Dining with Carnivores

Not A SteakHouse! Well Maybe...
There are some places that are just difficult for vegetarians. Kansas City is one of them. The further west (in Kansas) the worse it gets! So we dodged the traditional steakhouse invitation recently and went to lunch at Fogo de Chao  a Brazilian steakhouse with a full stocked all-you-can eat salad bar - not like the grocery store.

This is where a steakhouse is not just a steakhouse and you don't have to settle for a baked potato and salad. For the salad bar, you only pay $19.50 for lunch or dinner. Carnivores eating meat is more costly: $24.50 for lunch, and $42.50 for dinner. (Same 15 cuts of meat for both meals, but I guess the animals ask for a premium fee, when you eat them around dark).

Yes, $19.50 is more than we usually pay for a salad bar, but if your group wants steak let them have it, while you enjoy well-prepared vegetables, tabbouleh and even an assortment of cheese.

All were happy.  About 40 items on the salad bar and about 25 of those were vegan, 30 were vegetarian, and there was at least smoked salmon for the pescatarian. For the meat eaters, there's 15 types of meats. This will eliminate those funny looks from the in-laws (or carnivores in your group).

What is Farofa?
Farofa is toasted manioc flour (farinha de mandioca) from the yucca/cassava root (great wheat flour substitute). Have you ever wondered where tapioca comes from, but not the same texture or taste.

Photo from International Recipe Syndicate

If you ask your Fogo de Chao gaucho, you can get a side order of rice and beans (may have pork), or farofa with your hot (fried) polenta, garlic mashed potatoes and caramelized bananas (not plantains).  These items are not on the salad bar, but are included by request only.

Farofa is very versatile. While working in Brazil, I teased at the creative ways you were served farofa. Here's a great website to give you ideas: Farofa Recipe.  Vegans beware: farofa is often fried in butter so be sure to ask, and sometimes the chef sneaks in pork.  I use only palm oil (Dende).

Toasted Farofa Recipe:
I haven't prepared it in awhile, but here's a popular Vegan Brazilian recipe found at the Brazilian Food.com website. I'm reprinting it here:

Ingredients

- 2 TB olive oil, or palm oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 carrot, grated
- 4 scallions, thinly slice just the white section
- 1/4 cup blanched & sliced almonds
- 1/4 cup black or green olives, chopped
- 1/3 cup sultana raisins (soak them in 1/2 cup dry white wine)
- 1 cup manioc flour or flaky corn farofa or farinha de mandioca
- 2 TB parsley, chopped

Directions:
1.  Saute the onion and garlic in the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat.
2.  After 5 minutes, add the red pepper and cook for another 5 minutes.
3.  Add the grated carrot.  Cook another minute.
4.  Add the scallions.  Cook another minute.
5.  Add the olives and almonds.
6.  Reduce the heat to low.
7.  Drain the sultana raisins from the white wine and add them to the pan.
8.  In a separate frying pan, toast the farofa over medium heat.  Mix constantly to prevent the farofa from burning.
9.  Add the farofa to the vegetables.
10.  Serve with parsley sprinkled on top.

Happy eating Brazilian style. 
Kathleen Brandt 
stradercom@aol.com

Baked Sesame Crusted Tofu

Serve with Sweet & Spicy Garlic 

(or Ginger) Sauce 
I’m not a tofu expert. Matter of fact, I rarely cook it. But it is a treat when I go out to eat; plus, my vegetarian friends are always looking for new recipes.  Yesterday, my friend Casey and I went to Lulu’s Thai Noodle Shop, a local restaurant, and she introduced me to Sesame Crusted Tofu. Delish! Which means my test-kitchen is open!

I have found that baking tofu helps concentrate flavor and makes the texture firmer, but others may wish to fry.  This is my final recipe.  Give it a try and tell me what you think.

The Ingredients

• 1 pound extra-firm organic tofu (1 package), rinsed
• 1/4C lemon juice
• 2TBS soy sauce or pinch of sea salt
• chilli to taste
• 1/4 cup sesame seeds (You may wish to mix black and white)
• 1TBS sesame oil

Slice tofu in half lengthwise and absorb any excess water on paper towel. Apply pressure (I sit a cooking pan on top of the tofu bar or a few can goods.)

Marinate tofu squares (oblongs) in ¼C lemon juice and 2 TBS soy sauce and 1TBS sesame oil for 20 minutes, add chilli to taste.

Mix  sesame seeds (black and white) on a plate and set aside

Coat tofu with sesame seeds and lay on greased baking pan; or use a “grease-free” silicone mat.

Bake for 30 minutes at 375.0  Turn the tofu half way through cooking.

Serve tofu with your favorite sauce. I must admit, I like Lulu’s “sweet ginger sauce,” but my favorite sauce is a sweet and spicy garlic sauce.

Sweet and Spicy Garlic Sauce
I just boil up a batch of this, and refrigerate it in a canning jar for up to 3 weeks, so it’s always on hand.  When I’m ready to serve, I just heat it on the stove for a minute or two so that it reaches the right syrup-like consistency for dipping! (Did I mention, I rarely use the microwave).

Sauce Ingredients

Boil and dissolve 1/3C brown sugar, 3C water, 2TBS garlic (minced) 1/4tsp salt (to taste). I add up to 1/4C rice vinegar for tanginess, but not necessary.

Add hot chilli sauce to taste (abt 1 TBS). You may wish to chop up a few green scallions for added flavor.

For a sweet ginger sauce, you could substitute ginger for the garlic. Just start with about 2tsp ginger and add to taste. I also suggest you eliminate the rice vinegar.

Kathleen Brandt
stradercom@aol.com

Baked Vegetarian Rice Poppers

In our house brown rice is a staple. So using my wonderful rice maker, we make 6 cups of rice every 3 days (no one wants old rice). But sometimes, we have too much rice, so I make little rice poppers.

Using a combination of herbs, spices, and fillings, you can create a bit of fun! These are so versatile. Sometimes I make them totally vegan, no cheese required. Just use great seasonings (garlic, onions and saffron for a paella style works well. If you are a pescatarian, stuff a little shrimp or two in the center of each ball. For Christmas Eve I made these using cheese but still vegetarian. You can add peas or tomato paste to make them Italian style, taco seasoning and a TBS of thick salsa for Mexican style, or season with Thai herbs. The list goes on.  But here's the basic

Mix Together...

• 1cup leftover brown rice
• 1/4c-1/3c of herbs chopped finely (your favorites), great place to add a bit of flax or chia. Try any combination of onions mint, cilantro, garlic, even nuts.  Finely minced seeded peppers (red/green/yellow or jalapeno) Use fresh or dry, not frozen.
• 1-2 eggs for binding. I typically use 1 brown egg. 
• 1TBS of broth or wine
• salt/pepper to taste 
• pinch of red pepper flakes (to taste)
• 1/3c - 1/2c of Parmesan cheese

Roll Above Mixture In... 

• 1/4c of Parmesan.  Sometimes I tuck a small bit of mozzarella in the center for an extra treat, but this batch is "we are going to the beach in a few days" recipe.
• 1c bread crumbs 

Spray mini-muffin pan for poppers. For this batch, I moistened my hands with olive oil and rolled a spoonful of the mixture in the breadcrumbs and Parmesan. Cook in 400 degree oven until golden brown (15-20 minutes). Don't over cook. 

My recipe is a tasty snack and I've reduced the use of eggs, cheese, and oil.  But here is a more traditional recipe that I would consider "oven fried."  It too is very tasty, but if I have to drain treats on a paper towel, it is usually eliminated from my cookbook or revised.  You may wish to try this Baked Italian Brown Rice Ball recipe from Lisa's Kitchen. 

Kathleen Brandt

stradercom@aol.com

Red Orange and Yellow Peppers

Muhammara - Vegan Dip
My refrigerator was overrun with peppers. Red and orange.  So, I turned to an old favorite: Muhammara - a vegan spicy pepper dip. You probably have already figured out, veggies can easily be used for dips and sauces. Served with toasted pita squares or naan, you can have a snack in about 5 minutes.

Muhammara, is the Indian cuisine's answer to hummus (at least that's my theory) and, it's delicious, easy to make and a one dish wonder. Oh..and a bonus: it's free of the sesame seed paste (Tahini) that is in hummus. You've probably heard sesame seed allergies are on the rise.

All you need is your food processor; one of the essential kitchen gadgets.

Muhamarra Recipe

3/4 cup toasted walnuts (I keep these on hand.)
3 roasted red bell peppers
3/4 cup fresh bread crumbs
1 jalapeño or other small hot chili pepper, stemmed and seeded (I use red pepper flakes)
1 small onion, finely chopped (for milder, green or shallots will do)
2-4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses*
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil.

1. Lay out ingredients.  (Work with me, I'm like 3 step processes).

2. Put everything but olive oil in  food processor.   Process until smooth; stopping to scrape down the sides if necessary.

3. With the machine running, slowly pour in olive oil and process until combined. Taste, and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve with toasted pita bread for dipping.

*Pomegranate molasses? You can purchase at an Indian or Asian store, but I was fresh out! (wink wink). So I used a splash of pomegranate and the 1TBS of molasses. Is it a fair substitute? I have no idea. But it works well.

If you came to my house, I'd offer you some, but then again, hubby has been dipping out of this batch straight out of the bowl.  Ick...but I'm glad he likes it.  I'll make you a fresh batch.

Kathleen Brandt

stradercom@aol.com

Herb Cheese with Honey

Making Cheese (Paneer) 

I make cheese when I have excess milk or half and half. Especially if I'm expecting company, like for the holidays!  Right before the milk goes bad I bring out the boiling pan and make homemade Ricotta style (actually Paneer) cheese. This is versatile cheese and can be whipped up quickly. For a firmer consistency, you may want it to sit for up to 5 hours. 

What to Do With Paneer?

I'm not a big cheese eater of any kind, but my family and friends like it, and cheese is very versatile. One of the favorites is ricotta cheese dishes served as a dessert:

1 cup of ricotta2TBS of honeyWhipped together (if too dry add a TBS of milk) and serve with fruit. Another is mixed herbs (tyme, oregano, mint, cilantro) in cottage cheese or ricotta, spread on your favorite cracker and top with a slice of apple, or  a few craisins  or blueberries and eat as an appetizer.

 And who doesn't like a crunchy celery stuffed with cheese for a quick protein snack? For those who like Indian foods, herb cheese can be made into Paneer Tikki  for a fried snack. And don’t forget the favored Saag Paneer, an Indian dish of tasty spinach cooked with paneer.

Make a Batch of Herb Cheese

In a few easy steps you can make herb cheese for any of the treats above.  The key is organization.

• Prep time: Chop up your favorite herbs and spices. I have cumin, coriander, green chilies, mint, cilantro, thyme, dill, and green onions.
• Line a colander with cheese cloth. This essential step needs to be completed before boiling the milk.
• Boil milk (I used half and half). Stir often, and be careful not to scorch.
• Add lemon juice or vinegar. Remove from heat and add 1/8 c of juice for every quart of  milk.  Your milk will curd immediately. Keep stirring (gently).
• Add herbs and spices and keep stirring off heat. I use abt 2 tsp of cumin and then go from there. I add a ¼ cup of mint and cilantro, and I add herbs based on my taste for the day. You may wish to add salt here too.

• Rinse curds. When curds are made, the rinsing begins.  Pour the contents of your pot into the prepared colander.  And rinse with cold water. Be sure to use your hands and really give the cheese curds a rinse. This should remove any lemon or vinegar smell.
• Wrap curds and remove whey. in your cheese cloth and squeeze out (wring out) as much whey as possible.

• Press the turbo topped cheese in the colander (or strainer) with a weight. I place my mortal and pestle on top of it to continue the draining process. The longer it is packed and mummified in the cheese cloth the firmer it should be.  I like 5 hours, but you can actually eat your cheese within 5 minutes.

• Ready to Eat. Unwrap your cheese and cube for frying, slice for crackers, or crumble for a dessert of cheese and honey or even strawberry preserves to top it.

Hint:  Use fine cheese cloth.

Kathleen Brandt

stradercom@aol.com

Cracker Cake or Cookie

10 Minute Dessert

So as you know I don't care for cooked sugar, bur for some reason, (maybe the holidays), I made a 10 minute dessert: Saltine Toffee Cookies.  Now "cookie" may be a misnomer.  You can detect the saltiness of the saltine crackers, and definitely the toffee.  But, I'm still working on"cookie."  However, you classify it, put it in your holiday recipe book. Why? It's quick, easy and full of household staples. And pretty darn tasty!

Brown sugar, butter, saltine crackers, chocolate morsels and pecans (but I think any nut would do).  I used the mini morsels of chocolate. Personally, I would have preferred a lot less chocolate; but hubby liked it just fine!

I made a note in my recipe book to make three changes on the next batch:

1) use a bit of the vanilla flavored brown sugar. I usually have vanilla infused brown sugar on hand You never know when you need it!  I do the same with white sugar.  After using the vanilla pod, stick it in a sugar bowl. 

2) substitute dark chocolate.  But, I guarantee you, kids will not have a problem with these.

3) refrigerate to cool. I'm wondering if I'd get a firmer texture out of the chocolate if I cooled in the refrigerator instead of room temp. But if you like gooey and a bit messy, you've got a winner.  Another key is to not over use the chocolate morsels. More is not better.

Here's the recipe:  (I cut it in half and prepared in 8x8 pan.)

SALTINE CRACKER TOFFEE

Saltines (crackers) 2 sticks butter 2 c. brown sugar 12 oz. pkg. chocolate chips 1 cup chopped pecans Lay crackers side by side in 10"x15" jelly roll pan (cookie sheet with edge).Bring butter and sugar to boil and continue boiling until soft ball stage. Pour toffee over crackers. Bake in 400 degree oven for 5 to 7 minutes. Watch carefully so doesn't burn. Sprinkle chips over toffee/crackers and return to oven for 30 seconds to melt. Spread the melted chocolate and sprinkle chopped pecans on top. Cool to set and harden. Crack and enjoy.

Kathleen Brandt
stradercom@aol.com

1,2,3 of Eating Pasta

I’m Not a Nutritionist,

but common sense tells me that vegetarian eating should not be equivalent to eating a diet of pasta and carbs. You will gain weight and begin to look fluffy, unless you have the exercise routine to balance it.  Eat your pasta with protein (beans, lentils, quinoa, nuts). Try sprinkling nutritional yeast on pasta.  It’s a great source of vitamin B-12, which we don’t get enough of on a typical vegan/vegetarian diet.

1)      Nutritional Yeast

Nutritional Yeast!

I buy nutritional yeast in bulk. You can use it on popcorn instead of butter, on bread (I top garlic bread with it), in mashed potatoes or mashed/baked sweet potatoes.

2)      Convert

If you still are using white pasta, slowly convert. The key to whole wheat pasta at first is to cook it a bit longer than suggested. Most newbies don’t like whole wheat pasta al dente (especially if you have children). So cook a bit softer, and season with salt, garlic, onions, etc.  It has such a wonderful nutty flavor, but you may have to bring out the flavor with special "love".

3)      Add Veggies

Never eat pasta without veggies.  Why? Because I said so!....Wait no!  It’s better for you. Chop up peppers, add tomatoes, mushrooms, peas, broccoli, carrots, etc. Plus, in the end, it taste better!

Fun Spaghetti

Whole wheat spaghetti 

I cook up the whole box and freeze leftover for a day where there’s so little time but way too much hunger.

Sautéed onions, garlic

2cups of chopped up tomatoes and the juice (I use my Magic Bullet)

Feeling a bit lazy? Try one of the following organic/low sodium options:
   1 6oz can of tomato paste and 3 cups of water or veggie broth

   Or 1 can of Rotel and 1 can of diced tomatoes for a lazy spicy

   Or 1 can of diced or whole tomatoes chopped up.

I sometimes go for the organic canned tomatoes, but prefer freshly chopped. It doesn’t increase your time. Just avoid that jarred pasta sauce. Have you read the ingredients, and looked at the sodium levels? OUCH.  Check the labels of all canned goods!, I’ll write about this later.

1/8-1/4tsp of salt

Veggies: red, yellow, orange, green peppers

Sliced mushrooms, olives, capers

1/8tsp red peppers

Oregano

Basil (I suggest fresh)

Olive oil

Toss in a cup of kidney beans (or a can)

Optional: In our house food is spicy.  I dice up a jalapeno (For less heat remove the seeds and veins).

Prior to serving: top with a 1/2TBS - 1TBS of nutritional yeast

Ami’s Vegetarian Delicacies has a recipe that well represents my idea of spaghetti. Just make your adjustments. It’s a tasty plate!

Kathleen Brandt

stradercom@aol.com

Fresh Pesto

Never Go Sauceless!
Yesterday, I spoke of Pesto Sauce, and two people asked which brand I used. Brand? BRAND? I'm flabbergasted! It's the easiest sauce in the world to make. Today I made two appetizer dipping jars of it. (Ok...canning jars, but one jar usually meets one serving. And the jars are cute.) You can make bigger batches, but it has fresh  Parmesan cheese and pine nuts, so the fresher the better.

I use either fresh basil, or I use basil that I reaped from the summer garden and froze for winter consumption. It allows for fresh pesto all winter long. Note: When I freeze basil, I place leaves on cookie sheet, and once totally frozen, I stack leaves in a plastic bag.

Garden Fresh Basil ready to be frozen

Basic Pesto Recipe

For the batch of pesto above, I use 1 cup of basil, 2cloves of garlic, 1/4-1/3cup of Parmesan cheese, 2TBS of pinenuts and about 1/3 cup of olive oil.  You will probably need a pinch of salt up to 1/8tsp depending on your saltiness of your cheese and a dash of pepper. I really don't measure anything, I eye ball it, but adjust according to taste. I need my pesto to have a garlic bite.

Blend all until smooth in the food processor. Scrape sides periodically.  I start with only 1/4 cup of olive oil and then add as needed while blending. If using to dip bread, increase the olive oil.

Supposedly you can freeze up to 3 months, but I never bother. We devour in about 3 days;  plus I can taste "previously frozen" on pesto. Fresh is the way to go!

Kathleen Brandt
stradercom@aol.com

Risotto Style Balls - Vegan and Vegetarian

The Vegan Version by Katchadourian-Reese

A Holiday Batch

A holiday batch of brown rice risotto style mushroom balls can save you from appetizer tapas worry. I make a large batch. Some are vegan, some are mozzarella filled, others are spicy. Then I accompany it with sauces: pesto, marinara (fill free to add a splash of red wine), and honey/mustard.  One of my favorite sauces is a garlic parsley flavored oil oil with white wine added, but another one is a reduced balsamic vinegar with a touch of molasses.

A hint...for your vegan batch you may wish to add nutritional yeast. Nut crusted makes them yummy also.
If your risotto balls are the same with every batch, you probably aren't being creative enough.  So much can be done with these.

For a new variety, my google search landed me on The Vegan Version of Katchadourian-Reese blog. I'm going to set aside a batch today with for her savory choices of herbs and seasonings.

Looking for a pescatarian option:  add diced up shrimp.
 
Don't Fry
I fry nothing! If it requires over 1TBS of oil oil, it doesn't get made in this house.  So, I oven bake at a high temp 425F. I roll the balls in everything from macademia nuts to panko.  Really! Use your favorite, and add both flavor and protein, so a nut base roll is often used.  I cook them in my mini-muffin pan and eat them hot or at room temp.

Cooking with Gadgets

The Bonus Tool

The Right Tools for Cooking
Do you have these necessary gadgets? Well, actually no gadget is necessary except maybe a sharp knife, but it really feels good when your kitchen is equipped with healthy food and the right tool.  Here are a few of mine:

1. Juicer - I haven't upgraded to a Vitamix or Blendtec for a reason: I don't need one. My motto is juice vegetables, eat fruit, then eat your vegetables. So this is a daily tool for juicing.  
2. Magic Bullet - for whipping and grinding smaller quantities. Oh..and the dips I can whip up for crudites and crackers. 
3. Pampered Chef Chopper - It just keeps on chopping, and I can control the density of my onion, carrots and such. I use it even to chop up hard cheeses for my dairy friends to top their salads and tacos. I love pretty much all things Pampered Chef, but they are necessary, but nice to have. 
4. Food Processor - Mine is a small Cuisinart. A perfect size for a batch of Hummus and Baba Ganoush, lentil or bean burgers.  It get's a lot of use. 
5. Emulsifier - so easy to use for making soups, smoothing gravies, and just changing a texture. My fav tool for making refried beans. 
6. Kitchen Aid Mixer - yeah...this is my "to go" mixer.  When I think "make a batch," the Kitchen Aid mixer's plug just does a little dance over there in my kitchen corner! I pull it out about once a week. Sometimes more, but I'm not a baker. Unless you're thinking pulp bread (from the juicer) or banana bread. 
7. Cutco knives.  I'm sure any good knife would do, but I love my Cutco knives. Especially the Chef's knife. Makes giving veggies a harvest chop into an easy job. 
8. Rice Maker - In our house even the dog eats brown rice. We make a batch twice a week. Do you know how easy dinner is if the rice is already? Add a sauce or gravy with veggies, and voila, you're done.  And it isn't just for rice. 
9. Nu-Wave - some people thought I'd never use this one. But I took it out of Aunt Barbara's house. It was begging for love when I found it on her kitchen counter, not being used. I use it 3-4 times a week. I like the way it cooks my veggies.  I love the way it perfectly bakes my veggie burgers. And, if my hubby needs a piece of salmon, the Nu Wave is a perfect tool. The infomercial says "from frozen to cook", how would I know? My commercial size freezer in the basement is practically empty! But there's so much more to this appliance than cooking meat.
10. Box Grater -  well the perfect tool, does not have to be electric. Have you ever noticed how food takes on a different taste based on how it's cut.  Well, it doesn't! But our brain kind of kicks into a different gear. Try a carrot julienne, diced carrots, cubed carrots and shredded carrots. You have a different use for each right? Have you ever asked yourself why? It's the same carrot! The box grater though, helps carve our little brain to be creative. 

The Bonus

A necessary tool...absolutely not! But my SodaStream makes me happy. I add bubbles to anything. Juiced fruit...add bubbles, refreshing water: bubbles and lemon juice, or drop in a few cucumber slices.  Pomegrante Green Tea...oh yeah the bubbles make it sparkle! I could go on...but you get the picture, right?

If you want to buy me a gift, think of a great kitchen appliance. I love to cook, so even the $5.00 fun kitchen items work for me!

Kathleen Brandt

stradercom@aol.com

Left Over Lentils with Roasted Veggies

Does it look appetizing?
Is it tasty and seasoned??
Is their a variety?

These are the 3 questions I ask every time I prepare a meal. Hubby doesn't eat it if it doesn't look edible. I add color and plate the food. It's not that exciting. A lentil burger from leftovers for me, portobello mushrooms with mozzarella for hubby, and a variety of veggies: white asparagus, brussel sprouts, roasted peppers and alfalfa sprouts.

I like to eat it separately, like snacking on crudites. I made a sauce for my lentil burger however and it with a fork. But otherwise it was finger food for me.

Lentil burgers:
Left over refrigerated lentils (prepared how you like it). I put onions, garlic, cilantro and a bit of curry in mine on Tuesday. Today, I added bread crumbs and an egg white for binding (Vegan's make your adjustment for binding).  As you know I'm only a vegan some days.

I grilled everything in my NuWave oven once I cleaned the mushrooms. OK...not the alfalfa sprouts, they are a topping for anyone who wants to make a sandwich. Might as well get an extra veggie down. Especially since hubby likes cheese on his sandwich. I think I told you melted cheese is not one of my favorites.

Hubby piled his choices on a whole wheat bun. We have lettuce, but he chose spinach. (A bonus...another good green).  Me... I kept munching away on the asparagus.

Roasted Veggies
Toss in olive oil and your favorite seasoning. I sometimes just use steak seasoning. It's coarse, and I like bold! Oh...and the brussel sprouts, I made crisp and crunchy, like little brussel sprout chips. Fun for my crudite plate.

Kathleen Brandt
stradercom@aol.com

Healthy Eating Tips that Work For You?

In Dec 2000, I went to Weight Watchers to learn how to eat. I'm not into deprevation, and I'm not into meat, so I wanted to learn how to lose and maintain my weight with foods I eat. I lost 35lbs, and have never gained one pound back.

What Works For Me
Here are some of the my personal guidelines. What are some of your healthy eating tips?
1) Watch Portion Control. At first I had to use measuring serving spoons. And never eat everything on your plate at a restaurant...they serve too much.
2) Eat Protein with every carb. High protein meals are great ones to have with desserts. I'm speaking of non-animal protein, but the key is protein. Dates with cheese (if you are a vegetarian) is a wonderful snack. I'm not into cooked sugar, so a piece of fruit or nuts and dried fruit works well with me, or a veggie juice with a juiced apple does it. I almost never juice fruit, but if I should, I would add protein powder.
3) Eat Breakfast everyday. For me it's green tea and a protein bar. But yesterday it was white asparagus and homemade hollandaise sauce.
4) Eat often. I keep "to go food" in my kitchen.  It works for me. Nuts, soups and anything to put in a whole wheat tortilla is never far away.
5) Cruise past fast food. Fast food uses up too many points (if you came up with the point system). But in 2000, I still ate meat, but I learned "smarter" choices of Wendy's, Taco Bell, etc. By the way, my car no longer breaks for those. I do stop from time to time at a grocery store for choices (veggie sushi, quinoa, 4 bean salad).The key for me: pretty stores. We have a few great grocery stores in Kansas City. Just a walk through the produce section, makes me want to eat healthy.

And You
Feel free to share what works for you.

Kathleen Brandt
stradercom@aol.com

Fermented Foods Strengthen the Immune System,

For those who know me, you know I have an autoimmune disease: antiphospholipid antibody syndrome. My best medicine is food (and of course Prayer). And daily I pray I eat what's right for me that day.  So when I heard foods like "chocolate, wine and cheese taste so delicious"...due to the fact that  "fermenting magically transforms their original ingredients into something more desirable", I'm able to breathe just a bit better. 

The article, Fermented Foods Strengthen the Immune System, by Rebecca Wood states" besides upping flavor, some lactic-acid ferments, such as homemade sauerkraut, actually strengthen your immune system."   She continues to make sense out of my cravings of pickles, kimchee and such! (I even make cucumber kimchee from fresh cukes out of the garden!

Thanks Rebecca for this green light. 

Kathleen Brandt

stradercom@aol.com

Fake Hollandaise Sauce

Not Vegan Choice!
Why would you make fake Hollandaise sauce? Recipes involve either soy, mayo, milk. I would opt for the real thing if I have to use non-vegan products anyway.

My top goal: Go natural and mayo doesn't meet that requirement, unless it's homemade mayo.

So here I go, with 3 egg yolks, 1TBS lemon juice and 1/2 cup butter ( I use less, but it's not as thick). I wonder if I use cashew butter if it will still be good?

Truth is, I eat less than 2 TBS of hollandaise sauce per serving. But if you have gallstone issues, drink Apple Juice. I like mine fresh, but any apple juice will do.

Any recommendations on a good vegan Hollandiase sauce. ?

Kathleen Brandt
stradercom@aol.com

Am I a Vegan?

Partial Vegan, Vegetarian and Pescatarian

Three days out of every week I’m a vegan – no cheese, dairy, animal protein of any kind.  Those days it’s Ethiopian with olive oil instead of niter kebbeh (spiced butter), Indian, hummus, baba ganoush, quinoa, lentils and beans….you get the picture. Oh, and sometimes it’s just raw.

Maybe Vegetarian?

Four days of the week though, I’m a vegetarian.  That’s Mexican, Italian, and probably something else with  cheese. But, I’m not a fan of melted cheese.  And I use whole wheat tortillas and pastas.

Fish?

Once or twice a month or every 6 weeks, I’m a ovo – pescatarian: Fish boil, a salmon eggs benedict, a fish taco.

Perhaps Just a Puzzler

But it becomes more complicated when I add, I don’t eat anything fried, no soy/tofu (I break this rule when eating out), no artificial ingredients or sweetners.  Oh yeah.. and I don’t like cooked sugar. This seems to bother other people a lot more than it bothers me.  On the other hand, if I didn’t have my wits about me, I’d drink a Coke everyday, but I don’t. However, I can fabricate an excuse quicker than anyone else.  This is one of the reasons I like long trips “Coke keeps me awake.” Hey…I need a viable excuse to feel as bad as I do after drinking a Coke. It saps my breath and I feel, well, bloated. 

I don’t call myself a vegetarian or anything else. But I do have two rules: Less than 10% of my diet should be made up of Animal Protein (butter, dairy included) and no deprivation.  It’s actually kind of easy, even though it appears to be an oxymoron.

Take The Ick Factor Out

The Ick Factor includes all  the foods that make you feel icky after eating. Sometimes, you aren't even sure why. Hubby and I realized about 15 years ago that McD put us in a bad mood after about an 30 minutes to an hour of eating. Well, figured out it was a case of SSS (Sugar and Stuff Syndrome). Well that's what I've coined it anyway. Our bodies weren't made to process that SSS. But , all things in moderation, so these are my “Top Foods to Avoid.” In this order!

·         Artificial Sweetners

·         High Fructose Corn Syrup (I don’t care if they say it’s natural)

·         Fried Foods

·         White Pastas, Breads and Tortillas

·         Dairy and Animal Protein          

·         Soy/Tofu

·         Soda  (This one borders on deprivation, since sometimes I have a Coke Deficiency). I know, another weak excuse to indulge.

Kathleen Brandt

stradercom@aol.com

Summer Kitchen Restaurant

Summer Kitchen Restaurant, Ephraim, WI, Door County

The Summer Kitchen garden restaurant’s menu was a unique balance of comfort food with culinary wisdom, but a bit too pricey.

I telephoned the Summer Kitchen since my husband, John, and I were traveling with two dogs, and we knew some restaurants in Door County would allow eating on their patios with the dogs at our feet. This owner allowed us just that. We took the back road route from Bailey’s Harbor to Ephraim, but it wasn’t difficult to find. We followed 42N to Q where we turned west and north again on Town Line. At the intersection of Town Line and 42Hwy we spotted the welcoming red Summer Kitchen sign.

Seated in a corner next to the railings, we leashed down the dogs. Our courteous waitress rattled off the daily soups. There are always five and this day the favorites of Chicken Dumpling, Cream of Wild Rice and Mushroom, French Cabbage with Sausage, Spicy Tomato Dill, and a tomato based Clam Chowder were being served and offered the specials to include fennel sausage lasagna, a whitefish platter, and the Mexican special, chile relleño. After enjoying a sweet horchata, I ordered the cup of soup and whitefish, John ordered a salad with lasagna. A refill is possible with the horchata, but although tasty, I thought the flavor was overpowered by sugar. I switched to iced tea.

The Wild Rice and Mushroom was delicious. It had perfect creaminess, plenty of mushrooms all complimented by wild rice. After eating every drop, I regretted not ordering the all you can eat soup bar. This restaurant, known for its daily soups, has produced two spiral-bound soup cookbooks including an explanation of how to make the perfect soup stock. These cookbooks can be ordered online.

The $17.95 whitefish platter was more food than necessary, but perhaps justifying an overpriced local fish dinner requires large servings. The fillet was cooked to perfection, flaky, well seasoned with a mild paprika and olive oil. Although a bit too salty for my taste, it did not take away from the experience. I was disappointed that the baked potato was served with cold packets of butter; I expected whipped butter, we were in Wisconsin after all. The vegetable medley had an addicting light crunch maintaining their integrity with just the right seasonings. John ate his entire veggie medley, even the squash which he declared upon marriage he was unable to swallow. The fennel in the sausage brought out the sweetness of the tomato sauce. John devoured this vegetable filled meat lasagna which tells me “traditional” lasagna isn’t required by him. Again the $14.95 serving was generous. We passed on the tempting desserts.

I will try to replicate the whitefish recipe in my own kitchen, but for John, his memory of the Summer Kitchen is “the little overpriced garden place, with good food.” With tip, we ate over $50.00 of food that didn’t include dessert or alcoholic drinks.


Summer Kitchen
10425 Water St, N Hy 42
Ephraim, Door County, WI 54211920-854-2131
http://www.thesummerkitchen.com/
originally posted July 9

Espresso Lane, Baileys Harbor, WI

Espresso Lane, Baileys Harbor, WI



Why can’t all coffee shops be this adorable and functional? This wi-fi cafe sits high on the hill in front of the beach on the main road, Hwy57/42, in Baileys Harbor. It loudly invites every patron with its old-style architecture, outdoor seating and lawn chairs. The beverage choices were numerous, shaming Starbucks’ menu, and their breakfast choices were just complete. I enjoyed a soy vanilla steamer with my breakfast egg, bacon, cheese croissant sandwich. The egg actually had a yoke, and the bacon was perfectly crisp. If you have a cholesterol issue, short of ordering something healthy, you may wish for them not to add extra butter to the butter-flaking croissant. But for me, the added smear of butter, made the sandwich that much fresher.

After eating on the lawn, my husband John slowly sipped his dark roast and enjoyed the scenery. But the sun beamed over the beach enhancing the glare on my laptop, so I went inside to use the wi-fi which our lodging, the Ridges Resort and Guest House did not have. Like the outside, the interior casual, country-style decoration made it easy for me to settle in and answer a few emails.
I must praise the wait service. Even during breakfast peak time, we were served on the lawn which was great. I prevented me from having to go up and down the many stairs even though the view is worth the climb.

Kathleen Brandt
stradercom@aol.com
originally posted July 10, 2009

The Wisconsin Fish Boil, Scaturo’s Baking Company and Cafe
Sturgeon Bay



If you prefer light and flaky or bold and steak-like fish, you’ll love a Door County Fish Boil. Restaurants that specialize in fish boils invite you, between Memorial Day and the beginning of bad weather, to join them with this traditional meal of local fish and vegetables.

They even invite you to come to their outdoor kitchen, a large kettle over a blazing fire, to watch them with the “boil over.” The chef-du-jour adds heat to the fire, in the form of kerosene, and allows the fish oils and seasonings to boil right over onto the vegetables in the double layered pot. This is what differentiates a fish dinner and a Fish Boil; well, that and flavor.

Scaturos Baking Company and Cafe, in Sturgeon Bay, is just the place to experience such a feast. Begin with a local cherry beverage. Everything being cherry on this peninsular, John, my husband, had a cherry wine from a local vineyard, and I had a fresh sangria. This was a treat to both the eyes and the tongue. The sangria was not too sugary sweet, but carried a bouquet of fruit that balanced well with the wine.

We were served creamy coleslaw, but not sure if it was an appetizer or not, John ate his immediately; I chose to wait. Even though we had 6:00 reservations and the boil-over wasn’t until 6:30, we passed on any pre-dinner tasting, as to not waste our stomach capacity on filler food. This was a wise choice for us.

At 6:25 we were ushered outside to watch the boil over. Impressed with the Scaturo chef’s timing and culinary knowledge, we returned to our enclosed patio seating area and were give full plates of the chef’s labor: whitefish, carrots, pearl onions, and red potatoes in a butter and lemon bath of seasonings. It took a few tries to conquer the fish bones. The waitress guided us in expertly pulling the tail up and out in one piece, removing the bones with it.

Dinner came with cherry pie dessert and for $1.00 more you could enjoy it with ice-cream. Having had two plates of fish and veggies, even if I did want desserts, there was no room. But John never looked up until his dessert plate was clean. I assume that is a statement of its own on the delights of Scaturo’s Baking Company and Cafe.

Scaturo's Baking Company and Cafe

19 Green Bay Road
Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235Phone: (920) 746-8727
E-mail: scaturos@gmail.com

Kathleen Brandt
stradercom@aol.com
originally posted July 11, 2009