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I'm getting ready to get on a very, very, very long flight, so I decided to pack my own meal rather than rely on the overpriced offerings at the airport and the paltry offerings on the plane. I'm also concerned about some serious jet lag as I am flying east and across seven time zones. According to "sources," recovering from jet lag depends on the number of time zones you crosse while traveling. In general, your body will adjust to the new time zone at the rate of one or two time zones per day. For example, if you crossed six time zones, your body will typically adjust to this time change in three to five days. So in essence, I should be recovered just in time to fly home!
In order to help combat jet lag, you should exercise, sleep well, stay hydrated and stay sober (!) well ahead of your flight. In general you should try to avoid alcohol the day before and during the flight. Alcoholic beverages can cause dehydration, disrupt sleeping schedules, and trigger nausea and general discomfort. Also be sure to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of non-alcoholic, non-caffeinated fluids, especially since the humidity on the plane is kept at a desert level of only 10%! Other food tips:
•Oranges are thought to help fight stress.
•Almonds and sunflower seeds are high in melatonin, the hormone that helps control your sleep and wake cycles.
•Bananas prevent muscle cramping.
•Ginger ale aids digestion and helps with motion sickness.
•Dark Chocpolate contains anadamine, a chemical that produces a cozy, euphoric feeling. (I got that under control!)
•Apples are rich in fiber and help to stabilize sugar crashes.
Try to avoid:
•Beans, cauliflower, broccoli, for obvious reasons.
•Odorous foods that will annoy your neighbor. Trust.
For more thoughts on bringing your own meals, check out Pack a Picnic.
Happy travels!
After recovering from pork fest 2010, I had to gear up for a backyard barbecue baby shower for one of my besties, Amani. Co-party chef, Cheryl, and I made a bunch of tasty salads, kebabs, and bevies for one hot day. Since we didn't use any recipes, I am providing more of a visual documentation of our buffet. I did manage a separate attempt at the orzo salad today because it was actually pretty tasty and would be nice to have waiting in the fridge on a hot day.
Normally I hate pasta salad because the experience of eating it reminds me of eating Twizzlers, but without the "cherry" flavor. Chewy starch that's under-salted and generally under-flavored is not my idea of a good use of calories (unless the chewy starch is covered in pesto). However, using a smaller pasta like orzo and intensely flavored ingredients like sundried tomatoes and Kalamata olives helps to make every bite delicious.
Full disclosure: This second round of making the orzo salad was actually my third. On Friday night while doing prep, I overcooked the orzo while attempting to make 4 full boxes in a single stock pot. (I didn't realize that I wouldn't then be able to lift the pot of boiling orzo. Ooops.) This latest version didn't turn out quite like the first time, or even the second time, probably because I wasn't stressed out that guests would be arriving while I was still making it. Perhaps adrenaline is the missing ingredient.
White wine sangria with peaches, nectarines, and plums and strawberry lemonade. We made a watermelon lemonade after that ran out...
Watermelon feta salad
Cucumber salad with yogurt, mint, and garlic
Orzo salad
The grilled veggies were cooked on separate skewers for even cooking...onion kebabs, squash kebabs, red pepper kebabs...then unskewered for serving.
Chicken and hangar steak were marinated overnight in olive oil, lemon peel, garlic, parsley, oregano, and a tiny squeeze of lemon juice. The kebabs were skewered then seasoned with salt and pepper right before grilling.
Summer Orzo Salad
1 (16-ounce) box dried orzo
1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered or 5 plum tomatoes, diced
2 (6-ounce) jars marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped Kalamata olives
1 (8.5-ounce) jar sundried tomatoes packed in oil, finely chopped
1 cup crumbled feta, goat cheese, or cubed fresh mozzarella
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
Juice of half a lemon
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
15 fresh basil leaves, chopped
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the orzo and cook according to package directions, until al dente, about 8 minutes. Strain into a colander and run under cold water until cool. Drain thoroughly.
2. Add the tomatoes, artichokes, olives, and cheese to a large bowl. Stir to combine. Add the cooked orzo, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and basil. Stir, taste and adjust the salt and pepper as needed. Serves 8.
I have way too many cookbooks for a studio apartment (or any apartment) and almost as many extremely annoying stacks of magazines and random pieces of papers. Occasionally I do consult these stacks because within them are recipes that had once caught my eye, most likely pages ripped out of magazines or printed emails or envelopes with recipes scribbled on the back. Not all of my magazine recipes are from obvious food magazine sources, however. In the case of this orzo recipe, my inspiration came from In Style of all places.
The original recipe featured the orzo with asparagus and it caught my eye because it looked so seasonal, especially after a dearth of green vegetables this past winter. It came in especially handy when brainstorming side dish ideas for our Easter lamb dinner, but we made some slight changes by substituting sugar snap peas for the asparagus, losing the truffle butter, and adding toasted pine nuts. Even with the heavy cream it's still light. I think I may make another batch with extra spring vegetables including white and green asparagus, peas, artichokes, and fava beans...and a nice chianti.
Easter Orzo
(Adapted from Amanda Freitag)
1/2 pound sugar snap peas, washed and ends trimmed
1 1/2 cups orzo
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus additional for garnish
Truffle butter or oil (optional)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts (optional)
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile fill a large bowl with ice water. Place the snap peas in the boiling water for 1 minute, then remove with a strainer or slotted spoon (keeping the water boiling) and place directly in the ice water until cool. Drain the snap peas and slice in half crosswise. Set aside.
2. Add the orzo to the pot of boiling water and cook according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.
3. Place a medium pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the snap peas and orzo and stir to coat.
4. Add the heavy cream and butter, stirring until combined. Turn off the heat and add the cheese, salt, and pepper, and a drizzle of truffle oil, if using. Stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve immediately topped with additional Parmesan and pine nuts if desired.
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