The Veggie Queen is Baaaack...From Denver and Elsewhere

I know that I have been remiss in writing here. I have been really busy for the past 6 weeks, teaching and traveling and have lots of excuses. But when I get notes from people asking if I am OK? I realize that I must take at least a few minutes to write.

I just returned from attending the American Dietetic Association (ADA) conference in Denver, referred to as FNCE (Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo). I hadn't attended in 15 years. But I am now the secretary of the Vegetarian Practice Group of the ADA, and that means that I take minutes at board meetings, in person and on the phone. The funniest part is that sometimes I have a hard time reading my own notes. But it all works out.

The highlight of the conference was hearing and meeting Dr. Michael Roizen, who has co-authored the YOU books with Dr. Mehmet Oz, the Oprah doctor. I am not someone awed by celebrity, it doesn't do much for me and I've met enough of them to realize that they are "real" people, just like we are. But I am wowed by brilliance. And I rate Dr. Roizen near the top of my list (which includes Paul Stamets and Paul Simon among others) as a particularly brilliant guy.

His talk was brought to us by the Walnut people and I thank them, not only because I like walnuts but because Dr. Roizen was inspiring and believes with all his heart and mind that changing your eating can change your life. Amen. (Featured in this photo with me is Martha DeCampos, of the Vegetarian Practice Group, and lots of onlookers.)

Additionally, in the 15 years since I last attended this conference, a number of organic companies have begun attending including Amy's Kitchen, Numi Tea, Alvarado Street Bakery, Sunshine Burger, Mary's Gone Crackers, Dr. Kracker and more. I applaud them all for showing up and sharing what they do to educate dietitians. (If you're reading this and your company attended please let me know.)

I also went to a great talk on why the Registered Dietitian (RD) ought to be promoting organic foods. WOW. It's about time.

My previous trips included a jaunt to San Diego where I did cooking demonstrations for 2 different WIC (Women, Infants and Children) offices about eating deliciously by cooking whole foods in a pressure cooker.

And right before that, I was in San Francisco attending BlogHer Food with 300 other food bloggers, too many to mention here, except for my wonderful roommate Cheryl Sternman Rule of 5 Second Rule. who is an all around top-notch person and great writer. Read one of her recent posts, Regret ,and you'll see why I love her writing, wit, humor and photography skills. She bakes a bit too much for me but thankfully I live far enough away that I am not taunted and tormented by her baking projects. She also includes some healthier recipes for balance. Thanks Cheryl.

Watch for an upcoming post on making tofu at home with Rachael of La Fuji Mama. I have already started so you'll see it sometime soon, as well as an update and highlights of my travels.

My travels are over, unless, of course, you invite me to come visit you somewhere, although I much prefer the time and space of writing at home. But if you've got an empty beach house in Mexico with an internet connection, let's talk.

And for those of you wondering, I am obviously alive and doing well. I always love to hear your comments.

Summer Squash Love and Alchemy

I now recall why I love summer squash: you can basically eat as much as you want and not gain weight. It's a class of vegetables, like greens of all types, that lends itself to eating massive amounts. And I am sure that's why one squash plant produces so much. It's a reminder that in the summer, it's a good idea to eat lots of higher water vegetables.

I don't need research to tell me that there's something good for me in summer squash, as my intuition does that. In fact, I don't eat food because it's healthy, I eat it because it fuels me and I feel best when I have the energy to go fast and far.

You wouldn't try to run your car on water would you? Well, your body is more forgiving than any car and will let you run it on all kinds of (pardon the vernacular here) crap for quite a long time. But eventually, you need the high-octane fuel to get, and keep you, running at top speed.

All this leads to a simple recipe that I had for breakfast (you can call me odd, that's OK) but most people would eat for lunch or dinner. It amazes me how so few ingredients can turn into something so wonderfully delicious. I say that it serves 3-4 but it only made 2 servings for me.

Simple Summer Squash
Serves 3-4

Fresh ingredients are a must for this dish because they're the star. Best to grow them yourself, get them from a neighbor or go to the farmer's market or local farmstand.

2 teaspoons olive oil (optional)

1/2 cup sliced onion

3/4 cup chopped red, orange or yellow pepper

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

2-3 teaspoons Bragg's liquid amino acids, tamari or soy sauce

8 ounces firm tofu or tempeh (optional), or 1 cup cooked garbanzo beans

3 cups chopped summer squash (I used Bianco de Siciliana and Costata Romanesco)

2 teaspoons Organic Vegetable Rub , Italian seasoning or other herb blend

Chopped fresh basil, if you have it

Heat a saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the oil and then the onion. Saute the onion for about 2 minutes and add the pepper and garlic. Saute another minute or two. Add the tofu and Bragg's, cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally so tofu doesn't stick. Add the summer squash and vegetable rub and cook for 2-4 minutes, until the squash is cooked through, but still firm (this depends upon the type and age of your squash). Garnish with basil, if desired.

Pressure Cooker directions:

Heat the pressure cooker over medium heat. Add the oil,if using, and onion. Saute for a minute. Add the peppers and garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the tofu and Bragg's and cook 1 more minute. Add the squash and vegetable rub, plus 2-3 tablespoons water. Lock on the lid and bring to high pressure. Lower the heat to maintain high pressure for 1 minute, 30 seconds (for regular zucchni, crookneck or yellow squash, only cook for 45 seconds to 1 minute). Quick release pressure and serve right away. Garnish with basil, if desired.

This dish will last a few days in the refrigerator. It does not freeze well. You can adjust this recipe anyway that you want and make it your own. It's a starting point.

Graffiti in Petaluma Has Winning Accessory Menu

I've never heard of a restaurant serving accessories but I'm glad that Graffiti in Petaluma does. My mother-in-law took me there and I ordered Beet Kim Chee ~ Red and Gold Beet Kim Chee with Japanese Cucumbers ($3).

In my younger years, an accessory would have been a pair of red high heels. These days, I am thrilled when it includes fresh and delicious vegetables.

I can honestly say that this may be one of the best salads that I have ever had in a restaurant -- filling, fresh, lively, zesty, perky, colorful. I could have stopped eating after that dish and been quite satisfied. But I ordered soup and cornbread.

The roasted artichoke and mushroom soup was very tasty but didn't wow me the way that the Kim Chee (I spell it Chi) did. The grilled jalapeno cornbread, another accessory which I'd liken to a too-large purse, was big enough but lacked any jalapeno kick. It would have been better off left on the plate.

Eating outdoors, facing the Petaluma River, was relaxing but the weather got quite warm despite the much-needed shade. Cherry sorbet was the perfect end to the meal but not quite as satisfying as the beginning.

I would go back to Graffiti again at lunch time and see what's on the Graffiti Tapas part of the menu. My mother-in-law who took me for a belated birthday lunch had scallops served with an artichoke heart. She thoroughly enjoyed it but it's certainly not my cup of tea (or small plate).

My recommendation is to check out the accessories (I guess that these are sides) when you visit and think of them as possibilities for a meal -- so it may be best to wear your little black dress, as it goes with everything.

The Veggie Queen is Still Nuts

I think that nuts must be attracted to me, or vice versa. This past weekend, I came across organic, Hawaiian macadamia nuts from Lovejoy Nut Farm of Hawaii at the Sebastopol farmer's market, here in California. Leana and I chatted briefly. I had never seen mac nuts in their shells. And she had the special little nut cracker that could make it possible to easily extricate the nuts from their incredibly tough shells.

When I tasted a sample of these nuts, I knew that I had to have a bag of them. I asked if I could write a check (I remembered my checkbook but not my camera. Darn it.) and Leana said, "Yes." Then the guy with Leana said, "You're The Veggie Queen, aren't you?" And Leana got excited and said that she'd trade me the nuts and cracker ($10) for my book. That was music to my ears. I ran to get a copy of my book and left with a sack of nuts and a cracker.

My son cracked some nuts for me on the way home from the market, and I've been satisfied ever since, and that's because I am still nuts over nuts. Read my last post.

I also found out from one of my Facebook friends that macadamia nuts are also grown in California. (You've got to love social networking for making the world so accessible.) I will likely order some and do a comparison test. My "friend" told me that I had to get the really good nutcracker ($82) but I said that once I did that, I'd have no money left for the nuts. Either way, I'm still nutty.

Nuts over Nuts and Trail Mix

People who know me don't hesitate to call me nuts. In fact, my father lovingly called me a "nut job", one of the last things he said on my last visit before he passed away. So I take the term as one of endearment.

I'll admit that I can be a bit nutty and over exuberant about things, especially if they involve "real" food.

I had the immense pleasure of receiving some Braga Farms raw trail mix, roasted, salted pistachios and roasted salted almonds with garlic, all of which are certified organic and come from a small, family farm in California.

The good thing is that I love nuts, and eat them almost every day. The other good thing is that gift or not, I am likely to tell you what I really think because I am a bit of a "nut job."

So, here is my critique of Braga farms organic raw trail mix. It may be one of the best trail mix blends that I've ever had, not mucked up with lots of seeds (like those, too but often they compose the bulk of the mix because they are less expensive) and containing large firm, fresh nuts. It tastes clean, containing walnuts, almonds, pistachios, dried cranberries and large plump raisins (which I believe may be coated with sunflower oil because it's listed on the label but I'm not sure). This stuff is so much better than any other trail mix that I've had which says a lot. It's also a lot more expensive at $8.86 per 8 ounce bag, but in my case, that's a good thing because even when not on the trail, I don't seem to have a limit to how much I can, and do, eat of this stuff. Rating: 5 out of 5 for freshness, taste and overall palatability.

The salted pistachios are good, as good as any that I buy but discernibly better than my usual organic purchases. I am sure, though, that buying the already shelled organic ones is a treat because it makes it easy to add them to dishes, such as my Quinoa with Currants and Pistachios. For just eating, though, I'll stick to those in-the-shell as it slows me down so I don't eat the whole darned bag. Fresh and flavorful but not likely to make the switch to these, mostly due to price. Rating: 4 out of 5. $7.86 per 8 ounces

I hesitated to try the salted garlic almonds, thinking that they'd be very garlicky or have some "fake" taste. But I was wrong. They are addictively delicious, and once again incredibly fresh. When buying nuts, freshness really counts, which is why supporting small farms makes a huge difference. Heck, I ought to know since I live in California, known for its nuts (and kooks). The garlic almonds are lightly flavored and oh-so tasty.

Rating: 5 out of 5. $8.86 per 8 ounces. I've not had flavored almonds with such real flavor.

These products, and much more, are all available from Gourmet Shopping Network .


If I didn't live in such a nutty place and wanted to be sure that I had great products, I would order often from Braga Farms, supporting a small organic farm that has high standards. If you are in the market for great tasting nuts and some dried fruit, check them out.

Please Pop Over the Pears, Drop off the Apples, Leave me Persimmons

In addition to picking produce, which I am happy to do almost any time, I love it when I open my front door to find bags of it. It's often a surprise -- yesterday, my friend Anet dropped off a bag of large Bartlett pears. Hopefully later today someone will show up with some Gravenstein apples.

I had the good fortune of picking figs a couple of weeks ago but didn't realize that their end was so near. (Thank you Carl for your generosity.)

When I went to get a few more baskets the other day, I had to work hard to discover 9 large figs tucked under the leaves of the tree. I traded some of them for other produce and have been eating the rest of them. I never met a fig that I didn't like. Good thing that they are loaded with potassium, fiber and calcium. Unfortunately, they also have plenty of sugar so best to be careful when eating them, or the tummy lets you know.

I do not turn down homegrown produce when someone asks since I am often sure that I can put it to good use. I do request, though, that you don't leave me the not-so-good stuff, such as baseball bat sized zucchini or other summer squash. I will accept smaller squash and with them I will make a batch of my Grilled Asian Squash Salad. My assistant, and friend, Ellen just made these on her George Forman grill and said that they were very good. They also received rave reviews from Jenna of Kid Appeal who wrote a wonderful post about my cookbook and will be giving a copy away (so click on the link). When squash are in season, it's best to cook them up as fast and as often as you can.

Grilled Asian Squash Salad
Serves 4
When the squash is prolific, you always need another way to serve it. This dish is especially easy and delicious. Even people who say they don’t like squash usually find it irresistible.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon reduced sodium tamari
4 summer squash of any kind, cut lengthwise into quarters
1 large onion, cut into rings
3 tablespoons chopped herbs, such as cilantro, Thai basil or parsley
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon grated ginger
Chopped cilantro or other herb, for garnish
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine olive oil, sesame oil, vinegar, tamari and half the garlic and ginger in a bowl or zippered bag. Mix in squash, onion and herbs. Let marinate at least 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Place veggies on a screen on your grill over hot coals or gas or inside on a grill pan. Grill for 3-4 minutes on each side. Turn carefully and grill for another 3-4 minutes on the other side. Reserve the marinade. Once the squash is grilled, cut it into bite-sized pieces. Mix with cooked onion rings, reserved marinade and remaining ginger and garlic. Add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with chopped cilantro. Serve as is, or cool to room temperature.

c 2007 From The Veggie Queen: Vegetables Get the Royal Treatment

If you want to do any produce drops, just let me know. I'll even meet you at the farmer's market in any Sonoma County town or city, or I'll do the picking. Produce is my game, The Veggie Queen is my name. Actually, my name is Jill but I do answer to Veggie Queen, with or without the The.

I hope that you are enjoying your summer produce as much as I am.

Ubuntu in Napa: When the Timing is Right

Sometimes there are evenings that have a touch of magic. I think that my dinner with my friend Fran Costigan, the alternative dessert diva, was one of them.

Fran and I both presented at the McDougall Celebrity Chef weekend, and we were tired. It had been very warm outdoors and for that I am thankful. Due to the heat, we decided to get a patio seat at Ubuntu, a "community-focused, vegetable-inspired" restaurant in downtown Napa, the next county inland from the Sonoma County paradise in which I live.

The hour's drive to the restaurant was about all that I could handle with my degree of dragging. But sitting outdoors, surrounded by flowery landscaping and candlelight, changed my mood. And, spending time with Fran was great.

We perused the menu, and as we did so, I saw the waiter sashay by with a flowery salad. I asked what it was, and was told that it was the Carta da Musica. I knew that shortly we'd be eating that gorgeous creation, described as a salad from "snout to tail." The delicate flowers and creative greens which include a French ice plant with a snappy, salty bite (name now forgotten), herbs and arugula was as tasty as it was delicious. It's served on a Sardinian flatbread, with or without truffled pecorino, and the most incredible Trumpet Royale "pancetta", which was incorrectly described as black trumpet mushrooms by both the waiter and chef. But the lightly fried, paper-thin slices of mushrooms that had been smoked had both the mouthfeel and flavor of bacon. Hmmm, may I have a plate of those non-McDougall mushrooms please? (After all they are plant-foods, aren't they?) The pig was surrounded by "dirt" made of dehydrated beets and hazelnuts. I can almost guarantee that you've not had anything like this before.

Along with our salad we had a couple of "tastes" of wine, which are 2 ounce pours for a reasonable, by Napa standards, price of $4 to $6. Perfect amount of wine, especially for the driver.

After the salad we looked at the menu again and ordered the pizzetta. This one had borage (a cucumber-tasting blue flower) tapenade and vegan cheese, for us.

While we waited for our pizzetta, we were served a highly artistic beet dish, compliments of the house, that was incredibly tasty, albeit a bit too precious for my taste. The cubes of gold and red beet with flowers, beet chips and a rhubarb relish made for tasty bites but just bites they were. It may have been an amuse bouche but wasn't presented as such.

And then our pizzetta arrived. It was perfectly cooked and the flavors were bright, with the borage topping made from local Sevillano olives a perfect foil for the perfectly cooked crust. The vegan cheese was a did not distract from, or overwhelm, the wonderful flavors of the fresh summer vegetables. It is just how I like my pizza, crisp crust, light topping and vegetables plus herbs.

The end of the meal was as much a highlight as the beginning. I believe that the dessert that we had was called a "creamsicle" but it's not like any that I've ever had. I never cared for creamsicles so was reluctant to order this one. But I am glad that we did. My description (no photo, sorry, my camera battery died and Fran shot photos. It was too dark by dessert.) will not do it justice.

On the bottom of the glass were beet tapioca pearls, with an intense red color. They were topped with orange sorbet. Mineral (or other fizzy) water was poured over those 2 elements, creating a textured, cold, creamy and spritzy dessert. You have to experience it to get what it's all about. I can just say, that as a mostly non-citified woman at this point, I don't often order $9, non-baked desserts, but I'd get this one again. It was light and delicious and thank goodness, it's nothing like a "creamsicle" except for the orange flavor.

The food and atmosphere of Ubuntu are top notch although the service left me flat, despite our perfectly sweet waiter, named Jeremy, same as the chef, who has a lot to learn about ingredients and wine. Total tab, without tip, for 2 tastes of wine plus a glass, one salad, pizza and dessert was $60, which may fly in Napa or NYC but it's a bit rich for my Sonoma County blood.

I will be going back and we'll see what kind of vegetable treats and tricks Chef Jeremy Fox has up his sleeve in the deep of summer, with all manner of vegetables at his disposal.

If you're going to be in Napa be sure to make reservations and check out their vegetable-inspired cuisine.

Ubuntu also has a yoga studio upstairs. I think that a perfect day for me would be staying at the eco-friendly Gaia Hotel and Spa in American Canyon, taking a yoga class and eating lunch at Ubuntu, and sometime later getting a spa treatment. Something to consider.

BTW, within a day or two, the hot weather vanished and a night on the patio without a jacket would have just been impossibly chilly. So, timing is indeed everything.