apple pancake for memories of the apple state

last weekend i was set to travel back “home” to seattle and stay with my best friend. i say “home” because my mom moved away a few years ago and i no longer have a home in seattle, the place i spent my first 18 years of my life and many holidays after. now, of course, california is home! i lived in the bay area for 16 years now… gulp. during this time of “shelter at home” the only way i could access home was through cooking. for many many sleepovers we had this amazing dish called apple pancake. you can look it up and might find “dutch baby with apples” or “german apple pancake” but to me it was always apple pancake. i decided to make it yesterday as it brings so much nostalgia… washington state apples and cozy mornings with friends.

ingredients

2 tbs butter

2 apples pealed and thinly sliced

1 teaspoon of cinnamon

4 eggs

3/4 flour

3/4 whole milk

1/4 sugar

1/4 teaspoon of salt

heat the oven to 400 degrees. place two tablespoons of butter in 9 x 12 inch pirex dish or large cast iron skillet. melt butter in pan in the oven while prepping the apples - peel and thinly slice. toss apples in the pan with butter and cinnamon and arrange to your liking.

to prepare the batter beat the eggs, add milk, flour, sugar and salt.

wisk until small bubbles start to form. do not over wisk.

pour batter over apples.

bake at 400 degrees for 35-45 min until golden brown on the top and crusty on the edges.

sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve

not so peachy times

food helps me feel content... for lack of better words. this past month a lot has been thrown at us (hurricanes, earthquakes, orange man issues, etc.) and this morning marks a horrific mass murdering in las vegas. i quickly ran down to my local market and grabbed a fresh peach. if i can make something pretty perhaps i will feel a little better. i was reminded of the shift in seasons. peach season is pretty much over. and all seasons come to an end. heading into this week and month with an optimistic perspective - not so much that things will get better but that these past events have made us stronger and ready to take on what's next.

1 peach

1 c wallaby vanilla bean organic greek yogurt

2 tbs coconut flakes

2 tbs chia seeds 

soul + brunch

i've been doing this combo for years and trust me, it's the best way to start your day! every sunday i have two classes in the castro. 8:30A and 10:45A. often times i talk about brunch during class so i've been getting a few requests for recommendations. here's are some spots i like that are close to the studio!

something quick:

project juice - a block away from the studio on castro st. my go to is the green bowl "protein" style with almond butter on top. if you are gluten free they have amazing gf bread for their avocado and banana almond butter toasts. 

réveille coffee co. - two words: avocado toast. walk towards 18th take a left and it's on your left hand side. amazing coffee! cool vibe. 

sit down brunch:

fable - on castro a block from the studio! awesome food like acme sweet baguette french toast or steak & eggs benedict. amazing back patio space (seriously dreamy). takes reservations.

lark - a block away on 18th. bottomless mimosas for $13. brunch with a mediterranean twist (hello poached eggs with lamb souvlaki). takes reservations. 

starbelly - on 16th (a few blocks away). on the menu: chicken and waffles, chilaquiles, chorizo and egg pizza, challah french toast, and my fav sunnyside joe's (prather ranch ground beef, cheddar, onions & spinach, potatoes). takes reservations. 

reserve your bike and reserve your brunch! also, don't forget to eat something small before class (apple, banana, some oats, etc.). hope to see you sunday! 

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papalote shrimp quinoa bowl

i pretty much love anything that's mexican inspired and love it even more when papalote salsa is involved. putting this dish together is really simple! here's what you need:

1/2 lbs. medium shrimp - raw, deveined

1/2 c quinoa

1 c black beans

1 c corn

1/2 queso fresco (or feta cheese)

1/2 purple onion - diced

1/2 avocado

2 tbs chopped cliantro

2 tbs papalote salsa 

3 cloves of garlic

1 limes

handful of cherry tomatoes  

cook quinoa according to the packing. next, chop your ingredients and start to marinate the shrimp with garlic, cilantro (leaving some for toppings) and squeeze half a lime. 

line two pans with olive oil. cook beans and corn in one pan and shrimp in the other. 

place cooked quinoa into a bowl and top with shrimp.  

add everything else and enjoy the deliciousness. top with as much salsa as you desire! 

snack time is berry nice

i constantly find myself hungry all the time... if you workout twice a day you get where i'm coming from. if you don't workout twice a day you get where i'm coming from! food is essential for us all. and snacking is just as important as any meal. it's so easy to grab the unhealthy quick fix but two minutes of your time can make all the difference when it comes to snacking.

i always keep toppings on deck! pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, coconut chips etc. if you get in the habit of using these items they will definitely be gone before their expiration date. you can use them with oats, chia seed pudding, cottage cheese (if that's your thing... never could get into this), and yogurt! put them in mason jars if you wanna be all cute about it. 

here i went with chia seeds, coconut chips and sliced almonds. i washed some mixed berries and topped with yogurt. i'm big on greek yogurt but it's nice to have the creamy almost liquidy kind as a change up (here i used trader joe's but i also like wallaby). 

take the time to snack right! if you can't do it at home put all the toppings in a ziplock and make it happen at work. your mind, your body and your tastebuds will thank you. 

monday mornin' mangos

"the coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco." mark twain

yeah, yeah. we get it. summertime in san francisco doesn't really exist. but what does? great summery produce! I use food as a vehicle to remind myself of what I might be missing. In this case, tropical delicacies (in desperate need of a tropical vacay). to make this morning bowl you need:

1 c rolled oats

1 c water

1 c almond milk

1/2 mango

2-3 tbs sliced almonds

2-3 tbs coconut flakes

2 tbs chia seeds

cook oats according to directions on the packaging. sub out half the water for almond milk half way through cooking process (you will notice the oats have soaked up the water. this is when you add the almond milk). 

while the oats are cooking you can cut up the mango. once the oats are done simply top with your ingredients. 

a very simple but delicious way to start your morning! some protein, fiber and carbs to get you going! extra points if you bump some reggae during the process. 

watermelon salad with a kick

i love summer because i love bbqs and i love watermelon! watermelon salad is pretty much my go to for a potluck style bbq. it's easy to make, super delicious and a crowd pleaser. there are literally millions of watermelon salad recipes on the internet. i took the liberty of adding a little more flavor to the traditional watermelon, feta, basil situation. 

preheat the oven to 400 and gather your ingredients. what you need:

2 small watermelons

1 bunch of basil

8 oz of feta in block form 

2 cups of pine nuts

3 jalapeños

2 tbs balsamic vinegar

1 lime 

coat the pine nuts with balsamic vinegar and place in the oven. nuts will roast for about 10-15 minutes. be sure to check them periodically to make sure they don't burn.

while the nuts are in the oven cop up the remaining ingredients to your liking. i think it's super important to buy feta in the block form and chop/crumble it yourself! it's much more flavorful this way... fluffy and moist :) 

take the nuts out of the oven, toss the ingredients together and enjoy! 

bacon bacon breakfast tacos

for those that are unaware bacon bacon has a brick and mortar location in cole valley, my magical little neighborhood. i am obsessed with their breakfast tacos and thought i would share! simple ingredients... eggs, bacon, mashed avocado, pickled red pepper, and hot sauce on two corn tortillas. fast and $3 each! i mean... look at these things

perfect for when you don't have time for a big brunch but still want something delicious. i also love their vietnamese iced coffee. hits the spot. my favorite thing? the perfectly crushed ice they use. it's the details right? #dawning 

avocado toast with smoked salmon, tomato and shichimi

pretty simple snack! i like to keep smoked salmon in the fridge as a quick protein fix. it is low in calories but does contain a TON of sodium so be careful. 

what you need for this snack:

1 slice of whole grain bread

1/2 avocado 

2oz salmon 

1 roma tomato

1 tsp shichimi (Japanese 7 spice blend) 

toast the bread and affix with toppings! yum! 

dinner at the coffee shop

if you life in the castro you have probably stumbled on hearth, a cute little coffee shop with amazing croissants! what you might not know is that they offer a prix fixe dinner wednesdays, thursdays, and fridays. 

I teach the 7:30PM class at the castro studio on wednesdays and decided i'd stop in for a little post class fuel with some friends! 

the vibe is quiet, romantic but casual, and candle lit. the music is well curated - tame impala, rhye, aka all the hits. the meal is $29.50 with the option for a $14 wine pairing (duh) and amazing service! 

everything is fresh and delicious! the portions are small but you leave satisfied and not overly full. 

wild arugula salad with cherries, hazelnuts, and pecorino

freshly made amatriciana ravioli in a cacio and pepe sauce 

gianduja tart with cherry gastrique

...it was so good I had to go back the following week! 

fava beans crostini with mascarpone and pecorino cheeses

handmade tagliatelle with crab, time and espelette

triple cream verinne with brown butter streusel

to reserve your table simply email reservations@hearthcoffee.com! tell them paula dawn sent you ;) 

baked eggs with veggies, bacon and avocado

i'm really into baked eggs! it's a fun way to get creative in the kitchen and cook up veggies that need to be used. you will probably see many varieties if you continue to follow along! they are easy to make, delicious and filling!

what you need for this version

2 shallots

3 strips of bacon cut into 1 inch pieces

1 sweet potato

2 zucchini squash

1c spinach

3 eggs

1/2 avocado

preheat the oven to 400 degrees. boil 2 quarts of water with a pinch of salt. chop the zucchini, sweet potato and shallots. place sweet potato in boiling water and heat bacon on a skillet. once enough grease coats the pan add shallots to the bacon.

add chopped zucchini and boiled sweet potato to skillet. add a little bit of water so the shallots don't burn.

next, add the spinach and quickly make three pockets in the skillet for the eggs.

crack the eggs into the pockets

after the eggs have cooked for 2 minutes on the skillet place entire skillet in the oven. the eggs will bake for about 5-7 minutes depending on preference. while the skillet is in the oven clean up and cut the avocado into slices. take the skillet out of the oven and top with salt and pepper and the avocado slices. be sure to have something under the skillet. it will be hot! enjoy!