Recipe of the week: Cranberry-Walnut Salad and a Sweet Stir Fry

I did a full day sit at my zendo this past Saturday. Mindfulness and meditation from 9am-5pm. I very much enjoy these extended sits, although they can be challenging. One of the great things about such prolonged mindfulness is my heightened appreciation of food. Of course, during this time we do have to take some time to eat. When we do, we eat in silence, paying close attention to the action of eating. It’s amazing how the taste of food can actually seem different. It’s no wonder that I always eat healthier foods at this time. Last Saturday we were told to bring our own lunch. I took a sandwich with organic peanut butter and a pineapple-mango jam. It’s amazing how during these sits, the taste of a pb & j sandwich is just wonderful. Combined with the savory vegetable chips I ate, it hit the spot.

No matter how long I sit, whether it’s 40 minutes or throughout an 8 hour period, my mind wanders to food at some point. While I try to use my practice and let thoughts come and go, I usually take a few minutes to entertain my thoughts about what I will be eating afterward (I do this in yoga too). Not exactly the ideal practice, but I just really like food! Anyway, last Saturday I thought about making a yummy dinner that was influenced by my practice. I decided on two dishes that were not entirely fancy or new, but met my desires at the time.

Cranberry-Walnut Salad
There’s something about dressing covered lettuce after a day in the refrigerator, making leftovers even better.
1 Head of Romaine Lettuce, chopped
½ can of walnuts
½ package craisins
1 avocado, sliced
¼ small red onion, sliced
A few teaspoons of your favorite vinaigrette

Toss all ingredients in a bowl until it is lightly covered with the dressing.
(This will make about 3-4 small servings)

Sweet Stir Fry
½ lb chicken breast, cubed
¼ small red onion
1 small can green beans
4-5 tablespoons store-bought marinade, I used a peach-apricot marinade
2 servings, cooked brown rice

Mix 1-2 tablespoons marinade and raw chicken in a sandwich bag for a few minutes. Brown the chicken and sauté red onion in a skillet. Add the green beans and remaining marinade to skillet and cook for about 5-10 minutes.

Eat the marinade mixture over brown rice. (This made 2 servings for me, yea leftovers!)

A nice glass of a French Syrah was a great pairing for this tasty dinner. Okay, this might not have been the best observance of my practice, but it went so well with the dinner. Actually, wine tastes so much better to me after zazen or yoga. I am much more receptive to all of the intricate flavors.

Wine of Choice: Syrah/Shiraz

I have been known to enjoy a good Shiraz. No, it is not the high alcohol content (although it doesn't hurt), but the spicy plumpness of the wine.

Syrah/Shiraz (pronounced just like they’re spelled) are Red Wines.

Where it’s from:

The Syrah originated in the Rhone Valley of France. The grapes are called Syrah in the US, France and just about every country other than Australia. Shiraz is the name for the same grape in Australia. It’s the most popular grape down under. The Petite Syrah is a wine from an entirely different grape.

The different soil conditions and climate in Australia produce a somewhat different character from the French version.

Australian winemakers often blend Shiraz with Cabernet Sauvignon.

What it tastes like:

Shiraz can be described as spicy blackberry, plum, and peppery, as well as a big, fat, juicy, in-your-face, modern wine. Shiraz can range from medium-bodied wines with strawberry flavors to darker wines.

Syrah is more spicy than fruity, also peppery with roasty, smokey, jammy and/or blackberry flavors.

Both tend to be high in alcohol.

What to eat it with:

Hearty or spicy foods.

New Wine Terminology:

Varietal - A wine made mostly from one type of grape. So when they say, “Syrah can lose varietal character when even slightly overripe”, they mean that the characters that define that grape can be lost when they are overripe. Ie don’t let those delicious Syrah grapes go to waste!

Food of the week: Mango

Food of the week: Mango

Looking back on the foods of the week to date, I’ve noticed the lack of fruit. I thought to myself, I need fruit! I’ve always been more of a vegetable kind of gal, but I’m trying to open myself up to more fruits. And the very first fruit of the week is…duh, duh, duh, duh…the Mango!

Tropical, colorful, and sweet, the mango has it all. Ooh, la, la, it’s exotic!

Benefits:

• “Excellent source” of vitamins A & C, good for strong bones and vision, as well as a healthy immune system, respectively.


• Low in fat and high in fiber, a combination that helps prevent certain types of cancers.


• Excellent for weight loss.


• Help prevent anemia, because the vitamin C helps in the absorption of Iron.
  

Drawbacks:

• The skin is inedible and can irritate your skin.


• “When there are mangoes in the markets there is madness in the streets.” At least in Australia.
  

Ways to eat mangos:

• I must admit, I’m new to the mango. I don’t have too many ideas (most are things I’ve had at restaurants and haven’t made at home). If you know of any good recipes, please let me know!


• My friend Elizabeth made this killer mango salsa! I don’t remember what all was in it, probably tomatoes, green onions and some other things. There are plenty of mango salsa recipes available online, but maybe I can get Elizabeth to share her recipe with me…


• Mango chicken stir fry! Yummy!
  
• I used to have this mango-strawberry sorbet at Tsampa, one of my fave NYC restaurants. They stopped serving it though – boo!
  
• Mango Lassi’s are a lovely Indian treat. It basically contains yogurt, mango and sugar, but there are many variations online. Here’s an example.
  
• I tried to come up with my own creation the other night – green beans, mangos, red onions and red wine vinegar. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t great. I’m convinced that I can play around with it and make it a bit more superb. If anyone has any ideas…

In case you were wondering:

How to choose a mango

How to cut a mango

Little known facts:

The mango dates back to 4000 BCE in Hindu scripture.

Mangos and Mangoes are both correct spellings of the fruit in its plural form.

Tasty lunch

I decide every few weeks to make a menu of meals for myself for the upcoming week. I'd like to say I do it every week, but it's not true. Life gets a little crazy and the next thing I know I'm heading for the building cafeteria for lunch every day. So, this week, I had the forethought of planning my meals. While I was making the dinner I had planned for last night, I also made my lunch for today. And I just want to say, it was deeeelicious! So delicious, in fact, that I had to share it.

My lunch for today was a tuna salad wrap. Not just any tuna salad wrap, or it would not be worthy of a whole blog entry. I added chopped red onions, cumin ('Nessa - you'll love this) and celery salt to the mayo, mustard, tuna mix. In addition, I layered carrot matchsticks (for some crunchy texture) and shavings of this cheddar cheese I got from the grocery store last weekend (it has dill, garlic and pepper in it!). Wrap it up and YUMMMMM!!!! I rounded out the meal by eating some vegetable chips with it.

You may be thinking to yourself, "man she is crazy! this does not sound that exciting". And perhaps it's not. But, I've been playing around with food lately and sometimes it's good, sometimes it's not (last night, for instance, my green bean, mango, onion, red wine vinegar mixture was not particularly great). And when it is good, I'm super excited!

Recipe of the week: Hummus

My sister makes a very yummy hummus and was cool enough to give it to me for my blog. Yea hummus!

Hummus
1 - 15oz can chick peas/garbanzo beans
1 ¼ tsp salt (I use Kosher)
2 ¼-2 ½ tbsp lemon juice
3 tbsp olive oil
Hot sauce (as much as you like…I put in several dashes/shakes)
1 head roasted garlic
½ cup Tahini
Water – I use warm/hot water and put in enough to make it the consistency I like (between ½ & ¾ cup)

Combine it all and then add the water, until it’s the consistency you want.
Make it thinner for a veggie dip.

Yes, that's right, it calls for 1 whole head of garlic! (But it's roasted, so it's a little less pungent)

Wine of Choice: Sauvignon Blanc

It's time to add a new regular feature to the Accidental Epicure. In recent years I have been growing a fondness for wine. Although I like to go to wine tastings I really do not know much about the wines I drink. So, in an effort to educate myself and to divulge more in the wonderful world of vino, I will write about a Wine of Choice on a weekly basis. This will include a little background and suggestions for certain types of wines. Since I am not that schooled in wine, I will begin with some of my favorites and move on to new types. I hope you enjoy as we become educated about wine together!


My first Wine of Choice will be Sauvignon Blanc.

Sauvignon Blanc (pronouned SOH-vihn-yohn BLAHNGK) is a white wine.

Where it’s from:
The Sauvignon Blanc grapes originated in the Loire Valley in France. Today they are grown and produced in France, California, New Zealand, South Africa, Chile, Argentina, and, to lesser degrees in Washington State, Australia, and Italy.

New Zealand's Sauvignon Blanc and California's Fumé Blanc are of noted exception.


What it tastes like:
Like all wines, Sauvignon Blanc's flavor varies depending on where it comes from and how it is fermented. In general, Sauvignon Blanc is tangy, tart, nervy, racy, or zesty. But it can also be intense, aromatic, dry, medium-full bodied, crisp, elegant, bold, pungent, and refreshing.


Sauvignon Blanc from cooler climates and fertile soils are known for herbaceous smells and flavors, while in warmer regions the flavors of melon, citrus, and passion fruit aromas emerge.




What to eat it with:
Sauvignon Blanc is very versatile. You can eat with tomatoes, bell peppers, cilantro, raw garlic, or smoked cheeses. Or Shellfish and Caesar salad to fried chicken and aged Jarlsberg cheese.

Sauvignon Blanc can make a good Sangria!

Food of the week: Garlic

Food of the week: Garlic

I recently saw a show on the Food Network that showed garlic from the farm to the food we eat, and I thought, yes! That’s it! Garlic will be the food of the week.

Much like bacon, garlic is something people to tend to love or hate. (How can anyone hate garlic?) And this time vegetarians can be involved in the craze. There is little more satiating then the smell of garlic. When you first cut into a clove of garlic, the pungent smell releases into the air and you are wisked away to a magical place.

Back on earth, garlic is widely used by many cultures, Mediterranean, Indian, Tibetan, and the list goes on.

Benefits: (from the linked source unless otherwise noted)

• Good source of vitamins B6, C and selenium.


• Garlic contains compounds that inhibit lipoxygenase and cyclooxygenase, which help to reduce inflammation.


• Prevents weight gain.


• Garlic may lower your risk of several common cancers
  
  

  Study participants consuming the most garlic had a 39% reduced risk for cancer of the oral cavity and pharynx, 57% reduced risk for esophageal cancer, 26% reduced risk for colorectal cancer, 44% reduced risk for laryngeal cancer, 10% reduced risk for breast cancer, 22% reduced risk for ovarian cancer, 19%reduced risk for prostate cancer, and 31% reduced risk for renal cell cancer, compared to those eating the least garlic.



• May help prevent atherosclerosis and diabetic heart disease, as well as reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke


• Clinical studies are being conducted to verify significant medicinal qualities in garlic.


• Wards off vampires! Or does it?

Drawbacks:

• Stinky breath!


• Heartburn, upset stomach, and allergic reactions


• Garlic interferes with the effectiveness of saquinavir, a drug used for HIV.


• Garlic thins the blood, which can be dangerous if you have surgery or problems with blood not clotting.

Ways to eat garlic:

• In pasta, stir fry, or casserole. Anything really.


• I’ve heard about people eating a garlic sandwich (cloves on bread). I think that’s a bit too much for me.


• Garlic bread!

Little known fact:

Garlic can repel insects (What? Insects have no taste!)

"A nickel will get you on the subway, but garlic will get you a seat." - Old New York Yiddish Saying

It's a national holiday, why am I still at work?

Did you know that today is National Guacamole Day? How very exciting, indeed! Let's all eat some gooey green goodness today!

It's also my sister's birthday. I wouldn't mind sharing my birthday with guacamole. Instead I get cookies. Eh, not so exciting. I wish I was born on December 20, National Sangria Day!

Recipe of the week: Cheesy Quinoa Surprise

I developed this recipe one night when I had a craving for macaroni and cheese. Because I didn’t have any pasta I had to be creative. It was one of my more delicious discoveries.

My mother is always trying to get me to eat more quinoa, so this one is for her!

Cheesy Quinoa Surprise
¾ cup quinoa prepared as directed
½ medium zucchini, diced
½ medium yellow squash, diced
½ small onion, diced
1 (6oz) can tuna
½ bag of shredded cheese
1 tbsp butter
¼ cup or so milk
Salt, Pepper, & Cumin to taste

Blanch zucchini and squash. Mix all ingredients together in a saucepan and heat until cheese melts.

Without any spices it can be pretty bland. Play around with a mix of spices to discover what works best for you. I like the combination of salt, pepper and cumin.

It doesn’t get much easier than this. It makes a few servings – at least one good size portion of leftovers when I eat it.

(Psst: The surprise is tuna!)

Author's Note: It has been brought to my attention that this dish may be better without zucchini and squash, and perhaps with broccoli or peas. Yes, I realize that I use zucchini a lot (hey it's tasty!) but I will make it a point to reach out to other vegetables for you anti-zucchinists. *Hugs*

These ladies know how to do it...

Food of the week: Bacon!

Food of the week: Bacon

You knew it was coming!

I once went on a date with a guy who said to me, “I think bacon should be its own food group. I mean, there are so many kinds, Canadian, turkey, pancetta…”. Unfortunately that was the only interesting thing he had to say that evening and alas, it was not meant to be. But, he sure made a great point about bacon!

If you eat meat, chances are you eat bacon. I’ve even heard of people who stopped eating meat, with the exception of bacon. What is it about this tasty portion of pig that lures so many people? The smell? The crisp, yet tender, texture? The savory flavor? Whatever it is, it’s delicious!!!!

(Side note: If you’re dating someone who is vegan, it is generally not a good idea to talk about how much you like bacon. They tend not to have the same affection for it.)


Benefits:

• It was hard to find any nutritional benefits of bacon. It has lots of protein, that’s for sure.
• Also, if you eat only a few slices, there are not that many calories (if you like a high calories from fat to calories ratio).
• Most of the benefits have to do with taste and comfort.

Drawbacks:

• Lots of fat, and not healthy fat like the avocado
• Sodium!
• Nitrites, found in bacon, are accused of possibly causing cancer.

Ways to eat bacon:

• Never underestimate the deliciousness of the traditional BLT. Throw in an avocado for a BLAT.
• I have 3 words for you – bacon, eggs and hashbrowns!!!!! Ooh, put it all on some toast and have a tasty sandwich!
• A bacon and apple sandwich (granny smith apples work best)
• This was recommended to me. I don’t so much eat seafood, but some of you may and I don’t want to exclude you – scallops wrapped in bacon. I was told this would make me want to eat seafood.
• See http://startcooking.com/blog/395/50-Ways-to-Use-Bacon for additional ideas.

Cooking tidbit:
My vegetarian roomie offered up this tip for cooking bacon that she found in a magazine. It may have had something to do with the strong bacon flavor that took over the apartment when I would pan-fry bacon. Whatever the reason, this method for cooking bacon is really great. Instead of pan-frying, lay slices of bacon on a cookie sheet and put in a 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes. No worries, there is still the essence of bacon in the room, but it is not quite as all-consuming as pan-frying. Also, you do not have to flip the bacon or worry about spitting oil when you use the oven method. *I would also like to send a thank you to my roomie for being tolerant when I cook bacon. I try to do it when she’s not home, but it doesn’t always work out that way. Thanks BG!*

Little know facts (a.k.a. some people take their love of bacon a little too far):
Bacon is so great, there are many blogs solely dedicated to it.
http://www.baconunwrapped.com/
http://www.iheartbacon.com/
http://baconshow.blogspot.com/
http://www.maganda.org/blog/index2.php

Bacon can double as clothing?

Why floss with a boring old string, when you can use bacon-flavored floss? Ewww!

Best bacon quote: "Bacon is sex in a skillet. It's the ultimate aphrodisiac for all living things. Except pigs, of course." Dan Philips of the Grateful Palate.

Last words: I try my best not to support the meatpacking industry for several reasons (locally produced meats are healthier, less tortuous for the animals and there’s less indecent treatment of factory workers). So, while I am a fan of bacon, I always try to buy it from local farmers. I ask of you too, to frequent your local farmer’s market, if possible (you can get lots of good produce there too). Support your local farmers!

***Remember this oldie? I feel like this could be a man as well as a dog.****

Recipe of the week: Mom's Ham, Egg & Cheese Bake

This is a yummy dish that my mother usually makes on holiday mornings. It's great if you love breakfast - which I do! This is some serious comfort food!!

Ham, Egg & Cheese Bake (can be made without the ham, so vegetarians will enjoy too)

12-15 slices of bread
8 slices of chopped ham
9 slices of cheese of choice (I enjoy a good cheddar)
6 eggs well beaten
3 1/2 cups milk
salt & pepper to taste
butter
optional: green peppers, onions, mushrooms

Butter bread on both sides and place 4-6 slices in a 9 x13 pan (fill in extra space with 1/4 or 1/2 slices).

Place ham and cheese (and any optional items) on the bread and cover with another layer of buttered bread.

Combine eggs, milk & seasoning; pour slowly over bread, making sure all the bread is soaked.

Cover tightly with foil and refrigerate overnight.

Bake uncovered 1 hour at 350 or until set.

Food of the week: Avocado

Food of the week: Avocado

The Avocado, while most would admit is seriously delicious – and they would be correct, has gotten a bad rap for having a lot of fat. But I’m here to debunk the anti-avocadoists and spread the truth about these wonders of the earth.

Benefits:

• The avocado is high in fat, but get over it! The majority of the fats are healthy fats and have nutritional benefits.


• Not only do avocados have no cholesterol, making them the single most healthy way to get good fats in your diet, they also contain oleic acid, a monounsaturated fat that may help to lower cholesterol.


• They are digested slowly, which is great for sustained energy in athletes.


• Avocados are great for babies due to their consistency and nutrients that help the development of the central nervous system and the brain. (Smart babies eat avocados!)


• Avocados contain nearly 20 vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients, including 4% of the recommended Daily Value (DV) for vitamin E, 4% vitamin C, 8% folate, 4% fiber, 2% iron, 4% potassium, with 81 micrograms of lutein and 19 micrograms of beta-carotene. These things help to fight against high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, and even breast cancer.


• Avocados help you lose weight by reducing saturated fat in the diet (when they are consumed in place of saturated-fat containing foods).


• Avocados are grown in California, a warm and sunny climate. Eating avocados remind us of warm and sunny times.
  

Drawbacks:

• They are so delicious that you will want to eat lots of them, and although there are lots of benefits, they are still high in fat and calories. Like everything, they are best when eaten in moderation, with a balanced diet.


• I cannot think of one other drawback of the avocado.
  

Ways to eat avocados:
How do I love avocados? Let me count the ways…

• I add them to almost any salad I make.


• Um, guacamole!


• Slice up some avocado, red onions and tomatoes, and then drizzle on some of your favorite salad dressing or olive oil and spices. Or just eat it dry, it’s good that way too.


• A sandwich with avocado makes a yummy lunch. Here are some ideas: ALT (with lettuce and tomato); turkey lunch meat, cucumber and avocado; mix mashed up avocado as a replacement for mayo in tuna salad; mix with lemon juice and a dash of tobasco sauce for a sandwich spread and use instead of mayo.


• A lovely garnish to many dishes (see my taco dip recipe below)
  

Little known facts:

• Although the avocado is commonly eaten like a vegetable, it is actually a fruit.


• You can grow your own avocado tree from the seed of your eaten avocado. Who knew?


• To ripen an avocado, put it in a brown paper bag with a banana (it speeds up the ripening process) at room temperature.
  

Why hello, gelato!

Mmmm, gelato...

With less than half the butterfat of regular ice cream, gelato is less fattening and healthier, and its dense, rich flavor and smooth texture can be highly addictive.

Sign me up!

Recipe of the week: Angel Hair Stir Fry

I am not a big fan of tofu, but I found a way to incorporate it into a stir fry. The contrast of the soft tofu with the crisp bits of pasta work really well together. Plus, I just really enjoy a good stir fry!

A good thing to do if you're not a fan of tofu is cut it into small cubes. That's what I do.

Angel Hair Stir Fry

Roughly 10 ounces Whole Wheat Angel Hair Pasta
1 small zucchini, cut into pieces
1 small yellow squash, cut into pieces
½ red bell pepper, chopped
½ green bell pepper, chopped
¼ cup onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, diced or minced, divided
8 ounces tofu (firm), cut into cubes
Soy Sauce, to taste
Olive/Vegetable/Canola Oil (to saute with)
Grated Parmesan Cheese, to taste

Prepare pasta as directed, set aside.

In a skillet, sauté tofu with 1 clove of garlic and soy sauce until crisp.

In a second skillet, sauté the onions until translucent. Add the zucchini, squash, bell peppers, and remaining garlic. Sprinkle on soy sauce. Continue to cook until squash begins to soften.

Add tofu and prepared pasta to the skillet with the vegetables. Sprinkle pasta mixture with more soy sauce, to taste. Stir in a tbsp or two of parmesan cheese. Cook until parts of the pasta get a bit crisp. (You can do this to your liking)

I think this makes around 4-6 servings, but I could be wrong.