random yummies and other bites of life

Wednesday - Food Log

2010-09-08T20:18:00.002-05:00

Breakfast:

4.6 ounces Greek yogurt, Kashi Go Lean Crunch

Lunch:

1 cup green tea
Boxed lunch from Mission Burrito: 1 veggie burrito, jalapeno coleslaw, 1 giant chocolate chip cookie.

Afternoon Tea:

1 cup green tea

Dinner:

Avocado, tomato, and cheese quesadilla with Frank's hot sauce

Tuesday - Food Log

2010-09-07T21:30:00.000-05:00

Breakfast:

4 ounces Greek yogurt, 1.5 ounces Kashi Go Lean Crunch, 1 Apple

Lunch:

1 delicous Farmer's Harvest sandwich from Be'wiched

Pre-Dinner Snack:

1 piece of Icewine chocolate (from Canada!)
)

Dinner:

Tofu & veggie curry with brown rice

After-Dinner Snack:

2 spoonfuls of Nutella
)

Monday - Food Log

2010-09-06T15:36:00.003-05:00

Breakfast:

2 breakfast tacos with: 2 hatch tortillas, 2/3 avocado, 1/2 c. black beans, 1/4 c. marinara sauce, 2 eggs, Frank's hot sauce.

Lunch (at a Labor Day pool party):

1 large veggie burger with cheese, tomatoes, ketchup & mayo
Several large handfuls of Lay's potato chips, some with French onion dip
1 piece of watermelon
2 glasses of cherry-pomegranate Crystal Light something or other...
Not too bad considering the tempting options of wine and German chocolate cake!

Dinner:

Half of a large sweet potato, 2 large handfuls of spinach (sauteed with garlic), roasted carrots
A bowl of Ben & Jerry's Dublin Mudslide ice-cream (how is it that I have never had this flavor before?!)

Sunday - Food Log

2010-09-05T19:19:00.000-05:00

Breakfast:

4 ounces Greek yogurt (130 calories)
1 tsp hone
.75 ounces of Kashi Go Lean Crunch

Post-Yoga Snack:

1 banana

Lunch:

Yellow and Green Salad... consisting of spinach, 1/2 yellow pepper, 5 tomatoes, 1/3 avocado, 4 pieces of sundried tomato (chopped), black beans, balsamic vinaigrette, & cracked pepper. Forgot the corn, and wish I had cilantro!

Afternoon Snack:

1 Mango
Samples at Central Market

Dinner:

Gnocchi with pesto, broccoli, and a Boca Spicy Chik'n Patty (800 calories)
1 cup of pomegranate cranberry green tea

Randomly decided to have gnocchi for dinner--bought a box a while ago, and it had been sitting in the pantry by its lonesome, until tonight. Made a random trip to Central Market to get some of their store-made pesto (to save the hassle of using the blender)...

For being incredibly easy to assemble, this dinner was quite satisfying. At ~800 calories, this is not an "everyday" meal, but it was a nice treat. With each bite, it took me back to Italy! The only thing missing was some vino.

Saturday - Food Log

2010-09-04T22:41:00.000-05:00

Breakfast:

Homemade breakfast taco: 1 hatch tortilla, Roasted potatoes, 1 fried egg, 2 large handfuls of baby spinach, Frank's hot sauce.

Snack:

1 Mango!

Lunch:

1 grilled cheese: 2 slices of Whole Foods Lil' Loaf Honey Wheat and 1.5 slices of cheddar
6 little tomatoes (don't know what variety, but they're yellow and somewhat pear-shaped... pictures to come!)

Dinner:

Tacos: 2 hatch tortillas, black beans, 2/3 avocado, Frank's sauce
1 glass of orange juice

Evening Snack:

2 spoonfuls of Nutella, 2 spoonfuls of Pralinutta
1 cup of Tazo Zen tea

Friday - Food Log

2010-09-03T21:27:00.000-05:00

Breakfast:

2 slices of cinnamon raisin bread with 4 T. peanut butter
1 cup of Earl Grey tea

Lunch:

1 mystery apple... maybe Gala?

Afternoon Snack:

1 Kashi Dark Mocha Almond Chewy Granola Bar Thanks to a coworker! (130 calories)

Pre-Yoga Snack:

Taco with: 1/2 russet potato (home-fried), 1 fried egg, 1/2 ounce of cheese, Frank's hot sauce

Dinner/Evening:

5.6 ounces Annie's mac & cheese
1/2 of a chocolate milkshake
1 bite of alfajore from Argentina (no bueno, unfortunately)
1 cup of pomegranate cranberry green tea

Photo courtesy of LonghornDave via Flickr.
These look a lot better than they taste! After eating the incredible, home-made ones from Churrascos & Artista, my taste buds have been spoiled!

With this work-week being full of poor eating choices, I am looking forward to eating better this weekend! (*Thinking positive thoughts*, at least!)

Thursday - Food Log

2010-09-01T21:50:00.002-05:00

Breakfast:

1 gala apple

Lunch:

4.5 ounces whole wheat penne
1 c. broccoli
2/3 c. Newman's Own marinara
1 Boca Spicy Chik'n Patty

Snack:

1 Hershey's Nugget

Dinner:

1 Morningstar Asian Veggie Patty
Lots of roasted potatoes

Not a very exciting day, food-wise! The potatoes were good, though!

Wednesday - Food Log

2010-08-31T22:00:00.003-05:00

Breakfast:

1 gala apple

Lunch:

Enchiladas from Poblano's: 3 spinach enchiladas, beans, rich, and way too many tortilla chips--their green salsa was really tasty!

Afternoon Tea:

1 cup of Earl Grey

Dinner:

a couple handfuls of Kettle chips while considering what to eat for real.
Large handfuls of spinach, hatch pepper tortilla, black beans, pasta sauce, cheddar cheese, deja vu.

Tuesday - Food Log

2010-08-30T22:17:00.002-05:00

Breakfast:

2 slices of cinnamon raisin bread, with 4 T. peanut butter
1 c. grapes

Mid-Morning Tea:

1 cup of Earl Grey tea

Lunch:

mushroom melt sandwich from Potbelly (563 calories)
.75 ounces Zapp's chips (110 calories)

Snack:

1 banana (105 calories)

Dinner:

Burrito: black beans, pasta sauce & cheddar cheese on a hatch tortilla.

Tempted to have more milkshake, but I should be going to bed, so will try to just drink water instead. Le sigh.

Monday - Food Log

2010-08-29T20:44:00.002-05:00

Breakfast:

2 slices of cinnamon raisin bread, with 4 T. peanut butter

Late Morning Tea:

1 cup of pomegranate cranberry green tea

Lunch:

Wish I had lunch! Time got away from me, even though I brought something.

Snack:

1 bag of chips (1 ounce?)

Happy Hour:

1 glass of riesling
3 goat cheese-stuffed artichoke hearts
5 tortilla chips
1 large slice of toast, topped with tomatoes, aka "bruschetta"

Dinner:

2 eggs, on 2 hatch tortillas, with tomato sauce, Frank's hot sauce, & cracked pepper.
1/4 of a chocolate milk shake

Ugh! I hate when work gets in the way of eating. And while meetings over lunch are bad, at least they usually provide the lunch! This will be the up-side to tomorrow. =)

Sunday - Food Log

2010-08-29T01:18:00.004-05:00

Breakfast:

1 cup of Republic of Tea matcha
2 slices of cinnamon raisin bread, "buttered" with Soy Garden
1 banana

Lunch:

4.4 ounces of cooked whole wheat penne
3 large handfuls of spinach, sauteed with garlic & EVOO
2/3 c. Newman's Own marinara sauce
1/2 c. Great Northern Beans
~1 ounce of Asiago cheese

Snack:

1 large, delicious mango

Dinner:

4 Cherry Tomatoes
3 ounces of Nancy's cottage cheese (62 calories)
1 slice of cinnamon bread, with 3 T. peanut butter

After Dinner:

1 cup of iced coffee, with chocolate soy milk

Saturday - Food Log

2010-08-28T15:15:00.002-05:00

Breakfast:

1 egg--over medium, atop
1 slice of toast, with
cheddar cheese, Frank's hot sauce, and cracked pepper

Lunch:

Samples from Central Market! Mac and cheese, bagel chunk, chip & salsa, bread chunk & olive oil, sushi, pesto chardonnay...
A couple potato chips & bit of the boy's Chik'n patty sandwich

Dinner:

Copious amounts of Indian Vegetarian food at Bhojan

After Dinner:

1 cup of Earl Grey tea

Friday - Food Log

2010-08-28T15:14:00.003-05:00

Breakfast:

1 jumbo egg on a Whole Foods Whole Wheat Tortilla
a Whole Foods Whole Wheat Tortilla, with
1.2 ounce of cheddar cheese &
Frank's hot sauce,
topped with fresh cracked pepper

Lunch:

Spinach salad from salata

Pre-Yoga Snack:

A few handfuls of cashews, dried apricots, and prunes.

Post-Yoga Snack:

1 Pink Lady apple

Dinner & Evening Snacks:

2 slices of fresh homemade bread
Kettle potato chips
glass of gin
Who knows what else!?

The day started off well, but clearly went south after dark!

Thursday - Food Log

2010-08-26T21:08:00.005-05:00

Breakfast:

1 Fuji Apple
12 cashews

Lunch:

1 c. edamame
1 bowl miso soup
Udon Noodle Stir Fry with Veggies

Afternoon Snack:

Mini Kit Kat bar
2 1/2 inch cubes of cheese

Dinner:

2 c. grapes
1/2 blueberry muffin

Wednesday - Food Log

2010-08-26T21:01:00.002-05:00

Breakfast:

1 egg & cheese taco from Alonti
1 c. yogurt
2 c. pineapples, strawberries, sliced apples

Lunch:

Corner Bakery Tomato Mozzarella on Ciabatta (700 calories, according to their website, whoa!)
1/2 c. Pasta Caprese Salad (~100 calories)
Half Corner Bakery Chocolate Chip Cookie

Dinner:

2/3 c. frozen broccoli
1.5 c. penne
2/3 c. creamy tomato sauce

Tuesday - Food Log

2010-08-24T21:51:00.006-05:00

Breakfast:

1 packet Quaker instant oats (Maple Brown Sugar)(160 calories)

Snack:

1 Pink Lady Apple (80 calories)

Lunch:

Healthy Choice - Roasted Red Pepper Marinara (270 calories)

Dinner:

5.2 ounces (cooked) Annie's Shells & White Cheddar (~400 calories)
1.5 c peas & great northern beans with 1 T. EVOO (~250 calories)

Post-Dinner Tea:

Pomegranate Cranberry Green Tea

Total Estimated Calories - 1160... Hrm, that doesn't seem right.

Monday - Food Log

2010-08-23T22:03:00.002-05:00

Breakfast:

1 packet Quaker instant oats (Maple Brown Sugar)
1 Pink Lady Apple
Pomegranate Cranberry Green Tea

Lunch:

Pasta! Consisting of: 4.15 oz (cooked) Perciatelli, 1.5 cups frozen broccoli, 3/4 cup pasta sauce, 1 Boca Chik'n patty

Snack:

2 cups grapes

Dinner:

Sandwich: 1 hatch hot dog bun (last one, sadly!), 2 generous handfuls of spinach, 5 large Lady Moon Farms cherry tomatoes, 4 slices fresh mozzarella, 2 T. EVOO, cracked pepper

Sunday - Food Log

2010-08-22T14:01:00.005-05:00

Breakfast:

1 c. Kashi Go Lean Crunch with
1 c. Stonyfield Farms Banilla Yogurt
Which brings breakfast to approximately 400 calories.

Post-Yoga Snack:

1 Banana (~75 calories)

Late Lunch:

Pasta! Consisting of: 4 oz (cooked) Perciatelli, 4 oz baby spinach (pre-cooking weight), 2.65 oz great northern beans, 9 oz pasta sauce, .55 oz Asiago cheese, & fresh cracked pepper
Garlic Bread: 1 hatch hot dog bun, 5 T olive oil, 3 cloves or garlic.

Snack:

15 cashews (~175 calories)

Dinner:

Smoothie: 1 c. plain soy milk, 3.5 oz frozen raspberries, 4.8 oz frozen peaches, 2 T. honey (~225 calories)

Overall, today looks light on veggies. Protein and fruit seem okay.

Dear Diary,

2010-08-21T21:22:00.006-05:00

I've decided to keep track of my eating for a few weeks (at least somewhat more regularly than not at all) so that I can reflect back on any patterns and make adjustments as necessary. I suspect that lately I haven't been getting enough veggies, whole grains, or proteins.

Let's see what this food journal will reveal!

For starters, here's what I've consumed today:

Morning:

1 cup of Earl Grey tea
1 egg, on a (fresh, but store-bought) hatch pepper tortilla, with Frank's hot sauce, S&P.
1 Braeburn apple

Lunch-ish:

Sandwich consisting of: 1 (fresh, but store-bought) hatch pepper hot dog bun, 4 large slices of tomato, a large handful of baby spinach, a drizzle of olive oil, S&P
1 slice of apple cake

Pre-Dinner

Samples at the grocery store: 1 cookie, 1 tortilla chip with creamy cilantro dressing

Evening

1 homemade Margherita pizza consisting of: 7 ounces (uncooked) pizza dough (half WW, half AP flour), 4 Tablespoons tomato paste, 3-4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, 3/4 of a large tomato (sliced), chopped frozen basil, S&P, 2 Tablespoons EVOO
A couple sips of the boy's Whole Foods brand Lime Soda
1 cup of Pomegranate Cranberry Green Tea

Salted Fudge Brownies

2010-08-08T22:15:00.007-05:00

I had planned to make cupcakes for bookclub, but a combination of procrastination & laziness changed the plan to brownies. One of the many great things about brownies is that you're likely to have everything in your pantry that you need to bake 'em.

There were no regrets about changing the plan today [from cupcake-making]--these were some of the best brownies I've ever had! If you've never had salted brownies, you must go to your kitchen and make up a batch immediately!

Here's the recipe, from Food & Wine Magazine.

Ingredients

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon Maldon sea salt

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°. Line a 9-inch square metal cake pan with foil, draping the foil over the edges. Lightly butter the foil.
In a large saucepan, melt the butter with the unsweetened chocolate over very low heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat. Whisking them in one at a time until thoroughly incorporated, add the cocoa, sugar, eggs, vanilla and flour. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface. Sprinkle the salt evenly over the batter. Using a butter knife, swirl the salt into the batter.
Bake the fudge brownies in the center of the oven for about 35 minutes, until the edge is set but the center is still a bit soft and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out coated with a little of the batter.
Let the brownies cool at room temperature in the pan for 1 hour, then refrigerate just until they are firm, about 1 hour. Lift the brownies from the pan and peel off the foil. Cut the brownies into 16 squares. Serve at room temperature.

According to the original instructions, these brownies can be refrigerated for up to 3 days, and frozen for up to 1 month. But chances are they'll be gone by the end of the first day! I recommend making a double-batch.

Unlike my usual self, I followed the recipe pretty accurately. For the chocolate, I used Endangered Species brand Intense Dark Chocolate with Cocoa Nibs, which has 75% cocoa content. The brownies are sweet, and not overly so. They are gooey and moist (fudey, if you will), with firmer crust & lovely saltiness in each bite.

Hooray for Pizza Day

2010-06-27T12:54:00.004-05:00

Homemade pizza is incredibly easy to make, yet pizza-focused restaurants are still a multi-billion dollar industry. While not everyone has 800 degree ovens at home, the pizza that comes out of a standard household kitchen is still a cut above the mass-produced variety.

Making pizza dough is pretty simple, especially with an upright mixer. What's even more simple is that to make a double batch every time--That means every other time you make pizza, all you have to do is remember to take a ball of dough out of the freezer to defrost in time for dinner! In our household, we've found homemade dough to be a lot tastier (not to mention cheaper!) than the crusts you can buy in the grocery store.

When you make your own pizza, your choices for toppings are unlimited! In college, when I would buy frozen pizza, I usually added my own toppings to plain cheese pie to customize to my own tastes. Homemade pizza is like having a blank canvas in front of you! It's easy to accommodate multiple tastes--pineapple and light cheese on one side, mushrooms only one slice... whatever combination/s you can think of can be created at home!

I also find that homemade pizza can be healthier than the store- or restaurant-bought varieties. It's no more difficult to make a whole wheat crust, you don't have to explain to a server that you only want half cheese, can buy better quality ingredients for less, and you can put as many veggies or other healthy toppings on top without the extra fees for each one. I'm not saying homemade pizza is like spa food, but it can certainly be lower in the bad stuff than the processed kind you may otherwise be consuming.

And since some of you were wondering, my homemade pizza pictured above had a base of (veggie) sausage in marinara sauce topped with a layer of sauteed spinach then several dollops of goat cheese and caramelized onions for the finishing touch.

The Simple Dollar's Guide to Making Inexpensive & Delicious Homemade Pizza
Wikipedia History of Pizza
Michael Ruhlman on Homemade Pizza Including detailed instructions/tips for pizza & dough-making, and a recipe for his fabulous "Spring Is In the Air Breakfast Pizza" (Homemade Pizza with Bacon, Egg and Asparagus)
Asylum's list of Ten Weirdest Pizza Toppings Some are weirder than others...
TLC's Favorite Pizza Toppings, by Country Eel, anyone?
LA Times list of Gourmet Pizza Topping Combinations They probably wouldn't like my topping-dense pizza, but I could go for some of these.
Serious Eats' Grilled Pizza Guide Perfect for outdoor eating this summer!

Welcome to Yelp!

2009-10-31T22:46:00.001-05:00

I just joined Yelp. Find my reviews at http://randomyummies.yelp.com

Also, I am going to Canada next week. I hope to partake in some Canadian deliciousness! Maybe I'll get to hit up Tim Hortons and Swiss Chalet or have some poutine.. who knows what awaits!

It started with a cupcake...

2009-05-09T08:55:00.001-05:00

Actually, it started with a chocolate chip cookie. My love for the Dessert Gallery, that is.

The Dessert Gallery is a local MBE/WBE (pronounced "Me-Be-We-Be", means a Minority or Woman-owned business enterprise) in Houston that makes the most divine chocolate chip cookies. They aren't really chocolate chip, but more like chocolate slivers. Don't let me fool you into thinking these cookies are skimpy on chocolate because I say they contain "chocolate slivers". In fact, I think the sliver allows for a higher ratio of Chocolate to Cookie than most ordinary chocolate chip cookies. Furthermore, these delights are half-dipped in chocolate for even more sinfulness.

In my 2+ years living in Houston, it's certainly a shame that I didn't try their cupcakes sooner. Well, probably not a shame for my waist or wallet. If you're in H-town and in the mood to satisfy a sweet tooth, check out the Dessert Gallery. If your conscience is too guilty to just have dessert, you can start with one of their sandwiches, which I can also vouch for.

Related Links:

Dessert Gallery
MBE/WBE Info

What's a Dutch Baby?

2009-05-04T18:13:00.006-05:00

It seems like a self-explanatory question, but who knew that a Dutch Baby is also baked deliciousness?

I was lucky enough to find out thanks to Gourmet magazine and J's impulsive cooking. Usually, I get up with barely enough time to get ready and make it to work on time, so I'm certainly not one who eats hearty breakfasts on weekdays. After discovering the Dutch Baby in Gourmet, J decided he needed to try it, and I got to partake in the goodness. Someone making you a fresh breakfast is indeed a fantastic thing to wake up and discover.

So, what is a Dutch Baby, anyway? Gourmet describes it as "a crossover between a pancake and a popover", and I think they pretty much hit the mark with that description. The crust is hearty, slightly crispy, and sortof durable like a good popover. The center of the Dutch Baby is the pancake portion, but a very dense pancake that's a close cousin to a custard tart or even some cheese pies. The Dutch Baby in question had a wonderfully refreshing lemon flavor, and just the right amount of sugar. And in addition to its tastiness, this breakfast treat is a sight to see as it expands in the oven!

If you haven't experienced a Dutch Baby first hand, now's a good time to spice up your breakfast routine and try something new!

Related Links:

The Recipe in questionfrom Gourmet
Dutch Baby Wiki
Dutch Baby Pan(Comes with free Dutch Baby mix, for those of you who prefer convenience)

Presidential Snacking

2009-04-30T21:24:00.003-05:00

The Kitchn featured a short post about food at the White House. A fabulous picture of President Obama's afternoon snack plate here. You will see that for such a simple snack, the amount of cutlery and china is quite amusing.

Here's the full post.

Homegrown strawberry dreams...

2009-04-19T18:04:00.004-05:00

While I do have a small patio space, there unfortunately isn't enough sun exposure for much gardening to be conducted. When I move next, I will definitely put more effort into finding Southerly windows or patios. In addition to growing more herbs and attempting some sort of container potatoes, these strawberry planters look like a must-do. The thought alone of homegrown berries has my mouth watering!

{Photo Credit: Stephen Duckworth}

Realisic Dinner Previews

2009-04-17T06:39:00.002-05:00

Thanks once again to Lifehacker, I stumbled across this great comparison of Fast Food Advertising pictures compared to real-life photos of the food product being marketed. While it makes sense that food is styled (and often, not even real food) for photographs in ads, it is amazing to see the contrast between the ads and reality.

Check out this contrast of the Arby's Beef n Cheddar sandwich. The real one just looks so sad. Imagine if food marketers/advertisers had to use actual food products, like what is made in the restaurants. I think a lot more people might make the effort to eat at home!

Grow 100 pounds of potatoes on your balcony!

2009-04-12T14:52:00.005-05:00

My gardening skills are at the level that would require the purchasing of an AeroGarden if I want to sustain green life for a period of time longer than a month. I am always impressed with those who have the ability to care for plant life in a way that results in getting to eat fresh produce (opposed to the greenery dying in the garden or being eaten by critters, which would happen to me).

Since I live in an apartment, I thought I had a pretty good excuse for not attempting any gardening of my own. This article on Lifehacker, however, puts me to shame. Someone with a lot of ingenuity came up with an idea to be able to grow 100 pounds of potatoes in 2 X 2 foot space. It reminds me a little of the upside-down tomato garden that I always seen in the SkyMall catalog on planes. But way cooler because 1) it's homemade and 2) it's friggin 100 pounds of potatoes!

It's not too late to plant some tomatoes or herbs on my patio, so maybe if I start small and have success this summer, I can work on growing potatoes next year. But probably not 100 pounds of tubers (though that does sound quite delicious). We'll see what happens! This is something I need to try with baby steps!

{For the planting instructions, see the Lifehacker article or the original article from the Seattle Times}

One a penny, two a penny, hot cross buns!

2009-04-05T12:01:00.005-05:00

As I've mentioned before, I love eating my way through London. On almost every visit, I manage to procure Hot Cross Buns from the grocery store. While this is not gourmet by any means, they're something I enjoy thoroughly for breakfast or a snack or just because. I can easily justify this layman's indulgence to myself with knowledge that even the grocery store variety of Hot Cross Buns in England is far better than any I've had in the States. Furthermore, in the US, these flavorful delights are only available a few weeks in the year (which might actually be part of the problem).

Since it has been two years (gasp!) from my last trip across the Atlantic, I have been eager for Hot Cross Buns to start showing up in my local grocery stores for Easter.

I try to have a grounded perspective on my expectations of US Hot Cross Buns by having clear memories of previous disappointments. However, I do get sad when I eat Hot Cross Buns in the States, and they simply don't taste as good as their name implies they should.

Central Market has a great bakery and is also my Houston source for many hard-to-find grocery items. Unfortunately, I don't think their bakery makes their Hot Cross Buns because they certainly don't live up to Central Market's usual tasty standards. While I will admit, they did satisfy my Hot Cross Bun craving to some degree, I found them lacking. The texture was dry, and there weren't enough pieces of fruit. It was disappointing that the only fruit were raisins, especially because they were also overly dry. While non-traditional (and not necessary for well-made Hot Cross Buns), the icing was the only saving grace. The iced crosses provided a nice level of sweetness and needed moisture to the buns.

Will I buy them again next year? Chances say that I will. But maybe I'll grow enough courage to try making my own instead. Only time will tell...

Hot Cross Buns Wiki
History & Symbolism of Hot Cross Buns & other Easter traditions

Eating meat leads to... global warming?

2009-03-31T19:57:00.008-05:00

If you call yourself an environmentalist, why do you still eat meat?

That was a slogan I commonly heard during college that was tossed around by the well-intended veggie lovers in attempts to convert omnivores that were otherwise fairly "like-minded".

So, while it's clearly not a spanking new idea, I am glad that it's getting more press again. I don't want to get into ethical debate about whether it's wrong/right/inhumane/human-nature to eat the flesh of other animals, I think it is important for the public to know that the choices we make about eating are just as important (if not more important!) as the decisions we make about the cars we buy or the light switches that we turn off.

If we were to have a dialog about eating meat today, it would not just a health discussion or a debate about animal rights, as it may have been years ago. It would also be a conversation about environmental consequences that have great impact on the earth we live. Case in point: It is said that reducing your consumption of meat by one day a week has the same amount of impact on reducing CO2 emissions as driving a care 1000 miles fewer per year. I paraphrased this from Mark Bitten's recent book Food Matters. Please forgive my lack of preciseness (I don't have the book in front of me), but you probably get the point about the picture Bittman is trying to paint. The resources that go into modern meat production, such as water and oil, could be used more sparingly if instead they went into growing vegetables, grains, and legumes (thus, feeding more mouths).

Given the amount of resources needed to produce a pound of meat, it is not sustainable for humankind to continue eating meat at the rates we do. (Think about it: Over 5000 gallons of water are need to produce a pound of beef, while only 25 gallons are needed to produce a pound of grain according to California Soil and Water specialists.) What's scarier to think about is that meat consumption is increasing as less-wealthy countries become both more wealthy (in terms of good ole cash money) and more Westernized. We are literally eating ourselves to death, in the literal sense for many individuals (due to health consequences like diabetes and heart disease) and in a metaphorical sense as we tip the world's biological equilibrium further away from being balanced.

Post your thoughts below--whether you agree or disagree. I have a feeling this will be an increasingly hot topic, as climate change because a greater concern to the public. It will also be interesting to see how the Obama administration addresses this part of the issue (if at all).

Meat vs. Climate: The Debate Continues (Green Inc Blog, NY Times)
World Hunger and Meat Production (World Hunger and Poverty Blog)
Why Veg? For the Planet (Animals Australia group)
Rethinking the Meat Guzzler (Mark Bittman, NY Times)
Feeding Livestock vs. People (older article, but the science and main message haven't changed)

Cheap Chomps at Barnaby's

2009-03-29T10:40:00.007-05:00

Though I've definitely heard about various "Recession Specials" (and Recession Gimmicks, under the same guise), the best one I've personally experienced are the $1 brownies at Barnaby's Cafe in Houston. I thought the brownies would be small or taste mass-produced, but they are delicious and certainly worth more than the four quarters for which one can be procured. They're only $1 until the Dow goes back up to 11,000 points, so act quick (or take your time if you aren't confident about the stock market bouncing back to life any time soon).

These brownies are amazingly chocolately. They would go well with a creamy beverage or warmed up and served with some ice cream. Or simply devoured straight off the plate, which is my preferred plan of attack for today.

Additional Recession Specials at Barnaby's include $1 coffee, $2 cappuccinos, and $7 steak plates for a limited time. Help stimulate the economy and fill your belly with deliciousness!

Barnaby's Cafe
Seattle Restaurant Specials (Seattle Times)
Restaurants Stop Playing Hard to Get (NY Times)

Homemade Tortillas: Simple!

2009-02-20T20:10:00.001-06:00

For the past week I've been hosting two very welcomed, yet somewhat unexpected out-of-town guests. G & R were two of my college roommates and are still two of my favorite people. We have similar interests in food. Cooking and eating together have always been two of our common pastimes.

One of the simple, but amazingly yummy things we made this week was a "Mexican" feast. Homemade tortillas & guacamole made it even better.

It's amazing how simple tortillas are to make. I confess that they are something I made for the first time only recently. In addition to being easy to make, homemade tortillas taste superior to practically any store-bought kind, and cost substantially less, other than a bit of time and elbow grease. I wonder why I hadn't try to make tortillas sooner!

Easy as ~~Pie~~ Tortillas Recipe

2 c. AP flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
2 T. non-hydrogenated shortening
3/4 c. water

Directions
Mix dry ingredients, then cut the shortening into the mixture with your fingers until smooth. Add water slowly till a non-sticky dough is formed by kneading. Let dough rest for at least ten minutes, then divide into balls the size of large gum balls (about an inch in diameter). Flatten dough balls with your hands, then roll out with your rolling pin. Let dough rest another ten minutes, then roll a second time.

To cook, simply place dough on your pre-heated cast iron pan for about 30 seconds on each side.

Happy Happy Hour at Tafia

2009-02-12T20:32:00.007-06:00

With its dim lighting and hip decor, Tafia looks and feels like the place to be for happy hour in Houston. What makes it even better is the tasty and free food that comes with your happy hour drink. Did I mention it was free? And tasty.

I went with a decent sized group, and we tried the Macaroni and Cheese, Chickpea Fries, Edamame, Chili Noodles, Truffles, and Maple Marscapone-stuffed Dates. I feel like I'm forgetting something (or somethings?), but you get the picture. There is quite a selection to choose from, especially considering it's free and unlimited. It's undoubtedly some of the highest quality "free" food that you can find while drinking.

Since it was happy hour, I should speak about my beverage, too. I tried my very first Ratafia tonight. In some ways, it reminded me of a sangria, but less fruity and more better. I had a vodka-lime flavored one, so it was pretty much meant to be. Me, vodka, and lime are a pretty awesome triad of fun. Next time, I might get the flight of Ratafias, so I can try the more traditional cherry one and the pineapple one that sounded pretty good, too. The other ladies' drinks all looked very good, too. Next time, I might try the Square-Oh (to feed my basil love) or the Cherry-Key Lime Caipirihna, which also sounds pretty unique.

Tafia is definitely a place I want to go back for a full meal. I hear it's a bit pricey, but it may just be worth it. The food was innovative, tasty, and fresh. Plus a fun atmosphere, which is like the icing on my cake when it comes to dining out.

Ratafia Wiki
Tafia's free lounge food menu

mm, Squirrel?!

2009-02-08T18:13:00.007-06:00

Of all topics vegetarians blog about, dining on squirrel probably does not come up very often. Today, this post may be the exception to that rule (this is Random Yummies, afterall).

In college, I met a guy who actually had eaten squirrel. At the time, I think he was the only person who had tried this little creature. Now that I think of it, I'm not sure that I've met anyone since him who has admitted to trying squirrel meat. That's mostly beside the point. I think this chap came from a poor family and ate squirrel meat that they hunted themselves, when they weren't able to feed themselves from a grocery store.

Vegetarianism aside for a moment, I don't think I could eat squirrels for their cuteness factor alone. To me, eating a squirrel wouldn't be that far off from eating a cat or dog. And while I know a lot of people will disagree with me on that point, I think the fact that squirrels come from the rodent family is enough to turn off a lot of Americans from eating the furry little guys.

The British, however, have stronger stomachs than Americans. They are not above eating their share of rodents. And it seems that eating squirrel is becoming an act of patriotism.

What I mean is that the British are trying to save their darling species of Red Squirrel... by culling the invading North American Gray Squirrel species. Apparently, the Gray Squirrels carry diseases harmful to the Red Squirrels in addition to destroying their natural habit and eating more than their fair share of the food supply. So, the people have stepped in on this turf war in support of the Reds. And suddenly, it is trendy, lest forget Patriotic, to eat the pesky Grays.

I am curious to see if this is just media hype, a temporary trend, or an eating habit that will actually gain in popularity. Only time will tell.

{Image Source: NYT}

Adventure in Parsnips

2009-02-08T11:27:00.004-06:00

The parsnip is not a vegetable that made a common appearance in my household growing up. In fact, I can't remember a time when we ate parsnips at home. Maybe I had parsnips when we went to grandma's for dinner, inside a stew perhaps. During a visit with cousins in England nearly two years ago, I found myself eating--and thoroughly enjoying--parsnip "fries".

Sometime during the chewing of tasty parsnip fries, I think I told myself that this was a vegetable I needed to eat more. Back in the States, however, I did not encounter parsnips in my regular grocery store haunts. Whether they were truly non-existent or I simply did not look well enough could be a point of discussion. However, it may be a moot point, since I did pick up some parsnips on my latest trip to the grocery store.

There were some potatoes on hand that I needed to use up, so I decided that they could share the spotlight and mash together with parsnips. I cooked the parsnips and potatoes together, and mashed them into a good consistency. Surprisingly, the flavor of the parsnips took over the dish. I only used a couple parsnips and six medium sized potatoes. Luckily, the mash was to accompany another strong flavor, Buffalo Tofu Triangles. If it had been anything else, the parsnips would have definitely stolen all of the attention.

While I do like to try new foods and am an advocate of getting variety in one's diet, I am a stubborn lover of mashed potatoes who will be not be tainting my mash with parsnip again. Perhaps next time I should try homemade parsnip fries next time, because I'll at least have a better idea of what I'm getting myself into!

Food News Roundup

2009-02-05T17:27:00.004-06:00

I've seen a lot of food-related things in the news lately (or maybe I've just been paying attention to it more?). Either way, here are some fun, some serious, mostly random links for you to catch up on your food-related news reading:

Salmonella-tainted Peanut Goo If you haven't heard enough about this yet.
Maple Syrup Smells Invades NYC Amazed that people knew who to call to file a complaint. And amazed that their comments were not only documented, but also acted upon.
Food Legislation waiting for Obama Support Sad that it takes such a public cock-up to get people to pay attention to food safety.
Girl Scout Cookie-Pushing Ethics
Go Red Day Okay, so this article isn't really food-related itself, but it's a timely reminder of a good cause that actually does have a lot to do with the food we eat.
Starbucks Value Meals? Article should really be titled something to the likes of "McCafe Packs the Heat [for Starbucks]"
Trashing the Fridge Interesting approach to living a "greener" lifestyle.

More farmers' market goodness!

2009-01-31T11:57:00.000-06:00

I visited Houston's Midtown Farmer's Market (MFM) today. It is a lot smaller than my usual Farmer's Market. Since knew that I'd be able to find the few things on my list that week at MFM, I decided to go for a change of routine.

Soon after arriving, I thought it had been a bad decision to go to MFM when I discovered there had apparently been a run on mozzarella cheese earlier in the morning. The Dairymaids' stash of mozzarella had already been exhausted and it was one of only two things that I was in search for! Who knew that 18 pounds of mozzarella could disappear in only a few brief hours. The Dairymaids' Hoja Santa tempted me with its smoothness that carried a subtle kick to it. I had been on a mission to procure cheese for lasagna, however, and settled for a cave Gruyere that had a better Italian fake ID.

Next, I went to find eggs. Alas, I found a bunch of empty egg palates at a table that was being cleared. Luckily for me, the vendor at the table next to this one asked what I was looking for and also had what I needed! Luck was turning around! While her neighboring farmer had indeed been cleared out of eggs, she had one last dozen. One of the eggs was actually broken, so she gave me a discount that sounded pretty good.

As I began to head out, I was distracted by the most ugly sweet potatoes that ever existed. Perhaps I was suckered in by the friendly charm of the weathered-looking farmer who convinced me to "just come take a look." I decided to buy two of the ugly sweet potatoes and he gave me a free white sweet potato and bunch of baby bok choi for free, so it ended up being a good deal for me.

All in all, I spent only $12 for a decent amount of yummy goodness! While Farmers' Markets are not always as convenient or consistent as your big box grocery store, they are fun and good deals can certainly be found.

Midtown Farmers Market
Utility Research Garden (ugly sweet potatoes)
Houston Dairymaids (Gruyere)

Will the Obamas grow a Whitehouse Victory Garden?

2009-01-29T02:06:00.000-06:00

I love the idea of a Victory Garden at the Whitehouse. Therefore, I find it exciting to see that growing an organic Victory Garden at the Whitehouse was the winning entry for ideas at On Day One! (On Day One is a project to collect ideas on how to improve America's image in the world.) We will see if the Obamas will follow in the footsteps of the Roosevelts.

In addition to simply promoting edible home gardening to the American public, the Victory Garden would put focus on both nutrition and food security. These are definitely topics that America could benefit from focusing.

Rather than make this a rant, I'll simply suggest that you read some of the links below for more information!

{image from Eat the View}

Gong hei fat choi!

2009-01-25T21:41:00.004-06:00

Happy New Year for those of you who celebrate the lunar new year event!

In preparation for the holiday, I spent this weekend attempting to clean my apartment. While there were good intentions, my lack of enthusiasm got the best of me, and I don't have much to show for my work. I do confess, however, that I am not terribly surprised that I didn't get around to all the cleaning I had planned. On the other hand, I did surprise myself a little by not getting to the dumpling-making that I had planned. I thought it would have been fun to make some New Year's foods from scratch, and dumplings are both fun and relatively easy to make.

There is a positive side to my lazy behavior; I realized that by dining out for Chinese New Year I won't have to worry about rushing home from work early, plus I'll have a wider arrangement of yummy things to eat!

This got me thinking about holidays and eating out.. It's interesting to note that there are certain holidays and occasions where it is more appropriate to prepare a feast at home, while on other occasions of equal importance, it is perfectly acceptable to find that feast at a restaurant. Though I'm sure it's not the case for everyone, my family has always considered Chinese New Year to be an appropriate time to eat out. Going out for a Christmas dinner, on the other hand, would feel a bit strange.

The majority of New Year events in Houston seem to be next weekend (or are even in February). While I understand that celebrations can last the whole month, I find the lack of happenings on the actual New Year's day a bit unusual. Luckily for me, I'm actually rather content to mark the occasion of new year's day with food alone. You will find me feasting out and about in Houston at dinnertime tomorrow!

Rainbow Cake Fabulousness

2009-01-23T18:11:00.005-06:00

Wow, am I the last person on the planet to discover Rainbow Cake? This is serious food pr0n; I want to lick my monitor!

Check out the beautifully illustrated photo instructions here.

{via The Kitchn}

Yummy NPR Sound Bites

2009-01-22T15:48:00.008-06:00

While getting ready for work this morning, I was tickled to hear an interview with Mark Bittman. Without making a vegetarian diet sound like an uberfreaky or drastic lifestyle choice to the average American, I think Bittman did a good job of promoting eating less meat... save for the part where he encouraged topping oatmeal with soy sauce and scallions. I think it actually does take courage to attempt making that for breakfast.

My takeaways from the interview:

What we eat impacts not only our own health, but also can adversely affect the environment;
Making small changes to what we eat has positive side effects on our bodies and can even help reverse some of the damage we've done to ourselves ;
It is not rocket science to eat well and eat healthily;
Even small changes make a difference!

Ode to Alton

2009-01-17T21:23:00.003-06:00

This weekend turned into somewhat of an ode to Alton Brown. Earlier in the week, Alton whet my appetite for cookies in Good Eats episode "Chips for Sister Marsha". For the remainder of the work week, the thought of homemade cookies occupied more space in my mind than I care to admit. When the weekend finally arrived, I knew it was time to do something about it.

Naturally, my initial thought was to make the Chewy. After reviewing the recipe, however, I still had wanderlust to find a cookie recipe that called my name.

Flipping through old pages of recipe notes, I did find the cookie I was looking for. It was scribbled on the back of an envelope, with no name, no source, and not even a cooking time. But it sure sounded tasty!

In addition to good ole chocolate chips, this recipe called for pecans and finely chopped milk chocolate. What a delightful combination. I crushed the pecans as finely as the milk chocolate, and the two of them combine like enjoyable and serene background music in a movie. In other words, they combine to create something delicious in the background of the smorgasboard of chocolate chips. You notice them if your senses are on guard, and the rest of the time, you simply enjoy them with a satisfied smile and contented belly.

Close up of the results:

Since Alton inspired the cookie-making and was later shamed by me not following his recipe, I decided to increase my AB fan points by making his Southern Biscuits.

These biscuits are buttery, soft in the middle, and with just the right amount of golden crispiness on the top. My only complaint is that the recipe said to use a 2-inch biscuit cutter. Biscuits of a 2-inch diameter don't sound like they're that small, but they turned out much smaller than I envisioned before cutting shapes out from the dough! You can almost pop a whole biscuit in your mouth at one time. And even if you bite into a polite sized mouthful of biscuity goodness, you'll want to go back for more than your fair share. Morale of the story: bigger = better in biscuitland.

= before

after =

Aren't they gorgeous!!

Making it a Yummy 2009

2009-01-15T20:23:00.006-06:00

Whether you call it making resolutions or setting goals, your new year's planning is likely to include intentions to improve your health or finances in 2009. (See the government's list of popular New Year's resolutions).

Since this is that time in January where resolutions start to fall through the cracks, here are my yummy suggestions to help you get re-motivated about working on some of those food-related goals!

Goal: Eat local.
There are many reasons that "eating local" is a good thing. By shopping at your local farmer's market or CSA, you often get fresher food at better prices than the grocery store. Additionally, it's fun to get in touch with eating seasonally-available produce and learning about where your food comes from. I enjoy seeing photos of the chickens that produce the eggs that the farmer just picked up the morning that I purchased them from him. And getting to pet a baby goat from the local goat cheese vendor really helps you think about how food gets on your plate. That brings me to another benefit of eating locally produced goods: reducing the your environmental impact. By eating local, you may be helping reduce your carbon footprint on the planet!

p.s. I discovered another side benefit of eating locally is that your favorite produce is often still available when it has been recalled at the megamarts. Since the agribusiness vendors that have been dropping the ball on food safety lately in their quest to make money, it's good to have a food source you can trust. I was thrilled to be able to enjoy spinach and tomatoes free of salmonella and e coli when much of the country was missing out.

10 Steps to Becoming a Locavore
100 Mile Harvest - A Houston Family's Year-long Adventures in Eating Locally
Local Harvest - Great Locavore Resources
Climate Impacts of Food Choices in the US - Research based article for those of you who like science & stuff

Goal: Eat less to eat better.
This is of the same philosophy as Michael Pollan's "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." If you didn't catch this mantraback in 2007, now may be a good time to pay attention. Some benefits of eating less are obvious. For example, less money spent on groceries can lead to more money in your bank account and fewer calories in your belly can lead to a smaller pant size. This can also help you simplify your life. Think about the produce you throw out because it rots in your fridge. Think about what your great grandmother would say about the lengthy ingredients lists on some of the junk food in your pantry. By eating (and purchasing) less, you are likely to see positive effects on your wallet as well as mental & physical health.

An Omnivore's Dilemma - Buy or borrow this book!
Eat less food: save money, be healthier, and feel just as satisfied (or more so!)
Eating Well for Less - Get Rich Slowly has more great ideas on this subject!
Slow Food USA - This could go under the "eat local" section, too.
Eat Less, Save the World! - 'Nuff Said!

Goal: Bring your lunch to work
This one may sound obvious, but if you haven't already started doing this, maybe you haven't done the numbers. If you're one of those people who subscribes to the philosophy of "must eat out with others to build my career", consider reducing the number of times you eat out. Alternatively, see if others in your lunch circle are interested in brown-bagging it from time to time. You may be surprised at who is also trying to be savvy with their lunch money in your office.

For starters, check out this Lunch Savings Calculator. While it assumes you're currently purchasing your lunch every day, it still provides useful information on how much you can save by packing lunch and earning interest on the difference over time.

Also, visit The No-Excuses Guide.

Vegan Lunchbox - You don't have to be vegan to enjoy the amount of fun that can be packed in a box lunch.
15 Fresh Brown Bag Lunch Ideas
52 Tips for Bringing Lunch to Work - My own tips are to buy a lunch bag or box that you love so that packing your lunch will be fun. Also, pack it the night before if you're one who is always scrambling in the mornings!

Goal: Plan your meals
For some of you, this may already go without saying. Planning your meals is a great way to save. You can save money by taking advantage of weekly specials, reducing food waste, and from eating out because you didn't know what to bring. You can also save time deciding on what to eat throughout the week, which can be a stressful task.

Since others have said it better, I'll let the experts do most of the talking for this one...

15 Reasons for Menu Planning
From one of my favorite blogs, Creating a Weekly Meal Plan
6 Menu Planning Websites - I can't personally vouch for these websites found in Real Simple, I know people who swear by these types of services

Goal: Learn to cook
Chances are you'll save money by learning the basics of cooking and relying less on eating out. I actually prefer eating at home most of the time. Not only because I am trying to spend less at restaurants, but because I like what I make more than I like a lot of restaurant food. I find restaurant food to be lower quality than what I would get at home. It's often too salty for my palate or just too fatty, even if my taste buds enjoy it. Plus, I don't have to calculate a tip!

If you know nothing about cooking, I suggest asking a friend to help out and getting your hands on a reliable cookbook like How to Cook Everything. Also, don't be afraid of making mistakes. They can be half the fun (plus you'll learn what not to do, which is just as important)!

Post Punk Kitchen - Watch demonstrations online and check out their yummy recipes, too
Cooking for Engineers - Their tagline says it all: "Have an analytical mind? Like to cook? This is the site to read!
Alton Brown! - AB is a culinary idol. You will not be more entertained while learning about food than by watching Good Eats.

Farmer's Market Booty

2009-01-11T21:56:00.003-06:00

Yesterday's trip to the farmer's market was a rewarding adventure. While I don't have a large bounty, I think the small purchases made are packed full of punch.

On my last trip to the farmer's market, I was disappointed that my usual honey vendor was absent. There is another booth that sells honey, but it's not to my tastes or budget. I went to two other farmer's markets that day in hopes that my honey would be found somewhere, but to no avail. At the sight of the Reed Family Honey booth at the farmer's market, I filled with excitement. And that excitement led me to come home with a 3 pound jar of honey! In the past, I could buy a 1 pound jar, and that would easily last months. Now, I must find things to make with honey since I'm loaded with the sweet stuff.

The other exciting, though very unplanned, purchase were some sweet grapefruits. I forget the name the farmer told me--it was something like Sweet Lemonade Grapefruit, but I can't find any evidence of a grapefruit with that name on the Internet. Regardless of what you call them, they are delicious. Biting into one tastes like eating lemonade. They are slightly sweet, with just the right amount of citrus-y sourness that is enjoyable in lemonade. And these guys are gigantic! It's hard to see from the picture, but these guys are each the size of two fists together. Luckily for you, bigger = better in this case, because you'll want to keep eating them. I'm generally not a huge fan of grapefruit, but these could certainly make me a convert.

Hiatus Explained...

2008-12-29T19:29:00.002-06:00

Was away for a cruise for a week, then had a not-fun cold for about a week. Will have cruise food photos *soon* to make up for absence!

Restaurant Review: Beaver's!

2008-12-14T19:32:00.000-06:00

I had driven past Beaver's on a couple different occasions of exploring unfamiliar streets in my general vicinity. Randomly, this venue's name popped into my head when being asked by a friend about what to do on a certain Friday night this December.

A quick search of their internet revealed a fun website that made the place look more like a "bar with food" than a standard restaurant. This impression was wrong, however. Upon dining [and drinking] at Beaver's, I would say a more accurate description of the place is "Hipster barbeque joint with a solid bar menu". If the cute animal silhouettes on the wall, modern (yet wood-sy) decor, and fun names of menu items weren't enough to assure you, Bar patrons dressed for an 80s prom night (as well as one or two in animal costumes) definitely convince you that Beaver's is a fun place to be. Oh, and they make their drinks strong!

While I didn't fall in love with the Rosemary Rickey that our waitress had recommended to me, the option for ordering a "mystery beer" made it an adventure to go up to the bar. For only $2.75, you can order a Mystery Beer. In return, you will receive a top-shelf beer selection of the bartender's choosing. We got to try some new beers at bargain prices. How can that be a bad thing?

For the most part, the group loved the food. As a vegetarian, I had few options--I was underwhelmed with the Macaroni and Cheese and just plain not impressed with the Vegan Chili. The Macaroni and Cheese clearly took time to bake in the oven and had been labored over. The sauce, however, was too runny and it lacked the necessary amounts of cheesy goodness required in "From-Scratch" Mac & Cheese (except for the cheesy crust baked on top). The Vegan Chili was just plain unoriginal. It tasted like an unfinished work of art. By that, I mean it was enjoyable enough and had potential, yet was missing some flavors and necessary oomph. Plus, I have a bias against mushrooms, which were not a fun surprise to discover amidst black beans.

Two of the boys got the Pit Boss Chickwich and raved about it for several days. Even the coleslaw was good! Though some would simply call it a Chicken Sandwich, the Pit Boss is hearty enough to give you the meat sweats, but thoroughly enjoyable at the same time.

So, would I return? I would love to return for happy hour to sample more of their inventive drinks (like Smokey Julep & Blood Orange Sour) or to bring some meat-loving out-of-town visitors. You will like this place if you enjoy good [Texas] barbeque, want a fun & casual place to eat good food, or have a thing for beavers (and who doesn't like beavers??!!).

Ode to Milo

2008-12-12T19:40:00.003-06:00

Though you sit in my cupboard,
untouched for days on end,
whenever we meet, you make me happy again.

You expired years ago,
but now your shelf life is truly done,
and chocolate energy drinks won't be as fun.

<3 Tea

2008-12-10T21:24:00.007-06:00

Among many other qualities that I adore, one of the things J has starting doing for me lately is making tea for me in the mornings. I'm not a morning person, and the last few weeks (months?) have been especially bad. I'm not sure if I've just been more sleepy or simply less enthused to go to work. Either way, having a ready cup of tea in my travel mug really helps get me start the day in a more cheerful way!

Since it is actually snowing in Houston this evening (if you can even call it snow...), J decided that we should have tea tonight. What a fantastic idea! He pulled out all the stops for me and we even had tea of the loose-leaf variety! As I enjoy this delicious minty brew, I just think back on how we've come a long way in our relationship, beverage-wise.

J comes from a household where tea is served iced (and sugared) and coffee is the hot drink of choice. My childhood was pretty much the opposite in that we drank plenty of tea (only hot, and never sweetened) and coffee was only for guests. To get him to be a purveyor of tea seems like we've gone leaps and bounds from our initial encounter!

If you're not a big fan of hot tea, might I suggest sampling a different variety than what you've previously tried? Herbal teas (technically, "infusions") are a great place to start. And I minty or fruity teas are great "starter teas", too.

Of late, our "mutual favorite" teas come from the Tea Spot. We pick it up locally at the grocery store (I've seen it at Whole Foods and Central Market). I've given it as gifts, and I truly believe it is part of the equation that factored into turning J into a [hot] tea drinker. It's that good!

Time to check if there's any more tea in the pot.. I hope to have a 5th cup today!

Wishlists and such.

2008-12-03T21:55:00.003-06:00

1L Stainless Steel water bottle
Reusable Grocery Bags
Pocket Cutlery
And books.. several about food.

Sigh.

Pardoning the Turkey

2008-11-09T22:50:00.005-06:00

It was nice to see a Vegetarian Thanksgiving menu in the latest issue of Gourmet magazine's feature on menu planning for the holiday.

While a turkey may have become a recent staple of Thanksgiving tradition, there are lots of yummy and seasonal items to be served to have a vegetarian holiday. To have a "mainstream" magazine feature a vegetarian rendition of the holiday meal may not be a monumental occasion, but is certainly a sign that the vegetarian diet is becoming more commonplace and accepted by the American public-at-large.

And while there was only one "Vegetarian" menu in the magazine, I saw many vegetarian dishes that sounded great on the "regular" Thanksgiving menus, too. To name just a few of those items, see Butternut Squash Soup, Date, Goat Cheese & Mesclun Salad, or Maple Squash Puree.

Grr..

2008-10-29T20:35:00.003-05:00

Why is it that some caterers think an acceptable vegetarian meal is formed by simply removing the meat option from the plate? Even if the meat wasn't literally on the plate, I don't know any vegetarians that are going to get excited about eating the "sides dishes". And doubling the amount of "side veggies" served does not increase the excitement about eating it.

The last two banquets that I've been to at hotels have simply served the predominant meat-centered dish without the meat for the "vegetarian alternative". The fact that they didn't even do a great job with cooking the vegetables makes it even worse. If you're a caterer/restaurant owner/cook who thinks this is an acceptable way of feeding vegetarians, the least you could do is ensure the veggies are cooked right. Adding salt and/or fat (butter/margarine/whatever) does not make overcooked & slimy vegetables more appetizing.

Please don't insult my taste buds by trying to serve that crap and calling it "vegetarian". And please don't insult my financial savvy by try to pass it as a meal worth paying more than the cost of frozen veggies at the grocery store. And, for the hard-working chefs who actually do have talent in terms of cooking, please don't kid yourself into thinking your food is notable because some fool made the mistake of letting you into a kitchen.

Fruit Cake

2008-10-25T22:04:00.003-05:00

Thinking of making a fruitcake this year, but a little scared about the aging process going wrong. I am not a fan of wasting food and would be further annoyed because the ingredients to make a fruit cake ain't cheap.

I'll ponder a bit more and will certainly let you know if I'm brave enough to step up to the challenge.

Internet Foodie Link

2008-10-25T13:05:00.001-05:00

I just discovered Chow.com's "The Ten". Don't know how I only just found out about this. Fun lists of food-related tid bits.

Knead Practice!

2008-04-12T16:57:00.004-05:00

To my dismay, I haven't had much success as a baker recently. Much of the blame can be attributed toward my stubbornness that leads me to believe I can get away without using a recipe, even when I'm dealing with chemical reactions of trying to get foodstuffs to rise.

My recent crumpet experiment did not turn out horribly, though I can't really say that crumpets were the actual end-product of the baking event.

And what is a crumpet you ask? The simplest way to describe it is as the bread product that would result if an English muffin and a regular ol' pancake were to get together one night and produce offspring. The crumpet inherits its dense holey goodness from its English side, and its soft & flat characteristics from its pancake side. And from both its parents, the crumpet gets its desire to be topped with additional yummy goodness and served at breakfast, or just about any other time of day.

So anyway, I think I killed the yeast in soymilk that was too warm, but I didn't want to waste the liquid, so I went on with the experiment. What resulted is a product that was a bit too dense and chewy, without the lovely holes that are the perfect crevices for such substances like butter.

Luckily they tasted okay, crumpets or not. They were all gone by the morning, eaten mostly underneath jam piles and in the form of "mini pizzas" and breakfast sandwiches. I can't decide if I want to try again or attempt a different dough-product first, but I will certainly post when I make something that resembles a crumpet a little more closely.

And while I obviously did not master the task, I'll post my recipe for those who want to have a go at it yourselves!

Ingredients:
1 c. soymilk
2 tsp. yeast
1 tsp. brown sugar
1 c. plain flour
2 T. gluten
1 tsp. salt

Directions:
Warm the soymilk, then mix in yeast and brown sugar. Let this sit for a couple minutes to let the yeast do its thing. Sift the remaining ingredients together, then add the liquid and stir well. Let the batter sit in a warm place for about an hour.

After resting, spoon the mixture onto a preheated pan into 3-4 inch circles. Let cook on low for about 10 minutes. Bubbles should form and the top will appear holey. For the last minute or so, flip your crumpets so the other side can turn golden.

Crumpet Wiki
Crumpet History

Grill Time

2008-04-12T16:29:00.005-05:00

Some people believe that vegetarians have no reason to own a grill. This is an unfortunate misconception, because there are many delicious vegetarian foods that are barbeque-compatible.

There are the more obvious grillable vegetarian items: veggie burgers, veggie dogs, and veggie kebabs/skewers. But many people overlook the grilling potential of the quintessential vegetarian food item, itself: tofu.

As a nice beginning to the summer barbeque season, I had the chance to enjoy some grilled tofu this week. It was bathed in a spicy soy marinade, which made it nice and juicy on the inside, while slightly crispy with grill marks on the outside. Yay for summer eating!

Vegetable Grilling 101
A Vegetarian Barbeque Menu, Italian Style
Fourth of July Vegan Barbeque

Nerdy Confession

2008-04-08T20:46:00.006-05:00

I am lucky in the sense that I get to eat out on my company's dollar pretty often. When we go to a nice restaurant, the nerd inside me wants to take photos of the food. The sad part is that at the same time, I am conflicted about taking photos of food in front of my coworkers--I don't want to look like some weirdo who has never eaten at a restaurant before. Or like someone who has a strange and unhealthy obsession with food. That certainly wouldn't go over with this crowd.

For these reasons, I tend not to take photos of some of my culinary adventures, and I have to apologize for not having as many beautiful photos of dining out experiences as I'd like to. In addition to being slightly sad about not being able to fulfill my own desire of taking photos of pretty food, I have a guilt for not being able to take photos for my Random Yummies audience. I wish I could share some of those experiences with you!

In lieu of a photograph of a lovely combination of sorbets that I enjoyed at a lunch on Monday, I drew you a picture! The flavors are lime, mango, and a Mexican berry whose name I don't remember. Delicioso!

Everyday Indulgences

2008-03-30T16:01:00.006-05:00

Olive Oil is something on which I've become quite reliant over the past few years. I am not sure when exactly this near-addiction began, but I do know that my friends think I use absurd amounts of the stuff. Olive oil is quite literally an everyday indulgence for me.

One of the most embarrassing moments in the history of my olive oil addiction took place at an Italian restaurant with some friends. This was the kind of restaurant where a bottle of olive oil is placed in the middle of the table--alongside some herb mixture and grated parmasan cheese, for you to pour onto your bread plate--for dipping pleasure. Our table's bottle was near the end of its life, with only a quarter to a half cup remaining. I soak up more than my fair share of olive oil with bread and was of course thrilled that our server brought a replacement bottle!

I don't remember what my main dish was, but I do remember the looks on my friends' faces when I poured olive oil all over my food in a manner that others typically reserve for pouring maple syrup on pancakes or waffles. These friends then proceeded to make comments about how they thought I deserve to be much fatter for my [over] consumption of Olive Oil. They might be right, or they might be jealous. I'd like to believe the latter.

And my love of the golden juice is not limited to consumption in food. I have been known to use it as a moisturizer and have tried it as an ingredient to several other homemade health/beauty "remedies".

After hearing that Olive Oil Gelato was on the menu at Mario Batali's Otto, I knew this was something that I had to try. While this might not sound very appetizer to lesser fans of Olive Oil, I'm sure you can tell that I was up for the challenge!

I was looking forward to sampling other items from the "authentic Italian, with a trendy NYC Twist" menu, but couldn't really get my mind off dessert during the courses leading up to it. The antipasti were delicious teasers, and I enjoyed the stone oven baked Quattro Formaggio Pizza more than I expected, but the Olive Oil Gelato really is what made the visit most worthwhile!

I tried the Olive Oil Coppetta, which was Olive Oil Gelato served with Sorbets of Blood Orange and Tangerine, a side of Candied Kumquats, and a Fennel Wafer. The olive oil taste was subtle, but was complemented well by the Fennel Wafer and light sprinkle of sea salt. I liked the candied kumquats and tangy fruit sorbets, but they were a little overpowering for my palette that was searching for the flavor of olive oil.

Overall, I give the Olive Oil Gelato at Otto Pizzeria Three Forks Up (or in this case, Spoons Up). If you get the chance to try it, I think you'll be surprised at how delicious it is and how well it pleases the different sense regions on your taste buds.

Next time I'm at Otto, I will definitely be ordering the Olive Oil Gelato, sans coppetta. I may even get a pint to take home!

Foodie Blogroll

2008-03-24T20:37:00.003-05:00

I kept coming across blogs I really liked and realized a pattern; many of them were listed on the Foodie Blogroll. Aspiring to join their ranks, I applied and am now a member!

Random Yummies is about my random adventures in eating & all things food related. I'm Moxie.. someone who never skips breakfast and frequently plans travel around the food. I live with J, my partner in crime. We don't always have the same tastes in food, but they do say opposites attract.

Welcome to any new viewers from the Foodie Blogroll!

Bunny Day!

2008-03-23T10:44:00.002-05:00

I discovered these gems on a random trip to Target. And I could not resist...

I'm not a big fan of candy bars. Some nice dark chocolate wins over a Snickers or a Hershey's bar any day. But Kit Kats have a little place in my heart, for some reason. I've placed orders for varieties of Kit Kats not available in the US when family members traveled overseas. I really like the Tiramisu Kit Kat and Kit Kat Chunky, but have many more flavors still to try! (The ones I'm most keen on finding are: Cherry Blossom, Noissette, and Strawberry).

These bunnies were fantastic and fun! Lucky for me J was trying to be healthy and I got to eat his share of bunnies, too!

And did you know that Kit Kats have been around since 1931? These little treats are older than some of my grandparents!

Pastah Disastah

2008-03-21T09:49:00.001-05:00

So, I was being a little bit adventurous and decided to try some Angelhair pasta made from rice, rather than the usual wheat or semolina. Rice seemed innocent enough; a lot of Asian noodles are made from rice, and they are quite yummy.

Though I followed the cooking directions on the package precisely, the pasta turned out terribly. It was not very enjoyable to eat, and after sampling, I had to convince J to have a small serving for dinner so we wouldn't have to toss it all out.

When it was not quite al-dente, the Rice Angelhair tasted like uncooked rice. Thirty seconds later, it tasted like mushy rice (in a bad way). It was very glutinous, sticky, and the noodles wanted to break apart into hundreds of tiny pieces. This was not very conducive for tossing with sauce.. or eating.

I felt bad wasting so much, so I loaded it lots of tomato sauce, and more freshly cracked pepper and parmesan cheese than usual so that I could disguise the taste of the pasta itself. This is not one of my proudest cooking moments, but it's a lesson learned. I'm glad I only bought one box, as I certainly don't plan to buy this type of Rice pasta again!

Bánh Mì

2008-03-14T21:15:00.009-05:00

While being relatively familiar with several kinds of Asian foods, Vietnamese is a cuisine that I have not had very much experience eating. To my good fortune, I got to sample some bánh mì--Vietnamese sandwiches--at a work function a few months ago.

A tofu sandwich may not sound that exciting to many people, but those people are missing out if they haven't tried Tofu Bánh Mì!

This sandwich packs incredible amounts of flavor and is unlike the usual suspects you'll find in the traditional American sandwich shop. I probably would never have thought to put carrots or cilantro (coriander) on a sandwich, but this combination worked really well for "sandwich greenery" (along with cucumber slices). The slight crunch of the carrots and cucumber added good bite. As a big fan/infrequent chomper of cilantro, I especially appreciated the robust flavor of the herb.

The sandwich is both tangy and sweet. I'm not a big fan of mayonnaise, but on this sandwich it's mixed with some vinegar and sugar. These flavors go well with the tofu and greenery and really help bring the sandwich together.

And did I mention the baguette? This hardy French bread is certainly a nice change from the flavor- & personality-deprived bread that has somehow become the standard for bread in this country. But the best part about bánh mì (apart from the incredible yumminess, of course), is the price... When I scouted out my own bánh mì, I only made a dent of $2.50! Bánh mì certainly beats the unsatisfying and overpriced sandwiches from those chain joints.

So, if you have never tried bánh mì, the morale of the story is to track down the nearest Vietnamese joint and taste it for yourself. Not only are you likely to find a great food bargain, you will you give your tastebuds some excitement.

Long time no post...

2008-03-09T18:58:00.011-05:00

“Tofu-lo Wings” were a big hit. I used container’s worth of tofu (which is 1 pound), and I’ve never seen tofu be devoured so quickly. Next time I will try to bake them in the oven so they don’t have to go swimming in oil. They were nice and crispy on the outside, and were soft yet chewy on the inside. And the flavor of buffalo goodness was good enough to satisfy any craving.

Perhaps next time I’ll be brave and try some Blue “Cheese” to go along with it. I’m a little weary of vegan cheese recipes. They often sound better than they taste. The Tofu-lo Wings were tasty enough to not need an accompaniment, but most snack foods are better with a partner in crime for dipping!

Tofu-lo Wings

Ingredients:
1 lb. Extra Firm Tofu
Canola oil (or other vegetable oil), for frying

Marinade
1/4 c. vegetable broth
4 T. hot sauce
1 T. olive oil
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. cayenne pepper

Sauce
1/4 c. hot sauce
1 T. buttery spread, melted

Method:
Mix all ingredients together for marinade. Slice tofu into strips about 1/4 inch thick and squeeze/press out liquid. Freeze tofu strips in marinade overnight.

When you're ready to cook your tofu, remember to take it out of the freezer a couple hours in advance. When defrosted, carefully squeeze excess marinade from the tofu. It should still be a pleasant orangish-pink color.

Heat oil in a pan to medium, and place your tofu in carefully. Especially if there is still some water in the tofu, the oil will splatter when you place the tofu in the pan. Cook for 3-4 minutes, or until golden, then turn flip over and cook the other side. Place on a paper towel to drain grease.

Mix together your hot sauce and melted buttery spread. When all your tofu pieces are ready, toss them in the extra sauce. If cooked long enough, they will stay crispy.

Optional: Serve with celery and dipping sauces.
Not Optional: Enjoy!

Extra-Ordinary Juice!

2008-02-26T21:08:00.007-06:00

I've recently discovered that freshly juiced oranges are way tastier than freshly squeezed oranges. I have one of those fancy juicers that claims to get more juice out than any other contraption of its kind while removing all the pulp and spitting out dollar bills at the same time. It was a gift that I've actually come to enjoy very much, though I would never have thought to buy it myself.

Orange juice is a semi-standing item on my grocery list, so I've not really had the need or desire to juice my own. It has, however, been a few weeks since my fridge has seen a carton and I was starting to crave the substance. Luckily for me, I had a couple Navel oranges, which I decided to put through my juicing machine to help get a quick fix.

The resulting product was something that resembled typical orange juice, except was thoroughly more enjoyable. It was delightfully sweet, but had a somewhat thick and creamy texture that reminded me of a frozen yogurt smoothie. It was also full of bubbles that not only looked pretty, but helped add dimension to a beverage that usually provides for a much less interesting drinking experience. Spoonfuls of the frothy top layer were quite satisfying.

If you have a juicer and have never tried this simple recipe, I do recommend it!

Quick & Easy

2008-02-25T21:49:00.004-06:00

Today is the first day of an 8-week long Fitness Challenge within my office. This has become an annual event for my work team--I think this is the fourth year.

In the spirit of the challenge, I decided to go to the gym today. The goal is to workout at least three times per week for the 8 week period. It seems like there is never enough time in the day for me, especially when I go to work and try to work out at the gym on the same day. Squeezing in a decent dinner on those days can be hard, even though I know it's especially important to refuel when exercising.

Anyway, I looked in the fridge and saw a bunch of leftovers. There was some Swiss cheese J left for me to eat, as well as an opened jar of spaghetti sauce, an open container of baby spinach, and half a loaf of bread.. In my head, it all came together as a "Grilled Leftovers & Cheese" sandwich.

The sandwich was actually toasted (on a non-stick frying pan), and the contents' status as leftovers is questionable, but it did make a tasty sandwich. I realize that a grilled cheese sandwich is almost the antithesis of what one should eat when thinking about health and fitness, so I promise that next time I will use more spinach!

Lemonades

2008-02-23T16:17:00.006-06:00

Yes, that "s" is meant to be there. Feeling a little nostalgic, and also slightly peer-pressured, I was suckered into buying Girl Scout Cookies today. It has been years since I've had the things, and the cuteness of the "Lemonades" caught my eye.

There was only one box of Lemonades left. The Brownie offered me a sample. They were shaped like little slices of lemon. They tasted like a little lemon-y fresh slice of goodness. Having a small taste of the cookie made me a customer! I was left wanting more of this shortbread deliciousness dipped in lemon icing. Who knew first graders could be so strategic with their selling tactics?

Lemonades have only been around since 2007, so that explains part of my curiosity--I had never seen them before. In fact, I don't remember the last time I bought Girl Scout cookies. I do, however, have very fond memories of pigging out on Caramel deLites and Thin Mints in my younger years. I worked at a Girl Scout Summer camp for a few years, and we had a seemingly-endless supply of the cookies back then.

As cute as the cookies are, and as much as I'd like to support troops of Girl Scouts, I have to go into a bit of a rant about these cookies. It seems like an organization that has such great impact on the lives of thousands of girls across the country should be a little more conscientious about the ingredients in their product.

In the days when I would eat scores of cookies without remorse, I had never heard of trans fats. Therefore, it was a bit sad, upon returning home with my newly acquired Lemonades, that I realized they are made with partially hydrogenated oil. One semi-redeeming factor is that they don't contain High Fructose Corn Syrup [like my old favorite "Caramel deLites" cookies]. Would Juliette Low or the creators of "Girl Scout Cookies" approve of today's manufacturing methods?

I think that next time I support the Girl Scouts, I'll let them keep the cookies.

And for fun, here is the original 1922 recipe for Girl Scout Cookies:

1 cup butter, or substitute
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons of milk
2 eggs
1 teaspoon of vanilla
2 cups of flour
2 teaspoons of baking powder
Sugar, for sprinkling on top

Cream butter and the cup of sugar; add well-beaten eggs, then milk, vanilla, flour, salt, and baking powder. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Roll dough, cut into trefoil shapes, and sprinkle sugar on top, if desired. Bake in a quick oven (375°) for approximately 8 to 10 minutes or until the edges begin to brown.

Makes six- to seven-dozen cookies.

Homemade Bread

2008-02-16T15:54:00.007-06:00

For many years, my dad baked bread on a near daily basis. With the help of his trusty bread machine, we had delicious and fresh bread for our daily sandwiches. My dad's whole wheat bread was really soft and tender on the inside, but still had some spring-yness to it. The crust was perfect--crispy, but thin enough to bite into with ease. At lunch, my sandwiches were the envy of my friends, who had no choice but to eat the plain old flavorless store bought white bread their parents procured or -worse- the cafeteria food.

When I went to college, I did not often have the luxury of fresh bread. It was nice to come home occasionally on the weekends and be able to eat my dad's bread. For breakfast, I'd have it was homemade bread with Nutella. For lunch, I'd eat it in jaffel/jaffle-form. It was a treat to be able to go home and enjoy homemade bread.

During my senior year, a good friend of mine started making his own bread. I was roommates with his girlfriend, and we lived across the street from each other therefore we ended up cooking and eating together frequently. It was always fun to go over and make fresh bread together. It would be devoured almost as soon as it came out of the oven.

I have a container of active dry yeast sitting in my fridge, hardly used. Thinking back to the days of my fond homemade bread memories, I decided I needed to make my own bread and put that yeast to use.

My bread was incredibly easy to make. No fancy equipment (i.e. bread machines or KitchenAid stand mixers) required.

Ingredients:
1.5 tsp active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
2 T. honey
1.5 cups Whole Wheat flour
1.5 cups All Purpose flour
2 T. wheat gluten
1.5 tsp. kosher salt
2 T. olive oil

Directions:
Mix the honey and warm water, then add the yeast. Stir until bubbly and yeast is mixed in.

Mix all dry ingredients into a bowl, then add the water-honey-yeast mixture. Next, add the olive oil.

When mixture starts to stick, remove from bowl and knead on a flat surface for up to ten minutes, or until it comes together well.

Place dough ball in a greased bowl (if using the same bowl, you may need to wash first in order to get any remaining dough/flour clumps off the sides). Cover with a tea towel and let sit in a warm spot for about half an hour, or until dough doubles in size.

Once doubled in size, remove dough from bowl and need a few more times, shaping dough into desired form. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, letting dough rest during this time.

When oven is heated, bake your bread for 40 minutes.

Next, enjoy how simple it is to make your own bread and how much more flavor your bread has compared to the store-bought kind.

I think this bread would be great with some Italian herbs for added flavor. Perhaps next time, I'll try being more creative!

Happy Valentine's Day!

2008-02-14T18:34:00.000-06:00

This is the obligatory cupcake post for Valentine's Day. I actually decided against baking my own cupcakes this year due to the fact that most people I work with and otherwise associate myself with are trying to cut back on sweets and other goods that are not-so-good for their waistlines. Fortunately, my lack of baking cupcakes did not mean that I had to go without cupcakes on this February 14th.

While Valentine's Day is associated with so much commercialism in America today (think Hallmark cards, flower deliveries, and mass candy sales), I think there is still some merit to the holiday. I decided to use Valentine's Day to thank some of the people at work who frequently help me accomplish my day-to-day tasks. The four women who I sought Valentine's Day gifts would not appreciate flowers like many women (nor would I appreciate giving flowers, as I can't bear to spend so much money on something that dies in a couple days). Furthermore, they are all adverse to eating candy for reasons ranging from needing to lose weight, needing to monitor sugar, or being diabetic. If both candy and flowers are out, what else is left in terms of choices of Valentine's gifts for coworkers?

In a spur of random thinking, I ended deciding upon a hummingbird feeder and Crystal Light iced tea mix. They are all frequent iced tea drinkers, and Crystal Light seemed to be one of their indulgences for times when they wanted a switch from regular iced tea. The hummingbird feeder was a very unique blown-glass design, and I thought it went with the "sweet without being fattening" theme.

The gift actually went over *really* well with all of them. Not only were they pleasantly surprised to be receiving a Valentine's Day gift at work, they all appreciated both the Crystal Light and the Hummingbird Feeder and thought it was much more thoughtful than getting candy or flowers, which would not have been enjoyed as much. Proof that celebrating Valentine's Day well doesn't have to consist of falling for the usual consumer traps.

Pierogi Experiment

2008-02-09T20:22:00.000-06:00

It's not quite Casimir Pulaski Day yet, but I had had pirogi in the back of my mind for a while and wanted to try my hand at making them from scratch. What are pierogi you ask? Essentially, a pierog is the Polish incarnation of a dumpling. Italians have their ravioli, Chinese have gow (potstickers), and Polish have pierogi. Pierogi are crescent-shaped objects with an outer shell of pasta bursting with things like potatoes and cheese, cabbage, fruit, or meat.

In college, my Polish roommates would frequently cook potato & cheese pierogi. These were the best ones, the claimed. Sometimes they would eat the kraut ones, but neither fruit pierogi nor meat pierogi were deemed "truly Polish" enough for their tastes. The traditional way to cook pierogi, or so they told me, was to pan fry in heaps of butter until slightly golden, then topped with a large dollop of sour cream. (Pierogi are boiled first, but if you purchase the frozen kind, they are generally pre-boiled, so you can go straight to the frying stage.)

So, I wanted to make vegan pierogi. And I didn't have a recipe, so I'd call it an experiment.

Dough:
2 c. All Purpose Flour
3 oz. Silken Tofu (this is half of a standard-size asceptic container)
1 c. water
1 tsp. olive oil
1 tsp. salt

Filling:
Leftover mashed potatoes, pepper
Optional add-ins: Onions, Kraut, Cheeze of your choosing

Instructions:
Mash tofu well with fork. When the consistency is smooth, slowly add half of the flour and mix well. Add salt and olive oil. Continue adding the flour and mixing the batter. Stir in 1/2 cup of water. The mixture should be on its way to becoming a dough ball. If needed, add more water. The dough should be a consistency where it can be kneaded. It should not be sticky. Next, roll the dough out to a thin layer. Cut dough into circles with a cookie cutter or the upside-down rim of a glass.

Place a small spoonful of filling in the center of each dough-circle. Fold the circle in half, and seal the edges of your pierogi.

Next, place your pierogi in pot of boiling water, salted. Small batches work best for this. When the pierogi are ready, they will float to the top and you may fish them out. After removing pierogi from boiling water, dry well, and gently fry in your buttery substance of choice. When golden, enjoy immediately!

Notes:
Make sure you enjoy your filling it its original form--pierogis are not meant to disguise a lack of yummy-ness.
Don't overstuff the pierogi. The pasta may tear, and they won't look as pretty.
Breaking tradition is okay. The next day, I ate leftover pierogi with leftover pasta sauce.

Happy Chinese New Year!

2008-02-07T23:29:00.000-06:00

Going out to eat at a nice Chinese restaurant for the Lunar New Year celebration was a big part of my childhood. Traditionally, we'd go to the same restaurant every year. My grandparents would come along with us, and so would any other relatives who happened to be in town. Sometimes, we'd go with other family friends who celebrated the holiday, but usually it was just an event for our closest family to bond over feasting.

Though many of the things we'd feast on then are things that I no longer eat, I still associate the holiday with eating. I had fond memories of eating things such as Peking Duck and Moo Shu Pork. These were foods generally saved for special occasions in my household.

To my brother and I, who were quite young at the time, there were some things we looked forward to about Chinese New Year more than to the food and the company. Namely, the things my brother and I especially enjoyed were: dining at a particular restaurant Chinese restaurant that was actually an old (permanently docked) boat, the red envelopes (gifts of money!), and best of all was the lion dance. When the lights dimmed and the loud thumping of the drums began, we were both scared and excited! The magnificent creature parading around the restaurant with such rhythm was an incredible sight. When the lion commanded our attention, we were struck with awe. The lion dance was what made Chinese New Year actually Chinese New Year to us.

After living in a series of smaller cities, I was excited this year to be in a place big enough to have an actual Chinese New Year celebration.. with a lion dance! It was also nice to be able to share this part of my childhood with J. This year was hist first time celebrating, and his first time to see the magnificence of a lion dance.

Oh, and since I should mention the food, I had Szechuan Eggplant and Hunan Tofu. A little bit greasier and not quite as spicy as expected, but still quite satisfying. It also made great leftovers!

Ginger Experiment

2008-02-02T21:26:00.000-06:00

Lately, I've found myself buying a small piece of ginger root and having it go bad before I get to use it all. To prevent this from happening in the future, I had the idea to freeze it. By freezing it, I would be able to have access to ginger without having to run to the store or finding that my stash had gone bad. It's probably not a very original idea, but I've never done it before and haven't heard of anyone doing it with ginger, specifically.

Before freezing, I peeled it then minced it to the normal size I use. Then I split it out into sections of an ice cube tray and compressed each "cube" of ginger. I debated whether or not to use a little bit of water to ensure that it would stay in cubes, but decided I would just try it this time without adding the water. So then I covered it in plastic wrap and stuck it in the freezer. Next time I get the urge to use ginger, I'll be prepared!

Not the best picture, but want to illustrate anyhow:

Chocolately Goodness

2008-01-31T20:52:00.000-06:00

It seemed like J had been talking about brownies on a daily basis for the last couple of weeks. With all the talk of brownies in the house, the thought of eating them was beginning to stick with me, too.

Part of the reason it took so long to actually make brownies since first having the idea is because we've been trying to avoid making sweets at home. Yes, I realize that homemade goodies are better than the store bought or commercially made alterntives, but I get (and eat) too many cookies and desserts at work. Many of these sugary goods end up coming home with me, so J's belly gets more than its fair share, too.

Brownies were lingering in our minds for days. Finally, J made some...
It was worth it.

These brownies are super moist. Not so much cakey brownies, but not dry and not very dense, either. It's hard to describe them, except by calling them banana-y, chocolate-y, and delicious!

Super Moist Banana Brownies

Dry Ingredients
3/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. flour
1/3 c. cocoa
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. chocolate chips
Handful of walnuts

Wet Ingredients
1/2 c plain soymilk
2 overripe bananas, mashed
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Mix all of the dry ingredients together, except for the chocolate chips and walnuts. Make a well in the dry mixture, the add the wet ingredients and mix well. When the wet and dry ingredients are mixed together, add the chocolate chips and give one more stir.

Pour brownie mixture into a 9 x 9-inch square pan and sprinkle walnuts on top. Bake brownies at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for around 30 minutes or until done.

As you can see, we only put nuts of half of the brownies (because that's the only way we could agree on it).

Note: Instead of chocolate chips, we actually used half of a bar of vegan dark chocolate that was crushed into small pieces. The dark chocolate was fantastic in the brownie; the pieces melted enough to incorporate into the brownie while giving a bit of resistance that was nice to bite into. The flavor of the dark chocolate also contrasted nicely with the sweeter brownie batter. Whether you use chocolate chips or a crushed chocolate bar, I do recommend using dark chocolate for this added yumminess!

Linguine and Zucchini

2008-01-27T20:32:00.000-06:00

I love leftovers. But even better than plain old leftovers is being able to use leftovers to come up with a completely new creation.

Over the past week, I had been craving pasta, which is basically a staple of my diet. The craving was not helped by going out for Italian food on Wednesday night, and only eating a salad and some risotto. As delicious they were, I left wishing that I had ordered something else.

Luckily, pasta is something incredibly easy to make at home and I was able to finally satisfy the craving this evening. Conveniently, I had some leftovers laying around that I was able to use to create a fabulous pasta dinner.

The Leftovers
*Zucchini is something I did not truly enjoy on or with pasta until the summer of 2005. I spent that summer living in Verona and was exposed to many new tastes that have stuck with me long since leaving. I had some zucchini leftover from Tuesday's dinner that did not look very exciting sitting in the fridge in a container and alone. Luckily for the zucchini and for me, I remembered that it would be a great addition to the night's pasta creation. I chopped it into more convenient bite-sized pieces, and it was ready to go!
*A few days ago, J had opened up a jar of marinara sauce that needed to be finished. I hear that pasta sauce actually shouldn't be kept very long once it's opened, so I was eager to use it up. The only addition made to this sauce was some garlic powder for extra kick.
*We also had some stravecchio cheese left from the Macaroni and Cheese we made on New Year's Eve. This is one of my new favorite cheese. It is hard, pungent, and versatile. I think it is a great cheese for snacking alongside sweet fruit, using in savory dishes, or simply for nibbling alone. J and I were both surprised that the stravecchio had lasted this long (both in terms of us not eating it and in terms of it not being taken over by mold growth) and decided it needed to be consumed without further delay.

The Dish
Whole wheat linguine, with zucchini, a basic tomato sauce, and sprinkled with grated stravecchio cheese. Simple, easy to make, and absolutely satisfying! This is how I like to eat.

Hearty Stew

2008-01-26T13:03:00.000-06:00

Soup is one food that I love and don't make as frequently as I'd like. I love thick and creamy soups as well as flavorful broths and refreshingly cool Summer gazpachos and belly-warming Winter stews. In my opinion, some of the best soups are ones that are healthy enough to be a complete meal. My specialty is lentil soup, which actually is more of a "hearty stew". My lentil soup is thick, chunky, low-fat, and made with heart-healthy veggies, hence the name.

Not only is this Hearty Stew super easy to make, another great thing about it is that you can improvise with whatever ingredients you have on hand. Substitute split peas for lentils. Add whatever veggies you need to use up. Skip the garlic if you don't have it.

Here are the ingredients I used this time:

garlic
onions
celery
carrots
tomatoes
lentils
veggie broth/water

Usually I add ginger and don't use have the celery or veggie broth on hand. You can add potatoes or other veggies, too. See how flexible this recipe can be!

To make Hearty Stew, chop up the veggies you want to use, and sweat the aromatics, then add remaining veggies, liquid, & legumes and cook for 30 minutes or longer, depending on how mushy you like it. If you desire, you can stick it in the blender, but I like the chunks of vegetables. You'll see there is no added fat, so this is a great dish to satisfy any appetite while keeping it healthy.

And a tip for soup-lovers cooking for only one or two: Make a big batch anyway-- then freeze this soup in individual portions. It freezes well, and is a much healthier ready-meal than frozen dinners from the store! You will be happy that you can just reach in your freezer and heat up this soup when you're craving it and won't have to spend time chopping veggies first.

Ants on a Log

2008-01-21T18:21:00.000-06:00

I feel sorry for those adults who didn't learn to eat their veggies as children. This does not mean that I think we all can't dislike some vegetables or must blindly eat whatever is in front of us. Rather, I believe that children who are exposed to a wider variety of foods, especially vegetables, are more likely to build healthy eating habits that last a lifetime.

One healthy snack that I discovered working as a summer camp counselor is Ants on a Log. Though many children [think they] don't like celery, I hardly encountered a child who wouldn't try it served with peanut butter and ~~ants~~ err, raisins. The sweetness from the dried fruit complements the savory peanut butter well, and they work as a great team to help children and adults to better enjoy celery.

I had leftover celery from making soup, so I thought I would reminisce on my summer camp days (and all that sunshine, which we haven't seen much of lately).

Black Beans and Rice

2008-01-18T20:47:00.000-06:00

When I got home from work, it was a nice surprise to find dinner already made! J made a delicious and satisfying version of Black Beans and Rice with Tofurky brand Italian Sausage. The rice was very flavorful, while the beans and sausage added a nice contrast of flavors. Many of my favorite meals and simple ones like this. It's always a bonus when something that tastes as good as this isn't terribly unhealthy, either.

Banchocnut-uffins!

2008-01-16T16:32:00.000-06:00

I like to think of this creation as a treat that is not *completely* unhealthy. Though, I wouldn't go as far to calling it a health food, by any means. It's a great way to use up old bananas or to solve a sweet tooth's craving. If you don't want to eat them all at once (or you want to make a double batch), these muffins freeze and re-heat pretty decently. I just microwave them for a few seconds, and then pretend they just came out of the oven!

Banana Chocolate Chip Walnut Muffins

1 c. all purpose flour
1 c. whole wheat flour
1/4 c. cane sugar
1/4 c. brown sugar
1 T. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 overripe bananas
1/2 T. vanilla
1/2 c. soymilk
2-3 T. canola oil or non-hydrogenated margarine (such as Earth Balance or Soy Garden)
1/2 c. chocolate chips
1/2 c. chopped walnuts

Mix dry ingredients, mash in bananas, then add wet ingredients. Fold in the chocolate chips and nuts.
Fill muffin pan 2/3 full, and bake at 400 degrees Farenheit for about twenty minutes, or until golden.
Makes about 12 muffins or 6 jumbo muffins.

Pizza

2008-01-13T22:16:00.000-06:00

J and I have been experimenting with homemade pizza periodically. Our main challenge is trying to create a pizza dough that we like as much as restaurant-dough. We're not really fussy about how it turns out as long as it tastes good! One would think that it would be easy to find a good dough to make homemade pizza for people who aren't too picky about their pizza, but we've had no such luck!

Our attempts at pizza-making have not been terrible, but the pizza we've made just hasn't been as addictive as restaurant pizza tends to be. I fear that yummy pizza is synonymous for unhealthy & fattening. Next time, I think we'll try all white flour (rather than whole wheat) and see if that turns out any differently from using only whole wheat flour or various mixtures of white and whole wheat.

Spinach and sundried tomato pizza.

Yummy Propaganda!

2008-01-09T22:35:00.001-06:00

This is my favorite (newly discovered) propaganda. It appears to have a goal of getting kids to eat their veggies. And I can't stop listening to it. Seriously. So yummy, so yummy!

Watch this video to be inspired (or perhaps threatened by mild guilt) into eating those veggies that you don't love. Or just to have a laugh and get into the groove.

Lazy Shepherd's Pie

2008-01-07T22:49:00.000-06:00

Everybody has his own way of making Shepherd's Pie. Some say it must be made with lamb; others forbid particular vegetables from, lest their pie be tainted and and be something other than a Shepherd's Pie. And others again say it's not a Shepherd's Pie unless it contains those same vegetables in question. In my opinion, real Shepherd's Pie does not just have a potato "topping", but has a complete "crust" made out of potatoes. [It's not apple pie, if the crust is only on top!] This satisfying dish is easy to make and perfect for cold winter nights when you want to snuggle up under a blanket in front of a fire. And if for some reason you need more convincing to go make a Pie of your own, remember that you can use up some of those leftovers in your fridge to make something new and exciting! Those leftover veggies will thank you for giving them a makeover!

Here is my quick and dirty way of making Shepherd's Pie. It's great for fulfilling cravings for comfort food that is both filling and healthy.

Ingredients:

12 medium potatoes
1/2 cup plain soymilk
16 oz bag of frozen mixed vegetables (must include peas & carrots--must not include broccoli or cauliflower)
12 oz Boca Ground Burger or "ground meat" of your choice
1 small onion
2 cloves garlic
1/8 cup ketchup
Soy Garden or olive oil
salt

Directions:
Boil potatoes until tender. Drain. Add soy milk, dash of salt, and buttery substance of your choosing, then mash until fluffy. Spread out potatoes and pack into a layer on the bottom of a 9x9 inch casserole dish. Build mashed potatoes into a "crust" up sides of dish.

In a separate pan, sautee onions and garlic. When onions are golden, add Boca Ground burger and vegetables, and take off heat. Add tomato ketchup and stir until frozen clumps are broken up. This is the filling.

When no frozen chunks remain and the filling is mixed well, add to pie. Use the remaining mashed potatoes to top the Pie. Pat down potatoes and brush with Soy Garden or olive oil to help a crust form while baking.

Cook in oven for 45 minutes at 350 degrees, or until top is desired crispiness.
Leftover mashed potatoes or vegetables will work just as well! Experiment with your fillings until you find something that calls to you.

Layer of Veggies+Boca Filling, pre-baking.

Crispy! Fresh from the oven!

Ran out of potatoes, so the "pie crust" was a little short.

A Tribute to the General

2008-01-05T11:42:00.000-06:00

General Tso's is a top favorite Chinese dish of both J and mine. I actually have several favorites, but it is a very rare occasion when J does not order General Tso's when we get Chinese food. Because of our love for the dish, we thought it was about time to try to make it ourselves.

We had a lot of the ingredients that I wanted to use, but did have to buy the chili and ginger. I decided that we'd try it without the red pepper and onions this time to make it more simple and to concentrate on the flavors of the sauce.

Though it didn't turn out tasting as much like General Tso's Tofu from a restaurant as I wanted, it was still yummy! I think for next time, a little less soy sauce is needed as well as a little more sugar, chili, and vinegar. With this disclaimer, here is the recipe I created (with changes to use for my next attempt!):

Ingredients:
2 pounds of firm tofu
1 red pepper, sliced
1 small onion, sliced
2 cloves minced garlic
1 Tablespoon minced ginger
4 thinly sliced green onions
4 Thai chili peppers
Cornstarch for dipping
Canola oil for frying

Ingredients for Marinade:
2 Tablespoons minced ginger
4 cloves minced garlic
2 Thai chili peppers, diced
2 cups vegetable stock
4 Tablespoons soy sauce
3 Tablespoons brown sugar
3 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 Tablespoons Sesame Oil
1 Tablespoon cornstarch

Directions:
Slice and drain tofu. Freeze at least overnight.

Mix all ingredients for marinade except cornstarch. Defrost tofu chunks and let soak in marinade for at least 30 minutes. Once ready, drain tofu from marinade and set aside the liquids for sauce.

Dip tofu in cornstarch to lightly coat. Heat Canola oil in a pan and gently place tofu pieces. Fry until crispy.

In a separate pan, gently fry slices of red pepper with minced garlic and ginger. Add marinade mixture, chilies, and half of the green onions. Mix cornstarch with equal amount of cold water and add to marinade, stirring well.Bring to a boil and keep stirring over low heat till sauce thickens.

When tofu is crispy, serve with rice and broccoli. Top with sauce and remaining green onions.

This Ain't Your Grandma's Porridge

2008-01-02T10:32:00.000-06:00

Berry Blue Oatmeal

This delicious concoction of J's reminded me of those delicious blueberry muffins that are soo bad for you. I used to eat them all the time when I was little, and am thrilled at how much the oatmeal tasted just like it. Now there's a healthy way to deal with a craving for something sweet and unhealthy!

Directions:

Add following ingredients to a saucepan and bring to boil:

2 cups rolled oats
3 cups plain soymilk
1 cup water
Dash of salt

Once boiling, reduce heat to medium and cover. Stir periodically if desired.

After about 30 minutes on the stove, add:

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup dried blueberries

Stir and keep on heat for 10 more minutes. Your oats are now ready for enjoyment!

New Year's Eve Feast

2008-01-01T15:26:00.000-06:00

Though we've both said that we want to reduce our dairy consumption, our New Year's Eve feast consisted of an extremely rich and tasty Five Cheese "Macaroni and Cheese." We used whole wheat fusilli mixed with a blend of Australian Cheddar, Fontina val Deosta, Aged Provolone, Grana Padano and topped with crumbled bread and Antigo Stravecchio. Sinfully delicious!

Happy New Year to all! May good food, good friends, and good health be yours in 2008!

Recipe

Ingredients

1 lb fusilli or pasta of choice
1/2 lb grated Australian Cheddar
1/4 lb grated Aged Provolone
1/4 lb grated Grano Padano
1/4 lb grated Fontina val Deosta

For Sauce:
2 T butter
1/4 c. flour
2 c. plain soymilk
1 T. mustard powder
1 T. garlic powder
2 tsp. chili powder
salt and pepper

For Topping:
3 slices of bread
1/4 lb grated Antigo Stravecchio

Directions:
Start by boiling the pasta and grating your cheese.

Next, use the butter and flour to begin a roux. Add the soymilk and desired seasonings and salt and pepper to taste. Stir well.

When pasta is almost al dente, drain and spread into a 3 qt. casserole dish, and add the sauce and first four cheeses. Mix together well. Finally, crumble the bread and sprinkle with the Antigo Stravecchio. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes or until topping is crisp and brown. Enjoy!