SUMMER PASTAWITH LEMON-THYME MUSHROOMS AND ARUGULA AND AN UPDATE

its been exactly 6 months since my last blog post. A part of me wants to have this dramatic reaction and make it mean something that i stopped blogging on a regular basis. like i slacked off, got lazy.

The other part of me wants to be compassionate, understanding and realize that sometimes life happens. you quit your job, move states, go through a tough breakup, and open a cafe. sometimes that's what gets in the way of wordpress. i realize now how much blogging was a creative outlet for me when i used to spend my weekdays making the lives of attorneys easier. its no surprise that on my time off i cooked, photographed and blogged. now that i do what i love for work i don't necessairly need an outlet hence the blog falling to the wayside. i get to create recipes and cook all day for work. hello dream. sometimes i get a rush of nostalgia for my previous life but can shake it rather quickly when i realize that having a fancy sounding job and making a lot of money is the boobie prize..., i wasn't fullfilled.

my life is about sharing healthy, sustainable, delicious food with my community. its about creativity, love and self expression. i do miss la, though. i don't feel nearly at home in phx. i feel as though i have been sent on location for a film shoot and once the project is complete ill be back in the city. at least thats the plan. i can't stay away for too long so i make short trips back as often as possible and this last one something pretty magical happened.

over the fourth of july weekend i went to visit la and my beloved macman cooked for me for the very first time (insert unicorn emoji) he adopted a plant based diet shortly after we became smitten and has kept it going strong even after my departure and our breakup. not having much natural affinty for the kitchen he started ordering from purple carrot, a vegan meal kit delivery service similar to that of blue apron, and made this recipe for us. it was really simple, beautiful and delicious so i decided to remake a similar version for the marketplace deli at the cafe this week..., mostly because i wanted to eat more of it :) i highly reccomend it if you are looking for a quick weeknight meal that will yield left overs for days to come. add garbanzo beans or baked tofu for some protien if you please. its also worth noting how well this keeps in fridge, up to 5 days.

Ingredients

1 Pound mushrooms, i used crimini and white

fresh thyme, chopped

lemon, zest and juice

garlic cloves

1/4 Cup extra virgin olive oil

1 Pound pasta of your choice

5 Ounces arugula

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 Cup toasted walnuts

3/4 Cups garbanzo beans

3/4 Cups baked tofu, cubed

Instructions

1. bring a pot of water to a boil over high heat and add salt. Add the pasta and cook to al dente.

2. meanwhile, wash and dry the mushrooms. slice as thin as possible and put in a large bowl. rinse the thyme and strip enough off to measure 1-2 tsp, rouhg chop and add to the bowl. rinse the lemon, zest it with a microplane and add to the bowl then juice it and add to the bowl. next, grate the garlic and add to the bowl. add the oil, salt and pepper. Stir to evenly coat, let sit so the mushrooms can marainate.

3. wash and dry the arugula. Once the pasta is done cooking, drain and add to the bowl with the mushrooms and toss wall. Add the arugula and mix again. Serve with toasted walnuts, garbanzo beans or tofu, if desired.

recipe adapted from the purple carrot.

10-INGREDIENT SESAME CABBAGE SALAD

Hi babes. There are days where I literally just can not be bothered to cook. So I get it. Having quick, easy recipes in your arsenal that you can whip up in minutes is necesssary.

This salad fits the bill nicely.

With 10 ingredients and about 15 minutes to prep depending on your knife skills, you can be eating in no time.

more

And this one is loaded to the brim with good for you stuff. Especially the red cabbage.

Red cabbage being the star is extremely high in fiber and low in calories making it a champion in the weightloss department.

Even if you aren't trying to lose weight, it has antioxidants to ward off free radical damage that contributes to cancer and aging. Sign me up. Its even high in calcium, magnesium and manganese, making it a great source of minerals supporting bone health.

Its rich in vitamin A too, making it great for skin and eye health. I am all about beauty from the inside out, yo.

You will need a couple of pantry staples for this one. And if these aren't already staples in your pantry then here are some (affliate) links to the products I use all the time in my kitchen. At no extra charge to you, purchasing through those links helps support this blog :) so thank you in advance if you go that route.

I use these products almost daily:

Braggs- Organic Raw Apple Cider Vinegar - this is probiotic, cleansing and helps with digestion

Spectrum- Organic Unrefined Sesame Oil - my favorite oil from a flavor standpoint

Eden Organic Tamari Soy Sauce - seriously my favorite thing ever

This salad is :

• sweeet

• tangy

• umami

• crunchy

• hydrating

• nourishing

• colorful

Looking for other quick and easy recipes? Check out: this and this

ok signing off for now, xo

Ingredients

• 1 red cabbage, thinly sliced or shredded

• 3 persian cucumbers, sliced

• 1 bell pepper, orange, red or yellow, thinly sliced or cubed

• 1-15 Ounce can of garbanzo beans

• 1 Cup cilantro, chopped (more to taste)

• 3/4 Cups sliced almonds, toasted and salted

DRESSING

• 1/4 Cup sesame oil, toasted

• 1/4 Cup tamari

• 3 Teaspoons apple cider vinegar

• 1 lime, juiced

• 2 Teaspoons maple syrup (OPTIONAL)

Instructions

1. Prep your veggies by washing everything. Using a mandoline, thinly slice the red cabbage. I do this by cutting it in to fourths and then slicing each piece one by one. Be careful not to cut yourself!! You can use a chefs knife too.

2. thinly slice the cucumbers and bell pepper. Rinse and drain the beans. roughly chop the cilantro- including some of the stems (there is great flavor and oils in there)

3. Make the dressing by combining everything in a bowl and whisking until combined. Taste and adjust. Sometimes I add more lime to ACV or maple syrup if I am serving it to others. If its just me I opt to leave the sugar but it makes it taste better for sure. Completely optional though as its good without it to.

4. Combine all veggies, beans and herbs in a bowl. Toss well. Add dressing and toss again. Top with almonds and serve.

5. Keeps well in airtight container for up to 2 days.

QUICK AND EASY BALSAMIC FARRO SALAD

20 Minutes from now you could be eating this delicious salad!

I took a survey of my 10 closest girl friends and asked them when it comes to health and wellness what are their biggest struggles or pitfalls. That might seem like a small sample size but thats what I got right.

The majority of them said something along the lines of time and not having enough of it to eat healthy. So keepin my ladies in mind I give to you this recipe. Its safe to assume that if that's a problem area for them it might also be one for you.

This salad is healthy, filling and gets better over night so its great for lunch the next day at work.

Think fiber rich farro, lycopene loaded tomatoes, mineral rich garbanzos, hydrating cucumbers, vitamin-E for healthy skin olives, bright herbacious basil, healthy fat olive oil. This hits all the major nutrients- protien, fat, carbs and fiber!

xo bye for now, C

Ingredients

FOR THE SALAD

3 Cups grape tomatoes, cut in half

2 1/2 cups Cups persian cucumbers, cut in fourths

2 Cups olives

1-15 Ounce can of garbanzo beans

8 Ounces (1 package) Trader Joes 10-minute Farro

FOR THE DRESSING:

1/3 Cup balsamic vinegar

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 Cup fresh basil, chopped plus more for garnish

2/3 Cups extra virgin olive oil

pink salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Start the Farro:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and season with salt. Add the farro and cook for 10 minutes, according to the package directions.

While its cooking start chopping the other ingredients and make the dressing

1. In a bowl or measuring cup combine all ingredients for vinaigrette. Mix vigourosly. set aside

2. Prep all salad ingredients: clean all veggies under running water, chop tomatoes in halve, cucumbers in fourths, olives in half and put in a large bowl. Rinse and drain chickpeas and set aside.

Pour the dressing over the tomatoes, cucumbers and olives. Let marinate.

1. Drain the farro and let it cool for about 20-30 minutes. Transfer it to a plate or baking sheet and spread out evenly so it cools quickly. Optional.

this is an optional step and obviously adds time on to the whole recipe but I think that it makes the salad better by not heating up/slightly cooking the veggies with the hot farro.

1. Add the farro and chickpeas to the bowl with the veggies and vinaigrette. Mix well to combine.

This is best if it sits in the fridge for 20-30 minutes to marinate but its optional. Its also great for a meal prep item as it keeps for up to 3 days in the fridge.