You might be surprised to see a blog post about animal meat. Quite honestly, this post is more about avoiding waste than anything. For those who have been following me, you know I have adopted a "flexitarian" position when it comes to health and wellness. In short, flexitarian simply means inclusivity and allowing your body to guide you in choosing the best foods for your body. Even this idea can be a bit confusing, as many of us, evidenced by the growing number of diseases manifesting in our collective bodies, we are not as in tune with ourselves as may think. In many cases, being out of synch with our bodies, which sometimes governs our food and life choices,  has the potential to lead us into a state of DIS-ease and suffering.  Yet, that is different post for another day. 

If you have chosen to include a turkey, quail, chicken, or any poultry meat, then consider repurposing the bones for an alternative. This Kitchen Klip will show you a few example of how to do just that.  

I hope you had a wonderful time celebrating life and family this Thanksgiving season.

To your health,

​Regina

​SoakingSoaking your beans helps them cook faster and more evenly, and it can also make them easier to digest. If you add salt to the soaking water (in other words, make a brine), your beans will cook even faster; the salt helps break down their skins. Here are a few methods; choose the one that best fits your schedule. And keep in mind that you never need to soak legumes like lentils or split peas.*

1. OVERNIGHT SOAKINGTo soak beans the traditional way, cover them with water by 2 inches, add 2 tablespoons coarse kosher salt (or 1 tablespoon fine salt) per pound of beans, and let them soak for at least 4 hours or up to 12 hours. Drain them and rinse before using.
2. QUICK SOAKINGAnother option is quick-soaking, which allows you to make a pot of beans within a few hours flat without sacrificing flavor or texture. Put the beans in a pot on the stove, cover with water by two inches, add salt if you like, and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and let them soak for an hour. Drain, rinse and proceed with your recipe.

*additional source: NY Times Cooking

Food as an Art Medium
For many school age children, a favorite craft was using dry pasta as a medium—with their little hands they create necklaces, beads and other sorts of hodgepodge.

With maturity, that seed of an idea sprouts into a high-concept form.  With their larger hands, these artists create impressive works—portraits with red wine, sculptures of butter, mosaics of beans.

​The Significance of Food in Art
Food not only provides needed sustenance but like fine art, provides immense pleasure. Also, food helps define a culture and allow expression in preparation, making the presentation of foods a creative outlet. Therefore, it is no surprise that food has been depicted in art for centuries.

The Art of the Plate
Have you wondered how certain dishes make the cut and onto a restaurant’s menu? It can be a daunting, but well-planned process.   A chef will often test recipes for months, sometimes years, before presenting the final dish to their customers.  The goal is to ensure each ingredient works in harmony with the other, creating a heightened sensory experience.  As humans, we eat with our eyes as well as our tastebuds, right?

Take a look at some of the world's most notable chefs turn food into art.

Recipe of the Week: Vegan Apple Bread Pudding + Easy Coconut Caramel Sauce

Conventional bread pudding is heavy on eggs and dairy, so it seems like it would  be a tough dish to veganize, but it's not. I used a mix of full-fat coconut milk and almond milk in place of the dairy. Feel free to substitute your favorite non-dairy milk for the almond milk, but I recommend sticking with the coconut milk if you can, as it adds richness to your pudding base.

Egg replacement? There are so many ways to replace eggs in vegan baking, but for this recipe I used good old cornstarch! Cornstarch thickens  your base, just like eggs would in conventional bread pudding.

Start by heating your coconut milk, along with some maple syrup, cinnamon, vanilla, and a bit of salt. While those ingredients heat up, mix some additional non-dairy milk with cornstarch. Make sure the milk is cold, otherwise  you'll end up with cornstarch lumps in your pudding. T

Once the mixture on the stove starts to simmer, add the cornstarch mixture. Let it continue to simmer for a minute or two until the pudding thickens.

Want to re-create this recipe? Download the complete recipe HERE

With compliments,

Regina

​