Fish

A couple of holiday treats for you

2010-12-26T17:18:00.000-05:00

http://womenofgreen.com/2010/12/cooking-is-a-sustainable-act-an-interview-with-kim-odonnel/

Hope you all had the merriest holidays marked by festive feasts, as I did. Above is an excellent interview with a chef / writer that is well worth reading. And below is some detail about a yummy treat I made to give as gifts recently.

No Bake Peanut Butter Bars

2 C graham cracker crumbs
1.5 C powdered sugar
1 C chunky peanut butter
1/2 C butter, melted
1/2 C chopped salted peanuts
1.5 C melted milk chocolate

Lightly grease an 11 x 7" baking pan. In large bowl mix all ingredients except chocolate. Press mixture into pan. Melt chocolate, mixing until smooth. Spread evenly over mixture in pan. Chill until set and then cut into bars.

New Appliances!!

2010-12-15T08:54:00.000-05:00

Have spent quite a bit of time researching and shopping for new kitchen appliances over the last couple of months. This sweet ride has just been installed in my kitchen. Will be up to all kinds of experimentation now. I think of this as the holy trinity of ovens. The nuke above does all kinds of tricks my old one didn't, but the real fun is below. The main oven can turn itself on and off! And it has a convection oven which I have never worked with before. Did you know that convection cooking is greener than conventional? I am most excited about the third oven on the bottom. You can opt for it anytime you don't really need a full oven (which is most of the time for me) and it doubles as a warming oven ~ something I have always wished for. Keeping everything warm has always been my biggest challenge when hosting a nice dinner. So stay tuned for my first trials (and errors). There are going to be a lot of them!

The President and First Lady today;

2010-12-13T19:27:00.000-05:00

50 Mile Dinner

2010-12-09T09:54:00.000-05:00

Here are some photos I took at the 50 Mile Thanksgiving Dinner where all slow food enthusiasts and pot luck participants had to bring a dish made from at least one local ingredient. See last post to learn what I brought.

Colorful, nutritious, and YUMMY! How do other pescetarian families navigate the traditional holiday meals?

Thursday November 25th: Fifty Mile Thanksgiving Dinner - Chronicle News Story - WMUR Manchester

2010-12-02T09:24:00.001-05:00

Thursday November 25th: Fifty Mile Thanksgiving Dinner - Chronicle News Story - WMUR Manchester

I am in this episode from a local television show, about a wonderful event that we have in my town that is quickly becoming a favorite holiday tradition of mine. Here are some photos;

The dish I brought to the dinner was called Pumpkin Mashed Potatoes. The recipe comes from Quebec but I made it with largely local ingredients. These are the before and after photos. Fresh organic pumpkin and potatoes are boiled til soft mashed together with some butter, milk, Greek yogurt, and fresh herbs until desired consistency is reached. Garnish with pepitos and crunchy onions.

Food for thought;

2010-11-24T12:19:00.000-05:00

Click to View Larger Image

Stay healthy and fit through the holidays, visit SmoothFitness.com for treadmill reviews.

From Michael Pollan;

2010-11-23T15:37:00.000-05:00

http://www.grist.org/article/food-2010-11-22-how-do-you-eat-well-share-your-food-rules

Autumn Soup

2010-11-15T20:31:00.000-05:00

      You really don't need a recipe to make soup, especially one this simple. Just use what is fresh and cook it gently. Serve it with a high quality bread like this Tuscan pane, and you will be happy and nourished.

     Apple and Butternut Squash Soup with Toasted Walnuts

      Cut, peel, and boil fresh squash til soft. Drain. In stock pot saute some garlic and onion and herbs of choice in olive oil. Return squash to pot and mash with some butter til very well blended. Mash in apple sauce. Add some white wine and / or broth and maybe a bit of cream until you reach the consistency you desire. Garnish with warm walnuts and serve with buttered toast for dipping. Tell little kids this is called Squashed Soup and let them help with the squashing process.

Halloween Treats

2010-11-10T13:19:00.000-05:00

Hate to even tell you I have been having more computer problems at my house. Kid created ones too! Making do as best we can, but it is difficult to post right now.
Here is our belated Halloween report. I served a mini - buffet for my fourteen year old daughter and her trick-or-treat companions. Of all the dishes I prepared this brain, carved from a watermelon, was the hardest to prepare and the least popular. I also served green macaroni and cheese, blood shot deviled eyeballs, mummy dogs, and vampire blood punch. Still the chips and cheese doodles were the only bowls that came back to the kitchen empty. Go figure.

Vegetables Are the New Meat

2010-11-09T11:43:00.000-05:00

Well worth reading; Vegetables Are the New Meat

Top Six Foods

2010-11-03T09:37:00.001-04:00

Have just finished checking out a report of the top six cancer fighting foods. The foods on the list did not surprise me at all. We've long known them as super foods with life lengthening properties. What did surprise me is the recommended quantities; about a half cup of each every day. That is far more than we've been consuming at our house, and I have been making a concerted effort to use super foods regularly for years. Even with that effort I'm lucky if I am eating a half cup of each of these per week. So this is telling me that I need to step up my game. I can get more of these into out diet more often, and with the cancer history in our family, I know I must. How about you? And is that candy just about gone???

The Super Six

broccoli (best raw)
black raspberries
tomatoes
walnuts
garlic
black and navy beans

October eats

2010-10-28T11:15:00.000-04:00

http://www.jamieoliver.com/newsletter/jfr_oct2010.html

I miss seeing Jamie on TV and want to support his ongoing efforts. He offers some Halloween treat ideas at the above link. I'm working on my own menu ideas to feed a few fourteen year olds on Saturday night. I will post about them this weekend. I do think we have to make a special effort to counter all of that candy consumption. I still have trouble not overindulging in candy at this time of year, so how can we expect children to be moderate?

Here is a photo of a rustic apple tart I recently baked. It was adapted from Pioneer Women's recipe, but I used phyllo dough and tried to go easy on the butter so as not to make it too unhealthy, but that meant it came out too dry. I'm sure it would have come out much better using regular pie dough. That was my very first harvest of organic apples that I grew myself, and it was fun coming up with recipes to use.

Before baking.

After baking.

Pumpkin Hummus

2010-10-26T09:14:00.000-04:00

This is a great antidote to excess candy consumption, and an easy to make party food. Lots of supe-rfood ingredients in this version, but of course, you can tweak it as you see fit.

Pumpkin Hummus

2 tbsp tahini
2 tbsp (fresh) lemon juice
1 tsp ground cumin
3/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground red pepper
1 can garbanzo beans
1 can pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
1 garlic clove, smashed

Mash and smash all of these ingredients with a good grinding tool the way hummus has been made for hundreds of years. No need to use electricity. Kids can handle this fun job. Serve in your favorite Halloween vessel, with freshly toasted pita chips and crudite'. If children are at hand, it can be fun to cut the pita bead into holiday shapes using cookie cutters or your own skillful paring knife and imagination. Happy dipping.

Pear and Spinach Salad

2010-10-18T15:47:00.000-04:00

This was one of those wonderful meals that are created with what if fresh and readily at hand. I had a couple of perfectly ripe Asian pears that inspired me. There is almost always some organic greens in my fridge to make a salad with. I also had some good Artisnal bread that wasn't quite fresh, so along with a handful of walnuts I toasted them up in the oven, turning them into croutons with a bit of garlic powder and olive oil.

These were tossed with a homemade dressing made with a couple of shakes each of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, orange juice, and poppy seeds.I threw in some crisp fried onions and some pumpkin seeds.

It was quite delicious!!

180 days, that's one school year

2010-10-15T20:07:00.000-04:00

This is a strange but thought provoking little experiment.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sallydavies/sets/72157624739645253/with/5059592657/

Apple Ideas

2010-10-10T09:28:00.001-04:00

Apple Molasses Bran Muffins

And another good idea~
These good folks, in a town neighboring mine, deserve a shout out. Please check it out, and maybe try it out;

http://www.freshpict.blogspot.com

Important

2010-09-29T18:57:00.000-04:00

Tell congress to pass the child nutrition bill today!

In the next 36 hours, the House is set to vote on the much anticipated Child Nutrition Re-authorization Act (CNR). Tomorrow, on September 30th, the bill will expire if Congress does not act. If that happens, our kids will lose out on the best shot they've got at improving the quality of their school lunches.

More about the business of food

2010-09-27T13:56:00.001-04:00

More logic we have to fight;

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/26/magazine/26fob-consumed-t.html?_r=1

Funky Fish

2010-09-24T11:54:00.001-04:00

I love salmon, it is a superfood, and make a point of eating it once a week on average. It is one of my specialties, and I can cook it in countless ways. I was horrified when I first heard about the so called Frankenstein fish, transgenic salmon, and my immediate reaction was to wail a war cry that it would never, ever cross my lips. But the following post I share with you today presents some interesting food for thought. At the very least, we owe it to our children to study this issue thoroughly without accepting misinformed conclusions, before we decide what we are going to feed them. It is terribly trying that feeding our children has become such a complicated endeavor, but accepting that it has, and taking these decisions seriously, is part of how we model good earth stewardship to them. If you are inclined to skip reading the article here is just the last line, and the writer's conclusion;

"To my mind, the transgenic salmon is a wise, indeed elegant, contribution to our blind pillaging of our waters."

http://www.npr.org/blogs/13.7/2010/09/23/130075187/sorting-out-the-myth-and-reality-of-transgenic-fish?sc=fb&cc=fp/

Heirloom Harvest Barn Dinner

2010-09-20T22:14:00.001-04:00

Last night I had one of the most memorable meals I have ever had the pleasure of partaking in. I was one of the lucky souls seated at the table seen above for the second annual Heirloom Harvest Barn Dinner at Berry Hill Farm in quintessentially scenic Stratham, New Hampshire. The dinner was the inspired dream of chef, restaurateur and organic farmer Evan Mallet, who shoulders a deep personal and professional commitment to the noble idea of renewing America's food traditions. He is very active in RAFT New England Grow-Out, The Slow Food movement, and the Chef's Collaborative (see www.chefscollaborative.org). He is in the center of his team in the barn's prep area in the picture below;

This year the grow-out vegetables, which are all heirloom (meaning they are both indigenous and endangered) were an interesting variety of eleven fruits, vegetables, and beans most of which have never graced the lips of this life-long veggie lovin' native. We were reminded that there was a time not long ago when the people of this region ate only what was fresh, local and organic. Most of the groceries came from the yard. And we were reminded in dish after creative dish, that they ate well. It is sad to realize, but I am thankful for the lesson, that these heirloom foods, and many others, will be lost to all of us forever, if we don't start growing, eating, and ordering them with some serious frequency. Chef Evan shared this years featured heirlooms with a team of gifted cooks to create a menu fit for a kingdom. (When I mention one of them I will highlight it.)

Upon arrival we had drinks (all relatively local) and hors d'oeuvres on the lawn. There were three kinds of treats being passed by pretty people; truffled Maine lobster and red fife wheat tabbouleh, slow-roasted pork and forellenschuss (an heirloom lettuce) galantine with heirloom beans and oka pico de gallo, and duck confit on RAFT rosti with Wethersfield onion marmalade. The last one, I must confess, was my runaway favorite. Rosti, the national dish of Switzerland, is pan fried grated potato. With the delightful duck confit and slightly sweet marmalade on top, it melted in my mouth like a classic comfort food cloud. I had two!

The first course was my least favorite, but only because I am not a fan of ceviche. It was sea scallop ceviche with Jimmy Nardello "Caviar", trophy tomato - lemon verbana whip and an oka muskmelon and nasturtium salad. Ceviche is a raw dish of ancient origin using primarily citrus marinades to prepare the fish. One must enjoy the texture and temperature. I didn't, but all of my neighboring diners did. Side dishes, as shown, are used to complement. The clever "caviar" was actually created from the heirloom sweet Italian frying pepper, and played tasty tricks on the eye and tongue. The muskmelon, originally bred by Quebecian monks, was sweet and satisfying, my highlight. This dish was paired with a micro-brewed pale ale, and as you can see was plated in the most pleasing way.

The second course was simply superb, both in taste and in presentation. We were served lobster two ways; claw en brioche with roasted Jimmy Nardello pepper aioli, and ginger and scallion tail with spiced long pie pumpkin puree, with an heirloom Boston marrow turnip, squash, and bean hash between them. Both were so satisfying but the claw, which tasted like a little lobster BLT, was outstanding to me. The tail went surprisingly well with pumpkin puree, and it all paired perfectly with a smooth sauvignon blanc.

The third course was prepared by top-gun Chef Evan, and consisted of a generous portion of Moroccan-spiced braised lamb (two different cuts) in grilled long pie pumpkin rings with Gilfeather turnip greens, with curried trophy tomato chutney and a dried bean cracker bread. The meat was lovingly prepared, so moist and tender no knife was needed. The veggies were intriguing, but the chutney was a show stealer. I kept dipping my cracker bread into it. All went well with my favorite beverage; (excepting the robust porter I had sampled earlier) a light zinfandel.

Though I was pretty full by the fouth course and generally don't indulge in dessert, there was no way I was passing on the final course; long pie pumpkin panna cotta with maple bourbon creme anglaise, topped with a brown sugar shortbread and spiced pumpkin seeds. Panna cotta, which means cooked cream in Italian, seemed to me, the perfect way to use a pumpkin, and a perfectly heavenly way to end such a paradisiacal meal.

Crab and Cheddar Chowder

2010-09-19T15:00:00.000-04:00

Had some leftover corn on the cob and baked potatoes so naturally, since I am a New Englander, decided to throw together a chowder. When you have precooked veggies making chowder is quick and easy.

Here you can see that, in a bit of both butter and olive oil, I began by adding some minced garlic and chopped onion, then adding uncooked vegetables one at a time; carrots, celery, and mushrooms, followed by the precooked veggies. When everything had cooked awhile I stirred in some flour and fresh herbs as well as dried dill weed. Next came a container of fresh crab meat. Then slowly stirring in some white wine, followed by some half and half, and skim milk.

Stir gently til everything is warm, then at the end of cooking time, stirring in a handful of rich cheddar cheese until melted. ~ A lovely way to introduce Summer to Autumn.

Corn Sugar, Hah!

2010-09-15T09:28:00.000-04:00

This is really nasty marketing that you need to be aware of, and why children have to be taught, at very young ages how to read labels and identify tricks designed to fool them. I've used my failing eye sight as a reason to get my daughter to read labels to me the last couple of years, and it has brought out many excellent conversations about food and nutrition that I don't think we would have had otherwise. She is becoming much more aware now. But as you'll see by the following article the bad guys are always trying to stay one step ahead...

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129859596&sc=fb&cc=fp

And here is some info on how to avoid the stuff altogether;

http://www.wikihow.com/Avoid-High-Fructose-Corn-Syrup

Best Ever Beet Salad

2010-09-11T22:47:00.000-04:00

I'm writing to you from my brand new laptop - back in business!

Well, you remember those beautiful beets I wrote about last time, when I was using just the greens? I promised something amazing was coming with root of the plant, the beets, and here it is (finally)...

I readily admit that I love a well designed salad. When a really well chosen bevy of tastes come together and surprise your palate in an unexpected way, and it is all good for your body to boot! I have to say that this Beet Salad was one of the most delicious salads I have ever had. Honestly. Even leftovers the next day tasted great which is generally not possible with salad at all. Please do yourself a favor and try this one. Even if you are not a fan of beets, try it, with the freshest beets you can find. I double dog dare you to not like it.

Here is the recipe;

Roasted Beet Salad with Goat Cheese, Candied Walnuts, and Dressing

For the citrus dressing:
1/2 shallot, minced
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Whisk all ingredients together.
For the salad:
1/2 pound medium beets, trimmed and scrubbed
1 large bunch fresh spinach
4 ounces fresh goat cheese
1/2 cup candied walnuts ( I roasted mine in maple syrup)
For the salad:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wrap washed beets individually in aluminum foil. Place the foil packets on a baking sheet and bake until the tip of a sharp knife easily slides through the beets, about 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let cool completely. Halve each beet, then slice into bite sizes.
Layer washed and dried spinach on platter, followed by beet slices, and then crumbled cheese and nuts. Pour dressing on top just before serving.

Open to Grace | Peace and Carrots | Yoga Blog | Yoga Journal

2010-09-03T12:11:00.000-04:00

You may not know that I am a children's yoga teacher. I think it is as crucial for young children to learn lessons of caring for their bodies with exercise and self calming techniques as it is to learn about doing it with good food, so this new blog appealed to me. You might enjoy it too. Open to Grace | Peace and Carrots | Yoga Blog | Yoga Journal

Beet Greens topped with candied walnuts and coconut crusted sea scallops

2010-09-03T10:54:00.000-04:00

Last night my daughter and I went out for a fantastic dinner of a salmon skin salad with ika maki. Delightful! But today I want to talk about beets. My very nice neighbors shared their beet bounty with me recently. For many years I disliked beets having only had bland beets out of a can as a child and always remembering a horrific taste experience I once had then when washing a bite down with a swig of orange soda. (That tells you a lot about the nutrition parameters of my youth!) Now, as with so many other fresh local, organic goodies I so appreciate beets. So much so that the pile you see below, will be posted about twice. This meal uses only the greens. From here they were chopped off and washed....

Next, while still wet, they were sauteed in a bit of olive oil, butter, garlic, and seaweed gomasio, until soft.

When fully cooked remove and layer in a serving platter. In the same pan, I use a wok pan, heat a bit of maple syrup or honey (whatever is local and fresh) and then stir fry a handful of walnuts until fully coated and toasted. Sprinkle on top of greens evenly.

While pan frying I had baked some lovely coconut crusted sea scallops prepared by my fish monger. You could prepare the scallops any way that you like them. These though were delicious. Layer them attractively atop the greens and nuts for a beautiful presentation at the table.

Here is my serving, just before I devoured it. We had it with roasted potatoes as you can see, but a nice artisan bread would have been a better accompaniment. Next you'll hear about the root of the beet which is actually even yummier!!

2010-08-30T19:31:00.000-04:00

So terribly sorry for the lack of posts recently. It's certainly not for a lack of food related matters to post about. it has been due to an evil, and obviously carnivorous, wormy virus that attacked my computer. It is still in the shop actually, apparently worm removal is slow work, and I'm trying to make do with a little broken net book that belongs to my daughter. For example, there is no return button. Not sure what to do about that. The above pasta dish was a rich and rather tasty spaghetti with butternut cream sauce that I made recently. As you know if you've visited here before I am all about cooking with what is fresh and local to the greatest degree possible.

That means cooking with blueberries around here right now. And this photo shows the batter as I was making blueberry oatmeal cookies. Those didn't eve3n last long enough to photograph the finished product.

The above dish was another easy and quick pasta dinner made by sauteing in a bit of olive oil and garlic some fresh vegetables from the garden. That evening it was cherry tomatoes and slices of patty pan squash. Once soft adding fresh gourmet ravioli (whatever your favorite kind might be) and basil. These were crab meat with asiago cheese. I sprinkled that with freshly grated Parmesan. The abundance of chunky vegetables in a serving can help prevent the overeating of pasta for those prone to doing so. Lovely with a glass of wine.

Weekday Vegetarians

2010-08-18T13:11:00.000-04:00

Still adjusting to my big-eating boy having moved out. It really is a big change in the food purchasing and consumption habits of our household. Grace and I are much lighter eaters of course, and she enjoys seafood much less than I do. So it will be awhile before we work out a new routine. Lately we've been eating quite a few lobster rolls and sushi, neither of which we make at home. We have also been plagued with a whole series of technical difficulties at home that have prevented me from posting any pictures. Still trying to resolve these problems which require that I shovel loads of dollars into a hole. That is going to take me awhile. In the meantime please peruse this interesting article from this weeks Time Magazine.

Weekday Vegetarians

Is it Safe to Eat Gulf Seafood?

2010-08-11T09:24:00.000-04:00

Here is some straight up info that we have all been wondering about.

Is it Safe to Eat Gulf Seafood? | Healthy Child Healthy World

I Say Tomatoes

2010-08-10T17:05:00.000-04:00

Well, my boy has moved out. He is off to his college apartment. Cooking, as well as grocery shopping, in my household has now changed drastically. Feeding him has been one of my principal pastimes for eighteen years. Now there almost seems no need to cook. My daughter doesn't even like cooked food very much, and cooking for the unappreciative is a waste of psychic energy as well as money. As for me, I am trying to cut down on carbs in a continued quest to get my middle aged health isssues back under control. My doctor reports that I am having blood sugar issues and I have been trying to learn how to manage that within a pescetarian framework. It is comforting to know that the super food diet I have been primarily practicing for several years now seems to fit quite well. I have given up my worst nutritional habit of all, morning coffee with french vanilla sweet crap, and though not happy with soy silk, seem to have adjusted to it now. One of the super foods previously mentioned is the lovely and luscious summer beauty; the tomato.

Very frustrated that my tomatoes wont turn red, I'm having an excellent season with cherry tomatoes, but the big ones are all still green. My basil is ready and I am jonesing for some Caprese salad. Soon.

Summer makes us think of eating tomatoes cold and raw most of the time, but it is important to remember how wonderful they are when cooked, and how simple that can be as shown in this delicious recipe from Meatless Mondays.
Baked Tomatoes with Thyme

This is what I want...

Eat A Rainbow

2010-08-07T22:09:00.002-04:00

One of the best lessons we can teach children about healthy eating while they are small is to eat a rainbow of colors every day. They can enjoy counting the number of colors that they eat, which is a habit most adults should aspire to. Go ahead and count right now - how many colors did you eat today?
This pasta salad started with tri-colored pasta, and lots of fresh green herbs. Veggies mixed in included corn, carrots, red and green peppers, and then it was lightly dressed.

A Colorful Pasta Salad

Veggie sticks and yogurt based dip

Pump Up Your Plate With Color

Scientists report that a diet rich in fruits and vegetable can help:

Lower cholesterol and blood pressure
Reduce risk of certain types of cancer
Reduce the risk of birth defects
Lower risk of developing cataracts
Improve memory function
Improve immune function
Protect cells from damage
Lose weight and maintain loss

Eat fruits and vegetables from the color spectrum, including:

Red (colored by lycopene and anthocyanins) Tomatoes, beets, radishes, red potatoes, red peppers, red cabbage watermelon, guava, strawberries, raspberries, pink grapefruit cherries, red apples, red grapes, rhubarb.
Orange/Yellow (colored by cartenoids like beta carotene) Apricots, cantaloupe, peaches, pineapple, mangoes, pears, yellow apples, papayas, yellow & winter squash, sweet potatoes, carrots, yellow peppers, sweet corn.
Green (colored by chlorophyll, indoles, lutein, zeaxanthin) Avocado, leafy greens, spinach, artichokes, green beans, cucumbers, peas, Zucchini with skin, broccoli, Bok Choy, green peppers, kiwi, green grapes, Honeydew melon.
Blue/Purple (colored by anthocyanins) Blueberries, plums, prunes, raisins, purple grapes, eggplant with skin.
White (colored by anthxanthins) Bananas, cauliflower, garlic, mushrooms, onions, jicima, white potatoes.

Fishwich and green fries

2010-08-03T10:23:00.000-04:00

   Things have been very hectic here. Getting ready to launch my first born child. It's a fairly emotional experience. You really run the gamut of emotions every day. And I've been cooking for him a lot over the last week as he really is my favorite person to feed on the planet. He has, with only a handful of exceptions, loved the food I put in front of him. So I have been indulging him, and me truth be told, with a few of his favorite dishes, and they don't all qualify to make this blog.
   Here is one, that though fried, is a relatively healthy dinner, and he and I both enjoy it.

Fishwich

   Buy enough white fish, any kind will do, for each person to have one serving. Clean and pat dry, then marinade briefly in skim milk.

Then toss each fillet in flour on both sides.

Then toss each in a mixture of whole grain crackers crumbs and fresh herbs.

Then gently fry each fillet in a light amount of canola oil a few minutes on each side. When almost done melt a slice of cheese on top if desired.

Serve on a roll with a slice of lettuce and tomato. I like mine with aioli mayo or just ketchup, though many people prefer tartar sauce.

The side dish is called green bean fries and most teenagers will easily convert to them because they are so dang tasty! Toss clean and trimmed green beans in olive oil and sea salt and bake in oven til crispy. Remove to paper towel lined plate before serving.

Eat well, be well at any age | Blog | Ode Magazine

2010-07-27T19:46:00.000-04:00

A few important points to keep in mind;

Eat well, be well at any age | Blog | Ode Magazine

Summer Corn Wheat Berry Salad

2010-07-26T22:32:00.000-04:00

Here is a well balanced summer salad from Meatless Monday; Summer Corn Wheat Berry Salad

And something I tried that didn't go over very well in my house, Twice Baked Potatoes
These were whipped with with some yogurt, milk, butter, and vegetarian Bac Un's as well as lots of fresh herbs and seasonings in the mix, and then topped with chopped broccoli and Gruyere cheese when they went back in the oven. When they came out they were topped again with a dollop of sour cream and paprika. It was the broccoli that turned my kids off, but I keep trying to win them over...

Deadly Kids Meals

2010-07-24T13:22:00.000-04:00

We don't have most of these fast food joints in the north east, but both of my children ate too many of these types of meals when they were little.

The really scary part is that, as with adults, this type of food as a rare treat would be okay, but instead most school lunch programs are not far from what you will see in this slide show;

Deadly Kids Meals

Whoops

2010-07-22T07:29:00.001-04:00

Here is the recipe for my Thai Shrimp Salad which I described preparing in yesterday's post.

   for marinade:
1.5 t. sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup lite soy sauce
1/3 cup honey
1" piece of ginger, minced
6 T. rice vinegar
1 T. fruit jam
1 T. fresh lemon juice
   for stir fry:
1.5 cups shelled shrimp (cut in half if large)
1.5 cups bean sprouts
.5 cup chopped shitake mushrooms
.5 cup chopped chives
1 cup chopped fresh basil

   Combine all of these ingredients, then add clean shrimp and marinade for at least thirty minutes. Then drain, but reserve marinade. While waiting cook one cup of jasmine rice, and drain, and clean and dry 2 cups of lettuce leaves.

   In hot wok, stir fry shrimp with fresh vegetables, basil, chives, pepper, and seaweed gomasio. Be careful not to overcook shrimp. Add marinade and boil one minute. Remove from heat.
   Layer lettuce, rice, and then stir fry in salad bowl. Garnish with parsley.

Thai shrimp salad

2010-07-21T18:34:00.000-04:00

Here is an example of creating a new dish out of a series of creative errors. Cooking should be fun! The intention was to make Thai shrimp lettuce wraps. I have a bounty of fresh organic lettuces in my garden and wanted to try showcasing them this way, and I had a social engagement tonight I needed to bring a dish to.

First, I made several modifications to the recipe mostly because I wanted to use what I had on hand, ie: my fresh chives were substituted for scallions. And the recipe called for 2 lbs of shrimp. I used much less than that and added a generous amount of vegetables instead, mostly bean sprouts.

Then came the presentation. I began rolling the lettuce wraps with a dollop of rice and stir fry and securing them with a tooth pick, but it was clear right away that they were going to fall apart, so I abandoned that idea and layered everything in my fancy new pig bowl. It would have been messy to eat these with our hands and I think I'll much prefer serving it and eating it as a salad with a fork.

Creating a better children’s menu: A chef speaks

2010-07-20T17:36:00.000-04:00

Just discovered this wonderful blog and want to share it with the world;

Creating a better children’s menu: A chef speaks

Tofu Ideas

2010-07-19T13:59:00.001-04:00

Tonight I'm going to try preparing tofu this way, suggested by Meatless Monday in their offerings this week. It sounds like it would appeal to the kid palate if you cut out the horse radish; Baked Indonesian Tofu. I'm going to add a vegetable to the mix, perhaps the petite Brussels sprouts I have in the freezer.

Last night I also served tofu two ways. It was our weekly Sunday night cookout in the backyard. I was grilling a sword fish steak for my son and I to share, and so prepared a slice of tofu for my non-fish loving pesetarian daughter in the same marinade and grilled it for the same amount of time, thus no added trouble or fuss. I was also preparing one of her favorite dishes; mashed potatoes. While I strive to notch up the healthiness of the dish the best I can by adding lots of my fresh herbs, and using a blast of olive oil and Bummels and Browns yogurt spread instead of butter, last night I tried something new by mashing in a slice of tofu as well. It worked well, the taste was indiscernible. I would however whip or beat it in next time as the manual mashing that I prefer failed to make the tofu invisible. Here is a shot of dinner before it was devoured, served with a salad made mostly of my own organic lettuces and a scoop of the fish monger's cole slaw. Veggies should be the bulk of every meal, and you want to incorporate as many colors as possible in every meal, which is a fun way to involve children in meal preparation.

Easy and Elegant

2010-07-18T08:54:00.001-04:00

Here is a quick and easy pasta dish that stays on the healthier side while still tasting delightfully decadent. It takes just minutes to prepare, but tastes like hours of work was invested.

Pan fry, in a small amount of olive oil, one package of high end fresh ravioli (I used tomato mozzarella for this version) along with a very generous amount of thickly cut mushrooms. This is key - the big beefy slices of 'shrooms encourage the eater to go easier on the pasta without even realizing they are eating more veggies than carbs.

Stir gently and attentively til heated through then add your favorite sauce. As this was a quick meal for us, I used jarred sauce but a very fancy creamy marinara. Once heated, plate with a half handful of freshly grated Parmesan cheese. I wish there were leftovers!

Mom's Night Out and Something for the Teens

2010-07-17T07:52:00.000-04:00

     Here is a YouTube for the teens made by a teen that they all know who has made his public platform healthy eating. The recipes he is sharing here would be of interest to all ages, but I know the recommendation of what is good is much more powerful coming out of the mouth of a celebrity teenager than from a concerned mom.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIDicBjUT2U
     And sometimes Moms need a break, and to go out and share a special meal with only people old enough to share the wine that must accompany the food.
     Last night was one of those. My dining companion and I went to a couple of art openings and then went to dinner at a relatively new restaurant in town. Foregoing the foie gras and kobe steak that was selling briskly, I found a pescetarian feast. I apologize for the quality of the photos. It was a dark and stormy night. Really!

Our appetizer was pan fried oysters on a mango and summer tomato salsa. Light and lovely just as an appetizer should be.

Out palates were refreshed with a cold roasted watermelon soup. Delightful.

My entree was fresh day boat cod served over a crab crusted potato with a sauce that I think was made from saffron and olive oil. I liked the dish a lot - it felt like a treat but didn't induce great guilt.

Still. I have to head off to the gym now...

Bastille Day a perfect excuse for mussels, frites and all things French

2010-07-14T09:21:00.001-04:00

     Loved this post. I have never made fries quite that way and am going to try it. Teens will love them I am sure! Bastille Day a perfect excuse for mussels, frites and all things French

     Currently researching the pomegranate. It is a super food, but seems to be at the top of even that esteemed list, so I am trying to come up with more ways of incorporating into my diet. I just learned this week that in addition to its benefits of anti aging, warding off cancers, lowering blood pressure and bad cholesterol (all of which are benefits I need) it is helpful to women experiencing unpleasant side effects of mid life. That would be me. So I have been drinking the recommended glass of juice a day, but want to cook with it too. Anybody have any good ideas? I'll probably try or modify a few from this site which has quite a few recipes on it, as well as lots of other good info; http://www.pomegranates.org/

    And a side note; yesterday my daughter asked me "How does a vegan get enough protein?" This is a question she never would have had a few months back, so I feel like my efforts have had some effect, and that she is thinking about food intelligently. It may sound insignificant, but it was huge.

Pea Shoot Potato Salad

2010-07-11T21:03:00.002-04:00

     I love cooking with fresh pea shoots and pea tendrils. The latter are to me one of the prettiest edible plants of all. An even bigger bonus is how nutrient dense these little baby greens are. Though you can cook them I tend to stick to raw uses, and most often just toss them into salads or sandwiches. This afternoon I was making a potato salad for our Sunday night dinner, and as always was trying to think of new ideas for how to improve on the healthiness of the dish without forfeiting the traditional taste that people expect. I had a package of pea shoots on hand, and decided to chop up a substantial handful while I was chopping up my fresh chives and some celery that I was putting into the mix. I loved the way they blended in without the kids knowing there was a vegetable in there at all! Another change I made that was indistinguishable to my taste buds was that I replaced one third of the mayo dressing with cottage cheese. I used all of the herbs that I always do, lots in potato salad, including seaweed gomasio and a few shakes of Bac 'Uns and a splash of pickle juice. I also use red skin potatoes and leave most of the skin on for the nutrition boost, and I use omega 3 eggs. I was thrilled to see my fussy vegetarian daughter take a huge second helping. You can't get a bigger endorsement than that!
     Here are EatDrinkbetter's top 10 pea shoot recipes, and a shot of my salad.
     http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2010/05/17/top-ten-pea-shoot-recipes-in-season-now/

Black Bean Corn Salsa and chicken nuggets

2010-07-07T07:44:00.000-04:00

      Holidays are so hectic. Have lots of good food stories to share about the holiday weekend, but have been having technical difficulties that are delaying the posts. Highlights were some Asian aduki bean burgers and a blackberry spinach and walnut salad that I made. Also had some fabulous fish tacos. Will rectify these technical glitches as soon as possible.
Black Bean Corn Salsa
      This is my favorite kind of salsa, but I've never made it before. Only bought it in a jar. So I was very excited when Meatless Monday offered this recipe for making it at home. I love that there is a little bit of protein in it, as I am always looking for ways to up the protein in my kid's diet.
     Also saw the following come across my desk yesterday. Not a bad article to share with tweens and teens who are starting to make their own decisions about what goes into their mouth and what doesn't. There is a very common fallacy that chicken nuggets are a healthy food choice for kids. I certainly let my kids eat them regularly when they were little. The truth is prepared thoughtfully at home they may be, but what we get when we are ordering them out is seriously suspect. I am really glad my daughter wont touch these anymore.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1291526/U-S-Chicken-McNuggets-contain-Silly-Putty-chemical-calories-fat-Britain.html

Happy Independence Day!

2010-07-02T06:04:00.001-04:00

Here is a kid friendly holiday appetizer that kids cans can feel independent in making themselves, and yet it is still tasty and pretty enough to bring along to any social gathering. And it is so healthy it is a superfood.

Simply, wash and pat dry fresh fruit. Gently scoop out a bit of strawberry center and spoon in a yogurt filling of your choice. Top with one blueberry. I like to sprinkle a fancy sugar over the top but that is not necessary. Just delightful, don't you think?!

Tex-Mex Casserole

2010-06-30T09:57:00.001-04:00

Once in awhile a single mom has to get out of the house, but because she is single she has to have a meal for the kids prepared in advance that they can manage on their own. Enter the casserole. I think a casserole shouldn't be just a one-dish, easy to heat meal, but also that all of your food groups should be present there-in. This is one that I created for my kids. You can, as always, tweak it, to better suit your tastes or needs.

Tameri T's Tex-Mex Casserole

In a large baking dish layer;
all natural corn tortilla chips (I like to break them a bit),
then one can Mexican rice and beans, (I sometimes use or add a layerof one can of chili)
then one layer homemade guacamole,
then one layer of your favorite salsa (I used chunky tequila lime)
then one layer of plain yogurt (I used 4 oz. of grass fed organic)
then sprinkle top with chopped cilantro and shredded cheese.

Here is what it looks like before it goes in the oven;

And after it has been warmed up in a 300 degree oven for ten minutes.

French Fries; A Bad Habit We Can Improve

2010-06-28T16:37:00.002-04:00

    "If you keep eating those you are going to turn into a French fry!" It's a fact - kids love French fries. (Sadly, they may have started this habit as teething toddlers.) I remember the actual physical craving I felt for them when I was a teenager. Now I am the mother of two teenagers. I don't buy them fast food very often, but have always felt that it is better not to altogether ban anything. Occasional treats are okay. Yesterday, I pulled through McD's drive thru to get Grace, who was hungry, a large order of fries and a yogurt parfait. It never occurred to me that in so doing I was giving her food which violates her commitment to vegetarianism. Today I learned that their fries are not vegetarian. They have always been cooked with a bit of beef flavoring. How could this not be common knowledge?! I am rather outraged. The following is a quote that seems to be the consensus from the vegetarian community. I did check the McDonald's official web site, but found their nutritional information to be much less than forthcoming. Surprise, surprise.
     "McDonald's fries are not vegetarian. They add beef powder to the fries, in the factory, before it is shipped to the restaurants. They then fry their fries in vegetable oil, once it gets to the locations. A lot of companies secretly add animal products to their foods, by listing the animal products as "enzymes", "mono-and diglycerides" or "natural flavors." McDonald's lists natural flavors, instead of writing beef powder, because they don't want to hurt their image or lose customers that would get freaked out, if they knew that even their potatoes have animal products in them. McDonald's was sued in 2002 for lying to vegetarians and Hindus about their use of beef products in their fries and hash browns. You're better off going to Burger King. They have vegetarian fries that are cooked in separate oil from their meat, and they have a BK Veggie burger value meal. They also have vegan Dutch apple pie slices."
     So I offer up this alternative from our friends at Meatless Monday which we are going to try at home;
Baked Zucchini Fries. They look really yummy, and so does the superfood dip.

A Taste of The Taste

2010-06-24T11:46:00.002-04:00

Last night was a big night out for me, and one of my favorite social engagements of the year. It is called Taste of The Nation, a fundraiser for Save our Strength, an organization that works to end childhood hunger. You may have one of these events each year in your town. If you don't, you should. I will share with you just a very small sample of the vast array of amazing very small samples provided by hundreds of local food and beverage pros from my region. The emphasis is on gourmet goodness using fresh local ingredients.

The early evening sky over Strawbery Banke upon our arrival.

What it looks like under the tent. Each vendor sets up their own exhibit, and most feature two appetizers.

This was a delightful little crab cake operation.

I wish I had this recipe. It was a bruleed Caprese tomato where the balsamic glaze was torched and caramelized. I crazy loved it!

There was a huge assortment of tuna treats available. This was one.

Tomato croquettes with a variety of toppings.

This was one of the stand out winners for me, made by a little breakfast lunch spot that doesn't pretend to be high end. They are mini eggs Benedict Florentine made with fresh local quails eggs. Can't describe how tasty that was...

Shrimp Diablo deviled eggs

Fresh figs aren't quite in focus. Another winner was blue cheese stuffed dates.

Crab and cucumber canapes with yellow watermelon. Very refreshing on a hot night.

An entirely edible salad created, from seed to table, by master gardener John Forti.

Many wonderful wines and micro brews were available. This is one of my all-time favorites.

I was so full, I skipped all of the sweets, but took a few photos for you.

The crowd was cuckoo over Clyde's Cupcakes.

BFF Barb who will be my guest blogger if I ever get to go on vacation.

About that time I put my fork and camera away and hit the dance floor...

Hope I have inspired you to participate.

Sunday Shrimp on the Barbie and Rhubarb Bread

2010-06-21T22:05:00.001-04:00

We weren't really celebrating Father's Day here yesterday, it was just me and two kids, but I did prepare a slightly special dinner on the deck. I marinated a good pound of jumbo shrimp in a marinade I whisked up on the fly. A mixture of lime, lemon, and orange juice with some garlic, olive oil, and low sodium soy sauce, and lot of parsley and cilantro. I left that chilling in the fridge along with a baby red potato salad blended with a dressing of half mayo and half Greek yogurt and lots of my fresh chives, and I left the half husked corn on the cob to soak in cold water, while I worked out in the yard all afternoon. After lighting the grill (you may have read in a previous post that I will only cook over charcoal or wood outside) the corn on the cob and shrimp veggie kebabs grilled up quickly and deliciously. It all went down very nicely with an ice cold lemonade. Toasted marshmallows were offered for dessert before the coals died out.

And here is a recipe I scored from Meatless Monday today that I really want to try because I still have some rhubarb in the garden that I need to harvest and I have never made a bread with rhubarb before. I have a couple of social engagements this weekend and I am going to need something to bring, so I would like to try this. http://www.meatlessmonday.com/rhubarb-nutmeg-bread/?utm_source=Meatless+Monday&utm_campaign=8428d3dd63-Eater%27s_Digest_Monday_06_21_2010&utm_medium=email

Save the animals

2010-06-20T22:13:00.001-04:00

Happy Father's Day.

My daughter asked me to pull over as we were driving through our neighborhood yesterday so that she could take this photo, and I said I would post it on our blog;

I'd also like to share this link about a great idea called Gumbo for the Gulf; http://www.environmentwashington.org/action/oceans/gumbo?id4=tafsent It is a wonderful way we can do something for the gulf coast catastrophe. Please take a look and share the idea with your foodie friends.

Fattoush, A Vegan Salad

2010-06-19T22:54:00.002-04:00

Crazy week here. Sick people and puppies. Has been very little attention paid to good meals. Except for the night my daughter graduated from the 8th grade. That night I took her and her best friend to her favorite Japanese restaurant for her favorite meal. She is not a very reliable vegetarian. At home I have to pay very careful attention to her diet to make sure it is balanced. But I just love watching her at a Japanese restaurant. She ordered a bowl of miso soup, an order of vegetarian sushi, and iced green tea. Makes me very happy to see her eat that meal. That night I ordered something called the tropic roll; a delicious blend of mango, shrimp, and avacado sushi.

She was less excited about the Fattoush I made last night. Fattoush is a middle eastern dish, and if you have noticed anything about my style of cooking you will see how Fattoush is right up my alley. It encourages the cook's creativity, and allows you to use what is on hand. In fact the dish was designed as a way to use up Syrian bread that is becoming stale, which was just my motivation. I also have lots of mint and parsley on hand, so this was perfect. Children are not likely to be crazy about Fattoush, but you never know. The more they are involved in the growing/ picking/ preparing process the more likely they are to enjoy it. It is a very tasty and refreshing summer salad. It is a bit more tasty if you toss the chopped Syrian bread with olive oil and garlic salt and toast in the oven first, but this is not necessary. I couldn't resist that step myself, though I would never fry it which is often done in the middle east when this salad is made. Don't fold the pita pieces in more than a half hour before you are ready to serve. Also, use whatever lettuce you like. Purslane is traditional, anything somewhat bitter like Mizuna would work well. I used three very fresh Belgian endive heads. Not traditional, but seemed perfect. Herbs are important with sumac being traditional. I didn't have any on hand. Use this recipe only as a jump start for your own creation.

Fattoush is Arabic: فتوش, also fattush

1 clove garlic, minced
1 T lime juice
1 T lemon juice
3 T red wine vinegar
2 T olive oil
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cucumber, thinly sliced
1 large ripe tomato, chopped
1.5 cups lettuce, thinly sliced
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
10 mint leaves, chopped
2 or 3 cups toasted pita pieces
salt and pepper

In salad bowl whisk together first five ingredients to make dressing. Toss with chopped vegetables and herbs, saving bread until almost ready to serve. Serve at room temperature. This is enough for a large gathering as a side dish, or lunch for about four people.

snack food idea

2010-06-17T14:04:00.001-04:00

     I think it's important to promote other like-minded blogs in my blog, and this one called Weelicious is written by a mom after my own heart. There are meat based recipes at her site, but lots more very creative ideas designed just for children like this French fry looking yummy that I am dying to try;
     http://weelicious.com/2010/06/03/carrot-snack-sticks/
     Her site is particularly useful to parents of babies and toddlers. I realize I write primarily about feeding teenagers and thought I should offer some good guidance about the little ones, which really is the time to start healthy eating practices, and the time when most bad habits are developed.
      Give her a look and in the meantime I'll test these out on my brood, and report back to you. I invite you to do the same.

"weggebobbles and fruit"

2010-06-15T07:17:00.001-04:00

This gave me a chuckle. I was doing some research for my other blog (http://aintiawriter.blogspot.com/) about James Joyce's novel Ulysses (Happy Bloomsday!) when I came across this Huffington Post article on the subject that was more appropriate for my pescetarian blog. Ellen Kanner writes a syndicated column called the Edgy Veggie. So here it is, just for you. If you see it through to the end there are a couple of interesting recipes given, though you should have a nice Guinness to go with them... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ellen-kanner/bloomsday-celebrate-james_b_604291.html

Orange Blueberry Banana Pancakes

2010-06-14T14:13:00.000-04:00

      I have posted about pancakes before. I'm not a big pancake fan myself, but it is one of my fussy daughter's favorites, so I do whip up a batch every now and again. And yesterday morning when I woke to a house full of guests, it seemed the only thing to whip up in a jiffy. I do prefer to add nutritious mix-ins to the batter, which my daughter frowns upon. For example, I would love to serve this super food version shared by Meatless Mondays today; Orange Blueberry Banana Pancakes
     I hadn't thought that a meal of pancakes and fruit was a bad thing, but have been feeling just a bit guilty about that since I read this post at another mom's blog; http://trueslant.com/dreenaburton/2010/03/03/do-you-know-whats-in-your-pancake-syrup/.
      I do completely concur about allowing children to eat fake syrup. That stuff is nasty, and usually what you will be given in a pancake house. Seems ironic, but is all about $. As with the use of good butter, I think the best solution is to buy the best locally made products you can find, and teach your children what they are, how they are produced, how much they cost, and how necessary it is for the health of their bodies and the planet, to use them very sparingly and respectfully. My children have participated in churning butter and making maple syrup from first tapping of the tree to last bite.
      Any New Englander eating fake syrup "should be 'shamed".

Mint Chocolate Cupcakes

2010-06-07T11:51:00.001-04:00

I wish I had found this recipe last week when I needed to make 3 dozen cupcakes for my daughter's 8th grade dance, but I just discovered it today when it was published by Meatless Mondays. I really like the use of applesauce to make these treats healthier. Mint Chocolate Cupcakes

Pie as Promised

2010-06-04T07:13:00.001-04:00

As promised, I will now post about the pie I created a few days ago; Strawberry-Blue-barb with walnut streusel topping. A couple of factors were at work in the creation. As always I was trying to take advantage (again for both health and ecology) of fresh local produce. I grew the rhubarb and picked the blueberries myself.

That said, I'm not a big dessert eater, and am always trying to super-food up every dish I make. How can I tweak a traditional recipe to make it better for my body and the earth?
With old fashioned desserts I start by reducing the white sugar that the recipe calls for. It's simple to do and often can be as much as halved. I find this actually improves the taste most of the time. Even though the strawberry jam I use is sweetened only with fruit juice it still does the trick quite nicely, especially when combined with the streusel topping. Then I eliminated the top crust usually called for, reducing the fattening pastry by 50%. The addition of the streusel topping with both oats and chopped walnuts boosts the nutrition factor a bit. To stick with the super-food concept I would serve this with vanilla frozen yogurt if going a la mode. Anyway you slice it, this version got a lot of thumbs up.

Strawberry Blue-barb Pie with Walnut Streusel Topping

1 1/2 cups fresh rhubarb, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries, drained
small jar of all natural strawberry jam
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 pastry for double-crust pie (9 inches)
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup oats
1/4 brown sugar
1/4 chopped walnuts

Directions:

1.In a large bowl, combine rhubarb, blueberries and jam. Combine sugar, flour and salt. Sprinkle over the fruit; toss lightly. Line a pie plate with pastry; add filling.
2. Cut butter into last three ingredients to make a streusel and sprinkle on top of pie.
3. Bake at 450 for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350; bake 35 minutes longer or until golden brown. Let stand awhile before slicing.

Grilled Striper and Corn on the Cob

2010-06-02T07:43:00.000-04:00

Came across this site, located in Germany, on another blog. This group seeks to offset the carbon dioxide emissions of my blog by planting a tree just for me. I'm all for that. Check them out;

Had a guest griller in last night to cook freshly caught striper for us. It was a decent meal, all of the dishes cooked over charcoal in my back yard. Both the fish and the corn on the cob were steamed, the fish in foil with an Italian marinade and some fresh herbs. The corn right in the husk (actually half schucked first) after soaking in cold water for several hours. It is my favorite way to prepare corn on the cob. learned in my childhood growing up in a corn growing town. The potatoes were tossed in herbs as well, with turmeric (I add that to most of my dishes for it's health benefits) and olive oil and also grilled in foil. Fresh mushrooms were pan sauteed in butter and herbs. Last a garlic focaccia was heated on the hot grill too. We had this meal with a locally brewed oatmeal stout. The result as I think the pictures show was a little bit too monotonous. It needed something green. The fruit pie I made for dessert was quite colorful though,and will be the subject of my next post. Here are a couple of before and after photos for you;

Holiday Meals

2010-05-31T21:38:00.000-04:00

Happy Memorial Day. Hope it was celebrated with healthy and happy meals all around. At our house, we have a tradition of having a Clam Bake in a Pot, often cooked over an open fire out back. This was the first year that I omitted the kielbasa. We didn't miss it. Here is a photo of our pot just before we dug into it a few hours ago.

As with many of my recipes I really don't feel there is one correct way to prepare a clam bake. If you have good fresh ingredients and pay close attention to cooking time you will end up with something very tasty. This pot was just for me and the two teens, but I do include enough here to make a chowder with the leftovers (which you'll hear about in a couple of days).

So to start - in your large stock pot saute some garlic and chopped onion in butter and olive oil until soft. Then add six new potatoes which have been washed and chopped in half and enough water to cover. Boil til almost done. Then add fresh chopped herbs, I used parsley and chives with pepper, sea salt, and gomasio, then layer in 3 ears corn cobs halved, a large white onion quartered, 3 pieces kelp, 2 lbs. mussels, 2 lbs. steamers, and whole lobster. Pour one cup white wine (beer or stock work too) and another cup or two of water. Squeeze the juice of one lemon over all and toss the rinds in. Cover and keep on a strong simmer until all foods have been fully steam cooked. I serve straight out of the pot at the outdoor table with fresh rolls and melted butter mixed with fresh herbs from the garden. And of course a glass of good wine for me.
Here is my pick of the week from Meatless Mondays, which I think would also make a great holiday meal. Artichoke Spinach Strata

Have a happy and healthy holiday weekend.

2010-05-30T05:52:00.000-04:00

Technical glitches

2010-05-29T18:33:00.000-04:00

My computer has been dying out on an alarmingly frequent basis, and my camera has completely died, so I am having a hard time posting lately. Hope to correct these problems, (and many others), soon. Really wanted to show you photos of some great meals I had in the last few days; fish tacos last night that were excellent, and a couple of home-made shrimp spring rolls with chili sauce that I picked up at the farmer's market this morning. I was there purchasing the bulk of my herb and vegetable plants because this weekend is devoted to getting the garden finished. I'm heading back out there now to get another hour of work in before calling it a day. Until I am able to post again I leave you with these helpful hints about getting enough fruit and vegetable servings each day, which I know can be tricky.
http://www.everydayhealth.com/health-report/nutrition/ways-to-eat-more-fruits-and-vegetables.aspx

Why I'm a weekday vegetarian

2010-05-26T22:09:00.000-04:00

This is Graham Hill, founder of Treehugger.com, sharing his take on eating meat. It's the 70% solution. It makes a lot of sense, especially during the difficult to negotiate party and picnic season I was talking about in my last post. The video is quite short, please hear him out.
Graham Hill: Why I'm a weekday vegetarian Video on TED.com

Picnics and Parties

2010-05-25T23:06:00.005-04:00

      Well, that season is here - the season of picnics, parties and cookouts. Food temptations all over the place and usually served in social settings where celebration is expected. I find this hard. Fun, but hard. It must be much harder for kids. Last weekend I was at an evening outdoor party where duck was served (I crazy love duck) and lamb and goat sausage, in addition to the usual dishes. Then there are the potato chips that I have a lot of trouble saying no to, high fat salads that are doused in things I wouldn't cook with at home, and lots of sweet desserts, which I don't have so much trouble saying no to.
     I have given considerable thought to what I bring to the party, and want to share two ideas that work well for our family. I fall back on these two recipes often throughout the summer. With both dishes I have actually spent years tweaking the recipe so that it still tastes like a special summertime treat, but with both I have made several healthy modifications so that I can feel good about eating it myself as well as feeding it to my kids.
       The first is one of my specialties;

Yankee Baked Beans

I use small white beans and do soak them overnight or simmer awhile. This version qualifies as a super food in my book because in addition to being vegetarian I have replaced molasses with honey. I got lots of compliments on the last batch.
Drain beans, reserving liquid in case needed later, and put in bean pot. Saute a chopped white onion in a small amount of butter and olive oil. Sprinkle with garlic powder. Add chopped fresh herbs, and a rib of celery. Slowly stir in a bit of tomato paste, a half cup ketchup, a half cup barbecue sauce, and a half cup honey, salt and pepper. When blended add a bottle of beer. I sprinkled in a generous shake of seaweed gomasio and vegetarian b'con bits too. Pour into pot and mix gently. Cover pot and bake at 250 for 6 or 7 hours.

Better Potato Salad

I promise that this still tastes like your Mama's not so very good for you potato salad, but a small scoop of this has lots to offer your body. Boil six medium potatoes and 4 small eggs til cooked. Let cool. In a large bowl pour 1/3 cup pickle juice, add chopped potatoes and eggs. Season with fresh chopped chives and parsley. Season with salt, pepper, seaweed gomasio, celery seed, tumeric, mustard, garlic powder, and paprika. Slowly fold in one chopped pickle, one chopped rib of celery, and some chopped onion, with just enough mayo made from olive oil to combine. Add it slowly so that you don't overdo. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

And here is an idea for a really original green salad from this weeks offerings at Meatless Mondays. It's one that I think young children would enjoy making and eating.

http://www.meatlessmonday.com/recipe_spinach_blackberry_pistachio.html

These three recipes should get you (and me) through the long cookout season with dishes that everyone at the party can, and should, enjoy. Enjoy!

Safe Fish Checklist

2010-05-22T02:59:00.000-04:00

Safe Fish Checklist For Children, Teens and Women of Childbearing Age

A large body of research supports the importance of omega-3 fatty acids in the diet, yet American diets are highly deficient in omega-3s. Fish are an important source of both omega-3s and protein, but they are often contaminated with methylmercury (which is a potent neurotoxicant) and PCBs (which have been linked to cancer). People should neither avoid fish consumption, nor consume fish blindly.
Use this checklist to help you find the safest fish:
~ Buy your fish from someone whom you can ask questions. Ask where the fish came from, when it is in season, if it was farmed or is wild. If it’s farmed, how was it grown? If it’s wild, how was it caught? Is this fish really a... (red snapper, grouper, wild salmon, etc.)? According to the Environmental Defense Fund, these are prime candidates for fish fraud.
~ If you eat fish that you or someone else has caught, check if there is an advisory against eating the seafood. Contact your state department of health or check out the US Environmental Protection Agency's state-by-state list of fish advisories.
~ Look for fish that are lowest in contaminants. Opt for species that are small in size, low in fat, and that don’t live on the bottom of waterways. Safer fish include Herring, Mackerel, Anchovies, Clams, Wild Alaskan Salmon, Shrimp, Tilapia, and Black Sea Bass. Reduce the most contaminated fish from your diet, including ahi or bigeye tuna, tilefish, swordfish, shark, king mackerel, marlin, orange roughy and fish caught in any waters that are subject to a mercury advisory. In regards to canned tuna, Albacore or solid white tuna is most likely to have higher concentrations of mercury, and chunk light tuna, lower concentrations. Print the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Safe Seafood Pocket Guide, get the Safe Seafood app for your iPhone, or use FishPhone (Blue Ocean’s text messaging service) to always have safe fish information on hand.

~ Choose wild-caught instead of farmed for most species. Farming can have negative impacts on the environment and health. This is especially true for Atlantic salmon.
~ Keep servings in proportion and eat different kinds of seafood from meal to meal. For an adult, a serving size is about 4 to 6 ounces. Serve proportionately less for a child—about 2 to 3 ounces. Try not to eat the same fish or shellfish more than once a week. Since children get most of their mercury from canned tuna, it is important for parents to limit their children's consumption to less than one ounce of canned light tuna for every 12 pounds of body weight per week, in order to stay below the level of mercury the EPA considers safe.

~ Reduce PCBs, dioxins and some pesticides in fish and shellfish by using cooking methods that reduce fat;
■Trim fat, skin, and any darker meat along the top or center of the fillet.

■Remove the mustard from crabs and the tomalley from lobsters.

■Broil, grill, bake or steam to cook the seafood. Use a pan that allows fat to drip away from the fish, such as a broiling pan or steaming basket. Avoid frying fish.

■Avoid sauces made from liquid fish drippings or cooking water.

■Avoid dishes that call for whole fish with internal organs intact.

NOTE: Mercury cannot be reduced by these methods.

~ Consider reducing your consumption of fish that are over-fished or raised / harvested in an environmentally questionable manner. You can send a text message to the Blue Ocean Institute’s Fish Phone to instantly learn sustainable seafood information. To find out about your seafood choice, text 30644 with the message FISH and the name of the fish in question. They’ll text you back with their assessment and better alternatives to fish with significant environmental concerns.

Worst Meals

2010-05-19T11:50:00.000-04:00

There is even a fish meal on this list!
http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/6-worst-meals-america

Fiddleheads and Sea Scallops

2010-05-17T09:17:00.001-04:00

     In spring a young woman's fancy turns to thoughts of fiddleheads.
     Ok, I am playing fast and loose with that notion, just for fun. Fiddleheads though, should never be treated fast and loose. On the contrary. Fiddleheads need to be slow and tight.
     I'm not sure if the rest of the country enjoys fresh and local fiddleheads as we do in here in the northeastern United States. After our long hard winters they help us mark the beginning of our warmer, funner, usually happier season and we rejoice in seeing them and eating them. I love the name, obviously after what they resemble. Here is what they look like just after washing and trimming the woody ends. You can see what they actually are; tender fern fronds yet unfurled.

There are lots of ways to prepare them, just simply sauteing them in garlic and butter will do just fine. It is generally accepted that you should blanch them first in boiling water and then remove to a quick ice bath before proceeding with your recipe. This serves two purposes; to remove any bitterness and to bring out an even brighter vernal green color. Tonight I found myself out of rice, and turned to baked potato to serve this recipe over. It worked out well.

Sea Scallops and Fiddleheads

Heat 1 T butter and olive oil in frying pan. Saute minced garlic then adding one at a time; chopped onion, mushrooms, and prepared fiddleheads, stirring for a few minutes each time. Then add washed scallops (mine were so large I cut them into thirds) and stir. Add white wine and let simmer briefly. Season to taste. Serve over an open baked potato with a dollop of sour cream tossed with fresh garden herbs.

Here are the nutrition stats for fiddleheads;

http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/3055/2

A Couple More Points of view to Ponder

2010-05-15T18:21:00.000-04:00

http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/nutrition_articles.asp?id=1473

Strawberry Banana Pancakes and Fiesta Nachos

2010-05-11T21:13:00.000-04:00

Strawberry Banana Pancakes
There is a yummy, super healthy, kid friendly breakfast recipe from the Meatless Monday offerings this week.
And here is one I just offered up, for younger chidren you can call them Fiesta Nachos because they are so colorful. A great game day treat for grown-ups too.

For the bottom layer I like to use both blue and white corn tortilla chips. The next layer was a couple of scoops of vegetarian chili, and some salsa. Next is my homemeade guacamole which I keep a superfood by using no oil, just fresh avocado mashed with chopped tomato, onion, lime juice and cilantro. Then comes a moderate amount of greek yogurt (you can mix with some sour cream if you can't deal with that) and shredded jack cheese spread over the top. I sprinkled some choppped green pepper on too, topped with another handful of chopped cilantro. You should think of nachos like pizza though, there is no one right way to do it. Just focus on going heavy on the good for you stuff, and going lightly on the higher fat ingredients. Warm these up in the oven for just a few minutes, and serve with plenty of napkins. Most teenagers go wild for a tray of these, and you can feel pretty good about serving them.

Next up, rhubarb recipes, I have a bountiful crop up in the backyard, where I've been hard at work lately spreading fresh loam in all of the raised beds.

Shocking Graphic Reveals Why a Big Mac Costs Less Than a Salad « SpeakEasy

2010-05-10T13:32:00.000-04:00

Shocking Graphic Reveals Why a Big Mac Costs Less Than a Salad « SpeakEasy

Pasta dishes and Lentil Balls

2010-05-04T07:49:00.000-04:00

Have had a few great meals since my last post. Back in December when I first announced to my friends that we were going on a pescetarian diet, one of my best girlfriends said "Don't resort to a pasta diet." I assured her I wouldn't do that. But this week I may have overindulged in pasta. A few days ago; truffled lobster macaroni and cheese, served to me with a side salad at a new retro diner near my house. Delightfully decadent.

I had half of it for lunch the next day, and even the half portions seemed so rich I felt the need to waddle to the gym. A few days later I bought some fresh local shrimp and was craving the garlicky goodness of scampi even though it is not a dish that my children appreciate. I whipped this up, shrimp scampi with spring herbs, and served it over fresh (not boxed) linguine, with just a bit of freshly shaved Parmesan cheese. As my kids didn't devour this dish I also had two meals from it. And back to the gym I went.

In a desperate attempt to redeem myself as a healthy food blogger I am going to whip up this super-food recipe shared by Meatless Monday yesterday. Lentil Balls with Raita. Now if you'll excuse me I've got to get back to the gym.

Food Poems

2010-04-30T08:35:00.000-04:00

In recognition of the last day of National Poetry Month I'd like to promote this fun site of food poems to share with children. There are some delicious ones!
http://www.brownielocks.com/kidpoems.html

Anti-cancer Foods

2010-04-28T09:27:00.000-04:00

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-servanschreiber-md-phd/which-fruits-and-vegetabl_b_550397.html

I've long been preaching the gospel of super foods as important to warding off cancer, but this recent article gives great new info on which fruits and vegetables are most helpful in reducing the risk of different cancers. For example if you have specific reason to worry about breast cancer, it tells you which superfoods are most helpful. This is really useful information that isn't being widely touted, which is a shame. Check it out. Tell your friends.

Seasonal Eats Are Best

2010-04-26T18:41:00.000-04:00

      I love cooking seasonal dishes. It's the very best way of using fresh local ingredients, and enjoying them when they are at their best, resulting in the best tasting food, but also the most nutritious. So much is lost in transit and storage, in addition to the price the planet pays. Here is a wonderful spring supper recipe from our friends at Meatless Monday. Miso Morel Pasta with Peas I've got to wait awhile before I can get some good fresh peas living up here in the north. If you try it first let me know what you think.
     Speaking of seasonal eats, I did enjoy my first lobster roll of the season this weekend, while eating on the decks (what we call outdoor dining with a harbor view in my town). Breezy but nice. Had a cup of chowder on the side to keep me warm. My daughter had her favorite fried clams with french fries and was happy, well relatively.
     Over the last week I made eggplant parmigiana subs for the family. Those did not go over well. Not sure why, they were fresh and tasty. I prepare them with an egg and panko crumb coating, and then pan fry in olive oil with seasoning and herbs. Then bake a bit with marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese.

And my first dinner on the grill for the year did go over well. I would have expected this one to be unpopular with the kids, but it was well received. They can be awfully unpredictable. It was a lazy evening plan actually. I bought a quantity of swordfish kebabs at a very reasonable price and marinated them in hot plum chipolte grilling and glazing sauce. The ingredients of the sauce are; pureed plums, sugar, chipolte peppers, lime juice, and apple cider vinegar. I didn't make it myself, but heartily recommend it. The fish was outstanding. I served it with grilled potato slices with my first fresh herbs, and grilled portabello mushroom slices marinated in an herb infused and salty oil that also came out great. I'm hesitant to say what I really thought which is that the 'shrooms had a steaky taste that was quite satisfying. Here is a photo of that dinner in progress;

Note that veggies should always be the most abundant part of the meal.

Speak up

2010-04-20T06:28:00.001-04:00

Ask Congress for Healthier School Meals on April 21!

Meatless Monday / Cooking Kids

2010-04-19T15:19:00.001-04:00

      Really want to help promote this brand new initiative by our friends at Meatless Mondays, so many resources in one spot for the whole family. http://www.healthymonday.org/the-kids-cook-monday/
     Last night I took my daughter, Grace, out to an Indian restaurant for dinner. I wanted to teach her about the long standing tradition of vegetarianism in India that has resulted in so many wonderful dishes that are now loved all over the world. She was obnoxiously uninterested. To the point where she refused to try the mango ice cream for dessert just so she could make a point. The heady aroma of ethnic spices seemed to give her a lot of trouble. I ordered a variety of things urging her to try each; naan, spinach paneer, basmati rice, and tandoori shrimp, and a cup of chai tea. It was all so tasty and lovingly prepared. I enjoyed it immensely last night at dinner, and some leftovers for lunch today. She didn't really like anything. We both noticed there were a lot of families there. I noticed most of the children were quite content.
    Here is a link to a cooking demonstration of authentic palak paneer with a recipe;

Noodles and soup for the tummy beast

2010-04-16T22:17:00.000-04:00

Tonight we had the pasta with carrot walnut sauce (see last post for recipe) and it was very good even without using the freshly roasted garlic. I had roasted garlic on hand which made prep much quicker. I added chopped fresh parsley and a bit of freshly grated parmesan cheese to mine. My foodie friend Barb was visiting and she liked it. It is an excellent meal for vegetarian children because the healthy components are not very visible. It looks like a big bowl of noodles. The tastes are subtle, nothing to overpower little taste buds. Really worth a try.
Other than that I have been working so hard this week I haven't been doing a lot of cooking from scratch. A few nights ago my 13 year old daughter and I did have another go at making miso soup. We are still perfecting our recipe and wont post it til we get it just right (there are plenty of versions on the web) but we got quite a bit closer with this second version. The first time we used dark instead of white miso and neither of us liked the result. You can see the color difference in the following photos, and there is a taste difference also. The dark is much stronger in flavor. Here are some photos of her efforts so far. You'll remember, because this is one of her favorite vegetarian dishes, that I want to teach her to whip it up for herself whenever she wants it.

Did you know that April is National Poetry Month? Something else that I believe adults should share with the children in their lives. Here is a poem that children will enjoy, for you to share with your little loved ones. They might also enjoy drawing the tummy beast and what he wants to eat after you have read it together.

The Tummy Beast by Roald Dahl
One afternoon I said to mummy,
“Who is this person in my tummy?
“Who must be small and very thin
“Or how could he have gotten in?”
My mother said from where she sat,
“It isn’t nice to talk like that.”
“It’s true!” I cried. “I swear it, mummy!
“There is a person in my tummy!
“He talks to me at night in bed,
“He’s always asking to be fed,
“Throughout the day, he screams at me,
“Demanding sugar buns for tea.
“He tells me it is not a sin
“To go and raid the biscuit tin.
“I know quite well it’s awfully wrong
“To guzzle food the whole day long,
“But really I can’t help it, mummy,
“Not with this person in my tummy.”
“You horrid child!” my mother cried.
“Admit it right away, you’ve lied!”
“You’re simply trying to produce
“A silly asinine excuse!
“You are the greedy guzzling brat!
“And that is why you’re always fat!”
I tried once more, “Believe me, mummy,
“There is a person in my tummy.”
“I’ve had enough!” my mother said,
“You’d better go at once to bed!”
Just then, a nicely timed event
Delivered me from punishment.
Deep in my tummy something stirred,
And then an awful noise was heard,
A snorting grumbling grunting sound
That made my tummy jump around.
My darling mother nearly died,
“My goodness, what was that?” she cried.
At once the tummy voice came through,
It shouted, “Hey there! Listen you!
“I’m getting hungry! I want eats!
“I want lots of chocs and sweets!
“Get me half a pound of nuts!
“Look snappy or I’ll twist your guts!”
“That’s him!” I cried. “He’s in my tummy!
“So now do you believe me, mummy?”
But mummy answered nothing more,
For she had fainted on the floor.

Source: Dirty Beasts (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2001)

Walnutty

2010-04-12T10:30:00.000-04:00

You have got to love them. You just must! They are an offical super food, offering life enhancing nutrition. And they are delicious. In the raw. Roasted. Toasted. For breakfast in your yogurt. For lunch in your salad. For dinner in your pasta. For dessert in your brownie.
Here is a shot of a scrumptious salad I had this weekend, that was made so by the addition of candied walnuts.

Yes, I said for dinner in your pasta. Check out this interesting vegan recipe from Meatless Mondays;
http://www.meatlessmonday.com/carrot-walnut-tagliatelle/?utm_source=Meatless+Monday&utm_campaign=4574305fa1-Eater%27s_Digest_Monday_04_12_2010&utm_medium=email We are going to be checking it out at our house as soon as I pick up some carrot juice.
Seriously, everyone, not just vegetarians, should be making an effort to work walnuts into their daily diet. The key is (as always) moderation. I have read that when you have more than 9 nuts per day, you forfiet the benefits by overdoing it, and it becomes a high fat habit that isn't so good for you. I have found that to be an easy rule to remember and to work with. The facts are walnuts are one of the best plant sources of protein. They are rich in fiber, B vitamins, magnesium and antioxidants such as Vitamin E. Nuts in general are also high in plant sterols and omega 3 fatty acids. Walnuts, in particular, have significantly higher amounts of omega 3 fatty acids as compared to other nuts. In 2004, the FDA endorsed the health benefits of walnuts by approving the heart health claim. There should always be a bag in the fridge. I've got plenty, but need to go pick up some carrot juice now.

Lobster Burgers

2010-04-10T08:08:00.001-04:00

This post is to follow up on a previous one about getting the grill out and alternative burgers. I live just minutes away from the Atlantic Ocean and I have been eating lobster all of my life. On a hot summer day a lobster roll is a lovely thing. But I have never had a lobster burger. I have never seen a lobster burger. While visiting other blogs this week I came across a couple of recipes for such a thing that were created by restaurant chefs, and I wanted to share them. I'm a bit torn between the two, they are rather different, and each has a special homemade mayo that sounds delightful. I can't decide if I'm going to try both or merge them into one new one that appeals to me. Either way, it is definitely something I am going to plan for a special occaision dinner on the deck ... soon ... still too cold and windy this weekend and still too much yard work to tend to first, but think summer.

http://www.savory.tv/2008/08/04/lobster-burgers/comment-page-1/#comment-9442

Lobster Burgers for 4

By Chef Michel Richard of Citronelle via washingtonian.com

4 lobsters (1 pound each)
1 large tomato, cut into 4 slices
1 clove garlic, sliced
1/2 teaspoon sugar
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 pound scallops
2 tablespoons milk
4 teaspoons mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon peeled and grated ginger
Salt and pepper to taste
4 brioche buns

Fill a large stockpot with water and bring to a boil.
Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Set the tomato slices on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle with garlic and sugar, season with salt and pepper, and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes and cool.
When the water is boiling, cook the lobsters for 5 minutes. Transfer to cold water. When the lobsters are cool, remove meat from the claws, legs, knuckles, and tail. Cut the meat into large pieces. Set aside in a bowl.
In a food processor, puree the scallops for a few seconds until smooth. Stir in 2 tablespoons of milk. Fold the scallop mixture into the lobster meat. Season with salt and pepper. Mold into 4 lightly packed patties and keep cold.
In a bowl, combine the mayonnaise, soy sauce, and ginger.
In a pan over medium heat, sautee the patties in 1 tablespoon of olive oil until golden, about 5 minutes on each side.
Split the buns and sprinkle with the remaining olive oil. Lightly toast. Serve the burgers with a slice of tomato and the ginger mayonnaise.

My daughter especially, though even she loves lobster, would like us all reminded this is what they really look like in their natural habitat;

Gourmet Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

2010-04-08T22:15:00.002-04:00

Just when I'm trying so hard to cut down on cheese (I adore cheese) I keep getting messages from all over the world wide web that showery old April is National Grilled Cheese Sandwich Month. I felt that a blog devoted to pescetarian parenting woud certainly be remiss if we didn't acknowledge such a fabulous fake holiday. Who doesn't love a grilled cheese sandwich? A comfort food if ever there was one. But the relatively boring old American "cheese" on buttered white bread does not have to be the sandwich that you take your current comfort in. And children should explore the many wonderful varieties that can be created. This is one of those times when a panini grill would be nice, but I'll soldier on with my old cast iron pan as I have been doing for years. I'm going to share two of my all time favorite versions, and a third from another blog that sounds like a pescetarian dream. All would still be good with the traditional bowl of tomato soup.

Melted Mozzarella Panini

For this you want a nice thick Italian bread with some heft to it. Heat up pan. Use olive oil instead of butter to prepare outsides of bread. Layer the bottom bread with slices of the freshest mozzarella you can afford. Top that with freshly sliced tomato, and then chopped fresh basil. Gently grill on both sides until very warm and cheese is melted. Serve cut in half.

     Grilled Granny Brie Sandwich

     For this you can go with your favorite bread. Pictured above on a seeded soft Italian white. Layer one slice with brie cheese and the other with a bit of honey. Top the cheese with freshly sliced Granny Smith apple. Gently grill in a modest amount of butter on both sides til warm and melted. I used to do this with a slice of smoked turkey, but it's not at all necessary, and I think children would prefer it without. A few chopped walnuts can be added if you need some protien. Serve cut in quarters.

      Gourmet Grilled Cheese: Southern Style Crab Grilled Cheese Melt Sandwich Recipe

Get out the grill!

2010-04-06T15:16:00.001-04:00

     I haven't broken out my grill yet, but I am getting ready, and excited. I love cooking on my big ole backyard grill and I am adamant about only cooking over charcoal or wood outside. Gas is for indoor, not outdoor, cooking. I really don't see the point of a gas grill. Seems silly to me, with a good gas range right in the kitchen. And the taste of a wood and/ or charcoal cooked burger or pizza (and marshmellows!) is well worth it. I want to share this recipe for burgers that I am especialy intrigued with because they qualify as super food burgers, and because they are quite different from the black bean burgers I usually make. The brief video is also nice if you prefer a visual cooking lesson over a writen recipe.    http://www.yogamint.com/_webapp_2875471/Get_Out_the_Grill
     The following health tips are from grillsavvy.com;

      What Can You Do to Make Charcoal Grilling Healthier?

      The first solution is to use natural charcoals instead of commercially processed charcoals that are pre-soaked with poisonous chemicals and petroleum bases. Whether you burn lumps or briquettes, they are still the same. One so-called natural charcoal brand is "Noram de Mexico’s Sierra Madre 100% oak hardwood" which can be bought at Sam’s Clubs across the States.
     You can also raise your own awareness of food safety and learn how to recognize the warning signs usually used in the food industry. A site called Food-Safety-and-You.com has a great resource of all things related to the safety of food and cooking to help you avoid buying toxic products.
     Many experienced barbecue lovers and experts advise us to cook charcoal barbeque grills on low temperature and reduce the cooking time to minimal as possible. One of many ways to lower temperature and keep grilling time short is to use charcoal smokers with completely sealed lids, such as charcoal kettle grills. These types of barbecue smokers are often very affordable (you can get one for under $50, like the Weber One touch Silver) and consider portable grills that are designed for ease of transportation.

Feedback on my Easter Feed and Tofu Tacos

2010-04-05T12:30:00.001-04:00

     Easter was exhausting, and I am still recovering. In additon to all of that cooking and cleaning several hours of yardwork have worn me out, but it was so wonderful to be outside and regrouping from our strange monsoon season. The roof has been repaired and we are in recovery mode around here in every way. There were an awful lot of leftovers which I am afraid are going to go to waste. I can't deal with wasting food and go to considerable lengths to avoid it. The kids did not love the meal, and I noticed a very clear pattern that the biggest aversion to the dishes served were with the youngest diner (who had probably consumed more candy than anyone else) and decreased with each person as we went up the age scale. Our ages were 13, 17, 18, 33, 47, and 87. The three of us on this side of the hill enjoyed all of the dishes. My daughter, the youngest, snubbed even the crab rangoon, which were prepared especially for her, because they were not deep fried. I hope the fact that the three older of us also got to enjoy wine with our meal was not a factor! The kids especially had a problem with the nut loaf which tasted really good. When asked to explain their non-interest in it they couldn't say much besides the name was a turn off to them, and they still didn't have a better idea about what to eat instead. Some guests said it needed more kick to it, and it may have needed the brewer's yeast which I left out because I didn't have any, and just added a bit of beer instead. Personally I was disappointed in the vegetable dish with manchego almond sauce. It was ok, but didn't live up to my expectations.We're sorry we got so caught up in the holiday that we forgot to take pictures.
     From Meatless Monday's this week I have chosen the following recipe to try with the kids, and will blog about when we do. http://www.meatlessmonday.com/korean-bbq-tofu-tacos/?utm_source=Meatless+Monday&utm_campaign=176686e93f-Eater%27s_Digest_Monday_04_05_2010&utm_medium=email
      Also please take just a couple of minutes to check out the following which has more insight about school lunch;
http://www.grist.org/article/2010-04-04-underground-school-lunch-blogger-hits-good-morning-america/

Easter Menu

2010-04-03T07:45:00.001-04:00

     Ok, I think I have finalized our Easter dinner menu; my first holiday meal on the pescetarian diet. The kids were completely uncooperative in helping me come up with a menu except to say that they really didn't want fish as an entree, and Grace was adamant that we still have my holiday mashed potatoes. SO this is it I think, and will be served as individual courses in this order;

baked crab rangoon
creamy carrot soup with bread
holiday cashew loaf with eggplant, served with
     mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, and
     broccoli and cauliflower gratin with manchego and almond sauce
Grandma's pineapple pie with whipped cream

     What do you think? I haven't tried making this nut loaf yet so that is a bit risky, but that's my plan. And I don't know what kind of gravy should be served with it. Any ideas? Here is the link to the recipe I am going to use. It's from RecipeZaar.
     http://www.recipezaar.com/recipe/Holiday-Cashew-Nut-Loaf-145246
     Have a joyous holiday dinner.

Special Meals and Manifestos

2010-03-30T22:51:00.003-04:00

Well, things haven't really quieted down around here. It's still raining in and out of the house, and the relentless rain is wrecking havoc throughout the region. But we're still eating. This is the recipe of the week I have chosen from Meatless Mondays; http://www.meatlessmonday.com/baked-vegetable-wontons/?utm_source=Meatless+Monday&utm_campaign=95e84e1cdc-Eater%27s_Digest_Monday_03_29_2010&utm_medium=email It is another one that I intend to teach my daughter to cook, along with another of her favorites, crab rangoon, which I will teach her a baked version of also. I think that will make a great teenager meal, but will post the results when the tests are complete.
Here are some shots of the last special date dinner I made. A spinach and egg salad, and an herbed lobster chowder with fresh bread and a good bottle of wine. At least I thought it was special. The expense and work involved certainly necessitate saving the menu for special times, but it does taste divine.

Here too, is a quick video I would like to share about a book that is certainly worth our attention.Organic Manifesto by Maria Rodale, a third generation organic grower. Would love to hear from anybody who has already read it.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/mpd/permalink/m2RGSUN8PUL4SP
Have also been struggling with my Easter menu this year as this will be the first time I haven't served a hunk of meat at my holiday table. The kids aren't being of much assistance, so if anybody has an idea to share I'm all ears.

The new child nutrition bill

2010-03-26T09:48:00.000-04:00

needs support. I'd really like to hear what Jamie Oliver thinks of this. It's not like we don't have enough regulations now. Seems to me it (the terrible state of school lunch) is a major problem, but one that should have a simplifying fix, not a complicating one. (For example; only home made food, from local and organic sources whenever possible. No frozen &/or processed crap.) But fix it we must. This is where you start, unless you will be popping into the cafeteria today. http://www.slowfoodusa.org/index.php/campaign/time_for_lunch/

Savor what you eat and read

2010-03-25T13:36:00.001-04:00

When I started this blog I wanted to make sure that I sometimes talked about the idea of mindful eating. It is both something that I really believe in, and something that I really need to work on. Most Americans do I think. Most of us are guilty of mindless eating from time to time, and for far too many, it is the rule not the exception. Not just obvious things, like eating in the car (which should simply be an absolutely never rule) and in front of the television, but often in more subtle ways. Like when we eat too fast to really taste the food we are eating. The concept of mindful eating is one of the healthiest habits we can teach our children, and a lesson you can be sure they are not getting at school where they are usually required to scoff down bad food quite quickly. I'd like to begin this discussion by recommending a new book;

Savor: Mindful Eating, Mindful Life, a practical life guide written by zen master Thich Nhat Hanh and Harvard nutritionist Dr. Lillian Cheung. I haven't read it yet. It's new and the hard cover price is a bit more than I can handle right now, but I am anxious to read it and hope my library will get a copy soon.
Of it's message Cheung told Harvard staff writer Sarah Sweeney, "When you sit down to eat a truly mindful meal, you will see far beyond the rim of the plate. Look closely at your salad, and you will see the farmer who planted the seeds, the rain and the sunshine, the rich earth that nourished them as they grew. Mindful eating can help us approach the core Buddhist concept of 'interbeing' the recognition that everything and everyone is interrelated. With this as our foundation, we realize that it is important to eat not only for our own health, but in a way that promoted the health of others around us, as well as the health of the planet."

The Sky is Falling

2010-03-23T15:03:00.040-04:00

Well, this isn't much of a foodie week for us. I'm on the last leg of a spring cleansing juice fast (I'm so hungry!) And we've been having a bit of rain here in the northeast. This morning when I went downstairs (for my unsweetened coffee, blah!) my son showed me that the kitchen ceiling was leaking. Again. It's a brand new ceiling, just redone 6 months ago after the damn ice dam damage of the previous winter. Looks like the leak in the roof is still active. After awhile I was starting to appreciate the peaceful sound of the rain water dripping into my good cephalon stock pot, when suddenly, soddenly, the plaster started coming down in chunks. Depressing, and messy. So not a lot of cooking has been going on around here lately. It was supposed to be a special week of tofu experiments for us. I want to teach my daughter to cook one of her favorite vegetarian dishes, miso soup, so she can whip it up whenever she wants to. And I am really looking forward to trying this dish from Meatless Mondays; a cabbage salad with nuts and fried tofu. I'm really, really looking forward to it. Did I mention that I'm a little hungry? Will write more soon. If you get a chance to cook this before I do please write, and describe it to me, in great detail, maybe with some photos...
http://www.meatlessmonday.com/peanut-salad-with-fried-tofu/

Go Jamie Go!!!

2010-03-21T19:43:00.002-04:00

Our always well dressed president and Jamie, the adorable naked chef, both give me hope for a healthier future for American children. Please watch the sneak preview of Jamie's new show on ABC tonite for what he says is going to be the ultimate food fight. http://abc.go.com/shows/jamie-olivers-food-revolution

Got Milk?

2010-03-20T07:41:00.001-04:00

http://whereismymilkfrom.com/

This is interesting and kind of fun. You can teach the kids to do it. One thing is for sure - it should not be a secret. This is a good time to think and talk about what the sources of your dairy products are. Keep track of the origins of the next half dozen or so dairy products you buy and see where they are coming from. Maybe also logging the price you paid for that item as well. Then you can sit down and decide how that information sits with you. Find out (if you dont already know) what closer sources you have to choose from for dairy products. Do a little bit of googling about those farms. How do they operate? What prices do they charge for the same item? Make a careful and informed decision. We don't have to be manipulated consumers anymore. I'll keep track for awhile too, and we can report back what we all learned and decided. Do it for your own health, the kids, the planet, and the girl below...

Early Spring Asparagus!

2010-03-19T08:36:00.001-04:00

March. In between storms from a very angry March lion this year I've been doing what I do every March. Celebrating Saint Patrick's Day. To me that means good friends, Guinness and the gorgeous green goodness of the seasons first asparagus. This is truly one of my favorite vegetables. When I lived in Germany I was able to participate in a local ritual that had been going on for hundreds of years, the white asparagus festival. I still miss that. Here is what the plant looks like in the garden. It isn't easy to establish an asparagus bed, but the payoff will give you years of yumminess.

The beautiful green variety we grow here is delicious too. I eat it all summer as I love to cook them on my charcoal grill, but in spring, I try to find new and intersting ways that the rest of the family might enjoy too. I tried this recipe; Penne with Ricotta and Asparagus which was not received with great enthusiasm, and I made an asparagus quiche with portobella mushrooms and scallions and a rich Irish cheddar that was pretty good. I saved the last handful of spears to serve my favorite way, sauteed in olive oil with a generous shake of seaweed gomasio, served with a fresh piece of fish, slice of artisan bread, and glass of red wine. That will be dinner tonite.
Tomorrow night I am attending a vernal equinox bon fire and pot luck dinner and am wondering what my welcome spring dish will be. Any suggestions?

Pumpkin Mac and Cheese and Quincy Market Place

2010-03-17T09:53:00.000-04:00

Baked Pumpkin Mac and Cheese This is the recipe that I chose from the offerings at Meatless Monday this week. It caught my attention because macaroni and cheese seems to be my daughter's favorite vegetarian meal, but I have some concern about the saturated fat in most versions. She frowns on all of the different ways I try to sneak vegetables in there, which because of the green color of my usual choices, are perfectly obvious. So I was intrigued with the addition of pumpkin. Since it is a super food it will do much to alleviate my guilt about serving (and eating!) mac and cheese. But I dont think we're quite ready for the full-on vegan version of this dish, and I am thinking about compromising with this one and the one blogged about by Fuji Mama. Of course, I'll report back to you how it all turns out.
A few days ago I went to the wonderful Quincy Market in Boston. A cook could go nuts there! She could go bananas! Or avacadoes! Mangoes! Greens! Fish! You name it. Most of this stuff is fresh, but fresh off the boat, not the lovely local green-goodness of my hometown farmer's market, but the offerings are amazing, and the prices were unbeatable. I took a few photos for those of you who have never been to Boston. This is where local home cooks and famous chefs go to get their goodies.

The Undercover Teacher

2010-03-15T15:09:00.001-04:00

There is so much here that is wrong, and what are we going to do about it?
aolhealth Tweets

Flatbreads and Naked Chefs

2010-03-09T20:27:00.002-05:00

My daughter and I went out to dinner tonite and it was so wonderful that I have to blog about it! First we shared a delicious salad with a sprinkle of seaweed on top. Grace then had the cheese and herb flatbread which is delicious, but I ordered the vegetarian special. ~ A flatbread with whole milk mozzarella, cilantro dressed organic tomatoes, cumin roasted corn, spiced black beans, grana padano (an aged hard cheese) and herbs, all topped with an avacado aioli drizzle. Washed down with a Moat Mountain Stout. Damn, that was good.
Please, please watch this youtube and share it with others. It is a talk given by The Naked Chef who is still very cute with his clothes on, but it's the message that matters here. And it matters a lot. I am so excited that this guy is bringing a show to prime time TV that is going to reach the masses. Nothing but good can come of it, and there is the very real possibility that a lot of good can come from it. I so share his wish.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=go_QOzc79Uc

Japanoodles with Greens and Fiesta Chili with Cornbread Topping

2010-03-09T07:30:00.003-05:00

Japanoodles with Greens I bet my kids will go for this meal based just on the name alone. But seriously, it does sound both good and easy and I'm going to try it this week. Don't have rice noodles on hand. This is the second time I have chosen a recipe featured by The Plant Based Dietician, Julieanna Hever. I clearly like the way she cooks. I was especially excited to see that this one calls for seaweed gomasio which is one of my go-to condiments that I use in cooking constantly, in place of salt in most cases. The recipe is from the offerings at Meatless Mondays this week. Check out their site for more great ideas.

Here is the recipe for the Vegetarian Chili I made last week that the carnivore men were raving about. It was quite tasty and I have a feeling that the chopped portabello mushrooms give vegetarian meals a beefy feel that meatlovers enjoy. I started this one from Nigella Lawson's recipe but changed it in quite a few ways. One was a change from red to white lentils which worked out just fine. A couple of things that I added were simply because I had them on hand and needed to use them up. Don't be afraid to play around with the recipe.

Fiesta Chili With Cornbread Topping

2 T olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 large red peppper, chopped
1 large green pepper, chopped
1.5 C lentils
3 C tomato puree
1/2 C tomato paste
1 bottle beer
1 can red kidney beans
1/2 can black beans
1/2 C pumpkin puree
1/2 jar corn salsa
1 large port. mushroom, chopped
1 handful chopped fresh cilantro and parsley
1 t. coriander
1 t. cumin
2 t. chili flakes
1/4 t. pepper

Saute onion and garlic in olive oil til soft then begin adding other ingredients, stirring each in gently. This lively blend of colors inspired the name of the dish. Simmer awhile while preparing your favorite cornbread recipe. (I used 2 boxes of Jiffy mix). Spread batter over top of chili in casserole dish. Sprinkle with shredded mexican cheese if desired. Bake til cornbread is golden. Serve with more fesh cilantro, guac and sour cream or yogurt.

Food Rules

2010-03-03T07:45:00.002-05:00

Food rules are pretty good to have, especially when you are trying to raise children to be healthy eaters for life. I do concede that this is an immensely challenging task in our society, where children are bombarded with an over abundance of poor food choices (that become habits), are often disconnected from the sources of their food/ nature, and are the vicitims of shameless marketing pogroms that undermine the best parental efforts. Some of the rules that I have been a stickler about are; no wasting/ take only what you need, take at least a polite taste of everything, party foods are for special occasions and good fresh food is for every day, drink a lot of water, eating together as often as possible is important, and manners matter.
Yesterday I mentioned Michael Pollan's wonderful little book of excellent Food Rules that really would make marvelous family reading. You could discuss one different rule at dinner each night. I think I'll do that! I just came across this wonderful related article that Pollan put together which is also very entertaining. I'm also impressed that the whole thing came about through blogging. And I discovered a local fresh food and flower grower on the list and was even more excited. It's a small world. And we do need a few rules to take care of this precious little planet, and it's littlest occupants.
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/10/11/magazine/20091011-foodrules.html

On Predictions, Peppers and Processed Foods

2010-03-02T10:46:00.002-05:00

Well, you just never know. The chili rellanos, which I (not usually a big pepper fan) found heavenly, didn't really go over particularly well with the rest of my tribe. Neither of my kids had anything nice to say about it, though my son had polished off the leftovers before the sun was up. Joe compared it to quiche, which though he loves quiche, seemed to be a negative comment. What surprised me more, was how much Joe and his son raved about the vegetarian chili with corn bread topping that I served after. I assumed they would not really relish the absence of carne in their chili. Instead they both told me they thought it was one of the very best dishes I have ever served them. Even more surprising was Joe praising the addition of lentils, the quintessential vegetarian protien! I'll post more about the chili soon. In the meantime, here is a photo of the chili rellanos in production. I wanted to note that I toned the cheese content down quite a bit from what the recipe called for and it was fine. I think my guests would have preferred more heat.

Also, please take a look at this trailer for a new documentary that seems worthwhile. It's the same thing Michael Pollan is saying in his wonderful new book Food Rules (Do read that, it's an easy and informative little thing);

Veg-Tex-Mex

2010-03-01T08:09:00.003-05:00

As I have mentioned before, in addition to the daily responsibility of feeding my two teens I frequently cook for Joe, a committed carnivore who visits us often, and tonite I'm also having his college-student son over for dinner. Junior was also less than enthusiastic about out change in diet. The two of them, with my own 6 foot 4 inch son, make for some serious eaters, so I've been putting a lot of thought into what I'm going to prepare tonight. This re-post from Meatless Mondays inspired me to go with a Tex-Mex theme that I know they all like. http://www.meatlessmonday.com/fiesta-fantastica-wrap/?utm_source=Meatless+Monday&utm_campaign=31a5fad8d2-Eater%27s_Digest_Monday_03_01_2010&utm_medium=email

In a further effort to draw Joe over to the light side I want to serve this Chili Rellano casserole (recipe follows), probably with tortilla chips, as the appetizer. I chose this because I know Chili Rellanos is one of his favorite dishes, and it is almost always vegetarian, so it wont feel altered to him. Well, at least I'm hoping it wont. I have never prepared it for him, he gets it when we go out for Mexican and he reminisces about when he lived in California. I have avoided it because in the traditional recipe the chilies are dipped in oil and fried, and I avoid frying whenever possible. I'm trying to eat as healthy as possible, and that didn't seem to fit the bill. This is what the real deal looks like.

You can see for yourself that this is not a very healthy way to prepare a vegetable. But I found this casserole version, that while still rather high in fat with all of that cheese, seemed a worthwhile compromise. I'm going to give these a try and will post photos and reactions. Feel free to send me any advice you have in the meantime.

Chili Rellano Casserole

Ingredients
•4 eggs
•1 1/2 cups milk
•2 Tbsp all purpose flour
•1/2 tsp pepper
•1/4 tsp salt
•12 fresh or 3 7- oz cans whole green chilies, split open
•4 cups shredded cheddar cheese (about 1 pound)
•4 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (about 1 pound)
•1 cup cilantro
•3 tomatoes, diced (canned or fresh)
Directions
1.Lightly grease a 9 x 13 glass baking dish.
2.Beat the first 5 ingredients in a medium bowl to blend.
3.Arrange chilies from one can in the bottom of the baking dish, completely covering the bottom.
4.Sprinkle with 1/3 of the cheese mixture.
5.Repeat layering twice.
6.Pour egg mixture over the cheese and let stand 30 minutes.
(Can be prepared 1 day ahead-covered and refrigerated)
7.Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
8.Bake until casserole is slightly puffy in the center and golden brown on the edges (about 45 min).
9.Garnish, let cool for 20 min and serve.

Eat Your Corn Dog and Study Hard

2010-02-25T10:17:00.001-05:00

     I am pretty impressed with this news ... and inspired ...
http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/02/22/a-push-for-students-to-start-their-week-without-meat/#more-137163 My daughter said corn dogs were the hot entree one day last week. Is there anything nutritious about a corn dog? Oh right, the ketchup. It's a bit surprising to me that this situation (school menus)has actually gotten worse over the last few years, instead of better. Not sure why I'm surprised by that. But I can tell I'm going to have to start making some noise.

Nutrition Information for: Corn dog (frankfurter or hot dog with cornbread coating)
Calorie Count: 273.26
Corn dog (frankfurter or hot dog with cornbread coating)
Amount Per 1 corn dog
Calories 273.26
Calories from Fat 158.1
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 17.57g 27%
Saturated Fat 6.67g 33%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1.82g
Monounsaturated Fat 8.11g
Cholesterol 46.48mg 15%
Sodium 702.78mg 29%
Potassium 139.46mg 4%
Total Carbohydrate 19.71g 7%
Dietary Fiber 1.05g 4%
Protein 8.62g 17%
Vitamin A 2 % Vitamin C 0 %
      Here's an intersting recipe, a twist on traditional chowder. It has far too much cheese in it I think, but we know why, and can tweak it to taste. Is it possible that a gigantic batch of fresh (and local!) chowder could really be more expensive to serve to schoolchildren that an imported git-load of nasty frozen previously deepfried corndogs?! My little harbor town should not be too proud of that school lesson.
     http://www.cabotcheese.coop/pages/recipes/recipe.php?id=392

Happy Pancake Day!

2010-02-23T10:24:00.004-05:00

     I didn't even know there was a National Pancake Day but it certainly is a holiday that a pescetarian family can rally 'round! Today only - free pancakes at IHOP! Perfect for school vacation.

   "Join IHOP to celebrate National Pancake Day on Tuesday, February 23, 2010. From 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., we'll give you one free short stack (three) of our famous buttermilk pancakes.*
* There is a limit of one free short stack per guest. The offer is valid at participating restaurants for dine-in only while supplies last and is not valid with any other offer, special coupon or discount."

     Do try to make sure you work some fruit into your pancake plan. And do please ignore that strange bacon ice cream idea mentioned in the Huffington Post article....

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/23/pancakes-a-users-guide-fo_n_472631.html

Spinach Eggs Italiano

2010-02-22T07:33:00.000-05:00

The kids are home from school this week. In fact each of my kids has a house guest right now. That's a lot of hungry teenagers, so I know I'm going to have to come up with a quite a few meals .... Meatless Monday has provided this plan for another refreshing way to serve eggs that I'm going to try. What I really love about this one is that it qualifies as a super foods meal. I might use provolone cheese though which is what I have on hand. Spinach Eggs Italiano The rest of the pesto will make another meal with pasta.

Yummara Muhammara!

2010-02-21T10:43:00.006-05:00

     Here is my recipe for Muhammara (see previous post for backstory). I served it again last night at a cocktail party and it was a hit. What I really love about it is that it qualifies as a super food, every ingredient offering life enhancing properties. I also give the nutrition stats at the end, though they were calculated using the recipe from Epicurius which is close enough. This shows what a healthy food it truly is. The rich smoky flavor makes it taste so decadent, I needed proof, and thought you might too. The same site did say that to burn off the 160 calories in a serving you will need to shoot hoops or paint a fence for 33 minutes, so that's something to keep in mind. Since I love Muhammara so much I guess it's a not such a bad thing that my back yard fence is in dire need of attention. Seriously, you could have this dip with fresh syrian bread and sliced cucumbers as it is traditionally eaten, and you've got a wonderful meal. Perfect for a picnic.
     But Muhammara doesn't have to be limited to a dip. It would make an excellent sauce with kebabs, as it would a sandwich spread in place of mayo, and I'm thinking about tossing it with pasta...
     The last three ingredients listed are additions of my own that are not traditional and not necessary. Other additions that are sometimes used depending on the region of origin, that you can play with are; honey, pine nuts, tomato paste and yogurt. The one ingeredient you don't want to play with is the pomegranate molasses. Surprisingly inexpensive, considering it is concentrated pomegranate juice. You shouldn't have any trouble finding it in a good food market.

Ingredients:

2 roasted red peppers
1/4 cup whole wheat panko breadcrumbs
1 cup walnuts, toasted
1 clove garlic
2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 shake crushed red pepper flakes, Aleppo if you can find (more if you like heat)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 tablespoon lemon juice
chopped fresh parsley and cilantro
tumeric

Toss all into blender and puree for just a couple of minutes.
Should be chunky but not too stiff. Add a bit more oil if needed.
Make a day ahead when possible as the flavor actually improves!

Nutrition Facts on Muhammara (Epicurious' recipe) provided by LIVESTRONG.COM

Nutrition Facts
Amount per Serving :

Calories 160, Calories from Fat 17
% Daily Value *

Total Fat 1.91g 3%
Saturated Fat 0.21g 1%
Monounsaturated Fat 0.36g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.21g
Sodium 16.49mg 1%
Potassium 338.56mg 10%
Total Carbohydrate 31g 10%
Dietary Fiber 2.38g 10%
Sugars 4.29g
Protein 5.95g 12%
Vitamin A 0.01
Vitamin C 41.71
Calcium 140.68
Iron 8.29
Vitamin E 0.3
Thiamin (B1) 0.18
Riboflavin (B2) 0.09
Niacin (B3) 0.61
Vitamin B6 47.87
Phosphorus 138.62
Magnesium 28.65
Panthothenic Acid 0.49
Zinc 7.2
Manganese 1.49
Est. Percent of Calories from:
Fat 10.7% Carbs 77.5% Protein 14.9%

Our Sexy Saint Valentine's Day Dinner

2010-02-18T13:13:00.005-05:00

     It's been a hectic week so I apologize for the lateness of this post, but still want to share with you the meal I prepared for Valentine's Day. The highlight was my new favorite food which I had just tried for the first time a few days earlier at a wonderful Cambridge, Massachusetts restaurant called Casablanca. My friend Kathleen introduced me to it and in keeping with the holiday at hand, I fell madly in love with Muhammara. I began studying recipes when I got home and will post my version for you which came out wonderfully but you can try another or tweak it to taste. It's very easy and adaptable and there are lots of versions depending on the region of origin. I can't resist adding fresh herbs which is not standard. I am sharing with you the description of this wonderful syrian dip given by award winning food blogger Barbara Fisher because I simply couldn't say it better;

      "Muhammara: It's Vegan, It’s Good For You and It’s Damned Sexy
     Muhammara is a dip, spread, sauce, condiment or salad that is said to have originated in Aleppo, Syria, although, it is served and eaten all over the Middle East. It is also sexy: red, a little spicy, smooth, and oh so slippery on the tongue and tingly on the lips. It’s like a long kiss that you don’t want to end: and the best part is this–it’s good for you. It is made from ingredients that are full of anti-oxidants, vitamins and minerals, and it is just plain good. Low in calories, high in nutrients, and it tastes naughty, like you are blowing your diet just by looking at its come-hither-scarlet self. Muhammara. Say it with me, slowly, sensually: “Muhammara.” ... Mmmm. Yeah. "

     How could we ever have had anything else for Valentine's Day?!? So I served it as part of a traditional mezze plate as our appetizer, with fresh pita bread, baba ganoush, and olives.

Our second course was a delicious spinach salad with orange slices, pomegranate seeds, toasted almonds, tossed with a refreshing pomegranate dressing. We paced these courses slowly over the evening, while sipping Joe's pomegranate cosmos.

The main course was pan seared Moroccan scallops with eggplant confit which I served over whole grain couscous. The recipe was courtesy of http://vanillabeancafe.blogspot.com/2008/06/moroccan-scallops-with-eggplant-confit.html who is one of my favorite food bloggers. Here's my photo;

I only serve dessert on special occasions and on this night we shared one. A scoop of mocha java chip ice cream with butter cookies and chocolate covered stawberries. It was a memorable meal which is what I think life should be marked by. And most of it was as good for our bodies as it was for our souls. I can say there were no complaints from the meat eating man...

Veggin' Out

2010-02-16T10:42:00.003-05:00

This post will be of the most interest to people who live in my area, southern New Hampshire. It's an article by Kristyn Miller about the best vegetarian restauants in our region, with wonderful descriptions of some of their best offerings. I've only been to a couple of them, so I plan to make it to all of them over the year, and will write about what I sample when I do.
A few days ago I picked up the new cod sandwich and fries from Wendy's for the kids. I think it is important not to completely ban fast food from kid's diets, but to allow it a few times each year and to model what to order. I also was curious as to what the "new" sandwich tasted like. It was ok, as fast food goes I guess. My daughter wasn't interested at all, so my son ate two. I'm glad they are offering it, but I'm not recommending it. Try Kristyn's tips instead;

Veggin’ Out- The Best Vegetarian and Vegetarian-Friendly Restaurants
Taste of the Seacoast - February 16, 2010