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By Erin Anne Beirne, on September 1, 2010
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Didn’t note where I got this recipe from, but from the way I scribbled it I think I must have caught it off a TV show. This would have been in the mid-late 1990’s! Made it for my parents, back in the day, and they really liked it. Finding my scribble tucked away in a box recently reminded me of them. 
TIPS: Start some brown rice in the steamer before you start the chicken, and then pop some favourite veggies in the veggie steamer once the chicken starts to bubble, and you’re whole meal will be done in under 45 minutes! If you like more sauce for pouring over your rice (I do!) then double the sauce ingredients (water, ketchup and soy sauce).
INGREDIENTS
a few chicken pieces – drumsticks and thighs are great, but so is whatever you like to use
2 garlic cloves (optional; you can try ginger instead if garlic is “unfriendly” to you)
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup ketchup (option: choose corn-free)
2 T soy sauce (option: choose wheat-free)
1/4 t cayenne pepper (optional, or add to taste)
*************
1 T honey
INSTRUCTIONS
- Brown chicken 10 minutes.
- Reduce heat to low
- Add garlic
- Add water, ketchup and soy sauce (and cayenne, if using)
- Cover and simmer 30 minutes until done. (Turn chicken every 5 minutes)
- Remove chicken and boil sauce until thick, about 5 minutes
- Add honey and melt it in
- Pour over chicken and serve!
(Yum)
ea/
By Erin Anne Beirne, on July 14, 2010
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(Photo: Erin Anne Beirne, with iPhone 3G.)
These carrots were quite strange-looking, with a variety of hues ranging from traditional orange, to parsnip-yellow, to eggplant-purple. We spotted them at an organic grocery stand in Granville Island Market in Vancouver, BC., and decided to give them a try.
First prize for amazing flavours! Blew the bulk carrots at the superstore away, kinda like how a Lamborghini blows away my little Honda!
Butter? Seasoning? Ummm, why?! They were delicious “naked”!
(Got any other odd veggies I should try out, too?)
ea/
By Erin Anne Beirne, on December 22, 2009
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Today I’m heading to town (which is an hour-plus away) to have my Get-Ready-For-Christmas Super Shopping Day.
Food is always an issue on days like this: I don’t want to lug a whole sack of grub around with me, I want to start light because I hope to be travelling heavy by the time I’m done!
But I’ll need to eat. No way I can exert all that energy, and use all that brain-power (hmm, if I get this for so and so then I can’t get that for the other one, and the budget will be blown and… ahhh! all this math!), and not eat all day. What will I do?
I’m going to try an experiment. I’m taking a little bit of my own condiments with me, a little bag of peanuts, and a few light travellers, like rice crackers and a little bit of soy cheese. Then, I hope, I can buy New York Fries (which I can eat! real potatoes and sunflower — or is it safflower? I forget now, but it’s not corn — oil), or maybe get a salad or have some rice with my own salad dressing or wheat-free tamari sauce on it.
I’m going to try a blended approach to eating on the run, in other words.
I’ll let you know how it works out.
Wish me luck!
ea/
By Erin Anne Beirne, on December 17, 2009
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Every now and again, my food issues can drive me to tears.
Happily, that no longer happens too often but, even now, after all these years of practice later, one of the greatest food-related Meltdown Moments in my little world appears when I’m both hungry and rushed. Add “nowhere near home” to the list, and it feels like my own Personal Perfect Storm, but I’ll focus mostly on the At Home version for today.
I feel like screaming, “What can I eat when I have no time to prepare it?!”
“Normal” people just drive through a fast food place, order pizza, or pop in to the neighbourhood chinese food restaurant-to-go, and keep on running. If I did that I’d be no going nowhere at all — for days! Practically comatose is a hard way to get through a busy-life week.
Every now and again, I actually get it all together! Boy, does it ever smooth out the rough bits when I get it right. Here’s what I do when I’m smart and organized (which I wish I achieved more regularly than I do!):
- prepare extra as I go, and freeze it in clearly labelled and dated boxes or bags
- have a cooking spree and make a whole bunch of recipes ahead of time and freeze them (labelled and dated, of course)
- use a slow cooker to start the meal in the morning and come home to it all ready to go — invest the extra few dollars in the kind that has a built-in timer, trust me on this
- pre-make the slower/harder parts of a meal and freeze just that bit, to be added to and completed quickly later on
- test out meals that you might normally eat hot to see if they can be tasty and effective if cold — Curried Chick Pea Stew is one good example of a dish that almost eats like a salad when it’s cold! Asian Broccoli and Tofu with Peanut Butter Sauce is another
- try to think of different “fillings” that you could wrap up in a rice wrapper and eat “on the road” — the options here can be a little bit surprising, too, like the sauce and some of the noodles from Singapore Noodle, or a chicken and broccoli stir-fry, for instance
- if you are not a vegetarian/vegan, cook up a big roast of some sort and use it as the foundation of a few meals during a hectic week — e.g. a big roasting chicken can provide filling for rice wraps, some quick finger food, something you can add to your plate along with some rice and veggies… and more!
Those days when I feel like I’m falling apart suddenly seem all bright and happy again when I pull open the freezer and discover a long-forgotten freezer container of a favourite homemade soup, or the foundation to a quick-to-complete-and-still-be-tasty meal! Fifteen minutes later, we’re all fed and I’m off and racing again…
The other days, the ones where I’m not so lucky?  Besides not wanting to talk about it to anyone nearby at that unhappy moment I realize I’ve used up all my make-aheads already, the other thing that happens is that I get re-inspired to get on top of having food ready to go for the next time.
Hmm… I guess a little pain is a good reminder of the value of preparation. 
What other ideas do you have that help you “survive” when you are half-starved and nearly fully-mad?
ea/
By Erin Anne Beirne, on December 13, 2009
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Ever try roasted chesnuts, like the ones you sing about in Christmas carols?
Well, I think they are yummy! Better yet, take them to a party, throw them in your host’s oven for 20 minutes, and instead of people feeling sorry for you because you can’t eat Christmas Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies — or whatever — they’ll be all interested in the weird thing you brought, that they’ve always sung about but never tried!
So here’s what you do:
Pre-heat oven to 425F.
Clean chestnuts (make sure you get the edible kind, not the horse chestnut kind we grow all over the the Vancouver/Victoria, BC, region of Western Canada), and score a decent “X” in the shell.
Although this takes a bit of labour and a sharp knife, this step is *very* important. The “X” does two things: keeps them from exploding from the build-up of steam inside the shell, and makes them much, much easier to open once they are ready to eat.
Spread them out on a cookie sheet, and pop in the middle of the oven (too close to the element and they’ll scorch before they are roasted).
Roast for 15-25 minutes, i.e. 20 minutes give or take a few, then pull out of the oven and let them cool a little until they are safe to handle.
Un-scored chestnuts can even explode after this, so be careful in case you missed one; no one likes missles flying around the kitchen!
Shell both the outer hard shell and the inner woody shell (good for slowing down consumption and turning it into a little bit of an event), eat, and enjoy!
ea/
By Erin Anne Beirne, on November 13, 2009
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Here’s a yummy, easy idea.
HASH BROWNS, RE-MIXED
2 baking potatoes, large
2 yams, same size as baking potatoes
Grate potatoes and yams.
Heat frying pan, add a little olive oil, add grated potatoes and yams.
Pan fry for about 15 minutes or until they look done enough for you, flipping often to brown both sides.
Can add a little water and cover for 5 or so minutes if you like them soft, then remove lid to dry off and brown up.
Add salt and pepper to taste, and enjoy!
ea/
(PS-I’ll add a picture when I can, but they look pretty much like you might expect!)
By Erin Anne Beirne, on October 25, 2009
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December, 2007: The height of the annual socializing-over-food season.
792: The number of posts, during December 2007 alone, in a forum for people struggling – or, in some wonderful cases, thriving – with celiac disease.
10: The number of magazines (December 2007 issues) I reviewed, all focused on some element of food, health, family, diet control, and fitness.
1: The number of nerds that read all this crazy stuff. Wait… that’s me… (OK, OK, now my friends are all snickering… maybe I’m not actually smart enough to be a nerd – but I’d like to be! LOL!)
I was curious to see if the the interests and issues the online forum members, real people who struggle with a serious food-related issue, were discussing together was matched by the information provided by mainstream media about the social side of keeping a special diet.
So, I counted comments about food, with the exception of recipes, tagging them as “technical” (e.g. “make every calorie count,” Shape, p. 56) or “informative” (e.g. “do one small change at a time,” Diabetic Living, p. 20) versus “social” (gheidi (go to Post #4), discussed here) or “symbolic” (e.g. Christmas turkey, discussed here).
The difference was pretty amazing. At least, it was to me.
The folks in the gluten-free forum discussed social issues relating to their special diet in about 20% of the posts. One hot topic was how participants struggled to overcome a mixed-bag of emotions, ranging from bemused to sad to angry to offended, over wheat-filled gifts received from friends, co-workers, and family, folks in that person’s inner social circle who were aware of the recipient’s condition (zarfkitty).
Out of ten magazines, while some came close, only four comments could clearly be tagged as purely addressing social issues relating to special diets. All four of them were presented in Canadian Living, family life magazine. For example, Canadian Living suggested gift ideas for folks on special diets, such as a gluten-free cookbook, a subscription to Allergic Living magazine, and fun, sugar-free foods for a diabetic friend (p. 96).
Clearly, coping with social issues that arise because of a special diet is a much bigger struggle for the “Wonderful Food (Just Different)” Tribe than the folks who write magazines have discovered…
Yet!
ea/
REFERENCES:
Canadian Living (2007, December).
Diabetic Living (2007, Winter).
gheidi. (2007, December 25). Mom cooked wheat [Msg. 4]. Message posted to http://www.glutenfreeforum.com/index.php?showtopic=41651
Shape (2007, December).
zarfkitty. (2007, December 18). First gfcf Christmas — Gluteny gifts, sad/vent [Msg 1]. Message posted to http://www.glutenfreeforum.com/index.php?showtopic=41520
By Erin Anne Beirne, on October 25, 2009
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So many times I’ve hesitated to suggest a visit with a friend because of the never-ending question of where to go and what to eat. As a result, I’ve gone through dry spells in my social life, which, well, let’s just say I don’t enjoy that very much. I like my friends, and cherish their company!
Lately, I’ve been trying something different.
Instead of planning to get together for lunch, etc., I’ve been suggesting that we go for a walk. Turns out, it’s an idea that’s working really well! Lots of folks seem to enjoy the opportunity for a little exercise in all but the most inclement weather, and instead of adding calories we burn them!
A visit + ( – calories) = a great time!
Frequently, we stop en-route for a cup of coffee. This poses no food-related challenges for us, and if all either of us want is water, that’s readily available, too. Added bonus: if my friend decides to have a biscotti, no sweat. Somehow, that’s a simple enough food-event it doesn’t demand my participation. (See Mirror, Mirror? for more.)
Why on earth didn’t I think of this idea a long time ago? Sometimes the forest (the joy of time with friends) is so hard to see with all those pesky trees (stupid food issues) in the way.
And yet, now it seems so simple…
ea/
By Erin Anne Beirne, on October 25, 2009
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Seth Godin defines a “tribe” as a “group of people connected to one another, connected to a leader, and connected to an idea” (2008). Jon Morrow adds, “Sometimes, you don’t get to choose the tribes that you belong to. They choose you, and there’s nothing you can do about it. I’m a member of one of those tribes. It’s called the Tribe of the Disabled” (2008).
You and I are members of the “We Have to Eat Our Food Selectively” tribe. How did we get there? Well, unless we chose to become vegetarians, we probably had a health issue that put some limits on our choice of foods in order to regain and/or retain our health. In some cases, ours lives depend on it. Like Jon, above, we didn’t choose this tribe, it chose us.
When people hear that I can’t have anything with wheat, dairy, corn, or eggs in it, they give me a slightly glassy-eyed stare, and then ask, “What’s left?” Even my own doctor chortled at the thought of me surviving on “ice chips and water!” The fact is, there is a lot of great food without those four ingredients: the trick is getting used to it and learning not to miss those four cornerstones of western diet. Shoot, I gained 30 pounds in two years of heavy studying without once touching any of those foods! (Not something I’m proud of, but it does prove a point… Oh, and btw, I’m down three, 27 more to go!)
For you, it may be sugar, or fats, or gluten, or peanuts, or fibre, or portions-too-many-and-too-large, or any number of other food items you “should” be avoiding and/or controlling.
Instead of thinking of it in terms of what I can’t eat, for whatever reason, I’m learning to think of it in terms of what I *can* eat. It’s much more positive, and makes conversations on the subject a lot less depressing. Instead, I like to think I’m a member of the “Wonderful People (Weird Food) Tribe.”
Are you with me? Let’s survive – no, let’s *thrive* – together! And let’s call our tribe the “Great Food (Just Different) Tribe!”
ea/
REFERENCES:
Godin, S. (2008). Tribes: We need you to lead us (Unabridged Audiobook). Audible, Inc. (Downloaded October 18, 2008, from the iTunes Store.) [Also available in text format at http://www.sethgodin.com/sg/books.asp]*
Morrow, J. (2008). Tribes you don’t want to belong to. In Godin, S. (2008). The Tribes Casebook: A companion to Tribes. triiibes.com. (Downloaded October 16, 2008, from http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2008/10/free-tribes-ebo.html)*
*I receive no financial benefit from mentioning these resources.
By Erin Anne Beirne, on October 25, 2009
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I’ve long been intrigued, and a little dismayed, at the distress my refusal of food creates for other people. They mean very, very well when they encourage me to “have one,” or ask me “why are you eating that instead of this food?” and I feel sad about disappointing them. (Did you see this post?)
Materials I’ve read over the years on interpersonal communications tell me that people in conversation tend to mirror each others’ actions, especially when the conversation is peaceful and the parties are in agreement.
Sure enough, when I’m chatting happily with someone, can be a friend or a new acquaintance, at the dinner table, very often we both have our elbows on the table at the same time, we both lean backwards in our chair at nearly the same time, and when one of us leans forward, animated, the other responds with some kind of gesture as well.
On the other hand, when I’m in disagreement with someone, we no longer match each other at all.
You can see this body language when you watch other people, say, at the food court, too. Just sit and watch for a few minutes. Who’s on the same page? Who’s ill at ease or in disagreement? You can’t hear them, but you can see them. Fascinating!
I wonder if this non-verbal communication custom of matching body language extends to matching food behaviour? Is there a similar connection between the message of harmony that comes from mirroring body language and that of mirroring food intake in social situations? Could it be that by not eating one of the Tim Horton’s (yummy! at least in my last-tasted-in-2001 memory of them…) doughnuts being passed around the room I’m breaking the non-verbal peace-code of mirroring what the other people are doing, therefore creating a division them and me?
I’m definitely going to have to reflect this some more. (What an interesting research project that could be!)
What do you think?
ea/
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