CELEBRATE LIKE A VEGAN

In food preparation, there's no ingredient we appreciate and yet disregard  more than salt. As you know it is one of the five basic tastes which include salty, sweet, bitter, sour and umami. Salt has the peculiar property to release tiny food particles into the air which intensifies the aroma of food. This of course is very important to taste and that is why unfortunately the food industry abuses it as a quick shortcut to make food more appealing. Just think of the last time you had a cold and how bland and tasteless food tastes. That’s because you aren’t able to smell it properly. That's why using the right type of salt for the right application becomes so important. Knowing how to use them can help you use less of it and in a healthier manner.  Many of us say that salt makes food taste better and that’s all there is to it but nothing is farther from the truth.  Salt highlights and suppresses certain flavors when used correctly. In the right amounts, salt suppre...

Very often we have to start shoots early in the morning at the workshop. My best trick to make sure everyone gets here on tome is to text them that I will be making pancakes for everyone. This last time we had a bit of a surplus of lemons and a case of little bottles of maple syrup we hadn't even opened yet. I figured it was time to make everyone Lemon Pancakes. While we were at it I decided to take a survey with everyone to find out how they liked this new brand of maple syrup. The brand name is Stonewall Kitchen and it's labeled as 100% New England Maple Syrup. I have to tell you that it has become one of our favorites we've ever reviewed. It had a very pleasing dark color that can only come from being cooked the old fashioned way, without rushing it. It was sweet without hurting your teeth so it allowed the lemon zest in the pancakes to come through. The batter I used was my go to simple griddle cake batter. Here is the recipe I used. I hope you try it and love ...

Whenever I've visited México, one of the first things I look for is the street vendors who sell Esquites. To see the care that goes into one of these little cups is nothing short of wondrous. Each vendor has their own way to prepare them as there are long discussions among our family as to who has the best ones. Unfortunately, many of the ingredients offered are not plant based like the crema or the cheese so when I'm home in San Francisco, I can't help but make my own, This is how I usually prepare mine but feel free to experiment with different layers. If you tried and you liked them, send me a picture on facebook or instagram . Ingredients: 2 Ears of fresh corn 1 Avocado 2 Limes 1/2 Cup pressed and diced tofu 1/4 Cup vegan mayonnaise My ready to go Red Salsa My ready to go Green Salsa Salt Pepper Instructions: 1. Roast the ears of corn in the oven or if you have the grill on, it's even better when you char them. 2. Slice the kernels o...

Yesterday I had a real hankering for some carbs. I will admit that I do eat more than my fair share. The thing is that it is very satisfying and of course taste delicious to our palates. There is something about the texture and flavor of starches and amino-acids that make our brains go all happy with anticipation of nutrition. The best way I know how to combat the urge to over indulge is to add more of the super foods to the dish to balance the rich foods. This time I opted for one of our favorites at the workshop, pineapple fried rice. I worked on a shoot all day for a pineapple drink that came out very nicely. Staring at that beautiful fruit all day inspired me to use it in the staff's dinner. It's surprisingly simple to make, especially if you have precooked rice in the fridge like I did. Ingredients: 1 cup cooked rice. (I had Jasmine rice but normally I prefer brown rice) 1/2 cup chopped onions 1/2 cup carrot 1/2 cup celery 1 Tablespoon chopped garlic 3/4 c...

I was at a Korean restaurant not long ago and fell in love with the look of their King Mandu (Fried Dumplings Fit for a King). Unfortunately I wasn't able to taste as they were filled with pork. My friends were raving about the texture and size of the dumplings. After a closer visual inspection I decided that the dough used to make those wrappings for the dumplings was not at all different for my everyday flour tortilla recipe. I set out to do the experiment in the workshop. It turned out better than I ever expected. I used my flour tortilla dough and made mini tortillas about 6" diameter. They were easy to stuff with the recipe that follows and sealed on the edges with just a little water. We pan fried the dumplings in a mixture of half vegetable and olive oil. It took about 1 tablespoon of each. Let's hope you try the recipe and let me know how you liked it. As always feel free to send me a message if you have any questions. Ingredients: 1/2 cup of red le...