Matcha, its magically delicious

Over the 4th of July holiday vacation my younger sister, Katie, came home for the weekend. She moved to Maryland to pursue her Master's degree two years ago. While down there she and her boyfriend are renting their own apartment, a first for both of them. Being on her own, Katie has discovered a similar passion for cooking just like her big sis! She often shares many new products and recipes with me that she tries.

This past week she left me a little treat in my lunch box, green tea cookies with white chocolate chips. I devoured them. I'm a huge fan of green tea, I drink it daily, but had no idea it came in a cooking form. Cue in Katie, she found Matcha powder online, which is finally ground powder of processed green tea and baked those cookies with it.

Amazed by her fabulous find I knew I had to get my hands on some.  I first did a little research. Being sensitive to caffeine I was immediately worried about the reaction I might have. I was surprised to find that it is extremely high in antioxidants and only has 1/3 the caffeine content of a cup of coffee. It also claims to have many health benefits due to the high antioxidants. All thumbs up for me. In order to get my hands on some soon, we made a trip to our local Fairway Market which is more of a specialty store. Sure enough they had a large selection of imported teas with a very big bag of Matcha powder. We had them measure out just about an ounce since it runs almost $59 a pound. 

This product can be used in smoothies, which of course I tried, and of course it was delicious (tasted just like Starbucks Green Tea Frappe), as well as baked goods like cookies and breads, or just as a quick pick me up dissolved in some hot or cold water. Check out some recipes here.

It is treats like this that make me truly proud to be a part of a family that loves to cook just as much as I do. Thanks to my sister Katie, I now have discovered a wonderful new product to experiment with and enjoy! 

Spiralizer Wikipedia followup

A few weeks ago I wrote a post titled a spiralizers many uses where I discussed how fabulous the spiralizer kitchen tool was and referenced Wikipedia's entry on the product. To my surprise the entry was extremely short and hardly spoke about the vegetables you could use with the product. In fact, the "Usage" section referenced household products that most people use who also use a spiralizer. I decided to alter the Wikipedia entry to include the actual foods you can use with a spiralizer and how they can be used, for instance, zucchini can be used to make noodles with sauce, and carrots can be used as an edible garnish. I also completely removed the mention of blenders or processors since they didn't pertain to a spiralizer. 

I was so proud, this had been my first time contributing to Wikipedia after many years of using their site. I shared my change with past classmates and my husband. Within seconds they dropped the ball on me that my entry was deleted. I was shocked, and even more shocked to find that a "bot", which is a computerized program made to spot vandalism, deleted my post. Convinced I had made a mistake I went back into the system, double checked everything and reposted with some additional technical information. This time, within minutes a human contributor removed almost all of my post stating I did not reference a section, which I clearly did, so I was forced to react. I then took back their edits and re-entered mine for try #3. Third times a charm, right? Not quite, the human editor then informed me that my multiple references add nothing of significance and therefore edited my post yet again. Needless to say I was pretty heated at this point. 

Here is the current extremely abridged version of what I contributed to:

Spiralizers are often used to produce vegan or vegetarian meals or to transform high calorie meals into healthier options. Recipes containing spiraled ingredients are available on health blogs, (particularly vegan, vegetarian and paleo) and on social media sites.

After my several losses I took a few minutes and chilled out. After reading what was left to my entry I realized that part of my attempt to change the Wikipedia entry was a success. I did get the irrelevant section of other household items removed from the entry and the two sentences remaining were my own. Although I still stand by my additional information that was deleted, I realize that Wikipedia is not the place to argue over a few vegetables. Blogging is a great place to share plenty of information about a product and thus came several posts discussing different vegetable uses. I will still continue to use Wikipedia for quick knowledge of unknown subjects but I'm not sure if I will be contributing to it in the near future. 

Vegetables, the new junk food

When trying to eat healthy, vegetables are the first items that come to mind. In a previous post titled "Making veggies fun", I showed you how you can transform every day boring vegetables into a fun treat for your family. I'd like to share a few more tips in this post as to how you can transform vegetables into everyone's favorite junk food... chips! 

Now I know that everyone is used to eating potatoes, which is a vegetable, and makes a great chip, but they are also very dense and full of carbs and calories. Today I'm going to share how you can create delicious, crunchy chips with zucchini, kale, and Brussels sprouts (also mentioned in "Making veggies fun" post). These chip versions are much lower in calorie, contain more vitamins, and they bake very well saving you on the extra calories when frying typical potato chips.

Zucchini Chips

Zucchini is one of my favorite vegetables to begin with. It is very easy to cook with and usually very inexpensive. Zucchini is not something I usually see featured on a menu unless it's deep fried into what is called zucchini sticks. It wasn't until I visited my now favorite restaurant Blu Fig (check out my review) that I found zucchini chips listed as an appetizer. Served with Greek tzatziki sauce, this crispy, crunchy, cool delight is a must have. Now the ones served at Blu Fig do have a light breading before they are baked but they can always be sliced and baked just on their own. The trick is to slice them very thin and then just apply a light drizzle of olive oil and sprinkle with salt. I normally cook at a higher temp for a quicker time, anywhere around 450 for about 30 minutes. Keep an eye on them, when they brown they're done. For extra flavor you can throw on a little garlic powder or Parmesan cheese. 

Kale Chips

These don't look like you're traditional chips but when you take a bit out of one you will instantly feel like you're cheating on your diet. Kale chips begin by removing the stalk from

kale leaves, tearing off bite size pieces, and then washing and carefully drying the kale. I use a salad spinner for best results. You don't want any liquid to make these soggy. If you're lazy, you can buy a bag already prepped and ready to go at the food store. Once prepped layer them on a baking sheet and lightly drizzle a touch of olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and cracked black pepper, or any seasoning of your liking. This time I bake at a lower setting, around 350 for 20-30 minutes, rotation my pan. You don't want black leaves, just a touch of brown. 

Brussels Sprout Chips

If you read my previous post mentioned above, you'll know by now that Brussels sprouts are way cooler then you probably thought.

They are great when some of their outer leaves fall off and crisp up, but this time you're going to cut the bottom off and remove all of the layers to form little round chips. Once you have a nice pile, layer on a baking sheet and drizzle on olive oil, balsamic, sea salt and pepper. Mix with your hands, then bake at 375 for around 10-15 minutes. Some of the bigger chips will take longer to cook so make sure you rotate all of them with a spatula so they don't burn. You can take out the ones that brown first. In just a few cooling seconds you will have little crispy chips that aren't a thing like you're typical Brussels sprouts. 

All of these recipes can be altered to your taste. I like to add the salt for flavor but you can eat these plain. You can add in any additional seasons you'd like to really spice these up. These healthy snacks will become a regular in your household for kids and adults to enjoy!  

Jersey Mike's, so close, yet so far

If my post doesn't make you run to this sub job, you're crazy! I must warn you, it isn't all that easy to find. Jersey Mike's has won my heart over as the best chain sub in the world. If you haven't had it, you're going to! 

I first stumbled upon Jersey Mike's while visiting Chicago (see previous post here). My husband and I arrived to our hotel much earlier than expected, and due to the one hour time difference, our bodies were on lunch time when it was really just past breakfast. Since we had already eaten our first meal we were looking for a quick snack that would hold us over until our official lunch. Down the road from the hotel I spotted Jersey Mike's and noted how weird it was to see "Jersey" in Chicago. We decided to check it out. We ended up visiting there three times on our six day trip. Crazy I know, but it's a damn good sandwich. Since then I have been on the hunt to find my beloved sub. To my knowledge there are only three that are in NY; there is a shop in Mt Kisko, and two buried in Manhattan. If you're a Jersey native then you're in luck, there are 47 locations, but that means I'd have to cross state border just to get this meaty delight. Is it worth it? I think so! 

When you arrive at Jersey Mike's you will see the sub selections are numbered and listed on a big overhead menu. There is every sub you can think of, hot and cold. Jersey Mike's claim to fame is that their subs are made just as they were originally made out on the Jersey Shore. They take pride in their fresh cold cuts and their mountain of toppings, traditionally known as "Mike's Way." This includes onions, lettuce, tomatoes, vinegar, oil and spices. To note, all the meat and produce are hand sliced, in store, to ensure ultimate freshness.

In our typical style we normally opt for what they call a #13, The Original Italian. This meaty sub is filled with provolone, ham, prosciuttini, cappacuolo, salami and pepperoni. Of course we get our sub "Mike's Way" and this is where the flavor explodes!

I dare you to not watch this video. Here you will see just how the sub perfection is built. When it comes to the oil and vinegar, my heart beats a little faster. 

Along with "Mike's Way" we get a little mayo for extra juiciness and an order of pickles on the side. Jersey Mike's will do just about any combination you want so don't be afraid to add or omit an item. Make sure to grab some extra napkins because it's going to get messy but you won't want to leave a bite behind. 

Good Eats in Lake George, NY

Food is one of my favorite obsessions and Lake George, NY is my all time favorite vacation spot. When you combine these two you have a happy girl! Ever since I was a little kid, my family and I have always visited Lake George several times a year. Our trip wouldn't be the same if we didn't visit the places I've listed below. In this post, I'd like to share with you some of my favorite food finds to eat in the beautiful Adirondacks. 

• Breakfast is a pretty hard meal to mess up, so it can easily be found at many places in Lake George, but if you want the biggest and best tasting meals you have to visit The Lone Bull. This Western themed breakfast/steak house has been an all time regular for my family since I was a kid. Whenever I visit I feel a little bit older because of their menus; they are placemats stamped with the years they have been in service. I can recall when the numbers were much smaller, showing how long I've been visiting. At The Lone Bull you order your breakfast by the number on the menu, cream and syrup are served in bull shaped containers, and they never let you go home hungry. Almost every breakfast item is under $11 which is the perfect price for breakfast. I promise you will leave with a smile and a full belly!

• If you're looking for a steak house then you are in luck. Just a few miles down from the center of town is an outstanding restaurant called The Log Jam. The name really sums it up but for a picture perfect description the Log Jam site says:
  

"Whether you’re visiting the Lake George – Saratoga region, or you live here year round, The Log Jam Restaurant takes pride both in the beauty of the Adirondacks and in providing you with superb food and accommodating hospitality in an authentic log cabin. If it weren’t for the aromas of sizzling steaks, you just might think you walked into an Adirondack logging camp of 100 years ago. A pot-belly stove warmly greets you at the front door, wood plank floors stretch beneath your feet, pine logs cut from the mountains above Lake George surround you, and three massive stone fireplaces provide the perfect romantic setting".

Of course you don't have to get a steak here, but you'd be sorry if you didn't. There are many other entrees that include fish, chicken, and pork. Each meal includes their outstanding salad and bread bar; you could make a meal out of that alone!  Whenever we decided to go to The Log Jam we starve ourselves all day, making room for all the delightful foods to come at dinner.

• If Italian is more to your liking then Mario's is the place to be!
  
  Located just a few blocks up from the main strip, Mario's is your traditional family owned Italian restaurant. Both the outside and inside of this restaurant screams Italy. They have been family owned and operated for over 60 years and the flavors of their dishes are authentic family recipes. You are greeted at the table with fresh hot bread, garlic and oil dipping sauce is optional but a must! Most meals come with house salad or soup. My husband almost always get the Pasta Fagioli. The meals come out good and hot with lots of Parmesan cheese on the side. Usually, there is so much pasta that we always have leftovers (even though we try to stuff it all in us.) The prices are reasonable, the staff is friendly, and the food is great. What more can you ask for?
  

• I always want dessert when I'm on vacation and dessert can come any time of the day when you're on vacation, right? If you've got a sweet tooth like me then you will surly love visiting A&W's ice cream shack. This little ice cream building is located on the right just as you pull into the Village of Lake George.
  
  
  You can't miss the smiling orange bear welcoming you in. This is the perfect stop for a cold treat. Soft serve and hard scooped ice cream is served here in all the flavors you can think of. They also make milk shakes, sundaes and root beer floats. Along with the cold treats you can find some traditional road stop snacks like fries, burgers and dogs. A&W is fun for the whole family, it makes everyone feel like a kid at heart! 

I truly hope you and your family get to visit Lake George and eat at some of these great finds my family and I have eaten at for many years. I know you will love everything each place has to offer!