Dear Friends,
Have I thanked you adequately for all the help you've given my family?
Initially, I joined your group because, although technically an omnivore, I
eat vegetarian most of the time (at least, when I'm cooking!) simply because
that was how I ordinarily preferred to eat (learned from my Mom who didn't
even know what a vegetarian was; she just usually ate that way. The only
non-vegetarian dishes she ever cooked were to please my father, which, back
in her day, was a big deal, you know!).
I've had gastric bypass surgery, and I can tell you from experience that
even the most fibrous vegetable is easier to consume than any kind of meat,
although they're definitely not all the same. Nevertheless, I just
naturally segued into what was easier to digest without ever really thinking about
it. Makes sense, no?
Later, my conviction became stronger because my 8-yr-old weighs 134 lbs.
and a vegetarian diet seemed like an easier, more logical way to curtail his
fat and calorie intake. Moreover, because of the myriad "meat
substitutes" available, I could lower his fat and calorie consumption without the
battles that a traditional low calorie/low fat diet would ensue.
Well, according to my formerly meat and potatoes man son, Sunday breakfast
HAS to be Morningstar Farms sausage and eggs. The man has spoken! And
for lunch, he always asks for vegetarian burgers. He doesn't think of them
as vegetarian; he sees them as his mushroom burgers, which is how he asks
for them. In fact, although he'll eat others, his favorite vegetarian
burgers are mostly of the mushroom variety (fine by me) GardenBurger's Portobella
Mushroom Burgers and Boca's Mushroom and Mozzarella Burgers. I'm a
purist. I like the plain original Boca Burgers best, but if my obese child is
happy with the mushroom variety (for a lunch well under 400 calories - even
with the 100 calorie sandwich flats - and 5 grams of fat), then he will have
his favorite vegetarian burgers. Trust me on that one!
And this is all because of your help. What did I know? I didn't know
vegetarian substitutes even existed before you showed them to me! I certainly
didn't know where to find them or for what to ask. And I'd have had no
idea how to prepare them without your help!
My son became a bo black belt in taekwondo last weekend. It was the last
step before moving on to a true black belt. In order to go for the intense
black belt training, he will have to shed some pounds or he just won't be
able to keep up. Being heavy gives him a power advantage (some of the best
taekwondo stars are a little heavy; they don't dodge as easily as a
lightweight, but if they land a kick or punch, it's all over), but too heavy is
even worse. In taekwondo, it seems that being at the top of the healthy
weight span is the best option. Otherwise, they just don't have the stamina
and, unless they get in a lucky shot quickly, the little guys take over!
In thanks, please allow me to send you a decadent-looking recipe that I
found of ChezPim.com. I haven't tried it yet, but it sounds truly and
totally decadent.
Pumpkin and Coconut Milk "Panna Cotta", or on being accidentally vegan and
gluten free!
Sometimes a kitchen mishap can turn into a beautiful inspiration, like the
other day when I overcooked a Thai dessert. I was making one of my favorite
desserts from childhood, a sweet soup with chunks of pumpkins swimming in
creamy coconut milk sweetened with palm sugar. The trick of it is to cook
the pumpkin pieces just so that they are softened and cooked through, but
still remain in tact – true to the Thai name of this dessert, "ordained
pumpkin". The orange pumpkin chunks are shrouded in white, hence the name, you
see? The overcooked soup - with broken bits of pumpkin tainting the white
coconut milk a pretty shade of orange – was still good, but it could no
longer be called ordained.
The color of the overdone soup was so pretty however, and the flavor no
less delicious, that I thought I could play with this and turn it into
something. So I pulled out the stick blender and puree the ingredients into a
smooth cream, added a little bit of gelatin, et voila, a brand new dessert.
It's a sort of Asian take on the Italian classic Panna Cotta. It retains the
traits of Panna Cotta, cooked cream thickened ever so slightly with gelatin,
cooled, then unmolded into a quivering mass, a spoonful of which melts
into nothingness as it touches the tongue.
This pumpkin-coconut "panna cotta" has nearly the same silky texture,
unmolds into just as trembling, quivering mound, but with an added bonus of
being dairy free (for your lactose intolerant guests) and could even be vegan
if using Agar Agar powder to thicken instead of gelatin. If you didn't want
to bother with unmolding it to serve, just pour the warm mixture into old
jam jars or small glasses instead of panna cotta molds. When it's cooled
enough to set and serve, stick a spoon in it and call it a Pumpkin Pot de
Crème.
With Thanksgiving festivities coming up, this dessert could be a delicious
alternative for your finicky and dietarily restricted guests.
Poured into a pre-baked _gluten free pie crust,_
(http://glutenfreegirl.blogspot.com/2006/11/who-needs-gluten-when-there-is-pumpkin.html) cooled in
the fridge until set, it will make a gluten free and dairy free pumpkin pie
that even the most die hard butter and cream lovers can adore.
Use _a vegan pie crust_
(http://www.almostvegan.com/archives/2004/06/pie.html) instead, and Agar Agar to thicken in place of gelatin, you've got
yourself the smoothest and creamiest vegan pumpkin pie you'll ever have.
I love it when a mistake turns into such pretty, delicious, versatile - if
accidental - invention.
(http://chezpim.typepad.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/2007/10/19/img_8618.jpg) Pumpkin and Coconut Milk "Panna Cotta"
2 heaping cups of pumpkin, peeled, seeded, and cut into small cubes
This should be about 10oz or 300g of pumpkin. You can also use one cup of
pumpkin puree instead. I use _Kabocha_
(http://holybasil.wordpress.com/2007/10/05/you-like-kabocha-dontcha/) or _Potimarron_
(http://chezpim.typepad.com/blogs/2006/11/soupe_de_potima.html) , but I'm sure any pumpkin would work
just fine.
1.5 cups (3.5dl) coconut milk
1 cup (2.5dl) water
1/2 (packed) cup (100g), palm sugar or brown sugar
1tsp salt
1 packet powdered gelatin, or 5g of sheet gelatin, or 1 tsp Agar Agar
powder*
If using powdered gelatin, mix it with half the cup of water and let stand
five minutes.
If using sheet gelatin, soak the sheets in enough water to cover until
soft. Remove the gelatin sheets and squeeze out excess water and set aside.
In a medium pot, add the cubed pumpkin, coconut milk, sugar, salt, and
water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to simmer for 20 minutes, or until
the pumpkin cubes are very soft. Add the gelatin water, gelatin sheets, or
Agar Agar powder. Puree the mixture with a stick blender until smooth. You
can also transfer the ingredients into a stand blender to puree, then pour
the liquid back into the pot. Continue to simmer for five more minutes.
Remove from heat and pour into panna cotta molds or jam jars, (or a pre-baked
pie crust.) Let cool in the fridge until set. Unmold to serve or just
stick a spoon in it!
------------------------------
*A little note on Agar Agar powder: desserts thickened with gelatin will
melt at much lower temperature than dessert thickened with Agar Agar. The
plus for Agar Agar is it will unmold easier, and your panna cotta stays in
shape for a long time even at room temperature, whereas the one thickened
with gelatin should be served soon after it leaves the fridge. Beware that
panna cotta thickened with Agar will not melt in your mouth and give you the
same creamy mouth-feel as one that uses gelatin. But if you are particular
with animal products, from which gelatin is made, then Agar Agar will be a
good solution for you.
Sound good? Love you guys.... truly love you one and all...
In Vino Veritas,
*´¨) Janis Abbe
. ·´ ¸.·*¨) ¸.·*¨) ¸.·*¨ )
(¸.·´ (¸.*´ ¸.·´ `·-* *
Oenaphile, Logophile, Ailurophile, Bibliophile
"Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre
minds." ~Albert Einstein
"A man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest." ~Paul Simon
"I'd rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints; the sinners
are much more fun." ~ Billy Joel
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