Cocktail Friday: Japanese Bloody Mary

I started planting some seeds yesterday. San Marzano tomatoes, basil, bibb lettuce, chard, kale and radishes, to be exact. Last year, though my intentions were good, I had to buy starter plants for every single thing we grew. The reason, you ask? Our beautiful, obnoxious, and far too curious black lab decided to tear up my seed trays last spring. Twice. So I eventually gave up and decided seeds were not in the cards for us just yet. I planted 28 tomato plants. No, I don't know where they will all go just yet. I think I'll cross that bridge when I come to it since there's no guarantee all the seeds will become actual plants. Some will go to better homes but I hope to have several to keep to myself so I can make lots of sauce and can it. I'm not going to get too excited just yet. While I don't think my thumb is black, it is not bright green. Gardening does not come easily to me and I've had quite a few mishaps. Baby steps, right?

Not only is it the season for gardening, we are heading into prime brunch season. Mimosas, Bloody Marys, various cheesy, hot sauce speckled, buttery egg dishes, bacon, and cinnamon rolls galore. Oh...healthy things too. None are coming to mind though.

I first made a version of these Japanese Bloody Marys in 2009. We were in Tokyo, Japan and had survived our first 6 months living a world away from all the things we knew and all the people we loved. Fortunately, we had quickly developed a Tokyo 'family' with whom we celebrated Easter. We spent the day on the banks of the Tamagawa, a river not far from the school where we all taught. We grilled, drank, laughed, and got minor sunburns. It was a fantastic day.

I've taken the recipe I used that day and fixed it up a bit. I added spicy shichimi togarashi, a blend of red pepper flakes commonly used in Japan, along with some wasabi for a horseradish-like bite, and salty-sweet soy sauce in place of worcestershire sauce. The result is a perfectly balanced Bloody Mary that has hints of its classic counterpart but adds a nice change to the world of Bloody Mary creations.

Cheers to Friday and brunch and gardening and Spring!

Japanese-Inspired Bloody Mary

Ingredients

• 2 cups tomato juice, low sodium
• 1 1/2 teaspoons wasabi paste
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon shichimi togarashi
• 2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 5 oz vodka or gin
• celery salt
• Garnishes
• celery stalks
• thick cut applewood smoked bacon, cooked
• lemon wedges

Instructions

1. Put some celery salt on a plate. Using a lemon wedge, line the rims of two tall glasses. Gently dip the rims in the celery salt before filling each glass with ice.
2. In a large glass measuring pitcher, combine the wasabi paste, soy sauce, shichimi togarashi and lemon juice. Whisk until combined.
3. Pour the tomato juice over the wasabi mixture and stir to combine.
4. Put 1 1/2 oz of vodka in each ice-filled glass. Top with the tomato juice mixture and garnish with celery, bacon and lemon.

Peanut Butter & Date "Jelly" Bulgur Wheat

Some of you may remember that I decided to Go Sugar Free in 2014. A lot of you expressed how crazy I am. After all, how could anyone give up something as wonderful as sugar? Well, here's the deal: I am not giving it up entirely. I'm taking a course that teaches me what sugar and other foods do to my body and how to overcome cravings that won't actually make me feel better but will make me feel worse. It hasn't been as hard as I originally anticipated. I thought for sure I would be hiding in the closet with a freshly baked batch of cookies and a jug of milk. No one would ever know. But instead, I find myself focusing my energy on developing easy recipes that are added sugar free.

Breakfast is a tricky time for me because I love to have a simple piece of toast slathered with jam. Raspberry jam, to be exact. It's not like I'll never have that again, but I'm doing my best to find something I like even more. As I searched for recipes with no added sugar, I found that many people use dates. Dates are one of those things that I frequently forget about, which is unfortunate seeing as how they taste like delicious soft caramels. So I went to a big box store (don't judge) and bought a massive container of Medjool dates. I went home and cut one open. As I took my first bite (after removing the pecan shaped pit from the center, of course) I was struck by the smooth texture and nutty sweetness. I knew right then and there that I had found an ingredients that could take me to new realms of freedom from sugar.

For this bulgur wheat, based on a Cooking Light recipe that I fell in love with a couple weeks ago, I chopped the dates very finely and added them to the wheat along with some natural, unsweetened peanut butter. It was absolutely delicious. The flavors came together beautifully, creating a PB & J bowl of wonderfulness.

If you've never used bulgur wheat, you should start now. It has a wonderful flavor and all the work is done in the fridge while you sleep. One minute of microwaving in the morning and you have a healthy, easy, delicious breakfast ready to go. AND THERE IS ZERO SUGAR. You're welcome.

Peanut Butter & Date "Jelly" Bulgur Wheat

Serves 2-3

Ingredients

• 1 cup bulgur wheat
• 3 cups low-fat milk or unsweetened almond milk
• 1 tablespoon natural, unsweetened peanut butter
• 1 large date, pitted and finely chopped
• Extra milk (optional)

Instructions

1. Put the bulgur wheat in a large bowl.
2. Add the milk, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.
3. In the morning, fluff the bulgur with a fork.
4. Scoop 3/4 cup bulgur into a microwave safe bowl along with the peanut butter.
5. Microwave for 1 minute.
6. Stir in the dates and top with additional milk if desired.

Go Sugar Free in 2014

I'm not up for making a long list of resolutions this year. It may be helpful for some, but for me it almost promises absolute failure. Instead, I am simply hoping that each day brings the opportunity to make my life a healthier one. That said, I am not above seeking a little help in achieving a healthier mind, body and spirit. Therefore, starting January 1, 2014, I will be participating in the winter Go Sugar Free course with Jacqueline Smith.

Working as a recipe developer and food blogger, I find it exceedingly difficult at times to keep tabs on my diet. Sure, we eat healthy meals, but constantly tasting food throughout the day can sometimes derail my best efforts. Participating in a class, something structured and educational, is exactly what I need to get me going on the right foot in 2014.

Kale & Asiago Frittata | Set the Table

And I have some exciting news! If you are feeling like you need to change your eating habits to sleep better, think more clearly, lose a few inches from the middle area of your body, and generally feel more whole, this class is open for enrollment through January 5! Click here if you are interested in reading more about Go Sugar Free and wish to sign up. It is a 10 week course that I'd love to go through with you! I'll be sharing recipes on Set the Table that will be delicious and sugar free. Jacqueline also has a collection of delicious meals, like thisPasta Bake, to help make the transition to sugar free even easier.

Pasta Bake

I know Jacqueline personally and can say with complete confidence that you will be immediately struck by her genuine desire to work with you and give you the motivation you need. She is an inspiring woman who is a great example of the "glow" a sugar free life can give you inside and out.

I hope you'll consider registering for her winter course! If you have any questions about the course, please leave them in the comment section below and either Jacqueline or myself will be sure to answer them.

And don't worry- I won't leave you recipeless (totally a word) at the close of 2013. Here is a perfect breakfast recipe for the morning after; the first morning of 2014 can start off fresh and healthy while also curing what ails you after holiday celebrations. Healthy kale, protein-rich eggs, and salty Asiago make for a deliciously easy breakfast, brunch, or even and easy dinner.

Kale & Asiago Frittata Recipe | Set the Table

So, here's to a healthier, happier year!

Click here to register for the 10 week course or to learn more about Go Sugar Free.

*The links provided in this post are affiliate links.

Kale & Asiago Frittata

Total Time: 35 minutes

Yield: 6-8 Servings

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 8 large eggs
• 1 bunch dinosaur kale, roughly chopped
• 1 small yellow onion, roughly chopped
• 1/3 cup shredded Asiago cheese
• salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a 10 inch skillet over medium-high heat. (Make sure your pan is oven-safe.)
2. Add the onions and kale to the skillet and season lightly with salt and pepper.
3. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are translucent and the kale has wilted slightly, about 3 minutes.
4. While the vegetables are cooking, whisk the eggs in a large bowl.
5. Pour the eggs into the skillet, right over the cooked kale and onion.
6. Allow the eggs to cook until they are just set on the bottom. As the eggs cook, use a rubber (heat-proof) spatula to separate the eggs from the edge of the skillet every once in a while.
7. Once the eggs are set on the bottom, start using the spatula to make a gap between the eggs and the skillet. Tilt the skillet so the runny eggs on top run to the bottom of the pan. Continue doing this until there is no longer a substantial amount of runny eggs on the top. The top will still appear wet.
8. Sprinkle the top of the frittata with the Asiago cheese and place under the broiler. Cook until the cheese has melted and starts to turn golden brown in spots.
9. Slice the fritata and serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

Feel free to get creative with the kinds of cheese and veggies you put in your frittata. This is a great way to use leftover meat as well!

2013: The Year in Recipes

Just the other day, I was thinking about how my view of the 21st century differed from what it actually became. I was convinced that we would all be wearing space suits and eating food similar to what astronauts consume on their space ships. Logical, right? The best part is that I was sure of these things in 1995, giving the world only 5 short years to get its act together and make these things happen.

I'm happy to report that I was completely wrong.

A lot happened this year. I turned 30; that was pretty big. I started Set the Table; that was awesome. A lot of other good things happened. Some sad things happened. All of them made me a very different person from what I was at the start of 2013 and I am grateful for that.

Another thing I am endlessly grateful for is the support and love you all have shown me through reading my posts, trying my recipes, and generally appreciating the work that goes into this blog. It's been absolutely wonderful in so many ways. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

To celebrate this past year, I wanted to share the top recipes from Set the Table. You people sure do love your cocktails! But thankfully there is also some food in there. You know, to even things out.

Cheesy Spaghetti Squash with Chorizo

Bourbon Apple Cider

Perfect Roast Chicken

Butternut Squash + Coconut Soup

Riley's Kale + Pineapple Smoothie

Pineapple + Honey Margarita

No Rise Cinnamon Rolls

Basil Gin Fizz

Spring Fling

Cheers to you all, friends! And Happy  New Year!

Homemade Potato Lefse

Last week, Riley and I drove up to Evergreen. It's about a half hour drive from our house and on this particular day, it was absolutely gorgeous. The snow that had fallen earlier in the week was still coating every rock and tree in the mountains, making me catch my breath at every turn. My favorite part of the drive was seeing the stream that runs along with road, which is usually bubbling merrily on it's way regardless of the season, frozen over in most places. The few spots with visible running water added to the enchantment of the scene thanks to steam that slowly rose into the air. And did I mention that the sun was shining and the sky was a bright, vibrant blue? Well, it was. And it was magnificent.

I wasn't able to find a good place to stop and get a photo, so I hope my description helps you imagine what it looked like. It was glorious.

Here's a little taste of what life has been like for the past week...

The reason we went to Evergreen was to make lefse with a new friend of ours. She is a fellow Minnesota transplant and one of her family traditions is to make lefse at Christmas time. If you're not familiar, lefse is a Norwegian flatbread made with potatoes, flour and milk or cream. The dough is made into golf-ball size rounds, then rolled very thinly and placed on a griddle where it gently cooks until brown spots are visible. The end result looks very similar to a tortilla but the texture is much more tender and delicate.

There are other versions made without potato, though I don't recall having tasted that kind before. I do recall Christmases as a kid when my uncle's parents would bring homemade lefse as their contribution to the holiday buffet. It was always folded neatly in triangles that were filled with creamy butter and nutty, sweet brown sugar. There is almost nothing in this world better than that combination.

This was my first experience making lefse and I was pleased to find it is not difficult at all. It does take a little practice finding the right consistency for the dough (my friend Andrea fortunately has lots of experience with this). It helps to do a test run with one or two balls of dough that have been rolled out to see if the dough needs more flour. If the dough seems exceptionally sticky as you're rolling it out, you may want to add a bit more before forming the rest of the balls.

I loved using the traditional equipment to make the lefse, but I'm sure you could do it without a lefse stick or traditional griddle. (If you are interested in buying the traditional gear, click here.)

It took some trial and error experiences for us, but in the end we came out with a nice batch of beautiful, delicious lefse to have at home. Despite the fact that this is the most simple and comforting snack on the planet, Riley didn't quite warm up to giving them a taste.

Someday he will appreciate them, I'm sure.

I'm hoping this will become a new tradition for us. It was such a blast chatting about lutefisk, lefse, and other Minnesota oddities with someone from the motherland. Thanks, Andrea, for introducing me to the art of lefse-making!

I don't have my own personal recipe for lefse, but click here for a great one posted by The Kitchn.