Food | Meals On Wheels Blog

A Way To Make A Difference

Posted by Summer Gould | Posted on 25-02-2013

Visionaries in Philanthropy is an organization of young professionals who see value in our seniors’ health, well-being and strive to make a difference in their lives every day. Can you think of a better way to spend some of your time than to help the generation that came before you? Without them none of us would exist.

The biggest joy in a senior’s life can be given by the smallest effort on your part. Every day Meals-on-Wheels Greater San Diego, Inc. serves homebound seniors 2 meals per day, but it’s not the meals so much as the companionship that really brings them joy. Many of the seniors only contact with another human being that day is with the Meals-on-Wheels delivery volunteers. Every senior deserves to go through the day and not be hungry, but most of all they deserve to feel valuable. In their lifetime they have seen and heard so many things, if only someone would take the time to listen to them we could learn so much.

Each of us at one time or another has felt the need to give back. It can be done with financial or material donations or with time. I started with Visionaries in Philanthropy in order to help give back to seniors. I had a very special grandma, Doris Kook, who I loved dearly and lost in 2011. I wanted to find a way to help seniors in her honor; I found that with our group. We organize events and fund raisers to feed San Diego seniors. So I invite you to do your part by joining our group or just coming to events and supporting our cause.

Our next event is February 28th at 6pm. Join us at Po Pazzo, which means “a little crazy” in Italian. Tickets are $5 for non-members; the event is free for VIP members. All attendees will enjoy the following: We’ll buy your first drink! Choose from draft beers, house wine, or well cocktails, delicious pesto penne and eggplant and short rib lasagna, raffle prizes, including bottles of wine, live music starting at 7 p.m., a fun Italian parting gift from Po Pazzo. Plus, you’ll get to meet and chat with a great group of young professionals! What more could you ask for? We hope to see you there!

1917 India St
(between Fir St & Grape St)
San Diego, CA 92101
Neighborhood: Little Italy

Summer Gould

Smoked Maple Cider Turkey

Posted by mealsblogadmin | Posted on 16-11-2012

Category : Food and Recipes

Tags: chef, family, food, Thanksgiving, The Marine Room, turkey

Growing up in a family of butchers, bakers and farmers in the heart of Brittany, my family always raised turkeys. Turkey was a bird that was feasted on Christmas Eve. When I came to America, I was happily surprised that there was a special day, Thanksgiving, which celebrates life, family and brings everyone in the country together. This bird is a very versatile protein that can be prepared many different ways from deep fried to smoked to slow roasted to barbecued – and even steamed. It is just a joy to prepare.

Maple Cider Smoked Turkey

Preserved Fig Cranberry Relish, Black Muscat Sauce
serves six

Turkey

12 lb fresh turkey
Remove neck and giblets from cavity. Reserve for sauce. Rinse cavity thoroughly. Pat dry. Fold and secure wings under body.

Maple Cider Brine

2 gallons         apple cider
2 ½ cups         organic sea salt
2 cups             maple syrup
1 bunch           thyme
¼ cup              freshly cracked black pepper
1 tsp.              ground pickling spice

Combine all ingredients in large pot. Heat to 160°F. Do not boil or it will harm flavor. Remove from heat. Cool to room temperature. Place turkey in brine in non-reactive container (or plastic bucket). Place heavy platter on top of turkey to keep turkey submerged. Refrigerate 12 hours. Remove turkey from brine. Pat dry.

Spice Rub
2 Tbsp.           fennel seeds
2 Tbsp.           mustard seeds
2 Tbsp.           ground dried orange peel
1 Tbsp.            fleur de sel
1 Tbsp.            togarashi pepper mix
1 Tbsp.            dried thyme
1 tsp.               ground cumin

Process fennel and mustard seeds in coffee grinder to powder stage. Combine with remaining ingredients. Rub mixture into turkey.

Smoking the Turkey

Place turkey in smoker breast side down. Cover with green lettuce leaves, to prevent from drying out. Whole turkeys should cook 20 minutes per pound at 325°F, until internal temperature at thickest part of thigh reaches 160°F when tested with meat thermometer.

Preserved Fig Cranberry Relish
1 ^2/3 cups      ruby port
1 cup               light brown sugar, packed
8                      dried black Mission figs, stemmed, chopped
¼ tsp.             ground black pepper
1 stalk             lemongrass, split
1-12 oz bag    fresh cranberries
¾ cup              sugar

Combine first 5 ingredients in medium saucepan. Bring to boil. Stir until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to low. Simmer 10 minutes. Remove lemongrass. Add cranberries. Cook over medium heat until liquid is slightly reduced and berries burst. Stir occasionally, about 6 minutes. Let cool. Transfer sauce to bowl. Chill until cold. (Can be prepared 1 week ahead). Cover and keep refrigerated.
Black Muscat Sauce
**                    reserved neck and giblets, chopped
2 Tbsp.           olive oil
¼ cup              minced shallots
½ tsp.              finely chopped fresh thyme
3 Tbsp.           sweet butter
2 Tbsp.           flour
1 cup               chicken stock
½ cup              black muscat
2 Tbsp.           sherry vinegar
¼ cup              diced sun dried apple
**                    sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat olive oil in heavy skillet over high heat. Roast neck and giblets five minutes. Add shallots and thyme. Add 2 Tbsp. butter. Sprinkle in flour. Stir to combine. Pour in chicken stock, black muscat and sherry vinegar gradually, stir constantly. Bring to boil. Reduce to spoon coating consistency. Strain through fine sieve. Return to pan. Add sun dried apples. Finish with 1 Tbsp. butter. Season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

The Smoker

¨ The container you smoke the turkey in should be designed for hot smoking.

¨ Soak 2 cups maple wood chips in water, so they don’t ignite. When saturated, drain well.

¨ Light charcoal. Heat to red hot with gray ashes.

¨ Top with maple wood chips.

¨ An oven thermometer is needed to regulate the temperature to make sure heat stays at 325°F

Bon Appetit. Executive Chef Bernard Guillas. The Marine Room, La Jolla

www.marineroom.com

www.chefbernard.com

Rice Pudding with Cinnamon, Star Anise and Mango from Chef Isabel Cruz

Posted by DiStefano | Posted on 22-10-2012

Category : Community, Events, Food and Recipes

Tags: Bootleggers' Ball, dessert, food, San Diego chefs, sweets

Stephanie DiStefano searches through Chef Isabel Cruz’s cookbook, Isabel’s Cantina, and finds a Rice Pudding recipe with a delicious Isabel Cruz twist!

Steph

Chef Isabel Cruz has a strong presence in the San Diego culinary world. From her many restaurants, to her cookbooks, specifically Isabel’s Cantina, and her consistent support of Meals-on-Wheels Greater San Diego, Isabel is spreading her love for healthy Latin cuisine and seniors throughout the region.

This recipe reminds me of a rice pudding that my grandma and I would often share after shopping together. Please take a moment and try this recipe at home, especially if you aren’t San Diego local and can’t hop over to one of Isabel’s restaurants to try any of her amazing dishes yourself.

Rice Pudding with Cinnamon, Star Anise and Mango

Serves 4

1 cup medium or short-grain rice

5 cups whole milk

1 cup sweetened condensed milk

3 whole star anise

1 cinnamon stick

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

1 mango, peeled and diced

Salt to taste

Bring 2 cups cold water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the rice and salt, stir once, and reduce the heat so that the mixture simmers. When the rice has absorbed most of the water, about 20 minutes, add the whole milk, sweetened condensed milk, star anise, cinnamon stick, and vanilla bean. Stir thoroughly to combine.

Simmer the pudding over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it begins to thicken, 15 to 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and begin stirring regularly to avoid scorching as the pudding continues to thicken to an oatmeal-like consistency. This can take 30 to 45 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.

Remove the star anise, cinnamon stick, and vanilla bean. Refrigerate the rice pudding until cold, at least 1 hour or, covered, for up to 3 days.

Serve the chilled rice pudding in individual bowls and top with the mango.

The Secret to a Long Life

Posted by Maronowitz | Posted on 12-10-2012

Category : Community, Health, Uncategorized

Tags: food, fruit, longevity, meals, Meals-on-Wheels, nutrition, San Diego

Every day, just before the sun rises, my grandmother walks a mile from her home to the open-air food market in her province in Pampanga, Philippines. Once she reaches the market she is greeted warmly by the familiar faces of the farmers and vendors she purchases her food from each day. As she saunters through the market, the vibrant colors and delectable aromas of fresh papaya, guava, mango, avocado and eggplant delight her senses.

Picking and choosing assorted fruits, vegetables and fish has become a daily routine for my grandmother. After a quick conversation with one of the local vendors, she walks a mile back to her home, with a bag of food in each hand. Once home, she starts cooking, or what she refers to as “nourishment for the soul.”

My grandmother is 96 years old.

Living in an era where fast food is the norm, and eating out and take out are an integral part of our society’s culture, it seems awfully difficult to remember a simpler time. For my grandmother’s generation, it was standard for meals to be prepared at home. The moments spent chopping vegetables and simmering stew were savored.

For many seniors, mobility and accessibility are barriers to obtaining hearty, nutritious meals. Meals-on-Wheels Greater San Diego, Inc. is helping seniors stay healthy and independent in their homes with the help of volunteers who deliver meals to seniors’ homes seven days a week. Meals-on-Wheels offers a variety of meals plans and meal types to choose from.

Everyone deserves access to wholesome foods, so it’s comforting to know there is an organization putting the well-being of seniors on the top of its priority list. My grandmother cherishes her relationship with food and in return, she has been blessed with a life of longevity.

Article by Micole Aronowitz

“Which Diet Works?”

Posted by Ladd | Posted on 07-08-2012

Category : Health

Tags: advice, diet, food, health, nutrition, trends

What follows are excerpts from an interesting article entitled: “Which Diet Works?” dated June 26, 2012 from The New York Times Opinionator Blogs.

So you think “A calorie is a calorie.” Think again. Increasing evidence shows that the body treats calories from highly processed carbohydrates differently, spiking blood sugar and insulin and causing us to retain fat. In a nutshell, all calories are not alike.

A new study looked at people’s ability to maintain weight loss. Researchers put three groups of people on three different diets:

(1) A standard low-fat diet (60% carbohydrates — with an emphasis on fruits, vegetables and whole grains but not unprocessed ones, 20% fat and 20% protein);

(2) A ultra-low carbohydrate diet such as the Atkins diet (with 10% carbohydrates, 60% fat and 30% protein); and

(3) A low glycemic index diet (with 40% carbohydrate — minimally processed grains, fruit, vegetables and legumes, 40% fat and 20% protein).

The conclusion: The low carbohydrate diet offers the biggest metabolic benefit initially but it has some marked problems. Over the long term, the low glycemic diet appears to work the best.

The advice: Reacquaint ourselves with the minimally processed carbs. They give us a better chance of idealizing our weight.

The article can be found online at:

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/06/26/which-diet-works/

Karah