It was Sunday afternoon and I had not planned ahead for something to cook for dinner.  I really wanted Chicken Curry but I really didn't' have all the ingredients I needed for my favorite recipe.  I hauled out a copy of my Six Spices, A Simple Concept Of Indian Cooking and foraged for a replacement recipe (page 99).  I found one that worked for me but I knew I'd probably still have to do some substitutions. 

Are You Substituting Or Making A New Recipe?

 

 

We receive many questions regarding recipe ingredient substitutions.  Many times I ask myself "why don't they just find another recipe if they don't have the proper ingredients?". Or, better yet, go to the store!  I mean, if you are looking at a recipe for Cilantro Pesto but you hate cilantro and you hate pine nuts and wouldn't even consider eating Parmesan, WHY would you ...

As we continue the slide down the slippery slope of our goverment controlling our lives.. it looks like your favorite soda is the next on the chopping block.  First let me say I'm not a big fan of soft drinks and in fact there would'nt be an industry if they were counting on me for their revenue but this really is not about soft drinks, it's about power-mongering polititians. 

Gavin Newsom, Mayor of San Francisco said yesterday ""It makes sense for the government to help people to make the right choices, and it makes sense to use dollars from charges on sweetened beverages on health programs," (Read More From SFGate: ) That sounds more like "clearly citizens are too stupid to make their own life choices".

Like so many things in life my weight is directly related to "balance".   If I work too much that means I'm sitting too much.  If I sit too much I'm not exercising.  When I'm not exercising I seem to eat more and the mobius strip that is my life continues.   When I finally get to the point where I open my closet and there not a stitch of clothing that fits without binding I do "something" to kick myself into gear.

Mostly this is in the summertime when its really nice for walking.  Walking is my activity of choice.  I used to run but I'm just not a "runner" person.   I do have treadmill for those winter months when going outside is just not as fun.  Once I start exercising again (which means I'm working a bit less) then my desire to eat well improves.   In reality i typically eat ...

Some Sleuth-Ramblings On The Topic Of Prepared Fresh Vegetables...
It would be tough to dispute that most of us would benefit from eating more fresh fruits and vegetables.  To this end there are many produce companies marketing pre-trimmed-cleaned and ready to plop on the table products.  But; are they good for you?

On the Upside
Perhaps a scantily washed fresh vegetable is better than none?  I think in many cases, yes.  While some might poo-poo how much time it takes to trim up a bunch of fresh carrots, there are many of us that say, 10 minutes here, 10 minutes there and now you're talking about spare time for a real life. 

Another perhaps flimsy" plus is the pre-measured package makes for easier portion evaluation and control.  Many of us appreciate pre-packaged measurements that help us to easily provide proper serving sizes.

And Now For The Bad
We've seen a significant increase ...

I love to cook when I camp or take a condo-cation.  I think the most fun is finding local and if possible indigenous ingredients and finding or creating recipes that use them.   I find breakfast the most uninspiring meal of my usual 3 (yeah, I know, most important meal of the day... ) so I usual prep that myself and the money I save goes towards a meal I care about.  I'm more prone to having a simple lunch out if I'm "out and about" and I make the main meal myself.  When I have dinner out I want it to be FANTASTIC, so I save up so I can try the best I can find.

Farmer's Markets - Where To Get Grub
Small local markets and farmer's markets are available throughout most of the U.S.  Localharvest.org has a great tool for finding markets in your area.  I can find fresh, ...