The Healthy Cooking Coach

New Ways with Old Wine Bottles

I’m always on the lookout for interesting, useful, attractive, and durable eco-friendly products. I like knowing that my purchases support companies doing great things for the environment.  I especially like products that help people reduce, re-use and recycle.  Small individual and family-run operations interest me the most.

I find cool products and they find me
I’m doing what I do––visiting friends, reading a book, magazine or newsletter, shopping at a farmers’ market, checking out an email link someone sent me, teaching a cooking class, or speaking to a group about healthy cooking and I happen upon something that intrigues me.

I recently had a book signing table at the downtown Phoenix Public Market. The Market Coordinator set me up across from a young man with beautiful dark colored dinking glasses. He used some of them as vases filled with fresh flowers. I liked the simplicity, crisp lines, colors, and shape of his drinking glasses. What I liked even more was learning that the glasses were made from empty wine bottles that he cut the tops off of and impeccably smoothed around the edges.

A new way to recycle wine bottles
Conventional recycling—shipping then melting down spent plastic, metal, or glass, and transforming it into something else—eats up enormous amounts of energy. It would be far more energy efficient to intercept the meltdown process and reuse something without investing a lot of energy.

No more wasted wine bottles
Imagine how many wine bottles are tossed into the trash every day, week, and month in restaurants, wine bars, and private homes? What if half of the wine bottles used in the city of Phoenix or the state of Arizona could be collected, transported to Ray Delmuro through his company, Refresh Glass, and turned into drinking glasses, flower vases, tooth brush holders, pencil holders, or customized gifts for graduations, birthdays, anniversaries, or wedding parties, or promotional products. What if we had someone like Ray doing this in every state in the nation? Think of how much energy we, as a nation, could save.

 The Refresh Glass story
Refresh Glass started with the idea of combining manufacturing, engineering and art to craft a fun product that makes a difference in the world.

In early 2008, having been back in the States after a year of travel, Ray received a small bottle cutting kit in the mail that he had forgotten he had ordered. The kit contained a small sparring jig for scoring the bottles, a candle to heat the score lines to make the bottle crack in all the right places (along the lines) to separate the bottle, and sandpaper to smooth the sharp edges.

The first glass took Ray hours to complete to his liking. He knew there had to be a more efficient way to make them and eventually he found it.  Today he uses torches and industrial ovens to modify preexisting wine bottles, to stress relieve them, making them as durable as possible, so consumers will have sturdy, attractive drinking glasses, vases, candle holders, pencil holders, and customized gifts.

 It felt like a challenge at first, but now the hobby has turned into a growing business. Every day the product seems to achieve added flavor.  People call and tell Ray about why one of his glasses is their favorite, how the ability to print on the glasses works for their business, or how excited they were to give a set as a gift.

Ray wants to give back to the environment so his company donates $0.50 from every Refresh Glass set purchased to an environmental education charity.

Where can you get Ray’s Refreshed Glasses?
You can visit him at the Phoenix Public Market on Saturday mornings (721 N. Central
 Ave., SE Corner of Central Ave. & McKinley St., 2 blocks south of Roosevelt) between 8 am and 1 pm, or shop for Ray's Refreshed Glasses at Whole Foods Markets throughout Arizona. Eventually his company may have regional and national distribution through the natural foods chain. If you have wine bottles you would like to give him, you can drop them off at Whole Foods Markets. Tell the cashier you’re donating them to Refresh Glass. You can even write that on the bag you leave there.

To learn more about Refresh Glass and Ray’s functional bottle art, you can visit his web sit

Green Eggs, No Ham

 I recently had a third to a quarter of an egg for breakfast with vegetables and fresh fruit. I did this several days running. No, I wasn’t dieting or eating bird-size portions. I was eating an Emu egg…. or rather, part of an Emu egg.

When I eat eggs with fruit and vegetables for breakfast, I usually eat 3 chicken eggs; however, one Emu egg contains the protein and fat equivalent of 10 to 12 chicken eggs and weighs 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds, so I decided not to eat it all in one sitting.

After I cracked the egg, I poured the contents into a jar, added herbs and spices, and a dash of coconut milk, stirred it all up, poured a portion of it into a hot, oiled skillet and scrambled it.

Each time I cooked a portion of the Emu egg, I marveled at the rich, buttery flavor and thick almost jello-y texture of the finished dish. Uncooked the Emu egg has a more viscous and slippery texture than a chicken egg, making it more difficult, but not impossible, to separate the raw mixture into portions.

For Emu Egg Facts, Size & Weight, click here

See an Emu laying a big green egg, click here

I got the big green egg from my friend Kenny, The Fish Huggers. He got it from an Emu farmer somewhere near Phoenix. He was selling the eggs at farmers’ markets around the valley, along with his wild Alaskan salmon, spice blends, local honey, and California olive oil.

I kept the enormous blue-green orb for a week before I cracked it.  It was so beautiful I didn’t want to break it. I also wanted to use up the omega-3 chicken eggs I had on hand.

Origin of Green Eggs and Ham
Kenny thinks the green-shelled Emu eggs were the inspiration of the children’s
Story book Green Eggs and Ham. Remember Sam I am who would not eat Green Eggs and Ham?  By the end of the story he was willing to eat them. 

What’s the correlation between Emu eggs and Dr. Suess’ story? Emus are indigenous to New Zealand where the author of the Dr. Suess books originated.  So there's a good chance the green shells became green eggs for the sake of the story.

What is an Emu?
Emus are native to Australia. They’re the second largest bird in the world (ostriches are larger). They belong to the ratite family of birds along with ostrich, cassowary and kiwi. They can weigh up to 150 pounds and stand about 5 feet. They don’t fly but they can sprint to about 35 miles per hour. 

An emu egg will keep in the shell for 2 months in the refrigerator if you don’t get hungry and eat it before then. It is comprise mostly (60 to 70%) of yolk but has a much milder flavor than other poultry eggs.

Emu eggs as art-ifacts
Emu eggs are good for more than just eating. Artists often engrave the shells or use them to make jewelry boxes or other art objects.
To learn more click here:http://www.emufacts.com/the-emu-egg.shtm

Emu eggs present an amazing range and depth of color. According to artist Gary LeMaster of Iowa City, IA, “The normal emu shell has at least three major color layers that are revealed as one cuts into them. The outside layer is usually so dark a green that it looks black. Beneath that is a teal layer and then if you go deep enough there is a very thin layer of white. It is so thin that I usually tell my students that they have to carve it "as if they were petting a butterfly with a feather." Click here for his pictures Eggzotica. See more cool pictures of carved emu eggs here, here and here

Breakfast ahead
In the past I’ve always scrambled eggs just before serving.  A couple of times I scrambled a portion of Emu egg the night before and packed them in a container with blanched vegetable and fresh fruit for a breakfast-to-go when I needed to leave early, breakfast in hand.

Scrambled Emu Egg with Herbs

Prep: 5 minutes/ Cooking: 4 to 8 minutes/ Yield: 3 to 4 servings    

This is Don’s master recipe. He varies the seasonings every time or two. If you’re cooking for more people, double or triple the recipe, and use a 12-inch skillet. For more protein, we figure 3 eggs per person or add 2 or 3 ounces of leftover fish, skinless chicken, turkey breast, or lean meat to each plate. To complete the meal, we add a generous serving of cooked leafy greens and a colorful fruit.

Note: The spice turmeric provides antioxidants and blocks the production of inflammatory prostaglandins (hormone-like substances) in the body. Many spices possess similar properties.

Ingredients:
1 large Emu egg (1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds in the shell)
1/2 cup light or full fat unsweetened coconut milk, almond milk, cream, or other milk
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons dried tarragon, optional
1/2 to 1 teaspoon ground black or white pepper

1 to 1 1/3 tablespoons ghee, clarified butter, palm shortening, or extra-virgin coconut oil

1. Crack the egg into a medium-size bowl or blender. You may need to rap the top of it with a butter knife, tapping in a circle,  to break the top off. Add the milk or cream,  herbs, and spices and whisk or blend  briefly to combine. 
2. Heat oil in a 12-inch slope-sided skillet over medium-high flame until hot but not smoking. Alternatively, add only 1/3 of the fat to an 8-inch skillet, and cook the egg in 3 batches. Tilt skillet to completely coat the bottom and sides. Whisk eggs again.
3. For a scramble: Add whisked eggs to the hot skillet and reduce heat to medium-low. As eggs begin to set up, push the cooked portion aside with a wooden spoon or metal spatula and tilt  pan to allow uncooked eggs run underneath. Break up curds as they form, until eggs are cooked through but still glossy and moist, about 4 minutes for aquarter to a third of an Emu eggg; allow slighlty more time for a full batch.
   For an omelet: Pour egg mixture into skillet. Reduce heat to medium or medium-low. As eggs begin to set up, almost immediately, push cooked portion toward center with a metal spatula and tilt pan to allow uncooked portion run underneath. Repeat until eggs no longer run. Remove from heat when eggs are firm but still appear glossy and moist, about 3 to 4 minutes for a quarter to a third of an Emu egg. It may take a slightly longer for a full batch. Gently lift and fold 1 side of the omelet over the other.
4.  Remove from heat and transfer scrambled egg or omelet to serving plates.

Variations:

*  Smoky Scrambled Emu Egg with Chipotlé: Replace the white or black pepper with ground chipotlé, then add 3/4 to 1 teaspoon Wright’s Liquid Hickory Smoke Seasoning. Note: This is the only brand I’ve found that’s free of sugars, colorings, MSG, and chemical names and numbers. Look for it in supermarkets on the aisle with barbecue sauce. 

*  Smoky Scrambled Emu Egg with Mustard, Pepper & Sage: Omit mustard; add 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoon dried, rubbed sage above.  

*  Smoky Scrambled Emu Egg with Herbes de Provençe: Omit tarragon; add 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons dried Herbes de Provençe blend above. 

Source: Modified from The Garden of Eating: A Produce-Dominated Diet & Cookbook by Rachel Albert-Matesz & Don Matesz (Planetary Press, 2004)

Join the Grassfed Party

You’ve heard about the Green party, but have you heard about The Grass-fed Party? Founded in August of 2008 (before the last election) by Angus La Cense, a cow from the La Cense Ranch who represented the Grass-fed Party in last election, the party advocates grass-fed practices that produce happier cows, healthier people, stronger rural communities, and healthier grasslands. The cows were tired of waiting for us to make changes so they banded together to educate the public in the personal, social, ecological, and economic benefits of grass-fed beef.

Going green
It’s all about eating green––but not in a vegetarian way. You can green your diet and still eat red meat.You can support a green ranching revolution that’s better for people, animals, and the planet. Imagine drug free cows grazing on pasture land that becomes more fertile and less prone to erosion and flooding over time.

Cows raised on grass can revolutionize American agriculture and ranching and the Grass Fed Party planners want to educate citizens and policy makers about how we can make this happen on a national scale.

 The first step is to create a place where farmers, ranchers, community members, and bloggers can have conversations that lead to real, working, grass-fed changes in our food system. That place is the Grassfed Party Blog.

On a grassroots level The Grass-Fed Party Blog serves as resource for news, views, recipes, event announcements, action initiatives, policy, and historical investigation on grass-fed topics.

By banding together, the Grass-fed Party organizers believe that we can renew America’s strong agricultural tradition by abandoning feedlots and corn-feeding practices that became popular during the last half century. We can revive sustainable ranching methods, raise interest in time-tested, grass-fed practices supported by modern science, reinvigorate small family farms, create thriving local economies, create healthier cows healthier meat, and a healthier ecosystem.

 What can we do?
We can’t wait for changes from the upper echelons of government. Instead we need to instigate radical changes in beef production by learning how to make better consumer choices. We can vote with our dollars by purchasing more of our meat from independent grass-farming producers.

We can participate in organizing efforts, ask lawmakers to curb the monopolization of the beef industry and support legislation that makes it more feasible for the next generation of ranchers and farmers to inherit their family farms and continue using it for agriculture.

We can also tell our family members and friends about the benefits of eating grassfed meat. The more conversations we have about these issues the more of a difference we can make.

Join the Grass-fed Party
Why not join the party? To join the Grass-fed Party and cast your vote for a change in American agriculture, click here.

There are no fees involved. Simply fill out a member profile, then participate in their forums, comment on blog posts, participate in polls, form groups to network with other grass-fed supporters, write about the Grass-fed Party on your own blog (if you have one), or start a conversation with someone you know educating him or her about the benefits of grassfed meat.

As a member of The Grassfed Party, you’ll receive newsletter updates by email and you‘ll automatically be entered to win in La Cense Beef’s weekly drawing for the Grass-fed Party Pack, which includes 4 La Cense Beef Grass-fed Steaks and a Grass-fed Party T-shirt. They announce a new winner every week on the blog.

To read more about the Grassfed Party Platform, click here

Grassfed facts
* Grass-fed cows are happier, healthier and do not require hormones or antibiotics to stay healthy. A grass-fed diet works with a cow’s digestive system whereas a grain-based diet works against the ruminant’s natural design.

* Numerous studies have shown that grass-fed beef has much less of the deadly E. Coli bacteria. Pasture fed animals have practically no detectable levels of the most dangerous, acid resistant strains of E. coli whereas grain fed animals have total bacterial counts more than 300 times than animals fed pasture and hay and little or no grain.

* Products from pasture fed animals contain more micro-nutrients than conventional animal products because grass and other pasture foods provide a more nutritious and digestible diet for animals. Pasture foods supply these nutrients in larger quantities and/or in forms more readily assimilated by animals, compared to artificial diets and supplements.

 * The fat in grass-fed meat contains higher levels of Omega 3 esential fatty acids, CLA (conjugated linoleic acid), folic acid, beta-carotene, essential vitamins, and anti-oxidants, nutrients crucial for a healthy cardiovascular and nervous system and the prevention of many diseases.

* Proper management of pasturelands––including grazing of appropriate animals––is one of the most effective ways to reduce greenhouse gasses, restore native plant species, enrich soil, restore groundwater, and prevent run-off pollution of waterways.

 * Grass-fed ranching works with nature rather than against it removing more CO2 than it creates. It also allowsanimals to graze on marginal lands that could not otherwise be used for food.

* Grazing animals is the most efficient of all farming methods, producing more food and fiber calories per calorie of invested energy than any other way of farming––in fact, it is up to 10 times more efficient than raising grains or legumes on the same land.

How’s the beef?
Delicious! I’ve been a fan of grassfed meat for at least 12 years so I didn’t need any convincing. I sampled a package of La Cense’s Beef Steak Burger, Tenderloin Tips, and Cowboy Steak. I enjoyed all of it. I found the cuts tender, juicy, and more flavorful than conventional grain-fed beef.

Some people fear that grassfed beef will taste wild or gamey. I didn’t find that to be the case. Just as they promised, I found their beef clean, complex, beefy, with a slightly herbaceous flavor that’s difficult to describe.

The flavor of meat has everything to do with the breed of cattle, what the animal eats (or ate), the age at which it was slaughtered, and how it was handled. Grassfed beef from different regions will taste slightly different based on the kinds of grasses the animal ate. I’ve had grassfed meat from Michigan, Arizona, Montana, and Idaho, and I’ve enjoyed them all.

I especially liked that the steaks from La Cense Ranch had some fat on them because fat adds to the flavor of the meat and keeps it from drying out. Meat that’s too lean can become dry and leathery, particularly if it’s overcooked. This meat was raised right, not too lean, not too rich. If you near Montana or looking for a gift for someone in that part of the country, give it a try.

Because the meat is lightly marbled and lower in fat than conventional grain-fed beef, you’ll need to cook it at a slightly lower temperature and for slightly less time. Try cooking it 50 degrees lower and it will typically require 30 to 50% less time to reach doneness. I think it tastes best cooked rare or medium rare. (Remember it’s safer to eat grassfed meat this way.)

To learn more about grassfed meats, read Why Grassed is Best or Pasture Perfect by Jo Robinson

For tips for cooking grassfed meat, click here.

To learn more about La Cense Ranch, click here. To learn more about their beef, click here

Ice Cream Minus the Moo

Do you follow a casein-free, lactose-free, dairy-free, low-sugar diet? Are you allergic to or wanting to avoid soy milk and soy protein for other reasons? Do you avoid high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated fats, refined vegetable oils, and artificial flavorings and colorings? Have been disappointed by commercial non-dairy ice cream alternatives that leave an unpleasant aftertaste?

Consider making your own non-dairy frozen desserts using coconut milk in place of milk and cream. Premium (regular) coconut milk contains approximately half the fat and calories of cream. It provides a creamy taste and texture and pairs well with so many ingredients.

Photo credit upper right: Reed Hamel, Photographer (cover shot from The Ice Dream Cookbook).

Almost like mother’s milk
Best of all coconut milk contains lauric acid, one of the same fatty acids found in human mother’s milk. It has antiviral, antifungal, and antimicrobial properties, so it’s great for boosting your immune system.

Not to be confused with the liquid inside a coconut, which is actually coconut water, coconut milk is made by blending coconut meat with water to produce a thick and creamy liquid. You can make it from scratch with fresh coconuts, using an ice pick, hammer, and a food processor or Vita-Mix, but it’s messy and time-consuming and potentially dangerous unless you find young coconuts with soft meat you can easily scoop out with a spoon.

I know you can buy Bliss or Turtle Mountain Truly Decadent coconut-based ice cream alternatives, but why stop at that when you can make so many more flavors at home? You can reduce the amount of sugar calories by 30 to 50% (agave nectar still provides sugar calories) and cut the cost by 30 to 50%.

It’s in the can
For convenience and consistency in texture, flavor, and calorie content you can purchase coconut milk by the can or case or in quart-size aseptic cartons. Look for a brand that contains no added sugar, preservatives, or additives such as sulfites (potassium metabisulfite or sodium metabisulfite). Sulfites can trigger allergic reactions or migraine headaches in susceptible individuals. The addition of guar gum is not a problem; some companies, including one of my favorites, Thai Kitchen< add this natural vegetable gum to ensure a more even texture and to reduce separation in the can.

Premium (full-fat) coconut milk produces the best textured ice cream alternative. For a lower fat dessert, consider using half regular coconut milk and half lite. Using 100% lite coconut milk usually produces a frozen dessert that becomes hard and icy if it is not consumed within 24 to 48 hours.

So many delicious options
You can make classic flavors like Chocolate, Vanilla, Strawberry, and Fudge Ripple. You can make kid-friendly favorites like Pumpkin Pie, Orange Cream, Carob-Banana, Peanut Butter & Jelly, and Vanilla Brownie Crumble, or sample sophisticated pleasures like Dried Apricot Pistachio in white wine, Date Rum Pecan, Banana Daiquiri, Green Tea, Avocado, or Chai Tea.

I’ve been making coconut-based frozen desserts for the past 10 years. In that time I’ve
devised so many wonderful flavors. I’ll get you started with the vanilla basics here. If you want to explore more check out my Ice Dream Cookbook.

Why Does Homemade Ice Dream Freeze Harder Than Store Bought Brands?
Commercial ice cream is churned in high-speed machines that whip in extra air (called overrun). Adding more air to each pint, quart, or gallon of ice cream increases their profits and improving the texture. Commercial frozen desserts also contain more sugar and often unpronounceable preservatives, additives, stabilizers, and emulsifiers that make their products more shelf stable and more scoopable right from the freezer.

Because ice cream makers for home use don’t churn as fast or have as much power as commercial machines, your homemade desserts won’t have as much air and will be more dense. By adding unflavored gelatin or agar agar, you can counter this problem to some degree, but not completely.

To make matters more challenging, most home freezers are colder than the ideal serving temperature. So you’ll need to temper your frozen desserts, which means remove them from the freezer 15 to 45 minutes before serving to allow them to soften enough to scoop. You can reduce this time by adding 2 to 3 tablespoons of alcohol (rum, cognac, brandy, white wine, kirsch, Cointreau, Kahlua, crème to menthe, and other flavored liqueurs) to the custard, but don’t go overboard. Too much alcohol can inhibit freezing. Omit the alcohol if you’ll be serving children or anyone who avoids it.

Alcohol works like anti-freeze, preventing ice cream from freezing too hard. This reduces tempering time in most cases, allowing you to remove a container from the freezer, scoop, and serve your treats right away. Batches without liqueur may need to temper (sit on the counter) for 10 to 15 minutes before serving to make them soft enough to scoop. Larger contains take longer to soften than smaller containers, another reason to freeze your desserts in small containers.

 Storing Homemade Frozen Desserts 
Choose the smallest container possible for storing homemade frozen desserts. You don’t want a container that leaves a lot of air space for ice crystals to form. Multiple small containers work better than one large container because repeated thawing and refreezing will adversely alter the texture of homemade frozen desserts. Try  4-, 6-, 8-, 12-, or 16-ounce containers. Consider using small jam jars used for canning and Pyrex glass and CorningWare containers to avoid leaching of hazardous chemicals from plastic.

Another option is containers made from 100% non-toxic, biodegradable food grade cardboard. Look for SOLO Double Poly Paper Food Containers. They look like the pint ice cream containers found in the freezer section of supermarkets and health foods stores… without the labels. You can buy them in packs of 25 with lids at many outlet stores, warehouse, discount, and restaurant supply stores. They’re inexpensive and you or your children can decorate the outside of the containers with colorful marking pens before you fill them. Some stores also sell cardboard half-pint (8-ounce) containers with lids. Regardless of what kind of container you use, cover the ice cream with a layer of parchment or wax paper before you place the lid on it to reduce freezer burn.

Look for paper ice cream containers online or ask stores in your area to order them from
Solo Cup
Diamond Paper Ltd
Reliable Paper
Cup Depot

Reprinted with permission from The Ice Dream Cookbook: Dairy-Free Ice Cream Alternatives with Gluten-Free Cookies, Compotes & Sauces by Rachel Albert-Matesz (Planetary Press, 2008)

And now for a sample recipe.....

Vanilla Ice Dream       

Hands-on: 20 minutes/Churning: 20 to 25 minutes/Yield: 5 to 6 cups; 8 servings   

Like conventional vanilla ice cream, this dairy-free ice cream alternative goes well with almost everything. I like to serve it over fresh fruit, a mixed fruit salad, a cooked fruit sauce, or with Poached Pears or Apple Compote. For a fancier presentation, top it with homemade Chocolate, Fudge, or Caramel Sauce (see The Ice Dream Cookbook for recipes).

Note: Of all the Ice Dream flavors, this one has the strongest coconut flavor.  If you plan to share this with someone who isn’t wild about coconut, use a combination of regular and lite coconut milk. Better yet, make one of the Ice Dream flavors that contains added fruit or chocolate, which mute the strong flavor.

Ingredients:
1/3 cup cool or cold filtered water
2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin or 3/4 teaspoon agar agar powder (not flakes)
1/4 cup honey or agavé nectar; additional 1 to 2 tablespoons as needed
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon pure stevia extract powder or 1/2 to 1 teaspoon clear stevia extract liquid (start with less; add more only if needed)
1/8 teaspoon finely ground, unrefined sea salt
3 1/2 cups (two 14-ounce cans) unsweetened, preservative-free coconut milk (regular, not lite)
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract or alcohol-free vanilla flavoring

1. Add 1/3 cup water to a small saucepan. Slowly sprinkle with gelatin or agar agar powder. Let stand for 2 minutes until it softens and dry spots disappear. Warm over medium-low heat, without stirring, until gelatin or agar agar dissolves. Scrape the mixture into a blender, Vita-Mix, or food processor. Cover and process until smooth.
2.  Add honey, stevia, and sea salt. Blend. Add the coconut milk and vanilla, and blend until smooth, stopping to scrape the sides with a spatula. For a sweeter taste, add an additional 1/8 teaspoon stevia and/or 1 tablespoon honey or agave nectar. Blend, taste, and repeat if needed.
3.  Pour into one or more wide mouth jars. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours before churning or chill more quickly with an ice bath.
4.  Scrape the chilled custard into the canister of your ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
5.  Serve immediately or spoon into several 8- to 16-ounce freezer-safe containers. Cover and freeze for 3 or more hours for a firmer texture.
6.  Soften solidly frozen dessert by placing it in the refrigerator for 30 to 45 minutes or on the counter for 15 to 30 minutes before serving.

1 serving (regular): 247 calories, 2 grams protein, 16 grams carbohydrate, 18 grams fat, 55 milligrams sodium

1 serving (half lite): 170 calories, 1 g protein, 13 grams carbohydrate, 12 grams fat, 61 milligrams sodium

Variations:

*  Lite Vanilla Ice Dream: Replace half of the coconut milk with lite (reduced fat) coconut milk. Alternatively, use 100% lite coconut milk, but plan to use the batch immediately or within 24 hours before it becomes hard and icy.

*  For suggested mix-ins and sauces, refer to The Ice Dream Cookbook by Rachel Albert-Matesz (Planetary Press, 2008).

Source: The Ice Dream Cookbook: Dairy-Free Ice Cream Alternatives with Gluten-Free Cookies, Compotes & Sauces by Rachel Albert-Matesz (Planetary Press, 2008).

Cooking Incognito

Last Fall Spectrum and Hain Foods teamed up to offer a free gourmet cooking class ($100 value) to anyone who sent in 3 proof of purchase UPC codes from their products within a certain time frame.  Since I was going through a lot of Spectrum (non-hydrogenated) shortening testing baked goods for my Ice Dream Cookbook, I had no problem meeting their requirements.

In January, I called the 800 number to find out how to redeem my certificate. The concierge service sent me an email list of upcoming classes  cooking school/kitchen shop in Scottsdale, Sweet Basil Gourmet Ware and Cooking School. I’d heard of it after I moved to Phoenix metro area six years ago, but I’d never been there. I settled on the Greek Festival class.

The class menu featured these dishes:
* Roasted Tomato Soup w/Chive Yogurt & Whole Wheat Croutons
* Beef Kofta Kabobs w/Tzatziki Sauce & Pita Bread
* Shrimp w/Tomatoes, Feta & Anise Liqueur
* Chicken Breast Spanaki (stuffed w/spinach & feta)
* Traditional Greek Baked Fish w/Tomatoes & Carrots
* Crustless Spinach & Feta Pies w/Greek Tomato Salad
 * Baklava Purses

I was expecting a demo class  
When I arrived and saw an apron draped across each chair I knew it was hands-on. I was the first to arrive so I asked the instructor about the format.  She said the first hour (6:30 to 7:30) she would lecture (walk us through each recipe), then we would break into groups and cook. We would eat by 8:45 or 9:00 p.m. I pulled my hair back in preparation (even though no one asked me to). It’s something I do whenever I teach a cooking class.

After an introduction, our instructor, Patricia Ribeiro, a woman with a thick accent who had been teaching at Sweet Basil for 6 years, told us we would break into teams of two. In the row where I sat I noticed a boyfriend with girlfriend on my far right, two girls on my right who came together, a couple on the end, and a guy on my left. I surmised he was my cooking partner.  

The accidental volunteer
When no one volunteered for the first recipe—the Roasted Tomato Soup with Chive Yogurt and baked Whole Wheat Croutons—I leaned over to tell my neighbor that it looked like we were cooking together. The teacher took this as a sign that we wanted the recipe, so she assigned it to us.

Overview
Our instructor gave us a run down of each recipe, special tips, techniques, and all the details we would need to make each recipe (supplemented with a printed recipe packet). I took notes. Since I mainly teach demo classes, I learned a lot watching someone orchestrate a hands-on class.

We took to our stations
Brant, my partner for the evening, asked me if this was my first class here (at Sweet Basil).  I said “Yes, but I’ve taken other classes at other kitchen shops.” Then I blurted out that “I also teach cooking.” His eyes widened and he said, “Oh, then we’re unevenly yoked!” I agreed with a smile.

Once we started working I easily slipped into teacher mode, offering my requisite knife safety tips, including the reminder to avoid letting your butt (the butt of the knife!) stick out (off the sides and outer edge of the cutting board). When I told him I was taking pictures for my cooking blog, he expressed concern that I would write about what a terrible or inept cooking partner I had. I assured him I would do no such thing! Brant said he was guaranteed to forget about the knife placement tips all night. I told him I was guaranteed to keep reminding him. Habit.

We halved 5 pound of roma tomatoes, quartered 2 extra large red onions, halved and seeded 2 jalapenos, separated 1 head of garlic, leaving the skins on, and combined it in an oversized stainless steel bowl with a cup of fresh basil leaves, 1/2 bunch each of parsley and thyme, and 2 (28 oz) cans of whole plum tomatoes. The recipe said extra-virgin olive oil as needed and salt and black pepper to taste. Since I cook by recipes and formulas, I told him  I usually figure 1 tablespoon of oil for every pound of vegetables. We had 8 pounds of veggies, so I suggested tossing them with half a cup of olive oil. I started with 1 teaspoon of sea salt, though we ended up adding at least two more heaping teaspoons at the end to match the enormous pot of soup our recipe yielded.

As the vegetables roasted on two rimmed baking sheets in a 400˚ F oven, my partner cut a loaf of whole wheat bread into cubes. I minced garlic, added the requisite tablespoon of red pepper flakes, the sea salt, and black pepper, which we tossed with olive oil—no set amount, just whatever number of shakes it took to coat about 8 cups worth of cubed bread. We tasted it for salt.

We could easily have made the recipe gluten free using gluten free bread. In fact, if I were leading the class I would have made other modifications. However, this wasn’t my class and I was there to observe and learn, not lead.

 We combined 2 cups of Greek yogurt with 1/2 bunch of chives that I minced and added about 1/2 teaspoon of salt and about 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper. I love the rich taste and velvety texture of this style of yogurt, which contains a lot more fat. I think it taste a little like sour cream, but better.

We talked, cleaned our station and I snapped pictures of other dishes in process while we waited for our vegetables to soften and caramelize.  With three pans in the oven (ours along with the crustless spinach pies) it took about 50 minutes. I think our onions would have been better (softer in the allotted time) cut into smaller pieces, which is what I do when I’m roasting them at home. I was following the instructors lead here though.

We removed the skins from our onions and garlic (the instructor suggested we leave them on until after roasting), pureed our soup in batches in 2 food processors, returned it to the pot, added 1/2 cup of milk, and set it to simmer while our future croutons crisped. (I would try homemade nut milk at home, using twice as much).

The late supper
It was already 8:45 p.m. I was so hungry my stomach ached. (I’d eaten a good strong breakfast, a light snack at 1:30, and nothing since!) We waited for our fellow students’ dishes to finish cooking. Finally at 8:50 we received the go ahead to start serving ourselves from the buffet table we’d filled with our assigned recipes. Yum!

Reflections on the class
I thought the food and class were excellent.  I give both the food and class an A. If I were teaching I would have used some different ingredients—gluten free breads, non-dairy milk, unrefined, mineral rich sea salt (Celtic or Redmond Real Salt), honey in place of sugar, gluten free phyllo dough (if there is such a thing; if not I would have created something with a similar flavor but without the wheat).

As for my cooking partner—I found him friendly, polite, curious, easy to work with and flexible. No complaints. I give him an A.  He did a great job, especially since he knew he was working with someone who taught cooking for a living.  (He was the only one who knew that night. To everyone else I was just another foodie looking for new recipes, tips, and techniques). That could make anyone nervous.  

My partner (for the class) and I talked about which dishes we liked best and what we thought we’d make at home.

Brant, an architect in training, asked me if I didn’t cook or teach what would I do (for a living).  I told him I probably would have become a journalist because I love to write and I probably would have eventually gravitated to food writing or editing a food magazine.

Or, I might have gone to photography school. I loved photography and was really into it from the time I was 11 through my first year of college. I probably would have switched from animals, people, and nature shots to food. I think way more of my food pictures from the evening would have turned out great if I'd had more training in this department! Oh, well. All roads lead to the same place (or at least a similar destination) when you follow your heart. So here I am thinking about, talking about, writing about, teaching about, preparing, taking pictures of, and eating food. Not a bad way to make a living.

By 9:30 we were all ready to go home. I was psyched to write about my experience as a way to unwind from the excitement of the evening.

Would I take another class there? I’m not sure. I’m inclined to find menus and recipes that are wheat free, gluten free, and primarily dairy free, although I'm not averse to learning new dishes then modifying them at home. I'd rather take a class earlier in the day so I'm not eating dinner at 9 at night.

If you're looking for wheat free, gluten free, dairy free, low sugar or no sugar cooking classes, you're unlikely to find them at Sweet Basil GourmetWare & Cooking School, You will find them if you click here.

My Trips to Barrio Café

I never thought I'd miss Mexican food. When I was a child, growing up in New Mexico, I missed so many opportunities to taste great Mexican food. I was such a picky eater that I usually ordered a hamburger and French fries or plain beef tacos at while my mother and grandmother ate spicy enchiladas and other classic dishes. When my mother served chile con queso dip at her parties, I passed that up for guacamole. Then when I went away to college I was disappointed at what passed as Mexican food.

 My tastes have changed over the years
I’m no longer a picky eater. I eat more varieties of vegetables than most people I know. I enjoy sushi, sashimi, organ meats, salsa, chile peppers, and many other foods I balked at when I was a kid.

Now I’m a selective eater–––I prefer whole or minimally processed foods to refined foods, slow rather than fast food, baked, roasted and grilled rather than fried foods, filtered water instead of soda, and honey and stevia over sugar.

Recently I've had an urge to try more Mexican food in Phoenix. Maybe I need to make up for all those lost meals I missed as a child. Top of my list was Barrio Café. I’d heard the local Slow Food chapter members liked the place. They were named Best Mexican Food Restaurant by the Arizona Republic six years in a row and also listed in The Zagat 2008 editions of Best Restaurants in the World and Guide to America’s Top Restaurants, both of which report on the shared experiences of multiple diners. When one of my former cooking students waitressed there and described some of their dishes I knew I wanted to try their fresh, largely locally sourced, authentic, inspired dishes.

 Where is Barrio Café?
They’re located at 2814 N. 16th Street (1 1/2 blocks south of Thomas Road on the right hand side), Phoenix, Arizona  85006. I drove past the restaurant twice before finding it. I didn’t know to look for the green awning (but now you do).

I was greeted by Spanish music and impressed with the white tablecloths topped with colorful pastel plates. I liked it already. I got a table and my friend, who is also my partner for restaurant reviewers, arrived a few minutes later.

 The appetizer
Our waiter immediately brought us a complimentary appetizer—an olive tapenade with roasted red bell pepper and capers—that is usually serve with white bread.

I asked them to substitute fresh corn tortillas (instead of fried corn chips) for the bread, a great move that Heather was grateful for and also helpful for anyone with a wheat allergy or gluten intolerance.

What to eat that’s gluten free
If you’re following a gluten-free diet, you’ll find so many things to eat here. You’re safe with the appetizers (minus tostada chips), the salads, soups, salads, most of the meat, chicken, and fish dishes, and all of the tacos and enchiladas. Barrio Cafe uses 100% whole corn tortillas rather than wheat ones.

What not to eat if you’re following a GF diet
Skip the tostada chips; they’re cooked in the same fryer as the fish tacos, which are breaded with beer batter. (Note: If you dine in other Mexican restaurants, ask them if they cook their corn chips in a fryer that’s also used to cook anything that contains wheat or white flour.) Skip the tortas (sandwiches); they’re served on wheat bread. Skip the crepes, including the Crepas de Cajeta––warm goat’s milk caramel topped crepes served with vanilla bean ice cream. I’ll bet you could get that dessert without the crepes.

Special orders don't upset them
If you’re unsure about any of the ingredients or have other food allergies or intolerances, let your server know your needs and ask what dishes s/he recommends. If you need to avoid cheese, you could ask to have your dish topped with guacamole in place of cheese, unless you’re allergic to avocadoes. 

 What to order
Next, Heather and I shared an order of Sopa de Chile Morron (roasted sweet and spicy pepper soup. It was a generous bowl of soup big enough for two people. It was light, creamy and slightly sweet soup with a swirl of what looked like crème fraiche, and then a garnish of avocado.

 The main course
For an entrée we both settled on the same thing: Ensalata de Pato––Tamarind glazed seared breast of duck sliced over a bed of tossed spinach, pine nuts, orange slices, red onions, sun dried tomato slices, and rich Roquefort cheese with queso fresco with a tangy dressing. We asked for goat cheese instead of Roquefort.

One of our salads came with blue cheese, the other with goat cheese. Since neither of us is allergic to dairy products, we didn’t send back the one with blue cheese, and the server was apologetic for his mistake.

We liked the mix of flavors—sweet, sour, bitter, salty, and pungent––the contrasting textures, and the generous portions. The duck was cooked rare, which made it more moist than the chicken and turkey breast meat many people overcook at home.

The verdict
We found the prices reasonable. We loved the appetizer, the soup, and the duck salads. Our bill for lunch for two ran $40.50 ($8.50 for the soup and $16 apiece for two main-dish duck salads). We felt satisfied but not stuffed. While this might not be your everyday lunch bill, consider Barrio Cafe for a special occasion birthday, anniversary, or some other cause for celebration. (This was my birthday treat from Heather.)

Back to Barrio
On my second visit to Barrio Café I met my friend, Jennifer.  We shared the same complimentary olive and roasted sweet pepper spread with soft corn tortillas.

Jennifer ordered Café de la Casa Barrio, a special blend of coffee beans grown in the Chiapas region of Mexico. They serve it in a tall French press pot that yields a seemingly endless supply of coffee.

I rarely drink coffee, but I tried a few sips with cream and the stevia I had packed in my purse. After a sip I poured myself a cup, and then another. Since it wasn’t past noon I could get away with it (and I did).

 Great friends order alike
Once again we both settled on the same entrée:  Tacos de Conchinita Pibil, their famous Mayan style 12-hour slow roasted pork over 3 soft corn tortillas with achiote rojo and sour orange with salsa Yucatecca and a sprinkle of Mexican cheese with a small salad.  The salad––fresh baby greens topped with diced tomato, crumbled Mexican cheese, dried cranberries, and a tart and tangy balsamic herb dressing–––was the perfect contrast to the hearty pork tacos.

Good deal
Jennifer commented, “Most Mexican restaurants serve tacos with little dog food-size chunks of meat. I like how they gave us thick, juicy generous-sized pieces of pork in each taco.” I agreed that the portions were ample, not too big, not too small. 

I liked the tacos but would have preferred a little more fat on the meat. It’s become fashionable for restaurants and home cooks to use leaner cuts of pork. I like the juiciness that visible meat fat provides. If I have that dish again, I would ask for guacamole in place of cheese or as a side dish to spoon over the tacos.

Other options
Although we didn’t order the Posole Verde (Pork & tomatillo posole soup with cabbage, radish, and onion) I might try that soup on a return visit. I’m also curious to try their enchiladas made with white or blue corn tortillas and chicken or seafood.

No room for dessert
We felt too full for dessert, but some promising items offered include Flan de mi Mami (a traditional flan served with candied pecans), Crepas de Cajeta (minus the crepes), which would be warm goat milk caramel served with vanilla bean ice cream.

The second verdict
I would go back again to try more of their dishes. I might do brunch for their twist on Huevos Rancheros or to try their sausage.

Barrio Café is open Tuesday through Thursday from 11 am to 10 pm, Fridays from 11 am to 10:30 pm, Saturdays from 5 pm to 10:30 pm, and Sundays from 11 am to 3 pm for brunch and from 3 to 9 pm for dinner.

You can download their menu on their web site. Note: It hasn’t been updated recently so expect some changes in the offerings.

Miracle Noodles

I used to think there were no miracle foods.  I tried a new product that made me reconsider.

If you love or once loved pasta and you follow a wheat-free, gluten-free, egg-free, grain-free, legume-free, soy-free, low-carb, low-starch, low-cal, candida, diabetic, paleo, or celiac diet, or have elevated cholesterol, you’ll want to try the Miracle Noodle.

Please note that this noodle would not be appropriate for people who follow an the Specific Carbohydrate Diet because it is made from a starchy tuber that is excluded from that healing regimen. I previously listed the noodle as something followers of that way of eating could consume, but have since learned otherwise from people with more experience with the SCD approach.

What’s a Miracle Noodle?
The noodles are made from a Japanese plant called Konnyaku Imo, which roughly translates to mean elephant yam. They’re called yam noodles or shirataki noodles. (FYI: They bear no relation to what Americans call yams.) You may have seen tofu shirataki noodles in Asian markets. These noodles are similar but soy-free. They don’t require cooking…they are ready to eat!

Konnyaku, used widely in Japan, is also called Konjac root. It contains glucomannan, a healthy, naturally occurring water soluble fiber. Free of fat, sugar, and starch, the noodles contain zero net carbohydrates and zero calories. They’re also kosher. Research supports Konnyaku’s  beneficial effects for people with Type II Diabetes, constipation, obesity, and elevated cholesterol.

Picture courtesy of Miracle Noodles (Strumba Media, LLC)

Miracle Noodles are made by Konjac Foods USA. They come in a variety of shapes, from angel hair and fettuccini to linguini, from rigatoni to ditalini (short cut pasta), and from orzo and mini pearls to lasagna. They easily absorb the flavors of any soup, salad dressing, or sauce, and you can serve them warm or chilled.

The Miracle Idea
Dr. Jonathan Carp, a confirmed Japanese food addict, discovered the noodles while visiting a friend in Japan. He liked them so much he started selling them over the Internet.

How do they work?
The soluble fiber in the noodles slows digestion and the release of carbohydrates into your bloodstream. This provides a feeling of fullness, prolongs the return of hunger, and supports more even blood sugar and energy levels. The soluble fiber in Miracle Noodles also binds with bile acids secreted by your gall bladder, allowing your body to excrete rather than recycle them to make more cholesterol. This accounts for the cholesterol lowering effect of the noodles.

My Noodles Arrived! 
I’ll admit I was skeptical about the noodles.  My order arrived without ice in individual pouches, packed in water, in a Priority mailer. The instructions said that the angel hair shirataki noodles have a shelf life of 1 month at room temp, 3 months in the refrigerator. The company’s other varieties noodles have a shelf life of 1 year at room temperature.

I’m used to eating more perishable food. Although I consider myself an adventurous eater, I thought they looked funny sitting in water. Pasta has not been a staple in for at least a decade. I’ve probably eaten it once or twice a year, if that. So, they sat in my refrigerator for several weeks before I ventured to try them.

Finally, I tried them. First the linguini, then the fettucini.  First I tried them cold with a toasted sesame oil, ginger, tamari, and garlic sauce with a dash of maple syrup, and a garnish of minced green onions.  Then I tried them with a sesame-tahini-white miso and garlic sauce.  The next time I tried them warm slathered with a thick chicken-peanut-and vegetable stew.

I liked the chewy feel of the noodles against my teeth and the way they picked up the flavor of whatever I served or sauced them with. I think they’d be great with red sauce and meatballs or pesto and blanched broccoli. Now I’m curious to try their mini pearls, orzo, lasagna noodles, agar agar bars, and konjac root powder.

Now I'm curious to try their other noodle shapes: mini pearls, orzo, lasagna noodles, as well as their konjac root powder (used as a thickener) and agar agar bars (used to make a vegetarian version of Jell-O). I'll let you know what I think. Keep checking back for updates.

What's a serving?
Each package contained 1-1/3 cups of pasta. The company considers this 3 servings. For a couple of my tastings I figured 2 servings per package. A couple times I ate the entire package in one sitting with my meat and vegetable side dishes. I felt satisfied but not stuffed.

FYI: The Miracle Noodles require special handling detailed on the Miracle Noodle web site—including tips for dry roasting in a skillet for a minute so that the noodles will be completely dry and will better absorb the flavor of whatever you add to them.

For Nutrition information the angel hair shirataki noodles, click here

How you prepare the noodles?
1. Open the package over a colander (they’re packed in water). Don’t freak out if you detect a slightly fishy odor. That’s normal. It’s from the natural calcium additive they add to the water in the bag to keep the noodles’ shape intact.
2.  Rinse with warm water for approximately 2 to 4 minutes. This eliminates the smell.
3.  Pat dry with a paper towel or small hand towel or dry roast, which only takes a minute or two, to ensure that the noodles will absorb the flavor of what you add to them.

How to dry roast the noodles
The company recommends this procedure to thoroughly dry the noodles before adding a warm or chilled sauce or other flavored ingredients.

1.  Heat a cast iron or non-stick skillet with a little olive oil or cooking spray over high heat.
2.  Add the shirataki noodles and dry roast for about 1 minutes
3.  When the noodles are dry you may hear a speaking noise as you move them.
4.  Drizzle with a little oil or not, or add the stock or sauce you plan to use with a recipe.

For recipes using shirataki noodles see The Japanese Home Kitchen and Washoku: Recipes from The Japanese Home Kitchen

If you want to cook the Miracle Noodles
Add them to your sauce, stir fry or other dish at the end of your preparation process.  Heat the noodles for no more than 3 to 5 minutes.  The thicker shape shirataki noodles such as fettucini, rigatoni, lasagna, can withstand more heat than the angel hair, but you still want to watch them. Extended cooking can adversely effect the texture.

Your turn
Let me know what you think if you try their products when you try them. If you try the Miracle Noodles, let me know what you think. I’d love to hear from you.