Cooking for Men Only: Chocolate Chip Pancakes
Every man needs to have a couple things they can cook up in the kitchen. Sure, we can usually handle a “steak on the barbie,” but short of charing animal flesh over flames, being able to prepare a delicious meal for the family is the thing of legends. Thanks to boy scouts and a junior high chefs club (read: luring boys into the home-ec department to make cookies) I can actually prepare a number of meals that can fool the world into thinking I know what I’m doing. Now I’m sharing my knowledge and recipes with you.
Warning: Do not showoff your culinary interests and abilities too often! Otherwise your wife will begin to think you want to take part in the meal planning and preparation. That is a very slippery slope and you need not venture close to the edge. You can tell that you’ve crossed the line when your hand writing is all over the shopping list and you’re rushing home early from the gym to put the rice on. Be careful.
Maintain just a few secrete recipes. Make sure they are truly pleasing to the whole family. Since you aren’t going to be doing this too often, don’t worry about stuff like sugar, fat and salt. Personally, I never use non-food stuff like artificial flavors, colorings or shortenings…the idea is to wow them, not kill them.
Finally, You will have to clean up after yourself. Nothing ruins a delicious event-meal quicker than a fight about a dirty sink or flour on the floor. Just remember, the goal is to always keep the family wanting the experience and the delight that comes with your cooking. For some reason it’s not the same when the oregano is put back in the wrong spot. In fact…nothing will be said…it will just remind her that you are a great guy. I know women are complicated and even after twenty-five years of marriage I’m mostly clueless, but I’ve learned what works and what doesn’t. Leaving the salt on the wrong side of the flour is pardonable and maybe even endearing, but leaving potato skins in the sink stainer is an unforgivable sin.
Lets start with a sure-thing; chocolate chip pancakes. This recipe will make enough for six or seven people (don’t be afraid to half it). It’s a big hit with the kids when they have sleepovers. You instantly become the coolest Dad around.
Chocolate Chip Pancakes:
Start by heating griddle to 350 degrees. This is a good time to grease it with vegetable or olive oil or butter, wipe off excess.
I have mixed it into a big bowl by hand or with a electric beater, but I normally blend it on slow in a vitamix…fewer dishes, easy cleaning.
2 eggs
1 Cup buttermilk
1 and 1/2 Cup regular milk
4 Tablespoons of butter – melted (Lately I’ve been substituting Coconut oil amazing!)
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Mix or blend ingredients listed above
1 Cup whole wheat flour
1 and 1/2 Cup white flour
Mix or blend at slow speeds: Batter should pour easily
Make sure griddle is hot enough (a drop of water should spit on contact)
Pour slowly onto hot griddle (The secret for round pancakes is to let the batter flow out from the center)
Throw about a half dozen chocolate chips into the freshly poured pancake.
When bubbles form throughout pancake get ready, when some of them begin to pop, flip with a spatula or flipper. For extra drama flip lumberjack style with a frying pan. It takes forever to cook one at a time so I save the drama for camping.
Substitutions: No buttermilk? Use 1/2 Cup plain yogurt and two Cups of milk. No yogurt? Don’t fall into temptation to just use milk only. Go to the store and buy buttermilk. Remember it must be really great to make it worth doing. (Warning: Don’t ever let the kids smell or taste buttermilk it will ruin their appetite…besides your recipe needs to be kept a secret so mix it all up while they sleep.)
Blueberry’s can be used the same way, but then they wouldn’t be chocolate chip pancakes, would they?
Extra Special Occasions:Â Pour regular sized pancake, then quickly pour two equal sized smaller ones at ten and two that will fuse into the main pancake…bingo you have a Micky Mouse pancake and a child’s heart. On cold winter days fuse three in descending order and you’ve got a snowman. Warning: Don’t do this more than once a year or on birthdays…trust me. Extra Warning: Generally it’s not ever a good idea to make food caricatures but for some reason it’s fine when it come to pancakes.
Scottish Highland Cattle Do Fine Outside*
Ranald wrote me with this link since he is aware that I have an interest in Scottish Highland Cattle. It’s not as acute as my interest in other things that move among my Scottish genes — I pride myself as an amateur economist (a bow to Adam Smith) and delight the Scottish connection to everything important. I felt compelled to, at least, pass on this ElectricScotland page with you.
I was immediately mooooved by reading the text. (Sorry, I couldn’t resist.) At first I just sped through it with casual interest, as one might read any agricultural bulletin. When I found my heart rate leaping and my eyes getting misty, I knew this was not your typical newsy farm read. Here is my proof; when was the last time you read something like this?
Altogether, it may safely be said that there are few breeds of cattle which are so graceful in form and colour, and so majestic in gait and movement as a thoroughly well-bred Highland bull or ox, cow, or heifer.
All I could do is take a deep breath, slow down and digest the detail and the passion of the author and his purposeful and insightful words. Now, you probably think I’m making fun…I’m not. This is amazing and if you like thoughtful, intelligent prose with a practical application and historical perspective you must give it a read.
Another aspect is that it is chock full of advice which is free of the harassment of political correctness. You cannot get that at any price in the United States of America any longer.
When winter snows occur, hay or even straw should be liberally supplied, for it is at such times that the animals need the support their own “niggard plains deny.”
As testament to the embarrassing, embarrassment that us yanks always seem to manage eg. The David Howard incident mostly because we place hyper-sensitive illiterates in high regard and in powerful places.
But alas, let all that fall away and just read and enjoy what happens when real people, write about real things that matter a great deal.
Enjoy!
The Link: http://www.electricscotland.com/agriculture/page8.htm
*Read it, and you’ll understand my title.
Graham Kerr is alive and well
Photo circa 1994, long before HIPAA
Graham and his lovely wife Treena moved away from our community a number of years ago. Yet, I’m still asked about him from time to time. Often the question is, “I don’t hear about him anymore. Is he still alive?”
Trust me, when he does go to be with Jesus (which is where he is going) everybody will know. Graham has made a tremendous impact on this world. He continues to lead a life that is committed to helping others and he will be honored for that and remembered fondly.
I’d rather speak fondly of him now and honor him for helping others while he is alive and well. Graham has been a personal friend and mentor for years. We met exactly fifteen years ago. So, in recognition of that anniversary, I want to share with you a story I wrote, which was published in Today’s Chiropractic.
While first published in the March/April 1994 issue, this article is not out of date. Even today it touches the essence of Graham’s zest for life and interest in living fully for others — timeless.
Legal Note: See comments
Bon Appétit: Graham Kerr: Health and Food
by Ray Pope D.C.
While in chiropractic college, I heard a professor once say, “Treat regular folk as if they are famous people and famous people like they’re regular folk.” The first half of that advice swerved me well for years, but it was not until June 1992 that I had the opportunity to implement the latter half of that wise saying.
It was then I met Graham Kerr.
His wife, Treena, called to make an appointment. I recognized a pleasant English accent, but the name Graham Kerr made no impact at all. Later that day, a Chrysler LeBaron convertible drove up to my office. As an active middle-aged couple got out of the car, my wife asked, “Do you know who that is?”
Before I could recall the name I had been given over the telephone, she swooned, exclaiming “That’s the Galloping Gourmet!”
As a youngster, I remember sitting before the television set, totally entertained by this culinary giant. Perhaps it was my mother who tuned in, but I was captivated as this witty young man chopped, diced and sautéed his way into our living room. Never could I have imagined that someday he would literally walk into my adjusting room! page 60 || page 61
Recovery Through Chiropractic
It is hard to imagine Kerr as anything but a gourmet chef buzzing about an immaculate studio kitchen, creating dishes to please both the eye and the palate. Yet, when asked what first led him to a chiropractor, he surprisingly related a story of an injury sustained while he was a commissioned officer in the Royal New Zealand Air Force.
The year was 1960. Strong winds make the Wellington Straights a favorite site for sailing in New Zealand, however, the Straights are also known for sudden southerly storms with terrifying gale winds.
A small sailboat, transporting a couple and their young child, could not make it to safety as the winds picked up one day. Large waves began to crash the boat against the rocks of the shore.
Squadron Leader Kerr was there for the rescue, helping the family ashore without incident. However, in the process, he slipped on a rock, which was slick with sea spray, and fell.
The injuries that resulted from the fall caused him excruciating back pain. All the doctors on the military base eventually tried to correct the young officer’s problem. Their treatment consisted of recommending bed rest, prescribing painkillers and even having him lie down on boards. No course of care eased Kerr’s discomfort. Finally, a doctor who specialized in the care of injuries sustained by downed pilots during World War II visited his bedside. The specialist utilized adjustments of the vertebrae to restore proper function to the spine. Within a short period, Kerr’s ailments began to subside. Eventually, his recovery was complete, and he has been a fan of chiropractic ever since.
A Hit on Television
In the early days of New Zealand’s television industry, the Air Force conducted a daily physical fitness program. One day, the drill sergeant who led the program didn’t show up on time. Since the program was a live broadcast, a senior officer ordered Kerr to appear on television in the drill sergeant’s place.
As the chief catering advisor to the Air Force, Kerr did not feel qualified to lead the viewers in exercise. So that day, there was no vigorous workout. Instead, he treated the audience to his spontaneity and humor while preparing a delicious omelet. His TV debut was in uniform, with no apron – which is still a trademark.
It was after a successful national cooking show in Australia that Kerr moved to Canada to film The Galloping Gourmet, a show that caught the world’s attention and quickly became the most successful cooking show on television. His success was largely due to his outrageous, clever and charming manner.
However, it has been said that behind every great man is a great woman. Treena Kerr received two Emmy nominations as Producer of the Year for daytime television.
Overcoming Adversity
Then tragedy struck.
In 1971, a vegetable truck crashed into Kerr’s on-location production vehicle near San Francisco, Calif. Graham became paralyzed on his left side, and Treena suffered complications that resulted in major surgery.
They devoted the next two years to rehabilitation and reordering their lives. After returning to their native country, England, they stayed at the Forest Mere Health Hydro, a world-famous health spa that was featured in the James Bond film Thunderball. From a chiropractic perspective, the most interesting scene in the movie is when the undercover spy Bond (Sean Connery) is given a brief massage by a beautiful female therapist who proceeds to manipulate every bone in his spine.
Fortunately, Graham Kerr’s care was a bit more mild than that given to the secret agent. In a short time, his paralysis abated. However, he still had a problem with dizziness. Literally, he would fall down after eating meals.
A Scottish doctor prescribed a sea voyage for him. The motion of the boat would challenge his sense of balance, and the rigors of life aboard a sailboat was sure to help him regain his strength.
For two years, the Kerrs sailed with their three children 24,000 miles across the Atlantic and throughout the Caribbean. Fully recovered and fit once again, the family returned to the United States.
Helping the Needy
In 1974, a conversion to Christianity led the Kerrs to focus their talents toward helping the less fortunate. They co-founded Creative Lifestyles International, Inc., an organization dedicated to showing people how to live better with less money. The basic principles are simple yet effective: Convert habits that hurt into provisions that heal, and pass the benefits on to the world’s disadvantaged.
Author Ronald Sider, in his book Rich Christians in a Hungry World, cites the Kerrs efforts and loving generosity as exemplary. Due to their ongoing concern for the needy, the Kerrs have improved the lives of many individuals throughout the world.
Although Graham Kerr is not well known for his work in putting food on the tables of the poor, he is widely recognized for his influence on what Americans serve on their dinner table. Page 62
The Joy of Cooking
In his early television programs and popular cookbooks, he led his fans in fabulous creations loaded with saturated fats, cholesterol, sodium and a lot of calories. He even incurred the wrath of Weight Watchers, with the dubious Broken Spoon Award, a distinction he is not proud to have. His work in Creative Lifestyles International began a fundamental change in his approach to food preparation. He saw the need to reduce the dangerous properties of traditional cooking without reducing its enjoyment or creativity.
It was Treena’s heart attack in 1986 that motivated Graham to put his new lifestyle and cooking technique on television. Together, with the American Heart Association, he produced, A Bite With Kerr, a series of 130 spots with tips to encourage healthy eating. He did not stop there. Intensive nutrition research, combined with a lifetime of cooking experience, culminated in the development of the Minimax cooking style – minimum risk with maximum creativity.
Public broadcasting stations across the United States air his highly acclaimed program, Graham Kerr’s Kitchen, a weekly series that illustrates the basic techniques of Minimax cooking. An earlier series, called Graham Kerr, is broadcast twice daily on the Discovery Network. In addition, he continues to enjoy an international audience through The Graham Kerr Show, which is currently aired in the United Kingdom, Europe and New Zealand.
Kerr’s determination to encourage people to eat better can also be found in bookstores across the country. He is a bestselling author, with more than four million books sold. Smart Cooking, published by Doubleday in October 1991, sold 100,000 copies in the first eight weeks. Enthusiasm was so great that Doubleday published the sequel, Graham Kerr’s Minimax Cookbook, just one year later. Putnam Press is currently publishing and impressive third cookbook, Creative Choices.
A Winning Personality
Besides the television series and writing, Kerr keeps busy by producing instructional videos, teaching restaurant chefs and developing kitchen equipment. He is an award-winning member of the distinguished International Association of Culinary Professionals, and he is also a consultant to several private and public groups.
University Synergy, in Cleveland, Ohio, is rapidly gaining national attention with its holistic approach to health and rehabilitation. The center utilizes lifestyle modification and other preventive approaches to maintain and improve health. University Synergy is working with Kerr to develop a comprehensive cooking school which will help patients and others learn how to attack coronary diseases and other conditions through nutrition.
Reflecting in each of Kerr’s endeavors is one thing that always stands out: He loves people and has an interest and compassion for others. He is naturally at ease with other patients in my waiting area. Often, I see him chatting and laughing candidly with other patients. Food may be his business, but it is clear that people are his true delight. I must smile and wonder if he had that same professor. It is obvious that, in Graham Kerr’s mind, everybody is a famous person.
I’m not certain whether it is his past injuries, his healthy lifestyle or his busy schedule that has made him appreciate the value of chiropractic most. No mater the reason, the man who shows the world how to create “great food for great years” knows that regular chiropractic adjustments are essential. Page 63
Why don’t doctors get it? and other questions about real food, vitamins and minerals.
“The average multi-level-salesperson, selling vitamins for a little extra income, knows more about leading-edge-nutrition than the average medical doctor.”
You may find this statement amusing. Perhaps, you say “that couldn’t be true.” Or maybe you’re among the millions that are not surprised by such a bold claim. As for myself, I’m the rebel that said it to a friend years ago. Who was the friend? At the time he was a recent graduate from a leading medical school, now he’s Chief of Pediatrics at a respected university hospital.
“You’re right.” He said. We had been friends since we were in first grade. We’ve discussed sports, girls, school, and current events since we were four feet tall. I always thought I knew how to needle him into a lively debate, so you can imagine my surprise when he agreed with my outlandish statement! Basically, I told him that the average American, with no formal healthcare education, selling multilevel nutritional products knows more about nutrition than he and most of his doctor friends.
When he agreed, it kind of took the wind out of my sails.
Afterwards, it got me thinking. Why was he willing to concede that medical doctors don’t know about modern nutrition?
Looking for the answer, I took another look at the practice of medicine in this country. A number of thoughts came to mind. Some of them probably wrong, some a bit cynical, and at least a few I’m certain to be right on.
- There is little personal gratification for the doctor who expands his/her knowledge in the field of nutrition. Prestige among the doctors colleagues will not be elevated, in fact the opposite, he’s likely to be treated with a skeptical eye.
- Financially, it would be suicide, as there are few people who want to pay the premium fee of a highly educated and skilled MD to provide a similar service they could get for free at the corner health-food store.
- Nutrition doesn’t fit the purpose of medicine. The practice of medicine is often summarized as the treatment of disease and pathologies using surgery and drugs. Optimizing health through nutrition, or providing information to enable the patient to take real control of their personal health is just not found in the standard medical play book.
- Doctors are only human. Consumer Direct Advertisements: Magazines, newspapers and TV encourage readers and viewers to “Ask your doctor about Claritin…” “Ask your doctor about Zoloft.” “Ask your doctor about…” Get use to it. Over 75% of consumers say their MD accommodated their request for a specific drug. Also doctors are having a difficult time keeping abreast of the FDA warnings about possible drug risks as it is.
There are just so many new drugs available…and keeping current with the information that goes with each drug has become almost impossible. (Read Full Article) Kenneth W. Kizer, M.D., M.P.H, Former VA Under Secretary for Health.
- The pharmaceutical industry does everything within their power to keep medical doctors promoting their products for the treatment of sickness. There is no way to compete with this $100+ billion-a-year-industry.
Or is there?
Don’t wait for your medical doctor or illness to convince you to really make a difference in you nutritional health.
Take responsibility for your own healthcare and leave the sickness care to your medical doctor, that’s his/her expertise. Make up your mind to learn more about modern nutrition and never stop learning!
One thing that is clear when it comes to health and nutrition. The closer your diet is to God’s earth the better. In other words, we would all be a great deal healthier if we ate a wide mix of whole foods.
- Fresh fruits, vegetables and a varied grains are best.
- Moderate amounts of wild fish, organic and grass fed meats are important sources of vital nutrients and proteins.
- Animal fats, refined sugars and processed foods should be limited.
- Manufactured fats (trans fatty acids),chemical additives as well as artificial colorings and flavorings should never enter our bodies (they are not “food” at all).
- Vitamins, minerals, and other nutrient supplements will not and should not take the place of a proper diet, but they can and do supply important nutrients that are often missing or scarce in what we eat.
In a perfect world we would follow these simple truths. Unfortunately we don’t live in a perfect world. As a result, our nutrition and eventually our health becomes compromised.
For what ever reason, our medical doctors are not learning how to help us create the ideal diet or find the optimal nutrients, so isn’t it time we help ourselves to the wealth of information available and teach them a thing or two about how to life a full and healthy life.
P.S. No, I’m not entirely thrilled about the newish US dept. of ag. My Pyramid concept, but it is better than anything they’ve come up with before. Click
Fiber: Not Googled Much
There are some things that just don’t come up in the news too often, but that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t. That’s why I’m going to offer this post, on a little discussed topic, as a public service. Let’s leave the cyber world long enough to meditate on something that virtually (funny –huh?) nobody talks about…FIBER.
Okay, so probably fiber is not among the highest of Googled words, but great health is something we all are looking for. Often a small change in diet can make a huge difference in our health. That’s certainly the case with fiber, an essential nutrient we often forget about.
In the Standard American Diet (SAD), fiber has become increasingly hard to find. Yet scientific research (Harvard School of Public Health) continues to discover a multitude of health benefits provided by dietary fiber. Including:
- Heart Disease – fiber assists in the elimination of cholesterol and triglycerides and may lower blood pressure.
- Cancer – fiber helps decreases the risk of colon cancer and assists in the excretion of toxins and heavy metals.
- Diabetes – fiber is instrumental in the stabilization of blood sugar levels and slows absorption of glucose.
- Obesity – fiber aids in weight loss by providing a feeling of fullness.
- Digestive Concerns – fiber helps eliminate sluggish bowel and constipation, while supporting beneficial intestinal flora.
Dietary fiber comes from the edible parts of plants which are not broken down by digestive enzymes. Excellent food sources of dietary fiber include, sprouted and un-sprouted seeds, beans, whole grains, Swiss chard, vegetable greens (especially turnip, mustard and collard), cauliflower, broccoli, and most berries.
My suggestion (and I’m not alone here) is to make sure your diet includes a wide assortment of dietary fiber. By all means, supplement if you must (Super Seed from Garden of Life is the best product I’ve found) but get enough fiber. In the days, months, and years to come, your body will thank you in the most wonderful way – improved health.
