Holiday Baking

I know that it is early for holiday baking but I am in the mood. I cannot say that the weather is getting colder (although it was colder last week) today was glorious. Sunshine and warm! But I baked anyway. Today I made Raspberry Linzer Cookies from Fine cooking magazine. Well as you can imagine I did not follow the recipe exactly...I never do. I did not have any cloves so I skipped that all together. The only almonds I had were whole and so I crushed them myself with the skin on. I also did not use raspberry jam I had this huge container (from Costco) of acai, raspberry, pomegranate, and cherry jam. This gave the cookies a very distinct flavor. Good recipe, easy to make and kids friendly. Meaning the kids can help do many of the steps! Yummy Baking!

Dinner tonight

Tonight's dinner was an invention. I wanted to do something with steak and broccoli. I remember making it with Campbell's mushroom soup but did not have any which is a good thing because they are not that good for you! So I improved and made my own white sauce using better, flour, chicken broth and a few spices and then I added some shredded cheese. I pre cooked the broccoli and the meat. I sauteed the steak with onions and garlic and my newest tip is I cut the meat on a cutting board that I poured olive oil and sea salt onto. Gave the meat a stronger flavor. Then I mixed everything together. Dinner was good.

But since I don't eat much meat and try to stay away from flour, I ate the white bean and tomato salad with spinach and cantaloupe. Yummy!

I made pie! My first crust ever. I used fresh local berries and added fresh basil from my garden. The recipe from InStyle magazine, I got a subcriptions and it is the worst money even spent, was for strawberry basil. (It is a terrible magazine! But finally after my year subcription is up, I got something good out of the mag.) I did not have enough strawberries for the recipe, I included raspberries and marion berries and blueberries (all local) with the strawberries, went out to the garden and picked some basil and made the pie. The boys and I just ate it at 11am just before lunch! And it was Yummy!! Yeah for summer, gardens and fresh local food!

...fresh from the garden

I had a great dinner tonight. My garden is overflowing and since I have been away and have not been cooking from my garden regularly, I am now forced to cook and use all my veggies NOW! So tonight I had roasted zucchini, fresh peas I took out of the shell and ate raw. I had pickled beets that I made myself yesterday. I also sauteed the beet greens with red onion and garlic with olive oil. I added yummus and crackers and quinoa for added protein. A great vegan meal without even trying! I love my garden and summer. Yummy!

Eating Vegan

So about a month ago I started eating Vegan and last night it happen. My social life is over. Many of my friends found out that I am eating vegan and so will now not be invited over for BBQ's or other events involving food!

I did make the distinction between the fact that I am EATING vegan and not a vegan. I still wear leather and even though not eating butter, eggs and yogurt has been hard, giving up leather will be even harder! Oh my purses and boots and shoes, NO I cannot give you up! (Maybe one day but not anytime soon!) I am also have an issue with "typical vegans" whatever that is. I think there are more and more people eating this way because they realise the health benefits, not to mention the impact it has on our environment. But I have a hard time relating to the tree hugging hemp wearing vegans who I feel have little else in common. I do not want to be labelled a weirdo or a vegan freak (reference the book) but I guess it is too late for that!

So for now I am eating vegan. We are going on a dinner cruise and I will most likely have to eat shellfish of some sort and also to a formal dinner where I know that there will be milk in the meal. I do not want to be difficult so I will eat it but putting that stuff into my body after eating vegan for only a month horrifies me. I feel so good, am so regular, my faces is clearing up that the thought of putting any animal products in my body is just not appetizing anymore.

I must say that I am one of those people who used to sneak meat based foods to vegetarian relatives and friends!! I know it is horrible and I am truly sorry. I also was incredulous at how friends could not enjoy a good steak. But now the thought of the blood in my system is just gross. The thought of it going into my kids, who still eat omni is yucky. Convincing my husband to go vegan is like climbing Everest- NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. (unfortunately) He is only half supportive of my efforts and just want things to go back to normal. NOT going to happen.

So for now I will go on eating vegan and loving my body, oh the pounds are just falling off, I am FINALLY getting my pre-baby body back. I have been trying to get rid of fat on my thighs for years now and today I noticed the bulge I have been looking at in the mirror for months now is GONE. For that reason alone it is worth staying vegan. I am really enjoying exploring grocery stores sections and new stores that previously ignored.

So hopefully my friends will not rule me out all together when creating there guest lists, I will come with my own food and not make a big deal about it. And from one previous anti-vegan/vegetarian to omnis, do not knock it 'till you try it. Eating this way will change your life swear to God!

Stuffed- Grilled Veggies

I think I may eat turkey tonight! I thought I bought pork tenderloin for my boys but as it turns out it is turkey tenderloins and since turkey is supposed to be good for my face I may just eat it. And yes I am still aiming to eat vegan eventually. I am leaning into it like the couple of authors of vegan books have said. If one day I just decide I am a vegan, I will never make it, that is what happened last time. This time it will be a slow process. I have several non vegan foods in my house that I love. I spent good money on them and plan to eat them before making my conversion!

Here are some great grilled vegies that anyone can eat.

Herbed-Grill Tomatoes. I got this from the June 2007 Health magazine. This recipe can be used with fresh peppers or any other vegetable.

Combine 1 tablespoon of olive oil with 1tbsp of balsamic vinegar, garlic (I never give a measurement for garlic, my theory is the more the better!) 1 tsp of chopped fresh basil, 1/4 tsp of salt and 1/4 tsp of ground pepper.

Coat all sides of the tomatoes. (about 4 medium sized tomatoes cut in half) Place on grill cut side down for 5 to 7 mins. Turn over, coat with marinade as needed. Can top with cheese after grilled if desired. (vegan parmesan is available) If doing it in the oven, bake at 375 for max 10 mins. I would do it shorter, I prefer them less mushy!

For my Grilled Zucchini. (which I also do in the oven. Also at 375 bake for 20 mins until zucchini is softened.

In a bowl mix 2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil with 1/2 cup of onion, add scooped out zucchini ideally for 2 large zuccs, I usually leave a 1/2 inch inside the shell, 2 tbsp of garlic, half of a red, orange and yellow bell pepper, all diced, 1 tbsp of chopped basil and ground pepper. I usually add other spices, parsley or what ever I have on hand. You can used dried as well. Mix that all together. Add it back into the scooped out the zucchini back for 20 mins and yum. Added Asiago cheese or feta is really yummy.

Enjoy!

I am currently reading Kathy Freston's Veganist. So I was inspired to make a vegan meal. This was surprisingly easy and very delicious! I used food I had in the fridge. Avocado, quinoa and veggies. I made quinoa last week and just re-heated it. I started eating this very healthy whole grain last year after reading Alicia Silverstone's book: The Kind Diet. Then based on what Kathy said in her book, that she enjoys pasta with vegetables and tomato sauce I decided to sautee some fresh peppers that were on the verge! So I sauteed red onions and green onions for about 2 mins until they start to change color. Then I added the peppers and garlic. And since I was too lazy to make a salad I threw in fresh baby spinach and sauteed that up for about a minute, mixed it all together and yum! I also had red beans but they were taking too long and I took the picture before I put them on top of the quinoa. This is a very healthy, satifying meal. I had it with a wonderful glass of eau de fridge! Enjoy.

No Sugar, almost Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

I am still strggling with eating no sugar. For the second time this year, after 2 weeks of eating no sugar, my body has rebelled and I have had serious issues. I will not go into detail! I have casually been thinking about going vegan for almost a year now but the problem with vegan is that they eat flour and sugar and I do not. So trying to find baking recipes has been really hard.

I did find a vegan chocolate chip vegan recipe that I adapted that is better than the last one I posted. The only reason I say almost vegan is because I did not use vegan chocolate chips because I did not have any but if you do then the recipe is vegan. Yeah!

Vegan-ish Chocolate Chip Cookies by Carolyn Cloran
Sift 2 1/4 cups of flour and 1tsp of baking soda. After sifting I sprinkled flax seed for extra goodness about 1/4 cup perhaps an 1/8 of a cup. In a sepate bowl mix 1 teaspoon of vanilla, 1 cup of earth balance, softened. Add 2/3 cup of Agava Nectar. Mix well for at least 2 minutes. Then add Ener G egg replacer for 1 egg. Mix well. (another 2 mins)

Combine 1/2 the dry ingredients to the wet. Stir, then add the other half. I added 2 cups of chocolate chips, I used the mini ones, but any vegan ones will do. You can also chop up a good quality chocolate bar (85% cocoa) and add that in. I nice touch would be cranberries, but the ones I have, have sugar in them, so I did not add them to this recipe.

Place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 375 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes.

Yum!

Okada

Although we did not spend a great deal of time together while in Vegas (Ross had to work) we did share a wonderful meal at Encore by Wynn's Okada sushi restaurant.

This restaurant is very overpriced but it is Vegas, it is Wynn and it was delicious!

We started with Tempura but I forgot to take a picture of it. The plate was full of crunchy vegetables.

Next we eat each ordered a plate of sushi. I had sashimi and a hand roll, both of which I already tried before I remembered to take a picture. So the hand roll looks a little mushed. But is was yummy. The sushi was fresh and the view (waterfall) was wonderful. They had an outside terrace but it was February in Vegas and a little cold.

We had the dessert assortment plate, Ross ordered an extra one. The black roll on the right is some kind of chocolate roll that was heavenly. The fresh fruit in the middle was my favorite!

This was a great restaurant that had a fun sushi bar and a waitress that actually spoke Japanese (not an easy thing to find!)

Yummy eating!

French Pastry

This is Payard. A Patisserie inside Ceasar's palace in Las Vegas.

I happened upon this place while I was waiting to eat meatballs at Rao's restaurant.

I have been trying since the first of the year to not eat sugar and flour (I have adult acne, and they both exacerbate my condition) That went out the window on day two of my stay in Vegas!

The first day we were in Vegas, Ross and I found a Whole Foods and I stocked up on good snacks for my face. Whole Foods is my favorite grocery store and wish they would open one here in town.

Having lived in Montreal, Quebec and visited Paris, I know what good pastries are. Well I thought I did until Payard's. I love pastries. Pastries are the kind of food that one cannot make at home (unless you are a master pastry chef and even then...) There are places that claim they make them but really they are not "real pastries." Pastry making is an art form and good pastries are hard to find. There are several bakeries in Montreal that claim to make pastries that simply put do not! Once you find a good pastry place, NEVER MOVE. Where I live there are several bakeries and although they make pastries they are disgusting. Truly I could not even finish them.

When I walked into Payard I was pleasently surprised. I went in there looking for a chocolate bar with a high percentage of cocoa (which they have) but when I saw the pastry counter filled with lovely looking treats, I was thrilled. Since I have a weekness for raspberries, I went with the raspberry tart with almond paste filling and perfect crust. There were also fruit tarts, baba au rhums, eclairs, and other chocolate delights. When I sat down and tasted this pastry, I knew that it was by far the best I have ever tasted. (was this perhaps because I had not eaten sugar in weeks...)

I enjoyed my time in Vegas, the mini vacation. I did not like the smoking in the casinos and if I had just 2 hours to spend in Vegas it would most definetly include a stop at Payard Patisserie for more yummy patisseries.

Rao's

This restaurant, Rao's is the reason I went to Vegas. Having a mental vacation from the kids was just a bonus! Four nights away was the most relaxing vacation I have had since the kids were born. I went to the gym every morning, walked all day long, read my book for more than an hour at a time. I wore clothing for me and not for the child activity I was doing that day! A great time! But when my husband asked if I wanted to tag along for his sales meeting, I jumped at the chance. Not too spend more time with him, although that would have been great but we both knew he would be busy with his meetings, which he was. We did see the Hoover Dam and have a great meal at a sushi restaurant that I will tell you about in another post. The reason I really, really, really wanted to go to Vegas was Rao's.

In 2009 on the Today show the owner of Rao's cooked his famous meatballs. They looked yummy. So I printed out the recipe and went shopping and made the meatballs. Well they did not turn out like they did on TV! They were not cooked inside, and although they stayed together, I was not happy with the result. So it was my great desire to go to Rao's and try the real thing. The original Rao's is in New York city. Unless you have been living there and going to Rao's regularly for the better part of 20 years, one cannot just go to New York and get a table. I heard the waiting list was a year but most of the tables are for regulars. So when the opportunity to go to Rao's in Vegas came up, I jumped at it!

When I arrived at Rao's inside Ceasar's Palace (and a palace it is, it takes 10 minutes just to talk past it!)10 minutes after it opened, there were already people waiting to be seated so I just walked to the bar. Jan was my bar tender and she did not disappoint. She was experienced and knew how much to talk to me and when to stay away! I told her about my experience with the Today show and watching Frank Pellegrino make his famous meatballs. She said she saw that too and told me that they were supposed to me moist inside and that they absorb the sauce they cook in. I promised her I would try to make them again at home but first I wanted to taste them here.

So immediately she set up a place at the bar for me to eat and gave me a large bread basket for one! At the time I was eating a no sugar diet. Yes it is as hard as it sounds. On a regular basis I do not eat white flour or sugar. This means nothing with these ingredients in them. So no bread! Well this was Rao's and I had waited 2 years to come here so I ate 2 pieces of olive bread dipped in the oil and balsamic.

Then I had the delicious salad of mozzarella and tomatoes. I must confess the tomatoes were a little firm. They were just not ripe enough. The one greeen tomato on the plate was the best, too bad they were not all green! But the cheese, oh my gosh, the best mozarella I have ever tasted. Soft and sweet and devine. I was excited already and had not even had the meatball yet.

Since the meatballs are just a side dish, I ordered pear ravioli too, which you see in the picture. This was also excellent. The parmesean gave it a gritty taste, in a good way. Drizzled in olive oil, I soaked up with a few pieces of bread!

Now the meatball itself. Delicious. The combination of the three meats makes the taste and consistance spot on! The tomato sauce was not too tangy and just sweet enough to compliment the meatball. The meatball was juicy and tender and perfect! I did take pictures of it but as you can tell the lighting was not great, I was trying not to disturb the other patrons by taking pictures with my flash, so I have only posted this picture and not a picture of the inside of the meatball because it is kind of blurry.

The meatball was well worth the wait! I was so full both from the food and the experience. I quickly walked back to my hotel in the dark alone in Vegas! YesI did have dessert. Of course! But I actually had it BEFORE Rao's. Rao's only opens at 5:30pm and I had been reading already for quite some time. I think I arrived at around 4pm! I was getting a little hungry so I stopped in to the French pastry store directly across from Rao's front door. This place was quite the find! I will tell you and show you what I ate in my next post!

Thanks Rao's for this marvelous culinary experience. Yummy Food!

Ra Sushi

Ra was my first yummy food experience in Vegas. The night before I did have a really good steak salad that I ate at the hotel, (New York, New York) but I forgot to take a picture of it.

When I eat alone, I usually sit at the bar. Although guys have tried to pick me up (this was in my younger days...) I like to sit at the bar and chat with the bartender, usually they have good info about what is going on or about the food. As you can see from the picture, I had my list of places I wanted to see and restaurants I wanted to try. This gyoza and small salad was yummy. I think there was miso soup too but it did not make the picture. Now I have had authentic gyoza in Japan. I fell in love with it there and have eaten tons of gyoza since trying to find that taste again. In the process I have had disguisting gyoza, so so and very good. Ra's was good. It was tasty and had a good crunch! I also had sashimi but I forgot to take a picture of it and for the life of me cannot remember exactly what I ate. It was good and filled me up for the rest of the walk in the afternoon! By the time I got to Ra, I had walked all the way from New York, New York and was heading back there after lunch once I crossed the street and over to Wynn. (My feet were killing me!) I posted pictures of the Wynn Casino in an earlier post and I will post about the dinner we ate there, well at Encore by Wynn. Overall, I would eat at Ra again. I love sushi!

Vegas Baby!

So I went to Las Vegas and had a great time! I fell in love with the Encore at Wynn Casino. Above are pictures of it. The Frank Sinatra bar looked very cool but I was there at lunch time and it was closed so I just took some pictures. And of course me with the sign! I will do another post with actual food pictures, I took a ton of those as well. The pictures at the very top are of the Cosmopolitan, it is three floors of a bar with lots of crystals. Very fun. So my next post will talk about the actual food I ate!

No flour, No Sugar cookies by Carolyn

So this recipe is adapted from Leslie Beck's Nutrition guide to a Healthy Pregnancy.

I have recently started (with stops and starts!) eating a no sugar and no flour diet again. My ultimate quest for healthy looking skin ALL the time. I really do miss sugar so I do try to incorparate sweet into my diet. Mostly by eating 85% chocolate which I used in this recipe.
So here it is.

Beat together 1/2 cup butter (and since I am also eating more vegan, try earth balance) and 1/3 cup Agave nectar.
Add 1 egg, beat in 1/2 tsp of Vanilla.

In a seperate bowl combine 1 1/4 cups of Almond Flour (cookies maybe slightly gritty so if you have a food mill try grinding the almond meal/flour. with 3/4 cups of rolled oats(add slightly more to compensate for the agave nectar) 2/3 cup of ground flax seed and 1 tsp of baking soda (I used baking powder)

Add the flour mixture in 3 separate parts to the butter/sugar mixture. Beat until all combined.

Mix in 3/4 cup of chocolate chips (I break up a bar of 85% chocolate (you could use milk chocolate if you want more sugar but I don't eat milk chocolate) Although the recipe does not call for dried cranberries, I have added those or you could substitute raisins or add all 3!

Bake at 350 degrees for 12 mins. Be careful they may burn slightly (they did for me in my convection oven so I baked for 10 to 11 mins)

Enjoy.

They really are healthy and I feel no guilt eating them! They do taste lighter than regular flour cookies!

Eat Yummy Food!