McCann's steel cut oatmeal

McCann's steel cut oatmeal
Originally uploaded by love_yellow

They've changed their packaging and I do like the new one better. Old on the left, new on the right.

My husband eats oatmeal every morning (with blueberries). He's tried all of the brands, including the local Trader Joe's steel cut 5-minute oatmeal, and he says this is the best. It's hard to find in supermarkets so I have to order it online.

I'd love to buy a local product so if anyone has any suggestions, please let me know! It has to be quick cooking steel cut oats. He won't eat the rolled oats, nor the steel cut that takes 30 minutes to cook.

P.S. This photo was taken with my iPhone and uploaded using the Flickr app. I use both the Flickr app and the DarkSlide app - neither are perfect so I'm using both until one has all the features I need and a UI that I like.

Late July organic cookies

Late July organic cookies
Originally uploaded by love_yellow

Never go grocery shopping when you have a sweet tooth. You always end up with stuff in your cart that you would not have picked up otherwise.

On my last trip to the "healthy food" store I came home with a box of these organic cookies.

Vanilla bean with green tea filling in chocolate cookies. Pretty good but... too sweet.

It drives me crazy that all cookies are made with too much sugar. Can't anyone just make some good cookies and dial down the sugar? Would no one in America buy them if the sugar content was lowered by about 30-40%? Can there be an option to put some of the sugar on the side and just add it if you want more?

Just because they're organic and were purchased at the "health food" store, it doesn't mean they're actually good for you... I know that. That's why I usually bake my own and later the recipes to my liking. But I would REALLY love to find some great healthy-ish cookies with a less sugar. Is that too much to ask?

On Blogging

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month
Originally uploaded by love_yellow

Well it's been a while since I updated my blog. I got busy at work, then went on vacation for several weeks and getting out of the habit made me put my blog way on the back burner.

Not that I haven't thought about topics I want to blog about. It's just that I felt guilty about the time I would spend sitting down to write about it when there's a hundred other important things to do.

So I decided that instead of thinking about my blog entries as a long thoughtful essay or one that's filled with interesting or valuable info or recipes and instructions... that it would be OK to just post short entries. That quickly jotting thoughts, ideas and reflections is perfectly fine.

That revelation may just motivate me to write more consistently from now on!

Do you maintain a blog? If so, what drives you to write? And what drives you to write consistently? Even if you have few or zero followers, do you feel obligated to keep your blog up to date? :-)
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BTW, I'm sure you know by now but if not, October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. Here are a couple of sites where you can learn more about breast cancer.

http://www.nbcam.org/
http://ww5.komen.org/

TJ's organic tomatoes

TJ's organic tomatoes
Originally uploaded by love_yellow

Product of Mexico... who monitors and certifies organic produce in Mexico? Can we trust that it's really organic? It's not "certified" but I do see the USDA Organic label on it - how do they "certify it"?

I know that the California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) organization certifies much of the organic produce I've purchased and apparently they use the USDA seal. But how do they monitor farming practices in Mexico?

To quote one of my friends... "I think it's a free-for-all down there." Unfortunately Mexico does have a bit of bad rep and even I usually stay away from Mexican grown produce. But that's mainly because I'm lucky enough live in a rich agricultural area (San Francisco Bay Area) so I'm in a position to buy locally grown produce - which means I also buy fruits and vegetables that are in season.

And while I do my best to keep my carbon footprint down to a minimum, in this case, the only organic option was these Mexican grown tomatoes. So it was quite a dilemma to choose between local chemically fertilized and not very ripe tomatoes vs. red organic ones grown in Mexico. ¡Ay yay yay!

Well, I'm hoping for the best and hoping that the extra money I'm paying for organic produce really is buying me organically grown vegetables and fruit. I want to be healthy and not put chemical fertilizers in my body, but I also want to support organic and sustainable farming methods that's good for the earth.

My body can only be as healthy if the environment in which it lives is also healthy.

Smoked salmon cream cheese spread with chives

Making those fancy appetizers (or hors d'oeuvres) is not my thing... so painstaking and time consuming. I prefer to just throw a few things (like sliced veggies, cheese, crackers, etc) on a large platter, arrange them nicely and be done with it. The French call it crudités. It's not so much that I'm lazy, it's more that I'd rather spend the time on the main meal or dessert. So I'm all about fast and easy appetizers, but it also should be tasty and healthy (as much as possible).

Appetizer is defined as "a small amount of food or drink taken at the start of a meal to stimulate the appetite". Notice the words small amount... i.e. your guests are not suppose to be full before the lunch or dinner is served.

Occasionally, I will take the time to prepare one thing and one of my favorite easy recipes is a smoked salmon and cream cheese spread with fresh chives.

Here's how to make it...

Step 1:
Chop up the smoked salmon and place in a medium or large bowl.

This package is about a 1/2 pound of salmon (I think) and I bought it at Trader Joe's.



Step 2:
Add whipped cream cheese. I used an 8-oz package from Trader Joe's.

You can use non-whipped cream cheese. It's easier to mix by hand when the cream cheese is pre-whipped.

Step 3:

Chop the chives finely.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that I had some ready in my garden. Really fresh chives has a slightly stronger flavor and compliments the smoked salmon well.

Step 4:
Wet your hands a little and form a ball with the salmon and cream cheese mixture and then roll it in the chopped chives.

Once it's covered in the chives it's easier to handle and form into whatever shape you want.

That's it! You're done. I like to put it on a small plate and decorate the middle of the cheese ball with chive flowers or other edible flowers. Oh and it's awesome spread on toast for breakfast the next morning.

My favorite serving tray is made by Marimekko (Finland), in the classic vintage (1964) pattern called Unikko.

Mijita @ the Ferry Building

The Ferry Building Marketplace in San Francisco is another one of my favorite places on earth though every time I'm there I feel like I'm in heaven... food heaven. The 100+ year old building used to accommodate commuters but now it's home to some of my favorite shops and restaurants selling some of the best quality food - seasonal and much of it locally, sustainably and/or organically grown.

More on my favorite places inside the Ferry Building in later blog posts, but today's post is about Mijita, the Mexican restaurant owned by Traci Des Jardins (Chef/Owner of Jardiniere, James Beard Award winner and Iron Chef America contestant).

Squash Blossom Quesadilla at Mijita's, Ferry Building Marketplace, S.F.

I met some of my college girlfriends here for lunch yesterday where we enjoyed a delicious meal, gorgeous San Francisco weather (after the morning fog burned off), and each others' company.

Everyone was quite satisfied with their meals and I was most happy with the chips and guacamole. The fresh corn taste of the chips came through because they fry the corn tortilla in rice oil which doesn't impart any flavor. Perfectly salted (for me that means not too salty) and a nice firmness because it was a thicker chip.

I ordered one of the lunch specials - Squash Blossom Quesadilla. It was good but I can't say it was great. Squash blossom has a delicate flavor and it was a bit lost with the cheese inside this corn based shell (which was a little firmer than I expected and not salted enough and it's rare for me to complain about that). And look at the shape... it looks more like an empanada to me than a quesadilla, but that didn't really bother me. It just made me wonder why it was called quesadilla. Whatever.

I was drawn to it because (1) it was a "special" and (2) I had experimented with squash blossoms earlier in the summer so I was curious about how it would work in a quesadilla. Maybe my expectations were too high but oh well, at least it was was a fun day with long time friends. :-)

Inside the Squash Blossom Quesadilla


Chorizo Con Huevos, ordered by my friend

Summer means iced tea with fresh squeezed lemon

Making iced tea
Originally uploaded by love_yellow

I'm lucky enough to have a lemon tree that pretty much bears fruit all year long. But I appreciate it most in the summer, not for lemonade (which requires way too much sugar), but for squeezing into my drinking water and especially for making iced tea.

Not only does it make the tea taste better but I read recently that lemon helps to preserve the antioxidants in the tea. What a great bonus!

All summer long I've been brewing my large assortment of black, green and herbal teas and experimenting with different combinations of tea and other additives like ginger and fresh mint from my garden. Sprigs of fresh mint is wonderful in strong green tea for an extra punch of flavor and refreshing-ness (my Morrocan friend showed me how to make it).


My sister gave me a huge assortment of high quality green and white teas for Christmas last year. I enjoyed them hot throughout the winter and spring, but some of the stronger teas can now be enjoyed over ice.


Just some of the teas I've collected, some from my travels to London, Paris and Shanghai, and some gifted by friends from Japan and Sri Lanka.

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Oh, and for all of you fans of Orla Kiely (my favorite bag designer of all time based in the U.K.)... yes, that tea tin is her design. It's a collaboration with Bewley's of Ireland - she designed the adorable tea caddy around the Bewley's Gold Blend box of 160 tea bags. Makes sense that she would choose an Irish tea as she is of Irish decent.

A perfect breakfast or afternoon tea - sweet and strong so a generous dash of milk holds up well. According to Bewley's: "Our award winning signature Gold Blend Tea is full-bodied with a rich, deep golden colour. Teas grown on the highest slopes of Mount Kenya bring a fresh, rich flavour. Tea from Assam in India adds an excellent, full-bodied character. Rwandan leaves finish the blend with a glorious, deep golden colour. Crafted for supreme quality, to bring you the perfect cup of tea that refreshes and uplifts you any time of the day."

Talenti Gelato - Toasted Almond

Talenti Gelato - Toasted Almond
Originally uploaded by love_yellow

OMG... now this is real!

I'll admit I was drawn to this gelato because it came in a plastic jar. I'm a sucker for the novelty of unique packaging. At first I felt guilty for buying the plastic container but have redeemed myself by keeping it and have already re-used it. :-)

The natural flavor stands out - fresh cream and cane sugar. The small chunks of almonds was a nice contrast to the smooth texture. It wasn't too sweet, like most ice creams, and didn't quite have the texture of gelato that I was expecting, but still very delicious. Looking forward to eating more soon!

UPDATE: I tried the Double Dark Chocolate - even better! Highly recommend!

Cool as a Cucumber

Cukes
Originally uploaded by love_yellow

Yes, cucumber really is cooling because of its high water content - it's not just a random saying. Cucumbers is one of the reasons why I love summer so much. I pick them straight from my garden and it's so easy to make a variety of quick and delicious dishes with them.

WITH RICE VINEGAR
My husband's favorite preparation is simply to just splash rice vinegar on sliced cumbers in a bowl and add a little fresh ground pepper. Sometimes with a little sesame oil too, and occasionally a some anise seed mixed in. It's so refreshing and goes well with almost any protein, especially grilled salmon which we eat a lot of in the summer.

I appreciate the ease in which you can prepare cucumber. Just rinse and slice/cut. No salad spinners or other crazy gadgets needed to get it ready for consuming.

GREEK SALAD
And of course there's the obvious... I like to cut my cucumber in large chunks and add garden tomatoes, feta, red onion and kalamata olives. I just add a little oil & vinegar and chop up marjoram, oregano or other herbs from my garden to add a little more flavor.

SLICES
Just slicing them up and dipping them in hummus is a satisfying snack when I'm starving and trying to prepare dinner, rather than noshing on bread. The slices are great for adding to sandwiches as well. And adding them to an appetizer platter makes them a nice alternative to crackers, not to mention adding a nice color and texture to the overall presentation.

I look forward to enjoying the refreshing crunch of the cucumber all summer long!

Double Rainbow

Yosemite never seems to amaze me. It is my favorite place on Earth and it's a place I will continue to return to for as long as I can. My husband and I spent our honeymoon there 14 years ago and when we take our overseas visitors there, they understand why we spent our honeymoon at this magical place.

The Mist Trail along Vernal Falls is always a favorite. Our most recent guests from Finland were thrilled to get soaking wet by the mist of the noisy waterfall while climbing this steep and rocky trail at the high altitude. Even young teenagers appreciate the awesomeness and beauty of where we were.

Can you see the double rainbow? The one on top is a little faint, but it was much easier to see standing there.

Choxie chocolate from Target

Choxie chocolate
Originally uploaded by love_yellow

First of all, apologies for the absence over the last several weeks - my new job has taken all of my free time!

Recently I came across this milk chocolate roasted almond sea salt bar at Target.

I've had both chocolate and toffee with fleur de sel before, but never with sel gris (a.k.a. gray sea salt). When I read on the packaging that it had grey sea salt in it I became curious and had to splurge the $3 to taste it. I was at Target (a shop know for its low prices) so I was equally curious about the relatively high price.

I consider sel gris to be a "working" salt vs. a fine finishing salt which is the reason for my curiosity. For example I put it in the water when boiling pasta or when making soups, so I couldn't imagine it combined with fine-ish chocolate.

The verdict....
Fabulous! I really could taste the big chunks of salt which enhanced the flavor of the chocolate and roasted almonds. My only complaint is that it had too little in it. The photo on the packaging is misleading because it makes it look like there are many chunks of salt.

So I went to my stash of sel gris in the pantry and added a couple more little chunks of salt with each bite and it was even better. Not only did it further enhance the flavors of the chocolate and almonds, but also added a nice little crunch which complemented the smooth texture of the milk chocolate.

What a pleasant surprise from Target!