Karen Schuld Photography: NYC Food Photographer

Sprouts in the Hood

Sprouts in the Hood
Exploring My Hood Through Food and Lifestyle Photography

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Photo Shoot with Anne Burrell at the NYC Food Bank's Community Kitchen

It was great meeting and photographing Food Network's Ann Burrell and her team of Food Bank volunteers on Friday.  She was serving up some pretty amazing looking chicken and apple pie at the Food Bank's Harlem Community Kitchen.  Also, I also had the pleasure meeting Serge, the really handsome aerospace  students and Food Bank volunteer.  Overall, it was a lot of fun hanging out it the kitchen with everyone and working for a great cause.











Sunday, March 20, 2011

Watercress Salad with Citrus and Peanuts

Watercress Salad with Citrus
First of all, I would love to congratulate my friend Matt for losing 50 pounds though "Lifestyle 180", a Cleveland Clinic wellness program designed to encourage healthy eating and activity.  It is such a compliment to hear that my photography has inspired Matt to keep thinking about healthy food ideas - thank you Matt!  I try to make all my recipes low calorie, since I need to be around healthy, highly nutritional food to keep my weight under control.

Watercress Salad
Watercress Salad:

With the feeling of spring in the air, I was craving a salad with a little color - (I am tired of the winter drabness).  The salad above was prepared by combining some wild watercress, papaya and mango chunks, a blood orange, red onion and roasted peanuts.   For the dressing, I just squeezed on a little lime and orange juice with salt.  Color can always make a salad a little more festive, especially with spring around the corner.

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Black Rice with Tofu and Indonesian Styled Curry

Black Rice with Vegetables, Tofu and Indonesian Styled Curry
Black rice, rich in texture and flavor,  is a little more exotic than your plain white rice.   Here is a coconut curry recipe that works great with the black rice.

Coconut Curry Ingredients:

1 can coconut milk
1 bunch scallions
1 red pepper, sliced thin
2 plum tomatoes
1 pound of tofu, cut in small cubes
1 stalk lemon grass,  finely chopped
1/2 cup shitake mushrooms
1 tablespoon ginger, grated
2 cloves garlic, finely diced
1/4 cup cilantro
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon coriander, ground
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil

Directions:

1.  In a sauce pan add coconut milk, tomatoes, lemon grass, ginger, cilantro, turmeric, cumin, coriander, soy and fish sauce then bring to boil, then simmer. 
2.  In a skillet, heat the sesame oil, then brown the scallions,  mushrooms, red peppers, garlic and tofu. 
3.  Combine the ingredients with the coconut milk mixture.
4.  Serve on a bowl of black rice.

Shopping in Chinatown, NYC

Chinatown, NYC
Taking the D express train to Grand Street Station will get you to the upper part of Chinatown in Manhattan.  Here, fruit and vegetable markets line the streets as well Asian groceries that carry a variety of spices, nuts, noodles, rice, dumplings, and soy products.  I find it both relaxing and adventurous to walk the streets and experience the vast selection of foods and flavors.  At my favorite Malaysian market on Bowery, between Broome and Grand Street,  you can pick up a variety of south-east Asian hot and spicy relishes, referred to as sambals.  Across the Street on Grand and Bowery, there is a little shop on the corner, where you can buy freshly made rice noodles, taro root cakes and soy milk.  

Fruit and Vegetable Market on Grand Street
 
Noodle Shop on Grand and Bowery