Veggies from my CSA share

I watch this little You Tube video by Christina Pirello, and I had to smile. It really does boil down to eating more veggies. Pretty simple, but it will change your life.  No kidding.

Christina healed herself from leukemia by adopting a macrobiotic diet. She’s a teacher and cookbook author  who has a show, Christina Cooks on PBS.

The last of the 31 healthy hints I have to share with you is easy: Eat veggies.  Every day.

If you don’t see Christina’s video, simply click here.

Let’s face it, shopping for holiday gifts can be a downright drag. Whether you’re spending hours on the Internet trying to find the perfect gift or whether you are fighting for a parking space in holiday traffic,  shopping sucks.

We are blessed with so many gifts as Americans, as people born in modern times who needs this year’s “hottest, must have gadget, scarf, etc”? It brings at best a momentary thrill. Utlimately it becomes more stuff. These pointless gifts don’t even really mean more than surface level happiness.

It’s time to get off this hamster wheel of consumerism and start thinking outside of the box this holiday season. It’s experiences and activities that we should spend our money on. They’re the things what make the memories, and help us to spend time with the people we care about.

Here are three ideas for gifts you can give your loved ones. Got any other ideas? Please post them in the comments section!

Take a class together. My daughter Melanie and I took a Thai Street Food cooking class at the Natural Gourmet Institute for Food and Health yesterday.  We spent all afternoon making red, green and yellow Thai curry pastes and ended up enjoying a big feast of Thai food along with some mango coconut ice cream for dessert. Beyond cooking classes, you could find a pottery class, painting, yoga, bellydancing, you name it, the sky is the limit!

Theater or show tickets are another great way to create a memory instead of more “stuff”.  While Broadway tickets can be expensive, you can find loads of local theater, comedy and music venues close to home.

Make cookies together. Kids of all ages love to bake. Set up a day to make cookies together. Need some recipe ideas? Click here, here and here. Arrange to have a cookie swap with friends or neighbors.  Or donate some of your yummy home made cookies to someone in need.

Food Rules by Michael Pollan

Hubby’s company is having a holiday bake off next week. I am going to do my part to make sure the Rubin Rodeo wins bragging rights. It gives me a great excuse to play around with some new recipes. This afternoon, I’m experimenting with home made peanut butter cups. The ingredients are way better than Reese’s Peanut Butter cups which contain TBHQ, an ingredient I like to stay away from. What is TBHQ? Heck if I know!

Michael Pollan has a rule in his book,Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual
that says

“Don’t eat anything that your grandmother wouldn’t recognize as food”  TBHQ definitely falls into that category.

Another rule:

“Eat all the junk you want,as long as you cook it yourself”

By making peanut butter cups yourself, you have the opportunity to improve the quality of ingredients. I wouldn’t even call this “junk”, it’s a treat. I use organic peanut butter that contains one ingredient: peanuts. When it comes to chocolate chips, I look for fair trade, organic and soy free when ever possible.

Another Pollan rule in his book:

“Treat teats as treats”

Peanut Butter Cups made from scratch

This treat is special because you make it yourself. And no doubt, you’re not doing this every day. It’s special. It’s a treat!

Buying Reese’s or any other cheapie peanut butter cup at the store is not a treat, its just junk! Now that I’ve justified making these and explained my ingredient philosophy, let’s get to work!

Here’s the recipe:

Peanut Butter Cups

Ingredients:

1 cup peanut butter

1/4 cup sugar

2 Tablespoons coconut oil

10 graham crackers, ground into fine crumbs

2 cups chocolate chips

Put cupcake liners in  muffin tins
Over low heat stir the peanut butter, sugar and 1 TBSP of coconut oil together in a small sauce pan until melted and smooth
Remove from heat and stir in graham cracker crumbs
Divide evenly between the 18 (or so) cupcake liners
Pop in the freezer while you melt the chocolate chips and remaining 1 TBSP of coconut oil in a double boiler, stir occasionally
When melted remove the peanut butter cups from the freezer and spoon chocolate evenly between the 18 cups
Place in refrigerator until 1/2 hour before serving, let them warm up to room temperature so you can bite through the chocolate.

Enjoy!

Stone Soup is a great way to get kids to fall in love with soup making. Stone soup making was a special event at the Mount Kisco Child Care Center back in the days when I taught my variety of food based education there.
As a prelude to making this recipe with kids, read a version of Stone Soup, the story of three hungry soldiers who come into a village and cleverly trick the peasants into sharing their food–by making a lavish soup out of seemingly nothing but stones. Like the soldiers’ soup, this recipe turns whatever vegetables you have on hand into a hearty meal. Kids love plopping a real stone into the broth,  but if your pantry is low on stones, you can let the potatoes fill that role.

Stone Soup

serves 6
1 stone, big enough that it won’t get lost in the soup (quartz is a good choice because it won’t break down in cooking)
1 tbsp. butter or olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, trimmed and chopped fine
1 large carrot, cut into coins
3 medium red-skinned potatoes, unpeeled, and cut into quarters
1/2 sweet red pepper, chopped
1 large garlic clove, pressed
6 cups chicken stock (or a combination of stock and water)
1 medium zucchini, diced large
1 medium yellow squash, diced large
1/2 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen
2 cups cooked soup pasta (optional)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

The first step is for your child to scrub and wash the stone thoroughly. Then, for an extra cleaning, she can drop it in a pot of water to boil while you prepare the rest of the soup together.

In another large pot, melt the butter or heat the oil, then sauté the onion on medium-high for 2 to 4 minutes.

Stir in the celery, carrot, potatoes and red pepper, sautéeing for 6 to 8 minutes.

Add the garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds, then add in the broth. Using a spoon, fish the stone out of the other pot, add it to the soup and bring to a boil.

Add the zucchini, squash, corn and pasta, cooking another 8 minutes or until the zucchini is the desired softness.

Season to taste with salt and pepper. Before serving, ladle–minus the stone–into individual bowls.

Serves 6 to 8.

Cioccolata Calda

One afternoon while sipping my cappuccino at a nearby cafe,  a delegate from Vermont introduced me to an amazing Italian drink: Cioccolata Calda. The translation is  hot chocolate but it is nothing like the  watery kind we drink in the US. Hot chocolate in Italy and many parts of Europe is thick, almost the consistency of pudding, and hot, hence the word “calda”. Its not nearly as sweet as what we drink in the US, but it is totally dense chocolate deliciousness. Topped off with a touch of whipped heavy cream that is slightly sweet, this drink is pure pleasure.

I had no choice but to order one of my own.  I played tourist and whipped out my camera for a play by play photo shoot of the scene behind the bar.

Carlo Petrini

Once upon a time in the late 1980′s a man named Carlo Petrini organized a bold and powerful campaign against McDonalds.  The fast food chain was planning to open a branch of the golden arches near the Spanish steps in Rome. Carlo and his pals brandished bowls of penne past as weapons of protest and the Slow Food movement was born. He issued a manifesto which was a response to fast food, fast life, non sustainable farming and the erosion of local communities.

Today, Slow Food, is an international organization that is active in over 150 countries. Here in the US, Slow Food has over 200 chapters, I am a proud co-leader of the Westchester/Lower Hudson Valley Chapter of Slow Food.  This weekend, I had the fortunate opportunity to her Carlo Petrini speak at NYC’s new hub of delicious food, EATALY.

Here’s a taste of what Carlo spoke about.

Its very important to increase the dialog between science and traditional knowledge. I am reminded of  this often by my clients who have gotten lost in “nutritionism” and health claims and find themselves utterly confused when it comes to what to eat. Traditional food and culture has as much to teach us as high tech science does, perhaps even more.

Politics from grass roots movements move slow like a snail but go on and on. Small things bring great changes. This is part of what I try to impart to school food advocates who contact me through the Better School Food website. By taking a stand, we shift the culture of food in a school. And yes, the pace may feel snail like at times, but it makes a huge difference in the long run.

Carlo said that the two foundations of Slow Food are:

#1 Affective Intelligence this is intelligence that comes from the heart. Because we are a heart centered organization, many people feel compelled to get involved and volunteer. Being involved with Slow Food is a delicious form of activism, everyone loves to connect over a meal.

#2 Austere Anarchy I personally love the word anarchy which can be defined as a utopian society of individuals who enjoy complete freedom without government.  What Carlo said was we have the freedom to do anything. Slow Food chapters can do what they like. You can visit the Slow Food USA website to see the wide variety of events happening all across the country.

After Carlo talked, we ate. And ate. Amazing bread from Wild Hive Farms drenched in olive oil. Fresh mozzerella, crisp salad with pickled carrots and beets, varieties of fresh pasta, wood oven fired pizza, and of course, wine.  No one was counting carbs, that is not on the Slow Food agenda. Everyone was talking about farmers, Italy and the upcoming Terra Madre 2010 event instead.

This was a wonderful sneak preview of the adventure that I’ll be embarking on later this week as I leave for Italy en route to Terra Madre 2010: a world wide meeting of farmers, artisan food producers, educators and food activists.

Ciao for now!

Slow Cooker Chicken Stock

The weather has turned chilly, fall is finally here. Last night, after  my hubby grilled up a beer can chicken on the grill, I knew it was time to start making soup. Good soup starts with a good stock.  The best stock is made from real ingredients. My secret weapon for making outrageously easy and delicious stock is my slow cooker.

Two important ingredients in my stock are apple cider vinegar and sea vegetables. The vinegar helps to pull calcium out of the bones.  I add sea veggies for additional trace elements and  minerals. I use a blend of sea veggies from See Sells Seaweed who harvests seaweed off the coast of Maine.

Slow Cooker Chicken Stock

Ingredients:

carcass of roasted chicken

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 onion cut into quarters, skin included

1 carrot, coarsely chopped

a spoonful of sea vegetables (i.e. kombu or  wakame)

fresh filtered water

Load up the Slow Cooker, turn it on low, let it do it’s job over night.

Want more super easy, super delicious Slow Cooking recipes? I created a short and sweet cookbooklet that is filled with some of my most favorite slow cooker recipes.  In keeping with the slow theme, its not an instant download E-book, its a small simple booklet that I sent to you via snail mail (aka the US Postal Service). You can order it on my website by visiting my products page, click HERE for more info

Despite what the diary industry tries to make us believe, milk doesn’t always do a body good. Not everyone can easily digest  cow’s milk.  Soy milk can be equally undigestible. Soy beverages are  not something I would recommend due to GMO concerns and questions on whether we should even be ingesting soy products.

Looking for a non dairy beverage to put on your breakfast porridge in the morning? Give almond milk a try. Almonds contain anti cancer and cholesterol lowering properties and are rich in vitamin E.  They are also a good calcium source. Its easy to make, here’s a super simple recipe:

Almond Milk

1 cup raw almonds, preferably organic

2-3 cups filtered water

1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract

1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey ( optional)

cheesecloth

1. soak almonds overnight, drain

2. put almonds and other ingredients into a blender

3.  puree at high speed for 3-5 min

4. add a touch of vanilla or almond extract depending on your tastes

5.  add a teaspoon of maple syrup if you want to sweeten it a bit

6.  pour the blend into a bowl lined with two sheets of cheesecloth.

7.  squeeze the liquid almond milk through the cheesecloth

Note: you can utilize the leftover almond grinds in cookies for added healthy fiber.

Yummy Yummy Black Beans

This year, my eldest daughter is cooking her own meals at college. No more school food for her! She and I have made a deal. I’ll send her recipes if she’ll do some fancy food styling and take some photos. Between the two of us, we should have a pretty decent cookbook within a few months.

Today, she was craving some Tex-Mex and went and bought some black beans.  Since she’s on a limited budget, she quickly realized that dried beans are way cheaper than the canned version. Hopefully she’ll remember to rinse them well after soaking so she and her fellow eaters don’t get too gassy.  Here’s the simple, easy and delicious recipe she’ll be cooking tonight. I hope to have photos and more details of her bean adventure soon!

Black Bean Burritos

1 cup of cooked rice (white or brown)
2 cups of cooked black beans
fresh greens

1 onion
1 clove chopped garlic

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 cup of chipotle salsa (any salsa will do)

1 cup guacamole
Tortillas

1.  Sauté the onion and garlic in small amount of olive oil.

2.  Add the spices and beans and cook for 5-10 minutes.

3.  Place bean onion mixture in a bowl, alongside the rice, salsa and guacamole.

4.  Wrap up in a tortilla and enjoy.

Note: you can also add left over chicken, vegetables or whatever else you may have on hand to the bean mixture.

Black beans are a type of kidney bean.  They are an excellent protein source. According to Chinese medicine, they help to strengthen the kidneys and adrenals. Beans actually help to lower cholesterol levels; they are also an excellent for anyone with blood sugar imbalances or diabetes.

If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen! It was so hot yesterday, I had to get out of my kitchen. So I fired up the grill and whipped up one of my favorite salads on the deck for dinner. I had some skinless, boneless chicken thighs marinating in some teriyaki sauce, so I tossed that on the grill. Chicken thighs are moist and flavorful and so much cheaper than dry, tasteless boneless chicken breasts. As a novice griller, I can easily grill them over low heat without overcooking them.

Here’s the recipe:

Ingredients:

1 lb. Napa cabbage, cut crosswise into 1/3 inch wide strips

½ lb. snow peas or sugar snap peas

3 cups coarsely shredded cooked chicken

½ cup scallions chopped

½ cup fresh cilantro

½ cup dry roasted unsalted peanuts or toasted sliced almonds

For the Dressing:

¼ cup soy sauce

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

¼ cup olive oil

1. Combine snow peas with chopped Napa cabbage, chopped cilantro, shredded chicken, scallions and nuts
2. Whisk together soy sauce, lemon juice, maple syrup, vinegar in a small bowl, then add sesame oil and olive oil in a slow stream, whisking until dressing is combined well.
3. Toss salad with the dressing.

* You might want to add dressing to individual salads. This way the leftover salad will keep better.