squash & parsnip soup

Want to know what the funnest/not funnest thing about Utah is? Its sneaky weather patterns. It does this thing where everything is warm and wonderful for a couple weeks in March. You might even buy a little strawberry plant, or put some yellow flowers in a vase, just because it seems like the right time of year to do so. Everyone gets all excited, thinking that spring is just around the corner.
But it isn't. Spring is NEVER just around the corner. Because Utah will throw out a freak week of winter just when you start packing up your sweaters.
I'm trying to look at the bright side though. I can't complain about unpacking those sweaters and getting one more chance to wear a few of them. Soups are always more fun to cook if you're watching snow fall through the window. And it's always nice to have an excuse to stay inside and do nothing.
On one of my "do nothing because it's too cold" days, I started messing around with food ideas and came up with this. It tastes like winter. Perfect for a day that should be spring but feels like winter.

1 kabocha squash
1 parsnip (chopped)
1 c. carrots (chopped)
1/2 c. applesauce
1 12oz can of Spicy Hot V8 vegetable juice
2 c. vegetable stock
1 tsp minced garlic
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp ginger
1/2 TBS sage
1/4 TBS oregano
Cardamom

Start by cutting your squash in half and removing all of the seeds. Cut that in half again so you now have 4 pieces. In a large soup pot, add a few inches of water and bring that to a boil. Or if you have a steamer, that would be a lovely contraption to use right about now. Add your squash and let that steam  with a lid over it for around 30 minutes, or until you can easily stab it with a fork. Take the squash out and cut off the outer shell. Blend the insides all up in a blender or food processor. Now move onto the next task.

While the squash is steaming, add your vegetable stock to a different pot and bring it to a boil. Add in the parsnips, carrots, and garlic and let them cook, covered, for around 20 minutes, or until you can stab them easily with a fork. You will also need to blend this concoction. (stock + veggies)

When both of these purees are done, pour them both into a large pot (maybe one of the ones you've already used, if you're trying to cut back on dishes). They will probably both be pretty thick at this point. So, now you add in the applesauce and Spicy Hot V8. Whisk everything together as well as you can. If it seems like things just aren't mixing, you can blend everything together after it has been combined. It's meant to be fairly thick, but if you'd like to thin it out, just add a bit more vegetable stock. Now add all of the herbs and spices to the mixture.

Bring the soup to a boil, and then turn the heat down to low. Let it simmer for about 10 minutes. Then enjoy it hot with plenty of fresh bread to dunk in it.

simple pasta

So today I was just sitting there on my couch, studying/watching stuff on Hulu when I suddenly have an intense craving for homemade pasta. Luckily, it's super easy to make. And this particular recipe has just enough for one person. (Eat up, lonely pasta lovers, like myself.)

FOR THE PASTA

2 egg yolks

1/2 c. flour (I used gluten-free Cup4Cup flour)

FOR THE SAUCE

2 TBS butter

1 garlic clove

1/2 TBS fresh thyme

1/2 TBS fresh rosemary

pinch of cardamom

DIRECTIONS

Take your flour and create a little pile of it on a clean surface. Create a well/little hole within the flour pile and put the yolks inside of it (see the picture above). At that point, you just mix it all up, kneading it for around 10 minutes or so until it turns into a smooth little ball. When the dough has stopped being sticky, you place it into an air tight container. Either let it rest for an hour or so, or put it into the fridge until you are ready to use it.

After it has rested, you have the option to whip out your pasta roller and send the dough through it until it's nice and flat. You also have the option to place the ball on a well floured surface and flatten it with a hand roller. (This is the option I use, due to a lack of a pasta roller, but avoid it if you can. It's the worst.) When it's as flat as you can get it, use a sharp knife to cut the dough into strips.

Boil the pasta strips in salted water for a few minutes. The time will be dependent on how thin you were able to get your pasta. For example, if your dough is really thin it will take around 2 minutes. If you have giant, thick noodles like mine, it will take closer to 8 minutes. Drain the pasta.

The sauce is also extremely simple. Over medium-low heat, melt your butter in a saucepan. Crush your garlic and then add it along with all of the herbs and spices. Let it simmer very slightly for 5 minutes or so to enhance the flavors. Add your drained pasta to the saucepan and let it all soak up for another 5 minutes or so. Dish up your pasta and top it off with more fresh herbs and parmesan cheese.

kale + kabocha squash + chickpeas + craisins

Today has been one of the best sorts of days. Several of my classes were canceled and I had nothing of importance to do, so I got to do pretty much whatever I wanted. I actually got to go on a run for the first time in forever, I got to sit down and enjoy a real breakfast, and I got through almost half a season of Survivor on Hulu.

The best.

And here's the best part. The way I see it, eating healthy stuff sort of cancels out the fact that I've been completely lethargic all day! (Because that's definitely how it works, right? Regardless.) Hoping to get rid of the massive headache I acquired during my 4 hours straight of Survivor watching, I threw this together. I'm pretty pleased with the results, if I do say so myself.

REALLY DELICIOUS & ALSO HEALTHY SALAD

kale, chopped or torn into bite-sized pieces

kabocha squash, chopped and roasted with nutmeg and curry powder until soft

pumpkin seeds, roasted

chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans)

craisins

balsamic vinegar, drizzled over the top

It was an absolutely perfect dinner for an absolutely perfect day.

washington d.c.

I present to you, my weekend in iPhone pics. Taken in the place that may quite possibly be my new favorite city.

This weekend I was able to go to Washington D.C. for a Health Education Advocacy Seminar, and it was incredible. I got to walk along the cobblestone streets, looking at the most amazing architecture and trying the most amazing food, like pistachio gelato, Eastern Market's famous "blue-bucks" pancakes, fresh  honeycrisp apples, or the best halibut I've ever eaten, just to name a few. I could definitely see myself living in one of those colorful little town houses, spending every weekend at flea markets and book shops. So idealic.

And, of course, the reason I was there was pretty amazing as well. I got to talk with Representatives from Utah (and by that, I mean their staffers) and convince them that Public Health is the greatest. It's not too hard to convince people of that, because it is easily the greatest. It's the idea that we can prevent disease before it even happens. It's the idea that by simply improving health, we can improve a person's entire quality of life. It's the idea that every man, woman, and child deserves to be free from the burden of disease. And I love it. I love feeling like I might actually have the ability to make people's lives better, even if only slightly! This world is full of trials and heartache, but public health can fix it in some capacity.

I'm really not into politics, but it was really cool to be able to see the system at work and to participate in it. I mean, not to get too extreme here, but what if what my group and I said in those meetings convinced congressmen to vote a certain way, and we change the course of the country?? (Definitely going too extreme, but still. Point made.)

Good times. God bless America.

pizza

This post is not going to be special or tell a story. It is just going to describe to you the most delicious ingredients that I have ever put on a pizza. No joke. Maybe I just don't have enough pizza making experience or something, but I was blown away with my own masterpiece. 

Regular tomato sauce mixed with curry powder.

Mozzarella cheese.

Pomegranate.

Avocado.

Spinach.

Caramelized Onions.

Whip up some of your favorite pizza dough (homemade or pre-bought, your call on that). Pile all of this deliciousness right on there. I put this baby in the oven for about 10-15 minutes on 400°F. Try it. For reals.

kabocha squash doughnuts with candied thyme

This new semester has been extremely effective at putting me in the dumps. Maybe because it's always freezing cold outside. Maybe it's because it gets dark so very quickly. Maybe it's because I'm writing papers 24/7. Actually, it's probably because of the papers.

And so I find myself constantly searching for pick-me-ups. Sometimes it is found in a new episode of Community. Other times it is found in a freezing cold walk in my beautiful mountains. Most recently, though, I found it in doughnuts.

Oh, doughnuts. You will never let me down.

I found a truly wonderful recipe for one thanks to Reclaiming Provincial. I think it may have changed my life. Even though mine didn't turn out nearly as pretty as hers. So if you want your life changed for the better, make these bad boys.

{zupas} tomato basil soup

{a testament to my true love for tomato soup--the second recipe within one month for tomato soup}

People who don't live in Utah may not appreciate this, but YOU GUYS. I found a recipe for the Tomato Basil Soup that they serve at Cafe Zupas! I literally cried when I found it. For those of you who have never eaten at Zupas before, just take my word for it. They have the best tomato soup in the world. And they try to keep their recipes a secret. Like, not even the employees who make the soup know the exact recipe. I just want you to understand exactly how excited I was by this discovery.

One of the great things about this recipe is that it makes a surplus of soup. I used it to feed 5 hungry men, and I still have enough leftovers for at least a month. I'm not complaining, but looking back I probably would have halved the recipe, and I would advise others to do the same. This recipe makes an insane amount of soup.

2 c. fresh basil
1 c. slivered almonds
1 c. parmesan cheese
5 garlic cloves
1 1/2 c. olive oil
2 tsp salt
6 - 7 celery stalks (diced)
2 yellow onions (diced)
3/4 c. butter
2 tsp oregano
4 quarts of stewed tomatoes (5 cans)
2 tsp sugar
4 c. heavy cream

The first step is to make a batch of pesto. In a blender or food processor, blend up the basil, almonds, parmesan, garlic, olive oil, and salt. Set that aside for awhile. 

Now get a soup pot (a big one.) and melt the butter over medium-high heat. Sauté the celery, onion, and oregano. After the onions turn transparent, add in the pesto you just made as well as the tomatoes and sugar. Mix it all up and transfer it to a crockpot. (a big one.) Cook it all in there for 8 - 10 hours on low.

Once that's done cooking, spoon it all into a blender, blend it up, and transfer it back to your big soup pot. Add in your cream and stir it all up. At this point, you can continue to let it simmer in your pot until it's your desired temperature; for as long or as short as you want.

sundance film festival 2014

This is a post about a trip I took to one of my favorite places, with some of my favorite people, during my favorite time of year. We walked through the cold and the crowds, trying to spot the rich & famous and getting carried away in the overall feeling that took over Park City Main Street. I had about a million favorite moments.

-When we annoyed Rainn Wilson (aka Dwight K. Schrute) by following him and trying to play paparazzi (which I'm horrible at, blurry photo of his thumbs up as evidence). He's a good sport. Sorry, Rainn.

-When some random, un-famous, shirtless dude started a riot of teenage girls for no reason.

-When we almost got some rad gold sparkly nail polish from Loreal, but were too lazy to post spam and crap all over twitter in order to earn it.

-When we got in a fight with the Loreal lady because we almost took the rad gold sparkly nail polish anyways.

-When we saw Rhett & Link taking pictures with people. I guess "youtube famous" is the same as "normal famous" now. Which is cool.

-When we ate a delicious pizza at the Red Banjo Pizza Parlour.

-When a Ben Stiller look-a-like told me I had great hair and held the door open for me. Thanks, pal, for appreciating my ginger-ness.

-When we went into a fur store and the sales guy legitimately started trying to sell us $16,000 fur coats...I feel like our ages made it pretty obvious that we weren't his target clients.

-When my friend Josh and I almost bought a giant moose head in a Native American trinket store.

-When we finished off the night by drinking hot chocolate and eating carmel apples from Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory on the bus back to our car.

quinoa lemon poppy seed pancakes

I have come to an important conclusion about life. Pancakes are good for the soul. So when I find that my soul is in need of nourishing, I look for a good pancake recipe. This recipe in particular is good for that purpose. (Thank you Tartine and Apronstrings.) They're bright and fresh and slightly healthy-ish, as far as grains go. Although I stray a little from the original recipe (because where the freak would I find a yuzu fruit in Utah?), I found that the results are absolutely delicious. This has become one of my favorite breakfasts/lunches/dinners. Pancakes are appropriate at any and all times of day.

1/2 c. rice flour

1/2 c. quinoa flour

2 TBS sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

2 pinches salt

2 TBS poppy seeds

zest from 1 lemon

2 eggs

1 c. buttermilk

1 tsp lemon extract

1 TBS canola oil

In one bowl, add the flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, zest, and poppy seeds and stir them together. In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks, buttermilk, lemon extract, and oil. Add all of that to the dry mixture. In ANOTHER separate bowl, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until soft peaks form. (Which looks something like this. Just in case you're like me and are slightly clueless as to whether it really just means "foam" or not.) Fold (gently stir) those into your first bowl. At this point you can start cooking them over medium heat in a frying pan. They'll need to cook for about 1-2 minutes per side. Serve it up with honey, blueberries, maple syrup; whatever your taste. 

tomato, fennel, & carrot soup

Anyone who knows me well knows that my favorite meal in the entire world is tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich, and it has been since I was a little kid. It's my go-to meal for when I'm feeling sick, stressed, tired, happy, reminiscent, hungry, or in a hurry. So pretty much all the time.
Today I decided to class it up a little bit and try something more than my regular can of Campbell's. It started out as a crazy experiment, trying to incorporate my current favorite vegetable (fennel), but it ended as one of the more satisfying and delicious dinners that I've had in a while. It serves two, so feel free to double or triple it if you have more than yourself to feed.

1 1/2 c. crushed tomato (canned)
1/2 c. chopped carrots
1 1/2 c. chopped fennel
2 c. vegetable broth
1 TBS chopped chives
1 tsp thyme
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp paprika
3/4 c. cream

Start off by adding the fennel, carrots, and 1 c. of vegetable broth to a pot over high heat. Cover it, and let it cook for about 10 minutes--until the vegetables are soft. At that point, add the rest of the other ingredients (excluding the cream) with a few leftover fronds. Cover it again, lower the heat to just a simmer, and let it cook for 40-60 minutes. The longer it cooks, the more flavor it has, but technically you could even let it cook for just 20 minutes and probably be fine. When it's done simmering, put it all in a food processor and blend it up as much as you can. Put it back in the pot and whisk in the cream. Let it simmer for another 10 minutes or so, and voilà! Dinner.
To be fancy, I also included crackers topped with brie and a choice of pesto or jam. (Much classier than your average grilled cheese. Also less satisfying. Being classy doesn't pay off sometimes.) But enjoy anyways!

how to cook a soft-boiled egg

I have a strange love-hate relationships with mornings. It's by far my favorite time of the day, but I am by NO MEANS a morning person. I hate waking up, I hate it when people sing or are happy too early, and I typically refuse to leave the house until at least 11 unless it's absolutely necessary. And yet the morning is still my favorite. I love to be awake when the sun is just coming up and everything is quiet. I love eating breakfast and reading before everyone is awake. I love having a time when I can realize how very blessed I am to be alive.

And of course, the best foods in the world are served at breakfast time.

My most recent favorite breakfast food is the SOFT BOILED EGG with some delicious gluten free sourdough bread from New Grains Bakery. (I've found that gluten free bread is much better toasted. Just so you all know.) I love this breakfast more than I love some people. And it's so incredibly easy to make!

DIRECTIONS:

Bring a pot of water to a boil (there should be just enough water in there to cover an egg). Add some salt to the water. With a slotted spoon, gently set an egg (or two or three or however many) into the boiling water. Immediately set your timer for some time between 5 and 7 minutes, depending on how runny you like your eggs. (I personally cook mine for about 6-6.5 minutes, just because I like them that way.) As soon as the timer goes off, use the slotted spoon to get your eggs out of there and run them under cold water, so they stop cooking inside.

From here, you can either peel them (like I do) and eat them over toast, or you can take the classy British approach and keep the shells on. Using a knife, you would just decapitate the thing right at the top, and then use a spoon or toast strips to scoop out the insides. You can't lose either way, really.

green chile cornbread pancakes with roasted blueberry honey syrup

When I was a freshman, I had this roommate from New Mexico. She always used to tell us about the mesas, and the dirt, and the cowboys, and the smell of roasting green chiles. It sounded sort of wonderful, in its own sort of way. I went there with her once, and it was sort of wonderful in its own sort of way. So open and natural. So devoid of the greenery that I always thought symbolized life, and yet so extremely alive. The sky, the sage brush, the dessert animals...

And the green chiles. Ohhhh those things are good. When I found this recipe I immediately decided to swap in green chiles for the jalapeños, because I have found a small place in my heart for those delicious little things. Also partly because jalapeños are freaking spicy and I'm a wimp.

FOR THE PANCAKES

1/2 c. corn

1/4 c. cornmeal

1/4 c. flour (can be substituted with Cup4Cup gluten-free flour)

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 TBS honey

1 egg

1/2 c. buttermilk

1 TBS canola oil

1 1/2 TBS green chile

1/4 shredded cheese (cheddar or mozzarella, whatever your taste)

FOR THE SYRUP

1 1/2 c. blueberries (I used frozen because I'm poor, you can too)

1/2 c. honey

1 TBS water

1 TBS butter

Heat up your oven to high (around 350°F) and roast your blueberries on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper for 10-15 minutes. While that's going, roast the green chiles and the corn in a pan until they are just a little charred. Then, mix the cornmeal, flour, baking powder and salt in a medium sized bowl. Add the honey, egg, buttermilk and canola oil. Add the roasted green chiles, corn, and cheese. Before starting to cook your pancakes, get a small pot and boil the water and honey for the sauce. Add the butter. When the blueberries are done, add those in as well. Then you can cook your pancakes (about 2-3 minutes per side) and serve them with a delicious roast blueberry sauce.

It's sweet. It's savory. It's the best breakfast ever.

gluten-free chocolate coconut cake

I have an obsession with making layered cakes. When I first moved into my current apartment, my roommates would always ask, "What's the occasion?" every time they saw me baking one...at this point they've stopped caring. I just bake cakes whenever. And I have found a favorite recipe for chocolate cake based off of several recipes from around the internet. Here it is:

1 3/4 c. Cup4Cup gluten-free flour

2 c. sugar

3/4 c. cocoa powder

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 c. coconut milk (or regular milk. or soy milk. whatever you have, really)

2 eggs

6 TBS tahini

2 TBS vegetable oil

3/4 c. boiling water

Whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a big bowl. In a separate bowl mix the milk, eggs, tahini, and oil. Now whisk together the dry and wet ingredients. At this point, you add the boiling water and mix it in. It looks pretty watery, but it's fine. After spraying 3 6" baking pans with a crazy amount of Pam (bad experiences with cakes that stick to the pan...), you pour in the mixture equally. It should fill each pan about halfway. Cook it for 20-24 minutes on 375°F, or until you can put a toothpick in and have it come out clean.

I just coated the outside/between the layers with a cream cheese frosting and toasted coconut, and BAM. A delicious chocolate coconut cake. And I promise, it doesn't even taste gluten-free.