Late Winter Migration: February 18 - March 15, 2010

I chose this as our theme for our winter vacation.
The healthy food regimen may take a hit but we will try our best to eat well.
And eat healthy.

Cathy cooks!

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Quinoa Cake

I bought some this evening to try it. Though not technically a grain, quinoa can substitute for nearly any grain in cooking. Actually the seed of a leafy plant, quinoa’s relatives include spinach, beets and Swiss chard. Due to its delicate taste and rich amounts of protein, iron, potassium and other vitamins and minerals, it is quite popular. It is also a good source of dietary fiber and is easily digested.

I paired the quinoa cake with shrimp and scallop crab cakes and it was superb. Now I meed to prepare homemade tartar sauce!


Ref: http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-quinoa.htm

A Cure for Winter Weariness: Ginger Honey Tea

Nursing a cold combined with flu-like symptoms is very draining. Throw in the winter doldrums and you might see me heading to the nearest shrink in town. A dear friend in the building advised me to take this drink. I am glad my kitchen is stocked with ginger and honey all the time. Just thinking about it is already making me feel better!

Ingredients

* 1-inch piece ginger root, peeled
* 1 large strip lemon rind
* 6 cups water
* 1/3 cup honey, eyeball it
* 1 lemon, juiced
* 4 camomile or other tea bags

Directions

Slice the ginger into coins. Heat the ginger, lemon rind, water and honey to a boil in small pot. Add lemon juice to hot water and transfer to a tea pot. Add tea bags to pot and steep. Remove bags and serve tea.

Photo and recipe courtesy of: http://www.foodnetwork.com/

Seitan with Rosemary And Thyme

1 package seitan
1 T butter
1 T olive oil
1/2 c white wine
1 vegetable bouillon, finely chopped
garlic and rosemary

1. Brown the seitan in butter and olive oil
2. Add the garlic and rosemary
3. Add the bouillon and cooking wine
4. Cook on High for 30 minutes

Add to pasta for a complete meal.

Deanna's Kitchen

Here is a little video clip of the Great Chef, Deanna herself in our kitchen, where she is cooking up a storm. If you look carefully, you'll notice that there is no stove in the kitchen. We use a cooktop, rice cooker and two crockpots. Hanging on the wall is also a microwave oven combo. Beneath the countertop is a small fridge. This is a very efficient space, and everything is easy to reach, all within eight feet of countertop. When we're done, we put everything away, and the surface is clean, ready for another meal. Enough said; here she is herself:

Asian Stir-fry Vegetables with Tofu and Seitan

Toasted sesame seed oil
Teriyaki Sauce
Soy Sauce
Cooking wine
Frozen packet of thai stir-fry vegetables
1 package of Seitan
1/2 block of extra firm Tofu, cubed

Combine all ingredients in the slow-cooker and cook on High for 45 minutes.
Serve with egg noodles.

Easy!

Photo credit: http://www.foodnetwork.com