Tag: healthyish
Good In Bed
Breakfast in bed is the ultimate form of luxury, relaxation, and care. The average morning routine is merely a perfunctory sequence of events to get on with the day, if not a stressful mad scramble to get out the door. Having the opportunity to relish those early morning hours, being more thoughtful about very element, makes it so special.
While any food can be eaten for breakfast and also enjoyed in bed, there are certain options that are more compelling than others.
Prioritize Portability
Opt for dishes that travel easily from kitchen to bedside. Avoid items that easily wilt or become soggy, like delicate leafy greens. Recipes that keep well and can be made the day before are even better, like breakfast burritos or mini quiches.
Minimize the Mess
Sticky foods like syrup-drenched pancakes can be messy to navigate in bed. Opt for dishes with contained sauces, like eggless omelets or breakfast sandwiches, or offer syrup and condiments on the side in small, sealed containers.
Embrace Finger Foods
Think beyond the traditional plate and fork. Finger foods like skewers, whole berries and segmented citrus fruit, or avocado toast are easy to grab and enjoy without utensils, making for a more relaxed and comfortable experience.
Don’t Forget the Drinks
An invigorating beverage is essential. Opt for spill-proof travel mugs for hot drinks like coffee or tea, and include reusable straws for juices and smoothies.
With the basics covered, you or the person you love is free to enjoy the moment, not sweat the details. For an unforgettable breakfast in bed, here are my top recipe recommendations.
Pesach Parfait
Passover is one of the most joyous occasions on the Jewish calendar, commemorating and celebrating the perilous escape from slavery in Egypt, so why are the desserts so morose? Bearing some of the most strict dietary constraints, particularly for observant Ashkenazi Jews, it’s more like a modern take on that same subjugation. Flour, leaveners (baking soda, baking powder, yeast), and kitniyot (beans, rice, corn, peas) are all off the table for a full week. Regular plant-based meals are tough enough under these conditions, but try baking a cake without any of the above, while side-stepping the traditionally egg-laden alternatives, and you’ll quickly see where most pesadik sweets go awry.
Seder Satisfaction
Though I can’t claim to be so stringent in my own home, I do try to play along for at least the Seder. Having a good few years of experience under my belt now, it’s not so challenging to come up with something satisfying to close out the festive meal. It just takes a change in perspective, to stop thinking about what you can’t have, and to focus on what you can. It’s the same sort of challenge for anyone new to veganism, I’d imagine. Consider the following:
Naturally Vegan Desserts For Passover
Without any sort of modifications, you can easily whip up any of these treats to enjoy throughout the week of Passover. There are hundreds of thousands more when you start to consider easy swaps to make cobblers with almond meal toppings, pies with raw nut-and-date crusts, and beyond.
- Sorbets and granitas
- Caramelized or flambéed bananas
- Poached pears and persimmons
- Baked apples
- Coconut macaroons
Mousse Without Compromise
Introducing these stunning parfaits as a Passover desserts does them a disservice, based on the baggage such a label would come with. Rather, the layers of rich dark chocolate, giving way to a lighter, fluffier raspberry cream, then finished with light yet decadent coconut whipped cream, belong in their own category of indulgence. Beautiful and delicious enough to serve all year round, with or without dietary restrictions, they’re crafted without compromise, as a good recipe should be.
Making A Perfect Parfait
Whereas most vegan mousses would start by using a base of tofu, this approach taps the fatty goodness of avocado to accentuate the buttery notes of bitter dark chocolate. On top, fresh berries contribute a jammy, tart, and tangy flavor, balancing out the sweetness with elegance. The whipped cream seals the deal, completing the strata with a cloud of velvety coconut foam.
Don’t Pass Over This Recipe
While the Passover Seder is a retelling of the story, full of sacrifice and strife, you’re not supposed to suffer through the meal. Finally, here’s a dessert that you’d actually want to eat, even after the plagues have passed by.
Wordless Wednesday: Another One Bites The Crust
Bat City Pies – Go Back To Cali
Bistro Vonish – Cherry French Toast with Garbanzo Scramble
Bouldin Creek Cafe – Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Wholly Cow Burgers – Bean Brisket Sandwich
Next Level Burger – Signature Burger + Crispy Chicken Sandwich
Noodles You Should Know: Liangfen
Jiggly, wiggly JELL-O is a staple of early American desserts, persisting to this day as a favorite of the young, the old, and the boozy reveler alike. Most associate it with sweet desserts, packaged in all sorts of fruity flavors, but it hasn’t always been that way. In fact, gelatin was traditionally a savory ingredient, featuring prominently in some questionable gelled salads, or for the upper class, aspics instead. Of course, there’s so much more to it than that, especially when you consider different plant-based gelling agents. Thus, whenever I see “Sichuan green bean jello” on a menu, I’ll always jump at the chance to place my order.
Better known as liangfen, it’s not actually made from JELL-O or any animal-based gelatin at all. More accurately, it’s typically made from the starch of either mung beans or green peas. It may come as a surprise when it arrives at the table in bright white, blocky rectangular lengths, stained red with chili oil, boasting a hint of green color only from scallions or celery leaves on top.
What are Liangfen, AKA Cold Jelly Noodles?
Slippery, with a short bite that’s much softer than a chewy wheat-based noodle, they’re very easy to eat, provided you can gently coax them onto your chopsticks. It can be tricky to pick up more than one strand at a time, especially if they’re slicked with a richly umami sauce. Consider them the tofu of noodles, being almost completely flavorless before soaking in a deeply flavorful sauce. Mala Sichuan peppercorns, black vinegar, pungent chopped garlic, toasted sesame seed, and red hot oil sizzling with chilies are all essential for this dish.
Make Your Own Liangfen
As a naturally, “accidentally” vegan noodle, there are plenty of excellent recipes online that need no modification. It’s incredibly easy to make and fully customizable to your tastes, in case you’d prefer a sauce with less heat or more acid.
Where Do Liangfen Come From?
Served cold, the contrasting heat of the spices is what makes it so addicting. Especially on hot summer days, it’s incredibly refreshing while making you sweat at the same time. Fittingly, the name liangfen translates to “cold starch” or “cool noodle” in English. Born some time within the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912,) it began life as a humble street food in the Sichuan province, spreading quickly to proper eateries and even fine dining restaurants.
Eat Liangfen For Your Health!
For the health-conscious, there’s a lot to love about this sleek, silky treat, too. Low in calories and fat, it’s also rich in fiber and quality carbohydrates, promoting digestive health and providing a sustainable source of plant-based energy. Since these noodles are made of starch instead of wheat, they’re gluten-free and free of all major allergens.
Upon first bite, the unique gelatinous texture, seeming to melt in your mouth, grabbing your attention as something far outside the realm of western culinary creations. The interplay of flavors is a symphony of sensations; the tangy vinegar dances with the umami soy sauce, while the chili oil adds a crescendo of heat. Altogether, it’s an extraordinary noodle that should be a prominent guest at your table, too.
