Kale and Black Eyed Pea Soup

Okay y'all. This month has been insane. Between adding extra hours at work, meeting with publishers, trying to get a new single recorded, rehearsing, and helping my sister move to Nashville, I've been beyond stressed. So last weekend, when I went through a tough break-up with my previous boyfriend, I knew I needed to take a step back and find some peace and comfort somewhere.

Soup is one of those beautiful food items that can be SO many different things. It exists in some form in almost every single culture, and there are probably only a handful of foods in the entire world that couldn't be transformed into a soup. The best part about that is you can take whatever leftover odds and ends you have in your fridge/cupboard and make them into something wonderful.

Personally, I had been holding onto the last few bunches of kale from the farmer's market, plus a few red bliss potatoes, garlic, chicken broth, and a 1/4 bottle of lovely red wine (Gerard Betrand Cotes De Rhone, to be specific). On one of the first cool, crisp evenings this year, I walked to the produce market down the street and picked up some soup essentials: carrots and a big yellow onion, plus a couple cans of organic black eyed peas, which I have loved since before I could speak.

I cooked a big pot of soup from scratch, which took me 4 whole days to finish, but the flavors marinated and developed each night in the fridge beautifully. In fact, my last bowl of it that I scarfed down for breakfast yesterday was probably the best.

If you are going through a tough, stressful time, or if you just want to cook something that makes you feel happy and warm, I hope this soup provides a little comfort.

Kale and Black Eyed Pea Soup (gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan if you sub veggie broth)

• 2 cans organic black eyed peas, drained
• approx 2 cups curly kale, washed, chopped fine
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped fine
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 carrots, peeled and chopped fine
• 1 large zucchini, chopped into bite size pieces
• 4-5 small red bliss potatoes, chopped into bite size pieces
• approx 40oz chicken or vegetable broth
• approx 1/2 cup wine (red or white both work great!)
• fresh herbs (I used sage and herbes de provence)
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

*This recipe may seem a little odd if you've never made soup before, because each element is added at a different time, rather than all-together. The reason for this is that each ingredient cooks differently and behaves differently when boiled, so the goal is to build a base and slowly add on to ensure everything is perfectly done at the same time.

Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium/high heat. Add the onion, garlic, carrots, sage, cayenne, and fresh herbs. When the onions start to sweat and become translucent, add the potatoes and a little bit of salt and pepper. Continue to stir for a few minutes, then add the kale, plus a little more salt and pepper. Cover the pot and let it all cook down for 4-5 minutes. When the kale is softened, stir in the zucchini. Slowly pour in the chicken broth, followed by the wine, and let it all come to a boil. After it's been boiling for a couple minutes, turn the heat down to a little less than medium/low, cover, and cook until the potatoes are cooked all the way through. For me, this took approx 20-25 minutes. The last step, after the potatoes are cooked, is adding the black eyed peas, and bringing the soup back up to a boil for a few minutes. Continue to taste the broth and add more salt, wine or herbs to taste. 

Serve hot with crusty bread and a nice glass of wine. Or just eat it out of the pot. No one's judging you ;)

Prepared, Pre-cooked, and Processed

A few nights ago I was wandering around the aisles of a local Kroger, searching for a healthy snack after a long, tiring shift at work. As I aimlessly walked around the store, I started to notice a trend in a majority of the food products that really bothered me, and I realized that the invention of these products has created a stigma and unhealthy attitude towards food. Here is that stigma:

It is WAY too difficult and time consuming to make a healthy, home-cooked meal. 

First of all, I'd like to just flat out call BS on that statement. But before I explain why, here are some of the products that perpetuate that idea:

• Microwaveable, highly-processed frozen TV dinners
• Pre-packaged sauces, 25-ingredient dips
• Brightly colored books and magazines with headlines that say "How to Make a Quick and Easy Meal" or "Throw-It-In-A-Crockpot Dinners" or "15 Minute Meals"

There is NOTHING wrong with buying pre-made meals every so often, or looking up quick recipes when you're on a time crunch. There are single parents that work multiple jobs who rely on things like this; I'm not trying to insult or belittle people who buy these products.

However, the issue lies with this idea that cooking is awful. Time-consuming. Difficult. When in reality, anyone (and I mean anyone) can do it. 

When someone searches online and sees a recipe titled "Amazing 10 Minute Pasta", the title may convince them that it is, in fact, amazing to be able to create a great pasta dish in only 10 minutes. But in reality, even when the most skilled chefs are creating the most intricate pasta dishes, it won't take much longer than that. 

For example, the other night, I made what I call a "fridge meal". Basically I use whatever I have left in my fridge and try to create one coherent dish. I threw some quinoa pasta in boiling, salted water (6 minutes), and while it was cooking, I browned some cauliflower in a skillet with shallots, turkey bacon, and curry powder. With a little drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and a hit of Sriracha, I had a delicious, inventive meal that was using fresh ingredients. 

When we start to see magazines, articles, and food products all around us that perpetuate this idea that cooking should be as easy and mindless as possible, I believe it makes us lose respect for our food, and ourselves in the kitchen. We trade a peaceful hour of building a fragrant, simmering pot of soup for a can opener, and a 2 minute spin in the microwave. We trade a fresh tray of crisp roasted broccoli for a mushy, over-cooked "vegetable medley". But you know what? I think we deserve better. 

I challenge all of you to be brave in the kitchen this week. Visit your local farmer's market and try to create a meal using only seasonal, local produce. Throw some onions, garlic, fresh tomatoes, tomato paste, herbs, and wine into a saucepan and experience the rustic beauty of homemade sauce.  Once you start to taste the difference, I doubt you'll ever reach for a Lean Cuisine dinner again.  

Zucchini Cakes w/Fresh Heirloom Tomato Sauce

Do you ever have those weeks where you've watched a few too many cooking shows and you suddenly become super ambitious in the kitchen?

This week, that was me.

I discovered a great show on Netflix called Mind of a Chef, which basically involves some great well-known chefs discovering different foods from unique cultures and then cooking beautiful food. It is produced and narrated by Anthony Bourdain (who I have always had a weird, secret crush on). But anyway, it made me hungry. And it inspired me to take the few leftover ingredients in my kitchen and turn them into something awesome!

I sort of hate the word "paleo", because it signifies this fad diet that everyone has been into lately, but I must admit that it's an amazing way to eat. It involves lots of vegetables and fruits and lean proteins and other clean foods while eliminating processed junk and gluten. This meal happens to be paleo, gluten-free, and very high in protein/healthy fats. It could also easily be veganized by substituting a "flax egg" and taking out the turkey bacon and goat cheese.

Pour yourself a nice glass of wine (or drink straight from the bottle if you're feelin it) and be proud of yourself for cooking a great, healthy homemade meal on a budget.


Zucchini Cakes w/Fresh Heirloom Tomato Sauce

Heirloom Tomato Sauce

• approx 2 cups fresh heirloom tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 yellow onion, roughly chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1 peperoncini, roughly chopped (opt)
• 2 slices turkey bacon or pancetta(opt)(make sure it's uncured! sulfites are a definite NO)
• 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
• approx 1/2 cup white wine
• extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp basil
• salt and pepper

Zucchini Cakes

• 3 small zucchini (or 2 medium)
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup almond flour
• 1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese or parmigiana reggiano
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• salt and pepper
• organic coconut or grapeseed or olive oil (for frying)

Pour olive oil into a small saucepan over medium high heat. Add the onions, garlic and peperoncini until they become soft and fragrant. Chop the turkey bacon into small pieces and add to the pan. Let that cook down for about 2 minutes, then add the tomatoes, tomato paste, a good pinch of salt/pepper, oregano and basil. Continue to cook and stir this mixture for approx 5 minutes. Then, pour about 1/2 cup white wine into the pan. If you like a thinner, more liquid sauce, feel free to add more, or add a splash of water/broth. Bring everything to a good simmer for a few minutes, then turn the heat down to medium-low, and cover. 

I allowed the sauce to cook for about 2.5 hours prior to serving, which really allowed the flavors to develop. The longer you cook it, the better, but it would taste totally fine if you served it right away. Right before plating, pour the contents of the saucepan into a blender, and puree until it becomes a consistency you like. 

When you feel that the sauce has had enough time to cook, start the zucchini. Use a food processor or cheese grater to create small pieces of zucchini. When it is all grated, put the contents into a clean dish towel or cheese cloth, and squeeze as much moisture as possible out into the sink. This will ensure that the cakes aren't too soggy! Grab a large bowl, and whisk the eggs into it. Then add the zucchini and the rest of the ingredients to the bowl, mixing well with your hands until everything is nicely incorporated. 

Cover the bottom of a large skillet with about 1/4 inch oil and heat a little less than medium-high. When the oil is nice and hot (you can test this by putting a small piece of batter in the pan and seeing if it sizzles), make a few flat zucchini cakes and carefully place them into the pan. Cook them for 3-4 minutes on each side, until they are nice and browned and crispy. Place them on a paper towel when they are finished cooking to drain some of the oil and add a pinch of sea salt. 

Serve with fresh, hot heirloom tomato sauce and a nice dollop of goat cheese on top!

Why "Dieting Failures" Do NOT Exist

We've ALL done it.

All of us.

It's January 1st, and after a night of drinking unknown amounts of champagne and eating more chips and guac than ever before, we make a resolution. "This is my year. Starting tomorrow, I'm going to eat nothing but salads and work out every day soooo hard. It's going to be amaze-balls."

It always starts out great...after the first few days of drinking green juices and running a few miles on the treadmill, we feel like superheroes.

But then, around february, we find excuses to avoid the gym. We work late and our only food option is the fast food drive-thru on the way home. Salads start to become boring, and our goals that were once so inspiring start to fade away. Then, we do what is quite possibly the worst thing ever: we give up on ourselves. We become angry and disappointed and self-deprecating. But WHY?! Why do we focus on a few bad decisions rather than celebrating the fact that we made positive changes in the first place?

While I was going through high school and college, I went through many ups and downs with food and dieting. I tried Weight Watchers and Atkins and South Beach and even thought about ordering those awful "diet pills" a few times (thank god I never did). The problem with these diets is that they don't allow you to live normally and feel free. There's almost never any mention of the quality of ingredients or nutrients you're putting into your body; just how great you're going to look in a bikini next summer! Millions of people try these diets every single day; and while they tend to make great progress in the beginning, a large percentage of them end up falling off the wagon, gaining more weight than they had before, and then thinking of themselves as failures.

It has to stop. 

One day, I realized that I needed to love my body enough (at ANY size) to put the right things into it, and that the key to healthy living could be found by creating a positive lifestyle, not "diet". I also realized that there is absolutely no harm in indulgence. During the course of last year, I lost 65lbs, but I can tell you that I did not miss out on some beautifully rich dinners, a bi-weekly carton of french fries, and the occasional unhealthy treats. You should never starve yourself. You should never be left wanting more. You should never feel miserable when you are eating.

Who cares if you ate a hot fudge sundae last night? I'm sure it tasted awesome and it made you really happy.

We are so lucky to be alive and have the ability to feed ourselves. We should enjoy and savor every single bite we are fortunate enough to eat. Every morning you wake up is a new day and a new opportunity to create a healthy lifestyle, so never lose faith in your mission and don't forget to love yourself.

Happy eating, y'all! (Was that Paula Deen's catch phrase? Oh well. It has a nice ring to it, so I'm just going to leave it there...)

Vegan Fried Rice: w/charred edamame, caramelized shallots, pineapple, and pickled carrots

Y'all. If I had to pick a dish that I could eat all day every day for the rest of my life, THIS would be it. It contains the perfect balance: comforting jasmine rice with the savory/umami quality of tamari soy sauce, a burst of sweet grilled pineapple, and the surprising textural and cool contrast of thin pickled carrots. I've been making variations on this dish for years, but I definitely need to give credit to my good friend and cooking partner-in-crime Ben Hatagan for his brilliant addition of the carrots: I would have never been able to think of that on my own.

This dish also serves many...."emotional purposes". I like to make a big batch of it for family and friends when I haven't seen them for a long time. A bowl of this rice and a season of The Office have been known to give me life after a bad breakup or a rough gig. Sometimes, I just make it because it's awesome.

Either way, try it.

*The trick to making fantastic fried rice: use DAY OLD rice. Sounds weird, right?! But it's a trick that almost all Asian restaurants use, and I give it my full stamp of approval. If you can even just refrigerate cooked rice for a few hours before adding it back into the saute pan, it will do wonders.

Vegan Fried Rice: w/charred edamame, caramelized shallots, pineapple, and pickled carrots

INGREDIENTS

• 2.5 cups of cooked, day-old jasmine rice (Trader Joes makes amazing frozen organic jasmine rice that can be steamed in the microwave if you hate cooking rice as much as I do)
• 1/2 cup edamame beans (out of shell)
• 1 zucchini, cut into small chunks
• 1 shallot, chopped fine
• 1/2 pineapple, cut into small chunks
• Tamari soy sauce (for the non-gluten free folks- you can use regular soy sauce)
• toasted sesame oil
• 1 carrot
• 1 small bottle rice vinegar
• 1 bunch scallions
• salt and pepper
• sriracha (optional...if you're a wimp ;) )

Clean and peel the outside of the carrot. Using a vegetable peeler or grater, shave off long, thin pieces and place them into a small colander. Pour a generous amount of sea salt on them, and using your hands, massage the salt into the pieces. (Basically you are trying to pull the natural liquid out of the carrots and replace it with vinegar). Quickly rinse them off with very cold water and place in a small bowl or tupperware container. Pour enough rice vinegar on top to almost completely cover them, and then add a splash of water on top. Cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour prior to serving. 

In a large saute pan, heat approx 2 tablespoons of toasted sesame oil over med high heat and add the shallots. When they become fragrant, throw in the zucchini, edamame, and pineapple, with a little salt and pepper. Continue to heat and occasionally stir until the veggies have a nice, slightly charred outside. Throw in a dash of soy sauce, and stir for another minute. 

Then, grab the rice from the fridge and toss it in the pan. Add the remaining tablespoon of sesame oil, a very generous coating of soy sauce, and a few squirts of Sriracha. Stir-fry until the rice becomes hot, and continue to add soy sauce/hot sauce until you reach a flavor combination that you enjoy. 

Serve in a nice big bowl with the cool pickled carrots on top, and some chopped scallions. Eat it with some fancy chopsticks....if you dare. Hope you enjoy!

The Visitor

I am writing this blog post from my little apartment in Sylvan Park, a few miles down the road from bustling, crowded honky tonk bars full of happily drunk people. Usually, on a saturday night, I'd be one of them; but tonight is different. Tonight I am curled up on the couch, watching bad movies on Netflix, eating a sensible meal of turkey breast, roasted sweet potatoes and broccoli, and feeling more melancholy than I have in a very long time.

You see, I just returned from a couple of semi-life-changing experiences. The first was a month-long tour across the US that I intricately planned for 6 months straight, where my bandmate and I were able to travel to new cities, meet amazing people, and do what we love most in this world. The second was an extended trip to California, where I spent much-needed quality time with friends and family, explored the entire North Coast, and taught a music program at a camp that's been a part of my life for 11 years now. It was all amazing...every second. But then reality kicked in, and I returned to Nashville. An exciting, constantly growing, yet harshly unfamiliar place, even after 2 years.

When I made the decision to move here, I knew it would be difficult. Moving to a city you've never lived in, knowing only 1 person, having no job and no connections in the industry you want to be in is not an easy task. However, I took my time, made strides, and slowly started turning this place into a (temporary) home.

So why do I still face difficulty coming back every time? Every Christmas, every weekend trip away, every small vacation...I've been struggling with this for a while now, even though I know this city is helping me develop as an artist and songwriter.

The only conclusion I've come up with so far is this: I am the visitor. 

I have chosen a lonely path. A path that requires me to follow my passions and live far away from the places and the people I love most. When I visit my hometown, I'm the outsider. It doesn't matter how often I come back, because I always end up leaving, in the end. Each time I leave, it becomes harder to let go, but also easier to understand why. When we as humans throw ourselves into unfamiliar territory, we experience the rawest form of emotion. We discover our true selves.

Whenever my convictions start to waver, I am reminded of this quote:

Courage is the power to let go of the familiar. -- Raymond Lindquist

So, as I sit here on my first night back in Nashville, with tired bones and a flood of memories playing in my mind, I will allow myself to mourn. We all make sacrifices for the things we love; I'm just grateful that mine are so minuscule when I put them in perspective. Tomorrow morning, however, I will wake up in a new light, with a new focus, and keep on going, because as Chuck Palahniuk says, Don't do what you want. Do what you don't want. Do what you're trained not to want. Do the things that scare you the most. --

Vegan Mashed Potatoes (w/balsamic caramelized onions and chipotle crema)

On January 1st, 2013, after a 30 day juice cleanse, I decided to embark on an entire year of pure veganism. That was also right after I discovered that my body is allergic to gluten...Crazy right? The person who used to eat sourdough bread and bagels like they were running out of style and who used to laugh and scoff when people said they were vegan suddenly decided to attempt one of the most drastic, difficult lifestyle changes possible.

Well, here's a piece of shocking news for all of the meat-loving, vegetable-haters out there: vegan food can be AMAZING. 

Before you all start throwing pieces of bacon at me, let me explain. If you gave me a plate of alfalfa sprouts and raw celery dressed with weird fake turkey and soy cheese, I would still be absolutely disgusted. That, in my opinion, isn't "real food". One thing I discovered when I was forced to cook without meat, butter, cheese or flour was that vegetables naturally shine when you allow them to. You shouldn't cover up a beautiful piece of broccoli by steaming it until it's mush and dunking it in velveeta cheese sauce. You should drizzle it with full-bodied, rich olive oil and slowly roast it until it's slightly charred and crisp, and finish it with a touch of himalyan pink salt and cracked black pepper. This may sound weird; but in my year of veganism I learned to treat food with respect.

This is a recipe for one of the first vegan comfort foods I cooked that made me feel like a human again. Vegetarians and carnivores alike have never left a single bite of these potatoes behind. Hope you enjoy!

Vegan Mashed Potatoes (w/balsamic caramelized onions and chipotle crema)

• 10 medium-sized (or appox 1 lb) organic red bliss potatoes
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• extra-virgin olive oil
• approx 1/2 cup Vegenaise (GMO, egg-free "mayo", made with heart-healthy oils)
• 1 can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
• 1/2 yellow or white onion, sliced into arches (here's a good link on how to do that: http://www.wikihow.com/Cut-an-Onion)
• 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp organic cane sugar, palm sugar or agave
• 2 tsp rosemary
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• salt and pepper, to taste

In a large pot, bring water to a boil and add a sprinkle of salt. Chop the red bliss potatoes into small, 1-inch squares, and toss into the pot when the water has reached boiling temperature. Cover with a lid and stir every few minutes until the potatoes are fork tender (approx 15-20 minutes). 

While they are cooking, chop the adobo peppers into small pieces (this is a very messy process- I tend to use a piece of wax or parchment paper underneath). Then, in a small mixing bowl, combine the peppers and adobo sauce with the vegenaise and mix with a spoon. 

In a small skillet, heat up approx 1 tsp olive oil on medium-high heat. Add the onions, 1 tsp rosemary, the sugar, and a sprinkle of sea salt and cracked black pepper. As soon as they start to become slightly charred on the outside, add the balsamic vinegar, and turn the heat down between low and medium-low. Let them slowly caramelize, watching and stirring occasionally. They should be finished around the same time as the potatoes. When they're done; turn off the heat and leave them in the pan. 

In a large skillet, turn the heat to medium, coat the bottom of the pan with olive oil, and toss in the minced garlic. When the garlic starts to become soft and fragrant, use a slotted spoon to add the boiled potatoes into the skillet. If some of the water from the pot gets in the pan- don't worry; the starchy water will help to soften the potatoes and bind the ingredients. Smash the potatoes with the back of a fork or wooden spoon and then season generously with salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder, cayenne, and the rest of the rosemary. Then add approx half of the chipotle pepper mayo to the pan. Stir well, season to taste, and when you've reached desired flavor and texture, cover and turn the heat down to medium low for approx 4-5 minutes.  

Serve the mashed potatoes warm, garnished with the herbed caramelized onions, a fresh sprig of rosemary (to make them look extra classy), and a drizzle of the chipotle crema.

Oh, and if you don't tell people these are vegan....they'll NEVER know...muahahaha.