Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution

Source: amazon.com via Michelle on Pinterest

For several years now Jamie Oliver (celebrity chef) has been campaigning, first in his native Great Britain, and now here in the US for improved school lunches (and breakfasts where provided.)   I was a hot lunch kid, I remember standing in line for my green tickets, not the yellow ones which were reserved for paying families, nope I was one of millions of children who eat subsidized school lunch every year. Sometimes it was the best or only meal I ate all day. So it follows that school cafeterias provide a substantial amount of food, whether it is nutritious or not to our nation's children. The children who are the future, our future as we age they will be the ones leading, maintaining our infrastructure, teaching and so on. Or not considering obesity and the related ailments are higher than ever in children in the United States. Click here to gain a better understanding of the school lunch program.   I grew up and had the good fortune to taste real food, fresh food from the earth. When I returned to the cafeteria with my own children I was appalled at what I had eaten (it was much the same, chop suey anyone?) and what was being offered my kids.   I joke that I'm a food snob, but I'm not, I just require  prefer to provide and consume wholesome food as close as possible to its natural state as the staples in my diet. Cookie butter on occasion, but after I know that I've had a few square meals under my belt. Food is meant to be fun and pleasurable, but out of the food eaten over the course of the week it is made up of mostly whole grains, greens, fresh veggies, fruit, nuts, seeds, beans with the occasional organic dairy item.   So what my kids, what our kids eat, is important to me so I just on board with Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution and you can too!   Click here for the site and to educate yourself, your school system and your community. You won't find any "Go-Go Juice" on this menu.    I encourage parents and people who care to work in your community to make it clear that what we eat matters and why and the positive impact it has, not only on our bodies and health, but on local agriculture, businesses and the future.         Bon Appetit, Deirdre

Spork Fed Cookbook Review

If you understand what it is to relish reading a good cookbook, then you'll completely understand why I dove deep into Spork-Fed: Super fun and flavorful vegan recipes from the sisters of Spork Foods by Jenny Engel and Heather Goldberg. Having been a longtime vegetarian leaning towards vegan eater, I appreciate the cooking tips, ingredient suggestions (I'm beginning to master the ingredient swap) and creative approach to this type of diet.

Each recipe has a little preamble with some "Sporkie-Scoops" toward the end outlining ways the food items may benefit your body and mind...fun and informative!

There are also loads of photos. I won't apologize for preferring shiny photos with my recipes. I'm like a magpie that way. The suggested menus page even has little thumbnails with photos of the dish! Joy for the visually inclined!

My family and I tried an assortment of dishes from Spork-Fed and the two my kids enjoyed most were (yes, I do try to be a crowd pleaser:)

Homemade BBQ Sauce Page 114

Tamar inspired me to make my very own barbecue sauce. I could easily have dumped some store bought from a jar and called it a day...but I couldn't. I just couldn't.

And here is the finished product...Barbecue-Style Spelt Pizza with Caramelized Onions and Tempeh Bacon from page 116 (plus asparagus because I can't eat a meal without green.) Oh and corn on the cob, since it was after all, barbecue.

Before the oven...

After...nom, nom, nom...

These Pear, Fig and Sage (fresh from my garden) Tarts with Roasted Garlic Aioli (page 2) were, how shall I put it? The BOMB. They were little parcels of deliciousness. Oh my goodness I didn't know food (that I make) could be so good!

And as for little 'ole me I was swept away in a rhapsody of flavors by the Caribbean Salad with Crispy Plantains and Avocado Mango Salsa in a Light Lemon Vinaigrette (page 26) I have long been a fan of fresh vegetables and this was a delicious representation of what vegan cooking can be. Note...those are peaches in case you noticed. My mangoes were not ripe. Sniff.  

 

This is the meal plated...the Salad, Plantains, Cuban-style black beans and coconut rice with a blue corn tortilla chip garnish. Perfecto!

To be honest, I wasn't familiar with Hearts of Palm before preparing this meal...and luckily Trader Joe's had a jar...similar to artichokes, but with with the texture of cooked leeks. They were good and nicely paired in the salad!


That was my adventure with the Spork Sisters...for more about them visit: Spork Foods where you will find their cookbook, loads of downloadable cooking class videos and lots more!

Bon Appetit,

Deirdre

WIAW with Deirdre

      Here we Wednesday again and in case you're wondering what this "What I Ate Wednesday" hoolabaloo is all about check out Peas & Crayons.   Happy Autumn. It's official. It's here and there is no denying it. Apples, pumpkin, cinnamon, mums, colorful leaves and crisp air.   But there was no way I was going to let that last day of summer slip me by so we went to the beach. It wasn't a sunny day (cloudy when we arrived, sunny when we left) nor was it warm (58 degrees) and by all accounts beach season appeared to be over, but not for us, nope...we savored it until the very last moment.  

  We pulled on our wetsuits, paddled out and rode those waves until our toes were numb and hot chocolate was the only remedy...and maybe some pumpkin bread.   Then we got back in the wild water and rode wave after wave and sat out there watching the water and chatted about everything and nothing. It was beautiful, perfect and warmed me from within.   When the sun started to dip low and we positively couldn't take the air temperature and wind any longer we peeled off our wetties, turned up the heat in the sandy car and went and got some warm butternut squash and cranberry soup in bread bowls...and for dessert, ICE CREAM! It was after all the last day of summer. Why not? And why not fall into the habit of doing what you love despite the odds, ride those waves, whether they be water or painting or writing or dog walking or whatever...do what you love and love what you do.  

  Unfortunately the camera was forgotten as I enjoyed most of this day, food included...so here are a few other items from my week, yes I take photos of what I eat...and no they're not high quality, but it's all part of savoring the flavor...  

Cheers! A week's worth of Sambucol for a cold...Boo Hoo.

Tomato Soup and Gold Fish are good for the aformentioned cold...

I'm a pretty big deal...

Apple Dumpling pre-baked....

Baked with homemade whipped cream...

 

Chard & Ricotta No-Noodle Lasagna with Parm.

Homemade peanut butter - peanut butter cookies...
No, that's not a typo, I made the peanut butter.

    Bon Appetit, Deirdre    
 

Donal Skehan

Donal Skehan, self-taught home cook, photographer, writer and truly one of my kitchen heroes, hosts a television show in Ireland, has several cookbooks and shares recipes, from sweet to savory, regularly on his blog.

I have several favorites from his site and cookbooks, but one that I routinely return to and even have memorized (gasp! shocking only because I can hardly remember what I did last week) is his Mushy Roast Garlic and Cherry Tomato Pasta.

Something is missing! Oops- forgot the garlic. 

This recipe is a family favorite and as easy as can be to prepare. I also find it is a great substitute for those occasional macaroni and cheese or pizza requests. The roasted tomatoes and cheese are the gorgeous older sister to pizza sauce and have that authentic and sophisticated Italian flavor and the pasta fits the "macaroni" requirement. So there you go! This dish is a nice balance of comfort food and classed-up meal.

Ordinarily I serve with a more elegant pasta variety, but it was kid's choice for dinner. And we were feeling a bit whimsical.

I sliced and peeled my garlic. Keeping it as is (like the recipe says) is great too, but I had just under a bulb, so I went at it. Toward the end of the roast, I add some fresh basil to the pan.

Mush and squoosh.

 Toss, top and enjoy.

When I'm feeling decadent I serve it alongside Donal's recipe for garlic bread, which is hands down my favorite.

Bon Appetit,

Deirdre

Creamy Caramel Dip

Yes...I am still going on about the apples. This afternoon I was hankering for something sweet and a little salty and kinda healthy, but still indulgent. I'd read a few recipes for Caramel Apple Dip and Cookie Dough Dip and wanted to marry the two into a tasty treat.

After satisfying myself with a few bites I offered this platter to my kids and their friends and it was declared a winner! Seconds were requested and they actually knew what the ingredients were.

Not too shabby mama, not too shabby.

Creamy Caramel Dip

By Deirdre

Prep Time: 3 hrs (soaking)

Cook Time: 5 minutes (mixing)

6026764

Ingredients (About 2 cups)

• 1 cup of Medjool dates (no pits)
• 1 cup chickpeas (cooked)
• 1/4 cup nut butter (I used almond)
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup vanilla
• Soaking water (warmed)

Instructions

1. Soak dates in warmed water for about 3 hours (or up to 4 is ideal)

2. Remove dates from water, but reserve water.

3. Add dates and chickpeas to food processor. Pulse.

4. Add other ingredients except water. Pulse again.

5. Slowly add water about 1 tablespoon at a time and blend until nice and smooth. Be sure to scrape down sides so everything gets incorporated.

Store in sealed container for up to five days.

Powered by Recipage

WIAW - An Apple a Day

  My family and I went to an apple farm this past weekend...it was a beautiful blue sky day, we visited cute little rabbits in a rocky grotto, watched helplessly as a donkey tried very loudly to tell us something and saw two roly-poly little sheep wearing blue bandannas, we tried apple cider doughnuts, my husband checked out some fine tractors and we busily picked from trees dripping with galas, greenings, McIntosh and more. It was perfect, but as far as I am concerned it is still summer. I'm not giving up. Not yet.  

Copyright 2012 Deirdre/Aliment

  In the meantime for this WIAW (details about this fun, healthy and helpful weekly event courtesy of Jenn from Peas & Crayons click here.)   This is what I ate Wednesday:  

Clockwise from largest -- Dinner: three homemade grilled pizzas:  #1 with roasted tomatoes, fresh basil and roasted tomatoes from my garden,  Lunch: left over panzanella salad: loads of veggies, tofu, Parmesan cheese and croutons, pizza #2: homemade pesto with fresh mozz, pizza #3: opposite of the first Breakfast: Ezekiel cereal, blueberries, bananas and almond coconut milk- I love, I love it, I love it!  

Copyright 2012 Deirdre/Aliment

  And my falling into good habits tips: An Apple a Day!

Copyright 2012 Deirdre/Aliment

 

Copyright 2012 Deirdre/Aliment
Yes, that is an apple cozy.

1. They are great on their own, but also will do the body good in:

  2. Muffins  

3. In whole grain pancakes, yeah, don't mind that crazy nob of butter on top.  

  4. Sliced and spread with peanut butter, Cookie Butter or Nutella.  

5. Sliced thin and placed in a grilled or toasted cheese.     6. Atop a salad with walnuts, cranberries, balsamic and...whatever you think mixes well. Photo where'd you go? Lost! Dag-nab-it along with that apple pie smoothie that I swear was real, it was just gone so fast...but if you're wondering what that might have been like click here (which technically makes the total eight.)    

  7. Crisped!   What are your favorite ways to eat apples? Please share below!   Bon Appetit, Deirdre    





 

Joy the Baker Cookbook - Review

I enjoy reading cookbooks, much like novels. I sit down and leaf from start to finish...then since it is a cookbook I decide what I will prepare from its pages. Joy the Baker's cookbook is much like her blog, funny, indulgent and creative.

When flipping through the cookbook pages I noted loads of delicious looking treats that I practically smell wafting from my oven, but when it came down to it, I let my kids decide and wouldn't you know it - they chose whoopie pies, not your ordinary chocolate cookie-cake with white frosting smothered on the inside...oh no- these were cocoa cookie-cakes with peanut butter on the inside. I am if nothing else, a sucker for peanut butter. And since I don't always love chocolate (I know I'm weird) I certainly had more than a spoonful of the pb filling. YUM!

See those flecks? More chocolate...'cos I'm a rule breaker.
The recipe didn't call for chocolate shavings, but I thought, what the heck?

For more joyful and tasty recipes, cooking tips and loads of laughs, check out Joy the Baker Cookbook and her site. Happy Baking! Oh, and if you make her GF Strawberry Ginger Pie, please report back or really any other recipes she shares or prints. As much as I love to read about food, I think I enjoy talking about it nearly as much and of course there is eating it, that's pretty swell (or sweet) too.

Bon Appetit,

Deirdre

Onigiri - Creative Cooking with Children

Copyright: Deirdre/Aliment 2012

I have a thing for cooking playing with my food. I don't really like to cook or bake, but I like to eat and if you connect A to B chances are at some point I will have to find myself in the kitchen if I am to sustain this mortal form of mine.

Each day I make my kids "home lunch" as opposed to school lunch, which appologies if this is personal- it's not meant to be, school lunch is, in the words of my children, "disgusting." I don't know if it has changed much in twenty years, but I ate breakfast and lunch at school if I was lucky and I seemed to have survived.

Anyway, I dutifully pack lunches each morning and, at risk of making my kids out to sound spoiled, they pretty much won't have anything to do with the old "P B & J" standby. I sneak it in about once a week nonetheless, but this mama has to get creative...

I've long admired the bento style lunches commonly found in Japan. For an overview check this out and this. What's not to love?

So I gave Onigiri, also known as rice balls, a whirl. The recipe I followed was from the blog Just Hungry . It was very instructional and guided me toward successfully creating my first Onigiri, if I do say so myself. And my kids were delighted by their lunch!

It really is easy peasy. See the link above for more detailed instructions. Measure 1 cup rice. I used short grain brown. Add two cups of water.

Boil Rice, then reduce heat to low and simmer about 30 minutes. Then allow to cool a bit, so it is just comfortable to handle, but not cold.

Prepare ingredients. I used a splash of rice wine vinegar. A piece of plastic wrap in a small bowl. I drizzled some water on the on the plastic so it doesn't stick. Followed by a pinch of salt. I scoop the rice into the bowl. Poke a shallow hole in the center and insert peas and edamame for the "treasures" in the center of the ball.

Gather the plastic wrap then twist to shape into a ball. Then once it's nice and snug you can remove the plastic and shape as desired. Decorate to your heart's desire or sprinkle with Japanese rice seasoning. Domo Arigato.

Bon Appetit,

Deirdre

WIAW - Summer Staples

 

From Peas & Crayons...

----What WIAW isn't about----

Comparison - Judgement - Restriction - Guilt

----What WIAW is about----

Celebrating one of the glorious things we all have in common: We all eat!

This month's theme is Summer Staples and as I weep and sob that (for those of us with school age children) summer is seeming to come to an end...as school begins, the truth is we have another month and gosh darn it I am going to get the most out of these days, because I love summer.

Source: herblog.com via Eugenie on Pinterest

Summer staples for me include lazy mornings, lots of frosty food, days at the beach, fun with my kids with out the restriction of, "tomorrow is a school day" or "but you have to do your homework" or the taxi driver I become shepherding them here and there.

Recipe Here

Summer staples include afternoons in the hammock, hiking, talking about not much of anything, but a whole lot of everything and lots of produce from our garden.

Source: tinywhitedaisies.tumblr.com via Miss on Pinterest

Summer staples are dinners on the deck, fireflies and sunsets over the ocean that melt my heart and remind me I am just where I am supposed to be.

Deirdre/Aliment

But you came here for What I Ate...not me waxing poetic about summer or maybe you did. But I'll get to the point with, no not a poem, but a photo collage, artistic, ya?

Directly above: My usual breakfast of Ezekiel Cereal, bananas, blueberries, almond milk and omegas from flax...sometimes I just add flax directly or get Ezekiel with flax. I kinda, sorta, mix it up, sometimes.

As for the rest: lunch leftover Mexican Lasagna recipe from...you guessed it Peas and Crayons, which you can find here. It was fabulous especially with that big spoonful of guacamole on top. Ole!

For a snack I shared a Liz Lovely PB cookie with my girls. They ate the chocolate, I at the peanut butter.

As for dinner, it was phenomenal! We had Pho (pronounced Fuh) a Vietnamese Soup that was phenomenol. Did I say that already, yes, well now you know. I started with Pacific Food Soups Pho Starter...the broth...then we did a make your own station with tofu, sprouts, cilantro, scallions, lime and basil. And some sauce...I have no idea what it is has some Bragg's and cashews. That's all I am sure of. My husband made it and it was so tasty!

So there you have it, my summer staples, a day in the life of my phood and with that I'd like to add, what are your summer staples? Are you lamenting the loss of summer? Welcoming fall? Please share below!

Bon Appetit!

Deirdre

In Praise of a Simple Meal

Sometimes the day requires I eat pizza and cookie butter other times that is just what strikes my fancy. And still other times the belly needs a chance to rest and digest. There in enters the "simple meal."

The simple meal is just that, simple: a grain such as brown rice, a protein such as lentils and a green, preferably fresh from the garden. I buy dried beans and rice in bulk so they are always on hand and with the warm weather upon us gathering fresh produce from the garden has never been easier.

Prepare using the simplest of ingredients: olive oil, salt, pepper and perhaps some garlic. Depending on the greens do the same or enjoy raw with a balsamic dressing. Voila! There's breakfast, lunch or dinner. This way of eating offers our digestive system, liver and kidneys a bit of a break.

My guiding motto is "Eat Clean, Lean and Green." Though of course there are meals when there are exceptions. Wink. But like Karen Le Billon says in her book French Kids Eat Everything the French approach food with both pleasure and nourishment in mind. A balance of the emotional and physical appetites sums up the idea of the French term Aliment. It is about real food in as close to the form it was grown in, nothing packaged or processed and enjoyed in its simplicity, bursting with natural flavors (which when we make a habit of eating processed foods our senses become dull to real flavors) and of course with good company.

Here are a few simple meal ideas include:

 

Veggies: roasted or sauteed in olive oil

Chick Peas

Lentils

Greens

Brown Rice

Quinoa

Green Beans

Wild Rice

 

 

 If you have any simple favorites please share below!

 

Bon Appetit!

Deirdre