If you want to start a lively conversation with a group of people over age 65, ask someone about their sleep. I’d place a bet on hearing the variety of mainly difficult experiences represented in any given group.  

While that discussion might just give you the tip you need for a good night’s sleep, I have a new favorite topic for discussion, which elicits more curiosity than sad stories: I ask how people get the necessary amount of protein in their diets.  

According to AARP, older adults need to have more protein than most earlier guidelines suggest. Their recommendations: 

• At least 25 grams for women and 30 grams for men of protein per meal. 

• At least 5 grams for women and 10 grams for men of protein per snack. 

For most of us, that represents far more protein than we regularly have.  

To add to the equation, not all proteins are equal. “Perfect Proteins’ have all nine essential amino acids. The good news is that there are more sources of protein than most of us know, spanning the spectrum from animal to plant-based to supplemental.  

Remember how eggs were excommunicated because of their cholesterol content? They are now rehabilitated and show up on the top of the list of proteins that qualify as complete proteins.  

These Top 10 protein sources will fuel and energize your path toward optimal wellness.  

1. Eggs 

1. Lean chicken 

1. Greek Yogurt 

1. Salmon 

1. Lean Beef 

1. Lentils 

1. Quinoa 

1. Chickpeas 

1. Tofu 

1. Pistachios 

A recent addition to protein-rich pantry staples is an expanded variety of canned fish. You’ll find Harissa and other spice mix varieties, smoked, and fish packed in water or oil. Sardines are among the most nutrient-rich proteins you can find. Smoked trout and mackerel, salmon, and of course tuna add healthy protein to salads, spreads, and as toppings for pasta. Do a web search for sardines and pasta and you’ll be impressed by the many delectable variations.  

Two easy ways to up your protein intake start with eggs. Frittatas and quiches can include multiple protein sources along with vegetables and preferred seasonings. Leftover meats, cheeses, yogurt, and other dairy added to the egg mixture will boost the protein count and deliver sustenance and satisfaction.  

Eggs also make an easy topping for beans and grains, whether poached, fried, or hard boiled. They can go in salads, casseroles, or top roasted sheet pan mixtures. 

Chickpeas can be roasted with salmon or chicken to add more protein along with texture.  

The many things you can do with tofu span the range from stir-fry and baked to whipped tofu to use as a dip or spread.  

One other staple that adds variety to diets is hummus made from beans and lentils.  

The recipes below are easy and delicious and will help up your daily protein intake. 

Anytime Frittata 

This recipe demonstrates my basic approach to food. I see what I have in my refrigerator, freezer, or pantry and go to work. I live alone, so whatever I make I plan to get at least two meals out of it.  

Once you realize the versatility of frittatas, they will become among the go-to meals for whipping up something in a hurry.   

Ingredients for base: 

• 2-3 potatoes (leftovers work well), cut into ½ in dice,  

• 1 onion, chopped 

• 2 c. washed greens (spinach, kale, chard, or mixture) 

• ¼ c. chopped sun dried tomatoes or olives (or both) 

• 1 c. mushrooms – Trader Joe’s has a terrific frozen mushroom mixture that just needs heating 

• 1 c. protein: diced chicken, bacon, cooked edamame or any other protein you have on hand 

• Salt and pepper to taste 

Ingredients for egg and cheese layer: 

• 4 eggs 

• 2 T milk or cream 

• 2 T chopped fresh herbs – dill and tarragon are both terrific with eggs –  

• 1 tsp. of dried oregano or basil  

• 1 c. grated cheese (cheddar, feta, swiss, jack, or crumbled goat cheese; can use separately or mix together)

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a 10” oven-safe frying pan, sauté potatoes and onions until the potatoes are cooked through and the onions translucent. Add the other ingredients and let cook for a few minutes until the greens are wilted and cooked, and the rest of the ingredients heated through. 

Mix together eggs, cream, herbs, and dash of hot sauce if you feel inclined. 

Pour egg mixture over the cooked base and sprinkle cheese evenly over it all. 

Leave the eggs on the burner until the bottom sets.  

Transfer pan to the middle shelf of heated oven. 

Cook for 10 minutes until the eggs are almost set. 

Turn broiler on and pay attention while the cheese melts and browns slightly. 

Remove from oven and let sit for a few minutes. 

Serve hot or at room temperature. 

From my friend Griggs Irving, this is a fast approach for a perfect protein breakfast to get your day started. It can work for any meal of the day: 

Hearty Bean Breakfast 

Ingredients 

• 1 can fava beans 

• 1 can garbanzo beans    

• ¼ c. pesto (dill, basil, or chimichurri) 

• 1 egg 

• ½ c. grated cheese  

• Optional: hot sauce  

Directions 

Poach one egg to desired softness.  

Rinse two or three tablespoons of (each) fava and garbanzo beans and place in a glass bowl. Cover and microwave for two minutes. 

When beans are still hot, add two tablespoons of pesto. 

Add soft poached egg and top with grated cheese. 

Lentil Soup with Fennel, Spinach and Sausage 

I developed this soup based on a soup from an Italian restaurant that no longer exists. 

Ingredients 

• 1 lb. spicy Italian sausage (chicken or any other kind you like; I prefer uncooked sausage, but you can use already cooked)* 

• 1 lb. dried lentils or one package pre-cooked lentils 

• 2 T. fennel seeds 

• 2 T dried oregano 

• 2 T olive oil 

• 3 cloves garlic 

• 1 medium onion  

• 1 cup small or three large carrots  

• 1 12 oz. package frozen chopped spinach 

• 1 12 oz. can diced tomatoes or ½ can tomato paste 

• 1 qt. chicken stock 

• 2 c. red wine 

• 1 c. half and half 

Salt and pepper 

Directions 

Chop the onions, carrots, and garlic in food processor and sauté in oil with the fennel seeds until vegetables are softened.  

Add cut up sausage and cook until meat is no longer pink.  

Rinse lentils and add to vegetables and sausage.  Stir to combine. 

Add broth, wine, and canned tomatoes (if using them). 

Cook until lentils are soft, about 40 minutes.  

Add more wine or broth if needed to keep the mixture soupy. 

Add spinach and tomato paste if you haven’t used canned tomatoes. 

Cook at least 15 minutes. 

Tip: Keep tasting to get the flavor balance you like. The fennel should be a subtle tone under the sausage and tomato/wine broth. 

Ten minutes before serving, add half and half and keep warm on heat (but don’t let it boil). 

Serve with shredded parmesan cheese.  

The soup improves its flavors over the following days and freezes well.  

*You can make this vegetarian by eliminating the sausage and using vegetable broth instead of chicken. 

Nourish Your Body—The Rites of Spring

To Fu or Not to Fu: What is the Question?

The post In Pursuit of Protein appeared first on 3rd Act Magazine.

I say “Sex, Drugs and Rock and Roll!” I also say: “Lentil Loaf and Tofurkey. And Vegetarian, Vegan, Macrobiotic, and Organic.” 

 If you relate to those foods and labels, you might remember how they became familiar when the Boomer generation, with its accompanying seismic social changes, were redefining American culture and cuisine.  

It’s been a long and eventful ride from those early assaults on the meat and potato habits that many Americans took as their standard approach to what they want and expect to eat. 

To be fair, Americans began exploring a wider range of foods after WWII when the men and women who fought in that conflict came back having experienced the foods of different cultures. The late 1940’s and 1950’s started providing and exposing non-ethnic, mainly urban Americans, to the cuisines of our European allies and Asian foes.  

Post-war wealth and enthusiasm with the many new time-saving appliances touted making homemaking easier and more convenient. Women who had replaced men in the workforce were encouraged to return to their homes and families with fresh new ideas about what to serve their families or offer guests for special occasions. You might remember the famous advertisement of a woman decked out in a fancy apron, pearl necklace, and high heels smiling manically while vacuuming, embodying the joys of being a happy and fulfilled housewife. 

Cookbook writers Julia Childs, Marcella Hazan, Madhur Jaffrey, and others broke ground with their books on French, Italian, Indian, and other cuisines, making them accessible to American home kitchens.  

When the Food Network launched in 1993, the world was already hooked on TV food shows.  

I admit to having my own relationship to those changes societally and culinarily. I grew up in a family with not just the comforting Eastern European foods of my grandmother, but the exploratory eating my family did once settled into one of the new suburbs on Long Island outside of New York City. 

We ate broadly. We went regularly to a nearby Cantonese restaurant where we ordered what the staff ate—pork with 100 year eggs, freshwater snails in black bean sauce, and broiled squab with soy salt. We never looked at the menu, which meant I was appalled and snobbish about the choices of my college friends in Madison, Wisconsin, at the one local Chinese American restaurant. Chow mein and cloying and gooey sweet and sour chicken were among the offenders.  

My family frequented an Italian restaurant a few towns away where we had lobster bisque with enough sherry to give a buzz, fried polenta diamonds—crispy with a sweet hit from sugar applied at the end, lobster fra diavolo, and a rum-soaked cake that finished the inebriation process. I think my parents counted on my sister and me sleeping on the way home from those meals. 

Now we can find Vietnamese Pho in most cities in the country. Tacos are as popular as pizza and we take for granted tofu as a protein choice at Asian restaurants. We welcome the increasing presence of beans, legumes, and pulses (you might search the differences among them to learn more about these versatile foods.)  

We have also rediscovered or expanded the many vegetables we can grow ourselves or find at farmer’s markets and grocery stores. From avocados, artichokes, and asparagus to zucchini and heirloom tomatoes, our choices of both products and processes might seem unrecognizable to the early Boomers.  

We are also aware of the variety of food allergies and preferences that play a role in what we cook and serve. More than a decade ago, a reader asked the food editors at The New York Times if they had to ask their guests about their food preferences and design menus accordingly. I imagine the resounding “Yes” might have distressed many readers. The advice was that not only should we ask before serving food to people with specific dietary restrictions, but we should also make sure there is something on the menu for them to eat.  

The following recipes can be good templates for making food that continues and updates the Boomer legacy.  

Cozy Lentil Bake 

Ingredients 

• 1–2 T olive oil 

• 2 T spice mix (Herbes de Provence, 1 T cumin, 1 tsp. oregano, ½ tsp. red pepper flakes; other favorite spices can be used for this part)  

• 1 lb. tomatoes, cut in half or quarters depending on tomatoes (grape, Campari, Roma) 

• 1 red or white onion, coarsely chopped 

• 1–2 lbs. waxy potatoes cut in quarters 

• 1 package (17.6 oz) cooked lentils  

• 1 c. mixed grated cheese (I prefer cheddar and feta)  

Directions 

• Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees 

• In a large bowl, mix spices and oil and toss the cut-up vegetables with the mixture, coating them all. 

• Spread on a foil-lined sheet pan 

• Roast for 30 minutes, turning once or twice, until potatoes are cooked. The mixture will become jammy.  

• Transfer mixture and its foil to a 2–4 inch deep casserole dish. 

• Spread cooked lentils on top (you might have to break them up to do that) 

• Sprinkle cheeses evenly on top 

• Bake for 20 minutes until the cheeses are melted and the mixture bubbly.  

Serves 4   

African Squash and Peanut Soup 

This can be made with different vegetables including a combination of potatoes and greens. Recipes often call for yams but taste even better with pumpkin or other squashes. Leave out the peanut butter if there is someone allergic to peanuts. 

Ingredients: 

• 6 c. 1–2-inch cubed raw yams, pumpkin or other winter squash like Kabocha or Red Kuri 

• 1 can cannellini or other mild white beans (for additional protein) 

• 2 c. fresh greens                                                         

• 1 box vegetable stock or Pacific Pumpkin Soup 

• 1 can tomato paste or small can tomato sauce             

• 2 slices fresh ginger root   

• 2 tsp. ground cumin      

• 1 tsp. dried thyme          

• 2/3 c. chunky or smooth peanut butter 

• Red chili flakes to taste (add early) 

• 1/2 to 1 full onion, chopped                                        

• 2 T lime, lemon, or key lime juice 

• 6–8 garlic gloves                                                             

• 1/2 c. red wine added at the end 

Directions 

• You can roast the peeled pumpkin or yams in oven for 20 minutes with drizzle of olive oil (can skip that step as flavor is fine either way.) 

• Sautee chopped onion and chopped garlic in 2 T oil until they start to soften (2–3 minutes).   

• Add pumpkin, dry spices, tomato paste or sauce, 1–2 cups water and stock. Bring to boil, lower heat simmer until pumpkin starts to soften.   

• Add drained and rinsed can of beans  

• Stir in peanut butter 

• Add washed greens (can be just spinach). Simmer 1–2 minutes then blend everything with the immersion blender.  

• Stir in wine and adjust thickness as needed with more water.  

Baked Tofu–The NY Times 

INGREDIENTS 

Yield: 2 to 3 servings 

• 1 (14- to 16-ounce) package extra-firm or firm tofu, cut crosswise into 1-inch-thick slices 

• 1-½ tsp. kosher salt (Diamond Crystal), plus more as needed 

• ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed 

• 3 T extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for finishing 

• 1 T cornstarch 

• 1 tsp. garlic powder (optional) 

• 1 tsp. dried oregano 

• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved if large, kept whole if small 

• 1 large red onion, cut into ¼–inch wedges (about 2 cups) 

• 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 

• 1-½ tsp. balsamic vinegar, plus more for finishing 

• ½ c. fresh cilantro or parsley leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped 

PREPARATION 

• Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
   

• Arrange tofu slices on a clean kitchen towel or on paper towels. Cover with another kitchen towel (or paper towels) and place a flat cutting board or baking pan on top. If your cutting board or pan is lightweight, stack a few cans or a skillet on top to weigh it down. Let tofu drain for at least 15 minutes (or up to 45 minutes.)
   

• Transfer tofu to a cutting board and cut slabs into 1-inch cubes. Pat them dry with paper towels and season both sides of the tofu with ¾ tsp. of the salt and ¼ tsp. black pepper. 

• In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together 1 T oil, cornstarch, garlic powder (if using) and ½ tsp. of the oregano. Add tofu to cornstarch mixture and gently toss until tofu is evenly coated. Dump tofu onto one side of the prepared sheet pan. 

• In a large bowl, toss together tomatoes, onion, garlic, balsamic vinegar, remaining ½ tsp. oregano, ¾ tsp. salt and ¼ tsp. pepper. Drizzle in the remaining 2 T of oil, tossing to combine. 

• Arrange vegetables on other side of the prepared sheet pan. Bake until tofu is crisp and golden brown, and tomatoes are condensed, 25 to 35 minutes. Halfway through baking, flip tofu and toss vegetables, while keeping the tofu and veggies separate. 

• To serve, sprinkle cilantro or other chopped herbs on top and drizzle with balsamic and oil, if you’d like. 

Rebecca Crichton is executive director of Northwest Center for Creative Aging and presents programs on that topic in the Seattle area. She worked at Boeing for 21 years as a writer, curriculum designer, and leadership development coach. She has master’s degrees in child development and organizational development, and is a certified coach.  

You Can Make Great Food with Just a Knife and Chopsticks

‘Tis the Season for Comfort Foods

Cooking with Taste

The post Hippie Comfort Food appeared first on 3rd Act Magazine.

My grandmother made the best kosher dill pickles I ever ate. My mouth salivates when I think of them even now, seven decades later. After our 10-hour drive from Long Island, New York they were the first thing I sought when my family arrived in Akron, Ohio.

The pickles were among several Eastern European treats my grandmother was famous for. Pickled fish, Gribenes—crispy onions and chicken skins resulting from the process for making schmaltz—and plump baked Bulkes—crescent-shaped pastries similar to Rugelach—were always available.

My grandmother’s basement cold room was a thing of beauty. Shelves lined with pickles and preserves, canned vegetables and fruits presented endless opportunities for culinary exploration. My grandmother was known for her food and baking, a legacy my mother inherited and fulfilled. I remember watching her roll out a ball of dough to the size of the kitchen worktable until it was transparent and ready to enrobe the apple filling for her famous strudel.

I decided I wanted to learn to make my grandmother’s pickles when I was a teenager, and already exploring my foodie inclinations. She was with us for her annual summer visit and I was working as a cashier in a local grocery store that stocked all the supplies for pickling.

I announced my intention to make pickles with my grandmother’s guidance to my mother and grandmother. I said I would get all the elements needed: canning jars, dill, garlic, pickling cucumbers, salt, and pickling spices, and the three of us could fill a dozen wide-brimmed quart canning jars with their gleaming contents.

The day of the great pickling, I descended the stairs to our kitchen where my mother was perched on a stool, watching my grandmother bustle around cleaning jars, scrubbing cucumbers, arranging a production line for the ensuing steps.

I urged my mother to join us in the process but before she could move or reply my grandmother declared, “She can’t touch the pickles. She has her period. She will make them go soft!”

My jaw literally dropped open. I was, as they say, gobsmacked!

“Are you kidding? This is the 20th century! That is an old wives’ tale.”

My grandmother doubled down. Turning to my mother she demanded, “Jean, did I ever make pickles when I had my period?” My mother, looking uncomfortable and abashed, admitted that she hadn’t.

My grandmother upped the ante: “If she touches the pickles, I won’t make them with you.”

I proposed a compromise of sorts, suggesting my mother fill one jar with the prescribed ingredients. We could label it as hers and when it was time to open them, we could compare her jar to another one. My grandmother reluctantly agreed, and my mother looked relieved but doubtful.

I am sorry to admit the results were less than definitive. My mother thought that her pickles were a bit softer than another jar opened at the same time. I couldn’t tell the difference.

Thus, we enshrine the myths of food and families.

Fall is always when I start to think about what to make from the end-of-season bounty that can be enjoyed later and shared with friends and family over the holiday season and into the winter.

At my age, and for many people I know, we don’t aspire to make massive amounts of preserves, pickles, or other condiments to store or give away. I still have unlabeled jars with unidentified contents that might be preserves, chutneys, or … Various preserves from 2019 need to be used and I hesitate to give them away.

The recipes below include some easy-to-prepare choices and a few that take a bit more work but are worth the effort.

Tarragon-Pickled Flame Grapes
From Fancy Pantry by Helen Witty

Ingredients

• 3-½ c. firm-ripe seedless red grapes
• 8 sprigs (about 4 inches long) fresh tarragon (or substitute tarragon vinegar for the white wine vinegar below)
• 1-½ c. white wine vinegar (see above if not using fresh tarragon)
• 3 T. sugar
• 1-½ tsp. fine, non-iodized salt

Instructions

1. Rinse grapes and drain well, then roll in towel until they dry.
2. Rinse tarragon and pat completely dry on towel.
3. Place tarragon in sterilized quart jar.
4. Add the grapes, which should come to just the shoulder of the jar, leaving the neck clear.
5. Stir together the vinegar, salt and sugar until dissolved.
6. Pour the solution over the grapes, which should be covered by at least an inch so they can “swim” freely (add more vinegar if necessary.)
7. Cap jar with sterilized lid.
8. Store grapes in cool, dark place for at least a month before serving them.

Serve the way you would cornichons or other pickles with cheese, pates or in sandwiches.

Quick Pickled Green Tomatoes
From A Couple Cooks

These pickled green tomatoes are quick pickles, a method of pickling that uses any blend of vegetables pickled in a mixture of vinegar, salt, sugar, and water, and stored in the refrigerator. There’s no canning required and no special canning equipment needed. They last for one month in the refrigerator.

Ingredients

• 4 c. green tomatoes, cut into wedges
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 c. white vinegar
• 1 c. water
• 1 tsp. dried dill
• ½ T. black peppercorns
• ½ tsp. turmeric
• 1 T. sugar
• 2 T. kosher salt

Instructions

1. Wash a wide-mouth one-quart mason jar and its lid in hot, soapy water, then rinse and let air dry.
2. Cut green tomatoes into wedges and pack them tightly into the jar. (If you have very large tomatoes, you may want to slice them into smaller wedges.)
3. Peel the garlic. In a small saucepan, combine the garlic, vinegar, water, dill, peppercorns, turmeric, sugar, and kosher salt. Bring to a low boil, stirring occasionally to dissolve sugar and salt.
4. Once dissolved, pour the brine mixture into the jar, allowing the garlic to settle on top of the vegetables. Tap the jar on the counter to release any air bubbles. Discard any remaining brine, or top off the jar with extra water if any tomatoes are exposed at the top. Screw on the lid tightly and allow to cool to room temperature, then store in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours before eating. If desired, discard the garlic after 24 hours. Keeps up to one month refrigerated.

Jean’s Peach Jam

Ingredients

• 4 c. (3 lbs.) peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced.
• 1 orange, peeled, halved and sliced
• 1 lemon, peeled, halved and sliced
• ½ c. blanched sliced almonds
• ½ c. maraschino cherries, halved
• 4 c. sugar

Directions

• For every full cup of fruit, use 1 scant cup of sugar.
• Pour sugar over fruit in pan—not more than sic cups per pan to avoid boiling over.
• Melt over low heat and bring to a rolling boil. Boil 40 minutes to an hour, stirring often.
• As peaches darken and become transparent, text syrup for desired consistency. Put spoonful in freezer to see how it will cool.
• When almost done, add almonds and cherries.
• Cool thoroughly before canning in jars and refrigerating or else follow processing direction for canning preserves.

Yields a half dozen 8 oz. jars.

Rebecca Crichton is executive director of Northwest Center for Creative Aging and presents programs on that topic in the Seattle area. She worked at Boeing for 21 years as a writer, curriculum designer, and leadership development coach. She has master’s degrees in child development and organizational development, and is a certified coach.

The Powerful Purple Grape

I Loved My Grandmother

‘Tis the Season for Comfort Foods

The post Nourish Your Body – Preserving (for) the Future appeared first on 3rd Act Magazine.

BY REBECCA CRICHTON

There’s a rule of thumb for travelers when contemplating trips to places with changing weather—dress in layers! That concept taps into three attributes I consider important for aging: Flexibility, adaptability and resilience. Discovering what is possible and appropriate at any given time relates to more than just travel. I now see how layers apply to more than clothing choices. I see the relationship to friendships, learning, and of course food!

I recently decided that the apartment complex I moved to five years ago fits the description of a Naturally Occurring Retirement Community, or NORC. The term describes neighborhoods and buildings originally built for general occupancy—families, students, professionals—that have evolved into places with higher concentrations of people who qualify as older, think age 60+.

In the past few months I have met a group of women who recently moved into the complex and begun to hang out together. We walk around our nearby lake, meet at pubs for trivia night, and plan progressive meals.

We are getting to know each other, with some of the relationships deepening to become mutually supportive for the variety of life events and needs at this stage in our lives.

I think of my friendships as being similar to the layers of an onion. My oldest and closest friends are at the center, with each succeeding layer comprised of people I know from work, my Jewish community, or new people who find me through my writing or community involvement.

A friend told me a saying I hadn’t heard before: You can’t make old friends! Deep friendships take time and mutual discovery of shared interests and experiences. I know I won’t become close with everybody, although I believe it is always possible to find something worth sharing with a new person if there is mutual opportunity and intention.

I like to remember that the word company has roots in Latin, literally being with people over bread. Sharing a meal is still the best way to get to know people.

Back in the day, when potlucks became the easiest way to get a crowd together to share, you could count on a number of casseroles showing up on the table. Summer eating, which discourages heating up the kitchen as temperatures soar, provides the perfect season for a layered approach.

Once you learn the basic principles of layers, you can get as creative as you want. The following recipes can be considered old friends or new match ups. And the ones that require baking happen early in the day.

• Four-Layer Egg Salad and Caviar Dip

• Greek Four-Layer Dip

• Blintz Souffle

Four-Layer Egg Salad and Caviar Dip

My mother used to whip up a version of this to offer at luncheons and before a light meal. The layers of eggs salad, red or green onion, flavored cream cheese, and whichever affordable caviar you find work ideally on crackers or toast. You can even chill it in a mold for a more elegant presentation.

Ingredients

• 6 large hard-cooked eggs, chopped (I use an egg slicer, inserting the egg both ways to get an even dice)

• 2 Tbsp. sour cream

• 2 Tbsp. mayonnaise

• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

• 1 c. finely chopped red onion, rinsed and dried

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened

• 1/3 c. thinly sliced fresh chives

• 2 ounces caviar (either red salmon eggs or black caviar such as paddlefish)

• Water crackers or melba toast

Directions

1. Stir together chopped eggs, sour cream, mayonnaise, and salt in a medium bowl.

2. If you are using a mold to serve this, lightly grease a 6-inch ring mold with cooking spray. Spoon egg mixture evenly on bottom of prepared ring mold. Top evenly with onion. Stir together cream cheese and chives in a bowl, and gently spread over onion.  Top with black or red caviar. Refrigerate 2 hours. Unmold onto a serving plate or platter and serve with crackers.

3. You can also serve in a glass bowl and let people dig in.

Serves 12 as an appetizer.

Four layer Greek Dip

Ingredients

• 1 (7 ounce)  container of hummus (there are many varieties but consider using ones with olives or red peppers)

• 1 container Tzatziki

• 1 (4 ounce) package feta cheese, crumbled

• ½ c. chopped tomatoes

• ¼ c. chopped cucumbers

• 2 Tbsp. sliced kalamata olives

• Pita Chips

Directions

1. Spread hummus onto bottom of 9-inch pie plate.

2. Cover with layers of remaining ingredients.

3. Serve with pita chips.

Blintz Souffle

There are many versions of this dish. Some use prepackaged cheese blintzes with an egg batter poured over them and baked. This one, based on a recipe by Eileen Goltz, starts with a layer of batter, topped with a cheese filling, and finished with the rest of the batter.

Ingredients

Batter

• ½ tsp. salt

• 1½ c. flour

• 1 Tbsp. baking powder

• 1 c. water

• 1 c. orange juice

Filling

• 6 eggs

• 2 lbs. cottage cheese or mixture of cottage cheese and ricotta

• 2 egg yolks

• 2 Tablespoons sugar

• Pinch of salt

• 1 Tbsp. Vanilla

• 1 Tbsp. flour, optional

For the pan

• Butter

• Powdered sugar (optional)

• Ground cinnamon (optional)

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Batter

• Add the ingredients for the batter to a food processor or blender. Process until the batter is smooth and thin.

Filling

• Thoroughly mix the ingredients for the filling. Add the flour if the mixture seems too soft.

Assembly

• Generously butter a 9” x 13” pan.

• Pour in half the batter. Layer the cottage cheese mixture on top and smooth. Cover with the remaining batter.

• Bake 50 to 60 minutes, until the top is puffed and uniformly golden but not brown.

• Sprinkle with powdered sugar and/or cinnamon, if desired.

Serve with sour cream and cut-up fresh fruits such as strawberries or bananas.

Rebecca Crichton is executive director of Northwest Center for Creative Aging and presents programs on that topic in the Seattle area. She worked at Boeing for 21 years as a writer, curriculum designer, and leadership development coach. She has master’s degrees in child development and organizational development, and is a certified coach.

More Recipes from Rebecca Crichton:

Beat the Heat—Just Chill it!

Simple and Delicious Meatless Meals

Nourish Your Body—Good Intentions

The post Layered (Ingredients) Living appeared first on 3rd Act Magazine.

By REBECCA CRICHTON

Before I sold my house and moved into a rental apartment in 2019, I had two Chinese roommates over the course of three years. The women were in their 30s and on special visas so they could work in science labs at the University of Washington. We were remarkably compatible in ways that surprised me. The deepest connections were about food and education.

My housemates cooked every meal on my gas stove. They shopped at the Asian Food Market, acquiring a wide range of ingredients, some familiar and others either intriguing, confounding, or both. The only utensils they used were a sharp knife and a pair of long chopsticks.

When they felt comfortable enough to comment, they expressed amusement at the variety of cooking utensils I had in the canister next to the stove—wooden spoons of various sizes, spatulas, whisks, tongs, ladles, and other items I considered essential in a well-equipped kitchen. Watching them made it evident that my “essentials” were just preferences, and cultural ones at that.

I feel a similar level of judgment and amusement regarding some of my friends’ acquisition of the newest kitchen appliances: air fryers, panini and other countertop grills, Instant Pots and CrockPots, pressure cookers, sous vide devices, battery-operated thermometers, espresso machines, milk foamers, mini blow torches to create crackly caramels to top crème Brulee, mandolins for slicing, and spiralizers for vegetable “noodles.”

Don’t get me wrong, I have plenty of electric machines I deem critical to my culinary happiness. I use my electric lemon juicer several times a week since lemon juice is a main ingredient for much that I prepare. My Cuisinart food processor, my third since they were first introduced in 1973, is always at the ready. I’m getting proficient with my immersion blender, and use my microwave daily to heat, melt, poach, and other things microwaves are good for.

Do I need them all? Not really. Would I be okay without them? Absolutely. I just choose to benefit from their help.

A friend who often dines with me knows how to trigger my Pavlovian instincts—he praises, I cook. When I tell him my dinner plans, he feigns salivating and inquires about breakfast in the morning. I always take the bait, which starts me thinking about how what is left from dinner might transform into breakfast.

My recent response: “Breakfast will emerge from what gets left from dinner. There is almost nothing that can’t be wrapped in a crepe or made into a soup or baked as a casserole!” Of course, whatever it is will be non-repeatable. One can never repeat those creative outbursts, but that is what we know about any creative offering.

Much of what I make comes from checking my pantry, scanning my refrigerator, scrolling the internet, perusing cookbooks, and sensing what I feel like ingesting.

I recently discovered that if I read cookbooks before I take my blood pressure, my pressure reading is lower than when I read the newspaper or a novel. Proof that food and its fascinations relate to my basic health.

Here are some staples currently in my pantry and three recipes utilizing them, two of which are made easier with a food processer:

• Canned fish: Tuna, salmon, sardines, anchovies

• Canned beans: Garbanzo, cannellini, navy, black beans, and dried or already cooked pulses—green and red lentils (I always keep a pack of vacuum-packed lentils in my pantry to turn into easy instant soups and salads.)

• Canned and bottled appetizers—stuffed grape leaves, tapenades—green and black, olives, capers, and pickled peppers.

Anchoïade Niçoise Bruschetta

Adapted from a James Beard recipe

This spread will intrigue your guests as they try to guess what the ingredients are. Serve it as a topping on toasted, garlic-buttered bruschetta.

Ingredients
⅔ c. (160 ml.) toasted filbert nuts

1 c. (240 ml.) dried figs, stemmed and quartered

1 2-oz. (56.75 gr.) can anchovy fillets with oil

3 garlic cloves

¼ c. (60 ml.) olive oil

Directions

In a food processor with the metal blade in place, add the filberts to the beaker. Process until finely chopped.

Without removing nuts, add figs, anchovies with oil, and garlic. Process, turning on and off, until very finely chopped and beginning to purée.

Continue processing and slowly add oil through the feed tube to make a smooth paste.

Makes about 1-½ cups.

Tuna Olive Tapenade

Ingredients
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 c. pitted kalamata olives
2 T. capers
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
Handful of sun-dried tomatoes
½–1 can anchovies,  drained and rinsed
2 T. lemon juice and some grated lemon rind
2 T. olive oil
¼ cup crumbled feta
Salt and pepper to taste
1 can drained tuna (either in oil or water)

Directions
Place the garlic cloves into a blender or food processor, and pulse to mince. Add the olives, capers, mustard, anchovies, lemon juice, and olive oil. Blend until everything is finely chopped. Add the tuna and pulse until it is incorporated, but not pureed.

Lentil and Walnut Salad

Ingredients

1 or 2 packages of vacuum-packed lentils from Trader Joe’s

The remaining ingredients are per pack of lentils:

1 c. toasted walnuts

2-3 T. fresh tarragon, chopped fine

3 T. chopped sundried tomatoes (the moist ones in a package, not with oil)

1 red onion, chopped and ‘tamed’: Put chopped onion in a microwave-safe glass bowl, add 3 T. red wine vinegar, and microwave for 2 minutes. Onions get sweet, and the remaining vinegar can be used in the dressing.

Juice of 1 lemon

1/3 c olive oil or to taste

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Break up lentils with hands or wooden spoons—try not to mush them up too much.

Add other ingredients and mix well. The mixture should be nicely moist, but not too wet.

Taste for balance. You want a distinct flavor of tarragon and tartness, but not overwhelming.

Rebecca Crichton is executive director of the Northwest Center for Creative Aging and presents programs on that topic in the Seattle area. She worked at Boeing for 21 years as a writer, curriculum designer, and leadership development coach. She has master’s degrees in child development and organizational development and is a certified coach.

More recipes from Rebecca Crichton on 3rd Act:

Explorations in Umami—The Savory Taste

Cooking with Taste

Learning to Chill!

Learning to Chill!

The post You Can Make Great Food with Just a Knife and Chopsticks appeared first on 3rd Act Magazine.

Fifty years ago, I moved from La Jolla, California, to Victoria, British Columbia. I knew nothing about the Northwest. I thought Victoria, on Vancouver Island, was on the large island next to a larger land mass and was famous for lemurs. Who doesn’t love lemurs? When I asked where the monkeys were, people regarded me with a combination of alarm and hilarity.

I joked that I left Southern California because the weather “lacked nuance.” The Northwest, on the other hand, proved to be “reliably obscure.” In my 46 years of living here, I rarely complain about the shades of grey or the range of temperatures from mainly moderate to mostly moderate.

My interest in food and cooking inspired me to propose a cooking show to the local Victoria TV station that was chartered to provide community content. Anybody could pitch an idea, get a regular slot, and have a cameraman turn on the camera and come back 30 minutes later to count you out.

This was almost 20 years before the Food Network began in 1993. Long before professionals learned how to make food sexy. No closeups of sizzling, juicy steaks, piles of pasta tingly with pesto. None of what sends us into sensual trance in front of the many food shows we ingest 24/7.

I called my half-hour show Cooking with Taste. The premise was that if you knew how things tasted and what you were hankering to taste, you could create food that would deliver that to you. My first show honored the familiar flavor combination of sweet and sour. I made dishes that spanned a meal starting with appetizers (my five-ingredient avocado sauce) and continuing through dishes that included savory, sweet and spicy, ending with some variation using lemons, such as a pie, mousse, or curd.

Back in 1973, nobody would have predicted that Americans’ favorite foods in 2023 would include Vietnamese Pho, Japanese sushi, and other specialties from foreign cultures. In Seattle, I live within three blocks of restaurants including Greek, Mexican, sushi, Thai, Northwest fusion, tapas, and bubble waffles.

Our retrained and enlivened palates now crave new flavors, with sugar holding the helm against the other basic tastes. We imbibe drinks with bitters and balsam, crunch wasabi peas, blinking back the tears. We continually up the ante on the Scoville Scale for hotness. We are familiar with chocolate and chili, hot honey, sriracha, gochujang, furikake, zhug, Thai green and red chili sauces, Indian curries, and miso, which blends with sweet, savory, and spicy with equal ease. Pomegranate molasses, one of my favorite ingredients, will always deliver a sweet/sour note to sauces and salad dressings.

The following recipes offer ideas and options for mixing flavors over the course of a meal.

• Grandma Annie’s Sweet & Sour Cabbage Soup
• Roasted!
• Rebecca’s Salad Dressing
• Easy Eton Mess

Grandma Annie’s Sweet & Sour Cabbage Soup

This soup is a variation on Russian Cabbage Borscht. It is the essence of what a really good sweet and sour soup can be. While it can be vegetarian, the depth of flavor from meat changes it to something sublime. It also calls for an ingredient most people don’t know: Sour Salt (Citric acid). You can find this at markets that sell Kosher or Eastern European food or, although it sounds weird, you can get food-quality Citric acid at a pharmacy. It is inexpensive and a little bit goes a long way!

Ingredients

This makes many quarts, but it freezes very well so you might as well make a lot!

• 2 T. olive or other oil
• 2–2 ½ lbs. stew beef
• 1 red cabbage–shredded
• 1 green cabbage–shredded
• 2 large onions–red or white, sliced
• 3-6 cloves whole garlic–chopped or shredded
  (I use Trader Joe’s already peeled and use an entire small pack)
• 1 32 oz. can sauerkraut (no need for expensive kind)
• 2 large cans diced tomatoes
• 1 quart chicken broth
• 1-3 cups leftover wine–white, red, whatever you have
• 1-2 T. powdered Sour Salt (Citric acid)–start with 1T and then see if you want/need more
• 1–2 c. brown sugar
• Salt and pepper

Directions

• In a large soup pot, cook the beef in hot oil until it loses color and begins to brown.
• Add onions and garlic and cook down and begin to brown.
• Add both red and white cabbages and let cook until they also reduce and release their liquids.
• Add sauerkraut with its liquid.
• Add tomatoes, wine, and chicken broth.
• Add sour salt and sugar.
• Stir and bring to simmer.
• Simmer soup for several hours (at least two) until meat is tender and falls apart easily.

Keep testing for the right balance of sweet and sour. I almost always add more sugar and, depending on how much sour salt I start with, I might add a bit more. Just add 1 tsp at a time as it is very powerful.

If you can make this a day ahead, the flavors deepen overnight. And it is just fine served the same day. It can be kept at a simmer for a long time, which also improves the flavor.

Serve as is or with sour cream or yogurt to stir in.

Roasted!

My new approach to fruit and vegetables that are a bit past their prime is to roast them. It works splendidly for cherry tomatoes or Roma tomatoes, cut in quarters and grapes of any color. Other seasonal fruits can be treated the same way!

Heat oven to 350 degrees

• Wash tomatoes or fruits and cut in half or quarters if needed. Grapes and cherry or grape tomatoes don’t need cutting.
• Combine herbs, oils, and other ingredients in a bowl and toss the ingredients to coat well.
• Spread in foil-lined pan and roast at 350 for up to an hour, turning pan and moving ingredients around so everything cooks and become juicy or “plummy” and browned.

Herb mix for 1 lb. tomatoes or fruit

• 1 T. Herbes de Provence
• 2 T. plain or flavored olive oil
• 2 T. sumac
• 2 T. flavored or balsamic vinegar (I use tarragon vinegar with green grapes)
• 1 T. sugar for tomatoes or other fruit if it isn’t too ripe
• 1 tsp, salt

Terrific on a charcuterie board. Or with roasted meats, curries, grain bowls, or as a bruschetta topping over goat cheese.

Rebecca’s Salad Dressing

Enough for two large salads

2 T. Dijon or other specialty mustard (coarse grain, hot/sweet, etc.)

1/3 c. balsamic vinegar

1/3 c. seasoned rice wine vinegar

1/3 c. good quality olive oil

1-2 cloves garlic, crushed (optional)

1-2 T. pomegranate syrup (optional)

Mix together. Store in refrigerator.

Use this on salads that have mixed greens and some combinations of fruit, nuts, and cheese. For example:

Oranges, kalamata olives, red onions, pine nuts, and crumbled feta

Pears, candied walnuts, crumbled gorgonzola, or blue cheese

Apples, pecans, or walnuts (toast them in the oven a bit to bring out the flavor)

Grated sharp cheddar cheese

Easy Eton Mess with Lemon Curd—An Assembly Job

Ingredients:

• 1 package of meringues (small or large, any flavor that appeals)
• 1 jar lemon curd (Trader Joe’s has a good one and it is available in most grocery stores)
• 1 pint whipped cream or a can of whipped cream
• 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries, strawberries, or mixed berries

Directions:

• Fold lemon curd into whipped cream—don’t worry if it isn’t smoothly incorporated.
• Gently crush the meringues—you want big pieces of meringue, broken from their original form.
• Layer meringues, whipped cream, and lemon curd and whatever fruit you are using so there are two layers of each.
• You can use individual glasses or other glass dishes or put it all in a large glass bowl.
• Serve right away. This amount should serve four people depending, on size of containers.

Rebecca Crichton is executive director of Northwest Center for Creative Aging and presents programs on that topic in the Seattle area. She worked at Boeing for 21 years as a writer, curriculum designer, and leadership development coach. She has master’s degrees in child development and organizational development, and is a certified coach.

The post Cooking with Taste appeared first on 3rd Act Magazine.

My food play relies on a deep understanding of ingredients and flavors, a clear sense of what my own taste palette is, and a willingness to let go of results. For me, the whole world of food taps into my creativity. To get this understanding took experimentation and I encourage you to do the same. It’s fun and satisfying to wake up senses with new tastes and smells. Novelty is good for our brains, too.

My favorite maxim for how I operate in general, and with food in particular, comes from Angeles Arrien in her book, The Fourfold Way. It is the “Way of the Teacher—Open to Outcome, Not Attached to Outcome.” The first time I read this, I knew it described me—helping me be more effective in all I do.

Aging has given me permission to be honest with guests when they want to contribute to a meal. I always find out what they can’t or don’t eat, and make sure I honor their wishes. Then I encourage them to bring a dish they like or something new they want to try making. I no longer decide ahead what I will serve, instead finalizing what I want to make the day of the meal, having first checked my pantry and refrigerator, and then based on what looks fresh and inviting when I shop. I might look through my cookbooks or scan online recipes.

I stopped paying attention long ago to the maxim about never serving guests something you haven’t made first. My snarky inner voice—in case the experiment fails unexpectedly—is to remind myself that my friends will have another meal sometime soon and can always feed themselves when they get home!

I don’t strive for perfection when it comes to food. I personally think it would be better for all of us to abandon that word forever! I am pleased when I make something that is a hit. I might even write down the recipes or approaches that work so I can play with them again.

For me, creativity always starts with considering what tastes appeal to me. Fall’s bounty teases my tastebuds toward deep tastes with bright highlights. They apply to meals I make and gifts I offer. Spices from the Middle East and North Africa are among my go-to combinations. Here are some good ones to play with:

• Sumac, a tangy ground spice that is a good substitute for salt, helping reduce dependance on the saltshaker.

• Za’atar, a mixture commonly made from dried thyme, oregano, sumac, and sesame seeds.

• Freshly ground toasted cumin and coriander seeds. Combine whole seeds and toast in a dry frying pan over medium heat until fragrant and beginning to color. Take off the heat and whir in a spice grinder or spice-dedicated coffee grinder.

• Lemon Omani or ground dried lime, which add a deep citrus tone to whatever you use it with.

Playing with food: Spicey Gifting

In November, start checking the shelves of places like Trader Joes and other specialty grocery stores to score some of the gift packages with spice samples. Pair them with a bottle of interestingly flavored olive oil and package them prettily for an easy gift for food-loving friends.

Middle Eastern roast chicken with apricots and olives

Ingredients:

• 4–6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
• 1 red onion, cut into 8 pieces
• 3 T mixed spices (equal amounts Sumac, Za’atar, Lemon Omani)
• Juice of 2 lemons or mixture of lemon and lime
• Salt and pepper
• ½ cup dried apricots, halved
• 1 cup seeded green olives

Directions:

Make a marinade with Za’atar, Sumac, oregano and salt and pepper with fresh squeezed lemons and limes.

Place chicken in a plastic bag with marinade and chopped onion and let marinate for as many hours as possible, preferably overnight.

When ready to cook, heat oven to 400 degrees.

Cover a large sheet pan in foil and roast chicken skin side up for 20 minutes. Rotate pan and roast another 20 minutes.

Arrange apricots and olives among the chicken pieces and roast another 20 minutes until chicken is tender.

Serve with couscous or rice. Serves 4

Rebecca Crichton is executive director of Northwest Center for Creative Aging and presents programs on that topic in the Seattle area. She worked at Boeing for 21 years as a writer, curriculum designer, and leadership development coach. She has master’s degrees in child development and organizational development, and is a certified coach.

Click here for more of Rebecca’s recipes!

The post Nourish Your Body—Playing With Food appeared first on 3rd Act Magazine.

Simply put, it asks us to recognize that even if our intentions are good, we might still say or do something that has a negative impact on ourselves and others. Assuming everybody sees things the same way can get us in trouble. I am particularly sensitive to statements that start with, “We all know that …” When I find the utterance too off base to my experience, I push back gently with, “That’s not been my experience” or “that isn’t true for me.”

The saying, “where attention goes, energy flows and results show,” fits neatly with the distinction between attention and intention. Attention is close or careful observing or listening. Intention is the course of action that one plans on following. Attention takes place in the present  and intention concerns itself with the future.

Halfway through 2023, a look in our rearview mirror—or a full length one for that matter—reveals how well we did with the resolutions (intentions) we might have stated at year’s start.

Dipping into the Positivity Realm—the metaphor first posited by philosopher Jonathon Haidt—provides a good visual. He suggests that we are of “two minds.” One mind is our rational, logical, practical mind—we think about what we want to do, make plans to do it, and start in on the plan. The other mind is our emotional mind. How we feel about something is often the determinant for what we do or don’t do.

Haidt asks us to imagine we are riding an elephant that will take us where it wants to go. “Let’s go!” we tell the elephant, urging it to the produce section of our organic market. The elephant ignores us, turning toward the display of cakes and doughnuts. You get it. We struggle with what we know is good for us and what we know isn’t. This existential dilemma can play out daily in terms of what we choose to eat.

Summer is the right season for healthy and ample. Home gardens, Farmers Markets and shares in CSA’s  (Community Supported Agriculture, or CSA, is a way for small farmers to directly market their produce to the community.) overflow with the fruits and vegetables of the season.

If you’ve read my columns over the years, you will know that I have a penchant for transformation. I like starting with an initial recipe or preparation and then use it again in a different guise. I can often get three different dishes from one initial recipe. I buy accordingly since I look forward to what emerges later in the week.

Here are some suggestions for starting with one category of preparation and its metamorphosis to another. I hope these suggestions appeal to your “elephant” enough so you’ll head down healthy paths!

Fruit 

Fancy fruit salad

Combine fresh berries or other summer fruits such as plums, peaches, and nectarines. Add a squeeze of lemon and maybe a shot of sweet liquor. Serve with flavored yogurt.

Transformation Ideas

Pie or Custard
Bake leftover fruit in tart shells, as the bottom layer in my Buttermilk Pie, or as a base for Clafoutis. (Recipes online at 3rdActMagazine.com)

Crisps and Crumbles

Use leftover fruit in crisp recipes, and add some chopped candied ginger or other dried fruit and chopped nuts to the standard topping to take it up a notch.

Fruit sauce for cakes or ice cream

Heat leftover fruit with whatever preserves or jams you have in your refrigerator. This a great way to finish the small amounts of jams that need using. Add whatever flavor liquor you have at hand. Let the mixture simmer, perhaps adding some lemon or other citrus juice to brighten it up. Serve over ice cream or cake.

Leafy Greens

Salads
Summer greens offer us more choices than the winter ones from warmer climates. In addition to the standard leaf lettuces and Romaine, try mizuna, radicchio, mesclun, watercress, and mustard greens. Toss them with tangy dressings made with lemon juice and herbs, flavored oils, or buttermilk.

Transformation Ideas

 Summer Salad Soup

Don’t toss your leftover or wilted salad greens. Load them into your food processor or blender and add several cups of buttermilk, V-8, or tomato juice. Blend until smooth and check for the balance of flavors. This is where fresh herbs like basil, dill, mint, and cilantro add punch and flavor. Add salt and pepper and/or garlic to taste.

Roasted or Baked Greens

If you’ve ever had a grilled Caesar salad, you might remember the surprising combination of crisp and hot, with garlic and anchovies melting into the warm greens.

That’s the idea of roasting or baking some of the heartier greens and using them as welcoming beds for eggs or other proteins. Cabbage and kale, bok choy and collards, mustard greens, and beet greens all benefit from heat.

Toss them with garlic and olive oil, salt, pepper, and other herbs and spices you like. Roast in a hot oven until they wilt and brown a bit. All of them will benefit from a shot of Worcestershire sauce.

Rebecca Crichton is executive director of Northwest Center for Creative Aging and presents programs on that topic in the Seattle area. She worked at Boeing for 21 years as a writer, curriculum designer, and leadership development coach. She has master’s degrees in child development and organizational development, and is a certified coach.

The post Nourish Your Body—Good Intentions appeared first on 3rd Act Magazine.

I’m reminded of the fellow I knew nearly four decades ago who gingerly wheeled a sofa footstool up to my refrigerator, opened the door, and settled into prowl.

“Wow,” he exclaimed, as he grabbed jar after jar to have a closer look. “This is a veritable pâté graveyard!”

“There isn’t any pâté,” I protested.

“Maybe not, but look at all this,” he hooted. “Is it OK if I taste some of what’s in here? Could you hand me a spoon?”

“Sure,” I shrugged, wary of all the attention my fridge contents commanded.

To me, a refrigerator was a practical resource, a place to find what I needed to create a memorable meal. Or so I thought.

I’d forgotten about the guy who braved his way through my cold foodstuffs until one day recently when I couldn’t find what I was after in my fridge. I started to yank out bottles and jars to see what lurked behind that closed door. Then I made a list of what had been hanging out the longest.

Item—Expiration Date                                  

Japanese Calpico carbonated soft drink—February 2017
Lemon ginger cayenne kombucha—March 2017
Hero cassis soft drink—August 2017
Evolve plant-based chocolate protein shake—January 2018
Hawaiian Sun guava nectar —July 2018
Bundaberg Australian ginger beer—August 2018
Trader Joe’s Manzanilla olives—January 2020
Rao pizza sauce —May 2021
Toady’s horseradish—August 2021

Add to all that an unopened, yet refrigerated, bottle of raspberry, calorie-free, sugar-free, fat-free, gluten-free, cholesterol-free vinaigrette, expiration August 2020. What possessed me to buy it in the first place? It should’ve been free!

Six years in storage surely won’t age those exotic soft drinks like fine wines. Some of them, especially that vintage Japanese Calpico and Hawaiian Sun guava nectar, are loaded with sweet travel recollections. Just seeing the likes of them lined up in the fridge door revived those adventures with a pleasant sigh.

“Get real,” I told myself. “A refrigerator is no place to stash memories.”

Au contraire. My homeowners insurance policy declarations include coverage for “refrigerated spoilage,” and, unlike the rest of the policy provisions, there is absolutely no limit and no premium. Think of it—fridge delectables, all insured—if the fridge goes kaput.

Best not to get too cocky and start loading up that fridge with a bunch of pricey gourmet oddities thick with reverie no matter what their expiration. Along comes the U.S. Department of Agriculture with advice from its Food Safety and Inspection Service that I discovered on the EatingWell website.

Those Manzanilla olives from 2020? I pitched ’em. I can’t quite believe the USDA says an open jar of olives only keeps two weeks! Even pickles have just one to three months once open and refrigerated. Mayo and salad dressings only have two months. And my Toady’s horseradish had a life of three to four months, hardly long enough to become well-acquainted.

Freezers are another chilly challenge. The USDA says everything crammed in a freezer like mine has only three to four months before it loses its spunk. If it hangs out in there for more than six months, better say bye-bye, even that fish a friend caught a year ago.

Moving right along to the pantry, where at least rice and pasta can last years. There’s some joy and relief in that.

Did you know flour has a shelf life? I guess I don’t bake often enough these days because my flour bag says it expired in August 2021. Eight months is all the freshness the USDA promises for flour. You can give it a smell test, though, if you have a big schnozzola like Jimmy Durante. He probably had the best nose to detect bad flour and a lot more.

Annie Culver developed a knack for unearthing oddball characters and improbable events as a staff writer for various newspapers. In the early 90s, she went to work for websites where she wrote sassy essays aimed at women. In recent years, she morphed into a writer for several universities in the Northwest. She retired in 2016, yet still enjoys freelancing.

The post Pull Dates—What our refrigerators can tell us about ourselves. appeared first on 3rd Act Magazine.

Here’s a generalization I won’t defend: Americans are not given to humility.

Despite every faith tradition’s encouragement toward acts of humility, as a society we trend to the opposite side of the spectrum—pride.

Spring is when the three Abrahamic religions observe core practices that are about restraint and simplicity. This year, all three faiths converge at the end of March, making it a strong trifecta for reserve, reset, and rediscovery.

Many Christians celebrate Lent—the word is derived from the Angle-Saxon term meaning Spring—the six-week period before Easter. Traditionally, followers were asked to restrict certain foods during Lent. Most likely to be avoided were meat, fish, eggs, dairy, and wine. Today, many Christians abstain from a single pleasure-giving food to help stay aware of the reasons behind the practice.

In Judaism, Passover observance emphasizes avoiding food that has leavening, and rises or expands when cooked. Contemporary theory sees the practice as a way of mastering our arrogance, our “puffed-upness.” We eat Matzo at the ritual Seders, and replace bread and other yeasty things for the eight days of the holiday.

Muslims who celebrate Ramadan for a month refrain from eating between sunrise and sundown.

Whether or not you observe any of these holidays, Spring is the season to rethink what you eat and commit to adding more plant-based food to your diets. If the idea of cleansing, purification, and self-control speak to you, excluding animal proteins and exploring plant-based alternatives can give you a moral and ethical boost you can feel proud about!

The options for discovering plant-based alternatives to our protein choices keep burgeoning. A recent AARP study on the protein needs for older people indicates that older adults need much more protein than was previously thought necessary. We are encouraged to consume at least 25 grams of protein per meal. That means we should be eating 75 grams of protein each day. Our brain needs it, our body needs it, our longevity might well depend on it.

Not very long ago, the few products with high protein and other nutrients were aimed at bodybuilders and health care facilities. Now choices abound. You can find enhanced protein and nutrition-boosted drinks at most full-service grocery stores. It’s easy to add 25 grams of protein as an afternoon snack. Popular diets like Keto and AARP’s new guidelines emphasize protein and have suggestions that make it easy to increase your intake.

Consider these plant-based proteins for each meal of the day:

BREAKFAST

Chia Seeds
Mix up a bowl of Chia pudding to feast on throughout the week. It’s super simple and packed with nutrients and protein. Mix ¼ c. chia seeds with 1 cup of your favorite non-dairy drink and refrigerate overnight. It will remind you of tapioca pudding, but far healthier. A few tablespoons over a bowl of fresh fruit, a bit of honey or maple syrup, and you have started your day with a good hit of protein.

Quinoa
White, red, or mixed makes an excellent base for fruit, seeds, and nuts. Remember to rinse it well before cooking.

Nut butters
Choose from the many nut and seed butters available. Although high in fat, nut butters satisfy and inspire. Check out recipes for cookies that use nut butters for a high protein treat during the day.

LUNCH

Think of lunch as legume time! While it is easy to cook legumes, it is even easier to open a can to puree into variations of hummus or to add to a favorite boxed soup.

White Bean Spread

Ingredients

1 can small white cannellini or white navy beans, drained

2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed into food processor

1 tbsp fresh or dried rosemary, minced or Herbes de Provence

2 tbsp capers

3 tbsp kalamata olives

2 tbsp Olive oil

Juice (and zest if you choose) of 1 lemon

Salt and pepper

Optional:

• tbsp Dijon mustard*

2    tbsp plain yogurt*

*I use mustard and yogurt so I can reduce the olive oil. Most recipes call just for olive oil.

Directions

• Place garlic, rosemary, parsley, mustard, olive oil or yogurt, lemon juice, and lemon zest in processor. Pulse to mince and combine.

• Add drained cannellini beans. Pulse to mix then continue to process until a fine puree.
• Add oil bit by bit until texture feels right.
• Taste for right balance of garlic, herbs and lemon.

Serve with pita or crackers. Can be refrigerated for up to three days.

Lentil Salad with cilantro-yogurt dressing

Ingredients

1 lb packed pre-cooked lentils (available at Trader Joe’s and most grocery stores)

1 bunch green onions

½ bunch cilantro

1 tsp fresh oregano or 2 tsp dry

1 cup plain yogurt

¼ cup olive oil

¼ cup red wine vinegar

Juice of ½ lemon

Directions

• In processer, chop onion and cilantro coarsely and add the rest of the ingredients. Taste for seasoning.
• Chill and serve.

Serves four as main dish salad.

DINNER

If you are still reluctant to try using tofu—too many memories of the early days of tasteless tofu dishes—it’s time to reevaluate. Not only is tofu one of the best plant-based proteins, it holds its own as the perfect protein for stir-fries, scrambles, and sheet-pan exploration.

Baked Tofu (NY Times)

Ingredients

Yield: 2 to 3 servings

1 (14- to 16-ounce) package extra-firm or firm tofu, cut crosswise into 1-inch-thick slices

1½ tsp kosher salt (Diamond Crystal), plus more as needed

½ tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed

3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for finishing

1 tbsp cornstarch

1 tsp garlic powder (optional)

1 tsp dried oregano

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved if large, kept whole if small

1 large red onion, cut into ¼-inch wedges (about 2 cups)

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1½ tsp balsamic vinegar, plus more for finishing

½ cup fresh cilantro or parsley leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped

Directions

• Heat oven to 400 degrees and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
• Arrange tofu slices on a clean kitchen towel or paper towels. Cover with another kitchen towel (or paper towels) and place a flat cutting board or baking pan on top. If your cutting board or pan is lightweight, stack a few cans or a skillet on top to weigh it down. Let tofu drain for at least 15 minutes (or up to 45 minutes.)
• Transfer tofu to a cutting board and cut slabs into 1-inch cubes. Pat them dry with paper towels, and season both sides of the tofu with ¾ tsp of the salt and ¼ tsp black pepper.
• In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together 1 tbsp oil, cornstarch, garlic powder (if using) and ½ tsp of oregano. Add tofu to cornstarch mixture and gently toss until tofu is evenly coated. Move tofu onto one side of the prepared sheet pan.
• In a large bowl, toss together tomatoes, onion, garlic, balsamic vinegar, remaining ½ tsp oregano, ¾ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper. Drizzle in the remaining 2 tbsp of the oil, tossing to combine.
• Arrange vegetables on other side of the prepared sheet pan. Bake until tofu is crisp and golden brown, and tomatoes are condensed, 25 to 35 minutes. Halfway through baking, flip tofu and toss vegetables while keeping the tofu and veggies separate.

To serve, sprinkle cilantro or other chopped herbs on top, and drizzle with balsamic and oil, if you’d like.

Rebecca Crichton is executive director of Northwest Center for Creative Aging and presents programs on that topic in the Seattle area. She worked at Boeing for 21 years as a writer, curriculum designer, and leadership development coach. She has master’s degrees in child development and organizational development, and is a certified coach.

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