Render The Fat

Hello everyone, guess what? I moved! So if you care to follow me, you can find me at www.renderthefat.com 

There is some new stuff over there, and much more to come!

 I have to rant.. First. Watch this video...

Some time has passed since the last time I blogged so I suppose it is time for an update. Not only am I feeling stronger, and healthier since eating meat again but I am now officially a culinary student. This means I have lots more tricks and tips up my sleeve as far as cooking goes..which is good news for you because I am going to share the wealth of information I am learning everyday.

Until I buckle down and get started on a blog worthy recipe here are a few things that you will see happening on the blog.

1. New blog name
2. New theme ( Recipes will follow a Weston A. Price/Nourishing Traditions way of eating ) and in case you were a vegetarian following this blog NO I am not involved in some sort of strange conspiracy with this organization...I am the real deal- was a vegetarian - was feeling sick, and am recovering thanks to this way of eating.
3. New Design
4. New blog Link - which will be announced so that you can bookmark it or link it to your hearts desire.

Thanks for keeping up with my blog, and I hope you enjoy the new recipes and everything that is to come in the future. I promise it will be some good stuff you won't want to miss!

Sunday's are my days off from running. Which is great because rest is important but it leaves me with a little bit of extra time in the morning. I usually fail to fill this time with something productive but today I decided I wanted to make a little magic in the kitchen. It had to be magical considering we were out of flour, eggs, or anything that usually makes up a Sunday breakfast. After searching the fridge and finding bread, and milk the idea of bread pudding popped into my head. Ahh. Yes. Bread pudding. Simple yet delicious.

And delicious it was. As Aarti says it is "slap-your-thigh-and-holler-for-your-mama good".  so here it is:

Alas, I have internet. I am once again connected to the interwebs and jumped backed into modern times. Speaking of modern times, with all the conveniences of modern appliances such as microwaves, people have seemed to forget what real food is. And when I say real food, I mean popcorn. Have you ever wondered why your bagged microwave popcorn never tastes as good as the stuff at the movie theater? Well that is because it is fake and full of chemicals. ( most of the stuff at the movie theater is also fake these days ). So how do you make popcorn without a microwave? Without all of the preservatives, trans fats and salt? You might ask.  Well here are two recipes to kick it old school and make your popcorn the old fashioned way. Yep, on the stove top.

Here is what you need:

Recipe #1

A good sized pan with a lid.

1/2 cup Popcorn kernels

2 Tbs. Peanut oil or other high heat oil

salt to taste

melted butter to your liking ( optional ) I know, butter..it's full of saturated fat and what-not, but make it organic and it will not even be close to as harmful as the "butter flavoring" they pour all of your popcorn at the movie theater.

Directions:

Heat the oil in the pan over medium heat. To know when to add the corn kernels to the pan, place one kernel in the center and wait for it to pop. When the kernel pops add in the rest of the popcorn. Shake it, and put the lid on.

Continue shaking it until the popping slows. Turn off the heat and season with butter, and salt to your desired taste.

Recipe #2

Wow it has been awhile since I have been able to post a blog. The good news is that I am not dead, I haven't stopped cooking or blogging, I just haven't had internet for two months. *Gasp* I know... it was rough I am not going to lie. So in my involuntary internet hiatus I purchased a new cookbook from the PX here in Germany called One World Vegetarian Cookbook. One glance at this cookbook and I knew I had to have it. It wasn't just another vegetarian cookbook filled with cookies, muffins, lasagna, mexican casseroles, and mock meat. It is a cookbook filled with recipes that contain real whole vegetarian food. The way it should be. Since the book contains recipes from all over the world, I thought I would start off with Thailand...Ladies and Gentlemen I present to you....

I am still missing Mexican food here in Germany. Although there is an abundance of bread, there is nothing like homemade flour tortillas. For my friends in California, these tortillas might just give Chevy's a run for their money...maybe..but the only downside is that you have to be El Machino. Get ready for a little bit of work. But Oh it is so worth it. These tortillas are way better than store bought at the least. Not to mention they contain a whopping 5 ingredients and no preservatives or partially hydrogenated junk. So here they are:

Tonights dinner was far from the usual Fresh Farmer's market Saturday dinner I am used to cooking. This food came straight from the commissary here in Germany, and most of the veggies came from a natural food store here called Alnatura. Considering I have yet to see a Mexican food restaurant here in Germany I was craving some mexican food and this is what I came up with. I apologize for my photos...the fluorescent lighting is brutal and it makes the food look like a hot mess...but it's good I promise.

Baked Corn Mexican Casserole

Ingredients 1 Cup short-grain brown rice 2 Cups of water 1 clove of garlic, minced 1 Tbs. butter or margarine ( I used organic smart balance ) Salt Pepper 1/2 to 1 cup of cilantro roughly chopped Heat butter or margarine in a medium skillet, add garlic and stir until coated. Add in rice stirring constantly until slightly browned and glistening. Pour in water and bring to a boil. Cover and turn down heat. Let cook until all water is absorbed. Fluff, salt and pepper to taste and stir in cilantro. Enjoy!

This being my last time baking in the States I decided to experiment in the kitchen and create a healthy Gluten-Free cookie that rivals its unhealthy and gluten containing counterparts. I think I may have succeeded. This is what I came up with...

With the weather getting cooler, there is no better time to try and cook with some warming Indian spices. I don't know how it does it, but whenever I am cold, Curry always warms me up. So onto a flavorful fall menu:

Curried Green Lentils

Vegetarian Cioppino anyone? I know...how can I dismantle such a seafood classic? Well I did, and I must say it turned out pretty tasty. I think you should try it yourself! Appetizers first however...

Pita Chips with Herbed Goat Cheese and Honey Ingredients Pita Chips ( I used Stacy's ) - Be careful they are addictive. 4 ounces of goat cheese 1 teaspoon of fresh thyme, chopped 1 Tbs. basil leaves, chopped honey In a small bowl, combine goat cheese with the thyme. Spread cheese over pita chips and a pinch of basil leaves. Drizzle with honey and serve. Mixed Green Salad with Strawberries and Pistachios Ingredients A good bunch of mixed greens. 1 pint of chopped strawberries 1/2 cup salted, roasted pistachios Dressing: balsamic vinegar Olive Oil Salt Pepper Place all ingredients in a bowl. Toss with desired amount salt, pepper, oil and vinegar. I used about 2 Tbs. of vinegar, and 2 Tbs. of olive oil. Just enough so that all the ingredients have a good coating.  Last but not least.. Vegetarian Cioppino Ingredients 2 Tbs. Olive Oil 5 cloves of garlic, minced 2 Onions, diced 1 bulb of fennel, diced 2 red bell peppers, diced 1-2 Tbs. dried oregano 1 tsp. red chili flakes 3 Cups of tomato, diced 2 Cups of white wine 2 tsp. of better than bouillon vegetable, or 1 vegetable bouillon cube. dissolved in 1/2 cup of water. 6 cups of low sodium veggie broth 2 packages of tofu ( Two blocks ) 1 lb. of crimini mushrooms, sliced 1/4 cup of basil, chopped 2 Tbs. tarragon, chopped 2 Tbs. Parsley, chopped In a large pot, heat oil and saute garlic, onions, and fennel.  Add red peppers and continue sauteing until slightly tender. Add oregano, and chili flakes, and continue to saute until fragrant. Add tomatoes and wine, then water with dissolved bouillon, and veggie broth.  Add in tofu, and mushrooms and simmer for about 25 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. Stir in basil, tarragon, and parsly. Serve and enjoy.

Sorry for the delay on the Saturday Farmer's Market menu. The feeling of fall is now upon us but I must say the "get darker sooner" deal makes it a lot harder to make food look flattering in photos. Saturday's Menu started off with...

Chilled Cucumber and Dill Soup Ingredients 3 large cucumbers 2 green onions or scallions 1 clove of garlic, diced 1 cup of veggie broth 1 cup of buttermilk 1-2 Tbs. Fresh chopped dill Sat Pepper Peel cucumbers. Dice white bottoms of onions and 1/2 the tops of the scallions. Sliver remaining green tops and set aside for garnish.  Place cucumbers, scallions, garlic, veggie broth, buttermilk in a blender. Add more broth or buttermilk if necessary. Chill at least 2 hours before serving.

Tempeh and Okra Stew Ingredients 2 packages of tempeh ( I use West Soy ) 1 pound of Okra 1 cup of white wine vinegar 1 cup of water 2 cups of veggie broth 1 Tbs. Olive Oil 1 onion, diced 1-2 pounds of tomatoes, diced salt and pepper Place Okra in a bowl and cover with white wine vinegar and water. Set aside.  In a large pot, heat the oil and saute the onion until soft. Add the tempeh and cook until slightly browned. Add the stock, and tomtatoes. Simmer for about 20 minutes.  Drain the Okra and add to the stew. Cook for an additional 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. German Butterball Mashed Potatoes Ingredients 2 pounds German butterball potatoes salt and pepper to taste 1 cup of milk ( Oat milk, hemp milk..pretty much any kind works ) 2 Tbs. Tahini 2 Tbs. Earth Balance 1 clove of garlic Cook the potatoes in salted water until fork tender. ( steaming them works well too ). Mash with potato masher or in my case a kitchenaid. Add the rest of the ingredients until it reaches your desired mashed potato taste. Sauteed Chard and Sundried Tomatoes Ingredients 1 bunch of chard, cut into bit size pieces. 1/2 cup of sundried tomatoes 1/2 to 1 tsp smoked paprika 1 tbs olive oil Heat oil in a medium pan. Add sundried tomatoes salt and paprika. Sautee until slightly crispy. Add chard and sautee until tender. Season with salt and pepper.