Easing Into Lent

 With Lent comes sacrifice. Many swear off meat , dairy or sweets .This is their way of fasting which is good and mindful. However it can be a shock to the taste buds to give up beloved foods. There are ways to ease into it.

Luckily there has been an explosion of all sorts of vegan meats in the  last few years.It's easy to give up beef , poultry and even seafood. Gardein has been a leader in this and you can visit any grocery or Target to buy their products. Their hamburgers taste exactly like the real ones and they're even good grilled outdoors. They also have meatballs, which are perfect for subs or if you're thinking of making Swedish meatballs and egg noodles. The company also produces chicien nuggets  and thick crispy tenders. These are so much like chicken itself that KFC is even putting out Gardein nuggets in various locations.Try their fish filets which are beer battered along with fries ro their crab cakes. If you're also thinking about giving up egg then go to Just Egg. This a substitute , using mung beans to get that eggy flavor and rich beaten yolk yellow color. Make a scramble for the family using it and spinach. Add Morningstar Farm's soy bacon which can get as crisp as actual bacon when microwaved.Also incorporate more beans such as kidney and chickpea for protein boosts. Think more dishes with veggies and rice like stuffed cabbage or a filling ratatouille.

As extreme as it sounds giving up dairy is also doable for Lent. There are so many plant and nut milks out there. If the kids do have a nut alllergy then use soy or oat milk. Both work in many recipes calling for dairy along with satisfying an afterschool need for a glass fo chocolate milk. (in fact many of these milks also come in chocolate now and can be bought in small bottles or boxes for lunch boxes), Almond milk is a nice ,creamy alternative and can be bought in gallon containers. If you do cave in and want a treat remember there are non diary yogurts and ice creams to snack on. You may even like these so well that you'll be eating them after Lent has finished. As for butter , try Melt. This plant based spread tastes exactly like the real deal and can be used in eveything form baking to cooking to being spread on toast or bagels. Maybe the hardest Lenten sacrifuce is giving up sweets. This is where a push for a healthier diet comes in. Try an apple for dessert. You could slice it and then dip in cinnamon for something different. PIneapple cubes are another great meal ender along with being a good snack. Think about getting fruit cups like Aldi's pears in syrup which are light tasting or any fruit salad cup like Acme's Signature brand mixed fruit ones. As for candy, nuts can do the trick if you want a snack or popcorn. Raisins or Craisins are fun snackables that you can eat by the handful.

It's a good and mindful thing to have some sort of sacrifuce during this important time in the Christian calendar. However it's best to ease into this new diet .Use these sub for meat , daiiry and sweets tomake that time effortless.

Testing With A Tasty Sauce

 It's been an interesting experiment  trying out different foods , most are beloved classics to see how this new system  of mine is working.Everything has been fine so far. I  thought I could even try out a new sauce just to see.

I've had Spring Valley cocktail egg rolls in my freezer for weeks. I needed an easy Friday supper, not too heavy but not to light either.

They're an easy cook in my trusty air fryer.It's just seven minutes for 370 degree Farenheit.

They're stuffed with nothing but veggies from shredded cabbage to shredded carrots. I knew they some jazzing up. That's where the scallion sauce comes in.

                                             It's cutting up two scallions and mixing them with these.

Mix together half a cup of spy sauce (it can be low sodium like I used) with about a tablespoon if maple syrup. That last sounds crazy but its' sweetness balances out the soy sauce's saltiness. You can add either olive or vegetable oil for a silkier texture. It's poured over the scallions and left to marinate for about fifteen to twenty minutes.

I liked this sauce and plan on making it again for even the egg rolls I get from my local Chinese take out. The scallions add bite and zing (and haven't bothered my stomach!Yay!)  while the combo of syrup and soy sauce actually work well together. You can add more of both if you're running low on the liquid part. Keep in mind this is also a good marinade for steak and chicken too.

This has been a fun experimentation along with creating new favorites. This sauce is perfect for egg rolls along with other foods. it 's a great sauce for favorite snacks and dishes.

Being Vegan For The Holidays

 Easter and Passover are about celebrating with family and friends. Yet what if they are vegetarian or vegan? Do you exclude them from the holiday meal? No! You include them with including vegan and vegetarian recipes. You can create new traditions by using more plant protein!

For the Easter holiday lamb and ham usually are the stars of the table. However there are some great dishes that vegetarians would approve of. Think a spinach or veggie lasagna with using plant based cheeses. You can also serve up a mushroom one too.Savory tarts are a nice change up . You can make a quiche without eggs. Just sub in chickpea flour mixed with soy or any nut milk to get that creamy texture. Try a leek and mushroom one baked in a shortcrust pastry shell. Some vegetarians do allow eggs into their diet so an Easter brunch with a traditional quiche is not out of the question. Instead of ham you can easily crumble soy bacon on top or sub in a variety of different veggies like broccoli or onions. If you want a bigger main course then think about using Beyond Beef for both Easter and Passover. The product is kosher certified so it can be incorporated into the seder. Bake it in a loaf pan and serve it with gravy. For Passover along with Easter, you can also roast portabella mushroom caps or bake cauliflower  steaks for a new classic main course.

Desserts shouldn't be tricky. You can easily sub in Just egg or Vegg Vegan Baking Mix for eggs and any kind of non dairy milk for the real thing. Soy milk is recommended because it has the same texture as cow;s milk. Creating buttercream frosting is just as easy. Use Melt plant butter instead of butter for a creamy textured frosting. Again you can use soy or almond milk to thin it out if it becomes too thick. Aquafaba, or chickpea brine can produce lovely meringues . Divide it up and add a drops of food coloring for meringues the color of Easter eggs. A truly elegant dessert is a pavlova. This is layers of meringue interspersed with whipped cream. Various fruits top this. As for the whipped cream make your own dairy free one by whipping together full fat coconut milk, vanilla extract and a few drops of maple syrup. You just have t skim the "fat' off the top and use that for the whole cream.The Passover seder can end with no bake chocolate macaroons, made with the traditional coconut flakes but with the twist of bananas and coconut oil to bind them.

A vegan holiday meal is easy to whip up. You can create a delicious main course and desserts from plant based ingredients. It's easy to do for Easter and Passover.

A Spin On Spaghetti

 Spaghetti is always good whether it's with a  traditional marinara sauce or just con burro with butter. yet they go to a new level with an Vietnamese - American spin on them.It's a tasty and  relatively easy way to enjoy this classic pasta.

Regular contributor and chef, J. Kenji Lopez Alt wrote about them in yesterday's New York Times Food section. They were the creation of Helen An at Thanh Long Restaurant in San Francisco and have become a much beloved classic of the city. It all started with Ms. An's family the Trans fleeing North Vietnam in 19955 and settling in the South Vietnamese city of Dalat. Twenty years later she was forced to flee again, this time with her husband and three daughters to San Francisco. It was here where they arrived penniless to live with her mother-in-law Diana, a small deli owner. Thanh Long's history is murky. Elizabeth An, Helen's daughter claimed her grandmother bought an Italian deli however there is an ad from 1971 promoting it as a Vietnamese one. Ms. An who had experience in both Chinese and French cuisine  felt the restaurant would have more success if the dishes appealed to a local clientele. A disappointing dinner at a Nob Hill Italian restaurant  gave birth to the garlic noodles.It a mix of whole wheat  noodle sauteed with fistfuls of garlic and a blend of fish oyster, and soy sauces. 

Chef Kenji Lopez puts his own spin on it. He uses spaghetti instead of  the whole wheat noodle  - a nod to its' Italian roots. and another innovation, cooking them in a skillet. Gone is the big pot filled with quarts of boiling water. It also means more concentrated pasta water which provides for a tasty plate. He cooks it for two minutes shorter than recommended for a chewy al dente texture and then transfers it to a wok or saucepan. The flavor comes from the addition of four tablespoons of butter (or a plant based one like Melt). There is a lot of garlic  - namely twenty cloves, mashed in a mortar and pestle . You could lessen it by half if it's not to your liking. It's then time to add the sauces. Keep in mind this will have a briny , fish flavor, thanks to the fish and oyster sauce. Chef Lopez-Alt uses four teaspoons of the oyster and two for the fish and soy. However you can adjust the amounts depending on your taste. It seems like a dish that can constantly be adjusted with each make,Scallions are added for color and flavor and Pecorino Romano cheese for more flavor.

Garlic noodles are an interesting spin on spaghetti. Try them for a different type of pasta dinner.It's a nice change up from the usual.

Go Milk A Potato

 I'ts getting that dairy may be obsolete in another decade.Nut milks have taken over and now there's the chance that veggie based milks may also join their ranks. It seems that there will be little use or taste for cow's milk  which is good for the cows.

Regular contributor and food writer Victoria Peterson write about this new phenomena in the New York Times Wednesday's Food section. Plant  based milks are up in sales and usage, thanks to the pandemic.When dairy ran out , thanks to panic buying and supply chain problems many turned to the variety of plant milks and liked them according to Denise Purcell, the vice president of content and education for Specialty Foods. They then branch out into other plant milk based products like ice cream and yogurt. There's also a hot topic at the moment according to Professor David Julian McClements of University of Massachusetts. He has been a food scientist for more than thirty years and in the last five focused solely on plant based foods. His reasoning behind this is that they're one of the food industry's main trends right now. Consumers want them for sustainability, health and ethical reasons. Also the pandemic has forced people to cook at home and they're discovering  that cooking with plant based milks are better than cooking with dairy.

What are these alternative milks made from? Soy, which is one of the most popular, followed by almond, oats, cashews, macademia nuts.hemp seeds, sesame seeds and flax. Even peas can be used to make milk. Now potatoes are getting their due, thanks to a Swedish company Dugg that creates a creamy   milk from emulsified potatoes and rapeseed oil.It's becoming popular in London where many coffee shops have added it to their menus. Sarah Bentley who runs a plant based cooking school Made In Hackney was excited about this. She wants to try it in her recipes and also not rely on cow's milk so often. She and her students have tried to make potato milk on their own but did;'t come up with quite the right one. Dugg will help them create creamy sauces and desserts. Hopefully Dugg will come up with by products like whipped cream, yogurt and ice cream with a potato milk base. Plant based milks are nothing new. Surprisingly they have been around for thousands of years. There are caveats though to this. Almonds grow in water scarcity areas and require a lot of water to be trucked in. Coconuts involve deforestation, increased cultivation and the loss of biodiversity.

Soon potato milk will be joining the ranks of other non dairy milks. It will be just as healthy as the other milks. It will also be just as delicious as the others, a perfect sub in for cow's milk.

A Dagwood For All

Sometimes all you need is a big sandwich A Dagwood covers this >It's an easy make on a too hot summer's night and the perfect beach or picnic bring along.

The sandwich is named for the famed cartoon character Dagwood Bumstead  who has a penchant fot multilayered sandwiches. His were several layers high resembling a sky scraper. A better and more realistic version is the club sandwich or BLT. What os good about this is you can get creative. You can spread a layer of egg,m tuna or chicken salad on one layer. Top with sliced gherkins for some sweetness.The next layer could be any kind of cold cut and cheese that works with the salads. Spinach and tomato slices are anther great top layer, These give you nutrition as wells as color and crunch. You can also make a vegan Dagwood with soy pastrami, bologna and bacon along with one featuring nothing but healthy greens Remember to use heart healthy vegan mayonnaise too. This is made with soy protein instead of eggs. Also sub in brown bread bread too.

A Dagwood sandwich is a fun change up from the usual sandwich fare.Get creative to make a combo worthy of Dagwood Bumstead himself. It's a fun and yummy treat,

Holiday Baking For Vegans

 Baking comes with its' own set of challenges. Now add vegan restrictions of no butter, no dairy and no eggs. What do you do? Sub - and be flexible. You can create tasty treats perfect for any hard core vegan.

Before using substitutes understand what each animal product does. Eggs add color, structure, leavening color and flavoring in our cakes and cookies. Milk softens, and contributes moisture to the entire product, along with adding tenderness and flavor. It also lends structure and support while whole cream adds more flavor and contributes to the browning effect. Butter is the most important ingredient in holiday baking.  It gives flavor, tenderness and flakiness. Cakes need it for moisture and richness. What about sour cream and cream fraiche? One will give added moisture while the other gives both added flavor and moisture. Can you bake without any of them? Absolutely not. You need some form of them and luckily there are vegan substitutes. For egg sub in use Vegg's Uncaged Baking Mix which can be used for any kind of baked good even challah bread. The only problem is that you have to buy it exclusively through Amazon and there may be delays right now. You can also use baking soda and vinegar along with unsweetened applesauce or soy milk. Ripe banana or flaxseed can also fill in for those yolks.

Milk is one of the easiest to sub in thanks to the arrival of almond, soy, cashew and oat milk. Yet which is the best one for baking? Almond is the most preferred because it cooperates nice with other ingredients and has a naturally sweet taste  - just like milk. Yet some vegan bakers will tell you to go with soy. It has the most protein of all the plant based ones. What about if you need whipped cream? Use aquafaba, or chickpea brine. Mix it with cream of tarter , vanilla extract and powdered sugar for a sub in that will fool everyone. Keep in mind that aquafaba can also be used for egg whites and are excellent for creating  meringues.You can experiment, using one milk for one recipe such as cookies  and another one for cakes.As far as the faux butters, one of the best (and an absolute favorite) is the I Can't Believe It's Butter sticks. These have all they buttery flavor of the real thing and the right texture for both baked goods and frostings. I Can't Believe It's Butter gives icings a melt in your mouth feeling and also whips up nicely  perfect for airy frostings.  You can also use it and almond milk to create a creamy fudge too.

Vegan bakers should breeze this holiday baking season. There are many substitutes that will produce delicious cookies and cakes along with creamy fudge and frostings. It's easy to forgo animal products in your list of ingredients to produce true vegetarian treats.

July Fourth Wishes

Have a good July Fourth , whether you celebrate with a socially distanced barbecue or eating outdoors at your favorite diner or restaurant.

Keep in mind that America, like its' cuisine, is  multi ethnic with all sorts of flavors adding to the mix. Like squash , corn and beans we have the Indigenous Peoples who were first here, like the Europeans who brought hamburgers and fries, hot dogs and ice cream, like the African Americans who brought yams and peanuts and like the Asians who brought noodles and soy, we are diversified. 

 Our table is varied.

Sit down together and celebrate it. Enjoy this unique Fourth. Stay safe and full.

A Greener Diet

Earth Day is coming up - April 22nd and it's a good time to re-evaluate  food shopping and eating habits. Not surprisingly what and how we eat does affect the planet.We can make it a better place - even with small changes.

You may begin to see grocery stores and nurseries have seed packet displays. This should spur on the thought of gardening and reliance on home grown produce. Think about the veggies and fruits your family likes and buy those seeds.If you're new to gardening, then also consider the easiest plants to grow. Radishes are one of the simplest along with carrots. Both are versatile in salads and hot dishes.Another easy combo ? Tomatoes and lettuce. These are a snap to plant and grow, plus they're palate pleasers. For those who have more knowledge then try the slightly more demanding melons and strawberries along with eggplants and melons. Another very important aspect of gardening is composting. This is where you can do a lot of green good.  Food waste such as rinds and eggshells make for excellent mulch. Surprisingly bones and gristle can also be added to the heap, although be reminded that their smell will attract wildlife such as raccoons, foxes, and even bears.Think twice before you do this. Leftover rice, moldy bread and doughnuts are all good.Even corn cobs are a great toss in.  Make the garden even more greener with grey water - water left over from baths . Also try to buy garden hoses with water saving nozzles.

Grocery shopping has to change as well. Our choices can directly impact our planet and our futures.Meat has always been considered a threat to our health and now it's a threat to our Earth.It can be an agricultural nightmare. Cattle farms require hundreds of acres of land. This means whole forests have to be cut down to make room for them.Also animal agriculture is responsible for  fifteen to twenty percent of total greenhouse gases globally. It is one thing to have a few herds of cattle for dairy : it's another thing to have thousands of them on a global scale for meat. The best bet is go vegan. If this is too much then think about vegetarianism. This allows you to have dairy and eggs. You can keep the malteds but not the hamburgers. Transitioning can be hard but there are products that can ease that.Try any of the Gardein tofu meats. They have a wide variety of products from hamburgers to even faux crab cakes. The taste is the same as the real thing, and sometimes it's even better. Another company with a huge array of soy products is Morningstar Farms. Their fake bacon is just as tasty and crisp as real rashers and their soy crumbles are great in chili and Bolognese sauce. Once you go from real to the substitute, then you can also change from dairy to nut and soy milks and products. These include yogurts, and ice cream  - which are just as delicious as their cow made counterparts.

It's easy to adapt a greener diet. It'll bring you closer to the Earth and make you more aware of what's happening with this planet. You'll not only eat good but feel good about the change too.

The Air Fryer Controversy

For some the air fryer is a blessing. It's a handy way of cooking certain foodstuffs without having to rely on the oven. It's small, and compact. There's no preheating and cleaning it is a snap. So what's wrong with it?

According to the New York Times and it's subsidiary Wirecutter, this genius machine has a lot of flaws. Melissa Clark wrote an article about it in today's New York Times Food section. There are also recipes too which highlight the air fryer's good points. To be honest, I don't see why there are any complaints.I was skeptical at receiving it at first but that quickly dissolved with the first use. For me, it's better than using the stove. No annoying preheating time. Just set the temp and the minutes and cook. Since it's  a convection oven ,every part of the food being cooked is perfectly "fried" to golden perfection. Hot air is circulated around by high speed fans in the machine's upper part.The food is placed in a perforated basket and the grease drips down into the basket beneath.It's a simple clean up - another plus. Yet Wirecutter claimed that it was over hyped and overpriced. (Mine was a gift bought during a pre- Christmas sale at Target. $60 dollars marked down from $100)

The machine was first introduced in Europe in 2010 and since it's introduction to the States, nearly ten million were sold. Sales increased 69 % in 2018 alone. Those are numbers not to be sneezed at

. As for the recipes, I feel Ms. Clark gets too elaborate with them, especially the fries.She bakes them twice , first at 350 degrees F for ten minutes and then 400 degrees F for another ten minutes

 . There's a cooling period in between that I think is unnecessary (but that's just me). I would probably go for 360 F for ten minutes then, turn, then cook again. There's also a Brussels sprout one, with them being baked with garlic. The sprouts  sound good and something I would try, but without the balsamic soy sauce. As for the chicken wings, again they sound tasty but , again, Ms Clark puts a lot of work into a simple dish. She coats them with baking powder, salt and pepper, then refrigerated for anywhere from an hour to overnight (really?) Then the pieces are placed along the edges

 of the basket and air fried for 400 degrees F for twenty minutes. One, I don't think it has to have all that overnight waiting and two, placing the wings on the basket's edges is too much. They can be placed on the basket's floor and flipped after ten minutes of cooking.

Are air fryers worth it?  YES! I would urge to get one if you don't have one already. They are definitely worth the money and the counter space. Buy one. You won't regret it.

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Heart healthy Love

Give your heart some  love this Valentine's Day by treating it to heart healthy foods.We tend to overindulge in the bad stuff when we 're shut in. All that fat and sugar will not only cause heart burn but heart ache - literally.  It's time to rethink mid winter eating.

A hot breakfast is a great way to start a bone chilling February day. Most would appreciate a first meal of French toast or pancakes, two or three eggs, and of, course , bacon. Calorie wise it's about six to seven hundred calories. That isn't so bad but there is sugar , nitrates salt and fat  to deal with - and that's not good for the arteries. You can  edit this and wind up with a first meal that's not only low in calories but rich in vitamins, minerals and fiber.Try buttermilk buckwheat pancakes. Two plain pancakes are 195 calories together  Add a scant tablespoon of maple syrup and small pat of butter. Can't start the morning without eggs? Then try them fiesta or calico style.It's a scramble zinged up with tomatoes, onions and pepper. You can add spicy soy chorizo for heat.For a really fun breakfast think mini quiches. These are loaded  made with sausages and cheese which can be made even healthier by subbing in soy.One of the healthiest is fruit with warmed Greek yogurt.This also makes a good snack too.
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Lunch is another important meal.It should not only good for your heart but the fuel to propel you through a chilly afternoon. If you have to take the meal to the office then, think outside the salad box. A vegan hot cheese sandwich is always welcome. Start with already toasted whole wheat which has double the fiber of white bread. Then the cheese . Cabot 's 50 percent reduced fat cheddar cheese brick is about the best. You can also go for soy cheese which only has forty calories. Add some sliced tomatoes or turkey bacon to liven it up.Nothing says summery and exotic like Salad Nicoise. Fill it with hard boiled eggs, florets of broccoli and cauliflower along with olives and carrots. A simple vinaigrette is all it needs. What about a dinner sure to please your heart? Grilled or seared salmon is only 157 calories. Pair it with a lemony brown rice and grilled mixed carrots and squash. Turkey breast is another lean main course, made even more delicious with roasted Brussels sprouts and asparagus. As for dessert,  think all sorts of  fruits dipped in melted dark chocolate. Keep away from the original recipe which contains heavy cream. Just stick with the chocolate.

Treat your heart with love this Valentine's Day. Eat healthier and it will love you back. That's the perfect romance.

The Perfect Panko Crumb

Pereg has always been known for their variety of spices. Now they've expanded into bread crumbs.As with their other products, the panko crumbs are perfect for breading.

I decided to tr it on what else? Cauliflower. It was first parboiled,

It was then shocked in an ice water bath. while it was chilling - literally - I made the batter.It was the usual half cup water, half cup almond milk and three quarters of a cup of  flour. I also added a good dash of both onion and garlic powders.

These are onion and garlic powder.Then it was on the a dredge in the panko crumbs.

I decided to try the whole wheat. 

This is precooked. 

And afterwards. The crumbs stuck on  rather nicely.

The florets were crunchy and browned. I think in the future I'll try an egg wash before dredging. I also tried the sweet chili flavor too which added zing to the florets.

If you want a good crust on anything, then try Pereg's Panko breadcrumbs. They're the perfect coating to veggies, fish or meats. Try them and taste their crunchy goodness.

The Super Bowl Healthy Challenge

This Sunday will be a salute to all things greasy, salty and fatty. Super Bowl parties are usually full of bowls of anything bacon-y and cheesy followed by creamy and sugary sweet.  Here's a challenge - can a Super Bowl Party be full of low calories treats with out any threat of artery blockage?

The answer is yes. You can throw a healthy and fun Super Bowl party, with a variety of flavors and textures. Sliders are usually any game day must. Think oven baked or grilled instead of fried. This takes away  frying them in grease. Another healthier choice is veggie burgers,  Gardein has the best with only 130 calories  seventy less than a regular beef one. One must is the hamburger bun  yet it's usually loaded with carbs and calories. Try Sara Lee's eighty calorie whole wheat ones instead of Hawaiian's 220 (!!!) calorie ones. Add soy cheese or feta which comes in at only seventy calories. For variety use hot sauce or sprinkle hot pepper to change it up. Hot dogs are another game day must.  Yet one Oscar Meyer hot dog has 140 calories, twice that of a Morningstar Farms veggie dog, Serve these with chili sauce or vegan cheese for a tasty and healthier alternative, You can even make bacon dogs thanks to the company's fake soy bacon strips. These taste like the real thing so guests won't be missing out on it. Chicken tenders and wings are a Super Bowl tradition however go vegan with the lower calorie vegan versions from Gardein and Morningstar Farms. As for dips for these and baked potato chips use the super healthy unflavored Greek yogurt as the base.

Can you serve salad at a Super Bowl party? Yes! The key is to make it interesting. One of the most flavorful is tabbouleh, the Middle Eastern salad that has bulgur wheat as its' base. Add chopped tomatoes ,cucumbers and spring onions. Garlic, mint and parsley give it its' intense flavor.It's moistened with fresh lemon juice and virgin olive oil. Tabbouleh is a refreshing palate cleanser after steaks and chicken. If you want to try a  spin on Mexican food, then go for a taco salad.Make  it with ground turkey and beans, corns and cubed avocado. Scatter shredded low calorie cheedar on it and serve with a salsa vinaigrette. The last is just adding a generous cup of salsa to a simple olive oil and cider vinegar . Smoked paprika gives it some zing.  Seafood is not really part of the Super Bowl tradition however shrimp salad is not only different but a welcome change. Make one that's richer in taste than calories by combining cooked shrimp with avocados, onions and tomatoes. The salad is splashed with just lime juice and dashed with pepper flakes.Of course make sure there are bowls of veggies and low calorie dips scattered around the viewing area.

Try the Super Bowl healthy challenge. You might be surprised at how much you and your fellow fans will love the change. A healthy change.

Making Those Dogs Bark

Memorial Day kicks off the barbecue season and that means a season of hot dogs. What's so great about this summer standard is that they can be zinged up with all sorts of extra. They're not just plain dogs anymore. They're something special.

A hot dog has a relatively bland taste that can go with any other flavor. Bacon lovers should think about wrapping the slices around them to create a salty,  crunchy treat.You can even dunk the dogs in barbecue sauce and then put the bacon on.To really elevate them, add some sharp cheddar. You can buy Sargento's to sprinkle or just buy a block and grate at home. If you want a fancy cheese dog then spread Brie on them and put on a toasted croissant (you'll have to break the dog in half  so it fits better on the crescent shape)Vegans can also enjoy this treat by using the Morningstar Brands veggie dogs and their fake bacon. In order to get it pliable and bend-y just microwave the soy strips thirty seconds less . If you want crunch then microwave it according to directions and just crumple it on the dog. You can also have a dairy free cheese dog too. There are several brands of vegan cheese that can top your hot dogs. One of the best is Ciao, This is a buttery tasting faux fromage that would off set the vegetarian dog's saltiness.

Chili and hot dogs are meant for each other. A pot of homemade chili would go well with grilled dogs. If you have to spend more time at the barbecue then just make it in a crockpot. In fact it will be better because the slow cooking time allows for the spices and chilis to mellow .If there's no time, then buy a can of chili. Again, vegans can also enjoy this taste, thanks to vegetarian meatless sort. Put as much as you want on your dogs. Some famed hot dog hang outs like Rutt's Hut in Clifton New Jersey also puts onions in their chili sauce. You can do this for both the homemade and canned chili. Just add a small chopped  white onion to the chili and cook up.Since  hot dogs are essentially German, think about adding sauerkraut as a topper. The homemade is popular right now , thanks to foodies and hipsters jumping on the fermented food bandwagon. It's just taking shredded cabbage, pounding it to extract the juice and brining it with salt and the juice for a few days.. This is much more flavorful than the canned kind however if you don;t have the time, use the store bought.Zing it up with some freshly ground pepper. Of course relish is a must.If you''re ambitious think about making it. Relish is a mix of red and green peppers  mixed with cucumbers and onions. These are then cooked with a brine and a paste made with granulated sugar, cornstarch and vinegar. Everything is poured into pickling jars to ferment,

Think of your hot and veggie dogs as blank canvasses. Add bacon or relish, cheese or sauerkraut or combine these to create a unique flavor. Be creative and come up with a new kind of hot dog.

A Vegan's Dairy

One of the first questions vegans are asked is how can you survive without dairy? After all , milk,ice cream  cheese and butter are a huge part of our diets. It's hard to imagine life without them.
 yet hard core herbivores do. It's very easy nowadays to give up anything from a dairy.

Milk is always factors in a diet.  You can't have coffee or tea without it. Or can you? Go to any major grocery store along with Target and Wal-Mart and you'll see every kind of non-dairy milk. Soy is one of the most popular and it even comes in vanilla and chocolate. Silk is the most bought brand. .It comes in such flavors as original , dark chocolate and light vanilla to name a few.Soy is responsible for creating estrogen in the body and if you don't want it then switch to almond milk. Silk also makes this and it's a bit lighter in taste than soy. Almond milk is my go to for breakfast. Its flavor is not nutty but tastes like actual milk and it's perfect for mixing into cereals. Another favorite is coconut milk.It has the same creamy mouth feel as regular cream and four hundred calories lighter! There is a very slight coconut taste  but it dissipates when it's added to instant oatmeal .It's also the most versatile , being used in various Asian and Indian recipes.Another choice is rice milk.Rice dream brand has the most extensive and comes in different flavors like the other milks. A lesser known one, made from cashews is slowly gaining in popularity, with vegan families trying it as an alternative to soy and almond.

Keep in mind that all these companies also produce creamers, yogurt and ice cream. Silk has a variety of soy creamers with such flavors as vanilla, caramel and hazelnut, basically the same flavors as the dairy ones. The company So Delicious makes cashew milk ice cream in  such yummy flavors as dark chocolate truffle and snickerdoodle. They even has ice cream bars that would rival those of Blue Bunny and Good Humor. The company also has an extensive array of coconut ice cream and bars. The flavors are so varied that you wouldn't miss the real thing. There is even a version of Cool  Whip called Coco whip It's easy to make an elaborate sundae without even touching dairy. Yogurt lovers will rejoice in Silk's almond  and soy milk yogurts. Both types even have plain which can be subbed in for sour cream. What about butter? Most would assume that the non-dairy alternative would be margarine but they would be wrong. There is an excellent vegan butter from Myoko's Creamery in California.It looks and tastes exactly like the real thing.it is made with organic cashews, and coconut oil and can be used in everything from cooking to making buttercream icing. The company, run by vegan visionary , Miyoko Schinner, also produces vegan cheeses such as mozzarella and  cream cheese too.

Vegan's can have their non dairy  and not miss the real deal. There are so many alternatives for any dairy product, from creamers to cheese. Milk will not be missed. At all.

Impromptu Cuisine

Inspiration is all around if you're a home chef. A bag of frozen veggies could turn into a salad. Leftovers can be elevated to a tasty meal.It just takes  creativity and the willingness to try to make a delicious meal.

This happened to me tonight.It was just going to be a simple cup of soup for a Friday night. However the leftover soy chicken strips from the other night looked too beckoning. I decided to crisp them up in margarine with a heady dash of Sylvia's lemon pepper seasoning.This is a great seasoning to have around.It elevates the real thing and the faux poule too with a rich ,lemony flavor and a hint of salt.The flavoring would be good on barbecued chicken too. What goes with lemon chicken?  Any kind of veggie.I opened my freezer to find Stop & Shop's frozen broccoli. I had been saving the package for a broccoli salad but saw it and thought why not make it now. These are steamed florets so they needed some oomph.All it took was a toss in olive oil flavored with minced garlic. It turned into the perfect hot salad, amped up by a good sprinkle of sea salt and freshly ground pepper. What started out as a blah idea for a Friday supper turned into something much better and much tastier.I just looked into the fridge, assessed what was there and let creativity take over.. It's amazing how the fridge can act as a canvas.

Anyone can create a meal like this.Leftover London Broil can be chopped up and added to an already mixed salad to make it more substantial. Add a mushroom gravy to the slices and serve over rice for another hearty meal. Chicken can be repurposed into a yummy Mexican dish with the help of a home made mole sauce.I like the idea of frying it up into crispy pieces and flavored with spices.I could have used a mix of rosemary and garlic too for a Mediterranean vibe. Sliced grape tomatoes would have been added for color and kick.Tomatoes are another ingredient in creating an impromptu meal. Slice them and then saute them in a mix of butter, olive oil, and garlic.Cover with breadcrumbs and more minced garlic and you have the mouth watering tomatoes Provencale.They are also good in a lunchtime pain bagnat,, the Southern French sandwich.This could be an impromptu meal , because besides tomatoes, it also has hard boiled eggs, any veggies and tuna stuffed into an oiled loaf of French bread.If you don't have tuna, sub in anchovies.Serve with a good red wine for a truly Gallic feel and end the meal with grapes.

Impromptu cooking is a fun way of testing a home chef's creativity. It makes you assess what you have and  the possibilities. It just takes a spark of creativity to make a meal with what you already have in the kitchen and the fridge.

Moore's Hot Sauce Zesting Up Your Chicken

The most important aspect of buffalo chicken wings is that they should be fiery with a nostril stinging zing.How to transform ordinary ones into this?Slather them with Moore's Original Buffalo Wing Sauce. It'll give ordinary wings and legs oomph.

The family owned Moore's of Jasper , Alabama is known for their sauces and marinades. They originally owned a local steak house known for their popular and freshly made sauces. They have grown from the original to a variety of different flavors. The original is a robust and hearty hickory flavor that even enhances wild game and veggies. For poultry and fish Moore's have created a lighter , more herbal sauce that can even be used as a salad dressing. Barbecuers who love a more exotic taste should definitely try both their teriyaki and Asian teriyaki wing sauce. Both are enhanced with sweet garlic, soy and ginger. It would be great for chicken but it would be a terrific marinade for grilled steaks. Home chefs who don't like heat and bite should try Moore's Creamy Ranch Buffalo Wing sauce, one of the mildest of all the Moore's sauces. It would even be good as a"secret sauce on chicken slidersor hamburgers. There's also Honey BBQ and Blue Cheese sauces that would go well not just on wings but legs and breasts do. For eye watering heat switch it up to their new Spicy Habenero sauce. which would be perfect in either turkey or chicken chilis or even in fajitas.

I tried their Orgiinal Buffalo wing sauce as a dip with chicken nuggets. Despite the mild label, it still has a eye opening zing. However, unlike other hot sauces, the heat doesn't linger that much on the tongue which, for me is a blessing ( I know there are some hot sauce aficionados out there that would say it's too mild). The ingredients are simple mostly being cayenne and vinegar. Both flavors make the sauce what it is. - There is a burst of heat followed by a decided tang. Liquid margarine gives it a silky texture that is a nice contrast to the fire. It's good as a dipping sauce for any chicken product from nuggets to legs and wings.  It would also be a good marinade for grilled chicken leaving behind a zesty but not too  zingy taste. Another idea is marinating chicken breasts in it, and then creating it a sauce , using the sauce along with extra margerine and tomatoes to be served over rice Moore;s recipes include using the sauce for sliders and even in a spicy shrimp gumbo.

Moore's Original Buffalo Wing Sauce is the perfect foil for those wings . They're also good for legs and breasts too. Try it for a zingy and zesty change of pace.

The Importance Of Fiber

We all hear about how fiber is good for us, but do we actually know what it is? Or where to get it? What about its' benefits and drawbacks? It is a vital part of our everyday eating and can be found in even the simplest fruits, veggies , fruits, and breads.

Fiber or roughage is a dietary indigestible part of food derived from plants. There are two components. One is soluble fiber which is easily soluble in water.It ferments into gas when it hits the colon. It also gives the stomach a feeling of fullness which leads to a decreased appetite. The second component is insoluble fiber which is not water soluble.It' can be metabolically inert and provide bulking or it can be prebiotic - natural chemical that induce or growth of microorganisms that contribute to the well being of their host and metabolically ferment in the large intestine. Bulking fibers absorb water and eases pooping. Dietary fibers can act by change  the nature of the contents of the gastrointestinal tract. Food sources of it are often divided by whether they're soluble or insoluble.Plant foods contain both types in varying degrees. Your best bet for fiber is sticking to a mostly plant based  diet., namely dark green veggies and legumes. Meat has very little  - only about .028 grams.to a plant's six and  beans ' eight grams of fiber.

Switching to a fiber rich diet is easy.Foods that have soluble fiber include peas, and soybeans. along with almonds. There's a wide variety of fruits and veggies to choose from such as plums, prunes, berries and even avocados Broccoli and carrots are also right up there along with root tubers such as sweet potatoes and onions. Insoluble fiber based foods are abundant too.They're in whole grain foods such as cereal and brown breads., along with wheat and corn products. Grapes and tomatoes are also part of this group.Don''t throw away those potato skins. They're loaded with insoluble fiber. Cauliflower, zucchini and green beans are also on this list as are celery and nopals or prickly pear. Nuts and seeds are also made up of insoluble fiber so top off a salad or casserole with them. A fiber rich diet can be a tasty one. Think of a ratatouille served with warm crusty slices of whole wheat French bread or a zingy Mexican bean stew topped with shredded Monterey Jack soy cheese.A dish of cauliflower , celery and quartered plum tomatoes with a tahini dip will give you enough of a day's fiber while providing to be a yummy snack. A fun fiber filled meal is sweet potato fries  with a black bean burger. Sub in plank fries - French fries with the skins on for the sweet potato ones.

Fiber is a vital part of our diets. Make sure you get enough, whether in fruits, vegetables, nuts or grains. It'll provide for a healthy, problem free life.

Lessons From A Lenten Diet

Today is Ash Wednesday , the beginning of Lent.It's a time when most Christians, especially Catholics give up foods that they love. It's a good time to rethink one's diet and maybe keep the fasting up for a healthier lifestyle all year round..

Most people usually give up desserts during Lent. It's a good idea to carry this through the year. Many lose their taste for sugar and even the taste of cakes and ice cream after forty days. They realize that they can sub in healthier  sweets such as fruit to satisfy their cravings.Instead of cookies or a slice of Red Velvet , they'll nosh  on bananas and grapes. Candy is another Lenten no-no. Again, it's so easy to swap Kisses and Gummy Bears with pineapple chunks and apple slices. It's a better choice that can lead to better daily choices. Instead of reaching for peanut butter cups, they'll now eat apple slices dipped in peanut butter. Giving up any sweet is hard, especially if you go cold turkey, but your body will adjust. After forty days, those cupcakes and Oreos may not seem as appetizing as they did back around Valentine's Day.Another good thing about Lent is that whole families can give up  the same foods and support each other. They can also discover healthy food together too which benefits everyone from the oldest to the youngest.

Some people give up savory foods too. A few people nix potato chips and dip during this time. This can be tough , especially if they're nightly snackers or head straight to the chip bowl at a party. An easy substitute is tortilla chips.  As we all know, there's no grease or extra salt to deal with. Another plus is that they go well with salsa, another low calorie treat. Make it with fresh tomatoes, onions, and peppers or buy the jarred kind. Popcorn and pretzels are also great alternatives the first being high in fiber while the second is high in n9iacin. Some really go hardcore with the fasting such as the Greek and Russian Orthodox and forego meat, dairy, and oil along with sweets. This is an extremely healthy way to  become a full out vegan,  however be warned. Many people who just go vegan for other reasons have a bad habit of also foregoing proteins. Doing such  can cause moodiness and irritability along with sleeplessness. and a lack of energy. Seek out soy products right away and incorporate them into the diet from day one.. Try Morningstar Farms soy products  which has everything from bacon and sausage patties to chicken nuggets and beef crumbles. As for dairy, it's a good time to discover soy and almond milk , along with soy cheese and ice cream.

Lenten fasting can be the gateway to a year round healthier lifestyle. Start now with giving up the bad stuff.In forty days  you'll won;t even miss the sweets, dairy or meats.

A Dash Of China

One of the best aspects of cooking is getting creative. It could be adding a never tasted before veggie or trying out exotic spices. Chinese influenced dishes are always a crowd pleaser and fun to make, It's easy to add a touch of the Far East to everyday dishes.

Soy sauce is usually used just for splashing on lo mein or as a dip for egg rolls and spring rolls. Did you know that it could give the humble hamburger some oomph? Ground meat can be marinated in a mix of  one-half cup of soy  and one half cup of Worcester sauce. it's just molding the patties , laying them down in a glass baking dish and pouring the marinade over them.Let sit an hour before cooking. Unlike regular burgers, do not flip.They're too moist and may break apart. The patties can also have a dash of grated ginger and chopped scallions too for some heat.Soy sauce and Szechuan peppercorns can also be added to meat loaf as well as hoisin sauce. Many home chefs may have some qualms cooking with  it but once tried is a kitchen staple. It's great in  giving meat loaf a nice dark glaze along with a rich unami flavor.  Try it for a tastier barbecued and roasted chicken. It'can be mixed with soy but also works well with such everyday ingredients as brown sugar, ketchup and  honey.  Hoisin sauce can even be made at home. It's a no-cook recipe that calls for soy sauce, peanut butter, and molasses mixed with rice vinegar and sesame seed oil. Minced garlic and black pepper are added for zing along with Chinese hot sauce. This last can also be made at home, using anaheim peppers and garlic in  a mix of vegetable oil and rice wine vinegar.

Many home chefs are intrigued by the Chinese five spice blend.It's  actually a blend of rather unusual herbs such as star anise, cinnamon, Szechuan pepper, fennel seeds and cloves. You don,t have to to go to an Asian supermarket for it. McCormicks' make their version of it. (keep in mind it is expensive at $17 for 2.75 ounces). The blend can be made at home. The recipe is easy. Mix cinnamon with anise seeds, and black peppercorns, if you can't find the Chinese kind,. Fennel seeds are easy to come by, Just check out the local grocery's spice section. All the spices are then ground in a coffee grinder and can be stored for up to two months. Any meat from pork to chicken can benefit from this amazing marriage  of hot and earthy. There is a famed pork dish called Five Flower pork that has the mix  livening up a simple cut.  Vegans will love the fact that it complements tofu . Add Five Spice to stir fries grilled meats or even to sautes. Veggies can be spiked with them giving them a spark of the exotic.Combine cauliflower, squash  and corn with snow peas and mushrooms.Add the Five Spices along with soy sauce  and saute in canola oil.  Two teaspoons of flour is also used to thicken the sauce.It can even be used in a vinaigrette , perfect for a grilled chicken or   beef salad.

Chinese sauces and spices are great in livening up everyday recipes.  Try hoisin sauce for jazzing up meat loaf or Five Spices for livening up veggies. It  makes for fun cooking and fun eating!