Asian Tofu Adventures on Canadian TV

Asian Tofu Adventures on Canadian TV - Viet World Kitchenwindow.fbAsyncInit = function() { FB.init( { apiKey: 'a279adbe87e2b3c505e777af99a5260d', xfbml: true } );};( function() { var e = document.createElement( 'script' ); e.async = true; e.src = document.location.protocol + '//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js'; document.getElementById( 'fb-root' ).appendChild( e );} )();Viet World Kitchen Home Asian DumplingsRecipe IndexClasses+EventsFav SitesAbout MePermission+Credit Welcome! Join me to explore, create, and contribute to the culinary traditions of Asia.

Andrea Nguyen
Author & Teacher
Send a message

My Books + App
Book trailer, info on ebook w/ video, sample content
BUY NOW @ Amazon, B&N, iBooks, IndieBound, J. Biscuit & local bookstores
* * *

BUY NOW @ Amazon, B&N, iBooks, IndieBound, J. Biscuit & local bookstores
* * *

Info on e-book w/ videos!
BUY NOW @ Amazon, B&N, iBooks, IndieBound, J. Biscuit & local bookstores
* * *

The mobile app is here!
BUY NOW @ iTunes store

« Faux Viet Crab Noodle Soup & Coagulating Soy Milk Video Tip |Main| Whirlwind Tofu Monday: Seattle TV, Radio and Class »

September 13, 2012Asian Tofu Adventures on Canadian TV

The past three days of this week in Vancouver have been challenging -- early morning TV show appearances and evening cooking classes. I'm not a morning person so waking up at 6am three days in a row and going to bed soon after I get back from teaching was, frankly weird. But hey, when it rains, it pours and you just shouldn't say "no" to TV exposure. Plus I like the spontaneity of television.

The day before each TV appearance, I prepped the demo and packed up all my stuff -- small wares, equipment, food, and props -- knowing that I'd only be able to somewhat blindly get everything together minutes before my ride arrived. Here's a recap of how things went:

Monday, September 10: City TV's Breakfast Television
My alarm didn't go off and when I woke up, it was 6:43 a.m.! Random House publicist Trish Kells was picking me up at 7:10 a.m. I showered and did my hair very quickly, then grabbed my bus tub (remember how my favorite piece of gear for food gigs is the bus tub?). Trish was outside waiting and we drove to the studio in downtown Vancouver. Breakfast TV had coffee and rolls, and more importantly  -- a make up person. I needed to be camera friendly.  

Turns out I'd been in the studio years before with Nathan Fong to film a segment from the Vietnamese book. It's a great kitchen. We were all having a fun time -- camera crew, show host Jody Vance and I talking about tofu and feeding it to kids when suddenly, we were live! Yikes, time to cook. 

The smoked pressed tofu stir-fried with pepper and pork turned out well; the recipe is in the "Main Dishes" chapter of Asian Tofu. Jody seriously love the dish, and asked for a signed copy of the book after we taped. The four minutes flew by like 2 minutes. Here I am with Jody, posing with a forkful of tofu. 

City TV doesn't let me grab the embed code to place the video here for you to watch. But you can jump to their site to watch the tofu action.  

Tuesday, September 11: CTV Morning News

This my first time in a operating news room and it was so exciting. We had to be quiet while the weatherman did his thing in front of a green screen. Producer prepped show host Aamer Haleem well. He asked great questions, and before taping, we joked about how pronouncing "Nguyen" is a win-win situation. Hahahaha. As the weather man said, "If you do morning TV, you have to be funny. It's too early to be serious."

Aamer and I had a riotous time and the segment was about 6 minutes long -- a lifetime in television. I had a swap out of the dressing he'd made, and off camera, he faked being a pissy about working so hard on air. 

Right after we finished the dish, everyone came over to taste it. Then we whipped out our phones for a group photo.

There was no script for the comedic interaction between me, Aamer, and the tofu. Watch me make the Japanese white tofu and vegetable salad with him; the recipe is in the "Salads and Sides" chapter of Asian Tofu. (Sorry that I can't insert the video into the post. There's no embed function on the CTV site.)

Wednesday, September: Global TV Morning News

By the time I got to Wednesday morning, I was tired. I'd been making dumplings from scratch the night before for 16 people in the master classs. Somehow, I got up at 6am, ready for action.

That said, what I wasn't prepared for was a studio that was totally controlled by robotics. There was one woman with a handheld camera but show host Sophie Liu spoke to screens. She was wired and heard the producers' cues.

I typically review what we'll do with the show host and then we do it on the spot -- when the camera people tell you to roll. That's why in this video I'm looking into space at the beginning. But then, we got talking and cooking. Everything worked out great. I just had to warm up to the high-tech studio and talk to the screens. This time, I can share the video with you!

   

Sophie loves tofu and the spicy yuba ribbons (see the "Salads and Sides" chapter in Asian Tofu for the recipe) it her vegetarian diet. I left the leftovers on set for her and the crew.

Upcoming Asian Tofu in the media...

Saturday, Sept. 15, 11am: KCRW Good Food with Evan Kleinman (radio segment)Monday, Sept. 17, 11am-ish: King 5, New Day Northwest (live TV, Seattle)Related post: How to do 1,000 tastings and avoid disasterPosted in Asian Tofu, Cooking Tips & Tools, Cooking video tips, Recipes: All, Recipes: Chinese, Recipes: Japanese, Recipes: Main Course, Recipes: Tofu, Recipes: Vegan, Recipes: Vegetarian | Permalink

| | |

TrackBack

TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.typepad.com/services/trackback/6a00d8341ef22f53ef017c31d75ee4970b

Listed below are links to weblogs that reference Asian Tofu Adventures on Canadian TV:

Comments Asian Tofu Adventures on Canadian TV

The past three days of this week in Vancouver have been challenging -- early morning TV show appearances and evening cooking classes. I'm not a morning person so waking up at 6am three days in a row and going to bed soon after I get back from teaching was, frankly weird. But hey, when it rains, it pours and you just shouldn't say "no" to TV exposure. Plus I like the spontaneity of television.

The day before each TV appearance, I prepped the demo and packed up all my stuff -- small wares, equipment, food, and props -- knowing that I'd only be able to somewhat blindly get everything together minutes before my ride arrived. Here's a recap of how things went:

Monday, September 10: City TV's Breakfast Television
My alarm didn't go off and when I woke up, it was 6:43 a.m.! Random House publicist Trish Kells was picking me up at 7:10 a.m. I showered and did my hair very quickly, then grabbed my bus tub (remember how my favorite piece of gear for food gigs is the bus tub?). Trish was outside waiting and we drove to the studio in downtown Vancouver. Breakfast TV had coffee and rolls, and more importantly  -- a make up person. I needed to be camera friendly.  

Stay Connected                    Asian Tofu in the News"Cooking with Tofu (Are You Serious?!)"
— Michael Rulhman on his tofu conversion

"This book should be a priority for anyone with the slightest interest in Asian cuisines."
— Anne Mendelson, Taste & Travel

"The most gratifying part about cooking from Asian Tofu is that all the recipes work the way they’re written."
— T. Susan Chang, Boston Globe

Book info, reviews, radio & TV . . .Events: Demo & classesSat., Sep 29, 12-4pm, @LoveAppleFarms, Santa Cruz
Into the Vietnamese Kitchen, hands-on {SOLD OUT}

Wed., Oct 24, 9am, @GourmandiseLA, Santa Monica
Follow that Chef, demo & tasting {SOLD OUT}

Sat., Oct 20, 12-4pm, @LoveAppleFarms, Santa Cruz
Asian Dumplings, hands-on {nearly sold out}

Sat., Nov 10, 2-5pm, @GourmandiseLA, Santa Monica
Asian Tofu, hands-on {SOLD OUT}

Sun., Nov 11, 2-5pm, @GourmandiseLA, Santa Monica
Asian Dumplings, hands-on {SOLD OUT}

new TWTR.Widget({ version: 2, type: 'profile', rpp: 3, interval: 30000, width: 'auto', height: 300, theme: { shell: { background: '#8f1414', color: '#ffffff' }, tweets: { background: '#ffffff', color: '#756875', links: '#8f1414' } }, features: { scrollbar: false, loop: false, live: false, behavior: 'all' }}).render().setUser('aqnguyen').start();Recent PostsFermented Tofu Misozuke RecipeLocal Tofu Gems in Seattle, Vancouver, PortlandWhirlwind Tofu Monday: Seattle TV, Radio and ClassAsian Tofu Adventures on Canadian TVFaux Viet Crab Noodle Soup & Coagulating Soy Milk Video TipNo-Fuss Dumpling Folding VideoVancouver, Seattle and Portland Sept EventsTofu in Comic Strips: Butt of Jokes, Tool of Satire, Agent of Change?Chicken, Tofu and Shiitake Lettuce Cups RecipeGiveaway: Food Gal App for Bay Area Eats!Copyright 2002-2012 by Andrea Nguyen | Privacy Policy

document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + (document.location.protocol == "https:" ? "https://sb" : "http://b") + ".scorecardresearch.com/beacon.js'%3E%3C/script%3E"));COMSCORE.beacon({ c1: 2, c2: "6035669", c3: "", c4: "http://www.vietworldkitchen.com/blog/2012/09/asian-tofu-on-canadian-tv.html", c5: "", c6: "", c15: ""});

View the original article here

Black Pepper Beef Stir-fry

Everyone loves a quick and easy beef stir-fry, especially Chinese beef stir-fry. This quick and easy pepper steak is from my cookbook Easy Chinese Recipes. I used black pepper, red, and green bell peppers to stir fry the beef. The seasonings are Chinese: soy sauce, oyster sauce, and Worcestershire sauce. With a tint of Chinese rice wine and sesame oil, this pepper steak stir-fry is delicious and goes extremely well with steamed rice.

If you love the taste and texture of caramelized onion, stir-fry it a little long so the beef (steak) soaks up all the flavors. Be generous with the black pepper like I do, as it completes the flavor of this popular beef stir-fry and delivers the ultimate pepper steak that everyone loves.

(Click Page 2 for the Beef Stir-Fry Recipe)

Pages: 1 2

Do you love black pepper? I do. Think black pepper crab, black pepper beef (served on a sizzling hot plate!), and black pepper in the many concoctions that ultimately add depth and awesomeness to the dish. Don’t you just love black pepper? I made black pepper chicken for dinner last night. It was a very spontaneous recipe. I had a…

I admire people who can write beautifully, especially about food, and that’s one of the reasons why I admire Carolyn Jung, A.K.A. Food Gal, a food and wine writer extraordinaire. Food Gal is an award-winning food blog about recipes, restaurants, celeb chefs, and everything food and wine related. I love great food writing and that’s why I am often glued…

A fellow Malaysian at Ohio Wagyu sent me some of his farm-raised wagyu beef. He flew the beef overnight to me, and when I received them, they were still ice cold and frozen. My favorite of all was the flank steak, which I used to make the ponzu and miso butter steak, and the leftover, I made them into Chinese…

This Cantonese beef stew is inspired by the lamb stew that I had a couple of years ago in Hong Kong. Whenever it’s winter time or the weather is cold, lamb stew is a popular dish for the denizens in Hong Kong as lamb is a “heaty” meat and the clay pot stew complement it to give warmth to the…

View the original article here

Oven-Roasted Pinakbet with Bacon

Oven-Roasted Pinakbet with Bacon - Burnt Lumpia: Filipino Food | Filipino Recipes | Culinary Hijinkswindow.fbAsyncInit = function() { FB.init( { apiKey: 'a279adbe87e2b3c505e777af99a5260d', xfbml: true } );};( function() { var e = document.createElement( 'script' ); e.async = true; e.src = document.location.protocol + '//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js'; document.getElementById( 'fb-root' ).appendChild( e );} )();Burnt Lumpia: Filipino Food | Filipino Recipes | Culinary HijinksLumpia FillingAbout Burnt LumpiaFilipino Food Recipe ArchiveLinks Get My FeedWelcomeRecent PostsOven-Roasted Pinakbet with BaconCookbook Update: A Title Change, and a Quick Peek InsideHomemade TofuHomemade Limoncello w/ Calamansi Limes (Calamancello)Pork and Rhubarb SinigangChicken Adobo and 40 Cloves of GarlicCookbook Update: Manuscript & Photos DoneHome-Cured Corned BeefA Journey with LinamnamCookbook Recipe Testers Wanted!CategoriesAdobo RecipesAdobo Road CookbookBeefBeer, Liquor, & WineBL OriginalsBL Restaurant ReviewsBooksCookbooksDessertsFruits and VeggiesGiveawaysHolidaysHow to Make LumpiaKalamansiKinilawLasang PinoyMy Cookbook!On The GrillOtherPancit (Filipino Noodles)PorkPoultryRiceSeafoodThe BL FamThe Manila MachineTravelUbe RecipesVinegar (Suka) « Cookbook Update: A Title Change, and a Quick Peek Inside |Main

August 29, 2012Oven-Roasted Pinakbet with Bacon

I didn't know it until I started writing this particular post, but 5 years ago, I wrote about how I first learned to make the Filipino vegetable stew known as Pinakbet. In that old post, I boldly proclaimed that Pinakbet "is my most favorite food in the whole entire world times infinity!" (man, I was a wordsmith back in the day).

Fast forward 5 years and you know what? Pinakbet is STILL my most favorite food in the whole entire world times infinity! (man, I've still got it!!)

My fondness for the Filipino vegetable medley probably just stems from the stew being a part of my childhood and upbringing—it's a comfort food for me. And besides, with sweet and tangy tomatoes, bitter melon, a touch of fish sauce and asmattering of pork belly, I love the interplay of all of the 5 tastes (sweet, sour, salty, bitter, Umami) in this dish.

Since learning how to make Pinakbet all those years ago, I estimate that I've probably made it well over 100 times (at least once a month for 5 years, plus a gajillion more times for my cookbook, you do the math).

But I've found that if you do something enough times, you start looking for different ways to make things interesting, not because you're bored or tired of the original, but just because you can. Probably kinda like how Kobe can throw up that occassional left-handed runner when there's absolutely no need to (I am by no means calling myself the "Kobe Bryant of Pinakbet Preparers." But maybe Nick Van Exel is more appropriate—my pinakbet is good and dependable, yet open to occassional fits of craziness [humblebrag]).

So that's what I did with my latest Pinakbet--I just did something a bit different for the heck of it, but with great results. This is a simple variation on the "classic" Filipino vegetable stew. And by "classic", I mean within the context of my own family. Your classic Pinakbet might contain cubes of kabocha squash, tender okra, lima beans, and a healthy smattering of Bagoong (fermented shrimp paste). And that's fine. But in my family, my Great Auntie Puyong (The Michael Jordan of Pinakbet Preparers) uses just tomatoes, onions, garlic, eggplant, bittermelon, longbeans, Lechon Kawali, and fish sauce. Simple. Straighforward. Streamlined. Just the way I like it.

OK. So now to that variation I was talking about. Actually, there's a couple. First, instead of Lechon Kawali, I use bacon in this version. Specifically, I roast a few slices of bacon in a roasting pan in the oven. After the bacon is nice and crisp, I remove it from the pan, but leave in the tasty drippings. Then I take my vegetables and throw them into the roasting pan and toss them about until they are all nice and slicked with bacon fat. And into the oven the vegetables go.

So, if you're keeping score at home, instead of layering the vegetables in a pot on the stovetop and steaming them in their own juices (the traditional way), they are roasted into submission in the oven. And like any other vegetables roasted in the oven, the Pinakbet veg obtain a certain sweetness that they could not have gotten by steaming (even the bitter melon, to a certain extent). The onions, garlic, and cherry tomatoes get especially sweet after a roast in the oven, and the eggplant acts like a sponge and soaks up much of the bacon fat and flavor.

Towards the end of roasting, I stir in a couple tablespoons of fish sauce. Admittedly, the finished Pinakbet is nowhere near as soupy as I usually like it (it's not soupy at all, in fact), but this drier version is a good change of pace.

Oh, and that bacon? It's crumbled atop everything just before serving.

Oven-Roasted Pinakbet with Bacon

Serves 4-6

4-6 slices bacon
1 pint cherry tomatoes, left whole
1 medium onion, sliced
6 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
2 Asian eggplant, cut in half lengthwise, and then cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1 large bittermelon, cut in half lengthwise, seeds removed, and then cut into 1/2-inch chunks
15-20 longbeans, cut into 2-inch lengths
2 tablespoons fish sauce
Water, as needed

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Arrange the slices of bacon in a single layer in a large roasting pan. Place the bacon in the oven and roast until crispy, about 15 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels and set aside. Drain all but 2 tablespoons of bacon fat from the pan.

Add all of the vegetables to the roasting pan and toss until everything is coated in the remaining bacon grease. Place the roasting pan into the oven and roast the vegetables for 30 minutes, gently tossing and stirring the vegetables every 10 minutes.

During the last 10 minutes of roasting, stir in the fish sauce. If you find that any of the vegetables begin to burn or stick to the pan, add a few tablespoons of water to deglaze. The vegetables are done when they are wilted, caramelized, and tender. Some cherry tomatoes will burst, some won't; it's all good.

Crumble the bacon over the vegetables just before serving. Serve with steamed white rice.

Posted by Burnt Lumpia at 03:08 PM | Permalink

| | |

TrackBack

TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.typepad.com/services/trackback/6a00d8341bfcac53ef01774460876c970d

Listed below are links to weblogs that reference Oven-Roasted Pinakbet with Bacon:

Comments

I love pinakbet and I love roasted vegetables (and I love bacon). I can't wait to try this version! Brilliant!

Posted by:Charlynne B |August 30, 2012 at 05:47 AM

Cool! I've been meaning to try making pinakbet, but some of the ingredients are hard to come by. It looks like I could attempt this version. Will it be shameful if I use liquid smoke instead of bacon to make it vegetarian-ish?

Posted by:Shipwrekkt |August 30, 2012 at 08:02 AM

I'd love to try this version when the weather gets cooler. Roasting these types of vegetables (especially bittermelon, my favorite) is making me anxious to do this. the addition of bacon is also a neat twist!

My mom has taken to making pinakbet without the bagoong in her attempt to make it healthier. it's pretty good without the bagoong, but i prefer it with.

Posted by:caninecologne |September 01, 2012 at 06:51 PM

patis is a good substitute for bagoong if people find bagoong too fishy. patis is, after all, that pure golden amber liquid that forms on top of good bagoong.

Posted by:sandrita |September 02, 2012 at 01:52 AM

I love pinakbet! What a fun post, too! Can't wait to try out this recipe.

Posted by:Amanda |September 05, 2012 at 09:44 PM

I can't wait to try it this way!

Posted by:Camille |September 13, 2012 at 10:36 PM

Good luck ,Great post,y love you!Thanks for the info it had cleared out too many things in my mind. Your recommendations are really good.
http://www.sherryvinegarsubstitute.com

Posted by:gabriela |September 18, 2012 at 12:51 AM

Wow. What a great idea. I will have to try this sometime. I actually like my pinakbet without all that sauce so this works for my preference.

Posted by:Dexie |September 25, 2012 at 03:58 PM

Verify your Comment Previewing your CommentPosted by:  | 

This is only a preview. Your comment has not yet been posted.

Your comment could not be posted. Error type: Your comment has been posted. Post another comment The letters and numbers you entered did not match the image. Please try again.

As a final step before posting your comment, enter the letters and numbers you see in the image below. This prevents automated programs from posting comments.

Having trouble reading this image? View an alternate.

Post a comment (URLs automatically linked.)

Your Information

(Name is required. Email address will not be displayed with the comment.)

Name is required to post a comment

Please enter a valid email address

Invalid URL

Follow @BurntLumpiaTwitter Updatesnew TWTR.Widget({ version: 2, type: 'profile', rpp: 4, interval: 6000, width: 'auto', height: 300, theme: { shell: { background: '#8a8888', color: '#030003' }, tweets: { background: '#ffffff', color: '#000000', links: '#0039f5' } }, features: { scrollbar: true, loop: false, live: false, hashtags: true, timestamp: true, avatars: false, behavior: 'all' }}).render().setUser('BurntLumpia').start();Legion of DoomBurnt Lumpia on FacebookSearch
WWW
Burnt Lumpia
ArchivesAugust 2012July 2012June 2012May 2012April 2012March 2012December 2011November 2011October 2011September 2011More...

No BitersCreative Commons License
This work is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 LicenseBlog powered by TypePad document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + (document.location.protocol == "https:" ? "https://sb" : "http://b") + ".scorecardresearch.com/beacon.js'%3E%3C/script%3E"));COMSCORE.beacon({ c1: 2, c2: "6035669", c3: "", c4: "http://burntlumpia.typepad.com/burnt_lumpia/2012/08/oven-roasted-pinakbet-with-bacon.html", c5: "", c6: "", c15: ""});

View the original article here

Mango Summer Rolls

You can feel it in the air. Summer’s almost over. Don’t get me wrong — I’m going to miss the laid-back summer vibe of the city more than the weather itself. And I’d take a cool, crisp fall day over a sticky, 90-degree summer day anytime. I just hate to think about what comes after fall.

I’ve been trying to keep summer going by making as many light, refreshing meals as possible. Last week I got a serious craving for Vietnamese summer rolls but didn’t want to head out to a restaurant just for 2 or 3 appetizer-sized orders (or endure the funny looks I’d receive.) So I decided to make them at home instead, using some recently-purchased mangoes and fresh mint from the market.

To make the filling for mango summer rolls, you’ll need mangoes, mint, and fresh vegetables that can be cut into strips such as carrots and cucumbers. (Lettuce works too.) You’ll also need rice paper wrappers and some rice vermicelli, both available in any large Asian market. The rice vermicelli noodles get soaked in boiled water to soften, then are laid on top of the soaked rice wrapper along with the fresh ingredients. Check out the photos below for a wrapping visual to go along with the recipe:

Yup, it’s that simple! (Well, okay, you can refer to the recipe below again too.) I like to serve the summer rolls with a creamy peanut sauce, accented with just a tiny bit of chili sauce.

If you’ve made summer rolls before, what do you usually like to put in the filling?

__________________________________

Mango Summer Rolls

Serves 4 to 6 as an appetizer

4 ounces dried rice vermicelli noodles1 large mango, peeled and cut into strips1 large carrot, julienned1 large cucumber, julienned24 mint leaves1 package round rice paper wrappers

Peanut Dipping Sauce:

2 tablespoons peanut butter2 tablespoons water1 tablespoon soy sauce2 teaspoons honey2 teaspoons white rice vinegar1 teaspoon chili sauceBring a small pot of water. Place the rice vermicelli noodles in a large heat-proof bowl and pour the just-boiled water over the noodles. Allow the noodles to soak for about 3 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold water, and drain again. Fill a large mixing bowl with room temperature water. Dip a sheet of rice paper wrapper in the water for about 30 to 40 seconds, making sure all sides are wet and the wrapper is very softened. Lay the wrapper flat on a cutting board or other clean surface. Lay a small bunch of vermicelli noodles in the bottom 1/3 of the wrapper. Lay strips of carrot, cucumber, and mango horizontally over the noodles. Top with two mint leaves.Fold the bottom of the rice paper over the filling and begin rolling tightly. Fold the left and right sides of the wrapper over the filling. (See the photos above.) Finish rolling tightly. Lay the finished summer roll seamside-down on a plate and cover with a slightly damp towel. Repeat steps 3 and 4 with the remaining wrappers and filling.Whisk together the ingredients for the peanut dip. Serve the mango summer rolls with the peanut dip on the side. 

__________________________________

Tagged as: Appetizers, Healthy, Mango, Recipes, Vegetarian

View the original article here

Cheesy Brussels Sprouts Gratin

If I were to confess some of my guilty pleasures in life, then these brussels sprouts photographs would convey much of what I’m already about to say. Warm melted cheese, gooey-salty-decadent-calorie-laden cheese on top of perfectly fresh and healthy vegetables should be illegal. I think of this often when a gorgeous bowl of green veggies gaze back at me with fresh, vibrant eyes. Instead of reaching for the steamer and ideas of a raw salad, I reach for the rind of parmesan cheese, cream and block of butter.

Over 98.6572% of the time I prepare my vegetables very simply in a light saute or raw, crunchy salad. This is how I appreciate my vegetables the most and sums up the way I ate as a vegetarian for almost twenty years. But when the air begins to crisp up to cooler embrace, I sense that Fall is near. That’s when I’m guilty of killing my vegetables in a casserole pool of cheese and cream.

Thankfully I don’t eat my vegetables like this every day, but when I do, I really appreciate every bite of dreamy, rich decadence. And then I always try to remember that there’s vegetable hidden somewhere in all this cheesy mess.

Sometimes a girl needs a few bites of gratin pleasure and I’m always willing to treat myself to a dish like this. Unfortunately, now comes my second confession: I could eat this whole casserole dish of brussels sprouts gratin all by myself. This is not a good thing.

Portion control has always been one of my struggles when it comes to food. With each amazing bite comes the desire to eat ten more bites. My mind is always thinking it could eat more and my stomach is always too slow at catching up to know that it’s full. It’s not until I’ve devoured two huge helpings that I realize my sense of control never existed.

Knowing when to stop eating is something I’m still lacking at. Aside from the fact that I do love cooking, eating and everything associated with food, my will power is incredibly weak for portions. Yes, I’ve tried all the talk about eating slower, only eating small portions, walking away, using smaller dishes…..whatever. My mind tells me that if the food is delicious, eat another plate before it goes to waste.

Balance is something I’ve always been thoughtful of and with all the travel we’ve been on, I realize that I’ve ignored the gym more than I should. Perhaps it’s the lack of fitness and exercise that makes eating two portions of food laden with guilt. I’m putting exercise back on my priority list before the holiday season feasting begins.

What’s your strategy for portion control? If it has anything to do with yoga, I don’t need to hear it because I’ve tried that too.

My goal for the next few months is to get back on cardio track again so that I can enjoy more of these warm, cheesy casseroles. This Brussels sprouts gratin is one of my favorite Brussels sprouts dishes for the fall because there’s comfort in every bite. Guaranteed this will be at on our Thanksgiving menu because it’s so simple, wonderful and a pleasure to eat.

-diane

More Brussels Sprouts Recipes :

Shaved Brussels Sprouts Slaw with Bacon

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Sriracha and Mint

Braised Brussels Sprouts in Bacon and Shallots

Baked Brussels Sprouts w/Parmesan Cheese – Haters to Lovers

Roasted Brussels Sprouts w/ Balsamic Vinegar
Yield: Serves 4

Total Time: 1 hour

Sizes of Brussels sprouts can vary dramatically from small to extra large. This quantity difference can affect the results of this recipe. So I've used a weight measurement for ensure consistency with my results. And of course, add more cheese if you like!

about 1.5 pounds of Brussels sprouts, halved2 Tablespoons butter2 Tablespoons flour1.5 cups milk1 cup parmesan cheese, grated1/2 teaspoon kosher salt1/4 cup mayoblack pepper to taste

Pre-heat oven to 350

Clean, trim stems of Brussels sprouts. Cut in half and keep all of loose leaves that. Fill medium stock pot half way with water, bring to boil. Add Brussels sprouts , stirring in hot water and blanch quickly for about 2 minutes or until they turn bright green. Immediate drain. Do not cook Brussels sprouts and make them soft!In large pan melt butter, then add flour and quickly stir with whisk to combine and remove clumps. Turn off heat.Add milk, salt, cheese, mayo and black pepper. Stir until cheese is melted.Add Brussels sprouts and combine with cheese mixture. Pour into baking dish and bake for about 30-45 minutes or until Brussels sprouts are tender.For extra cheese crust, sprinkle cheese on about 10 minutes before Brussels sprouts are finished.

View the original article here