Chocolate and Zucchini blog

If you're into food blogs you might already be a fan of Chocolate and Zucchini. Clotilde, the talented and bi-literate blogger is quite a clever writer and I'm intrigued that such a young lady has immersed herself in food with such great passion.

I look forward to her weekly "edible idoms" in her blog - part of a series on French idiomatic expressions that relate to food. And while I'm not a French speaker, I love to learn them and about their origins. I also appreciate that the weekly "edible idiom" makes her blog unique and is something that draws me in, makes me look forward to reading her next blog post.

This week's idiom is "La fin des haricots."

"Literally translated as, 'the end of the beans,' it means that the situation is disastrous, that it's all over, and that all hope is gone." She goes on to explain further so read it here if you're interested.

It sounds so elegant and sophisticated when you say it out loud in French. And then to learn that it actually has a negative meaning just didn't seem quite right - cognitive dissonance, as they say. It made me laugh out loud.

This blog not only provides me interesting and current insights into French food culture and wonderful tips, but also entertains me. Hope you enjoy it too.

About the photo
I subscribe to the monthly newsletter in which Clotilde offers a monthly desktop picture - this photo was downloaded from this month's newsletter.

Orange season winding down

Oranges drying
Originally uploaded by love_yellow

Yes, the cost of living in California is high so you have take advantage of all the free things it offers, such as the good weather. And while we do get freezing cold and rainy weather here in Northern California during the winters, it's still temperate enough to grow citrus.

The orange tree in my parents' backyard has been reliably supplying us THE sweetest navel oranges I've ever had for about 25 years! This one full grown tree brings about 300 oranges per season.

It's fun to pick them and give them away to friends and neighbors. I like to squeeze the juice and store them in small containers in the freezer so I have some handy for drinks or to use in a citrus marinade.

The season starts about the end of January - that's when the first ripe oranges can be tasted. But here we are in early May and what's left on the tree is not much, but they're super sweet and juicy. It's such a treat!

My parents were kind enough to buy an orange tree for our backyard in the first year my husband and I moved into our house - that was about 11 years ago. Our tree is not quite as prolific (yet) but perhaps some day it will.

Thank you Golden State for the oranges that are nourished by your soil and climate!

Pumpkin-carrot walnut cupcakes

Both my parents' birthdays are within a couple days of each other so we always celebrate together. Mom likes pumpkin bread and Pop likes carrots so I combined the 2 ingredients to make birthday cupcakes for them. Decorated with Johnny-Jump-Up flowers cultivated in my garden specifically for eating.

Making it more healthy...
Yes, of course I altered the recipe which is based on Spiced Pumpkin Bread from Epicurious.com. It came out moist and delicious so I'll do it again...
- instead of 3 cups white flour, I used 2.5 cups whole wheat flour and 1/2 cup white flour
- instead of 1 cup of oil, I used 1/2 cup of oil and 1 cup of unsweetened applesauce (more liquid to balance the dryness of whole wheat flour)
- decreased the sugar to 1.5 cups (instead of 3 cups) and also added 1/2 cup honey (which helped to also increase the moisture)

- also added 2 shredded cups of carrots - this is optional since the recipe doesn't call it for it

Don't overbake...
If you bake them in a cupcake tin, then between 15-20 minutes seemed to be the right baking time, depending on your oven. And because it's based on a "bread" recipe, they're really more like dense muffins than a light cake. And because they're not too sweet, they worked well as breakfast muffins and tasted better the next morning. :-)

The frosting...
Just a basic cream cheese frosting - found a generic recipe and just decreased the sugar. You know... cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar and vanilla.

All in all in turned out well and everyone enjoyed looking at them as well as eating them.

April 30, 2009 UPDATE...
In yesterday's San Jose Mercury News article in the Food section, Katherine Greenwald writes a great story titled "What's this flower doing in my food?" If you want to learn more about which flowers are edible, this is a must-read. More on this topic in a future blog entry!

Is coffee really that bad?

Bad Ass Coffee in Santa Cruz, CA
Originally uploaded by love_yellow

All the conflicting reports out there has me really confused. I choose what I want to believe (don't we all do that?)... but I'll keep reading the latest & greatest new studies in hopes there will be a definitive answer. Can anyone recommend some good recent studies or articles on caffeine and its effects on health?

What I want to believe...
That a moderate amount of coffee (without milk) helps digestion and therefore helps with detoxification. (yeah! I like this one.)

Unfortunately the caffeine jolt triggers the adrenals and stress hormones, and apparently, that encourages fat cells to be stored (in the form of love handles in my case - urgh!).

Ultimately I believe...
That (mostly) everything in moderation is ok. One 8-oz cup in the morning with about 4 oz. of soy milk does the trick and occasionally in the afternoon, but never past 3pm (or I won't be able to sleep).

I love the smell of coffee in the morning and love the little burst of "energy" it gives me, . And do I love the taste of this motivation juice, so why not start my morning in a pleasurable way?

About the photo
Bad Ass Coffee is one of my favorite coffee shops in Santa Cruz, CA. Their coffee is incredibly smooth and tasty - which conflicts with their name. :-)

Thank you Mother Earth

Thank you for the beautiful works of art that you have carved and created all over this beautiful planet of ours.

I've been so fortunate to see your works of art on six different continents and with each place I go, I never cease to be amazed at your inspiring creations... many of which are literally just in my backyard.

Thank you for these works of art that I have been able to experience through my five senses and thus has nourished my soul. If I listed all of my favorite places and all of the magical things I've seen, heard, touched, smelled, felt and experienced, I would be writing non-stop for years!

For each of you reading this, go to a place where YOU have been... a place on this lovely earth where you have seen incredible beauty... NATURAL beauty. And take a moment to reflect and be grateful of our home, Earth.

Happy Earth Day to everyone!

Spring Thyme!

Woodland Brown 1 quart
Originally uploaded by love_yellow

Thyme is my favorite herb in my garden. It's easy to grow and versatile in cooking - goes well in many dishes. This time of the year my thyme plants are thriving and the fresh spring leaves are beautiful and tasty.

Recently I learned some cool things about thyme I didn't know before.

Did you know...
- Thyme is native to areas such as Asia, southern Europe and the Mediterranean region.

- It retains its flavor on drying better than many other herbs. As a rule of thumb, use one third as much dried as fresh thyme, a little less if it is ground.

- Either in its fresh or dried form, should be added toward the end of the cooking process since heat can easily cause a loss of its delicate flavor.

- 20-54% of thyme leaves contain Thymol, which is an antiseptic and is the main active ingredient in Listerine mouthwash. Before the advent of modern antibiotics it was used to medicate bandages.

- The ancient Egyptians used it as an embalming agent to preserve their deceased pharaohs.

I'm fascinated by all the great things I learned about this herb from www.wikipedia.com and www.whfoods.org. I've gained a whole new respect for this plant and will be more mindful of it's power when I'm gardening or cooking with it.

About the photo
A friend gave me a thyme plant a couple of years ago which I planted in my garden. It has been thriving ever since, and I think of her every time I see the plant. In this photo is the batch I had to prune to keep the plant healthy. I kept it in my fridge for almost 2 weeks - used for cooking, added to salads and gave some to neighbors. A gift that keeps on giving.

Green Energy

Green juice
Originally uploaded by love_yellow

I can't drink caffeine past 3pm or I'll be awake all night. About 8 ounces of this juice blend diluted with water and with an extra shot of chlorophyll gives me the that boost of energy I need to get me through the afternoon. Woo hoo!

It's got more sugar (from fruit) than I'd like to consume so I'd love to learn about other ways I can get that late afternoon energy boost. If you have anything you'd like to share, please do let me know.

What’s your cooking personality?

What’s Your Cooking Personality? is a related NY Times article about the Nutritional Gatekeeper (see prior blog post).

Click here to take the test and you will end up in one of these categories:

a) Giving: Friendly, well-liked and enthusiastic, giving cooks seldom experiment, love baking and like to serve tried-and-true family favorites, although that sometimes means serving less healthful foods.

b) Methodical: Talented cooks who rely heavily on recipes. The methodical cook has refined tastes and manners. Their creations always look exactly like the picture in the cookbook.

c) Healthy: Optimistic, book-loving, nature enthusiasts, healthy cooks experiment with fish, fresh produce and herbs. Health comes first, even if it means sometimes sacrificing taste.

d) Competitive: The Iron Chef of the neighborhood, competitive cooks have dominant personalities and are intense perfectionists who love to impress their guests.

e) Innovative: Creative and trend-setting, innovative cooks seldom use recipes and like to experiment with ingredients, cuisine styles and cooking methods.

I am a combo of C and E. I try to optimize health and taste. I don’t sacrifice taste to eat healthy - healthy doesn’t have to be tasteless.

Though there are many generalizations, I like how this article makes the point that there is not just one standard to being judged as a good cook.

Many cooking shows and media articles glorify the cook who can make the most “incredible” meal. “Incredible” being defined as great to look at and highly flavorful. I appreciate the artistry of good food presentation, but I prefer top notch ingredients over food that’s nice to look at.

About the photo
In a pinch a like to use Trader Joe's pre-packaged chard to make a chard and barley soup. It hits the spot in the winter.

Panko macadamia crusted wild salmon

Panko macadamia crusted wild salmon
Originally uploaded by love_yellow

One of my favorite ways to prepare salmon is to bake it with a crust consisting of:

- panko crumbs
- chopped macadamia nuts
- black sesame seeds

First whisk an egg with a little salt and garlic powder in a small bowl. Slice the fish fillet into individual servings. Dip each piece in the egg mixture, then roll in the crust mix and bake on a lightly greased (olive oil) pan at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes. (I know wild salmon is out of season now but it's available frozen.)

I always make a big batch so I have enough for lunch and dinner the next day. When it's cold it can be served over a bed of organic baby greens (dressed with EVOO and balsamic vinegar) to make a delicious salad. Yum!

Yoga to nourish the body and mind

I took my first yoga class about 20 years ago but only in the last 18 months have I practiced more regularly (1 to 2x a week), mainly because my husband has gotten into it (thanks to a particular instructor). I've seen many benefits from my more consistent yoga practice, so I am committed to continuing the once or twice per week practice... hopefully for the rest of my life!

In some ways I feel my progress is so slow because most sessions are just so challenging. But in other ways I feel big changes have been made in my body's strength and flexibility in a relatively short time. For example, recently I've been able to do the back bend position, but 6 years ago my back was in such bad shape I thought there would be no way in my life time that it would be possible (even my chiropractor didn't think so). In fact, my back is so much better I've stopped going to the chiropractor after just 6 months of practicing more consistently.

Besides the physical benefits of yoga, each practice is a wonderful opportunity to escape my thoughts. There is no opportunity in class for the mind to wander... only to focus on my teacher's instructions. There's no choice but to focus on NOW. It's meditative and relaxing to the mind, while challenging for the body. I'm not sure what is more valuable... the relief from my anxious and active mind or the toning of my muscles. I suppose both equally support good health.

In the spirit of sharing good health with my friends and readers, I want to acknowledge my wonderful yoga instructor, Sean Michael Hall. He is totally committed to wellness and he has made a huge contribution to my and also my husband's health.... and for this we are grateful. Anyone who lives in the Berkeley/Oakland area would find it convenient to go to one of his yoga classes. He also has an acupuncture practice that specializes in pain management and women's issues.

To your health!

About the photo
Taken at the Palomarin trail in Bolinas, CA.

High flavor, high protein breakfast

Soy chorizo & eggs
Originally uploaded by love_yellow

Quick breakfast tip...

I love the flavor of chorizo sausage but I'm not a fan of pork so I was happy to discover SOY chorizo at Trader Joe's a couple of years ago. It's already cooked too so whipping up a scramble with eggs takes no time at all. It's such an easy way to get a high protein breakfast that's really flavorful.

It keeps a while in the fridge so you can pick one up on your next TJs shopping trip and just keep it handy in your fridge.

What to eat?

How do we ensure we eat for wellness? There are so many things one must consider, it can get daunting to make the right decision.

- what's the nutritional value?
- meat, vegetarian or vegan?
- locally grown or not? what's the carbon footprint?
- what's the environmental impact?
- organic or conventional?
- should I avoid GMOs?
- what foods should I avoid?
- raw or cooked?
- am I allergic?
- ratio of carbs, protein and fat
- how much to eat
- how often to eat
- am I getting enough fiber?
- should adults have milk/dairy?
- do I have the proper bacteria in my gut?
- how much sugar is too much for me?
- is coffee/caffeine bad for me? how much is ok?

The questions are endless. Everyone has a different body... different tolerances, preferences, metabolisms, philosophies, cultures, environments, etc. so the answer is very different for each individual. There aren't too many places one can go to get a simple answer, so I suppose it's each person's responsibility to observe their own body and figure out what's right for them. It's not easy but it seems to be the only way.

BTW, my food gurus are Sally Fallon, Michael Pollan and William Wolcott. I try my best to follow their approach to food/eating, but it's not always easy to apply all that knowledge. :-)

About the photo
Taken in September 2003 at the open air market in Helsinki, Finland (kauppatori).

Lemon goodness

Lemons from my friend Lisa
Originally uploaded by love_yellow

Do you ever crave tartness? I love fresh squeezed lemon in my water, a spoonful of lemon curd from the jar or freshly baked lemon bars. Yum! Nothing satisfies that tart craving for me as much as lemons. After the pucker of that lemon goodness I feel so satisfied and even cleansed in a way. Do we all have these cravings and if so, I wonder why?

About the photo
The Meyer lemons are from my friend Lisa's prolific tree.

Two birds, one stone

Dusk
Originally uploaded by love_yellow

A couple of weeks ago I went walking with my good friend on the same trail we've been going to for several years. I love how we're able to chat non-stop during the 1 hour walk, catch up on each others' lives and exercise at the same time. Better than sitting at a restaurant consuming calories... though we do that occasionally too. :-)

As I said, we've walked this trail many times but it was the first time that I've seen this beautiful view. The birds on the wire, the beautiful sky, the mountains that surround the valley in which we live, the winter trees without their leaves and the percolation pond reflecting the orange dusk sky.

It was a really lovely moment when this view revealed itself to us and it was great to be able to share it with my friend.

Quick & easy dinner

Dinner
Originally uploaded by love_yellow

When I buy precooked food (like the falafels from Costco in this photo), I feel like I'm cheating and not really eating a healthy meal. When I combine it with other healthy food (steamed broccoli is easy) I trick myself into thinking it's OK.

The third item on the plate is a mix of brown rice, quinoa and lentils that I cooked in a rice cooker the night before. I sauteed onions with ground lamb, seasoned it and added the rice mixture. And the tasty red tomatoes adds color and nutrients and makes it look more appetizing.

It really was super fast and easy to make and delicious too.

Starting with a good breakfast

To start may day right, I need to have a good breakfast... a good foundation to help me feel good and be productive throughout the day.

I may not always have time to make a great meal, but I at least try to get some protein and whole grain carbs, plus a 1/2 cup of strong Italian coffee with a 1/2 cup of soy milk. Adequate protein gets me through the entire morning with lots of energy and able to think sharply.

Listen to your body...
to learn what the ideal breakfast is for you. It's strange that my husband doesn't need protein at all in the morning. His ideal breakfast is a bowl of steelcut oatmeal (McCann's is his favorite) with blueberries and coffee with milk. That gets him through to lunch, but when I eat that I'm totally starving my mid-morning and unable to think clearly until I eat.

In this photo the cheese on the rye/whole grains bread is Cowgirl Creamery's signature MT TAM cheese. The artisan cheesemakers are women and I visit their creamery in Pt Reyes Station, California, about once a year to taste and treat myself to some of the best local cheese in my area.