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Going Meatless: One Step at a Time

Mar 26

Posted by admin in cookbooks, cooking, gluten-free, healthy eating, lifestyle, vegan | 2 Comments

As more chefs talk about Meatless Mondays and adapt their menus into mainstream choices for vegetarians and vegans, it becomes easier for home chefs to follow this creative path toward healthier living. There have been an explosion of books that touch on part of this universe, but one of the latest, The Healthy Voyager’s Global Kitchen by Carolyn Scott-Hamilton makes the process easily achievable. Her philosophy about plant-based recipes takes the anxiety out of making recipe changes.

She begins with a kitchen initiation course which helps anyone who is considering trying these recipes (150 of them) not be overwhelmed by product substitutions. She devotes several pages to the new vocabulary that is inherent in a plant-based approach. For instance a product called seitan may prove to top the list of unfamiliarity, but may become a true protein friend. A lot of people complain that they cannot find the right substitutions for beans and rice, but Scott-Hamilton explains the basics of making easy changes.

Those who are looking for gluten-free choices or who avoid soy will have little trouble managing this new recipe guide as she explains the simple purchases that translate one of her basic recipes into a relevant one for that food requirement. Which recipes do the trick? Let’s look at just a few that are appealing to the masses. Name a country or a region of the world and she has developed an easy-to-follow recipe that will quickly convert you into a fan.

For instance if you’re worried you’ll miss croissants, no fear there’s the Buttery Croissant recipe that calls for vegan heavy cream which is available in markets or by following her recipe for a homemade version. Wiener Schnitzel comes to life by ursing coconut oil for frying and seitan as the meat substitute. She even includes a Kugel recipe with silken tofu working with the potatoes to make a dish that will fool many a traditional kugel lover.

The list goes on but the strongest takeaway remains that a plant-based diet is achievable with the help of a recipe collection such as this. The shopping lists and product descriptions are well spelled out.

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Try Out These Food Trends

Dec 12

Posted by admin in beverages, cooking, dining out, food universe, gluten-free, healthy eating, lifestyle, news, restaurants | 1 Comment

The lists keep on rolling in as food trends are an easy exit discussion for 2011 and a hopeful wish into 2012.

A Mintel survey indicates we’ll be thinking more about “home” even at quick service and fast food restaurants. They anticipate this restaurant tier to start using more “comfort” words in menu descriptors. They also expect significant growth in this market space. “Homespun” goodness will pervade menus implying that careful preparation is at work in the kitchen regardless of the restaurant’s price point! Other prospective trends include:

–Regional foods will win over the menu as more restaurants work to bring in popular dishes from areas well-known for their specialties, such as Memphis Barbecue.

–Menus will have a section devoted to healthier dishes with lower-calorie foods. This concept will become more prevalent across price points.

–Restaurants will move more to customized ordering systems to give consumers more dining options that they will be able to impact.

Not to be left behind when we talk of trends, The National Restaurant Association surveyed 1,800 chefs, members of the American Culinary Federation, to get their input for their list, “What’s Hot in 2012.” Here are some headliners with the word “local” making its way into 3 of the top 10 trends:

–Locally sourced meats and seafood, and locally grown produce. A little further down the trend list is locally produced wine and beer.

–”Healthy” makes its presence felt with healthful kids’ meals, whole grain items in kids’ meals, and Gluten-free/food allergy-conscious items.

They see a continuation and growth of food trucks, the continued importance of the farmer in bringing products to market, and more fruit and vegetable side dishes on kids’ menus.

What’s interesting about these lists is the greater emphasis on product sustainability. It appears our emphasis is more on the practical, rather than the outlandish: All trends that have a chance of surviving and becoming more commonplace rather than single shots at fame.

Fun to follow these concepts as many are homespun ideas that have already had an impact on our food universe.

 

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‘Tis that Time: Food Trend Outlook

Dec 7

Posted by admin in cooking, dining out, food universe, lifestyle, news, restaurants | 1 Comment

The best part about early December articles is watching everyone trip over himself trying to figure out the “definite” food trends for the coming year. Today we look at two such lists, and then we’ll have plenty of time to revisit and watch. Maybe we should start with a startling fact: Eating out is now cheaper than cooking at home. Think about that a little and you’ll understand the issues facing all food purveyors. Food costs have skyrocketed, over 6%, but most restaurants are afraid to spike prices. They favor a little less food on the plate. Hey, not a problem, we have the obesity issue to contend with anyway. So watch your dollars and follow the trends.

According to Andrew Freeman, (Andrew Freeman & Co) a great food guru with a major hospitality background, this is the year of  the potato. No complaints from me as potatoes have been my friend for years. He says expect to see menus wrapped around the food such a:

–French Fry Menus: Choose Your Cut, Color, Sauce (like the French Fry Menu at Jasper’s Corner Tap & Kitchen in San Francisco)
–Mashers with Mix-ins
–Custom Cut Chips and You-Pick Dips

Or, Grilled Cheese, which he calls the next burger as in:

–Signature Sandwiches
–Gourmet Interpretations, Creative Variations, Old-Time Classics
–Artisan Ingredients (or Not), or:

Produce-ing Desserts, Vegetable Desserts

–Experimentation with Flavors
–Innovative Creations Combine Savory and Sweet

They, of course, have numerous additional ideas and let you look back at prior food trend lists to see how well they did!

Supermarket News approaches the food trend list from an entirely different perspective and lists the number 1 trend which will impact everything as food prices. They do not believe prices will lessen much as production costs continue to increase, but they see grocers coming up with clever ways to entice the consumer including bonus points getting used toward lay-away programs for bigger purchases as coupon use continues. They expect to see more grocers joining the “farm to fork” philosophy as food origin has become an important factor in purchasing. Likewise, they expect grocers to cater more to the largest population of shoppers, the baby boomers, 76 million of them, “will control 52% of the total $706 billion spend on groceries by 2015 – making them the largest food influencers and purchasers.”

Regardless of which approach you follow, that of a marketer or that of a purveyor, in looking at upcoming trends, be certain that food issues will continue to dominate headlines.

 

 

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A Princess Needs to Eat

Nov 8

Posted by admin in beverages, cookbooks, cooking, food universe, grocer, lifestyle | No Comments

If there was a single consistent theme around Halloween, it seemed that most every young girl was some sort of a princess. Maybe a fairy princess came to your door or you saw a frog princess; there were princesses in every guise. Now the big concern is the princess party; it will take more than a few cupcakes. (The author tackled the single cupcake idea in an earlier cookbook!) Not to worry, for the greater complexity of the princess theme, there is The Pink Princess Party Cookbook by Barbara Beery which has taken a simple concept and turned it into a themed adventure!

Instead of listening to whining about the type of princess party, you can turn this book over to the princess and see which direction the party motif takes as this book is written for young readers. Let them leaf through the options before you ever even get involved!

Depending on the season of the party or the pretend party, they can figure out which recipe will be perfect for all the princesses in attendance! Beery has the menu and party ideas all compacted together for the ultimate “P” party. Chapters are divided into the following themes: Snowflake, Spa, Garden Fairy, Mermaid, Enchanted Pony, and the most recognizable one, the Pink Princess party.  This book provides an opportunity to teach young children how to follow a recipe and understand basic measurement principles.

If you are thinking winter themed events then the snowflake one may be the perfect solution as Meringue Cookies will accomplish more than just a response to a themed party. What is not to like about learning how to make meringues! If it’s anxiety about a party favor, then Beery suggests going the rock candy route with a wearable, and edible, crystal candy necklace.

As long as there are princesses, there are opportunities for fun, adventure cooking.

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Time to Get Involved with Food Issues

Oct 23

Posted by admin in Administration, dining out, gardening, healthy eating, lifestyle, news, restaurants | No Comments

No one can be immune to the messages about food shortages or food deserts. A full range of food topics have managed to become front page news including problems with our food supply and food safety issues. Whether we are talking about obesity and its impact on the health of the nation or the lack of uniformity or good decision-making in our school lunch programs, we are talking food. Hunger statistics are staggering when we put these figures up against the placard that reads “World’s Greatest Nation.” Should there be millions of Americans in the bread line? These are food issues that affect everyone.

Solutions seem to be as prolific as the number of individuals offering advice. Now there is a strategy that everyone can employ and use wisely. Tomorrow, October 24 is the 1st National Food Day. What does that phrase really mean? In its most simple terms, it means, that there will be an emphasis on food issues throughout the country. Most cities have signed on with some sort of program and chefs, of course, are playing a significant role in the program.

What about the individual response? Yes, we can all get involved and do something. One day can make a difference. Support your local farmer. There are still plenty of farmstand markets bringing in the best of fall fruits and vegetables.  In some communities, individuals are helping plant a school garden so that young children can benefit from what is truly fresh. Restaurants are having a large variety of programs to bring in individuals and demonstrate how we can all pitch in and make a difference. Find a sustainable food project in your community and participate.

Yes, everyday can be a food day, but sometimes we need to pull back and think about how we can help others and create a stronger, better, more harmonious approach to food issues.  We can be a healthy nation.

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Hotels Respond to the Coffee Crunch

Sep 20

Posted by admin in beverages, coffee, cooking, lifestyle, news, restaurants, tourism, travel | No Comments

It seems no matter where you travel these days that hotels have heard the cry for decent coffee. In-room service has moved away from those suspect pots, which may or may not have been properly cleaned, to single shot service. Feels a little safer, cleaner, better. After all a package with an upscale signature such as Wolfgang Puck, can motivate you to at least try it. Maybe you’ll use two packets, but either way there’s a sense of security and control!

When you stay at a mid-tier property, and you hear the restaurant server explain that the coffee is “a little better, a little stronger, more like Starbucks,” you know what to expect.  Actually, it’s a matter of what the hotel company has heard: Stop pouring the weak stuff. I can water it down if it’s too strong, but it can’t work the other way. Whether changes were made due to consumer response or survey responses or just plain common sense, the reason remains less important than the reality. Starting the day, or in my case at any point of the day, with a decent cup of coffee makes a difference.

Maybe this is all part of the renewed and improved market for business travelers. Now that they are back on the road, it seems each of the hotel brands is ready to do some upscaling to grab that important market segment. With smart work from a hotel’s sales staff, leisure travel, likewise, has all the appearances of getting a bounce. If there are few other signs of economic improvement, these are noteworthy.

Not just the coffee service but the whole breakfast scene is being revitalized. The days of a sweet roll and a cup of coffee are moving further into the annals of hotel hopping. Hyatt just announced they are reworking their Summerfield Suites and rebranding them as Hyatt House, a brand that will offer a variety of comforting selections including made-to-order breakfasts. That feature is a big drawing card for almost any guest. From a hotel perspective, it’s a newly vital component of the brand message. Look at how well the Bistro concept works for the Courtyard franchise.

If you are paying over $500 a night for a room, your concerns include a good quality restaurant with a menu that addresses a wide-range of tastes and allows for substitutions. Yet if your stay is more moderate as in the under $200 a night category, a made-to-order breakfast becomes a positive plus in overall decision-making. The word “complimentary” has a smart marketing ring to it!

A decent cup of coffee and a hot breakfast are two important trends making their way through the moderate, mid-priced hotel industry. All segments of the traveling public seem responsive to this type of positive change. Now just stop charging for wi-fi and you’ve got a friend!

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Is Wheat Killing Us?

Sep 14

Posted by admin in food, food universe, gluten intolerant, health, healthy eating, lifestyle | No Comments

Health foods and health fads. Fad diets and weight-loss programs. Those are all strategies we undertake to come to grips with eating behavior and habits. Now along comes a book that throws many of our recent theories into a topsy-turvy state. We thought it was good to eat whole wheat bread. We believed we were doing our bodies a favor with going for the multi-grains.

Wheat Belly by William Davis throws us a curve when he says that our blood sugar is getting a spike from our increased use of whole wheat bread. Wait, it gets more frightening: Eating 2 slices of whole wheat bread is equivalent to drinking a can of sugar-sweetened soda. Wait. This was not the intended consequence.

Sugar was something we were trying to avoid as elevated blood sugar leads to a whole category of diseases such as diabetes. Davis goes on and details how wheat creates the visceral fat layer that is responsible for an increased risk of breast cancer. Were we not moving the family to whole wheat products, assuming they did not suffer from a gluten intolerance or even Celiac, for positive health results? Now all of a sudden we are out in left field having been advocates for a less than healthy path for our families.

The problem quite simply is that the wheat we eat today is not the wheat of earlier times.  In Davis’s words, the wheat has been “hybridized,” basically, overbred or, are we overbread? That process raises blood sugar and kicks up insulin levels. This resembles a sugar rush as one is often hungry within a few hours and the taste itself has an addictive quality, much as all sweets we savor.

Switching to whole wheat products created a conundrum: You thought you were doing something wonderful for your body but instead you were complicating matters and creating negative, rather than positive, results. One cannot help but ask if the number of people who now recognize that they are gluten intolerant are responding to this wheat intake.

The ultimate point is that wheat for whatever reason increases visceral fat (belly fat) which is associated with a range of negative health issues such as diabetes and heart disease. The cover of the book strikes the message with its stacked bagels which of course are fattening in and of themselves but Davis says, “Lose the wheat. Lose the weight.”

We know for a certainty that visceral fat has negative health consequences. Likewise diabetes numbers continue to spike. This may be the approach: Eliminating the wheat may be the simplest diet plan to follow.

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A Chef and A Zebra

Aug 22

Posted by admin in cooking, food universe, gardening, healthy eating, lifestyle | 1 Comment

With farm markets bursting with product and flavor, it’s time for you to join the cars at the side of the road and become a chef. After all not all chefs deal with major food companies who arrive at their back door with a week’s worth of supplies. Sure that’s fine for paper towels, but produce and meats. Nope.
You can be a modern-day chef who visits a garden or works with a farmer and makes his meals based on what’s in market or at the stands. Now’s the time to practice creativity and elevate the basic recipes as you try fresh-picked possibilities.  Emails are overflowing with peach teasers as the East Coast bounty is turning the basic peach lover into a peach canner or at least one who freezes slices for smoothies. Of course, tomatoes are filling baskets and corn readies itself for new grill recipes. Here’s a simple trick: Wash, husk corn, and put it on the grill. Let it make its popping sound; turn, and repeat til kernels beg to be eaten. The sounds of summer.
What’s stopping you? The answer should be: Nothing. The produce is so fresh, brimming with an aura of jus’ picked begging for your attention. This is what a chef who markets does. Chefs, sous chefs, or even line cooks who are on a mission buy the freshest items possible. That’s how a daily menu works. Sure there are plenty of stand-bys, but daily specials thrive in a market environment. Home cooks can do it; it’s not that hard. Shop, talk to the produce stand people, and hit “Epicurious” for strategies. Time to be creative.

Here’s a simple exercise: Zebra heirloom tomatoes, small yellow potatoes, pickling cukes, corn beggin’ to be husked, and peaches of every size and variety (try the new darling donut peach). Add a protein and your bounty meal is bursting with flavor. However you dance the ingredients, they are ready for your creative tong.

Now’s the time to practice. The market waits for no one.

 

 

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Riding the Popularity Bandwagon–The G-F Driver

Aug 15

Posted by admin in gluten-free, health, lifestyle, news, shopping | No Comments

Who could have imagined a year ago that Gluten-Free products would top the popularity charts. This is not a trend but a reality of marketing. G-F products, of course, are needed by those with celiac disease but have become a preferred choice for many other individuals who recognize how much better they feel when they eliminate the flours that cause distress. Grocers, restaurants, big chains, and even small cafes have figured out how they can capture some of this market.

The Bloomberg Businessweek issue for August 15-28 has a great cover shot for the “Popularity Issue” and inside awards its top spot to the Gluten-Free Diet which they say is being driven by those with celiac disease and the 15% of consumers who purchase these products and “help create a $2.6 billion market.” What has happened has occurred with an ease that often does not accompany most product rollouts which can be slow and focused on test markets. Now, big name manufacturers are vying for space alongside the stalwart G-F leaders such as Bob’s Red Mill and Udi’s. When you see 2 loaves of Rudi’s G-F multigrain bread at Costco you see a sea change, and a price drop. Let’s see, 2 loaves at the big box for about half the cost of a single one at the regular store!

The race is on.

More grocers are demonstrating their understanding of the growing numbers by integrating the G-F product line rather than isolating it into a small corner of the store. Sure shelves are often still marked with flip signs indicating a G-F product, but even that has somewhat lessened as consumers recognize the product labeling with the GF symbol. We’ve talked plenty about how obvious products are now quick to boast of their new popularity status. Lea & Perrin’s Worcestershire Sauce remains my best go-to example, but the Chex family should not get excluded from their big bold banners. Wait, now Rice Krispies has the bold banner.

If you think you’ve seen a lot of GF products at the grocers and been passed GF restaurant menus, you’ve barely scraped the surface. Who wouldn’t want to be part of this impressive marketing action?

Not a trend, but a lifestyle choice with a wide arena for traditional companies to make the jump into the G-F universe! Expect to see more such gotcha labels.

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Food Survival Strategies

Jul 27

Posted by admin in beer, cookbooks, cooking, food universe, healthy eating, lifestyle | No Comments

It’s hot. Ugly hot. Wanna eat a big meal? No way. What’s the solution?

How ’bout several small meals? Maybe even more than three! That’s the strategy behind the new book of 400-calorie recipes. The complete title: 500 400-Calorie Recipes. The title goes on to say “Delicious and Satisfying Meals That Keep You to a Balanced 1200-Calorie Diet So You Can Lose Weight without Starving Yourself.” Yes, that’s a true mouthful but one that you can take in small bites.

The basic philosophy is quite simple: Don’t stuff yourself. Make small meals; gain more energy and in the process maybe you’ll cut down on the starved sensation and lose some weight. Nothing wrong with the theory which enables you to meet your daily needs but to get there in smaller portions instead of one gluttonous, over-indulgent experience. Here’s the plus: You won’t feel weighted down. Seriously. A recent report on the importance of portion control (“Healthy Eating Strategies by Generation”) from the NPD Group attests to the fact that consumers are aware of the healthy lifestyle benefits. This book clearly spells out a simple life plan that is easy to incorporate.

The strategy is quite simple. Recipes focus on nutrient-dense and low-calorie ingredients that you can eat amply and pair with smaller portions of more filling foods such as grains or beans. Author Dick Logue works with each meal part and gives recipes that say, how about substituting this and saving the calories. For instance, after a complete chapter of what he calls traditional breakfast dishes, he revisits breakfast with “New Ways to Think about Breakfast,” a chapter that is less egg-centric and more focused on introducing other vegetables into the breakfast meal such as eggplant, a handy substitute in a frittata. An egg substitute product is used generously in a number of recipes.

Here’s a sampling of calorie light recipes that might get your creative juices flowing again during the upcoming heavy weather-laden month:

–Italian Dinner Salad–has a sense of the kitchen sink with its antipasto components complemented by chopped chicken breast. A great make-ahead selection.

–Beef Stew with Root Vegetables–the secret ingredient here is the addition of a dark beer! The recipe still comes in under 400 calories!

–Frozen Fruit Cups–now we’re talking: A non-ice cream freezer dessert that takes minutes to prepare and finishes off any meal.

Enough recipe teasers. The author likes the 500 concept as his prior books attest (500 High-Fiber Recipes, and 500 Low-Cholesterol Recipes. Let me say that 500 recipes can be a bit daunting but if you find a number of new possibilities, you’ll be way ahead of the game.

With its healthy focus, the thick book should keep you thinking and planning survival meals during the hot season and throughout the year.

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