Cooking Class

A recently discovered picture from the Ayurvedic Cooking Class. That's me, Tabetha, on the far left. Good times.

Frozen Tikka Masala?

I used to think frozen food was the Antichrist. It just seemed sacrilegious to me to take a block of frozen food out of a box then stick it in another box, push some buttons and then eat the contents.

Then I became a mother...frozen food was a Godsend. You know the scenario; everyone else has been fed, the dishes are done, laundry folded and the foodie who got left out (that's you) needs some sustenance that is nutritional and somewhat palatable. What to do? I started trying out some frozen options when I could make a single serving of bean and cheese nachos (my new mom go-to-meal) in my sleep.

As I have experimented through the years I have discovered many wonderful optins.

In particular I am really enjoying a series of Indian dishes from Trader Joe's new frozen foods section. The masala is some of the best I have had - rich, buttery, flavorful and fresh. What more could you ask for in a single serve frozen meal?
Not to mention the basmati rice that accompanies the dish is fluffy and moist with the perfect amount of cumin seeds incorporated throughout. Give it a try if your looking for a gourmet on-the-go tasteful delight.

Stuffed & Wrapped - Tabetha's Signature Steak

Steak and mushrooms have always gone together in my mind. So I started this would-be grilled meal by stuffing shitake mushrooms with a cream cheese, crab, scallion mixture. In the future I would use a more substantial mushroom. After the mushroom is grilled with bacon oil splashing on it from the background and the inner filling warm and creamy - the desired efffect is reached.

Allow the filet's to come to room temperature and cut a small hole in the side opening up a bigger hole with a knife to fill with Blue or Gorgonzola cheese. Using toothpicks or skewers wrap and set applewood or maple smoked bacon around your filet. This also seals in the cheese so that you get the desired saturation of pungeant cheese into the steak upon cooking.

A salad of my current favorite lettuce - mache, cubed pink lady apple, honey sesame cashews, gorgonzola, and pepper mustard red wine vinnagrette.

We had grill issues and ended up cooking the steaks on a grill pan then transferring to the cast iron skillet and baking for 15 minutes. This proved beneficial, especially in making sure the bacon was cooked through.

No, this is not a heart healthy meal - this is a happy mouth meal and should probably only to be enjoyed a couple times a year. Very little effort is involved, but you would easily pay $100 for this meal at a nice restaurant. Every last bit is worth savouring. Sorry Martha dog - nothing left for you.

Last Nights Dinner - The Dog Seal of Approval and Simple Salad Rules Revealed

Bacon, bacon, bacon...many a great dish begins with the crispy, salty, heavenly pig fat. As my dining companion pointed out, "Most vegetarians will agree that of all the things they miss from their meat-eating days, Bacon tops the list."I started my four cheese tortellini by cooking three pieces of bacon. I set the bacon aside then removed all but a tablespoon of grease in the pan. Whole baby bella mushrooms went in to the hot ail and were cooked on high heat with salt, fresh cracked pepper and a little pat of butter.
Next went in the tortellini I had made prior to the bacon. I aadded some beluga lentils and tossed to coat the tortellini with all the flavors. Covered and simmered on low for a half hour.

A sign you are doing something right - the dog comes to the edge of the stove and goes into a blissful trance by smelling seductive aromas coming off the pan.

Upon serving - top with freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano and fresh bacon bits



Finish it all off with my simple salad rules:
1. Good Lettuce - in this case Mache or Lambs ear
2. A fresh or dried frut - in this case fresh rasberries
3. A crunchy nut or seed - in this case sweet and salty dry roasted crushed peanuts
4. Cheese - in this case gorgonzola
5. Homeade Dressing - in this case Rasberry Honey Mustard Balsamic Vinnagrette

Ayurvedic Tri-dosha Cooking Class

(Ayu is life and Veda means knowledge. Knowledge of Life is Ayurveda)

Ayurevedic food sounds kinda healthy, doesn't it? Well it is, but it tastes delicious, fantastcally fresh and flavorful. Plus there's lots of guilt free butter, otherwise called Ghee, in many of the dishes.

Fresh Ginger being expertly prepared.

Ayurevda is a practice dating back over 2,000 years ago and the main idea is to make food that supports a healthy lifestyle in body, mind and Spirit.

"The ayurevedic cook derives his knowledge of herbs, spices, vegetables, legumes and so forth from the Ayurveda, which helps them maintain physical, mental, social and spiritual harmony.

Ayurvedic foods are appetizing, flavorful and aromatic and a way of offering love, becoming healing when served in an inspiring atmosphere. The cleansing of toxins that have entered the body and the electrochmeical vitalizing of the body are main objectives. Ayurvedic cooking thus is an art and science at the same time, when cooking becomes alchemy and food becomes Tantra.

The basic principles of Ayurvedic Cooking are: the five elements, the three doshas, the three gunas, the seven Dathus and the six Tastes. It also attaches a lot of attention to the effect of the cooking method on the quality of the foods, the importance of the vibrations of the cook and the surrounding atmosphere, the compatibility of foods, the right time for cooking and eating, the cycle of the seasons and the effects of foods on consciousness."

Mustard Seeds sauteing in Ghee.

Fresh Spices and herbs being prepared for Dosha balancing Delights.

More ayurveda...

There is something really beautiful about using fresh, simple and delicious ingredients and really taking advantage of an over 2,000 year old practice of preparing food that is designed to make you feel good. It's so simple and rewarding.

Even if you are just preparing ayurvedic food to cure a hangover, or get through a nasty winter cold - it's worth taking a little bit of extra time to call upon ancient knowledge rather than running to the drugstore to pump your body full of more stuff your body has to process. It seems like less work in the long run to work with the body to help it heal itself.

Steamed apples - a common appetizer in ayurvedic meals. Yes, I did say appetizer. The idea is that the apple is filling, fragrant, and satisfying. Plus you get to eat your fruit with nuts warm spices to allow your body to begin digesting properly and alleviate a tendancy to overeat during your meal. To me, this is the perfect dish for Thanksgiving - to cure what I call the "standing-around-the-kitchen-salivating-with-starvation-because-the-turkey-isn't-done-yet-situation" so many cooks dread.

Best hangover cure ever!

That's fresh baked mashed pumpkin with fresh sauteed fennel - Perfect!

Peanut Butter - Friend or Foe?

If I had to pick one food to live on for the rest of my life, it would undoubtedly be Peanut Butter. I feel a great saddness for people with a peanut allergy. It's as if they have no 6th sense (the ability to enjoy peanut butter and go into a trance).

It's versatility is incredible. It can be enjoyed by the spoonful, as one of three ingredients in a PB&J, or get more dressed up as a main ingredient in rich sauces. My favorite method of peanut butter employment is to simply mix it into a bowl of vanilla ice cream. My current favorite is Trader Joes salted creamy blen

I want to clear up the record right now - Natural Peanut Butter is not bad for you. In fact, eating peanut butter is healthy, when done in moderation. It's a fantastic source of protein and "good" fats. Don't let your mother's warnings fool you, she was just trying to get you to eat your PB&J by making you think it was taboo. It's in 75% of American households for a reason. Enjoy in good health.