vegetables

Green Blender: Blend it Your Way

Published on December 11, 2016December 11, 2016 by The Crimson CraveLeave a comment

By Joseph Winters ’20

I love smoothies. Smoothies in the morning, smoothies for snacks, smoothies before bed—there’s no bad time for a smoothie. At home, they served two main functions: 1) they were a good way to eat more greens without even realizing it, and 2) they helped my family reduce waste by allowing us to use whatever fruits and veggies were lying around in the fridge, a little past their prime but still edible.

The ultimate dream would be for Annenberg to have a smoothie station, where students have anytime access to a fridge full of fresh ingredients and a quality blender. Unfortunately, that isn’t quite the case. As freshmen, we’re pretty much stuck with using whatever blender we can find in the dorm kitchens, or renting from the FDO.

Not to mention, the ingredients! I’ve swiped my share of bananas from Annenberg, but most smoothie recipes call for teeny amounts of things like chia or hemp seeds, apple pie spice, fresh ginger… Without frequent trips to Whole Foods, it’s hard to imagine being able to stock the right smoothie ingredients all the time.

That’s what GreenBlender can help with: they deliver weekly smoothie boxes, complete with prepackaged and portioned ingredients that go with five recipes (two servings per recipe—so ten smoothies per week). I was intrigued, so I emailed GreenBlender, and they agreed to send me a box in exchange for this review!

Here are the ways you can subscribe to GreenBlender:

Fresh Start: a week-to-week subscription for $49/box
- $4.90 per serving
Monthly Challenge: a monthly subscription for $176
- $4.40 per serving
Healthy Habit: a one-year subscription for $468
- $3.90 per serving

My box arrived just before Thanksgiving Break, so the recipes were all Thanksgiving-themed. The ingredients were meticulously packaged in plastic baggies, with convenient labels for things I might not recognize, like maqui powder. Plus, I really appreciated that they weren’t the stereotypical smoothie recipes that you might find at some pseudo-health smoothie place, laden with just fruit and yogurt and honey or syrup; three of the recipes had greens, one had a summer squash, and one used sweet potato. No nauseatingly sweet stuff here! Also, everything GreenBlender sent was organic, which I thought was a great feature of their service.

Here are the five smoothies, with my comments:

Maqui Apple Cleanse

This smoothie was surprisingly delicious. It wasn’t too sweet, but very refreshing. I mostly tasted the applesauce, but the grapes gave it some tartness. The squash made the consistency a little fibrous, but that would have been remedied if I’d just blended it for a minute or so more.

1 yellow squash, chopped

5 oz grapes

1/2 cup applesauce

1 tbsp hemp seeds

1 tsp maqui berry powder

1 cup water

1 cup ice

Maple Almond Apple Pie

Many health foodies are familiar with the concept of the “açai bowl”, which is basically a really thick berry smoothie. But I don’t think the açai bowl needs to limit itself to açai berries as a base; I like to make “smoothie bowls,” which are basically smoothies with less liquid. That’s what I decided to do with the Maple Almond Apple Pie recipe that GreenBlender sent. I put all the ingredients into the blender as normal but omitted the cup of water. Into the blender went:

1.5 oz baby kale

1 tsp apple pie spice

2 apples, chopped

1 tbsp maple almond butter

1 cup ice

If you don’t have a powerful blender, I’m not sure this would work, but Vitamixes and Blendtecs should do the job handily! The consistency was a little meltier than frozen yogurt, and while it didn’t taste like a real pie, the apple pie spice definitely gave the smoothie bowl some holiday flavor, and—of course—the kale was undetectable.

I like this smoothie-eating method particularly because I could never drink only a liquid smoothie for breakfast—I’d be hungry within an hour. This way, I get some more carbs from toppings like granola (and a scone on this particular morning!), and a healthy schmear of peanut butter makes it a little more like an actual meal.

Cranberry Ginger

While it wasn’t bad, this smoothie was probably my least favorite of the smoothies I sampled. It was the kind of smoothie someone might accuse of tasting “healthy” in a derogatory way. “Healthy” is a taste I’ve acquired and come to like, but it’s definitely not for everybody. That being said, it still made for a nice smoothie bowl breakfast. I would have added more ginger than the tiny slice that came with the ingredients, though, since I could barely tell that it was there.

1.5 oz spinach

2 oz cranberries

2 dates

1 pear, chopped

1/2 inch ginger

3 tbsp walnuts

1 cup ice

Pineapple Kumquat Passion

When I think of classic smoothies, this is what I think of. Super citrusy, pleasantly sweet, and deceptively green-colored. It was the first smoothie I made, and I shared it with one of my friends. She even woke up for a nap just to share in the smoothie-making. Both of us agreed that it was a quality sip of Vitamin C.

I also commented that GreenBlender helped me control my tendency to shove about five fistfuls of greens into the smoothie in the name of health. Doing this usually makes the smoothie extremely fibrous and completely unsatisfactory—with the recipe they provided, the smoothie had just the right amount of greens: still tasty, but with a healthy boost.

1.5 oz swiss chard

3 oz kumquats

1 orange, peeled

4 oz pineapple

1 tbsp chia seeds

1 cup coconut water

Maple Glazed Sweet Potatoes

This was the smoothie I was most excited to make. I love sweet potatoes, I love smoothies—what could go wrong?

4 oz raw sweet potatoes

1 banana

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tbsp maple syrup

3 tbsp cashews

1 cup water

1 cup ice

The outcome was amazing—sweetness from the banana, spice from the cinnamon, sweet potato-y goodness from the sweet potatoes. As with many banana smoothies, this kind of tasted like a milkshake. In fact, it was so good that, after my GreenBlender trial, I looked up the recipe and bought all the ingredients at Whole Foods so I could make it again. The second time, I had some extra coconut milk on hand, so I subbed it for the water and got a super dessert-like, creamy consistency.

After my week of smoothies, I was pretty sold on GreenBlender. I recently did a review of the meal delivery service Plated, but my conclusion was that it didn’t make sense for undergraduates on an unlimited, mandatory meal plan. GreenBlender, however, might make sense for those who are already devout smoothie lovers. They ease the difficulty of having to find quality smoothie recipes, go to the grocery store to find the ingredients (where you might have to buy a huge container of maple syrup even if you only need a tablespoon), and haul them back to your dorm kitchen.

Also of note is the fact that GreenBlender publishes all its smoothie recipes to its website! It’s definitely worth checking out, especially some of the candy bar-themed smoothies. Even if you don’t purchase your own subscription to GreenBlender, you can still make some killer smoothies from their enormous recipe index!

Website: https://greenblender.com/

Use the coupon code CRIMSONCRAVE when paying for a 20% discount from Green Blender!

Cabot Culinaries: A Tasteful Treat

Published on April 10, 2016April 11, 2016 by richachatLeave a comment

by Richa Chaturvedi ’18

The number one thing I crave at school (besides sleep) is home-cooked food. Don’t get me wrong, HUDS has some clutch items on their menu. But nothing compares to a meal made from scratch with love.

You can find this simple delight at Cabot Culinaries, a student group in Cabot made up of people who really just want to cook and eat some good food. I usually fall in the category of people who show up just for dinner, after all of the cooking is already done. But I decided to take initiative and become an active player in my meals, rather than a passive eater. Cabot Culinaries met this past Saturday to cook an incredible meal: beet, arugula, and goat cheese salad, roasted spiced cauliflower and asparagus, home made gnocchi made two ways (I couldn’t make this up), rhubarb bars, and coconut mousse. Naturally, I was in charge of the easiest dish – the cauliflower and asparagus recipe that my mom texted me, then called to ensure that I understood, then texted again demanding updates because she has a reputation to uphold. I quickly realized that I was in the kitchen with some seriously experienced cooks. One whisked together an amazing balsamic vinaigrette while another actually made gnocchi starting from scratch. Meanwhile, I was struggling to break cauliflower into florets. It’s more physically exhausting than you would think.

Overall, we had about 12 people help cook the meal and over 20 eating. I was so stressed out at the thought of 20 people eating food that I made, but all of that stress fell away with my first bite of salad. Everything was so fresh and delicious and, not to brag, but I didn’t even burn the roasted vegetables. So I would call it a success.

Coming from California, it is sometimes hard to go for long stretches of time without any home-cooked food. Cabot Culinaries helped me get my home-cooked fix and get over my fear for cooking for a lot of people. That being said, it didn’t help me conquer my laziness. I think I’ll rest for now – at least until the next Culinaries comes around.

FLP Thai Cooking Class

Published on April 10, 2016April 11, 2016 by richachatLeave a comment

by Hayoung Chang ’18

Today, I ventured down to the depths of Northwest Labs to attend a Thai food cooking class. Led by a Thai chef, the class was filled with a diverse mix of people including hungry college students like me, grad students, as well as old people. After a swift safety briefing, we familiarized ourselves with the authentic Thai ingredients, utensils, and layout of the cooking lab, a neat and comfortable space.

Following the instructions of our instructor chef as well as the recipe, we got to work. Chopping vegetables and mixing sauces, I was glad to get my hands dirty with some Thai spices. My partners prepared the vermicelli noodles. Mixing it all together, the fresh peppers, hint of spice and succulent noodles combined to create a wonderful dish. I could hardly believe that I had cooked it myself!

Next, we started preparing the curry by warming some coconut milk. The fragrance bubbling up from the pot was enough to make my mouth water. With my stomach growling, we added dollops of spice and sauces, plopped in some tofu, tomatoes and pineapples, and brought the curry to a gentle boil. Once the consistency was just right, we sprinkled some basil to finish it off.

The taste was amazing, to say the least. Perhaps the fact that we had cooked it from scratch had heightened my senses. The curry was just the right amount of spicy, creamy and silky smoothness. The warm and soft tofu complemented the sharp sweetness of the pineapple. Drizzled over jasmine rice, the dish was a huge success.

Overall, I immensely enjoyed the experience. Not only did I learn how to make some great curry, I also learned to appreciate food, and real food. These days, we consume so many processed and pre-cooked foods, that we often forget where food comes from. By partaking in the process of transforming fruit, vegetables and grain to a delightful dish, my eyes were opened to the true nature of food. Perhaps that’s a little too cheesy, but hey, at least I got the best curry recipe under my belt.

Lessons for the D-Hall, Thanks to SLS19

Published on April 4, 2016 by The Crimson CraveLeave a comment

by Landy Erlick ’19

Global Health and Nutrition, or SLS19, is part of the Science of the Living Systems general education department. It’s also extremely interesting and edifying. I’ll be honest, I originally enrolled in the course purely to fulfill a requirement. Ever since the very first lecture, however, I have found the subject matter creeping into my daily life, and I think one topic is particularly relevant for your next d-hall venture: micronutrient deficiencies.

a great - and bright - source of vitamin c — A great – and bright – source of Vitamin C!

Each time you choose white rice over brown rice, cereal over vegetables, and glowing blue PowerAde over a glass of water, not only are you falling prey to “the freshman fifteen” – and every year after that – but you are also increasing your risk of developing micronutrient deficiencies. Though more common in developing countries where access to a variety of fruits, vegetables, and grains is limited due to poverty or seasonality, micronutrient deficiencies are present in industrialized, rich nations, too. Most students don’t have the discipline to take multiple supplements every day, so it’s important to reach our necessary vitamin intake by filling those ceramic plates with an array of green leafy vegetables, citrus fruits, animal protein, cheese, and even some grill-order eggs.

Admittedly, it’s unlikely that a college student in the Northeast will develop scurvy, but the disease is not just limited to pirates sailing the seas in the 1700s. Whether you are a vegetarian, vegan, or just prefer a daily sundae over a salad, it’s important to observe your eating habits and take notice of the categories in which you’re lacking. Even though it takes a severe micronutrient deficiency to express symptoms like night blindness or anemia, eating well from a young age boasts many benefits, especially in the battle against obesity. In fact, in recent years, over-nutrition has become more prevalent than under-nutrition. That is a daunting statement.

Cake might be filled with tasty sugar, but it's lacking in vitamins — Cake might be filled with tasty sugar, but it’s lacking in vitamins.

high in sugars and saturated fats, these spreads could use some micronutrients from a slice of whole wheat or multigrain toast — High in sugar and saturated fats, these spreads could use some micronutrients from a slice of whole wheat or multigrain toast.

It only takes a few minutes to look into food sources for important vitamins. Google is your friend. Of course, your diet is your choice, moderation is key, and a balanced life is a healthy life. So, eat the slice of pizza at 3 a.m. – you are in college, after all – just also keep in mind that an apple a day really might just keep the doctor away.

Chicken & Rice Guys, D-hall Style

Published on March 28, 2016 by mchiang123Leave a comment

by Michelle Chiang ’19

The Chicken & Rice Guys food truck is a familiar sight in the Science Center plaza. Nonetheless, I had always somewhat ignored the block of sunny yellow. Compared to Vietnamese sandwiches and gourmet grilled cheese, who would want to spend money on boring chicken and rice?

My opinion changed the moment I actually tasted that “boring” chicken and rice. The chicken was tender, flavorful, and warm; the rice, lettuce, and sauces blended perfectly into a crisp, smooth mouthful of deliciousness. It got me wondering if I could recreate the taste in the d-hall. Who wouldn’t want to eat Chicken & Rice Guys all the time?

20111205-ctb-halal-chicken-rice-primary-thumb-625xauto-203410 (1) — courtesy of http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2011/12/serious-eats-halal-cart-style-chicken-and-rice-white-sauce-recipe.html

After doing a bit of research, I’ve concluded that perfectly recreating the dish is impossible without considerable amounts of time, effort, and spices (to prove my point, here’s a recipe for a similar halal food truck in New York City). However, it IS possible to create an approximation that isn’t too shabby. Best of all, you won’t need to buy anything on your own, and you can substitute ingredients and alter proportions to make it as healthy or indulgent as you want.

Ingredients:

grilled chicken

lettuce (and any other vegetables you want)

rice (I used brown rice for my meal, but feel free to use any other kind of rice!)

White Sauce:

1 /2 cup Greek yogurt

1 teaspoon lemon juice (Yes, they have this in the d-hall.)

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 tablespoons vinegar (Yes, they also have non-balsamic vinegar in the d-hall. HUDS is just full of surprises, isn’t it?)

2 tablespoons ranch or blue cheese dressing

salt and pepper to taste

(Helpful tip: 1/2 cup is about half of a d-hall soup bowl. You can use the d-hall spoons for teaspoons and tablespoons.)

Enjoy!

Lunar New Year: A Labor of Love

Published on February 15, 2016February 17, 2016 by richachatLeave a comment

by Allison Yan ’19

Every Lunar New Year, I look forward to food. Friends, family, and fun, too, but mostly food.

Even though my parents immigrated to America years ago and proudly claim to have assimilated to American culture, celebrating Lunar New Year with the people we love has always been a staple of our heritage. The Lunar New Year parties are always an amazing festivity, and the potluck style of the dinner guarantees a variety of wonderful dishes to satisfy anyone and everyone’s cravings.

The preparations for these parties are always a labor of love (emphasis on the labor). It is like Thanksgiving dinner preparations, but the Asian version. My mother, a frequent host of the parties, often spends days in advance preparing the house, and the two days leading up to the party meticulously cooking enough dishes to feed a group of at least 60.

Meats of any (and every!) kind are a cornerstone of the dinner. My mother has always been partial to smoked salmon, and is known among her friend group for having the best salmon dish in town, but she, and all of the other wonderful mothers contribute plentiful types of meats. From spicy chicken to pork to pig ears, there’s something for everyone.

The meat dishes are, of course, supplemented by plentiful amounts of vegetables, noodle dishes, and bao zi (Chinese rolls). My parents and their friends take their spicy food seriously, and it’s not uncommon to see pepper or some other spicy-looking sauce liberally tossed on top of most dishes. The lotus and cauliflower and leeks and chicken dishes are favorites of my family’s. Spicy tofu soup is also a staple of every year’s dinner. As someone who unfortunately can’t handle much spicy food, I usually try to mitigate the burning sensations of too much spicy with copious amounts of rice.

I’ve always had a weakness for the dessert options at these parties. The soft sweetness of the red bean cakes and handmade red bean mochi by family friends complement an otherwise very savory and rich meal. Red bean filling is the most unique part of an Asian dessert dish.

There’s one more dish that I haven’t mentioned: the pork dumplings that my family makes. These dumplings are particularly special to me, because my family actually comes together to help mix the filling, knead the dough, and fold up the finished dumpling into their signature bow shapes. It’s almost difficult to eat the dish that so accurately represents the labor and love that goes into creating a Lunar New Year Dinner.

I have always looked forward to celebrating Lunar New Year with my family. The food, of course, is wonderful, but the sense of joy and community of so many people coming together to eat and celebrate is something unique to this special day.

Plating Food in Annenberg

Published on November 3, 2015 by The Crimson CraveLeave a comment

by Emily Brother ’19

Inspired by the instagram chef, Jacques La Merde, who mimicked the plating techniques of haute cuisine using junk food, I attempted to create my own gourmet-looking dishes using the food from Annenberg. Here are a few of the plates that I made:

Vegetarian Frittata Garnished with Carrots, Greens, and Tabasco Sauce

2. Sausage Links with Quinoa Raising & Black Bean Salad and Barbeque Sauce

3. Vegetarian Chili with Lettuce, Green Pepper Sauce, and Dijon Mustard

4. Pound Cake with Yogurt and Red Wine Vinaigrette

5. Chicken Bake with Lima Beans and Ketchup

6. Carrots, Cucumber, and Corn with Balsamic Vinegar

Granola and Yogurt with Peanut Butter and Strawberry Jelly

8. Herb Roasted Chicken with Penne Pasta and Puttanesca Sauce

I Only Eat My Mom’s Vegetables

Published on November 3, 2015 by The Crimson CraveLeave a comment

by Allison Yan ’19

I’m sure every college student misses a genuine, home-cooked meal from time to time. There’s just nothing like the rich, unique flavors from a family favorite dish or a parent’s particular seasoning choices or a combination of both.

My mom is very particular about healthy foods. Her meals almost always contain greens. I used to bemoan the fact that I had to eat my vegetables. But over time, I appreciated her choices more and more. Yes, sometimes that sprinkle of cilantro and sliced eggplant on a protein heavy dish seemed a little excessive, but it was all in good thought. By the time I started high school, my mom’s lovingly cooked vegetables had become an integral part of my diet: the particular crunchiness of her green beans, her affinity for topping everything with a leafy vegetable, and more. No matter whether she was cooking for the family or bringing dishes to Asian potlucks, my mom would always be ready with the healthy dishes.

Being away from her veggies and her cooking makes me realize just how much her vegetables meant to me. Dining hall vegetables just aren’t the same.

Anyhow, if I’m really gaining the freshman 15, I’m definitely blaming it on the fact that I only eat my mom’s vegetables.

From the Farmer to the Foodie

Published on September 27, 2015September 27, 2015 by The Crimson CraveLeave a comment

by Landy Erlick ’19

If you don’t have a class near the Science Center on Tuesdays, you might be missing out on some sweet and savory treats. The Harvard University Farmer’s Market sets up shop from noon to 6 pm, and it only runs through the end of October, so if you’re looking for fresh fruit, soft bread, or green vegetables, it’s best to come sooner rather than later.

Walking under the big tent, there are several rows of delicious and varied cuisine. From the delectable choices at Taza Chocolate to the garden-fresh flavors of Ward’s Berry Farm and the enticingly spicy Alex’s Ugly Sauce, it’s practically a guarantee that you won’t leave disappointed. There’s even a spot to buy lobsters!

Most of the vendors are cash only, and as a result it’s best to be prepared with something other than a credit card in hand. Prices aren’t too high, but it definitely costs a little extra for items that are freshly made or just picked. While sweet corn is worth $0.75 an ear, containers of raspberries and grapes are around $5.00. The highly-coveted donuts from Union Square are $3 a piece, and at that price the highly desired flavors like Belgian Chocolate and Maple Bacon tend to sell out fairly quickly. Overall, staying within budget might be hard with so many tempting tidbits around.

vanilla bean donut from Union Square — Vanilla Bean Donut (Union Square)

The open space and bright colors help to maintain a welcoming environment, unlike some farmer’s markets which can be slightly overwhelming if you arrive without a game plan. If it’s your first time exploring the plaza or you don’t need any food in particular, it’s a great idea to walk the rows and be inspired. Sometimes, you might be lucky enough to get a free sample of cheesecake or peaches!

Before the snow comes, and sweet, juicy fruits become a treasured rarity, be sure to stock up on some cartons for your microfridge. Or, if you’re like me and can’t ignore any form of bread or pastry, try a chocolate brioche roll (above)! It’s the perfect size – big enough to share, but small enough to keep all to yourself without feeling guilty. Fruit, vegetables, baked goods, and other items vary each Tuesday, so make it a weekly trip.