1 can light coconut milk*
1 1/2 cups almond milk (or any kind of milk you like)
3 T. cornstarch, mixed with 1/3 c. milk until lump-free
1/2 c. sugar
2 rounded t. instant espresso powder
1 block unsweetened baking chocolate
1/2 c. chocolate chips, chopped into small pieces
1/2 c. Kahlua liqueur
Put coconut milk, almond milk, and sugar in saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in cornstarch mixture, espresso powder, and baking chocolate. Whisk constantly (or at least every minute or so) until mixture simmers and thickens, about 10 minutes. Cool and chill in refrigerator until thoroughly cold.
Whisk in Kahlua liqueur and add chocolate pieces. Freeze in ice cream freezer according to manufacturer's instructions. You may want to store the final product in your freezer for a bit before eating.
*****
I wanted to try adding alcohol to homemade ice cream, because the alcohol is supposed to keep the ice cream from freezing into an icy block. I didn't notice a huge difference, so I probably won't bother in the future.
This ice cream is very good. It reminds me of certain dairy-free frozen desserts on the market--Rice Dream, Soy Delicious, etc.--in that it's a little too sweet and not quite creamy enough. The Kahlua added a ton of sweetness; if I make this again, I will dial down the sugar content and make the base more fatty. Almond milk is a very thin, watery milk and not the best choice. If made with full-fat dairy products or regular coconut milk, I think the final product would be more delicious yet.
*Trader Joe's sells only light coconut milk. Why?
Friday, July 31, 2009
Mexican-style Zucchini Tacos
A terrific recipe from Rick Bayless:
Tacos de Calabacitas a la Mexicana (Mexican-Style Zucchini Tacos)
I will be making these often. I left out the crema, and topped with avocado and feta sprinkles.
Tacos de Calabacitas a la Mexicana (Mexican-Style Zucchini Tacos)
I will be making these often. I left out the crema, and topped with avocado and feta sprinkles.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
The End of Overeating Zucchini Bread
I just read The End of Overeating by David Kessler. It's been getting a lot of press. The gist is that many contemporary processed and restaurant foods are hyperpalatable--loaded and layered with sugar, fat, and salt. For many people, this type of food is addictive like crack, which explains the upsetting "can't stop eating" feeling that the foods provoke. As in, you're stuffed, but you keep reaching for more movie popcorn or cookies or Cheetos. The normal process of satiety gets disrupted because the pleasure centers in your brain are stimulated so strongly.
Kessler lists a few restaurant offenders who try to make their food as hyperpalatable as possible: Chili's, Cheesecake Factory, Cinnabon, most fast food restaurants. It's not news that these places load their food with fat, sugar, and salt, but the parallel he draws to an addiction model is pretty interesting. Unfortunately, it's hard to desensitize yourself from hyperpalatable food. The solution involves being regimented about eating, at least until your response to food cues diminishes.
The hyperpalatable foods that push my buttons the most are baked goods, hands down. Chocolate chip cookies are my favorite, but also scones, quick breads, and cakes. Also nuts, peanut butter, and chocolate.
We have a lot of zucchini and summer squashes right now, so I made Heidi Swanson's excellent zucchini bread this morning. It's by no means an unhealthy recipe (for instance, Paula Deen's zucchini bread contains twice as much fat and sugar, and a third less zucchini). I calculated out the calorie count of the recipe (yield two loaves, 2375 calories per loaf, or 95 calories per ounce). I ate a slice, then one more. Then, almost against my will, I stood over the cut loaf and ate a few more slivers, all the while thinking that I didn't want any more zucchini bread. It was uncanny. My cerebral cortex didn't want the bread, but some lower brain center did, badly.
So, the zucchini bread may be hyperpalatable, but it sure is good. The curry powder and poppy seeds make it interesting. I might use less curry powder next time, and try adding a bit of cardamom.
Kessler lists a few restaurant offenders who try to make their food as hyperpalatable as possible: Chili's, Cheesecake Factory, Cinnabon, most fast food restaurants. It's not news that these places load their food with fat, sugar, and salt, but the parallel he draws to an addiction model is pretty interesting. Unfortunately, it's hard to desensitize yourself from hyperpalatable food. The solution involves being regimented about eating, at least until your response to food cues diminishes.
The hyperpalatable foods that push my buttons the most are baked goods, hands down. Chocolate chip cookies are my favorite, but also scones, quick breads, and cakes. Also nuts, peanut butter, and chocolate.
We have a lot of zucchini and summer squashes right now, so I made Heidi Swanson's excellent zucchini bread this morning. It's by no means an unhealthy recipe (for instance, Paula Deen's zucchini bread contains twice as much fat and sugar, and a third less zucchini). I calculated out the calorie count of the recipe (yield two loaves, 2375 calories per loaf, or 95 calories per ounce). I ate a slice, then one more. Then, almost against my will, I stood over the cut loaf and ate a few more slivers, all the while thinking that I didn't want any more zucchini bread. It was uncanny. My cerebral cortex didn't want the bread, but some lower brain center did, badly.
So, the zucchini bread may be hyperpalatable, but it sure is good. The curry powder and poppy seeds make it interesting. I might use less curry powder next time, and try adding a bit of cardamom.
Friday, July 24, 2009
Green Lentil Salad
1 1/2 c. green French lentils
a few bay leaves
1/2 t. salt
3 cloves garlic
3 T. olive oil
several glugs of white wine vinegar
dollop of Dijon mustard
handful of parsley, chopped
3 1/2 oz. feta cheese
Rinse lentils and put in large saucepan, covering with about an inch of water. Simmer with salt, bay leaves, and clove of garlic for half an hour or a little longer, or until tender but not falling apart. Drain.
For the dressing, put vinegar and mustard in a bowl with 2 cloves minced garlic. Whisk in olive oil, and add salt and pepper to taste (don't make it too salty, because the feta will add saltiness and the lentils already have some seasoning). Add more of any ingredient to your taste.
Mix lentils with dressing, parsley, and feta. Add more salt or pepper if needed. This would be good with chopped red peppers or other added vegetables.
*****
Tasty salad, high in protein. I like lentils but they upset my stomach. I'm in a pattern of: eat them, get upset stomach, avoid them for a couple months until I forget the bad effects, eat them again, repeat ad nauseum.
Feta is a nice touch but optional. Goat cheese would be very good as well. I've been eating more dairy products lately, mostly in the form of yogurt. Brown Cow plain cream top is delicious. But I'm getting pimply, just like PETA said I would. Sigh. I'm trying to use up our big block of feta, and then I will regretfully cut back on dairy products, yet again. There's a hole in my diet that needs to be filled with something white and creamy, and I already am eating too much soy.
a few bay leaves
1/2 t. salt
3 cloves garlic
3 T. olive oil
several glugs of white wine vinegar
dollop of Dijon mustard
handful of parsley, chopped
3 1/2 oz. feta cheese
Rinse lentils and put in large saucepan, covering with about an inch of water. Simmer with salt, bay leaves, and clove of garlic for half an hour or a little longer, or until tender but not falling apart. Drain.
For the dressing, put vinegar and mustard in a bowl with 2 cloves minced garlic. Whisk in olive oil, and add salt and pepper to taste (don't make it too salty, because the feta will add saltiness and the lentils already have some seasoning). Add more of any ingredient to your taste.
Mix lentils with dressing, parsley, and feta. Add more salt or pepper if needed. This would be good with chopped red peppers or other added vegetables.
*****
Tasty salad, high in protein. I like lentils but they upset my stomach. I'm in a pattern of: eat them, get upset stomach, avoid them for a couple months until I forget the bad effects, eat them again, repeat ad nauseum.
Feta is a nice touch but optional. Goat cheese would be very good as well. I've been eating more dairy products lately, mostly in the form of yogurt. Brown Cow plain cream top is delicious. But I'm getting pimply, just like PETA said I would. Sigh. I'm trying to use up our big block of feta, and then I will regretfully cut back on dairy products, yet again. There's a hole in my diet that needs to be filled with something white and creamy, and I already am eating too much soy.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Herbed Quinoa Summer Squash Salad
1 c. red quinoa, rinsed well
1/2 t. salt
1 sweet onion, chopped
2 T. olive oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped
a few sprigs rosemary, chopped
2 T. chopped fresh oregano
black pepper
4 small summer squash (zucchini, crookneck, butterstick, etc.), chopped into large pieces
a large handful fresh basil, roughly chopped
a few leaves of mustard greens or other greens, roughly chopped
zest and juice of 1 1/2 lemons
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
Put quinoa and 2 cups water in large saucepan with 1/2 t. salt. Bring to boil and simmer until all water is absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes. Fluff with fork.
In cast iron skillet, heat olive oil and saute onion over medium heat. When onion is just becoming soft and fragrant, add garlic, rosemary, oregano, squash, lemon zest, and salt and pepper to taste. Saute until squash is softened and slightly golden brown around the edges. Turn off heat. Add greens and basil; stir until wilted. Combine vegetable mixture with quinoa, lemon juice, and chickpeas. Add additional salt or pepper if needed.
*****
Believe it or not, I made up this recipe. Actually, it was based on the Herbed Quinoa Salad in Alex Jamieson's Great American Detox Diet (she's the girlfriend of Morgan Spurlock appearing in Supersize Me) but I made a lot of changes. The mustard greens may sound strange, but they don't taste sharp if they are young. I have a renegade mustard plant growing in the garden, and I regularly hack off its leaves and add them to whatever I happen to be cooking. Within a few days, the plant has invariably regrown completely. Kale or spinach would be a good substitute, or it could be left out completely.
1/2 t. salt
1 sweet onion, chopped
2 T. olive oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped
a few sprigs rosemary, chopped
2 T. chopped fresh oregano
black pepper
4 small summer squash (zucchini, crookneck, butterstick, etc.), chopped into large pieces
a large handful fresh basil, roughly chopped
a few leaves of mustard greens or other greens, roughly chopped
zest and juice of 1 1/2 lemons
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
Put quinoa and 2 cups water in large saucepan with 1/2 t. salt. Bring to boil and simmer until all water is absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes. Fluff with fork.
In cast iron skillet, heat olive oil and saute onion over medium heat. When onion is just becoming soft and fragrant, add garlic, rosemary, oregano, squash, lemon zest, and salt and pepper to taste. Saute until squash is softened and slightly golden brown around the edges. Turn off heat. Add greens and basil; stir until wilted. Combine vegetable mixture with quinoa, lemon juice, and chickpeas. Add additional salt or pepper if needed.
*****
Believe it or not, I made up this recipe. Actually, it was based on the Herbed Quinoa Salad in Alex Jamieson's Great American Detox Diet (she's the girlfriend of Morgan Spurlock appearing in Supersize Me) but I made a lot of changes. The mustard greens may sound strange, but they don't taste sharp if they are young. I have a renegade mustard plant growing in the garden, and I regularly hack off its leaves and add them to whatever I happen to be cooking. Within a few days, the plant has invariably regrown completely. Kale or spinach would be a good substitute, or it could be left out completely.
Monday, July 20, 2009
lemony chickpea stir fry
I love Heidi Swanson's recipes, and Lemony Chickpea Stir-fry is no exception. I left out the tofu and used extra chickpeas, but otherwise followed her recipe closely. Stir-frying the chickpeas really messed up our wok, which is an overpriced Calphalon disappointment made of anodized aluminum. Stuff always sticks and burns.
I love the idea of stir-frying chickpeas, to give a little variety from tofu. This was delicious and I'll definitely make it again. It would be nice to spice this up, too, with cayenne or fresh chiles or a cumin/smoked paprika mixture.
I love the idea of stir-frying chickpeas, to give a little variety from tofu. This was delicious and I'll definitely make it again. It would be nice to spice this up, too, with cayenne or fresh chiles or a cumin/smoked paprika mixture.
olive oil granola
The New York Times recently had a recipe for olive oil granola. Yum! I can't resist any recipe that is so easy to put together. You should try it too. The article describes is as "health-conscious crack," and this is completely accurate. It's sweet and salty and oily and crunchy, and has 600 calories per cup, per our calculations. I wouldn't exactly call it health-conscious, but whatever. I used cashews instead of pistachios, and left out the coconut chips.
mixed berry pie
On Saturday, I made a mixed berry pie. I usually make fruit into crisps or crumbles, which are amazingly easy to throw together and relatively light and healthy. But I wanted to make something more monumental with the raspberries and blackberries from our garden. We've been picking them for weeks, and mostly just eating them plain.
Mixed Berry Pie
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
for filling:
6 cups mixed blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries
1/4 c. sugar
2 T. cornstarch
dash cinnamon
Mix fruit with sugar, starch, and cinnamon, and let sit while you prepare the crust.
for crust:
1 1/2 c. whole wheat pastry flour
1 stick salted butter, cut into small pieces
1 T. sugar
ice water
In food processor, pulse flour, butter, and sugar until the butter is in pieces the size of peas. Add spoonfuls of ice water and pulse until the dough forms big clumps. Remove dough and put onto floured cutting board. Roll dough out with rolling pin, adding extra flour as needed to prevent sticking. Line a pie pan with dough. Mound filling into pie pan. You'll probably have enough dough left for a top crust; I made a lattice. Decoratively crimp the edges. If you want, you can brush the edges of the crust with milk or cream or soymilk, for attractive browning.
Bake pie for about half an hour; crust should be golden brown. Lower heat to 350, and bake 15 more minutes until filling is bubbling.
A few caveats about this pie. Mike and I both loved it, but I would probably make some changes if serving it to guests. The whole wheat crust is not exactly light as a feather -- it's a bit dense and substantial. I don't mind this. It reminds me of Little House on the Prairie. The kids and Pa carried pies in their lunch pails, so they couldn't have been too delicate and airy or they would have been smashed to crumbs. I have a strange fascination with the foods in Little House on the Prairie.
Caveat #2 is that the pie could be a lot sweeter. A similar recipe on the Martha Stewart Living website uses a cup of sugar, and that wouldn't be inappropriate. We liked it really well with less sugar, though.
Caveat #3: The pie was runny. Next time I will add more cornstarch.
We ate it with homemade frozen yogurt, which was just whole milk yogurt mixed with honey and vanilla, frozen in the ice cream maker. This also wasn't very sweet. In fact, the entire dessert was so unsugary that we deemed it appropriate to eat for breakfast.
Mixed Berry Pie
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
for filling:
6 cups mixed blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries
1/4 c. sugar
2 T. cornstarch
dash cinnamon
Mix fruit with sugar, starch, and cinnamon, and let sit while you prepare the crust.
for crust:
1 1/2 c. whole wheat pastry flour
1 stick salted butter, cut into small pieces
1 T. sugar
ice water
In food processor, pulse flour, butter, and sugar until the butter is in pieces the size of peas. Add spoonfuls of ice water and pulse until the dough forms big clumps. Remove dough and put onto floured cutting board. Roll dough out with rolling pin, adding extra flour as needed to prevent sticking. Line a pie pan with dough. Mound filling into pie pan. You'll probably have enough dough left for a top crust; I made a lattice. Decoratively crimp the edges. If you want, you can brush the edges of the crust with milk or cream or soymilk, for attractive browning.
Bake pie for about half an hour; crust should be golden brown. Lower heat to 350, and bake 15 more minutes until filling is bubbling.
A few caveats about this pie. Mike and I both loved it, but I would probably make some changes if serving it to guests. The whole wheat crust is not exactly light as a feather -- it's a bit dense and substantial. I don't mind this. It reminds me of Little House on the Prairie. The kids and Pa carried pies in their lunch pails, so they couldn't have been too delicate and airy or they would have been smashed to crumbs. I have a strange fascination with the foods in Little House on the Prairie.
Caveat #2 is that the pie could be a lot sweeter. A similar recipe on the Martha Stewart Living website uses a cup of sugar, and that wouldn't be inappropriate. We liked it really well with less sugar, though.
Caveat #3: The pie was runny. Next time I will add more cornstarch.
We ate it with homemade frozen yogurt, which was just whole milk yogurt mixed with honey and vanilla, frozen in the ice cream maker. This also wasn't very sweet. In fact, the entire dessert was so unsugary that we deemed it appropriate to eat for breakfast.
Friday, July 17, 2009
portland and seattle
I've been out of town, visiting Seattle and Portland. We only had one day in Seattle, so I don't think I've experienced it adequately. Downtown Seattle is seedy. The few neighborhoods I saw seem beautiful. Capitol Hill and Queen Anne, both near downtown, are pretty and expensive. We walked through a community garden in Capitol Hill that blew my mind, but Capitol Hill (I learn from Zillow) is the Lincoln Park of Seattle. I would have liked to see the neighborhoods, if any, where we could actually afford to live. We ate at Poppy, a restaurant in Capitol Hill that focuses on local foods. It was absolutely wonderful, and one of the best restaurant meals I've had. Part of the appeal is that you get a thali, a platter with 5-7 small dishes in tasting portions; they offer an ordinary thali with a couple meat dishes and also a vegetarian thali. The food was amazing, I loved trying a variety of dishes, and the vegetarian option wasn't just an afterthought as it is in many restaurants.
I didn't have any wine, just iced tea. It's sad, because I love wine, but I feel better if I drink no alcohol at all. Oh well. I wish I could have one drink and feel perfectly okay, but I can't. It only took me 15 years to accept this fact.
Beyond eating at Poppy, on our day in Seattle we went to Pike Place market and ate cherries and scones and coffee, walked around downtown, stopped at Whole Foods and got some lunch and other supplies, went to Washington Park Arboretum and did some walking and jogging, then went back to the hotel and got ready for dinner. We had time to drive through the Queen Anne neighborhood before Poppy. That's it. We should have bagged the Washington Park Arboretum, which was nice but a time-consuming jaunt. On the way out of town the next morning, we stopped at the Columbia City Bakery and got some cookies and scones and walnut levain to take to Richard and Angie's house. (The cookies and scones were eaten quickly, but the walnut levain didn't reach its potential until yesterday, when I made it into bruschetta with a garlicky herbed white bean topping. The walnuts were explosions of wonderfulness. Yes, I brought it home with me in my suitcase.)
Here's what I love about Portland:
1) The neighborhoods are pretty, with adorable wood-framed houses and beautiful gardens. My brother's neighborhood in NE Portland is like this, and he swears that it's a modest and ordinary neighborhood. I'm not as familiar with other neighborhoods, but this seems true. Amazingly, other neighborhoods are just as beautiful, or even more so.
2) Laughing Planet restaurant. I could eat here every day.
3) Close to mountains, hiking, natural beauty.
4) Not cold in the winter.
5) A thousand other things.
6) Angie and Richard and Sabine, who are happy to see me, and nice and kind and funny, and live full and worthwhile lives. Sabine, age 21 mos., is jolly and will laugh at any joke because she loves to laugh.
I didn't have any wine, just iced tea. It's sad, because I love wine, but I feel better if I drink no alcohol at all. Oh well. I wish I could have one drink and feel perfectly okay, but I can't. It only took me 15 years to accept this fact.
Beyond eating at Poppy, on our day in Seattle we went to Pike Place market and ate cherries and scones and coffee, walked around downtown, stopped at Whole Foods and got some lunch and other supplies, went to Washington Park Arboretum and did some walking and jogging, then went back to the hotel and got ready for dinner. We had time to drive through the Queen Anne neighborhood before Poppy. That's it. We should have bagged the Washington Park Arboretum, which was nice but a time-consuming jaunt. On the way out of town the next morning, we stopped at the Columbia City Bakery and got some cookies and scones and walnut levain to take to Richard and Angie's house. (The cookies and scones were eaten quickly, but the walnut levain didn't reach its potential until yesterday, when I made it into bruschetta with a garlicky herbed white bean topping. The walnuts were explosions of wonderfulness. Yes, I brought it home with me in my suitcase.)
Here's what I love about Portland:
1) The neighborhoods are pretty, with adorable wood-framed houses and beautiful gardens. My brother's neighborhood in NE Portland is like this, and he swears that it's a modest and ordinary neighborhood. I'm not as familiar with other neighborhoods, but this seems true. Amazingly, other neighborhoods are just as beautiful, or even more so.
2) Laughing Planet restaurant. I could eat here every day.
3) Close to mountains, hiking, natural beauty.
4) Not cold in the winter.
5) A thousand other things.
6) Angie and Richard and Sabine, who are happy to see me, and nice and kind and funny, and live full and worthwhile lives. Sabine, age 21 mos., is jolly and will laugh at any joke because she loves to laugh.
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