When being active in the outdoors, there is a need to bring food that carries well on-the-go and will fill you up. Tired of energy bars laden with sugar and made with unfamiliar ingredients? Inspired by an Instagram post from food blogger, Cook Republic, showing off an almond butter chocolate cookie, we tested the recipe and added some of our […]
Risotto, is puffed rice from Italy that slowly bathes in broth. Stir up your winter palate with a butternut squash risotto for a rich, filling, delightful dish. 6-8 Servings Ingredients: 3 cups homemade chicken broth or frozen chicken bone broth from the market 3 cups water 3 TBS (separated) extra virgin olive oil 1 finely chopped medium onion 8 fresh […]
Go nuts by seasoning, mixing, and roasting up almonds, walnuts, pecans, or cashews with chai seasoning for a crazy good snack. Chai spice seasoning blends are nearly impossible to find in the stores or online, so we searched on Pinterest and located a Chai seasoning mix recipe from A Dash of Mega-nut that you can assemble in a few minutes. […]
You’ll be delightfully surprised at the dramatic taste difference between homemade almond milk compared to commercial brands. Chai milking it for an utterly creamy, nutty beverage plus it is an ideal replacement for any dietary lifestyle. Why you should chai becoming a DIY health nut? There is an itty bitty amount of nuts found in shelf stable nut milk brands. […]
We collaborated with Farminista’s Feast on a Cooking Web Series highlighting quick, easy, tasty, healthy meals. Because basil peaks in the summer season, last year we went on a tear to make enough jars to freeze, so we could use off season. With little effort and time, you can make pesto presto. We recommend purchasing a few basil plants because […]
In the video, we collaborated with The Veggie Queen, a vegan culinary expert, chef, and nutritionist. These salads will fill any person’s appetite, regardless of dietary concerns! The lineup starts with a Chickpea Broccoli Salad, followed by a Moroccan Carrot Salad, and finished by a Super Fruit Summer Salad. For the full recipes, visit: http://www.theveggiequeen.com/2017/08/07/summer-salads-with-food-guru/.
Scones are like a hybrid of muffins and biscuits. Bake up some homemade Strawberry Scones for a breakfast or use leftovers for a deconstructed Strawberry Shortcake. Every bite is loaded with strawberries pieces and a hint of orange zest. Strawberry Scone Recipe Servings 8-12, 30 minutes to prep Ingredients: 1 ¼ cups of all-purpose flour 1 cup whole wheat flour […]
In this third Kefir blog, give your breakfast a double probiotic boost with a Lacto-Fermented Kefir Granola and Fruitful Kefir Smoothie. Here are the 2 gut-healthy recipes to get your morning started: Lacto-Fermented Coconut Oatmeal & Dried Fruit Granola Transform Granola into gut-healthy goodness by fermenting the ingredients with your homemade Kefir. Dry Ingredients: 4 cups old fashioned organic rolled […]
In this second Kefir blog, we will show you how to make a fruity beverage from your Kefir using a second fermentation technique and a cultured soft Kefir cheese. Once you’ve mastered the art and science of making fermented milk (Kefir), now what? Here are 2 DIY Dairy good recipes: A Dairy Fruitful Beverage (Jammy Kefir Recipe) With a little […]
Follow along in a 4-part blog series. Learn about the history, health benefits, and how to make Kefir in this first blog post. For thousands of years, the Eurasian people in the Caucasus Mountains (between Russia and Georgia) made and drank Kefir (fermented milk). With their ritual of drinking Kefir everyday, villagers in the Caucasus Mountains were known for reaching […]
The Lost Coast, or as I like to call it, “The Abandoned Coast,” is one of California’s most rugged and remote backpacking trips. Just west of Humboldt County, it is apart of King Range National Conservation Area. The best time to visit this hidden gem is during the spring to witness wildflowers, or the fall for less crowds and moderate […]
The tug-of-war battle between your mouth and a piece of Beef Jerky can be a hard snack to chew and swallow. The commercial brands tend to be too salty, dry, tough, unhealthy, leathery, and heavily preserved for a long shelf life. For around $50, you can purchase a dehydrator. It is well worth the effort to make it by hand. […]
We are excited to collaborate once again with Spices and Aroma on another video, this time, a Chai appetizer party that is just in time for Mother’s Day. Make this ethnic brunch to spoil your mom! To see all the wonderful recipes, visit: http://spicesandaroma.in/recipe/chai-brunch-party-recipes-videos/.
Nowruz, is the name of the new year in Farsi, and it has been celebrated for over 3,000 years in the Balkans, the Black Sea Basin, the Caucasus, Central Asia, and Western Asia. Nowruz begins on the first day of spring, which is usually March 21. Traditionally, the whole family gathers together to have dinner, celebrate the new year, and […]
Dig into a dessert with a pretty cool twist on Tiramisu. Papparadelle’s Pasta has an astounding variety of fresh, dried, frozen pastas, sauces, and more. Through Twitter, we connected with Papparadelle’s, and it was love at first bite. They tempted us with an irresistible dessert recipe using their Chocolate Hazelnut Ravioli. Chocolate Ravioli Tiramisu Recipe Serving size: 3-4 Ingredients: 12 […]
Every January, the Specialty Foods Association pulls together 1,400 food brands from all across the globe. 20,000 visitors were eager to feast their eyes on food trends for the coming year. Paving the way are 6 movers and shakers that are sharing their stories and food pairing. An Ethically EPIC Company Their Story EPIC, a meat-snack company, launched by Katie […]
Learn how to make Indian cuisine – unique small plates – for your next dinner party! In collaboration with Spices and Aroma, see all the recipes HERE.
We partnered up with Farminista’s Feast to bring you 3 party appetizers! Get ready for the holidays with these tasty recipes.
Hanukkah, often is referred to as “The Festival of Lights,” an 8-day Jewish Holiday that celebrates freedom, fun, and food. Nearly 2,200 years ago, the Maccabees, a small group of Jewish rebels fought for religious freedom. It is a symbolic holiday where a candle is lit each night and represents a miracle of how one night’s worth of oil lasted […]
We have partnered up again with Sean Timberlake from Punk Domestics (click on link for recipes) to bring you a DIY holiday gift to make for friends and family. In this video, we feature how to make Limoncello and Coffee Liqueur!
My friend, Ariel Sultan from Food Guru, invited me to attend a Farm to Fork SF event. Foodies, chefs, and farmers gathered to celebrate and discuss the food industry with a unique focus on making a sustainable impact. Farm to Fork SF is affiliated with the multi-media event space called The Village in San Francisco. At this interactive event, they […]
We have partnered up with TasteFood again to bring you a video recipe blog for making this popular Vietnamese sandwich, chicken banh mi at home! See the recipe on TasteFood’s blog site.
Pumpkin Bread is a seasonal treat, but this killer recipe is so easy and addictive that you’ll want to make it for all seasons …even Pumpkin Haters have been known to kill off this Bread in one sitting!
We are excited to collaborate on this how-to video with Beth Lee of OMG! Yummy. She is a kitchen table storyteller with a speciality for Mediterranean style cooking. See how to make the following her recipe blog series by clicking here. Pomegranate Molasses Arugula and Fig Salad Lemony Flank Steak with Pomegranate Molasses Minty Pomegranate Mule Cocktail
Apples, a fall fruit, are eaten year round. They are durable and easy grab-n-go snacks. Transforming apples into a dessert, like an Apple Pie, takes quite a bit of labor, time, know-how, and is unforgiving to the waistline. Here are 3 hardcore ways to repurpose a Baked Apple dessert into breakfasts that have lots of apeel. Baked Apple Recipe Serves […]
Last year, we were drawn to visiting Scotland, an island full of rugged landscape and boisterous people. Tee up for an unforgettable trip by joining us on our adventure through top food experiences, a tumultuous history, and breathtaking scenery. Lodging in Edinburgh We stayed 2 nights in Edinburgh at Old Town Chamber apartments located conveniently in downtown. These comfy apartments […]
Enhance each and every bite of your food by grinding your own artisan seasonings with a dash of DIY seasoned salt. One mixed salt has many uses from breakfast through dessert. Try sprinkling mixed salt in/on eggs, pasta, veggies, salad dressings, marinades, cocktails, steak, chicken, fish, or any food needing a bit more flavor. Get your table set and appetites […]
As Food Gurus, we work and play hard to savor our food and travel experiences. Whether we are local or abroad, we search for artisan ingredients to incorporate into our home cooking. We have integrated these passions and have shared them on and offline. Through Instagram, we met a DIY Dilettante, Nicole Novak. She forages mushrooms, gardens, goes fishing, ferments […]
As a San Franciscan, I became tired of fighting through the traffic and tourists with summer road trips to popular destinations, like: Southern California, Yosemite, and Tahoe. When my brother drove from his home in Seattle for a family visit to San Francisco, we were ready to map out a 1,000 mile journey for his return drive back to Seattle. […]
We are getting this salsa party started showing 3 ways to make your own with food entrepreneur, chef, and blogger, Chef Hollie Green from JoyFoodly. Sunkissed Salsa Pineapple Salsa Tomatillo Salsa For the full recipes on homemade salsa, see the blog post here.
Whip up a sensational summer dessert with leftover strawberry scones and homemade whipped cream. Deconstructed Strawberry Shortcake Servings 2-3 10 minutes to preparations Ingredients: 2 pieces of leftover Strawberry Scones A large heaping spoonful of homemade vanilla bean whipped cream ½ – 1 cup of chopped fresh strawberries Directions: Break up scone into small chunks on a plate creating the […]
Whipping up a homemade vanilla bean whipped cream is simple and tasty. This batch makes enough for a party and is enjoyed year round with a variety of desserts, and perfectly served with fruits for the spring-summer. See below for this excellent recipe!
(Written recipe at the bottom of the blog) Time has stood still in Cuba. The plethora of classic American cars lining the streets of Havana are reminders of the 1950s. It’s all about the revolution where Che Guevara, the Castro brothers, and Hemingway are heroic, “larger than life” figures capturing the mindset of the Cuban people. The fascination with Cuba […]
From “supply to shelf,” natural products are making an impact with mainstream consumers. At the 2016 Natural Products Expo West, hoards of visitors headed over to the Anaheim Convention Center for a 3-day epic event. Located across the street from Disneyland, 77,000 attendees packed the Convention Center to experience this edible extravaganza. Representatives from 7 innovative natural food companies were […]
Let’s talk chicken with 3 makeover recipes on how to use what is leftover from the new-and-improved Claypot Chicken with Roasted Veggies recipe. Here’s the pecking order for how to re-purpose your leftover chicken. 1) CHICKEN QUESADILLA Prep time: 5 minutes Cook time: 5-7 minutes Serves 1-2 Ingredients: Small corn tortillas (optional flour) ½ Tb olive oil ⅛ -¼ […]
There’s always a lot of buzz when Coachella releases its lineup. Located in Indio Valley, this music festival is one of the largest, most popular, and profitable in the US. If you’re lucky enough to get tickets, being prepared and organized will help you have a fun-ast-ic time! After attending the festival for 2 years, here are some ways to navigate […]
Closing a chapter on her catering career with a high-profile clientele, Private Chef Robin has embarked on a new chapter of personal dining, flavored salts, and her “A Taste of Ojai” cookbook. After meeting Private Chef Robin on Instagram and trying out a few of her small plate recipes, we found that these dishes using these infused salts with local […]
A few months ago, I had the opportunity to spend the day with Stacy Ventura, a professional food photographer with Edible Marin. Here’s how to shoot food like a Pro: Make sure to use as much natural light as possible, such as bouncing light with reflectors and white boards. Shooting vertically is appealing for food photography, even though we are drawn to […]
Sugar, milk or a combination of both is often a remedy for smoothing out the bitterness in a cup of coffee. Iced coffee is often so watered down that bitterness and acidity can linger and put a damper on this hot day beverage. The cold-brew process removes the bitterness, giving you a balanced taste. You may just decide to opt […]
Chai Iced Tea is a refreshing and simple way to go for summer. We often like to use Silk Road Teas for their high quality sourcing with small international tea producers. Hot tea can now be reused into iced tea.
We are pleased to announce that Karen Pavone from Farminista’s Feast (www.farministasfeast.com) will be returning as our host for Season 3 of Cooking Guru. She has been a wonderful collaborator and friend who embodies a definitive passion for the farm-to-table movement, local artisan producers, and cooking quality meals.
Most long weekends are spent catching up on back burner projects with work, running errands, a stay-cation, or maybe even a quick getaway trip a short distance from home. Sometimes those fateful accidents, like, having some mileage expiring (ex: canceled ski vacation) turn into a spontaneous trip that shines. From sun up to sun down, even a brief vacation to […]
San Francisco Newlyweds, Michael and Mary Gassen were barely able to fulfill their dream of opening up Noe Valley Bakery. They took on huge financial burdens by investing their life savings, maxing out on their credit cards, and taking on a business loan. Back in the 1990’s, that was the only method of financing for small businesses, but today, small […]
Like most kids going to college, I was intimidated with the process of making home cooked meals and thought cooking would be a time sink. After all, how many college bound kids or college grads feel comfortable with cooking?
Karen Diggs, a Therapeutic Chef and Nutritionist, took her passion for healthy, delicious food by taking cup-fulls of vegetables and squeezing submerging, brining, sealing, and fermenting it all into a Mason Jar. With help from her partner, Eric Klein, an engineer and inventor, Karen has transformed this thousand-year-old practice of fermenting foods by designing a small-batch device called Kraut Source. […]
Sandwiched between San Francisco to its south and the Wine Country to its north, commuters, day-trippers, and travelers see Mill Valley in a 2-3 second blur driving on Highway 101. Residents of Mill Valley are content to see boatloads of local and faraway travelers descend on and into the touristy, neighboring towns of Sausalito and Tiburon.
About 30 minutes from the Golden Gate Bridge, Comforts Cafe radiates with activity where everyday seems like rush hour. In the quaint and cozy town of San Anselmo, Glenn, the papa, Laura, the momma, and Erin, the daughter, have been serving up their home style cooking to their loyal, local following since 1986. Just about any day or time is […]
As I was growing up, I often cringed when eating my dinner and would trash my school lunch. I desperately longed to have my meals made from scratch by a 1950s, 60s, or 70s sitcom mom. Unfortunately, my fate and appetite depression was in my mother’s hands. Just about everything she made was either too raw, overcooked, too seasoned, or […]
Don’t you wish you could start your life backwards? It’s one of those situations where you accumulate all this experience and knowledge which you may never have the opportunity to use again. Instead, you have to learn these life lessons the hard way! The answers and wisdom come after you run that first marathon, get that black belt, or climb […]
Santa Cruz: a 1-2 hour drive from most parts of the San Francisco Bay Area and a most satisfying weekend destination. It is more than just a funky hippy town, but offers plenty of charm, fine food options, a plethora of hiking trails, a scenic wonderland, and of course, the beach. On a three day weekend, you can feel the […]
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