Vegan Week - Day 3

 

Fruit plate: Cara Cara oranges, prunes, dried cranberries, and toasted walnuts drizzled with pomegranate molasses.

I made some progress with the morning adventure: trying to drink tolerable coffee. I combined the vanilla soy creamer with a splash of the insipid caramel almond creamer, and it was not bad. It wasn't my usual rich vanilla bourbon pound cake-flavored Coffee-Mate-infused coffee. But we had definite improvement today!

Being a vegan doesn't necessarily mean you're eating health food - remember, the Fritos and mint faux-reos are vegan. Just as vegetarians can still be eating mac 'n' cheese and fried ice cream, while omnivores might be carefully eating lean proteins and salads, it's all about the choices you make.

And I've been choosing to eat Fritos and faux-reos a) because I like them, and b) likely as a bit of compensation for all the foods I'm currently depriving myself of, like cheese. I miss cheese. I haven't eaten pasta yet, despite it being on my "to do" list, because the thought of not even sprinkling a bit of parmesan on top of it is just kinda heart-breaking.

Now, this is my own personal little experiment and I could change the terms of my mission: I could allow the Coffee-Mate, with its bit of cream, or the parmesan. My personal feeling is that cows are producing milk, chickens are laying eggs, and bees are making honey no matter what; there's no reason not to eat these products, though you'd certainly want to be conscientious about the animals' living conditions and happiness. However, this particular lab rat is very goal-oriented and disciplined when she has to be, so I'm stickin' with it. I set the plan in motion - vegan, pure and simple - and will see it through.

And that means no cheese. Whimper ... :(

So, anyway .... Instead of lots of carbs like oatmeal or rice or noodles or muffins - which seem to have dominated my meals these past two days - for breakfast I ate a simple fruit plate: Cara Cara oranges, which I love, topped with prunes, dried cranberries, toasted walnuts, and a drizzle of my beloved pomegranate molasses. This is an integral ingredient in Middle Eastern and Persian dishes. It is sweet and tart and a fabulous condiment - go get some! Use it in salad dressings, sauces, as a glaze, or even just dribbled into club soda. Do it. You'll thank me!

Fennel slaw, assorted olives, baguette spread with Earth Balance butter substitute.

After today's photo shoot (three different menu options I couldn't eat!), my kitchen was its usual disaster of dishes and bowls and scraps and mess. By the time I got that cleaned up and threw a load of laundry in, I just made a simple lunch: the last of the olives, some more of the fennel slaw, and a chunk of good bread spread with Earth Balance butter substitute. (It has a kinda grey-ish aura to it, but tastes pretty good.) Nothing glamorous, but nice nonetheless.

Chocolate Banana Almond Milk Shake

For a snack mid-afternoon, as I typed with three stories due tomorrow (and needing a few more details before I can file two of them), I made a milkshake: banana, chocolate almond milk-based ice cream (which is so dark and chocolaty!), and vanilla almond milk. This, I have to say, was really, really good! Not a compromise at all ... :)

Chopped salad with toasted pita chips.

Still trying to finish Tuesday's feature story for the Food page, I just made a simple Israeli-style chopped salad for dinner. Chop lots of vegetables - in this case, carrots, cucumber, celery, broccoli, tomato, and red onion - in small pieces ... that's it. I thought about sprinkling it with lemon juice and extra-virgin olive oil, but decided instead to use Garlic Expressions salad dressing, made in Perrysburg (which is just outside Toledo).

If I get my story filed tonight (please, please, please!), I'll reward myself with a dessert. I'll include that in tomorrow's post ....


Chocolate Banana Almond Milk Shake

1 banana
1 generous scoop chocolate-flavored So Delicious almond milk non-dairy frozen dessert
Generous splash of Silk caramel-flavored almond milk creamer
Vanilla-flavored almond milk

Place the banana and the ice cream into the blender. Pour in a splash of creamer, then pour in enough almond milk to reach half-way up the banana and ice cream. Blend, drink, enjoy.

Yield: 1 serving
Source: Mary Bilyeu

Vegan Week: Day 1

Fattoush.

Well, it took me three months, but I'm back ... for a little while, at least.

My favorite picky eater, Craig, left today to go visit his kids in California. They'll indulge in pizza, pizza, Mexican food, and more pizza. Craig may make some of Jennifer's and Justin's favorites: chicken and rice pilaf or indulgently overstuffed chicken tacos.

I miss him while he's gone - I do! But when Craig goes away, all his little dietary quirks go away, too. Remember, he's a man who won't eat peas. Or sweet potatoes. Or biscuits. The list goes on ....

So when Craig is off having fun with his kids on the West Coast or visiting flea markets on the East Coast, I always relish the opportunity to have foods that I can't eat otherwise. I love to cook, but it's just a bother to cook two separate meals for two separate people. And the dishes ... oy.

This time, I decided to do something different. This time, I decided to challenge myself.

So, folks, welcome to my experiment: Vegan Week!!! From this morning's breakfast through Friday's dinner, I am eating a plant-based diet.

No meat. No eggs. No fish. No cheese. Lots of fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes. And treats ... treats, absolutely!

This required a fair amount of advance planning, without regular meals like burgers or fried eggs to fall back on in a pinch, so my pantry and refrigerator needed a boost. A schlep through the grocery store yielded a cart filled with fennel, spinach, scallions, mushrooms, zucchini, squash, lime, whole grain flatbreads, soy ice cream, almond milk, salsa, and Fritos (yes, they're vegan. The double-stuffed mint-flavored generic store brand Oreos are vegan, too.).

So, I got started this morning.

Full of anticipation and curiosity, I made my coffee. I added the almond milk-based coffee creamer ... and I nearly gave up my week's mission right there. Bleah.

The "creamer" was thin, and it bore no resemblance to the caramel flavoring the carton had promised. I drank it, because giving up animal products was one thing; giving up coffee ... nope. And black coffee? I'm not ready for that much challenge yet.

But things got better with breakfast: Elvis-Style Oatmeal, thankyouverymuch!

Elvis-Style Oatmeal, with peanut butter and banana.

Made with a splash of almond milk, a dollop of crunchy peanut butter, and a sliced banana, it had creaminess, crunchiness, and comfort all in one bowl. I ate an entire generous serving that likely could have fed two, if Craig had shown any interest in it (and if there had been any left!) when he woke up this morning.

For lunch, I brought my favorite salad to work: fattoush, a Middle Eastern salad flavored with sumac for a pinch of tart spice. I had purchased just a few assorted olives at the grocery store (another verboten item, as Craig only eats the tinny black California variety), and tucked them into my lunchbox, too, along with the vividly green mint faux-reos.

Dinner was a more glamorous take on the standard beans and rice, which was actually pinto beans served over a mix of rices and quinoa. I sautéed the beans with garlic, red and green onions, red pepper flakes, a bit of chopped orange pepper, some chopped tomatoes, and a dash of chipotle-infused salsa. And then, for a little extra crunch and flavor, I topped it with ... no, not cheese. Fritos. Crushed Fritos. It was the perfect touch.

Pinto beans with onions, garlic, orange pepper, corn, tomatoes, and Fritos.

So, join me on the adventure, whether by enjoying some of the meals (recipes will be posted each day, I hope!) or, at least, living vicariously through the pictures.

It's good to be back ... :)


Elvis-Style Oatmeal

1/2 cup vanilla-flavored almond milk
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup quick-cook oats
2 tablespoons crunchy peanut butter
1 banana, sliced

Place almond milk, water, and oats into a small saucepan; bring to a boil, then lower heat to simmer. Stir until oatmeal is thickened, then stir in peanut butter. Place oatmeal into a bowl and top with the banana.

Yield: 1 generous or 2 smaller servings.
Source: Mary Bilyeu


Fattoush

Lettuce, torn into small pieces
Thinly sliced cucumber
Thinly sliced radish
Bits of red onion
Crushed pita chips
Lemon juice
Extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Generous pinch of ground sumac (available at Middle Eastern markets)

Proportions and quantities are variable, depending upon personal taste and the number of people eating the salad.

Place the vegetables and the pita chips into a mixing bowl. Whisk together lemon juice, oil, salt, pepper, and sumac; make it more/less sour, more/less salty, etc., as you like it. Pour the dressing over the salad; toss and serve.

Note: Feel free to add sliced carrots, chopped peppers, tomatoes, parsley, or other items that you'd like.

Source: Mary Bilyeu


Pinto Beans with Rice and Quinoa

1 bag Minute Multigrain Medley (rice and quinoa)
1 cup water
1 tablespoon oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup chopped red onion
Generous pinch of red pepper flakes
Ancho chili powder, to taste
Chili powder, to taste
1/3 cup corn kernels
2 scallions, chopped
1/4 cup chopped orange pepper
1 small tomato, cored, chopped
1 15.5-ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup fresh chipotle salsa
A few Fritos, crushed

In a small saucepan, combine rice/quinoa with water. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 10 minutes until water is absorbed.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic, red onion, and red pepper flakes; saute until onion is translucent. Add chili powders and corn; cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add scallions, orange pepper, and tomato; cook 2 to 3 minutes, until pepper softens. Add beans and salsa; bring just to a boil, then simmer.

To serve, place the rice/quinoa mix onto a plate and top with bean mixture. Sprinkle the crushed Fritos over the top.

Yield: 2 generous servings.
Source: Mary Bilyeu

Brandied Apple Cranberry Compote

This was a concoction that simply struck my fancy one evening, when I had a bag of cranberries left over from Christmas and some beautiful green apples. It was cold out, and it just seemed right to make a lovely warm fruit compote.

This can be eaten "as is" (which, admittedly, is how I polished off every bit of it without sharing). It can be stirred into oatmeal. It can enhance roasted pork or chicken. Wrap it up in squares of puff pastry and make turnovers.

The choice is yours ....

Brandied Apple Cranberry Compote

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 Granny Smith apples
• 2 tablespoons brandy
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/2 cup fresh cranberries

Place apples and butter into a small saucepan; cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add remaining ingredients, cover, and cook for another 5 minutes until apples are tender and cranberries have burst.

Makes about 1 cup of compote.

"Tribute to Michigan" Cherry Blueberry Pie

Pie is one of the great foods in the universe, and it's overtaking cupcakes and macarons as the sweet food of the moment. (Sliders of all varieties and banh mi seem to have jointly claimed the savory category.)

Whereas culinary trends usually start at the east and west coasts and then find their way to the center, in this instance it's going in reverse. Pie - comfort food classic that it is - is working its magic upon those who disparage the middle of the country as a hotbed of hotdishes. The cool kids are all jumping on the bandwagon, but they're actually behind the times. Pie has never lost its popularity here in the Midwest, but those on the farthest edges now seem to have been won over by its charm.  That's okay - the pie clique welcomes everyone.

This pie is a tribute to Michigan, featuring two of my state's finest fruits. It's sweet, it's tart, it's bright, it's intense, it's fabulous. Pie can't solve all of life's problems, but it can certainly provide a great deal of joy!

Cherry Blueberry Pie

Crust (slightly adapted from a recipe on Epicurious.com):
2 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened, cut into 1/2" pieces
1/2 cup shortening, softened, cut into 1/2" pieces
5 tablespoons (or more) ice water

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt. Add butter and shortening, mixing with a fork until the mixture resembles meal. Add 5 tablespoons ice water, mixing until the dough starts to adhere and form a ball, adding more ice water by teaspoonfuls if dry. Gather dough together; divide into 2 pieces, one a bit larger than the other. Form each piece into ball; flatten into disks and wrap in plastic. Chill for 30 minutes.

Filling:
3 cups pitted tart cherries
2 cups blueberries
3/4 cup sugar
4 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 tablespoons butter, melted

In a large bowl, combine all filling ingredients; mix well.

Preheat oven to 400F.

Roll out the larger piece of dough on a floured countertop to about 14" in diameter; gently fold in half and then in half again to help in transporting the crust, place it into a 9" glass pie pan, then unfold. Pour the filling into the crust.

Roll out the remaining piece of dough to about a 12" diameter. Cut into 3/4" strips, and weave into a lattice top over the filling.

(Lay down 5 strips, then fold back two; lay a perpendicular strip, then fold all of the vertical strips back down. Fold back the alternate three strips; lay down a perpendicular strip, then fold all of the vertical strips back down again. Repeat until you have 4 perpendicular strips lying across the original five, all woven together.)

Trim excess dough, then use a fork to press crusts together around the edge of the pie.

Pie:
2 tablespoons half-and-half
1 tablespoon caster sugar

Brush half-and-half over the top of the pie, then sprinkle with sugar.

Place pie onto a larger baking sheet to catch drips, then bake for 55-60 minutes until top is golden and filling is bubbly.

Remove to a rack and let cool. Serves 8-12, depending upon generosity of slices.

Blueberry Bread Pudding

I got together with friends from Temple Beth Emeth's Sisterhood recently. I love spending time with this great group of women with whom I always have a good time!

The event was a potluck, and there was so much fabulous food!  Croissants, a cinnamon sugar-topped coffee cake, walnut spiral pastries, assorted fruits, a mushroom-cheese frittata casserole, a quinoa and vegetable salad, green salad, pasta salad, watermelon gazpacho, spinach lasagna, cucumber sour cream salad, lemon-glazed cake, and a 4-berry pie ... sigh ... :)

We'd been asked to contribute either breakfast or lunch dishes ... well, we all know where this is going, don't we? What to bring? Which meal? Sweet? Savory? Brain hurts ... ack!

But it turned out that the breakfast options were going to be a bit sparse, so I jumped onto that bandwagon. Whew! I'm always so much better when given direction, rather than being left to my own indecisive devices. (And, of course, there was plenty of food for each meal.  I've joked with friends before that Jewish women never feel there's enough, no matter how full the table is, so there's always way too much ... and everyone always enjoys the bounty!)

So, then I thought about some sort of easily transported casserole. Something that wouldn't be messy, something that was easy to serve, something that just needed to be baked and brought ... bread pudding, one of my very favorite dishes. And since it's blueberry season, what a perfect addition!

And so, croissants were transformed into a creamy, cinnamon-scented treat, with some gorgeous fresh fruit added in, too. Gotta love bread pudding!  And I'm very happy to say that the entire pudding was eaten, not even one serving left ....

Blueberry Bread Pudding

6 cups of cubed day-old croissants (1" cubes)
3/4 cup blueberries
3 large eggs
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
1/8 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups half-and-half
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 cup brown sugar

Preheat oven to 375F. Grease a 10" round baking dish.

Place the cubed croissants and the blueberries into the baking dish. Whisk together the eggs, confectioners' sugar, sugar, vanilla, and half-and-half; pour over the croissants, and let soak for 10 minutes, pressing down on the bread a bit to help it soak up the custard.  Sprinkle the top with the cinnamon and the brown sugar.

Bake for 35-40 minutes, until pudding is puffed (it will sink as it cools) and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.

Makes 12 servings, and is ideal with either ice cream or whipped cream.

Pizzella S'mores and Strawberry Rhubarb Streusel Bars

To finish off my Berry Fest, I offered two desserts - one rich and buttery, the other light and sweet - featuring gorgeous organic berries.

The Strawberry Rhubarb Streusel Bars were a variation on the crisp I often make because it's a classic that is always loved.  Adding a butter-laden shortbread crust could only enhance things!

And then I had an epiphany for another dessert that I'd never made before.  I was hosting an outdoor event ... I was grilling ... the weather was ideal ... what would be a great send-off?  S'mores!

But why not tweak them a bit ... or, really, a lot.  There were cookies, and there were toasted marshmallows; that's about the only resemblance to the tried-and-true graham cracker and chocolate treats.

I mashed some raspberries and spread them onto delicate pizzelle (waffle cookies).  I toasted marshmallows and placed them over the raspberries.  I carefully folded the cookies in half ... and I found myself with fabulous new creations that were like little crispy, sweet, vibrant, gooey dessert tacos!

Even better, these are something that even those who are watching their diets can eat.

There are only 23 calories per pizzella (singular of pizzelle ... and yes, I know I'm particular about such matters!), while the marshmallows have 25 each; raspberries possess 1 calorie each.  Thus each Pizella S'more comes in at barely over 50 calories each, just about 1 Weight Watchers' point (for those who are following this excellent health plan but still want to enjoy some treats).  Whee!  These goodies are sweet, tart, light, bright, and wonderful!

And because s'mores and raspberries are perfect summer foods, here's a song by - of course! - the Raspberries to suit the mood:






Pizzella S'mores with Toasted Marshmallows and Mashed Raspberries

8 Whole Foods lemon zest-flavored pizzelle cookies
1 cup organic raspberries
8 marshmallows

Set out 8 cookies.  Mash the raspberries, then spread a bit onto each pizzella.

Toast the marshmallows to desired doneness.  Place 1 marshmallow onto each cookie, then gently break the cookies in half and fold together to make a sandwich.

Makes 8 s'mores.

Strawberry Rhubarb Streusel Bars

Base:
2-1/2 cups Whole Foods 365 brand unbleached all-purpose baking flour
1/4 cup Whole Foods 365 brand organic cane sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup Whole Foods 365 brand organic salted butter, softened
2 eggs

Preheat oven to 350F.  Grease an 8"x8" baking pan.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, and salt.  Use your fingers to mix in the butter until the mixture is crumbly.  Stir in the eggs, then press dough into the prepared pan.  Bake for 15 minutes.

Filling:
1-1/4 cups chopped rhubarb
2 cups chopped organic strawberries
1/3 cup Whole Foods 365 brand organic cane sugar
1-1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup water

In a medium saucepan, combine all ingredients.  Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and translucent; press lightly to smush fruit a bit.  Pour over base.

Streusel:
2 cups Whole Foods wild blueberry flax granola (from bulk foods)
1/4 teaspoon Whole Foods 365 brand organic cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 cup Whole Foods 365 brand organic salted butter, melted

Combine granola, cinnamon, and ginger; stir in melted butter.  Spread streusel over fruit, pressing lightly.  Bake for 25 more minutes until filling is starting to bubble around the edges.

Let cool completely, then trim 1/2" from all edges.  Cut into 4 columns, then cut into 3 rows.

Makes 12 generous bars.

(Note: Whole Foods Market very graciously provided me with a gift card to help purchase supplies.)

Frugal Floozie Friday: Revive

This toasty, creamy, gooey treat is the Nutella Bagel - Nutella and sliced bananas on a toasted cinnamon raisin bagel - that you can find at Revive, today's Frugal Floozie Friday feature.  A luscious snack, I've been craving it since the day I tried it.  At only $3.95, it falls well within our mandatory budget of only $5 per person, too ... that's pretty hard to resist!

But if you'd like to eat more nobly when you visit this bright and welcoming spot that offers light meals and snacks, then enjoy a creamy yogurt parfait - a sweet concoction of vanilla yogurt combined with lovely cut fruits and organic granola - that you can find for only $3.50.  It was rich and brightly flavored, a perfect size without either being too generous or causing me to wish it were larger.

Fresh fruit, bagels with cream cheese, a wide variety of pastries, breakfast sandwiches, and many beverages (coffees, tea, sodas, and smoothies) are also available for less than $5 each.  Many of these are provided by local businesses, too, from Mighty Good Coffee, Barry Bagels, Zingerman's Bakehouse, and the Pastry Peddler.

There's even a "create your own salad" option, starting with a base of $2.95 for greens and dressing; then you can choose from a wide variety of fresh options (priced individually) - vegetables, cheeses, proteins, nuts, fruits - to make your own unique dish.  Revive is very vegetarian- and vegan-friendly, and also serves beer and wine, which are 50% off from 3-6 p.m.

So stop by this bright, friendly, welcoming spot conveniently located on Central Campus to revive and refresh yourself with a treat or a beverage or a light meal.  You'll be so glad that you did!


Revive
619 E. University
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
734-332-3366
Monday - Friday:  8 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday: 10 a.m. - 9 p.m.



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Orange, Date and Almond Salad

Tu B'Shevat [TOO bay shuh-VAHT] - the Jewish New Year of the Trees - began at sundown last night and continues through today.  It is traditional to celebrate the holiday by having a tree planted in Israel; by eating a new fruit; or by holding a seder in which specific fruits are eaten in a particular order, along with the recitation of blessings.

It is also customary to enjoy dried fruits and nuts - such as figs, apricots, pecans, walnuts, etc. - although eating any type of fruit is a lovely way to acknowledge the beauty and bounty of trees.

According to MyJewishLearning.com: "The Bible expresses a great reverence for fruit trees as symbols of God's ... beneficence. Special laws were formulated to protect (them) in times of war and ensure that the produce of trees would not be picked until the trees were mature enough and tithes were given from them."  Respect for trees and care for the environment are deeply ingrained in Judaism.

Just because the recipe for today's salad is ridiculously simple and only requires 4 ingredients, don't underestimate the impact of its taste!  The brightness of the oranges, the sweetness of the dates, the tartness of the pomegranate molasses ... it's an intensely flavorful combination.  And the almonds contribute a lovely crunch to contrast with the softness of the fruits.

In honor of Tu B'Shevat, you can serve the Orange, Date and Almond Salad featured below which showcases the glorious produce of trees.  You could also offer some other dishes which feature a variety of delicious fruits and nuts, such as olives, lemons, cherries, chocolate, oranges, quince, bananas, hazelnuts, and more:

Braised Chicken Thighs in Lemony Olive Sauce

White Chocolate and Cherry Brownies

Lemon-Glazed Cherry Pasties

Chocolate Cherry Kugel

Zesty Lemon Spaghetti

Chocolate-Glazed Orange Cake

Quince-Glazed Baked Yams

Banana Nutella Cake

Triple Orange Brownies


Don't forget to read about my "Chopped" challenge: dare me to use ingredients you suggest, and I'll post about my creations!  Click here for the terms ....


Orange, Date and Almond Salad

4 large oranges
3/4 cup pitted dates, chopped
1/3 cup almonds, lightly toasted, chopped
3 tablespoons pomegranate molasses

Cut the ends off the oranges, then stand them upright and slice off the peels.  Turn the oranges on their sides and cut into thick slices, then place onto a serving dish.

Sprinkle the dates and almonds over the oranges.

Drizzle the pomegranate molasses over everything.

Serves 4.

The Lunch Room's Pie Party

The Lunch Room, a vegan food cart that is part of the fabulous courtyard array at Mark's Carts here in Ann Arbor, held a pie party last Wednesday evening to share samples of eight new dessert offerings.  The owners and staff have been incredibly busy during the off-season, devising new treats and temptations for their customers to enjoy once the cart re-opens on April 1.

The moment I saw on Facebook that there was an opportunity to sign up for the event, I staked a claim to two spots - one for Jeremy and one for me.  Of course, I didn't tell Jeremy that I was going to feed him a vegan meal; I merely invited him to eat pie for dinner!

The festivities were held in the normally spacious kitchen where the Mark's Carts vendors prepare their food.  But 60 lucky revelers were crammed into the room, happy and hungry, so the space was a bit cramped.  People sat on a few chairs and benches, stood in corners, and even sat on the floor; two of our hosts very sweetly brought stools for Jeremy and me to sit on as they watched us trying to balance our trays on our knees.  Because these were good, kind people who wanted to support a local business and celebrate the beauty of pie, everyone was gracious and cooperative.  It was a truly festive and friendly atmosphere!

But you're ready for me to tell you how wonderful the goodies were - I know!  So let me give you the tour of my tray, clockwise from top left:

- Apple-Raisin Cream Pie: The generous pieces of tender apple were perfectly complemented by the raisins, whose sweetness shone through a very light custard.  The streusel topping infused each bite with a hint of spice.  Zehnder's of Frankenmuth holds an annual contest for the best apple pie in Michigan, and Jeremy stated without hesitation that he believes this one could win it all!

- Key Lime Pie: #2 on Jeremy's list of favorites, the sweet-tart custard was blissfully free - as one would expect of a vegan pie featuring wholesome ingredients - of artificial colors or flavors.  The brightness of the citrus was intense and refreshing.  It pains to me to say that Jeremy doesn't ordinarily like citrus desserts - including one of my very favorites, lemon meringue pie.  But he loved this!

- Strawberry and Kiwi Tart: Jeremy's favorite, featuring luscious fresh fruits, a perfect crumbly shortbread crust, and a rich almond-flavored custard.  The piece shown above does not, unfortunately, do justice to how gorgeous the dessert looks when first presented, with the colorful fruits arrayed like the stained glass in a cathedral's rose window.  One could say that the tart was too beautiful to cut, but it was even better to eat it than to admire its physical attributes!

- Cherry Pocket Pie: Featuring gorgeous bright red fruit and a beautifully flaky crust, this was a delicious sweet-tart treat showcasing the fabulous cherries that our state is so proudly known for.  This adorable square of pastry tied for first as one of my very favorites, and would be perfect packed in a lunch bag or a picnic basket.

- Sweet Potato Pocket Pie: Sweet and spicy, with a filling that was mostly smooth but still offered texture from tidbits of perfectly tender sweet potato, this hand-held pie was substantial and filling and delicious.

- Berry-Ginger Pocket Pie with Lemon Glaze: My other favorite, showcasing intensely colored fruits that were perfectly enhanced by the brightness of the lemon glaze.  The flavors were so vivid!  And one thing I particularly liked about the pocket pies was the charm of their rustic beauty, as the generous fillings seeped out of the tender crust and teased with just a hint of the delicious promise within.

- Chocolate Banana Cheesecake: Dense and rich, the banana flavor shone through and was ideally complemented by the chocolate.  As a native New Yorker, I prefer my cheesecake to be drier rather than pudding-like; The Lunch Room got the texture just right.

- Chocolate Raspberry Tart: Sultry and seductive, with a sharpness from the raspberry flavor shining through the richness of the chocolate custard, this tart was creamy and decadent.

Our charming hosts for the evening were The Lunch Room's owners Bill Shea and Phillis Englebert, who had worked tirelessly with their staff to prepare for the party and yet were vivacious and enthusiastic all evening.  They offered warm welcomes, huge smiles and big hugs for everyone.

I offer rounds of applause to Bill, Phillis, The Lunch Room staff, and everyone who played a part in the pie party.  Jeremy and I can't thank you enough for welcoming us to eat pie for dinner ... and wonderfully delicious pies, too, which had clearly been made with great care and love.

Until April 1, when we can indulge in all of your wonderful dishes and baked goods again!

Fruit and Cheese Tidbits

The holiday season hasn't ended yet, even if we're all starting to normalize a bit after the chaos of shopping and wrapping and cooking and baking for Christmas. New Year's Eve is Saturday night; presumably you're either hosting a party and need to feed your guests, or you've perhaps been asked to bring a contribution to someone else's party.

Even if you have no glamorous plans to dress up and sip champagne at midnight, you might still want to make your evening a bit festive with a special treat. And so, regardless of how you plan to welcome 2012 - and no matter how busy you may be with work, houseguests, or anything else - I've got the perfect recipe.

Except that there isn't even really a recipe for this, it's so ridiculously easy! Yet these little tidbits are nutritious, they complement any beverage (alcoholic or not), and people of all ages love them.

May the new year bring you much happiness and many blessings!

Fruit and Cheese Tidbits

fruit: grapes, berries, kiwi slices, pineapple chunks, etc.
cheese cubes
froofy toothpicks

Skewer a piece of fruit with a toothpick, then anchor the toothpick in a cube of cheese. Place your masterpiece onto a serving tray. Continue until you either run out of ingredients, trays, or time.

That's it. Truly, that's it!

Berries in Cranberry-Wine Gelatin

This is one of the easiest recipes I'll ever give you. Just because it's homemade gelatin, without resorting to a box of neon-colored Jell-O, doesn't mean it's difficult at all!

These lovely little fruit desserts will impress those you have dinner with -- family and/or guests -- with almost no effort and at very little cost, too.

My local grocery store had blueberries on sale for $2/pint, and strawberries were $1.58/quart. Gelatin is very inexpensive, and water is free. And the wine (Flip Flop Wines Riesling) and one of the juices (Ocean Spray Sparkling Cranberry Juice) had both been sent for me to taste them and cook with them.

So I put all of these simple ingredients together ... et voilà!

Berries in Cranberry-Wine Gelatin

1/2 cup white wine
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
8 ounces sparkling cranberry juice
1/2 cup white grape juice
2 tablespoons sugar
1/3 cup blueberries
2 large strawberries, cut into 1/2" pieces

Place the wine into a medium mixing bowl; sprinkle the gelatin on top and set aside.

Bring the juices and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan; pour over the gelatin and stir 'til dissolved. Skim the foam from the top of the gelatin.

Divide the berries among 4 decorative glasses. Divide the gelatin among the glasses and refrigerate for several hours until set.

Makes 4 servings.

Berries with Sweetened Sour Cream

I first tried this sweetened sour cream about 30 years ago at a restaurant whose name I've forgotten; it was dolloped over raspberries, and its richness compared to the sweet-tart fruit was extraordinary!

Unfortunately, I often forget about this simple treat, usually eating berries either in their plain but delicious glory, or making jam with them, or baking some sort of dessert featuring them.

But this is so sublime that it deserves to be remembered, and served often throughout the summer. Raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, and even a mix thereof ... it will be truly luscious ... :)

Commenting update: I have found that if I type in "Yenta Mary" and my website URL, I can leave comments on some sites -- yay!!! However, this option isn't always brought up ... why the randomness??? Who knows? But I've been trying to stop by and visit and say "hi" to folks when I can, when the system grants me permission and acknowledges my existence ... sigh. If I didn't hate Wordpress so much, Blogger would lose me after all the nonsense of the past couple of weeks ....


Sweetened Sour Cream

1/3 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons brown sugar

Mix all ingredients together. Serve over berries, or even as a dip for large strawberries.

Serves 2.

The Birthday of the Trees

The Jewish celebration of Tu B'Shvat [TOO bayshuh-VAHT] -- The Birthday of the Trees -- begins tomorrow night at sundown. In recent years, it has been common to hold a seder with ritual protocols and readings; but I'm just planning to enjoy traditional treats like dried fruits, nuts, olives and citrus. You know me -- I'm always there for the food!

(FYI: At work, we have beautiful trays of fruits and nuts which were ordered from the Houston Pecan Company to enjoy in honor of the holiday; they do a fabulous job, so if you ever need to send gifts or just want some goodies for yourself, be sure to order from them!)

Anyway .... A town like Ann Arbor, of course, is a perfect place to celebrate Tu B'Shvat! Planting trees and enjoying the fruits that they bear are two of the primary traditions for the day, perfect for my beloved town's eco- and health-consciousness. Nurturing trees is so vital a tradition in Judaism that Rabbi Yohanan ben Zakkai (who lived from 30-90 A.D./C.E.) is quoted as saying: "If you should be holding a sapling in your hand when they tell you the Messiah has arrived ... first plant the sapling, then go out and greet him."

According to MyJewishLearning.com: "The Bible expresses a great reverence for fruit trees as symbols of God's bounty and beneficence. Special laws were formulated to protect fruit trees in times of war and ensure that the produce of trees would not be picked until the trees were mature enough and tithes were given from them. In order to calculate the age of trees, both for determining when they could be harvested and when they were to be tithed for the Temple, the Talmudic Rabbis established the 15th day (Tu) of the month of Shvat as the official 'birthday' of trees."

As opposed to many Jewish holidays where it's traditional to eat cholesterol-laden challah or latkes fried in oil (which is, of course, half the fun!), this is a party where you're actually encouraged to eat nutritious fruits. So whether you eat a savory meal like the chicken dish I offer below, or enjoy fresh fruit out of hand, join me in celebrating Tu B'Shvat as we wait through the frigidly cold winter until all those beautiful trees bloom again in spring ....

Braised Chicken Thighs in Lemony Olive Sauce

3 tablespoons oil
3 pounds chicken thighs
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 small onion, halved, sliced thin
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons shawarma spices (available at Middle Eastern markets; substitute a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, cayenne, cardamom, and garlic powder if needed)
1/2 teaspoon ground sumac (available at Middle Eastern markets)
1/3 cup Sicilian Lemon Balsamic Vinegar (available at Fustini's Oils and Vinegars)
3/4 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup green olives with pimientos, chopped

Heat oil in a large, deep-sided skillet over medium heat. Season both sides of the chicken with the salt and pepper, and place into the skillet skin-side down.

Cook for 10 minutes until nicely browned. Turn the chicken over and cook for 5 minutes on the other side. Remove the chicken to a plate.

Saute the onion and the garlic until the onion is translucent. Sprinkle in the spices and cook for 1 minute.

Combine the vinegar and the broth; pour into the skillet and bring to a boil. Return the chicken to the skillet, skin-side up.

Cover the chicken, then turn heat to "medium-low" and cook for 35 minutes. Place the chicken on a serving platter and boil the sauce down to reduce it until it has thickened. Stir in the olives.

Pour the sauce over the chicken, and serve hot.

Makes 4-6 servings.

"Now It's Dark"

I'm not particularly a fan of David Lynch, though I did love the first season of "Twin Peaks" with all its eccentricity. So, of course, when Tom and I were at an upscale grocery store the other day and found Blue Velvet apricots, my first thought was that kitschy Bobby Vinton song; Tom's, as I'm sure you've already guessed, was the movie.

So I thought about titling this post "She wore blue velvet," since the apricot is, indeed, wearing a blue coat now that it's mated with a plum. But that seemed trite and obvious, so I dug a bit for a quote from the film. And lemme tell ya, THAT took some doing! Most of the lines had -- shall we say? -- considerable vulgarities ... not my style. I'm not offended if the words actually serve the character's purpose (as they do in "Pulp Fiction," for example). But I was not going to post anything on my pretty pink blog that didn't represent me in all my prissy, girly-girl glory!

But anyway ... always a digression, isn't there???

I found the perfect line, spoken by Kyle MacLachlan's character: "Now it's dark." It's been so long since I've seen the movie that I have no clue whatsoever what it refers to ... could be anything, with David Lynch. But it's ideal for this situation: now the apricot is dark.

And it's also sweeter -- more plum flavor than apricot, though before you cut it it clearly looks like an apricot whose fuzz was injected with some ink. Once it's cut, it looks a lot like a plum -- juicier than an apricot, which tends to have a firmer flesh.

I've eaten several varieties of pluot -- a different cross of plum and apricot: some greenish and mottled, some purple, some red. And they are clearly variations on the theme of plum. This, however, appears to be an apricot that has stopped breathing and turned dark blue as a result, until you delve into the depths and find distinct evidence of plum within.

I always love to find new and intriguing foods, particularly produce. I've eaten yellow carrots and ones that were maroon on the outside and orange in the center ... for the most part, they all tasted like standard carrots.

Tomatoes of all colors -- from red to pink to yellow to green to striped -- are fabulous, each with its own unique fragrance and flavor.

I love multi-colored beets -- traditional deep red, orange, and even pink-and-white ones that are reminiscent of candy canes.

I loathe green peppers (I can eat them if someone puts them into something that they're serving me, but they're too bitter and too overpowering to really be suitable as a food, methinks). But red ones, orange, yellow, and even purple ... these I can go with either sliced and used as dippers, or sauteed, or roasted.

When nutritionists tell us we need to eat colorful food, these beautiful Blue Velvet apricots certainly help in that mission! And they were so good that, if they weren't so wretchedly expensive, I would absolutely buy them again ....

>

Congratulations, Jeremy!!! Class of 2010 ... :)

This is a quickie post, because I have so, so much to do today. Jeremy earned his G.E.D. a few weeks ago -- YAY!!! -- and this afternoon we're throwing the party that I'd promised to him ("Congratulations!") and to everyone who's helped him through ("Thanks for your support!") if I could just get him through school somehow. He's overcome a tremendous amount of challenges -- some health issues, some situations that ya just can't make up, and a fair dose of being too smart for his own good and lacking motivation. But he did it! So today, we celebrate -- MAZAL TOV!!!

I've spent several weeks baking and freezing goodies, and spent my weekend shopping and defrosting and cooking and putting the finishing touches on everything. Several posts this week will be devoted to our Dessert Buffet, featuring items to satisfy any sweet tooth and any dietary restriction. I've accommodated people who keep kosher, people with dairy and citrus allergies, and vegans ... have I left anyone out??? About the only special interest group not represented here is the Nut Allergy Lobby!

With so much work accomplished and yet so much more to do still, I'm enjoying a simple and nutritious breakfast before the schlepping of stuff (to the condo clubhouse where we're holding the party), the setting up, the schmoozing, the cleaning up, and the recovery.

This is a nearly perfect way to start the day -- yogurt with granola and dried fruit. My ideal breakfast is good cheese and fresh fruit, but that wasn't on the menu this morning. I like variety, too, rather than starting every single morning with waffles, for example; so there might be whole wheat English muffins and/or fried eggs, perhaps chips and guacamole, and on weekends I'll sometimes make oatmeal pancakes. But today I needed something quick and easy.

So here's my recipe, such as it is:

Pour some Brown Cow Cream Top Maple Yogurt into a bowl. Vanilla yogurt will do, and you could even use fruit flavored ones. But the cream topped yogurt is decadently rich, and the maple flavor is just exquisite!



Add some granola -- homemade is best, from a health food store is great, from a grocery store will do.


Top the granola with dried fruit. Raisins will work, but zzzzzz. Liven things up with dried cherries, cranberries, and/or blueberries.


If you were to be feeling particularly motivated on a Sunday morning, you could improve upon the presentation by using tall glasses and making layered parfaits. But I wasn't feeling so inclined, with as much other presentation as I'm going to have to handle this afternoon. I can cook, and I can bake; but showcasing it all leaves a lot to be desired. I have such admiration for those who can set up a fabulous, creative display!

So, there you have it: breakfast on the run ... or, rather, before the run now that I've become a mindless gerbil on a wheel. (A post-ex exercise -- pun intended! -- to work on self-improvement rather than rotting and wallowing.) It's still a little fast and a little slow and a fair amount of panting, but I've got more running in the mix than walking now ... :) I'm working towards making my ancient, klutzy, and slightly asthmatic self run a mile without gasping for oxygen, and getting a bit closer to my goal every day.

But for today, I'm going to celebrate Jeremy's achievement by devouring a few thousand calories in the various forms of cake, cookies, pudding ... and maybe a grape or a strawberry, just for color!

Silvio's -- So Much More Than Just Pizza!

Tom and I had planned to go to Silvio's Organic Pizza a couple of weeks ago, after the Vital (A)(R)(T) exhibit that one of his digital photographs had been shown in; but the food was so bountiful and beautiful at the reception that we got sidetracked and found ourselves eating dinner -- hummus with pita chips and vegetables, fruit, egg rolls, salad, and an array of cookies and brownies -- at the buffet table provided. So this past Thursday night, after I met Tom downtown after work and we were debating our dinner options, Silvio's was the perfect choice.

Anyone who knows me knows that I am the least decisive person on Earth, especially when food is involved. I can make life-or-death decisions instinctively on the spur of the moment, and have unfortunately had to do that more times than I like to contemplate. So my theory is that when I actually have choices to peruse and the luxury of time in which to do so, my brain goes into paralysis.

Thus, in surveying the beautiful simplicity found in Margherita pizza (tomato sauce, mozzarella and basil) or Pesto pizza (basil sauce, pine nuts, parmesan); the novelty of the exotic Grape (with Fontina and -- of course! -- grapes); or the generosity of stuffed pizzas (vegetarian or tuna with rapini or cod, just for starters), my mind started to swirl as my soul cried out for all of it. Tom, fortunately, was able to hear potatoes calling him, and so we indulged in the sensuous -- on every level -- and seductive #9: Thinly sliced potatoes covered with blue cheese and mozzarella, with just a sprinkling of fragrant rosemary ... sigh.

Our pizza was brought right to us, with the cheese still bubbling from having only left the oven moments earlier. It smelled amazing, with the rosemary wafting through the air; and when we bit in, you could hear the crisp crust crunching but not resisting. It was hot but not sear-the-roof-of-your-mouth hot, and it held together both when cut or when folded (rather than the cheese oozing off and the entire slice deconstructing and falling apart). And the taste was incomparable, a combination that was perfect (a lot of carbs, yes, but carbs that worked in unison) with no one flavor overriding another. This was so, so much more than just "pizza" -- that stuff you can buy for $5 from a franchise or something you can toss into a microwave to turn to goo. This was a true vision of beauty and love, interspersed with kisses from Tom ... :)

Dessert was yet another indulgence -- a crisp round of puff pastry with a luscious creamy filling, delicately sprinkled with confectioners' sugar. Tom eats very nobly -- a former vegan and vegetarian, adores spinach and kale, eats organic food almost exclusively; and yet, he has a sweet tooth and loves baked goods. So the exceptional array of pastries was as tempting to him as it was to me, the girl who doesn't just have one sweet tooth but a full 28 of 'em (having had 4 wisdom teeth pulled decades ago). Tom had made the difficult decision of choosing from among the croissants and bombas (paczki-like filled "doughnuts") and strudels, thank goodness -- I'd likely still be there, 3 days later, if the job had been delegated to me! We hated to break into it, as gorgeous as it was; and yet, it called, it beckoned, it seduced us ... there was no way to resist, and it was so good that I literally picked at the flaky little crumbs left on the plate after the treat had been relished.

There was live music from a guitar-playing trio, warm and efficient service, and food so fabulous that it is difficult to fully describe. Silvio's ... sigh. Repeat visits will be inevitable ....