Anyone who knows me probably knows that I love food. I think “love” isn’t even a strong enough word. I adore food. It makes me happy and I am not even joking. I’m a Pescatarian (which means I eat seafood but no other meat) and I am always in my kitchen creating something. But as fun as it is to make up new weird dishes, sometimes it’s nice to fall back on a classic. So, I decided to make an American/Chinese classic- shrimp fried rice. And, who doesn’t love Chinese food?
I call this an “unrecipe” because I’m going to tell you guys how I made my dinner, what I used, and hopefully you’ll be able to recreate it (or maybe substitute my shrimp for chicken, beef, or whatever you want.) However, to me cooking is a fun activity, not some science project, and with the exception of making plain rice, I almost never measure anything. I go by how I know things taste, and what I like. A dash of this, it varies per person, just like personal style. This unrecipe is extremely flexible so you can make it your own. I don’t expect everyone to love everything I do.
So, first things first, what do you need for my Shrimp Fried Rice?
- 1 cup of Basmati rice. This rice is amazing, and it’s naturally white instead of “white rice” which is bleached and piping with artificial vitamins that your body can’t absorb.
- 2 cups of water. Now get rid of your measuring cups.
- About a handful of frozen shrimp. I HATE having to pick the tails off of shrimp- Publix has frozen shrimp that are peeled, de-vined, and have NO TAILS. To a pescatarian this is amazing news.
- Raw corn on the cob. Cut about half the corn off and set aside for use.
- About an eighth of a white onion, chopped.
- 3 or 4 spring onions, chopped.
- One egg.
- A small handfull of shoe-string cut carrots, chopped in half.
- Seasoning: A sprinkle of Adobo for cooking the shrimp, Garlic Powder and Red Pepper to taste.
- Olive Oil. Remember a little goes a long way.
- Soy Sauce and Duck Sauce.
Now that you’ve got the ingredients together, the magic can start.
- Cook the rice. The secret to perfectly cooked rice is patience and measuring accurately. Bring the 2 cups of water to a boil, with a splash of olive oil. Once it’s boiling, add rice, stir, cover and turn heat to very low. Now, wait about 20 minutes, stirring maybe once or twice. Once the water is gone and the rice is soft, remove from heat and stir with a fork to “fluff”.
- Cook the shrimp. In small pan on medium heat, let the shrimp cook and add a sprinkle of Adobo. The water that forms in the pan can be poured out, it’s not needed. Once the shrimp is cooked, chop each one in half.
- In a medium pan, over medium heat, coat the bottom with olive oil and then spread the rice about an inch and a half thick. Crack the egg over the rice and stir completely. Then add the veggies, shrimp, and garlic powder to taste. I like spicy food so I add a lot of red pepper. If you prefer a less spicy meal, add only a dash of it; it’s very strong.
- Stir completely while keeping the heat on medium. Add a few sprinkles of Soy Sauce for moisture. I suggest not to add any salt AT ALL until the very end because since Soy Sauce is already salty, it’s easy to ruin it.
- Once this has been completely mixed and cooking for about 10-15 mins, remove from heat and serve. I like putting Duck Sauce on basically everything I get when ordering Chinese, but that’s up to your personal taste.
And that’s it! My Fried Rice is pretty simple. And what’s more, it’s healthy. I use low-sodium Soy Sauce and don’t add any salt, and it still tastes amazing. Try this out when you want a hot meal that’s easy and takes less than 30 minutes to prepare and cook.
Valentine’s Day is almost here and people around the globe will be finding out if they are the side or main chick/dude. Brace yourselves. All jokes aside, the holiday is close and if you’re lucky enough to have a special someone in your life, we suggest showing your appreciation for them- even if it’s a little gesture. With a flood of pink and red Hallmark cards, stupid stuffed bears and generic chocolate heart boxes, the clear gift choices might not seem so great.
Lucky for you, we have a suggestion: The Baking Bean. It’s a NYC based bakery started by model turned chocolatier and cultural chef Clarice Lam. The small operation makes gourmet sweets such as Mexican Hot Chocolate Brownies with Spiced Dulce de Leche Swirl. That sounds amazing, no? And in the true New York City spirit, The Baking Bean delivers to all 5 boroughs and even out of state! If you want some of these goodies and you’re not in New York City, make sure to order by TODAY to get them on Valentine’s day. People inside the NYC area can order by February 11th.
There are many cute and quirky gift options such as chocolate pieces in the shape of 3-D diamonds entitled “Don’t Be Fooled By The Rocks The I Got” and a “Voodoo Your Ex” lemon cookie. Take a look at all of them HERE !
Like The Baking Bean on Facebook to see what they’ve got cooking up next
ORDER FROM THE BAKING BEAN !
Above: Poptart at 450x Magnification
“There’s so much rhetoric in our culture around food: food science, food journalism, food history, and food how-to. It is my hope that these photographs might transform our food obsession into a newfound closeness with what nourishes us.”
- Caren Alpert
Visit www.CARENALPERTFINEART.com to see more about the artist plus more food photos.
Health food is a dirty word to some people: some say it’s too expensive. Some say it doesn’t “fill them up” like a “real meal” would. Others say it’s too difficult and go eat off the dollar menu instead. I have been a pescatarian {eating seafood but no other meats) for over 2 years now and have prided myself on my healthy eating habits for years. Sure, I’m not perfect and still cheat here and there but I strive to educate myself every day. One thing I try to stay away from is “fat free” and “sugar free” foods. Why on earth wouldn’t I want those things, right? I always tell people “I’m not a scientist” meaning I don’t know what they DO put in foods so that they don’t have fat or sugar. I would rather know that I’m eating some sugar or butter than to guess what all those big words mean. The thing is, most people aren’t scientists either and they don’t know what those big words mean, but they also don’t care. That being said, they don’t question what they eat thinking they are doing the right thing. Luckily, we live in a world where anything can be googled and learned within seconds. I had the pleasure recently of meeting my new friend Andrea- check out her facebook HERE- who is a health/fitness genius. I came across a couple photos on her page that really should be seen by everyone. So, here you go:
Firstly, soda is the devil. It has NO NUTRITIONAL VALUE and makes babies cry. I have seen this.
Soda is such bullshit. It makes you HUNGRY. So it goes perfectly with a huge meal from Burger King. Gross.
How about what is in these sugar free, fat free packages at the super market?
I feel a little bit more like a scientist now. Just a little bit. Next time you go grocery shopping, really read and think about what’s about to go into your body.
Check out and LIKE Andrea’s Facebook page for more great tips, facts and work out info!
Hey guys, I would like to share another vegetarian recipe with you all. I got pretty good feedback on my vegetarian omelet and my green juice so I figured I’d keep on sharing the creative ways I eat. Again, I am a pescatarian so I eat seafood but no other meat. This can get tricky and, along with taking vitamins, I have to always think about what I’m eating to make sure I stay healthy and don’t pass out!
Let me just start by saying that this dish is so damn good- I am figuratively patting myself on the back for this one all day. No ego.
OK, so today during the today’s “staying home for Hurricane Isaac / annoyingly raining hard” I decided to cook a dsih that I made up on the spot- Stuffed Red and Green Peppers and Herb Roasted Potatoes. Here’s how I did it:
Peppers:
- Half of a Red and Green bell pepper- just what I had in my fridge.
- Broccoli
- Red Onion
- Button mushrooms
- Parmesan cheese
- Veggie burger patty
- Garlic powder
- Salt/Pepper
- Cayenne pepper
- Cumin
- Adobo spice
I was originally going to use Morning Star Farm “Meal Starters” which is crumbled “ground beef” like stuff. However, freezer burn reared its ugly head and I had to get creative with an Amy’s “California” veggie burger instead.
Making the stuffing was pretty simple- I finely chopped the thawed, uncooked veggie patty, mushrooms, broccoli and red onion, and mixed them by hand in a medium sized bowl. I added about 2 tablespoons of parmesan cheese and a few shakes of salt, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, cumin and adobo. I like my food spicy, but you can add as much or as little flavor as you want. Also the veggie burger I chose is pretty bland, so I wanted to even it out.
Once all this was well mixed and a little mushy, I spooned the mixture into the bell peppers and wrapped them loosely with tin foil. I cooked everything in an oven at about 400 degrees for about 30 minutes.
Potatoes:
- Mini Yukon Gold potatoes
- Olive Oil
- Thyme
- Oregano
- Salt
- Garlic powder
- Cayenne pepper
The first thing I did was peel the potatoes- these things are super small and very annoying to peel with long nails in the way, but I did it. Then I boiled them for about 10 minutes. I then drained the water from the hot pot and, with the top held on tightly, shook the pot vigorously to get the outside of the potatoes a little mushy and messed up. The mushy outside of the potatoes turnes crispy in the oven- you’re welcome.
Next I lay the potatoes on a cookie sheet covered in tin foil. I cut them in half but you don’t have to. Then I sprinkled olive oil over them before sprinkling on the herbs. Just pop these bad boys in the oven and wait 30 mins for golden deliciousness.
I hope you guys really try some of the food I make! I take a lot of pride in my cooking- I may be obsessed. But I really like showing the fact that not eating meat does NOT mean I don’t eat good. I’m a true foodie, ask anyone.
Here is my rendition of a vegetarian omelet. I eat a lot. And when I have time I cook a lot too. As a “pescatarian” a.k.a. someone who only eats seafood but no other meat it’s sometimes difficult to find a good meal while out with friends without feeling like i’m eating the same unhealthy fried fish filet or Camarones Creole. So, I do try to cook new things when I can. This morning I got a little tired of veggies breakfast patties and waffles so I got creative with my breakfast.
What you’ll need:
- Mushrooms
- Red and green peppers
- Red onion
- 2 eggs
- Avocado
- Sharp cheddar cheese
- Chopped garlic
- Cayenne pepper
- Salt to taste
I chopped my veggies pretty small so I i can easily fit them on the eggs. I put olive oil into the medium-high heat pan with a bit of chopped garlic. Then I whipped up the two eggs, a pinch of salt and cayenne pepper before pouring them into the pan. after it cooked for a minute i put my veggies over one half of the eggs and carefully flipped the other half over. If you’re not so skilled at this there is NO SHAME in just mixing everything together in the pan. Once the eggs were cooked I placed my omelet on a small plate with sliced cheese and avocado.
I use the cheese and avocado simply as a garnish- the sharp taste of the cheese vs. the smoothness of the avocado is really nice- sprinkle some red pepper flakes on the avocado for more flavor.
The summer time is winding down. If you know me then you know that I love health food and I regularly buy and make veggie/fruit juice at home even though people call me crazy. While I was home in Maryland my mom brought me this super green juice and it was really delicious. It’s full of super foods and even though it looks like it may not taste so great, I highly suggest you try it out. I made my version of the drink yesterday. Also, i bought my juicer from Amazon.com for like $30 so it’s not too expensive to do this at home.
What you’ll need:
- Half a cucumber
- A bunch of cilantro
- Spinach
- Two celery stalks
- Half a lemon
- A piece of ginger
- A clove of garlic
- Half a Granny Smith apple
The garlic and ginger are REALLY good for your immune system – good to know in the coming cold months.
Okay tourists, locals, and natives alike. Let’s keep it real, this Memorial Day weekend is not the time to wild out. At least not anywhere in the radius of Miami Beach or Downtown. There are DUI checks galore and THE MAN will be out looking for the first person to slip. Don’t become another statistic. But if you must go there are a few things you should know about what you’re getting yourself into:
1.This weekend has been dubbed “Urban Beach Week” because of the large amount of, uh , urban people who flock to the City of Sin for Memorial Day weekend. Be that as it may, there will be lots of loud music, half, 3/4 or even almost completely naked and drunk/high BOOTY all over the place, along with rented cars and obnoxious people (not just urban people either). I mean, this type of debauchery is sort of what happens in South Beach all year round but this weekend its times a billion. Not for nothing people got shot last year. It’s really a crazy police officer’s dream out there. Fighting will most likely break out although we’d like to hope for the absolute best.
2.OK, what about the delicious food offered up and down the strip? If you’re on Ocean Drive, do not, I repeat DO NOT get lured in by the Slovakian waitress offering “2-4-1 Drinks.” You will walk (or stumble) out of that seaside eatery with a lot less money in da bank. Shrimp and impressing some girl you just met isn’t worth the price tag ! Not to mention the owners jack the prices up specifically for this weekend. You have been warned ! The only safe bets on Ocean Drive are Johnny Rocket’s and Friday’s. But you can get that anywhere. Go to a little Cuban hole in the wall or a taco spot for something cheap and yummy.
3.If you are driving and trying to get anywhere by a certain time, give yourself at least 30 extra minutes for traffic and the colossal bitch that is finding parking. Carpool with whoever you can. Take the 36 st bridge off of Biscayne or even the 79th st bridge instead of the McArthur Causeway. Fuck a taxi. Again, you have been warned.
4.If you venture into the wild, be prepared for a shocking amount of groping, yells, whistling, suggestions for sexual favors, propositions to hang out, and to hear the worst pickup lines out of desperate-ness you have ever heard. Ever been to the mall and had tons of guys try to court you? This is literally happen every 5 steps. I AM NOT LYING. Then you walk by them again and the men are using the same line on another beach goer. There attempts get comical after realizing they are on vacation and purely just want to take advantage of their situations. I just do the ol’ ignoring tactic if I find myself there but usually leave feeling as if I’ve been eye-raped and extremely uncomfortable.
5. For us locals, we know better. But in case you forgot, do I have to remind you that THE COPS ARE HEAVY OUT THERE? Don’t have your plates up to date? Drank one beer and headed home? Forgot to pay that ticket a few months back? All it takes is a swerve or a bad turn and the pigs will find a reason to stop you. Your basically asking for a ticket to venue out to South Beach. They are literally at every intersection. They are waiting. They want to write you up. Don’t give them a reason, leave it to the tourists to catch a case, normal Miami cops year around are bad enough.
Here’s last year’s “recap” of the fatal and ridiculous shooting and just the ratchetness that went down:
The only thing that keeps playing in my head is a line from the last Pimp C off of 36 Mafia’s “Sippin On Some Syrup” :
Cut that monkey shit out, you embarrassing us. Long Sigh.
See that beautiful sammy up there? Wonder how that wonderful concoction was dreamt up? Well I, Aja, fat girl in a skinny body, was starving yesterday riding to Aventura Mall with my roommate and we were talking about the food we wanted to eat. Sarku Japan and Chipotle were on our minds but for some reason I was thinking about avocados. Side-note- a couple days before this I went HAM in the kitchen and made brunch for my friends- homefries from scratch, scrambled eggs and avocado toast, so I had some leftover smushed avocado-olive oil-salt and pepper stuff in my fridge.
I made up a sandwich around the avocado and the rest is history. So, here is my amazing recipe along with step by step photos. The result is delish and it only takes a few minutes to prepare once the avocado is prepared. Bon Apetit!
What I used:
- Avocado (prepared w/ olive oil, salt and pepper, then mashed together)
- Escarole lettuce
- Tomato
- Red onion
- Chipotle Ranch dressing
- Red pepper flakes
- 9-Grain whole wheat bread
First, the avocado needs to be prepared. I took one large avocado, smushed it in a bowl with a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper to taste and a pinch of red pepper flakes.
I chose these veggies- tomato, red onion and escarole but you can pretty much add any veggie you like. I forgot to buy a cucumber, that would have gone down too.
Next, toast the bread. I chose a 9-grain whole wheat bread because I love the taste. Again, whatever bread you like works. I think rye would be nice too.
Spread the avocado on one piece of bread- I didn’t make it too thin. I put Chipotle Ranch dressing on the other piece to give my sandwich some kick. It wasn’t very spicy so I added some red pepper flakes.
Next just put the sliced veggies on top- I added mozzarella cheese. Yum.
Cut it in half and voila ! The perfect sandwich in my eyes. Also, I don’t eat meat so this is complete to me. Anyone can take this base recipe and freak it however they like- adding chicken, changing the cheese or whatever. I made two of these today and ate them both. Fat girl.
Who doesn’t love a dope party ( a pool party at that ! ) with great DJ’s and amazing food ??
The Hood Chef is currently on tour with DJ Laser , having just cooked for SXSW, and April 6th the party comes to us in Miami Beach !
You can definitely catch us 2 Dope Bitches at this event because you KNOW we love good food ! And we gotta show love and support to these cool people !
Check out more about the Hood Chef Movement
Hood Chef is a nationally recognized culinary personality specializing in food
inspired social media networking with an urban twist. Recently named one of
Complex Magazine’s Top 25 Foodie’s to Follow on Twitter, the Hood Chef was
named “Brooklyn’s Julia Child” by the New York Daily News and his YouTube videos
inspire a large following that join him for Pop-Up BBQ’s in New York City to sample his
infamous Hood Chef Burger and to stop by the Funhouse Food spot for what Time Out
New York labeled “gangsta inspired munchies” like the Tiger Sandwich.Essential to the tour is great music and the tour is lucky to have one of New York’s
premier underground DJ’s spinning cross-country – DJ Laser! With this collaboration,
expect great food, great music and great fun.
Check out the videos below to get more acquainted with The Hood Chef and what he’s all about. It’s such a positive movement plus the food looks so damn delicious. Get familiar !
we better see all y’all there !!
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