Two New Things

I have two confessions: 1) If you have not yet noticed, I am not a big fan of following recipes. I believe that this is the art of cooking; to be able to tailor a list of ingredients to suite your taste. This is mainly why I don't bake; and 2) I have never made lentils. My mom would always tell me how easy it was, and how quickly they cook, but I was inexplicably intimidated by these little things.

When my mom gave me a recipe for red lentil soup, I was tackling two great feats: following a recipe, and preparing lentils. I do not understand what the big deal was! It was super easy, the simple ingredients warmed the air with foreign aromas, and the flavors blended together perfectly to create a hearty meal on a chilly night (yes, it is finally chilly over here in Brooklyn).

Red Lentil Soup

3 T olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 T tomato paste
1 t ground cumin
¼ t salt, more to taste
¼ t black pepper
pinch ground cayenne pepper or chili powder
1 quart low-sodium chicken broth
1 ¼ cups water
1 cup red lentils
2 large carrots, peeled and finely diced
juice of ½ lemon, more to taste
cilantro, chopped (couple of teaspoons or to taste)

In a large pot, heat 3 T oil until shimmering. Add onion and garlic and sauté until golden, about 4 minutes.

Stir in tomato paste, cumin, salt, black pepper and chili powder or cayenne, sauté for 2 minutes.

Add broth, water, lentils and carrots. Bring to a simmer, then partially cover pot and turn heat to low simmer. Cook until lentils are soft, about 30 minutes. Taste and add salt, if necessary.

Stir in lemon juice and cilantro. Drizzle with olive oil and dust lightly with chili powder if you’d like.

Makes about 4 servings.



Okay, okay, so I didn't follow it exactly. I only used half an onion because the one I had was enormous. I estimated the cumin measurement and eventually added more than the recipe originally called for. I also used ground ginger, which may not be used in a traditional Middle Eastern lentil soup, but I just love the way carrots taste with a little ginger. I eliminated the cilantro only because I did not feel like using it the rest of the week; just not in a cilantro mood. It was just delicious without it, but it would definitely lend a bright finishing note to the soup. I also added a little more red lentils, just because I was feeling a little daring. I don't have cayenne pepper or chili powder in the pantry (I keep asking myself why...), so I substituted with red pepper flakes. I drizzled in a tiny bit of olive oil, but I don't think it was necessary.



Besides these little changes, I think I did pretty well at trying to follow the recipe. But this is a lesson: you don't always have to stay within the guidelines. "Build on the shoulders of geniuses", as the saying goes, and create your own unique version of someone else's good idea.

Thank you, Mom, for this amazing recipe!

The Good Fork

Oh I really do wish that the title of this post was my own cute creation, but I cannot take credit for it. This is the name of a restaurant in Red Hook, Brooklyn. Once my co-worker and friend mentioned that it was featured on Throwdown with Bobby Flay on the Food Network (the dumplings being the focus of the show), I knew I had to try it. And I am so glad I did.

The decor is simple and the ceiling nautical, resembling the inside of a sailboat. The waitress was fine--not rude, but not overtly friendly--but the co-owner was delightful, which made up for the lackluster attitude. For appetizers, I sampled the pork and chive dumplings which were tender, juicy, and slightly crunchy from being pan-seared on one side, just how I like it. The fig salad had a lot of subtle and refreshing flavors that carried nicely on the palate. The entrees: seared sea scallops and bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin. The sweet scallops delightfully complimented the rich vegetable risotto beneath. The pork was perfectly salty and balanced well with the sour kale and pool of creamy polenta.

The entire menu is some sort of blend of nouveau American with a Korean twist. The Good Fork is moderately expensive, but definitely worth visiting for the once-in-a-while-treat-yourself-to-something-nice occasion.

Caprese Salad is Great, But...

...it could use a slight makeover. Wait--no, makeover may not be the word. The salad made of simply of tomatoes, fresh mozzarella. and basil is one of my favorites, especially drizzled with a little balsamic vinegar. I cannot claim that I had sought out the challenge of reinventing this salad. It happened accidentally.

This week I made a dinner that composed of many random things in my refrigerator that were either fresh from the farm stand or about to go bad. The dinner, sorry to say, did not go over very well with the tastebuds (hey--it happens), but something good did come out of it: I reinvented the caprese salad. Sorry, no pictures were taken, but trust me--this part of the meal was delicious.

Combine part-skim ricotta cheese, roughly chopped basil, minced garlic, lemon juice, salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Spoon the mixture on top of medium slices of tomatoes (I used green, yellow, and red) and there you have it.

I know, I know. A very short post. But this new take on a classic needed to be posted!

The White Meal

It seems that every once in a strange while, I accidentally prepare a meal that is completely white. I don't know how it happens, and I never deliberately plan on it, but somehow this colorless color monopolizes the plate. Tonight was the night when white decided to appear once again. But man, was it good.

Here it is: tilapia with tzatziki sauce and spanakopita. Now remember, this is a weeknight and also just so happens to be laundry night, so I wasn't about to slave over creating homemade spanakopita. I used a frozen kind I had on hand from Trader Joe's, a lovely mixture of spinach and feta cheese tucked neatly into a triangle of layered filo dough. This brand is healthier than others I've seen on the market. Pop them into an oven until crispy and golden brown.

While the spanakopita cooks, prepare the tzatziki sauce: combine Greek yogurt, finely diced cucumbers, minced garlic, lemon zest and juice, oregano (all I had was dried which worked just fine), salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Typically this sauce calls for fresh oregano and mint, but my out-of-the-pantry version works very well. You can also stir in some feta cheese if you have it on hand.

Now cook the tilapia in a pan with a little olive oil over medium-high heat, about 3-4 minutes each side. Top the fish with the tzatziki sauce, and serve with the spanakopita.




I had not even the slightest intention of posting this meal on the blog (as you can tell by the partially eaten fish), but it was too good not to! It may look ghastly and unattractive, but it was delicious, healthy, and fast--definitely a perfect dinner to enjoy on laundry night. And speaking of laundry, I think my clothes are dry...that's it for tonight!

Les Halles

Now that you all recognize my "thing" for Anthony Bourdain, it is time I review the restaurant in which he once held the title Executive Chef.

Using only this blog as an indication, you may notice that I do not eat red meat often. It's not that I don't enjoy a juicy burger from time to time; it's just that I don't like to waste the calories on an okay hunk of meat. I'd rather choose leaner proteins and experiment with vegetarian options most of the time, and save up for a high-calorie, high-intensity beef dinner as a once-in-a-while treat. That being said, Les Halles is a no-frills brasserie that offers some of the best selections of beef I have ever had. This is the place to eat that steak with confidence, knowing that you ate light for a while to deserve such a delight.

My first time at Les Halles, I met up with two of my best friends since high school and fellow fans of Anthony Bourdain. We sampled many selections, including the classic onion soup. The crunchy, cheesy outer layer gave way to a silky, buttery masterpiece of mild, sweet onion broth. We also tried the escargots (snails), which were served individually swimming in their own little pool of garlic butter sauce. The sauce was strong but not overpowering, so you could savor the actual snail and enjoy its chewy texture. To finish we enjoyed an unfortunate and wonderful dessert of creme brulee and chocolate banana tart--unfortunate only because we left feeling like we needed to be wheelbarreled out of the restaurant.

The second experience I had here was with my parents, who are also huge Bourdain fans. I enjoyed the simple mesclun greens salad to start, which was surprisingly yummy despite the single ingredient. I was curious about the burger, which is priced at $21. Now, typically I wouldn't be happy spending my hard-earned money so frivilously on ground beef (well, actually, my parents ended up paying, but still). However, I figured, I'm in the mood for one and since it's $21, it has to be good! And it was. I asked for it medium-rare, and it came perfectly cooked with a pink middle. Served with crispy french fries and a black truffle red wine dipping sauce, I was in heart-attack heaven. And at the time, I really didn't mind. I cannot remember what my parents ordered, but I do remember they both got some type of steak with a dipping sauce and french fries. The steaks were tender and juicy, and their accompanied sauces paired nicely with the meat.

While Bourdain is long gone from Les Halles, eating here gives me a slight connection to the foods he enjoys. The food leaves me feeling satisfied, and slightly sad that it has to end. I am eagerly awaiting an excuse to pop in again.

http://www.leshalles.net/

Yonah Schimmel's Knish Bakery

Everyday while riding the NYU bus from campus to the dorms, I would peer out the window as we puttered by this archaic sign (archaic by New York standards) on Houston Street. For some reason, I knew I just had to head over to Yonah Schimmel for a knish. A few months later, on some television show I can't remember, Yonah made another appearance in my life, and it is at that moment my plans of venturing to this Lower East Side knishery were solidified: the yogurt has been made from the same starter culture for almost 100 years. No, no, this doesn't mean that it's just been hanging around for nearly a century. Each time they start a new batch, they use a small amount from the previous batch, and so on...and this started with the very first batch. (Don't ask me how the first batch started. You'll have to ask them for yourselves.)

Today was the day I finally experienced the Yonah Schimmel Knish, and what an experience it was. I ordered the homemade borscht (cold beet soup) and a mushroom knish. The soup was served in a cup, and I drank it down, barely using the spoon. The knish was plump and filled with dense mashed potatoes and mixed with a decent amount of earthy mushrooms, all surrounded by a thin covering of dough. Served with a little mustard, this was an absolute joy to eat. I didn't order the yogurt, but the borscht tasted as though there was some that snuck its way in.

By no means am I a knish connoisseur, but I imagine this one to be one of the greatest, in New York, at least.

Since the 100-year anniversary of Yonah Schimmel's Knish Bakery is just around the corner, I signed the guestbook, which pretty much sums up my experience:

The Great Butter Debate

"Can I eat butter?"
"I use margarine--that's good, right?"
"What do you mean, like, olive oil?"

These are questions I am asked almost daily by my patients at the hospital. And they are good questions, too. The world of fats is confusing; here's a roadmap to help you along.

Saturated fats should be consumed minimally, as they contribute to higher cholesterol levels--they raise the LDL cholesterol in our body. Elevated LDL cholesterol lines our arteries and is dangerous because it is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Saturated fats are found mainly in animal products like meat and dairy (milk and anything made from milk, including butter), but also in palm/palm kernel and coconut oils.

Trans fats are naturally found in animal products, but are also high in fried and baked goods, as well as some margarines. Trans fats should be avoided because they raise LDL cholesterol and lower HDL cholesterol, which is known as good cholesterol. When buying processed foods or margarine, read the ingredient list: if it includes partially-hydrogenated oils of any kind, that means it contains trans fats, despite what the actual nutrition label says.

Monounsaturated fats are the healthier fats. They help lower LDL cholesterol when you substitute these fats for the unhealthy saturated fats. The foods containing this beneficial fat are oils--including canola, olive, and peanut--as well as nuts, seeds, and avocados.

Polyunsaturated fats include two main types: omega-3s and omega-6s. Both are essential fatty acids, which simply means that our bodies cannot produce them and we must include them in our diet to avoid deficiency. Most Americans consume too many omega-6s, and too little omega-3s, which may contribute to inflammation in our bodies and throw off the ratio we need to achieve for good health. Omega-6s are found in vegetable oils, such as safflower, corn, sunflower, and soybean, and omega-3s are found in flaxseeds, walnuts, salmon, halibut, and tuna. Try to decrease the foods that are rich in omega-6s, and increase those high in omega-3s, to achieve a better balance between the two.

Worst Case Scenario: Wedding Gastronomy

My best friend Robin's sister's wedding was yesterday, and it was an absolute joy to share such a special day with many many amazing people, including my best friends since high school. I thought the following information would make for a decent post on the old blog.

Use the following tips to stay (as) healthy (as possible) during the celebration:

1. Remember that alcohol has calories--even more than carbohydrates and protein per gram. Stick with drinks that have little to no sweet additions (juice, soda, sugar, etc.). I won't tell you not to drink, or how much to drink, because an open bar is a rarity. Use your best judgment, and know your limits.

2. Choose as many healthy options as possible during cocktail hour. Load up on vegetables and fruits, make only one round to the buffet, and use only one plate. Remember, it's just an hour, and more food will follow.

3. Avoid the bread basket and butter on the table. Your dinner will be a decent size, and will probably be more delicious than both, so try to curb your appetite until your entree arrives.

4. Eat only what tastes good. If the main entree is not as good as expected, stick with the sides. There's no sense in forcing something down for the sake of cleaning the plate. With that being said, if it tastes good, eat it--that's why you did so well watching what you ate during cocktail hour! Now you can relax and enjoy your meal without worry.

5. Split dessert. There may be more than one type of dessert that you will want to sample, so remember to try sharing to save the extra calories, while still allowing for indulgence.

6. DANCE! And not just during the slow songs! Do it by yourself, with a partner, or among a large group. Not only will it burn calories, the interaction will bring you closer to your friends, family, and other guests, and not to mention create hilarious stories for the next day.

Anthony Bourdain at FNCE 2010

For those of you that may not already know, I have an extreme respect for this man. Anthony Bourdain tells it how it is (or how he believes it to be), voices his opinions unabashedly, and simply loves food. Though not, wait--make that, definitely not, a person to serve as a spokesperson for healthy eating, he is a role model for writers, travelers, and people who just enjoy good food.

Naturally, when I found out that Bourdain will be next year's speaker for the closing session at the American Dietetic Association's Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo, I resolved to travel to Boston to see him in person. Perhaps I'll meet him? Take a photo? Get an autograph? Invite him to dinner? Whatever happens, the updates will be posted immediately!

Till then, I'll continue to watch his show, read his books, and anticipate his arrival...

http://anthony-bourdain-blog.travelchannel.com/

Barbeque Chicken Sandwich

Whenever there is extra turkey bacon in the apartment, I always seem to gravitate toward making these sweet, smokey, juicy sandwiches. And that is exactly what happened tonight.

Cook the turkey bacon in a pan until crispy, and set then aside. Saute chicken breasts in the pan same pan, about seven minutes each side. When they are almost finished cooking through, top with one slice of cheese and bacon.

Place the chicken breast on a whole wheat bun and top with your choice of barbeque sauce. I served this with a simple salad of mixed greens, baby roma tomatoes, and sliced cucumbers, drizzled with clementine dressing*.

*I had a few clementines that I failed to eat in time, and they were beginning to lose their appeal. I squeezed the juice out of the little oranges and combined with extra virgin olive oil, a splash of vinegar (apple cider is all I have on hand for now), salt, and black pepper. You can juice any orange you have around, or just use store-bought orange juice. Either way, the dressing compliments the barbeque sauce nicely.