The Veggie Queen on the Subway

I am no stranger to New York City (Manhattan) as I grew up in New York, on Long Island. "The City" as we called it, was a big part of my teen years. I missed some school because the lure of it and riding the train was too strong, and classes were too boring to waste my time. As I was mostly an A student, I figured that I'd learn more from the adventure of NY than I would in a classroom.

One thing that I didn't do much of was ride the subway. It was pretty grimy then and you never knew what danger lurked. Besides, I love to walk so I did that as much as possible. Also, the subway can be very confusing to figure out, so why bother?

Well, on my most recent trip to "The City", I was instructed by my friend Fran to take the express train out of Penn Station. It was only 2 stops to go meet her. That was very easy. Buying the ticket to get on the subway proved to be a bit more difficult.

I learned that a one pass card is only good for 2 hours. So when I returned to the subway after meeting with Fran, with my pass in hand, it had expired. Then I tried to buy another pass (while I was in a hurry) and the machine didn't work. So I asked the woman in the glassed-in booth about it and she sent me to a different machine. I bought the pass and it didn't work. So that very nice woman let me through a special gate that was being blocked by a homeless guy's stuff. He got angry and called me names as I rushed to get on the subway.

In my haste, I forgot to notice if I was getting on the express train. And I did not. So, a number of stops later I arrived at Penn Station, a bit anxious, only to find out that I had to exit the station and go across the street and back in to catch my train to Long Island.

It was all an adventure, and I must admit that it was not nearly as much fun as it was when I was a teenager. But then again, the only way to pay at that time was with money or tokens. Now you need to "dip your card" which is a strange way of saying, "swipe your card". But maybe in New York, swipe is not a nice thing to say. In California, it's just fine. And we don't have a subway, so it seems that I am safe.

The Veggie Queen in New York City

I was in New York City recently where I had a chance to meet my friend Fran Costigan http://www.francostigan.com/, also known as The Dairy-Free Dessert Diva, on a cool, rainy early Spring day. But seeing Fran certainly brightened things up. And the fact that we were both completely engaged and chatting away while having a pot of tea in a tea salon at The Chelsea Market made the time fly by.

Fran took me on a tour of the market which is an old building filled with food-related shops and The Food Network Studios. While we were there someone was conducting a food tour of some of the shops, similar to what Fran and I did but ours wasn't structured.

Judging from what I saw, most New Yorkers are living on white flour and sugar -- there were at least 4 bakeries and a candy shop within a short distance of one another. My favorite stop, other than the expensive tea shop ($6 for a pot of tea), was Amy's Bakery which makes bread of many yummy types. I got a pumpernickel rye sunflower raisin breadstick that was truly delicious. The bread was dense but not heavy with a thick, chewy crust. I bought 2 of them and was actually pleased that I hadn't bought a loaf for I surely would have eaten it all.

The saddest part of meeting Fran was that we had so little time together but we'll meet again at Vegetarian Summerfest in June in Johnstown, PA. I would have loved to have tasted something that Fran baked. What she suggests is: Eat clean, green, whole and save room for good desserts! I concur.

Beet Salad for Easter -- Made Fast in the Pressure Cooker

Last Friday I took a trip to Tierra Vegetables farmstand to get beets but I actually only bought 1 beet. They grow Lutz, a large sugarbeet. My one beet was over 2 pounds. And I was really excited about cooking it. I just had a craving for beets and knew that anyone who really likes them would be thrilled, especially paired with bitter greens.

Luckily at our Easter dinner there were at least 3 of us, one of them my sister-in-law who is from England. She said that she doesn't cook fresh beets. Huh? Maybe if she knew that they would cook in about 10 minutes in the pressure cooker, she would do it.

Here's the recipe which comes from my cookbook The Veggie Queen: Vegetables Get the Royal Treatment which is available on my website http://www.theveggiequeen.com/.

Orange Scented Beet Salad
Makes 4 1 cup servings of beets plus ½ cup greens
3 minutes high pressure; 7 minute natural pressure release
Cooking beets has never been easier. They become so tender that you don’t even need to peel them.

1 ½ pounds beets, about 6 med.
½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
3 large slices orange zest
2 tablespoons agave nectar, Sucanat or brown sugar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons orange zest
2 green onions, sliced
2 cups spicy greens like arugula, mustard or a mix, washed and dried

Scrub beets. Remove tops, stems and tails and cut in half. Then cut into ¼-inch slices.
Put the orange juice, vinegar and the large slices of orange zest into the cooker. Add the beet slices. Lock on the lid. Bring the pressure to high over high heat. Reduce the heat to maintain high pressure for 3 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat. Let the pressure come down naturally for 7 minutes, then release any remaining pressure. Test beets to be sure that they are cooked through. If not, bring back to pressure for another 2 minutes, and let come down naturally. Test again.

Remove the lid, tilting it away from you. Remove the large pieces of orange zest. Stir in the brown sugar and mustard.

Remove the beets from the cooking liquid and let cool for 5 minutes. Mix the orange zest and green onions with the beets. Pour the liquid from the cooker over the beets. Spoon ¼ of the mixture onto ½ cup of spicy greens on individual salad plates. Or you may chill the beets, without the zest and green onions, and let sit in the liquid for a day or two. Right before serving stir in the orange zest and green onions.

©2007 from The Veggie Queen: Vegetables Get the Royal Treatment, Jill Nussinow, MS, RD

The Veggie Queen's Been Busy

Well, it's been a long time since I've posted. I have been busy with article writing and recipe and personal development, one more fun and interesting than the other, you can ponder that. I was working on developing recipes with beer but I wasn't feeling so great so having leftover beer didn't do a thing for me. Of the 10 recipes that I did, only a few were well-loved and the rest were OK. Once I retest the recipe for the Beer Dark Chocolate Bread with alternate ingredients, I will post it here for all to make. It was quite delicious but it didn't make it at all on the health chart.

I was in Anaheim this past week at the Natural Products Expo. Almost anything and everything that you'd buy at Whole Foods or your local natural food store was on exhibit there. Michael Pollan was the keynote speaker. And for those of you who have not read previous posts, Michael and I have a history together. We went to school together and rode the same bus (in elementary school) from first grade until high school. We shared many an English class through the years and he's still a better writer than I am.

I was telling some folks that I know Michael when he happened to walk by at an industry reception. I invited him to sit down so we got to chat with him for about an hour. He said that after walking the show floor he'll stick to his assertion that we ought to be eating real food. I couldn't agree more. And in my opinion, if you are going to eat prepared food, choose the least processed kind that is also organic. But in general, you have to cook your food yourself if you want to eat for health.

Mollie Katzen was also at the show. She gave an interesting talk about how to change what's on your plate to increase health. She said that no one needs to give up anything but switch the proportions of various foods, choosing whole grains, beans, nuts and fruit most often. When I said hi to Mollie after her talk, she said to me, "I have your book." That was definitely a thrill.

I also met Andrew Weil, MD, twice at the show. I got his latest book on Healthy Aging but haven't had time to read it yet.

Spring is upon us here in CA and with it has come the first asparagus and artichokes. I have not yet transitioned much from broccoli and winter vegetables as I missed last week's farmer's markets. So Wednesday, I can get back to my schedule and get what's fresh. I experienced a severe lack of vegetables made worse by the following experience, which may be a reflection of how many people eat.

My father-in-law and his wife are visiting from Florida. They had family over for dinner (which I hadn't realized or I would have eaten prior). This was what was served between 4 and 8 p.m. Two types of potato chips, brie and Ritz crackers, shrimp with cocktail sauce, Swedish meatballs with ligonberry sauce, hot dogs and hamburgers with white buns, potato salad and onion slices. There was nothing green at all. Oh, and in my honor I got a small quiche (which is not something that I really eat). But what I really needed after all my travels was a huge salad. There wasn't even any lettuce for the burgers or I would have eaten it. And for the kids to drink, there were various types of soda. If this is the standard American diet (and I've been told that it is), it is no wonder to me, that people are obese and dying young.

Some people may call me a freak for eating well but I feel good and have lots of energy which I am sure wouldn't be the case if I ate the food served last night, even a few times a week. Ugh, I can't even bear the thought. People need dietary makeovers.

And the worst part, I am having Easter lunch with the same clan. My sister-in-law is cooking (and she's from England) and she's getting a ham. I am definitely going to eat before I go.

I Can Make You Thin But Why Would I Want to?

Last night I watched the I Can Make You Thin show on TV. The host Paul McKenna is a PhD, a hypnotist, and England's top selling non-fiction author. He has 4 golden rules for eating and he didn't make them up -- I probably did 20+ years ago. They are:

• Eat when you are hungry
• Eat what you want
• Eat consciously
• When you think you are full, STOP eating

He tells people to put down their forks and chew their food thoroughly. This is all sensible info. But he's lying about making people thin, and I don't think that is so important. Being thin isn't what counts -- it's being healthy and loving yourself, no matter what weight you are. If you are exercising and eating right, chances are you can lose weight and get to your ideal body weight, which might not make you thin.

I don't think that thin is your target. Not everyone ought to be thin, and some of us have it easier than others in the being thin department. But don't let that fool you because even some people who are thin (like moi) have been heavier at times in the past. 6 months or a year of inattentive eating does lead to weight gain. The same is true once you start paying attention -- the pounds can and will come off.

And no one is likely to dispute that eating lots of vegetables can help lead you down the thinner-than-thou road. Give it a try -- and fore go the Ranch dressing, unless you must, be do it consciously.

The Veggie Queen Pressure Cooker Sale

Tonight I am doing a pressure cooking class and with it I am having a sale on pressure cookers. I have been amazed at how many people are willing to venture into the PC world when there is a discounted price. I keep wondering if a lower price somehow helps dissolve the fear factor. I'd think that with all the talk about saving energy, that would be one of the main reasons that people would want to pressure cook, as well as it providing an easy way toward the healthier eating goal.

It seems to me that the talk about pressure cooking is heating up, and I am noticing many more newspaper and magazine articles, as well as blog posts. I can only hope that pressure cooking will catch on and that many people buy a pressure cooker and still don't know what to do with it. Then they can purchase my DVD Pressure Cooking: A Fresh Look, Delicious Dishes in Minutes at http://www.pressurecookingonline.com/. I explain how to use the pressure cooker and demonstrate 14 recipes from breakfast through dessert.

If it weren't for my pressure cooker I am sure that I'd pack on the pounds and compromise my health, to boot. But if I can make steel cut oats for breakfast in about 10 minutes from start to finish, then it's easy for me to eat healthy food. Heck, I can almost make hummus from scratch in as much time as it would take to drive to the store and back. (OK, maybe it's a bit of an exaggeration but not much.) Delicious eating has never been as healthy and fast, as it is with the pressure cooker. I could go on and on but I'll save that for another post.

Nuts are Big at Safeway

I am not referring to the shoppers and their state of mind. But one of my local Safeway stores was just remodeled (after being built only a few years ago) and one of the most prominent features is a large nut bar. In addition to ordering nuts by the pound, or part thereof, there is also a station which will fresh grind nut butters for you -- ranging from almost to peanut, peanut and chocolate to organic peanut. I noticed that the price of the organic peanut was $5.99.

When I checked at the nearby natural food store where I shop,. their organic fresh peanut butter is only $3.49 per pound. I have a feeling that for most Safeway shoppers, having fresh ground nut butter is such a novely that they'll try it, and if they like it, they'll be back. But it seems expensive to me in the $4 to $8 per pound range.

Additionally, while I think that including nuts, seeds and nut butters in a vegan or vegetarian diet in moderation is just fine, I am not sure about including them in a SAD (standard American diet) due their high fat content. But truth is if the nuts or nut butters are replacing processed food, then that's a good thing.

Just the fact that Safeway has chosen to have a nut bar is quite interesting. I suspect that in addition to the high profit margin potential from the nut bar, they must think that nuts are an up and coming food item. I hadn't thought of them that way but maybe now I will.

I use nuts often as a way to add toasty flavor or texture to food, especially in salads or pasta dishes. One of my favorite things to eat is toasted bread with nuts or seeds in it, especially on the crust. Put on some avocado and maybe some sprouts, and I'll call it breakfast. Obviously I am a nutty Safeway shopper (not very often) of a different kind.

The Best Vegetable Class Ever

Just this week I taught a class titled Winter Vegetables Beyond Broccoli. Unlike many of my other public (versus Santa Rosa Junior College) classes, I didn't say what dishes I would be teaching but that I would include instructions for braising, baking, roasting, steaming and, my favorite, pressure cooking. So, it was a breeze for me to come up with recipes because I could survey my refrigerator, the market and the farmer's market to what was really in season.

I was so curious about why people chose to attend this class. The participants ranged from people who only boiled their veggies to those who were getting a CSA box from a local farm, and wanted to learn more ways to use what's fresh. I discovered that true to my thinking, that many people stick to using the vegetables that they know and love and rarely branch out and try something new.
This group got introduced to vegetables such as parsnips, featured in my Maple Vinegar Sauteed Parsnips, rutabagas, 3 kinds of sweet potatoes, potatoes in gold, pink and purple (that's their innards too), romanesco broccoli which is actually a type of cauliflower, Brussels sprouts on the stalk, white, gold and chiogga beets, watermelon daikon radish, kohlrabi, Jerusalem artichokes, scarlet turnips, yellow or white carrots, wild and cultivated mushrooms and more.

I know that every attendee learned a lot and was introduced to at least 1 new vegetable. Some learned about 6 or more. I was having the time of my life. I live for A-HA vegetable moments, and they were there -- for almost the entire class.

And true to what I promised I made soup, sides and main dishes while baking, steaming, roasting, braising and pressure cooking. Here's to winter veggies -- I enourage you to stop and pick up some new-to-you vegetable the next time you see one. It may just lead to an enlightening vegetable experience which is my desire for you.

The Veggie Queen's Husband's Secrets for Health

The other morning my husband said, "I know that I haven't gotten sick because of vegetables, fruit and my medicinal mushroom capsules. And you can blog about it."


Everyone in my husband's office has been sick with some cold, other virus or the flu. Somehow my husband, who doesn't eat nearly as well as I do, has managed to ward off those bad bugs. He has been taking Mushroom Science medicinal mushroom capsules for almost a year now. They stimulate your immune system to keep it healthy at a very deep level.

Hubby has managed to stay healthier than most years by doing this - repelling almost every illness that has swept through his office. In addition to the better eating, he also takes a packet of Emergen-C each morning in the cold months, and Omega-3 capsules each day. That's the formula that is working for him. He also strives to eat at least 9 servings of vegetables and fruit daily, which he does often but not always.

His other self-care technique is using the neti pot daily with a special sinus salt that contains essential oils. And when it feels as if something is about to get him, he uses Sinus Buster with echinacea which is an intense but amazing product.

In addition to any of these things, I also suggest washing your hands more often than you think that you need to at this time of year. And take a few minutes each day for some relaxation and breathing.

I could go on and on about self-care techniques that might work but for now, I'm just happy to my husband has made a connection between what he puts in his mouth and his health.

Million Pound Match-Up Vegetables -- Frozen vs. Fresh

Rebecca Scritchfield at Balanced Health and Nutrition wrote about using frozen veggies as a way to get more of them in your diet. I think this is a great idea because many people buy fresh vegetables and never get around to using them. I do encourage you to buy them without sauces or salty seasonings, and organically grown when possible.

With a bag or box of frozen spinach in the freezer, you can whip up many different dishes -- from spinach quiche to spinach pesto with pasta.

Most frozen vegetables are picked fresh and flash frozen so they are often fresher than veggies that have been shipped a long distance and then warehoused for up to a week. Of course, buying in-season vegetables from a local grower is ideal but how many of you live in an ideal world? The goal is to eat vegetables, and lots of them every day. I say, do what it takes to reach that goal.

Read Rebecca's complete post: http://rebeccascritchfield.wordpress.com/2008/01/22/million-pound-matchup-tip-invest-in-frozen-vegetables/ .

Michael Pollan and In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto

One of my claims to fame is that I went to school in New York with Michael Pollan from 1st grade on through high school. We shared many classes and rode the same bus to and from school for years. I am a bit surprised that he's become the voice for food but not at all surprised that he can write -- he always could.

A recent article about Pollan mentioned that he's a journalist and tired of talking about food, or at least his family is tired of hearing about it.

His latest book In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto just came out. I haven't yet read it and I might not get around to it. I heard him in an interview on KPFA radio yesterday and how he sums up the book is in this haiku:

Eat food

Not too Much

Mostly plants

He and I are in complete agreement on this.

I promote a plant-based diet, and recommend that people choose good food and real food for the rest of their diet. Once again, we agree.

Where we differ is in our comments about dietitians, of which I am one. He says that dietitians are not promoting food but only nutrients. NOT TRUE, at least not for me. And in fact, there is a whole group of dietitians who are into food and culinary -- we are all about the food and eating. Suffice it to say that most of what we recommend is healthy eating but more importantly delicious eating. So, forget fake foods, go for the real stuff and learn how to cook it.

Now, if I could only figure out how to sell as many books as Michael Pollan. I, for one, hope that he moves onto some other subject. I read that he's writing a book about orchids and it's just fine with me.

The Best Minestrone He Ever Had

I convinced someone (we'll call her A.) to get a pressure cooker. It was rather easy to do that kind of convincing. She'd seen her mother use a pressure cooker almost every day she told me. With 11 kids, she had to do something quick to get food on the table. I can't even imagine the scene but I guess that it worked.

The first time that she told me about her pressure cooker use she said, "I fear that I'm turning into my mother." But I don't really think so.

This morning when I ran into A. she told me that she'd made minestrone and her husband told her, "It's the best minestrone that I've ever had." She added, "I don't think that he likes minestrone."

But judging from my husband's reaction to my New Year's Soup with barley, black eyed peas and sweet potatoes, I'd have to say that her soup success is because it's easy to make great soup in the pressure cooker. My husband really liked my soup, much to my surprise. I just wish that I could remember what I put in it.

The truth is that unless I am working on a recipe for reproduction for a class, an article or a book, I just like to experiment and cook. Writing it down defeats the creativity of the process for me. But in order to satisfy others, sometimes I take the time to record my steps so that a recipe can be reproduced. Often, though, when I am getting dinner on the table, I just cook.

So I am going to keep encouraging you to get a pressure cooker and get cooking. Then you can eat delicious fast food every day.

Can You Cook Brown Rice? and Trader Joe's

I shop at Trader Joe's for very specific items, many of which I could probably live without. One that I certainly will never buy is frozen brown rice. But while I was traveling one time, my husband shopped at TJs (that fact really surprised me) and bought frozen white rice for our particular child since my husband really doesn't cook and he rarely needs to.

There is a guy who works at TJs who works in the frozen food aisle. He knows me as the woman who is looking for the vegan items. He may actually know that I go by the name The Veggie Queen but he hasn't said so. There are others who work there that know that but...

Anyway, we had a discussion just the other day about how he felt lucky to work in the frozen aisle as he knows the area well. Jokingly, I said, "So when someone asks for the frozen whatever you know where they are." He said, "That's right. And if a product is out of stock, I know that, too."

"I bet that sometimes you can even tell them why the item isn't there," I added. Then he told me that the brown rice was out of stock. I think that he knew that it wouldn't affect me. We then had a discussion about what the world is coming to when people can't or don't take the time to make brown rice.

My suggestion was that when the brown rice is out of stock, they post a recipe right above where you'd normally find it in the freezer, along with a suggestion to go to the aisle where they sell rice and learn how to cook it. Cooking rice really isn't difficult, especially if you can boil water.

I know that a lot of people have rice cookers, and if you eat a lot of rice or don't want to take chances, then it may be a great appliance for you. You can even get one that is all stainless steel.

But if you want to cook brown rice on top of the stove in a pan, put 2 cups water into a pot and bring it to a boil. Stir in 1 cup of rice, cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and reduce the heat so that the water is just simmering. Let cook for 40 minutes without removing the lid or stirring. Take off the heat and let it sit for 5 more minutes, undisturbed. Then remove the lid, and stir in a pinch of salt, if you want to. You should have perfect rice.

Alternatively, you can cook brown rice in the pressure cooker by cooking at pressure for 22 minutes, and letting the pressure come down naturally.

And if you make extra rice, you can put it into containers or zippered bags and put them in the freezer. Then it won't matter if Trader Joe's frozen brown rice is out of stock.

Particular Child Leads Me to Pressure Cooker Learning

My son loves rice -- white rice, not the brown, black or red kind that I eat regularly. I've been busy writing an article on The Glycemic Index and there is a big difference between jasmine rice which is high GI and basmati rice which is lower GI. So, if my kid is going to eat white rice, then I want it to be basmati.

So, I went to the store and bought basmati rice in bulk. I cooked it the way that I do with other white rice in my pressure cooker which is 1 cup rice and about 1 cup water with a touch of salt. Bring it to pressure and let it cook for 3 minutes at high pressure. Let the pressure come down and you've got great rice. But this time, that didn't happen. The rice was too wet.

My son asked me to cook it more. So I heated it again while I watched the rice stick on the bottom of my cooker. The rice did get drier but it still wasn't quite right.

So, I wondered what I might do, other than resort to buying the higher GI jasmine rice which is the kind that I had last cooked (before I got more tuned into GI). I searched the internet and found a clue as I watched someone making rice in the pressure cooker on You Tube. Try soaking the rice.

I soaked the rice for 1 hour and then drained it. Then I got my cooker really hot and then added the rice, water and salt. I cooked the rice for 3 minutes and 30 seconds. When the pressure came down I opened the pot. I discovered that I had perfectly cooked rice.

So, now I've discovered at least one benefit in having a particular (otherwise known as picky) child. He pushes me to learn more and better. And I am all for that.

Blogs and More Blogs

Well my blog recently became part of The Foodie Blogroll, along with many other food blogs. You can check out the entire roll by looking at the link on the right hand side of this page.

I am not an expert blogger but I've been doing it a while. I just received this info today, and I want to check it out. If you've thought about blogging and don't know where or how to start, it might be for you.

I'm evaluating a multi-media course on blogging from the folks at Simpleology. For a while, they're letting you snag it for free if you post about it on your blog.

It covers:

• The best blogging techniques.
• How to get traffic to your blog.
• How to turn your blog into money.

I'll let you know what I think once I've had a chance to check it out. Meanwhile, go grab yours while it's still free.

Happy New Year.

Holiday Appreciation and Lots of Breathing

This morning as I was heading to the farmer's market (I do realize that I might be teasing some of you who live where it's cold and snowy, and for that I apologize), I was thinking about how grateful I am that the farmers bother to get up in the middle of the night, or very early morning, to be there to sell vegetables to those of us who care. I appreciate what they do so much. But what I was truly thinking about was a comment that someone made to me last night at a holiday open house about how Larry from Triple T Ranch and Farm is a character.

And honestly, what that brought to mind is how the people that grow our produce all have personalities. They are real people, and they will engage with you at the market. You can find out about them, and how interesting they are.

Related specifically to Larry is that just this week someone told me that she doesn't buy from their farm because they are USDA certified organic and that they seem so commercial. Their farm is less than 40 acres, yet here in Sonoma County it is considered a "big" farm. I tried explaining that I've been to the farm and that they do what they are supposed to do. I guess that she prefers the smaller farmers, and the truth is that sometimes I do, too. But given the choice of the supermarket, Whole Foods or the farmer's market, you are going to get a better product at the farmer's market. And you may also get to speak to a character like Larry, or maybe Ed or Les or your local farmer. Give it a try when you can.

Now, for the breathing... I just gave a presentation on putting happy back in the holidays where a woman told me that she felt like an out of control train that might derail. If you feel that way, then I suggest that you do what I did with my group -- I led them through a breathing exercise. Deep breathing helps you relax. And that's what most people need at this time of year.

The most gratifying part of my talk was when someone came up to me at the end and told me that she'd put into practice the deep breathing that I suggested 2 months ago. I said that when you have to stop at a red light, take the time to breathe, rather than stew about having to stop and that you aren't getting where you need to go fast enough. She told me that stopping usually only delays you a minute or two, and how much better she feels after doing the breathing. I left with a big smile on my face, as I took an extra breath or two, as a reminder to myself. I suggest that you do the same, whenever you feel the need.

Pressure Cooking in the Cold

I spent the morning on Saturday at the farmer's market demonstrating how to use the pressure cooker. I made an Indian-Spiced Root Vegetable Soup, using market-fresh ingredients that included onions, carrots, parsnips, sweet potato and sometimes rutabaga, that takes only 5 minutes at pressure. You can make the whole recipe in less than 30 minutes, from start to finish, from chopping to a very hot bowl of soup.

I heard all the horror stories, the accolades and the people who just don't know anything about a pressure cooker. One man told me about his 2 electric pressure cookers. I guess those in the know really know.

Completely unsolicited, a man came up and told me that he'd taken a class from me at a store named Food for Thought (which hasn't even been in existence for about 7 years since it was gobbled up by Whole Foods) and that he uses my recipes, especially the one for risotto, every week. I was glowing after that.

In fact, I was probably glowing (red, that is) the whole time because it was so darned cold (for California, that is) that day. Ed Miller, the fruit vendor, of Twin Peaks Ranch told me that the market was only half as busy as usual, likely because of the cold. People may have also been at the mall and the grocery store, judging from the packed parking lots that I saw on my way home.

I had a great time at the market, showing off 3 of my Fagor pressure cookers -- the newest one being a Futuro which should be released here in the US soon. It has a different kind of shape to it -- a bit pot-bellied, fatter at the bottom so it's cute. But they all work the same, and that is very good news for a cold day. Hot soup, come and get it.

Wild Fermentation and More

This has been my week of learning and meeting allies in the movement to help people eat better food. I met Miyoko Nishimoto Schinner, Colleen Patrick-Goudreau and Sandor Ellix Katz, fellow authors.

Miyoko and Colleen are fellow McDougall program http://www.drmcdougall.com/ teachers. Miyoko taught Japanese one day and holiday dishes the other. Miyoko's books are The New Now and Zen Epicure and Japanese Cooking--Contemporary and Traditional. Colleen just released her first book The Joy of Vegan Baking and has a great website: Compassionate Cooks http://www.compassionatecooks.com/ on which she features her weekly free podcast on vegan issues.

It was great fun to watch both Miyoko and Colleen, as it gave me a new appreciation for what it takes to present to a group. Sharing food tips and samples invites people in but you also need to capture their attention.

The day following those 2 meetings, I was a participant in a fermentation class with Sandor Ellix Katz, the author of Wild Fermentations and The Revolution Will Not Be Microwaved. Sandor is a fascinating fellow, I don't think eccentric truly captures his spirit, and an article about him and the class will appear in the future on Jason Wyrick's website http://www.veganculinaryexperience.com/. (Jason occasionally teaches the McDougall program.)

Katz embraces the Weston A. Price philosophy and is likely not a big McDougall fan but I do know that we can agree that eating fresh, local vegetables is good, especially if they are fermented. Everyone needs to embrace their own philosophy and eating style. If it works well for you, then do it. If what you are doing doesn't work, try other methods.

Learning how to ferment vegetables is quite easy. Check out http://www.wildfermentation.com/ for more information about it. If you've heard of probiotics and prebiotics, these are the original forms -- they occur naturally, no pills, capsules or liquids needed. Also, you don't really need special equipment such as fancy crocks. I do my fermentation in wide mouth quart or larger canning jars set in a bowl to catch the liquid. If you want to know more about this from me, please feel free to email me at jill@theveggiequeen.com.

This is a very busy time of year but I hope that you will take the time to nourish yourself in a very caring and loving way with lots of fresh food. Busy often translates into not eating well and grabbing things on the go. Keeping healthier foods around helps with that issue.

I know that I tend to eat what I've got (since it's incredibly difficult to eat what you don't have) around. Lately, I've had lots of wonderful leftovers from classes -- things like Fruited Wild Rice, Indian-Spiced Root Vegetable Soup, Mediterranean Greens, Red Rice, Braised Tofu and Vegetables and more. Taking the time to cook for yourself, as if you are an invited guest, will actually turn you into one. This is my gift to you -- treat yourself like a queen (or king). It's what I do, and it works.

Wild Rice and Interesting Observations

I really like wild rice. I made my Fruited Wild Rice Dish for an Elderhostel class that I taught last week and then wanted to buy some for myself. What happened was very interesting, as many things are.

I headed to Trader Joe's. While there I was chatting with Linda, the demo lady. We talked about my new pressure cooking DVD, Pressure Cooking: A Fresh Look, Delicious Dishes in Minutes which can be found at http://www.pressurecookingonline.com. I told her that my goal is to get people to shop just a little less at Trader Joe's and to cook more at home. I said that many people probably don't realize that they can make lentil soup in the pressure cooker in less time than it takes to drive to the store.

Linda agreed and then said, "If anyone is concerned about sodium or sugar, then there are lots of foods that they can't buy here." And that's the big downside of processed foods.

Together we walked over to the fresh case and Linda showed me a small package of sweet potatoes with cranberries that was about a pound. She remarked that it was awfully expensive at $3.99, and that it was too sweet for her.

Then I saw a package of diced sweet potatoes in a steaming bag for the microwave. It was 8 ounces and cost $1.69. I was amazed. A pound of organic sweet potatoes is about that much and those were conventional. I thought that was expensive.

Finally, I managed to find my wild rice which cost $4.99 for a 1 pound bag. Wild rice needs to be cooked with a lot of water and 1 cup of raw rice makes about 3 to 4 cooked cups. In the pressure cooker it takes 25 minutes at pressure and on the stove top it cooks in about an hour. I think that the taste is wonderful. It's a whole grain (although not a true grain) and has a fairly low glycemic index (GI). It's a good food choice.

So, when the young cashier, remarked that the wild rice was expensive, I was surprised. He didn't consider the package of Spanakopita for my son expensive at $3.99 but the rice for a dollar more was. He said, "But it's rice," as if that made it inferior to already prepared food.

I think that this is one of the current issues in society -- our priorities are not working. We don't think of good, whole food as important and want our food made for us.

I say, "Let's go back to basics and let our bodies work as nature intended them to." I believe that it will improve our individual health and that of our society.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Pressure Cooking Online Website is Up

I am so excited about my new website http://www.pressurecookingonline.com . My goal is to convert as many people as possible to using the pressure cooker as an easy way to start eating healthier.


The only thing not yet available on that site is a clip of me showing you how to use the pressure cooker. But you can find one on My Space and also at http://www.simzproductions.com and click on clips and then TV. You'll find the Veggie Queen there.

If you sign up for my newsletter on my site http://www.pressurecookingonline.com you will get a free pressure cooking recipe. I also offer free information on using a pressure cooker.

I say, "Pressure cooking changed my life." And I am not kidding.

Update on Beans as Vegetables

The research presented by Sara Rose of Bush's Beans was fascinating. The research that they did showed that bean consumption is going down as beans don't always fit easily into the traditional family meal, as they are not thought of as a starch and aren't a traditional vegetable. So Bush's came up with a new phrase: Beans, The Vegetable With More. And their website http://www.vegetablewithmore.com has lots of recipes for what else? Beans.

I guess that maybe many vegetarians are making up for others in the bean department. Interestingly enough beans are an incredible food. Too bad that so many people hardly cook any more - as beans take only a few minutes in the pressure cooker. I just made a pot of rattlesnake beans with onions, garlic and smoked paprika. I had to stop myself from eating the whole pot of them, which must have been at least 3 cups worth. Instead I roasted some eggplant, red peppers, tomatoes and garlic and then mixed that with my beans. What a yummy meal, along with a salad. And then I had a couple of cups of beans leftover to either freeze for later or make into burritos or meal in a bowl with rice and other veggies.

Beans are so versatile. But with cooking skills declining, it's not surprising that people are eating less beans. I like the fresh ones best but if they'll eat can beans, so be it. At least beans are being consumed. They are a low GI food and fill you up. Eating too many may result in bloating and gas, so it's easy to have portion control.

I may never think of beans as a vegetable but if it gets some people to eat them more often, I am all for that.

Vegetable Steaming Bags and Beans

I've seen the ads for the frozen vegetable steaming bags but haven't used them because I eat mostly fresh vegetables, raw or cooked. But last night I had a chance to speak to someone who has actually tried the bags and said that the vegetables turn out great. I also read that now McCormick's, the giant spice company, now has bags that are preseasoned so eating your vegetables may not get any easier. I, of course, will stick with my tried and true cooking methods, often using the pressure cooker and seasonal vegetables. I do keep frozen spinach around and sometimes have a bag of corn in the freezer but that's usually about all, unless I've frozen something from the harvest.

Now, how about beans as a vegetable? I was speaking with Sara from Bush's Beans last night and she said that people respond to eating more beans when they think of them as a vegetable. I am going to hear more about that today as I gather with a group of dietitians who are into food and culinary. I can't wait to hear but I don't think that i am likely to think of beans as vegetables any time soon. Ifit gets other people to eat more of them, well maybe I could say it.

Mollie Katzen of the North Bay and Vegetables

Some people have dubbed me the "Mollie Katzen" of Sonoma County. After listening to Mollie on the radio this morning discussing her new book The Vegetable Dishes That I Can't Live Without, I'd have to say that those peopel are correct. Except that I actually preceded Mollie on taking up the strictly vegetable (versus vegetarian) mission and spreading vegetable enthusiasm. Unfortunately my audience isn't as broad as Mollie's. But I am thankful that some of you have read my cookbook,The Veggie Queen: Vegetables Get the Royal Treatment.

I, like, Mollie feel best when I can encourage people to eat more vegetables. Honestly, it doesn't matter to me if you are vegan, vegetarian or a carnivore, as long as you are eating your 9+ servings of veggies a day -- in a delicious way.

With that in mind, I'd like to share a really simple recipe for Curried Winter Squash and Pear Soup. You can make it with or without roasting the squash first, but it tastes richer using the roasting method.

Curried Winter Squash and Pear Soup
Serves 4 to 6 (or just you 4 to 6 times)
Even though squash is sweet, it still tastes great paired with pear. If you like, you can add a pinch of cayenne for contrast, in addition to the lemon juice in the recipe.

3 delicata or other squash, roasted until soft in the oven to equal 1 ½-2 cups
2 teaspoons canola oil (optional)
1 small onion, diced
1 medium D’anjou or comice pear, peeled and cut into chunks
2-3 teaspoons or more curry powder
4 cups vegetable or other stock or broth
1 tablespoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped

Roast the squash in the oven at 350 degrees until a knife is easily inserted into the squash, about 25 minutes. Cool and scrape pulp from skin.

Heat the stock pot over medium heat and add the oil, if using. When the pot is warm, add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes until it softens. Add the pear and curry powder and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the stock or broth and simmer for 10 minutes until the pear is soft. Add the roasted squash and simmer for another 10 minutes to blend flavors. Using a hand blender, puree until desired consistency. Taste and add the lemon juice, salt and pepper. Garnish with parsley or cilantro. Serve hot.

©2005, Jill Nussinow, MS, RD from
The Veggie Queen™: Vegetables Get the Royal Treatment
www.theveggiequeen.com

Serve with a giant green salad and some wonderful bread or crackers such as Mary's Gone Crackers or Dr. Kracker crackers.

This is perfect for helping keep your vegetable intake up. Mollie and I are in this together, so watch out.

If any of you know Mollie personally, please let her know that I'd like to speak to her.

A New Corn Variety at the Market

I didn't have much time at the farmer's market on Saturday because I was busy buying fruit to make fruit salad for 35 for my mother-in-law's 75th birthday. I had hoped to get some melon and hadn't found any from my favorite farmers. I was almost ready to leave the market when I ran into a former student, April. She wanted to buy a copy of my book The Veggie Queen: Vegetables Get the Royal Treatment (shameless plug here http://www.theveggiequeen.com/book.html) so I went to my car to look for one, knowing that I hadn't brought any with me. I did, however, have a number of them in packages that I was shipping so I ripped one open and it became April's latest purchase.

I headed back into the market and was at Cliff Silva's stand, Ma and Pa's Garden, where I saw some corn and bought a couple of ears. In a last attempt to buy melon I took a walk around the corner and to my delight I saw Larry Fields at a small table with melons. I told Larry that I was happy to see him and he said that he hoped that I would come by. (I don't know if this is true but it does feel good when people say that, doesn't it?) He offered me an ear of corn and asked me to take a bite. I did and it was incredibly sweet. Now, just having bought corn, I didn't really want to buy more but Larry said that I could have the ear that I bit (great marketing tactic, I told him) and then I bought another couple ears, along with 5 melons including musk, Charentais and another kind that I can't remember.

Larry was telling me how much he liked this new variety of corn. I must admit that it was sweet and delicious. It had a name like Miara or Maira but definitely something with an M. I couldn't wait to get home to eat it.

While I was chatting with Larry someone saw me there and knew who I was. He said that if I liked it that it must be good. (I have to say that I didn't know who the guy was and he could have been a former student, seen me at a cooking demonstration or seen my photo in the paper.) I am glad to have some produce influence and share what I like.

The corn was delicious in my pressure cooked veggie dish with peppers, potatoes, squash, onions, garlic and Mexican type seasoning. Yumm.

The fruit salad that I made for the birthday party was also a hit. And honestly all I did was pick out the fruit and cut it up. But the fruit was in its prime and that's what made it delicious. Please remember that you can't make dishes that taste better than the ingredients you start with. Go for fresh and quality.

A Fruitful Season for The Veggie Queen

I am about more than just vegetables. I am into all plant foods. This year there has been a bumper crop of fruit. Luckily I know a number of people that have trees and have been able to harvest all manner of fruit from peaches and plums to grapes, apples, pears and Asian pears, and I can't forget the figs. At times I have been overwhelmed with all of it. And at other times I have been thrilled to open my refrigerator and find a jar of homemade applesauce with cinnamon, as if someone else made it for me. (Ask me about my 5 minute pressure-cooked applesauce.)


The rhythm of the season is in full swing. I am sure that when canning was at its peak, mothers didn't have to leave their boiling pots to shuttle their kids from one activity to another. The Moms stayed at their task, cooking and canning until the project was done. But now, it doesn't work that way and with the advent of the modern freezer, sometimes canning doesn't seem worth it. Although unlike many people I do not have an extra freezer or refrigerator, so back to the jars and lids. If it doesn't fit in the space available, then I must can to preserve the harvest.


Pulling a bag of peaches out of the freezer mid-winter to make a tart, crisp or compote is a touch of sunshine in a sometimes bleak season. When I am up to my elbows in peaches on a hot summer's day, though, it's hard to think of winter and the enjoyment to come. There is always the dilemma that summer fruit brings but this year it has been exaggerated.


My wish and hope is that everyone can enjoy the bounty of the season in its abundance. And to that end, I hope to get some fruit dried in a solar dryer (built by a friend) so that I can have yet one more way to preserve the harvest for the coming months. It worked in the past and I have faith that it will continue to keep me satisfied in the future.

Too Many Zucchini or Polite Vegetable Giving

This is the first year that I am starting to get upset about some of the vegetables that I have received. If they aren't exactly what you would eat, please don't give them to other people. I don't enjoy getting zucchini the size of baseball bats. Picking them at the right time, when they are youngish and tender, is good for both of us.

Please be polite when sharing your fruit and veggie bounty. If you have too many zucchini, be nice to your plants and get them off the plant when they are still small and put them in the frig. Or grate them, squeeze out the liquid and freeze them in zippered bags for use later. Make them into "pancakes", mixed with herbs, and freeze them. Quickly saute them with onions and garlic and herbs and freeze that, make soup, and when you've exhausted your energy, give away your beautiful babies.

But please, don't donate your teenagers -- I've already got one of my own -- situated between my countertop and the compost pile (or in reality, my own son, sitting at the computer right now).

Pressure Cooking in the Heat

It's been hot here for most of the past week. Last week I had the opportunity to pick fruit at my friend Barbara's organic orchard with my assistant Ellen. It was hot and we picked a lot. I do enjoy the picking but when you're done, you've got to do something with the fruit.

Here's where my pressure cooker comes to the rescue again. I made applesauce in just 5 minutes on the heat. I then put it through the food mill and get the seeds, core and skin out. The wonderful flavor from the skin gets infused into the applesauce. Doing it that way keeps the kitchen fairly cool.

When I mention the pressure cooker, people usually think winter. But I think summer since this is when using the pressure cooker can help keep you cool.

My new DVD Pressure Cooking: A Fresh Look, Delicious Dishes in Minutes uses early summer produce because that's when I filmed it. I keep the cooker on the stove and use it almost daily.

Today I made a vegetable dish with onions, garlic, potatoes, corn, red peppers, carrots, summer squash and curry powder. It took 3 minutes at pressure. I ate it on top of quinoa which I made a couple of days ago in the cooker for 5 minutes on the heat.

Healthy and delicious eating can be easy and cool in the summer if you use a pressure cooker.

Beans and Mushrooms and More

There's something wonderful about every tine of year when it comes to vegetables and other plant foods. But right now, I am rejoicing about mushrooms, a fluke find, and the first shelling beans, chiles, and more.

I just got to go to Mendocino for a much-needed break with my Biz Divas group. We had a wonderful time at Crane Dance, a wonderful house by the ocean. We ate at The Ravens at The Stanford Inn by the Sea (go there if you can), an upscale vegetarian restaurant with spectacular view of the ocean and gardens below. The food was varied but fresh. We all loved our salads and found other items varied greatly. We didn't have dessert which I took to mean that we were satisfied with how much we ate.

On the way home we had to stop on Highway 128 to check out a brake light that came in on the car in which I was a passenger. That meant that the car following us stopped, too. Two of the divas took a walk. They came back to the road and told me that there were mushrooms on a log down the path. I didn't get too excited as these words usually turn out to be false alarms. But not this time.

I let out a whoop when I realized that the log had young and tender oyster mushrooms growing on it on one side and more mature ones on the other. I didn't pick them all but could have, if I had a bag or basket nearby. I did get quite a few and showed them off to the group. They were concerned about my eating them. I told them, "I'll eat some of them. If I don't die, I'll eat the rest." I explained that oyster mushrooms aren't poisonous but still they worried.

I had some for dinner that evening mixed with other veggies with only pleasant taste and no ill-effects. Yum. But do NOT pick wild mushrooms unless you know what you are doing.

Today at the market, I got some fresh cranberry beans. They are expensive and a bit of a pain to shell so I only got what amounted to just over a cup and a half shelled. I can't wait to cook them with some garlic and eat them. I will leave out the chilies, although I bought many of them this week.

I have varieties that include Hungarian carrot (very hot), chile de Padron (hot but sweet and tasty), aji amarillo which I haven't yet tried this year but it varied wildly last year, bulldog, Cyklon, and more. I usually buy them red because they have more flavor and agree more with my system. I eat them in small amounts but truly enjoy them for their heat, and because they are good for me, or so I have heard. I do know that the capsicum in them is good for you plus they contain plenty of Vitamins A and C. The flavor can't be beat as long as it doesn't overpower the other food with its heat.

Produce here is just bursting with flavor and the tables at the market are just about overflowing with items from squash and onions to corn and lettuce, and lots of tomatoes. A neighbor dropped off a bag of apples and the pears are ready, too. One can eat so well and fresh. I hope that you are able to do the same.

Blueberries for The Veggie Queen

Traveling these days can be tough. I have been to many cities in the past 9 days and the work part of my travel is over (if you don't count the traveling). They say that timing is everything. And despite have a cancelled flight which resulted in a long taxi ride to an alternate airport, and, separately, a 3 hour flight delay, all has gone relatively smoothly. But nothing can top my experience last night picking organically grown blueberries in Duxbury, MA. Steve Berall and his wife Ellen are friends of my very good friends. Steve does organic lawn care professionally and has many blueberry bushes planted on his exquisite property.

I saw them (Steve, Ellen and the blueberries) last year and when I was trying to arrange a visit with my friend Barbara (the first of the 30+ that I know), we decided to meet in Duxbury. I asked it if was blueberry time and Barbara didn't know. But I suspected that it was. When I asked Steve on the phone as I drove toward his house, he confirmed that by saying that the timing was "perfect". I couldn't agree more.

He has a variety of blueberry cultivars. And I must say that there is nothing like having berries directly from the bush, although this is my first time picking them. I am sure that I ate at least a pint of them while harvesting, yet we ended up with 4 quarts in about 10 minutes.

My favorite fruits are blueberries and figs, so I truly felt that I was in paradise. And now I am sure of it. All this blueberry talk has made me hungry so off to the berries I go.

Short Notes from Vegetarian Summerfest

I've written a whole blog posting about my trip to Vegetarian Summerfest in Johnstown, PA but it's locked away on my computer which can't talk to this one so I will just recap highlights here:

My talks on Superfoods and Sea Vegetables went better than I had anticipated. I received validation from Dr. Michael Greger when he did he speech about the year's nutrition news in review, as he mentioned both of my topics.

My pressure cooking demonstration was well attended and I hope that I can get more people to see the benefits of pressure cooking.

I got to meet Brenda Davis, R.D. who is an incredible vegan dietitian from BC, Canada who just participated in leading an amazing study in the Marshall Islands, helping the Islanders reverse diabetes, which is killing them off.

I flew with Jeff Novick, MS, RD, who is a funny guy who speaks about following a no-fat added diet, as he works at the Pritikin Center in Florida. And I got to have lunch with Jeff, which I guess makes me one of the brave few.

Howard Lyman, The Mad Cowboy, was as wry and funny as ever as he urged people to share the message about following a vegan diet. That is the main mesage at the conference, as well as being kind to animals and eating your greens.

It would have been hard to leave without having heard the same "eat your greens message many different ways". Without any kind of game plan, we all had just about the same message to help with all the major diseases of this age -- eat a plant-based diet.

And that I did -- at least 3 times a day, plus cooking demos. We had to walk a distance to meals which almost justified eating a lot, and I mean a lot.

Dan Piraro of Bizarro fame was there again this year, and he is amazing witty and funny. His wife Ashley is like a blonde, glowing light, being so beautiful, obviously inside and out, which I noticed with others, too. It must be the lack of animals in their bodies, or something.

Chef Ben Stone http://www.veganchefben.com/ lent me a knife which I didn't totally keep track of and it made me worry which I don't like to do.

I had many chats with Latham Thomas, of Panela Productions, a wonderful raw food chef and educator. We discovered that we are definitely some kind of "sistas" for the cause.

Vegetarian Summerfest -- Travel to PA

I am preparing my talks for Vegetarian Summerfest in Johnstown, PA. The trip there is long but the event is quite interesting -- being with 600 vegetarians and vegans for a nunber of days in the middle-of-nowhere Pennsylvania is quite refreshing. The best part is that I know that I can eat all the food served at the event, no questions asked.



This year I will be doing a cooking demonstration, a talk on Superfoods: Myths or Miracles? and another about Sea Vegetables: The Nutrition Missing Link? I could talk about diets but how boring for me. I like to delve deep and these two subjects will take me there. Hopefully a few people will come along for the ride.



I will likely report more on this while I am on the road.

Eating Vegetables When You're Busy

It's been a while since I've written, and I know that I've been eating lots of what's fresh and in-season although more of it is a blur than usual. Considering the insanity of my schedule of late, it amazes even me that I've managed to do that. So, I want to share a secret -- have a routine and stick to it as often as you can.

I usually shop at the farmer's market twice a week: on Wednesday and Saturday or Sunday. (I know, you may not have these options.) Once a week would probably carry me through but since I can buy fresh more often, I do. I don't use all that I've purchased on Wednesday by the weekend, so I then reassess my needs and buy based on that. Or at least I do, in theory. The reality is that if the Romano beans look great, I buy them. If a certain summer squash appeals to me. It's mine. I am swayed by what I see and that works for me. It's better to let what's fresh guide my meals than have it the other way around. That way -- no winter squash in July.

Shopping at the market is an easy way to make sure that the vegetables are here to cook with when I want them. (Having food around to prepare will always be to your benefit. Think of where you'd want to be if disaster struck -- in the place with the fully stocked pantry or the mostly bare one?) If you've read any posts lately you know that I am heavily into pressure cooking.

The reason that I've been busy is that I've been working on the finishing touches of my DVD: Pressure Cooking: A Fresh Look, Delicious Dishes in Minutes. I thought that it was going to be 30 minutes and it turns out that with the 14 dishes that I prepared, it runs an hour and 15 minutes. More for you and right now, more work for me. But it's a constant reminder of the great fast food that I can make in my pressure cooker, which I do, almost daily.

Whether I run to the store for prepared food (which I don't do often) or to buy ingredients or cook a meal at home, I have to devote at least 20 minutes. One way, I burn gas and don't get something as fresh as possible, and the other way, I am part of the process of what goes into my mouth. I get to put love into the food. And that's important to me. What do you think about this?

Corn, Chiles and Tomatoes -- Summer's Here

I got a big surprise at the farmer's market this morning. Larry of Triple T Ranch and Farm told me that they might be the only one at the market since Paula the market manager said on the radio that the market would be cancelled.


Well, that's certainly not the case. Many vendors were there. And Jill at Crescent Moon Farm had told me on Saturday that they would have corn today. And they did. People were buying it like crazy. In the time that Carey of Neilsen Farm got her few ears and while we talked the remaining corn was purchased by just a few shoppers. Jill also had 3 kinds of chili peppers -- Cyklone, black Hungarian and cayenne. I bought the cayenne the other day and it was hot and sweet and wow.



I also got tomatoes and there were lots of them today. I came home and made wonderful vegetable soup in the pressure cooker. What an Independence Day treat.

Vegetables for Breakfast

I feel so much better when I eat vegetables in the morning. I know, it's kind of strange. And I'm not asking you to do the same but you could try it and see.

In Japan, I hear that they eat soba noodles and in China, they eat jook which is a rice porridge. Both are savory. And so in an effort to not get so hungry before 10 a.m. I eat a higher protein veg breakfast that either has tofu, beans or lentils and veggies. I serve it over any grain that I happen to have already cooked, or add lots of veggies and eat as much as I want.

I make my breakfast bowl in the pressure cooker and it takes less than 10 minutes from start to finish. The one that I made this morning was especially delicious as it had ginger, garlic, onions, carrots, potatoes, part of a cayenne pepper, tofu, Romano and wax beans, Costata Romanesco squash, broccoli shoots and curry powder. I topped it with a very interesting Asian salt from McCormick. I liked it so much that I ate 2 bowlfuls.

I got my bowl from Scott Wilson who makes pottery up near Lake Tahoe. It's a substantial bowl and I like to eat almost everything out of it. It's similar to portion control but the portion is larger. When I really want to limit my portions, I use a very small bowl. This one reminds me to have beauty in my life. And that is incredibly important. Add in some gratitude and good food, and that's a wonderful life.

Belly Fat and Stress Hormones

Oh, I read this story this morning in my local paper and figured that people are thinking that they've got it made -- all their belly fat woes will be taken care of with the magic hormone-blocking pill. Then I read the following post on Ethicurean and felt good that I wasn't the only one who realizes that knowing why you have belly fat or pack more of it on won't change anything. Change comes from within. If you've got stress, manage it. Change your life, if you must. After all, it's your life.

by http://www.ethicurean.com/ Ethicurean @ 5:47 pm on July 1st, 2007.
NEWS
Stressed-out, supersized mice: Researchers have found the neurochemical pathway in mice that makes them fat when subjected to chronic stress and a junk-food diet. They’ve also found how blocking those signals can prevent fat accumulation and shrink fat deposits, “while stimulating the pathway can strategically create new ones, possibly offering new ways to remove fat as well as to mold youthful faces, firmer buttocks and bigger breasts.” Why even bother trying to decrease our stress levels, or change our diet, when we can manipulate our brain chemistry instead? (first seen in the Washington Post, and today in The Press Democrat, Santa Rosa, CA

While vegetables might not be the complete answer, certainly eating more of them might help boost your antioxidant and phytochemical intake, possibly effecting your hormones in a positive way, and help you eat less "junk". Remember that eating vegetables has many benefits -- but reducing stress may not be one of them. Although, getting rid of belly fat may help make you feel better so...

The Veggie Queen Lets Off Steam -- Pressure Cooking Joy

It amazes me that I chose the hottest day of the year to film my pressure cooking DVD but perhaps it was a reminder about why I choose to pressure cook -- it's a chance to let off steam, literally, and get great tasting food with not much work.



My ambitious schedule included 16 recipes but I had to cut it down when I got too hot and tired to do the last one which was for Curried Vegetables to serve over Alter Eco purple Thai rice. I did make the rice and it doesn't look nearly as good on film as it does in person but heck, it takes only 3 minutes at pressure, the same as white basmati or jasmine rice. The time savings amazes even me.



I bet that the crew was happy to be filming food versus plastic surgery. I'm sure that the plastic surgeons don't provide food after each section is complete. I started with breakfast and went straight through dessert. The leftovers could have fed a small hungry village almost anywhere in the world. I didn't let them go to waste as I fed my assistant Ellen and her family, my husband and me, and put some in my mother-in-law's freezer as payment for letting me use her kitchen (while she was out of town).



It'll be interesting to see the finished product. Any ideas for a title? Currently it's The Veggie Queen Cooks Under Pressure: Delicious Dishes in Minutes. But until the cover goes to the printer, I am open to suggestions.

Anxiously Awaiting New Potatoes

I will reluctantly admit that I am somewhat of a potato addict. And while many in this country choose to eat them as French fries, that's not the way that I like them best.


I most enjoy potatoes baked, grilled or as a non-creamy potato salad. While filming my pressure cooking DVD (still untitled, so if you have any ideas, please send them my way), I made my Garlicky Green Bean and Potato Salad. It takes just 3 minutes to cook, and has a dressing with garlic and lemon juice. And it's wonderful.


Because of the timing for filming, I couldn't wait until our local potatoes popped up but got California Yukon golds. I would have preferred to have made red, white and blue potato salad, and have been assured by one of the potato growers that they might have them by July 4th. But I've found that they usually appear later than that.


It took me many years to realize that potatoes are really more of a summer crop although I think that most people eat them in the winter. I like them all year round but try only to eat the local ones which don't last all winter (maybe in a root cellar but not in the dark of my garage).


I know that there are some people who say that potatoes aren't good for you. And that may be true for some people, especially those of you who have blood sugar problems. It doesn't mean that you can't eat them but that there are better choices for you. And if you do eat them, watch the quantities. Also, you may not know it but potatoes that are chilled and mixed with an acid such as vinegar or lemon juice will cause less of a rise in blood sugar than potatoes eaten hot and plain. Of course, there's no need to discuss mayonnaise-laden potato salad or French fries, here.


If you enjoy potatoes as much as I do, and can eat them, then be on the lookout for new potatoes, in whatever colors and varieties you can find them.

I wrote this entire post and then went to the farmer's market in Sebastopol. Larry, of Triple T Ranch and Farm and the produce stand that was formerly Bob's Fruit Truck, both in Santa Rosa, called me over when I was at his booth. He showed me a bucket. And in it were yellow Finn potatoes. I let out a whoop and then went behind the table and got down on my knees and started picking through them. My inner potato fantasy has been satisfied and I know that there will be more to come. I'm off to cook now.

Seeing My Students at the Farmer's Markets

What a joy it is for me to be at the farmer's market and see my current and former students shopping there. Sometimes I might see as many as 4 of them in just a few minutes. It makes me feel as if I have done my job getting people out to buy fresh and local food.


Yesterday I saw April again who now rides to the market on her bicycle or carpools with a friend. She is taking steps to decrease her "carbon footprint" and that's impressive. Another student, Nathan, rides his bicycle to work all week, and also shops the market. If he sees me when he first gets there, he stops by for the market tip of the day.


I've thought about setting up a booth at the market, like the advice booth in the Peanuts cartoons, to tell people what is great that day. April was lamenting that the pea people weren't there yesterday. Lucky for me, Carey Nelson was at my Sunday market. And once again I am "rich in peas" (which was something was son used to say when he was little).


As for my students, if I can get at least one a semester to go the farmer's market regularly, it's worth all my cajoling. Often, I think that when they see the beautiful produce that I bring in to class, that they get to use, they know that it's in its prime and they want to get it. I mean, it's not as if you can buy zephyr squash (they are mostly yellow with a little light green), Suyo long cucumbers or truly ripe peaches at the store, all of which can be found at the market.


We are also lucky enough to have a great local farm stand. And I've seen my students there, too. I guess that my evangelical tirades about eating fresh and local are working. I am hoping that everyone can get the concept but it has to happen one person at a time. This is the time of year to check out the farmer's market.

Apricots, Peaches and Cherries, Oh My

Here in California we are into the stone fruit season with an abundance of wonderful, fresh, ripe apricots, peaches, nectarines, plums, apriums, pluots and other new stone fruits that are crosses -- the names that I can't remember. Also, there are cherries.

This year my friend Ellen had a bumper crop of cherries and she made a pie. I don't really eat pie but I do love the fruit inside. I prefer fruit crisps for their taste and higher nutrition value with oats, nuts and cinnamon and other spices which enhance rather than enrobe the fruit. I am not into crust. But oh, the cherries -- which Ellen gave me a bag of since I didn't want pie. I am savoring them. They are ripe and deep red bings.

Amazingly, that same day I was able to pick Ranier-type cherries from my late friend Jon's tree and ate far too many before going out to dinner. They taasted much better than dinner. I realize that I could sit and eat cherries for much of a day, if I had the intestinal fortitude. And I mean that seriously since cherries, like all fruit, have a lot of fiber. So when you eat too much of them, you know it. Therefore Mother Nature has created something of a perfect system, unlike that of manufactured food such as potato or other chips, where it's almost impossible to eat too much fruit without suffering the "natural consequence".

My favorite summer salad contains stone fruit, lettuce and bitter greens with spring onions and a raspberry or strawberry dressing, topped with toasted sunflower seeds and ripe avocado. It is divine decadence and so satisfying. And the good part is that you can eat quite a lot, in fact, pretty much all you want without feeling stuffed. I urge you to try this and see how you feel.

Bean Anywhere New Lately?

I am definitely on a bean tear. For me, part of the joy of teaching is that it keeps me doing what I talk about -- eating lots of great food. I have leftovers that I pretend someone else made for me. They are what I want to eat, and wish that I could find in restaurants -- the more low key and standard kind than upscale and pricey. I think that everyone deserves to eat tasty, wholesome food that provides incredibly nutrition such as freshly cooked dried beans, sprouted corn tortillas (made by Food for Life), some spring onion and cilantro with a bit of local hot sauce. Yum, yum.

So, let me tell you what I've been up to and thinking about. I want to mention beans again. The Rancho Gordo beans are relatively expensive at $4.95 per pound. When I mentioned the price at the demonstration that I did at Kaiser Permanente in Santa Rosa, I think that I heard a gasp. When I went on to say that it turns out that they cost 70 cents per cup, people became more interested. I also mentioned that it's likely that many of the animal products that they eat such as fish, seafood, and meat all cost more than $5 per pound, and that you'd be hard pressed to feed a family on a pound of that while you could do so with the beans. A pound of the Cellini beans makes about 7 cups (it varies with the variety cooked).

Getting people to see that buying a latte for $3 is expensive while the beans are not, is tough. But it's only one of many of the challenges that I face in my teaching. I am up for it.

Today I cooked brown tepary beans from the Tohono O'odham Nation tribe in Arizona. They are small but so delicious. They are native beans which have sustained that Native American tribe for many years. They're available from http://www.heritagefoodsusa.com.


And that brings me to another interesting project that I came across at the farmer's market in Santa Rosa.

There is a woman who has been coming there and giving away heirloom seeds for people to grow and save. Agreeing to take some home got me out of my comfort zone as I don't consider myself much of a gardener although I do grow a number of summer vegetables such as tomatoes, cucumbers and occasionally peppers and/or eggplant. She calls what she does Seed Stewards http://www.seedstewards.com. I am kind of excited to see how these plants turn out, and if I can give them enough care.

I would love to grow some heirloom beans but know that I lack the space to do so. I only keep encouraging farmers I know to do that. Jill Adams at Crescent Moon farm told me that they will be growing 8 or 10 varieties of dried beans this year. I am very excited about that. And my friends at Tierra Vegetables will hopefully have the amazing pink beans that I bought last year, if all goes well with the crop.

And the best part about beans is that they are made for pressure cooking. So, now on to my pressure cooking DVD. And you will hear more about that, and beans, I am sure.