A Midsummer...

Evening (and night's) meal. Yup, just a brief check-in. Food has been very good this July, so i'd jsut like to share a few notable dishes.

Just today I threw together a simple batch of baked Kale Falafel with a simple salad, Raita yogurt sauce, and a multigrain cous-cous of quinoa and brown rice. It was light and still filling for a pleasant summer dinner.

Falafal, nestled there like " 8 pounds 6 ounces... new born infant jesus ..." to quote a lingual giant.

And this past wednesday, I visited Happy's Bar and Kitchen in Fenway. It isn't a small space by any means, with tall ceilings and a wide bar space followed by a spacious dining room and attractive open kitchen. I appreciated the vintage look combined with a more modern shaggy-chic style and wide menu. They offered several pescetarian-friendly selections (such as my Veggie Dagwood below) as well as specials that may or may not fit the bill. Leading with deliciously chewy italian sourdough, my father enjoyed his omlette (a rotating daily special) and I my sandwich. I loved the hearty dense sandwich bread which could only be described as quintessential wheat sandwich loaf and even the fries - a delicacy I seldom sample even when good.

Oh, Sammy...

Prices were a bit high at times but certainly not any higher than comparable restaurants in the neighborhood and with ingredients of higher than many in the area.

I'd go. Be happy to.

Enjoi...

Burgahs and Burgahs and Burgahs...

At Wahlburgers there's more to eat than mere beef patties. Yes, there is Beef.
Where's the Beef?

Well at Wahlburgers right beside the Thanksgiving-Turkey Burger, Portabello Cap, and Salmon patty.
With a menu of fresh and common ingredients, there is still a collection of uncommon foods to be enjoyed. The Tater Tots come in the sweet and white potato varieties; the Onion rings which I did enjoy, were just coated enough to yield a crunch but not enough to at all mask the sweetness of the red onions it bound.

 Onion Rings are truly a thing of beauty...

I enjoyed the Salmon patty myself during my outting for an early Father's Day lunch. It was fresh and sweet - well cooked with a slightly crisp exterior from a good sear. A light aioli and fresh cucumber slaw. The bun was a heavenly brioche and just hugged its components.
My father enjoyed his Portabello burger and enough so that I didn't manage a taste but it looked delicious and messy. Just as it should be.

Small, yes; mighty, also

The interior of the restaurant is simple and modern, lined with large television screens and two different methods for ordering - table service or counter.

Give it a visit if you're on the south shore some time. It's reasonably priced, giving perfect not-too-big portions, and if you're a fan of Marky mark, a pilgrimage.

Enjoi!

Munch...Munch...

Crunch...
...
Hold on, full mouth.
Granola is crunchy and just good. Maybe not ALWAYS good for your healthy, as nutrient dense as it tends to be, but good for the soul. It's like oatmeal - 21st century, uppity soul food. Maybe? Well, for Father's Day I baked up a batch for my dad. It's tough to buy your father a gift when he has it all so what better way to show appreciation than with something he will both use and can never seem to get enough of?

Drawing from a recipe I got at Hungry Girl Por Vida

Granola Test Kitchen!

3 cups rolled oats

1/4 cup almonds, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup Walnuts, coarsely chopped

1/8 cup Hemp Seeds

1/8 cup Chia Seeds

2 Tbsp Flax Meal

1 cup dried sour cherries, Craisins, Raisins... Change this up all you like chopped

1/2 cup Dried Apples, chopped

1 cup unsweetened coconut chips

pinch of salt

zest of 1 lemon

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 tsp cloves

3/4 cup honey

1/2 cup coconut oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine dry ingredients and mix to incorporate. While that sits, melt the coconut oil with the sugar until just combined (i.e. homogeneous). Mix the liquid ingredients into the dry and spread evenly over prepared, parchment lined baking sheet (Oh yea, prepare that and preheat the oven to 350)
Bake for 10 minutes, stir, and repeat until desired darkness is reached. It'l probably take 2 iterations. 


Give it a go and as always
Enjoi!

Meenas Kitchen!

Indian Food! It's eclectic and could mean anything, really. I'm not a terrible fan of the classic "Indian food;" Saag, paneer, biryani, and masala are each a bit heavy for my stomach and taste. I love them don't get me wrong, but I can only eat so much and the next day, process so little. Meena's Kitchen is a bit different.
The small restaurant on Pearl Street in downtown Nashua, NH is a popular spot offering classic southern Indian street food. Almost like Indian tapas, you really need to dive in to experience all of the coordinating flavors. Luckily they offer a 6-course prix-fix everyday, rotating, so as to ensure your wallet stays full and taste-buds excited.
The food is spicy and flavorful, but not stereotypically heavy. Try everything and jsut eat what you like. I'll certainly be back with some friends of mine who love Indian (and are either currently or were in a former time, vegetarian).

Take some time out of your busy eating plans to give it a try! you can't really be disappointed, because there's something for everyone. At the least, the rice pudding is so sweet even the most novice ethnic palate will find some welcome flavor.

The latter half of my 6-course meal. Cabbage rice, Dhal, Squash, Raita, and Pudding...Mmmmm

A spicy-sour soup of spinach and lentils

Sour crepe with a tomato chutney. Parisian meets Italian, in India...

Enjoi!

Chop Chop...

Or sliver slice. I whipped up a quick vegetable salad today for a dinner of fresh whole-wheat pizza (which was delicious but I cannot take credit for). The salad was cool and refreshing - a good balance to the richness of a well cheesed (mozzarella, feta) and saucy pie enjoyed. I needed to use up my vegetables in the fridge so what better way than to make a quick slaw-salad?

Sliced Summer Slaw
1 cup pre-shredded broccoli (for a yet-made slaw)
1 cucumber, slivered thin
1 zucchini, shaved thinly
1 tbsp cilantro
14-20 cherry tomatoes, quartered
the juice of 1 lime
2 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp or so thyme
2 tsp ground or finely chopped rosemary
pepper to taste

Toss together and serve chilled!
Enjoi

First Meal?

... Well, not really, but I wanted to write a quick review of a great product I found looking for something easy to eat without molars. Kozy Shack Rice pudding has always been a great go-to. With some cinnamon, or one of the flavored varieties, I can eat it and eat it and eat it...
But for the lactose-Intolerant maong you, try Soyummy . I've so far only tried the rice pudding but With cherry, Lime, chocolate, and tapioca left to sample, I know I can expect to come back for more.

It has a strong vanilla taste, well cooked tender rice, and a unique smoothness unlike dairy-based puddings. It's slightly less sweet but equally as delicious as the standard Kozy Shack Rice pudding.
at 110 calories, 6 grams of sugar, and 4 grams of protein I love this stuff.

Last Meal...

Gulp;
Liquids are curious foods. Colloids: even more peculiar. I'm kind of fond of solid foods so before having the old wisdom teeth extracted and sutured, I wanted to try a new recipe. It wasn't anything spectacular but I saw something similar on the Huffington Post Kitchen Daily page. I'm rather fond of the resource, between the recipes, reviews, and musings on the culinary.
Anyways, I whipped up a basic pasta dish you might like. I call it Rotini Pima-Pesce

Makes 2-3 servings
1 cup Eden spirals Kamut Pasta, or your favorite alternative
5-6 canned artichoke hearts, diced
1 cod loin, thawed (if frozen)
3 Roma tomatoes, diced
1 bunch of Beet greens, well rinsed and ribboned
3 tbsp olive oil
1/2 Vidalia onion, sauteed
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup peas, frozen or fresh
Pepper
Sea Salt
Fresh Basil, Oregano, Thyme diced finely
Optional
1 handful raw microgreens (like Dandelion greens!)
A drizzling of balsamic vinegar


Saute garlic and onions with oil until translucence and some browning just begins. Add peas and tomatoes with artichokes. Add beet greens after a few minutes of sauteeing and add spices to taste. Finally add fish, broken up and cook until flaky.
Serve atop lightly vinegar-dressed greens and as always

Enjoi!