Marinade 101

The marinade is possibly the most useful tool in a cook’s repertoire besides a heat source. Good for imparting flavor and moisture into foods, a marinade can also act as a tenderizer for tough cuts of meat or starchy vegetables. The same key ingredient mediates both effects: acid. Chemically defined as any substance with a pH below 7, acids act to break down connective tissues within muscle. This makes the meat easier to cut and tear apart (i.e. more tender). It also increases the uptake of other components of the marinade like oils and spices, which bring moisture and flavor to the table. Although most traditionally a type of vinegar, any acidic liquid can be used in a marinade including wine, orange juice, or buttermilk.

By simply varying the type of acid and its accompaniments, a marinade can be used for almost any type of cuisine. For example, balsamic vinegar combined with olive oil, thyme, basil, and garlic makes a great Italian-style marinade. An Asian-style marinade can be made from soy sauce, orange zest, and sesame oil. Or you can combine them into a fusion dish. If made with dry ingredients, it transforms into a rub perfect for grilled steak or fish. Varying the marinating time further increases the versatility of this technique, allowing it to be used with both tender and tough cuts of meat. Marinades can also serve as excellent sauces after they are boiled to eliminate any traces of contamination from the raw meat.

Since an acid is the only crucial ingredient in a marinade there’s plenty of room for experimentation. This also means that marinades are very forgiving - so don’t be afraid to try something new!

St. Patty's Hand Pies

While I'm not exactly Irish, my family and I still decided to delve a little into the crazy holiday this past week. Needless to say, we stocked up on cabbage and whiskey (thats another story) and concocted some authentic Irish cuisine with a vegetarian twist (to satisfy my 13-year sister's new declaration). Edited from Martha Stewart's Version of Irish handpies, this rich and delicious indulgence really put us in the spirit for some St. Patty's day fun. 

We first sauteed a hefty amount of garlic and onions in olive oil. We then chopped a small head of cabbage and cooked that with the garlic and onions until soft. Kale was added to boost the nutritional value and give the dish a little more substance. We then seasoned the whole thing with salt, pepper, and a little red pepper flakes. The simple mix of vegetables created a wholesome filling for the pies. We then rolled out a simple store bought pie crust and cut each sheet into fourths. The fourths were each filled with the vegetables, folded over, and the edges were crimped with a fork. The pies were baked at 400 degrees until golden brown, about 15 minutes.

Review: The Devil's Cup

(Apologies for the lack of posts last week - classwork has been hectic for Rachael and me lately. We should be mostly back on schedule now. Huzzah!)

I seem to have an obsession with posting about coffee. I blame Seattle for the most part, but it really is a subject of more depth and breadth than you would initially think. Aside from the techniques and recipes previously discussed, there is the thousand-year old history of its cultivation. Stewart Lee Allen's book The Devil's Cup: A History of the World According to Coffee take's an entertaining look at this story, detailing the author's attempt to trace the spread of the coffee bean from its origins in East Africa to the Middle East and the rest of the world. Allen integrates anecdotes about his own travels with this story, adding a great deal of humor and making this much more than a highly-specialized history book. I would highly recommend picking up a copy if you have a chance, even if you aren't as obsessed with coffee as I am.

Slow Food

There is a revolution a foot and I’ve picked up my knife and rolling pin in its defense. Call me spoiled, call it expensive taste, call it what you want, but I have such a deep loathing for the fast food chains of the world that this so called revolution is just what I needed. In my head, I’ve personified fast food. The greasy kid from high school with slicked back hair and an odor slightly reminiscent of lunchmeat. There is nothing wrong with the kid, he just kind of skeeves me out. Same with the 1200 calorie Triple Whopper sandwich from Burger King. This strange mash of meat, bread, and grease should just not be allowed to bear the label of “food”.

And then there are the intellectuals: sipping shiraz in their thick framed glasses and plaid sweaters, nibbling aged cheeses with a novella in hand, and crunching on local foods bought after a long day of scrounging at the farmer’s market. They swirl the rich and robust liquid around in their mouths to taste the oak, the berry, the body. They spread the cheese over their taste buds. They bite slowly and chew thoughtfully. They are the antithesis of lunchmeat kid. They are the Slow Food Movement.

Carlo Petrini, one of my favorite Italian revolutionaries, began the Slow Food Movement and has since raised awareness for the cause and gained followers in over a hundred different countries. Slow Food states their philosophy as, “We believe that everyone has a fundamental right to pleasure and consequently the responsibility to protect the heritage of food, tradition and culture that make this pleasure possible. Our movement is founded upon this concept of eco-gastronomy – a recognition of the strong connections between plate and planet”. Essentially, the movement aims to slow people down to allow them to savor every flavor and every ingredient, support locally grown produce, and explore the diversity of taste. Members of the Slow Food Movement are reveling in local cuisine, upholding culinary and cultural traditions, and educating the public about the complexity of taste, the danger of fast food, and what ethical and safe buying practices are at the supermarket.

With spring break in full swing, I have really found myself jumping into the movement. I am finally home and ready to spend my break in front of the stove. I intend to find the longest, most tedious recipe and to revel in it. And for a change, I want to slow down. I’ll spend my break sipping shiraz, nibbling cheese, and crunching on local vegetables. I’m spending my break as a member of the Slow Food Movement.


Adapted from previously published article at The Cornell Daily Sun

Antioxidant Smoothie

There couldn't be anything more nutrient dense and delicious than a smoothie. As a quick and easy breakfast or a filling lunch, a smoothie is great way to get the recommended amount of the fruit and dairy groups. This recipe from Whole Living is a great recipe that is loaded with anti-inflammatory antioxidants and vitamins.

1/2 cup blueberries
1/2 cup strawberries
1/2 cup chilled green tea
3/4 cup low fat yogurt
2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
Sugar or honey to taste.

Combine all ingredients in a blender until smooth. If necessary, ice can be added to make it colder. Also, organic frozen berries are a great option in the winter months. Other additions to this smoothie could be cranberry juice, pomegranate juice, bananas, blackberries, or wheat germ. Take the time to play around with the recipe to find your favorite go to smoothie!

Improv Cooking #1: Red Curry Ramen

Since I live off a student stipend, I’m always looking for ways to make good meals cheaply. One trick is to make the most out of everything I buy at the grocery store, no matter what obscure recipe required it originally. But since I don’t want to repeat the same dishes ad nauseam, I’ve come to enjoy what I call “improv cooking”: making an unplanned meal solely from whatever I find in the kitchen at the time. It’s a fun experiment in creativity! I’ll be posting the results here, starting with this:

Red Curry Ramen

1 package Ramen noodles, any flavor
Several basil leaves, chopped

For sauce:
1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp flour
1 cup 1% milk
2 Tsp red curry paste
2 Tsp tomato paste
1 ½ Tsp sugar
Salt and pepper

1) Cook ramen noodles as directed, but discard the seasoning packet.
2) Melt butter in small saucepan. Add flour in small increments until it forms a paste. Let cook for 1 or 2 minutes or until bubbles start to form.
3) Heat milk in the microwave for 1 minute. Whisk slowly into the saucepan until the paste is dissolved.
4) Stir in red curry paste, tomato paste, and sugar. Salt and pepper to taste. Allow sauce to reduce and thicken until it coats the back of a spoon.
5) Pour sauce over noodles. Sprinkle with chopped basil. Enjoy!

I realize that not everyone has red curry paste and fresh basil in their pantry, but that’s why this is fun – finding a use for those more obscure ingredients wasting away on the back shelf. Try it, and you might just invent your new favorite recipe!

Countertop Garden

Adding fresh herbs is one of the easiest and fastest ways to liven up a dish. While the dried versions found in the supermarket spice aisle can certainly go a long way in a pinch, they don’t have the same pungency of flavor and versatility of fresh cuttings - pesto certainly wouldn’t be the same! But dried herbs do have the advantage of a longer shelf life. They usually retain their potency for about six months, whereas fresh herbs can go bad within a week of clipping. So what’s a budding gourmet to do? One option would be to buy the pre-packaged supermarket bundles whenever a recipe called for an herb, but that cost adds up quickly. A better option would be to grow any often used herbs yourself – that way you can have a self-renewing supply at a fraction of the cost. But for those of us apartment dwellers without green thumbs, a traditional garden is often out of the question. Luckily, the world of kitchen gadgetry comes to the rescue!

Meet the Aerogarden. This neat hydroponic garden kit allows you to grow fresh herbs right in your kitchen without much mess or fuss. It automatically controls light exposure, and lets you know exactly when you need to add water or fertilizer tablets. The model I have supports growth of up to three “pods”, which are pre-assembled capsules of soil and seeds. I’m currently growing basil, thyme, and chives, but the company provides a marvelous array of choices including flowers and even some vegetables. You can also order custom seed kits or transplant seedlings from your own garden.

Now for the downside: the basic model (with starter seed kit) runs at about $100 US, with each subsequent 3-pod seed kit costing $15. It also requires a fair amount of counter space away from any direct heat or light sources, which can be tricky in a small kitchen. But my pesto has never been better!

Freshman 15

The little orange pack of crunchy noodles glares at me. I sigh and succumb to the ugly food I’m about to put in my body. Ugh, college. There is just some moments where I have to put my forkful of dignity down and dwell in the bottom of my lowly bowl of ramen. After all, it’s really cold outside and this “soup” is really warm. Out of a moment of pure laziness, I pour the packet of preservatives into the steaming microwaved noodles and crawl into bed to write reconciliation for this dreadful act to the great world of foodies.

Freshman year was a bad year for me. A little older and a little wiser, I can now look back at the year from hell and laugh at the extra ten pounds I packed on. A naïve eighteen year old, I pulled up to campus promising myself straight A’s and a trip to the gym everyday. And then reality punched me in the face. During the long, lonely nights at the library, I leaned on cinnamon scones and caramel lattes for support. All that got me was a sweet set of love handles and a massive pair of thunder thighs. Now, fifteen pounds lighter and armed with my soy crisps and green tea, I am bound and determined to debunk the phenomenon that is the dreaded “freshman fifteen”.

Cornell’s division of nutritional services at Gannett Health Center contributes gaining the freshman fifteen to skipping meals, consuming alcohol and high calorie foods, the lack of sleep, stress, and large portion sizes. David A. Levitsky, professor of nutritional science and psychology, has done extensive research with hopes of demystifying the weight gain that occurs during the first years of college. His study produced results that estimated that 4.2 pounds of weight was gained per person in his sample Cornell freshman population during their first twelve weeks on campus. Levitsky attributes this fairly shocking number to the all-you-can-yet dining halls and easy access to junk food. Stress, a fairly prevalent feeling here at Cornell University, has also been found to be a likely culprit for weight gain. Also, weight and fat accumulation, as well as chronic stress, have also been linked to decreased functions of the reproductive system. In addition, the lack of sleep has been linked to an increase in appetite, an unfavorable change in glucose metabolism, a higher risk for diabetes, and significant weight gain. While most studies suggest that the “freshman fifteen” may be an over exaggeration, a distinct correlation has been observed between students entering college and an increase in body fat.

Adapted and Previously Published by the The Cornell Daily Sun

A Chicken Salad Redesign

I've always been a huge fan of chicken salad. Whether it's slathered on toasted bread or sandwiched between leaves of lettuce, the creamy texture and complex tastes will always be a favorite of mine. Unfortunately, most recipes incorporate copious amounts of mayonnaise or extremely heavy dressings that include huge amounts of saturated fats that are definitely detrimental to your health. This being said, I've been in search of a recipe that includes the flavors that I love but also takes into consideration health and nutrition. Iron Chef Cat Cora takes the prize for her Thai Chicken Salad with Cabbage from her latest cookbook "Cooking from the Hip". This light and crunchy version of chicken salad is surprisingly filling. The sweet and spicy dressing vamps up the flavor without the added calories and fat. Overall, this is a great recipe packed with protein and vitamins A, C, E, and B.

Dressing

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

1/3 cup olive oil

2 teaspoons sesame oil

2 tablespoons store-bought Thai peanut sauce

1 tablespoon black sesame seeds

Salad

1 whole chicken breast

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 head of napa cabbage

3 large carrots

6 scallions

Freshly ground black pepper

Whisk together ingredients for the dressing and set aside. Place the chicken in a pot of simmering water and cook for approximately 20 minutes. Thinly slice the cabbage and grate the carrots into a large bowl. Add the sliced scallions and shredded chicken. Pour the dressing over the salad, toss, and season.

Spiced Coffee

As a corollary to my previous post on the art of coffee blending, I thought I’d include a recipe for one of my favorite caffeinated morning treats. It tastes just as good as the coffeehouse lattes with about half the effort.


3 Tbsp dark coffee grounds
2 cups cold water
6 whole cloves
1 Tbsp sugar
1 Tsp freshly shaved nutmeg
Whipped cream

Combine coffee, cloves, sugar and nutmeg in the filter of a drip coffeemaker. Brew coffee as normal. Top with whipped cream and shaved nutmeg. Makes 1-2 cups.

While nutmeg is the dominant flavor in the above mix, you can obviously adjust it to your own liking by adding or subtracting your favorite spices. A cinnamon stick, freshly grated ginger, or orange zest are all excellent alternatives. And if you have biscotti or croissants available, this treat can be made even better!

Panzanella

Ina Garten's Rendition of Panzanella
-3 tablespoons olive oil
-1 small loaf of a crusty bread, cut into cubes
-1 teaspon kosher salt
-2 large plum tomatoes, diced
-1 cucumber, diced
-1 red bell pepper, diced
-1 yellow bell pepper, diced
-1/2 red onion, chopped
-20 large basil leave, chopped
-1/4 cup kalamata olives, chopped

Dressing
-1 teaspoon minced garlic
-1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
-3 tablespoons Champagne vinegar
-1/2 cup olive oil
-1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
-1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Lightly coat cubed bread with olive oil and salt and toast in the oven at 400 degrees until browned. In a small bowl, whisk together ingredients for the vinaigrette. In large bowl, toss tomatoes, cucumbers, pepper, onion, basil, and olives. Add the toasted bread and toss with vinaigrette. Season with salt and pepper. Allow to sit for a half hour and serve.

Panzanella, a popular bread salad originating in the regions of Tuscany, Umbria, Marche, and Lazio, is an extremely versatile dish that packs huge amounts of energy-producing carbohydrates and healthful nutrients found in the diverse vegetables.

Smitten Kitchen's take on Panzanella follows a similar process as Ina's but instead incorporates parmesan cheese, leeks, white beans, and asparagus. This version vamps up the protein and fiber and adds a twist of a more sophisticated taste.

When mixing your own Panzanella, be creative about what kind of vegetables you add. Carrots, corn, soy beans, or string beans could bring extra texture and flavor to the dish. By using a high protein bread, added nutritional value and a great source of energy can be achieved. Add your favorite ingredients to customize your Panzanella! 

The Super Powers of Green Tea

1:30 PM, 4:30 PM, 6:30 PM, 9:30 PM. I dig through my bottomless pit of a snack drawer and yank out a small bag filled with super powers. I pull out a mug with a picture of my puppy plastered on its side and fill it to the brim with steaming hot water. When I drop the little bag into the mug, a burst of bright green diffuses throughout. A small drizzle of honey and I'm good to go.

When I sip the rejuvenating liquid, I don't exactly grow a pair of wings or suddenly gain x-ray vision but the health benefits of green tea seem to be quite magical. Packed with powerful antioxidants called catechins, green tea is said to attack cancer-causing free radicals and increase the production of enzymes responsible for a healthy immune system. In addition, recent studies produced results suggesting that catechins may enhance the power of antibiotics up to thirty percent and reverse some of the effects of antibiotic resistance. The antimicrobial aspect of green tea was also analyzed and produced promising results. During a study conducted by the Agricultural Research Service, a reduction of the bacteria Bacillus cereus was observed and was attributed to the consumption of green tea. Dr. Andrew Weil suggests pairing the robust, yet delicate flavors of green tea with citrus. He states, "a new study indicates that adding citrus juice or vitamin C can significantly boost the bioavailability of those compounds, which have been linked to lowered cancer risk as well as improved heart and brain health."

These impressive new studies have significantly contributed to my overzealous tea-drinking tendencies. With my avid tea-loving roommate at my side, I will continue to relish in the miraculous power of green tea!

Published by The Cornell Daily Sun

Tomato-Basil Snacks

Another short entry tonight, but it goes along with the spirit of the recipe. This is quick and easy for entertaining, but not short on class. It really shines when you can get fresh basil.

Please note that the picture below shows the snacks made with ham, but it didn’t add that much to the flavor so I’ve omitted it from the recipe.

Tomato-Basil Snacks

Makes a dozen

12 Ritz crackers
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
10-12 plum tomatoes
Handful of fresh basil leaves
3-4 springs of thyme
Salt and Pepper
Balsamic vinegar, for drizzling

1) Thinly slice tomatoes and basil. Strip thyme leaves from stem. Combine in a small bowl. Salt and pepper to taste.
2) Lay out Ritz crackers. For each, generously spread ricotta cheese and layer a spoonful of the tomato mixture on top. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar.

Designer Coffee

Down in Seattle’s Pike Place Market one can find the original Starbucks. Although the Not for Tourists Guide claims the original store opened on Western Ave 5 years earlier, there is a certain charm to this locale. Maybe it’s the street performers or the tourists, or maybe it’s the fact that it’s the only Starbucks I’ve found that smells profusely of roasting coffee beans. Those heavenly, intoxicating aromas of the Pike Place blend….

Ahem.

The modern practice of coffee blending has taken several cues from the art of winemaking. The origin and quality of Coffea beans has become as important to blenders as the degree of roasting. Like wine grapes, beans from certain areas of the world are considered better than others merely based on reputation. For example, Kopi Luwak or “Monkey coffee” from Indonesia sells for $160 a pound despite (or perhaps because of) its unusual cultivation. For those of us with less sophisticated coffee palettes there are still Ethiopian, Brazilian, Mexican, and Columbian beans to choose from, among many others. To complicate matters further, Coffea beans also come in two varieties: Coffea arabica and Coffea robusta. Both species are found in modern commercial coffee blends, with Coffea arabica constituting the majority of the beans used. Robusta plants are heartier than their brethren, being able to grow at sea level (C. arabica must be grown at high altitudes) and needing less care overall. Beans from this species also tend to have higher caffeine content, although they produce a harsher, more bitter brew. Consequently, C. arabica and C. robusta are often blended commercially to obtain the best of both worlds – high caffeine content with a smooth taste.

Of course, once create your blend you still have to decide what to do with it. You could use it to make espresso, French press coffee, drip coffee, or even chocolate-covered coffee beans. You could also make cowboy coffee, although my brother has said cowboy coffee is made using an old sock as a filter for the boiling grounds. Maybe I’ll just stick to Starbucks.

A Manly Dinner for My Valentine

Guys have it easy. Shelves around this time are overflowing with pink frilly cards, over sized heart-shaped boxes of Russell Stover’s chocolates, and cheesy displays of flowers padded with so much baby’s breath that you can barely see the single wilting rose tucked away in the center. All you men have to do is hand over something pink and pretty and the girl swoons, or so says every stereotypical advertisement for Valentine’s Day. So with America's media catering all Valentine’s Day gifts towards women, what on earth is the other side of the relationship supposed to do? To find the solution, I set out on a mission to make the manliest of all Valentine’s Day meals. Despite the fact that the dinner was slightly feminized by the pink card covered with doilies and hearts that I glued together during a program on West Campus, I thought it was an impressive spread.

Lamb Chops with a Pomegranate Red Wine Sauce
-12 lamb chops
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
-1/4 cup minced shallots
-1/2 cup pomegranate juice-1/4 cup dry red wine (something you would drink!)-1/4 cup homemade or low-salt chicken broth
-1-1/2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
-1 Tbs. fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped
-1/2 Tbs. honey
-2 Tbs. cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

Season the lamb chops with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan on medium high heat. Sear the seasoned chops until browned on both sides, about 2 minutes for medium rare or 3 minutes for medium. Remove the chops from the pan and cover with aluminum foil to keep them warm. Add shallots to the pan with the lamb fat and sauté until translucent and slightly browned. Add pomegranate juice, red wine, chicken broth, vinegar, thyme, and honey and cook until reduced by about half (about 3-5 minutes). Reduce the heat to medium low and stir in butter. Pour the sauce over the lamb chops and season if necessary. Serves four.


Car Bomb Cupcakes
Cupcake Batter
-1 cup Guinness
-2 sticks unsalted butter-3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
-2 cups all-purpose flour
-2 cups sugar
-1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
-3/4 teaspoons salt
-2 large eggs
-2/3 cup sour cream


Ganache Filling
-8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
-2/3 cup heavy cream
-2 tablespoons butter, room temperature
-1 to 2 teaspoons Irish whiskey (or possibly more?!)

Bailey's Frosting
-3 to 4 cups confectioner’s sugar
-1 stick of room temperature unsalted butter
-3 to 4 tablespoon’s Baileys (I definitely used more!!)

How to make the cupcakes:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line cupcake tins with liners or spray liberally with cooking spray. Simmer Guinness and butter over medium heat. Add cocoa powder and whisk until smooth. Allow to cool slightly.
To a large bowl, add flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt and whisk to blend. In a separate bowl, beat eggs and sour cream until smooth. Add stout-chocolate mixture to egg mixture and beat. Gradually add flour mixture and beat until combined on a slow speed. Pour batter into cupcake tins until about 2/3 of the way full. Bake approximately 17 minutes or until knife comes out smooth when inserted into the center of the cupcake. Cool completely.

How to make the ganache: Simmer the heavy cream in a small pot until it bubbles slightly. Place chopped chocolate in a medium bowl and pour the hot cream over the chocolate and stir. Add butter and whiskey and stir until smooth. Allow to cool until the ganache has thickened slightly.

How to make the frosting: Whip the butter with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Gradually add the powdered sugar. After a thick frosting has formed, add baileys and continue beating until smooth.

How to assemble the cupcake: Put ganache and frosting into separate sandwich bags and cut a small hole in the bottom of one corner of the bag. Next, using an apple corer or a small knife to cut small circles into the center of each cupcake, without reaching the bottom. Pipe ganache into the hole. Pipe the frosting on the top of the cupcake into whatever design you like. You can also just spread the frosting over the top for an easier finish.





Meat, beer, whiskey, and chocolate. What else could a man ask for? This is an absolute winner of a meal and the cupcakes are basically the best thing to ever happen to the culinary world. Well, that might be a bit of a stretch but they are still the best cupcakes I’ve ever had. The lamb with the red wine and pomegranate sauce is a phenomenal dish that can be paired with a fresh salad with a light dressing and a great bottle of Merlot. To indulge in a little extravagance, we popped the cork of a great bottle of champagne and enjoyed it with the chocolate cupcakes. In my opinion, my mission to make Valentine’s Day a little more masculine was a great success.

Previously Published by The Cornell Daily Sun

Aphrodisiacs

Ancient Aztecs ate avocados picked from the “Ahuacuatl”, or the “testicle tree” and drank copious amounts of chocolate with the belief that it was a sex elixir from the gods. Casanova binged on pounds of oysters before one of his infamous pursuits for a woman. For thousands of years, food has been hailed to be one of the sexiest ways to succeed in the pursuit of seduction. Aphrodisiacs, foods famed for pumping up libido and desire, have a shady reputation and have yet to be proven to be more than just folklore. But with Valentine’s Day around the corner, it may be fun to indulge in folklore and entice your favorite foodie with some tantalizing “aphrodisiacs.”

Named after the Greek goddess of love, aphrodisiacs have an appropriate place in Valentine’s Day tradition. While these sexy foods have been established to create a more psychological response rather than a physical one, some evidence shows that they may contribute to other aspects of sex and seduction.

Food is a complete sensory experience. Aromatic smells, unique textures, enticing tastes, and appealing visuals all mesh together to contribute to the pleasure of a food. For example, foods in suggestive phallic shapes, such as cucumbers, bananas, chili peppers, and oysters, contribute to visual stimulation and trigger sexual excitement. Also, studies done at the The Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation concluded that blood flow to the genitals increased for males from the smell of pumpkin and lavender and for females from cucumber and licorice.

While no food has ever been recorded to cause a fluctuation of sex hormones due to its consumption, they do have the ability to at least set the mood. While many believe chocolate is a cliché on Valentine’s Day, it contains chemicals that stimulate the production of mood-enhancing serotonin. Honey, a favorite of our Greek goddess of love, Aphrodite, is said to be an energy-booster. Red wine delivers similar benefits as chocolate and also facilitates in relaxation.

When creating a menu of aphrodisiacs for Valentine’s Day, I really recommend steering clear of some of the ancient traditions. There is nothing less sexy than powdered rhinoceros horn or Spanish fly. Instead, check out Bonappetit’s"Sexy Food Slideshow" for some modern day ideas.

Previously Published by The Cornell Daily Sun

Easy Focaccia Bread

Another busy day at the end of a busy couple of weeks! With midterms and mid-quarter presentations finally done, I should have some time in the next few weeks to write more substantial (and punctual!) posts. For tonight though, I’m simply going to share with you my favorite focaccia recipe. The amazing thing about it is that you really need very few ingredients, most of which should already be in your pantry:

FocacciaThe Big Book of Breakfast)

1 package (1/4 oz) active dry yeast
¾ cup warm water (105-115 degrees F)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for brushing on top
½ teaspoon coarse salt
½ teaspoon dried rosemary

1) In a small bowl, stir yeast with water until dissolved. Let stand 5 minutes
2) In a food processor, combine flour and salt. Add olive oil and process until mixed, about 30 seconds (Mixing by hand with a wooden spoon also works).
3) Add yeast mixture and process until dough forms a ball. Process 1 minute longer.
4) Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth (8-10 times). Place dough in an oiled bowl and turn to coat. Cover with a clean towel and let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour. Punch dough down and let rest for 5 minutes.
5) Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Fit dough into an oiled 10-inch deep dish pie plate and press down. Dimple the dough with your fingertip in about 12 places and brush with olive oil. Sprinkle with coarse salt and dried rosemary.
6) Bake until bread is slightly browned, 18-20 minutes. Remove from pie plate and cool on wire rack. Slice and enjoy!

The Roast

The technique used for preparing food can be just as an important as the ingredients themselves. Quite obviously, deep-frying a tomato basically robs the fruit of the nutrients it has to offer. While eating a deep-fried tomato may be better than eating a deep-fried donut, the tomato offers way less than it would in its raw form. Eating fresh vegetables and fruits right off the stand is the optimal way to achieve the health benefits they have to offer. But raw foods have a tendency to get pretty boring in large quantities and I have found that roasting is one of my favorite techniques. Not only does it preserve a majority of the vitamins and nutrients, but it also really enhances the flavor. 

Carrots, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, garlic, and onions were the vegetables of choice this weekend. A light drizzle of olive oil, a few sprigs of rosemary, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper is all that's necessary for a flavorful dish. Place the dressed vegetables on a baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees until browned (1-1.5 hours). Other great vegetables to roast include parsnips, red potatoes, brussels sprouts, and rutabaga. The vegetables keep well in the refrigerator and taste even better the next day! 

Roasted vegetables can be used as a side dish or prepared as part of your meal. I tossed my vegetables in a simple salad of grilled shrimp and onions, mixed greens, olive oil, lemon juice and a little bit of goat cheese. This delicious salad offered a low calorie meal packed with huge flavor. Leftover roasted vegetables are also an easy way to make a quick soup.  By warming a puree of vegetables with a little bit of vegetable stock, a soup can be created that satisfies our need for warmth in long winter months. 

Quick and Hearty Breakfast

I had planned on doing a longer, more in-depth entry today, but found that I ran out of time. Between class, lab work and errands, I was barely able to make breakfast this morning! So, in the spirit of the day, here’s a quick and easy (but hearty!) breakfast recipe. It’s my own twist on the classic egg sandwich, and if you have jarred roasted red peppers it’s a snap to make. Of course, it tastes much better if you roast the peppers yourself, but that’s for another entry!

Roasted Red Pepper Egg-wich

(Makes 2)

2 medium sized dinner rolls
~1 red pepper, roasted and sliced
2 eggs
2 Tablespoons mayonnaise
½ - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
salt and pepper, to taste

1) Slice dinner rolls in half and toast
2) Fry eggs in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add salt and pepper.
3) Combine mayonnaise and garlic powder, altering to taste.
4) Remove rolls from toaster. Spread mayonnaise on the top half and layer the egg and pepper slices on the bottom half. Assemble and eat!

My Chocolate Drug

I am truly a fanatic of the show Scrubs. My friends have officially begun to hate how often I quote the show. But to really put the nail in my own coffin, I thought it would be entirely appropriate to make the Scrubs connection in Food, Deglazed. As J.D falls into one of his daydreams of being Willy Wonka with his office and best friend made of chocolate, I can't help but love him just a little bit more than I already do. If only my dorm room was made of chocolate...

The history of chocolate is pretty extensive and amusing to read. The Aztecs believed chocolate was an elixir from the gods that gifted wisdom, health, and aphrodisiac powers to those who consumed it. Pope Pious ruled that drinking chocolate would not break the Fast on Fridays. Casanova is famed for seducing his women with the tantalizing taste of chocolate. For hundreds of years, chocolate was thought of in a positive light and has become a world-wide cultural tradition.

So why the negative connotation now? When most people think of chocolate, they think of gooey Milky Ways or peanut-butter stuffed Reeses, both overflowing with unhealthy fats and high calorie counts that stem mainly from all those tasty additives and really degrade the health power of chocolate. For example, research has shown that dark chocolate naturally contains antioxidants called flavonoids, which have the power to attack cancer-causing free radicals in the body. In addition, dark chocolate has been proven to increase cardiovascular health, improve circulation, and decrease blood pressure and cholesterol levels. To achieve such benefits, buy dark chocolate with a high percentage of cocoa (60% or greater) and limit consumption to a reasonable amount (about 1.5 ounces).

My greatest food pleasure possesses compounds that regulate mental health as well. Chocolate stimulates endorphins in the brain that leave you with a sense of pleasure after eating it. Also, serotonin and theobromine are affected and cause a improvement of mood and an increase in energy, respectively. 

With all of this said, I would like to personally thank the world of science for giving me an excuse to eat chocolate!

Spanikopita Palmiers

Ah, the Superbowl. A time for beer, fanatic devotion, and a level of overindulgence second only to Thanksgiving. I found myself making the culinary goods again this year, and although my darling onion rings beckoned me, I wanted to try something new and more upscale. The resulting recipe (posted below) is a composite of two others: One for spanakopita from allrecipes.com and the one for Ham, Swiss and Dijon Palmiers that my mother found in a magazine some time ago (Traditional palmiers are those light, curly-cue cookies you often see on platters outside catered meetings). The end result is delicious spanakopita flavor without all the hassle of phyllo dough.

Spanikopita Palmiers

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
½ large onion, minced
3-4 green onions, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
10 ounces frozen spinach (1 package)
3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1 egg
3 tablespoons ricotta cheese
1/3 cup feta cheese
1 sheet puff pastry

1) Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute onion, green onions and garlic until soft and lightly browned. Stir in spinach and parsley, and continue to saute until spinach is limp. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
2) In a medium bowl, mix together eggs, ricotta, and feta. Stir in spinach mixture.
3) Position sheet of pastry on a lightly floured surface so that a short side is closest to you. Roll into a 10x14 inch rectangle
4) Spread spinach mixture evenly over pastry.
5) Cut rectangle in half to make two 10x7 inch bands. Roll one long edge of one of the bands into the center; roll the opposite edge in so the two rolls meet in the middle and resemble a double scroll. Press lightly so the rolls stick together (spread a few drops of water where the two rolls meet to help them stick if you need to). Repeat with the second band. Wrap in plastic and chill until firm, at least 1 hour in the refrigerator or 30 minutes in the freezer.
6) Preheat oven to 425o F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. With a very sharp knife, slice each roll into 24 pieces. Place on baking sheets at least 1 inch apart. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, until pastry is flaky. Serve warm or within the hour, if possible. Makes 48.

The Transgenic Issue

The rise of the organic food movement has always somewhat perplexed me. Having grown up on Kraft Mac n’ Cheese, I never really gave much thought to where my food came from (a box) or what went into it (1 cup of water and microwave radiation). Still, I can appreciate the desire not to ingest chemicals I can’t pronounce. Genetically modified foods, on the other hand, don’t really bother me. I’m okay with the idea that my tomatoes have a few non-coding “foreign” DNA sequences as long as the procedure contributed other benefits, such as disease resistance or enriched vitamin content. However, some people fear that these extra sequences or the procedure itself could prove harmful to humans in the long run. Judging by the continued expansion of organic food aisles in grocery stores, this is a big concern among the general public despite known government safety testing.

The resulting challenge for scientists is to develop a method of improving crops without introducing these “potentially harmful” sequences people find so objectionable. Thus enters the concept of precision breeding, which has recently been used to give rice the ability to breathe underwater. According to the CNN article, Dr. Pamela Ronald and a team at UC Davis have managed to introduce a novel gene from a low-yield rice variety into a commonly used high-yield variety that will enable it to survive up to 17 days completely underwater – almost 6x longer than the regular species. The new plants were tested in rice-loving India and Bangladesh, where massive flooding has severely reduced crop yields in recent years. The neat trick is that they managed to do this without introducing any of the non-related DNA traditionally used as vectors in genetic engineering. Precision or smart breeding instead uses knowledge of the plant genome to make informed breeding matches to generate the hybrid of choice – no test tubes involved. It’s a technique that’s been around for a few years and is gaining momentum among plant breeders and researchers, who have dubbed it “green biotech.” It’ll be interesting to see how this plays out in the supermarket over the next decade or so.

Recovery and Reflection

My body has been pretty angry at me these past few days. After a weekend of debauchery and pretty terrible food, my body has sort of gone into a state of confusion. While on a ski trip to Sugarbush in Vermont with the Cornell Ski and Snowboard Club, healthy food choices weren't exactly readily accessible. Shamefully, my days in Vermont consisted of pasta with Ragu (I still can't believe I ate canned sauce), bagels smothered in overindulgent amounts of cream cheese, greasy bacon, and way too much beer. After eating such highly processed things, I then forced my body to pound the slopes despite the 0 degree weather and bone-chilling winds. 

So here I am, physically exhausted, my skin is an absolute mess, and every inch of my body feels heavier than normal. I am actually shocked at how extremely different I feel from just one weekend of bad food and alcohol. Don't get me wrong, the weekend was totally worth the after math, but I am now thoroughly convinced to eat heathy food when I have the choice. 

Since returning to Cornell, I've been drowning myself in steamed vegetables, whole grains, and gallons of pomegranate juice with hopes to make a recovery to my usually energetic self. I'm hitting the gym for an hour of boot camp and eating every green leafy vegetable in sight. I'm hoping that my experience is a lesson to myself that good food is crucial to everyday life. It drastically changes the way I feel and the amount of energy I have. So for the next few days I'll eat myself to recovery and revel in my discovery of the true value of healthy food.

The Low Carb Low-Down

Inspiration for this post came from a clever suggestion that I found while skimming through my usual health and cooking blogs to pass the time during a particularly boring lecture. Allrecipes.com offers a fantastic alternative to the gooey mozz and tomato paninis we all know and love. Their article of suggestions for cutting back "bad carbs" promotes the use of eggplant as an alternative to bread. This 10 minute meal is a brilliant way to focus on healthy, low carb foods. 

Place two fairly thick slices of eggplant on a cookie sheet covered with aluminum foil. Broil briefly until golden brown but still firm. Add fresh mozzarella, tomatoes (fresh or sun-dried), and basil to one slice of the eggplant and top with the second slice. Broil until melted to your own preference!

In my opinion, practicing a low carb diet can be an effective way to lose weight in a healthy way if it is done properly. Practicing a low carb diet forces the body to burn fat rather than the usual surplus of carbohydrates. Highly processed carbohydrates are digested rapidly and therefore contribute the most to a dramatic increase in blood sugar. Consumption of such products can lead to weight gain and an increased risk for heart disease and diabetes. To remedy this problem, it is important to concentrate on consuming good carbs, such as whole grain bread and pasta, beans, fruits and vegetables. The good carbs contain poly and monounsaturated fat and often provide a great source of fiber and omega-3's. 

To avoid feeling run down while on the low carb diet, shy away from low carb foods, such as heavy cheeses and processed meats, and replace them with lean meats, beans, nuts, fruit, and whole grains!

My Breakfast: Fresh Tomato and Rosemary Scrambled Eggs with Avocado

Scrambled eggs may be one of the easiest dishes to make and they have the potential to pack huge amounts of flavor and health benefits. With a cup of coffee in hand, I created this dish to satisfy my morning hunger pangs. The tiny little egg that I cracked into the sizzling pan is packed with proteins and essential amino acids. Tomatoes are also beneficial due to their high vitamin count of C and A. Rosemary is believed to be an anti-inflammatory herb that improves memory, digestion, and circulation. And lastly, the fresh avocado that accompanies the dish is a monounsaturated fat (the good kind of fat!!) that is recognized for its ability to lower cholesterol. This recipe was formulated for a portion size of one but can totally be increased depending on your crowd!

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 scallion

About 5-10 grape tomatoes, sliced thin

1 tablespoon fresh basil

2 eggs, scrambled

Splash of milk

Dash of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 sprig of rosemary, off the stem

1/4 cup of sharp shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 avocado, sliced

To a hot skillet, add olive oil and scallion and cook until scallion is slightly translucent. Add tomatoes and basil and cook briefly until tomatoes and basil begin to wilt. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, milk, salt, and pepper. Add egg mixture to the skillet and allow to cook through. Add rosemary and cheddar cheese during the last couple minutes of cooking. Plate scrambled eggs with avocado slices and enjoy!