Noshtopia

What Can We Make With Fridge Leftovers? Bacon Fried Rice With Sauteed Magda Squash

 

Today was one of those days where I know food is low but I don't feel like going to the store because I'm in ponytail and sweats and frankly feeling lazy.

So, I take a peek into the fridge to see what is sitting on the shelves. I had one strip of Apple Honey Bacon I got from the Whole Foods meat department. Sometimes, I wonder why I hold onto just one piece of bacon, but that's a discussion for another time.

Also from Whole Foods was a box filled with salad bar fixings including carrot shreds, cremini mushroom slices, and peas. And next to the salad box, all by its lonesome was a single magda squash. There was also a pot of leftover white rice from dinner the day when I made Sesame Ginger salmon.

I sliced up the magda squash and sauteed it with red onions, canola oil, sea salt, and garlic powder for about 2 minutes in a wok. Simple.

Here's how I made the bacon fried rice:

• Cut the bacon into bits size and fry up in a wok. Soak up some of the bacon oil so the rice won't taste too bacony.
• Add about 1/2 tbsp canola oil back in the wok with the bacon bits and toss in the carrot shreds, mushroom slices, and peas. Sautee for about 30 seconds, and then add in the rice.
• Sprinkle on about 1 tbsp of water to help soften up the rice. Add some sea salt and garlic powder or seasoning. Keep mixing rice for about 1-2 minutes until rice feels tender.

I don't use soy sauce when I make fried rice because I like my rice with less salt. Plus, in this case, the bacon will add saltiness. Enjoy!

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10 Healthy and Allergy-Friendly Super Bowl Snack Ideas Including Gluten-free and Vegan Beers

Super Bowl Sunday is one of the biggest nosh days of the year. In fact, according to a Wall Street Journal post about game day food, baby carrot sales spike 25% on Super Bowl Sunday, 71 million pounds of guacamole is expected to be consumed, and 4.4 million pizzas will be ordered.

For those who have food allergies like myself, Super Bowl noshing can be just as exciting. You don't have to go without and feel deprived. In fact, I say some of our foods are the same or better than traditional versions. Oh yes, I went there!

Here is a list of 10 healthy and allergy-friendly Super Bowl snack foods including beer. I focus mainly on gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, soy-free, and in some cases corn-free if I know for sure. Corn is in almost everything and some people are highly reactive to nut cross-contamination so I recommend double checking the ingredients to any of these foods. Here's a useful list of food additives that contain corn.

Portobello mini-pizzas. Use a portobello mushroom as the pizza crust instead of traditional crust to make gluten-free and lower-calorie pizza. The size of the portobello mushroom also gives you a nice single portion-controlled amount. Here's a recipe from MyRecipes.com to make Turkey Pepperoni Portobello pizzas. Try using pesto sauce instead of tomato sauce. To make your pizzas vegan top with grilled veggies and use Daiya cheese or no cheese at all. I'm allergic to cow and goat cheese, but I can eat sheep cheese, so I'll shave some pecorino or manchego on my toppings.

Honey Sriracha Chicken Wings. Hello! How about that for an American-Asian fusion twist to a bar food classic. Sriracha sauce is gluten-free, vegan, and soy-free. Some Sriracha sauce brands use Xanthan Gum so avoid if you're allergic to corn or the gums. If you're feeling ambitious, here's a recipe to make Sriracha sauce from scratch.The Food Network has a baked Honey Sriracha Chicken Wings recipe that is gluten-free. You can make the wings dairy-free by using Earth Balance Soy-free Buttery Spread instead of regular butter. You can also cut out the soy sauce to make the wings soy-free.

Edamame and Sweet Pepperdew Hummus Dip. Every time I make this dip, vegans think I've used cheese in it. This recipe is 100% vegan, gluten-free, and corn-free. It's not soy-free because of the edamame, but you can take out the edamame. What gives this hummus dip a cheese like taste is the sweet pepperdews, and adding ground up edamame gives the hummus a soft cheese-like texture. This hummus is also great to use as a sandwich spread instead of mayo. Here is my easy-to-make recipe for this awesome hummus dip.

Guacamole. Here's how I make guacamole. My secret to making creamy guac is to get avocados that are so ripe they are on the edge of over-ripe.The avocado should be mushy to the squeeze but not so much that you can smash it in your hand. Per one avocado, mix in diced red onion, cilantro, diced heirloom or vine-on tomato, cilantro, squeeze of lime and lemon, and a couple pinches of sea salt and garlic powder. Add some diced jalapeno is you want heat. Guacamole is raw, vegan, soy-free, corn-free, and gluten-free.

Some chips I like to nosh on include:

Pop Chips which all flavors are gluten-free. Some flavors are also soy-free and vegan. Check bags. In the guacamole photo are the Natural flavor Pop Chips which are also corn-free.

 

Beanfields Bean & Rice Chips  look like tortilla chips and are gluten-free, soy-free, vegan, corn-free and all ingredients are non-GMO.

 

Food Should Taste Good makes an array of corn, and potato based chips which are all gluten-free and made from non-GMO ingredients. The Jalapeno Tortilla is my favorite chip as seen in the photo with the New Planet gluten-free beer. Most of the FSTG chips are vegan minus the ones that are cheese flavored and soy-free. The Multi-grain chips do use soy. Check the bags.

 

Beer! And speaking of beer, here is a list of vegan beers, and here's a list of gluten-free beers. My personal favorite gluten-free beer is Estrella Damm from Spain which can usually be found at Whole Foods.

 

Mango salsa is my favorite fruity version of this low carb and low fat food. Salsa is also gluten-free, soy-free, corn-free, and vegan. Here's a fast way to make mango salsa. Get a regular jar or better yet a tub of fresh made mild or medium salsa. Get mango chunks from the frozen food section of the grocery store. Thaw mango, dice into smaller chunks, and mix in with the fresh salsa.

Sweet creamy chili dip. Yes, I said creamy and we are not going to use any dairy. This dip is really simple to make. Buy or cook a pint or quart of your favorite chili. I just buy a pint of pre-cooked beef, bison, or turkey chili in the Whole Foods meat or soup department. Put the pint of chili into a bowl and mix in a 1/2 container of 170g size So Delicious Greek-style coconut milk based Vanilla yogurt and add a 1/2 tbsp of honey.

Traditional chili dips use sour cream. In my version, we use dairy-free Greek-style yogurt which has a thickness similar to sour cream. If you can eat dairy, just use regular honey flavor Greek yogurt. The sweet in the Greek yogurt is a nice complement to the salt in the chili. This sweet creamy chili dip is gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, and soy-free. The So Delicious yogurt looks to be corn-free as well. Double check the ingredients.

See, noshing during the Super Bowl looks a whole lot more fun now doesn't it? What other allergy-friendly snacks will you be eating?

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Healthy Lunch Idea: Thai Panang Curry With Grilled Beef Over Brown Rice

I enjoy Thai curry because it's on the soupier side and the aromatic spice usage is milder compared to Indian curry. Panang curry is also sweeter to me and I tend to the sweeter side.

Beef is not normally put in panang curry, it's usually tofu, chicken, or shrimp, but I was craving cow meat and the restaurant was nice to put in some beef. The curry is sittong on a bowl of brown rice.

In this dish we have coconut milk goodness, vegetables, fiber, and protein. This dish is also dairy, egg and gluten free.

5 Noshy Things You Can Eat With Avocado

One of the best sources for healthy fat is the avocado. Let me tell you that avocado is another one of those veggies I get excited about because it's so versatile, creamy, and warming.

From fantastic food bloggers around the noshosphere, including mouth-watering photos, here are 5 noshy things you can eat with avocados:

• Gorgeous rise and shine: Avocado-Banana smoothie with ginger. [Marcus Samuelsson]

• My kind of salad: Crab with cilantro and yuzu aioli over avocado and cucumber...use veganaise instead of mayonnaise to make dairy and egg-free. [Rustic Garden Bistro]

• Blazing healthy snackage: Smashed Avocado on rice cakes with Sriracha sauce and diced arugula. [Honest Fare]

• Clever! Looks like tuna but isn't. This dish is totally vegan: Grapefruit crudo with Avocado, Chervil and Capers. [Herbivoracious]

• Yumlicious desert: Aquacate del Chocolate aka Chocolate pudding made from avocados...vegan. [Just Making Noise]

What is one of your favorite avocado dishes?

 

Tried Something New: Braised Chard With Bacon

How can you make bacon healthy? By mixing it up with a leafy green like chard! See oh yummy! Okay...well maybe not....adding a green won't make bacon better, but the bacon sure can help make the chard more fun.

I've never had chard with bacon before, and so when I saw this Braised chard with bacon at one of my local Whole Foods, I had to get a couple scoops. Oh my that chard was so good, I went back and got a couple more scoops to eat for the next day.

Yeah bacon is still a heap of fat, but I like the bacon at Whole Foods because they don't use nitrates or chemicals. The bacon isn't as salty as an Oscar Meyer. And I don't eat bacon all the time, but when I do, watch out. Might as well do it up good, ay!

What I liked about this dish is that it didn't taste heavy or greasy. You'd think bacon would totally fatten up the greens but whatever Whole Foods did, they did a great job of minimizing the oil somehow.

If you want to make this dish at home, here's a recipe Top Chef winner Stephanie Izard created over at Food & Wine with some scallops.

5 Noshy Things You Can Eat With Shrimp

One of my go-to shrimp dishes is Gambas Al Ajillo which is a Spanish tapas dish inspired from the Huelva region of Spain like this one in the photo above from one of my favorite Phoenix restaurants, Tapas Papa Frita.

From around the noshopshere from delectable food bloggers including mouth-watering photos, here are 5 noshy things you can eat with shrimp.

• Packed with protein: Red quinoa with pineapple and shrimp...dairy and egg free. [Mango & Tomato]

• Fancy Sandwich:  Caesar Shrimp & Arugula Panini grilled on ciabatta w/arugula and shaved Parmesan. [Panini Happy]

• Small yet smashing: Mini baby shrimp lettuce wraps appetizer with peanuts, toasted coconut, fresh coriander, and wedges of fresh lime. [Thai Recipes About.com]

• 5-ingredients + 10 minutes + gluten-free: Chili Lime Shrimp...replace butter with olive oil or Earth Balance to make dairy-free. [Grumpy's Honeybunch]

• Tapas time: Roasted Artichokes with Shrimps and Green Sauce...I love the creativity of using the artichokes as bowls. [Spanish Recipes]

What's one of your favorite shrimp dishes?

Healthy Lunch Idea: Seared Mahi Mahi With Mushroom Risotto and Kale Salad

This was actually my first meal of 2011. Over at my local Whole Foods, I saw in their frozen seafood section, 5oz individually packaged pieces of Mahi Mahi for $3.99. That's a deal in my book!

I'm making an effort to eat more seafood, at least twice a week, in order to eat less animal meat and to get more Omega-3s. Cooking this lunch was really easy. I just seasoned the Mahi Mahi with sea salt, garlic powder and oregano, and then seared it in a pan with some Earth Balance soy-free buttery spread. I forgot to get it in the picture, but on top of the fish I added some mango salsa for a hint of sweet. It was a tasty touch!

The risotto I made from a box of Lundberg brand Organic Porcini Mushroom Risotto. The Whole Foods salad bar also offers fresh cut up kale next to the mixed greens, so I just ate the kale raw with some vegan honey mustard dressing on top.

Healthy Lunch Idea: Pho Soup With Chicken

Back when I worked in start-ups in Silicon Valley we used to eat Pho soup quite often because it was cheap. You could get a large bowl of soup for like $4 which would keep you filled up until a late dinner.

I think Pho soup is healthy because it's simple, low in fat and basically just broth, boiled chicken or beef, and rice noodles garnished with cilantro, onions, sprouts, and fresh basil. In some places, you can also get a lemon/lime sauce to dip your chicken in. Pho soup is also dairy and gluten free.

During the winter months, Pho is very comforting indeed!

5 Noshy Things You Can Eat With Spinach

 

Popeye is hot because he eats spinach! Okay, we're getting a bit nostalgic here, but really, if a super-hero type cartoon character can't make spinach an inspiring thing to eat, then who can? Okay maybe trainer Bob Harper can since he's gone vegan.

In the picture above is a recipe for a dish I made of wilted spinach with garlic and nutmeg. Oh yes, we put some holiday flair in our greens.

From fantastic foodie bloggers around the noshosphere including mouth-watering photos, here are 5 noshy things you can eat with spinach.

• Power morning: Green Monster Muffin with spinach...there is also a vegan version of the recipe included. [The Chic Life]

• A cornacopia of green: Homemade cavatelli with fava beans, dandelion greens, kale and spinach. [Feeding Maybelle]

• Bulk food fun: Rye berry salad with pine nuts and spinach. [The City Sisters]

• Burger-tastic: Scallion-studded, spinach-laced, juicy turkey burgers with a lip-smacking soy-ginger sauce...dairy and gluten-free. [A Doctor's Kitchen]

• Packed with green, good fats, and protein: Spinach, avocado, berries & smoked salmon salad with home-made strawberry balsamic reduction. [Baking at Midnight]

What is one of your favorite spinach dishes?

 

 

Local Awesomeness: The 10 Best Things I Ate in Phoenix in 2010

Note: All photos in this post were taken with my iPhone 3GS

2010 marked my first full year as a Phoenix, Arizona resident. I moved to Phoenix from the San Francisco Bay Area and many people wonder why I'd leave an area so rich in culture, food, and diversity to a place that is perceived as a poster child for your basic land of suburban chain restaurants. What kind of bounty in fresh fruits, vegetables, and seafood could one have in the desert versus the lushness of the California coast and farm land?

Well actually, there are plenty of wonderful things to eat out here, and yeah, Phoenix is no Bay Area, so I won't even compare the two, but Phoenix is the 5th largest city in the US, and the food scene here is still growing.

I was thrilled to learn that there are some well known Bay Area chefs who have places out here in the Valley of the Sun. Oh yes! Michael Minna has Bourbon Steak in the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess, and owners Amy and Kevin Binkley have Binkley's Restaurant and Cafe Bink to delight noshers with their very creative flair. Chef Kevin worked under Thomas Keller, chef/owner of The French Laundry.

I haven't eaten at Bourbon Steak, Binkley's, or Bink Cafe yet, but they are definitely on the "must do" for 2011.

Some of the best artisan ice cream you will find anywhere is Sweet Republic. These two ladies left the Bay Area for Phoenix metro as well for better opportunities, and they most certainly found it here! If I whip out my magic ball, I see Sweet Republic going national one day. Yes, their ice cream is that good, and can not only be found in their shop, and mobile ice cream truck, but at all the local Whole Foods markets. In 2009, Bon Appetit named Sweet Republic as one of the 10 best ice cream shops in the US.

So, in 2010, in no particular order, here are the 10 best things I ate here in Phoenix. Note: This list is not a "Best of Phoenix" just the best things I ate in 2010 at places I visited this year. I haven't been to every restaurant in Phoenix yet...pacing myself here! There are plenty more awesome foods and in 2011, I plan on venturing to even more new spots.

Rice Pudding at Calistro Bistro: What is amazing about this dessert is that it is dairy-free, gluten-free, and soy-free and tastes amazing! Because of my dairy & egg allergies, desserts at restaurants for me are usually a choice of sorbet or sorbet. I was thrilled to find this rice pudding!

BBQ Pit Beans at Joe's Real BBQ: I have driven all the way from NorDale where I live down to Gilbert (about 35 miles) just to get these beans. What I find fascinating about these beans is that there are lima beans in there along with your usual suspect beans and nice chunks of ham. I also dig that the sauce is on the sweet side. These are magical beans I tell you.

Gnocchi in lobster sauce with sun-dried tomato, basil, and garlic shrimp at Talavera at Four Seasons Scottsdale: I voted this dish as the best at the food show, "Phoenix Cooks." Technically, I shouldn't be eating this dish because it has dairy in it, but I was so intrigued by the ingredients, that I took one bite and ended up eating a small bowl of it. Luckily, I didn't feel too sick afterward which I take as a good sign.

I recommended Talavera during Arizona Restaurant Week 2010, and besides the fabulous food, Executive Chef Mel and his team are just the nicest people. This Gnocchi is not a regular on the menu, but if you ask for it specifically, they will make it. Just mention, "It's the gnocchi you made at Phoenix Cooks."

Pernil Asado at Fuego Bistro: Fuego is a hidden gem in Phoenix. When you pull up to the place, you almost think you're in the wrong area, but this spot is a must! I was blown away by their pork dish because it tastes like how they make shredded pork in Hawaii. To be honest, mainlanders have a rough time doing pork Hawaiian style, but Fuego does a pretty darn awesome job of it. Their Pernil Asado is marinated for 24 hours and slow roasted for 7 hours. And the people there, again, some of the nicest folks I've met in town.

Ceviche at Deseo at The Westin Kierland: If you have Westin points you want to use, definitely come to Phoenix for a relaxing weekend and stay at the Westin Kierland just so you can eat at Deseo and feast on their ceviche. At dinner, you have six ceviche dishes to choose from, and in their muddle bar, you can enjoy some of the most fabulous mojitos I've ever had. I'm telling you, you will be a very pleased. I'm that confident!

For the most part, seafood was pretty underwhelming to me here in Phoenix, but again, I have a really high bar as I'm used to seafood in the Bay Area, but Deseo blows that underwhelm out of the water....literally. I never knew fish could taste like this. Chef Douglas Rodriquez who appeared on Top Chef Masters and has a cookbook just about ceviche, "The Great Ceviche Book," is the inspiration behind all the ceviche dishes at Deseo.

Red Quinoa Salad at St. Francis: Quinoa and Kale are two of my favorite power foods, and you don't see these ingredients that often in restaurants. So, you can imagine how thrilled I was to see Quinoa on a menu, and this Quinoa dish is a smash hit. The St. Francis Quinoa is also a great intro for those who have never tried Quinoa before and are curious to try it.

Tie - Bison Chili and Chocolate Pudding at True Food Kitchen: If I had to pick just one restaurant I love in Phoenix it would be True Food Kitchen based on Dr. Andrew Weil's anti-inflammation diet. I consider TFK my 3rd home, and a model for a restaurant I'd like to open one day. Two dishes that are beyond belief are the bison chili, and the chocolate pudding which is vegan and soy-free. The pudding is basically just almond milk and cocoa, and is thick and creamy, and every time I have recommended it, people give me that OMG look. Yeah, it's that fabulous.

The bison chili is not a regular menu item and it currently only appears as a soup of the day on occasion. I would seriously start a campaign to get this bison chili as a regular lunch item because it NEEDS to be. The bison chili coupled with the TFK signature kale salad is unbelievable.

Gambas Al Ajillo at Tapas Papa Frita: I wish I had a better photo of these shrimp because they deserve the spotlight. Now, this dish is just basically garlic, shrimp, and white wine but they must have some other magical ingredient in there because after taking one bite of this shrimp, my mouth was in heaven. In fact, I was in heaven. Coupled with a champagne Sangria, you cannot go wrong at Tapas Papa Frita which features Spanish tapas. They have outdoor seating which I highly recommend if you go when the sun is setting. It's very romantic.

Sweet Potato Tater Tots at West Addison Tavern in DC Ranch: Two of my favorite things in food sweet potato and tater tots in one. Touchdown! Yes, my inner 3rd grader still cannot get enough of the tater tots and luckily Whole Foods makes organic tots. I have never in my life seen a sweet potato tater tot and so yes, I was doing the cabbage patch upon finding these SP tots.

Butternut Squash Enchiladas at Whole Foods Chandler: I found these enchiladas in the hot food bar at the Whole Foods in Chandler and holey cow! What I loved most was that there was practically no cheese in this enchilada which frankly wasn't missed, and the use of all kinds of vibrant veggies. I give the chef kudos for creativity and amazing flavor. I have only seen the enchiladas a few times, but being that it's Whole Foods who loves to please their customers, I have no doubt that if asked, they would make these enchiladas.

And there you have the 10 best noshiest things I ate in Phoenix in 2010, my first year as a resident. If you have any recommendations, please do let me know. Happy New Year!