Sooo… as you have probably realized, I’m not a certified Chef, Nutritionist, Doctor or Farmer. Just a diligent foodie determined to educate others on my findings.  With that said, I have many go-to books and advisors that help sate my thirst for food knowledge (ha, wasn’t that punny?).  Below you will find an ever growing list of books and people that I constantly rely on (but that doesn’t mean you should cut out the middle woman, me!). Although short now, I hope to add a ton of new suggestions soon!

1. YOU: The Owner’s Manual: An Insider’s Guide to the Body that Will Make You Healthier and Younger
By Mehmet C. Oz (aka Dr. Oz) and Michael F. Roizen

I love this book because it provides a comprehensive guide to the major organs and functions of the human body using language and visuals anyone can understand. It also provides eating and excersize suggestions that target specific organs and ailments. More than anything, it stresses the power of food in an overly medicated (and clueless) society. Don’t miss the the reference sections in the back for daily, weekly and even monthly food and exercise plans!

2. A Field Guide to Buying Organic
By Luddene Perry and Dan Schultz

In a world where the term “organic” is garnering more and more attention, this book arms you with the facts you need to navigating the farmer’s markets and grocery stores.  It provides label references to help you decipher what is fully organic, partially organic or not really organic at all, despite the “organic” label. The book also gives suggestions on what products are worth the often higher priced organic version, and what products you can get away with buying non-organic and still be healthy. Take this pocket size guide with you when grocery shopping and have more confidence in your choices.

3. Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual
By Michael Pollan

This quick read provides you with a short and simple guide for what and how to eat.  With each tip only a page or so long, it makes for a uncomplicated and common sense set of rules in a world packed with complicated diets and advice.  This book provides the basic points and summaries of his longer works “In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto” and “The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals“, which came highly recommended, but were unavailable at the airport where I was browsing.  Make no mistake- I will be buying both of those at my next trip to the bookstore, but “Food Rules” is a great basis for understanding Pollan’s take on eating and food. (Thanks, Brittany!)

4. Alton Brown (duh!)

My secret to everything from the greatest Thanksgiving Turkey to Pickled Okra… I love him not so much for his recipes, but for his explanations. He makes it easy to understand the chemistry and history behind cooking, therefore making it easier to cook great food, with or without a recipe. He makes sure you not only know how to do something, but why it works, which is great when in need of a subsitution for a missing ingredient or when writing your own recipes. All Hail Alton.

So I love nuts and berries and grains and all that stuff, but it can add up at the store.  Making granola can really help stretch those super foods in a delicious and healthy one-stop-shop. It’s also a great way to combine leftover ingredients from other recipes. As always, my “recipes” are to be taken as a suggestion tailored to my taste, so feel free to mess with it! I used what I had in my kitchen, but there are tons of nuts, dried fruits, and grains to use…

Here’s my recipe for making homemade granola:

Ingredients:

4 c. rolled oats (not instant)
2 c. chopped walnuts
1 1/2 c. dried cranberries
3/4 c. sunflower seeds (try to find unsalted, if unavailable, don’t add salt until tasting.)
1/4 c. sesame seeds
1/2 c. honey
1/4 c. maple syrup
1/4 c. canola oil
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. cayenne (that’s where the sass comes from!)
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. salt (less if using salted sunflower seeds.)

Preheat oven to 350º.  Combine oats, walnuts, sunflower seeds and sesame seeds in a large bowl.  In a separate bowl, combine honey, syrup, oil, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.  Pour the wet ingredients over the dry and mix until evenly distributed. Pour the mixture over a greased baking sheet and spread it out evenly.  Place in the oven and stir every 5-7min for 20 min.  You want it nice and golden brown, but not burned.  Remove the granola and let it cool, then add the cranberries.  Store in an air tight container and enjoy!

You can eat your granola with yogurt and berries,  milk for cereal, with ice cream or just by the handful.

Picture you’re ideal burger. Whether it’s a 3 ingredient classic or a 9 ingredient masterpiece, you’ll be happy at The Counter in Santa Monica (among other locations). In fact, they make it so you only have yourself to blame if you aren’t happy with your concoction!

It’s a bustling diner atmosphere with skateboards on the wall, and their choices go way beyond the traditional. Your first task is to go through the check sheet to custom build your burger.  You pick from multiple bun, meat, cheese, veggie, sauce and other topping options until you’re happy.  Mine consisted of a wheat bun, turkey burger, pepper jack cheese, jalapenos, a fried egg (my favorite burger topping!) and the garlic aioli.  Top it off with some Sweet Potato fries and a root beer float to go (they’re malts are highly recommended) and I was in HEAVEN!

Burgers run between $8 and $14 and are worth every penny.

The Counter. 2901 Ocean Park Boulevard, Santa Monica CA 90405

Mmm… I can still taste the juicy, tender roast beef of Phillipe’s French Dip sandwiches.

I know Phillipe’s makes it on to every list of “LA Must Eats,” so it’s no surprise to see it among my faves, but it really is delicious!

I ordered a “double dipped” beef french dip sandwich with coleslaw and potato salad.  The au jus soaked bun still retained some crunch and the beef is so tender that it melts in your mouth.  The deli salads were equally as delicious and a perfect cooler after the punch of their signature mustard (available for purchase). I squirted a little on each side of the bun and within 3 bites, I felt like fire was coming out of my nose. If you’re like me, that burn is a good thing.

The sandwiches weren’t abnormally huge or dressed up fancy, but that’s what’s so great about Phillipe’s. Simply done, expertly prepared and finger lickin’ good! I walked out a Happy Camper.

$10 will get you a sandwich, drink and a side or two.

Phillipe’s. 1001 N. Alameda St, Los Angeles, CA 90012 Website

Being the starving artist I am, I am forever on the hunt for restaurant bargains that are easy on the wallet, but don’t skimp on taste.  Gyu Kaku takes the cake in that category with their killer Japanese BBQ and late night Happy Hour!

Here’s the lowdown:

Mon thru Sun 3-6:30pm and Mon thru Sat 9:30 to close
All appetizers (Ahi poke, edamame, kimchee, calamari, wontons, etc) are 50% off, making them $1-$4 each! BBQ meats are $3, with Filet Mignon at$5 and their delicious Bimbimbap (a mix of rice, meat and veggies served in a hot clay pot) dishes for $5.  Not mention $1 Kirin Drafts, $3 martinis and specialty sake cocktails!!

Check out the menu for rest of their offerings, which aren’t expensive to begin with and all delish.

If you stick to the Happy Hour specials, you can walk out of Gyu Kaku with a full belly and a beer buzz for under $15 a person.

Call ahead for reservations (310.659.5760- Beverly Hills Location) as their happy hour is catching on quickly!

Gyu Kaku, 163 N. La Cienega Blvd., Beverly Hills Website

So, as I’ve already said, I’ve never been able to keep up with a diary or datebook. BUT, I refuse to let that be the case here, so I WILL start blogging again. So much food and fun to report on!

Basically, please stay tuned… There will be an extreme influx of entries in the near future.

Nestled in a Downtown Los Angeles alley sits one of most spectacular bars I’ve ever been to. Period.

The Edison Bar is housed in what was the first private power plant in Downtown Los Angeles. With most of the original infrastructure and architecture intact, upon entry you feel you’ve been transported to the 1920’s Industrial Era.  Great music and entertainers or “Eccentriques,” as they refer to the dancers and other performance aspects, further the feeling that you’re in another world.

They have a fantastic selection of wine and beer, along with a list of whimsical specialty cocktails. Whimsy is pretty much the standard here. They also have a full kitchen dishing out gourmet bar snacks and meals. The leather furniture is inviting and makes this expansive space cozy.

Wednesday Night is the night to go. On Wednesdays, the entertainment gets a boost as aerialists fall from the factory ceiling, suspended by fabric and scantilly clad.  There are showgirls and an absinthe cart and eccentric performers throughout the crowd. $10 Cover, but worth it.

The Edison Bar needs to be on your list of things to do.  Dress well as there is a strict dress code requiring a collar for guys and no flip flops. Look for the valet cart on 2nd and head to the alley.

Edison Bar. 108 W. 2nd St., #101, Downtown LA Website

When it comes to grocery shopping, knowing what’s in season can really make a difference when selecting produce.  Not only does eating seasonally ensure you’re getting the freshest and tastiest produce, but in season food is usually cheaper, too! Most people don’t think they know much about the seasonality of produce, but chances are you know more than you think.

When you first consider the seasons for foods, turn to your personal experiences. When you think of watermelon, for instance, you are most likely to associate that with Summer- and you’d be right! Watermelon and Cantelope Melons (and most fruits for that matter) are best when harvested in the summer. Pumpkin, on the other hand, is most commonly associated with the Fall, which corresponds to the fact that pumpkins along with most gourds and squashes are best when harvested in the Fall. While these are pretty obvious examples, it’s a jumping off point for understanding the seasonality of food.

Here are some basic guidelines:

Spring/Summer: Most Fruits and Veggies.  Think leafy and refreshing.
Fall/Winter: Some veggies and few fruits. Think hearty with warm colors.

Spring:
For the most part, Spring serves up some delicious root and leafy veggies.  Artichokes, spinach, parsley, and onions make up some of the list.  Raspberries start to be in season, but that about sums it up for Spring fruits.

Summer:
A majority of the fruits are in season during the Summer. Berries, melons, and most of the pitted fruit are best during the hot months. Eggplants, all bean varieties, corn and tomatoes  make up some of the vegetables, along with zucchini and cucumbers.

Fall:
Apple is the star fruit for Fall, along with Figs, Pears and Grapes. For veggies, think orange, as pumpkin, carrots, and sweet potatoes are some of the fall bloomers.

Winter:
Pears and tangerines are the main fruits… Think about the boxes of fruit people always send as gifts in Winter. Cabbage and root veggies such as daikon, turnips, leeks and shallots make up most of Winter’s produce.

Makes sense why people used to can things in preparation for the Winter, considering a majority of the produce was harvested in the warmer seasons, they had to come up with a method of preservation. Hmm…

I’ve already mentioned my affinity for fish tacos or any taco really, so I decided to share my recipe for fresh and delish fish tacos for two.

What you’ll need:

2 Tilapia Filets
1/4 head of Green Cabbage, finely sliced
2 tbsp Vinegar
3 tbsp Olive Oil
2 cloves Garlic, minced
S+P
Cayenne Pepper, to taste
2 limes, One cut in half, the other into wedges
1/4 c Sour Cream
1/2 tbsp Sriracha
1 Red Tomato, diced
1 Yellow Tomato, diced
1 Med Avocado, peeled and diced
3 stalks Green Onion, sliced
Roasted Tomatillo Salsa- See my previously posted recipe

Sounds like a lot of stuff, but every taco has lots of fixin’s!!

Start by combining the cabbage with the vinegar, cover and stick in the fridge. Heat the olive oil in a lrg skillet over med-high heat. Add the garlic and saute for 2 min. Season your tilapia filets with S+P, Cayenne and the juice of half of one lime and saute for 4 min on each side. In the meantime, combine the sour cream, sriracha and juice of the other half of the lime and place in the fridge. Combine your red and yellow tomatoes with the green onion and avocado and place in the fridge. When your tilapia is almost done, heat a small skillet over med-high heat and heat your tortillas for about 1 min on each side. With a fork, break up your tilapia and place in a bowl for serving. Lay out all your trimmings (Cabbage, tomato-avocado salad, tomatillo salsa, cream sauce, and lime wedges) with your tilapia and tortillas and load ‘em up!!

Great, now I want some… Let me know how you like it!!

I’ve always heard of Tomatillos and had Tomatillo Salsa (or salsa verde), but I never worked with it in my kitchen. Soooo, when I came across some beautiful tomatillos at the Farmers Market this past Sunday… I had to get them! Here is my “recipe” for Roasted Tomatillo Salsa. I put “recipe” in quotes because I rarely measure out my ingredients so feel free to tweak as you see fit!

What You’ll Need:

Approx 1 lb Fresh Tomatillos
6 cloves of Garlic (unpeeled)
1 lrg Shallot
1 Jalapeno Pepper
1 Lemon
1 Lime
Olive Oil (approx 2 tbsp + 1/4 c)
1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
S+P

Baking sheet or pan + food processor (or blender)

What You Do:

Preheat your oven to 400. De-husk and rinse your Tomatillos and peel your Shallot. Place your Tomatillos, Shallot and Garlic in an oven-safe pan. Drizzle with ~2 tbsp Olive Oil and season with S+P. Roast for 15-20min, until brown and softened.

In your food processor, combine your roasted veggies (remove peel from Garlic) with the Jalapeno, juice from the Lemon and Lime, ~ 1/4 c Olive Oil, 1/4 tsp Cayenne, and S+P to taste. Blend until combined, but not pureed.

Use it to top fish tacos, tortilla chips or really any of your fave dishes….