This translation from French into English does not work. When we say “j’ai un petit creux” that translates literally into “I have a little hole“, but it means “I have a hole in my stomach“, so that “I am a little hungry“.  It sounds really strange in English, you are just wondering where that hole is…but that’s all I could find since I am not proficient in English expressions, so we’ll leave it at the hole we have in our stomach!

I am not a huge cookie fan, and I rarely eat cookies, so I don’t keep anything sweet at home, no cakes, cookies or such things. I would gladly chose a bag of chips which is my “péché mignon” over a slice of cake or a cookie, but once in a couple of months, I do feel like a little sweet thing which is not fruit, then I make those.

They are very tasty and healthy and they can be eaten in the morning since they do have a good quantity of oats and nuts. They’re the soft kind and quite satisfying when you feel like a little treat.

I used whole wheat einkorn flour and dark chocolate but of course, you can make your own substitution according to your tastes.

Ingredients for 10-12 (depending on the size)

• 1/2 cup light agave nectar (or any sweetener of your choice)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla paste
• 1 small container of apple sauce (about 3 tbs)
• 1/4 coconut flour
• 3/4 cup whole wheat einkorn flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 3 tbs chopped cashews
• 4 tbs chunks of dark chocolate for baking
• 1 cup + oat flakes

Instructions

In a container, mix agave nectar, vanilla and apple sauce. Mix well. Then add the flours, the baking powder, the nuts, the oats and the chocolate. Mix with tip of the fingers to obtain a homogeneous mixture but do not over mix.

Pre heat oven at 360F. Using a cookie tray, make cookies dividing the dough into small amounts, the equivalent of 1.5 tbs of dough on tray. Sprinkle the top with extra oats.

Bake in the oven for about 12 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.

I was not sure how this would end up, and did not know if it was worth posting. The funny thing, is that I finished making the carpaccio, and thought let’s not go through the posting process, of writing and editing images, etc… since today I have not too much time to play around and blog, so I started eating it. Then I liked it so much that, I made a second batch for the pictures and decided to post it.

With making recipes for the first time, you never know how the results will be, it can go wither way, sometimes you decide it’s not something you like, or you are disappointed and it ends there. No second time.

Today it was a really nice surprise. You can definitely serve this as an appetizer, it’s light and fragrant, and open your appetite for the next course.

I love daikon, after my trip to Japan, I ate a lot of them, then slowly I stopped buying them. I guess I am back into my daikon phase. Actually I prefer cooked daikon than raw, it does change its flavor end when cooked, the sweetness of the vegetable stands out. This recipe is quite simple and does not take long. You just need a mandoline, a griddle and a mixer.

You could substitute daikon with avocado and tarragon with basil. It’s all about your inspiration, tastes and mood. Now go and play…and eat daikon!

Ingredients for 3-4

• 2 daikon, 2 mm sliced with a mandoline
• 4 zucchini, 2mm sliced with a mandoline
• salt and pepper

For the roasted tomatoes-tarragon coulis

• 3 well ripe and medium size tomatoes, cut in half and seeds removed
• 1/2 bunch tarragon + leaves for garnish
• 1/2 jalapeno
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• salt and pepper

Preparation

For the zucchini-daikon

Heat up a grill pan at high heat. Place slices flat and grill a few minutes on each sides. Set aside.

For the roasted tomato coulis

Place tomato halves in a tray and place under broiler until the top gets darkened and tomatoes soft. Let it cool and mix in a mixer with other ingredients. Strain through a sieve. Adjust with salt and pepper.

Lay one slice of zucchini on top of one slice daikon and repeat until used all ingredients.

Top with coulis, decorate with tarragon leaves and eat cold or lukewarm.

Time flies and my trip back home is sadly over. As years go by, it’s more difficult to be far away from my friends and family, probably because as you grow older, you realize what the essential in a lifetime is.

The good thing is that I am back to San Francisco with lots of new ideas. My layover this time was over 4 hours in beautiful Island. The airport is small but the quality of the stores is amazing as everything else in Island. I have used all my fancy Islandic salts from my previous trip, and lucky me, they had more for sale at the airport. This time I bought some grey lava salt with Islandic herbs.

I am still on my vegan diet and experiments and I love it. Even though France has a history and a culture of meat eaters, over the years it’s easier to find more and more vegetarian and vegan options.

This dish was inspired by my boring 8 hours flight from Reykjavik to San Francisco with nothing else to read and no other distraction than my magazines and meditation books! Believe it or not this is an express dish that is ready in less than 30 minutes, so something to keep handy when you have unexpected guests. For the salt substitute you can use any grainy salt like fleur de sel or anything with a crunchy bite.

The citrussy vinaigrette enhanced by ginger adds a wonderful touch to the zucchini. You will love this simple dish with bold yet smooth flavors.

Ingredients for 3-4

For the yams and avocado tartine

• 2 medium sized yams, peeled lengthwise and cut into 1 cm slices
• olive oil for drizzling
• salt and pepper
• 4 medium ripe avocado
• zest of 1 lime
• juice of 1 lime
• 1 tbs red onion, finely diced
• Islandic grey lava salt with thyme or fleur de sel
• avocado oil for drizzling

For the zucchini tagliatelle

• 3 zucchini
• 1 cup edamame
• 3 tbs olive oil
• 1 tbs tangerine vinegar
• 1 tbs tangerine juice
• 1 tbs chives, chopped
• 1/2 tsp fresh ginger, grated
• 1/2 tsp agave nectar
• salt

Preparation

For the yams

In a large tray, place yam slices and drizzle with olive salt, salt and pepper. Broil in the oven on both sides for about 10 minutes. The yams need to be tender but still firm, in order that they won’t break when handling them. Keep warm.

In a mixing bowl, scoop avocado flesh and mash with a fork. Keep some texture and do not mash to thinly. Add onion, lime. Keep avocado oil and lava salt for the end to drizzle.

For the zucchini/edamame

Form ribbons with zucchini using a spiral slicer or alternatively a julienne slicer, add edamame. In a mixing bowl, mix all vinaigrette ingredients. Pour vinaigrette on top of zucchini/edamame mixture and mix well.

Place some zucchini ribbons on a plate. Add one slice of yams and top it with avocado mash. sprinkle with avocado oil and lava salt.

Today, I have no time to have fun and prepare some nice lunch so I have to go with efficiency. I love tartines and never think of making them for lunch. I eat sweet tartines for breakfast but rarely for lunch. What a pity! They are truly delicious and nutritious. Breakfast and lunch are my favorite meals of the day, and I like to treat myself, because dinner is usually very simple and very light.

I am desperately looking for one client of mine a good halal butcher in the city but I cannot find any. Today, on my way back to the city, I stopped in San Bruno check out this Middle Eastern market, if maybe they had some meat. They had none but they did have a lot of of things including sardines on their shelves that looked really good. Basically, they had a lot of things I didn’t need but I had to buy, just because….So here I am buying a load of sardines in oil, curry leaves, mustard oil, and tons of spices that I didn’t need, but I thought I could “maybe” need at some point.

These little tartines or toasts (whatever you prefer) are fairly easy to make, I don’t like to call them toast because that word reminds me of bad cheap white bread you find in supermarkets, so that would not really apply here.  You can use a regular potato or a slice of country bread but I thought the nutritional value of yams would make them more appealing and interesting.

I had some herb paste left I made with some leftover herbs I had in the refrigerator. When I have too many fresh herbs (cilantro, parsley, chives, mint, basil, etc…) that I know will go bad, I make this pesto, or paste, or sauce, or whatever you want to call it. It has multi functions and is delightful, fresh, pungent, and goes well with almost everything (grilled fish, meat, vegetables, on toasts, etc…).

Here the yams is spread with the herb paste, and topped with a bunch of fresh and delicious toppings.

Voila, c’est prêt! Now it’s time to turn off the computer and enjoy lunch. Bon appétit.

Ingredients for 2-3 tartines

For the tartines

• 1 thick yam, peeled and cut in 1 cm slices
• 1 tsp olive oil + 1 tsp extra
• 1/2 cup baby spinach
• 1 can sardines in olive oil, cut lengthwise
• 2 radishes, thinly sliced
• tomato vinegar
• salt and pepper

For the lemon-herb pesto

• 1 cup mixed herbs (cilantro, basil chives, scallions, parsley, etc…)
• 1 garlic clove
• 1/4 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeds removed
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• salt and pepper

Preparation

For the lemon-herb pesto, mix all ingredients except lemon zest in a mixer and mix until smooth but still with a texture. Add extra oil if too thick. Add lemon zest at the end and mix well.

Coat yams with olive oil, salt and pepper. Broil on both sides until golden outside and soft inside. Remove from oven.

In a mixing bowl, add olive oil and tomato vinegar to spinach, and a little salt.

Coat each yam with lemon-herb pesto, add spinach, then sardine halves, and top it with radish slices. Drizzle extra olive oil, tomato vinegar, and fresh pepper.

I love weekends, especially when I have enough time to explore new recipes and cook. That is my perfect weekend, and even more perfect when my experiments turn out delicious.

Strangely beets remind me of my childhood. The first time I had beets was in elementary school, I must have been 6 or 7 years old. I used to have lunch “à la cantine”  (the school canteen where kinds have lunch?) since my mom could not come pick me up for lunch. They were cut in small cubes and served with a vinaigrette. Most kids didn’t eat them, but for some reason, I like them and always asked for a second serving. I have been eating beets since then. Some of my friends in their adult life ended up hating everything they ate “à la cantine” and were traumatized by that food.

A discussion with my mom this morning led to this recipe. She was mentioning a delicious zucchini carpaccio she ate at some friend’s house, topped with parmesan and basil, that she loved. It made me realize that I don’t make vegetable carpaccio very often. Usually when talking about carpaccio, it’s mainly referring to beef or salmon, topped with olive oil, lemon, etc…

I had a bunch of beets in the refrigerator, that I kept postponing to cook and I wanted to explore more recipes using my raspberry vinegar too. What more perfect than this!

Another alternative to Greek yogurt sauce is to shave some pecorino on top of the beets. It’s all up to your inspiration.

I loved this combination of beets, raspberry vinegar, goat yogurt and herbs, especially when you add extra dressing and extra goat yogurt, when everything mixes up; then all different nuances of colors, flavors and textures dance in your plate and palate.

Ingredients for 2-3

• 2 golden or red beets, peeled and finely sliced using a mandoline
• pumpkin seeds, roasted

For the raspberry dressing

• 6 raspberries, crushed with a fork
• 2 tbs raspberry vinegar
• 1 tsp chives, chopped
• 3 tbs olive oil
• salt

For the yogurt sauce

• 1 plain goat Greek yogurt
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tbs fresh mint, finely chopped
• zest of 1/2 meyer lemon
• juice of 1/2 meyer lemon

Preparation

In one container, mix raspberry dressing  ingredients together. Mix yogurt sauce ingredients together.

In a plate, lay out beet slices nicely. Drizzle some raspberry dressing on top of the beets. Add one tbs of yogurt sauce. Decorate with pumpkin seeds.

Serve with more yogurt sauce and dressing on the side.

Today I had to battle my demons, and stop obsessing about some terrible thing that happened recently, so I decided to try anything I could, and went for a long run. It did help somehow. After a few hours of running in circles, I went home and had no idea what I would make for lunch. I had no appetite and and no inspiration either. I found among my million items in my pantry those edamame fettucine I bought along with the black bean spaghetti a while ago.

So basically, edamame and mung bean fettucine are simply a type of pasta made with edamame and mung bean flour, that’s why they have this beautiful light green color. In the picture they could be blending with the cabbage color, but if you look closely, you can distinguish the fettucine.

This type of pasta is filled with fibers and proteins, so you will not feel bloated or stuffed as you would when eating regular white flour pasta. They are easily digestible, nutritious and very delicious. They remain a bit chewy and al dente, and personally I love chewy textures.

The combination of the sweetness of the cabbage and peas, complement the nuttiness of the noodles, so we have a very balance dish as far as textures and flavors. I ate two whole plates so this portion is enough for three people, or two if one of them is very hungry.

Ingredients for 2-3

• 2 tbs olive oil
• 1/3 yellow onion, finely diced
• 1/2 cabbage, finely sliced
• 1 tbs mirin
• 1/2 cup peas
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 2 handful of shrimps, peeled and deveined
• about 3.5 oz (or 120 grams) edamame fettucine
• salt and pepper

 Preparation

Heat olive oil in a pan, add onion and let soften about 5 minutes at medium temperature. Add cabbage and mirin. Cook and cover until cabbage softens but still a bit firm and mirin evaporates. Add peas, shrimps and garlic. Cook until peas and shrimps are cooked. Adjust with salt and pepper. In the meantime, cook fettucine in hot salted boiling water until al dente, about 5 minutes. Drain and serve with cabbage, peas, shrimps mixture. Drizzle some extra unrefined extra virgin oil on top and serve hot.

This is a very easy and simple dish, fast to make, less than 30 minutes, and light. It’s one of those dishes I prepare when I have little time but still want to feel nourished. It would fit in the “fast food” category.

I like to cook my fish fillets “à l’unilatérale“, it’s a cooking method used to cook fish on the skin side only. This way the skin turns crispy and the fish remains moist.

You can cook cauliflower like you would for a potato purée in milk. I steamed mine which is another alternative. You could also use celery root purée, or if you are a potato fan, why not a mashed potatoes. Personally, I don’t like combining mashed potatoes and fish. In my opinion, it turns a potentially interesting dish into a boring one…probably because I am not a huge fan of potatoes in general.

As for carrots, this warm salad is simple and delicious. They’re just boiled in water then dressed with a fragrant citrussy dressing.

Ingredients for 2

For the salmon

• 2 salmon fillets
• 1 tbs olive oil
• fleur de sel and pepper

For the cauliflower purée

• 1 head of cauliflower
• 3 tbs heavy cream
• salt and pepper

For the carrot salad

• 3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
• 4 tbs olive oil
• juice of one Meyer lemon
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp honey or agave nectar
• salt and pepper

Preparation

For the cauliflower purée

Steam cauliflower in a steamer. When cooked, mash with a potato masher, and add cream while mashing. Continue mashing to the desired consistency. Adjust with salt and pepper and keep warm.

For the carrot salad

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add carrots and cook for about 10 minutes until tender. Drain and keep warm.

In a bowl, mix all other ingredients and add to the carrots.

For the Salmon

In olive oil or butter in a pan. Place salmon skin side on the pan. Cook at high heat first for a few minutes, then decrease to medium temperature, then to low until the salmon is cooked but still rosy inside. There should be some light moisture on top side of the salmon. Sprinkle with pepper and fleur de sel.

Place some cauliflower purée on a plate, spoon some carrots on top, then add salmon with extra dressing used for the carrot salad.

This post has been long overdue…I made those plums in fall, so when they were in season, then never got the chance to post it. With my trip to France and work schedule, everything got delayed and now it’s November and the plums are no longer in season. I figured I would still post it and not wait for one more year.

I love all poached fruits, they end up being such a delicate and light little treat. I make those quite often when I can find plums and you can complement them with all kinds of dried cookies, biscotti, madeleines, anything you can dip in the syrup. Needless to say this dessert is very quick to make, and “unratable” (that you cannot fail).

The first step is to make the tea. I used green tea in which I added fresh mint leaves and dried verbena leaves (I could not find any fresh ones). Don’t make the tea too strong or the syrup will end up bitter and unpleasant.

Ingredients

• 1.5 cup green verbena-mint tea
• 1 star anise
• vanilla bean, cut lengthwise
• 2 tbs honey
• 6 red plums, not too soft
• 2 tbs macarpone
• 2 tbs Plain greek yogurt
• 1 tsp powder sugar (optional)
• zest of 1/2 Meyer lemon
• pistachios, roasted

Preparation

First make tea, letting the mint and vebena infuse for 10 minutes in green tea. Drain and add honey.

In a pan, cook plums with tea, then add star anis and vanilla bean. Let the plums cook until soft but not mushy. At this point the syrup has thickened. It should not be too thick, add water if too thick. Remove vanilla bean and filter syrup if necessary. Let it cool.

Mix mascarpone and yogurt until smooth, add 1 tsp of powder sugar or more if you like it sweeter and add lemon zest.

Serve plums in cups pouring syrup around and 1 tbs of mascarpone cream on top. Sprinkle with pistachios.

This morning I went shopping and I had beets on the menu…as usual this store (which I am not going to mention) never has what I need, some days there are no leeks, no scallions or no basmati rice, or no won ton wrappers, etc…so I have to somehow contain my frustration.

This morning was not that bad, I was looking for lose beets, and I could only find beets by the bunch with the leaves on. The good thing about this, is that you can use the leaves. So if you happen to buy beets with their leaves and stems on, do not throw them away. You can use them like you would use spinach, kale, or any other greens.

I remove the stems that were a bit hard and only kept the leaves.

In this recipe, I added a few spices to enhance the whole dish. It’s a fragrant way to cook greens and it was just what I was in the mood for. You can eat this as a side dish, I ate it with some marinated sardines and it made my day…if you try it, it might make yours too!

 Ingredients for 2

• 3 bunches of beet greens, roughly chopped
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 1 tbs raisins (soaked in water for 10 min)
• salt and pepper

 Preparation

Heat olive oil in a large pot and brown cumin seeds until fragrant. Add garlic and turmeric and stir a low heat until fragrant (you don’t want to burn the turmeric, it will be bitter). Add greens and cook until wilted. Adjust with salt and pepper and add raisins. Drizzle with olive oil and eat hot or warm.

I called these galettes, anything in that particular shape, is a galette to me, but it can also be called borlotti burger, you can eat them as is, in a middle of a bun, or dress them up a little like I did, it’s all up to your imagination. They’re gluten free for those with Celiac disease, dairy free for the lactose intolerant crowd, light and nutritious for the “gourmands“. I am in the third category.

These are made with the kind of beans called “borlotti“I have always heard call them borlotti, but in English I just found out that they’re called cranberry beans. It’s a Italian variety. Fresh they come with a redish-whitish color skin. It’s the beans I was used to eating in my childhood, therefore they remain special to me.

You cannot always find them fresh, so the canned one work fine. I found an organic brand imported from Italy that is really good.

I made those quite large, the size of a hamburger, but you can make them half the size and serve them as appetizers. The combination of the beans, kale and pungent red pepper salsa was perfect. The textures and flavors really complimented each other.

For 3 large galettes

For the galettes

•  1 can borlotti beans
• 2 tbs garbanzo bean flour
• 1 egg
• 1 carrot, shredded
• 1 tbs red onion, chopped
• 1 tbs savory, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• salt and pepper

For the kale

• 1 tbs olive oil
• 3 garlic clove, shopped
• 4 cups baby kale
• 1 tbs kalamata olives, chopped
• zest of 1/2 Meyer lemon
• salt and pepper

For the roasted pepper salsa

• 2 small bell red peppers, roasted, skin off
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1/2 tsp coriander powder
• cayenne pepper to taste
• salt and pepper
• 1 tbs olive oil

Instructions

For the galettes

In a mixing container, place drained beans (if using canned ones) and crush them to obtain a semi-smooth texture. Add all other ingredients and mix well. Form about 3 inches patties. Heat olive oil in a pan, add cook patties at medium heat until golden brown on both sides.

For the kale

Heat olive oil in a large and deep pot. Add garlic and let cook until fragrant. Add kale, salt and pepper and stir at high heat until wilted. Add lemon zest and olives and stir for few additional minutes.

For the bell red pepper sauce

Place peppers under broiler, and let them cook on all sides until the skin starts burning. Remove from oven and place in a plastic bag until it cools down. Remove skin and seeds. Place peppers in a mixer with the rest of the ingredients and mix until smooth.

Serve galettes hot, topped with kale and red pepper sauce. Drizzle with some olive oil