Noshtopia

Farmer's Market Find: Pretty Red and White Beans Among Cilantro and Garlic

Saw these pretty red and white beans at the SF Ferry Building farmers market. The beans sitting among the fresh cilantro and garlic inspires me to make some chili.

Snackage: Vegan Chili Cheese Fries

It's snackage time, and who doesn't love some chili cheese fries?

Awesome Snackage: Zesty Nacho Kale Chips

Instead of baking them myself, these zesty nacho kale chips from Trader Joe's are awesome! And even better, they are vegan, have no preservatives and are raw. Yeah, TJ's dehydrated the chips.

Easy-bake: Cheesy Vegan, Gluten-free Chicken, Kale, Pasilla Pepper Enchiladas

I've been wanting to experiment with vegan enchiladas for awhile now, and happy to say that my experiment turned out really well. My carnivore dad wanted to eat these!

Farmers Market Find: Pretty Flowering Chives

 

One of the trends I've been noticing in the farmers markets in the Bay Area are flowering vegetables and herbs like blossoming purple kale.

 

This is flowering chives and I think they are so pretty, almost too pretty to eat. The flowers are a bit sweeter and really do make a salad not only tasty but again, pretty. Definitely use flowering chives as a garnish.

Happy Earth Day Curly Kale Salad With English Peas, Beets, Flowering Radishes and Purple Kale

Happy Earth Day 2013! And since Earth Day lands on a Meatless Monday this year, I went crazy at the farmers market this weekend and found some really cool stuff to make this purple kale salad. 

Filipino Birthday Tradition: Pancit, Long Noodles For Long Life

It's a tradition in Filipino culture to eat pancit on your birthday. Pancit is our version of chow mein.The long noodles are good luck for a long life. Mom made me some pancit today for my birthday and I ate this whole bowl. I was in bliss!

Tea You Almost Wanna Eat: Apple White Ginseng Oolong

Samovar Tea in the Yerba Buena Gardens in San Francisco is one of my favorite places to chill because it's a tea adventure in there, and the food is splendid.

One of my favorite teas is the Apple Ginseng Oolong because one, it just looks so pretty, and two you pour hot water into the bowl with the chunks of apple, spices, and loose leaf tea. Let steep for literally a few seconds, and then pour into your tea cup.

White ginseng harks from the Panax root and is known to promote “vital energy and libido.” ...so says the menu. Not sure about the libido part, but this tea definitely makes me happy.

A Leaner Meatball: Chicken Quinoa Meatballs

I saw these beautiful creatures at Whole Foods Market in Walnut Creek. I love the idea of a leaner meatball. Instead of beef or pork, use chicken and add some Quinoa for even more protein.

Farmers Market Find: Blossoming Purple Curly Kale

At the Moraga farmers market this weekend, I saw these most beautiful blossoming purple curly kale flowers and had to get some.