Vegan Week - Day 5 (The Finale)

Mexican-Inspired Salad.

Well, today was the last day of my being a vegan lab rat, a plant-based diet guinea pig.

I brought a tote-able breakfast of applesauce and trail mix (almonds, walnuts, berry-flax granola, dairy-free dark chocolate chips, and dried cran- and blueberries) to work. It was quick, it was easy, it was good. It was really good. As someone who has a tendency to graze, it was a perfect snack.

Trail mix and applesauce.

For lunch, I'd made some Italian-style vegetable soup filled with lots of wholesome vegetables: mushrooms, onions, zucchini, tomato, carrots, celery. To go with it, a couple of slices of the ciabatta loaf were easily packed up. But since I had such a late breakfast, eating at work rather than at home, I wasn't actually hungry for the soup before I left to go on my Friday afternoon schlep through Kroger.

Italian-Style Vegetable Soup.

As I'd reviewed my groceries and my menu options before heading out for the day, I wasn't sure what I was going to do about dinner. Then my friend Olivia posted a picture of a salad on Facebook, filled with avocado, corn, lettuce, tomatoes ... all items I had on hand! She and I both planned to make this tonight.

Sure, the original salad contained chicken; but I could simply leave that out. So, I set out all the ingredients around a scoop of the leftover beans from Monday night, drizzled salsa over everything, and enjoyed an exceptionally nice dinner. A few crumbled corn chips on top didn't hurt, either ... :)

So ... my thoughts after five days as a vegan?

First and foremost, I'm looking forward to eating cheese. I want parmesan on my pasta, feta on my spinach, cheddar on many, many things. I want to be able to use eggs again. I want my Coffee-Mate, which offers no redeeming nutritional value along with the richness of cream.

It seems as though I've been snacking more, as though I'm feeling some sort of loss on a cellular level. It's not as though I've deprived myself of calories or protein or fats or sugars or anything else fun. But there must be some sort of recalibration going on. Ordinarily, if I have a big lunch then I only need a salad for dinner. I found myself still nibbling beyond that, though.

Of course, we can thank the Fritos and the faux-reos for that, singing their Siren songs to me in the night. I bought them so I wouldn't feel deprivation, to be able to have treats and not just denial, to show everyone that a vegan diet doesn't have to be just about rice, beans, lettuce, and tofu. But it's so much easier to resist that kind of stuff at the store, rather than at home! I usually don't buy those things, when I'm on my own. I know I'm weak. I proved that once again, these past few days.

I do think I'll be a mostly-vegetarian after this. My personal feeling is that cows are producing milk, chickens are laying eggs, and bees are making honey whether we eat and drink those products or not. As long as the animals are treated humanely, living happy lives, then those items should be a part of our diets. Veganism is simply too extreme, and unnecessarily so.

And while one might adopt a vegan diet for health reasons, bulking up on fruits and vegetables and whole grains, that gets very boring very quickly (for me, anyway, as someone who constantly craves variety). And it's also potentially expensive. I could have special-ordered vegan "cheese" from L.A., and "meat" from Minneapolis. I could have gone to various markets and restaurants around Toledo to get vegan dishes. I could have made "cheese" from cashews.

Really, that's just excessive. Be conscientious about what you eat - for political, ethical, moral, health, financial, and other reasons - but exercise moderation.

The thought of eating some chicken that's in the freezer, though ... I'm not so keen on it. Or the sausage that I'd intended to use in making red beans and rice on Monday.

The seed for this week's experiment was planted at an event a few weeks ago: braised veal cheeks were on the menu.

I was uncomfortable as they were presented to me, even as they smelled divine and were tender enough to melt on the fork. I tasted them, out of politeness (and for work); they were wonderful. I felt guilty.

And yet, I'm debating whether to grab a burger this weekend. How is it that I can eat the mother but was uncomfortable when the baby was on my plate? Because I knew which part of him I was chewing on? Because I buy the mother wrapped in plastic, displayed on styrofoam?

Once again, as I've done many times before, I'm hanging my head in shame and disgust as a hypocrite. I admit it, though not proudly. It is something I ruminate about, contemplate, grapple with, discuss, and consider at great length and with great frequency.

While I don't want to say I'm ruling out meat - or that burger - entirely (especially since I'll be judging a chili cook-off in two weeks, and there are only two or three vegetarian options being served), I can see myself becoming more of a vegetarian. Not that I eat meat all the time, but I can certainly feel comfortable eating it even less frequently now. Until temptation, like barbecued ribs, lures me in, I'm sure.

So, after all the thought and planning I put into Vegan Week's menu - and I probably have another two weeks' worth of meal suggestions that didn't get eaten - I have no idea what I'll have for breakfast tomorrow morning. It may be more Elvis-style oatmeal. It may be bacon and eggs. I might even go all-out and have a steak, which is usually a once-in-a-decade option.

The point is that I'll have a choice. I'll have lots of choices, rather than having entire food groups eliminated and having so many options taken away from me (or, more correctly, taking them away from myself).

Vegan Week was definitely a worthwhile experiment. It fed me, my blog, and also my column for this Tuesday. And it offered food for thought.

But now it's time to go back to eating whatever I want whenever I want. Time to go back to being an omnivore ... except for tofu and sushi!


Italian-Style Vegetable Soup

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Pinch of red pepper flakes
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1 garlic clove, minced
2 large mushrooms, caps removed, sliced
1/3 cup sliced zucchini
1 small stalk celery, chopped
1 small carrot, peeled, chopped
1 scallion, chopped
A very generous splash of red wine
1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
A generous handful of baby spinach
1/2 cup water
Pinch of sugar
Italian seasoning

Place the oil into a medium saucepan and heat over medium-high heat with the red pepper flakes. Add onion, garlic, and mushrooms; cook for 2 minutes, until mushrooms are softening. Add zucchini, celery, carrot, and scallion; cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add wine, tomato sauce, salt, pepper, spinach, water, sugar, and Italian seasoning; bring just to a boil, then cover partially and lower heat to simmer. Cook for 30 minutes.

Yield: 2 to 4 servings
Source: Mary Bilyeu


Mexican-Inspired Salad

Oil
Corn kernels
Shredded lettuce
Chopped avocado
Cherry tomatoes, halved
Chopped red onion
Leftover Pinto Beans with Rice and Quinoa
Fresh salsa
Sprinkle of cilantro
Corn chips, crushed

Quantities are variable, based upon number of people being served and ingredient preferences.

Place the oil and the corn into a small skillet; stir together. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until corn is toasted and golden.

Place lettuce on a serving plate. Place corn, avocado, tomatoes, and onion around the circumference of the plate, on top of the lettuce. Place the leftover beans in the center of the plate. Drizzle salsa over the salad, then sprinkle with cilantro and the crushed corn chips.

Source: Mary Bilyeu (Adapted from cleanfoodcrush.com)

Mushroom Barley Soup

Tryin' to be a little more present, here on ye olde blog!

Here's some comfort food extraordinaire, perfect for a cold, winter's day. Spring is coming soon! But unfortunately, it's still not here.

So, warm yourselves with a hot, hearty helping of homemade ... soup. (No "h"-word for that, to keep up the alliteration!)

I'd never made Mushroom Barley Soup before, despite having eaten lots of it. It's so simple! It's so good!


Mushroom Barley Soup

Barley:
1-3/4 cups water
pinch of kosher salt
3/4 cup pearled barley

Soup:
2 tablespoons oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large carrot, finely diced
1 large celery stalk, finely diced
1 small yellow onion, finely diced
2 large Portobello mushrooms, chopped
6 ounces white mushrooms, chopped
pinch of red pepper flakes
2-1/2 cups beef broth
1/4 cup red wine
1 tablespoon kosher salt
generous sprinkling of freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon all-purpose seasoning
1 tablespoon soy sauce
sour cream, for serving

Prepare barley: In a small saucepan, bring water and salt to a boil. Stir in barley, cover, lower heat to simmer, and cook for 45 minutes, until water is absorbed and barley is just tender.

Prepare soup: Heat oil over medium-high heat in a soup pot. Add garlic, carrot, celery, and onion; cook for 2 minutes, until vegetables are becoming translucent. Add all the mushrooms and the red pepper flakes; cook, stirring frequently, for 6-7 minutes until the mushrooms are browning.

Add broth, wine, salt, pepper, seasoning, and soy sauce; bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 minutes. Add barley and simmer for 30 more minutes.

Serve hot, with a dollop of sour cream stirred in.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

Frugal Floozie Friday - The People's Food Co-op

It's Ann Arbor Veg Week, so it made perfect sense to feature The People's Food Co-op today. It's an Ann Arbor institution which offers many creative and delicious vegetarian and vegan options both for dining in and for take-out. There are so many, many ways to eat well here while staying within our mandatory Frugal Floozie Friday budget of $5 per person.

As pictured above, there is an entire array of salads, vegetables, pastas, and other dishes to choose from, all charged by the pound so you can select smaller or larger servings and prices to suit your appetite and/or your finances.

I picked one of my favorites, the Sesame Cashew Noodles that are cooked perfectly and offer great spicy flavor, paying only $2.66 for this generous serving. Since the Co-op is part grocery store, part buffet, part deli, and part coffee shop (Cafe Verde), I was able to wander to the produce section and select a lovely organic Braeburn apple to complement my entree; it cost 80 cents. The miniature chocolate bars normally cost $1.29, which would have taken my total to $4.75 if I'd been shopping at a different time; but I happened to be at the Co-op on a day when the treats were on a 2-for-1 sale, which made this an even better deal! So I was able to purchase a nutritious, wholesome meal for a quick take-out - and even a luxurious dessert - and still stay within our limited budget.

You could also choose potato chips, available for only 99 cents; and Blue Sky sodas, if you want something to drink besides water, cost 79 cents. A large bowl of soup can be enjoyed for only $3.99, or a cup costs $2.75. Large handmade cookies tempt you for only $1.99. There are countless ways to mix 'n' match a meal for $5 or less.

The co-op offers Fair Trade, organic, and locally-sourced items, as well as cooking from scratch; so whatever you choose will not only taste good but do good, as well.

Cafe Verde, the coffee shop connected to the co-op, offers coffees, teas, juices, and a beautiful assortment of baked goods and pastries for varying prices. If you're looking just for a luscious treat - particularly if you are on any sort of restricted diet (vegan, gluten-free, allergies, etc.), you will likely be able to find an option. The co-op is very careful and conscientious about its ingredients and about everything it sells. (And when it's not Veg Week, feel free to choose some of the meat-based selections, as well.)

At any time, The People's Food Co-op can be a wonderful local resource for good food and good prices.


The People's Food Co-op
216 N. Fourth Avenue
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
734-994-9174

Store:
Monday - Saturday: 8 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Sunday: 9 a.m. - 10 p.m.

Food Bar:
Salad & Soups: 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. daily
Hot Bar: 11 a.m. – 8 p.m. weekdays, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. weekends

Cafe Verde:
Monday - Saturday: 7 a.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Sunday: 9 a.m. - 8 p.m.



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Frugal Floozie Friday - Mark's Midtown Coney Island

Mark's Midtown Coney Island - a friendly neighborhood standby - is today's Frugal Floozie Friday feature. Sure the coney dogs are great, and Craig thoroughly enjoyed going for the classic. But there are lots of other foods to enjoy that also fit within our mandatory budget of $5 per person.

I branched out to the soup 'n' sandwich plate for $4.99, which brought a cup of the daily soup - a bright, creamy Lemon Rice that offered just enough tartness to make it seem light despite being so rich - along with a half Turkey and Swiss that was absolutely stuffed. This was far more substantial than I'd expected, and I enjoyed every bite.

Several of the sandwiches - from Grilled Ham and Cheese to Egg Salad to a B.L.T. to a Patty Melt - come in at under $5 each. The coneys, of course, are a great deal: a single costs only $2.09. Or get the Coney Island Special, adding loose ground beef to your dog, which costs only $3.19. All but one of the burgers (the Italian Burger) cost less then $5, and you can even embellish them with an onion roll for 50 cents or extra cheese for 45 cents. And if you just want a snack, some consummate comfort food like Chili-Cheese Fries costs a mere $3.29.

Breakfast Specials offer a tremendous value as well, from eggs to the Breakfast Sandwich to a Short Stack; even Pancakes and Eggs - "Two pancakes or two French toast, two eggs, choice of one: bacon, ham or sausage" - costs only $4.99, just squeaking under the limit. But the prices get even better if you come in between 6-11 a.m. Monday-Friday, which is when Mark's offers extra special deals on this portion of the menu.

Even as good as our entrees were, I would have to say that the rice pudding - for a mere $2.29 - was the star of the show; Craig said it was the best version he's ever eaten. Dense rather than overly creamy, subtly flavored rather than doused in cinnamon as many can be, this was a perfect serving to share as it was very generous.

So, if you're looking for friendly staff, good food, and great values, go visit Mark's Midtown Coney Island!


Mark's Midtown Coney Island
Ann Arbor North
3586 Plymouth Rd.
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48105
734-998-0067



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Frugal Floozie Friday - Banfield's Bar & Grill

My very dear friends Mary and Art joined Craig and me for dinner recently, at Banfield's Bar & Grill. A casual place with great inexpensive options, it's a perfect place to feature today for Frugal Floozie Friday.

Burgers were the stars of the evening, as three members of our group ordered them. Art and Mary both ordered the burger "deal of the day" (pictured above), which came in at just under our mandatory budget of $5 per person even with all the toppings - tomatoes, lettuce, pickles, and condiments - that either of them might want to choose from. Crisp french fries and pickles were also part of the deal, which was a tremendous value.

Craig ordered the Black-n-Blue Burger, topped with rich blue cheese and caramelized onions, which crept just over the budgetary limit at $5.95. But it was very good, should anyone have a craving for it and be willing to spend just a little bit extra.


I decided to try some other frugal options, and so I ordered a cup of the very rich, creamy Potato Swiss Bacon Soup for $2.50 and paired it with a platter of the cheese nachos, curious as to how generous the $4.95 serving would be. I was impressed to find that this is something that can easily be shared by a few folks who just want a snack and something to drink while they chat an evening away or watch a sporting event. Craig nibbled at them along with me as I slowed down, and we still weren't able to finish them.

Banfield's offers great, friendly service and a lot of food that meets our strict financial limits: deep fried mushrooms, onions rings, jalapeno poppers, mini tacos, and even a Veggie Tray all cost less than $5 each. The Big B Burger - with cheese, pickle, onion, lettuce, and special sauce - costs only $4.99, served with fries and a pickle. A 1/3-pound prime sirloin burger can be had for $4.75; and a grilled cheese sandwich is available for $4.95, served with chips, cole slaw, and a pickle spear.

Breakfast is served from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, and there are a number of dishes to choose from within our budget, as well: 2 eggs with hash browns, choice of meat, and toast for $4.25; a 3-egg cheese omelet, also with hash browns and toast, for $4.95; a breakfast sandwich on a grilled English muffin costs $4.25; and either buttermilk pancakes or French toast can be enjoyed for $4.50. ; Waffles with a choice of meat cost $4.25.

So head over to Banfield's, where you can find lots of comfort food options for great prices!


Banfield's Bar & Grill
3140 Packard
Ann Arbor, MI 48108
734-971-3300
Monday - Saturday: 11 a.m. - midnight
Sunday: 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.



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Frugal Floozie Friday at Chef Restaurant Mediterranean Grill

Jeremy and I had a great dinner the other night, stopping by a new place I hadn't known of that we just serendipitously drove by: Chef Restaurant Mediterranean Grill. The bright, friendly restaurant is tucked into a strip mall across the street from Eastern Michigan University. Its convenient location, coupled with its excellent prices, make it today's Frugal Floozie Friday feature.

We were greeted by a very warm and friendly hostess/waitress, who let us pick whichever table we wanted. As we perused the menu, it was clear that there were many items which would qualify for our mandatory frugal budget of $5 per person: soups, sandwiches, salads, desserts ... an entire array.

Jeremy chose the Fried Kibbe sandwich for a mere $3.75. Longer than a dinner fork, it was tightly wrapped and fully stuffed with a generous quantity of lamb and vegetables. Jeremy loved it, and I think was even tempted to order a second one simply because it was so good!

He also ordered a side of fries for $2.95, which would make a nice snack with a soda or juice. The small order was still quite a good size, so I can't imagine how much you'd get for the large one!

I decided to start with a cup of the lovely lentil soup, which cost $2.50. It was rich, but not heavy, and subtly spiced. It was a perfect serving if you were going to help your son to eat the copious quantity of french fries he'd ordered.

But I also heard the sandwiches calling to me, as Jeremy had, and ordered the Chicken Shawarma variety which cost $3.75. It was tender and garlicky, with crisp, fresh vegetables to complement the other flavors and textures.

The chef, who is originally from Lebanon and has an impressive background of international travel and culinary experience, came out to the dining area briefly and smiled happily as Jeremy and I told him how wonderful his food was. Our waitress then brought over a laptop, after watching me take the necessary pictures of our dinner, and showed gorgeous photos of elaborate displays that the chef has prepared. Had we ordered more expensive meals - none very highly priced, but more than our $5 budget would allow - our plates would have been works of art.

There are many vegetarian options at the Chef Restaurant, and everything we ate was fabulous. The next time you're craving Middle Eastern food, be sure to stop by and indulge for very reasonable prices!

Chef Restaurant Mediterranean Grill
1098 N. Huron River Dr.
Ypsilanti, MI 48197
734-544-1161
Monday - Friday: 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Saturday: 12 - 9 p.m.
Sunday: closed



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Kasha Varnishkes Soup for National Mushroom Day

I'm a mushroom lover with a history of being surrounded by mushroom haters. Jeremy has only just found affection for them; of course, even he chuckles that his new enjoyment is for morels and truffles, among the most expensive varieties available! And I used to go out with someone who would only eat small amounts of the little white button mushrooms, nothing with more flavor ... groan.

So when Craig told me that he loves "chopped liver and a good mushroom barley soup," I was just tickled. A little bit of "meh" on the former, but I'm very happy about the latter. There's a lot to be said for going out with a nice Jewish boy whose level of observance is far less than my own weird hybrid of practice, but who at least knows and enjoys the requisite foods!

That is, until I found out that Craig only likes raw mushrooms. While he promised to try the soup if I made one, and even sounded enthusiastic about it, he also presumed he would pick out the mushrooms and generously donate them to my own bowl ... aaauuuggghhh!!!

But I was determined to cook a version of mushroom soup in honor of today's "holiday," National Mushroom Day. You know me, though - I can't just leave things alone. There are lots of recipes for good ol'-fashioned mushroom barley soup, so that simply had to be tinkered with.

I thought of another classic Jewish dish, Kasha Varnishkes: buckwheat groats that are cooked in broth and traditionally served with bow tie pasta and, sometimes, mushroom gravy. While buckwheat is not actually a grain, it is reminiscent of one; so it seemed reasonable to substitute it for barley in a mushroom soup.

So I cooked up the kasha, added lots of mushrooms, added extra liquid beyond what the buckwheat would absorb, and added pasta ... and there it was, Kasha Varnishkes Soup! A little beer added some depth to the flavor. This is perfect for a cold, fall day.


Kasha Varnishkes Soup

Please note that this is not kosher, since it mixes butter and beef broth. (Butter has better flavor than any of its substitutes.) You can make whatever accommodations suit your fancy - oil or margarine, using only vegetable broth, etc. - to honor the dietary laws.

• 4 tablespoons butter, divided
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2/3 cup kasha (buckwheat groats)
• 1 egg white
• 4 ounces white button mushrooms, halved, sliced
• 10 ounces baby Portabella mushrooms, halved, sliced
• 1 cup beer
• 16 ounces vegetable broth
• 16 ounces beef broth
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• generous sprinkling freshly ground black pepper
• pinch of sugar
• splash of soy sauce
• 1-1/2 cups bow-tie pasta, pre-cooked
• sour cream for serving, optional

Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan, and cook the onion over medium-low heat for 15 minutes or so, stirring occasionally, until lightly caramelized. Remove onions from saucepan and reserve.

Combine kasha and egg white until kasha is thoroughly coated; add to saucepan, and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes until the kasha is toasty and has separated into individual grains.

Add the remaining butter to the saucepan; add the onions and both kinds of mushrooms. Cook for 5 minutes, until the mushrooms have softened. Add the beer, both broths, salt, pepper, sugar, and soy sauce; bring to a boil, then cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the pasta and cook 5 more minutes.

Serve hot, with sour cream if desired.

Serves 6-8.

Frugal Floozie Friday - Beezy's Cafe

Jeremy and I had a lovely lunch recently at Beezy's, on a beautiful fall day. I hadn't been there in ages, so it was good to have a chance to eat there again.

We were given a tremendous greeting by Jesse, who was wonderfully welcoming and friendly. In just the few minutes it took to place our order, we exchanged names, discussed fashion and thrift shops, and had a grand time!

Jeremy chose the Roasted Chicken Club sandwich for $6.95: "Sliced Amish chicken breast with bacon, tomato, red onion and spring greens with blue cheese pesto mayo."

The sandwich is huge and can easily be split, even among two hungry people. Jeremy - a 21-year-old male, among the world's heartiest eaters - could only finish half of it. And if you buy two bags of Michigan-made Better Made products for 99-cents each, this lunch would, indeed, be "all that and a bag of chips" for two people while staying within our mandatory Frugal Floozie Friday budget of $5 per person.

The air was just crisp enough (for me, anyway, since I'm always cold) that it warranted soup. So I ordered a bowl of the Creamy Chicken and Garlic soup for $3.50. As you can see, it was thick and rich with huge chunks of meat and carrots. Warm and delicious, this was a perfect antidote to the slight chill.

I also ordered a small Washington Street salad for $4.95; this offered "greens tossed in maple vinaigrette and topped with sliced roasted Amish chicken breast, sliced apple, raisins, and spiced pecans." In other words, it offered sweet and savory, tenderness and crunch, a variety of tastes and textures all on one plate.

Beezy's offers a number of options for vegetarians, and each of the salads is available in a small portion for less than $5. They promote Michigan products like the chips mentioned above, as well as Faygo sodas. The Redpops Jeremy and I each ordered were bright and fruity, and just seemed the perfect choice to complement our lunches.

For friendly service, good ol'-fashioned wholesome food, and a genuine feel for community - both in terms of being a gathering place and a supporter of both Ypsilanti and Michigan - Beezy's is the place to go!

Beezy's
20 N. Washington St.
Ypsilanti, MI 48197
734-485-9625
Monday - Saturday: 7 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Sunday: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.



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Frugal Floozie Friday - The Broken Egg

Craig and I enjoyed a spur-of-the-moment lunch at The Broken Egg the other day, when my office closed early and I had some free time in the afternoon. Comfort food was calling; and so we enjoyed a meal at a place which excels at it, and which serves breakfast all day.

The Classic Belgian Waffle was Craig's choice - huge and fragrant and wonderful. Unfortunately, it just exceeds our $5 per person budget at $5.50. It's large enough to share, but I know how folks get a bit testy when I divvy up dishes. We did split a side order of bacon for $3.25.

For $4.75, I ordered The Light Side: 2 eggs, an enormous quantity of hash browns, and a generous serving of toast. I chose to have my eggs cooked "over easy," and I picked the rye bread. Although I'm a good eater - Craig and others can attest to this! - the plate was more than I could finish. It was very good - perfectly cooked. But a lot of food for a tremendous value.

Other breakfast options that qualify for our project are the thick-cut toast, either studded with raisins or with cherries and walnuts. Oatmeal, bagels, and sides of sausage or bacon or ham are other suggestions.

If you're not interested in breakfast, chili and soup both qualify for our mandatory frugal budget, as does the House Salad. Sandwiches are generous, and are served with chips and pickles; they could easily be split, and all come in at under $9 total, for a per person share of $4.50 or less.

We arrived at the restaurant around 2:15 p.m., and were warmly welcomed despite having gotten there just a short time before closing at 3 p.m. We weren't rushed or pressured, and the staff was wonderfully friendly, making us feel like old friends.

The Broken Egg is just the sort of place you'd want to be a regular, with its wide variety of fabulous menu items, many of which are readily affordable on a frugal budget.


The Broken Egg
221 N. Main St
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
734-665-5340
Monday - Saturday: 7 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Sunday: 8 a.m. - 3 p.m.




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Beer 'n' Cheese Soup with Croutons

It got cold here in Michigan. Fall is coming. The days are beautiful and sunny; the nights are chilly, dipping down 'round 40 degrees. Anyone who knows me knows that I'm cold all the time anyway. Others vie to be the first to turn on the air conditioner in the spring; I'm the girl who beats 'em all to turning on the heat at the end of summer.

So one day, I was in the mood for soup - something warm and comforting. I'd gotten home late after work and an evening of running errands, so I relied upon convenience items to expedite my dinner. And in just about 5 minutes I found myself with a hot bowl of thick, rich, luscious cheese soup - a perfect way to end a long day, and to combat the chill in the air.

Beer 'n' Cheese Soup with Croutons

• 1 10-3/4 ounce can Campbell's Cheddar Cheese soup
• beer
• 2 ounces medium sharp Cheddar cheese, grated
• 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• pinch of freshly ground black pepper
• garlic croutons

Place soup into a small saucepan. Pour beer into the empty soup can - fill it halfway, then pour the measured beer into the saucepan. Heat soup and beer over medium heat, whisking until smooth.

Add the cheeses and pepper; whisk until smooth, and cook just until soup bubbles. Pour into two soup bowls and top with croutons.

Serves 2.

Frugal Floozie Friday - Ayse's Cafe

I had dinner recently with my friends Marcie, whom I've known and loved for 5 years, and Stacy, who is new to my extended family and welcomed wholeheartedly.  We ate an utterly sublime meal at Ayse's Cafe, today's Frugal Floozie Friday feature.

Ayse [EYE-shuh], the owner and cook, is Turkish, and she makes luscious food that is distinctly different than anything you've eaten before.  Yes, there is familiarity if you've eaten Middle Eastern or Greek food; but the spice blends and ingredients are unique to Turkey.  The cuisine has been greatly influenced by the country's situation between both Europe and Asia, surrounded by such diverse neighbors as Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece, Georgia, Iran, Iraq, and Syria; it is also bordered by the Aegean, Black and Mediterranean Seas.

Fruits and vegetables are essential elements of Turkish cooking, as are lamb (pork is generally not eaten, as Turkey is a mostly Muslim country), chicken, and fish.  The spice blends are complex, but the food is not spicy; there is an underlying sweetness to many dishes.  Milk-based desserts are enormously popular, and puddings are quite varied.  Baked sweets are essential to accompany intense, dark coffee.

By the way, if you've ever eaten baklava, Turkish delight candies, shish kebab or rice pilaf, then you, too, have experienced just a hint of the great joy of this fabulous cuisine!

But now that a bit of background has been provided, let's get back to the girlfriends' dinner ....

For $4.95 - within our mandatory $5 per person Frugal Floozie Friday budget - Stacy and I each ordered the red lentil soup for which Ayse is justly famous.  Sprinkled with a subtle dusting of slightly sour sumac to stir in, its flavor is richly and deeply spiced but without being at all spicy.  It tastes as though it has simmered all day long until the lentils have melted together with the flavorings to create a beautiful, golden, bowl of deliciously supreme comfort.

In addition to the soup, I also thoroughly enjoyed the Spinach Chickpea Stew pictured above.  It cost only $3.95 for what is called a "side order," but it was easily more than a measuring cup's worth - an ideal size for a light meal.  The chickpeas were exquisitely tender while still retaining their shape; the spinach had been cooked down until it it had been nearly reduced to just its flavorful essence.  I truly wished I'd ordered a full entree, it was so good!

The cost of the main dishes exceeds our Frugal Floozie Friday mandate, but Ayse's still offers lots of options for cost-conscious diners.  Each of the salads - which greet you as you walk in the door - is available for $3.95 as a side dish.  You can choose from cabbage, beet, chickpea, green bean, lentil, and other options.  It's terribly difficult to choose, as the visual display is so tempting and the aromas wafting through the restaurant are so seductive!

There are also boreks, vegetarian or meat "pies" made with phyllo dough, which cost $3.95.  And small sausage-shaped lentil rolls can be enjoyed for only $1.  A multitude of desserts is available, from brownies to yogurt cake to pumpkin and carrot-walnut treats (prices vary), in addition a variety of puddings for just $3.25.  You can enjoy a simple, creamy rice pudding or the Turkish favorite - Noah's pudding - which features grains and dried fruits.

Marcie, unfortunately, suffers from a number of food-related allergies, intolerances, and other miseries; she is a fabulous cook and a consummate food enthusiast, and yet, eating has become difficult for her.  Much to the restaurant's credit, Ayse and her staff truly took personal care of Marcie and made sure to help her sort out what items she could enjoy.  The cafe offers many vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free dishes which accommodate customers with special diets.  Our waitresses went back-and-forth repeatedly to find answers about ingredients and to ask questions of Marcie to narrow down some options so that she could eat a fabulous meal.

It was great fun to sit and talk about food - from the novelty of black rice to Southern matzah balls made with Creole spices and pecans - with two women who are integral to Ann Arbor's food community.  Marcie is the charming hostess who offers walking and tasting tours of the city with Savor Ann Arbor; and Stacy is the extraordinary cook and visionary behind What's Cooking, which lets customers order healthy, freshly prepared meals for delivery.  To enjoy a luscious dinner with such fabulous company was a great treat!

Ayse's Cafe is bright and cheerful, offering tremendous hospitality and amazing food.  You can indulge in many exceptional items there without breaking your budget.


Ayse's Cafe
1703 Plymouth Rd.
Ann Arbor, MI 48105
734-662-1711
Lunch: 11 a.m. - 2 p.m., Monday through Friday
Dinner: 5 - 9 p.m., Monday through Saturday




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"Chopped" Challenge - Triple Treyf Mac 'n' Cheese Soup

Today is the first day of reporting back about my "Chopped" challenge, in which I had asked readers to suggest ingredients I'd have to use in preparing appetizers, entrees, or desserts.

I had originally intended to just pick four options to write about; but I received several extra suggestions that were just too much fun to resist.  How could I leave anyone out?  So I'll be offering my concoctions this week and part of next, as well - everyone's ideas were used for inspiration!  Thank you for making me go beyond my culinary comfort zone; it's easy to get into a rut sometimes.  This really was a lot of fun.

Because this is Day 1, I'm featuring Jeremy's suggestion: to make an appetizer using shrimp, bacon, and Co-Jack cheese.  It doesn't get much more treyf [TRAYf] - non-kosher - than this!  Bacon is taboo.  Shellfish is verboten.  Mixing meat and dairy products is a violation of the Jewish dietary laws.

And yet, they are all required ingredients.  Good thing I don't keep kosher, huh?

Jeremy loves comfort foods, particularly macaroni and cheese.  So I thought I'd make him a soup based upon that dish, incorporating the shrimp and the bacon and the Co-Jack into a luscious, creamy starter to a meal.  Of course, this is so rich that you might not even need the rest of your dinner by the time you finish a serving!

The smokiness of the bacon and the sweetness of the shrimp combine beautifully with the mild Co-Jack cheese; Pepper Jack and cayenne pepper sauce contribute just a hint of a kick.  And the macaroni adds substance, because Jeremy doesn't like soups that are primarily broth.  Whether serving a cup of this as an appetizer or making it the mainstay of your meal with a larger portion, this is a perfect solace on a cold winter evening.

This soup readily passed Jeremy's exacting standards - he loved it, and even thanked me for making it!


Triple Treyf Mac 'n' Cheese Soup

5 strips bacon, cut into 1/2" pieces
1 medium onion, chopped
3/4 cup chopped cooked shrimp
3 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 cups skim milk, divided
generous splash cayenne pepper sauce
8 ounces Co-Jack cheese, shredded
3 ounces Pepper Jack cheese, shredded
1-1/2 cups macaroni

In a large saucepan, cook the bacon over medium heat until just lightly brown but not crisp.  Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.  Add the shrimp and cook for 1 minute.

Add the flour and stir to coat the ingredients; cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Add the salt and pepper.

Slowly add 2 cups of the milk, stirring well after each addition to incorporate it.  Add the cayenne pepper sauce and heat just until small bubbles start to appear.

Add half of the cheese and stir until melted.  Add the rest of the cheese and stir until melted.  Add the remaining 1 cup of milk.  Cook over low heat for 20 minutes.

While the soup heats, prepare the macaroni according to package directions; stir into soup.

Serves 8-10.

Note: If this isn't served right away or if there are leftovers, you can eat it as macaroni and cheese or you'll need to thin it a bit for soup; the macaroni absorbs a lot of the liquid.

Black Bean 'n' Beer Soup

It's cold out, so hot soup makes a perfect light lunch or dinner.

This version is a different spin on traditional black bean soup. Sure, it contains the usual ingredients like beans and salsa. But it's thickened with pumpkin, adding flavor, color and nutrition. It also benefits from the addition of beer, rather than using just only plain ol' water.

This is vegan, but is substantial enough to satisfy even those who think they'll miss having some meat (i.e.: salt pork or bacon) in their bean soup. Served with some good crusty bread, you've got an ideal comfort food for a chilly day.

Black Bean 'n' Beer Soup

2 tablespoons oil
1 small onion, chopped fine
1/2 small yellow pepper, chopped fine
2/3 cup salsa
1-1/2 cups beer
1 cup water
1 15-ounce can black beans, drained, rinsed
juice of 1 lime
1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 tablepoon sugar
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

In a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and pepper; cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened. Add the salsa, beer, water, beans, lime juice and salt; bring to a boil, then cook over low heat for 15 minutes.

Whisk in the sugar and the pumpkin; continue cooking for 15 more minutes. Stir in the cilantro, then serve hot.

Serves 6.

Harvest Stew

I love my crockpots! I only have two now - Mama Bear and Baby Bear, as I call them. I gave the enormous Papa Bear one away to someone in need. But the ones I have left are perfect for making dinner and for keeping dips warm, respectively.

It takes almost no effort to put together the ingredients when using a crockpot, and then to let your dinner simmer away - without the need for monitoring - so that it can be ready for your return home after a long day.

This stew is a perfect way to eat something warm and nutritious on a chilly Fall day while also celebrating the bounty of the harvest; it's a stellar example of seasonal cuisine, featuring pumpkin, sweet potato and apple cider.

This hearty dish is vegan - yes, vegan! - if you use the soy chorizo noted in the recipe; carnivores are welcome to substitute a spicier treyf ([TRAYF] = not kosher) pork variety of the sausage, though.

Either way, it's a great meal to come home to. The house smells amazing, and your dinner will warm your soul.

Harvest Stew

2 tablespoons oil
1 12-ounce package Trader Joe's soy chorizo
1 large yellow onion, chopped
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1 cup corn
1 15-ounce can pureed pumpkin
1 sweet potato, peeled, cut into 3/4" dice
1 15-ounce hot chili beans, undrained
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 teaspoons coriander
1 tablespoon cumin seed
1 cup Uncle Ben's Whole Grain Brown and Wild Rice Medley
1 32-ounce container Imagine creamy sweet potato soup
1/2 cup apple cider
generous splashes of cayenne pepper sauce

Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat; add the chorizo and saute for 5 minutes; place in a 6-8 quart crockpot.

In the same skillet, saute the onion, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt and seasoned salt until the vegetables are softened; add to the crockpot.

Add the corn to the same skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it is lightly toasted and some of the kernels are golden; add to the crockpot.

Add the remaining ingredients to the crockpot. Cook on "low" for at least 8-10 hours, and serve hot.

Makes 10-12 servings.

Curried Lentil Soup with Tomato

Last week, we went through some sort of time warp. We were thrust without warning from 100-degree days of summer excess to days so chilly and rainy and reminiscent of late fall that we debated turning on our furnaces. (For the record, mine went on almost immediately. I'm always cold anyway, so it only took a brief moment for me to make that decision.)

So I made the leap from sauteeing zucchini and making refreshing peach desserts - utilizing gorgeous end-of-summer bounty - to making standard cold-weather food. I woke up one morning and decided I wanted to make soup.

And so, I offer a recipe for one of my favorites. This comes together so quickly that I made it while I waited for my morning coffee to brew, and was able to bring it to work for lunch. The small orange lentils - rather than the larger brown or green ones - are the key ingredient; they cook down without any pre-soaking. The Numi Organic Toasted Rice tea bags (which I'd received as a gift in order to sample the product) added a subtle flavor to the soup, but they aren't essential if you don't have them.

Nutritious and delicious, this Curried Lentil Soup is supreme comfort food.

And there's even a lovely fresh tomato in it, for color and flavor. It's still officially summer, after all, even if that was hard to remember last week!

Curried Lentil Soup with Tomato

1 tablespoon ghee or butter
1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 small red onion, chopped
1 cup small orange lentils
3 cups water
2 Numi Organic Toasted Rice tea bags, optional (a lovely marketing gift!)
1 cup light coconut milk
1 tomato, chopped

Melt the ghee/butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the salt, curry powder, garam masala and red pepper flakes; cook for 1 minute. Add the onion and cook for 1 minute. Add the lentils, water and tea bags; cover and bring to a boil, cooking for 5 minutes until the lentils are softening. Add the coconut milk and tomato; cover and simmer for 15 minutes until lentils are tender.

Serves 4.

Frugal Floozie Friday -- Ypsilanti Food Co-Op

There aren't many places where you can buy a meal for less than $5 ... and fast food joints don't count.

So let me introduce you to a place where you can actually find a wholesome, nutritious meal -- including dessert! -- for a whopping $4.87 including tax. Today's edition of Frugal Floozie Friday takes us to the Ypsilanti Food Co-Op. (That's pronounced [ip-sih-LAN-tee], by the way, for newcomers.)

When I go on my long evening walks, I often stop by the Co-Op just to see what goodies might be available that day. In addition to the standard groceries, you can find a variety of sandwiches and prepared foods; there are also luscious baked goods (breads, scones, cupcakes and such) prepared by the River Street Bakery, which is owned by the Co-Op and strategically located right next door.

I sometimes challenge myself to see if I can find anything there for less than $1. Health food stores have a reputation for being expensive after all, with organic and fair trade and specialty products, so this project amuses me. Once I found a basket with free samples of granola bars, and another time I bought a cucumber and limes on sale. The primo specimen, though, was a day-old baguette that had been sprinkled with assorted seeds (poppy, sesame) and was exquisite sliced and spread with butter!

But, as per usual, I digress. Back to the task at hand!

I doubt that it's possible to buy a supper for less than $1; but finding a good meal to bring home for less than $5 was quite a stellar accomplishment!

An 8-ounce cup of soup at the Co-Op costs just $2.97. I passed over the vegetarian chili in favor of a rich and creamy Potato-Leek-Pea Soup, intrigued by the addition of peas when I normally make my own version with just the first two ingredients. Soups (which vary each day) come with a slice of whole grain bread, a lovely complement and supplement.

And then I was seduced (as always) by the freshly baked treats. Mocha cupcakes, lemon-ginger scones, brownies ... but each of these was out of the price range, and would have pushed me over the Frugal Floozie Friday limit.

The Oat Raisin Cookie, however, was waiting patiently for me, its fragrant cinnamon slowly luring me in. It's made with organic ingredients, including whole wheat pastry flour, and is even vegan. A treat that's good for you! And it cost only $1.72.

The soup was very flavorful and perfectly seasoned, with hints of the peas shining through. And the cookie was sweet and spicy, with a tendency to fall apart without any eggs to bind it; but since I tend to break my food into pieces anyway, this was simply a cookie that someone must have baked just for me!

My light supper was ideal sustenance on a wretchedly Summer-like day -- hot soup to combat excessive air conditioning, which I loathe but don't get to control, though it was still light enough to be perfect for the season. The cookie was the essential sweet treat to finish the meal.

It's surprising just how far that $5 bill can go, isn't it? And how well you can eat for such a small amount ....

Ypsilanti Food Co-Op
312 North River Street
Ypsilanti, Michigan 48198


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Frugal Floozie Friday: Food and Fun for Five Dollars or Less ... Really!!!

Feast + Easter = Feaster!

My priceless friend Wendy invited me to spend Easter with her extended family in Buffalo ... a spur-of-the-moment adventure.

Each of us would have spent the day childless -- with her son away at school and her daughter at a prestigious internship at the State Department, and Jeremy spending the day with his dad's relatives. So we left at 8 o'clock that morning for the kind of venting, ruminating, processing, evaluating, planning and resolving "Thelma and Louise"-style road trip that we excel at, and found ourselves at her Aunt Sandy's house by 2:30, just in time for a feast.

Now, many people think they provide a lot of food for family gatherings; I always used to think that I did, but I've been shamed! There were 25-30 people at the party, and truly enough food to feed 3 times that many ravenous folks ... I am not exaggerating. The ham that would normally be a centerpiece was, frankly, the least of the items on this awe-inspiring buffet!

Everyone was so wonderfully warm and welcoming, including the many well-behaved dogs -- I felt more at home there than I do with my own family. I had only ever met Wendy's sister Cheryl (here with her gorgeous first grandbaby, 4-month-old Hazel) and her husband Joe before this, so many people would have been overwhelmed by the crowd. I, however, leapt into the fray by discussing my -- and their, apparently! -- favorite topic, food.

Sandy (with one of the beloved furry family members) and her daughter Cindy were bustling about making final preparations to the feast; and this was such second-nature to them that neither was at all frazzled or stressed even as I asked questions and took notes, intrepid food/recipe devotee that I am.

A pot of something they called "White Soup" was placed onto the burner to keep warm ... it was a 16-quart stockpot, twice the size of any I own. A 9"x13" pan of cut-up sausage and a huge tub of kluski noodles were set next to it, for adding to the soup. I asked if this were similar to my friend Connie's pickle soup, as it was creamy and smelled slightly sour.

Sandy told me that it was Vfos (I think), pronounced [FAHS], and that it certainly was a close relative of Connie's soup with a similar method of preparation. She gave me a bit of explanation on how it's made; but she referred me to Bob, her niece's husband, who makes the soup each year and could give me better details.

So I meandered off to find Bob, who was stationed in front of FOUR griddles making potato pancakes. The batter for these was literally being scooped out of a bucket, there was so much of it; it had started as 20 pounds of hand-peeled and mostly hand-grated potatoes. And these babies ... whew! You've seen pictures of my latkes, and they are miniscule compared to what was being cooked here!

Bob is Italian, and was happy to talk about his family's feasts while growing up (pasta was served at every holiday, with manicotti -- which he pronounces infinitely more beautifully than I do, even when I put on my "I studied Italian for a year" accent!) being featured at Easter. But since many of his relatives are gone, he has brought his love of food and tradition to Wendy's family and joins in the preparation of their feast.

He told me that the White Soup begins by cooking sausage in water, with the quality and type of sausage being critical for flavor so he makes sure to get precisely what he wants instead of substituting. The sausage is removed from the liquid once it's done, and the pot is refrigerated overnight so that the congealed fat can then be skimmed. Heavy cream (rather than sour cream in Connie's soup) is combined with flour for thickening, and then milk is poured in to make it rich, while some vinegar is added for the sour flavoring.

Sandy then came in and told me that there's also onion, though it's a whole onion that's boiled in the liquid rather than any chopped onion being added (because the soup is smooth, until you add the mix-ins). She also added a bit of horseradish for some bite; and while she was serving the kluski noodles today, she usually offered elbow macaroni so that the soup can swim into the pasta while the pasta swims in the soup. She and Bob kibbitzed back-and-forth as they made sure to cover all the details for me!

In addition to the tradition of the soup, there were also handmade pierogi to be found ... 120 of them, to be exact, a 3-day process altogether. Four of the amazing women in this family had gathered on Wednesday to take the fillings Sandy and Cindy had prepared the night before (so they could chill and not melt the dough) -- they mixed and rolled and cut the homemade dough, filled it and pinched it, then pre-boiled the pierogi. The pierogi were then brushed with butter and refrigerated, awaiting the final frying on Easter so they'd be warm and golden and luscious!

There were three varieties of pierogi: sauerkraut (which Jeremy ADORED when I gave him one of the astounding abundance of leftovers Wendy and I had been sent home with), a slightly sweet white cheese, and "fruit" as they were being called "so people will eat them."

Fruit??? Plum, actually. I get it! You mean "prune," don't you, but no one likes to eat prunes so they've undergone a marketing ploy and are now "dried plums." These were, indeed, prune pierogi, with a filling that had a hint of both cinnamon and clove. And truly, Wendy and I could have simply devoured the entire batch of them without sharing -- they were so, so good!!!

Now, everyone knows what a good eater I am -- never underestimate the skinny girl, 'cause I tried one of everything (and returned for seconds on a couple of options!). And this was even before dessert.

Oh, man, did you say "dessert"???

Yup. 5 different varieties of dessert, too: Eclair cake (a cream puff base with custard and whipped cream on top), lemon meringue pie (which I adore, but no one else in my world does, so I hadn't had it in ages!), lemon cream torte, an almond-flavored Texas sheet cake, and Placek ([PLOT-zik] = a rich, buttery, crumbly Polish coffee cake).

I tried one of each of these, too ... and I am not ashamed to admit it! I relished every bite of each delectable item!!!

Wendy and I were then sent off for the 6-hour trip home with plates full of leftovers and lots of hugs. And I told everyone that I would more than happily come back next year, and try to get there in time for the pierogi-making party. And maybe, too, for the Mass at which representative samples of the Easter meal are packed in a basket, draped with a lace cloth, and offered for a blessing to be shared with everyone who joins in the meal.

Family, faith, and food are all bound up in these traditions, sharing nourishment for both body and soul with those who are most precious.

I was thrilled to have been invited and welcomed, and am immensely grateful to everyone for their warmth, their recipes, their smiles, and the sheer joy of this feast!