This morning I received a flyer informing me of a national food drive taking place this Saturday, May 10th. The National Association of Letter Carriers is holding the "Stamp Out Hunger" food drive and all you need to do is leave a bag of non-perishable food items by your mailbox. The postal carrier will pick it up and deliver it to your local food bank!
"Though thousands of local post offices will be participating in the program, some are unable to. To find out whether your letter carrier is participating, search the USPS website for the contact information for your local post office."
For me, this is perfect timing. I've been weeding out my cupboard contents and replacing bad items with healthier choices. This is a perfect opportunity to get rid of things you likely won't use.
A couple suggestions ...
1. check expiration dates - nobody wants your old crap :-) The oldest thing I found today expired in 2006. Whoops!
2. seize this opportunity - cleanse yourself of high-fat, high-sodium, high-calorie foods -- look at those nutrition labels and serving sizes ... you may be shocked by what you see!
I just realized my suggestions may sound horrible ... 'let's donate all of our unhealthy food to the less fortunate'. Hmmm, that's not what I'm advocating by any means - please also include healthy foods too! It's not like I'm filling a bag with lard and sticks of butter, but instead all those canned goods and prepared foods that no longer fit my current diet which someone may be able to use.
My local food bank will be gaining a few flavored gelatins, pudding mixes, cake mixes, coconut milk, a lovely assortment of Indian and Indonesian prepared spice pastes (pure salt), canned soups, canned tomatoes, pasta, and prepared sauces.
I'm headed out grocery shopping tomorrow and will add in a few more things to fill the bag up to the top. For all of the US folks, I hope you take this opportunity to help stock your local food bank. Leave me a comment and let everyone know what you'll be putting in your bag!
Thursday, May 08, 2008
National Food Drive: Saturday May 10th!
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
Healthy spring rolls with peanut sauce
I always forget how much I enjoy these easy to make spring rolls. The last time we made them was for a party at our house, everyone loved them. I came across a partial package of spring roll wrappers while cleansing my cupboard of all the bad things I should no longer eat. Although the spring roll wrappers are essentially rice flour, they are thin and healthy when filled with plenty of veggies.
Although I planned to manipulate a recipe we've used before, I couldn't find which cookbook it was in. Hmmm, next on my list should be a cleansing of my bookshelves. I mainly wanted the dipping sauce recipe but decided to improvise. My improvisation turned out just as good, if not better.
Peanut Sauce
1/3 cup reduced fat peanut butter
1/3 cup water
2 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon chili oil
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro
1 clove minced garlic
I used an immersion blender to puree all of these ingredients. You can also use a blender or food processor. The sauce is slightly thin and is loaded with a spicy, peanuty flavor. I could drink it with a straw!
For the peanut butter, I used the Smart Balance brand which has a better blend of poly-unsaturated and mono0unsaturated fats along with a boost of omega-3. Surprisingly, it tastes really good :-)
Last time we made the spring rolls we filled them with cooked vermicelli, beef, mint, and bean sprouts. Tonight, I decided to use beef, cilantro, lettuce, and roasted vegetables. There are so many combinations you can create -- I love meals like this.
I started by roasting 1/2 lb. asparagus, 1/2 red onion, and a couple carrots. I drizzled with a teaspoon or two of olive oil and roasted for 15-20 minutes in a 400 degree oven, until tender. Allow the roasted vegetables to cool before using.
For the meat, I used a lean 3/4 lb. flank steak which I marinated with a tablespoon of minced garlic, tablespoon of minced ginger, a couple tablespoons of the peanut sauce (see above). I let it set while the vegetables roasted, then turned the oven on to broil. Depending on the thickness of your flank steak, it may take 3-5 minutes per side to achieve medium. Allow the meat to cool for 10 minutes before slicing across the grain. And if you don't want to use meat, just substitute plain or roasted tofu.
You'll also need some fresh cilantro and lettuce to add to the rolls, just wash and pat dry. I used a mix of baby greens and they worked quite well.
So, once you have your veggies, meat, lettuce, and cilantro it's time to begin assembly. The spring roll wrappers are a Vietnamese dried version, which you can find in most Asian markets. Our Vietnamese friends have always advised us to 'buy the brand with the rose on the package'.
If you haven't worked with these wrappers before, you're in for a treat. You dip them one at a time into warm water for about 10 seconds. They begin to soften and by the time you're ready to roll it up, the wrappers are the perfect consistency (fully reconstituted). The package cost only .99 cents and probably contains 50 or so wrappers -- a bargain meal!
Wet a wrapper and place on your work surface. I begin by adding about 4 or 5 leaves of cilantro, two pieces of asparagus, a piece of carrot, a piece of onion, a strip of meat and a few leaves of lettuce. Place the mix on one half of the wrapper, leaving an inch of space all the way around. Begin rolling and fold the edges inward as you roll. The wrapper will automatically seal itself since the wrapper becomes a bit tacky as it dries. Repeat process about 20 or so times until you're out of filling.
If you don't plan to eat the rolls immediately, cover and store in the refrigerator. The spring rolls will dry out pretty quickly if left sitting out for too long.
Joe was happy when he came home and found this meal waiting for him. I served the spring rolls with a bit of fresh mango on the side. The spring rolls are satisfying, a nice mix of textures and flavors. It's a great way to add a bit of meat without going overboard, you get just a little in each bite.
Sunday, May 04, 2008
Citrus Quinoa with Roasted Vegetables
I've been meaning to cook with quinoa for quite some time. I bought a small amount of it in the bulk bin at Whole Foods a few weeks ago and hadn't gotten around to trying it out. With my recent focus on eating healthier, I figured it would make for a nice light supper along with some roasted veggies.
It's as though quinoa is becoming more popular as I'm seeing it popping up on more blogs. I didn't know much about it other than many vegetarians and gluten-free folks use it as an alternative grain. Until I researched it, I did not know that quinoa is considered to be a well-rounded food. In addition to containing a balanced set of amino acids, it is also high in protein, fiber, magnesium, and iron.
We go through a large amount of white rice in our house. We buy it in 10lb bags and eat it for nearly every dinner. My doctor mentioned that such starchy foods, especially in quantity, can negatively effect blood sugar and cholesterol. I've decided to remove white rice from my diet entirely. Quinoa is a perfect substitution for either white rice or couscous and is much healthier for you.
I didn't use a particular recipe for this dish, but instead went with what I had in the house. Feel free to use different vegetables or to change up the dressing ingredients.
Citrus Quinoa with Roasted Vegetables
1/2 lb. asparagus, trimmed & cut into 2" pieces
1/2 c. red onion, coarsely sliced
1 small bulb fennel, cored and sliced crosswise
1 clove garlic, minced
cooking spray (or olive oil)
3/4 c. quinoa
1 1/2 c. water
1 orange, zested and juiced
1/2 lemon, juiced
2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon olive oil
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a sheet pan with cooking spray and add aspragus, fennel, red onion, and garlic. Spray vegetables with cooking spray and bake for 12-18 minutes until vegetables are tender and beginning to brown/caramelize.
While vegetables are roasting, rinse the quinoa in water for 1-2 minutes. The outer layer of the quinoa can be bitter and thoroughly rinsing will remove this bitterness.
Place quinoa and water into a pan on the stovetop and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat, simmering for 15 minutes or until water is fully absorbed. Turn off burner and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
To prepare the citrus dressing, combine the orange juice, orange zest, lemon juice, honey, soy sauce, and olive oil. Whisk to combine.
Add the dressing to the quinoa then toss in the roasted vegetables, sprinkle with a few chopped fennel fronds before serving. Although I ate this immediately, allowing it to sit for a few hours or overnight will greatly enhance the flavors.
The quinoa reminded me of caviar. As it cooks, the grain becomes almost transparent like little fish eggs. Thank god it doesn't taste like fish eggs (I'm not a fan)!
The citrus dressing went well with the roasted vegetables I used. I liked the savory-sweet flavors in this dish, especially the fennel and orange combination. The clove of garlic was a bit overpowering for the quantity of quinoa, so I would likely reduce this by half or remove altogether.
Unfortunately, Joe was traveling for work and missed out on this creation. I think he would have enjoyed it, although he would have questioned why there wasn't any meat. The fennel and citrus would go well with a nice piece of grilled salmon. I'll have to try this next time!
Friday, May 02, 2008
Strawberry Beet Green Salad with Roasted Tofu
Thank you to everyone for your recent kind words of support! I've been a mopey and grumpy person since learning of my high cholesterol and am starting to snap out of it. Today's weekly produce delivery gave me much needed inspiration and I crafted this wonderfully simple dinner tonight.
Tonight's star ingredient is the golden beet, sweet and earthy. My produce shipment also contained fennel, strawberries, oranges, baby lettuce, red onion, rhubarb, spinach, and asparagus all of which you'll see in the coming week.
My mother used to pickle red beets and to be honest it's how I think of beets ... pickled in a sweet/sour brine. Although I do enjoy my mom's pickled beets, my goal in using it tonight was to focus on the natural flavor and not to mask it with any flavoring.
I was happy to see the these wonderfully golden beets arrived with their leaves attached, so I decided to prepare the greens as well. For me, any type of green is best when it's blanched and tossed with a bit of balsamic vinegar. (a few strips of crumbled bacon pair well with greens too, but no bacon for me - at least not tonight)
I cleaned the greens and blanched for 30 seconds in boiling water then placed immediately into an ice water bath. Once cooled, I removed the greens to a colander to drain.
I peeled the beets and thinly sliced crosswise to create golden coins. The color is magnificent, truly a vibrant yellow. I blanched the beets for about 2 minutes or until they begin to become tender but still have some 'bite'. Place the beets into an ice water bath, then remove and drain. Using paper towel, pat them dry.
I squeezed the greens in my hand to remove any excess water then placed into a small mixing bowl. I added 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion and a couple thinly sliced strawberries. Add about a tablespoon or so of balsamic vinegar and lightly toss to coat. I love the slightly sweet flavor of balsamic with the earthly greens and sweet strawberries. The onion adds a bit of crisp savoriness.
Mark of No Special Effects recently suggested that I use a ring mold for plating, so I decided to give it a try. I'm not one to get fancy with such things ... but figured why not. Unfortunately, I don't have a ring mold. And as luck would have it, I had emptied my recycling bin earlier in the morning. I made a tinfoil ring but then decided it was too flimsy and wouldn't work. So, I did what anyone else would do (at least, I hope so) ... I ran outside to my recycling bin and fished out a recently discarded tin can. I took it inside and thoroughly washed it, then removed the bottom to form a ring mold.
I filled the ring with the beet green salad then topped with a couple slices of the beets and a bit of strawberry as garnish. I added a few more beets to the plate and topped with a wonderfully good roasted tofu.
I've cooked with tofu a fair amount but have never roasted it. I looked through a few sites and saw that most people marinated it before baking.
Roasted Tofu
2 tablespoons reduced salt soy sauce
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon chili oil
2 cloves minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced ginger (I used pickled ginger)
1 green onion, just the white part minced
1/4 cup water
1 lb extra-firm tofu
Mix all the ingredients except the tofu in a small bowl. Slice the tofu in 1/2" slices and pat dry. Lay in the bottom of a baking dish in a single layer then pour the marinade over the top. Let it marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1-2 hours or overnight if you can. Half-way through marinating, flip the tofu.
Heat an oven to 400 degrees. Bake the tofu for 30 minutes, then flip the tofu pieces and bake an additional 30 minutes. The marinade will reduce and caramelize on the tofu.
Overall, it was a satisfying and flavorful meal. The vibrant colors made it even more enjoyable -- when food is pretty, it does taste better!
The beet green salad might be too simple for some. I liked the simplicity of it and felt the strawberries added a nice balance to the beets and greens. The tofu is fricken' incredible though -- a perfect dish for tofu newbies. Sometimes, the brand of tofu has a lot to do with whether you enjoy a tofu meal. I've noticed a great variance in flavor and texture from brand to brand. I used Mori-Nu and like it the best. It's silky smooth with minimal soybean flavor.
So, there you have it. A healthy meal that is quick to make and even tastes good!
