Coffee Marinated Hangar Steak for CBC's Weekend Morning Show

This morning, I had the pleasure of presenting Coffee Marinated Hangar Steak on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with guest host, Laurie Hoogstraten.  

Coffee Marinated Hangar Steak

2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 1/2 cups strong coffee, room temperature (I used Ethiopian Yergicheffe, from Green Bean Coffee, with notes of cocoa, available at St. Norbert's Farmer's Market)
2 tbs favourite spice blend (I used Ras el Hanout, but Mitmita, and others would work nicely)
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 cup light brown sugar
2 tbs. olive oil
1 small shallot, chopped or grated
1 Hangar Steak  (Available at Wildfire Farms at St. Norbert's Farmer's Market)
Kosher or sea salt, to taste

Whisk shallot, garlic, coffee, mustard, brown sugar, oil in a medium bowl.  Pour mustard into a resealable bag and add the steak, seal the bag and coat.  Marinate at room temperature for an hour or refrigerate overnight.

Prepare the grill for medium-high heat.  Remove steak from bag, season and grill, turning every few minutes, 8-10 minutes per side for medium-rare.  Let rest 10 minutes before slicing.

Serve with wonderful breads that you can find at Old Church Bakery, found on Saturday at St. Norbert's Farmer's Market and in Steinbach.

Fudgy Chocolate Frosted Brownies

I feel like I've been focused on making lighter, healthier foods lately, which is BOR-ING!  Just kidding, but not really.  Even though it's absurdly hot and humid here, I was craving rich, fudgy, chocolaty brownies... so I turned my oven on and got to work.  I somehow stumbled upon these (probably googling "brownies" had something to do with it) and they looked so delicious.  I am always sold on fudgy brownies, but add a rich chocolate frosting to the top?  Done.  They were very, very good, and colorful sprinkles make everything more fun, don't you think?

You can find the recipe here.

Tropical Garden Party Cocktail

HI, it�s me! And I come baring refreshing summer cocktails� because it finally sort of feels like summer in Seattle! These are bright and fresh, a little sweet, slightly savory, and super herbaceous, with muddled shiso leaves and cucumbers, gin (I used Hendricks for that extra floral/herbal kick), lemonade and a splash of pineapple juice (though a muddled chunk of fresh pineapple would be the way to go if you have it!), and a sparkly splash of Serrano DRY to finish it off. 


These cocktails are a breeze to mix up, but they do require a couple speciality items: shiso leaves and Serrano DRY. My neighbors pointed out two giant shiso plants in the jungly oasis they planted between our places, so I�ve been trying to come up with lots of things to do with the leaves. They have such a unique scent and flavor, I�m obsessed (and stoked that I can just go pick them whenever I want now!). If you don�t have generous neighbors with green thumbs, you should be able to find fresh shiso leaves at fancy grocery stores or Asian grocers. Serrano Pepper is one of DRY Sparkling�s limited summer flavors, so get it while you can (their website usually lists where you can find it). For straight sipping, I actually prefer their other summer flavor, Malali Watermelon (it seriously smells and tastes like a fresh juicy watermelon, no fake melon flavor at all), but the Serrano is great for cocktails, especially savory sweet ones like these! If you can�t find it, just use plain soda water (but it will change the flavor). If you like an extra kick, you can add a slice of actual Serrano pepper (though spicy cocktails aren�t for me!). Also, crushed ice would have been real cute in these, but when happy hour (i.e.: noon on a Sunday) is calling, ain't nobody got time to crush some ice. 

Note: This post is NOT sponsored, and all opinions are my own, but I did get a free sample of the Serrano DRY from their summer release party last week! 

Tropical Garden Party Cocktail
Makes one 1/2 pint cocktail 

1 large shiso leaf
2 slices of cucumber plus 1 more for garnish
1 ounce Hendricks gin (or more as desired)
Pineapple juice
Lemonade
Serrano DRY Sparkling
Ice

Put shiso leaf and cucumber slices in glass. Muddle together until mashed up and fragrant. Fill glass with ice. Add a splash of pineapple juice, and fill glass 3/4 full with lemonade. Fill remainder of glass with Serrano DRY. Stir, garnish with a cuke slice, and enjoy! 

Feel free to adjust quantities based on your tastes. 

The most slimming tortillas in the world

It's no secret that I'm an avid food gardener. In the last two years, I've moved from exclusively growing vegetables to growing large quantities of staple calorie crops, such as potatoes, flour corn, and long-storing winter squash.

Why do I put so much effort into growing my own food, when I could buy it easily and cheaply at the grocery store? There are a few reasons. First and foremost, I enjoy it. Second, it allows me to grow the healthiest and best-tasting ingredients possible (although I think you can compose a very healthy diet from grocery store foods). Third, it saves a bit of money. And fourth, it gives me a window into the world of my ancestors.

The fourth point is an important one for me, and it's why I can justify making tortillas the hard way. What's the hard way, you ask? Well, first you plant corn. Then you water and weed it for several months. Then you harvest the corn, shuck it and dry it on the cob.

Painted Mountain corn from my garden.

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Chopped Junior

Well, last week I probably got a B+ for all my posts.  This week?  Total F.  I'm sorry!  However, I have yummy things planned for next week... some healthy and some very, very indulgent.  But before you go off on your weekend ways, I wanted to share some news (in case you don't follow me on Instagram).  This coming Tuesday the 26th I will be guest judging on Chopped Junior!  We watch this show as a family ALL of the time, and recently my 7 year-old asked for his own Chopped box (I gave him corn, bacon, tortellini and broccoli - stay tuned).  I was so honored and thrilled to be a tiny part of this show, and watching these kids cook was a humbling experience to say the least.

I hope you watch and enjoy!  8/7c on Food Network :)      

The Hungry Brain: Book Update

In January of this year, I handed in a complete manuscript draft of my first book, The Hungry Brain, to my editor at Flatiron Books.  This book represents more than two full-time years of my life, and I can't wait for it to hit shelves.  It's markedly different from any other book in its category, and believe it has the potential to substantially change the public conversation on eating behavior and obesity.

In the process of writing The Hungry Brain, I read countless papers and interviewed 36 leading researchers in the fields of neuroscience, obesity research, and anthropology.  I had my brain scanned in an fMRI machine while looking at junk food.  I commissioned and compiled 47 illustrations, schematics, and graphs, mostly by a skilled medical illustrator named Shizuka Aoki.  Yet the book will be accessible to anyone who loves science.

This book is not about me or my world views.  It's not a conspiracy story about how everything we've been told is actually wrong, nor is it a critique of existing ideas about eating behavior and obesity-- although I do correct some misconceptions along the way.  It's about the incredible and rapidly evolving world of research that has so much to teach us about ourselves, but rarely trickles down into the public sphere in a useful form.

In interviews this year, I said I thought the book would be out around September 2016.  That was based on a rough estimate my agent gave me last year.  Sadly, it won't be out until first quarter 2017-- the gears turn slowly in the publishing industry.  But the good news is that Flatiron Books is using this time to do a great job of copyediting, interior design, cover design, and marketing, to make sure this book is as good as it can be, and gets into as many hands as possible.  I'll provide a better date estimate when I have one.

In the meantime, enjoy this short description of the book:

From an obesity and neuroscience researcher with a knack for storytelling, The Hungry Brain uses cutting-edge science to answer the questions: why do we overeat, and what can we do about it?

No one wants to overeat. And certainly no one wants to overeat for years, become overweight, and end up with a high risk of diabetes or heart disease--yet two thirds of Americans do precisely that.  Even though we know better, we often eat too much. Why does our behavior betray our own intentions to be lean and healthy? The problem, argues obesity and neuroscience researcher Stephan J. Guyenet, is not necessarily a lack of willpower or an incorrect understanding of what to eat. Rather, our appetites and food choices are led astray by ancient, instinctive brain circuits that play by the rules of a survival game that no longer exists. And these circuits don�t care about how you look in a bathing suit next summer.

To make the case, The Hungry Brain takes readers on an eye-opening journey through cutting-edge neuroscience that has never before been available to a general audience. The Hungry Brain delivers profound insights into why the brain undermines our weight goals and transforms these insights into practical guidelines for eating well and staying slim. Along the way, it explores how the human brain works, revealing how this mysterious organ makes us who we are.

Don't throw those veggie tops away! On CBC's Weekend Morning Show

Don�t Throw It Away 2.0
This morning, on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with host Terry MacLeod, I presented the following recipes with items that many people throw out.

Last year, I encouraged cooks and people who love things from the garden and farmer�s markets to not throw radish leaves away. I have a couple of recipes for them on my blog. Now, I see people throwing carrot and beet tops away. These delicate leaves are delicious and so easy to make into many dishes.

Carrot Top Pesto

1 bunch carrot top greens, chopped (today from Almost Urban Farms at St. Norbert�s Farmer�s Market)
2-3 bunches basil (or chives, cilantro, etc.) (Fresh today from Reimer�s at St. Norbert�s Farmer�s Market)
3-5 cloves garlic
�- � cup parmesan reggianno or Padano
� cup walnuts (or almonds or pine nuts, or, pumpkin seeds)
1 (+/-) ground black pepper
Olive oil

In a food processor or blender, grind up garlic and nuts, and cheese if cut and not grated. Add chopped carrot greens and basil or other herbs and pepper. Drizzle in olive oil as it blends until a smooth paste or the consistency that you desire.

Use on pasta, fish, seafood, as a compound butter for steaks, in sauces, etc.

I�m serving it today on linguine from Nature�s Pasta.

Stuffed Beet Leaves

1 lb ground beef (or lamb) (I used Wildfire Farms ground beef, available at St. Norbert�s Farmer�s Market)

1-3 shallots, sliced
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
1-2 tbs Turkish Baharat (or your favourite seasonings)
� finely chopped pepper (optional)
2 tbs chopped fresh dill
1 tbs good tomato paste (Available at Millad�s)
2 tbs pomegranate molasses (optional, available at Millad�s)
Salt, to taste
� cup bulgur (can use cooked rice, quinoa, etc.)
� cup stock (I used chicken stock that I make and freeze)
1 bunch beet leaves
Chicken stock for cooking

Preheat oven to 350F.

Saut� the shallots until soft and add the ground beef. After browned, add vegetables, seasonings and cook until soft. Add tomato paste and pomegranate molasses. Stir in the bulgur and add stock. Simmer until the bulgur is softened. Set filling aside.

Line a baking dish with a few beet leaves. Stack the beet leaves for stuffing. You can soften the rib by gently running your finger along it, to make rolling the leaves easier.

Fill each leaf with the meat filling and roll like a small burrito or dolma. Place each roll in the baking dish on top of the leaves. Add chicken stock to the baking dish and bake for 30 minutes, or until soft.

Serve hot, cold, or warm. Top with yoghurt tahini sauce or a cream sauce with dill.

Enjoy!

Quinoa Stuffed Zucchini
1 large zucchini, halved and sliced lengthwise, cutting out centre marrow
Centre marrow of zucchini, chopped
2 shallots, sliced
� green or red pepper, finely chopped
1 tomato, diced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbs Turkish Baharat
Olive oil
Pinch salt
5 fresh dates, pitted
1 tbs good tomato paste
� cup wine, tea or juice, to deglaze
1 cup cooked quinoa
Options: chopped mushrooms, green onions, chilies

Preheat oven to 350F. Bake zucchini pieces with a pinch of salt and a drizzle of olive oil, until almost soft. Prepare filling.

In a medium saucepan on medium heat, heat olive oil and add sliced shallots and minced garlic. Add remaining vegetables and cook until soft and most moisture is cooked out. Add all seasonings, dates and tomato paste. Deglaze and cook until soft. Mix in cooked quinoa. 
Spoon filling into zucchini pieces and bake until crisp on top and zucchini is soft. Serve hot, cold or warm.

Enjoy!

Spaghetti Squash Bolognese

At first glance, doesn't that sort of look like cheesy garlic bread?  WELL IT'S NOT!  Oh, you gathered that because the title of this post is "Spaghetti Squash Bolognese"??  Stop rubbing your smart brains in our faces.  But you're right, this is spaghetti squash that is roasted first and then topped with a ground turkey-based marinara sauce, mozzarella cheese, and roasted again until the cheese gets all bubbly and golden.  It's very simple to make (although I always make Carson slice the squash in half as I fear for the safety of my fingers) and easily would feed a family of 4 if not more.      

You can find the recipe HERE.

*I would feel remiss not to bring up the recent terror attacks in France.  A friend of mine who is an American citizen living there summed up how I've been feeling lately by writing... "it's like a bad dream, the kind you want to shake off when you wake up with a hug from your partner or kids."  I wish I could understand, or provide answers, especially because my son is old enough to ask questions, but instead I feel confused, frustrated, lost and tired.  And oddly, I keep thinking about these people who carry out such acts of hatred, and I keep imagining them as babies.  Innocent little babies, with their lives in front of them.  I want to wrap them up in my arms, and I want to love them.  Is that just the strangest thing?  I don't know, I guess it helps me to believe that love will always win.

Easy Edamame Hummus

Look at me, 3 blog posts in 3 days!  It reminds me of olden times, when I only had one child and Carson and I were able to stay up later than 9pm to watch television together.  Alas, things have changed.  My children have multiplied by 3, I'm halfway through my 30's, and I have no idea what Pokemon Go is.  All of that means, semi-homemade tricks are crucial in my kitchen.  Recently, I've been wanting to make hummus from scratch - and I'll get to it - but for now, taking store-bought hummus and blending it with shelled edamame beans will do!  (My kids love hummus, so I'm also hoping this might turn them onto the idea of green foods in general... maybe?)  Here's what I did:

Take one family-size portion of hummus (1 lb.) and throw it in a blender or food processor.  Add roughly 2 cups of shelled edamame and blend until smooth, adding olive oil if needed.  Season to taste with salt, pepper and a squeeze of fresh lemon.  Sprinkle more olive oil on top before serving.

Easy!  Delicious!  And maybe, just maybe, you'll save some time in the kitchen and you can apply it to watching an episode of Orange is the New Black, Season 3 (because you'll never be current).

Pineapple Vodka Soft Serve

Yep, you read that correctly.  This is creamy soft serve, made from chunks of fresh pineapple with, yes, VODKA in it.  Tasty videos for the win again!!  When I saw this it wasn't a question of WILL I make it, it was WHEN.  While it did require freezing for 6 hours, the entire process was pretty simple!  Especially if you're lazy and buy pre-chopped up pineapple like me.  This is the perfect little (adult) treat for the summer heat.  

You can find the recipe in the comment section HERE.

Smashed Pea and Ricotta Crostini

I know peas get a bad rep, I think because our grandmothers and their mothers cooked them until they were mushy and bland.  But I'm here to tell you that I LOVE PEAS!  (That just reminded me of the song "I LOVE TOAST" that they sometimes play on the SiriusXM radio station Kid Place Live, anyone out there know what I'm talking about?  I sort of love that song.  Anyway.)  I do, I love peas, because if peas are properly prepared they are bright and fresh and sweet and delicious.  When you "smash" peas with a hint of garlic, fresh basil and good olive oil, the result is perfection.  And then pairing that with creamy ricotta and toasty bread??  Perfect appetizer, your guests will rave.   

Smashed Pea and Ricotta Crostini 

Printable Recipe

2 cups frozen peas, thawed

1 clove garlic, roughly chopped

2 basil leaves, roughly chopped, plus more for sprinkling

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

3 Tbsp + 1 tsp olive oil, plus more for toasting bread

2 cups ricotta cheese

1 tsp honey

1 loaf french bread

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Cut bread into 1-inch diagonal slices and place on a baking sheet.  Brush both sides with olive oil, and toast for about 10 minutes, until it begins to turn golden (flipping halfway through).  In a saucepan, bring water to a boil.  Prepare a bowl of ice water.  Add peas to boiling water and cook for 2 minutes.  Drain and immediately place in ice water to stop cooking process.  Let sit for a few minutes, then drain.  Place peas, garlic, basil, salt, pepper and 3 tablespoons of the olive oil into a blender or food processor.  Blend until peas reach a smashed consistency.  In a small bowl, add the ricotta and stir in the honey and 1 teaspoon of olive oil.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Assemble toasts by spreading ricotta first, then smashed peas and sprinkle with more basil.         

Also, pea pesto here and here.

NuSI-funded Study Serves Up Disappointment for the Carbohydrate-insulin Hypothesis of Obesity

A new metabolic ward study tests the idea that lowering insulin via severe carbohydrate restriction increases metabolic rate and accelerates fat loss, independently of calorie intake. Although carbohydrate restriction did modestly increase metabolic rate, it actually slowed fat loss. One of the details that sets this study apart from previous studies is that it was funded by the Nutrition Science Initiative, an organization that was founded specifically to test the insulin hypothesis of obesity and related concepts.

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Edamame & Sugar Snap Pea Salad

When I travel, I pretty much plan out exactly where I'm going to eat for every meal of the day, oh I don't know, months in advance.  The reason for this is simple.  If you were to crack open my brain, you would see little thought bubbles with images of food inside, menus from various restaurants (that I've memorized), a little fat man (I'm convinced) that controls my lack of willpower, etc.  No really, I'm a scientist, you would actually find all of that.  The point is, I love food, and I know exactly where I want to eat when we land in LA... one of those places being Lemonade.  It's funny what you end up missing when you move, and the market-fresh, seasonal salads at Lemonade is right up there with the sunny weather.  Luckily for me, I own their cookbook!  So I can make the dishes I love in the comfort of my own kitchen (I swear this isn't a commercial).  Like this fresh, vibrant, crunchy Edamame and Sugar Snap Pea Salad with a Sesame Vinaigrette.  Perfect for your next summer BBQ.

You can find the recipe here and purchase the cookbook here!

Quinoa Sweet Potato Burgers for CBC's Weekend Morning Show

I�m preparing these quinoa burgers now for tomorrow�s CBC Weekend Morning Show segment.  They are coming along nicely and the Tamarack Quinoa works perfectly with this recipe.  http://www.tamarackfarms.ca/

Quinoa Sweet Potato Veggie Burgers (adapted from Bonappetit, January 2016)

1 small sweet potato
6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
1 portobello mushroom (or 5-8 crimini mushrooms)
� small zucchini
1 small shallot, finely chopped
� teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup cooked quinoa (from about � uncooked) (Tamarack Farms available at St. Norbert�s Farmer's Market and Downtown Hydro Market)
� cup dried breadcrumbs (panko)
1� teaspoons fresh lemon juice
4 Pretzel or Sourdough Brioche (Available at Old Church Bakery at St. Norbert�s Farmer�s Market

Guacamole, tomato chutney, sprouts, etc.

Wash and prick sweet potatoes all over with a fork and place on a paper towel in the microwave for 3-5 minutes, until soft, depending on the microwave.  Fastest and easiest method and won�t heat up your kitchen with the oven.

Remove the skin from the sweet potato and mash the flesh with a fork.  Set aside.

Grate zucchini and mushrooms.  Heat a small skillet with olive oil and cook shallot with pepper flakes until translucent.  Add zucchini and mushrooms and cook until moisture has been released.  Transfer to a bowl with cooked quinoa (1 1/2 cups water : 1 cup quinoa, boil, stir and simmer for 15 minutes).  Season and mix with salt and pepper.  Let cool.

Add breadcrumbs (panko), lemon juice and about 1/4 cup of mashed sweet potato, adding more as a binder as needed.

Divide mixture into 4 portions and form into patties.  Heat 2 tbs oil in a medium skillet on medium heat and cook 2 patties at a time, until golden brown.

Serve burgers with Old Church Bakery pretzel buns or Sourdough Brioche with your favourite toppings, guacamole, tomato chutney, etc.

Enjoy!