Latest News Roundup

With a lot of interesting food-related news of late, thought I'd share some of the best! Enjoy:

"As Not Seen on TV" - This is a particularly brilliantly written (and scathing) review of Guy Fieri's (whose last name by birth, I recently learned, was Ferry) new restaurant in Times Square... burn, is all I can say!"The Food Movement Takes a Beating" - Mark Bittman's poignant Opinionator article (via NYTimes) on Prop 37 - which would have required food packaging to indicate the inclusion of GMO ingredients - and which did not pass in California during last week's election. As he points out, it was practically a shoo-in initially, until the opposition (e.g., food industry and biotech giants) poured cash into an anti-Prop 37 campaign in the weeks leading up to the election that ultimately succeeded. At the cost of $49 million. In the words of SNL's Seth Myers and Amy Poehler: REALLY??!! That anyone or any corporation could be so against - $49 million against - transparency and supporting someone's right to know exactly what is in their food is shameful, I think. And as if that money couldn't have been better spent elsewhere...Vegan Thanksgiving recipes  - Thanksgiving and meat & dairy are practically synonymous - but whether you're hosting the meal or bringing a dish to someone else's house, finding festive and delicious plant-ingredient-only recipes isn't nearly as daunting as it may seem. VegNews.com has lots to offer through their homepage - and you can also buy VegNews' Holiday eCookbook for only $8."Hostess Brands Closing for Good" - Apparently due to a far-reaching strike, Hostess Brands is shutting down all operations. From a nostalgic perspective, it's a bit of a bummer - and certainly bad news for the many people employed by the company. On a somewhat lighter related note, Eater.com created an entertaining "Twinkie Doomsday Map" to highlight where you can find the deep-fried variety before they're all gone. Although, if the adage that packaged Twinkies won't ever go bad is indeed true, y0u can stock up and keep your stash for years and years without the product rotting. (Which I most definitely do not recommend. For many reasons. I'm shuddering as I write this.)

   

Edible D.I.Y.-ing

I think that "do-it-yourself" (DIY) when it comes to food can technically apply to anything you make from scratch (e.g., if you bake a cake from scratch rather than buying it ready-made, you are DIY-ing!)... but for some reason, I more strongly associate "DIY" and "food" with certain items we tend to buy with barely a second thought, like condiments. And yet, as is the case with just about anything we eat, making it yourself is so much better in so many ways, such as: you have control of what ingredients go in and it likely won't be nearly if at all "processed, so it's inherently better for you than many store-bought alternatives; it often ends up being cheaper; and almost without fail, it tastes better!

Recent edible DIY projects have included the simple yet wonderfully pleasing:

Whole grain dijon mustard

Cinnamon apple butter

Vanilla bean toasted coconut butter

Balsamic dijon vinaigrette(an even more simplified & basic version of this one)

Stay tuned for these recipes (among others of course) and related info coming your way soon!In the meantime - what are your favorite DIYs in the kitchen??

"Just Label It" Already

It's baffling to me that it's even up for debate whether we as consumers have the right to know what's in our food and where it comes from. And that's essentially what's at the core of this - companies can keep on making GMO food products and the FDA can keep approving them for sale, but need to be able to make an informed decision about whether or not they want to actually buy a GMO item (be it salmon, vegetables, packaged products, etc.). And unless products are properly labeled, there is no way to know. Which doesn't sit right. If you agree, sign the petition to the FDA.Soapboxes for the day have been put away... come back tomorrow for your regularly scheduled programming (aka delicious, healthy recipes)!! :)

More Dirt on Dairy

Soapbox(ish) time!Dairy has long been commonly thought to help alleviate for heartburn - but more and more evidence is suggesting quite the contrary. Mark Bittman's recent Opinionator piece in the NYTimes - Got Milk? You Don’t Need It - is a must-read. As is the follow-up to it he published yesterday, More on Milk. He presents a compelling and well-rounded account about why as a country we consume so much dairy, and the reasons why it's a habit worth breaking.I won't repeat all of his points here - read the articles for that (and I can't stress enough how strongly I advocate reading them!). But as Bittman wrote, quoting Eric Marcus of Vegan.com:

"In talking to other vegans I rarely hear them say they feel much different after quitting meat or eggs, but you hear all sorts of stories like yours and mine once they quit dairy.”

Over time, I personally have felt a difference from generally staying away from all animal products - but in terms of dairy in particular, I did find reducing/eliminating it had the most immediate and noticeable impact. And this is coming from someone who never had a strongly or acutely negative physical reaction to eating dairy - but regardless, I certainly noticed differences in pretty short order when I started avoiding it (and I used to consume a lot). And my body does respond differently now when I do eat some dairy - less so when it's goat's milk cheese, interestingly enough (but that's just me).Gabriel Cousens, in his wonderful book Conscious Eating, advocates an almost completely plant-based diet. When it comes to dairy, if it's to be consumed Cousens recommends that dairy be treated as a "condiment" - and as Bittman points out, when recognizing the nutrients contained in dairy, that such nutrients are more readily digested by our bodies when consumed in yogurt or cheese form (vs. liquid, aka milk). That, coupled with the importance of it coming from a clean, safe source, basically describes the evolution of my approach to dairy. I don't seek it out for nutrition - I get my nutrients from plant-based sources - and generally avoid it all together. But every so often, a little cheese (preferably goat's milk) from a good source is fine to satiate a craving (though it's also worth noting that by and large I no longer "crave" cheese or real dairy).What we eat and how we eat it is a personal decision, and it's unfair to lambast those who choose to approach food differently than we ourselves do. And dairy is one of the more hot-button issues, where you can find studies suggesting just about anything you want to believe - either that it's good for you, or that it's bad for you. But one thing I keep coming back to is that there is literally no evidence suggesting that a plant-based diet is bad for you... however, there is plenty of valid information linking animal products to various negative health effects. Something to think about! 

Food for Thought: Breadcrumbs

Have you ever checked the ingredient list on pre-packaged breadcrumbs? I remember the first time I did, and was shocked at a few things - most of all the sheer number of ingredients, and also the presence of certain things like milk products and unpronounceable ingredients that I wouldn't think have anything to do with breadcrumbs. Breadcrumbs aren't terribly hard to make from scratch, but it's nice to have a go-to store-bought option - and aside from panko breadcrumbs, I had no such luck for a few years.And then finally, a couple of weeks ago, I found Edward & Sons Organic Italian Herbs Breadcrumbs. The ingredients? Nice and clean - only 9 present, and all serving an obvious purpose. See for yourself here.And these breadcrumbs taste great (and are organic and vegan-friendly!), so I couldn't recommend them more!I found Edward & Sons brand at New Frontiers, and Whole Foods and other natural foods stores should carry it as well.Any other brands of breadcrumbs you recommend that fit the short ingredient list/organic/vegan criteria?

San Francisco Has Great Food.

...but I am sure that is not news to you. It isn't even "news" to me - I've been hearing and reading about the amazing food in San Francisco for years - I'm just feeling thrilled and grateful for having been able to finally experience it firsthand!This city did not disappoint. From restaurants to farmers markets, I've been spoiled with truly great eating and drinking the last few days. Details coming up next...

Breakfast from NYC to AZ

December was a wonderful month and also tends to be pretty synonymous with good food - and 2011 was no exception. In particular were a series of delicious breakfasts, and I wish I'd captured more of them on camera - but here are the ones for which I do have photo evidence, in chronological order:

NYC: Huevos al horno (baked eggs, garbanzo stew, mustard greens, hazelnut romesco) at Tertulia. This was the first time I had garbanzos, one of my absolute favorite foods, in an egg dish - leaving me to wonder what took me so long?!

NYC: "The Farmstand" (poached eggs, pesto, grape tomatoes, brussel sprouts, peas, breadcrumbs, arugula, toast) at Tipsy Parson. Farm-fresh veggies with perfectly poached eggs - this was a simple yet extremely flavorful plate that immediately became a top all-time favorite. Need to recreate at home!

AZ: Homemade whole wheat (and dairy-free) pancakes (I stand by my belief that homemade anything is always the best - especially when it's made for you while you're working from home!). With real maple syrup and a cup of hot vanilla-fennel tea on the side, what better way could there be to start the day!

AZ: And finally, homemade whole wheat raspberry muffins (see next post for recipe!)

 

"25 Foods You'll Never Eat Again" (via Buzzfeed)

Check out "25 Foods You'll Never Eat Again" (via Buzzfeed) - a list of 25 uber-junk foods that are no longer on store shelves... and, pretty much across the board, for good reason that needs no added explanation.It's worth the read for the nostalgia factor. I'd forgotten about many of these products... from wtf-was-Heinz-thinking purple ketchup to Orbitz soda (looked awesome, tasted terrible). I'll admit though, my sweet tooth and I wouldn't mind seeing crispy m&ms reappear... hey, the UK still has them!

Cake to Go

 How great of an idea is this?! At a beautiful wedding in Palm Springs, CA last Friday, the bride and groom opted to have a small regular cake that they could cut during the reception in keeping with tradition, but guests wishing to indulge were offered these containers instead.Genius! It seems so often that when cake is served at a wedding, everyone is so caught up in dancing (rightfully so, of course... and maybe, just maybe, a few cocktails deep) that it goes largely untouched and/or under appreciated. I've seen cupcakes used in place of a traditional wedding cake, which I also think is a fun idea - especially if little to-go boxes could be offered, so people could grab one to take home or back to their hotel room. But this cake in a container concept really takes the... cake? (Couldn't resist). It's convenient, portable, adorable and personalized - and also allows for variety (at this particular wedding, there were 3 options to choose from). And it was delicious. Love it.