Lori, Author at Fake Food Free

Now It’s Your Turn: Mango Recipe Challenge

April 17, 2009

Now I finally get to reveal my motivation for hosting a Mango Week in the first place. For the past couple months I’ve been thinking about how I would love to share some of the foods I experience in Brazil with my readers and foodie friends.

My blog is almost one year old and I have yet to hold any kind of giveaway or contest. I’ve come to find the challenges and contests that take place in the blogging world to be a lot of fun.

The more I thought about it, the more I realized that this is probably going to be the only time that I have the opportunity to share a tangible piece of my living abroad experience with you.

So, how would you like a little something from Brazil?

Today I am announcing the Mango Recipe Challenge!

You have the opportunity to submit your favorite mango recipe for a chance to win a box filled with some Brazilian goodies. I am traveling to the States in May and these things will be coming with me so this contest is open to all readers with a US address.

The Rules

Submit a recipe using mango in any way. If they are hard to find in your area you have some options. Frozen mango is allowed as well as mango nectar/juice. Feel free to be creative, and as always, the more natural, whole and less processed your recipe the better.

Email your submission to lori(at)fakefoodfree(dot)com and include the following information:

First Name:
Recipe Name:
Blog url:
Blog post url:
Picture: (about 450 x 340 px)

Feel free to use the logo above in your blog post. (If you don’t have a blog, just send your name, recipe and a picture.)

I have a lot of traveling coming up so I have an extended deadline for the challenge. All entries are due by Friday, May 22nd, 2009 at 12:00pm CST. Don’t worry! You’ll get lots of reminders along the way!

The Judging

All entries will be judged based on the following criteria:

Presence of mango (How prominent is the fruit and its flavor in your recipe?)
Creativity (As you can tell this week, I love unique!)
Use of real ingredients (Did you make your whipped topping? Is that crepe from scratch? You get the idea.)

Your entries will be judged by the Fake Food Free family. That is, all those in my family who I’ll be visiting back home that want to share in the judging, most likely me, my husband and my mom.

The winner will be announced on May 25th, 2009 with the prize shipped soon after.

The Prize

The winner will receive a box of food related items from southern Brazil. Oh how I wish I could send you a bunch of fresh produce, but unfortunately I have to make it through US customs with these things in my suitcase. Therefore you can expect some popular packaged foods as well as some unique ingredients. Don’t worry. For any random ingredient I send you I will also send you a translated recipe in which to use it.

So, are you interested?

I sincerely hope you will participate. Not only is it fun to give this stuff away, but I can’t wait to have a whole list of new recipes for my mangos!

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Grilled Cheese Pageant: Arugula & Pear Grilled Cheese

April 16, 2009

I hope you will allow me this slight interruption to Mango Week.

Earlier in the week I came across the Grilled Cheese Pageant on the blog Panini Happy and knew I had to enter.

I’ve been reading this blog for a few months now and if you love warm, Panini sandwiches as much as I do you need to head over and check it out. It is full of wonderful ideas and beautiful pictures.

Variations of the grilled cheese have been a go-to meal for me since we’ve been living abroad. It is quick, easy and requires no heating of the oven which in turn heats up our already hot apartment. In addition, a little creativity takes the traditional grilled cheese a long way so it is fun to play with different combinations.

I went to our Japanese market this week and picked up some baby arugula and a couple pears. On the walk back I stopped in the bakery and purchased some of the wonderful Pão Francês (Brazilian French Bread) that is so plentiful here. Once I arrived home, I decided that the combination would go perfectly with some smoked provolone I had in the fridge.

So this creation serves as my entry into the Panini Happy Grilled Cheese Pageant. If you are interested in entering, you still have time. The deadline is tomorrow at noon PDT.

Arugula & Pear Grilled Cheese

1 small French bread, split
1/3 cup smoked provolone, shredded
1 small handful of baby arugula
½ medium pear sliced

Spread cheese on both pieces of bread. Place the top on the skillet to help melt the cheese. Once it begins to melt place the arugula on one side and the pear on the other.

Put sandwich together and continue to grill until the rest of the cheese is melted, arugula is wilted and pear is warmed through. Place a piece of foil on top and press with the bottom of a smaller skillet if desired.

I will be back tomorrow to finalize Mango Week and announce my very first recipe contest! I hope you’ll stop by!

The Roma

April 15, 2009

I wouldn’t say that the sandwich is a popular item with locals where we live in Brazil, but they are offered at most cafes and juice shops. Since I’m not one to enjoy sitting down to a plate of rice, beans and red meat for lunch on a hot day, I truly appreciate the attempt to offer the sandwich as a culinary choice and I’ve been introduced to a lot of new fillings and combinations.

There is a juice and sandwich shop in town called Jungle Juice. They serve excellent juices, açaí in a bowl and some tasty sandwiches. The first time we stopped by there one sandwich caught my attention and it has been my favorite ever since – The Roma.

I should probably tell you that if the quesadilla from yesterday was a bit out of your comfort zone regarding the use of a mango, this one might be too. The stars of the Roma sandwich are chicken, gorgonzola cheese and mango. I originally tried it because I wanted to be adventurous, and I was not expecting how wonderful this combination turned out to be.

The sandwich is served warm and I must admit that my recreation does need some practice. My version was good, but not exactly like the one at the restaurant. The lessons I learned include: 1) It needs mayonnaise. 2) The mango needs to be very ripe and very sweet.

I’m really not a big fan of mayo. I rarely get it on my sandwiches, however, to this particular sandwich it adds the moisture needed to make it more palatable. When it mixes with the gorgonzola it really takes away the identifiable mayo flavor.

The sweetness of the mango balances the saltiness of the cheese. The combination is excellent; much like what you get from gorgonzola and pears. However, the cheese is strong, so the mango needs to be very ripe and sweet to compete with that flavor.

Interested to try it?

The Roma Sandwich

2 French rolls or pieces of baguette (I used some whole wheat sandwich rolls this time)
1 ½ cups cooked chicken, chopped or shredded
2 to 3 ounces gorgonzola cheese
1 mango, chopped
Mayo to taste

First, toast the bread in the oven until it is nicely browned and set aside. You can do this while you are putting the sandwich fillings together.

In a skillet, heat the chicken. Toss in the mango and heat through. Next crumble the gorgonzola and add it to the skillet. Stir to heat and melt the cheese so that it is incorporated into the chicken and mango. Salt and pepper to taste if desired.

Spread a little bit of mayo on the toasted bread and fill each sandwich roll with ½ of the chicken filling. Serve warm.

Sweet and Spicy Mango Quesadilla

April 14, 2009

Yesterday I mentioned a certain class in grad school which always brings back memories of my initial interest in the mango. It just so happened that in this same class there was also a woman whose family owned a restaurant in a nearby town.

We would often get into class conversations about food while waiting for the instructor to show up and my ears always perked up when she started talking. For me, owns restaurant translates to – has some great food ideas and recipes.

As we were nearing the end of the semester and summer around the corner she mentioned her favorite snack to make was a mango, jalapeno quesadilla. I was intrigued from the moment I heard those words. There is no better combination for me than that of sweet and spicy. Add some warm, gooey cheese to that and the dish is nearing perfection.

I have kept that combo in my mind for what seems like years and I finally got around to giving it a try.

Wow! What an amazing creation!

The sweet mango cools the flavorful heat of the jalapenos. The salty cheese balances out the flavors. The slightly toasted tortilla only adds to the complex texture.

I used a cheese here that is very similar to a Colby back home. I could definitely see Cheddar working well or if you like even more heat maybe a Pepper Jack.

Sweet and Spicy Mango Quesadilla

Large flour tortilla
1/2 cup mango, sliced or diced
1/4 cup cheese
Jalapenos, sliced or diced (from the jar, but fresh could work too)

Place tortilla in a warm skillet (use a little butter if desired) and top with ingredients. Fold in half and toast on each side until slightly browned and cheese is melted.

Mango Week!

April 13, 2009

I can remember my reaction when I first heard that the mango is considered the most popular fruit in the world. It was something along the lines of, “Really?”

I guess I found it a little unbelievable because in the US we tend to get caught up in our apples, oranges and bananas.

However, when you look at fruit from a world view and realize how huge production and consumption of the mango are, it is not surprising at all that this sweet, orange fruit comes in at number one.

The mango is native to southern Asia, specifically to parts of India. Now it can be found growing in numerous areas of the world which have a warm climate including Thailand, Brazil, Mexico, Philippines and even in Florida and parts of California in the US.

I remember a nutrition course I took in grad school for which I had a TA from India. Our professor was very much a believer in experiencing and understanding the foods of other cultures so at the end of the semester she took the class out to an Indian restaurant. Our TA was able to explain all of the dishes to us and at that dinner I remember her telling us that there were over 500 varieties of mangos in India.

This was something I couldn’t even comprehend. At that time I think apples were the only fruit I knew to have multiple varieties expect for maybe green and red grapes or Florida versus California oranges. Of course, her statement was correct and some sources estimate varieties closer to 1000.

I’ve seen several different kinds of mangos here in Brazil, but have found my favorite to be the Tommy, or more accurately the Tommy Atkins variety. This variety is also one of few that are grown in Florida.

Prior to moving here, on the rare occasion that a mango made its way into my grocery cart, I had no idea what kind I was buying. However at the markets I frequent now, they are clearly labeled. I don’t notice much of a difference in flavor or texture except that the Tommy seems be just a little bit sweeter than others I’ve tried. It is simply the variety that is most often available and affordable where we are living.

So what am I getting at with all of this mango talk?

Well, I’ve decided to declare this Mango Week at Fake Food Free. I’ve got a few recipes I want to share with you. One I developed on my own, one was put together based on an idea from a former classmate and another I’ve recreated from a sandwich I enjoy at a local shop where we are living.

I know that mangos aren’t always readily available for everyone. In fact, at the moment they are a bit difficult to get here and the prices are higher. However, as the temperatures warm up in the northern hemisphere summer and mangos, or mango flavored treats, tend to go hand in hand.

So I hope you’ll come back this week to check out some of my favorite ways to use mangos and on Friday I will be announcing my very first recipe contest with a rare prize that would be hard to come by elsewhere.

I am kicking off the week by sharing my Mango Coconut Oatmeal. Sweetened by the flesh of the mango and flavored with a touch of coconut milk this recipe turns oatmeal, often reserved for cold mornings, into a breakfast perfect for warmer weather.

Mango Coconut Oatmeal

¼ cup steel cut oats
1 cup water
1 mango, chopped
1 tablespoon coconut milk
1 tablespoon, unsweetened, shredded coconut

Cook the steel cut oats according to directions and preferences. I let mine soak in the water for about a ½ hour and then on medium heat I slowly bring them to a boil. I reduce the heat and allow them to cook for about 20 minutes. At this point they reach my desired constancy and the oats still have a bit of a bite to them.

About 5 minutes before the oats are fully cooked, add in half of the diced mango. Stir the mango into the oats smashing it into more of a pulp as it is heated. Add in the coconut milk.

Transfer the oats to a serving bowl and top them with the remaining chopped mango and sprinkle with coconut.

Links to a Healthy Weekend: Happy Easter!!

April 11, 2009

Given how much I love Easter, this is a very happy Saturday for me! I was able to do some reading this week and this is what I found well worth sharing. Wherever you are and whatever holidays you celebrate I hope you have a blessed and beautiful weekend!

Low-fat yogurt: why bother? is a post by Eric Burkett, Food Examiner. He reviewed several of the additives in low-fat yogurt which I was aware of, but still found his post very informative. I started exploring fuller fat yogurts after reading The Fat Fallacy by Will Clower. I have to say I really don’t enjoy the fat free, sugar free versions any longer.

Every Kitchen Table featured a post about Unsustainable food. After reading Omnivore’s Dilemma this topic has really consumed me. I find myself craving more and more information so I can increase my knowledge as a consumer and health advocate.

Selby’s Food Corner showed off some of the most adorable Easter cupcakes I have seen. It is amazing what she can do with fondant!

Eating Out Loud shared about using natural dyes to decorate Easter eggs. I loved this! I’m always looking for more ways to create color without using artificial food coloring. A great way to have a more natural Easter. Now, what do about all that candy? Have to say I’m leaning towards enjoying in moderation because I am craving some jelly beans!

Lovely Limes

April 10, 2009

If you give me the choice of a lemon or a lime, I’ll likely choose the lime every time. This goes for the twist I put in my sparkling water as well as for flavors in desserts.

I just happen to be in the world’s most perfect place for a lime lover. I might mention that this is a good thing since there are no lemons where we live in Brazil.

I’m not sure about other areas of the country, but most people here really aren’t familiar with lemon. Many of the (Brazilian) English teachers we have met translate limão to lemon, but this is not correct. Limão is a lime, not a lemon so we try to clear up this confusion when we get the chance.

My appreciation for the lovely limes here came to mind on Wednesday night as I shopped at the local farmer’s market in town. Many of the vendors there sell a variety of items. For example, a booth that has lettuce will also have carrots and herbs. However, there is this one particular booth manned by an older couple and the product they offer is limes, just limes.

These are some of the largest, brightest limes I’ve ever come across. I buy from them every week and I am amazed each time they place my bag on the scale and tell me the price. This week I paid 30 centavos for these limes. That is less than fifteen cents. Fifteen cents for five beautiful limes! That is a far cry from the 44 cents each I saw on my last trip in the US.

I’m typically a lover of rich and heavy desserts, but I have found since being around all this fresh lime juice my dessert preferences here in Brazil are very different. I love the variety of desserts using lime and my favorite is the Torta de Limão, Lime Pie. It’s sort of like a Key Lime pie, yet that still doesn’t adequately describe it. It is something that I will likely always associate with Brazil.

There is a catch, though. I have had Torta de Limão that I didn’t care for. As you probably guessed, this dessert calls for sweetened condensed milk (what would a dessert in Brazil be without it?). Some varieties use too much milk and not enough lime for my tastes. I like that tart, almost bitter flavor and prefer that the sweet flavor doesn’t take over.

One of my favorites has been the one I’m picturing here. An individual serving we picked up at a local bakery. So no, I didn’t make this, but I did take the photo. Isn’t it beautiful?

The truth is, I’ve never made Torta de Limão, or at least I haven’t yet. I do, however, have the recipe.

After just a few months of living here a girl in town contacted me through my ex-pat blog. She taught at an English school, it was Thanksgiving time and she wanted a recipe for pumpkin pie. I was happy to help, but secretly wanted something of my own out of the deal. I asked her for a recipe for Torta de Limão.

She shared with me her recipe for Lime Mousse. This is the filling for the pie and can be eaten by itself if you so desire. To turn it into pie form, use your favorite pie crust and bake it through. Add this filling, and then you can top it with meringue. Pop it in the oven to brown or dry the meringue and there you have it. It is similar to any meringue topped pie although served room temperature or cold.

I should mention that here, they often use a packaged whipping cream instead of the beaten egg whites. This browns up nicely and is creamier, but I really don’t know what the equivalent would be in the US. I’m not sure if whipped cream would brown up/harden or not.

Also, aside from this little one I’ve showed you, the torta I have come across here don’t resemble pie in the US. The crust is typically made in a tart pan so the whole dessert is rather flat and thin, not like our deep dish pies in the States.

Mousse de Limão

1 can of sweetened milk
1 can of creme de leite (Her description: “It’s like sour cream but less sour.” I’m not sure we have an equivalent in the States. Maybe crème fraiche?)
1 cup of fresh lime juice (about 4 limes)

Mix in a blender until gains a firm appearance. It can be refrigerated before eaten or use it to put together your own Torta de Limão.

Chocolate and…more chocolate

April 8, 2009

Knowing how much I adore chocolate my brother had been telling me about a Truffle Cake he had tried making recently. When I was home a little over a month ago, he finally had the opportunity to make it for me.

This cake defies all previous thoughts you have had about how rich a dessert can be. It is amazing! With only three ingredients, it is basically like a huge dark chocolate bar in the shape of a cake. There is nothing light about it.

While this time of year tends to be one for fruity, spring-like desserts, for me it is also a time for chocolate. Easter and chocolate go hand in hand in my book so I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to share my brother’s master piece.

The recipe comes from one of those Woman’s Day special edition magazines that pop up in the supermarket check-out aisle now and again. I also found it online. The main difference is that my brother used a spring-form pan which worked out nicely.

I will warn you now this is one of those desserts where you know you can only handle a tiny sliver because it is so rich. However, about an hour later you think – mmm, another sliver sounds good about now. This could go on all night so be sure you have plenty of people to share it with!

Truffle Cake
Adapted from Woman’s Day Special: 1-2-3 Meals. Available online AOL food.

3 cups semisweet chocolate chips
2 sticks unsalted butter
6 eggs, at room temperature

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease or spray an 8 inch spring-form pan. Cut a piece of wax paper the size of the pan, grease and place in the bottom.

Melt chocolate chips and butter. Beat eggs in a separate bowl for about 7 minutes. Fold in the chocolate and pour into the pan.

Place the spring-form pan inside another, larger pan and place in the oven. Fill the larger pan with enough boiling water to reach halfway up the outside of the spring-form pan. Lay a piece of foil over the top of the cake pan.

Bake 40 minutes, remove and let cool on a wire rack. Then cover and refrigerate until firm. Remove the outside of the pan and place the cake on a serving platter.

Thoughts on Easter

April 6, 2009

I begin this Holy Week with a lot of reflection. Easter has been my favorite holiday for as long as I can remember. I do realize I say this about a lot of holidays throughout the year, but Easter truly is my very favorite.

Aside from the religious meaning for me, Easter brings about thoughts of simplicity, peace and happiness. Even if I wake up to a rainy Sunday morning there is a sound to the birds chirping and a smell in the air that reflects new life. I consider myself lucky to have always lived in a place with four distinct seasons (except for right now, of course). I really wouldn’t have it any other way. I love the change that is brought about by Easter and spring.

My memories of Easter as a child were nothing but warm and fuzzy. This was the holiday that we almost always received an animal – a bunny, a chicken and one year even a new lamb.

In addition, my mom loved playing a bit of hide and seek with us early on Easter morning. The gorgeous baskets she would put together with candy and toys were never left out in plain sight. We always had to work to find their hiding place.

After finding the basket and consuming massive amounts of sugar in record time, we would then make our way out to the yard. Each year on Saturday we would build a nest outside consisting of three sticks and some grass. This was a bit of a tradition with the nest-making responsibility being passed down through my brothers. I remember being happy when I was the only sibling left in the house and making the nest became my official job. This is where the Easter Bunny would always leave plastic eggs filled with a little bit of money.

Once the excitement came to a close around the house and some time spent in church concluded, later in the day we would head off to my grandma’s house to have a big meal and an Easter egg hunt with my cousins.

Maybe my fond memories are the reason Easter still remains so important to me today. When I think about Easter in relationship to other holidays I can’t help but compare it to Christmas. Although it isn’t supposed to be, Christmas is often filled with things more commercialized and stressful for me. Easter has always been about peacefulness and nature. Yes, I know chocolate and eggs are a bit commercialized as well, but there was a lot of family mixed in there; a connection overriding that which I feel at Christmas.

As I was considering my thoughts on Easter my mind went directly to food. Of course with Lent leading up to the big day, I am always ready for my basket filled with chocolate and I enjoy it thoroughly. However, my weeks before Easter are spent in thoughtful reflection and sacrifice. On the other hand, I spend weeks planning, baking and cooking in preparation for Christmas. Such a difference; a difference I’ve learned to truly appreciate.

So this week I won’t be doing a whole lot of baking, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have treats already lined up. I’m thinking about satisfying my chocolate craving from a visual perspective by sharing a chocolate truffle cake my brother made for me recently. Then as the weekend approaches I will be attempting croissants made from scratch to be enjoyed on Easter morning. This will be my first shot at making this delicate treat. Wish me luck!

Does Easter hold a special significance for you? How do you prepare for or celebrate the holiday?

Links to a Healthy Weekend

April 4, 2009

Happy Saturday! I hope it is a beautiful day wherever you are. The sun is shining bright here and the temperature is supposed to get near 90 F this weekend. Not exactly fall here yet, but I have my fingers crossed that soon we will have some cooler weather and it will stick around.

Here are a few things I found this week that I just had to pass on. One of them isn’t so positive, but is definitely worth mentioning. It will make you want to work even harder at spreading the word about healthy living.
See you next week!

Food Renegade had an inspiring interview with Nina Planck author of Real Food: What to Eat and Why. I especially liked reading the part about her journey from meat eater to vegan and then to a consumer of a natural diet incorporating animal products again. I haven’t read her book yet, but I will the first chance I get.

31 Flavors? Think outside the carton, homemade ice cream lovers was an article by David Lebovitz in the LA Times this week. His ideas really got the wheels turning in my head regarding homemade ice cream creativity. I loved the idea of using Greek yogurt.

My Year Without Sugar posted a recipe for Curry Squash Soup with some unique ingredients like spelt flour and apple juice. One thing that I’ve really enjoyed regarding produce selection in Brazil is that squash and pumpkin are year round foods here. I like being able to take advantage of the great flavors more than two months a year.

Here’s the not-so-positive one. The Fight for Fitness posted about the Fifth Third Burger that has popped up into the news recently. I think it is safe to say that most of us are disgusted by this. I mean, everything in moderation if you want an appropriately portioned burger, have it. I just don’t understand the need for people to come up with massive portions to prove the point that they can contradict healthy living.

I guess they just need a big pat on the back and a “good for you”. Unfortunately for them it is really quite easy to be unhealthy in our society so they aren’t proving much of anything. Eating real food that tastes good and is good for you is something worth being proud of.