Nothing Like an Epidemic...

...to bring us all together.

With all of the hype surrounding H1N1 (formerly 'swine flu'), I thought it would be a good idea to make a few notes about which foods (veggie of course) are helpful in boosting your immune system. A little searching on Google turned up the following:

-broccoli: one of my favorites. Steam this one, if you can. You won't flush out all of those antioxidants (which is in great supply) and A, C, and E vitamins

-yogurt: packed full of probiotics that help increase white blood cell count.

-garlic: this is not only used as food...it also has medicinal powers. High in antioxidants also, garlic helps your body's cells against the rigors of daily life. Plus, it tastes f*cking awesome.

-turmeric: this bright yellow spice contains something called 'curcumin' which has been proven to help immune cells resist negative stimulation from viruses and bacteria...essentially acting as an anti-inflamatory agent.

Here is a good list of things that you should add to your diet to keep your immune system in tip-top shape.

There are also a few things that you should avoid to keep your immune system in top shape...sadly they are sugar and coffe.

A few other things to remember about the preventing the transmission of H1N1:

1. Wash your hands often. Use anti-bacteria hand cleanser (waterless) also. H1N1 is spread from person to person by contact.
2. Sing the 'ABC' song you learned as a child while washing your hands, or count to at least 20 (i heard that on NPR this morning)
   
3. Avoid using other people's phones, keyboards, silverware, etc.
4. Elevator buttons and remote controls are nasty. Politely ask other people to press those buttons for you.

Symptoms can be found here.

I will try to post a new recipe tomorrow using the ingredients listed in this post and in the links.

Update: I have yet to do this, but it is on my agenda for later this week.

Spicy Curried Tofu with Green Onions, Shitake Mushrooms, and Cous Cous

It has been forever since I posted anything here, so I thought I would share a recipe I made last night. This makes about three to four servings.

-Ingredients-

1lb Extra Firm Tofu, cut in pieces ( your choice on size)
2 tablespoons of curry powder (or to taste)
2 tablespoons of crushed red pepper (or to taste)
2 tablespoons of garlic powder (or to taste)
5 to 6 fresh basil leaves
1 bunch of green onions cut into 2 to 3 inch long pieces
5 to 6 ounces of shitake mushrooms
1 can or 15oz of cooked garbanzo beans
1/4 cup of lemon juice
2 to 3 cups cooked cous cous (you can use a box of flavored cous cous if you like)
5 to 6 tablespoons of olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

-Directions-

Add 4 tablespoons of olive oil to a heavy cast iron skillet, and heat slowly to about medium heat. While oil is heating, press as much water as you can from the tofu without destroying it. Cut tofu into pieces of whatever size you like. Add the tofu and season it in the skillet with the curry, garlic powder, crushed red peeper, shredded basil leaves, salt and pepper (to taste). Cook tofu until all sides are brown, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, add the remainder of the oil to another skillet and heat to medium high. Add the mushrooms, garbanzo beans, lemon juice, and green onions. Season with salt and pepper. Stir occasionally to prevent the mushrooms from sticking to the pan. Cook until mushrooms are soft and the garbanzos are hot, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Prepare the cous cous by following the directions on the box, or make it ahead of time if you are not using the box cous cous method.

Add a scoop or two of the cous cous to the middle of a plate. Place the mushrooms, garbanzos, and green onions on top of the cous cous. Put some pieces of the fried spicy tofu around the edge of the plate.

Enjoy!

Napa Cabbage Rolls

Wow...the holiday season took its toll on my wife and I. We drove all over the countryside to visit our friends and family during this busy time of year. In all of our travels, we did little fine dining.

However, my mother did get me a fantastic cook book from the writers of Vegetarian Times. I happened to make a passing comment about this book as I was reading it while I was in Tucson back in November with Auntie Cynthia (see some of my previous posts). It is a fantastic book that not only has recipes and all 'need to know' info (cholesterol, fat, calories, etc), and it contains a great forward / several chapters about vegetarian theory.

At any rate, my wife insisted that we have cabbage today as it is the first day of the year (something about good luck, i think). So, I decided to make the first cabbage entree (second from top) that I could find in my new cookbook.

I am still learning to eat eggplant, but it is getting easier each time i make it. I think you could easily substitute some other veggies or even rice for eggplant in this recipe. I may do that next time.

WB Pizza: Indianapolis Gourmet Pizza

I used to think that pizza was all the same. You could choose Donatos, Papa John's, or if you are feeling really adventurous, Pizza Hut. Indianapolis has never been known for its pizza, but there are a few (Some Guys, Bazbeaux's) that really shine in Indianapolis. WB Pizza is one of those.

A few years ago, a friend of mine started driving for WB Pizza at 62ndth and Allisonville. "It is good", he said. "You should try it.", he said. I have always been more adventurous with food, so we did. My wife and I order WB Pizza probably more than any other pizza place. It's a little more costly than your typical pizza joint, but it is always well worth the money.

I have eaten at WB's more times than I can count, so I am coming from a very bias position. Will Barnes, the owner, has a fantastic menu that builds on traditional pizza styles yet offers a breadth of vegetarian specialties. Will offers many crust types to choose from: traditional, ultra thin, deep dish, Chicago style (sauce on top of cheese), and De Napoli. My wife and I have sampled damn near all of them (except for De Napoli), and we find them to satisfy us always.

Recently, we ordered pizza from them as part of a small holiday party. I ordered the San Diego, and it was tremendously good. The artichoke hearts were massive, and the jalapenos were hot. Even the meat eaters complimented WB for the delicious veggie pizza. Some even said they preferred it over the Calgary that we ordered as well.

I can't say that I have ever ordered anything from WB that was not good. Just check them out. You will be happy that you did.

Barnaby's Pizza: A South Bend Family Institutuion

It is great to know people in South Bend, but it is even greater when those friends treat you like family. A friend of 15 years is originally from South Bend, and his family still lives there. I have been up there many, many times and been to many, many places. Only family will really tell you where the truly unique local places are. They know because they have been going to them most, if not for all, of their lives without ever really thinking about it.

One restaurant that has always stood out to me (as well as for the 33 years my friend has been in South Bend): Barnaby's Pizza. My friend has been taking me there since the very first time that I went to visit his family during our time together in college. I have been there before and after Notre Dame foot ball games. I have been there before my bachelor party. I was there the day after Thanksgiving 2008 (hence why I am writing about it). I guess you could say that I have a history and a future with Barnaby's pizza.

In all of the times that I have been to Barnaby's, I don't remember it changing much: moderately noisy, children running about, large groups of people everywhere, and fantastic smells permeating throughout the restaurant. One really interesting thing is that Barnaby's does not have any wait staff at all. You pick up your own menus, get your own drinks (and refills), order and pickup your own food. I want to be quick to point out that this is not a negative attribute. This is positive. Think about it...no one asking you every 5 minutes if you are okay or want a refill; no rush to get you in / out of the restaurant as you pay as soon as you order anything.

The menu is not all the veggie-friendly, but this is a family restaurant in northern Indiana. My friends (there were 5 of us total on this trip) are all very accommodating and happy to share in the vegetarian fare that I order. Barnaby's is known for their pizza, so their veggie pizza was what i ordered. This baby was loaded with zuccini (a first on pizza for me), mushrooms, green peppers, and onions. I half-expected it to be watery given all of the vegetables, but it was not at all. The crust was a traditional crust (New York style to the foodies out there), and there was plenty of cheese. I thought the sauce was a little thin, meaning that it was less than spread out over the entire pie. We ate every last piece if that tells you anything. My friends ordered a few sandwiches as well as another meat-eater's pie. I did sample the shoestring french fries....hot, starchy, and salty...just the way they should be.

They did not have a huge beer selection (Miller Lite, Bud Lite, and Amber Bock), but again this is a family restaurant. We drank a few pitchers of Amber Bock, and those were great compliments to the food. I belive it was Rich Little that said if '...God had not wanted us to drink beer, He would not have made it go so well with pizza.'. 'Nuff said.

I would consider Barnaby's a South Bend institution worth enjoying if you are up there in the cold, white north of Indiana. There is nothing so spectacular other than good food, some decent beer, a loud restaurant, and some good friends. Each makes the other better in conjunction with each other. The prices are modest at Barnaby's, and the value is pretty high. You probably won't have a bad time at all...

Seri Melaka: Tucsonian Malaysian (Baba-Nyonya)

Leave it to Auntie Cynthia...she knows Tucson like the back of her hand. I never cease to be amazed by her selection in restaurants and knowledge of the local cuisine...it is something I am working toward here in Indy. After a day trip to Mount Lemmon Cynthia suggested that we go to Seri Melaka. Given I had never before had Malaysian cuisine, it seemed the only option given Cynthia's knowledge of Tucson's sprawling vegetarian scene.

I found that 'Baba-Nyonya' refers to the '...assimilation of cultures distinct to Malaysia and Singapore in South-east Asia' (directly from their web site). What I also found was a wonderful selection of appetizers, soups, and entrees as well as a fixed price (prix fixe) fare. I would normally always recommend a fixed price meal as it allows you to sample a variety of items without breaking the bank. Please be sure to read the 'dining tips' section on their web site. I think that this is not only insightful for this restaurant, but it is also a great rule of thumb for going to many other restaurants as well.

After reading the lengthy menu, I wanted to give the 'Rojak' appetizer a spin. Cynthia recommended it, so we ordered it. When it arrived, it was basically a salad with jicama, cucumber, lettuce, tofu, potatoes (roasted and served cold), and egg patty with warm peanut sauce. The peanut sauce was good, and the salad was the right size for the three of us to share. Had one of us eaten it by ourselves, we would not have been able to eat much else.

My wife and Cynthia both had chosen for the fixed price fare. Both had chosen the spicy tofu curry (can't say that I blame them) with spring rolls. Cynthia wanted 'egg flower' (essentially eggs drop) soup, and my wife had hot and sour (one of her favorite soups). I did sample both soups and found them both to contain all the elements that each should. The egg flower soup was thick and slightly salty. I have found some egg drop soups in the past to be either too salty or not enough. Seri Melaka's was right on the money. The hot and sour was also tasty. I found it to be spicier than many that I have had in the past, but I prefer this. Coupled with ample tofu, bamboo, and mushrooms, the thick soup would satisfy many palates as the perfect accompaniment to a meal.

Both also received a traditional spring roll (rice paper, lettuce, veggies, tofu, etc.). Brandi let me sample her spring roll, and it was probably one of the better spring rolls I have had. The sauce that came with the spring roll was quite spicy and peaked my interest almost immediately. The veggies were cool and crisp also. An order of two of these bad boys was around $3. That is a steal in my opinion.

Since both ladies chose the fixed price fare, I had to be different. I decided to give one of the ala carte options a try. I ordered 'sang mee', which coincidentally is not listed on their web site. Sang mee was comprised of broccoli, peas, carrots, bok choy, cabbage, red pepper, and crispy fried thin egg noodles. I like to eat my food as spicy as possible, so when asked, I requested for them to make my food, as they would prefer it. They were happy to oblige. I added tofu for about $1, I think.

The combination of the sauce, spices (and spice level...nitro!), vegetables, tofu, and crispy noodles was delicious. Brandi and Cynthia had rice with their meal, but I did not want or need any. The portion of food was more than enough, and I ended up taking quite a bit home with me. I reheated it the next day, and it was just as tasty as what it was when it was served to me the first time. Cynthia has repeatedly said that this is her favorite Malaysian restaurant, and I think that Tucson agrees with her (as do I). There are at least two of these restaurants in Tucson owned by the same family.

The value here is A+. All three of us were pleasantly full (without overdoing it) as we left. Brandi and Cynthia both had dessert with the fixed price fare (' burbur cha cha' which is a warm, sweet tapioca made with butter, honey, coconut). I think that our bill, with tip, was around $80 for three people (appetizer, soup, entrees, beers, drinks, and dessert). The service was great, drinks were refilled often, and our waitress was friendly. This was a fantastic first experience in Malaysian dining.

Nimbus Brewery: Tucson, AZ

I love micro-breweries. I will not deny my German heritage. I will always indulge myself in a brewery as we have several in Indianapolis that are great. The Broad Ripple Brewpub is one of those that I love because they carry a great selection of veggie entrees on their menu. Nimbus Brewery is my new home-away-from-home brewery when I travel to Tucson, AZ.

I was pleased to land at the Nimbus Brewery on the advice of my Auntie Cynthia. She took me there before we ran some errands the other day. Cynthia has been a vegetarian for well over 25 years, so she knows all the hot spots around the Tucson areas (see my previous post about La Indita). She has never lead me astray with any of her recommendations.

Nestled in what appears to be an industrial park, Nimbus has been a Tucson staple for around the past 12 years. They have been consistently improving their brewery / restaurant ever since they started. They have a wide open porch where bands play in the evening, as I have been told. The inside of the brewery is vast with plenty of bar stools and tables. You can also eat on the porch during the day time hours. See the video below for a peek inside the restaurant.

We sat at the bar, and the bartender had tons of good information regarding the various brews ranging from a lighter blond ale (3.2 % ABV) to a heavy-duty strong English ale (9.8 % ABV). They have the standard red/brown/stout ales as well. Their IPA was quite tasty, but I had a nasty bout with IPAs a few years ago (thanks, Gretchen) at a brew fest. They were liberal with tastings of each beer, and we tried damn near all of them. Needless to say, I opted for the Old Monkey Shine strong ale simple for the high % ABV. Auntie Cynthia has the red ale which she descried simply as 'very good'. I do not disagree with her one bit. All the beers we tried were as good as any micro-brewery I have been to in the glorious State of Arizona.

This brewery had a well-marked vegetarian menu. It included Boca burger, garden burgers, various salads, wraps, and side items. All of the vegetarian entrees were grouped together on the menu, which I prefer, as I don't have to read the entire menu to find what I was not going to eat. Some restaurants mix their vegetarian entrees in with the other entrees on the menu and note the veggie dishes a marker of sort to denote them. I will thank Nimbus for organizing things this way for my veggie bretheren. So much easier...

I eventually ordered the garden burger, which was enormous. It was servered on a toasted bun, covered with the cheese of my choice, and all the trimmings (lettuce, pickle, tomato, and red onions). I am a sucker for french fried potatos, so I had my sandwhich with some crinkle-cut fries. They were piping hot and slightly salty. Auntie Cynthia shared them with me as there were more than I could eat. I am not a huge condiment fan, so I found these fries delicious enough to eat withour slathering them with the tomato-slaughter violence known as 'ketchup'. I used to prefer mayo on my fries after all of my travels to Europe, but now I limit my mayo intake as it's not the best thing you can put in your boday.

After four beers and the food, our bill came to less than $19. As far as pub food goes, this was great....inexpensive, delicious, and satisfying. I would rate this as a high value for vegetarians as it was easy to find stuff on their menu, the food was great, and it did not break my wallet. Great beer should always be coupled with equally great food, and Nimbus hits the nail on the head. I look forward to returning to Nimbus when my travels bring me back to Tucson.