Leave a Comment

Posted on August 15, 2023 by The Divine Kitchen

I love this time of year and the strangely predictable chaos it brings. The weather is wild, schedules are filled with vacations and gatherings and other fun things, but the big events are always worth looking forward to. Often held in the first week of August, the White Marlin Open fishing tournament takes place in Ocean City, MD – people pour into town to see the boats, the tournament weigh-ins, the shopping, and the general buzz of excitement you can feel throughout. Family used to fish the tournament, but now we all just go down, enjoy the boats, eat some Mahi fingers and bake like potatoes on the Assateague Island seashore – a little vacation from the busy life back home. Often, my little sister’s birthday falls across that week/weekend, so it becomes a joint celebration of a fun fishing tournament and birthday.

This year, I attempted to make a sushi cake I found on Instagram… and let me tell you, it was proof that I can’t get it right 100% of the time and that sometimes you really, really need to read the directions. I also should’ve noticed that her recipe was in a 7 inch bundt silicone pan, so when I proudly pulled out my big fancy 12 inch cast aluminum bundt pan and shoved heaps of rice, avocado and imitation crab into it, I should have known I was going to have a bad time and a big mess. Maybe I’ll try it again another time. (I won’t…)

That aside, I love that it’s the last month of humid summer evenings where I can sit outside with a nice glass of blanc de blancs, see the stars and think about all the cool stuff going on in my life. It almost invites that sentimental (and sometimes almost cheesy) feeling of gratitude because it’s so much easier to just take inventory of the good around you. Work is always busy because the teams are working on a skeleton crew with vacations going on; late nights with late sunsets allow for just a little more time to relax on the deck before heading to bed; better weather means less excuses not to head to the oyster bar in the city with handsome new friends. When I was younger, the first part of August was also somewhat of a last-hoorah before a new school year, so there’s this heightened anticipation and excitement about new beginnings, even if it’s somewhat in the middle of the year.

Tomorrow marks a new moon in Leo – which also lines up with the Sun currently in Leo. This is a time where competition, creation, confidence and fun are at a peak – which makes sense, we’re in the heat of summer! This time of year always catches me having to make decisions that are either spontaneous, adventurous or just generally pushing me out of my comfort zone, so I see this new moon tomorrow  as something to really kick off a new state of mind for myself, and I hope you do, too.

To honor a new beginning, write down a new hobby, a new habit or anything else you want to invite into your life on a piece of paper. To capture some moving energy of everything buzzing around you, put it out tonight on your deck under a large rock or crystal, or a glass container of water. I like to use this as an opportunity to put it out into all that good energy moving around to help kickstart my changes. After all, what you put out is what you get right back.

Save this recipe for fall, or for a day where using your oven doesn’t make your house feel like Dante’s Inferno. I couldn’t resist something cheesy and tasty, so I just had to make it anyway. Cottage cheese is always having a moment in my life, and I get around those weird chunks by just pureeing it and putting it back in its container. If you’re equally weird about texture but want to lighten up your cream-based dishes, try the swap. Enjoy!

Zucchini Gratin with Roasted Shallots and Pecorino (Gluten Free!)

Prep time: 20 min (active time)

Cook time: 45 min

Makes 4-5 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 medium/large zucchini, sliced to about 1/8th inch (we’re almost going for thick potato chip thickness… use a mandolin slicer if you can, I love this one); should yield 2 packed cups of slices
  • 3 large shallots, sliced very thin (also sliced on the mandolin)
  • 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 3/4 cup cheddar, shredded
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • Pinch of paprika
  • pinch of Italian seasoning (a sprinkle of oregano, thyme and rosemary if a mix is not on hand)
  • 1/2 cup cottage cheese, pureed to remove the curds/chunks
  • Olive oil to grease the dish
  • Grated Pecorino Romano (I love Locatelli brand)
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

  1. Recommended to do ahead: slice your zucchini and lay flat in a single layer. Sprinkle generously with salt – this will draw the excess water out of them. I let mine sit out for hours – I realize this is not time-effective, so sometimes I’ll even slice them overnight and throw them in the fridge. Once the salt visibly draws the moisture out of one side, I blot them dry, flip them, salt the other side and do the same, blotting the salted water off before using.
  2. Once ready to prepare the dish, preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
  3. In your baking dish, drizzle and coat with olive oil. Alternating your zucchini slices and shallot slices, arranging in a pattern of your choosing. The spiral is pretty, but laying them flat and layered like scalloped potatoes is perfectly acceptable as long as you make sure the sauce gets around them all!
  4. Once arranged, move to mixing the sauce. To ensure your sauce texture is consistent, I first puree my cottage cheese with my cream with an immersion blender first but use whatever blender you’ve got.
  5. Once your cottage cheese and cream are blended, add to a saucepan over low heat, along with your cheese. Add in your seasonings and garlic. Stir frequently to prevent burning; mix should be brought to a simmer/bubble, but not boil. Season generously with salt and pepper to taste – remember, the zucchini will soak this up and reduce the salt flavor.
  6. Your mix should be quite thick, but not goopy, and fully incorporated. While it’s still hot, pour your sauce over the zucchini and shallots, gently shifting the dish around to allow the sauce to sink down around the zucchini.
  7. Generously sprinkle your grated Pecorino over the top. Cover with foil, and bake for 40-45 minutes, until the zucchini is visibly tender.
  8. Remove the foil carefully and continue baking for another 10 minutes. If your pecorino has absorbed, I like to sprinkle more over it so it can get brown and bubbly. More is better.
  9. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before serving. Don’t panic if it looks watery – it will settle and firm up once it cools a bit.

Considerations – while I have not tried this swap with zucchini, you can try to sub full fat coconut milk, coconut cream, nutritional yeast and LOTS of seasoning if trying to avoid dairy. I would not recommend most non-dairy milks in this recipe because of the water content, but you can always experiment and let me know how it turns out!

Enjoy,

-S

Leave a Comment

Posted on August 8, 2023 by The Divine Kitchen

After what felt like a possibly indefinite hiatus, I felt particularly inspired today after remembering the whole Lion’s Gate portal that falls during the month of August every year. For those that don’t know what this is – each year, during Leo season, August 8th (8/8) kicks off a little window where you can throw literally anything out into the universe and watch it come back – abundance, prosperity, you name it. Sounds crazy? Hear me out.

If you have ever heard me ramble about numerology, astrology, literally anything woo, you’ve likely heard me throw a couple names of planets out. This one’s spinning backwards and upside down, that’s why you’re crying… the moon is in Asparagus, that’s why you lost your car keys… etc. The Lion’s Gate Portal notes the alignment of the sun in Leo (7/23-8/22), the star Sirius (the brightest star in the sky at night), the constellation Orion’s Belt, and, of course… Earth.

Within astrology, Sirius is described as embodying the fiery energy of Jupiter as well as the masculine, move-forward energy of Mars — which means manifesting makes sense, right? Speak it into reality. Be as delulu as you want.

Having said that, if you’ve felt wired, restless, insane, uncomfortable or anything similar, make yourself a little ritual today or this week. I’m not a big proponent of specifics on what to do – I usually recommend friends and clients do what resonates with them. If you aren’t sure where to start, here are some things that resonate with me – if this is too weird for you, go outside and touch grass. We’re weird over here.

  • Write your manifestations on a piece of paper – be as specific as you want. Describe your life explicitly as if you already have it, in present tense. Describe how you feel, where you are, who you’re with, what you’re wearing, what you’re doing now that you have it.
  • Put out some water in a glass or otherwise clear container, and leave it out where it can catch some moonlight (covered, of course. We don’t want bugs in our water!). I like to drink mine the day after
  • Find a crystal you find particularly attractive, or one that’s shiny, or particularly one that represents what you’re trying to manifest. We’re trying to bedazzle our future here, don’t hold back. During this time, keep it within arm’s reach so you can hold it whenever you think of it. I like pyrite, or fool’s gold, or amethyst.

That aside, I just had the pull to post something, and to make an honest effort in sharing once again. I’ve been cooking a lot recently – I never actually stopped, but documenting things just seemed like such a heavy lift for me, mentally and emotionally. The last two years have been a lot of change, and this hobby took a back seat. People came and went – some were easy to lose, some very much weren’t. I faced a lot of major limiting beliefs and had to do a lot of humbling work on them, and obviously getting myself back to a better state of physical health and wellness was a priority. Cooking and sharing makes me happy, so I need to make a concerted effort to set aside the time to do so. Here we are!

Oh, and if this wasn’t a cool enough reintroduction back into society, I’ve been invited to lead the yoga classes at the We Met At Camp event, August 25th-27th! If that sounds familiar, you may recognize Lindsey Metselaar’s podcast, We Met At Acme, which focuses on Millennial dating, relationships, and lifestyle. You can find more info about the their instagram here, as well as Lindsey’s page. There’s currently a waitlist to attend, but if the idea of reliving the glory days of summer camp with open bars and lots of new people sounds fun… sign up!

This one is not new, but something from the archives from late summer 2021.It’s super easy, and I like to make it ahead as a side dish because it’s delicious while hot, and can sit out without spoiling as you make other dishes for your meal. Enjoy!

Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Feta and Craisins (Gluten-Free!)

Prep time: 20 min

Cook time: 45 min

Ingredients

  • 10-12 oz diced butternut squash
  • Half of a red onion, finely chopped
  • Small handful of parsley, finely chopped
  • ½ cup craisins, or dried cranberries
  • 1-2 tbsp olive oil, plus more for cooking
  • 1/3 cup feta, crumbled
  • 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
  • Sprinkle of paprika, just a pinch
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

  1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
  2. On a sheet pan, toss your squash and garlic in 1-2 tbsp olive oil. Season generously with salt and pepper. Spread your squash into a single layer, and roast for 40-45 minutes until starting to turn golden brown. Set aside to let cool.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, add your cooled squash, a drizzle of olive oil, parsley, craisins and feta. Gently stir, mixing to combine, so as to not muddy the feta.
  4. Add salt and pepper to taste. Lastly, sprinkle your desired amount of paprika.

Enjoy!

-S

Leave a Comment

Posted on September 14, 2023 by The Divine Kitchen

What a busy time of year it is!

This past weekend was the Mushroom Festival – one of my favorite weekends as a Kennett Square native. Celebrating an industry that my family has deep roots in is fun to see – and as my family got bigger and evolved, there were even more connections to the mushroom industry.

I ran the Painted Mushroom tent with my mom and sister – it was a lot of fun, and a lot of work! Between a silent auction, a raffle and a popularity vote to manage, there were tickets galore to oversee. My mom painted the raffle mushroom, and my sister painted one of the other entries up for bid. I did my best to channel my innermost annoying mall kiosk salesperson and made sure not one person passed me without getting a ticket to vote. Interestingly enough, I have a newfound respect for the confidence that those people have, because while I was aggressively hounding all festival patrons to take a ticket, I couldn’t help but remember that on the other side I am definitely one of those people who would rather slink away unnoticed without taking a ticket or making any small talk… with anyone. However, it was worth the fun. My aunt Kim won the Giant Mushroom Raffle, and my sister’s mushroom raised the top contribution of $400 for local charities, so it was a great time.

Some excitement is in store for this weekend – I am working the tent/bake sale at the Radnor Fall Festival for my volunteer group, The Saturday Club! Proceeds go to the Kisses for Kyle organization, so if you’re in the area, stop in and say hello! The Kisses for Kyle Foundation offers a variety of services to families fighting childhood cancer in the Delaware Valley. They provide financial assistance to help with bills, travel expenses, wigs, and food throughout the treatment and recovery journey. Kids at the festival are welcome!

Tomorrow also marks the next new moon, in Virgo. New moons are typically seen as a time for new beginnings, and planning, innovation, and Virgo’s meticulous energy really drives the point home.

Virgo is an earth sign known for its organization and practicality, but during this new moon, it’s important let go of the overthinking. Create a vision board or document in a journal to get your thoughts together on what you want to organize and prepare. Tie up loose ends, and see what you need to make clearer in your life, but as with any new moon – be kind with yourself and patient on your newly drafted desires.

I was going back and forth on what to post since I have a few things to share, and once the weather starts to get cooler… I will be making a ton of really good fall recipes, both paleo/vegan, and unrestricted! For now, please enjoy this delicious dip that you can bring to Sunday Football, a tailgate, or on the deck to enjoy a nice hot toddy before dinner.

Lemon Dill White Bean Dip (Gluten-free, Vegan!)

Prep time: 10 min

Cook time: n/a

Servings: 6-8

Ingredients

  • 1 15 oz can of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
  • 3 tbsp tahini
  • Juice and zest from 1 lemon
  • Small handful of fresh dill, plus more for garnish
  • 2-3 large cloves of garlic
  • ¼ cup loosely chopped red or yellow onion (it’ll get smashed up – just need a small bit of onion)
  • Sea salt, to taste (I put in about 1/2 tsp)
  • 1 tbsp quality olive oil, plus more for garnish
  • 1-2 tbsp of water, as needed
  • Optional, omit if vegan – 2 tbsp of crumbled feta, plus more for garnish

Directions

  1. In a food processor, add your beans along with tahini, salt, lemon juice and zest, onion, garlic and olive oil.  Blend until creamy – you may need to use a silicone spatula to scrape the sides down to ensure everything is blended to your desired texture.
  2. Once blended, add your herbs and feta, and pulse to combine. I like my texture to be thick and creamy, like hummus – if yours is too thick however, add some water to thin it out.
  3. Adjust your flavors as needed – dill, garlic, salt, lemon etc. like a lot of dips, when this sits, it mellows out a bit – so I like to add more salt than I think I might need if I’m not eating it right away.
  4. Enjoy right away, or let chill in the fridge to get thicker before serving. You can garnish with olive oil, more dill or more feta if desired.

Enjoy!

-S

Leave a Comment

Posted on September 4, 2023 by The Divine Kitchen

It’s Labor Day Weekend! I stayed home – had the chance to head down to the beach, but it was kind of nice to get some forced time to sit around and do… nothing. I grocery shopped, lifted weights at the gym, spent time at the pool getting some sun, and spent too much money at Ulta with their 21 days of deals. I got some amazing deals on cool stuff so far! While these deals are no longer, I highly recommend these things (not sponsored, just a fan):

  • Osea Undaria Algae Body Butter – 6.7oz, $56. Big fan of this product – natural ingredients, mild smell, not greasy at all, absorbs quickly.
  • r.e.m. beauty Lustrous Liquid Eyeshadow – $8 (normally $16!) – this is currently on sale until tonight at midnight – I bought 2 colors, and I love them. Just enough shimmer to be fancy, but not too hoochie.
  • Urban Decay All NIghter Waterproof Setting Powder – $35 – I have the setting spray by this brand, but sometimes I find that it’s a bit heavy. I only put it on briefly (bought it yesterday), but I think this might be a nice solution to it being super hot out and not wanting heavy layers on my face to keep my eye make-up nice.
  • Ulta Brand Juice Infused Lip Oil – $10 – I bought the Berry flavor, and it’s got a hint of color but mostly clear, and not sticky at all. It was the deal on Saturday, so I grabbed two of them to shove into my purses for a surprise in 6 months when I come across them.
  • Nars Light Reflecting Eye Brightener – $34 – for summer, I got the shade Goldeneye, which is a light to medium color. I can layer it in the winter when I am pale with my favorite Kosas concealer. It’s creamy, not too heavy, and doesn’t crease.
  • Lolavie Restorative Shampoo – 8.5oz, $29 – I am a sucker for new shampoos. I am also a sucker for anything Jennifer Aniston does, because she’s perfection. I got this shampoo to see if it made my hair soft without making it greasy… I have what an old hairstylist called “silky” textured hair – a nice way to say I have very straight, untextured wispy white-girl superfine hair. I’ll accept that, but I at least want to feel fresh and clean. I love this stuff, I combine it with my K18 Leave-in Mask once a month (warning – that stuff is not from Ulta and is NOT wallet friendly L but boy, does it work)

Outside of spending frivolously, a few key things  outside of my own stuff has happened. Venus went direct today after a month and a half in retrograde, and Jupiter went retrograde today as well. A little about Venus – it’s the planet for relationships, both romantic and platonic. Things may have seemed intense late this summer, but it’ll start to course-correct today. Lots more clarity, more harmony with dealing with others, less conflict. Similarly – we get another boost with Jupiter as of today until December 31st. While retrogrades are often thought of as negative, Jupiter is a bit different. Abundance and prosperity are on the up and up, and with Jupiter in retrograde, it’s just a wise caution to move slowly, but intentionally on any major chances and leaps forward. However, it’s thought that any big opportunities and chances should be carefully considered and taken (at your own risk!).

Though it’s going to be in the 90’s this week, this recipe uses the oven but I promise it’s worth it – these cookies are delicious. It’s like a reverse chocolate chip cookie, but healthy – paleo, so gluten free, dairy free, grain free.

Chocolate Chip Cookies with White Chocolate (Paleo!)

Prep time: 5 min

Cook time: 10 min

Makes 12 cookies

Ingredients

  • 1 cup almond flour
  • 1/4 cup coconut flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 egg, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted and cooled
  • 1/2 cup coconut sugar
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup
  • 2 heaping tbsp cocoa powder
  • 3 oz vegan white chocolate chips, I use these
  • Coarse sea salt, for sprinkling

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together your wet ingredients – your egg, coconut oil, coconut sugar and vanilla extract.
  3. Next, stir together the dry ingredients in a bowl –  almond flour, coconut flour and baking soda, mixing well to combine. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until well combined.
  4. Lastly, gently fold in in the white chocolate chips. If need be, use clean hands to mix the chips in thoroughly.
  5. Scoop golf-ball sized balls of dough onto ungreased baking sheet. With a greased mug of cup, flatten the dough to about 2/3 of an inch. The flatter you make the cookies, the flatter and wider they’ll bake. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until edges appear crisp.
  6. Once cooked, sprinkle with coarse sea salt and allow to cool on cookie sheet for 10 to 15 minutes before removing.

Enjoy!

-S

Leave a Comment

Posted on August 3, 2021 by The Divine Kitchen

Greetings, y’all. It’s a windy, breezy day here and it’s only a crisp 79 degrees.. much more enjoyable than a belligerent heat wave.

I enjoyed a busy weekend filled with wedding activities, horses, sushi and cooking.  The wedding on Friday was absolutely beautiful – a hike up to Folino Estates Winery just outside of Allentown. I’d never been before, but I’d go again. I’ll go to great lengths to get some good wine…. Yes, I will.

Having said that, I’ll also go to great lengths to get some good pizza. The problem with pizza isn’t so much the dairy, or the acidity of the sauce, or possibly not even the gluten. That combo… gosh, it hurts me so. I just cannot live without it.

So…. I get a little creative. I had some sweet potatoes waiting to be eaten, and since I don’t often eat a carb-filled meal, they were sort of just sitting there, looking lonely. I cut them up into fries, marinated them in some Italian spices, and the rest is history.

Note! If you are not strict paleo, you can use real cheese. In fact, I encourage it! And for all my lactose-intolerant friends… I got you. Don’t worry.

Pizza Fries (Paleo, and sometimes vegan!)

IMG_2007_jpg

Prep time: 15 min

Cook time: 50 min

Ingredients

For the fries

  • 3 large/long sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into preferred French fry size; the thinner the better (no big ass wedges!)
  • 1-2 tbsp preferred cooking oil – I like avocado
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/4 tsp dried thyme
  • 1/4 tsp dried rosemary
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • black pepper, to taste

For the toppings

  • ½ cup vegan/paleo cheese sauce, heated for easier drizzling; I used Siete Foods Spicy Queso Blanco
  • ½ cup marinara sauce
  • 10-12 pepperoni slices, quartered (omit if vegan!)
  • chopped basil for garnish, if desired

*note – hand-shredded mozzarella can be used if not strict paleo

Directions

  1. Optional to make ahead – add your oil, fry spices and sweet potatoes in a bag or bowl and toss to coat.. this is not necessary, I just imagine it makes it taste better.
  2. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.
  3. On a parchment lined or greased/foil-lined baking sheet, place your fries, evenly spaced (not too close so they can crisp!). Bake for 20 minutes – then flip them and continue cooking for another 10-15 minutes. If any are starting to brown too quickly – move them to the center of the pan so they don’t continue to burn.
  4. Once thoroughly cooked/crisped to your liking, remove from heat. Turn your oven to broil.
  5. On your same baking sheet, carefully arrange the fries into a pile, while still spread for maximum topping coverage. I do not recommend using your hands… just in case anyone needs to be told that.
  6. Next, drizzle your marinara sauce, followed by your heated cheese sauce over top. You can go as light or heavy as you want – but with any good pile of crunchy anything, more sauce = less crispy. If using real cheese instead, sprinkle with cheese.
  7. Lastly, sprinkle your chopped pepperoni across the fries, if using.
  8. Broil 3-5 minutes, until sauces are thoroughly melted and pepperoni is crisp. Remove from heat and serve immediately.

Optional: garnish with basil if you feel fancy.

Enjoy!

-S

Want to browse?

Create a website or blog at WordPress.com