Naz Saeed of Zansus Purses

ArtnCreation is the brainchild of Sushanta Bhandarkar, a Bay Area interior design specialist, and also 1/2 of the team behind Zansus Purses. Sushanta is a self taught jewelry designer, whose creations are inspired by gemstone colors, shapes and textures. Her pieces are made from a wide array of unique, hand selected semi-precious gemstones; in discussing her designs, Sushanta eagerly notes, “Almost all designs transpire when I first set my eyes on the stone and I guarantee that every piece is unique!”

A stunner of a statement necklace, modeled by Ornit Baz

All ArtnCreation pieces are one of a kind, designer originals, sourced and hand-crafted locally. See images of this incredible jewelry on ArtnCreation’s Facebook page. For more information, contact Sushanta at artncreation@gmail.com.

In November, I posted an interview with Naz Saeed and Sushanta Bhandarkar, the Bay Area duo behind eco-chic bag line, Zansus Purses. Zansus intercepts high quality fabrics sourced from drapery, upholstery and other design shops, which would otherwise be destined for landfills, and uses them to create clutches, totes and wristlets that are as stylish as they are good for the environment.

Last month I had the pleasure of modeling bags from Zansus’ 2011 collection, and I must say, if you think they’re gorgeous via photos, just wait till you get your hands on one. Each bag is hand crafted with an impeccable attention to detail, from texturally luscious materials. Once you pick one up, you won’t want to walk away with out it. Case and point: I bought a clutch at the end of my shoot!

This is not the bag I purchased day-of, however my honey had purchased this Zansus clutch as a late anniversary gift… he did a good job ;^)

One of the best things about Zansus clutchesis that there’s a style for everyone, for any occasion. Take, for example, the black and white Zansus pursangle featured above. It’s perfectly cute–and perfectly convenient!– for a cocktail party, or an informal dinner meeting.

Or how about this spicy red clutch? It’s got a sexy punch, which translates perfectly for a date, or a girls night out, but makes for a brilliant daytime accessory.

One of my personal favorites is this bold beauty. The design and personality of this clutch will accentuate and elevate your look, whether you’re going for a mid-morning brunch, a social lunch, or an informal evening affair.

Hopefully you’ll be inspired by some of the pictures, and will come up with ways you can rock your own Zansus bag! Ready to pick one up? You can order online at ZansusPurses.com, or find select pieces in these Bay Area boutiques:

440 BRANAN STUDIO/SHOWROOM
4440 Brannan, San Francisco CA.

ECO CITIZEN
2255 Polk St. San Francisco, CA. 94109

RAG CO-OP
541 Octavia st, San Francisco CA 94110

ISABELLA BOUTIQUE
153 South Murphy Ave, Sunnyvale CA.

AYURVASTRAM
334 State St, Suite # 105, Los Altos CA 94022

YOGA COMMUNITY
577 5th Street West, Sonoma, CA

Connect with the ladies of Zansus via Facebook, or by emailing support@zansuspurses.com!

Spinach + ricotta + gnocchi– sounds delicious, right? That’s what I thought when I found this recipe on SimplyRecipes.com . I’ve made potato gnocchi before, and have run into the “this chews more like a dough ball than a delicious dough pillow” issue, so upon reading, I was enticed by the author’s promise of ricotta making the gnocchi more forgiving.

I’m going to level with you: this did not turn out well. At all. That’s probably my fault– I accidentally picked up skim ricotta instead of whole milk, and I only used 1/2 the amount of ricotta the recipe called for. I also inadvertently used too much flour. I’m sure all of these things combined to make an epically dreadful gnocchi.

I’m posting this anyway, A: because I promised I would on Facebook before actually trying it out, and B: because I encourage you to try the recipe as it appears on SimplyRecipes.com , or even try my recipe below, but use the proper ingredients/measurements!

Let me know how your version goes!

Spinach Ricotta Gnocchi

Source: Adapted from SimplyRecipes.com.
Makes: Two servings
Takes: About 45 Minutes, Including Prep

Ingredients

• (GNOCCHI) a bunch of fresh spinach; the original recipe calls for 3oz
• 1 egg
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 pounds whole milk ricotta cheese, drained of excess moisture (I used skim, and only 1/2 the amount- BIG MISTAKE)
• 1/3 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• tiny pinch of cinnamon
• (SAUCE) 1 28-ounce can Italian-style diced tomatoes
• 4 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
• salt to taste
• 2 ounces goat cheese
• a bit of white wine
• pepper to taste

1. Fill a medium saucepan halfway with water and heat until simmering. Add spinach and cook about 1 minute, till bright. Drain and cool spinach to touch, then squeeze as much moisture as you can out of it; I literally rang it out with paper towels.

2. Add the spinach [chopped], egg, salt, and half of the ricotta to a bowl and mix well, or, add to a food processor and pulse till blended. The original recipe calls for a food processor, but I don’t own one! If you do use a food processor, there’s no need to chop. Transfer mixture to a large bowl, stir in the remaining ricotta and parmesan. Stir a scant pinch of cinnamon into the flour. Add the flour and mix everything with your hands until the mixture holds together as a dough

3. Set the dough out on a lightly floured smooth, clean surface. Knead lightly for about a minute, adding additional flour if needed, if the dough sticks too easily to the board or your hands. Careful with the flour– I overdid the salt, and it was a bit dry. Divide the dough into 4 balls, each about the size of an orange.

4. Set the dough out on a lightly floured smooth, clean surface. Knead lightly for about a minute, adding additional flour if needed, if the dough sticks too easily to the board or your hands. Careful with the flour– I overdid the salt, and it was a bit dry. Divide the dough into 4 balls, each about the size of an orange.



5. Flour your hands lightly. Using both hands, gently roll the dough out with a rapid back and forth motion, starting at the center and stretching the dough out, to form a rope of dough. Roll to about a foot long; repeat with all portions. Cut the ropes into one-inch pieces, and imprint each cut with the back of a fork to create the signature gnocchi ridging.



6. Fill a medium or large pot halfway with water. Bring your water to a boil, and salt. Once you hit a rolling boil, carefully drop your gnocchi into the water, keeping space between each. The gnocchi is done cooking when the pillows raise to the top. Place in a serving bowl, and toss with a few sprinkles of parmesan.

7. For the sauce, heat olive oil in a pan and add your crushed garlic cloves. Heat cloves on both sides to release the oils, and remove. Add your can of diced tomatoes, and heat for about 4 or 5 minutes on medium-to-low temperature. Add a bit of wine– I eyeballed my pour to taste– and continue to reduce until the sauce is thick. Add salt to taste. Melt in the goat cheese. To add a little extra tomato oomph, add in a few dollops of tomato paste, a bit more wine, and a bit more cheese.

Stir the gnocchi into the sauce, top with black pepper and more parmesan. In theory, this dish should have been delicious. Frankly, the sauce was amazing, but the texture of the gnocchi was awful; it was mealy, almost like chewing flour. If you make this recipe, and tweak it until its good, please share your fixes! Email me at Kara@goveeblog.com

I combined bell peppers, goat cheese, quinoa, spinach and Yves meatless ground (along with an aromatic hear, a couple seasonings there…) to make stuffed bell peppers. Bonus– spinach, an important flavor in the dish, is at its peak in the spring.

Try out the recipe and let me know what you think! Email me at kara@goveeblog.com!

Stuffed Bell Peppers

Source: GoVeeBlog.com.
Makes: 3 servings, a pair of peppers per person (tongue twister!)
Takes: About 20 Minutes, Including Prep

Ingredients

• 3 bell peppers, sliced and seeded. I used green, red and orange
• 1/2 cup of quinoa, prepared according to package directions. Since I only used 1/2 cup, I cooked them with 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons peanut oil
• a few fist-fulls of fresh spinach leaves, chopped. I used two or three.
• chopped green onions, including both the green and white portions. I used four or 5 stalks
• about a tablespoon of Soy sauce. I pour straight into the pan, so the measurements might be a bit off.
• 1 package Yves meatless ground
• goat cheese
• pepper and italian seasonings to taste
• Ritz crackers
• olive oil

In case you don’t know what Yves meatles grounds are…

Directions

1. Heat peanut oil in a skillet. Mix meatless grounds, chopped green onions, soy sauce and spinach. Be sure not to mash the meat. Add pepper and italian seasonings to taste. Follow with goat cheese to taste. Heat for 3-5 minutes.

2. Spoon cooked quinoa into the hollows of your sliced bell peppers. Top with small knobs of goat cheese. Add the meatless ground mixture on top. Spread goat cheese on top.

3. Crumble ritz crackers on top of the stuffed peppers for a bread crumb crust. Drizzle peppers with olive oil, and put into the oven (425 degrees) for about 10 mins, or until bread crumbs are a deep, crispy brown. Remove and serve.

I served this dish with naan; spread goat cheese on half of the naan for a richer flavor that really ties everything all together.

International celebrity-chef phenom Jamie Oliver wants us to eat our best so that we can be our best. He also wants us to spend more time in the kitchen–cooking–and really enjoy ourselves. This video from 2010, entitled Try Something New, really gets that point across.

What new foods have you tried lately? Community-development social network, Leave It Better, asks the same question on their Facebook page. I wrote bok choy and lychees!

In doing research to find out what vegetables are currently in season, I came across an interactive Peak Season Map at Epicurious.com, which breaks out the season’s best fruit and veggie picks, by state.

Epicurious has come up with a phenomenal tool– they’ve made it simple to find out which fruits and veggies are in season in any given month across the country, and goes one step further by sharing which can be found locally in your own town!

This map has inspired me to launch a series of seasonal veggie recipes, by state, starting with my newly adopted home, California. In CA, you’ll find:

• Apricots
• Artichokes
• Asparagus
• Cherries
• Nectarines
• Peaches
• Plums
• Raspberries
• Strawberries

So, what to make?

The other night I saute’d asparagus: Heat a little olive oil in a pan, toss in asparagus– rough ends chopped off– with kosher salt, black pepper and a few squeezes of lemon juice. Allow to heat for a few mins to get a nice sear, then toss in lemon slices and cover for another couple of minutes to make sure it’s cooked through. Easy peasy!

Wish this photo was mine, but I found it at FreeStateStudios.com. The photo was taken by Pat Connor.

If you’re looking for something both a bit more challenging, and more “entrée-quality,” try this risotto recipe posted on About.com. It’s a spinach/mushroom risotto, which I’ve tried sans nutritional yeast and LOVED, but try replacing the spinach with thinly chopped asparagus. I haven’t tried an asparagus iteration yet, but I’m confident it will be delicious.

Yeah- THE Rachel Roy, internationally known fashion designer. Ms Roy made an appearance at Macy’s Union Square for “Dance Into Spring,” a fashionable fête celebrating Rachel’s spring collection. I encourage you, if you haven’t already, to take a look at the Rachel Rachel Roy Spring 2011 look book feature on her website. Her clothes are modeled by dancers in motion–Dance Into Spring– get the connection?– which makes for an aesthetically stunning effect.

Dance Into Spring was a low key event– complete with a platform holding static yet stunning models, men in jeans, white poplins and bow ties handing out water and “mocktails,” and a DJ I’d gladly hire for my next party. None of which I have photos of… *sadness*

I arrived expecting a semi-formal presentation by Ms. Roy, held on a makeshift stage at the edge of Macy’s Rachel Rachel Roy department, roped and removed from the crowd. I was pleased to instead find Rachel sitting at a table in the middle of the department, flanked only by a couple of event staffers, signing autographs and graciously chatting with a line of fans–each one holding her attention as though she were the only person in the room, for as long as they pleased. This was a line which I dutifully jumped in. No questions or comments in mind, just fueled by excitement over the opportunity to talk with the designer.

The Verdict: Rachel Roy is so sweet. Seriously

She beamed with genuine, almost nurturing kindness, and spoke with a warm “girlfriend-to-girlfriend” charm. Best moment of my chat with her? I found myself asking her advice on which pieces of her jewelry line–featured in a mini trunk show of items that won’t be otherwise available in store for another three months– I should impulse purchase that night. Knowing that I was torn, she goes, “Which do you like? Go show me! I’ll help you! Grab em and bring em over!” I declined out of respect for the fans behind me, but oh my gosh- how awesome of her to offer!

Rachel happened to suggest a charmingly cool anchor neckace, which I did pick up…

Along with what I found to be a ring too epic to pass up…

The combined purchases of which got me a free pair of earrings :^)

I’ve made worse impulse buys.

To make the evening even better, I met up with two of my favorite local fashion/beauty bloggers, Mira Torres of The Beauty Bohemian, and Jacyn Siebert of Sugar Lips Lifestyle Tips, and designer Sarah Liller of Sarah Liller Designs. Needless to say, the night ended with laughs and copious amounts of Starbucks (tea and water, no coffee).

The only downside: At the event, the denim and poplin clad boys gave out free RR chocolate. That was a plus. Unfortunately, it was white chocolate. I’ve never, ever liked white chocolate. Oh well- the wrapper is cute!

Check out pics from the night below. Wondering about Rachel’s green street cred? She’s been known to produce luxe pieces using eco-friendly fabric as part of her 2010 launched Rachel Roy: Recycled Reused Initiative, and contributes time and effort to her charity of choice, OrphanAid Africa.

Sadly, Pasta della California seems to no longer be on a href=”http://www.theppk.com/” target=”_blank”>the Post Punk Kitchen site, but I was able to brush up on the pasta recipe (it had been a while!) using the version found on Food.com. I’m pretty sure that either it was taken from the PPK, or the PPK got their version from here- the verbiage is pretty familiar. I skipped the arugula, but I encourage you to try it. I just wasn’t willing to fit the Safeway bill for it.

Pasta della California

Source: ThePostPunkKitchen.com and Food.com.
Makes: Four Servings
Takes: About 20 Minutes, Including Prep

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb linguine
• 3 cups broccoli, tops cut into small florettes, stalks sliced thinly
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 8 garlic cloves, minced (love garlic!!)
• 1/4 teaspoon grated lime zest
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup white wine (yum!)
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 2 tablespoons lime juice (juice from one lime, depending on the juiciness of your lime)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 dashes fresh black pepper
• 4 cups loosely packed arugula leaves – I omitted this, but I’m sure it tastes great
• 2 avocados, peeled and sliced into 1 inch chunks

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil – I made the mistake of using a small pot, and believe me you don’t want to do that. You’ll be adding veg to it, and will overflow if the pot is too small. Prep all your ingredients while the water boils, as the dish finished really quickly after the pasta is done. Once the water boils, add the pasta and cook as per package directions

2. Preheat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil garlic, lime zest and red pepper flakes and gently heat, stirring often for about 2 minutes, being careful not to burn the garlic. Add the wine and bring the heat up reduce, about 2 minutes. Add the vegetable broth, lime juice, salt and fresh black pepper and bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat.

3. When your pasta is just about done– about one minute left– add the brocoli and cook for another minute or two, then drain.

4. Add the broccoli and pasta to the pan and toss it around, making sure to get everything coated in garlic, for about 3 more minutes. Add the avocado and turn the heat off. Gently toss the pasta to incorporate the avocado without mashing just until it is warmed through, about a minute. Serve with generous doses of fresh black pepper. If there is garlic left in the pan, spoon that over your bowls of pasta.

Have a recipe to share? Send it to recipes@goveeblog.com.