I Never Crave a Salad Until I Do!

Most of my cravings are unhealthy. Who am I kidding. ALL my cravings are unhealthy. Once in a while though, I crave a salad. When that happens I am so thankful that I don't question it. I just run out to get a salad before the craving passes.

Chop't is an excellent place to satisfy that fleeting craving.

I walked into a Chop't today and ordered a salad. They have choices of the greens. Romaine, Spinach, Mesclun and Arugula (for an extra 50 cents). I decided on the Romaine.
Then you have the option to pick 4 toppings from a list of what looked like 50 choices. You get a 5th one if you go before noon. What luck ... I was there before noon.
I had cherry tomatoes (the only kind of fresh tomatoes that should be had in the winter). Shredded carrots, cucumbers, chickpeas and for my 5th - some beets. It was a generous portion.
One guy puts all that you ask for in a huge plastic bowl; than another dumps it on a cutting board and chops away with a huge Mezzaluna (moon shaped Italian knife). He chops until everything is cut into bite sized pieces - hence the name Chop't. Quite clever, don't you think?

The salad is cut into the ideal bite sized pieces that can be eaten at a desk or even on a first date without looking awkward, as your lettuce dangles from the side of your mouth. I assess many a food by, if they are appropriate for business lunches or dates (the two tend to overlap - nothing messy like spaghetti, or stinky like raw onions).
{I know there is something grammatically wrong with the above sentence - but I don't know how to fix it. You know what I mean though? Right?}

Since it was before noon and I was going to have the salad later, I got the dressing on the side. A generous portion of Balsamic Vinaigrette.

I am eating the salad at my 'office desk' as I write this and am so satisfied and happy. I can't believe it. I am actually being satisfied, and made happy by a salad on a cold December day. What is the world coming to!

All this and a piece of bread for $7.50. Not bad I say. Not bad at all.

While a salad made from home can cost a fraction of the above amount - a 'holy' craving such as the one for a salad - I am willing to shell out some dough.

Today is New Year's eve eve. About 3 more days of holiday excess and debauchery that starts from Thanksgiving day. I think it is kind of fashion forward of me to get a head start on the whole diet thing that starts on January 2nd for a countless number of people (me included). While I intend to enjoy New Year's eve eating whatever I please, I am thankful for today's salad craving. It gives me hope that I will be able to get on the healthful wagon easily in 2009.

Happy New Year to all.

I sincerely hope that 2009 is better than 2008.

Do you plan to make any resolutions for the new year?
Let me know what they are.

Until I eat again!

Oprah and I have a lot in common - who knew!

In the past couple of days I have been reading previews of Oprah's upcoming magazine article where she will discuss her recent weight gain. The magazine comes out on January 5th, so I have no way of knowing what she wrote in the article but I have some ideas. I could probably write that article - about my life.

Weight gain, weight loss - and then weight again gain is an awful thing. It happens to so many people. One can argue that Oprah Winfrey is one of the smartest, most accomplished women alive - yet, food and weight is something she hasn't been able to conquer.

I saw a recent interview with her where she admits that she is addicted to food. While I would rather believe that food is not an addictive substance like nicotine or crack - i think it is - for some people. It is a tougher addiction than nicotine or crack since we all have to eat everyday. It cannot be given up cold turkey, never to be touched again.
To make peace with food is a complicated issue which I don't claim to fully understand or give adequate advice to those who have a food addiction.

Since I am not a scientist I don't know why some people develop an unhealthy relationship to food - but the fact remains that they do. Maybe it is a genetic predisposition; like that to diabetes, cancer or hair loss. Who knows. What we know is that it exists and so we have to work with what we know.

A genetic predisposition to something does not mean that we are helpless and have role to play in our destiny.

While all the salad in the world cannot make me look like Angelina Jolie - good food choices and exercise can make me look like the best me.

It all sounds so simple.

Eat less - move more and Voila! Weight loss. Then maintenance.
But no! Food is such a complicated subject. It soothes us when we are unhappy, it is there to celebrate with when we are happy.

All this may mean nothing to a person who has no food issues.
But I know that there are millions of people who know exactly what I am saying.

Millions of people who are not reading my blog - but if they were - they would know exactly what I am saying.

What am I saying?

I am saying that early this year I embarked on a weight loss regimen and was quite successful with it.

Then mid year I started becoming lax with myself.

And now toward the end of the year - I feel like I have lost some control over the battle. Not all control - but some control.

How does Oprah's struggle make me feel?

It makes me feel less guilty. With all her private chefs and fitness instructors - if she is still not able to win the war on terror - oh sorry, I mean the war on fat - then it is a huge and complicated problem.
It certainly doesn't give me license to throw in the towel and say, "if Oprah is fat then I'll be fat". But less guilt nevertheless.

Struggling with one's weight is a life long battle for some. It can be managed though with hard work, realistic goals and expectations. This is a topic for another post.

Tell me about your struggle with weight.
What works for you ... What doesn't.

Lets make 2009 a healthful and peaceful year.

Until I eat again!

What makes a picky eater?

I wonder what makes some people picky eaters and others more adventurous.

I assume it starts from childhood.

I always loved to eat, and ate everything. I can't remember not liking anything new. Most of my childhood memories are based on food. I remember people through food. Like my aunt in Amritsar with whom I spent many summers - made the best parathas (flat skillet bread). Our next door neighbor made the most delicious pooris (fried puffy bread) and different vegetables on a lot of religious holidays. Our upstairs neighbor's daughter made the best tomato chutney.

When I was 9 years old we traveled to England, and then Holland and Germany for about 3 months each. In Holland we were staying with a Dutch family who made Dutch food everyday. My mother was concerned for me that I might start acting up and missing food that I was used to after a couple of days when the novelty wore off.
That day never came. I looked forward to meal time everyday. Even the simplest meals that they ate daily were things that I had never seen in my entire life. But I loved it. I found nothing weird or strange.

Keep in mind this was the seventies when India, where I grew up was a very different India from today. We had almost no access to western media. Other than a couple of American or British movies I may have watched in my 9 years of life. I had no cookbooks nor had I ever seen a food magazine. I had no idea what a pot roast was, or a herring or gouda cheese. I had probably never even seen a chicken breast in my life since we always cut up the chicken to make curry.

In Germany while staying with my uncle and his Dutch wife I was first introduced to fondue. I just loved it. A concept that couldn't be more foreign to me-but I just loved it. I was thrilled to be sitting at the table with our special wooden plates in front of us with different sauces. There were a few mayonnaise based sauces and probably horseradish and mustard sauces. In the middle of the table was a pot of bubbling hot oil. I was instructed by my aunt to take a piece of the raw meat (probably beef or pork chunks) and carefully set it in the pot. Each skewer had a different colored top and that told us who it belonged to. I waited patiently while my meat cooked. I don't remember how I knew when it was cooked. I am sure my aunt showed me the first couple and then somehow I must have figured it out.
Then I removed the meat from the oil and dipped it in those delicious sauces and then ... heaven. The hot crunchy meat with the cool creamy sauces-couldn't be any more delicious.

As I write this I think of the average dinner table today with a 9 year old and 2 others (I had younger cousins - probably 6 and 4 at the time). Most parents today would freak out about hot oil on the dining table. And some may have an issue with deep fried meat - I don't know. All I know is that I learned so much from those type of dining experiences.

I learned about a totally new food - in fact a totally new concept of food.

I learned to be careful around hot oil.
With the presence of hot oil we were expected to behave a certain way, like no fidgeting and no sudden moves.

I think those are excellent life lessons that come in handy in a countless number of ways through out my adult life.

Also, none of us kids ever got preferential treatment or special food made for us in Germany, Holland or when I was back home in India.

Kid cuisine is such an American thing. And it is a terrible thing in my opinion. I may have answered the question I set out asking - what makes picky eaters?

One reason is too many options, or maybe not enough. Spaghetti, Chicken Fingers and French Fries? What's that? There are a million other foods that exist.

Too much drama around food. I've seen parents hold their breath, "Will Billy eat the peas? I am going to hide the carrots in the muffin."

I think that is ridiculous.

Growing up we had no kid food. And on most days we had no say in what was for dinner or what we got to take for school lunch. We all ate what was put in front of us.

And no, this didn't make us feel deprived, abused or un-loved.

On special occasions of course, we were asked what we wanted and then that made the treat all the more special.

I know I don't have kids, but I was one - once upon a time. And I grew up with plenty of cousins. I just didn't see parents getting all bent out of shape like they do today about what we would eat. We ate what was there.

I am grateful for that.

I am sure I was a tad unusual for liking new food as much as I did. But it was also the attitude that we were taught - and that is, that different people eat different foods. We should be thankful when we eat, and we eat what is put in front of us.

The nervous energy that parents display when it comes to feeding their kids today is picked up on by the child and manifests itself in all sorts of ways.

Just feed your kids what you are eating yourself - as long it isn't a bag of Doritos and a pint of ice cream.

What kind of food did you eat growing up?
Are you a picky eater or do you embrace most foods?
What approach do you take when feeding your kids?

Agree with me. Disagree with me. I don't mind.

Until I eat again!

Last Post This Year about Thanksgiving - I Promise

By now all are aware of my love of Thanksgiving.

After the day is over and all the dishes are washed and the guests have gone home … what I enjoy most are leftovers!
Ah! Just thinking of them right now is making me hungry.



They are best enjoyed on the couch watching my favorite show – Law and Order Criminal Intent maybe and preferably all alone.
Everything tastes so much better since all the flavors have married with each other and really bloom on the plate.
Maybe not too many points on visuals but the taste. Ah the taste.

The stuffing has had a chance to absorb more flavor; the gravy is richer and darker - oozing with the essence of pure turkey; and the mashed potatoes – oh the mashed potatoes. The roasted garlic has permeated each and every cell of the potato and become more garlicky – but not a in your face harsh garlic flavor. Instead, a smooth luscious flavor that envelopes you like a warm blanket.
Okay, I’m done. Sorry if I was too corny for your liking (I know I was too corny for my liking), but I promise there will be no such talk until November 2009.

I promised there would be no more Thanksgiving posts but I didn’t promise that this would be a short post.
I just wanted to share my uncooked turkey. A thing of beauty. Or is it beauty only a mother could love? I don't know.

{I realize it is sideways-but I couldn't straighten it ... technology is still hit or miss for me}





The holding area pre-feast.





I show you this to tell you that don’t be like most New Yorkers who complain that they have tiny kitchens.

My advice:

Be organized. Be very organized.

Use rooms other than the kitchen.

Pre prep as many things as you can; trust me, even with all the preparation – things will get hairy when the guests are hungry and surrounding the kitchen looking for things to eat.
I think Martha (Stewart for the rest of you) has created a bit of a delusion in some of us. She used to talk about throwing an omelet party or a pasta party where your guests pick their fillings and you prepare your guests’ desires to order.
Unless you live in one of Martha’s houses- just stick to pre-prepping and preplanning.
Okay, I am done.
I am ready to put Thanksgiving to rest.



Since I promised no more Turkey Talk this year - some parting shots.





Checking if the drippings are good and not burning.




Mmmm, So good, so delicious!


Until I eat again!

Post Thanksgiving Lessons

I had a lovely Thanksgiving. The food was good, the turkey gave me no trouble whatsoever and mix of guests was just perfect. Essentially a Thanksgiving with no drama in the living room, dining room or kitchen. Can't beat that!

I had set up a challenge for myself this year not to use copious amounts of butter and I achieved that goal without compromising the flavor. I used 2 and a half sticks of butter - 3 at the most. Perfectly acceptable amount in my eyes when a 30 pound turkey and about 8 sides were on the table - feeding 11 guests and countless doggie bags and left overs.

The clear winner in the eyes of my guests were the brussels sprouts. They really did come out well. First off, they were baby brussels and so were sweet and tender. I cooked them in a little butter, fresh thyme and lemon juice. Definitely something to cook on days other than Thanksgiving.

The personal triumph for me were the mashed potatoes. I used very thin skinned Yukon Golds and left the skin on. I could say that it was for the added nutritional value in the peel - but the truth is that I was saving some time.
I used buttermilk instead of cream. Buttermilk is misunderstood by many to be a fat filled ingredient - but truly, it is very low in calories and provides a lovely tangy flavor to the potatoes. I did use some butter and a nice amount of salt and pepper. I almost forgot the roasted garlic. My trick with roasted garlic is to take garlic cloves and cook them slowly and gently in oil. They become tender and sweet, and provide a luscious flavor to just about anything. The bonus is garlic flavored oil that you can use in any dish that needs a subtle garlic flavor. I use the oil when cooking vegetables; or flavor it with rosemary and thyme - it makes a perfect dip for bread.

Then the stuffing. I love stuffing. I love making it and I especially love eating it. I used corn bread and sourdough bread. I cut it into inch size squares and left them in the oven overnight. The oven is off but the heat of the pilot light helps dry out the bread. When the bread is dry it takes on more of the stock which translates into more flavor. And the key to a flavorful stuffing are the fresh herbs. I don't think you can have too many herbs in stuffing. I use sage, rosemary, thyme and tons of parsley. I cook the mirepoix ( fancy french word for onions, carrots and celery) with the herbs so there is a lovely essence of the herbs. And then I add finely chopped herbs when mixing the stuffing and before putting it in the oven. The cooked herbs provide a depth of flavor and the uncooked herbs provide freshness.
That is a good principle when cooking almost anything like stews and other long cooked dishes. Herbs while cooking and fresh herbs as garnish, or toward the end of cooking. They brighten any dish.

The sweet potatoes. I used 2 kinds - by accident actually. Fresh Direct happened to have yams - my first experience with them. They are creme colored and not sweet, and taste quite starchy - more so than a potato. I also used the sweet potatoes. The color contrast was aesthetically pleasing and the flavor was enhanced by the juxtaposition of the 2 types of potatoes. I peeled and sliced them about a 1/4 inch thick - then boiled them seperately till they were just done.
It would be better to steam them but can you believe it - I don't have a steamer. I need to get me a steamer.
As soon as the potatoes were cooked and drained, I added some olive oil, maple syrup, fresh lemon and orange juice and the key ingredient in my opinion - grated fresh ginger. Salt and pepper of course. The technique of adding the flavoring ingredients to hot potatoes is a good one to keep in mind. The hot potatoes absorb the flavor more readily resulting in a more flavorful dish. Remember that when making potato salad.
I made this dish before with only sweet potatoes and I remember it tasting much better. I am not sure what happened exactly. Did the yams not love the maple syrup, etc.? I am not exactly sure. The dish was good - just not as good as I remember it the last time. But my guests didn't have the memories of the last time I made them - and so I trust that they enjoyed them.

The salad:

Oven Roasted Beets with Arugula. I loved this salad. It was fresh and light - a nice counter point to the other dishes on the table. For the beets, wrap them in foil and bake them in a 325 degree oven. They take quite a while - so its best to do this the night before. My beets were especially huge and so took almost 2 1/2 hours. As soon as you are able to handle them, oil your hands and peel them. The oiling of the hands ensures that your hands don't remain red for too long. The same applies for your cutting board. I cut the beets into 1 inch square. I love cutting beets into squares as opposed to slices - they look like jewels when they are square. I saved the juice that was gathered in the foil that the beets were cooked in and used it in the dressing.
The dressing like most of my dressings was simple. Just some lemon or lime juice - whatever I have at hand, a little olive oil (I don't follow the formula of 1/4 acid to 3/4 oil - I just taste it till it tastes right) and salt and pepper of course. Just before I was to serve the salad I dressed the baby arugula and the red beet juice made the leaves look lovely. The oil made them glisten and the red juice clung to the leaves in places and they looked lovely. I put the greens in the middle of a platter and the dressed beets all around.
If you like the idea of this salad - please take the time to cook the fresh beets. What I am trying to say is don't used canned beets - they are no where close to the fresh ones. If you don't have 2 hours to put your beets in a largely unattended oven - make another salad.
I had planned to put some goat cheese in the salad too but changed my mind at the last minute. They was too much food on the table and the goat cheese would be lost. I would definitely add it when I make this salad on another day when I don't have such a feast.

The Vegetarian Entree.

I baked the Sweet Dumpling Pumpkins in the oven the nice before. The choice of these pumpkins were solely visual and what I could find in the market. Also the size helped in the determination - I was looking for something that would be good for 1 serving. They were a tad too big - but the day before Thanksgiving I couldn't be too choosy. There was a huge run on all things squash and pumpkin at the grocery store. This was one ingredient that I didn't get from Fresh Direct since I wanted to hand pick them.
I made the filling which was toasted pearl couscous (called Israeli couscous by some), onions, squash, apples, mushrooms and lots of herbs. Half an hour before were were to sit down, I stuffed filled the pumpkins and baked them in the oven. I wasn't thrilled with them since I think they cooked to long in the oven and the couscous got a tad crunchy on top. This is what happens when you are juggling 8 or 9 dishes in one oven and trying to get everything hot and out on the table at the same time. I still think that the vegetarians appreciated the sentiment that I made something especially for them and they wouldn't just have a plateful of side dishes.
I am hypercritical of my own cooking because that is how I learn. When I make these next I might put them in a lower temperature oven or keep a watchful eye on them on maybe cover them.
Cooking is all about making adjustments according to what is thrown at you.

The Gravy:

For the first time ever I made the gravy before hand. Ideally I would want to make it with the turkey drippings in the pan the turkey was cooked in. The turkey needs to rest for 30 minutes and that is plenty of time to make the gravy. But with the size of kitchen that I am working in and the last minute chaos of getting everything ready - making the gravy becomes a huge ordeal. By the time the turkey comes out of the oven I am used every square inch of my counter space and the stove top. To have two burners free where I can make the gravy the way I like it just doesn't happen.

So I made the gravy before and then after degreasing the pan juices, I added them to the already made gravy. The is a happy medium that I am comfortable with.
When I go out to buy that steamer I also need to get a gravy separator. It is this genius measuring cup looking contraption that just separates the fat from the precious as gold pan drippings, and you can just pour it off while the fat remains in the separator.
I was happy with my gravy, it had a rich and deep flavor and was the perfect consistency. Slightly thick but not gummy and gray. Think of it as a thickened jus.

The Turkey:

It was my least fussy turkey ever. By that I mean that it gave me no trouble at all. I cooked it simply and it cooperated all the way. No pink parts at the joints, no dryness - just perfect crispy brown skin, succulently juicy breast meat and perfectly cooked dark meat.

I rubbed it with salt and pepper and massaged it with 1/2 stick of butter. Put it in a 500 degree oven for about 20 minutes and then reduced the heat to 350 and cooked it for another 2 hours of so - until the thermometer registered 160 degrees. I didn't baste the turkey once. I feel once there is a lovely crispy skin - why ruin it by throwing liquid on it and also...since it is so crispy - how will any liquid permeate. I used to baste every 20 minutes but I find that it just cools down the oven and makes the turkey take longer to cook.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving.
If not, don't worry there will be another one next year.
What were the hits or misses in your menu?
Learn anything new? Something to keep in mind for next year or forget about it?

Until I eat again!

My Thanksgiving Menu

Fresh Direct came through for me.

Everything was delivered and perfect.

I prepped yesterday and following is my menu thus far.

Cheese Platter

Pear and Butternut Squash

Roast Turkey with Gravy

Sausage and Apple Stuffing
(Sourdough and Cornbread, Wild Rice, Chestnuts, Herbs and more herbs)

Vegetarian Stuffing

Pearl Cousous Stuffed Squash (for the vegetarian guests)

Green Beans with Fried Onions and Toasted Almonds

Brussels Sprouts

Garlic Smashed Potatoes with Buttermilk

Sweet Potatoes with Ginger and Maple Syrup

Oven Roasted Root Vegetables with Herbs
(rutabaga, turnips, parsnips, onions and carrots)

Salad
Roasted Yellow and Red Beets with Arugula and Goat Cheese and Toasted Pecans

Home made Cranberry Sauce with Orange

Bread and Sweet Butter

Pecan Pie and Pumpkin Pie with Chantilly Cream

An Ode to Fresh Direct

This might come across as an advertisement for Fresh Direct. So be it - it is an amazing service. For years now I would traipse around the city hunting and gathering for the best ingredients to cook the Thanksgiving Feast. Frankly, it was quite exhausting; at times anxiety provoking (am I getting to the farmer's market early enough to get the best of the pickin's?), and would take the wind out of my sail.

On Sunday night, I sat down with my lap top and just picked out what I need to cook on Thursday. While I am a stickler for lists and more lists (comes from years of catering) - with Fresh Direct's website I didn't even have to have a list. I started with the turkey of course - picked the 18-20 lb. bird and the rest of the shopping just occurred naturally. Vegetables, fruits, dairy, bread - all just a click away. So easy, so smooth, so relaxing. And the cost is pretty comparable to the stores I would go to. The convenience though ... Priceless!

The delivery is due this afternoon, a few hours after I am writing this. But am I afraid that they will mess up my order? Not really. I used them for Christmas dinner last year. But the time they really came through for me was last summer. I was catering a wedding. The company I ordered all the food from decided to take it to an old address and not even call me to tell me that no one was there! I basically waited and waited, tried calling and calling - no one was there since it was the weekend. The anxiety was enough to make me change careers.

But a huge part of the catering business is to have a plan B, and sometimes even a plan C and D. I calmly (outwardly calm) sat down in front of my computer and ordered everything from Fresh Direct. I won't lie-I was afraid. I was very afraid. But they showed up at the assigned venue on time with everything on my list. It was obviously more expensive than the whole sale place I originally ordered from - but boy, did they save my life. Since then I am a Fresh Direct Convert.

So today between 2 and 4 PM I expect them to show up with everything I ordered. Everything at the right temperature and looking good and fresh. I can't wait! And all the extra energy I have from the absence of shopping around town will result in a better cooking experience for my favorite holiday of the year.

Have you ever used Fresh Direct?

Do you think I should send a link of this post to the president of Fresh Direct? Maybe they'll give me a little discount for my next order.

Hope you have most of your shopping done.

Until I eat again!

Help! I have at least 2 Vegetarians coming for Thanksgiving

I wrote in my previous posts about Thanksgiving - that I love it so. It is my favorite holiday and I enjoy every aspect of it. I have been cooking for this day for years and years, but this is the first time I am going to have 2 vegetarians for sure and maybe 3. This excites me, and concerns me just a tad. I don't want the vegetarians to feel like they are having a bunch of side dishes on their plate - that they were just an after thought. I looked at Gourmet Magazine's Vegetarian Feast menu passingly a few weeks ago and at first glance it looked like a list of side dishes. Now that I have 2 vegetarians on my guest list - I am going to look at that menu again much closely, and that should help me decide how I am going to approach this new curve ball that was thrown at me just this morning.

What I know or sure as of now:

Those who eat turkey will have turkey, and those who don't will get something in its place - what exactly ... I don't know yet.

I thought Tofu something - not tofurkey - but maybe, I'll treat tofu the way I treat the turkey.

For those of you who are turning up your nose as you read this - trust me - tofu can be delicious. The charm of tofu is that it takes on whatever flavors you add to it very happily and readily. It is like potatoes or pasta or even chicken. Its has a blank taste profile and can't wait for some fabulous taste spectrum to be thrown at it, and it will sop it up so willingly.

As of now, tofu is a contender. How I will prepare it, if I prepare it - I don't know.

The other thought I had was a vegetarian lasagna-but I have to consider oven space. I have one oven to work with and am not sure if I can dedicate so much room and so much time that a lasagna will take.

Another pasta maybe?

That's certainly a possibility.

As I write this I am also envisioning individual squash stuffed with something like Israeli couscous and vegetables; or barley and vegetables. This is looking more and more like the thing that I am probably going to do.

This back and forth is exactly what I enjoy about planning my menu.

Do you have any suggestions for me?

Have you had vegetarians at your Thanksgiving Table?
Are you a vegetarian yourself? What do you like for Thanksgiving?
Were you ever caught by surprise and found yourself with guests that did not eat meat? What did you do?

Please tell me what you are thinking?

Until I eat again!

Can Thanksgiving be Healthful without being Boring?

One of the things I enjoyed several weeks before Thanksgiving was sifting through food magazines, cookbooks and television shows - trying to come up with my menu. One common ingredient in most recipes is butter. While I have nothing against butter - 2 sticks per dish when there are an average of 8 dishes on the table does not a healthful meal make. To saute carrots, onions and celery in 2 tbs of butter is good ... to do the same in 2 cups of butter is approaching Paula Deen's land of insanity.

This year as I plan my menu - my major goal is to make it simple, delicious and healthy. The first 2 goals I have had before but the 3rd is new.

So the question is Can the Thanksgiving meal be healthful without being boring?

I think so.

Lets review the things that most probably will show up on the table.

Turkey - the star of the meal is very low in fat even when it is draped in a butter soaked cheesecloth (see previous post).

Mashed Potatoes - Potatoes are a maligned vegetable for no reason what so ever. They are high in potassium, vitamin C and folate. They contain a trace amount of fat.
Its usually what'd done to the potato that gives it a bad rap.
I will be mashing mine in buttermilk, loads of garlic and butter

Sweet Potatoes - are not so maligned, rightfully so. Sweet Potatoes are rich in beta-carotene and a multitude of antioxidants.
I intend to make them with maple syrup, ginger and maybe walnuts or pecans. Control your urge to say Yumm-O

Root Vegetable Medley - What could be bad about that?
Nothing I say ... nothing at all

The Stuffing
I am not entirely sure what kind I will be making this year
I still have some time to decide. Stuffing is my favorite thing to make and so I take my time deciding what exactly I'll do. After having made it a gazillion times - I don't use a recipe. I change my mind at the last minute and throw things in. No one knows what exactly I will be cooking until after it's cooked and I put on some photos to prove it.
Some of my favorite ingredients to put in the stuffing are:
Sour dough Bread
Corn Bread
Wild Rice
Chestnuts
Leeks
(I think I have the making of my stuffing right here)

Roasted Brussels Sprouts
So good-so misunderstood. So high in magnesium. potassium, riboflavin, thiamin...the list goes on and on

Cranberry Sauce with orange segments and orange zest - cranberries have 5 times the antioxidant content of broccoli.
Nothing wrong here at all.

Salad - Don't know which kind yet.
All good

Dessert
Difficult to rationalize and make 'good'.
The only way to deal with this one is to exercise portion control or use Dr. Oz's u-turn technique that I have been using all year. You can look it up in his book: You- On a Diet

I think I have my menu.

The starters will probably be outsourced to the guests coming over who insist on bringing something.

I might make my Cognac Scented Chicken Livers on Croutons.
Chicken livers are high in zinc and selenium and they are just so delicious.

I have to stop now - I am getting hungry.

I feel good about my menu. I think it is going to be a healthful Thanksgiving Feast and no one will be the wiser.
Thank God we don't need Rice Cakes and Slim Fast Shakes not to feel guilty about enjoying the glorious day that is Thanksgiving.

Share your Thanksgiving menu with me.
Want some ideas of what to make? I can help

Until I eat again!

Don't Be Afraid of the Turkey!

15 Days to Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday of all times. It involves the most important things to me - Food, Friends and Family...corny but true.

I made turkey the first year I came to the States, when I was 16 and had never seen a turkey in my entire life. I believe Gourmet or some such magazine was my guide and I created an entire "Traditional" meal. That was a long time ago. Every year since, I learned some new technique from someone. Anyone.

Martha (Martha Stewart to all of you), for instance taught me to soak cheesecloth in butter and drape it over the breast so it doesn't get dry. I do that sometimes, it really does work.

David Rosengarten (who had one of the best shows on the Food Network - when the network was worth watching) made a turkey where I he removed the breast meat as soon as it was done and then let the rest of the bird cook sans the breast. He paraded the turkey in the dining room for the waiting guests right before he removed the breast and then no one was the wiser, and the bird was pure perfection. I haven't used this trick but seems like an excellent idea.

Brining has been a big thing is the recent past-I will admit I have never tried it - primarily due to lack of space. I don't have a fridge big enough that will accommodate my turkey while it bathes in salty liquid.
For years I have felt like a fake never having brined my turkey but today as I write this I read an article in the New York Times (November 12th, 2008) by Harold McGee. He is not a fan of brining and he explains why. Check it out. I feel so much better now.

Then there is the deep fried turkey-sounds sooo delicious but sooo dangerous. I wouldn't try it for the world. I will wait for someone named Bubba to invite me to his house in the woods where he and his buddies will be frying up some turkey outside the garage. I promise to take some side dishes.

The techniques that I use now to achieve a succulent, moist bird is a compilation of techniques and tips from dozens of magazines, cook books and television shows. Going to cooking school helped too. Hopefully, the following will help you.

First and foremost:

Do not be nervous. Remember, the turkey is NOT the most important part of the day. Its your family and friends and other things that you are thankful for.
This year I am most thankful that the White House is going to have the correct residents living in it for the next 4 years.

Buy the best quality turkey you can afford.

Throw away the plastic pop up thingi if your bird has one. It means nothing when it pops up.

Let the turkey stand on the counter for 30 minutes ( a bit more if you can stand it) before you put it in the oven).

Take out the giblets and the neck in the plastic bag before you put the turkey in the oven.

Do not baste every 20 minutes as many recipes say, because
- opening and closing the oven again and again just lowers the temperature of the oven and
- I don't really think it helps that much

I just start the turkey in a high oven - 450 degrees for 30 to 45 minutes-peek in once to see if I may need to turn it around if it is getting too dark on one side - then lower the oven to 350, and just let it go for at least another hour - depending on the size of your turkey.

I read all those formulas of 20 minutes per pound, etc. - it doesn't really always hold true. Things vary turkey to turkey and oven to oven.

Instead, learn a temperature. Turkey is done at 160 degrees. Once the thickest part of the thigh (without touching the bone) registers 160 - your bird is done - simple - simple - did I say simple?

Make sure you let it rest for 30 minutes before you carve it.

The resting bird also gives you ample time to reheat the side dishes in the newly vacated oven, and gather your guests around the table.

Spend some time learning to prepare a good gravy, and most sins of the turkey with be masked by that.

Take a deep breath in. Relax.

Now tell me your favorite ways to make turkey.
Tell me your fears and I will try to quell them.
Ask me any questions that you may have. I promise to get back to you.
Come back for more pre-Thanksgiving talk.

Until I eat again!

A Weekend of Debauchery

I want to apologize for the lack of photographs-I am having trouble with uploading photos. I have many a photo-check back later.

I slept over at a friend's place this past weekend and she is my "eating friend." You know, we all have friends that we do different activities with like watching a movie, going to a bar, taking a walk in the park, etc. And then there are friends that you eat with. These friends are different from Restaurant friends who you go out to new and exciting eateries - eating friends are those with whom you consume obscene amounts of junk food while watching bad TV or Netflix movies.
Well, I had one of those sleep overs this past Friday.
I have had many a sleep over like the one on Friday - this one was different because I didn't beat myself over how much I was eating and how bad the stuff we were eating was. I enjoyed every moment and morsel of it. It was planned and is tradition. The key is not to have too many of these weekends of debauchery and to go right back on track of eating healthfully the minute the visit is over.

I find this train of thought very liberating and empowering. A huge part of weight gain for me is the constant negative self talk and putting unrealistic expectations upon myself-which then lead to failed expectations, which then leads to feeling sorry for myself and then totally throwing in the towel.

But if I do exactly what I set out to do - which in this case was eating junk food with abandon for a pre-determined amount of time - I don't let myself down. Make sense?

I like this new technique of mine as long as I don't do it too often.

The evening began with a visit to Key Food where we bought supplies to make Onion Dip and chips to accompany it. Only whole fat sour cream will do as per my friend - so whole fat sour cream it was. And sodium and chemical laden onion mix. Yummy. Then we stopped at a Fried Chicken place and bought Chicken with Mashed Potatoes and Gravy.
For dessert, ice cream bar with nuts.

The only thing that we didn't have that evening was a good or even a bad Netflix movie. The Netflix account was the first casualty of the economic downturn - which is fine-we all have to cut down where we can.



If anyone cares to know how to make this soooo bad for you nutritionally; and so anti -gourmet treat. Follow the pictorial.









After we had our fill of our semi home-made Onion Dip (that woman on the food network actually gets away with teaching people things like that) - we were ready for dinner.

We had our Fried Chicken with Mashed Potatoes and gravy.

As we ate our chicken which wasn't bad for being take away and having sat while we had our chips and dip- we watched some more bad television.

Time for desert. It was the Vanilla Ice cream with Nuts (i think peanuts).

Time for bed.

The next morning we decided to have breakfast at the neighborhood diner.



I ordered the Hungry 'Woman' Breakfast with copious amounts of coffee.

And that ended the weekend of debauchery.

It was fun and I vowed not to do it for at another 2 months.

What about you? Do you have friends that you eat with? What is your ideal debaucherous treat?

I am dying to know.

Until I eat again!

2000 is Really Enough - Calories that is.

Today there is an op-ed piece in the New York Times: 2000 is Really enough.

I think putting calories on fast food restaurant menus is an excellent idea. Whether people struggle with their weight or not - everyone needs to be aware of how many calories we should take in a day. And more importantly, how many calories there are in our favorite foods. I don't think that we need to get obsessive and militant about it and that we eat with a calculator next to our plates. But to know that one seemingly harmless muffin has close to 500 calories - I think that is helpful. Thats a third of some people's intake (not mine) without them realizing it.

The piece talks about some corporations voluntarily offering to show calories on their menu boards. I am most looking forward to Taco Bell doing it. One knows that when they are eating fried chicken, it is laden with a ridiculous amount of calories; but I have always wanted to know how much a bean burrito at Taco Bell runs-calorie wise. For a dollar and nineteen cents, sometimes a Taco Bell burrito hits the spot. I don't care what you think of me now - I confess - I like bland, insipid but cheap food sometimes. It hits the spot.

I have talked about the calorie display on menu boards before. I know that it has made me stand and stare at certain menus and walk out because nothing is less that 600 calories. Q Doba is guilty of that. And so it Chipotle. I don't really go into Mc Donald's type places for that to count. (I know, I know I wrote about the Angus Burger-but it was obviously an event-that I wrote about it)!

I say keep the calorie display on fast food menus - it can only help.

Until I eat again!

Tough Economic Times and Quesadillas all Weekend

I have been reading a lot lately about how to save money. One of the constants in life is eating-no matter the economic climate. I read with fascination people who are able to shop for a week for a family of 4 for $60. I go to the store and buy barely enough for 2 meals and have spent close to that amount. Then I think that those people live in Podunk City, Nowhere. Then I get annoyed and carry on living the way that I do buying expensive grocery items and not keeping tabs on how much I am spending. But in the back of my mind I always fantasize to be one of those budget keeping people.

I am apartment sitting for a friend for the weekend and got to her place on Saturday afternoon. I took the subway in and so brought no groceries with me. That evening I went down to get some stuff. I wasn't sure what I was going to get or where. She lives in a neighborhood with plenty of choices. I walked past the Key Food and the Damascus Bakery. A brand new Trader Joe's opened around the corner and I thought I would go in there but shied away from the huge crowds that I saw milling about. I thought I'd just buy some pre-made stuff and not worry about it. A movie was about to start on HBO in half and hour. I reprimanded my self and kept walking on. I came to Perelandra. This is a natural/organic food store that I have only encountered in Brooklyn. I knew I needed to get toothpaste and milk for my morning coffee. I put those 2 things in my basket and started to cruise the aisles. It is a very small store and so I must have gone around twice before I knew what I was going to get. The milk in my cart was calling out for some cereal that I would have for breakfast. I have talked about my partaking of breakfast every morning in my previous posts. I stood in front of all the boxes for quite some time and finally settled on Raisin Bran.

What am I going to have for dinner tonight? Something bread related since I felt too lazy to boil pasta at this late hour. I picked up tortillas since a loaf bread seemed too breakfasty- and I already had the cereal. Tortillas only meant one thing for dinner-Quesadillas. I went to the meat freezer and got sausages-there is not much of a choice of meats here. Now for some cheese. Pre-grated while convenient is a rip off. I got the jalapeno pepper jack cheese. Now some creamy thing. Since I was in such a health-oriented store I was feeling noble. Why not some yogurt instead of sour cream? Okay Greek yogurt. The larger container gave me sticker shock- almost 6 bucks - so I got the small one for less that 2 bucks. Right now I am thinking that this stuff is going to cost me an arm and a leg in this earthy crunchy store and I am just a couple of blocks from Trader Joe's and Key Food where my bill would have been easily 1/2 less of what is was going to be here. It was getting later and later -never go food shopping hungry and without a shopping list. Quesadillas need some sort of salsa - something I could make easily but not now. I went to the salsa aisle and still with a virtuous ring over my head got some bean dip. Without even calculating how much all this would add up - I was feeling poor and wasn't going to buy any vegetables.

Its not easy trying to be healthful and eat organic food and non antibiotic injected animals etc. I totally understand why people who are economically challenged buy inferior quality food and convenience food-because it is soooo much cheaper. Not just a few cents here and there-almost 50 percent less.

I am at the checkout and the girl is very polite and making small talk-something that doesn't happen at the supermarket where I live. She puts the 8 things I bought in a bag and tells me $36.44. I put on my poker face like I do this everyday and that I have enough money to warrant this shopping and hand her 2 twenties.

I realize that one can have 1 takeout meal for $20 and I wasn't going to eat all of this in one sitting - but it still seemed like a lot of money for the amount of things I bought. Essentially 2 meals and dribs and drabs of others and toothpaste that I would use for over 1 month. It is still a lot of money-there is no denying that.

I walked home thinking of the people who are running a household of 4 and who have to feed their families everyday and don't make huge salaries and don't have a lot of time.

I am not those people and so I set about making my dinner for 1.



Quesadillas

Slice 2 sausages and cook with a quarter of sliced onion. Dice a quarter of an onion (scallions will do nicely here). Slice or grate your favorite cheese (preferably something that melts and strong enough to stand up to strong flavors-like pepper jack or sharp cheddar). A few leaves of cilantro.



Assemble the quesadilla by spreading a table spoon of the black bean salsa on the tortilla. Place the cheese in a single layer on half of the tortilla. Add half the sausage onion mix and sprinkle some of the diced raw onion and a few leaves of cilantro. Fold over the tortilla and create a half moon. Put it to side and make the second tortilla.




Now heat a pan that will fit the quesadilla comfortably and add a tsp. of olive oil (or any neutral tasting oil like canola). Gently place the half moon like tortilla in the pan and let it cook on one side on medium high heat. You should let the cheese melt and resist the urge to move or turn the quesadilla for about a minute. Now flip it with a spatula taking care not to drop any of the ingredients from the quesadilla. Cook another minute or so until the outside of the tortilla looks golden brown and slightly crispy.

Place the quesadilla on a cutting board and cut into 4 pieces.




Now put on a plate, top with yogurt or sourcream and the salsa. Garnish with cilantro.



Enjoy Quesadillas hot and don't fret the tough economic down turn while you eat.


Do what I say and not necessarily what I do:

Yogurt is not an entirely satisfactory substitute for Sour Cream.

Don't put too much of the Black Bean Dip on the tortilla.

The Organic 7-grain tortilla wraps may be good for me but they don't crisp up like the overly processed flour tortillas.

Grate the cheese as opposed to slice it (my friend didn't seem to have a box grater).

Some sort of tomato-ey thing is important...a salsa or something.

I just read a short excerpt of Gael Greene's food diary. It is soooo hard keeping your weight in check. She eats a 'sensible' breakfast - usually a yogurt with fruit and a salad for lunch. Then when she has to go out for tastings which is part of her job-she eats ONE fried oyster and One shoestring fry. HALF a tangello and a 1/3 of one type of pizza and another 1/3 of another (when doing a story on pizzas). If I were in her shoes, I would be a huge blimp because I would eat ALL the fried oysters and ALL the fries and every type of pizza placed in from of me.

My life is no Gael Greene's life by any stretch of the imagination but I still have to balance my days and weeks out. I have been quite diligent about eating breakfast everyday (lets say almost everyday). I have narrowed my breakfast menu to include a cup of whole grain cereal with 1/2 a banana and skim milk; or 1 whole grain toast with a tsp. of roasted peanut butter. Trader Joe makes and excellent one. Sometimes I will have 1 apple and a tbs. of the peanut butter. I would eat more hard cooked eggs if time allowed - so I eat one occasionally with salt and pepper and a couple of whole grain crackers.

I realize I don't enough fruit. I tend not to love fruit because it is too sweet and in general I prefer savory food. I usually eat it like medicine as opposed to really enjoying it.

Actually, that concept holds true for most foods and most meals. Sometimes I envy Oprah like people with personal chefs and nutritionists ( I don't think she has one-but I would if I was her). Every meal would be prepared for me according to my specifications and presented to me at the appropriate times in attractive plates and bowls. And also a personal trainer would drag me out of bed every morning and MAKE me work out. The meal plan I described sounds somewhat like Jenny Craig but not really.

Okay, I have snapped out of it. That was just a mini fantasy digression-I am back. I don't really want to be like Oprah at all. What I really want is to be someone who can eat any thing and any amount of it and not gain an ounce or have any negative health consequences. Yes, that's what I want.

Since I can't have that I have to be so very vigilant with what I eat-it is not even funny.

I digressed so far. Thanks for hanging in there.

I was saying...

It makes me feel good and somewhat inspired that someone like Gael Greene has to be so vigilant about what she eats. I believe everyone does unless they are a teenage athlete. I remember reading about Frank Bruni's workout regimen. Not enviable at all.

Tonight I have to go out to dinner at an Italian place. In preparation. for breakfast I had cereal and half a banana. For lunch I intend on having a salad and then its a free for all at dinner. Thank Goodness that money is tight, and that reigns in my ordering everything on the menu.

What are the tricks that you employ to keep your weight in check?

Until I eat again.

I recently read somewhere that Sun Chips are not all bad for you. But they are chips and have to be treated as such - which means eating the whole bag is not going to do you any good or provide any healthful fiber. Lately, I have been snacking a lot. I am trying to go the 'sort of healthy' route but it is such a slippery, slippery slope. I try to buy a smallish bag of sunchips or those baked fish have been a choice lately. The problem with those fishies is that they only come in the big bag and i think that i am only going to eat a few and before I know it the whole bag is gone. I have learned that what works best for me is to just not buy any at all. Because if I buy a bag-no matter the size...I have to finish it.

What are some snacks that you enjoy and do you have any tricks to not finishing a bag?

August 8th, 2008

I came back from my vacation yesterday. My plan of weighing myself every couple of days didn't work out as there wasn't a weighing machine where I was staying.

Honesty/Confession time:

- I did go on a few morning walks-not nearly every day as I had planned.
- The first few days I was conscious of what I was eating but then towards the end I ate with abandon. The rationalization for that is that I was coming across foods that I had not eaten before like the burger and animal fries at In and Out Burger (I will post about that experience later), and also some authentic and inauthentic Mexican food in San Diego.
- Food is a way of socializing and bonding...my cousin is an avid cook and I was cooking too while I was in Los Angeles. And when one is cooking for a crowd, it is usually not salads and steamed vegetables. The message to get in between the lines is that we cooked - we ate; we hung out - we ate; we went out and we ate.

Now that I am back I have jumped back on the proverbial wagon since this morning. I made a delicious and healthful lentil soup today which I had for lunch. I intend on having a light dinner later on today. I will also be buying that weighing machine that wasn't to be found in Los Angeles and get back on my regimen. It would be a shame to let all the work that I put in all year go to waste by staying off the wagon too long and gaining back the weight.

So vacation is over and I am resuming my weight loss plan.

How have you fared on vacation this summer?

Until I eat again.

I am going to California on Saturday for almost 3 weeks. While it is exciting, I am a bit (actually, a lot) concerned about my weight gain/loss issue. I have had relatives visiting for the past month and that has meant eating at all odd hours, eating out, eating rich food and not exercising. This has put a kaibash on my weight loss regimen. Now with my trip coming up in a couple of days, I am coming up with strategies as I pack.

My intentions are the following:
- I will weigh myself as soon as I get there and then every couple of days-this will give me a realistic picture of what is going on with my weight.
- A couple of the people that I will be spending time with in California are very health and fitness minded. I have heard that they go for a jog/walk at 6 in the AM everyday. I intend to tag along every other day if not every day.
- I will make an announcement of my plans to everyone (which is very unlike me) and ask for every one's help to keep me on track - who knows, I might inspire a couple of people to get on a healthful track too

I will be packing walking shoes and appropriate walking clothing - which in and of itself is a first for me.

Has anyone else faced these challenges on vacation? Any ideas and tips? Will be greatly appreciated.

And yes, I will be carrying my trusty Mac and blogging from California.

For the first time ever, I entertained with all cold or room temperature dishes and just one hot dish. Whenever I cook for a crowd, I like everything to come out piping hot from the oven at the same time (restaurant and catering training). Because of this I tend to get in a bit of a tizzy. Unlike in a restaurant or a catering gig-I don't have people working around me who know what they are doing and have their assigned jobs. Instead, what I have is guests standing at the entrance of the kitchen asking me questions about what I put in this or that and if they can help. This annoys me so. You would wonder why I cook if I hate people so much. I wonder that myself sometimes.

Actually, I like well behaved guests. Like I am - a well behaved guest. If I go over to someone's place I will never hover and ask stupid questions. I will only help if asked to do so. I will ask for a recipe if something is so good and unusual and something that I am bound to cook. People ask for recipes for things they have no intention of cooking nor have the skills to cook. Someone who doesn't feel comfortable boiling water should not ask how a souflee is made or a leg of lamb.

I digress. That's what I do.

Back to the "Room Temperature" Entertaining. Despite all the planning in the world, the last few moments when I'm trying to put everything out on the table is an ordeal. So I decided that I am not going to put myself through all that and serve everything at room temperature. It turned out to be an excellent idea and I decided that from here on out-this is how I am entertaining in the summer.
By just having the one dish in the oven, I didn't have to constantly open and close it and switch things around to keep everything hot and make sure that everything was cooked properly, etc. This helped the apartment stay much cooler too.

I made a delicious, sumptuous, unctuous, delectable leg of lamb marinated for 2 days and 2 nights in green chilies, cilantro, mint and mustard. The other things were Orzo with Feta, Grape Tomatoes and Pine Nuts; Asparagus with Citrus Sauce (essentially mayo with lemon, lime zest and their juice), broccoli with Toasted almonds (I used some liquid smoke that makes it savory and summery); sweet potato salad with scallions and fresh ginger and rosemary roasted potatoes. Quite a spread and if I had served everything hot - I would have been in a bad bad mood and a bad bad hostess.

This menu allowed me to spend time with my guests and also be in a generally good mood. That is a good thing.

What tricks do you have for summer entertaining? And don't say that you throw everything on the grill-because then I'll be very jealous. If only I had a grill...aaah

Until I eat again!

June 9th, 2008

It is a struggle everyday to eat healthfully. I wish it wasn't the case but it is. I was at the Green Market in Union Square on Saturday - I bought a fresh pressed apple and raspberry juice without added sugar-that was $3/- Not bad. Next I wanted some bread. Nothing less that $7 for half a loaf or $10 for a loaf. I kept moving on. Everything looked so beautiful but I was looking for something that I could eat at work. In the refrigerator I had some whole wheat pita, cottage cheese and mesclun greens. I just wanted a little something to make the meal I would create with these ingredients interesting, and the 8 hours I would have to spend at work bearable. I circled the market twice just admiring the beautiful produce and the flowers - but not being able to figure out what I should get. As I was coming to the end of the market-I saw some beautiful Jersey Tomatoes. That would be good - I thought. I'll slice a ripe and delicious tomato and that'll round out my lunch beautifully. I walked up to the tomatoes and picked one up. I handed it to the woman, looking at her apologetically that I was just buying the one. "Would you like a bag?" she asked - something everyone at the market is doing now. I was shaking my head no and opening my wallet readying it to hand her 50 cents, a dollar maybe. "One seventy five" she said. I would be lying if I said that I wasn't a little take aback. I wanted to just say no thank you and walk away - but I was getting late. I handed her $2 and she gave me back a quarter. I walked the block to work shaking my head and wondering how one is supposed to eat healthfully and not break the bank. I had such a sticker shock that I didn't even buy my cup of coffee that I normally do. I was just going to make coffee at work and not spend the $1.

Today, I am at Starbucks and wanted lunch. It is close to 100 degrees outside so I didn't want to walk far - I saw a Subway and thought this should do. I don't think my wallet can stand another shock today. And if Jared lost weight on it - I can find something to eat here. I ordered the 6 inch Tuna on whole wheat with lettuce and cucumbers. I think I am done with tomatoes for a few days and then there is the salmonella scare these days. I was looking for the calorie postings and my turn came too soon to comprehend all the numbers. Is it the price or the calories? I don't know. As soon as my turn came I said Tuna on whole wheat. I just finished eating it sitting in Starbucks. I went on the Subway website for calorie information. A 6 inch sub is 530 calories and 270 from fat. I clearly could have made a better choice but I am not going to beat myself over it. $4.74 and $1.90 for coffee at Starbucks. I don't intend on making Subway a regular habit for lunch or any other meal since the sandwich tasted quite bad. But as I noted on past posts - I think this calorie posting is a good thing. It makes me mindful of what I am eating. So not to sound like a broken record - but these postings can be helpful.

Eating at these fast food places and not having a satisfactory experience is a whole other post for another day.

Until I eat again.

June 6th, 2008

I Ate the Angus Burger at McDonald's

Oh what I'll do in the name of research...or what will I attribute to research? After eating quite well during the day yesterday I stumbled into a McDonald's at about 9PM dinner. I decided to rationalize and said to myself that I need to try all food stuffs. I don't want to assign the label of poison to any food. I never want to be one of those people.

I ordered the Combination #6 which was the Angus Burger with Bacon and Cheese. "When did McDonald's start doing Angus burgers? What kind of gimmick is this? What are Angus burgers? Isn't that the name of the cow? Or is it a Buffalo? I missed that advertisement campaign somewhere." All these thoughts were going on in my head while I also debated between the #6 and the #7 combo. Number 7 was Angus burger with mushrooms. The debate in my head was twofold. One, that the mushrooms would be less calories and two, I want to know what kind of mushrooms does McDonald's use? Would they be watery like those from a can? Would there be some attempt to brown them that would make them look like they were sauteed? I really wanted to know. I went back and forth as I stood in the line. When my turn came and the guy asked if he could help me...I found myself saying #6 please with a coke. As I write this, I can't figure out or remember the reasoning I used to order the bacon version of the burger instead of the mushrooms.

Oh well. I guess there is something that happens to people when they enter these kind of food establishments. I saw Fast Food Nation, I have read countless articles about what is in those burgers and what the rate of obesity is and all. But there I was standing on the side of the line, waiting for my 1000+ calorie dinner to show up. As I waited, I was looking for the calorie counts on the menu. I couldn't find them. I was confused. I know there are enough McDonald's in the world that they need to follow the rule. Had the deadline date of posting the numbers not come by yet? Chipotle, Cosi and Starbucks had their calories posted. Was McDonald's exempt from this rule like the Menthol Cigs were exempt from the tobacco law? What was going on here? Then my eye went to a sign that said that the calories were posted on the back of the place mat on the tray. I looked down and the side of the place mat that was facing me had some games on it - jumble and word search to be specific. I turned over the mat and there was there were the numbers. There were so many numbers. I tried to scan them quickly trying to make some sense of them. There were so many numbers though. The guy behind the counter was filling my drink cup with ice and coke, and was then going to place it on my mat. I was afraid the drink would sweat all over those scary numbers and then I wouldn't know just how many calories I was just about to ingest. I wouldn't know how many calories people ingest on a daily basis. Kids and teenagers especially-oh I better no get started on that.

As the man/boy was about to put the drink on my mat I asked him if I could have another one of those mats please. He looked at me confused. I was expecting him to do too much. Where was he to put the drink? Why does this woman want another mat? What is wrong with her? He did give me another mat which I fold instantly and put in my bag for safe keeping and he put the drink outside my tray, clearly confused by my strange behavior.

I sat down with my burger, large fries and coke. I scanned down the long list of items on the calorie sheet to find my Angus burger. I couldn't find it. At the top of the list if said: Updated Jan 2008. I guess they didn't have this burger in Jan 2008. I really need to stay on top of these things. I looked at the large french fries --530 calories! Oh lord help me. How cluelessly we put those things in our mouths? Not knowing that we are consuming a whole day's worth of calories in one 10 to 12 minute seating. What do you do once you know? Not eat this stuff so often, I guess. I am reminded of my cousin who was visiting from Indian recently who said that he has to get his fix of an American burger. So he took himself to McDonald's. It was just like having fish and chips in London or gol gappas in Delhi and Pau Bhaji in Bombay. Does this mean we can eat this stuff everyday just because we can? I don't think so.

The Burger Itself:

I will say about this Angus burger-it looked most like a burger that I have ever seen any fast food burger look like (especially Mc Donald's burger). The bun looked like a bun. It actually had some texture and mouth feel. I took a bite of the burger and it was juicy - I'm not sure what made it juicy ...but it was juicy. Just like when you eat a burger at a burger joint... this burger was juicy.
I took a couple of bites and had to remind myself to slow down... that I was doing this in the name of research. The bacon was pretty bacony and crispy...I don't think there was any lettuce on it. I surely remember there being slices of real onion. I wonder how they do that. Do they get slices of onions from the central distribution place where they get all their stuff? Or do they actually have a person slicing the onions in the back? It got me thinking as I am right now...because the other onions I have had in McD burgers have been chopped up in pieces, and so uniformity is not an issue. Hmmm how did they do that? I don't know. I want to be many things in life but don't really want to be an expert in the operations of McDonald's. I hope I don't have to eat my words when I find myself as the manager of a McDonald's some day. That will be a cold, cold day in hell.
Back to the burger. There were pickles in there too. Then I made a point to taste the meat on its own. As I did that I couldn't help thinking of many a scenes from Fast Food Nation... but those things don't really bother me too too much. I remember going for a burger right after I saw that movie. I don't know why I wasn't thinking of Supersize Me...even though I saw that Spurlock guy on Letterman or Leno the other day. Anyway, I took a bite of the patty and it had no taste, no salt, no taste - nothing. The whole thing together was quite nice though - for where I was. the fries were cold-but then, this is not the review of McDonald's.

The Aftermath:

I finished the meal, left maybe 15 to 20 fries and 3/4 of my coke. I still consumed a thousand calories. And then I had this funny greasy, oily mouthfeel . Hard to describe...but it is that typical McDonald's after taste.
I didn't feel so awful after eating all that - because I get to write this. But also, there are lessons in this for me.
- One can eat anything ocassionally as long as they are aware of what they are eating and what purpose it is serving.
- After a meal such as that, I have to balance out the next couple of days and eat healthfully. I have faith that it will not do me irreversable damage.
- I really do need to eat out in these type of places to know what is going on and how to navigate the real world of eating. Afer all, we all have to eat several
times a day.
- I really like the idea of calorie counts on fast food menus. I think it is a good tool to use when eating out in such establishments. I would certainly not advocate for calorie counts on restaurants that are not fast food chains.


That was my dinner at McDonald's last night.

Until I eat again!

Monday, April 28th

Healthful eating is not an easy task. Nor is losing weight. Even harder is maintaining weight loss.

I know I am not saying anything that you haven't heard before. But some things can stand repeating. I make the above remarks from experience. I consider myself a near expert on weight loss and an expert on weight gain. I can blame my genes, or my metabolism or all the delicious food that there is in this world - but I have no one to blame myself.
I know, it is Monday morning and I am depressing you. Also you might be thinking, "Oh its Monday," and "here is another person talking about starting another diet. How original". Wait. Wait. Before you write me off as another nut - I want to say that I have been on this particular weight loss journey since early January of this year. That makes it almost 4 months since I have been on this weight loss track. A pleasant bonus of this particular weight loss journey has been the ability for me to quit smoking. All this is very exciting to me.
As I look back over these 4 months I am trying to figure out what was different this time. Why will it stick this time? How can I make sure that things will stick this time?
In the coming weeks, months, and who knows ... years, I would like to document my triumphs and roadblocks to weight loss and ultimately healthful living.

Have you ever tried to lose weight? What was most helpful to you and conversely - what was most challenging?

Until I eat again!

April 25th, 2008

I have always been skeptical of people who wake up every morning and eat breakfast. No muss no fuss. No thinking what exactly they should have. They don't think that they should save all their calories for the rest of the day. They just wake up and eat fruit, or a piece of toast, oatmeal, or an egg - and go about their day.

Well, I think I now understand what these 'breakfast eating' people are up to. I too have been trying to eat breakfast every day. What it has done for me is set a tone for the rest of the day. In my mind, I have started the new day with the intention of eating mindfully all day. Scientists or nutritionists may say that by eating breakfast I have just kick started my metabolic machine for the day. That may be true. All I know is that when I eat breakfast I tend to make better choices about what I eat for the rest of the day.

What do you think of the importance of breakfast? Do you eat it reluctantly, or feel that it is an important meal of your day? And what do you like to eat for breakfast?

Since I am new to this breakfast game, I usually have 1 toasted piece of bread with some peanut butter, or cereal with a banana. Occasionally, I will have an egg or oatmeal.

Until we eat again!

Thursday, April 24th

Yesterday I found myself in desperate need for lunch. I needed somewhere quiet to sit down after shopping. I needed something cheap, quick and remotely healthful. So I decided upon Cosi on 6th Avenue and 22nd street. I was scanning the sandwiches menu and saw 2 rows of numbers. One row had numbers mostly like 7.50 and 8.25 and the other row had numbers like 508, 710 and 1120. Upon closer inspection I realized that one row were the prices and the other was the calorie count of each item. I rushed the scanning/deciding process while the person behind the counter kept calling out to help the next guest. I settled on the light pesto chicken wrap at 508 calories I believe. I was then asked if I wanted carrot sticks or kettle fried potato chips. I picked the chips feeling somewhat virtuous having picked the 508 calorie sandwich.
I will not comment on the sandwich here - my lunch was pretty close to what I was looking for. Quick, relatively affordable and I had a quiet and cool place to sit down for about 30 minutes before I had to go out in the craziness that can be 6th Avenue. I appreciated knowing that I ate approximately 750 calories for lunch. What I do with that information is up to me.

I know there is controversy about the calorie listing on menus right now-I am sure both sides of the argument has its merits. Upon not too much thought... I am all in favor of it.
Watch me change my mind very soon...OR not.

What are your feelings towards calorie postings in fast food joints? What has been your experience with it? Please do tell.

Until we eat again.

I attended a talk at the Rubin Museum of Art last Wednesday (April 16th, 2008). It was a book launch for Raghavan Iyer's new book: 660 Curries. He was joined by Professor Stuart Firestein of Columbia University. He is a professor of neurobiology in the Department of Biological Sciences. The evening was part of a program called Brainwave which asks how art, music, and meditation affect the brain.

It was an interesting evening. Raghavan was knowledgeable about his subject. There were many things he said during his talk that were almost identical to what I say in my classes. At times I questioned myself if I had stolen things from him...But I couldn’t have – since I never met him or heard him speak before. It must just be that those things are true. For instance, I have always said in each and every cooking class I teach, that no self respecting Indian household will ever have curry powder in their home. I usually add that it is the British who messed things up in that area. But Raghavan had a far more gentler way of saying things. He said it is the genius of British marketing that so many people in the west know about curry powder today.

Stuart Firestein was very entertaining too. I enjoyed his take on things - since I am a cook and not a scientist - things that he had to say were fascinating.

Raghavan started the talk by saying curries are:
1.Saucy 2. Simple 3. Sensational 4. Spicy

Raghavan said that spices are the backbone of Indian food and I fully agree. Whenever people say to me that they don't like Indian food because it is too spicy - I tell them that Indian food CAN be hot, but doesn't have to be. Indian food is very 'spiced' but doesn't have to necessarily be hot.

We tasted 3 things during the evening. The first was a Potato and Red Kidney Bean curry.

He had broken down a curry into the various flavor elements of taste like bitter, sweet, salty, sour, pungent, astringent and umami.
Stuart Firestein told us that flavor is the most complex and powerful of all our senses... most multi-modal.
Flavor has a deep emotional connection.
Flavor has a very strong ethnic component.
Taste and smell memory... don’t know why they are so emotionally laden.
At this point Raghavan related a story about when he was very young and got extremely ill. His mother crushed his pills and mixed them with honey – and so, to this day he cannot enjoy honey.
Firestein talked about the Proust effect - we all have it. But, he joked that we may not write as many as 6 volumes, as Proust ended up writing after eating a Madeleine.

Then Raghavan went on to say that in the world of curries, it’s all about balance.

A member of the audience asked about Vindaloo. While I rolled my eyes (just a little) – he very patiently answered the question. He said that the origin of the word is Portuguese. The word denotes vinegar and garlic – as opposed to just crazy spicy - which is what most people think of when they hear Vindaloo.
When asked a question about potatoes that were in the first curry we tasted, he said that he was a potato-holic. Joked that someone could wake him up and feed him potatoes in the middle of the night - and he would be happy. I felt a kinship to him because I too have used that line. Only, I talk about coffee - but on second thought, potatoes would be a nice thing to wake up to also. He said he loved kettle-fried potato chips and then added, “dipped in chocolate.” I’m not sure if he said it but salty and sweet – talking about balance - all tied up with the balance in spices when making a curry.

Then they discussed Umami. It is what most of us know most commonly as MSG (mono sodium glucomate). According to professor Firestein it gives the flavor of succulence, it coats our tongue- gives us the satisfaction sensation. Firestien said that scientifically, nothing points to the fact that MSG is harmful to humans. And then he joked that all of those in the audience who have the allergic reactions of headaches, etc. to MSG – they are essentially unfounded.
Also in response to a question about how the idea started that MSG was harmful to our health - Firestein replied that it was probably a food chauvinist thing or isolationist in nature. I agree – makes perfect sense.

The professor then talked about what people call the “Margarita Effect.” The salt at the rim of a margarita glass is to create the perfect balance of salty and sour in one sip. Salt and sour use the same pathway on the tongue to the brain.
Raghavan added, “that is why it is said to add salt to taste. Salt balances everything else out, it is a catalyst of taste.”

The second taste we had was the Smoky Eggplant with Garlic and Red Chilies (p492). It was a puree and Raghavan said that different varieties of eggplants will result in a different tasting dish. In India we tended to use the big globe eggplant for dishes that are pureed and we never salt our eggplant because we like the bitter flavor. I have had students ask me if I salt my eggplants before cooking them. I always questioned in my mind – when students brought up the biiterness of eggplant why I really hadn't ever met an eggplant that I found too salty. Raghavan said that bitterness is sought out in Indian cuisine. He is right - we love bitter gourds. Also, the only time I would salt an eggplant is if I was looking not textural variance. Salting draws out the moisture and leaves the eggplant more chewy and toothsome.

Someone asked how to get the eggplant so smooth. He said he used a masher and held up his hands. Everyone laughed and I nodded my head because in many of my classes I see an occasional student showing some disapproval when I use my hands. Most of the time I am able to joke and explain my self away. And Raghavan used humor too. He said that Indians eat with their hands and “for us, eating with silverware is like making love with an interpreter.” He also told a story that his mother visited him in the United States at the age of 75. She saw Raghavan’s kitchen equipped with with food processors, blenders and every other gadget known to mankind. His mother simply asked, “What’s wrong with your hands?” Everyone laughed. I enjoyed that very much.
Back to the Smoky Eggplant – Firestein talked about mouth feel and the perception of creaminess. He said that we feel creaminess on our tongues when all the particles are the same size – like a guiness beer. So we can make something taste creamy without adding cream to it. Just like this eggplant puree.

Someone asked about why Avial was eaten with Jaggery. Raghavan answered that was not the way his family ate it but he made an educated guess to explain it. I liked that because that’s how I do it too in my classes. I have noticed that many people think that ethnic food has to be exactly alike or that all of us should know everything or if something happens to one Indian then it must happen to us all. If they stopped to think for a minute that if 10 Americans were asked to make a hamburger or a meatloaf – we would have 10 different specimens of burgers and meatloaf.
Back to the question – Raghavan explained what jaggery is (unprocessed palm sugar) and Avial is a spicy wedding stew. His guess was that because Avial is so spicy – the jaggery must balance things out.
He demonstrated very well how all Indians might not eat the same way but what the reasoning behind it would be. I would have added – if you like it – eat Jaggery with Avial and if you don’t – then don’t. Food is so personal and subjective.

Something very interesting that I learned from Firestein was that it is speculated that humans might have the ability to speak because we cook our food. Cooking our food, he said makes it soft and so our jaw muscles are not so developed due to the reduced gnawing – and so that might leave room for our vocal chords to grow.

Raghavan talked about the 8 flavors of any given spice depending on how you treat it. He listed them:
Raw Whole, Raw Ground, Roasted Whole, Roasted Ground, Fried whole in oil, Whole soaked in a liquid like vinegar and Crushed soaked in a liquid (the 8th flavor escapes me right now).
Firestein joked that he found it more complicated than many of his experiments in the lab.
I was fascinated by his list and I guess I teach it too in my classes. By watching the same spices being treated in different ways to achieve different flavors; or watching 2 or 3 dishes being cooked with the same spices but tasting totally different is a good way for students to see the above concept come alive. Spices will taste differently according to the way you treat them.

The 3rd thing we had was the raisins with the mustard seeds
- cloyingly sweet for me personally (but then I am not partial to sweet things). He talked about how he would use it as desert or serve it with coffee ice cream. Raghavan used this opportunity again to talk about balance, and here it was hot and cold – and also hot as in spicy and sweet.

Before the program started Raghavan was sitting by himself at the front of the room and I introduced myself as an admirer of his cookbooks (I own his Betty Crocker's Indian home cooking and have thumbed through Turmeric Trails), and a fellow cooking teacher and caterer. He was very gracious and polite. He signed my copy of his book and invited me to e-mail him.
I am lucky I decided to get the book signed when I did because the line after the talk was long and I wouldn't have been home in time to watch my favorite TV show du jour.

Were any of you at the Rubin Museum?
Do any of you know about Raghavan Iyer's books?
I liked recipes from his previous book - I will test out a few from this latest book and report back.

April 22nd, 2008

Today is Earth Day everybody.
We have just one Earth - just like we have just one life - so lets take care of both.

I was born in India but the United States of America has been my home for over 20 years. I grew up very differently than how I live my life today. One thing that is very different is how much waste we create in this country- all the paper towels and the plastic covered this, that and the other. I think because of the nature of my formative years - I never really used paper products and plastic water bottles with abandon - like many people I know do. I just never understood the concept of drinking from disposeable cups when in your own home. But I have added my share to the All American Garbage Dump.

I am so happy that finally we are talking about conserving and trying to be less wasteful as a society. I am confident that in the very near future it will once again be chic to use cloth napkins and turn off the lights in the room that you are not sitting in.
This is my wish for us.

What are you doing to help our Earth - our only home?

Until we eat again!