Ask anyone who knows my darker side, and they will tell you that I have very intense cravings for very specific things. For quite a while now I have been desiring an unidentified tangy green that I remember from childhood salads and garden expeditions. I couldn't remotely envision what it looked like or where it could be found, but I wanted its taste in my mouth.

This weekend I was in upstate New York, near Cooperstown, with my mom. The first night I was here we were wandering around outside and I was grilling her on the various uses of the plants around us. She pointed to a small green plant and said 'oh, there's sour grass. you can eat that.' It looked familiar and when I put it into my mouth it was the exact taste I had been longing for! I was thrilled of course and when we got back to the house I decided to do some research online to find out more. I found one website that says it's slightly poisonous and shouldn't be eaten in great quantity because of its high volume of oxalic acid, but I enjoy it so much that I couldn't let it rest at that. Thankfully I found another site that did mention only eating it in moderation but also said that it's good for indigestion and cleanses the blood. You can read more: http://www.kingdomplantae.net/yellowWoodSorrel.php

So now, with moderation, I can enjoy a long lost taste... It's delicious in salads!

The other day I was determined to make a delicious, healthy Mexican dinner for my boyfriend using local ingredients from the Greenmarket. For the past couple of weeks I have had my eye on the zucchini blossoms that are available at a few of the stands. Zucchini blossoms are just so beautiful and delicate. I have eaten them widely in Mexico, where they often fill quesadillas along with Oaxacan cheese, but had never cooked with them myself. Well, that is not exactly true. When I was in culinary school, we stuffed them with chicken mousseline and then poached them as a garnish for a soup, but that was not quite my style.
For all of you who do not know me, I am half Mexican, and take great pride in that part of my culture, most especially the cuisine. My boyfriend's only exposure to Mexican food has been pitiful (he is Italian), including "fajitas" in Rhode Island that involved a piece of melted Kraft cheese draped across three overstuffed tortillas. You can understand that I had to do it some justice.
On Monday I headed down to Union Square and bought fresh squash blossoms, zucchini, cilantro, spring onions, garlic scapes, scallops, and a lobster tail. The cilantro was from the same stand as the squash blossoms, and is probably the most fragrant bunch I have ever held to my nose. I don't understand people who hate cilantro. Anyway, I made a very simple "salsa" by sauteeing garlic scapes, onion, and zucchini, and then blending them up with cilantro and some lime juice. Confession: I snuck 2 non-local tomatillos into the pan. The salsa was a vibrant green color, with the zucchini flesh giving it a nice, smooth body, balanced by the acidity of the tomatillos. I made another sauce, very similar, but with the fresh squash blossoms and a roasted poblano pepper. The second sauce was slightly more rich, but very subtle. When my boyfriend got home we made the tortillas. I was determined to make pumpkin seed tortillas, so I added some pulverized seeds to my Maseca mix before adding the water. I then taught my boyfriend how to press the dough with the tortilla press (sorry folks, brought it from Mexico), and cook them on the comal. Pretty soon, he was enjoying his job of being the tortillero, and I was relieved of a tedious task. I grilled the scallops and cut them into quarters, and then removed the lobster meat from the tail (the lobster tails come cooked already). We made a plate of garnishes: quartered limes, fresh cilantro, sliced avocado, and shredded cheese. I couldn't find cotija, so I used Manouri, which is a mild Greek cheese, but with the same consistency and flavor that I was looking for. I would have chosen something from the market, like the aged Cheddar we finished last week, but the cheese pickings on Mondays are tough.
We sat at the dinner table and built our own tacos with the squash salsas I had made. My boyfriend loved them both, even though he was convinced that one of them was guacamole. The dinner was fabulous, and let me just say that it is hard to eat as well as we did in many restaurants in the city.
On another note, our Burmese Green Tea Leaf Salad, or Lephet Thoke, recipe was featured on Forks.ca, a cooking website based in California. We were very excited about this, and hope that everyone revisits the recipe from last Summer. It is a cabbage salad with sesame seeds, shrimp, and fried garlic with a green tea leaf dressing. Dana from Forks prefers Romaine lettuce to Napa Cabbage, which sounds just as great to us.

Last Friday I stopped by the Greenmarket in Union Square to drop off my compost. I should have just left then and there, but I could not stop myself from perusing all of the stands that were there. But I did not stop there, I ended up buying a bunch of stuff, even though I was going away for the weekend. But it was not entirely my fault. Right at the beginning there was the Greenmarket booth with a man doing a demo using some of the foods that were for sale at the stands. I decided to look and see what he was doing, in case it was something inspiring. Oh boy. I was not expecting that he would be making what has since become my favorite late Spring/early Summer salad recipe! It was the most simple combination of things: torn spinach leaves, chopped baby fennel, sliced strawberries, and finely grated aged Cheddar. All topped with a sweet vinegar. How could I not buy all of those things and make it at home? So, I ended up supporting the local economy and bringing those groceries home with me for the weekend, and ended up wowing my boyfriend with a strawberry salad. I did not ever find out who he was or if this was an actual recipe that he has documented somewhere, so if you are he, and you ever read this, please contact me! For the rest of you, please check out our Strawberry Fields Salad with Balsamic Vinegar Recipe. The aged Cheddar adds a very unique touch, and is a must here!

I have never liked chocolate bars. Chocolate flavored things like ice cream, coffees, and cakes yes. But chocolate bars- no. There is a certain consistency about them that makes me feel icky (there is no better word to describe it). Thick chocolate milk does the same thing. Last year I got really into raw cacao nuts (cocoa beans), and began eating them often in sweet and savory recipes (as they are bitter and can go either way). Raw chocolate is a superfood and I really feel great when I eat it. For one thing, it is a natural mood lifter, and makes me feel really happy and energized. The best thing you can do in the morning is eat a couple of cacao nuts before you go out and face the world- especially here in New York.
I recently discovered the Fearless raw organic chocolate bars, and have fallen in love. I bought the 72% Midnight bar, which is very dark. It is made at a temperature under 118 degrees, which preserves all of the anti-oxidants and other healthy enzymes and nutrients. Even better, is that it is MUCH lower in fat, calories, and SUGAR (my point of focus these days) than other chocolate bars. I just love the fact that now I can enjoy a small square of chocolate and relish in the taste of the actual cocoa, and not everything else that is added in. What I love about it is that one small square is so rich and potent, that it is enough to satisfy the chocolate craving. I never thought I would see a raw chocolate bar- but here it is and better than I could have ever imagined! One last thing- it comes with a little bite taken out of it. It freaked me out the first time, until I realized that it was carved and not actual teeth marks!

Last night we celebrated our 1 year anniversary with a Potluck Picnic in Central Park. We sat atop Cherry Hill and enjoyed a beautiful summer evening outdoors. Thank you all for coming out last night and supporting us in our Kitchen Caravan endeavors! Some of the highlights were home-cured pork lomo with fresh figs and triple cream goats cheese, pickled cherries, pickled green tomatoes, dilly beans, corn salads, ginger cake, chocolate chip cookies, and summer millet squares. For our cake we made a lemon poppy and coriander cake with basil cream and strawberries. Everything was delicious, but the good company was the best treat of all.

We are counting down the days until our next season!

I have been taking my compost to the Union Square farmer's market 3 days a week before work, at first I was a little apprehensive about a) waking up so much earlier and b) spending 30 minutes plus on a crowded train with a smelly bag of rotting vegetables, but I quickly got over my reservations and have settled into a nice little ritual with it all. I really enjoy being at the farmer's market close to opening time-- it seems extra fresh and plentiful. I am NOT a creature of habit, but somehow these early morning farmer's market runs are an exception, because after dropping off my compost I almost always go over to Joes (on 13th) for a little cappuccino and occasionally a cranberry banana muffin. On the way, directly opposite the farmer's market is a vegetable stand with boxes of vegetables freshly shipped from China and Chile and New Zealand. And there's always a line! People swarming around to buy this or that, straight from the box. Every time I see it I wonder why why why would you buy produce from a box that traveled thousands of miles when there is so much beautiful freshness right across the street. It makes me sad.

I feel like I am on a roll with the healthy breakfast thing. I have always made it a point to eat breakfast in the morning, because I know it is important for starting up my metabolism and getting my body and mind working for the day. Lately I have been noticing that it is not just eating breakfast that counts, but what I eat that really makes the difference. In a previous entry, I wrote about my tendency to get stuck in a breakfast rut. So this is just another installment about me exploring more healthy breakfast options that keep me in accordance with the seasons.
Last night I made a Blueberry Flaxseed Paste , which is meant to be spread over whole grain breads, instead of butter and jam. It is also a great snack with crackers. Now that berries are coming into season, we should be eating them fresh, rather than preserved in jam, which is more of a Winter thing. They are so healthy for us in their natural state, and we do not need the added sugar this time of year. Flax seeds are the best vegetarian source of Omega-3 fatty acids, which are necessary for maintaining a healthy metabolism and protecting cell membranes, among many other things. They are also a great source of fiber. When they are ground and mixed with water, they take on a gelatinous consistency. The pureed blueberries provide that liquid for the flax seeds to bind, thus forming a smooth paste that can be eaten in the morning over bread. I lightly sweetened my paste with a teaspoon of honey, but leave that quantity open for adjustment. The paste has a nice, smooth texture with the blueberry flavor that makes it well balanced. Try it and see!

Emma and I were in Connecticut this past weekend planning our FIFTH season of Kitchen Caravan. That is right- we are going into round two of our healthy, seasonal recipes. I cannot give too much away yet, but you can all know that there will be frozen desserts that are refreshing in the summer heat (and just a tad indulgent), and some fun spices that are sure to shake up any backyard barbecue. Please pardon our appearance as we gear up for our next season!

I am becoming a bit obsessed with the Pain Quotidien's Banana Nut and Seed Bowl. It all started when I was sick and looking for sugar-free breakfast options. I wanted to let my body heal without eating too much caffeine or sugar, which can bring down your immune system. I was starting to feel a bit sluggish after having eaten sprouted English muffins too many days in a row. A little bit more than a week ago, I went to the PQ with my friends Ingrid and Theresa, and ordered their Banana Nut and Seed Bowl. It was the best thing that has happened to my breakfast routine in a long time. It is basically a loose mixture of sesame seeds, flax seeds, pine nuts, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, almonds, and hazelnuts, mixed with a few berries and sliced banana. They serve it with milk or soy milk and you eat it like a cereal. I love it because it is pure healthy fats without any sugar coating (which is why I dislike granola), and vitamin-filled berries. Since eating it, I have felt full for much longer in the morning, not getting hungry until 1 or 2 pm. And at night I am not famished at all- I am able to eat a light dinner and feel satisfied. I have to admit that at first I was wary of eating so many fats in the morning, but in reality, they are healthy fats that give me lots of energy. And by eating them early on, I am able to burn off the energy during the day. I have all of the ingredients at home, and am starting to make my own nut and seed bowls for breakfast. Premixing a bulk amount of nuts and seeds together beforehand makes it pretty easy to put together in the morning. Later on in the season I will have my own recipe for you all, but until then, go to PQ or just take my advice from the blog, and try it yourselves.