Iceberg claims a Stake

With all the grills in America seemingly primed for the upcoming week of July 4th, a true celebration is certainly center of plate!  Freedom Rocks. Freedom is King.  Freedom is something never to take for granted.  I worked for The United States Government for 10 years with a team that traveled to many countries explaining the foods we had available for export. It is a demanding job. It was exciting to bridge the gap of language and culture with food. Meeting people around the globe on their own soil, from Asia to Africa, South America to India and the Middle East brought to mind how ' food brings people together '.  This was the theme I used in addressing the Fourth of July, United States Embassy party in Osaka Japan.  Our team prepared regional dishes for over 600 people visiting from twenty countries.

This year, my idea of seeing Heads of State has turned for a moment on this day to tasting Heads of Lettuce!  My smokey tasty celebration involves none other than Iceberg and some smokey salt!  It will be my center of plate.  Wildly popular decades ago iceberg has a solid place in the wide and colorful field of garden greens. Crunchy, crispy, full of pairing opportunities aside bbq, meat, poultry, fish, vegetables or just on its own with a delicious umami dressing, Head Lettuce takes its own center Stake for this Day.  

Happy upcoming Fourth of July.  And thank you, American Armed Services, a part in my family included, who continue to keep us free.  Respect Freedom.  It's not free. Happy Birthday, America.
The Vegetable Alchemist.

Iceberg dressed with Smoke Sea Salt
Ingredients
1    Head Iceberg lettuce, cut into four wedges
1    teas  + 1/2 teas smoked sea salt
1    tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1    clove of garlic, minced
1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves
freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
1    lemon, cut into 4 wedges (optional)

Method
Using a fork or whisk rapidly stir the white balsamic vinegar into the olive oil.  Add the garlic and one teas smoked sea salt.  Mix thoroughly. Stir in the parsley leaves.Crack in black pepper to taste and serve over wedges of cold, crisp iceberg sprinkling evenly with the remaining 1/2 teas of smoked sea salt.  A wedge of lemon is a great garnish, especially if you are serving the Wedge with a protein.

Salad is the Real Cool

Energy. Energy. Lots of easily usable, renewable forms of energy. Energy that powers the Universe. Energy that powers you. Think fresh energy.  Think fresh, tasty energy. Think way past protein, carbohydrate, and fat. Energy wants you thinking PHYTOCHEMICALS.  And so I include the meaning of the word.  You might even try snackin' on it for that short umami energy hit.  Phytoliscious sunny spectacular fun. I know you can appreciate that.

Phytochemicals, chemical compounds that occur naturally in plants (phyto means "plant" in Greek), are responsible for color and organoleptic properties, such as the deep purple of blueberries and smell of garlic. The term is generally used to refer to those chemicals that may have biological significance but are not established as essential nutrients.[1] Scientists estimate that there may be as many as 10,000 different phytochemicals having the potential to affect diseases such as cancer, stroke or metabolic syndrome. Although certain phytochemicals are available as dietary supplements, some scientists speculate that potential health benefits of phytochemicals may best derive from consumption of whole foods.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phytochemicals

Your Universe needs more than a mound of carbs, much more than a shake of protein and far more than a dish of fat. Leave the obesity behind.  Phytochemicals will soon have their own GNOME week!  Luv what you body luvs. Snack on phytolife!  Be the Cool.  Authentic Rethought!  The Vegetable Alchemist.

Thoughts on Modern Eating

I'm walking the aisle of a major bookstore, searching for answers on my new modern cuisine. With what must be hundreds of thousands of books, my eye seems to beeline.! " Be What You Are", the book title says. Be What You Are,! I say to myself. I did not know I was in the self help section, but why not? I need help. I need answers.

I skim the book and speed through the tests. What am I? Right now what I am is developing a modern way to eat, to enjoy cooking and understand how the right food for each of us makes a huge difference biologically without calling out food and medicine or reactive food. Sure, this may not be for mainstream guy on the street at this time. But who knows, maybe it is, maybe it will be. It combines my interest in science, my background as a chef, my love for fitness, the body and a lifestyle of low impact, plant based food with a modern approach.

I see the kitchen design magazines on shelves. Close by are groupings of food as entertainment, food as health and wellness. food as living, food as social, food as cultural, food as travel, food for growing and food for showing. Weight watchers, weight losers, weight gainers, Food, Food, Food. Food is everywhere and oddly enough, right around the corner are more magazines that are reactions on food: food for diabetes, gluten free food, cancer and heart disease food, homeopathic food and EAT Right Food, I guess to responding to so many eating wrong food. The list of those magazines wraps itself nicely into magazines on pharmaceuticals and cosmetics using isolated food nutrients in suppliment and cosmetic ways. It is all about food and food extensions. Food as Entertaining runs that full monty extending reversal reality from wrongful eating to Food as Medicine. But still, I cannot find my food magazine nitche yet. What am I? What is my cuisine?

I am looking for a way to recipe ideas that start with ingredients paired to the body, true biology based eating matching me and food. I want to have fun and food and science every day. I want cell matching, digitally presented reasoning behind what I eat and enjoy with fresh forward thinking thoughts. I want a personal teaching cuisine. So, What am I? Suddenly I am a developer of a new modern food style: plant based, low impact, body smart, Vegetable Alchemy, cell smart. I want you to be interested. Start building your link to recipes of a purposeful modern cuisine, fresh flavorful, fun blended with a nod to your biology whenever we eat. This mole below is great for your insides! What does that mean? More on that when I figure out how to tell you in a way that is upbeat without the medicinal flavor of Food as Medicine. Give me feedback or just be patient. We will get there. We cannot do this overnight. Use with pastas, vegetables. seared tofu, seitan, pork and chicken. This is Who I am, my human biology driven teaching cuisine.

The Purpose of Pumpkin Seed Green Mole

Ingredients

1 cup pumpkin seeds, hulled, lightly toasted

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon oregano leaf, crushed

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

6 red chiles, seeded

1 cup chopped onions

2 cloves garlic

2 romaine lettuce leaves

1/2 cup cilantro, fresh, stems and leaves

2 cups vegetable stock or chicken

sea salt

Method

Place first four ingredients into a spice grinder. Crush and place into a food processor. Add all ingredients, blend. Store refrigerated. Use hot as a sauce or cold as a spread.

Please Sir, Can I Have Some More?

A weekend full of sports and workout. Super Sunday approaches. Winters in Chi-town get exciting on the tube as channels compete for viewing tennis, basketball, snowboarding, soccer and golf. I watch and think more and more about ideas on how to grow out Vegetable Alchemy changing the world for low impact living. As sports commercials tout burgers, pork and chicken, I settle into examining my stash of home-styled new misos and start chopping away. Quick Winter Vegetable Soup takes shape. What miso will it be? barley, chickpea, brown rice, white bean or red? Miso, miso on the wall.....barley gets the call.

A friend sends a note on f/b....' Check it out.... from a diary of sayings from Albert Einstein! ' " I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious." Well, so am I right now, about Miso and how great it is in a low impact world. Planet Minded, Body Smart. I find it 'curious' that with decades of food and beverage experiences, cooking in all types of cuisine, all over the world, now after all that background, I just feel more comfortable moving my lifestyle to plant based and low impact, sports to food and living. As for those of you reading, grab a beer and check it out. Call a friend over as this easily makes two hefty bowls. Knife practice makes perfect. Vary the veggies as you like. It's fun filled cheap!

Miso and Vegetable Soup, spoons of savory satifaction.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup onion, chopped 1/2 dice

1 cup celery, chopped into 1/2 inch dice

1 cup Idaho potato, peeled, cut into 1/2 dice

1/2 cup green pepper, seeded, cut into 1/2 inch dice

1 cup kale, stems intact, washed and cut into thin strips

2 cloves, garlic, chopped fine

2 tablespoons barley miso

1 cup firm tofu, cut into 1/2 inch dice

2 quarts vegetable stock, divided

1/2 cup cilantro, coarsely chopped

1 teaspoon oregano leaf

1/2 teas red pepper flakes

sea salt and fresh pepper to taste

Method

Heat a three quart wok or stock pot. Add the olive oil. Stir in the vegetables up to and including the garlic. Cook over medium heat until the kale starts to wilt. Stir 1/4 cup of the vegetable stock with the miso. Add the remaining stock to the vegetables and bring to light boil. Cook about 3-4 minutes until the potatoes are soft. Stir in the tofu, cilantro, oregano, red pepper flakes and season lightly. Simmer one minute. Stir in the barley miso mixture. Simmer one minute and enjoy!

RA TA Toooo Eeee

Ratatoutille

Ra Ta Toooo EEEe! Flexibile and versatility, this dish ups the cooking ante with a way to learn and use knife skills as you test your flavor buds on a colorful recipe wrapped as a burrito filling, roll in crepes or omelettes, made as a side, a snack, an entree, lunch or dinner . Just don't forget it on the midnight run to the fridg!

 

The last decade plus has seen Americans and many parts of the world exchange cooking for other ways to occupy that time. Realize though that today with terrific information, cooking can offer an awareness of how the correct food can make you and your body a living ball of great health. When you do not cook you lose that connection. Turn it over to manufacturers, marketers and restaurants without personal knowledge of how to make choices that keep you in great shape and you might as well set aside a whole lot more of your harder earned money to piss away soon on paid calls to 'Consult your practioner' when you order!

http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/12/23/can-fast-food-really-make-america-healthier/

Think of knowledge earned as savings invested, your annuity to healthy living.

http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/12/22/u-s-retirement-assets-declined-by-1-4-trillion/

 

Part of that is Ratatoutille, a playful, plate of great tasty health. While this is one example of many versions on the web, if you're not into cooking, why do it? Call a spot where get a quart size of this wonder dish and enjoy eating in or for portable fun!

Ingredients

1/4 cup olive oil, plus more as needed

1 1/2 cups small diced yellow onion

1 teaspoon minced garlic

2 cups medium diced eggplant, skin on

1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

1 cup diced green bell peppers

1 cup diced red bell peppers

1 cup diced zucchini squash

1 cup diced yellow squash

1 1/2 cups peeled, seeded and chopped tomatoes

1 tablespoon thinly sliced fresh basil leaves

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Set a large 12-inch saute pan over medium heat and add a tablespoon of olive oil. Once hot, toss the onions and garlic in the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they are wilted and lightly caramelized, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove to a large bowl. Repeat warming the pan and adding a little oil for each of the vegetables in the ingredient list, cooking each individually and adding to the bowl. When you have finished with the squash, repeat with a litte olive oil, add the tomatoes, then basil, parsley, and salt and pepper, to taste. Cook for a final 5 minutes. Return all the vegetables from the bowl to warm together with the tomato mix and serve either hot or at room temperature. Cooking the vegetables individually helps retain the freshness which will be evident in your first to last mouthful!

Low Impact Living

Today is Christmas and with only a week away to the New Year, it's a perfect time to step back and think about how to make Vegetable Alchemy, Oscar and my interest in plant based living a business in 2012. In 2011 I aligned my interest with Oscar, a parrot image I love who to me represents ecologically and body smart food. The last month I took this image to the marketplace, asking people around me if they understood why I loved the graphic icon. Many said, they did, but there was a disconnect with a parrot as their mascot. While they thought him fun and he drew their attention, I needed to give him a tag until the image conjured by his presence is clear in the minds of those who follow the brand, just as other icons make a statement. Wise thoughts and very well appreciated.

Yesterday, one man in particular, a successful businessman with global ties, loved Oscar in his hat, but was forth coming suggesting that I morph my interests into a movement called, 'low impact living.' http://www.lowimpact.org/ He understood my focus for a better quality of life with plant based food. He had already experienced many of the terrific tasting dishes that were designed for today's eating which I have been showcasing on the blog and in demonstrations as well as in restaurants. He loved the idea of a less costly home kitchen and eating with quick, smartly organized redesigned casual recipes for a modern age regardless of less demand for home cooking at present. His point was to reach out with Oscar and the idea of 'low impact living' for the body and the planet as a daily way of life. Point well taken. Low impact living becomes part of our mantra for a quality of life in earth sustainable ways. Until we meet again......Merry Christmas to all!

Focusing on my Marketplace

Setting out to turn Vegetable Alchemy into a commercial venture the first most obvious path seems to be a restaurant. But then, sometimes when I see the amount of new spots on the streets I wonder, does the world really need another restaurant, even if it is plant base, but not plant only. For the time spent, could I not find some other way of reaching a much broader group of people? Facts, I needed facts on the market in order to define a space I could succeed. I confirmed with my planet smart mascot, Oscar who immediately checked for current details from great sources like The Hartman Group:

1) there is a changing food culture with mass scale meal fragmentation;

2) almost 44% of adults eat alone;

3) we have become a 'snack' culture;

4) whimsy and immediate delivery is critical: turn the retail experience on its head;

5) the Modern family is here: intertergenerational, non-traditional, single parent, unmarried, multi-ethnic, in spite of what marketers say;

6) healthier means having a better quality of life, and fun with it;

7) food culture: way beyond personal preference: value, ideas, practices, ingredients,

preparations, tools and techniques, players;

8) nutrition education move over: show help in daily life inspiring food and cooking;

9) traditional daypart meals are surpassed by 150 additionally cateloged eating occasions;

10) regardless of claim by innovator's it is today the victim of today's marketing mix for money.

Information is only as good as one reads it. I see Time Magazine in front of me: ;What to Eat Now' on a November cover. I skim an article in Town and Country on The Quantum Kitchen which I know. I love both but to me what is important is to address the food chain, the outdate production and product and to the guy on the street, the one who is in for a surprise if we do not adapt. And while I admire a recent spot on TED:

http://www.ted.com/talks/roger_doiron_my_subversive_garden_plot.html

I think the idea that someone in an apartment with kids or solo will have the space and the inclination to have a vegetable garden may be a bit out of synche with the reality of the design, although admirable. Glossy press is fun and informative, but what we need is a new system. Disruptive keeps coming to mind but before I say more, Vegetable Alchemy has to dig deeper for a way to significantly alter daily eating to the betterment of people and planet. It is clear the body needs fresh food, mostly plants. Like Holmes did to Watson, I sent Oscar in his best duds back back to find insights and numbers while I work on the new biology of the kitchen. Until then......