This soup was a huge hit at the Christmas party last night.
4 Tablespoons olive oil
5 Links Sweet Italian Sausage, cooked according to package directions and thinly sliced
2 Cups chopped onions
1 Fennel bulb, chopped (use 1tsp fennel seeds as a substitute)
4-6 Garlic cloves, chopped
2 Teaspoons dried thyme
64 ounces chicken broth
1 16-ounce package frozen cheese tortellini
1 15-ounce can white kidney beans (cannellini), rinsed and drained
6-10 ounces frozen spinach (fresh would be ok too I guess, but I've never tried it)
Salt and Pepper
***PLEASE use a cruelty-free sausage. I've discovered that Whole Foods Market has some of the best Animal Welfare standards in the grocery-chain business.***
-Heat oil in a large heavy soup pot over medium-low heat. Add sausage, onions, fennel, garlic and thyme. Cook for a couple minutes to soften the onions and to blend the flavors.
-Add chicken broth and bring to a boil.
-Add tortellini and beans. Return to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 6-8 minutes.
-Add spinach and cook for 3 minutes over medium heat, or until tender.
-Season to taste with salt and pepper.
***A WORD OF WARNING. The tortellini tends to get soggy and soak up a LOT of the broth. If you plan on having this soup over a few days, only add the tortellini as needed.
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Tom Ka Goong? (Thai Coconut Milk & Shrimp Soup)
I originally posted this recipe as Tom Ka Gai back in January. Since then we have made the choice to eat a vegetarian diet. We started off going completely vegan, but over time have decided that eating fish and free range eggs is ok, but in moderation. (Hey, to each his own, right?) I have altered this recipe to better reflect our dietary choices. I'm not exactly sure if this recipe is authentically Thai anymore, but it IS quite tasty. In Thai, "gai" means "chicken", so we can't exactly use "gai" in the title of this recipe. We are using shrimp, so I guess the name of the soup should be Tom Ka Goong? I suppose you could try using some sort of imitation chicken meat substitute to make it completely vegan, but I'll leave that up to you.
I've made this soup several times this year and have altered the original recipe to make it a LOT easier to prepare. Again, I don't know if it's truly, authentically Thai, but it tastes very, very close to what our local Thai restaurant makes. You'll probably have to experiment with the mixture a bit to get it just right for your tastes, but man, is this stuff good!
This will make about 2 quarts/liters of soup:
1 pound (approximate) uncooked shrimp, shelled, de-veined and tails removed
1 teaspoon oil
1 stem lemongrass, sliced lengthwise
4 cups vegetable broth
2 cans (15 oz.) coconut milk (low fat is ok)
1/2 cup lime juice (reserve the peel from a slice or two to throw in the pot/wok)
1 +1/2 inch piece of galangal or ginger, peeled and sliced (Galangal is hard to find. I can only find it in markets down in the Asian district. Not exactly worth the drive all the way down there for a couple bucks worth, especially when you'll only use 1/4 of the package for this recipe, so regular ginger WILL work in this recipe)
1 teaspoon Thai chili sauce (or 1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes)
1/4 - 1/2 cup bamboo shoots
1/4 - 1/2 cup oyster mushrooms or a handful of fresh sliced white mushrooms
1/2 cup diced green onion, green part too
1 small tomato, sliced
3 tablespoons fish sauce (essential for that authentic Thai flavor)
Small bunch fresh cilantro
-Saute shrimp in oil w/sliced lemongrass until pink and done.
-Add broth, coconut milk & lime juice, heat until steaming, & just barely bubbling. You don't have to cook this soup very long.
- Add all the other ingredients except cilantro
-Heat through. No need to boil as the shrimp are already cooked.
-Turn off the heat, add a small handfull of chopped cilantro, stir.
-Serve immediately
-ENJOY!
Seriously, that's it.
I've made this soup several times this year and have altered the original recipe to make it a LOT easier to prepare. Again, I don't know if it's truly, authentically Thai, but it tastes very, very close to what our local Thai restaurant makes. You'll probably have to experiment with the mixture a bit to get it just right for your tastes, but man, is this stuff good!
This will make about 2 quarts/liters of soup:
1 pound (approximate) uncooked shrimp, shelled, de-veined and tails removed
1 teaspoon oil
1 stem lemongrass, sliced lengthwise
4 cups vegetable broth
2 cans (15 oz.) coconut milk (low fat is ok)
1/2 cup lime juice (reserve the peel from a slice or two to throw in the pot/wok)
1 +1/2 inch piece of galangal or ginger, peeled and sliced (Galangal is hard to find. I can only find it in markets down in the Asian district. Not exactly worth the drive all the way down there for a couple bucks worth, especially when you'll only use 1/4 of the package for this recipe, so regular ginger WILL work in this recipe)
1 teaspoon Thai chili sauce (or 1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes)
1/4 - 1/2 cup bamboo shoots
1/4 - 1/2 cup oyster mushrooms or a handful of fresh sliced white mushrooms
1/2 cup diced green onion, green part too
1 small tomato, sliced
3 tablespoons fish sauce (essential for that authentic Thai flavor)
Small bunch fresh cilantro
-Saute shrimp in oil w/sliced lemongrass until pink and done.
-Add broth, coconut milk & lime juice, heat until steaming, & just barely bubbling. You don't have to cook this soup very long.
- Add all the other ingredients except cilantro
-Heat through. No need to boil as the shrimp are already cooked.
-Turn off the heat, add a small handfull of chopped cilantro, stir.
-Serve immediately
-ENJOY!
Seriously, that's it.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Fried Cauliflower with Tahini
I've never liked cauliflower. Period. Whenever served to me it was usually overcooked and mushy. Any flavor it had was matched by the telltale "aroma" of dirty gym socks. No amount of butter or salt could defeat it.
I've come to learn that vegetables should never be cooked into mush. They should be cooked lightly, and should be enjoyed as crisp and snappy, delightful additions to the meal.
I discovered this dish at a restaurant recently in Flagstaff, AZ, The Pita Jungle. I pestered the waiter to tell me what was in it, and I backward engineered the recipe as best I could at home. This is the one cauliflower dish the entire family enjoys, even the kids, even me.
Ingredients:
1 head cauliflower, chopped into bite-sized florets
2 TBS olive oil
2-3 cloves minced garlic (or to taste)
8 oz tahini spread (I found mine at Trader Joe's)
A few sprigs of cilantro, chopped
A TBS or two of paprika
1/4 cup pine nuts
Caramelized onions.
A confession to start: I've never been able to successfully make caramelized onions on my own. I always end up burning them. The instructions I've always read called for frying sliced onions in olive oil under very low heat over the course of an hour or so. It's never worked out for me. My sister in law suggested that I add a bit of sugar or honey to the pan once the onions begin to brown. I haven't tried that yet. If anyone has a foolproof way of caramelizing onions, please let me know, as the flavor is essential to this dish. OK, on with the rest of the recipe...
1) Quickly saute the cauliflower in the olive oil and minced garlic until it begins to brown (Hint: Don't crowd the pan),
2) then add the tahini (maybe with some water if it's too thick, stir it all together until the cauliflower is covered.
3) Then stir in enough paprika to turn the sauce a nice pinkish-salmon color.
4) Then stir in the remaining ingredients. Serve immediately.
That's it! Easy! Enjoy!
I've come to learn that vegetables should never be cooked into mush. They should be cooked lightly, and should be enjoyed as crisp and snappy, delightful additions to the meal.
I discovered this dish at a restaurant recently in Flagstaff, AZ, The Pita Jungle. I pestered the waiter to tell me what was in it, and I backward engineered the recipe as best I could at home. This is the one cauliflower dish the entire family enjoys, even the kids, even me.
Ingredients:
1 head cauliflower, chopped into bite-sized florets
2 TBS olive oil
2-3 cloves minced garlic (or to taste)
8 oz tahini spread (I found mine at Trader Joe's)
A few sprigs of cilantro, chopped
A TBS or two of paprika
1/4 cup pine nuts
Caramelized onions.
A confession to start: I've never been able to successfully make caramelized onions on my own. I always end up burning them. The instructions I've always read called for frying sliced onions in olive oil under very low heat over the course of an hour or so. It's never worked out for me. My sister in law suggested that I add a bit of sugar or honey to the pan once the onions begin to brown. I haven't tried that yet. If anyone has a foolproof way of caramelizing onions, please let me know, as the flavor is essential to this dish. OK, on with the rest of the recipe...
1) Quickly saute the cauliflower in the olive oil and minced garlic until it begins to brown (Hint: Don't crowd the pan),
2) then add the tahini (maybe with some water if it's too thick, stir it all together until the cauliflower is covered.
3) Then stir in enough paprika to turn the sauce a nice pinkish-salmon color.
4) Then stir in the remaining ingredients. Serve immediately.
That's it! Easy! Enjoy!
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Near Perfect Pizza Dough!
I call this "near" perfect because everyone's tastes are subjective. But this recipe makes a darned good one!
I've never liked homemade pizza for one simple reason, the crust always sucked. I happened to be channel surfing with my (then) 3 year old son one afternoon, and he told me to stop when he saw Emeril. Yeah, I think my boy's gonna be a chef someday. Emeril was showing how to make this pizza crust, and whaddya know, it works! I've been using this one for a couple years now. I've also been tweaking it here and there to get it just the way I like it. I'll just give you the basic recipe and then tell about the adjustments I made after that.
First:
1 cup hot water (between 105 and 100 degrees [F])
1 package, or 1 tsp of quick rise yeast
1 tsp sugar
stir together in a small bowl and let the yeast activate for 10 minutes. You'll see that it will begin to get foamy.
Then:
in a mixer (I use a Cuisinart) put in
1.5 cups of flour
1 TBS olive oil
1 tbs salt
Add the activated yeast mixture to the dry ingredients and mix (With the Cuisinart's "K" attachment) until smooth.
(Then switch to the Cuisinarts "dough" attachment and) add
1.5 cups of flour
slowly to the mixture. When it's all in there, turn up the mixer to a somewhat high speed and mix for about 3 minutes more. You may have to add a little more water or flour to get the consistency right. You don't want it too dry where the flour doesn't all absorb. You don't want it too wet where it's sloppy. It should be all together and just a tiny bit sticky. Nothing should be sticking to the sides of the bowl.
Smear 1 TBS olive oil in a large bowl (I use the same cuisinart bowl. Why dirty up another one?) and place the dough ball in it. Roll it around to get it all covered in the oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in a warm, quiet place for 90 minutes. I use a slightly warm oven. BE CAREFUL! You're shooting for an oven temperature of about 110 degrees to start. Then just keep the oven off, with the temperature slowly decreasing over the course of the 90 minutes. I've found that the yeast really likes the slightly warmer than room temp. to keep working. If you start off at more than 110 degrees the yeast die off because it's too hot.
After 90 minutes, the dough will have just about doubled in size. Place it on a well floured surface and LIGHTLY punch down. Let the dough rest again for 10 minutes. At this point you can spin or roll the dough into whatever shap you want (square, round, oval, whatever). Add your toppings and bake at 475 degrees for 10-12 minutes.
I have used this recipe for all sorts of pizza crust: Round, Square, deep-dish, thin, calzones, stromboli...
For calzones, don't use sauce. Add all your toppings, carefully fold it over to make a "pizza pocket" and press down the edges to seal. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. Have warm sauce on the side for dipping.
For stromboli, you can use sauce (traditional) or you can have it later on the side for dipping (I like that better because it's not as sloppy an end result, and besides, my kids like to dip!) , your choice. Basically, make a pizza and roll it into a "loaf". Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.
I've found that a 100% whole wheat crust is really difficult to pull off. It's just too heavy and doesn't rise very well. The best "straight up" whole wheat crust I've been able to make has been a 50-50% mixture of whole wheat and white flour.
I also have ben experimenting with corn flour and gluten flour. Corn flour adds a nice flavor but it's lack of gluten destroys the texture and elasticity of the dough. It can't stick together and falls apart. Gluten flour is great because it adds sooo much protein to the dough, but it tends to make the dough TOO elasticky (is that a word?), making the dough difficult to shape into a large enough pie. You'll stretch out the dough to cover the pan, and you can just watch the dough shrink right back down to the original size of the dough ball.
I also have been experimenting with adding nutritional yeast to the dough to give it more protein and B vitamins, as well as imparting a great parmesan cheese-like flavor.
If you are going to substitute any of the flour quantity with corn flour or nutritional yeast, you'll have to also substitute into the recipe some gluten flour, at a 2:1 ratio. Example: This recipe calls for 3 cups of flour. Substituting 1/2 cup nutritional yeast, you will also need to substitute in 1 cup gluten flour, with 1 and 1/2 cups of white or whole wheat flour remaining.
I've never liked homemade pizza for one simple reason, the crust always sucked. I happened to be channel surfing with my (then) 3 year old son one afternoon, and he told me to stop when he saw Emeril. Yeah, I think my boy's gonna be a chef someday. Emeril was showing how to make this pizza crust, and whaddya know, it works! I've been using this one for a couple years now. I've also been tweaking it here and there to get it just the way I like it. I'll just give you the basic recipe and then tell about the adjustments I made after that.
First:
1 cup hot water (between 105 and 100 degrees [F])
1 package, or 1 tsp of quick rise yeast
1 tsp sugar
stir together in a small bowl and let the yeast activate for 10 minutes. You'll see that it will begin to get foamy.
Then:
in a mixer (I use a Cuisinart) put in
1.5 cups of flour
1 TBS olive oil
1 tbs salt
Add the activated yeast mixture to the dry ingredients and mix (With the Cuisinart's "K" attachment) until smooth.
(Then switch to the Cuisinarts "dough" attachment and) add
1.5 cups of flour
slowly to the mixture. When it's all in there, turn up the mixer to a somewhat high speed and mix for about 3 minutes more. You may have to add a little more water or flour to get the consistency right. You don't want it too dry where the flour doesn't all absorb. You don't want it too wet where it's sloppy. It should be all together and just a tiny bit sticky. Nothing should be sticking to the sides of the bowl.
Smear 1 TBS olive oil in a large bowl (I use the same cuisinart bowl. Why dirty up another one?) and place the dough ball in it. Roll it around to get it all covered in the oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in a warm, quiet place for 90 minutes. I use a slightly warm oven. BE CAREFUL! You're shooting for an oven temperature of about 110 degrees to start. Then just keep the oven off, with the temperature slowly decreasing over the course of the 90 minutes. I've found that the yeast really likes the slightly warmer than room temp. to keep working. If you start off at more than 110 degrees the yeast die off because it's too hot.
After 90 minutes, the dough will have just about doubled in size. Place it on a well floured surface and LIGHTLY punch down. Let the dough rest again for 10 minutes. At this point you can spin or roll the dough into whatever shap you want (square, round, oval, whatever). Add your toppings and bake at 475 degrees for 10-12 minutes.
I have used this recipe for all sorts of pizza crust: Round, Square, deep-dish, thin, calzones, stromboli...
For calzones, don't use sauce. Add all your toppings, carefully fold it over to make a "pizza pocket" and press down the edges to seal. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. Have warm sauce on the side for dipping.
For stromboli, you can use sauce (traditional) or you can have it later on the side for dipping (I like that better because it's not as sloppy an end result, and besides, my kids like to dip!) , your choice. Basically, make a pizza and roll it into a "loaf". Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.
I've found that a 100% whole wheat crust is really difficult to pull off. It's just too heavy and doesn't rise very well. The best "straight up" whole wheat crust I've been able to make has been a 50-50% mixture of whole wheat and white flour.
I also have ben experimenting with corn flour and gluten flour. Corn flour adds a nice flavor but it's lack of gluten destroys the texture and elasticity of the dough. It can't stick together and falls apart. Gluten flour is great because it adds sooo much protein to the dough, but it tends to make the dough TOO elasticky (is that a word?), making the dough difficult to shape into a large enough pie. You'll stretch out the dough to cover the pan, and you can just watch the dough shrink right back down to the original size of the dough ball.
I also have been experimenting with adding nutritional yeast to the dough to give it more protein and B vitamins, as well as imparting a great parmesan cheese-like flavor.
If you are going to substitute any of the flour quantity with corn flour or nutritional yeast, you'll have to also substitute into the recipe some gluten flour, at a 2:1 ratio. Example: This recipe calls for 3 cups of flour. Substituting 1/2 cup nutritional yeast, you will also need to substitute in 1 cup gluten flour, with 1 and 1/2 cups of white or whole wheat flour remaining.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Wine Pairing
Does red wine go with a tofu stir fry? I'm using red miso... Oh well, after a couple glasses, it won't matter anyway.
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Vegan Ricotta... Outstanding!
This is simply an awesome substitute for ricotta made out of tofu. Use it in lasagna, manicotti, or whatever else you like. It's so close to the real thing even your staunchest carnivores will have a hard time figuring out it's vegan.
Ingredients
1 pound firm tofu, pressed
2 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes
handful fresh basil leaves, chopped fine
dash fresh black pepper
Directions
You should first press the tofu. Place the block of tofu in a pan, pie plate, or shallow/wide bowl, and place something else similar on top. Add a few pounds on top and let it sit. I use two pans and an old 10 pound dumbell plate on top, but whatever you have handy will work. After about 20 minutes you'll see that about a 1/2 cup or so of the juice has been pressed out of the tofu.
In a large bowl, mush the pressed tofu up with your CLEAN hands, until it's crumbly.
Add lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper and basil. Squeeze through your fingers repeatedly until it reaches the consistency of ricotta cheese. May take 2-5 minutes.
Add olive oil, stir with fork. Add nutritional yeast and combine all ingredients well. Cover and refigerate until ready to use.
Use this instead of ricotta filling in your favorite Italian dishes. It's simply outstanding, really!
Ingredients
1 pound firm tofu, pressed
2 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes
handful fresh basil leaves, chopped fine
dash fresh black pepper
Directions
You should first press the tofu. Place the block of tofu in a pan, pie plate, or shallow/wide bowl, and place something else similar on top. Add a few pounds on top and let it sit. I use two pans and an old 10 pound dumbell plate on top, but whatever you have handy will work. After about 20 minutes you'll see that about a 1/2 cup or so of the juice has been pressed out of the tofu.
In a large bowl, mush the pressed tofu up with your CLEAN hands, until it's crumbly.
Add lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper and basil. Squeeze through your fingers repeatedly until it reaches the consistency of ricotta cheese. May take 2-5 minutes.
Add olive oil, stir with fork. Add nutritional yeast and combine all ingredients well. Cover and refigerate until ready to use.
Use this instead of ricotta filling in your favorite Italian dishes. It's simply outstanding, really!
Thursday, April 15, 2010
You Get What You Order
Our oldest, Miss Prima is a remarkably old soul. She can sometimes see through the most complex, grown-up situation and boil it down to the simplest terms.
Tonight, as I was tucking her into bed, she began to explain to me how some kids in her class were giving her grief about her continued belief in Santa Claus, The Easter Bunny and The Tooth Fairy. We went round in circles for what seemed like hours about how God only makes people because he loves them, about how He came up with the concept of free choice. He created this world, and all of us because he wants us to love him back, but he doesn't want to force us. Otherwise, how would he be able to decide who gets to go to heaven or not? If someone chooses not to believe in Santa Claus et al, then I guess they will no longer be visited by said same. Hey, it's their loss in the long run.
I was wrapping up my "sermon" when her light bulb clicked on. "Oh, you get what you order in life!", which has been something we've been trying to teach her for what seems like forever. "Yes!", I replied, "You do!"
She went on, "If you believe that the Tooth Fairy is nothing but some guy in a tutu, then that's all you're gonna get: Some guy in a tutu."
"Yes, dear. You're absolutely right."
Tonight, as I was tucking her into bed, she began to explain to me how some kids in her class were giving her grief about her continued belief in Santa Claus, The Easter Bunny and The Tooth Fairy. We went round in circles for what seemed like hours about how God only makes people because he loves them, about how He came up with the concept of free choice. He created this world, and all of us because he wants us to love him back, but he doesn't want to force us. Otherwise, how would he be able to decide who gets to go to heaven or not? If someone chooses not to believe in Santa Claus et al, then I guess they will no longer be visited by said same. Hey, it's their loss in the long run.
I was wrapping up my "sermon" when her light bulb clicked on. "Oh, you get what you order in life!", which has been something we've been trying to teach her for what seems like forever. "Yes!", I replied, "You do!"
She went on, "If you believe that the Tooth Fairy is nothing but some guy in a tutu, then that's all you're gonna get: Some guy in a tutu."
"Yes, dear. You're absolutely right."
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Earthlings
I watched this documentary the other day. It has changed my life.
I simply can no longer be a part of a food chain that condones the abuse and downright torturous treatment and slaughter of God's defenseless, innocent creatures.
Whatever your belief system is, whatever your opinions on how the universe was created, or who, if anyone, was behind it all, I believe we all have the same general idea about it. The differences lie in the details that fit one's own version. I personally believe that a Supreme Perfect Being had a hand in creation, that it was "His" idea and doing in the first place that got this whole thing rolling. Where we went from there, or how long it took us to get here is anybody's guess. Insert your own belief system in there, trace your own path, but it's pretty clear to me that we all end up in the same place. We're on this big blue-green marble spinning around in space TOGETHER, and probably for a reason.
I believe that the overwhelming majority of religious and even spiritual belief systems have two central tenets in common: 1) There is something/someone "out there" that is bigger and better than us, and everything is a result of his/her/it's will. 2) We should be excellent to each other.
Even if you believe that the universe and everything in it was created simply by some random, massive, complicated chain of physical and chemical reactions, I don't know of anyone who will disagree with #2.
That's what I'm stuck on after viewing this documentary. I don't see the way we treat animals as "being excellent to them". Now, having my beliefs steeped in Judeo-Christianity, I do believe that humans have been purposely elevated to a higher position. (You may not, and that's fine for you.) I believe that along with our higher status, as well as our right to use the animals, vegetables, and minerals God has put at our disposal, comes a higher level of responsibility to be caretakers. Get it? TO "TAKE CARE". We, as a species, have completely failed in this responsibility. Sure the others are "lesser" species. I do not intend to convey upon them the same rights as humans, but being sentient (they feel pain, they are conscious of their own existence, they are aware) means that they do have some rights, in my book. They have the right to exist, to live (even if it's just to be our food) , but also to be treated with diginity and care.
I don't wish to tell anyone that they should no longer eat meat, or wear leather, or use animal products at all. I can't make you do that. Even if I were in a positon to, I would never mandate you do. What I do respectfully implore you to do is to take a serious evaluation of your principles, of your morality. Ask yourself "Is this right? Is this fair?" I answered "no" on both counts, in case you haven't already figured it out.
From this point forward, when it comes to food and sharing of recipes on this blog, they will mostly be of the vegetarian, even vegan variety. Truthfully, I will probably not go completely vegan myself. I will probably continue to eat meat and consume animal based products like dairy and eggs. I will make sure however, that what I do eat is as cruelty free as possible. There are ways, I've checked. I'll be sharing this with you in later posts. I think that there are many more people out there who would choose to go that route but are reluctant because they don't know how to prepare a lifetime's worth of meals without meat. I've done some checking, and let me tell you, you'd be amazed at what's out there. I must warn you that it will take more thought, planning and effort to cook and eat this way, but I think the end result will be worth it.
I simply can no longer be a part of a food chain that condones the abuse and downright torturous treatment and slaughter of God's defenseless, innocent creatures.
Whatever your belief system is, whatever your opinions on how the universe was created, or who, if anyone, was behind it all, I believe we all have the same general idea about it. The differences lie in the details that fit one's own version. I personally believe that a Supreme Perfect Being had a hand in creation, that it was "His" idea and doing in the first place that got this whole thing rolling. Where we went from there, or how long it took us to get here is anybody's guess. Insert your own belief system in there, trace your own path, but it's pretty clear to me that we all end up in the same place. We're on this big blue-green marble spinning around in space TOGETHER, and probably for a reason.
I believe that the overwhelming majority of religious and even spiritual belief systems have two central tenets in common: 1) There is something/someone "out there" that is bigger and better than us, and everything is a result of his/her/it's will. 2) We should be excellent to each other.
Even if you believe that the universe and everything in it was created simply by some random, massive, complicated chain of physical and chemical reactions, I don't know of anyone who will disagree with #2.
That's what I'm stuck on after viewing this documentary. I don't see the way we treat animals as "being excellent to them". Now, having my beliefs steeped in Judeo-Christianity, I do believe that humans have been purposely elevated to a higher position. (You may not, and that's fine for you.) I believe that along with our higher status, as well as our right to use the animals, vegetables, and minerals God has put at our disposal, comes a higher level of responsibility to be caretakers. Get it? TO "TAKE CARE". We, as a species, have completely failed in this responsibility. Sure the others are "lesser" species. I do not intend to convey upon them the same rights as humans, but being sentient (they feel pain, they are conscious of their own existence, they are aware) means that they do have some rights, in my book. They have the right to exist, to live (even if it's just to be our food) , but also to be treated with diginity and care.
I don't wish to tell anyone that they should no longer eat meat, or wear leather, or use animal products at all. I can't make you do that. Even if I were in a positon to, I would never mandate you do. What I do respectfully implore you to do is to take a serious evaluation of your principles, of your morality. Ask yourself "Is this right? Is this fair?" I answered "no" on both counts, in case you haven't already figured it out.
From this point forward, when it comes to food and sharing of recipes on this blog, they will mostly be of the vegetarian, even vegan variety. Truthfully, I will probably not go completely vegan myself. I will probably continue to eat meat and consume animal based products like dairy and eggs. I will make sure however, that what I do eat is as cruelty free as possible. There are ways, I've checked. I'll be sharing this with you in later posts. I think that there are many more people out there who would choose to go that route but are reluctant because they don't know how to prepare a lifetime's worth of meals without meat. I've done some checking, and let me tell you, you'd be amazed at what's out there. I must warn you that it will take more thought, planning and effort to cook and eat this way, but I think the end result will be worth it.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Dog Tricks
Me, to the family dog: "Here, girl! Sit for the cookie! Sit! Sit!"
Our dog, a dachshund: "I AM sitting!"
Our dog, a dachshund: "I AM sitting!"
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Fried Gluten Flour Steaks
Sounds strange, doesn't it? Obviously, those of you who are allergic to gluten, this recipe is not for you. The others should definitely check this out. This is an excellent meat substitute, super high in protein, and very low in carbs. The only fat comes from the oil you fry the pieces in. This will make a pretty big batch, filling a 9 x 13 baking dish with little finished gluten "steaks". It may seem like a lot, especially this being a brand new recipe for you. But don't worry, if you're kids are anything like mine, they'll gobble it all up, and you won't have very much for very long!
You'll need to find gluten flour. You can get it at most vegetarian/health sections of your local supermarket, or at a more organic, health food store. You might even be able to find it in the bulk food bins, check around. It's much more expensive than regular flour, so it's worth shopping for the best price. Gluten is simply the protein half of the wheat kernel. It is generally used as an additive to doughs made with low-gluten flour, such as rye flour, to give them elasticity they can't muster on their own.
You can eat these steaks "as-is", add various gravies, or you can even make a vegetarian chicken parmesan by topping with cheese and marinara sauce.
3 cups gluten flour
1 pkg onion soup mix
1/3 McKay's Chicken Seasoning (again, to be found in a health food or organic section. I don't know of any other brand of seasonings that'll work, so if you can't find McKay's, I don't know what to tell you. I guess you're on your own!)
1/2 cup oats
1/2 cup white flour
Mix all above dry ingredients
add 3 cups water and mix very, very well, probably by hand at the end. make sure there are no lumps. You're making a big batch of dough, basically.
divide into several long tube-like sections,
cut off pieces and press into little steaks
boil pieces in the following broth for 45 minutes:
6quarts water
1/3 cup Mckay's seasoning
1 pkg onion soup mix
once that's done, dredge pieces in flour (or a flour and bread crumb mixture) and pan fry in vegetable, canola or olive oil until golden brown.
You can let the pieces cool between boiling and frying. I've heard you can even freeze the boiled peices and fry them later, but I've always just done the whole batch.
You'll need to find gluten flour. You can get it at most vegetarian/health sections of your local supermarket, or at a more organic, health food store. You might even be able to find it in the bulk food bins, check around. It's much more expensive than regular flour, so it's worth shopping for the best price. Gluten is simply the protein half of the wheat kernel. It is generally used as an additive to doughs made with low-gluten flour, such as rye flour, to give them elasticity they can't muster on their own.
You can eat these steaks "as-is", add various gravies, or you can even make a vegetarian chicken parmesan by topping with cheese and marinara sauce.
3 cups gluten flour
1 pkg onion soup mix
1/3 McKay's Chicken Seasoning (again, to be found in a health food or organic section. I don't know of any other brand of seasonings that'll work, so if you can't find McKay's, I don't know what to tell you. I guess you're on your own!)
1/2 cup oats
1/2 cup white flour
Mix all above dry ingredients
add 3 cups water and mix very, very well, probably by hand at the end. make sure there are no lumps. You're making a big batch of dough, basically.
divide into several long tube-like sections,
cut off pieces and press into little steaks
boil pieces in the following broth for 45 minutes:
6quarts water
1/3 cup Mckay's seasoning
1 pkg onion soup mix
once that's done, dredge pieces in flour (or a flour and bread crumb mixture) and pan fry in vegetable, canola or olive oil until golden brown.
You can let the pieces cool between boiling and frying. I've heard you can even freeze the boiled peices and fry them later, but I've always just done the whole batch.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
I Pledge Allegiance...
On the way to school this morning we were listening to a news break. We heard a story of a 13 year old girl in Maryland who was in some pretty hot water over refusing to stand for the Pledge Of Allegiance. I could hear the wheels spinning inside of Miss Prima's head. I was ready for her when she turned to ask me questions about it.
"Tha's right, honey. The Constitution says that a kid doesn't have to stand for, or say the Pledge Of Allegiance if she doesn't want to. But keep in mind she goes to a public school. They can't MAKE her do it. You go to a private, Christian school."
"What's the difference?"
"Well, you're learning about the 10 Commandments right now, and one of them says to 'honor your parents' right?"
'Right."
"So, God's Commandments come before the laws of man. You have to obey God's Commandment to honor your mommy and daddy. Mommy and Daddy say you have to stand up with the rest of the class and recite the pledge."
Dejected and deflated, Miss Prima walked quietly to her classroom.
We'll see what happened today when I go pick her up. I wonder if she, as usual, has figured out another loophole.
"Tha's right, honey. The Constitution says that a kid doesn't have to stand for, or say the Pledge Of Allegiance if she doesn't want to. But keep in mind she goes to a public school. They can't MAKE her do it. You go to a private, Christian school."
"What's the difference?"
"Well, you're learning about the 10 Commandments right now, and one of them says to 'honor your parents' right?"
'Right."
"So, God's Commandments come before the laws of man. You have to obey God's Commandment to honor your mommy and daddy. Mommy and Daddy say you have to stand up with the rest of the class and recite the pledge."
Dejected and deflated, Miss Prima walked quietly to her classroom.
We'll see what happened today when I go pick her up. I wonder if she, as usual, has figured out another loophole.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Kids and Dogs
Our family dog, a miniature dachshund, is a real weirdo. Seriously, the has this penchant for eating the contents of waste baskets, and articles of clothing, such as sox and underwear, the dirtier the better. It utterly baffles me when I find in her various known hiding places, nothing left of a piece of underwear but the wasteband, or nothing but the top elastic band of a sock. How does any of this stuff manage to pass through such a small dog? Amazingly, it does. I guess she chews her food very well.
A few months ago she ate something that REALLY didn't agree with her, an emery board. Yes, those sandpaper coated boards made of cardboard, or in this case, even wood, used for nail filing. She got hold of one and ate most of it before I caught her and took it away. She was NOT a happy camper for a couple of days as those jagged, rough pieces worked their way through her intestines. She was skittish, shaking, timid, and obviously in terrible pain. As with most thing in life, everything comes to pass. You'd think she'd learn her lesson after a while...
Anyway, this week, it looked like she had been at it again. She showed all the same symptoms of her having eaten something she shouldn't have. We waited overnight to see if anything would "come out in the wash" so to speak. Nothing. later that next afternoon, she was still in obvious pain. I decided to turn her over, belly up, and take a closer look. I began to feel around her belly in order to locate any foreign matter underneath the skin. I immediately felt and SAW a hard spot on her abdomen, about the size of a marble, or a small coin. GREAT! What'd she swallow now?
We imediately took her to the vet. Fortunately the diagnosis showed that the lump was due to nothing that she ate. UNfortunately, she was diagnosed with a hernia. "GREAT! How much is that going to cost?" By the time we get done with the surgery, pain meds, etc., the bill will be somewhere around $400. Fantastic...
While we were all waiting in the lobby, Miss Prima, age 8, was heard to say: "I wish I was a dog... because dogs get to poop and pass gas whenever they want."
A few months ago she ate something that REALLY didn't agree with her, an emery board. Yes, those sandpaper coated boards made of cardboard, or in this case, even wood, used for nail filing. She got hold of one and ate most of it before I caught her and took it away. She was NOT a happy camper for a couple of days as those jagged, rough pieces worked their way through her intestines. She was skittish, shaking, timid, and obviously in terrible pain. As with most thing in life, everything comes to pass. You'd think she'd learn her lesson after a while...
Anyway, this week, it looked like she had been at it again. She showed all the same symptoms of her having eaten something she shouldn't have. We waited overnight to see if anything would "come out in the wash" so to speak. Nothing. later that next afternoon, she was still in obvious pain. I decided to turn her over, belly up, and take a closer look. I began to feel around her belly in order to locate any foreign matter underneath the skin. I immediately felt and SAW a hard spot on her abdomen, about the size of a marble, or a small coin. GREAT! What'd she swallow now?
We imediately took her to the vet. Fortunately the diagnosis showed that the lump was due to nothing that she ate. UNfortunately, she was diagnosed with a hernia. "GREAT! How much is that going to cost?" By the time we get done with the surgery, pain meds, etc., the bill will be somewhere around $400. Fantastic...
While we were all waiting in the lobby, Miss Prima, age 8, was heard to say: "I wish I was a dog... because dogs get to poop and pass gas whenever they want."
Saturday, January 2, 2010
One Last Hurrah.... Thai Style
With the new year comes the inevitable New Year's Resolutions. As the calendar changes, many of us consider this the perfect time to make a new start. My wife and I are no different. We have decided, I'm not sure if we vowed, to get more serious about our health. We are going to take this opportunity, to join in this spirit of new beginnings, to eat right, lose weight, and get into some rockin' shape.
Admittedly, we started a family later than most. We'll be in our fifties when our kids graduate high school. We certainly don't want to be wheeled down the aisle at our kids' graduations or weddings. We know that, in a sense, we are at a slight disadvantage as a result of the age difference between our children, as well as other parents of our childrens' peers. But just because I'm probably a decade or two older than any other dad out there does not mean I am going to be the old man in the walker, or the wheelchair. I am determined to be a shining example for all dads out there, young and old, to be there for my kids whenever they need me, and even when they think they don't. I'm going to be the most devoted, involved parent in their school, our neighborhood, or whatever social environment in which we happen to find ourselves. That means I, as well as my wife (sorry honey), have to be in the best physical shape we can be.
New Year's Day came on a Friday this year. We spent all day Saturday buying, and most of the day Sunday prepping for our new adventure, by buying all the food necessary for the first phase of The South Beach Diet. Essentially, the idea behind TSBD tells you that processed food is bad for you. You can't eat any processed food, no refined sugars, no white flour, no junk food (of course). The first phase of the diet (14 days worth) attempts to break you of your dependence on these foods, and unnecessary carbs in general. During the first 2 weeks of this diet you are allowed practically no carbs at all. I'm ok with that. I perused the menu plan for phase one, and it looks like, with a bit of preparation and organization, you can eat pretty darned well on this diet. Couple that with a new gym membership, and I am intent on dropping at least 20 pounds before summer hits.
But come on, let's admit it, pretty much all of the diet plans out there work. The hardest part of any of them is staying on top of it all, of sticking with the program. I'm pleased that TSBD book provided me with an outlined, step-by-step, meal-by-meal plan. I've decided we are going to follow TSBD menu plan to the letter, or at least as close as possible, I'm guessig about 90%. We spent most of Saturday stocking up the pantry, the fridge and the freezer with all the ingredients necessary for the diet. We visited Costco, Sunflower Market, Albertson's and Trader Joes. We spend about $500 buying all the food and supplies. Believe it or not, that's about $120-150 more than we are used to spending in a two week period to feed our family, but we figure we'll make up for it in all the beer and wine we're not drinking.
Our D-day, as it were, is Monday, January 4. That's when we hit the ground running. Meantime, we are enjoying our last 2 days of "culinary freedom". Saturday we had asian food, and Sunday, pizza.
The following is a recipe for a Thai soup I made, and we enjoyed, on Saturday. It is most definitely NOT anywhere on TSBD plan - EVER. I ordered this for the first time earlier in the week from our corner Thai restaurant and absolutely fell in love with it. Being the gormond, and chief cook of the family, I wanted to try my hand at the dish myself. Here's a recipe I found that closely resembled what I tasted from the restaurant. I've made a few alterations to the traditional Thai recipe as denoted by the asterisks:
Thai Chicken Coconut Soup. Tom Ka Gai.
Admittedly, we started a family later than most. We'll be in our fifties when our kids graduate high school. We certainly don't want to be wheeled down the aisle at our kids' graduations or weddings. We know that, in a sense, we are at a slight disadvantage as a result of the age difference between our children, as well as other parents of our childrens' peers. But just because I'm probably a decade or two older than any other dad out there does not mean I am going to be the old man in the walker, or the wheelchair. I am determined to be a shining example for all dads out there, young and old, to be there for my kids whenever they need me, and even when they think they don't. I'm going to be the most devoted, involved parent in their school, our neighborhood, or whatever social environment in which we happen to find ourselves. That means I, as well as my wife (sorry honey), have to be in the best physical shape we can be.
New Year's Day came on a Friday this year. We spent all day Saturday buying, and most of the day Sunday prepping for our new adventure, by buying all the food necessary for the first phase of The South Beach Diet. Essentially, the idea behind TSBD tells you that processed food is bad for you. You can't eat any processed food, no refined sugars, no white flour, no junk food (of course). The first phase of the diet (14 days worth) attempts to break you of your dependence on these foods, and unnecessary carbs in general. During the first 2 weeks of this diet you are allowed practically no carbs at all. I'm ok with that. I perused the menu plan for phase one, and it looks like, with a bit of preparation and organization, you can eat pretty darned well on this diet. Couple that with a new gym membership, and I am intent on dropping at least 20 pounds before summer hits.
But come on, let's admit it, pretty much all of the diet plans out there work. The hardest part of any of them is staying on top of it all, of sticking with the program. I'm pleased that TSBD book provided me with an outlined, step-by-step, meal-by-meal plan. I've decided we are going to follow TSBD menu plan to the letter, or at least as close as possible, I'm guessig about 90%. We spent most of Saturday stocking up the pantry, the fridge and the freezer with all the ingredients necessary for the diet. We visited Costco, Sunflower Market, Albertson's and Trader Joes. We spend about $500 buying all the food and supplies. Believe it or not, that's about $120-150 more than we are used to spending in a two week period to feed our family, but we figure we'll make up for it in all the beer and wine we're not drinking.
Our D-day, as it were, is Monday, January 4. That's when we hit the ground running. Meantime, we are enjoying our last 2 days of "culinary freedom". Saturday we had asian food, and Sunday, pizza.
The following is a recipe for a Thai soup I made, and we enjoyed, on Saturday. It is most definitely NOT anywhere on TSBD plan - EVER. I ordered this for the first time earlier in the week from our corner Thai restaurant and absolutely fell in love with it. Being the gormond, and chief cook of the family, I wanted to try my hand at the dish myself. Here's a recipe I found that closely resembled what I tasted from the restaurant. I've made a few alterations to the traditional Thai recipe as denoted by the asterisks:
Thai Chicken Coconut Soup. Tom Ka Gai.
1 +1/2 inch piece of galangal or ginger, peeled and sliced *
Small bunch fresh cilantro with roots
4 kaffir lime leaves (makrut), torn **
1 stem lemongrass, halved lengthways
3 tablespoons fish sauce ***
juice of 2 small limes (maybe 3)
1 +3/4 cups coconut milk
1/2 pound skinless chicken breast, cut into thin strips
1 red chile (chilli), seeded and sliced ****
Put the galangal, cilantro roots, lime leaves, lemongrass and 4 cups of water ***** in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the fish sauce and lime juice, decrease the heat, and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the cilantro roots. Add the coconut milk, bring back to a boil and boil for a couple of minutes. Add
the chicken pieces and cook for a minute or two, until it is cooked through. Throw in the chile and mix well. Let stand for 20 minutes to let flavors blend and come together. Serve in bowls with the cilantro leaves roughly chopped and scattered over the top.
Keep in mind tat you are trying to achieve a balance of flavors between the sweet of the coconut milk, the sour of the lime, and the hot of the chile. hat's what your shooting for. When you get the balance right, no one flavor will overpower the other, rather they will all individually and collectively dance on your tongue (You'll understand when you get it right).
* Galangal is a type of asian ginger. It is NOT your typical giner root you normally find in an American grocery store. It has a very different flavor from traditional ginger. Please, try to find it at an asian market in your town. It is worth the effort to find it. (The Asian market I found it in callled it Galaga) If you can't find it, regular ginger will work.
** Kaffir lime leaves (or makrut) is very dificult to find, at least in my neck of the woods. If you can't find it, don't worry. There is a reasonable substitute. Peel thick strips of skin off of one lime. Tear a few places along the strip and crush/fold the strip to bruise it a bit to release its flavor and aroma. Discard after cooking. Use about 1 whole lime's worth of peel for this recipe.
*** A note on fish sauce. It is that "magic" flavor in most asian dishes. It is a very pungent smelling and tasting flavor additive. Be very careful adding fish sauce to any recipe. As a round-eye, I always start with about half of what the recipe calls for. You can always add more, but you can't take it out if you added too much!
**** If you can't find a red chili pepper, then just use a teaspoon or two of crushed red pepper flakes. I also used a healty squirt of Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce.
***** I didn't like the texture of the soup I made, it lacked body. I believe it was because I followed the direction here to use 4 cups of water. Perhaps 4 cups of chicken broth would be better.
I Pledge Allegiance...
It's taken me quite some time, but I'm beginning to understand that blind faith, that unwavering, unflagging, unconditional allegiance is generally not a good idea, in anything or anybody. Now don't get me wrong, to support friends, family, favorite sports teams (Go, Wings!), country, etc., is fine, but to do so without even thinking about it (or worse yet, while ignoring my better instincts, or judgement) can lead to trouble. Some people are just plain stupid, mean, devious, or off their rockers, and its better to just keep your distance.
I wish I had known this years ago. Just because they fly the same flag, wear the same colors, share a common history, or even the same name, does not mean you owe them to follow when they run off the cliff or burn the bridge.
Live for yourself. Live honestly. Do what's right and best for you. You'll respect yourself in the morning, trust me. And if "they" don't like it, tough!
That's one of my New Year's Resolutions. I'm going to stop living for other people, and live for me. That's not to say I'm going to ignore my responsibilities as a husband and father. When my wife an kids are healthy and happy, then I am too. They will always be at the top of my list of priorities. I'm talking about the people who bring drama and strife into my life. I'm talking about people who distract and divert my attention and energy from acheiving the goal of a happy and healthy life. I have neither the time, nor the patience for that any longer. If you wish to bring any of that into my house, you are not welcome here.
I wish I had known this years ago. Just because they fly the same flag, wear the same colors, share a common history, or even the same name, does not mean you owe them to follow when they run off the cliff or burn the bridge.
Live for yourself. Live honestly. Do what's right and best for you. You'll respect yourself in the morning, trust me. And if "they" don't like it, tough!
That's one of my New Year's Resolutions. I'm going to stop living for other people, and live for me. That's not to say I'm going to ignore my responsibilities as a husband and father. When my wife an kids are healthy and happy, then I am too. They will always be at the top of my list of priorities. I'm talking about the people who bring drama and strife into my life. I'm talking about people who distract and divert my attention and energy from acheiving the goal of a happy and healthy life. I have neither the time, nor the patience for that any longer. If you wish to bring any of that into my house, you are not welcome here.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
