Food Truckin': Sweetflow Mobile

[photo by Carly & Art available under a Creative Commons license]

Something the DC street food scene has recently been energized with is the emergence of a few new food carts (or trucks as is the case with Sweetflow Mobile and Fojol Bros.) Of course, there have always been the standard hot dog vendors who also serve pretzels, candy and a variety of beverages out of white coolers (most big cities have those). And, there are the two competing burrito carts - one at 17th and K and Pedro and Vinny's two blocks down on 15th. But, Sweetflow fills a much needed void in the realm of street food: dessert. Specifically, frozen yogurt. Breaking boundaries by using fresh, organic ingredients, the concept of "street food" is elevated to a higher level. Plus, it is environmentally friendly. Brought to us by the folks behind Sweetgreen, their trucks are "uniquely engineered to run without a generator, thus significantly reducing the amount of fuel consumed." Sweetgreen, indeed.

I recently found Sweetflow at MacPherson Square thanks to Twitter. Tim regularly posts a heads-up to his whereabouts and what time he'll be there. When I showed up, he gave me a great introduction to his product - refreshingly tangy yogurt from Stoneyfield Farms, frozen, fat-free, and containing those all important live and active cultures. Then, topped with your choice of fresh, local ingredients, including fruits and crunchy toppings such as nut and granola. My selection: yogurt topped with mango, blackberries and coconut. It was so good and so fresh I felt like I could be on a tropical island. The yogurt was cool and creamy, tangy but not puckering, and surrounded by the perfect portion of fruit that appeared to be picked at its height of ripeness.

A small cup costs $5, but was not at all skimpy in size. The portion, I felt, was actually generous. For something so refreshing and healthy, it was worth it.

Sweetflow Mobile

Location: varies. Follow @SweetflowMobile on Twitter for up to date locations.

Green Living

You are what you eat. Or, as Michael Pollan would say, you are what what you eat eats. For this post, however, we don't have to worry about whether our cows are eating grass or corn mixed with growth hormones because I'm talking about vegetables and herbs. Specifically, green ones.

Nevertheless, it is no secret that everything that you eat has the potential to benefit you (by giving you essential vitamins and nutrients) or harm you (by clogging arteries), with the exception perhaps of celery which in college circles has long been believed to only offer negative calories (once you are done chewing).

The real point of this post was to give me a chance to play around with my food photography, using some recent items that I've incorporated into my meals. Seeing that they are all green, and healthy, I thought that in addition to sharing pretty food pictures, I'd share with you the nutritional benefits of the subjects as well. Plus, summer squash, peas and basil also happen to be delicious!



Summer Squash: chock full of beta-carotene, fiber, and vitamin C making this vegetable an excellent fighter against cancer, heart disease and inflammatory diseases, such as arthritis and asthma.

Cooking Suggestion: summer squash has a light yet somewhat sweet taste. I find it best just lightly sauteed in olive oil. No seasonings needed; it can completely stand on its own.

Fun fact: the largest squash ever grown weighed in at 962 pounds.

Green (and purple) Basil: basil also has anti-inflammatory properties. It is recommended for nausea and motion sickness and aids in digestion. Also a good source of folic acid.

Suggested uses: basil's most common usage is probably in pesto or paired with tomatoes, but is also delicious added to a stuffed chicken breast with goat cheese, mixed in with salad, or as a stand-in for mint in a mojito.

Fun fact: in Italy, basil symbolizes love (where ELSE would a symbol for love be a food?).

Peas: green peas provide 8 vitamins, 7 minerals and are important in promoting good heart and bone health. They also supply dietary fiber and protein - good for digestion and recharging your (inner) battery.

Suggested uses: like summer squash, peas have a deliciously delicate flavor all on their own. I prefer to quickly blanch them and eat them sans dressing.

Fun fact: peas found by archeologists on the Thai-Burmese border have been carbon-dated to 9750 B.C.

Thank You, Rick Bayless

Recently, I've found a nice little food community on Twitter. Local DC bloggers, fellow foodies and even a few celebrity chefs to share recipes (140 characters or less!), restaurant recommendations, food tips, ideas and twitpics of our latest creations. A few days ago, Rick Bayless (of Frontera Grill fame in Chicago and recent winner of the third episode of Top Chef Masters) posted a picture of his ever growing mint garden. I, having an abundance of mint growing from my indoor Aerogarden, tweeted Rick asking if he had any interesting or innovative ways to use the herb. To my complete surprise (and humble elation), he replied:

@jenwexler Mint faves right now: agua fresca (mint, cucumber, lime, pineapple), fresh fava or pea soup with mint and grilled green onion.

After I caught my breath, I resolved to make Rick's suggestions this weekend (and hopefully tweet some pictures back to him!). Both recipes were new to me, so I set out to do a little internet research - getting general proportions of fruit to water for agua fresca (a light fruit drink available in stands throughout Mexico) and the best way to combine peas, mint and onion in soup form. The improvised results were outstanding and have been officially added to my repertoire. Thank you, Rick Bayless.

Agua Fresca with Mint, Cucumber, Lime and Pineapple

(makes 2 1/2 quarts)

1/2 medium size cucumber (peeled and seeded)

1/4 pineapple (8-10 medium cubes)

1/4 lime (juiced)

handful of mint leaves

Combine cucumber, pineapple, lime juice, and mint leaves in blender. Strain liquid through fine mesh sieve into a pitcher. Fill remainder of pitcher with water. Serve over ice.

Chilled Pea Soup with Mint

(serves 3-4)

2 cups of English peas, shelled

1 leek, white and green parts, sliced thin

1 large clove garlic, sliced thin

1 garlic scape, sliced thin

2 cups chicken stock, divided

1/4 cup olive oil

sea salt, to taste

ground black pepper, to taste

truffle oil, for garnish

Heat olive oil in heavy stock pot. When warmed, add leeks and garlic scapes, sauteing until soft (10-15 minutes), avoid browning. When leeks are softened, add peas and garlic, being careful not to burn garlic. Saute for 2 minutes. Add 1 cup chicken broth and cook peas for 5-8 minutes until just tender. Transfer soup to food processor, add mint, and puree to desired consistency, adding remaining chicken broth as needed. Transfer pureed soup to a clean bowl and set over an ice bath, to preserve the soup's bright green color. Serve chilled sprinkled with sea salt, black pepper, and a swirl of truffle oil. Garnish with fresh herbs.

Enjoy!

Linked to from:

A Million Little Pictures/ Art House Co-op

I came across Art House Co-op while researching for a project at work. Art House "creates massive, nationwide art projects that tie hundreds of artists together." Their projects create a sense of community and are designed to allow anyone to participate. The one that I've signed up for is A Million Little Pictures. For $18, I was registered to receive a disposable camera with flash. The goal: to document my life in 24 frames, then develop the pictures and send them to Art House in Atlanta for an exhibition opening in September. Through each set of photos, 1000 people's lives from all over the world will be chronicled. 

A daunting task to say the least. 24 pictures to document my 32 years. Or, I could give people a glimpse into my life, zooming in on something I find important. And how to distinguish my photos from the 999 other participants? Well, naturally, I'm thinking food. My favorite foods? My favorite dishes in my favorite places? The ingredients that make up my favorite meal? Now the possibilities are endless!

I promise to post the results here once I'm done. It shall be a culinary adventure, indeed. 

Where Should You Eat Tonight?

"Where should we eat tonight?" If this is a common question in your household - it can also take variations such as "Where do you want to go for dinner?", "What are you in the mood for?" etc. - then check out this tool. It is especially good for all of you foodie gamblers out there, since it takes the form of a slot machine (with sound, to boot!). And I bet, if you were to really stick to it, you'd try a whole bunch of new restaurants not normally on your list. Type in your zip code, select a neighborhood, cuisine and price range (or not), and roll the dice. Voila! A restaurant suggestion at your ready.

Washington DC restaurants on Urbanspoon

Enjoy!

From the Market Part 3 - Spanish Tortilla with Chorizo and Garlic Scapes

I am so glad that I was convinced to make this dish twice in one week, because the pictures from this round turned out much better than the first photo shoot. 

Whenever we receive an issue of Cook's Illustrated in the mail, it is usually a fight to the finish as to who can get his or her hands on it first. We like to pick out recipes trying to show each other up with complicated techniques or meals that take the better part of the day to make. And this month, when I saw a recipe for Spanish Tortilla, I knew it would be the one that I try.

Turns out, its really not difficult and takes less than an hour to make. The result, though, is impressive and quite tasty too. The best part about a Spanish tortilla is that it is excellent in its original form (potato, onion and egg) but can also serve as a blank canvas for experimentation - in this case, adding garlic scapes and buffalo chorizo spiced with chipotle. 

Spanish Tortilla with Chorizo and Garlic Scapes

(adapted from Cook's Illustrated, May/June 2009 issue)

6 TBS + 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1 1/2 pounds potatoes (Yukon Gold)

1 small onion, halved and sliced thin

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

8 large eggs

2 links of chorizo (casing removed) or 8 oz of cured chorizo, cut into small cubes

1 garlic scape sliced into thin rounds (or two scallions sliced the same way)

Toss 4 TBS of oil, potatoes, onion, 1/2 tsp salt, and pepper in a large bowl making sure that potatoes are coated and separated. Heat 1 TBS oil in 10" non-stick skillet on medium high. Add chorizo and saute until browned. Reduce heat to medium-low, add potato mixture to skillet and set bowl aside without washing. Cover and cook, stirring every 5 minutes for 20-30 minutes, until potatoes offer no resistance when poked with a paring knife.

Meanwhile, whisk eggs and remaining 1/2 tsp of salt in reserved bowl. Fold in garlic scapes. Return skillet to medium-high heat, add remaining TBS of oil and heat until oil just starts to smoke. Add egg and potato mixture, stirring and folding constantly for 15 seconds. Smooth top of mixture with rubber spatula. Reduce heat to medium, cover and cook, gently shaking pan every 30 seconds for two minutes until top of tortilla begins to set and bottom is golden brown.

Using rubber spatula, loosen tortilla from pan, shaking back and forth until tortilla slides freely in pan. Slide tortilla onto a large plate. Invert another plate on top of tortilla, flip, and slide tortilla back into pan, cooked side up. Tuck edges of tortilla back into pan with spatula, cover and cook, gently shaking pan every 30 seconds for two minutes until second side is golden brown. Slide tortilla onto serving plate and allow to cool at least 15 minutes. Cut into slices or cubes to serve.

I personally prefer my tortillas room temperature and they are even great cold the next day.

Enjoy!

From the Market Part 2 - Salmon in Lemon Brodetto with Pea Puree

The Internet is truly an amazing thing. Scratch that, Google is truly an amazing thing. I had some freshly shelled peas from the farmer's market that were close to reaching their three day limit. My husband and I were in the mood for salmon. A quandary on how to combine the two + Google = one delicious meal.

Salmon in Lemon Brodetto with Pea Puree courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis and the foodnetwork.com. A modern take on a traditional fish stew, this was probably one of the prettier meals I've put together; I'm afraid the picture doesn't quite do it justice. It was a great mix of textures with the crisp lemon broth with sauteed shallots, smooth pea puree mixed with parmesan, and the golden crusted fillet. The tangy lemon, savory peas and sweet salmon lends flavor for any mood, too.

Enjoy!