Wednesday, February 17, 2010

My life with David.....

Real Life Adventures

all about MINERALs

Mineral ada berbagai macam dan terkandung dalam buah dan sayur, macam mineral terdiri dari:

Kalsium
terdapat pada brokoli, kedelai, sayuran berdaun hijau tua.
manfaatnya untuk pembentukan tulang dan gigi, menjaga reaksi otot dan respon saraf lebih cepat.

Magnesium
ada di sayuran berdaun hijau tua dan kacang2an.
membantu pertumbuhan otot dan tulang.

Natrium
terkandung dalam wortel, bit, dan sayuran berdaun hijau.
berguna untuk:
-mengatur tekanan osmosis agar cairan tidak keluar dari darah dan masuk kedalam sel.
-memelihara keseimbangan asam basa dalam tubuh.
-berperan dalam kontraksi otot dan transmisi saraf.
-sebagai alat angkut zat2 gizi melalui membran sel.

Kalium (potassium)
ada pada semangka, jeruk, pisang, anggur, tomat, kacang polong, kentang, wortel.
sebagai pemelihara keseimbangan cairan, elektrolit dan asam basa dalam tubuh serta untuk transmisi saraf.

Fosfor
sumber dari kacang2an.
menguatkan tulang dan menstabilkan metabolisme tubuh.

Zat Besi
terkandung dalam sayuran hijau seperti bayam, sawi hijau, daun katuk, brokoli, kedelai.
berguna untuk mencegah anemia, transportasi oksigen dlm tubuh, dan membantu pencernaan.

Seng
terdapat pada kacang2an seperti kacang polong.
untuk meningkatkan imunitas dan menghindari cacat mental dan anemia.

Selenium
terdapat pada tomat, brokoli, kol.
sebagai antioksidan dan meningkatkan kekebalan tubuh.

source: Buku Pintar Jus utk Bayi & Balita, Ayu Bulan Febry K.D.,S.Km. & dr. Zulfito Marendra

Crunchy Granola

Despite the title of this post, I can assure you that I am not, repeat NOT some peace-loving, birkenstock-wearing, dope-smoking, ponytailed leftover old hippie relic from the 1970's.  Actually, that would apply more to Henry than to me (well, not the ponytail part).  Or at least it did "back in the day."  (Hint:  the peace symbol necklace pictured here does NOT belong to me).  Good thing we didn't know each other then!

But even Henry didn't love granola.  Neither did I, so that's probably one thing we could have agreed upon.

I already confessed in a recent post that I don't like Valentine's Day.  Well, in addition to that (and granola), here's another thing I don't like:  BRUNCH!

Why not, you ask?  Mostly it's because you eat way too much at a weird time, you might even have a mimosa or bloody mary and it just screws you up for the balance of the day.  I mean, you don't eat breakfast because you're waiting for brunch, you don't eat lunch because you're eating brunch and once you've consumed all that alcohol and starchy goodiness, you have no interest in dinner.  Ever.  Oh, and you probably want to nap in the late afternoon too, which means you will never get to sleep that night and it's probably Sunday so you'll be totally messed up on Monday morning.  Bottom line:  don't look for me in your favorite brunch spot!

Unless of course, you are having brunch at Nice Matin in New York City. 

http://www.nicematinnyc.com/menu.php

I refuse to visit NYC without a brunch visit here.  That's because I am addicted to their house toasted granola with cashews, almonds and dried cranberries.  Add a serving of their "perfect grapefruit segments" and a dollop of yogurt and you will find yourself in granola-brunch heaven.  Even me.

So don't ask me why (fond memories of Nice Matin, perhaps?) when NY Times food writer Melissa Clark published a recipe for granola in her one of her columns last July, I decided to try it.  It sounded just quirky enough to be interesting.


Interesting?  OMG, it was fabulous.  I have made it many times since, including the other day when I needed to send a care package to my stressed-out son (remember him - the recipient of those whole wheat biscuits a while back?)  While I sent him a fair share, I also managed to stash a decent amount of it in the pantry for myself.  Didn't even tell Henry, either.  Yeah, it's that good.  Don't be deterred by the olive oil or the cardamom.  They are essential.  Trust me.

OLIVE OIL GRANOLA WITH PISTACHIOS

3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 1/2 cups raw pistachios, hulled
1 1/2 cups raw pumpkin seeds, hulled
1 cup shaved coconut (believe it or not, you can find this at Kroger)
3/4 cup pure maple syrup (use the real thing, NOT the Log Cabin crap)
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
3/4 cup dried fruit, optional (chopped dried apricots, dried cranberries or whatever you like.  Or not)

Preheat oven to 300-degrees.  Combine all ingredients except dried fruit in a large bowl and toss well to blend.  Spread on a rimmed baking sheet (do not use parchment as it will make it difficult when you stir in the middle of baking) and bake for 45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes until golden brown and well-toasted.  (Note - baking time may vary due to the calibration of your oven.  Just keep stirring every 10 minutes and baking until mixture is dried out and crunchy, but not overbaked).

Cool on baking sheet, then transfer to a large bowl and mix in dried fruit (if using).  Store in airtight container and hide from everyone in your house if you want any leftover for yourself.

Yield:  about 9 cups

I can eat this stuff straight out-of-hand, but if you are so inclined, serve it with some grapefruit segments and Fage 0% Greek yogurt, drizzled with honey.  Then you get the tartness of the fruit, the crunchiness of the granola, the creaminess of the yogurt and the sweetness of the honey.  BIG YUM!

Blood Red Shoes


I've spent the day taking pictures with Laia. We've been exploring the neighborhood of Gracia, and we've discovered several cute places...



 
  
  
  
Can you see Laia reflected looking for sweets?
 
  
  
  
  
Laia, isn't she lovely?
Me with my red umbrella!
T-shirt - Zara (old)
Skirt - Handmade
Jacket - Stradivarius (old)
Tights - H&M
Shoes - Tao Bao
Bag - Women' Secret
Headband and ring - Handmade

By the way, the 1st picture is on the Lookbook H&M and the blues' contest, if you like it, would you hype me? Thank you!! You can go to my Lookbook from here.

We went there because I've to submit six photos to my teacher on Tuesday... 3 looks and 3 places from Barcelona... so, what do you think about Gracia? isn't it a wonderful place?

Anyway, we discovered several cute little shops, and in one of them I found these lovely red shoes... 
 
  
Yes, a lovely pair of Melissa's shoes! And on sales!! As one of my purpose for this year is learning to walk in flat shoes (I always wear heels or platforms, except with trainers or boots... but I don't know how to walk in flat cute shoes...), I needed a pair of shoes... and I found this...
But later, at Bimba&Lola, they were on sales too... and thanks to my lovely Micky... I got these wonderful pair of... red shoes, yes... 

 

I feel like Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz!! But please... don't let me buy another pair of red shoes!!

Oh, and we discovered a lovely vintage shop, but you'll have to wait for seeing what I got there!!

And tomorrow I'm going to another part of the city... Borne!! More, tomorrow!

Lamb Chilli in Pitta Bread with Salad

Lamb Chilli in Pitta Bread with SaladCooking with lamb is of course a very different proposition from cooking with beef. The meat is much more tender and when it is minced or ground, finer somehow. This is the principal reason why I have used tomato puree in this recipe for two, rather than the chopped tomatoes I would use in beef chilli. It simply seems more appropriate and less overwhelming.

Ingredients

- Lamb Chilli

1/2lb minced/ground lamb
1 8oz can red kidney beans in water (washed and drained)
1 tbsp tomato puree
1 garlic clove (crushed or grated)
1 red chilli pepper (finely chopped - seeds in or out as preferred)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

- Salad

1/4 small white cabbage (shredded)
1/2 large onion (finely sliced)
1/2 small cucumber (sliced)
1 large tomato (de-seeded and sliced)

2 pitta breads

Method

The lamb should be carefully browned in a medium to large saucepan for a couple of minutes before the rest of the chilli ingredients are added. A little boiling water may be required in order just to let it simmer gently for around fifteen to twenty minutes. Be careful, however, only to add a little as required, or the chilli will be too watery.

While the chilli is simmering, the salad ingredients should be prepared and added to a large bowl. They should then be seasoned and stirred together thoroughly.

The pitta breads should be sprinkled very lightly with cold water before being placed under a hot grill for one minute each side, once the chilli is ready. A sharp knife should then be used to carefully slit open one side edge of the pitta bread and the chilli carefully spooned inside. Be careful not to overfill, however, or the bread will burst.

I have simply used a little twist of cucumber in the example photographed above for garnish, but such as grated cheese or garlic and herb soured cream are other options which I use from time to time.

Lemon and Chilli Tart



Lemon tart is the dessert for people who don’t do desserts.

There is a neat dichotomy in the world. For some the very word ‘gateaux’ is enough to bring on excitement bordering on the erotic.

The prospect of a delicately crafted assiette complete with tuiles, spun sugar sculptures of the Sydney Opera House and eight hundred garnishes can weaken the knees and moisten the brow.

For dessert fans, the starter and main course are but palate readiers for the sweet treats to follow be they frozen, baked, chilled, fried or covered in chocolate. In many cases all of the above.

Pud-heads pay homage to the goddess of sugar, offer sacrifices to the sprits of the saccharine and prostrate themselves at the altar of pastry.

And then there are those like my dad. The dessert menu is briefly perused before being dismissed with a request to move directly to coffee. Do not pass Gü. Do not put on two hundred pounds.

Indeed, the word ‘meh’ could have been coined for this very situation.



But the one exception that proves the rule is the lemon tart. It is the non-pudding lovers’ pudding. The sweet richness of the filling is tempered by the bracing acidity of the citrus fruit and despite the vast quantities of butter, sugar and eggs needed to make most incarnations, it is a surprisingly light end to a meal.

A few weeks ago I wrote an article on the Cambridge Chilli Farm. Amongst their many artisanal products is the intriguing Lemon Drop Sauce made with aji lemon chillies. It was recommended as an addition to seafood or chicken but by that point the cogs of invention were chugging into place.

I’ve long been fascinated with the Thai approach to flavour balance – the careful interplay between the sour, the spicy, the sweet and the salty is a great basis for a culinary philosophy and I wondered if it would work with desserts too.

This presented the ideal opportunity to try.

After consulting innumerable sources (none of which had a recipe for lemon tart flavoured with chilli) I created the following recipe combining elements of Larousse, Stephane Renaud and the Almighty himself, Mr Thomas Keller.

It is by no means a classic lemon tart – the filling cooked over a bain marie, hollandaise style, before being poured into the prebaked tart casing. But the resultant dish is a thing of beauty. The balance between sweet and sour, so essential for a lemon tart, is there but the chilli brings something new. The heat comes late and readies the palate for the next mouthful making each bite as tasty and as satisfying as the first.

But from what I can tell it is a genuine original. Would you look at that? I think I’ve created a signature dish.

Lemon and Aji Lemon Chilli Tart



This uses a basic pâte sablée or sweet short crust for the pastry case. Feel free to pep it up with some grated lemon zest or even a smidgeon of dried chilli flakes.

250g plain flour
125g butter, at room tempterature
70g caster sugar
1 egg

Beat the butter and egg together until light and fluffy then add the sugar. Sift in the flour and use your hands to make a dough. Try to handle it as little as possible, just incorporate the flour then wrap it in cling film and put it in the fridge for at least half an hour.

Once chilled roll out the pastry – I find it helpful to do so between two sheets of greaseproof paper – to a thickness of about half a centimetre and line a loose bottomed tart case with it. Press the pastry into the corners (corners? It’s round - you know what I mean – ridges?) of the tart case and trim off a little of the excess pastry.

Make a cartouche of baking paper and place over the pastry. Fill it with baking beans or coins and bake at 180 degrees for at least fifteen minutes until the base as well as the edges are starting to turn that delicious pale tan colour. Think healthy glow as opposed to Jodie Marsh.

Once cooked remove the baking paper along with the coins and leave to cool whilst you prepare the filling.

For the filling you will need:
Three eggs
100g caster sugar
four lemons, zested and juiced, juice sieved to remove pips and pith
80g butter cubed into neat little dice (about 2cm squared)
2 teaspoons lemon drop sauce

Add an inch or so of water to a saucepan and bring to a boil over a moderate heat. Crack the eggs into a heatproof bowl – make sure you choose one that’s slightly smaller than the pan you are using - and add the lemon zest and sugar and whisk for a couple of minutes until the colour begins to turn pale.

Place the bowl over the pan of simmering water. Make sure the base of the bowl is not touching the water so that the eggs are being cooked by the gentle heat of the steam. Continue whisking the mixture until the eggs begin to thicken then add a third of the lemon juice. The mixture will thin. Keep whisking until it begins to thicken again. Add another third of the lemon juice. Whisk until thick and repeat the process with the remaining lemon juice.

Keep the heat low and keep whisking well throughout - you don’t want scrambled eggs stuck to the bottom of the bowl.

The whole process should take 8-10 minutes. You’ll know when it’s ready. Promise.

Remove the bowl from the heat and whisk in the butter a cube at a time then add the aji lemon sauce. Taste all the way through to make sure the balance of sweet/sour/hot is right. The chilli flavour shouldn’t be immediately noticeable but creep up on you gradually.

Once you’re happy, pour the mixture into the tart case. It should set at room temperature within 15-20 minutes. Serve with any ice cream you see fit and maybe a glass of limoncello.

I like hunting you!

MissKellie has tagged me in this funny game, so of course I'm doing it, dear! Thanks!!
The rules are to post a list of things you like/love/hate, and then link to three bloggers who you admire!So...




I like boys who wear suits in an informal way and girls who looks lovely.




I like Twiggy.


I like reading books, but not romantic novels.



I like drink coffee in the morning, it's my favourite time of the day.


I like cold weather, with rain, snow and only a little bit of sun.



I like being with my friends.

I like music, it's one of the most important things in my life.




I like taking pictures, but in an amateur way.

I like the smell of tangerine.

I like sushi, I could eat sushi everyday.



I like wake up early and realize that is not the time for getting up, so I can sleep a little bit more.

I like to smile when I say "thank you".



I love being alive.

Today is going to be another wonderful day.

I hate politics.

I hate bad grammar.

I hate people who wants to be over other people only because they think that's cool.

I hate peppers and artichoke.

I hate people who doesn't value imagination.

I hate when I talk and nobody listen to me.

I hate wake up very late.

I hate when you talk to someone and he or she doesn't look you, like not paying attention.

All pictures from weheartit.

And I tag Laia, from Let me feel like a doll; Maria from Lulu Letty and Mo from Me, Mo and Myself!