Cacao: Breakfast of Champions

Getting bored with your breakfasts? Try having some chocolate! 

Click the link below the photo for a DIY chocolate treat that's fast, easy, satisfying and best of all guilt free!

Chocolate. One of natures most perfect foods.

Holy Smokes!

Promise you've never had smoked salmon like this! Another treat from the Mainland, Cap'n Mikes Holy Smokes makes some beautiful alder smoked wild caught salmon!

Smoked salmon has a long history not only in the Pacific Northwest, but in the Hawaiian islands. Salted and smoked salmon and other meats were traded by sailors when stopping to refresh their supplies in the Islands. Lomi lomi salmon is a popular lu'au dish with roots in some of the contact with haole sailors.

Unfortunately, most of the salmon you find in Hawaii today is farmed raised or laced with preservatives and artificial colors (and there's nothing grosser than liquid smoke! bleh!). According to the Environmental Defense Fund wild Alaskan salmon is among the safest fish around and high in precious Omega-3 fatty acids! Click here for more about safe seafood and portions.

I feel in love with all the Holy Smokes smoked salmon I tasted while on the Mainland! I'm getting hungry just looking at the pictures! Mmm... I need to make an order. The real thing blows all the other store bought kine out of the water!

Shaka to you Cap'n Mike!  Keep those fires smokin!

Farmhouse Culture Sauerkraut

Despite my German roots I never really took a liking to sauerkraut. Possibly because I never really gave it a chance even while in Germany. Little did I know that the stuff I had been so skeptical about would become an instant favorite! Now, I suppose that everything happens for a reason and in its own time. I guess I just wasn't ready for the awesomeness of the kraut!

Fermented foods are something I've been getting into more recently. Aside from eating factory farm uber-processed yogurt growing up (which I'm not sure I really count), fermented food wasn't on my radar.  Over the past year I've developed a major kimchi habit, but after tasting fresh delicious sauerkraut I've got a new crush!

Farmhouse Culture, a Santa Cruz, CA based company, changed all that. While shopping at a San Francisco farmer's market, my friend and I stopped by the Farmhouse Culture booth to sample their krauts. We ended up taking home two crocks full of delicious mouth watering krauts. The company is committed to local organic ingredients and uses badass ceramic company branded re-usable crocks (optional with a $2 deposit!). I brought one home with me. Two dollars and some priceless inspiration is a great deal for a souvenir I'll cherish forever.

Californacopia

Ahhh.... it's been almost two weeks since I came back from a week-long trip to the Mainland. I visited some of my favorite people in the lovely (and chilly!) city of San Francisco, CA. Months prior to my departure I was getting myself pumped up about all of the lovely treats I would sample and feast upon whilest in the land of legal raw milk. The shock of being in the cold city was only bearable thanks to my wonderful friends, the glorious organic bounty of California and quite possibly the neighborhood thrift shop!

As you know by now, I'm a total sucker for food and I love to make amateur food porn! I did my best to photograph some of the lovely produce and goodies along the way as well as collecting as much information as possible from the different vendors I fell in love with at the farmer's market. Somehow though, I spaced taking any photos of the long coveted milk that I was constantly chugging! (So, I'll just have to borrow those from the net). My old roomie/best buddy with whom I was staying on my trip, Christopher, was along for the ride and I think that he might be a budding foodie thanks to my visit!

Farm Fair Round Up, Savory Macaroon Recipe and a Tip to Cut Cravings!

With the farm fair having come and gone I am now left with an intense craving for sweets! This is largely thanks to the several rounds of cookies and pies that were baked in preparation for the home economics show. During the the year I stick to low carb food choices and definitely avoid white flour and sugar - both of which I've been consuming on a daily basis this past week! But, since my family gets into the Fair, we've decided it counts as a holiday! (I'm not sure that's wise or a good excuse to "pig out"!)

These are the first test version of the Savory Macaroons just with the topping mixed in. You can do it either way!

At the fair this year we did take home some ribbons (albeit not the coveted purple best in show) for our entries: 1st place -Macadamia Nut-butter Cookies with Liliko'i frosting, 1st place - Macadamia Nut and Onion Bread, 2nd place - Savory Chili-Lime Garlic Shrimp Mac Nut-Crusted Macaroons, 2nd place Peach Chantilly Delight and Honorable mention for Mac Nut-Butter Fudge. All in all, we did pretty well and I think we were pleased with the outcomes of our entries and our recipes.

New Favorite Recipe

Hot off the presses! Or at least outta my kitchen! My new favorite recipe of the moment, Fried Eggplant Mini-Pizzas! 

MMMMMmmmm so ONO!

I love pizza, but my awareness level is such that I have a hard time enjoying restaurant pizza (don't even think about store bought!). Most resturants default to factory food, which is going to be full of plenty of nasty stuff and barely any good stuff. Besides that, I try to stay away from most breads and grains n such (with a few exceptions). Plus, I like to get as much of my food locally as possible. So, this leaves me no other choice but to go homemade using what I know are the best ingredients!

This week at the farm market I picked up some lovely eggplants, the big round dark purple kine 2 for $1! Yess! I used eggplant parmesan, bruccetta, and margharita pizza as an inspiration and created these lovely and satisfying mini pizzas!

Ingredients:

• Eggplant large round variety (1 medium sized serves 2 people)*
• Organic Raw Coconut Oil
• Grass Fed Butter 
  
• 1 Medium Clove Garlic
• Hawaiian Sea Salt finely ground*
• Organic Raw Milk Cheese
• Tomatoes*
• Fresh Basil*

*locally sourced

   

Kerrygold (all I use) is a great brand of grass-fed hormone-and-antibiotic-free butter that you can find at some of your local grocery stores and is well priced (for the quality!). Look for it at your grocery! They also make great cheeses! The general rule of thumb is do some brand/company research and find out if the cows are grass fed.

1. Soften 1 Tablespoon of butter per person and mix with garlic and salt to taste.
2. Slice the eggplant into 1/4-1/2 inch rounds and lightly fry/sautee in coconut oil until tender, but still firm.  
3. Remove from heat and melt the garlic butter on the top of the eggplant followed by the cheese sliced or diced tomatoes and finely chopped basil. 

 You can also add whatever other veggies you like. I think I'll use some nice black olives next time I make this! Serve with a salad or any clean meat you like! We had ours with a small handful of wild goat jerky! Yum yum!

 

This was awesome! Fatty and satisfying, but without being heavy. We used forks and knives to eat these babies due to the thickness of the eggplants. Try it soon and I promise you'll love it!

Fast Easy and Healthy Chocolates!

Raw Cacao PowderFast easy and deeeeelicous way to get your coconut oil and your cacao!! Chocolate lovers rejoice! This stuff is full of goooodies. And if you don't make it really sweet you're alll gooood!

Ingredients:

• Raw Coconut Oil
• Raw Cacao Powder
• Yacon Syrup or Honey
• Sea Salt

Mix equal parts coconut oil and sifted cacao powder (3/4 C of each in the photos). Sweeten with 1 teaspoon - 1 Tablespoon yacon syrup or honey. Add a couple pinches of finely ground sea salt. Mix with a whisk or spoon then pour into silicone molds or ice cube trays and chill till solid. ENJOY!!!

These will keep in the refrigerator or freezer longer than they'll be around!

The finished product!! Soo ono!