Phoebe Lapine is a brilliant (and gluten-free) New York-based chef, culinary instructor, recipe developer, founder of the award-winning blog Feed Me Phoebe and cookbook author… an all-round food dynamo.
Atop this list of career greatness, Phoebe’s monumental wellness-journey of a memoir, The Wellness Project is coming soon! After a year-long, in-depth wellness immersion — from green beauty to probiotics, detoxing to de-stressing and incredible amounts of research — this book explores healthy lifestyle from every angle… and I can’t wait to read it!
I met Phoebe one early morning years ago on her Google Plus Hangout as I sat in a sea of boxes about to move to a new home. Her energy and passion — and the best questions I’d every been asked about designing small spaces! — were inimitable. From then on, I became a fan as well as a friend, and I’m so excited to share her Q & A with you today!
Q & A
If you had an extra hour in your day every day, how would you spend it?
Not your usual answer, but SLEEPING. While there’s never enough time in my day for all the fun and fancies, sleep usually gets the short end of the stick to make room for them. And I know how much time under the sheets makes every part of my waking life better.
If we could peek into your refrigerator, what would definitely be there?
Lots and lots of jars (don’t tell the clutter monster!). A few of my favorites recently are curry kraut, sriracha, vegenaise, and tarragon Dijon mustard. I also always have a big sack of lemons.
Could you share your go-to recipe that’s now a family classic?
I get a lot of my cooking inspiration from my mother, so any existing classics were originally hers. As for my immediate household (my partner Charlie and our dog), I’d have to say my quinoa fried rice. I throw in whatever veggies are in season. Collard greens are a new favorite! And while the pup doesn’t necessarily enjoy the final dish, he’s a big fan of the veggie stems and scraps that result along the way.
Quinoa Fried Rice (from Phoebe's blog Feed Me Phoebe)
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup quinoa
- 2 cups water
- 2 tablespoons coconut or vegetable oil
- 4 medium carrots (preferably assorted colors), diced
- 2 medium shallots, thinly sliced
- 4 scallions, white and green parts separated, thinly sliced
- Sea salt
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon sriracha
- 2 eggs, beaten
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a medium lidded saucepan, combine the quinoa and water and bring to a boil. Cover, turn the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes, until the quinoa is al dente. Uncover and remove from the heat.
- Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large wok or nonstick skillet. Saute the carrots, shallot, and white scallions over high heat until soft and beginning to brown, about 6 minutes. Season with salt. Add the garlic, ginger, and green scallions and stir fry until fragrant, another 2 minutes. Fold in the quinoa and stir fry until well-coated in the vegetable mixture and beginning to toast, 3 minutes. Stir in the soy sauce, sesame oil, and sriracha.
- Push the quinoa to the side of the pan to create a well. Pour the eggs into the well and cook, stirring gently, until nearly set. Toss the fried rice with the eggs. Transfer the quinoa to bowls and serve right away.
How do you make yourself at home?
I put on sweatpants. Or something comfy that’s slightly more presentable. And then I cook.
What’s the best housewares purchase you’ve ever made?
My last apartment was a studio, so there wasn’t a whole lot of room for furniture. As a result, I mostly relied on hand-me-downs. My new loft is the first time I’ve really invested in good quality items, so I’d have to go with two recent additions: a 9-foot tall CB2 white bookshelf that makes my office so happy. And a vintage dresser. My underwear drawer has never been so chic!
The one material object in your home that you cherish…
The cast iron skillet I inherited from my mother. There’s still so much of her and my childhood in that patina. No really, there probably is…
The one gadget or app that we all should have…
I’m not a big gadget person, so I’ll say a kitchen scale. Especially for baking, it helps keep things precise.
The daily habit that’s been game-changing…
Meditation. And lemon water instead of coffee in the morning
The best lifestyle decision you ever made…
To start making room for sleep, and then stop stressing about getting enough of it.
Where do you go/ what do you do to find inspiration?
Anywhere! I love to travel, and especially from a food perspective, nothing breathes more life into my cooking than exploring foreign tastes. New York also has the ability to make you feel like your own island. Sometimes all it takes is a small change of scenery to draw me out of my shell and open myself up to the kindness of strangers.
