Chef Daniel Angerer's Blog

TESTING THE WATERS - the blog ...

 

TESTING THE WATERS - the blog
If you’re like me and you get bored of drinking water, there’s a better way to quench your thirst and keep you hydrated. Indeed, last week we had the first day of the season when the thermometer climbed above 90 degrees. That seemed like a good reason to come up with a more interesting way to enhance my water-sipping habit. By now, most of us understand that the average vitamin-infused water is not all that it promises. Undoubtedly, many brands contain artificial flavoring, coloring and synthetic sugars, and in addition, often these waters are blown out of proportion--you might as well sip on filtered tap water and save the buck!

Surely, homemade infused water has me sipping throughout the day, and the best part is it suits my palate and feels nourishing. In addition, these concoctions are super simple to make. Even my kiddo daughter asks for it frequently, especially if a floating strawberry lends its gentle pink hue to the water in her ballerina sipping bottle. That defiantly supports her sipping sugarless beverages, and in addition it puts a big smile on her face.
Yes, infused waters can upgrade the flavor. Simply let a variety of fruits, herbs and sometimes spices sit in water in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight. In this way an appealing alternative to plain old water is created. It defiantly works for me!

So how beneficial is that water?
While there is some minimal nutritional value from each infused fruit and herb, you do not ingest fiber, nutrients or vitamins as you would when blending fruits/veggies and drinking them. The trick is to buy a few 16-ounce bottles, fill them with a few slices of fruits, veggies and herbs, and sip your water and then nibble on those ingredients, which is super refreshing.  And just like that, there’s one serving of fruit and vegetables! One serving usually equals ½ cup.

 
The truth is that the main health benefit of infused waters is simple--hydration! Even if infused water is no nutritional powerhouse, it can't be dismissed. Hydration is critical to a healthy functioning body and brain! How much water you should sip on on a daily basis is where the opinions differ, and it also depends on your daily activity and your body type. It varies widely, but can help with the following:
- transporting nutrients and oxygen
- helping think clearly
- keeping skin young and buff looking
- regulating body temperature
- hydration after drinking coffee or alcohol
- helping keep muscles working properly
- a glass of water before a meal makes you feel more satiated, lubricated and helps digestion.

 

You can use my rule of thumb: for each pound of body weight, drink an ounce of water.

Easy breezy combos
It’s a good idea to get inspired by seasonal fruits and herbs that are available at a farmer’s market or perhaps local in your close-by supermarket.
Here are a few of my favorite combinations I have been sipping on:

The following guidelines are for approximately 16 ounces of flavor-infused water. Keep your concoctions infusing for at least four hours in the refrigerator before serving, or even better, leave to marinate overnight in the refrigerator. It will be good for up to three days.

 
Cool Cucumber
2 slices cucumber, 1/8-inch thick
2 slices, ginger, 1/8-inch thick
5 fresh mint leaves  

15 ounces filtered water

Peach & Rosemary Cooler
3 slices peach, 1/4-inch thick
1-inch sprig of rosemary

15 ounces filtered water

 

Lavender & Blueberries
¼ cup blueberries

1 tablespoon food-grade, dried lavender

 

Instructions: In a pot, combine lavender and ½ cup of water, then bring to boil and combine with other ingredients.

 

…and lastly, my daughter’s favorite….

 

Pink Ballerina
3 strawberries, cut in half

1 slice lemon, 1/8-inch thick
2 fresh basil leaves

½ teaspoon maple syrup

15 ounces filtered water

Chef's Note: Often, citrus peels impart a somewhat bitter flavor. If you mind that, cut the peel off with a knife.

Chef's Tip: It's a good idea to install a water filter on your faucet to have impurities taken out.

 

TESTING Lke me and you get bored of drinking water, there’s a better way to quench your thirst and keep you hydrated. Indeed, last week we had the first day of the season when the thermometer climbed above 90 degrees. That seemed like a good reason to come up with a more interesting way to enhance my water-sipping habit. By now, most of us understand that the average vitamin-infused water is not all that it promises. Undoubtedly, many brands contain artificial flavoring, coloring and synthetic sugars, and in addition, often these waters are blown out of proportion--you might as well sip on filtered tap water and save the buck!

...juiceparade

Surely, homemade infused water has me sipping throughout the day, and the best part is it suits my palate and feels nourishing. In addition, these concoctions are super simple to make. Even my kiddo daughter asks for it frequently, especially if a floating strawberry lends its gentle pink hue to the water in her ballerina sipping bottle. That defiantly supports her sipping sugarless beverages, and in addition it puts a big smile on her face.
Yes, infused waters can upgrade the flavor. Simply let a variety of fruits, herbs and sometimes spices sit in water in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight. In this way an appealing alternative to plain old water is created. It defiantly works for me!

So how beneficial is that water?
While there is some minimal nutritional value from each infused fruit and herb, you do not ingest fiber, nutrients or vitamins as you would when blending fruits/veggies and drinking them. The trick is to buy a few 16-ounce bottles, fill them with a few slices of fruits, veggies and herbs, and sip your water and then nibble on those ingredients, which is super refreshing.  And just like that, there’s one serving of fruit and vegetables! One serving usually equals ½ cup.

 
The truth is that the main health benefit of infused waters is simple--hydration! Even if infused water is no nutritional powerhouse, it can't be dismissed. Hydration is critical to a healthy functioning body and brain! How much water you should sip on on a daily basis is where the opinions differ, and it also depends on your daily activity and your body type. It varies widely, but can help with the following:
- transporting nutrients and oxygen
- helping think clearly
- keeping skin young and buff looking
- regulating body temperature
- hydration after drinking coffee or alcohol
- helping keep muscles working properly
- a glass of water before a meal makes you feel more satiated, lubricated and helps digestion.

 

You can use my rule of thumb: for each pound of body weight, drink an ounce of water.

Easy breezy combos
It’s a good idea to get inspired by seasonal fruits and herbs that are available at a farmer’s market or perhaps local in your close-by supermarket.
Here are a few of my favorite combinations I have been sipping on:

The following guidelines are for approximately 16 ounces of flavor-infused water. Keep your concoctions infusing for at least four hours in the refrigerator before serving, or even better, leave to marinate overnight in the refrigerator. It will be good for up to three days.

 
Cool Cucumber
2 slices cucumber, 1/8-inch thick
2 slices, ginger, 1/8-inch thick
5 fresh mint leaves  

15 ounces filtered water

Peach & Rosemary Cooler
3 slices peach, 1/4-inch thick
1-inch sprig of rosemary

15 ounces filtered water

 

Lavender & Blueberries
¼ cup blueberries

1 tablespoon food-grade, dried lavender

 

Instructions: In a pot, combine lavender and ½ cup of water, then bring to boil and combine with other ingredients.

 

…and lastly, my daughter’s favorite….

 

Pink Ballerina
3 strawberries, cut in half

1 slice lemon, 1/8-inch thick
2 fresh basil leaves

½ teaspoon maple syrup

15 ounces filtered water

Chef's Note: Often, citrus peels impart a somewhat bitter flavor. If you mind that, cut the peel off with a knife.

Chef's Tip: It's a good idea to install a water filter on your faucet to have impurities taken out.

 

SORT OF UNGLAMOROUS FOOD – the blog

I seek out food that’s nourishing and comforting. I especially love whole grains.
There is a dish my Indian friends have been cooking at our gatherings and I never knew what to think of it until I started asking questions. They call the dish kitchari and it’s an easygoing, traditional Indian comfort food. A one-pot dish of grains and legumes scented with spices and cooked until each component breaks down into the others. In a way, I compare it to risotto since it has a similar texture. I was told in India, kitchari is home cooking—a dish everyone knows and everyone knows how to make. It’s sort of unglamorous food and what you make when you’re in a hurry or when you’re sick. It gets made out of necessity. But at the same time, it’s filling, nutritious and supremely healthful at the same time. It is India’s chicken soup for the soul. In Hindi, kitchari means “a mess” or “all mixed up”—indeed unglamorous!

kitchari with tomatoes and basil

So how do you cook it?
Kitchari comes together largely in one pot and turns out flavors far more complex than you’d expect because of the rather long cooking time. Recipes are endlessly variable and all my Indian companions seem to have their own mix-and-match recipes for all manner of greens, grains and dals. A dal is a dried pulse, a.k.a., the edible seeds of a legume (plant with a pod) that has been split. Some examples are dried peas, beans, lentils, chickpeas, soybeans… 

At its simplest and most traditional, kitchari employs long-grain white rice, which may be substituted with brown rice. The other traditional part is tiny green split and skinned mung beans. When cooked long enough it becomes a savory porridge-like stew, easy on the palate and the digestive system.

Most often, kitchari is fragrant because of the added spices. It is seasoned often with a generous amount of ginger and spiced with mustard seed, curry leaves and cumin. Traditionally, it is often enriched with plenty of ghee. Ghee is made by cooking butter on low heat until the fat divides from the milk solids. The milk solids get ladled off and discarded. The result is a clear, golden-brown liquid.

 Tricks that assure kitchari's success
-       Lentils’ starchy properties are especially valued in a kitchari dish. The starch provides creaminess that is essential to kitchari. Millet, amaranth and quinoa, nutty and earthy-tasting, are lovely in kitchari, but they don’t contribute much binding starch on their own. You want a creamy, porridge-like texture.

-       Toast rice or other grains with the oil and spices for the first few minutes of cooking—Indians call this tarka—before adding water to bring out their flavor, then cook the grains.

-       Add vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, turnips, shreds of kale, asparagus and peas in spring; yellow squash and green zucchini, green beans and tomatoes are perfect in summer; and winter squash in the colder seasons. All make a tasty kitchari dish. The vegetables should be added midway through or near the end of cooking, depending on their sturdiness.

kitchari

Brown Rice & Quinoa Kitchari with Asparagus and Kale
(recipe makes four servings)

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
¼ cup chopped ginger (no need to peel)
5 bay leaves
2 teaspoons mustard seeds 
10 grindings black pepper from the mill
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cardamom pods
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 teaspoons sea salt 
1 cup brown rice
1/2 cup quinoa
14 cups water, plus more as needed

 2 cups asparagus, cut 2” off the bottom and discard, then chop into ¼”-long pieces4 cups baby spinach, rinsed
10 leaves fresh basil, chopped

1. In a gallon-sized pot heat the oil on medium heat.
2. Add the onion and cook for 2 minutes, then add ginger and all spices and cook for 2 minutes longer, stirring once with a wooden spoon. The mixture will be very fragrant at this point.
3. Stir in the rice and quinoa. Cook for 2 minutes then add the water. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Cook for 50 minutes, until the water is mostly absorbed and the rice is tender. The kitchari should have a porridge-like consistency at this point; if not, add up to 1 cup more water.
4. Add the asparagus and cook 10 minutes longer.
5. Discard the bay leaves.
6. Put spinach and basil into four bowls, then ladle the kitchari over it. 

 

Chef’s Tip: Put a dollop of yogurt or a drift of chopped avocado on top of your kitchari—it makes a fine garnish.

Good to Know: Kitchari can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stove top, adding water as needed.

 

BLESSED FOOD MAKES A DIFFERENCE - the food

Recently I was invited to a food blessing ceremony. My yogi friends explained to me that it is called prasad, which is a Vedic ritual where food is offered to a deity (e.g., Durga, Ganesha, or Krishna). Later, the blessed food is distributed in the deity’s name to the followers. The prasad is considered to have the deity’s blessing residing within the offered food. The ceremony has a rich history of meaning in the Sanskrit tradition. I was told that the person who takes prasad should consider himself or herself very lucky—it is the most sacred object for a devotee.

The offerings were prepared by an Ayurveda chef. It was fascinating to hear his views on food. Following is my recap of that conversation and some research:

 Ayurveda medicine is one of the world's oldest holistic healing systems. It was developed thousands of years ago in India. In the U.S., Ayurveda is considered a form of complementary and alternative medicine. Modern Ayurveda medicine is considered pseudoscientific. 
It is based on the belief that health and wellness depend on balance between the mind, body, and spirit. The primary focus of Ayurvedic medicine is to promote good health, rather than fight disease. Although laboratory experiments suggest it is possible that some substances in Ayurveda might be developed into effective treatments, there is no evidence that any are effective by themselves.
In the Ayurveda philosophy, three elements combine in the human body to form three life forces or energies, called doshas. They control how your body works.

The three doshas are:
- Vata dosha (space and air)
- Pitta dosha (fire and water)
- Kapha dosha (water and earth)




One dosha is usually more dominant then the other. It is believed that your chances of getting sick are linked to the balance of these doshas, and an imbalance results in disease. One Ayurvedic view is that the doshas are balanced when they are equal to each other, while another view is that each human possesses a unique combination of the doshas, which define this person's temperament and characteristics. In either case, it says that each person should modulate their behavior or environment to increase or decrease the doshas and maintain their natural state.

Vata Dosha
Vata dosha is thought to be the most powerful of all three doshas. It controls very basic body functions, such as how cells divide. It also controls: your mind, breathing, blood flow, heart function and the ability to get rid of bodily waste through the intestines.

Things that can disrupt this dosha are: eating too much dried fruit, eating too soon after a previous meal and staying up too late. If vata dosha is your main life force, you are more likely to develop: anxiety, asthma, heart disease, nervous system disorders, rheumatoid arthritis and skin problems.

Pitta Dosha
Pitta dosh controls: digestion, metabolism and hormones linked to appetite. Things that can disrupt this dosha are: eating too much sour or spicy foods, fatigue or spending too much time in the sun. If pitta dosha is your main life force, you are more likely to develop: negative emotions, anger, Crohn's disease, heart disease, heartburn after eating, high blood pressure and infections.

Kapha Dosha
Kapha dosha controls: muscle growth, strength and stability, weight and the immune system. Things that can disrupt this dosha are: daydreaming, eating after your stomach is full, too much salt, too many sweets and greed. If kapha dosha is your main life force, you are more likely to develop: breathing disorders (e.g., asthma), diabetes, cancer and feeling sick after eating).

The fascinating part is that Hindus figured out 5000 years ago how to eat a balanced diet. In my opinion the Ayurveda diet needs to be adjusted to someone’s a person’s particular location, since too much commercially produced dairy— e.g., ghee (clarified butter) and yogurt— in this country, with all its chemical additives, is somewhat susceptible hazardous for the overall well-being.

Ayurveda Spring Salad

rhubarb

Watercress & Asparagus Salad with Rhubarb on a Bed of Brown Rice
(recipe yields 4 salads)

1 bunch watercress, rinsed, with the thick stems removed, and dried in a salad spinner
1 head leaf salad such as red leaf, oak leaf or butter, rinsed and spun dry
2 cups chopped rhubarb
½ cup water
3 tablespoons agave
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 cup cooked brown short grain rice
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 lemon, juiced
4 large leaves basil, chopped
sea salt
black pepper from a mill

1. Combine rhubarb, water, agave, and salt in a pot and cook covered with a lid for 20 minutes on medium heat. At this point the rhubarb has the texture of a thick puree. Chill puree in the refrigerator.
2. Distribute the brown rice onto 4 plates and spread it over the bottom of the plate with a spoon in a circle. Add a tablespoon of rhubarb onto each rice circle.
3. Tear the lettuce into mouth-sized pieces and toss with lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper, and the rest of the chilled rhubarb dressing.
4. Chop basil roughly and sprinkle over the rhubarb and rice.
5. Mount salad on top of the rice. 

Chef’s Tip: Basil is a magic herb and has endless uses in Ayurvedic cooking.