I have had this Bon Appetit ginger cake recipe tucked in my recipe inspiration folder for almost two years. Every time I came across it, I grew very excited and determined to finally make it. And then, clutching the magazine tear-out on my way to the kitchen, I would realize that I don’t have one crucial ingredient - molasses. This happened on several occasions, yet every time it did, I was surprised. Like, shouldn’t I have realized that I don’t have any freakin’ molasses and bought some already? Ah, woe is me.
The thing is, sweets like this (and this) are my weakness. I care little for cupcakes or other overly sweet, super-frosted cakes. It’s the dense, somber desserts that really get to me. Perhaps my Soviet upbringing is to blame.
Alas, I found myself at the supermarket on a humid Saturday morning and finally remembered to buy the stuff.
Like a child coming home with a new toy to play with, I excitedly arrived at the kitchen counter and laid out all the ingredients necessary for the cake, finally completed by the molasses. The batter came together in no time, and - with the exception for my being surprised by the dissolving-the-butter-in-boiling-water step - without a hitch. The recipe calls for a whipped cream-lemon curd topping, but again, due to my dislike of frosting, I decided to slather it with some plain old cream cheese instead. (Can’t blame Soviet Russia for this one. We didn’t have cream cheese in the motherland.)
This ginger cake turned out absolutely perfect. Dense, rich and a tad spicy from the ginger and cinnamon. I only wish I hadn’t waited so long to make it.
What do you get when you bring an ex sci-fi screenwriter with an undying love for ice cream to Prospect Heights? Ample Hills Creamery, the Brooklyniest ice cream parlor of all.
Ample Hills proudly serves their small batch, handmade, organic treats in a fun setting that excites children of all ages. In the few years that they have been open, they have gained major popularity in New York. I have heard about it, walked by it and even written about it before, but have not gone inside until last week.
As I walked into the store, my mood was instantly elevated. The old-school music and the high energy staff behind the counter gave the place an upbeat vibe, and there was a steady 10-15 people waiting on line the whole time I was there - a few of whom were actually dancing (not metaphorically) out of anticipation.
Although every one of their two dozen flavors sounded intriguing, it didn’t take long to decide what I wanted - salted “crack” caramel ice cream in a pretzel (yes, pretzel) cone. My $6 serving of ice cream was dense (it didn’t drip!), slightly bitter, fragrant, and it housed chucks of salted milk chocolate bark. It was like ice cream 2.0 - I’ve never had a frozen treat I enjoyed this much before. But as much as I loved the ice cream itself, I was anxious to try the pretzel cone - getting to which was quite a journey, though, as the single scoop that I ordered actually seemed like an entire pint. By the time I finally got there, I was experiencing the most intense sugar rush of my life, so much so that I questioned whether I was eating actual crack. The cone was salty, crispy and thicker than I had imagined, which made it the perfect vessel for that large an amount of sugar and it spun my taste buds into absolute madness.Why hadn’t anyone thought of this before? How much more do I have to eat? Anyone wanna dance on this table with me?! Weeee!
Needless to day, visiting this place was a pretty intense experience.
In Brooklyn, the whole “micro-batch,” “local,” “organic” thing can get pretty annoying. I mean, I’m surprised we don’t have “artisanal” water yet… (Or wait, do we? Anyone know a place?) However, at Ample Hills, it is not one bit obnoxious. I appreciate their small batches of ice cream and house-made mix-ins - not for their “sustainability,” but because they taste good.
When I was little, my mom used to take my sister and I - often accompanied by other neighborhood kids - to the beach. Every day, of every summer, of the first nine years of my life (while we still lived in Odessa). And everyday, there were ladies walking up and down the beach, screaming, “Hot corn! Hot corn!” (in Russian, of course). When you called for one of these ladies, they would come over and present you with a steaming hot cob of corn, along with a salt shaker for you to season to your liking. So no, we did not eat fruit roll-ups or Lay’s chips as snacks. We ate corn. The bursting sweet corn make us all giddy, and between that, the warm sand, the gentle sea breeze and my angel of a mother, I could not have asked for better summers.
This corn, however, is something I would not have even thought possible back then. It is an exciting, jazzed up version of one of my favorite childhood foods, and it is so good and easy to make. It makes for a great snack, or side dish at a barbecue or weeknight dinner.
From an aesthetic point of view, it would be best to leave the cheese out of the herb butter and just sprinkle it on afterwards, but I decided to mix it in. You can use whichever method you prefer.
(Yield: 8 pieces)
Ingredients:
4 ears of corn, husked
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter, at room temp.
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro
2 tbsp Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Cayenne pepper, to taste
Procedure: Start by making the herb butter - place the butter, garlic, cilantro, cheese, salt and peppers into a dish with a flat bottom and mash together with a fork. (If you can avoid eating all of it at this point, I applaud you).
Heat a grill pan over high heat. Lightly brush the corn with olive oil and place on grill. Cook for 15-20 min, turning occasionally, until the corn is evenly charred throughout. Remove from grill and place on a cutting board. Working with one piece at a time, hold down corn with an oven mitt and cut in two pieces. Then place corn onto a platter and divide the butter evenly among the pieces, using a butter knife to spread it. Serve immediately.
When I was offered to review the Asian noodle dishes by Tasty Bite, my first thought was, “Yuck! A sodium and chemical heavy, overly processed product that barely resembles food? No, thank you.” But before writing it off completely, I decided to browse their website, which pleasantly surprised me and changed my mind. I learned that Tasty Bite has been around since 1995, and their current inventory includes dozens of Indian and pan-Asian products. While their products require no cooking or refrigeration, they are preservative and MSG-free, not to mention vegan and kosher. The secret is in the package: the food is first prepared and placed into retort pouches (the material used for space food); it is then sealed and cooked under high pressure, which sterilizes it and keeps it fresh for 18 months. To reheat a meal, you simply place it in the microwave or a pot of boiling water for one minute. That’s it!
When my package of samples arrived, the first thing I did was read the ingredient list and I was happy to learn that there was indeed nothing but noodles, vegetables and spices in the meals. Taste-wise, the noodles did not disappoint either. The noodles are savory and satisfying and do not lend themselves to any of that guilt that comes along with eating take-out or a frozen dinner.
Although nothing can replace a homemade meal, the Tasty Bite products are perfect for when you need to work through lunch or when you simply don’t feel like cooking dinner. They’re also easy on the wallet, coming in at less than $4 per meal.
Check out their website for more information and to locate a retailer near you.
For a short time in the beginning of high school, when I started to care what I looked like, I had a love-hate relationship with food. I loved food but hated calories. I wasn’t technically overweight but I wanted to be skinny.
I never reached the point of an eating disorder, but do remember feeling guilty after most meals, even if they weren’t particularly indulgent. I pored over photos of Victoria’s Secret models, hoping that if I could just ingrain their forms into my brain, I too would be a size 0; I attempted skipping meals and opted for coffee, water or gum instead; I worked out obsessively and even had a phase where I would write down everything I ate each day, thinking it would curb my appetite. The craziness took some time to get over but eventually I realized that what I was doing wasn’t healthy and that I wasn’t any happier doing it. I realized that there was nothing shameful about eating and learned to control myself and to love food while eating healthy.
Here are some rules I’ve been adhering to since that phase ended:
1.) Don’t drink your calories: Soda, processed juices and other sugary drinks are enemy number one. Processed sugar, especially in liquid form, has zero nutritional value and only means one thing - weight gain. Yes, if you’re a daily soda drinker, it may be hard to quit cold turkey but try to slowly wean yourself off of it. Drink water with lemon or unsweetened green tea instead. Adding more water into your diet will speed up your metabolism and cleanse your blood as well as your skin. And don’t try to take the diet soda route, either. The sugar substitute used to sweeten diet drinks is associated with risks way worse than a few extra pounds.
2.) Fruits and vegetables: Eat them. A healthy diet consists of 50-60% fruits and vegetables, since they provide most essential vitamins and minerals. And if you choose to cook your vegetables, do so minimally. If a vegetable doesn’t retain it’s natural crunch after cooking, you can be sure you’ve gotten rid of all the good stuff in them. Recommended cooking methods include blanching, steaming, sauteing and roasting. Also, always keep some washed and prepped greens on hand. Green foods are super healthy so try to sneak some kale, spinach or arugula into every sandwich, soup, pasta dish and, of course, salad.
3.) Keep healthy options at eye-level: Reorganize your fridge and cabinets so that when you open them, the first foods you see are not guilt-inducing - and by these I mean fruits and vegetables, lean proteins like hummus and Greek yogurt, whole wheat crackers and granola bars, etc. If you see them first, you are more likely to eat them.
4.) Don’t buy junk food: This may seem kind of obvious and redundant but it is not. When shopping for groceries, just skip the cookie, chips, cake and soda aisles. If there is no junk food around, you won’t eat it. It’s that simple.
5.) Come to work prepared: And I don’t mean with a PowerPoint presentation. Most people spend most of their waking hours at work, which means that most of their meals are had at their desks. To avoid trips to the vending machine or pizza parlor, keep a few healthy options at work at all times.
6.) Limit your meat intake: Carnivores are used to thinking that each meal needs to revolve around an animal protein, but it is just not so. Eating meat a few times a week or once a day will provide sufficient nutrition. It’s an arduous task for the human body to digest meat (ever wonder why you get sleepy after a meat-heavy meal?) so it’s best to skip it most of the time. As for all those other meals, substitute with non-animal proteins, like beans, chick peas and lentils.
7.) Moderate, not eliminate: I would never tell you to cut doughnuts, burgers, creamy pastas or other soul foods out of your diet. However, these delicious foods ought to reserved for special occasions and enjoyed in moderation. If a colleague brings in doughnuts from your favorite shop, have one, not three. If you plan to go out for pizza with friends on Sunday night, eat light throughout the day in preparation, and so on.
8.) Don’t eat in front of the TV: Studies show that hunger, appetite and consciousness are closely intertwined. If you’re eating with your mouth and concentrating on the TV with your mind, that fact that you’ve just eaten will not register in your head so you’ll still feel hungry after a meal. Don’t check your smartphone or computer either, and I guarantee you will eat less.
Almost exactly three years ago, I posted a recipe for roasted garlic white bean dip. That dip is not unlike hummus except that hummus calls for chick peas instead of beans. Last week, I was craving that dip again but wanted to change things up. I added tomatoes for tang and sriracha for heat, and thus, this fragrant, irresistible hors d’oeuvre was born. I’m not going to go as far as saying that this recipe will replace guacamole in your party snack repertoire but it will certainly make a valiant try. And I assure you, no one will even miss that green standby if you serve this.
The best part is, served alongside some Finn Crisps, this is a healthy vegan snack, full of fiber, protein and other essential nutrients.
(Yield: 1 bowl will serve about 4 people)
Ingredients:
1 15 oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 head of garlic, roasted*
3/4 tsp sriracha
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divide
1/2 c finely diced tomatoes
1 tbsp finely chopped shallot (red onion also ok)
Salt + pepper
*How to roast garlic: Heat oven to 400F. Peel the papery outer layer of garlic head, leaving the cloves intact. Cut off 1/3″ off the top of the head and discard, exposing the flesh of the cloves. Drizzle with 1 tbsp of oil, and using your hands, coat the head evenly. Wrap in foil and roast for 35 min. Cool completely before handling.
Procedure: Squeeze garlic cloves out of the head and add to food processor along with 2/3 of beans (reserve 1/3 beans for later). Puree. With the motor running, add sriracha and oil. When fully incorporated, stop motor and remove the blade. Using a spoon, stir in tomatoes, shallot and remaining beans. Add salt and pepper to taste.
My life situation since the “Musings of a post-grad life…” post has, unfortunately, not changed - I am still on the hunt for employment. Spending weekdays at home in front of one’s computer, browsing, filling out applications and sending emails may sound harmless and optimistic but it is far from it. It is tedious and nerve-wrecking. What’s more is that being alone with one’s fridge is dangerous. Not only am I making constant trips to the kitchen for snacks (my thighs are already starting to resent me) but I also find myself peeking into the fridge and cabinets with the desire to put my chef’s hat on. Why spend yet another hour staring into the computer when I can be in the kitchen working on my next creation?
This cocktail recipe is the result of me ditching my computer for my kitchen. Don’t judge me - it was past 5pm.
(Yield: 1 cocktail)
Ingredients:
1 tsp granulated sugar
2 strawberries, chopped
2 basil leaves, chopped
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 shots vodka
Seltzer water
Procedure: Place sugar, strawberries, basil and lemon juice into a glass. Muddle together for 1 min with a muddler/back of a wooden spoon. Add a few ice cubes, vodka and top with seltzer.
If my Instagram feed is any indication, I have been drinking a lot of smoothies lately. By a lot I mean literally on a daily basis - in spite of how annoying it is to wash the blender over and over again. My latest favorite creation is this recipe. What I love about it is that it’s basically a meal in a glass so you can have a healthy breakfast even on busy mornings, while taking the train or driving to work or school. Another thing I love about it is that it’s rich, delicious and can easily be mistaken for dessert. Make it and taste for yourself!
(Yield: 1 smoothie)
Ingredients:
2 ice cubes
1 ripe banana
1/3 c oats (both the quick-cooking and old-fashioned kinds will do)
1 generous handful roasted hazelnuts
2/3 c low fat milk
Procedure: Place everything into a blender and blend until smooth. Then (if available), process on ‘Whip’ function for an extra 5 seconds to make the smoothie frothier. Serve in a chilled glass.
