alex thomopoulos

Vegan Sugar Free Strawberry Ice Cream & Creative Thinking

6.18.13


 

I am not a liar. I am a creative thinker.

This is what my mother always told us growing up. She would have dinner guests sitting at the end of their chairs, eyes wide with excitement as she told stories filled with colorful details that in fact never actually occurred. As kids we learned to never correct her publicly. I remember one time she was mid story and I interupted her “no, that never happened!”. Her eyes shot towards me, and her lips pursed in a way that made the hair stand up on my neck. I knew I better keep my mouth shut if I wanted to play my Sega Genesis that week. Her creative thinking wasn’t confined to just her stories, oh no, her creative thinking followed us everywhere we went. If we went to a restaurant and there was a wait to be seated she would tell the hostess that my father, a man who has sported grey hair since he was 26 and looks no older than 50, was a senior citizen with borderline type 2 diabetes and needed to eat right away. This is one of the tamer examples, I shall save the rest for my tell all book.

I, on the other hand am a liar, a big liar. I don’t make up stories or  fake illnesses that ail my father but rather I lie to myself. I say I can do things before I know I can do them. I lie because I don’t like telling people no. Maybe it’s my mom’s influence of “creatively thinking” on my feet or maybe it’s my background in improv where it was essential to say YES to everything, I am not sure. All I know is that sometimes my lies cause me a whole lot of headache and have me  going back to fess up that I lied and what I said I could do wasn’t true. On the other hand, there are times particularly last week where my lying led to a new discovery of a flippin’ delicious treat.

I was working for one of my clients and she had a girlfriend over for lunch who doesn’t eat dairy, sugar, gluten or meat. This may sound crazy to most but in Beverly Hills it’s totally a thing. I have my repetoire of healthy fun dishes to wow the friend come meal time, but when dessert rolls around I usually hang my head low as I give her a bowl of fresh fruit. The other day she asked me “Do you know how to make ice cream that I could eat? Like super creamy ice cream?” Of course not wanting to embarass myself by saying “no”, I quickly responded “Yah, of course I do!”. Her eyes lit up. “You can!!! This makes me so excited!”

LIAR. I JUST LIED. I TOTALLY JUST LIED.

WTF did I just do?!?! I was clearing plates and I had a big smile on my face, but on the inside all that was going through my head was “shit, shit, shit, why do you even open your big mouth?!?! shit, shit, shit.” If you read my post about Lemon Souffle you will see I get myself into these situations all the time.  All right liar, you gotta fix this.

Most dairy free sugar free ice cream recipes are crap, they are either too icy or have no flavor. I quickly went to my computer to scour the internet for vegan ice cream recipes, particularly cashew milk based because cashews were all I had on hand at the time. I also love how creamy cashews get, so I knew if I was going to play around with ice cream, cashews were my best bet.

Finally I found something that helped inspire my ice cream making on RAWFIED. I used the outline they had to create my own version of this creamy delight. I adjusted some of the quantities added some frozen strawberries and what resulted was DELICIOUS. Bev Hills friend lady went ape shit for it. I posted a picture of it on instagram and  y’all went ape shit for it too, and demanded the recipe. So demand and you shall receive.

If I have some parting wisdom to leave you with it’s this:

If you can find a way to turn a little lie into truth than it’s okay to lie. Say YES, even when you think the answer is no.  Sometimes a little lie forces you to create things you never thought you could do. We often let fear and intuition get in the way of us doing something. If we force ourselves to think there is no other way for something not to be true, than we can surpass our expectations for ourselves…….I am pretty sure I just said something a sociopath or serial killer has written in a journal somewhere, but hey it sounds good to me.

Until next time friends,
AT

Vegan Sugar Free Strawberry Ice Cream

(yields 1 quart)

  • 2 cups raw cashews
  • 1 cup filtered water
  • 8-10 dates, pitted
  • 1/2 cup hot water
  • 1 cup frozen or fresh strawberries
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  1. In a high power blender blend raw cashews, vanilla, cinnamon and filtered water into a smooth paste. This may take a few minutes.
  2. In a separate bowl add hot water and dates and let it sit for 2-3 minutes until the dates soften.
  3. Add the dates and water into the cashew puree and blend for another 1-2 minutes until very smooth. If mixture is still too thick, add more water 1/4 cup at a time. You want it the consistency of an ice cream base custard. Thick enough to coat back of spoon but not too thick where it looks like pudding.
  4. Add strawberries  and blend until almost all the strawberries are incorporated. You still want some chunks of strawberries in there for texture.
  5. Pour into ice cream maker and follow manufacture’s instructions.
  6. Scoop and enjoy!

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Healthy Desserts & Lady Boners

5.26.13

Lady Boner. Yup. That’s right, this is how things are going to go today. Let’s discuss. Before we do that let me preface my teachings with a little back story.
Usually when I am at work I snap a quick picture of the food I am about to serve to my clients and their guests and I post it on Instagram. It’s my way of sharing my work with friends in hopes to somehow spark some sort of voyeuristic hunger and or inspiration. On occasion I will post something that hits us women in all our senses. I posted a picture of a dessert I had made for a client, it as a vegan vanilla bean flan w roasted stone fruits. A friend of mine commented with the words “I just got a lady boner”, which made me laugh out loud because as ridiculous as it sounded I totally could relate. Much like a man when he sees a beautiful picture of a naked woman, we as women have the things that excite the hell out of us and give us what now is being labelled as a “lady boner”. This happens more often than people would think. I think God got it right when he gave men physical evidence of being aroused because if women could get physical boners we would have them 95% of the day and most of us would end up in jail for lewd behavior every time we stepped foot in a Nordstroms or a farmers market. . These are some other things that get us ladies all hot and bothered. Men take note.

Things or activities that cause lady boners:

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The Best Brussel Sprouts & The Perks of Being Single in America

5.15.13
dairy freegluten freenut free

It’s true. I mean it, these are the best brussel sprouts…okay, well let’s be fair, we live in ‘Mmmerica so I would say diplomatically these are in the top 5 list of best brussel sprout recipes. Happy? Good. That’s all I care about: your happiness and for my dogs to think I am still the best part of their day.

Back to the sprouts. We all know these little guys have been making a “comeback” for a while now, I was even told that by one unnamed produce creeper at my local Whole Foods (read about it here). The rapid turn-around from being the most hated to the most loved vegetable has always dumbfounded me. Did no one think to roast these little guys before the year 2000?! The flavors of a perfectly roasted brussel sprout is something to be savored. Roasted or sauteed brussel sprouts pair beautifully with smoky flavors like bacon, and their naturally sweet, nutty undertones are elevated when paired with something fruity like dried apricots or thick syrupy balsamic.

My go to recipe was simply to roast them. Simple. Easy. Then I was introduced to what I thought was the most delicious way to consume this vegetable. I went to a party a couple months ago and none other than Chef Alex Guarneschelli was there casually cooking in the kitchen. I walked in and nearly collapsed. I went full Californian on her and was like “WHHHATTT ARE YOU DOIN HERE?!?”

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Gluten Free Whole Grain Waffles from Scratch

5.5.13
dairy freegluten freewheat free

Brunch.

YES. I just love the way that word sounds. To me, brunch is the key to a happy life. Sunday morning is my absolute favorite time of the week. After church on Sundays nothing makes me happier than to spend the rest of the day eating amazing food, and drinking incredible cocktails with great friends. I used to work 7 days a week, but now try and take Sundays off when I can. Now more than ever my Sundays off are the days where anything goes.

During the week I am pretty rigid with my breakfast fair. Keeping it healthy and light with things like protein smoothies, and or egg-whites. But Sundays?! Girl, you best watch out. I am a waffle eating monster.

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Blood Orange Margaritas, The Big Traveling Potluck & The Power of Believing

4.30.13
dairy freegluten freenut freewheat free

About 5 months ago my friend Melissa Lanz texted me and said “Go to this website http://www.thebigpotluck.com and buy a ticket NOW.” I responded to her “Why?”
She said “Just do it”
“A whole weekend with 100 women in the middle of nowhere California? No, I am good, but thanks”
Melissa replied “I didn’t ask, I am telling you to buy a ticket. Everyone is going. You won’t regret it.”
Reluctantly I ended up buying a ticket, and this past weekend was the big event. Even though I was excited to see all my friends, I was still not thrilled on the concept of being stuck at a barn in the middle of God knows where for 3 whole days talking about quiche and God knows what else food bloggers talk about.

All those fears and worries changed once I got to the event. Truthfully I had one of the best weekends I have had in a long time. I got to meet so many new people and was inspired by everyone there. The creativity was infectious and the food was overflowing.

If you know me, you know that I can’t go anywhere or do anything without making a statement. In honor of my tequila love affair, and my new friend Gaby Daklin’s book Absolutely Avocados I brought many sombrero themed costumes to wear through out the conference. They were a huge hit. They were so ridiculous, but everyone seemed to really enjoy them…..at least I know my friends and I did.

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Gluten Free Banana Bread and The Art of Ugly Crying

3.21.13
gluten freenut freewheat free

Morning Sunshines!

It’s another beautiful day here in Southern California and I am feeling really blessed this morning. Now, I do NOT want to turn this blog into some sort of pseudo diary, but I want to share with you some of what’s been going on with me in order to explain my thoughts and this recipe I am going to share.

For those of you who know me personally know that I work my tail off everyday. My main source of income comes from private chef work I do here in LA. It’s something I love to do but it’s also something that completely takes over your life. It’s not something I want to do the rest of my life, but for now it must be done in order for me to get to that next step in my career.

In my work and in my life I strive for excellence. I strive to be able to support myself and also have enough to help out those I can. I have dreams and goals of doing something much bigger than myself and I work everyday to get one step closer to realizing those dreams. It’s not easy, but I don’t think anything worth anything is easy to achieve. There are more days where I get told “no” than where I get told “yes”, and it’s those days where I have to step back, reflect and grow. It’s exhausting, and emotionally draining and sometimes, just sometimes it’s okay to break down.

We are all allowed to have a good ugly crying session once in a while. It’s good. It’s healthy. It’s definitely not cute, but something that is necessary. We got to let it out. If you don’t know what a good ugly crying session looks like it looks something like this.

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Cauliflower Couscous

3.15.13
dairy freegluten freewheat free

HEY Y’ALL!

So surprise! I had to change the name of my blog…I know I am just as thrilled as you are : / But hey, life happens and we move on. Alas, alextcooks is born and I am thrilled to inform you nothing but the title is going to change. Same great recipes and ridiculous stories are to come. I have taken a step back from doing private chef work, so my 15 hour 6 days a week schedule is no more. I will have much more time to blog, which means more recipes and ridiculous happenings for you!

Speaking of recipes, let’s dive right in shall we? Last week I was making a Moroccan inspire meal at work. Roasted chicken with harissa, lentil stew, and couscous. Now when I cook something for my clients that contains gluten the measures that go into me not accidentally cross contaminating are intense. The biggest problem I face though is putting out food I can’t even taste. Usually seasoning is a very tricky, the perfect balance is usually achieved with just a pinch more of salt, or a squeeze of lemon. I tried to see if I could sub quinoa but my clients are not too keen on it. I remembered being at the Bazaar at the SLS hotel in Los Angeles and having what they called “cauliflower couscous”. It was unreal. It looked just like couscous but had a flavor that was full of depth and a texture unlike anything I ever had before.

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Gluten Free Fried Chicken and Biscuits

3.8.13
gluten freenut freewheat free

So I have been on a bit of a health kick lately. I really feel such a difference when I am eating right and exercising everyday. That being said, there are the occasional days I like to indulge myself in a meal that I feel encompasses all that is comfort and deliciousness. For me, Fried Chicken and Biscuits could be the most beautiful pairing since Sonny and Cher. I firmly believe that if you are going to indulge into a meal that is not in the top 10 of “Healthiest Foods on the Planet”, it has to be worth it and it has to be in moderation. Let me tell you something Nancy, this meal is WORTH IT.

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Lamb Burger Patty Melt w Lemon Roasted Fries

2.20.13
gluten freenut freewheat free

Like most Greeks my grandfather, Papou Denis owned and operated a diner when he first came to America. I never got a chance to meet my Papou but judging from the stories my father has told me I think we have a lot in common.

The best recipes and the best inspiration come from the generations before me, so when I was asked to do a Greek dish for my web series I knew exactly what I was going to do. I wanted to do a spin on a classic diner favorite: The Patty Melt. Instead of red meat I used ground lamb that I season with herbs and spices. Instead of mayonaise I made a dill aoli, and top with balsamic caramelized onions to cut through the richness. I like using swiss in this dish because it’s a really mild cheese that adds that yummy cheesy factor but doesn’t overpower the other flavors of the dish.

To make it gluten free I used my favorite store bought gluten free bread, but you can use which ever bread you would like. I love this dish because it’s a unique and delicious way to wow all your friends. Serve this at your next tailgate, BBQ or even for a fun themed dinner.

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