Whining and Dining

Toddler Test Kitchen: Organic Alphabet Pasta from Trader Joe's

Spelling just got even more fun! I was excited to discover Organic Alphabet Pasta on the Trader Joe's "What's New" list. We're always looking for a new pasta to try, especially for picky tots like ours. She loves learning the alphabet, which has made this pasta extra tasty. Here's the official scoop....

"We’ve taken traditional Italian macaroni and finessed them into shapely, lively letters. Made with organic durum wheat semolina and organic tomato and spinach powders, these tasty alphabetic pieces of pasta are colorful as well as wholesome. Each serving boasts healthful amounts of protein and iron. So whether you want to see your name on your dinner plate (who says pasta can’t be personal?) or send a message of love in a certain someone’s soup, our Organic Alphabet Pasta will do the trick. At just $1.29 for each 12 oz. bag, you can spell out a whole lot of yummy FUN."

Enjoy and grab some before the rest of the parents out there catch on.

Guacamole: The Purist Approach

Blogging here from fabulous Cabo San Lucas as I stuff my face with loads of guacamole and chips. Probably the best guacamole of my life. I know I have gained about 5 pounds just today. At least it is all GOOD fat. Ha!

I've had the pleasure of learning a few cooking tips from famous chef Nigel Field, who cooks for guests at the Palmilla resort in Cabo. With rather impressive crudentials, he has cooked for presidents, royalty and a fair share of famous people. He was even the lead chef at Princess Diana's wedding at a ripe age of 25.

While watching his wief Mercedes make guacamole, Nigel gave me some pointers. He likes to use Mihoucan avocados for his guacamole. And it is all about keeping it pure.....just 4 - 5 avocados, diced white onion, diced cilantro, diced serrano peppers, fresh lime juice, dash of cumin and salt. Folks, you really have to dice and mince finely to get the full effect. So simple. So good.

Since Mihoucan is not one of the California avocado varieties, I have included a link to a handy avocado guide. Go with Haas as your first choice and Gwen as the backup for making guacamole.

Often, the Americanized version of guacamole ends up with too much other stuff in it. Many times it is really good, but this was just amazing. From now on, I'm going with the purist approach.

My Trip to LA Mill

@ LAMill
Originally uploaded by sillywhitegirl

Sometimes it's fun to be fancy and fabulous. And that's how I felt when I was at LA Mill last week.

I went with a friend and left my toddler behind.We sat outside on a glorious, pre-rainy day. We were greeted by Chris, the host and our new friend, who handed us an actual coffee menu. Oh yes. The...eh um... $6 Orange Essence cappuccino was to die for although a little on the pricey side.

My friend, Julie, had the egg with crab (pictured here) which was heaven. Probably the best eggs I've ever had. There's something about those vegetarian-fed hens!! I had the PBLT (PB which stands for pork belly). Delicious. I have craved this panini many times since last week and oh those housemade potato chips. Loved every bite!

The interior is stunning. It's so swanky that I wouldn't dare bring my daughter in there. No way. Maybe if she was a 3-month old that I could tuck under the table. There is just a smidgen of hope that I could sit with her on the very bottom of the outside seating. I fear that she is too unruly and would scare away the people who are trying to be fabulous.

So the verdict, go for a splurge but leave the kids behind or grab takeout for the park.

Quick 'n Healthy Family Dinner: Thai-Style Halibut With Coconut Broth

We all rack our brains for quick and healthy family meals, especially when it's suddenly 6:30, and you haven't got a clue. Dinnertime really snuck up on me tonight since we are leaving town this week and there's mucho to do. Luckily, I remembered that I had red curry paste, light coconut milk in the pantry and frozen white fish (orange roughy from Trader Joe's freezer section) in the fridge.  So we made one of our favorite dishes from Ellie Krieger on FoodTV -- Thai-Style Halibut with Coconut Broth (obviously, I didn't use halibut. It works with any white fish).

Everyone's Least Favorite Veggie -- Brussel Sprouts -- Gets a Makeover

Sad little brussel sprouts, you don't get much respect now do you?? Many people would rather have a root canal than eat you. Let's face it, lots of people just don't like you.

What you need is a PR campaign to tell the world that you really can be a delicious vegetable. You can be likeable and actually a side that people ask for. You need more praise, more recognition and more respect like from this post on Gastrokid.

Thanks to the Barefoot Contessa, I discovered the brussel sprout two years ago. It was banned from my household as a child because my father would not have anything to do with these little cabbage nuggets. It's amazing how yummy they are roasted.  When you prepare them, cut off their little tails and peel the outside layer. Toss in olive oil, S&P. Place them face down on a cookie sheet or in a pan roasted at 450 until golden brown.

Friday night, I decided to find a brussel sprout recipe that had an Asian twist. I could really only find one, and it was so good that I think it will find a spot on our regular cycle. The best part of all was watching our daughter eat them and say..."Hmmmm that's good."

So let's unite and give the brussel sprouts the respect they deserve!

My Hot Chocolate Obsession

My obsession du jour has to be hot chocolate. Or should I say, liquid chocolate. I'm not talkin' Swiss Miss here. It's the real deal, the good stuff. Because if you are going to indulge, you should go all the way. Right? 

I suppose my obsession began in 2005 while pregnant with my now toddler. The hubby and I went to NYC for a last hoorah. I couldn't drink, so I needed another vice for the week. And hot chocolate it was. We went to Jacques Torres Chocolate Haven, which is a chocolate paradise run by New York's own "Willy Wonka" who is none other than Mr. Torres himself. We actually got a glimpse of him making chocolate in the factory. In our foodie nerdom, we whipped out our camera and got a few shots of him. And whoa does he make a good cup of chocolate! Heaven right here on earth.

Then, we went to Vosques whose hot chocolate was equally as impressive. Why more people don't talk about hot chocolate like this is beyond me! **Note that you can buy hot choco from both of these folks online.

So here I am on my couch with a cup of my own hot chocolate (regular cocoa mix plus a few squares of a Noir dark chocolate bar from Trader Joe's). I swear that this is like liquid Prozac. My mood suddenly is lifted, and I feel like all is right with the world.

In trying to justify my hot chocolate addiction, I have been searching for redeeming qualities to negate all of the sugar I am ingesting. Here are some fascinating facts you may not know....

- Hot cocoa actually has more antioxidant power than green tea and red wine based on a 2003 study.

- Hot cocoa can lower your blood pressure for those who have mild high blood pressure

And ladies, from my own experience this past month, it helped with PMS. So mommy was more mellow and actually, dare I say, pleasant to be around.

So if scientists at Harvard are calling cocoa "the next wonder drug," I say BRING IT ON!

P.S. Whining and Dining will be doing a search on the best hot chocolate in LA and will also be trying to find a healthier, less sugary but still rich hot cocoa. You'll be the first to know what I find out. In the meantime, give me a shout out if you have any leads in LA or online.

Southeast Asian Turkey Burgers

In trying to stick to our "New Year's Resolution #3: Eat Leaner Meats," we went with turkey last night when burgers were on the menu. I don't know about you, but often turkey burgers turn up dry and uninspiring (unless you have one from Fatburger, which are amazing. Turkey they may be, but I'm not gonna buy that they are that much healthier). This why we wanted to mix it up a bit and decided to try Southeast Asian turkey burgers.

Here's the recipe that makes four servings. This recipe has been adapted by one from Epicurious.com.

INGREDIENTS:

Cucumber Relish:
1/3 cup seasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon minced ginger (optional)
1 English cucumber

1 tablespoon diced red pepper

1 tablespoon diced jalepeno (optional)

Turkey burgers
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 cup plain bread crumbs
1 pound lean ground turkey
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro sprigs
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons of soy sauce
2 tablespoons of chopped green onion

4 whole wheat hamburgers buns (we actually used the Flax Seed Ciabatta Bread from Trader Joe's)

Make cucumber relish:
In a bowl stir together vinegar and sugar until sugar is dissolved. Slice cucumber crosswise into 1/8-inch-thick slices to measure 1 1/2 cups and add to vinegar with ginger. Add in red peppers and jalepenos. Toss well. Marinate mixture (if you have time) at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours.

Make burgers:
Prepare grill. Spray lightly with olive oil spray.

In a bowl with your hands mix garlic with bread crumbs and remaining burger ingredients until just combined (do not overmix) and form into four 1-inch-thick patties. Season burgers with salt and pepper and grill on a lightly oiled rack set 5 to 6 inches over glowing coals about 5 minutes on each side, or until just cooked through. Transfer burgers to buns and top with cucumber relish.

We also made a wasabi mustard to go with our burgers. Take about 1/2 cup of mustard and add wasabi paste to taste and 1/4 teaspoon of minced ginger.

We ended up with extra meat, so we made meatballs for our daughter. And that got us thinking....what about Southeast Asian meatballs for a future cocktail party. With a wasabi mustard or spicy peanutty dipping sauce?? Hmmm......

LA Mill Opened Today in Silver Lake!!

LA Mill Coffee Boutique opened this morning on Silver Lake Blvd. Apparently, everything is FREE all day. This is sure to be a fancy pants coffee house, more like a restaurant. Now will they be a place for mommies and strollers?? Will the coffee be greater than neighboring Intelligensia Coffee?? Who will reign supreme in the Silver Lake roasteries?? Hmmm....we'll see.

Note: They are supposedly not open on Mondays, so play your coffee dates accordingly.

Mill Coffee Boutique

1636 Silver Lake Blvd.

Los Angeles 90026

New Year's Resolution #2: Eat More Whole Grains

My current quest to integrate more whole grains into our diet. After hearing the news that my husband's cholesterol was a bit higher than it should, my quest became even more fervent. So here is one of several recipes that gets you eatin' yur grains at breakfast....

We love biscuits, and this recipe never disappoints. My husband has always called them “Angel Biscuits.” I’m not sure why. Maybe it is because he thinks I’m an angel for getting up and making biscuits for him. That’s my story anyways, and I’m sticking to it.

Recently, we started making them with whole wheat flour and ground flaxseed to kick up the fiber content, and they’re just as good. They take literally a few minutes to whip up. Enjoy them with jam, honey or pumpkin butter (tis the season for pumpkin).

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups whole wheat flour (white flour can be used here, too)
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 tablespoon flaxseed (optional)
• 2 teaspoons white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1 cup milk or buttermilk

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
2. Combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, cream of tartar and salt.
3. Melt the butter. Stir in butter and milk just until moistened.
4. Drop batter on a lightly greased cookie sheet by the tablespoon.
5. Bake until golden on the edges, which is about 8 to 12 minutes.

Best served warm, right out of the oven! Oh, and our daughter loooooves these!

The New Year's I-Want-To-Eat-Healthier Grocery List

If you're like me, then you are trying to get you and your family on track for a healthier 2008. And you just might appreciate visiting Deborah Stern's Super Healthy Shopping List at WellMom.com. Stern, a Los Angeles-based nutritionist and personal trainer, is letting her pantry secrets out of the bag. You see, Deborah regularly stocks the fridges and pantries of her high-brow clients in a program called "The Pampered Chef." 

Unfortunately, a healthy pantry fairy is not in my current budget so I'll be sticking to her list until I'm making the big bucks.