Month: August 2012

Look Ma…

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One of my proudest accomplishments this summer is the fact that I read four books (and counting…).  This is actually a big step for me because I rarely read for pleasure.  I mean, why read when you can watch TV (kidding, sort of).  Since I did not have a TV in my summer apartment, I went old school and actually found some good books.

When I do read for pleasure I actually tend to stick to a lot of memoirs and biographies.  For whatever reason, I find solace in knowing that the stories being told are true.  This summer I read three non-fiction books, and I strayed for the last selection and read a novel.

First up was Bossypants by Tina Fey which was pretty funny.  It’s about her life growing up and the trials and tribulations of an aspiring comedy writer.  While it was really funny, I was slightly put off by the overwhelmingly self-deprecating tone. I was looking to this book for a little girl power inspiration and I just wanted to yell at her:  “You’re a super successful woman, get some confidence!”

Next up was a recommendation from my mother: Tender at the Bone by Ruth Reichl who is a famous food writer/reviewer/chef  type person.  This was pretty good, and I enjoyed reading about her crazy life and career path, but there was a little bit of a disconnect for me.  While I connected to her interest in food, she grew up in the seventies which made for a much looser atmosphere.  She tells stories about traveling abroad on whim and living with her husband in a house in California with five other people who come and go as they please.  These are situations that would either not fly today, or I’m too Type A and they freak me out.  I get the nostalgia aspect, but I can’t really relate to that time period.I picked up Jeneration X in Target one night, sort of out of desperation for a new book.  I was pleasantly surprised with this one.  I’m unfamiliar with the author Jen Lancaster, but apparently she has written several books.  This book is a collection of short vignettes about her life, and little funny lessons she has learned as she is becoming an adult.  I could definitely relate to a lot of the stories, because I’m experiencing many similar lessons myself.  I think as an adult you have various experiences where you have to make real personal decisions and it’s great to find the confidence to make the right decision for yourself, regardless of the trends.  It’s nice and light hearted, I’m thinking about tracking down some of her other books.

Girls in Trucks is the wild card because it’s fiction!  I really stumbled upon this one by chance.  I was looking at Miss Bibliophile‘s weekly Friday post with a bunch of fun links.  She had a link to a website that recommended this book.  I promptly ordered it from BN and picked it up at the store.  I thought is was pretty good.  I liked it because it was similar to a memoir even though the point of view changes a few times.  It’s basically about a Southern girl growing up, moving to NYC, and deciding both consciously and unconsciously what Southern traditions to honor or ignore.

Hopefully I’ll get in one more book before it’s back the B-school literature…

What good books have you read this summer?

Vegan Adventures

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I’m constantly trying to justify my sweet tooth by finding recipes and baked goods that provide some healthy attribute, or aren’t completely sinful.  Though vegan recipes are not completely guilt free, they often offer nutritional benefits, and remove some level of guilt.

I found this below recipe when I was surfing through a few blogs online.  It intrigued me because it included some of my favorite ingredients: oats, peanut butter, and bananas.  What could go wrong?

At the end of the day I think these cookies are good snacks but I would not put them in the category of a crave-able treat.  They are not super sweet, and though the PB and banana add to the taste, they aren’t particularly exciting.  I think these would be best enjoyed as an energy booster when you would otherwise grab a granola bar.  And in the future I would also consider adding some mix ins like chocolate chips (obvi not vegan), nuts, or dried fruit.

Vegan Banana Maple Cookies

Adapted from Pumps and Iron

Yields about 20

Ingredients

  • 1 cup whole grain rolled oats
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  •  ¼ cup brown sugar (I added this because the batter was not sweet at all)
  • 1 banana
  • ¼ cup apple sauce
  • ¼ cup peanut butter
  • ¼ cup maple syrup
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • ½ tsp lemon juice
  • ½ tsp vanilla
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • 2 tbsp water

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 350.
  2. Mix wet and dry ingredients in separate bowls (brown sugar is a wet).
  3. Combine both mixtures.

    I resorted to a pastry cutter to mash it all together
  4. Spoon onto cookie sheets and bake 8-13 minutes.  The dough will not change shape much, so make sure they are the desired shape when they go into the oven.

Spice of Life

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When it’s time for dinner in my family we instinctually gravitate toward Italian food.  It’s seems kind of strange because no one in my family is Italian.  I’m from New Jersey which has a significant Italian American community, but my mother, who calls the shots in the kitchen, is from Maryland.  She did not grow up with all the Italian favorites she makes today.

Still, the go-to dinner in my family is a pasta dish with whatever veggies are fresh, and whatever meat we’re in the mood for.  When my parents recently took a trip to Italy, however, I knew they would be in Italian food overload.  My mom even e-mailed me towards the end of the trip and said she might be tired of gelato.  Sacrilege!

When they came home, I knew they would be craving anything but pasta, so I turned the tables and made them a spicy Mexican feast to welcome them home and revitalize their taste buds.

Tomatillos! The star of any Mexican “verde” dish!

This dish did the trick:

Chicken Verde Chili

From Sweet Savory Planet

Makes about a gallon

Ingredients

  • 1.5 to 2 lbs of skinless chicken breasts
  • 1.5 of boneless chicken thighs or the equivalent
  • 2 medium onions, chopped
  • 2 stalks of celery, chopped
  • 1 to 2 serranos, minced (jalapenos can be used instead)
  • 2 large green chilies, roasted, peeled deseeded and chopped (4 oz canned whole roasted
    green chilies can be used)
  • 1 large poblano, roasted, peeled and deseeded and chopped
  • 3 to 4 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
  • 1 teaspoon of ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon of dried thyme or 1 tablespoon of fresh
  • 1 teaspoon of dried Mexican oregano
  • 1 Bay leaf
  • 1 1/2 lbs of tomatillos, peeled and pureed chunky
  • 4 cups of chicken broth
  • 1 can of (15.5 oz) cannellini or great northern white beans
  • 1/4 cup of chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 teaspoon of salt or to taste
  • Pepper to taste
  • Serve with cooked basamati rice or brown rice (optional)

Method

  1. Prep all your vegetables according to ingredients list above.
  2. Heat up a dutch oven or soup pot with a Tbs of oil.  Salt and pepper chicken and brown it on both sides in large pieces.  You will cook them through and cut them up later.  Set chicken aside.

    Mound of partially cooked chicken
  3. Throw the chopped onions and celery in the same pot and cook until soft.  Add chilis, herbs and spices.  Saute for two more minutes.  Add tomatillo puree and allow to heat through.  Add chicken stock and bring it to a simmer.

    It’s such a cute little Cuisinart!
  4. Chop or shred the chicken and add into the pot along with the rinsed beans.  Allow to simmer for 15-20 minutes.  Add cilantro and salt and pepper to taste.  Serve warm with whatever garnishes your heart desires.
    I forgot to snap a pick when it was plated, but here it is simmering with everything finally in the pot!

    Since this makes a nice big pot, my mother first lamented at my lack of regard for recipe size, and then froze and repurposed the leftovers into every variation imaginable: burritos, tacos, probably on top of some pasta…