They Draw and Cook

Hey guys!

I wanted to share this amazing website called They Draw and Cook. It is an international community of foodies and artists that create visual recipes that are a feast for the eyes! To give you a taste (ha!) for it, here is an illustration of a recipe for salad and soy sauce salad dressing by Rie Nicheco from Japan! 

If this is something you are interested in, I urge you to sign up!! it is a no obligation thing - all for fun, and if it is only to look at the amazing works of others, by all means do that!

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Gourmanda

Sugar in a Plastic Bucket, Doesn't that Sound Appetizing?

Here is a grotesque close-up 

Yesterday I was in Rite Aid on the check-out line to purchase some shampoo when I looked to my left and saw something truly horrifying. Appalling. Even sickening. Here it is:

 All I have to say is: what has our the world of food come to??? Who in their right mind would stroll into a drug store, see a plastic cylinder filled with wrinkly pastel floss and think, "That looks like something I want to put in my mouth!"

Yes, I have seen cotton candy before. Yes, I have eaten it. But tasting the melting sugary sensation only makes me want to spit it back out.

And you know what the best part is? In the yellow balloon on the container it reads "Fat Free". Like that makes everything better. Oh hooray! It's fat free! That makes up for the ALL THE SUGAR I AM SHOVING INTO MY BODY.

FACT: When something says its "fat free" it means that all the fat has been taken out and has been replaced with refined sugar to compensate for the lost flavor. Fat free is not a good thing.

We need to be schooled on the importance of food knowledge. No, not how many hot dogs one can eat in one sitting, no, not the price of a chocolate bar at Walgreens.

Nutrition facts of a tub of the cotton candy

Before you purchase one bucket of cotton candy, or any processed food item, ask yourself, "Do I know what is really in this?" Knowing where our food comes from. This is invaluable.


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Gourmanda

Zoodles: The new way to pasta!

Hello Gourmanda readers!

I am officially back and cracking my knuckles in preparation for a posting spree to make up for time lost while at camp!

For now I want to tell you all about the amazingly delicious recipe that I made last night using a combination of three recipes from three different resources all while accommodating three different tastes/diets!  I will call it Tomato and Almond Pesto Zoodles with Paleo Meatballs! 

Now before I give you the recipe, a quick explanation of "Zoodles." Zoodles are zucchini noodles made using a spiralizer. Many people following the Paleo or Raw Vegan diets opt to make this veggie pasta as a substitute for the real stuff, and claim that it tastes very similar! What makes zucchini a good substitute for pasta made from flour is that it has a similar look and texture and an almost bland taste that can be manipulated with ease using various sauces and spices.

After placing platters of this dish in front of my family of four, floating above the table were exclamations of "Ooh!" "Yum!" "This is delicious!" My father recently started to follow the paleo diet and he testified, "That was one of the best meals I have ever had! And I've eaten a lot of meals!"

I hope you enjoy this recipe and check out my girl "Fully Raw Kristina's" Youtube channel for more videos and recipes for zoodles.

Tomato and Almond Pesto Zoodles with Paleo Meatballs

Zoodle Ingredients and Equipment:

4 zucchini 8-10"long

A Spiralizer (I have one from Paderno)

Place the strands of zucchini in a colander. Toss with salt and let sit for 20-30 minutes. Rinse with running water, drain well, and pat dry with paper towels. 

Tomato Almond Pesto Ingredients and Equipment:

5 or 1.5 lbs plum tomatoes, halved
1 cup plus 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 cup almonds, toasted
1 clove garlic, chopped

1 cup of lightly packed basil

1/2 cup of almonds
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese*

Food Processor (I used one from Ninja)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place the tomatoes cut side up on a baking sheet and drizzle with two teaspoons of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and bake for one hour. Let cool to room temperature. Place the almonds and garlic into food processor. Pulse 3-4 times to roughly chop. Add the basil and pulse another 3-4 times. add the tomatoes and the remaining cup of olive oil and pulse until the tomatoes have broken down but some small chunks remain. The peso should retain a bit of texture. Stir in the Parmesan* and salt to taste.

Paleo Pesto Meatballs Ingredients and Equipment:

2½ pounds pastured lean ground beef or turkey

½ cup almond flour

1 large egg

1½ teaspoons kosher salt

¾ cup Tomato Almond Pesto

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine ground meat with almond flour, egg, salt and pesto. 
2. Roll the mixture into (golfball-sized) balls and place them in a pan

3. Cook each meatball until the sides are evenly browned

FINAL STEP: Combine zoodles, pesto, and meatballs in pot and let simmer for 1-2 minutes. 

serves 4 people

More yumminess to come!
Gourmanda

*Note: do not use Parmesan for Paleo dieters. 

Resources: theclothesmakethegirl.com "Basic Zucchini Noodles", Edible Vineyard Issue 22 "Pesto", everydaymaven.com 

FED UP!

On July 2nd I went to go see a new film with my family. This film is called Fed Up and it is an eye-opening, jaw-dropping movie that everyone needs to see. The film was produced by Laurie David and former news anchor Katie Couric and directed by Stephanie Soechtig.

Fed Up follows four different teenagers struggling with obesity who share their experiences. Ms. Couric, the narrator, then explains the science behind the growing epidemic and why it is worsening everyday. Many credible experts such as Michael Pollan, Mark Bittman, and Bill Clinton speak on different points throughout the movie as the point are illustrated using simple graphics and video clips.

"'Fed Up' is probably the most important movie to be made since 'An Inconvenient Truth,'to which it’s related in a couple of ways," said Mark Bittman in his article about the film (http://mobile.nytimes.com/2014/05/14/opinion/bittman-an-inconvenient-truth-about-our-food.html?referrer=&_r=0). "One of its producers is Laurie David, who also produced “An Inconvenient Truth.” Climate change, diet and agriculture are inexorably intertwined; we can’t tackle climate change without changing industrial agriculture, and we can’t change industrial agriculture without tackling diet."

What I learned from the movie is this: Sugar is the root problem of the obesity epidemic in our country and if we don't do something about it now, the majority of the population of America will have food-related diseases (diabetes, heart disease) in the near future.

The movie drew an interesting parallel by comparing the Sugar Industry to the tobacco industry. Thank goodness I am not old enough to have grown up with cigarette/cigar/chewing tobacco advertisements on TV and billboards without the Surgeon General's warning, but many people did live through this time. We need to urge those people to implement the successful strategies used to win against the tobacco industry on the big sugar companies such as Coca Cola, Kelloggs, McDonalds, and Pepsi. Today kids are unarmed in facing the commercials that bombard them with sickly-sweet messages. Sugar cereals, Go-gurt (I used to like that stuff, but now that I think about it, I was squeezing sugary goop out of a tube and into my body,  BLECH!), McDonalds, Chuckie Cheese's, and many, many more.

So how do I get started? How can I improve my eating habits without sacrificing some of my favorite foods? One easy way for you and your family to embrace healthy eating and eliminate sugar and processed chemicals from your diet is to purchase Laurie David's new cookbook The Family Cooks. It contains lots of delicious healthy recipes for every meal, beautiful pictures, and helpful shopping and eating tips. I have already made five recipes from the book and I bought it three days ago!

I will be posting a lot about this movie so stay tuned because this is an issue that desperately needs our (and our government's) attention and support.

MUCH MUCH MORE!
Gourmanda :)

P.S. Did you notice the clever title "Fed Up" contains many different meanings?

Easy Summer Refresher: Watermelon Juice Recipe!

Good Morning!

It's sunny, it's hot, it's a perfect day...to make watermelon juice!

Here is what you will need:

• 1/8 Watermelon
• 1/2 cup of coconut water

That's it! 

1. Toss watermelon and coconut water into blender and blend. I use a Ninja Blender, but you can also use a Vitamix, or any other blender that gets the job done!
2. This is an optional step, but for those who do not like pulp you can take a strainer and place it atop your glass while pouring in the juice. This will get rid of any unwanted watermelon chunks.
3. Stick a straw in it and enjoy!

Makes about 2 cups

Tip: you may want to remove the seed prior to blending the watermelon. Personally, I like the whole fruit, but if this doesn't suit your fancy then pull out those seeds!

This recipe is completely changeable and if you find that different quantities of the ingredients work better for you, go for it!!

Happy sipping!

Gourmanda

Shades of Summer: Today at the Farmer's Market

On my bike sporting my Chappaqua Farmer's Market T-shirt!

Wildflowers

Leafy Beets

Rooty Radishes!

Vibrant Tomatoes

Colorful Swiss Chard

A variety of hummus's! Hummi?

HAPPY FIRST DAY OF SUMMER!!!

Wow I thought I would never say those words ;). But seriously, this is a day worth celebrating. And the perfect way to celebrate? An early morning trip to the Chappaqua Farmer's Market!! At around 9:00 this morning my lovely mother and I biked to the train station to reap the benefits of the cornucopia that is our market! We purchased spinach, tomatoes, whole wheat sourdough, a berry lassi, delicious Taiim truffle hummus, and a big fat carrot!

I hope your weekends are filled with delicious farm fresh food and fun!

More to come!
Gourmanda

P.S. Shout out to my mommy and dado who are celebrating their 16th wedding anniversary!! I love you guys!!

The Dirty Truth

I was making myself a spinach salad the other day when I noticed that accompanying the comforting USDA organic stamp and "Package made of recycled bottles" motif on the organic spinach container was an unsettling two part adjective. "Triple-Washed." I had never noticed this description before and yet I eat spinach almost as often as Popeye!

It made me think, why is my spinach being washed thrice, or even twice? What is on my spinach that requires it to be scrubbed more than once? What are these people that are processing it in the USA washing my spinach with? Does the USDA approve that? 

Along with all these befuddling questions, my spinach resurfaced a story I remember hearing from my aunt several years ago, who is from Namibia, now living in DC. She told this story at the dinner table at a family event, but while this story struck me as funny back then, now it seems utterly appropriate.

During her pregnancy with my fabulous cousin, Lisa, my Aunt Connie recalled craving and eating termite dirt because of its nutritional qualities (high in protein!). At first this seemed disgusting to me, who would eat termite dirt (poop)?! Such an approach seems a polar opposite to the teachings of western medicine. But I did some research and the practice of eating dirt while pregnant is actually very common! 

According to Magnetic Clay.com, "One of the most common human populations to engage in the deliberate consuming of earth-based substances is that of pregnant women. In sub-Saharan Africa, the rates of pregnant women eating soil or clay range from 28% in Tanzania to 65% in Kenya. Clay is prepared and sold in markets, or taken from termite mounds known to be rich in minerals, and eaten at an average of 30g daily." 

Hmmm... would termite dirt stick in my teeth? Or taste good with a cricket muffin? Would it have good umami? Although I haven't tasted any soil yet, my spinach is making me think: does the US have a problem with over sanitizing?

Allergy specialists have observed that in Africa, almost no one is allergic to anything. And why is this? From a very young age, kids run around shoeless in the dirt, are exposed to all kinds or germs playing outside, and drinking unfiltered water. Although this might seem like a dangerous lifestyle for a three-year old, lets spin the looking glass to our side. From the minute a baby is born, it is washed and tested with chemically-sterilized instruments. Parents avoid exposing their young children to potentially germy environments for fear that they will become sick. 

And think about this, a study funded by Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE) showed that the number of children in the U.S. with peanut allergies has more than tripled between 1997 and 2008.

It is true that the improvements to our sanitary habits over the last hundred years or so have shown a positive effect on public health (The habit of hand-washing has decreased the occurrence of bacterial diseases such as typhoid), but I think it can be argued that we have gone a little too far in the hand-washing, Purell-toting (they make these cutesy carrying cases for crying out loud!!), Clorox-disinfecting game and started to veer off into the stainless steel land of suds and bubbles.

Am I proposing a war between the clean and the dirty? Maybe. But as Spongebob famously declared at the end of that ingenious episode:

"It matters not whether one is dirty or clean, for can cleanliness exist without filthiness? And would we know filthiness without cleanliness? We must not reenact the history that divides us, rather we must embrace what draws us together. All must be free to choose their own path."

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Gourmanda

The New McDonalds Character is McScary to Me

Meme of new McDonalds character "Happy"

A couple days ago, my brother and I were watching TV, Nickelodeon to be exact, and I noticed a new commercial come on. It was a McDonalds commercial and it featured a new character that I did not recognize. My brother and I usually make a game of ridiculing ads, especially ones for fast food establishments, and we had grown sick of McDonald's campaign showing cartoon characters such as "Dina the dino" and the kid named Ferris who had a pet goat who "ate everything in sight" and was told, "Goat, you gotta eat a better diet, fruit and dairy, let's go try it."

When I saw this new character it immediately reminded me of the hyper-popular animated characters of the Universal Studios movie "Despicable Me" and its sequel. Yes, this food container character made me think of the yellow minions that we all love so much.

It makes me sick. It makes me sick that this corporation that caters so much to little kids. The fact that McDonalds incessantly advertises on kid's TV channels such as Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network is despicable!

In fact, this character was designed by the same people that animated the film starring the beloved "Gru." And this Happy Meal thing has actually been in Europe and other places for a couple years already!

Cartoon from the New York Daily News

I wasn't the only one that objected to this new face. Twitter went crazy when this character was first introduced to America calling it "McScary" and "McCreepy" for its toothy grin and large eyes. I agree with the good people of Twitter, but not for the same reasons.

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Gourmanda

Reusing our food (Choice 2)

28% out of the 46% of Organic waste is food!

There are two paths that as a world we can choose to follow when it comes to feeding our looming estimated population of 9 billion. Choice 1: Finding alternate food sources, like the ones I mentioned in my previous post. Or choice 2: Finding ways to reuse leftover unexpired food. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, food waste makes up about 28% of our landfills. 28%! That's more than 1 out of 4 pieces of pie! 

I already talked about different alternate food sources so now we will discuss choice 2. The other day I found this excellent advertisement from an organization called Food Recovery Network. Here is an except from their website:

"Food Recovery Network unites students on college campuses to fight waste and feed people by donating the surplus unsold food from their colleges and donating it to hungry Americans. Founded in 2011, FRN has grown to include chapters at more than 90 colleges and universities in 25 states, DC and Puerto Rico that have recovered over 340,000 pounds of food. Each chapter works with on-campus dining halls and other, off-campus eateries to divert food from the landfill to community members in need, while also raising awareness on issues of food waste and hunger in America. By May 2015, Food Recovery Network aims to be on 150 campuses and to have donated 610,000 pounds of food."

Who, do you ask, benefits from these donations? Exactly the people who deserve to: the homeless, people who cannot afford to buy food, and many more. 

This is a very smart way to approach our potential famine problem and we should all support this organization and other ones like it.

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Gourmanda