Veggie Delights!

I cannot recall the last time I cooked meat...it's been about two months, I think. Since meat used to comprise the centerpiece of my meals, this veggie cooking thing has been a challenge. I'm experimenting with things I've never cooked before (see seitan post below). I've grilled tofu (a disaster...next time I will use a nonstick pan), developed an affinity toward smoothies and soy protein powder, and experimented with soups that contain a mishmash of leftover veggie-type products.  I am totally amazed at how quickly meals come together without meat. Here are a few things I have concocted over the past couple weeks:

Avocado, Tomato, and Feta Salad with Soy Ginger Vinaigrette

This is pretty basic. The name of the salad basically tells you everything that's in it.

Thai Broccoli with Caramelized Onions

I caramelized a sliced onion in a little garlic and oil, added two heads of broccoli, and a couple of tablespoons of chili paste. It made me sweat a little, but it was mighty tasty! To take off some of the burn, I drank one of these:

Frozen Sangria

I can't remember what kind of red wine I used...I think it was a Shiraz. I threw in a couple of handsful of frozen strawberries and pineapples and gave it a whirl in the blender. A nice, refreshing drink but I still much prefer my wine unadulterated.

I didn't make this little beauty, but I will do so one day this summer. I had this fried eggplant, tomato, and mozzarella tower at our culinary school's showcase a couple weeks ago. The students worked magic that night!

Me, Usher, and Our Confessions

I fell off the wagon three times this week. I ate some bbq rib tibs on Friday night and I had a Vietnamese Iced Coffee with lunch yesterday and two chicken wings for dinner last night.  Oh, damn the weekend! I tried really hard (and quite successfully) to not think about how bad the ribs and chicken were for me. Go, meat!

I am back on the straight and narrow now. (Until next Friday).

Tikka Masala with Brown Rice

I love, love, love Indian food and I love that Whole Foods has made it so quick and accessible. I am very particular about eating prepared foods, but I have to give praise where praise is due. I saw this Seeds of Change Tikka Masala Simmer Sauce and decided to give it a try.

I am generally suspicious of jarred and canned products, but I was in the midst of a hectic workweek and needed some quick dinner options.  This stuff was GREAT! I added a little extra cayenne pepper and crushed garlic and let it simmer in a saucepan for a few minutes, then served it over brown rice (the picture below isn't very pretty...I didn't even bother wipe off the sauce splatters from the plate).

I then poured myself a glass of chilled Capucine white and dinner was served.  It was surprisingly good and I highly recommend this little jarred convenience item.

No one needs to know that I only bought this wine because I liked the label...

Eggs...They're NOT What's for Breakfast

While I trolled the Internet looking for vegetarian recipes and pointers on preparing meals without meat, I happened upon a video that chronicled the operations of a chicken hatchery.  It really messed me up.  I haven't been able to eat eggs or products made from eggs for a couple of weeks now. Damn activists.

Male Chicks -- Ground Alive

Brown Rice...Tastes Like Popcorn

I cooked brown rice for the first time today. I forgot to take a picture and it's too late now...because it was so good it's history! I've eaten it at restaurants before and thought it was kind of tough and flavorless.  I knew I could do a better job at home. And I did. I *probably* used more salt than is healthful, but my rice was good! It tasted vaguely of popcorn...like Basmati rice. It was great under my veggie stirfry (I swear by Whole Foods' frozen Chinese Stir Fry vegetables).

The trick to good brown rice is to rinse it, boil it (5 parts water to 1 part rice) for 30 minutes, drain off the water, then let the rice steam for 10 minutes. I covered the pot with aluminum foil, then put the lid on so that no steam could escape.

I could get used to this.  So, I am 14 days meat-free, egg-free, sugar-free, and caffeine-free.  I have had a a few cocktails (I am still me) but I have cut waaaaaayyyyy back. And I am four pounds lighter!

Adventures with Seitan

One full week...no meat/caffeine/bread/refined sugar. (Small confession: I had 1 1/2 shots of vodka with juice last night and actually FELT the effects...)

While I was trolling the Internet, I got the idea to make some BBQ "Pork" using seitan, a wheat protein that has a consistency similar to meat.  I've had seitan before, many years ago, from a vegan restaurant in New York.  I wasn't too crazy about it at the time.

I purchased a box of seitan strips by West Soy. Eight ounces of this stuff cost $3.99. At $7.98 per pound, this clearly will not become a staple in my diet.

When it first comes out of its vacuum sealed package, it looks less than appetizing (sort of like brains) and smells vaguely of wet bread.

It starts to look better after I pull it apart and chop it into pieces.

Meanwhile, I diced 1/2 onion and sauteed it with a couple cloves of garlic. While that was in the pan, I prepared my sauce (okay, so I just doctored some bottled Open Pit sauce by adding cayenne and mustard. I would have ordinarily used a ton of brown sugar, too, but...well...no sugar.) Then I put the seitan in the pan, poured the sauce over it, and let it all simmer for about 15 minutes.  And, voila!

I am not going to sit here and type that this tasted like BBQ pork shoulder, because lightening would strike me dead. However, it was good. If I were a real meat-lover before now, this would probably help me through the initial meat-free period, but I think I would rather have no meat than fake meat. Maybe I'll bring it to summer BBQs so I'll "fit in" with the people eating meat, but I don't think I'll buy this again for a regular meal.

Now...off to continue my quest for soy vodka!

Smoothies!

I see myself becoming as enamored with my blender as I am with my slow cooker.  I am on a total smoothie kick.  I had one for lunch yesterday, but didn't post a picture because it was sorta ugly.  Vanilla soy protein powder, soy milk, frozen mangoes, and strawberries do not a pretty picture make.  Ugly beige color notwithstanding, it was quite tasty.

Today's breakfast smoothie was a little more visually appealing, so I took a pic.  It was quite simple: orange/mango/peach juice, one banana, four strawberries, and a few cubes of ice.  I purchased a bag of spinach thinking I'd slip in a handful but, upon arriving home from the store, I realized that my spinach was slimy and smelled funny.  Oh, well...next time.

Banana Strawberry Smoothie

Two Wines...Sort Of

Seriously, though...I just wouldn't be me if I didn't imbibe every once in a while. So, I shall return periodically (maybe weekly) with cocktail recipes.

In the meantime, I am going to post about two wines that I've tried over the past couple weeks. I am not even certain that I would classify one of the two as "wine", but more about that in a minute.

Beso de Vino Macabeo

After a long day at work, I decided to stop at Whole Foods to purchase the fixings for one of my favorite meals: French bread, Brie, smoked salmon, and wine. I decided to try Beso de Vino Macabeo, since I was looking for a white I had never tried before.

This wine, as I explained to a friend, tastes like someone served themselves a glass of Chardonnay on the rocks (sacrilege), set it in the sun, forgot about it, let the ice melt, found it, re-chilled it, and consumed it. It was a waste of $11 and a waste of grapes. Needless to say, I shan't purchase it again.

Olde Savannah Sweet Tea

I was passing the time in World Market one day last week and (silly me) thought that I was going to exit without making a purchase. Then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw a display of wines beside a sign that read, "Just in time for summer!". Since it was 80 degrees that day and I had a touch of spring fever and I LOVE wine, I moseyed on over to see what the day-glo sign was all about. The $5.99 price tag should have been ample warning that I had stumbled upon something that I should have just left alone, but I've had decent inexpensive wines before (read: Trader Joe's Two Buck Chuck), so I grabbed a bottle, paid for it, and brought it home.

Since I'm an Internet addict, I Googled the wine and discovered it's relatively new and World Market is one of the only purveyors. The online reviews were decidedly consistent...they all concluded that the wine is utter garbage. Some folks said it was too strong, some folks said the bouquet was overpowering but, since I'm not a fan of wimpy wines, I thought they were just being punks and didn't have the heart to stand up to a full-bodied wine. So, I waited a couple days, chilled the wine, and decided to sample it.  The reviews were pretty accurate...the wine tastes like perfume, bourbon, and sugar. Now, I have never HAD that combination but I am fairly certain that, if I had, it would have tasted like Olde Savannah Sweet Tea. Save your $6.00 and get two bottles of Two Buck Chuck (because it's now three dollars).

Curried Zucchini and Candied Maple Sweet Potatoes

Well...day five of this crazy alcohol/caffeine/meat/flour/sugar-free experience.  I have rediscovered the beauty of smoothies, soy protein, and vegetarian cooking from my years in Boston and Philadelphia. I'm once again enjoying clearer skin, higher energy, and overall better mood. Why did I stop eating like this? Oh...yeah...I remember (but that's another story for another time...suffice it to say that I understand why married women tend to get fat and die earlier than single women.)

I just had a wonderful meal of curried zucchini and candied maple sweet potatoes.

Sweet potatoes are one of my favorite foods on earth, so I have very high standards when it comes to their preparation. I must say that substituting maple syrup for white sugar didn't detract from the experience one bit.

Candied Maple Sweet Potatoes
1 large sweet potato, peeled and sliced into rounds
1/2 c Grade A maple syrup (I didn't measure...I eyeballed it)
1 Tbs pure vanilla extract (again...eyeballed)
Nutmeg
Rinse sweet potato rounds under water and layer in the bottom of a pan (do not pat dry...the residual water will help make the glaze)
Pour maple syrup over sweet potato rounds, then add vanilla and nutmeg.
Bring to a simmer over high heat, then reduce heat to low, cover pan, and let simmer until potatoes are tender (about 15 - 20 minutes), adding a little more water, if necessary.
2 - 3 servings

Curried Zucchini
1 zucchini, sliced lengthwise into 1-inch strips
Curry Masala
Salt
Garlic
Black Pepper
Olive Oil
Drizzle zucchini with olive oil, lightly sprinkle with spices and sautee over medium-high heat until zucchini just begins to turn translucent (if you overcook it, it will fall apart).

Lemonade...Bad. Spicy Lentil Tomato Soup...Good.

Well, it's been three days... And I'll be brutally honest. I only fasted for 36 hours, but I have managed to remain free of caffeine, alcohol, sugar (not counting maple syrup), meat, and processed foods.  I feel great!  I think that my body just isn't going to deal with a food-free lifestyle, but it's doing quite well with a plant-based diet.  It still requires a great deal of discipline, which addresses one of the reasons I tried the fast. It's still alcohol-free, which addresses another reason I tried the fast. And I don't spend hours on end preparing salads and soups, which addresses the other reason I tried the fast.  So, I don't feel like a total failure...just like I identified a suitable middle ground.  Seriously, I don't know what type of person could survive ten days on this:

So...tonight's meal: Spicy Lentil Tomato Soup.  I improvised the recipe, so I can't really give precise measures, but here are the essential components:

2 handsful yellow lentils

1/2 diced onion

chopped garlic (sautee the onion and garlic in a bit of vegetable oil before adding the other ingredients)

salt

cayenne pepper

Garam masala

Curry Powder

Simmer in one can of tomato sauce and enough water to cover the lentils by about two inches.

The Last Supper

I cannot believe I visited South Beach, ate wonderful food, drank amazing cocktails...and didn't get a single photograph. That's what happens when you only take your crappy cell phone camera and dine al fresco on the beach.  Anyway, that trip included the best paella ever cooked anywhere on Earth. Saffron rice, squid, shrimp, scallops....mmmm....chased with a margarita served in a glass the size of my head.

That is a glorious memory to have stored in the vaults to get me through the next few days as I do battle with the Master Cleanse. I am doing this fast for several reasons...

1. I have an unhealthy relationship with food. While I am not overweight (though I could stand to drop 10 pounds or so), I think I derive an inordinate amount of joy from cooking and eating. And drinking. Which brings me to number two...

2. My alcohol tolerance is through the roof.  I mean, like, I can knock back drinks like a 20-year-old frat boy and not feel a thing. As a result, I drink A LOT (we won't go into details on exactly how much...suffice it to say that if I open a bottle of red at 6:00 in the evening, I feel compelled to finish it by midnight so that it "won't go bad"). For the sake of my liver, kidneys, and pancreas, I need to get some balance back in my life.  I pine for the days when I was tipsy at the bottom of a glass of wine.

3. Food and cooking take up a large amount of my time. I can spend an entire lunch break surfing the net for recipes and devising my shopping list. Then I can spend an hour in the supermarket and another hour cooking my meal. Yet...I can't find time to work out on a consistent basis because I am so "busy". Really?  So, I am gaining a couple hours a day by doing this...I just need to use them productively.

4. I believe in the power of cleanses, when done responsibly. I've never done a long-term cleanse (I am aiming for 10 days, though I will be really happy if I can make it through five). I have some major decisions that I need to make  in the near future (work, relationship, possibly making a move back to the east coast) that I've been putting off. Fasting, cleansing, and exercising give me a degree of clarity of thought that I desperately need right now.

That said, I will chronicle this experience on my food blog since lemons, water, maple syrup, and water will comprise my "food" over the next few days.

Wish me luck!

Sandra Lee Has Nothing on Me! Quick Chicken Enchiladas

For the past week, I've had an overwhelming urge for chicken enchiladas.  I knew that if I went to Uncle Julio's Hacienda, I'd end up spending $12 on the enchiladas and another $20 on two margaritas (I know myself well)...so I went the cheap route and made my own. My recipe yielded approximately six servings for about $8.50.  I portioned the leftovers and put them into the freezer for work lunches.  I used a couple shortcuts in this recipe (e.g., packaged taco seasoning and salsa verde from a jar) but they tasted homemade to me! (Though I probably wouldn't serve them to any Mexican friends).

Chicken Enchiladas

2 chicken breasts

1 can chicken broth

1/2 c water

6 flour tortillas

1/2 package McCormick Taco Seasoning

1 chipotle pepper

Fresh avocado slices

1/2 c shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1 c salsa verde

* Coat the chicken breasts in taco seasoning, then poach them, along with the chipotle pepper, in a large pot in the chicken broth and water
* Remove chicken breasts from pot (leave the broth in the pot) and shred them using two forks or finger

* Place shredded chicken back into pot and simmer for about five more minutes

* Spoon chicken into the center of the tortillas and roll them (as if you're making a wrap)
* Place the filled tortillas into a baking dish (fold side down so they don't open)
* Top with salsa and cheese
* Bake uncovered on 350 degrees until the salsa is hot and the cheese melts (about 15 - 20 minutes)
* Serve with avocado slices (you could make guacamole if you're feeling adventurous)

Again, six delicious meals for $8... Can't beat it! If I hadn't found chicken breasts on sale, I might have used a Sam's rotisserie chicken.

I had no tequila on hand to complete the Mexican theme and I thought, "Hmmm...aren't prickly pears from Central America?"  Not that I had prickly pears, or anything. However, I did have an old, old bottle of Rose's Pear Mixer (so old that the top was kinda crunchy when I unscrewed the cap), so I prepared a pear martini (1 part vodka and 1 part Rose's Pear Mixer).

Turkey Bacon Pancakes

I have a confession to make:  I LOVE McDonald's McGriddles sandwiches!  They remind me of going to New Jersey diners and making sandwiches with my pancakes and scrapple. However, McGriddles don't quite mesh with my triathlon training. This pared-down version came to me in the wee hours of this morning, so I got to experimenting and ended up with Turkey Bacon Pancakes. I swear it's not gross, though it may sound like it.

I prepared three slices of turkey bacon and crumbled them.

Then I prepared my pancakes the regular way...and spooned some turkey crumbles in the middle when they were nearly ready to be turned. (Note: they should have been turned a little sooner, but I was trying to get my camera ready!)

Then I cooked the other side, drizzled them with maple syrup and topped them with the remaining bacon crumbles. (One day, I am going to get AA batteries for my "real" camera so that I can stop taking these nasty-looking pale photos of my food).

This strange recipe will be one of my weird food "keepers".

Madras Mimosas

The Madras Mimosa

Here's another of my creations...I call it the Madras Mimosa: part Madras and part Mimosa!  It's done champagne cocktail style and consists of about 4 ounces of champagne, orange juice, cranberry juice, and a splash of Rose's Lime Juice. Mmmm mmmm, good!

Peanut Sweet Potato Soup with Blackened Shrimp

Well, I woke up at 7:00 on this holiday morning, got up, put on my workout clothes and.......made a pot of soup. Actually, two pots, but one of my soups is still bubbling in the slow cooker.

I adapted this recipe from a dish that I order when I visit West African restaurants. It's very spicy (although you can adjust the amount of spice based on your personal preference) and not at all sweet as one might expect from a soup made with peanut butter. You can also make it completely vegetarian by using vegetable stock and omitting the shrimp, or decide to substitute any other meat (it's really good with blackened chicken breast).

Peanut/Sweet Potato Soup with Blackened Shrimp
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 small onion, diced
1 Tbs chopped garlic
1/2 c natural, smooth peanut butter (I guess you could use Skippy in a pinch)
4 c chicken broth (or vegetable broth) -- Make certain to use enough to cover your potatoes by 1 inch.
1 Tbs vegetable oil
Salt, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes to taste. (I happen to use Lawry's Seasoned Salt).

Sautee onion and garlic in about 1 Tbs of oil in the bottom of your pot until they turn translucent.
Add sweet potato, diced tomatoes, chicken broth, and salt/pepper and bring to a simmer.
Add peanut butter (honestly, I think I used a little more than 1/2 cup -- maybe 3/4) and let simmer on medium heat until potatoes are tender.

This is what you get...

Then either put the contents of the pot into a blender (be careful...hot foods in the blender expand and you can have a messy mini-explosion -- I speak from experience) or get yourself one of these handy immersion blenders and blend your soup right in the pot until it's creamy.

I topped mine with a few blackened shrimp (I coated mine with black pepper, red pepper flakes, garlic powder, and chili powder, then blackened them in a nonstick skillet).  And here's the finished product...

My phone's camera is truly horrible. The soup is a deep, rich orange, as are the shrimp. It looks pale yellow here. I will have to begin using my "real" camera for these pics.

Soy Ginger Glazed Chilean Sea Bass

I had tonight's menu all planned in my head (Shrimp in Coconut Curry served over rice), then got home and realized that I am out of cumin. Going back out was not an option, so I improvised and came up with Soy Ginger Glazed Chilean Sea Bass with a side of mixed greens, beets, and tomato salad. I usually make my soy ginger glaze for salmon but decided to try something a little different, since this was an improvisation and all. Fortunately, I had one lonely little piece of sea bass (a.k.a. Patagonian Toothfish) in the freezer.

I wish I could say that I had a glass of amazing wine to accompany my meal but, hey, I keeps it real.I was sipping on (yes..."sipping ON") a Bacardi and Coke while I hung some curtains, so I finished the can of Coke in a second cocktail.

I must buy some smaller plates to encourage my portion control but there's something about big, white plates that I LOVE.

The dressing was a creamy garlic/buttermilk conconction that I made up because, like a fool, I bought a carton of buttermilk thinking I was going to make biscuits. That didn't work out. Sometimes I forget that I don't have five children to feed. I used buttermilk, garlic, a touch of olive oil, salt and cracked black peppercorns to make the salad dressing.

Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies!

I haven't yet made dinner, but I made some dessert. I've had a great workout week and have avoided most junk food, so I am rewarding myself this Valentine's day with some home-baked Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies. I am not a raisin fan, so the cranberries are a welcome change. I pulled the recipe directly from the Quaker Oats box but substituted cranberries for raisins, added about 1/4 cup more sugar, and doubled the vanilla. (What can I say? I like for my food to be a little "extra".)

Pina Colada Mimosa

Since I was a heathen today and missed church so that I could wash and set my hair, I decided to go whole hog and throw in a little cocktail action.  Today's creation: Katonja's Pina Colada Mimosa.

I didn't measure a thing, but it comprised Ballatore (sparkling wine), Malibu Coconut Rum, and Orange/Pineapple Juice. I served it "champagne cocktail" style, on the rocks in a large glass. Something about the combination of liquors made it much more potent than your regular mimosa. I drank it at 11:00 and...well...let's just say that it was after 1:00 when I woke up.

Vanilla Steamer

Back in college and graduate school, before I became a raging caffeine addict, I used to drink these flavored steamed milk beverages at the Cambridge coffee shops. I was inspired by the fact that I had a half gallon of milk whose expiration date was looming frighteningly near.

Vanilla Steamer

1 mug 2% milk

10 drops pure vanilla extract

Sugar (to taste)

I warmed the milk, sugar, and vanilla on the stove while whisking constantly, but I would imagine one could warm it in the microwave as well. I am sure this would have been WONDERFUL if I had used a fresh vanilla bean, but I didn't have any.  Also, had I not been heading to work, I might have added a shot or two of my Godiva White Chocolate Liqueur. (Now THAT would make a fine bedtime cocktail...I'd sleep like a log!)

Use What You've Got: Grown-Up Tuna Noodle Casserole

In the interest of sticking to a budget, I am trying to go to the supermarket only when really necessary. My freezers, cabinets, and refrigerator are full of food, so I am making as many meals as possible from what's already in the apartment.

I had most of the ingredients for a tuna casserole for today's lunch, with the exception of peas.  So, I substituted broccoli for peas, penne for egg noddles, added a little white wine, a lot of crushed red pepper and ground white pepper, and made a grown up version of the children's favorite. Instead of topping it with bread crumbs (which I really don't like because they ALWAYS taste stale to me), I used a layer of Monterey Jack cheese and browned it under the broiler. (Excuse the cake pan...my cute baking dish is being held hostage by a "friend").

Homemade Pizzas

Since I cannot find a decent thin crust pizza in Chicago (with the exception of Italian Fiesta, which comes close), I must make my own. I gave a nod to Chicago with the sausage and cheese variety, then I decided to pretend I was on some tropical isle with my Hawaiian pizza (pineapple, ham, jalapeno, and fresh garlic).  The dough was pre-made, as was the sauce (so, kill me). They turned out fantastic!

Old Eggs (and not the ones in my ovaries)

I looked at my egg carton and realized that the expiration date is quickly approaching, so I baked a Spinach, Ham, and Cheese quiche and a lovely Banana Pudding.

I don't much care for banana pudding made with instant pudding, so I made homemade custard and topped it with meringue, then browned the whole thing in the oven.

My quiche was adapted from a Paula Deen recipe. Paula, being Paula, called for a pound of bacon and 1 1/2 cups of heavy cream. I decided to use about 1/2 pound of ham and 1 1/2 cups of milk. It was quite tasty! My only complaint was that by the time the middle set, the top had turned a little browner than I would have liked. I couldn't get any really good pictures...this was the best one.

Rue 33 Vodka

When I saw this vodka in Sam's, I was a little impressed by the pretty (and large) bottle for only $29.99.  Then, I thought, "Wait...this is Sam's Club's store brand vodka. I can't really be thinking about buying this when the Ketel One is an arm's reach away." Then, I thought, "You can't judge vodka by the price". Then, I thought, "Rue 33 means 33rd Street...was this manufactured in Chicago's Little Village?"  Then I thought, "Stop being a label whore and try it...you might be pleasantly surprised." So, I bought it.

Since I am not only a label whore, but a nerd, I went home and Googled the stuff.  I discovered that it had been released just ten days ago, so I felt a little proud at being so cutting-edge on the liquor front, even if I was drinking cheap booze. Turns out, the stuff got a score of 91 (an "exceptional" rating) from the International Review of Spirits and was described thusly: Clear. Delicate aromas of powdered sugar, creamy meringue, white nut and peppery spice follow through on a supple, round entry to a dryish medium body with soft weight and a hint of stone fruit flesh and anise seed. Finishes with a warming, lingering talc, mint tea, and pepper fade. A zesty, nuanced vodka that will excel in artisan cocktails.

I tried a little chilled and up and thought, THIS STUFF IS GOOD!!!  So, I made myself a Madras and called it a night. Two thumbs up for Rue 33!

Menage a Dancing Bull (AKA "I would die before I waste a drop of wine")

So...I had about three or four ounces of my favorite Menage a Trois white and half bottle of Dancing Bull Zinfandel that I opened before I left town last week. Drinking three ounces of wine would just make me frustrated and drinking old red wine would just make me mad, so for the sake of my mental health....I consolidated.  The results were actually pretty good.