matchbox kitchen

Eggs Florentine



This weekend Gary and I spent some time together to celebrate Valentines day since he’ll be working all day Tuesday. He surprised me with a trip to one of our favorite restaurants, Bouchon. We’ve always had great food and service at the Las Vegas location, but I’d never been to the one in Beverly Hills and was excited to have a nice meal out. Unfortunately our time there was disappointing. The food was not the same standard as we’ve had in Vegas and our server rushed us out of the restaurant.

So after yesterday’s brunch I knew I had to make my own at home to cheer myself up. Brunch is probably my most favorite meal but I try to indulge only every couple weeks. On a trip to Brisbane one year, I had the most amazing eggs florentine of my life (no joke). I don’t remember the restaurant’s name even it’s exact location but I will never forget the perfectly poached egg, freshly baked english muffin, and the best hollandaise sauce I’ve yet to try.  Eggs florentine is one of those dishes you probably shouldn’t order at a restaurant unless you know it’ll be good. (The sauce alone is asking for a stomach ache if they have it sitting out).

While making this at home completely from scratch can be a bit laborious, it is so, so worth it. Don’t be afraid of making hollandaise or poaching an egg, or even making the english muffins. You will be so happy you did.

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Eating Healthy: Whole Wheat Biscuits with Grapefruit Curd


They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but most days I can barely get myself out of bed early enough to make it to work on time. Most mornings I am running out the door grabbing whatever I can eat on my drive over. Some days it’s an apple and almonds, other days it’s a couple of cookies. Rather than trying to change my sleeping habits, I thought I’d make something at the beginning of the week and have my breakfast ready to go.

Whole wheat biscuits fit the bill of being quick, easy, and filling, but it needed something more. I thought I’d try my hand at making grapefruit curd mostly because I didn’t have any lemons at home. It turned out to be a nice change from lemon curd with a slightly bitter after taste. Plus I couldn’t resist adding some of my beet food coloring to give it a hint of pink!


Let’s be real here, the star of the show is the grapefruit curd. But really, the biscuits weren’t so bad! I even ground up some uncooked quinoa to make my own flour. (We just got a Vitamix and I’m sort of in love with it). Next time I’d even add some wheat germ or flax seeds to add more nutrients in.  Most importantly though, it’s so easy to grab and go and keeps me satisfied until lunch.

Or, you could just eat the curd with a spoon. I won’t judge you.

Whole Wheat Biscuits and Grapefruit Curd Recipes

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Eating Healthy: Roasted Cauliflower



Before last week I’ve never cooked cauliflower. I wasn’t even quite sure what was the proper way to cut it. But for some reason I can no longer remember, roasted cauliflower was stuck in my head and I knew I had to attempt it. I’m so glad I did because it’s such a delicious vegetable dish with hardly any prep work. I can eat a whole head in one sitting, so if you are making it for your family or just want leftovers I’d definitely use two or 3.

This is hardly a recipe but more of a rough guideline. Feel free to add whatever seasonings you’d like!

Roasted Cauliflower
serves 1 or 2

1 cauliflower
2 tbsp olive oil
salt + pepper
other seasonings are optional, but I’d try rosemary, thyme, cumin, or oregano.

Preheat oven to 400.
Wash and roughly cut cauliflower into bite size pieces. They don’t have to be uniform, but try not to make them too small.
Place cut cauliflower onto a baking sheet. Drizzle over 2 tbsp olive oil and season with salt and pepper, about 1 tsp or so each, and any other seasonings you’d like. Toss together with tongs directly on the sheet. Bake for 20 minutes or until cauliflower starts to brown. Finish off with a squeeze of lemon juice if you like!

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Brussels Sprouts Salad



I’ve got a pretty bad sweet tooth and I’m at the point where it’s time to do something about it. I crave sugar like a drug and often carry a bit of candy around “just in case.” So in an effort to curb my addiction I’ve decided to dedicate Thursdays for posting a healthy recipe. It can get tough seeing so many beautiful treats and cakes all over blogs, but I hope to not only keep myself accountable but to encourage others to eat healthier as well.

Brussels sprouts have gotten pretty popular over the last few years but I’d yet to eat them any way other than roasted.  As I was flipping through the Power Foods cook book for inspiration, shredded sprouts piqued my interest and I promptly stopped by the grocery store for ingredients. Part skimming through various recipes and part making things up along the way, I courageously/foolishly decided to experiment. I am not known for dishes that require tasting and seasoning along the way. Instead, I love measuring flour and sugar down the the ounce, plop it in the oven, and hope for the best.

I know I shouldn’t go around tooting my own horn, but this salad surpassed my expectations. I could go on about the combination of texture and flavors but instead I hope you try making it yourself. It was incredibly quick to throw together (20 minutes or less!) and surprisingly filling.  My recipe measurements are approximate, so feel free to add whatever else you’d like, such a paprika, cumin, or even pomegranate seeds. Brussels Sprouts Salad Recipe

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Mini Cake

What better to cheer myself up than a little cake? It’s sort of amusing in the way it makes you feel like a giant. Sometimes it’s just one of those days, and those days turn into weeks. But I’m slowly getting back into the swing of things and this mini treat might have done the trick. It’s my new favorite recipe, a lemon olive oil chiffon cake with frosted with plain whipped cream. I wanted to see what it would like covered in frosting, but a more simple and rustic approach is best for this type of cake. The way the top pillows and sparkles with turbinado sugar is too pretty to cover up with cream!

Tomorrow morning we will be on our way to San Francisco to celebrate Chinese new year with my mom. And when I get back, I promise to reveal a few ideas I have planned for the blog. Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

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S’more Cupcakes



I’ve wanted to make s’more cupcakes for a while now because I always have the ingredients on hand, but to be honest I’m not much of a cake/cupcake baker. (Eating them, on the other hand, is a different story.) One of my goals is to improve my cake making skills but the amount of butter in the cake and frosting combined is enough for me to look to another dessert to try. I think this might be the first time I’ve baked cupcakes for my blog!

I found several versions of s’more cupcakes online, but in the end just went with a more traditional take. I crushed graham crackers for the crust, baked them with a simple chocolate cake batter, then topped it off with one of my marshmallows and finished them in the broiler.  Using house made graham crackers and marshmallows made a big difference in flavor and texture!

Although these were a lot of fun to try, I think sticking to a good old fashioned s’more is the way to go. I prefer the variety in texture (crisp graham cracker +  chocolate + toasted marshmallow) where as the cake portion just gets in the way ;)

S’more Cupcakes Recipe

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Apple and Lemon Curd Tart





A few weeks ago I started bringing a little apple to work for my snack break. I felt pretty proud of myself, too. “They’re the perfect size! They’re healthy and organic! I could eat an apple a day forever!” And then I bought my second bag and all of a sudden it turned into, “Ugh…how many more apples do I have to go through?” Not to mention my second bag was a different type of apple and they weren’t as fresh and crisp as the first.

So in an effort to use up the rest of my apples I came up with this tart recipe with whatever I had on hand. To be honest I had no idea if it would actually taste good with lemon curd but thought I’d try it anyway. The first time I made an apple tart I used a Design*Sponge recipe called “Tart Apple Tart” that uses the juice of four lemons, the outcome being more refreshing rather than overly sweet. I loved how bright and light the tart was compared to a typical dense apple pie and was hoping the lemon curd would do the same.  It came as a pleasant surprise to end up with something not only edible but something I’d also make again! The combination of sweet apples, smooth lemon curd, and a flaky, buttery crust was a nice departure from your average apple pie.

I have to admit I’m pretty proud of how well this came together without any recipe. I’m trying to take more risks and come up with my own ideas instead of only following cookbooks. And while an apple tart isn’t necessarily adventurous at least it’s in the right direction. Click more for the recipe!

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Almond Milk


Soaked almonds

Dry, raw almonds

It’s been a little over a month of living on my own and I’ve been searching for ways to live more economically without giving up the little pleasures in life. One such indulgence was shopping at Whole Foods and Sprouts where I was able to buy all my favorite organic and healthy goods. Now that we’ve got more expenses my usual grocery bill had to get a lot smaller. But just because I can’t always get my organic, fresh, unpasteurized orange juice doesn’t mean I have to give up eating healthy all together, I just have to put a little effort into it.

Almond milk always seemed feasible but too much of a hassle. Why make it if the store bought version is a million times quicker and is has the added perk of being shelf stable? I also thought it would be more expensive. How many pounds of almonds would I need just to make a cup of almond milk? Then I finally stopped procrastinating and the effort was well worth it. All my assumptions were demystified and the final product was leaps and bounds tastier than any store bought version!

There are so many reasons to make your own almond/nut milk that it makes me feel foolish for putting it off for so long. The main advantage is that you know exactly what you’re drinking: almonds, water, and your sweetener of choice. Secondly, you eliminate packaging waste. In my old city they didn’t recycle tetrapaks and I always felt so guilty throwing them away. Third, it tastes like almond milk should! Like almonds!

I know this is quite a few paragraphs to go on and on about a simple drink, but to me it is more about taking control of what goes into my body. It’s about staying healthy, especially on a budget. It’s about understanding where my food comes from and how it’s made. So yes, it’s just almond milk, but it’s also a reflection of the choices I make to live a sustainable and healthy lifestyle.

Almond Milk
1/2 c raw almonds
2 c water
sweetener of choice, to taste (honey, sugar, maple syrup, agave nectar)

1. Soak raw almonds in water overnight.
2. Rub or peel skin off.
3. Blend almonds thoroughly with 2 c water.
4. Strain mixture through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth.
5. Add more water and sweetener to taste.

Notes: The ratio of almonds to water  I use is about 1:4, but feel free to add more or less water to your preferences! Keeps in the fridge for 3-4 days.

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Blackberry Cheescake Bites




I’ve never been a fan of cheesecake. Maybe I’ve only ever tried poorly made versions, but every single time they’ve always been too rich, thick, and overly sweet, leaving a grimy feeling in my mouth. But something compelled me to try making one anyway and I knew that the extra package of blackberries would be a good accompaniment. The idea of using my chocolate sable cookie as a pie crust has been at the back of my mind as well, and I’m happy to report that my thrown together recipe turned out a lot better than expected!

I’d love to make this again but execute it a little nicer next time. I think they’d be great for a dessert bar because of their small size. Kind of like when you go to all those nice Vegas buffets with a million different mini  dessert options (My favorite is the Wynn, by the way). The dark chocolate crust adds a nice texture and flavor without being to sweet and pairs perfectly with fresh blackberries, while the cheesecake filling was smooth and light in taste.

For the crust, I baked up some leftover chocolate sable dough I had in the fridge. The good thing about this cookie is that it keeps well refrigerated until you are ready to bake. After baking I crumbled it up and mixed it together with a little more butter, then pressed it into my baking pan. I looked for a filling recipe online that didn’t have any sour cream since I didn’t have any one hand, and this one fit the bill.

All in all, I’m really happy and surprised how well this came out, and even better, how simple it was! Although a relatively simple dessert, I think it really made the combination of blackberries and chocolate stand out.

Also, without realizing it I’ve been making lots of bite size goodies which coincidentally matches my blog name ;)

Blackberry Cheesecake Bites
enough for 8×8″ baking pan

chocolate sable dough (only about 1/3 a batch is needed)
1-2 tsp butter
1 package blackberries
filling:
8 oz (1 package) cream cheese
1/2 c sugar
2 eggs
1 tbsp flour
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350°. Line an 8×8″ baking pan with parchment paper, making sure to leave overhang to pull out. Bake chocolate sable cookies according to recipe.  Let cool, then crush in a food processor with a little bit of butter. After thoroughly crushed, pour crumbs into pan and press down with a cup/glass.  Bake for 10-15 minutes until set. Let cool and start working on filling.

Using the paddle attachment, whisk together cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add  flour, vanilla, and eggs and whip more until thoroughly combined.  Press cream cheese mixture through a fine mesh sieve to get rid of any lumps. Pour mixture over cooled chocolate crust and bake  for about 15-20 minutes, or until cheesecake is set in the center.

Immediately after taking out, press blackberries into cheesecake. Let cool, then place in fridge for about 1 hour. Cut into individual pieces and enjoy!

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Mini Churros



I wanted to make mini churros for the catering event we did this past weekend, but in the end made s’mores instead. The event went really well and the s’mores were a hit. I wish I got some photos of them but unfortunately things were just a little too hectic to take my camera out. Next time I’ll remember to take a quick snap with my phone.

So here are churros on a Tuesday afternoon instead. Such a great (albeit unhealthy) after work snack that comes together in less than 10 minutes! I am never eating a churro from Costco again! The only part that takes a little time is heating up a pan of oil.

These are my first few photos in my new apartment and I’m still trying to work out what’s the best place to take them. Right when I finally settled into a photo set up at my old place I had to move! I get really some great sunlight from a west facing window in my kitchen though so I’ll be setting up shop there. I’ll have another food post coming up later this week to make up for lost time!

A couple notes: I added a bit of extra water because it was a little too thick for me to stir, but make sure to add just a little at a time. I added about 1/8 c. Recipe adapted from All Recipes and Rick Bayless. You can also click the image to make it slightly bigger if the recipe is hard to read.

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