Hello everyone! I apologize for the lateness but I just returned to school to begin my spring semester.  Leaving home was a bit sad but there is nothing like a new semester to start over.

Since my brother’s birthday is tomorrow and I obviously am unable to be there, we held a little get together on Saturday night to celebrate.  Being on a budget and having a get together is difficult to do, however I was able to make something to satisfy all appetites.

Macaroni and Cheese is a very simple crowd pleasing dish.  I was able to make what I like to call a grown up version using a variety of cheeses that did not include just cheddar and have the guests crave a second helping.

I recently acquired a collection of culinary magazines (thanks to my Aunt Lisa).  In Cooking Light magazine (September 2009 issue) there is a whole section on the basics of Mac ‘n’ Cheese.  I chose a rather complex recipe and altered it to my liking (without meat, pure vegetarian goodness).  The recipe is below along with a few pictures.  Enjoy!

Grown up Mac ‘n’ Cheese

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 tomatoes diced

2 teaspoons of salt

2 boxes of macaroni pasta

1 red onion finely chopped

6 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cloves of garlic

2 cups of half and half

2 cups of whole milk

1 1/2 cups of shredded fontina cheese

1 cup of crumbled blue cheese

1/2 cup of cheddar cheese

1 1/2 cups of panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

1 tablespoon of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 tablespoons of butter ( 1 tablespoon for sautéing onions, 1 tablespoon melted)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Add Olive oil to a frying pan.  Add thyme and let the flavor infuse in the oil.  Then add the tomatoes and sautee for 4 minutes.  If there is excess juice, strain.  Set aside for later.

3. Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil.  Add salt and pasta.  Cook until al dente.  Do not overcook.

4. Add 1 tablespoon of the butter to a saucepan. Once it melts, add the diced onion and garlic.  Sautee until garlic and onion softens. Add flour and cook for one minute.  Add 1 cup of half and half.  Gradually stir in the other cup of half and half and the two cups of milk.  Bring mixture to a boil.  Cook for one minute; whisk or stir constantly.  Remove from heat; let stand for 4 minutes.  Stir in fontina and half of blue cheese.  Let thicken.  Add tomatoes salt and pepper.

5. Mix cheese sauce with pasta.  Put in a baking dish.  Add remaining cheddar cheese and rest of blue cheese.  Mix melted butter with panko breadcrumbs and sprinkle on top.

6. Cook for 20 minutes.

7. Eat.

The response to the dish was incredible.  There were no leftovers. I was actually surprised since it was my first attempt at baked macaroni and cheese.  If you ever want to try a new type of mac n cheese, you should go for it.

That’s all for now.  I have my first day of class tomorrow.

Peace love and no beef.

GK

I am partial to purchasing pizzas with veggies as a topping.  However, I am not particularly fond of buying pizza that is supposedly “healthy” with roasted veggies that looks great on the box but tastes like cardboard.  No, I have not really tasted cardboard but I can only imagine.

Tonight my mom thought it would be easier to buy a box of Kashi brand frozen pizzas.  One was Mediterranean veggie and the other, roasted veggies.  At first sight I expected them to be delicious because the images on the box definitely made my mouth water.  Take a look for yourself….

Compliments of Google Images

Compliments of Google Images

The main issue I had was the lack of vegetables and lack of flavor.  If you are looking for something that is good for you and does not taste amazing then this is perfect for you (yes, the sarcasm is intended).

I would rather eat a greasy slice from the local pizzeria than eat this healthy cardboard tasting fake pizza.  One slice of pizza costs around $3 and in New York City, that one slice is HUGE.  Add a few veggies and voila, instant yumminess.  A general frozen pizza pie that is 8-12” costs anywhere from $5 to $9. Kashi brand frozen pizza costs $7.  A small pie at the local pizzeria, $8.

Well, it may not be delivery or DiGiorno (although DiGiorno is probably one of the best tasting frozen pizzas) , it is not as good as delivery. Friendly on the wallet but not on the taste buds.

That is all for now.

Peace love and no Beef.

G.K.

As a child, on numerous occasions,people offered me some chicken, a hamburger or two and maybe a hotdog.  The moment I opened my mouth and said I was a vegetarian I received many confused stares and a flood of questions.  The most popular question was “What do you eat?”

This puzzles many people because in some cases meat is one of the primary parts of a meal. In order to understand what a vegetarian eats it is crucial to know what is not eaten.

According to the International Vegetarian Union, vegetarianism is the practice of not eating meat, fish or poultry as well as products that come from an animal.

There are a few different types of vegetarians and there is a difference between a vegetarian and a vegan.

Ovo-Lacto Vegetarian: A vegetarian that includes eggs and dairy in their diet

Lacto-Vegetarian: A veggie that does not eat eggs or any other any animal product but includes dairy.

Vegan: Complete exclusion of any animal product or byproduct.  This means no dairy or eggs or even any products made using animals.

I would consider myself somewhat of a lacto-vegetarian since I love cheese.  Yet I am unable to drink cows milk so I drink soymilk on a daily basis as a delicious alternative.

Below will give an idea of possible meals throughout the day

Breakfast:

Many mornings I eat some cereal (I’m partial to the Multigrain Cheerios or even Cookie Crisp) with soymilk. It is important to get protein so I usually heat in the microwave Soy Bacon or Veggie Sausages.  Those are available in the frozen food section.  Other options for breakfast are fruit with yogurt, oatmeal, Farina (cream of wheat or rice) or even toast with peanut butter.

Lunch:

Sandwich’s with cheese instead of meat. Try a veggie patty from Subway and try to incorporate as many veggies as possible.
-Soup & Salad

– A Slice of Pizza

– Stir fry greens (garlic sautéed in olive oil with green beans, sugar snap peas, zucchini and broccoli)

These are just a few options for lunch.  Usually people eat a larger meal for lunch than for dinner.

Dinner:

– Tacos or Burritos with Refried Beans and sautéed veggies (any you like)

– Pasta with Veggie Meatballs (YUMMM) and your favorite Marinara

– Sautéed Veggies (another great option) with a Salad on the side

– Mashed Potatoes, Scalloped Potatoes or a Gratin

Tonight for dinner I kind of cheated.  I made a box of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese and cut up vegetables on the side.  I like to personalize my dishes.  For my 15 minutes mac and cheese I followed the instructions on the side of the box for the cooking process.  I then added 1 tablespoon of butter, a 1/2 cup of whole milk (soy just tastes bad in this), the instant cheese packet, 2 tablespoons of parmesan cheese, a pinch of pepper and a small packet of the Laughing Cow Light Spreadable Swiss cheese.  Sound cheesy enough? For the veggies I chose Green and Red bell peppers.  They are crispy and delicious as a side dish.

I am currently in the process of deciding an amazing meal to cook for my brothers birthday get together on Saturday.  I am really inspired by the mac n cheese I made earlier today.  I might tweak it a little bit and make it more grown up tasting.

Look for my upcoming entries.

Peace love and no beef.

G.K.

Today my best friend and I decided to take an early morning/afternoon trip to the Palisades Mall.  We arrived rather early at 9:30 a.m. way before any of the stores had even opened.  We walked around for a while and worked up an appetite. After much walking we decided we were in the mood for a little Asian Cuisine.  In the past, people have recommended the restaurant Stircrazy, on the fourth floor above the food court.

As a vegetarian I find it incredibly difficult to find a good place to eat.  The thing that drew me to this restaurant was the availability of fresh veggies and most importantly soy protein.  It is hard to get a good dose of protein as a vegetarian, lucky for me tofu was readily available.

Upon walking into the restaurant I fell in love with the Oriental decor.  The dim lighting creates a calm atmosphere, the type I like to eat in.  Dragons take over the walls mingling with the many Buddha sculptures.  The restaurant makes you feel like you are in an authentic Asian restaurant even though the workers and chefs are no where near Asian decent.  Regardless, they do make a mean Asian stir fry.

If you are looking for a restaurant having a good price and a decent serving size, you are going to love this place.

Stircrazy has a menu featuring a vast selection of Asian delights but the thing they are famous for is their Wok lunch/dinner special. For lunch it costs $8.95 plus $1 for any type of protein you choose.

You are able to choose from a variety of noodle types or rice if you like as well as your desired protein.  The server hands you an interesting dish that holds two bowls.  One for veggies and one for sauce.

In order for you to complete the Wok you must go through a 3 step process.

Step One: Market

Here is where you choose your veggies.  There is an amazing selection of veggies from Bok Choy to Red Bell Peppers and Bamboo Shoots.

Taken by my Blackberry

For my Wok special I chose tomatoes, baby corn, snow peas, zucchini, mushrooms, broccoli, Bok Choy, green and red peppers, scallions and a pinch of garlic. Sounds like a lot?  Well I try to get my money’s worth and choosing green vegetables is filling and also good for you.   Being vegetarian I chose tofu for my protein and lo mein noodles rather than rice.  Quite a yummy selection don’t you think?

Step Two: Sauces

Compliments of my Blackberry

There are about 12 options for sauces from basic chinese cooking sauce to teriyaki.

For a personal touch you can mix a few ladles of different sauces.  For this trip I mixed teriyaki, a subtly spicy but sweet classic sauce, with classic chinese cooking sauce and a Kung Pao sauce to add a background of heat to my delectable stir fry.

Step Three: Watch them create your stir fry

Compliments of my Blackberry

It is a pretty fascinating site but I will save that for you to watch in amazement when you go!

The final result?

Compliments of my Blackberry

The final step, not mentioned, is to enjoy the delectable creation sitting before you. The first bite just sends you into a frenzy of flavors.  The flavors are a bit overwhelming even though I am partial to the spice and richness of Asian cuisine coming from my Indian background.

Since it is my own creation it is a once in a lifetime plateful of flavors.  What I enjoy the most is the subtle hint of red chili pepper in the background of my first few bites and the intensity of the minced garlic I so cleverly added to kick up my taste buds.

My overall rating of Stircrazy: A-, Other than the servers being a little less than attentive, the food is amazing and the opportunity to “create your own” meal is a plus.   Great food. Great prices.  Great location. Great for vegetarians.

Whatever you do choose in your Wok special keep portions in mind and do not hesitate to try tofu.  It really is not all that bad, when cooked well.

Think tofu and remember there is no BEEF here.

G.K.

Hello and Welcome!

This is the beginning of an amazing adventure not just for myself but for you, the reader.  I have always had a great passion for food.  Not only is it delicious and we need it for survival, but there is so much diversity when it comes to food and so much that is there to explore.

I have decided to begin this blog to jump-start my dream to one day write for a Culinary magazine.  I plan on writing about and taking pictures of the food I have tried at restaurants as well as created on my own.  As my brother immediately pointed out, this seems similar to Julie Powell’s blog as portrayed in the movie ”Julie and Julia.” Although the idea is close in similarity, I have a completely different style and intend on sharing my love for food and cooking with whoever wants to listen.

This blog, unlike others, focuses on vegetarian tastes.  I have been a vegetarian for my twenty years of existence.  In order to understand what a vegetarian eats or likes, why not come to the source?

For this week I plan on exploring different restaurants in my hometown of the Bronx, New York.

I look forward to sharing my delectable explorations with you.

And remember you will find No BEEF here.

Guramrit