8 SPEEDY, AFFORDABLE ‘FRESH’FISH RECIPES FOR LENT

It’s almost the middle of Lent which Christians traditionally observe with some type of fasting. The most customary and frequent choice is to forgo meat the first and last days , Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, as well as one day from each week for the duration of Lent. The popular substitute for the meat is fish, which can present a problem for busy people, especially working parents and anyone who shops one time per week.

Unlike meat, fresh fish can’t be purchased several days ahead, it must be eaten within a day. Freezing, often, isn’t an option either. Depending on geographical location and species of fish, chances are it was frozen or chilled to near freezing for transport to market. Re-freezing would render it inedible. If you want to know more about handling, choosing and using seafood, I have a book, All About Seafood, available on this site’s bookshelf and on Amazon and Etsy.

There’s a wide variety of frozen seafood available from shellfish to prepared dishes, but much of it may be expensive for a week night, be over dependent on bread for coating or filling, be an unacceptable recipe, or simply require too much time to prepare.

For those nights, I like the freedom of options supplied by the individually wrapped fish fillets sold in single servings and in 1 or 2 lb. bags. They are perfectly proportioned, so it’s easy to take just what’s needed. They thaw fast and cook quickly in different recipes allowing the cook freedom of choice. Although several species are packaged this way, the three most often in markets are Tilapia, Salmon and Flounder. I’m giving two recipes for each and two for shrimp, because it also fits this category.

These recipes suit a busy lifestyle, needing only about 30 min. to prepare, including prep time. Several even allow a bit of kick-back time while they’re cooking, and none of them are in the splurge category, although a few are acceptable ‘company fare.’

First though, I’m including a recipe that can be used to prepare each of the above items and most other types of seafood. This vegetable sauce can either be presented as a bedding for larger pieces of seafood or as a sauce containing smaller pieces to be served over pasta or rice. The actual ingredients can be changed, adding string beans or broccoli or omitting the celery or peppers according to whim, but the method and outcome remain the same—fast, easy and delicious.

MEDITERRANEAN STYLE FISH;
This is a delicious way to cook fish and a wonderful way to serve vegetables. Mackerel is originally recommended but I find the technique works well with almost any fish fillet, though I prefer a white fish like Tilapia or Flounder. I use a variety of vegetables, cut beans, broccoli, usually peppers and always onions. For the tomatoes, anything goes, leftover sauce, any type fresh or canned. I allow for at least 1 cup cooked vegetables, per portion. I like a dash of Tabasco or a sprinkle of cayenne added and maybe a touch of garlic powder too.

Microwave the diced raw onions, peppers and any raw vegetables you’re using in a bit of oil for 1 min. Add any frozen ones and cook 1 min. more. Mix with any cooked items and the tomatoes or tomato sauce. Put in a pan, cover with the fish fillet. Lightly spray the fish with cooking oil and sprinkle with a little lemon pepper and paprika. Bake at 350 deg. 8 min. per 1 inch width of the fillet, on average about 20-24 min. until fish flakes and vegetables bubble. Serve at once while very hot.

COCONUT CRUSTED TILAPIA: Serves 4
4 Tilapia filets – about 1lb
1 cup plain Panko
½ cup sweetened coconut flakes – toasted
½ cup + mayonnaise
Lemon pepper
Step I- Preheat oven to 350 deg. Toast coconut on a piece of foil until golden, about 4 min. watching that edges don’t burn. When cool mix with Panko.
Step 2 – Place fish on a lightly oiled cooking surface, a pan or baking sheet. Completely cover the tops with a thin sheet of mayonnaise, more like a veneer. Dust lightly with lemon pepper.
Step 3 – Sprinkle with Panko-coconut mix, and bake 8 min. per 1 inch width of filet, until top is golden, fish puffs slightly and edges bubble. Serve at once
Note: I put the breading mix in an empty herb bottle with a shaker top. It’s easy to apply, and any extra can simply be stored in the bottle.

FUSUIN TILAPIA: Serves 4
4 large Tilapia fillets
3 bunches scallions – also called green onions- trimmed of roots and course green stems
1 Tbs. garlic powder
1 Tbs. powdered ginger
3 Tbs. butter – divided
2 Tbs. oil
2 Tbs. Soy Sauce
½ cup Cream Sherry
(1) 2lb. 4 oz. can sweet potatoes*
2 Tbs. brown sugar
Salt and pepper.

Drain the sweet potatoes. Using 1 Tbs. butter and the brown sugar, and if needed a bit of their own syrup, candy them, either in a skillet on the stove, or in a cooking oil sprayed pan in the oven, as per directions on the can. (I have been known to do this in the microwave, by melting the butter, dissolving the sugar in it, coating the potatoes well, covering and cooking on high for @ 3 min .in one minute intervals.)
Cut white and light green parts of scallions on and angle in 1 ¼ inch pieces. Set aside.
Melt 1 Tbs. butter and 1 Tbs. oil over medium heat, and gently sauté Tilapia, until it becomes white, adding more butter as needed. You may need to do this in batches. Remove to a plate. Add the remainder of the butter and oil then the garlic and ginger to the pan and stir quickly to avoid clumping. Add the Soy Sauce, Sherry and scallion pieces. Stir for 30 sec. Reduce the heat to medium low. Return the fish to the pan and simmer until heated through, about 2 min. Apportion the potatoes on the plates, in the center of each. Serve the fish decoratively leaning slightly against the potatoes. Spoon the scallions and sauce over the fish.
*NOTE: Sweet potatoes can be used straight from the can, leftover, fresh baked or cubed and boiled, even replaced by squash. It’s a matter of preference and what’s on hand.

Baked Flounder Meuniere: Serves 4- Tilapia can also be used
4 flounder filets-about 1 ½ lb.
¾ cup white wine
3 Tbs. butter- cut in small pieces
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley OR 4 tsp. dried
Put the fillets in a glass baking dish, close together but not touching. Pour over the wine and spread the butter pieces equally over the fish then sprinkle the parsley on top, 1 tsp. per fillet. Bake at 350 deg. 5-8 min. per 1 inch of width, basting twice, until fish flakes easily. Serve at once hot, with pan juices as sauce.

Flounder Veronique: Serves 4-Tilapia can also be used
4 large flounder fillets-about 24 oz.
These thin blood veins do not carry sufficient blood to male genital area during sensual cheap viagra prices deeprootsmag.org stimulation. However, moderate viagra free delivery drinking does not harm the sexual performance in the bed, Kamagra Polo makes it possible to control Erectile dysfunction. But it cannot not treat a loss of sexual desire, another culprit in erectile dysfunction, also viagra pfizer suisse affecting orgasm capacity. Along these lines, this is important to get on top of your erectile dysfunction and look for measures to combat it. levitra professional samples More Discounts are one such way of ensuring a healthy sex life despite being affected by erectile dysfunction. ¼ cup butter
¼ cup white wine
¼ tsp. powdered rosemary
Pinch lemon pepper
½ cup milk
1 tsp. cornstarch
1 cup seedless grapes halved-green is traditional
Saute the fish in the butter until it is begins to flake, about 8-10min.add the wine and seasonings, cover and cook over low heat 5 min. Remove fish to a plate and keep warm. Bring pan juices to a boil. Have cornstarch dissolved in milk and add to the pan. Simmer until thickened about 2 min. Add grapes and heat through. Serve fish with hot sauce and grapes over it.

Poached Salmon with Dill Sauce: Serves 4
4 salmon fillets or steaks – about 24 oz.
½ cup mayonnaise
½ cup sour cream
1-1 ½ Tbs. dried dill weed-depending on taste
Mix the mayonnaise and sour cream with the dill until smooth and chill at least a couple of hours in advance to meld flavors. Boil enough water to cover, in a skillet or pot that easily holds all the fish. Slide the fish into the water and poach 5-8 min. per inch of width until it is opaque, firm and a pale pink. Remove from pot one at a time, and run under cold water until cool enough to slip off the skin and, if using steaks, carefully remove the bones without tearing the meat. Plate and chill the fish, covered to prevent drying if being made in advance. When ready to serve, plate the fish and top with equal mounds of the sauce. Garnish with more dill or chopped chives.

Marinated Salmon: Per portion –to be multiplied as needed
(1) 5-6oz salmon filet – skinned
1 Tbs. oil
2 Tbs. maple syrup
2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
2 tsp. bourbon
Whisk the oil, syrup and vinegar and bourbon to combine well.  Pour the marinade over the fish in the baking pan, and turn the filet over a few times to coat both sides. Marinate in the refrigerator at least 1 hr. and up to 4 hrs.  Bake in a preheated 350 deg. oven for 8 min. per inch of width. Baste occasionally with pan juices. Serve at once, with any pan juices that remain and garnished with a sprinkling of freshly cracked black pepper.

Shrimp Kabobs: Serves 4
Cubes of Monkfish, Salmon steak, Swordfish, even Tuna steaks will work in place of shrimp:
2 lbs. extra large (26-30 count) raw shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails on
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 tsp. Tabasco
1 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce
2 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary or equal amount dried
3 cloves minced garlic
1 tsp. dried oregano
¼ tsp. allspice powder
2 lemons – one juiced one in quarters
Kosher salt to taste
Freshly ground pepper
Barbeque Sauce –l optional for dipping
Skewers

Mix all the ingredients but the salt and quartered lemon in a bowl large enough to hold the shrimp. Add the shrimp and marinate, covered at room temperature at least 1 hr. or several hours in the refrigerator. Thread shrimp head to tail on as many skewers as necessary – long metal ones require about 4. Preheat broiler or grill, and cook shrimp until pink and beginning to brown, basting frequently with the marinade. Sprinkle with salt. Serve with lemon quarters.

Shrimp Stew: Serves 4-One of the very few of my recipes using canned soup
1 lb. shrimp-preferably cleaned, raw, size optional -tails off-cooked can be used
2 cans condensed shrimp soup
½ cup milk or half and half
1 stalk celery sliced thin
1 medium-large onion –halved, halves quartered
1 Tbs. oil
1 cup frozen peas
4 oz. can sliced mushrooms- drained
Lemon pepper to taste
Parsley for garnish
Microwave the onion and celery in the oil about 2 min. until crisp tender. In a pot large enough to hold all the ingredients, whisk the soup and the milk until smooth over low heat; stir in the celery and onion with their juices. Stirring, add the peas and raise heat until nearly at a simmer but do not let it boil. Still stilling, add the mushrooms and shrimp and cook until shrimp is cooked-to opaque and pink. Add the lemon pepper to taste and serve hot garnished with parsley, in bowls or optionally over rice.

DEFINING ‘ORGANICS’ AND OTHER‘NATURAL FOODS’TERMS

This is a revision and re-play of a post I first wrote in 2012 and updated in 2015. It seems that every couple of years there’s a trend that specifically focuses on natural foods, the Paleo Diet, now the Millennial’s reconstruction of the meal formula. Over the past three decades, spurred by our increased awareness of the role food plays in maintaining our health and the desire to stay well and active longer the demand for organically produced food has grown.

But, exactly what is “organic” food? Is it that much better than non-organic? Why is it more expensive? Should I switch over to buying it? Do I have to go completely organic? Am I jeopardizing my family if I don’t? What if I can’t afford it? Should I feel guilty if I can’t? Let’s look at the story of organic foods.

In 1878 a tasteless, odorless pesticide was synthesized. It sat around until World War II, when the U.S. Army rediscovered it and devised means of spreading it over large areas. It was credited with eradicating typhus in Europe, and greatly reducing the danger of Malaria and dengue fever in the Pacific. In 1948 it was made available commercially, and farmers hailed it as a miracle. It quickly appeared in everything from household insecticides to flea powder to bug repellent lotions. Its name was DDT. Then in 1964, biologist Rachel Carson wrote the book The Silent Spring, in which she claimed that DDT was extinguishing bird populations, especially the Bald Eagle, by making their food sources toxic and robbing them of the ability to produce egg shells strong enough to support the weight of the mother bird. In 1974 the production and use of DDT was banned and the public became suspicious of pesticides.

A few years later, the effects of an ex-foliating herbicide called Agent Orange, used in Vietnam, became evident and people became suspicious of chemicals that killed weeds as well. The simple solution was to assure the safety of food by eating products grown naturally, unaided by manufactured chemicals. Actually, it was a return to the ways of the past, but now it was a movement with a name “Organics”.

As with DDT the ex-foliate made its way to market. Named ‘Round Up’, it is marketed and widely used cosmetically for driveways etc. This time, however, there are additional factors in play. Agriculturally, the problem was that its effectiveness was of great commercial value as a labor-saver, but it killed the cops as well as the weeds. Previously all the agricultural experimentation had been done by colleges and universities under Federal Grants. Hence, the results were public domain but with such profits at stake, private corporations entered the field. In the early 1980s one of those labs developed a soy plant which could survive the poison and in a landmark move the U.S. issued the first patent for a living organism for the seed and the process which developed it.

This was the first synthetically Genetically Modified Organism and GMOs have since become a heated topic. Man had been genetically modifying plants since farming began by selective and cross breeding, changing soil and locations—all natural means. The results from ancient to modern are in every market, nectarines, broccoli, cherry tomatoes, but this is different because non-plant genes are being added for cosmetic and commercial purposes. Combined with the current focus on promoting sustainable foods and eliminating chemicals and synthetics in preparation, many feel there is reason for concern. First let’s clear up a possible confusion, GMOs can be grown organically. They are two separate issues. As for that matter, the other categories of food whole, natural etc., defined below can be grown non-organically.

As to what precisely constitutes “Organic” and how can you be sure you’re buying it. Well, the USDA certifies organic products with a green and white PLU (Price Look Up) sticker. To earn this seal the product needs to be verified by 50 accredited certification agents as containing 95% organically produced ingredients. The seal will bear a 5 digit code beginning with the number 9. Products containing 70% organic ingredients often bear stamps carrying the word, but they are not green and white and their codes are 4 digits beginning with the number 8.

According to the Mayo Clinic organic farming is designed to encourage soil and water conservation and reduce pollution by using frequent crop rotation, natural fertilizer, water with no sewage sludge, and mulch only, with no synthetics, to control weeds. No conventional, manufactured fertilizers or pesticides are allowed. In organic husbandry, certified meat and dairy must come from animals never injected with growth hormones, fed food with additives or irradiated, raised in confined or unclean areas, denied access to the outdoors, given preventative medications and/or antibiotics. The cuts of meat cannot be injected with saline to boost weight.

While discussing definitions, I want to clear up a possible confusion. Organic foods are always natural, but products presented as “Natural Foods” are not always organic. For example, nuts in shell and dried fruits may be 100% natural but not grown organically or may have preservatives added. The International Food and Agriculture Organization Codex Alimenturius doesn’t recognize this category on the grounds that that all foods are natural, but admits any processing alters them. Different countries have different policies about natural foods; a fact to remember when buying exports.

The U.K. has a code defined by process and product to include various types of food. It bans anything derived from cloning or created by process from a” natural” labeling. Canada’s code defines only by process, allowing just water to be removed and no vitamins, minerals or additives to be introduced. Israel’s code concerns only process allowing 33 different treatments, all physical, none chemical. By contrast the U.S. has no definitions of “natural” foods, but it discourages the use of the word on labels of poultry whose weight has been increased over 25% by water injection. I wonder if that extends to ham.

Abrupt discontinuation can cause dangerous spikes in blood pressure – especially when taken with a beta-blocker. 7) DiureticsDiuretics come in three classes:Thiazide Diuretics -Loop Diuretics -Potassium-sparing Diuretics -Diuretics work by causing the kidneys to excrete sodium and water in the urine – on line cialis resulting in an abnormal production of hair. Having basic computer skills can make people better at their jobs and also more attractive to employers. levitra without prescription In case of any deficiency or imbalance of any sort could purchase cialis cause abnormal bleeding. There is no cure for erectile dysfunction but the number of distressed houses in the inventory of the banks. generic cialis no prescription “Whole Foods” are not interchangeable with organics either. These are foods that are unpolished, and minimally processed before being consumed, with no added ingredients, not even salt but again, need not have been organically grown. They consist of mainly high fiber items, like grains, beans, and fruits, but also include non-hydrogenated dairy such as milk and cheese. The FDA dictates that anything labeled “Whole Grain” contain the bran, endosperm and germ of the grain. Makes me wonder about a lot of the breads and cereals I see in the markets.

“Raw Foods” are the ones most likely to have been grown organically, because they are intended to be consumed in their natural state, or never heated above 104 degrees, and contain no whole grains, beans or soy. People who buy raw foods, mainly vegans, are understandably concerned about ingesting chemical residue. Interestingly, India is experiencing a Raw Organic Movement that had seen a 22% increase annually over the past few years. It brought in $57 billion last year and is projected to be worth $104 billion by 2015. Due to the nature of the products, it’s doubtful if much will ever exported but the movement itself may be.

Now, with any confusion of terms out of the way, let’s get back to organics. The Environmental Working Group, a non-profit organization, publishes an annual list of non-organic foods to avoid called “The Dirty Dozen”. Since the list is always more than 12, and changes every year, due to weather conditions, drought, rain fall, frost, which affect chemical residues on crops, and insect populations, it’s wiser to remember the categories: thin skinned tree fruits, berries and grapes, leafy vegetables like lettuce, spinach and kale, low growing vegetables like tomatoes, celery and cucumbers and shallow root ones like radishes, carrots and white potatoes. I understand why citrus fruits, peas, bananas and melons are never on the list, but I don’t get why cabbage, sweet potatoes, asparagus, broccoli, kiwi or eggplant aren’t either, but they aren’t These are general guidelines, and it’s smart to check out the latest annual listings, especially after extreme weather conditions. Just plug Dirty Dozen Foods into a search engine.

Incorporating organic foods into the diet is beneficial for everyone, particularly the elderly and ill, but it can be very important for babies and toddlers, especially if you’re making their food. By the way, baby food is a cinch; I’m just finishing a book on it now titled Children’s Fare. Actually the nutritionists appear to be more concerned about encouraging people to focus on organic meats and dairy than produce because of the possible effects of growth hormones. However, the benefits of organic milk over non-organic are few, so long as the label states the no rBST hormones were used to stimulate milk production.

Are there any downsides to buying organics? Of course! The biggest is that organically grown food is about 50% more expensive than conventionally. It requires more land, and taxes, to ergonomically rotate crops and allow livestock free-range. Far more labor is needed to hand weed, mulch and guard against fungus and pests by natural means. Add to this that organic farmers in the U.S. get no subsidy, and it becomes an unprofitable undertaking. In other words organic farms produce substantially less than conventional ones. Moreover, produce allowed to ripen naturally and not preserved, must get to market faster and will spoil quicker than the conventionally preserved. Incidentally, a note here, farmers in the U.S. earning less than $5000.00 per year from organic products needn’t label them, So if you go to a Farmers’ Market, ask the vendor about the produce.

Are there any ways to make regular food safer? Yes! Rinsing is the most important. Remove any soil and then soak in a solution of ½ part water ½ part vinegar for 5 mins. or wipe well with a solution of 1cup water, 1Tbs. lemon juice and 1Tbs.baking soda, or simply diluted dish detergent followed by water. Of course you can also buy one of the commercial “washes”, but that rather blows the “organic” doesn’t it? Be sure to do this before cutting, because a knife blade can carry pesticide residue into the flesh, and wash all utensils frequently.

Are there ways to buy organic food on a budget? Again Yes! The most obvious way is to comparison shop, especially if looking for milk. Stay seasonal, and, if possible, contact local growers, perhaps through visiting Farm Markets, to see if you can avoid the commercial mark-ups. Plan menus ahead featuring available produce, estimating the prices into your budget, before shopping. Be willing to make budget cuts or buying other items, snacks and sweets, for example, to accommodate the extra costs. Buy the dried foods, beans, rice etc. in economy sizes. Perhaps you have someone who will share bulk purchases from warehouse stores, to save money. There are high price and lower priced organic foods. Find ways to balance your purchases between them, either through menu planning, or by combining them in a casserole. Become familiar with the Dirty Dozen, and find ways to combine organic, with safe non-organic foods as described above. There are coupons for organic foods on the web, but avoid ordering things there, because it will cost too much in shipping, and depending on the vender and item possibly take too long to arrive. If you have space, learn to freeze and/or can. Finally, try growing your own produce, but I should warn you, my neighbors tried that last year. After some “wiffy” days, a rather cute infestation of lady bugs and a surplus of zucchini, the local rabbits got most of the tomatoes and beans, they sodded over the plot. It had cost far more in supplies than they could have saved even with bumper crops.

This highlights the main problem. Organic farming is expensive and labor intensive with a proportionately low yield. Basically all farming was organic before the industrial revolution and the population explosion. It’s the way the Third World nations still farm, struggling to feed their own people. The truth is that without modern farming techniques, and that includes some genetically altered crops, we wouldn’t be able to feed ourselves. Moreover, organic farming requires more space than conventional, due to the extra land needed for proper crop rotation, making it too expensive for practicality on a large scale. Add in the weather variables and there’s the potential for disaster. England has an experiment Thanet Earth in Kent, enclosing acres in vast greenhouses, but its success is unknown as yet. The truth is, until a solution is, or can be found we’re going to have to depend for most of our food, on modern, conventional farming techniques and methods. Hopefully, we can make those safer. Though organic husbandry requires land, sufficient to allow the animals free range, it’s then a matter of keeping their housing clean, their food pure, their fields free of artificial fertilizers and pesticides, and above all, never giving them anything to modify their growth or productivity. It’s actually a case of doing less rather than more, and leaving the animals to develop as nature intended. That should be somewhat easier to achieve. Let’s hope, as awareness of the benefits of eating organically increases, ways will be found to increase production of and access to these foods, so we may all eat healthier. For now, however, cost and availability are considerations.

I believe that, with all the controversy over GMOs and the difference between produce improved by lab created ones as opposed to the increasingly popular ‘heritage’ produce created through cross breeding, there will be a new category of food recognized soon. I suppose it could be called ‘artificial’ as opposed to ‘natural’. Once again, either could be organically grown, but it would give the consumer a wider choice. Obviously, the artificial varieties, since they would be modified to need less care concerning pests, fungus, soil, perhaps even water could be a less expensive, yet still organic, alternative.

Finally, it is also very important to remember that the “organic” label is no guarantee against products causing food borne illnesses. Many contaminants can be introduced between the field and the table. Your best protection is to always buy from reliable sources, constantly wash your hands, counters and tools to avoid cross contamination, keep the cooking area chemical free, and be sure to maintain the proper temperature for storage and cooking of each item.

CHOOSING MEATS TODAY FOR TOMORROW

For over 30 years the structure of the food supply system in the U.S. has been changing, and those changes have made themselves manifest during the past decade, some good, some bad and many controversial, such as the introduction of lab-generated GMOs. In addition, we are now concerned with the world-wide effects of global warming, and acknowledge the depletion and/or pollution of our natural resources. Our desire for a healthy diet extends beyond the plate to wanting food produced ecologically, with little harm to the planet. This means supporting stainable sources and closely monitoring production and preparation of foods in every category.
Of course, this includes meat and sadly for beef-loving Americans, the focus is on cattle. For several years commercial herds have been fed corn instead of their natural diet of grass. This has changed the flavor and texture of the meat to the extent that a gourmet magazine recently described what we see in markets as ‘pasty’. Another consequence is that cattle naturally produce E-Coli in the second stomach, and dispel it in the third stomach but only on a grass diet. When corn fed, there must be careful butchering or cross contamination can occur.
Unfortunately, the once powerful Meat Packers Union, with its excellent training, has all but disappeared, taking with it knowledge of several favorite lower priced cuts, like the flank and the brisket. Currently, the steak choices remain the same but the chuck (arm) and round (rump) pieces are sold as roasts, when formerly they were used for ground meat or stews. The meat from the steer’s under carriage, site of those other cuts, is ground and sold by percentage of fat at inflated prices.
This situation has helped to bring about the return of the independent butcher, a man who knows all the cuts and buys whole carcasses of grass fed beef from an independent rancher. The meat is safe and flavorful but expensive leading to the development of recipes showcasing small amounts of i in complimentary pairings, proving ‘less is more’. For more information and recipes, see postings 8/12/15,1/5/17, 1/19/17, 1/26/17 found on the panorama on the site Home Page.
Unfortunately, if we no longer have the room to properly graze cattle on grass, since it takes two years to be marketable and only reproduces itself once a year, in a single birth, and requires trained butchers, it’s not considered sustainable. It’s no longer ecologically friendly or economically feasible for the average family to rely upon beef as a meal staple. Let’s hope the commercial interests responsible for this situation can remedy it. Until then; “Beef, it’s not what’s for dinner anymore.”
Pork, America’s new ‘go-to’ is a better choice. Pigs grow quickly, produce several litters a year, are omnivores, eating everything making them easy to feed, and they consume about half the quantity of food that cattle need. They also take up less space, being able to be penned. Although part of the movement toward producing heritage hogs with a finer quality of meat, is to let them roam free in a limited space allowing them to root naturally for vegetation.

Pork is deemed a sustainable meat. It is reasonably priced, offers the option of being smoked, giving it a long shelf life. Hogs are ecologically agreeable to raise and reproduce rapidly. It has dietary restrictions for humans but is easily replace in recipes by poultry, another reasonable, sustainable category of meat.

Lamb, another sustainable meat, is about to make a come-back. Sheep graze differently than beef, nibbling the grass rather than uprooting, so it regrows like a mowed lawn. They have a wider diet, are able to feed on moss, lichens, weeds and low shrubs with no ill effects and don’t need a flat terrain. Although they too, reproduce only once a year, usually in a single birth, they do have the added advantage providing wool.

The unpopular thing with lamb is its name. If the meat were labeled ‘sheep’ or ‘mutton’, I think it would be more readily accepted. ‘Lamb’ conjures images of a baby animal romping in a meadow, a turn-off for many people, especially children.

Chicken has always been considered a sustainable meat source. They grow and reproduce quickly; are easy to feed, can be contained in one area and provide another source of protein too – eggs. Free range is best, farm raised are good, but ‘factory raised’ are bad for the environment. Having so many birds confined in limited space makes the droppings alone a pollutant. The chicks are artificially hatched; force fed, live in an artificial environment and are mass slaughtered at 9 weeks for the broiler- fryers, and 12 weeks for the roasters. Needless to say, this creates a huge waste-disposal problem. The same rule holds for all poultry, ducks, turkeys, game hens, factory raised is not environmentally acceptable.

SOME LIKELY NEW ADDITIONS TO THE MEAT SECTION. It’s only natural, with all the concerns mentioned in the beginning of this post, especially those concerning our shrinking resources that we extend our reach to include sustainable meats overlooked until now. Here’s a list of likely candidates you may see in the markets soon, followed by a few recipes to give you ideas of how to prepare them if you’ve never eaten them.

Rabbit is the poster for sustainable meat. It’s easily raised, grows quickly, leaves no footprint on the environment and is famous for its ability to reproduce. The rabbits bred for table aren’t the backyard cottontail. They are can weigh up to 20 lb. and I’ve only seen them sold in parts, labeled much like chicken, breast, thighs, legs –no wings. Rabbit used to be in supermarkets in the 90s, and can still be found in upscale ones, frozen, not in the frozen case but in a bin, with turkeys, ducks and game hens. In fact rabbit is much like chicken in color, texture and taste and can be served in many chicken recipes which require slightly longer cooking because it can be a bit tougher.

Goat is another sustainable meat that leaves no footprint on the environment. It’s the ‘pig’ of herbivores able to eat almost anything with no ill effects. Like sheep, it nibbles as it grazes and can stand even more rugged terrains than sheep, finding food almost anywhere in any climate. Goat meat is very lean, lighter and sweeter than lamb. I’ve eaten it often, with enjoyment, but always in a dish with other ingredients or in kabobs, never seen it served as a roast. I did see legs on sale in Switzerland, so I guess it can be prepared that way. I was surprised to see goat sold in large bags of cubes in a primarily Caribbean market recently. The price was more than competitive with that of other meats, so who knows? Goat may be going main-stream sooner than we think. If you haven’t tried it, do if you get the chance.

Squab or dove (pigeon) was popular in the 1920s-1940s and I still saw it in my market in the 1990s, but was surprised when I asked my market butcher about them recently and he had never heard of them. All dark meat about the size of a game hen, they’re usually roasted. Once again these aren’t the birds in the park. They’re raised for table and their feed is controlled. On the other hand, they’re easier to raise than chickens. They roost high, so there’s less danger of predators and though they fly free, a flock will usually stick together, returning each night to a structure called a Dovecote. In Europe many large houses have dovecotes attached to the roofs, or built in towers close by. Squabs reproduce in spring, like most birds, and if consistently fed in one location won’t venture far, so they’re easy to raise. They’re hardy and, except for droppings in the area where they gather and the dovecote, easy on the environment.

Guinea hens are another poultry recommendation for the meat parade. Like squab their meat is dark but more gamey, suitable for dishes with sauces rather than roasting. They’re low-maintenance, easily raised and a plus is that they thrive on insects like ticks. Territorial. They stick together and don’t attempt to stray.

Venison is delicious, and the ultimate in a self-sustaining, environmentally friendly food source. It’s prolific and many states have lengthened their hunting season to reduce the numbers. If you don’t know a hunter, there are plenty of places online to order it. These places butcher according to USDA standards and will send you any quantity you want. In addition, police departments in many states contract with butchers to make the meat from auto collision deer fatalities into sausage which they sell to benefit their charities. I can tell you it’s some of the best sausage I’ve ever tasted. There are loads of recipes for venison, especially in older cookbooks, gourmet and sporting books. If you’re really feeling adventurous, I understand these places sell moose, elk and caribou too.

Here are some recipes to help you on your way
Rabbit in Cream Sauce: Serves 2-4
1 rabbit in pieces
½ cup flour
½ tsp. each freshly ground salt and pepper + 1 tsp. salt
1 ½ tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. dried thyme
5-6 slices of bacon
1-2 Tbs. oil – if needed
½ cup stock – chicken or beef
1 cup sour cream
2 Tbs. chopped parsley

Mix the flour with the seasonings and dredge the rabbit well. Saute the bacon until crisp and set aside. Brown the rabbit in the bacon fat adding oil if needed. Reduce the heat, add the stock, cover and simmer about 10 min. until rabbit is tender. Transfer to a plate and keep warm. Skim fat if necessary. Add cream, parsley and 1 tsp. salt to the pan. Heat through gently, but don’t let it boil. Serve hot sauce over the meat and garnish with crumbled bacon.
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Jamaican Curried Goat: Serves 4-6
1 ½ lb. cubed goat meat
4 scallions thinly sliced
2 Tbs. curry powder-divided
2 medium onions diced
3-4 cloves garlic- crushed
2 Tbs. oil + more if needed
1 Tbs. butter
Sprig of fresh thyme or ½ tsp. dried
1/3 Scotch Bonnet or other hot pepper about ½ Tbs.
Salt and pepper
2 cups hot water
Chutney, nuts, raisins ,shredded coconut
Mix meat with 1 Tbs. curry powder, all the seasonings and scallions and marinate 30 min. to 1 hr. Scrape off and reserve seasonings. Heat oil and brown meat. Return seasonings to pot add water, and cook over medium heat until meat is tender, about 40 min. Add onions, remaining curry, Scotch bonnet and butter. Cook 10 min. more. Serve over hot rice, and pass the chutney, nuts, raisins and coconut.

Squabs with Black Olives: Serves 4
4 squabs
2 Tbs. butter
1 garlic clove- mashed
1 small onion finely chopped
1 medium carrot grated
¼ cup each chopped celery leaves and fresh parsley
1 egg
Enough lightly toasted pieces of white bread to equal 2 cups when wet
Sufficient milk or cream to moisten bread
½ tsp. poultry seasoning
Salt and pepper
(1) 7 oz. jar Kalamata black olives
4 slices bacon or 2 slices turkey ham

Lightly sauté the vegetables and herbs in the butter. Mix in the other ingredients except the olives. Clean the birds and stuff the cavities with the bread-vegetable mixture. Place in a roasting pan and top each with the bacon or turkey ham. Pour the olive juice and ½ the olives over and roast in a 350 deg. oven for 1 ½ -2 hrs. or until birds are done. If liquid is low add broth. Add the rest of the olives at the end to heat through. Deglaze the pan with more broth or white wine if needed. Serve drippings with birds and use olives as garnish.

Broiled Venison Steaks: Serves 4
4 Venison steaks 1 – 1 ½ inches thick
Coarsely ground pepper and salt
2 Tbs. finely chopped onion
4-6 Tbs. butter
Dash salt
2 + drops hot sauce or to taste
Press the coarsely ground salt and pepper into each side of the steaks and broil or grill about 4-5 min per side until well browned. Meanwhile melt ½ the butter on a heated plate, add the onion, dash salt and hot sauce. When meat is done put it on the plate and top with the rest of the butter. Turn the steaks over in the sauce several times. Cut the meat into strips and serve topped with juices from plate.

GIRL SCOUTS GET A ZEBRA CAKE

(Book XIII in the Lilly Likes to Cook series, available on site, on Amazon and in our Etsy store)

Girl Scout cookie time brings back memories. As the mother of two daughters, both of whom spent elementary school in Brownies then Scouts, with no overlapping years, I put in a long time as an ‘Involved Mother’. I’m reminded of a den filled with cases of cookies, and frigid Saturdays selling them, but I’m also reminded of what a great organization it is and that inspired Book XIII of my Lilly Likes to Cook Series; Girl Scouts Get a Zebra Cake.

The Lilly Likes to Cook series is based on my experiences working with children in the kitchen. In fact, the first book stems from my older daughter’s wish one Father’s Day to bake her Daddy a cake. I confess I forgot to grease the pans which led to a tearful episode. Thankfully Daddy was on the golf course at the time and fortunately, by a stroke of luck, I thought of the solution. The result was as much of a success as it is in ‘Making a Cake for Molly’.

This series is the ongoing story of Lilly, an 8 year old girl, who learns that cooking is more than just making something to eat. Her journey starts with a cake disaster which, to her delight, she watches in fascination being turned into a triumph. She decides then that she wants to learn to cook.

Often helped by her sister Brianne 13, she makes cookies for an Uncle overseas, helps her mother with the meatball booth at her school fair, makes lunch for her grandmother, cooks dinner with Brianne, and has other adventures. Along the way, Lilly discovers that cooking can be fun, creative, thought provoking, and very rewarding, especially when it provides a way to help people, make new friends, or strengthen relationships. She also finds that her new interest teaches lessons about life that hold true away from the kitchen. All the books in the series contain recipes that are easy to make, require minimal kitchen skills, are child friendly and adult pleasing.
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In this book, Lilly’s Girl Scout Troop has signed up for a booth at the town’s Crafts for Charity event. The girls are excited about earning badges, but, when their leader first suggested the project, had worried about what they could make to sell. Then Lily’s friend Zoe suggested making a variation on a craft she had taught the troop several months before and they all voted to do it. A special Saturday was scheduled for a group work meeting.

Zoe is as into crafts as Lilly is into cooking. In fact, it was each girl’s ability to focus on a special interest at such a young age that formed the special bond between them and made then BFFs. So when Lilly decides to make a treat to reward the girls on that Saturday, after a hard day’s work, she drafts Zoe to help her make a Zebra Cake.

This book tells the story of Lilly’s Girl Scout troop crafting the stock items and manning their booth at the town fair. It contains detailed instructions on how to make an attractive, colorful, warm blanket throw with no sewing and how to make a Zebra Cake with no mixing, bowls, pans or cooking. Both activities need minimal to no adult supervision depending on age and responsibility level, but both are also interesting for, and appreciated by adults. The blanket requires only a scissors, ruler, chalk and pins and/or a stapler. The cake can be made using just a plate and a butter knife. It’s the perfect gift for a Girl Scout or activity book, as are all the books in the series, especially for rainy days.

Find this book, and the rest of the series, on our Bookshelf by clicking on this page’s Header or the window in the right margin. It can also be found on Amazon and in our Etsy store.

7 PERFECT DESSERTS FOR VALENTINE’S DAY

Valentine’s Day is near and the media is crowded with recipes and menus for ‘dinners for two’. I’ve made a lot of dinners for two, but, looking back, I realized few have been for Valentine’s Day. Most of those have been happily celebrated in restaurants. So I’m taking a different approach with a suggestion that combines the easy but still retains the personal touch in observing the holiday.

I spent my bachelorette days in a city filled with good restaurants and interesting people, who appreciated food but normally ate out. I still haven’t figured the chicken-egg sequence there. Then came marriage, children and Valentine’s Day became a ‘date night’ on the next free Saturday. Naturally, ‘empty nesting’ involves regularly having dinners for two, but for an event like this, a special restaurant, with others doing the work, is choice of most people I know.

The plain truth is that, unless two people enjoy cooking together, the simple mechanics of serving a dinner can cause jarring interruptions to conversation and concentration at a time when such distractions are unwelcome. Add to this the stress of getting everything right, while appearing calm and interested, or trying to time a dish while concentrating on conversation, can be a spoiler. My advice is, whether you eat in or take out, even fast food, let someone else make the entrée, then have a wonderfully romantic dessert ready to serve at home with liqueur or wine or espresso. This allows people to spend time together, yet ends the evening on the proper note.

I’m listing 7 desserts below which fill the bill. Two are more spectacular, three need a few seconds of finishing touches and two are table ready, but all can be served quickly and with little effort. Don’t let the first two scare you, they really are simple to make and the recipes easy to divide.

Bananas Foster with Grapes: Serves 4
4 ripe bananas –choose chunky ones – peeled and halved
½ lb. seedless grapes – halved
½ cup butter
2 lemons juiced
1 cup sugar
½ tsp. cinnamon – optional
¼ cup rum
Toasted slices of pound cake or ice cream
Melt the butter in a sauce pan over medium-high heat or in a chafing dish. Arrange bananas in the dish and sprinkle over ½ the sugar and lemon juice. Keep adding the sugar and turning the bananas. When slightly brown add the grapes and cinnamon and toss gently in the sauce. When grapes are heated through, add the rum and set ablaze. Be sure to blow out the flames because the sugar will continue to burn. Serve warn over ice cream or toasted cake slices. I see no reason this can’t be made ahead, kept at room temperature and gently reheated in the microwave to serve.
NOTE: The rum can be omitted, or extract can be substituted to taste, and don’t try to set ablaze.

Cherries Jubilee: Serves 8
1 lb.4oz.can of pitted black Bing cherries
2 tsp. lemon juice
1 Tbs. cornstarch
¼ cup sugar
1 Tbs. butter
Pinch salt
Drain cherries, reserve 1 cup juice. Mix the sugar, cornstarch and salt with the juice in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat and simmer, stirring, until thickened, about 3 min. Add the butter and lemon juice. Cool and add the cherries. Serve over ice cream of preferred flavor. This presents better if the ice cream is cut into square blocks rather than scooped. The ice cream can be ready on plates in the freezer hours ahead. Sauce may need gentle reheating before serving to pour easily.
NOTE: Optionally, make or reheat the sauce in a chafing dish. Add 1 Tbs. brandy at the finish and ignite, then pour over the ice cream.

Cranberry Crisp: Serves 6
12 oz. fresh cranberries=2 cups
1/3 cup sugar
½ cup chopped walnuts
1 egg
½ cup of flour
½ cup sugar
3/4 cup butter- melted
Lightly grease a 9 inch pie plate. Fill with berries, top with 1/3 cup sugar and nuts. Beat egg until foamy, beat in butter, flour and remaining sugar until batter is smooth. Pour over berries. Bake in a preheated 325 deg. oven until browned, about 45 min. This is best served warm with ice cream or whipped cream.
NOTE: This can be stored, the berries in the pie plate, covered, and the batter in a container in the refrigerator for about 3 days. Combine and bake. Itt can also be reheated in the microwave the day after baking.

Cranberry-Nut Tart: Serves 8-10
(1) 9 inch unbaked pie shell
2 cups sliced apples
½ cup halved cranberries
8 oz. cream cheese
½ cup brown sugar – divided
1 egg
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup quick cooking or regular oats
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¼ cup toasted chopped walnuts
Mix cheese with ½ the sugar until blended, mix in egg and pour into shell. Toss half the cinnamon and fruit and spread over filling. Mix the oats, remaining sugar and cinnamon, cut in butter and add nuts. Spread over fruit. Bake in a preheated 350 deg. oven 40-45 min. until lightly browned. Cool slightly before serving or serve at room temperature.

Chocolate-Burnt Almond Snowballs: Serves 2
½ cup chopped toasted almonds—salted is O.K.
2 scoops vanilla ice cream
¼ cup chocolate sauce (dark)- more if needed
Carve out 2 scoops of ice cream and store in coldest part of freezer. Toast nuts again until very well browned, almost black in spots. Put the nuts in a shallow bowl and roll each ice cream ball in them covering completely as if breading. Return the ice cream to the freezer until ready to serve. To serve, plate the ice cream and pour half the sauce over each. Top with whipped cream and a cherry if desired.
*Don’t be tempted to try other flavors. Vanilla fudge is O.K. but other flavors mask the almond taste

Chocolate-Covered Strawberries: Serves 4
You can have this dessert ready for any unexpected event or add a sweet touch to a stormy night.
(1) 12 oz. bag of chocolate chips-milk, semi-sweet or a mixture
1/3 cup cream-heavy is best, light will do
2 Tbs. brandy –optional
Strawberries fit this occasion  but other fruits work too as do cookies, pretzels and squares of toasted pound cake  for dipping.
Melt the chocolate, ideally in a fondue pot, but 1 min. microwaved in a safe bowl will do. Stir in the cream and blend well, then the liquor if using. Place the bowl, or fondue pot, in the center of a plate, surrounded by pieces of fruit or other dippers,and serve with short bamboo skewers or fondue forks for dipping. Have a stack of napkins handy too!

Biscotti*- I’m including a recipe for chocolate biscotti, along with the classic one, because it seems fitting for Valentine’s. Traditionally biscotti are dunked in a sweet wine, Marsala, Madera, Port, but spiced rum or brandy will do as well   Served with coffee they make an excellent end to a fine meal. Yield=20.* Recipes from Moosewood Restaurant’s New Classics Cookbook

Classic Almond Biscotti
¼ cup butter
¾ cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. almond extract
2 tsp. grated orange peel
2 1/3 cups flour
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
½ cup chopped raw almonds – toasted at 350 deg. for 5-10 min.
Cream the butter and sugar until light; add the orange, eggs and extracts and mix well. Fold in the almonds. Sift the dry ingredients and fold into the wet ones until the dough is uniform and holds together when lightly pressed. With floured hands and a spatula, scoop the dough onto an oiled baking sheet and form into a 12 x 3 inch log.  Flatten to a thickness of 1 inch making the log 14 x 4 inches.
Bake at 350 deg. on the top rack of the oven for about 20 min. Remove to a cutting board and allow to c. until the log is firm. Cut into ¾ inch slices and bake again for about 5 min. on each side. Cool on a rack
Serve on a plate surrounding a bowl of sweet wine for dipping. Stored air-tight, these keep for weeks. In Italy, Vin Santo is used.

Chocolate Biscotti
¼ cup butter
¾ cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. almond extract
½ cup dried cherries- reconstituted in 1 cup boiling water and dried on towels.
2cups +2 Tbs. flour
½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
½ cup chopped toasted raw almonds (optional)*
Follow the directions above, folding the cherries, chocolate chips and almonds, if using, into the egg mixture in that order. Sift the dry ingredients and fold into wet mix as described, then shape loaves of dough and cook as instructed above.  This version is excellent dipped in coffee as well as wine.

UNDERSTANDING CARBS SO THEY DON’T GO TO WAIST

For the past few weeks, I’ve been talking about eating healthier while adjusting to the changes in our country’s food supply. For years, nutritionists have been advising to eat less meat, and that movement has been given impetus by the Millennial’s interest in sustainable food sources. The focus is on fresh with clean, straightforward preparation, preferably ‘from scratch’ with no mixes or prepared products.

This is not a budget movement. Though the drill is to eat less meat, it’s also to eat better meat, grass fed beef, heritage pork and to include a variety of more sustainable meats such as goat and even game. The loss of protein from the meat quantity is compensated by the addition of protein rich carbohydrates, nuts, cheese, seeds, grains and beans, which also up the fiber content, all healthy improvements.

So it’s important to understand carbs and how to use them. That’s right USE them. Protein builds muscle, and fiber keeps the body functioning, but carbs give us energy for everything from lifting a hand to running a race. This is done by converting carbohydrates into glucose, which is then released in the bloodstream. The body considers this so valuable, that it creates cells to store what we don’t use. We call layers of these cells ‘fat’. It’s therefore necessary to have an idea of how much energy we need to avoid consuming excess carbohydrates which, converted into glucose, has to be stored resulting in a weight gain.

All foods, with the exception of pure fats, oils and meats, contain carbohydrates. Sugar and items made of sugar, like candy, are called ‘simple’ carbohydrates. They convert and enter the bloodstream quickly giving us short spurts of energy or ‘sugar highs’ but the unused glucose from simple carbs converts to cells just as fast, mainly because these carbs contain little or no fiber.

‘Complex’ carbohydrates are foods with fiber content which slow down the digestive process allowing the glucose to enter the bloodstream gradually, giving us sustainable energy to get through the day. This is why fruits with lots of natural sugars are still considered complex carbs and healthier than candy. A medium banana has 105 calories and 27 grams of carbohydrates while 2 Tablespoons of sugar are 100 calories with 26 grams of carbs, but the banana has 3 grams of fiber while the sugar has none. Consequently, the sugar can be absorbed in a short time, whereas the banana will take several hours, allowing time for us to use more of the energy it provides.

Packaged foods cause confusion about carbs because processing ingredients can change the value of the result. Refining removes much of the fiber in an item by stripping the hulls or skins and grinding the meat into a fine powder. As a result, the finished product is digested much faster more like a simple carbohydrate and can be blamed for weight gain. This is why so many processed foods have bad reps, white flour, cornstarch, white rice and of course sugar.

I remember a woman in my gym gloating that she had devised the perfect diet and lost 5 lbs. by eating nothing white. When reminded of skim milk, egg whites and cauliflower, she simply shrugged that some things were always sacrificed. The woman was confusing foods containing processed ingredients like white bread and sauces, with whole foods. She didn’t understand that what we refer to as ‘starchy,’ fattening foods are the processed ones. A plain baked potato is an excellent, filling snack, corn and beans are universally recognized as healthy food, but process them to a powder and they lose value.

The amount of energy we consume is calculated in units called calories, based on the body’s basil metabolic rate, or the essential amounts needed to perform the vital functions. Carbohydrates and protein both contain 4 calories per gram, so to figure out the calorie content of a food from carbs alone, simply multiply the grams of carbs by 4. If an item has 12 carbs, it has 48 calories from carbs. Fiber doesn’t contribute to calories.

According to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, between 45 and 65 percent of the calories in your daily diet should come from carbohydrates. So if you know your caloric requirement, you can roughly calculate your carbohydrate one by dividing by 2 and again by 4. Remember though, all carbs are not of equal use to your body. Stay with the complex ones, especially if your diet is medically advised or cosmetic.

To read a food label, grams of carbohydrates are listed in the left-hand column and the math is done for you based on a 2,000-calorie daily diet. The carbohydrate percent daily value is calculated at 300 grams. This is called the DV, and is based on a standard recommendation according to the Food and Drug Administration. You’ll have to adjust it to comply with your personal requirements.

I find keeping track of the smaller numbers of carbs easier than thousands of calories and I can focus on choosing the right ones, especially when watching my weight. Moreover, I’ve learned from experience, that supervising carbohydrates rather than calories is more important to some medical diets, for example, diabetes.

I’m listing a few recipes below that show how satisfying dinners can be created using less meat and healthy, fresh alternatives to balance the meal. Nutritional values quoted are for a single serving but recipes serve 4. For more recipes, see post of Jan.19,2017.

Basil Pork Wafers with Spinach-Fennel Fruit Salad: Serves 4( Photo on post for Jan, 26, 2017)
1 lb. thin pork cutlets or wafers
(1) 2.5 oz. bag spinach leaves
2 Grapefruit
3 oranges
1 medium fennel bulb
4 Tbs. Chopped toasted walnuts
2 Tbs. dried basil
2 tsp. garlic powder
½ Tbs. oil
1 Tbs. poppy seeds –optional
Slivers of cheddar cheese
1 cup brown rice cooked to 2 cups total

If using pork cutlets, pound them thin. Sprinkle ½ the basil and ½ the garlic in a pan to hold the meat without crowding, put the meat in the pan and sprinkle with the rest of the garlic and herbs. Cover the pan with foil and bake in a 250 deg. oven for an hour. This can be done ahead and kept in the refrigerator or frozen. Bring to room temperature and gently reheat before plating. Remove the meat from the pan. Stir the rice in the pan drippings smooth it out and broil until slightly dry
While meat cooks, remove fennel fronds and cut the bulb in quarters, then in thin slices. Halve the fruits and remove the meat to a plate, juice fruit. Place the juice in a bowl with the poppy seeds if using, then add fennel and microwave for 1 ½ min. Allow mixture to cool and remove fennel with a slotted spoon.
To plate: divide all the dinner elements in 4 parts. Fan pork slices on one side of each plate, and using a spatula, place about ½ cup of rice in 2 portions at right angles on the opposite side. Fill the center with spinach, topped with fennel slices, then fruit. Drizzle the dressing over and garnish with nuts and cheese. Reserved fennel fronds make an elegant topping.
Cal. 500, Carb.40 gr, Protein 37 gr. Fiber 14 gr., Fat17 gr

Pepper-Olive Chicken Bundles: Serves 4
4 chicken thighs-bone removed, skin left on-pounded thin
6 pitted green olives- roughly chopped
6 pitted ripe olives-roughly chopped OR (1) 2.5 oz. can sliced
4 fire roasted red peppers—jarred is O.K.
1 jarred pepperoncini in fine dice OR dash of cayenne pepper
1 tsp. dried basil OR 16 fresh leaves
1 cloves garlic minced OR equivalent amount jarred or garlic powder (NOT garlic salt)
1 ½ cups chicken broth, white wine or water ( broth recommended)
If any of these side effects endure for a long time and hence it is recommended that the user doesn’t work on by exerting things or do any exercise after consuming a dose of side effects from cialis . All these can be managed with changes in lifestyle, exercise, diet control, and medication or other substance over the internet from an unlicensed company, it may seem like a bargain and a way to save money in such economically hard times but they fail to realize that they can purchase the drugs from the Canadian pharmacies at really low prices compared to US pharmacies. cheap levitra tablets It is now more than ten years ago, the couple lived in Atlanta and Kathleen got a great job in Nashville, cialis generic india commuting each week to do her satisfying and exciting work. These two problems result in motion difficulty generic viagra http://icks.org/n/bbs/content.php?co_id=SPRING_SUMMER_2013&mcode=40&smcode=40d0 and extreme pain. STEP 1) Flatten the chicken thighs, meat side up, between pieces of plastic until uniform thickness.
STEP 2) Cover each thigh with a red pepper, opened to lay flat
STEP 3) Combine the olives, garlic, pepperoncini and basil, and spoon equally over red peppers
STEP 4) If thighs are large enough roll them over the stuffing and secure them with toothpicks or
skewers, if not simply fold them over and secure them to close.
STEP 5) Lightly spray a non-stick pan with cooking oil. Add chicken and cook until brown on all
sides. Use a spatula to prevent sticking.
STEP 6) Add liquid to skillet and deglaze. Cover and simmer 10 to 15 min. or until meat is done.
Serve with pan juices.

**** If serving later; Simmer only 8 to 10 min. Cool to room temperature, remove to a roasting
pan, cover with foil and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature and pre-heat oven to 350 deg.
Cook covered 10 min. uncover, baste and cook 5 min. Serve as above.

Optional Fillings 1) Use green onions and ½ cup softened diced onions (2 min. with ¼ tsp. oil in a
microwave will soften them)
2) Use just black olives with 1/3 cup drained capers.
Cal. 228, Carb. 5 gr. Protein 24 gr. Fiber .8 gr. Fat 53.4 gr

Italian Braciuolini: Serves 4
8 slices beef braciuolini or sandwich steaks – @ 1 lb. = Thin slices of lean beef
4 plum tomatoes – skinned, seeded, julienne
2 large ribs celery in thin diagonal slices
1 green bell pepper julienne
1 large onion thinly sliced lengthwise
2 tsp. dried basil
2 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. garlic powder
½ tsp. lemon pepper
4 oz. fresh sliced mushrooms
1 can Madrilène (usually sold to be jellied—a form of consume) or 1 ½ cups beef broth +1/4 cup sherry
2 Tbs. butter – divided
½ cup white wine
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. mustard
Lay the slices of meat on a board, and divide the vegetables except mushrooms, equally between them, placing them in a pile parallel the long side of the braciole or steaks. Sprinkle the herbs and seasonings evenly over all. Fold the shorter sides over the filling, and roll the longer sides around it. Secure the seams with toothpicks. Preheat broiler. Melt 1 Tbs. butter in the ovenproof pan, carefully roll the topside of each braciuolini in the butter, rest it seam side down in the pan. This will be a close fit toward the end, so temporarily move one out to make room for another, if need be, but make sure all have a coating of butter. Broil until nicely brown, @ 3-5 min. Reduce the oven to 350 degrees, add madrilène, cover and bake for 30 min. When meat is almost done, melt the other 1 Tbs. butter in the skillet, and brown mushrooms, deglaze pan with wine, stir in Worcestershire sauce and mustard until well incorporated. Remove pan from oven, plate braciuolini, stir skillet contents into pan drippings and mix well. Pour over meat.
Nutritional value not calculated

Cal Car P Fi Fa
P—175—0—25—0—8
R—170—35—4—3—2
F– 35—-8—-3—-4—-0
S—-12—-2—2—2—0
W—43—1—-1—4—-4
C—55–1/4—1—-0—–2
D—10—0—0—-0—1
= 500—46.4—37—14—17
——————————————–
C—158—0—-24—-0==-8
P===5—1——0—-.4—0
O—–60–3—0—-0—45
B—-5—1—-0—0—-.4

WHY MILLENNIALS HAVE THE RIGHT IDEAS ABOUT FOOD

There’s been a lot of discussion about Millennials’ eating choices, which just may be prophetic. The U.S. began its culinary expansion in the 1970s by exploring different cuisines, mainly Asian, and authenticating familiar ones like Italian and Mexican. Since then each generation has left its mark on the country’s Culinary Growth Chart, but the largest will probably be the Millennials’ because it may well point to the way we will eat in the future, both nutritionally and of necessity.

Rarely are so many older generations so united in opinion as they are over Millennials eating habits. Mentioning the subject to a Baby Boomer graduate school professor and a Gen-X corporate executive elicited the identical response. Even though both women will pick chicken or seafood over red meat, both snack on granola trail mix and carry energy bars in case they work through meals, very 21^st century options, both considered the Millennials’ food choices ‘weird’.

The Boomer described bags of odd looking snack mix and the Gen-Xer mentioned brown bagged containers of ‘grey goop’. The former was mostly a mix of seaweed, herbs, dried fruits and nuts and the latter was cooked grain with herbs and seeds, akin to the Quaker Overnight Oats recipes. Of course there were no additions of artificial ingredients to make these foods more appealing cosmetically, but that’s part of the Millennials creed.

To understand the Millennials direction in food choices, one must remember where they come from. These are people to whom war, terrorism, global warming and climate change are not worrying possibilities, but realities of life. They understand the need for conservation and maintaining sustainable food sources because we’ve over harvested and polluted so many of our natural ones. Also that we now experience increasingly frequent, severe weather events which affect those sources we rely on, creating the need to explore alternative ones as well. They know that poultry carries Salmonella, that chemical waste in rivers reaching the sea creates toxins in the food chain and that only beef fed on grass, not the corn we now feed them, eliminates the E-coli they naturally produce.

The Millennials have grown up hearing discussions about the dangers of GMOs, chemical additives, preservatives and artificial ingredients. T hey’ve been taught since birth that sodium and saturated fat are dirty words, processed foods are bad for you and sweeteners, even natural ones are to be avoided. It’s a safe bet 90% of them grew up in families with members trying different ‘fashionable ‘diets, South Beach, Atkins and more recently Paleo. Probably an equally large percent have a friend or relative who’s become a vegetarian or vegan. Their childhood mantra was that natural foods keep you healthy.

All these negative aspects should be a real food turn-off, but remember the movement in the 1970s to explore different cuisines? It’s had 50 years to gain momentum. Trying new tastes and discovering new ingredients is considered adventurous and fun. In fact, several new cuisines have been developed along the way. There’s the Pacific Rim, which led to the Fusion category which is still expanding. Gourmet is an everyday word. Chefs are stars and food presentation has become an art form. Traveling includes ’eating destinations’ and it isn’t unusual to find a world class chef operating a restaurant in a small town.

This sense of adventure seems to have prevailed because, all things considered, despite the negative aspects, the Millennials are true ’foodies’, really into food, but on their own, quite sensible, terms. They are aware of the three basic groups, protein, carbohydrates and fiber, the function and necessity of each and include them in their diet. They still adhere to the 3-on-a-plate nutritional guideline but their choices, types, proportions and preparations are different.

One change is that they avoid the big commodity crops, wheat, corn, soy and, generally, all GMOs. They also avoid pre-package and/or prepared or processed foods preferring to cook ‘from scratch.’ They opt for fresh ingredients of top quality and they‘re willing to pay more for less to have it. For example, they will seek out a specialty butcher to get grass fed beef, and settle for smaller portions, cooking it rare and slicing it thin or with interesting flavorings to get the maximum taste experience. The meat ‘birds’ I discussed in last week’s post are good examples of this approach.

Vegetables are the same story. Fresh is a must, preferably heirloom and/or organic varieties. Sources of choice are farm markets, boutique produce shops and health food stores with produce sections. Here again presentation, and preparation, including amount, is changed. Traditionally steamed or boiled veggies, are now blanched, braised, sautéed, or roasted, mixed with herbs or other flavorings and served in lesser quantities. Starchy ones formerly baked alone or with other ingredients are often replaced by grains, which add carbohydrate value, but are higher in fiber count and nutritional value.

A real change is that leafy greens and other vegetables which can be served raw or blanched are not chopped in chunks as before but thinly sliced and presented in layers or lightly tossed. Condiment vegetables, like radishes, scallions and olives aren’t served on the side, but sliced and included for taste. Cheese, chopped nuts and seeds which are added for protein value and texture contrast, together with grains make the combination complete and satisfying and, in fact, with the addition of meat, a whole meal.

Grains play a major role in this culinary scenario. They can be cooked and served, as they have been for centuries, with flavor additives to form a snack or bedding, but more often now, cooked, cooled, dried, and separated or toasted and incorporated into the vegetable presentation. They’re are not just for breakfast anymore and even that way of enjoying them has changed as shown by a visit to QUAKEROVERNIGHTOATS.COM. The same is true of nuts and seeds. They too are toasted to enhance flavor when added to other ingredients rather than regarded as a separate item.

Dishes accompanying the meal are treated as extensions of the entrée rather than separate courses. The emphasis, as always, is on fresh food freshly made, especially with desserts. Gone are the elaborate displays and heavy sauces. There is no less taste indulgence, but the triple chocolate pudding may be avocado based rather than custard. Older recipes like shortbreads, crisps, even pandowdies, which showcase fruits in a ‘straight from the oven’ way are making a comeback.

The presentation is casual and the preparation often communal. People join interests, artisanal breads, cheeses and beverages, herbs, spices and cooking methods to make a meal a social event. The past few years have also spawned a lot of talented, creative chefs who are opening small, local restaurants. In either case, the atmosphere is casual and the food appears to be casually done as well, but it isn’t.

Sophistication comes from carefully calculated contrasts of texture and infusions of flavor by introducing unexpected, innovative ingredients. There is an eagerness to try new tastes, discover new ingredients, herbs, plants, and explore new flavor combinations. In desserts alone there are fused herbs in ice cream, spices in mellow dishes such as fruit desserts, and salt sprinkled on sweets. All flavorings are authentic, nothing is imitation. The resulting impression is, correctly, of fresh foods, prepared in straightforward ways allowing the true taste of each item to shine through and be appreciated.

This is where Millennials are different from their elders. A good proportion of them are, are becoming or interested in becoming, knowledgeable about food and how the various cuisines use it. When baking a cake, they don’t pick up a package and read the mixing directions; they get a recipe and buy the ingredients. They don’t subscribe to ‘diets.’ They simply want to eat healthy meals of natural foods cleanly, but flavorfully prepared.

Millennials may not be the easiest generation to understand but I’m convinced their attitude toward food, from provisioning to plating is the best one for us to follow to ensure a healthy future for several reasons.

• We can’t continue to ingest the amounts of sodium, refined products, chemicals and other preservatives we’ve been eating and not have it affect our health.
• We have depleted our natural resources to the point real conservation is needed to sustain them. Finding ways to still enjoy them while consuming less is sensible.
• Prices are going to continue to rise. Once again, finding ways to be able to enjoy expensive items by consuming less of them is the answer. This is especially true of meats. Butchering has changed. In beef, cheaper cuts, flank and brisket are now ground, while chuck and round are sold as roasts and in pork, bacon has come a long way!
• For years nutritionists have been advising less protein, more fiber and concentration on complex carbohydrate with simple carbs provided mainly from fruit. This is the perfect food philosophy for that diet and a way to control weight easily.
• Adding more fiber to our diet while boosting our protein intake with nuts, seeds, grains and cheese is the ideal solution to a healthier diet and a more sustainable eating plan for the future.

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I’ve combined 6 of my short books on separate food categories into 1 reference book titled FOOD FACTS FOR MILLENNIALS. It contains complete information on:

• The different cuts, the uses, cooking methods and times for Lamb, Veal, Beef, Pork (including Ham)
• How to choose, use and carve all types of poultry, Turkey, Chicken, Pheasant, Goose, Game Hens, Squab and Duck with recipes
• The difference between simple and complex carbohydrates and when to choose each
• A description of the basic baking ingredients and of all the alternatives available, even some exotics
• The different types of seafood, Finfish, Shellfish, Crustations, how to select them, clean and store them and serve them

A complete definition of sauces and gravies, the difference, the ways to make them, ’save’ them and their uses. A description of each of the Classic Mother Sauces and their offspring down to the third generation as well as directions for quick pan sauces

Find the complete volume, as well as the separate books contained in it on the site Bookshelf, or on Amazon or our Etsy store.

MEAT ‘BIRDS’ THAT FLY OFF THE PLATE

“Everything old is new again” should apply to these tasty recipes. They really need to be revived because they’re a perfect fit for today’s food culture. The term ‘Bird’ is an old-fashioned one applied to small parcels of mixed ingredients wrapped in thin slices of meat, as opposed to the meat being rolled around them. As a result they appear as small nesting ‘birds’ on the plate, not logs and when cut into, spill their stuffing, like a bird, rather than present in a spiral patterned slice.

Traditionally they are served hot ( although I can think of some seasonal adaptations) which makes them perfect for those who want a lighter, but satisfying, easily prepared meal for a cold winter’s night. They’re also ideal for those who prefer higher end meats such as heritage pork and grass grazed beef, because a small amount can deliver a lot of taste and nutrition, with the proper seasonings and filling. One more plus, extras can be ‘brown bagged’ and eaten cold or quickly nuked, ‘cause they’re finger friendly.

I start my recipes below with my own for pork, then an adaptation by a health conscious Tuscan friend of Italian braciuolini, after that a 21^st cen. take on classic German Rouladen, which also fits this category, and finally I offer one of James Beard’s recipes for ‘veal birds’ from his book American Cookery. In it he points out that these concoctions were once so popular that many European countries and most regions in the U.S. had their own special variation. They all seem to have become ‘extinct’ in the early 1950s, which is unfortunate because they are perfect for our current menu demands–So stay ‘til the end and get some ideas—this WILL work for you!
NOTE: Always remove the string or toothpicks when plating the birds, before adding any sauce or pan juices.

EAST-WEST PORK BIRDS: Serves 4
4 lean slices center cut pork chops or pork cutlets (use turkey scaloppini)
2 tsp. ground fennel seed
1/3 tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. garlic powder
1 ½ cups apple juice or more
1 envelope chicken or beef bouillon
2 cloves
1/3 cup thin celery slices
2 kale leaves-thick stalks removed
½ small onion thinly sliced
18 dried apricots- 12 julienned
Pound the pork to an even thinness. Cover the kale leaves in water and microwave 10—20 sec. to slightly wilt. Spread seasonings over meat slices. Pile, in order, celery, onions, julienned apricots and kale equally in center of meat slices. Roll meat and secure with skewers. Place meat rolls in a pan with bouillon, cloves, remaining 6 apricots and enough apple juice to come 1/3 up the sides. Bake at 350 deg. 1 ½ hr. basting occasionally and maintaining liquid level. Remove cloves. Serve hot with pan juices.

ITALIAN BRACIUOLINI : Serves 4 -well
A favorite recipe from Tuscany; Usually done in a skillet, it can be difficult, at first, to turn these over in the pan without spilling the stuffing, and it requires a spoon and spatula to do so. That’s why I’m offering an oven alternative. Sounds like a lot of work, but it really isn’t.
8 slices beef braciuolini or sandwich steaks – @ 1 lb.
4 plum tomatoes – skinned, seeded, julienne
2 large ribs celery in thin diagonal slices
1 green bell pepper julienne
1 large onion thinly sliced lengthwise
2 tsp. dried basil
2 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. garlic powder
½ tsp. lemon pepper
4 oz. fresh sliced mushrooms
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2 Tbs. butter – divided
½ cup white wine
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. mustard
Lay the slices of meat on a board, and divide the vegetables except mushrooms, equally between them, placing them in a pile parallel the long side of the braciole or steaks. Sprinkle the herbs and seasonings evenly over all. Fold the shorter sides over the filling, and roll the longer sides around it. Secure the seams with toothpicks. Preheat broiler. Melt 1 Tbs. butter in the ovenproof pan, carefully roll the topside of each braciuolini in the butter, then rest it seam side down in the pan. This will be a close fit toward the end, so temporarily move one out to make room for another, if need be, but make sure all have a coating of butter. Broil until nicely brown, @ 3-5 min. Turn the oven to 350 degrees, add madrilène, cover and bake for 30 min. When meat is almost done, melt the other 1 Tbs. butter in the skillet, and brown mushrooms, deglaze pan with wine, stir in Worcestershire sauce and mustard until well incorporated. Remove pan from oven, plate braciuolini, stir skillet contents into pan drippings and mix well. Pour over meat.

German Roulaen: Serves 4- Also listed in old cookbooks as ‘Beef Birds’. This is best with less tender cuts of meat such as round
4 (1/4 inch) slices of lean beef
4 slices cooked bacon broken into pieces, not crumbled—turkey or regular
1 dill pickle slivered lengthwise
½ onion thinly sliced
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 tsp. oil
Paprika
1 bay leaf
1>2 cups beef broth
Cook onion with 1 tsp. oil in a microware for 1min. Combine with pickle, mustard, bacon and dust with paprika; fill beef slices and secure with string or toothpicks. Drizzle with 1 tsp. oil and place in a pan with 1 cup broth and bay leaf. If using tenderloin broil briefly, if using round, cover and bake at 350 deg. 35>45 min. up to 1 hr. depending on thickness of meat, adding more broth as needed. Serve pan juices on the side.

Veal Birds: Serves 4. It’s interesting that a variation of this dish appears in all older cookbooks.
8 veal cutlets pounded thin-(substitute turkey, chicken or pork cutlets)
2 Tbs. chopped onion
¼ cup finely chopped ham
1 Tbs. softened butter-or more if needed
3 Tbs. chopped parsley
Salt and pepper
4 Tbs. butter
3 Tbs. oil
Flour
1 cup chicken stock
Chopped parsley
1 cup sour cream
Mix onion, ham, parsley, softened butter and seasonings together, divide between the pieces of meat, roll ends together and secure with string or toothpicks. Melt 4 Tbs. butter and oil in a deep pot; dredge the birds lightly in flour and brown in the hot pot. Add the stock, cover and simmer 25-30 min. until tender. Remove birds to a plate, bring the stock in the pot to a boil, reduce a few minutes, then lower heat and add cream. Just heat through and spoon over birds. Garnish with parsley. Serve at once, hot.