Irish soda bread is a staple in my household – not because we’re Irish, but because it is so easy and a total crowd-pleaser. As far as I understand, it is not really an Irish food but an American invention reminiscent of wheaten bread, I gleaned from my real Irish neighbor as he nibbled on the batch I made this afternoon. This recipe freezes well and thus makes a great all-around snack, for hikes and afternoon coffee breaks at work.  After cooling, wrap individual pieces in aluminum foil. No need to reheat in the oven, just let thaw for a few hours before eating.

The key to cooking the perfect chewy, crunchy, crisp Irish Soda Bread is the pan. While any size or shape glass dish or brownie-type pan will do, a stoneware baking dish is the best because it cooks evenly and perfectly. This recipe is an adaptation from Mary Burke’s Irish Soda Bread recipe published in the Boston Globe Taste section in 2006 and the King Arthur Flour’s 200th Anniversary edition cookbook recipe.  It yields one large loaf (9×5) or about 8 small loaves.

Ingredients:

• 2 Tablespoons butter @ room temperature
• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup sugar + little more for sprinkling
• ¾ teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1 egg
• 1 ½ cups plain yogurt
• ¼ cup water
• 1 c. dried fruit (a mix of raisins and cranberries is my favorite)

Instructions:

Set oven to 350 F.
Butter or spray the baking dish(es) with canola oil

In large mixer or bowl: mix the flours, 1/4 cup sugar, baking soda and salt. Mix well. Cut the butter into small pieces and mix into the dry mixture with fingertips.
In another bowl: stir together water, yogurt and egg.
Mix the wet and dry mixtures together well, stir in the dried fruit
Transfer to pans, dividing evenly, sprinkle tops with a little sugar.
Bake 40 min or until tops are golden, and a knife or toothpick comes out clean

I’ve always lived in a do-it-yourself household and prefer to cook most meals for the convenience factor (and, as my husband would point out, because I’m picky about where my food comes from, I try to deny this because I don’t want to seem like a snob but have to admit that the more I study our food system, the pickier I get).

With sustainability always on our minds in the workplace, we naturally stop to think, criticize and evaluate purchases and lifestyle choices that we make at home on a regular basis too. In the food arena, we are making efforts to reduce our carbon footprints by buying locally grown produce, beer and wine; buying bulk and fresh, unprocessed foods to reduce our landfill contribution; bringing our own bags to reduce plastic bag use at the store/ farmers market; and riding our bikes instead of driving. We are also pretty serious about supporting sustainably produced or harvested foods such as fish, meat and dairy- we know that these may or may not have added health benefits over conventionally grown foods, but they are generally more responsible in terms of resource use, pollution, chemical use, animal husbandry and overall respect for the community. As conscious consumers, these are values we like to support.

As eaters, we try to appreciate our food. Michael Pollan stated in his op-ed Out of the Kitchen, Onto the Couch in NYT Magazine that cooking is a defining human activity and we couldn’t agree more. We grow some of our own food and cook as much as we can. We sit down when we eat, we plan ahead so as not to waste food, and we enjoy sharing meals with good company whenever we have the chance. We are not perfect though. We could always do more- grow more, share more, eat more sustainable fish, eat less packaged breakfast cereal, etc. etc. The facts that 1) obesity rates are inversely correlated with the amount of time spent on food preparation; and b) the average American spends a mere 27 minutes a day on food preparation means that probably a lot of people could be doing a little more.

We also happen to like adventure in my household, so we have decided to spend one afternoon/ evening a week making a dish completely from scratch. The first meal was homemade falafel sandwiches, which in 4 main steps turned out quite laborious, but delicious nonetheless.

This chewy, tangy, spicy, starchy, heart-warming falafel sandwich was perfect for the misty fresh Sunday evening air here in Monterey. We hope you enjoy it.  You can cut down on time by buying tahini and hummus at the store (or making it ahead of time).

Step 1: Tahini

• 2 cups sesame seeds
• 1/3 – 1/2 cup olive oil
  

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spread the sesame seeds evenly out on a baking sheet or a thin baking pan.

Place in the oven and open the oven and stir the seeds around every few minutes until they are golden brown, being careful not to let them burn.

Take the pan out of the oven and let the sesame seeds cool for a little while. Next, use a high powered blender or food processor to grind up the sesame seeds. Put all the seeds in the blender/ food processor with 1 tbsp oil and blend on high, adding the remaining oil slowly until the sesame seeds are blended on a thick, smooth paste. Do not add too much oil or it will be too runny.

Tahini can be kept in a jar or even frozen in small amounts for a few weeks.

Step 2: Hummus

I have to admit, the Joy of Cooking’s hummus recipe that we tried was fun to make and definitely edible but did not turn out anywhere close to the best hummus ever, Sabra with the red lid.  We are inspired to try another recipe. Maybe from The Hummus Blog. Adrian also did a roasted garlic hummus recipe on this blog that you can check out here.

Step 3: Falafels

• 2 cups dried chickpeas
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander

• 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoons ground red pepper – we used mortar and pestle
• 1/4 – 1 cup canola oil
• 1 cucumber
• 2 medium tomatoes
• 4-6 pitas or tortillas

Rinse and soak the chickpeas for at 12 hours (they can be soaked in a bowl of water in the refrigerator). Put them in a food processor with the garlic, onion, lemon juice, parsley and spices. Blend to a rough moist texture. Add a little water if needed.

Let the mixture rest for about an hour. Chop the tomatoes and cucumber into bite size pieces and place in a bowl. Set out paper towels or pieces of paper bags on a surface. Place the pitas into a toaster or oven at about 200 degrees to warm.

Pour enough oil into the pan so that it is 1/4 inch deep. Heat it to medium-high.

Transfer to a mixing bowl and stir the baking soda into the mixture. Form uniformly shaped and sized balls and fry them when the oil is hot until they turn brownish, then flip. Transfer the falafels when they are golden brown on both sides onto the paper.

Step 4: Put it all together

Spread hummus into the warm pitas. Add generous amounts of tomatoes, cucumbers and falafel to your liking.

Falafels can be frozen and defrosted for quick dinners or a salad topping in the future. Enjoy!

“Hill Country” in the heart of Texas is not only the home of the totally amazing Enchanted Rock, it is the peach growing capital of the state, and home to many German-influenced towns like Fredericksburg.

After a rough, windy day of rock climbing in the Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, we stopped into this charming oasis to refuel.  Literally hundreds of Bed & Breakfasts made from converted historic homes and buildings are interspersed in the town along with quaint cafes, German bakeries, boutiques, unique handmade candle shops and ice cream parlors. The Fredericksburg Herb Farm about 6 blocks off Main Street sells various products made with their own organically grown culinary and ornamental herbs (we were sorry to miss it because it closes at 5:30).

We wandered into the Fredericksburg Brewing Company, housed in an 1890’s restored rock building.

The Beer:  From what I could tell, all the beer was brewed right there behind the bar.  I wasn’t expecting much from the beer thinking that I was at a tourist trap instead of a fine brewery.  Boy was i wrong.  I started off with an Enchanted Rock Red Ale.  This beer was absolutely fantastic!  Not too hoppy, a perfect blend of maltiness, and a refreshing finish.  I was already finished with half of it before I realized it is a multiple award winning brew.  I was totally in love!  (In the 2007 Great American Beer Festival it won a bronze medal, and in the 2004 World Beer Cup it won a silver medal.)  Every sip was exactly what I look for in a sip of beer.  If you like red ales, this one will blow your socks off!  The next beer I got was the Pioneer Porter.  Another Award winner (Gold and Silver from the Great American Beer Festival, and a Bronze from the World Beer Cup.)  This was good, but not the best porter I’ve had.  From hitting the lips to swallow it was superb, but I lost it on the after taste.  A bit bitter I suppose.  But still, better than most beers I’ve had.  The last I tried was the Giant.  The Giant is a heavy stout, and I mean heavy!  The head was a rich brown in color and the consistency was thicker than your normal stout.  Due to its 8.4% ABV, I got a 4 oz glass.  It was plenty for me.  I enjoyed it after our meal and was very impressed.  It is nutty and chocolaty, with a roasted finish.  No bitterness, just strong enough, and no pasty aftertaste.  An excellent after dinner, or all-by-itself beer. 

Congratulations to Fredricksburg Brewing Company for brewing fantastic beer!

Tasty as they sounded, we couldn’t bring ourselves to order the German specialties like the Reuben sandwich, schnitzel, sausage, etc (opting for the healthier options as we are trying to detox after living in New Orleans for 7 months!).

We enjoyed a winter salad with pecan vinaigrette dressing; the Monterrey Chicken, grilled with roasted peppers and cheese, and topped with fresh avocado slices; rice and beans; and a loaded baked potato. The pecan vinaigrette dressing was defiantly the highlight, nutty and sweet. I love trying new salad dressings and I’m always looking for new ideas, this was a first for me. Unfortunately I don’t know how they made it or if the pecans were local, I was too tired to ask.

Holy guacamole! My stint in New Orleans is coming to a close. Portfolio and final exam behind me; my graduation ceremony will be over in 48 hours. I am just one board exam away from becoming a Registered Dietitian!

A mnemonic to remember the reduced state of iron (Ferrous; Fe2+) for my final exam reminded me of a quote from one of the best movies of all time: Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and take a look around once in a while, you could miss it. -Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, 1986

I believe that Ferris is right on, and I know the other interns would agree with him right now too. Gathering for boiled crawfish and shrimp etouffee at our directors house a few nights ago (among many other varied dishes in classic nola style), we debriefed as usual. The typical topics were covered- likes and dislikes about our last rotation, updates on husbands/boyfriends/pets, etc. This meeting was different however because it was one of our last. Members of a previous class and the new class of interns that just began their rotations about this silly city were digging in with us as well.

A joyful occasion it was, not just because of the sangria I brought (recipe coming soon). A lot of the stories being told made me laugh. I am going to share two highlights, which I’d like to introduce as Ridiculous Food Tidbits.

Ridiculous Food Tidbit #1: An intern (name undisclosed) was rotating in a food service facility in which kitchen staff were preparing a new soup recipe. She found employees having trouble opening a can of corn that had been frozen solid. Upon further inquiry she discovered that the recipe read “frozen corn”…so they put the huge cans of corn in the freezer. It took this intern all she had not to fall over laughing.

Ridiculous Food Tidbit #2: Our director ordered a really nice Doberge Cake to sweeten the celebration. (This is a famous New Orleans dessert, everyone should try one in their lifetime at least once!) When she went to pick it up from the bakery, it read “Congratulations Intern” without the “s.” She asked if they could please add an “s” so it would read “interns.” She paid for it, took it home and opened it to see a cake that read “Congratulations Intern F.” I don’t have an explanation for this one.

Please share any Ridiculous Food Tidbits you have to add!

Makes 4 tacos.

INGREDIENTS

4 Tortillas (Ezekiel Whole Grain Flour-less Tortillas are my favorite)

For the fish:
8 oz catfish
2 T olive oil
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
salt & pepper

For the Tangy Cabbage Slaw:
1/2 red cabbage
2 carrots
4 T canola oil
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro
1 scallion
2 T vinegar of choice
1 teaspoon honey or agave nectar (I like Madhava, available at your local natural foods store)

For the Zesty Sauce:
1/4 cup low-fat or non-fat plain yogurt
1/4 cup low-fat or canola mayonnaise (optional)
1 t salt-free all purpose seasoning (Mrs. Dash is good)
For the Guacamole:
1 ripe avocado
1 cloves of garlic
1/2 tomato
juice from 1/2 freshly squeezed lime

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Mix up the guacamole ingredients and tightly cover.

2. Preheat the broiler (or fire up the grill).

2. Make the cabbage slaw by combing the agave, canola oil, vinegar in a non-metallic bowl. Chop the cilantro and mix it in; thinly slice the scallions and cabbage, add it to the bowl.  Grate the carrots and add it in, mixing well.

3. Prepare the catfish: rinse it under cold water, dry it with a towel and place it in a baking pan. Spread the olive oil evenly over the fish, sprinkling with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes to taste.

4. Bake the fish on the top rack (or alternatively on the grill) for about 10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish. The fish continues to cook after it is removed from the heat, so remove from the broiler or grill just before it is finished cooking- when picking apart the flakes with a fork, it will appear slightly translucent inside.

5. Mix the plain yogurt, mayonnaise and seasoning in a small bowl.

6. Warm the tortillas in the oven (if it is still hot), on the grill or in the microwave with a damp towel. Spread a spoonful of zesty sauce on the tortilla, add fish, cabbage slaw and top with guacamole.

7. Garnish the plates with extra cilantro sprigs. Enjoy!

My schedule hadn’t allowed me to visit this one before- it runs from 9 to 1 on Tuesdays in an uptown parking lot near the river, and hearsay kept me from re-arranging my work to take a visit (foodie friends I trust didn’t exactly seem impressed with the pickings at this market).

At first all I saw was the usual, selection of ready-to-eat foods like spreads, pies, and juices for sale. These products are nice, but typically not too wholesome, nor what I am looking for. Like the last few times I visited the farmers market, I started to remind myself that I’m not in Cambridge anymore (where I was spoiled with fresh organic options all around) when …

Wow oh Wow! I spotted all the fresh flowers, and felt pleasantly pleased that I took the trek. I picked out vibrant sunflowers with dark purple leaves as the centerpieces for the table arrangements I was in charge of making. (They were a huge hit!)

Then I found a nice selection of fresh produce stands, none organic but some displaying “biodynamic” or “no spray” signs. They were full of mounds of fresh Creole tomatoes, cucumbers, herbs, and lots of greens. This made me happy!

Enticed by the size and strangeness of a big leafy green vegetable which the vendor described as a “sweet cross between bok choy and mustard greens” for only $3, I handed over the cash and carefully eased it into my oversized shopping bag. Of course I was too excited about this enormous bargain that I didn’t catch the name of the cultivar.

Below there’s a picture of the Mystery Vegetable from the Crescent City Farmers Market. It was even larger when I bought it– it had been wilting out of refrigeration for 6 hours when this picture was taken!

Challenged by how to even wash this vegetable’s mammoth leaves, I decided to chop it up and cook it as I’d cook any leafy greens, as detailed below. I recommend using a cast iron pan.

Leafy Greens Recipe

This recipe works well with any leafy greens (such as chard, kale, or collards). Its a great source of fiber, vitamins A & K, and cancer-fighting compounds. It makes a great dinner alongside some baked butternut squash and grilled fish.

Ingredients:

• Washed greens
• Chopped fresh garlic
• Olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Pepper
  
• Optional: hard cheese (like Pecorino or Romano).
  

Instructions:

Rip the green part of the leaves off of the hard middle stem, making two piles (the stems are completely edible, but need to be cooked longer). Chop the leaf pile part coarsely, then the stem pile as thinly as possible, to even out the cooking time of both parts of the plant.

Heat olive oil in a pan on medium heat.

Chop a few cloves of fresh garlic and throw it in when the oil gets hot. Saute until the garlic appears very light brown- just a few minutes.

Add the stems of the greens and stir around for a few minutes.

Add the leaves, stir until they wilt, adding salt as the greens cook (some salt is needed in this recipe to cut the bitterness of the greens).

Add freshly ground pepper and little shredded sharp cheese over the greens. Bon Apetit!

This big vegetable lasted my household greens for about 2 weeks, although I am still trying to find out what it is called!

Camellia Grill is a 70 year-old classy short-order diner, famous for its sandwiches, breakfast all day, pies and “freezes.”

Hurricane Katrina closed down this staple of the Uptown-Riverbend neighborhood. Luckily, its persuasive fan base (evidenced by the number of internet postings referring to the place, its wikipedia page, and the copious amounts of love letters left by patrons begging the grill to re-open) got it going again after Katrina. Power to the people! Camellia Grill was re-established in April 2007.

We waited in line about 30 minutes out front on a Saturday around noon, making conversation with other hungry New Orleanians in line who recommended the same dishes we had seen our foodie friends around town drool about. We sat on  spinning stools in a curved bar formation made of marble waited on by friendly, efficient, bow-tie wearing waiters. They brought cloth napkins and marked off our individual orders onto a pre-printed worksheet with a red pen. They then fetched coffee and blended up the creamy cool chocolate freeze drinks while yelling the orders to the cooks to fry up the tastiest omelettes and burgers around. (Click here for pics inside Camellia Grill & dining info).

We tried the Pecan Waffle, which came plain on a plate with three mini pitchers on the side filled with Cane Syrup, Maple-Flavored Corn Syrup and Liquid Butter. It was perfectly cooked, crunchy and warm all the way through. I liked that they skipped the dollop of butter or whipped cream that waffle houses usually plop on top- saving both the restaurant and patron time, money and extra Calories.

We also tried the Chef’s Special Omelette: a monstrous one with potatoes and onions inside, topped with a lot of chili (with turkey bacon, beans, ham and beef) and two types of cheese, with french fries on the side. That was tasty! Enough said!

The Chocolate Freeze Drink (a chocolate frappe with chopped ice) was sweet and delicious, reminding me of thick chocolate milk with crushed ice in it.

After eating, we took our individual forms and paid at the cash register by the door  (by cash or credit card), again saving the waiters and patrons time. This place knows how to do it. The only problem with Camellia Grill is that we didn’t allow our food to settle. That was it though, everything was delicious and pleasant.

Here’s the the recipe for the Chef’s Special Omelet as posted on the Food Network:

Printed from FoodNetwork.com on 09/25/2008 © 2008 Scripps Networks, LLC. All Rights Reserved

Chef’s Special Omelet:

3 eggs
1/2 cup diced potato, boiled until tender
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced ham
1/2 cup diced bacon, cooked
1 slice Swiss cheese
1 slice American cheese
1 cup cooked chili (meat or bean)

Put eggs in a blender, and mix on high until egg mixture is almost white.
Put potato, onion, ham and bacon on grill pan and saute for 30 seconds. Then pour egg mixture over vegetables. Let eggs cook until
slightly firm around edges.
Add cheese slices. Then gently roll eggs over into omelet shape. Cook 2 minutes until firm.
Plate the omelet on a plate and pour 1 cup cooked meat or bean chili on top.

To ban or not to ban?

One of the ongoing themes in Nutrition Policy is whether or not to ban foods- specifically “junk foods” for kids in schools. The more you think about it, the more complicated this issue becomes.

Some examples:

• How are “junk foods” defined?
• Where will the bans limits be defined- by Calories, fat & trans fat, do we include additives and preservatives, the amount of high fructose corn syrup per bite?
• How will regulation work- will kids only be allowed to buy a small serving of cookies?
• ……. and the list goes on.

Here is a video that was posted on CNN.com this morning discussing the opposing sides of the issue:

A school district in Massachusetts has decided to ban all cookies, candies and cakes from students lunches. We can all imagine what benefits and problems could arise from such a ban, I believe that sides have valid points:

• The Registered Dietitian (RD) points out that the childhood obesity is detrimental and we need to step it up and make some more dramatic moves, because parents are not doing their job.

• The talk show host/retired teacher and interviewer both argue that this ban as “Twinkie Police” will step on parents toes, and we need to leave parents to do their job, in addition to increasing physical activity for kids instead of banning foods.

I believe that we should spend our time pushing for “better” food options in schools, like nourishing Stonyfield Farms yogurt in vending machines.

I was surprised to see this video over breakfast this morning, and think its a big step for Massachusetts. I don’t know all the background behind this ban and need to get to work right now, but I would guess that State Rep Peter Koutouijian would be involved as he has been fighting for children’s nutrition in schools for quite some time now. I can’t wait to see what happens next.

Clearly, the parenting issue is one that needs to be addressed – and thankfully has been discussed by Obama & Biden lately! Parents as role models have enormous influence on their child’s dietary habits and overall health.

Also, I would like to point out something I learned from Marion Nestle in Food Politics: that the notion that “physical activity” needs to be increased, and this will allow for all foods to be part of a healthy diet is an argument planted into our food environment by the food industry. Its pretty easy to figure out why.

For more on Food Policy, visit my former Professors Park Wilde’s blog @ http://usfoodpolicy.blogspot.com/

Syrah Merkow, MS, Tulane University Dietetic Intern

Have you ever heard anyone say anything even slightly bad about the food in New Orleans (NOLA)?

Have you ever heard of Dietetics?  Well its my life right now as I settle into my cozy uptown apartment just minutes from Magazine Street and Audubon Park. I’m realizing that I landed in a pretty sweet place to finish up the requirements to become a Registered Dietitian (RD)!

Its currently day 5 of my Dietetic Internship at Tulane,  which, by the way is designed to prepare me in all aspects of Dietetics -”the integration and application of principles of nutritional science, biochemistry, food science, physiology, food systems management, behavioral science and social science in order to achieve or maintain the health of an individual or group of individuals.”

Its all been tiring and actually really interesting so far. My director is so cool and cares about her students so much. This is the 9th educational institution I will have attended in the past 6 years (this includes study abroad, summer school, etc.) and I have to tell you, the registration process, obtaining my ID, the library tour, e-mail and password assignment, the confusion of trying to find my way to the library, is becoming old hat. Someone, make an effort to standardize these processes, please!

Its storming outside pretty badly – Hurricane Ike is heading into Texas as I write and we are feeling the side effects of it here in The Big Easy. Really windy!!!

OH, so to get to the point – in addition to my internship, my sidekick and I plan to hunt down some of the amazing cajun, creole and Southern cookin’ that makes this city famous. I’d like it to be sortoff healthy and locally sourced too.  Let’s see what I can find.

Last night we ate beignets & cafe au lait at THE CAFE DU MONDE in the French Quarter for dinner, and listened to a funky cool jazz violinist while we watched a few people stroll by.  (I can’t take credit for the pics, but they depict the scene pretty well).

My computer completely crashed a few days ago and the Mac Genius diagnosed it with a totally defunct hard drive. It might be treatable. But a new Mac is on the way from China as we speak! I look forward to letting you know what kind of healthy delectables I find around here.