Toasty Buns=Tasty Brunch

Brioche is delicious, let's start there. I have a hard time imagining anything made from eggs and butter wouldn't be tasty, for obvious reasons. Some of the best French toasts I've ever had were made with brioche. But brioche is also hard to come by, unless you happen to live down the street from a boulangerie. So, I make my French toast with the poor-man's brioche––slider buns.

I know, you're thinking how intrepid that is and I'm blushing just thinking about all the compliments your internal monologue is surely bestowing upon me. Thank you! But speaking seriously, the only thing that goes better with tiny buns than sliders is surely french toast slathered with fresh fruit compote. Plus, slider buns are about 100 calories each, so split it half... Well, screw the math: Let's make brunch!

Brioche-style French Toast with Compote
--3 slider buns, tops and bottoms separated so you have 6 pieces of toast
--2 eggs
--1/4 tsp cinnamon
--1 tsp butter
--1 ripe pear, cored and chopped into chunks
--1 cup blackberries
--1 TBSP honey
--1 tsp maple syrup*

[*Please note, Aunt Jemima, not maple syrup. Maple syrup is delicious and comes from trees (yum, trees). If it doesn't say "Maple Syrup" on the label then it's made out of corn syrup. Corn syrup, while also delicious, is not the same as maple syrup. Okay, tirade over.]

Crack the eggs into a bowl and use a fork to whisk them into an egg wash (but not an over-beaten egg mess). Add the cinnamon to the eggs and stir one more time to spread the spice out a bit. Dredge each bun piece in the egg mix, soaking for about one minute total per bun piece.

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the buns and cook until each side is golden brown.

While the toast cooks, add the pears and blackberries to a smaller skillet. Heat on medium-low heat. You do not need to add any oil to the pan as the juice from the fruits will both lubricate the pan and slowly carmelize. Add the honey and maple syrup and stir to combine. Stir the fruit regularly so that it begins to soften and is warmed throughout.

Serve the toast topped with the compote and enjoy! The compote creates a lovely syrup, don't you think?

Dammit Jim, I'm a cook, not a doctor...
Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 2
Calories: 378 per serving

This Casserole Is All Growed Up, Just Like You

Broccoli cheese casserole is one of those truly brilliant comfort foods; mostly because its covered in cheese. I think for most of us it was a sneaky yet tasty way for our parents to try and get us to eat broccoli as kids. Unfortunately, most recipes for the dish aren't very healthy.

Think of this recipe as the broccoli cheese casserole for grown ups. There's still cheese. (I wouldn't do that to you, take away your beloved cheese. That would be cruel.) I've added cauliflower for extra fiber and tons of Vitamin C. Both cauliflower and broccoli are cruciferous (and you know how I feel about cruciferous veggies what with their awesome antioxidants and cancer-fighting skills). The addition of curry adds another layer of flavor to do a little Bhangra dance in your mouth.

And, as if you needed another reason, boys really seem to like eating this casserole. At least every boy I've ever fed it to...

Curried Cauliflower and Broccoli Cheese Casserole
--1 small head of cauliflower, chopped into florets
--curry powder
--paprika
--black pepper
--olive oil (you will need 2 TBSP total, but exact measurements for each step of the process are below)
--1 cup Jasmine rice
--pinch of salt
--garlic, minced
--small onion, chopped fine
--1 small head of broccoli, chopped into florets
--1 cup + 1/2 cup vegetable (to keep vegetarian) or chicken broth (to add even more delicious flavor)
--4 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, cubed
--4 oz. mild or medium cheddar cheese, cubed
--1 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
--1 oz. mild or medium cheddar cheese, shredded

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the cauliflower florets in a food storage bag or Tupperware with lid. Add 1 TBSP of olive oil and the curry powder, paprika, and black pepper (generous shakes of the spices or about 1 TSP each to coat the cauliflower pieces). Shake it up until the cauliflower is evenly coated with the spice mixture. Place in an oven proof dish and roast in the oven while the rice cooks (about 20 minutes or so).

Cook the Jasmine rice according to package directions, adding 1/2 TBSP olive oil and a pinch of salt.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the remaining 1/2 TBSP olive oil and swirl to coat the pan. Sauté the onions and garlic for several minutes, stirring often. Add the broccoli florets and sauté for several more minutes, again stirring regularly.

Remove the cauliflower from the oven and add it to the skillet. Stir to combine with the other veggies. Add the cooked rice to the pan and stir in with 1 cup of chicken broth and the cubed cheeses. Remove from heat. The cheeses will begin to melt into the mixture.

Transfer into a large baking dish and add the remaining 1/2 cup of broth to the dish. Sprinkle with the grated cheese and bake the casserole for a half hour. It will be so damn tasty.

Dammit Jim, I'm a cook, not a doctor...
Time: 70 minutes (and worth every second)
Serves: 6
Calories: 381 per serving

Leah's Kidnapping -or- A Southern Vegan Treat

Dear readers, it is my painful duty to inform you that the recent silence from your beloved Bad Habits is because our dear Leah has been kidnapped. It seems her fears of the Vegan Police weren't just paranoia or a plea for attention. As I type, she is being forced to eat tempeh bacon while in the company of rescued pigs.

So, in an effort to appease the police and pass on their super powers, here is an easy and delicious southern-inspired vegan meal in two parts!

Red Beans and Rice Burgers
Red beans and rice are good, sure, but it's a scientific fact that everything is better in burger form.

What you need:

• 1 can kidney beans
• 1 cup cooked rice (I use brown short grain)
• 1/4 onion
• 2 celery stalks
• 1 red bell pepper
• 2 teaspoons Cajun spice mix
• 1/2 tsp liquid smoke (optional, but highly recommended)
• 1 tbs + 1 tsp Arrowroot or Corn Starch
• Earth Balance or oil for frying

What you do:

Sautee veggies in Earth Balance or oil until they start to brown. Add spices, sautee another minute and set aside to cool. Don't clean the pan!

Mush beans (they don't need to be smooth) and then stir in all the other ingredients.

Form into patties--I used a 1/3 measuring cup to keep the size uniform and made 7 patties.

Cook the patties in the leftover veggie juice a few minutes until brown.

**Tip: If you soak your rice for at least an hour before cooking (I do overnight) it will cook faster and be more moist. Cook it in fresh water, though. If you're lazy, as I often am, this can be skipped, obviously.

**A good thing about this particular burger recipe: You can change the beans and spices to make it however else you want it--such as chickpeas and curry with peas and carrots instead of celery and bell pepper.

Betsy's Deluxe Corn Bread

A while back, my mom let me borrow a cookbook full of our neighbors' favorite recipes. This is a variation of one, and it's probably the easiest thing ever. I like it for its simplicity, but feel to add something more exciting to it (my mom always used bell peppers and jalapenos).

What you need:

• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 cup sour cream (I used Tofutti Sour Supreme)
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 cup corn
• 1 cup corn meal
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 tsp baking powder

What you do:

Mix everything in a bowl until well combined.

Pour into 8" square baking dish and bake at 375 for 45 minutes or until just browned.

(No, really, it's just that easy)

Now that you have your burger and cornbread, serve it up with a side of slaw and collards and a big glass of sweet tea!

In case you're curious, my slaw is a bag of red cabbage, 4 carrots, a dash of ume vinegar, a spoonful of Vegenaise and some pepper. I steam my greens in a little olive oil and add a splash of soy sauce and vinegar when they're almost done.

Pâtisserie, Mais Oui!

I have told you previously about my love of pie crusts. It's kind of like eating fried food--it's always good, no matter what it is. Think about it. Fried pickles, yes. Fried oysters, yes. Fried chicken, hell yes. Now, try it with pie crust. Irish boxty, yum. Pie of pretty much any flavor under the sun, yum. Chicken pot pie, yum yum.

Pâtisserie is just a fancy French way of saying pastry, and so much fun to say! Say it with me, "Pâtisserie..." Yeah, it even sounds delicious. Unlike their fruit-filled sugar-glazed counterparts, these pâtisseries are savory and work well as an hors d'oeuvre or as part of a tasty meal.

Red Pepper Rosemary Pâtisseries
--4-5 small sweet peppers (I used the small sweet bell peppers Costco sells)
--1 refrigerated pie crust dough
--4 oz. brie cheese
--1 TSP + 1 TBSP unsalted butter
--1 small shallot, diced
--fresh rosemary

Take the peppers and place them directly onto the oven rack. Roast at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, turning once. Let cool before removing tops and slicing in half.

.Roll out the pie crust and cut it into 6 squares. Wrap 6 equal-sized pieces of brie in the pie crust, making packages. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees until pie crust is golden, brushing occasionally with 1 TSP melted butter.

While the pastry cooks, melt the 1 TBSP butter in a large skillet. Sauté the shallot and fresh rosemary until the shallot is softened and begins to brown. Add the sliced roasted peppers and sauté until tender.

Remove the pastries from the oven and pour the pepper mixture into the pan. Brush the pâtisseries with any remaining butter and return to the oven for 5 minutes. Serve the pâtisseries over the sweet pepper mix.

Dammit Jim, I'm a cook, not a doctor...
Time: 35 minutes
Serves: 6 Pâtisseries
Calories: 251 per Pâtisserie

Tempeh Time!

Tempeh. The word itself even sounds a little weird, I realize. But it actually tastes good, and that is what's important. And is full of protein. And easy to cook. And I needed tasty, protein-packed, simplicity after my workout. I was beat. This getting in shape business is hard.

Stir fry is an easy way to pack in a lot of veggies in a short amount of time. Cook times are relatively short (in fact the most time you spend is the prep time to chop all those veggies) but the payoff is big. If you're tired of chicken or pork or tofu, tempeh does provide you with a different flavor and texture and works well in stir fry. Don't be scared, tempeh won't hurt you. And especially after kicking your own ass at the gym, you need lean proteins and veggies to feed those battered and bruised muscles!

Tempeh Stir Fry
--TBSP seasame oil
--2 TBSP canola oil, divided
--2 TBSP soy sauce, divided (I use the low sodium kind)
--8 oz. package of tempeh (found in the refrigerated section with the tofu), sliced into strips
--small onion, diced
--large shallot, diced
--ginger, minced
--garlic, minced
--medium jalapeno, sliced in rounds
--medium red bell pepper, seeds removed and sliced into strips
--small yellow squash, sliced into strips
--small zucchini, sliced into strips
--medium carrot, peeled and sliced into strips
--small package button mushrooms, sliced
--1 bunch red chard, stems removed and cut or ripped into business card sized pieces
--1 pear, core removed and sliced into thin slices

Heat the sesame oil, 1 TBSP canola and 1 TBSP of the soy sauce in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté the tempeh strips until browned on all sides. Remove from heat and set aside.

Add remaining TBSP of canola oil to the skillet. Sauté the onion, shallot, garlic, and ginger for a few minutes until fragrant and tender. Add the jalapeno, bell pepper, squash, zucchini, and carrot pieces and sauté for several minutes, stirring regularly. When the veggies begin to soften add the mushroom pieces, again stirring regularly.

Add the remaining TBSP soy sauce and stir to combine into the veggies. Add the tempeh back into the mix and also add the chard pieces at this time. Mix it all up and sauté for a few minutes to allow the tempeh to get warmed up and the chard to begin to wilt. Remove the stir fry from the heat and stir in the pear slices. The cold, crisp pear will provide a nice flavor and texture contrast to the warm, tender veggies!

Serve! This is not a meal that re-heats well so adjust ingredient quantities as needed to avoid leftovers.

Dammit Jim, I'm a cook, not a doctor...
Time: 35 minutes (most of it prep time)
Serves: 4 bowls
Calories: 300 per bowl

The 3 C's of Stew: Coconut, Chickpea, Curry

Hey look! Again I'm trying to use the Flip-Cam; again I've failed to post a video, but instead I have stills from the botched shoot for you. You still win. You are a winner! You are full of as much winning as Charlie Sheen! (Is that joke old yet? The answer--yes. Am I deleting it? The answer--no.) Bonus prize? This recipe is not only vegetarian, it's vegan too. So the weekday vegetarian and animal-free among you can rejoice and we can all nom-nom together.

I've been a very busy girl--working, eating out, working out, rinse, repeat. I notice that my default go-to style of meal is the soup/stew. Why? Because throwing a bunch of things in a pot is fast, easy, super-forgiving, and almost always awesome (there are rare bad batches but everyone has a bad day now and again). Because my go-to on the go dish is a soup/stew, I steal ideas and grab inspiration from all over the place and all over the world. Today's dish combines Asian favorites coconut milk and curry powder with Middle East treats chickpeas, Oceana's sweet potatoes, and broccoli of the Roman Empire.

Curried Chick Pea Coconut Stew
--1 TBSP olive oil
--garlic, minced
--1 small onion, diced
--1 tablespoon yellow curry powder
--cinnamon and cumin
--1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced
--1 yellow bell pepper, de-seeded and diced
--1 small head of broccoli, chopped into florets
--1 14oz. can coconut milk
--1 14oz. can diced tomatoes
--2-3 cups vegetable broth (depending on whether you want more of a soup or a stew consistency)
--1 15oz. can chick peas, rinsed and drained
--1 lime

--salt and pepper to taste

Heat a Dutch oven or stock pot over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion and sauté over medium heat for two-ish minutes. Add the curry powder and a dash each of cumin and cinnamon. Stir to combine, letting the seasoning mix into the oil, onion, and garlic--this will deliver flavor throughout the dish in these tiny little spice hosts.

Add the sweet potato pieces and sauté for a few minutes before adding the bell pepper. Stir to combine and sauté for several minutes, allowing the vegetables to become tender. Add the broccoli, again, stirring regularly and only allowing the broccoli to slightly sear.

Mix in the coconut milk, then the tomatoes, and finally the vegetable broth. Bring the mixture to a boil before adding the chickpeas. Cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Allow to simmer for 15 minutes, stirring twice before serving. Season each portion with a dash of salt and a few cranks of fresh black pepper. Take the lime and squeeze juice into each portion. Serve!

Dammit Jim, I'm a cook, not a doctor...
Time: 45 minutes
Serves: 6

Calories: 399 per serving

How Does Your Garden Grow?

I'm thinking of starting a garden. Now that I'm out of my little townhouse (which only had a small porch and an HOA-manicured front walkway) and into a big girl house with a yard, I feel like it's time to dig in some dirt. But what to plant?

Photo courtesy of Flickr user wwworks

With a garden I feel like one should plant foods that will be eaten (duh) but also as a newbie I want things that are easy to grow and without too long of a growing cycle. So potatoes, you're out. I just don't have the patience to wait 100+ days before eating you. I see tomatoes everywhere in Colorado gardens, so that seems like a logical choice. But I don't want an entire garden of tomatoes (too boring!). Zucchini grows like a weed so maybe only one of you, zucchini. I can only eat so much! Mmm, I like leeks. And peppers. Those are things that will grow where I live. What else what else what else?

Herbs! Oh herbs, why haven't I planted you before in tiny pots or a window box? How foolish I have been! I could have had my own fresh basil, thyme, mint, all winter long. Damn the man. Okay herbs, this year you will be planted outside in pots that can come inside for wintertime. That settles it.

Photo courtesy of Flickr user liza31337

And then? I'll turn to The Grow Haus for tips and tricks on what to plant, when to start, and how to grow a garden in Colorado. The Grow Haus is a very cool non-profit urban farm that provides educational programming, indoor gardening, and a fresh produce market. Located two miles from our house, The Grow Haus is in an eclectic (though somewhat impoverished) neighborhood located North of downtown Denver. Surrounded by factories, warehouses, and yes, single family homes, this organization works to teach the residents about growing their own food. This seems like just the place for me to do my research!

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

I'm signed up for a workshop on March 5th where I'll learn what to plant (and when) and what can be started indoors, as well as opportunities to talk to other urban gardeners and buy seeds. Woot! If you're in Denver too and you're interested, click on the picture below to be whisked away to the event page. This adventure is obviously to be continued...

Have a gardening tip or idea for me? Post it in the comments below or email me: baconandotherbadhabits[at]gmail[dot]com

Sustainability: Is Going Green Where It's At?

Sustainability. Slow food. Carbon footprints. Local food. Fair trade. These are hot topics currently in the culture at large and the buzzwords du jour of the food community. And with good reason.

People care more and more about where their food is coming from. In 2009, Merriam-Webster added the word "locavore" to their dictionaries, thus solidifying the farmer-fed movement that cuisine pioneer Alice Waters has been advocating since 1971 (when she opened the quintessential sustainable restaurant, Chez Panisse).

If you ask a kid where their food comes from many may say "the store." But ask "Where does the store get it from?" and the same child will likely look back at you quizzically. Celebrity chefs like Waters and Jamie Oliver hope to change this by teaming up with schools to promote teaching kids about food sources. Waters' foundation helps a California middle school's students to farm and cook the food they grow. Oliver's Food Revolution is all about changing school lunch programs to promote better nutrition as well as food education. And the White House, with First Lady Michelle Obama as their spokesperson, has launched Let's Move with the goal of raising a healthier generation of kids.

Do a Google search for "sustainable restaurants US" and you will end up with 6 million returned results. Websites like Local Harvest, Organic Highways, and Eat Well Guide allow travelers and locals alike to find restaurants by location or keyword search that assert themselves to be organic or farmer supplied and the like. It's not just so-called "hippies" who are thinking local, organic, or natural. Whole Foods Markets boasts stores in 38 U.S. states as well as the U.K. and Canada. Whole Foods also has their Local Producer Loan Program investing in small, local products and their producers.

In Denver--where I live--restaurants build culinary clout by not only sourcing food locally (and changing their menus seasonally as a result), but also in managing their own farms like Alex Seidel's Fruition. Similar places exist in metropolitan areas large and small in Virgina (Alexandria, Roanoke), Indiana (Terra Haute), Georgia (Summerville), Alabama (Birmingham), Texas (San Marcos), Missouri (Springfield), among others. Talk about a revolution--local found is in abundance!

So what will the next trend among savvy restaurateurs be? My money is on the fully sustainable restaurant. If sourcing or growing your own local food isn't enough for diners (or owners or chefs), then build restaurants out of recycled materials, use all items and generate zero waste, offset carbon footprints, the sky's the limit! I found this TED talk from London restauranteur and chef Arthur Potts Dawson, whose Acorn House and Water House restaurants feature gardens, compost, non-fossil fuels, and other green elements.

 

So is sustainable food just a trend? Will it soon be passé, like Asian-fusion or tapas, glutting the market with so much supply that demand will wane? Perhaps, but I somehow doubt it will disappear into obscurity. Because unlike other food trends there is more romance in local food. Exotic and global cuisines are enchanting, to be sure, but nothing pulls at the heartstrings of diners like the quaint idea that one is eating something in the same fashion his or her great-grandparents might have enjoyed.

Spice Up Your Life

Note to self: Self, when friends say they are sick, find out what kind of sick. End note.

Telling me "I'm sick," is like telling me "I haven't eaten in years, please help." (I will feed you. Like it's my job. Because it sort of is. At least that's what I tell myself.) So when the headmistress of The Donnybrook Writing Academy mentioned off-handedly that she was a bit under the weather, I gathered up some ingredients and went to town. You see, what I heard was, "I have a cold-flu-pneumonia-bronchitis sort of plague and would like to breathe again at some point in the near future." So I went with spice, fire, and zest. 

What she meant was, "I don't want to see food much less smell it or eat it so stay away from me Devil Woman." So I ate it instead and let her starve it out. But it's the thought that counts, right?

So, Miss Angora Holly Polo, here was the soup that your stomach would have immediately rebelled against eating. I'm glad you are feeling better now...

xoxo,

Devil Woman who accidentally tried to kill you but failed

Spicy Black Bean & Rice Sopa
--TBSP olive oil
--small white onion, diced
--garlic, minced
--cumin
--ancho chile powder
--crushed red pepper flakes
--1 bell pepper, seeds removed and julienned (sliced in thin strips)
--TBSP chopped chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
--TSP tomato paste
--1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
--2 cups chicken broth (use vegetable broth to make vegetarian)
--1 cup water
--1 dry cup rice
--1 cup spinach leaves, washed and torn

Heat large pot with a well-fitting lid over medium heat. Add the olive oil and allow to cover the bottom of the pan. Add the onion, garlic, and spices, stirring together to mix well. The spices will coat the onion pieces and embed the flavor deep within the soupy goodness. Sauté onion to translucency before adding the bell pepper and ancho chile pieces. Stir well to combine and saute for a few minutes until the peppers get tender.

Add the tomato paste, black beans, 1 cup chicken broth, and the water to the pot. Stir it all up and then bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, add the rice and cover and simmer 20 minutes to cook the rice. Add the additional cup of chicken broth and stir. The rice will continue to soak up liquid.

Add the spinach to the top of the pot but wait before stirring. The heat from the pot will start wilting the spinach and cooking it down. Give the pot a big hearty stir to combine all ingredients, then serve it!

Dammit Jim, I'm a cook, not a doctor...
Time: 40 minutes
Serves: 2
Calories: 466 per serving