A Healthier Thanksgiving

In the airport I noticed a blurb in a magazine stating that the average American eats 4000-something calories over Thanksgiving. This is much more than my daily caloric requirements. I began to recall the Thanksgivings where I felt overstuffed. Disturbed and inspired, I decided to add some healthier options to the table this Thanksgiving.

For appetizers, I cut cucumber rounds, topped them with tomato basil hummus, and sprinkled dill and capers on top. I also sliced peppers and celery and stuffed them with a mixture of blue cheese and fat-free greek yogurt, drizzling balsamic vinegar and crushed pepper on top. Finally, I boiled some asparagus and wrapped prosciutto around the stalks.

For side dishes, I made a wild rice and celery salad, cutting the amount of oil in the recipe in half. For a little more green, I boiled a bunch of chopped broccoli in chicken broth. I also made a spinach salad, using dressing sparingly.

For dessert, I washed some fresh strawberries to have with pie.

Overall, I enjoyed the usual Thanksgiving trimmings--turkey, stuffing, and mashed potatoes. Adding some healthier options certainly helped me to avoid that gross overstuffed feeling.

My next task? Planning some seasonal items to serve at dinner with friends tomorrow night. I'm also starting to think of the healthy dishes I could make at Christmas...

Another reason to go easy on the salt...

Although I am not usually hesistant in reaching for the salt shaker, an excessively salty lunch, eating too many processed foods, and now, the article below, reminds me to watch my sodium intake. The article discusses an increase in kidney stone diagnoses in US children, naming dehydration and high sodium intake as possible risk factors.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/28/health/28kidn.html?8dpc

Hodge podge

While some of the news reported by the New York Times may be one-sided, I do like the Dining and Wine section.

First up is an article on pork katsu curry-something I plan to make when I have time.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/26/magazine/26food-t.html

Next, an article which explains what wine clones are. It reminded me how all the wineries in Santa Barbara county seem to have Pinots with "Dijon clone 113" on their tasting list.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/22/dining/22pour.html?ref=dining

Finally, Recipes for Health are a collection of pretty easy and relatively healthy recipes...perfect for the student whose diet subsists of coffee and free pizza.
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/health/series/recipes_for_health/index.html

Culinary disasters

Although I've had some successes, I've also had some culinary disasters. My failures generally center around baking--there were the rock-like biscuits I made when I lived in Queens, the "flatbread" from the vegetarian cookbook that didn't hold together like a bread, and the questionable desserts I turned out during my teenage years.

Today my attempt at making Spicy Tuna Don, a bowl of sushi rice covered with fresh tuna mixed with spicy sauce, fell flat. My first mistake was picking up tuna from the supermarket, since what was labeled as "fresh" tasted pretty fishy. The dish was doomed from the start. I tried to overcompensate by making a very spicy sauce with Sriracha, mayonnaise, and a bit of mustard, but the strong flavors failed to mask the fishy flavor and served instead to make a discordant mess. First I would taste the fishy flavor, then the overly sharp taste of Sriracha and an odd hint of mustard. The sushi rice and mixed greens on the side only made things worse, as the sauce completely overpowered the taste of these sides. Using lots of soy sauce didn't help. While I normally love Spicy Tuna Don and savor every bit of meaty, fragrant tuna, this time I threw the fishy chunks away. I gave up and melted some cheese over chips in the oven. Nachos never fail.

Cheese corner: Cypress Grove Lamb Chopper

On Saturday I picked up a wedge of Lamb Chopper cheese from Cypress Grove, maker of the cheese everyone seems to like, Humboldt Fog. They also make Purple Haze, a fresh goat cheese seasoned with lavendar that tastes delicious with sourdough crackers, and Truffle Tremor, which is similar to Humboldt Fog, but infused with truffle aromas.

I found Lamb Chopper pleasant and mild with a nutty flavor and a hint of sharpness, maybe from the sheep milk. However, I was disappointed to learn this cheese is made in Europe. I had thought this cheese was made in Northern California by Cypress Grove, not somewhere across the globe. Their website is also misleading, spouting blurbs about terrior and herds of goats in Arcata. Regardless, I made a pretty good melt using this cheese. I cut a whole wheat pita in half and added to each half: a handful of cherry tomatoes, a few tablespoons of kidney beans, two kalamata olives, a drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkle of salt, and some liberal shavings of Lamb Chopper. I let the cheese ooze and melt, then ate each pita half with a little Sriracha, and yes, for you mayonnaise-haters, a little bit of mayo. It was absolutely delicious, although I still feel a little scammed.

Ode to Yogurt

When I was a kid, my feelings towards yogurt ranged from lukewarm to downright revulsion. Somehow, the sweetness of yogurt and the texture never really did it for my palate. When you have a mother who was constantly making something delicious and warm for breakfast, who needed yogurt? Fast-forward to my learning about Greek yogurt and my resolution in the last few years to eat something balanced for breakfast, even if it's really small. Suddenly yogurt is my new best friend.

I really love the Greek O% brands, since they are non-fat, low in sugar, and high in protein. They are also very creamy tasting and thick. While they are a little sour, the flavor is easily overcome by a few berries, some almonds or cereal. I would go as far as to say that they are my gold standard for yogurt and make the perfect breakfast for someone who wants something fast but healthy. However, I will often consider other non-fat brands that are sugar free. While they have much less protein, they are attractive in terms of convenience and economy (because not everyone can afford a $4 tub of yogurt.)

Brunch at the Green Onion

I love Sunday Brunch. Even if my laundry is piling up or if my to-do list of errands fills a whole page, brunch is relaxing and unhurried. I really enjoy sitting at a window or sidewalk with the newspaper, a cup of coffee, and some sort of unhealthy egg dish. In New York, brunch often occurs in the late hours of the afternoon with multi-course meals and zesty bloody Marys while in Lone Pine, CA, the Alabama Hills Cafe serves up early morning Eggs Benedict and coffee.

I enjoyed brunch yesterday at the Green Onion on Colley Street in Norfolk, VA. While seated on the sidewalk, I enjoyed refills of coffee and a wonderful breakfast sandwich. The english muffin was bigger and more bread-like than the standard Thomas's muffin, and was toasted on one side. Fluffy scrambled eggs, green onions, a runny beige cheese, and crispy strips of thick bacon topped the muffin. On the side sat three cherry tomatoes. If I had to come up with a criticism of my brunch, I would request more cherry tomatoes. Otherwise, I enjoyed the food, liked the modern decor, and will return to try one of the cheeses on their page-long list.

The Whitney Portal Store Burger

I had an amazing burger last week. This one blows Corner Bistro and Shake Shack out of the water. The evening before I hiked Mount Whitney, I was hungry and wanted to get a square meal. This burger has fresh-cut potato fries, a nicely toasted bun, a juicy patty, and melting cheddar cheese. But that's not all. Crunchy, fresh lettuce, flavorful tomatoes, and salty pickle slices with integrity (not the limp ones) add texture and flavor. I was thoroughly impressed with the taste of the burger and the excellent components--usually a good burger has a glaring flaw, like a soggy bun or tired lettuce or unremarkable cheese. But this was perfect.

For more on my Whitney hike, and other fun things I've been doing, check out my new blog: http://christinetanguyen.blogspot.com/.

Salad omelet

I have a love-hate relationship with the New York Times.

On one hand, I sometimes become irritated by the editorializing of many news articles. I also feel some articles play on people's fears of virtually everything-- for instance, radioactive granite countertops and germ-ridden lawns. Such articles sensationalize small risks.

However, the paper does have a fair amount of really excellent content. This article discusses the underappreciated omelet. I was inspired after reading the article and the associated recipes to make a salad omelet. I took three egg whites and heated them in a non-stick pan. Then I stuffed the omelet with a few thin slices of Morbier cheese (left over from a wine-tasting expedition a couple of weeks ago), a sliced tomato from my mother-in-law's garden, a handful of spring mix greens, and some salt. I heated the omelet for a little while longer, so that the cheese melted. The result was a delicious, crepe-like omelet.

Breakfast tacos!

This morning, I glanced out my living room window to see a squirrel there. I wondered how the squirrel got there, since I live in a large apartment complex with just a few trees, right next to a major freeway. Does it frequent all the trees in my complex? What does it eat? It seems to be in a squirrel unfriendly habitat, given there are no forests nearby, and the closest park is across the freeway and down a block.

All these thoughts occurred while I was eating homemade breakfast tacos. Although I like the breakfast tacos at Ocean Park Cafe and Literati Cafe (establishments previously mentioned on this blog), those tacos contain whole eggs, bacon, cheese, and crema--not everyday breakfast fare.

I gathered the following ingredients: 2 corn tortillas, 1 tomato, 8 egg whites, 2 tbsp nonfat Greek yogurt, salt, and hot sauce. I toasted two corn tortillas on the gas range, divided 8 scrambled egg whites between the two tortillas, placed half a chopped tomato in each taco, smeared 1 tablespoon nonfat Greek yogurt on each tortilla, then sprinked salt on top along with squirting some hot sauce. These tacos took five minutes to make and made for a satisfying breakfast.

Ratatouille

Although I haven't seen the movie, I have been craving ratatouille. I made some last night and it was delicious with pesto penne. The leftovers will be toasted on flatbread, with some cheese and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.

Christine's Ratatouille

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 onion-diced

6 cloves of garlic-minced

1 eggplant-cubed

1 zuchinni-cubed

1 red bell pepper-diced

1 yellow bell pepper-diced

2 juicy red tomatoes-chopped

2 handfuls fresh basil, stems removed, leaves torn

1 teasp. Sriracha red pepper sauce

~1/4-1/2 cup water

Dash red pepper flakes

Salt and pepper to taste

Heat olive oil over a medium flame in a non-stick frying pan. Add onions and saute until golden. Add garlic and cook for about one minute.

Throw in zuchinni and eggplant and saute, stirring every couple of minutes, until they are just beginning to soften. If needed, add water to help with the softening. Taste and season with salt.

Add bell peppers and cook until they start to soften, then add tomatoes and Sriracha. Continue to keep stirring every 2-3 minutes. The dish is cooked when the tomatoes have completely disintegrated, when the eggplant has shrunken to half its original size, and when a taste yields a soft texture and a strong, concentrated flavor of summer vegetables. Add more salt to taste, a shake of pepper and red pepper flakes, and the basil. Serve as a side dish or as a main course with grated parmesan or goat cheese sprinked on top and french bread or grilled polenta. This recipe makes 2-3 servings as a main course and 3-4 as a side dish. Leftovers taste great in a sandwich or an egg-white omelet.

Muoi tieu chanh

Muoi tieu chanh is literally salt pepper lemon. My mother serves this condiment, a mixture of these three ingredients, with all kinds of dishes. I've had it with: boiled chicken, rare roast beef, crab and other shellfish, and lightly fried tofu. I've found that it enhances sauteed bell peppers and makes strong tasting fish more palatable. For those who cannot eat salt, the lemon and pepper are pretty good by themselves.

Literati Cafe

I hate the word "literati". The sound of it brings to mind black turtlenecks, chiseled cheekbones, and people sitting around at too-small cafe tables smoking cigarettes and using long words. As much as I cringe when I hear "literati", I love Literati Cafe in Brentwood. At this unpretentious, bright eatery, one orders at the counter, gets a number, and picks a table. There are free photocopies of crosswords with little pencils or newspapers to purchase . Breakfast at Literati Cafe is great, with a strong cup of coffee, a number of egg dishes that come with mixed greens or a Caesar salad, and an assortment of interesting, only-in-Los-Angeles characters that walk by. I remember the woman with a cropped top showing off toned abs, who was chowing down on, of all things, a cheesy breakfast quesadilla. There was also the guy wearing shoes with toe pockets for each of his toes--wiggling each enclosed toe. There are men with bluetooth devices seemingly glued to their ears who talk to the air and women with brightly dyed hair and all-black outfits.

But back to the food. Most of the dishes I have tasted featured fresh produce, were appropriately seasoned, and were relatively easy on the stomach (not too greasy). The only dishes I had that were less than ideal were the hash browns, which were crispy on the outside but barely cooked on the inside, and the Caesar salad dressing, which was not as zesty as I had hoped. But these are small complaints. Overall, Literati Cafe is a pleasant place for an easygoing brunch.

Roatan redux

"What did you eat while you were in Honduras?" is a question I've heard once or twice since I got back from vacation. Some common guesses are tortillas, beans, and bananas. Well, I did eat "baleadas"--thick, toasted tortillas folded over beans and cheese. I also ate a few smoky red bean purees, and found bananas folded into pancakes and fruit salads. But some of my favorite meals diverged from typical Honduran fare.

I spent a good part of my time on Roatan, one of the Bay Islands off the Caribbean coast where the residents are a hodgepodge of Hondurans, Garifunas, Britons, pirates, and divebums. While the island location and erratic electricity mean meals aren't cheap and spoil-resistant ingredients like bacon are ubiquitous, the melange of cultures leads to many food choices, from risotto to pho. Two of the foods I can't forget are:
1. Key "lemon" pie at The Lighthouse, a romantic restaurant set on the water that serves classy seafood platters with warm coconut bread (a Garifuna specialty), white rice and red beans, salad, and garlic vegetables. But the best thing is the pie, with a crumbly graham cracker crust and a tart, icy cold, lemon custard filling, which is sweet enough but not overwhelming.
2. The sausage plate at The Galley, a small shack set away from the road. This plate comes with two sausages (a popular choice is the bratwurst, although the frankfurter is pretty good). Next to the meat sits a huge leafy green salad with ripe tomatoes and balsamic vinegar, a baked potato or fries, a generous helping of sauerkraut, mustard and my personal favorite, a freshly baked pretzel with salt. Although the outdoor seating means bringing bug spray to dinner, it's a nice place to savor some good German/Northern Italian food with a Salva Vida or a glass of wine.

SF Farmer's Market in today's NYT

Like many of the the travel articles in the New York Times, the enthusiasm in today's piece on the San Francisco farmer's market is a bit much, almost forced, with phrases like "some of the nation's most spectacular farmland" and "the markets come into their full glory". However, I understand the writer's frothing at the mouth. Although this topic has been covered before in this blog, I return again, reminded by the article. The SF farmer's market is probably the best farmer's market I've been to. There are so many stalls it's overwhelming, and the plethora of free samples means you can have a meal just by going from stall to stall. You can buy fair-trade coffee or oysters, organic produce or tamales. The setting, right on San Francisco Bay, is lovely. Finally, as in the article, the people-watching is also an attraction. One of the last times I was there my companion whispered to me, "Some of these people are a little extremist." I'll leave you to decide what that means, but the Bay Area has lots of interesting characters.

What to do with too much basil

For Christmas, my husband's brother and his brother's girlfriend gave us an "Aerogarden", which grows plants indoors using dripping water, lights, and packets of "nutrients". Right now we have parsley, mint, purple and green basil, thyme, and dill growing like crazy. Here are some things I've done with the mountains of basil we have:

1) Hand-cut pesto: chop a bunch of basil, a handful of pinenuts, and two garlic cloves together finely on a chopping block. Add to pasta with a generous dash of salt and oil if desired.

2) Basil, eggplant hummus, and cheese sandwich: Take a piece of Milton's whole wheat bread (or another sliced bread around 100 calories) and cut in half. Spread 2 tablespoons of eggplant hummus (from Trader Joe's) onto the bread and throw on 4 basil leaves cut in thin slivers. Also place one piece of reduced fat cheddar (cut in half first, then stack the halves) in the sandwich. Now cut the sandwich in two small halves for a delicious, approx. 220 calorie sandwich.

3) This eggplant "pasta" from Alton Brown is pretty good, and if you cut the oil down to one tbsp and use 1/4 cup half and half instead of 1/2 cup cream, it's not too bad for you: http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_17752,00.html

4) I just opened my fridge and found two containers of tofu set to expire this month. One basil dish I am planning is an eggplant, basil, and tofu stirfry--one of my favorite Thai dishes.

The Petite Pantry in Bishop, CA

There is a place where there are always fresh chips and salsa on the table, where the oldies station is on, and where there is plenty of reading material, from today's paper to old Field and Stream magazines to an assortment of books on how to cope with "being surrounded by idiots." Pictures of family hang on the walls and there is a list of six different pies to choose from. The price is right, the portions are huge, the food is good, and the owner takes good care of his customers, from cracking jokes to warning about the habanero hot sauce.

It can sometimes seem like restaurants are just about profit and the customer is just another number. But then I eat somewhere like The Petite Pantry, in Bishop on Route 395, where the generously sized Mexican and American dishes are made with pride and one truly feels like she is in the owner's home.

Ocean Park Cafe

Sometimes, for all its people, Los Angeles can be a lonely place. People in line at the supermarket don't chat with each other, but instead get in fights over who was first. Cars jammed on the street honk at each other and refuse to yield. Some are afraid to shake your hand because they don't want to get sick.

But I've managed to find some friendly places. On the trails in the hills, about 75% of walkers and runners will reply to a greeting. Most patrons at the farmers markets are usually smiling and not frowning. And there are a handful of restaurants with friendly servers, and where everyone seems to know each other. One of these is the Ocean Park Cafe in Santa Monica. Aside from the relaxing morning you are guaranteed have here, even when it's crowded, the food is pretty good as well. Before 9am, they have a handful of specials for around $3, including french toast, egg whites, and pancakes+eggs. But I eschew the specials for the "regular" breakfast fare--delicious breakfast tacos with fresh tasting corn tortillas and delicate avocado slices, eggs florentine with runny poached eggs and a rich, tangy hollandaise, and crispy, savory breakfast potatoes. I never feel rushed, and the waitress bakes the frosted cupcakes in the glass case.

Cauliflower au gratin

Last night, I made a cauliflower gratin, with some multicolored (yellow, white, purple) cauliflower from the farmer's market, low-fat sour cream, and milk, and shredded reduced-fat cheddar sprinked on top, baked at 375 degrees for half an hour. It was unexpectedly delicious and comforting.