la tarte au riz - Belgian rice tart

I don't know if it's the cold weather or what, but I'm really craving for Belgian dishes these days. Sweet in particular. Of course. La "tarte au riz" is a traditional Belgian tart with a yeasted crust and a rice custard filling. Not particularly "light". Of course. But delicious.

matcha almond white chocolate muffins

+ Matcha. I love matcha. I love matcha tea and matcha latte. I love matcha cream puffs from Sakura Cakes. I love matcha mochi from Shuei-Do Manju shop. I love the matcha langues de chats and the matcha gaufrettes my husband buys during business trips in Japan. Oh, ... and I'm totally addicted to matcha ice cream.

+ Almonds. I love almonds. [Especially toasted]. I love almond milk. [Especially homemade].

+ White chocolate. I love white chocolate. [Especially combined with matcha]. [Especially combined with matcha and almonds]. 

+ Muffins. I love muffins. Every kind. Savory. Sweet. [But especially sweet!]. 

persimmon galette

Everybody gives me persimmons these days. Great! Thanks! I love persimmons. I usually eat them raw, as they are, or in salads. It's the first time I bake them. I followed my favorite fruit galette recipe [this one]. I divided the dough by 4 to make 4 mini galettes. I added 2 medium persimmons thinly sliced/galette, topped with cinnamon & agave syrup. Simple and delicious.

almond milk + almond cookies

The store-bought almond milk is often composed of a long list of atypical ingredients. No, thanks! Not for me! So I made my own fresh almond milk with just almonds + water. Yes, you will only need 2 ingredients and will even end up with some almond meal leftovers, which you can turn into some almond cookies. No waste, please!

homemade fromage blanc

The other day, I had a craving for a kind of cheese i used to eat in Belgium, called "fromage blanc", "maquee", or "platte kass". I couldn't find the equivalent here in California, so I decided to make it, especially when I discovered how easy it was. After, I found out that the name in English is fresh cheese or farmer cheese and that some specialty stores carry it. But knowing how easy it is to make, I don't think I will ever feel the need to buy it. Jugez plutot!

angel food cake

A classic American cake. My favorite.

purple cabbage, persimmon, & pomegranate salad + a honey lemon dressing

Seasonal.

sundried tomato basil hemp seed pâté

I'd like to share my lunch with you today. I really enjoyed it: french baguette + sundried tomato basil hemp seed pâté + chioga beet [cooked] + kale [raw]. The other day, instead of the beet, I put some soaked sundried tomatoes. Make your own combination.

pumpkin cinnamon rolls

A twist on the original: + pumpkin, - sugar, and 0 icing. To compensate the Halloween candy madness. Here in French (the recipe I followed - no icing) and here in English (slightly different, with icing).

white bean spread

A nice after school snack. Perfect paired with a fresh green C monster juice or whathever fresh juice you like. Other kids friendly spreads here or here or here.

green C monster juice

I got a juicer! Can you see, smell, and taste the carrots, spinach, beet, oranges, and ginger? Such a delight.

chocolate and plum almond cake

Chocolate + plums: an unusual combination. By Beatrice Peltre. La Tartine Gourmande.

yogurt fig cake

This is again a surprising recipe. It calls for ingredients such as eggs, sugar, Greek yogurt, lemon zest&juice, orange blossom water, and figs. Only 3 tbs of flour are necessary and there is no need for butter or oil. The recipe attracted me and the ending result totally convinced me. To give you an idea, this cake stands somewhere between the Japanese cheesecake and the flan breton. If you're happy enough to still find some fresh figs, you should give this recipe a try. Right away. Do not wait.

moelleux vanilles au (poti)marron

Last time, i wrote about making a dessert with the chestnut puree leftovers. Ta daaaa! Here it is. I don't know how to translate "moelleux vanilles au (poti)marron" in English. The main reason is that the word "potimarron" (kabosha squash in English) contains the word "marron" (chesnut) which makes it easier in French to name a dessert made with kabosha squash AND chestnut. That being said, I don't know how to translate "moelleux" either.... Anyway, this recipe is great, not only because it's quick&easy, not only because it's delicate&surprising, but also because it's 100%  healthy. And my daughters loved it!

chesnut butternut squash soup

I've never baked/pureed chestnuts before. I won't lie telling you it's the easiest and most pleasant thing to do. It isn't. However, it's a really nice addition to my usual butternut squash soup. It's well worth it. And the good news is I did not use all the chestnut puree I made... What could I do with the leftovers? A dessert maybe? Stay tuned.

healthier banana bread

Healthier. Not healthy. Because it's still a dessert, isn't it? But this banana bread is partially made of whole wheat flour, olive oil, yogurt, and dark brown sugar which make it .... healthier, right? 

herbs+ricotta stuffed cherry peppers

I bought these cute little peppers at my usual Sunday farmers market without knowing neither how they are called nor what to do with them. I had some homemade ricotta leftovers so I decided to use it as a stuffing together with fried onion, chopped herbs from my backyard (parsley, basil, sage, rosemary, thyme), and salt/pepper. I baked them in a preheated oven at 400F for 20 minutes or so. DE-LI-CIOUS!

raspberry, lime, & coconut milk cream

Raspberry, lime, and coconut milk cream, from Beatrice Peltre, La Tartine Gourmande, Recipes for an Inspired Life. See this blog for the entire recipe. Ideal dessert to make at the last minute because it's super quick and super easy. The first time, I tried the recipe as it is. The second time, I replaced the coconut milk by regular milk, and the lime by a Meyer lemon. It was equally good. To me, it's more a clafoutis than a cream. But it's delicious. So who cares, really?

peaches with chocolate/amaretti filling

It has been a while.... Sorry. But here I am again. As usual after a summer vacation in Europe, I come up with a truly Italian recipe. So simple, delicious, and addicting. I can't stop making it. Peach season is almost over. So hurry up!

healthy nut snack

Another great recipe from Beatrice Peltre {la tartine gourmande}. Not received her new cookbook yet. Nor for my birthday. Nor for Valentine's day. I still have some hopes. It's almost mother's day.

happy easter pasta dish

A simple pasta dish I'm in love with: Spaghetti  + pea pesto* + 1 poached egg. 

Serve with some fresh peas, toasted pine nuts and Parmesan. 

Happy Easter.

sesame almond brown rice balls

When I first read Heidi Swanson's post, I knew these rice balls would soon become a favorite of my daughters' lunch boxes. I was right. 

purple kale chips

I was skeptical. I shouldn't have been.

baked rhubarb/raspberry bliss

It's not pouring anymore. But the sky is grey... (... comme dans la chanson). I need something sweet and spring(ish).

cocoa/hazelnut/banana muffins

It's pouring. I need chocolate. 

cream of {purple} cauliflower soup

"An understated soup, Alice Waters' style, where not even the stock interferes with the taste of the cauliflower", from Living and eating, by John Pawson and Annie Bell. 

riz-au-lait {golden rice custard}

Believe it or not, it's actually the first time I succeed in the making of riz au lait. I'm not kidding. In the past, I tried several recipes, but the final result was either undercooked or burned. The cooking process was also very painful: infinite minutes stuck to the stove, milk all over the place, burned pans good for the trash... The following recipe is simply miraculous!

spring vegetable timbale

Kind of a huge frittata. Without the delicate (and too often messy!) flipping-over part!

ideas?

Lots of great veggies in my CSA box this week. I already made a winter minestrone using part of the carrots, leeks, collard greens, rutabaga, .... I made a cauliflower and sesame tart, a kale pesto, a salad with roasted beets and fennel. What should I do with the fresh garlic and the green cabbage? Any idea?

wheat berry salad + roasted beets, kale, toasted walnuts & Meyer lemon dressing

It is about time to post a healthy salad after all the desserts i've posted lately!

pecan nut rolls

Remember the Tassajara cinnamon rolls posted on table.etc nearly 2 years ago? So good, huh? If you liked them, you will love these pecan nut rolls too. All you have to do is this:

1. use the same recipe as the cinnamon rolls, but add some nuts to the filling; 

2. opt for a slightly different shape,  by putting the rolls in 2 buttered/sugared pans 8 inches square, instead of lining them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Et voila', le tour est joue'!

ciambellone al limone di Luciana

My in-laws know that I am a lemony-ish person. So they thought of me when a friend offered them this "ciambellone al limone". They asked her the recipe and sent it to me. How cute! The term "ciambellone" refers to the shape of the cake (a big donut). Its texture is somewhere in between a cake and an angel cake. Anyway, the "ciambellone di Luciana" was well appreciated by the lemony-ish person and by all the other members of her family.

Thanks beloved in-laws for being so thoughtful & Thanks Luciana for sharing your  awesome recipe. (Grazie Cesare&Luciana per essere cosi' gentili & Grazie Luciana per la tua ottima ricetta)

hazelnut + carrot cupcakes

 

The last time I talked about Beatrice Peltre (author of the bog La Tartine Gourmande), it was on January 23th. Back then, I mentioned the fact that it was almost my birthday, hoping somebody would understand and offer me her new cookbook. Obviously my hint was not clear enough, because I did not receive it! So I'm giving it another try. After all, today it's Valentine's day, isn't it?

pomegranate banana smoothie

For the taste. For the texture. For the color. Blend together 1/2 cup plain yogurt + the juice of 1 big ripe pomegranate + juice of 1 orange + 1/2 banana, previously sliced and frozen. 

tiny butternut squash + some leftovers...

I love leftovers. They allow you to make delicious (and pretty!) dishes in a very small amount of time. They  also allow you to be creative. For this "recipe" for example, I used leftovers of cooked rice and wilted kale. I added some Parmesan cheese, mozzarella, and tiny pieces of baked butternut squash + some salt&pepper. But of course you can use whatever leftovers you have and use whatever spices or herbs you like. Before stuffing the butternut squash, take off the seeds, brush the inside with some extra virgin olive oil, salt&pepper, and bake in a preheated oven at 375F for about 30-35' or until the inside is soft. Then put it in the oven again with the stuffing for another 10 minutes or so. Done!

crepes

It's not too late. You can still cook some crepes today. February 2d is "crepe day" (in French: la Chandeleur). But you'd better hurry up. The batter is better if you let it rest at least 2 hours before using it.

* For a savory version: see this old post.

tofu shiitake/leeks soba bowl

Bowl inspired by Harumi (for the shiitake/leeks part; here, p.182) and by Heidi Swanson (for the soba/tofu part; here and here).

lots of apples in one cake

Lots of apples, a handful of "fruits and nuts", a hint of Grappa, and no fats. Coup de coeur! Recipe from the "apple cake project" of the blog il cavoletto di bruxelles. I love apples. I love cakes. So I love this  project.

baked apples + {nuts + spices}

{La Tartine Gourmande} has published her first cookbook. Yeah! 

It will be released on February 7th. Darn!

However, in ante prima, here is one recipe from the book. Yeah! 

No, I don't have the book. Darn! 

I found the recipe on a blog I love {Sprouted Kitchen}.

PS: By the way, it's almost my birthday....

falafel (from sprouted chickpeas)

I was intrigued by this recipe using "sprouted" chickpeas. I gave it a try and it turned out very successful. Do not be intimidated by the length of the recipe. You'll need to wait 4 days before eating your falafel, but you'll spend only a few minutes in your kitchen working on it.

homemade chai latte

I've made a chai latte. I never thought you could make your own before! But when I discovered it, I did not hesitate one second. It is so easy (especially if you have - like me - all the spices you need in your pantry), so good, and so inexpensive that you should not hesitate one second either! Another advantage is that you can customize it according to your taste. The recipe that suits mine best is this one (published only a few days ago by Christelle is flabbergasting).

gateau des rois (en pate cougnou)

On January 6th,  in Belgium and France, we celebrate Epiphany by eating the "gateau des rois". In general, the cake is a "galette" with almond cream inside (frangipane). In my hometown though, the  recipe for this cake is different: it is exactly the same as for the cougnou I already wrote about. We all love it. Do not forget to hide a "trinket" inside the dough before baking it. Usually it is a porcelain figure, but a dried bean will equally do the work. The person who picks the part of the cake with the trinket inside will be king or queen for a day (and wear the crown). 

apples+pumpkin+walnuts cake

A fall cake loaded with good stuff:

(pumpkin+apples+walnuts) + (eggs+sugar+soy milk+olive oil) + (flour+baking powder+cinnamon).

You'd better try it!

leeks/chards/ricotta quiche

I know... I already posted a similar recipe. But 1: it was at a time I did not  always write down the recipes in details. And 2: you might have not tried it yet. So I'm giving you a second chance!

apple tart (alice waters way)

A simple apple tart with lots of tart apples. Heaven! Why complicate matters?

red cabbage + apples + spices

A red cabbage - Flemish style - recipe, where cabbage is slowly cooked with apples and spices. Traditionally eaten with mashed potatoes and sausages, but also very good on a slice of pain au levain w/ walnuts, some good cheese, and a glass of high quality beer. Belgian of course!

la torta verde della rina

I miss Italian food. The food I eat when I am back to Italy for a vacation. With family and friends. In their houses or at restaurants. I did not use to prepare it myself though. But I have no other options... I'm doing my best to duplicate the recipes Italians prepared for me. The "torta verde" - especially the one baked by Rina (ciao Rina!) - is among the food I miss the most. Basically it's a veggie pie covered by an irresistible olive oil crust. The typical vegetable used in the "torta verde" is called "trombetta". It's a special kind of zucchini grown in Liguria, Northern Italy (and also here in my Californian garden!). But you can use whatever in-season veggie. Here, I used a mix of butternut squash, English peas, and chards. Make your own combination and let me know how it worked for you.

goat cheese + fig/rosemary jam + filo dough

My favorite finger food at the moment: 1) goat cheese + fig/rosemary jam* over some filo dough sheets (thawed and lightly oiled), 2) shaped into rolls (see here for example), and 3) baked in a preheated oven to 375F for about 15' to 20' minutes. It's as simple as that. And it's so good. And it's so addicting!

* I made the fig/rosemary jam of D.I.Y. Delicious (p.55), but every fig jam will work of course.

homemade flour tortillas

Forget everything you've heard or read about homemade flour tortillas and give this recipe a try. You won't be disappointed. 

espresso banana muffins

Moist, so moist! Irresistible for breakfast with a cappuccino.