"It was a dangerous combination: ignorance and guns," so said a pretty little Cuban girl about the drug wars in Columbia. Which was frighteningly reminiscent of some of the things going on in America today. Things like the extreme animosity and hate toward illegal immigrants (which seems to translate into "Mexicans" these days), and all of the "bad areas" of cities where gangs rule and children are raised by local drug lords. But there was a happy ending to their tragic story, and it gives me hope that there can be happiness someday here... for everybody! At the risk of sounding like a hippie freak: peace, man.
I was watching something on TV that seemed unlikely to be so inspiring. It is called Anthony Bourdain, No Reservations. A sexy older man travels from place to place eating local foods and introducing all of us less lucky homebodies to foods we may have never seen or heard of and can only dream of trying ourselves. In this particular episode, Anthony traveled to Cuba to an area that was once so dangerous you could not walk through the streets. Just a short ten years ago, drugs were king and the people who pushed them were the rule-makers. Many people died, children suffered and were forced to take part in the violence by joining the local gangs or die. Anthony travels to a place that was deemed the Assassin's Cradle. It was so named because that was the place where the kids were taken to be trained for the wars that were tearing the place apart. But now, after ten years of recovery and a group of people who decided enough was enough, Anthony was miraculously allowed to travel to this poor city to join in a roof party.
On the roof is a group of 8 or so boys in gangster looking clothing, all rapping a song in Spanish. There is a large almost flat looking copper dish over a homemade fire simmering with fresh pieces of corn on the cob, meat, and other vegetables. A white chicken named Fredrico is swaying off to the side and they explain that the chicken is drunk. These boys, who were once killers and drug pushers from different gangs are together on a roof and they have actually gotten a chicken drunk so that it would not feel the pain of death. After two more shots, one of the boys says a prayer for God to forgive him and gives thanks to Fredrico before breaking his neck and adding him to the pot. He them explains the dish is made of beef, chicken and pork. And the pork is extra special because he has cut the spinal cord right below the brain and added it, in effect adding the soul of the pig.
I was fascinated and awed by the tough looking boys acting with such kindness toward the meat they were to be eating. It reminded me of something Ghandi said, "you can tell the state of a country by the way they treat their animals." This place had truly made a change and are probably better off than most places in the world.
I can only hope and pray that someday our country might follow in similar footsteps. I feel it should be said that the woman on the show told Anthony that the huge turnaround in their country had a lot to do with giving money to schools; taking kids off the streets and making sure that every single child is educated... take note California. I think it is time for a change.
Friday, August 27, 2010
Friday, June 11, 2010
Bakesale Betty's
Today is Beau's birthday! Happy Birthday Beau!!!
So as a tribute to Beau, I thought I would write about one of those once in a lifetime, little hole in the wall sandwich shops- Bakesale Betty's.
Bakesale Betty's... what can I even say except "yummy!" Beau brought me to this tiny shop one day in the beginning of our whirlwind romance, and I have only been back once since. Not because it isn't fantastic, but because a trip to Bakesale Betty's is quite an affair! The tiny shop has no sign outside, it is strictly popular by word of mouth. When the shop is closed you would walk by and think it was an abandoned building. There are windows covered in graffiti looking, very hard to read menus; if you can even call them menus. It is just written out "Fried Chicken Sandwich" in sloppy Sharpie, and "Strawberry Shortcake". And they is basically the whole menu! The first time I went there I couldn't read the writing on the "menus" and went into a panic when I was shoved inside the doors and realized there is no actual menu on the inside. Only a lot of chaotic workers yelling and throwing together food and customers yelling out their orders. Luckily Beau took charge and ordered for us or I would have froze and surely been trampled by the long line behind me. It is all very "underground".
The shop is open for only a short time during the day and gets the busiest at lunch time. Now, I already told you there is no sign to let you know where it is, so instead look for the ironing boards that are being used at tables and the line that literally snakes its way down the block, at least 4 or 5 shops' length. Jump in the back of the line and you will be led there eventually! If you are one of those people who hates waiting in lines, don't worry you can people watch which is always fun on Telegraph and at intervals the Bakesale Betty's people will come out with cookie samples. If you think you will wait until the line dies down and just come back later, think again. Bakesale Betty's will run out of food quickly and then they just shut down! So suck it up, don't whine and jump in line.
When you start to get closer to the shop with the graffitied pieces of paper taped to the windows, you are almost there. Don't be nervous, they can smell fear. Don't even bother reading the menu, the only thing you need to know is "fried chicken sandwich". And if you have a bit of a sweet tooth or it is strawberry season, the strawberry shortcake is quite a treat! The shortcake portion is more of a scone than a cake, so be prepared for that. Once inside, after all the waiting and daydreaming and anticipating, you may feel a little let down when the transaction is so fast. You yell out what you want, they grab your money and you are handed a bag with your prize and told to shove off. It is a little anticlimactic, I must admit. But now you get to eat! And by now you are starving so this is a very good thing. I highly suggest eating at the ironing boards because it is absolutely hilarious to sit next to all of the people waiting in line while they are drooling over your food. Plus, how often do you eat at an ironing board?
When you open the paper to reveal the treat you have now worked so hard for, again do not be let down by the simplicity and anticlimactic nature of the sandwich. There will be two things on it: fried chicken and cole slaw. The best damn fried chicken and coleslaw you have ever had! The slaw is filled with jalapenos and a very vinegary sauce that compliments the chicken so well you will be eating this sandwich with a big goofy smile on your face. Sometimes simple is much much better and in this case, this simple sandwich is worth the long wait. I am still working on a recipe that comes close to the slaw that is on that sandwich, and once that happens I imagine Beau and I will be eating a lot of these at home. But in the meantime we have Bakesale Betty's!
If ever you are visiting the Bay Area I suggest you make a stop here, but if you live here, forget you know about it. We don't want the line getting any bigger than it has to.
...
A not Bakesale Betty's, but still pretty tasty, fried chicken sandwich
for the slaw:
shredded cabbage
thinly sliced red onion
sliced and seeded jalapenos
chopped cilantro (a lot!)
olive oil
vinegar
a little lemon juice
a little honey
salt
toss all of the dry ingredients together. In a bowl whisk together the wet ingredients until emulsified. Pour over the slaw. It should taste pretty strong of vinegar, but it is all according to your taste of course.
For the chicken:
chicken breasts, pounded flat-ish
flour
eggs, beaten
buttermilk
fresh or dried herbs of your choice
salt and pepper
toss herbs in the flour and set aside. dredge the chicken in buttermilk, then the flour, then egg and flour again. in a pan with heated oil, fry your chicken! it will cook faster if it is thinner. Don't overcook it, you don't want it to be too dry. Serve on a roll with slaw on top!
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
I've got a bunch of coconuts...
Here's to your health!
I have come up with a smoothie that just can't be beat when it comes to being nutrient dense and delicious. We all know how easy smoothies are, and that you can add or skip ingredients as you wish according to your own taste buds, but this makes a good base for whatever kind of smoothies you like. Every ingredient in it has a purpose and makes a fantastic wake up smoothie early in the morning when you are not allowed to drink coffee.
1/2 cup fresh young thai coconut juice
2 Tbsp fresh young thai coconut meat
1 little jar of homemade yogurt (about 3/4 cup), or store bought plain
2 Tbsp ground flax seeds
2 small bananas or 1 large one
honey to taste
ice
I know what you are thinking, it sounds like a difficult smoothie to make. I probably lost you at young thai coconut, but hear me out! You have yogurt for digestion and protein, flax seeds for omega fatty acids and fiber, bananas for potassium and mood boosting qualities, and of course, the coconut for energy, metabolism, your skin, and so so much more. The coconut is the most crucial part of this smoothie not just for flavor, but for nutrients sake. If you are not already on board the coconut band wagon, let me enlighten you!
Coconuts have had a bad reputation in the US and I am not really sure why, as they are highly regarded in almost every other part of the globe. They have been used not only as a delightful addition to the diet, they have also been used as medicine in Asian and Pacific populations. The juice, milk, meat and oil have all been found in various ways to treat baldness, stomach problems, scurvy, rash, malnutrition, skin infections, tumors, weakness, and the list goes on and on.
Unfortunately in America we had a period of time recently where we dismissed anything with any trace of fat in it, thinking it would make us, well, fat! Not true my friends and we should all know that by now. Fats should be a key component in our diet. They help your inner organs run smoothly, beautify your outer appearance and are a key component to brain function. So embrace your fats! And especially the coconut. Our "modern science" is just now finding out what millions of cultures already know: the coconut is a super-food! Coconut oil has been called "the healthiest oil on earth". Not only is it healthy, but the oil has one of the highest smoke points, which means you can heat it to a very high heat and it will not go rancid like olive oil or canola oil will. Now modern science finally knows that coconut can cure herpes, reduces inflammation, helps with diabetes, improves your bones and teeth, improves digestion and bowel function, supports the immune system, aids in weight loss, and so much more that I can't even begin to write it all down. But if you want to see a full list, you can go to coconutresearchcenter.org and see for yourself. And the reason I like coconut, and the purpose for including it in my wake up smoothie, is that coconut is nature's purest energy drink. The juice from a young thai coconut contains electrolytes and sugars that make up a perfect energizing combination. It literally perks you up and gets you going just moments after drinking it! And the benefits to your skin and hair are a plus too.
In these next summer months when everyone likes everything to be tropical, treat yourself to everything coconut and reap the benefits of nature's most nutritionally complete and miraculously healing food! You can find young thai coconuts at little Asian markets and sometimes Mexican ones. They are not the fuzzy brown ones we are all used to! Look for a white little block with one end flat and the other end in sort of a point. They should be very cheap and don't be intimidated by the exterior! They are quite easy to open.
To Open a Coconut...
1. use a sharp knife to shave away the pointed end until you reach the hard coconut.
2. set the coconut on it's flat bottom. imagine a small 3 inch in diameter circle on the top of the coconut. use the back end of your knife to whack the coconut where you imagine the edges of this circle will be. The coconut will begin to crack in a circle, just follow the natural cracks. Once it is loosened, you can easy take off the top and you will see it overflowing with yummy coconut juice!
3. How to check if it is bad... pour the juice into a mason jar or bowl. If it is slightly yellow tinted and smells sweet, you have a good coconut. If it is pink in any way and smells funny, throw it away. The meat should be springy and tight and not have any flecks of pink. Pink means bad!
And now that you know how to open a coconut you have no excuses! Drink the juice straight when you need a pick me up, throw the meat in smoothies or eat it as a snack, and find a health food store that sells coconut oil so you can start cooking with it! You want a cold-pressed extra virgin oil for the most nutrients. It is a solid oil unlike what you are probably used to. Delicious in vegan cookies as a replacement for butter!
I have come up with a smoothie that just can't be beat when it comes to being nutrient dense and delicious. We all know how easy smoothies are, and that you can add or skip ingredients as you wish according to your own taste buds, but this makes a good base for whatever kind of smoothies you like. Every ingredient in it has a purpose and makes a fantastic wake up smoothie early in the morning when you are not allowed to drink coffee.
1/2 cup fresh young thai coconut juice
2 Tbsp fresh young thai coconut meat
1 little jar of homemade yogurt (about 3/4 cup), or store bought plain
2 Tbsp ground flax seeds
2 small bananas or 1 large one
honey to taste
ice
I know what you are thinking, it sounds like a difficult smoothie to make. I probably lost you at young thai coconut, but hear me out! You have yogurt for digestion and protein, flax seeds for omega fatty acids and fiber, bananas for potassium and mood boosting qualities, and of course, the coconut for energy, metabolism, your skin, and so so much more. The coconut is the most crucial part of this smoothie not just for flavor, but for nutrients sake. If you are not already on board the coconut band wagon, let me enlighten you!
Coconuts have had a bad reputation in the US and I am not really sure why, as they are highly regarded in almost every other part of the globe. They have been used not only as a delightful addition to the diet, they have also been used as medicine in Asian and Pacific populations. The juice, milk, meat and oil have all been found in various ways to treat baldness, stomach problems, scurvy, rash, malnutrition, skin infections, tumors, weakness, and the list goes on and on.
Unfortunately in America we had a period of time recently where we dismissed anything with any trace of fat in it, thinking it would make us, well, fat! Not true my friends and we should all know that by now. Fats should be a key component in our diet. They help your inner organs run smoothly, beautify your outer appearance and are a key component to brain function. So embrace your fats! And especially the coconut. Our "modern science" is just now finding out what millions of cultures already know: the coconut is a super-food! Coconut oil has been called "the healthiest oil on earth". Not only is it healthy, but the oil has one of the highest smoke points, which means you can heat it to a very high heat and it will not go rancid like olive oil or canola oil will. Now modern science finally knows that coconut can cure herpes, reduces inflammation, helps with diabetes, improves your bones and teeth, improves digestion and bowel function, supports the immune system, aids in weight loss, and so much more that I can't even begin to write it all down. But if you want to see a full list, you can go to coconutresearchcenter.org and see for yourself. And the reason I like coconut, and the purpose for including it in my wake up smoothie, is that coconut is nature's purest energy drink. The juice from a young thai coconut contains electrolytes and sugars that make up a perfect energizing combination. It literally perks you up and gets you going just moments after drinking it! And the benefits to your skin and hair are a plus too.
In these next summer months when everyone likes everything to be tropical, treat yourself to everything coconut and reap the benefits of nature's most nutritionally complete and miraculously healing food! You can find young thai coconuts at little Asian markets and sometimes Mexican ones. They are not the fuzzy brown ones we are all used to! Look for a white little block with one end flat and the other end in sort of a point. They should be very cheap and don't be intimidated by the exterior! They are quite easy to open.
To Open a Coconut...
1. use a sharp knife to shave away the pointed end until you reach the hard coconut.
2. set the coconut on it's flat bottom. imagine a small 3 inch in diameter circle on the top of the coconut. use the back end of your knife to whack the coconut where you imagine the edges of this circle will be. The coconut will begin to crack in a circle, just follow the natural cracks. Once it is loosened, you can easy take off the top and you will see it overflowing with yummy coconut juice!
3. How to check if it is bad... pour the juice into a mason jar or bowl. If it is slightly yellow tinted and smells sweet, you have a good coconut. If it is pink in any way and smells funny, throw it away. The meat should be springy and tight and not have any flecks of pink. Pink means bad!
And now that you know how to open a coconut you have no excuses! Drink the juice straight when you need a pick me up, throw the meat in smoothies or eat it as a snack, and find a health food store that sells coconut oil so you can start cooking with it! You want a cold-pressed extra virgin oil for the most nutrients. It is a solid oil unlike what you are probably used to. Delicious in vegan cookies as a replacement for butter!
Cherry Season!
"Eat your food when it is in season."
It sounds so simple right? It is the way nature intended, it is when the food tastes the best and it is also better for the environment! If you have a ton of farmer's markets near you like the lucky people of the Bay Area, eating food in season is much easier because you can actually see what the farmers are picking and selling to you. If it isn't growing, then obviously it is not for sale! And California is great because our climate allows all sorts of yummy produce to be in season almost year around. But if you are not near a good farmer's market and you have to rely on your grocery store for all of your fresh produce, eating your fruit and veggies in season can actually be a lot of work. Although the modern grocery store is a fantastic and convenient necessity, it has also become very confusing for our basic instincts. Anything and everything you could want is available for a price, so why rely on your sense of smell or other base instincts just for food? And how confusing for our sense of sight! Because an out of season tomato sprayed with enough pesticides and wax can look bright red and delicious, but once eaten is actually found out as just a horrifying and tasteless impersonator of a real tomato. But if you make eating in season a habit, pretty soon it can become second nature (seems so backwards, as it really should be your first, but that is modern life I suppose) and the benefits are for you, your wallet, and of course the planet.
If you have heard all of the "eat locally and in season" hype but you are still fuzzy on why exactly it all matters, here are just a few of the reasons you should make the effort.
1. First of all, it is cheaper and that is a good enough reason for most people.
2. The amount of gas and fuels it takes to ship produce from other countries to get it to you when it is not in season is horrendous! We all know fossil fuels will run out someday, so why waste it on produce out of season when it isn't even tasty?
3. Produce out of season and not from a local farmer is picked very unripe so that it doesn't go bad while it makes its journey. This results in less nutrients (all those nutrients and vitamins are from the sun as fruit ripens on its little branches) and produce that is not so good
4. Maybe if you don't like fruits and veggies it is because you are not eating your fruit in season. There is no flavor in an out of season piece of fruit!
5. You can get excited for an upcoming season, and it forces you to work with what you have. Once you eat in season, you might be surprised at the variety and maybe discover some foods you have never noticed before.
For as long as I can remember, my very favorite time of year has been the beginning of Cherry season. I grew up in a small town called Cherry Valley and as you can imagine, cherries were of course something all of us kids looked forward to. It began in June, which also happened to be my birthday month. The last few weeks of May I would begin to see the U-Pick Cherry signs go up and eagerly await the Cherry Festival that would finally open its gates on June 3rd- my birthday. It was like the whole town was opening up and celebrating just for me. As a young girl my mom would scrape up the money to take us to a local cherry "farm" (usually a couple acres of someone's yard that was planted with cherry trees) and we would get our little buckets and be allowed to run through the trees grabbing whatever cherries were in reach and plunking them into our mouths and sometimes into the buckets. Unfortunately time and lawsuits have caused that wonderful tradition to be a little squashed, but I still get a kick out of the first weeks of June and the first cherries of the season. Today Beau and I bought a small bagful of cherries from a little produce stand and just like the little kid I once was, I find myself unable to stop myself from eating far too many.
The eagerness that consumes me as I await this time of year, with its cherries and strawberries and other delicious summer fruits is reason enough for me to want to eat foods in season. What fun would it be if I just ate cherries all year long? Part of the absolute joy of eating is the waiting and anticipating for those special flavors that hold all of those wonderful memories for us. I like the tastes of summer because it reminds me of the excitement I would feel as a little girl to be getting out of school and growing one year older. So the next time you are in the grocery store buying your produce, think of it less like a chore and try to see it as a seasonal adventure. Discover new flavors and learn about your local farms and where they sell their fare. Get excited for the flavors and cherish them, knowing that you will not taste them again until the next season. To help you out a little, underneath this post is a link to a seasonal fruits and veggies chart. Give a look! You might be surprised to see what foods you are buying that are actually not in season at all. :)
Seasonal Fruits and Veggies Chart: http://www.cfaitc.org/OtherResources/Seasonal.php
It sounds so simple right? It is the way nature intended, it is when the food tastes the best and it is also better for the environment! If you have a ton of farmer's markets near you like the lucky people of the Bay Area, eating food in season is much easier because you can actually see what the farmers are picking and selling to you. If it isn't growing, then obviously it is not for sale! And California is great because our climate allows all sorts of yummy produce to be in season almost year around. But if you are not near a good farmer's market and you have to rely on your grocery store for all of your fresh produce, eating your fruit and veggies in season can actually be a lot of work. Although the modern grocery store is a fantastic and convenient necessity, it has also become very confusing for our basic instincts. Anything and everything you could want is available for a price, so why rely on your sense of smell or other base instincts just for food? And how confusing for our sense of sight! Because an out of season tomato sprayed with enough pesticides and wax can look bright red and delicious, but once eaten is actually found out as just a horrifying and tasteless impersonator of a real tomato. But if you make eating in season a habit, pretty soon it can become second nature (seems so backwards, as it really should be your first, but that is modern life I suppose) and the benefits are for you, your wallet, and of course the planet.
If you have heard all of the "eat locally and in season" hype but you are still fuzzy on why exactly it all matters, here are just a few of the reasons you should make the effort.
1. First of all, it is cheaper and that is a good enough reason for most people.
2. The amount of gas and fuels it takes to ship produce from other countries to get it to you when it is not in season is horrendous! We all know fossil fuels will run out someday, so why waste it on produce out of season when it isn't even tasty?
3. Produce out of season and not from a local farmer is picked very unripe so that it doesn't go bad while it makes its journey. This results in less nutrients (all those nutrients and vitamins are from the sun as fruit ripens on its little branches) and produce that is not so good
4. Maybe if you don't like fruits and veggies it is because you are not eating your fruit in season. There is no flavor in an out of season piece of fruit!
5. You can get excited for an upcoming season, and it forces you to work with what you have. Once you eat in season, you might be surprised at the variety and maybe discover some foods you have never noticed before.
For as long as I can remember, my very favorite time of year has been the beginning of Cherry season. I grew up in a small town called Cherry Valley and as you can imagine, cherries were of course something all of us kids looked forward to. It began in June, which also happened to be my birthday month. The last few weeks of May I would begin to see the U-Pick Cherry signs go up and eagerly await the Cherry Festival that would finally open its gates on June 3rd- my birthday. It was like the whole town was opening up and celebrating just for me. As a young girl my mom would scrape up the money to take us to a local cherry "farm" (usually a couple acres of someone's yard that was planted with cherry trees) and we would get our little buckets and be allowed to run through the trees grabbing whatever cherries were in reach and plunking them into our mouths and sometimes into the buckets. Unfortunately time and lawsuits have caused that wonderful tradition to be a little squashed, but I still get a kick out of the first weeks of June and the first cherries of the season. Today Beau and I bought a small bagful of cherries from a little produce stand and just like the little kid I once was, I find myself unable to stop myself from eating far too many.
The eagerness that consumes me as I await this time of year, with its cherries and strawberries and other delicious summer fruits is reason enough for me to want to eat foods in season. What fun would it be if I just ate cherries all year long? Part of the absolute joy of eating is the waiting and anticipating for those special flavors that hold all of those wonderful memories for us. I like the tastes of summer because it reminds me of the excitement I would feel as a little girl to be getting out of school and growing one year older. So the next time you are in the grocery store buying your produce, think of it less like a chore and try to see it as a seasonal adventure. Discover new flavors and learn about your local farms and where they sell their fare. Get excited for the flavors and cherish them, knowing that you will not taste them again until the next season. To help you out a little, underneath this post is a link to a seasonal fruits and veggies chart. Give a look! You might be surprised to see what foods you are buying that are actually not in season at all. :)
Seasonal Fruits and Veggies Chart: http://www.cfaitc.org/OtherResources/Seasonal.php
Monday, June 7, 2010
Practice Makes Perfect Mushrooms
I am finally getting to a point in my cooking life where I can know what will taste good and what techniques to use without recipes or suggestions. I think it would be awesome if I was one of those people who can say "Oh ya, I have been cooking since I was 5 and I have all these fantastic recipes that I just pull out of my butt at any given moment that have been in the family for generations..." But no. It has been a long long road to get where I am today and there is still more road to go. As a young girl I can honestly say I really had no interest in cooking. I loved my mom's garden and I liked her homemade salsa and her home cooking every night, but I was never the little helper that some kids are. It was not until I became insanely passionate about health and nutrition that I began to look at food in a different light and started to try to navigate my way through the kitchen. As it turns out, the first foods I would attempt and get excited about were all vegetarian. When I was very young I got sucked into the bloody leaflets of PETA and decided that eating meat was inhumane, so I was on a mission to be the best vegetarian I can be. For a 13 year old, that means eating whatever your mom makes but without the meat, and I ended up eating a lot of cheese, bread and other not so good for you things. I believe I must have been quite hypoglycemic by the end of my trail vegetarian run, and I eventually caved at a Jack in the Box at midnight where I hit the drive-thru and bought an ultimate cheeseburger. I had been craving something "meaty" with the fury of a meat addict and had often found it in mushrooms. At that time in my young teenage years I ate a lot of mushrooms, and was very excited to come up with my first vegetarian recipe: a mushroom and tofu sandwich. It was actually a horrible idea and I did not execute it very well. Being young and an amateur in the kitchen, I was not too familiar with basic kitchen skills like sauteing and my mushrooms came out not so pleasant. I can still remember how greasy the whole thing would come out! I would lug way too much olive oil into a pan, scoot around some mushrooms until I thought they were done, and then put some tofu slices in the pan and heavily season it with whatever was in the pantry. Then I piled it onto a roll and dug in! At the time, excited to have made it myself, I thought it was delicious. I actually fed it to my high school boyfriend and he ended up throwing up at football practice... I think that says it all. :)
But luckily for me and for my boyfriends, time, practice and lots of patience and reading has greatly improved my cooking! As I got older I eventually came back to the idea of not eating animals, but I took it one step further and decided a vegan diet was for me. I bought two vegan cookbooks from Barnes and Noble and read them cover to cover. Armed with these new cookbooks and paychecks with no rent or bills to pay, I went on a wild cooking frenzy, creating some fantastic, and some horrendous, vegan meals. I taught myself techniques and began to learn what flavors go well together. By the time I made it to culinary school, I was confident I already had a pretty firm grasp on what I was doing. School would teach me a few new techniques and inspire me to begin eating meat (Okay, I admit it, I actually began eating meat to spite some very annoying vegetarian classmates) and I continue to learn more and more every day! I sill buy cookbooks and read them cover to cover and a lot of my ideas come from the Food Network as I am sure a lot of people have found is a fun and fantastic tool. And now, thank goodness, my mushrooms are amazing! Which I proved to myself tonight with my yummy spur of the moment mushroom chicken topping.
So if you are a struggling cook who is maybe not so skilled in the kitchen (as I was) here are some tips to help you along the way. First of all, mushrooms will absorb water like a sponge. Never wash them under the sink! Get a paper towel damp and wipe them clean. Sounds tedious but your mushrooms will thank you. Second, don't lug in 1/4 cup of olive oil! Not that anyone would, but keep in mind you don't need tons of oil. I prefer butter with mushrooms anyway. Third, do not crowd your mushrooms! Leave enough space in the pan so that you are sauteing your mushrooms and not steaming them. A pan with steep high sides will steam them more than saute them. Saute them until they are nice and golden brown.
...
Delicious Mushroom Sauce (great on top of chicken!)
1 package crimini mushrooms
3 Tbsp butter (for a non, non-stick pan. Less for a non-stick pan)
1 Tbsp flour
1/4 to 1/2 cup champagne
water if needed
salt and pepper
fresh thyme
1. saute your mushrooms in the butter with your new found mushroom knowledge.
2. Once golden brown, add the flour and cook for 1 minute to cook out the flour taste.
3. Add the champagne, and if there is any "kitchen treasures" stuck in the pan scrape them with your wooden spoon. Yum! :) The amount of champagne depends on how your sauce looks. If 1/4 cup looks like not enough then add 1/2 cup. This is one of those things you can "eyeball". Let the sauce simmer until thick and the alcohol is cooked out. You should be left with a slightly sweet and very savor sauce. If it still tastes strong of champagne, but it is really thick, add some water and let it simmer a little longer.
4. Season with salt and pepper and fresh thyme. Serve over chicken or just eat right out of the pan with a big spoon!
But luckily for me and for my boyfriends, time, practice and lots of patience and reading has greatly improved my cooking! As I got older I eventually came back to the idea of not eating animals, but I took it one step further and decided a vegan diet was for me. I bought two vegan cookbooks from Barnes and Noble and read them cover to cover. Armed with these new cookbooks and paychecks with no rent or bills to pay, I went on a wild cooking frenzy, creating some fantastic, and some horrendous, vegan meals. I taught myself techniques and began to learn what flavors go well together. By the time I made it to culinary school, I was confident I already had a pretty firm grasp on what I was doing. School would teach me a few new techniques and inspire me to begin eating meat (Okay, I admit it, I actually began eating meat to spite some very annoying vegetarian classmates) and I continue to learn more and more every day! I sill buy cookbooks and read them cover to cover and a lot of my ideas come from the Food Network as I am sure a lot of people have found is a fun and fantastic tool. And now, thank goodness, my mushrooms are amazing! Which I proved to myself tonight with my yummy spur of the moment mushroom chicken topping.
So if you are a struggling cook who is maybe not so skilled in the kitchen (as I was) here are some tips to help you along the way. First of all, mushrooms will absorb water like a sponge. Never wash them under the sink! Get a paper towel damp and wipe them clean. Sounds tedious but your mushrooms will thank you. Second, don't lug in 1/4 cup of olive oil! Not that anyone would, but keep in mind you don't need tons of oil. I prefer butter with mushrooms anyway. Third, do not crowd your mushrooms! Leave enough space in the pan so that you are sauteing your mushrooms and not steaming them. A pan with steep high sides will steam them more than saute them. Saute them until they are nice and golden brown.
...
Delicious Mushroom Sauce (great on top of chicken!)
1 package crimini mushrooms
3 Tbsp butter (for a non, non-stick pan. Less for a non-stick pan)
1 Tbsp flour
1/4 to 1/2 cup champagne
water if needed
salt and pepper
fresh thyme
1. saute your mushrooms in the butter with your new found mushroom knowledge.
2. Once golden brown, add the flour and cook for 1 minute to cook out the flour taste.
3. Add the champagne, and if there is any "kitchen treasures" stuck in the pan scrape them with your wooden spoon. Yum! :) The amount of champagne depends on how your sauce looks. If 1/4 cup looks like not enough then add 1/2 cup. This is one of those things you can "eyeball". Let the sauce simmer until thick and the alcohol is cooked out. You should be left with a slightly sweet and very savor sauce. If it still tastes strong of champagne, but it is really thick, add some water and let it simmer a little longer.
4. Season with salt and pepper and fresh thyme. Serve over chicken or just eat right out of the pan with a big spoon!
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Easy Snacks to Save Money (and keep you healthy!)
Beau and I are still on a constant mission to keep up with my ever-growing appetite and still stay within our grocery budget. It is for sure not an easy task since lately I have taken to wanting to eat 5 or 6 times a day! Now don't let that make you think I am just sitting around eating all day. It is more like, when I do eat I can only eat small bits because it feels like my stomach is being shoved into my lungs so I am eating more often. I am still loving my yogurt, but I have been trying to stock our pantry with other snack type things for on the go and for when I think I am starving to death. Granola bars are an easy and sometimes cheap go to snack, but unfortunately, they are so loaded with sugar! I have scoured the shelves at the grocery store looking for the "healthiest" granola bar, and to my dismay, the less the sugar the more they charge. TLC has a pretty good selection of healthier granola bars, but they are still about $1 more than the other brands. So today while we were at Target and I was picking up some boxes of snacks, I was looking around and thinking of how silly it is that I spend the money on these fancy boxes of little wrapped treats, when I actually happen to know how to make versions of all of these! I know how to make crackers, I can make my own trail mix and I even have a few granola bar recipes. So why do I spend the money on convenience? My goal when I became a natural chef was to inspire people to make healthy and delicious food on their own at home, but how can I expect people to take me seriously when I don't even practice what I preach?
Here are some reasons why I opt for convenience...
1. It seems so much faster
2. I love the packaging. Silly but true! It grabs my attention and pulls me in
3. You can get more of a variety by buying multiple boxes rather than a bunch of one type that you made
4. Fear that buying all the ingredients will cost too much
This was all that I could come up with so I decided to explore this topic a little bit. Wouldn't it be worth it to stock up your pantry and take a little time if it meant you would have much healthier snacks? And hopefully they would be just as tasty.
Snacks can be as simple as a piece of fruit or some veggies and dip. One of my all time favorites is ants on a log, which is just celery with peanut butter and raisins. But let's face it, sometimes you just don't want veggies! Or maybe all your favorite fruit is out of season, or perhaps you have had such a hard day that even the simple task of smearing peanut butter onto a celery stick sounds absolutely absurd. Hey, I'm not judging. I have been there. So here are some ideas that you can have around the house conveniently at your fingertips.
Trail mix is one of those awesome snacks with tons of good for you stuff and is yummy to boot. Unfortunately, grocery store trail mix can be upwards of $10 a bag and full of unnecessary sugar. A lot of people are afraid of nuts because of calories, but in fact they are very very good for you and in moderation can be a healthy "diet food". There are oils in nuts that are amazing for your health and all those little antioxidants we have all heard so much about. As for dried fruit, the quick jolt of sugar can be a fantastic energy booster, while the nuts are more slowly metabolized and will give you a more slow and steady type energy. So you have the whole package! A quick jolt to wake you up, and the slow and steady to keep you going for hours. Here is what you do: find a place that sells nuts and such in bulk. Stock up on your favorites such as walnuts, almonds, pecans etc. Now get some fruit. You want a little more nut, a little less fruit because of the sugar. It is healthy sugar, but you don't want to overdo it because even too much of a good thing can make you tubby. Some good ones are cranberries, dried blueberries, raisins are cheap, apricots, cherries, etc. Some flaked coconut, sunflower seeds, dark chocolate chips and wheat germ are all wonderful additions and each contain their own special nutrients. Mix it all up in an airtight container and pour small bits into a bowl to keep on the counter or coffee table. It will keep more fresh in the fridge, and if you only put small amounts you will be less likely to eat too much. A handful should be plenty. You will spend half of what you would spend on the packaged mixes!
I also have a recipe for a granola bar that took me weeks to make perfect! I came up with it for my dad and they were quite delicious, but the recipe seems to be MIA. I am on a mission to find it, and once I do I will post it right away. :)
But in the meantime, I found an easy sounding recipe on my school's forum that is similar to how I make bars when I want them. Once you find an easy base you like, you can always add whatever sort of ingredients you want to make it your own. It is never a bad idea to add some flax seeds, green powders, protein powders, etc. for a little additional nutrition.
This recipe calls for rolled oats, wheat germ, nuts and seeds of your choice, dried fruit, cinnamon, coconut,honey, nut butter, and coconut oil. One of my favorite ingredients in this recipe is the coconut oil. I added that in addition to the original recipe. It has a delightful flavor and fantastic health benefits. Coconut is another misunderstood food but trust me, the fats are incredible. It can even help you lose weight! For these bars, just toast the nuts and oats. Mix together all the dry ingredients. In a pot, melt together the wet ingredients. If it is too thick add a little water. Mix together everything and lay flat on a cookie sheet covered in parchment paper. Put in the freezer and then cut into bars. Ta da!
So now you hopefully have a little inspiration and you can stay away from those expensive and terribly sugary packaged snacks. You can do something quick and easy like trail mix and pre cut veggies or get more creative and make your own bars to keep in your purse or eat when you are in a hurry. I hope you enjoy it!
Here are some reasons why I opt for convenience...
1. It seems so much faster
2. I love the packaging. Silly but true! It grabs my attention and pulls me in
3. You can get more of a variety by buying multiple boxes rather than a bunch of one type that you made
4. Fear that buying all the ingredients will cost too much
This was all that I could come up with so I decided to explore this topic a little bit. Wouldn't it be worth it to stock up your pantry and take a little time if it meant you would have much healthier snacks? And hopefully they would be just as tasty.
Snacks can be as simple as a piece of fruit or some veggies and dip. One of my all time favorites is ants on a log, which is just celery with peanut butter and raisins. But let's face it, sometimes you just don't want veggies! Or maybe all your favorite fruit is out of season, or perhaps you have had such a hard day that even the simple task of smearing peanut butter onto a celery stick sounds absolutely absurd. Hey, I'm not judging. I have been there. So here are some ideas that you can have around the house conveniently at your fingertips.
Trail mix is one of those awesome snacks with tons of good for you stuff and is yummy to boot. Unfortunately, grocery store trail mix can be upwards of $10 a bag and full of unnecessary sugar. A lot of people are afraid of nuts because of calories, but in fact they are very very good for you and in moderation can be a healthy "diet food". There are oils in nuts that are amazing for your health and all those little antioxidants we have all heard so much about. As for dried fruit, the quick jolt of sugar can be a fantastic energy booster, while the nuts are more slowly metabolized and will give you a more slow and steady type energy. So you have the whole package! A quick jolt to wake you up, and the slow and steady to keep you going for hours. Here is what you do: find a place that sells nuts and such in bulk. Stock up on your favorites such as walnuts, almonds, pecans etc. Now get some fruit. You want a little more nut, a little less fruit because of the sugar. It is healthy sugar, but you don't want to overdo it because even too much of a good thing can make you tubby. Some good ones are cranberries, dried blueberries, raisins are cheap, apricots, cherries, etc. Some flaked coconut, sunflower seeds, dark chocolate chips and wheat germ are all wonderful additions and each contain their own special nutrients. Mix it all up in an airtight container and pour small bits into a bowl to keep on the counter or coffee table. It will keep more fresh in the fridge, and if you only put small amounts you will be less likely to eat too much. A handful should be plenty. You will spend half of what you would spend on the packaged mixes!
I also have a recipe for a granola bar that took me weeks to make perfect! I came up with it for my dad and they were quite delicious, but the recipe seems to be MIA. I am on a mission to find it, and once I do I will post it right away. :)
But in the meantime, I found an easy sounding recipe on my school's forum that is similar to how I make bars when I want them. Once you find an easy base you like, you can always add whatever sort of ingredients you want to make it your own. It is never a bad idea to add some flax seeds, green powders, protein powders, etc. for a little additional nutrition.
This recipe calls for rolled oats, wheat germ, nuts and seeds of your choice, dried fruit, cinnamon, coconut,honey, nut butter, and coconut oil. One of my favorite ingredients in this recipe is the coconut oil. I added that in addition to the original recipe. It has a delightful flavor and fantastic health benefits. Coconut is another misunderstood food but trust me, the fats are incredible. It can even help you lose weight! For these bars, just toast the nuts and oats. Mix together all the dry ingredients. In a pot, melt together the wet ingredients. If it is too thick add a little water. Mix together everything and lay flat on a cookie sheet covered in parchment paper. Put in the freezer and then cut into bars. Ta da!
So now you hopefully have a little inspiration and you can stay away from those expensive and terribly sugary packaged snacks. You can do something quick and easy like trail mix and pre cut veggies or get more creative and make your own bars to keep in your purse or eat when you are in a hurry. I hope you enjoy it!
Friday, June 4, 2010
The Corruption of Coffee
One of my favorite things in this life is coffee. You can call it a drug and tell me it is bad for me but I just don't care, I love it. I love the way it smells and the way it tastes and I love the little coffee high it gives you. I drink my coffee very strong and very black. My favorite drink is a double macchiato which is just two shots of espresso with a little bit of foam. It is perfection, and I always know a good coffee place by whether or not their espresso is good. You can make anything taste good by ladling tons of sugar over it, but good espresso is an art.
Beau and I live in the most fantastic area that is surrounded by good food and good coffee. It is terrible for two young people trying to save their money, but amazing for two young people who love good food. Of all of these places there was one place that continued to catch my attention but every time we passed by, at any time of the day, it was closed. And then maybe later that day at some random moment, it would be open! It is a coffee shop nestled between a flower shop and the Grand Lake Movie Theater called Day of the Dead Cafe. It looks dark and interesting and it is insanely cluttered with Day of the Dead artifacts all over the walls, in the windows, behind the counter and anywhere else it seems they were able to fit it. Even more intriguing to me than the decor was the fact that the owner, a smallish man with dreads and a very friendly face, seemed to just be open whenever he felt like it and always sat outside at one of his small tables. It is a very relaxed way of running a business, and I was dying of curiosity to see what sort of coffee a man like that sells.
We finally made it in one day when we were passing by late in the afternoon. The owner was casually talking to a man who must be a regular customer and Beau and I took the opportunity to look at the menu. It is a small and humble menu with the sweetest thing on there being a vanilla mocha. "Now this is real coffee," I thought. He also sells whole bean coffee by the pound, with names like "Marley Blend" and "Jimi Hendrix" how can you not already be falling in love? Since I cannot actually have the caffeine right now, I ordered an iced decaf coffee. It was strong and black and perfect! And while I sat with Beau and we talked politics and everything else under the sun, I also marveled to myself at the road coffee seems to have taken in America where coffee is less of a delicious excuse to see friends and enjoy life, and more of a giant sugar pill on the go with only trace amounts of actual coffee in it.
I have worked in two different coffee shops in my lifetime. I worked at Starbucks first, and then at a small drive through cafe owned by a man and his wife. I have always loved coffee; a love that seems to have started at home with my mom who would drink it every single morning. So when I got older, with Starbucks popping up all over the place, it seemed like the perfect place to work. I love coffee, so become a barista! But I was soon to learn that there is a huge difference between coffee and the crap they sell at Starbucks. Maybe they had the right idea a long time ago, but over-roasted beans and sugary drinks are not what coffee was intended to be. I was always shocked at the amount of people who would drink those blended sugar bombs and think they were drinking coffee. Did they not see us behind the counter making them? There is no coffee whatsoever in those drinks! It is a nasty syrup-y liquid blended with ice. You are basically drinking they nasty syrup with some sugar added in. Umm... eew. I stopped drinking anything from Starbucks as soon as I started working there, and haven't touched it since.
It was about a year after putting on my green apron that I moved on to bigger and better things. Actually, what I moved on to was better coffee in a much smaller space. It was here that I really learned to appreciate my favorite beverage and all that it has to offer. Cafe Agape, a small red box that you are likely to pass right on by, is a little drive thru "java shop" located in my small hometown of Beaumont. The owner, who I will not name becuase I don't actually have his permission to slap his name all over the internet, is a family man and a youth pastor. A little bit of an eccentric oddball, he was an absolute joy to work for. I don't know how much money his little coffee shop actually brought in, but I am happy he suffered through the hardships for the rest of us. His coffee beans were shipped to us in nameless silver bags and he carefully instructed me on the perfect way to blend the beans: one scoop of a certain bean to two scoops of another. We never did anything like that at Starbucks! It gave the espresso a depth and complex personality that is hard to find in any other cafe. He really cared about the flavor of his coffee! We used the best syrups to flavor our drinks and even though I never condone blended sugar, we even used delicious powders instead of nasty syrup in our fraps. If baristas got paid better I could have worked there for the rest of my life in complete happiness. His espresso was a smooth and dark delight with fruity notes right at the end, not a bitter pill that you need to add sugar to just to get it down. (In case you are wondering, you actually can have little espresso tastings the same as you do with wine! Try it with yourself: smell the coffee, sip it lightly and notice the different flavors. You might feel like a coffee weirdo, but after trying different kinds you will start to notice all the differences!)
I am not saying that Cafe Agape is the only good place to get coffee. I am, however saying that there are so much better experiences and coffees out there than the mega chain that has turned into more of a fast food joint than a coffee shop. So if you are a self-proclaimed coffee-aholic as a lot of us are, try going on a little coffee adventure and find a new place! I have been in coffee heaven since moving to the Bay Area. It is not just a stereotype that Berkeley people love their cafes, and living here has been completely worth it, if just for the coffee!
Beau and I live in the most fantastic area that is surrounded by good food and good coffee. It is terrible for two young people trying to save their money, but amazing for two young people who love good food. Of all of these places there was one place that continued to catch my attention but every time we passed by, at any time of the day, it was closed. And then maybe later that day at some random moment, it would be open! It is a coffee shop nestled between a flower shop and the Grand Lake Movie Theater called Day of the Dead Cafe. It looks dark and interesting and it is insanely cluttered with Day of the Dead artifacts all over the walls, in the windows, behind the counter and anywhere else it seems they were able to fit it. Even more intriguing to me than the decor was the fact that the owner, a smallish man with dreads and a very friendly face, seemed to just be open whenever he felt like it and always sat outside at one of his small tables. It is a very relaxed way of running a business, and I was dying of curiosity to see what sort of coffee a man like that sells.
We finally made it in one day when we were passing by late in the afternoon. The owner was casually talking to a man who must be a regular customer and Beau and I took the opportunity to look at the menu. It is a small and humble menu with the sweetest thing on there being a vanilla mocha. "Now this is real coffee," I thought. He also sells whole bean coffee by the pound, with names like "Marley Blend" and "Jimi Hendrix" how can you not already be falling in love? Since I cannot actually have the caffeine right now, I ordered an iced decaf coffee. It was strong and black and perfect! And while I sat with Beau and we talked politics and everything else under the sun, I also marveled to myself at the road coffee seems to have taken in America where coffee is less of a delicious excuse to see friends and enjoy life, and more of a giant sugar pill on the go with only trace amounts of actual coffee in it.
I have worked in two different coffee shops in my lifetime. I worked at Starbucks first, and then at a small drive through cafe owned by a man and his wife. I have always loved coffee; a love that seems to have started at home with my mom who would drink it every single morning. So when I got older, with Starbucks popping up all over the place, it seemed like the perfect place to work. I love coffee, so become a barista! But I was soon to learn that there is a huge difference between coffee and the crap they sell at Starbucks. Maybe they had the right idea a long time ago, but over-roasted beans and sugary drinks are not what coffee was intended to be. I was always shocked at the amount of people who would drink those blended sugar bombs and think they were drinking coffee. Did they not see us behind the counter making them? There is no coffee whatsoever in those drinks! It is a nasty syrup-y liquid blended with ice. You are basically drinking they nasty syrup with some sugar added in. Umm... eew. I stopped drinking anything from Starbucks as soon as I started working there, and haven't touched it since.
It was about a year after putting on my green apron that I moved on to bigger and better things. Actually, what I moved on to was better coffee in a much smaller space. It was here that I really learned to appreciate my favorite beverage and all that it has to offer. Cafe Agape, a small red box that you are likely to pass right on by, is a little drive thru "java shop" located in my small hometown of Beaumont. The owner, who I will not name becuase I don't actually have his permission to slap his name all over the internet, is a family man and a youth pastor. A little bit of an eccentric oddball, he was an absolute joy to work for. I don't know how much money his little coffee shop actually brought in, but I am happy he suffered through the hardships for the rest of us. His coffee beans were shipped to us in nameless silver bags and he carefully instructed me on the perfect way to blend the beans: one scoop of a certain bean to two scoops of another. We never did anything like that at Starbucks! It gave the espresso a depth and complex personality that is hard to find in any other cafe. He really cared about the flavor of his coffee! We used the best syrups to flavor our drinks and even though I never condone blended sugar, we even used delicious powders instead of nasty syrup in our fraps. If baristas got paid better I could have worked there for the rest of my life in complete happiness. His espresso was a smooth and dark delight with fruity notes right at the end, not a bitter pill that you need to add sugar to just to get it down. (In case you are wondering, you actually can have little espresso tastings the same as you do with wine! Try it with yourself: smell the coffee, sip it lightly and notice the different flavors. You might feel like a coffee weirdo, but after trying different kinds you will start to notice all the differences!)
I am not saying that Cafe Agape is the only good place to get coffee. I am, however saying that there are so much better experiences and coffees out there than the mega chain that has turned into more of a fast food joint than a coffee shop. So if you are a self-proclaimed coffee-aholic as a lot of us are, try going on a little coffee adventure and find a new place! I have been in coffee heaven since moving to the Bay Area. It is not just a stereotype that Berkeley people love their cafes, and living here has been completely worth it, if just for the coffee!
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