Seek Satiation

Posted on June 28, 2020 by seeksatiation

If there is one thing I’ve missed while working from home, it’s been my matcha lattes. Caffeine and I are not simpatico on the whole – and it’s not a good look for me to take a 1/4 Xanax in the middle of a work day to keep my heart from beating out of my chest! (Which may or may not have happened when I tried cold brew on a lark once…*ahem*…) – but the steadier mellower caffeine release that comes with matcha, plus the L-Theanine, I can deal with that.

I’ve made an Iced Strawberry Matcha Latte for Seek Satiation before – it’s part of large cache of “retired” recipes that live on in my archives, but may return again one day – but I wanted to try blueberry to change things up a bit. I considered blackberries or raspberries to make a sauce for this latte, but ugh, SEEDS. Even the most thorough sieving tends to yield a few, amiRITE?

I recently learned about Golde, a Brooklyn-based company that has matcha, wellness drink blends, and some facial masks. The CEO & Co-Founder, Trinity Mouzon Wofford, has really helped craft something special with this company! Speaking for the matcha, it’s wonderfully smooth; for those that might be apprehensive about trying matcha because they’ve heard it’s too grassy, you won’t find that with this blend, so it’d be an excellent introduction if you’re a first time matcha consumer. On a non-Iced Blueberry Matcha Latte note, I also bought their Clean Greens face mask, and my skin has been smooth as a baby’s chubby little thigh since I used it two nights ago. I’m just in love with Golde – and I’m not getting paid to say this, I’m just an instant fan! 😆 – so I hope you will support this Black-owned / woman-owned business, y’all.

With the state of the world as it currently is, there has been much unwarranted hate & aggression towards the AAPI community (Asian American & Pacific Islander). The hateful rhetoric of that guy in the White House has made an even more hospitable place for many of our friends to function and feel safe. I won’t dare repeat the nicknames that coronavirus has earned, and its spread is no one’s fault, especially no one from this community. Here in NYC, I know there has been an uptick in hate crimes against Asian Americans, unprovoked and disturbing. I detest this. As white people strive to be anti-racist – myself included – the work goes on and continues, be it through education, actionable measures, et al. Though I do enjoy putting this fun twist on how to enjoy matcha, I am also cognizant of its origins, its grades, and its ceremonial functions. Matchaful does a really great overview, an essential read. We owe it to ourselves to stay educated and not completely whitewash foods and dishes, such as by villainizing MSG or calling Chinese food “cheap & dirty” and opening a spot called “Lucky Lee’s“. *groan* (Have I done that here? Well, I invite you to have that conversation with me, respectfully, if you choose to. )

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This gorgeous shot by Hadley Go Lucky is 10000% better than my original photo. HA!

Iced Blueberry Matcha Latte

(Makes one 8 oz. serving)

Ingredients:

Blueberry Sauce:

1/4 cup blueberries, rinsed
1/4 cup water

Matcha Latte:

1 teaspoon matcha powder
2 tablespoons warm water
Handful of ice
6 ounces milk of choice

Before We Get Started…

Feel free to add a little bit of sugar or sweetener to your blueberry sauce, I just prefer no added sugars.

Directions:

1.) For the blueberry sauce, add blueberries to a small saucepan over medium heat and stir. Once the berries start to leak or burst, add water in intervals – do not dump in all of the water at once! – and stir, breaking down the berries with the back or a spoon or fork. As sauce starts to thicken, continue adding water and stirring. Once berries are fully broken down and and mixture has reduced / thickened, remove from heat. Pour mixture through a fine sieve over a bowl and press berries through, making sure to leave as much larger berry material behind as possible. Set aside.

2.) In a small bowl, combine matcha and water and mix thoroughly with a matcha whisk; you can use a small baking whisk or a fork, if necessary. Mix until smooth, without clumps. Set aside.

3.) Assemble iced matcha latte by adding blueberry sauce to the bottom of an 10 ounce glass. Add a handful of ice to the glass. Slowly pour in your milk of choice; some of the blueberry sauce might move around or slightly incorporate with the milk, but do not worry, just continue to pour slowly over the ice. Finally, slowly top with matcha…while trying to figure out how professional baristas do such an amazing job keeping the matcha from immediately blending with the milk. Ha! Enjoy!

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Posted on June 18, 2020 by seeksatiation

I’m not a big drinker of alcohol, but I am an appreciator of a finely crafted cocktail. I am not a big maker of cocktails, because I do not possess the talents to do so, nor…do I want to spend the money on alcohol. Ha! After the first time I made French maracons on my own, I immediately appreciated why they often cost about $3 a pop; this is the same logic as to why I don’t mind paying $18 for someone else to make me a thoughtful cocktail, because I can appreciate the effort that goes into it.

A mocktail though? The concept is a little less intimidating to me. (And a lot cheaper without buying that extra alcohol.)

Blackberry season is fast approaching, and I knew I wanted to incorporate them into my drink. Vanilla and mint always complement each other well, and these two flavors complement blackberries well, so could I have picked a better trifecta?

– – – – – – – –

This recipe was developed for Yoga by Candace®. Head over to YBC® to check out my original recipe posting there, and be sure to cruise the site for her yoga practices, workouts, and lifestyle tips! If you make this mocktail, tag #YBCEats so we can see it on social media! And if you add a little bit of gin or vodka to this, I won’t be stopping you. 😉

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Posted on June 13, 2020 by seeksatiation

This…was on a lark.

During the height of this damn COVID-19 pandemic, I downloaded TikTok for perhaps seven days, and I’ll never get those seven days back. 😆 However! I did come across some great recipes on my For Your Page area, one of which was a three-ingredient pasta dish: hummus, pasta, and pasta water. It was ideal for hummus lovers, as well as vegans or anyone dairy-adverse looking for a creamy pasta option.

One work day, I actually had a spare 45 minutes to cook a proper lunch – I take advantage of those rare moments! – and that recipe sprung back into my head! I also had some yellow summer squash that was turning a little rubbery, so I wanted to dice it up before it met its possible death in the compost heap.

I was quite impressed, after holding my breath a little too much during its creation. (As if wearing a mask for the past 3 months hasn’t made me hypoxic enough. Ha!) Not only was it creamy, but it remained creamy for the duration of my meal; it didn’t try out, and cakey hummus is truly unpalatable. (Ugh.) I’m a huge fan of Esti Foods, namely their pesto hummus. It worked wonderfully here! (And this isn’t a sponsored post, but if you’re looking, Esti, I’ve got a media kit all ready for y’all… 💁)

This idea may seem a little…strange – on a poll I did on my Instagram Stories, it clocked in at approximately 85% for the sauce and 15% against this idea – but have a little faith and try something new. 😊

Hummus Pesto Pasta

Ingredients:

2 oz. (approximately) linguine, strands split in half
1 cup yellow squash, cubed
3 tablespoons pesto hummus
1/4 cup reserved pasta water

Before We Get Started…

I hope it goes without saying that you can substitute in your pasta of choice here, but if you didn’t come to that conclusion already…
If you can not find pesto hummus, substitute 2 & 1/2 tablespoons of hummus and 1/2 tablespoon of your favorite pesto; your favorite hummus, in general, can be substituted here if anything pesto-based isn’t your thing!
Yellow squash can be replaced with zucchini, or squash can be omitted.

Directions:

1.) Fill a large saucepan with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add pasta and cook until al dente. Prior to draining, reserve pasta water and set aside. Drain pasta and return to saucepan.

2.) While pasta is boiling, sauté diced summer squash over medium heat until cooked through. Remove from heat and set aside.

3.) Add hummus to pasta, one tablespoon at a time, and mix; drizzle in reserved pasta water to loosen up the hummus. (Note: You may not use all of the reserved pasta water.) Stir until creamy. Add sautéed summer squash. Eat immediately; this recipe does not make for good leftovers, so enjoy it when you’re done cooking it!

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Posted on June 9, 2020 by seeksatiation

Panzanella has become one of my go-to summer meals over the past few years. It’s incredibly easy to whip up on a hot night, and I often make it in batches so I can have a bowl for lunch on my busier work days.

As COVID-19 cases have started to decrease – errrr, for now – in NYC, I am happy that, for the first time since the end of March, it’s safer for me to go on small grocery store runs. (It’s the little things. 🙏) My cart is almost always filled with those quintessential panzanella ingredients: cucumbers, tomatoes, red onion, a bell pepper, and fresh mozzarella. (Also included? Some obscenely overpriced iced tea and a box of Frosted Flakes. It’s all about balance.)

Recently, I made my first batch of pickled red onions after months of saying, “I wanna, I wanna, I wanna.” Well, I did, and it was an excellent decision. An even better one? Adding a huge heaping spoonful of them to my panzanella! The pickled red onions counter the raw red onions beautifully, and some of the brining liquid can be used in lieu of where a splash of vinegar is used in traditional panzanella recipes.

Do you want to know a good time-saving hack? Toast two slices of good bread – I love to use sourdough – in the toaster for 4 minutes, cool slightly, then rip up to use as your croutons! That’s my ace in the hole. Summer is for being lazy, I am not about to fire up my oven to make croutons. Get outta here. 😏

Panzanella with Pickled Red Onion

(How many servings is this? You’re asking the wrong person, I could eat half of this at once.)

Ingredients:

Panzanella

1 English cucumber, peeled and diced
1 bell pepper, seeds removed and diced (your color preference!)
2 pints cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 small red onion, minced
8 ounces of fresh mozzarella, cubed
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon brining liquid or red wine vinegar
2 slices thick bread (I prefer sourdough)
1 generous spoonful of pickled red onions
Salt, to taste

Pickled Red Onions

1 medium red onion, finely sliced (by knife or by mandolin)
2 garlic cloves, scored
1.5 cups apple cider vinegar (<— my preference, you can also use white vinegar or red wine vinegar)
1.5 cups water
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon sea salt

Before We Get Started…

Feel free to also add basil to this recipe! Though I am a basil fan, I tend to prefer my panzanella without it.

Directions:

1.) Make the pickled red onions prior to starting the panzanella. After slicing or using a mandolin to cut the onions, set aside in a 16 ounce glass jar or container along with the scored garlic cloves. (There may be more, depending on if the onion veers closer to medium-large than medium-small.) Heat vinegar, water, sugar, and sea salt over low heat just until the sugar and salt dissolve. Remove from heat, cool for five minutes, then pour over onions and garlic. Seal and allow to sit for at least one hour, but up to overnight; pickled onions should last about 3 weeks refrigerated.

2.) For the panzanella, prepare all vegetables and mozzarella as listed in the ingredients section. Add to large bowl, and thoroughly toss with olive oil, brining liquid or vinegar. Allow to sit for 10 minutes.

3.) Toast bread slices. Remove from toaster, cool slightly, and cut or tear into chunks.

4.) Serve panzanella topped with toasted bread and pickled red onions.

5.) If saving leftover panzanella or making a batch of it for meal prep, do not mix in bread or pickled onions. Add as a topping when ready to serve.

Seek Satiation

Carefully Curating Culinary Love

Iced Blueberry Matcha Latte

Iced Blueberry Matcha Latte

Blackberry Vanilla Mint Mocktail

Hummus Pesto Pasta

Hummus Pesto Pasta

Panzanella with Pickled Red Onion

Panzanella with Pickled Red Onion

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