You Are How (Not What) You Eat

By Jean Harvey-Berino, Ph.D., R.D.

My motto for weight management is simple – eat less, move more. What I’ve learned in 18 years of research, though, is that it’s easier said then done. Diet restriction can result in short-term weight loss, but sustainable, long-term weight loss is best achieved by conquering the everyday habits that hinder us from eating right and exercising.

How many of us mindlessly snack while watching TV? I’ll wager that you can think of five more unhealthy habits right now. For those who have retired and are spending more time around the house, the temptations are even closer – and no one sees you snacking on food with every pass by the pantry.

At the core of these behaviors are triggers, the events in daily life that set off responses that derail our best attempts at weight management. Being aware of triggers and developing healthy responses results in streamlined weight loss and helps you feel and look better. It’s never too late to get your health and weight back on track, especially when weight gain can affect blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and increase the risk for diseases such as Type II diabetes.

Let’s explore how behavior change can empower you to embrace habits that keep you healthy, satisfied and in control.

Understanding Behavior Change
Behavior change is the act of altering your reactions to stimuli—emotional or environmental—through positive and negative reinforcement of a new behavior, or reduction of an unhealthy behavior.

You have likely heard the term “emotional eater.” We learn to associate certain emotions with our habits: comfort, stress, happiness, boredom—you name it.

Likewise, certain environments trigger us to take certain actions. If your morning routine is to order a large latte from the coffee shop you pass by every day, then it’s become a habit. Environmentally triggered eating behaviors like seeing food, smelling food, or getting together with family or friends may also cause you to eat more.

The good news is that, though eating behaviors are learned and ingrained over time, they can be un-learned by developing an awareness of your emotions and environment – and understanding how they influence your eating.

Break the Chain
The cornerstone of behavior change is self-monitoring—a clinical term meaning journaling, or simply writing down the foods you eat, how much exercise you do, and noting triggers that trip you up. By journaling, you become accountable for it, and you have evidence of your behavior.

Journaling helps you uncover unconscious eating and why you do it and what’s tripping you up so you can create a plan of sustainable action.  Recognizing your eating cues—the “when,” “why” and “how” you eat—is the first step to figuring out how to break the unhealthy habits.

I see participants in my Vtrim Online program struggle, yet ultimately succeed, with these changes all the time. Consider Cyndy. In the early evening, she would start snacking while she waited for her family to come home for dinner. She snacked on almonds, cheese, and crackers – anything in the kitchen, adding 300 to 500 calories to her daily intake. Then, a light bulb went off in her head. She wasn’t craving a snack per se; she was bored, frustrated or tired. Now, instead of eating a calorie-heavy snack, she goes for a short walk, reads an article, or finds another constructive use of her time, like emailing or calling a friend.

When it comes to problem-solving, remember this: it’s not about eating carrots instead of buttery popcorn in front of the TV; it’s about not eating in front of the TV. Don’t replace one food choice with another. Learn to choose an alternative activity to eating, unless you truly are physically hungry.

Stay on Track
Slip-ups happen. You’ll eat too much at a wedding. You’ll sneak one of your friend’s French fries while she’s in the restroom only to realize you’ve finished them all before she makes it back. The most important thing is learning to get back on track quickly when you lapse into old behaviors. The sooner you react, the easier it is to recover. Do nothing and you may relapse (fall into a pattern of old behaviors) or even collapse.

Behavior change takes time and practice. Though it may seem tough at first and there will be moments when you don’t think you can do it, the long-term results will be well-worth the effort.

Jean Harvey-Berino, PhD, RD, is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences and Professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of Vermont. She is also the lead researcher and founder of Vtrim Online, a behavioral weight loss program, available at www.uvm.edu/vtrim.

Localvore Movement on the Rise In Vermont

By Susan Orzell-Rantanen

To the roster of herbivore, carnivore, and omnivore describing the varied eating habits of the animal kingdom, add one more: localvore. The localvore eats only foods grown or produced within an average of a 100-mile radius of where he lives, to the extent that it is possible.

Locally grown foods are available at natural food stores, farmers’ markets, community-supported agricultural enterprises, and farm stands, and while the proprietors of these and similar establishments offer the goods differently, they chorus that “the localvore movement is skyrocketing!”

Until the 20th century, “eating local” was by necessity the way of life. Today, the same practice requires planning, dedication and in some cases more money; it is a culmination of many deliberate choices.

“Localvore Challenges,” which urge consumers to buy only local foods for limited amounts of time as a gentle re-introduction to the concept, have sprung up across Vermont to help people interested in the benefits of those choices follow through.

According to well-sourced data published by Vermont’s Mad River Valley Localvore Project (MRVLP), these benefits are many. To enjoy green peas from a nearby farm flies in the face of the statistic that, “on the average, foods travel 1,500 miles before arriving on your table,” which explains the fact that “the average meal uses 17 times more petroleum products” than the same meal produced locally. If you visit the supermarket to buy frozen or canned peas that include a flavored sauce, add this statistic: “70 percent of processed foods in U.S. grocery stores contain bioengineered ingredients.”

But the localvore movement is about more than the important health and taste benefits of fresh produce. The bottom line is, as always, economic. The MRVLP notes that “91 percent of each dollar spent in a traditional food market goes to suppliers, processors, middlemen and marketers and only 9 cents goes to the farmer, while farm markets enable farmers to keep 80 to 90 cents of every dollar.” Let’s make this more personal: “If Vermont substituted local products for only 10 percent of the food we import, it would result in $376 million in new economic output, including $69 million in personal earnings from 3,616 jobs,” thus benefiting all Vermonters.

Community-Supported Agriculture
Eating locally is by definition all about community and the farmers that are members of the aptly named Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) program (in cooperation with the Vermont Agency of Agriculture) consider themselves partners with consumers. In this system, the producers sell “shares” in their upcoming harvest to consumers in the spring long before the produce is ready. This up-front money is available at the crucial time of year to buy the supplies (including seeds, fertilizer and fuel), needed to grow the crops. As the harvests come in throughout the summer, “members” who have “pre-bought” items enjoy the fresh produce. In CSA terminology, an “item” is a certain amount of a certain vegetable, such as four ears of corn, a bunch of carrots, or a bag of lettuce. Shares are available in single-, family-, or senior-sized increments and delivery to predetermined checkpoints may be arranged for set days.

The Vermont Department of Agriculture lists 16 CSAs in Chittenden County.

The Boutin Family Farm, on South Road in Williston, is managed by family members Kevin and Lisa Boutin. Of the 120 acres, 40 are tillable, and are referred to by Lisa Boutin as “a huge backyard garden” providing a plethora of items for about 50 members during a 12-week share season. The Boutins designed a creative method of marketing, offering a coupon book which allows consignees to “purchase” vegetables and fruits harvested each day. “We make it very convenient,” notes Lisa Boutin. The produce, which is certified naturally grown, ranges from asparagus to zucchini and from blackberries to strawberries and is available at the farm stand, through a “U-Pick” operation on the farm, and at local farmers’ markets.

Joe and Anne Tisbert own the 300-acre Valley Dream Farm, which sits on the town line dividing Underhill and Cambridge. The farm supplies an estimated 200 members during a 24-month share season.
Valley Dream is among the more than 525 farms certified organic by the Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA) of Vermont. Anne Tisbert says this certification, which involves meticulous recordkeeping and on-farm inspections, entitles them to a coveted state and USDA seal. NOFA also manages Farm Share, a program that allows low-income Vermonters to buy from CSAs.

The nature of agriculture, which can mean unexpected gluts of produce, allows CSAs to “give back to the community,” according to Anne Tisdale. “We donate thousands of pounds of food to local food shelves and to the Vermont Food Bank,” she notes.

Farmers’ Markets
CSAs often sell at farmers’ markets, a growing venue benefited by the localvore movement. In 2008, there were 64 farmers’ markets registered by NOFA-VT, up from 19 in 1986. NOFA-VT lists “the total gross sales from the markets that responded in 2008” as more than $5.5 million. According to the organization, the summer Burlington Farmers’ Market, held weekly in City Hall Park, is among the four largest in the state. The Richmond Farmers’ Market, held weekly on Volunteers Green, is considered more average in size for Vermont. Manager Carol Mader, who works closely with a board of directors, says there are 25 permanent seasonal vendors, which is capacity for the location, selling primarily agricultural products and prepared foods. There is also a waiting list of “day vendors” on call to take a spot that may be vacant if a seasonal vendor is unable to attend a market. “The localvore movement is becoming huge and we’re seeing the results of that in the [market] revenues,” Mader reports, noting that revenues have increased 170 percent over the past few years. “We have a strong following of customers over the years. We’ve seen many people who used to buy things for maybe one dinner now trying to buy for the week. We also now have a meat vendor. People are finding that prices are more competitive,” she notes, citing trucking costs as one reason for the rising supermarket prices.

For a list of Vermont farmers’ markets, visit: Vermontagriculture.com

Natural Food Stores
Natural food stores are another avenue reporting increased sales from the localvore movement. Natural Provisions of Williston, managed by Peter and Allison Lafferty, opened in 2007 as the second location of a popular store in St. Johnsbury. The 10,000-square-foot store and delicatessen on Harvest Lane maintains 20 employees. Peter Lafferty emphasizes that the naturally grown and/or organic foods and products are purchased locally as much as is possible in a full-service grocery that also sells health and beauty products and cleaning supplies. “The localvore movement is on a huge rise,” he said. “It’s so good for the community as a whole. The number of people who come in here and actually say ‘Show me what is local’ has been growing a lot over the past two years. People care about supporting the community,” he believes.

Considering the fact that eating locally was once the way of the world, it is interesting to ponder Ecclesiastes 1:9, the abbreviated form of which is “There is nothing new under the sun.”

Chittenden County Farmers Markets

Burlington Farmers Market                          Burlington    Saturdays

New North End Farmers Market                 Burlington    Wednesdays

Old North End Farmers Market                   Burlington    Tuesdays
South End Farmers Market                           Burlington    Wednesdays
Mt Philo State Park Farmers Market           Charlotte    Fridays
Hinesburg Farmers Market                           Hinesburg    Thursdays
Jericho Mills Riverside Farmers Market    Jericho    Thursdays
Milton Grange Farmers Market                   Milton    Saturdays
Richmond Farmers Market                           Richmond    Fridays
Shelburne Farmers Market                           Shelburne    Saturdays
South Burlington Farmers Market
at Healthy Living Market                              South Burlington    Saturdays
Westford Farmers Market Vermont           Westford    Fridays
Williston Farmers Market                            Williston    Saturdays
Winooski Farmers Market                            Winooski    Thursdays

Home Cooked Meals Without the Prep Work

Busy Chef’s Cindy McKinstrie Cooks Up Unique Food Delivery Business

By Phyl Newbeck

So you want a home cooked meal but you don’t really want to cook it yourself. You can’t eat out every night and ordering take-out food can be a questionable proposition. Besides, you’d like to do some of the work yourself; just not all that prepping. That’s where Cindy McKinstrie’s Busy Chef Kitchen comes in.

McKinstrie’s operation isn’t a typical catering business. Sure, she prepares and delivers food from her Jericho home, but her customers still get the option of taking part in the creative process and inhaling the aroma of the dishes as they simmer in the pot or cook in the oven. The difference between McKinstrie’s offerings and a typical delivered meal is that her meat is still raw because cooking and reheating meat can reduce the protein value. Additionally, this gives her customers the ability to decide whether they want their dinner rare, medium or well-done. McKinstrie’s meals come in sealed containers or plastic wrap with instructions for preparation.

Generally, all that is required is the mixing of some ingredients and then some time in the oven or on the range. “It’s no more than 20 minutes of ‘physical time,’” is how McKinstrie describes it.

Every Sunday night, McKinstrie develops a menu for the week which includes three main courses and three salads. She also keeps a well-stocked freezer with some of her customers’ favorites including about 20 entrees, and a variety of soups, side dishes, and desserts. McKinstrie’s offerings range from “comfort food” like chicken pot pie to ethnic cuisine like Lamb Tagine (a Moroccan dish) and Thai Coconut Saffron Scallops.

When McKinstrie started her business, she expected her primary customers to be families where both spouses worked outside the home. That has not turned out to be the case; instead, empty nesters are some of McKinstrie’s best customers. She theorizes that many have cooked for their entire lives and the thrill is gone from that activity. They want to try new foods without going out to dinner every night. McKinstrie also has quite a following among seniors who are caring for a sick spouse. “They are exhausted from being caregivers,” she said, “and happy for the help.” Although McKinstrie’s meals are designed to feed two to three people, she noted that seniors can sometimes eat off one meal for four nights.

All of McKinstrie’s food is made from scratch with very few unnecessary ingredients like sodium. Because her operation is small-scale, she is able to make alterations to her menu to accommodate those with dietary or religious constraints or food allergies. Virtually all her ingredients are purchased locally including chicken from Misty Knoll, beef from the LaPlatte Farm and vegetables from Paul Mazza. By keeping her menu seasonal, she is able to make use of these local suppliers.

Although McKinstrie is the guiding force behind the business, she does have some help. Two sons provide assistance one or two days a week even though they hold full-time jobs, and McKinstrie’s friend, Beth Garland, is the creative force behind the menu. McKinstrie confesses that while she is fully capable of following a recipe, she needs Garland’s expertise to come up with new dishes. The two have worked together on and off for the last five years. “She’s so amazing,” McKinstrie said.

Most of McKinstrie’s clients buy several meals at once which she delivers at a set time each week. Her delivery area reaches almost completely across Chittenden County, with the charge dependent on the distance she drives. McKinstrie estimates that 85 percent of her business is from repeat customers. She delivers three to four meals a week to one couple whose work schedule keeps them at their respective offices until 6:00 or 7:00 at night; if they had to start a meal from scratch, they might not eat until 9:00 p.m. Another regular is a personal trainer whose metabolism necessitates eating six meals a day. McKinstrie said his wife drew the line at three, so she provides him with regular deliveries. She has recently begun a weekly delivery to a Williston day care center to help busy parents.

McKinstrie noted wryly that the economy plummeted right after she started her business, but she does not believe she has been adversely affected. “People still need to eat,” she said. Additionally, McKinstrie found that some clients who used to go out to dinner are now relying on her for their meals. “I’m that ‘in-between,’” she said. McKinstrie also does conventional catering, in addition to her Busy Chef work.

Despite all the extra cooking, McKinstrie’s kitchen doesn’t look like a commercial establishment. The only alterations are a large double door freezer and her insistence (in accordance with the Health Department’s mandate) that the family cat stay outdoors when meals are being prepared. The beauty of working at home is that McKinstrie can chat with her granddaughter, work with her sons, and then, sit down to a home-cooked meal, just like her customers.

See http://www.vtbusychef.com for more information.

Weight-Wise Cooking Tips

Simple Swaps & Strategies That Slim

By Susan Burke March

It’s certainly possible to eat healthfully without spending a lot of time shopping, preparing, and cooking. With just a little preparation and forethought, you can enjoy nutritious food and never ‘diet’ again. Using just a few simple strategies, you can enjoy favorite recipes with less fat, sugar and calories…without sacrificing flavor. It’s easier than you might think.

From cooking methods to the type of pans you use, here are some ideas that will foster a weight-wise culinary experience.

•    Prepare to Succeed: Plan your meals in advance, eat a healthy snack, and then go shopping to better avoid “impulse” purchases. You’ll have the healthy options you need at hand when you’re hungry and actually start to cook.

•    The Recipe Rule: Keep it simple! Avoid recipes with too many steps…and ingredients. A simple grilled, broiled or baked dish without too many components and processes, a fresh vegetable and a starch is your best bet.
•    Think Lean: Buy the leanest cuts of meat and trim all visible fat before cooking. Ground meat should be at least 95 percent lean. Try ground turkey burgers for a change, or replace at least one-third of your ground beef with ground turkey breast. Be sure to buy ground turkey breast, as the alternative variety contains skin and dark meat, making it higher in fat and calories.
• Stick to Non-Stick: Stock up on nonstick pans for baking, grilling, and sautéing, and even for soup. Nonstick pans allow you to avoid using oil in favor of healthier options like cooking spray, wine, water, or fruit juice.
•    Mission-Critical Method: Bake, broil, grill, poach your proteins. Rather than basting with butter or margarine, cut the saturated and trans fat by basting with flavorful vegetable broth, white wine, or orange juice. Avoid recipes with heavy sauces and gravies to keep your menus low fat.
•    Crumbs Count. Instead of commercial breadcrumbs, usually full of oil and trans fat, substitute a low sugar crunchy breakfast cereal such as Grape Nuts or organic wheat flakes (avoid cereals with more than 4-6 grams of sugar per serving).
•    Sweeten Naturally: It’s easy to reduce the amount of fat and sugar in your recipes. For example, replace half the oil with applesauce or fruit puree for an equally moist muffin or cake; use one-third less sugar in cakes or cookies and use dried unsweetened fruit such as raisins or diced dates to add natural sweetness to cereal. Experiment with sucralose (Splenda) for baking: Try some of the excellent sugar-free syrups and low-calorie pudding mixes.
•    Dairy Dos: Whole milk contains 1 gram of saturated fat per ounce. Switch all dairy consumption to non-fat or 1%, including milk, cheese and yogurt. Nonfat evaporated milk has a creamy consistency and works well as a lower calorie but pleasing condensed milk substitute in sauces, pies, ice cream, and, of course, in tea and coffee. Low-fat buttermilk makes a good substitute for whole milk in many recipes. In all recipes, substitute two egg whites for one whole egg and cut the fat, cholesterol, and calories.
•    Just Desserts. Keep it sweet, but smartly reduce calories and fat in decadent desserts like cheesecake by substituting low-fat ricotta cheese for whole-milk. When a recipe calls for sour cream, try lower fat Greek-style, creamy plain yogurt instead.
•    Double up. Double the recipe ingredients and freeze half in a convenient, microwave-safe container. This is a great idea for working people. Most offices and cafeterias have microwave ovens for you to reheat your lunch…enjoy your own convenient and healthy frozen entrée!

Registered and licensed dietitian Susan Burke March, MS, CDE, is the author of “Making Weight Control Second Nature: Living Thin Naturally” — a book intended to liberate serial “dieters” and make living healthfully and weight-wise intuitive and instinctual over the long term. March also serves as the Resident Nutrition Expert for www.HealthyWage.com, which empowers healthy living through incentives, social support, goal-setting and technology. She may be reached online at www.SusanBurkeMarch.com.

52 Simple Ways to Be Healthier

By Patty James

It’s Spring and you are full of hope. This is the year you will claim or reclaim your good health! If you have a little feeling of dread in the back of your mind because this same scenario happens every year, have no fear. Big changes are often daunting and hard to fold into your everyday life; they are simply not sustainable. Try a new healthy habit a week. Listed below are small changes that can make a big impact on not only your health, but the environment’s health as well. Tape these easy tips to your refrigerator and read weekly. Feel free to skip ahead and to go back.

1.  Drink 8 glasses of pure water a day.
2.  Get rid of any junk food in your house. If it’s not there, don’t go get it.
3.  Limit your caffeine intake: 1-2 cups of coffee a day.
4.  Plan your weekly meals on your day off.
5.  Spend 30 minutes twice a week cutting up fresh veggies to have them ready at all times.
6.  Keep seasonal fruit at home and eat it when you’re hungry or when a sweet tooth strikes.
7.  Substitute raw nuts and seeds for processed granola bars.
8.  Don’t drink alcohol on an empty stomach; it’s hard on your stomach and burns up B vitamins.
9.  Eat raw vegetables every day. Raw veggies contain important enzymes that can be lost when they’re cooked.
10. Purchase as much of your food in organic form as you can. Your body will appreciate it as will our planet.
11. Next time you make cookies or cake, substitute half of the butter with applesauce, pumpkin or prune puree. Less fat; more nutrients.
12. Get at least 8 hours of sleep a night.
13. Vary your food; if you eat it today, don’t eat it again for 4 days.
14. Different colored food has different nutrients, so eat from the rainbow. Red peppers, orange carrots, green kale, etc.
15. Thicken soups with pureed beans. Delicious and added nutrition.
16. Don’t drink water from plastic bottles. Polycarbonate water bottles (labeled #7) contain bisphenol A (BPA), which leaches from the plastic and has been linked to chromosome damage and hormone disruption.
17. Start your day with a glass of fresh lemon water. 1/2 to 1 juiced lemon in water. Your liver loves it.
18. De-stress. Find out what works for you. Warm baths? Exercise? Reading? Yoga? Walks in the woods? Find out what calms and soothes you and practice daily.
19. Move daily. Find the movement that moves your body and eases your mind and make it a part of who you are. If you enjoy it, you will do it.
20. Eat at a table, cloth napkin on your lap and chew well. Be thankful.
21. Next time you want scrambled eggs (or tofu), sauté some veggies first, then add eggs. Try eating your veggies all day!
22. Dry brush your skin before you shower in the morning. It’s good for your lymphatic system and your skin will be so much softer and healthier.
23. Have at least one day a week without meat. Meatless Mondays perhaps?
24. Eat more beans! They’re high in protein, dietary fiber, and taste so good.
25. Use whole grain flour in your baking instead of white flour. Whole-wheat pastry flour is a fine grind and much healthier than the white stuff.
26. Remove white sugar from your diet or at least limit it. Use maple syrup, honey, agave or stevia instead.
27. Don’t eat fake food! No artificial anything!
28. Don’t eat out as much. Cook more.
29. Exercise your mind! Learn a new dance, read a good book. Learn a new language. Keep your mind moving as well as your body.
30. Learn to communicate. Speak your mind, kindly, and be done with it. Don’t hold grudges. Forgive yourself and others.
31. Make your own vinaigrette for your salads. Olive and/or flax oil, lemon juice or vinegar, a little Dijon mustard, a minced garlic clove and a little salt and pepper.
32. Use sea salt instead of the highly processed salt you find in many grocery stores.
33. Reduce salt intake. Use fresh herbs and lemon juice to boost flavor.
34. Try to stay off computers and away from anything electronic two hours before bed for a better night’s sleep.
35. Use plain yogurt instead of sour cream.
36. Switch to whole wheat, corn or quinoa pasta (there are many selections) instead of pasta that uses refined flour.
37. Don’t eat or drink any food with transfats. Watch those non-dairy creamers!
38. Add more leafy greens to your life – kale, chard, spinach, radicchio, etc. They are wonder foods! Steam the greens for a couple minutes, drain and set aside. In a pan sauté some onions, garlic and shitake mushrooms in olive oil for a few minutes. Add the kale back in, stir and serve. Yum.
39. Use less cheese in casseroles that call for cheese. Instead sprinkle grated cheese on top.
40. Begin each day with a good stretch and some deep breaths.
41. Try new ingredients. Buy a kohlrabi or something you’ve never tried before and go from there. Keep yourself inspired.
42. Don’t reward yourself or your family with food.
43. Try to eat whatever food is in season; it’s more nutritious and tastes better.
44. Don’t go hungry. Eat healthy snacks so you don’t overeat later.
45. Watch what you put on your skin. Many products are loaded with chemicals that you shouldn’t rub into your skin.
46. Bake instead of frying your meats and fish.
47. Increase Omega 3 fatty acids in your diet. Sources include walnuts, flax seeds and oil and cold water fish such as salmon. Healthy fats are important to good health.
48. Increase your intake of legumes: lentil, beans and peas. They are good sources of protein, dietary fiber and blood sugar regulators. Try split pea or lentil soup for breakfast! Think outside the box.
49. Take supplements. Begin with a good multivitamin and speak with your health practitioner about others that may be needed for your optimum health.
50. Watch your portion sizes as well as your plate and utensil sizes. Some forks and spoons look like garden utensils. Try chopsticks and eat slowly.
51. Shop in the outside aisles of the grocery store. Most of the more processed foods are located in the middle aisles.
52. Play! Everyone needs to have fun!
Patty James is a Certified Natural Chef with a Master’s degree in Holistic Nutrition and founder and director of the Patty James Cooking School and Nutrition Center, the first certified organic cooking school and nutrition center in the country. She is the author of “More Vegetables, Please!”

Vegetables Make Grand Entree

By Caroline Dipping, CNS

A few months back, Executive Chef Trey Foshee of George’s California Modern unveiled a vegetarian menu alongside his seasonal offerings. This was no halfhearted stab at meatless cuisine with just an uninspired steamed veggie plate or a slapdash pasta, but rather a thoughtful, tasteful roster complete with starters, entrees and vegan options.

Foshee began noodling over the idea of a high-end vegetarian menu a year after conducting a series of Side Table events in George’s bar. The vegetarian-themed Side Table was the one event that sold out both nights it was offered.

“I met a couple who told me they love going out to dine and enjoy a good bottle of wine, but they feel, as vegetarians, they are alienated from a lot of special events restaurants hold,” said Foshee.

“Now I find myself looking more and more at vegetable preparations specifically and having those influence my non-vegetarian items,” he said. “I keep toying with it.”

Here is on of Foshee’s new vegetarian recipes:

FARRO RISOTTO

FARRO

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1⁄2 white onion, peeled and minced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 cups farro (chef prefers Anson Mills brand, see note)
1 cup white wine
8 cups mushroom stock, hot (see note)
1⁄2 cup parmesan cheese
Salt and black pepper

MUSHROOMS

2 portobello mushrooms
1⁄4 cup balsamic vinegar
1⁄4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 thyme sprigs
2 garlic cloves, smashed
Salt and pepper

ONIONS

12 pearl onions, peeled
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup sherry vinegar
1 tablespoon honey

GARLIC-PARSLEY CREAM

1⁄2 cup garlic cloves, peeled
1 cup Italian parsley leaves
1⁄2 cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper
6 large eggs
Makes 6 appetizer servings

For the farro: In a medium-sized sauce pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, and cook until soft but not colored, about 10 minutes. Add the farro and toast for about 5 minutes, then deglaze with the white wine and reduce until almost dry. Add mushroom stock 1 cup at a time while stirring continuously until the farro is soft with a bit of a bite, about 20 minutes, depending on the brand of farro. As soon as you see the kernels begin to “pop,” remove pan from the heat and add the parmesan and season with salt and black pepper. Adjust with more stock if needed.

For the mushrooms: In a medium bowl, marinate the mushrooms with the smashed garlic, balsamic vinegar, olive oil and thyme and let sit 15 minutes. Grill or roast mushrooms in a hot oven. Reserve in a warm place.

For the onions: Slice the onions in half and sear them cut side down in a saute pan with the olive oil until well caramelized. Deglaze with sherry vinegar, turning down the heat to just above a simmer and reduce slowly till almost dry. Add the honey and stir to coat the onions; reserve in a warm place.

For the garlic-parsley cream: Place the garlic in a medium-sized pot and fill with water. Bring to a boil, strain, refill and repeat three times. Strain the garlic. Bring another pot of water to a boil and plunge the parsley leaves into it for about 1 minute and remove to a bowl of iced water to stop the cooking immediately, squeeze out all the water and reserve. Bring cream to a simmer and combine the garlic, parsley and cream in a blender and blend until completely smooth, strain through a fine mesh strainer, and reserve.

To serve: Poach the eggs. Spoon the farro into six bowls, top with mushrooms and onions and place an egg on top. Coat the egg with the garlic-parsley sauce.

Notes: Anson Mills farro is available online at ansonmills.com. Other types of farro are available at specialty stores such as Whole Foods and Seaside Market. The chef makes his own mushroom stock, but mushroom stock can be purchased at specialty stores.

– From chef Trey Foshee

Discover ‘Recipes from Historic New England’

Recipes from Historic New England” is a coffee table book, cookbook, and travel book designed to delight the senses and ignite your love of travel. Legendary resorts, hotels, and fine restaurants provide the way to venture into new arenas of taste and travel. You will be pleasantly surprised to see a broad range of diversity in American cuisine and the fabled venues that provide a sense of history along with magnificent ambience.

Discover the stories of each of these renowned restaurants, enjoy the fine architecture, and tantalize your taste buds with some of America’s most delectable dishes while discovering the stories that are intertwined with the very history of America. Fasten your seat belts for a flavorful and fun lesson in American history, mystery, and taste! “Recipes from Historic New England” chronicles the birth of our nation by featuring icons of American cuisine and history. From the famous Parker House rolls to the amazing scenery of The Mount Washington Hotel and Resort to the solitude of the Inn at Sawmill Farm each site was chosen by the authors with a strict set of guidelines and each has so much to offer the reader, cook, and traveler.

Woodchuck Cider: Gluten Free Vermont Addition to Hearty Meals

Hard cider is growing in popularity and the nation’s most widely distributed hard cider, Woodchuck Draft Cider, is made right here in Vermont. Woodchuck is handcrafted with apples that are pressed to juice, fermented and cold-filtered using techniques found in the early days of American cider making and similar to how wine is made from grapes. Woodchuck’s master cider maker, Greg Failing (and creator of the original recipe back in 1991), then offers his personal touch in hand-crafting each batch in a process closely related to that of craft beers.

Hard cider’s history in Vermont dates back to Samuel de Champlain’s travels through Northern New England en route to his namesake, the Champlain Valley. The harsh winters left much to be desired as dried and salted meats were the exclusive food . Cider, their only source of anything harboring fruit, was dispensed in frozen blocks and melted for occasional relief from ice and snow melted for water. Known then as hard farmhouse cider, the beverage became commonplace among early French Canadian settlers. Two hundred years after Champlain’s voyage, Vermont boasted 125 distilleries producing cider brandy. Another 200 years later, Woodchuck Draft Cider produces the majority of the nation’s hard cider and is located in Middlebury,Vermont.

First hand-crafted in Proctorsville, Vermont in 1991, Woodchuck has been a naturally gluten-free beverage since it’s creation and is now a favored alternative for people with wheat allergies and celiac disease – both as food pairing beverage with meat, poultry, and fish and as a key ingredient in soup, stews, sauces, and desserts.

Woodchuck Cider is active on both Facebook and Twitter, and fans across the country have contributed some of their favorite ways to cook with Woodchuck:

• Marinate bratwurst and sausages in Woodchuck Amber Cider
• Use Woodchuck Granny Smith in beer bread
• Venison roast slow cooked in Woodchuck Dark & Dry
• Woodchuck Pear Cider pork chops
• Substitute Woodchuck any place you use cooking wine or sherry

A few fans have been experimenting with various Woodchuck flavors in apple pie!

Fan Recipe:

Woodchuck Cider Bread
(submitted by J. Hunt)
Preheat oven to 375. Spray loaf pan. Mix 2 cups of self-rising flour, 1/3 cup of sugar and 1 12oz bottle of Woodchuck Draft Cider. Pour mix into loaf pan. Bake at 375 for 35 minutes. Great “beer” bread and also makes an excellent bread bowl.

Woodchuck Cider Stew
1 lb stewing beef
3 tsp. flour
3 tbsp. oil
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp pepper
1 tsp. allspice
1-2 cups Woodchuck Draft Cider
2 tbsp. ketchup
2 large onions
3 large potatoes
2 large carrots
2 stalks of celery

Place flour, salt, pepper and allspice in a plastic bag. Place a few pieces of beef at a time in the plastic bag; shake to coat. Brown meat in oil; add Woodchuck Draft Cider and ketchup. Cover and cook slowly for 1-1 ½ hours or until meat is tender. Cut onions, potatoes, carrots and celery into bite size chunks; add to meat and simmer for 30 minutes more. Thicken stew as desired. Serve with hot biscuits or in soup bowl! Serves 6.

More recipes are available at www.woodchuck.com/our-cider/food-recipes.

Skewer Like a Pro

By Peter Rowe, CNS

Satay. Kebab. Shashlik. Yakatori.

It doesn’t matter what you call it or what culture it hails from. Glorious, non-laborious kebabs can bring a lot to Labor Day, the second-biggest cookout day of the year behind July 4.

Food on a stick is appealing, warm-weather fare for its ease of prep and extraordinary flavor that is only enhanced by outdoor grilling. It’s as primal as fire itself.

“I think every culture has a kebab of some sort,” said Su-Mei Yu, cookbook author and owner of Saffron Thai Grilled Chicken. “It is so primitive. It goes all the way back to nomads, who would find a piece of wood, cut it down so it was easy to put a piece of meat or whatever they found on it and cook without burning themselves.”

Besides keeping fingers from getting scorched, cooking on skewers has many practical advantages. Small chunks of food absorb marinades and spice rubs better than big pieces.

Even the cheapest cuts of meat can be turned into a wonderfully flavored repast, Yu said. And kebabs cook more quickly, too.
Kebabs are also easy to do ahead and easy to customize. Non-meat-eaters can keep their tofu, fruits and veggies pristine on separate skewers from the meat-laden sticks favored by carnivores.

Imagination is the key to kebabs, Yu said. She likes to buy Italian sausages from the supermarket, remove their casings, and add extra fennel and spices to the meat before forming into balls and cooking on skewers.

“Think of the nationality you’d like your meat to be, and use that as the base for your seasoning or marinade,” Yu said. “If you want something Indianish, use lots of cilantro. If you want something Vietnamese, add some fish sauce and sugar. If you want something Thai, use mint and white pepper and lemongrass or ginger.”

Yu also likes the idea of a deconstructed hamburger on a stick.

“If you don’t want a hamburger per se, you could skewer meatballs with a chunk of onion, tomatoes and pickles. You would have a hamburger without the bun. That would be fun.”

Here are some tips for skewering like a pro:
– To ensure even cooking when combining veggies and meat on the same skewer, precook hard vegetables such as potatoes or whole small onions and avoid soft veggies such as tomatoes or zucchini. Better still, for greater control, cook vegetables and meat on separate skewers for the times each needs.
– Wood or metal skewers, it makes no difference which you use when it comes to taste. However, if using wood or bamboo, soak the sticks for 30 minutes in water to help prevent them from igniting on the grill. Skewer food just before grilling to keep wood sticks from drying out.
– If you have particularly twirl-prone food (think shrimp or asparagus), use two skewers parallel to each other for each kebab.
– Thread meat fairly tightly together to help it stay moist during grilling, Yu suggests.
– For tender, quick-cooking meat, slice meat very thin into ribbons and lace onto skewers, Yu suggests. For chewier, medium-rare results, cut meat into chunks and marinade. “It will be more like eating a piece of steak,” she said.
– Cut foods to be cooked together in similar-sized pieces.
– Sturdy twigs of rosemary, strips of sugar cane or stalks of lemon grass can double as skewers for flavor and novelty.
– Make sure the fire is not blazing hot, Yu said. Grill kebabs over medium-low heat.
– Don’t leave kebabs unattended. They require turning and perhaps the occasional basting, and they cook quickly. If ignored for too long, kebabs may do a disappearing act into the charcoal.

THAI-STYLE CHICKEN SATAY

Marinade:
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon minced galangal or ginger
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2 cup combined coconut cream and milk (the consistency of whole milk), see note

Satay:
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
10 to 12 bamboo skewers, soaked in water 30 minutes, then dried
Makes 10 to 12 skewers

For the marinade: Put the coriander seeds in a small skillet and dry-roast over medium-high heat, sliding the skillet back and forth over the burner to prevent burning, until the seeds exude a pleasant aroma, about one minute. Remove from the heat, and transfer to a bowl to cool. Repeat with the cumin seeds. Grind in a spice grinder, and set aside.

Pound the salt and garlic in a mortar with a pestle into a paste. Add the galangal and pound into a paste. Transfer to a mixing bowl, and add the coriander and cumin seeds, cayenne and turmeric powder. Mix to combine. Add the coconut cream mixture and mix well. Set aside.

Or, if using a blender, add all the ingredients and puree. Transfer to a mixing bowl and set aside.

Stored in a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid, the marinade will keep overnight in the refrigerator.

Slice the chicken diagonally across the grain into thin strips approximately 1/10 inch, or as thin as possible. Add the chicken to the marinade; mix well to coat. Cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Mound the charcoals in one side of the grill, leaving the other side empty. Heat the grill.

While waiting for the grill to get hot, thread three to four pieces of the chicken onto each bamboo skewer into a tight bundle, covering 5 inches of the skewer. Reserve the remaining marinade.

Spray the chicken generously with vegetable oil. Lay the skewers with the chicken portion on the grill over medium-high heat, arranging them very close to one another. (The uncovered portion of the skewers should not be over the coals.) Grill, basting frequently with the marinade and turning frequently to prevent burning, until the surface is crispy and brown and the inside is firm and white, eight to 10 minutes. Transfer to a platter to serve.

Note: Coconut cream can be purchased in the Asian aisle of most supermarkets.

You Can Make Chicken to Crow About

By Lori Weisberg

From its crispy, golden-hued skin to its tender, moist meat, roast chicken remains a timeless, comforting dish that is as eagerly embraced by home cooks as it is by sophisticated chefs. Julia Child and Jacques Pepin celebrated the well-roasted chicken as the hallmark of a fine cook in their book “Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home.”     Restaurateur Judy Rodgers of San Francisco’s landmark Zuni Cafe is widely known for her earthy wood-fire-oven roasted chicken. The editors of Cook’s Illustrated went to the trouble of roasting 40 chickens (so that we wouldn’t have to) to uncover a foolproof method that they included in last year’s book “The Best Chicken Recipes.”

Part of roast chicken’s appeal is its simplicity. It’s easy to prepare in a pinch, whether for a weeknight meal or a special-occasion dinner. Why, then, are there endless versions of this time-tested preparation online, in cookbooks and in food magazines, each purporting to yield the best roast chicken ever?

I confess I collect roast chicken recipes like some people collect old coins, determined as I am to achieve culinary perfection.

Truss or don’t truss? Baste or don’t baste? Brine ahead or don’t bother? Flip the bird during roasting or leave it alone? These are the nettlesome questions that bedevil anyone interested in turning out that perfectly roasted bird.

“What is interesting about roast chicken is, it seems really simple: unwrap bird, put in oven, bake. And the ingredients list is just salt, pepper, chicken,” said Jack Bishop, editorial director for America’s Test Kitchen, home of Cook’s Illustrated. “Yet it’s one of those things that’s hard to get right, because you have two kinds of meat, the hollow cavity and things cooking at different rates.

Still, after roasting dozens of chickens, the experts at America’s Test Kitchen concluded that preparing a roasted chicken does not have to be a complicated endeavor. One essential step, many agree, is brining the chicken to ensure a flavorful, tender bird.

One of my biggest frustrations with roast chicken is that no matter how much I season it, embellish it with fresh herbs and nudge butter under the skin, the end product is tender but not that flavorful. Failure to brine, I’m told, is the reason.

“We brine our chickens, and that really is the secret, even if you buy a lesser-quality bird,” said Matt Gordon, executive chef at Urban Solace in San Diego. “We use salt water, lemons, garlic, sugar, fresh herbs and peppercorns in our brine.

“The salt draws the natural liquid out of the chicken and tenderizes the meat. The muscle relaxes. That allows the flavors you put in the brine to work itself back into the chicken.”

Rodgers of Zuni Cafe is a fan of using a dry brine, rubbing the bird in advance with 3/4 teaspoon sea salt per pound of chicken.

Salting the chicken at least a day in advance will help season it evenly while also tenderizing it, she said.
“If you do stuff herbs under the skin, you have a double win. The salt will grab hold of the aromatic herbs and carry them inland,” explained Rodgers.

Coating the chicken with oil or butter before roasting is unnecessary, she added, as there already is sufficient fat in the skin.

Tell that to Julia Child, who always generously massaged her chickens with butter before putting them in the oven.

I have used Child’s roast-chicken technique many a time. While I adore the intensely flavored deglazing sauce that comes from melding the juices, the chicken itself is rather bland.

That was not the result when I followed Rodgers’ instructions to pre-salt the chicken. Just as she predicted, the meat was full of flavor, having absorbed the seasoning over a 24-hour period, and the skin was nicely crisped.

BRINE AND GLAZE FOR ROAST CHICKEN

Brine:
1 cup kosher salt
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
6 thyme sprigs or other herbs
1/4 cup garlic cloves
1 tablespoon peppercorns
1 lemon, halved
4 cups boiling water
1 gallon cold water
Olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
Cider Molasses Glaze:
3 cups apple cider
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cups dark molasses
1 tablespoon cold butter
1 teaspoon chopped fresh herbs
Yields brine/glaze for 3 chickens,

To Brine chickens:
Place kosher salt, granulated sugar, brown sugar, herbs, garlic cloves, peppercorns and lemon halves in very large pot. Add boiling water and stir. Let rest for 20 minutes for all flavors to steep. Stir and then add cold water. Use this to brine up to 3 chickens. (Remove any giblets.) Let chicken(s) sit in brine, refrigerated, 12 to 24 hours.

To roast chickens:
Remove chicken(s) from brine and drain all liquid out of cavity. Pat outside of chickens with paper towel. Fold wing tips behind chicken’s back (so it looks like it’s relaxing in a hammock on a hot summer day). Truss legs with twine. Place chicken in roasting pan, rub skin liberally with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Preheat oven to 425 F. Roast bird for 20 minutes, or until skin looks mostly golden brown. Reduce oven heat to 250 degrees and continue to cook for 20 minutes or longer. During last few minutes of roasting chicken, brush on Cider Molasses Glaze. Chicken is done when a meat thermometer inserted in inner thigh near breast but not touching bone registers 160 degrees. (Home ovens vary, so use a meat thermometer to judge doneness.) Let chicken rest for at least 20 minutes prior to carving.

To make Cider Molasses Glaze:

In a saucepan, boil cider and vinegar until reduced to 1 cup. Remove from heat. Add molasses and let cool. The glaze should be lightly syrupy.

Place any remaining glaze (or glaze that drips off after chickens are finished) in a saute pan. Bring to a simmer and stir in the cold butter and fresh herbs. Pour sauce over carved chicken just before serving.

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