Food of the week: Peas

When trying to come up with a food of the week, a friend of mine suggested peas. The reason for this; her 4 year old loves peas. This boggled my mind. A young child likes peas? How can that be? It is a matter of fact that ALL children hate peas and have to go through the agony of being made to eat all of the peas on their plate. Thus, peas as this week's food of the week came to be.

For this post I am focusing on the Green Pea family, which includes garden peas, snow peas and snap peas, among others. No Black Eyed Peas here (sorry Fergie! ... no, no, no, no, don't funk with my heart...).

Benefits:

• Good source of vitamins K, C, A, Niacin, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine, Mangonese, Folate, Fiber, and Phosphorus, just to name a few. (Yowza!) Therefore peas are good for bones, heart, preventing cancer and increasing energy.
• Low in fat and calories.
• Although we may not enjoy eating them as children, peas are fun to play with when our parents make us sit at the table until we eat all of them. A pea pyramid, anyone?

Drawbacks:

• Peas contain purines, that may cause the gout or kidney stones in people who are sensitive to the substance.
• Peas are commonly used to torture young children in the U.S. Pleas of "but Mo-om" are useless in the battle. Also, completely drowning the peas in ketchup is not helpful.
  

Ways to eat peas:

• A healthy addition to a casserole, pasta or soup.
• Snap peas are tasty in a stir fry.
• Excellent in fried rice.
  

Little known facts:

• Peas are legumes, just like beans and peanuts.
• Frozen peas tend to retain flavor better than canned peas. They also tend to have less sodium.
• An Austrian monk, Gregor Mendel, is credited for basic genetics (aka Mendelian Genetics) based on his experiments with peas. His research showed dominant and recessive traits in the legumes.

Photo courtesy of bub.blicio.us.

Recipes of the week: Budget Gourmet

As you can see by my menu for the week, I am trying to adhere to a tight budget by using many affordable items repeatedly throughout the week. The resulting meals are simple but offer something a little different than the common budget foods. As a side note, I remember when I was an undergrad I used to eat half of a can of spaghetti oh's and a grilled cheese sandwich every day. Good for the budget, not so much for the soul.

Here are some of the meals I've crafted this week (and a few from previous weeks that fit in with the theme).

Grilled Pb & J

I've been eating a LOT of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches lately. And why not? We know that PB is healthy and that the ingredients are affordable. But, as much as I really enjoy a good PB & J, it's easy to get sick of eating them repeatedly. So, here's a little tweak to the traditional favorite. My inspiration came from a newly opened, local cafe that serves fried PB &J sandwiches. I thought, I could do that.

2 Slices Whole Wheat Bread

Peanut Butter

Jelly of your choice (I use a strawberry rhubarb from my hometown of Dexter, Michigan. I stock up on it a few times a year)

Butter

Make this as you would make a grilled cheese sandwich. Spread butter on the outside of both pieces of bread. On the inside of the slices spread the PB & J. Grill over medium heat until side of bread is brown, flip and repeat on other side.

Now, you may be hesitant to try this, but I assure you it is wonderful! Not so much healthy, but wonderful.

Bean and Cheese Quesadillas and Pomegranate Guacamole

I made these last weekend for some friends as an alternative to ordering in. They were simple to make and tasty. Much like for PB & J sandwiches, the ingredients for quesadillas can be stretched out and used for multiple things. For instance, I could make a bean and cheese burrito (as I am planning to later this week).

1 Flour Tortilla

Refried Black Beans

Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Butter

I've previously used chicken sauteed in taco seasoning as well

Cut one large tortilla in half and butter one side of each half. Spread refried black beans on half of each half tortilla. Lay butter side down in a warm skillet, sprinkle cheese over the beans and fold over the tortilla. Brown each side in the skillet over medium heat.



I cut each one in half again to make small slices of the quesadilla.

As for the guacamole...

1 Ripe Avocado

1/2 Clove Garlic

Pomegranate Seeds

Smash up the avocado and mix in minced or chopped garlic. Add pomegranate seeds to your liking.

The seeds offer little pockets of fruity goodness against the contrast of the heavy, yet delicious avocado.

Pasta with Sauteed Beets and Onions

This is pretty self explanatory. It's so easy and it provides a different take on the usual pasta. I heart beets and they add a nice flavor to the dish.

1 Small Can Beets, Sliced in to small pieces

1/2 Small Onion, Chopped

Olive Oil

Whole Wheat Pasta, Cooked

Grated Parmesan Cheese

Saute the beets and onion in olive oil. Throw over pasta and flavor with parmesan cheese.

Quinoa Casserole

I made this dish one day while trying to make use of food I had at home. It's rather tasty and super healthy (well, except for maybe the cheese).

1 Cup Unprepared Quinoa

Shredded Cheddar Cheese

1/4 Cup Frozen Peas

1/2 Small Onion, Chopped

1/4 Cup Breadcrumbs

Cumin, Celery Salt, Garlic Powder

Milk

Butter

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Prepare the quinoa as directed. While still warm, stir in about a tablespoon of butter, a little bit of milk, as much cheese as your heart desires (but save a little for the topping), the onion and peas.

Pour the mixture into a greased baking dish (I use a small bread size dish).

Melt a tablespoon of butter and mix in the breadcrumbs and the cumin, celery salt and garlic powder to taste. Stir in some cheese and spread the mixture over the top of the quinoa mix in the dish.

Bake for about 10-15 minutes, or until the topping has become crisp and the cheese on top is melted.

Now you have 4 new recipes for budget friendly meals. When you see these come up on my weekly menu (and they will!) you will know what they are. Being broke doesn't have to mean eating ramen noodles or half a can of spaghetti oh's and a grilled cheese sandwich.

Menu Plan Monday: Week of January 26

More budget gourmet this week (ooh la la!). To remain true to my budget I decided this week to use many affordable items throughout the week. These are items that are not only affordable but that can stretch out groceries through the week. Here are the essential items I am working with:

Peanut Butter (not contaminated with Salmonella)

Strawberry Rhubarb Jelly

Quinoa

Refried Black Beans

Tortillas

Whole Wheat Pasta

Can of Pasta Sauce

Box of Frozen Chicken Fingers (not exactly healthy and/or organic, but can be added to many dishes)

Beets (you can generally get good deals on cans of beets - at my grocery store I can get 3 small cans for $2)

Pomegranate

Eggs (an old standby)

Baguette

Vegetable Chips (a favorite of mine - the bag lasts a while too)

Plus a few standard items, like Shredded Cheese, Onion, Frozen Peas, Avocado etc.

Monday

Breakfast: Peanut Butter and Jelly Toast

Lunch: Out with a friend

Dinner: Pasta & Cheese and Chicken fingers

Tuesday

Breakfast: Hot Quinoa with Pomegranate Seeds

Lunch: PB & J and vegetable chips

Dinner: Bean and Cheese Quesadilla with Pomegranate Guacamole

Wednesday

Breakfast: Eggs and Toast

Lunch: Chicken Sandwich

Dinner: Pasta with sauteed beets and onions, garlic bread

Thursday

Breakfast: Hot Quinoa and Scrambled Eggs

Lunch: PB & J and vegetable chips

Dinner: Burrito with Chicken, Beans, and Avocado

Friday

Breakfast: Peanut Butter Toast

Lunch: Quinoa with onion, peas and beets
Dinner: Pasta with Tomato Sauce

Recipe of the week: Maki Sushi

Last week I had an excellent tutorial on how to make Maki Sushi from my friend Yoko. The instructions were really great and she showed me how to make it without any seafood or even sea vegetable. (I'm a picky eater and do not eat anything from the sea, including sea vegetables. There is one exception, canned tuna. I don't know why so don't ask me.) So, I decided to make sushi for my roommate Kate and take it to her for lunch today. It was great and she seemed to really enjoy it!

Making Maki Sushi is not really that complicated, once you know how to do it. It just takes a little bit of time. There are really three major things to do for sushi; cook the rice, prepare the fillings and roll and cut the sushi. From start to finish it took me about 2 hours to make today.


Making the Rice

Ingredients needed: Sushi Rice, Sushi Vinegar and Water

It's easy to find Sushi Rice at most grocery stores. Prepare rice as directed on the package. If you cannot find Sushi Vinegar you can just combine vinegar, sugar and salt in a saucepan. Once the rice is cooked you mix the Sushi Vinegar into the rice. Rapidly mix for a few minutes. This gives the sushi a little bit of sweetness.

Total time to make rice: About 1 hour

Preparing the Fillings

Ingredients needed: Avocado, Cucumber, Eggs, Carrots, Shitaki Mushrooms, Soy Sauce, Water - And whatever else your heart desires.

Cut into thin slices the Avocado, Cucumber, Carrots and Mushrooms. Put the Avocado and Cucumber aside.

Blanche the Carrots in water and then remove, set aside. Cook mushrooms in carrot water until soft (My friend Yoko added some kind of wine-vinegar at this stage. I did not but it still worked out anyway). Remove the mushrooms and soak in soy sauce for a few minutes.

In a skillet, cook 3 eggs omelet style. Cut the omelet into thin strips and put on a plate with all other fillings.


Total time to make the fillings: 20-30 minutes (can be done while rice is cooking)


Rolling and Cutting the Sushi
Items needed: Bamboo Sushi Roller, Wax Paper or Syran Wrap, Sesame Seeds, Nori Sheets and a good sharp knife

Lay out Sushi Roller flat on a cutting board.

For Nori-less rolls: Lay piece of wax paper/syran wrap on top of roller. Cover half of the width of the roller with rice. Make a thin line down the middle (but be careful not to go all the way through the rice. Add thin slices of a few of the fillings (ie. Avocado, Carrot and Cucumber). Use the roller to fold over the edge of the paper and create a roll. Make sure that the fillings don't squeeze or fall out in the process. Press on the sides of the roller to make the roll firm. Remove the roller and paper/wrap. Sprinkle with Sesame Seeds. Cut the roll into inch long pieces and stand up on a dish.







For rolls with Nori: Lay a sheet of the Nori on the roller. Cover half of the Nori with rice. Make a thin line in the middle as described above. Add the fillings and use the roller to fold over. Make sure that the Nori completely covers the roll and press the roller to make the roll firm. This will also seal the Nori. Cut away any excess Nori. Cut the roll into inch long pieces and stand up on a dish.


Total time to make about 5 rolls: 30 minutes.

Note: It's a good idea to keep a towel near you while rolling the sushi. The rice is very sticky and some of the fillings will dirty up your hands as well.




I made the rolls with Nori for my roomie and and the ones without for both of us. I took some soy sauce for dipping. In addition, I made some Edamame, by simply boiling some frozen pods in lightly salted water.

Kate takes the classy route using chopsticks to eat her sushi.

I decide to use my hands instead.

Menu Plan Monday: Week of January 19

What an exciting week ahead! Today is Martin Luther King Jr. Day and tomorrow is quite an historic presidential inauguration. Lots of things to celebrate. My brunch ladies, Kate and Joan, had today off of work and brunch was to be had. So here's my menu for the week.

Monday
Brunch: Mushroom and Broccoli Quiche, French Toast with Strawberry Sauce, Home-Fried Potatoes, and Mimosas
Dinner: Quinoa Casserole (basically Cheesy Quinoa Surprise with a bread crumb and cheese topping)

Tuesday
Breakfast: Left over brunch
Lunch: PB & J and Vegetable Chips
Dinner: Inauguration Dinner at V-Spot in Brooklyn

Wednesday
Breakfast: Hot Cereal
Lunch: Taking lunch to a friend at work. I cannot tell you what it is because it would ruin the surprise. I will post it as recipe of the week however.
Dinner: Black Bean and Cheese Quesadilla

Thursday
Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs and Toast
Lunch: PB & J and Vegetable Chips
Dinner: Leftovers from Wednesday's lunch

Friday
Breakfast: Cold Cereal
Lunch: Egg Salad Sandwich and Vegetable Chips
Dinner: Pasta Primavera and Salad

Building a Community Around Food

Food has always been something that has bonded cultures, family and friends. With so many people around the world, we all have something to learn and to share when it comes to cooking and eating. I have had the privilege of sharing this experience with many people. In fact, during this period of unemployment I have decided to enjoy food with those around me. Here are a few observations.

1. Allow others to take care of you and learn from them. Lots of people have been so wonderful to me, not just during my unemployment, but in general. Some people have cooked for me, like my mother who made me all of that Mexican Lasagna. My friends Elizabeth, Alisa and Aaron have made me wonderful dinners, that taught me about the elegance of simple recipes. Finally, my friend Yoko taught me not only how to make sushi, but how to adjust it to fit my tastes. When we let go of our pride, we allow others to give a part of themselves. Most people want to have something to give.

2. Share what you know and love with others. It's great to be open to what others have to give, but it's even better when you can pass it on to your loved ones. I don't have a lot to give people right now, but I can share with them the joy and friendship of shared meals. While unemployed I have decided that once a week I will take a homemade lunch to a friend at work. It really benefits all people involved; my friend gets a tasty treat in the middle of the day and I get out of the apartment and some companionship for a little while. I've found that you don't really have to be the best cook, people will just enjoy the intention and the company.

I also had the chance to cook with my nephew back in Michigan. He's 12 years old and already thinking about becoming a chef some day. So one evening he and I made dinner for our family. We made a simple stir fry, but I taught him how to cook rice and cut chicken and vegetables. His younger sister wanted to help out too. I didn't feel she was old enough to use a knife so I asked her to help me make the salad, which involved mixing all of the contents into a bowl. It was amazing how both my niece and nephew wanted to learn and be useful. I think they really enjoyed it. And I enjoyed it too!

3. When people get together it's natural to eat! Some friends and I recently started a knitting circle, which became a crafting circle, which became a crafting/eating circle. Most people bring food along, and we eat, craft and chat. It's a great way to enjoy each others company and to share our favorite foods with each other. Additionally, two good friends and I get together regularly for brunch. It gives us a chance every week to catch up with what's going on in each other's lives. Going to a restaurant every week can be a bit expensive so we decided that at least once a month we would make a brunch at someones home.

So there you have it, when you have friends you will never go hungry. I feel like this is a point in my life where I could really let things get me down. Luckily, I have wonderful friends and some resources to enjoy what would otherwise be a rough time.

Food of the week: Peanut Butter

I asked my roomie for an idea for the food of the week. She quickly recommended peanut butter. It made me think of a conversation with a friend several years ago regarding the nutrition of peanut butter. She swore that it was not a healthy food due to its high sugar and fat content. I argued that PB can be very healthy and stand by this still. Please consider the following evidence.



Benefits:

• Peanut butter contains unsaturated fat, which helps to reduce the risk of heart disease.
• It's a good source of niacin and folate, which is good for cholesterol.
• Its protein and fiber fill you up. Peanut butter is a cheaper way to get your protein than meat or cheese.
• It contains high amounts of Resveratrol, which has strong anti-cancer properties.

Drawbacks:

• Not a good source of carbohydrates (but we often eat it in combination with carbs - PB & J is a prime example).
• Some brands contain lots of sugar or high fructose corn syrup (there it is again!), sodium or fat. There are healthier peanut butters but you have to look for them.

Ways to eat Peanut Butter:

• PB & J sandwich, of course! It's an American staple.
• Some Thai dishes are flavored with peanut sauces, PB can be easily used.
• My mother got me into this at a young age - dip a spoonful of PB into a bag of chocolate chips. So good, it hurts!
• Peanut butter on celery (a healthy snack).
• Many energy bars are PB flavored.
  

Little known fact:

• Peanuts are legumes (like beans) not nuts.
• Lots of people are acknowledged as the creators of peanut butter as we know it today, including an unknown St. Louis physician and Dr. John Harvey Kellogg.

Recipe of the week: Mexican Lasagna

You have to love Moms! They always know how to give you that TLC. During my trip home for the holidays, mine gave a gift that only a mother could. A wonderful dish, combining the best of two worlds. I believe this was originally a recipe of my sisters. My mother made many small 1-2 serving dishes of Mexican Lasagna. Seriously, she made around 5 single serving dishes for me to bring back to New York. I put them in a little cooler and then in the freezer when I got home. They lasted for the next week, providing lots of meals.

Mexican Lasagna

2 lbs ground beef or turkey (can be left out for a vegetarian option)

2 packages taco seasoning

1 can of refried beans

1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes

6 cooked lasagna noodles

2 cups Mexican mix of shredded cheeses

Brown the meat and add the taco seasoning.

Drain the tomatoes, add to the meat.

In a 9 x13 pan (or multiple tiny pans for single servings) layer from the bottom up half of the meat, 3 noodles, half of the beans, 1 cup cheese, 3 noodles, rest of the beans, rest of the meat, 1 cup cheese.

Bake at 350 covered for 40 minutes and then uncovered for 10-15 minutes.

So there you have it. It's a simple dish, but tasty. And also light on the wallet (especially when made by mom).

Food of the week: High Fructose Corn Syrup

Chances are you’ve probably seen the commercials from the Corn Refiners Association. You know, the one where someone is eating some food containing High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS), much to the astonishment of an onlooker. The person then asks the onlooker, “what exactly is wrong with high fructose corn syrup?” The onlooker says nothing, because obviously high fructose corn syrup is not unhealthy and has been given a bad name.

I don’t know about you, but I had a very visceral reaction to these commercials. Maybe that’s the beef of the Corn Refiners Association. HFCS has become the bad boy/girl of nutrition. But, I just wanted to shout at the onlookers in the commercial, “Do your research on HFCS and you can clearly see the issue!” So, I will make it easier for people. Here is some information about HFCS, from a variety of sources.

Benefits:

• Extends the shelf life of food.
• Cheaper than sugar.
• No artificial or synthetic ingredients.

Drawbacks:

• Studies have shown a correlation between soda consumption and obesity. Some more recent studies have shown otherwise, but – surprise, surprise –many of them were supported by the beverage industry.
• Most foods with high fructose corn syrup are high in calories and low in nutritional value.
• Even if HFCS is no less healthy than sugar, would you consider sugar healthy?

Foods that contain HFCS:

• Many beverages, including Snapple and sodas.
• Many Cough Syrups, including Robitussin, Vicks and Delsym.
• Many Kellogg’s brand cereals, including Raisin Bran and All-Bran.
• Ketchup, Miracle Whip and steak sauce.
• Pop-Tarts, Fig Newtons and cereal bars.

Regardless of whether HCFS is natural or not linked to obesity, the products that contain it tend to be unhealthy. Americans really need to get away from so many processed foods with no nutritional value. As a self-admitted soda addict, believe me when I say that we can do much better for our bodies. Even if there is not a proven direct link between HFCS and health problems, it’s plain to see that processed foods play a factor in health. How can we eat HFCS in moderation, as the Corn Refiners Association suggests, when it’s in so much of what we eat? Let’s be honest with ourselves here.

Consider the following from the USDA:

USDA recommends that the average person on a 2,000-calorie daily diet include no more than 40 grams of added sugars. That’s about 10 teaspoons, or the amount of sugar in a 12-ounce soft drink. Sugar–including sucrose, corn sweeteners, honey, maple syrup, and molasses–is ubiquitous and often hidden. In a sense, sugar is the number one food additive. It turns up in some unlikely places, such as pizza, bread, hot dogs, boxed mixed rice, soup, crackers, spaghetti sauce, lunch meat, canned vegetables, fruit drinks, flavored yogurt, ketchup, salad dressing, mayonnaise, and some peanut butter. Carbonated sodas provided more than a fifth (22 percent) of the refined and added sugars in the 2000 American food supply, compared with 16 percent in 1970.

Recipes of the week: Holiday Gifts, Part 2

Yes, okay the holidays are officially over. But I have not posted my promised continuation of the holiday gifts. In addition to baked goods, I made some other things that people can use around the kitchen. These are things that can be used any time of the year, so they could be used for Easter or St Patty's Day (although not green), among other holidays.

Whenever we have meditation retreats at the zendo, we have very healthy meals. Almost always, Gomashio is provided for us. Gomashio is a mixture of toasted sesame seeds and sea salt. You can season just about anything with it. Seriously, I've used it in oatmeal, in plain rice and even in mac & cheese. You may remember my post on sesame seeds and their wonderful benefits. Using this mixture is a little healthier than using salt alone. Plus, it deepens the flavor. This is why I decided to make some jars of it for some family and friends as holiday presents.

Sometimes the gomashio is ground up after being toasted, but I did not do this. I enjoy the seeds whole.


Additonally, I made some nut butters. I've been making some of my own for a while, and decided to share them with family members. Basic nut butters are really simple, actually. You just toast the nut of choice in the oven for a few minutes and then combine them with nut oil and a little sugar in a food processor. It takes A LOT of processing to get to butter consistency, but that's really the hardest part.



I gave come people plain nut butters, like almond nut butter for instance. Then I also played around and came up with some special butters:

- Almond Butter with Chili and Lime
- Dark Chocolate Cashew Butter - I just processed cashews and dark chocolate chips to a buttery consistency. So good, but do not put in the refrigerator or it will become a solid, container shaped brick.
- Peanut Butter with Brown Sugar, Cinnamon, Nutmeg and Allspice

I tried out a few other ideas, but they didn't work out so well. The above were my favorites.

The nut butters and gomashio made nice compliments to the cookies I made. This gave people some healthier Christmas goodies.

Menu Plan Monday: Week of January 5, 2009

My apologies for the severe shortage of posts over the past few weeks. The holidays were exhausting and I needed a few days to recover. Happy 2009 everyone! I hope the new year has been good to you so far.

For this week's menu I plan to continue my broke college student theme. This is my first official week of unemployment so the money is super tight. Watch for some budget friendly recipes in the coming weeks. As you'll see here, I have some wonderful family and friends who have helped me out with meals already. I feel so loved! Here is my plan for this week:

Monday
Breakfast: Cereal
Lunch: Left over Mexican Lasagna (my mom sent me home with lots of this, which has been great since it has served as several lunches for me since I got back)
Dinner: Left over pasta with sun-dried tomato, peas, onion and pine nuts (my friend Elizabeth came over and *helped* me make dinner last night - and by helped I mean cooked)

Tuesday
Breakfast: Egg whites and hot cereal
Lunch: PB and J with Sweet Potato and Beet chips
Dinner: Mac & Cheese

Wednesday
Breakfast: Omelet
Lunch: Left over Mexican Lasagna
Dinner: Salad with Tuna and Beets

Thursday
Breakfast: Cereal
Lunch: PB and J
Dinner: Leftover Pasta

Friday
Breakfast: Scrambeled Eggs
Lunch: Chili Lime ramen-like Thai noodles
Dinner: Salad

I promise to bring more of the posting and less of the lameness! Be back soon...