Raw Broccolini Salad, Kids Lunches & Field Trip to The Natural History Museum

Last week our school has an opportunity to visit Los Angeles County Natural History Museum. It was educational and fun, field trip experience. Moms were preparing kids lunches trying to pack healthy choices for the little ones. This time I decided to make and take with us Raw Broccolini Salad for our lunch box. Salad has fantastic fresh flavor and it is truly delicious.
It was real hit and my six year old love it:)

Raw Broccolini salad

1 bunch broccolini, washed with stems, trimmed
1 garlic clove, grated
2 green onions, trimmed and sliced
radishes, whole and sliced
1 red pepper, sliced
1 avocado, peeled and sliced
sea salt to taste
fresh ground pepper, to taste
fresh mint, chopped
orange, zest and juice
extra virgin olive oil, drizzle
Permigiano Reggiano, grated

Slice broccolini into long thin strips leaving the flower tops on. In a bowl add red pepper, avocado, garlic, onions, radishes and all the herbs and spices. Mix well, then dress the salad with the orange zest, juice and olive oil. Marinate the salad for about an hour. Before serving add freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Broccolini has similar nutritional value as broccoli, with a slightly sweeter taste. It is rich in antioxidants and very good source of calcium, iron and fiber.

The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County was an amazing field trip. So many things to see and to learn about.
“Museum protects over 35 million specimens, dating back 4.5 billion years. Museum is an authority on the “big picture” of the planet, the natural and the cultural world. It tracks the Earth’s biodiversity, because knowing what is out there is the first step to conservation.”

Kids lunches packed, lined up and ready for the lunch time:)

Besides the amazing taxidermy and skeleton specimens you’ll encounter in Age of Mammals, the Museum’s scientists and exhibition designers have created fun, interactive kiosks that will make you think you’re out in a fossil field, or inside a paleontology lab like the one here at the NHM.

Outside the Museum’s South Entrance, you’ll find enclosed habitats filled with life.
From April to September, the Pavilion of Wings is fluttering with over 40 species of live butterflies.
From late September to November, the Spider Pavilion houses web-weavers, hard at work. Come check out their intricate webs!

Kids were absolutely delighted with so many different kinds of butterflies, some resting on the flowers some flying:)

Beautiful and patient butterfly, allowing me to take a photo.

Interesting facts are all over the exhibit halls making visitors well informed and easy to navigate throughout the museum.

Los Angeles Natural History Museum is a great museum and amazing place for everybody to visit and explore.
http://www.nhm.org

Happy Easter

Happy Easter to all of my friends and family!

This year we dyed eggs in red onion skins.
For the bath I used lots and lots of onion skins and herbs like fresh rosemary, mint, parsley and dry bay leaves. Also fresh pepper corns, sea salt and olive oil.
When Easter eggs are done, they have incredible rich color and flavor.

Here is the photo of the Sweet treat. Homemade Carrot almond cupcakes with whipped mascarpone mango frosting.
Amazing combination of flavors, earthy and delicious.

Happy Easter:)

Homemade Seeded Four Cheese Crackers

Like I promised last time, here is amazing recipe for the homemade seeded crackers.
This recipe is absolutely for everybody to enjoy, kids or adults, fresh from the oven. They are so tasty that you don’t need any kind of dip on the side. Greek yogurt or glass of milk would be a great idea. They are fabulous with soups too.
I dress up this little treats with sesame, flex, poppy seeds and sea salt.
Filling, four beautiful cheeses: Parmigiano-Reggiano, Whipped Cream cheese, Sharp Cheddar and Smoked Mozzarella.

You will need:

1/2 stick of sweet cream butter
1 cup of organic pastry flour
1/4 cup non-fat sour cream
salt, just a tiny bit
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1/2 cup whipped cream cheese
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar
1/2 cup shredded smoked mozzarella
1 table spoon sesame seeds
1 table spoon flex seeds
1 tea spoon poppy seeds
1 tea spoon sea salt

Using stand mixer with paddle attachment mix butter, cheeses, salt and sour cream. Add flour and continue mixing for few minutes till nice non sticky dough is made.
When done, wrap the dough in plastic wrap and leave it in refrigerator for at least an hour to rest.
Sprinkle working surface with a little flour and form nice ball from the dough.

Then, using your hands, start forming sausage shape from the dough. Place your seeds on the working surface and roll the dough to collect and stick all of the seeds.

Preheat the oven to 350F. Using large cookie sheet pan place the parchment paper and set aside.
With the sharp knife, start cutting the dough making nice bite size cracker shapes.
Arrange them at the prepared baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes.

Then, munch them and enjoy. Great to eat at the home or on the go.

Benefits of the seeds:

Poppy- Poppy seeds act as source for a variety of minerals like iodine, manganese, magnesium, zinc and copper. Poppy seeds are also considered as useful remedies for facilitating effective process of digestion in human body.

Sesame- Sesame seeds help in digestion, stimulate blood circulation and benefit the nervous system. They are good source of iron and zinc. Sesame seeds protect our body from free radicals.

Flex seeds- Flax is high in both soluble and insoluble fiber. One ounce of flax provides 32% of the USDA’s reference daily intake of fiber.The consumption of flaxseed is associated with a reduction in total cholesterol, including the LDL (bad) cholesterol and triglycerides.

Coolest part, crackers are super tasty and homemade:)

Manhattan Beach Farmers Market, Homemade Carrot Soup, Kumquats & Bagel Shop

Tuesday was busy but really nice, pleasant day. Spring break is on, so kids and I decided to visit local Farmers market and take a walk at the ocean boardwalk. We were lucky to meet few wonderful and generous people that day. Afternoon was sweet filled with cooking, tasting and happy eating:)
Manhattan Beach Farmers Market was a real surprise.

This market has vendors who have great selection of produce and products to offer to customers.

Fresh, locally-grown fruits and veggies, flowers, plants, organic produce, dry fruits, nuts, hot and prepared artisan foods.

Every Tuesday rain or shine from 11-4pm.
http://www.mbfarmersmarket.com
At the market I met Secil, helpful lady from Arnett Farms.

For an astonishing 103 years the Arnett Family has been operating one of the best farms in California that specializes in oranges.
Arnett Farms, located in Fresno, grows over 200 different varieties of stone fruits, citrus, and berries, as well as apples and persimmons.
We decided to buy Kumquats, tiny looking like oranges and make something special- Canded Kumquats.
Market offers organic section too where I found lovely red carrots and later made beautiful creamy carrot soup.

On the way back from the market kids needed a little snack so we stop at the local Noah’s Bagel shop.

I am personally big fan of power bagels and new bagelthins.

” Noah’s® is a neighborhood based, deli inspired restaurant that serves a variety of signature sandwiches, fresh baked breads, home-style soups, tempting sweets and our award winning bagels.” As usual kids had toasted Asiago with cream cheese when friendly team member Felton approach us with a hot from the oven Apple cinnamon coffee cake and politely said that it was for us to share.

How sweet and kind! I was really surprised and I asked him if it’s all right if I put few pictures on my blog. He said that he would love that. So there it is, sweet delight, fresh and tasty. Brilliant with cup of coffee. Thank you.
http://www.noahs.com

Candied Kumquats Recipe

- 4 cups roughly chopped kumquats
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup brown sugar
- fresh mint

With a pairing knife roughly chop the kumquats.

Discard any seeds you can that are easy to get too, but they’re edible so don’t worry if some get chopped up or stay in the fruit. Feel free to leave any small kumquats whole. Heat the water and sugar over high heat until it comes to a boil. Simmer for 4 minutes. Add the kumquats and simmer for 20 minutes. Add fresh chopped mint.

Cool at the room temperature before transferring into the glass vacuum seal jar.

Can be stored for up to two weeks in the refrigirator. This recipe is gluten free.
Great addition to the fresh made waffles or any recipe that calls for dry fruits.
Like citrus fruits, kumquats also low in calories. 100 g of fresh fruit provide only 71 calories. Nevertheless, they are incredibly rich sources of health benefiting dietary fiber, minerals, vitamins and pigment anti-oxidants that contribute immensely to our health and wellness.

Cream of Carrots Soup

Makes 4 cups

Ingredients

1 bunch of fresh red and orange carrots
1 pear
1 red onion, broiled
Italian parsley
sea salt, for taste
freshly ground pepper corns for the taste
1/2 cup non fat sour cream, gluten free
1 cup broth (from cooked carrots)

Wash and cut carrots, coarse ends.
Peal the onion and put it in the broiler till grilled texture is visible and aroma fill in the kitchen:)
Using medium sauce pan add: carrots, pear, onion, pepper and little salt.

Boil for 30 minutes.
Using blender pour the ingredients slowly, add sour cream, season with salt and pepper.

Blend on medium, gradually adding broth till desired consistency.
Serve warm with homemade crackers.

Carrot soup recipe is also gluten free.
I was on the roll that day and really in the mood to prepare and cook lovely things so I also made beautiful homemade crackers. Recipe and more at the next post:)

Carrots do stand out for their higher fiber content, so if you’re looking to increase your daily intake up higher, that’s the first big benefit that they will offer. Carrots are also very well known for their Vitamin C content, but that’s not all they’ll provide. They are also a rich source of Vitamin B6, Folate, Pantothenic acid, iron, potassium, as well as copper.
Much higher than their vitamin C content, carrots are finally an extremely good source of Vitamin A with a hundred grams supplying you with 276% of your total daily value.

Soup of the Day- French Onion

Whenever we visit restaurants and there is a good and recommended French onion soup on the menu, I am willing to try it out. My kids are a big fans of this particular soup, so yesterday they gave me a challenge to try to make my own French onion soup. I have to add that kids were very excited and helpful at the same time. They were waiting by the the broiler drawer to finish it’s work and couldn’t wait to see the result. Off course I accepted the soup challenge, how can I refuse right? Result is, amazing soup. I think the best description was that during the lunch time everybody was busy with spoon and bowl thing, slurping and smiling and the only sound you could hear was “Mmmm”!!
Best thing is, my dear family was very happy and super satisfied with this wonderful dish.

French Onion Soup
Serves 4

Ingredients:

– 2 large sweet onions, cut into ribbons
– 2 cans organic low sodium chicken broth
– 4 dry bay leaves
– sea salt, to taste
– 4 garlic cloves, grated
– fresh ground black pepper, to taste
– 1 teaspoon brown sugar
– 4 slices crusty whole wheat artisan bread
– 4 slices reduced fat mozzarella cheese
– 1 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Directions

Using big pot, drizzle the extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and stir until tender for about 20 minutes. Add bay leaves, garlic, salt and pepper and sugar. It will help with caramelization process, for minute or two. Then add chicken stock plus 2 cups of water. Simmer for 30 minutes.
Heat the oven broiler.
On the bottom of every bowl place the piece of bread on the bottom. Ladle soup into oven safe serving bowls and top every bowl with slice of mozzarella cheese. Broil the soup bowls in the preheated oven until cheese bubbles and browns slightly.
Serve right away, enjoy eating every bite with the spoon and the fork.
Can’t wait to make it again:)

When cooking I am always trying to make meals that are low in fat and healthy as possible. This time I cut on fat, and used chicken instead of beef broth.
Onions contain as many as 150 phytochemicals. The flavonoid quercetin, an antioxidant (phytochemical) found in onions, helps eliminate free radicals in the body, inhibits low-density lipoprotein oxidation, protects and regenerates vitamin E, and helps to circumvent the harmful effects of heavy metal ions.

Onion

Strawberry Crepes, Lovely Dessert

Every time after nice lunch, I crave something sweet. Usually, it is too late in a day to start preparing and making decadent treat or cake, so crepes are wonderful quick & light dessert.
My mom taught me how to make French crepes when I was just a little girl and she is truly an crepe expert. I remember sound of bubbling crapes on the hot pan and wonderful aroma throughout the kitchen. Recently she told me that she loves mine better because they are extra thin:)

Makes 10 medium crapes

Ingredients

– 1 cup all-purpose flour
– 1/4 teaspoon brown sugar
– 1/4 teaspoon salt
– 2 eggs
– 1 cup cold milk
– 1 cup warm water
– 1 teaspoon organic vanilla sugar

Directions

Sift together flour, sugar and salt, set aside. In a large bowl, beat eggs, water and milk together with an electric mixer. Beat in flour mixture until smooth without flour crumbs.
Heat a lightly oiled medium size non stick frying pan over medium high heat. Scoop the batter onto the pan, using approximately 2 tablespoons for each crepe.
Tip and rotate pan to spread batter as thinly as possible. Brown on both sides and serve hot.
Lately I started to make my own jam. Blueberries and strawberries are fantastic when made into jam and you know exactly what is inside. Fresh fruit, little sugar, touch of honey and patience for the right moment for the jam to be done, cooled and used in wonderful crepes.
Dust the crepes with powder sugar and serve with fresh fruit on the side.
Enjoy!