Chad Sarno

Celebrating Earth Day in the Kitchen!

chadsarno — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 06:04:45 +0000

No matter what your personal views are on diet, lifestyle, religion, or politics, Earth Day is that one day a year that everyone on this beautiful planet celebrates together. The honor we have to experience the abundance and endless beauty of this planet is amazing. One of the best ways to celebrate and thank the earth is by embracing a plant based diet. Even if going fully plant based is not in your interest, do it for a full day at least, it will be so much easier than you think. Here are 10 ways to walk lightly this Earth Day while making your Meatless Monday celebration meal: 1. When planning your meal, have it highlight what is in season in your local area. 2. Center your meal around only whole food to do your part in reducing packaging waste. 3. Go to a farmers market, local farm, or produce dept after you plan your menu to shop for the bulk of your ingredients. Don’t forget to bring your bags. 4. When washing veggies, fill a bowl with water to rinse rather than under a constant running faucet 5. Compost and recycle all aspects of waste from your meal. 6. Pull out those cloth napkins for the meal, avoid the paper 7. Create a table centerpiece out of extra veggies, flowers, and local foliage from around your home. (The kids love this part) 8. Kick up the romance of the meal, light some candles and shut the lights down for the meal. 9. If you run the dish washer, skip the dry cycle 10. Pass these tips onto a friend

Citrus Tartlets

chadsarno — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 13:21:44 +0000

Citrus Tartlets with Macaroon Crust, and Lavender Broth Spring is brunch season, with Mother's Day right around the corner its time to dig up those favorite brunch recipes. What a better way than these delicious little tarts from Crazy Sexy Kitchen? I love this recipe, it is so refreshing and really a delicate and beautiful way to finish a special meal. I used to love traditional macaroons, and have used this recipe to fill that craving since its creation many years ago. These little tartlet shells are so versatile, whether served with your favorite sorbet, or fruit based non dairy ice cream it will be sure to be a perfect finish to your already gorgeous meal. You can double the amount of lemon zest if you really want to give this little tart more of a citrus kick. Serving them with the lavender broth really rounds out this dish if you are plating a dessert, but of course, for passed desserts or finishing your cocktail party the broth is not essential. I hope you enjoy these as much as I do, floral, sexy deliciousness. Serves: makes about 16-20 small tartlets Prep time: 15 minutes, and about 20 minutes to assemble tartlets Chill time: these are best if chilled for at least 10 minutes in the freezer to firm Shelf Life: once made, these can be stored in the freezer in sealed container Coconut Tartlet 2 cups dried coconut, shredded ½ cup macadamia nuts, raw ¼ cup agave 2 tablespoons fresh lemon zest ½ teaspoons sea salt Clementine Sorbet (also can serve with Vanilla Butter on page x if sorbet is not preferred) ¼ cup lavender syrup, for garnish Sprinkling of fresh lavender flowers for garnish In food process, process the macadamia nuts until finely ground to a meal, pour into mixing bowl and set aside. In separate batch, place the shredded coconut, lemon zest, and salt and begin to pulse while pouring in agave slowly until mixture forms a ball and begins to bind and is fully blended. Add coconut sweet mixture to the macadamia meal. Mix thoroughly, and be sure that you can form a ball. This is the consistency you are looking for, it also should not be too wet, if it is you may have blended it too much and may need to add more coconut, If it is too dry and you did not blend enough you may need to blend a bit more or add a touch more agave. Line a 3 inch tartlet shell with plastic wrap. Press 2+ tablespoons coconut crust mixture into each, press firmly around the sides and flutes if using fluted molds. Use palm to press firm. Pop out of mold, and place on tray. Chill in freezer for about 10 minutes to firm up before serving. For Service: Please 3 tart shells on each plate, using a 1 ounce scoop, scoop Clementine sorbet on each. Garnish on top of the sorbet with nice long strands of citrus zest. Finish the plate with lavender syrup and sprinkled fresh lavender flowers and/or Clementine segments. Clementine Sorbet This is such a refreshing sorbet, feel free to use tangerines, Satsuma’s, or clementine’s, all which work really well in this recipe. The sorbet is very light, and works so well with the lavender and coconut tarts. Serves: makes 3 cups sorbet Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: freeze 6 hours to overnight Shelf Life: will keep for months frozen 1 cup coconut meat of ¾ cups soaked cashews 1 cup clementine juice 3 whole Clementine’s, peeled ¼ c agave syrup Pinch of sea salt ½ t fresh nutmeg shavings In high-speed blender, blend all ingredients until smooth. There are two ways to proceed to make the sorbet. Either chefy style, or ghetto version. For the chefy style, pour in your choice of sorbet maker, (*Paco Jet being my personal favorite), and follow manufacturers instruction. Or ghetto style by lining a square container with plastic wrap, pour in blended mixture and continue to freeze overnight. Pop frozen block out the following day, slice in strips and put through a gear juicer, with the solid plate for a delicious sorbet! Lavender Syrup ¼ cup dried lavender flowers 3 cups water 1/2 cup agave Steep lavender flowers in 3 cups of water hot water, for about 15 minutes. Strain flowers and discard, adding the liquid to a pot you will be using to reduce. On medium heat, mix in the agave to the lavender tea and continue to simmer for about 15 minutes, or until it is reduced by half. Chill the broth before serving. If you would like more of a syrup, reduce until the mixture coats a spoon, about ¾ reduced, chill and drizzle.

March Madness, vegan style

chadsarno — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 04:19:28 +0000

When it rains it pours, and this month was quite a storm of goodness with plant passionate food for the masses. Kicking off this amazing month with a wonderful interview in Delicious Living Magazine, followed by a fun pod cast interview with the social media guru, Chris Brogan on his podcast, The Human Business Way. If you have not had a chance to check out Chris’s work, definitely do so, he is not only a genius in the field of online business but an amazing hilarious speaker. Next was a series of great events in my old kicking grounds of the New England Seacoast. It was quite a whirlwind week it kicking off outside of providence partnering with close chef friend Todd Schiller of 3 Chefs Collective and offering an incredible 9 course meal vegan supper club. We packed them in. From truffles to cocktail and wine pairing, the night was a memorable one. Portland was the next stop. The early morning trek through my home town on the NH coast is always a total nostalgic treat, bringing back so many awesome memories. Next visit was WCSH Portland for an interview and morning show demo featuring one of my favorite recipes from Crazy Sexy Kitchen. The trip was a huge success with all the events in between. That trip has truly inspired me to come back and spend some time this summer and am in the process of booking more New England events in late July. More details to come, which should be posted in the next couple weeks on the events page Next stop was NYC for the MS Society Books for a Better Life Awards. Crazy Sexy Kitchen had been nominated as a finalist in the cookbook category! What an honor to have my first book nominated, especially since the books is so close to my heart. As you may know if you have read it, I dedicated it to my nana, one of my greatest inspirations in the kitchen, and while writing it last year she had passed on, leaving behind a legacy in the kitchen and beyond. Kris and I were beyond proud to be a finalist. The best news is, WE WON! Yep I admit it, when going up to accept the award, the little voice kept telling me ‘don’t mention Nana, don’t mention Nana’. What do I do, of course when giving my quick speech, I mentioned Nana. Um, yeah, as you can imagine I got a bit choked up. Best feeling in the world though, knowing those recipes, inspired by so many personal experiences and rich memories, were creating new ones for other passionate cooks. Thank you for all those that have supported with this book, I am forever grateful. Following a full and exciting NYC trip, my brother Derek and I rocked out our first Wicked Healthy supper club in Austin with Supper Friends. It was a blast working aside Derek, my older brother, pulling off an incredible and wicked meal. There were some very full diners that night. Despite going a bit overboard with the courses, it was a brilliant evening. Be sure to keep posted for more Wicked Healthy events in the near future, from weekend events, trainings and dinners. Stay tuned. The salad course at the Wicked Healthy Supper Club: Slow roasted beets with Art's grapefruits, radish, and cashew cream cheese (photo by Ashley Scott Davison) What a month. I cannot express the gratitude I have for all that have and has blessed this journey. It continues to amaze me. Thank you for sharing in this passion for clean plant based foods, and all you do in making this world a better place, one bite at a time. Cheers! Chad

Setting the Standard

chadsarno — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 06:26:55 +0000

More and more people are gravitating towards a plant-based path for reasons across the board, which means more than ever the demand of plant focused culinary education is in high demand as well. Over the years, I’ve received a lot of questions about what resources are out there to dive deeper into the 'how to' of plant gastronomy. Yes, there are a few excellent brick and mortar culinary schools focused on raw and/or vegan culinary across the US, but not many choices for those that are too busy to travel or take at thier leisure. I’ve finally found something to write an entire blog post about. If you want that base foundation knowledge of getting started in the kitchen, or to improve the way you cook plant-based foods, read on! What Is It? World - Meet Rouxbe (pronounced "ROO-bee") Online Cooking School’s newest course: Plant-Based Cooking (Level 1). *They offer many culinary courses, but for the purpose of this blog, I am reviewing the plant based course* How much does it cost? $99.95 for Level 1 course, including instructor support and lifetime access to the content. Crazy cheap huh! What did I think? I’ve taken this course myself, testing it to see if it was up to par and I have to say, I’m blown away. I wish I had this resource when I was starting out on the path of healthy cooking. Level 1 will help you create an amazing foundation of knowledge and comfortability in the kitchen.. Trust me you will not be disappointed! The fact that it’s all online and you can take classes whenever fits within your schedule from your kitchen. I can’t get over the amount of content and value, for real. It’s crazy, especially when you think most evening cooking classes take 2-3 hours, you only learn 3-4 recipes and still often pay $60 or more. This course has dozens of instructional videos, most of which are actually comprised of many little videos, and almost 50 recipes. And did I mention that everything is PLANT-BASED! Woot woot! Power to the plants! I pulled the image below from Rouxbe’s blog of recipes from this course, and they’ve got it right: Plant-based cooking opens up a whole new world of eating opportunities. It is what I have always said, the world of endless possibilities of creativity opens when you take the dive into the world of healthy cooking. Ok, so let’s get deeper into my review of these courses. The three greatest challenges I think anyone faces when diving deeper into plant-based cooking are accessibility, value and sustainability. I also hear a lot of concerns (and excuses) that there’s nothing comprehensive available. All of these concerns, and so much more, are addressed in these courses. It doesn’t give you any room to make excuses! It’s online, you can take it at your own pace, it’s affordable and community supported, and can help you reach the masses to cook with compassion, be it personally or professionally. Plant Based Challenge #1: Accessibility “There are so many changes for me to make and so much confusion out there, so it becomes very intimidating and I get lost in all the details.” Rouxbe uses a “framework” called the “Map of Cooking” to help you stay focused and give you an understanding of the big picture of plant-based cooking. It clearly lays out and breaks down the way chefs think about food into to a systematic approach to understanding all the nuts and bolts cooking really takes, from conceptualizing to executing a meal. I was most impressed with how accurate the Map of Cooking was when I thought about how I approach a menu, from the initial thought process to the meal execution. The course technology also made it so easy to learn. It tracks everything you do and how well you did it. What's really cool is that it is not all automated and computer graded, for many of the mini quizzes and tests you are graded by real people which really adds a nice personalization about it. Plant Based Challenge #2: Value “Plant-based foods and cooking courses are expensive and never teach me enough – and everything feels piece meal.” Trust me, being in the culinary education field for about 15 years, the amount of info in just the Plant-Based Cooking Level 1 course is worth well over 5-10 classes alone (normally $75 for each ), and you still get instructor support. The course covers all the basics and sets the foundation for a sustainable approach to invaluable learning. As you can agree once you check it out, taking control of your health, starts in the kitchen, and Rouxbe is one of the greatest tools out there today to fit within a busy schedule. Plant Based Challenge #3: Sustainability “What happens if I can’t cook for myself all the time? Eating out is hard enough, but I don’t have anyone who gets me or understands my desire to actually eat vegetables.” Cooking in general tends to challenge people not used to being in the kitchen on a daily basis, let alone cooking with only plants. Rouxbe teaches the tools to tackle not only plant-based cooking, but also the lifestyle aspects of a plant-based diet, both inside and outside of the kitchen, to help anyone get started or sustain their path on a plant-based diet. It’s all laid out in an approachable, usable, non-intimating way, putting all the facts on the table and arming you with the support and foundation to dive into furthering your skills in the kitchen. They also cover one of my favorite techniques (see my recent blog post), cashew cheese. See this photo I pulled from their blog where they use it with beet burgers.. Check it out for yourself, I am sure you will be equally impressed with these courses and the way they are put together. Here is a great quick and really informative tour video. Happy cookin! * * * Rouxbe (pronounced "ROO-bee") is the leading online cooking school. Offering certification cooking courses for cooks of all levels (home or professional) using intuitive learning technology with instructor support. Each course can be taken at your own pace, on your own schedule. Rouxbe can be found in the kitchens of homes, schools of all ages, restaurants and professional culinary academies around the world.

Say ‘Not Cheese!’

chadsarno — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 19:55:08 +0000

My introduction to health started by eliminating dairy from my diet at a young age, and in return I said 'bye' to my childhood friend, asthma. I learned first hand the connection between what I eat and the effects it has on my body. One thing was for certain, dairy was the root of my health challenge. Fast forward to today and there is extensive research on the health concerns related to dairy and how it can impact your overall health. Coincidence? Not a chance. I think most people can agree that the most challenging animal based food people struggle to give up when embracing a plant based diet is cheese. Yes there is the occasional bacon addict, but in polling many people over the years, from clients, students to friends and family, cheeses takes the cake. In my late teens when I jumped on the non-dairy wagon, there were not isles of thedairy free alternatives that we are blessed with today. From a chefs perspective, using only plants to achieve similar textures, mouth feel, and comfort that so many people associate with dairy, was a challenge. There are more and more dairy alternatives showing up on the shelves weekly. You have endless choices and varieties of dairy free milks ranging from hemp to quinoa and whole grain to almond. Then there is the saturated category of vegan ice creamsyou can find made from soy, rice and coconut to cashew. There are some incredibledelicious options sure to satisfy any ice cream monster. Dairy free alternatives for cheese on the other hand are a bit scarcer. Yes, there are the heavily processed, high oil ‘cheeses’ packed with gums, funk and other ingredients I can not pronounce thatslightly resembling soft plastic with their smell and taste (sounds delicious huh). While they can serve a purpose of a dairy free alternative, very few dairy free cheeses that you can find today are created with whole, plant based foods. Soon, we hope there will be some game changers on the shelves that are readily available. (We know a secret that we will be able to share soon!) Seems like quite a need, huh? On that note, I wanted to share a series of nondairy substitute blogs with you, highlighting some simple recipes that have been my ‘go to’ staples for catering events and special occasions. Remember, these recipes are quite concentrated andrich and are nice to use for the occasional party, treat, spread, or addition to meals but be careful with them, it may be tough to have just one bite. Essential equipment for the best results:

Vita mix - A high speed blender is a key component to turn any nut or seed based cheeses, or creams from its raw product into a silken thick cream. Just remember in order to blend to the smoothest consistency, when using a blender you will need to use some liquid and fold while blending to ensure the thickest texture without blowing out the engine. Most vita mix based cheeses, if you are looking for a thicker consistency, you will proceed to strain, press and culture, depending on the recipe.
Robo coup blixer – next to a Vita mix, this is my machine of choice when making non dairy cheeses, reason being that with a Blixer, you will only need to add a splash of water if any when blending, giving you the end result of a thicker, smoother cheese consistency needing little to no straining.

It all starts with a base, this cashew cheese recipe is a great versatile recipe to build from. Check out this video filmed years back showing the use of the blixer, and creating this base recipe. What are some of your favorite dairy free cheeses, or cheezy recipes you enjoy? Leave a comment below and let me know!

Cashew Cheese Au Poivre Base Cashew Cheese 2 cups raw cashews soaked in water for a few hours to overnight, to soften ¾ teaspoon *New Chapter Probiotics powder, or other potent pro-biotic powder dissolved in 3/4 cup warm filtered water 2 ½ tablespoons nutritional yeast, small flake 1 tablespoon onion powder ¼ t fresh powdered nutmeg 1 ½ t sea salt, fine ¼ teaspoon white pepper Crusted with: 3 tablespoons crushed pink peppercorns 3 tablespoons chives, fine minced (optional) ½ tablespoon flaked sea salt In high speed blender, blend the soaked cashews with probiotics and luke warm water until smooth. Removing the lid, and folding the mixture at medium speed in order to achieve the optimum smooth consistency. Note: if using Blixer, you will use less water and result will be a thicker product. Scrape out with rubber spatula into a glass bowl. Allow to sit in bowl covered with towel ina room temperature place for 14-16 hours to culture. The following day once finished culturing, hand mix in the nutritional yeast, onion powder, nutmeg, sea salt, and white pepper. Store and use as a plain cream cheese substitute, or use as a base for endless variations and applications. Note: Don't have time to culture? Omit the probiotics and replace with 2 tablespoons lemon juice. The end result will be slightly different but still a similar flavor profile without the zing. Peppercorn crusted option. In small spring form pan, terrine mold lined with plastic wrap or round mold, press the cashew cheese firmly into pan. Allow to chill for 1-2 hours to firm up. While still in the pan, sprinkle the peppercorn, chive and course salts on top, creating an even crust, press slightly. Note: if using a spring form or terrine mold, once lined with plastic wrap, cover the bottom of the pan with the peppercorns, chives and salt mixture, and continue to press the cheese on top. This will make it easier to flip over once set, so the top is encrusted. Serving suggestion: This is an awesome recipe with a layer of pesto or tapenade in the center, or just drizzled with a white balsamic syrup and served with crackers of choice. Bon Appetit! * Interested in some hands on non dairy cheese making? Or want a perfect gift for your sweetie, join us for a weekend food and wine training to remember this May! Check out my events page for upcoming culinary trainings!

Jackfruit Carnitas!

chadsarno — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 04:07:23 +0000

Yep. I said it. Jackfruit! The intimidating massive fruit you probably have seen if you have wondered through parts of South America, Island jungles, or your local Asian market. It’s one of the largest fruits on the planet and can reach up to 50 pounds! Crazy. I first tried this fruit when I lived in Maui many years ago, and before eating it, I was instructed to lather up my hands with oil or wear gloves to eat it due to the wildly sticky sap that is released around the skin when fully ripe and sliced. Best way to describe the taste of the ripe fruit would be to say that it is similar to juicy fruit gum. I have heard that when cooked unripe and green, it is a very versatile ingredient in more savory dishes. I had to get my hands on some, so I ventured to the local Asian market and cleared the shelves of the canned and the fresh unripe jackfruit they had in stock. I was on a mission. When you work with the unripe fruit, it has a very stringy texture to it, very similar to a traditional shredded carnitas. I spent all night making several batches to test out, and was so happy with the results. The jackfruit carnitas were born. It is amazing in tacos, and you can heat up the leftovers and toss in a taco salad. Make sure that if you use the canned product, get the kind that is in saltwater brine (there are many on the market that have some funky ingredients). Below are a few brands that you might find at your local Asian market. If you are feeling courageous, you can seek out the fresh one as well, which is preferred, but be prepared for much more prep. I never use canned food, but this ingredient in the can worked well. Be sure to make a big batch, leftovers definitely wont go to waste! When I have made tempeh tacos in the past, I have used a dry rub and braising liquid in the process, similar to most traditional carnitas recipes. I took this familiar approach to this recipe as well. Using a very spicy dry rub and allowing it to sit gets the most flavor out of the jackfruit, then slowly braising it in a mix of citrus, herbs, spice and stock until most of the liquid is dissolved. Be sure to serve it with your favorite hot sauce, and guacamole. The best picnic food! Jackfruit Carnitas 2 can green jackfruit, rinsed well (you can purchase green jackfruit in most Asian, or Indian markets, make sure it is only in water, or brine) – or can also use cubed tofu (1 ½ block), cubed tempeh (1 ½ packs) , chopped hearts of palm, or artichoke hearts Dry Rub: ½ teaspoon paprika ¼ teaspoon chipotle powder ½ teaspoon onion granules ¼ teaspoon coriander powder ¼ teaspoon cinnamon 3 cloves garlic minced ½ teaspoon black pepper Sea salt to taste Braising Liquid: 2 ½ tablespoons olive oil (can also just use veggie stock instead) 1 medium onion, diced 1 cup vegetable stock, low sodium 1 ½ teaspoon oregano, fresh minced ¼ cup orange juice 1 lime juiced 2 tablespoons maple syrup 2 bay leaf 1 chiplote chile, in adobo sauce, minced Sea salt to taste Serve with: Corn tortillas Cilantro Avocado Your favorite salsa Strain and rinse the jackfruit well. Place in mixing bowl. Add the chipotle, paprika, onion powder, coriander, cinnamon, garlic, and black pepper on the jackfruit, and shred pieces roughly while mixing. I prefer to allow this to sit and absorb the spices for at least an hour to overnight before cooking. Don’t worry about the small seeds, they will cook down and soften if you leave them in. In small Dutch oven, or shallow pot, bring to medium heat. Add the oil, and diced onions and stir until caramelized. Add the jackfruit, and stir for a couple minutes until it begins to stick. Continuing on medium heat, add in the stock, orange, lime, maple, chipotle, and sea salt. Bring to a simmer, (while this is simmering, break up the jackfruit by using a potato masher or a fork) then put on low-medium heat. Put on lid and continue to cook for 20 minutes, opening lid frequently to stir and break up larger pieces of jackfruit, ensuring it does not stick. Cook until all liquid has evaporated, stirring continuously. This is the sign that its done and ready to eat! Once jackfruit is cooked serve on a tortilla, and top with avocado, your favorite hot salsa, and cilantro. Try it out and let me know your favorite variations!

Feast!

chadsarno — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 14:02:02 +0000

I recently had the opportunity of attending Feast Portland in mid September, an incredible food and wine festival centered around local and seasonal deliciousness and food education. Chefs, food nuts, food writers, venders, foragers and lovers of food filled the city for 3 full days. I partnered up with 2 incredibly talented local Portland chefs, Gregory Gourdet and Ken Ruben, to offer a private welcome dinner for Mark Bittman and some of the local organizers and sponsors of the festival. It was a great experience working with two excellent chefs in developing a menu that showcased our personalized style within a multi course menu for such an intimate group. Our challenge was to use as many local ingredients as possible and let the diner experience a story through the progression of the courses rather than just offering a meal. From collaboration dishes to a few trio plates that showcased each of our styles, it was definitely an over the top menu. This recipe was my contribution to the dessert trio we presented. Please note that this is a new recipe creation I did for this dinner, so amounts may slightly vary. I gave it my best shot to jot it down though for you. I definitely consider it a decadent and sexy dessert that showcases the season with local peaches, pears, and Riesling that I found at the market that morning. The recipe when making it in full is quite long and extensive, but take note that all components within this dessert are very versatile and can be used in so many applications. It just so happens that they all complement each other perfectly when combined together into this dessert. Meyer Lemon Cheesecake with Poached Pear, Peach, Reisling Jelly and Lacuma Crust Lacuma Crust Lacuma is a Peruvian dried fruit powder that you can find through any raw food online store, or in many Whole Foods Markets in their raw food section. It has a real nice vanilla and gram flavor and perfect for raw crusts. This was one of the staple crusts at SAF, my London restaurant, adapted from my kick ass pastry chef in London, Amy Levin. 1 cup lacuma powder 1 ½ cups almond flour ½ cup agave, or maple ½ teaspoon vanilla pulp, or extract Small amount of water Pinch of sea salt In food processor, process all ingredients, adding the water slowly, and just enough to be a fine crumble. Press in your hand, if it holds for a sec, then crumbles, it is the consistency you want. In spring form pan, or 2 inch half hotel pan, spread the crumble and press firmly for to create an even layered crust on the bottom of the pan. Poached Pears 4 small semi-ripe pears, cored and peeled (depending on the size of pears you ma be able to poach more) 1 cup mandarin juice 2 star anise 1 vanilla bean, sliced down middle 1 bottle Riesling (I used a local Oregon one) ½ cup apricot paste (soaked dried apricots, blended with water) or you could use agave On medium high heat, put all ingredients in small pot and bring to simmer. Drop in pears and poach for about 15 minutes, remove and cool. Continue to reduce the poaching liquid by half. Set aside to make jelly. Riesling Jelly 2 cups poaching liquid from the pears that had been reduced by half 1 ½ tablespoons Agar Agar powder, or flake Bring liquid up to a simmer, add in the Agar.. Using an immersion blender, blend quickly for a few seconds. Remove from heat, and pour liquid on a plate, or shallow bowl to the thickness you would like for the jelly. Chill in the fridge for about 30 minutes to an hour until it sets. Meyer Lemon Cheesecake 3 cups of cashews, raw soaked for a few hours to overnight to soften ½ cup agave 3 tablespoons Meyer lemon zest 3 tablespoons Meyer lemon juice ¼ cup coconut butter 1 whole vanilla bean scraped, or ½ teaspoon pulp ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, fresh ground Sea salt to taste In high speed blender add all ingredients and blend until smooth. You may need to adjust the sweet and acid for the perfect balance you are looking for. Once blended smooth, pour over the lacuma crust. Place in freezer to set. Once set, you can cut to desired size. Dessert Assembly: Using a small ring mold, once the cheesecake has set, press out the size of the individual portions you would like. Slice poached pears and peaches in ¼ inch slices and using the same ring, punch out even rounds Do the same for the Riesling jelly once it sets. Layer all evenly and serve. Garnish with flower petals, and popping sugar for that extra little surprise for your guest. Nutritional Note.. Beware, this dessert is wicked decadent, and although it is better for you than a dairy laden cheesecake, it is serious business so it can be highly addictive so be sure to share. What is your favorite dairy free alternative dessert to highlight peaches and pears?

Chocoholic

chadsarno — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 17:49:01 +0000

Admit it, you are too! No matter what your diet is, humans are meant to enjoy chocolate. Whether it's raw, or cooked, chocolate has the power to complete any situation. Finishing a meal with elegance, yep, chocolate will do it. Sharing and /or giving it as a sexy gift, yep chocolate will give you some bonus points. Needing some love, and just need the comfort of a pick me up, you got it, chocolate will be there for you. This is only for the serious chocolate fans. If you fear rich, decadent, sexy, intense desserts than you may want to skip this one, or make it, and give it to anyone else on the planet. For those chocolate lovers, this is bliss.. I love serving this with berries, whether in a sauce, a sorbet, or compote that has an acidic bite to cut through the richness of the tart. Whether it’s the black cherry sorbet, drunken berries, rum poached bananas or simply just a glass of port, your choice and your party. ☺ This was one of the staple desserts on the opening menus at just about all the restaurants in Europe I opened, as well as the finale to the meal I mention in the blog post ‘HOME MADE’, that my Nana couldn’t help but lick the plate. Chocolate Tart with Black Cherry Sorbet Crust: 1 ½ cups pecans, raw ¼ cup maple sugar 1/4 teaspoon sea salt ½ teaspoon cinnamon ¼ teaspoon chipotle spice Filling: ½ cup raw, untoasted almond butter ½ cup date paste ½ cup agave nectar (maple is great too) 3 tablespoon coconut butter (if you want more of a pudding and for it not to set, then you can omit.) 1 ½ tablespoon tamari 1 cup raw cocao powder 1 vanilla bean scraped 1+ cup filtered water 1. In food processor, blend all crust ingredients until fine minced, making sure they are not over blended to a paste. You want it to be similar to a gram crust. 2. Using a 9 inch fluted tart pan, press the crust into the pan, being sure it is firm in all the edges and the bottom by using your palm, set aside. 3. In a high speed blender or food processor, continue now to blend all filling ingredients well until smooth folding with a rubber spatula to avoid over heating and for optimum smoothness. Note: be sure that you stir all ingredients well by folding with rubber spatula if using a blender. This will ensure you do not wear out the blender engine. If its very difficult to blend, add a touch more liquid. Blend the full mixture until smooth. 4. Continue to assemble the tart by pouring the chocolate into tart crust. 5. Place in freezer for about 20 minutes to firm, or in fridge for about an hour to set 6. To serve, dust the plate with cocoa powder, and serve with a scoop of Cherry Sorbet. Black Cherry Sorbet 4 cups fresh black cherries pitted, (optional with currants, or raspberries) 1 teaspoon black pepper ¼ cup agave, or apricot syrup ½ mandarin orange squeezed Pinch of sea salt Pinch of freshly ground nutmeg 1. In high-speed blender, blend all ingredients until smooth. 2. There are two ways to proceed to make the sorbet. Either chefy style, or ghetto version. 3. For the chefy style, pour in your choice of sorbet maker, (*Paco Jet being my personal favorite), and follow manufacturers instruction. 4. Or ghetto style by lining a square container with plastic wrap, pour in blended mixture and continue to freeze overnight. Pop frozen block out the following day, slice in strips and put through a gear juicer, with the solid plate for a delicious sorbet!

Homemade.

chadsarno — Sat, 08 Sep 2012 19:19:39 +0000

Where it all started… I’m guessing you are here because you are passionate about food, have a curiosity about it or are trying to figure out new innovative, creative ways to “play with your food”. Well, you’re in the right place because I am a total foodie, a die hard plant pusher, I’m curious about it-where it comes from, how it affects our health and wellbeing-and I’m always looking for new ways to “play with my food” that hopefully will inspire you to do the same. But where did all of this begin? I don’t know about you, but I think for most of us foodies we can think back to a moment or person in our lives that sparked our love for food. Was your curiosity and passion seeded from a young age or is it something that you are just diving into now? Either way, I believe the seeds are planted along the way and it’s only a matter of time before we see them blooming throughout our lives. My passion for food stems back as far as I can recall. I remember pulling my stool up to the stove to stir the onions and garlic with my mom as my evening chore. I remember always trying to sneak a small bowl of caramelized onions and garlic before dinner whenever I could. However, my greatest influence that helped plant those seeds for me at a very young age was my Nana, Mary Sarno. So to kick off my new website, I would like to share a bit about her as she was one of my greatest influences around food and helped seed my passion for cooking and curiosity in the kitchen. She, along with my mom and older brother, was a key player in my life that taught me that sharing a meal is truly a gift and celebration of life. Growing up, my Italian Nana was a force of passion in the kitchen and she ruled the food world throughout my childhood. Nana was the original super woman, the rock of the family, the maestro in midst of holiday chaos feeding and filling every last inch of our bellies. She would meticulously pull off a multiple course meal every holiday we spent with her. Her days leading up to each holiday feast revolved around preparations and making every course perfect before any large gathering. The memories are so rich of each holiday, sharing such abundant traditional Italian meals with my huge extended family. Nana was the chief that lead the 7+ courses we all gluttonously enjoyed every holiday. Each Christmas eve we would make the hour drive to Nanas, with my belly growling anticipating the meal in the back seat with my brothers, and on the drive back we would be passed out before we left Nana’s driveway in a food coma. The memories are delicious. And it wasn’t just limited to holidays…we all knew that if you gave Nana a bit of notice before arriving, you and your carload of friends and family would have a feast waiting for your arrival. She fed everyone that was willing to eat, and boy, did we eat. When I left New England after high school I dove into the vegan world, eliminating all animal products, starting with dairy, and in turn healed my chronic asthma along the way. I was zigzagging across the country living my vagabond hippy days of self and food discovery. But, every holiday I would call home and through the loud Italian chaos, I would talk to Nana to wish her a happy holiday. I could picture her in her flowery apron, smudges of sauce and flour on her arms and hands, phone on her shoulder, yelling at everyone to sit down because the next course was being served. When I finally managed to make it back home, I began to bring Nana some Italian inspired vegan dishes; from lasagna, eggplant parmesan, and manicotti and would eagerly wait for her to try it and give her approval. No matter what it was, she would eat a plate always acting as if she enjoyed it (hopefully she really did), and she was so curious as to what ‘tofu’ was and why it was in her lasagna recipe. Nana did not travel out of her little neighborhood much, besides going to visit close family, the store and of course for Sunday church. So when I had a special dinner planned as guest chef across the city at an Italian restaurant, I had all my toes and fingers crossed that she would make the trek to be my honored guest. At the event, I peeked into the dining room before service, and there she was with my aunt, dressed to the nines. She told me that she wouldn’t have missed it for the world. That kept such a huge smile on my face throughout the entire dinner service. It was a multiple course Italian tasting menu, but little did she know, it was a completely raw, vegan menu. I was holding my breath, hoping that she would at least give everything a try. The evening flew by and the last course served was a ganache torte with drunken berries (see Chocoholic post for recipe). Walking out of the kitchen I saw Nana literally licking her plate. Amazing! She finished every course, and loved the experience. Regardless of having no idea of what she was eating most of the time, she was beaming from the meal (or was it from the wine?). The other 80 people that filled the room were a blur, because to me, since Nana liked it, the event was a success. That moment to me was truly a pivotal food memory. To have the opportunity to serve and feed this super woman, and queen of the kitchen that helped plant the seed of passion for homemade food in me, was an unforgettable evening, and such an honor. Seeing someone so richly rooted in traditional foods, but being open to (and enjoying!) my interpretation on traditional foods just deepened my passion and curiosity about food and inspired me to dive even deeper. [caption id="attachment_395" align="aligncenter" width="600"] My Nana and I after the dinner in Beverly, MA, 2002[/caption] Sadly, Nana passed away this past Spring, 2012. It was right in the middle of writing my book and also while I was working on the beginning stages of this site. So it is important to me to share a little of why she was one of the greatest inspirations in the kitchen, and one of the most influential people in my life that kick started my career as a chef. The greatest thing she taught me- and I hope that you will bring into your kitchen-is that the most important ingredient in any recipe is love. Her recipes and love will forever be engraved in my heart, and may the love and passion for food and family she blessed my life with, come through in the recipes and stories I share on this blog. Please feel free to leave a comment. I would love to hear what or who in your life has inspired your passion for food.