Joyeux Noel! Merry Christmas from the Solomons

Enclosed is our Christmas Card for 2009, taken in Mürren, Switzerland, in a region called the “Berner Oberland,” January 2009 during our 14th year anniversary. Due to jet lag, we were awake by 2AM and went outside for night photos. This shot from Mürren faces the mighty Eiger North Wall under a full moon, with the little village of Kleine Sheidigg at its base. There were two feet of snow on the ground during this time, not unlike the New York City Christmas Storm of 2009, where we’ll get 18 inches.

We wish you a terrific Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, from here in New York City, where for the first time in memory, it looks like we will truly experience a White Christmas.

First Snowstorm Dinner

Menu:
Slow cooked tilapia with lemon and tomato reduction
Steamed broccoli
Deanna's very own wild rice-white rice pilaf

Mark's Very Own Couscous Pilaf

2 cups couscous purchased in bulk
1 bouillon cube, chopped or ground finely
1 t basil
1 t roasted garlic
1 t oregano
1 t thyme

Mix all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight container

To Prepare: Either with boiled water or stove top
a) 1 cup couscous to 2 cups boiling water to keep moist
b) Add nuts, raisins and vegetables, as you please

Deanna's Very Own Wild Rice-White Rice Pilaf Mix

This is Deanna's wild rice-white rice pilaf with celery, nuts and raisins!


1 cup wild rice
4 cups white rice
2 bouillon cubes, ground or chopped finely
1 T basil, dried
1 T onion, from onion soup mix
1/4 t black pepper (I just used a pinch)

Mix all ingredients thoroughly and store in air tight container. Will keep for several months in the cupboard.

To Prepare:
a) Place 2 T of olive oil in the rice cooker
b) 1 cup pilaf mix add 1 1/2 cups water in a rice cooker
c) Add finely chopped celery
d) Add raisins and nuts to taste
e) Fluff with a fork before serving

Test Lab: Basmati Rice

I will try this and see if it will suit our regimen.

The health benefits of brown basmati rice

Brown rice is good for you. And basmati rice is a healthy choice. So if you combine the two, you've got yourself a food with some great health benefits.


* High in B vitamins and some key minerals, including manganese, selenium and magnesium

* High in fiber - brown basmati rice is a whole grain so you get the benefit of the natural grain with only the outermost layer (the hull) removed

* High in plant lignans - protective substances that lower risk of disease

Brown basmati rice - pure, simple and delicious

The easy way to measure your rice is the US measure of cups. I'm not in the US but my rice cooker came with a handy plastic cup and I bet yours did too.

1. For a two-person portion, take 2 cups of your brown basmati rice. Rinse it and put it in the rice cooker.

2. Next, add 3 cups of water. (You might be used to adding in equal measures of rice and water. Don't do this for brown basmati rice. It's a firm grain that needs a little extra cooking time.)

3. Now you can put the lid on and set your rice cooker to begin cooking. Your rice will be ready in about half an hour, so you can go off and prepare the rest of your food. (I often eat the rice on it's own so get half an hour to go do something fun.)

4. When it's done, give it a quick stir to stop it sticking to the bowl. Leave to warm - or serve right away.

5. Brown basmati rice has a nice taste served as it is, but you can add some soy sauce to give it added flavour.

ref: http://www.squidoo.com/brown-basmati-rice

Long Grain Wild Rice Side Dish

This side dish is so healthy and goes well with Roast Chicken and steamed carrots and broccoli.

Ingredients:

* 1 cup long grain brown or white rice
* 1/2 cup wild rice
* 1 Tbsp. dried parsley flakes
* 2 tsp. Herb Mix (see recipe below)
* 1 tsp. dried thyme leaves
* 1/2 tsp. tarragon leaves
* 1/8 tsp. white pepper
* 1/2 tsp. salt

Preparation:
Mix ingredients and store in an air-tight container in a cool, dry place. This makes one side dish. You can multiply ingredients to make more mixes.

Long Grain Wild Rice Side Dish

3-1/4 cups water
Long Grain Wild Rice Mix (about 2 cups)

Bring water to boil in a medium saucepan. Add Rice Mix, cover pan, reduce heat, and simmer for 50 minutes. Remove pan from heat, and let sit for 10 minutes before fluffing with a fork. 8 1/2-cup servings.

Herb Mix
Ingredients:

* 1 Tbsp. onion powder
* 1 Tbsp. garlic powder
* 1 Tbsp. dried parsley flakes
* 1 tsp. dried basil leaves
* 1 tsp. dried thyme leaves
* 1 tsp. dried marjoram leaves
* 1 tsp. white pepper

Preparation:
Mix all ingredients well, and store in cool dry place up to 6 months. One tsp. mix contains 1 milligram of sodium.

ref: http://busycooks.about.com/od/homemademixes/r/longrainricemix.htm

Macrobiotic Meal 101

Up until the results of our recent physical check-up, we were content with our very basic, eat well, eat whole and slow food regimen. Lately though I have been experimenting with reducing our consumption of red meat and eating lots of fish, chicken and vegetables.

One of my favorite food is tofu and I realized that extra firm tofu with the right marinade can make a meal combined with jasmine rice, soya and edamame. The tofu provided my protein in vegetable form and the rice my carbs. It turns out to be a macrobiotic meal.

A macrobiotic meal involves eating grains as a staple food supplemented with other foodstuffs such as vegetables and beans, and avoiding the use of highly processed or refined foods. It also addresses the manner of eating by recommending against overeating and requiring that food be chewed thoroughly before swallowing.