Around the Internet: Food

National Punctuation Day Baking Contest - Fun contest!! Not this year, but MetaBoy and I might enjoy participating in future years.

Restaurants Look Beyond Chicken Fingers - After seeing a dip in restaurant visits of groups with kids, some restaurants are changing their approach by offering healthier kids' meals, and making them free. Personally, I'm very excited at the thought of healthier kids' meals because I'm tired of seeing pizza, grilled cheese sandwiches, and nuggets. That said, I'm cautious with a healthier option, too, because I'm not sure that restaurants take kids' meals as seriously as they take those of adults. We went to La Grande Orange in Santa Monica, and I was sorely disappointed in the quality of MetaBoy's food: cold fries, mushy berries, and bland fish. Needless to say, he didn't finish it, which speaks volumes, let me tell you.

On that note, if your kid isn't eating his food in a restaurant, give it a taste to make sure it's edible!

Farmers markets fear Los Angeles' fees - Unrealistically high fees for farmers' markets in Los Angeles have historically been waived, but possibly not for much longer. While this will not impact markets held in parks, private property, and outside of LA (e.g., Santa Monica and Culver City), it could force affected markets to move or close. If fees are going to be assessed on these markets, the city should make them fair, which they are not.

"Rodgers called the monthly bill, which would total $80,508 a year, 'infuriating,' and 'an arbitrary number,' adding, 'No one has given any indication what this is really for.' If the market had to pay that and received no relief, she said, it would have to close or find another space."

Is it OK to replace unsalted (sweet cream) butter with salted butter if you reduce the total amount of salt in the recipe? - If you can't log in, here's what it says. You should not use salted butter in recipes because:

• The amount of salt varies from brand to brand
  
• Salt masks flavor nuances found in butter
  
• Salted butter almost always contains more water than unsalted butter.

What I took away from it is that I can use salted butter, but I will have more control over the flavor and texture (due to water content) of the end product if I use an unsalted butter.

Around the Internet

Are We Farmers Market Failures - Hey, out there! Vote for your favorite farmers' market here. Show how much you love your farmers. And if you live in the Los Angeles area, definitely do this. We're not in the top 20, but we have some spectacular markets! The Santa Monica market on Wednesdays, anyone? Perhaps we're taking for granted how our wonderful weather allows us to have strawberries, tomatoes, avocados, and so many other foods for so many months of the year. But think about how lucky we are, and vote! Now, I'm off to slice up some sweet, juicy watermelon and tuck into some green, yellow, and red tomatoes...mmm...

Starbucks tests new names for stores - A sign of the times: Starbucks is experimenting with avoiding the use of their name in new stores. I never thought I'd see the day...

How to Take Better Baby Photos - Tips on taking better pictures of babies and kids. Some of this is over my head, but I think I still learned something.

Coolio: The Next Julia Child? - LOL...no. Do you even remember Coolio? Well, back when, he got all into food and starred in an online cooking show on My Damn Channel.

Risk of mad cow disease from farmed fish? - There is now concern that eating farmed fish who are fed byproducts rendered from cows might be at risk. So now, who's going to be protecting consumers from this? Because the USDA and the FDA can't handle what they have on their plates so far. And I think we all know how unlikely it is that any corporation or industry will self-regulate.

Dining at The Yard with Kids

I cook for my family most days...at least I do when MetaDaddy's home. This week has been more about surviving, so I'll take up any offer to eat out. But I still go to my usual farmers' markets because it's a treat I just don't want to give up. The fruit, vegetables, and sunshine...it's just all too perfect.

My take on food is that if I buy something that's fresh and tasty, I'm better off doing as little as possible to it. Weiser Farms Cavaillon melons, Fitzerald Farms nectarines, Rutiz Farms Galante strawberries...how can I improve perfection?

When I see a restaurant that boasts of using farmers' market fresh produce, it makes me happy. I love seeing these wonderful ingredients incorporated into a clever ensemble by someone with much more culinary talent than myself. But I'm usually disappointed. I hear the word "farmers' market," but I don't see it on my plate. Grr.

Well...that brings me to a curious incident involving 3 things I mildly obsess about: the Santa Monica farmers' market, local restaurants, and Top Chef. And this is where I get sheepish. I'm generally just a reserved person. I keep to myself. As obvious by my wordy blog, I've got plenty to say, I just don't always say it in "real life."

So, I'm walking down the street in Santa Monica pushing MetaGirl in her stroller. I'm about to step off the curb onto the pedestrian street, but it's a tight squeeze since I'll be maneuvering through two parked trucks. As I'm managing, a tall someone comes walking through, and I decide it best to move...I didn't want a trampling incident. I look up (way up...he's tall), and I saw someone familiar. (This is where fame can be a pain in the butt.) "Oh!! That's CJ from Top Chef!" So, I ranted into the void that is Twitter, as one does.

To: CJ from Top Chef. Dude, I know you're tall, but really? Are you too tall to see some people, even if they have a stroller?

Then, I forgot about it. But a few days ago, I get a reply from...CJ! :-o

BigCeej: @MetaMommy I'm sorry. Come to my restaurant, The Yard. I'll cook for you.

After some hemming and hawing, I asked a friend who is similarly Top Chef aware if she'd like to join me and the wee twosome. She accepted, so we went. That's when I turned all shades of red. In the restaurant as I admitted to be the one, the only...MetaMommy. It's kind of a stupid name to admit to in "real life." I'm glad there were lots of other things to keep me distracted, like needy kids.

So we chatted for a bit, and he told us about his food. CJ, aka Chris Jacobsen, has recently taken over and has reworked the menu to feature fresh farmers' market food. He's minimizing freezer space, improving the look and ambiance of the dining room/bar, keeping prices reasonable, and generally changing the nature of what "pub food" is in Santa Monica. It doesn't have to be frozen or deep fried to be good with a drink.

We had a few small dishes. I'm not going to pretend I know food like some people know food. I don't have a refined palate, nor do I obsess about details. I just know if I like it or not, and I enjoyed the food. Though I was impressed by some of the lovely farmers' ingredients, like the Cavaillon melon (a super juicy, flavorful melon that looks like a cantaloupe, but puts it to shame...poor cantaloupe). I also know he shops from the farmers because...well, that's where we had our "run in." If he's shopping there, you know the food will be fresh and seasonal.

My personal favorite were the fish tacos, which I'm still craving. As my friend pointed out, it would be a lighter option if it was a soft taco, but it was still mighty tasty. And even closer to my heart is a restaurant's tolerance of young kids. Despite having 2 young kids in high chairs in a place that had previously been popularized as a bar with bar food, there were plenty of healthy options for them and I didn't feel like a nuisance for having my kids or stroller. The only way to survive eating out with young kids it to find a way to keep kids content, which is hard enough for parents without feeling challenged by staff. With us, all of the staff were great. And MetaGirl, always one to make herself known, got all sorts of wonderful attention.

Overall, it was a pleasant experience. It's 1/2 a block from the beach with a patio, allowing a nice beachy view. Fresh, seasonal food that isn't too fussy. Yes, it's a bar, but don't be put off by it. And a nice getaway for a quick bite or a full meal, even if you have kids. The Third Street Promenade is a couple of blocks away (on Third between Broadway and Wilshire), but I can't think of one restaurant I would recommend to anyone. It's the little places, like this one, that are off the Promenade that are worth visiting.

In the effort of full disclosure, CJ did comp the meal (completely unnecessary, but very appreciated!). However, that was due to the above mentioned trampling incident. He was apologetic and really nice about it. And I'm pretty sure that I was more embarrassed about it than he was. After all, I'm the one who goes by MetaMommy ;-)

The Yard
119 Broadway (between Ocean and 2nd Street)
Santa Monica, CA 90401
(310) 395-6037

Farmers' Market Shopping Cart

‘Hook and Go’ Urban Shopper - I see these at the farmers' market all the time. Given that we'll be using a stroller for the foreseeable future, I don't need this. But, oh how sleek and smart. One day...one day...

$59.95 @ Sur La Table

Recipe: Farmers' Market Spring Melange

Here's a contribution to Kerry's Farmers' Market Report. Fun!

Amelia Saltsman, author of one of my favorite cookbooks, The Santa Monica Farmers' Market Cookbook, inspired me yet again. Well, she and the farmers' offerings this week. I kept walking past the beautiful English peas thinking "must resist, must resist." Shelling the peas can be tedious. Furthermore, the minute the pea is picked, the sugars starts to break down into starch (if I remember correctly), which means that by the time you buy "fresh" peas from the grocery store, they're unlikely be very sweet at all. If you want sweet peas, your better off using frozen. I've heard this many, many times, so I guess you could say it's been drilled in to my "pea" brain.

But I did it anyway. Why? Who can resist the thrill of a challenge!?! Besides, the peas at the market are pretty fresh, so it's the best case scenario for fresh peas.

I took her Spring Melange recipe as a guide, and bought what I found and/or liked at the market. My melange included leeks, green garlic, Swiss chard, asparagus, English peas, mint, and lemon.

I've never used green garlic, but it was actually lovely. Its mild, garlicy flavor permeated the dish without overpowering it. I used fava beans last time, but heavens...if shelling peas was tedious, fava beans are at a whole new level (shell, boil, peel from skin). Speaking of, I found shelling the peas rather therapeutic, though MetaDaddy thought I was nuts to try it and rather discouraged such future endeavors. We'll see about that. As for the Swiss chard, I felt it toughened up the feel of the dish. I'll try spinach instead next time.

The final touch of mint and a good bit of lemon really brightened up the dish. I threw in some chopped up roasted chicken and served it with brown rice for a well rounded meal.

I'll definitely be doing it again!

Galante Strawberry at the Farmers' Market

I've been arriving to the farmers' market later than I'd like these days, which means I'm not getting some of the tasty treats I yearn for. Today, however, was a treat. I ran out of money before I ran out of wonderful options.

The best strawberries (in my humble opinion ;-) at the Wednesday market in Santa Monica are at Rutiz Farms. They're the only ones to sell the galante variety, and ... WOW! The difference between grocery store strawberries and farmers' market strawberries is dramatic. The word styrofoam comes to mind. And the difference between other strawberries and the galante? Ka-Pow!! Now don't get me wrong. The seascape and gaviota berries are nice, as are the other varieties that I'm sure are out there. But every time I taste the galante, I feel special. Like I've been let in on a delicate little secret. So shhhhh! But if you're in the neighborhood, do try them.

If you're wondering about it, I found an old article from Sage Restaurant that discusses the 'Galante.'

"Jerry Rutiz’s roadside strawberry stand attracts all the locals around his rural-residential corner of Arroyo Grande. That’s because he sells a variety called ‘Galante’ that a friend of his bred just for sweetness. It’s a garden variety without a long shelf life. It won’t last a week to ten days in a shipping container like commercial varieties, so it sells well in Europe, where markets are closer to the growers. It also yields less fruit, but since it was developed from older, more resistant varieties, it can be grown pesticide free—unlike commercial types, whose less disease-resistant roots only do well in fumigated soil. Chef Rich waited and waited to put strawberries on the menu until the sweetest, locally grown ones became available, and he buys them from Jerry at the Santa Monica Farmers’ Market. When you taste Sage’s strawberry ice cream or strawberry rhubarb turnovers you’ll thank them both for taking a stand."

All Toddlers are Fussy Eaters

MetaBoy is a great eater, all things considered. He has a big appetite, which means he's on the end of the spectrum where I have a hard time finding enough food to feed him.

That said, even he becomes difficult sometimes. His favorite word is "no." Despite being hungry and liking the food in question, he'll reject it flat out if that's the mood he's in. We've found a few tricks to combat the "no" monster, but eh...nothing works 100% of the time.

• Dips - I don't know why, but he loves dipping food. He calls it "dip dip." If we pour a sauce right on top of his meal, he might refuse it. If you put a dollop on his plate, he'll dip everything into it. We've used various sauces, hummus, yogurt, maple syrup (for pancakes), and jam. He might not eat bread, but he will if he can dip it!
  
  
• Delivery - Sometimes, it's about changing up the delivery of a food. A food he might be bored with becomes more exciting if you change how it's eaten. Chicken and vegetables in a sandwich can be a lot more entertaining since MetaBoy doesn't get sandwiches often. A quiche with the same old food is another exciting escape. He also loves the occasional soup, which is loads of fun served in a small bowl with a small spoon. A little messy, but not too bad...especially if he's hungry ;-)
  
  
• Challenging Food - Sometimes, a new food is a great treat, especially when it's a challenge to eat. Artichokes, for example, are easy to cook and delicious, but can be intimidating to eat for novices. To eat it, you tear a leaf from a cooked artichoke and scrape off the fleshy part with your teeth (the part that was attached to the artichoke). If you like, dip it first (e.g., salad dressing). Once you've eaten as many of the leaves as you can, take out the tough choke (should tear right out), and eat the heart. Mmm...so very good. But that's me. Here's someone else's take on it. If you get baby artichokes, which might be a better way to go for kids, the choke should be tender enough to eat in its entirety. Test it out before releasing the kids on it.
  
  
• Seasoning - MetaBoy is much more inclined to eat if he gets to sprinkle even the smallest amount of salt on his food. Other sprinkles that rev up his appetite: paprika (fun color, mild flavor), lemon, and lime.
  
  
• Mini Food - Maybe it's just me, but I love mini food. I've found loads of wonderful mini vegetables at the farmers' market (e.g., mini zucchini, mini potatoes, mini squash, micro carrots...so small they make me wince with delight). I love to saute them all together and serve with something grilled (e.g., chicken, fish). But so many foods can be mini...pasta, sandwiches, cheese. If possible, just cut a larger food down to size and, depending on your kid, say (1) "isn't the food cute!!" or (2) "wow, you're a giant!!"

To be completely honest, these are just a few ideas to shake things up. Meals can get boring sometimes, so it's fun to introduce novelty. I've found the best tool with MetaBoy to be persistence. He may have a healthy appetite, but he's refused food in the past. My standard line is if you don't finish what's on your plate, I will assume you are not hungry, so you will not get anything else. I try to take his degree of hunger and level of cooperation into consideration, though. If he's eaten well at lunch, he doesn't necessarily have to eat that much at dinner to be full. In that case, as long as he eats a reasonable amount, I'm happy. He also has to try everything on his plate, even if he thinks he won't like it. He usually finds that he does like it. (We then stifle an "I told you so.") I might even chime in with "if you eat a bit, I'll eat a bite," which works for a couple of bites.

The biggest thing, in my book, is that I never make him a special meal just because he will not eat what we're eating. Once he started to eat non-mashed food, he ate the same food we ate. My take on it is that once he knows he can get a different meal out of me, he'll play that card every time. And if there's nothing wrong with our food, what's stopping him from eating it other than sheer stubbornness? They learn so fast, after all.

These days, he asks for a treat after every meal. Of course, that could be anything from fruit to a cookie. I think MetaDaddy's trying to convince him that leftover baby potatoes with a sprinkle of salt are just as good as a cookie. To be fair, to MetaDaddy, it is ;-)

My Food is Your Food

To whom it may concern,

You know that bag? That green bag that you found on the sidewalk today? The one filled with groceries. That was mine. I was the dummy who loaded myself up with an infant and running toddler to buy bread, avocados, potatoes, and other edibles, only to forget the bag next to my car because I was so distracted by the two year old who was trying to pounce on the 3 month old in her car seat. That green bag, which was heavy enough to leave marks on my arm that I can still see, had the ingredients for a yummy lentil dinner, and a nutritious vegetable soup. That green bag, which was gone despite driving back within 10 minutes of leaving it behind, held the first blueberries of the season, which MetaBoy was so excited about.

Let's not call it stealing, that thing you did where you took something that didn't belong to you. I'm going to picture you as someone who needed the food, and I hope that this actually did brighten your spirits for the coming week when we take that time to give thanks for things both big and small. I hope you do make that soup, and have a hearty sandwich with the nine grain bread, and finish all of the antioxidant rich blueberries. I hope you do because it will mean that my annoying sentiments toward you and my dulling mental performances were warrantless

Now that this issue is behind us, I'll rewrite my grocery list and go shopping again tomorrow. I'm hoping these groceries make it home, this time.

MetaMommy

P.S. MetaBoy drooled on the lentils.

Recipe: Green Zebra Gazpacho Soup

Here's a recent find from The Santa Monica Farmers' Market Cookbook, by Amelia Saltsman. I've had this book for over a year, but I always seem to find some lovely treat when I'm in the mood for something new. A favorite then, a favorite today.

Case in point, Gazpacho. The name doesn't do it for me, and the thought of a cold tomato soup feels...well, kinda blagh. But I keep forgetting that because it's a raw soup, it's almost more like a salad than a soup. The flavors are so fresh, and when you leave the right amount of texture, there's even that bit of crunch in each spoon. I had gazpacho in Spain, and it completely changed my perception of it. But I left that behind when I left Spain. I decided to give it another chance with this recipe as my inspiration, and I'm hooked again!

There's a decent amount of prep work involved in this recipe, the worst of which involves the tomatoes. As for everything else, remember that it's all going to get blended in the end, so don't worry too much about chopping. Oh, and when you do start blending, cover up. This soup has more jump than Splash Mountain.

You have been warned.

Lastly, flavors are best when the soup is left to sit for a bit, so don't plan on eating it right away. And because it's served cold, leave seasoning for when you're about to serve. Cold food needs more seasoning.

Green Zebra Gazpacho
2 lbs ripe Green Zebra or Evergreen tomatoes
2 Persian cucumbers (about 10 ounces total)
1 small white onion, coarsely chopped
1 cup seedless green grapes
2 cups torn, crust-free, stale French bread
Juice of 2 limes
1/2 to 1 small jalapeno chile, cut into small pieces
Leaves from 8 to 10 sprigs cilantro
Leaves from 8 to 10 sprigs mint
2 tablespoons canola or other mild cooking oil
Kosher or sea salt
1 1/2 cups water
1 avocado, pitted, peeled, and cut into 1/4- to 1/2-inch dice
Snipped fresh chives for garnish

Peel and seed tomatoes, reserving the juices that collect in the bowl. Coarsely chop the tomatoes and add them to the bowl. Peel the cucumbers, cut them in half lenthwise, and use the tip of a spoon to scrape out the seeds. Cut the cucumbers into chunks and add them to the bowl. Stir in the cucumbers, onion, grapes, bread, juice of 1 lime, 1/2 chile, cilantro, mint, oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and water.

Puree the soup with a stand blender, leaving the texture a little chunky. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours or up to overnight. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt. If the soup is not zesty enough, grind the remaining 1/2 chile with a little of the soup and stir it into the soup. Garnish each serving with the avocado, chives, and an extra sprinkling of salt.

Farmers' Market Delivery

I read about an interesting local service. Auntie Em's Organic Produce and Dinner Delivery delivers seasonal produce from local farmers and farmers' markets. I've always wondered why no one does this. Locally, there are so many farmers' markets, but the best are the ones held during the week. If you work, you can't go. What's more, unless you go religiously, you don't have the opportunity to learn about the produce and farmers, you can't ask questions about recipes and seasonality, and as a result you can't develop relationships that help you get the best food. It seems to me that a service like this has the potential of working their wisdom and connections to get you the best food.

I've always found that organic food from the FM is cheaper than organic food from the grocery store. This leaves a good deal of earnings potential for this kind of service. Based on their sample listing of food and the prices I'm used to, it seems to me like this service tacks on a hefty premium for their efforts. That said, local food is fresher, which means it'll last longer in your fridge. There's a lot to be said about that.

While you'd be better off going to the FM yourself, this is a close runner up. If you get a chance to try it, let me know how it goes.

Summer at the Farmers' Market

Oh, how I love the farmers' market during the summer. Well, I love it and hate it. There's so much beautiful food, that I have to work hard to stay on my list. It's really quite easy to overspend. My summer downfall: fruit.

Cherry season is about mother's day through father's day, so they're long gone. But they overlapped nicely with peaches, my current obsession.

My favorite peach stand has the best peaches, nectarines, plums I've ever had. Ever. High end local restaurants haul away crates of Fitz's fruit, but he always has time to shoot the breeze and answer my silly questions. He's big into grilling his peaches these days. His recommendation is to take a full-flavored peach, which is usually a yellow fleshed peach; their acid content provides a more balanced flavor than white peaches, which tend to be much sweeter. Cut it in half, and take the pit out. Add a few drops of balsamic vinegar and smear it on the flesh. Put the peach flesh side down on the grill and cook it for 3-5 minutes. Flip it and cook it on the skin side for another 3-5 minutes. Feel free to add a few more drops of balsamic vinegar, and serve.

When we grill peaches, we don't bother with the balsamic. Honestly, they're so good they just don't need it. We grill them, and if you have some pound cake lying around, toast some up on the grill. Pour over a little honey, syrup, cream, ice cream...whatever floats your boat. The result...O...M...G...So simple, so easy, so delicious. How did I not know about this sooner? I'd be bitter if I wasn't so happy.

But now I find out Fitz is only expecting to be at the market for another couple of weeks. This saddens me. Last year, I went cold turkey on peaches when his season ended. I actually did a little dance when I saw him this year, and I've been loyal all summer. I suspect I'll be peachless again once his season ends. He's truly spoiled me with those Carmen Mirandas nectarines.

The 11 Best Foods You Aren't Eating

A NY Times article listing The 11 Best Foods You Aren’t Eating. The nice thing about it is that it's a nice brief list of nutritious foods that you can see about slowly integrating into your diet without a major overhaul of your cooking routine. A sprinkle of this, a tossing of that. It's all good!

Beets
We actually really like beets in salads, but after seeing what they did to MetaToddler's diapers, we wrote them off. To be fair, we were eating red beets, and there are lighter colors to choose from. So perhaps we'll give it another try with golden beets.

Cabbage
Salad, obviously. That said, napa cabbage works well in stir fries. I wonder if all cabbage would work, too.

Swiss Chard
Neither of us really like swiss chard. Something about the texture just doesn't please us, so um...ya. Maybe we'll try it again, but I might just as easily forget about it, too.

Cinnamon
This is a tricky one in the MetaHome. MetaDaddy doesn't like cinnamon in his coffee, and he feels it's overused in desserts, especially those containing apples. So when I bake, I omit cinnamon and go straight for the nutmeg, which we both love. Then he says "well, I don't hate cinnamon. You can use it in some things." Ah, but which! The saga rages on.

Pomegranate Juice
Honestly, I don't like pomegranate juice. It's unpleasantly sweet, even when diluted. I'd prefer to just eat a pomegranate. I did make a syrup a while back, and it was nice mixed in plain yogurt. It would probably work on pancakes, too, but well...ick!

Dried Plums
As is. Yum!!

Pumpkin Seeds
I mix roasted pumpkin seeds with a few other wonderfully tasty nuts and unsweetened dried fruit for a trail mix that I know I'll like. What usually makes the cut? Almonds, walnuts, black currants, cranberries, raw sunflower seeds, and of course, pumpkin seeds.

Sardines
After reading the health benefits of sardines, I'm seriously thinking about giving them another try. But it's really hard. I've slowly comes around to enjoying fish, and sardines...well, that's a tough one. Super salty, fishy, packed in oil. I can hardly watch MetaDaddy eat sardines on toast without gagging. Obviously, he'll have to introduce MetaToddler to that culinary treat. I'll work on coming around, but no promises.

Turmeric
I always have turmeric in my pantry, but I seldom use it. I don't remember the last time I even opened the tin! I'm going to work at sprinkling it around a bit more.

Blueberries
We're lucky enough to get fresh blueberries at the farmers' market right now. Nothing beats fresh, tasty blueberries just bursting with flavor. Most are so bland and watery, that it's easy to think you don't like blueberries at all. Just go find a good one and see what you're missing.

I tend to use frozen blueberries in muffins (when I'm feeling energetic), but it does throw the water content a bit off if you're not careful. The tip that's worked for me is keep them frozen until you mix them in, lightly coat with flour, and gently mix into the batter. This tends to prevent bleeding in the batter, too.

Canned Pumpkin
Hmmm...I don't know about this one. I'll think about it, but I'd prefer to have roasted squash. I chop it up and to toss it in when baking a chicken or something, and it makes for great leftovers.

Recipe: Grilled Corn & Arugula Salad

When you're cemented to braces, certain foods are out of the question. Corn on the cob, for example. It's an awful, tragic shame to walk past beautiful, fresh, sweet corn at the farmers' market. Cheap and all, but what's the point when you know you can't eat it. Or can you?

So, in an effort to satiate my corn impulses, I've found a couple of salad recipes that use the corn kernels. One of them is particularly tasty, uses leftover grilled corn (great for all of that leftover corn from your most recent bar-b-que), and is quick to assemble. I got the recipe for Grilled Corn & Arugula Salad from Russ Parson's How to Pick a Peach. I had a few of the ingredients on hand, but not others, so my variation of the recipe was as follows. I halved the dressing because we tend to like a lighter coat of dressing on our salads. Also, keep in mind that you can use any lettuce or lettuce mix. However, the pepperiness of the arugula is a nice contrast to the other flavors, so it's more a flavor component than a backdrop to everything else.

Dressing
1/2 garlic clove, minced (optional)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt

Salad
1/8 pound arugula
1/2 pound roma tomatoes, chopped
1/3 cup scallions, chopped
2 ears corn, grilled & cooled, kernels sliced off

Whisk the dressing in a small bowl or measuring cup.

Lightly coat the arugula with some dressing in another bowl.

Finally, mix the tomatoes, scallions, and corn kernels in a small bowl. Coat with the remaining dressing.

To assemble, place some arugula on a plate. Spoon on the corn mixture.

Santa Monica: The Good, the Bad, and the Diva

Santa Monica's great, when it isn't being an overpopulated diva.

Things that have bugged me recently:

• I went tour a preschool. A person in our group asked "I was told to come do the tour because we're trying to get pregnant. At what point can I actually apply?" Apparently, getting on the wait list in utero is not uncommon.
• I parked on a street where the sign said something like *no parking from 7-2, except by permit.* This isn't uncommon. It's to discourage people from parking overnight unless they're residents. Well, that's how I read it, anyway. It turns out that it was 7AM to 2AM. WTF?!? Why not just say "No Parking." That's what they mean. I mean, who's going to park there from 2AM until 7AM? So, ya...I got a ticket. I'm not the first, and I'm not the last. It's how the city makes the gagillion dollars that it uses to fund the meter maids.
  
• The local community college has a public parent & me swim class. It's a nice idea, except there are 40 spots for thousands of interested residents. At least that's what the most unhelpful employee told me. He couldn't have cared less about my questions, nor about my application. Apparently, just submitting the thing was an exercise in futility.
• How much does an annual membership for a family membership to the YMCA cost in other places? Here? $900.

But on the bright side, cherries are in season at the farmers' market. The season is essentially mothers' day to fathers' day. And the peaches...oh, the peaches are marvelous. I haven't had a nectarine since last July, and I've been jonesing for one like you wouldn't believe. It turns out it was absolutely worth the wait.

And I heard on the radio the other day that the wait list for getting a pothole fixed in the city of Los Angeles is about 85 years. I kid you not. Here, if I call and complain about a street lamp on the blink, pothole, or any similar problem, it's usually fixed within a week. Big difference!!

Still, ugh.

What's for Breakfast?

A Dutch study found that people who skipped breakfast were more than twice as likely to be overweight, even if the breakfast eaters consumed more net calories. Isn't the logic of that frustrating? You think you're reducing your caloric intake, thereby increasing your potential of slimming down, but you're actually just shooting yourself in the foot.

This article goes a step further and points out the good, the bad, and the ugly about what you're having for breakfast. Less sugar and more protein are guidelines in keeping you satisfied longer, thus preventing mid-morning binges. Muffin, anyone?

I tend to wake up hungry these days. Well, I tend to be hungry most of the time these days. But I digress. Regardless of what I eat, I always have a cup of *coffee* made with instant decaf and soy milk (instead of water). MetaDaddy thinks instant and decaf in the same sentence with coffee are vile concepts. But me? I was raised on a pinch of instant coffee mixed with hot (not boiling) milk and a touch of sugar...so this is comfort food. It took a while to get used to the soy milk, but I had to because I had to reduce my dairy consumption while I nursed MetaToddler. Now, besides milk feeling much heavier in my "coffee" than it used to, it doesn't always sit well in my tummy, so I'm back to soy.

As for the food part of my breakfast, cereal tends to last me long enough to get around to making my real breakfast. Hence, it's rare that I even bother. Toast will only do if it's slathered in cream cheese or some nice cheese. Though it's likely accompanied by a small bowl of plain yogurt with my favorite granola. Oatmeal sounds fine, but there isn't enough protein for me and it's very slow to eat, which is tough when I have to run after you know who. Besides, it makes me gag these days. If I'm really hungry, my go to breakfast is quick and easy: two fried eggs and toast (MetaToddler's favorite). And whatever I eat, MetaToddler must eat or he gets cranky. He must get that from his daddy ;-)

MetaToddler tends to have a decent-sized breakfast himself. We still feed him baby cereal, but we mix it with prune juice and water to keep him *moving*. I can count on my hand the number of times he's been constipated, so this has been a great trick taught to us by our pediatrician. He also eats most (or all) of a banana, as well as a mix of other fruits (e.g., strawberry, blueberry, organge, sapote) that are in season at the farmers' market. Then, he moves on to nibbling my breakfast, whatever that may be. Then there's the mid-morning snack, but that's another story.

Overall, though, I agree that the most successful breakfasts are high in protein. The article does point out that some people need more protein than others, which is interesting. Find out what works for you instead of looking to compare your diet to others, pound for pound.

Chicken Run

I do most of the cooking in the MetaHousehold. For the most part, MetaDaddy gets home too late to really be able to cook anything. It's hard to start a meal from scratch at 6:30 when you've got to get the little critter down by 8:00. That said, there are meals he makes better than me (e.g., fish). And there are those I just really don't want to bother with, but I enjoy eating (e.g., BBQ). So I'll make a side dish and do all of the prep (e.g., chop, marinade) for his portion, he'll cook it when he gets home, and dinner's usually done within 20 minutes of his arrival with minimal stress.

Since I do most of the cooking, I do most of the meal planning as well. I ask for input, but he's pretty blase about it, so most of the selections are mine. Whenever I make something new, I ask for feedback. But I think he keeps it vanilla because he's afraid of hurting my feelings. Well, that whole thing led to the "bland stew crisis of 2006" where he finally broke down and confessed..."I don't really like your stew." I loved my stew bland because I grew up with it, but we found a way to fix the flavor to keep both of us happy. What annoyed me was that I'd made it several times, and each time he just swallowed it. Where's the honesty and communication, man?!? So, I do hope he learned his lesson and shares his opinions. Overall, he might say something here or there, but he's very cautious. Keeps me wondering, I must say.

But I digress. My point is that as the primary cooker and meal planner, the weekly menu is tainted by my palate. Since my palate is currently pregnant, we've been having a lot of chicken. I don't know why, but chicken is really good these days. And I don't mean the plastic chicken with the fake grill marks you find in mediocre salads. I want the tender, juicy chicken loaded with flavor and salt. You don't need gravy if the chicken is nice and moist. And don't you think you're keeping the skin away from me because I will hunt you down and take it back. The skin is arguably the best part.

So Tuesday, I had a chicken lunch from my favorite chicken restaurant California Chicken Cafe. Yesterday, I made a roast chicken cooked in a variety of vegetables. And today, after my chicken leftovers for lunch, I made spicy chicken drumsticks, courtesy of Simply Recipes.

I included our roasted chicken recipe below because we love the recipe, and I know some people are scared roasting a whole chicken. I know because I used to be one of those people not long ago. That recipe used to be exclusively MetaDaddy's, but it takes too long for him to make during the week, so I reluctantly took over. And honestly, it's not that bad :-)

As for the spicy chicken drumsticks, I found that recipe because I bought some drumsticks at Trader Joe's this week. Since I prefer to buy chicken that hasn't been chemically treated (e.g., antibiotics, etc.), I tend to pay more on average. Most people prefer white meat, so dark meat tends to be exceptionally inexpensive by comparison. Drumsticks were only 99 cents per pound, so I figured I'd try them out and see what happened. I went in search of a recipe, and voila! Jerk chicken with lots of flavor and kick (as much as you can handle ;-). It's quick and easy...I'd say about 40 minutes all in, including the 5 extra minutes we needed to finish the chicken.

On that note, a 4.25 pound organic chicken with farmers' market vegetables of cauliflower, wee potatoes, carrots, white beets gave us 6 portions for about $20 (~$3.33/portion). The drumsticks with a leftover salad served 2 and came to about $2.50 per portion. Interestingly, not that big a difference despite the fact that pound for pound, the whole chicken was more expensive than the drumsticks. So if you're looking to save a buck in these days of inflation, consider your recipes as well as your per ingredient cost.

Roast Chicken

The roast chicken used to intimidate me, and occasionally still does. I use gloves because I still can't manage the thought of touching a whole dead animal. I don't know why, but it's harder than touching it if it's in parts (e.g., leg, breast). I think the reality of it all is still too much for this city girl. The lemon makes the chicken insanely moist, and the paprika gives the skin beautiful golden color, as well as a nice flavor enhancer.

As for the vegetables, I change it up depending on what's in season at the farmers' market. Cauliflower, beets, potatoes, carrots, leeks, fennel, jerusalem artichokes, and so on. I lightly coat them in olive oil and add them as the chicken cooks. For example, if the veg needs 30 minutes to cook, I add them when 30 minutes remain for the chicken. Couldn't be easier.

1 chicken
1 lemon, halved
4-5 cloves of unpeeled garlic
olive oil
salt
paprika
2 onions, cut into segments

Preheat oven to 400F.

Get out your roasting pan and cover it in foil to avoid clean up. Unwrap the chicken and rinse with water in and out. Pat dry and set in the pan breast-side down. Drizzle on some olive oil and rub in. Sprinkle on some salt and paprika. Put the garlic and lemon inside the bird. Disperse the onion segments around the chicken and lightly drizzle with olive oil. Put in the oven for 15 minutes per pound, plus 10 for good measure (e.g., 5 pound chicken = 85 minutes = 1 hour 25 minutes).

Add vegetables as desired. When 30 minutes remain, turn the chicken over (should now be breast-side up) and sprinkle on some salt and paprika. Put back in the oven to finish.

Santa Monica Farmers' Market: Frank

I was saddened to hear of the passing of a farmer at the Santa Monica Farmers' Market. Tsugio Imamoto, who I knew as Frank, had one of the smaller stalls, but had some really nice produce. I made it a point to seek him out every Wednesday. His mint was the best, in my humble opinion.

I didn't know him as long as so many other shoppers loyal to the FM. I regret not having gotten to know him better. An old article in the Santa Monica Mirror mentions a few things about him as a Japanese American. His father brought the family from Hawaii to California, where they learned to farm. He spent years at Manzanar during World War II, where he met his wife. And he lived his 80 years as a farmer in Southern California with his big family, which includes 10 grandkids. What a life!

I miss seeing his table. We will be making a donation to a charity in his memory.

My sincere condolences to his family, friends, and everyone who will miss his stand every Wednesday.

Cooking Last Week

I'm excited about food these days. I get home from the farmers' market on a high, ready to start cooking. Unfortunately, MetaBaby goes for a nap after the market, so I have to bottle it up and keep quiet. Ah well...here I am.

Last week, in no particular order, we had the following:

Braised baby artichoke risotto - A bit time consuming, but worked out better than I expected. Even worked well as leftovers. Though I truly love artichokes, so I might be biased.

Chicken legs braised with tomatoes, onions, and garlic - This felt like home cooking at its best. Cooking time was close to an hour, but I'm sure it could be adapted to work with a crock pot or the like. We'll definitely do this one again.

Grilled Haloumi, salad, and cous cous - This was a really fast dinner because it cooks in no time. Haloumi is an interesting cheese that doesn't melt, so you can grill or BBQ it. In fact, it's a nice option for vegetarians if you're ever wondering what you can do other than grilled vegetables. The only flaw with this recipe is that it was hard to find. I tried Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, Albertsons, and eventually found it at Bristol Farms. Keep in mind that it's very salty, so don't salt it or pay the price.

Cous Cous & Sautéed Vegetables - This is a quick and delicious stand-by recipe. I love getting tiny shiitake mushrooms from the farmers' market and just toss them in. No chopping makes the quick dish even faster. And it's a versatile recipe so you can add and subtract ingredients as desired.

Recipe: Minty Lime Cooler

Every now and then, the Border Grill sets up a stand at the Santa Monica Farmers' Market. I always feel spoiled when they do. So despite the toddler, stroller, and vast amounts of food I'm usually juggling as I head back to the car, I always manage to make a pit stop. They usually have a few tasty desserts, one or two delicious meals like a tamale or lime chicken tostada, and they always have their minty lime cooler. It's refreshing combination of flavors gives me a renewed sense of energy. You can feel the flecks of mint, small enough to give you a crisp burst with each sip. I went online and found this recipe. I tried it, and it's pretty spot on. You can blend (I used a stick blender) the lime, sugar, and mint beforehand, though don't keep it too long since the mint won't fare well. When you're in the mood, give it a good shake and dole it out with some sparkling water.

Border Grill’s Minty Lime Cooler Recipe
This recipe serves: 2
Preparation time: 10 minutes

Ingredients
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed mint leaves
1 12-ounce bottle sparkling water
lime slices, for garnish
mint sprigs, for garnish

Cooking Instructions
1. Combine the lime juice, sugar and mint in a blender. Puree until smooth.
2. Fill 2 tall glasses half-full with ice cubes. Pour half of the lime juice concentrate in each. Top with sparkling water, garnish with lime and mint and serve.

Saving Our Food

The battle over food in America á la Starsky and Hutch.



Via Eating Liberally