Tag Archives: almond frangipane kream

The Scientist is Back

Posted on by

21

Hello everyone! I hope you all enjoyed your three-day weekend if you were lucky to have one. I spent most of my extra day off catching up on a lot of reading I had been putting off, but at least I got to read while sitting on a shaded patio at a coffeeshop with my little furry friend.

Hi everybody!

She’s actually passed out right now… as usual.

These make my heart sing just by looking at them.

I saw a recipe for raw energy truffles on Emmie’s blog and I literally got up and made these after reading her post. I used a combination which consisted mostly of cashews, then pecans and pistachios. I also decided to roll only some of them in cocoa powder. I really want to try this recipe using different variations of powders and nuts. Next up on my list is white chocolate + strawberries + cashews. Now that I’m thinking about it… these also remind me of the beautiful babies Katie and many others have been making!

Even though there wasn't a hazelnut in sight, I swear these reminded me of my beloved Ferrero Rocher chocolates.

That’s saying a lot considering Ferrero Rocher chocolates are one of my favorite little confections ever! *This includes the Ferrero Garden variation–I never forget about “coconut” anything. Actually, I just entered their monthly sweepstake for a free case of their chocolates.

I had almost completely forgotten the wonderful invention of wraps!

I stuffed this wrap with some “What Do I Remind You Of” Hummus, fig preserves, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, walnut dressing, and basil. While making this wrap I asked my roommate if she thought fig preserves would taste good with this. Ladies and gentlemen, at that moment I knew that the scientist was really back! For awhile, I had been putting things together that would obviously taste good together. The point is… I wasn’t sure with this one. Well, I’m glad I just went ahead and tried it! It offered a delicious sweetness that I’d imagine you can find at a meal consisting of tapas–sweetness paired with an ultra-flavorful cured meat. Of course, this is a vegetarian version, and maybe not quite as sophisticated looking. Afterall, the purpose of my making a wrap in the first place was to have something I could eat in class without looking like a slob, or sounding like a goat. How do you all like to get creative?

Somehow the hummus always ends up squeezing its way out of my sandwiches.

Well, what went in this sandwich? “What Do I Remind You Of” Hummus, sun-dried tomatoes, chunky walnut dressing, sweet peppers, and pecorino romano cheese. Now let me talk about the bread. When I saw the loaves of Alvarado Street Bakery Bread at the store, I was curious about why I’ve seen it on blogs… what made it so special? This made a really tasty sandwich bread, and I usually love sprouted breads because of the dense texture, which made this a winner in that category. But it wasn’t so dense that I felt like I had to bust out a toothpick after every bite. The loaf I got, sprouted California style bread, also has a bit of sweetness too. May I recommend spreading tahini + honey on some toasted slices of this bread?

Figs are also something else that just leave me in awe.

“The Romans held figs in high regard and planted them in all the lands they conquered, including what are now France and England.” I can see why!

Can turn any bowl of grains into a sophisticated affair served with coconut milk, almond frangipane kream, honey, and cinnamon.

This time I had this sensuous fruit with oats, an apple, plumped golden raisins, walnuts, and cinnamon.

I can’t wait to share my next post with you! Over the Labor Day Weekend I made something that made me truly proud of myself! Here’s a hint: it’s actually something quite simple, but not something people in the western world usually make at home.

Summer Delights

Posted on by

22

Why hello there! First off, I’d like to announce the winner of the Kroeger Herb giveaway. Drum roll please… and the winner is Lauren! How exciting! You’ll be contacted ASAP to get your prize to you. Thank you so much to everyone for participating, and especially for sharing the little tidbits you all learned from their site. They were very interesting indeed.

This particular morning called for a special breakfast... for no particular reason, of course.

Usual bowl of oats topped with ground flax, frozen banana slices, a grilled peach, Greek yogurt, and I quickly made a syrup by combining honey with some pomegranate concentrate.

I just wish my breakfasts could last longer.

I was able to put my finger on it... toasted hemp seeds with sea salt taste like popcorn!

I finally got my own copy of "Ayurvedic Cooking for Westerners", so of course I tried out another recipe.

The recipe was split mung bean soup, and I served it with rice and some flax oil. It’s important to make sure the balance of cilantro and cumin tastes right! At first I had too little cumin. This soup was actually refreshing, and I would recommend it even during the hot months because it felt very cooling. This was my first time cooking with mung beans, and I wasn’t sure what to expect. I just knew that this was calming for my dosha, and that it sounded interesting. I already had the mung beans on hand since I read that they were pacifying for pittas and vatas (my combination of doshas). I know I’ve mentioned what doshas are on here before, but it doesn’t hurt to mention it again. “It’s an essential biological energy or structure in Ayurvedic anatomy. There are three primary doshas, Vata, Pitta, and Kapha, which sustain all life. They move cyclically on a daily basis, and act as transporters and communicators between the essential tissues, and the bodily wastes. Their balance is a key to health. They also determine our physical constitution at birth.” Very interesting, indeed!

Remember the tin brioche mold?

Well the mystery recipe I had in mind was Ani Phyo’s fig tartlets with almond frangipane kream. I finally got around to making these–and although the crust decided to crumble–I was able to enjoy them for their flavor! I loved the light sweet and saltiness of the crust, the citrusy, crunchy, and sweet fig filling… topped off with the fluffy kream–delicious!

Actually, this was still beautiful to look at.

My new roommate's family visited, and they gave me some vegetables straight from their garden!

Aren’t they sweet? Things with my new roommate are going really well! We’re both very excited to get the apartment straightened up, and it’s nice to see things coming together.

I was also able to replenish my cherry tomato supply at the farmer's market.

No person’s nose could miss their delicious smell. These are seriously bursting with flavor!

I also had a special friend meet up with me at the market... who could it be?

None other than the gorgeous, Rebekah!

Rebekah has an amazing blog filled with such insightful posts. I think communication and provoking thought are important parts of our lives, and she definitely addresses both aspects! When she first walked up to me, I turned around and my breath was taken away; yes, Rebekah is that beautiful! She also has an air about her that just makes her even lovelier.

After talking our heads off for a few hours, I left feeling uplifted; my admiration for her grew as well. She is such a strong young woman, and I can just tell that she is going to achieve her dreams!

Cheers to a friendship that will continue to grow!

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. It seemed like a lot of people have been enjoying the remnants of summer. I’ve been listening to the cicadas, eating tons of peaches, sleeping with the window open, biking around the city, and admiring the colors of the sunsets when I walk Matilda. I’ve just been trying to be outside as much as possible before it starts to get chilly! How have you been enjoying the wonders that summer offers?