Spring. Lovely spring. Why do you tease us with the scent of flowers and fleeting warmth? It is March after all.

This is a salad made with raw Brussels sprout, asparagus, roasted cauliflower, figs, almonds, as a sweet, delicate mustard-maple syrup dressing. Easy. Fresh. Delicious.

Perfect for lunch, in a park, with a heavy dose of sun on face and a soft breeze caressing the skin.

Salad

• ¼ head of a medium cauliflower
• sprinkle of cumin
• sprinkle of coriander
• sprinkle of curry powder
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• pinch salt
• fresh ground pepper
• 5-6 Brussels sprouts thinly shredded
• 3-4 asparagus spears thinly sliced
• 2 dried figs
• several almonds

Dressing

• 1/2 teaspoon maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon coarse mustard
• pinch of salt

Heat oven to 450 Degrees. Chop cauliflower in florets. Sprinkle with spices, salt and pepper. Coat florets with olive oil. Roast for 20-25 minutes. While the cauliflower sweetens as it roast in the oven, shred the Brussels sprouts and asparagus, and place in a bowl with figs and almonds.

To prepare dressing mix all ingredients until homogenized.

Remove cauliflower from oven, place in bowl with the rest of the ingredients. Mix in Dressing and continue to mix until everything is well coated.

Serve. Devour.

I was working two jobs up until two weeks ago. Now, I am just teaching, and spending most of the time home, looking for a job, cooking for Tasty Plan, and wandering what it is that I should be doing with my life. Most of the time I am just wondering, tossing back and forth ideas of what I should be doing to get where I want to go in life.  

Nobody told me that my 20’s where going to be hard. You are in a constant existential crisis, which is sometimes tougher than others. Up to this point, if you are a fellow 20-something, you have spent most of your life in school, every level harder than the previous, then: Boom! You are thrown off the boat, into the cold water, and left on your own to figure it all out. You are supposed to know what you want, and how to get it.

Timing did not help us. We are supposed to reinvent the wheel in tough times, when most of the professions we believed to be important are now archaic and obsolete. We are supposed to be creative, passionate, and social, while in this path of self-discovery. But are overwhelmed with how big the world is, and what little part of it we are.

Maybe, I just think too much. 

These cookies are for the soul: Wholesome, moist, soft, and nutty. The maple syrup and cinnamon bring depth of flavor, which is fragrant and aromatic. Whichever ingredients you choose to add to these cookies will pair beautifully. Make sure to include something sweet (dried fruits and/or chocolate) and something crunchy (nuts and/or seeds). For this batch I used almonds, walnuts, dried cherries, and chocolate chips. The combination is sublime.

These cookies are gluten free and dairy free. The original recipe was vegan. It called for xanthan gum and a flax seeds “egg”. I just couldn’t bring myself to use such artificial ingredients. So, even though it is not vegan, it comes close. And to be honest, I think it is more healthful.

Sweet+Nutty Everything Cookies

Adapted from The First Mess

• ½ cup  + 2 tbsp cup gluten-free flour (I used millet flour)
• ¼ cup almond flour
• ½ cup gluten free oats
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 cup of “add-ins” (chocolate chips, dried fruit, nuts, seeds)
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup oil
• ¼ cup dark brown sugar
• ¼ cup maple syrup

Preheat oven to 350 degree Fahrenheit. In a mixing bowl, combine flours, oats, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and add ins. Set aside.  In stand mixer, beat egg for a minute, add oil and mix until well incorporated. Add sugar and maple syrup and beat for another minute. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet. Once well incorporated, scoop teaspoon sized dollops of batter into a cookie sheet. Leave at least an inch and a half between each cookie. Bake 10-13 minutes. The cookies will be done once golden. Devour!

I recently stumbled upon my first photography class binder; its contents are almost six years old. While most of the photographs were amateur in nature, one roll caught my attention. It contained photographs of food: vegetables placed atop a thick cutting board, right at the edge, ready to fall over. Beautiful!

In these photographs, bok choy was clearly the star. I was living in a tiny basement Ithaca apartment. I was focused on mystudiesarchitecture studio, which consumed my life and barely left me any time to cook, let alone, eat. But I remember, I always made bok choy and tofu. A favorite, as it was a filling, low-calorie meal, which I could whip up in minutes. I would cook it all in a vegetable broth with ginger and garlic. After that year, I fell out of love with tofu. I went to Rome, fell in love, and found my husband in a good friend. He doesn’t eat tofu. And as I ceased to eat tofu, I forgot about bok choy.

Tofu is not sexy. I barely eat myself; mainly because I stand by the general belief that tofu it is an industrial product. Factory made curdled soymilk; white, grainy, tasteless. But I found this recipe, and had to try it immediately. And let me tell you. It is sexy.

You can add any flavoring, any spice you like, a little bit of olive oil, salt pepper, and you are set with brighten this crispy on the outside, soft on the inside delicacy. For example, I tried coating with maple syrup and mustard, for a sweet-tart combination. It was as delicious as this recipe I am sharing with you today. I hope you enjoy, and start eating some tofu!

Cumin Roasted Tofu and Bok Choy

Serves 1

• 1/5 tofu block, cut into cubes
• ½  teaspoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon curry
• 1 pinch salt
• black pepper
• ½ tablespoon olive oil

• ½ tablespoon olive oil
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 ¼” slice of ginger
• 4 baby bok choy, 1” slices
• salt to taste
• handful roasted almonds

Preheat oven to 350 degreed Fahrenheit. In a baking sheet, place tofu cubes, and evenly coat with spices, olive oil salt and pepper. Place in oven and roast for 15-20 minutes. In a sauté pan, heat half of the olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic, and cook until fragrant. Add bock choy and ginger and sauté for a minute. Reduce heat to low and cover. Cook for another 3-5 minutes, or until soft, but still bright green. Add salt to taste and remaining olive oil.

To assemble dish, place bock choy on a plate, and scatter tofu on top. Sprinkle with roasted almonds; peanuts would be great here too. Sriracha will tie everything together. Eat with chopsticks.

Rio, is a city of both evident contradictions and subtle mixtures. Made of concrete and jungle, formal and informal constructs, Rio’s urban fabric is burdened by an immobilizing modernist legacy. Nevertheless, its music and food escaped this movement by latching on to its history, its roots. Rio’s playful culture is present though its flavors, through its music, through its foods.

The contradictions present within its urban fabric are equally found in Rio’s markets, street food and restaurants overall. From its street vendors, selling pork infused popcorn, to the juice bars widely open to street, the food is all encompassing and broad: healthy and light, heavy and hearty.

Being a vegetarian in Rio was very difficult. The juices and acai where delicious, and readily accessible at both the beach and downtown, a true carioca treat. At restaurants, the meals always consist of meat-based dishes. I say dishes, because meat, and specially pork is used for flavor. The addition of pork fat, in otherwise healthy vegetarian side-dishes, made it almost impossible to find something to eat. Rice, for example, is glossy and well seasoned, which indicates the presence of meat fat in its preparation. So are the black beans, soups, stews, and farofa (a manioc flour side-dish used as seasoning for the rest of the meal components). Rio is a meat eater’s delight, and a vegetarian’s demise.

I found solace in fried yucca, a simple side dish, which was more or less healthy, and very filling. I have always liked yucca, so this was a good alternative. The salads were mediocre, tasteless and poorly treated. Watercress is the green of choice, as well as hearts of palms and grated raw beets.

The only thing that I truly enjoyed, and found to be delectable was Caldo Verde. I was testing my Portuñol (Portuguese-Spanish) speaking skills with a server that did not even speak Portuguese. One thing lead to another and I ended up ordering some sort of mysterious soup. I was waiting anxiously for what I would be getting, while everybody else devoured mountains of meat, rice, beans, and fires. Finally, I got this thick, starchy soup with ribbons of collard greens interlaced through it. I was starving after a full day without food, so I devoured it. Delicious!

I did some research. I think I have mastered the recipe, even though my version is much more rustic. This might be the only recipe I bring back from Brazil, but I think it is worth it. Maybe I’ll try a vegetarian farofa?

Caldo Verde is a traditional potato based Portuguese soup. It can be made vegetarian by eliminating the chorizo. If you eat meat, go ahead, add it. Just cook it separately, and add it at the last minute. For this version, I used cipollini white and purple onions, garlic, and shallots for an intense flavor combination. We have been getting these awesome potatoes from the farmer’s markets, which elevate this soup to another level. Of course you can use regular potatoes, but we all know good food comes from good ingredients, especially when the recie is as simple as this one. Cilantro, green onions, and thinly sliced kale add freshness and texture. Enjoy!

Caldo Verde. To call it just a green soup is an understatement. 

• 4 cipollini onions (or 1 medium onion)
• 1 shallot
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1lb of potatoes (I used about 6-7 small potatoes)
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• 2-3 kale leafs
• 1 handful of roughly chopped cilantro
• 2-3 springs green shallots (or green onions, white and green parts)

In a medium saucepan, place potatoes, and enough water to cover them. Bring to a boil, reduce temperature to medium low heat and cook until soft. If you are using Idaho or Yukon potatoes, cut into smaller chunks for quicker cooking time. I left the skins on my potatoes because they were small, but can choose to peel your potatoes for smoother consistency.

While the potatoes boil away, heat a tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat in a large pot. Add sliced onions, shallots and garlic. Cook until soft and translucent. Transfer cooked potatoes to pot and mash. Add vegetable broth. Either with a blender (immersion would be best) or a food processor puree soup until smooth. Return soup to pot and heat. Slice kale by removing stem, rolling tightly, then slicing into ¼ inch ribbons. Roughly chop cilantro and green shallots. Incorporate kale, cilantro and shallots into soup. Cook until kale becomes tender (3-4 minutes).

Serve hot, and accompany with bread, rice, or a salad. I like it by itself, as it is delicious enough. 

I meant to post about these amazing cookies a week ago. I was in the middle of having brunch with people I knew very well, and others I didn’t, when I decided to make this recipe. One thing led to another, and I ended up on a digital start-up career fair schmoozing with people totally different from myself. Once back home, I had to start packing for a one-week trip to Rio de Janeiro (yes, more soon!). In between bathing suits and flip-flops, I managed to make a batch, photograph, and barely taste them when the time came to hop on a taxi to JFK. I placed a couple inside a plastic bag and left in a rush. I ended up munching on these at 3 or 4 am, on a sleepless 9-hour plane ride.

For several months now, I have been obsessed with curry powder. Even though a western simplification of a very complex and varying combination of spices (coriander, turmeric, cumin, pepper, ginger and cinnamon), generic curry powders are capable of adding a lot of flavor to food, specially vegetables, roasted vegetables, and soups.

I tried some sort of a version of these cookies several weeks ago. I thought the combination was spectacular: two crunchy sweet-spicy curry cookies sandwiching a smooth-salty peanut butter filling.  As you know, I am always looking for new flavor combinations, which add a twist to traditional recipes. Hence I had to test a version, and indulge in curry deliciousness.

Here, the combination of the earthy spices and the creamy salty peanut butter is magnificent. These cookies are true delicacy: exotic, complex, and totally delectable.

Peanut Butter Curry Cookies

Adapted from Butter Me Up Brooklyn

• ¾ cups flour

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• ¼ teaspoon baking powder

• 1 ½ teaspoons curry powder
• 
½ stick unsalted butter, room temperature
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 
¼ cup sugar
• 
¼ cup all natural crunchy peanut butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 
1 egg
• 
¼ cup each sugar for rolling
• ¼ cup peanuts for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. You can cover baking sheet with parchment paper, if at hand. If you are feeling laborious, you can make your own peanut butter by placing raw peanuts in food processors, and pureeing until they reach desired consistency.

In a clean mixing bowl, combine flour, salt, baking powder and curry powder, set aside.

 In a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, beat butter at low-medium speed until it turns to a light yellow color. Add sugars and continue to beat until fluffy. Add peanut butter and beat until incorporated, followed by the egg and the vanilla extract. Add the dry ingredients slowly, and mix until well incorporated. Using a small spoon, scoop about a teaspoon of dough into you hands. Roll into a ball, and lightly roll in sugar. Add a peanut on top, and place in cookie sheet. Repeat until you have used all of the dough. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Set aside to cool completely on a wire rack, or over your cutting board.

Enjoy with green hot tea!

I began writing this blog, right before graduating from architecture graduate school. This has not only been a recorder of culinary experiments in four different kitchens (yes! I have moved that many times in the past nine months), but of the transition into the professional world, flirting with independence from the typical post graduation path, to quick reinstitution into the world of architecture.

I barely talk about architecture here, because I used to think of this blog as an escape from the anxiety induced by it. To people outside the profession, it might seem strange, but architects are an anxious bunch, with big agendas, lots of optimism, and not enough time. We complain a lot about how bad things are right now, and how little jobs there are, and how we are overwhelmed, overworked, and underpaid.   

Maybe it is because I am young, or because there is little to no stability, or maybe I am just worried. Almost every recipe I have cooked is some sort of a response to everyday banal troubles related to this anxiety.

But without a clear path I will continue to cook, and hopefully the road with become less fogy, and I will be able to see, what is laying ahead, right in front of me, one recipe at a time.

The recipe for this cake is different from others cake. Typical cake recipe start by creaming butter and sugar, adding eggs, then finish off by adding flour and milk. Here the wet ingredients are added to the dry, and mixed well until well aerated and fluffy. In a sense it is the inverse of the traditional method. Wet ingredients (a mixture of eggs, milk, extracts, and spices) are incorporated into the dry in three steps, followed by a thorough beating of the ingredients for a full minute. This is meant to develop the cakes structure, giving both consistency and moisture.  An electric mixer is crucial here, as it will make it really easy to beat.

The resulting cake is a delicious, buttery cake, with a hint of spice from the ginger, and sweetness from the almond extract. You can add more ginger if feeling risky, and experimental. A thick border should develop around the whole cake, keeping all the moisture inside.

Ginger Pound Cake

adapted form Joy of Baking

• 3 large eggs (room temperature)
• 3 tablespoons milk (room temperature)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• ½ tablespoon fresh ginger (grated)
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup  granulated sugar
• 13 tablespoons unsalted butter (room temperature)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter loaf pan, and set aside.

In a mixing bowl whisk eggs, milk, vanilla and almond extract, and grated ginger. Set aside. In a stand mixer, combine all dry ingredients, baking powder, flour, salt, and sugar. Add room temperature butter to the dry ingredients, and ½ the wet ingredients, mix at low speed until dry ingredients are moistened. Bring speed up to medium and beat for a full 60 seconds. Add ½ of the remaining wet ingredients and mix again for 30 seconds at medium speed. Repeat with remaining wet ingredients. Batter should be smooth and fluffy with a light yellow color. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 55 to 60 minutes. Test for doneness by inserting and removing a toothpick into the cake; it should come out clean if ready.

Let cake cool in pan for 10 minutes, then remove and let cool completely. Cake stays fresh for a couple days at room temperature, a week in the fridge or a couple months in the freezer. Tastes best when toasted with a large mug of hot green tea.

Enjoy!

I typically dislike breakfast. And when I go to brunch I can never find something to eat. Everything is covered in either bacon or sugar. And while I have been avoiding eggs for a while, I am rediscovering as a super food.

The secret to scrambled eggs is low heat and constant whisking. The secret to great scrambled eggs is curry powder, maybe some Parmesan. Perfect for breakfast, lunch, or brunch, the combination of flavors is mind-blowing. You will never eat plain scrambled eggs again!

Curried Eggs

• Olive oil
• 2 eggs
• ½ teaspoon curry powder
• Pinch of salt
• 2 tablespoons milk, or milk substitute
• Parmesan, optional
• Several cilantro leaves

In a small saucepan, heat oil over low heat. In a clean bowl whisk eggs, add salt, curry powder, and milk. Pour mixture into hot pan and stir constantly with spatula. Cook until scrambled, but still runny. Add Parmesan (if using) and cilantro. Serve hot.

I discovered beets through the Food Network. Ina Garten demonstrated the ease of vegetable perfection through roasting. I fell in love.  And, ever since I roast beets all the time. Sweet, salty, crispy edges.

Growing up, beets were not part of our typical meals, probably because our understanding of beets was limited to the canned bitter version.  Every time I tell my dad I am making them he grunts in disgust.  

I haven’t really experimented with beets, until now. This risotto is a perfect combination of sweet and savory, with a hint of bitterness. The red hue is intense and beautiful. This recipe is meant for a special occasion.

Red Beet Risotto

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ½ medium onion
• ½ teaspoon of salt
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon curry powder
• 2 garlic cloves
• ½ inch slice fresh ginger
• 2-3 small beets (depending on size)
• 5-6 cups vegetable broth (warm)
• ½ cup beer
• ½ cup Arborio rice
• 1-tablespoon butter
• Handful fresh cilantro
• Parmesan (optional)

In a small-medium saucepan, heat vegetable broth until ready to simmer. Maintain at that same temperature as you make the risotto.  

In a medium pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add sliced onions, salt, cumin and curry powder; cook until soft (5- 7 minutes). Slice beets, garlic and ginger thinly, add to pot once onions are soft. Cook for three to four minutes. Add Arborio rice and cook again for a couple of minutes. You want to thoroughly coat the rice with the liquids and spices. Add beer and cook until mostly evaporated. Half a cup at a time, transfer vegetable broth into the risotto pot. Stir every so often until all the broth has been absorbed.  Continue adding broth until rice is cooked. This should take twenty to twenty-five minutes. The best way to know is by tasting. Once rice is cooked, taste for seasoning. Turn burner off, add butter and cilantro and stir vigorously for two minutes. This step will make your risotto creamy and luscious.  If using, sprinkle a couple teaspoons of Parmesan cheese. Serve hot and devour. 

This one is for Nate, who I taught how to make this recipe years ago. It makes me smile, thinking of the aroma of my grandmother’s black bean perfuming his Rotterdam apartment.

I love making rice and beans. It grounds me and reminds me of home, it reminds me of my family, and of my childhood. It reminds me of why I love cooking, especially when for others. And how food brings people together, most of the time.

This recipe is simple, and takes almost no effort to make. It is healthy, and super cheap, perfect for anyone. Even Mark Bittman lives by the power of rice and beans. The best part of this recipe, it that it tastes even better the next day, once the flavors party together overnight. I encourage you to try this recipe, fall in love with it, then make it again, and again. 

Rice

serves 4

• 1 ¾ cup water
• 1 cup rice (which ever you prefer)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

In a medium sauce pan bring water, salt, and oil to a boil over medium high heat. Add rice, and stir once. Let water absorb, lower heat to medium low, cover, and cook for 20 minutes. As tempting as it might be, it is best to not uncover until the 20 minutes have past. It keeps the rice loose, and prevents it from getting sticky.

Black Beans

serves 4

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ½ large onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• ¼ green bell peper
• 1 inch fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 can black beans (GOYA)
•  2 cups of water
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• handful of cilantro

Chop onions, mince garlic, and slice green pepper.  Heat olive oil in a pot over medium heat, add onions and cook until soft (about 7 minutes). Add garlic, pepper, and ginger. Add salt and cumin, and mix. Cook for another couple of minutes. Add can of beans. Using the can as a measuring cup, add a cup and a half of water. Bring beans to a boil, and then reduce heat to medium low.  Add sugar, and cook for 25-30 minutes. Depending on your taste you might want to cook beans longer. I like them thick, so I let them sit in the pot for a little longer for them to develop the right texture. Once ready to serve add a handful of cilantro leaves. Serve hot over rice.

Lets face it. It is a weeknight; you get home exhausted from work, hopefully not at eleven, with the least amount of energy to cook anything that requires more effort than punching three digits on the microwave’s touch pad. It is O.K. don’t feel guilty, it happens to everybody.

This is a simple, healthy alternative to ramen. It takes maybe ten minutes to make. But it is a healthy, nutritious, easy to make alternative to the salty cardboard solution. While pasta is easy to make, it takes ten minutes to cook, and can get pretty boring after a while. How many times a week can you eat tomato sauce? Or a variation on a butter sauce for that matter? This dish will freshen up your pasta. It is prepared with a light carrot sauce. No butter, tiny bit of olive oil, and lots of flavor, without the guilt. I am not saying gnocchi is the healthiest alternative within the pasta aisle, but it is sure delicious.

The only thing you need is carrots, onions, garlic, fresh oregano, cumin, and store-bought gnocchi. And if you don’t have gnocchi, any other type of fresh paste will do.

Gnocchi in Carrot Cumin Sauce

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• ½ medium onion
• salt to taste
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 ¼” slice of fresh ginger
• 2-3 carrots
• 1 tbsp. cumin
• 1 spring fresh oregano
• About a cup fresh gnocchi

You can add Parmigianino Regiano if in the mood.

Bring water to a boil in a large pot with about a spoonful of salt.

In a medium saucepan heat olive oil. Add onion and salt, and cook until soft. Add garlic, ginger, carrots, cumin and oregano. Cook until carrots soften. Transfer to a food processor and puree until smooth. Bring sauce back to the pan, and keep temperature at low. If the sauce is too thick, add a ladleful of pasta water to soften. Cook gnocchi in bowling water for around five minutes, transfer to the carrot sauce, mix and serve. At this point you can add the cheese if using. Devour!