Friday, April 19, 2013
Thursday, April 18, 2013
it's all good — even delicious
I recently defended Gwyneth Paltrow's new cookbook, It's All Good: Delicious, Easy Recipes That Will Make You Look Good and Feel Great
. There was an inordinate amount of internet snarking about the book, before it was even available to preview. Most of it seemed to be more related to the actress daring to style herself as a foodie and share recipes than the actual food she was showcasing. The book is peppered with glamorous shots of the actress with her kids and co-chef Julia Turshen as they gather and prep food in various lovely surroundings. Yes, Gwyneth lives the good life, but is she really living any higher on the hog than Martha Stewart or Ina Garten? There are also plenty of glamorous photos of the food in It's All Good, which I found helpful, especially when my first (and second) try at one of the muffin recipes didn't go as planned.
I'm not sure why there is still such vitriol surrounding "alternative" recipes. Many people, myself included, are finding that the food we eat, that we have always eaten, may no longer agree with us. In some cases it even causes pain. After my gallbladder surgery I have had to find a whole new way of thinking about and preparing food. I don't have celiac disease, but I am finding that gluten can cause stomach distress on occasion. Dairy products and other refined and processed foods are also more difficult to digest. So a cookbook like Paltrow's, which tries to take some "regular" food like muffins and meatballs and the like and come up with recipes that use more easily digested, less inflammatory ingredients definitely intrigued me. I've spent a week or so trying out some of the recipes and can say that a few of them are definite keepers.
Many have dismissed It's All Good claiming that they don't have $200 to spend on a recipe. I didn't buy everything on her suggested pantry list, but I decided to go for it and marked the recipes I wanted to try. I ended up buying supplies for what I didn't have at home. It was enough to make over 20 recipes and came to a little under $200 at a few combined shopping trips to Publix and Whole Foods. Here's what I've made so far, and please keep in mind I'm not a professional food stylist, either:
Sweet Potato and Five-Spice Muffins (p. 41) - These muffins have been such a huge hit with everyone who has tried them. I am not much of a baker, and certainly have never made anything gluten-free before, but I was very pleased with the ease of the recipe and the end results, which were frankly, yum. The ingredient list is pretty basic — One large baked sweet potato, olive oil, almond milk, maple syrup, vanilla, gluten-free flour (I used oat), baking powder, baking soda, sea salt, and Chinese five-spice powder.The only items I didn't already have in the house were the flour, baking powder (like I said, I don't usually bake), maple syrup, and five spice powder (an amalgam of cinnamon, anise, fennel, ginger, clove, and licorice root). These muffins are going to become a regular thing around here.
Avocado Toast (p. 34) - Yes, it's just sliced avocado on toast with some spice on top — hot chili flakes or vegetable salt or whatever floats your boat. Less a recipe than a snack suggestion, but it's a tasty one.
Quinoa, A Bit Sweet (p. 33) - I made this for breakfast, using almond milk, maple syrup, a chopped date, dried figs, and shredded coconut. There are plenty of other suggestions for sweet toppings to try, as well as savory ones.
Turkey meatballs (p. 105) - I'm part Italian and grew up with spaghetti and meatballs. I've been making turkey meatballs for years, usually dumping extra veggies in the tomato sauce to get folks to eat them. But what's great about this recipe (and even more so the turkey burger one below) is how many greens and flavors are already in the meatball and how delicious it still tastes. Apart from the turkey, the meatballs contain onion, garlic, sage, basil, thyme, rosemary, parsley, olive oil and sea salt and ground pepper.)
Turkey burgers (p. 108) - I have already made this recipe twice, first as burgers and then as meatballs. They were delicious both ways and the leftover ones tasted great the next day. It's All Good presents the recipe as Middle Eastern Turkey Burgers, with cucumber and yogurt sauce as an accompaniment. I'll try that too, but I wanted to first try a more Italian presentation to see how my nine year-old daughter would like them. She loved them. Besides the turkey, the burgers/meatballs contain shallots, garlic, oregano, basil, baby spinach (three handfuls, chopped in a food processor), lemon zest, olive oil, sea salt and ground pepper. There is literally a whole serving of vegetables with the spinach and they are so good. Can't wait to make them again.
Almond and Kale Smoothie (p. 207) - I have also made this smoothie twice. This yummy shake, with kale, almond milk, almond butter, coconut oil, a date, and soaked raw almonds is going to become a regular feature here, too. It's yummy and a great way to get the kid (and me) to eat kale.
Creamy Avocado and Cacao Smoothie (p. 208) - This shake tasted great, but it's hard to go wrong with cocoa, coconut water, almond milk, raw honey, an avocado and hempseeds. I woud just advise to strain it before you drink it if you want to share with kids (or even for yourself). My blender, although pretty good, still had tiny pieces of avocado and hempseeds that I know wouldn't have gone over too well with the kid.
Banana Date Muffins (p. 46) - This is the only recipe I have made so far (twice) that flopped. The first time (using almond meal flour) was my fault, as I forgot to add the baking powder and the muffins didn't rise properly. The second time (using tapioca flour) they didn't seem to have the right consistency. They were too gooey, more like a pudding inside. Maybe it was the dates? I'm going to try again, as I love banana muffins, maybe this time using corn flour and no dates. Paltrow says in It's All Good that gluten-free baking is not for the faint of heart. I now know what she means, but the success of those sweet potato muffins give me hope. We'll see.
When I was at the library the other day I saw Paltrow's first cookbook, My Father's Daughter: Delicious, Easy Recipes Celebrating Family & Togetherness
. After her father died in 2002 she wanted to pull together a lot of the recipes that they cooked together or were his favorites. It's a sweet book, filled with her memories of him and his love of food, which she inherited. It's also quite interesting, in view of her new cookbook, as she has completely changed her way of eating in just a few years. Paltrow still always leans toward making comfort food and food that children will enjoy eating.
Some of her recipes in My Father's Daughter include some of the same go-to items that she praises in It's All Good — Vegenaise, maple syrup, almond milk. But in her first book she is still using sugar, flour, and cow's milk products, especially cheese, which, because of various family member food sensitivities, she has found substitutes for in her new diet and approach to cooking. I'm not sure if it's just where I am at these days with my own ideas on diet and nutrition, but there were fewer recipes in My Father's Daughter that I fell compelled to try. I did jot down Spaghetti Limone Parmeggiano (p. 128), Artichoke and Parmesan Frittata (p. 217), Blue Cheese Dressing (always a favorite, p. 72) and Anchovy Vinaigrette (p. 73).
But back to It's All Good. On my shopping expeditions I have assembled supplies for many more recipes and am still intending to make:
Quinoa Granola with Olive Oil and Maple Syrup (p.30)
Chicken Burgers, Thai Style (p.111)
Roasted Cauliflower and Chickpeas with Mustard and Parsley (173)
Roasted Romanesco with Aioli and Fried Capers (p. 174)
Fresh Ginger Tea (p. 207)
Bernardo's Pumpkin Pie Shake (p. 209)
The Best Green Juice (p.212)
Japanese Chicken Meatballs (p. 239)
Kale Chips (p. 246)
Candy Bars (p. 254)
Almond Butter Cookies with Maldon Salt (p. 260)
I think that's a pretty good ratio of desirable recipes for a cookbook. There are still a handful more that I just haven't bought the required meat or vegetable for. Grilled Steak with Melted Anchovies and Rosemary sounds like something I definitely have to try. I'll be sure to post an update of any of recipes that are really great-tasting as I continue my gluten-free adventures.
As long as you're not thrown off by the idea of switching out some tried-and-true kitchen staples (white sugar, flour, mayo) for something less fattening or hard on your system (maple syrup, gluten-free flour, Vegenaise) you might enjoy taste-testing these recipes. One of the best things about the recipes I have been trying from It's All Good, besides the fact that I don't feel crampy or uncomfortable after eating, is that some foods that I have been avoiding, like baked goods, may now be back on the menu. How good is that?
Related:
BlogHer, "To All the Gwyneth Paltrow Haters: Her New Cookbook Really Is 'All Good'"
. There was an inordinate amount of internet snarking about the book, before it was even available to preview. Most of it seemed to be more related to the actress daring to style herself as a foodie and share recipes than the actual food she was showcasing. The book is peppered with glamorous shots of the actress with her kids and co-chef Julia Turshen as they gather and prep food in various lovely surroundings. Yes, Gwyneth lives the good life, but is she really living any higher on the hog than Martha Stewart or Ina Garten? There are also plenty of glamorous photos of the food in It's All Good, which I found helpful, especially when my first (and second) try at one of the muffin recipes didn't go as planned.I'm not sure why there is still such vitriol surrounding "alternative" recipes. Many people, myself included, are finding that the food we eat, that we have always eaten, may no longer agree with us. In some cases it even causes pain. After my gallbladder surgery I have had to find a whole new way of thinking about and preparing food. I don't have celiac disease, but I am finding that gluten can cause stomach distress on occasion. Dairy products and other refined and processed foods are also more difficult to digest. So a cookbook like Paltrow's, which tries to take some "regular" food like muffins and meatballs and the like and come up with recipes that use more easily digested, less inflammatory ingredients definitely intrigued me. I've spent a week or so trying out some of the recipes and can say that a few of them are definite keepers.
Many have dismissed It's All Good claiming that they don't have $200 to spend on a recipe. I didn't buy everything on her suggested pantry list, but I decided to go for it and marked the recipes I wanted to try. I ended up buying supplies for what I didn't have at home. It was enough to make over 20 recipes and came to a little under $200 at a few combined shopping trips to Publix and Whole Foods. Here's what I've made so far, and please keep in mind I'm not a professional food stylist, either:
Sweet Potato and Five-Spice Muffins (p. 41) - These muffins have been such a huge hit with everyone who has tried them. I am not much of a baker, and certainly have never made anything gluten-free before, but I was very pleased with the ease of the recipe and the end results, which were frankly, yum. The ingredient list is pretty basic — One large baked sweet potato, olive oil, almond milk, maple syrup, vanilla, gluten-free flour (I used oat), baking powder, baking soda, sea salt, and Chinese five-spice powder.The only items I didn't already have in the house were the flour, baking powder (like I said, I don't usually bake), maple syrup, and five spice powder (an amalgam of cinnamon, anise, fennel, ginger, clove, and licorice root). These muffins are going to become a regular thing around here.
 |
| Batter for the Sweet Potato and Five-Spice Muffins |
 |
| Sweet Potato and Five-Spice Muffins out of the oven |
Avocado Toast (p. 34) - Yes, it's just sliced avocado on toast with some spice on top — hot chili flakes or vegetable salt or whatever floats your boat. Less a recipe than a snack suggestion, but it's a tasty one.
Quinoa, A Bit Sweet (p. 33) - I made this for breakfast, using almond milk, maple syrup, a chopped date, dried figs, and shredded coconut. There are plenty of other suggestions for sweet toppings to try, as well as savory ones.
 |
| Quinoa for breakfast, with lots of good, sweet stuff |
 |
| Turkey meatballs in the pan |
 |
| Spinach-packed Turkey Meatballs |
Almond and Kale Smoothie (p. 207) - I have also made this smoothie twice. This yummy shake, with kale, almond milk, almond butter, coconut oil, a date, and soaked raw almonds is going to become a regular feature here, too. It's yummy and a great way to get the kid (and me) to eat kale.
Creamy Avocado and Cacao Smoothie (p. 208) - This shake tasted great, but it's hard to go wrong with cocoa, coconut water, almond milk, raw honey, an avocado and hempseeds. I woud just advise to strain it before you drink it if you want to share with kids (or even for yourself). My blender, although pretty good, still had tiny pieces of avocado and hempseeds that I know wouldn't have gone over too well with the kid.
Banana Date Muffins (p. 46) - This is the only recipe I have made so far (twice) that flopped. The first time (using almond meal flour) was my fault, as I forgot to add the baking powder and the muffins didn't rise properly. The second time (using tapioca flour) they didn't seem to have the right consistency. They were too gooey, more like a pudding inside. Maybe it was the dates? I'm going to try again, as I love banana muffins, maybe this time using corn flour and no dates. Paltrow says in It's All Good that gluten-free baking is not for the faint of heart. I now know what she means, but the success of those sweet potato muffins give me hope. We'll see.
 |
| The Banana Date Muffins look great, but I'm still struggling with the consistency |
. After her father died in 2002 she wanted to pull together a lot of the recipes that they cooked together or were his favorites. It's a sweet book, filled with her memories of him and his love of food, which she inherited. It's also quite interesting, in view of her new cookbook, as she has completely changed her way of eating in just a few years. Paltrow still always leans toward making comfort food and food that children will enjoy eating.Some of her recipes in My Father's Daughter include some of the same go-to items that she praises in It's All Good — Vegenaise, maple syrup, almond milk. But in her first book she is still using sugar, flour, and cow's milk products, especially cheese, which, because of various family member food sensitivities, she has found substitutes for in her new diet and approach to cooking. I'm not sure if it's just where I am at these days with my own ideas on diet and nutrition, but there were fewer recipes in My Father's Daughter that I fell compelled to try. I did jot down Spaghetti Limone Parmeggiano (p. 128), Artichoke and Parmesan Frittata (p. 217), Blue Cheese Dressing (always a favorite, p. 72) and Anchovy Vinaigrette (p. 73).
But back to It's All Good. On my shopping expeditions I have assembled supplies for many more recipes and am still intending to make:
Quinoa Granola with Olive Oil and Maple Syrup (p.30)
Chicken Burgers, Thai Style (p.111)
Roasted Cauliflower and Chickpeas with Mustard and Parsley (173)
Roasted Romanesco with Aioli and Fried Capers (p. 174)
Fresh Ginger Tea (p. 207)
Bernardo's Pumpkin Pie Shake (p. 209)
The Best Green Juice (p.212)
Japanese Chicken Meatballs (p. 239)
Kale Chips (p. 246)
Candy Bars (p. 254)
Almond Butter Cookies with Maldon Salt (p. 260)
I think that's a pretty good ratio of desirable recipes for a cookbook. There are still a handful more that I just haven't bought the required meat or vegetable for. Grilled Steak with Melted Anchovies and Rosemary sounds like something I definitely have to try. I'll be sure to post an update of any of recipes that are really great-tasting as I continue my gluten-free adventures.
As long as you're not thrown off by the idea of switching out some tried-and-true kitchen staples (white sugar, flour, mayo) for something less fattening or hard on your system (maple syrup, gluten-free flour, Vegenaise) you might enjoy taste-testing these recipes. One of the best things about the recipes I have been trying from It's All Good, besides the fact that I don't feel crampy or uncomfortable after eating, is that some foods that I have been avoiding, like baked goods, may now be back on the menu. How good is that?
Related:
BlogHer, "To All the Gwyneth Paltrow Haters: Her New Cookbook Really Is 'All Good'"
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
boston
Thoughtful at Cheers, originally uploaded by xoxoxoe.
I was born at the Jersey Shore. My father was born in the Bronx. We were, are, and always will be New York Yankees fans. But unlike a lot of my fellow Yankee lovers I've never hated the Boston Red Sox. A few summers ago we took a New England vacation in search of our Salem witchery roots and Boston was one of the stops on our trail. I really loved the city. Its history, its rough-and-tumble edge. We didn't see a ballgame, but we did lots of other touristy things. We took a ride in a swan boat, we went to the aquarium, we went to the Museum of Fine Arts. We ate at Cheers. We drove and walked around town. We had a lot of chowdah.
I've been thinking a lot the past few days about faith, and what we all choose to believe. Although I don't believe all the pretty Bible stories, I do believe that God could walk as a man, woman or child (even animal) among us and might even do that on occasion. Maybe even more often than we think. But when confronted with the sort of human disaster of the past few days, all those beliefs and hopes seem shattered. All I can do right now is think about the innocent people who are gone and the people who are still grappling with their injuries, and all the people who are helping them and hoping for them and praying for them.
I'm so very sorry Boston, that this has happened to you. That this could happen to anyone anywhere.
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
film favorite: logan's run
I remember going with my family to see Logan's Run in a movie theater (a fairly rare occurrence) when I was a kid. I loved it. I formed a huge and immediate crush on Michael York, who looked smashing as the 23rd century "Sandman" — a sort of futuristic cop whose job was to terminate "Runners." When I saw the DVD at our local library I thought it might not only be fun to see it again, but to see how my nine year-old daughter might respond to it — would she like it as much as I did?
Director Michael Anderson (All the Fine Young Cannibals, Orca) based the science-fiction film on a futuristic novel by William F. Nolan and George Clayton Johnson. In the 23rd century City everyone lives a carefree, even hedonistic lifestyle. Pleasure is the main pursuit. There's just one catch — once one reaches the age of 30 they must be "renewed" in a ritual called Carrousel (a public spectacle, much like a Roman amphitheater mixed with a Pink Floyd light show.) Some City inhabitants believe that the ritual helps them become born again. But there are skeptics, and they choose to run and try to escape Carrousel, the computer-controlled city, and what they believe to be their true fate, a fiery death. There are rumors of a place called Sanctuary, and potential Runners identify themselves by wearing the ancient symbol the Ankh. Logan (Michael York) meets one of these skeptics, Jessica (Jenny Agutter), and is intrigued, but it is not until the central computer sends him on an undercover mission to locate Sanctuary and terminate some missing Runners that he starts to realize that the world outside the City may be bigger than he ever imagined. Logan's best friend and fellow Sandman Francis (Richard Jordan) thinks Logan is a traitor and goes after him and Jessica, determined to terminate the runner and bring his friend back to the City.
The special effects may look crude to modern eyes, considering today's CGI, but the holograms and matte paintings were state-of-the art in 1976, and they seem to suit the story. The DVD we borrowed from the library looked glorious and sharp on our high-definition large-scale television, with bright, vibrant and sharp colors. The City inhabitants are color-coordinated in yellows, greens and reds — colors that correspond to their current age and the time left on their "Lifeclocks."
As we watched Logan's Run my daughter pointed out its similarities to In Time
, a movie we both like a lot. But as the movie progressed she forgot all about Justin Timberlake and got caught up in Logan and Jessica and their flight from the City and Francis. When Logan and Jessica finally make it outside the domed City (it's only a model!) their adventures are just beginning. They encounter an outsider, an old man (Peter Ustinov) and some unfamiliar creatures (cats). They have never seen anyone over the age of 30 before, and the old man hasn't seen another human being in a long time.
and eats up all of the available scenery.
The Old Possum stuff was a bit much, but the whole sequence with Ustinov was good-natured fun. The kid immediately noticed that Logan and Jessica are set up to be the next Adam and Eve. Michael York has never looked better or sexier, and Jenny Agutter isn't too shabby, either. Logan's Run also has some other wonderful visuals. The suburban mall-looking city (the film actually was shot in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex). The Lifesavers-colored polyester toga costumes. The silver shiny surfaces, from architecture to jewelry.
The look of the future in Logan's Run is playful. A future where everyone's hair is blow-dried and no one wears underwear. It would be remiss if I forgot to mention the star cameo from Farrah Fawcett, who looks beautiful, quite spacey, and is quickly gone from the story. There are some not-so-hidden messages in the film as well, touching on the '70s free love lifestyle, the potential oppression of organized religion, and overpopulation. But mostly Logan's Run, a pre-Star Wars, pre-CGI science fiction film is a whole lot of fun.
Note: There have been efforts for years to remake Logan's Run — the latest star attached was Ryan Gosling, but he just recently bowed out. Does Hollywood really need to try and remake everything?
 |
| The future is a mall full of color |
 |
| Francis and Logan have a difference of opinion regarding Runners |
Director Michael Anderson (All the Fine Young Cannibals, Orca) based the science-fiction film on a futuristic novel by William F. Nolan and George Clayton Johnson. In the 23rd century City everyone lives a carefree, even hedonistic lifestyle. Pleasure is the main pursuit. There's just one catch — once one reaches the age of 30 they must be "renewed" in a ritual called Carrousel (a public spectacle, much like a Roman amphitheater mixed with a Pink Floyd light show.) Some City inhabitants believe that the ritual helps them become born again. But there are skeptics, and they choose to run and try to escape Carrousel, the computer-controlled city, and what they believe to be their true fate, a fiery death. There are rumors of a place called Sanctuary, and potential Runners identify themselves by wearing the ancient symbol the Ankh. Logan (Michael York) meets one of these skeptics, Jessica (Jenny Agutter), and is intrigued, but it is not until the central computer sends him on an undercover mission to locate Sanctuary and terminate some missing Runners that he starts to realize that the world outside the City may be bigger than he ever imagined. Logan's best friend and fellow Sandman Francis (Richard Jordan) thinks Logan is a traitor and goes after him and Jessica, determined to terminate the runner and bring his friend back to the City.
 |
| Carrousel looks like a lot of fun — until someone bursts into flames |
 |
| At Carrousel, Last Day inhabitants show off their flashing Lifeclocks |
As we watched Logan's Run my daughter pointed out its similarities to In Time
, a movie we both like a lot. But as the movie progressed she forgot all about Justin Timberlake and got caught up in Logan and Jessica and their flight from the City and Francis. When Logan and Jessica finally make it outside the domed City (it's only a model!) their adventures are just beginning. They encounter an outsider, an old man (Peter Ustinov) and some unfamiliar creatures (cats). They have never seen anyone over the age of 30 before, and the old man hasn't seen another human being in a long time.Jessica, "Those cracks — in your face — do they hurt? May I touch them?"The 23rd century cats prove their superior nature in that only they and one old man could survive whatever catastrophe created this post-apocalyptic society. Ustinov is around to provide some (sometimes over-the-top) comic relief as he quotes T.S. Eliot's Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats
Old Man, "Oh my."
and eats up all of the available scenery.Old Man, "You mean to say that those people know ahead of time when they're gonna die?"
Logan, "That's right."
Old Man, "Oh, that's silly. What's the reason for that?"
Logan "That's the way things are. The way things have always been."
Old Man, "It takes all the fun out of dying."
 |
| Logan and Jessica, pre-run |
 |
| Logan shops with Jessica for a new face before going on the run |
The look of the future in Logan's Run is playful. A future where everyone's hair is blow-dried and no one wears underwear. It would be remiss if I forgot to mention the star cameo from Farrah Fawcett, who looks beautiful, quite spacey, and is quickly gone from the story. There are some not-so-hidden messages in the film as well, touching on the '70s free love lifestyle, the potential oppression of organized religion, and overpopulation. But mostly Logan's Run, a pre-Star Wars, pre-CGI science fiction film is a whole lot of fun.
Note: There have been efforts for years to remake Logan's Run — the latest star attached was Ryan Gosling, but he just recently bowed out. Does Hollywood really need to try and remake everything?
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