Ayo A Tasty Almond Yogurt

Yogurts are always good for you. Add almond milk to the mix and it gets even better.AYO Almond milk yogurt is just that, good for you along with being delicious and even refreshing.

AYO is one of the oldest yogurt companies, starting in 1913 by the Billings family. They grew almonds in the San Joaquin Valley and also own Billings Ranch and Pacific Almond. The last produces a variety of different nut milks and even soups including bone broth. Being a big fan of anything almond, I decided to give the yogurts a try.
             

The four flavors are vanilla, peach , blueberry, and strawberry. They're not as thick as traditional yogurts, being made with almond milk. 

The texture's a bit like the Indian yogurt drink lassi, very liquid-y. All

the flavors , are colored the same , thanks to the addition of red cabbage extract

The vanilla is delicate in flavor while the fruit ones have small bits of peaches, strawberries or whole blueberries. They are perfect because they're not overpowering in taste. I think AYO yogurt would be good frozen as an ice cream. It seems to lend itself to it.They are low in calories too, another reason to love them. The blueberry and strawberry are only 150 while the peach and vanilla are 160 calories.

AYO almond milk yogurt is the perfect and refreshing summer snack. It's good for you and good for the planet. Try a  cooling cup today to beat the heat.

Gardein Gets The Ultimate Burger

Just when you think Gardein couldn't get any better with their vegan meats, they step it up a notch more. They have created  the Ultimate Burger a take on the Impossible Burger and Beyond Meat.

This is a big burger weighing in at two and a half pounds a patty. There's only two of them in a pack and they're around 240 calories each. They only have ten grams of fat too which is perfect for those watching their weight.It's recommended to cook on a griddle or in a skillet.

I added some onion powder so they taste like the old fashioned burgers my Mom and Nonna made. It's a long fry, with each side being cooked for six to seven minutes, maybe longer depending on how long they've been in the freezer (Hint. thaw them out first).

Next time, I will definitely use the air fryer for these. I think it will make for a juicier and crispier patty.

Add what you want to it. I just prefer mine plain with some sliced tomatoes.

What do you end a vegan meal with?

Vegan cupcakes from Rutherford, NJ's Sweet Avenue Bake Shop! It's a birthday celebration!

Vegans and vegetarians will love this new addition from Gardein.It's a tasty alternative to the Impossible Burger. Try it plain or on a bun with all the fixings.

Baking For Good

Bake sales have always been for the greater good. All those high school and even college ones raised money for good causes. Now the bake sale is grown up, helping those locally and around the world.

Julia Moskin wrote about the professional bakers and chefs who have returned to baking in yesterday's New York Times Food section.  Such bakers as Daniella Senior who started her bakery at the age of thirteen (!) went back to baking after she repurposed her five Washington D.C. restaurants and bars. Instead of meals she baked doughnuts with pastry chef Paola Velez under the name Dona Doughnuts and gave them flourishes, reminiscent of Chef Velez's Dominican upbringing. There were flourishes of tamarind,pineapple guava and meringue. They were sold online with curb side pick up. The two chefs raised $6,000 , donating a thousand to Ayuda, a national nonprofit group that provides help to low income immigrants. Then Chef Velez helped with raising money for George Floyd by starting Bakers Against Racism with two other chefs. So far they have raised $1.9  million for Black Lives matter chapters and hundreds of other groups. Southern Restaurants For Racial Justice, another set of pastry chefs, Lisa Marie Donovan in Nashville, Sarah O'Brian in Atlanta and Cheryl Day in Savannah raised $100,000 for Color For Change a racial advocacy group with a Father's Day bake sale.

Bake sales for civil rights causes have long been a tradition with African-Americans. Yet it was the lead up to the 2016 that motivated artists and bakers to act. Tangerine Jones, an African-American artist started out with rage baking, a reaction to the overt racism in Trump's campaign advertising.She gave her creations to friends and neighbors. Other followed suit.Pastry chef Natasha Pickowicz raised $100,000 for Planned Parenthood in 2019 while Zoe Nathan formed Gather For Good which held outdoor bakes sales for the American Civil Liberties Union.The article also has Cheryl Day's hand held pies,and extra flaky pie crust with apple cider vinegar. taken from her enslaved great grandmother's recipes. If you want to have a bake sale to help any group, these recipes could be your jumping off point. If you are passionate about helping then bake, whether by yourself or part of a group. It may be too hot to bake but you can still create treats that can raise money. Think about dipping Oreos in different colors of chocolate. These are popular  and can go quickly. Another is a tasty mix of peanut butter, chocolate and cooked oats. Get the kids involved so they can learn how to help and show them how they can contribute to society.

A bake sale can do wonders.It can help society and those in need. Organize one today and help society and those around you.

A Businessman's Dinner

It's hard to have any kind of fun,boozy lunch or dinner business meeting. We miss those meetings that also include a lavish steak and potato or surf and turf dinner. However if you have a kitchen - and a well stocked liquor cabinet you can create these meals at home - and even in your yard.

One of the standards of any business lunch is the mixed drink. If you feel it's too strong there's always seltzer to mix in. There's also mocktails which have the flavor without the punch. Try the classic Italian Americano which is a mix of the low in strength vermouth, Campari and club soda. It can be converted to the more potent Negroni by skipping the club soda and adding gin.A cool summertime treat is gin and tonic which just calls for those two ingredients with a hint of lime for more flavor. For a true light drink is the spritzer. This is any wine  - red or white equally mixed with a plain seltzer (although you could use any berry flavor for red wine and any lemon lime flavored one for the white). Mocktails are another way to go. They have the flavor of a mixed drink but without the alcohol. One is a blueberry ginger cooler which has blueberries and a home made ginger syrup mixed with lemon lime soda or seltzer. A Bloody Mary is also a nice accompaniment to a steak. Try one without the vodka, adding some fresh from the garden tomatoes into the drink.

The great American business lunch or dinner is nothing without a steak, Usually most restaurants and chophouses serve a T bone steak which is a good, meaty cut. It's better tasting on the grill and easier to cook out there also. Just flavor  it with sea salt and freshly ground pepper, then cooking it for nine to ten minutes, five minutes on one side , six on the other. You can add a round of garlic , herbed, or lemon butter for more taste.Many a classic business dinner has lobster included. Again use the grill for this.It is a little more work than the steak. The tail has to be split open and then flattened, usually by hand pressing it.It's then placed on a wooden or metal skewer to prevent from curling up. Brush with olive oil and then grill flesh side down for five minutes. Flip it over and add either a squeeze of fresh of fresh lemon or melted butter. Shrimp cocktail is another classic business lunch or dinner appetizer or entree.Make it 21st Century with roasting the shrimp on a sheet pan for eight to ten minutes. Serve with a good dollop of homemade or store bought cocktail sauce. What goes with all of these?  Classic baked potatoes. Use the grill for these too and salt crust them with Kosher salt. This makes for a fluffier interior , better for holding all that butter, sour cream and chives.

We may have new offices these days and new ways to meet. Yet we still can have the classic business lunch or dinner, drinks included. It's just enjoying a tasty meal with a iced drink in our shorts as opposed to business wear.

A good birthday to my favorite guy, Dad. This is for you.

Old Trapper Jerky A Tasty Summer Treat

One of the best camping and hiking treats is beef jerky. It's easy to carry  around and easy to eat. It's even a great snack if you're roughing it or glamping out in the back yard.

Old Trapper originated out of the hearty backwoods around Tillamook,Oregon, a beautiful town on the Pacific Ocean. Tillamook  may sound familiar to cheese lovers since it's also the home of Tillamook Cheese and Tillamook cheddar. The jerky and their other products are now made further inland in Forest Grove, Oregon. The company offers a variety of different types of jerky and beef sticks.

Beef jerky is usually made with molasses which is not good if you're watching your sugar and calorie intake.I wanted a low calorie alternative and their Zero Sugar Beef Jerky did the trick.it's only seventy (!) calories per serving, the perfect quick bite.

It doesn't disappoint. There's a peppery taste and aftertaste that makes it a nice alternative to the other types out there. Those on the Keto diet can incorporate it into their diets.Another plus is that the pieces are all uniform in size which makes for easy eating. No big hunks or little tiny pieces that get stuck in your teeth.

If you want a good snack that won't put on the pounds then try Old Trapper's new Zero Sugar Beef Jerky. It's a tasty alternative , perfect for local hiking and backyard camping. Try it today.

The Guide To Wilderness Cooking

Cooking in the wilderness can be daunting. Many wonder what will they cook on and what ingredients to use.Mostly it's how will the dish taste and if it's cooked enough. Now there's a new cookbook that shows how to cook safely and effectively in the wild.

Wilderness Chef :The Ultimate Guide To Cooking Outdoors  (Conway Publishing 2020) was written by outdoorsman Ray Mears. Mr. Mears is not really a chef but an adventurer who has camped around around the world from Venezuela to Wyoming. He's a television personality, with his series, Tracks, World Of Survival  and The Real Heroes of Telemark,along with Trips Money Can't Buy with Ewan  McGregor. The book is truly fascinating with large nuggets of information.There are section on the different kind of rations along with the most important aspect of outdoor cooking : hygiene. Cooking outdoors isn't cooking in the rough. It's the same as cooking in a home or restaurant kitchen. There's even a picture of an "Andy Handy" a simple gravity tap that comes with a spigot,. Antibacterial soap can also be rigged up to it to for cleaner washing. There are instructions for every type of outdoor cooking and even baking. Campers and hikers can learn how to cook using an outdoor griddle or frying pan for simple dishes or try their hand at building a dry oven in the ground or successfully using a cast iron oven. There's even a chapter on boiling all sorts of drinks , from hot tea to coffee to even hot cocoa. Mr. Mears also shows how to clean up grills and utensils up afterwards.

The recipes are very interesting too. There are sections on all sorts of frying and baking simple recipes like scrambled eggs and streak in embers, cooking a beef cut on glowing coals. Yet there are some truly sophisticated dishes too. There's Persian inspired rice spiked with such colorful jewels as sultanas, raisins or apricots along with cinnamon and turmeric.Pasta lovers will enjoy the venison bolognese. made rich with pancetta and red wine. For those who love game there are a few rabbit recipes too, one with the foraged burdock and wild water mint while the other is Spanish style with tomatoes and white beans.Of course there are fun recipes. Mr. Mears even includes s'mores (with an Englishman's disdain for them) and Nakkisoppa, Finnish hot dog soup. made with the dogs and different veggies like onions , parsnips and potatoes. There's also comfort food recipes such roast chicken , Yorkshire pudding and crispy fried  rosti potatoes in a pan. There are tasty curry, soup and fish recipes too.Yes, there is bread - all sorts of it.  Campers and outdoorsmen can make the famed bannocks, a kind of English muffin type of bread , and its' cousin, damper. Johnny cakes , made on many a Civil War campfire are here too.  There are even regular cakes and a pineapple upside down one too. Campers who like to forage wild fruit will have an apple pie and crumble recipes to try out.

Wilderness Chef : The Ultimate Guide To Cooking Outdoors is the perfect book for those who love the outdoors. It's full of good advice and good recipes. It's perfect for the great outdoors, whether the campground or backyard.

A Chef's Take

This being my Mom's birthday ,I just want to share some of her favorite and our favorite recipes. One is a three bean salad, tanged up with some vinegar. The other is our pomedori e uovi, tomatoes and eggs, one of the best summer recipes.

Three bean salad
1 can (16 oz) chickpeas
1 can  (16 oz) kidney beans
1 can (16 oz) cannelini beans
1 dash red wine vinegar
good glug or two of olive oil
1 chopped onion
dash of dried oregano
2 to 3 basil leaves  de-stemmed and roughly chopped
salt and pepper

Chop onion in food processor until fine.
Mix together beans and onions with the oil, vinegar, oregano, basil and seasonings Chill about two to three hours before serving.

Pomodori e uovi
Butter or margarine for sauteing
six to eight large eggs
four to five sliced vine ripe tomatoes
two cloves garlic finely minced.
salt and pepper
loaf Italian bread

Melt about two to three tablespoons of butter or margarine in a large pan
Beat eggs as if you're scrambling them. Add to pan along with the two cloves of finely minced garlic. Mix in tomatoes until they and the eggs are cooked and form curds. Season. Serve with large slices of Italian bread (although you may need two loaves to sop up the juices)

These were some of my Mom's favorite dishes to make and to eat. We always enjoyed them, especially for her birthday.,