Ad Hoc

No pictures of the cheese course or dessert because I didn't get to it before it was gone...

Last weekend, my husband and I took a quick (birthday!) trip to Napa. We loved the road trip, wine tasting, and relaxation. But the REAL reason for the excursion was to have dinner at Thomas Keller's At Hoc, one of California's best restaurants. The casual atmosphere is perfect for a post- wine tasting date or group dinner. And every bite we took was full of fresh, balanced flavors, making it impossible to pick a favorite course. Check out our fabulous meal, and keep in mind that the menu changes daily (making it even more tempting to go back again and again!)

 

Gourmet Deviled Eggs

These deviled eggs are an easy, make-ahead fix.  The feta, lemon, and herbs are a surprising, crowd-pleasing twist. I made them a night ahead of a breakfast potluck and stored them in the refrigerator in a muffin tin with a lid (a favorite storage vessel for many traveling treats!). 

The Nutrition Rundown: A great brunch dish or party appetizer! With so many carb-heavy dishes at a potluck, the filling protein and fat content are perfect to balance a buffet and leave you satisfied without tons of calories. 

Greek-Style Deviled Eggs

Makes 24 halves (12 servings)

Ingredients 

12 eggs, hard-boiled, shells removed and sliced in half lengthwise

¼ cup mayonnaise

¼ cup Dijon mustard

2 oz feta cheese (about ½ cup crumbled)

2-3 Tbs red wine vinegar

Zest of 1 lemon, grated

2 Tbs fresh basil, minced

1 Tbs fresh oregano, minced

1 tsp pepper (or to taste)

¼ tsp salt

  

Directions

1.  Gently remove yolks from egg whites. Place yolks in large mixing bowl and set egg whites aside. Mash yolks.
2. Mix mayonnaise, mustard, feta, vinegar, lemon zest, basil, pepper and salt into yolks until well combined and smooth.
3. Spoon yolk mixture into egg whites. Serve cold. (If made ahead, eggs may be stored overnight in refrigerator before serving). 

Roasted Peppers

Oven-roasted bell peppers couldn't be easier! Packed with vitamin c and low cal, they're a great addtion to salads, pasta dishes, or served cold as appetizers.

Roasted Bell Peppers

Ingredients
1 bell pepper (any color)
1 teaspoon olive oil

Directions

1.  Set oven to broil. 
2.  Brush pepper(s) with olive oil. Set on cookie sheet, and place cookie sheet on top oven rack, nearest broiler. 
3. Broil ~5-10 minutes, then turn peppers. Skin should be blackened on one side. Repeat until skins are blackened all around pepper. 
4. Take pepper(s) out of oven. Once cooled, gently remove stems and skins. Cut pepper in half lengthwise and remove the pith and seeds. Slice and add to dish or serve. 

Rosemary Berry Biscuits

These biscuits take less than 30 minutes to make and are a great addition to dinner. I served them with White Chicken Chili; they'd also be great alongside a big salad, or with a veggie egg white omelette. 

The Nutrition Rundown: At 200 calories each and made with real butter, these biscuits are a delicious, hearty starch, best served alongside a vegetable-rich, low-fat dish for nutritional balance. 

Rosemary Berry Biscuits

Makes 10 Biscuits

Adapted from KitchenAid Baking Basics

Ingredients

2 cups whole wheat flour

2 Tbs sugar

4 tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

1 Tbs chopped fresh rosemary

½ cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into pieces

1 cup skim milk

½ cup dried mixed berries, chopped

Directions

1.   Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. In bowl of electric standing mixer with paddle attachment, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and rosemary. With mixer on low, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
3. Stir in ¾ cup of the milk. Add remaining ¼ cup as needed to form sticky batter. Stir in dried berries.
4.  Move dough onto lightly floured surface. Pat into 1” thickness. Cut into circles using biscuit cutter (or the top of a glass).
5. Place biscuits 1” apart on ungreased baking sheet. Bake until golden brown, ~15 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

Hike Heaton Flats Trail

Last weekend, three of us hiked Heaton Flats Trail in Angeles National Forest, just north of Los Angeles (about an hour away from West Hollywood without traffic). This 6-mile hike is a steady elevation climb, offering great views and a great leg-burn. From the same trailhead, there are also 3.6 mile and 15 mile options depending on how adventurous you're feeling. This hike is well worth the trip! Check here for a more thorough terrain description and directions.   

Free Spinning App

I recently discovered an amazing, free iPhone app by Global Fitness Apps: Global Cycle Coach. Though no workout compares to the vigor of a live spin class, this app makes excuses to miss a great spin session null and void. The app is free, and you are free to spin whenever your schedule permits.
Here's how the app works:

• Pick a coach. From beginning to advanced, there are great descriptions to help you choose. 
• Buy a class from the coach you selected. Each 40 minute class costs about $0.99, and once you've purchased the class, you own it! You can do that same workout as much as you'd like. 
• Select the music. Choose either your coach's or use your own iTunes to pick songs (I'm currently working on a new spinning playlist, and you can always give this one a try). 
• Get moving! 

Fresh Pick of the Week: Parsnips

Parsnips are at their best now through March. They grow in chilly weather, so you can find them locally in most parts of the country. Just one 9" parsnip gives you one third of your daily vitamin C to help boost immunity, one fourth of your daily folate to help reduce heart-disease risk, and 6 grams of fiber to keep you full and regular. Enjoy them in soups, pureed, or roasted like the recipe below!

Roasted Parsnip Oven Fries

Serves 4

Ingredients
10 parsnips
2 Tbs olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. 
2. Wash parsnips and trim ends. Create equally-sized parsnip wedges: cut parsnips in 2 pieces, separating larger portion from the thin end; quarter or half the larger ends lengthwide to create wedges; leave thin ends intact or cut lengthwise in half.
3. In large bowl, toss parsnips in olive oil and spices. Spread evenly onto cookie sheet. Bake for ~20 minutes, turning halfway through. 

Butternut Squash Soup

This soup is a great starter or side dish to your meal. I recommend making it a meal alongside a delicious salad (like kale, red pepper, goat cheese, and almonds).  It also freezes well, stored in an airtight container, for up to 2 weeks to make a quick, reheat meal. 

Butternut Squash Soup

Serves 6

Ingredients

½ stick unsalted butter

1 medium yellow onion, diced

1 tsp salt

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed

1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and cubed

1 Tbs curry powder

2 tsp all-spice powder

2 Tbs fresh thyme leaves

1 Tbs fresh rosemary, chopped

6 cups low sodium vegetable stock

Directions

1. Melt butter in large pot. Add onion and cook until translucent.  
2. Add butternut squash, apple and remaining herbs and spices to pot. Stir and cook about 5 minutes.
3. Pour vegetable stock into pot. Bring to boil then reduce heat to simmer. Cover with lid. Simmer until squash is soft, about 10-15 minutes. Turn off heat.
4. Puree using either emersion blender or standing blender. Heat soup before serving. ***If using a standing blender, first allow soup to cool COMPLETELY or you will have hot soup all over. Add cooled soup in small batches to puree and return to pot to warm before serving.***
5. Serve with dollop of sour cream and sprinkle of fresh thyme (optional). 

Fresh Pick of the Week: Butternut Squash

Check out this picture's home here

This winter squash gets darker orange in color and sweeter as it ripens in the cold winter weather. You can roast, steam, or puree it for the perfect starch with your meal. That rich orange color is from the beta-carotene (vitamin A), an antioxidant to help build up immunity, which we all need especially this time of year. Butternut squash makes a great starch for your meal if you're trying to cut calories: 1 cup has about 60 calories versus potatoes which have over twice that.

Holiday Shortbread Cookies

It's a cookie-filled time of the year. These shortbread bites are full of all the pepperminty, chocolatey, sweet and salty goodness I crave from a Christmas cookie.

The Nutrition Rundown: These buttery treats made with whole wheat flour and antioxidant-rich dark chocolate are best enjoyed in petite portions to prevent overindulgence. Cut small and individually wrap a couple for each of your friends.

Holiday Shortbread

Ingredients

2 sticks butter

¼ cup granulated sugar

½ cup confectioners’ sugar

2 cups flour

1 tsp salt

 9-12 oz bittersweet chocolate

4 candy canes, broken up

1. Beat 2 sticks butter, 1/4 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar until fluffy. Whisk 2 cups flour and 1 teaspoon salt, then stir into the butter mixture. 
2. Press into a buttered 8-inch square pan. Chill 30 minutes. Bake 35-40 minutes at 300 degrees. Leave in pan to cool.
3. Once shortbread is baked and cooled, melt chocolate over double boiler on stove. Spread on shortbread and sprinkle crumbled candy canes on top. 
4. Allow to cool 1 hour before serving. Cut into small squares or pieces.