Long ago my favorite after school "snack" was a big fat juicy Nathan's all beef hot dog. The crunchy pop that would occur between my teeth with that first head on bight would send flavor dancing in my mouth. Man, I loved a good hot dog. It follows then that the first vegetarian faux meat I would enjoy would be a hot dog. My go to hot dog is the "Smart Dog" brand. Although I must say that by far the best veggie dog comes in a can from Loma Linda California. These are bit spendy on my part time budget though.
In my continuing effort to make quick nutritionally sound meals I have revisited the hot dog as major staple food. Now, although I love the dog itself I really only see it as an opportunity to pile on as many amazing toppings as I can imagine and because I never keep hot dog buns in the house I am not limited to the tiny surface area they afford. I serve my dogs on whole wheat pita breads. They end up looking more like hot dog tacos. Recently I have broken with another seemingly self-imposed hot dog rule and I put two dogs in my pita. One hot dog is never enough for me but making a whole other one is always way too much. Problem solved! Tonight I made a wonderful apple citrus chutney and piled it high atop my double dog with a dollop of zucchini relish. Enjoy!
Barbecue Apple Orange Chutney:
1 cup finely dice yellow onion
1 tbsp. Olive Oil
2 tsp. Apple Cider Vinegar
1/2 cup finely chopped peeled apple (I used a pink lady)
1/2 cup supremed orange slices chopped
pinch of salt
1/4 cup barbecue sauce (your choice)
In a sauce pan heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and the pinch of salt. Saute until fragrant and then turn heat down to medium low. Stir occasionally until the onion turns a dark brown color. Deglaze your sauce pan with vinegar. Add the apple and cook 2 minutes. Add the orange and stir a moment and then remove from heat. Add your barbecue sauce. Serve over your double dog!
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Frozen in Time
The semester is flying by and I am proud to report that I can now name every bone in human body! Thank you for allowing me to forcibly accept recognition for my achievement.
Obviously this means I have been very busy. Naturally my cooking has changed dramatically in the last two months. But in an effort not to get bored I have assigned myself a new task in the kitchen. I am now trying out satisfying and still delicious short cuts to dinner. The following is what I have learned about frozen foods.
Every time I read something that tells me frozen vegetables are as nutritious as fresh, I believe it. It makes me feel good about the frozen peas I add to most things. All the while I keep in mind that whether or not frozen veggies are as healthful as fresh doesn't mean a thing if they don't taste as good. So I have devised some guidelines for myself after experimenting with many frozen flora.
"Rules For Frozen Vegetables"
1. Frozen peas are the greatest food in the entire world. You can microwave them with a little Earth Balance and you have a delicious side dish. Add them to mashed potatoes. That is an order! Eat them still frozen for a sweet pea Popsicle experience.
2. Frozen spinach is great if you hide it in other things. Never ever serve frozen spinach braised as a side dish. Just thinking about the night I thought this would work puts a fowl taste in my mouth.
3. Frozen corn kernels are fantastic. Pair them up with those frozen peas in the microwave and you have a "hash".
4. Vegetable medleys are a cruel tease. In an effort to streamline my stir-fries I decided to try a vegetable medley pack from Trader Joes. I was immediately seduced by a package calling itself "Hodgepodge". There were carrots, baby corn, sugar snap peas, broccoli, mushrooms, bell pepper and onion. It looked so delicious. Unfortunately I overlooked a vital detail- entropy. All of those vegetables were tossed into this bag and they cook at different rates. Once in the skillet the carrots took forever to cook. Meanwhile the broccoli disintegrated and the bell pepper became little streaks of red slime. With the rice already waiting and the tofu fried I had no choice but to continue with my now doomed "hodgepodge". I hoped the sauce would cover my tracks but no amount of soy sauce was going to save me. Escape this trap vicariously. No short cut should be a waste of time.
Obviously this means I have been very busy. Naturally my cooking has changed dramatically in the last two months. But in an effort not to get bored I have assigned myself a new task in the kitchen. I am now trying out satisfying and still delicious short cuts to dinner. The following is what I have learned about frozen foods.
Every time I read something that tells me frozen vegetables are as nutritious as fresh, I believe it. It makes me feel good about the frozen peas I add to most things. All the while I keep in mind that whether or not frozen veggies are as healthful as fresh doesn't mean a thing if they don't taste as good. So I have devised some guidelines for myself after experimenting with many frozen flora.
"Rules For Frozen Vegetables"
1. Frozen peas are the greatest food in the entire world. You can microwave them with a little Earth Balance and you have a delicious side dish. Add them to mashed potatoes. That is an order! Eat them still frozen for a sweet pea Popsicle experience.
2. Frozen spinach is great if you hide it in other things. Never ever serve frozen spinach braised as a side dish. Just thinking about the night I thought this would work puts a fowl taste in my mouth.
3. Frozen corn kernels are fantastic. Pair them up with those frozen peas in the microwave and you have a "hash".
4. Vegetable medleys are a cruel tease. In an effort to streamline my stir-fries I decided to try a vegetable medley pack from Trader Joes. I was immediately seduced by a package calling itself "Hodgepodge". There were carrots, baby corn, sugar snap peas, broccoli, mushrooms, bell pepper and onion. It looked so delicious. Unfortunately I overlooked a vital detail- entropy. All of those vegetables were tossed into this bag and they cook at different rates. Once in the skillet the carrots took forever to cook. Meanwhile the broccoli disintegrated and the bell pepper became little streaks of red slime. With the rice already waiting and the tofu fried I had no choice but to continue with my now doomed "hodgepodge". I hoped the sauce would cover my tracks but no amount of soy sauce was going to save me. Escape this trap vicariously. No short cut should be a waste of time.
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