Literary City Guide: Ann Arbor

There's something about a university town. It doesn't matter which state you're in, or whether the city is big or small. College towns make you feel cozy, relaxed, and maybe even inspired to sit in on a lecture while you're passing through (Andrew and I recently did this on our last visit to Santa Barbara, just for fun.) 

Coffee shops abound, local food isn't hard to find, and literary opportunities from conferences to walking tours are available. Tour guide Caroline Mitchell received her undergraduate and graduate degrees in Ann Arbor, and found her way back years later.  In this Michigan town, you'll find a bookstore housed in a 19th century building, library modeled after Cambridge and Oxford universities, and a cafe with buckwheat waffles. 

Stop by to visit Ann Arbor! 

What I'm Reading | June 2014

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This is a peek at my Instagram feed from the past couple of weeks. As you can see, I'm cooking again after surviving the big move. Aaaand I've walked to the beach, gone back to yoga, rediscovered the farmer's market, and am completely obsessed with the season's first batch of cherry tomatoes. It's going to be a good summer!

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The joy of notebooks.

Maya Angelou on the meaning of life. Also, her way with words and a spice rack.

Kids or no kids, you will laugh out loud.

Why discouragement is a waste of time. 

Breaking out of healthy habits.

20 new Pablo Neruda poems have been discovered! 

What's lost as handwriting fades.

Honesty, by way of chocolate.

Lessons from The French Laundry.

The saltwater issue.

What would Nigella Lawson do?

Pretty, new-to-me food blog.

If you have a case of wanderlust, this will definitely make it worse.

How Luisa became a cookbook editor.

On being grateful for every morsel.

Oh, and why the internet is making us all f*@%ing insane.

Quinoa-Flour Roasted Cauliflower Steaks from The Homemade Flour Cookbook

It's extraordinary to think that a blender can change your life, but it can. Sometimes the big investments are a struggle though, aren't they? You spend days, weeks, maybe even months justifying the cost, comparing brands, really thinking about it. Then when you finally take the plunge, you can't remember your life without a high-speed blender.

I speak from experience. My Vitamix is one of the best things to happen to my kitchen. I use it at least once a day, sometimes twice. (Sometimes three times!) I make smoothies every morning, blend the silkiest soup, swirl pesto, and grind grains to powder. 

Once you start grinding your own flour (with everything from rolled oats to dried beans), you'll have an even more impressive repertoire of recipes at your disposal. To make the journey easier, my friend Erin has written a beautiful cookbook all about cooking with whole grain flours, along with instructions for how to mill them in your own kitchen. (I tested a handful of recipes for Erin, and have been excited to share this book with you for months!)

The Homemade Flour Cookbook is full of approachable, vegetarian recipes using everything from black bean flour to rye flour. In between packing for a big move, I was craving something substantial and filling. A crusty exterior (thanks to ground quinoa), and tender cauliflower smothered in sweet tomato sauce was exactly the fuel I needed to finish packing the rest of my cookbooks. 

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Quinoa-Flour Roasted Cauliflower Steaks with Tomato Sauce

Summer tomatoes are just barely making their presence known at my local farmers' market, so I made the sauce with boxed San Marzano tomatoes instead. My cauliflower was quite large, so I managed to get a few more "steaks" out of it. 

Serves 2 generously

Recipe slightly adapted from The Homemade Flour Cookbook by Erin Alderson

For the sauce:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small shallot, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup basil leaves, julienned, plus more for garnish

For the steaks:
1 large head cauliflower
2 large eggs
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup quinoa flour
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

To make the sauce: Warm the oil over medium low heat. Add the shallot and garlic; stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Gently pour in the tomatoes, season with salt and bring to a boil. Simmer and cook for 10 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened. Stir in the basil leaves.

To make the steaks: Strip away excess leaves on the cauliflower. With the stem side down on the cutting board, cut two 1/2-inch thick steaks from the center of the cauliflower, reserving florets as they fall off.

In a shallow dish, whisk together the eggs and cream. In a separate shallow dish, combine the quinoa flour, salt, and pepper. Coat the cauliflower steaks in the egg mixture, then carefully transfer to the quinoa flour and coat. Repeat the process, creating a double crust.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-low heat in a cast iron skillet. Fry for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until browned and crispy. Transfer the teak to a baking sheet. Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil and repeat with the second steak. Bake for 15 minutes, until tender.

Serve the steaks with the tomato sauce, topped with a sprinkle of basil.