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Recipes by Santa Barbara resident and natural food chef, Melissa Costello.

This is the first dessert type recipe I am sharing with you here at SB View and I think it’s one you will love. A few reasons why:

1. They are fun to make with your kids, or the kid inside of you
2. They are delicioso and simple to make
3. You won’t even know they are good for you, that’s how good they taste!

My Chocolate Euphoria Nuggets, do just that, bring an overall sense of well-being as they chocolate-y goodness dissolves on your tongue. And you really only need to eat one to experience that serene state of bliss that comes with chocolate perfection..

They make a great after workout snack or a healthy treat for your kid’s school lunch box. Make a batch and take them to a potluck and you will be the most popular one at the party.

Euphoria Nuggets
1 cup raw shelled sunflower seeds
½ cup raw almonds
⅓ cup pitted dates
⅓ cup maple syrup or brown rice syrup
3–5 tablespoons raw cacao powder
Pinch of nutmeg and/or cinnamon
Pinch of sea salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
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Recipes by Santa Barbara resident and natural food chef, Melissa Costello.

Stir-fry’s are one of my favorite dishes to make because they contain so many high-nutrient veggies, tons of texture, color and flavor.

The incredible thing about stir-fry is you can use your favorite veggies, or whatever is in season. I love to pre-cut all the veggies at once and put them in bowls, so I can take in all the fresh, delicious colors.

This particular stir-fry is packed full of vitamin c and cancer fighting properties through the delicious use of broccoli, bell peppers and cabbage. The creamy cashew sauce offers up a comforting touch (peanut butter would be good too.)

Feel free to add some shrimp or free-range chicken breast to it, if you desire a bit more protein. And if you can’t find buckwheat soba noodles, use any kind of Asian rice noodle or even regular spaghetti.

Soba Noodle Stir Fry in Creamy Cashew Sauce (recipe and instructions below)
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Recipes by Santa Barbara resident and natural food chef, Melissa Costello

Spring is here! It’s time of renewal, a time when the earth sheds it’s old layers and everything begins to flourish again.

It’s also a time of year when our bodies want to shed the winter layers. It’s a time of lighter, healthier eating, a time of detoxing and letting go.

Kale is one of the highest nutrient foods on the ANDI, which is the Aggregated Nutrient Density Index created by Dr. Joel Furhman and Whole Foods Market. It’s a perfect food for springtime, to help the body detox and to support the metabolism. Most people don’t know what to do with kale, and are used to seeing it as a lowly garnish on a beautiful platter of delectable treats.

My Raw Kale Salad with Creamy Chipotle Dressing not only tastes amazing, but it will feel good in your body, and who knows, it might just turn you into a kale convert.
Kale has grown up!

Raw Kale Salad with Creamy Chipotle Dressing
1 head of curly kale, de-stemmed and broken into small pieces
1 to 2 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil
½ cup halved cherry tomatoes
¼ cup slivered almonds
3 tablespoons of hemp seeds
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Recipe of the Week by Santa Barbara resident and natural food chef, Melissa Costello

Tacos: We all love them, but they are usually laden with fatty, high-cholesterol toppings, such as sour cream and cheese.

This plant-based, Korean-style version, made with high-protein tempeh, offers a delicious twist on the classic originals. Using simple ingredients, this dish will quickly become a favorite in your healthy household offering up an array of flavors and textures. They are so scrumptious and satisfying. You won’t even miss the meat!

Top them off with some avocado slices or fresh homemade guacamole for an even more decadent dish.

Korean Style Tempeh Tacos with Dijon Slaw
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or sesame oil
1 8-ounce package tempeh, crumbled
3 tablespoons vegan Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon maple syrup or raw dark blue agave nectar
4 to 6 organic soft corn tortillas
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Local business profile by Irina Vinarskiy

At a time when many similar businesses, such as Color Me Mine, and 2000 Degrees, for instance, have found it difficult to survive in Santa Barbara, there is a new business that is thriving at the heart of the downtown.  The Painted Cabernet in the Victoria court across from the Granada is growing and attracting crowds to its relatively small studio offering a unique combination of art, wine, and a chance to participate in something creative while having fun at the same time.  While the price of $40 per class might not be for everyone, the concept of combining art and wine in a creative and engaging way speaks to all that want to express the artist in their heart and share a uniquely Santa Barbara creative experience.

Santa Barbara is about Art & Wine and we knew the locals would enjoy it as a fun evening out,” Maria Wilson, the owner of the Painted Cabernet tells the Santa Barbara View.  “It is perfect for a fun evening out with friends, family and co-workers. It is not considered a serious painting class, but rather a fun place to enjoy painting, wine, music and socializing.  Most of our customers come in explaining that they cannot paint and worry that they cannot do the class.  They are ALWAYS surprised what a fun time they had and can’t believe they did such a great job!  We even get well known artists who come in with their friends and family.  Clearly, they are not there to learn how to be an artist, but rather see it is a fun night out and they usually put their own spin on their painting.”

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Local Business Profile by Irina Vinarskiy

From the 35-acre vineyard of the Happy Canyon of Santa Ynez, steeped in years of tradition and rich family history, comes a new Santa Barbara wine gem. “Our family purchased the land in the Happy Canyon area of Santa Ynez in the 1980s,” Katie Grassini told Santa Barbara View when asked about the local history. “For many years, it was used as grazing land for local cattle and horse ranches. In the late 1990′s, we decided to have the land evaluated to see if it would be a good site for growing grapes. When the results came back, we knew we had something very special, and decided to plant a vineyard dedicated to the Bordeaux varietals.”

“We are committed to using sustainable and biodynamic farming principles whenever possible, and hand-tend all of the vines, which results in an exceptional wine,” said Katie. “We’re located in the newly-christened Happy Canyon AVA, which is garnering a wonderful reputation for Bordeaux wines.”

Hidden amidst the white stone-walled passages and courtyards of El Paseo, the new Grassini Family Vineyards tasting room brings these uniquely crafted wines downtown Santa Barbara as the only 100% estate winery downtown. In the very heart of the historic El Paseo, it offers a nice, warm, wooden-clad (from 150 year-old reclaimed timbers), cozy escape from the rush of the holidays, a one-of-a-kind hand-crafted wine boutique offering a truly authentic Santa Barbara wine experience.

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The 2012 Downtown Art & Wine Tour was a huge success Thursday night. A capacity and joyous crowd toured some of Santa Barbara’s great art venues, sipping on local wines (Oreana, Kalyra, Bridlewood, & Whitcraft) while eating hors d’oeuvres from favorite restaurants like Los Arroyos, Arts & Letters Cafe, and Carlitos.  Mimosa was the unexpected food favorite, and the inside glimpse into the renovations under way at the Victoria Hall Theater was truly unique. The event, hosted at the Santa Barbara Club, was perfectly organized by Ashleigh Davis of the Downtown Organization and the evening raised funds for the 2012 Downtown Holiday Parade. The after party included a live band, silent auction, and plenty of dancing! Here are photos from this best bet event that captured the spirit of Santa Barbara.

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Does the old saying that “You can’t judge a book by it’s cover” hold for wine? Clearly those who design packages don’t think so. It’s said that many wines are sold on the basis of their label; Yellowtail is often used as an example. It took the US wine market by storm with it’s yellow-tailed kangaroo–a graphic code for Australian wine—and subsequently we were flooded with animal labels. Other labels try for an austere, often pen and ink, drawing of an imposing Chateau, perhaps to imply a connection with the premier wines of France. Still others nearly make you laugh or are tied in to famous people.

We tasted a French wine–imported by Margerum Wine Company–this week, Chêne Bleu, whose graphic label tells so much about the vineyards and wine, it could be a QR code. You’re drawn at first to the Chêne Bleu, the ancient Blue Oak tree that grows on their hilltop property in the Vaucluse region of Provence. Around the tree, the graphic depicts the land, the people, the history, the philosophy of Chêne Bleu. The care in communicating about the land and the people in this way is an indication of the love and passion the family has for the vineyard and wine.

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Photos and article by Bob Dickey

The saying ”so many wines…” was never more apt than Saturday, April 21–the date of this year’s Santa Barbara County Vintners’ Association’s Spring Festival.  Over 110 wineries; over two dozen restaurants.  No matter what kind of wine you like, it was at “the Carranza”. With food to pair it with, if you wanted.

“The Carranza”(left) was a new venue for this event.  An open field, surrounded by lovely rolling hills covered in grass and wildflowers and dotted with oak trees along Zaca Station Road, near the Firestone winery.  Alas, the field is the domain of cows and gophers for the rest of the year, so the recommendation to wear sensible shoes was best taken seriously.  Even with my big boots, I had to watch my step; the dancers by the band eventually chose to dance on the stage rather than fight the uneven ground.

But if it was wine that interested you, you were in luck.  There were great syrahs from Ballard Canyon, Happy Canyon, Los Olivos, Los Alamos; there were great pinot noirs from the Santa Rita Hills and Santa Maria Valley; great rose—of grenache, syrah, pinot, blends, etc.–from everywhere.  Even a refreshing, high acidic, sparkling wine from Norm Yost of Flying Goat.

Pioneers like Ken Brown, Qupe, Brander, Firestone, Longoria, Andrew  Murray were pouring; newer wineries like Dragonette, Volgelzang, Zotovitch, Happy Canyon, Tercero, Municipal poured.  Many of the winemakers were in attendance, talking with the guests, answering questions.  The opportunity combined learning with the pleasure of tasting fine wines. Continue Reading →