Who needs gluten or meat when there is quinoa? I was introduced to quinoa less than a year ago, but it's already become a staple in my kitchen. Although I have all the varieties in my pantry, I prefer the soft and fluffy white quinoa. Lucky for me, it's something like $2.37/lb at the Coop. For that price, I will endure all the general ridiculousness that comes with being a working member.
Because of the sweltering weather and lack of air conditioning in my apartment, I have been trying to minimize my use of the oven and stove. So, this means that I have been experimenting with salads, cold soups, and frozen desserts. As much as I love eating this quinoa tabbouleh, I needed to branch out and try something new. One of my favorite cooking blogs, Closet Cooking had a great recipe for a Tex-Mex quinoa salad with mango and black beans, and it's a perfect choice for Meatless Monday.
July 19, 2010
Meatless Monday: Mango and Black Bean Quinoa Salad
July 15, 2010
Candy Claws - Glasslands Gallery 07.14.10
Glasslands Gallery must be one of the hottest venues right now. Seriously, the place doesn't have any air conditioning. I'm used to living without A/C, but those who aren't should mentally prepare themselves before entering. A sweltering room isn't ideal for most acts, but I felt like it worked for Candy Claws. The heat-induced delirium almost seemed like an intentional addition to their hazy musical dreamscapes.
July 9, 2010
Thai Turkey Larb Salad
After I graduated from college, I embarked on a month-long backpacking trip in Southeast Asia. Of our destinations, Thailand was the clear winner for best food. I love spicy, bold flavors, and I constantly tested my spice tolerance during this trip, to my stomach's detriment. Although I like food to be so spicy that I can't think straight, native Thai spicy was a little too much for me. Anyway, one of my favorite eating experiences was on Phi Phi Island, a true paradise. At a local dive, we ordered a spicy chicken salad that was out of this world. It was based on a traditional larb salad, and it had a surprising addition of raw cashew nuts that mellowed out some of the spiciness and tanginess. I regret that I didn't keep a food diary on this trip, because I would really like to attempt to recreate this dish. I guess I will just have to go back to Ko Phi Phi.
Alas, recalling this tasty revelation gave me a craving for larb salad. To make the dish healthier, I decided to use ground turkey instead of chicken. I created this recipe through extensive Googling and some intuition, and it's still a work-in-process. But, I was satisfied with the first attempt.
July 6, 2010
Beirut - MHOW 07.05.10
It's been a long time since I've wanted to blog after coming home from a show, but Beirut tends to have that effect on me. It's no secret that Beirut is one of my favorite bands, and it's really been too long since I had seen them live. When I read that they were playing a special show with box office-only tickets ($10!), I knew what I had to do. I knew that I would be waking up early on a Saturday morning and camping out at the Music Hall of Williamsburg box office in the summer heat.
July 5, 2010
Meatless Monday: Watermelon Gazpacho
Through a recent experiment with classic gazpacho, I learned that I am not into eating tomato-based ones. It kind of feels and tastes like I'm drinking a salad. But, watermelon gazpachos are a different story. I tried making one last summer, and I fell in love. eating s/f's recipe is a refreshing dish for a summer picnic, and it has a rather complex flavor profile. It's sweet, tart, spicy, and all around amazing. I would recommend that you start off with half a jalapeno, and add more to taste. The jalapeno that I was used was particularly spicy, and I ended up having to add more of the other ingredients to tone it down. Also, I still don't have an immersion blender, so I used a food processor instead. If you're using a small food processor and need to blend in batches, I recommend that you keep the mint, pepper, and green onions in separate bowls. It'll be easier to equally disperse the ingredients and taste along the way. Out of laziness, I omitted the garnish, but it does make for a much prettier presentation.
July 2, 2010
The Wrong Coast
I hate to say it, but I'm starting to think that I'm on the wrong coast. While sweltering weather is forecasted for NYC once again, the weather is absolutely gorgeous in San Francisco and Los Angeles. And, it seems like all my favorite Summer 2K10 jams are by Californian musicians. Could this be a sign? Should I pack up my bags and head west?
