Sandwiches, Wraps and Pastas

Sandwiches, Wraps and Pastas

A few sandwiches, wraps, sauces and pastas I prepared or cooked myself for me and for my guests. Enjoy. Here, in this text, you'll find these great recipes:

• California Wrap’n
• Turkey Waldorf Pitas
• Grilled Chicken Sandwiches With Basil Spread
• Spaghetti Squash with Primavera Sauce

California Wrap’n

The most appealing thing to me about food is combining and layering tastes, flavors, tastes, textures, and so on. Every sandwich has to be toasted and tested to become perfect. So here come some of those dishes I have cooked, prepared and tasted myself:

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup (50 ml) of mayonnaise
• 4 (8-inch/20 cm) of wheat flour tortillas
• 1 lb (500 g) of grilled boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced
• 1 avocado, peeled and sliced
• Red bell pepper slices
• Your favourite salad greens

Preparation:

1. Spread it: Spread mayonnaise onto tortillas.
2. Stuff it: Layer chicken, avocado, red pepper and salad greens down center of each tortilla.
3. Wrap it: Roll & fold the filled tortilla.
4. Makes four servings. Prep time : 10 minutes.

Photo: Elena

Turkey Waldorf Pitas

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup (50 ml) of mayonnaise
• 2 (8-in/20 cm) of whole wheat pita breads halved
• ¼ lb (125 g) of thinly sliced deli turkey
• 1 apple, cored and sliced (1/4 inch or 6 mm thick)
• 2 tbsp (30 ml) of dried cranberries or raisins
• Shredded lettuce

Preparation:

1. Evenly spread mayonnaise inside pita, then fill with turkey, apple, cranberries and lettuce.

Makes 2 servings, prep time: 10 minutes.

Grilled Chicken Sandwiches With Basil Spread

Ingredients:

• 1/3 (75 ml) of mayonnaise
• ¼ cup (50 ml) of finely chopped fresh basil
• ¼ cup (50 ml) of grated Parmesan cheese
• 8 large slices of whole grain bread
• 1 lb (500 g) of boneless, skinless chicken breasts, grilled and sliced
• 8 slices of ripe tomato
• 4 slices of bacon, cooked crisp, halved crosswise

Cooking:

1. In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, basil and Parmesan.
2. Spread mixture on each slice of bread.
3. Top each with grilled chicken, tomato slices and bacon.
4. Season with black pepper if desired.
5. Cut sandwiches in half and secure with toothpicks.

Preparation time: 5 minutes, cook time: 15 minutes,  For 4 servings.

Spaghetti Squash with Primavera Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 spaghetti squash cut in half length-wise, seeds removed
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 red bell paper, chopped
• 1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
• 1 zucchini, quartered and chopped
• 1 broccoli head, chopped
• 4-5 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 jar of your favorite pasta sauce

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and place squash face down on a roasting pan in 1/8” water.
2. Bake squash 45 minutes.
3. Heat a large saucepan on medium heat.
4. Coat pan with olive oil.
5. Cook onions until almost translucent, add carrots and celery, cook for 5 minutes.
6. Add broccoli, peppers and zucchini, and cook until slightly tender.
7. Add garlic and cook for two minutes, then add tomato sauce.
8. Turn heat down to low and stir occasionally for 20 minutes. When squash is done, remove from pan and cool slightly.
9. With a fork, scoop the squash out and place in a large bowl.
10. Add tomato sauce and toss.

Serve with grated parmesan.

Calories: 272, fat – 8 g, saturated fat – 1 g, sodium – 136 mg, carbohydrate – 46 g, fibre 12 g, protein – 9 g. Servings : 4.

A Fish Story Not to Ignore

A Fish Story Not to Ignore

Thread carefully when it comes to the catch of the day

Because fish are basically swimming filters, they soak up pesticides, industrial waste, and chemicals that have been dumped into waterways for decades. With more polluted waters than ever, the risk is rising that you’ll find a contaminated fish on your dinner plate. Salmonella and scombriod poisoning, which is caused by a histamine produced by bacteria on fish, can also make certain fish unsavory.

Part of the reason that inedible fish are ending up in the grocery store is that there’s no government-run process to inspect fish. In fact, fish and shellfish are the only major sources of protein that do not receive comprehensive government inspections for potential contamination. The $9 billion industry is overseen by a piecemeal system led by the Food and Drug Administration, whose inspectors visit processing plants an average of once very four years.

In a 1991 report issued by the National Academy of Sciences, current safety regulations were deemed “insufficient” and “too limited in frequency and direction to ensure enhanced safety of seafood.” While some efforts to improve seafood handling have been made since then, substantial problems remain.

Photo by Elena

Freshwater fish are more likely contain toxic chemicals than fish that spend their lives in the ocean. Because of industrial dumping and air pollution, the Great Lakes have been found to be swimming with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), which are suspected of raising the risk of cancer and birth defects. Residues of DDT, the cancercausing pesticide banned decades ago, have been found in Great Lakes whitefish being sold in southern California.

Fish that live in deep, offshore waters, such as cod and haddock, are considered low in chemicals because the areas they live in aren’t easily contaminated. But chemicals can be found in saltwater fish that live close to polluted urban shores, or in fish that commute to freshwater. Puget Sound, the Chesapeale Bay, and Santa Monica Bay are all considered risky sources, according to the National Academy of Sciences.

Among ocean-swimming fish, fin fish from tropical or subtropical areas have the most problems. Barracuda, grouper, amerjack, and certain tropical snappers have been linked to scombrod as well as ciguatera – a sometimes-severe disease that affects the nervous system and can cause vomiting and nausea. Nether bacteria is destroyed in the cooking process.

Methyl mercury poisoning from swordfish is a great enough risk that the National Academy of Sciences recommended that couples who intend to have children in the near future should avoid the fish. Tuna and Mahi-mahi can also contain methyl mercury in small amounts, but the danger in swordfish is much greater.

The riskiest seafood of all is molluskan shellfish such ad oysters, clams, and mussels. The intestines and internal organs of these mollusks are fertile ground for contaminants. The problem is worsened by fishermen who illegally harvest shellfish in polluted waters. Many mollusks get contaminated because they live where rivers and seas meet and, because of nearby cities, these waters often are contaminated.

Oysters, clams, and mussels are also vulnerable to Norwalk viruses, which can cause sever diarrhea unless the shellffish is fully cooked. Another source of contamination is the algae called “Red Tides.” The FDA and the coastal states all test for these blooms, and when they appear the waters are closed to all fishing.

Even oysters taken from clean waters occasionally harbor a naturally occurring, unfriendly bacteria known as Viro vulnificus, according to reports from the National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It contaminated mollusks are eaten raw and the bacteria remains alive, it can make a person very sick. Healthy people will probably just get a bout of indigestion. But for those with their liver ailments and depressed immune systems, Viro vulnificus can be deadly. Symptoms can include sudden chills, indigestion, fever, nausea, vomiting, and stomach pain.

So what is safe? According to the National Academy of Science report, catfish, trout, salmon, and other formed species are generally reliable as long as they are cooked immediately before serving. Processed fish, such as fish sticks and fish nuggets are also safe bets because they are made from white-fleshed fish, such as cod, haddock, and pollack. And canned tuna is not only the safest of all seafood, but it is also the most popular.

No matter what the fish, there are some simple precautions you can take when shopping for and storing seafood, though. Here are some tips from Get Hooked in Seafood safety, which is published by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Select seafood with a fresh, mild odor: It should not smell unpleasantly fishy. Fish fillets should be moist, without any traces of browning or drying around the ages.

Check the gills, scales, and eyes: The gills should be bright pink or red. And the eyes should be bright and clear, not cloudy or sunken. Scales should cling tightly to the skin, and they should be slimy.

Mollusks in the shell should be alive when you buy them. When a clam, oyster, scallop or mussel is alive, its shell is tightly closed or closes when it is lightly tapped.

Test shellfish for freshness. Hold the shell between your thumb and forefinger and depress it, as though sliding two parts of the shell across one another. If the shell moves, the shellfish is not fresh. Throw away any mollusks whose shells aren’t closed tightly.

Unless you freeze it, cook fish within two days of purchase. Smoked fish, pickled fish, and vacuum-packed fish should always be refrigerated. Whatever the fish, keep it its original wrapper and store in the coldest part of your refrigerator, which is usually under the freezer or in the meat drawer, until it is ready to be cooked.

If you did freeze it, allow one day to thaw. Thaw frozen seafood in its own container in the refrigerator. Do not thaw seafood at room temperature or under warm running water.

Store mollusks live. Keep mollusks in your refrigerator in a container covered loosely with a clean damp cloth. Do not store live shellfish in an airtight container or in water.

A Taster’s Guide to Ordering Fish: Consult this list and you’ll never need to ask the waiter again to describe the fish entries. If you’re cooking at home, you can substitute one fish from the same list for another in a recipe.

White meat

Very light, delicate: Cod, Dover sole, Haddock, Lake Whitefish, Orange Roughy, Pacific Halibut, Pacific Sanddab, Southern Flounder, Witch Flounder, Yellowtail Flounder, Yellowtail Snapper.

Light to moderate: Butterfish, Catfish, Cobia, English Sole, Mahi Mahi, Pacific Whiting, Red Snapper, White Sea Trout, Rock Sole, Snook, White King Salmon, White Sea Trout, Whiting, Winter Flounder.

Light Meat

Very light, delicate: Alaska Pollock, Brook Trout, Giant Sea Bass, Grouper, Pacific Ocean Perch, Rainbow Trout, Smelt, Walleye, White Crappie, White Sea Bass.

Light to moderate: Atlantic Ocean Perch, Atlantic Salmon, Black Drum, Carp, Chum Salmon, Croaker, Jewfish, King Salmon (Chinook), Lake Herring, Lake Sturgeon, Lake Trout, Monkfish, Mullet, Northern Pike, Perch, Pink Salmon, Pollock, Sand Shark, Stripod Bass, Swordfish.

Pronounced Flavor: Atlantic Mackerel, Spanish Mackerel.

Dark Meat

Light to moderate: Black Seabass, Bluefish, Sockeye (Red) Salmon, Tuna.

How to Clean a Fish

• Scale: Wash first, cut off pectoral fins.
• Draw: Cut from vent to head, remove entrails.
• To remove head: Cut above the collarbone and snap the spine. Cut tail where it joins the body.
• Remove the dorsal fin bones: Cut along length of each side. Remove connected bones with a quick pull toward the head.
• Filleting: Begin slice behind the collarbone just beyond the gill. With the knife flat against the backbone, cut with a sliding motion to the tail.
• Skinning: Begin Cut about 1/2 inch from the tail. With the knife held flat against the skin, slice toward the head end.

Ones that can get away

The National Academy of Sciences report, Seafood Safety, judged the following seafood to be unsafe at times: Amerjack, barracuda, raw clams, the pasty mustard in crabs, finfish from subtropical waters, finfish from tropical waters, grouper, green-colored tomalley in lobsters, mahi-mahi, salmon caught in the Great Lakes, Shelfish (especially raw oyesters, mussels, scallops).

Cocktails

Cocktails

A few recipes of great cocktails. I prepared all of them... Taste them now!

Alcohol Varieties

During the Renaissance, some aristocrats used liquor such as Cognac X.O. as a cure for the flu. Despite possessing such alleged medicinal properties, alcohol is mostly consumed for its mood enhancing effects.

Although the nationality most associated with vodka are Russians, there is also Finnish and Polish vodka. The agua ardiente contains 40% of alcohol; the only alcohol purer is Everclear with 95% statistics. Ingesting pure alcohol may cause extensive damage; drinking industrial or rubbing alcohol leads to blindness in the mildest of incidents.

Bear can be blonde, red or dark – jokingly referring to hair colours redhead, blonde and brunette. Germans pride themselves on their alcoholic beverage production and beer gardens. Belgian and Dutch beer is also praised.

Wine may be red, white, and rosé (pink). The colour has to do with the grapes the wine is made from. After harvest, grapes are crushed and after a while (the longer the better) the wine is ready to drink. The mechanics of the process are complex and will be left out of the present discussion. Courses in wine chemistry could easily answer any technical questions one may have on the subject.

Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chianti, Pinot Noir, Bordeaux, Shiraz… possibilities are almost endless. Price ranges from 10 dollars to several thousands. The usual alcohol content is in the proximity of 15%. Only champagne from France is genuine champagne, the rest is wine mousseux. Bollinger Blanc de Noir, Crystal Rosé and Dom Pérignon are popular high-end champagne brands.

In Montreal, there is a bartending school – École des Maîtres – where for between 400 and 900 dollars, approximately, depending on the programs, one becomes a certified bartender. Bartenders make good money in tips and have the luxury of working in an environment that most consider fun. 

In fact, the guests are all presumably in a bubbly mood and just looking for a good time.

Alternatively, the barman is traditionally associated with strangers telling sad stories. He patiently and sincerely listens – or just stands there wiping glasses – while the lonesome cowboy drowns his sorrows in alcohol like so many before. Barmaids enjoy the same privileges, but there is more emphasis on appearance. Many a barmaid is, or at least looks like, a femme fatale.

Piña Colada Cocktail Recipe

Ingredients:

• 7 ounces pineapple juice
• 4 ounces light rum
• 2 ounces cream of coconut*
• 3 cups crushed ice
• Instructions:
• Shake well (preferably mix in a blender) and strain. Decorate with an umbrella or a maraschino cherry.

*For a lighter, fewer calories version, replace with coconut milk

Tequila Sunrise Orange

The refreshing Tequila Sunrise has a strong history and place in American culture.

According to a popular belief, originally served at the Arizona Biltmore resort & spa in Phoenix, Arizona the Tequila Sunrise is named for the way it looks after it has been poured. The cocktail was created in the 1930s for a guest who loved tequila, a popular type of brandy, distilled from a blue agave, and asked the bartender, Gene Sulit, to surprise him with a refreshing drink he could enjoy poolside.

Today, a classical Tequila Sunrise consists of tequila, orange juice and grenadine. Originally, however, the drink was made with tequila, crème de cassis, soda and lime juice. In fact, the creme de cassis has the same effect as grenadine, that, when poured correctly, will rise in the drink, resembling a sunrise.

Let’s remind you that the real tequila comes from a single state in Mexico, Jalisco, where you will find even a town named Tequila. Other Mexican states also produce aromatic liquors that are distilled from de agave plant, which are known as Mescal or Mezcal, but tequila has a much more refined and balanced taste, while the mescal tastes much heavy. Tequila makes an excellent base for exotic cocktails and mixes well with other ingredients.

Tequila Sunrise Orange

Tequila Sunrise cocktail in glasses with straws, and citrus fruit. No wonder mixing drinks is considered a skill and taught in bartending schools. Tequila Surise Orange. Illustration: Megan Jorgensen (Elena)

Econometricians state that daily activities correspond to three main categories: work, personal care and leisure time. What to do with one’s free time has been hotly debated! Many choose to spend such hours with friends, while social gatherings often get spiced up with beverages containing alcohol. For example, the famous Tequila Sunrise concoction.

Thus, Tequila Sunrise is the name of an alcoholic drink, a mix of grenadine syrup, pineapple and cranberry juice, and tequila. Lime juice, creme de cassis and other components compose the makeup of alternative versions. Tequila is popular in Mexico, and the Spanish speaking American rap group – Cypress Hill – have a song on the subject. A recipe of the cocktail is found below, with a reminder that ‘moderation is always in good taste’, a phrase coined in Quebec.

Orange Tequila Sunrise Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 jigger (shot glass or shooter) tequila
• 2 jiggers orange juice
• 3 dashes grenadine syrup
• 1 dash lime juice
• Ice
• Decoration: Cherry, lemon slice, flamboyant straws and umbrellas

Steps:

Pour ingredients into glass, making sure to follow this particular order: ice, tequila, orange juice, lime juice – stir at this point – grenadyne syrup. Garnish and serve chilled.

Cocktails

In an episode of the Big Bang Theory, where Sheldon Cooper annoys Penny (Kaley Cuoco) by ordering a virgin Cuba Libre, it is well demonstrated how varied in complexity cocktails can be. Thus, the drink in question, better known as rum and coke, is a simple cocktail, just as the vodka cranberry mix.

Vodka Cranberry

A more complex recipe would be called for with the Pina Colada invented in Cuba, involving coco cream, pineapple juice and coconut.

Pina Colada

Martinis are easily recognizable by their characteristic glasses. One interesting beverage is the appletini, prepared as such:

• Appletini
• Martini lounge, although many other establishment serve martinis as well. 

The Cosmopolitan is also in demand.

Cosmopolitan Recipe

• 1 jigger vodka
• 1 jigger triple sec
• 3 jiggers cranberry juice
• 1/2 jigger lime juice

A simple combination of 7up or Sprite, raspberry syrup and fruit with or without alcohol is easy to do. Regardless of the drink chosen, moderation is in good taste.

Margarita

Finally, the Margarita consists of a…

For decoration, the usual choices are small plastic bright colored umbrellas, salt or sugar on the glass rim, olives and half slices of lemons, limes or oranges. Often cocktails get linked to tropical islands such as Hawaii, Tahiti or the Bahamas.

Mediterranean Diet

Mediterranean Diet

Following the Appian Way

Pasta, olive oil, and some vino aren’t a bad way to keep your heart happy

The Greeks and the Romans have long been celebrated for the genius they displayed in creating everything from temples, arches, and statuary to poetry, drama, and the foundations of democracy. Now, researchers are discovering that these ancient innovators also bequeathed their countrymen a diet that may be as close to nutritionally perfect as the world has ever seen.

The Mediterranean diet, as it is being referred to by both nutritionists and cookbook writers, is long on pastas, breads, and other grains as well as fruits, vegetables, and generous servings of olive oil. It frowns on eating red meat more than a few times per month and urges that poultry, fish, and eggs be limited to no more than a few times per week. It also advocates, controversially, that adults drink a glass or two of wine daily.

Follow such a diet, say researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health, and you are likely to cut substantially your risk of heart disease and cancer, especially of the colon and prostate.

Photo by Elena

To make the Mediterranean diet easy to understand, the Harvard researchers recently joined with two other prominent groups, the European office of the World Health Organization, and Oldways Preservation & Exchange Trust, a Boston-based nutrition foundation, to issue a revised version of the USDA food pyramid that highlights the Mediterranean diet’s nutritional priorities.

Unlike the USDA pyramid, which places fats, oils, and sweets at its apex to indicate that they are to be used only sparingly, the Mediterranean diet reserves its most disapproving spot at the top of the pyramid for red meat, leaving fat unmentioned. That’s because the Mediterranean diet is not low-fat. Under the Med diet’s guidelines, in fact, up to 35 percent of calories are allowed to come from fat, although no more than 7 or 8 percent of that may be saturated fat; the USDA pyramid allows only 30 percent fat, but fails to distinguish between saturated and unsaturated fat.

The Mediterranean diet’s relatively fat-friendly attitude is explained by the fact that much of its fat comes from olive oil, which means it is mostly nounsaturated. Monounsaturated fat has been repeatedly shown to increase high-density lipoproteins – the “good cholesterol” in the blood – while reducing the body’s total cholesterol level. Saturated fat, however, raises the body’s blood cholesterol count and boosts the risk of heart disease, yet the USDA pyramid fails to distinguish between saturated and unsaturated fat, a serious flaw as far as Mediterranean diet proponents are concerned.

The Mediterranean diet is not without its critics, to be sure. Its relatively generous fat allowance loads on calories, maiking obesity more likely, some charge. But the Harvard researchers point out that the body needs some fat for energy and say that regular exercise makes more sense than worrying about an extra splash or two of olive oil.

By far the most controversial aspect of the Mediterranean diet is its recommendation that adults drink a glass or two of wine daily. The dispute pits researchers who have found that having a drink or two a day raises “good cholesterol” and significantly lowers the risk of heart attacks against public health officials who are worried about encouraging alcohol abuse.

As these officials point out, heavy drinkers substantially raise their risks of cirrhosis of the liver, and of mouth, throat, stomach, and colorectal cancer, and heart failure, not to mention the mental impairment of alcoholism. These experts worry that once started on a drinking habit, some drinkers will find a difficult to remain tin the “moderate” range, especially those with heavy drinkers in their family histories.

That is a risk, no doubt. But even if you skip that part of the Mediterranean diet menu, there’s a lot to be savored in the nutritional choices of the ancient chefs or the Greek Isles and Southern Italy.

The Mediterranean Diet

Follow the diet outlined below, get regular exercise, and drink a glass or tow of red wine a day, researchers say, and you will cut substantially your risk of heart disease and cancer.

A few times per month: Red meat

A few times per week: Sweets, eggs, poultry, Fish.

Daily: Cheese, yogurt, olive oil, vegetables (fruits, beans, other legumes, and nuts). Breads, pasta, rice, couscous, polenta. Bulgur potatoes, and other grains.

The Vegetarian Lifestyle

A Vegetarian Times magazine poll shows that 12.4 million Americans now consider themselves vegetarians. But what “vegetarian” actually means can differ significantly from person to person. Among the survey’s findings:

Nearly half of vegetarians say it’s for health reasons. Only 15 percent were motivated by concern for animals.

One-fifth of those who call themselves vegetarians say they consume red meat at least once a month, one-third eat poultry at least once a week, and one-third eat fish weekly.

Most vegetarians are lacto-vegetarian, meaning they eat dairy products and eggs, but about 30 percent shun eggs, about 10 percent reject milk, and about 4 percent turn their backs on all animal products, including milk, cheese, and eggs.

Vegetarians are more apt to be women than men, and more likely than the general public to have children under the age of 18.

A girl looks good after the Mediterranean Diet. Illustration by Elena.

A Perfectly Perfect Dinner

A Perfectly Perfect Dinner

Dr. Dean Ornish’s recipes for a healthy heart

On learning they have coronary heart disease, many triple-bypass candidates probably wish they could go back in time to change their eating, exercise, or smoking habits. Time travel, of course, isn’t an alternative to heart surgery. But researchers have found that making immediate lifestyle changes just might reverse even the most severe case of heart disease.

Since 1977, Dr. Dean Ornish has been researching ways to prevent and actually reverse heart disease.

In several studies since then, Ornish and his colleagues have shown that the progress of heart disease can sometimes he reversed without surgery or cholesterol-lowering drugs. Their prescription: a diet low in fat and cholesterol, moderate exercise, more effective stress management, and quitting smoking. A bonus: patients who followed Ornish’s regimen lost an average of 22 pounds during the first year.

Ornish’s eating program for reducing heart blockage and losing weight focuses on the type of food you eat instead of the amount. Because the dishes he suggests are very low in fat, you get full before downing too many calories.

Photo by Elena

Many of his recipes, created with the help of some of the country’s most famous chefs, have been printed in Ornish’s two latest books: Dr. Dean Ornish’s Program for Reversing Heart Disease (Random House, 1990), and Eat More, Weigh Less (HarperCollins, 1993). Hillary Rodham Clinton has even asked Ornish to help introduce his heart-healthy menus at the White House.

So which low-fat, low-cholesterol dishes does Ornish consider tasty enough to serve his own dinner guests?

Below is the menu for one of Ornish’s favorite meals. All of the following recipes were created by chef Jean-Marc Fullsak at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco.

Chinese Dim Sum

Do not stack these dumplings while forming or steaming or they will stick together. Serve them with a small bowl of Manchurian Sauce, Chinese Barbecue (hoisin) sauce, and/or mustard.

Makes 32 dumplings – serves 8.

• 1/4 cup mung beans, peeled and soaked for 4 hours.
• 3/4 cup vegetable stock.
• 1/2 cup blanched frozen or fresh peas.
• 1/2 cup sliced and blanched napa cabbage leaves.
• 1/2 cup chopped green onion.
• 1/2 cup oven-roasted and chopped onion.
• 1/4 cup egg whites.
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce.
• 1 tablespoon minced lemongrass
• Salt.
• 32 potsticker skins (rounds).

Directions:

1. In a small saucepan, combine the mung beans and stock. Bring to a boil and simmer, tightly covered, for 30 minutes, or until the beans are soft.
2. Transfer the beans to a food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Transfer the beans to a medium-size bowl and add the peas, cabbage, green onion, roasted onion, egg whites, soy sauce, and lemongrass. Stir to combine. Season to taste with salt.
3. To form the dumplings, moisten the edge of a potsticker skin with water. Place a scant tablespoon of filling slightly on the center on a skin, fold the dough over to form a half moon, and pinch the edges to seal. Lace it a bamboo steamer and steam for ten minutes. Should be served immediately.
4. The filling can be prepared and refrigerated up to six hours ahead of time.
5. Serving size – 4 dumplings. Includes: 139 calories; 1.7 grams fat. 0 milligrams c cholesterol. 555.4 milligrams sodium without added salt.

Black-eyed Pea Salad

This very colorful and extremely tasty salad would also serve well as an entrée. Prepare and refrigerate it up to 24 hours ahead of time.

Makes 6 cup. Serves 6 to 8.

• 2 1/2 cups frozen black-eyed peas
• 1 large ear of corn to yield 1 cup fresh corn kernels
• 1 cup finely diced celery
• 1 cup finely diced red bell pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced red onion
• 1/4 cup whole cilantro leaves
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Salt.

Directions:

1. Bring six cups of water to a boil. Add the black-eyed peas. Let the water return to a boil and cook for 20 minutes, or until just tender. Drain and refresh under cold running water. Drain well and set aside.
2. In another pot, bring six cups of water to a boil. Add the corn, carrots, and celery. Blanch for approximately one minute or until just tender. Drain and refresh under cold water. Drain well.
3. In a large bowl, combine the peas, corn, carrots, celery, red bell pepper, and onion. Pour the vinegar over and toss well. Allow to stand for at least 30 minutes at room temperature.
4. Thirty minutes before serving, add the cilantro and toss well. Season to taste with pepper and salt. Serve.
5. Serving size – 1 cup. Includes – 145 calories, 1 gram fat, 0 milligrams cholesterol, 342,1 milligrams sodium without added salt.

Tomato consommé

This might look intimidating at first glance, but it is actually quite easy and a lot of fun to make. For an interesting flavor, try one tablespoon pepper vodka stirred into each serving. This consommé can also be used as a soup stock or braising liquid. Prepare it and refrigerate for up to one week or freeze for up to six months.

Makes 4 cups – serves 3 to 4.

• 1 pound tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and quartered
• 3 cups tomato juice or vegetable juice cocktail
• 3/4 cup chopped celery
• 3/4 cup chopped leeks
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 2 whole cloves
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 bay leaf
• 1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 6 egg whites with their shells
• Cayenne
• Salt
• 1 small tomato, peeled, seeded, and cut in 1/4-inch dice
• 1 tablespoon chiffonaded basil or chopped tarragon leaves.

Directions:

1. In a food processor or blender, combine the tomatoes, tomato juice, celery, leeks, parsley, cloves, garlic, bay leaf, tomato paste, thyme, and coriander seed. Puree thoroughly.
2. Pour the pureed mixture into a large nonrecreative pot. Warm the vegetable stock and add it to the puree. Bring to a boil, then simmer, covered on low heat for 12 to 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow the soup to cool for 30 minutes.
3. Add the eggshells and whites to a stainless steel bowl. Crush the eggshells and beat the egg whites just enough to break them down. Slowly pour small amounts of the shells and whites into the warm soup, whisking continually to prevent the eggs from cooking.
4. Place the pot over medium-high heat and continue to whisk the mixture as it comes to a boil.
5. When the soup reaches a boil, stop whisking and simmer, uncovered, for 5 to 10 minutes. Stir periodically so that the eggshells have contact with the soup.
6. As a white foam rises to the surface, ladle it into a cheesecloth-lined strainer or a large coffee filter. After all or most of the foam has been removed, stain the hot soup through the foam into another clean bowl.
7. Season to taste with the cayenne and salt. Pour into individual serving bowls and garnish with the chopped tomato and herbs. Serve hot.
8. Serving size – 1 cup. Includes – 66 calories, 0,5 gram fat. 0 milligrams cholesterol. 557.8 milligrams sodium without added salt.

Vegetarian Chili

This is very spicy and flavorful. Try it with fresh corn tortillas and rice with a generous helping of a cool vegetable salad. Or serve it with a green salad for a complete dinner.

You can prepare and refrigerate this two to three days ahead of time. You can also freeze it for up to three months, although the corn may darken somewhat over time.

Makes 7 cups. Serves 4 to 7.

• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable stock
• 3/4 cup diced carrots
• 1 cup dices onions
• 1 cup diced green bell peppers
• 1 cup diced celery
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
• 4 ounces minced canned jalapeno peppers, or to taste
• 2 cups chopped tomatoes
• 3 cups cooked pinto beans
• 1 cup fresh corn kernels
• 1 1/2 tablespoons red miso paste
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• Additional chopped cilantro.

Directions:

1. In a large nonstick pan in two tablespoons vegetable stock, “sweat” the carrots, onions, green and red bell peppers, and celery for four to five minutes. Add the garlic, oregano, thyme, coriander, cumin, chili powder, jalapenos, tomatoes, pinto beans, and remaining vegetable stock.
2. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 20 minutes. Add a little extra vegetable or bean liquid if a “saucier” chili is desired. Add the corn kernels and simmer for seven minutes.
3. In a small bowl, combine the red miso, lemon juice, and vinegar until dissolved. Stir into the chili with 12 cup of cilantro, Season to taste with the salt and pepper. Serve hot, with the additional chopped cilantro.
4. Service size – 1 cup. Includes – 203 calories. 1,4 grams fat. 0 milligrams cholesterol. 622 milligrams sodium.

Pear Rice Pudding with Kiwi Sauce

This delicious dessert could also be served warm as a tasty breakfast. The brown rice gives a chewy, nutty flavor that nicely complements the fruit. For a softer texture, cook the rice for 10 to 15 minutes longer. The sauce in very tasty, but this pudding could be served without it.

Makes 6 cups. Serves 6 to 8.

• 1 cup uncooked brown rice
• 2 cups nonfat milk
• 1 large apple, peeled, cored, and cut in 1/2-inch dice
• 4 pears, peeled, cored, and cut in 1/2 inch dice
• 1/4 cup water
• 4 tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 pound kiwis, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 teaspoon sugar.

Directions:

1. In a medium-size saucepan, combine the rice and milk. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for one hour. Set aside.
2. In the meantime, in a second medium saucepan, combine the apples, pears, water, honey, vanilla, and cinnamon. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 10 minutes, or until quite tender but not mushy.
3. In a food processor bowl or blender, combine the kiwis and sugar. Puree until smooth. Strain to remove the seeds if desired.
4. Combine the rice and fruit mixtures thoroughly. Serve warm or at room temperature with or without the kiwi sauce.
5. Serving size – 3/4 cup. Includes – 160 calories. O.8 gram fat. 1.1. milligrams cholesterol. 34.8 milligrams sodium.