Artichoke Experiment Gone VERY Good

Working in restaurants has its benefits. I've learned so much from chefs, cooks, waiters and customers. My friend Katja (executive chef at Ciudad Restaurant) introduced me to sunchokes. They kept appearing in her recipes and she kept raving about their flavor. They're commonly known as Jerusalem artichokes. Here's what I don't get, they're native to North America. And they're really healthy and flavorful.

While poking around Trader Joe's, trying desperately to get out of my usual food choices/rut, I stumbled on a pack of sunchokes. I decided to prepare them in the same manner of a soup, and it came out AMAZING. Now that the weather has turned, enjoy this soup when the temperature outside drops.

16 oz sunchokes, peeled and chopped
4 stalks celery, diced
1/2 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil

3 cups vegetable stock
1 cup of fresh water
salt, pepper

Peel and chop the sunchokes, then chop. Soak in water and add a squeeze of lemon.

Heat olive oil in a stock pot. Over medium heat, sautee onions, garlic, and celery for 5 minutes....make sure you stir it regularly. Add sunchokes and continue for 5 more minutes, still stirring occasionally.

Add the stock and taste for seasoning. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Bring the stock up to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Add water. Simmer covered for 20 minutes or until Jerusalem artichokes are very soft. Puree in batches. Damned tasty...

Marinated Cucumbers - And They're Delicious

These are easy, healthy, flavorful. Cucumbers can be tricky to prepare - how else can I make them other than in a salad with tomato? This Korean-inspired idea makes for a quick and healthy meal or side dish.

• 3 Persian cucumbers (they're really flavorful, try to use smaller size, but anyone you prefer will work...)
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 2 cloves of garlic (chopped)
• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup (the sweetness makes it marvelous, and syrup is much healthier than sugar)
  
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon hemp oil
  
• 1 teaspoon whole grain mustard
  
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• cayenne pepper to taste (I like spice, so a tablespoon)

Slice the cucumbers as thinly as possible. Place them in a bowl and mix in salt so that it covers all cucumbers. Leave standing for 30 minutes. After salting, drain water and pat cucumbers dry. In new bowl, combine all ingredients and mix cucumbers and flavors to enjoy this fantastic snack!

It is THE side dish. Serve it to friends as a last minute meal, and they'll be so impressed! Serve this with a simple bowl of rice, grilled fish...or any of your favorites.

Turkey Day Revisited

By now, you may already know that I don't eat meat, except seafood. There's no animal activist rationale behind my choice....I LOVE meat. Up until two years ago, In & Out Burger was a regular stop for me on my way home from work. (For those of you outside of California, this is THE place to get your red meat on.)

In 2005, my girl Jazmin and I ate nothing but raw fruits, nuts and vegetables for three months. Caught up in the raw food* movement that seemed to be all over LA, it was an experiment to see if we could do it. We had energy for days, clear skin, a sense of accomplishment, and the added bonus of losing weight.

What I tell my raw friends now: eating hot food is underrated.

Plus, planning my days around intricately prepped meals, not being able to eat out...I saw no way to keep this lifestyle up. So I went back to my regular ways, with another bonus: my appreciation of a green salad.

Perhaps I made a poor choice with my first meal after three months of veggie hell: a skirt steak. Three bites later, nauseous, and a solid kick to my own tail...I knew this was the last time I'd eat steak. I can't explain it very well, I just knew that I never wanted to have this feeling again. And I was laid out in my bed 30 minutes later, wondering when the stomach pain would go away. Within six months, chicken, pork and turkey left my list too.

So I've adjusted. I'm okay with it. But right now, I'm watching my husband eat a hot turkey sandwich with giblet gravy. He hasn't looked up from his plate since taking the first bite. It smells fantastic. It's probably very comforting.

(Heavy sigh...)

I won't eat it, after all this time, I know meat just doesn't work for me. But does he have to make that sound? That "I love what I'm eating" noise, along with heavy chewing and an occasional "Ummph?"

Thanks honey.

*Wikipedia's definition of a raw diet consists of "Unprocessed, raw plant foods that have not been heated above 115 °F (46 °C). 'Raw foodists' believe that foods cooked above this temperature have lost much of their nutritional value and are harmful to the body. Typical foods include fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds and sprouted grains and legumes."

The best pot of rice. EVER.

Simply put. I really don't like brown rice. I much prefer the white variety. Why? It's more satisfying to eat a bowl with that sticky, fluffy, yummy texture that only white rice can provide. If you've got ANY suggestions on how to make brown rice taste better...I'm ALL EARS.

Try this. It sounds tedious, but far from it. I absolutely love how wonderful and simple a good bowl of rice can be. And it was even better while my husband and I grilled firm tofu on the Foreman Grill until it turned brown, then marinated it in a blend of sesame oil, hemp oil, whole grain mustard, Bragg's Liquid Aminos, garlic and maple syrup to your own taste. We steamed spinach, then added the same marinate.

Perfect Rice

Take a cup of rice, and place in a pot. Cover the rice with water. Take a handful of rice and massage between hands by rubbing them together. You don't need to take too much time in doing this...just until the water turns a milky white color. Rinse and repeat two more time.

You're almost there. I promise. It's SO worth it.

Then rinse without the massage three times in a row. Just fill the pot, and rinse. Now that the cleaning is complete, fill the pot with two cups of fresh spring water. Then put the rice in the pot. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 8 minutes. Remove it from the burner and cover with a tight fitting lid. Let it stand for at 20 minutes.

Lift the pot, and you'll agree. It's a damned-tasty pot of rice.

M.

Grilled "Cheese" & "Bacon"

I lied to my friend.

I said we were having grilled "cheese" and "bacon" sandwiches for lunch. She eyed me suspiciously, but said yes. She knows that I don’t keep items like these in my house, but hunger can make your memory and common sense take a temporary lapse.

My husband invented this recipe on a cold night that required comfort food. She ate it, and while I’m not sure she’s fully convinced that being a vegetarian is the way to go...she still asked for a second one.

And while this isn’t the healthiest recipe, but compared to its meat/cheese cousin...the fat content is significantly lower, cholesterol free, and the tasty factor is HIGH.

Grilled Soy Cheese & Facon Sandwich
2 pieces Ezekiel Bread
Trader Joe’s Margarine Spread
2 slices Trader Joe’s Sliced Soy Cheese Alternative (Cheddar Flavor)
2 pieces Morning Star Farms “Bacon” Strips

Use a non-stick pan. Microwave slices of “bacon” for two minutes. Place margarine spread on one side of each slice of bread. Place one slice of bread face down, add a slice of “cheese.” Layer “bacon” over the “cheese.” Place other “cheese” slice and other slice of bread (margarine side up) to complete sandwich construction. Cook over medium heat until bread is light brown and cheese is melted.

Green Drinks

I know that green drinks are good for me. Weeks after daily green doses, my skin looks like I've been going to daily spa treatments. My doctor says to do it, I've read about the benefits of green drinks on countless sites and books, and experience a feeling of serious refreshment and energy when downing a fresh juice in the morning.

But why does it have to taste so awful?

A friend offered a really simple tip. Throw in a piece of apple, pineapple or any sweet fruit to contrast that strong green taste. And surprisingly, most fruits work beautifully. Here's my usual morning greenie:

3 stalks of celery
5 med-large carrots
ginger (to taste)
3-4 handfuls of spinach
3 small pieces of pineapple

Blend all ingredients in a juicer. Place handfuls of spinach in chopper with other vegetables.

So, What CAN You Eat?

I hear this ALL of the time. Especially when I'm invited over for dinner. Given my dietary limitations of no wheat, yeast, dairy or sugar...most folks feel like nothing I eat tastes good. I only wish you could come to my house, so I can show you how good food can be healthy.

Here's what my usual day looks like.

• BREAKFAST - fresh pineapple and/or Ezekiel bread with fruit spread. This sprouted wheat bread takes the place of processed wheat items. It tastes better than regular bread, and can be substituted in the place of any "real" bread. I like fruit spread, because it has less sugar.
• LUNCH - Rice pasta with homemade pesto, or Trader Joe's sauce if I'm in a hurry. Or sandwiches on Ezekiel bread.
  
• DINNER - My husband and I typically have fish. I'll marinate it in something as simple as lemon juice, or get creative and throw in ginger, mustard, sesame oil and scallions. Once it sits in the fridge for 20 minutes, he puts it on the grill. Fresh steamed veggies on the side make it the perfect meal.
• DESSERT/SNACKS - We don't do dairy. But when the craving hits, you can always try Soy Dream "ice cream." Believe me, I had to be TRICKED into trying this. But consider this. How do you feel after having a huge bowl of ice cream? It's much less guilt and freeing once you get used to it.
  

I keep the following in my kitchen. They're good to have: Extra virgin olive oil, garlic, kosher salt, lemons, rice pasta, herbs, Ezekiel bread, favorite pasta sauce, butter/margarine, low-sugar cereal, oats, onions, PURE maple syrup, peanut butter and dried herbs.

But this is what works for me. I'm sure you've got your favorite things. There's always substitutes that can make the transition easier. If you have questions, let me know: tastesgoodtoo(at)gmail(dot)com