Bread and Butter

Off the Sauce

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 20:44:59 GMT

So, I'm going off the sauce for (slightly less than) a week. Well, not sauce (as in booze), but sugar, which quite frankly I find to be just as addictive. To me, dessert is a way of life. I have dessert with both lunch and dinner and sometimes as a late-night snack. So why am I giving it up? I'd like to say that I am trying to lead a healthier lifestyle, although that has certainly been a fringe benefit, but... I've stopped eating sugar/dessert for the week because I'm going to Atlantic City on Saturday!

On my trip, I am planning to sample my fair share of Jersey Shore sweets, so being a good girl for a week seems like a small price to pay for the delectable frenzy I get to have! There are several first-class candy stores on the AC boardwalk and I am excited to check them out and stock up on lots of goodies.

I started this plan/experiment/torture on Sundya, and so far it has not been as hard as I anticipated. My dad took me to Friendly's for lunch yesterday, and if I can resist a Butterfinger ice cream sundae, I think I am in good shape! And, you know, it's not a totally bad idea to treat your body like a temple once in a while...

Crispy Tofu with Veggies

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 18:51:03 GMT

I really hate frying things, so it was with some trepidation that I attempted some crispy fried tofu for lunch today. What can I say? I had a craving!

I started by cutting a block of tofu in half width-wise, slicing each half in to 4 square pieces, then cutting each slice in to two triangles. I set the triangles on a dish towel in order to allow some of the water to drain out of the tofu.

Next, I heated up some oil in a large frying pan. To test its raeadiness, I stuck in a cube of white bread. If is turns brown right away, it means the oil is ready to cook in. Not to mention it is a nice cook's treat! I dipped each tofu triangle into cornstarch then stuck them in to the pan and fried until golden-brown on all sides. I don't know why, but cornstarch seems to be the key to frying things nice and golden and crispy.

After frying the tofu, things got a litte sketchy. I planned to stir-fry some veggies in the same pan I had fried the tofu in-- I'm all for less dishes to wash-- but some cornstarch ahd fell off of the slices so I felt it was necessary to rinse out and change the oil. With the fresh oil, I began by sauteeing some garlic, which burned while I wasn't looking. Burnt garlic is the worst! It's horrible smell permeated the kitchen, so I decided to call the whole damn thing off.

Instead, I quickly blanched some broccolit florets and snow peas, drained them, and returned to the saucepan. I added 1/8 cup of soy sauce (or four packets) with one generous tablespoon of cornstarch dissolved in it plus one cup of vegetable broth. I cooked this mixture until it reduced and the veggies were coated with the sauce, then poured it all over the tofu and ate it up. A fine lunch!

Review: Starbucks Vivanno

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 01:55:11 GMT

So, I like Starbucks, and I'm not ashamed to admit it. I stop in for drinks or snacks every so often. Yeah, it's expensive, and yeah, their business ethics might be questionable, but damn if it's not tasty and convenient!

It just so happens that I stopped in to a Starbucks this afternoon, to grab a box of milk for the kid and a drink for me before an impromptu trip to the park. I don't drink coffee but I love smoothies, so I decided to give one of their new Vivanno smoothies a try.
The deal with these Vivannos is that they're supposed to be kind of good for you, but tasty also. Each smoothie contains a whole banana (nice, because I need potassium but do not like the texture of a raw banana), 16 grams of protein,and 5 grams of fiber. "Nutrition" in a cup.

I tried the chocolate-banana variety (they also have Orange-Mango-Banana) and while I enjoyed it, I thought the chocolate flavor was a little weak, but it also wasn't overly banana-y, which is a plus in my book. It was just <i>fine</i>, not awesome. I would have it again (and try the other flavor), though, because it is a nice little drink that seems like a sensible alternative to the super-caffeinated, whipped cream and caramel extravaganzas that Starbucks is synonymous with.

Scones

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 04:05:16 GMT

This recipe is veganized from the one in "How to be a Domestic Goddess" by Nigella Lawson.
I was a bit put-off when I first read her recipe-- there's no sugar! There's no nuts or lemon zest of chocolate or glaze at all! They're like plain biscuits! I suppose it is a cultural thing. The English scone seems to be akin to the tea biscuit- round, savory, with dried fruit inside and slightly shiny on top; whereas the scones I am used to are triangular, sweet, and covered in icing. But alas! Plain foods can be deceptively good. But, I did sprinlke sugar on them. Sometimes I just can't contain myself.

Sift together:
3 1/3 cups flour
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
4 1/2 tsp cream of tartar

Cut in:
1/4 cup diced, cold margarine
2 tbsp diced, cold shortening
...until the mixture is in fine crumbs.

Pour in:
1 1/3 cups milk (I suggest a vanilla milk if you're going for a sweeter scone)

At this point, Nigella wants you to knead the dough, but mine seemed quite sticky, so instead I used an ice cream scoop to form the scoens on a greased pan, with sides slightly touching. Then I brushed the tops with a bit of milk and sprinkled granulated sugar on them.

Bake:
at 425 degrees for about ten minutes, until golden.

Serve:
While warm from the oven. Nigella suggests serving scones "Thunder and Lightning" style, which is clotted cream and molasses. This sounded like an unlikely combination to me (partially because the term "clotted cream" creeps me out), but I do love molasses so I gave it a try, with my fresh almond milk whipped cream (see below). It was trés magnifique!

Whipped Vegan

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 03:30:40 GMT

Think Soy Whip is gross? So do I! I loathe soy milk and its nasty beany aftertaste. But I love whipped cream, so luckily I discovered a way to make any "milk" in to a tasty, whippy topping.

Start by placing a small amount of milk in a bowl. (I use unsweetened almond milk.) You could use a large amount of course, but a small bit will expedite the process. Freeze the milk until it just starts to freeze on top but is still liquidy underneath. Then whip the hell out of it. It may take a while, but your milk will thicken! Amazing! The milk may whip up a bit faster if you add a pinch of cream of tartar and some powdered sugar to sweeten. Let sit in the freezer for a while to achieve a Cool-Whip-like texture.

Awesome!

Hello!

Sun, 03 Aug 2008 01:34:25 GMT

This is my new journal, and it's all about food. Glorious food! I plan to post recipes, reviews, adventures in food, and other fun stuff. Bon apetit!