Cool Sweet And Vegan

 Many people wonder what vegetarians and vegans enjoy in the summer.  What finishes a meal?  Ice cream and gelati are dairy based. ? Surprisingly there are products and recipes that help herbivores chill. They can have their sundaes and eat them too,

Thankfully there are some good vegan ice creams out there.One of the best is Talenti Gelati. Talenti has long been known for is'creamy and flavorful dairy based ice creams. Now they  have fruity sorbettos or sorbets in such summery flavors as strawberry,lermon , raspberry  and mango. They also offer a dairy free a cold brew coffee one - imagine that  drenched with chocolate syrup , There are also layered gelati pints , such as the chocolate fudge one and the blueberry crumble gelato layers. Another brand, exclusively for vegetarians is So Delicious. They make frozen treats in all sorts of plants milks, from soy to oat to almond to cashew to coconut.Their treats are just right for even the littlest vegan.Try their salted caramel dipped bars or their vanilla peanut bars for a fun dessert. The company also produces classic and not so classic ice cream sandwiches in the traditional chocolate and vanilla and strawberry short cake.Oatly is another vegan friendly company that uses strictly oat milk in tier creamers, cheeses, milks and ice creams. Their flavors are perfect in cones or creating classic sundaes.  Keep a pint it their coffee  and mint chip to name a few along with their their classic vanilla and chocolate.

Of course you can  create your own vegan ice cream. There was the banana based one that's very easy to make. If you're making it for yourself then just tale one banana slice it and put in in a baggie.freeze over night and when the time comes place the frozen pieces in a food processor and pulse.The end result is a creamy frozen dessert.I used to add chocolate chips to mind along with serving it in a giant  puddle of chocolate syrup. what's also great about it is there;s no added sugar.The fruit's sweetness is all the sugar you'll need. You can add peanut butter or cocoa powder to the mix for more variation. Its a soft serve type of texture so it can also be scooped into any cake or sugar cone. Some vegans and vegetarians want an ice cream that's more or less the same in texture and taste as the real thing. This requires more ingredients. Coconut milk is needed to give the ice cream that smooth dairy like mouth feel. Some combine  cashews  that have been soaked overnight in water and then pureed. along with granulated sugar and vanilla extract.It's made in a ice cream maker anfter being mixed together and chilled for four hours prior. After you can add in min flavoring, chocolate chips or any fruit like strawberries.

Vegans and vegetarians now have many options to beat the summer heat. They can buy a pint for a quick treat or create a custom flavor. Either way both are a nice way to chill out on a steamy day.

Too Much Salad?

 let's face salad is one of the easiest summer dishes to make and to eat. yet there could be trouble with overeating it. As tasty as it is there should be some stops on it. with any food, it should be eaten in moderation.

Yes a bowl of greens any time of the year has so many benefits. Salads provide us with roughage and fiber which eases digestion,Each bite is laded with vitamins and antioxidants , all of which we need.Those shreds of lettuce and slices of tomatoes help with heart health and even keep us hydrated.A salad also keeps our cells strong and healthy too. Yet can too much of a good thing be a band thing? Surprisingly yes. All those greens may result in bloating and even stomach cramps (and who wants those on a hot summer's day?) The stomach cramps are due to the high amounts of fiber along with certain veggies like raw broccoli and cauliflower acting on a delicate digestive system.There's also a nutritional imbalance. While salads provide essential vitamins they are lacking in protein and fat, essential macronutrients for overall health. There can also be allergies too ,especially if kids are eating a lot of them. Then there's always the threat of e coli  which doesn't.happens that much with other foods. ]

What happens then? Do you give up salads? No, you can just modify them. Keep in mind that salads are a great way of repurposing leftovers. Add shredded rotisserie chicken from last night.That leftover London Broil from last night';s barbecue will go great cubed in a salad with tomatoes and broccoli. Try a salad Nicoise that has a good dose of protein thanks to sliced hard boiled eggs and tuna fish. This is an easy and fun way to eat a salad and get a whole meal as well.You can also add other proteins like julienned ham and salame Cheese also works wells in  a bowl of greens.  Try a filling Greek salad with a salty but creamy feta , anchovies and grape leaves. AN Italian cold cut one would be made even more perfect and nutritious by a generous sprinkle of freshly grated Parmesan cheese.Another idea is subbing in pasta for the greens. You can easily make one using macaroni or fusilli as a base. Add sliced grape or cherry tomatoes,along with small broccoli florets. What's great about a pasta salad is that it can, be used as a main or a side dish.

Salad may be good but there is a bad side to it. Eat it in moderation. You'll enjoy it more with a better effect on your body.

Mangoes That Other Summer fruit

The warm weather brings about large bounties of peaches, watermelons and strawberries.Yet there's another summer fruit that's both versatile in savory and sweet dishes. It's the mango, that ripe orange fruit with the creamy flesh. It's just the perfect fruit for now.

Regular contributor Yewande Komolafe wrote about them in yesterday's New York Wednesday Food section.However unlike other fruits where mangoes are grown influence the flavor and sweetness. There's no homogeneity unlike with berries and stone fruits. Some are sweeter than other while other have a fibrous flesh. The best ones should be so juicy that the juices run down the chin.Ms. Komolafe grew up in the Nigerian capital of Lagos. There mango trees graced the roads with the air being filled with eh evergreen like scent of the branches and the sweet aroma of the fruit.Nigerians eat the  whole fruit, skin and all, In New York it's a bit different. Slice off a bit of each cheek and eat towards the middle.It took Ms Komolafe a while before she took her first bite of a city sold fruit.Shopping for mangoes is like shopping for any other fruit.Focus on feel and color rather than aroma. There should be some give to the flesh like an avocado. Do the sniff test. A ripe mango will have a sweet fruity aroma. Go for these.

Ms. Komolafe gives a plethora of different recipes. There is a salad featuring the other stars of the season - tomatoes. They should be the Heirloom variety for  the ultimate sweetness. Shallots are also added a long with butter lettuce or romaine hearts.Use two ripe sliced mangoes, peeled pitted and cut in half inch slices. The vinaigrette is a simple one.,perfect for summer.It's a neutral oil like grapeseed mixed with apple cider vinegar ,honey and Dijon mustard. For a great side with spicy grilled chicken there is a mango pepper relish.The sweet fruit is pickled with fiery Scotch Bonnets pr birds eye peppers along with green peppers and onions Lime juice gives it zing while rice wine vinegar adds the pickling aspect.Sugar is also added to gel everything together. Use three slightly firm but ripe mangoes for this.Yes there is a lush mango dessert.This is mango shortcakes with a lime coconut cream.The shortcakes  have shredded coconut for added sweetness. The filling is three cubed and peeled just ripe mangoes mixed with lime juice. Salt and epper temper the sweetness. It;s layered with a homemade whipped cream fora truly summery decadence.

Mangoes  are a summer star .Use them in both savory and sweet recipes.They're delicious and sweet , perfect on their own or with other flavors.

A Meal And An Egg Cream

 Phil rosenhal is best known for being one fo the creators of the great comedy "Everybody Loves Raymond." Yet he's also a  foodie, loving every high and low end place. he now has another season of his popular season and a diner all set to open.Then there's the egg creams. Every episode ends with a delicious glass of foam and chocolate.

Regular contributor Julia Moskin contributed the article about him in today's New York Times Food Wednesday section.For Ray ROmano fans, Mr.rosenthal's name is well known.He produced and wrote the show's episodes while his wife Monica Horan played Amy, Ray's sister-in-law on the show.Yet he also had a soft spot for food - all kinds.It's surprising ,considering his background. His parents, both escapees from Nazi Germany (his mother and grandmother spent time in a French concentration camp) stuck to basically bland food. He didn't;t taste garlic until he was an undergrad at nearby. Hoftsra University His father  only care for one dish - scrambled eggs. In fact his question about them -"Are they fluffy?" is on his tombstone. When Mr Rosenthal was an aspiring actor he saved up for months to eat at such gourmet Meccas like the famous La Lutece and The Quilted Giraffe.He then could afford to eat anywhere after he moved to Los Angeles and garnered success with Raymond.

After his TV show ended, he became wrapped up in  food reporting. He hired the late  Anthony Bourdain's production company Zero Point Zero for his own show "Somebody Feed Phil."It first aired on PBS and then moved to Netflix. He had originally pitched another comedy but that didn't take off so he turned his attention to food. He traveled around more and spent more time with food experts., chef Nancy Silverton who now also cooks for his diner Max and Helen's .named for his parents. There was also the late Los Angeles Times food critic Jonathan Gold. He adopted  Mr. Gold's philosophy of showing what other people eat , clsoign teh gaps between ethnic groups. Mr. Rosenthal even has cookbooks and a new one "Phil'd favorites  is coming out in November. Being from the New York area every episode ends with an egg cream. This is a sip of heaven for egg cream lovers. His recipe calls for the classic city soda shop syrup Fox's U-UBet and milk mixed with a plain seltzer (although it';s sheer perfection blended with a cherry flavored seltzer).Use three tablespoons of syrup to one half cup of milk and add seltzer to taste. Cut down on the milk for a truly foamy, fizzy drink.

Does the world need another foodie exploring restaurants and countries> Yes, if the foodie in question is Phil ROsenthal. He brings sweetness and dedication along with a love of food and people to a great show.

A Decadent Classic Veganized

One of the most decadent yet homey sandwiches is the grilled cheese .Its's brings back memories of a buttery fried crust and the decadence of cheese  - a good cheese or Gruyere to bring out the flavor. Yet it can be too ric. There is a healthier yet still decadent version - the vegan one.

I've been dying for a grilled cheese for a while. I finally have all the ingredients - the vegan ones. it starts with a good plant based butter to fry the sandwich.

I like using I Can't Believe Its; Not Butter but for a more authentic flavor try Melt. It was just two big tablespoons .

THe bread is a whole wheat panini type from Acme.They have a good selection of freshly baked all natural breads.The cheese - which is all important is Violife mature Cheddar . it's not sharp but actually does have an aged flavor. A thick slick of Hellman's vegan mayo on the cheese adds a richer flavor .

It was just a quick fry for five minutes on each side. The cheese does melt - and actually sticks to the frying pan. The cheese was melty and creamy, I know grilled cheese should be made with uniform slices of white bread, yet a seeded whole wheat gives the sandwich a nutty layer of flavor.

This was a relatively healthier version.It's still good with its' homey yet decadent gooeyness.It hits the spot without being too bad for you.

On Rotation

 it's summer and all home chefs want simple dishes they can count on for ease and flavor. These are made often and are called rotation dishes.Sometimes they're made tow to three times a week . Sometimes they're made more often. what toes them all together? They deliver.

I find that with any vegan chicken dish and salad kits. Together they create a tasty meal that I can whip up in seconds. Tonight it was Daring Plant Chicken, Lemon and Herb falvor

This is an easy saute in olive oil. The seasoning is already there (and I can add extra lemon juice to really tang it up)> The pieces fry up crispy and chewy like regular

chicken. Ten minutes and they nicely brown with crispy , crunchy edges. The lemon and herb is perfect _although I think the next time I'll try the teriyaki with instant rice or Cajun style with a a jollof.

I love a good chicken and salad dinner and I  have been making Fresh express salads for the last few days, Tonight was the Twisted Casesar

These salad kits are must buys during the summer. They have everything from croutons to shredded cheese and other add in like sesame seeds along with dressings. ( I add extra oil and white wine vinegar to thin out the dressing.You can add tomatoes or broccoli florets too. If it;s your main meal, then leftover steak or shredded rotisserie chicken will stretch it.

Skillet plant based chicken and a salad kit is an easy summer night dinner. This is what should be on your rotation. They're easy to make and easy to eat.

An Easy Cannellini Bean Dish

 It's summer and that means two things - easy cooking and easy eating. A hearty bean dip is one of these. Yet this has an Italian spin to it and is a lighter one in way . Cannellini beans, olive oil  basil, and oregano. make it a different kind of dip or hummus. 

This cannellini dip came in my email .It looked like the perfect dosh for a different Fourth of July.

It just too two regular cans of cannellini beans (everything was bought during a Lidl shopping trip) .

I used a good three tablespoons of olive oil to create a smoothness. 

it was then adding dashes of oregano and garlic powder along with salt and freshly ground pepper. These can be adjusted to taste. I like a garlicky .slightly peppery flavor so I add more garlic powder and pepper./Basil can be added as well for a fresh ,green taste too but go easy with it.

I used my trusty immersion blender but I used it sparingly. Too much blending and it becomes soupy. Too little and you still have bean chunks. It should look like a slightly knobby paste. The dark green is the  fresh basil I added.

What went with this? I bought a fresh loaf (It was steaming hot in the store!!!) of Lidly' rosemary walnut bread. 

This was a great supper for the Fourth. A big hunk of delicious bread drizzled with olive oil and then dipped 

in the bean dip. You can also use pits chips along with potato chips and Italian bread.

Cannellini bean dip is one of those easy summer recipes.It's easy to make.It's easy to eat. Make a bowl of it for a summer time treat.