Monday, January 28, 2008

The Best Falafel Salad, Ever!





It is snowing outside.

But inside it is as warm as an Israeli summer.

This was a delicious lunch and perfect on a snow-day like today. I have tried three different falafel recipes in the last month or so and this one was by far the best.

I followed Mark Bittmann's recipe from his New York Times' podcast : Chickpeas in Love: The Minimalist Makes Falafel

They came out perfectly: Light, crunchy and filling. We had them on top of a basic Greek salad.

Delish!

This is my new favorite vegetarian salad. The falafels are packed with protein and plenty of flavor. They were so much easier to make than the other recipes I have tried . There is no flour or oil or egg. So they are good for you too! Just chickpeas, onion, garlic, herbs and spices.

Writing about them is making me hungry again. They're THAT good.

Saturday, January 26, 2008

My Roots Are Showing

Italian and Norwegian comfort food:


Spinach-Ricotta Penne



Mushroom and Shallot Spaghetti



Norwegian Cinnamon Buns (Modified Nigella Lawson Recipe)



It has been freezing cold here in Eugene, Oregon for the last week or so.

Sunny and cold.

Warm, comforting, and homey food has been in order. The Italian food was a given, but I also have some strong Scandinavian ties too. So I tried Nigella's Norwegian Cinnamon Buns. Our tummies were very satisfied.

Walrus, J and I took advantage of all this sunshine we've been getting here in rain-central by getting out and soaking in the rays. There are quite a few nature trails up here in the hills and it fun to get all bundled up and head out for a hike. A trace of snow fell Thursday evening as we walked...now that's a perfect winter day!



Spinach-Ricotta Penne
serves 4-6

1 lb box of whole-wheat penne
1 large(12 oz or so) bag of fresh spinach
3 cloves of garlic - finely diced
1 tablespoon of Earth Balance Butter substitute (or reg. butter)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups of whole milk Ricotta
1/4 cup chopped fresh Parsley
1/4 teas spoon fresh grated nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste


Melt butter in olive oil
Add garlic and saute for a minute to soften
Add spinach and saute( this is a lot of spinach so add a third at a time and saute with garlic to wilt spinach down)
Add salt and pepper to season ( I like about 1/4 teaspoon of pepper and 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of salt)
Cook pasta for 10 minutes or so(just a bit under required -you will continue to cook pasta with the spinach mixture)
Add pasta to cooked spinach to coat
Add ricotta and nutmeg - blend as it melts into the pasta
Sprinkle on chopped parsley

Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

Enjoy!!

Sunday, January 20, 2008

Enough with the pasta, already!

More lazy lady's food.





sorry.

I find that I get into funks with food. I'll be creative and adventurous for a couple of weeks and then, (in Brooklynese)"Forget about it!" I'll throw together a simple pasta with tomatoes and whatever is left in the pantry for a sure thing. Simple and tasty is all I ask.I could eat this same meal for a week and so could my old man. Actually he could eat the same thing for a month as long as it's tasty and prepared by someone else.

Obviously I'm in a post-flu funk right now and all I want is pasta.

Can't say how long this will last, but at least another 3-5 days for sure.

Who knows? Does this happen to you?


What food(s) do you turn to when you get in a funk?

Pantry Pasta:

1 box of whole wheat spaghetti
12 oz chopped tomatoes
half a yellow onion chopped
2 tablespoons of olive oil
7 chopped kalamata olives
3 cloves of garlic minced
half a bag of fresh spinach
cooked and rinsed can of canellini beans
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste
a nice shaving of Parmesan cheese on top.


You could throw in more beans or some artichoke hearts if you have them around. Anything that is in your pantry that satisfies your comfort zone will do.

Serves 5-6


Drink with whatever you like.

Thursday, January 17, 2008

Top Five Foods To Eat When You're Too Sick To Cook:

by Eggs McGeez

1. Pizza

Any kind that suits your fancy. That's right, top yours with tuna and sweet corn, Mr. British Isles! Whatever floats your boat. Pizza has healing properties whatever the topping.

Athough, I do believe the classic Margheretta does have the most effective fever-reducing powers; thin crust, light sauce, fresh mozzarella and basil with a light drizzle of the best extra virgin olive oil.

mmmmmmmm...

Have husband-unit pick it up from local restaurant and clean up that drool, Missy!

2. Pasta

This can be any type of pasta and any sauce combo. It must, however, be one of your favorite combos. This is key.

Husband-unit SHOULD be able to put this together with minimal intervention. Here's what J did last night:


not bad, huh?


3. Chinese Take-Out


This does require a GOOD Chinese restaurant within 10 miles. Have husband-unit pick up the massive assortment of goodies you ordered at the peak of your fever.

move! move! get on it man!

4. Matzoh Ball soup and Chocolate Chip Danishes (or Rugelach).

I know I am getting a bit specific here, but the combination is essential.
Yes, this does require that you live in Los Angeles or New York as I have yet to find a really good deli elsewhere...so we're screwed.

Move on to #5

5. Doughnuts or Cake, or both

Do NOT have husband attempt to make these. These require a skilled hand. Send husband-unit to fancy bakery downtown to pick up said items.



Call me in the morning.


runners-up:

-toasted "everything" bagel with a schmear of cream cheese, sliced tomato and sprinkle of kosher salt.
-pad thai with your choice of protein from that rocking thai restaurant on 7th.
-burgers on toasted buns with the works (again, your choice of "protein")
-anything but plain old soup please.

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Some Like It Hot





Jason loves everything about Winter: sub-freezing temps, warm coats and hats, snow, warm fireplaces, hot cider drinks, and most importantly warm, rich, winter food.

This guy loves soups, casseroles and thick, hearty, hot, steaming stews or pot-pies.

So why am I surprised that he went ga-ga over this leek and bean cassoulet from Veganomicon?



I however, wasn't too impressed. In all fairness, I don't think it is a bad recipe. It just isn't for me.

Basically I'm more of an Autumn/Spring kind of gal.

I like soups and I like casseroles. But I prefer the "lighter" variety with seasonal vegetables. I dislike using cornstarch or any other thickening agent in anything. I don't like the gooey texture. I miss tasting the veggies individually.

The biscuits on top were tasty, but again, too heavy for my taste. So I probably wouldn't do well in the Midwest or Eastern Europe. Good thing I live in Oregon...and good thing Spring is just (ahem) 10 weeks away.

Thursday, January 10, 2008

Check out my buns!

How obnoxious can I get?









These buns came out a lot better than I had expected. I'm finding many ways to use my original naan bread recipe and I have yet to find something this miracle dough can't do!

I follow the basic dough recipe. Then I shape the buns into 2 inch balls and then flatten them on a cookie sheet. I let them rise for another 30 minutes, then bake them at 350 for 30 minutes. Brush them with a milk or egg wash for the last 10 minutes of baking and sprinkle with sea salt or sesame seeds.

Delish and nutrish!

(That's an Amy's Bistro Burger making its appearance yet again.)

Beverage: An Oregon Pinot Noir or an Oregon Pale Ale.

Music:
What goes better with burgers than good old 50's rock and roll? Heck, it's the 50th anniversary of "Great Balls of Fire" - so why not a little Jerry Lee Lewis?

Crunchy-Granola Lady



January is the the health food/health club industry's biggest month. I decided to throw them a curve.

I quit the gym and made my own granola, thank you.

Scandalous!

My little way of socking-it to the man.




Actually it was about time I quit the gym. We had belonged to one of the big national chains and our local club had been bought by another chain more than a year ago. The closest gym from the same chain was up in Portland - 110 miles north of us! A bit of a drive I'd say. I've got my tennie-runners and miles of trails up here anyhoo.


The granola is yet another example of how hippie-dippie I've become since moving to Eugene. Peer pressure I'm sure.

J had a bowl this morning with Oregon blueberries, honey and yogurt from Nancy's and a spoonful of flax seeds on top.

Heaven.

Simple Hippie-Dippie Granola:

4 cups of old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup of whole-wheat flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup dried fruit
1/2 cup of nuts
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup of apple or orange juice
1/4 cup of canola oil
teaspoon of cinnamon
zest of one orange



Mix dry ingredients together. Then add wet and coat. Spread onto a cookie sheet that has been lined with parchment paper. Bake for 45-50 minutes in a 325 degree oven. Check and mix the granola around every 15 minutes or so.

Let cool and then enjoy!

Beverage: Hemp Milk!

Music: Here you go kids:

Tuesday, January 8, 2008

Soups for the Sick!




J gave me that nasty cold he had. Time for soup.

The first soup is a Chickpea Noodle Soup from Veganomicon

I ordered this book just before our trip down south and I am so glad I did. This recipe was a winner. The soup is mellow and filling and I added spinach at the very end to bump up the vitamin count. I must say that I am feeling quite a bit better this morning.

The split pea soup is a pretty basic recipe. I added brown rice and left-over potatoes (both Yukon gold and sweet). It is a carb-and-protein-heavy bowl of pure comfort.

Drink:
Hot herbal tea with lemon and honey.

Listening to: Cowboy Junkies, Black Eyed Man

Monday, January 7, 2008

What is good food?



This is something I've been thinking about quite a bit lately. Obviously there is no one answer to this question and that perhaps makes it an interesting question to really delve into as a personal exploration.

I suppose for me, good food is food that we enjoy making and sharing with people we care about. I really love simple food, that does not have a lot of ingredients, but those few ingredients are fresh and delicious and (this is cliche) warm.

That's probably how I would put it.

I will always associate pasta with warmth and home. Even more so now that I am preparer of the food at my home. Pasta is a loving food.


And spaghetti is my favorite pasta, hands down.

1 box of whole wheat spaghetti
10 oz of cooked white beans
16 oz or so of chopped tomatoes
4 cloves of garlic chopped fine
oregano
3-4 chopped kalamata olives
salt and pepper
grated Parmesan (optional)


Great with a Columbia River Valley(OR/WA) Riesling or a Willamette Valley(OR) Pinot Gris.

Saturday, January 5, 2008

Whole Wheat Pizza






It's snowing outside. But inside it's as warm as an Italian summer afternoon. Thanks to this pizza.

This is a bare bones pizza. The dough is my basic flat bread dough (my whole wheat naan bread dough). I baked the crust for 6 minutes in a 410 degree oven and then pulled it out and topped it with some chopped tomatoes, oregano, salt and some freshly shaved Parmesan cheese. I popped it back in the oven for another 5 minutes to melt the cheese and get a brown crust.

Yum.

*Pair with your favorite pale ale and a crisp salad.

Blueberry Bliss In January!






I had some lovely wild Oregon blueberries in the ice-box. I made a crumble of oats, Earth Balance butter and brown sugar for the crust. Then I topped it with 10 oz. of these beauties and a yogurt/brown sugar topping.

Baked it at 350 for about 40 minutes and then we dug in. This is an adaptation of Moosewood's Blueberry Yogurt Pie from, Sundays At Moosewood Restaurant.

Summer in January.

Pair with a cup of tea.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies




Okay, so we return home last night to a freezing cold house and no food.

Well, not quite. I had frozen some red lentil curry for just this reason...but after we demolished the lentils we were still starving and in need of something warm and delicious.

Oatmeal raisin COOKIES!

They are the fastest way I know to warm your tummy and your house with just a few simple ingredients:

oats
brown sugar
baking soda
whole wheat flour
butter (or a substitute like Earth Balance)
raisins
cinnamon
egg (or egg substitute)
vanilla


Voila! Twenty minutes later the house feels like home again and it smells devine.

Pair with your favorite milk. (Walrus likes Silk Soy)

Friday, January 4, 2008

A Tale of Three Veggie Burgers

Ahh, holiday travel:
900 miles down and 900 miles back along the beautiful Oregon and California Coast; a beautiful, wet, windy and cold coast indeed.

And despite the awesome Redwood Forest, the rolling vineyards of Sonoma and the majestic, rocky coastline of Southern Oregon, I alas, could only think of the vast desert of fast-food neon that we encountered both up and down one of the purtiest places on Earth.

Every couple of months we make this trek and we're rewarded on both ends (My Mom and J's Mom are both amazing cooks). But the 16+ hours in between are brutal on both our booties and our stomachs.

What are we going to eat?

Sure, we packed the car with healthy snacks like fruit and nuts and some of my mom's homemade energy bars. But we still needed some proper FOOD at some point.

Well, lucky for us we decided to make our first stop at the Lost Coast Brewery in Eureka, Ca. They have quite a few options for the non-meat eaters out there. J and I both chose their "Humboldt Green Party" burger. Which is basically a Garden Burger on a whole wheat bun with lettuce, tomatoes, red onions and a sliced dill pickle. Fries or a salad come as a side and they don't put mayo (or any condiment for that matter) on the burger. Instead the kind waitress brought out a selection of condiments to our table so we could dress our patty exactly as we liked.

It was quite good.

We both got the fries and I had a "Downtown Brown Ale." Delish!

J had a nice cup of joe (as he was driving that leg).

And we're off!


Three hundred or so miles later and a nice overnight stop north of San Francisco, we pull into a Burger King.

?!!!!?Burger King!!?


Yep.

I had heard that they are the only major chain in the U.S. that offers a veggie burger as an option at every location. So we had to check it out. It took a bit of convincing to get Jason to even pull into the parking lot (neither one of us has eaten at a Burger King in over a decade). But he indulged me and we checked out the options.

The Burger King veggie burger is a Morning Star patty sandwiched between two basic Burger King buns with tomato, lettuce and pickles. We ordered both of ours with onions and no mayo (the mayo alone adds nearly 16 grams of saturated fat to your meal!)

It was a ho-hum experience. Not bad. But not great.

The buns are a bit soft and the patty had an overwhelming carrot taste.

But, it was good to know that a veggie (although not vegan) option exists out there in fast-food land.


6 days later,(after many a delicious meal at my in-laws) we began our return trip home to Oregon. Our first food stop was at an old hangout of ours in Valencia, CA: The Habit

We ordered two Veggie Burgers with a side of fries and waited in anticipation.

Ten minutes later our burgers arrived.

WOW! Toasted whole-wheat buns, a perfectly grilled Garden Burger patty, an inch thick layer of super green, fresh, romaine lettuce, ripe tomato slices, cucumbers, red onions, and alfalfa sprouts!

It was a salad in a sandwich and it was a knockout.

Now, if only they had more locations en route to Oregon.

We returned to Lost Coast on the last leg of our trip for another Humboldt Green Party burger and were pleased that it tasted just as good as on the way down.

We made it to my folks later that night and enjoyed a warm bowl of vegetable soup.

So as a recap here's how I rank the three burgers:

1. The Habit's Veggie Burger
2. Lost Coast Brewery's "Green Party" Burger
3. Burger King's Veggie Burger.


I look forward to finding more veggie travel options on our next trip down. But in the meantime I'm back to cooking my own food!

Tuesday, January 1, 2008

Happy New Year!

Eggs' Resolutions:

1. Join a CSA
2. Add 100 new vegan/vegetarian recipes to the repertoire.
3. Blog (food blog) at least three times a week
4. Run at least 4 times a week


I'll start with those.

This should be fun.