This morning, I had a meeting scheduled at
My Happy Place, aka
FRESH.
Serendipitously, when I opened my email this morning, I also found a message from my dear friend,
Chef Christian Chavanne, letting me know that he'd be cooking at
Coffee Talk at FRESH this morning and promoting his non-profit,
Project H.E.A.T.
Coffee Talk started at 10 a.m.; my meeting was scheduled at 11 a.m. and
it just so happened that I hadn't eaten breakfast yet. I quickly decided there would be a Sunrise Taco in my future.
After devouring my taco, I headed over to the FRESH Taste Kitchen for Coffee Talk. Chef Christian was already there doing prep work with the
FRESH Selling and Marketing Director, Myste Snow. It was so good to see Christian again. We worked together at my last job and I hadn't seen him for months and months. As a bonus, I also got to see his wonderful wife, Fredna, and his talented daughter, Maya, too. As I'm waiting for Coffee Talk to begin, who swoops in with her boundless energy and positive spirit but freelance writer extraordinaire, Cathy Primer Krafve! Needless to say, my proverbial coffee cup was running over today with hugs and happiness.
Coffee Talk kicked off with witty banter between Chef Christian and Myste, who was careful to remind the crowd assembled that we were baking on a SHEET pan (
we love Chef Christian's French accent, we really do, but sometimes, you just have to laugh...)
Since the mission of Project H.E.A.T. is to teach kids about healthy eating, or
"providing enriching experiences incorporating all five senses in a fun,
interactive and consistent format creating lasting positive sensory
memories while imparting knowledge and an understanding of the
importance of fresh foods and the role they play in a healthy lifestyle," as it officially reads, Chef Christian demonstrated making a vitamin-packed pesto sauce with spinach instead of the more traditional basil.
With his French food sensibilities and background in ground-breaking spa cuisine, Chef Christian is passionate about healthy food that tastes phenomenal. He's passionate about children and he puts his money where his mouth is when it comes to doing something to thwart the childhood obesity epidemic in America.
Chef Christian and Fredna founded Project H.E.A.T two years ago. Last year, 100 children graduated from the Project H.E.A.T program. This year, Chef Christian and Fredna, along with Cathy and the others on their board, enrolled 160 children in Smith County.
"We get kids excited about eating fresh fruits and vegetables," Chef Christian explained to the Coffee Talk crowd. "We impart positive memories and teach them how to make good choices in the supermarket."
This year, Project H.E.A.T will also be partnering with
St. Paul Children's Foundation and
Bethesda Clinic.
After figuring out how to work the food processor, with more than a little help from Myste, Chef Christian created a scrumptious Bow Tie Pasta with Spinach Parsley Pesto.
Then, Myste showed us how to use leftover cooked chicken and lots of local produce for a surprisingly sweet Far East Chicken Soup (
the secret ingredient is hoisin sauce).
Chef finished up by revealing his love,
and I mean, LOVE, for
speck, an Italian smoked ham...
if you love bacon, you'll swoon over speck. In fact, my favorite part of the entire morning may have been when Chef approached after Coffee Talk and said, "Close your eyes and open your mouth" and popped a buttery, salty, smoky piece of speck into it!
Mmmmmmm....but I digress...Chef Christian deconstructed the BLT for us and made a cold salad of speck, lettuce, tomato, cheese and rosemary focaccia croutons.
By the time 11 a.m. and my meeting rolled around, I was in hog heaven,
pun intended.
I might just go back next week.
To learn more about Project H.E.A.T and to make a donation, visit them online.
http://www.projectheatonline.org/
Chef Christian's Bow Tie Pasta With Spinach Parsley Pesto
As Prepared at FRESH's Coffee Talk
2 cups grape tomatoes
Juice of one lime
1 lb Rao's tri-colored bow tie pasta
1 bunch parsley
2 TBS EVOO
8 ounces baby spinach
4 garlic cloves
4 TBS Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
4 TBS EVOO for pesto
2 TBS pecan pieces, chopped
2 TBS Carli peso
1 cup shredded rotisserie chicken, skin removed
In a large pot, bring one gallon of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and follow instructions for cooking al dente. Drain pasta into a colander.
Do. Not. Rinse. (
If you want your pasta to be gummy and your sauce never to stick, go ahead and give it a rinse.)
Toss the hot pasta with the 2 TBS EVOO. Spread onto a single layer baking SHEET to let all the steam evaporate.
Place garlic, Parmesan cheese, parsley, olive oil, pecans and lime juice in the food processor and puree. Add spinach and blend until smooth. Toss pasta with pesto and add tomatoes and chicken. Salt and pepper to taste.
Myste's Far East Chicken Soup
As Prepared at FRESH's Coffee Talk
1 large Eggland's Best egg
2 TBS peanut oil
2 large Jacksonville tomatoes, cubed
4 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 bunch scallions, sliced
1 TBS sesame oil
2 TBS soy sauce
1 jar hoisin sauce
1 cup shredded rotisserie chicken, skin removed
1/2 cup baby spinach
1 bad of Seeds of Change Quinoa & Whole Grain Brown Rice
1/2 bunch cilantro
Whisk the egg with a pinch of salt and pepper in a small bowl. Heat the peanut oil in a wok or large saucepan over high heat. Add the egg and cook, undisturbed, until bubbles form on the surface and the bottom is set, about one minute. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring gently to break up the egg, until the tomatoes begin to soften, two to three minutes. Add the chicken brother, 2 cups water, sesame oil, cilantro and hoisin sauce. Partially cover and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in the chopped spinach and quinoa and rice and warm through. Season the soup with salt and pepper, adding soy sauce to finish.
Chef Christian's Ultimate Chicken Club Salad
As Prepared at FRESH's Coffee Talk
3 cups rosemary focaccia, cubed
3 TBS EVOO
6 slices of thick cuts of speck
The meat from one whole rotisserie chicken, shredded, skin removed
4 cups hearts of romaine
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
4 green onions, minced
1/2 cup Mammoth Cheddar cheese, cubed
Dressing:
3/4 cup Duke's mayonnaise
1/4 cup Carli basil pesto
Juice of half a lemon
Preheat oven to 350. Toss bread with extra virgin olive oil and place in a single layer on the baking SHEET. Place on middle shelf of oven, bake 15 to 20 minutes until golden.
Julienne speck ham into 1 inch lengths. In a large bowl, fold together pesto, mayo and lemon juice. In another bowl, mix together chicken, tomatoes, cheese, speck, green onions and toss with the dressing.
Chop hearts of romaine and arrange in a large serving bowl. Top with chicken salad. Garnish with green onions.
