To celebrate the win, I made one of his favorite foods (pizza!) these Cauliflower and Sweet Potato Tots (the pizza was a primal-ized BBQ Chicken Pizza, which I will share with you later this week). I had made an earlier version of the tots last week for myself, but was not satisfied with the texture or really, the flavor. This time, I used a combination of cauliflower and sweet potatoes, and it was a success! I also coated the tots in almond meal for extra crunch. Here’s the recipe!
1/2 head caulflower
2 medium sweet potatoes
3 large eggs
1/4 cup So Delicious unsweetened coconut milk
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1/8 cup coconut flour or gluten free flour (to use as a binder)
cracked pepper (to taste)
salt
1/4 cup olive oil or a can of olive oil spray
1 cup raw almonds
1 Tbs coconut flour
1-2 tsp your favorite spice mixture (you can be creative here: chili powder, curry, rosemary, cumin)
Peel and cut potatoes into cubes and microwave until soft. While the potatoes are microwaving, pulse the (raw) cauliflower in a food processor until it’s texture is finely “crummed”, do not purée. Set aside in a large mixing bowl. When the potatoes are tender, set aside and allow them to cool.
Rinse out and dry the food processor, then pulse the almonds until they are almost breadcrumb consistency, then pulse in the coconut flour. Then if you wish, add in your favorite spices or extra parmesan cheese to finish off the breading. Set mixture aside on a plate and rinse and dry the food processor again.
Preheat oven to 385°F
Then place the sweet potatoes in the food processor and pulse to mash them up. Then add the cheese, the coconut milk, the eggs and the coconut flour, and pulse until smooth. Then remove the potato mixture and add it to the cauliflower crumbs. Stir until well combined.
Coat a baking sheet with olive oil or olive oil spray. Form the cauliflower and sweet potato mixture into little cylinder shapes and then roll in the almond/coconut flour/spice mixture. Set each shape on the baking sheet. This recipe will probably yield about 24 tots. Lightly drizzle the tots with olive oil, or pulse them lightly with the spray. This will help them get extra crisp.
Bake in oven until golden brown. (30-40 mins) Salt to taste. 🙂
I was honored to be invited to yesterday’s media tasting of the America’a Classics Menu at Frank Fat’s. Of course, the menu at Frank Fat’s is not a perfect editorial fit for my Paleo/Primal website, but a James Beard award is not something you win everyday. I was happy and excited to attend and celebrate with members of the Fat family (who had just barely returned from the awards ceremony that took place Monday night in New York). It was like being a part of Sacramento history and a great excuse to take a little vacay day from being strict Paleo. Andy and I sat down with one of the most interesting amalgamations of Sacramento food writers and media personalities including Hank Shaw (also a winner of a James Beard award this year), Kitty O’Neal, Tina Macuha, Sarah Singleton, Chris Macias, and Chef Michael Tuohy (bonus)!
We were served family style at a large round table. As servers placed each course in the center, the plates spun around on a lazy susan, and smart phones hastily snapped pictures of each dish before they were devoured sampled. Even Kitty O’Neal was live tweeting her lunch! It was great. 😉 Now, Andy is such a well behaved sidekick. He has been trained in the ways of food bloggery. He is well aware of the “wait, I have to take a picture of the food first before you dive in” rule.
So, without further delay, here’s a rundown on what we enjoyed.*
*Disclaimer: I did try almost everything we were served except for two dishes, a chow mein and the banana cream pie dessert, but only because I don’t react well to wheat or sugar.
The first course was a Char Siu Slider: Honey glazed pork with pickled vegetables served in a steamed “laughing” bun. These sliders could be a meal by themselves, and it would be fun to see variations of this dish with different fillings for the little pockets of dough.
Next was the ever popular Fat’s dish and an award-winning recipe: Honey Walnut Prawns–Crispy shrimp with glazed walnuts and a special sauce. Props to the chef for being light handed with the “mayernaise” (sic), as it is delightful to enjoy the crispiness of the fried shrimp, along with the creaminess of the sauce which includes mayonnaise (too much = soggy), and the sweetness and crunch of the walnuts. The trifecta of delectable was achieved.
Alert alert!! Bacon alarm sounding!! OK, so bacon in everything has come (and actually gone) as a “thing” (and as a food writer I feel like it’s rather silly), but not when it comes to the classic pairings. Bacon Wrapped Scallops were up next. And this dish puts bacon back where it belongs. Wrapped around seafood! The scallops were served with green beans and an oyster cream sauce. I handily gobbled 2 of these, as they were the closest thing to Paleo on the menu, and a combination of two of my favorite foods. What a classic dish, and Fat’s version has such a pretty presentation. The scallops reminded me of little snails on green grass.
The Gai Lan served as a tasty side to our meal. It’s a Chinese broccoli dish, drizzled with oyster sauce. Just love the emerald color on those greens!
The San Gai Shee Chow Mein is comprised of egg noodles with chicken, black mushrooms and snow peas. I passed on it only because I was filling up fast, and I heard there was steak coming. And, yes, I’m a wimp. Well, actually, I was trying to avoid gluten as much as possible. It looked and smelled delicious! 🙂
Then it was time for Frank’s Style New York Steak. It’s described on my menu as “smothered” in onions and oyster sauce, and from the picture you can see it’s true. That meat is getting no air at all! It’s practically choking in caramelized onion-y goodness! I was happy to see another gluten-free offering. Kevin Fat, (one of the family members, Director of Business Administration for Fat’s Restaurants, and the main host for the luncheon) remarked that it was one of the original dishes on the Frank Fat’s menu. It’s fascinating to think that “fusion” cuisine began ages before the term was actually coined.
For dessert, we were each presented with a slice of Fat’s Famous Banana Cream Pie which was apparently so good that Andy had 2 slices (one was mine) and even brought a third one home! Fat’s makes 15-25 pies twice per day. Now, that’s a lot of time on the treadmill. 😉 If you want to impress your friends, you can bring one of their pies to the next party you attend, as the pies can be ordered as a whole (with a 12 hour notice) if you simply call the restaurant. It’s up to you if you want to slip it in some tupperware and pass it off as your own. Not that you would ever do that! 😛
“This award recognizes everything my father believed in – outstanding food, generous portions, caring service and a simple, but deep-rooted desire to make people happy, ” says Frank Fat’s President and CEO, Jerry Fat. “He loved his customers, they all loved him, and I believe that his spirit is what has kept us so successful all these years.”
To celebrate the James Beard award, Frank Fat’s will be hosting America’s Classics Month May 13-31, featuring same menu served at the media lunch and showcased in today’s post. It is priced at $29.95 per person (2 person minimum) and is a dine-in only offer.
At the media luncheon, we watched a video about the restaurant that was played at the awards ceremony. I am posting it below because it pretty much sums up the spirit and greatness of the Fat’s empire.
Sometimes the most simple ingredients and cooking methods can yield the most amazing meals. This was the case last night. Just a few ingredients and it was less than an hour from kitchen to table. Of course, you’ll need a food processor to make things easy, but you can also use a coffee grinder for the fish coating and a blender for the avocado mousse. Once coated, you can prepare the tuna in a skillet on a range top, or grill it. I know you’ll want to try it once you read how simple it is, so I will cut right to the chase. 😉 Enjoy!
Ingredients:
3/4 cup raw pistachios
1 Tbs wasabi powder
1 large ahí tuna steak (about 20 ounces, perfect for 2 people)*
2 Tbs olive oil
Procedure:
Pulse the pistachios and the wasabi powder together in a food processor until they reach a finely chopped consistency (like toddy grind coffee).
Coat your tuna steak with the olive oil and roll it in the ground nut mixture, careful to cover all sides. Allow to marinade in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes.
No matter how you choose to cook your tuna steak, allow the meat to sear on all sides and get slightly warm in the center. It takes longer to cook on a charcoal grill, and a much shorter amount of time on a gas grill. I am very comfortable using a skillet, so I would heat 1 Tbs olive oil or avocado oil in a pan and get it very hot to sear on all sides. The time it takes to sear and cook through without over-cooking depends of course on the thickness of your steak. 🙂
Ingredients:
2 avocados
1 Tbs lime juice
wasabi powder (to your taste, 1 Tbs for moderate heat))
1/2 tsp salt
Procedure:
Place the avocados, wasabi powder, lime and salt in the food processor and blend until the mixture becomes mousse-like. Remove the mixture and place in a Ziploc or pastry bag. Place in the freezer and allow to firm (20-30 minutes). Do not allow to completely freeze. Pipe a design of your choice on a plate and top with the remaining pistachio and wasabi coating to dress up the plate.
*The fish Andy purchased came from Taylor’s Market. You can also go to Sunh’s Fish or Whole Foods to buy a similar cut. I recommend sushi-grade. It’s more expensive, but you won’t regret it! Have a great weekend!
The side dish pictured is a simple sauté of kale, onions, a portobello mushroom and bacon.
Formerly Stanford Home for Children, Stanford Youth Solutions presents its 8th annual signature event: Vintage 2013 on Thursday, April 25th, from 6-10pm at the North Ridge Country Club. The North Ridge Country Club is located at 7600 Madison Avenue, Fair Oaks, CA 95628,
There will be a wine and food tasting, a live & silent auction and live music.
The event will be filled with themed room experiences with special cocktails and tasty bites from Zocalo’s, Matteo’s, Bella Bru, and Mulvaney’s. Walk in the clouds in the Sky Bar, feel the serenity of the Rain Forest, get backstage access to our version of Red Rocks, and taste exquisite wines while perusing our silent auction packages in the Vintage room & patio.
Red Rocks: A Red Rocks Amphitheatre experience to you in this backstage access themed room.
Rain Forest: Let the soothing sounds of nature sweep over you in this tranquil oasis. Refresh your palette’s with Ella’s famous Gin & Tonics.
Sky Bar: Enjoy the cloud-top bar with martinis, ice sculptures and sushi.
Vintage: For true wine and food connoisseurs, enjoy local and regional wines and taste local restaurant offerings.
Special entertainment will feature Joe Castillo, sand artist and finalist on America’s Got Talent – be one of the first in Sacramento to see him LIVE!
A new addition this year in the Rain Forest room is Stanford’s version of a Giving Tree! They will have mystery bottles of wine placed in the custom made Giving Tree. You can choose 1 wine bottle for $20 OR 3 for $50. Values of the mystery wine range from $10 to $100!!! Take a chance, win some great wine, & GIVE back!
This year’s special honoree is Rob Lynch, President and CEO of VSP Global.
Vintage 2013 goes GREEN! The color green symbolizes healthy relationships, nature, balance, and sustainability. This year, a fun twist on the color green highlights Stanford’s new brand and the lasting evolution of the youth and families they serve.
Compliment your favorite outfit with a bit of green to show your support of Stanford’s mission and your commitment to well being, harmony and a healthy life. By participating in Vintage 2013, you will be giving the gift of healthy relationships to challenged youth and their families.Vintage 2012 was hailed the event of the year and this year’s Vintage promises to be even better.
It was ironic to return home from shopping at Grocery Outlet (Woodland location) on Monday and find this basket of goodies on my doorstep from my friends at Grocery Outlet corporate! They sent me a variety of products to promote “a fresh face-lift during the spring season”. All the products in the basket cost at least 50% less than they would at a conventional grocery store.
I am currently trying to drop a few pounds (big race in a few weeks), so I wasn’t at Grocery Outlet panning for gold (wine deals) this time like I normally am… 😉 I was there looking for collagen supplements. 😉 I also picked up some cauliflower and organic lettuce, as well as a bag of kale and onions. I was happy to see some products in the gift basket I could put to good use.
The products included in my basket were:
Numi Blooming Tea (Grocery Outlet Price $2.99, Regular Price $8.99)
Tru Roots Brown Rice (Grocery Outlet Price $2.99, Regular Price $4.99)
MET-RX Big 100 Bar (Grocery Outlet Price $19.99–12 ct. box, Regular Price $27.00)
Maui & Sons 100% Pure Coconut Water (Grocery Outlet Price $1.29, Regular Price $2.49)
Natrol Acai Berry Diet Capsules (Grocery Outlet Price $6.99, Regular Price $9.99)
Laci Le Beau Super Dieters Natural Tea (Grocery Outlet Price $2.49, Regular Price $4.29)
Best of Burt’s Bees Gift Set (Grocery Outlet Price $8.99, Regular Price $14.99)
Epielle Green Tea Facial Mask (Grocery Outlet Price $0.69, Regular Price $1.49)
Organic Now Shampoo and Conditioner (Grocery Outlet Price $2.69, Regular Price $3.99)
Body Shop Macadamia Nut Body Butter (Grocery Outlet Price $3.99, Regular Price $19.00)
———————————————————————————————————
Total Grocery Outlet Price for Basket Items: $53.10
Total Regular Price for Basket Items: $97.22
I am loving the teas and the Natrol Acai Berry Diet Capsules (the Grocery Outlet Gods must have been reading my mind) and what girl doesn’t love Burt’s Bees? I’ll surely be using my facial mask and the body butter to keep my heels from looking frightful. 😉
You can find most of these products at your local Grocery Outlet store (product selections and availability will vary by store).
A few weeks ago I was sent two varieties of Wonderful® Pistachios to sample and tell you about. Their new flavors are Salt & Pepper and Sweet Chili. I am pretty “nutty” about pistachios to begin with, but these new flavors piqued my interest even more!
Did you know that pistachios have only 160 calories per serving (30g), are an excellent source of vitamin B6, copper and manganese and a good source of protein, dietary fiber, thiamin, and phosphorus?
I prefer pistachios because they are about 3 calories less per nut than an almond. We used both varieties as an emergency salad topping a few nights ago when we were out of walnuts! They were so good. Other recipe uses: Coarsely grind the pistachios in a food processor and use them as a coating on lamb or turkey, grind them even further into a nut butter, or just enjoy them right out of the bag.
By themselves, the Salt and Pepper variety make a flavorful and satisfying snack. You can swap Wonderful® Pistachios Salt & Pepper for popular kettle-fried Salt & Pepper chips – pistachios give you 49 nuts per serving; compare that to just 15 potato chips per serving (who eats just 15 potato chips?) 😉
I preferred the Sweet Chili. They had an exotic sweet and spicy flavor and a great crunch. A perfect substitute for flavored tortilla chips with three times the fiber and protein.
Looking forward to seeing 42nd Street this weekend! Here’s a press release from my friends at Runaway Stage Productions. -cg
SACRAMENTO – Come on along and listen to the lullaby of Broadway with Runaway Stage Productions as RSP presents the classic comedy musical 42nd Street, playing April 12 to May 5 at the 24th Street Theatre, located at the Sierra 2 Center.
Based on the classic 1933 movie musical of the same name, 42nd Street tells the story of naive young actress Peggy Sawyer who arrives to audition for the new Julian Marsh extravaganza, set to open on Broadway with aging leading lady Dorothy Brock. A classic backstage story, 42nd Street is a delightful throwback that the entire family will enjoy. The 1980 Broadway production won the Tony Award for Best Musical and became a long-running hit. The show was produced in London in 1984 (winning the Olivier Award for Best Musical), and its 2001 Broadway revival won the Tony for Best Revival.
RSP’s talented cast and crew include both well-known favorites and new talents. Award-winning Darryl Strohl (RSP’s Legally Blonde, Kiss Me Kate and Curtains) choreographs, Andrea St. Clair (Annie, Kiss Me Kate) plays Anytime Annie, Amy Jacques-Jones (White Christmas) is Peggy, and newcomer Timothy Stewart takes on the role of Billy.
“RSP has waited to do this show until the talent was ready, and boy is it ready,” RSP Producing Director Bob Baxter said. “The cast is unbelievable, the dancing (tap, ballet and jazz) is breathtaking. I am excited watching the rehearsals, and I know the audience will enjoy the show!”
Jeremy Bolt directs music, with vocal direction by Deann Golz. They lead the RSP resident orchestra with a score that is full of famous musical numbers, including “Young and Healthy,” “You’re Getting to be a Habit with Me,” “Dames,” “We’re in the Money,” “Lullaby of Broadway,” and, of course, the iconic “Forty-Second Street.”
42nd Street performs Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. 4/12-5/5, 2013. TICKETS – Opening Night – $19; Adults – $25; Seniors (60+) – $23; Students/SARTA – $21; Children (12 & under) – $18; Groups of 10+ – $19 each. Tickets can be purchased online at www.runawaystage.com (reservation convenience fees apply) or at the door. For further information or questions, please call the box office at (916) 207-1226. Free parking is available. The 24th Street Theatre is located at the Sierra 2 Center: 2791 24th Street in Sacramento.
Sorry for the silence, but I have been busy! Andy and I just returned from San Diego (Carlsbad, to be exact). You could call it a business trip I suppose.
For years, this has been Andy’s big deal. The Carlsbad 5000, introduced to him by a friend who used to live there. The best 5K of the year. The past two years I have gone along with him. This trip has a pretty good system/schedule I am not inclined to mess with much (other than where we stay next time) 😉 It’s also a good system because it involves not having to get in your car the entire weekend once you are in Carlsbad. It goes like this: we fly down on Friday, have dinner at Pizza Port, get up and run the course as a mental review/practice on Saturday, register for the race, visit the expo, and have lunch at The Grand Deli, have our pre-race dinner at Caldo Pomodoro on Saturday night, race on Sunday, have lunch at Pollos Maria, and have dinner at Coyote Bar & Grill. Then we fly out on Monday morning. Sounds just awful, doesn’t it? 😉
At last year’s Carlsbad 5000, we both ran the 5K races in our gender/age group. This year, I ran the all day 25K option.
As an All Day 25K participant (and finisher!), I competed in all five open races at Carlsbad 5000, which included: Masters Men, Masters Women, Men 30-39, Women 30-39 and Men and Women 29 & Under. Going in, I registered with the goal to just be able to finish all of the races in under ten minute per mile pace. This was the pace I needed to earn a finisher’s medal. Also at the Carlsbad 5000, if you are in the top 250 people to cross the finish line in your division (mine was the Women 30-39), you are awarded a finisher’s medal.
By the end of the 3rd race, I decided I would try to run hard and try to be in the top 250 in my division’s race. I came in 86th, so not too shabby for my 4th race of the day. 🙂 The medal was mine!
Here is the breakdown of my races: Race Miles Time / Pace O’All Sex /Div
Masters Men 40+ 3.1069 27:26 /8:50 184 44/44
Masters Women 40+ 3.1069 27:27/ 8:50 159 42/24
Men 30-39 3.1069 27:40/8:55 148 30/30
Women 30-39 3.1069 26:23/8:30 86 19/9
29 & Under (M/F) 3.1069 26:23/8:30 94 15/13
What is wacky is that I ran race 1 & 2, and 4 & 5 in almost the exact same times! But, it is a good thing. I was really looking for consistent 9:00 minute miles, and I ended up doing much better than that. I not only completed all five races, I placed 110th out of 260 All Day 25K participants. YAY 🙂
The All Day 25K participants really get the royal treatment the day of the race. There was a VIP tent set up for us with a gear check for our bags, massive amounts of bottled water and bananas, 3 or 4 different brands of energy bars, 2 different flavors of GU Energy Gel, Sports Blast energy drink, and an entire “brick wall” of a snack boxes with various food items (dried edamame, hummus, dark chocolate) in them. The best part was that only one item out of dozens being offered as refreshments contained gluten (bags of pretzels). There are tables and chairs set up in and outside of the tent so that we could sit and rest between races. I ended up going back to my hotel room to change clothes and rest between the fourth and fifth race because I was so sweaty! 🙂 My other strategy (which worked well) was to eat about a 1/3 of a banana, and 2 bites of an energy bar between races. Not too much food, lots of water. My bar of choice was one Clif White Chocolate Macadamia Nut. Not Paleo, but organic, and better than bagels or donuts. So basically, 1 energy bar, 1 1/2 bananas, and about 64 ounces of water got me through 5 races.
Congrats to the All Day 25K winner, Gilbert Salazar. His times were 17:26, 17:37, 17:45, 18:19, & 18:27. Not a surprise, as he also won the event last year (all of his races were under 18 minutes last year!) You can check out this years results of the All Day 25K here.
What I loved most about the All Day 25K is that I was able to run with people of all ages. Each time I ran the course, I saw something different. It was amazing to see all the leaders fly past me on their way up the hill to the 2nd mile mark. On the day we left Carlsbad, I went out and ran the course again as a recovery day. I just can’t get over the view. It does not suck to run along the ocean, people! What a special place and I’m already looking forward to next year and our little traditions.
I loved running in Andy’s race (he ran a 20:07 this year), and he ran with me in mine (during mile 2) as a cool down. The only downside is that I didn’t get to watch him in his race… because I was in it! 😛 After all the races were over, we went to celebrate and have lunch at Pollos Maria. (That’s where the pics of me in my Carlsbad shirt were taken)
The All Day 25K is a great way to get your long run in if you are training for a spring or an early summer marathon. After you cross the finish line(s), you get 2 free beers from Pizza Port! No wonder they call it the Party By the Sea. 🙂
The Carlsbad 5000 celebrates its 29th birthday on March 30, 2014! To learn more and register for the race, you can go here. You can find Carlsbad 5000 on Facebook here.
Last Wednesday, Andy and I participated in a virtual wine tasting organized by Thirsty Girl.com, a member-driven community that brings together women who are passionate about wine, food, travel, libations and fun. Now, just because it’s mainly women involved, it doesn’t mean that men get shut out of the fun. There were a few males that joined our group during the twitter tasting to give their opinions on the wines we tried.
Approximately once a month, Thirsty Girl (follow them on twitter here) chooses a featured winery and sends wine samples to members of the Thirsty Girl group (made up of wine writers and bloggers). Then we all sit down at a scheduled date and time to review the wines, give the winemaker valuable feedback, brainstorm and sometimes execute the perfect wine pairings, and almost have more fun than you would at a cocktail party. Which is a lot like twitter is anyway. One big virtual cocktail party.
The first comment is from the best wine drinking buddy I know. 🙂 My boyfriend and partner in wine, Andy. Follow him on twitter here. Here’s his description of the Sauvignon Blanc.
Then leave it to me to cause trouble! Thirsty Girl (@beathirstygirl) asked if any of us had paired the wines with food during the tasting and I responded like this:
The wine maker quickly shot me back with this (funny!)
A common observance on the Pinot Noir is that it improved quite a bit (as most wines do) the more it aired out in the glass or decanter. Then another pairing idea:
Another feature on both of the wines I liked (along with a few others) is that the wines are screw cap closure (key in portability)! As commented by @theeleanorprior:
What a good time we all had, and I can’t wait to do it again next month! 🙂
Many wines were flowing at my boyfriend Andy’s house last night as we sat in on a twitter tasting (more on that tomorrow), and unloaded the latest samples shipped to me just in time to show you before Easter arrives. One of the wines is the one you see above: Carpenè Malvolti Prosecco Brut ($19.99).
You can start your Easter dinner with the popping of the Carpene Malvolti Prosecco’s cork and sipping it with a light first course or appetizer. A soup or fish course would be perfect. This Cilantro Lime Shrimp dish from Skinnytaste.com would be a good fit as would my very own recipe for Hard Boiled Eggs with Avocado, Cumin, and Curry.
This Prosecco is full of juicy green apple fruit flavors and has gentle bubbles. It was more of a fruit forward sparkler even though classified as a brut. Adding peach puree or other juices to this Prosecco makes a delicious and very easy cocktail. Or, you can simply enjoy it alone with it’s light 11% alcohol content. Cheers! 😀
cavegrrl.com 
