Apple Galette

Pie dough. Known as the impossible to make.  As I stepped up to my counter, ready for my first pie crust, I'll be honest. I was nervous. I've always thought pie crusts were so difficult to make and that's why everyone store bought them! Little did I know, they are actually super easy, and taste so so much better. This recipe even uses coconut oil to get in the good fats, and to take away the bad a.k.a butter ( I still love you butter). So don't let the numerous steps fool you. It really is a piece of...pie. ;-)

Apple Galette

Fun Fact: A Galette is a known in the french cuisine as a flat, round and free form crusty cakes. Like an apple pie, but without the pan! 

Serving: Two small apple galettes or one medium.

Ingredients:

Pie Crust:

1 1/2 cup all purpose flour

1 tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup cold coconut oil

1/4 cup ice cold water

2 tbsp sugar for outer crust for later

Filling:

1 apple

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 cup sugar 

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp vanilla extract

Steps for Filling:

1. Mix all ingredients together! 

Steps for Pie Crust:

1. In a medium sized bowl mix sugar flour salt.

2. Add ice cold water slowly and continue whisking.

3. Once the flour is crumbling add cold solid coconut oil (I put mine in the freezer)

4. Whisk until the coconut oil has turned into tiny pieces

5. Use hands to knead dough until it turns into a nice round moistened ball.

6. If making two small galettes cut dough in half and roll out until about a 1/8 inch thickness

7. Put filling in center of rolled out dough and slowly fold in. 

8. lightly dab water on the folds of the crust and sprinkle with sugar.

9. Place on a non stick pan and bake for 45-55 minutes on 375F

10. Let cool for 10 minutes and serve with ice cream!

Note: If you don't have a roller pin, use a wine bottle to roll out the dough! 

Comfort Garden Delight.

Where did I come up with the name of this recipe you ask? Why, make it and you'll see. The savory flavor of the stew and the sweetness of the sweet potato... straight up comfort food.  Its vegan friendly and you'll even get your vegetables in for the day.

Ingredients:
(Serves 2)
2 medium sized sweet potatoes
1 can garbanzo beans
1 cup diced tomatoes
2 tbsp coconut oil
1 minced shallot
1/2 cup water
1 cup coconut cream
1/2 lemon
1 12oz bag spinach
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tbsp lemon zest to garnish
1 pinch sea salt

Steps:
1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Place potatoes in oven for 45 minutes to an hour, depending on size.
3. In a large sized pan add coconut oil and towel dried garbanzo beans on medium high heat
3. Move constantly until beans are turning golden brown then add shallots, tomatoes and spinach
4. Squeeze the lemon over the stew and turn on low heat.
5. Add the coconut cream, water, cinnamon, ginger, salt.
6. Stir on low heat for 10-15 minutes.
7. Take sweet potatoes out of oven and cut half way down.
8. Place on plate and serve the stew on top.
9. Add lemon zest and enjoy!

Roast Potatoes with Rosemary and Garlic

Over this past weekend, I went down to my Aunt Kathy's. Every time I go down there, I make something called the 'Marisa Potatoes'. It consists of some of my favorite things that were originally just thrown together, and now perfected. Sweet potatoes. Yukon Potatoes. Garrrrlicccc. Rosemary. MMmm.. If you need a visual, just look below. I guarantee you'll love these.

Ingredients:
( Serves 4)

2 Medium sweet potatoes
2-medium Yukon gold potatoes
3-4 Tbsp olive oil
6 cloves garlic
1/2 red onion
2 Tbsp dried rosemary

Steps:
1. Preheat oven to 375F
2. Cut potatoes into bite sized pieces
3. Dice onion. ( I like to meet garlic whole but you may cut the garlic as well)
4. Place the potatoes onion and garlic into a deep pan, preferably a 13x9.
5. sprinkle rosemary and drizzle the olive oil. Just enough to coat everything.
6. Place in oven for 25-35 minutes or until golden brown and crispy :)
7. Sprinkle with sea salt and enjoy!


Note: Perfect dish for thanksgiving!!


xo

Marisa

Farro with Pesto and Eggplant Puree

Triple Decker. And no its probably not what you are thinking. The name 'Triple Decker' may already be taken by a sandwich, but this is my take on it. Grains. Vegetables. Pesto. 'Bam!'..  ( Wait that may have been taken too..)  Serves two for a hot date night in.

Ingredients:

Spinach Pesto:

1/2 cup olive oil

3/4 cup spinach

1/2 Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup walnuts ( raw)

1/4 tsp salt

Farro:

1 cup farro

3 cups water

1/2 tsp salt

Eggplant Puree:

Half a medium sized eggplant (diced)

3 Tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp water

1/4 tsp turmeric or/and paprika

3 cloves garlic

Steps:

1. Start with boiling the Farro. Bring to boil at high heat then place lid on top and turn to low heat.             Simmer for 30 minutes or until tender and chewy.

2.  While Farro is cooking,  heat medium sauce pan with 3 tbsp olive oil and place diced eggplant and garlic on medium heat.  Cook for about 15 minutes or until all eggplant is translucent. Add spices.

3. For the pesto, blend all ingredients together until smooth. Set aside.

4.  Clean the blender or as I use, the magic bullet, which is seriously magical and throw in the eggplant mixture. Blend until it is smoother, but still a good about of texture

5. Place farro on plate. then about 2-3 tbsp of the eggplant mixture. Then to top it off the pesto!

6. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top. Enjoy.

Note: What's great about this recipe is that you can combine them all for a nice feast of a dinner or use them separately as nice side dishes for yourself, or to bring to a party. The spinach pesto is a hit :)

Coconut and Mango Frozen Rice Pudding

This 105 degree weather in Los Angeles has inspired me to put together anything that will cool me down. It had to be something cool, creamy,fruity, and filling. So, that is where this concoction stemmed from. Cool down with this delicious recipe!

Ingredients:

2.5- cups unsweetened coconut milk
1/2 cup basmati rice
2- tbsp honey
1/2 cup ripe diced mango
1- tsp ground ginger
1- tsp ground cinnamon
1- tsp vanilla extract
1- pinch salt

Steps: 

1. Bring coconut milk to boil, stir in rice.
2. Add honey, ginger, cinnamon, vanilla, salt to simmering pot.
3. Stir often for 20 minutes, or until rice is tender.
4. Dice ripe mango. Place in two small containers, such as a ramkin or small mug.
5. Pour rice mixture in to the mugs.
6. You may stir mango, or do not and the fruit will be on top when you flip it over.
7. Place in freezer for at least 2 hours but no more than 3!
8. Use knife around the edges of the mug to help loosen the mixture.
9. Place plate at the opening and flip! Voila!
10. Enjoy!


Note: You may use any fruit, such as strawberries, bananas, or raspberries!

Be creative. Use what you've got in the pantry/fridge!

xo

Marisa

Scallops with Red Grapes and Sliced Almonds

Like my last post said, Grapes are in season. And I don't know about you, but I have exhausted the standard chicken grape salad. or fruit plate with grapes. So tonight, I mustered something different. With a quick stop at Whole Foods, I ended up with this recipe.

                              Scallops with Red Grapes and Sliced Almonds

Ingredients:

2- Tbsp Ghee ( Indian clarified butter)
6- Wild Caught Fresh Scallops
1- 1/2 shallot ( Minced)
1- 1/4 cup Red Grapes ( Halved)
1- Tbsp Sliced and Toasted Almonds
1- Tbsp Parsley ( Chopped)
1- 1/4 Lemon


Steps:

1. Toast almonds in pan until golden brown. Set aside.
2. melt Ghee, or butter for 2 minutes until just about browning.
3. Salt scallops, then place in pan. 3 minutes on each side.
4. Place scallops on plate.
5. Add shallots and grapes and cook for 2 minutes
6. Stir in lemon juice, Almonds, and Parsley.
7. Spoon sauce over scallops and enjoy!


Note: You may use regular butter or coconut oil in place of Ghee. Although I advise you to get familiar with Ghee, its delicious! You can get it at Whole foods!

Grapes are in season!

For those of us in Los Angeles, it's been dreadful. So hot and no sign of it cooling off! Not to fret though, grapes are in season and its the perfect snack for cooling off! Freeze them for a cool popsicle-like snack or right from the vine!

Ways to find the best grapes:

•  Make sure they are firm
•  No bruises or splits in skin
•  Difficult to pull off stem

Remember to rinse them! 

I'll be posting a recipe with grapes tonight!

xo

Marisa

My Go-To Carrot Salad

Everyone always needs something quick to grab in the fridge. Whether its a snack or a lunch I know that I am always on the go. Before I was given this amazing recipe, I would always grab things I wish I hadn't. Now, with this carrot salad, it is always in my fridge for a quick fix. And funny thing is, I actually dislike carrots very much. But the lemon in the recipe cuts the sweetness of the carrots and surprisingly enough, I love it!

Ingredients:

1- 1/2 pound carrots
1- handful fresh chopped parsley
1- 1/2 lemon squeezed
1- 1/4 cup raw pine nuts or  raw sunflower seeds
3- tablespoons olive oil
1- pinch salt to taste


Steps:

1. Shred carrots (Either with a food processor or a cheese grater)
2. Place in bowl
3. Toast Pine nuts or sunflower seeds in pan. Move around until golden brown.
4. Put nuts/seeds in bowl with carrots.
5. Add all other ingredients.
6. Mix and Enjoy.

Mayo-less Egg Salad!

I hate mayo. I know that's a strong word, but I sincerely mean it. At least out of a jar. If it's homemade, with a little garlic, then I'm totally cool. But usually that's not the case. Here's where the problem arises. I love egg salad. What to do? Find another way to make egg salad, mayo-less! Here's my Egg salad recipe, I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Ingredients:

3- eggs
1- 1/2 ripe avocado
2 Tbsp Greek yogurt ( 0%)
1-  chopped pickle
1- Tsp garlic
1- Tbsp fresh chives or scallions ( may use dried as well)
    Salt and pepper to taste



Steps:

1. Boil 3 eggs for 15 minutes
2. While eggs are cooling mix the rest of the ingredients together.
3. Make sure that avocado has been mashed to create the thickness of a 'faux' mayo.
4. Cut cooled eggs ( 3 egg whites 2 yolks) and put into the mix.
4. Throw on some toasted bread, and enjoy!!

Notes: This is the foundation of the recipe. Start mixing in new things, and be creative! Have fun and enjoy!


xo

Marisa

Thoughts On Recipes

I spent the morning indoors, wishing I had A/C, while browsing other food blogs. I was trying to figure out what can I do different?  Well, After looking at the recipes on most of the food networks sites, I realized I would never make half of the recipes because the ingredients list is endless! Honestly, who has time to conjure up 20 different ingredients to make something that would most likely taste delicious with fewer items? With this blog I want to share with my fellow friends and bloggers that you dont need a 'Martha Stewart' pantry filled with things you will probably never use in more than 2 recipes.  The fewer ingredients the more control you have with knowing what you are putting into your body. And that my friends, equals a happy belly.

 Tomorrow I will be posting a recipe for a Mayo-less egg salad! 

Stay Tuned :)

xo

Marisa

Curried Cauliflower Popcorn

Curried Cauliflower popcorn got its name when I was out of popcorn kernels ( remarkable since I stock up on them) and had a big ole' piece of cauliflower left over from the farmers market.  I usually put some sort of seasoning with my popcorn, Such as curry/ turmeric/ sea salt and pop with coconut oil. Alas, I had none for my craving of easy to eat movie food. So, I chopped up the cauliflower into nice bite size pieces, drizzled some olive oil and sea salt on them and 20 minutes later, BAM nice and crispy cauliflower 'popcorn'.  Sprinkled Curry on afterwards to preserve the herbs and spices.

Ingredients:

1- Head of Cauliflower

1- 1/4 cup olive oil

1- Tbsp of Seasoning

2- Pinches salt & pepper to taste

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 450F
2. Rinse, dry and cut cauliflower into small bite size pieces
3.  place on cookie sheet.
4. Drizzle olive oil on top and spread evenly.
5. Sprinkle salt/ pepper.
6. Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden. ( Check every 5-8 minutes or so)
7.  Take out of oven, While hot sprinkle seasoning, such as curry powder, turmeric and paprika or keep to the basics of the salt and pepper!
8. Enjoy, thoroughly.



Note:  Should be crispy/golden brown. Trick is to make sure the cauliflower is dried before going into the oven!   Ps.You can use Broccoli as well, just bake for 15 minutes instead! :)


And hey, you're eating a vegetable, so enjoy irresponsibly!

xo

Marisa

Hello new and old friends alike.

     For those who don't know me, my name is Marisa. This is my blog. Soon enough it will be filled with recipes I have come up with that are easy to make, taste delicious, and are nutritious. If you are looking for Easy-Mac recipes, this is not the place to search. But, if you are looking for new and exciting ways to cook this, or eat that, then you have hit the jackpot. Food is what I live for. Food is what makes us survive. Easy enough to understand, right?
    Perhaps I shall tell you a little about myself. I am from Northern New Jersey. I moved out to Los Angeles when I was 17, went to photography school, then acting school, and now i'm putting together everything I love into this blog. I've always loved cooking and creating. My Grandmother from Spain was the first one to teach me how to be creative with my food.
    So, in this blog, you will find recipes, adventures I go on in LA, a ton of pictures of my dog Meeka, and some fun things like homemade face masks and nutritional facts.  So go ahead and follow, I promise not to disappoint.

xo

Marisa