One of the most unique culinary adventures in Scottsdale has to be at Posh.  Posh will take your typical dining experience and turn it upside down and leave you truly impressed.  Posh can have that kind of effect because it practices the art of “Improvisational Cuisine”- which is described on their website, “As a manner of dining in which the guest provides just enough information about preferences and dietary restrictions for Chef Joshua Hebert and his culinary staff to provide a modern and seasonal menu with a touch of innovation.”

Traditional menus are tossed out the like a wilted salad and replaced with a something similar to the concept of a sushi menu where you are offered a list of main ingredients and you cross off the items that you dislike. There is additional space on the bottom where you can add any other dislikes or food allergies. Posh specializes in vegan and gluten free fare. The creative chefs at Posh will take your list and surprise you with an amazing seasonal, improvised cuisine starting with 4 courses or if you desire into infinity. The courses start with usually either a soup or salad option and end with a fabulous dessert or cheese course.  Posh has an amazing dinner counter that surrounds the kitchen so you watch the action take place.  There are also cozy options for a romantic dinner and a cocktail bar that’s perfect for catching up with friends.

I recently had the opportunity to be a co-guest chef on the popular “Chef for a Night” series that takes place every other Monday evening.  Local foodie enthusiasts can take on the role of chef and create a themed menu for the evening. Friends and family can come in and enjoy drink specials with creative cocktails along with the special prix fixe menu.  My friend Beth Cochran and I teamed up and created a French menu inspired from Beth’s recent trip to France and our mutual adoration of a certain French pastry.

We started our menu Amuse Bouche style, which literally translates to “it entertains the mouth”.  What could entertain the mouth more than Onion Soup Gratinee baked on small serving spoon?  The second course was the “Entrée”, in France this is the small meal preceding the main course.  Our recommendation was three types of baby stuffed vegetables paired with a buckwheat crepe and egg and Gruyere cheese.  In true Posh style Josh created the adorable stuffed vegetables surrounding the crepe and topped it with a fried egg.  The Plat Principal made a grand entrance with options between Steak Frites with herb butter or Grilled Cod with a Mustard Sabayon. Both were served with de frites which was an improvised potato dish with lovely mustard sauce.

The Dessert course created murmurs of approval heard round the restaurant.  Lemon Crème Brulee was paired with adorable Lavender Macarons.  Macarons are the “certain French pastry” that hold the mutual adoration of Guest Chef Beth & I.  These petite creations have a very delicate crust that gives way to a light and moist interior. Two of these lavender cookies were sandwiched between a layer heavenly lavender buttercream.  Macarons definitely fit the description of Posh.

After the spectacular foodie experience at Posh along with the warm hospitality displayed by Josh and his amazing staff I highly recommend a visit to Posh. Take your time, savor and leave delighted!

Posh is open Tuesday through Saturday starting at 5 p.m. They are located at 7167 E. Rancho Vista Dr. Suite 111 Scottsdale AZ 85251 in the Optima Building. www.poshscottsdale.com/

Photo credit: Beth Cochran

• package of fresh ravioli
• 4 Tbs unsalted butter
• 1 Tbs aged balsamic vinegar
• fine grain sea salt
• grated zest of one lemon
• 2 - 3 big handfuls of torn arugula or other bitter/spicey greens
• plenty of grated fresh pecorino or parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook ravioli per package instructions, or until the pasta floats, in well-salted water. Then drain, reserving a small cup of the pasta water.

In the meantime, place the butter in a skillet or sacuepan over medium heat. Cook until the butter has browned and is very fragrant and nutty smelling. Remove from heat, and let it cool off for a minute or so.  Whisk in the vinegar, a couple pinches of salt, and most of the lemon zest.

Add the cooked pasta to the brown butter pan and toss gently. Add a tiny, tiny splash of the reserved pasta water and toss again.  Add the arugula, then turn out immediately into individual bowls or a serving platter topped with a bit of cheese and the remaining lemon zest.

Serves 2

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Many people believe that in order to help the environment, they must make drastic life changes, though that is absolutely not the case.  There are many ways you can go green by making small tweaks to your everyday lifestyle.  With the holidays right around the corner, living green may be the last thing on your mind.  But, it is easier than you think to go green during the holidays!  Here are five simple ways to reduce your carbon footprint this holiday season.

Eco-friendly Cards
Though holiday cards are a great way to spread holiday cheer, they are not the most eco-friendly way to do so.  Everyone has an e-mail address these days, so sending e-cards is a great option.  Sending e-cards is a great way to reach out to loved ones during the holidays without killing trees.  Still like the idea of sending an actual card?  Buy greeting cards made from recycled paper.

Decorations from Nature
Decorating for the holidays is a tradition that will never get over-looked.  However, there are many ways to use nature as a muse when you decorate this year.  Decorate with pinecones, fresh fruit or old holiday cards.  If you want to purchase decorations, choose handmade pieces made from natural materials with little to no packaging.

LED Lighting
Purchase LED lights to light your tree, as they save between 85 and 90 percent of energy, while lasting up to 200,000 hours.  Be sure to consider using LED lights for your entire holiday ensemble, inside and out! That way you can feel good about the your holiday light show efforts.

Shop Local
By purchasing gifts and other goods locally, you are saving on transportation and packaging expenses, both environmental and monetary.    As an added bonus, by supporting local business you are putting money back into your local economy.

Creative Gift Giving
Get in touch with your creative side this holiday season and give homemade gifts.  Since you will be putting time and effort into the present, it will mean that much more.  Also, by making your own gifts you are able to personalize presents according to who is receiving it. Save money and the environment and give gifts from the heart.

What green living tips do you have for the holiday season?

• Eggplant (peeled & sliced into quarters) 4 ea
• Roma tomatoes - 8-10 ea (Tomatoes blanched, shocked in ice, then peeled, then quartered)
• Garlic (roasted) - 2 bulbs
• Mozzarella (fresh balls, sliced) - 2-4 ea
• Basil - handful
• Eggs (beaten) - 4-5 ea
• Flour - 2 cups
• Salt & pepper - 2 tsp
• Italian seasoning - 2 tsp
• Onion salt - 1 tsp
• Olive oil - 1 cup
• Vegetable stock - 1 can

Mix flour, salt & pepper, Italian seasoning, onion salt into bowl. Dust eggplant with flour mixture, then submerge into egg mixture, then back in flour. Heat pan to medium-high, add oil. Cook eggplant until golden brown on each side and put aside. In a blender add tomatoes, garlic, vegetable stock, and basil. Blend well, in 8X12 baking pan pour a little tomato mixture into pan then layer eggplant, add tomato sauce, then sliced cheese. Repeat, cover with foil and bake @ 350 for 40 minutes, uncover foil at 30 minutes to let top layer of cheese melt. Let rest for ten minutes. Serve.

Hint: This dish always tastes better the next day. Read the rest of this entry »

A staple of the Incan warrior’s diet, quinoa (pronounced kin-wa) is an excellent addition to anyone’s nutrition regimen. While often mistakenly referred to as a grain, quinoa is actually a seed that is related to leafy greens. Once known as “the gold of the Incas”, quinoa offered these warriors a powerful fuel that sustained them through battle. What differentiates quinoa from other healthy plants is that it offers complete protein, which is a full spectrum amino acid profile. Balancing your diet with quality sources of both animal and vegetarian sources of protein helps the body maintain a healthy pH for healthy living and athletic recovery.
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Here we use a spicy peanut sauce to jazz up an otherwise simple combination of tofu and vegetables. Complete the meal with a platter of red and green bell pepper strips, sliced cucumbers, and carrot sticks.

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Desktop Snacks

Working eight or more hours a day can make it difficult to eat healthfully unless you plan ahead. Research shows that eating every four hours helps to keep your metabolism charged and your energy level high. Before you dig in your drawer for spare change and head to the vending machine, plan ahead and stash low-calorie, nutritious snacks in a cabinet, drawer, or your briefcase. Each of these snacks has less than 200 calories and are sure to satisfy when the 3 p.m. cravings hit. Read the rest of this entry »

If you use powered garlic use a simple dehydrated garlic that has been ground. It has a harsher flavor than most fresh garlic you’ll encounter, and the fragrance it puts off is different as well. Feel free to toss in a few fresh cloves (chopped) in its place if you prefer. In that scenario add the fresh garlic just before the chard.
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You can make this in a pan, free form or in a muffin pan. One big one, or multiple smaller ones. Don’t be afraid to experiment with seasonal ingredients. You could even sweeten up the ricotta a bit when summer comes around and do a stone fruit or berry version.
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Short on time and long on responsibilities? Overwhelmed by stuff? This year, resolve to simplify your life. The goal is to cut back on the clutter―both in your closet and your schedule―so you can focus on more meaningful things. “Living simply means less stress and leading the life you want,” says Janet Luhrs, author of The Simple Living Guide (Broadway Books, 1997) and publisher of the Seattle-based quarterly newsletter Simple Living Journal. “It’s about living consciously and deliberately.”
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