Wild Wild Rice

In our house, carbs are a bit of a battle ground. (Not for me, I adore them all.) We have one resident who only eats fried or white rice (Chinese take-out style, very healthy), one resident who hates pasta with anything but butter, one resident who won't do potatoes except for baked, and the list goes on. 

My inner cook wants to say "Whatever, if they are hungry, they'll eat what I cook." There are times, however, when I just can't sit through another meal where the beautiful things on our table are picked at (by the teenagers) and then junk food is consumed at an alarming rate all night.

The compromise? Wild rice. Not a blend (brown rice is objected to by several constituents, even when in disguise), but just the actual wild rice.  It should be noted that wild rice isn't rice at all, but a variety of grass seed. Regardless, it's very healthy (full of fiber!) and everyone whom I regularly cook for enjoys it.  There are two ways to prepare it that are my favorite. I take a short cut and buy the Trader Joe's pre-cooked pouch.  It serves four hungry people and is ready to go in minutes.  I have also cooked it from it's dry state in my rice cooker, which works just fine but takes awhile.  Feel free to do either.

Wild Rice Provencal

1 pouch precooked Wild Rice (I like Trader Joe's brand)

3 T olive oil

1/2 c. orange juice

3 T minced onion

1 clove minced garlic

fresh parsley (to taste, added at the end)

1/2 c dried tart cherries OR cranberries

1/4 cup chopped almonds
1/2 T dried Herbes de Provence

salt

pepper

In a sauce pan, sautee onion on medium heat until it sweats (about 3 minutes), then add garlic. After another minute, add (cooked) wild rice and all ingredients except for parsley. Break up the rice with a wooden spoon and cover. Cook for 5-10 minutes, taking lid off if more moisture needs to evaporate.  It can stay in the pan covered for up to 30 minutes until the rest of dinner is ready.

Wild Rice with Vegetables

1 pouch precooked Wild Rice (I like trader Joe's brand)

3 T olive oil

3 T white wine or champagne vinegar

1/2 c. chopped onion

1/2 c. chopped carrot

1/2 c. chopped celery

1 clove minced garlic

fresh thyme and rosemary, chopped (to taste, added at the end)

Prepare as above. Cheers!

Twenty Tap

Beer flight

Monday nights are usually relatively uneventful. For Jeff and I, they usually mean a $3 pint at the Broad Ripple Brewpub and then some sort of easy dinner (out or on the grill). We were both craving burgers, and one of our friends mentioned that Twenty Tap had the best around. Twenty Tap is the relatively new brainchild of BR Brewpub Brewer Kevin Matalucci and his wife, Tracy, a caterer.  This concept is all about the craft brew, having (you guessed it) 20 draft options on any given night (and many from Indiana).

I was skeptical, as I had already heard plenty of mixed reviews. Walking in, I noticed a clean, bright, almost spartan eatery.  It could certainly use a little help in the ambiance department.  Our hostess was friendly and our server was great at recommending beer. Jeff ordered a flight of 3 (2 IPAs and a Pilsner for shock value), and Josh ordered an IPA.  Courtney and I decided to give the wine list a whirl. I drank the Angeline Pinot Noir (a steal for $7/glass) and Courtney had a Malbec. We were both pleased, though we wanted more selections. I know it's all about the beer, but a great wine list will go a long way to convincing the non-craft-beer crowd that this place is well worth it.

Oh holy cheese curds

What blew us all away was the food. I was instructed by the same friend to order the cheese curds. Even though I protested on account of calorie intake, he made us swear to order them. We did, and I must say they made the whole thing worth it even if everything else ended horribly.  They were the best cheese curds (possibly the best fried anything) I have ever eaten.  A la Brugge Brasserie, there is a plethora of homemade aiolis for dipping (we preferred the roasted garlic to the horseradish, but both were good). I also asked for grainy mustard, which I loved with the curds.

The Wrath with a side salad

Jeff and I split a burger called The Wrath (Bacon, Mushrooms, Onion, Lettuce, and Creamy Ale Bleu Cheese Sauce), and we chose a side salad instead of fries to go with it. At $9 it was a steal, and it's been a long time since I've had a better burger.  The bleu cheese ale sauce was terrific, and the beef (they use a combination of 3 cuts of beef) was juicy and full of flavor. The side salad that came with shockingly good, and featured romaine, shallots, fennel, mozzarella, and a punchy lemon vinaigrette.

Grilled Chicken Sandwich

Josh ordered the Grilled Chicken sandwich with prosciutto, arugula, provolone, and fig jam.  It was out of this world; the fig jam added just enough subtle sweetness to the peppery arugula and smoky provolone. The fries that came with it were tasty.  They weren't quite as addictive as Brugge, but they were definitely good. 

Ambiance.... ehhhh?

Twenty Tap gets a 4.5/5.  It scores extremely high marks for food quality, freshness, and taste, as well as great service.  I would love to see them kick up the ambiance a few notches and add more variety to their wine list.  I wouldn't trace any of that, though, if it meant sacrificing food quality or beer selection. I think Twenty Tap will do extremely well if they keep this up. Cheers!

My Office Pantry

It will come as no surprise to those who know me that the largest drawer in my office is not used for files or large office supplies.  Naturally, it is my pantry.   As much as I love my job, my pantry is my sanctuary when I'm stuck performing occasional less-than-stimulating duties.

What is in my pantry?  Well, most of what I buy comes from Trader Joe's, Fresh Market, and Costco.  I should mention that I incorporate as many fresh fruits and veggies as possible (especially when the farmer's market is in full swing), but this post is all about shelf-stable staples.

My pantry is organized by taste cravings:

SALTY

*Laughing Cow light swiss cheese spread triangles (It says to refrigerate this, but I have never felt the need. They are identical in flavor and freshness left unrefrigerated.)

*Kashi TLC original 7 grain crackers

*Stacy's Parmesan + Herb Pita Chips

*Terra Root Vegetable Chips (try the Mediterranean flavor)

*Microwave popcorn (You never know when you may have guests, after all).

*Raw almonds (Trader Joe's has pre-packaged serving sizes)

*Wasabi edamame

*Salted Sunflower kernels

*Peppered and Teriyaki Oh Boy! Oberto Beef and Turkey Jerky

*Mary's Gone Crackers Gluten Free Crisps (from Fresh Market)

 

SWEET

*Justin's Natural Maple Almond Butter

*Trader Joe's Dried Nectarines

*Trader Joe's Dried Tart Montmorency Cherries

*Peanut butter (call me crazy but I love Peter Pan brand)

*Honey (for peanut butter and TLC crackers)

SALTY+SWEET

*Nature Valley Sweet and Salty Peanut Bars

*Trader Joe's individual trail mix portions (the Simply Raw is my favorite)
*white chocolate covered pretzels

BREAKFAST

*Pretzel Croissants (from Trader Joe's)

*Better Oats Maple Brown Sugar Instant Oatmeal with Flax

*Trader Joe's Heart Healthy Whole Grain Oatmeal in Blueberry

*Agave Nectar (great to add to the Blueberry oatmeal)

DESSERT

*York Peppermint Patties (kill two birds with one stone-fresh breath + sugar jolt)

*70% cocoa dark chocolate bars

*Fig Newtons (the original only, not low-fat or store brand)

DESPERATE LUNCH/DINNER

*Progresso Chicken Soup with White and Wild Rice (it can pinch-hit as a meal)

IMPROMPTU CELEBRATION 

(you never know when you may get a surprise bonus, land a huge account, exceed your goals, or get a promotion... best to be prepared!)

*St. Germain (great on ice or splashed in prosecco)

*Prosecco (an hour in the freezer and you are good to go)

*a great bottle of red (mine is Terra Valentine Cabernet Sauvignon Spring Mountain 2005)

If you have an suggested additions to this pantry, I would love to hear them.  Cheers!

 

Quinoa Times Ten

I just came across this article citing 10 new ways to incorporate quinoa into a healthy diet. These all sounds great, but I know I will try #1, #8 and #10 very soon.

1. Cooked with brown rice in the rice cooker. Then topped steamed broccoli and sauteed veggies in sesame teriyaki sauce.

2. Wrapped in a burrito with corn and beans.

3. Steamed with fresh veggies and covered in a vinaigrette.

4. Mixed with black beans, scrambled egg, diced avocado and lots o’ hot sauce w/ a squeeze of lime.

5. In tabouli replacing the wheat.

6. Browned with a little butter first then cooked with with mushrooms, slivered almonds, and nettles.

7. Mixed half and half with homemade salsa.

8. After it is cooked… add black beans, diced tomatoes, minced garlic, sea salt, avocado, cilantro and squeeze some lime juice.

9. Fruity quinoa salad with yogurt, fruit, nuts, and dried raisins or cranberries. The quinoa is cooked w/water, apple juice, and cinnamon. YUM!

10. Cooked in chicken or veggie stock instead of water with several cloves of garlic and a bunch of my favorite herbs.

Thanks, Nature Moms blog. Here's the link to their post:

http://naturemoms.com/blog/2011/07/12/10-new-ways-to-cook-quinoa/

A2Z Cafe

A2Z Cafe

My friend Marty Barnes, an attorney a hallway over from my office, introduced me to the A2Z Cafe a little while ago. I was whining about all the chains around our office and how I was jonesing for something new.

Located in a little strip mall on 96th Street and Gray Road, I knew exactly what he was talking about.  It didn't look like much, and I had never even thought about going there.  Marty--a food enthusiast with great taste in lunch fare-- told me that I would enjoy it. 

Penne Gorgonzola

It doesn't look like much from the outside (they don't have much to work with), but it is surprisingly adorable inside. It has a Mediterranean ambiance (am I really in a strip mall?), and there is bright local art for purchase covering the walls.  The owner, Ash, is a very friendly man of Egyptian descent. After a brief conversation, I find out that he is the cousin of the owner of Canal Bistro in Broad Ripple (George).

 The menu is surprisingly large (breakfast, lunch, dinner),  fairly priced and Italian inspired. Ash gives us his recommendations.  The food is served promptly.  I choose the Vegetarian Panini (portobella mushrooms, spinach, tomato and fresh mozzerella with balsamic vinegar), which comes with a sup of tomato soup. It all tastes great and the portions are perfect for lunch.  Brent ordered the Penne Gorgonzola, with chicken and bacon in a Gorgonzola cream sauce.  His lunch came with a large side salad and garlic bread.  Marty had a BLT with a cup of tomato soup. Everyone was exceptionally happy with their meal (I tried the Penne, and it was fantastic).

Vegetarian Panini

local art adorns the walls at A2Z Cafe

I give A2Z Cafe 4/5 for great ambiance, fair prices, and consistently tasty food.  I went back again recently, and not only did Ash remember exactly what I ordered, he recommended something else that he thought I would enjoy based on my remarks the first time around.  The service at A2Z is fantastic and friendly (and quick if you need it to be). While they are only open for dinner on Fridays and Saturdays, I think it will be a regular lunch from now on.  Cheers!