Simmer Magazine
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Editors Note There is something sensual about good food. The way that salt and sweet can pop on your toungue or melt on your tastebuds. The crisp crunch of fried potatoes The cold richness of a well done strawberry milkshake. Real foodies know that what makes a meal is a combination of fresh ingredients, thoughtful preparation, and a love of all things edible.
At Simmer Magazine we truly believe that each and every meal should be a chance to tease your tongue and warm your belly. With our first issue we have tried to bring you a well rounded dining experience that extends beyond the www.simmermagazine.com experience. Inside this issue you’ll find insider tips to restaurants in the city as well as recipes for you to make at home. We’re even trying to bring back a little nostalgia and a taste of different culinary experiences. The staff has been willingly dining all over the city taste testing every finger licking afforadable restaurant we could and leaving no spoon unlicked.
If your a lover of food, a gourmet chef, or just tired of eating the same thing every day then you’ve come to the right place. Release your inner foodie and enjoy. Editor in Chief
Nisreen Galloway
Nisreen Galloway
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Editor in Chief Nisreen Galloway
Assitant Editor in Chief Hannah Brown Copy Editor
Rebecca Isenhart Writers
Meaghan Elizabeth O’Brien Elizabeth Nash
Nicholas Dumont
Nisreen Galloway Hannah Brown
Rebecca Isenhart Print Design
Nisreen Galloway Rebecca Isenhart Photographers
Meaghan Elizabeth O’Brien Elizabeth Nash
Nicholas Dumont
Nisreen Galloway Hannah Brown
Rebecca Isenhart Andrew Lane
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Inside the Issue
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Author Q&A with Chef Gabby Moskowitz
Cookbook Review: The Brokeass Gourmet Restaurant Profile: Saus
This or That: An inside scoop into Boston’s best dining spots
14 Sushi 16
Frozen Yogurt
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The Inside Scoop: Guided Gluten Free Diet
18 Pizza 20 Burritos 24
Edible Nostalgia: Why 90’s snacks are sill cool
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Barbeque Spiced Chili
Recipes
27 Sundried Tomato and Chicken Sausage Stuffed Shells 28 28 29
Homemade Turkey Noodle Soup
Polenta cakes with Tomato Sauce
Vegetable Stir Fry
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Gabi Moskowitz is The Brokeass Gourmet
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Gabi Moskowitz is a foodie and a proud author of The Brokeass Gourmet, a cookbook released in May 2012. From varied appetizers that can be found at football parties like her college nachos to her heartier meals like rosemary-shallot beef stew, there’s something in this cookbook for everyone. We spoke with Gabi about what makes her belly rumble and the inspiration for some of her dishes.
Simmer: What do you think defines a ‘foodie?’
Gabi: To me, a foodie is anyone who likes food and considers themselves knowledgeable about what defines great food all the way to someone who actually knows a lot about food and how to cook it. I think a foodie is someone who –the person who would never think of ordering buttered pasta…unless it was handmade and the butter was pasteurized, it was browned, and served with fresh herbs on top. You know someone who values distinctive flavors.” Simmer: In “The Brokeass Gourmet” cookbook, you outline a grocery list for an essential $50 pantry. What inspired / taught you that these things were neccesities?
Gabi: I grew up cooking and I guess...I wanted to really put my finger on what it was that was keeping my peers from embracing the kitchen. It [the kitchen] felt kind of scary to a lot people-- setting up the kitchen, cooking, and not only did it feel scary but, it felt like totally foreign territory. I sat down and I looked at the things that I innately understand / grew up understanding about cooking that might seem less obvious to my peers. I thought it through and I think its the fact that I just get what I need to have on hand. My lesson, particularly as a broke college student, was how to have basics on hand. Basics don’t have to be expensive but can be things like
flour, salt, black pepper, and olive oil. Having that stuff on hand and then augment by adding a few fresh ingredients was a much more sustainable and much cheaper way to live…I found myself cooking regularly which, as we all know, is a lot less expensive than eating out a lot. Simmer: Who would you say taught you to cook in your family and how did they inspire you?
Gabi: Well you know it was sort of multi fold. My mom taught me a lot of basics. My dad was not much of a cook but he and I would bake bread together on weekends which became our special thing. And I was very self-taught. I was obsessed with PBS cooking shows and I loved the Frugal Gourmet and Julia Child. I sort of grew up pre the food network but I would watch these things veraciously. The way that I got into the kitchen was when my mom went to grad school. When I was a kid, we lived in Santa Rosa, California and we were driving an hour to San Francisco two or three times a week so I would help my dad out with dinner. He would make something basic and then I would make a side dish. Then, eventually, I started doing it more and more, taking over, and doing a lot of the cooking. Simmer: What inspired some of your recipes?
Gabi: Well a lot of well it’s a bunch of different things. I guess what makes me a foodie is that www.simmermagazine.com 7
I see everything as an opportunity to connect to tested and all that but if someone emails me and food and I see food as an opportunity to connect to they’re like ‘hey I tried this recipe and this dough everything else. When I went to Emerson, I had an is like horribly mushy I think you may have done apartment in Allston and then after I graduated I something wrong’ then I can always go on and fix had an apartment in Brookline. I was totally broke. I it but the pressure is a lot different in a cookbook. would end up with random scraps of left overs and I Things need to be perfect. would have to have faith in my basic cooking skills. Simmer: What advice would you give budding I would play my own personal game of chopped cooks past just remembering that they can cook and just start putting things together and I came up well for not too much money? with a lot of really great things. I have a recipe in Gabi: I would say a couple things. First thing is my book for college nachos and that’s totally based nothing improves your cooking like confidence. on coming home kind of drunk from going out. I’d And the best way to do that is two things. First find bring a bunch of friends home and I’d be like, ‘Ok I’m a recipe that you like on the internet or a cookbook going to make a snack’ and go into the kitchen and or whatever and just get it down. Figure it out uneveryone would be so impressed because I’d come til you’ve got it perfectly. The second part is, once out with real food. I give myself a lot of credit for you’ve got it down perfectly, start to experiment creativity there because it was just my tipsy brain with it. Just trust me you will not be able to mess being like, ‘what’s going to go together?’ As silly it up too badly. Even if you do, its just food. Its not as it is I feel really fortunate to have all of “I a huge deal and it will be fine. Be kind those experiences because I think and gentle with yourself and be see everything as an a lot of people get messed up patient--but also know youropportunity to connect to food in the kitchen when they feel self. like they have to adhere to and I see food as an opportunity a very specific recipe... But to connect to everything else. “ Simmer: What is either the luckily, as long as you’re usbest meal you’ve had or your ing solid techniques and you’re favorite recipe using fresh ingredients, you’re going Gabi: Those things change all the time. to be fine. Whatever you make may not be exactly My favorite recipe is my peanut sauce. It is one of what the recipe calls for but it’s still going to be the things that im proudest of. Before I was a cooktasty. That’s my approach. book writer, I was a kindergarten teacher. So I really Simmer: The Brokeass Gourmet was a blog first so what inspired you to move from a blog to an actual cookbook?
Gabi: I sort of stumbled upon a book deal. A friend of mine is a cookbook writer and she offered to show my stuff to her editor and her editor. Her editor loved my stuff, we talked, and they ended up offering me a deal...The process of it was very time consuming. I’m actually in the middle of working on my second cook book which is about pizza dough and having done it once before has made it definitely a little easier. But it’s still not simple at all. Writing for a blog is cool and in some ways it’s easier because it’s very in the moments. Cookbooks are – I feel theirs pressure to write a recipe that’s going to be relevant ten years from now. I don’t want to be writing about something that’s going to, pardon the pun, be a flash of the pan. The other thing is the perks of cooking on the blog—I try to always make sure my recipes are perfect and that they’ve been
proud myself on still being an educator. And I feel like as funny as it may sound the peanut sauce is one of the best things I can give to proverbial students because not only is it really easy you’ll feel really proud of it cuz its really yummy but its also the quickest way to turn your random food into a meal. You toss it with a little bit of rice or some veggies or some tofu or some fish or pork and then suddenly you’ve got dinner. You toss it with one of my favorite things to do is to toss it with some Asian noodles or even spaghetti and add some toasted sesame seeds and you’ve got peanut noodles and its so good so I would say that’s my favorite recipe not just because its yummy but because you can do so many things with it.
// Interviewed by Hannah Brown and Nisreen Galloway
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Cook Book Review
“The Brokeass Gourmet”
Budding chefs and questioning cooks-it is now safe to enter the kitchen. The Brokeass Gourmet cookbook, released in May 2012, was made for you, the college diner and budding chef who loves good grub on a budget. As the subtitle rightfully proclaims it has “recipes to keep your taste buds happy and your wallet thick.”
From the first chapter and introduction, Maskowitzs’ cookbook invites all fellow and new kitchen connoisseurs into her foodie world. Motivated by the harsh recession and financial times, she created this collection of creative twists on traditional comfort food and late night munchies. With recipes for brown sugar-sriracha hot wings or grilled tofu sandwiches with lemon aioli, Moskowitz appeals to every palette and dining need. But The Brokeass Gourmet is more than just a book of recipes-- it’s a learning tool. The tools she offers give confidence for completing her simple but seemingly complex dishes. One of the most impressive features is her “$50 pantry”, an outlined grocery list consisting of things like balsamic vinegar, peanut butter, mayonnaise, and olive oil. As she explains, having these dry goods in stock allows you to save weekly because you can just buy fresh ingredients when needed. Each recipe within the book draws from items in the pantry and never consists of fresh ingredients over $20. Gourmet grub at affordable prices is definitely our favorite. Brokeass Gourmet also equipts the less kitchen saavy with grocery lists, wine pairing lists, best times to go to the local food market, and recipes that will compliment every diet. If you don’t fall for
her bulgar cashew veggie burgers, you may be persuaded by her pumpkin gnocchi with onions and sage.
Moskowitz cookbook is different than the one on your mom’s shelf. It’s accessible to even the most timid of cooks and offers personal stories and recipes that cost little but make a huge impression. From basic additives like a peanut sauce or Vietnamese spring rolls, to more complex brown butter pumpkin mac and cheese, this cookbook is a necessity to any budding college cook. Gabby Moskowitz is an Emerson Alum. She started her blog, thebrokeassgourmet.com in 2009. Since then, she has been featured in TIME, The New York Times, Oprah.com, and Real Simple Magazine for varied recipes. She currently lives in the San Francisco area and is working on her next cookbook for pizza dough to be released late 2013.
Recipes to Look out for: Henry’s Cheesy Pepper Biscuits Brown Butter Pumpkin Mac and Cheese Orange-Cardamom Applesauce
// By Nisreen Galloway
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Sink Your Teeth into Saus City streets, as a rule, don’t smell very good. If you’re lucky, an enticing smell can work its way to your nostrils from between the aromas of car exhaust, a sweet or savory scent that leads you to a great bite. It may lead you to a street vendor cart where quick, simple, tasty food can be found. Every city has its own version; in New York, it’s the infamous hotdog; in Amsterdam, it’s herring; in Paris, it’s crepes. But in the major cities of Belgium, frites and waffles are the talk of the town. Double-fried potato frites are sold on street corner friteries (or fritekots in Flemish) and served in white paper cones. Vendors serve warm waffles covered with various sweet toppings and made in two different styles depending on region: the Brussels and Liege waffles. Both dishes have made it into the common lexicon of street foods and have been imitated the world over. There is one establishment gracing the Boston streets that takes this time-honored tradition off the streets of Belgium, plus its own culinary spin. Saus offers reasonably priced street-style fare, and what’s better, the entire menu is inspired by the street vendors of Belgium and is based around the Flemish staples: frites and waffles. Their perfectly salted, golden frites have lightly crisp outside and creamy inside, double-fried the traditional way. The waffles, made in the Liege style, are best when warm, with a crisp golden crust and a perfectly dense but fluffy center complete with hidden sugar pearls.
These simple items are made exceptionally well at Saus, but where the menu really shines is the range of homemade sauces available for both the frites and waffles. They offer 12 different homemade dipping sauces for frites; even their mayonnaise and ketchup are homemade (The ketchup alone is so delicious you could not go wrong to dip your frites in the red sauce and nothing else). There is a sauce for every palate, from sweet to savory
to spicy. The Bost-Onion is a pleasant blend of caramelized onions and sour cream. The Andalouse features a homemade mayo and tomato base highlighted by paprika and onion. Their standard ketchup is classed up and made more pungent with the addition of white truffle oil, renamed Truffle Ketchup. The Cheddar Duvel is a real treat: a salty and tangy sauce served warm and made with a mix of sharp and mild cheddar and Duvel Ale. For a more indulgent meal (and one absolutely worth indulging in) try their first rate poutine, made of crisp frites, thick gravy, and pearls of creamy cheese curds. The salty, savory flavor of the gravy with the smooth creaminess of the cheese curds is such a simple, but perfect balance of flavors. It not too much of anything, it doesn’t tip the scale: the taste is right at that perfect middle ground where some of the most delicious foods are found. The range of waffle sauces is smaller in number but by no means lesser in taste. The lemon cream sauce is the perfect blend of smooth and tangy, with the bite of the acidic lemon cutting through the sweetness. The salted caramel sauce is a thing of beauty, sweet and salty and at most decadent. And then there is the crowning achievement and proof of Saus’s dedication to its craft; they not only make their own ketchup but also their own Nutella-like chocolate hazelnut spread.
If you find yourself at Saus but frites and waffles don’t sound satisfying, there is a whole portion of the menu that features alternate dinner and dessert items. Meal items include various salads and sandwiches, such as Chicken Sate Salad, skewered chicken served on a bed of mixed greens with a homemade (of course) sate dipping sauce. Employee favorites include Frikendel (a Belgian/Dutch burger-sausage on French Simmer Magazine Issue 1
roll) and the Sloppy Jacques (a braised beef variation on a Sloppy Joe) according to employee Andrew Lane. Part of what makes the food so good is that the employees are as jazzed about it as customers. For employees Andrew Lane and Sung Park, food preparation is their favorite task. According to Park, they spend much of their downtime coming up with new combinations and dish ideas. The cashiers and kitchen staff at Saus enjoy their jobs, the food they are making, and each other. From the other side of the counter, a customer can see this in the food, but also in the service. Employees are eager to talk or help with menu questions. “What I like most about Saus would have to be the atmosphere… I love cooking and creating food and this job gives me that opportunity every day. I believe in good food and sharing it with people and, thus, Saus is a very easy restaurant to get behind,” says Lane. “I dig making something downstairs, bringing it up, having people order that food, and watching the entire process end with their satisfaction.” Saus is ideal for those with tight wallets and big appetites; all options are priced under $10. Prices for frites range from $4.50 for a petite to $7 for a big; waffles are $3.75 and all sauces are an additional $0.75. Most other meal items are priced around $6.95.
Saus is rather ingeniously placed. It’s the crowning jewel nestled on a ring of pubs and Irish bars just around the corner from Faneuil Hall. Walking past and glancing through the glass window storefront, you can’t help but be drawn by the prospect of good food and the clean, relaxing décor. The feel of the restaurant is rather like walking into someone’s oversized kitchen; all along the left wall is a line of distressed wood half booths with butcher-block tables paired with steel blue wooden chairs. Above the booths, box frames cover the walls and reach up to the white tin ceiling.
The ever-present Belgian comic hero Tintin graces the walls with vibrant comic strips and posters of the Adventures of the Black Island and the 7 Cristal Balls. At the back of the restaurant is the counter where diners place their orders under the blackboard menus that entice undecided patrons with bright blue and orange lettering. Once the sun goes down, Saus’s menu can also be the perfect late night chaser to an evening out on the town. Friday and Saturday nights are their busiest. During weekend nights, Saus is filled to the brim with people looking to satisfy their munchies so be wary if you are turned off by this level of activity or if you’re not willing to wait for a table. The chances of snagging a table are exponentially higher at different times of day. Hours of operation start at noon, so keep Saus in mind for a quick lunch or mid-afternoon snack session. Dinnertime is a good time to swing by, and on Tuesdays you can reserve a game night, held from 5-9 p.m where you and your friends can play board games with some delicious bites. For college students, a quick jaunt to Saus is an excellent study break that won’t break the bank. If you plan on sticking around to eat your food (and you should) going there at a slightly off time wouldn’t be a bad idea. Those half-booth tables look nice, but they are a bit cramped and fill up quickly. Regardless of when you go, great food leads to great conversation (even if its just about how tasty the food is) so Saus is definitely a good place to take your friends.
The food is always delicious. It is, of course, cooked with expertise, but the homage to traditional street food and the dedication and creativity that goes into cooking the food is evident in how it tastes. So go check out Saus. Bring a group of friends and grab the high top table by the front window. Have everyone order something different, share, and experience the happiness that good food can bring in the street style bites that Saus brings to the city. // By Meaghan Elizabeth O’Brien
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This
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or That An insight into Boston’s local restaurants and chains. Find out whats best for what and where to go when your short on time and cash or ready to realx and splurge.
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Sushi
Spicy Tuna, Crunchy Tempura, and creamy avacado rolls are all over the city. Heres our guide to a few places that are good for on the go or a night out.
Ma Soba Location: 156 Cambridge St, Boston 02114 Hours: Mon-Wed: 11:30am-10:30pm Thu-Fri: 11:30am-11pm Sat: 4pm-11pm Sun: 4pm-10:30pm
Ma Soba is a sit down restaurant with mediocre Asian cuisine but a choice place for sit-down sushi. You might be thinking something along the lines of “Who has time for that anymore?” or “Won’t that be way too expensive?” You’d be in the right asking those but keep in mind that there will come a time when we all need to enjoy a little table service. The lights are dim, and on a good day the atmosphere is nice. Servers can be rude to a younger crowd but it is definitely a date-friendly restaurant. And you know what date-friendly implies: boss-friendly, parent-friendly, and even grandparent-friendly too. What all these situations have in common is that price worries, to an extent, go out the window. That being said, Ma Soba is a bit pricier than the average sushi joint. The basic rolls range from $5$7 and by basic I mean the cucumber and avocado rolls. From there the prices take off; the specialty rolls range from around $10-$15. There are sushi combinations that get you multiple roll and other sushi combinations.
The menu is very extensive. It has many appetizers, entrées, and soups, as is the norm for most Japanese-fusion restaurants but they aren’t the best for their price. Instead focus on just the sushi. They have a separate menu where you can order a la carte. It comes with a vis-a-vis type marker and you get to write in how many of which rolls you want. This expedites the ordering process and ensures you get your sushi in a timely manner.
Avana Sushi Location: 42 Beach Street Boston, MA 02111 Hours: Daily 11:00am-10:00pm
Avana is an adventure. You weave through the disconnected streets of Chinatown, go through a double set of doors that has too many options on the other side, and come to rest in a relatively small room lined with booths and stands, similar to a food court. On the left, past the T-mobile/ cell phone stand , is Avana Sushi. The head chef will most likely greet you very warmly and wait for you to order. Most people order take-out because of the limited seating in such a small area. They have six seats total, and two of them are not even at the “bar”, but if you decide to stay your order will be served on large white places and decoratively placed. Though the booth it’s small and hard to find food and servers are phenomenal. The chefs make the rolls right in front of you, talking to you the whole time. Adorned with drawings by satisfied customers, Avana is focused almost completely on sushi with limited appetizers and nothing that could be considered an entrée.
Almost everything is good at Avana. The spicy tuna is whole pieces of tuna drizzled with a spicy sauce and the salmon mango avocado rolls are fresh and bite size with a perfect balance of rice and ingredients. Most of the more popular rolls are $4.95 -5.95 for 8 pieces with specialty rolls, like their spicy eel coconut maki ranging from $8.95 up. If you can make it during lunch, try their special for seven dollars which includes a maki roll, miso soup, and a salad. The only thing that varies seems to be their miso soup which on good days is laden with crabmeat, scallions and dry seaweed but at a one dollar its worth the chance. Embrace the environment and get ready for a great sushi experience.
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Bento Express Location: 62 Boylston St, Boston 02116 Hours: Daily 11am-11pm
The Bento Express is relatively new to downtown Boston. The medium sized counter-service restaurant is ready to serve your sushi-quick-fix needs. The interior is fairly sterile with hints of what people often associate with Japanese decoration but the layout is very “fast food”. You come in and are funneled towards an ordering counter where a giant menu hangs behind a pair of cashiers. You order, pay, and find a seat to wait for your food. A second counter occupies one corner of the room. This is where you pick up the food after hearing your number called out. You can sit down and dine or get it boxed to go. They also offer ready-made sushi in a case near the entrance but it is nowhere near as fresh as the in-house dining. The menu has a little of everything; sushi, bento, udon, noodles, and rice dishes all make appearances. The sushi selections is limited but the rolls are creative. The ingredients are not always what you would expect. They embrace the “fusion” title that often is attributed to Asian restaurants with items like their Mexican roll, which features spicy tuna and avocado with Tabasco sauce in it. They also have a maki-rito putting a twist on the traditional maki roll with rice and tuna in a seaweed cone. Bento provides a non-traditional sushi going experience. From the Americanized décor to the out of the box rolls, Bento brings something different to the table. // By Hannah Brown
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Frozen Yogurt
Sweet and tart frozen yogurt. Creamy and dressed up with fruit and chocolate shavings its irresistable. The polar opposite of the drippy, yet somehow chunky Dining Hall variety that never fails to disappoint. Feeling hungry? Let Simmer solve your problem. Here’s a hint: you’ve got options.
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Berryline Closest location: 303 Newbury Street Boston, MA 02115
Practically across the street from Pinkberry, Berryline is less expensive, offers larger portions, and usually involves a shorter wait. Link Pinkberry, it is a chain, but it’s Boston-based and has a cozier, cafe feel – espresso and baked goods are also available. The yogurt is every bit as good as its neighbor’s. If you’re like me and enjoy burying your yogurt in yummy toppings, be sure to try the mochi!
Pinkberry
Closest locations: 288 Newbury Street Boston, MA 02115
J.P. Licks
Closest location: 150 Charles Street Boston MA 02114
Although it’s generally thought of as an ice cream shop, J.P. Licks has an impressive selection of homemade hard and soft frozen yogurt. For the calorie conscious, tangy Yogurt X is just 15 calories per ounce - try the green apple when it’s in season for a perfectly tart departure from the norm. They also offer a wide range of alternative options, including sorbet and hemp, which is non-dairy, kosher, and gluten free.
You may know this place as Boston’s frozen yogurt Mecca, and you’re not wrong. Alongside original tart yogurt, they offer sweeter, fruity flavors and more ice cream-like dessert varieties, such as Chocolate Hazelnut and Peanut Butter. What really sets them apart, though, is the savory Greek varieties they launched just a few months ago. For breakfast or lunch, try a dish of fresh (not frozen) Greek yogurt topped with tomatoes and crunch sea salt bites, or cucumbers, or honey, or anything your heart desires.
Red Mango
Closest location: 334 Massachusetts Ave. Boston MA, 02115
Red Mango is Pinkberry’s sexy older cousin. The flavors are more complex and tend to lean toward sweet and spicy rather than fruity. Seasonal flavors for fall include cinnamon apple pie, spiced brown sugar, and pumpkin spice. As an added bonus, a walk through the Symphony Hall area can be a nice change of pace if you’re used to heading for Newbury Street. // By Rebecca Isenhart
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Pizza
Thin Crust. Stuffed Crust. Sweet and Tangy tomato sauce under sharp cheddar cheese. In the morning, late at night, or on a weekday pizza is the perfect dinner solution to a rumbling tummy. Here a few never fail places to add to your belt.
Sal’s Various locations and Hours
Sal’s pizza’s locations are sprinkled throughout the city and vary in location size and dining experience. The location on Tremont street between the Emerson and Suffolk campus has no sit down room; instead, it offers eaters a ledge to stand elbow to elbow for a uniquely urban grab-and-go experience. The slices are huge – when you order one you actually get the equivalent of two, no matter what type of pizza you get. Inside the restaurant, they have a case with the pizzas made for the day that you can choose a slice from. Their barbeque chicken includes grilled chicken with a sweet and tangy barbeque sauce on top of gooey cheese. Their pizza isn’t very dough heavy except for their thicker crust which is crispy on the outside but with a softer interior. Their cheese is pretty basic and the mozzarella is more salty than most with a little bit of sauce. If you try any of their signature slices you won’t be disappointed. From sweet red peppers to smoky sausage, they have a lot of topping options. Try any of their menu options or add your own toppings to create a unique experience.
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Pizzeria Regina 11 ½ Thacher Street Boston MA Hours: M-F, Sunday 11 am – 11:30 pm Saturday 11 am- 12 am Located in the north end, the Pizzeria Regina is pizza worth waiting for. Though it has many stores in different locations this original location still harbors the best taste in pizza and the most attraction for tourists and locals alike. During dinnertime in the summer, the line will wrap around the sidewalk, promising a wait of at least fifteen minutes, although the restaurant is about medium size and can seat larger parties with a longer wait. Go with a group of friends or choose it for a first date to show off your knowledge of the city. If you’re going with a large group bring cash and share pizzas if you get the large or keep a small all for yourself. The individual pizzas are large but well worth the decadent indulgence. Inside, Pizzeria Regina is set up old school, with booth side seating, a small bar, and a juke box to boot. It has been voted on Boston’s best quite frequently and with its unique menu and quaint feel it’s easy to see why. The menu has some twists on classics to choose from with a wide selection based on salty cheeses and fresh toppings. The spinach and broccoli highlights the tang of their red sauce while the white pizza hits you with smooth garlic. The margarita pizza, a traditional cheese pizza, comes with fresh basil leaves and on this thin crust definitely allows the toppings to be the foremost flavors. They also have a lot of different pizzas for meat lovers with the blend of perfect Sicilian spices and a salty sausage complimented with sweet mozzarella and cherry tomatoes.
New York Pizza 224 Tremont Street Sun – Wed 10 am- 1 am Thurs-Sat 10 am-3 am
New York Pizza is great for late night eats, but it isn’t the best pizza when the sun comes up. Their slices are huge, living up to their New York name, and they are open until 2 am. They are much better for quick and filling then gourmet, but still offer a variety of typical toppings and sides. They aren’t really a sit down restaurant; you may want to consider delivery if you decide to get a pie on a week day. If you like to avoid crowds, try to avoid attending weekends after 12 am or come with elbows ready and a dire need for greasy cheese. Inside, the restaurant is not much to look at with three quick tables and a large open space in front of the counter made for pickups or quick slice orders.
Their slices range between three and five dollars and each slice is pretty large for the prize. You can quickly get any of their more traditional pizzas by the slice (cheese or pepperoni) but you may be able to get specialties as well depending on the day and availability. Some of their more shout out pizzas are their barbeque chicken with chicken spicy peppers and a sweet barbeque sauce or the loaded ‘New Yorker’ with chicken, steak, mozzarella, and onions. . Surprisingly, the starring menu item is the mozzarella sticks. For about six dollars you can get eight pieces served with smooth, warm marinara sauce. // By Nisreen Galloway
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Burritos The essence of a burrito is the expectations you bring into it. Are you looking for authentic refried beans and fresh pico de gallo? For fast and easy cheese and rice? For a twist? In Boston the options are limitless so here’s our short list.
Boloco Various Locations
Boston burrito lovers are polarized by the unique burritos served at Boloco. For the adventurous, it is the greatest burrito place in the world, untouched by anything but gold. For purists, it is the worst imitation of Mexican food ever brought to this side of the states. Personally I am on the pro-Boloco side but this is because to truly love Boloco, you have to see it for what it is: a wrap restaurant. Sure they may claim to make globally inspired burritos, but let’s be honest, it’s a wrap. Even their name shies away from any Mexican orientation: it stands for “Boston local Company,” although some might guess it had something to do with “crazy burritos.” The restaurant is better for a quick meeting with friends, rather than dates. Their prices range from seven to twelve dollars. Besides wraps they also offer salads, chips and salsa, bowls, and smoothies. If you’ve never had a Jimmy Carter or Nutella Milkshake, you’re missing out – give them a try. A whirlwind of peanut butter and bananas or a mouthful of chocolate hazelnut spread and vanilla frozen yogurt will send you back for a cup a day if you’re not care-
ful. They also offer seasonal shakes that highlight pumpkin filled fall days and pepperminty holiday spirit. And if you’re not a fan of any of their already made choices you can create your own “goloco” meal with any of their toppings. They offer both mango salsa and traditional salsa and guacamole that you can put with your chips or any burrito. If you’re in the mood for nachos, you can get a bowl with everything you want and then just buy chips to dip on the side.
Chipotle Various locations
Chipotle may or may not have its own unofficial cult. There aren’t many options and they have a clear cut, classic formula for taste. Their chicken burrito is something to crave if you’re willing to spend seven or eight bucks. It’s definitely fast food by nature of service but they pride themselves on their healthy and organic ingredients. You can watch them assemble your burrito but they don’t have much variation from their burrito styles with options limited to different meats or the option to add or not add corn salsa, Simmer Magazine Issue 1
and then the regular toppings of lettuce, salsa, sour cream, ect. Like Boloco they offer regular and brown rice but in their signature cilantro lime flavor that compliments all of their ingredients. Their salsa varieties are based on heat, rather than unique flavors. At Chipotle you can order a bowl, a burrito, or tacos with any of their signature meats or vegetarian with pinto or black beams. When you order tacos you can get either soft or hard shell flour tortillas and their sold in three which is very filling. Though Chipotle is a chain and can be found all over Boston, they offer a consistent taste
Marias 226 Tremont Street Boston Hours: Daily 11 am- 1 am
Boston magazine recently recognized Marias as part of Boston’s best for burritos and here at Simmer, we agree. Maria’s is more along the line of a traditional burrito, and for the same size as a Boloco regular you can get a Marias “small” that’s just as big and costs less. Forget the food baby – the grande size is enough to give you food twins, but it’s worth it. If you don’t want to binge, opt for the tacos. They come in a soft corn tortilla and two of them are big enough to be
filling, but small enough to let your tongue dance across the crisp lettuce, fresh tomato, and curry infused hot sauce. Their nachos are the ultimate munchies and they heat the chips with slices of cheese on top and adding guacamole is only .75, a steal in most Mexican places. Maria’s is not a place for a date but great for late night because of the late hours. Service is friendly and the wait is never longer than five minutes, no matter what you order. They sell rice and beans on the side, much like Boloco but with larger grains of rice more like home cooked. Don’t miss the quesadillas! The cooks grill them with all the ingredients inside that you can devour like a burrito. // By Nisreen Galloway
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Guided Gluten Free Diets Think of your favorite comfort food. Is it warm spaghetti with baked meatballs? A chocolate chip cookie that’s crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside? A hearty bagel slathered with cream cheese? Now what do all these delicious foods have in common? They are all made with ingredients containing gluten. Although this is fine for most, a significant percentage of people must avoid these ingredients completely because of a gluten or wheat sensitivity or a gluten intolerance which might be celiac disease.
Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder of the small intestine that occurs in people of all ages. The condition is thought to affect between 1 in 1,750 and 1 in 105 people in the United States. For people diagnosed with celiac disease, a gluten-free diet is the only medically accepted treatment. Now, of course, this can be difficult considering that foods made with gluten, such as bread and pasta are a staple in the Western hemisphere. The good news is that as more and more people are being diagnosed, food companies are jumping to meet the need of millions who want to eat both healthy and tasty treats.
Here is a list of recommended gluten-free products Pamela’s Amazing Gluten Free Bread Mix – made with sorghum and millet flour, this mix is gluten-free, wheat-free, and non-dairy. It is highly rated as the best bread mix on the market. Ancient Harvest Quinoa Pasta, Spaghetti Style, Supergrain – organic quinoa flour makes this hearty, non-starchy pasta perfect for those who prefer their noodles al dente. Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free milled flours and mixes – regarded for having the highest quality ingredients, their list of natural products goes on and on. Get anything from cereals to flour to brownie and pancake mixes.
What Gluten-Free Means A gluten-free diet is a diet that excludes foods containing gluten. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, rye, malts, triticale, and possibly oats, but the jury is still out on whether oats harm those with gluten sensitivity. It is often listed as “dextrin” on food labels and is used as a flavoring or thickening agent. Think of a packaged food and it most likely has one of these culprit ingredients.
Ali Schmelzle, a student at Emerson College and an avid baker, specializes in making homemade gluten-free treats. “If you want to cook or bake a recipe that requires wheat flour, there are gluten-free flour mixes available. However, I would urge cooks and bakers to do their research: I once made a big batch of sugar cookies with a bag of ‘general baking flour’ from the gluten-free section of my local grocery store. Once the cookies had cooled, I took a bite and was shocked to find that each one I tasted had an unsavory flavor. It turned out that the flour mix I’d used was predominantly made up of garbanzo bean flour (i.e., ground chickpeas). Definitely not a taste you want lingering in your mouth after biting into a Christmas cookie. Always check to see the source of your gluten-free flour.” According to Ali, King Arthur Flour has the best gluten-free line of baking mixes. “Their boxed brownies are amazing — the consistency is almost identical to gluten-filled goods and you can even up the chocolate factor by throwing in a handful of Toll House semi-sweet morsels (also gluten-free)!”
Ancient Harvest Quinoa Flakes this is a hot breakfast cereal rich in vegan protein and calcium. Use it as a substitute when oats are called for and your baked treats will come out moist and scrumptious.
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Restaurants No need to fear dining out anymore if you are avoiding gluten. Along with food companies, restaurants have jumped on board the gluten-free wagon and are offering anywhere from a few choices to whole menu’s worth of yummy options. From upscale dining to hole-in-thewall eateries, you can eat wherever you please. B.Good – A burger joint on a nutrition mission to bring diners “food made by people, not factories.” No need to ask for your patty sans bun because the Udi Company makes their bread gluten-free.
Salvatore’s – An Italian restaurant with a wide variety of gluten-free options? Be still our hearts! From Scallops Limoncello to Penne Bolognese to Eggplant Parmesan, everything you thought was off limits is suddenly back on the menu (literally) with only minor adjustments that don’t skimp on flavor.
Nebo – Another terrific Italian restaurant that balances authentic Italian food with an entire menu of gluten-free options. Can we interest you in homemade pasta in a Bolog-
nese sauce with slow braised meat ragù in tomatoes and cream? How about a prosciutto pizza layered with fig spread, Gorgonzola, rosemary, and mozzarella? Four Burger – If you live on campus then you pass this place all the time. But did you know that they offer gluten-free buns to help contain their deliciously juicy burgers? They even offer free sides if you would like to skip the bun altogether. In fact, just ask and they will cook your order on a separate grill to avoid gluten contamination.
Rustic Kitchen – Just look for the dishes with the little “g” printed next to them to pinpoint which ones are made without gluten. This elegant restaurant brings you Lemon Roasted Pepper Salmon, Smokehouse Chicken Risotto, and Ran Seared Porcini Duck Seared Scallops. Hungry yet? // By Elizabeth Nash
Ali’s Flourless Fudge Cookies “They’re ooey, gooey, fresh-from-the- oven, and totally gluten-free!” 2 ¼ cups powdered sugar (Domino is gluten-free) 3 egg whites 2 teaspoons of vanilla (McCormick is gluten-free) 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder ¼ teaspoon salt. Mix together all of the ingredients bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 12 to 15 minutes.
Recipes http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com You won’t run out of options here! This site brings you hundreds of recipes ranging from appetizers to desserts to the seemingly off-limits breads and bakedgoods. Here you’ll find tips on making any meal gluten-free as well as simple substitutions and recommended products.
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Edible Nostalgia :
Why Goldfish and other 90’s snacks are still cool When the 12 o’clock bell sounded, my friends and I ripped the lunch boxes from our cubbies and hurried out of the classroom to the cafeteria, chirping about the newest episode of Rugrats, and why Bowser was our favorite racer in Mario Kart.
We sat down at our favorite table underneath the “Got Milk” poster featuring Michael Jordan with a creamy mustache and threw our lunch boxes--adorned with pictures of Scooby Doo, Mickey Mouse, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles--on the table. This was the moment we had been waiting for all day.
“Capri Sun, yes!” My freckled friend Kevin exclaimed. Everyone at the table evaluated their drinks: Hi-C, Minute Maid, Juicy Juice, Sunny D. But the victories were short-lived, because the real prizes were still buried underneath our PB&J sandwiches and apples. The sounds of wrappers crinkling filled the room as candy and snacks were placed on the tables like trophies. Twinkies,
// By Nicholas Dumont
Dunkaroos, Fruit by the Foot, Gogurt, Fruit Gushers, Smarties. We flashed our prizes, ripped them open, and the bartering began. “Can I have one of your fruit snacks? If I give you my graham crackers can I have your string cheese?”
This epitomizes my childhood in the 1990s. When I think back to lunchtime in grade school, I remember the smell of the cafeteria. There was the faint aroma of the daily meal prepared for the kids who didn’t bring lunches--pizza, sloppy joes, taco stacks--but mostly it smelled like gym mats and sweat. The cafeteria doubled as a gym for students, and as soon as lunch was over the tables were disassembled and the buckets of balls and mats came out.
You would think that I would be disgusted when I remembered this smell, but it’s actually the opposite. I remember it with fondness, and to be honest, I miss it. Nostalgia is a funny phenomenon; it can make us yearn for things that others would find appalling. I can’t help but think of how true this is with the snacks we used to find in our lunch boxes growing up. Fruit Gushers and Fruit Roll-ups are unbearably sweet, Dunkaroos are too dry, Capri Sun pouches and Kool Aid Bursts are depleted in one sip, and treats like chocolate Teddy Grahams are too rich. And, most of all, they have so much sugar that even Eeyore would want to sprint a mile if he ate them. Objectively, these foods aren’t very appealing, and most adults would never buy them. Yet, as ‘90s kids are entering college and shopping for themselves for the first time, they’re delighted to find that many of their favorite childhood snacks are still in production and toss them in their shopping cart without thinking twice. When we see the turquoise boxes of Dunkaroos with the kangaroo dipping his cookie in frosting, the yellow packages of Fruit Gushers with rainbow goo flowing out, and the cereal boxes with Count Chocula’s toothy grin, our pulse picks up Simmer Magazine Issue 1
and we instinctively smile. Our college-student budget and healthiest intentions are given a shoulder as cold as push-up pops.
Nostalgia is what transforms food from required sustenance to pillars of memory. As strange as this sounds, when I smell brownies that just came out of the oven I think of how I used to make them in my Easy Bake Oven every weekend. Yes, I’ll admit that I had one, and yes, I’ll admit that they churned out more delicious morsels than the Keebler Tree. When I baked, my entire family would gather around the table; my parents to make sure I didn’t burn the house down, and my brother to ensure that he was the first recipient of warm chocolate. It was always a family activity that I looked forward to every weekend. I would never recommend Easy Bake brownies if someone asked me where to find the best pastries, yet they’re still the first thought that makes me salivate when I smell freshly baked brownies because of how much nostalgia is tied to them. Essentially, it’s the same with ‘90s snacks. We aren’t excited when we see Lunchables because of their rubbery meat, bland cheese, or dearth of nutrition. We’re excited because it makes us remember when we would eat them with friends on the dock of a summer lake home, on a picnic blanket on a warm day, or at a lunch table in a cafeteria.
As I’ve aged, childhood snacks and the memories associated with them have slowly faded from my memory like camera film exposed to light. So when I rediscover the foods, it’s like seeing an old friend and remembering all the good times you shared with them. The other day I saw a popcorn ball, and I recollected a scene from my early childhood. When I was at daycare, a woman named Grandma King made us homemade popcorn balls. None of the children were related to her; she was actually the grandmother of the woman, Anita, who ran the daycare. King was almost a hundred years old and used a recipe that had been passed through her family. It was arguably the greatest snack I’ve ever had, and she was one of the kindest women I’ve ever met, yet I had forgotten about both until I recently saw the popcorn ball.
too. Anytime I smell egg salad I think of sitting on a table outside of the daycare, as Anita told me I couldn’t go out to the playground with my friends until I finished my egg salad sandwich. I sat there pouting for what seemed like hours. Finally, I pinched my nose to mute the taste and slowly ate the sandwich, cringing the entire time. Still to this day, I detest egg salad.
Today, children are forming memories with their own foods, including some that ‘90s kids loved. Unfortunately, many of our favorite treats from the era have come and gone. The Wonder Ball, a chocolate sphere with candy inside, was discontinued following a lawsuit. Colored Heinz ketchup was yanked off the shelves after low sales. And most recently, Hostess, which produced a slew of ‘90s favorites like Twinkies and Ho-Hos, filed for bankruptcy.
But for those that are still in production, they will have a customer base that marketers may not be aware of: ‘90s kids, now grown up to become college students who love cheap junk food. These students just want to return, if only temporarily, to a time when Four Square was a playground game, not an app, Nickelodeon cartoons like Rocket Power and Doug were still on TV, and feel good alternative rock music like Third Eye Blind dominated the airwaves. These snacks may have heaps of sugar, sodium, and fat processed into them, but they also contain something that you won’t find in the nutritional facts: our memories.
Unfortunately, remembering foods from our childhood works the opposite way
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Recipes
By Hannah Brown Elizabeth Nash Nisreen Galloway
Simmer Magazine Issue 1
Stuffed Shells with Sausage and Sundried Tomatoes INGREDIENTS
2 cups Whole milk Ricotta Cheese
1 teaspoon Black Pepper
¼ cup chopped Fresh Basil
¼ cup diced Sundried Tomatoes with a little of the oil 1 12oz jar Marinara Sauce
2 Chicken Sausages (sundried tomato ones work best) ½ box 24 oz Jumbo Shells
½ cup Parmesan Cheese
½ cup Mozzarella Cheese
DIRECTIONS
Mix ricotta cheese, sundried tomatoes, basil, pepper, mozzarella cheese, and parmesan cheese in a bowl till well blended. Set aside Prepare Chicken Sausage. In a medium frying pan, add olive oil on medium heat.
Add Sausage and turn over till each side is brown and the sides burst. Cook for about an extra 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Dice the sausage and add to the ricotta cheese mixture and blend again
Once shells are done remove from heat and drain. Drizzle a little olive oil over them so they don’t stick and set aside to cool. In a 13 X 9 pan, coat the bottom of the pan with marinara sauce till you can’t see the bottom of the pan but there’s still a light layer of sauce.
Take a shell and fill with the ricotta mixture making sure to fill the shell entirely. Place shells close to each other until pan is filled and you run out of shell. Then top each shell with a spoon full of marina sauce and a sprinkle of parmesan and mozzarella cheese.
If you want the shells to be crispy, add less sauce on top Preheat oven to 400 degrees but if you prefer softer shells add more marinara on top. Prepare Shells. Put large pot on high heat Cover dish with aluminum foil and place with water and a sprinkle of salt. Allow water in preheated oven for 15 minutes. to boil and add shells. Turn heat down to meRemove aluminum foil and the sauce should be bubdium. Leave shells on medium heat and stir bling. Leave in oven for additional ten minutes occasionally till soften. ( about 10 minutes) Remove from oven and let cool a little before serving.
Barbeque Spiced Chili
INGREDIENTS
¼ chopped red onion
1 garlic clove diced
DIRECTIONS
In a medium sized sauce pan, place a tablespoon of olive oil on medium heat. When hot, ¼ cup diced green peppers add onions and garlic, sautéing till tender. 1 16 ounce can black beans drained and rinsed Add green peppers and turn the heat to medium 1 16 ounce can whole kernel yellow. When the peppers are softened ( about one minlow corn drained and rinsed ute) then add tomatoes and leave on medium heat un1 16 ounce can small red kid- til they spring water ( about another minute) ney beans drained and rinsed Move heat back to medium heat and add black beans, red Season salt to taste kidney beans, corn, tomato sauce and barbeque sauce. 1 tablespoon garlic powder add additional taste Stir mixture and then leave on heat with cover for 5 minutes.
1 cup Barbeque sauce (sweet Turn heat back to medium low and add the rest baby rays regular is best) of the seasonings. Leave to simmer for another 15 6 oz of canned tomato sauce minutes checking intermittently for taste. Once the hili is thick and the beans are no lon1 tablespoon chili powder add additional to taste ger mainly visible at the top of the pot, simmer on 2 teaspoons brown sugar low for another five minutes then take off heat. 1 teaspoon olive oil Serve while hot with corn bread or fresh rolls. ! teaspoon hot sauce ( additional to taste)
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Homemade Turkey Soup INGREDIENTS
At least 2 cups turkey ( can substitute for chicken)
1 tablespoon butter 2 carrots
2 stalks of celery ½ onion
1 teaspoon thyme
8 oz. wide noodles, such as egg noodles
Salt and pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS
Put the entire turkey in a large pot and cover with cold water. (If you have extra leftover meat without bones, add to pot later once you remove the whole turkey.) Bring to simmer and cook until meat has loosened off the bones, about ten minutes. Using tongs, pull the turkey out of the water and let drain and cool. Meanwhile, melt butter in a large skillet. Sauté the chopped carrots, celery, onion, and thyme i n the butter over medium heat until tender, about ten minutes. Season with salt and pepper and add to broth.
Once the turkey is cool enough to handle, pull meat off of the bones, and discard the skin and bones. Shred the meat into bite-size pieces and put back into the water. Simmer the meat and vegetables in the broth for twenty minutes. Skim off any oily foam that may float to the top. Add 8 oz of uncooked wide noodles to simmering broth and cook until tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Can be served immediately or made ahead and kept in the refrigerator for several days. Serve with a toasted French baguette. DIRECTIONS
Polenta INGREDIENTS Sauce: 2 Eggs
Polenta:
Bring 3 cups of water to a heavy boil in a medium sauce pan
gradually mix in 1 cup of corn meal and reduce heat to a simmer constantly stir mixture until it is thick, about 15-20 min
Once cooked, relocate polenta to a bowl and place 4 tomatoes in the refrigerator for ten minutes 1/3rd red onion While the tomato sauce cooks, take polenta out of the 2 cloves garlic fridge and shape polenta into four 3 inch disks
1/2 jalapenpo
1 tbs olive oil
1 tsp lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped cilantro Polenta Discs
lightly grease a frying pan and cook until slightly golden, 3 min each side Place two discs on each plate Sauce:
Chop tomatoes, onion, jalepeno and garlic.
put onions and garlic in a large saucepan along with oil, saute for 2 min
once garlic and onion are tender, throw in the ja3 cups water lepeno and saute for another 2 min 1 cup corn meal Add tomatoes and cook on medium for ten mins 1/2 tsp salt
Crack eggs into sauce and cover. let cook for five min or until eggs are firm. scoop out one egg and 1/2 sauce and pour over polenta discs garnish with chopped cilantro
Simmer Magazine Issue 1
Vegetable Stir Fry
INGREDIENTS Sauce:
1/3 cup dark soy sauce
¼ cup honey ( additional to taste)
1 tablespoon white granulated sugar
1 ¼ teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon ginger
¼ teaspoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
** for additional spice ¼ teaspoon chili oil Stir Fry:
3 cups broccoli florets (about 1 medium head) rinsed, divided, and cut into bit size pieces ½ medium red onion sliced 1 cup frozen green beans ½ large green pepper rinsed and sliced in 1/8 in slices 1 Cup Brown Rice 1 ½ cups Water OIive oil
DIRECTIONS
Put water in a medium sized sauce pan and leave to boil.
In a small bowl, add soy sauce and honey. Whisk together till the honey is mostly blended Then add in rice vinegar
Then add in white and brown sugar. Continue whisking the mixture till the sauce is well blended. If still a little too salty, add additional honey and brown sugar to taste, blend, and set aside.
Add the broccoli and frozen green beans to the boiling water. Change heat to medium high and allow vegetables to boil for 5 minutes. Take off heat and drain. In a large wok, add olive oil and allw it to get very hot.
Add onions first, sautéing till tender. Next add peppers and sautee till they begin to spring water. Then add the broccoli, green beans, and sauce.
Toss for about 4 minutes then take off heat. Sprinkle on the sesame seeds
Serve over brown rice or linguine pasta
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