It's Apple Season

With fall comes apples along with the myriad of recipes. What is great about them is that they can be a snack , a side or a dessert. They're perfect for any meal from breakfast to lunch to dinner.Be creative and brave with autumn's gems!

What you pick decides what you make,If you bring home baskets of Golden Delicious apples, then realize that they're best for apple sauce while Honey Crisps are better for eating fresh and to put into salads.Most of the varieties are good for snacking. Think about pairing slices with peanut butter or even better pair it with slices or cubes of sharp Vermont cheddar. A fun snack or dessert is the tart Granny Smith slices with a caramel dip. You can buy it or make your own using brown sugar and sweet cream. Some recipes call for cream cheese for extra creaminess along with a dash of brown cinnamon for extra bite.You could also just microwave caramels such as Kraft' s with a spritz of water added in for smoothness.Fresh apple slices are also perfect added to any breakfast. Slip them in to hot oatmeal or cold rice puffs for more flavor and fiber.A fun weekend breakfast or brunch dish is a Dutch baby. This is a giant (think skillet size) pancake baked in the oven and then sprinkled with a dusting of powdered sugar. Apples can even be added to French toast as a topping or baked inside a French toast casserole.

Of course apples can also liven up a lunch too. A few crisp slices in any salad makes it special. Use two different types such as the sweet Golden Delicious and the crunchy Roma, Try one that just has apples and cherry tomatoes. Spike it up with chilis and peppery mesclun greens.  Think of adding slices to a chicken salad, whether it's made with greens and last night's leftover roaster or one with mayo and raisins. Apples can be used as a side dish for a dinner as they are in Germany. Many German pork dishes comes with a side of sauteed apples. The apples' sugars break down the complex proteins of the meat, making it easier to digest. It also is a great foil for the pork's distinct flavor. You can easily make an applesauce in your crock pot or pressure cooker and use it for roasted pork or pork chops. An easier spin is sauteed apples. This is just simply sauteing the slices with butter, cinnamon and brown sugar. Add cornstarch to thicken it. Sauteed apples are even good reheated with the pork as the meat's savory juices mix with the apples. Of course , anything with apples is the perfect dessert. Think an untraditional one with a cheddar crust. This is a bit more flavorful than the average crust. Or go sweet with a caramel walnut loaded apple pie. Baked apples are another great dessert. Go elegant with ones poached in a sweet red wine or fun with ones stuffed with caramel, butter and chopped nuts.

This is apple season. Use them in any recipe or as a sweet , fiber filled snack. They 're delicious any way you serve them.

Fat Filled Fall Drinks

The temps dip and the first thing we reach for is --- a pumpkin latte. We down it like it's ice water on a hot day.The same goes for the peppermint mocha's which ride in on the pumpkin spice's coat tails.To be honest, all we're drinking is fat. Think of these quaffs as liquid cake and you might not be so quick to glug them down.

The average pumpkin spice coffee is anywhere from 300 to 400 calories. It's not much if you treat yourself to it once a week but have three or four times a week and then watch the weight gain. A better choice would be just a regular no bells and whistles cappuccino that comes in at only 120 calories. It's just as flavorful, especially when there's a dusting of cinnamon or nutmeg on the top.Another idea is a simple black coffee.It's actually better because you get to enjoy the rich flavor without the hindrance of chocolate or caramel syrup and whipped cream. Hot tea is another zero calorie choice. Starbucks subsidiary Teavana is also being offered in all their locations. Try a hot , fruity tea instead. If you're stressed a soothing cup of chamomile is a better beverage than a caffeine laden espresso shot. A real dilemma is hot cocoa. This is a comfort drink and fortifier after  a hard day at work on a busy Saturday and Sunday. It will be high in calories however they can be cut with the right choices. Skip the whipped cream and chocolate drizzle. Hot chocolate has a froth of its' own.Also  asked for two per cent milk instead of whole and keep the size down to a kid's mini cup.

Just as seductive and loaded with calories are the frappuccinos and frozen hot chocolates. These are basically liquid cake. They are tasty and refreshing , especially after a warm fall Saturday morning spent on the soccer field.One with all the works is close to five hundred calories!!! That's  one hero sandwich with the works.It can also be two lean pieces of steak too. Even just limiting these sweet coffees to the weekends, can cost one thousand calories. Is the flavor worth it? If you want an icy pick me up settle for a cold brew. Again, Starbucks has theirs , and one in particular the Nitro Foam
Cascara which has only eighty calories and gives a satisfying kick. A plain cold brew is even better with only five calories a glass.As for iced tea, just have a plain  unsweetened one with a slice of lemon.Many tea and coffee shops can turn their hot brews into iced ones. Think about having an iced peppermint or jasmine for a refreshing break. Some coffee shops, such as Dunkin Donuts, still sell their frozen hot chocolate. Stay away from these lethal sips.Some can reach up to nine hundred calories!!!!. If you want cold chocolate, opt for Silk's Chocolate Cashew Milk boxes at ninety calories a box. These can be brought anywhere and are even a great drink at home.

Don't fall into the pumpkin spice latte trap. Pick a sensible hot or cold drink that has zero to very little calories. Remember , they/'re just as refreshing and comforting as their high calorie counterparts.

Healthy Weekend Treats

Now that weekends are the only carefree, fun days , it's time to go wild with eating and snacking. Not too wild, though. There are some dishes and meals that are not only good to eat but good for you.It's easy to create a  fun, snacky meal or dessert loaded with vitamins, nutrition and flavor . It's just picking the right ingredients.

Pizza is always a weekend must.It's fun to make at home especially with toppings and a chewy crust. Make it healthier version using cauliflower as the crust. This is perfect for kids who have gluten and wheat allergies.It's just pulsing a cauliflower head and then steaming it for fifteen minutes.It's then stirring in an Italian cheese blend along with an egg for binding .You could also sub in coconut flour for the Italian cheese blend. As for toppings, think wholesome and fun. Sliced olives and onions are a great combo. Another fun idea is taking yellow, green, and red peppers and julienning them in a crisscross pattern.If your family does want meat , then think soy pepperoni for a more nourishing bite. You could also crumble fake or soy bacon  right before serving for crunch.If there's a party or team get together, then think about making mini or bite size pizzas.Serve these with another healthy nosh  portobello mushrooms. You'll have to get the smaller or baby ones. It's then rubbing them with a spicy dry rub before cooking . They can be grilled on an outdoor grill on an indoor one. If you have the time bake whole wheat slider buns along with having a fillings bar full of fun veggies such as avocado wedges and sliced cherry tomatoes.

Weekend treats always include some kind of sweet. Kids love a good sundae. Give them the same amount of excitement, without all the sugar and fat.Sub in banana "ice cream" for the real deal. This is just slicing bananas and then placing them in sandwich bags.These are then put in the freezer overnight and then the next day, they're pureed ,using a food processor. The result is a creamy , frozen dairy like treat that can blended with peanut butter or cocoa powder. Top with a healthy refined sugar free chocolate sauce using chopped dates, almond or cashew milk and cocoa powder. The sauce is made by blending the dates and milk together in a blender and cooking over a low flame til thickened. One and a half teaspoons of cocoa powder is added for the flavor. This sauce can also be used in sodas, malteds and milkshakes too.Another fun idea is an ice cream less sundae. Use a variety of different fruits, such as strawberries, blueberries and raspberries. Layer with the homemade chocolate sauce and a non dairy topping you can easily make with coconut milk and vanilla.You could also bake healthy versions of Oreos , chocolate chip and peanut butter cookies. It's just using unrefined sugar and spelt or whole wheat flour.Include the kids in this too to  acclimate them to healthy baking.

Weekends are meant for fun and eating. Yet it doesn';t mean to go hog wild with sugars , carbs and fats. Make healthy and fun treats. It's easy to give the kids something exciting and nourishing.

Kakigori -Ice For All Year Round

We may be on the cusp of fall but pastry chefs are turning out mounds of delicious ice for dessert. Kakigori or Japanese shaved ice is hot right now as American chefs are adding it to their dessert menus, It's a different take on a frozen treat but just as satisfying and delicious.

Tejal Rao, a regular contributor to the Wednesday New York Times Food section wrote about this trend yesterday,Kakigori is different than Italian ice in the respect that it's fluffy and light as opposed to dense and packed. However like Italian ice, it was once reserved for the noblity and the ice brought down from the mountains,specifically from frozen lakes. It began during the Heian period, from the Eighth Century to the Twelfth. Now every Japanese family has a kakigori machine according to Norie Uematsu, a pastry chef at the Cha-an Teahouse in the East Village. She, herself, makes it, all year round , Kakigori is more similar to the Hawaiian shaved ice than to Sno-Cones (although all three are relatively similar) The difference is the texture Kakigori and to a lesser extent, shaved ice has a fluffy melt in your mouth texture. Snow cone ice is gravelly and pebbly, There's a definite  crunch to it.because of it's texture, Snow -Cones have all the flavor at the bottom of the paper cone.Shaved ice hold the syrup so every spoonful is highly flavorful.Depending on where you are, shaved ice is more prevalent, being sold at roadside stands and trucks. Snow Cones are usually sold at carnivals , state fairs and oceanfront boardwalks. Home chefs can buy kakigori or shaved ice machines and serve the treat year round.

For those thinking about buying a shaved ice machine, try to emulate the Japanese masters of this dessert/treat. You could buy different flavored syrups or you could alp it up. Yoojin Chung, the general manager at Stonemill Matcha in San Francisco serves the traditional ujikinoki , with green tea or matcha flavoring with a topping of red bean paste.Homemade coffee jelly(!) and soft mochi, soft Japanese rice cake top it..Cha-an Teahouse has been serving this kind as well as other flavors. Chef Uematsu developed  a white peach flavor , wrought from poached peaches and other fruit and decorated with house made peach gummies cut into star and heart shapes..Marc Johnson, chef de cuisine at David Chang's  Los Angeles based Majordomo used citrus, namely blood orange and grapefruit pieces layered with the ice.Now he's putting a Mexican spin on it creating a frosty version of horchata.Rice pudding is put at the bottom of the bowl, followed by coffee syrup and a strong brew made with horchata a ground milk like beverage made with tiger nuts. He hid pockets of caramelized sweetened milk and whipped cream. This was similar to the kakigori Ms, Rao tasted at the cafe Kuriya Kashi Korogi at the University of Tokyo The ice had fresh soy milk and sweetened condensed milk layered with whipped cream. There were stripes of red bean paste and topped with a sweet and salty puree of fresh edamame.

Kakigori is definitely the rising star of the American dessert scene. It elevates shaved ice to new levels, with it's unique flavors and toppings, This ice will be hot all year round.

The Rise Of Ranch Dressing

Ranch dressing has become an American classic , much like burgers and fries, or apple pie. Except unlike those it's everywhere - from our veggies to pizza - yes - pizza. This simple dip has not only taken over our kitchens but our lives as well. It's  as much a part of our culinary landscape as Thanksgiving turkey  or apple pie

Julia Moskin wrote about everyone's favorite dressing in today's New York Times Food section.Americans  love this uniquely American dressing.In fact in Europe ranch is simply known as American, that's how much it's entwined in our culture and identity.The reason for this lies in the dressings truly US' roots. It was first created in Alaska, by former plumber Steven Henson, a Nebraskan from Thayer Nebraska. He was on a construction crew and sometimes cooked for his fellow workers. In that part of the US, fresh ingredients such as dairy, herbs, garlic and onions were hard to come by. They had to come in powder form which served as the basis of ranch  dressing. by 1954, Mr Hensen and his wife , Gayle, had bought a ranch north of Santa Barbara California which they renamed Hidden Valley. There was a guest ranch house and a steak restaurant also on the property with the latter becoming more popular. The reason - a creamy , garlicky, spicy salad dressing. According to their son, Nolan,  diners were bringing mayo jars to be filled with it. Ranch dressing was being poured on everything, from steaks and veggies to salads. The senior Hensens created much easier to carry   envelopes of the dried ingredients to be mixed with buttermilk or mayonnaise at the diner's home The base for ranch is not a new idea. French onion dip is a precursor as is Mediterranean aioli and Middle Eastern toum.

It took until the 1980's for the dressing to become nationally known.It has spread eastward in the Seventies however it wasn't until 1986 when Doritos introduced Cool Ranch Doritos that ranch became a phenomena. Everyone loved the cool flavor and crunch and the chips opened the door for ranch to go from salad topper to dip. People were dipping french fries into it, chips and even using it on Buffalo wings replacing blue cheese dressing.As for the pizza and ranch marriage, it was Domino's Pizza who first used it on their wings. Consumers then realized it went well with their leftover pizza crusts.Before long the Millennials were dunking whole slices of the pie into it.There was resistance at first , but now Domino's and other pizza chains offer pies drizzled with it. Even upscale fancier places such as Emily's , owned by chef Marc Hyland and his wife , EMily offer ranch  topped pizza. Because of it's popularity - it was voted America's favorite dressing - other eateries are making their versions of it.Williamsburg Brooklyn's Samesa offers a Middle Eastern version made with labneh,a thick yogurt alongside chicken wings crusted with the zesty za'atar. Parcel 32 in Charleston, South Carolina has a cumin buttermilk aioli  while at Compere Lapin in New Orleans jerk roasted corn is served with ranch infused bread crumbs, thanks to chef Nina Compton's creativity.

We love ranch dressing. What's not to love?It's a mix of cool and spicy that goes well with everything. It definitely is the star of the American culinary scene.

Dog Food For Thought

Our fur babies are sometimes the last we think about when it comes to nutrition. Yet, their health and diet is just as important or even more so than ours. Luckily there's a new cookbook - yes cookbook for dog parents that can guide them to feeding their pups better. Use it and there's a guaranteed difference.

Dr. Judy Morgan, a vet, and her husband, Hue Grant, wrote this informative and interesting book. Yin And Yang: Nutrition For Dogs, (36 Paws Press) It's based on the Chinese belief of yin and yang. There are diets for humans based on these principles, in which certain conditions such as diabetes and  arthritis are lessened  thanks to eating fresh foods and herbs. What is great about this book is that it's chock full of tables and guides. There is a page on how much to feed your dog based on his or her body weight. Another plus is the complete list of toxins . from chocolate to raw salmon and trout. This page should be Xeroxed and taped on every dog parent's fridge. Dr. Morgan and Mr. Grant also have a page debunking popular myths regarding certain meat and veggies. Parents will also be surprised that their pooch's coloring figures in greatly in what foods to give . The second surprise is that the dog's tongue also factors into what to cook for him or her.Also where the breeds originated are also part of the dietary factor.. For example, Huskies, , Malamutes and Samoyeds need what's known as cooling food. while Chihuahuas and Chinese Crested must be fed warm foods  such as goats and chicken as their ancestors were fed.

Do you need to be a good cook to use this book? No. You should be a conscientious one. Some of the ingredients you can find in your local grocery store. Some may take a trip to the butcher's.There are dishes that require rabbit or venison meat. (No worry, Google where to buy them in your area and pages will pop up).The instructions are super easy .It's just mixing such ingredients as butternut squash and turkey with salmon and parsley , and then cooking it all together in a loaf pan.. There are also fancy ingredients like portabella mushrooms and sardines along with everyday ones such as celery and chicken gizzards. Are there dog treats? Of course! Dr Morgan does recommend giving fresh fruit and veggies. Most fruit like melon and bananas are OK along with carrots and celery which can be cut into bite sized nibbles. There is a recipe for dehydrated treats along with ginger cookies spiked with cinnamon. Pup parents  can even make a fruit cake for their fur kids,It's loaded with antioxidant rich cranberries and blueberries. There's even a recipe for the trendy kale chips that owners can steal for themselves.

Yin And Yang ,Nutrition For Dogs is the must have cookbook for all dog parents. Using it will  make your pooch  happy and healthy, with a constantly wagging tail. That alone is the reason to buy this book.

The book can be found at Amazon.com.

Greek Cuisine from Ancient To Modern

One of the oldest, established cuisines in the world is Greek. Its' recipes ,much like  Italian and Chinese, date back to antiquity and still have a lasting effect on 21st Century cooking. It is varied, reflecting its' relationship to the sea in the south and the Balkan Mountains in the north. The result is a cuisine, rich in flavor and ingredients.

The country's cuisine dates back 4,000 years.It's considered the forerunner of European cooking, as it spread its' culinary influence to ancient Rome The earliest dishes were fraught with frugality and was founded on the Mediterranean triad of wheat, olive oil and wine. Early diets were primarily vegetarian with meat rarely being eaten. It changed when Byzantine cuisine became prominent and offered tastier , spicier fare. Various cheeses  were introduced as were eggs. Omelets were a popular dish among the commoners. Nutmeg became a staple as did basil and lemon, the last two figure heavily in today's cuisine. Modern Green cuisine uses the most spices of any Mediterranean cuisine. Modern home chefs use everything from dill to oregano and mint. Dishes may also contain bay laurel along with garlic and onion.Northern Greeks use cinnamon, usually reserved for sweet dishes in many recipes calling for meat.  Fennel or anise is also used in some dishes too.

Modern Greeks and their Greek American counterparts enjoy spanokopita a savory, spinach and  cheese rich pie.As with many Hellenic dishes, the base is phylo dough , a thin flaky kind of bread made with only flour,water,salt and olive oil.Also made with the dough are the popular kotopita, chicken pie and chortopita, one made with various greens like dandelion and romaine lettuce. Gyros (pronounced heros which is where we get the word from).are another treat that the Greeks are known for and have joined the American cuisine landscape. It is shaved lamb or beef and served on a fluffy pita usually with tomatoes , onions and tzatzki sauce. The last is made with salted strained or diluted yogurt mixed with cucumbers,, garlic and olive oil. along with lemon juice and herbs.Everyone loves baklava, sweet syrup soaked layers of phyllo dough usually filled with ground walnuts.It was brought in through the Ottoman Empire and has variations throughout the Middle East and Balkans. Another toothsome treat is kouribiedes, the buttery almond cookies that are drenched in powdered sugar. These are pure heaven with a buttery, nutty flavor and are usually made at Christmastime or for baptisms.

Greek cuisine will endure for another thousand years. It is delicious, full of spices and flavors that have endured for centuries. It's is both modern and ancient.