Falafel bites

Alright... so I've been pretty awful this year with keeping up with this blog. I revamped it, wooed you with promises of something more consistent, and immediately let it sit just to collect dust. I'm guilty by self-proclamation and don't have much to say for it. However, I do have a gamut of recipes that are ready for public scrutiny, and all that's left is the flurry of my typing fingers that stand between the scribbles in my culinary notebook and your eyes. I'd like to say this is my latest and greatest attempt to rekindle my blogging flame, but who are we kidding... my track record isn't so great. I am optimistic, though. So, without a sweeping declaration that I will in fact keep this going (which I really do hope to be more consistent), here's a recipe I've been meaning to share with you all for ages:

The background:
In my efforts to live as close to a gluten-free lifestyle as possible, snacks have been one of my biggest hindrances. Items light, nutritious, and not packed with processed ingredients were the key factors in my motivation to come up with a few of the recipes I have in store for you. This one is great; slightly burdensome to make, but easy to carry around and filled with substantial amounts of protein and fiber. Enjoy!

Falafel Bites
Yields 60-70 bites

Preheat oven to 375* 
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper

Ingredients
- 2 cup sprouted chickpeas (garbanzo beans) or canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans), 
  drained
- 3 cloves garlic
- 3/4 cup parsley
- 1/2 medium-sized yellow or white onion
- 1 cup raw almonds
- 1 cup raw sunflower seeds
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 1/2 t salt
- 2 t lemon juice
- 2 T ground coriander
- 2 T ground cumin
- 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup water
- paprika to taste

Directions
1. If using raw chickpeas, soak for 24-48 hours prior until sprouted/soft. If using canned chickpeas, drain liquid and rinse thoroughly to get rid of most of the excess sodium - can use immediately.

2. In a food processor (or coffee grinder), grind almonds and sunflower seeds, and set aside in large bowl or stand mixer bowl. Tip: You may also buy almond meal to make this step easier. Raw almonds are sometimes difficult to grind.

3. Chop onions finely and add to bowl. 

3. In food processor grind rest of the ingredients, except water, together until it reaches a coarse texture. You do not want the mixture to be entirely smooth. Place the mixture into the bowl w/ the almond and sunflower. Note: You may need to grind in a couple batches, as not everything will fit into the food processor at once. It does not matter how you divvy up the ingredients between the batches as everything will mix together in the end.

4. If in a large bowl, add water and stir everything together until well combined. If using a stand mixer, add water, and mix with paddle beater on low setting until well combined. When adding water, start with 1/2 cup. You want the mixture to be just thin enough so it is easy to spoon out bite-sized portions onto the parchment paper. Add in more water as needed, but you should not need to add more than 3/4 cup total. 

5. Once stirred, you can taste the mixture to see if there is enough salt/spice. If using raw, sprouted chickpeas, just be aware that this can taste a little funky before baking if you're not accustomed. But don't worry, that raw taste will disappear soon enough.

6. Spoon out small spoonfuls of mixture onto your parchment-lined baking sheet. I like to use a 2-teaspoon measure that I have handy to create the size I like (pictured). Use any spoon that is convenient for you. If you use a 1-tablespoon measure, perhaps fill the tablespoon about 2/3 of the way to achieve the same size.

7. Baked at 375* for 10 minutes until the bottom is just browned, then broil on HIGH for 3-4 minutes until the top is just browned. It may take about 4 rounds to complete baking the entire mixture.

8. Remove to cooling rack. Then eat plain or with your favorite yogurt dip! Store in the fridge.

Stella turns 1!!!

 

Stella Barksdale Nord became a member of our family on May 2, 2011. She was the tiniest little fluff ball at 10 weeks old - so sweet and loving, but not without her quirks! When we first met her she had this little hoppy thing going on. We figured her legs were too small for her to walk normally, so she hopped happily everywhere she went - it was the cutest thing! (I regret not taking video of her hops). That's what drew her to us and made us pick her over the other 2 female puppies of the litter. In fact, we referred to her as "hoppy" until we picked a name. A week after meeting her we brought her home and let her sniff around our place. Not 15 minutes later she pooped on our carpet. And so began our lives as puppy parents.

Its been illuminating. Stella is just the sassiest, goofiest puppy ever and makes us laugh all the time, but has equally made us frustrated (not too often though). She's a smarty pants with a mind of her own and has quite the personality!

Stella turned the big 1 on February 21st. We had a little get together for her that weekend and many friends came to celebrate - bipeds and quadripeds alike! I made her a little doggy cake (peanut butter-carrot) and made some extra for her pals with this cute bone muffin pan that I found on amazon. We also had party favors filled with treats and a small bacon rawhide for her furry friends.

We've loved most every minute of being puppy parents and couldn't ask for a better pet!! Here's to you Stella and many many many more years!!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY STELLA!!!!

First day we met Stella (9wks old)

Stella and her Birthday Banner

Puppy favors and Stella's bday bandana!

2011 photo-synthesis

Helloooo!! Did you miss me? I have certainly missed writing! My inner-perfectionist got the best of me and try as I did to write the perfect post, I was often unsatisfied with the outcome, became discouraged and failed to publish anything new these last few months (believe me! I have quite a few drafts saved on here to prove it!). But its time to delete those drafts, start anew, and keep you up-to-date - imperfections and all.

Sooooooo..... what better way to revamp my efforts than to get you all caught up with a photo recap of 2011 (a photo-synthesis). I was very impressed with Mrs. Lauren Miller's idea of overlooking the year in photos and Becky Launder's recap that I decided to steal it (while giving them due credit, of course).

And I know I'm a little bit late on this....well... a lotta bit late... but here it is:

Carlsbad Half Marathon - before the race at an hour at which no one should be awake!

L to R: Me and Hubs at Superbowl party (w/ his broken ankle); Squares Winners; Girls at Cherish's Bday Fundraiser

JANUARY rolled in in quite an unwelcome fashion. I've certainly tired out the statement that the end of 2010 was rough and I was rather fearful of the notion that time would move forward. But move it did, and I decided to pick myself up and consciously dedicate my energy to taking the Capricornial goat by the horns and accepting new challenges: I ran my first half marathon (the Carlsbad half) and decided to do a 3-week detox/cleanse, learning a great deal about fitness/nutrition.

FEBRUARY brought a Superbowl party at Kristin's - where I actually won two quarters of the squares game and a category/side bet!! However I was more impressed with my ability to resist all the delicious Superbowl food (Que Bueno and all!) as I was just then completing week 1 of my three-week cleanse. I was up $80-ish, down 12 pounds and had renewed energy through the month, which helped propel me through Bar studying and the exam. I celebrated completing the exam with a quiet dinner with the Hubs at Seaus (where I ironically wore the same hat and shirt that I wore the last time I finished the exam (totally unplanned and if I realized it I would've changed for fear of jinxing myself)). The next weekend Cherish celebrated her birthday by hosting a fundraiser to raise money for the Ethiopian adoption agency through which her sister adopted a beautiful young Ethiopian girl, Zayla.

L to R: John, Lea and I in front of Sleeping Beauty's Castle; Kennedy and me in the ferris wheel; Siblings + Jenni at D&B

More fun in MARCH, which involved two fantastic trips, the first being to one of my all-time favorite places (and a post-bar treat): DISNEYLAND!!!! We rode all of the greatest rides - space mountain, small world, pirates and were fortunate enough to re-experience the phenomenon that is Captain Eo. Overall, I was able to express my inner disney dorkiness to my content and visit with some of our favorite people! March further brought Pavan's 17th birthday where my sister, brother and his girlfriend, Jenni, took a trip to the bay area and had fun at the Milpitas D&Bs!

L to R: Girls on the strip w/ storm troopers; Julian Buffalo Head; Girls heading out for a Vegas night!

APRIL included even more trips! I had the pleasure of relaxing with 6 other gorgeous Esquires in Vegas, and a visit to Julian with Cherish and her parents to enjoy some pie, a local show, and buffalo burgers (well... a garden burger for me)!
 

Top L to R: post-La Jolla Half; John's Bday present - we're getting a puppy!!; Visit with Mammaya and Athaya Bottom L to R: Trolley ride to downtown for John's Bday; John thinkin he's the funniest guy around and Ivie laughing; Shawndene, Ivie and me!

APRIL carried on. Ivie and I raced in the La Jolla Half Marathon. My second half was quite a challenge with that darn Torrey Pines Hill, but I somehow managed to improve my time by a bit from the last race! The run was the same day as John's birthday, and after we got home he opened my present to him - a dog bowl! He had been wanting a puppy for so long I just couldn't deny him the pleasure any longer. From this point the hunt was on for the newest member of our family! We later celebrated another year of John with beer and pizza at Basic then a fun night of games at Joltn Joes! At the end of April we visited my parents in Fresno. My Mom's brother and his wife were visiting from India. It's truly rare that members of our family ever come to visit US from India... it was a real treat. I hadn't seen them since 2005.... but there's just something about family... there's always this wonderful bond no matter how long its been since you've seen them and no matter what language you speak.

Top L to R: First day meeting Stella; Stella comfy on the bean bag; Laundry time!
Bottom L to R: First Anniversary refreshments; Becky at winetasting; Mutt Pack at winetasting

MAY brought us one of the best things we could ever ask for, best puppy that is! Stella Barksdale Nord became the furriest member of our family on May 2, 2011 at 2 1/2 months old and 7lbs. She was the cutest, hoppiest, lickiest, waggiest puppy I've ever seen! It took us a little while to become accustomed to puppy-parenthood. We certainly faced a few challenges, but accustomed we became and are certainly loving the experience. The month continued and so arrived our first anniversary! Yup we made it through the first year of marriage with nary a road bump. We celebrated by pretending to be tourists in Seaport Village and enjoying some cool refreshments and appetizers at Busters. Then we moved to Carmel Valley for some yummy Indian food. This was also the month I started my job as a contract attorney at Broadcom supporting the in-house counsel department at one of the most prominent leaders in the semiconductor industry. May ended with a wine-tasting trip to Temecula for Becky's birthday. We enjoyed some great wine... and I cannot forget to mention brie bread - my absolute favorite part about wine tasting (second to the company of course). Take a sourdough bread bowl, slice it in half, spread with garlic butter, pat with mounds of brie and bake to some seriously monumental perfection. I'm talkin SERIOUS perfection (I don't joke about food *serious face*). Mmmm.... is it May yet?

Top L to R: Swearing In Ceremony; Cherish cheering on Ivie with our banner at Rock n Roll Half; Ivie completing Rock n Roll Half;
Bottom L to R: Stella at Gull Lake; Me w/ my first limit at June Lake; Charity Poker Tourney

June Lake trip: Beautiful fire with marshmallows roasting at Gull Lake

JUNE is the month I officially became Saritha T. Nord, Esq.! My parents drove in for the ceremony where I took an oath, slaughtered a virgin, etc - quite a moment. A week later Cherish and I cheered Ivie on as she tackled the San Diego Rock n Roll Half! We made a sign for her to show our support upon which we included a little something special (secret) to show her how much we love her and are proud of her! Later in June I joined the Nord men on their annual June Lake trip. I fished for the first time and caught my first limit of 5 trout during that trip! The trip, however, was not complete without a campfire and some s'mores our last night there. John Nord made this happen for me while almost managing to burn down Gull Lake. Luckily the fire dissipated and the only things that were close to burning were the deliciously gooey marshmallows that we sandwiched between graham crackers and chocolate. June ended with a Charity Poker Tournament that Ivie and I hosted to raise funds for Susan G. Komen 3Day for the Cure! We impressed ourselves with how much we were able to raise for the foundation and with how many donations we received! The event was so successful that we'll be hosting it every year for an organization of our choosing! This year our tourney will be held on March 24, 2012 and will benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma society. For more info and to attend please take a peek at our evite.

Top L to R: John and Ivie posing in Vegas; Heather, Stacy and Cherish; Akka at her bridal shower
Bottom L to R: Bachelorette banner; the Bachelorette; Team 60 Miles FOR Bust at fundraiser

No year is complete without a trip to Vegas, and while this was my second of the year it definitely did not lack in the fun department. We celebrated Cherish's friend Stacy's 30th birthday and had a blast! JULY also involved my sister's bridal shower AND bachelorette party. Her bridal shower took place in Fresno where we played tons of great games and the bachelorette party took place in the streets and bars of Hollywood! July concluded with a huge Summer Concert my 3Day team, Team 60 Miles FOR Bust, hosted to raise funds for our 3Day walk. It was truly a hit and yet again we put another significant dent in our fundraising goals.

L to R: Shawndene her sis and Leah atop the Hard Rock; Ladies at Hornblower brunch; Shawndene + birdcage

In AUGUST I ran my third half of the year earning the Triple Crown Medal! The end of August brought Shawndene's bachelorette party which included dinner at Rockin Baja Loster, a night upon the rooftop of the Hard Rock Hotel and a Harbor Brunch Cruise the next morning! Ah brunch.... my favorite way to indulge on the weekends.

Top: Akka's wedding/reception; Bottom: Orrin & Shawndene's wedding/reception

SEPTEMBER was a month of weddings! First was my sister's which was held at the Fresno Hindu Temple. The highlight of the ceremony was my sister singing "I want to grow old with you" (The Wedding Singer) as her vows. She's a phenomenal singer and the sweet gesture moved me and many others to blubbering balls of tears. Later in the month Orrin and Shawndene wed with an incredible charcoal and rose rustic-themed wedding. Shawndene put a lot of work into the details and her touches showed in the elegance that illuminated the entire night. The warmest congratulations to both of these amazing couples!

3Day Walk - Day 1
L to R: Team 60 Miles FOR Bust; supporting police officer; Ivie and Winita's tent decorations

3Day Walk - Day 2
L to R: Fun button that says "3Day? I thought I signed up for a 3-way!!!"; Team w/ walker stalkers; Ivie and Winita won the tent decorating competition!!!

3Day Walk - Day 3
L to R: Team just before closing ceremony; Jean and me celebrating at the end; closing ceremony

OCTOBER wasn't too hectic as much of it involved preparing and training for the 3Day walk. The Susan G. Komen 3Day for the Cure walk took place in San Diego from NOVEMBER 18-20. Our team 60 Miles FOR Bust was captained by the ever-inspiring Ivie Hanakawa and included Becky, Megan, Winita and myself. It was definitely a monumental event - incredibly moving, emotional, fun, tiring and amazing! Each day was filled with new people and events permanently etched into our memories. We slept in tents, sang along with the motivating policemen as they blasted their radios while riding their bikes next to us decked out in pink, took pictures with many of the incredible "walker-stalkers", took showers in mobile shower units, and we walked and walked and walked. It was definitely a trying experience, but also every bit as rewarding. I'm honored to have participated in this event. 

Top L to R: Ivie witih her bday dessert; Stella + stocking; Pavan + bros-in-law; Bottom - NYE celebration

DECEMBER is always a fabulous month. The Holiday spirit just reverberates from every molecule and puts me in a great mood all month long. The month kicked off with Ivie's birthday! We enjoyed yummy food and ridiculously huge margaritas at On the Border then watched the movie The Muppets! By far one of the best movies the Muppets have put out - none of us could stop laughing the entire time, not even the boys! (If you haven't seen it - you must! It comes out on blu-ray/dvd on March 20!) December closed with a wonderful holiday season. It was Stella's first christmas and I was able to spend a nice chunk of time with my family. Lastly our new years eve celebration ended the year on a really positive note with a teppanyaki dinner at Fuji and continued fun at Jeremy/Becky's home.

There you have it.... my year in a... well, some sort of truncated version (I would say nutshell, but this post was GIGANTE). I am hoping this means I will now blog more consistently. I have so many recipes and thoughts to post, I will do my best to keep them coming.

Here's to 2012 - a year for progress (let's hope).

Pie Pops!!

I recently overcame one of my biggest fears. What was that fear, you ask? Being alone? Dying a slow, painful death? Sleeping with the closet doors open? Pie Crusts? Yes! That's right - pie crusts. Oddly enough I've harbored an intense, irrational fear of making pie crusts. 6 years ago I ventured into the art of baking and attempted a lattice crust apple pie for a 4th of July celebration. The pie ended up coming out decently enough. But the recipe I found online was so intricate and specific that I (temporarily) developed heart palpitations over being nervous about entirely screwing up that damn pie and (pseudo-permanently) developed a hatred toward making pie crusts. I vowed to never deal with them ever ever again! But of course, if you know me, you know that it would bother me so much that I failed at this seemingly simple venture that I would have to try again.... eventually....

And eventually came 6 years later in the form of "Cherish Teters to the rescue!" (and, yes, she does have a Super Woman cape, fyi). She's quite the pie expert, and I learned much from Obi-Wan-Teters on this star-crossed day where she helped me conquer my fear of pie crusts and make 60 pie pops (apple and pecan) for my sister's bridal shower and our personal consumption! These little treats are seriously bite-sized morsels of pure awesomeness. Just the perfect amount of pie to satisfy your palate.  :)

Now I finally get what they mean by "as easy as pie." 

Pie Crust Ingredients:
Yields 2 double-crusted pies (i.e. 4 crusts) = 40 pie pops (10 pie pops per crust)

4 cups flour

1 1/3 cup Crisco shortening*
2 t salt

3 or 4 T stick margarine

1/4 cup or less sugar**
12-13 T water

1. In bowl, add all ingredients except water

2. Use pantry blender to mix together

3. Pour in about 12-13 tbsp cold water, and mix quickly

- if the dough appears too wet, add in a little more flour and mix

4. Separate dough into 4 sections

5. Take one section and roll out on floured surface to 1/8" thickness  

*I tried with all my might but couldn't find a healthier substitute for Crisco without sacrificing that delicious flaky crust. Sometimes ya just gotta deal.

**I replaced granulated sugar (GS) with Turbinado. It's a healthier alternative - less processed so it retains more of its minerals. Turbinado is formed as larger crystals and has a more molasses-y taste than GS, but once baked you can't even tell the difference! Also, GS and non-raw brown sugar (which is merely GS w/ molasses added back in for color) may both be processed through bone char (cow bones) to whiten and decolorize it, making them questionably non-vegan. 

Filling Ingredients:

Note: When making the pie pops, I made WAY more filling than necessary. So this is my approximation of how much filling you should make for 20 pie pops for each type of filling. I apologize if the measurements are off. Further, I adopted the pecan filling recipe from a pecan tart (not pie) recipe, but feel free to look up your own pecan or apple filling recipe and incorporate. 

Apple Pie Filling: 

4 cups sliced, peeled baking apples (about 1.5lbs) (I used Granny Smith) 
1 T lemon juice
1/2 cup Turbinado (or 3/8 cup white sugar, 1/8 cup brown sugar) 
1/8 cup flour
1/2 t cinnamon
1/8 t nutmeg

Mix all ingredients together, set aside. 

Pecan Pie Filling: 

1 cup pecans
1/4 cup Turbinado (or white sugar)
1/4 cup light corn syrup**
2 eggs
1 t vanilla

Mix all ingredients together, set aside. 

**I substituted corn syrup with agave nectar. Agave offers more health benefits, and can be used as a substitute for other common sweeteners as well. To substitute for corn syrup, I used 1/2 the amount listed and added 1/3 amount of the other liquid - so 1/8 cup agave + 1/12 cup water.

Pie Pop Assembly Instructions: 

From Bakerella  

Preheat oven to 375*

1. Roll out dough on floured surface to 1/8" thickness
- The convenient part about pie pops is that you don't need to roll your pie crusts into perfect circles, since you'll be cutting out circles anyway!


2. Lightly dust with a little bit of flour on bot sides - it'll make the dough easier to work with and move around.
  
3. Use a cookie cutter and cut out your circles


4. Save the dough scraps, roll flat and re-use to cut out more circles

5. Place one layer of circles on a baking sheet

6. Place lollipop sticks on circles, about halfway up (or a little higher if you prefer), and press down to secure.  

7. Place filling in the center of each circle. If you put too much, the filling will seep out of the pies.


8. Place second set of circles on top, and press around edges to seal. Make sure to press around the lollipop stick to secure.

9. Use an extra lollipop stick to press around the border for that pretty dowel-edged look.
 
10. Brush egg whites onto top of crust before baking. ( Another option is to brush with a mixture of 1 egg yolk + 1T milk) 

11. Bake at 375* for 12-15 minutes or until the tops start to brown. 

Remove, cool and enjoy!!!

Optional Shortcuts:

1. Use pre-made pie crusts

2. Use canned pie filling

- I never really knew these existed until Cherish mentioned it! I guess I used canned pumpkin before for pumpkin pie, but didn't put together the fact they sell various canned pie fillings!

Optional Designs:


1. Other shapes can be used, like hearts, but circles give the most room in the center for filling.

2. You can also create these mini pies without the sticks - leaving you with personal-sized pies of any shape. That way you may be able to fit a little more filling in the center. You could arrange it on a pretty platter, present them in a basstack them in a vase for display!

 

Congrats Philip Levine!

In the old days I used to dabble more in poetry - both writing and reading. Its such a beautifully moving form of art. I have the deepest respect for those who can truly put pen to paper and convey their perspective and wisdom. I haven't read much of Philip Levine's work, but have come across some of his writings in the past. While skimming through the Times online I noticed this man will be named the next U.S. Poet Laureate - an incredible honor! Here's a great quote from the article:

He hadn't particularly aspired to be poet laureate, Mr. Levine said, but he was pleased that after a long career, the honor had come his way. "How can I put it? It's like winning the Pulitzer," he explained. "If you take it too seriously, you're an idiot. But if you look at the names of the other poets who have won it, most of them are damn good. Not all of them - I'm not going to name names - but most. My editor was thrilled, and my wife jumped for joy. She hasn't done that in a while."

Like many, I do wish I read poetry more often. So I thought we could read one of Mr. Levine's famous poems together. This is a phenomenal piece, courtesy of google:

The Simple Truth

I bought a dollar and a half's worth of small red potatoes,
took them home, boiled them in their jackets
and ate them for dinner with a little butter and salt.
Then I walked through the dried fields
on the edge of town. In middle June the light
hung on in the dark furrows at my feet,
and in the mountain oaks overhead the birds
were gathering for the night, the jays and mockers
squawking back and forth, the finches still darting
into the dusty light. The woman who sold me
the potatoes was from Poland; she was someone
out of my childhood in a pink spangled sweater and sunglasses
praising the perfection of all her fruits and vegetables
at the road-side stand and urging me to taste
even the pale, raw sweet corn trucked all the way,
she swore, from New Jersey. "Eat," she said,
"even if you don't I'll say you did."
Some things
you know all your life. They are so simple and true
they must be said without elegance, meter and rhyme,
they must be laid on the table beside the salt shaker,
the glass of water, the absence of light gathering
in the shadows of picture frames, they must be
naked and alone, they must stand for themselves.
My friend Henri and I arrived at this together in 1965
before I went away, before he began to kill himself,
and the two of us to betray our love. Can you taste
what I'm saying? It is onions or potatoes, a pinch
of simple salt, the wealth of melting butter, it is obvious,
it stays in the back of your throat like a truth
you never uttered because the time was always wrong,
it stays there for the rest of your life, unspoken,
made of that dirt we call earth, the metal we call salt,
in a form we have no words for, and you live on it.

Thank you poetry, you made my day.

We do LOVE.

What simple, practical, beautiful wisdom. I would love to incorporate this into my home.

Happy Friday!!

You can purchase this size vinyl wall decal on etsy. I may just make my own imitation to save some $$.

Juicing (and an excuse)

More details to come on the wonders of juicing, but for now I thought I would leave you with a couple of pictures I find to be very beautiful.... plus its a way for me to get in the extra labels I couldn't fit into the last post!

Before

After