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Archive for the pantry

Wine Wednesday: Northwest Totem Cellars

By Leslie · Comments (2) · May 15th, 2013

Happy Wine Wednesday! It’s been awhile since I’ve posted a new wine, but I’m happy to introduce you to Northwest Totem Cellars! They are located up in Washington state and make fabulous vegan wine! This is the “Qo-ne” which is a Cab Franc blend. It was delicious! Fruity and smooth this wine is perfect for a Summer afternoon! I paired it with my Tomato Quinoa Risotto and it was just fabulous! I also have the Cabernet Franc that I can’t wait to open, I’ll post notes here with what I thought, but if this first bottle is any indication I’m going to love it!

And if you happen to be in the Washington area check out their events page, it looks like Mike Sharadin (the owner/operator/wine maker) knows how to have fun! They through all sorts of events at the winery!

Cheers!

Comments (2)

Categories : Beverages: Wine, featured, the pantry

Eggplant

By Leslie · Comments (3) · April 3rd, 2013

You asked on Facebook and I’m answering! Every week I’m going to feature another vegetable or fruit that you are having challenges with. I’m hoping to debunk some of these foods and make you want to give them a try! This week it’s all about one of my favorite veggies to eat: Eggplant! Make sure to Facebook me any foods you’d like to see featured in this series

Eggplant is one of the most used and diverse vegetables out there! Originally a native to India, eggplant is now used all over the world.

eggplant_plant Being Italian vegan, I love eggplant! It makes a great meat substitute in recipes! I’m going to teach you how to prep an eggplant and one of my favorite ways to cook it! First off, you need to prep the eggplant:

Step 1: Wash the eggplant and cut off the ends.

Step 2: Slice or dice the eggplant in accordance to the recipe you are making.

Step 3: Place the eggplant in a strainer and sprinkle with salt. This draws all the bitterness out of the eggplant. You’ll want to let it sit there for about 30 minutes. Pat them dry and then they are ready to cook!

Once you’ve got your eggplant prepped you can cook it a variety of ways. You can grill it, saute it, or roast it. Here are a few of my favorite recipes using eggplant: My Aunt Rose’s Caponata, My Eggplant Burger, Pizza topped with Eggplant and Tomatoes, and Grilled Eggplant Wrapped Quinoa.

FUN FACT #1: Who needs the patch?? Eggplant is richer in nicotine than any other edible plant, with a concentration of 100 ng/g (or 0.01 mg/100g). However, the amount of nicotine from eggplant or any other food is negligible compared to passive smoking. On average, 20lbs (9 kg) of eggplant contains about the same amount of nicotine as a cigarette.

FUN FACT #2: Eggplant is closely related to the tomato and the potato!

Comments (3)

Categories : featured, the pantry

The Onion… How to peel, chop, dice, mince without crying!

By Leslie · Comments (1) · March 25th, 2013

Ok, I love onions! I put them in almost everything. So that means learning to cut them without crying or I’d be a big hot mess all the time and that’s no good! To get to the bottom of this, I had to find out why they make us cry and here is the very technical answer:

As onions are sliced, cells are broken, allowing enzymes called alliinases to break down amino acid sulphoxides and generate sulphenic acids. Sulphenic acids are unstable and spontaneously rearrange into a volatile gas called syn-propanethial-S-oxide. The gas diffuses through the air and eventually reaches the eye, where it binds to sensory neurons, creating a stinging sensation. Tear glands produce tears to dilute and flush out the irritant.

Major anti-crying tips:

#1: place your cutting board right next to your stove and turn the burner on medium high. If you can’t get your board next to your stove, try a candle next to the board. I don’t have the scientific reasoning behind this working (I’m sure you could google it to find out) but it does! Anti-crying major tip

#2: Cut the root end off first. They say most of the enzymes are kept in the root and if you get rid of that first it won’t be as bad. Just another good tip: Use a really sharp knife! Every gal should have at least one in their kitchen. Chopping is dangerous stuff if your knife is dull! One more thing before we begin, an onion has a root end and a sprout end. You should be able to identify these pretty easy. Ok, so that’s how to stop crying and here is how to cut: First, cut the root end off.

Next, peel all the skin off and discard.

Now, cut the onion in half, lengthwise.

Ok, those are the basic steps to start, now comes the different cuts. To quarter, cut the onion in half again lengthwise and cut sprout end off. You’re done! See how easy this is. To slice, when you have cut the onion in half, place the cut side down on the cutting board and slice perpendicular to the onion. That’s it! To dice, (takes a couple more steps) make slices in the onion lengthwise but not cutting all the way to the sprout. You want the onion to stay intact.

Now you are going to carefully run you knife down the center of the onion as so:

Now using the same method as slicing, slice the onion perpendicularly.

And there you have it! A beautiful dice! That wasn’t so hard, right? Now to mince, take your diced onions and chop them again till they are a half or quarter of the size and now you have minced onions! I hope you all find this very helpful!

Thank you to Laura Grier for the amazing pictures!! She is incredible!

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Categories : featured, the pantry

Get Down-to-Earth Day with my Pantry Earthburger

By Leslie · Comments (10) · April 21st, 2012

Happy Earth Day Beautiful People! Celebrate Earth Day with my yummy Earthburger – Straight from my pantry to your table.

Leslie Durso’s Vegan Pantry Earthburger

Makes 6 patties (or 15 ‘mini’ sliders)

Ingredients:
1 15 oz. can of black beans, drained and rinsed
1 15 oz. can of white beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 cup cooked brown rice
1/4 cup plain breadcrumbs
1/2 cup oats
1/4 cup corn kernels
1 large tomato, diced and de-seeded
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tbsp. nutritional yeast
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. salt
1 3.5 oz. package of Hail Merry Chimayo Chili Pecans, crushed medium-fine

In a large bowl combine the beans, onion, and garlic. Using a potato masher lightly smash the beans. Add in the rest of the ingredients except the pecans and stir well. Place the crushed pecans on a small plate. Form the burger patties with your hands and dredge in the nuts on each side of the burger. Cook in a lightly greased frying pan on medium-high heat for about 5 minutes on each side or until the sides are golden. Serve with a toasted bun, avocado and caramelized onions.

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For more everyday veggie-chic recipes and entertaining tips please visit: LeslieDurso.com Follow Leslie on Twitter Subscribe on Facebook

Comments (10)

Categories : featured, the pantry, Vegan, Veggie Burgers

You Say Quinoa, I Say Just Eat it!

By Leslie · Comments (2) · April 4th, 2012

You may be saying, “What the heck is Quinoa?” [pronounced: KEEN-wah] or you may be saying, “duh, I eat it everyday.” Either way, let’s talk about and explore this ancient food that’s hard to pronounce and oh-so easy to make.

Let’s be clear because there is some confusion… Yes, quinoa is gluten-free and how, you may ask? Well… it’s not a grain, it’s actually a seed — one that is super satisfying and really good for you! So what’s it taste like? Just imagine a light nutty flavor with the texture of couscous. MMM. Loaded with iron, magnesium, fiber and protein, it should be a staple in the pantry of every vegetarian, vegan, and omnivore! Quinoa is also the only “complete” protein in the vegan world. It also contains selenium, a trace mineral which helps you lose weight, lowers your risk of heart disease and is considered one of the most effective naturally occurring weapons against cancer.

Sold yet?

You can find quinoa just about anywhere nowadays; look for it in the rice aisle. My favorite right now is Trader Joe’s organic tri-colored quinoa. Quinoa can integrate in most any of your recipes. Try using in your dishes normally asking for rice, pasta, orzo, or couscous. Or try my easy-to-make recipes here: Quinoa Recipes and let me know how you make out!

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Categories : featured, Quinoa, the pantry

From the Pantry to the Beach — Hail Merry Saves the Day

By Leslie · Comments (2) · March 2nd, 2012

For three days, Leslie Durso sought out vegan tasting food at SOBE Wine & Food, but all she found was some Mojito Mint, courtesy of VeeV, and the Hail Merry Snacks she packed for an emergency, which clearly this was!

Leslie Durso on Roof Deck of Cosmpolitan of Las Vegas Hospitality Suite at South Beach Wine & Food Festival

Comments (2)

Categories : featured, Misc., the pantry

Ococoa Giveaway

By Leslie · Comments (18) · February 13th, 2012

CONGRATULATIONS TO MELISSA FOR WINNING THE BOX OF CHOCOLATES!! THANKS SO MUCH TO ALL THAT ENTERED! HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!!

Happy Valentines Day! What better way to celebrate the day than with gourmet chocolates!? I have to tell you, I’m very picky when it comes to chocolates! I came across these Ococoa chocolates the other day when I was at Unique LA (if you have never been to one of their events you must check it out!!)

What caught my eye was how beautiful they were! I sheepishly asked if they were vegan, knowing that they were probably not… Much to my surprise they are! The owner of Ococoa Diana explained to me that she never set out to make a box of vegan chocolates, but they just happened to turn out that way! These chocolates are sooooo good!! My personal favorites include the ‘sesame fig’, ‘peanut butter’, and ‘cashew apricot’. Ococoa was just named “Best Chocolate in America” by Bon Appetit Magazine!

Now Ococoa has generously agreed to giveaway box of chocolates to one of my readers!! All you have to do to enter is to follow me on facebook and or twitter and follow Ococoa on facebook or twitter AND leave a comment below saying which you do A winner will be picked on Valentines Day! (February 14th!) The contest is open to people in the US only, sorry! The box you will receive is pictured below (it contains one piece that has honey in it, but they will gladly sub it out if you don’t eat honey )

Good Luck!! And Happy Valentines Day!!

xoxo!

Comments (18)

Categories : featured, the pantry

Products I Love: Clearly Fresh Bags

By Leslie · Comments (1) · August 14th, 2011

When the fine folks at Clearly Fresh Bags sent me a sample of their product to test, I have to admit, I was very skeptical. Really, a plastic bag that makes food stay fresh longer?? To say the least, I had my doubts…. So let me be very “clear” when I say THESE BAGS WORK! I couldn’t believe that simply placing produce in these bags would make them last longer. Everything I tested lasted days longer than the produce out of the bags. I personally tested bananas, strawberries, lettuce and basil.

Now there are some steps to ensuring the freshest results. These are the instructions I followed from their website:

“1. Put fresh, dry, un-cooked fruit or vegetables into the bag. For best results put each produce type in its own bag – for example, apples in one bag and bananas in another.

2. Gently push out some of the air from the bag.

3. Zip the top of the bag closed.

4. Store your produce as usual.”

And this is their guide for where to store the produce:

Now with this amazing technology, you may be thinking, well how much is this going to cost? Super excited to say they are only $3.99 for a pack of 10 reusable bags! You can buy them here on the Clearly Fresh Bags website.

Comments (1)

Categories : Look What I Found..., the pantry

How To Stock Your Pantry

By Leslie · Comments (1) · April 1st, 2011

photo source

Congratulations, you are married! Now what? Yes, technically you are supposed to be “nesting”, but what does that mean? Well, in the kitchen it means stocking the pantry with “grown-up” items. No more using leftover packets of ketchup and soy sauce. You are married now, buy a bottle! Having a well-stocked pantry is key for cooking and entertaining. In my pantry right now, I bet I could make at least 5 full meals without going to the grocery store. I think of the pantry as the go-to place for last minute home cooked meals and snacks. I also always keep some ingredients to make last minute appetizers in case friends decide to drop by!

So what to have? It depends on what you like to eat, but here are some suggestions that come out of my pantry!

Two easy ingredients to have on hand are pasta and canned tomatoes. Yes, I said canned tomatoes, not jarred tomato sauce. You can do it, homemade sauce is so easy to make and so much better tasting than jarred! There are about a billion recipes online including on my site : ) These two simple items can be a go-to staple on Sunday nights.

* Rice- makes a great base for whatever you happen to have in your fridge. Stir-fry up all those leftover meats and veggies from the week; serve over rice and voila, a perfect and healthy meal.

* Crackers- I always keep a fresh box of these around in case of impromptu entertaining. On the entertaining note, I always have jarred gourmet olives, marinated artichoke hearts, jarred semi-dried tomatoes and jarred roasted red peppers to put together a little antipasto with no effort! Can you imagine how impressed your Mother in law would be if she surprisingly dropped by and you made antipasto in two minutes?

photo source: agoosa.com

* Really good extra virgin olive oil (if you don’t know what really good is, it is because you haven’t had it.) My best advice is to continue to try new brands until you find one that tastes like velvet!

**On a side note, what makes olive oil extra virgin? The term “extra virgin” is the first few presses of the olives; said to have the most flavor. The rest of the presses are used to make regular olive oil.

* Vinegars- I keep like 6 different vinegars around, but it’s probably not necessary to have that many. Just keep whichever ones you like making salad dressing with. I would suggest balsamic or red wine vinegar, these are the most common.

All the things necessary to make chocolate chip cookies! (cause you never know when a craving is going to happen!)

* Dried herbs- Yes, fresh herbs are the best, but when you are putting together a meal with what you have on hand, dried is the way to go. Keep on hand ones that go with what you like to make. I think I might have all of them in my house… Some important ones to have on hand are basil, parsley, oregano, chili powder, cayenne pepper, mustard, ground cumin, paprika and garlic salt.

* Wine! (Need I say more?)

Fresh Food Staples

Some of the fresh food staples that I always have around are:

photo source: eats.com

* Onions – I put onions in everything and they have such a long shelf life, it’s nice to always have these on hand.

* Garlic – ditto to the onion.

* Lemons – great to marinade or flavor meats and pastas. Great to use in desserts or drinks. The best part is, as soon as they start going south, I use them as a cleaner. Cut the lemon on half and rub all over your counters and rinse. They are also great to grind in your disposal so it continues to smell fresh.

* Salad “stuff” – I make salads everyday. They are an excellent source of vitamins and nutrients and lets face it, you can never get enough of those!

photo source

In The Freezer

* Ice cream – just because!

* Frozen fruit – throw some frozen fruit in a small pot with some water and sugar, heat and you’ve got a beautiful sauce to serve over ice cream for a very impressive delightful dessert with little effort! You can also throw these in the blender for delicious breakfast smoothies for when you run out of his favorite cereal, ooops!

* Nuts – I keep nuts in the freezer for a longer shelf life. Nuts can be added to just about any salad, entree or dessert! I love to have almonds, walnuts, cashews and pignoli (pine) nuts around.

What’s in your pantry?

For recipes and more ideas, visit www.lesliesarna.com

Comments (1)

Categories : Misc., the pantry

Chia Seeds

By Leslie · Comments (5) · January 5th, 2011

Cha Cha Cha Chia! Yup, I'm talking about the same seeds that were used to grow those funny chia pets when you were a kid.

Who knew the unbelievable health benefits that come from eating the seeds?! I can't believe I've gone so long without knowing much about these. I have to thank my Uncle Alan for educating me about these. We were staying at his house over Christmas and he picked up a scoopful of chia seeds and ate them. Now my Uncle knows his stuff when it comes to health, he's one of the top surgeons in the country and is the smartest person I've ever met! So when he has something to say, I listen. We had a great discussion about the seeds and all the health benefits.

Chia is harvested mainly in Mexico and an Aztec super food. It's said that Aztec warriors subsisted on chia seeds alone during conquests.

Wow! I still cannot believe I didn't know anything about these! Here are just a few of the benefits:

1. They are the best plant based source for Omega-3 fatty acids {more than flax seeds and 8 times more than salmon!}

2. Chia seeds are an excellent gluten-free source of fiber. Chia fiber is soluble fiber {the best kind} that helps lower your cholesterol and is super healthy for your heart

3. They are loaded with antioxidants!

4. a really high source of protein that is very easily digestible so great for pregnant vegetarians

5. Low glycemic index. What is that you say? Having an index of 1 means it actually helps lower the rate at which your body converts carbohydrates into sugars! {yes, that's a really good thing} And by doing this it can curb your cravings for sugar ie. junk food!

6. Diet food. Chia seeds can absorb 10 times their weight in water which fills you up faster {why you should take a spoonful every morning : ) }

7. Oprah loves them! She was introduced to them here, by Dr. Oz

Unlike most things that are good for you, they taste great! Actually, you don't taste them at all because they have a super super mild flavor. You won't even know they are there! And they can be eaten with the shells on, unlike flax seeds which have to be ground up to get benefits.

Seriously, if you haven't left this website to go buy yourself some chia, do it now! No, seriously, this is where you can find some Chia Seeds : )

Now, that you have them, how do you eat them? Well, yes, you could eat a tablespoon full in the morning and be fabulous, but there are all sorts of ways to eat them. I've enjoyed them sprinkled on salads, oatmeal, cereal, yoghurt, mixed in smoothies and juice and even add them to your baking. {More ideas to come}

PS I didn't take any of these photos. They were found on google images. Though I wish I were at the taping of Oprah ; )

Comments (5)

Categories : Fun Stuff, gluten free, the pantry

Excited to try @FeedBodySoul in Venice for @SarahNatasha birthday! I hear great things about their #vegan food! Menu recommendations?
“@TheSquirrelWood: @LeslieDurso HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! Wishing you a fabulous day and wonderful year ahead :)” Thank you!! xoxoxo!!
“@joan_fuller: Happy birthday @LeslieDurso! Had an amazing vegan cupcake in Sacramento last week. I'm starting to eat like you!”Thank u! :)
A #vegan birthday "I Am Awesome" at @cafegratitudela with @sarahnatasha #nomnomnom @ Cafe Gratitude http://t.co/ykdP9GeiZ4
Check out this beautiful new ebook from @thetaoofdana http://t.co/Sa24jQoIOg She makes me want to feng shui my whole life!

Archive for the pantry

Wine Wednesday: Northwest Totem Cellars

Eggplant

The Onion… How to peel, chop, dice, mince without crying!

Get Down-to-Earth Day with my Pantry Earthburger

You Say Quinoa, I Say Just Eat it!

From the Pantry to the Beach — Hail Merry Saves the Day

Ococoa Giveaway

Products I Love: Clearly Fresh Bags

How To Stock Your Pantry

Fresh Food Staples

In The Freezer

Chia Seeds

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