Sorry about the absence of yesterday's column. yet again thsi foodie was sick - in the grips of a particularly violent stomach virus.(imagine 24 hours of straight agony and you' ve got my Saturday)
Anyway tomorrow will be a new month and new and fun subjects.
Liz
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Friday, January 29, 2010
A Thermos Full of Goodness
Just because it’s winter , doesn’t mean you should not take advantage of the out doors. There are sunny, crisp days that are perfect for skiing, skating and even just walking on the beach. What makes these activities bearable is having a thermos by your side. There’s nothing like a hot cup of coffee or tea that keeps your blood warm during a frigid day out.
What goes well in a thermos? A couple of cups of coffee. If you plan on doing a lot start with the caffeinated kind and some milk. If you want to add some brandy for kick do so but not enough that it’ll impair you. This is good for warming your veins and you’ll be ready for anything. Also a hot coffee is a good companion to any kind of sandwich. Hot tea is also good . Pick something milk like Earl Grey or Lady Grey add some lemon or even a squeeze of orange and some sugar. Hot tea is a good companion during a long walk . Again, like coffee. it’s also good with a sandwich and even better with granola bars or organic cookies.
Many people like hot cocoa in their thermos. This is a fine idea however it does make one thirsty. I think the scratch kind is better than the commercial ones. These can be too sweet , like soda and can leave you wanting some water afterwards. Make your own , using hot milk, Droste powdered chocolate and a small amount of sugar You can also make a variation of a mocha by adding coffee to the mix. This cuts down on the sweetness even more and makes for a bracing drink.
If you’re planning on cold weather activities, then bring a thermos with you. There’s nothing like breaking for a hot coffee , tea or hot cocoa. they’re not only warming but restorative. . You’ll feel like staying out no matter how low the temps go!
What goes well in a thermos? A couple of cups of coffee. If you plan on doing a lot start with the caffeinated kind and some milk. If you want to add some brandy for kick do so but not enough that it’ll impair you. This is good for warming your veins and you’ll be ready for anything. Also a hot coffee is a good companion to any kind of sandwich. Hot tea is also good . Pick something milk like Earl Grey or Lady Grey add some lemon or even a squeeze of orange and some sugar. Hot tea is a good companion during a long walk . Again, like coffee. it’s also good with a sandwich and even better with granola bars or organic cookies.
Many people like hot cocoa in their thermos. This is a fine idea however it does make one thirsty. I think the scratch kind is better than the commercial ones. These can be too sweet , like soda and can leave you wanting some water afterwards. Make your own , using hot milk, Droste powdered chocolate and a small amount of sugar You can also make a variation of a mocha by adding coffee to the mix. This cuts down on the sweetness even more and makes for a bracing drink.
If you’re planning on cold weather activities, then bring a thermos with you. There’s nothing like breaking for a hot coffee , tea or hot cocoa. they’re not only warming but restorative. . You’ll feel like staying out no matter how low the temps go!
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Dining and Downward Dogs.
Can foodies enjoy yoga and yoga students enjoy food? In some classes yes. Yesterday’s New York Times Dining section has an interesting article about incorporating the two. Dinner courses are being brought in by local restaurant owners and enjoyed after a sweaty hour of stretching and getting in touch with one’s inner bliss is it a good idea? Yes, if it replenishes a depleted body and serves for a better appreciation for the food.
The article written by Dining regular Julia Moskin tells of ashrams and local NY city yoga classes that serve food. It’s healthy vegan food, adhering to the Ahimsa belief of not harm others including animals. Some yoga instructors even bring a variety of dishes, usually tempeh mixed with vegetables and spices. Butters, fats and processed food is never served . Some yoga instructors do allow meat dishes to be brought and eaten. They follow the idea that what ever it takes to bring the yoga students to their nirvana , then do it, even if it involves beef or chicken.
In a way it is a good idea. I’m sure people build up an appetite after an hour of any physical activity. A multi dish buffet satisfies that. Another facet if it is that communal eating brings the students closer together and they can bond more. Also the instructors are introducing them to healthier foods and the Indian ayurveda way of eating and keeping th e body in balance . The yogis find out what doshis or dominance their students possess. There are vata - wind or air, pitta bile or kapha phlegm. Foods are invested with properties such as warming and cooling, heavy or light wet or dry.
Should yoga and food combine? Yes, if it means introducing the student and the body to healthier eating. It also shows more aspects of the practice and maybe enables students to have a better understanding of yoga. Not just stretching helps with enlightenment but eating does too.
The article written by Dining regular Julia Moskin tells of ashrams and local NY city yoga classes that serve food. It’s healthy vegan food, adhering to the Ahimsa belief of not harm others including animals. Some yoga instructors even bring a variety of dishes, usually tempeh mixed with vegetables and spices. Butters, fats and processed food is never served . Some yoga instructors do allow meat dishes to be brought and eaten. They follow the idea that what ever it takes to bring the yoga students to their nirvana , then do it, even if it involves beef or chicken.
In a way it is a good idea. I’m sure people build up an appetite after an hour of any physical activity. A multi dish buffet satisfies that. Another facet if it is that communal eating brings the students closer together and they can bond more. Also the instructors are introducing them to healthier foods and the Indian ayurveda way of eating and keeping th e body in balance . The yogis find out what doshis or dominance their students possess. There are vata - wind or air, pitta bile or kapha phlegm. Foods are invested with properties such as warming and cooling, heavy or light wet or dry.
Should yoga and food combine? Yes, if it means introducing the student and the body to healthier eating. It also shows more aspects of the practice and maybe enables students to have a better understanding of yoga. Not just stretching helps with enlightenment but eating does too.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Cooking After A Busy Day
The last thing you want to do after a busy day is cook. The problem is what to eat? Do you go for a quick but fattening take out? Eat dinner at yet another restaurant or food court? Whip pout the microwave dinners? Or just eat another bowl of cereal and call it a day?
You can create easy and filling meals even when you’re too pooped to care what you eat. The key is to shop when you have the time and anticipate dinner hours like this. You can also shop on the way home to ensure you get fresh ingredients as well. I like to stock up on cans of deviled ham and chicken. Mix these with mayo, some tarragon or celery seeds and I have a creamy and tasty filling for sandwiches or a spread for crackers. Another must have is a can of tuna, whether plain or flavored. I usually have a tin of the Bumblebee lemon pepper flavored one. I love this in a simple salad of Romaine lettuce, grape tomatoes and assorted other veggies. I just put a simple vinaigrette on I,t serve it with crackers and it’s a filling yet light dinner. There’s also very little clean up too,
Of course there is the lure of a hot meal , especially after a hard or trying day. To me there’s nothing like a hot open faced roast beef or turkey sandwich. Just buy some fresh sliced meat at your deli counter, along with a jar of gravy and Kaiser rolls. Pour the heated gravy over the open faced sandwich and - voila- a hot comfort food. You can whip up some instant mashed potatoes if your prefer that with your meat and gravy. Another good idea is Knorr‘s Soup mixes. Their cream of leek and cream of spinach is a nice spin on soup and tastes like homemade. You can also cook up their spring vegetable a thin kind of soup, and load it up with orzo or pastina. This creates a flavorful and filling dish in no time. It’s better than a plate of pasta and just as satisfying.
Don’t despair after a busy day. There are plenty of easy , hot or cold filling dinners to make and create. They require very little time and very little effort. All you have to do is just kick back and savor them.
You can create easy and filling meals even when you’re too pooped to care what you eat. The key is to shop when you have the time and anticipate dinner hours like this. You can also shop on the way home to ensure you get fresh ingredients as well. I like to stock up on cans of deviled ham and chicken. Mix these with mayo, some tarragon or celery seeds and I have a creamy and tasty filling for sandwiches or a spread for crackers. Another must have is a can of tuna, whether plain or flavored. I usually have a tin of the Bumblebee lemon pepper flavored one. I love this in a simple salad of Romaine lettuce, grape tomatoes and assorted other veggies. I just put a simple vinaigrette on I,t serve it with crackers and it’s a filling yet light dinner. There’s also very little clean up too,
Of course there is the lure of a hot meal , especially after a hard or trying day. To me there’s nothing like a hot open faced roast beef or turkey sandwich. Just buy some fresh sliced meat at your deli counter, along with a jar of gravy and Kaiser rolls. Pour the heated gravy over the open faced sandwich and - voila- a hot comfort food. You can whip up some instant mashed potatoes if your prefer that with your meat and gravy. Another good idea is Knorr‘s Soup mixes. Their cream of leek and cream of spinach is a nice spin on soup and tastes like homemade. You can also cook up their spring vegetable a thin kind of soup, and load it up with orzo or pastina. This creates a flavorful and filling dish in no time. It’s better than a plate of pasta and just as satisfying.
Don’t despair after a busy day. There are plenty of easy , hot or cold filling dinners to make and create. They require very little time and very little effort. All you have to do is just kick back and savor them.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Cream of Wheat Creamy Goodness
There’s nothing like a hot bowl of cream of wheat cereal on a winter morning. It’s filling, tasty and nutritious. It can arm for you a bad or stressful day ahead along with giving you the strength to boldly face a l winter’s day
Cream of Wheat was firs t invented in 1893 by North Dakota wheat farmers in grand Forks. It made it’s debt at the World‘s Columbian Exposition the same year in Chicago Illinois. The idea behind it is the same as for grits except that milled wheat or farina is used. Commercial farina is a little younger first being mass produced in 1898. The cereal is only 130 calories and five calories in fat. It is high in iron, around 57 per cent which make sit an excellent addition to any diet. You can buy it plain or with flavorings such as maple, cinnamon along with fruit ones such as strawberry, apple and raisin.
Cream of wheat isn‘t for everyone. If not enough water and milk are added, the cereal looks like a hot gummy mess. Too much liquid and it becomes a breakfast soup. The best result is add about equal parts boiling water, stir and then add a good portion of milk until the mixture is creamy. Cream of wheat is sort of like silky grits to the novice farina eater lacking the crunch and chew of regular cereals or instant oatmeal. Its’ taste, when mixed with either maple syrup or cinnamon will make you addicted though because it’s a mild, soothing flavor.
During these cold and stormy days it’s nice to start the day with something hot and soothing.
Try a bowl of Cream of Wheat to keep you warm and toasty. It the like the food equivalent of a security blanket - the perfect thing to have before you face bittern winds and icy temps.
Cream of Wheat was firs t invented in 1893 by North Dakota wheat farmers in grand Forks. It made it’s debt at the World‘s Columbian Exposition the same year in Chicago Illinois. The idea behind it is the same as for grits except that milled wheat or farina is used. Commercial farina is a little younger first being mass produced in 1898. The cereal is only 130 calories and five calories in fat. It is high in iron, around 57 per cent which make sit an excellent addition to any diet. You can buy it plain or with flavorings such as maple, cinnamon along with fruit ones such as strawberry, apple and raisin.
Cream of wheat isn‘t for everyone. If not enough water and milk are added, the cereal looks like a hot gummy mess. Too much liquid and it becomes a breakfast soup. The best result is add about equal parts boiling water, stir and then add a good portion of milk until the mixture is creamy. Cream of wheat is sort of like silky grits to the novice farina eater lacking the crunch and chew of regular cereals or instant oatmeal. Its’ taste, when mixed with either maple syrup or cinnamon will make you addicted though because it’s a mild, soothing flavor.
During these cold and stormy days it’s nice to start the day with something hot and soothing.
Try a bowl of Cream of Wheat to keep you warm and toasty. It the like the food equivalent of a security blanket - the perfect thing to have before you face bittern winds and icy temps.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Sweet Monkee Cookies A New Sweet Treat
I’ve just discovered a great new non bake cookie. it’s from Sweet Monkee and it’s combo of all those good things - oatmeal flax seed, dried cranberries and oatmeal. These are hearty little scoops that have to be eaten in two sittings. They’re a new spin on an old recipe
Sweet Monkee was created by Tina Tomkins Ames for her café in 2007 in upstate Clarence New York. Using a family recipe she created a delicious and highly addictive treat for her café. One thing led to another and now she sells via the internet as well as through Vegan Essentials. I bought my first batch, the Chunk Monkee flavor through them. This is a combo of peanut butter, oatmeal, dried cranberries and flax seed. The box was gone within a day and I wanted to try the Coco Monkee. Unfortunately the online store was out of them so I went to the source itself and ordered two box of the chocolate variety. To my delight I found out there were other flavors including Luv Monkees ( ones with a Hershey’s Kiss in the center) and Cosmic Monkees - ones covered in multicolored sprinkles. There are also Cinna Monkees and PB& J ones too. There’s even a Monkee of the Month Club. You can also contact them for any fund raising as well.
I love these cookies and they’ve instantly become my new favorite. They remind me of the awful sounding but yummy cow patty cookies . I’m looking forward to the chocolate ones and I plan on sending away for the Luv Monkees too. The texture is creamy and chewy all at once and I love the tangy bite of the cranberries. They’re not that high in calories and fat. They are also gluten and wheat free and have no milk or eggs in the recipe. The Monkees are also the only cookie with green tea added to them,. They’re also the perfect dessert for those with allergies.
Treat yourself to Sweet Monkee cookies. These are highly addictive sweets that are just a joy to taste. Talk about Monkee love!
Go to www.sweetmonkees.com to order these bites from heaven. The site also caters to fundraisers too.
Sweet Monkee was created by Tina Tomkins Ames for her café in 2007 in upstate Clarence New York. Using a family recipe she created a delicious and highly addictive treat for her café. One thing led to another and now she sells via the internet as well as through Vegan Essentials. I bought my first batch, the Chunk Monkee flavor through them. This is a combo of peanut butter, oatmeal, dried cranberries and flax seed. The box was gone within a day and I wanted to try the Coco Monkee. Unfortunately the online store was out of them so I went to the source itself and ordered two box of the chocolate variety. To my delight I found out there were other flavors including Luv Monkees ( ones with a Hershey’s Kiss in the center) and Cosmic Monkees - ones covered in multicolored sprinkles. There are also Cinna Monkees and PB& J ones too. There’s even a Monkee of the Month Club. You can also contact them for any fund raising as well.
I love these cookies and they’ve instantly become my new favorite. They remind me of the awful sounding but yummy cow patty cookies . I’m looking forward to the chocolate ones and I plan on sending away for the Luv Monkees too. The texture is creamy and chewy all at once and I love the tangy bite of the cranberries. They’re not that high in calories and fat. They are also gluten and wheat free and have no milk or eggs in the recipe. The Monkees are also the only cookie with green tea added to them,. They’re also the perfect dessert for those with allergies.
Treat yourself to Sweet Monkee cookies. These are highly addictive sweets that are just a joy to taste. Talk about Monkee love!
Go to www.sweetmonkees.com to order these bites from heaven. The site also caters to fundraisers too.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
The Amazing Potato Part 2
Yesterday I wrote about mashed and French fried potatoes in the vast array of tater dishes. There are so many of them that it deserves two days worth of writing. Today it's time for th e more "upscale dishes" such as scallopped or gratinee potatoes as well as soups. The first adds class and , flavor and character as a side to any roast while the second make a wonderful, elegant lunch or dinner staple.
Scalloped potatoes are an easy to fix dish but they add a very classy touch to any roast beef or pork dinner. The dish is also called gratinee or dauphinais because it originated in the Dauphin region of southwestern France . Using a mandolin, slice russet potatoes wafer thin and layer in a buttered casserole dish. Spread milk or cream on each layer and bake for forty minutes in a 325 degree oven. They can be baked alongside a roast.Variations can include a mix of grated Gruyere and breadcrumbs on the top or even breadcrumbs between the potato layers.
Potatoes also make wonderful soup especially vichyssoise. This is a simple yet classic potato soup not from France surprisingly, but from New York City. The man who invented it . Louis Diat named it after his hometown of Vichy France. It is a cold soup or potage glacee and made with leeks and pureed potatoes . For heartier fare during this cold weather stick with hot soup such as baked potato soup. This is popular even in diners. It's a simple soup full of pureed and chunks of the tuber. Usually there is bacon. cheddar cheese bits and chives added to to give it a "Loaded potato taste"
Making potatoes into scalloped or soup dishes is easy. Both are great ways of exploring the different sides of this versatile tuber.Try them to bring out the best tastes and textures of the potatoes.
Scalloped potatoes are an easy to fix dish but they add a very classy touch to any roast beef or pork dinner. The dish is also called gratinee or dauphinais because it originated in the Dauphin region of southwestern France . Using a mandolin, slice russet potatoes wafer thin and layer in a buttered casserole dish. Spread milk or cream on each layer and bake for forty minutes in a 325 degree oven. They can be baked alongside a roast.Variations can include a mix of grated Gruyere and breadcrumbs on the top or even breadcrumbs between the potato layers.
Potatoes also make wonderful soup especially vichyssoise. This is a simple yet classic potato soup not from France surprisingly, but from New York City. The man who invented it . Louis Diat named it after his hometown of Vichy France. It is a cold soup or potage glacee and made with leeks and pureed potatoes . For heartier fare during this cold weather stick with hot soup such as baked potato soup. This is popular even in diners. It's a simple soup full of pureed and chunks of the tuber. Usually there is bacon. cheddar cheese bits and chives added to to give it a "Loaded potato taste"
Making potatoes into scalloped or soup dishes is easy. Both are great ways of exploring the different sides of this versatile tuber.Try them to bring out the best tastes and textures of the potatoes.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
