Don't Give Up GIve This Lent

 Ash Wednesday signifies the start of Lent.For many it's giivng up favorite foods, namely sweets and snacks. Yeti nstead of giving up , why not give. It can be food ,it can be time to cook for those who are alone or can;t cook for themselves anymore. Givng up is good. Giving is better.

Sacrificing your time to make a hot lunch for an elderly neighbor is always good. There's nothing like a hot homemade soup and a sandwich. You can invite themover or make a container and bring it to their house or apartment to cook up. Include a salad and rolls for a heartier meal. The weather is hopefully going to improve aswe move towards Easter. it would be a perfect time for an early picnic, whether in the local park or even the backyard. Pack sandwiches and chips if they can have them (or grape tomatoes if you can find good ones) along with drinks for sunny lunch out. This is also the time for severe blizzards too. Make sure those that can't get to the stores are well stocked. Buy extra staples such as milk, eggs and butter along with soups and frozen dinners. Make sure they have plenty of water, juice coffee and tea too.If it's a neighbor you can easily run over with hot food and  eat with them. Have the kids shovel and salt their walks and driveways too. 

Another good act is sharing. As we all know food prices have gone through the roof. It's horrible for those who are just eking by. If you can buy them groceries. Some stores are featuring buy one or two get the third free. Take advantage of this. Some stories like Acme and Stop & Shop have these kind fo sales on sodas and water. deinitely take advantage of this and share the third carton.There are also occasional sales on bags of apples and oranges. Give these to friends and family with kids so the little ones can have nutritional snacks. Check to see of there are sales on more expensive ticket items like cold cuts and certain sweets. Buy two packages of coldcuts or if there's a rare sale on rotisserie chickens then get an extra for family and friends who are struggling. Also eveyone loves homemade food packages.There's nothing to creating an extra lasagna or casserole.Bake two loaves or bread or an extra batch of cookies Warmer days can be perfect for an cookout for everyone. Take them out to dinner or lunch too . Many places like Applebee's are offering free meals for kids , perfect for loved ones with little ones.

Don't give up this Lent. Give instead. Think of those who are food challenged or don;t have family or friends in their immeidate area. Give them your time and food.

Laissez Les Gauffres Roulex

 It;s not only Mardi Gras but also Shrove Tuesday. YOu could have pancakes today or amp it up eoth gauffres or waffles. It's a fun way of celebrating.

I didn;t have the time for making pancakes so I went with Target's Good & Gather brand Belgian waffles.

Even better these can be air fried.

It just takes four minuteson each side to cook at 350 degrees Farenheit.

These were a great way to celebrate .I slathered Melt butter on them  and drenched them in Good & Gather's pure maple syrup. These were really tasty and crunchy. I plan on trying their chocolate ones for a decadent dessert.Also the maple syrup was excellent too, with a rich flavor with hints of vanilla.

Celebrate this night anyway you can. Go wild with waffles. Jump into jambalaya. Enjoy this last day of merry making and good food.

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.

A Cozy Mardi Gras

 Mardi Gras happens on this Tuesday  which means it happens on a work day. You can still celebrate but in a lesser,more cozy style.There's plenty of different and even easy on a work night to make.

Keep in mind that the day is also Shrove Tuesday , a day to celebrate with pancakes.This was a time to get rid of all the dairy and fat in the house. Pancakes fit that bill. These can be made for breakfast and even dinner and if you're home lunch.If you don't have the time, then make the batter Monday night and keep in the fridge overnight. This will give you a crepe like pancake, thin and crispy. You can serve with butter and maple syrup or just butter, granulated sugar and butter, like the New York Times Food section recommended. You can also fold them and stuff sauted cinnmon apples or add some ham and cheese for a savory kind of bite. Another sweet treat is the beignet. It is a yeast dough, reminiscent of a doughnut. Again  you can make this on Monday if you're off for Presidents Day. The dogh does have to be kneaded and rolled out along with proofed for anywhere from an hour to an hour and fifteen minutes in a buttered bowl. Once cut and air fried for six minutes, you have delicious bites  dusted in powdered sugar or ready to be dipped in chocolate or caramel sauce.

You can also celebrate with classic Mardi Gras dishes cooked in a crockpot. Jambalaya is an easy cook in one. Make it on th e morning and let it simmer all day. This is a great way of letting the different spcies blend together for a tasty , delicious bowl. Of course it has the holy trinity of red bell pepper, celery and onion  The recipe can be amended with taking out the raw shrimp and adding crab or adding more chicken and Andouille sausage or less. If you want to make it vegetarian, then add Fieldcrest plant based sausage and more veggies like green bell peppers,  Serve with easy minute rice to absorb all that luscious gravy. Gumbo is another easy Mardi Gras dish that you can make in a snap. It does start with a roux but this is an easy base of butter and flour cooked together. This only takes five to six minutes and then added to the crock pot with the holy trinity again along with chicken , shrimp and Andouille sausage. What makes this different than the jambalaya is the addition of okra. This is a thickener which makes the gumbo potage like.  You can get the filet powder which is ground sassafras tree leaf at your local grocery or at Wal-Mart. 

You cna have a cozy Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday with simple but fun dishes. Both sweet and savory can be enjoyed during this party time. Go wild on a smaller scale.

A Vegan White Chili

 White chili has been a thing now for several years,It's a different alternative to the traditional red chili. Is it as good as people say? It is different , yet the same in some ways.

I 've been wanting to make this for a while.To be honest it's hard to find a good vegan crockpot recipe for it. I cobbled together one from several different recipes.White chili starts with veggies and beans. I used the fajita mix from my local Stop & Shop. You can add corn.I didn't because it'sa bit too strong for me.

I wanted to give it some color and was pleased that there were red and green peppers along with sliced white onions. As for the beans I used only white as was recommended.Cannelini is the best because they add a creaminess. the chickpeas had texture and more flavor.

These were first cooked with olive oil in the crockpot

You could add any oil but I like the flavor that olive oil gives..

There are also spices involved. I used generous amounts  of powdered garlic, cumin and chili powder, adding a good dash when I thought the chili was bland tasting(I recommend tasting throughout the whole cooking)

 I also used garlic powder but you can saute a minced clove too.It was then time to add the beans and liquids I used two cups of vegetable broth which I realized was a mistake.It made the chili too soupy.

                                               

                                                   Along with 3/4 of a cup of almond milk.

Let it cook it up on high for a couple of hours. White chili requires a creamy base such as cream cheese .I used Violife's and added it half an hour before serving.

I used the entire container and stirred it in with a fork. This is how it looked fully cooked.

It was actually better rehreated the day after for lunch.I added rice to absorb all that broth.

Again it will take more tinkering to make this as good as red chili. I plan on cutting down on the veggie broth, and adding two containers of cream cheese.it will definitely be served with rice or polenta too.

White chili is a nice alternative to the red variety. It's a different flavor , creamy and spicy.It's perfect for the still chilly days ahead.

welcoming Lent with Tasty Dishes

 Tuesday is Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday. It's a time to not only celebrate but use up foods forbidden tfor the Lenten period. These are butter and milk which can add to any dish.\

Newcomer Matt Haines who is also the author of The Big Book of King Cakes and The Little Book Of King Cakes wrote about this in yesterday's New York Times Food section.He knows abotu mardi Gras living in New orleans and writing about that classic King Cake.It's celebrated all over the Christian world from fastnacht in Germany to Shrove Tuesday in part of the US and the UK.It's mostly a day to celebrate with rich treats.One of the easiest to makes are pancakes. Mr Haines gives us buttery pancakes with sugar and lemon. These are more like crepes, thin and crispy fried in butter. These are on my radar to make on Tuesday Mine will be a vegan version, subbing in Just Egg for the egg used and frying the pancakes in a mix of Melt and vegetable oil. The recipe also calls for a teaspoon of baking powder for lift. It's  served with granulated sugar and lemon , much in the style of a street crepe. I may just douse mine in Melt and maple syrup.There is also Carnivale celebrated in Brazil with big raucous parties and parades. Is it any wonder that they have colorfully dyed pancakes stuffed with freshly grated coconut and jaggery or palm sugar. Cardamon pods also give them extra flavor as well along with an earthy spicy flavor. The pancakes are the typical recipe but with sugar added.

Even the northern countries like Sweden have special pre Lenten treats Ingrid Schatz makes cardamon buns at her  Richmond Virginia bakery Axelsdotter.These are called semlor anf it makes her customers nostalgic for them, reminiscing about eating the treats  with their parents. The whole day is special in Sweden as it its in other countries. She feels proud to contnue with the tradition. The dough is a yeast one made with bread flour (preferably the King Arthur brand ) and dry yeast. It has seven tablespoons of butter for a rich flavor. The filling is a mix of Odense almond paste, whipping cream, confectioner's sugar and vanilla. This creates a stiffer filling that can easily be piped into the buns and not lose its' shape The recipe is a bit labor intensive with the sugar , butter and milk cooked to what the Swedes call fingenvarm, just above body temperature. The filling is made as the buns are baking. They also have to be forned into balls and left to rise for forty five minutes , covered in Saran wrap.Once baked, the tops are cut off and there should be room made to accomodate the filling.Pipe the filling on top and then decoate with a square of the bun's top.

Celebrate Fat Tuesday or mardi Gras any way you want. Use up that fat and sugar for fun treats. It's a day for tasty treats before the austerity of Lent.

Delving Into NOLA's Past

 New Orleans hs always been knonw for it's phenomneal food. Many thought the French were responsible for this culinary paradiuse. However delve deeper and its' the enslaved that gave the city its' distinct flavor. Now it's coming to light in a variety of ways.

Regular contributor and famed food writer Brett Anderson wrote about his native cityin today's New York Times Food section.For centuries the French influence was thought to be the guiding light in their local cuisine. However this is wrong. It's the West African influence . It's the force behnd jambalaya and gumbo. A new generation of black chefs is discovering thus as well as the strong Caribbean and Creole influence too. The dishes are being featured in such restaurants as Dakar NOLA. There is Last Meal , a blend of black eyed peas, crispy rice and Louisiana blue crab. A dish  called from ndambe that the restaurant's chef Serigne Mbaye ate while growing upin Senegal. It was fed to enslaved West Africans beofre they boarded ships to the US.LAst Meal's variuation contained palmoil which us high in saturated fat. Kidnapped Africans needed to be Fattened up" before being loaded on tp slave ships.Their investments had to be protected. It's a story that Chef Mbaye shares with diners.

There are other stories that reflect the city's racist history. New Orleans has always been known as a town of merriment and great food and drinks.It was also a majority Black city at possessed a thriving slave market where more than 135,000  individuals were sold. The disparity that started then is still existing now. Chefs  such as Chef Mbaye want to emphasize the importance and contribution of the enslaved in the region's dishes. They are dismantling the whitewashed stories about the European influence  that have been fed to tourists for generations. There's a strong emphasis on the French which extends back to slavery according to Zella Pamer anfood scholar and the director of the Ray Charles Progran in African American Material Culture at Dillard University. She pointed out that most of the enslaved people brought to Louisiana in the early Eighteenth Century came from West African, and that included the Senegambia people.. The New New Orelans are getting more and more West African restaurants and with them the truth about New Orelans cooking. Stories are being told and the Frenhc influence myth like the famed Galatoire's ]was influenced by Chef Prudence instead of Jean Galatoire, a white French man.

NewOrleans is indeed a city of good food. Yet it is not solely French as many are want to think.It is the African Creole and Caribbean influences that make its' food great.