a blender, bleeeeeeeeehhtzzz.
Pause then pulse Blitzzzz, blitzzzz just to make sure the dates are completely blend in.
Recipes, Cooking & Art Direction: Mariana Nuño Ruiz McEnroe | Photography: Ian McEnroe |
Published: January 16, 2015
Cookies for breakfast? Hell yes! That is the concept behind these cookies, because… YES.
This oatmeal cookie its a little break after all that holiday cooking, prepping, and wrapping. These Blueberry Lemon Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies are just for you to indulge a morning craving, to power up your day.
Why?, because these good-hearted creatures are made with whole grain flour, oats flakes, wheat of germ, fresh blueberries, and a good punch of lemon zest…Something to lift up your morning. Lots of energy, antioxidants, fiber, and all those things that are as important as having a big smile on your face!…right?…
Can you eat this cookie instead of breakfast? Perhaps, but I recommend some protein to go along with them, like a cup of yogurt, nuts, and a cup of coffee or tea. Bake them regular size for breakfast or in a smaller bites for an afternoon snack.
Bake a batch over the weekend and power up your breakfast, whether you are preparing to take a hike, go to the park, or take down the holiday decorations…Please save some time to snuggle under a blanket, or sit on your porch with a good friend and enjoy a cookie and great cup ot tea.
Recipes, Cooking & Art Direction: Mariana Nuño Ruiz McEnroe | Photography: Ian McEnroe |
Published: January 9, 2015
Praise the Lord for Albondigas and this 34F weather! I think this combination is a match made in heaven. Imagine a piping hot tomato smokey spicy broth with turkey-rice meatballs swimming among little pieces of carrot, sweet potatoes, potatoes, zucchini, kale and chayotes. Serve it with Sour Cream or Mexican crema, corn tortillas, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.
This is the type of Mexican comfort soup dear to my heart. The classic albondigas are made with ground beef /ground chuck, which give the broth a richer flavor. I was craving a lighter comfort soup and I made them with ground turkey and chicken broth. The result is a soup which is light as a feather. Rice is added to the meatballs giving them a soft tender crumb along with egg and some finely chopped onions and spices. I used some of my favorite vegetable soup veggies and added some kale to win extra green points…
Feel free to use any vegetables of your affection. Not fan of kale? Spinach will work. The white rice can be interchanged with quinoa, farro, or brown rice to add extra nutrition and flavor. But beside the fantastic meatball action, I believe everything is about the broth in this soup. A combination of crushed tomatoes with chipotle and smokey paprika is the ticket to this fantastic soup recipe. It comes out mildly spicy; just enough to make your throat ticklish. Mmmm!
This one pot dinner soup would make you fall in love with wintery nights. If you like meatballs, vegetables and spicy broth you gonna love this Chipotle Albondigas-Meatball Soup.
Recipes, Cooking & Art Direction: Mariana Nuño Ruiz McEnroe | Photography: Ian McEnroe |
Published: January 3, 2015
After enjoying these days of caloric ecstasy and extravagances, it’s hard to immediately switch to the light and healthier road. It feels like you are giving a kid a candy and 5 minutes later you change that to a cucumber… it is just plain hard. All my taste buds are still in frantic mode and my serotonin levels are a roll a coaster. But Nature is wise, and perhaps knows these facts by sprouting a great Winter abundance of greens, root vegetables, cabbages and cauliflowers among other vegetables.
These are my saviors for this caloric transitional period. I need soup to warm me up and fill up my belly with out the extra filling out of my pants.. ahem.
Last weekend at my farmers market I ran into these beauties, a warm yellow and a purple cauliflower, rainbow carrots, sweet potatoes and fresh dill. How can you not be inspired when you see all this colors? Soup it is, I was craving the creamy textures and luxurious caloric meals, but with no guilt. So I decided to make an all vegetable chowder using all these winter bounty.
Cauliflower has a delicate flavor. When it is cooked and pureed it resembles potatoes. You would be surprised how close you can prepare it to mimic the potato. I’m sure you’ve heard of cauliflower mashed, cauliflower rice or cauliflower mac & cheese in which this humble Brassica acts like a carb-chameleon. With this premise I started my vegetable chowder by cooking and pureeing part of the cauliflower as the soup base to give that rich starchy like consistency that characterizes a chowder. I reserved some of the cauliflower into little florets which are added latter to the soup to add texture and enhance the cauliflower flavor. The extra creamy chowderiness comes from unsweetened coconut milk which gives this soup the luxurious velvety chowder texture and it adds lots of good healthy fats that are well needed at this point of the healthy road transition. Do not fear about the coconut over taking the flavor on the soup, you barely can tell is here. Carrots, sweet potatoes and onions add sweetness, texture and light flavor. Fresh dill adds a great herbal aroma to the soup and complements the cauliflower flavor in a very delicate way.
I recommend organically grown vegetables if possible. I know that’s not easy, but increasingly supermarkets are adding those options if you don’t have access to a farmer’s market. In my opinion the flavor is better and I think with a lightly seasoned dish like this one, those flavors are going to shine through.
This Cauliflower chowder will warm you up, fulfill your starchy desires, and settle down your taste buds. I would say this soup is the ticket to redemption road. Time to tame the growling carb lions…
If you want to know more about the wonderful benefits of Cauliflower, please check out this unique and complete article, written by Helen Nichols, 28 Science-Backed Health Benefits of Cauliflower Enjoy!
Cauliflower Chowder
Serves 4 or 2 hungry Vegans.
2 small or 1 medium Cauliflower heads. Any color is great about 6-7 cups of small cauliflower florets total, use organic if possible they have the best flavor.
6-7 small carrots, diced or sliced into rounds.
I used red, yellow, and orange, use what ever is freshest available at your market.
1 medium sweet potato peeled and diced.
1/2 large sweet onion
2 garlic cloves
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 cups vegetable stock
1 – 14oz can unsweetened coconut milk/cream
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1 sprig fresh dill, or 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon if using dry and upon your taste.
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika or 2 sundry tomatoes**
6-8 good cranks of fresh black pepper
1 teaspoon Sea salt
Garnish with:
Fresh dill/not fan of dill?… Basil, Thyme, Chives, Tarragon are great substitutions.
smoked paprika
(Crostini or toast drizzled with olive oil and Parmesan cheese optional)
*I used water instead of vegetable stock, because I wanted the cauliflower flavor to come through. The first time I made this soup I used vegetable stock and I felt it masked the cauliflower flavor to much. Feel free to use whatever you prefer.
** Recently I made this soup adding 2 sundry tomatoes. It was a delicious variation, it gave the chowder a slight tint of color and deep of flavor.If using sundry tomatoes add them on step four so they can soften up before pureeing the chowder.
Preparation method:
1. Chop and diced your vegetables. With a small paring knife cut the cauliflower into small florets. Reserve about 2 cups of the little florets to add to the soup at last. For this soup I used the yellow cauliflower for the soup base and the purple florets to add whole to the soup, it adds eye appeal.
2. In a small pot, bring 4 cups of salted water to a boil. Pre-cook the diced carrots and sweet potatoes for 4-5 minutes, until al-dente, rinse with cold water. Set aside. 3. Over medium-low heat in a medium size pot, add the extra virgin olive oil, and sauté the chopped onions and garlic until translucent, season with salt and pepper. 4. Once the onions are translucent, add ¾ of the cauliflower florets. Toss and add 2 cups of vegetable stock or just enough to cover the florets. Add bay leaf, thyme, fresh sprig of dill/or dry, salt, and pepper, cover with a lid and let them cook for 7-8 minutes or until very soft and tender. Once cooked, purée them in a food processor, blender, or use an immersion blender until smooth. 5. Place this cauliflower purée back into the pot, add the coconut milk and stir well until blended. Season with celery salt, salt, paprika and black pepper. Add a bit more vegetable stock if the consistency is too thick. 6. Add the reserved mini cauliflower florets, and the pre-cooked carrots and sweet potatoes. Cover with a lid and bring to a slow simmer cook for 5 minutes. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper if necessary. Check for doneness on the vegetables; I like my vegetables on the al-dente side, not hard but not mushy. Taste them and decide if you like them softer keep cooking them for another 2-3 minutes.
Serve immediately into warm bowls, sprinkle fresh dill, a little drizzle of olive oil, salt, and fresh cracked pepper. One or two whole wheat crostinis won’t hurt right?… Enjoy!
2smallCauliflower heads,Any color is great about 6-7 cups of small cauliflower florets total, use organic if possible they have the best flavor.
6-7smallCarrots,diced or sliced into rounds.
1mediumSweet potato,peeled and diced.
1/2largeSweet oniondiced
2mediumGarlic cloves
3tablespoonsExtra virgin olive oil
3cupsVegetable stock*
114-0z canUnsweetened coconut milk/cream
1bay leaf
1/4 teaspoonthyme, dry or fresh
1sprigfresh dill,1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon if using dry upon your taste
1/2teaspoonCelery salt
1/4teaspoonSmoked Paprika or 2 sundry tomatoes
6-8cranksFresh Black pepper
1teaspoonSea Salt, or more upon your taste
Instructions
1. Chop and diced your vegetables. With a small pairing knife cut the cauliflower into small florets. Reserve about 2 cups of the little florets to add to the soup at last. For this soup I used the yellow cauliflower for the soup base and the purple florets to add whole to the soup, it adds eye appeal.
2. In a small pot, bring 4 cups of salted water to a boil. Pre-cook the diced carrots and sweet potatoes for 4-5 minutes, until al-dente, rinse with cold water. Set aside.
3. Over medium low heat in a medium size pot, add the extra virgin olive oil, and sauté the chopped onions and garlic until translucent, season with salt and pepper.
4. Once the onions are translucent, add ¾ of the cauliflower florets. Toss and add 2 cups of vegetable stock or just enough to cover the florets. Add bay leaf, thyme, fresh sprig of dill or dry, salt and pepper, cover with a lid and let them cook for 7-8 minutes or until very soft and tender. Once cooked, purée them in a food processor, blender, or use an immersion blender until smooth.
5. Place this cauliflower purée back into the pot, add the coconut milk and stir well until blended. Season with celery salt, salt, paprika and black pepper. Add a bit more vegetable stock if the consistency is to thick.
6. Add the reserved mini cauliflower florets, and the pre cooked carrots and sweet potatoes. Cover with a lid and bring to a slow simmer cook for 5 minutes. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper if necessary. Check for doneness on the vegetables; I like my vegetables on the al-dente side, not hard but not mushy. Taste them and decide if you like them softer keep cooking them for another 2-3 minutes.
*If using sundry tomatoes add them on step 4 so they can soften before pureeing the chowder.
Recipes, Cooking & Art Direction: Mariana Nuño Ruiz McEnroe | Photography: Ian McEnroe |
Published: December 31, 2014
What are you going to raise a glass with this New Years Eve? Champagne? Well, that’s fine and well at midnight but for the duration of your evening we have something to share with you… A delicious Rosemary Paloma!
Try this very refreshing Mexican Classic cocktail made with grapefruit and lime juice, tequila, lots of ice, and sea salt. My spin a rosemary syrup that gives this Paloma a fragrant and festive flair.
Winter is the citrus season, and what better use than to add cheer and receive the New Year with some freshly squeezed grapefruit cocktails! They are calorie friendly and loaded with vitamin C…what a good omen to start your year!
I hope you had a great year. We had a blast! In this time of reflection and gratefulness we want you to know how grapefruit we are to you.
Thank you to all our friends, family and people that helped us, cheered us up and supported us with all your comments. We love what we do and sharing it with you gives us joy.
Thank you, thank you, thank you all, everywhere!…From the bottom of our hearts.
This New Year will bring new recipes, music, more inspiration and fun!
We invite your ideas and comments; if you have a recipe in mind, if you want us to feature your favorite vegetable, fruit, meat, cheese, spice, anything goes!
Leave us a comment we would love to hear from you… Meantime I assure you this Rosemary Paloma, will knock your socks off!
Recipes, Cooking & Art Direction: Mariana Nuño Ruiz McEnroe | Photography: Ian McEnroe |
Published: December 26, 2014
Bagna Cauda, is a traditional dish from the North region of Italy, Piedmont. Bagna Cauda, literally means “Hot bath”. It is served in a similar way as fondue. It is a warm dip made with Olive Oil or Walnut Oil that it’s heated with generous amounts of garlic and… please do not panic when you read this, I promise you, that when you try this recipe you will fall in love with the abominable ingredient “anchovies”. Me, I’m not afraid at all, I’m an anchovy lover, but I know that there is a lot of people who is even scared by the word. Not even to mention the profound and terrified feeling if they know they are an ingredient in their food preparation, and some people might off gone into strike if they have to touch them.
Well,what can I say?… give anchovies a chance. Anchovy flavor when is paired with different food and use as condiment to enhance deep of flavors in sauces or stews, acts as a salty umami background flavor. It gives a salty and nutty note that can bring any sauce, salad dressing, marinade or stew to a whole different level. No fishiness or crazy smells. And particularly in this warm sauce, it brings the punch of flavor to the tub party!….
Now, who is taking the bath?…Vegetables, any vegetable raw, steamed, roasted, “ a n y “ vegetable you like. The best way to serve it is keeping the dip warm, I usually use a ceramic Fondue set with a tea light underneath, and serve the warm vegetables in separated plates or arranged in a big platter. Cutting the vegetables in bite size is a must so they can easily be reheated when drenched into the dip. Slices of crusty artisanal bread are ideal to complement the creamy sauce.
There are two ways to prepare Bagna Cauda, the oil route or the creamy route, I like the creamy version for fall-winter cold weather, because is richer and it goes great with the wintery seasonal greens and root vegetables.
The Extra Virgin Olive Oil or Walnut Oil version works great for the summer months when you want to eat something lighter, and in my opinion, the summer seasonal vegetables pair magically with the olive oil.
This recipe is great for parties, or for an easy light dinner, Ian and I we usually try to have a vegetable night during the week and this Bagna Cauda it’s fun, easy to prepare and really fulfilling.
How would I describe the flavor of the Bagna Cauda? Creamy-umami, salty-nutty , velvety sauce that makes any vegetable taste like a million bucks with a poor mans budget!…
Give it a try, I will advice you that If you are experimenting for the first time with anchovies, start shy, it is a bit of an acquired taste. But if you already love them kick it up! you gonna love them even more!. About the vegetables, honestly you are the one who is in charge, go to your farmers market see whats in season, try something different one vegetable at a time, chose some veggies you are comfortable with, so you don’t end up giving up. Trying many new flavors at once can be overwhelming.
When choosing your vegetable assortment apply the colors of the rainbow, sounds silly but this will ensure you to have a great variety of flavor, texture, vegetables that taste better raw versus cooked and it will bring a great visual interest to your table… because in the end if it looks good you are more likely to eat it. So have fun!
Ah!… I almost forgot, this is the last recipe of the 2013, thank you so much for all your support!
Happy New year!
