Vegan Diet is finally over !

Well, my 30 day vegan diet is finally over, and I just would like to share some thoughts about it. First I don't believe in any kind of diet...its proven by many experts that eating natural whole foods...not processed or prepared in balanced is the best you can do for your self and your family. However , being on a vegan diet for 30 days was a not an easy thing to do, meals had to be well planed in advanced and balanced right, because if you go vegan does not mean that you going to eat pasta beans and rice every day...its vegetarian not "carboterian" .... one week I ting I killed 15 avokados...:)

I must say that this diet gave me more energy, and I felt very good....I did not crave any deserts or pancakes or waffles...most foods I was craving was good burger, pork belly and sushi...ah and chicken wings...I like to eat variety...thats makes me happy eater and happy person. I was reading, somewhere, that , happiness in your everyday life and living stress free is one of the most important things you should do...well....being vegan definitely would not make me happy..but im planning to go vegan every year for a month after new years..as a cook it gave me explore my self in a totally different culinary world...expiriment with different flavors. Specially being from eastern-north europe..we use to meat every day 3 times a day...well that will change. Oh...and if you vegan saty away from those...vegan bacon....vegan cheese slices..ahh and even vegan chicken...heinens grilled vegan chicken...oh boy...all these things..if you crave them you not ment to be vegan. Stay away from them. I will talk vegan with you next year...but right now .....chicken wings are waiting...

p.s. one the hardest things was at work...since Im creating and experimenting with new dishes, flavors every week...was hard not to taste them or eating them..

Remember Balance you diet...meat...fish seafood once or twice a week...dont forget legumes...and daily vegetables..that will make you happy and healthy eater. Oh and stay away from crap...processed or prepared foods...poison like msg and transfats.. thing makes you fat like white flour , Hight fruc corn syrup and sugars...eat at home and restaurant you can trust...

Love to cook ! Peace !

V

playing with vegan sandwiches

Can you imagine sandwich with no bacon or cheese ...ham etc. well...this one I did not miss any of those, its magnificent ..great combo eggplant and avokado...broiled eggplant with curry, fresh red Chile and scallion toasted 100% whole wheat and smasheda avocado....finished with EVOO and aged balsamic ! And for dessert broiled banana with flaxseed almond butter....no Jelly needed...finished with ! Well....my wife's Birthday is coming up soon...what I'm Going to do about Vegan dessert...?

hot fusion soup

Hot fusion soup. You put herbs, spices , chiles and other ingredients in a bowl..you pour hot broth let it sit for a minute and you have healthy delicious soup. In this case, it happened to be miso broth over , soba noodle, with slices mushroom, chille, cilantro, green onion, bean sprouts...I made Kombu ( seawead ) dashi using Moromotos technique leting soak over night, them two diferent misso paste...one white shirro miso and othe red....hmmm...good and good for you ! Speacialy like me on a vegan diet...:)...well one week down ...three to go !

Love to cook, even vegan :)

V

Vegan Chili

Vegan chili..something, I don't make on a regular basis, but it can be good if its made right. oh and I found perfect place for Tempeh.....garbage or....blender...This shilli made with yellow split peas, ancho, pasilla, canella. mexican cinnamon, eggplant, mushrooms and red beans and then garnished with avocado, radishes and fresh cilantro ...and spiced with hot sauce and splash of apple cider vinegar.....it's not bad at all ! Oh and tempeh it has been blended in Vita prep with tomatoes and chilis to give some extra body. Not bad at all !

V

new year..new hopes ..new resolutions

New years dinner at Americano was a big success, then we were closed for a couple of days, it was nice to spent some time with a family and kids. Today is time to go back to a real life....make sauces...stocks dressings...figure new menu...it is hard to get some fresh inspiration, when outside is whether....you know..! I also would like to share something....that all of our familly going to do VEGAN diet for 30 days ...and I'm one of them too..ooops ! I do not believe in vegan or vegeterian diet at all...but for some people it is necessary to loose bad food habits...I o not where come from and what do you think, but whole fresh food diet ..eat everything in a normal size portion is the way to go...I do not support fast and process food industry....as well as junk foods...hydrogenated fats, Hight Fr. corn syrup...etc....and they are all hiding in store bought cookies, brownies, candies, ice creams ..even breads...or and there is pop.... or don' get me started.

The reason I go vegan for 30 days, just to show it is can be done....and vegan food can be delicious healthy and creative.

In a past I have seen people called them self vegetarians who ..pounds, cookies, candies, fast food cheese pizzas...fat free ice creams...salad dressings..etc. I called that wrong...

So vegan it is...no delisious pork bely or some fresh fish, shrimp, my pizza and cappuccinos for me for 30 days..:)

Heres few food pix from Americano new years ev.

Beef Wellington with Oregon winter truffle sauce, parsnip puree, asparagus and bernaise

Horseradish spiked bloddy merry shrimp shooters...as a M. B .

Scallops, parsnip purre, Asparagus, and Dortmunder- Molases Glazed pork Belly

Lobster Bisque, with coconut - champagne foam and lobster Bouletts !

Love to cook even vegan ! Wish all of you good happy new year and healthy good eating !

V

perfeckt cold weather dish

Short ribs stroganoff, winter root vegetables, poppy seed ricotta gnocchi, and mustard creme fraiche.

When I was growing up every week ...my mom would make..salsbury steak, hot borsht and beef stroganoff ...sometimes goulash..perfect dishes to feed family all week long and easy to re-heat. A home all my braising I do in a pressure cooker..it takes only and hour and 20 min or so.....preassure cooker is an amazing tool that every household should have.

At restaurant to make short ribs is 3 day process. We cut the meat , we salt and rub with goulash spices ( paprika, marjoram and caraway ) for 24 hours, then we braise in 160 degree oven for another 24 hours, then we chill and de fat...and then is only ready for service. We serve with local ricotta gnocchi, which we make with poppy seeds and winter root vegetables.

Ketchup confusion

At Americano we make our own ketchup. Why ?? Well...people say its cheaper...trust me it is not ! When we opened , I figured ..I just do not want Heins ketchup on a tables .. I know , that classic ketchup has no substitutes ...Ive seen people making it from peach and mango ketchups to ketchups where calls for tomato concase, requires peeling dicing tomatoes..even worked at a restaurant where Chef was doing that, end results, some goopie mess ...where last thing you want to do is to dip your fries in. So I knew, that last thing I need to make " fancy ketchup ". So one day, I bought bottle of Heinz ketchup, read back of the label just to see what ingredients are in it. I needed consistence, and you can not get that with fresh tomatoes, only fresh tomatoes I use through the whole year is cherry or grape tomatoes..so new that fresh tomatoes its not an option to me. I have three favorite brands of caned tomatoes which I use all year around with good results. 6 in 1 from California, crushed tomatoes alway gives me the best pasta sauce I aso use that to make my house steak bourbon steak sauce. San Marzano to make my pizza, I like the ones labeled D.O.P. ( quality controlled by italian government ) and tomato paste to make my ketchup, I like Stanislaus brand.

I was reading some where , that secret ingredient in Heinz ketchup is clove oil, my goal was to re create close version to original, just little more tangy, less salty and fresher tasting...after many experiments I succeed , once in while I still find on emty burger plate ketchup packets...but I must say , that my ketchup at Americano, right now has more fans, than Heinz. Some body even bought gallon of it...when Bratenahl employees ask us to make lunch , they specialy ask for my ketchup...and yeas I do put cloves and all spice in mine...I also tried with curry or chineese 5 spice.

The other day...I open my mind and bought Heinz stuff for those unhappy whiners, just to make them happy, that gave me an opurtunity taste taste mine brand vs Heins...people who taste it .." Face to Face ketchup" ...selected clear winner...Ameiraco brand...little fresher, less salty and higher in spices content....but next time , when you come to Americano, if you prefer Big brand vs mine.....just ask ...

love to cook and cook a lot through the busy Holliday season..familly, friends and Americano costumers .

V