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Friday, October 4, 2013

Vegan CHALLENGE

On Tuesday my husband began a 30-day vegan challenge.  He's eating lunch at Arnold's Way, so all I had to do was provide breakfast and dinner.  I am undergoing my own challenge as I try to pull together nutritious and delicious vegan meals...I have cooked vegetarian entrees, but vegan is the next level.  It's even more challenging because of Arnold.  Each day my husband texts a picture of his lunch with a caption raving about how delicious and filling it is...how can I compete with an expert, and of course my meals aren't raw...

I've literally been winging it...and that doesn't work for me.  I like to plan my meals and I try to be organized when I cook.  This week I've found myself cooking late in the day and things are haphazard because of all the dishes.  There's no way I can sustain cooking multi-component vegan meals and our regular meals without a sous chef and a larger kitchen.

My husband is loving veganism and plans to take a raw foods prep class so that he can ease the burden on me...I will likely take the class as well because I certainly wouldn't mind having "carrot cake" for lunch.  Thus far he's enjoyed everything that I prepared, but I have no idea what I'm making next week.  He loved the beans for breakfast and requested that the buckwheat sweet potato 'grab and go' be layered like a parfait to maximize the flavor.  Making that was more than a notion...first I made almond milk to cook the buckwheat, then I pressure cooked the sweet potatoes with coconut cream and pineapple juice, and I topped it with walnuts and chia seeds; everything else was relatively simple - lentils, sautéed vegetables, and roasted cauliflower leek soup.  My favorite is the raw apple sauce.

Greensgrow was selling unsightly apples 6 for $1, I bought them thinking I'd use them in green smoothies or perhaps I'd pull out the juicer again.  Then I thought about apple sauce, which the kids love as a lunchbox or after school snack.  I gave it a shot with 3 apples and literally had applesauce in less than 5 minutes (including the time it took to cut and core the apples) thanks to my trusty Vitamix.  My son said it was the best applesauce he's ever tasted...the best part is that all of the nutrients are maintained because the apples aren't cooked. We enjoyed it so much that my husband went back and bought a dozen more apples.  If all goes well, the kids and I will go vegan...with meat on the side.  It wasn't too bad tonight with our Eritrean meal...timtimo for him and zigni for us.  I'm up for the challenge...just not every night of the week.


Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Mixing it up with my Vitamix

It is clear to everyone who knows me that I am tethered to the kitchen...I enjoy cooking creatively and I am fond of tools and gadgets. Last year after undergoing a major de-cluttering process, I began to avoid kitchen stores because I did not need another thing. I must say that I have been successful, only acquiring a mandoline and a box grater...and I got both items on clearance at Target (obviously not professional grade, but they serve the purpose).

 I did however, take the plunge and purchase a Vitamix.  As I previously mentioned, this was a year long process. I finally settled on a basic model and then I just had to have a Second Generation because of the preprogrammed settings and the variable speed. I waited patiently for refurbished models to become available and when I finally decided to place my order using the installment plan, they were completely out...since I was already mentally committed, I went for it...and then had to wait almost a month to receive it...it was torture.

This is no gadget and it certainly isn't a blender...it's a vital piece of kitchen equipment and in many ways has transformed my cooking.  We are consuming far more veggies because of our insatiable desire for soups and green smoothies...I have only begun to explore the other food prep capabilities, such as shredding/chopping, which is perfect for pita pocket sandwiches.  I will save a fortune on hot chocolate because I no longer have to buy it from Williams-Sonoma...I simply run the soup cycle with whole milk, chocolate chips, and vanilla...delicious.  I have yet to try any frozen desserts but that is certainly on the horizon.

So many people that I know are interested in the Vitamix after seeing demonstrations in various grocery stores, seeing my pictures, or sampling my soup.  However, I do have one friend who can't seem to understand what all the fuss is about...I just chalk that up to a lack of comprehension skills.  My 86 year-old grandmother wants to buy a Vitamix and is not quibbling about the cost because of the ease of making soups...it's perfect for someone who lives alone and doesn't want to spend the day simmering.

I honestly don't know how I survived all of this time without it...I certainly wouldn't have all of the gadgets had I went for it years ago...and I am using both containers, regularly....I'm thinking I might even need to get a third (perhaps a dry container to make flours and nut butters since my husband has gone vegan and seems to be leaning towards raw).

The Vitamix is easy to use, easy to clean, and it makes eating vegetables a breeze.  Despite popular belief, you're not limited to "pureed soup."  The sky is literally the limit...just about anything can be whipped together and will taste great.  I learned that this morning when I wanted a smoothie and was out of all of my staples...I tossed in carrots, coconut cream, a pear, some frozen mango, and a splash of pineapple juice and it was delicious...just like the random potluck soup I made Friday night - corn, leeks, garlic, and carrots.

If my husband continues on his vegan path, I'm certain that I will get even more creative with the Vitamix.  The kids and I are "Type O" so I will continue as an omnivore but with vegan tendancies.  Check out the Vitamix selection and choose one that fits your budget and your needs.  I recommend the Professional Series (I have the 750) but at the minimum you need one with variable speeds.  Be sure to use Coupon Code 06-009144 for free shipping.  

Saturday, September 21, 2013

A vegetarian agenda

The theme of 10th grade is social justice, but I don't think anyone has given much thought into what that looks like in practice, particularly given the state of the school district's budget.  My daughter has been assigned "Eating Animals" by Jonathan Foer as her first honors English book (other than 3 books assigned over the summer) of the school year.  

Frankly I think a different aspect of food production could have been explored as a social justice issue given that a significant portion of the student population receives free or reduced lunch.  The uneven access to healthy food or the rates of diabetes, elevated cholesterol, obesity among urban residents...these are topics that are much more relevant to urban children.  The companion book to "The Weight of the Nation" might have been a good place to start.  


I read "Eating Animals" very quickly (from cover to cover in a couple of hours), hence this is more of a response than a review.  I will state my bias from the onset - from a religious perspective, I fundamentally disagree that eating animals is inhumane. God clearly instructed us on the animals that are intended for human consumption and those that were not, who are we to question God's judgement?  That's not to say that we should go about raising and slaughtering animals willy nilly.  


As I've stated before, in the early 80s my family belonged to a co-op and ate no sugar, salt, beef or pork...we ate organic and "whole" food before it was fashionable. As time went on we slowly began to consume everything except pork.  Over the past decade I have transformed the way I eat largely because of my academic training coupled with the undergraduate courses I teach.  Because I love food, I can't help but bring food into the conversation; unfortunately those tethered to the factory farm system are unable to enjoy unadulterated food...so I teach about tropic levels, dairy farming, animal husbandry, aquaculture, the prevalence of corn and soy, and all of the "science" that gives us more food in shorter time. However, that hasn't hindered me from eating animals...as long as I "know" the source. I don't follow a one-size-fits-all diet, I do what feels right based on how my body responds...some meals are meatless, some are raw, and the majority are quite tasty. 

I do agree with Foer that industrialized agriculture (produce included) is environmentally degrading, both to the natural and human spheres. The food system has become a capitalist enterprise that is so out of control that some people are starving while an obscene amount of food makes its way to the landfill daily.  The food that is produced by agribusiness is virtually void of nutritional value and the multitude of health diagnoses provide evidence that you are what you eat.

I agree with Foer that factory farming exists because people are disconnected from food and have a mythical view about the source/production of food, if they consider it at all. Hence my food philosophy is one of "farm to fork" and I use "table fellowship" to propagate it. Obviously I don't eat food from every "farm." We try to support local farmers as much as possible and if you visit PA's Farm Show and look critically, the burden on animals is evident.  I am literally scared to death of mass produced meat and fish, but because I enjoy it, I source it as carefully as I can.

Foer claims to be a proponent of both vegetarianism and "honorable omnivores," however there are no examples in the book, unless I overlooked them by reading too quickly. It was not until page 244 that he overtly stated his bias and I'm a little concerned that his narrative about factory farming is not well documented (despite the lengthy "bibliography"). I think there are more objective exposes on the market about the factory farm system.  This book clearly arose from a complex relationship with food. His grandmother's uneasiness with food as a result of her ordeal escaping Nazi Germany and his I/Thou dilemma with animals. Just as my food philosophy arose from a complex relationship with food. 

Sunday, September 15, 2013

A Day of Prep

I couldn't afford to have a repeat of last week...running around scattered...so I blocked out a few hours on my schedule for meal prep. My plan was to make the loaves to carry us for 2 days of breakfast, meaffins for Thursday (will be a constant this semester), crockpot drumsticks for Monday, and the wild-caught Dover Sole I caught on a WF Hot Deal ($7.99/lb) for tonight. I figured I could fill in the other days as needed based on leftovers...and of course Vitamix soup.

The first snag was I forgot to buy the bulk turkey sage sausage yesterday and the chicken sausage at WF is encased in pork, so I had to go with Wellshire Farms brown serve chicken apple links...this time I snazzed it up with some chèvre and kale, and substituted the red bliss for sweet potatoes...I'm super curious about the outcome. 

I brought 6 pounds of grass-fed ground beef at the WF One-Day-Deal ($4.99/lb) but I couldn't bring myself to remake the meaffins, instead I went for kefta meatballs (baked in a muffin pan), which I will accompany with a yogurt sauce, pita, and eggplant (most likely baba ganoush). The meatballs were too easy...I just used my Moroccan spices (cumin, nutmeg, paprika, ginger, & pepper), cilantro, onions, and garlic. I will pull them out of the freezer Wednesday evening.  I just have to figure out some way to rotate the flavors so that they don't become redundant.  

I forgot to take the drumsticks out of the freezer and hadn't even thought about how I would prepare them, so I bought a bottle of bbq sauce (yes, shameful) from WF...I sprinkled some seasoning on the drumsticks, dropped in onion, celery, carrot, and a seeded habanero...poured in half the bottle, then moved onto the next task. 

The hummus for lunch is a no brainer, especially with the Vitamix purée setting, but my planned salad-in-a-jar wasn't looking too good once I realized I had no meat for the base...finally I popped a few eggs in the egg machine, made a honey dijon dressing, and kept it moving.

Two & a half hours later, I'm looking good for the week - I'll make pressure cooker collards on Monday and do something with the eggplant Thursday...I also have golden beets and frozen haricots verts and okra...now I just have to prepare tonight's dinner...

Thursday, September 12, 2013

Mixed up Meaffins

My son and I made "meaffins" for the Healthy Lunchtime Challenge...we mixed ground beef and black beans and went with a Mexican flavor. We didn't win the challenge but they became a nice addition to our family convenience meal options.

With all of the hustle & bustle of the onset of the school year and fall sports, I had to revive the meaffin. I used a totally different recipe but the concept was still basically the same. My goal was to use up what I had in the fridge...a pound and a half of ground turkey, tomatoes, a handful of peppers, onions, handful of garlic cloves, cilantro, all mixed in with a hodgepodge of seasoning. I baked them in a muffin pan for about 40 min and voila an easy dinner and lunch entree. I added a corn potato soup to the side that I prepared from the last 2 potatoes and ears of corn lurking in the fridge from the CSA, I simmered for 5 minutes in the stock from the chicken salad, blended in the Vitamix for a great texture, then added in another ear of corn for body. The only thing missing for tonight is something green, but I'm out of time.  Perhaps there'll be some salad greens in today's CSA. 

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Leftovers gone haywire

Last night I conceptualized a easy dinner...I would convert the leftover lamb into pita wraps topped with zucchini, tomatoes, bok choy, and a garlic-cilantro-yogurt sauce. I planned to make eggplant or okra on the side...something went terribly awry.

I came up with the brilliant idea that I'd make baba ganoush, which I love but don't know how to make...I called my Syrian friend for instructions then went and bought some tahini when I picked up the pita. When I stepped into the kitchen I realized I had to make quite a few things but I told my sister that it wasn't a big deal because I have the Vitamix...clearly I was laboring under a misapprehension.


I put the eggplant under the broiler to roast while I for started with everything else. First I had to made chicken salad for my daughter's lunch...I was able to give my sister instructions while I made the hummus for my son's lunch (I used the purée setting this time...very smooth).  Then I put the chicken in the marinator and made the yogurt sauce. Yes, chicken...for some reason, I thought it would be a good idea to cook chicken in addition to the lamb leftovers on a Wednesday night. 

I had my sister sauté the onions, chicken, and quickly heat the lamb while I made my baba ganoush attempt. It actually turned out ok...not the stuff I love, but with some tweaking I'll be running this in the ground in no time. I set the table taco style and we dug in...dinner turned out quite well...my sister lamented that "these flavors bring back memories"...an ode to Al Ain.

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Back to school

We are in full swing with back to school...new routines means revamping mealtime. With just one kid back to school last week, things were relatively smooth...dinner, soccer, errands no big deal...especially since I am able to expand a meal quickly by making soup in the Vitamix.  I have been trying to develop as many varieties of carrot soup as I can..so far it's working; Saturday I was able to make a meal of sauteed wild shrimp and soup in the midst of the hustle and bustle of the day.

This weekend was a little hectic so I was unable to develop a solid plan for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and after school logistics. I also had to pull together dinner for my grandmom's 87th birthday, which I was able to do successfully despite a series of unfortunate events. I put a boneless leg of lamb in the rotisserie, haddock in the oven, sautéed eggplant (ratatouille style), and did the zucchini in the pressure cooker (Savannah style). Everything was delicious and she especially enjoyed the soup that I literally threw in the Vitamix - onion, celery, potato, carrots, jalapeño - so much that she's thinking about getting a Vitamix (I made a quick soup last week when she came over from crabs).


Monday morning did not go well...I made sausage for breakfast while making hummus to pack in the kids' lunch (I'm now officially out of the Persian lime olive oil that I didn't think I'd use)...since they were both late for school I knew I had to get a better plan. Last night we had leftover lamb, I puréed the eggplant in the Vitamix to make a baba ganoush style spread, and some roasted corn on the cob. At the kids' request, I put together some breakfast loaves...instead of just sausage, egg, and potato, I added Swiss chard and carrots to boost up the veggies; I also substituted ricotta for heavy cream...they were fabulous this morning and I made chicken salad for lunch (also at their request). This morning went much smoother. I also prepped a "salad in a jar" for tonight since we will be out until 9pm for back to school night and other activities (I'm excited because I used bee pollen in the vinaigrette). Here's hoping that the remainder of the week will be as smooth.

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Crazy for carrots

We've gone from making carrot juice to making carrot soup. It took some iterations to create a soup that didn't overwhelmingly taste like carrots...but I think I've got it...and I'm loving the addition of a potato to create a bisque-like consistency.

This Vitamix is a bit addictive...I went on a produce spree Thursday and we've continued with daily green smoothies and soup on demand whenever we need a snack or want to stretch dinner. I know it's more than a soup and smoothie machine but for now that's really meeting our needs and helping us to increase our veggie intake. 

This week we've had 3 different versions of carrot soup...unfortunately they all look the same but taste very different. I made a soup this afternoon to go with the frozen pizza for an after-school snack/lunch (1/2 day). I was out of stock so I simmered a frozen chicken thigh with sautéed celery and onion then added a potato. I put the broth in the Vitamix with 5 carrots and a teaspoon of herbs salees and ran the soup cycle. I pulsed the chicken and then mixed in cubed uncured turkey ham. The texture was fantastic and it tasted delicious...it was also a good use for lingering turkey ham.

Monday, August 26, 2013

So far, so good

I'm wondering when the novelty will wear off...we are using the Vitamix multiple times each day for various things. Soups are a no-brainer...smoothies...clean up....but I was beginning to think I spent an awful lot of money for a one trick pony...

First we tried to "juice" as this was the primary catalyst for biting the bullet in the first place. We did our carrot, beet, apple...and added water and ice...it was just ok...not as sweet as carrot juice and definitely too gritty. We don't know if it's because we used golden beets or Granny Smith but we definitely need to make adjustments. 

Next I used it for my chèvre tart...it was quite easy to "chop" the onions and mix the filling, but something was off...and since we used a small rectangle dish instead of our glass pie dish, the jury's still out. 

The Vitamix actually slashes the onions rather than chopping them and it does produce a bit of moisture, so I put it to the test with zigni and I think it's a winner for those kinds of jobs...for other dishes I'll use my mandolin or chopper. 

It's definitely a keeper...the kids have made quite a few recipes from the cookbook including a fajita marinade which was delicious on chicken, smoothies, beverages, and there's definitely more on the horizon. 

Friday, August 23, 2013

That was easy!

I have been debating about getting a Vitamix for over a year now...the demos I've seen in various stores were beginning to be quite appealing....dough, smoothies, soups, etc...I spent a month reading reviews and looking at recipes and had decided on a Blendtec...until I found out about the 750...I convinced myself that it would make juicing more wholesome, green smoothies better, and soups easier...I began lusting for the machine and decided to take the plunge...the kicker was that I was now spending twice as much as I had initially gawked at. Then there was the waiting...the "next generation" were all backordered...I had to wait a month but that didn't stop me from talking about the exceptional machine that I would own, eventually.

It arrived yesterday...the kids were so excited when UPS delivered it, you would have thought it was eid. We immediately watched the video and flipped through the cookbook. Unfortunately we couldn't make anything because I had to head to a raw foods class. I kept nudging my husband because the demonstrator kept commenting how much easier things are with variable speed. Not only does the 750 have variable speed, but it also has preprogrammed settings. 

This morning I made my standard green smoothie...but in larger quantities since I was no longer constrained by the size of Magic Bullet...the only thing I did differently was add a cup of ice. It was velvety smooth...it took the green smoothie to the next level.

This afternoon I wanted to do a soup with lunch (something I learned from last night's class)...I didn't want to over think it so I looked over a couple of recipes and figured out what I could make based on what I had on hand...I ended up with a restaurant quality creamy chicken spinach soup. 

I quickly sautéed a sliced onion, celery, carrots, garlic, and a jalapeño pepper. I dropped that into the Vitamix with 2 cups of water, a bit of seasoning, cream cheese, and some concentrated stock. I ran the soup program, tasted it and was pleasantly surprised at the taste and temperature. I switched to speed 1 and added in some baby spinach and chopped smoked turkey for 15 seconds. My daughter thought it was weird that it came out of a blender but it was quite delicious. My son wants to make the next creation.

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Cobwebs

It just occurred to me that I've gone on several food journeys only documented by occasional photos and captions on Facebook during the past year. The biggest thing was the green smoothies that have become a staple breakfast and snack item...the Magic Bullet works great of the kids...and juicing, I pulled out the juicer because my daughter wanted to "detox." We were juicing daily...mostly carrot, apple, beet...but the pulp byproduct was just too much...that's when I decided to take the plunge and invest in a Vitamix...I've been waiting for a month and it should arrive any day. 

The other bit is the wellness journey...the entire family sees a chiropractor, who cured my son's ear infections and my migraines....and my daughter and I see a wellness practitioner who focuses on getting the nervous system regulated by supporting the organs. The interesting thing is I learned that I am a Type O...this explains my cravings and my reaction to certain foods...while I haven't plunged into a blood type diet, I have made adjustments and have monitored my body's response to certain foods. This is why we switched to spelt flour...and it's working.

In seeking these alternatives, I've become open to new ways of thinking about food and health...I'm looking forward to exploring food in new ways once my Vitamix arrives and I'm hoping that I'll learn some useful things about raw foods at tomorrow's workshop. I'm not interested in becoming a vegan nor going completely raw, but I'm certainly interested in expanding my repertoire. 

Thursday, August 15, 2013

Tourist Trap

We spent the past few days in Quebec City. I had heard its a must see...the closet you'll get to Europe in North America...I also heard that it was expensive and since we were staying in a hotel I did not want to spend a ton of money eating out...and that gets old after awhile anyway.

Well, it is very much like Europe, Vieux Quebec is a walled port city complete with a citadel and a changing of the guard. There's been some waterfront investment, but most of the city is a snapshot from colonial settlement. Outside of the walls, it's a typical upscale urban neighborhood but there is bit of green space and a couple of suburban college campuses. 

Much to the chagrin of my husband, we didn't explore the region. We fell into the tourist trap of walking about the city, taking pictures, and spending money. As I walked, I reflected on the fact that these European monuments that we are all so enamored with, are actually symbols of oppression and hegemony...but that's a topic for another blog. The food is what really matters...

We stayed in a "boutique hotel" 10 minutes from the old city. We generally don't stay more than 2 nights in a hotel, so I needed to get creative in the "kitchen" and my gadgets came in handy. My husband insisted that we bring our mini-Keurig machine and some k-cups and it's a good thing we did because although the hotel provided a Nescafé machine...the coffee and tea were $2 each. I packed my Cuisinart Griddler (which hasn't seen the light of day in 5 years) to make paninis for one of our meals each day and as we were walking out the door we grabbed the Magic Bullet and our csa kale for green smoothies for breakfast. 

I packed everything in a tote with paper products - paper towels, plastic spoons, plastic cups, and heavy duty paper plates and bowls - I knew disposable products are expensive in Canada. We also packed cereal and snacks...real food is relatively cheap in Canada...processed food isn't. We spent less than $70 at the grocery store and had breakfast for 4 days and dinner for 3 days, plus drinks and dessert. Conversely we spent $200 on lunch for 3 days in the city and another $20 for dessert one day. 

The food we ate out was good but not spectacular...I wrote Yelp reviews about our experiences. The paninis however, were quite delicious. We had a loaf of multigrain bread and a loaf of quinoa & spelt bread. I used garlic butter, Caesar mayonnaise (regional speciality), spinach, natural smoked turkey with no fillers or preservatives (the deli meat is labeled quite clearly with the ingredients ie 16% meat protein), and shaved asiago cheese. Now the family wants to get back on the panini kick...if only I could find quinoa & spelt bread locally....

Monday, August 5, 2013

The month of food?

This Ramadan has been like no other. Alhamdulilah, I have been more spiritually productive and we have enjoyed social time via iftars with friends on most nights. I've become a bit of a traveling barista with my infused waters and half-caf coffee. 

It's been strange that food has somehow become a central focus of my daily activities. My "Ramadan soup" and samboosa rolls (both borrowed from Abyssinia) were a big hit. I set a formal table (and washed a ton of dishes) at two of my iftars and I developed a couple of new dishes. One being an "Italian" baked haddock that ended up being quite tasty that I drizzled in olive oil and topped with sautéed peppers, onions, tomatoes, and thyme. The other was spectacular quinoa stuffed mushroom that I served the same night in order to present an additional dish and use the CSA mushrooms that I generally waste...I essentially mixed the same topping with some Parmesan cheese and seasoned quinoa and they were a hit. 

I began the month with a cow share, 40 pounds of chicken drumsticks (on sale from WF), and some trout and scallops. These items, along with the CSA have guided my menus. Tonight I am doing oxtails melange (I created a mirepoix from what was in the fridge and then seasoned with what I'm calling an Afro-Caribbean blend)...here's hoping for good results when they come out of the crockpot at Iftar time. 

I bought a bag of spelt flour and my daughter became a baking machine. It started with a blueberry loaf that I topped with cream cheese icing, that was followed by a blueberry apricot loaf. Now, in almost a state of mania, she is making banana muffins and carrot cookies for sahur. And she's already talking about the chocolate chip cookies and carrot cake muffins we MUST make for eid in a few days.

This has been a month of festivities, spiritual reflection, and good deeds and I'm loving every moment of it.  

Monday, July 22, 2013

Passing the torch

I am perpetually unable to remember how to make my specialties. At the urging of my friend (who is my foodie partner in crime),  I have decided to compile a family cookbook that I can pass along to my daughter when she starts her family. This will be no easy feat. We started by randomly listing our favorites, then browsing the blog for more ideas. The next step will be to write down what I can remember for each recipe...and according to my daughter we will then have to prepare the meals to check for accuracy.