I’m a cookbook junkie. A few years ago, I resolved to cut back on my cookbook habit (primarily because I was running out of book space in my home and not buy any new cookbooks. Well, I’ve been doing a good job at it. However, two weekends ago, I found myself browsing through the bookshop at my local public library. The library sells old books to make room for new ones on their shelves and also donated books. It seems people leave boxes of unwanted books at the doorstep in the middle of the night. The proceeds go to a reading program for children.
A few cookbooks caught my attention. Because they aren’t new books and because they were dirt cheap, I bought them. And felt very guilty afterwards.
I thumbed through one of the books "It’s A Picnic" by Nancy Fair McIntyre published by The Viking Press, copyright 1969. I know what you’re thinking "Eeewwwwww, American food before the California cuisine craze was just a lot of open this can and that can and mix it together." Okay, there are recipes for fried chicken, meatloaf, baked stuffed apples, and stuffed eggs. And some of the recipes do use canned food, but the majority use fresh ingredients and real ingredients (no margarine, artificial sweeteners, etc.)
Also my snobby foodie friend, those recipes are found side-by-side with the likes of tabbouli, vitello tonnato, carnitas, dolmas (stuffed grape leaves), and Indonesian Pork sate. These recipes might have been exotic in the late 60’s but are commonplace in glossy food magazines and tv shows today.
I can imagine the "Steak with Tarragon Marinade" and the "Cold Scotch Salmon" served with "Dill Sauce" appearing in the now-defunct Gourmet magazine. And the steak with lime sauce is in the same vein as Jacques Pepin’s Skirt Steak Grandma. Even the "Walnut-Cheese Burger", a combination of ground beef, grated cheddar cheese and chopped walnuts, might appear in food magazines as a "healthier" version using lean beef or turkey and low fat cheese and paired with the "Cold Broccoli Salad".
One of the more interesting descriptions is for the Green Pepper Pot, a casserole of ground beef and rice, which Mrs. McIntyre states "will feed a hungry crew of 6 for under $3. 00". Now that’s a bargain!
Of all the recipes in the book, the one that begged me to try it was the "Cold Clam Bisque" on page 54, Chapter IV "Picnics Afloat". Mrs. McIntyre states some of the recipes in this chapter were given to her by members of the Balboa Yacht Club (http://www.balboayachtclub.com/) in Newport Beach, California. Unfortunately, she did not indicate if the bisque was one of them. But the soup looked easy to make and needed no tweaking to make it low carb.
Here’s the recipe as written in the book. Don’t let the canned clams put you off to it. I made 1/3 of the recipe on the test run and it made a very generous 2 1/2 cups of soup. It is VERY rich soup, so small servings (1/2 cup at the very most) is more than enough. And yes, I’m sure you can use fresh clams that you, yourself, dug out of the sand, shucked, and poached after you milked the cow and separated the cream. ;-)
COLD CLAM BISQUE
Three 7-1/2 ounce cans minced clam
1 ½ teaspoon celery salt
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon thyme
1 cup finely chopped ice
3 ½ cups heavy cream
3 tablespoons chopped chives
Put minced clams with their liquid in a blender. Ad the celery salt, cayenne, thyme, and 1 cup finely chopped ice. Blend until almost smooth. Remove cover and pour in the heavy cream while blender is going. Blend for another minute. Sprinkle soup with chopped chives before serving.
Cold Clam Bisque-Tweaked Version (not as rich, but still good.)
Three 7-1/2 ounce cans minced clam
1 ½ teaspoon celery salt
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon thyme
1 cup finely chopped ice
2 cups clam juice or water or a mixture or clam juice and water
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons chopped chives
Put minced clams with their liquid in a blender. Ad the celery salt, cayenne, thyme, and 1 cup finely chopped ice. Blend until almost smooth. Add the clam juice (or water) and blend again. Remove cover and pour in the heavy cream while blender is going. Blend for another minute. Sprinkle soup with chopped chives before serving.
If you want a soup with more clam chowder-like texture, you can substitute chopped clams for the minced clams and mix all the ingredients in a bowl, skipping the blender entirely.
Also you can heat the soup if you would like it hot. Just be careful when you heat it because heavy cream has a tendency to boil over (at least it does for me.)
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Too Much of a Good Thing?
The May 20, 2010 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine contains this interesting correspondence: Myxedema Coma Inducted by Ingestion of Raw Bok Choy. The letter was submitted by Michael Chu, MD and Terry F. Seltzer, MD, both of the New York University School of Medicine.
In summary, an 88-year old Chinese woman with diabetes was brought to the emergency room because she was lethargic and unable to walk for the past 3 days. The family reported she was eating 1 to 1.5 kilograms of raw bok choy daily for several months in the belief it would help control her diabetes. She had no thyroid disease.
In the emergency room, they found that her legs and eyelids were swollen and her tongue enlarged. And she was comatose. They did a bunch of labs on her and found that her thyroid tests were abnormal. She survived after intense medical therapy.
Drs. Chu and Seltzer discuss that cabbage contains substances called glucosinolates. The glucosinolates breakdown into compounds that have been implicated for their inhibitory effects on the thyroid. To complicate matters, when eaten raw, members of the cabbage family release another compound, myrosinase, that accelerates the breakdown of the glucosinolates. However, cooking the veg seems to deactivates the myrosinase.
What struck me as curious was the amount of raw bok choy this lady was eating daily---1 to 1.5 kilograms (2.2 to 3.3 pounds). Okay, okay, you say that no one would eat 2-3 pounds of raw bok choy daily. That would be an insane amount that no one could possibly keep up for more than a few days.
Or could they?
1 kilogram of raw bok choy per the USDA Nutrient Database has 20. 3 net carbs. (NOTE: bok choy is listed as Chinese cabbage pe tsai on the Database). So if an Atkineer aims to get at least one half---or more!-- of their daily net carbs from veggies alone and if they do as this unfortunate lady did, then perhaps the New England Journal of Medicine will receive another letter reporting myxedema coma and severe hypothyroidism in a person who went overboard on their veggie choice.
I think there were two things in play here: 1. The idea that “because it’s a vegetable, it can’t possibly be bad for you” and 2. The idea of “if alittle is good, then a lot must be better.” As this unfortunate case shows, vegetables should not be taken for granted and that moderation---even with vegetables--- is the key to health.
In summary, an 88-year old Chinese woman with diabetes was brought to the emergency room because she was lethargic and unable to walk for the past 3 days. The family reported she was eating 1 to 1.5 kilograms of raw bok choy daily for several months in the belief it would help control her diabetes. She had no thyroid disease.
In the emergency room, they found that her legs and eyelids were swollen and her tongue enlarged. And she was comatose. They did a bunch of labs on her and found that her thyroid tests were abnormal. She survived after intense medical therapy.
Drs. Chu and Seltzer discuss that cabbage contains substances called glucosinolates. The glucosinolates breakdown into compounds that have been implicated for their inhibitory effects on the thyroid. To complicate matters, when eaten raw, members of the cabbage family release another compound, myrosinase, that accelerates the breakdown of the glucosinolates. However, cooking the veg seems to deactivates the myrosinase.
What struck me as curious was the amount of raw bok choy this lady was eating daily---1 to 1.5 kilograms (2.2 to 3.3 pounds). Okay, okay, you say that no one would eat 2-3 pounds of raw bok choy daily. That would be an insane amount that no one could possibly keep up for more than a few days.
Or could they?
1 kilogram of raw bok choy per the USDA Nutrient Database has 20. 3 net carbs. (NOTE: bok choy is listed as Chinese cabbage pe tsai on the Database). So if an Atkineer aims to get at least one half---or more!-- of their daily net carbs from veggies alone and if they do as this unfortunate lady did, then perhaps the New England Journal of Medicine will receive another letter reporting myxedema coma and severe hypothyroidism in a person who went overboard on their veggie choice.
I think there were two things in play here: 1. The idea that “because it’s a vegetable, it can’t possibly be bad for you” and 2. The idea of “if alittle is good, then a lot must be better.” As this unfortunate case shows, vegetables should not be taken for granted and that moderation---even with vegetables--- is the key to health.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Low Carb Sushi Rolls---Purists Avert Thy Eyes!
Lots of low carbers try to make sushi rolls low carb. I have read lots of recipes using the cauliflower-rice recipe as the rice substitute. The drawback with the cauliflower rice recipe is that the cauli-rice does not stick together.
When I was thumbing through a Raw Foods Vegan cookbook, I saw recipes for Vietnamese-type spring rolls using shredded daikon radish or shredded carrot as the substitute for the rice noodles usually found in spring rolls. My little brain started doing backflips! What if I used shredded daikon radish as the rice substitute for sushi rolls?
Unfortunately my local international grocery store did not have a single diakon radish. But they had a special on jicama (89 cents a pound!---that’s cheap in my neck of the woods). Why wouldn't jicama work?
Traditional sushi rice is cooked short-grain rice seasoned with sugar, salt and vinegar (typically rice). Since the jicama has a natural sweetness, I tossed it with a bit of rice wine vinegar. To avoid watery jicama, I sprinkled the salt on just before I rolled the roll.
So the jicama rice would not fall into tiny pieces, I coarsely shredded it, rather than grated it. The shreds do not fall out of the sushi due to the size. I found using a box grater to be better than my Cuisinart food processor shredder blade, because I can make the shreds finer by using less pressure while shredding the jicama.
Using jicama will make the sushi crunchy, which is not the usual texture of sushi rolls. But I don’t find the crunchiness offensive at all. In fact, after having an authentic sushi roll a few nights ago, I find the texture the jicama gives the low carb roll to be more satisfying.
For the sushi "rice"
Peel and shred one jicama using the shred holes on a box grater. Put into a bowl. Add about ½ to 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar, toss. Set aside.
For the sushi rolls:
Fillings:
Crab roll: use the meat of either Alaskan king crab or snow crab claws (do not use the imitation crab because it is high in carbs!). Mix the meat with a bit of mayonnaise or softened cream cheese, using just enough for the crab to loosely hold together.
California roll: Dice avocado. And extract the meat from either the Alaskan king crab legs or snow crab legs.
Salmon roll: I use Scottish or cold smoked salmon because I’m too squeamish to eat raw fish!
Get rolling:
Put the nori sheet on a paper towel (fancy folks have the bamboo rolling mat, but a paper towel works just as well!) Put about ½ cup of the shredded jicama on the sheet. Spread it evenly so that it covers about 2/3 of the sheet. Sprinkle a pinch of salt over the jicama. If desired, smear some wasabi paste down the middle of the jicama. Layer your filling on top. And roll. Slice. Arrange prettily on a plate. Eat.
(One of these days, I will find stem ginger to make my own pickled ginger slices, until then I'm stuck using the pickled ginger made with artificial sweetener my international store sells.)
When I was thumbing through a Raw Foods Vegan cookbook, I saw recipes for Vietnamese-type spring rolls using shredded daikon radish or shredded carrot as the substitute for the rice noodles usually found in spring rolls. My little brain started doing backflips! What if I used shredded daikon radish as the rice substitute for sushi rolls?
Unfortunately my local international grocery store did not have a single diakon radish. But they had a special on jicama (89 cents a pound!---that’s cheap in my neck of the woods). Why wouldn't jicama work?
Traditional sushi rice is cooked short-grain rice seasoned with sugar, salt and vinegar (typically rice). Since the jicama has a natural sweetness, I tossed it with a bit of rice wine vinegar. To avoid watery jicama, I sprinkled the salt on just before I rolled the roll.
So the jicama rice would not fall into tiny pieces, I coarsely shredded it, rather than grated it. The shreds do not fall out of the sushi due to the size. I found using a box grater to be better than my Cuisinart food processor shredder blade, because I can make the shreds finer by using less pressure while shredding the jicama.
Using jicama will make the sushi crunchy, which is not the usual texture of sushi rolls. But I don’t find the crunchiness offensive at all. In fact, after having an authentic sushi roll a few nights ago, I find the texture the jicama gives the low carb roll to be more satisfying.
For the sushi "rice"
Peel and shred one jicama using the shred holes on a box grater. Put into a bowl. Add about ½ to 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar, toss. Set aside.
For the sushi rolls:
Fillings:
Crab roll: use the meat of either Alaskan king crab or snow crab claws (do not use the imitation crab because it is high in carbs!). Mix the meat with a bit of mayonnaise or softened cream cheese, using just enough for the crab to loosely hold together.
California roll: Dice avocado. And extract the meat from either the Alaskan king crab legs or snow crab legs.
Salmon roll: I use Scottish or cold smoked salmon because I’m too squeamish to eat raw fish!
Get rolling:
Put the nori sheet on a paper towel (fancy folks have the bamboo rolling mat, but a paper towel works just as well!) Put about ½ cup of the shredded jicama on the sheet. Spread it evenly so that it covers about 2/3 of the sheet. Sprinkle a pinch of salt over the jicama. If desired, smear some wasabi paste down the middle of the jicama. Layer your filling on top. And roll. Slice. Arrange prettily on a plate. Eat.
(One of these days, I will find stem ginger to make my own pickled ginger slices, until then I'm stuck using the pickled ginger made with artificial sweetener my international store sells.)
Monday, October 19, 2009
FAT
My public library puts new books prominently on display, in hopes that readers will definitely judge a book by its cover. A few weeks ago, I saw displayed a book with the word "Fat" on it. Below that 3-letter word was a raw well-marbled beef rib eye steak, balanced upright on a plate. A beautiful looking cut of meat and a beautiful example of the book’s title.
Of course, I borrowed the book. A wonderful book it is too. For the food curious, it explains dietary fat, particularly animal based dietary fat. For the food historian, it mentions the historical significance of animal fat (Who knew Michelangelo snacked on lardo, a raw cured pork fat? That was never mentioned in my art appreciation class!) For the food lover, recipes using---you guessed it---fat.
Of particular interest to me were the Fat charts, which broke down the percentage of unsaturated and saturated fats in the more common animal fats. Here is my compilation of it:
FAT
Goose:
% Monounsaturated 57
% Polyunsaturated 11
% Saturated 28
Duck:
% Monounsaturated 50
% Polyunsaturated 13
% Saturated 33
Chicken:
% Monounsaturated 45
% Polyunsaturated 21
% Saturated 30
Lard/Bacon Fat:
% Monounsaturated 45
% Polyunsaturated 11
% Saturated 39
Turkey:
% Monounsaturated 43
% Polyunsaturated 23
% Saturated 29
Beef Tallow/Suet:
% Monounsaturated 42
% Polyunsaturated 2
% Saturated 47
Lamb Tallow:
% Monounsaturated 40
% Polyunsaturated 9
% Saturated 47
Butter:
% Monounsaturated 30
% Polyunsaturated 4
% Saturated 50
The figures vary with the breed and diet of the animal. The figures sum of the figures may not equal 100 due to water and connective tissue in the fat, and in the case of butter, milk solids.
Suet is specifically the fat that surrounds the kidney of an animal.
Tallow is the rendered fat from cattle and sheep
Dripping is the fat and meat juices that drip from the meat as it cooks. There are two components to dripping: the fat and the meat juices. After refrigerating the drippings, the fat will solidify and can be skimmed off and used as you would any other fat. The meat juices are concentrated flavor and will jellify when refrigerated. It is a good addition to sauces, soups and stews.
(adapted from Fat: An Appreciation of a Misunderstood Ingredient with Recipes by Jennifer McLagan)
I thought it would be fun to see how the monounsaturated portions of these animal fats stacked up to olive oil. Olive oil has one of the highest monounsaturated fat percentages at 72.9 % (Sat 13.8%, Polyunsat 10.5%). On the Megs Monounsaturated Fat Score it is assigned a score of 10
Megs Monounsaturated Fat Score (MMFS):
Olive oil = 10
Goose fat = 7.8
Duck = 6.9
Chicken=6.1
Lard/Bacon fat= 6.1
Turkey= 5.8
Beef Tallow/Dripping= 5.7
Lamb Tallow=5.4
Butter=4.1
Maybe having roast goose for Christmas isn't a bad idea.
Of course, I borrowed the book. A wonderful book it is too. For the food curious, it explains dietary fat, particularly animal based dietary fat. For the food historian, it mentions the historical significance of animal fat (Who knew Michelangelo snacked on lardo, a raw cured pork fat? That was never mentioned in my art appreciation class!) For the food lover, recipes using---you guessed it---fat.
Of particular interest to me were the Fat charts, which broke down the percentage of unsaturated and saturated fats in the more common animal fats. Here is my compilation of it:
FAT
Goose:
% Monounsaturated 57
% Polyunsaturated 11
% Saturated 28
Duck:
% Monounsaturated 50
% Polyunsaturated 13
% Saturated 33
Chicken:
% Monounsaturated 45
% Polyunsaturated 21
% Saturated 30
Lard/Bacon Fat:
% Monounsaturated 45
% Polyunsaturated 11
% Saturated 39
Turkey:
% Monounsaturated 43
% Polyunsaturated 23
% Saturated 29
Beef Tallow/Suet:
% Monounsaturated 42
% Polyunsaturated 2
% Saturated 47
Lamb Tallow:
% Monounsaturated 40
% Polyunsaturated 9
% Saturated 47
Butter:
% Monounsaturated 30
% Polyunsaturated 4
% Saturated 50
The figures vary with the breed and diet of the animal. The figures sum of the figures may not equal 100 due to water and connective tissue in the fat, and in the case of butter, milk solids.
Suet is specifically the fat that surrounds the kidney of an animal.
Tallow is the rendered fat from cattle and sheep
Dripping is the fat and meat juices that drip from the meat as it cooks. There are two components to dripping: the fat and the meat juices. After refrigerating the drippings, the fat will solidify and can be skimmed off and used as you would any other fat. The meat juices are concentrated flavor and will jellify when refrigerated. It is a good addition to sauces, soups and stews.
(adapted from Fat: An Appreciation of a Misunderstood Ingredient with Recipes by Jennifer McLagan)
I thought it would be fun to see how the monounsaturated portions of these animal fats stacked up to olive oil. Olive oil has one of the highest monounsaturated fat percentages at 72.9 % (Sat 13.8%, Polyunsat 10.5%). On the Megs Monounsaturated Fat Score it is assigned a score of 10
Megs Monounsaturated Fat Score (MMFS):
Olive oil = 10
Goose fat = 7.8
Duck = 6.9
Chicken=6.1
Lard/Bacon fat= 6.1
Turkey= 5.8
Beef Tallow/Dripping= 5.7
Lamb Tallow=5.4
Butter=4.1
Maybe having roast goose for Christmas isn't a bad idea.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Meet Steve
This spring I went to an herb and plant festival and purchased a stevia plant. Let me be honest, I’m not crazy about stevia sweeteners in packets because I’m one of those people who can detect an off-herby bitter flavor those packets impart to foods. While I do not mind herby-bitter flavors in savory foods like soups and stews, I do mind it in foods like tea and puddings. So I purchased a stevia in hopes that fresh stevia would be better than the stuff in the packets. Plus I wanted to see if I could grow it. (Part of my gardening madness is seeing if I can grow it and keep it alive.)
When I got home, I plucked a leaf off Steve to taste it. The leaf has no flavor at all until you bite it, then it releases a sweetness. I would hesitate to call that sweetness sugary or honey-like, but it is sweet. The more you chew the more sweetness is released as are the more herby qualities of the stevia. The herbiness is a bit like anise with undertones of tarrragon. Not too bad.
Anyhow, the first problem I ran into is that stevia is a subtropical plant. I do not live in a subtropical area, so Steve has to come indoors during the winter. Which meant I had to find a container that would be large enough to accommodate Steve in the fall. In my research on the Net, I found that Steve had the potential to grow a few feet. That would mean Steve’s container would have to be a few feet too. But I decided to buy Steve a 10 inch container and move him to a bigger container in the fall if he needed it.
The second problem was Steve’s appearance. He was a single, long, gangly stem. The Net sources I read said that you can cut the stevia to make it branch. I cut Steve to the second leaf juncture. He looked pitiful. As I examined the 15 inch cutting more, I thought it would be a shame to throw it away. Besides, what if Steve did not survive his haircut? I couldn’t let Steve die: he cost me $5 plus another $8.50 for his container! I divided the cutting into 5 sections, grabbed a jar of rooting hormone and planted the Stevettes in a potting soil mix. Then I crossed my fingers and hoped for the best.
It took a week, but Steve began to grow side branches. The new growth looked healthier and the leaves were larger. I continued trimming Steve and using the leaves. The Stevettes (Steve, Stefan, Stefano, Esteban and Stephie) did not do much at all for 1 month. Then Steve Jr began sprouting side shoots, followed by the other Stevettes. I trimmed them back too to encourage new growth and they have been doing nicely.
I will continue taking care of Steve, Steve Jr, Stefan, Stefano, Esteban and Stephie and see if they will do well over the winter. I’m keeping my fingers crossed.
What I learned about using fresh stevia:
1. The leaves must be cut or bruised in order to release the sweetness. Floating a leaf in water or trying to infuse it as you would tea, ain’t going to do much.
2.The sweetness of the leaves vary. Sometimes the leaves are sweeter than other times. Sources on the Net say that the leave are sweetest right before the plant blooms. I allowed Steve to get bud and his leaves are much sweeter now than before. Also I have found that the sweetness varies from plant to plant. For example, Steve Jr. is sweeter than Stefan, Stefano, Esteban and Stephie.
3.Stevia stems have no sweetness. It’s only the leaves. So don’t bother trying to extract anything from the stems.
4.Stevia leaves can be dried. Ground dried stevia leaves are called "green stevia powder". I have dried some stevia leaves and will be experimenting with that over the winter.
5.Fresh stevia leaves when prepared using the method described in the Stevia Water recipe does not impart a bitter-herb flavor to the food, per my tastebuds.
Stevia Water
Ingredients:
Stevia leaves
Water
You will need a mortar and pestle or a sturdy bowl and a spoon with a heavy handle. For every stevia leaf use 1 teaspoon of water.
Put the stevia leaves and the appropriate amount of water into the mortar. Using the pestle, pound the leaves. If you are using a sturdy bowl and heavy handled spoon, put the leaves and water into the bowl, holding the handle in your hand, so that the spoon belly is facing up, carefully, pound the leaves to bruise them.
The leaves will turn a darker green color where they have been bruised. When the leaves have been thorough bruised, remove them, taking care to squeeze as much liquid from the leaves as possible. The liquid in the mortar will be greenish. Taste it and it will be sweet. Use immediately or freeze in ice cube trays for future use.
Just remember that since the sweetness of the leaves may vary, your Stevia water may vary from batch to batch too.
Cold Infusion Herb Tea
Makes 1-2 quarts
2 sprigs stevia
2-3 sprigs fresh herbs (mint, tarragon, lemon verbena, lemon balm, lavender, etc.)
1-2 quarts cold water
Place the stevia and herbs on a chopping board. Using the back of a knife or meat tenderizer, tap/beat the herbs until herbs turn a darker green color. That darker green color indicates that the cell walls have been damaged and the essential oils (in the case of the stevia, the sweetness) have been released. Scrape the herbs into a pitcher. Add the water.
Allow to infuse in the refrigerator overnight. Before serving, stir to evenly distribute the flavors. Once you have finished the beverage, don’t throw away the herbs. Simply add another quart of water and allow to infuse overnight again. This can be done one more time before the flavors are completely used up.
Good tea combinations:
Tarragon and lemon verbena
Tarragon and lemon balm
Mint and lemon balm
Mint and borage
Be aware that these herbs have some medicinal properties. For example, both tarragon and lemon verbena are diuretics and lavender has some sedative properties. For that matter, stevia is said to be a diuretic too.
Also, you may make the iced tea by using boiling water, rather than cold water. But I think the cold infusion technique results in a complex flavor and aroma more true to the fresh herb. Heat will cause some of those aromatic oils to evaporate into the air. So the air will be well flavored but your herbal tea will not.
When I got home, I plucked a leaf off Steve to taste it. The leaf has no flavor at all until you bite it, then it releases a sweetness. I would hesitate to call that sweetness sugary or honey-like, but it is sweet. The more you chew the more sweetness is released as are the more herby qualities of the stevia. The herbiness is a bit like anise with undertones of tarrragon. Not too bad.
Anyhow, the first problem I ran into is that stevia is a subtropical plant. I do not live in a subtropical area, so Steve has to come indoors during the winter. Which meant I had to find a container that would be large enough to accommodate Steve in the fall. In my research on the Net, I found that Steve had the potential to grow a few feet. That would mean Steve’s container would have to be a few feet too. But I decided to buy Steve a 10 inch container and move him to a bigger container in the fall if he needed it.
The second problem was Steve’s appearance. He was a single, long, gangly stem. The Net sources I read said that you can cut the stevia to make it branch. I cut Steve to the second leaf juncture. He looked pitiful. As I examined the 15 inch cutting more, I thought it would be a shame to throw it away. Besides, what if Steve did not survive his haircut? I couldn’t let Steve die: he cost me $5 plus another $8.50 for his container! I divided the cutting into 5 sections, grabbed a jar of rooting hormone and planted the Stevettes in a potting soil mix. Then I crossed my fingers and hoped for the best.
It took a week, but Steve began to grow side branches. The new growth looked healthier and the leaves were larger. I continued trimming Steve and using the leaves. The Stevettes (Steve, Stefan, Stefano, Esteban and Stephie) did not do much at all for 1 month. Then Steve Jr began sprouting side shoots, followed by the other Stevettes. I trimmed them back too to encourage new growth and they have been doing nicely.
I will continue taking care of Steve, Steve Jr, Stefan, Stefano, Esteban and Stephie and see if they will do well over the winter. I’m keeping my fingers crossed.
What I learned about using fresh stevia:
1. The leaves must be cut or bruised in order to release the sweetness. Floating a leaf in water or trying to infuse it as you would tea, ain’t going to do much.
2.The sweetness of the leaves vary. Sometimes the leaves are sweeter than other times. Sources on the Net say that the leave are sweetest right before the plant blooms. I allowed Steve to get bud and his leaves are much sweeter now than before. Also I have found that the sweetness varies from plant to plant. For example, Steve Jr. is sweeter than Stefan, Stefano, Esteban and Stephie.
3.Stevia stems have no sweetness. It’s only the leaves. So don’t bother trying to extract anything from the stems.
4.Stevia leaves can be dried. Ground dried stevia leaves are called "green stevia powder". I have dried some stevia leaves and will be experimenting with that over the winter.
5.Fresh stevia leaves when prepared using the method described in the Stevia Water recipe does not impart a bitter-herb flavor to the food, per my tastebuds.
Stevia Water
Ingredients:
Stevia leaves
Water
You will need a mortar and pestle or a sturdy bowl and a spoon with a heavy handle. For every stevia leaf use 1 teaspoon of water.
Put the stevia leaves and the appropriate amount of water into the mortar. Using the pestle, pound the leaves. If you are using a sturdy bowl and heavy handled spoon, put the leaves and water into the bowl, holding the handle in your hand, so that the spoon belly is facing up, carefully, pound the leaves to bruise them.
The leaves will turn a darker green color where they have been bruised. When the leaves have been thorough bruised, remove them, taking care to squeeze as much liquid from the leaves as possible. The liquid in the mortar will be greenish. Taste it and it will be sweet. Use immediately or freeze in ice cube trays for future use.
Just remember that since the sweetness of the leaves may vary, your Stevia water may vary from batch to batch too.
Cold Infusion Herb Tea
Makes 1-2 quarts
2 sprigs stevia
2-3 sprigs fresh herbs (mint, tarragon, lemon verbena, lemon balm, lavender, etc.)
1-2 quarts cold water
Place the stevia and herbs on a chopping board. Using the back of a knife or meat tenderizer, tap/beat the herbs until herbs turn a darker green color. That darker green color indicates that the cell walls have been damaged and the essential oils (in the case of the stevia, the sweetness) have been released. Scrape the herbs into a pitcher. Add the water.
Allow to infuse in the refrigerator overnight. Before serving, stir to evenly distribute the flavors. Once you have finished the beverage, don’t throw away the herbs. Simply add another quart of water and allow to infuse overnight again. This can be done one more time before the flavors are completely used up.
Good tea combinations:
Tarragon and lemon verbena
Tarragon and lemon balm
Mint and lemon balm
Mint and borage
Be aware that these herbs have some medicinal properties. For example, both tarragon and lemon verbena are diuretics and lavender has some sedative properties. For that matter, stevia is said to be a diuretic too.
Also, you may make the iced tea by using boiling water, rather than cold water. But I think the cold infusion technique results in a complex flavor and aroma more true to the fresh herb. Heat will cause some of those aromatic oils to evaporate into the air. So the air will be well flavored but your herbal tea will not.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Re-Post of a Post
I learned that yahoo will discontinue geocities.com. So I'm moving some of the stuff I had in my geocities page to here. This is a repost of a post of a thread I did on atkinsdietbulletinboard.com a long time ago.
Salad. To most of us, it means a big bowl of lettuce. Sometimes there are other things on it (soggy bacon bits, stale croutons, etc.) and big glob of some kind of creamy dressing or worse a really oily, sour dressing (yuck!)
But salad does not have to be lettuce. A salad can be a mixture of chopped peppers, cucumbers and jicama tossed with alittle oil and lemon juice (and a healthy grinding of black pepper). A salad can be wilted, such as the popular wilted spinach salads.
That brings me to a good point: all the vegetables on the “salad” list can be cooked. Yes, including the lettuces! In fact, cooking these veggies gives them a different taste and texture that adds variety to your daily menu. Note: my Atkins book of reference is Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution, 3rd ed. The below list is from there.
SALAD VEGETABLES
ALFALFA SPROUTS:Best raw, imo. But can be lightly sauteed and added to egg dishes like omelettes or to brothy type soups like egg-drop.
ARUGULA:Bitter green. Thinly slice and sautee in oil or butter with garlic. You can sautee it alone or mix it with another milder green vegetable, like spinach or Swiss chard. Chop or thinly slice and use raw or lightly sauteed in egg dishes.
BOK CHOY: Also known as Chinese or Asian Celery. Mild green vegetables. Use the leafy parts and the white stems. Slice and use sautee like ARUGULA. Or use it in stir-fry with other vegetables. Can be used raw or lightly sauteed in egg dishes or brothy type soups.
CELERY:Thinly slice or slice into match sticks and add to stir fry, or soup. Can be used in making vegetable broth.
CHICORY: Bitter green. Prepare like ARUGULA.
CUCUMBER: De-seed, chop or slice and sautee in butter or oil (a classic accompaniment to sole or turbot fillets). Thinly slice and add to sour cream for a sauce similar to raita (Indian cucumber and yogurt sauce). Sautee lightly and add to a mixture of chicken broth and water, puree and chill for a cucumber soup.
DAIKON: Also known as Chinese Radish, Asian Radish, Japanese RadishPeel and parboil. A useful potato substitute in gratins, hash browns, stew, roasted as side vegetable for roast beef, chicken, etc. Can be used without parboiling in stir fry or thin brothy Asian style soups.
ENDIVE: Also known as Belgium Endive. Note: Endive and Chicory are essentially the same vegetable. Endive are the young shoots that are raised in the dark to decrease the bitterness and to keep the vegetable a creamy white color. Bitter vegetable. Best raw, imo, stuffed with chicken or tuna salad, cream cheese etc. Can be split lengthwise and braised as a side dish or can be sauteed lightly like ARUGULA.
ESCAROLE: Bitter green. Prepare and cook like ARUGULA. This is the vegetable green found in many Italian soups, like Italian Wedding Soup and Stricatella (an Italian egg-drop soup).
FENNEL: Also known as Sweet Anise. It looks similar to celery, except the stem-end is broader and the leaves are frondy. Cut the stems away from the broad base. The stems and fronds can be used too. Line the bottom of a roasting pan with them and put a whole chicken or whole fish on top of them; it imparts a nice flavor and aroma to the roast. Has a licorice/anise flavor. Tastes best raw, imo, thinly sliced in a salad with raw thinly sliced mushrooms and drizzled with olive oil, lemon juice, pepper and shaved Parmesan or Romano cheese. Can be thinly sliced and lightly sauteed. The base can be split in half and braised. Or made into a cream soup.
JICAMA: Best raw, imo. You chop the peeled jicama into cubes, mix with celery and mayo for a low carb version of Waldorf Salad. Cut them into fine matchsticks and mix with matchstick sized cuts of celeriac (from the 1-Cup List) and mayo for another salad. They can be used in stir fry as a water chestnut substitute. I’ve heard they can be baked and mashed, but I’ve never tried it that way.
LETTUCE: All lettuce can be cooked. (Repeat after me: all lettuce can be cooked) Slice and sautee in oil or butter like ARUGULA. Shredded, it can be added to brothy Asian style soups or even made into cream soup. Whole large lettuce leaves can be softened in the microwave for 10-15 seconds and used as wraps for other vegetable dishes or vegetable-meat dishes like stir fry (think moo shu wrapper substitute). Lightly sautee or use raw in egg dishes.
MACHE: Also known as Corn Salad. Best raw, imo, But can be prepared like ARUGULA.
MUSHROOMS: Button mushrooms that turn a bit brown in your frig have more flavor, making them better for cooking. Use in meat or vegetable stocks. Sautee in oil or butter. Add to egg dishes. Stuff larger mushroom caps with cheese or mixture of cooked ground meat and cheese, bake until cheese is melted. Classic French preparation for mushrooms is the “Duxelles”. Finely chop the mushrooms caps and stems. Sautee in oil and/or butter until all the water is cooked away and the mushrooms are rather dry. Add salt and pepper (maybe a pinch of nutmeg) and enough cream to just lightly bind the mixture together. Use the Duxelles as a stuffing in chicken breasts, under the skin of a whole chicken for roasting, or stuff into artichoke hearts and other vegetables.
PARSLEY: Italian or Flat leaf parsley has a more pronounced flavor than the more delicate French or Curly parsley. I think the Italians deep fry whole parsley sprigs and use them as an edible garnish. Anyway, finely chop and add to egg dishes. Use as an “extender” with other herbs when making pesto. A French country soup recipe uses a lot of parsley. Bake or boil one head of garlic until soft, then mash. Bring a pot of good chicken stock to the boil. Add the mashed garlic and cook for about 5-10 minutes. Add about a cup of finely chopped parsley to the soup. Serve immediately. Can also be used in sauces.
PEPPERS: Slice and sautee in oil or butter and serve as is or add to egg dishes. Grill or broil whole peppers until the skin is blackened and the vegetable is somewhat soft. Put into plastic bag and allow to steam. Then scrape off the skins and remove the seeds. Can be dressed in oil and served as is. OR puree the roasted peppers with a love of garlic, salt, pepper and slowly incorporate a good olive oil. Use as a red sauce for spaghetti squash, incorporate into meat loaf. Or skip the oil and add a mixture of chicken broth and water to the puree. Chill and serve as a cold soup with a splash of olive oil on top right before serving or add chopped cucumbers for an almost gazpacho. Slice peppers in half and stuff with a meatloaf mixture, bake until cooked. OR stuff raw pepper halves with chicken or tuna salad (especially good with the long sweet varieties, like banana peppers, or with the hotter peppers if you like spicy things).
RADDICHIO: Bitter salad vegetable. Prepare like ARUGULA
RADISHES: Slice into thin rounds and sautee in oil or butter, salt and pepper-----great as a side dish for scrambled eggs! Boil or steam and serve with butter or cream. Can also be used in pot roasts or roasted with other vegetables as a roasted meat side dish. This is Not2Late’s Page,
ROMAINE: Also known as Cos LettuceUse like the other LETTUCES. Can be prepared like ARUGULA.
SORREL: Lemony, tart flavored green herb. Classic preparations are a sorrel and watercress sauce and cream of sorrel soup. Can be boiled like spinach BUT change the cooking water once during the cooking to decrease the tartness (believe me it’s needed!). Throw it into the blender with mayo or sour cream for a sauce or dip. Saute it with a mixture of greens.
Other tips:
Reducing the bitterness of vegetables: Blanch them prior to final cooking. OR soak them in cold, salted water for about 2 hours, thoroughly rinsing the greens before the final preparation.
Sautee tips: To add extra flavor, heat the oil and/or butter in a pan, add the garlic and one or two anchovy fillets (don’t worry, it won’t taste fishy and the fillets will disintegrate). Alternatively, omit the anchovy fillets and add a pinch (or more) of dried hot pepper flakes. Let the flakes cook gently then add the vegetables. A squeeze of lemon juice or a splash of hot pepper sauce right before serving the bitter greens adds an extra kick to them.
Vegetable hash: Great way to use leftovers. Using the potato substitutes, like daikon or turnips, parboil until soft, cut into desired shape. Sautee in oil or bacon fat with cooked green vegetables. Press lightly on the vegetables while cooking in order to develop a golden brown crust. In the UK, the potato and cabbage version of this is called “Bubble and Squeak”.
Stove top braise and brown: In a large frying pan add your vegetable. Cover with enough water to go halfway up the vegetable’s sides. Add a tablespoon or two of oil. Bring to a boil. Do not cover and let it cook until the water boils away. The oil will then fry the vegetables to a golden brown color. Good technique for endive, fennel, and baby bok choy, sliced lengthwise.
Spanish Tortilla: This is an egg dish similar to an Italian fritatta, as opposed to the Latin American tortilla. It’s a great leftover user. Basic technique: 1-2 eggs, salt, pepper, ½ to 1 cup of the desired vegetable or a mix of vegetables, optional additions include chopped cooked leftover meat, cheese, etc. Beat the eggs, add the other ingredients. Set aside. Heat some oil and/or butter in a frying pan. Pour the egg mixture into the pan and cook over medium to high heat. Try not to stir the mixture. You want it to set up. When it is set, carefully flip it to the other side and let it cook. Cook both sides to a golden brown….this is important because it gives the dish more flavor. Spinach is exceptionally good in this dish.
IF you wish to make an egg foo yung, add a cup of raw bean sprouts and chopped cooked meat (if desired) to the beaten egg. Cook as above. In Chinese restaurants, the patty is deep fried and they move the edges toward the center to make it more roundish. But that’s not really necessary. IF you put this egg foo yung patty into a lettuce leaf and add mayo and some sliced tomato, you’ll have a low carb version of a St. Paul sandwich and nice light lunch or supper.
Salad. To most of us, it means a big bowl of lettuce. Sometimes there are other things on it (soggy bacon bits, stale croutons, etc.) and big glob of some kind of creamy dressing or worse a really oily, sour dressing (yuck!)
But salad does not have to be lettuce. A salad can be a mixture of chopped peppers, cucumbers and jicama tossed with alittle oil and lemon juice (and a healthy grinding of black pepper). A salad can be wilted, such as the popular wilted spinach salads.
That brings me to a good point: all the vegetables on the “salad” list can be cooked. Yes, including the lettuces! In fact, cooking these veggies gives them a different taste and texture that adds variety to your daily menu. Note: my Atkins book of reference is Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution, 3rd ed. The below list is from there.
SALAD VEGETABLES
ALFALFA SPROUTS:Best raw, imo. But can be lightly sauteed and added to egg dishes like omelettes or to brothy type soups like egg-drop.
ARUGULA:Bitter green. Thinly slice and sautee in oil or butter with garlic. You can sautee it alone or mix it with another milder green vegetable, like spinach or Swiss chard. Chop or thinly slice and use raw or lightly sauteed in egg dishes.
BOK CHOY: Also known as Chinese or Asian Celery. Mild green vegetables. Use the leafy parts and the white stems. Slice and use sautee like ARUGULA. Or use it in stir-fry with other vegetables. Can be used raw or lightly sauteed in egg dishes or brothy type soups.
CELERY:Thinly slice or slice into match sticks and add to stir fry, or soup. Can be used in making vegetable broth.
CHICORY: Bitter green. Prepare like ARUGULA.
CUCUMBER: De-seed, chop or slice and sautee in butter or oil (a classic accompaniment to sole or turbot fillets). Thinly slice and add to sour cream for a sauce similar to raita (Indian cucumber and yogurt sauce). Sautee lightly and add to a mixture of chicken broth and water, puree and chill for a cucumber soup.
DAIKON: Also known as Chinese Radish, Asian Radish, Japanese RadishPeel and parboil. A useful potato substitute in gratins, hash browns, stew, roasted as side vegetable for roast beef, chicken, etc. Can be used without parboiling in stir fry or thin brothy Asian style soups.
ENDIVE: Also known as Belgium Endive. Note: Endive and Chicory are essentially the same vegetable. Endive are the young shoots that are raised in the dark to decrease the bitterness and to keep the vegetable a creamy white color. Bitter vegetable. Best raw, imo, stuffed with chicken or tuna salad, cream cheese etc. Can be split lengthwise and braised as a side dish or can be sauteed lightly like ARUGULA.
ESCAROLE: Bitter green. Prepare and cook like ARUGULA. This is the vegetable green found in many Italian soups, like Italian Wedding Soup and Stricatella (an Italian egg-drop soup).
FENNEL: Also known as Sweet Anise. It looks similar to celery, except the stem-end is broader and the leaves are frondy. Cut the stems away from the broad base. The stems and fronds can be used too. Line the bottom of a roasting pan with them and put a whole chicken or whole fish on top of them; it imparts a nice flavor and aroma to the roast. Has a licorice/anise flavor. Tastes best raw, imo, thinly sliced in a salad with raw thinly sliced mushrooms and drizzled with olive oil, lemon juice, pepper and shaved Parmesan or Romano cheese. Can be thinly sliced and lightly sauteed. The base can be split in half and braised. Or made into a cream soup.
JICAMA: Best raw, imo. You chop the peeled jicama into cubes, mix with celery and mayo for a low carb version of Waldorf Salad. Cut them into fine matchsticks and mix with matchstick sized cuts of celeriac (from the 1-Cup List) and mayo for another salad. They can be used in stir fry as a water chestnut substitute. I’ve heard they can be baked and mashed, but I’ve never tried it that way.
LETTUCE: All lettuce can be cooked. (Repeat after me: all lettuce can be cooked) Slice and sautee in oil or butter like ARUGULA. Shredded, it can be added to brothy Asian style soups or even made into cream soup. Whole large lettuce leaves can be softened in the microwave for 10-15 seconds and used as wraps for other vegetable dishes or vegetable-meat dishes like stir fry (think moo shu wrapper substitute). Lightly sautee or use raw in egg dishes.
MACHE: Also known as Corn Salad. Best raw, imo, But can be prepared like ARUGULA.
MUSHROOMS: Button mushrooms that turn a bit brown in your frig have more flavor, making them better for cooking. Use in meat or vegetable stocks. Sautee in oil or butter. Add to egg dishes. Stuff larger mushroom caps with cheese or mixture of cooked ground meat and cheese, bake until cheese is melted. Classic French preparation for mushrooms is the “Duxelles”. Finely chop the mushrooms caps and stems. Sautee in oil and/or butter until all the water is cooked away and the mushrooms are rather dry. Add salt and pepper (maybe a pinch of nutmeg) and enough cream to just lightly bind the mixture together. Use the Duxelles as a stuffing in chicken breasts, under the skin of a whole chicken for roasting, or stuff into artichoke hearts and other vegetables.
PARSLEY: Italian or Flat leaf parsley has a more pronounced flavor than the more delicate French or Curly parsley. I think the Italians deep fry whole parsley sprigs and use them as an edible garnish. Anyway, finely chop and add to egg dishes. Use as an “extender” with other herbs when making pesto. A French country soup recipe uses a lot of parsley. Bake or boil one head of garlic until soft, then mash. Bring a pot of good chicken stock to the boil. Add the mashed garlic and cook for about 5-10 minutes. Add about a cup of finely chopped parsley to the soup. Serve immediately. Can also be used in sauces.
PEPPERS: Slice and sautee in oil or butter and serve as is or add to egg dishes. Grill or broil whole peppers until the skin is blackened and the vegetable is somewhat soft. Put into plastic bag and allow to steam. Then scrape off the skins and remove the seeds. Can be dressed in oil and served as is. OR puree the roasted peppers with a love of garlic, salt, pepper and slowly incorporate a good olive oil. Use as a red sauce for spaghetti squash, incorporate into meat loaf. Or skip the oil and add a mixture of chicken broth and water to the puree. Chill and serve as a cold soup with a splash of olive oil on top right before serving or add chopped cucumbers for an almost gazpacho. Slice peppers in half and stuff with a meatloaf mixture, bake until cooked. OR stuff raw pepper halves with chicken or tuna salad (especially good with the long sweet varieties, like banana peppers, or with the hotter peppers if you like spicy things).
RADDICHIO: Bitter salad vegetable. Prepare like ARUGULA
RADISHES: Slice into thin rounds and sautee in oil or butter, salt and pepper-----great as a side dish for scrambled eggs! Boil or steam and serve with butter or cream. Can also be used in pot roasts or roasted with other vegetables as a roasted meat side dish. This is Not2Late’s Page,
ROMAINE: Also known as Cos LettuceUse like the other LETTUCES. Can be prepared like ARUGULA.
SORREL: Lemony, tart flavored green herb. Classic preparations are a sorrel and watercress sauce and cream of sorrel soup. Can be boiled like spinach BUT change the cooking water once during the cooking to decrease the tartness (believe me it’s needed!). Throw it into the blender with mayo or sour cream for a sauce or dip. Saute it with a mixture of greens.
Other tips:
Reducing the bitterness of vegetables: Blanch them prior to final cooking. OR soak them in cold, salted water for about 2 hours, thoroughly rinsing the greens before the final preparation.
Sautee tips: To add extra flavor, heat the oil and/or butter in a pan, add the garlic and one or two anchovy fillets (don’t worry, it won’t taste fishy and the fillets will disintegrate). Alternatively, omit the anchovy fillets and add a pinch (or more) of dried hot pepper flakes. Let the flakes cook gently then add the vegetables. A squeeze of lemon juice or a splash of hot pepper sauce right before serving the bitter greens adds an extra kick to them.
Vegetable hash: Great way to use leftovers. Using the potato substitutes, like daikon or turnips, parboil until soft, cut into desired shape. Sautee in oil or bacon fat with cooked green vegetables. Press lightly on the vegetables while cooking in order to develop a golden brown crust. In the UK, the potato and cabbage version of this is called “Bubble and Squeak”.
Stove top braise and brown: In a large frying pan add your vegetable. Cover with enough water to go halfway up the vegetable’s sides. Add a tablespoon or two of oil. Bring to a boil. Do not cover and let it cook until the water boils away. The oil will then fry the vegetables to a golden brown color. Good technique for endive, fennel, and baby bok choy, sliced lengthwise.
Spanish Tortilla: This is an egg dish similar to an Italian fritatta, as opposed to the Latin American tortilla. It’s a great leftover user. Basic technique: 1-2 eggs, salt, pepper, ½ to 1 cup of the desired vegetable or a mix of vegetables, optional additions include chopped cooked leftover meat, cheese, etc. Beat the eggs, add the other ingredients. Set aside. Heat some oil and/or butter in a frying pan. Pour the egg mixture into the pan and cook over medium to high heat. Try not to stir the mixture. You want it to set up. When it is set, carefully flip it to the other side and let it cook. Cook both sides to a golden brown….this is important because it gives the dish more flavor. Spinach is exceptionally good in this dish.
IF you wish to make an egg foo yung, add a cup of raw bean sprouts and chopped cooked meat (if desired) to the beaten egg. Cook as above. In Chinese restaurants, the patty is deep fried and they move the edges toward the center to make it more roundish. But that’s not really necessary. IF you put this egg foo yung patty into a lettuce leaf and add mayo and some sliced tomato, you’ll have a low carb version of a St. Paul sandwich and nice light lunch or supper.
Friday, May 22, 2009
Atkins Revolution Rolls: The Best Cooking Method
As a low carber and someone who is allergic to wheat, I use Atkins Revolution Rolls frequently. They are made from eggs, cream or cottage cheese, a pinch of cream of tartar and a flavor enhancer, either in the form of a sugar substitute or salt and a bit of onion or garlic powder.
The egg yolks are combined with the cheese and the flavor enhance, while the egg whites and cream of tartar are beaten to stiff peaks. The whites are folded into the yolk-cheese mixture and then dolloped onto a baking sheet or a muffin top pan and baked in a moderate oven. A souffle effect occurs and the result are a bready type of roll: perfect for things like hamburger buns or if spread more thinly, tortilla wraps.
The problem is that sometimes the rolls don't remain puffy after it has been pulled out of the oven. Turning off the oven after the rolls have baked and keeping them in there to further set helps a bit....
So how do you keep the rolls, bread like?
Cook them in the microwave. The time is about 2-3 minutes depending on your microwave.
It goes throw a fascinating change. At first, nothing seems to happen, then suddenly the mixture will puff up, threatening to spill over the container. Then it will continue cooking and slowly lose volume. The result is a firmer more stable roll, that is pale yellow in color. But the texture is bready.
The only drawback to this method is that you can't cook more than 1 roll at a time.
A word about containers: the shape of the container will determine the shape of your roll. A microwave safe square sandwich container will do for sandwich bread or even a hotdog bun (split the cooked square bread through the middle.) A 4 inch round bowl will do for a burger bun.
Atkins Revolution Roll (1 serving)
1 egg
1 tablespoon cream cheese or 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
pinch salt
pinch garlic or onion powder (optional, but I think it gives it a yeastier taste.)
Lightly grease a microwave safe container.
Separate the egg white from the yolk. Put the egg white into a perfectly grease/oil free bowl. Set aside.
Combine the yolk with the cheese or mayo and the other ingredients in another bowl. Set aside.
Beat the egg whites to a stiff peak. Then fold about 1/4 of them into the egg yolk mixture to lighten it. Then pour the egg yolk mixture over the egg whites. Fold gently until all the egg white is incorporated, taking care not to over do it otherwise, you'll lose the volume.
Pour the mixture into the prepared cooking container. Put into the microwave. Microwave on HIGH for 2-3 minutes. Remove from the microwave. Cool and use as you would bread.
The egg yolks are combined with the cheese and the flavor enhance, while the egg whites and cream of tartar are beaten to stiff peaks. The whites are folded into the yolk-cheese mixture and then dolloped onto a baking sheet or a muffin top pan and baked in a moderate oven. A souffle effect occurs and the result are a bready type of roll: perfect for things like hamburger buns or if spread more thinly, tortilla wraps.
The problem is that sometimes the rolls don't remain puffy after it has been pulled out of the oven. Turning off the oven after the rolls have baked and keeping them in there to further set helps a bit....
So how do you keep the rolls, bread like?
Cook them in the microwave. The time is about 2-3 minutes depending on your microwave.
It goes throw a fascinating change. At first, nothing seems to happen, then suddenly the mixture will puff up, threatening to spill over the container. Then it will continue cooking and slowly lose volume. The result is a firmer more stable roll, that is pale yellow in color. But the texture is bready.
The only drawback to this method is that you can't cook more than 1 roll at a time.
A word about containers: the shape of the container will determine the shape of your roll. A microwave safe square sandwich container will do for sandwich bread or even a hotdog bun (split the cooked square bread through the middle.) A 4 inch round bowl will do for a burger bun.
Atkins Revolution Roll (1 serving)
1 egg
1 tablespoon cream cheese or 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
pinch salt
pinch garlic or onion powder (optional, but I think it gives it a yeastier taste.)
Lightly grease a microwave safe container.
Separate the egg white from the yolk. Put the egg white into a perfectly grease/oil free bowl. Set aside.
Combine the yolk with the cheese or mayo and the other ingredients in another bowl. Set aside.
Beat the egg whites to a stiff peak. Then fold about 1/4 of them into the egg yolk mixture to lighten it. Then pour the egg yolk mixture over the egg whites. Fold gently until all the egg white is incorporated, taking care not to over do it otherwise, you'll lose the volume.
Pour the mixture into the prepared cooking container. Put into the microwave. Microwave on HIGH for 2-3 minutes. Remove from the microwave. Cool and use as you would bread.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Coconut Gelatin
I'm nuts about nuts. But not so nuts about coconut. It's okay, if (and that's a big IF) the coconut product (milk, water, fat/cream or the meat itself) is superduper fresh. Otherwise it has a slightly rancid taste that tastes, well, slightly rancid and it makes my stomach churn in a very, very, very bad way!
There are a few coconut preparations I don't mind. Coconut gelatin is one of them. A little pinch of salt brings out the flavor. Also, my recipe doesn't add any sweetener at all because I find coconut milk to be naturally sweet.
Coconut Gelatin
1 can of coconut milk (14 fluid ounces)
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
1 cup water
1/8 teaspoon salt (optional)
Open the packet of gelatin and pour into a bowl. Add a tablespoon or two of cold water. Stir until the gelatin is thoroughly combined with the water. Meanwhile, bring the 1 cup of water to a boil. Pour over the gelatin and stir until the gelatin is dissolved.
Shake the can of coconut milk and open. If the coconut milk has a layer of coconut cream, don't worry. Simply pour it into a bowl and whisk the cream and the liquid together. Add the coconut milk to the gelatin mixture, stir until well combined. Refrigerate.
When cool and jellified, cut into cubes and serve on its own or with fresh fruit, like berries, melons, etc.
There are a few coconut preparations I don't mind. Coconut gelatin is one of them. A little pinch of salt brings out the flavor. Also, my recipe doesn't add any sweetener at all because I find coconut milk to be naturally sweet.
Coconut Gelatin
1 can of coconut milk (14 fluid ounces)
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
1 cup water
1/8 teaspoon salt (optional)
Open the packet of gelatin and pour into a bowl. Add a tablespoon or two of cold water. Stir until the gelatin is thoroughly combined with the water. Meanwhile, bring the 1 cup of water to a boil. Pour over the gelatin and stir until the gelatin is dissolved.
Shake the can of coconut milk and open. If the coconut milk has a layer of coconut cream, don't worry. Simply pour it into a bowl and whisk the cream and the liquid together. Add the coconut milk to the gelatin mixture, stir until well combined. Refrigerate.
When cool and jellified, cut into cubes and serve on its own or with fresh fruit, like berries, melons, etc.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Savory Cakes: Crab, Fish, Chicken and Turkey
I'm from Maryland, home of the Chesapeake Bay and subsequently, home of the crab cake. Too many crab cake recipes include crackers, bread crumbs or bread cubes that are used to "bind" he meat. In reality, those fillers are added for one reason: to feed more people on one pound of crabmeat. In other words, if 1 pound of crab can feed 2 people, then adding cracker or bread crumbs can feed 4 people and you won't have to use more crab to do it.
The technique to make a basic crabcake can be used for any cooked meat, like fish, chicken or turkey. I prefer to use mayonnaise as a binder. The amount used is critical because if you are too generous with your measurements, you'll end up with crab salad or chicken salad (which would be equally delicious.) Egg can be used too. When using egg, it is important to not beat it before mixing it with the meat. Here are recipes using both binders.
I like to serve them with a sauce made from equal part mayonnaise and Dijon mustard with a few drops of lemon juice.
Basic Crab Cake using Mayonnaise
2 cups of crab meat
ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning (optional)
Combine all ingredients into a bowl and mix gently. The mixture should hold together when lightly packed. Form into patties about 1/2 inch thick. Place on a dish, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
To cook, heat oil or butter in a skillet over medium high heat. Put the crabcakes into the hot oil. Allow to cook until the edges are golden brown. DO NOT move the cakes around while they are cooking or they will fall apart. Flip over and cook on other side until golden brown. Serve.
Basic Fish Cake using Mayonnaise and Canned fish
2 cups drained canned fish (tuna, mackeral, salmon)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons chopped green onion or onion
1 teaspoon chopped dill weed (optional)
If using mackeral or salmon, remove the skin and bones. The fish must be thoroughly drain of all packing liquid. Leftover cooked fish maybe used too.
Combine all ingredients into a bowl and mix gently. The mixture should hold together when lightly packed. Form into patties about 1/2 inch thick. Place on a dish, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
To cook, heat oil or butter in a skillet over medium high heat. Put the fish cakes into the hot oil. Allow to cook until the edges are golden brown. DO NOT move the cakes around while they are cooking or they will fall apart. Flip over and cook on other side until golden brown. Serve.
Chicken or Turkey Cakes using Mayonnaise
2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped green onion or onion
1/4 cup mayonnaise
Optional flavorings:
curry powder, chile powder, garam masala, "italian" herb mix, etc.
The easiest way to shred chicken or turkey is to break it up with your fingers, removing any bones, cartilage and skin.
Combine all ingredients into a bowl and mix gently. The mixture should hold together when lightly packed. Form into patties about 1/2 inch thick. Place on a dish, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
To cook, heat oil or butter in a skillet over medium high heat. Put the chicken cakes into the hot oil. Allow to cook until the edges are golden brown. DO NOT move the cakes around while they are cooking or they will fall apart. Flip over and cook on other side until golden brown. Serve.
Basic Crab Cake using Egg
2 cups of crab meat
ground black pepper to taste
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning (optional)
Combine all ingredients into a bowl and mix gently. The mixture should hold together when lightly packed. Form into patties about 1/2 inch thick. Place on a dish, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
To cook, heat oil or butter in a skillet over medium high heat. Put the crabcakes into the hot oil. Allow to cook until the edges are golden brown. DO NOT move the cakes around while they are cooking or they will fall apart. Flip over and cook on other side until golden brown. Serve.
Basic Fish Cake using Egg and Canned fish
2 cups drained canned fish (tuna, mackeral, salmon)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 large egg
2 tablespoons chopped green onion or onion
1 teaspoon chopped dill weed (optional)
If using mackeral or salmon, remove the skin and bones. The fish must be thoroughly drained of the packing liquid.
Combine all ingredients into a bowl and mix gently. The mixture should hold together when lightly packed. Form into patties about 1/2 inch thick. Place on a dish, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. To cook, heat oil or butter in a skillet over medium high heat. Put the fish cakes into the hot oil. Allow to cook until the edges are golden brown. DO NOT move the cakes around while they are cooking or they will fall apart. Flip over and cook on other side until golden brown. Serve.
Chicken or Turkey Cakes
2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped green onion or onion
1 large egg
Optional flavorings:
curry powder, chile powder, garam masala, "italian" herb mix, etc.
The easiest way to shred chicken or turkey is to break it up with your fingers, removing any bones, cartilage and skin.
Combine all ingredients into a bowl and mix gently. The mixture should hold together when lightly packed. Form into patties about 1/2 inch thick. Place on a dish, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. To cook, heat oil or butter in a skillet over medium high heat. Put the chicken cakes into the hot oil. Allow to cook until the edges are golden brown. DO NOT move the cakes around while they are cooking or they will fall apart. Flip over and cook on other side until golden brown. Serve.
The technique to make a basic crabcake can be used for any cooked meat, like fish, chicken or turkey. I prefer to use mayonnaise as a binder. The amount used is critical because if you are too generous with your measurements, you'll end up with crab salad or chicken salad (which would be equally delicious.) Egg can be used too. When using egg, it is important to not beat it before mixing it with the meat. Here are recipes using both binders.
I like to serve them with a sauce made from equal part mayonnaise and Dijon mustard with a few drops of lemon juice.
Basic Crab Cake using Mayonnaise
2 cups of crab meat
ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning (optional)
Combine all ingredients into a bowl and mix gently. The mixture should hold together when lightly packed. Form into patties about 1/2 inch thick. Place on a dish, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
To cook, heat oil or butter in a skillet over medium high heat. Put the crabcakes into the hot oil. Allow to cook until the edges are golden brown. DO NOT move the cakes around while they are cooking or they will fall apart. Flip over and cook on other side until golden brown. Serve.
Basic Fish Cake using Mayonnaise and Canned fish
2 cups drained canned fish (tuna, mackeral, salmon)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons chopped green onion or onion
1 teaspoon chopped dill weed (optional)
If using mackeral or salmon, remove the skin and bones. The fish must be thoroughly drain of all packing liquid. Leftover cooked fish maybe used too.
Combine all ingredients into a bowl and mix gently. The mixture should hold together when lightly packed. Form into patties about 1/2 inch thick. Place on a dish, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
To cook, heat oil or butter in a skillet over medium high heat. Put the fish cakes into the hot oil. Allow to cook until the edges are golden brown. DO NOT move the cakes around while they are cooking or they will fall apart. Flip over and cook on other side until golden brown. Serve.
Chicken or Turkey Cakes using Mayonnaise
2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped green onion or onion
1/4 cup mayonnaise
Optional flavorings:
curry powder, chile powder, garam masala, "italian" herb mix, etc.
The easiest way to shred chicken or turkey is to break it up with your fingers, removing any bones, cartilage and skin.
Combine all ingredients into a bowl and mix gently. The mixture should hold together when lightly packed. Form into patties about 1/2 inch thick. Place on a dish, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
To cook, heat oil or butter in a skillet over medium high heat. Put the chicken cakes into the hot oil. Allow to cook until the edges are golden brown. DO NOT move the cakes around while they are cooking or they will fall apart. Flip over and cook on other side until golden brown. Serve.
Basic Crab Cake using Egg
2 cups of crab meat
ground black pepper to taste
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning (optional)
Combine all ingredients into a bowl and mix gently. The mixture should hold together when lightly packed. Form into patties about 1/2 inch thick. Place on a dish, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
To cook, heat oil or butter in a skillet over medium high heat. Put the crabcakes into the hot oil. Allow to cook until the edges are golden brown. DO NOT move the cakes around while they are cooking or they will fall apart. Flip over and cook on other side until golden brown. Serve.
Basic Fish Cake using Egg and Canned fish
2 cups drained canned fish (tuna, mackeral, salmon)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 large egg
2 tablespoons chopped green onion or onion
1 teaspoon chopped dill weed (optional)
If using mackeral or salmon, remove the skin and bones. The fish must be thoroughly drained of the packing liquid.
Combine all ingredients into a bowl and mix gently. The mixture should hold together when lightly packed. Form into patties about 1/2 inch thick. Place on a dish, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. To cook, heat oil or butter in a skillet over medium high heat. Put the fish cakes into the hot oil. Allow to cook until the edges are golden brown. DO NOT move the cakes around while they are cooking or they will fall apart. Flip over and cook on other side until golden brown. Serve.
Chicken or Turkey Cakes
2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped green onion or onion
1 large egg
Optional flavorings:
curry powder, chile powder, garam masala, "italian" herb mix, etc.
The easiest way to shred chicken or turkey is to break it up with your fingers, removing any bones, cartilage and skin.
Combine all ingredients into a bowl and mix gently. The mixture should hold together when lightly packed. Form into patties about 1/2 inch thick. Place on a dish, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. To cook, heat oil or butter in a skillet over medium high heat. Put the chicken cakes into the hot oil. Allow to cook until the edges are golden brown. DO NOT move the cakes around while they are cooking or they will fall apart. Flip over and cook on other side until golden brown. Serve.
Monday, December 15, 2008
Low Carb Buche de Noel (Yule Log) and Opera Cake
This recipe uses the Atkins Revolution Roll in another way: as a cake base. The filling is one that I adapted from UK Chef Gary Rhodes recipe in his book , Rhodes Around Britain.
Low Carb Yule Log (Buche de Noel)
For cake:
6 large eggs
6 tablespoons cream cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon Cream of Tartar
1 pinch salt
Sugar substitute that is the equivalent of 1/3 cup granulated sugar.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 15 inch jelly roll pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper and butter the parchment. Set aside.
Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites. Mix the egg yolks with the cream cheese, until well combined. Add the sugar substitute and mix well. Set aside.
Put the whites into a clean bowl. Add the cream of tartar and the salt. Beat until stiff peaks form (you can turn the bowl upside-down and the egg whites will stay put.)
Fold ¼ of egg whites into the yolk-cheese mixture, to lighten the batter. (. (If making the chocolate yule log, sift the ¼ cup of unsweetened cocoa over the batter at this point.) Then add the remaining egg whites and fold until the batter is light Do not over-fold.
Scoop the batter onto the prepared jelly roll pan. Gently push the batter into the corners and the sides. Avoid mashing the batter or stirring the batter because that will destroy the air bubbles and the cake won’t be as spongy and cake-like.
Bake for about 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool completely. Run a knife along the edges of the pan to loosen the cake. Place a cutting board onto the cake pan and flip the pan over. Carefully remove the parchment paper from the cake. Then put the paper back on the cake and flip it over so that the top is on top. Trim the edges. Save the edges.
Filling:
½ cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, or rum extract or brandy extract
sugar substitute to the equivalent of ¼ cup sugar
4 ounces cream cheese, softened.
In a bowl, beat the cream cheese with the vanilla extract and sugar substitute until light and fluffy. Set aside.
In another bowl, whip the heavy cream until stiff. Fold the whipped cream into the cheese. Set aside.
Assemble:
Spread the filling on the cake. Break the edges onto the top of the filling, gently press in. Roll up. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour. Cut and serve.
Variation:
Chocolate Yule Log: sift ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder onto the batter and follow the recipe.
"Opera" Cake: follow the recipe for the cake. After baking, unmold it and trim the edges. Slice the cake into 3 equal pieces. Make the filling as directed. Spread a third of the filling onto the top of one cake piece. Top it with another piece. Spread half of the remaining filling on top. Cover with the final cake piece. Use the remaining filling to frost the top and sides of the cake. Fruit slices may be layered between the filling and the cake layers too.
Low Carb Yule Log (Buche de Noel)
For cake:
6 large eggs
6 tablespoons cream cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon Cream of Tartar
1 pinch salt
Sugar substitute that is the equivalent of 1/3 cup granulated sugar.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 15 inch jelly roll pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper and butter the parchment. Set aside.
Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites. Mix the egg yolks with the cream cheese, until well combined. Add the sugar substitute and mix well. Set aside.
Put the whites into a clean bowl. Add the cream of tartar and the salt. Beat until stiff peaks form (you can turn the bowl upside-down and the egg whites will stay put.)
Fold ¼ of egg whites into the yolk-cheese mixture, to lighten the batter. (. (If making the chocolate yule log, sift the ¼ cup of unsweetened cocoa over the batter at this point.) Then add the remaining egg whites and fold until the batter is light Do not over-fold.
Scoop the batter onto the prepared jelly roll pan. Gently push the batter into the corners and the sides. Avoid mashing the batter or stirring the batter because that will destroy the air bubbles and the cake won’t be as spongy and cake-like.
Bake for about 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool completely. Run a knife along the edges of the pan to loosen the cake. Place a cutting board onto the cake pan and flip the pan over. Carefully remove the parchment paper from the cake. Then put the paper back on the cake and flip it over so that the top is on top. Trim the edges. Save the edges.
Filling:
½ cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, or rum extract or brandy extract
sugar substitute to the equivalent of ¼ cup sugar
4 ounces cream cheese, softened.
In a bowl, beat the cream cheese with the vanilla extract and sugar substitute until light and fluffy. Set aside.
In another bowl, whip the heavy cream until stiff. Fold the whipped cream into the cheese. Set aside.
Assemble:
Spread the filling on the cake. Break the edges onto the top of the filling, gently press in. Roll up. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour. Cut and serve.
Variation:
Chocolate Yule Log: sift ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder onto the batter and follow the recipe.
"Opera" Cake: follow the recipe for the cake. After baking, unmold it and trim the edges. Slice the cake into 3 equal pieces. Make the filling as directed. Spread a third of the filling onto the top of one cake piece. Top it with another piece. Spread half of the remaining filling on top. Cover with the final cake piece. Use the remaining filling to frost the top and sides of the cake. Fruit slices may be layered between the filling and the cake layers too.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Spanish Almond Pepper Sauce
I had this during a potluck and begged for the recipe. The original recipe called for tomatoes and red wine vinegar. But due to the tomato scare earlier this summer, I traded the tomatoes for sweet red peppers and the red wine vinegar for sherry vinegar.
This sauce is no-cook, similar in preparation to pesto. It’s great with all kinds of meat, sausages, fish, shellfish, poultry and cooked or raw vegetables. I’ve used it as a sauce for pasta---which my godchildren seemed to love. A teaspoon perks up scrambled eggs and poached eggs. It’s even good poured over cream cheese and scooped up as a dip.
Store it in a container with a lid in the refrigerator. I roasted my own almonds, but if you use the pre-roasted variety, just rinse off the salt. For the roasted red peppers, I used the ones out of a jar, draining and rinsing the peppers before use.
Spanish Almond Pepper Sauce
¾ cup roasted almonds
2 garlic cloves
½ cup fresh parsleyBut due to the tomato scare earlier this summer,
1 ½ teaspoons salt
2 roasted red sweet peppers, remove skin and seeds
1 teaspoon hot chili sauce, like Tabasco
2 tablespoons sherry vine (or red wine vinegar)
½-3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
In a food processor, process the almonds, garlic, parsley and salt until very smooth. Add the roasted red peppers. Process until pureed. Add the chili sauce. With the food processor running, add the sherry vinegar and gradually add the olive oil. Process until the oil is well incorporated.
Scrape the sauce into a lidded container. Store in the refrigerator.
This sauce is no-cook, similar in preparation to pesto. It’s great with all kinds of meat, sausages, fish, shellfish, poultry and cooked or raw vegetables. I’ve used it as a sauce for pasta---which my godchildren seemed to love. A teaspoon perks up scrambled eggs and poached eggs. It’s even good poured over cream cheese and scooped up as a dip.
Store it in a container with a lid in the refrigerator. I roasted my own almonds, but if you use the pre-roasted variety, just rinse off the salt. For the roasted red peppers, I used the ones out of a jar, draining and rinsing the peppers before use.
Spanish Almond Pepper Sauce
¾ cup roasted almonds
2 garlic cloves
½ cup fresh parsleyBut due to the tomato scare earlier this summer,
1 ½ teaspoons salt
2 roasted red sweet peppers, remove skin and seeds
1 teaspoon hot chili sauce, like Tabasco
2 tablespoons sherry vine (or red wine vinegar)
½-3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
In a food processor, process the almonds, garlic, parsley and salt until very smooth. Add the roasted red peppers. Process until pureed. Add the chili sauce. With the food processor running, add the sherry vinegar and gradually add the olive oil. Process until the oil is well incorporated.
Scrape the sauce into a lidded container. Store in the refrigerator.
Monday, August 11, 2008
Mock Split Pea Soup
This soup is perfect for low carbers. It requires no soaking or pre-cooking split peas. In fact, it doesn't use split peas at all. It uses green beans! So if you have a bag of frozen green beans, a half an onion, celery, garlic, water, salt and pepper, you have a soup!
The bacon is optional, however, it adds a smoky taste to the soup. Ham may be used too. Leave it in large pieces and simmer it with the soup. Remove it before pureeing the soup, cut into smaller pieces and return it to the soup.
Mock Split Pea Soup
1 16 ounce bag of frozen green beans
1 15 ounce can of chicken broth
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 garlic clove
2 bacon strips cut into 1/2 inch pieces or use 2 tablespoons oil or butter
2-6 cups water
salt and pepper to taste
In a large pot, cook the bacon until the fat is rendered. Remove the bacon and set aside. Remove all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat. Add the onions, celery and garlic. Cook over medium heat until the they are soft, but not browned. Add the frozen green beans, the chicken broth, and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the vegetables are very, very soft. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
Working in batches, put the solids and liquid into a food processor. Pulse until smooth. For a soup with more texture, pulse one 1 cup of the mixture only long enough to have some smaller pieces of the vegetables. Return the soup to the cooking pot. Add water to the desired consistency. Bring to a boil and simmer. Add reserved cooked bacon. Serve hot.
I hope you like it Lisa!
The bacon is optional, however, it adds a smoky taste to the soup. Ham may be used too. Leave it in large pieces and simmer it with the soup. Remove it before pureeing the soup, cut into smaller pieces and return it to the soup.
Mock Split Pea Soup
1 16 ounce bag of frozen green beans
1 15 ounce can of chicken broth
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 garlic clove
2 bacon strips cut into 1/2 inch pieces or use 2 tablespoons oil or butter
2-6 cups water
salt and pepper to taste
In a large pot, cook the bacon until the fat is rendered. Remove the bacon and set aside. Remove all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat. Add the onions, celery and garlic. Cook over medium heat until the they are soft, but not browned. Add the frozen green beans, the chicken broth, and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the vegetables are very, very soft. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
Working in batches, put the solids and liquid into a food processor. Pulse until smooth. For a soup with more texture, pulse one 1 cup of the mixture only long enough to have some smaller pieces of the vegetables. Return the soup to the cooking pot. Add water to the desired consistency. Bring to a boil and simmer. Add reserved cooked bacon. Serve hot.
I hope you like it Lisa!
Friday, August 8, 2008
Chia-Bubble Tea
Chia-bubble tea
Bubble tea was all the rage a few years ago. It’s essentially iced tea, milk, sugar and large tapioca pearls. I was always a bit hesistant about the drink because what if you choke on a large tapioca pearl? Here’s a low carb recipe for it that I’ve developed. I kept the iced tea, but used heavy cream, a sugar substitute and chia seeds.
Chia seeds are the new "superfood". It’s high fiber, low carb, high protein and loaded with Omega-3 fatty acids. Unlike flax oils, chia oils are stable and do not become rancid. When soaked in water, the chia seeds absorb it and swell up, forming a gel around the seed. This gel gives it that tapioca-like mouth feel. An added bonus is that chia is pretty tasteless. The chia 'pearls' are small, so my choking phobia is a little diminished.
The recipe is simple. However, the chia seeds need to soak in the tea for at least 8 hours in the refrigerator in order for them to gel. The longer the seeds are soaked the softer the seeds will be.
You may use a black tea or green tea. In fact, herbal teas offer a nice flavor change.
Chia- Bubble Tea
8 fluid ounces water (0 net carbs)
1 tea bag--black tea, green tea, white tea, herbal tea (1 net carb)
1 tablespoon chia seeds (1 net carb)
sweetener to taste (varies)
1 tablespoons heavy cream or milk (1 net carbs)
Put the water in a pot and bring to a boil. Put the tea bag into a heat-proof container. Pour water over the tea bag and allow to steep for 2-5 minutes, depending on how strong you like your tea. Remove tea bag and discard it. Add the chia seeds to the hot tea. Stir and allow to cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate over night. Remove from refrigerator. Stir. Add the heavy cream and sweetener. Drink up!
Total net carbs= 3 net carbs not counting the sweetener you use
Bubble tea was all the rage a few years ago. It’s essentially iced tea, milk, sugar and large tapioca pearls. I was always a bit hesistant about the drink because what if you choke on a large tapioca pearl? Here’s a low carb recipe for it that I’ve developed. I kept the iced tea, but used heavy cream, a sugar substitute and chia seeds.
Chia seeds are the new "superfood". It’s high fiber, low carb, high protein and loaded with Omega-3 fatty acids. Unlike flax oils, chia oils are stable and do not become rancid. When soaked in water, the chia seeds absorb it and swell up, forming a gel around the seed. This gel gives it that tapioca-like mouth feel. An added bonus is that chia is pretty tasteless. The chia 'pearls' are small, so my choking phobia is a little diminished.
The recipe is simple. However, the chia seeds need to soak in the tea for at least 8 hours in the refrigerator in order for them to gel. The longer the seeds are soaked the softer the seeds will be.
You may use a black tea or green tea. In fact, herbal teas offer a nice flavor change.
Chia- Bubble Tea
8 fluid ounces water (0 net carbs)
1 tea bag--black tea, green tea, white tea, herbal tea (1 net carb)
1 tablespoon chia seeds (1 net carb)
sweetener to taste (varies)
1 tablespoons heavy cream or milk (1 net carbs)
Put the water in a pot and bring to a boil. Put the tea bag into a heat-proof container. Pour water over the tea bag and allow to steep for 2-5 minutes, depending on how strong you like your tea. Remove tea bag and discard it. Add the chia seeds to the hot tea. Stir and allow to cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate over night. Remove from refrigerator. Stir. Add the heavy cream and sweetener. Drink up!
Total net carbs= 3 net carbs not counting the sweetener you use
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Very bad with blogging!
I've neglected my blog! But I promise to do a better job with it in the future.
My latest kitchen experiment is with chia seeds and I'm working on a recipe right now.
My latest kitchen experiment is with chia seeds and I'm working on a recipe right now.
Thursday, March 8, 2007
Slow Cooker Leftover Chili
A few days ago, I looked in my refrigerator and saw a lot of leftovers: part of a roast beef, some pork chops, a couple grilled chicken breasts, etc. Some foods reheat well and others don’t. For example, roast pork tastes ‘funny’ when it’s re-heated, but it’s good cold. Well, it was cold outside and I wanted something easy and satisfying. So I looked around my pantry and found some whole cumin seeds (leftover from an Indian spice mix I tried) and dried ancho chilis. I bought the ancho chilis for a chorizo recipe I was going to try, but I never got around to buying the ingredients for the sausage. But there they were.
I remember reading somewhere that you have to toast the ancho chilis before grinding them and found it was true. These chilis were dried but they were too leathery. Toasting them over medium heat in a skillet, crisped them up and gave them a nice ‘toasted’ aroma. Since I went to the trouble of toasting the anchos, I toss the cumin seeds into the pan too and toasted them until they were just fragrant. Both went into my spice grinder and voila—my own chili powder!
I was really surprised how fragrant my powder was and it gave my leftovers a good flavor. I cooked the stew until the meat fell into shreds. It resembled that barbecue pulled pork. Here’s the recipe:
Leftover Stew
4-5 cups cooked leftover meat (beef, pork, chicken, etc.) chopped coarsely
1 tomato chopped or ¼ cup tomato sauce
½ cup chopped onion
2 dried ancho chilis, seeds, stems and membranes removed and cut into quarters
1 tablespoon cumin seed
Put the first three ingredients into a slow cooker.
Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the chilis. Cook until the color changes from a dark red to a lighter red. Press down the peppers with a spoon occasionally during the toasting. Flip and toast other side. Remove from skillet and set aside. Remove the skillet from the heat. Add the cumin seeds. Toast for 3 minutes.
Tear the chilis into smaller pieces and grind in spice grinder. You’ll have to do this in batches. Grind the toasted cumin seeds.
Add to the ingredients in the slow cooker. Cook on low for 4 hours, stirring occasionally. Serve with sour cream, cheese, additional chopped onion, etc.
I remember reading somewhere that you have to toast the ancho chilis before grinding them and found it was true. These chilis were dried but they were too leathery. Toasting them over medium heat in a skillet, crisped them up and gave them a nice ‘toasted’ aroma. Since I went to the trouble of toasting the anchos, I toss the cumin seeds into the pan too and toasted them until they were just fragrant. Both went into my spice grinder and voila—my own chili powder!
I was really surprised how fragrant my powder was and it gave my leftovers a good flavor. I cooked the stew until the meat fell into shreds. It resembled that barbecue pulled pork. Here’s the recipe:
Leftover Stew
4-5 cups cooked leftover meat (beef, pork, chicken, etc.) chopped coarsely
1 tomato chopped or ¼ cup tomato sauce
½ cup chopped onion
2 dried ancho chilis, seeds, stems and membranes removed and cut into quarters
1 tablespoon cumin seed
Put the first three ingredients into a slow cooker.
Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the chilis. Cook until the color changes from a dark red to a lighter red. Press down the peppers with a spoon occasionally during the toasting. Flip and toast other side. Remove from skillet and set aside. Remove the skillet from the heat. Add the cumin seeds. Toast for 3 minutes.
Tear the chilis into smaller pieces and grind in spice grinder. You’ll have to do this in batches. Grind the toasted cumin seeds.
Add to the ingredients in the slow cooker. Cook on low for 4 hours, stirring occasionally. Serve with sour cream, cheese, additional chopped onion, etc.
Sunday, February 11, 2007
Homemade Cheese Spread
I like cheese-stuffed jalapeno peppers and use a recipe in which the peppers are halved, then each half spread with cream cheese and topped with grated cheddar cheese before baking. These are tasty, but I didn’t like the cheddar cheese just used as a topping. One day I decided to warm the cream cheese and mix the cheddar into it. I made too much of this mixture and refrigerated the leftovers. To my surprise the mixture solidified and took on the texture of very popular processed pasteurized cheese products whose names rhyme with "Evita" or "Fizz".
Anyhow, I took my cheese spread a little further, adding a bit of mayo, changing the cheese combination, and so forth. I found the results to be really good. Even better is that the basic recipe can be modified for different flavored cheese spreads.
This cheese spread melts smoothly and can be used like the commercial products in cheese sauces and dips. Unlike the commercial varieties, it isn’t loaded with preservatives and it’s made from real cheese.
Homemade Cheese Spread
(makes about 12 ounces)
4 oz plain cream cheese
4 oz Monterrey jack or pepper jack cheese, shredded
4 oz Cheddar cheese, shredded
1/3 cup mayonnaise
½ teaspoon Dijon-style mustard (optional)
½ teaspoon Worchestershire sauce (optional)
Microwave instructions:
Into a large microwave safe bowl, place the cream cheese and mayonnaise. Microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute on high, until the cream cheese is very soft. Remove from microwave and stir until smooth and well combined. Add the 4 oz Monterrey jack or pepper jack cheese. The cheese will cool the mixture. So stir, then return to the microwave for another 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove from the microwave and stir thoroughly. The jack cheese will become stringy: that’s okay. But stir thoroughly until any strings are well dissolved into the cream cheese. Add the cheddar cheese. Stir again and return to the microwave for another 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove and thoroughly stir until all the cheddar cheese is melted and mixed into the cheese. If using the Dijon mustard and Worchestershire sauce, add them now and stir thoroughly. Use immediately or cool and store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Stove –top instructions:
In the top of a double boiler, place the all the ingredients. Stirring occasionally until everything is melted and thoroughly combined. Use immediately or cool and store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Variations:
Mac-and-Cheese Spread
4 oz plain cream cheese
4 oz Monterrey jack or pepper jack cheese, shredded
4 oz Cheddar cheese, shredded
1/3 cup mayonnaise
½ teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
½ teaspoon Worchestershire sauce
1 teaspoon onion powder or 1 tablespoon grated fresh grated onion
Follow the instructions as listed above. (I call it mac-and-cheese spread because it tastes like the cheese sauce of homemade macaroni and cheese....not the boxed stuff. And this is great with steamed cauliflower!)
Parmesan Cheese Spread
4 oz cream cheese
1/3 cup mayonnaise
4 oz shredded or chopped provolone
4 oz grated Parmesan
1 pinch ground cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried Italian herb mixture
Follow instructions as listed above.
Swiss Cheese Spread
4 oz cream cheese
1/3 cup mayonnaise
4 oz shredded or chopped provolone
4 oz grated Swiss cheese
½ teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
Follow the instructions as listed above.
Some Uses:
Cauliflower or Broccoli and Cheese
Melt the cheese spread and pour over hot, steamed broccoli or cauliflower.
Cheese-Stuffed Jalapeno Peppers
(makes 12 pepper halves)
6 jalapeno peppers
Cheese Spread recipe
Additional toppings: additional shredded cheese, cooked bacon bits, chopped green onion, etc.
Slice the peppers in half, remove the seeds and membranes. Fill each cavity with the cheese spread. To microwave: place the halves, stuffed side up, on a microwave safe dish. Microwave 1-2 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the peppers are tender. Serve hot or warm. To oven bake: place the halves, stuffed side up, in an oven-proof baking dish or cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes until the cheese is melted and the peppers are tender. Serve hot or warm.
Onion Casserole/Dip
4 cups chopped onion
1/2 of the Cheese Spread recipe
Warm the cheese spread until it is melted. Mix in the chopped onion. Place in a buttered or oiled baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes until it is hot and bubbly and the top is lightly browned.
Spinach Casserole/Dip
2 ten ounce packages frozen spinach, defrosted
½ cup chopped onion
½ recipe of Cheese Spread
Squeeze the excess liquid from the defrosted spinach. Warm the cheese spread until it is melted. Combine with the remaining ingredients. Place in a buttered or oiled baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes until it is hot and bubbly, and the top is lightly browned.
Ham and Swiss Casserole
1 pound fresh cauliflower (or use 1 pound frozen)
½ cup chopped onion
6 ounces cooked ham chopped
½ to ¾ recipe for Swiss Cheese Spread
If using fresh cauliflower, separate into florets, and steam until tender. Drain, and cool slightly. If using frozen cauliflower, defrost and drain thoroughly. Warm the Swiss Cheese Spread until melted. Combine the melted cheese spread with the cauliflower, ham and chopped onion. Place in buttered or oiled baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes until everything is hot, bubbly and slightly browned on the top.
Anyhow, I took my cheese spread a little further, adding a bit of mayo, changing the cheese combination, and so forth. I found the results to be really good. Even better is that the basic recipe can be modified for different flavored cheese spreads.
This cheese spread melts smoothly and can be used like the commercial products in cheese sauces and dips. Unlike the commercial varieties, it isn’t loaded with preservatives and it’s made from real cheese.
Homemade Cheese Spread
(makes about 12 ounces)
4 oz plain cream cheese
4 oz Monterrey jack or pepper jack cheese, shredded
4 oz Cheddar cheese, shredded
1/3 cup mayonnaise
½ teaspoon Dijon-style mustard (optional)
½ teaspoon Worchestershire sauce (optional)
Microwave instructions:
Into a large microwave safe bowl, place the cream cheese and mayonnaise. Microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute on high, until the cream cheese is very soft. Remove from microwave and stir until smooth and well combined. Add the 4 oz Monterrey jack or pepper jack cheese. The cheese will cool the mixture. So stir, then return to the microwave for another 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove from the microwave and stir thoroughly. The jack cheese will become stringy: that’s okay. But stir thoroughly until any strings are well dissolved into the cream cheese. Add the cheddar cheese. Stir again and return to the microwave for another 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove and thoroughly stir until all the cheddar cheese is melted and mixed into the cheese. If using the Dijon mustard and Worchestershire sauce, add them now and stir thoroughly. Use immediately or cool and store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Stove –top instructions:
In the top of a double boiler, place the all the ingredients. Stirring occasionally until everything is melted and thoroughly combined. Use immediately or cool and store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Variations:
Mac-and-Cheese Spread
4 oz plain cream cheese
4 oz Monterrey jack or pepper jack cheese, shredded
4 oz Cheddar cheese, shredded
1/3 cup mayonnaise
½ teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
½ teaspoon Worchestershire sauce
1 teaspoon onion powder or 1 tablespoon grated fresh grated onion
Follow the instructions as listed above. (I call it mac-and-cheese spread because it tastes like the cheese sauce of homemade macaroni and cheese....not the boxed stuff. And this is great with steamed cauliflower!)
Parmesan Cheese Spread
4 oz cream cheese
1/3 cup mayonnaise
4 oz shredded or chopped provolone
4 oz grated Parmesan
1 pinch ground cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried Italian herb mixture
Follow instructions as listed above.
Swiss Cheese Spread
4 oz cream cheese
1/3 cup mayonnaise
4 oz shredded or chopped provolone
4 oz grated Swiss cheese
½ teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
Follow the instructions as listed above.
Some Uses:
Cauliflower or Broccoli and Cheese
Melt the cheese spread and pour over hot, steamed broccoli or cauliflower.
Cheese-Stuffed Jalapeno Peppers
(makes 12 pepper halves)
6 jalapeno peppers
Cheese Spread recipe
Additional toppings: additional shredded cheese, cooked bacon bits, chopped green onion, etc.
Slice the peppers in half, remove the seeds and membranes. Fill each cavity with the cheese spread. To microwave: place the halves, stuffed side up, on a microwave safe dish. Microwave 1-2 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the peppers are tender. Serve hot or warm. To oven bake: place the halves, stuffed side up, in an oven-proof baking dish or cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes until the cheese is melted and the peppers are tender. Serve hot or warm.
Onion Casserole/Dip
4 cups chopped onion
1/2 of the Cheese Spread recipe
Warm the cheese spread until it is melted. Mix in the chopped onion. Place in a buttered or oiled baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes until it is hot and bubbly and the top is lightly browned.
Spinach Casserole/Dip
2 ten ounce packages frozen spinach, defrosted
½ cup chopped onion
½ recipe of Cheese Spread
Squeeze the excess liquid from the defrosted spinach. Warm the cheese spread until it is melted. Combine with the remaining ingredients. Place in a buttered or oiled baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes until it is hot and bubbly, and the top is lightly browned.
Ham and Swiss Casserole
1 pound fresh cauliflower (or use 1 pound frozen)
½ cup chopped onion
6 ounces cooked ham chopped
½ to ¾ recipe for Swiss Cheese Spread
If using fresh cauliflower, separate into florets, and steam until tender. Drain, and cool slightly. If using frozen cauliflower, defrost and drain thoroughly. Warm the Swiss Cheese Spread until melted. Combine the melted cheese spread with the cauliflower, ham and chopped onion. Place in buttered or oiled baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes until everything is hot, bubbly and slightly browned on the top.
Friday, January 19, 2007
Hornbeck on Oprah
Okay, I just don't get it.
Shawn Hornbeck has spent the last four years with his abductor. He was reunited with his family less than a week ago. His parents say he hasn't spoken to them about his confinement. So they decide to put him on Oprah????
I have to question the motive of these 'parents'. Your kid was abducted and spent the last 4 years with his abductor. You have made statements that you suspect your son was sexually molested. You said your son hasn't spoken about his years in captivity. Why the hell bring him on Oprah?
Way to go, 'parents'! Make your son feel safe and comfortable by putting him on display like a side-show freak.
Shawn Hornbeck has spent the last four years with his abductor. He was reunited with his family less than a week ago. His parents say he hasn't spoken to them about his confinement. So they decide to put him on Oprah????
I have to question the motive of these 'parents'. Your kid was abducted and spent the last 4 years with his abductor. You have made statements that you suspect your son was sexually molested. You said your son hasn't spoken about his years in captivity. Why the hell bring him on Oprah?
Way to go, 'parents'! Make your son feel safe and comfortable by putting him on display like a side-show freak.
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Michel Richard's Spuddies
A month ago, I borrowed a cookbook by Chef Michel Richard called Happy in the Kitchen . It’s a glorious big cookbook, with nice color photos and an easy narrative style. Chef Richard owns Citronelle, a Zagat rated restaurant in Washington DC. (I’ve eaten there once. ) So the book does have some pretty ‘cheffy’ type recipes, but it promises to adapt the techniques for the home kitchen. Anyhow, several of Chef’s recipes intrigued me, so I copied them and will try them out as time goes by.
Spuddies are Chef Richard's version of TaterTots, those small logs of chopped potatoes found in the freezer aisle of the grocery store. Now why would I bother to make TaterTots when I can buy a bag? Because the recipe was interesting and innovative AND because I wanted to see if it could really be done in a home kitchen. Also, the recipe’s technique can possibly be applied to other vegetables. Since the godchildren were visiting over the weekend, I thought it would make a good project for us.
The recipe is pretty straightforward: peel 1 ½ pounds yukon gold potatoes, process in a food processor with 2 cups water, until the potato is chopped into ¼ inch pieces. Drain. Dry. Toss in the oven with unflavored gelatin. Remove. Mix with Wondra flour and ground coriander. Shape into logs. Chill. Slice. Double fry.
Here are the problems I ran into. My food processor bowl was too small to contain the potatoes and 2 cups of water. For the second batch I made, I processed the potatoes in batches, which worked much better. For the brief time the potatoes spent in the oven, I found that using Silpat or parchment paper helped a great deal, and resulted in less potato sticking to the pan.
The frying was alittle tricky. Chef doesn’t tell you, but the Spuddies are very fragile during the first frying. So don’t move or touch them until they have developed an outer crust. Even jiggling the pan can result in a messy spudsplosion.
The Spuddies were crisp, golden brown with a clean potato flavor. After the first batch, we experimented with a second batch by adding a quarter of an onion to the potato mixture. That was a hit with my godchildren too.
The most important thing was that my godchildren had fun making their own Spuddies. The second most important thing was the Spuddies didn’t contain any weird preservatives, artificial colorings, artificial flavorings, etc.
Nutritional info for Chef Richard’s Spuddies (using fitday.com) The entire recipe makes 20 Spuddies.
For the entire recipe uncooked:
Cal: 369, total fat 1 gram, carbs 78 grams, fiber 6 grams, protein 15 grams
Spuddies are Chef Richard's version of TaterTots, those small logs of chopped potatoes found in the freezer aisle of the grocery store. Now why would I bother to make TaterTots when I can buy a bag? Because the recipe was interesting and innovative AND because I wanted to see if it could really be done in a home kitchen. Also, the recipe’s technique can possibly be applied to other vegetables. Since the godchildren were visiting over the weekend, I thought it would make a good project for us.
The recipe is pretty straightforward: peel 1 ½ pounds yukon gold potatoes, process in a food processor with 2 cups water, until the potato is chopped into ¼ inch pieces. Drain. Dry. Toss in the oven with unflavored gelatin. Remove. Mix with Wondra flour and ground coriander. Shape into logs. Chill. Slice. Double fry.
Here are the problems I ran into. My food processor bowl was too small to contain the potatoes and 2 cups of water. For the second batch I made, I processed the potatoes in batches, which worked much better. For the brief time the potatoes spent in the oven, I found that using Silpat or parchment paper helped a great deal, and resulted in less potato sticking to the pan.
The frying was alittle tricky. Chef doesn’t tell you, but the Spuddies are very fragile during the first frying. So don’t move or touch them until they have developed an outer crust. Even jiggling the pan can result in a messy spudsplosion.
The Spuddies were crisp, golden brown with a clean potato flavor. After the first batch, we experimented with a second batch by adding a quarter of an onion to the potato mixture. That was a hit with my godchildren too.
The most important thing was that my godchildren had fun making their own Spuddies. The second most important thing was the Spuddies didn’t contain any weird preservatives, artificial colorings, artificial flavorings, etc.
Nutritional info for Chef Richard’s Spuddies (using fitday.com) The entire recipe makes 20 Spuddies.
For the entire recipe uncooked:
Cal: 369, total fat 1 gram, carbs 78 grams, fiber 6 grams, protein 15 grams
Sunday, December 3, 2006
Snowsteria
It's wintertime in the Northern Hemisphere. While watching the early news this morning, the dreaded weather forecaster uttered the 'S' word in the same sentence with 'later this week'. Yes, the 'S' word. It conjures lovely visions of Currier and Ives lithographs where the glistening stuff is covering everything and the people are laughingly enjoying themselves.
I happen to like the 'S' stuff. I especially like listening to it while it falls. For some reason the air sounds dull and unearthily quiet, but you can hear the almost metallic thuds of the snow flakes as they hit windows. I can only stand to listen to it for a few minutes at a time (then I have to hurry back inside and warm up with a mug of steaming hot cheesy broccoli soup.) I hate driving in snowy weather, mainly because everyone turns into a possessed maniac. And supermarkets? Forget about it!
I've tried to figure out what makes people act so panicked about snow. The only thing I can think of is Snowsteria. You've seen it before. It's that wild eye panicked look everyone gets whenever the 'S' word is mentioned in a news cast. It causes people to rush to the nearest supermarket and buy the store's entire stock of toilet paper, bread (even if they don't eat bread), milk (even if they don't drink milk), soda pop, cookies, potato chips and condoms. It causes people to fill up their gas tanks to all of their cars, even if that amount is half a gallon. It causes everyone to buy tons of sand and ice melt and two snow shovels for every member of their family (and two spares just in case).
The gas I sorta understand. But the toilet paper? I just don't get it. Come on, it's not like you're anticipating a stomach flu for the next couple of days. The bread and milk? I sorta understand. However, if you're so Snowsterical that you forgot the peanutbutter, jelly, cold cuts, and mayo, I don't know how much that bread is gonna help you. The cookies and potato chips...again, why that? Nevermind...it's to go along with all the milk and soda pop. It would make more sense to buy a turkey or a big pot roast and cook it. Or better yet, buy a couple of chickens and make a vat of soup. I'm not going to even address the condoms...
I happen to like the 'S' stuff. I especially like listening to it while it falls. For some reason the air sounds dull and unearthily quiet, but you can hear the almost metallic thuds of the snow flakes as they hit windows. I can only stand to listen to it for a few minutes at a time (then I have to hurry back inside and warm up with a mug of steaming hot cheesy broccoli soup.) I hate driving in snowy weather, mainly because everyone turns into a possessed maniac. And supermarkets? Forget about it!
I've tried to figure out what makes people act so panicked about snow. The only thing I can think of is Snowsteria. You've seen it before. It's that wild eye panicked look everyone gets whenever the 'S' word is mentioned in a news cast. It causes people to rush to the nearest supermarket and buy the store's entire stock of toilet paper, bread (even if they don't eat bread), milk (even if they don't drink milk), soda pop, cookies, potato chips and condoms. It causes people to fill up their gas tanks to all of their cars, even if that amount is half a gallon. It causes everyone to buy tons of sand and ice melt and two snow shovels for every member of their family (and two spares just in case).
The gas I sorta understand. But the toilet paper? I just don't get it. Come on, it's not like you're anticipating a stomach flu for the next couple of days. The bread and milk? I sorta understand. However, if you're so Snowsterical that you forgot the peanutbutter, jelly, cold cuts, and mayo, I don't know how much that bread is gonna help you. The cookies and potato chips...again, why that? Nevermind...it's to go along with all the milk and soda pop. It would make more sense to buy a turkey or a big pot roast and cook it. Or better yet, buy a couple of chickens and make a vat of soup. I'm not going to even address the condoms...
Friday, December 1, 2006
Not Wholly Guacamole
I was reading the news on the Net yesterday and found an interesting item. KraftFoods is being sued for false advertizing because their Guacamole Dip contains about 2% avocado. The plaintiff purchased the product, used it in a three layer dip and found it didn't have much of an avocado taste. Upon reviewing the ingredients, she found that it contained modified food starch, coconut and soybean oils, corn syrup and food coloring. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/custom/newsroom/chi-061130guacamole,1,6434345.story?coll=chi-news-hed
My question is why did she purchase a food product without reading the entire label? By law, ingredients have to be listed. So what prevented her from reading the label?
I read labels, which is why I don't buy alot of prepared foods. And come on, she used it in a three layer dip! For goodness sake! A three layer dip has guacamole, sour cream, and cheese/salsa. And she was able to taste the guacamole through that??
Come on!
If you don't take the time to read the ingredients/labels of the foods you purchase before you purchase them, that's your problem. What do people want? Lights, sirens and a baritone voice telling you the ingredients every time you pick an item off the shelf?
Ridiculous!
Anyhow, here's my recipe for chunky guacamole. I like it little spicy too.
Chunky Guacamole
3 Haas avocados
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1 lime, juiced
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup chopped tomato
Into a non-reactive bowl, combine the garlic, lime juice, jalapeno pepper, and onion. Set aside while you prepare the avocados. Slice two of the avocadoes, and mash the flesh into the lime juice mixture. The remaining avocado chop into chunks. Fold it and the cumin, cilantro and tomato into the mashed mixture. Serve.
My question is why did she purchase a food product without reading the entire label? By law, ingredients have to be listed. So what prevented her from reading the label?
I read labels, which is why I don't buy alot of prepared foods. And come on, she used it in a three layer dip! For goodness sake! A three layer dip has guacamole, sour cream, and cheese/salsa. And she was able to taste the guacamole through that??
Come on!
If you don't take the time to read the ingredients/labels of the foods you purchase before you purchase them, that's your problem. What do people want? Lights, sirens and a baritone voice telling you the ingredients every time you pick an item off the shelf?
Ridiculous!
Anyhow, here's my recipe for chunky guacamole. I like it little spicy too.
Chunky Guacamole
3 Haas avocados
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1 lime, juiced
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup chopped tomato
Into a non-reactive bowl, combine the garlic, lime juice, jalapeno pepper, and onion. Set aside while you prepare the avocados. Slice two of the avocadoes, and mash the flesh into the lime juice mixture. The remaining avocado chop into chunks. Fold it and the cumin, cilantro and tomato into the mashed mixture. Serve.
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