Celery Risotto with Pistachio Pesto

Daddy's been dieting diligently lately, and he told me yesterday that he had a craving for celery risotto. Of course, I was happy to oblige. Unlike many of my other risotto recipes, which will probably never be considered healthy, I decided to make this risotto (almost) as good for you as it is good to eat.

To complement the very distinct flavor of celery, I added lemon juice and a pistachio pesto. I also threw in a little parmesan cheese for a nutty aroma and flavor. Daddy enjoyed it so much that I froze several portions of the risotto so that he can get his "fix" whenever he wants, whether he's on a diet or not.

Cucumber Dill Salad with Tzatziki Dressing

I wanted to prepare a simple salad for dinner this evening, so I made a cucumber salad with a really easy to make tzatziki dressing.

Prepping the cucumber takes only a few steps. I wash, chop, salt and pat dry the cucumber slices and they're good to go. The tzatziki sauce is made of dried mint, dill and yogurt and is seasoned with salt and pepper. If you want to make it extra rich, you can add some sour cream or crème fraîche. Mix them together and you're ready to serve. That's it. Easy never tasted so good.

Vegetarian Tortilla Soup Recipe

I had 5 tortillas left-over from the burritos we made over the weekend that were going stale, so I decided to make a large pot of tortilla soup. I use the tortillas as a thickening agent in the soup, and also as a garnish on top of the dish. To the tortillas I added tomatoes and tomato paste for a little tartness, jalapeños for a little heat, and some kidney beans and soy chorizo for protein.

The spices give the soup an earthy flavor and the Cotija cheese and sour cream that I top each serving with are very soothing for the taste-buds.

Tortilla soup is a really hearty dish that's the perfect cure for the dreary weather we've been having here as of late.

Savory Goat Cheese Panna Cotta with Beluga Lentil Relish (Panna Cotta au Chevre et sa Macedoine de Legumes)

Panna cotta de chèvre frais et sa macédoine de légumes is a summery dish. It was such a sunny day today in the Bay Area, so I decided to make something refreshing and light.

In case you don't know, panna cotta is a firm jelly. It can be either be savory or sweet. Instead of using gelatin, I used agar for the vegetarians in the house. I paired the panna cottas with mixed vegetables and lentils to get a balanced meal with proteins, dairy and veggies.  

I served them in little verrines. Verrine is just a fancy word for glasses but they are the latest trend in French cooking. If you host a buffet-style dinner, it's the ideal way to run a stress free party as this dish can be prepared in advance.

Pan Seared Artichoke with Balsamic Glaze

Artichokes are one of my favorite vegetables. Some people seem to dislike artichokes without getting to know them because of all the work involved in eating it. It requires a good deep cleaning under the sink, steam it, pan sear it and you're done. Serve it with a flavorful dipping sauce like the balsamic glaze in this recipe, or your own aioli (which I'll provide a recipe of soon).

Since moving to America, I have to admit that it seems that many Americans are more concerned with convenience than taste. No offense. The French, and I include myself in this stereotype, are infamous for savouring every morsel of food. Food is a social activity and so we don't mind a bit of extra work.

My aunt was watching me prepare this dish today, and her first reaction was: "Why are you cooking this? It's such a pain to eat". When the artichokes had fully cooked on the griddle. I plated it, removed one leaf, dipped in the balsamic vinaigrette and put it in her mouth. She stopped talking and ended up eating the entire artichoke. 

Tanya, this recipe is for you since you requested a low fat, low cholesterol veggie recipe for your parents.