GeekSugar

WonderCon 2008: Spicy Brown's Tofu Robot Goods

GeekSugar — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 08:01:33 PST

Making my way around WonderCon's expo floor was a pain in the neck - literally. I had to keep an eye out for all those awesome costumes, which meant straining my neck left and right all weekend! So it was a nice break coming across the booth of Spicy Brown - the home of these super cute Tofu Robot figures ($20) as well as some geek chic tees and accessories. I was in a geeky fashion heaven.

To learn more about the line of tees and Spicy Brown in general,

Their Tofu Robot line of tees was one of my faves (one even made its way to my closet - I guess I'm a sucker for astronaut robots!) but I also love the Kokeshi Ink's graphic and Japanese inspired line as well. The cool thing about Spicy Brown is they usher in new artists to design the tees and accessories so there's always something new to look at.

Easy Ways to Get More From Your Food Budget

LearnVest — Fri, 18 May 2012 05:15:48 PDT

Go the extra mile with your food budget with these tips from LearnVest.

For years, many people - my husband, mom, sister and even my son - told me to stop wasting so much food.

Throwing away half a piece of chicken here or a handful of grapes there never seemed like such a big deal to me. If I was full or no longer in the mood for that particular food, then I had no problem tossing it.

That is, until I experienced a bad case of sticker shock during a recent trip to the supermarket. The cost of bread, eggs, fish - basically everything I was purchasing - had increased. And, according to the USDA, we can expect prices to rise even higher this year.

As I forked over my money and left with only a handful of bags, I realized just how important it is for me to pay more attention to what I spend on food . . . and to confront how much of it I shove down the garbage disposal.

Unfortunately, I'm not the only one with wasteful ways. In 2010, 33 million tons of food was thrown away, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency. Obviously, wasted food means wasted money, but figuring out how to make your grocery budget go further can be a challenge.

To keep more food in your fridge (and more money in your pocket), try these expert tips.

1. Ward Against Freezer Burn

Those large bags or packages of frozen veggies or meat come in handy when you have a large family, but "each time you open a bag of frozen food, air gets in and will cause freezer burn within two to three weeks," says consumer saving expert Andrea Woroch. Freezer burn will dry out the meat and make it less tasty. Woroch suggests going small.

Read on for more.

Hash It Out With Sweet Potatoes

Lauren Hendrickson — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 05:24:04 PDT

Everyone's had potato hash browns - either in patty form at McDonald's, from a mother's stove, or in an American diner where the dish is served up around the clock. One Sunday morning, I awoke with a hankering for hash browns, but I didn't have any potatoes on hand, only sweet potatoes. I figured sweet potatoes make great fries, so why not hash browns?

If you want to pay homage to your grandmother, you can grate the potatoes manually on a grater; for me, my trusty food processor made the job much easier. And with it already out, finely chopping my onions in it left me with less tears too.
With those two ingredients prepped, the cooking process was pretty simple. Don't be tempted to turn them over constantly: if you love a crispy hash brown, just let them sit. Once they start to turn golden brown, carefully flip them over in one pancakelike, solid piece to cook the other side. Since sweet potatoes have more sugar than conventional potatoes, I added ground pepper and thinly sliced chives to cut some of the sweetness. If you're a spicy and sweet fan, add a dash of hot sauce for a bit more kick. Serve alongside your favorite style of fried egg and oven-baked bacon for a perfect Sunday breakfast. Keep reading for this incredibly easy recipe.

Meatless Monday: The Ultimate Vegetarian Chili

OnSugar Blog — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 12:15:36 PDT

You've heard how meatless Mondays are good for the planet. Now, look to Cooking in Pajamas for a fast and easy vegan chili recipe.

Meatless Monday is back baby! It never actually went anywhere, I just kept forgetting to blog about it. In my quest to get healthy and lose a few pounds before my 20th anniversary trip in April, I have been testing out a plant based diet. I keep going back and forth on whether I want to include fish in my diet. I am thinking of limiting it to once or twice a month. While I decide, I am loving some of the vegetarian dishes I have made. For lunch yesterday I made a polenta pizza. . .a grilled slice of polenta topped with a slice of heirloom tomato, shredded mozzarella, garlic and basil.

This chili will knock your socks off. Not only is it healthy, it is a flavorful and spicy bowl of vegetables, beans, chiles, spices and wine. You can easily serve this to the die-hard meat eaters in your house, and it will be gobbled up.

This chili is also vegan, which means it contains no dairy products. If you are not into the vegan thing, feel free to top your bowl of chili with sour cream and sharp cheddar. The chili is quite spicy. As you see it has a jalapeño AND a chipotle chili. If you would like a more mild version, use half of the jalapeño with the seeds removed. Try not to cut back on the chipotle because it adds a deep, smoky flavor.

For her unique technique - which involves marinating tofu for extra flavor! - keep reading.

Know Your Ingredients: Onions

Laura Marie Given — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 11:50:23 PDT

With so many different types of onions, a full, comprehensive guide would be more than a little tedious, so we've put together a short, simple list of all the must-know points - from taste variation to shelf life to quick cooking tips. Not sure which onions to use in which dish? Learn these basics to boost your knowledge:

Colors
Onions come in a large variety of types, tastes, and colors, the most common being yellow, red, white, and green. They can also be bred to create hybrids with different levels of maturity. Depending on the size and intended purpose, these are generally referred to as either pearl, boiler, or pickler onions. On top of all these different types are several forms, too, including fresh, frozen, canned, caramelized, chopped, or dehydrated, as in onion powder.

Taste
The most common is the yellow onion, which has brown skin, white flesh, and a strong, pungent taste that gives French onion soup its unique flavor. Red onions, on the other hand, tend to be best either fresh or grilled to maintain their sweet and spicy taste. The traditional onion of Mexican cuisine, the white onion, is generally mild but becomes sweet when sautéed. Green onions are a small, less mature version that's harvested while the shoots are still green, and since their taste is rather light, they tend to be used as a topping.

Storage
As a general rule, all fresh onions should be stored away from other produce so that they don't soak up the odors. Green onions need to be refrigerated, while the other types can usually be kept at room temperature in a cool, dark space for two to three weeks. Since sweet onions contain more sugar and water, it's smart to leave them in the refrigerator, too.

If you tend to get teary while cutting onions, check out this video and learn how to chop an onion correctly. Looking for a tasty onion-based dish? Try this caramelized vidalia onion dip recipe, or make some butter-braised onions to toss on your favorite dishes.

Fast & Easy Dinner: Spicy Barley and Rice

partysugar — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 12:50:27 PST

With the addition of vegetables, barley, and lots of fragrant seasonings, brown rice, normally accustomed to being a staple side, suddenly finds itself in the main dish spotlight. What makes this brown rice a hearty vegetarian meal are the layers of flavor and variety of textures. While fresh thyme and spicy chipotles in adobo may not be the most obvious of food pairings, when tossed with the barley and rice, the ingredients blend seamlessly. Lots of spinach provides a stimulating green color, and chunks of nuts add a necessary crunch. To get this exciting recipe that won't disappoint, please

Spicy Barley and Rice
From Better Homes and Gardens

Ingredients

1/2 cup chopped onion
2 tsp. olive oil
2/3 cup regular (pearled) barley
1 14-ounce can reduced-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1-3/4 cups water
1/4 cup brown rice
1 Tbsp. small fresh thyme sprigs or 1/2 tsp. dried thyme, crushed
1/2 to 1 tsp. finely chopped chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
2 cups torn fresh spinach
1/3 cup pecans or walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped

Directions

In saucepan cook onion in hot oil over medium heat for 5 minutes or until tender; stirring occasionally. Add barley; cook and stir 3 minutes or until barley starts to brown.
Carefully add broth, water, brown rice, dried thyme (if using), and chipotle pepper. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover; simmer 45 minutes or until barley and rice are tender and most of liquid is absorbed.
Stir in fresh thyme (if using). Remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes. Stir in spinach and pecans just before serving.

Serves 6.

Print recipe with images | without images

Join Us at the Table For a Virtual Thanksgiving Feast!

Susannah Chen — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 09:25:08 PST

Can't wait for Turkey Day to be here, already? Well, then you've lucked out, because this year, Thanksgiving's come early - online, at least. Food Network's brought together some of the country's top food outlets for a virtual holiday feast. From cocktails and appetizers to main dishes and desserts, this meal's got it all - and each recipe is one that you can re-create yourself at home. Given our recent obsession with wintry salads, it was only appropriate that we bring a Autumn-inspired platter of greens to gobble down at this year's feast. See what the rest of our friends are bringing to the table when you read more.

Thai Omelet in Coconut Curry Broth

OnSugar Blog — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 12:21:37 PDT

Inspired by a trip to a local farmers market, Fresh Tart whips up a quick version of a food-stand favorite: the coconut curry Thai omelet.

My son Nathan and I spent our summer Sundays eating our way through Kingfield Farmers Market. We did it last summer too and got in such a fun groove of eating together, visiting with friends, and stocking up on all of our favorite treats for the week.

It's worth noting that it was a much less expensive endeavor last year, when Nathan was around my height and was satisfied with a Chef Shack hot dog. Uh, not this year, not at 6'4" and counting, when he still ate a Chef Shack hot dog, but added their soft-shell crab sandwich, mini-donuts, and Arnie Palmer; Gai Gai Thai curry; Cafe Palmira iced coffee; Foxy Falafel curry falafel with a load of perfect pickles, extra hummus to go; Sun Street Bakery turnovers and sourdough loaf; and Bogart Loves maple-bacon donuts.

I scored plenty of bites, of course, and a good portion of it all we brought home to share with John...but I'm telling you, Sunday became a day for feasting.

So damn cool.

One of my favorites toward the end of the season was Gai Gai's Thai omelet served in a curry broth. On a chilly morning, perhaps after being out too late the night before, that crispy omelet in creamy coconut broth tasted spicy-sublime.

Keep reading for her take on the recipe.

Soy by Any Other Name: A Nutritional Comparison

FitSugar — Fri, 20 May 2011 13:05:01 PDT

Soy is one of the most versatile ingredients; it can be eaten whole or ground, fermented, and formed into various ingredients for nutritious and healthy cooking. Not only that, but it's also high in protein and fiber and contains less fat than its animal counterparts, so it's a no-brainer for people who want to eat less meat. Want to know how different forms of soy compare in both taste and nutrition? Read on for four forms of soy and how they work in your diet!

Edamame: Edamame are baby soy beans that are harvested when ripe and sold either frozen, cooked, or shelled. The nutty-flavored beans are great for snacking or in anything from stir fries to soups. A 1/2 cup of edamame has 95 calories, 4 grams of fat, 8.5 grams of protein, and 4 grams of fiber. Try shelled edamame in a super easy side like this brown rice and edamame dish.
Soy milk: Soy milk is the liquid extracted from ground cooked soybeans. It also has a mild nutty flavor but can be sweetened with other flavors like vanilla as well as made into other dairy-like products like soy yogurt. A cup of plain soy milk has 100 calories, 4 grams of fat, 7 grams of protein, and 1 gram of fiber. Substitute soy milk for regular milk in anything from cereal to smoothies to pancakes (like these vegan pineapple pancakes with citrus cream).
Tofu: Tofu is made by curdling soy milk with a coagulant to form thick white blocks. There are four types of tofu to use in various dishes: silken, soft, firm, and extra firm. Since tofu has little flavor, it works with many different kinds of dishes (it'll just take on the flavor of your ingredients). A 1/2 cup of tofu has 97 calories, 5.3 grams of fat, 10.1 grams of protein, and 0.5 grams of fiber. Firm and extra firm tofus are great in stir fries, or even healthier baked, like in this spicy mango veggie rice bowl.
Tempeh: This form of soy is made by fermenting cooked soybeans with a mold. It is sold in dry, brown blocks and has a firm and chewy texture. A 1/2 cup of tempeh has 160 calories, 9 grams of fat, 15.4 grams of protein, and 3.5 grams of fiber. Many people think tempeh makes the perfect meat substitute, so try it out instead of bacon in a TLT - tempeh, lettuce, and tomato sandwich.

Source: Flickr User adactio

Screw-the-Snow Fish Tacos

OnSugar Blog — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 04:47:25 PDT

Not quite feeling like Spring yet in your neck of the woods? Don't despair. Rather, follow in Fresh Tart's footsteps and cheer yourself up with gluten-free fish tacos!

The weather, I promised myself I would not talk about the weather.

But forget it man, this is Minnesota, and we talk about the weather. So here it is: It rained ice last night, as John and I were on our way from not one but two fabulous dinners.

See how she conquered the cold with fish tacos (recipe included!) when you keep reading.