Greek Cauliflower Rice with Feta and Olives

The food processor. It is tucked away high in a cupboard above our fridge, behind mixing bowls. Getting the food processor out means getting out my folding kitchen stool, clearing off the top of the fridge (this is actually a chore, with the amount of stuff we keep up there), and pulling 4 pieces down from three separate shelves (the base, the bowl, the lid, and any blades or attachments). And that's just to get the thing out: don't get me started on dishwashing. 😒

I avoid it. Need a half-cup of shredded cheese? I'll grate it by hand. You'd like those radishes sliced thin? Give me the chopping knife. But some times, on really rare occasions, it's worth it. Like when making almond flour pie crust. Or when making a really, really big batch of pesto, or shredding cauliflower into rice. 

Cauliflower rice isn't a regular menu item around here (we will just eat regular old rice) but the summer sun has me in the mood for light dishes. And you know how dearly I love cauliflower, so it has to be no surprise to you that I'm up for one more way to eat it. And, hey, here's a pro tip: if you hate getting your fancy food processor out as much as I do, you can buy cauliflower, pre-riced at Trader Joe's and the stuff is pretty good. Sure you don't get to see your pretty head of cauliflower in it's full and beautiful form before it gets shredded, but you do save about 20 minutes when all is said and the dish are washed, and I think that's worth it, especially on a week night. 

Something else I've been in the mood for? Feta cheese. It's has been finding it's way into all sorts of meals around here lately: everything-but-the-kitchen-sink salads, breakfast omelettes, burger tops, and sautés. The Costco-sized container lasted us not but a week, but still, enough time to make this Greek-inspired cauliflower dish a few times. 

What happens when you find yourself a Costco-sized container of feta and an easy-peasy way to make cauliflower rice? Well, why don't you just make this recipe to find out 😉

Greek Cauliflower Rice with Feta and Olives

Published June 22, 2017 by Caitlin Sherwood

Serves: 4   |    Total Time: 30 minutes

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Ingredients:

• 1 large shallot, diced
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 pound cauliflower, riced or shredded in food processor (you can buy it pre-shredded at Trader Joe’s in the produce section)
• 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1/2 cup sliced black olives (kalamata is great, but any black olive with do)
• 1/3 cup minced parsley, plus more for garnish
• Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Heat coconut oil in a skillet over medium heat. When the oil glistens, add the diced shallot. Sauté until transparent.
2. Add the cauliflower rice to the pan. Cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Allow the cauliflower to brown a bit, and then remove from heat. Stir in the parsley, olives, and feta, and season with salt & pepper to taste. Garnish with extra parsley if desired. Serve warm.

20-Minute Marinara Sauce

Avoiding marinara sauce was a skill I had perfected by the time I made it to college.  Pizza? Only pesto or olive oil please. Pasta? There are so many options, don't you dare put that store bought tomato sauce in front of me.

My tomato sauce radar reaches far and wide, extending to tomato paste and ketchup. Pretty much anything tomato sauce would have me turning up my nose. (I speak in past tense here, but I still avoid tomato paste and ketchup regularly).

But then a wrench was thrown into my tomato-avoiding scheme: I intended to cook dinner for someone, and they told me tragically that their favorite food in the world was spaghetti with marinara. Sure, I could've taken a pass and made something completely different, but this ignited a fire in me. It made me think twice about tomato sauce. Good enough to be a favorite? Who would've thunk. But I had to see for myself so I gave it a try, the right way: no store bought crap. 

I sliced onions, minced garlic, and added a touch of wine. I was overly cautious about letting it get to sweet, and added plenty (and I mean plenty!) of salt. Fresh basil was stirred in at the last moment. I took a bite, right there, standing at the white electric stove in my first apartment. And then another. Ok, this stuff is good. Suddenly I knew what all the fuss was about.

How had I spent so many years thinking all marinara sauce was created equal when there is clearly a divide between the stuff you pour from a jar and the stuff you stir with a wooden spoon? 

Homemade marinara sauce can be used just like any marinara sauce: on a pizza (puree it smooth), over pasta (leave it chunky, add some sausage or meatballs), in chicken parmesan, even Shakshuka. The list goes on a and on. What is your favorite way to use Marinara sauce? 

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20-Minute Marinara Sauce

Published May 2, 2017 by Caitlin Sherwood

Marinara sauce any time of the year, from your own kitchen. It’s better than store bought.

Serves: 4   |    Total Time: 20 minutes

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Ingredients:

• 1 medium yellow onion
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil (coconut, avocado, or olive)
• 1/4 cup red wine
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 24-ounce can diced tomatoes (you can use fresh too, but you’ll need to cook the sauce longer)
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano (fresh works too!)
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme (fresh works too!)
• 1/4 cup minced basil
• Salt & pepper
• Optional: red pepper flakes

Directions:

1. Heat oil in the bottom of a medium sized sauce pan. Dice onion, and when the oil it hot, add to pan along with the minced garlic. Sauté until the onion is translucent and starting to brown. Pour wine into pot, scraping the sides and bottom of the pot with a wooden spatula to release any brown bits from the bottom. Allow wine to reduce to about 2 tablespoons.
2. Pour tomatoes into pot, and stir. Bring to a simmer. Stir in oregano and thyme. Allow to simmer for 5 minutes. Add half of the basil, and then use an immersion blender to puree sauce until it reaches your desired consistency. I like mine slightly chunky. (You can do this with out an immersion blender, just use a label to transfer the sauce to a regular blender and pulse until desired consistency is reach. Then return sauce to pan).
3. Allow sauce to simmer for 5 more minutes. This helps some of the extra water steam off, which results in a thicker, more flavorful sauce. Finally, stir in last of the basil and season with salt and pepper to taste. If you like a spicy marinara, add red pepper flakes to taste. Serve hot, use on pizzas, or store in an air-tight jar in the fridge.

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Tilapia with Fried Capers and Lemon

I have been listening to a lot of podcasts: on my way to work, on my way home, even while I'm doing chores around the house or working out. 

While I'm driving to work, I love to listen to something that gets my brain working. This is when I pull out my -get-down-to-business podcast, Chopped. It's a podcast by food bloggers, for food bloggers, so I know not all of you will be interested in this one, but if you have a food blog, you should definitely tune in: 

Chopped. Even if you're just starting a blog, this one is worth subscribing to! I love getting little knowledge bombs from this show. Marly (the host) also keeps everything real and manageable. 

I have a hard time listening to podcasts while actually writing or crunching numbers, so I usually wait to continue my listening until my drive home. At that point I'm usually over trying hard for the day (11 hours is enough, time to sit back and relax. Seriously) and ready to just hear something neat or interesting. This is where Gastropod comes in. 

Gastropod. This is not the first time I've brought up Gastropod, but what can I say? I love it. Dearly. If I had to pick one podcast and only one podcast to listen to, this might be it. Cynthia and Nicola are as nerdy as I am when it comes to food, and their podcast is really well produced. Gastropod covered topics like Counting Fish and how the type of silverware you're eating off of affects your meal. No matter the topic, you're sure to learn something new! 

Speaking of learning, I also just started listening to Wine for Normal People--I  started listening to it right after I wrote my post on Marsala wine, actually. Despite being a foodie, my wine knowledge is lacking. There's so much to know! So many names that are hard to pronounce! Years and blends and vineyards oh my! But when I go to buy a bottle of wine, I want to at least feel like I might be buying something I'll like. This podcast makes me feel like maybe I'll learn. One day. For now it's all just trial and error. Plus, this podcast is realistic, and lacks all snobbery you might think would come with a wine podcast. I also enjoy Stuff You Should Know for non-food related facts.

When I'm at home and working on something rather mindless, I usually want story with a bit more meat to it. Something that will entertain my mind while I bead, or take my thoughts far away while I clean. This is when I listen to shows like S-Town of This American Life. 

S-town. This podcast is especially recommended to those that enjoyed Serial, it's older cousin. It's intriguing, mysterious and sometimes a bit disturbing. Once you start listening, you just can't stop.

This American Life. Before the era of podcasts, my parents would tune into This American Life on Colorado Public Radio. Maybe it's just a tradition for me now, but The American Life continue to be one of my favorite easy-listening podcasts. Their simple, everyday stories always carry a message that is deep and moving, though they tend to keep everything lighthearted. 

Alright, what podcasts do you subscribe to? What are your favorite and why? Lay it on me! 

Tilapia with Fried Capers and Lemon

Published May 2, 2017 by Caitlin Sherwood

A easy tilapia recipe with bright lemon and capers.

Serves: 2   |    Total Time: 25 minutes

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Ingredients:

• 2 tilapia fillets
• 1-1/2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges
• 2 tablespoons capers
• 2 tablespoons minced parsley

Directions:

1. Using a towel, pat the fish dry on either side. Season with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet over medium heat. When it glistens, place the fish in the pan. Cook for 4-5 minutes on each slide, until fish is cooked through, opaque, and flakey.
2. While the fish cooks, heat remaining 1/2 tablespoon of oil in a small pan. Pan capers dry with a towel (this will help minimize splattering). When the oil is hot (test it by flicking a drop of water into the pan—if it sizzles, it’s hot enough), pour the capers into the pan. Allow the capers to cook, stirring occasionally. After 3 minutes, remove from heat.
3. Serve fish on plates, and squeeze 1 lemon wedge over each fillet. Sprinkle with capers and parsley. Serve with additional lemon wedges.

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