Tracy Lee : Food, Style and General Musings

Texas Caviar  I made it through the 30 days with only one minor glitch (See S outhern Courtesy vs Scientific Method ).  All in all it was not too bad.  I believe it was harder on my family than me.  When I announced I would resume eating  meat on Valentine's Day there was a collective cry of "Thank God!"  Now you can cook normally again. Keep in mind that I have been making delish vegetarian meals and that I made no attempt to stop them from eating meat.  I live in a house of adults more than capable of making or ordering out their own meat.  I am no psychiatrist but I play one as mom.  Maybe what we eat as a family becomes a fundamental element of ritual that when eliminated creates a sense of loss.   Gathering to eat is only one element of the ritual,  sharing a common meal is another.  When the family is eating once dish and I eat another,  maybe there is a sense that I am rejecting some part of our family.  ...

  Avocado Tostada I t is hard to believe I am almost finished with my experiment.  Just two days left!  Pictured above is an avocado tostada from the Leaning Pear in Wimberley, Texas.  Tostadas (toasted tortillas) are great because you can just let your imagination go!  Black beans, corn, tomatoes, red onion, mango, cilantro....go for it!  This features fried avocado.    Avocado Fries Avocados can be fried in oil or bake-fried.  Simply cute avocado into wedges.  Sprinkle with a little salt.   Roll in flour.  Dip into beaten eggs.  Dredge in panko crumbs.  Either bake in oven at 350 degrees or fry in vegetable oil.  You can jazz these up by adding garlic and or chili powder.  Avocado fries are also good as an alternative to French fries or an appetizer with a dipping sauce.   One of my favorites is cilantro lime dipping sauce.  You can use it on just about anything.     Cilantro ...

My kind niece and nephew invited us over to their home for a craft beer tasting.  I was thinking beer, maybe a few snacks.  I should be safe with a veg and dip or cheese,  right?  Unknown to me,  my niece had spend a large part of her busy day making dinner for us : Boef Bourguignon.   Just to present all the factors in my decision making process. (1) My niece has two small boys under three years old. (2)My niece was unaware of my experiment when she planned her menu. So now I had a moral dilemma.  Do I keep my experiment pure and tell my niece although I appreciate your hard work,  I'll just have rice?  Or do I follow Southern Courtesy,  prioritize her feelings and just eat the dinner.  Those of you who know me already know the answer:  I just ate the dinner.  It was delicious!  Although I know science requires rigor and sacrifice,  I believe the sacrifice should be mine alone,  not my sweet niece who ...

Pizza     It is hard to believe I am about halfway through with my 30 day vegetarian experiment.  This week I am making meatless versions of our family's traditional favorites.  Pizza is a great easy way to make vegetables center stage.  We have a very good local grocer,  Central Market, that makes fresh pizza dough.  I make a quick sauce and then load on the vegetables.   These ready for the oven pizzas include baked eggplant slices, spinach and arugula, fresh cherry tomatoes,  artichoke hearts,  caramelized onions and fresh mozzarella.   Sprinkle with a little olive oil and salt.  Bake at 400 degrees.  (Tip:  Heat pizza stone prior to putting on pizza.  This will insure a crispier bottom without over cooking the top). Sauce 1 16 oz can of tomato sauce 2 cloves garlic 1 tablespoon onion salt 2 tablespoons fresh basil 1/2 tablespoon oregano 1 tablespoon sugar Salt to taste.  Pepper flakes optional....

  (Pictured:  Vegetable Samosa) Dining out was a different experience.  On Friday we met friends at a Vietnamese-Thai fusion restaurant.  I should have tons of vegetable options right?  Well,  not so much.  Due to my history of breast cancer,  I do not eat tofu or edamame.  I do not care for eggs so that eliminates most stir-fry rice dishes.  I did find some lovely vegetable Samosas and ordered stir-fried vegetables (in this case pepper and onions) with brown rice.  I had to be a bit more thoughtful in my ordering, but in the end,  I could finds a few satisfying dishes. Sabotage I guess it was going to happen.  After a week of vegetarian meals,  my husband says he started craving Texas BBQ.  To be fair,  I still made some dinners with meat for him, even if I ate a salad.  He decided we needed to go to Heims BBQ for lunch.  For those not acquainted with this institution,  Heim is home to some o...

I am now on day 7!  One week down and loving the challenge of converting meat recipes to vegetarian.  Above is the paella recipe I tried.  It is actually really good.  I did not have chick peas so I substituted black beans.  I like recipes that do not rely too heavily on specific ingredients to be tasty.  Sometimes a happy accident yields wonderful results.  I suggest you grab a glass of wine and put aside a little time to make this paella.  It will be worth it! Reasons for following a vegetarian diet are varied but include health benefits, such as reducing your risk of heart disease, diabetes and some cancers. Yet some vegetarians rely too heavily on processed foods, which can be high in calories, sugar, fat and sodium...Mayo Clinic. I think this is important for any diet. It is my belief that relying too heavily on processed foods is detrimental to our health. As my M'amma always said "Everything in moderation." Is there a place for a fast m...

I started the day with a little open-face peanut butter and banana sandwich.  The peanut butter is all peanuts (no additives, sugar, corn syrup, etc.).  At approximately 430 calories,  this is really a treat and not a daily ritual.   I had this wonderful fantasy that being a vegetarian meant I could eat as much of whatever I wanted as long as it did not contain meat.  I mean really,  isn't giving up meat enough?  Alas, like most utopian fantasies there is always a cold dose of realty that smacks us in the face and awakens us from our daydreams.   Even a vegetarian must balance calories.  Tonight will be vegetable overload with Vegetarian Paella.  I have never tried this recipe but it looks delicious.  Like most paella recipes there are a fair number of ingredients.  Let's hope the result will be worth the effort!  Full review tomorrow! You can find the recipe by following the link below.  Cookie + Kate is a ...

  Although I just made my first post today,  this is actually my fourth day as vegetarian.  I started on a Friday,  which is particularly problematic because that is our take-out night.  I opted for a nice quinoa, beet and goat cheese chopped salad with olive oil and balsamic instead of my typical chicken, pineapple curry.   Not a bad trade really.     So far the biggest difference I have noticed is a lack of cravings.  In only a few days,  I do not seem to have the swings between craving sweet and salty foods.  I also stay seem to stay full a little longer.   Sunday is family meal night so I made Eggplant Parmesan.   This recipe will feed four or two with leftovers.  I do not fry my eggplant.  I dredge it in a little olive oil and breadcrumbs and then bake the eggplant pieces until they are lightly browned on each side.  I find that eggplant is like a sponge and will soak up way to much ...

  I have decided to conduct an experiment of sorts.  I am becoming a vegetarian for 30 days.  Why?  I could glibly say "Why not?"  Of course that explanation will just not suffice.  I have actually been curious about vegetarians for some time.  Almost as if they were an alien species.  As I live in Texas,  vegetarians are in many ways an alien species.  The home of beef and BBQ is not exactly a vegetarian paradise.  Although, as with all generalizations,  this stereotype does not tell the whole story.  Most Texas restaurants offer vegetarian options, but I digress.   Back to why I am trying this experiment.  I have noticed that my diet over the past few years has shifted from primarily fruits and vegetables to primarily meat and carbs.  These are my husband's two primary food groups.  Meats and pasta being among his favorites along with plenty of white rice and more meat. Vegetables have become a c...