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Sweet Saturday: Detour Bar Neapolitan Review

Posted by roodonfood on January 4, 2014 in Uncategorized

Source: Bodybuilding.com

A good rule of thumb with protein bars is to proceed with caution with any flavor outside of the chocolate and or peanut realm. Neapolitan however…..Was this Detour bar manifestation as disturbing as one would surmise?

The Verdict:
Grade: B
Detour Neapolitan is more tasty than expected. The thin chocolate coating works well with the vanilla and strawberry.  The most understated of the three is the vanilla. The strawberry tastes a little chemically. And if you’re not accustomed to it, the bar may feel a little dense. The bar contains 15 grams of protein, is low in sugar, and contains amino acids. It’s nice to see these companies trying to make flavors outside the comfort zone. I’d get this flavor again if available at a discount.

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Curtido: Vinegar Coleslaw Recipe for Pupusas

Posted by roodonfood on January 2, 2014 in Recipes, vegan

Curtido

The New Year’s Eve meal was a success with one exception. The texture for the pupusas, a thick cornmeal disk with bean filling was much trickier than expected. Mine ended up way too thick and doughy. This was probably the penalty for adding too much water.

The accompanying vinegar coleslaw, known as curtido turned out perfect however. We’d tried several other recipes in the past which came out too crunchy or too cabbage-y. The successful recipe was pulled from Vegetarian Times. The only change was to add an extra spoon of sugar. Note: Curtido is vegan and gluten free. Next week, I’ll give an updated pupusa recipe along with the RoodonFood spin on filling.

After the meal we went up to Prospect Park to catch the fireworks. It was chilly but pleasant. The display of light didn’t disappoint. We brought along a thermos of warm chamomille.

Tasty Semi-Fail

 

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Happy New Year! (Updated with Hoppin John Link)

Posted by roodonfood on January 1, 2014 in gluten free, vegan

Happy New Year! Here’s to wishing that 2014 is your personal best. I started following the traditional Southern meal of Hoppin’ John last year. Since writing about it last year, I learned it’s more common to Tennessee and the Carolinas then elsewhere. It’s a delicious one pot meal featuring black-eyed peas, rice, the holy trinity and seasoning. This link features both the classic style  and a vegan version.

Do you have a good luck meal for the start of a new year?

Click for non-vegetarian and vegan versions of Hoppin’ John

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New Year’s Eve: Pupusas, Tater Tots and Soda Bread

Posted by roodonfood on December 31, 2013 in Uncategorized

Source: Search Mojo

Happy New Year’s Eve!

We couldn’t decide what to make tonight so we’re making a random but tasty mix. It’s been a year of food experimentation, so in keeping with that we’ll be making Salvadoran Pupusas, filled with beans and queso fresco. On top, will be the traditional cole slaw, called curtido. Both will be gluten free. Also, because it sounds like a good idea, tater tots. Lastly, just for fun, gluten free soda bread.

What items are you making to ring in 2014? Do you have a traditional meal for New Year’s Eve?

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New Year’s Resolutions and Motivational Recipes

Posted by roodonfood on December 30, 2013 in New York City, Recipes

2013, on the whole wasn’t a bad year. My niece was born on January 24th. Also Alimentum Journal and Khabar Magazine were nice enough to publish pieces by me. Several notable people including Louisa Shafia, Vegan Black Metal Chef and Jawahar Chiramar of Soho Tiffin Junction did interviews for RoodonFood.

Lastly, I completed a running goal of 1,200 miles for the year, a personal best. This year the goal will be 1,400 miles or an average of about 3.83 per day. Running was one of the catalysts for eating better. My diet wasn’t horrible before but exercise caused me to crave nutrition. Before the only green thing in my basket might have been broccoli, but then along came spinach, kale, brussel sprouts etc. These days, I’ll treat myself to fried foods and sweets on occasion. The regular cravings are now more often for smoothies. (Though oddly enough I have to walk by a place that makes amazing smelling fried chicken after the run).

How did your New Year’s resolutions turn out? Do you have any health-related goals for 2014? Below are some healthy recipes to motivate you for the coming year.

Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie

Chickoo Banana Smoothie

Buckwheat Porridge with Cranberries

Scott Jurek’s Quinoa Porridge

Garden Corn Chowder by Post-punk Kitchen

Sweet and Tangy Tofu

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How to Loosen Brown Sugar

Posted by roodonfood on December 23, 2013 in Uncategorized

Brown sugar can harden like nothing else. But these tips from Lifehacker show that you don’t have to barbarically hack away at the sugar clump. First off, to avoid clumps in the future, store brown sugar in an airtight container. If the brown sugar is already hardened and it’s not necessary to cook something immediately, place a slice of bread with it. The moisture from the bread will naturally help the brown sugar soften.

If immediate help is needed, use the microwave. In one bowl, place the sugar. In a second bowl or cup add water. Microwave for 30 seconds. You can now break off a few pieces. Continue to do this 30 seconds at a time for a total of around 2-3 minutes. Do you have any tips for preserving brown sugar? Have you run into this problem before?

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December Food Song of the Month: We Wish You A Merry Christmas

Posted by roodonfood on December 21, 2013 in Song of the Month

What’s figgy pudding? The Food Song of the Month is “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.” While it’s late in the month, it seems appropriate since the holiday is almost upon us. The song dates back to to 16th century England. Historically, this was sung last by carolers because it makes mention of the new year. It goes back to the days when the wealthy would give out figgy pudding to the presumably poorer carolers. Hence, the following, vaguely threatening lines:

Oh, bring us a figgy pudding;
Oh, bring us a figgy pudding;
Oh, bring us a figgy pudding and a cup of good cheer
We won’t go until we get some;
We won’t go until we get some;
We won’t go until we get some, so bring some out here

Figgy pudding is a streamed pudding with a consistency more akin to cake. In addition to figs, other dried fruits like raisins are sometimes added along with rum. It’s also known as Christmas pudding. Here is a link from NPR on how to make it. Have any of you tried this dessert before?

Source: http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/851637/figgy-christmas-pudding

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Christmas Cookie Baking Tips Via Smithsonian Magazine

Posted by roodonfood on December 20, 2013 in Uncategorized

The phrase “here be dragons” appeared on uncharted or dangerous territories on maps during the Medieval era. Many people view baking this way. On the stove top, if a dish is too spicy, additional water, honey or even potato can remedy the situation. With baking, if your dough isn’t reacting correctly, it’s a guaranteed do-over. This article, featured in Smithsonian magazine provides useful tips on perfecting Christmas cookies. Below are a few highlights. What are your baking tips? What do you like to bake this time of year?

Butter & Margarine

Bakers are loyal to usually butter or margarine. Both are valid but be aware of what to look for. If you use margarine choose one that is at least 80% vegetable oil or 100 calories per spoon. If it’s less than that it indicates high water content causing cookies to spread and stick to the pan. With butter, the waiting is the hardest part. It’s best to leave it on the counter for 30-60 minutes until spreadable. Do not microwave as melted butter will make your cookies go flat.

Flour

Flour settles when unused so always stir with a spoon to loosen up, otherwise you risk pulling out too much for a recipe despite measuring out. Another option is to sift. If your cookies were dry in the past, this could be the reason.

Browning

When choosing a cookie pan, light coloring works best. Darker colors absorb energy from the oven which can cause uneven cooking.

Chilling

If a recipe says to chill dough – you must do so. If you have a time constraint the freezer works well too. Keep in mind that 20 minutes in the freezer = 1 hour in the refrigerator. If using margarine, the freezer is best.

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Margon Cuban Restaurant Times Square: Food Adventures

Posted by roodonfood on December 19, 2013 in Food Adventures
Margon Restaurant

Margon Restaurant

When I worked in Mid-town Manhattan it took a little bit of trial and error to find the good, inexpensive food options. 46th St between 6th and 7th avenue, just east of Times Square is blessed to have both Minar, and a new Cuban favorite, Margon. Like most places in the area, it’s packed during the morning rush and 12pm-2pm. Any other time, it’s very quick to get in and out. There are stools near the sandwich counter and a series 4 tops spanning the length of the restaurant. It’s a steam table joint with daily specials like fried Kingfish and rotisserie chicken.

My brother and I split a pernil sandwich ($7.50) and a Media Noche ($5). The pernil sandwich features a soft Italian roll put on a sandwich press. The meat was minimally, but perfectly seasoned with garlic, salt and pepper. The skin had a nice, unexpected crisp to it. No lettuce, tomato here, just a few lonely but welcome pickles. It’s a wonderful utilitarian sandwich.

My personal favorite was the Media Noche (Midnight) sandwich named such because it’s a midnight snack in Cuba. The sandwich includes swiss cheese, ham, mustard, mayo and all important pickles on an amazing sweetened potato bread roll. After the sandwich pressing, it goes from regular sandwich to transcendent. Margon is well-worth a visit especially if you have a soft spot for greasy spoons. Note that they’re a breakfast and lunch spot open 7am-5pm, Monday-Saturday.

Margon Restaurant
136 W. 46th St
New York, NY
(212) 354-5013
Subway: F, M, B,D to 47th St

Pernil Sandwich

Pernil Sandwich

Potato Bread Is Awesome

Potato Bread Is Awesome

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The 4 Best Christmas Movie Food Scenes

Posted by roodonfood on December 17, 2013 in Pop Culture

It’s Christmas movie time on all of the TV networks. Whether It’s A Wonderful Life, Frosty the Snowman or Elf, more often than not, something is on. TBS is doing their annual 24 hour marathon of a Christmas Story. Food is an integral part of Christmas so it’s not surprising that the movies below feature very memorable moments over the dinner table.

A Christmas Story (1983)
Ralphie’s palpable frustration after decoding the message “Be Sure to Drink Your Ovaltine.”

Elf (2003)
“We elves like to stick to the four main food categories candy, candy canes, candy corns and maple syrup.” It’s a dangerously earnest movie, but that’s why it works.

National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989)
Things go south when Cousin Eddie arrives. The exploding turkey pushes Clark over the edge.

Scrooged (1988)
Bill Murray’s character naturally freaks out when he sees an eyeball in his water. If you listen closely to his scream, he sounds a lot like Homer Simpson.

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