A Bowl of Mixed Berries!

Mixed Berries for Breakfast:

Please note that this is not really a recipe. It is just what I put together and like its combination/mixture. I usually eat fruits for breakfast; eating a bowl of mixed, peeled & sliced apple, banana and orange with a cup of hot tea is my usual morning. The days that I really want to be a good girl I have the above fruits with my cereal. From time to time I make a change in my choice of fruits and recently I switched to berries. Not only I love berries, as you can read in the title of this blog, but also I find berries a less time-consuming choice: easy to wash and no need for slicing (except for huge strawberries). So once every couple of weeks, I make one bowl of Mixed Berries and I keep it in fridge. If we have it with our morning cereal it will last us for three days. I sometimes serve it as dessert, and even Alpez, my food critic friend, loves it. If you want to make it for dessert you can have it with whipped cream, ice cream or any kind of gelatin desserts, but I personally like it without any of these additions. The fruits for this mixture are all fresh and raw.

Ingredients:

1 ½ Cups Raspberries: rinsed. I use red raspberries.
1 Cup Blueberries: rinsed
2 Cups Strawberries: rinsed and sliced. I try to go with little strawberries, but usually they are huge, so I slice each in four pieces.
1 ½ Cups Blackberries: I switch between strawberries and blackberries. I usually don’t put them together, No reason at all.
No Sugar is needed.


Directions:

Mix the berries. (It is really confusing, I know!)

نوش جان

(Noushe Jan)
Bon Appetit!

Tips:
1- For a fancy presentation of this dish you can use some Vanilla-Sugar. I think you can guess I don't do it.
2- Keep the mixed berries in a lidded container for refrigerating.

Lulu Carpenters Octagon Café

I was in Santa Cruz for couple of days. Lulu Carpenters Octagon Café was one of the discoveries of those days. I went there to meet with Professor Burke; a nice meeting in a nice place. The place was packed, but pretty quiet compare to its population. We were lucky to find a table while waiting for our coffee to be brewed. In Lulu’s café every coffee order is measured, grounded and brewed freshly. I should mention that at Lulu Café your coffee costs you more than usual, simply because you get a coffee better than usual. I got a cup of Cappuccino which is a small sign of Lulu’s neat style.

In the same neighborhood there is another Lulu Carpenters Café. The Octagon one is located on 118 Cooper St next to McPherson Art Museum.

My Cappuccino Cup, Lulu Carpenters Octagon Café,
Santa Cruz, Jan 2008

Honey Topped Salmon Fillet

Honey Topped Salmon Fillet
The first fish dish I had in the United States was this Salmon with Honey. It made me convert from a devoted fish-hater to a fish-lover enthusiast. The credit for this recipe and my exciting conversion goes to my dearest friend Ada. I usually serve cooked vegetables in the side. Rice also makes a good side dish for the Honey Topped Salmon.

Note: This dish is not as sweet as it sounds. So don’t let the honey part scare you. Honey eliminates the fish smell and gives the salmon a teriyaki like taste.

4-6 servings
Preparation & Cooking Time: 60 minutes on 350°F






Ingredients:

1lb Fresh Salmon Fillet: I usually get the whole amount in one piece. You can also use Salmon steaks (more than one piece) the only difference is that you should cover both sides of the steaks with honey.
3 tbs Honey: You may need more than 3tbs. It depends on the size of the fillet. So use as much as you need to cover the skinless side of the fillet.
1 Onion: Average size, sliced (optional)
No Oil: I do not use oil. Salmon has enough fat in it.

Spices:
Garlic Powder, Salt and Pepper: just enough to season the salmon.
3 Garlic Cloves: crushed or sliced (optional)

Side Dish:
3 Carrots: Average size, cut into julienne stripes
1-1½ lb Mixed Small Red and White Potatoes
2 tbs Canola oil
Some Black Pepper

Directions:

1- Preheat oven to 350°F. Rinse the Salmon fillet. Then genteelly dry the fillet with paper towel.

2- Season the salmon with salt, pepper and garlic powder. A quick reminder: we only season the skinless side of the fillet.

3- After using slat, pepper and garlic powder, use a sheet of aluminum foil to cover an oven safe dish or tray. Use a dish large enough so the fillet fits easily. Place the seasoned fillet in the dish. Pour the honey on the fillet so it covers the fillet. You can use the back of a spoon to spread the honey. It is important to use the aluminum foil since burned honey does not clean off easily.

4- On the top of the honey you can put some garlic cloves. I usually bake some onions in the same dish next to the fish. No Oil is needed. Place the salmon in the oven. It is ready after 50 minutes. Check the dish from time to time, so you can control the crispiness of the Salmon.

Side Dish:

I usually prepare the side dish before the salmon. I put it in the oven from the beginning of the preheating process.

1- Wash the potatoes and carrots thoroughly.
2- Skin the carrots and slice them in stripes. Do not slice potatoes.
3- Grease an oven safe dish and place the potatoes and carrots in it. Use some oil to grease the veggies on the top. Pepper them and put it in the oven. They will be ready in about 40 min. I like the carrots to be a little bit dryer; that’s why I put the side dish into the oven before the salmon.

نوش جان

(Noushe Jan)
Bon Appetit!