Falling off the Bandwagon

"I refuse to spend my life worrying about what I eat. There's no pleasure worth foregoing just for an extra three years in the geriatric ward." -John Mortimer

We all do it, let's be honest. You have a hellacious week, and what you are putting into your mouth is the last thing on your mind. Welcome to the past week for me. I don't even want to admit the things I was eating, but, for the sake of fun and entertainment...let's do it. 

I don't know if I should start at the Happy Buffet where I ate a boatload of tempura and all things fried, or the number of stops at fast food joints. Happy FRIED February. Even as I sit here I am thinking about how great a bacon, egg and cheese biscuit from McDonald's would be right now. Gross. What is wrong with me?!?!

These are the weeks when I know I have to show myself a little grace. We all go there, the blipp off the radar. We fall off the bandwagon. We get off the beaten path. Ok, I'm sorry, that was a little overboard.

I didn't even get a single daggone blog in this week, and I know how much each and every one of you was waiting with bated breath for your email box to announce it. I even made a really really good Greek Chicken and Rice Soup which was killer. I'll add it, I promise.

Can I be forgiven? Thank you so very much. This week will be better. We all are so hard on ourselves when it comes to food and what we "should be eating" and how much and etc. DON'T be so hard on yourself all the time. Eat McDonald's that one day...trust me, you'll remember afterwards why you stopped eating it in the first place. 

On the topic of food and grace, I leave you with a visual of what I saw this week as I was coming out of the buffet. Imagine large duplex. One side was a sports bar and grill, and the other was a Christian preschool whose slogan was "We are here to serve." Now there's some food for thought....

no pun intended. :)

Enjoy the day!

Lindsay

Winter Yogurt Parfaits

It is Saturday morning and I laid in bed with my dog finished LOST, the final season. AMAZING. But....another wonderful addition to Saturday morning is my winter yogurt parfait. It is vital that you use fruit that is in season, or else it will have that out of season tartness that ruins your meal. Here's the other thing that I learned from a friend in college-a mug makes for a perfect bowl! I love my cereal or granola in a mug watching TV or kicking back in bed reading.

It's quite simple: you need 3 basic ingredients:

A good and hearty granola (I prefer Nature's Path Pumpkin Seed Granola)

Fresh sliced fruit (in the winter, I use kiwi often, since it is in season)

Fat-free yogurt  (I use FAGE 0% greek yogurt, but if you prefer the vanilla creamy yogurt, go for it!)

Just put a few dollops in the bowl. Sprinkle as much granola on top (I usually use half the serving size on the box). Then add fresh fruit. Sometimes, I even add walnuts, almonds, or dried fruit as well.

You don't need sugar if the fruit is in season. Give it a try, and see what you think. Anyone can make a parfait, but not everyone can make an AMAZING parfait. So hop to it and have a great weekend!

The greatest wealth is health. -Virgil

~Lindsay

Farmer's Sausage and Veggies

IngReDients

Chicken sausage with herbs and garlic (1 per person)

1 yellow onion, loosely chopped

1/2 green bell pepper, cut in strips

1/2 red bell pepper, cut in strips

Fingerling potatoes, multi-colored (2-3 per person)

2-3 cloves of garlic

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Salt 

Pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degress.

Put chopped ingredients into a bowl and toss in olive oil. 

Add salt and pepper. 

Bake for 30 minutes until potatoes and sausage is slightly browned.

Suggestions:

• Use any sausage you prefer.
• For even browning, spoon through the ingredients halfway through baking.

Enjoy!!

~Lindsay

Hilarious Food Photos

I came across a few food photos that make me laugh at their creativity. It's only Tuesday, so hopefully these will be a good pick-me-up. Enjoy!

Courtesy of The Crafty Crow

Courtesy of BlackEiffel

TV Dinner Cupcakes. That is so gross it's brilliant. 

Photo courtesy of FreeManFowards

 I can't help but chuckle at this one...

Courtesy of Comedy-Zone

Photo Courtesy of Humor Articles

Photo Courtesy of eBaum's World

I'd like to meet the person who has enough time to cut this orange peel.

Photo Courtesy of My Food Looks Funny

Photo Courtesy of Passive Aggressive Notes

I think that is a fantastic ending. Thanks for checking in!

~Lindsay

The Fairtrade Everyday Cookbook

As I was perusing the web this morning, I found a really great cookbook. But, then again,

 I am nuts about cookbooks.

  The Fairtrade Everday Cookbook has over 150 recipes from all over the world made from fairtrade foods. It looks really delicious, and who can't support fairtrade?

CLICK HERE for a sneak peek at the pages. I do not like buying cookbooks that don't have pictures, but this is a beautifully illustrated book. And, something very close to my heart, a very well organized cookbook.

Some recipes include the following:

• Lamb shanks with tomatoes, honey, cinnamon, and saffron
• Baked penne with dolcelatte cheese and radicchio
• Apricot and oat squares
• Green tea chicken with lemon rice
• Prawn and mango ceviche

I was beyond excited to come across this find. It's always wonderful to find something that combines food and compassion. Hope you enjoy!

~Lindsay

Favorite Food Quotes

"A fruit is a vegetable with looks and money. Plus, if you let fruit rot, it turns into wine, something Brussels sprouts never do." P. J. O'Rourke

”A clever cook can make good meat of a whetstone.” Erasmus

"A cook is creative, marrying ingredients in the way a poet marries words." Roger Verge

McDonalds announced it’s considering a more humane way of slaughtering its animals. You know they fatten them up and then kill them. You know the same thing they do to their customers, isn’t it?- Jay Leno

"A dessert without cheese is like a beautiful woman with only one eye." Anthelme Brillat-Savarin

"A good dinner is of great importance to good talk. One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well." Virginia Woolf

I like rice. Rice is great if you’re hungry and want 2000 of something. -Mitch Hedberg

"A house where neither wine nor welcome is served to friends, soon will have none." Rob Hutchison

"A pâté is nothing more than French meat loaf that's had a couple of cocktails." Carole Cutler

Candy Corn is the only candy in the history of America that's never been advertised. And there's a reason. All of the candy corn that was ever made was made in 1911. -Lewis Black

Vegetarian - that's an old Indian word meaning "lousy hunter."  ~Andy Rooney

The Art of a Good Pantry

I have lived alone for the past 3 years, and one of my favorite things about that is keeping and maintaining a pantry. Growing up, I lived with a pantry that had anything you could hope for in one place...it was a walk-in closet! However, as I have embarked on my own life, and loved every minute of living in 550 sq. feet, I have come to realize what is truly important and essential to a kitchen, and how to be as efficient as possible.

Not only does it save you money to keep an efficient kitchen, but it also eliminates waste, something that is very important to me. I like to use every morsel of food that I bring into my kitchen, because I know there are others out there that do not have the luxuries that so many of us do. Plus, who likes cleaning out the fridge?? It can get gross. 

Also, when you stop stocking a pantry just to look like you have food, you can buy better quality food. One of the most comforting things is coming home and opening up my pantry and seeing GOOD food instead of a mass quantity of crap. Half of which you and I never eat. A good pantry can encourage better budgeting, more space, and a better diet.

I'd like to share with you a few things I always keep in my pantry and fridge:

PaNtRy

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Good quality balsamic vinegar

Sundried tomatoes

Nature's Path Granola

Kashi Cinnamon Harvest

Black Beans

Shallots

Long-noodle pasta such as Spaghetti, Angel Hair, or fettucine

Shorter noodle pasta such as ziti

Basmati Rice

Low-sodium chicken broth

Maldon Sea salt

Fresh Garlic cloves

Marcona almonds

Loose leaf tea

Fresh honey

All-natural peanut butter

RefRigErAtoR

Greek yogurt

Organic Skim milk

Yellow squash

vegetable salad (I buy this in the prepared food section at the grocery)

At least 1 nice cheese: Mahon, Manchego, Parmesan, Goat Cheese, your choice

Lemon

Red Pepper

2 types of fruit

One green vegetable

Baby carrots

Cage free brown eggs

Hummus

So where do I get my food? Well, I buy a lot of my food from the local farmer's market. There are several reasons for this. First, the farmer's market is a fun weekly activity. You get to know the vendors as your friends. I had a woman who made soup mixes and would have special mixes set aside for me that she thought I would love. There is no grocery store that can replicate this type of relationship. 

Secondly, the food is fresher and tastes better. And thirdly, I have found there is barely any difference in price between farmer's markets and organic produce at the store. And, at times, I find it cheaper depending on the food.

Take a good hard look at your pantry. At any given moment, I want my pantry to be able to facilitate a small gathering of friends, a nice meal for myself, healthy snacks, or a few comfort foods when a girlfriend needs to talk. THAT is the purpose of a pantry....to enhance and encourage relationships through the kitchen. 

I hope you enjoyed this, and I also hope you begin to develop a good system so that your kitchen is a place of peace for you, and a place of grace for others. 

Be blessed,

Lindsay

Gladys and the Ladies

This past weekend, I was pretty exhausted and stressed out, to say the least. I kept thinking, "If only I could go across the hall to Gladys's apartment and share a cocktail with her and the ladies." Let me explain. When I first moved to DC, I was in an apartment in Alexandria, VA, and my 70 year old neighbor Gladys befriended me. Her door was across the hall from mine, and it always felt like I was visiting my grandmother.

Gladys and Me

I may look a little weird, but I love Gladys's look in the photo because she is such a hoot. You never know what insulting comment or pearl of wisdom is going to come out of her mouth next. Every Friday night, she invited her two closest friends, Lou and Dottie, over to have drinks. Or... "to get schnockered" as she would say. And they would. EVERY Friday. And I would join them. And occasionally, so would some of my friends because these ladies were far more enjoyable and fun than most people I knew.

Their drink of choice was vodka (Aristocrat to be exact) and tap water (to save calories). Now, I could NOT stomach vodka taps, so I used Sprite as my mixer. :) She served Goldfish, Helluva Good French Onion dip, Ruffles potato chips, and ordered a Domino's pizza with pepperoni. Every Friday. And they would dance to Bertie Higgin's hit, "Key Largo." Do you have an image in your mind? I hope it's half as good as the reality.

Here's a group breakdown:

Lou



Lou worked for a law firm in downtown DC and dresses to the nines. She has had a boyfriend for about 2 or 3 years whom she met at Civil War events, because that is her passion. She is demure and sweet, but has great insight. She is also a really fantastic cook.

Gladys

Gladys is off the wall and hilarious. She would give you the shirt off her back, and can make anyone laugh no matter what they are going through that day. Her husband Ronnie died when he was 49 and is buried in Arlington Cemetery, and Gladys has never looked at another man since then. She generally greets me with, "Gomer says hey!" and if she disagrees, will yell, "Oh turn blue!" She also strongly dislikes Dottie, but invites her anyways (which means she actually likes her...).

Dottie

 Dottie tells us she is in her 70s, but really she is in her 80s. We have no idea why she lies. She also likes to show her cleavage....we also don't know why. She can barely hear, and has a strange, "HUH?!" that she says after someone says something....because she really cannot hear anything. And she has NO idea that Gladys can't stand her.

The evening starts off well until Gladys begins to get irritated with Dottie because she can't hear. The following happens at least 10 times every Friday night:

Gladys: Tells some story and offers some insight
Dottie: Offers the same insight
Gladys: "I already said that, Dottie."
Dottie: "HUH?!?!"
Gladys: "I said, I already said that five times, Dottie!"

Gladys looks at me and rolls her eyes. "She's drives me crazy...she's deaf as a post!"
Dottie: "Huh?!"
Lou: Giggles but says nothing
Me: Dying laughing, but trying to help Dottie understand the situation.

Take a drink, and repeat 9 times throughout the evening.

The evening ends at 8 PM on the dot. It is a good time had by all.

I share this with you to say that you never know who you will meet and who will touch your life. I will NEVER forget these ladies or the love and laughs they shared with me. My grandparents were never involved in my life, and Gladys is the closest thing I have to a grandmother. Despite their idiosyncracies, or Dottie's deafness, they still show each other grace by showing up at the most important times in each others' lives. It may seem like they are mean to each other, and really, at times they are, but the love is felt when you are there.

Before Gladys, I didn't know how to relate to the elderly, and now, I realize the potential in a frienship with them. They are wise, they are funny, they are supportive, and they have experiences that will bring tears, laughter and depth to any situation. So if you have them, love on them. If you don't have them, find them!

In honor of Gladys, I'd like to end this post by saying,

TURN BLUE!

~Lindsay

Amazing Pasta on a Budget

How many of us are on a budget right now? When it comes to cooking gourmet, you may feel like you just can't afford it, but I am here to tell you that that is not necessarily true. While I was in college, I came up with one of my all-time favorite meals. I had an assortment of vegetables that didn't necessarily go together, but I figured I would put them in a pasta and see how it went.

What resulted was a meal that has been requested by family and friends over and over. And...it's made with vegetables that are usually in my fridge and pantry... so it is inexpensive yet delicious. Also, I have made this as one dish or to serve the entire family. It is an incredibly versatile meal since you can interchange all the ingredients. I hope you enjoy it and share with someone special.

Basic Ingredients that should always be used in this dish:

*Pasta  (It could be anything from spaghetti to ziti)
*Olive Oil
*Garlic cloves, chopped
*Shallots, thinly sliced (1 per person)
*Sea Salt
*Fresh Basil (or dried Italian Seasoning)

Optional Ingredients I used in this dish:
*Red Bell Peppers, cut into strips
*Yellow Squash, cut into whatever size pieces you prefer
*Sundried tomatoes (I prefer NOT in oil)
*Freshly grated or crumbled cheese (Mahon is my favorite, but Feta or Gorgonzola are also great)

Other Optional Ingredients that would compliment the dish nicely :

Asparagus            Prosciutto          Sweet Peas        Pancetta

            Corn              Green beans               Pine Nuts

Toasted Walnuts            Zucchini

 Be sure to have all the vegetables chopped up before you start since the vegetables will cook quickly.

 

 

Put 2 T olive oil in a skillet and add the shallots and fresh chopped garlic. Cook until shallots are tender.

Once the shallots begin to soften, add the red bell peppers as they will take the longest to cook.  

Next add the yellow squash, stir together and continue to saute on low-medium heat

If you are using dry spices, add them here. If you are using fresh spices, wait until it is plated. I like a LOT of spices, as you can see, so feel free to indulge or hold back depending on your preference.

 

Lastly, add the sundried tomatoes and continue cooking until the vegetables are to your liking.

The pasta is served!

• Spoon the vegetables over the pasta
• Lastly, add the crumbled or freshly grated cheese on top , as well as any fresh herbs you are using

SUGGESTIONS

1. Fresh herbs truly to make the flavor intense and rich, there is nothing better. 
2. Use a green vegetable if you have it in your fridge (i.e. asparagus, peas, zucchini). It makes the colors look really pretty, which is clearly the most important part)
3. You can use as many vegetables as you like
4. There are no specific amounts because this depends on how many people are eating, and what vegetables you enjoy. 
5. Yellow Squash is completely underrated. When cooked, it is incredibly sweet and flavorful, and I now add it in so many dishes. USE it. 

Until we eat again!

Lindsay

Millenium Development Goal #1

It is scary to realize 925 Million people worldwide do not have enough to eat (source: World Food Programme). In case you haven’t been paying much attention to international news in the past few years, the MONSTROUS project right now is the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs). They are eight anti-poverty goals to be accomplished by 2015, and here is a list of them:

As you can see, hunger is the MDG#1. If we were all being honest, the MDGs are like a recipe. The results of each goal will affect the success of the others, and in effect, the success of the entire project. Here’s why hunger is so important. With a meal, someone can be healthier, thus have more energy to go to school, get a job, be empowered, educate others, and promote economic growth. Hunger is a foundation for the other MDGs...hence it being #1.What is so beautiful is that the goals don't stop there- they create a stable balance in all areas of growth and development.

Kenyan girl. Photo courtesy of World Food Programme

The World Food Programme has created a Hunger Map to show the impact of hunger in every country throughout the world. It is a well designed map (and I LOVE the colors!), but also terrifying when you realize how detrimental hunger is to our global community. Take the time to check out the map because it is vital to know what we are fighting against, and what we are fighting for in these next few years.

World Food Programme is an amazing organization doing amazing things with their resources. Check out the rest of their website, it is a fantastic resource for each and every one of us to stay on task and to see the progress to eliminate poverty...starting with hunger.

Today, I am thankful for organizations like the World Food Programme who are an example of living grace to those in need of a simple meal. Enjoy the pictures, and check out their website to know how to get more involved. Also... here are a few pictures of hunger projects the World Food Programme is conducting around the world. All photos are courtesy of World Food Programme.

Children in Colombia awaiting their meal.

Beautiful Haitian girl with her meal. LOVE the smile!

Pakistani children sharing a meal. Gastronomy at it's best!

In Pakistan, a pile of food is created for flood victims.

~Linbrooke

Orange Almond Biscotti...with a side of good company

A year ago, my little Italian wonder (Ariel Alberti) introduced me to the wonderful recipe of Biscotti. We had travelled to Philly for a long weekend with her Aunt Michelle to continue a long tradition of holing up for the weekend, baking a ton, and drinking wine. It was the four of us, but this tradition started long ago when Michelle and her best friend, Anne, were in grad school.

Since funds were limited at that time, they decided to bake desserts for everyone in lieu of presents. Despite both of their incredible successes since then, the desserts have kept coming year after year. So when the snow started and we were stuck with each other all weekend, I was introduced to a wonderful tradition that I hope to keep with a group of gals for years to come.

This is a wonderful recipe for a group of people to try together as it is a little more complicated, but a lot of fun to make. Crack open a bottle of wine, put on some great music, and have a fantastic time. I also have gotten raves from everyone who has tried this particular recipe, and it is super delicious! Good luck!!!

Introducing my favorite....Orange Almond BISCOTTI.

 

 

 Ingredients

1 cup sugar                                             

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 T orange zest (the zest of 2 medium oranges)

2 eggs

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup slivered almonds, toasted and chopped

 DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cover cookie sheet with aluminum foil, then spread almonds on sheet. Bake for 8 minutes or until fragrant. 

 
3. On medium speed, beat sugar, butter, orange peel and eggs in large electric mixer bowl, or with a hand mixer.    

4. Slowly mix in flour, baking powder and salt. Then add the almonds last.

 5. Put the dough into a ball and place it on a new cookie sheet (ungreased). Divide dough in half, and shape each half into rectangle, as you see below.

 

 6. Now bake for 20 minutes (make sure toothpick comes out clean). Cool the biscotti for 15 minutes, then cut into 1/2-3/4 inch pieces, as you see below:

7. You will need 2 cookie sheets to bake the sliced biscotti. Bake for 15 minutes, then turn each piece over, and bake for an additional 5 minutes to get ideal golden color.

Removed from cookie sheet and let cool on a wire rack. Now, grab a cup of coffee and some friends and have a great day!!

Blog Update #1

There is no love sincerer 

than the love of food.

-George Bernard Shaw

Having started this blog over a month ago, I wanted to share my thoughts on the progress, challenges, and inspiration I have found. It's been a really fun ride thus far, and I thank you for sharing in that.

I have had several people ask me what my blog is about, and I would first direct you to the "About Me" page. I also would like to go a bit more in depth with you  here about where I'd like this blog to go in the future. Gastronomy of Grace is about my relationship with food, and how food has transformed my life, the lives of others, and the our relationships.

I will say this, if you are expecting a cooking blog, you will be sorely disappointed. If you are expecting every entry to be about hunger-fighting organizations, this is the wrong place. However, if you want to come to a place where I share with you the aspects of food and hunger that make me tick, stop on by and have a look.

I'll post anything from amazing ideas for gatherings, to the "ah ha!" moment I had while cooking pasta. In some way, shape or form, food will be involved in every post, just not always in a recipe. Does this make sense?  As I have written before, gastronomy is the study of culture and food. I want to convey how we can show grace in our culture through food. It can be grace towards ourselves, towards our friends and family or to a complete stranger.

I am sure that the path of this blog will grow to have a narrower lens, but for now, I am letting it take it's own path organically. For me, too much structure without the outflow of passion can create mediocrity in moments like this. So join with me, as this journey is as much about my readers as it is about me.

Thank you for your support!

~Linbrooke