Must-Try Homemade Pho

Entertaining

There’s something incredibly satisfying about pho. It seems to have mystical healing properties, but most importantly it just always sounds so good. Whenever I can’t decide what I’m in the mood for, pho always satisfies. But I’ve never felt brave enough to try it at home. That is until our resident health-infused recipe expert Sarah Hawthorne delivered this amazingly easy homemade pho. And since I’ve been trying to cut down on my noodle habit, I’m excited to break my spiralizer out of its winter hibernation. A few weeks of eating like this (and keeping my nightly wine to one glass) and I think I’ll be feeling mighty good – just in time for a little summer vacay!

Zucchini noodles are all the rage these days, making for a healthier alternative to carb heavy Italian pasta and Asian noodles. They work perfectly in this light pho recipe that is sure to become your new favorite “go to” recipe for the entire summer. Tender pieces of chicken are added for a good source of satiating protein and a mix of tasty ingredients including fresh chili, cilantro, basil, mung beans and lime are used to garnish so that each bite bursts with delightful flavor. The chicken broth is a total health tonic loaded with amino acids and minerals, strengthening your immune system, gastrointestinal tract and skin for maximum vitality. This veggie noodle pho is nutrient dense, made only from the highest quality whole foods to nourish your body from the inside out so you can look and feel amazing this summer.

In the spotlight: Zucchini
Zucchini is the ultimate summer vegetable that you can find in abundance from your local farmer’s market or favorite health foods store. This super veggie is low in calories, mostly made up of water, so it is a great way to fill up guilt free and stay hydrated on hot days. Zucchini is a good source of energizing B vitamins, Vitamin C for immune support and powerful antioxidants to combat free radicals, preventing pre-mature aging and reducing inflammation (especially from a little accidental sun burn). It’s time to whip out that trusty Spirilizer and get your veggie noodle on!

RECIPE: ZUCCHINI NOODLE PHO WITH CHICKEN

Serves 2 big bowls
Recipe Inspired by Goop (Originally featured in Screw Everything)

INGREDIENTS (all organic where possible)

SOUP:
4 cups / 1 pint of high quality chicken broth (either make your own in advance using a chicken carcass – here’s a link to how – or buy from a reputable health foods store)
2 cups pure filtered water
½ roast chicken, meat shredded off the bones
A 3-inch long piece ginger, sliced
3 garlic cloves, smashed with a large knife and skin removed
Sea salt to taste
Juice of 1 lime
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 tablespoon tamari soy sauce
½ small white onion, very thinly sliced
1 large zucchini, spiralized

GARNISH:
1 small serrano chili, sliced
Fresh cilantro and basil leaves, as many as you desire
Mung bean sprouts, approx. 1 handful
1 lime, quartered for easy squeezing

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine chicken broth, water, ginger, garlic cloves and a large pinch of salt in a medium saucepan. Bring the liquid up to a boil, and then lower to a simmer for ten to fifteen minutes to allow the flavors of the ginger and garlic to seep in.

2. Remove the cooked garlic cloves and sliced ginger, then add the lime juice, maple syrup, tamari soy sauce, and sliced onion. Taste and add a little more sea salt if desired.

3. Divide the spiralized zucchini and shredded chicken between two bowls. Laddle over the hot liquid, and
serve with fresh herbs, chili, lime wedges, and sprouts.

Quick, easy and delicious. ENJOY!

For our complete 6-week healthy summer recipe series CLICK HERE.

photography by joe lee // styling by my balance wellness

Eat Your Way to a Gorge Summer Body

Entertaining

Since we mark the unofficial start of summer at the end of this month I thought it would be fun to get a jumpstart on bikini season with some healthy recipes! When I’m looking for new ideas for delicious food that’s also actually good for me, I turn to my friend Sarah – a Bay Area Health Coach and all around beautiful soul – who is constantly inspiring me to be my best self. Or least cut down on my daily wine consumption. But in all seriousness, I’m so excited because she is bringing us a weekly recipe to help us get our glow on – from the inside out. Trust me, your summer-ready body will thank you.

Summer will be here before we know it, so I wanted to share some scrumptious recipes that will leave you feeling cool, light, energized, cleansed and glowing throughout the warmer months. As women, it’s important to nourish our bodies on a daily basis by maximizing the nutritional value of our meals so that we can be our best selves.

To kick off this six part series, I was inspired to make this berry-licious sweet treat using only the natural sugars from fresh fruit and a little bit of raw honey. Delight in every bite of this refreshing super food dessert that’s packed with nutrients, especially antioxidants and phytochemicals, which help to prevent pre-mature aging and skin damage from excess sun exposure.

Bountiful Berries served with Cashew Cream

Total time to make: 10 minutes
Serves 2

INGREDIENTS (all organic where possible)

BERRY BASE
1 cup frozen raspberries
½ cup frozen blueberries
½ cup frozen strawberries
Frozen black berries work well too

CASHEW CREAM
½ cup raw cashews
¼ cup pure water
2 tablespoons desiccated coconut
2 tablespoon frozen raspberries
1 tablespoon raw honey
¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Juice of 1 lemon
Pinch of sea salt

GARNISH: A dusting of cinnamon, a sprinkle of finely shredded mint leaves, a pinch of bee pollen, crunchy coconut flakes, and protein rich hemp seeds

DIRECTIONS
For the cream, mix all of the ingredients in a blender until smooth (if you wish to thin it out a little, optionally add an extra splash of water)

Plate in your favorite bowls or fancy stemless wine glasses by first adding the frozen berries, and then topping with the cashew cream. Garnish away to your hearts content! Enjoy immediately while the berries are still frozen, or wait a little while until they soften up a bit.

Recipe inspired by Nutrition Stripped // photography by joe lee photo

5 Inventive Spring Salad Ideas

Food

Who else is ready for some fresh recipes?! After subsisting on winter soup for the months on end, I’m ready for some light, crisp – and most importantly easy – recipes I can make in under 15 minutes (the mama struggles are real friends).

Enter the salad. We’re only days away from moving into our house and I will soon be standing in my dream kitchen (!) and I cannot wait to get back to cooking. Or in this case, chopping. It will take some time to dig out my pots and pans of course. To get ready, I’ve made the rounds of my fave food blogs and have bookmarked the following five spring salad recipes. I have a feeling they are going to be on heavy rotation as we unpack.

A Green Monster Salad is simple, gorgeous and of course delish. This one’s secret is the Basil Vinaigrette dressing that gives it a little extra kick. Gimme.

We’re all familiar with a charcuterie board (I hope you’ve seen our very popular one), but how about a veggie smorgasbord? Instead of salami, pack your board with a mix of farmer’s market fresh produce for a bright and colorful set up. Add in sides of almonds, crackers and a good dip or two – this board features spinach hempseed pesto and white bean dill. It’s the perfect way to do girls night without overindulging, even with that second (or third!) glass of wine.

Salad for breakfast?? Don’t mind if I do. This Persian dish is gorgeous with basically zero prep required. Simply top lebnah with feta, sprinkle liberally with herbs and pair with fresh veggies, fruit and pita. See ya later pancakes.

When you’re in need of a little extra protein, just add poke – aka ahi tuna – to your salad. This one-bowl meal is like sushi deconstructed, sans rice. While you can certainly follow the recipe, you can toss in virtually anything you have on hand and still come up with something yummy. I think I just found my new go-to lunch.

It’s officially asparagus season – one of my favorite times of the year – so make this recipe as often as you can this month. This salad combines asparagus with one of my other favorite spring veggies – fava beans. People are often intimidated by them, but with just a little extra effort, fava beans are a delicious addition to basically anything. And any salad topped with a touch of cheese is a winner in my book.

What are you salivating for this spring? Any new food blogs providing you with endless recipe inspiration? Leave your favorite tips in the comments below.

recipes via what’s gabby cooking / love & lemons / a life well lived / camille styles / sassy kitchen

Readers’ Top 5 Favorite Recipes

Entertaining

Over the years, we’ve amassed a pretty good bank of recipes here. From full meals to beautiful salads there’s quite been quite a variety, but some have been particularly crowd pleasing. To kick off the new year, I went back through archives – in some cases way back – to find the our best of the best and these five recipes stood out as the ultimate crowd pleasers.

Btw, they all happen to be served in a bowl. Coincidence? I’ll let you be the judge!

Five Ingredient Pasta Recipe

This Five-Ingredient Creamy Salmon Pasta is possibly our most popular (and easiest) recipe to date.

Acai Berry Bowl Recipe

Acai bowls had a moment last summer, but they’re not going anywhere. And why should they? They’re absolutely delicious and super easy to make.

Coconut Chocolate Pistachio Tart Recipe

Now, I know you can’t exactly count dessert as healthy, but these gluten-free Coconut Chocolate Pistachio Tarts are made with almond flour, coconut milk, dark chocolate and zero refined sugar. And they’re 100% worth the calorie indulgence.

Insalata di Arance

It’s the heart of citrus season so it’s the perfect time to test out this Italian-inspired Orange & Fennel Salad. The salt of the olives is an interesting counter-point to the juicy oranges.

Roasted Cauliflower + Sage + Hazelnut Risotto

Tis the season for comfort food and this delicious risotto recipe created by our food contributor Zoe certainly does the trick.

I’ve managed to stick to my home-cooking resolution thus far. This past weekend I cooked salmon, pasta and we made a soup! What are you favorite go-to homemade recipes? I need to add more to my list so please send me more of your favorites! I’m banking them all on Pinterest right here.

3 Special Sauces Every At-Home-Cook Should Master

Entertaining

To continue with my resolution to make more meals at home this month, I’m turning my attention to sauces — that versatile, last second add-on that packs a serious punch of flavor to any dish. You can quite literally use special sauces on anything from chicken to fish to leftovers! Use them as a dipping sauce with bread or slather them on a sandwich, mix them with roasted veggies or top grilled fish or meat.

Here are three special green sauce recipes from around the world and created by my friends at Good Eggs that’ll bring any dish from bland to party-in-your-mouth-amazing.

Green Olive Salsa Verde

Ingredients:
2 tbsp. Salt Packed Capers
About 4 tbsp. of Red Wine Vinegar
A tablespoon of Shallots, diced
A handful of Arugula roughly chopped
A handful of Parsley, roughly chopped
A handful of toasted Almonds, roughly chopped
A handful of Castelvetrano Olives, pitted and roughly chopped

Rinse the capers of their extra salt in a strainer and place in a big mixing bowl, along with the chopped greens, chopped olives, almonds, vinegar and shallots and a few glugs of olive oil.

Major pro tip for de-pitting olives: to easily remove the pits from the olives, put the olive on a cutting board and place the flat edge of a chef’s knife on top of the olive. Using the heel of your hand, rap the knife a few times until the olive has softened up and the pit slips out easily.
Salt and pepper to taste and adjust the acid levels as you wish.

Green Goddess Aioli

Ingredients:
1 egg yolk
1 cup of olive oil
1 anchovy fillet
1 clove of garlic
A bunch of chives
A bunch of tarragon, leaves removes from stems
A handful of parsley, leaves removed from stems
The juice of one lemon
Salt & pepper

Place egg yolk in the bottom of a mixing bowl and add a few drops of olive oil. Whisk vigorously until the olive oil is fully incorporated. Keep adding a tiny bit of olive oil and whisking it into the yolk until you have a pale yellow, fluffy aioli. Your arms will be tired, but it’s well worth it!
In a blender, add the herbs, garlic, lemon, anchovy and a few glugs of olive oil. Whir together until it’s a smooth puree.

Gently fold the herby puree into the aioli with a spatula. Adjust salt, pepper and lemon to taste.
Serve as a dip for veggies, alongside simple steamed shellfish, spread on toast or add a dollop to a green salad.

Chermoula

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon of cumin seedds
A big handful of parsley leaves & stems, coarsely chopped
A big handful of cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped
3 cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon of smoked paprika
About half a cup of olive oil
A small chunk of peeled fresh ginger (about the size of a peanut)
A few squeezes of lemon

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until it has the consistency of a chunky puree. Adjust acid, salt and pepper to taste.

Chermoula is delicious stirred into a fresh batch of labneh, a topping for broiled fish or a marinade for chicken.

No matter how you use them, this trifecta of green sauces will never do the at-home-cook wrong. January’s traditionally ~~bland~~ healthy dishes just got a flavorful upgrade in our house.

original photography, recipe and styling by good eggs for apartment 34

Tasty Tuesday: Home Cooking Made Easy

Recipes

I’m usually a big fan of New Year’s Resolutions. Elimination diets, over the top workouts, every good habit I can think of, come January 1, I try it. But not this year. I reached my tipping point with a kiddo in the picture. There’s only so much energy to expend. So rather than set the bar sky high, in 2016 I decided it’s ok to celebrate small victories. The first on my list: getting back into the kitchen.

I’ve always loved to cook. I’ve taken classes here and there over the years. My Pinterest board overfloweth with recipes. I used to menu plan and whip up easy weeknight dinners all the time – it was the way I relaxed. But since having our bebe, I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve turned on a burner. After getting an infant down to bed there’s little motivation to dive into meal prep. Over the last 9 months my contacts list has added every takeout restaurant within a five mile radius. And my thighs have suffered as a result.

So rather than flog myself for not going Paleo on Jan 1, instead I’ve committed to one thing: home cooked meals. They don’t have to be carb free. They don’t have to follow any diet of any kind. My only rule is that they just don’t come in a box. This Linguine with Clams recipe created & styled by our food contributor Zoe Ambruster is a perfect example – it’s simple, it’s easy, it’s elegant and it is excellent.

RECIPE: LINGUINE ALLE VONGOLE (Serves 4)

INGREDIENTS:
2 pounds clams, scrubbed clean
1 small bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley
4 cloves garlic
10 cherry tomatoes
1 cup white wine
400 g linguine
Salt
Fresh black pepper
Olive oil
1 Tbsp red pepper flakes

DIRECTIONS:

Put a pan of water to boil. Sort through your cleaned clams and if there are any open ones, give them a tap. If they don’t close, throw them away.
Finely slice the parsley stalks, then put them on the side and roughly chop the leaves.
Peel and chop the garlic, quarter the tomatoes and get wine ready.
Add the pasta to the boiling water with a healthy helping of salt and cook according to packet instructions until al dente.
Put 4 generous lugs of olive oil into a hot pan and add the garlic, parsley stalks and a pinch of salt and pepper.
Add pepper flakes and chopped tomatoes, stirring everything around constantly and just as the garlic starts to colour, add the clams and pour in the wine. Give a good shake and put the lid on the pan.
Take the pan off the heat when all the clams have opened, about 5min. Get rid of any clams that haven’t opened.
Drain pasta and add to the pan of clams along with the parsley leaves and an extra drizzle of olive oil. Stir for a minute. Serve right away!

I’m not sure I can think of anything easier than this dish. Combined prep and cooking time is under 30 minutes – even if you added a salad to to the mix! There’s literally no excuse not to give this recipe a go (save a shellfish allergy!).

I’ve managed to stick to my cooking guns through the first 11 days of the new year – save a dinner or two at an actual restaurant – and I’m already feeling healthier. I also have this pasta dish on heavy rotation. I’m sharing a lot of what I cook over on Snapchat these days so feel free to come and follow: apartment34. If you have any homecooked favorites please send them my way. I need to grow my repertoire!

original recipe & food styling by zoe armbruster, photography by madelene farin

Tasty Tuesday: A Delicious Holiday Side Dish

Recipes

The heart of entertaining season is upon us, so I thought I’d go hot and heavy with tips, tricks and recipes this week! If you’re planning on hosting over the holidays I know feeding the crowds can be stressful. We’ve been trying to finalize our Christmas menu in the hopes of creating some fun new traditions for Carter to enjoy every year. We’re blending a little bit of the husband’s childhood with mine as well as adding in a few new ideas for good measure.

This Glazed Beet Salad recipe cooked up by our food contributor Zoe is definitely going to make the Christmas dinner cut. More interesting than standard roasted vegetables, but more festive than a plain old bowl of greens, I think this will be a delicious way to get veggies on our holiday table. I’ll just have to put down a tarp – red beet juice + baby is likely to be a dangerous combination. I’ll be sure to share the results with you on Snapchat!

RECIPE: Glazed Beet Salad (Serves 4 as a side)

INGREDIENTS:
5 beets with greens (mixture of golden and red)
1 bunch Swiss chard
3 Tbsp butter
1 shallot
Salt
Fresh black pepper
4 Tbsp Muscadet
2 Tbsp water
4 Tbsp crumbled goat cheese (optional)

DIRECTIONS:
1. Scrub and peel the beets. Remove the greens and chop coarsely. Set the greens aside in a large prep bowl. Slice beets into 1/4 inch rounds.

2. Remove the ribs from the swiss chard and coarsely chop and toss into bowl with the beet greens.

3. In a large sautee pan, melt butter and sautee shallots.

4. Add beet rounds to the shallot butter mixture. Crack pepper over the beets and a pinch of salt. Reduce heat and sautee beets, turning over to ensure even cooking.

5. About 15 minutes later when beets are begnning to glaze and become tender, add greens and chard. Sautee for about 5 minutes, then add wine and cover. Cook until greens are wilted, allow liquid to be mostly absorbed into greens, adjust seasonings.

6. Scoop greens and beets into a low shallow bowl. Garnish with a goat cheese crumbles and black pepper.

Enjoy!

What dishes grace your holiday table?? Would love any suggestions you might have. For more inspiration you can find all my favorite holiday recipe ideas HERE.

recipe & styling by zoe ambruster for apartment 34

photography by Madelene Farin

A Picture-Perfect Thanksgiving Salad

Recipes

With Thanksgiving upon us, it’s time for the recipe mad dash. Have you finalized your menu yet? Sure, this weekend is the official start to the over-indulge season, but why not try to save a calorie or two? Thankfully, Good Eggs agrees with our squash obsession (they’re filling, delicately sweet and gourd-geous!) and has come up with a picture-perfect Butternut Squash, Kale and Farro salad recipe – just in time for Thanksgiving!

Ingredients (2-3 servings):

1 Butternut or Kabocha Squash
1 cup of Farro
1 bunch of Curly Kale
1 clove of Garlic, crushed to a paste with salt
1 tsp. Cinnamon
1 fillet of Anchovy, finely chopped
A few squeezes of Lemon
Red Wine Vinegar
Salt & Pepper

Method:

Preheat oven to 425°. In a pot, add the farro, about 3 cups of water and a small-ish handful of salt (small-ish handfuls = three hearty pinches in our world of non-exact measurements). Put pot over high heat on the stove and let the farro cook at a rolling boil until some of the grains are bursting open, but it’s still al dente (about 20 minutes). Strain immediately.

While the farro cooks, cut the squash in half, carefully scoop out the seeds (reserve if you wish to roast them) and remove the skin with a vegetable peeler or sharp knife. Cut the squash into large chunks and place in a mixing bowl. Add the garlic, cinnamon, a glug of olive oil and salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet and put in the oven. Roast for about 25-30 minutes.

De-stem, wash, dry and roughly chop the kale. Place kale in a large mixing bowl and dress with the anchovy, olive oil, a few squeezes of lemon and a splash of red wine vinegar (just vinegar works if you want to skip the lemon). Massage the kale gently for a minute or two to make sure all of the leaves have some dressing on them and then set aside.

When the squash and farro are done, add them to the bowl with the kale and toss all of them together. Add a glug of olive oil, more lemon/vinegar if you’d like, salt and pepper to taste and you’re done!

We’re SO putting this on the Thanksgiving table! Need a cocktail for your Thanksgiving? CLICK HERE.

photo and recipe c/o Good Eggs

Tasty Tuesday: {A Cozy Roasted Veggie Risotto}

Recipes

Our resident food contributor Zoe is here again to share a mind-blowingly beautiful cauliflower risotto. It’s doused in creamy Kerrygold butter and cheese and topped with roasted sage and hazelnuts. We’re running to the store to make this recipe immediately!!

The crisp air of autumn takes a while to arrive in San Francisco and I found myself daydreaming of falling leaves and the smell of veggies roasting in the oven. I particularly love them with olive oil, burnt sage and roasted nuts. Luckily, I took a trip to Seattle where the colors around the city pointed to the transition from summer to winter with perfection and I have been cooking cozy dishes everyday since then!

This creamy roasted cauliflower risotto with sage and hazelnuts is my favorite! I made it twice in the last few days and served it for a casual dinner party with my closest friends last weekend. It’s a cold-weather winner. Now that fall storms have arrived in San Francisco I think I just might have to whip it up yet again!

Roasted Cauliflower, Sage and Hazelnut Risotto with Kerrygold Cheese

Ingredients (serves 4 larges portions or 6 small)

1 cauliflower head, trimmed and chopped
4 Tbsp olive oil
Salt & Pepper
¼ cup chopped hazelnuts
1 bunch sage, leaves picked
1.5 litres hot vegetable broth
60g Kerrygold Pure Irish butter
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1 ½ cup aborio rice
1 cup grated Skellig Kerrygold sweet cheddar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Place the cauliflower, oil, salt and pepper on a baking sheet and toss to coat. Roast for 15 minutes, add the hazelnuts and half the sage and roast for a further 10 minutes or until golden.
2. Place the stock in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 5min.
3. Chop the remaining sage and add to the pan with the rice. Gradually add the broth, 1 cup at a time, stirring continuously for 20 to 25 minutes or until the stock is absorbed and rice is al dente.
4. Stir through cheddar, cauliflower mixture, salt and pepper and serve.

This dish has us daydreaming not only of falling leaves and roasted veggies like Zoe, but also of our trip to Ireland with Kerrygold earlier this year! The cheese in the risotto, the idea of a heart-warming, home-cooked meal brings us right back to those Irish farms where we shared some of the most delicious dishes with friends. You can check out more details of our trip to the Irish countryside here.

original food styling + recipe for apartment 34 by zoe armbruster

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