Support Katrina's Arabic Studies

I am trying to raise funds for the Center for Arabic Studies Abroad (CASA) program to study Arabic in Cairo, Egypt. For whose who are interested in donating, please got to FundRazr.


A photo of me in Luxor, Egypt in July 2009 during a CLS Arabic program.

No One Gets There Alone

To My Nearest and Dearest,

Many of you may have heard that I have been accepted to the Center for Arabic Studies Abroad (CASA) program to study Arabic in Cairo, Egypt starting in June. When I started this blog, I thought it would be about food in Washington, DC but it looks like I am taking it on the road. I am going to try to continue to post recipes while I am away. Therefore, it likely it will take on an Egyptian twist.

In addition, I have been lucky enough to also receive a fellowship to help defer the cost of the program. However, there are additional expenses that are not covered by this scholarship. I have been blessed to have the support of my friends and family throughout my academic progress without which I would not be in a PhD program or heading to Egypt this summer.I am asking my community and maybe even a few generous strangers for a little more help. I am trying to raise $500 in the next two weeks to help pay for for additional expenses that are not covered by the fellowship including required medical insurance and costs for travel preparations (visa, passport renewal, medical exam, etc). No donation is too small. You will gain my eternal gratitude and a possible mention in the dedication of my first book. In addition, I promise to pay forward all the money that I raise to another person in need when I am able. For whose that want to donate, please got to this link: FundRazr.

Please let me if you have any questions. Thanks you in advance.

Kind Regards,
Katrina

Siwa, Egypt. July 2009.

PS
If you would rather purchase an item that I need for the trip rather than donate money, I have set up a wishlist on Amazon with a few things that I need. You can access it here.

Items can be mailed directly through Amazon or to the following address:
Katrina Yeaw
Department of History,
Georgetown University
ICC 600
Washington, DC 20057-1035

Coconut Black Rice Porridge

A while back, I decided to make a risotto recipe that called for black rice. In my infinite wisdom, I bought six pounds of  Lotus Foods Forbidden Black Rice online in order to avoid paying shipping costs. You should have seen my boyfriend's face. He claimed our apartment looked like we were hoarding food aid for USAID. Since this misguided attempt at buying in bulk, I have been looking for recipes that use black rice. For those that have tried it, it is a yummy, whole grain alternative to white rice that turns dishes a beautiful purple color. This morning I decided to make Coconut Black Rice porridge for breakfast.

This recipe is a kind of an East meets West version of rice porridge. The coconut milk and black rice are similar to an Thai rice pudding while the rose water and citrus give it a Turkish flair similar to Sütlac. The dates help to add some natural sweetness but if you like a sweeter breakfast feel free to add a bit of sugar as well.

Coconut Black Rice Porridge* - Serves 2

For black rice:

1 1/4 cups of water

1/2 cup of black rice

For rice porridge:

6 finely chopped dates (and a few for garnish)

2 teaspoons of rose water (optional)

1/2 cup of full fat coconut milk from a can

3/4 cup of milk or milk substitute (I used So Delicious unsweetened coconut milk but you could also use regular milk). For a more decadent treat, use all full fat coconut milk

1 teaspoon grated orange zest

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 

1 piece of a  cinnamon stick

1-2 tablespoons of coconut sugar or brown sugar (optional)  

Instructions

1. Bring the water and rice to a boil in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan. Reduce temperature to maintain a simmer, cover, and cook until the rice is tender yet still slightly chewy, about 30 minutes. Some water will remain (do not drain).

2. While the rice is cooking, place the chopped dates in a small bowl and drizzle with 2 teaspoons of the rose water.

3. To finish, add coconut milk, milk, 1/2 teaspoon of the orange zest, cinnamon stick, vanilla, 1/2 the dates and sugar (optional) to the rice. Return to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring several times. Decrease the heat to maintain a gentle bubble and cook, uncovered, for 15 more minutes, stirring every few minutes or so. The consistency should be creamy yet soupy.  Remove the saucepan from the heat and remove the cinnamon stick. Stir in the remaining chopped dates and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon orange zest.

4. Divide the rice pudding among small individual bowls. Garnish with a few more sliced dates or orange slices and serve warm

*Adapted from Ancient Grains for Modern Meals: Mediterranean Whole Grain Recipes for Barley, Farro, Kamut, Polenta, Wheat Berries & More by Maria Speck.

The Coffee Protein Smoothie

I seem to mostly blog about smoothie or smoothie-items. I will try to branch out in the next couple of weeks. In the meantime, here is my new favorite breakfast smoothie. I invented it in order to incorporate some coffee into my morning smoothie. Lets be honest, we all need a bit of a pick me up some mornings. However, I was finding it hard to drink a latte (my coffee of choice) after a big smoothie. Thus, this eye opener was born. It includes my required serving of veggies and half a serving of fruit plus healthy fat and lots of protein to get you to lunch.

 Ingredients

• 1-2 scoops of protein powder - I use Mt. Capra Double Bonded Protein. Try to find one without any artificial additives or added sugar. 
• 1 cup of strong coffee (I usually use espresso made with a 3 cup moka pot) 
• 1/2 cup low fat kefir or 1/2 cup of milk (almond, coconut, etc) of your choice (I have been using coconut milk kefir recently)
• 1/2 a frozen banana (If you do not like banana, you are substitute it with a natural sweeter such as stevia, coconut sugar, agave, xylitol or honey)
• 1 cup fresh spinach
• 1-2 Tablespoons of nut butter (I usually use peanut butter without salt)
• 3 ice cubes

Additions (optional)

• 1-2 tablespoon unsweetened coco power

Instructions

Put all the ingredients  in a blender and blend.

The peanut butter, banana and coffee are an excellent pairing. The only minus of this smoothie is that it is a bit of an odd color: kind of an olive green hue. The coco powder tens to conceal this a bit. Since it tastes excellent, I am willing to overlook the color in order to get in some greens with my breakfast. If the color really bothers you, omit the spinach.

Healthy Mango Lassi

I came home from a run this evening starving. Being around 6pm, I wanted a healthy snack but not something super filling. Everything I know about exercise also says that I should eat some protein and health fats after physical excursion... blah... blah science....blah...bah. I considered some toasted with almond butter but I was trying to come up with an idea with greek yogurt since I already had peanut butter in my morning smoothy. I have been stalking a recipe for cookie dough greek yogurt for a couple of weeks but that seemed a bit too much like dessert before dinner. It then occurred to me: Mango Lassi. After checking out the normal recipes, I invented this one, which omits the refined sugar.

 Recipe for Healthy Mango Lassi

1 small container of plain Greek yogurt (I used non-fat since 2 percent is getting harder to find)
1 cup frozen mango
1 package of stevia - more if you like a sweeter version (or a few teaspoons of coconut sugar, xylitol or honey)
1 cup milk or milk substitute (I used unsweetened coconut milk but regular milk would work also)


Instructions

1. Put all the ingredients and half the milk or milk substitute in a blender or food processor and blend. At this point, I had something closer to mango frozen yogurt which is fun also.
2. If you want a lassi, add the remaining milk until the drink reaches the desired consistency
3. If desired, add a few ice cubes. Enjoy!

Dreamy (Healthy) Smoothie Recipes

I have been perfecting a number of smoothie recipes for the last several weeks. The reason that I started drinking smoothies was two fold:

• I struggle to find the time to eat breakfast before running out the door in the morning. Smoothies are a quick way to get a filling and nutritious meals that I can drink while getting ready.
• I recently revamped my diet and I have been trying to get 5 servings of veggies and 2-4 servings of fruit. It is a challenge if I do not get at least one of each in before lunch. 

My philosophy for smoothies is generally that it should contain at least one serving of vegetables and one of fruit. I also avoid using fruit juice since it packs a lot of sugar and calories without much in return. Finally, it needs to actually taste good. 

1. The Kitchen Sink

The Kitchen Sink is my general go to breakfast smoothie. It is a little bit of this and a little bit of that. The major pluses are that it is high in protein and includes a serving of fruit and vegetables.

• 2 scoops of protein powder - I use Mt. Capra Double Bonded Protein. Try to find one without any artificial additives or sugar.
• 1 cup low fat kefir or 1 cup of milk (almond, coconut, etc) of your choice and 2 tablespoons of plain greek yogurt
• 1 cup frozen fruit - I like 1/2 a cup of blueberries and 1/2 cup of strawberries
• 1 cup fresh spinach

Additions (optional)

• 1 tablespoon unsweetened coco power
• 1 tablespoon ground flax seed meal
• 1 packet of stevia or 1 tablespoon of honey (I only add when using unflavored protein powder)

For those nervous about adding spinach to a smoothie, the rest of the ingredients conceal the taste. A tablespoon of coco powder also helps and you get all the benefits of dark chocolate without the guilt. Feel free to experiment with other ingredients: Matcha powder, chia seeds, hemp seeds, other fruits, this weeks super food, etc.

2. The Hulk

This smoothie is a bit more challenging for beginners. It is green... Yes!  Green! It is also not for those afraid of veggies in their smoothies or fearful of fat. That being said, avocado have nearly 20 essential nutrients, including fiber, potassium, Vitamin E, B-vitamins and folic acid and the big dose of healthy fats keep you full for hours. The sweetness of the banana helps to balance out the tart taste of the kale. I do not think it needs additional sweeteners but you can add a bit of honey or some stevia depending on your taste.  Once you get past the color, it has a dreamy rich texture.

• Half an avocado
• 1 cup low fat kefir or 1 cup of milk (almond, coconut, etc) of your choice and 2 tablespoons of plain greek yogurt
• 1 and a 1/2 cups of fresh kale
• 1 frozen banana  
• 1 tablespoons of honey or a packet of stevia (optional)

3. The Green Machine

This is another green smoothie that might be a bit easier for the faint of heart. It is a good introduction to green smoothies. Since it does not have much protein, I usually pair it with some greek yogurt, a piece toast with goat cheese or a small bowl of oatmeal. It also makes a good afternoon snack with a small handful of nuts.

• 2 cups of fresh spinach
• 1-2 cups of cold water
• 1/2 an apple
• 1/2 a frozen banana 
• a few ice cubes
• 1 tablespoon ground flax seed meal (optional)