Projo Food Blog

Still making your plans for viewing tonight's epic battle between Peyton Manning and his Indy Colts and Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints?

How about something fresh and easy from Muir Glen Organics which has some of the highest rated tomato products in the marketplace? You can substitute with any can of diced tomato if you have another favorite.

Add or subtract jalapenos according to your tastes.

Vegetarian Chili

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)

1 medium green bell pepper, chopped (1 cup)

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 fresh jalapeno or serrano chiles, seeded, finely chopped

2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, drained, rinsed

2 cans (14.5 ounces each) Muir Glen organic fire roasted or plain diced tomatoes, undrained

1 1/2 cups water

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon coarse (kosher or sea salt)

1 cup Cascadian Farm frozen organic sweet corn

Sour cream or plain yogurt, if desired

Shredded Cheddar cheese, if desired

Chopped fresh cilantro, if desired

In 4-quart saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper, garlic and chiles; cook 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until tender.

Stir in black beans, tomatoes, water, chili powder, cumin and salt. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in corn. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered 5 minutes longer.

Top each serving with remaining ingredients.

Serves 6.

Gatorade scientist Melissa Tippet helps New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning into a BodPod for a body composition analysis at the Gatorade Performance Lab set up on the Super Bowl site in Miami.

If you're a football fan, you don't have to be Eli Manning in a BodPod (at right) to determine that your body mass is likely to be a little greater after Sunday. Why? Experts say Super Bowl Sunday is the second-biggest eating day of the year (after Thanksgiving).

All the high-calorie foods, grazing at parties, drinking, not to mention sitting around to watch the marathon telecast, can contribute to hurting your efforts to stay fit.

Last year, when my beloved Steelers were on the approach to winning their sixth Super Bowl, I posted this effort to help all fans get through the day: Are you ready for your Super Bowl XLIII warm-up?. A little pre-game exercise can go a long way -- even if your team (and I know you Patriots fans are hurting this year, too) isn't taking to the field Sunday.

This year, I'm rooting for the underdog Saints. (Like many Pats fans, I don't like the Colts and Eli's brother, Peyton, very much.) Also, I'm going to do my best to try not to eat on the scale of Thanksgiving.

Have fun everyone.

(This entry was first posted in the Projo Fitness Blog).

Just a decade before Rhode Island became a state and Samuel Slater began textile manufacturing, the Blackstone River Valley was thriving as a manufacturer of chocolate.

Find out about the legacy of chocolate making with a free event tonight, Feb. 4, at 7 p.m. as the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council presents A Living History Presentation of the William Wheat Chocolate Mill & 18th Century Chocolate Tasting. The event is at the Madeira Club, 46 Madeira Ave., Central Falls.

Guests will hear about early chocolate making from presenters who researched Rhode Island's early renown in candy manufacturing. Also, you can sample how chocolates were processed in the late 1700s with a chocolate tasting at the event, with servers dressed in period costume.

Eric J. Whitacre, executive director of the Confectioners Mill Preservation Society, and Dr. Timothy Walker, assistant professor of history at the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth, will present information on William Wheat and about the location of the Wheat Mill in present-day Central Falls.The Boston native made chocolate for the owner of a Providence retail trade.

From 1782-1824, the current mill district in Central Falls was originally part of Smithfield, and was referred to as "Chocolate Mills." Central Falls was named Chocolate Mill, after the Wheat chocolate factory established itself in 1782 and existed until 1824, considered by historians to be one of America's earliest candy makers.

For more details, call the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council at (401) 724-2200.

The Blackstone Valley Tourism Council, the City of Central Falls, the Confectioners Mill Preservation Society and the Madeira Club are presenting this event.

Farm Fresh RI has posted the latest numbers for sales using food stamps at their many farmers' markets, and the numbers are dramatic in their increase.

Back in 2007, when food stamps were first accepted at the markets, only $549 was spent. That grew to almost $3,000 in 2008.

But last year, some $22,000 in sales were made with food stamps. Another $11,000 was spent using Bonus Bucks through a Farm Fresh partnership with the Wholesome Wave Foundation.

All this is part of an attempt by Farm Fresh to guarantee to make sure every Rhode Islander is able to participate in farm fresh food.

"Fresh for All" is the theme of this year's Local Food Forum sponsored by Farm Fresh RI to be held Wednesday, Feb. 3, at Brown University.

The keynote speaker at this year's Local Food Forum is Gus Schumacher, chairman of the Wholesome Wave Foundation.

Read more about the steep change in sales online at Farm Fresh RI.

Here's a lovely recipe for a light, antioxidant-rich dinner. I found it in "Light & Healthy 2010" from America's Test Kitchen. And it made my always hungry husband very happy.
Before you start, remove the muscle on the scallops. Now you say you buy clean scallops and there is no muscle, but I beg to differ. In fact, I shared this fact with a friend who just happened to be making scallops that night and she was shocked, shocked to find the small crescent shaped muscle on many of her scallops. This muscle will be incredibly tough when cooked. And it's so easy to simply peel it away from the side of the scallop. I had a dozen scallops and all but one had the muscle waiting to be removed.
As for this recipe, I made the reduction sauce first and then seared the scallops. That way I was able to make some rice and haricots vert.

I like this book and will share more recipes from it as I feed my man.

Thank you America's Test Kitchen.

PAN-SEARED SCALLOPS

1 1/2 pounds large sea scallops (about 16 scallops)

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons canola oil

Lemon wedges, for serving.

Lay the scallops out on a paper towel-lined plate and season with the salt and pepper. Lay a single layer of paper towels over the scallops and set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until just smoking. Meanwhile, press the paper towel flush to the scallops to dry them. Carefully lay half of the scallops in the skillet and cook until golden brown on the first side, 1 to 2 minutes. Using tongs, transfer the scallops to a large plate, seared side facing up, and set aside.

Wipe out the skillet using a wad of paper towels. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the skillet and return to high heat until just smoking. Add the remaining scallops and cook until golden brown on the first side, 1 to 2 minutes.

Reduce the heat to medium, flip the scallops and return the first batch to the pan, golden brown side facing up. Cook until the sides have firmed up and all but the middle third of each scallop is opaque, 30 to 60 seconds longer. Transfer all the scallops to a platter and serve with the lemon wedges.

Serves 4.

Pomegranate Juice Reduction

2 cups pomegranate juice

3 sprigs fresh thyme

1 shallot, minced (about 3 tablespoons)

1/2 teaspoon cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon honey

Simmer all but 1 tablespoon of the pomegranate juice with the thyme and shallot in a small saucepan until the mixture has reduced to about 1/2 cup, 40 to 45 minutes.

Strain the sauce into a clean saucepan, discarding the solids, and return to a simmer. Whisk the remaining 1 tablespoon pomegranate juice with the cornstarch in a small bowl, then whisk into the simmering sauce and cook until thickened, about 1 minute. Stir in the honey. Drizzle over the scallops and serve.

Makes about 1/2 cup.

Providence's Local 121 is the first restaurant nationwide to receive a new award to be given annually which recognizes restaurants for contributions to their communities by supporting mayoral sustainable initiatives.

The U.S. Conference of Mayors, National Restaurant Association and Culinary Institute of America today announced Local 121 as the winner of the Mayors' Culinary Cup at the U.S. Conference of Mayors Winter Meeting in Washington, D.C.

Local 121 was chosen because of its support of Mayor David Cicilline's campaign Greenprint: Providence. Initiatives include educational workshops to promote local food resources, a media event encouraging use of local water resources called "Think Outside the Bottle" and other sustainable initiatives.

As will be the new custom, the winner oversees the creation of a signature dish with a chef from the Culinary Institute of America, which was to be served at a luncheon of the mayors today.

Local 121's executive chef Dave Johnson prepared stout-glazed short ribs using Trinity Brewhouse's Russian Imperial Stout in the glaze. Johnson used local ribs from Washington, D.C. He traditionally uses ribs from Aquidneck Farms in Portsmouth, R.I.

Local 121 is owned by Joshua and Nancy Miller. He also owns Trinity Brewhouse and is a state senator (D-District 28, Cranston, Warwick).

It is part of a preservation project with arts organization AS220 and the Millers at the newly restored Dreyfus Hotel at 121 Washington St. It serves regional cuisine featuring locally harvested ingredients, locally sourced, micro-brewed beer and regional wine.

Call it the marriage of Providence food and entertainment scene.

That's the way Cuban Revolution and Providence's Black Repertory Company are describing the addition of live music into the restaurant's three locations.

That's the other bit of news. Who knew the Cuban Revolution opened a third restaurant, this one in North Carolina?

Cuban Revolution owner Ed Morabito made the announcement that he has joined forces with Donald W. King of the Black Rep. Morabito said King specializes in the creation and development of musical programming, event management, concert promotions and audience development.

"It allows us to support and partner with Providence's Black Repertory Company, as it re-organizes under receivership in the coming months. They are a critical part of the fabric of our community and we can't let them fail."

"Although we've had live music on occasion at the restaurant, this is a chance to program high-caliber entertainment in our restaurants on a regular basis," he added.

Cuban Revolution has a Downcity location at 50 Aborn St., a restaurant at 60 Valley St. and recently opened a 180 seat restaurant in Durham, N.C. at 318 Blackwell St.