Simply Cooked

Brown Rice and Avocado Salad with Vietnamese Dressing

noreply@blogger.com (sarah) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 23:28:00 +0000

Everyday home cooking is often about using what you have on hand. Each evening when I look in the fridge and cupboards, I have to make something to eat with what I find.

Sometimes I plan a week's worth of meals and then each evening's job is easy. At other times I have no plan. But food must still be produced. And I refuse to eat (or serve) something boring. At least not more than once a week!

This super easy dinner is based on a Nigella Lawson recipe. She made it originally with black rice and prawns, but the headnotes suggested avocado as an option. I usually have leftover brown rice on hand, and I made a few substitutions in the dressing. That doesn't really matter, don't you think? As long as an interesting meal is produced and enjoyed from what is available, I am happy.

Avocado Tips

Try to buy avocados unripe, unless you plan to use them the same day. Unripe avocados should be stored at room temperature. They will ripen faster inside a paper bag or wrapped in newspaper. Once avocados are ripe, store them in the fridge until you are ready to eat them.

Brown Rice and Avocado Salad with Vietnamese Dressing
serves 1
adapted from Forever Summer by Nigella Lawson

Cut open the avocado just before serving this salad since otherwise the flesh will discolour.

for the dressing:
1/4 t red pepper flakes
1/4 t ground ginger (or 2 cm fresh ginger, minced)
2 T fish sauce
1 T lime juice

for the salad:
1 c (160 g) cooked brown rice
1 avocado

Mix all the dressing ingredients with 2 T water.

Put the rice in a mixing bowl and pour over the dressing.
Cut open the avocado. Remove the pit by spearing it with the length of a sharp knife and twisting to remove.
Score the flesh into cubes and use a teaspoon to scoop out into the rice.
Toss all the ingredients.

It's nice to try out a new Nigella recipe, and fortunately I can also submit it to the current Forever Nigella event.

Have a look at the other Forever Nigella entries this month.

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Creamy Cauliflower Soup

noreply@blogger.com (sarah) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 09:34:00 +0000

This soup doesn't have any cream.

This soup does have a creamy, smooth texture and taste.

Furthermore, this soup contains a full head of cauliflower, two leeks, and a potato. The potato is the secret to the creamy texture.

This warm and creamy soup could not be more satisfying in cold weather. It's easy and cheap to make. It dresses up well for company, when you can garnish it with parsley leaves, fresh ground pepper, and some sunflower seeds. It can be made in advance and reheated when needed.

This soup is the reason you need to buy cauliflower this week!

Creamy Cauliflower Soup
serves 6
adapted from The New Canadian Basics Cookbook

2 large leeks, white and light green parts only
1 large onion
1 large potato
1 large head of cauliflower (about 750 g)
2 T (30 g) butter
4 c (1 L) vegetable stock
1/2 c (125 ml) milk
parsley leaves, to garnish

Slice the leeks. Roughly chop the onion.
Peel and dice the potato. Chop the cauliflower into florets.
Melt the butter in a large soup pot. Add the leeks and onion and let cook over medium heat until soft, about 10 minutes.
Add the potato, cauliflower, and stock.
Bring to the boil and let simmer for 20 minutes, until the vegetables are soft.
Remove the soup from the heat. Puree using an immersion blender or in a counter-top blender. (Let the soup cool a little if using a counter-top blender.)
Add the milk and reheat.
Garnish with parsley, salt, and pepper.

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Weekend Links #26

noreply@blogger.com (sarah) — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 01:42:00 +0000

Weekend Links is a way of sharing all the engrossing things I see around the internet. I publish Weekend Links approximately every two weeks. As usual, I welcome your ideas and feedback.

food reading links:
--Starbucks are going to start displaying calorie counts on their UK menus (from The Guardian). It should come as no surprise that plain coffee has virtually no calories, whereas the syrupy Praline Mocha with Whipped Cream has 555 calories.
--A helpful primer on sea vegetables (from Small Bites): their health benefits, where to buy them, and how to prepare them. Andy includes three recipes to get you started.
--Troubleshooting tips if your homemade bread is too dense (from The Kitchn).
--Six tips for interviewing someone successfully (from Dianne Jacob). As always, Dianne provides food writers with lots of excellent ideas and the comments are stuffed with more.

recipe links (lentil edition):
--I have been very much inspired by lentil dishes lately. Here is a version of sloppy joes made with lentils (from the edible perspective).
--Real Simple magazine published these lentil fritters, served in a pita with red cabbage coleslaw.
--Lentil flatbread, pictured above (from Natural Noshing), which I have already broken my blender on once. And I really want to make it again!
--A vegetarian version of meat loaf: lentil-walnut loaf (from Oh She Glows).
--Lentil, lemon, and yogurt soup sounds intriguing (from Vanilla Carrots).

off-topic links:
--The story of a woman who had been a three times hand cycling champion as a parathlete. Then she gets in an accident, goes into rehab, and regains use of her legs, now she's a pro cyclist!
--A list of top ten popular mathematics books (from The Guardian). "Mathematics is the Cinderella science: undervalued, underestimated, and misunderstood. Yet it has been one of the main driving forces behind human society for at least three millennia, it powers all of today's technology, and it underpins almost every aspect of our daily lives." Have a look at these books which make mathematics accessible.
--Why your camera strap is the worst piece of camera equipment in your bag (from Gourmande in the Kitchen). And a better solution.

What engrossing things have you seen around the internet?

Or tell me... What is your best blog post these last two weeks?

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Seven Foods for Healthy Hair

noreply@blogger.com (sarah) — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 09:05:00 +0000

I don't know how to have a good hair day. I recently got a new hair cut and colour; sophisticated is going to be my style henceforth. However, "natural" (also known as "frizzy mess") has been my default hair style for many years. I had to go out and buy a hair dryer yesterday. And I am determined to have more good hair days.

I bought two "hair styling for dummies" books. Both contain a section about food for healthy hair. Of course, I gravitate to the food section in any book! (Plus, reading about food meant I could put off the nervous moment when I had to pick up my new hair dryer.)

Seven Foods for Good Hair Days

1. Lots of fresh dark green vegetables - they give you lots of iron that encourages healthy growth of the hair by getting oxygen to the follicles. Try spinach, kale, chard, and broccoli. (How about some spinach frittata?)

2. Lots of fresh red, orange, and yellow vegetables and fruits - they give you vitamin C and beta-carotene, which boost blood circulation and keep your scalp healthy. Try mangoes, carrots, citrus fruits, sweet potatoes, and tomatoes.

3. Oily fish - your hair really needs those essential fatty acids. Eat tuna, salmon, and mackerel.

4. Eggs and other protein sources - hair is almost totally made up of protein. Eggs are also rich in vitamins B7 (also called biotin) B12, which keep hair shiny.

5. Nuts - they contain healthy fats and also have minerals. Brazil nuts give you selenium and almonds, cashews, and walnuts provide zinc.

6. Beans and pulses - they provide protein and also give you zinc and vitamin B7, which stops hair brittleness.

7. Lots of water - it's essential for hydrated hair.

You know, it seems to me that the foods you should eat for healthy hair are all the same foods you should eat to be healthy in general. As I look back over this list, I think it could be titled "Seven Foods for {Healthy Brain/Heart/Energy Levels/Sex Life/Fitness}". If you want to improve your health in any way, just eat from this list.

I've overcome my fear and styled my hair once with my new hair dryer. And I'm looking forward to more days with healthy, shiny, well-styled hair.

Are you having a good hair day?

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How to Write Recipes to Make Cooking Easier - Carrot and Apple Muffins

noreply@blogger.com (sarah) — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 11:22:00 +0000

I was making carrot and apple muffins for my colleagues. Every muffin recipe uses two bowls and the recipe is always much the same. Wet ingredients go in one bowl, dry in another. They are combined with a few strokes, then the batter is dropped into the muffin tins and baked. Muffins are designed to be easy; hence the reason I make them so frequently. But the recipe I was (roughly) following for the muffins was making the process harder.

We food bloggers write a lot of recipes and we abide by some general guidelines to make it easy to cook from them. First, we always list the ingredients in the order they are to be used. For muffins (and everything else), this means that the method calls for the ingredients as you skim down the list, one by one. There's no jumping around.

When mixing a handful of ingredients all at once, we list the ingredients in order of size. If you are being asked to mix flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt, then they will be listed in that order, biggest volume to smallest. This means the ingredients get mixed more thoroughly. Imagine how hard it would be to effectively mix in 1 teaspoon of baking soda if it's buried under 1 1/2 cups of flour. But when the flour is in the bowl first, the baking soda can be added after this and then evenly distributed though the flour.

We try to give you the measures you want and need. On Simply Cooked, the ingredients are given in both volume (cups) and mass (grams). I have been moving through the (huge) archives to update the recipes that were posted before I had the realization that this was important. I want everyone to be able to use my recipes. By posting with both volume and mass measures, you can follow my recipes no matter where in the world you grew up or which system you prefer.

Finally, dry ingredients are listed first, then the wet ones. This is where the recipe I was adapting failed, sadly. It makes sense to list the dry items first, because doing it the other way around means the measuring spoons are all wet when you need to use them the second time. While making these muffins, I was measuring out the wet items, and came to 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. But I had already glanced down the list and seen that later I would need my 1 teaspoon utensil for both the baking soda and the cinnamon. I paused, and in the middle of my preparation, I turned to the dry ingredients instead. After measuring them all into the small bowl, I returned to the vanilla, using the same spoon that had just been in use for the dry ingredients. Measuring out the dry ingredients first means no stopping to wash the teaspoon. It saves that little bit of unnecessary frustration.

Fortunately for you, I have written the recipe below following all four guidelines. Your muffin preparation should be easy and fast.

Carrot and Apple Muffins
makes 12 medium or 18 small muffins
adapted from The New Canadian Basics Cookbook

1 1/2 c (180 g) whole wheat flour
1/4 c (50 g) brown sugar
1 t cinnamon
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
2 eggs
1/4 c (60 ml) vegetable oil
1/2 c (120 ml) buttermilk, sour milk, orange juice, or plain yogurt
1 t vanilla extract
1 T grated orange rind
1 c (110 g) grated carrot
1 c (150 g) grated apple
1/2 c (60 g) sunflower seeds, or any chopped nuts
1/2 c (75 g) raisins

In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.
In a large bowl, mix together the eggs, buttermilk (or sour milk, orange juice, or plain yogurt), and vanilla extract.
Add the rest of the ingredients to the wet mixture.

Pour the dry ingredients into the wet and mix with as few strokes as possible, just until combined.
Spoon into muffin cups, filling to the top.
Bake at 400 F (200 C) for 20 minutes.
Allow to cool for five minutes in the cups, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

What shortcuts do you use to speed up cooking?

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NoSugarVember: Could You Go a Month Without Sugar?

noreply@blogger.com (sarah) — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 06:08:00 +0000

When Natalie's suggestion of NoSugarVember popped up on Twitter, I was already four weeks into a no-sugar experiment. In October I had decided to avoid sugar and sweeteners of every kind, including fruit. I had been reading a lot about sugar over the past six months and becoming more and more convinced about the merits of quitting sugar. October had not gone well, though, since I had been sick for two long weeks, spent a week on holiday, and celebrated my birthday. I felt no regret about eating sugar on my birthday, obviously, but the other slip-ups were demotivating.

Discovering #NoSugarVember on Twitter encouraged me to get back to my sugar-free experiment. (I didn't follow Natalie's guidelines exactly since I already had a routine established, however broken. For example, I did not eat any fruit, but did allow myself milk and vegetables such as sweet potatoes and corn, which have some sugar.) It was a month of great success, for the most part.

At some points during November, my sugar cravings were overwhelming. There were many more days, however, when I felt relieved to not battle with cravings. And I felt as though my snack attacks were lessened now that I was more in tune with when my body was hungry. A wonderful benefit was that ordinary foods started to have a much more enjoyable taste. One day I was eating a salad for lunch and had to put down my fork in awe - the lettuce was so sweet and enjoyable!

I discovered some wonderful ways of enjoying sweetness that didn't involve sugar. For example, chai tea or teas made with liquorice often satisfied my sweet tooth. I started to use coconut oil to make my morning pancakes. I used coconut milk and cream occasionally with my oatmeal. I sprinkled cinnamon or powdered vanilla on anything I wanted to taste sweet. Flavours such as coconut, cinnamon, and vanilla are perceived by our tongues as sweet, although they don't contain any sugar. (Also, I made pumpkin loaf without any sweeteners, just to see how it would taste. Not that bad, unsurprisingly.)

After NoSugarVember finished I reintroduced one or two pieces of low-sugar fruit per day. Other than that, I intend to stay mostly sugar-free. (My birthday is still an obvious exception!) My cravings are lessening considerably and I have found myself to be happier and less distracted now that I've given up sugar. Read more about the other participants' experiences of NoSugarVember on Natalie's blog.

Could you go a month without sugar?

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Sunrise Breakfast

noreply@blogger.com (sarah) — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 01:16:00 +0000

For my birthday this year I got the most amazing present - a sunrise breakfast with my husband as part of our holiday to Bali, Indoneisa. We were staying at a hotel with beautiful beach frontage, and he arranged for us to have a sunrise breakfast on the last day of our stay. The day before it happened, I found myself wondering, What would be served at an intimate table for two at sunrise?

We started with a mimosa: a cocktail made from half champagne and half orange juice. It was accompanied by a big tropical fruit salad an yogurt. The waitstaff did an admiral job of attending to our every need, especially considering we were sitting in a beach bale at the edge of the resort's property, several minutes' walk from the kitchen.

The main part of breakfast was eggs benedict, served with asparagus and salmon roe. The poached egg was perfect and still runny when I cut into it. The hollandaise sauce was warm and smooth. I confess I am not too enamoured with roe, but it seemed to fit here.

We spent some quiet time watching the sun come up as we sipped our cappuccinos. The waves were lapping gently in front of us as dawn broke and we rose from the table. This was a beautiful birthday breakfast.

When was the last time you saw the sunrise?

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Edible Gift: Hot Chocolate on a Stick

noreply@blogger.com (sarah) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 23:42:00 +0000

I like to give small gifts to my colleagues at Christmas. I usually want to thank about 40 or 50 people at work who have contributed to my year - fellow maths teachers, office staff, and friendly colleagues. I'm on a budget, so 40 bottles of wine is ruled out as a gift idea! But handmade gifts are usually reasonably cheap to make. They involve a bit more time, though. And people are grateful for something handmade because they realise that it took time to make.

In the past I have made hermit bars wrapped in gold patterned cellophane and chocolate peppermint bark. Here's a list (from The Kitchn) of some other edible gifts worth considering.

Last year's project was hot chocolate on a stick. I spread the work over three evenings. I melted and formed the treats the first day let them harden overnight. (I used the Wilton brownie bites pan.) I added the white chocolate glaze and the garnishes the second evening. I wrapped them and added the gift tags on the third day.

Hot Chocolate on a Stick
makes about 45 treats

3 candy canes
6 x 200 g Bakers dipping chocolate
silver balls
100 g white chocolate for melting

equipment:
pastry bag or zip lock bag
trays for moulding
lollipop sticks (or wooden teaspoons)
cellophane
twistie ties

Crush the candy canes.

Melt the milk chocolate according to package directions.
Fill the pasty bag or zip lock bag with the melted chocolate. If using a zip lock bag, snip off a corner.
Fill the trays by piping in the melted chocolate.
Leave to partially harden (about half an hour), then place a lollipop stick in each one. Sprinkle with some crushed candy canes and silver balls.
Leave to harden completely.

Melt the white chocolate according to package directions.
Carefully remove the chocolates from their moulds. Dip each in the white chocolate and then in more crushed candy canes and silver balls.
Leave to harden on a plate.

Package each treat with cellophane and a twisty tie.

Do you make handmade gifts at Christmas?

My Sugar-Free Experiment - and Pumpkin and Almond Loaf

noreply@blogger.com (sarah) — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 02:44:00 +0000

The more I read about sugar, the more convinced I am that I should give up sugar. So I decided I would during October and November, as an experiment. I wanted to see if I would have more energy and fewer cravings. Don't dismiss the idea of quitting sugar! Read on to find out more.

Quite a few people have influenced and enlightened me with respect to sugar. I first started thinking about quitting sugar after reading Sarah Wilson's posts at the beginning of the year (here's the first one). Also there was a short item from Gwyneth Paltrow in her newsletter (don't mock, please). Then I read this article in April in the New York Times by Gary Taubes, "Is Sugar Toxic?". I began to read David Gillespie's blog and in time, ordered his book, Sweet Poison. Here are a few things I have learned.

1. Our bodies don't have an appetite control for fructose. We have insulin to control our body's reaction to glucose, and it helps regulate our hunger. It tells us when we have had enough glucose and we feel full. We also have a hormone called CCK that regulates our intake and use of fats. It's the one that tells you when you've eaten enough cheese. (Do you know that feeling? After a few hefty slices, it's almost impossible to keep eating more cheese. CCK is telling you to stop.) Our bodies have no such regulator for fructose, though. It's possible to keep eating fructose and never feel full. This is a problem! Fructose is converted directly to fatty acids (and then body fat) without hinderance. And eating a lot of fructose increases our insulin resistance, which then compromises our ability to convert glucose and may lead to type 2 diabetes. Here's a short introduction to how our bodies deal with sugar (from Eating Rules).

2. Fructose is found in refined sugars, unrefined sugars, and fruit. Hence many natural and processed foods contain significant amounts of fructose. Here's a list of all major sweeteners and which sugar molecules they contain (from Eating Rules). (There was a follow-up post about Stevia.) In simple terms, virtually everything you eat that tastes sweet contains fructose.

3. I'm addicted to sugar. And I want to stop my addiction. I want to say goodbye to my afternoon cravings and my irrational-without-chocolate days. (Is sugar more addictive than cocaine?)

As a result, I started an experiment. I have been sugar-free for the most part of these last two months. My birthday was in October, so I took a break from being sugar-free. As David Gillespie says, "Party food is for parties." And I wanted to celebrate my birthday! Also, I took a school trip to rural China in November, and the menu was "take it or leave it" while we were there. I didn't question what I was given and ate it all. And I've slipped into sugar a fair few times as well due to withdrawal cravings. Still, I have eaten a tiny amount of sugar (for me) and I'm proud of it.

But I am a baker and I love to snack. When I look around the web for sugar-free recipes, there are a lot of blogs who tout themselves as sugar-free. However, what they mean by "sugar-free" varies. Some bloggers are "refined sugar-free", so they use honey, coconut sugar, or maple syrup, since they are deemed more natural. Others prefer to use artificial sweeteners such as maltose, xylitol, or sucralose (Splenda). Still others sweeten with only fruit, such as dates or raisins. None of these definitions of "sugar-free" are what I am looking for.

In time I have realised that what I was really looking for were recipes that aren't made with any sugar, natural or otherwise. The goal of my experiment was to change what my tastebuds want. I don't want to trick myself with artificial sweeteners. I wish to attune my body to enjoy non-sweet foods. What I really want is baked goods to snack on that are not sweetened at all.

I decided to make a pumpkin loaf with no sweeteners and started looking for a recipe. In the end, I could find no recipes that were unsweetened. So I did something that now seems blindingly obvious but it took a long time for me to think of. I just used a common recipe and simply left out all the sweeteners. How bad could it be?

Somewhat predictably, this tastes exactly like a normal sweetened pumpkin quick bread, just without the sweetness. I found that my newly-calibrated tastebuds quite enjoyed a slice that actually tasted like pumpkin and not sugar. With a little butter or cream cheese it makes a delicious breakfast. It's not dessert, but then again, it doesn't purport to be. Though that didn't stop me from eating it for my after dinner "sweet"'; thanks to the vanilla, cinnamon, and other spices.

Unsweetened Pumpkin and Almond Loaf
makes one loaf, about 10 slices

3/4 c (165 g) sour cream, Greek yogurt or plain natural yogurt
1 c (200 g) pumpkin (or squash) puree
1 egg
2 T vegetable oil
1 t vanilla extract
1 1/4 c (120 g) quinoa flour
2 t baking powder
1 t cinnamon
1/4 t each ground ginger, nutmeg, and cloves
1/4 c chopped almonds

Mix together the sour cream or yogurt, pumpkin, egg, oil, and vanilla in a large bowl.
Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.
Pour into a loaf pan.
Bake at 350 F (180 C) for 50 minutes.

What's your relationship with sugar?

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Visit to a Tea Plantation in Yangshuo, China

noreply@blogger.com (sarah) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 00:54:00 +0000

I recently accompanied a school trip to Yangshuo, a town in an agricultural area of southwest China in the Guangxi province. Together with 48 students and three other staff, I climbed, biked, hiked, and kayaked through the gorgeous rural scenery and walked through bustling, dusty chaos of the town. One highlight for me was a visit to the Qi Xian Feng Peak tea plantation, on a hilltop outside the town. We had a tour, picked tea, and drank tea in the traditional way. I even got to pour the tea for the group!

The plantation covers more than one thousand mu, measured in the Chinese system, which is over 160 acres or 70 hectares. A small group of students and I started by taking a tour around some of the plantation. We were each given a dǒulì straw hat and groups of three were given baskets. Our guide took us to the long rows of tea plants.

We were instructed to pick tea from the top leaves only. The tea is best if it is made from the tender, tiny, topmost leaf and a bud attached to it. We were given some time to roam, enjoy the clean air, and search for small leaves. I was glad for my conical straw hat, which moderated the heat of the sun, high overhead. It was a bit scratchy on my forehead, though.

The students and I took a break in a pavilion overlooking the farm while the guide told us more about tea farming; one of my Mandarin-speaking students translated as we asked questions. Tea grows best at altitude, and the plantation is at 700 m (2300 feet) above sea level. The tea here is picked by hand, and the pickers work for 9 months of the year. The tea bushes do not grow during the colder months of December, January, and February. During the other three quarters of the year the leaves regrow within ten days of being picked, ready to be harvested again.

The rows of tea bushes are interspersed with osmanthus shrubs, which flower during the same nine months that the tea is being picked. Their fragrance contributes to the aroma of the tea, lending a subtle sweetness to the tea produced by this farm.

The tea plantation makes green tea and black tea from the leaves. Green and black teas are made using the same leaves but process differently. Green tea is made with less processing. The leaves are steamed, which stops the enzymes that might cause the leaves to ferment. Then the leaves are rolled and dried.

Black tea is made by first drying and rolling the leaves; as this happens they begin to ferment since the enzymes are still present. This lasts only for a few hours, then the leaves are fired at a higher temperature to halt fermentation.

After passing our leaves to the plantation workers, we headed inside for a tea tasting. A staff member poured hot water over the tea pots and tiny cups to warm them. The tea was made with loose leaves and brewed repeatedly; each pot of leaves can be rebreed up to five times.

The girls were instructed to let their little fingers stick out slightly, "so that the hand looks like a flower". And the boys were told to keep their fingers in when holding the tea cup, to show their strong fists. Each time the tea is poured, the cup is filled to about 70% of capacity. This is a hospitable tradition; in China a full to the brim tea cup means "drink up and leave".

We took turns pouring and I got to brew the tea for the group as well (though, sadly, the photographic evidence is missing). The slightly sweet green tea was bright and fresh. The black tea we tasted was smooth and light. Visiting the tea plantation was a wonderful afternoon activity. The students enjoyed it and I was ecstatic for the chance to see how tea is made.

Do you enjoy drinking tea? Do you prefer green or black tea?

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Just Food by James E. McWlliams - Examining Food Miles

noreply@blogger.com (sarah) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 11:23:00 +0000

Do you know where the food you eat comes from? Is it produced near to where you live? Is your food produced in a way that is energy efficient?

When we stop to think about it, we generally agree that we want our food supply to be sustainable and ethical. When we lived in the UK I subscribed to a brilliant organic fruit and veg box from a local farm that was delivered weekly. I had milk delivered by my local milkman and I tried to shop either at the farmers' market or by choosing British foods at the supermarket. Since moving to Hong Kong, though, I have had a few problems with buying local food.

I wrote before about buying milk in Hong Kong - there were no good options for me. In the months since that post my husband and I have still been trying to find good quality milk. A lot of the time we resort to milk that is flown here from great distances: Australia or the US. This troubles me.

The availability of other local foods is not much better. Meat from China is sometimes local (China is a big place). But is is often very poor quality, and almost surely produced in a feedlot with horrific conditions. Better quality meat that can be organic and even free range is shipped here from New Zealand, Australia, and North America. We even get some Welsh lamb in our grocery freezers. There is one vegetable farm that is local and organic; this and a very small weekly farmers' market are the two bright spots in the Hong Kong local food market.

In November, the Kitchen Reader book club members had a choice of two books to read: Just Food: Where Locavores Get It Wrong and How We Can Truly Eat Responsibly by James E. McWilliams or Eat Where You Live: How to Find and Enjoy Fantastic Local and Sustainable Food No Matter Where You Live by Lou Bendrick. Julie of Savvy Eats was the hostess.

I chose to read Just Food, perhaps because I am looking for answers about what to do when I can't buy or eat local foods. McWilliams gives a very thorough, well-reasoned, and heavily footnoted treatment of the solutions available to us to feed the world. As the world's population grows, global food supply becomes increasingly important. McWilliams examines six important issues surrounding ethical eating: food miles, the merits of organic food, genetically modified crops, eating meat, farmed fish, and government policies and farm subsidies. In this review I want to focus only on the issue of food miles. First, here are eight things I learned.

1. Food miles are easy to calculate. It's simple to compare snow peas from Kenya and those from China and ask myself which have been transported with less energy expenditure. Food miles are easy to understand.

2. Life cycle assessments (LCAs) analyse the energy used throughout the whole process of growing, processing, transporting, and preparing the food. For many foods, food miles are not the biggest energy use in their LCA.

For example, a 2003 Danish study regarding the production of flatfish uncovered that the biggest energy consumption was which method of fishing was used. The study concluded that the overall energy usage could be reduced by fifteen times if the fishers used a seine instead of a beam trawl. For consumers in London, it is astoundingly four times more energy efficient to buy lamb from New Zealand than locally. This is because the long lines of transportation are efficient, whereas the local food production is not energy efficient.

A study analysing all the food eaten in the United States observed that of all the factors contributing to energy usage in food production, transportation was actually the smallest, at 11%. (Production and processing use 46%, restaurant preparation adds another 16%, and home preparation uses 25%.)

McWilliams sums up this section by saying, "How the food is produced and the sustainability of the processes used is the real issue.... Localism is not always the most environmentally sound solution if more emissions are generated at other stages of the product life cycle."

3. Consumers often travel fair distances to purchase food and this also adds to energy consumption. This is especially true if buyers go to several places. McWilliams quotes one expert who says, "any environmental benefits obtained by purchasing local produce from the farmers' market across town were quite likely nullified the moment you drove past the supermarket."

4. A huge portion of energy use in the food life cycle occurs in the kitchen. This can take the form of wasted food - a growing problem in the developed world. An American study showed that 14% of all food purchases are thrown out. Another source of energy use is in preparation and storage. Many fridges, freezers, ovens, and stoves are not at all energy efficient. Also, some methods of cooking are extremely wasteful, especially if they include prolonged use of heat or small amounts of food cooked.

5. Popular thought is that eating and buying local food is a political act and can improve everything from the land to communities. However, not all local farms are run in a sustainable and energy efficient way. Furthermore, the local food infrastructure can rarely be scaled up to meet demand if all consumers switched to rely on it.

6. Many areas can not produce enough food to feed their local populations. Climate and soil conditions preclude some parts of the world from eating only local food. Even those who can would only be able to do that with limited diets and by first building plants for canning and preserving in all local areas. More resources would potentially be used processing food produced locally than would be expended transporting food from larger plants elsewhere.

7. Small, local farms have lower yields than larger farms. More land would have to be used to produce the same amount of food. Many of these farms would need extensive irrigation to survive in water-stressed areas. All this uses more energy.

8. Finally, many more people would have to choose farming as a career if the world was to eat local food. McWilliams says it would require an unprecedented occupational shift.

I found all this to be very sobering reading. Food miles are clearly not an accurate reflection of the environmental impact that our food makes. I realise that the issue of ethical food is much more complex that I imagined and becoming well informed is a high priority if I am to make good decisions in the future.

At the same time, there are things you and I can do now to make our energy impact less harmful on the environment. We can start making improvements to our habits today. Here are a few ideas.

1. Plan "energy efficient menus". Cook several things at once, and do this as quickly as possible. Eat more raw food.

2. Use energy efficient appliances, especially the fridge, freezer, oven, and stove.

3. Eat less food! Only buy the amount that is necessary and don't waste any of it.

4. Walk or cycle to buy food. Combine shopping trips when driving and buy in bulk if possible.

5. Ask lots of questions. Learn more about where our food comes from and how it is produced.

Thanks a lot to Julie for picking such a thought provoking book. I have learned a lot and am already making changes in my kitchen. I am looking forward to seeing what other Kitchen Reader members learned from our November books about locavorism.

Now is a great time to join the Kitchen Reader. We are reading some great books in 2012. Why don't you ask for one of them on your Christmas list?

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Weekend Links #25

noreply@blogger.com (sarah) — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 21:24:00 +0000

Weekend Links is a way of sharing all the engrossing things I see around the internet. I publish Weekend Links approximately every two weeks. As usual, I welcome your ideas and feedback.

food reading links:
--The University of California at Berkely has been running a course this semester called Edible Education. All the lectures have been videoed and are available online for free. Listen to lectures by Marion Nestle, Michael Pollan, and others.
--A review of the film Toast, about food writer Nigel Slater's childhood (from Lettuce Eat Kale). I am very much looking forward to seeing this.
--Ten tips to manage mindless eating (from Casual Kitchen). What strategies do you have (or need)?

recipe links:
--Homemade ricotta cheese - really, it's ridiculously easy (from The Stonesoup Diaries).
--And if that excites you, how about homemade creme fraiche, while you are at it (from Two Tarts)?
--Brownies with spinach and carrots (from Not Quite Nigella). Adapted from the same cookbook that brought you chickpea chocolate chip cookies.
--A savoury lentil and walnut loaf (from Oh She Glows) for a vegetarian main dish.
--A sugar-free cinnamon quick bread that contains parsnips (from Scandi-Foodie).

off-topic links:
--All about the copyright fights over the slogan "Keep Calm and Carry On" (from The Awl).
--I'm considering getting a Brazilian Blowout and having straight hair for 10 weeks. Any stories to share?

What engrossing things have you seen around the internet?

Or tell me... What is your best blog post these last two weeks?

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Thanksgiving Ideas

noreply@blogger.com (sarah) — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 01:44:00 +0000

All the Americans around me are getting excited for Thanksgiving this week! Here are a few ideas for Thanksgiving dinner.

Winter squash bread pudding (pictured above)

Nut bake (a vegetarian main dish, also loved by meat eaters)
Slow cooker stuffing (because the oven is already way too full)
Bacon-fried greens (as an alternative or in addition to green bean casserole)
Cabbage with juniper and cream
Squash scones
Apple bars with peanut butter glaze (whole grain)
Parsnip whole grain cookies with maple glaze

Enjoy your time with family and friends! What are you cooking for Thanksgiving?

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New Business Cards for Simply Cooked

noreply@blogger.com (sarah) — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 11:25:00 +0000

I have ordered some new business cards today using the superb service from Moo. The card stock they use is heavy and glossy and the print quality is excellent. I have used them before and loved the results. Last week I ran out of Simply Cooked cards so I decided that it was time to order new ones with rounded corners. And I am thrilled that this time they include QR codes!

If you have a smart phone, you can use QR codes. Download a QR code reader app and then take a picture of this (or any other) QR code. Each code is unique and points to a web address or contact details. Try it with the code above! It's a great shortcut for the business cards because it turns the physical card into a digital link; no typing required. I have seen QR codes used on a workshop presentation slide (which linked to the handouts online) or on the side or a product (linked to the company's website), and even on our church bulletin (linked to their Facebook page).

Moo generated the QR code for me when I decided to use them on my cards. The whole process of making the business cards is exceptionally easy. You can have as many images as cards, if you like, and the images can be printed right to the edge of the cards. They also make mini cards (which I have used as a teacher to give to students) and beautiful stickers with your own photos or text.

I am recommending Moo cards of my own volition - though the links in this post are referral links. If you decide to order from Moo, I will get referral points which will eventually give me a discount on my next order.

Do you have a smart phone? Have you ever used QR codes?

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The Daring Cooks - Recipes with Tea

noreply@blogger.com (sarah) — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 00:14:00 +0000

I have been a proud Daring Cook for several years and it is my absolute pleasure to host the group this month! This month I challenged the Daring Cooks to make a savoury recipe with tea.

I have always enjoyed learning new skills and trying new recipes with the Daring Cooks. They are always so inventive, so I gave them free rein to make one of my three recipes (below) or cook any other recipe with tea. They were able to choose to use black, green, or herbal tea. And there were so many great ideas! I am very grateful for the chance to host the Cooks and thrilled to enjoy what they came up with.

Green Tea, Tofu, and Noodle Soup
serves 4

4 green tea teabags, or 1½ tablespoons (22½ ml) (3 gm) green tea leaves
1¼ inches (3 cm) fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
5 oz (140 gm) thick or thin egg noodles
10 oz (280 gm) firm tofu, drained and cubed
5 oz (140 gm) bok choy or spring greens, shredded
1-2 tablespoons (15-30 ml) light soy sauce
2 tablespoons (30 ml) (1 oz) (30 gm) red or white miso paste
½ teaspoon (2½ ml) sesame oil
6 scallions (also called spring onion or green onion), trimmed and sliced
a handful of shiso (Japanese basil or perilla) or mustard cress, or other micro greens, to garnish

Place 6 cup (1½ litre) water in a pan with the green tea bags or leaves and the ginger slices. Heat until the water is just below boiling and bubbles start to form.
Remove the pan from the heat and let it steep for four minutes.
Remove the tea bags or strain the liquid to remove the tea leaves. Return the ginger slices to the liquid and reserve.

Meanwhile, cook the noodles according to package instructions in a separate pan.
Return the tea liquid to the heat and add the tofu, bok choy or greens, and the soy sauce. Heat gently for five minutes, until hot all through.
Scoop out some liquid to a small bowl and mix in the miso paste. Then return the liquid to the pan.
Add the sesame oil and scallions. Spoon into bowls and garnish with the shiso, cress, or greens.

Beef Braised in Rooibos Tea with Sweet Potatoes
serves 4 to 6

Rooibos tea is an herbal infusion from South Africa. Also called red tea, redbush tea, or honeybush tea, it is honey-flavored and light colored. It is gaining popularity because it is low in bitter tannins and caffeine-free. It can be substituted in this recipe by black tea, or try another dark herbal tea such as one containing licorice.

1¼ pounds (600 gm) brisket or stewing beef, trimmed and cut into 2-inch (5 cm) chunks
2 tablespoons (30 ml) (18 gm) (⅔ oz) flour
1 tablespoon (15 m) oil
2 onions, sliced
2 celery stalks, sliced
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tablespoon (15 ml) (8 gm) tomato concentrate
5 rooibos tea bags (or 2 tablespoons loose tea leaves)
1 quart (1 litre) just-boiled water
5 tablespoons (75 ml) red wine vinegar
4 strips unwaxed orange peel, pith removed (the peel of about half an orange)
2 cinnamon sticks
2 inches (5 cm) fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
4 small sweet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
¾ cup (175 ml) mild honey (optional)
cilantro (coriander) leaves, to garnish
salt and pepper, to taste

Season the beef and coat in the flour. Heat the oil in a large stock pot and then brown the beef on all sides.
Add the onions and celery. Put on a tight fitting lid and let soften for ten minutes.
Add the garlic and tomato concentrate and cook for one minute.

Meanwhile, place the tea bags in a heatproof pitcher and pour over the water. Allow to steep for four minutes. Then remove the tea bags (or strain out the tea leaves) and pour the tea into the stock pot. Add the red wine vinegar, orange peel, cinnamon sticks, and ginger.
Lower the heat and cover. Let the stew simmer for 2 hours, until the beef is tender.

Add the sweet potatoes, honey (if using), and season with salt and pepper. Cook for a further 30 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are soft.
Serve garnished with chopped cilantro.

Chinese Tea Eggs
makes 6 eggs

6 eggs (any size)
2 tablespoons (30 ml) (6 gm) black tea leaves, or 4 tea bags
2 teaspoons (10 ml) (5 gm) Chinese five spice powder
1 tablespoon (5 ml) (3 gm) coarse grain salt
toasted sesame seeds, to garnish

In a large enough pot to avoid overcrowding, cover the eggs with cold water. Bring to a boil over medium heat and simmer for twelve minutes.
Remove the eggs with a slotted spoon and keep the cooking water.
With a spoon, tap the eggs all over until they are covered with small cracks. This can also be done by tapping and rolling the eggs very gently on the counter.

Return the eggs to the pan and add the tea leaves or bags, Chinese five spice powder, and salt. Cover the pan.
Heat gently and simmer, covered, for one hour.
Remove the pan from the heat and let the eggs cool down in the liquid for 30 minutes.

Remove the eggs from the liquid. Peel one egg to check how dark it is; the others can be returned to the liquid if you wish to have the web-like pattern darker. Allow the eggs to cool fully.

To serve, peel and slice the eggs in halves or quarters. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.

Have a look around the internet for other tea-based posts with these blog-checking lines: Sarah from Simply Cooked was our November Daring Cooks’ hostess and she challenged us to create something truly unique in both taste and technique! We learned how to cook with tea with recipes from Tea Cookbook by Tonia George and The New Tea Book by Sara Perry.

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Chocolate Chip Cookies with Chickpeas

noreply@blogger.com (sarah) — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 11:00:00 +0000

This month for the Secret Recipe Club I have been assigned to the lovely blog Cooking with Chopin, Living with Elmo. Ginny, who writes it, has two young boys and the recipes are simple but inventive. I immediately fixated on her "sneaky" chickpea chocolate chip cookies. Ginny says that she likes to sneak in some healthy stuff to her baked goods, which is exactly what I love to do. But only if the taste is still good. In fact, I like my cookies to taste like cookies first and healthy second. Which is what these amazing chickpea-stuffed cookies were.

I've adapted Ginny's recipe (which is adapted from Jessica Seinfeld's book Deceptively Declicious) by doubling the amount of chickpeas and mashing them. I also added some cocoa powder, to make these cookies double chocolate flavour. And I switched to whole wheat flour - because if you're going to eat healthy cookies, then why use white flour? And I halved the sugar, which I do every time I bake. No one ever notices.

A group of friends and I went on a long hike on Sunday - 25 km in one of Hong Kong's country parks. After about 10 km I was so hungry and weak. My knees were beginning to shake while climbing the hills. We reached a pavilion which offered some respite from the blazing sun. I ate four of these small cookies and downed my water. After a few minutes rest, I was ready to go again, thanks to the chickpeas and oatmeal.

Chocolate Chip Cookies with Chickpeas
adapted from Cooking with Chopin, Living with Elmo
makes 25 cookies

1/4 c (50 g) butter, softened
1/4 c (50 g) brown sugar
1/4 c (65 g) sugar
3/4 t vanilla extract
1 egg
2 T milk
1/2 c (75 g) canned and drained or cooked chickpeas
150 g dark chocolate, chopped into chunks
1 c whole wheat flour
1/2 c oats
2 T cocoa
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt

In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugars until creamy and light yellow.
Add the vanilla, egg, and milk and beat to combine.
Mash the chickpeas roughly with a fork and mix into the liquids. Add the chocolate chunks.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.
Add to the liquids and stir with a wooden spoon until combined.

Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or grease. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto the trays.
Bake at 350 F (180 C) for 12 minutes.
Cool on a rack.

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Spiced by Dalia Jurgensen

noreply@blogger.com (sarah) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 06:12:00 +0000

The subtitle of Spiced reads, "A pastry chef's true stories of trials by fire, after-hours exploits, and what really goes on in the kitchen". With a recommendation by Anthony Bourdain on the cover ("Great insider stuff and a valuable addition to the annals of first-preson culinary history"), I have to admit I was not expecting great things from this book. First, because I dislike Bourdain and find him unnecessarily abrasive. Secondly, I quit sugar early in October, so pasty chef tales didn't seem like a good idea. But in the spirit of trying new things, and since Spiced by Dalia Jurgensen was the Kitchen Reader pick for October, I ordered a copy and gingerly picked it up. It turns out that I was engrossed in Spiced after the first chapter.

Reading Spiced reminded me of a good chick-lit book: a bit fluffy, some romance, and some drama, all in an easy-reading package. I found that I was drawn into Jurgensen's story of entering the restaurant world as a career-changer. She set aside a stable corporate job for a junior position at Nobu, taking plenty of abuse for being a short, blonde newbie. But Jergensen's dedication shone through and her hard work allowed her to steadily climb the restaurant hierarchy.

Jurgensen's writing may share some features of Bourdain's: they are both concerned with "exposing" kitchen life, and both don't hold back on the nasty language, smells, sex, or pranks. But the difference is in the attitude. Bourdain can be so irritating to me because he tends to sneer at those around him and is constantly cynical. On the other hand, I enjoyed Jurgensen's sense of awe for kitchen work and good food made by skilled chefs. Her care over her food was fascinating; for example, she took a lot of time and pleasure understanding, testing, and developing her recipes. One step in her career (which appealed to me, of course) was a stint as garde-manger, the person in charge of the cold salads, dips, and appetizers. She spent a lot time getting her dishes right, all by taste:

For weeks I hounded my more experienced coworkers, toting around... hummus (or baba ghanoush or herbed feta). Does this taste right? More tahini? More salt? More lemon juice?

Her pursuit of the perfect dip foreshadowed the time she invested later as a new pastry chef, creating and perfecting beautiful desserts. Or as a team member in Martha Stweart's test kitchen, adapting and inventing desserts for Stewart's TV shows. Though Jurgensen found restaurant life exhausting, her enthusiasm kept me reading.

All the restaurant and food business memoirs I have read has led me to the same conclusion: food service life is too hectic for me. It's certain that the long hours, low pay, and difficult conditions stand out in Spiced, as usual. But Jurgensen's love of food made this into a satisfying story that I raced through. Thanks to Libbi of Domestic Wandering for choosing it for the Kitchen Reader this month.

Have you ever liked a book you expected not to like?

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10 Ways to Encourage Conversations and Comments on Your Blog

noreply@blogger.com (sarah) — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 13:15:00 +0000

I recently sat in on an enlightening twitter chat about gaining comments on your blog by following along with the hashtag #blogchat. The discussion included some very thoughtful and experienced bloggers, as well as lots of newbies and everyone in between. We were talking about promoting conversation on your blog. Here are some of the ideas I found most useful. (There are certainly lots of things for me to learn!)

1. People will comment when there is something worth talking about. Try posting about topics you know your readers will find interesting and want to talk about. Invite them to respond by asking "What do you think?"

@Stevefogg I think that conversation can only happen if the blog post is something worth talking about

@Jenica704 Creating talkable content means knowing your audience.

@patricksplace I encourage people to disagree. Things are much more interesting that way...as long as everyone is respectful.

@samfiorella Ask yourself: Is your blog an answer blog or a conversation blog?

2. When you post, you don't have to comprehensively cover every angle of a topic. In fact, leaving things out can let others have something to add. If you provide too many nice, neat answers, there is nothing left for others to say.

@RelaxedDriver Sometimes less is more when it comes to writing a post. Don't try to always write an essay. Leave room for people to think! #blogchat

@MelissaGalt Better to break up a long one potentially and leave reader hanging . . convo may complete open thoughts

@danielnewmanUV Don't write like a know it all (even if you do) and don't respond to comments that way either.

3. Respond to all the comments you get. And make them quality responses that make people see that you are grateful for their conversation on your blog. You can use your replies to push on the conversation and engage others.

@NotActuallyHero I find it's important to ensure people know you appreciate comments.Those people will come back, and eventually have conversations

@chowandchatter #Blogchat important to respond to comments especially to answer questions shows u listen and care and folks will keep commenting

@danielnewmanUV A simple tip for driving conversation is respond quickly and with more than a thank you. Drive continued conversation.

@samfiorella Don't respond to comments w/Thank You but a follow up question to create blog convo

4. Make a personal connection with commenters outside of your own blog. Reply to their comment with a personal email and engage with them through other platforms. Don't be afraid to make new friends!

@taunitweets Me too. Email & respond in comments RT @dariasteigman I always e-mail new commenters, trying to build that reship.

@angie_seattle There are many bloggers that only engage with their select group of bloggers. Just like twitter.

@kamkansas: When u c new commenters,start following them, RT them, get 2 know them on Twitter. Conversations begin.

5. When someone makes a good point in the comments, you can use this to start a more extensive conversation. And let the commenter know that they have inspired you. You can do the same when another blogger's post inspires you.

@C_Pappas Anyone writing posts in response to another blogger's post and getting comments that way? Ive seen some success there

@AngEngland I recently pulled a comment & built an entire new article around it: ow.ly/76ogj #blogchat

@wordwhacker I sometimes end up blogging about something raised in a convo on another blog.

@Kathrynclang I have commented on blogs and then written a post that links back to the one I commented on - and mentioned the site by name

@MikeHale If I mention someone in a post, I reach out to them to let them know, have gotten their thoughts which has sparked convos

6. Try to help the commenters make connections among themselves.

@kamkansas Introduce commenters to each other so they get to b friendly and starting conversations on your blog. #blogchat

@writingrenee If it's applicable, we could say "Your thoughts are very similar to X's above..." etc. Put them in connection? #blogchat

7. Remember that comments can come in many forms, for example, on Twitter, through Pinterest, and elsewhere around the web. Harness these if possible.

@claudiabia To capture those comments made on twitter, I now use a widget on WP that adds them as comments in the post
the widget is called: Twitter Mentions as Comments

8. Avoid things that hinder commenting, such as too much moderation or a commenting system that is hard to use on a mobile device.

@samfiorella Moderation is probably #1 way to KILL a blog conversation

@NotActuallyHero Akismet is all you need, moderation halts conversation, many assume it won't be approved (for some reason)

@CTrappe Lots of sites hard to use on mobile. RT @KellyLoubet I've found people are commenting less ... with the rise of mobile devices

9. Promote your blog posts to the people who will comment. You can find likeminded people on Twitter, Facebook, and through other blogs. The network of food bloggers I have met over the years I have been blogging are incredible. Some have become genuine friends and commenting on their blogs is fun.

@ECCSonline Promote your blog: search hashtags to find convo on Twitter re topics you blog about

@Yogitastic I joined the #YIOM community of yoga bloggers who are great at starting up conversations. #blogchat

10. Write about things that are your passion. Expose your personality and readers will respond. Think of your readers as friends that you want to have a conversation with.

@chowandchatter often posts that evoke memories, and sharing real stories helps with comments as folks relate

@MelissaGalt Use YOU, never I or We and write as if they are sitting with you at the moment.

@LoisMarketing Stop blogging with the idea of creating comments. When you start blogging from the heart, followers follow -- and so do comments!

Do you have tips for garnering blog comments? What things make you more likely to comment on blogs?

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Simply Cooked's Facebook Page

noreply@blogger.com (sarah) — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 09:15:00 +0000

I'm thrilled to announce that Simply Cooked now has a Facebook page. Those who like the page get to see updates in their news feed and interact with other readers. Please head over there and check it out!

I would be very pleased if you would Like the page and get involved in the discussion when it impacts you. For example, help me name this snack food!

How much do you use Facebook per day?

8 Strange Potato Chip Flavours That You Might Not Want to Eat

noreply@blogger.com (sarah) — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 11:59:00 +0000

I have been travelling in Bali recently. (More about that in another post, including the Balinese cooking class we went on!) In Asia I have learned that the flavours people consider normal in snack foods vary around the world. For your pleasure, I have been snapping with my phone in grocery stores when I see unusual flavours!

I have to be truthful. I didn't try any of these flavours. And I'm not too sure I want to. When I am away from Canada for a long time I crave dill pickle potato chips, but in the UK people thought I was strange. What about you?

What is the weirdest snack flavour you enjoy?

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Weekend Links #24

noreply@blogger.com (sarah) — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 15:54:00 +0000

Weekend Links is a way of sharing all the engrossing things I see around the internet. I publish Weekend Links approximately every two weeks. As usual, I welcome your ideas and feedback.

food reading links:
--A useful post about speeding up weeknight dinner preparation (from The Kitchn). There are lots of good ideas in the comments.
--Why you should be making your holiday cookie dough now, and freezing it (from The Kitchn, again!).
--Mark Bittman takes on the common statement that "junk food is cheaper than cooking at home" (from the New York Times). What does it cost to feed a family of four at McDonald's and at home?
--I want to get a copy of Ruhlman's Twenty - a new cookbook whose thesis is that there are twenty basic techniques to master to be a good cook. The book includes 100 recipes and lots of photos for each technique (from Michael Ruhlman).
--Furthermore, there are almost 200 cookbooks coming out before Christmas. Here's a list of most of them (from The Eater). It includes one Hong Kong book (Hong Kong and Macau Magic) and a culinary history of Canada (Canadians at Table). I bet the list has a holiday present for every foodie.

recipe links:
--Granola made with pumpkin puree, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground coffee beans (from Spoonful of Sugar Free). Apparently the coffee beans stay crunchy as you are eating and make for an interesting texture. Plus you get the caffeine hit you want first thing in the morning! How's that for inventive?
--This post from The Kitchn features dozens of ideas for cooking with beetroot, in answer to a reader question. What would you do if you had to eat four beetroots a week on command of your doctor?

off-topic links:
--Thanks to Pinterest I have been trying new hair ideas lately. Well, at least this interesting crossover half pinned-up style (video).

What engrossing things have you seen around the internet?

Or tell me... What is your best blog post these last two weeks?

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Spicy Split Pea Dip

noreply@blogger.com (sarah) — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 11:00:00 +0000

As part of this month's Secret Recipe Club I was assigned the blog Ilke's Kitchen. Ilke is a lovely Turkish lady who has moved to the southern United States. She writes recipes for Turkish food and other dishes that she makes at home. I was engrossed by her inventive ideas, beautiful pictures, and engaging stories.

I made this split pea dip to form part of a casual tapas meal with friends. It's smooth yet chunky, kind of like the best hummus you have tasted. It's got a spicy edge but not sharp. It's a simple recipe that I'm bound to adapt again.

Spicy Split Pea Dip
makes 1 1/2 c
adapted from Ilke's Kitchen

1 c yellow split peas
2 T olive oil
2 c chopped onion (about 1 large onion)
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 t cumin seeds
2 T tomato paste
1/2 t red pepper flakes
1 t paprika

Place the split peas in a pan with lots of water to cover. Boil until the peas are soft. This may take 45 minutes. Add extra water to make sure the pan does not boil dry.
Drain any extra water.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a pan and gently fry the onions, garlic, and cumin seeds until soft.

Combine the split peas, onions, and all the other ingredients in a blender or food processor. Puree until smooth.
Serve the dip with veggies, crackers, or whole wheat pita bread.

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Home Cooking by Laurie Colwin - and Sweet Potato Pancakes with Preserved Black Beans

noreply@blogger.com (sarah) — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 01:27:00 +0000

Dear Laurie Colwin,

You are everything I want to be in a writer. Thank you for your book, Home Cooking. As I was reading it I couldn't help circling inventive words and jotting exclamation points in the margins at your turns of phrase. I wish I could craft opening lines like this one:

As a child, while my sister busied herself mooshing the chocolate candies to see which had the best centres, I was happily licking the salt off the pretzels and leaving their sticky bodies on the rug.

And I wish I had the guts to use your words to tell some people that I think your stuffing tastes like sawdust flavoured with sage and it has the consistency of lumpy library paste. I think they might take notice!

You have a wonderful way of making me feel at home. It's almost like being invited into your kitchen and drinking tea while you chat and cook for me. You insist that you are just a plain old cook. I started to feel as though you could be my friend when you admitted that you were not an adventurous fish cooker. Thank you for confessing that you do not have (nor want) a frying basket, a charlotte mold, a terrine, a toaster, a juicer, or a microwave. You encouraged me with your simple ideas and instructions.

But you also made me want to try new foods and recipes. Your tales of kitchen horrors and bad ideas hit home the idea that I should always try everything even if it turns out to be a dud. You included some fantastic recipes that I want to try, such as creamed spinach with jalapeño, baked chicken with garlic and apples, and West Indian black cake. Your yam cakes with preserved black beans intrigued me with their interesting components that somehow work together.

Your book was published in 1988, when I was a pig-tailed reader of Nancy Drew mysteries. Thank you for mentioning her, my girlhood hero. I am glad you love chicken salad as much as she did. I am amazed that you were advocating organic food and free range eggs more than twenty years ago. It's clear you loved fresh, tasty food and I love you for it.

I think we could have been buddies. Like you, I am shy around big groups of people and so I like to stay in the kitchen, behind the scenes. I like to concentrate on one or two friends at a party, and so washing the dishes together helps me integrate and be helpful at the same time. For the socially timid, the kitchen is the place to be, you said. I appreciate your coaching for reticent people.

If I could leave my real job, I would love to be a cook and writer like you.

Yours very sincerely,
Sarah.

Home Cooking: A Writer in the Kitchen was the September Kitchen Reader pick, chosen by me, Laurie Colwin's new best friend. (Sadly, she died suddenly in 1992. She wrote another book of cooking essays, five novels, and three collections of short stories.)

Preserved (or fermented) black beans are small, soft, and squishy and can be bought at Asian groceries. They are pungent and delicious added to a stir fry with the garlic and ginger. Colwin adds, They are wonderful with sautéed eggplant for a pasta sauce, and excellent sprinkled on top of a homemade pizza. They are extremely salty, so don't add too many.

Sweet Potato Pancakes with Preserved Black Beans
adapted from Home Cooking by Laurie Colwin
makes 9 pancakes

2 medium (450 g) sweet potatoes
2 eggs
6 T (or more or less) plain flour
1 green onion (scallion), chopped
1/4 t (or more) red pepper flakes
2 t preserved black beans with ginger
olive oil

Peel and grate the sweet potatoes.
Combine the sweet potatoes in a large bowl with the eggs and mix well.
Add the flour a tablespoon at a time and mix to make a coherent batter. You may need more or less flour to make a sticky batter that stays together in clumps.
Add the green onion, red pepper flakes, and preserved black beans and stir.

Heat the olive oil in a pan. Use a spatula to press the batter into small pancakes in the pan.
Cook over medium low heat, flipping once, until golden and cooked through, about 5 minutes per side.

Who inspires you?

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Frozen Banana Cream Pie (Sugar-Free)

noreply@blogger.com (sarah) — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 08:54:00 +0000

I am coming closer to giving up sugar. I have been like a toddler throwing down a toy and then crying for it back again. Every time I get close to making a decision to quit sugar I start to binge eat it. For example, at work I keep a stash of chocolate fingers as rewards for students. On Wednesday afternoon I brought them into our office after everyone else had gone home. I set them on my desk and ate twenty, at least. I know because they were individually wrapped; there were two handfuls of wrappers to throw out after I was done.

And it's the same at home. Anthony brought some chocolates from the UK when he returned from his trip last week. I have been sneaking them when he's not looking. I feel like a quivering alcoholic. I know my addiction is getting bad because I am no longer limiting myself to eating treats in socially acceptable situations. Instead when I am by myself I scoff down the sweet stuff and then feel guilty afterwards. I try to hide the evidence. Sadly, I think this must stop soon.

Or is it "happily, this must stop"? I know that for the sake of my health I need to get my addiction under control. I'm supposed to be a healthy eating blogger! I imagine I will be more energetic and certainly more in control if I could give up sugar. But I can't quite convince myself to do it.

I have started following some healthy eating blogs and reading fewer baking blogs. On one of my new follows I found this amazing pie that is sugar-free and definitely fooled all my dinner guests. If I am going to make healthy desserts, I want them to taste good. Healthy desserts should taste good enough to not be described as "a healthy dessert that tastes good" but just plain delicious. And this pie was one of those.

Frozen Banana Cream Pie
adapted from Spoonful of Sugar Free
makes one 8 or 9 inch pie

for the crust:
1 1/2 c (125 g) walnuts
4 large dates
3 T cocoa
pinch of salt

for the filling:
3 or 4 frozen bananas

Make the crust by combining all the ingredients in a blender or food processor. Mix well.
Add a splash of water, if necessary, to get the crust to come together into a sticky mass.
Press the crust into an 8 or 9 inch pie dish.
Put the dish into the freezer while you prepare the filling.

Let the bananas rest out of the freezer for 15 minutes.
Chop roughly and then blend in a strong blender of food processor with the ice crushing function. Aim for a creamy, custard consistency. If the bananas are too frozen, let them rest for a few more minutes.
Spread the filling over the crust and freeze for 2 hours or more.

Remove the pie from the freezer 10 minutes before serving.
Garnish the pie with blueberries or cocoa powder.

Do you have a food addiction?

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Weekend Links #23

noreply@blogger.com (sarah) — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 04:17:00 +0000

Weekend Links is a way of sharing all the engrossing things I see around the internet. I publish Weekend Links approximately every two weeks. As usual, I welcome your ideas and feedback.

food reading links:

--I would definitely get these glass food storage boxes if I lived near Crate & Barrel. Glass is better for your food (no plastics leaching into your lunch).

--All about quinoa, which I learned is actually a seed and not a grain (from Peru Delights).

--Sarah Wilson has written a book about her journey to quitting sugar, which includes an eight week program to do it yourself. This might be the final push for me, hmm. Trouble is, every time I get close to doing it, I go on a sugar binge.

--I started eating sardines recently. (So far it's been just the canned version.) They are high in omega 3 fatty acids. Here's a list of the omega 3 fishes (from Readers Digest). By the way, sardine recipes will be gratefully received. :)

--An article about cultured meat and the environmental, health, and welfare issues behind meat eating (from Small Bites).

recipe links:

--An ingenious idea to chill wine: use frozen grapes (from The Kitchn). I'm thinking I could also use frozen blueberries or strawberries as ice cubes in cocktails. And Brenda told me about making ice cubes with fruit slivers inside.

--How to make your own pastrami at home from beef brisket (from Michael Ruhlman).

--A simple lentil gratin for a chilly or wet day (from Savvy Eats).

off-topic links:

--The Colour Scheme Designer, a clever website that helps you plan complementary or analogous colour schemes. It's made for web designers but I see how it could improve photos and table setting!

What engrossing things have you seen around the internet?

Or tell me... What is your best blog post these last two weeks?

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