Yummy at Home: Farfalle with Chicken Apple Sausages and Veggies

On April 18, 2020April 16, 2020 By Edissa Nicolas-HuntsmanIn Community, Culture, Food, Organic Food, Physical WellnessLeave a comment

We still need to stay home as much as possible. We do not yet have a cure for COVID-19. Cooking gets my mind off all the many things that make me sad and mad as we witness our own pandemic. You’re invited to try this staple recipe from our table.

This dish takes 30-40 minutes total time to prepare. Boil and salt water and follow cooking instructions for Farfalle or whatever pasta you have in the pantry. Slice precooked chicken apple sausages or other flavor. (For fresh, raw sausage, add about 20 more minutes cooking time.) For vegan pasta, skip the sausage. Heat the sausage in olive with onions, garlic, basil and herbs on high. Add sliced fresh veggies or add frozen/canned veggies, including but limited to green beans, peas, asparagus, broccoli and or carrots. Just make it pretty! Once the veggies are tender, add balsamic vinegar, red-pepper flakes, sun-dried or fresh tomatoes. Drain pasta and put in a large serving bowl. Add a little salt and pepper along with sausage, vegetables and pot liquor on top of the pasta. Sprinkle with cheese, and serve hot!

Pizza and Salad Are Yummy at Home!

On April 16, 2020April 13, 2020 By Edissa Nicolas-HuntsmanIn Community, Culture, Food, Organic Food2 Comments

Okay, people, get out your frozen pizzas! We got our frozen pizza from from Trader Joe’s, and added garlic, shaved cheese, oregano and cherry tomatoes before putting it in the oven. Yummy!

For salad, we had mixed baby greens with carrots, peppers, walnuts, red peppers, apples, tangerines and olives. The trick with salad is to make sure it’s as colorful as possible so that it starts to satisfy your hunger as soon as you see it. Add fruit, nuts, and leftover noodles for texture and depth. Keep it simple and fresh!

Arroz con Pollo is Yummy at Home! Dominican Fusion #2

On April 15, 2020April 13, 2020 By Edissa Nicolas-HuntsmanIn Community, Culture, Food, Organic Food, Physical WellnessLeave a comment

If you haven’t tried one of these Yummy at Home recipes yet, it’s not too late. We’ll be here for a while. In truth, many of us will not return to our “normal lives” for a very long time, even after COVID-19 is done with us. It’s an opportunity to make changes or start a new habit, like cooking! All of my recipes take about an hour or less and can be modified any which way from Tuesday. Try it while you’re at home.

My Arroz con Pollo is made with marinated cubed chicken breast. You may use boned chicken which will need more time to cook and will even more tender than mine. No matter what I make, I always start with side vegetables to go with any food I serve. Broccoli is my favorite for obvious reasons! (Tee Hee) But whatever is fresh will do!

Start with your spices: salt, pepper, garlic, onion (which I didn’t use), oregano, basil, cilantro and bay leaf. Get the oil nice and hot in a large pot where you will brown the chicken (2-4oz. per person). Once the meat is brown on all sides, about 5 minutes, keep the heat up and add rice (2 cups for 2 people add one cup for each additional adult). Add orzo for a pilaf style, which I didn’t have so I put in stars, of course. Stir that around a bit, and add water as you would for cooking the rice. Add a tablespoon of tomato paste. Bring it to a boil, cover it and turn it down to simmer for 2-40 minutes. Add turmeric powder or annatto for yellow rice with anti-inflammatory properties. You may also add peas, corn, olives and some sliced tomato.

Serve hot with wedges of ripe avocado or maduros. Enjoy!

Yummy at Home, Recipe 7: Spaghetti and Meat Sauce (Hal’s Special Sauce)

On April 8, 2020 By Edissa Nicolas-HuntsmanIn Community, Culture, Food, Organic FoodLeave a comment

I never see my husband happier than when he’s eating a bowl of delicious pasta. Fortunately, his sauce is totally off the rails. I don’t even know his recipe, but here’s what I know:

Start with two can of tomatoes. Saute onions with a bay leaf in olive oil until clear. Add minced garlic, tomatoes, basil, marjoram, oregano, chili flakes, salt and pepper. Cook on low heat until it bubbles. So far, your sauce is vegan.

In a separate pan, cook your meat. We used lamb, but beef, turkey or chicken will also work. Brown the meat with a bit of onion, salt and pepper. Add the cooked meat to your sauce. The sauce is best the next day, so if you can wait, you’ll get a reward.

Cook your favorite pasta; I like long pasta like spaghetti or fettuccine with meat sauce, but whatever you have in the cupboard will do. Serve with grated cheese and a salad or veggies. We used curly kale cooked in garlic with a slice of lemon.

Try it at home! Let me know how it turns out. We need to continue to stay home. People are dying. See for yourself: https://ncov2019.live/data.

Yummy at Home, Recipe 6: Dominican Fusion Comfort

On April 6, 2020April 6, 2020 By Edissa Nicolas-HuntsmanIn Community, Culture, Food, Organic FoodLeave a comment

Listen, I’m scared, too. The US death toll is climbing fast, thanks to Trump. (Yep, I’m mad as heck at how he’s mishandling this pandemic.) As a friend pointed out, Novel Coronavirus, COVID-19, is egalitarian. So do yourself a favor and stay home and cook, read and exercise. If you’re not working or taking care of others, stay put. We don’t even know if we’re secret spreaders of this thing. It is through my pain and uncertainty that I continue to cook and read and share. This is what I have to give. This is my medicine:

Dominican food is hard to find in California unless you make it at home. A staple at our house is red beans (Habichuelas) and rice–main Dominican fare. Slow cook unsalted beans with water, garlic, onion, bay leaf, dried oregano, basil and pepper. This takes about 3 hours, so you can substitute can beans if you don’t have the time. Once the beans break open you can salt and season them with tomato paste, cumin/fresh cilantro and paprika. Allow the vegan beans to thicken and serve over steamed rice.

As a modification, you can turn these Dominican-style beans into a modified chili base by adding for favorite meat: ground chicken, turkey, beef or lamb, and vegetables: green, red or yellow peppers, corn, carrots, potatoes, olives, peas or/or green beans. (Frozen or canned veggies will also work!) Be sure to add additional spices for each additional ingredient. Don’t lose flavor.

We ate our with maduros, ripe, fried plantains. Of course, greens, collards and broccoli are always welcome at our table. Serve hot, and as Her Royal Highness Princess Diandra says, “Yam.”

Stay Woke, Adapt and Wear a Mask!

On April 4, 2020 By Edissa Nicolas-HuntsmanIn Community, Culture, Emotional Wellness

I cried most of the day yesterday. If you haven’t had a day like that yet, you will. Give yourself permission to feel all the powerful emotions that COVID-19 Pandemic has unleashed on the world. This is a reality check. Find hope. Stay connected, and pay attention. Now more than ever, we need to watch our leaders. Apparently, it’s power-grabbing time for many. We need to be the ones that drive the direction of our nation. Personally, I want to live.

After his incredibly idiotic mishandling of the early days of Coronavirus, when a few measured words would have changed the outcome for every human being within the borders of the United States, President Trump continues to misuse and abuse the power of his office. When we most need compassionate leadership, we are cursed with an abusive, immature and xenophobic hate-monger. He’s as bad as Kim Jong Un, sending missiles over South Korea to get attention in the middle of a global pandemic. Shameful! Is this our collective karma? Let us remember Trump’s words–he documents himself on Twitter and endless press opts. Let’s do this in order to hold Trump accountable for his actions. He’s costing lives and behaves unethically at every possible opportunity. Read about what he’s up to with the oversight of the COVID-19 Funding: (https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/03/us/trump-inspector-general-intelligence-fired.html).

Even though Trump doesn’t seem to “believe in” Social Distancing or wearing a mask, we know better! We know because we can see the numbers for ourselves by looking at the Coronavirus Dashboard (https://ncov2019.live/data). We need to learn from South Korea’s efforts and try to imitate their best practices. We don’t need to make every mistake to learn. We can learn from the mistakes and triumphs of other nations–especially imperative when we pay with lives. Use a mask! The CDC recommends it, and it is at least a part of the solution in South Korea.

Do this so that more of us will live.

Leading with Love: Mayor Garcetti Heals the City of Angels

On March 31, 2020March 31, 2020 By Edissa Nicolas-HuntsmanIn Community, Culture, Emotional Wellness, Spiritual WellnessLeave a comment

It’s hard to feel energetic in the mornings knowing people are getting sick. Our lives are disrupted. It’s spring but we must stay home. Besides cooking, exercising and checking in with friends all over the world, I’ve found some comfort in my new hometown. These days, Mayor Garcetti’s five o’clock briefing is uplift hour at my house. That’s when I turn on KPCC and listen to Mayor Eric Garcetti‘s update.

When Mayor Garcetti speaks, I know this is what compassion is. In the middle of the most confusing time of our lives, a global pandemic that few expected and fewer understand, when violence has grown intimate and our national leadership has flagged, Garcetti is solving homelessness in order to save as many people as possible. His message to “Stay at home” comes with the energy and commitment to galvanize LA city residents to protect the lives of some of the most vulnerable people among us.

Mayor Garcetti easily slips into my portfolio of heroes: People like Harriet Tubman, Dr. King, Jesus, John Brown and Ernestine Rose. I don’t have a problem including him on my list. I want someone to imitate. I need to believe in goodness at a time like this. Here is a man talking about CoronaVirus and using words like, “us,” “we” and “love” to talk about what’s a stake and what we must do to heal and stay safe. He urges us to engage with our best efforts and most positive outlook while providing concrete guidelines for behavior that mitigates risk to our families. He reminds us to stay home, take care of each other and advises us on what the city is doing to curtail the spread of COVID-19. Hearing him is healing my heart.

“LA Love” is a theme I can get behind, especially when it comes with direct action. When he tells us about getting manufacturers to make masks for public workers, or sadly explains why our beaches are closed or how new regulations will be implemented, it’s full of hope. He’s even raising money for locals who are unable to work or need extended shelter until the danger passes. Garcetti emphasizes the unity of Angelenos and is raising money for people who may need help.

I’m grateful for Mayor Garcetti’s leadership at this time. It reminds me to be still and step up when I can. We can all use some hope these days.

YAT, R.5: Eggs and Greens

On March 29, 2020March 29, 2020 By Edissa Nicolas-HuntsmanIn Community, Food, Organic FoodLeave a comment

Hope that you’re able to get some exercise at home, friends. When I wake up feeling sad or depressed, both inevitable in the midst of this pandemic, I try to do ten burpees. If you feel ridiculous, fall down or laugh at yourself, you’ve done it right! People are getting sick, but we still deserve to thrive and be healthy. Give yourself permission to shed whatever you can.

That brings us to our next yummy-at-home recipe. This one’s Hal’s, the egg master at our house. It’s quick and easy and super delicious for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Cook and prep time about 15-20 minutes. Add one or two eggs per adult. Substitute egg-whites for a low-cholesterol alternative or scrabbled tofu for a vegan option.

Saute garlic with thinly sliced poblano, red or yellow peppers for 3-5 minutes. Wash and strip your greens. We used dinosaur kale but collards or curly kale will also be fine. Add to peppers and garlic and cook until tender about 3 minutes. Start the toast.

Take your eggs or egg substitute and add Colby or cheddar cheese. We also added hot-smoked salmon to the eggs. Warm the pan and add your scrambled egg mix to the protein. Stir constantly until eggs are firm and cheese melts. Serve hot with all your favorite fixings.

Yummy at Home (YAT), Clam Chowder Soup-Up, R.4

On March 27, 2020March 26, 2020 By Edissa Nicolas-HuntsmanIn Food, Organic Food, Physical WellnessLeave a comment

Staying at home seems to be working against the virulent Coronavirus, so we need to keep up the good work. I’m still making magic in the kitchen, sharing my favorites with all my friends. If you want to share a recipe, send it through Karma Compass submissions. This recipe is for my friends with a stocked pantry of canned items. By personalizing these items, you add love and stretch the provisions so you don’t have to go out too much. The best way to make art of this meal is to think of the canned soup as your soup base, and simply augment it with fresh or frozen goodies.

I started with two cans of Progesso Clam Chowder as a base; add additional cans of soup, stock or water (for a lighter soup use one cup) for extra people. Add salad shrimp or diced prawns or one can of salmon or crab meat. Drop in red-chili flakes, garlic powder and black pepper. Simmer in a pan on low heat. (Do not scald the soup!)

Chop one head of broccoli into small pieces and florets and season to taste. Place into a separate pan for steaming. Steam covered broccoli on high for 3 minutes. You can also add any on the following fresh, frozen or canned ingredients: peas, carrots, potatoes, corn and/or green beans. Cook potatoes until tender. Add cooked vegetable to the soup, or canned items directly. Stir frequently on low heat until it’s hot.

Serve with warm bread or rolls and a green salad. It’s totally yummy and only takes about 15-20 minutes to make it yummy at home.

Be safe, my friends.

Yummy at Home, Recipe 2: Red Quinoa with Salmon and Spinach

On March 24, 2020 By Edissa Nicolas-HuntsmanIn Food, Organic FoodLeave a comment

Many of us have extra time at home and a full house. That means move people to feed. This fun, beautiful recipe takes about 40-60 minutes to prepare, with the quinoa being the most intensive.

Quinoa needs oil, broth or bullion, white wine or white wine vinegar and minced garlic. Saute the quinoa on high with the garlic until they are shiny and hot. add one cup of broth and a quarter cup of wine to get steam. Cover and turn it down to simmer, stirring occasionally while you get the other items going. In about 20 minutes, add another cup of water until it evaporates.

Slice Poblano peppers (These have been gorgeous and abundant at my market; add whatever peppers you have), fresh garlic and dried basil. Add to a hot pan with a little oil for about 10 minutes or desired tenderness. Add salted and peppered fish fillet (Salmon or trout) directly to the same hot pan and cover for 3 minutes on each side. Add an handful of spinach to the second side for texture and color.

Presentation for this can be very beautiful. Put a generous bed of spinach in a platter. Top with warm quinoa. Add diced or halved cherry tomatoes and cubed feta cheese mixed with olive oil and olives if you like. Put the mixture on top of the quinoa. Lastly, Place the hot salmon and peppers on the pile. Serve hot and fresh!

Alternative ingredients:

Rice (Quinoa)
Green salad or steamed broccoli (spinach)
Canned tuna, salmon or sardines
Vegan: Roasted Beets (fish)
Cucumber (tomatoes)