Dark Chocolate Sorbet...

I really don't like Mondays, but today it seems I'm completely justified in feeling this way. According to the experts, February is the bluest month of the year, when the sky is anything but ~ today in Georgia it's rainy, dark and grey. Also, usually by now, my New Year's resolutions have been broken and the post-Christmas credit card statement has come ~ yikes, I spent how much on that country ham? Plus, I woke with a slight sinus headache, which has nothing to do with it being 'blue', but is dispiriting nonetheless.

Tempting as it is to pull the covers back over my head and hide indefinitely, life must go on. So, how am I going to pull through the day? With some good mood food ~ food that might not traditionally be considered healthy but, to be technical about it, gets the happy bits of one’s brain buzzing.

Chocolate is high in endorphins and serotonin, the brain's antidepressant, so I'll make the ultimate sacrifice and hunt down something gratuitously chocolaty. Here are 5 foods to help you feel fantastic.

• Blueberries ~ The ultimate immune-boosting food. Rich in anti-oxidants.
• Broccoli ~ Guards against cancer and is rich in a wide range of anti-oxidants, vitamins C and E, folate and iron.
• Carrots ~ High in carotenes, known to boost the immune system.
• Grapefruit ~ Has immune-boosting, antiseptic, wound-healing and anti-bacterial properties.
• Garlic ~ Strengthens the heart and blood, and has anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-viral properties. Also thought to help lower blood pressure. A key ingredient is allicin, which has cancer-fighting potential.

For lunch, I'll spice it up with a big bowl of Firehouse Chili that I happily froze several weeks ago. Chili, like chocolate, releases endorphins, and generally makes you feel more alert and less likely to dive back into bed. Then I will top it off with this Dark Chocolate Sorbet I made yesterday.

All of this should help me feel ready to tackle Tuesday. Which in the words of my favorite southern belle, Scarlet O’Hara… “after all, tomorrow is another day!”



Dark Chocolate Sorbet

Ingredients:
3 tablespoon corn syrup
2¼ cup water
¾ cup sugar
7 ounce bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
2½ ounce coco powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoon brandy (optional)

Combine the sugar, corn syrup, and water in a pot and bring to a full boil.
Combine the chopped chocolate, salt, and coco in a large bowl.

Slowly pour ⅓ of the hot sugar syrup into the bowl of chocolate and whisk thoroughly. Continue adding the syrup and whisking in 2 more additions. The mixture may seize up when you first add the syrup, but it will come together.

Stir in the vanilla and brandy. Strain the base through a fine sieve and chill until completely cold. The base will thicken slightly.

Once base is completely cold, churn in an ice cream machine according to manufacturer's instructions.

Serves 12


What foods boost your mood? And how are you coping with Blue Monday-itis? All tips gratefully received!

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George’s note:

• There's actually a scientific explanation behind those dreaded Monday morning blues. Our internal clocks naturally operate on a day that is longer than 24 hours. By the time Monday rolls around each week, we've built up a sleep deficit of at least an hour. Of course, the weekend revelries and facing another work week don't help matters.
• The blues is a form of music that started in the United States during the start of the 20th century. It was started by former slaves from spirituals, praise songs, and chants. The first blues songs were called Delta Blue. These songs came from the area near the mouth of the Mississippi River.

Lentil Soup...

With the recent cold rainy snap we have had around the country, yesterday I turn to my favorite winter soup for comfort. It is a recipe originally from Nava Atlas' "Vegetariana", which I have tweaked a little over the years. It is one of those soup recipes that is perfect for cold winter days, because just about every ingredient is already on the pantry shelf, or on hand. That way you do not have to weather the storm and go out to shop for them.

Its best if I walk you through this recipe, because the way I have written it down you would think I was nipping at the cooking sherry to beat the cold & damp weather, so here it goes…

Combine in a large pot:
½ cup dried lentils, washed and picked over
½ cup brown rice
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 Bay leaves
3 cups water or 3 cups vegetable broth

Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer over low heat for 10 to 12 minutes.

Then add:
2 additional cups water or broth
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 medium carrots, thinly sliced
1 large celery stalk, finely chopped
1 large leek, finely chopped
1 bunch of kale, course chopped
Handfull of finely chopped celery leaves, they add such great flavor to a recipe
1 can (14-oz ) chopped tomatoes with liquid
½ cup tomato sauce or tomato juice
¼ cup dry red wine or sherry
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon dried marjoram
½ teaspoon dried thyme
Salt and pepper to taste

Cover and simmer for half an hour or so, until lentils and rice are done.


This lentil soup is especially exceptional when made with the Ro-Tel tomatoes & chili’s, and a rich homemade vegetable broth…. plus you can take the onus of being vegetarian off by adding about half a pound of kielbasa or other smoked sausage, sliced into rounds, towards the end of the cooking time, and serving it with a little grated cheddar cheese on top.

I made it once with all of the above, and the end of a little box of imported green lentils from France and my dinner guest almost swooned from sheer gastronomic ecstasy. Like all really great soups, it is even better when warmed over the next day.

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George’s notes:

• I have found that exploring vegetarian and vegan cookbooks are a great way to prepare healthier meals and expand ones knowledge of the various food substitutes out in the marketplace.

George’s Firehouse Chili...

How often have you heard a cook say they have the best chili recipe? Chili recipes come in many forms and in many degrees of heat. Over a number of years and many additions & subtractions, I have finally perfected my Firehouse Chili. As you will see, you can make it as spicy and “hot” as you like. But one ingredient that sets this chili from all the rest ~ chocolate. Yes, I use coco powder as one of the ingredients, which gives it smoothness and helps to mellow the spicy without reducing the fire.

With the season changing and the days cooling down, what satisfies the appetite more than a good bowl of chili. Make sure that you let this chili simmer slowly for at least two hours, so all the ingredients can bring their full flavor to the mix. And the aroma will definitely fill your kitchen with a sensational smell. I like to serve this with a wedge of my cornbread.

George’s Firehouse Chili

Ingredients:
2 pounds ground beef
One 29-ounce can tomato sauce
One 29-ounce can kidney beans (with liquid)
One 29-ounce can black beans (with liquid)
1 cup diced onion (1 medium onion)
½ cup diced green chili (2 chilies)
½ cup diced green bell pepper
¼ cup diced celery (1 stalk)
3 medium tomatoes, chopped
2 teaspoons cumin powder
3 tablespoons chili powder
1½ tablespoons Dutch Chocolate Coco
1½ teaspoons black pepper
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups water

Brown the ground beef in a skillet over medium heat; drain off the fat. Using a fork, crumble the cooked beef into pea-size pieces.
In a large pot, combine the beef plus all the remaining ingredients, and bring to a simmer over low heat.
Cook, stirring every 15 minutes, for 2 to 3 hours.

Serves 6

Serve accompanied by any or all of these condiments:
• sour cream
• grated cheddar cheese
• chopped scallions

To spice it up:
One Alarm Chili: add ½ teaspoon more black pepper

Two Alarm Chili: add 1 teaspoon black pepper and a tablespoon cayenne pepper

Three Alarm – All City Fire Chili: add 1 teaspoon black pepper and a tablespoon cayenne pepper & add 5 or 6 sliced jalapeno peppers to the pot