Monthly Archives: April 2012

Apr29

Feeling Royal On Sunday Morning

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It’s Sunday morning, that blissful time before the weekend mood will slowly turn into pre-work week preparations, so all you want to have is “nice and easy” breakfast, no drama, and actually maybe just not much talking at all. It’s a perfect time to greet the morning sun and your cup of coffee, catch up on last night’s internet gossip or finish the book you were too tired to read all week.

Well, not if you have a teenager in a house, who decided that this morning he’d be a royal pain in the a**. Whatever happened to his hormones in the past 9 hours that he was in bed, it better snap right back where it came from. As this mama is on a mission to remain nice and mellow today :)

And what could be a better mood “picker-upper” than a nice breakfast?! Especially the one made by your mama, as that is the food sprinkled with a special ingredient, LOVE!

Even if they are pain in all possible places :)

 

What’s Cooking This Sunday Morning

What could be nice and easy and yet sophisticated enough to satisfy the royal highness of a brat who woke up in my son’s bed this morning?!

Breakfast Napoleon

1 medium potato, skin intact, cut into thin slices lengthwise

1 medium tomato, cut into slices

4 eggs

4 slices of herbed turkey (or bacon)

oil spray

butter (I used Earth Balance oil spread)

fresh basil

salt, pepper, spices

Lay out a small baking sheet with foil, spray it with oil spray and arrange potato slices, season each slice and bake at 400 for about 10-15 minutes. While potatoes are baking, heat up 2 medium frying pans, melt some butter in each and in one pan lightly fry tomato slices and make sunny-side-up eggs in the other pan, season all with desired spices (you’ll need 2 separate pans as not to have the tomato juices run into the eggs).

Arrange the Napoleon by placing potato slice on the bottom, then tomato, then turkey (or bacon) and then the egg, garnish with fresh basil and coarse freshly ground black pepper.

Hope it will satisfy the royal pains in your house as it did mine :)   Enjoy!

Apr27
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The Double Rainbow

Once I saw a rainbow

Over the ocean blue

Encompassed by a shadow

Of every color and hue.

It was a double rainbow

Most beautiful to see

 And underneath the rainbow

Were two sails upon the sea.

 I think it was God’s message

 Quite old, and get still new

 It takes both rain and sunshine

 To make the lovely view.

As we go along life’s highway

 A lot of rain must fall.

 But we can find the rainbow

When the sun shines over all.

 So, if you feel discouraged

And don’t know what to do

Just trust for God’s own sunshine

To bring a rainbow over you.

Virginia M. King

Life is just like that, full of stripes. You get the bold ones, the pastel ones, the ones you like, and the ones that make your head spin. Yet they all fit perfectly together, and the rainbow would not be complete without any of them. Each stripe brings its tone, taste and the skills necessary to get through to the next one, it’s all a matter of adaptability, resiliency and faith that it will all work out at the end.

And it will. Maybe not in a way that we’ve imagined it or wished for, but where human perception is fickle and fallible, the Universal order is always precise. We receive the exact things to propel us forward on our unique path and just enough lemons for our own cup of lemonade. But it’s up to us to come up with the sugar amount.

I always said “I’m glad I had cancer” no matter how bizarre it sounds to other people. Yes, of course, I’d  rather go without the gruelling physical ordeal of the treatment and some lingering side effects that are still there 5 years later. But how else would I know how strong I can be, and that beauty is just the light that comes from within you and not the length of your hair, the color of your cheeks and a perfect body untouched by a scalpel that make you look in a mirror and truly love yourself?! How else would I know that you’re still a child to your mother no matter how old you are, and that you can feel little again and be sustained by a bond that is as old as life itself and just know that it will always be there within your reach even after you’re back into your “adult” life?! How else would I know how to love, comfort and care for another cancer survivor and when they say “the cure has been worse than the disease itself” you’ll understand what they mean?! How else would I know what life really is and what must be done to stay “alive”, both in your body and soul?!

How else would I know who I really am if I haven’t seen both sides of me, the rain and the sunshine?! Now it’s up to me to keep the rainbow up in the sky :)

 What kind of stripes have you seen?

What’s Cooking This Week

A rainbow of vegetables, of course. The sweet ones, the tart ones, some spices and juices and then some “binding” to hold it all together. It’s good for the soul. And your body will most definitely thank you too. :)

Low Carbs Stuffed Peppers

4 large peppers, tops cut off and insides cleaned          

1 lb mixed ground chicken and turkey

1/4 cup instant oatmeal

1 small yellow squash (or zucchini), grated

2 medium tomatoes, diced

1/4 cup ketchup 

1/4 cup tomato sauce

1 tspoon garlic powder

1 tspoon Italian herbs blend

salt, pepper

fresh herbs, chopped

Combine all the ingredients and stuff into peppers. Bake at 375 for about an hour or until peppers are cooked through. Pour some tomato sauce over peppers and garnish with fresh herbs. Enjoy!

Apr25

Mac-n-cheese that never was

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Reblogged from Rantings of an Amateur Chef:

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Occasionally a post from here will be reblogged on another site. I am always interested to see who is interested in which recipe and I check out the blog. Fitness Over Sixty reblogged the Thai Spring Rolls and called out to all vegans to take a look at the recipe. The author introduced the re-blog by saying "I love this chef, although he is all carnivore, he knows how to cook…

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Check me out on The Ranting Chef blog :) Pat was one of the first people to visit and like my blog, and it's my honor to be his guest blogger. From the Peddler to the Chef - Cheers! :)
Apr25

You Say “Tomato”, I say “Tomatoe”

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This week I’ve been pondering the subjective nature of feelings yet again. What we believe usually dictates how we feel. Our attitudes about people and events will generate our emotional responses to them. Our attitudes and beliefs are always right, as they are subjective matters and are not governed by facts or logic, they are just that, feelings, beliefs, emotions. Since we’ve practiced our beliefs over a lifetime, we are very loyal to them, otherwise, we’d believe something else.

Any argument always has two sides, but as we get stuck on our rightness, we lose sight of our real human objective, which is to be happy. Many people believe that being right IS being happy. Most of us eventually learn that our rightness may be limiting or restricting our happiness. Our rightness about effective recovery from a significant emotional loss often limits our ability to complete relationships that have ended or changed, therefore a closure may never come. Many of the beliefs that we hold about dealing with losses are incorrect and unhelpful, but since this is how we were taught to respond, we continue practicing them for a lifetime.

For example, we were taught that “time heals everything”, but in fact, it doesn’t. Time does not complete anything in itself. If we believe, with all the mighty force of rightness, that time is going to heal our emotional wounds, we’re destined to wait forever. Time does not heal or complete, time just goes by. It is the actions that we take within that timeframe that could help us grieve, complete and ultimately recover.

Another example of unhelpful belief is a practice of “keeping busy”. As a response to the conflicting and often painful feelings left by a loss, keeping busy can be a quite unproductive short-term distraction. At the end of a busy day, your heart is still broken. Keeping busy does not complete relationships, taking time to work on your feelings and address the wounds within yourself usually do.

Therefore, Right is not necessarily good, it’s only Right.  We tend to develop a ferocious loyalty to our rightness even though it often leads to horrible squabbles in a relationship. If we think about most of the fights we had, we realize that both sides clung fiercely to the rightness of their position. Even in the aftermath, either party may have stayed on a position of rightness and refused to apologize, and thereby extended the argument.

It may be time for us to examine some of our beliefs and attitudes and how we process the conflicting feelings caused by a loss or changed relationship. We must ensure we have effective beliefs that can lead us towards happiness, rather than being stuck in rightness. Using correct information and actions can help us capture the happiness everybody most definitely deserves.

The truth is, most people want to be both, happy and right, but in reality, you most often have to choose. So, what’s your side, happy or right???

 

What’s Cooking This Week

Speaking of tomato (or tomatoe :) ), spring is in full blooms, and so are tomatoes and other vegetables. With a longer daylight and more energy, our bodies crave nutritious sustenance to help us endure all the work hours and exciting spring events we strive to cram in just one day. A dish full of antioxidants and energy-boosting nutrients is just what we need to optimize our daily schedules.

Veggie Florentine Soup

32 oz veggie (or chicken) stock

2 medium potatoes, cubed

1 medium eggplant, cubed

1 small yellow squash (or zucchini), cubed

3 medium carrots, sliced

1 small onion, chopped

1 medium bell pepper, chopped

15 oz can of diced tomatoes

1/2 lb frozen or fresh peas

2 garlic cloves, sliced or pressed

salt, pepper, spices

fresh herbs, chopped

olive oil

optional: 1 tspoon of granulated sugar

Pour veggie/chicken stock in a large soup pan, add water to make up to 2/3 of a pan and  bring to a boil covered on a low flame. While it’s boiling, in a deep frying pan, heat up a few spoons of olive oil and saute garlic and onions until lightly golden, add squash, eggplant, carrots and peppers, season it all with desired spices (I used lemon-pepper blend) and saute until almost done, add diced tomatoes and cook for another 1-2 minutes, then set aside.

When the stock and water are boiled, add salt and pepper and cubed potatoes, cook for a couple of minutes and add peas. Then add the veggie saute to the soup pan, mix well and bring it all to a boil, add some sugar if desired (I like my tomatoes a bit sweet) and chopped fresh herbs. Enjoy!

Apr22
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We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors,

we borrow it from our children.

                                  - Proverb

It’s Earth day, and it’s all about the earth and nature today, in a literal sense. It’s been raining cats and dogs and probably bunnies too, and we very much needed it, again, in any sense possible. This spring hasn’t seen much rain so far, and with warmer than usual weather, the “April showers” are much awaited rain to fill the city reservoirs and also to remind us that Nature has its own balance, and the less we interfere with it (no matter how inconvenient it becomes), the more we get to have back in the bounty of all the nourishment it produces.

As a true city child, I don’t get close to nature too often, but I know I really should, as nature is the best healer for both body and soul, and I need healing on both levels. The contemplative stillness of gazing up into the sky, listening to the ocean waves and watching nature to unfold its beauty, it’s all within your reach if you make time for it. Even in the middle of the city.

The plan for today was to spend a few hours by the Pond in Central Park, maybe walk along 5th Avenue, right by the park’s border. I love the Pond, to me it holds very special memories and a true sense of healing. In-between each chemo session during my cancer treatment, when I felt like I had enough strength to venture out, I went to Central Park and spend lazy afternoons by the water watching my son play and soaking the healing energy of the sun and the quiet determination I held inside to push through and get well. I wanted to go back to the bittersweet memories and to connect back to my spirit to get better and be healed again. And I did want to pay the tribute to our spot on earth, the city :)

And the city is truly beautiful this time of the year, full of blooming tulips and cherry blossoms, and if you stay away from the usual “touristy” spots, you hear the city’s voice giving a way to the sounds of spring and a whisper of nature. The plan naturally got scratched because of the rain.

What’s Cooking This Earth Weekend

Even though it’s raining, we can still celebrate what the earth has to offer and give thanks to the vital nourishment it always provides to the body and soul. Our Earth Day the rainy city style – living room “picnic” complete with herbal tea and delicious sandwiches. Apparently, April is a national grilled cheese sandwich month. So, what could be better than to combine cheese and veggies to make our own Grilled Cheese and Veggies Earth Day :) ?! And since I’m using daiya, a plant-based cheese, for my sandwich, it is truly “all earth’s gifts” sandwich.

Sweet Potato And Avocado Grilled Cheese Sandwich

4 slices of bread (I used Udi’s gluten free millet bread for my sandwich)

1 medium sweet potato, cut in 1/2 inch rounds

1/2 avocado, sliced

1 medium tomato, sliced

a handful of baby spinach leaves

1/2 cup of shredded mozzarella style daiya (or 4 slices regular dairy cheese)

Earth Balance oil spread (or butter)

barbecue sauce

salt and spices

olive oil or cooking spray

(makes 2 sandwiches)

Lay a cookie sheet with foil and spread some oil or spray with oil spray, arrange sweet potato rounds in a single layer, sprinkle with some salt and spices and bake at 400 until done. Butter the outer sides of each bread slice and start assembling your sandwiches. Spread some barbecue sauce on each bread slice, put some daiya shreds (or 1 slice of cheese), top with sweet potato rounds, avocado and tomato slices and baby spinach, season the tomatoes if desired, top with more daiya (or cheese) and cover with another bread slice.

In a frying pan, heat up some olive oil and cook the sandwiches (pressing with the spatula occasionally to melt the cheese evenly) until done. Serve immediately. They go nicely with rosehips and honey herbal tea. Enjoy!

Apr19
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Life’s Tragedy

It may be misery not to sing at all,

And to go silent through the brimming day,

It may be misery never to be loved,

But deeper griefs that these beset the way.

To sing the perfect song,

And by a half-tone lost the key,

There the potent sorrow, there the grief,

The pale, sad staring of Life’s Tragedy.

To have come near to the perfect love,

Not the hot passion of untempered youth,

But that which lies aside its vanity,

And gives, for thy trusting worship, truth.

This, this indeed is to be accursed,

For if we mortals love, or if we sing,

We count our joys not by what we have,

But by what kept us from that perfect thing.

Paul Laurence Dunbar

What’s Cooking This Week

Today’s theme is imperfection, striking a balance and appreciating what you have. Leading a lifestyle that is devoid of the very common foods is very much all those things especially when it concerns convenience and socialization. When you’re in the very beginning of just having discovered that certain foods do not agree with your body or may even be extremely harmful, you inevitably go through a period of loss not only grieving over the very foods you can’t imagine your life without but also over some perceived lost connections and a lonely life void of any socialization.

In fact, none of these should necessarily happen, you can continue enjoying the dishes you love, but with certain substitutions and modifications. And you certainly do not have to give up your friendships, going out and continue visiting any social outlets you did before (but with some preparations).

Once going gluten free, dessert could be the most challenging part of any social outing, but really it doesn’t have to be. You can come prepared and enjoy it as much as the rest of you company.

Quinoa cookies by Andean Dream is my “to-go” dessert, it’s all natural, gluten free and vegan (and absolutely delicious :) ). It comes in two flavors, chocolate or orange, both are great, and each cookie is individually wrapped so they stay fresh. I usually carry a couple of these cookies in my purse, and any time there’s a spontaneous outing or even a planned party, I’m well-prepared and do not feel like I’m missing out on something when dessert time comes. Hope you enjoy them too!

Apr17

The New Beginnings

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As the world was celebrating Easter holiday a week ago, our family gathered together to celebrate “the new beginnings” of a different sort, an anticipated arrival of a new baby, aka food galore and baby gifts and games ad nauseam, otherwise known as…

My “baby” cousin and his lovely wife are expecting a baby boy next month (which makes me slightly nostalgic as my own boy was also born in May, but not nostalgic enough not to rejoice in the fact that, thanks God, those baby days are finally over :) )

Don’t get me wrong, I’m very happy for my cousin and the whole family. Apparently we’re a bunch of only children keep producing only children themselves. So any new baby is a tiny miracle by any means! And I sincerely hope that at least one of my cousins will break the family “spell” and will have 2 or maybe even 3 children, the “baby” of the family looks young and strong and totally capable of undertaking this task!

The day was truly lovely, the weather was gorgeous, and I was kind of in a mellow mood. My own baby shower was at the exact same time in the beginning of April but 15 year ago.

Did you think you were going to see a picture from my baby shower?! No way I’m posting something as ridiculous as me wearing a hat with all those paper gift ribbons they make you wear as a “token of appreciation” for all the baby goodies you got. It must’ve been the pregnancy hormones that made me “soft in a head” and agreeable to this kind of torture. Maybe one day I’ll just Photoshop the stupid hat out of the pictures so I can at least have a presentable image of myself for the kid’s “memory box”.

But first about my cousin, who I used to babysit during summers and winter vacations, and who, once he reached the age when he realized I’m not really a grown-up, turned to various torture techniques, one of which was to wake me up early in a morning by crashing a toy truck through my scalp. I hold him fully responsible for any “head issues” I currently possess or will turn up with in the future. And since he is now a doctor, he will “reap what you saw” at the end, as I’ll march right into his office demanding free medical care :)

The party was unisex, so both women and men were in attendance (that’s right, we don’t get to be in this condition on our own), but after a few “hellos” and some bites to eat, all men cleverly disappeared into the basement leaving the women to be slowly drowned in a “sugar coma” from all the baby gifts.

There were plenty of these

But I was trying to concentrate on these ones :)

By no means, I’m not a “baby hater”, but I fully embrace my own kid’s abilities to feed, dress, wipe and get himself to school. Plus if he happens to be up at 2 am, I actually don’t have to. And since he was  first a colicky and then a  mischievous baby, I shudder at the very thought of repeating the experience. If nothing inside you stirs that “awwwwe” longing, and you pray that no “baby fever” contamination rubs on you accidentally, that’s when you feel you’re totally “done”, and one kid seems like enough of a headache and sleepless nights for a lifetime (oh I still love him :) ) Babies and I are just in different life stages now. And I’m fully OK with that!

What Was Cooking For The Party

Lots of different things, and since I also had to work that weekend, I was glad I didn’t have to think about dinner :)

At a Russian party, you’re never a foot away or 5 minutes in between some kind of food offering. The trick is always to try everything yet manage not to feel like you’ve just gained at least 10 pounds and an end-stage emphysema. You just have to pick your battles.

I started with these, we’re all sushi wh***s :)

With a side of some of these :)

 Then I loaded up on different kinds of these

 Couldn’t pass by some lamb pilaf though :)

And then dessert was served

 Luckily, I could still breathe!

And as we crossed the bridge to go back home, I truly felt that I’ve crossed over from “babyland”, and there is no going back. But that is how life sometimes is, it’s sweet and salty and with some bitter undertones. Just like a Russian shmorgasbord!

Apr15

Happy Easter, The Russian Style!

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As the most of the US breathed a sigh of relief after a week-long Passover and Easter celebrations, Russians and other Slavic and Eastern European ethnicities were still very busy greeting Orthodox Easter today. It generally comes a week after Western Easter, though some years both holidays can share the same Sunday.

Easter holds a very special spot among my childhood memories as it was the only religious holiday that was recognized (though unofficially) and allowed to be celebrated in the Soviet Union (again, unofficially, but nobody would stop you if you decided to visit a church on Easter Sunday). Unfortunately, faith was not that merciful to Christmas in the Soviet Ukraine where I grew up, it was not widely celebrated or even remembered. All and any traditions somehow associated with Christmas were “transferred” to the New Year holiday, we had a Christmas tree, gifts and family celebration on New Year’s Eve. I guess by some bizarre calculations, Soviet officials allowed for Christ to be “crucified and resurrected” but not to be “born”. But since very few rules made any sense then anyway, we never questioned this disparity.

Russian Easter is traditionally celebrated with a special Easter bread, called “kulich”, somewhat similar to Italian Panetonne bread, but lighter in texture and a bit sweeter, often glazed with sugar icing and rainbow sprinkles. Easter breakfast calls for a slice of “kulich” and an Easter egg, traditionally colored in either soft pastels or some religious pictures. Since I can’t eat neither ”kulich” (and I wouldn’t even attempt making any gluten free version) nor eggs, all I could do to just admire the creation. Luckily, my family filled the gap made for my portion :)

A typical Russian dinner table is never complete without some traditional staples. Like caviar. I know not everybody is a fan of it, but since we are spoon-fed the stuff (often, forcefully :) ) since we are born, we have no choice but to like it. A good quality caviar should taste only slightly salty and should not have a strong fishy smell and look “slimy”, each caviar egg should be firm and distinctly separate from the others creating kind of a ”burst-in” feeling once you bite into it. If you had anything else but this, maybe that’s why you didn’t like caviar because it wasn’t really fresh. The more expensive and rare caviar comes from sturgeon such as Beluga, Ossetra or Sevruga, the eggs are typically small to medium in size ranging in color from pale grey to black. Salmon or Trout caviar (or roe) usually produce bigger eggs and are generally pale to bright orange-red color. Russians just call the two types of caviar simply “black” and “red”. Spurgeon caviar is a “holiday occasion” due to its higher price, but “red” caviar is a very frequent “guest” in my fridge, holidays or not. Oh, and what else a typical Russian table needs? Of course, good vodka! :)

 

 

What’s Cooking This Easter Sunday

If caviar and vodka are the most typical fair at any Russian table, beets have to be the most Russian vegetables. I already posted in my borsch recipe that I think beets are often considered weird and inedible, and very unjustly so. It’s sweet, mild in texture and full of good nutrients. And beets salad is a very frequent occurence at any Russian gathering, right along vodka and caviar :)

Russian Beets Salad

2 small beets, cooked and peeled

1/4 cup golden raisins

1 glove of fresh garlic

fresh dill, chopped

mayo to taste

salt, pepper, spices ( I used Herbamare blend)

Grate cooked and cooled off beets with a large grater. Press garlic clove through a garlic press into the beets mixture, then add chopped herbs. Soak raisins in warm water for a couple of minutes, drain and add to the salad. Mix in salt, pepper, spices and mayo till you’re satisfied with the taste. Serve chilled, it’s good as a salad or even a dip. Some variations of “add-ins” include, chopped nuts and/or prunes, grated green apple, or fried onions. Enjoy!

Apr13

There Is No Cure Like Home Food

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After several days spent in a hospital, I’m finally home and ready to re-integrate life again, but slowly :)

And nothing feels more like home than your favorite home cooked food. Especially after several unsuccessful “face-offs” with some hospital choices. It’s a common knowledge that hospital and airplane food are pretty much equally awful, but this time around, I think hospital food is a definite contender for the most inedible offering.

I did have some entertainment though, three times a day I got to play “name that food” game, and I was only right on fruit and beverages (that’s all I could possibly have there anyway).

Granted, feeding me is trickier than feeding a picky toddler, with all the gluten/dairy/eggs/soy restrictions, but deep inside me I was still hoping for some spark of common knowledge and nutrition-specific education among the dietetic department staff. I was wrong. Each and every meal came with some kind of food item that contained either of the four groups I can’t eat, it’s like there are no other foods on the planet that don’t come either breaded, smothered in cheese, butter or gravy, and there are no protein choices other than milk and eggs.  So, I guess whoever was assembling my meals, was really having fun with it. As if the orders say “no gluten (wheat/barley)”, I could get a rye toast (but it didn’t say rye!!!). Or for no dairy order, I was consistently given Lactaid milk (people, no lactose does not automatically mean no dairy!). On a third day, I finally stopped getting any bread, but all those unrecognizable meat choices were drowned in some kind of gravy (like that would make the meal more appetizing!). I was pissed and also purely entertained by the total ignorance and apparent lack of common professional knowledge (and a total indifference I’d also add) of people who are supposedly in a “diet and nutrition” field.

But of course, I didn’t starve, my mom was diligently supplying me with allergen free and most definitely edible food choices :)

What’s Cooking This Week

The first thing when you get home after a hospital stay is to have some nice homemade meal, but nothing too time consuming or complicated as you still feel kind of “off” and need to spend a bit more time resting. Yet you don’t have to compromise on a taste and the “hominess” of the food. Zucchini pancakes could be a perfect combination of all factors. I make them pretty often as they are quick and versatile, could be a nice breakfast or lunch food or even an appropriate side dish. Of course, I make them gluten/dairy free but you can substitute GF Bisquick for a regular one and use milk instead of water and sour cream instead of mayo (though I love mayo because it gives an extra zing to it). I don’t eat eggs in their pure form, but I can tolerate them in mayo or when they are “baked-in”. Also, I often buy European mayo as only egg yolks are added (as it’s supposed to be), which I could tolerate much better than egg whites. If not, I like Hain Foods Safflower Mayo, it’s all natural and doesn’t contain soy oil. I also tried this Magic Seasoning Salt and thought it was pretty good :)

Zucchini Pancakes

1 large zucchini, grated

3/4 to 1 cup GF (or regular) Bisquick (depending how thick you want the batter)

1 tbspoon of mayo (or sour cream)

1/2 cup water (or milk)

1 egg

seasoning to taste

Combine grated zucchini, water(milk) and mayo (sour cream), season as desired and taste if you want to add more seasoning. Once satisfied, add a beaten egg and Bisquck, I suggest adding it in small portions to see how thick the batter gets. Mix everything well, heat up a frying pan with a few spoons of oil and drop a spoonful of batter to form each pancake, you may flatten them a little once they are in a pan. Fry on each side until golden brown, serve immediately. Makes about 12-16 small pancakes. Use whatever toppings or sauces you like, I prefer them with scallions and honey-mustard sauce. Enjoy!