Transitioning to Tumblr

Over the last few months and years of graduate school. I've found myself more motivated by food photography! Now that I'm done with graduate school as well I hopefully will be cooking and updating more thus this blog is transitioning to a more appropriate forum of Tumblr. Please follow me there.

Thanks!

Dessert and a New School Year

So here I am back in school in DC. I spent much of the summer being a lazy cook. But with my graduate studies off and moving along I decided it was time to cook more too. And not only that -- I'm transitioning to a more vegan diet. So far the biggest challenge yet!

Garlic Free Products Used/Explored lately:
Trader Joe's Organic Mayonnaise
Daiya Vegan Cheese Product (yes it is entirely garlic free)!!!
Trader Joe's Vegan Soy Mozzarella Cheese

Here are my latest menu/recipe finds (still more vegetarian than vegan, but there are more vegan opportunities now for my fellow readers).

1. Tempeh "Chicken" Salad I found this recipe on Food.com after buying some tempeh and thinking what in the world am I going to cook with that. I used yellow pepper, skipped the pickles, and used Trader Joe's Organic Mayo (garlic free)! I also use a garlic free organic mustard -- purchased from a New England grocer.

2. Dessert Experiment. So over Thanksgiving last year I had this fantastic South American dish using Guava Nectar and Sweetened Condensed Milk. I couldn't for the life of me remember how to make it and the closest recipe I could find online included gelatin. So instead I made a frozen dessert. The recipe I found online called for 2 cups of whipped cream. Being the lazy person I am I instead went for a large 16+ ounce container of Whipped Topping, not the same as fresh whipped cream -- but easier (I don't have an electric beater) and lower in milk content. I simply added in almost the entire container of Guava Nectar and the South American sweetened condensed milk. Mixed and froze! It tastes super yummy and is super bad for you, but hey put a few berries alongside it and you'll feel instantly better about yourself.

3. Local Eatery/Chain. I went to Le Pain Quotidien today and it was lovely -- The Asian Organic Tofu salad is vegan and garlic free!

ON Lazy Days Sometime Cheese Just hits the spot

With out local Safeway closing I went out and purchased all kinds of goodies -- frozen fruit and veggies, cheese (low fat Cabot, and yes I was lazy and bought pre-sliced cheese at 30% off), and more. I thought I would eat the pre-sliced cheese tonight as a pre dinner snack. I also bought the super processed but super yummy lite Laughing Cow cheese. Ever since its recommendation during the South Beach Diet craze, I've bought it on and off. It was a delightful night of easily prepared over processed cheese. I ate some of the Laughing Cow along with carrots followed by the ever reliable Kraft Macaroni and Cheese. Over all a sucessful day of food after a wee bit much of snacking. But sometimes you need that, and although my vitamins are surely lacking from tonight's meal, my stomach is most definately happy.

Baked Whole Wheat Pancake

Now,

I've been dreaming of making a baked pancake for quite some time. There is a comfort, familiarity, and specialness to baked pancakes stemming from 2 experiences.

1. Bickfords -- See the Big Apple Pancake

As a kid, after Eastern sunrise service on the top of the Blue Hills just south of Boston, we would always go out to a special breakfast. The Big Apple Pancake became my favorite annual meal, that I associate with a cold brisk and early morning.

2. Pannekoek -- Dutch Pancakes

After living in the Netherlands for a brief period, Pannekoek became one of my absolute favorite things. The fact that they have Pancake Houses devoted to the creation of their delicious pancakes means the country is really dedicated to the art of Pancake making. They also have Poffertjes, which are mini pancakes that are street food.

So bound for a whole wheat pancake recipe I found this one on Lisa's Kitchen. Boy was I delighted! I made them this morning with slightly thawed frozen organic raspberries and cherries. Greek Gods yogurt was a find I bought at Silver Spring/Takoma Park Co-op.
I used their Honey yougurt for a little boost of flavor, and turbinado sugar. Everything else was the same, but boy are these pancakes yummy! A great filling, healthy breakfast! I didn't need syrup, sugar, or anything on the top and I'm a syrup junkie. I think I'll be picking up some of Hannah Teter's syrup next! I have her Ben and Jerry's ice cream flavor and that is quite good.

Yesterday was my first day of exploration involving breakfast yumminess. I made french toast using Whole Food's Whole Wheat Wheatberry bread with some banana on the side. Also highly recommended!

A New Month a New Challenge

As we get our way into 2010, I have posed some more challenges to my eating lifestyle in the hopes that I will be healthier in 2010 than ever. After getting sick again over the month of January, I have continued to alter my lifestyle. I have no cut out Salsa entirely from my diet, I realized even eating the garlic free salsa made me sick, so I have decided to go cold turkey. Additionally I've cut out all fresh onion products, many people with garlic allergies also have a problem with onions and as I've been noticing my problems I've realized it is likely tied to eating fresh onions. So I've also gone cold turkey on fresh onions. Cooked onions seem to be less of a problem, so I am continuing to eat them for the time being. I'm also converting to a whole grains diet, something I do on and off.

One recommendation in the DC area:
Homemade Pizza

Take home pizza you choose ingredients and cook it @ home! So good and with lots of yummy options (and a whole wheat crust pizza)!

Why I love the Farmer's Market

In Washington, DC the farmers market runs at some locations all year round. This was an exciting development for my poor fresh veggie deprived body. I found out there was a vegan baked goods fundraiser at the Takoma Park, MD market and done. I would go and visit. Fabulous! I have to admit, I'm not used to the whole, you can go to the farmer's market all year round thing. But it was a real treat. I got lettuce, potatoes, pasta, baked goods, fruit, apple cider, spices, cheese, and tea. Now what to cook with all of the said food.


I've developed a fabulous way to make baked fries (in oil of course but I like to think its healthier). Erika's Yummy Baked Fries -- recipe is below.

Bake at 450 degrees for about 20 minutes turning once.

Directions:
Cut up some local potatoes, mix them with olive oil, some chipotle pepper, onion powder, salt, and freshly ground pepper.

Toppings:
I managed to find a nice goat cheese with chipotle at the Takoma market and pair that on the fries with some truffle oil from Cork market. They can both be applied after or in the last two minutes of the fries cooking. Its your choice!

PPS Cork Market is amazing! Go there now!

Pasta Risotto

Okay so I don't use abborio rice for this, but have taken up making an awesome pasta dish basically cooking it like risotto. This takes to thicker pastas quite well! I just throw some veggie broth in with white wine, bring it to a boil, throw pasta in, and lastly cook it until thickened (at least 15 minutes). A great different way to make pasta. PPS a line of pasta sauces I've discovered carries more garlic and potentially onion free varieties at Yes Organic Market in DC . I have to look up the name as it escapes me right now.