I received a copy of Cooking for the Specific Carbohydrate Diet for purpose of review. All opinions expressed below are my own.

Once upon a time (though I should hasten to add, this is no fairytale) a mother was faced with a sick child and very few answers. Eventually the doctors diagnosed Emily Kerwien’s son with Crohn’s Disease, but it was far from a simple answer. Searching around for anything to help her son live a better life, the Specific Carbohydrate Diet was suggested and Kerien threw herself into learning about an eating plan to eliminates many combative carbohydrates from the diets of those with an Inflammatory Bowel Disease, chronicling her progress on ComfyBelly.com.

I was given the opportunity to take a look at Kerwien’s book, Cooking for the Specific Carbohyrdate Diet, to satisfy my curiosity about another diet out there with the aim to make life easier for those with imperfect digestive systems, having recently switch to a Low-FODMAP diet for similar reasons.

While the subtitle mentions that the recipes are sugar-free, it should be noted that this talks to refined cane sugars only. Honey is used whenever additional sweetness is required, and the substitution guide in the back of the book lists dates as a SCD-friendly alternative. There truly are not any grains, gluten-bearing or not, in this book, instead using a variety of nuts, nut flours, and certain beans. Starchy vegetables like sweet potatoes are also forbidden on the SCD diet. In many ways, SCD is the polar opposite of Low-FODMAP, but might make a good option for those who the Low-FODMAP diet does not appear to help.

With the deck a little stacked against my current dietary choices, I gamely read through the recipes, hoping to find some common ground. Some recipes were safe for us to try as-written, and others required substitutions to keep them Low-FODMAP while still getting the overall feel of the recipe.

Todd decided to try her Dirty Rice (p.124). Of course, she called for cauli-rice (cauliflower spun through a food processor then steamed til tender) and we used regular rice, but otherwise the dish studded with bacon, pork, celery, and peppers made for a very tasty supper.

I was intrigued by her Simple Quiche (p.101) and her use of yogurt in place of the usual milk or heavy cream most recipes call for. I skipped the crust and was shocked when, instead of overflowing the pie dish as it seemed like it would, it puffed up almost like a souffle. Aside from needing a little additional salt (pretty common with any health-focused cookbook) it was an excellent recipe and one we’ll likely return to in the future.

To go with a vegetable soup one night, I tried out her Pizza Crust/Focaccia (p.98) recipe as a side dish. She calls for blanched almond flour which is not something we’re keen on, here, so I used my trusted flour blend (which is not SCD-approved, but safer for us). Because of the substitution I made, I don’t want to be too hard on this recipe, but the lack of leavening and the lack of xanthum gum, etc. to improve the texture makes me wonder if this recipe would yield the result we would have expected from a pizza crust. It made an interesting cracker-bread with a wonderful flavor, but it’s not something we’ll be making again, especially since I’ve made better-textured gf-pizza crust a couple of months ago.

The Braised Short Ribs & Carrots (p.130), on the other hand, was a rich and wonderful meal with the addition of some brown basmati rice. After a day in the slow-cooker the short ribs really were fall off the bone tender and made for a very rich broth to spoon over the brown basmati rice I made to go with it.

Finally, for a light-but-filling weekend supper I made her Fish Tacos (p.136) and Zucchini Sticks (p.40). The tacos also pulled forward some of her other recipes: Avocado Crema (p.77), Creamy Coleslaw (p.55) and her SCD-safe Tortillas (p.97). Since we have no problem with corn tortillas, I did skip that step, but the other recipes all worked well together. The crema, especially, was a delight as it was a wonderful way to stretch an avocado and not so strongly flavored that Todd (not a huge fan of avocados, in general) had no problem with it in the mix. The Zucchini Sticks are a nice alternative to French fries or other starchy sides, the Parmesan cheeses (both grated and shredded) responsible for most of the flavor and much of the texture.

The Specific Carbohydrate Diet seems to be one that takes an extended time to “work”–where a Low-FODMAP diet will usually show in a matter of weeks whether the patient will respond to it, the nature of IBD takes much longer to resolve and someone might need to stay on the SCD for two years or more in order to receive the full benefits of the lifestyle change. Not a quick fix, but if it’s something your doctor has recommended, this book may well help you navigate the what’s for dinner challenge a little easier.

photo courtesy RA Sushi

RA Sushi to Host 9th Annual Nicky’s Week May 26-June 1

Proceeds from select menu items to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital^®

Tucson, Ariz. (May 8, 2013) – Arizona-based RA Sushi Bar Restaurant will host its ninth annual “Nicky’s Week” fundraiser Sunday, May 26, through Saturday, June 1, for kids battling cancer and other life-threatening diseases at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital®. The hospital is completely funded by community support, ensuring that families never have to pay for treatment and care.

RA Sushi will donate 100 percent of the proceeds from the sale of a variety of menu items and beverages to St. Jude to help support the hospital’s lifesaving mission. Since its inception, Nicky’s Week has raised more than $1 million for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

The special Nicky’s Week menu includes: Edamame, Tootsy Maki, Shrimp Nigiri, Pork Gyoza, Chicken Yakitori, Garlic Citrus Yellowtail Tapas, plus a variety of select beverages.

All 25 RA Sushi locations in Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Maryland, Nevada and Texas will participate in the fundraiser. RA Sushi in Tucson is located at La Encantada: 2905 E. Skyline Drive, Tucson, Ariz., 85718.

Nicky’s Week was developed in memory of St. Jude patient Nicholas “Nicky” Mailliard, of Scottsdale, Ariz., who lost a long battle with brain cancer in February 2005 at the young age of 13. A nephew of one of RA Sushi’s founders, Nicky held a special place in the hearts of RA Sushi associates throughout the organization. RA Sushi initiated the fundraiser to honor the memory of Nicky and to raise awareness and funds for          St. Jude, where no child is ever turned away because of a family’s inability to pay for medical treatments.

“RA Sushi is honored to continue to support St. Jude and help them with their life-changing mission,” said Scott Kilpatrick, co-founder and vice president of RA Sushi. “We want to help ensure their services remain available to children and families battling serious illness.”

St. Jude doctors and researchers freely share their research with the medical community, so every child saved at St. Jude means thousands more saved worldwide. The hospital has international reach and has treated children from all 50 states, including Arizona.

For more information about Nicky’s Week, visit www.RAsushi.com or call 520-615-3970.

About RA Sushi
A “RA”ckin’ vibe, popular music, and distinctive Japanese fusion cuisine sets RA Sushi Bar Restaurant apart from a typical sushi joint. RA opened its first location in Scottsdale, Ariz. in 1997 and has since expanded to include 25 locations throughout the United States. Consistently awarded for its fresh sushi, creative cocktails, killer happy hour, and musically inspired nightlife, at RA good food and good times go hand-in-hand.

Lunch is served from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and dinner is served until 11 p.m. daily. The bar is open until midnight. Happy Hour food and beverage specials are offered Monday through Saturday, 3 to 7 p.m. The same specials are offered late night from 10 p.m. to midnight, Monday through Saturday. Industry night Flying Fish Lounge specials are offered every Sunday beginning at 8 p.m.

RA has 25 locations across the country. Enjoy RA Sushi in Arizona (Ahwatukee, Mesa, North Scottsdale, South Scottsdale, Tempe and Tucson); California (Chino Hills, Corona, Huntington Beach, San Diego, Torrance and Tustin); Florida (Palm Beach Gardens, Pembroke Pines and South Miami); Georgia (Atlanta); Illinois (Chicago, Glenview and Lombard); Kansas (Leawood); Maryland (Baltimore); Nevada (Las Vegas); and Texas (two Houston locations and Plano). Look for RA on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest, and check in at RA Sushi on Foursquare. For more information visit RA online at www.RAsushi.com.

Does chocolate cake sound good to anyone else right about now?

This coming Sunday, May 19, is National Devil’s Food Cake Day and I’m pretty much sold on the idea, truth be told. Might have to squeeze in some baking between appointments on Saturday.

What makes Devil’s Food cake different from other chocolate cakes? Good question! Generally speaking (i.e., according to Wikipedia), Devil’s Food cake usually contains coffee and usually uses cocoa powder instead of melted chocolate for the primary flavoring agent.

Of course it would have been super simple to construct a cake-sweet cocktail for today with chocolate vodka, chocolate syrup, some Kahlua and maybe some milk to tie it all together, but we’ve been down that road and that cocktail–while tasty!–has been done to death. Instead, let’s take a different path today. A more feisty path.

Does madness follow down this road? Maybe so, but it’s tasty madness.

Cocoa Diablo

2 oz strongly-brewed Coffee (preferably chilled)
1 1/2 oz Dark Chocolate Vodka (like Van Gogh)
1/2 oz Absolut Pepar
pinch of Spicy Rim Blend

Spicy Rim Blend: 1 part red chili powder, 2 parts powdered ginger, 4 parts cocoa powder

Run a wedge of lemon or lime around the outer edge of a cocktail glass then drag the rim of the glass through the Spicy Rim Blend. If you’re unsure of your guests’ heat tolerance, only rim one half of the glass.

Combine the cocktail ingredients over ice in the bottom of a shaker and shake like Mephistopheles, himself, is on your tail. Strain into the prepared cocktail glass and sip with caution.

If you make this with warm or hot coffee, you will end up with more water in the mix–this may or may not be a good thing to your thinking. Proceed accordingly. This looks like your average chocolate martini (sans milk, obviously) with a cocoa powder rim. Looks can be deceiving. Fact is, this is a more-spicy-than-sweet chocolate cocktail that lives up to it’s name. It’s not a relaxing cocktail to wind down a dinner with, more of a get the party started tipple.. And, yes, it might be useful if you feel like daring a friend to try something shocking.

Cheers!

Is that even possible on a Low-FODMAP diet? Absolutely.

Once you’ve finished the elimination and challenge phases (the diagnostic portion) of the diet, the only limitations are your personal trigger-foods, and everyone is going to be a little different in that respect, and there’s nothing that says you cannot have something that might cause you some upset, if you’re willing to accept the intestinal consequences. The more numerous your intolerances, the tougher it might be to find suitable items on the menu, but it’s far from impossible.

Plan Ahead Whenever Possible

If you know you’re meeting up with friends for a celebratory dinner on Friday night, check out the restaurants menu online (if possible), or give them a call a day or two ahead of time (in the late afternoon, before the dinner crowd comes in) and ask about any substitutions that might be available. There are plenty of websites and apps that keep track of allergy-friendly restaurants with star-ratings, reviews, and sometimes links to their menus. Some of the apps will even use the gps-locator to find restaurants in your vicinity–useful for when you’re travelling.

If reservations are required, that’s also a good time to bring up a restricted diet situation.

Chain Restaurants are Your Friend

As much as we love to support local, independent restaurants, we’ve found that the chains are usually better equipped to handle special-diet requests, as the corporate office is able to figure out and disseminate the needed information and ingredients. For instance, Panera has a “Hidden Menu” of gluten-free entrees (salads and egg bowls) that you can find on their website and request to order from at any store nationwide.  Olive Garden has gluten-free pastas available as well as items from their grill that are suitable for a low-FODMAP client. And Five Guys Hamburgers and Fries has a bunless ordering option that turns your choice of burger and toppings into a sort of patty salad that, frankly, is more tasty than it sounds!

That’s not to say that you won’t find local establishments willing to serve your needs, but when it doubt the chains can help you out.

Beware of Soups and Sauces

This is probably one of the tougher things to work around in a restaurant setting as soups and sauces are going to be pre-made in large batches (for the most part) and will likely have onion and garlic–common trigger-foods for people sensitive to fructans (also the family of FODMAPs that contain wheat). So while you might be able to get gluten-free pasta at an Italian restaurant, the sauce options might still prove problematic.

Dine at Non-Peak Times

Regardless of where you choose to eat, if you go during the dinner rush it’s going to be harder for the restaurant to accommodate your needs. Eating early or late, when the rush has died down and there’s more room to breathe in the kitchen, might make the chef more inclined to whip up something special for you. It can also help to become recognized regulars at one or two places–in the interest of keeping your steady business the staff will often go the extra mile.

Keep It Simple

As always, the less complex a dish the easier it will be to spot problematic ingredients. While it may not be the most exciting menu item, a simply grilled cut of salmon or steak will provide a satisfying supper with little chance of triggering an IBS episode (just watch out for marinades), especially when paired with a side of steamed vegetable and rice or a baked potato.

Unless you’re someplace like Applebee’s who doesn’t serve baked potatoes in the “morning times” (which, apparently, extends to at least 4pm as that was when we were ordering on Saturday).

And, when in doubt, almost every place has a house salad on the menu that can be topped with some sort of grilled protein. With oil and vinegar for a dressing you can eat least eat healthily if nothing else.

So the next time a group of friends is going out, do some homework and see if there’s a workable solution before you decline. Just because you’re on a restricted diet, doesn’t mean you have to live a restricted life.

I do apologize for missing last week’s AlcoHOLidays installment. It was a combination of an expected sponsored post falling through and me falling ill Thursday afternoon. It was, however, Cinco de Mayo last Sunday and I trust I’ve “trained” you well enough to know margaritas were in order, yes? Good!

This weekend, however, we are celebrating dear old (or not so old) Mom, as this Sunday, May 12, is the US observance of Mother’s Day.

While the Mother’s Day that is celebrated as a formal holiday the second Sunday in May was started by Anna Jarvis in 1909, there was another Mother’s Day that never really got off the ground. Back in 1870, after the American Civil War, Julia Ward Howe tried to start a Mother’s Day for Peace on June 2, though it was more about stopping the wars that were robbing mothers of their husbands and sons and promoting pacifism than it was honoring the institution of motherhood.

They say Jarvis was rather disgusted by the commercialism of Mother’s Day by the time the 1920s came around. Frankly, I can see her point. I will be glad when this weekend is over so that the incessant ads for flowers, cards, jewelry, dinners out, and anything else that could remotely please a mom. Do you know that Mother’s Day is the busiest restaurant day of the year? The automatic assumption is that Mom shouldn’t have to cook on Mother’s Day and heaven forbid someone else take her place in the kitchen.

But I digress…

The funny (read as: coincidental) thing about the post-Civil War Mother’s Day is that my favorite literary mother is Ellen O’Hara, from Gone with the Wind. And indelibly printing on my memory, just as it was Scarlett’s, is that she always smelled of Lemon Verbena.

Now, as I first read GWTW  when I was very young, possibly single digits-young, (and way before the Internet was commonplace in business, much less the home) my mind figured that lemon verbena must be some sort of perfume combining the scent of lemons and whateverthehell verbena was–probably a flower of some sort, I reasoned, and lavender somehow made it’s way into my mental estimation of the scent. Now, of course, I know that lemon verbena is a stand-alone plant in it’s own right, and that it smells like lemon and is used for its lemony oils, can be found in some teas, and does actually have small purple and white flowers.

Which is a very roundabout way of explaining the inspiration that went into today’s cocktail: lemon and lavender and all things lovely. Lemon and lavender are not exactly strangers to cocktails, as I’ve had a wonderful martini with those notes in the past. But I wanted less of a sweet, syrupy martini and more of a refreshing tall drink, one that would be at home on the back porch with a picnic or barbecue spread. Something that tasted like spring, and renewal–but without the bugs and dirt.

Lavender Lovely

3/4 oz Simple Syrup
1 barspoon dried Lavender
1 tsp Rosewater
1 oz Pisco
6 oz Sparkling Lemon Soda

In the bottom of a tall glass, muddle the syrup and lavender–you don’t need to crush the flowers into oblivion, you just want them to release some of their heady oils. Add the rosewater, Pisco, and enough ice to make the glass 3/4 full and give it a few stirs with the aforementioned barspoon, then stir in the lemon soda until chilled. Because the lavender will float on the top of the drink, I suggest serving this one with a straw!

I was debating base spirits on this one between rum and vodka, briefly considered cachaca for something a little different before I was reminded of the wonderful floral notes in KAPPA Pisco and there was suddenly no more deliberating! Pisco was the perfect choice for this cocktail but for those mom’s who are still expecting, I’m willing to bet that just using a bit more of the lemon soda (mine was California Juice Company Sparkling Meyer Lemon from Cost Plus/World Market) to make up for the missing Pisco would result in a lovely, all-ages sipper. If you’re short of sparkling lemon soda, I’d say some Lemon Perrier, the juice of one lemon, and a little extra simple syrup would do the trick.

Granted, I won’t be serving this to my own mother this weekend as she doesn’t drink any alcohol and overly-floral things give her a headache. Our tradition over the last several years has been to tour the local Parade of Homes on the Saturday before Mother’s Day and then go for a late lunch/early supper somewhere. It works for us.

Cheers!

10 ways to use Cowboy Caviar

May is National Salsa month. Salsa is the Mexican word for “sauce.”  An unlimited amount of salsas are available today in super markets and specialty stores. What’s your favorite salsa?

My current favorite salsa is Cowboy Caviar.

Here are 10 ways to use Cowboy Caviar:

–With chips
–Pour over goat cheese or cream cheese brick – serve with chips & crudites
–Mix with Italian vinaigrette or Thousand Island for a kick-ass salad dressing
–Add to baked beans for more meaningful taste of the Southwest
–Add to mayo when making deviled eggs – the devil wore jalapeno
–Spread on a bun when making a ham or turkey sandwich
–Mix with melted butter and brush on grilled vegetables
–Scramble some eggs, mix with cheese, a dollop of sour cream (optional) and generous tablespoon and make your own breakfast burrito
–Vegan breakfast burrito – scrambled tofu, add soy cheese, and Cowboy Caviar roll into a lard-free tortilla
–Add to guacamole for more texture and bite

A jar at Trader Joe’s costs $2.29 (in Tucson) but if you make it yourself, you get more for your buck. In some circles, it’s known as Texas Caviar. This recipe uses black eyed peas vs. black beans plus avocado -

This recipe uses both black beans and black eyed peas without the avocado.

And here’s what Trader Joe’s has to say in the Fearless Flyer – By the way, Trader Joe’s ingredients are corn, black beans, red bell peppers, jalapenos, lime juice, cane sugar, chipotle peppers in adobo, spices, sea salt, chipotle pepper, and guar gum. Every damn product now has guar gum.

Here’s what another blog has to say about Cowboy Caviar.

Growing up I’d always heard dire stories about pressure cooker malfunctions–blowouts, dinner ending up on the ceiling, and even injuries in the more severe cases. These stories pretty much insured that it was one kitchen appliance that I wouldn’t be bothering with, despite some of the so-called benefits.

Or so I thought.

Recently I received a book to review that had me rethinking my stance on pressure cookers and other things. While that review is for a future post, it did get me researching and eventually buying a pressure cooker of my own. I think this is one of the most researched pots in my kitchen (or any other appliance or vessel, for that matter).

At first I figured (since I wasn’t 100% sure I’d be using it a lot outside of the projects for the aforementioned book review) that I’d hunt around some thrift stores for one on the cheap. But the more I thought about it, the better buying new sounded–mostly because you never know how well (or not) that pot was treated in its former home.

So the research began. I looked both in stores and online, keeping in mind a few deciding factors:

• Ease of Use
• Consumer Ratings
• Price

Cuisinart Electric Pressure Cooker (affiliate link)

The shocking thing, to me, about pressure cookers was the price. The least expensive version my local Bed, Bath & Beyond carried was $70, with most–manual and electric–in the $99 region. And the fact that there were electric ones was quite intriguing, though I later opted for manual because of size/price concerns. After all, if the whole process turned into more trouble than it was worth, I didn’t want to be out too much money for this little experiment.

While 4- and 6-quart models are fairly common and relatively inexpensive, I learned that for my purposes, nothing less than a 10-quart model would do. That’s what ultimately knocked the electric models out the running, though I really did love the idea of being able to plug it in and let it do most of the work/monitoring.

Fagor DUO Pressure Cooker (affiliate link)

Within the manual types, though, there are those with pressure dials and those where you place the appropriate weights on the steam valve yourself. And those with rubber gaskets and those without. Ultimately I went with a 10-quart Fagor DUO that has a pressure dial and gasket. This model was very highly rated on Amazon and elsewhere, and those who purchased the 10-quart without the perforated basket and trivet missed those features tremendously, hence my decision to go with the DUO.

The gasket is what makes the build-up of steam pressure possible while also, as I understand it, acting as a safety valve should something go awry. If the other safety measures fail, the gasket will blow and release the built-up pressure at a designated spot, preventing a more serious mishap. Gaskets are also the more maintenance-heavy parts of the cooker as they require oiling after each use/cleaning and replacement at least once a year. The gaskets are pretty universal, though, so finding replacements shouldn’t be too tough.

Before I got into the book review project, I wanted to try out the basic tenet of pressure cooking: shortening the cooking time of everyday foods. The box for the pressure cooker touted roasting a chicken in 15 minutes–that was something I could easily try.

15-18 minutes was listed as appropriate for a 3 lb chicken. As mine was 4  lbs I figured 20 minutes would be enough. Now, that’s just the time required at pressure (high or 15 psi, in this case). You also have to factor in the time it takes for the vessel to reach that pressure as well as depressurizing afterwards, so my question was how much time it really would save.

Well, color me surprised when it took less than 5 minutes for the cooker to reach the needed pressure and less than 5 for it to depressurize afterwards! (And that’s using the “natural” method of moving it off the heat and waiting for the chamber to release the pressure on it’s own, not using the automatic release or cold-water release, both faster and useful for more delicate items.) So we really did have a roasted chicken in half an hour. Sure beats the 2 hours called for in the original recipe I was following!

Of course, pressure-steaming a chicken does mean you’re not as likely to have a golden-brown skin on your bird without browning it beforehand. You can do this in the pressure cooker before putting the lid on, but maneuvering the 4lb chicken in the deep pot wasn’t quite an easy task and I didn’t want to dirty another pan, so we settled for the paler bird. In the end, the brown rice I was making to accompany the chicken took longer than the chicken did. Quite a change!

For a first run it was a little nerve-wracking, baby-sitting the pressure cooker is a requirement to make sure, especially on an electric stove, that the pressure stays constant, but overall a success. While I’m not sure I’d use a pressure cooker for those more delicate foods that cook rather quickly on their own, I can definitely see it as a useful tool for rapidly making stocks and soups when the need arises, as well as other projects I’ve got lined up.

Proper Restaurant interior

Oh, what a fabulous night. Edie Jarolim knew the chef at Proper Restaurant so us food writers, myself and Rita Connelly, were invited to the friends and family opening. Let’s hear it for elegantly-inspired industrial chic. Think high ceilings, exposed pipes, polished wood, scored concrete floors, plush colorful banquettes. Let the noise level ring.

Excited about Proper

Paul and Laura Moir, the owners of Proper, couldn’t be nicer. And they had positive things to say about the downtown restaurant owners…nice, friendly, welcoming. It appears they interviewed prospective employees across the street at Sparkroot. I love that the local restaurateurs are all welcoming vs. cutthroat.

Proper will be open for Sunday brunch as of Mother’s Day and then breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Proper believes in elegantly prepared food from fresh and local sources. Some menu items include curried lamb stew, pork belly sliders, leek gratin, Welsh rarebit mac & cheese, shrimp & grits, sweet pea risotto, fried rabbit, and more.

To the east of Proper will be a butcher shop. While many cities are ahead of Tucson on this curve, I believe this is the first in Tucson or at least downtown.

Lucky for us next to the butcher shop is Diablo Burger. Both Diablo and Proper are from Flagstaff. And Diablo just opened so we meandered over to eat burgers and drink beer. Diablo has a very casual vibe with deluxe picnic tables and a more bar-like setting. Again, the decibels are loud.

Fabulous grilled cheese sandwich

Every burger is made from 6 oz. of 100% local, open-range-raised, antibiotic free and growth-hormone free beef from the Diablo Trust ranches. Burgers are char-broiled medium rare (or any way you like it) and served on signature handmade preservative-free branded English muffins.

The Blake Burger

We shared two burgers — Blake (green chile-centric) and Vitamin B (bacon, beer, & blue cheese) plus a grilled cheese sandwich. For vegetarians — yes, there is a veggie burger. All come with fries and dipping sauces. Prices range from $9.75 to $13.75.

Our waiter Derek who said he’s not really a waiter said that everyone was thrilled to be here in Tucson and how friendly the other restaurateurs were. Music to my ears. Derek worked the room, asking people how their food was.

2 happy customers – Susan & Chiara

It was a pleasure to meet people associated with these two new local restaurants and I wish them great success. Two more reasons to come downtown.

Proper is located at 300 E. Congress Street.
Diablo Burger is located at 312 E. Congress Street