FOOD.....on the road

Recipes to come: hot cereal (oatmeal or 7 grain) with dried fruit, nuts, wheat germ, ground flax seed, and cinnamon * Jane's Tortilla Soup * Couscous * Pancake Mix (regular, veg, banana) * Jane's Flat Bread Pan Pizza (original recipe) * Creamy Tomato Soup with Fresh Basil * Olive Oil (the healthy oil) * Bread Salad * Broccoli and Swiss Cheese Skillet Sandwich * Instant Meals * Soy Delicious * Instant Coffee * Finding Organic Produce * Alternatives to Dairy * Baba Ganoush * tabouli * salmon patties

Food #28: DRINKING ENOUGH WATER. Health experts say to drink at least 8 eight-ounce glasses of water a day. An easy way to do this is to buy two 32-ounce plastic bottles. I keep one in the frig and one by my side. I start drinking one in the morning and finish the second bottle before the next morning, keeping it by my bedside at night. The two 32-ounce bottles add up to 64 ounces -- an easy way to make sure you the recommended amount. (By the way, other liquids do not count toward your water total.)

Food #27: PERSIMMONS. Persimmons, a beautiful orange-red fruit, are usually about the size of baseballs. After all this time, I have learned how to eat them from someone who grows them. Persimmons are usually hard when you buy them. The trick is to let them ripen until they feel like a very soft, over-ripe plum. If you eat them before they are VERY ripe, you will get the pucker in your mouth that most people associate with persimmons and the reason they don't like them. The best way to eat a persimmon is to cut it in half lengthwise (through the stem) and scoop out the fruit with a spoon, leaving the skin. They are extremely sweet, delicious, and there's no pucker! The persimmon has become one of my favorite fruits.

Food #26: Jane's E-Z YUM YUM CHILI. This is one of my favorite recipes because it's an easy, healthy, and delicious one-dish meal that can be made in five minutes:

2 cans pinto beans (or any beans you like)
1 can diced or crushed tomatoes
chili seasoning from the packet (to taste)

Optional additions (which of course take longer to cut up): green pepper, carrot, onion, celery, or whatever vegetable you like -- great way to use up extra vegetables. I also like to add the frozen Boca Burger vegetarian "hamburger," which tastes just like real hamburger and is great in both chili and spaghetti sauce. It comes three packets to a box. It absorbs the flavor of whatever it's added to. (It's not so good alone, in such dishes as tacos.)

Food #25: "GREAT SMOKIES GREAT PANCAKES." One stop in The Great Smokey Mountains National Park was at a historic mill where wheat was ground into wholewheat flour. They passed out recipes for these pancakes. Later, at a Hyvee Grocery somewhere in the midwest, there was a machine where one could grind wheat. I was delighted. Grinding my own wholewheat flour somehow made these taste even better.

Combine in bowl and beat until light:

2 c. wholewheat flour
2 t. baking powder
2 T. shortening
1 egg
1-1/2 c. milk
1/2 t. salt

Food #24: PLANTAINS look like very large bananas. I discovered them in Key West and learned they are used as a staple food in tropical regions. You can buy them green and let them ripen like bananas. I bought six (in various stages of ripeness) on special for $1.00. The grocer explained to me that plantains are best when very yellow with dark splotches and a bit soft to the touch. The riper they are, the sweeter. They are not eaten raw but cooked. Because they are so large, one makes a nice-size breakfast or a dessert with a difference. This is my recipe -- by no means authentic!

Cut a plantain in half the long way and then half again; then into two-inch pieces. Put a little oil or butter in a pan. Cook until golden and soft -- not long. Add a bit of brown sugar and stir until it melts.

Food #23: LEFTOVER JELLY. If you have leftover jelly or jelly you're not crazy about, make it into pancake syrup. Just put it in a pan with a little water and heat.

Food #22: THE IMPORTANCE OF TEA (taken from "My Yahoo" 3/16/04 All Miavita Food Facts). "Research shows one kind of tea can be up to 100 times more potent at blocking growth of cancer cells than another. While all tea (green, oolong or black) contains antioxidant compounds called catechins that protect against cancer (especially of the lung, breast, colon, stomach and skin) by neutralizing free radicals, green tea contains about 7 times more catechins than black tea. Green tea also has unique catechins that block an enzyme involved in breast, prostate and colon cancers. Green tea is 10 to 100 times stronger than black tea in blocking the growth of cancer cells. Catechins also prevent heart disease and stroke, primarily by defending against the harmful effects of artery-clogging LDL cholesterol.

Food #21: EASY BURRITOS. These are fast, delicious, and can be served for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. If you eliminate the cheese, you've got a terrific low-fat meal.

Spray a pan with olive oil.
Place a nonfat, whole-wheat tortilla in the pan over low heat.
Put some beans, grated cheese, and onion in middle of the tortilla.
Cook until tortilla is brown on the bottom and crisp.
Fold two sides towards middle.
Top with salsa and nonfat sour cream.

Food #20: SWEDISH PANCAKES. These are so easy to make and sooooo good! For breakfast or dessert, top with lingonberries (bought by the jar) and whipped cream -- the Swedish way. Or, top with butter and a sprinkle of powdered sugar.

Mix together:

1 c. soy milk (I use the powdered "Better Than Soy" plus water.)
1 egg
2 T sugar
1 T melted butter (or oil)
1/4 t salt

Beat in 1/2 cup flour

Spray pan with oil. Cook until slightly firm. Flip. Roll up. Top with your favorite topping and ENJOY!

Lunch/Dinner Variation: These can be turned into a delicious entree by filling them with crab and topping them with a cheese sauce. Vegetarian? Fill pancakes with cooked veggies and top with grated cheese.

Food #19: E-Z PICKLED GARLIC. I eat at least a clove of garlic each day. Just before bed, I chop it up and swallow it down with some water. I don't particularly like it, BUT I LOVE the pickled garlic I've sampled at farmers' markets. One thing about buying pickled garlic: You have to get a bank loan to do it. Expensive! So, I decided to make my own. I found a lot of recipes for pickled garlic on the internet but threw them all away. I found a much easier way to do it:

Separate a large garlic into cloves. Put the cloves in a pan with enough water to cover. Boil until skins come free (not long). You don't want to actually cook the garlic. I would say: bring it to a boil and boil one minute. The skin should come off easily. Now put the garlic cloves in with your pickles. It can be sweet pickles, dill pickles, pickled peppers -- anything pickled. You can eat them right away, but the longer they sit, the better they get 'cause the pickle juice seeps in.

I wrote my health idol Dr. Andrew Weil (www.drweil.com - terrific website!), a great advocate of eating as much raw garlic as you (and your friends) can stand. I asked him if the pickled garlic is as good for you as the fresh. For some reason, he hasn't answered...

Food #18: AH SO.....Jane's TUNA SALAD SANDWICH WITH KIM CHEE. I first heard about Kim Chee from Tom Robbins (you know, author of Another Roadside Attraction and many other books -- just pure stream of conciousness -- no plots -- but delightful just the same). Seems Tom thinks mayonaise is the best food invented and says kim chee (which comes in a jar in the produce refrigerator section in any grocery) makes all the difference in a tuna sandwich.

Make tuna salad any way you usually do. Here's my version: to a can of tuna, add mayonaise, green pepper, onion, celery, and dill pickle to taste. Top with a layer of kim chee and enjoy! (Beware when opening kim chee. Since it's fermented, it kind of explodes. Kim chee says "hot" on the jar, but I didn't find it so; besides you use just a little.)

Food #17: Jane's PASSIONATE ABOUT POTATO SOUP - If you want a cheap, delicious meal, or have extra potatoes on hand that you don't know what to do with, try my recipe for potato soup. It's sooooo easy.

Make up a batch of mashed potatoes. You know: boil the potatoes, mash them, add butter, mash again, add milk until the right consistency. THEN:

Heat........2 cans chicken broth
Throw in....some chopped onion
Add.........some cooked bacon

When the above has cooked long enough, throw in the potatoes. Add salt and pepper to taste. In fact, this whole recipe is done to taste, but you really can't go wrong. Should last for three meals unless you're passionate about potato soup like I am. DELISH!

Food #16: HUMMUS - This is absolutely fantastic and so much cheaper than the cartons you buy in the deli section. I spread the hummus on flat bread; top it with spinach, tomatoes, cucumber, onions, etc., and pour a little olive oil and vinegar on top. DELICIOUS and healthy!

1 c. dry garbanzo beans
1/3 c. olive oil
1/3 c. tahini
3 cloves garlic
juice of one lemon
1 t. salt

Soak beans overnight. Cook until tender. Put all ingredients in blender. Save the liquid from the beans in case you need to thin the mixture in the blender. Adjust the ingredients to suit your taste.

Food #15: ROADHOUSE CHILI (from Route 66 in Oatman, NV) Note: I haven't made this, but I liked the name!

Brown in heavy skillet:

4 lbs. ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 jalapeno, sliced
2-1/2 T. butter

Drain above and add:

3 T. chili powder
1/2 c. water
1 t. Worcestershire sauce
2 cans (16 oz.) tomatoes, undrained
salt and pepper to taste
3 cans kidney beans, undrained

Food #14: GOOD NEWS ABOUT CHOCOLATE! Chocolate is derived from cacao beans (bean = vegetable). Sugar is derived from either sugar CANE or sugar BEETS. Both are plants, which places them in the vegetable category. Thus, chocolate is a vegetable. To go one step further, chocolate candy bars also contain milk, which is dairy. So candy bars are a health food. (If only this were true!)

Food #13: NACHOS - CHEAP! Save the chips and salsa that come with your Mexican lunch special to make nachos later. (You DO carry little containers and plastic bags in your backpack; don't you? And real silverware so you don't have to use that plastic stuff? Well, not REAL silver but at least metal.) Just before eating:

- put chips on microwave safe plate
- top with salsa
- top with finely shredded cheese (I like the Mexican one which is a mixture of several cheeses. If you are extremely cheap, you can think ahead and get extra cheese with your salad at the 35-cent-an-ounce salad bar.)
- microwave until cheese melts (They'll let you use the microwave at a quick-stop grocery if you ask. And don't forget to bring in your large cups for free ice. The rule is: ask permission.)

I have no microwave or oven in my camper; so last night I just put everything in a skillet over low heat - worked great! Had a cold beer too! Ah, life is good...

Food #12: REFLECTIONS ON A GIFT OF WATERMELON PICKLES (I actually made these in my camper! It was easy and worth every minute! Two recipes follow: one for giants and one traveling-in-your-camper version with a small icebox and propane stove.)

Watermelon pickle recipe for giants:

4 qt watermelon rind
2 T salt
4 c white or cider vinegar
8 c sugar
3 cinnamon sticks -- broken into pieces
1 T whole cloves
1 1" piece ginger root (optional)

I adjusted the above to this traveling-in-your-camper version:

2 c rind
1 t salt
1/2 c white or cider vinegar
1 c sugar
1 cinnamon stick -- broken into pieces
1 t whole cloves
1 1" piece ginger root (optional)

Directions ala Jane: Cut rind into 2 x 1 inch pieces. (Be sure to measure them! Sure...) Trim green skin and pink flesh from rind. Bring salt and water to boil; add rind with just enough water to cover. Simmer until tender. Drain and chill rind in cold water overnight in refrigerator. Combine vinegar, sugar, and spices. Boil 5 minutes. Drain watermelon rind and add to syrup. Simmer until rind becomes translucent (be sure to look up this word in the dictionary), about 10 minutes. Remove and discard spices. (I just pick the watermelon pieces out of the syrup and strain the syrup to remove the spices.) Pour the syrup over the pickles and store these yummy morsels in a closed container in frig OR mail them to me! (I guess you know watermelon rinds vary in size. Some rind is too narrow to use.)

The book "Reflection on a Gift of Watermelon Pickles" is one of my favorite poetry books -- several Langston Hughes and Robert Frost poems plus a smattering of other poets I like.

Food #11: TOASTED CHEESE SANDWICH WITH FRESH BASIL AND TOMATO

I got spoiled at Robert Is Here produce stand in Florida City, Florida near The Everglades National Park where fresh basil grows like a weed, and large bunches sell for $1.50. I picked my own in Robert's field. Here's a different twist on a toasted cheese sandwich:

Spray a skillet with olive oil, and make a toasted cheese sandwich as you usually would, but before putting it in the pan, add a generous layer of fresh basil leaves and a slice of tomato.

Food #10:      JANE'S FLORIDA COCONUT SOUP (original recipe)

Heat together:

1 can lite coconut milk (lite has 3 grams of fat vs. 9 grams in regular)
1 can chicken broth
2 T peanut sauce (or to taste)
Thai red or green chili paste (optional)

This soup is similar to the soup you get in Thai restaurants. It's the easiest soup in the world, yet so unusual and so good, and the ingredients are easy to keep on hand for last-minute company. I like it plain, but you can add other ingredients (diced chicken, peas, celery, green pepper, etc.).

Food #9:       JUICE FROM CANNED FRUIT.

Don't throw out the juice that's left in the can. It has many uses. When something needs to be sweeter, use it instead of sugar. I often use it to thin mayonaise for a fruit salad dressing, and it can be used in the blender breakfast (below).

Food #8:       JANE'S HEALTHY BLENDER BREAKFAST (original recipe)

This is a good use for over-ripe bananas. Mix on high in a blender:

1 c ORGANIC soy milk
2 T raw wheat germ
2 T ground flax seed
1 banana
1 c fruit juice (or to desired consistency)

This is sweet enough as it is, but if you want sweeter, use fruit juice.

Food #7:      PEANUT SAUCE

My greatest discovery this year! I have a recipe for peanut sauce, but it's kind of complicated for the camper; so I buy a bottle of peanut sauce in the oriental section. It seems expensive, but it lasts forever. I use peanut sauce on top of barely cooked spinach; it's just like the "Swimming Angel" you order in Thai Restaurants, but without the chicken. I use it to flavor everything, especially soups of every kind: chicken, bean, vegetable, etc. When you make soup, add a little peanut sauce the second day, and you have a whole new soup!

Food #6:       HERBS & SPICES

Save money on herbs and spices by buying them in bulk in small quantities. You not only save LOTS of money, but they are fresher than those expensive bottles you buy that sit on the shelf for years. I take my own little zip-lock, snack bag and write the name on it with a felt pen before going to the store. Even though the price per pound may seem expensive, they don't weigh hardly anything and so don't cost much. Health food stores (like Puget Consumers Co-op, Central Co-op, and Rainbow grocery in Seattle have bulk herbs), and it's so much more FUN!!!

Food #5:      (The Best) TOFU SCRAMBLE
(rev. 10/20/03)

Melt one T olive oil (or butter) in pan
Crumble in one package 12-16 oz. firm tofu
Add 2 T tamari (Bragg's Aminos or soy sauce)
1/4 t turmeric
1 t onion powder
2-4 T nutritional yeast (or Brewer's yeast)
Cook and stir for a minute or two over medium heat. Add any amount of assorted cooked vegetables. Optional: Top with salsa and grated cheese

This is excellent eaten "as is" or in pita bread. If you clean and cut-up the vegetables earlier in the day or even the night before, it's much easier. This recipe is a good use for those vegetables you want to use up. Basically, you can't hurt this recipe; be creative with herbs and seasonings. (I made a note not to use bean sprouts for some unknown reason -- maybe because they're not so good as leftovers?)

Food #4:      CHAI.....This is a fast, easy, and delicious hot drink!

Trying to find a substitute for coffee (there isn't any!), I started buying ready-made Chai which is very expensive. I knew Chai had been around for literally ages; so I searched and found a recipe which I love in a cookbook at Central Market in Seattle, WA years ago. I keep my "chai" spices in a separate bag; so I can don't have to sort through all my bags when I want to make Chai. (See "Herbs & Spices" below for hints on buying.)

Cover and bring to boil over high heat:

4 c water
1 T cardamon pods
1 T organic ginger root, grated
1 t whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1 t whole peppercorns (traditional in India, but I omit)

Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.
Remove from heat and add: 4 teabags (or 4 t loose tea)
Cover and let steep 3-5 minutes.
Strain (first in large strainer, then in fine).
Add maple syrup or honey to taste while hot.
When cool, add soy milk to taste.
I add one teaspoon of vanilla to each batch (optional).

Another version: Use recipe above and add 1 T chamomile and 1 t fennel seed.

I keep a "no-caffeine" batch (herbal or green tea) and a "caffeine" batch (black tea or other tea with caffeine) in the frig. (This is a great way to get that healthy green tea into your diet.) I've found that any tea works; so use up all that old tea! When I started on this trip, I opened all those little tea bags and dumped all my tea into a "caffeine" jar or a "no-caffeine" jar. Works for me...

Food #3:      ALL-PURPOSE FLAVOR BASE.....from Wild Oats Market, Reno, NV, Spring 2001

Put everything in the blender on "fine grind." Use 1-2 tablespoons to boost flavor of soups, sauces, dips, salad dressings, casseroles, vegetables, popcorn, etc. This is not only a delicious flavor enhancer, but it's made with nutritional yeast which is so good for you!

1 c nutritional yeast
2 t paprika
2 t thyme
2 t garlic powder
2 t onion powder
1 t black pepper
1 t marjoram
1 t rosemary
1/4 t nutmeg (I omit this.)
1 T salt (or less to taste)
1 T sage

Food #2:       SARA THE COOK'S CHESS PIE......from "Stories" link (VERNON CAN READ!)

(Note: This recipe is from my memory from the year I graduated from high school; so try it at your own risk. It's hard for me to bake without an oven!)

Ingredients: 1 cup eggs, 1 cup butter, 1 cup sugar, and 1 cup cream

Melt butter and sugar, add eggs and cream, and mix well. Bake in unbaked pie shell for one hour at 350°.

Food #1:      KEY LIME PIE.....from "Stories" link (MISSION: KEY LIME PIE 4/6/02) and from "Where Am I" link (FLORIDA KEYS 4/4/02):

History of Key Lime pie from the Key Lime Pie Store website:
Key Westers have enjoyed this delicious dessert for over 100 years! Many early settlers of our island made the voyage from the Bahamas bringing with them the unique recipe that (with one alteration) would become a "tangy treat" made famous throughout the world. The combination of the old Bahamian recipe and the tangy juice of our very own Key Lime was just the beginning of a Keys tradition that has continued to grow strong today. In fact, the Key Lime Pie is now the official state pie of Florida. The Key Lime Pie Co. has been serving Keys residents and visitors their original family recipe that dates back 100 years. Now that is tradition! (NOTE: After sampling Key Lime Pie across the state of Florida at every opportunity, my favorite is from the Key Lime Tree in Key Largo. It is also the cheapest at $2.50.)

Editor's note: Hmmmm...another reason to get to Key West ASAP. There are MANY recipes for Key Lime pie on the internet. Here's one:

Key Lime Pie (recipe from the gourmet sleuth website):
Real Key lime pie is not green. The pie gets its true pale yellow color from the egg yolks that predominate the ingredient list. For best results use fresh Key Limes, not bottled juice. The traditional preparation does not put any meringue on the top of the pie. This is a very simple recipe and only takes a few minutes to prepare and 12 minutes to bake.

Filling:
4 large or extra large egg yolks
1 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup fresh key lime juice (approximately 12 Key limes)
2 teaspoons grated lime peel, green portion only
Whipping cream for garnish (optional)

Crust:
16 graham crackers, crushed
3 tablespoons sugar
1 cube (1/4 lb) margerine or butter

d i r e c t i o n s (crust)
Mix the ingredients and press them into a 9" pie plate. Bake in a preheated 350F oven for 10 - 12 minutes until lightly browned. Place on a rack to cool.

d i r e c t i o n s (filling)
Use an electric mixer and beat the egg yolks until they are thick and turn to a light yellow, don't over mix. Turn the mixer off and add the sweetened condensed milk. Turn speed to low and mix in half of the lime juice. Once the juice is incorporated add the other half of the juice and the zest, continue to mix until blended (just a few seconds). Pour the mixture into the pie shell and bake at 350F for 12 minutes to set the yolks and kill any salmonella in the eggs.