Steve

Spaghetti All’italiana e Salsiccia

Apr 262022

—Spaghetti All’italiana e Salsiccia—

Hᴇʀᴇ ᴀʀᴇ sᴏᴍᴇ ᴀɴsᴡᴇʀs to questions you never had about spaghetti.

Where did spaghetti originate?

Many believe Marco Polo (1254–1354), who spent 17 years in China with his father and uncle, brought an Asian rice noodle recipe home to Venice. The clever Veneziani substituted wheat for rice.

Is that a certainty?

No, others think Arabs introduced spaghetti to Europe during a conquest of Sicily in the 9th century.

How much spaghetti do Americans eat each year?

It is reported that American supermarkets sold enough spaghetti in 2000 to circle the globe nine times.

What is the world record for the largest bowl of spaghetti?

Well, that is debatable, but, in 2010 a California (where else?) restaurant whipped up a 13,000-pound bowl using an above ground swimming pool.

What do Italians call spaghetti?

Spaghetti.

What are you supposed to yell when your Spaghetti All’italiana e Salsiccia is on the table?

Mangia!

You’ll need:

3 3-ounce (85g) chicken sausage links

4 oz dried spaghetti (A 2-ounce serving is about 1 inch in diameter when held between your thumb and forefinger.)

20 cherry tomatoes, cut in half

20 spears of asparagus

2 tbsp of olive oil

1 tbsp Salt

1 tbsp garlic powder or 5 cloves diced

1 tbsp dried oregano

1 tbsp dried basil

Do this:

Cut the sausage links lengthwise and sear on both sides on a grill or in a frying pan. Keep warm.

Prepare the asparagus spears by breaking each into two parts at the spot closest to the end that snaps when bent. The lower part will be tough, the top tender. Discard the lower part or save it for soup or something.

Bring a medium pot of water to boil. Add the salt.

Break the spaghetti strands in half and place them into the boiling water. Breaking the spaghetti makes it easier to dish up and easier to eat. Lower the heat to simmer.

Using a colander, drain the spaghetti when it is al dente. Note: “Al dente” pasta is cooked but still firm when bitten. Definitely not mushy.

Add the olive oil to the pot you cooked the spaghetti in. Place the pot over high heat for a minute. Add the cherry tomato halves, the asparagus spears, the garlic, the oregano, and the basil. Sauté this until the tomatoes begin to wilt.

Add the spaghetti and toss to coat the noodles. Continue until the spaghetti is reheated.

Place on warm plates and top with the sausage links.

If you desire, serve with a hearty red wine.

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Servings: 2 Calories: 625 Satisfaction: 98

The Sexy Beat Diet tip:

Keep a bowl of cherry tomatoes on your kitchen counter for snacking. Ten tomatoes only delivers about 30 calories. BTW, room-temperature tomatoes are more flavorful.

Trader Joe’s Flatbread—Slightly Modified

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Aug 272021

Trader Joe’s Flatbread—Slightly Modified

If I didn’t live conveniently close to a Trader Joe’s, I would probably have to move. It is nearly the only grocery/wine store I patronize.

It was the late 1960s.

The sand was barely out from between his toes when Joe Coulombe, fresh from a trip to the Caribbean, decided to rename his Southern California Pronto stores. Coulombe felt it unwise to continue to directly compete with the aggressive 7-Eleven juggernaut running roughshod across the convenience store landscape.

A new name, combined with a new theme, would give the Pronto stores a reset. But what to name them?

Polynesian Tiki culture—the rage of the day—recollections of the tranquilizing beaches of the Caribbean, and the fact that Trader Vic’s, an upscale Beverly Hills restaurant was packing them in, combined to give him the answer: Trader Joe’s.

Coulombe’s decision was partially designed to take a poke at the popular restaurant. Trader Vic’s was upscale and expensive. Trader Joe’s, would be upscale and affordable.

I guess it worked.

At the beginning of 2021 there were 530 Trader Joe’s across the nation. My advice to you: If you don’t live near one move.

Only about three or four nights a week, I eat what I call a Trader Joe’s pizza for dinner. Here’s the recipe:

————

You’ll need:

One of the three boxed frozen flatbreads available at Trader Joe’s. (See image above.)

½ cup of fresh broccoli florets or

8 asparagus spears

10 cherry tomatoes cut in half (optional)

1 can of anchovies, drained (optional)

Do this:

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. I use a toaster oven but a full-size one works, too.

Open the box and take the still frozen flatbread from the cellophane wrapper. (This is an important step, please don’t forget it.)

Distribute your vegetable of choice, and, if you are including them, the tomatoes, and anchovies, on the flatbread.

Place the flatbread directly on the oven rack.

Bake for 16-20 minutes.

Cut the flatbread into triangle-shaped pieces and enjoy.

Serves: 1 Calories: 600-800 Satisfaction: 99

Should You Avoid Canned Foods?

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Aug 192021

Should You Avoid Canned Foods?

Eᴠᴇʀʏᴛʜɪɴɢ ʜᴀs ᴛᴏ sᴛᴀʀᴛ sᴏᴍᴇᴡʜᴇʀᴇ. The road to canned foods can be traced to 1795 when a famous fellow named Napoléon Bonaparte offered a reward of 12,000 francs ($258,758 in midsummer 2021 dollars). It was to be paid to whomever could invent a way to preserve food long enough to get it to Napoléon’s troops who, hard at work conquering the world, were spread far and wide.
In 1804, a Parisian chef and confectioner, Nicolas Appert, perfected a method to preserve fruit, vegetables, and meat that used glass bottles that were filled, sealed, and placed in boiling water for a given time.
The same year, English merchant Peter Durand obtained a United Kingdom patent from King George III using Appert’s technique but using tin cans instead of glass bottles.
Neither got the reward, but Appert was paid a similar sum by the French Bureau of Arts and Manufactures of the Ministry of the Interior (Couldn’t they have slipped a few more words into that title?) on the condition that he make his process public.

Are canned foods ok to eat?
There is a tendency today to disparage canned food. But canned foods can enjoy a prominent place in a healthy diet. And, while they provide nearly the same nutrient levels as fresh or frozen foods, they are often more convenient, an important consideration in our busy lives.
You may be surprised to find that people who consume canned foods regularly are apt to have a higher intake of fruit and vegetables—and nutrients—than those who don’t. This is likely because of their convenience.

So, what is the downside?
The biggest concern is over BPH, an industrial chemical that was employed extensively in the epoxy resin used to line food cans. The BPH is known to migrate into food and thus into those who eat the food.
While the toxicity of this has been studied extensively, the reportage is deeply inconsistent. In 2018, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, stated BHP, as used in the linings of food containers, is safe.

Some of us don’t believe everything the government tells us.
Luckily, as a practical matter the canned food industry basically quit using resins that contain BPH. Today, you might have to search to find a processor still using it.

Wait, there’s a little more.
Added ingredients come into play with canned foods as they do with prepackaged foods and, while many don’t have any added ingredients, you’ll find added salt and sugar in more than a few. Read the labels to avoid this or drain and rinse the food before serving it.

So, what is the bottom line?
Buy and serve fresh or frozen food when you can, but don’t be overly concerned if you find canned foods work better for you.

Remember, with The Sexy Beast Diet your goal is to reach and maintain a healthy weight while eating a healthy and satisfying diet. Whatever makes that easier is acceptable.

Sweet, Sweet Corn on the Cob

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Aug 172021

Sweet, Sweet Corn on the Cob

Tʜᴇ ɪɴᴅɪɢᴇɴᴏᴜs ᴘᴇᴏᴘʟᴇ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ Tᴇʜᴜᴀᴄᴀ́ɴ Vᴀʟʟᴇʏ in Southern Mexico were thought to have been the first to domesticate corn—about 10,000 years ago. It was also thought that multiple, independent domestications coevolved to produce today’s linages.

But those understandings have been challenged.

A study reported on in 2002 indicates all corn evolved from a single instance of domestication arising in the Balsas River Valley which is adjacent to the Tehuacán Valley.
A single instance of domestication is particularly striking. Corn requires human intervention to propagate. This suggests one person is the father of all corn. (And you thought it was Larry the Cable Guy.)
Whoever and however, today, more corn is grown worldwide than wheat or rice.

Two great uses for corn are corn whiskey and popcorn.

Since popcorn gets stuck in my teeth and, to my knowledge, there is no corn wine, my favorite way to consume corn is on the cob. I skip the conventional slathering on of butter and lightly sprinkle the kernels with salt and pepper.

“No butter?” you exclaim.

Don’t make that face. Go ahead, try it. The sweetness of the corn stands on its own and you’ll save 70 to 100 calories without the butter.

Cooking corn on the cob is amazingly simple.

If you are already grilling something, simply pull off the husks and add the cobs to the grill turning them every few minutes. It doesn’t take long, maybe 7-10 minutes; make sure your cold beer is at hand so you don’t have to go off in search of it.
Another great way to cook corn on the cob is to leave the husks on and microwave it. Set the microwave to high. Cook two cobs for about three minutes, four for about five minutes. Squeeze them to see if the kernels are soft, if not add a minute or two.
Using a heavy knife, chop off the ends and the husk and the hair-like silk will nearly fall off.
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Servings: 1 cob Calories: 120 Satisfaction: 85

Historic Uses for Alcohol

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Jul 272021

— Historic Uses of Alcohol —

Quaff — verb: to drink a beverage, especially an intoxicating one, copiously and with hearty enjoyment.

|Like everything else they do, Sexy Beasts quaff with gusto.

Oᴠᴇʀ ᴛʜᴇ ʏᴇᴀʀs, alcoholic drinks have played divers roles:

Many cultures drank alcoholic beverages to avoid water-borne diseases such as cholera.
Russians have long drunk vodka in the belief that it keeps them warm.
Ancient Egyptians building the pyramids were paid in beer. (See: Beer Built the Pyramids.)
Italians say a glass of wine improves the appetite.
Parisians drink wine and smoke cigarettes in outdoor cafes to appear sophisticated.
Biblical references suggest wine was one of the principal beverages of the Israelites.
In suburban America, teenage boys throw kegger parties to lower teenage girls’ inhibitions.
In Japan, sake is used in Shinto purification rituals.
Around the world, Champagne is thought of as the celebratory beverage of choice.

I’m not about to tell you not to drink alcohol, because I know, as a Sexy Beast, you’re likely to.
As am I.
Just be aware of the calories you’re consuming and drink safely.

Plan on employing one or more of these strategies to moderate your consumption when you do drink:

Don’t regularly exceed to two drinks a day. No binge drinking. Harvard Medical School studies have shown two drinks a day for men (it’s one a day for women) may even be beneficial to your health.
At parties, intersperse glasses of water: one drink, one glass of water, one drink, one glass of water….
Designate a driver or use Uber when you’re out and about. (Sexy Beasts do not drink and drive.)
Consult the list below and consider choosing the lower-calorie options.

Distilled Spirits (gin, rum, vodka, whiskey)

Short pour                                    1 ounce        64 calories
Regular pour                                  1.5 ounce      97 calories
Make-it-an-early-night pour           8 ounces       512 calories

Don’t forget to account for the calories in any mixers you use. You can find nearly any mixer in a no-calorie variety.

Wine

Dry wine (red, white, or rose) 6 ounces       150 calories
Port, Sherry 3 ounces       90 calories
Sweet wine (Mad Dog, etc.) 6 ounces       270 calories

Brews

Regular beer                                  12 ounces     150 to 200 calories
Light beer                                      12 ounces     85 to 145 calories
Stouts and ales 12 ounces     200 to 450 calories
Nonalcoholic beer 12 ounces     65 calories

Hard Cider 12 ounces 150-200 calories
Hard Seltzers 12 ounces 90-120 calories

Sole Marie Walewska

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Jun 222021

— Sole Maria Walewska —

*For a printable PDF of this recipe* click here.

Mᴀʀʀɪᴀɢᴇ ᴛᴏ Nᴀᴘᴏʟᴇᴏɴ Bᴏɴᴀᴘᴀʀᴛᴇ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅɴ’ᴛ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʙᴇᴇɴ ᴀ ᴄᴀᴋᴇ ᴡᴀʟᴋ.
When he wasn’t off conquering lands-afar, he was conquering Polish countesses.
Well, at least one.
Marie Walewska, a Polish countess, claimed she was persuaded to have an affair with Napoleon, who was openly desirous of such a development, by a handful of Polish aristocrats. The aristocrats hoped she could influence the French emperor into backing Poland’s struggle to regain independence from Prussia, the Hapsburg Empire, and Russia.
Marie put her heart and soul, and—need we say—body, into the endeavor. Over the years, she followed Napoleon from Warsaw to Vienna and on to Paris.
It was only when Napoleon announced he would divorce his first wife, Josephine, to marry Mary Louise, Duchess of Parma—in hopes of siring an heir—that the extracurricular activity was squashed.
It is hard to picture Marie Walewska slaving over a hot stove, but somewhere in the muddled course of culinary history, a dish called Sole Marie Walewska emerged.
This is a remarkably simple version of a normally complex recipe in which we substitute mushrooms for truffles, ignore calls for lobster, choosing shrimp instead, and simplify the sauce.

You’ll need:
8 large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined.
4 filets of Dover sole or another white fish
1 cup of mushrooms, sliced
1 medium onion, diced
2 tbs lemon juice
1 6-oz glass of dry white wine
1 10-oz canned white sauce (or make you own)
Pam or another oil spray
4 tbs chopped parsley
Do this:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Shell and devein the shrimp.
Take a sip of the white wine.
Spray the bottom of a saucepan with a light coating of the oil and sauté the mushrooms and onion until the onion is translucent.
Add the white sauce, lemon juice, shrimp, and half of the wine.
Heat the sauce mixture without allowing it to boil until the shrimp are pink. Pull the pan off the heat. (If the sauce overly cools, warm it back up with 1-2 minutes in the microwave just before serving.)
Take another sip of the white wine.
Coat the inside of an ovenproof dish with the oil spray. Lay the fillets in the dish and bake for 5-7 minutes.
Place the fish on individual serving plates and ladle the sauce mixture and two shrimp each over the top. Garnish with the chopped parsley.
Drink the rest of the white wine and pour yourself another glass.

Serves: 4 Calories: 350 Satisfaction: 85

Pasta Carbonara

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May 242021

— Pasta Carbonara —

Pasta carbonara is said to have its origin right after World War II when many Italians, experiencing a scarcity of food, were eating eggs and bacon supplied by troops from the United States.
This recipe is modified a bit from the classic, but it retains the classic flavors. I sometimes substitute crumbled feta cheese for the Parmesan, just to be crazy.

You’ll need:
8 oz. dry spaghetti (about a half-inch diameter bundle)—whole wheat is best

16 slices turkey bacon

12-second spray of Pam or another vegetable spray.

4 tsp minced garlic (or 4 tsp powdered garlic)

4 large eggs, beaten

Ground black pepper to taste.

Salt to taste

1 oz. grated hard cheese such as Parmesan

3 tsp fresh parsley leaves, chopped (optional)

Do this:
In a large saucepan, boil enough water to cover the spaghetti. Add the pasta and bring the water back to boil. Turn down the heat and simmer until the spaghetti is tender but not mushy. This semi-firm state is called “al dente.” Use this information to impress your guests.

While the spaghetti is cooking, cut the turkey bacon into 1-inch pieces. Use Pam or another vegetable spray to lightly coat a frying pan. Sauté the bacon and minced garlic over medium heat until the bacon is crisp. If you are using garlic powder wait to add it when you add the pasta to the pan.

Drain the spaghetti. Add the spaghetti to the frying pan with the bacon and garlic. Sauté for two to three minutes turning the spaghetti to coat it evenly with the oil-bacon-garlic mixture. Remove the pan from the heat and add the beaten egg whisking quickly until the egg thickens. The idea is to not allow the egg to scramble, but don’t berate yourself if it does. It’ll still taste good.

Mound each serving on a plate and sprinkle with the cheese and then the parsley.

Servings: 4 Calories: 460 Satisfaction: 93

Consider pairing your pasta carbonara with a large green salad festooned with cherry tomatoes and sliced black olives. Serve with a crisp, dry Sauvignon Blanc or a Valpolicella should you be in the mood for vino.

Basque Shepherd’s Pie

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May 182021

— Basque Shepherd’s Pie —

Page 796 of Mrs. Beeton’s Book of Household Management (1907) places recipe number 1427, Shepard’s Pie, below recipe 1426, Sheep’s Tongues, and above recipe 1428, Toad-in-the-Hole.
Recipe 1426 calls for a tin (!) of, you guessed it, sheep tongues. I’ll leave you wondering what recipe 1428 calls for.
——-
Apparently, there is no verifiable record of where shepherd’s pie originated. Someplace in the United Kingdom seems most likely.
While there are no claims to be found that it originated in the area known as Basque Country—the area where Spain kisses France—there is a tendency to connect the dish with the Basques.
And why not?
Chinese chicken salad was invented in Santa Monica.
Swiss steak has nothing to do with the land of anonymous bank accounts.
The celebrated Cuban sandwich was created by cigar makers in Key West, Florida.
In fact, if you want to get technical, this recipe should properly be titled “cottage pie” since it is made with beef and not lamb.
And why didn’t I suggest you use lamb? First, it’s not all that easy to find ground lamb and lamb has nearly twice the calories as 94% fat-free beef.

You’ll Need:
1 ½ lbs. russet potatoes
1 lb. 94% fat-free ground beef
1 cup chopped onion (red or yellow)
1 cup frozen corn
1 cup frozen green peas
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 cup low fat mozzarella, grated
1 cup beef bullion
1 cup sliced mushrooms (optional)
½ cup celery, chopped (optional)
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Pam or another spray oil
1 ½ tbsp Garlic powder (or two large cloves chopped)
1 tsp salt
2 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp dried parsley
Other spices as you like.

Do This:

Shepherd’s pie may be finished off under the broiler or in a microwave. If you plan on using a boiler, where the cheese and the peaks in the mashed potatoes will brown pleasingly, preheat it.
Wash the potatoes and cut them into thumb-size pieces. Leave the skin on. Place them into a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil then simmer for about 20 minutes.
While the potatoes are cooking, spray a frying pan with 3 seconds of the oil spray.
Add the ground beef, onions, garlic, salt, and other spices, Place pan over medium heat and stir with a fork now and again until the meat breaks up and it browns nicely.
Add the mushrooms, peas, corn, and celery. Pour in the beef bouillon. Stir once and then simmer for 4-5 minutes.
Strain the potatoes using a colander, put them back in the pan, and mash with a fork.
Place the meat and vegetables mixture into the bottom of a casserole dish. Spoon the mashed potatoes over the top. Sprinkle with the cheese.
Place the dish under the broiler for a few minutes—keep an eye on it—or heat in a microwave on medium for 4-5 minutes.
Serve. Freeze or refrigerate leftovers for another night.

Servings: 6 Calories: 300 Satisfaction: 97

Want to print a copy of this recipe? Click here for a PDF.

Zounds! Twice as Likely to Die?

Dieting Sucks, Ramblings No Responses »

May 182021

Zounds! Twice as Likely to Die?

Guys, surprised to find you added a few pounds lately?
Here’s a newsflash for you, you aren’t alone.
But it is important to do something about it before it gets completely out of hand.
Men who are significantly overweight are twice as likely to die prematurely. Let me repeat that: twice as likely to die prematurely!
Like 100 percent more often.
Got it?
If that isn’t deep enough into the weeds for you, here are a few pertinent facts—excerpted from my book The Sexy Beast Diet: The Man’s Guide to Healthy, Satisfying Eating.

Your Heart

It was thought that being overweight contributed only indirectly to heart disease. But recent analysis of long-term studies indicate that obesity independently predicts increased degrees of atrial fibrillation, congestive heart failure, and coronary death in adults.
Small weight reductions in those who are overweight have been shown to dramatically improve one’s odds. Think what large reductions in weight might do.

Your Blood Supply

Being overweight is connected to a Sexy Beast’s chances of suffering a stroke. Strokes are caused when blood supply to a part of the brain is diminished.
Hardening of the arteries, often intensified in overweight men, can cause a stroke if blood vessels to the brain are affected.
And, while it isn’t completely understood, abdominal obesity, often defined in men as having a waist measurement of more than 40 inches, is known to be a potent risk factor in strokes.
Strokes are medical emergencies. It is best to avoid them.

Your Prostate

Overweight men have a 25% increased risk of death from prostate cancer. Mildly obese men have a 46% higher risk.
Severely obese men double their risk.
Traditional treatments for this type of cancer too often result in incontinence and impotence. While remedies for prostate cancer do continue to improve, trust me on this one, no Sexy Beast wants prostate troubles.

Your Brain

Consider this: The brain in overweight people shrinks quicker than in others resulting in lower cognitive abilities and poorer memory as one ages.
Seriously, who wants to be old, fat, and stupid?

You can find simple, successful, masculine strategies for obtaining and maintaining a healthy weight in The Sexy Beast Diet. If you would like a free copy for yourself or a friend, please email Mettee@TheWriteThought.com.*
*Limited-time offer.

Zuke Soup

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May 042021

— Zuke Soup —

*Tap here to download a PDF of this recipe.*

Somewhere around 9,000 years ago, hunter-gatherer Sexy Beasts living in the area we now call Mesoamerica, began the transition to sedentary villages by cultivating foods. These foods included a prolific squash that is the predecessor to the vegetable we call “zucchini.”

In the 1800s clever farmers near Milan, Italy, bred the original squash into the green, cylinder-shaped one we know today. The Italians dubbed it “zucchini” or “little pumpkin.”

It is thought Italian immigrants brought it the U.S. in the 1920s.

According to the University of California at Davis’ agriculture department, if you were to farm zucchini, you could expect to make nearly $4,000 an acre each year.

I think I could have sold my backyard production of zucchini for at least that the one year I grew it. All my neighbors began to hide from me when I showed up on their doorsteps with another boxload.

Zuke Soup can be served chilled for a refreshing summer treat or served warm.

You’ll need:

2 medium zucchini, skins and all.

4 tbsp lemon juice (or the juice of 2 lemons)

½ tsp salt

1 tsp onion powder (or half a medium onion diced)

2 tsp cumin

1 tsp ginger (optional)

10 oz water

1 tbsp ground black pepper (plus enough for garnish)

Do this:

Blend all ingredients until smooth.

Either chill in the refrigerator or heat on low in a microwave for a few minutes before serving. If you don’t want to wait for it to chill before serving, make it with ice water.

Garnish with a slice of lemon if chilled or with a light touch of ground black pepper if served warm.

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Serves: 2 Calories: 35 Satisfaction factor: 60

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