A Brunch Martha Stewart Would Be Proud Of and It's Gluten Free!

FYI, Run-of-the-mill scrambled eggs, Eggo waffles and Lucky Charms are NOT brunch.

Clearly this is no run-of-the-mill dish!

You see, my favorite meal of, all time, is brunch. Brunching is pretty sacred in my book, so forgive me if I get touchy about it...I mean it is the most important meal of the day! In fact, it's a ritual I partake in each weekend and where I have no limit when it come to money because it's that important to me. ALL HAIL HOLLANDAISE!

Has a nice kick to it with that Tapatio!

Admittedly, I've wait 2 hours for a brunch reservation before, but in the brunch haven, that is San Francisco, it can be pretty challenging to round up all your friends to sit at a teeny tiny table, sipping on bottomless mimosas and ordering 10 Eggs Benedict, all without breaking the bank. But I'm pretty sure brunching from home is SUPER IN!

A few brunch staples (as snobby as that sounds!):

• Learning to poach an egg (easier than it seems, especially after a few trys!)
• Making hollandaise sauce...in a blender (try ruining that!)

Dude, Ina Garten and her, beloved husband (who isn't obese!?!) Jeffery, would leave their gorgeous, Martha's Vineyard mansion to attend this brunch!

Best part? No reservations needed...

With a mimosa in hand, I have faith that you can do it!

Spicy Hollandaise Poached Eggs with Cheesy Polenta

Ingredients:

• Eggs (for poaching)
• Distilled white vinegar (for poaching)
• Water (for poaching and polenta)
• 1/2 cup Polenta
• 1/2 Tbl butter
• Fresh baby Spinach
• 1/2 cup of sliced red pepper
• 1/4 shallot, minced
• Shredded cheddar cheese

For Spicy Hollandaise Sauce: 

• 3 egg yolks
• 1 Tbl lemon juice
• 1/2 cups melted, hot butter
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tsp Tapatio hot sauce

Directions:

1. Cook polenta to package instructions. It usually takes about 25 minutes for polenta to become creamy and cooked over the stovetop. 
2. While that's going make your hollandaise. Crack 3 egg yolks (the yellow) into a blender or food processor, add salt to taste, 1 Tbl of lemon juice and Tapatio. 
3. Pulse for about 20-30 seconds until all the ingredients come together.
4. Melt 1/2 cup of butter in the microwave until completely melted and hot, about 1 minute should do. 
5. Slowly pour about 1/3 of the hot butter into the processor. Pulse, then do this again two more times with the rest of the butter. Viola! Hollandaise in a hot second!
6. While polenta continues to cook, sauté red pepper and shallots with olive oil, salt and pepper on medium heat. Once they start becoming soft, add in fresh spinach. Cook until wilted and removed from heat.
7. Once polenta is done, spoon polenta onto a plate and top with a small handful of shredded cheddar (helps the cheese melt better!) Then add veggies. Top with poached eggs and hollandaise. 

Poaching an Egg (thanks Smitten Kitchen!):

No need to channel your inner Martha Stewart to make poached eggs!

1. In a saucepan, bring a few inches of water and splash of distilled vinegar to an almost boil. Bubbles will form at the bottom of the pan, but they will not be moving up, as if they are boiling. The water should be hot, NOT boiling. Medium-high heat should get you here.
2. Crack one egg into a bowl, this makes it easier to slide into the water.
3. Once water is at the right temperature, take a spatula or spoon and create a whirlwind motion in the water by stirring rapidly for a few seconds. 
4. Add egg to spinning water. Reduce heat to medium low and let the egg white start to cook around the egg and the middle to remain runny. If the egg starts sticking to the bottom of the pan, gently use the spatula to move it. BEST THING TO DO IS LET IT BE! Don't move the egg around a lot, let it sit in the water for 3-4 minutes. FYI, If you are using non-stick, it probably won't stick :) 
5. Use a slotted spoon (a spoon with holes in it for draining), to scoop egg from water. Carefully let egg drain and transfer to folded paper towel. 
6. The water can be reused, several times over, just make sure to bring the temp back up and add a splash more vinegar!

Note: Hollandaise sauce can be kept in the fridge for a few days in an airtight container.

Happy Brunching! ;)

Holiday Healthy Series: Festive Pesto

The holidays are in full swing for some, but for those who do most of their entertaining around Christmas time (ahem, me), I know many that of you are watching your waistline (or trying to!). Trust me, it can be rather challenging to serve dishes that are healthy, yet satisfying to all types of palates and diets you might be catering to this season. It's very tempting when I see a recipes for homemade peppermint bark, fudge, cookies, cupcakes etc., ooey gooey this or that, stuffed x, y, z...it's all lovely until the holidays are over, leaving many of us feeling sluggish from excessive eating, bitter from the cold weather and participating in little exercise.

Let's change that.

I've decide to write a series of "holiday healthy" appetizers, main dishes, sides and desserts; believe me, your guests will thank you later for thinking of their health! Each week I'll feature a dish that celebrates the slightly cheesy, but cheery spirit of the holidays, while sneakily cutting calories where you don't need them!

So focus on eating and preparing amazing food this holiday. Start 2013 feeling sassy as ever, rather than feeling guilty about indulging this winter!

Let's talk about pesto; it is so universal, that I had to feature it again! It can be used in a number of ways: use it as a dip, perhaps on top of your favorite goat cheese or chevre (alongside some crostini or fancy crackers), get creative and spread it on sandwiches, wraps or homemade pizza, stir it into your favorite pasta (or spaghetti squash!), layer it in a lasagna, or serve it on top of some homemade polenta...as I've done below.

I added some sun dried tomatoes to make this pesto festively, red and green. Guests will be impressed with the fact this is homemade, healthy and unbelievably addictive....just don't tell them it took you less than 10 minutes! :)

Okay, so here's the awesome the thing about polenta: it's healthy (the sugar in corn is natural), it's gluten-free (as is the pesto); with a consistency similar to grits, it's a relatively, rich and filling main dish, so a little goes a long way.

Polenta does take some TLC to make it just right, so you might be at the stove, stirring, occasionally, for about 20-30 minutes.

Creamy Polenta Topped with Sun Dried Tomato Pesto and Spicy Andouille Sausage

Ingredients:

For Pesto (slightly, amended recipe below):

This pesto packs a lot of flavor without the calories

• 1 large bunch of fresh basil, washed and dried throughly 
• 2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 3-4 Tbl. extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
• 1/2 cup dried, sun dried tomatoes (I found these at Trader Joe's) 
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste

For Polenta:

• 1 cup loose polenta grains (can be found in the baking section of your local grocery store)
• 4 cups water
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 Tbl. butter
• Grated Parmesan to sprinkle on top

Directions:

For Pesto:

1. In a food processor, blend basil leaves, torn off the stems and about 2 Tbl. of extra virgin olive oil. Blend until basil looks like a paste.
2. Toast pine nuts in a skillet for a few minutes on medium heat to rid of its bitterness, when eaten raw. Once toasted, let pine nuts cool and then blend into basil paste.
3. Add garlic, blend; then add Parmesan cheese and blend again. I used the "puree" setting on my food processor to chop the ingredients as fine as possible. 
4. Add sun dried tomato, remaining olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Blend until mixed well. Color will be an slightly, unattractive, red/brown, but let me tell you...the taste is DIVINE!
5. This recipe makes about 1-1 1/2 cups of pesto. Store in air tight container for 5-7 days or freeze in ziploc bag for up 2 months. 

For Polenta:

1. In a non-stick saucepan, boil 4 cups of water with 1 tsp. of salt. 
2. Once water is boiling, add 1 cup polenta and whisk until thick (about 2-3 minutes). 
3. Reduce heat to medium-low, stirring polenta occasionally for about 25-30 minutes until thick. 
4. During last few minutes of cooking add in butter and pepper; continue to stir. Consistency should be thick and similar to cooked grits. 
5. Top with freshly grated Parmesan, sun dried tomato pesto (and spicy sausage, as I've done here!) Shredded chicken or slow cooked chicken, ground beef or turkey would be great on this dish as well. Try topping a runny or sunny side egg for a delicious, gluten-free brunch!
6. Store polenta in air tight container for up 3 or 4 days. 

When in Boston...

Well, Boston is about the prettiest and cleanest city that I have seen in a long time... one for the bucket list really; Boston in the fall, CHECK! 

My trip consisted of walking, and eating, and then more walking...and the more eating, sprinkled with some historical landmarks and a fashion show, in between. It was the perfect getaway from the SF hustle and bustle. My bestie, Grace, is an unpretentious but, equally critical foodie, like myself, and we had a grand time eating our way through Boston (well minus the slight food poisoning!)

Inspired by a sample at Trader Joe's (true story!) we made an impromptu, Monday night dinner in her adorably, cozy studio by Fenway. Using our imaginations, we combined marinara sauce, polenta and  andouille chicken sausage, amongst a few other ingredients, to make a healthy and quick dinner for two. But first, I have to indulge y'all in all the wonderful food I consumed during my short, but memorable time in Boston. Check out my photo homage to Boston's finest, food offerings: 

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes,  perfect amount of sweetness, fluffy and melts in your mouth. (From Cafe Luna)

Breakfast Mac n Cheese, the best idea ever. That runny egg on top and bits of  bacon, plus that cheddar jalapeno sauce, made this dish extra special. (From Cafe Luna)

The alleged, culprit of Grace's food poisoning?! (An A for presentation though!) 

The perfect Fall beer, creamy yet light! I am huge fan of Abita. Try the Raspberry Wheat and Strawberry Wheat, they are both lovely.

Fried Oysters. (From B & G Oysters)

My first Lobster Roll. It was fresh and the fries were crispy, loved them both!

Home brewed coffee and a Pecan Sticky Bun from flour bakery. Best post-food poisoning breakfast? I think so. 

Spotted this Pistachio Cream Cupcake after hanging out at Harvard (NBD!); what great presentation. (From Crema Cafe)

Yup that's me getting my caffeine fix, I'm totally in my element. 

Sipped on a latte and munched on this Hazelnut Cannoli from Mike's Pastry, a MUST DO in Boston. 

Andouille Chicken Sausage atop Italian Style Polenta

What happens when I cook with my best friend, this gorgeous and tasty thing! Check out the recipe below. 

So this recipe is a Sonya and Grace original! I would make this dish again, except I would cook the polenta discs in the marinara sauce, that way the sauce is totally absorbed into the polenta, rather than just adding a tomato-ish flavor on top of this dish. Really easy ingredients here, with interesting textures and, a surprisingly, more complex flavor profile than I expected.

Ingredients:

• 1 cooked polenta roll from Trader Joe's, cut into 1/4-inch, round discs (we cut 4 discs from this roll, allotting 2 discs per person. But you can use as many as you like!)
• 3-4 tbs. of your favorite marinara sauce
• 1 or 2 links of cooked andouille chicken sausage from Trader Joe's, sliced
• 1/2 zucchini, cut into thin slices
• a handful of cremini mushrooms, diced
• shredded mozzarella cheese
• olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions: 

1. In a a few teaspoons of olive oil, pan fry polenta discs on medium high heat for 3-4 minutes on each side. I've been told that using butter make for a crispier and less "wet" polenta; I'll have to try that next time!  
2. In another skillet, add olive oil to medium heat. Add zucchini, mushrooms, salt and pepper. Cook until zucchini is translucent and mushrooms are soft. 
3. Heat marinara on the stovetop or in the microwave. I think this step would be better added to cooked polenta, letting the discs stew in the sauce, letting the sauce seep in.
4. Remove polenta from heat and add sliced, sausage. Cook until slightly browned. 
5. Plate marinara sauce, add polenta discs on top. Pile veggies and sausage atop polenta. Finally, top with shredded mozzarella cheese. This recipe serves 2, but can easily be scaled up to served more people.