March 2009

Links to a Healthy Weekend

March 14, 2009

So, during the first part of this week, I thought it was a slow one. Then, bam! It was over. The days flew by for some reason, I suspect because like most others, I had a lot to do. I’m feeling that good, caught-up feeling this weekend and I’m planning to spend some time away from the screen. I find I really need that every now and then. I’m thinking some squash playin’, reading and cooking are in order.

I had some problems with Internet access this week so I got behind on my reading a bit. I still managed to find some great things, though.

Enjoy your weekend! Happy St. Patrick’s Day a little early! The celebration certainly calls for a little (or a lot of) Guinness!

Off Her Cork is doing a monthly special called “Feet on the Street” where she features runners around the blogging world. I’ve really been enjoying the read. In addition, Friday was her B-day so she is doing a chocolate giveaway! You only need to comment to enter and the contest ends on Sunday.

Eat Real made one of my favorite Irish dishes – Colcannon – just in time for St. Patrick’s Day.

Uncornered Market is a blog by a great couple who are traveling the world and recording their experiences for the world to see. This week they posted an amazing slide show of the foods they had in Thailand. It is some of the best looking street food I have seen!

What is Wellness? is a question that was blogged about on Intent this week. The list is deep, but sometimes I like deep. The ideas presented will really get you thinking.

And last, but not least. Don’t forget that the Great Peanut Butter Exhibition #5 ends on Sunday at noon PST. Have you entered yet? The competition is getting quite stiff. There have been some creative sandwiches invented!

Beef and Eggplant Stromboli

March 13, 2009

There is this local pizza joint in my home town the makes the most amazing Stromboli. It is a favorite of my whole family and any time we are together you can bet that at least one dinner will end up being Stromboli night.

I’ve never had anything comparable. They use the most amazing soft, white bread that has been toasted with butter giving it this perfect crisp, chewiness. The meat is of sausage type, very finely ground with a sauce that you can order mild, medium or hot made so with varying amounts of crushed red pepper. Each bite is just full of chewy, spicy, cheesy goodness. It is one of those things that, try as you may, you will never be able to replicate exactly. Good for them, I guess.

Despite failed efforts I still continue to make the occasional Stromboli. I seem to change it a bit every time and last night was a good example. Earlier in the week I had roasted an eggplant intending to make some Baba ghanoush only to realize that I was out of tahini. Not wanting to waste it, I thought why not incorporate it into my sandwich somehow for a bit of a nutritional boost.

After eating the Strombolis, I expressed to my husband how great they were. Sorry, I’m not at all afraid to be proud when I make something darn tasty. The opposite happens equally as often so I figure take credit of something good when you can.

I purchase bread at a local bakery here and this time I used pão francês; small roll-like breads that are a bit lighter and softer than a traditional baguette. Any type of roll would do though, just pick your favorite.

While I can’t pass on a Stromboli as tasty as the one I get in my hometown, this one isn’t so bad, as well as not being so bad for you.

Beef and Eggplant Stromboli

4 rolls or pieces of baguette, 3 to 4 inches in length
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ green bell pepper, chopped
½ medium onion, chopped
½ lb lean ground beef
Insides of one roasted eggplant
½ to 1 can of tomato sauce
1 tsp dried basil
1tsp dried oregano
¼ tsp crushed red pepper
Dash of salt and black pepper
1 cup shredded cheese

Split each of your breads and broil, cut side up, for 3 to 5 minutes until dried out a bit and slightly browned. Set aside.

Heat some olive oil in a skillet and add garlic. Cook for one minute then add pepper and onion. Cook for two minutes and add beef. Once beef is browned add in eggplant and heat through. Add sauce to desired consistency and seasonings, let simmer a few minutes for flavors to blend.

Spread ¼ of the sauce mixture on the bottom of each Stromboli bread. Use ¼ cup cheese for each sprinkling half on the meat mixture and half on the top half of the roll.

Broil until cheese is melted and bubbly. Assemble the sandwich and serve.

Stuffed Potatoes

March 11, 2009

I’ve always been a fan of the baked potato. I was rather sad when it got such a bad rap as the “carbs are evil” campaigns started around the nutrition world. I am very glad to see that the potato is being promoted for its positive points now and showing up more regularly on healthy plates. Just ask Denise Austin about it – fitness icon turned potato pusher.

My selection of baked potato toppings has changed over the years. I have never really been a butter and sour cream person. There was once ranch dressing, then I moved on to salsa and lately a little hot sauce is all I need.

Around here, the stuff potato is a popular item in the mall food courts. While some of the stuffings aren’t the best for you, you’ve got to admit that when it comes to health you can do a lot worse in a food court than a baked potato.

I especially like that they have a “light” menu at these places because that is usually where my favorite combination resides. I posted about the arugula and sundried tomato combination that I was introduced to since coming to Brazil. You can find it on everything from sandwiches to pizza and also on your baked potato.

So here is the one I get at the food court. Dark leafy greens, anyone?

Here is my recreated version.

It makes for a simple, tasty lunch and is, without a doubt, full of vitamins. The best way to eat it is to get in there and mix everything up so you’ve got a little potato in each bite.

All you need is – a baked potato, chopped arugula, chopped sundried tomatoes and a little of your favorite cheese. You can open the potato and throw the cheese on first to melt it, or you can dice it and toss it with the veggies.

I’ve gotten more creative with stuffing my potatoes since we made this cultural discovery, which actually comes from the UK in the eyes of Brazilians. Any time there is a world food fest here the tent representing England serves stuffed taters.

I didn’t get a photo, but last night I browned up some lean ground beef with onions and peppers, and added a little bbq sauce. The mixture went on top of our potatoes with a little cheese. That was also a great combination.

How do you stuff your potatoes?

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Over the past few weeks I’ve made some of the recipes from other food bloggers and thought I would mention a couple. Both turned out great!

Mongolian Beef from Pink Bites which I turned into a lettuce wrap.

Homemade Bubbly Beer Bread from Zesty Cook. I used the Brazilian Beer, Bohemia.

Xocoatl

March 10, 2009

I love it when interesting little things pop up while I’m shopping; those little unexpected pleasures that fully warrant somewhat of a splurge in order to gain a new culinary experience.

The most recent occurrence that that fits these criteria involves chocolate. I love chocolate – big deal, I know. So do a lot of other people. I will admit when I hear people utter the words “I don’t like chocolate” it is followed by a jaw drop and gasp. Then I think – are you sure? I mean, it is chocolate.

When I delve into the history and health benefits of chocolate I often grow amazed at how this perfect, natural substance ever became what we’ve come to know as chocolate in the US – a candy, full of fat and sugar. What stares back at us on our store shelves barely resembles that from which it was made.

Now I’ve enjoyed my fair share of milk chocolate, but it is the dark stuff that has my heart. I like it dark and bitter, just barely sweet. The type of chocolate where you only need a small bite to feel fully satisfied.

So let me bring you back to my unexpected find. Browsing the food selection at a local bakery a few weeks ago I came across a rather intriguing drinking chocolate – Xocoatl. I became even more interested when I read the back of the package, which, lucky for me, was also printed in English so I didn’t have to worry with translating.

This is what it said:

Long before Columbus reached America, Aztecs roasted and ground cocoa beans and
mixed them with water, honey, vanilla and pepper. This ceremonial drink, called
Xocoatl, was available only to the nobles and priests. During the 16th century,
Xocoatl was taken to Spain, where spices from the East Indies were added to the
drink. Nugali Xocoatl is prepared according to this 400-year-old recipe, which quickly became a success among
European courts.

Well, noble or priest or I am not, but I did by up a bag of these tasty little disks for making drinking chocolate. I didn’t have to think twice after the description – honey, vanilla, pepper and chocolate – I knew I would love it.

The directions indicated that you should melt 3 to 5 tablets in a cup of hot milk. A bit difficult to melt down, it did not become a thick, dark drinking chocolate that most of us think of. However, this was its only fault.

The warm drink gave the sweet, yet bitter taste of fine chocolate and left a warm heat in the back of the throat. Such a combination of flavors that you know this is a rich drink meant for the most special of occasions.

This was certainly a new find for me. Have you ever heard of or had Xocoatl?

Links to a Healthy Weekend

March 7, 2009

Happy weekend! I hope you are enjoying it. As always, there was so much great stuff out there to read this week. It looks like many of you are enjoying the first signs of spring. It is hot here and we are really looking forward to a little sign of fall and winter (being that winter here is like a beautiful fall in the mid-southern US).

Thank you for all the wonderful comments on the Blog Reading post this week. It was so great to have everyone’s input.

Now, some healthy reading for your weekend…

Food Magazines Begin to Consider Cooks’ Budgets was an article posted at the NYTimes this week. It was an interesting read about how the more upscale food magazines are adjusting their content to meet the needs of those who have found themselves with a little less money to spend on fancy meals.

Green Gigs shared the details of 7 Green Careers from Home. This was especially interesting to me since I work from home myself.

Delicious by Nature sparked my interest with a recipe for a homemade, dairy free Coconut Vanilla Bean Ice Cream. I had never thought of using coconut milk for a base in my ice cream maker, but I will be trying this.

Diet, Dessert and Dogs posted some outstanding meal-in-a-bowl ideas, some great discussion and recipes for her sauces. Almond curry or orange fig anyone?

Food Renegade is introducing Fight Back Fridays – a blog carnival of real foods. Even if you don’t participate it is surely going to be worth it to head over and check out the recipes of those who do. The first one is March 13.

Photo of Cape Meares, Oregon Coast

Awards and Some Words

March 6, 2009

I saw the Blogging with a Purpose award around the food blogging scene a while back and it immediately caught my attention. The reason is that I do my work, as we all do, for a purpose. My purpose is deeply grounded in my Christian faith, but it shows itself in the influences I aim to have on the health and wellness of others.

Since leaving my office job where I worked with a statewide organization in community health education, it’s has been challenging for me to find a place where I have the potential to truly influence people. By setting out to grow as a freelance writer I’ve been able to connect with others on, not just a statewide basis anymore, but now a global basis and I love it. My blog is a large part of this for me and I appreciate each one of you for reading and commenting.

With all that said you can imagine my delight when I realized that the wonderful Chef Bliss honored me with the Blogging with a Purpose award. Thank you! I am a fairly recent reader of her blog and I encourage you to stop by. You will love her Orange Star Cake!

I want to pass this on to two blogs I greatly enjoy and that are serving a great purpose in getting us all to eat more healthfully.

A Life Less Sweet shares her journey as her family eliminates HFCS. If you need some advice about HFCS and alternative foods that don’t contain it, head over and check out her blog. We had some especially fun discussion about her recent Gatorade – Revisited post.
What Does Your Body Good? is serving up outstanding recipes that are wholesome, natural and downright tasty. I repeatedly learn about wonderful dishes to try with lentils, hummus and whole grains including one of my recent favorites Hard Working Breakfast Grains.

Finally, here is my entry into the Eating Your Words Challenge hosted by Tangled Noodle and Savor the Thyme.

I needed to whip up a batch of my Breakfast Energy Bars this week and I thought why not spread the word (with prunes!) about physical activity because you will need some to burn off these, healthy, yet quite hearty bars. So Be Active!!

The Whole Cashew – Apple, Fruit and Nut

March 5, 2009

Cashew Fruit for sale at the farmers market in Maringa, PR Brazil | Fake Food Free

Cashews have always been a favorite in our house. They are the first thing to disappear when a can of mixed nuts happens to show up at a party. Before moving to Brazil, I knew cashews were quite popular due to the fact that they are native to the country. What I didn’t know was that the cashew is popular for a very different reason than the nut we often associate it with. While the nuts can be found; here, cashew is known for its juice.

I was relatively surprised the first time I saw a whole cashew. You see, the picture to the right is of cashews from the farmer’s market in town. Being a plant/tree that is native to the northeast of Brazil the fruit is somewhat rare around here, but for a few weeks in February they do show up at one or two booths among the vendors.

When not speaking of the nut, the cashew is often called a cashew fruit, but in actuality it is made up of three distinct parts. That orange yellow part that I first thought looked like a bell pepper is called the cashew apple. It is referred to as a false fruit or pseudo-fruit in the plant world.
The cashew apple contains a high concentration of tannins which are the same substances found in tea and wine. They give the apple a very distinct taste which I’ll discuss a little later.

The kidney-shaped green stem is the fruit of the cashew and it encases the nut; the same nut that we eat and refer to in the US as simply “cashews”, called castanha de cajú in Brazil.

The green fruit contains urushiol oil, the same substance found in poison ivy and poison oak which irritate the skin. You have to be very careful when removing the nut and it is for this reason that I have never purchased a whole, fresh cashew for myself and experimented with it. In an older article from Purdue University Horticulture I read that in some countries at one point the nut was simply thrown out with the fruit due to this toxin and much more emphasis was placed on the apple.

Cashews are grown in other tropical places throughout the world such as Vietnam and India. However, unless you live very close to one of those places it is likely you will never see a whole cashew. The fruit is juicy, fragile and spoils very quickly so extended transport is not an option.

Cashew Juice served at a local cafe in Maringa-PR Brazil | Fake Food Free

I have grown to love cashew juice which is made from the cashew apple. It has a sweet flavor with a richness that resembles that of the nut. The tannins leave that familiar drying feel in the mouth which they are known for. This is the reason my husband does not prefer it, but for me it gives the juice a unique appeal.

I have noticed a difference in the juice when I order it in a restaurant versus purchasing it prepackaged in the store. I should mention that you can buy bottled pulp without sugar in the supermarket and add your own water and sweetener if desired. The fresher juice is much more astringent than the packaged.

There are ways to remove tannins and I’m wondering if this has been done to the packaged juice to make it more appealing, as I came across some research from India where they were discussing processes to reduce tannins to get more people to drink the juice for its nutritional content.

Juice from the cashew apple contains about 205 to 220 mg of vitamin C per 100 ml. During my research I found a few sources online in the UK for the cashew apple pulp to make juice.

So even if you may never have the chance to see a whole cashew in person, it is looking like you may still be able to enjoy its flavor and nutrients as the news about cashew juice begins to spread to the rest of the world.

Cashew Fruit for sale at a market in Brazil | Fake Food Free

Thanks for reading! All images and content are the property of Fake Food Free and Lori Rice unless otherwise stated. Please do not republish full recipes and images without written permission. What is okay? Feel free to Pin images, share links to my posts or share the photo in a round up post with the title of this recipe and a link back to the post. Confused about copyright and food blogs? Here is some helpful information on Recipe Attribution. If you want to use a photo or full recipe, just ask. I’m sure we can work something out.

Let’s Talk About Blog Reading

March 3, 2009

I thought I’d take a short break from food and wellness and gather your views as a blog reader. Not necessarily as a reader of this blog, but just food and health blogs in general.

I’ve been reading (and writing) blogs for about 18 months now and I think I’ve developed a bit of a blog-reader personality. Things I like and dislike about blogs and communities, and qualities that make me want to come back. Everyone is a little different so I really want to find out about your blog-reader personality as well.

As one continues to explore, and more and more food and health blogs are being created, it is easy to wish there were extra hours in the day for reading. I read a lot more blogs than those that reside on my blogroll and there are so many additional blogs I would like to add to my daily reading list, but I often don’t have the time to get to them all.

It seems I’ve created categories of sorts. There are those I visit every day, unless I’m away from the computer for some reason. These are blogs I really enjoy and are the ones I’ve been reading the longest. Then there are those that I catch up on once or twice a week. It really isn’t that I like these blogs any less; it could simply be the fact that they came into my radar at a later time.

My visits also vary depending on the frequency of posts of the author. I may visit one every day and learn the writer only posts a few times a week at which point I’ll start checking in only once or twice a week to catch up. I do have to admit that when I read a blog where the author posts multiple times a day I end up missing a lot of content because I only have so much time to catch up.

So tell me, how do you balance your blog reading? Do you wish you had more reading hours in the day to stay caught up and explore new blogs?

That brings me to comments. I am a big believer that bloggers need to be involved in their comments. You don’t have to respond to each person, but getting in there and facilitating discussion is an important part of blogging for me.

If I find a new blog to read there are two ways a blogger can keep me coming back. First, there is the content, of course. Second, is acknowledging my comments either by responding on their own post or responding to one of mine. I don’t comment on every blog I read, but if a thought is sparked I make a point to say something to let the author know I did enjoy/agree/disagree with their post. That is what blogging is all about, in my opinion.

Now, someone doesn’t have to read my blog for me to like theirs, but if I find an author never responds to those who comment I do lose interest. I guess I just feel like blogging is a two-way street. Responding to comments is a way of showing respect and acknowledging that you have real people out there who took their time to offer their thoughts. It is something I really appreciate and my responses, no matter how short, are my way of showing this.

Plus, I simply want to foster conversation. I learn so much from my readers and I really want you to keep talking (typing) so I can learn more.

I understand the issue if you have a huge number of comments. You can’t respond to everyone, but I think a simple acknowledgement to your community in general or welcoming those you recognize as new readers is important.

I guess a big reason why comments are so important to me is that, especially in food and health, blogging creates community. As I continue my journey working from home as opposed to the office it is necessary to find human replacement for office mates even if it is screen-based. While I certainly don’t look to the web-world as a main source for relationships you all do my make work day a lot more fun and interesting. I think there is a common interest that links us in many ways.

How do you feel about commenting? Will you continue to return to a blog if the author never acknowledges your input?

Apple Carrot PB Panini

March 2, 2009

If I’m not eating peanut butter by itself with a spoon, it is most likely being used as a dip for my apples and carrot sticks. As I was trying to think of how I would participate in the Great PB Exhibition #5 I was feeling a bit restricted by the topic of sandwiches. I kept coming up with a fun idea and then realized it wasn’t even close to the sandwich category.

Then I thought, why not turn my favorite PB dippers into a sandwich. And why not take it a step further and make it a toasty Panini? This is an all around balanced meal – protein, grain, fruit, veggie and healthy fat all rolled into one.

I left my carrot and apple raw because I wanted the sandwich to have a bit of a crunch. I don’t have a Panini press. I just use two skillets with some foil over the sandwich. The heat makes the bread crisp and warms the peanut butter just enough that it covers the carrot and apple with gooey goodness.

Apple Carrot Peanut Butter Panini

4 to 6 inch piece of baguette (Sub any bread. A whole grain would be nice, but hard to come by here. )
2 Tbsp of natural peanut butter
1 small carrot, shredded
½ of a small apple, diced

Half your baguette, spread a little PB on each side. Top one side with carrots and the other with apple.

Carefully put together and heat in press or skillet for about 2 to 3 minutes each side.

Have you entered yet? The deadline is March 15th at Noon (PST).

Submission:

Click here to submit your recipe online. Alternatively, email “pbe (at) peanutbutterboy (dot) com” with “PBE #5″ as the subject and the following information:

Name

Recipe

Title

Recipe or Recipe Permalink

Prize:

All recipes will be listed but the judges will vote for the Top 3. All 3 winners will receive a winning badge to place on their site but the first place winner will receive the Peanut Butter & Co. Cookbook, one of the books that was the inspiration for The Peanut Butter Boy.

Newer Posts

Links to a Healthy Weekend

Beef and Eggplant Stromboli

Stuffed Potatoes

Xocoatl

Links to a Healthy Weekend

Awards and Some Words

The Whole Cashew – Apple, Fruit and Nut

Let’s Talk About Blog Reading

Apple Carrot PB Panini

Thanks so much for reading!

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