A Dose of Dosa

I had dinner out with a friend tonight, which is a real treat for me since the costs of eating out in San Francisco are exorbitant and out of bounds for an unemployed student type like myself. We went to a trendy South Indian restaurant on the Fillmore, called Dosa, which during happy hour, is surprisingly affordable (all happy hour menu items, including appetizers shown here are $5 each). The choices are surprisingly healthful too! In the first photo is a mungsprout salad (freshly sprouted lentils, tomatoes, cucumbers, ginger, coconut, chiles, flavored oil of mustard seeds), which was lovely and reminded me of how I wanted to explore the world of sprouted, raw foods. Lentils are super easy (and inexpensive) to sprout (see my sprouting posting) and add a nice crunch to a variety of different foods since they do not have a strong flavor themselves.
In the second photo are sardines (omega 3s!)in the front and spicy (organic) chicken with (organic) yogurt sauce in back. Both very tasty and spicy, if a little on the salty side. The portions are generous (3 appetizers were more than enough to satisfy two hungry girls) and everyone else's dishes (off the "regular" menu) looked equally delicious. I would definitely recommend Dosa and might even have to give the mungsprout salad a go in my own kitchen.

Pizza Night

Inspired by a couple fresh tomatoes and some wilted basil that needed attention in our fridge, I thought homemade pizzas would be a nice alternative to the obvious pasta option. I was even inspired enough to make my own pizza dough...until a closer read of the recipe revealed it would take hours (between all the mixing, rising, kneading, repeating, etc.) so opted for the next best thing: Trader Joe's whole wheat pizza dough. I was too lazy to bother hunting out the rolling pin, so I just stretched it out with my hands (it's not obvious though, is it?) after dividing the dough in two.

Pizza #1 has spinach, garlic, and a shallot sauteed in olive oil and, mushrooms, more of the unmeltable low-fat brie, and a sprinkling of sundried tomatoes in oil.

Pizza #2 has the basil, fresh tomatoes, fresh garlic, and fresh mozzarella slices. Muy fresh indeed!

I sprayed the dough with olive oil before adding the toppings and added a generous portion of red chili flakes to my slices after they cooked. Result? A quick, easy dinner option that makes good use of whatever bits you can find in the fridge. I didn't use any sauce, but it really wasn't missed (and I'm usually a sauce fiend). Calorie count? A 4th of either pizza came to around 400cals. I might even attempt my own dough next time...

Replacing A Staple: Bars

And I don't mean the drinking kind! One of the most difficult processed foods for me to give up is the bar, as in the granola or energy varieties. In particular Kashi's TLC bars and Cliff's Luna bars. Although of the gamut of bars available these are probably among the mildest offenders, they both still contain soy derivatives, which I am trying to avoid. They're just so handy - a great afternoon or pre-workout snack, or even a breakfast on the go. So today, I attempted my own version, loosely based on a recipe I borrowed from an ad for egg whites. Overall, for taste they were there, but as for holding together, not quite. I used ground flaxseed mixed with water to replace the eggwhites but next time I'll either go for the eggwhites or add more of the flaxseed substitute.

Here's the recipe I followed (and the original one if you're interested http://www.betterneggs.com/recipes/recipeView.cfm?RecipeID=0132&mcid=1):

4 cups old fashioned oatmeal

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup dried cherries

1/2 cup pumpkin seeds

1 bar dark (72%) chocolate, coarsely chopped (47g)

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1/3 cup honey

1/3 cup canola oil

3 tablespoons water with 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
Yields 27 at 135 calories; Baking instructions same as recipe link above

Getting Real And Laughing Out Loud

I just read a comment someone left on my last entry and had to laugh. In reference to my remark on what a challenge it is in the US today to buy foods that are not genetically modified, do not contain added hormones, or are not fed by compounds produced in lab rooms, he told me I must not have seen much of the world and should get real.

First of all, I did not say that the US is the only place where this is difficult. After living in Asia for a year and subsisting on mostly instant oatmeal and protein bars because I had such severe reactions to the MSG that everything seemed to be bathed in, I know full well the ills of eating in the developing world. But that's just it - that's the developing world. I should think that comparing essentials like food (also healthcare, education, etc.) in "developed" vs. "developing" countries would be like apples and oranges. Otherwise, what's really the difference?

Secondly, while I was living in Europe last year, I couldn't get enough butter because it tasted so damn good. I saw eating bread as an opportunity to eat butter and therefore did so far more liberally than I do here. And not just in one country, either. Irish butter, French butter, Greek yogurt...I would take any of them over what we get here in a heartbeat because you actually can taste the difference in quality. So there is room for improvement in this country because as Americans, don't we deserve better? If not for us, then just think of the children.

So yes doll, I am getting real. Real foods that is;)

Backup Dinner: Trader Joe's Frozen Tamales

Sunday nights are usually a good opportunity in our house to finish up what needs to be eaten in the fridge before starting the week with a new shop on Monday. Our veggie bin had a wee head of lonely broccoli that needed a home, so I steamed that up along with a frozen beef tamale from Trader Joe's. (It might just be a mental thing, but I feel steaming vs. microwaving makes them less processed?) I discovered these on a pinch during exams one night in our freezer and have been hooked ever since! At 240cals, they make a handy quick meal and can be steamed in the same pot as your veg of choice. Nutrition-wise, if you look at the ingredient list, everything is both pronounceable and recognizable, so it's not too bad on that front. I doubt the beef is grass-fed though, nor did the package mention gmos or hormones. God that's tough in this country. Hard to believe that was something that used to be just taken for granted, eh? Still is in other parts. But until I obtain an EU passport, moderation and overall awareness will just have to suffice.

When Life Gives You Soft Peaches...Make Grilled Peach, Plum, Brie, and Arugula Paninis!

I like my peaches like I like my men: yummy sweet and firm to the touch. (Joking! Well..kinda) And there's nothing my mom and I hate more than soft peaches. (OK slight exaggeration there because there's loads of stuff I hate more than that. Like traffic...or stepping in dog poo...or terrorists.) So when our firm-at-purchase stone fruit began going soft, I recalled a recipe I watched Giada de Laurentiis make on The Food Network (and modified it slightly, of course). Hers called for peaches sauteed in butte and honey, which just sets the calorometers in my head spinning, so I decided to grill mine, along with some soft plums, instead. For these, I sprayed a grill pan with (surprise!) olive oil and sprinkled the sliced fruit with cinnamon and nutmeg.

For the paninis, I used fresh ciabatta rolls from Trader Joe's, which are surprisingly high in fiber! I usually don't even bother to look at fiber counts on fresh "white" breads, assuming they're all made with bleached white flour. Boy, was I proven wrong. A 56g roll, packs 4g of fiber and 140 cals, and the their focaccia rolls are 210cal and 7g of fiber. It's like finding money in your pocket! They're both made with whole wheat, unbleached flour. (So how are they white?). Anyway, upon weighing, I found the rolls were actually 80g, but after scooping out the inside of the top halves, brought them down to 62g, 155cal, and 4.5g fiber per roll.

These I stuffed with arugula, the fruit, and "light brie", which is 70cal/oz., vs. regular double-cream brie, which runs 90-100cal/oz. In the future, I will definitely spring for the regular, double-cream. The light version (surprise, surprise) doesn't pack much flavor, nor does it melt quite the same way full fat brie does (slight duh factor there since fat is what gives cheese its 'melting quality'). I don't have a panini maker, but a George Foreman grill (but be careful when handling - that sucker burned my finger!) works just as well, so I sprayed ours with (gasp) olive oil and threw the paninis on for about 7 minutes. As a side, I threw some leftover steamed and roasted veggies on the same grill pan I used for the fruit so they picked up some of the same flavors, which was actually quite nice. Also one less pan to clean, so a nod to laziness. All in all, a 260cal sammie and veggies made for around a 300cal lunch (and 10g fiber!). Will definitely make again.

A Few Friends

Let me take a moment to introduce a few of my best friends in the kitchen! First up is Keurig single cup espresso maker. These guys are made by a number of different companies these days and you can find a good deal on a used one on craigslist or in a thrift shop. The Keurig one can take the coffee pods that you pre-buy, or you can buy an attachment filter so you can use your own coffee, which is both more cost effective and environmentally friendly. I like Tully's coffee because it is a good value for good coffee (you can typically find the 12oz. bags on sale for around $6) but for a special treat I'll go for Peet's (if it's on sale, of course;). I usually drink 1-2 americanos in the morning and one in the afternoon, formerly with unsweetened soy milk, but more recently with rice milk (see previous entries). I love good coffee.




Next up is my digital kitchen scale, a calorie counter's number one accomplice! It's great for baking and cooking too, since weighing ingredients directly into the mixing bowl eliminates using multiple measuring utensils and yields a more accurate measurement. Now, I want to clarify a couple of things that my aunt brought to my attention: 1) I do not vilify all high-calorie foods, since many very healthful foods are naturally calorie dense (think avocados, nuts, olive oil, wine) or just plain nom noms (think chocolate cake, scones, cookies), I just eat them in moderation and adjust the portion sizes to fit in with whatever else I'm eating that day. Or there are the "special occasion" all out counting-free splurges (think vacation, birthdays, CHRISTMAS!!). My calorie counting has more to do with my own neuroses than my diet (in busier times, I used to schedule my days to the minute...yes, I know I sound like loads of fun, but really I can usually hide this stuff pretty well). And 2) not all healthful foods are created equal for all people (ie, those who have special dietary needs like diabetics, celiacs, etc.). Fortunately, aside from slightly elevated cholesterol levels (which, I believe are genetic), I do not have any serious dietary restrictions (that I am aware of), so the way I eat does not take these into account.

Last, but by no means least, my trusty sidekicks, spray olive oil and fresh ground pepper. I use them on veggies, in baking, in nearly everything I make, in one form or another, not necessarily always together. Thanks you two - ye've been grand!