Cafeteria Chic - Lemonade Date

Salads! Salads! Salads Galore! 

Sandwiches!

Last week, I had a wonderful date with my dear friend Erica. I always look forward to my time with her, she is one of the most inspiring, kind and gifted people I know. Our dates are too few, she is a busy entertainment professional always bouncing around the country, though when we do get time, our dates always consist of delicious-good for you food and deep discussions that span in to the wee hours of the night. The other evening,  we took a stroll in her Brentwood neighborhood to Lemonade. The air was balmy,  fresh and heavy with summer aroma, there seemed to be a blanket of calm over the city. I hadn't tried Lemonade and it has honestly been on my list for some time. I'm the biggest sucker for cold salads and sides, which the menu is full of. Lemonade proved to be just the perfect spot for Erica and I, good, wholesome, healthy food, fresh with a casual environment, perfect for our weeknight. I ordered the Orecchiette, asparagus, perlini mozzarella, with sorrel vinaigrette side which was creamy, fresh and delicious with a seasonal, cedar smoked salmon ‘nicoise’, basmati, egg, green bean side, in which the salmon flavor was perfectly balanced with the green bean, not dominating the whole dish. Since my date at Lemonade, I have been obsessed with finding locations near my apartment or on my usual path just so I can pop in for the deliciousness. For a casual, easy, healthy and reasonably priced meal,  I highly recommend that you try it out. My tip if you visit the Brentwood location: eat outside, along the right of the building, you will find a cute, quiet, somewhat secluded alcove for dining.

**Also, since I raved about Erica so much, I thought I should share her latest project with you as well, check it out, it's a documentary on the people of Crossett, Arkansas who have fallen victim to pollution caused by a nearby corporation:

http://www.indiegogo.com/crossettdocumentary


Lemonade can be found:
Downtown
Venice
Beverly
Moca
USC
Pasadena
LAX
Manhattan Beach

Gorgeous Desserts! 

Salads up close and personal 

Healthy, Fast and Easy: Shrimp, Mandarin and Asparagus Whole Wheat Couscous

I'll be honest, I've always been one who has to keep a really close eye on my weight. I've fluctuated up and down my whole life and have really had to come to terms with the fact that I will never be a 110 pound beauty but a curvy goddess is my ultimate, healthy goal. As a woman, I have come to love and embrace my body the way it is but I know, I can only achieve this security when I am taking the best care of myself. I have to maintain regular exercise and a low fat diet, almost always in order to maintain the weight I like to be at. There are times where I am lazy or stressed out and then up goes my weight. At the end of the day, I am somewhat grateful for these struggles. It's taken me about 15 years to figure out my body and what it takes to lose and maintain weight, every body is different and there is not fail proof formula to solve what oh so many of us struggle with. I am glad I have figured this all out by this stage in my life and I don't have to deal with it later on, because as anyone has had these struggles knows, they are not easy. Before my vacation, I had lost 15 pounds, I stayed away from my food blog, firstly, because I was busy but I also think a little subconsciously because I did not know how to balance blogging and my strict diet. After my vacation, I took it easy on the diet and focused on having fun and sharing some of my favorite recipes with you, which happen to be very fattening. This week, I start back to my normal healthy habits and exercise. I don't want to drop the forbidden word: diet, (though I am antsy to get rid of 10 pounds) just healthy. I'll blog as normal, I still have plans for some sweets to bake for friends in the future so fear not, but I will also be sharing some of my healthier favorites as well - today is one of them. This is a super easy and quick to prepare dinner, its perfect for week nights or as lunches for the work day. It also is very filling and packed with protein!

Shrimp, Mandarin and Asparagus Whole Wheat Couscous
1 cup of dry whole wheat couscous
1/2 of a bunch of asparagus
1 11 oz. can of mandarin oranges
8 oz of thawed, cooked, cleaned, medium shrimp, more if desired  (I used Trader Joe's)

Prepare couscous as directed on the box. Prep asparagus, wash and snip the bottoms. In a large sauce pan, bring three inches of water to a boil, add the asparagus, cover and cook until al dente, about 6-8 minutes. I always stop the cooking of my asparagus by throwing them in an ice bath right after cooking. Just fill a bowl with cold water and ice cubes, this will keep your asparagus al dente and a nice bright green color. Chop asparagus into about 1 inch pieces or larger if you like. By now, your couscous has been sitting on the oven, covered but done for a couple of minutes. Lightly stir in the asparagus and the mandarin oranges. Take the shrimp and rinse under water, drain. Add to couscous. Salt and pepper to taste. Viola! This whole dish takes about 15 minutes from prep to cook!

Peek at the Week - July 30th

Peek at the Week, July 30: 




Happy Birthday Martha Stewart! It's my idols birthday today!

 

 L.A. doesn't have much in terms of changing seasons, but there are some things that I always change up with the months regardless of the 75 degree weather: my wines, my clothes, my shoes, and my nail polish. Every summer I look forward to sporting Essie's Fiji. It always gives the illusion that I actually have a tan when I really don't. This week was a hot one, so I ran out and had my toesies painted my favorite summer hue. I have to credit my dear friend, Nicole Broyles- this is her signature color, that we are all going to steal from her! 

Todd and I are hoping to make it to see RED at the Mark Taper Forum on Sunday which runs from August 1- September 9th. I am a huge fan of Rothko's work and I have heard that this play is phenomenal. Here is a link to the MOCA blog with information on discounts and the Rothko work on display at the MOCA. This is extremely exciting! 

http://www.moca.org/audio/blog/?p=3545

  

This amazing summer neon pink sums up the week perfectly. I love the color, not sure if I would sport it on my car but awesome for whoever is! I saw this car driving on the 10 freeway in L.A. I really should have rolled down my window before taking the picture  :/




This past Sunday kicked off the first Movie Night and Sunday Supper with Bouchon. Bouchon will be serving comfort food favorites with movies shown right next door at the Beverly Canon Gardens.  Todd and I are die hard "picnic-ers" and paired with Bouchon deliciousness and  Casablanca? This is a must do.  Champagne in the park anyone? 
241 N. Canon Dr., b/t Dayton & Clifton Ways, Beverly Hills (310-271-9910).

July 29: Clueless 

August 12: Casablanca

August 26: Mirror Mirror

September 9: TBD

Since Crafted opened up, I have been dying to go. A year around craft market that happens to be the largest in the nation? I feel like it's going to be Etsy, meets real life, which to me = heaven.  I'll definitely blog about this one, I'll be visiting this weekend. 

http://craftedportla.com/

Happy IPA Day with IPA Homebrewer Todd Bjurstrom

Happy National IPA Day everyone! If you are a regular reader here at The Bleu Goose, you know all about Todd, my amazing boyfriend, whom I just cant stop talking about in my posts. Well, since today is National IPA Day, I thought it would only be fitting to have a guest post by the most talented and gifted homebrewer I know. Todd's Edith IPA is absolutely phenomenal, behind that, is an extensive knowledge and understanding of IPA. What is IPA anyway? IPA stands for India Pale Ale, in short it is a varietal of beer that was originally created to withstand long ocean journeys back in the 1700's. To make a beer that would preserve long voyages with extreme weather,  (heat and more heat) a lot of hops and a lot of alcohol were added to the brew. Thus, we have the IPA. 
I am thrilled to introduce: Todd Bjurstrom, Home Brewer extraordinaire!

Handsome Devil

Todd and Daisy

DRINK THIS: India Pale Ale

Written by: Todd Bjurstrom 

In honor of National IPA Day, I’ve decided to take my palate on a short tour of the California coast, from San Diego to Petaluma and right into my own kitchen.  Hold on tight, it’s going to get hoppy.  (Also, don’t drink and drive.)

SAN DIEGO:  This is the first time I’ve sampled the Tower 10 IPA from the Karl Strauss Brewing Company and it put a smile right on my face.  The more I drank, the more I felt like I was in San Diego.  Everything seems a little nicer with 22oz of Tower 10 IPA in your tummy. Packed with Chinook, Cascade and Centennial Hops, the Tower 10 is has notes of citrus and pine; it’s sweet and floral with an earthy, almost bread-like aftertaste.  With a respectable 7.0% alcohol, the Tower 10 is best enjoyed icy cold and in small doses.  (Or, large doses… whatever.) 

ESCONDIDO:  Ah.  Stone IPA: The old regular.  I’ve been a fan of Stone Brewing Company for many years… I remember feeling challenged by the words “you’re not worthy” and “you probably won’t like this beer” emblazoned on the bottle of Arrogant Bastard.  At the time, in Seattle, Stone Brewing was largely unheard of and Arrogant Bastard was the only Stone beer (that I knew) that was available.  It wasn’t until a few years later that I came to know Stone’s IPA…  Nowadays, if there is Stone IPA available I will drink it: no matter where I am, no matter what time of the day -- I will pour it into my face.  (Who’s not worthy now!?!)  Any hop-head will start salivating at the mere mention of this devilishly crisp, wickedly bitter brew.  Loaded with Columbus, Chinook & Centennial hops and sporting 6.9% alcohol, Stone IPA will always be a go-to beer for this guy.

PETALUMA:  While Kendall and I camped out down the California Coast, Lagunitas Brewing Company’s Hop Stoopid Ale was my sole beer of choice.  Hop Stoopid’s 8% alcohol is guaranteed to keep you warm on those cold, misty summer nights in the redwoods -- no matter how long it takes to get the fire started.  The malt characteristics in the Hop Stoopid are much richer and deeper than your average IPA, thus resulting in the higher alcohol content and an early bedtime.

LOS ANGELES:  The first time I made my own beer, it sucked.  It’s taken me years to admit it, but its true… homebrew should bring joy to those who drink it, but my first beer turned all of my friends into liars.  “Wow… it’s uh... good.”  Dave said, “...why does it have a metallic aftertaste?”  I’ve made many batches of homebrew since that first one in 1999 and I’ve learned a lot, too; I’ve made porters, stouts, ales, steam ales, ciders and my favorite: India pale ale. My latest, Edith’s IPA, is a tribute to an important figure in my life:  Edith Skinner.  Loaded with hops and naturally infused with oak and real sour mash Tennessee whiskey, Edith is still driving me crazy after all these years.  Edith is the first homebrew I’ve made in a while, and is the first to come out of the Marathon Street Brewery. (That’s what I call my kitchen…)

Champagne Sangria

I am beyond excited to share this recipe with you today. As a lover of all things sangria, I was hit with a dilemma the other day,  red sangria sounded great, but in this heat, I wanted something a little lighter, more crisp and cooling. Then it hit me, why don’t I meld one of my all time favorite flavors and beverages with sangria!? The results: Champagne Sangria! The outcome has sparked a new love affair with this refreshing summer drink.

I used flavors that I felt would enhance the champagne flavor, not cover it up but after sipping I got a million ideas: Strawberries? Blueberries? Mangoes? What if I used sweet champagne or a Lambrusco? I have all summer to find out, although this is pretty incredible just as is. 

Lavender Infused Champagne Sangria

2 peaches, cubed

2 nectarines, cubed

10 fresh lychee nuts, torn into 1/3 sized chunks

About 3 cups of triple sec

¼ cup of granulated sugar

¼ cups of water

2 lavender sprigs torn in half

Ice

A bottle of chilled champagne

Put the fruit in a container (I used a mason jar) and pour in the triple sec to cover fruit completely. Seal and macerate over night. In a small sauce pan over low heat, pour in the water, sugar and lavender. Stir until sugar is dissolved, about three of four minutes. Chill. Remove the large pieces of lavender. Open the fruit container and give it a little smash with a wooden spoon to release some flavors but don't smash all of the pieces. Pour in to your favorite pitcher, add champagne, stir lightly, add simple syrup to taste. Enjoy!   

Chilled Summer Tortellini Salad

Ah the summer…the air is hot and the sun is blazing. For some reason, one thing I madly crave in the summer is a cold pasta salad. I can never get enough of any variety of these chilled delights in the months of July and August. This is a version of a tortellini salad my mom use to make in the summer growing up in the hot desert sun. This is perfect for any occasion dining alfresco and is extremely easy to make. Perfect for parties and potlucks, this is easy to make for feeding an army. Make your own version by adding your favorite veggies and meats. 

Chilled Summer Tortellini Salad

2 9 oz packages of Tortellini

4 slices of bacon, chopped up into 1 inch cubes

3 cups of spinach

1 handful of fresh basil, chopped

1 scallion, chopped

2 cups of grape tomatoes

8 oz of asiago cheese, shredded or flaked

1 3.8 oz can of sliced olives

¾ cups of olive oil

¼ cups of balsamic vinegar

1 tsp of brown sugar

1 clove of garlic, chopped or smashed

Salt and Pepper

Cook tortellini as directed on package (I have found that they all vary a tad). While the water is heating for the tortellini start your bacon, cook bacon until crispy, drain fat. Mix bacon while warm into spinach so spinach wilts a little, chill. Your tortellini should be done, drain and chill. When the tortellini is to desired temperature, add it into a large bowl with bacon and spinach mixture, basil, scallion, tomatoes, cheese and olives. Whisk together olive oil, balsamic, brown sugar, garlic (if using a smashed clove remember to remove it before adding the vinaigrette to the salad) and a pinch of salt and pepper. Taste vinaigrette to make sure it’s balanced, add sugar or salt accordingly. Pour vinaigrette over the salad and toss. Salt and pepper to taste. This recipe tastes best when flavors have had a chance to marinate, it can be eaten immediately but best if chilled for a couple hours. Garnish with basil leaves. I sometimes make this with fat free balsamic or Italian dressings instead of making my own. My mom uses salami, provolone, and Italian dressing. The sky is the limit on variations of this cold summer salad. Enjoy! 

Meyer Lemon Verbena Cake ~ An Ode to Mother

 Yesterday, we celebrated my amazing mother's birthday at the Mission Inn, in Riverside, CA. If you have never been, its an incredible historic inn, that has a phenomenal brunch on Sundays and awe inspiring Christmas lights in the winter. My mom is beyond incredible, words could never express how profound she is. The is the most seamlessly classy woman, somehow in an incredible effortless and never pretentious way. She is a wizard in the kitchen and at entertaining, she thrives on having a full home with full chairs at the dinner table.  A domestic goddess, she also earns huge marks from a feminist perspective. Super intelligent, my mother has balanced a 35 year teaching career, as well as a 12 year political career, while raising two children, maintaining a successful, loving marriage and countless philanthropic endeavors. My mom taught me the most powerful life lessons through example. As a little girl, I always saw my mom as fearless, unstoppable, focused and beyond strong. As I grow older, I see my mom not only as a superhero mom, but also as one of my dearest friends (don't worry this goes for you too, dad). The oh so special bond between daughter and parents, the unconditional love and deep friendship that we have is one of my most cherished aspects of life. It was such a pleasure to celebrate my wonderful mom, with my incredible family.

My Beautiful Mother and I 

In honor of my mom, I baked her a Meyer Lemon Verbena cake. I wanted something that would taste like summer air - crisp and fresh. This cake turned out very nicely but after a lot of modifications and "winging it" moments in the kitchen. Hopefully, my notes will make this easier on anyone who attempts this! My mom and dad said it tasted like lemon meringue pie as a cake. I made the frosting so it would be light and fluffy but not melt in the heat. We had to pack up the cake and travel for an hour in the summer heat with it, then it had to withstand dinner, then home with my parents. I froze the cake before our trip as well to ensure that it would survive intact. It worked!

Meyer Lemon Verbena Cake 

White Cake:

2 2/3 cups triple sifted flour or cake flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

6 large egg whites

10 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup sour cream

2/3 cup vegetable oil

2 tablespoons lemon verbena - finely chopped (save yourself trouble and buy a plant, this is hard to find in a

grocery market)

2 tablespoon grated lemon zest

2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Lemon Curd:
4 large eggs
4 large egg yolks
2/3 cup sugar
1 cup fresh Meyer lemon juice  
a splash of regular fresh lemon juice to taste, maybe a 1/4 cup
2 tablespoon Meyer lemon zest 
1 tablespoon regular lemon zest
1 and 1/2 stick unsalted butter - cubed
2 tablespoons of corn starch if needed 


Frosting:
2 cups heavy cream
1 8 oz package of cream cheese, softened
1 cup of granulated sugar - more or less on your taste
1 tablespoon of lemon zest
1 tablespoon of lemon juice - fresh squeezed please!
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Make the curd: 
This must chill overnight, so plan accordingly. In a large saucepan, (preferably over a double boiler, but if you are cautious you can attempt without) constantly whisk eggs, yolks, sugar, lemon juices, zests over low heat until thick, about 7 minutes until thick. Be cautious not to scorch the curd. Remove from heat and whisk in the butter until incorporated. Chill overnight. If the curd is not your desired thickness, (I wanted mine to be very thick to hold the four layers) you can reheat it and add corn starch until it gets to your desired consistency. Chill.

Bake the cakes: 
I made two batches of this recipe for a total of four layers but either way will work just fine! Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two cake pans and set aside. In a medium bowl sift together flour, baking soda and salt, set aside. In a large bowl, mix egg whites, butter, sugar until combined, then add sour cream, vegetable oil until everything is well combined. Stir in lemon verbena, zest and vanilla. Pour into round cake pans, place in the oven for about 20 minutes or until an insert comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

Make the frosting last: 
In a large bowl, mix heavy cream, cream cheese, sugar, zest, juice and vanilla until very thick. Cover and chill.

Assemble the cake: Carefully release the cakes from pans. Place one layer on a plate, spread the curd generously and evenly over the layer, repeat with another layer of cake until all assembled. Make sure its nice and sturdy if you are doing the four layers. Frost the cake.
 My tip: put tin foil in thin strips around where the cake will sit, that way, you can frost away and be messy, then remove foil and it looks like you are the cleanest cake froster in town! I garnished this cake with fresh, homegrown lavender that Todd grew. It was a hit!

The Mission Inn

The Mission Inn