Just Bento Cookbook by Makiko Itoh
Fabulous Feasting is a monthly blog feature focusing on one woman’s quest for the most fabulous food in Seattle to feast on, from restaurants to recipes.
The beginning of September signals time for kids to go back to school. As I prepare my children for the return to the classroom, and shop for needed supplies such as backpacks, pencils and lunch provisions, I have been been inspired to look at the sack lunch in a whole new way for myself. Even if you are no longer in school, or are child-free, one can’t help but take a cue from the school-age set who are increasingly opting out of the bland, processed cafeteria lunch and choosing a fresher, healthier mid-day meal.
Whether your hope is to reduce the impact to your pocketbook or to your waistline, if you are looking for an alternative to frequently eating-out at lunchtime and have decided to brown-bag it more often, a popular Japanese tradition just might make a nice addition to your lunch rotation.
Yes, for transporting your homespun noon-time bites to work, the brown paper sack is certainly one option, though unless you are able to salvage the bag each day and reuse it, it is not a very eco-friendly choice. (Not to mention how unappetizing the smooshed sandwich and bruised banana are when you take them out of the bag!)
Traditional lunchboxes, on the other hand, while re-usable, durable, and available in every budget and style…
Are you a Beatles fan?
Fabulous Feasting is a monthly blog feature focusing on one woman’s quest for the most fabulous food in Seattle to feast on, from restaurants to recipes.
Last week as I stepped into RN74, Michael Mina’s new restaurant and wine bar here in Seattle modeled after his successful restaurant of the same name in San Francisco, I felt as though I were being transported into a classic, black and white, French movie. You know the story…
Fabulous Feasting is a monthly blog feature focusing on one woman’s quest for the most fabulous food in Seattle to feast on, from restaurants to recipes.
On a beautiful, warm, sunny evening last month I had the pleasure of attending the Girl Power Hour Fit & Fab event at Pure Barre in Bellevue. We gathered to network, learn more about healthy living and celebrate the completion of this year’s Girl Power Hour Fitness Challenge.
While we enjoyed chair massages, body scrubs (just our arms 
), low-cal cocktails, and healthy snacks, many in the audience were inspired to incorporate more ”fit-n-fab” choices into their lives in support of continued health and well-being for both the mind and the body.
As GPH’s resident food bloggers, Carol Peterman, author of the GPH blog So Edible as well as her own business blog on TableFare.com, and I were asked to put together some healthy eating tips for the girl-on-the-go, to be shared via a slide show during the event. For those who missed it at the event, or who weren’t able to make it out, we wanted to share our ideas for making healthier choices at restaurants and some healthy on-the-go snacks:
Making Healthy Choices at Restaurants
Controlling out-of-control portions
· Share full-sized entrée’s with a friend.
· Split your meal by eating only half and taking the other half home for a second meal the next day.
· Order from the ala carte menu to get just the dishes you really want.
Fabulous Feasting is a monthly blog feature focusing on one woman’s quest for the most fabulous food in Seattle to feast on, from restaurants to recipes.
Cristina Ferrare's Big Bowl of Love
Mother’s Day is this week. It does seem rather early this year. Did it sneak up on you like it did on me? Have you planned your gift for Mom yet? Well, if not, what better way to tell mom how you feel about her than by giving her a “Big Bowl of Love”?
I recently had the pleasure of joining other food lovers for an evening in the kitchen with Cristina Ferrare. Cristina made some delicious food for us…
Caesar Salad, Lamb Meatballs, Deviled Eggs and White Bean Puree - All recipes in the cookbook!
Fabulous Feasting is a monthly blog feature focusing on one woman’s quest for the most fabulous food in Seattle to feast on, from restaurants to recipes.
Ballpark Inspired Garlic Fries
I know that Spring officially started last month but around here, with our lingering Northwest winters, the start of baseball season really signals the beginning of Spring for me. With the home opener of the Mariners season at Safeco Field later this week, it got me thinking about warm summer days at the ballpark. And when I think of going to the ballpark, I think of food!
Traditional baseball-watching food includes hotdogs, peanuts and Cracker Jack. But the edible I think of most when I visit “The Safe” are their Garlic Fries – that potent waft of garlic just smacks you in the face as you enter the gates! While yes, not very nutritious, what’s better alongside a nice cold beer than some warm, salty, grease-soaked, starchy treats with a garlic bite? Of course the Mariners are classing things up these days with more gourmet fare, with the likes of local, renowned chef Ethan Stowell, and that really does make me, the food-lover, happy. But a classic is still a classic - and these fries have it!
What to do when you don’t have tickets to the game but you are craving the ballpark-like food experience? Why not have your own viewing party at home? Invite some friends over, pop the game on the big screen TV, whip up some of these babies, and serve with chilled beer – your friends will be impressed and you will love how easy they are to make!
This isn’t truly a recipe so much as a preparation, it’s really just about the finishing touches. You can prepare the potatoes however you like. If you want to save the calories and exposure to fat – go ahead and bake the fries. If you want to fry them but don’t have a deep fryer you can just fry them in vegetable oil in a deep pot on the stove.
HOME-MADE GARLIC FRIES
- Potatoes – one per person
- Garlic – minced – 1 Tablespoon per potato
- Fresh Parsley – 1/2 Tablespoon per potato
- Kosher salt – to taste (I used kosher salt, but a flavored salt would also be so delicious on these!)
- Butter – 1/2 Tablespoon
- Olive oil – 1/2 Tablespoon
Frist, cut potatoes into thin strips.
Then to cook potato strips: Deep fry in small batches in vegetable oil at 375 degrees for 7-9 minutes. OR bake them in the oven by first tossing the cut potatoes in vegetable oil (or use plain to save even more calories) and placing in a single layer on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray – bake for 30 minutes at 425 degrees.
Mince garlic and parsley.
Heat small frying pan over med-high heat on the stove. Add olive oil and butter to pan. Once butter is melted add minced garlic and parsley and sauté for about a minute. As soon as the fries are done, drain oil from fries by placing on some paper towels and put them in a large bowl. Top with garlic/parsley mixture, sprinkle with salt, and toss.
I used a metal bowl and it worked fabulously!
Place fries into a serving dish and scoop remaining mixture leftover in the bowl on top of the fries to serve.
(You could also lower the fat by not sautéing the parsley and garlic in fat and just using it raw. This is the way they prepare them at Safeco Field atop the salted fries. You could certainly do this to save calories but if you sauté them first you will be hooked! We taste-tested both ways in our house and were divided – though I think the butter is what makes the sauteing method the better of the two! Everything’s better with butter!
)
Play Ball!
What foods make you think of baseball at the ballpark?
Fabulous Feasting is a monthly blog feature focusing on one woman’s quest for the most fabulous food in Seattle to feast on, from restaurants to recipes.
One of the beautiful gardens on display at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show
It may be hard to imagine, with the cold, wet, and snowy weather we’ve been having here in Seattle, but spring is just around the corner. Soon enough we will be outside enjoying the lush greenery that makes us north-westerners fall in love with this area all over again each and every year.
I visited the Northwest Flower and Garden Show this weekend for some warm-weather inspiration. (See more about my adventures at the show here, on my blog, KristinPotPie.)
In addition to enjoying all of the stunning garden displays like the one above, and purusing the multitude of flower and garden vendors, I had the pleasure of meeting the lovely Alexandra Hedin and attending one of her seminars on the DIY Stage. Alexandra is a local lifestyle and entertaining expert, style editor at 425 magazine, and author of the book Entertaining at Home.
Alexandra Hedin on the Target DIY Stage
The DIY stage was sponsored by Target and highlighted their new acquisition of the classic Smith & Hawken line of outdoor furinture, garden tools, and decor now being sold exclusively in their stores.
Smith & Hawken at Target
Alexandra passed on her creative ideas for this lovely garden brunch using some of the products from the new collection.
A creative way to serve your granola - in a bird bath, with a trowel!
With the first day of spring coming up later this month, I just had to share it with you. Wouldn’t this make an adorable theme for a “Welcome To Spring” party in the garden with your girlfriends? But even if you don’t have a garden or patio to call your own, or if the weather doesn’t cooperate (because this is Seattle after all!), you can still incorporate these delightful brunch ideas and bring a little bit of the garden inside.
Centerpieces for your brunch table
Mealtimes are a celebration, especially when you spend it with your family or friends. These easy centerpieces make for a festive look, and the choice of Baby’s Breath just goes to show it doesn’t have to cost a lot, or be the height of flower season, to make an elegant arrangement. I just love the monochromatic look. To make these, just cut floral foam to fit a glass container (or several – groups of odd numbers look great!), wrap it with wide ribbon to fully cover, soak in water overnight, and then poke short stems of your flower of choice into the foam until you can no longer see the green of the foam.
So simple yet so elegant
The menu is strikingly simple as well because when you are with great company, you want to be able to just enjoy your time and not have to fuss. This granola can be made ahead of time and then served up on the day of your party with some fresh fruit (I like berries!) and Greek yogurt.
HOMEMADE GRANOLA
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup Luis syrup or honey
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 4 cups rolled oats
- 2 cups sliced almonds
- 1/2 cup flax seed oil
- 1/2 cup wheat germ
- 2 cups coconut
- 1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup golden raisins
- 1/2 cup raisins
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, blend together sugar, oil, syrup (or honey), vanilla and cinnamon. Add oats and combine until well coated.
Spread the oats onto a cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes until bubbly. Add almonds, flax seed, and wheat germ and stir to coat. Bake another five minutes. Mix in coconut and return to oven for 15 minutes. Stir occasionally and watch constantly to prevent excess browning. Remove from oven, toss with dried fruit and let cool.
When completely cool, break into pieces and store in airtight container for up to one week. Serve with Greek yogurt and fruit.
Serve with berries and yogurt in a parfait glass
And, what brunch is complete without Bloody Marys?
BLOODY MARY BAR
- 4 ounces V8 juice
- 2 ounces pepper vodka
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- pepper
- Your favorite garnishes: pickled beans, celery stalks, grilled shrimp, pickled asparagus, lemon and lime wedges, and green olives.
In a highball glass, blend together V8, vodka, and Worcestershire. Add ice and season with pepper. Garnish with your favorite garnishes on small wooden skewers.
Bloody Mary Bar
I love that she just took a window box and turned it upside-down to create a bar!
Both of these recipes are in Alexandra’s book, Entertaining at Home, along with many more recipes as well as many entertaining and crafting ideas to make a simple meal an occasion. You can also follow her blog Alexandra Hedin Design for your dose of daily inspiration
Entertaining At Home by Alexandra Hedin
Fabulous Feasting is a monthly blog feature focusing on one woman’s quest for the most fabulous food in Seattle to feast on, from restaurants to recipes.
Welcome the Year of the Rabbit!
Calculated to correspond with the cycles of the full moon, the Lunar New Year is upon us, and this year will be celebrated on Thursday, February 3rd. Each year of the lunar calendar is represented by one of twelve animals, and is said to take on the characteristics of the corresponding animal. This year, the rabbit, with his friendly, lucky and considerate demeanor, is predicted to bring us a year of a calmer, gentler nature than the one we just had. That definitely sounds like a reason to celebrate to me
Each year the Lunar New Year in China is the official celebration of the coming of spring, and while customs vary from region to region, you can be sure that family and food are always a factor. If you are looking to celebrate at home with some loved ones, why not try your hand at these delicious appetizers? Whether you call them dumplings, gyoza, or potstickers, this recipe is a sure to please a crowd!
POTSTICKERS:
- 1 package of 44 round dumpling wrappers
- 1 lb ground pork (uncooked)
- 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 Tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 5 minced green onions
- 1/4 head of napa cabbage – chopped fine
- 1-1/2 Tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 shredded carrot
- 2 teaspoons grated fresh gingerroot
- 1/2 Tablespoon rice wine vinegar
Mix all ingredients except for the wrappers together in a large bowl.
Fill wrappers generously and close by wetting your fingers with water and crimping ends.
Heat frying pan. Add 1 Tablespoon of vegetable oil, then over medium heat fry until one side is brown. Add 1/2 cup of water and steam 3-4 minutes until done.
Dipping sauce:
- 1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
Combine all ingredients and serve with warm dumplings.
Add some fried rice and BBQ pork and you have a meal. Enjoy! Gong hay fat choi!
Fabulous Feasting is a monthly blog feature focusing on one woman’s quest for the most fabulous food in Seattle to feast on, from restaurants to recipes.
It’s a new year and you’ve resolved to eat better. Maybe you have decided to cut out sugar, maybe it’s no fast food for you, or maybe you’ve even committed to the dreaded “D” word. “Diet”. If you are thinking more about what you put in your body that’s great, but you might consider also where your food comes from as well as the impact it has on the environment.
In my last Fabulous Feasting post for the GPH blog, I introduced you to Chef Scott Smith from Herban Creations, who will prepare for you a lovely sustainable meal in your home or teach you to cook using fresh local ingredients. But if you are looking for a prepared fast meal or snack, what’s more portable, efficient, and sustainable than a complete meal between two slices of bread? Yes, I’m talking about the sandwich! Seattle has some great sandwich shops and one of my favorites is Homegrown. This is sandwich environmentalism at its best. You’ve heard of home-made sandwiches? Well these are home-grown! Homegrown considers the environmental impact of each and every ingredient they choose for their menu items and combine the best of organic and eating local theories to create the most sustainable menu they possibly can.
Now with three Seattle locations, Fremont, Capital Hill (in the beautiful Melrose Market), and the recently opened store on Queen Anne Hill, you won’t have to travel too far to get your favorite sandwich, thereby further reducing your carbon footprint. The ingredients are good for your body and good for the planet yes, but of course the most important thing in choosing edibles are how they taste; and this sandwich, no matter your ordering preference, is fantastic!
The succulent spicy jalapeno meatloaf BLT, made with Thundering Hooves ground chuck, is by far one of the best meatloaf sammies I have ever had. And the Zoe bacon they use on this sandwich, as well as on the delectable Turkey, Bacon and Avocado sandwich, makes my mouth water just thinking about it. Other unique sandwiches such as the Bluffernutter, and the Crabcake, Bacon and Avocado are great, but if you love your meat, the Roast Pork sandwich, made with Stumptown coffee and cayenne rubbed pork loin, is not to be beat! But don’t despair, they also have the vegan Veggie choice if that is more your style. Seasonal sandwiches here are a treat, rotating, and made with only the finest in-season ingredients. Catch them while you can! Follow Homegrown on Twitter and Facebook to stay in-the-know about these special menus.
Their sandwiches are what they tout, and what they are known for, but it certainly doesn’t diminish the other menu items that Homegrown does so well. Sides such as the crisp salty homemade chips, fresh salads and daily soups are not to be missed here. Breakfast sandwiches at all locations, a kid’s menu and late night snacks at the Capital Hill location round out the full range of offerings. Homegrown’s menu features locally sourced ingredients, but their commitment to environmentalism doesn’t stop there. They are also committed to using green materials to serve and print on – no plastic water bottles and 100% compostable and recyclable materials.
Fremont: 3416 Fremont Ave N, 206-453-5232 Hours: Mon-Sun 8am – 4pm (Late night menu Fri & Sat 10 pm-3am)
Capital Hill:1531 Melrose Ave, 206-682-0935 Hours: Sun-Thurs 8am – 8pm, Fri-Sat 8am – 3am
Queen Anne: 2201 Queen Anne Ave N, 206-217-4745 Hours: Mon-Sun 8am - 8pm
Fabulous Feasting is a monthly blog feature focusing on one woman’s quest for the most fabulous food in Seattle to feast on, from restaurants to recipes.
As we move through this holiday season with all of the shopping, decorating, entertaining, baking, and indulgence, many already have thoughts turning to the new year and what it will bring. Some may be planning ahead, thinking of the changes they will make in their lives with that stroke of midnight on December 31st.
Quite a few resolutions, large and small, center around food and eating. Maybe you are thinking about how you would like to eat better, making food at home instead of eating out a lot of the time. Maybe you are planning to eat more sustainably, making a commitment to switch to fresh, local, and seasonal ingredients in your cooking. Perhaps you are considering a bit more major decision like becoming a vegetarian, or even a vegan. Or maybe you have just vowed to finally learn to cook.
In addition to promising to live our lives better, the new year brings a fresh assortment of things to celebrate. There are plans to be made on the social front; award show parties, big football or basketball game gatherings, and (gulp!) Valentine’s Day will be here before we know it! Are you looking ahead to your social calendar with an Oscar bash to plan, or romantic Valentine’s Day with the significant other, or even a singles get-together for the girls (an un–Valentine’s Day)? Or maybe after the hubbub of the holidays you just need a nice, quite, relaxing dinner for two at home without having to cook. And without having to resort to take out.
If you’ve never thought about hiring a personal chef, it might be time to consider it. It could be the key to accomplishing your entertaining plans or eating resolutions for 2011. I recently had such a enjoyable time during an in-home cooking lesson on how to make caramel, that I just had to share this gem of a company with you.
Herban Creations, a personal chef business, is owned and operated by Chef Scott Smith who spends his time with clients teaching kitchen skills, throwing dinner parties, and cooking for larger parties of up to about 100 guests.
After spending over 15 years in sales (all the way to the executive level) Chef Smith decided to return to his true passion and, while working full time, he attended the Le Cordon Bleu School of Culinary Arts, where he graduated top of his class with highest honors and was classically trained in the culinary arts, baking, and pastry. He has worked at the Canlis, Osteria LaSpiga and is currently the chef at Bastyr University.
In addition to cooking lessons, and larger in home events, Chef Smith also specializes in preparing dinners for couples at their home for anniversaries, birthdays and Valentine’s Day. He plans the menu with the help of his clients, shops for the groceries, prepares the meal, and then cleans it all up. He will also come to your home, take ingredients that you already have in your fridge or pantry, and creates a meal right on the spot.
Chef Smith decided to become a personal chef while spending time in restaurants, and missing the personal connection with the clients.
“I much prefer to spend time in clients kitchens with the interaction and “give and take”, and seeing the clients eyes light up when you either teach them a new technique, or present them with their favorite dish. Being a personal chef is really something that I should have been doing my whole life, and I have really found my passion in life once again.”
He believes that what he does as a personal chef can both educate and allow people to become more educated about how to eat, and how to prepare a meal with little time and ingredients. It’s important to him to use locally sourced, organic ingredients that nourish the body, and not many of the nutrient deficient foods that are so ingrained into our lives. Chef Smith enjoys showing clients with dietary restrictions, such as gluten intolerance, how they can make and enjoy pasta and bread again. And while he specializes in vegan and vegetarian diets, he is equally adept at preparing the most luscious roast or fish dish.
Herban Creations does have gift certificates available that are good for either an in-home lesson, or a dinner. Certificates typically cover two people, but can go up to (dinners or lessons) 6 or more individuals. The typical cost for a dinner/lesson for two is about $200-not including the price of groceries. Included in this experience is the personal touch with an attention to dietary restrictions, and personal preference.
Wouldn’t a cooking lesson or dinner for two make for a lovely holiday gift for that someone special on your list, or (especially!) for yourself?
For more information on Chef Smith or Herban Creations call 206-310-4996 or check out their website here.
Fabulous Feasting is a monthly blog feature focusing on one woman’s quest for the most fabulous food in Seattle to feast on, from restaurants to recipes.
It’s starting to get cold out there Seattle! The rainy season just about upon us, and they say it’s going to be a colder and wetter winter than usual. In my house when the temperatures start to dip that means it’s SOUP season!
Soup is one of my favorite things to cook. I just love the creativity that it allows. Spending the whole day in my kitchen, tying on an apron, starting with a big empty pot, adding a little of this and a little of that, and ending up with a great big bowl of warm goodness. Usually I make a pot over a weekend, taking one day to make stock from various bones – chicken, ham, turkey, whatever I have on hand or am craving, the second day I put the soup together. Then, so that all the flavors have a chance to concentrate, I let the soup “cure” for one more day in the fridge , finally enjoying it on the third day.
Sometimes though you just want to have soup right now – these two soups can be made and served up all in a matter of hours. These are the perfect recipes for a cold night at home or for a gathering of friends while watching the big game. I made this chicken soup last year when I hosted a holiday cookie making party at my house – I just threw the ingredients in my slow cooker in the morning, prepped all the toppings, and it was a self serve station that people helped themselves to as they grew hungry!
Clam Chowder
- 6 slices bacon – diced
- 1/2 large onion - chopped
- 3 stalks celery - diced
- 3 small potatoes – diced
- 1 bottle clam juice – 8 oz
- 4 cans minced clams – 7 oz cans
- 1 teaspoon dill
- 1 tablespoon parsley
- 1/2 tablespoons oregano
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 3 cups half-and-half
- 1-1/2 cups milk
- 2 tablespoons butter
- juice from 1/2 lemon
- salt and pepper
Chop onion and celery. Dice bacon.
Cook bacon until very crisp in large, heavy soup pot. Then remove and place on paper towels to drain.
Add onion and celery to pot and saute in bacon fat until softened.
Then add potatoes, bacon, and clam juice to pot and simmer until potatoes are tender – about 10 minutes.
Add clams with the liquid from the cans. Whisk flour into milk and add to the pot with the half-and-half.
Cook over medium heat, stirring, until chowder thickens. Add all herbs and butter. Melt butter, then squeeze in juice from lemon. Add salt and pepper to taste, then let simmer 20 minutes or so until it reaches desired consistency. Serve with a big hunk of french bread.
I was really sick last week and so dreaming of some of my homemade chicken soup – you know, the kind that I make completely from scratch with homemade noodles that takes three days? But alas no one in my house makes soup except me. This Mexican Tortilla Soup would have been a perfect choice if I had even had one ounce of energy to make it – a nice twist on your traditional chicken soup, but with just a little heat to clear those stuffy nasal passages.
Mexican Tortilla Soup with Chicken
- 8 cups chicken stock
- juice from 1/2 lime
- 14 oz canned diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 jalapeno pepper, finely minced, with seeds
- 4 oz can mild green chilies, undrained, chopped Read more
