The Whole Wheat

It will be hard for me to say enough positive things about the Foodbuzz Blogger Festival that took place in San Francisco this past weekend!  Not only was the event just fantastic, but I met amazing people: bloggers, farmers, artisan producers.  Amazing!!!

Friday night we started with drink & h’ors d’oeurves at Hotel Vitale. We had a spectacular view of the Bay Bridge – slightly shrouded in fog – and the Ferry Building. Afterward we walked over to the Ferry Building for a special street fare dinner that featured some local yummy treats.

Saturday afternoon was an amazing Tasting Pavilion event.  This event had another spectacular view from the top of the Metreon. The layout was fantastic – far larger than I would have ever predicted. And so many generous and talented purveyors sharing samples of their food.  For me, the sparkling wine fiend, one highlight was the California Sparklers Tasting hosted by Alder Yarrow of Vinography.com.  Well done & delicious!

Saturday night was a dinner hosted at the Greenleaf distribution center. What a treat to see their headquarters (immaculate!) and have such an amazing dinner served to us.  I was lucky enough to share a table with folks from Greenleaf, Frog Hollow Farms, and some other local bloggers.  We had wonderful conversations and found a lot of common ground.

I wanted to simply thank FoodBuzz again for hosting this event. I loved it and look forward to future years of exciting food blogging! What a great community you have created!

Prunes never really scream YUM to most people.  Its really a cultural sadness that we think of them only as a health food.  They are so delicious and worth a try as a snack.  Additionally I’ve found that making prunes into a puree is delicious, and can be used in so many things! Its naturally sweet and flavorful.

For Margaux I often mix prune puree into oatmeal.  Or with ricotta cheese.  She is wild for prune puree no matter how its served, but those are some ideas that are baby and adult friendly.

The best thing is – its super fast and easy to make:

• Put about 8 prunes in a small pan with ~1 c. of water.  Bring to a simmer & cook about 10 minutes (covered).  The prunes should be plump and soft.  Puree the prunes and water together or just the prunes alone.  Add to anything!

Have you tried greek yogurt yet? Its AMAZING! Thick, rich, & creamy. It is perfect as is, or in place of ingredients such as sour cream.

For Margaux: I love to take greek yogurt and add in special seasonings.  A few favorites (for her & me!):

• yogurt + applesauce + cinnamon
• yogurt + sugar free jams (fruit only jams)
• yogurt + veggies

Give this type of yogurt a try. The best thing is to purchase it plain and add in your favorite items. Then there is no extra sugar, and certainly no hidden HFCS.

Note: a LOT of yogurts have high fructose corn syrup – including Yoplait which I used to love. AVOID any yogurt with HFCS!!  And especially don’t give it to a baby.

The photos will be fewer and far between, but I really want to get back to posting here more often.  I not only miss it, but I want to remember some of the fun foods I am making for the baby & for adults.

Yesterday we traveled to Portland and after landing I had my brother take us by New Seasons which is a fabulous grocer in the Portland area.  I picked up a bunch of fruits & veggies so I could make Margaux some food.  She tends to really enjoy Swiss Chard, so last night she got to try polenta & I added swiss chard to it.  She was a huge fan! The best thing about this recipe is its perfect for old & young alike, a great way to eat polenta & get more greens!

Swiss Chard Recipe:

• Wash & trim the leaves off one bunch of swiss chard.  Tear or chop the leaves and place into a glass container with a lid.  Add about 2 tablespoons water.  Cover and microwave for ~3 minutes.  Stir and microwave 1 more minute if needed.
• Remove and add everything to a blender.  Blend until finely chopped and smooth.
• For Margaux I add this puree directly to many dishes.  You can also freeze it if you do not want to use it all at once.  This can be added to adult dishes as well.  You will be shocked at what a small amount of puree this makes from such a big bunch of leaves!

Polenta:

• Bring 2 cups of water to a boil.  Add a generous pinch of salt.  Sprinkle in 1/2 cup of polenta.  Stir constantly and lower heat to low/med-low.
• Keep stirring and keep heat high enough to gently simmer the polenta.
• Polenta will cook in approximately 20 minutes – give or take.  It is best to stir nearly constantly.
• Remove from heat and mix in desired seasonings.  Good choices are: salt, pepper, butter, Parmesan cheese, spices, etc.
• For Margaux I added a small amount of salt, pepper, and a pat of butter.  Then I spooned out her portion and added a big tablespoon of swiss chard puree.

Perfect for kids of all ages!

Lamb chops may not be the first thing you think of  in the summer, but perhaps they should be. They are delicious & simple to make!  And so much of summer accents the meat just perfectly: fresh herbs, fresh fruit, lush veggies.  This recipe comes via Bon Apetit Magazine.  I made only negligable changes but if prefer to see their version, check it out here.

I’ve never roasted figs in this manner but I give it a huge thumbs up. They were fantastic with the lamb and made all the flavors melt together.  We served with mashed potatoes and grilled veggies, all in all a lovely dinner.  Perfect for a romantic dinner at home or entertaining friends!

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 4 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
• 1/2 teaspoons dried marjoram
• 2 2-pound racks of lamb, trimmed of fat and sinew (frenched)
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, sliced
• 12 ripe purlple figs, halved lengthwise
• 16 sprigs thyme
• Extra-virgin olive oil

1. Combine all herbs in small bowl except the extra sprigs of thyme. Rub lamb with 2 tablespoons olive oil, half of chopped herbs, and garlic; cover and chill for a few hours or overnight.
2. Preheat oven to 425°F. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle lamb with salt and pepper; sear until brown on both sides, 5 minutes total. Transfer lamb to large rimmed baking sheet; roast to desired doneness, about 20 minutes for medium-rare. Transfer lamb to cutting board; let rest 5 to 10 minutes.
3. Place figs and thyme sprigs on baking sheet. Sprinkle with remaining herbs and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil. Roast in oven at 425°F for 10 minutes.
4. Cut lamb racks into individual chops; arrange on plates and place figs alongside.

I’m BACK! I promise. I might not be back as often as I once was but I have missed this blog & am going to make the time commitment to swing by often!

Where have I been? I’ll show you – busy with this little love bug:

That’s Margaux, Brad, & I.  Margaux is already 6.5 months old – the time really flies!  And while I don’t cook nearly as much as I once did, I do have a lot of fun with her.  Brad however cooks much more than he ever did and I’ll share some of his recipes too – because they are great!  So come back and stick around!  The Whole Wheat has returned.