Play With Your Dessert

There are a TON of festive sweet recipes , mostly cookies and pies , so this is a little off the beaten path . My sister used to love to steal the neighbours' grounder apples for crisp and here's my offshoot for your perusal . It's awesome a la mode for dessert , but also works as breakfast when mixed and served hot with or without a bit of cream . Either way , it's delish and a good way to clean fruit from the bowl since it works so well with a wide variety of larger fruits as well as berries .

Today's Yummy Fruit Crisp

Fruit Blend

6 cups assorted sliced fruit - today it is Gala Apples and Ripe Anjou and Ya Pears
1/4 cup Vanilla or Plain Sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp nutmeg
mix in a bowl and spead out into a casserole dish while you preheat the oven to 400F/200C

The Crunchy Stuff

1 cup Flour
1/2 cup Oats
1 Cup Brown (I'm using Demerrara) Sugar
1/2 cup Margarine

Mix all of the dry ingredients with your paws . Cut in margarine with a pastry blender or a couple of forks until it resembles gravel . You are not trying to make pastry , so perfection is not an issue . Spead over the fruit and bake for 35-50 minutes until bubbly and yummy looking . Do not even look at the oven for at least 25 minutes . I went for a shower since I have a tendency to babysit my food.
Let sit for a few and enjoy!

What I'm Eating Right Now

  I'm not hungry but my blood sugar went southbound and I was starting to feel odd so this staple stir-fry saved my day . Yummy and good for you . Let's Eat!

Get a wok nice and hot with a touch of oil if you don't have non stick and add :

1/4 LB pressed (firm) Tofu (yes , I KNOW , it's scary . Trust ME.)
1 Tsp Maggi Liquid Seasoning (Worcestershire will work too in a pinch)
1 TBL Soy Sauce
1/ Cup Beer
Pepper
1 Tsp Ras El Hanout (or somthing like it)
1/2 Tsp Rosemary

Saute until the liquid evaporates and the tofu starts to get a bit of a sear on it . Then add (in order if you can)

1/2 TBL Margarine or Oil (optional)
3-5 Mushrooms , Sliced
1/2 Zucchini , sliced
2 Stalks Bok Choy , sliced\
A couple of handfuls fresh Spinach
3 Sliced Radishes
1 Scallion , sliced
1/2 Tsp Chili Paste
Enough wine to deglaze

And Tada ! Din din in 15 or less. High in iron , will fill belly . Serve on it's own or over rice . Serves 2 as a main.

Halvah Nagila

  Sometimes the old stuff is the best , so here flies with an awesome old-school candy that you can do yourself so easily you might never go to halva.com again . There are thousands of versions of this sweet stuff that range from almost cloying to savoury , but this one is what most people are thinking of when they crave . This is not quite as sweet as commercially made halvah because there is no refined sugar , but you'll dig it. Makes a TON .

Yummo halvah for those who dont't have tahini handy

Get a pot and toast 6 cups (!) of sesame seeds until lightly brown and fire them slowly into a blender until reasonably smooth . Ta da! You have a reasonable approximation of tahini paste. Set aside

Grab the old spice grinder and pulse together roughly a teaspoon of allspice , half a cinnamon stick , and a one inch cube of ginger . Add to the brew with 1 1/2 cups of honey . If you don't do the bee vomit thing , use maple syrup and give it a bit of North American flavour .

Make sure the brew is mixed well and spread into a pan. I line mine with parchment paper for easy removal . Refrigerate until quite solid and munch out  ; OR

Get out a double boiler (you can make your own by using a glass bowl over a few inches of water in a pot) and melt a bar (100g) of decent quality dark chocolate .Let sit for about a minute and drop squares of the chilly halvah into the chocolate and roll into chopped walnuts or pistachios . Allow to sit for 15 minutes and make your guests into housemates .

Addiction is ... chocolate nut halvah

Side Dishes From Heaven

I have been having a lot of personally crappy days , but I'm trying not to be a bitch about it and maybe even stop being so fucking serious at work before I fucking kill someone . Anywho , for those of you who don't know me well , I love to cook and it's my choking-the-fucking-life-out-of-Tardog prevention therapy .

Here's my menu for the evening . So easy a roofer can do it , okay maybe not Tim . Yes , this will provide many uses for the SlapChop or Magic Bullet your mother gave you and you can make this stuff while tending to your protein choice .

Baked Sweet Potato Squash to impress , um , someone

Find Sweet Potato Squash (or Acorn , or whatever) and wash it well . You don't have to peel the tips off of your fingers .

Cut off both ends (toss these)and cut the rest in half lengthwise without adding any extra protein to the board.

Remove seeds and cut into chunks . You can get artistic here and don't forget to get your oven happy at 210C (400ish Fahrenheit)

lightly crease a pan of somesort with oil, butter , or your sister's hair gel and set squash stuff in there . This may vary in size due to how hungry you are .

Try to peel a one inch cube of ginger and cloves of garlic . Put in spice grinder or beat with a fairly clean shingle hatchet and add to pan along with 1 tbsp brown sugar and some salt and pepper. Add 1/2inch of water for the steam action .

Toss the squash in the works and try not to get too much on the floor . Cover the pan with foil and pray for 20-30 minutes . After it is somewhat tender , reseason , oil and bake until yummy . You can also add brown sugar and/or nutmeg here or oilive oil and oregano , both are awesome!

Get On The Spuds while You wait

Peel a bunch of russet potatoes and then chop into decent sized cubes .

Boil in a large pot with a few inches of water as well as some salt and pepper . Yes , you have to season the water , it's just better that way Boil slightly unovered until near tender . while you are doing this , you can chop finely 1/3to1/2 an onion and saute until pretty as well as puree 2 cloves of garlic and set aside .

Boil spuds until quite tender but not soupy . This may take a few efforts to perfect before you try to impress that hottie or your mama .

Remove most of the water (you can save it as a cream soup base) and turn off the heat but keep pot on hot element (reduce to very low if you have a gas range or are using a camping stove) .
Add the oinions and garlic as well as 1/2tsp dried oregano , 2-4tables butter or margarine and 2-4 tables milk or sour cream . (I'm doing the vegan thing . you don't have to)

Mash until they are perfect .

So many people buy expensive and tastless side dishes filled with bad carbs (spuds are not ) and fat and they don't have to . Lipton's Sidekicks are crap and we all know it and these things take about the same amount of time out of your life , which is amazing since you need this good stuff in your life .

I'm serving this with maple-beer veggie sausage but both go well with corned brisket or anything . They are also good comfort (read stoner snack) food all by their lonesome .

Okay , I'm starving now.

Vegan Cholent and Biscuits ? YES Way!!!

I love food . Food is the blessing that united poor families in days gone by , everything scratch made , no Betty Crocker in sight . No matter how hard your work was , you could count on a belly full of nourishment as a reward for your toil . In our prepackaged world , the ability to create has been stifled everywhere , but no place has felt the sting of modernity quite like the kitchen . Those of you who were raised on Swanson's and McCain's offerings , have no fear - you can bring the sing back into your tastebuds and impress your family , and here's how .

The Main : Mad Cholent

Step 1 : Get out a big ass pot and get it hot
Add some fat - butter,margarine,olive oil , back sweat , use whatever you have
Get a rockin sizzle and add:
1/2 to a whole onion
3 scallions
6 cloves garlic
2 carrots
3-5 small chopped up spuds

Get the mess glossy and add a bucketful of water , and to this add
3 tbs pepper
1 tbs salt
1 tbs dried oregano
2 teas dried mustard
3 bay leaves
1 chili pod
2 teas smoked or hot paprika
1/2 cup marrowfat peas
1 cup cannelini beans
1/2 cup pinto beans
and garbanzos if you wish . Substitute if needed

Cook forever . At least 6 hours in a crockpot or stove will do . Lats for eons . Better the next day .

The Side : Holy Shit It's Granny's Biscuits

You can multiple this for the big fessers in your life.
First you can get some onions , chives , mushrooms goin in a skillet . They will be needed later.

Mix this shit with a fork and then your paws

2 cups or more flour
1 teas Hyssop (or some other green shit)
1 teas dried oregano
1 major teas baking powder
1 level tea salt
2 teas sugar
1 cup milk , buttermilk , soya stuff , whatever you got

Get er happy then mix in the sizzled stuff with your paws and turn out onto floured countertop . (cause I know NONE of you have a bread board)
Cut into whatever shapes you want . Rounds work , but sometimes I braid mine into micro-Challahs .

The important part - put in UberHot oven (450-500) on an UNGREASED sheet and bake for around 12 minutes or until you can't take it any longer.

OK , I gotta eat!

Secret Weapon : Ras El Hanout

Ras El Hanout basically means "head (as in the top) of the shop" for lack of a better term because it's basically all of the best spices one has on hand in one mix up . Everyone who doesn't have an old Moroccan souk handy mixes their own , and there can be a zillion different things in it , including some very intoxicating and illegal ingredients . Most of the blends are closely guarded secrets , but I'm nice enough to share mine . One can add this to meatballs , tagine (in all of it's forms) , couscous , or rub down a roast and you will experience something truly awesome . Even tofu or a veggie kebab will sing (probably "thank G-d I have flavour!) when given a dusting of this magnificent concoction. I periodically alter this , but this is generally the combination .
(Please" , for me , don't use it as a pork rub , no matter if you see it in an online recipe . It's an insult to those who use it daily. )

These quantities are approximate as I use the palm-and-eyeball method

Oh , and don't use all of this in one dish . It won't kill you but I don't want to be responsible if it does. You can infinitely multiply this

1 table Turmeric
1 table Celery Seed
1 table Ground Coriander
2 teas Standard Paprika
1-2 teas Hot (or Smoked) Paprika
1-2 teas Cumin (pre-ground or DIY)
1-2 teas ground Nutmeg
1-2 teas mustard powder
1-2 teas Ground Ginger
1 tea Black Peppercorns (grind if you like)
1 tea chili powder
1/2 to 1 tea Ground Cloves if you aren't going to grind your own

Get out your spice grinder and pulse

1 Star Anise
1 stick Cinnamon
2 Dried Small Red Chiles
1 tablespoon Pickling Spices
1-2 teas Hyssop (Hyssopus Officinalis , available at heath food stores because it cures everything . You could substitute Thyme if you are lazy)

At your discretion , grind a few Cloves and the seeds from a Cardamom and fire it in the brew . I have also been known to put Lemongrass powder , Garam Masala or Saffron into this. If you have Lavender growing around your crib , you can dry it and add it too .

Keeps for at least a month . Do NOT store this or any spice within 3 metres (10 feet) of your stove if you can help it . It turns them wimpy fast .

What Doesn't Kill You

When health is absent

Wisdom cannot reveal itself ,

Art cannot become manifest ,

Strength cannot be exerted ,

Wealth is useless and

Reason is powerless .

- Herophiles

I haven't really touched on a fundamental part of whom I am because I know that there will be a backlash from those who are stagnant in their world views , but I have been forced by my sense of responsibility to tell all of you how and why my life has been changed forever . I am alive today because 5 years ago I made the decision to do something drastic to fix my ailing self. I made the decision to forgo meat and dairy in favour of choosing to live and let others live . I went vegan .

I grew up in largely agricultural areas with the mom-and-pop kind of small farms around and it seemed to be acceptable to consume the corpses of the same animals we would watch grazing in the fields . Even in death , there was a gratitude to these creatures for their flesh that we had been conditioned to consume . There was a consciousness of the suffering endured when an animal would die and people took steps to ensure that the creatures died as painlessly as possible. I now know that this is not the way in which over 95% of the animals we consume for food are raised . But even as I came to the understanding that animals are tortured for mass consumption , I would ridicule vegetarians as extreme . I had actually been put off of the idea of forgoing flesh because of the alarmist and degrading actions of some members of animal-rights organizations like PETA . Their "Holocaust On Your Plate" series horrified me because of the images of humans being treated in a manner one would treat factory farmed animals . I was stuck in the old rural way where watching free-roaming animals provided me comfort from the horrors of my childhood . The concept of mass cruelty was a foreign concept. Even after mountains of evidence to the contrary , I still hit up the meat counter at the grocer .

I did not become vegetarian because of factory farming or even because of the relation between meat "production" and global hunger. I did so because I collect cook books and bought one by Dr. John cDougall in a thrift store and actually READ it fully . I have been in poor health since my teens and his personal story of triumph through diet weighed heavily . The good doctor may be a picture of perfect health at an age most of us would consider elderly , but he wasn't as a young person . Dr. McDougall very nearly never became a medical student - he had a massive stroke at age 18 due to eating a high-fat diet and had heart disease into his twenties . I was interested in the recipes for sure , but the health conditions treated and minimized by changing diet had a very personal interest to someone who was as arthritic as I .

I was still a skeptic so I decided to look into things further and discovered a mountain of evidence to support exactly what the doc was saying . I found numerous examples from the medical arena and discovered John Robbins , the chosen heir to the Baskin-Robbins ice cream empire who gave it all up because he kept watching his family members die from their dairy-rich d I had already removed some animal products from my diet and was noticing some physical changes , but "Diet For A New America" convinced me as to why this was happening and why our society is grotesquely unhealthy . The large pharmaceutical giants whom also produce the hormones and antibiotics given to factory-farmed animals do not want you to be healthier because it affects their bottom line . We have toddlers in diapers going into puberty and teens with coronary artery disease. I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in my teens and my brother had a heart attack at 21 . These are all facts that no amount of denial can alter.

I went for the more gradual dietary change - first red meat and poultry , then dairy , then wild meat . I had become sick of the idea of ending the lives of others for my tastebuds and gave away the residual deer held in my freezer . Fish left , and finally eggs over a span of less than 2 months . And I have been given back my life . I have gone from walking assisted by a cane to working in one of the most physically demanding occupations imaginable . The pills I had required every time I ate have been gone from my home since I got rid of the "food" that was killing me . My cholesterol level is so low that it is scientifically impossible for my arteries to clog and have lost 60 pounds of fat from my frame . I am living proof that something that we don't generally think about can be the difference between life and death . And I am not alone . There is a diet that can put Lupus and cancer into remission , lengthen the lifespans of those with diabetes , hepatitis , asthma , HIV and Multiple Sclerosis to name a few , and reverse heart disease and osteoporosis . The question is whether or not you are brave enough to throw what you have been taught out the window in favour of living a truly fulfilled life. You already know that if you had to slit the throats of the cows that you call steak that you could not do it . The dead animals that you consume for a moment of joy exact their revenge by slowly and painfully killing you .

It's called karma , baby.

Sidenote : For those curious about the ad for "Earthlings" in the sidebar , I have provided the space free of charge . It's disturbing footage for most , but an interesting documentary worth checking out.

The Greatest Snack Food EVER

 This power food was intriduced to me by my maternal grandmother and it satisfies all of the typical snack elements - it's salty , crunchy , and kind of heavy - but the one thing that differs from all other munchies is that this one is GOOD FOR YOU . Don't tell your friends until after they start going insane . You've heard of Halvah and Turkish Delight , here's an age old snack from the southern end of the mediterranean .
Oh , and this is so easy a drunk roofer could do it , which is good because Garbanzos reduce the severity of hangovers.

My Grammo's Roasted Chick Pea Snack

Preheat oven to 225C (425ish Fahrenheit ) and get out a cookie sheet . I line mine with a silicone matt)

Take 1 can Garbanzo Beans (Chick Peas) , drain them and toss them in salt and Ras El Hanout (recipe to follow) or Seasoning Salt . Subsequent batches might require 5-10 cans depending on the crowd.

Spread evenly on the pan and bake for 15 minutes (until some crack open) on the MIDDLE rack , flipping half way through the process.

Turn off the oven and remove the beans 5-10 minutes later . Add more salt if you wish.

Prepare to fight with your friends over the bowl !

Nutritional mumbo-jumbo

Chick Peas are high in Tryptophan but nobody bitches like they do about turkey about the food coma . That's because it's caused by overindulgence and not Tryptophan . Don't worry your head because 1 cup of these beauties contains :

164% of your RDA Molybdenum (good for your teeth and liver , prevents cancer)

84.5% RDA Nanganese (essential trace element present in all of your cells)

70.5% RDA Folate ( neccessary for the production of all new cells , prevents neural tube defects , prevents red blood cell disorders in people of all ages , prevents heart disease , cerebrovascular disease , and cancer)

65.6% RDA Phenylalanine ( regulates neurotransmitters , norepinephrine , adrenaline and dopamine . Is a natural painkiller and mood stabilizer . People with PKU should avoid Garbanzos.)

50% RDA Dietary Fibre (prevents colon cancer , colitis , diabetes , and makes you lose weight and lowers cholesterol )

44% RDA Tryptophan (an essential amino acid that aids in protein synthesis and is the source of Serotonin . Tryptophan deficiency can cause suicidal depression.)

41.3% RDA Lysine (another essential amino acid . Builds muscle , ensymes , aids in calcium absorption , and is the building block of antibodies)

29% RDA Protein (we all know what this is)

27.6% RDA Phosphorous (Forms DNA and RNA , is a major component of all cellular membranes , hardens bones and teeth)

26.3% RDA Iron

EVERY Amino Acid including the aforementioned  , but very high levels of Cysteine (48.8% - a natural hangover remedy); Histidine (31%) ; Isoleucine (53.9% , cannot be synthesized) ; Leucine (40.7% , cannot be synthesized , builds muscle tissue and repairs your liver) ; Methionine (25.7% , cannot be synthesized but can conver itself to cysteine if need be) ; Threonine (43.6% , cannot be synthesized) ; Tyrosine (37% , regulates the same hormones and transmitters as phenylalanine as well as thyroid hormones , melanin , and pain . Is useful in treatment for cocaine withdrawal.) ; Valine (41.5% , cannot be synthesized)

All of these other essential vitamins and minerals and more : Copper (29%) ; Magnesium (19.6%) ; Zinc (16.7%) ; Potassium (13.6%) ; Thiamine (12.7% ) ; Vitamin B6 (11.5%) . Rich in Omega 6 fatty acids .

What I'm Eating Right Now

 I am having a midnight snack that most people would consider far too rich for their diets , but it's really just starch . Oh my word - Carbs! AhhhhI Everybody run!!!!!
  Seriously , everything you have been told about carbs is a LIE . Starches are the most important energy source for your body , and unless consumed in grotesque quantities , they won't make you gain weight . They also won't cause diabetes or any of the other bullshit you have been told . You could consume an extra half-cup of pure refined sugar daily and will not gain weight through de novo lipogenesis . You gain weight from FAT , which there is a bit in this dish , so if you are enjoying it at 1 A.M. and not a roofer don't go huge with the portion.

Name That Pasta

Sauce
In saucepot add 1 ounce tofu and 1 clove garlic , get the sizzle on with 1 tablespoon of margarine and add
1/2 a small courgette (zucchini)
10 snap peas , cut in half
1/2 cup chopped fresh spinach
1 teaspoon(ish) chives

Sizzle until you are content with the colour/texture and add

1 tablespoon of flour (preferably superfine) . This with the margarine is called a roux .
2 teaspoons horseradish (yes , this stuff is awesome )
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup almond or soy milk
salt and pepper
Reduce for 2-4 minutes and Mix the goo with  al dente pasta
If the semolina in the pasta doesn't bind the sauce , use a tablespoon of superfine (blending or gravy) flour.

Serve and prepare for a food coma

When Kosher Isn't

This article was originally written a year ago and was edited back in May . It must have hit a nerve because it was published in entirety without my permission on at least 2 other websites . It is relevant today because Rubashkin's kosher is now back up and running under the Aaron's Best , Shor Habor and Beit Yosef branding. The ironic nature of caring about animal welfare while dealing dope is not lost on me . Anyways , here she flies :

 was writing this blog and accidentally deleted it . Hopefully this is close to as eloquent . Either way , you will get the point....

Millions of people purchase kosher-certified meat "products" for a multitude of reasons , the most common having to do with perceptions of animal welfare , cleanliness , or approval from a "higher authority" . Animals are supposed to be treated with compassion and respect and killed quickly and relatively painlessly in accordance with over 5000 years of traditions .
I grew up in a rural area (or rather various areas) with content , cared for , free-roaming cows and chickens that met their ends quickly and without suffering . Roosters and bulls strutted with pride and mother animals tended to their young. All was well in my Rockwellian version of the agricultural world. So , obviously , when I moved to Toronto at 17 , I had no idea of the existence of the factory farms that most animal flesh comes from . I'm not sure whether it was becoming more religiously observant or more aware of animal sufferings , or possibly just simply an allergy to pork , but I began to purchase more kosher meats . After all , in the big city , they were widely available , and in my mind , they were better for the animals and for me , and of course , I felt better for it. So when I moved to a small town for work and found Aaron's kosher products in the meat case , I was a pretty happy camper and bought them whenever the "need" arose . (it was several years until I decided to forgo meat altogether) I was impressed by the company's ideas of bringing cleanliness , animal welfare standards , and of course , kashrut , to everyday homes in crappy little hick towns all over North America . After all , a nice old Chassidic butcher like Mr. Rubashkin would never LIE to us........
......... or would he?

Rumblings about Mr Rubashkin's business dealings and shoddy enviornmental record started surfacing around 5 years ago. After hearing complaits about the dumping of untreated effluent waste into the water system of a small town in Iowa , an investigation occurred where the firm owned by Aaron Rubashkin , now named Agriprocessors admitted polluting waterways and paid a substantial fine . There were rumblings about animal abuse and intimidation of employees and rivals . So , PETA and Animal Liberation Israel decided to see if they could catch Agri in the act , so to speak . What they found were animals faving their esophagii and trachii ripped out while still alive and animals walking around several minutes after they should have died. In addition , animals had their throats cut in a saw-like fashion , causing the cattle pain and thus rendering the animal as not kosher . The OU (Orthodox Union) decided to stand by their men and declare the meat processed at the Postville plant to be kosher despite all evidence to the contrary , including the fact that KAJ removed it's certification . It also should be noted that Star-K certification proclaimed Agri's products non-kosher according to current conditions . In fact , the methods of slaughter including the ripping out of the throat and the pens Agri uses are actually ILLEGAL in Israel . To label such meat kosher is a FRAUD perpetrated on your own people and he should be ashamed!!!! And I'm not the only one who thinks so , in fact , you can find more than a few Rabbis' names on this petition ,including David Mivasair of Ahavat Olam in Vancouver .
Unfortunately , the abuses don't stop with the animals . The long-standing abuses of employees and others are too many to ignore. In fact , the Federal government finally decided to arrest Aaron and Sholom Rubashkin , among others , for thousands of crimes ranging from the bizarre to the abhorrent.The initial search warrant mentioned the operation of - get this- a methamphetamine lab in the Postville facility , something alluded to by Natalie Portman at the Oscars when she told Ben Stiller that he looked like he worked in a "Chassidic meth lab". I could get into detail about every charge and allegation , but you can read ... here they are...

- 9311 criminal counts of violations of the child labour act
- hundreds of thousands of violations of the Humane Slaughter act
- recruiting hundreds of illegal immigrants
- underpaying , and sometimes not paying employees (in fact , 70 Rabbis walked out of the plant to protest this)
- requiring employees to pay for safety equipment out of paycheques
- failing to report injuries
- firing employees at a Brooklyn facility for complaining about conditions
- attempting to quash a union mandate by force
- bribing USDA inspectors
- failing to pay overtime
- anti-competitive practices including physical intimidation and sabotaging competitors
- manipulation of the kosher certification system
- physical and sexual assault of employees by supervisors
- identity theft to facilitate hiring illegals
- green card fraud
- bank fraud
- permitting operation of a methamphetamine lab
- turning a blind eye to drug and weapons trafficking inside the Iowa plant
......and the list goes on...........

So why am I bringing this up now? Well , because the Rubashkins are out of jail and Agriprocessors has embarked on a shiny new PR campaign in the hopes of convincing you , the consumer , that their products meet the standards of the "higher authority" . And , of course , they need some new employees , now that their illegals have been deported , their honchos arrested or fired , and their decent folks have quit. Don't buy the lie! Don't buy their cruel products , don't work for them , don't stock Rubashkin's products on your shelves and be sure to tell your customers why - because even good people can become greedy and sometimes OU-certified really isn't kosher . It obviously meant nothing to Aaron Rubashkin.

-------------------------
If you "must" get your meat fix , or you need that steak or whatever for your visiting uncle Yitzhak , you can try these producers or a Whole foods location
Golden West Glatt Cattle Company (Denver , CO) - OU
Wise Organic (Winfield , PA) - OU , QAI , Beth Din Tzedek/CH
Marvid (Montreal , PQ) - CRC , Montral Vaad Hair , OU, Nirbitor Rav
Empire Kosher meats have KAJ certification as of late , so that's your call

No Clams In This Chowder

  Most people think that creamy soups have to be high in fat and nasty-ass dairy . This comfort soup really is guilt free and has become something of a staple starter in my house . Sometimes I puree it , sometimes I leave everything as it is . I personally like the lumps.

1 tablespoon Canola or Olive Oil heated to medium in a big ass pot

2 large russet potatoes , chopped into 1 inch cubes . I leave the peels on and don't go to haywire with the washing. The last excuse of meat-eaters is B12 , which is in dirt . It used to be in beef because they graze , and is in less amounts due to the concrete jungle feedlots.

1/2 an onion diced .

Lightly caramelize these and add 2-4 cloves of minced up garlic , 1 tablespoon of horseradish (!) , and a little salt and pepper to the brew , along with about a cup of water or white wine.

Continue at a medium heat , adding water a cup at a time as the spuds break down . Don't worry if they stick a bit , the water will release all of the goodness into the brew. It is about this time that you should saute about a cup of mushrooms in a pan as well as the kernels from a cob of corn . Shave the milky corn remains into the soup pot.

If you are a protein junkie , you can dice and saute 1/2 cup or so of tofu . If you want to hide it , blend it in with the soup. Today's soup has the tofu sauteed with some Maggi and a bit of soy. If you do so , saute separately from the mushrooms that should already be in the pot along with 3-4 cups of water and a tablespoon of fresh or frozen chives.
Add the glistening tofu to the pot . Kinda looks like clams , doesn't it?

Keep the brew rolling until the flavours meld , about 20 minutes .

Add salt and pepper to taste and prepare to go insane.

Welcome

 

 After a bunch of requests from readers on my other blog , I am setting this up for those of you who dig my recipes , nostalgic stories , and health knowledge . This is going to be fun ! Most of the recipes are vegan like me  and while I encourage you to drop animal products at least once a week , they are a starting point. Here's to good food and laughs - truly the best forms of medicine.

Thanks