Canned beans vs soaking your own

Ok, let’s talk about beans/legumes of the dried variety! I love vegan/vegetarian food; so beans are a pretty big part of my diet, and I used to be all about canned beans because they were convenient and easy to grab and make something. However, once I began to read labels (which I hope you all do), I realized that this was probably not the best option. Not only are these items exposed to cleaning chemicals, but the “juice” they sit in is full of Calcium Chloride (a preservative), salt, sugar, and other additives for flavor (think along the lines of baked beans). And most recipes call that you should rinse the beans before use anyway…

So, I did a little research into this chemical compound, and I found that it is the salt of Calcium and Chloride and it is pretty prevalent in the manufacturing industry. It’s used as a flavor enhancer, electrolyte agent (this is included in some bottled waters), as well as a preservative. Sounds legit, right?

Well, here’s something to consider: Calcium Chloride was a component of the lethal chemical weapon “Agent Orange” (which was internationally outlawed after the Vietnam War). Is this really safe? It’s FDA approved and what not and the levels are contained within a “safe” parameter. Cool. But who makes this substance?

According to my research, the largest manufacturer of this chemical compound is Dow Chemical Company (over 30% market share). Turns out, this company is a best friend with Monsanto and collaborate to manufacture and design a large quantity of Genetically Modified Organisms. Is this some kind of looped trade that puts the consumer in the middle of their financial jaws? At half of the global consumption rate, North America is the leading buyer of products containing this formula, followed by China and Canada http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/06/14/marketpublishers-idUSnBw145568a+100+BSW20130614  This is a major issue is it not? This is why I choose to soak my own beans and then cook them.

With this as the background, let’s explore the best way to avoid these chemicals. Beans and legumes that are dried tend to expand 150%  so I’ve found that its best to place amount of beans you want (I usually do up the whole bag) in a container and fill with water so that the liquid is twice the volume of the beans. This will probably be about three inches or so.

I would advise to leave the beans soaking overnight, or for at least eight hours. The more they soak, the easier they are to cook. I should also mention that if you are hydrating things, do it in separate containers. A lot of times the color from red or black beans will bleed into the other ones. This results in a mush of color and provides no contrast whatsoever.

After the beans have soaked appropriately, they are ready to be cooked. Strain the remaining liquid from the soaking process. Fill a pot with the beans and enough water to cover the beans by an inch or so of water (you can also use chicken or vegetable stock at this stage for added flavor).

I would plan on cooking them for about  two to four hours depending on the size of your batch. I really like this method as opposed to the canned product because you can really control how much texture you want your product to have. I find that the canned ones are a bit too mushy for my liking.

When I cook the beans, I am able to stop the cooking process when they have reached the desired texture. Play around with cooking times to find the consistency that you like. I prefer them to be soft enough to break apart in your mouth, but firm enough that they won’t turn into hummus after being stirred only a handful of times.

Once the beans are cooked, strain the remaining liquid out and allow the beans to cool. Do not leave the liquid in the pot and continue to cook, or transfer it to another cooking vessel. This will only result in the transfer of the color of the liquid to the next application. So, if you’re cooking black beans and intend on making chili, transferring your cooked beans to another pot with the rest of the ingredients waiting to go will only result in a dark, mucky stew. You are now ready to use chemically free beans in your next adventure!  

Check out these recipes to utilize the beans!

http://altfoodtalk.blogspot.com/2013/05/gluten-free-mexican-veggie-burgers.html

http://altfoodtalk.blogspot.com/2013/04/spring-bean-stew-with-shaved-asparagus.htmlhttp://altfoodtalk.blogspot.com/2013/04/spinach-hummus.html

Some sem-trendy sandwich ideas

I've had these rolling around in my head for a bit. So, I thought I'd write them down and hopefully get some feedback. 

Let me know what you think! 

Do you want me to do one of these on the blog? 

Asian Tuna Club

Sesame encrusted Ahi Tuna. Brioche toast. Green garlic – lime aole. Green Meadows butterhead. Heirloom Tomato. Ginger glazed house-smoked bacon.

Open faced hot-pastrami Sandwich

House-made Pastrami. Pickled red onions. Smoked Gouda cheese. Fermented mustard seed mayonnaise. Fried duck egg.

Tres Frijoles Veggie burger

Black, pinto, and kidney bean burger with black quinoa and summer squash. Tomato, avocado, and young fressee. Cashew based herb  spread.

Steak Bulbogi

Local marinated skirt steak and bok choy. Kimchi. Korean BBQ sauce. Cilantro and mint in a sweet Asian roll. 

Dehydration: How to do it and what to do with it. I'ts not just trail mix!

What’s another word for preservation? Why, dehydration of course! Dehydration is one of the easiest processes you can do to food to preserve it for a later use. It is also a trendy method of making low-fat vegetable chips (like kale and beet chips). So, I figured I’d take a little time to explore how to utilize this process and really optimize your kitchen to the fullest.

Dehydration is basically the removal of moisture from a product when hot air is passed over and around it. I would like to highlight that this is a dry cooking method, but a slow one. Most dry cooking methods (pan sear, sauté, roast, or grill) utilize high heat in order to create a crisp and brown texture on the product. This process is slow and with a low heat. When dehydrating, have your oven set at the lowest possible setting (usually between 150 and 170).

The dehydration process can take a few hours to complete; it really depends on the water content of the product and the size of the cut. The thinner the cut, the less water content, and the less time you have to wait. Keep this in mind as you explore different items and dehydrating.

The process is pretty simple. Lay your product out on a sheet tray (use a roasting rack or chemise rack for maximum results). Pop in the oven at lowest temperature. Wait until product is dry and crunchy throughout. That’s it! I can’t really comment or provide a chart on say how long it takes to dehydrate a banana, kale, or a mushroom; for, it really is variable (water content, slice thickness, elevation, and humidity all play a role here). I would suggest to simply dehydrate often, and then you will find exactly what it is that you are looking for.

Below I have included some ways to utilize dehydration. Hopefully this list will help you think about it differently and how you can utilize a large bulk of items and save them for later use. Enjoy!

Herbs – if you grow your own “herbies” then dehydration is a great option for you! Simply take your excess product each week and dehydrate it in the oven. Store in glass containers or bag them and store in the freezer until further needed. This can really allow you to get the most out of your herb plants by constantly trimming and harvesting them during the summer season. Then you know when winter comes around that you have some local quality dried herbs just begging to be used.

Chips – I use this term loosely because apparently anything tossed in oil and hit with salt and pepper, sliced thin and roasted until crispy is a chip…. Whatever. If you slice something thin, like on a mandolin or slicer, you can coat it in oil, add salt and pepper to taste and roast in the oven on your lowest setting until it becomes crispy.

This is a great alternative to any bagged chips you can get in the store. However, they can be time consuming in the fact that you have to wait for them to be done. But, you get to control any spices and seasoning you put on it. I’d suggest fresh cracked pepper and sea salt personally. Jazz it up with smoked paprika or ginger. Take it to a whole ‘nother level and throw some seafood seasoning on there or your favorite seasonings blend. Whatever floats your boat will work.

Flavor concentration – partial dehydration (or slow roasting ) is a great way of concentrating flavor. With the absence of moisture, the flavor and fibrous structure is the only thing that remains. Think tomatoes, mushrooms, beets, those sorts of things. The more flavor in the beginning, the more at the end. This is also a great way to make less flavorful items (such as crappy tomatoes) taste a lot better.

Take it a step further and utilize these items in sauces, vinaigrettes, soups, salads, and garnishes. Think about a fantastical tomato sauce, or a red pepper vinaigrette. Take any dehydrated item and throw it into a soup, just for funsies! The possibilities are truly endless.

Trail mix – this is probably the most obvious utilization of dehydration. Use seasonal fruits, dark-leafy greens, or anything that tickles your fancy. Combine with nuts and chocolate to make an amazing concoction.

Add to baked products – be it bread, scones, muffins, or even pizza; these flavor packed products are a great addition to any baked dish. I’d even venture to say you could create your own personal baked brie cheese in savory and sweet varieties. Also think along the lines of cherry pound cake, blueberry scones, or raisin bread. Maybe even chutney would work well here.

Jerky – this is the same process applied to slices of meat. I haven’t ventured into this aspect much in my career. But, from what I understand, you’re looking at a ¼” cut that’s marinated overnight, rinsed, then dehydrated. You can add spices or rubs to these products to enhance the flavoring. Thin sausages can be utilized here as well (if you have a sausage maker).

Noms – I don’t know about you, but I love to snack on little things here and there. Usually I want something sweet or salty, but always crunchy – American munchies are killer sometimes. Dehydration creates the crunchiest texture I have ever experienced! So dehydrate some sweet, dehydrate some salty, do whatever – make it sexy. These are great little snacks that you can just grab-and-go with. 

Whatever your desire is, prepare it this way and it keeps for a very long time. 

How-to dice an onion

In a continuation of my "How-To Summer Series," I would like to proudly present a proper way to dice an onion. I would like to continue to stress how influential consistent and well executed cuts can make a difference in how your dish turns out. 

This explanation will also expose you many safety issues surrounding dicing an onion. I would really like to stress this since not earlier this week a new person was dicing an onion for the first time at work, and cut themselves pretty bad. I don't want you to cut the tip of your finger off or slice your skin through to the bone and have to rush to the ER room. So, please go slowly with this and practice, practice, practice. Safety is the key here!

Step 1:

Gather: a sharp knife, an onion (or how ever many you need to do), and a cutting board. 

Step 2:

Slice the longer end (not the hairy end) all the way through, creating a flat surface. 

Step 3:

Place flat side of onion down on the board. Cut down the middle of the "hairy" end as shown below.

Step 4: 

Remove the skin from each half of the onion completely.

Step 5: 

Rotate the onion so that the flat end is parallel to your body position as depicted below. Then, place your palm on the top of the onion. Make an incision at the bottom of the onion and work your way up.  You control the size of the dice by this first step. You can do a lot of cuts, and have a small dice; or have less cuts and create larger dices for soups and whatnot. Keep in mind as well that you should not go all the way through the onion. Keep a 1/4" distance from the end of the onion so that it stays intact while you are cutting it. Go all the way through and you will have your onion laying in slices all over the place.

It is important that you keep your fingers straight at this point of the procedure. Keeping your ligaments parallel to the knife prevents them from bending and being exposed to the blade, resulting in you loosing the tip of a  digit or two. So, keep your thumb up, and your fingers straight to avoid this!

Step 6:

A small dice on a medium sized onion should look something like this before progressing to the next step. 

Step 7: 

Start slicing perpendicular to your previous cuts, but from the top of the onion like so. Please note that I am not going all the way to the end, and I am leaving room so that the slices stay intact to the onion. 

Step 8: 

It is important to notice here how I am guiding the knife with my fingers. My middle finger guides the blade while being tucked in to avoid contact with the tips of my finger. My pointer finger and ring finger press down to hold the item in place. My thumb and pinkie are pinching the side and tucked in so that I can allow my middle finger to move freely and guide the blade. 

In an effort to make cuts consistent, the distance of this cut should be the same distance as the previous cuts.  

Step 9:

Return to the original starting position and cut perpendicular to the previous cut. Starting at the top and moving from the cut end towards the "hairy" end cut all the way through the onion. Keep your fingers behind your middle finger to ensure safety. 

Step 10: 

Here is a POV shot of going half way through the onion. Note that the distance of these cuts should be the same as the previous two to ensure a square cuts and to keep it sexy. 

Store in a sealed container in the fridge for later use; or use immediately. 

Pickled Red Onion

To tie in with my last post, as well as “Meatless Monday,” I am going to show you my staple red onion pickling recipe and procedure. I’ve talked about pickling before when we did pickled spring veg. These little suckers are packed full of flavor and provide a fabulous color to any dish. One thing I like to do is DIY tacos or flatbreads, and these are great toppers for those. Also try omelets, sandwiches, salads, and even sautés. Just think of it as additional acidity in the dish and the possibilities are endless.

One more note before I supply the recipe: you can leave the aromatics in, or strain them out. It’s really up to you. If you leave the spices in, they tend to provide a stronger flavor. However, if you strain them out, the liquid will only be as potent as it is at that point in time. I’d suggest doing a batch of each and figuring out what you like and basing your progression on that. I chose to leave the spices in this time.

Pickled Red Onions

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons pickling spice

1 teaspoon sea salt

2 teaspoons sugar

3 cups white distilled vinegar

1/2 cup red wine

5 small or 3 regular red onions (julienne) 

Directions:

1. Toast pickling spice in hot pot
2. Add vinegar, red wine, salt, and sugar to pot. Bring to a boil
3. Place julienne red onion into container. You want it to be large enough to let the liquid cover it completely.
4. Once liquid is boiling, pour over onions. Let cool for half an hour. Cover and refrigerate.
5. Let sit for 12 hours minimum; 24 is ideal! 

Stawberry Lemonade Greek Yogurt Parfait

It occurred to me the other day that I’ve not posted anything sweet really on this blog so far. So, I figured we’re pretty much ready for something sweet right? Cool. Let’s do that!

Its strawberry season and I simply can’t get enough of those juicy berries! During the last heat-wave, I decide that no matter what the date was - summer was here for the week. When life throws you lemons, make lemonade; I added strawberries!

Here’s a dish I’m calling a “Strawberry-Lemonade Greek Yogurt Parfait” It’s really easy to take these processes and apply them to what you have in the fridge and then utilize them as the picture portrays. However, I’ve been known to just snack down on any of these items here. This will be two recipes combined in one presentation, enjoy!

Lemonade Greek Yogurt

Ingredients:

1lb Plain Greek yogurt

1 zest and juice lemon

2 drops lemon extract (vanilla works too)

5 leaves mint (thinly sliced)

**Extra points: add 2 tsp lemon curd**

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in bowl and incorporate with a whisk or rubber spatula
2. Transfer to container and let sit in the fridge for 3 hours

Want to make it extra thick?

Here’s how:

1. Using a cheese cloth, line a tall container that has a lid and will fit in your fridge. Make sure there is at least 2” of cloth hanging over the container.
2. Fill container with mixture, making sure to keep the cloth outside of the container.
3. Gently place lid on container.
4. Pinch the cloth on opposite corners, creating two diagonals and pull slowly. You want to suspend the mixture in the cloth inside the container.
5. Press the lid down to hold the cloth in place.
6. Tie off each diagonal cloth.
7. Let rest overnight.

Lemon Marinated Strawberries

Ingredients:

1 Quart local strawberries (quartered with green tops taken off)

1 Zest and juice of lemon

1 Tablespoon local honey (strawberry if you can find it)

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in container and combine until incorporated.
2. Let sit in the fridge for 3 hours and marinate.

Time to build the dessert!

Ingredients:

¾ Cup Lemon Marinated Strawberries

¾ Cup Lemonade Greek Yogurt

¾ Cup Granola (your favorite variety)

1 Mint sprig top (for garnish)

Sprinkle of cinnamon

**Extra Greek points if you add ½ cup figs to granola**

Directions:

1. Use a bowl, wine glass, parfait glass, or clear plastic pimp cup for this application.
2. Place ¼ cup granola on bottom of vessel. Tap slightly on the bottom to settle it out.
3. On top of granola, pour ¼ cup Lemonade Greek Yogurt. Tap slightly on bottom to settle it evenly as possible.
4. Scoop ¼ cup Lemon Marinated Strawberries on top of yogurt. Tap slightly on bottle to settle it out.  
5. Repeat last 3 steps until desired amount is filled.
6. Top with sprinkled cinnamon and top of mint sprig.

How-to: Julienne Red Onion

I’m not sure if I’ve put this up on social media or on here, but I think cuts can make or break you. Consistent and precise cuts can take a dish up one or two levels easily. However, without a basic knowledge of how to execute these procedures, it may be hard to take a dish I put up on here and get it to look like it does in the picture. I know a lot of people see something that looks good and want to make it exactly like it is portrayed. So, I’m going to be doing a weekly how-to series on some basic procedures that will help you blow everyone’s socks off. No matter what you’re serving, nice simple consistent cuts make it look so much more polished and confident.

First up is how to julienne a red onion. The tricky thing with onions is that they are cylindrical. When you’re trying to get straight cuts from a circle, it can be quite precarious to say the least. Keep in mind that this cut can be applied to any onion shaped produce. I just chose to do a red onion because they’re great to have pre-sliced to dress up any dish with a little pop of color and flavor.

If you have any questions or comments please feel free to leave them on the blog or put them on the Facebook page. 

Step 1:

Gather your SHARP knife and a red onion. Place on cutting board. 

Step 2: 

Cut ends off of red onion as depicted in the picture below. You are just looking to trim the ends off, not cut most of the onion apart. The goal is to create a consistent edge.

Step 3: 

Place onion on a cut side and slice down the middle.

Step 4:

Remove outer skin layer. Try not to take the top layer of flesh off. All you need to do is remove the dry layers from the onion.

Step 5:

Rotate the cut part of the onion so that it is facing you. Start slicing the onion from one side to the other.

Step 6:

You want to start off with a tilt in your knife. A 45 degree angle should do the trick. Since the object is round, proceed to cut radially as shown in the picture. This way all the slices will be as consistent as possible. 

Remember to guide your knife with your middle finger while having the tips of your fingers tucked in so you don't cut yourself. I've done that way too many times and it sucks. 

Step 7:

Continue to go through the onion until you have about a quarter left. Rotate the onion so that the rounded end faces you like in Step 5. This will allow you to finish your cut.

I hope this helps! If you have anything you would like me to do in my series, please let me know! 

Kale and Tomato Salad with Roasted Asaparagus

Summer is almost here! This dish I’ve made a little fusion of late spring and early summer with a faint throwback into a Mexican influence. I got most of these ingredients at local farm stands, so hopefully you can as well. Don’t feel like you have to adhere to this particular format of ingredients either, any hearty lettuce or softer dark-leafy green will work fine in this recipe.

This is fresh, delicious and a great “Meatless Monday” option (I would throw some beans on there to increase the protein) or side salad. Feel free to omit any spices or the cilantro. I’d substitute the cilantro with dill or parsley if you aren’t a cilantro person. I’ve also enjoyed this with a nice piece of pan seared fish or baked chicken. Top with some grated cheese for extra sexy points.

Whatever you chose to do with it, Enjoy!

Kale and tomato salad with roasted asparagus

Ingredients:

1 Bunch Lacinato Kale

1 Bunch asparagus

2 Tomatoes (sliced into 8ths)

1 Juice and zest of lime

2 Tablespoons olive oil

¼ Cup pickled red onion

½ Bunch watercress

¼ Cup Chive (cut thin)

¼ Cup Cilantro (rough chop)

½ teaspoon smoked sweet paprika

½ teaspoon garlic

½ teaspoon chili powder

½ teaspoon cumin (whole preferably)

Directions:

1. Wash ALL produce (Learn more here)
2. Take spices and combine in container
3. Toss asparagus in olive oil and place in oven (preheated at 400). Allow to roast for five to seven minutes, or until tender.
4. While asparagus is roasting, cut kale into fork size (about two inches) and put into large mixing bowl
5. Take tomatoes and core them (cut out the brown part on the top). Slice into 12ths if you have a big tomato 8ths if it is small. Place into large mixing bowl
6. Combine remaining ingredients into bowl and toss to incorporate.
7. Asparagus should be ready by now, or already done. Once removed from oven and cooled, cut on a bias into two inch strips. Add to bowl if you are serving family style. Keep Asparagus separate if you’re going to be plating.