All posts tagged: Food

Mile-High Apple Pie (Gluten-Free)

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It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Time for gatherings and holiday festivities centered around family, friends and feasting! In late October/early November, we at Sirens & Scoundrels make our annual pilgrimage to Oak Glen, Ca. (Check out our Oak Glen adventures: HERE.) We wander through apple orchards for apple picking season, watch a mountain sunset and end the day at Apple Annie’s for a piece of Mile-High Apple Pie. Being gluten-free, I’m usually the one in the group observing all of the delight and minds being blown as friends consume a hot buttery piece of Mile-High Pie. I always ask, “How is it? How does it taste?” To which the reply is always, “Absolutely. Perfect.” The Apple Annie’s famous Mile-High Apple Pie is 5 pounds of pure apple. I’m told it’s not too sweet…a buttery, flaky piece of heaven, especially when served warm and á la mode. Partially out of pure eating envy and partially out of curiosity if I could replicate this masterpiece without actually having tasted it, I wanting to experiment with the idea of …

Mama Gina’s Greek Hummus (Vegan & Gluten-Free)

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What you are about to read is very coveted, top-secret information. As a Greek girl, hummus has always been a staple at our family table, especially on holidays, when family gatherings traditionally start with mezethes. Fresh-cubed feta cheese, Greek olives, grape leaves and creamy dips with pita bread are dug into by hand over lively conversation before moving to the table for the main meal. The star of our mezethes spread is always my mother’s homemade hummus. This recipe has been passed down from generations of Greek women, originating on the island of Samos with my grandmother’s relatives, travelling with my Yiayia to America where it settled into New York’s immigrant city blocks and finally landing with my mother in sunny Southern California and onto our suburban table. Over many years in LA, our family hummus was the favorite attraction at every gathering even before it became the de rigueur go-to Cali party snack. Many of our friends growing up were exposed to hummus for the first time at our house. But no matter how popular it …

Baked Pumpkin Fondue

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Starting with Halloween and ending on New Year’s Day, the Holidays are a whirlwind of feasts and gatherings. I recently attended a Halloween Potluck Pumpkin Carving hosted by the best hostess and foodie, the lovely Hayley McCarthy (who was previously featured over the summer in my camp cooking article with her delicious gluten-free Banana Fritters recipe: HERE). For this festive gathering of costumed guests ready to show off their pumpkin carving skills, Hayley baked the most perfect, comforting and gorgeous Holiday dish I had ever seen! As she stepped out of the kitchen dressed in true Halloween fashion as Rosie the Riveter, her Baked Pumpkin Fondue was greeted with oohs and aahs and tasted even better than it looked–if that is even possible. Hayley made this special dish gluten-free to make sure I could partake. As soon as I tasted it, I could not wait to share this recipe with you! It’s absolutely the perfect Holiday dish and a wonderful way to use those leftover pumpkins you have been using for your fall decor. I’m so happy to feature this recipe share from …

République ~ Los Angeles, CA

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If you’ve been jonesing for a little taste of the French countryside recently but don’t quite have the time or money to head overseas right now, then why not allow the French countryside to come to you? République on La Brea is the stuff all your Provence dreams are made of: long wooden farm tables inside a château courtyard, fluffy pastries overflowing from pâtisserie cases, thick creamy butter slathered over fresh-baked bread loaves still warm from the oven and just perfect for dunking those bright orange farm-fresh egg yolks into. From your very first step inside the door, you find yourself filled up with a burning desire to parlez et mangez français. Set inside the old La Brea Bakery and Campanile building, République has been restored back to most of the original architecture from when Charlie Chaplin first built it in the 20’s. The interior courtyard has been exposed with large skylights overhead so that it seems to glow from within. The vibe is relaxed, airy and casual. We went for brunch and it was the …

Tuscan White Bean Dip (Vegan & Gluten-Free)

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In California, it seems you can’t hit a single party without ten different people bringing hummus. Don’t get me wrong—I LOVE hummus. As a Greek girl, it comes with the territory. But if you’re looking for a new way to spice up your Mediterranean bean dip offerings for your next gathering, look no further than this unbelievably fast and tasty Tuscan White Bean Dip. Creamy, delicious and flavor-packed with just the right amount of chunk, this vegan and gluten-free side dish can be served warm or room temp. It’s a savory, hearty, mouth-and-soul-satisfying twist on a white bean dip to leave your guests begging for more. The best part? It literally takes ten minutes from start to finish, possibly less if you’re a Speedy McGee—the fastest gourmet meal you’ll ever make! It all happens in one pan with basically no clean-up. Try this recipe out and keep it in your back pocket as your secret weapon and be prepared to impress with zero fuss. Serve with vegetable crudités and crackers as an appetizer or with …

Spinach & Pistachio Herb Rice (Gluten Free & Vegan)

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I grew up with a Korean mom which translates to a 24-hour rice cooker on our kitchen counter throughout my childhood. Rice was a staple at EVERY meal. From Italian pasta to Texas bar-b-que, rice and kimchi would accompany all cuisines when dining with the Prikryls. Rice truly is comfort food to me, so it’s always fun to experiment with how to make it new and interesting. A friend of mine recently shared a Turkish Rice Pilaf with Spinach & Pistachio recipe with me that takes your tastebuds to a dream cloud. (click HERE for the link to that version) With so many family members and friends that have food allergies or are vegetarian, I’m always inspired to experiment with alternatives to traditional dishes that can fit every diet…a dish that everyone can dig into! My version of this Turkish side dish is gluten-free, vegan and uses brown rice. I like the extra texture and nuttiness that the brown rice adds to this crave-worthy dish. Enjoy! SPINACH & PISTACHIO HERB RICE Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 40 minutes Serves  ~ 4-6 Ingredients 1 cup Brown Rice 10 oz. Spinach 1 …

Kensington Presents at The York Manor

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As a native Angeleno and unabashed lover of Los Angeles, I’m always curious how transplants feel about our great city. One common theme seems to emerge when I ask people how they’ve been faring here…they like the city but miss the feeling of community. We’ve all heard it: LA is huge, friends are spread all over the place, it can be hard to find what feels like “home”. Well then, please allow us to introduce you to Kensington. We’ve written before about Kensington’s concert series at the Viaduct as the best secret party in LA (and it’s true). But they actually started out much smaller—showcasing live music on the porch of their own backyard. You really can’t get any more “neighborhood” than that. What’s remarkable is how Kensington has been able to create that same incredibly intimate feeling even as their event spaces grow and expand. Whether it’s a backyard porch, a park under the bridge Downtown or a refurbished church in Highland Park, it all just feels like hanging out at your coolest friend’s …