Category: Soups / Stews

What’s Up With Matcha?

teaceremonyMatcha tea is nothing new.  By the 9th Century, the custom of drinking tea, first for medicinal, and then for pleasurable reasons, was practiced throughout China. Buddhist influenced Chinese author Lu Yu wrote The Classic of Tea, a treatise on tea focusing on the Zen-Chan school of cultivation and preparation.  Zen Buddhist Monks drank Matcha tea to remain calm and alert during long hours of meditation.  His ideas would have a strong influence in the development of the Japanese tea ceremony as it is still practiced today.

The Japanese tea ceremony involves “sabi” and “wabi” principles.

  • Wabi represents the inner, or spiritual, experiences of human lives: quiet or sober refinement, or subdued taste “characterized by humility, restraint, simplicity, naturalism, profundity, imperfection, and asymmetry” and “emphasizes simple, unadorned objects and architectural space, and celebrates the mellow beauty that time and care impart to materials.”
  • Sabi represents the outer, or material side of life. Originally, it meant “worn,” “weathered,” or “decayed.” Particularly among the nobility, understanding emptiness was considered the most effective means to spiritual awakening, while embracing imperfection was honored as a healthy reminder to cherish our unpolished selves, here and now, just as we are – the first step to “satori” or enlightenment.

Between 2013 and 2014 there was a 253% increase in sales of drinks containing Matcha, but I can’t help but wonder why?  It’s not like people were all of the sudden sitting down to celebrate the traditional Japanese ceremony every time that they drank it, it was (and continues to be) sold diluted, mixed with flavors and preservatives and pre-bottled for drinking on the run.

So why all of the Matcha Hype?

groundmatchaMatcha is a tea rich in catechin polyphenols (the most important of which is EGCG – epigallo-catechin gallate) compounds with high antioxidant activity, that also contains trace minerals and vitamins (A, B-complex, C, E, and K).

Matcha tea has a significant amount of dietary fiber and practically no calories. With its abundance of these vitamins and compounds, it is also said to:

  • Protect against many kinds of cancer;
  • Can slow or halt growth of cancer cells;
  • Protect against cardiovascular disease;
  • Slow the aging process;
  • Boost metabolism;
  • Reduce LDL “bad” cholesterol;
  • Stabilize blood sugar levels;
  • Help reduce high blood pressure; and
  • Boost resistance to many toxins.

This still doesn’t explain to me how something commercially bottled, and (let’s be honest here) containing a much lesser quality and quantity of the desired Matcha tea powder is flying off the shelves…

Body Builders, heath and fitness gurus and those who practice meditation rituals all swear that Matcha is essential to reaching their peak potential because:

  • Japanese tea leaves (those used to produce Matcha powder) grow in the shade to increase chlorophyll content. These chlorophyll-rich leaves are then handpicked, steamed, dried and ground into a fine green powder;
  • Chlorophyll is purported to detoxify the body of toxins, heavy metals, poisons, dioxins and hormone disrupters;
  • Matcha contains three times the caffeine as coffee but without the jittery buzz, instead inducing  an “alert calm” due to it’s naturally derived l-theanine, which relaxes without drowsiness;
  • One cup of Matcha green tea has as many antioxidants as 10 cups of regular tea
  • A 2003 University of Colorado study confirmed that drinking 1 cup of matcha green tea has 137 times the amount of antioxidant EGCG compared to a conventional cup of green tea;
  • Matcha green tea possesses antioxidant levels 6.2 times that of goji berries, 7 times that of dark chocolate, 17 times that of wild blueberries and 60.5 times that of spinach;
  • Matcha, when combined with meditation, contributes to the health and weight loss benefits – reduces cortisol (a stress hormone that drive appetite and increases belly fat), lowers inflammation (tied to premature aging and disease), curbs impulsive eating, lowers blood pressure, and boosts self-esteem;
  • Matcha green tea contains up to 5 times more L-theanine than conventional green tea and increases Alpha wave activity in the brain.  Stress is known to induce the brain’s Beta wave activity, leading to a more agitated state. Alpha wave activity can relieve stress, promote relaxation and even lower blood pressure;
  • Consuming green tea increases thermogenesis (the body’s rate of burning calories) from 8-10% to 35-43% of daily energy expenditure;
  • Exercising immediately after drinking Matcha green tea resulted in 25% more fat burning during exercise

Bodybuilding.com shakes their pom-poms for Matcha in their own unique way: “If you’re not drinking Matcha green tea yet, you’re behind the times! Get with the program and try this metabolism-enhancing, stress-reducing, immune-boosting, cholesterol-lowering, teenage-mutant-ninja cancer fighter!”

Health Magazine warns that the taste of Matcha is strong, sometimes described as grassy or spinach-like. This explains why it is often watered down and/or sweetened, and even added to foods to improve it’s taste.  To avoid the grassy taste do not add Matcha green tea powder to boiling water.  Boil the water and let it sit for 5 minutes before adding the tea.

So, I’m convinced enough by the purported benefits to give this a try.  One area in particular that appeals to me is that I have difficulty sleeping at night and it could be due to my consumption of green tea, but not the Matcha variety.

Quality is important if you want the reported results, and quality doesn’t come cheap.  High quality, fresh, pure Matcha is expensive. A low price tag can be a red flag for a poor quality product, and, as with anything that is touted as the newest trend, it can be overdone, so ingest it in moderation.

Are you on Facebook?  You might be interested in the things I may not devote an entire blog post to: recipes, food facts, nutritional information, photos and other things that make my mouth water. I may not write a blog post every day, but there are daily updates to my This Girl Loves To Eat community at: https://www.facebook.com/ThisGirlLovesHerFood

AARGH! I Forgot ___ at the Store!

We’ve all done it.  Started a recipe thinking we had everything we needed only to get to a critical stage and found out we are missing a key ingredient.  A string of curse words later, after checking with the “go-to” neighbor, we are begging our kids who drive or our spouses to run to the store for what we desperately need to save our cooking creation.

I found a couple of resources online for the most common substitutions (thank you Kraft Foods & Life Hacker!):

Today I ran into an even tougher situation.  I had no Condensed Cream of Celery Soup to make the comfort food I was having a big craving for: my Mom’s Tuna Noodle Casserole.  But I had no one to bail me out!  No one was home next door, my son has moved a state away (to avoid the emergency runs to the store??? hmmm… ) and my husband was still at work and nowhere near to coming home.  FML!

Time to create a fix from what I had in the cupboard…First things first, I needed a creamy, thick base for the soup.  Milk & Cornstarch would take care of that.  The rest should be a piece of cake, right?  Just some seasonings and the main ingredient, chopped celery.

Scratch Condensed Cream of Celery Soup

  • 1 cup cold milk
  • 2 Tbsp cornstarch
  • 3/4 C chopped celery
  • 2 TBLS olive oil
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp butter
  • 1 chicken bouillon cube
  • ⅛ tsp black pepper
  • ¼ tsp onion powder
  • ¼ tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp Salt-Free Seasoning (Mrs. Dash type) I use McCormick Perfect Pinch Original All Purpose
  1. In a small pan, saute’ olive oil and the celery for 2 minutes over medium-high heat.
  2. Reduce heat to low and add the bouillon cube (crushed), pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and all-purpose seasoning.  Stir to combine and let it continue cooking until you complete the next step.
  3. In a small saucepan, over medium heat, combine the cold milk and the cornstarch.
  4. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly then whisk in the butter it melts and the sauce begins to thicken
  5. Immediately add the celery mixture.to the sauce and cook another 30 seconds.
  6. Remove from heat and set aside to cool until you need it for your recipe.

It took 10 minutes start to finish, made just a bit more than a 10.75 ounce can from the store, had no preservatives, no added salt and was lower in fat and calories because I used 2% milk to make it.  Win-Win!

Are you on Facebook?  You might be interested in the things I may not devote an entire blog post to: recipes, food facts, nutritional information, photos and other things that make my mouth water. I may not write a blog post every day, but there are daily updates to my This Girl Loves To Eat community at: https://www.facebook.com/ThisGirlLovesHerFood

Did You Know…?

freezer_openThere are many foods I didn’t know could be frozen, saving me from the inevitable time when I need something like buttermilk, which I never have on hand when I come across a recipe that calls for it.  Learning this led me on an internet search to see what other seldomly stocked foods can be frozen for use later.

You Can Safely Freeze:

  • Buttermilk:  Fill an empty ice cube tray.  Freeze overnight and transfer frozen cubes to a freezer bag.  Keeps up to 3 months and each cube slot measures 1 ounce (1/8th of a Cup)
  • Bananas:  Freeze them overnight when they are at their ripest point (when skin is browning but not going bad) in their skins. Using a sharp knife slice the frozen bananas in half lengthwise and peel off the skins.  Store in freezer bags for use in smoothies.  Homemade Frozen Bananas: Put two frozen halves together with a popsicle stick between them and coat with melted chocolate. Immediately sprinkle with/roll in nuts, coconut, or rainbow/other sprinkles and place on a pan lined with waxed paper.  Freeze an hour or two and enjoy for dessert.
  • Butter: This is particularly good to know since I rarely need unsalted butter and buy it 1 pound at a time (4 – 1/2 Cup cubes) when it’s on sale.  Now I can cut cubes in half  (1/4 C portions) and freeze them in freezer bags for later use!
  • Cheese: Don’t freeze whole chunks – it crumbles when you defrost and try to slice it.  Instead grate or shred it and freeze in 1 Cup portions in zip bags for recipes at a later date.
  • Eggs:  Remove the shells and freeze individually in snack sized zip bags.  You can also freeze egg whites separately from their yolks.  I’d recommend marking the bags with the number of egg whites or whole eggs you freeze per bag to make using later easier.  Frozen “pre-made” omelettes:  In a large measuring cup crack the desired number of eggs and whisk .  Stir in 2 TBLS milk, 1/4 Cup each chopped bell pepper (or any pepper you desire) and chopped ham (bacon, turkey, chicken breast, ground beef, sausage, etc.) and 2 TBLS chopped onion (if desired).  Pour into sandwich sized zip bags and freeze until needed. Great weekday breakfast option.  You can remove a bag to the refrigerator the night before to thaw, pour into a preheated pan to cook, sprinkle with a bit of frozen grated cheese & eat right before running out the door the next morning.
  • Garlic: Separate cloves but leave skin on and freeze in a doubled zip bag to keep freezer odor free.
  • Wine:  Unlike hard alcohol, wine does freeze solid.  Freeze in 1 ounce portions in an ice cube tray and transfer to a freezer bag to use in sauces or other recipes.
  • Yogurt: Measure it into 2 to 4 TBLS (aka 2 to 4 oz or 1/4 to 1/2 Cup) portions and freeze in zip bags.  Don’t forget to mark the bags for later recipe use.
  • Lunch meat: Can be safely frozen in zip bags for up to 2 months.
  • Bread:  You can freeze a loaf of sliced bread for up to 3 months and you don’t even need to thaw it before eating it. The freezer is a better storage option than the fridge, which can dry bread out.
  •  Milk / Half & Half:  Milk can be frozen for 3 months.  Half & half stays good for 4 months in the freezer, but never freeze heavy cream.  Cream doesn’t freeze well at all.  I never understood why my mother-in-law always shook the milk before pouring out of the carton, now I do!  She kept it frozen in the chest freezer in the garage and was breaking up the ice.
  • Grains:  Quinoa, farro and bulgur last 3 months in the cupboard but up to 6 months in the freezer!
  • Tofu:  Chop it in chunks and freeze for up to 5 months to add to smoothies, soups, stews, etc.
  • Tortillas:  That at room temperature, not in the microwave.

Important things to remember about freezing any food are:

  • Make sure you are using a bag or container meant for freezer use to ward off freezer burn, keep smells from escaping into the freezer, and keep your food fresher longer
  • Remember to mark the date frozen as well as the last date you should use the food directly on the bag or on a piece of tape with a permanent marker.
  • Don’t over stuff your freezer.  A well organized freezer gives you the ability to easily see what you have on hand and helps food freeze faster/stay frozen because cooled air can flow between and around the packages.

Are you on Facebook?  You might be interested in the things I may not devote an entire blog post to: recipes, food facts, nutritional information, photos and other things that make my mouth water. I may not write a blog post every day, but there are daily updates to my This Girl Loves To Eat community at: https://www.facebook.com/ThisGirlLovesHerFood

Creamy Poblano Chicken Soup

chickenpoblanosoupAfter another Southern California winter week with temperatures over 80 degrees, I was looking for any excuse to make soup.  Today the Santa Ana Winds blew in and dropped the temperature to a “Brisk” 69 degrees so I rushed to get the pressure cooker and Vitamix working so I could enjoy my favorite cool night meal:

Creamy Poblano Chicken Soup

  • 2 Roasted Poblano Peppers
  • 1 Roasted Sweet Potato (or Yam)
  • 1 Roasted Small Yellow Onion
  • 1 TBLS Olive Oil
  • 32 oz Chicken Stock (I use Emeril’s)
  • 4-5 Cloves Garlic Finely Chopped
  • 8 oz Cream Cheese (Room Temperature)
  • 1 lb diced chicken breast
  • 2 Cups Shredded Colby & Monterey Jack Cheese
  • Freshly Ground Sea Salt & Pepper to taste
  1. Roast the sweet potato in the pressure cooker for 15 minutes on high.  Remove and set aside.
  2. Using the Brown function on the pressure cooker, roast the Poblano peppers, the quartered onion and the garlic in the olive oil for 10 minutes after the cooker comes up to temperature.  Remove from pan when done.
  3. Add the chicken to the pressure cooker pan and again set it to the Brown function.  Cook the chicken for about 10 minutes, or until just cooked through.
  4. Remove the seeds and stems from the peppers.
  5. Add peppers, onion, sweet potato, garlic, 1 Cup of the broth, and cream cheese to the Vitamix container.  Process on low to medium speed until well combined and smooth.
  6. Add the chicken to the Vitamix container and process on the low setting until chicken shreds and is no longer in chunks.
  7. Pour contents of Vitamix container back into the pressure cooker pan.  Add remaining 3 cups of stock, the shredded cheese.  Stir until well combined.  Taste and adjust the seasoning if desired.
  8. Close the lid of the pressure cooker and select the Stew/Soup function.  After the machine reaches cooking temperature, cook for 10 minutes.
  9. When cooking is complete, release pressure, stir and serve soup while hot.

Serve with buttered toasted sourdough croutons, a dollop of sour cream and sliced avocado if desired.

**Vegetarian Option:  Don’t add the chicken if you would like to serve this as a side or keep it meat-free.

Are you on Facebook?  You might be interested in the things I may not devote an entire blog post to: recipes, food facts, nutritional information, photos and other things that make my mouth water. I may not write a blog post every day, but there are daily updates to my This Girl Loves To Eat community at: https://www.facebook.com/ThisGirlLovesHerFood