It's that time of year again...

...when every channel shows the same thing, from "The Biggest Loser" to "True Life: I'm on a Diet." If you have made it out of the holiday period unscathed, congratulations. For those who have indulged too often in triple creme cheese, Acme baguettes and little chocolates from New York, here are the top five foods for the new year.

1. Fage 0% yogurt. While I have extolled the virtues of this before, it makes a wonderful, creamy and filling breakfast when topped with blueberries.

2. Kiwis. Instead of reaching for that chocolate or buying a Pinkberry, take a kiwi and use a spoon to scoop out the tart, luscious fruit. Add a glass of cold nonfat milk for a snack.

3. Chicken breast. Grilled on a skillet with some lemon, salt, rosemary, and brushed lightly with low-fat salad dressing, it adds nicely to a salad of mesclun greens with salsa.

4. Egg whites. Whether scrambled or boiled (with the yolks discarded), this is an excellent source of protein.

5. Clementines. Apart from being a source of vitamin C, these have a stronger flavor than many oranges and can be quite juicy.

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.