Kevin's Watch

Remember Sizzlean? That stuff wasn't bad. I wonder if it wasn't another of those things that was ahead of its time?

Move over, bacon. Yeah, it wasn't bad.

Thanks for the link to Ramsey's broccoli soup, Syl! Sounds simple enough that even someone like me couldn't screw it up.

Also read the soy article. Thanks for the link, Harbinger. I've only recently begun drinking soy milk, and I like it. But I don't drink 3 quarts a day like the man in the article used to. I don't consume 3 quarts of anything in a day. I believe in the old expression about moderation in everything.

No prob. I actually saw it on Kitchen Nightmares (the better UK version). Can't wait to try it with the goat cheese myself. Mmmm. Goat cheese.

mmm. chevre.

That reminds me.
Time for another field greens, chevre, grape tomato and craisin salad.
I've really been digging those lately.

Never tried Sizzlean, but McLean was okay.

I love goat cheese, especially in salads. But having actually raised goats, it kind of grosses me out to think about it. That uniquely "goaty" taste comes from the male goat being too close to producing female goats. I'm not sure exactly how the scent/flavor is transferred to the milk, but it's a "musky" scent you don't forget, and don't usually associate with something you'd put on your salad.

one month meat free. not dairy free yet and not fish free yet.
made some pretty good homemade veggie burgers. but i'm bored. i miss chicken.

i am dreaming about KFC............

Maybe it's not the chicken you miss. Maybe it's the grease.

lorin wrote:i am dreaming about KFC............

lorin, seriously.

If it is chicken you are missing try Quorn. You can even try double coating over the product's coating with a copy cat KFC eleven herbs and spices recipe, to see if it comes close.

But I really like the products "as is."
Do give them a try, if you haven't already.

lorin wrote:one month meat free. not dairy free yet and not fish free yet.
made some pretty good homemade veggie burgers. but i'm bored. i miss chicken.

i am dreaming about KFC............

Congratulations! I'm thinking that I just need less meat in my diet. Reading over the thread, and as a result, I'd like to know how you make those carrot dogs, Menolly? The concept intrigues me.

Carrot dogs are simple, but the way I do them, are a multi-step process.

Get some large organic carrots. Here in Gator Town, the best ones seem to be shipped in from California. They don't have to be long, bun length is fine. But you want a thick, fairly even diameter the length of the carrot. At least 3/4 of an inch to an inch thick, I would say.

Peel, then steam the carrots until just fork tender. You want them cooked through, but not limp or falling apart when you lift them up. Refrigerate overnight if possible.

The next day, set the carrots on a hot grill and warm them through, getting grill marks on them if you can so they take on a nice smokey flavor. Place on a bun, top with your favorite hot dog condiments, and enjoy.

Menolly wrote:Carrot dogs are simple, but the way I do them, are a multi-step process.

Get some large organic carrots. Here in Gator Town, the best ones seem to be shipped in from California. They don't have to be long, bun length is fine. But you want a thick, fairly even diameter the length of the carrot. At least 3/4 of an inch to an inch thick, I would say.

Peel, then steam the carrots until just fork tender. You want them cooked through, but not limp or falling apart when you lift them up. Refrigerate overnight if possible.

The next day, set the carrots on a hot grill and warm them through, getting grill marks on them if you can so they take on a nice smokey flavor. Place on a bun, top with your favorite hot dog condiments, and enjoy.

how about breading them and frying them like corndogs?

I'm unsure how well a breading would stick, but after being cooked and refrigerated, you could try like a crescent dough wrap and baking them, perhaps. Or maybe dipping them into a batter and then frying. I do think a round stick could easily be inserted into a just tender cooled carrot before breading or wrapping.

I personally am not a corn dog fan, so I have not tried doing anything like that though.

And the smokey flavor would be gone, so I am unsure how much like merely a "breaded carrot" it would taste like. The thing about the carrot dogs on a bun is that I seriously believe a typical hot dog really is just a textural base for the condiments, although the texture has to be right, which is why I don't like chicken, turkey, or veggie dogs. But a carrot done the way I described seems to work as a base. At least for me.

Well, after reading the article in the newest Food Network Magazine on hot dogs, I just sent off my first ever "Letter to the Editor." The only vegetarian option out of thirty different hot dog recipes they offered was tofu dogs; I felt they needed to be informed about Carrot Dogs.

So I informed them.

I have no expectations of anything coming of it, but you never know, right?

Almost 4 months with no meat. It doesnt appear to be getting any easier. I am having carb issues. Too many carbs but they are healthy carbs. Miss chicken most of all. I am sick of fish.

I went to a vegetarian restaurant in the village recently. I had fake chicken with julienned mango and peppers. It was actually good, but like Menolly said, it triggered me to want more chicken. I made my own veggie burgers...eh........

One saving grace have been the costco salmon burgers. they are really good, better than I make scratch. I cooked a bunch, shredded them and mixed them with brown rice, lots of parsley and lots of garlic and olive oil. Served it as a cold salad. It was VERY good.

and lots of garlic

Well then! Of COURSE it was good!

lorin wrote:Almost 4 months with no meat. It doesnt appear to be getting any easier. I am having carb issues. Too many carbs but they are healthy carbs. Miss chicken most of all. I am sick of fish.

I went to a vegetarian restaurant in the village recently. I had fake chicken with julienned mango and peppers. It was actually good, but like Menolly said, it triggered me to want more chicken. I made my own veggie burgers...eh........

One saving grace have been the costco salmon burgers. they are really good, better than I make scratch. I cooked a bunch, shredded them and mixed them with brown rice, lots of parsley and lots of garlic and olive oil. Served it as a cold salad. It was VERY good.

congrats - i was veggie for a few years. keep up the good work.

I've been on again off again vegatarian for years...and it also has to do with the animal cruelty reason like Lorin, so I completely sympathise.


I've got tonnes of good recipies Lorin; if you want some, PM me and I'll send you whatever you need. everything from Veggies as replacements for meat, salads, or just plain vegatarian/vegan dishes.

I'll share what is currently my favorite dish:
Its a meal for one, and it takes all of five minutes to prepare, and maybe fifteen to cook.

Grate (with a cheese grater type thing) one potato and one beet.
Cut up half an onion and a couple cloves of garlic.

Fry it all up together in a cast iron pan, with some salt and spices (Basil is good, or cummin...even a little tobasco is good too)
After about seven minutes, mix and egg with it, and grate some white cheddar over top and
put it in a small caserole dish and put it in a pre heated oven. Turn the Broiler on and cook for about five more minutes.
Its done. =)

Obviously, if you are going completely animal product free, or vegan, you would omit the egg and cheese. Its still good, but you might want to use some more onion and garlic and spices to make up for the cheese, and it won't stay together as good without the egg.

Oh...its only good if you like beets!
I eat this once or twice a week.

Are you still vegetarian, Lorin? I got my husband to go vegetarian (mostly- he wants shrimp or fish sometimes as a compromise) a year ago next week. I was vegetarian most of my adult life, but let it slip for some years since I was tired of preparing multiple dinners and so. Glad to be back to it.

No.........sigh..........not strictly vegetarian anymore. I just couldn't manage it. I have not eaten red meat, veal, rabbit, goat, lamb but I still eat chicken at times, maybe 1 time a week. And I still eat fish but no shellfish as it seems to give me a gout attack when I do. When I eat chicken I try to buy the free range organic. It makes me eat less ($$$$$$$$). And I eat dairy.

I am not perfect but I have improved. I do, however, buy red meat for my dog at times as she is getting damned sick of salmon. Let me tell you, the biggest improvement is in my dog since she eats a mostly salmon based food with no grains. Her skin is much much better, no more hotspots.