Last night, to continue the celebration of Elliott's 21st birthday (and this isn't the last you'll hear about it; his parents are treating us to a steakhouse on Friday), we went to Tapas Barcelona nearby in Evanston. It's a Spanish restaurant that features pizzas, sandwiches, paellas, and tapas. They have hot and cold (frias and calientes) tapas, which are like miniature entrees that are easy to share. You can choose from about 40 different selections.
I've been to this restaurant twice before. The first was years ago and it was great. I ate outside, we ordered the garlic bread with tomato and goat cheese along with the patatas bravas (potatoes in a tomato-hot sauce), and it was great. Their outside seating is enough to make you think you're at a resort -- the good kind -- and makes it worth going. The second time I went it was for a surprise birthday. We ate inside, I got some sort of bland (and assuredly healthy) salad that did not impress, and to top off this life-changing experience, when someone took out a birthday cake, they immediately threatened to charge each of us $3 for cutting the cake.
The combination of all these experiences was interesting, to say the least. I thought I had completely given up on it, so needless to say, I didn't return until last night. Good thing I gave it a chance, too!
We ate outside and I was immediately reminded of my initial (and more positive) experience at this restaurant. Somewhat busy, dark, warm (but comfortable), and right by the pool, the atmosphere was great. We ordered 4 tapas -- a sirloin steak with potatoes in a red wine sauce, lamb empanadas, patatas bravas, and a special that consisted of skewered shrimp and chorizo covered in a lemon-butter sauce served with a saffron and vegetable rice. Two and a half out of four were great -- the patatas and sirloin were delicious and so was the special. The catch? Neither of us must be very fond of chorizo, so we fought over the shrimp. Note: I would not eat shrimp a year ago, despite repeated tastings. I'm not a huge seafood person. As I've been exposed to more good shrimp, I've come to like it. The stuff I had last night was great. The lamb empanada was ok. It was flavored with something that tasted weird to me. Bottom line on the food -- know what you're ordering and don't be afraid to ask questions, which we failed to do! I know some items I saw on the menu (such as the Spanish Omelet) that I would love and should have ordered. I'm happy to say, however, that the food was good enough to bring me back to this restaurant in the future.
Now, for the service. You might think, based on the food review, we were a little disappointed, but you would be wrong. The service was spectacular. Our server was genuine and nice. After Elliott ordered a margarita and hated it (way too much tequila), she eventually caught on and asked if he liked it. When he said it was too strong, she offered to get him something else. He ordered a Sierra Nevada (beer) and loved it. And get this. The margarita didn't show up on the bill! In addition to all this, the timing of our dishes was great. There were never more than two tapas on the table at once -- maybe it was a combination of chance and the fact that I eat too fast, but it was done very well. Also, we were given a free dessert at the end, which lots of restaurants aren't doing anymore these days.
The bill, with his one drink, 4 tapas, tax and tip, ended up being around $35. We were pleasantly surprised with that. It would be easy to get three tapas and split them between two people, so that would make it even less expensive.
Overall, the atmosphere, diverse menu, and excellent service put Tapas Barcelona back into the slew of restaurants that I will consider when looking for something in Evanston. I'm considering going back there for my own 21st birthday in about a month. If you want something that's fun and not-too-expensive, go for Tapas Barcelona.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Strawberries and Cream
Wow... I just went to Whole Foods to get some ingredients for the secret birthday cake I'm making Elliott: Angel Food Cake with Strawberries and Raspberries. That's it at the right.The strawberries are to-die-for. So much better than any off-season ones you might find. If someone had only had the off-season ones, they'd think the ones I bought today were a different fruit altogether! I eat a lot of frozen fruit because it's cheaper (so I can eat more fruits in general) than fresh and can easily be incorporated into Greek yogurt or cottage cheese, two common staples in my fridge. Not to mention that the general consensus these days is that frozen fruit is usually more nutritious than fresh. Go figure. Anyway -- whatever they say about frozen being better, I mean, it's all still in the spectrum of fruit, so buy the fresh stuff when it's in season.
My recipe for whole-wheat angel food will show up here eventually, but I can share the cream that's going on top of this cake right now. It's smooth and creamy and slightly lighter than the consistency of yogurt, so it's kind of between a custard and whipped cream. It's much better for you than any sort of traditional sour cream or cream cheese-based fruit dip. Fresh fruit would go amazing with it. You could even add some fresh chopped mint, some cinnamon, or any flavoring you like. Here's the basic recipe.
Yogurt-Cream Topping
1 cup plain, non-fat Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons sugar (sugar is always a taste thing -- some like it sweet, some not. Basic rule? Taste it.)
between 1/4 and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup (or less) whipping cream (the liquid stuff) *see the NOTE
1. Combine yogurt and sugar.
2. Taste for sweetness.
3. Add vanilla extract and stir to combine.
4. Whip the whipping cream to medium peaks with a whisk. Try to prevent over-whipping.
*NOTE: So, this is the luxurious part of this recipe. You could use Cool-Whip, but I have a strong preference against it because it uses partially hydrogenated oil. Although the nutrition label says "0" under trans fat, that means it is less than 0.5 grams per serving, and the serving size is very small, about 2 tablespoons if I remember correctly.5. Add the whipped cream to the yogurt-mix and stir until just combined. You don't want to release all of the air from the whipped cream.
Small amounts of trans fat can be devastating. The estimation is that 1 gram of trans fat = 10 grams of saturated fat in terms of the effect it has on your health. I'd rather have some of the real stuff (whipping cream), which is nutritionally-speaking better for you, even if it has more calories. If you don't want to use whipping cream, you could pour some liquid half-and-half (they even have fat-free varieties) into the yogurt instead of using the whipping cream. This would cut the thickness of the yogurt. You could even use those cans of whipping cream -- they often come in light varieties. That usually means more artificial ingredients, however. Choose whatever is in-line with your own "culinary point of view."
6. Keep chilled until serving time.
LePeep of Evanston
It's Elliott's 21st birthday today! So, we went to LePeep in Evanston for breakfast. It's a pancake house/grill. I usually get pancakes, but I've been making a lot of those lately, and they don't have a whole grain option. I don't think the "wheat" options they have for their toast and English muffins are 100% whole grain. However, they do have a great oatmeal that comes with a selection of blueberries, strawberries, and/or bananas. So, we both got egg white omelets with oatmeal. Mine had spinach, bacon, mushrooms, tomatoes, and chives; it was really great. Their potatoes are really good too -- not too greasy, not too salty, and perfect with ketchup. Usually I'm too "carbed-out" from the pancakes in order to enjoy the potatoes, but I really liked them today. They were included on the side with the omelet, along with an English muffin.
You can go to www.Restaurant.com and get $10 gift certificates for $3, too! I know, it sounds a little to good to be true, but we got a great breakfast with appetizers (oatmeal), orange juice, and omelets for less than $25, including tip. Another nice aspect we discussed was the staff. For two years, the servers and hosts have remained very consistent. Although it's a chain, it is nice to see the same people working each time we go there. I highly recommend LePeep for a simple breakfast spot.
You can go to www.Restaurant.com and get $10 gift certificates for $3, too! I know, it sounds a little to good to be true, but we got a great breakfast with appetizers (oatmeal), orange juice, and omelets for less than $25, including tip. Another nice aspect we discussed was the staff. For two years, the servers and hosts have remained very consistent. Although it's a chain, it is nice to see the same people working each time we go there. I highly recommend LePeep for a simple breakfast spot.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Whole Wheat Buttermilk Pancakes (Possible: Lactose-Free)
OK, so this recipe is a killer. I have to confess, it's not the single recipe I've made the most often, but I'm certain that's only because I keep losing it. In the last 4 days, I've made this recipe 3 times. They are SO good! And get this. They are SO healthy. Add something with protein (e.g., eggs, turkey bacon, ham, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese), and a side of fruit (or put the fruit in the pancakes), and you have a killer breakfast.
This recipe perfectly exemplifies what FoodTV would call my "culinary point of view." Think of it as a life philosophy, except for food. I L - O - V - E comfort food, but it's often unhealthy and full of processed ingredients. White flour, sugar, and butter are often the culprits in pancakes. They are ingredients worthy of a dessert, not part of a meal that is supposed to jump-start your day. This recipe, however, is ingenious. 100% whole-wheat flour, just the necessary amount of sugar and canola oil, and fat-free and/or vegan substitutions for buttermilk make it absolutely nutritious. If you want, though, you can make it luxurious. Add chocolate chips, use butter instead of oil, use buttermilk or a buttermilk substitute with a little more fat, drizzle them with homemade caramel sauce, top them with fresh whipped cream. I'm all for moderation, but that includes moderation. Moderate moderation. Sometimes, you want the ultimate indulgent pancake with your favorite ingredients. Most of the time, though, these will be satisfying and make you feel good. In fact, I never make pancakes with white flour anymore. I only use 100% whole-wheat for pancakes anymore. That's what is great about these pancakes. They taste amazing and they are adaptable to everyone's lifestyle.
The secrete to these pancakes is the buttermilk. But now you're asking, "How can they be lactose-free?" You don't need buttermilk, or even cow's milk, for that matter, to make delicious buttermilk pancakes. Now that I think about it, I haven't made these in a while because I didn't have a good, healthy substitute for the buttermilk. Buttermilk itself isn't horrible, health-wise, as it's name would lead you to believe. It's usually low-fat, actually.
I have one problem, however. I never have buttermilk on hand. I don't always have time to make pancakes, and I'm not baking chocolate cakes day-in and day-out. I always have leftovers. I could dab pastel chalk in it, like my 5th grade art teacher taught me, but I don't do that, and I vaguely recollect it kind of grossing me out. Buttermilk pancakes are so much tastier than the alternative, though.
The solution is below: my absolute favorite buttermilk substitutes.
Substitute 1
1. In a glass measure, add 1 tablespoon of vinegar (I've used cider, white, even red wine).
2. Add milk (I use skim, but you can use 1%, 2%, even whole, if you like) until you have 1 cup of liquid.
3. Let sit until curdled, about 5-10 minutes. (trust me, it will be delicious inside the pancakes)
Substitute 2 (vegan)
1. In a glass measure, add 1 tablespoon vinegar (cider, white, or red wine, even)
2. Add soy, rice, or almond milk (I use non-fat soy with a little bit of almond or rice) until you have 1 cup of liquid.
3. It is ready to use.
Substitute 3
1. Use a similar amount of regular/non-fat yogurt (vanilla or plain, based on your taste).
OK, so now you know how to make your own buttermilk. You only need to have your breakfast milk of choice and some vinegar. Here's the recipe.
100% Whole Wheat Buttermilk Pancakes
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt (or less)
1 cup buttermilk or substitute
1 large egg
2 tsp sugar (or less, depending on taste)
1 tsp vanilla
1 tablespoon vegetable oil (can use less, but I wouldn't use less than 1/2 tablespoon)
1. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.
2. Combine milk, egg, vanilla, sugar, oil, and whisk until smooth.
3. Pour milk mixture into flour mixture, whisk until just combined. Add water if you want them thinner, but I really like this consistency. This is the time to add fruit, chocolate, nuts, etc... if you're using them.
4. On a non-stick pan/griddle sprayed lightly with oil, heat over medium-high heat until a drop of water dances furiously on the surface. You are then ready to make your first pancake. Drop the heat to medium (your stove may be different than mine), pour the batter in one motion forming a circle (roughly 1/4-1/3 cup depending on consistency).
5. The pancake will bubble, but the tell-tale sign that it is ready to be flipped is on the sides. The top will still be liquid, but the very sides of the pancakes should be somewhat solid or show evidence of cooking. The batter's surface is more opaque when cooked, rather than shiny. Flip pancake once. The second side will not take as much time.
6. Serve warm or hold them covered in a warm (250 degrees F heated, then turned off) oven.
This recipe perfectly exemplifies what FoodTV would call my "culinary point of view." Think of it as a life philosophy, except for food. I L - O - V - E comfort food, but it's often unhealthy and full of processed ingredients. White flour, sugar, and butter are often the culprits in pancakes. They are ingredients worthy of a dessert, not part of a meal that is supposed to jump-start your day. This recipe, however, is ingenious. 100% whole-wheat flour, just the necessary amount of sugar and canola oil, and fat-free and/or vegan substitutions for buttermilk make it absolutely nutritious. If you want, though, you can make it luxurious. Add chocolate chips, use butter instead of oil, use buttermilk or a buttermilk substitute with a little more fat, drizzle them with homemade caramel sauce, top them with fresh whipped cream. I'm all for moderation, but that includes moderation. Moderate moderation. Sometimes, you want the ultimate indulgent pancake with your favorite ingredients. Most of the time, though, these will be satisfying and make you feel good. In fact, I never make pancakes with white flour anymore. I only use 100% whole-wheat for pancakes anymore. That's what is great about these pancakes. They taste amazing and they are adaptable to everyone's lifestyle.
The secrete to these pancakes is the buttermilk. But now you're asking, "How can they be lactose-free?" You don't need buttermilk, or even cow's milk, for that matter, to make delicious buttermilk pancakes. Now that I think about it, I haven't made these in a while because I didn't have a good, healthy substitute for the buttermilk. Buttermilk itself isn't horrible, health-wise, as it's name would lead you to believe. It's usually low-fat, actually.
I have one problem, however. I never have buttermilk on hand. I don't always have time to make pancakes, and I'm not baking chocolate cakes day-in and day-out. I always have leftovers. I could dab pastel chalk in it, like my 5th grade art teacher taught me, but I don't do that, and I vaguely recollect it kind of grossing me out. Buttermilk pancakes are so much tastier than the alternative, though.
The solution is below: my absolute favorite buttermilk substitutes.
Substitute 1
1. In a glass measure, add 1 tablespoon of vinegar (I've used cider, white, even red wine).
2. Add milk (I use skim, but you can use 1%, 2%, even whole, if you like) until you have 1 cup of liquid.
3. Let sit until curdled, about 5-10 minutes. (trust me, it will be delicious inside the pancakes)
Substitute 2 (vegan)
1. In a glass measure, add 1 tablespoon vinegar (cider, white, or red wine, even)
2. Add soy, rice, or almond milk (I use non-fat soy with a little bit of almond or rice) until you have 1 cup of liquid.
3. It is ready to use.
Substitute 3
1. Use a similar amount of regular/non-fat yogurt (vanilla or plain, based on your taste).
OK, so now you know how to make your own buttermilk. You only need to have your breakfast milk of choice and some vinegar. Here's the recipe.
100% Whole Wheat Buttermilk Pancakes
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt (or less)
1 cup buttermilk or substitute
1 large egg
2 tsp sugar (or less, depending on taste)
1 tsp vanilla
1 tablespoon vegetable oil (can use less, but I wouldn't use less than 1/2 tablespoon)
1. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.
2. Combine milk, egg, vanilla, sugar, oil, and whisk until smooth.
3. Pour milk mixture into flour mixture, whisk until just combined. Add water if you want them thinner, but I really like this consistency. This is the time to add fruit, chocolate, nuts, etc... if you're using them.
4. On a non-stick pan/griddle sprayed lightly with oil, heat over medium-high heat until a drop of water dances furiously on the surface. You are then ready to make your first pancake. Drop the heat to medium (your stove may be different than mine), pour the batter in one motion forming a circle (roughly 1/4-1/3 cup depending on consistency).
5. The pancake will bubble, but the tell-tale sign that it is ready to be flipped is on the sides. The top will still be liquid, but the very sides of the pancakes should be somewhat solid or show evidence of cooking. The batter's surface is more opaque when cooked, rather than shiny. Flip pancake once. The second side will not take as much time.
6. Serve warm or hold them covered in a warm (250 degrees F heated, then turned off) oven.
Welcome!
So this is my first post! Exciting... The Next Food Network Star just ended. It is a reality TV show on FoodTV. Throughout the series, ten finalists compete for their own cooking show on the Food Network. This season really made me itch to do something with food, not to mention the fact that I need closure after my favorite made it all the way to the final round only for my least favorite to win. I have a couple "scratch-paper-pieces of a cookbook" typed up, but some of my cooking is a little to spontaneous for that.
The title? Easy. Feel Good Food: Feel Good Eating. I'm hoping that eventually I'll be able to share my cooking experiences with everyone. If you know me well, you know I love to cook. I love nutrition, too. Therefore, I make a lot of simple, healthy substitutions to great comfort food recipes that are usually not-so-good for you, and they end up not making you feel like you just ate a brick soaked in butter. Lots of my recipes appear out of nowhere when I want something to eat. When I end up making something that's remarkable, I then make sure I have a quantitative record of it, so I can make it again.
My goal is to have a new recipe each week, plus any little spontaneities that appear in between. I'm going to post one soon for the maiden voyage of this blog. Let's see how it goes!
The title? Easy. Feel Good Food: Feel Good Eating. I'm hoping that eventually I'll be able to share my cooking experiences with everyone. If you know me well, you know I love to cook. I love nutrition, too. Therefore, I make a lot of simple, healthy substitutions to great comfort food recipes that are usually not-so-good for you, and they end up not making you feel like you just ate a brick soaked in butter. Lots of my recipes appear out of nowhere when I want something to eat. When I end up making something that's remarkable, I then make sure I have a quantitative record of it, so I can make it again.
My goal is to have a new recipe each week, plus any little spontaneities that appear in between. I'm going to post one soon for the maiden voyage of this blog. Let's see how it goes!
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