Mad coyote Joe's Blah Blah Blog: Mad Coyote Joe’s Vegan Update!

Mad coyote Joe's Blah Blah Blog: Mad Coyote Joe’s Vegan Update!: Mad Coyote Joe’s Vegan Update! Okay… we’re about three weeks in.   In case you missed the last update, after reading “The China Stud...

Mad Coyote Joe’s Vegan Update!

Mad Coyote Joe’s Vegan Update!

Okay… we’re about three weeks in.  In case you missed the last update, after reading “The China Study” Kathy and I have decided that a plant based/whole food diet is the best thing we can do to insure our future health (even with the health problems I’ve had and continue to have.)  The goal is no meat, fish, foul, dairy, eggs or cheese and over time reducing and if possible eliminate refined and processed foods especially sugars, fats and excess oils.

The first few weeks were easy.  Lots of grains, nuts, grilled vegetables, Pasta with red sauce, black bean and corn salad, avocado and tomato sandwiches, oatmeal and fruit and fruit juice popsicles!  We’ve both lost about 10 pounds and are feeling better overall.  But as the days creep along the cravings get stronger and so we sat down and discussed it.  From my reading, I’m hearing that many people have to work through this drastic of a change.  Add the fact that most don’t understand cooking as well as we do and this can bee a struggle at best.  Kathy is adamant about not going backwards and I agree.  Here’s where we feel we are now.  As our palate develops and we get use to less flavor accelerators, heavy meat based meals, and all of the sour cream, butter, heavy cheeses, rich sauces and so on, we are allowing limited olive oil for roasting veggies and a few drops in different dishes to give it some of the punch that we are craving.  Also I’m using small amounts of Parmesan cheese and shaved bonito (a Japanese product that give tofu a wonderful flavor) and I’m using these as a seasoning not a main element.  That’s our main concession and we are working toward eliminating these.  We have decided if we start having cravings that are causing us to cheat on this plan we will simply go out and have a small portion of whatever, maybe a nice lamb chop or a small fillet.  If we are on vacation, say in Washington, we’ll have a small piece of, ocean fresh, halibut sautéed in garlic olive oil and white wine.  Oh and one more thing we are only having wine one night a week!

Tonight for dinner we had fresh pesto with light olive oil and just a touch of Parmesan cheese and oven roasted asparagus with kosher salt and a squeeze of key lime juice… it was delicious! 

So far so good,

Mad Coyote Joe

Mad coyote Joe's Blah Blah Blog: You won't beleive this!

Mad coyote Joe's Blah Blah Blog: You won't beleive this!: Into every life some rain must fall…   Oh SHIT!   What does a guy that has spent his entire life working on making grilled meats, fish a...

You won't beleive this!

Into every life some rain must fall…  Oh SHIT!  What does a guy that has spent his entire life working on making grilled meats, fish and foul delicious and then on chance picks up a copy of, The China Study, for some light reading and comes to the decision that the best thing the he can do to keep he and his lifelong friend, wife and partner healthy is to stop eating all animal based foods!  

That’s right we are in the process of giving up all meat, foul, fish, and eggs along with all dairy products while concentrating on a whole food, plant based diet.  And believe me no one is more shocked than we are! 

My parents aunts and uncles and grandparents have all contracted various cancers, along with diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, Alzheimer’s, kidney disease, and many other aliments too numerous to list here.  Kathy and I have had some of these or precursors to these diseases.  Take that issue along with the fact that 18% America’s youth are obese and many many more are severely over weight.  What I found in this book was that these diseases are not the normal way that people shut down as they age. There are parts of the world where doctors do not see heart disease, diabetes, most of the cancers we see so often and many other diseases that are now a normal part of getting old in America.

All of these ailments are on the increase and billions are spent every year keeping America sick, fat and medicated.  

The problem I have found with a plant-based diet is that the majority of the books on the subject (with the exception of The Moosewood Cookbook) have been written by doctors or people that are making healthy foods tolerable, at best.  Tolerable is no way to approach your diet and most people would rather be sick than to live like that.

Kathy and I are both very good cooks and so it is now our belief that we should be the ones to work on this type of recipes.  We are about a month into this process and have developed many delicious recipes that are just as good as the meat-based original.  Tonight I am working on Texas Red Chili and I’m glad to tell you It’s fantastic!

So I think that’s enough for this posting.  I’d love to hear your thoughts and as we get this a little further we’ll start posting recipes and techniques.

Warmly, 

Mad Coyote Joe

Mad coyote Joe's Blah Blah Blog: Tabouli Salad with Cucumber Yogurt Sauce and Grill...

Mad coyote Joe's Blah Blah Blog: Tabouli Salad with Cucumber Yogurt Sauce and Grill...: I went to coffee this morning, as usual I sat out front of The Cave Creek Coffee co and chatted with a few neighbors and friends. I had a l...

Tabouli Salad with Cucumber Yogurt Sauce and Grill-roasted Babaganouj

I went to coffee this morning, as usual I sat out front of The Cave Creek Coffee co and chatted with a few neighbors and friends. I had a light jacket on and after a few moments I was getting very warm. It's that time of year again, when we go from keeping warm to keeping cool. Here in the Sonoran desert where we see summer temperatures in the 110-120f range, that's an art form. It means getting up early if you need to do anything in the yard, taking it easy during the midday heat and eating light.

When it comes to recipes dealing with lighter fare, I like to look to the regions of the world that have been dealing with living in the heat for centuries. There are many to choose from, but today let's look to the middle east and one of my favorites dishes tabouli. Good tabouli, served with Grill-roasted Babaganouj, a selection of olives, a pita bread and cucumber yogurt sauce is exactly what you're looking for when eating in the heat. It both refreshes and satisfies you without filling you up. If you must add meat think grilled lamb!

Tabouli Salad with Cucumber Yogurt Sauce

Tabouli salad:

1 C Bulghar wheat, dry

1-1/2 C Water, boiling

1-1/2 TSP Kosher salt

Dressing:

1/4 C Olive oil, extra virgin

1/4 C Lemon juice, fresh-squeezed

1 TBL Lime juice, fresh-squeezed

2 CLOVES Garlic, finely minced

1/2 TSP Mint, dried

Finish

1 C Plum tomatoes, diced

1 C English cucumber, diced

1/2 C Scallions, chopped fine

1 BUNCH Italian parsley, chopped fine

2 TSP Kosher salt

Fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Cucumber Yogurt Sauce:

1-1/2 C English cucumber, peeled

1/2 PINT Sour cream

1/2 PINT Yogurt

2 CLOVES Garlic, minced fine

1 TBL Mint, dried

Salad:

1. Pour the bulghar into a mixing bowl, then add the salt and pour in the boiling water.

2. Cover with plastic and let soak for 30 minutes.

3. Whisk dressing together and stir into the bulghur.

4. Allow flavors to blend in the refridgerator for three hours.

5. Carefully stir in finishing ingredients.

6. Taste to correct seasoning.

Sauce:

1. Shred cucumber with a cheese grater.

2. Combine all ingredients and allow to chill in the refrigerator for a few hours before serving.

Grill-roasted Babaganouj:

By roasting this in your grill, you get the light smoky flavor of barbecues of the past.

2 Medium eggplants

1/2 C Tahini

4 CLOVES Garlic, minced fine

1/2 BUNCH Italian parsley, rinsed and chopped fine

Juice of 1 large lemon

3 Scallions, chopped fine

2 TSP Kosher salt

1 TSP Fresh-ground black pepper

1 TBL Extra virgin olive oil

1. Light the grill and turn one burner on medium. Adjust heat until temperature reaches 400 degrees.

2. Cut stems off the eggplant and pierce the skin in several places with a fork. Place the eggplant in an oven-safe baking dish and slow roast in grill over indirect heat for 45 minutes, or until the eggplant has wilted and they are totally soft.

3. Remove from grill and allow to cool. Separate the peel from the insides. In a mixing bowl, mash the insides well and stir in the Tahini, garlic, parsley, lemon juice, scallions, salt, and pepper.

4. Place in the refrigerator and chill well. Drizzle with a good olive oil before serving.

Mad coyote Joe's Blah Blah Blog: Early Spring Minestrone

Mad coyote Joe's Blah Blah Blog: Early Spring Minestrone: Looking out my window at the sky, I realize that even though it’s still chilly in the mornings, winter’s back has finally been broken. T...

Mad coyote Joe's Blah Blah Blog: Early Spring Minestrone

Mad coyote Joe's Blah Blah Blog: Early Spring Minestrone: Looking out my window at the sky, I realize that even though it’s still chilly in the mornings, winter’s back has finally been broken. T...

Mad coyote Joe's Blah Blah Blog: Early Spring Minestrone

Mad coyote Joe's Blah Blah Blog: Early Spring Minestrone: Looking out my window at the sky, I realize that even though it’s still chilly in the mornings, winter’s back has finally been broken. T...

Early Spring Minestrone

Looking out my window at the sky, I realize that even though it’s still chilly in the mornings, winter’s back has finally been broken. The ground is moist and ready to come alive with another beautiful spring here in the Sonoran desert. So I’ll get the weeds out of my yard and then till the garden. I love going over to the Home Depot and buying the little packs of baby peppers, tomatoes and so on. I garden just for the fun of it. If my mind gets occupied with other tasks I let the garden go long before I reap its rewards. My sister is a true master gardener. Which brings me to my point… Fresh Produce!

I was pleased to drop by a farmers market last weekend. I wish the readers could have seen the freshness and variety of greens and vegetables. I stop by on a regular basis. I like to see what’s available and then build a meal around those fresh vegetables. The Farmers Market is a fantastic resource for a community. Yes, I shop at my local grocery store for produce the rest of the week, but on Saturday morning it’s so nice to walk through the market. I get a cup of coffee, and then shop and chat with old friends and neighbors. Then I’m back home working out a meal plan using my fresh produce. Several years ago I came up with this recipe for a light variation on minestrone.

Early Spring Minestrone

I know Italian food purists will argue with this recipe. But there is a school of thought out there that says regional dishes follow the seasons. Winter minestrone is heavy with medium sized pasta and a beefier feel. As spring approaches, with so many fresh vegetable choices, I wanted to make a lighter and yet very comforting soup. This delicious recipe is a starting point rather than a strict road map. The flavors are based around the fennel, onions, garlic and pesto, with the other vegetables and pasta. Use whatever is fresh and whatever you have on hand. Serve with fresh bread, which is also available at the farmers market.

1 fennel bulb, stems and core removed and chopped fine

1 bunch scallions, chopped fine

2 cloves garlic, minced

5 Tbl. Extra virgin olive oil

8 to 10 cups of chicken broth (enough to cover by a few inches)

½ head cauliflower, cut into small pieces

6-8 stalks asparagus, woody stems removed and cut into 1-inch pieces

4 or 5 baby zucchini cut in half

4 or 5 baby crooked neck squash, cut in half

A handful of green beans cut into bite sized pieces

4 or 5 baby carrots

a handful of sugar snap peas

4 or baby corn

(I just walk through the market and get a little of what ever looks fresh)

1 14oz. Can redi-cut tomatoes

4 or 5 ounces of dried spaghetti or angle hair pasta broken into quarters

a pinch of good Greek oregano

Black pepper to taste

Over medium heat, in a heavy soup pot or Dutch oven, sauté the fennel, onion and garlic, slowly until soft but not browned. Add the chicken broth and then all other vegetables and the pasta, oregano and black pepper. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Serve in big soup bowls with a dollop of fresh pesto (don’t you dare use the store bought stuff).

Serves 6 to 8

Fresh pesto

Also use this amazing condiment or fresh bread, homemade pizza, over pasta and with grilled meats, poultry and fish!

¼ cup pine nuts

2 cloves garlic, Minced

2 tsp. Kosher or sea salt

a grind or two of fresh black pepper

4 oz fresh basil leaves

1/3 of a cup of extra virgin olive oil

1/3 of a cup of fresh grated Parmigiano Reggiano

Pulse the pine nuts, garlic, salt and pepper in a food processor, until it forms a coarse meal. Add in the basil leaves and oil and pulse until it forms a coarse paste. You will need to scrape down the sides of the food processor a few times in the process. Remove from food processor to serving bowl and stir in the parmigiano reggiano.

Make about 2 cups

Warmly,

Mad Coyote Joe

Mad coyote Joe's Blah Blah Blog: Food and Film, Pork Pebil ala Robert Rodriguez

Tequila, Habanero Chiles, Guns, Bananna Leaves... Authentic Mexican CookingWhat More do you want!
Mad coyote Joe's Blah Blah Blog: Food and Film, Pork Pebil ala Robert Rodriguez: Food and Film, Pork Pebil ala Robert Rodriguez A few years back I got a call from my friend Bruce Jones. Bruce was the Operations Mana...

Food and Film, Pork Pebil ala Robert Rodriguez

Food and Film, Pork Pebil ala Robert Rodriguez

A few years back I got a call from my friend Bruce Jones. Bruce was the Operations Manager at CBS 5 in Phoenix. I met Bruce 15 years ago. He was working at ABC15 at the time. Bruce had come up with an idea for a grilling show, to be shot outdoors. A co-worker of his Don McClure had suggested me as the host. In our first meeting I suggested calling the project The Sonoran Grill. Over the next five years I met with Bruce at least once a week to go over the show.

The reason for Bruce’s call was to suggest I rent the Robert Rodriguez movie Once Upon a Time in Mexico. As an avid fan of the technical aspects of television and film, Bruce was very impressed with the film. All of the special effects were digital. In other words they didn’t blow anything up. Back in the studio they added the flames, explosions and so on. In the special features section of the DVD Rodriguez added a ten-minute film school and a ten-minute cooking school.

In the movie Johnny Depp’s character, “Sands”, a corrupt CIA agent, along with killing robbing and so on, is in search of the best Pork Pebil in all of Mexico. When ever he finds a worthy plate of this delicious slow roasted pork he kills the cook for some obscure artistic reason.

In the ten-minute cooking school Rodriguez gives his recipe for Pork Pebil, along with some good solid cooking advise.

Bruce was so impressed with the cooking school that he went out and got all the ingredients and made pork pebil. It was both delicious and easy. The recipe calls for banana leaves which work as a sort of flavored parchment paper. They can be found at Ranch Market, Food City or ordered at AJ's.

He transcribed the recipe from the cooking school and e-mailed it to me.

So the next time you have a lazy day around the house with family or friends coming over, give it a try. It’s delicious. This is good example of authentic Mexican cooking. The flavors are very complex and your house will be filled with a heavenly aroma.

We like to watch any of the El mariachi trilogy while we’re waiting for the meal. Like water for Chocolate is another great food related movie based in Mexico. And while we’re on the subject of food and movies Big Night, written, directed and starring Stanley Tucci is one of my all time favorite food movies. It truly reveals the soul of cooking.

Pork Pebil ala Rodriguez

Serve with any or all of the following; white rice, fresh corn tortillas, charro beans, chopped white onion, cilantro, avocado, roasted chiles, sliced cucumber, radish, tomato and ice cold Mexican beer.

Ingredients

2 lbs of banana leaves

2 5-lb pork shoulders

5 tablespoons of Achot`e paste

2 tablespoons of Cumin Seeds

1 tablespoon of Black pepper

8 balls of all spice

½ tablespoon of cloves

2 tablespoons of salt

Juice of 5 Lemons

3 Habanera Chiles seeded and veined

2 cups of Orange Juice

1/2 cup of White Vinegar

Splash of Tequila

Grind all dry ingredients (except salt) until very fine.

Blend with remaining ingredients (except pork and banana leaves)

in a blender until liquid and smooth. Cut pork into 2 inch cubes and place in a large Ziploc bag and pour your blender contents into the bag, seal and then coat all the meat in the bag.

Line roasting pan with layers of banana leaves and make sure there are no gaps. Pour entire contents of Ziploc bag onto the banana leaves and then fold them up and over the meat so that it covers the entire contents, sealing it up as much as possible. Cover the entire roasting pan with aluminum foil and seal it well so that no steam can escape.

Place the sealed pan into and oven/grill at 325 and roast for 4 hours. Discard the banana leaves and serve the meat over white or Spanish rice. The meat is very tender and we generally pull it apart for a pulled Puerco over white rice.

We have marinated in the bags overnight and it produces a somewhat deeper flavor.

A five pound roast will serve about 20 people.

Mad coyote Joe's Blah Blah Blog: Spain

Mad coyote Joe's Blah Blah Blog: Spain: Spain I'm quite perplexed! I keep a good eye on my stats and for the past several months Spain has been the number 2 location in the world f...

Spain

Spain

I'm quite perplexed! I keep a good eye on my stats and for the past several months Spain has been the number 2 location in the world for hits to our blog. And the number of hits is growing every week. So why Spain? Hmmmm; if you are following this blog and located in Spain please send a message telling us how you found us and what drew you to this blog! We are very interested in this type of information from anywhere on the planet so if you live elsewhere, by all means talk to us.

Oh, and thanks.

Warmly,

Mad Coyote Joe

Early Spring Minestrone

Early Spring Minestrone

Living here I always think of spring as soon as we get into January. Yes it's still cold but this feels like spring so I wanted to share a recipe that works well in both late winter and early spring.

I know Italian food purists will argue with this recipe. But there is a school of thought out there that says regional dishes follow the seasons. Winter minestrone is heavy with medium sized pasta and a beefier feel. As spring approaches, with so many fresh vegetable choices, I wanted to make a lighter and yet very comforting soup. This delicious recipe is a starting point rather than a strict road map. The flavors are based around the fennel, onions, garlic and pesto, with the other vegetables and pasta. Use whatever is fresh and whatever you have on hand. Serve with fresh bread, which is also available at the farmers market.

1 fennel bulb, stems and core removed and chopped fine

1 bunch scallions, chopped fine

2 cloves garlic, minced

5 Tbl. Extra virgin olive oil

8 to 10 cups of chicken broth (enough to cover by a few inches)

½ head cauliflower, cut into small pieces

6-8 stalks asparagus, woody stems removed and cut into 1-inch pieces

4 or 5 baby zucchini cut in half

4 or 5 baby crooked neck squash, cut in half

A handful of green beans cut into bite sized pieces

4 or 5 baby carrots

a handful of sugar snap peas

4 or baby corn

(I just walk through the market and get a little of what ever looks fresh)

1 14oz. Can redi-cut tomatoes

4 or 5 ounces of dried spaghetti or angle hair pasta broken into quarters

a pinch of good Greek oregano

Black pepper to taste

Over medium heat, in a heavy soup pot or Dutch oven, sauté the fennel, onion and garlic, slowly until soft but not browned. Add the chicken broth and then all other vegetables and the pasta, oregano and black pepper. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Serve in big soup bowls with a dollop of fresh pesto (don’t you dare use the store bought stuff).

Serves 6 to 8

Fresh pesto

Also use this amazing condiment or fresh bread, homemade pizza, over pasta and with grilled meats, poultry and fish!

¼ cup pine nuts

2 cloves garlic, Minced

2 tsp. Kosher or sea salt

a grind or two of fresh black pepper

4 oz fresh basil leaves

1/3 of a cup of extra virgin olive oil

1/3 of a cup of fresh grated Parmigiana Reggiano

Pulse the pine nuts, garlic, salt and pepper in a food processor, until it forms a coarse meal. Add in the basil leaves and oil and pulse until it forms a coarse paste. You will need to scrape down the sides of the food processor a few times in the process. Remove from food processor to serving bowl and stir in the parmigiana reggiano.

Make about 2 cups

Warmly,

Mad Coyote Joe

Who are you in 2012?

Who are you in 2012?

One of the great things about writing this blog is access to the statistical analysis, which the blog program tracks. It tells us; who is reading this blog, how long they stay on, where they are from, and which post they are reading.

Let’s take a look at the numbers. Below are two charts from my blog statistics page. The first is a chart showing the majority of page views over the two and a half year life of this blog. Our page has had, combined total number of 16,908 views. That’s an average of 528 views a month and 17 a day. But if we look at last month’s numbers, 1561 we have now grown to little over 50 hits a day.

If we look at the first chart, we have had 134 visits from Spain, 86 of which have happened in the last month. This begs that question what has happened to cause the rise in views from Spain. If you are following this blog and living in Spain please send a message and let us know what we are doing to attract your attention.

Another curious fact is, whenever I post poetry, I get several hits from Hungary. Someone there likes my poetry1

Our most read post is not about food or cooking, but about, Conex Box, also known as Shipping Container, building which as had 451 hits. Most of which are from Australia.

Once again we ask for you to tell us what attracts you to our site. And as always we’d love to answer any questions that you might have.

All Time Stats;

United States	12,032
United Kingdom	639
Canada	406
Germany	397
Russia	246
Australia	238
Malaysia	201
Slovenia	190
Spain	134
Latvia	112

Stats Dec. 2011

United States	1,070
Spain	86
United Kingdom	82
Germany	66
Russia	44
Australia	29
Canada	24
India	16
France	12
Netherlands	9