tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18198772383187876072012-01-26T11:53:50.342-05:00The Bicycle-Chef: A Blog full of Recipes, Photos, Humor and Baseball with a side-order of Cycling Tales in The City!The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.comBlogger3541100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-69195311003145064022012-01-26T11:00:00.000-05:002012-01-26T11:53:50.369-05:00

I've been on a bean kick for the past few weeks.  Must be the winter, I'm craving warm, slow cooked meals, comfort foods that are filling, hearty and healthy for you.  Last week I made my Vegetarian Red Beans with Okra and Brown Rice.  I kicked it up a notch by adding a bottle of Harpoon Hop Devil IPA to the cooking liquid and the results were extraordinary.  For the recipe, with

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-60649439416499487852012-01-19T10:00:00.000-05:002012-01-19T12:19:47.350-05:00

This is what I call a Temple Food recipe using three basic ingredients. It can be made in under 30 minutes and you use just two cooking methods. It's a simple meal that tastes delicious and is very good for you.  I made the tilapia in the toaster oven while the red bliss potatoes were boiling/steaming and then steamed the broccoli in the same pot of water in which the potatoes cooked.  

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-24665966036446776382012-01-17T22:00:00.000-05:002012-01-17T22:36:19.045-05:00

I saw a recipe on Hungry Girl the other day and it got me to thinking about making a lower-fat, quick Indian-inspired recipes.  I love Indian food and there are several great places in Philly and Collingswood where I can get take-away.  However, Indian food, while tasty is not exactly diet friendly.  Most dishes are made with clarified butter (Ghee) and full-fat yogurt.  It's delicious but

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-288676838473184812012-01-12T11:00:00.000-05:002012-01-12T11:00:02.798-05:00

I love the annual year in review.  I look forward to the TODAY SHOW's yearly recap of the host/ anchor's antics and CBS Sunday Morning's Remembrance of the Stars and Famous who have passed on.  It's a chance to reflect and smile, sometimes laugh or shed a needed tear. After the end of a year, whether it be good, bad or indifferent you have some psychological distance to be objective and

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-935681951666844032012-01-07T21:12:00.000-05:002012-01-07T21:12:08.997-05:00

Years ago my grandmother told me about having Italian tuna over pasta with tomatoes.  I remember at first thinking this sound insane, until I tried it.  The combination of tuna fish in olive oil over hot pasta with good Italian tomatoes and garlic is a fantastic taste sensation.  It's a classic Italian dish that I've had many times here and in Italy.  Over the years I've varied this idea,

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-59107350931254667732012-01-04T09:00:00.000-05:002012-01-07T21:12:21.312-05:00

My step-mother-in-law and friend, Paula, made a wonderful Christmas dinner for the family this year - Heritage Bird Roast Turkey, fresh from the farm, brined and roasted to perfection; her famous Herron Family Sweet Potatoes, cooked in a gallon of molasses and a pound of butter (!); roasted brussel sprouts with chestnuts and a roasted butternut squash with wilted spinach, craisins and

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-64428478555968682602011-12-31T15:43:00.001-05:002012-01-01T20:27:59.652-05:00

I have not been biking in a month, since the big move from South Philly to Collingswood, NJ.  I have my road bike in storage in our new garage.  The commuting bike has been locked up in an out of the way corner in my workplace.  I've been debating on the best way to get it to the new house - take it on the PATCO line, pick it up and take it apart so it'd fit in the back of our car, or ride it

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-47672154358039000702011-12-28T23:00:00.000-05:002011-12-28T23:18:23.284-05:00

We celebrated our first Christmas in the new house  and it was even more wonderful than we imagined it would be. Technically, we had a "Boxing Day" celebratory meal in our dining room, with friends and family.  Christmas day we went to Liz's Dad's house in Easton and spent the day with the other side of our clan: Sister, Brother, Sister-in-law, nephew and nephew-to-be, Step-Mom, Dad, Aunt

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-33099796360948799862011-12-13T22:30:00.000-05:002011-12-13T22:31:09.888-05:00

Our first Christmas in Collingswood and we were here just in time to catch the Annual Christmas Light Parade of Firetrucks.  All the local boroughs festoon their old, new and somewhere in-between fire trucks with lights, holiday decorations, characters, Santa's, Grinch's, sleighs and whatnot.  There was music and lots of candy canes tossed to the kids along the parade route.  We weren't

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com1Collingswood, NJ, USA39.9181686 -75.07128439.905990100000004 -75.091025 39.9303471 -75.05154300000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-75849594899388769942011-12-05T22:28:00.001-05:002011-12-06T17:02:04.888-05:00

We recently moved to Collingwood, NJ.  It's not even a full week that we are here in this wonderful little town that bills itself as "The Place You Want to Be..." It's listed as one of America's best small towns.  As a life-long city dweller, this move is a radical change for me, having lived in either row homes or apartments for my whole existence.  Granted, I haven't always lived in the

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-13920384055874615462011-11-24T06:00:00.000-05:002011-11-24T06:00:00.304-05:00

I've always been the one to cook Thanksgiving dinner, as far back as I can remember.  Before I became a trained chef, cooking the Thanksgiving meal has been my all time favorite meal to make.  As a teenager, living at home with my bi-polar manic mother, Thanksgiving was and is the only holiday that doesn't have negative memories attached to it.  The gatherings were usually fun and low-key.

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-59528472956328417622011-11-20T10:00:00.000-05:002011-11-20T19:31:00.633-05:00

When it gets colder I want to eat hot cereal for breakfast. I'm not content with Quaker Instant Oats anymore, having graduated to more hearty grains.  As a kid, I ate the instant oatmeal packets.  Shudder to think how much sugar and preservatives I ingested.  Being from South Philly, I also ate a fair share of pastina, the tiny Italian pasta for babies - it's the most minuscule pasta grains,

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-50030136056546170302011-11-15T21:30:00.000-05:002011-11-15T22:52:42.241-05:00

Packing a healthy, mostly vegetarian lunch every day can get a bit tedious, day in and day out.  I usually try to have a lot of prepped salad stuff, cook up extra veggies and make a few whole grain sides like quinoa, brown rice or whole wheat pasta to have on hand for my lunches.  This way I can toss together decent meals quickly the night before and have a healthy lunch to take to work.  

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com2City Hall Station, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA39.952335 -75.16378939.562809 -75.795503 40.341860999999994 -74.53207499999999tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-28261063154502842392011-11-07T00:03:00.001-05:002011-11-07T00:03:53.481-05:00

Along the Bike Lane in Center City Philadelphia - I think it works well with the bike lane directions! A few weeks ago, I saw a photo on my Flickr contact feed that showcased the above Street Art Installation on the green street pole to the top right.  As the installation is in Center City, on a street that I ride along nearly every day, I knew I needed to go and find it to photograph.  I made

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-67056806682853645142011-11-04T12:00:00.000-04:002011-11-04T13:30:14.179-04:00

We are officially in the season of indulgence. It starts with Halloween and all the trick or treat candy, caramel popcorn balls and candy corn.  We move right into the over-eating carb and tryptophan festival known as Thanksgiving. Next we roll ourselves over towards Hanukkah Donuts and Latkes, Christmas Candy, Hams and Pies topping ourselves off with splits of champagne and buttery rich hors'

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-48533003196979197282011-10-29T10:30:00.000-04:002011-10-29T11:05:17.518-04:00

This is the second part of a post related to my receiving several food products from FoodBuzz's Taste Maker Program (that's the group I belong to on Food Buzz, my gracious blog sponsor.)  A month or so ago I received two large packages of panettone bread; one I used in a lightened version of panettone pumpkin bread pudding, the other panettone I froze for a future use.  I also received two

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com0Philadelphia, PA, USA39.952335 -75.16378939.757580499999996 -75.47964599999999 40.1470895 -74.847932tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-15515757702603807332011-10-25T10:00:00.000-04:002011-10-25T11:25:48.087-04:00

Autumn Colours, Pumpkins, Slow Cooked Meals - three things that I love about Fall.  As it gets cooler outside I tend to cook warmer, heartier meals.  Turning on the oven when it's cold outside does more than take the chill out of the air in our kitchen, it warms us inside and out! This Sunday I did my big cooking spree and made a pot of curried split pea soup, roasted zucchini and squash and

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-66059293298639082622011-10-18T22:16:00.000-04:002011-10-18T22:30:42.788-04:00

I love Mexican food and make several Mexican-inspired meals on a regular basis.  Sloppy "Joses"; Fajitas; black beans, sauteed peppers, onions and zucchini over brown rice w/light cheese and sour cream.  I also make a mean batch of Enchiladas, lighter and healthier.  Enchiladas don't have to be a no-no meal for you any more!  This is an easy meal to pull together, great for a week night

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com0Philadelphia, PA 19148, USA39.9120596 -75.148700739.8877146 -75.18818270000001 39.936404599999996 -75.1092187tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-1776866946482507352011-10-08T11:00:00.000-04:002011-10-08T11:00:03.789-04:00

While it is my official month of pumpkin recipes, I'm diverting from my October repertoire a bit to feature my other favorite ingredients, peanut butter, bananas and chocolate, together in one glorious muffin.  This is yet another variation of my nearly foolproof muffin or quick bread recipe, that works well with all bananas, pumpkin or a combination of both.  I'm experimenting with peanut

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-61577914792788274392011-10-07T00:07:00.001-04:002011-10-07T00:07:58.496-04:00

 My tribute to the Phillies and their game 5 of the NLDS - I present some Phillies Phood Phinds!  The pretzels were done by the Philadelphia Pretzel Factory - a recent find.  Everything is good with a pretzel in Philadelphia! This is an older photo, from 2009.  The Respiratory Care Department of Pennsylvania Hospital had a series of carved and decorated pumpkins in the hospital's cafeteria

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-71766539271252462052011-10-04T11:30:00.000-04:002011-10-04T11:30:01.851-04:00

The autumn season always puts me in the mood for cooking and the chill in the air that brings out the desire to cook with spices and pumpkin.  For the past several years I've been pumpkin blogging during the month of October and this month will be no exception. If I can find a way to smartly use pumpkin or other seasonal squash in a recipe, I will.  From Pumpkintini's, Pumpkin Desserts and

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com0Philadelphia, PA, USA39.952335 -75.16378939.757580499999996 -75.47964599999999 40.1470895 -74.847932tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-21382225297671302182011-10-01T14:43:00.003-04:002011-10-01T22:02:13.696-04:00

It's been a fabulous month for deliveries of unique food finds at The Bicycle-Chef's house.  I received two packages of Godiva's limited edition seasonal coffees - Pumpkin Spice and Caramel Pecan Bark, from The Taste Maker program of FoodBuzz.  I was very excited to try both coffees, just to drink as hot beverages but I'm even more jazzed up to use the brewed coffee in recipes.  My first

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-3817094490524101222011-09-29T10:00:00.000-04:002011-09-29T21:00:54.412-04:00

From the recipe files of Tasty Tofu dishes I am sharing an oldie and a goody, Vegan Chocolate Tofu Pudding aka Chocolate Tofu Mousse.  Years ago, when I worked at Whole Foods, this was one of our most popular items on the salad bar and at the grab-and-go area.  It's amazingly rich and luscious and a little goes a long way.  When I was teaching cooking classes at Williams-Sonoma, I taught a

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-38704648580953342802011-09-21T10:00:00.000-04:002011-09-21T10:21:17.904-04:00

Tofu and Buffalo Sauce aren't two food words you would normally read in the same recipe, until now.  When I received a bottle of KC Masterpiece Buffalo Marinade from FoodBuzz, the blog advertiser on my blog, I wasn't quite sure what I would do with it.  I wanted to create an original recipe that is true to my cooking and blog mission - healthy real food that you want to eat.  The usual

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com0Philadelphia, PA, USA39.952335 -75.16378939.757580499999996 -75.47964599999999 40.1470895 -74.847932tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-62898365160978286772011-09-18T22:34:00.001-04:002011-09-19T23:22:11.401-04:00

Over a week ago, I had the chance to do a garden and "Urban Farm" tour of South Philadelphia.  It was organized by the South Philly Food Co-op.  I've been wanting to post photos about our walkabout but never got around to it.  So, before it's the dead of winter, I thought I'd put the photos up and share the experiences of what we found and saw in and around South Philly.  The above photo is

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-21811043603400280772011-09-12T22:30:00.000-04:002012-01-23T13:16:21.887-05:00

Came home to discover a package in the mail today - a bunch of great items back-to-school essentials were delivered to me courtesy of DailyBuzz Moms, the Tastemaker program and blog site that's part of FoodBuzz, my blog advertiser.  Who doesn't love coming home to goodies and gifties?  I sure love 'em!  I had been waiting a few weeks for these to arrive and was about to give up hope when

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-5561360356002752202011-09-10T23:36:00.001-04:002011-09-10T23:36:15.915-04:00

Nate and I did a walkabout today through South Philadelphia, checking out urban public and private gardens.  It was a tour organized by the South Philly Co-op, to raise funds for their food co-op, to bring awareness to the area and to showcase the most innovative and imaginative gardens and urban farms in the South Philadelphia region.  I have a post and lots of photos to come all about our

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-74334408517178327792011-09-08T10:00:00.000-04:002011-09-12T21:28:18.079-04:00

Every summer I make big batches of basil oil, which is similar to pesto but better because it's fresher, lighter, more fragrant and in an odd way, healthier.  The basil oil that I make yields two products (the gorgeous oil and the basil paste), lasts for nearly a year if you freeze it in small batches and you can still make pesto out of it whenever you need it.  I was looking through my recipe

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-44301081459532947012011-09-03T13:28:00.000-04:002011-09-03T13:28:54.261-04:00

Is there such a thing as too many carbohydrates in a meal?  Yes and no.  This is a good carbohydrate meal.  I've mixed whole wheat pasta with Yukon Gold Potatoes and green beans and added blanched  kale to counter act the carbo-overload.  I'm not sure why we call this Peasant Pasta - but Liz named this dish years ago when we used to toss pasta, potatoes and green beans together, with a lot of

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-65890350517093219522011-08-25T22:00:00.006-04:002011-08-26T00:14:13.028-04:00

John C. - Father of the owner of Ms. Goody Cupcake a new bakery on Passyunk Avenue. Over the past month I've been indulging my sweet tooth at nearly every opportunity.  Candy, cupcakes, ice creams, even sweet honey bathed bagels.  Some of these indulgences have been worth the caloric splurge, other bites haven't been worth the extra cycling miles it will take for me to shed the carb intake.

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-37496741038122652042011-08-22T22:30:00.001-04:002011-08-22T23:27:30.928-04:00

Peach picking and a hay ride were some of the many things we did on our traveling vacation last week.  For as many times as I've been to Linvilla Orchards out in Delaware County, PA, and for all the farms we visited in the past week, I've never picked my own fruit out of an orchard. It's always been something I wanted to do and said I'd get around to doing, until the season passed and it would

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-14726997352856569802011-08-19T23:00:00.003-04:002011-08-20T00:04:12.288-04:00

Whenever I go on vacation, I like to a) take my bike if I can and b) scout out the local food finds.  As I mentioned in earlier posts, we're doing a driving vacation this week, driving about 2 hours outside of Philadelphia and into parts of North Western PA, North Central NJ and over to New York to the forgotten Borough - Staten Island (the secret gem of New York!)  So far I've found a lot of

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-71212153351452390332011-08-18T21:55:00.006-04:002011-08-18T22:53:51.143-04:00

We've been doing a driving vacation this past week, visiting with family and friends.  After our first stop in the Lehigh Valley where we visited with Liz's dad, step-mom and sister, we headed out to Hackettstown, New Jersey - which is in the Central and Norther part of the Garden state.  Our travels brought us to a dear friend's house, Lynnette and her fun and lovely family.  Our drive was

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-74263181330558178632011-08-16T10:28:00.004-04:002011-08-17T10:19:44.291-04:00

 Just a coupla chicks peeping peeping out! We're on a little road trip vacation this week, stopping first in the Lehigh Valley area to visit Liz's dad, Paul, and step-mother, Paula, and sister, Kate.  I had hoped to bike while we were here but there's been too much rain to get outside beyond running to the car.  Instead we've been doing mostly indoor things, such as going to the Sigal Museum in

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-42002919923846175372011-08-12T22:50:00.002-04:002011-08-12T23:55:13.059-04:00

As a food blogger with an advertising sponsor, FoodBuzz, I get several offers to opt into per month for new products.  I don't always choose to enter my blog into the offers; some things don't interest me and others aren't in keeping true to my blog's varied mission.  There have been items I'd wanted to try but haven't been selected.   There have been things that I have liked allowing me to

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-2281288253678954122011-08-07T22:22:00.002-04:002011-08-08T12:14:43.703-04:00

The 3rd Annual, nearly quarterly Night Market event happened this past week in Mt. Airy Philadelphia. It was held on Germantown Avenue, between Carpenter Lane and Segwick Streets - span of about 8 blocks.  To say it was a smashing crowded success doesn't begin to scratch the surface of this well-organized fun event.  Night Markets are happening local foodie and beverage events held in various

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com0Philadelphia, PA, USA39.952335 -75.1637890000000139.816841 -75.32605900000001 40.087829 -75.001519tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-10198092606614948952011-08-02T11:00:00.004-04:002011-08-02T11:00:11.480-04:00

The heat continues here in Philadelphia and my desire to cook wanes.  I'm looking for quick, cool meals to make these days or I want recipes that utilize most of my vegetables from the CSA Farm Share I receive each week from Landisdale Farms of Lancaster County.  Ideally I should be eating several vegetables and fruit with every meal but when it's hot sometimes it's easier to forgo what's smart

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-51717785248052913462011-07-29T18:00:00.016-04:002011-07-29T20:55:13.429-04:00

It's hard to drink hot coffee on a hot day and cold coffee just doesn't cutting it when the weather is over 90 degrees for days on end.  Great ideas are inspiration born out of necessity and perspiration and this is a recipe created out from both.  Behold, Godiva Coffee Chocolate Truffle Granita topped a generous drizzle of non-fat sweetened condensed milk.  In "Philly-speak" this is "

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-68928601765517708672011-07-19T12:00:00.002-04:002011-07-26T16:23:51.862-04:00

Another inspiration from our friends, Ennio and Teresa, lavender iced tea.  We were at their lovely South Jersey home over the weekend for brunch and they plied us with the most delicious food, drink and desserts.  A feast of grilled vegetables and meats, a variety of beers and iced teas and a delectable dessert array of blueberry pie and home-made toffee.  I could write a blog post a day for a

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-35330910460319072782011-07-17T23:00:00.012-04:002011-07-18T21:28:41.654-04:00

Once the hot weather lands in Philadelphia, or rather, once the cold, snow and rains stop, I try to cook and grill all of my meals outside.  After a while I either run out of gas (literally) or good grilling ideas.  The food tastes great but I don't get the same thrill from my grill mid-July that I did, say during the early merry month of May.  I need some new techniques, some new foods,

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-54059393900067348962011-07-11T21:30:00.001-04:002011-07-11T23:05:31.441-04:00

In my simple city patio in South Philly I am growing a few huge pots of flowers, herbs and giant pots of Rainbow Chard and Basil.  I wanted to keep the "back yard" clear and simple this year so our inquisitive 21 month old son, Nate, wouldn't lift, move and tear into my plants and flowers.  The idea is working as the planters I purchased this year, from IKEA are bigger and heavier (thankfully)

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-69267891139956144522011-07-05T21:00:00.011-04:002011-07-05T21:51:00.609-04:00

I spent last week at the south Jersey Shore, in Sea Isle City, on the outskirts near Strathmere Beach. In Philly-speak, we went "down the shore".  Sea Isle/Strathmere is about 20 miles south of Atlantic City,  it's the town after the famously dry town of Ocean City, New Jersey.  Where we stayed is the perfect location for so many reasons - private beaches, not crowded and near enough to several

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-82507312693666998572011-07-04T08:00:00.003-04:002011-07-04T08:00:01.449-04:00

Disclaimer: this pie is not low-fat or healthy but it's REALLY GOOD! That being said, if you make this earlier enough in the day, it may be ready to take to your 4th of July picnic today.  I received this recipe courtesy of our friend, Kerri, a co-worker of Liz's from the Opera Company of Philadelphia.  She brought it to our house for a recent get-together and I fell in love with this tasty treat

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-61979295401851500352011-07-03T10:34:00.000-04:002011-07-03T10:34:59.905-04:00

A quick light summer salad - perfect for this weekend's Independence Day barbecue celebrations.  I'll share the version I made and the variations to which you can adapt it.  I whipped this up while at the beach; I wanted to use the rest of the fruit and vegetables we had before we left the shore from vacation and I needed to eat at least one "healthy" and non-junk food beach meal for the day!  

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-90528556689195953912011-06-30T21:05:00.001-04:002011-07-01T21:09:24.257-04:00

For a refreshing Summer find, I present to you - Watermelon Wheat Beer!  A few weeks ago, Liz and I discovered the joys of this fine libation at the South Philly Tap Room at 15th and Mifflin on Hicks Street.  The bar/restaurant is a find in and of itself - extensive beer and cider selection, full bar, and an amazing brunch menu.  Fried pickles, three cheese grilled cheese sandwiches, vegan tomato

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-72046760973162110912011-06-20T09:00:00.005-04:002011-06-20T09:00:06.949-04:00

Our weekly farm share/CSA produce share has begun and this week's box held a nice assortment of seasonal greens, including kale.  The beginning of the season usually yields a lot of greens: kale, spinach, lettuces, sometimes collards.  A small amount for a few weeks is okay, I love the lettuce and spinach.  While I like greens, it's difficult to enjoy the stronger bitter greens week after week.  

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-67053492186057078292011-06-17T00:00:00.001-04:002011-06-17T13:02:59.312-04:00

 We spent a mini-vacation in Staten Island last week, visiting family, enjoying the sights and taking in the offerings of New York's forgotten borough.  Over the course of 3 days and 4 nights, we traveled nearly the length of the Island, mostly by car, but I pedaled along the coastal byways too.  Staten Island gets a bad rap — think the ferry scene in the movie Working Girl, or in any one of TV's

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com2Staten Island, NY, USA40.58343790000001 -74.149587540.496231400000006 -74.261859 40.67064440000001 -74.03731599999999tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-11599705648150464122011-06-06T00:05:00.000-04:002011-06-06T00:05:23.505-04:00

I almost always carry my camera with me as I never know what cool street art, sight or people I might see as I wander around Center City.    About a week or so ago, I walked down Chestnut Street from 18th Street towards Macy's at 13th Street.  As I walked along this very busy commercial thoroughfare, my eyes were drawn to all the changes and interesting things there are on Chestnut street - new

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-13990827177712600722011-06-03T21:00:00.003-04:002011-06-03T22:03:02.880-04:00

Want to eat the most flavorful, tender, moist and perfectly seasoned beef, chicken or pork dish? Try brining it for a few hours.  Brining meat makes it taste better because the meat becomes perfectly seasoned inside and out through osmosis.  The meats proteins are denatured, broken down and restructured while the salt and flavors in the brining solution get deep into the meat fibers.  I brined a

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-60096572367561559612011-05-25T23:00:00.001-04:002011-05-25T23:51:29.951-04:00

Recently, someone I know called me mean, unkind and a not nice person.  While I know this opinion is not true it's bothered me immensely.  Primarily I feel offended because it's the kind of petty name-calling that I should not be subject to in a professional setting.  I'm offended because the statement was made in front of other people who's opinions and judgement matters to me (or so I thought..

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-90092244959974168672011-05-17T20:00:00.038-04:002011-05-19T22:05:28.941-04:00

The Neighborhood Bike Works is a local Philadelphia organization with several outposts in Philadelphia.  The mission of the organization is to teach kids how to fix bikes.  In the learning process, there's an earning process - kids "earn" a bike by attending the program.  Other learning skills are at work too, social skills, mechanical, fitness and camaraderie.  As an avid and long time cyclist,

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-66131857269241113102011-05-14T22:00:00.002-04:002011-05-14T22:42:24.748-04:00

My ideal version of small town America includes a patriotic parade.  We went up to Staten Island this weekend to visit family and to partake in the annual Staten Island Memorial Day Parade.  They hold it early to capitalize on having a lot of the community of Great Kills participate in one way or another.  Plus, by holding the parade a few weeks early the township avoids conflicting with

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-86316611532423636462011-05-07T00:01:00.002-04:002011-05-07T10:59:01.966-04:00

Music has the power to take me back in time, stop a moment, revive me and lift my mood.  I'm sure the same could be said about scents, tastes and sights, but for me, music is my most powerful memory enhancer.  On a recent walk home, I was listening to my favorite ipod mix of funk and disco music.  An instrumental piece of music from the soundtrack, Saturday Night Fever, came on and instantly

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-58430126383900901962011-04-29T23:01:00.008-04:002011-04-30T22:14:42.284-04:00

We started our 2011 biking season a bit late this year.  I was hoping for some March riding, but the weather hardly cooperated all month.  It rained, nearly snowed and was in general, cold, dark and miserable during March.  In like a Lion and out like a Grouchy Bear.  April 1st became my next start date and that day came and went.  I believe we started our first ride on April 11 - only two of

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-25296723737141782902011-04-20T09:00:00.034-04:002011-04-20T09:00:01.310-04:00

In honor of my 300th post, I'm sharing an encounter I recently had that's positively impacted on my artistic vision.  About a week ago I was taking my usual walk around Rittenhouse Square.  I had my camera out, ready to shoot whatever Street Art, tree sweaters/yarn-bombing/knit-bombers or odd-ball things I could find.  I was planning on taking a photo of myself holding one of my photos of a tree

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-21512317127587315432011-04-18T22:00:00.001-04:002011-04-21T21:32:27.069-04:00

CONTEST UPDATE! - Contest info first.  I have several samples of the products I'm reviewing in this post, as well as a few other items I would love to share with you.  I ask that you do a few things: Read this post; comment on it and either LIKE my Facebook page, The Bicycle Chef and/or Follow this Blog.  Read on to the details below.  I promise, I'll select a random person and send out the

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-83043802988699218632011-04-11T09:00:00.006-04:002011-04-11T10:52:49.681-04:00

It's my mission to get people like, no make that love tofu.  I'm  good at helping people see the light when it comes to tofu cooking and eating.  Heck, my fondest tofu cooking memory is helping a finicky child I used to babysit eat a tofu stir fry and have her ask for it again.  There are several tofu secrets you must learn: season it liberally, use the correct type of tofu and know which cooking

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-37561839457745045462011-04-07T22:00:00.007-04:002011-04-08T11:24:55.260-04:00

Salmon is my favorite fish.  Asparagus is one of my favorite vegetables and in the Spring it is THE vegetable on my table.  What you see above is a quick cook meal that takes little effort to make and packs a big flavor punch.  I like to roast the asparagus with olive oil, kosher salt and freshly ground pepper for about 15 minutes at 375 to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.  For the salmon fillets, they

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-44938094262798231562011-04-05T00:43:00.001-04:002011-04-05T00:56:20.251-04:00

I take a lot of photos - sometimes hundreds over the course of a week.  I enjoy this hobby but occasionally, I get over-whelmed with what to do with them, especially in relation to wanting to post relevant photos to the blog or facebook.  Scrapblog to the rescue!  I use a website to help create scrap book style pages that can capture a bunch of photos in one small space, in order to convey what

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-45813992697546722592011-03-29T09:00:00.008-04:002011-03-29T23:40:45.366-04:00

In January 2009 - I wrote a post called "The Hearty Girls Go Biking and Cooking".  I was on a recipe writing roll, high from a great winter's bike ride and enjoying the company of a good friend.  Buried in the post were two recipes, one for Tuna Salad with Shredded Veggies and Hummus - an anti-mayonnaise tunafish spread.  The other was a curried tofu salad, inspired by a salad I would often buy

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-44333062084510932932011-03-20T17:03:00.001-04:002011-03-20T18:02:13.525-04:00

Another Lenten Soup Special and a "confession" — this soup is not exactly Bicycle Chef sanctioned.  Oh, it's good — too good; the soup is intensely meaty, rich and flavorful, but it's not on my low-fat, low-sodium healthy meal plan.  I think I went too over-board on vegetarian menu with last week's puree of carrot, sweet potato and ginger soup for the Lenten Soup Special at my church.  I was

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-52514145117490963442011-03-15T09:00:00.002-04:002011-03-15T09:00:00.509-04:00

Over the weekend I had invited an old friend to come to my house for brunch.  It's easier to entertain at home these days since Nate has become a rambunctious 17 month old toddler.  I had not seen this friend in over 20 years and I wanted to roll out all of my culinary tricks to woo her.  I didn't have the energy or time to whip up a five star-breakfast-at-the-Ritz meal.  However I had just

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-68495453087462711982011-03-14T00:01:00.004-04:002011-03-14T00:07:49.196-04:00

For the days of Lent, I was asked to make soups for a Lenten study group at my church at Wallingford Presbyterian Church.  One soup was my chicken and vegetable soup (recipe to be posted later this week); the other soup needed to be vegetarian.  I instantly thought of my puree of carrot pumpkin and ginger.  It's easy to make, it's low-fat, vegan and amazingly creamy without a trace of cream,

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-32283219696129644112011-03-03T23:59:00.089-05:002011-03-04T01:15:27.607-05:00

Photo - taken by Liz with her Iphone.  Waking up with Nibblet on my birthday.  This what I look like today and it's okay with me. Cue the music - Today is/was my birthday.  I like birthdays and I especially like my birthday.  Not the presents or special treatment or cake (well, of course the cake and a bit the presents and treatment), I like the idea of embracing and celebrating one's life and

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-21544252238446997052011-02-27T21:30:00.001-05:002011-02-27T21:43:17.394-05:00

About a year ago, I had the most amazing pizza at Dock Street Brewery in West Philadelphia.  It was fig jam, rosemary and I think, a combination of blue and fontina cheeses. I'm not sure if it was the company, the amazing beers, a day out of the house in the middle of winter where I had the chance to go biking, or the combined camaraderie of meeting new biking friends and sharing some good food

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-7502967767349427552011-02-24T21:45:00.003-05:002011-02-24T23:05:43.471-05:00

I like rice, a lot.  I like most starchy carbohydrates and whole grains.  The problem with liking these side dishes is that they easily become my main dish, crowding out my vegetables and proteins on my lunch and dinner plates.  At least I'm eating whole grains.  Years ago, during one of my bi-polar mania catering days (long before I was officially a certified chef) I catered a block party for a

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-62957612416776955932011-02-21T23:30:00.004-05:002011-02-22T00:20:22.228-05:00

We had the day off today for President's Day.  Both Liz and I were home and one of our best and most fun friends, the incomparable Jen Check, came down to spend a few days with us and to hang out with our son, Nate (aka Nibblet.)  Knowing that all of our favorite brunch and breakfast locations would be packed with hipsters with the same dining out idea, we decided not to go out for our morning

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-61805969894593442902011-02-18T22:22:00.000-05:002011-02-18T22:22:59.557-05:00

There are a lot of big changes going on around this blog. The first big change is I've purchased my own domain name for The Bicycle Chef.  You may have been redirected to the blog and perhaps there was a message that came up with the new address.  The name, which is my brand identity, is staying the same.  I'm hoping that the blog will be easier to find and follow, as well as making the blog

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-75639003995977018722011-02-15T09:00:00.030-05:002011-02-24T16:25:07.003-05:00

According to every credible, worthwhile nutrition, dietary plan and FDA approved food pyramid chart,  we all need to add a minimum of 5 servings of fruit and vegetables to our diets while reducing fats, animal-based proteins (i.e. MEATS) and the intake simple processed carbohydrates.  The problem is so many of us are meat and potato freaks, dining on greasy, salty hamburgers and fries and washing

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-6937118415570802812011-02-13T23:00:00.004-05:002011-02-14T11:04:03.511-05:00

When it comes to food and cooking, there are a lot of things I love, but I especially love free, easy and tasty!  We've got the trifecta in this recipe post.  The FREE came gratis of Foodbuzz (my cool blog advertiser) and the scrumptious samples of Pure Dark Chocolates I recently received.  Foodbuzz sent a package of Pure Dark's Bark classic, as seen in the above photo and a package of Pure Dark

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-37691991260597331342011-02-03T21:30:00.013-05:002011-02-03T22:16:46.477-05:00

You cannot escape your past nor should you try to run away from it; it will always catch up to you.  I don't hide from my past but as I grow older I find I am less interested in revisiting uncomfortable remembrances of days gone by.  Growing up as an abuse survivor, (physical, mental, emotional, sexual) I sometimes experience a post traumatic stress syndrome feeling that locks me in place with

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-70338880488283169232011-01-31T22:35:00.002-05:002011-02-01T11:44:00.367-05:00

I'm tired of the snow.  We all are.  I know we don't have nearly as much snow as last winter, or at least we didn't get as much snow from any one storm but we still have too much snow and it's too darn cold.  I can't ride or walk to work. Driving is difficult.  The second car we have, (my 91 year old grandmother's 17 year old Ford with 45,000 miles on it) is plowed in and won't be moving until a

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-9737851410554998052011-01-25T17:00:00.001-05:002011-01-25T17:25:18.112-05:00

Photo - Philadelphia Skyline composite - late 1980's from 1101 Market Street viewpoint Last week I had a luncheon reunion with old friends from the first "grown-up" job of my life.  For several years in my early 20's, I worked for the Reading Company, as in the Reading Railroad (see Monopoly - Take a Ride on The Reading Railroad); The Reading Terminal Market, and various other entities related

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-24601659728663947422011-01-14T10:00:00.014-05:002011-01-14T10:00:03.410-05:00

I tend to not step into the baking arena often because I'm not very adept at baking and possess less skills when it comes to fiddling with baking recipes.  Occasionally I'll hit upon a recipe for muffins, fruit crisps or quick breads and they work well, no matter how many alterations I may make.  My version of a Deceptively Delicious blueberry muffin was an aha moment for me.  This recipe was

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-60275008931567102952011-01-11T09:00:00.011-05:002011-01-11T09:00:06.672-05:00

Another one-pot medley for beating the winter blahs - along the lines of my Texas Brisket Barbecue mash-up we made last year.  Nothing beats the cold dreary nights that good comfort food.  What makes it even better is how easy and inexpensive this dish is.  Literally you just chuck all the ingredients into a Dutch Oven pot, set it and forget it.  In lieu of a complicated recipe here are the

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-49966767529934370352011-01-09T00:00:00.002-05:002011-01-09T00:04:10.546-05:00

It's not a New Year without the annual, Running of the Suitcase!  What a great way to start off New Year's Eve.   And then there's the annual look-back at the previous year.  When in doubt about what to write, do a flashback episode to recap the past year.  Sort of like a yearly episode of the Golden Girls.  You know, the ladies are sitting around the kitchen table, eating cheesecake and

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-17346611269471431962011-01-05T10:00:00.005-05:002011-01-05T10:00:11.788-05:00

Each January, I like so many other food writers and Weight Watcher devotees, make plans, vows and resolutions to eat healthy and clean.  Then the weekend comes along and it's back to the burger, fries, pizza and ice cream.  It's so easy to lose your way and get off track.  Packing my lunch every day gets boring and old real quick.  Heck, I'm practically out of good recipe ideas for blogging. Do

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-3754144711290386542011-01-04T23:17:00.002-05:002011-01-08T23:22:08.040-05:00

I did two things tonight that I haven't done in a long time.  I went back to the gym for the first time in over 3 months and I watched the Biggest Loser, season 11 premier episode.  I've been lax about getting to the gym and have not ridden my road bike since October 1st.  I still ride to work almost every day, only the snow and ice stopped me from riding.  Still, it's not nearly enough exercise

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-66466709740235650192010-12-14T16:15:00.002-05:002010-12-14T16:24:06.062-05:00

'Tis the season to be grateful, or so I'm reminding myself on a daily basis. I have wanted to write about the ridiculousness of the holiday "gift" season; how the incessant emails and ads, radio spots and come-on pleas to shop, Shop, SHOP are curbing any desire I had to spend, Spend, SPEND. In years past, when I've had far less tuppance to spend, I would feel badly that I couldn't buy what I

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-32231903101408483432010-12-08T00:02:00.001-05:002010-12-08T00:06:08.788-05:00

I know, a blog post about Worcestershire sauce is not really a hot happening topic nor is it an griping recipe tale and it's certainly not a new food find.  I haven't plumbed the depths of the culinary world to bring back some rare and exotic animal/vegetable/mineral or exlir that will change your life or turn your taste buds inside out.  Well maybe it will turn on your taste buds  and cause you

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-73430514323588453672010-11-25T00:30:00.001-05:002010-11-25T00:51:59.607-05:00

No secret that I LOVE PUMPKIN, so naturally, I ADORE Pumpkin Pie and all of it's fatty custard 500 plus calories slices.  I usually don't make a pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving, preferring instead to find a delicious pie from one of the many bakeries and purveyors around my neighborhood.  During the heady days of my fat past, I didn't think twice, but instead took two slices of pumpkin pie, not

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-19297146523935433212010-11-11T21:30:00.001-05:002010-11-11T23:50:21.921-05:00

This is one of my family stories about my grandfather, Pete "Poppy" Constantino, the only grandfather I  ever knew.  He was my mother's father, and he lived until I was 11 & 1/2 years old, passing on November 18, 1978.  Both my father, Paul and his father, Joseph, had died already; my grandfather Joe before I was born; my dad by the time I was 6 years old.  Poppy was the only male relative I had

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-74817973856660239662010-11-08T22:47:00.000-05:002010-11-08T22:47:03.029-05:00

One of the wonderful perks of having an advertising sponsor on my blog (aside from having some extra traffic and eyes stopping by to read my writings) is the occasional freebies I receive from Food Buzz.  I received three Four-Packs of Illy Iced Coffee Drinks - Cappuccino, Latte Macchiato and Caffe Espresso.   I've been meaning to write about these coffee drinks for over a month and what with

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-29917557441413883422010-10-31T12:58:00.000-04:002010-10-31T12:58:54.846-04:00

If you are going to add pumpkin to a recipe I think that it has to make sense, serve a purpose and work well with the entire dish.  As I've written over this past month, there are lots of ways to use pumpkin in cooking, many of which enhance baked goods, lower the fat, add fiber and vegetables and stretch ingredients.  I could also write recipes to toss in the old pumpkin just because you could;

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-47639079469635420572010-10-24T22:35:00.000-04:002010-10-24T22:35:54.707-04:00

After that devastating Phillies loss of game six in the Pennant race last night, I think a bit of comfort food is in order.  Continuing on with my pumpkin recipes I'm sharing an oldie but a goodie, another terrific and unexpected use of pumpkin in baked goods.  I'm still working on some other pumpkin in savory food recipes but for tonight, enjoy this cornbread recipe and make a batch to have with

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-58072373860099869982010-10-20T00:00:00.002-04:002010-10-20T00:24:26.857-04:00

The use of pumpkin is not limited to baked goods or breakfast meals.  I find the paring of vegetables, tomatoes and pumpkin to be a natural fit.  Sometime ago I made a Cauliflower, Chick Pea and Pumpkin Pesto dish that was extremely satisfying and vaguely Indian in flavor.  This time around I've made low-fat full-on Indian-inspired vegetarian/vegan side dish.  Pumpkin seeds add a bit of texture

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-82926700960689089302010-10-17T12:10:00.000-04:002010-10-17T12:10:45.172-04:00

Here's an idea more than a recipe per se.  Of the many, MANY pumpkin uses and ideas that I have, the easiest one is to simply add it to a hot multi grain cereal.  It's Weight Watcher sanctioned and just a darn good use of that big ole can of Libby's.  You get a healthy extra high fiber dose of a vegetable in your morning hot bowl of wholesome goodness and even better, you get twice the amount of

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-42234621108383060942010-10-12T22:00:00.003-04:002011-10-03T23:58:56.401-04:00

And now for another installment of how to use pumpkin in every day cookery.  Pumpkin pancakes - homemade with real maple syrup and pumpkin puree.  It's a little bit of breakfast/brunch Autumnal Heaven topped off with what tastes like liquid pumpkin pie.  This is a must-make meal; easy, surprisingly light, healthy and oh, amazingly delicious.  The pancakes were made by using a squeeze bottle

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-5180747209940878512010-10-05T21:00:00.002-04:002010-10-05T22:27:49.655-04:00

Deceptively Delicious meets the Cake Doctor for an Autumnal Cupcake Extravaganza!  In other words, it's time for this week's pumpkin recipe, a real switcheroo to make a ho-hum box cake mix into a lip smacking, tasty healthier  treat (or at least a little bit less of a guilty pleasure.)  So easy even caveman could make this, provided that the cave man or woman has a working oven, kitchen tools and

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-28561141065622317682010-10-01T11:30:00.002-04:002011-03-30T17:23:23.961-04:00

I'm starting off the month of October with a pumpkin recipe, one of my all-time favorite cooking ingredients.  I have been cooking extensively with pumpkin for several years. My hope is to revisit some older recipes and update them for healthier lighter eating as well as create several new recipes that highlight pumpkin as a main ingredient.  Occasionally I'll use pumpkin as a "toss-in"

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-47896475129782612292010-09-18T00:00:00.005-04:002010-09-18T22:05:40.485-04:00

Photo - Denine (me!) aka "Sous-Chef"; "A Boy Named Sue" Aaron and the Original Sue - Sue S. or Sue the Lawyer. My morning biking buddies, aka the Sue Crew and I are are winding down our cycling season.  The mornings are much darker and cooler at 6:15/6:30 and it is getting harder to rouse ourselves out of our beds to get out on the road for our rides.  We're trying to make it a full six month

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-58186931492517225962010-09-03T00:01:00.002-04:002010-09-03T00:01:00.771-04:00

When you live in what was once a predominantly Italian/Italian-American neighborhood, you are bound to find a few fig trees, tomato plants and grape vines growing in the backyards or small plots of gardening space.  I understand this need to have a bit of land to call your own.  After my first trip to Italy, I also understood the Italian need to cultivate  a bit of the old country in the new

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-60870331246197076182010-08-25T00:00:00.006-04:002010-09-02T23:38:44.802-04:00

I have a friend who lives between South Philadelphia and Center City - South of South Street but North of Washington Avenue - the affordable and not over-crowded area of Center City South.  Mr. Bale has a cute townhouse, built in a newly gentrified neighborhood.  He has all the great amenities of city life, close to the bars and restaurants, walkable to his business and artistic pursuits yet far

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-24475801045660005162010-08-13T22:30:00.003-04:002010-08-13T23:37:44.895-04:00

Work with what you have on hand and use what you love to eat.  Case in point, I wanted to make grilled wholewheat pizzas and I wanted to use what I had in the 'fridge.  There they were, delicious and guilt-free 97% Fat free Hebrew National Beef Franks.  I love hot dogs and pizza so naturally, I thought why not put these two food groups together?  While the pizza dough was on the grill crisping

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-11836740716960400162010-08-05T13:34:00.000-04:002010-08-05T13:34:37.379-04:00

It's the small things in life that truly make me happy:Crossing the SheRox Tri finish line with Nate, over-coming my fear of swimming in the Schuylkill River, finishing the triathlon for this season, being a good mentor.  I just found the photos from Action Sports International of this year's SheRox Tri, click here to see small thumbnail versions of the photos Action Sports International.  There

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-87087638346223907542010-07-31T21:57:00.002-04:002010-08-03T23:01:03.993-04:00

Me and My Mentees - with me in the center, from left to right: Martha, Linetta, Carrie, Patricia, Sharon, Lisa and Jen I had several of my mentees, and two of my mentees' friends over to dinner tonight, in pre-celebration of our triathlon tomorrow.  It's been an absolutely amazing experience being a mentor and trying to get into triathlon shape for this, my third triathlon event.  When I entered

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-91075782259184143812010-07-29T14:00:00.001-04:002011-03-30T17:23:51.897-04:00

For a muy refresco salad, try using the best of the summer's bounty - Farm Fresh Cucumbers and Sweet Juicy Watermelon.  When the weather is as hot as it's been this year, I barely have energy to think let alone cook.  Here's an easy salad that cools you off and gets better as it sits chilling in the refrigerator.  Think of it as a variation of the cucumber salad or quick pickles about which I've

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-59772785695274851282010-07-22T23:30:00.025-04:002010-07-23T00:17:23.830-04:00

Over the past two weeks I've been doing a lot of work to get ready for the upcoming SheRox Triathlon on Sunday, August 1st.  In between work, my regular morning bike rides, a brief vacation in Cape May, New Jersey, there have been a few clinics and triathlon related events and workouts that I've either attended or organized.  This has been an unusual season for me, as I haven't been exercising

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-78659319043275367902010-07-07T23:52:00.000-04:002010-07-07T23:52:22.440-04:00

Sometimes bringing your own sandwich to a baseball game beats paying five bucks for a limpid rubbery over-cooked hot dog,  even on Dollar Dog Day.   I usually pack my own food for an outing to a Phillies game, keeping the meals healthy or at least healthier and having a better variety of food stuffs.  Cheesesteaks, hoagies and the infamous (and exactly what the heck is it?) Schmitter Sandwich

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1819877238318787607.post-69520430019263433862010-06-29T22:30:00.017-04:002010-06-30T00:15:33.088-04:00

I've been giving a lot of thought over the past few days to the triathlete who drowned on Saturday in the Schuylkill River.  It was Derek "Rudy" Valentino's first triathlon, he was 40 years, a father of two boys, and lived in the tri-state area, specifically, Delaware County.   His drowning death hits a little too close to home for me, especially after the passing of my friend, Angel Oramas at

The Bicycle-Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001628249412528392noreply@blogger.com0