Secrets of a Skinny Chef

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Scones

2011-11-10T12:25:00.000-08:00

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Scones

2 cups whole wheat flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 -1 tsp ground cloves
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup canned pumpkin (I used closer to a cup, making it a pretty stick dough)
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
egg wash (1 egg & 1 tbs water)
Sugar In The Raw for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 400.

Line baking sheet with Silpat or parchment.

In a food processor, combine flour, sugar, spices, baking powder, baking soda and salt with a few pulses.

Add butter and pulse until coarse sand texture.

In small bowl combine buttermilk, pumpkin and vanilla. Add buttermilk mix through feed tube while pulsing. Do not over mix.

Transfer dough to floured surface and pat out to about 1 inch thick. With square cutter, cut out scones then divide the square in half to be a triangle. Place scones on baking sheet and brush with egg wash. Sprinkle sugar on tops and bake 20 minutes or until golden. Cool on rack.

Maximus walked around Target eating one after school and showed it to each person we passed. They're not very sweet (you can add more sugar if you'd like), but they're tasty!

Crock Pot Chicken & Whole Wheat Dumplings

2011-10-11T08:56:00.001-07:00

1 lb - 1.5lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs and breasts
2-3 ribs celery, diced
large handful shiitake mushrooms, diced
1-1.5 cups carrots, diced
1 (8oz) package dried organic leek soup mix
4-6 cups water
3-4 Not Chick-N bouillon cubes (my favorite- vegan with the best chicken taste)
salt
pepper
thyme (palms measurement, about 1.5 tbsp)
paprika (about 1 tbsp)
garlic (about 1 tbsp)
onion powder (about 2 tsp)
whole wheat biscuits (recipe below)

I used this recipe for the whole wheat biscuits. She uses all purpose flour, but I won't ever buy that and I always use whole wheat. They turned out great! Also, I used buttermilk instead of heavy cream. Here's the link:

Cream Biscuits
Okay, I HATE making biscuits. Hate. However, this recipe I will be using over and over. It was simple. I was going for small biscuits, so I used a champagne sample cup we had- you can use a large shot glass or small juice cup, I guess? They were about 2 inches across. Oh, and I double sifted the whole wheat flour.

Cute, eh? Invest in a baking mat. I use mine in countless ways.

Done! Lovely!

Heat a tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium- high heat until hot. Add chicken, cook and stir until just browned.

In a slow cooker, combine the chicken, celery, carrots, mushrooms, soup mix, all seasonings and water. Mix well.

Cover and cook on low for 7-9 hours.

When you're about an hour from serving, shred the chicken and tear the biscuits into thirds or quarters. Place the pieces on top of the liquid in the slow cooker and turn to low and cover for about an hour.

Serve and enjoy! I noticed online that almost all recipes called for the use of those Pillsbury Grands refrigerated biscuits. They added them, uncooked, about 45 minutes before serving. Google it and if that's what you want to use, go for it. (Jesse LOVED the whole wheat biscuits used as "dumplings" in this recipe, so that's what I'll continue to use.)

I sat outside on the deck and ate a bowl in the cold, crisp fall air. It was so good that my eyes rolled in the back of my head. SO GOOD.

Chunky Vegetable Soup & Roasted Butternut Squash

2011-09-22T17:22:00.001-07:00

Chunky Vegetable Soup

Couple tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
3 medium/large carrots, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, pressed
few pinches thyme
2 cans stewed tomatoes (I puree mine for the tomato hater in my house)
few cups chicken stock
handful pasta (whatever you want. I used spinach spaghetti, broken into small pieces)

In a stock pot over medium heat, add oil and heat. Add and cook the onion, celery and carrots until soft. Add garlic and thyme. After 3 minutes, add tomatoes and water and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Add the pasta and cook until done. I let mine sit on low, covered, for a half hour prior to serving. Serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese.

Roasted Butternut Squash

I LOVE THIS. I am not a fan of squash cooked with sugar or anything sweet- I am a hater of sweet when it should be savory. I never, ever let my syrup touch my eggs or bacon. Ack! But this side is amazing. It's not my recipe. I found one and tweaked it until it was just right, so it's sort of mine?

1 tsp smoked paprika (please buy good paprika. Paprika rules the spice rack.)
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion salt
Fresh ground black pepper and sea salt
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
extra virgin olive oil (the amount will vary. Use until you have a runny paste)

Preheat oven to 375. Peel the squash and cube into 1 inch pieces. (Google how to peel and cut a butternut if you don't know how)

Mix the paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, salt and balsamic in a small bowl. Slowly stream in olive oil and whisk quickly until you have a runny paste. Don't add too much, it's not salad dressing.

Dump mixture over squash pieces in a large bowl and mix until it's evenly coated. Arrange on a baking sheet covered by Silpat (or parchment or some kind of protective layer. Silicone is best) and bake until done, about 30-40 minutes. You'll want to check and turn about halfway through cooking time.

Greek Hummus & Pesto Pizza

2011-09-22T12:49:00.000-07:00

From the bottom to the top:

whole wheat pita
hummus
pesto
low fat feta
roasted red peppers
red onions, thinly sliced
rotisserie chicken
olives
drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
chopped romaine lettuce, tossed in homemade (or whatever you want) Greek dressing

Bake at 400 for 5-7 minutes. Top with the cold romaine lettuce before serving. I served it last night with a side of pesto parmesan quinoa. Easy and nutritious.

Leftovers?

2011-07-19T16:21:00.000-07:00

Best use of leftovers. Ever.

Leftover grilled chicken and "arrachera". (Mexican market marinated flank steak)
Brown and wild rice mixture
Sauteed spinach
Dijon
Onion
Vegan sour cream, or whatever you have

Cook the rice first, since it takes the longest. Saute spinach in extra virgin olive oil, sea salt and fresh cracked pepper. (I used an entire bag of spinach and it shrinks down into 3 tiny servings)

Cook chicken and beef over medium until done. Make a pan sauce with butter (I used vegan), a bit of dijon, a splash of stock and vegan sour cream (it doesn't have to be vegan. I also added a finely chopped white onion.

Serve rice on bottom, top with spinach and finish with the meat and sauce. Dee-lish.

Kid Cuisine Bug Hunt Fun Nuggets

2011-06-29T21:14:00.000-07:00

Well...doesn't the name say it all? Bug? Fun? Nuggets? Seriously?!

Here's the ingredient list:
Chicken Patties (Chicken, Breading [Wheat Flour, Salt, Dextrose, Soybean(s) Oil, Whey, Oleoresin Paprika], Water, Soy Protein Textured [Soy Protein, Soy Carbohydrate], Batter [Corn Flour Yellow, Corn Starch, Spice(s), Salt Sugar, Yeast Extract Autolyzed, Guar Gum, Leavening, Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate, Garlic Powder, Monocalcium Phosphate, Sodium Bicarbonate], Chicken Broth Powder [Maltodextrin, Chicken Broth, Salt Flavor(s)], Salt Sodium Tripolyphosphate, Flavor(s) BHT, Soybean(s) Oil Partially Hydrogenated, Spice(s) [Mono and Diglycerides, Spice(s) Extractive, Lactic Acid]), Macaroni and Cheese (Pasta [Semolina Durum, Niacin, Ferrous Sulfate, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Folic Acid (Vitamin aB), Egg(s) Whites], Water Cheese Cheddar [Milk Pasteurized Cultured, Salt Enzyme(s), Annatto], Whey Sweet Dried, Cream Sweet Dried [Cream Sweet, Milk Non-Fat, Sodium Caseinate], Food Starch Modified, Wheat Flour Soybean(s) Oil Partially Hydrogenated BHT Beta Carotene [Corn Oil, Beta Carotene], Butter [Cream Sweet Salt], Citric Acid, Datem, Disodium Phosphate, Salt Mono and Diglycerides Cheese Blend [Cheese Cheddar Blend, Cheese Cheddar Milk, Cheese Culture, Salt Enzyme(s) Annatto Cream, Sodium Phosphate, Lactic Acid Yellow 5, Yellow 6]), Chocolate Pudding (Water Sugar Food Starch Modified Milk Non-Fat Dry, Soybean(s) Oil Partially Hydrogenated BHT Cream Sweet Dried [Cream Sweet Milk Non-Fat Sodium Caseinate] Cocoa Powder [Potassium Carbonate], Cellulose Gel, Cellulose Gum, Salt Soy Lecithin), Corn (Corn Water Soybean(s) Oil Partially Hydrogenated BHT Sugar Salt Emulsifier(s) [Polyglycerol Esters Of Fatty Acids], Flavor(s) Butter [Soybean(s) Oil Partially Hydrogenated Butter Oil, Butter Fat Enzyme Modified, Whey Powder Sweet, Milk Non-Fat Dry Powder], Soy Lecithin Beta Carotene [Corn Oil Vitamin A Palmitate, Beta Carotene]), Ketchup (Water Tomato(es) Paste, Corn Syrup High Fructose, Corn Syrup, Vinegar, Sucrose, Salt Flavor(s) Natural, Onion(s) Powder, Spice(s) Spice(s) Extractive), Cookies (Sugar Flour Enriched [Wheat, Niacin Iron Reduced, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1) Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) Folic Acid (Vitamin aB)], Vegetable(s) Oil [Soybean(s) Oil Hydrogenated, Cottonseed Oil Hydrogenated], Cocoa Processed With Alkali Corn Syrup High Fructose Corn Flour, Salt Dextrose Sodium Bicarbonate Maltodextrin Cottonseed Oil Partially Hydrogenated, Red 40 Lake, Soy Lecithin Sugar Magnesium Stearate, Flavor(s) Natural)

I personally, would feel like a failure of a parent if I bought, microwave heated, served and watched my child eat this shit. Get a clue people- cook. Chicken, whole wheat bread crumbs and an oven. It doesn't take long, it's inexpensive and it works. My child as nugget and fast food free. And he hates fries! Stuff like this is beyond freaky. And sad.

Aurgh...the ingredient list won't copy and paste successfully, I'm sorry. But here's a link to what's inside: gross

Grilled Flank Steak over Pesto Quinoa with Roasted Veg

2011-06-28T15:48:00.000-07:00

Lately I've been queen of the 30 minute recipes (Rachael Ray can suck it, mine are better) but tonight I felt like spending more time in the kitchen. This one ended up taking 45 minutes! And many thanks to my dear Sarah Dunbar, who informed me of pesto quinoa. Another 'oh duh!' moment for me...

Flank steak (I buy arrachera at my carniceria)
Assorted veg cut into inch pieces
Quinoa
Pesto (I made basil pesto this time, not spinach)

Quinoa is made just like rice. I used 1.5 cups of quinoa with stock and brought it to a boil. I covered it and lowered the heat and let it finish cooking- about 18 minutes. I roasted the assorted veg (red onion, green bell pepper, mushrooms and broccoli) at 425 for somewhere around 15-18 minutes. Then I stepped outside and grilled the steak until nearly done. Let sit a good 10 minutes before slicing- don't ruin it by hacking into it too soon. The longer it sits, the better. When the quinoa is finished, mix in pesto and a bit of Parmesan cheese. Serve the quinoa on the bottom, top it with the roasted vegetables and finish it with the sliced steak on top. Drizzle extra virgin olive oil and pesto over the steak. Attack with fork and knife.

Grilled Chicken with Avocado and Spicy Beans

2011-06-24T11:24:00.000-07:00

Here's another no brainer, nutritious and quick meal. I seasoned chicken breasts with this chicken seasoning I buy at our local carniceria. It's like $1 and I use it all the time. Get some. So, I seasoned the chicken and then grilled it. It came out perfect.

I placed the chicken on a bed of brown rice and peas. (I was lame and used the quick microwavable brown rice you find in the freezer section- I was pinched on time)

Then I topped it with Pace picante sauce and fresh avocado.

I served it alongside my wonderful bean creation- vegetarian beans mixed with pureed Rotel, warm it up. Jesse is ridiculous about tomatoes, so I have to puree all tomatoes for him. (He's a baby, I know.) Try this mixture, it's freaking terrific.

Done. Another "duh" dinner. It was awesome. I think Jesse licked his plate. I should seriously have a tv show.

'Tis the Season for Summer Salads!

2011-06-15T13:56:00.000-07:00

We got a new grill last weekend and I have grilled every night for dinner since then. I think fresh vegetables pair perfectly with something hot off the grill. Today I threw together this simple salad that tastes better the longer it sits.

1 English cucumber, quartered and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
3/4 cup sundried tomatoes
1/2 jar black olives (I prefer kalamata, but Maximus was sleeping so I couldn't get to the store)
1/3 red onion sliced thin on a mandolin slicer

I made a quick dressing-
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
less than 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp (or more) dijon mustard
tiny bit agave nectar
pinch of oregano
pinch of sesame seeds

Blend that all up, pour over the vegetables and let sit. Done.

Screw You, Rheumatoid Arthritis

2011-04-14T21:14:00.000-07:00

I've been living with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) for most of my life. It hurts, some days I can't button a shirt and my toes cramp up and freeze. That's why, a couple years ago, I chose to eliminate most dairy from my diet and work my ass off. I feel better. I feel great.

Today I went to my doctor for a "wellness screening" for insurance purposes. I was excited. I already knew my cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar and resting heart rate were low and that's proof of a healthy lifestyle. I even laughed when the nurse measured my waist and rolled her eyes. The doctor was pleased with everything and told me he wished more people took care of themselves like we do.

He looked at my hands for a long time. My hands aren't pretty. They someday, will resemble my father's. He is 71 and has lived with RA for a long, long time. He is a marathoner, an avid fitness freak and nutritious person whom I admire. He won't take medication for his RA and uses diet and nutrition instead. We agree on the fact that too many people don't take actions for themselves and decide to lazily medicate for a condition that can be fixed with a lifestyle change.

I was reminded today that I am living with a disease. When you put "auto immune" in front of a disease, I personally, take it less seriously. My doctor noticed my pinky finger and the way my fingers don't fold in naturally, they protrude upward. I just thought that's how my hands were. My pinky finger sticks out far to the side. The reason why shocked me: my RA pain has been handled by diet and exercise, but the disease itself has had a party inside my body. My ulnar bones on both arms have deteriorated thus pulling my pinkies to the sides. He asked me many more questions that had obvious "oh duh!" answers to them.

I'm NOT seeking sympathy. I am to the point where I need medication to keep this stupid "disease" at bay so I don't have mangled hands by age 40. I will not slow down. I live an active life, I'm training for marathons, we eat great, we are happily raising a healthy and active son and dammit, I look great in a bikini. I am frustrated because I do all this and thought my RA was under control and it's not. My pain is managed by my lifestyle, but the damage this disease causes, isn't. My question is, to anyone out there, how can I do this without medication? I don't want IV treatments or a once a week pill to keep my hands functioning, I want to do it without that crutch! I've had goddamn cancer and will not go through harsh treatments again! I'm pissed because this isn't a preventable disease like so many out there. If I had diabetes, a heart condition, high blood pressure...I wouldn't ask for help because my lifestyle called for it. I just want my hands to work so I call pull up my zipper on my jacket at age 71 and go out for a run.

Elite Gourmet Protein

2011-04-07T08:55:00.000-07:00

This stuff is the business. I am super picky about proteins and this is by far the best tasting I've had. No sugar and aspartame free. 21 grams of protein per serving. Since I don't drink cow's milk, I mix it with unsweetened soy milk. My 3 year old even loves to drink it before preschool.

Good Fuel

2011-03-31T15:06:00.000-07:00

Tonight after dinner, Jesse will train by riding his bike and I will run. We obviously need some good fuel for our bodies to perform their best. What I'm making for dinner is delicious, easy, inexpensive (it's not expensive to eat healthy, quit with your excuses) super fast and most importantly, nutritious.

Sorry there isn't a picture of the finished product- we will eat and run.

Quinoa pilaf, baked chicken and green salad. I'll explain the pilaf since the rest is self explanatory:

Red onion, finely chopped
Mushrooms, sliced (whatever kind you have)
Carrots, finely chopped
Chopped spinach (I only had to frozen kind)
Quinoa
Chicken bouillon (I always use "Not Chick'N" because it tastes so damn good)

Slowly caramelize the onions in extra virgin olive oil. Now, I don't mean saute, I mean caramelize. Cook on medium and it could take up to 45 minutes- the key is low and slow. Add the mushrooms and carrots about halfway through and cook until everything is super soft and lovely.

As that's cooking, make your quinoa: 1 cup quinoa to 2 cups water with a couple bouillon. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low and cook until the water is absorbed. I live at 9,000 feet and it takes me about 20 minutes.

Defrost spinach. Combine the onion mixture, spinach, quinoa and combine and cover. Serve with a small green salad (don't screw it up by dumping Ranch all over it) and the baked chicken and you're set.

My Addiction

2011-03-24T15:40:00.001-07:00

Okay, this is one of my biggest addictions: carne asada street tacos. So simple and delicious. I could literally live on these, dark chocolate, wine, running and asparagus for the rest of my life. We have a carniceria near our house and I've been hitting it up a few times a week for meat and seasonings. I love that place. I speak very little spanish and they speak very little english, so I never really know exactly what the butcher is giving me. These tacos are made from the skirt steak cut, as they traditionally are. I chopped them myself from the long pieces the guy gave me.

So, here is the EASIEST recipe ever:

skirt steak, chopped

a few sprinkles of "condimento de la carne de vaca" (this was a little bag of beef seasoning I found for $1.25 in their seasonings section- they all hang in baggies on the wall. I think it's chile powder, cumin, garlic, oregano, onion powder, nutmeg, cinnamon, etc.)

corn tortillas (I got some they made in house without yucky oils or lard)

pico de gallo (I bought theirs since it's off the freaking hook)

Cook the meat over almost high heat so it's done quickly and the juices are sealed inside. I added the seasoning about halfway through. Put the meat on the tortillas, add pico and shove in your face.

Whole Wheat French Toast Casserole

2011-02-20T12:27:00.000-08:00

Want comfort food on a cold snowy morning without the guilt? Whamo!

1 small loaf of hearty crusty whole wheat bread (the kind from the bakery, not the soft stuff)
10 eggs
3 cups unsweetened soy milk (most recipes call for 3 cups of half & half. Seriously?!)
1 tablespoon Sugar in the Raw
1 tablespoon vanilla extract (I know it seems like a lot, but it was good)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (I did way more)
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
real maple syrup

Cut the bread up into 1 inch cubes and dump into a greased 9x13 baking dish. Mix the eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg and pour over bread.

Bake at 350 for 45 or so minutes (I'm at 9,000 feet so I did about an hour), until the egg is cooked and the bread is browned. I took it out, lightly drizzled grade B organic maple syrup over it and returned it to the oven and turned the oven off. I did this because I wanted the syrup flavor there, without adding additional syrup to our portions. (I'm terrified of sugars and hate adding them, can't you tell?)

It was delicious. We didn't add butter or syrup to our servings because the flavors were balanced. Perfect for a cold, snowy morning where you end up sitting around in sweats and drinking coffee until 1pm. Next time I'll add orange zest and maybe a few raisins. You really can't mess this up.

Chicken and Whole Wheat Dumplings

2011-02-07T14:20:00.000-08:00

This picture sucks, I know.

Jesse was really sick this weekend and requested chicken and dumplings. I got the recipe from his mom (she's the queen of this dish) and made it with the things we had. (ex: whole wheat flour instead of enriched white)

I was actually nervous in my own kitchen making this! Normally I'm the confident boss over all things culinary in my home, but I was keeping my fingers crossed that my chicken and dumplings would pass the test. I'm not kidding, his mom's is awesome.

3 chicken boneless skinless chicken breasts
large onion, diced
2-3 ribs celery, diced
Tony Chacheres seasoning
Chicken stock (I had and used "Not-Chick'n" cubes because I swear, they taste better)
3 large carrots, diced
1 medium Yukon Gold potato
Frozen peas
can of corn
handful of fresh green beans, about an inch long
3 cups whole wheat pastry flour, double sifted
4-8 eggs
Salt and pepper
Rosemary
Thyme
Bay leaves
Sage
Marjoram

Saute onion and celery in extra virgin olive oil and 1.5 tbsp butter until done. Add chicken and 1/2 stock and 1/2 water and boil. I added Tony Chacheres for flavor as well as salt and pepper.

When chicken is done, remove it and set aside. Add more broth if needed. Add the carrots, potatoes and cook until almost done. Add peas, corn and green beans. Add rosemary, thyme, bay leaves, sage and marjoram. I measured each with my palm, so season to your taste.

Dumplings: Add eggs one at a time to the flour and mix with a fork until a consistency you prefer. (I think I ended up using 6 eggs?) Drop the dumpling dough into the boiling soup with a tablespoon- I ended up with about 12-15 large dumplings. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Jesse's mother wrote: "your dumplings should look like heavenly clouds of goodness".

Add cut up chicken and cook for another 20 minutes or more for the soup to thicken.

I was impressed. It turned out great and I'll definitely be making it again.

Whole Wheat Chocolate Prune Decadence Cake

2011-02-03T12:37:00.000-08:00

Maximus' 3rd birthday was a couple days ago and you all know I'm incapable of feeding him even a birthday cake that isn't somewhat healthy. Each morning as he waits for his oatmeal to cook, he gets a prune in his mouth and one in each hand. The kid loves his morning prunes and it would be impossible for him to leave the house without eating 3. With that in mind, I set off to make a cake that incorporated prunes.

I asked what he wanted on top of his cake and he (in his adorable little language) said: blueberries, strawberries, bananas, cold pineapple, prunes and raisins. Alrighty then.

I used an old recipe that I worked with when I was a sous chef and made some substitutions and additions. Keep in mind that I live at 9,000 feet, so decrease the flour by 1/4 cup and lessen the boiling water if you live anywhere else.

1 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour (I used half whole wheat and half quinoa flour and sifted together twice)
2/3 cup dark chocolate cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup butter, softened (Earth Balance works great)
1 cup Sugar in the Raw
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 vegan sour cream
handful of pureed prunes (they break down better with water or simple syrup)
1/2 cup boiling water

Convection ovens work best, but use what you have- preheat to 375. Grease and flour a 9" cake pan. Sift the flours, baking soda, salt and cocoa together and set aside.

Beat the butter and sugar for 2 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time and beat for an additional 2 minutes. Add vanilla and beat again.

Gradually stir in the sifted flour mixture in approximate thirds, alternating each time with 1/4 cup of the vegan sour cream. (It doesn't have to be vegan- it's what we had and I prefer)

Stir in the boiling water. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake for 23 minutes. Don't wreck this by over baking! Allow to cool and frost with whatever you want. I used a traditional chocolate frosting made with soy milk, vanilla, butter and 1/4 of the powdered sugar a typical recipe calls for.

Accidental 8-Minute Masterpiece

2011-01-04T17:24:00.001-08:00

Maximus did 8 runs on his snowboard down the bunny hill at Keystone Resort today, so when we got home he was STARVING. So hungry he was asking for "mac en tease en bean en wice en nolk (milk)". We didn't have any boxed Annie's mac and cheese, so I whipped some up myself.

No joke, this took less than 8 minutes. (The power-boil feature on my stove made it speedy)

I'm a weirdo about dairy and I hate using a lot of it. It makes me sick, but not the others that live here, so they get to taste my experiments...I don't know if that's a good or bad thing? I had a half bag of some weird spinach and beet pasta spirals, so I boiled that and then added the following after I drained it:

1 tbsp Light Earth Balance spread
1 crushed up vegan chicken bouillon cube (used as "cheese" powder)

a tiny splash of unsweetened soy milk

a pinch of sharp white cheddar (maybe a tbsp total, or less)
a heavy pinch of Daiya (this stuff is epic)
Mix it all together and it gets all stringy and gooey like mac and cheese. Maximus devoured it saying, "Mama make mac en tease scwatch...me wuv taste!" Maximus approved.

Childhood Obesity

2010-12-27T09:43:00.000-08:00

I read a few articles about childhood obesity this morning. Wow. Sick.

I'd rather my son break his arm from doing something outdoors than sitting on the couch and shoving junk into his mouth.

It's called prevention. DO SOMETHING. As a parent, it's your job to give your child all the opportunities you can. And I believe it's abuse if you don't.

Pumpkin Dip

2010-11-18T11:18:00.000-08:00

Who doesn't love pumpkin treats?! I love it so much that I can eat an entire can of plain pumpkin puree. Yep, the whole thing. Today I made my second batch of pumpkin dip for an event tonight and maaaaan...it's good stuff. The stuff I made today uses neufchatel cheese (a healthier alternative to cream cheese) and Tofutti vegan cream cheese. Don't be all afraid of vegan stuff- you cannot taste the difference in this recipe. Next time I make this, I'm using all vegan! I'm sorry about the measurements listed below...I just add without measuring until it tastes right.

1 8oz package neufchatel cheese, softened
1 8oz container Tofutti vegan cream cheese, softened
1 small can of plain pumpkin puree
a heaping tablespoon ground cinnamon
maybe a tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
less than a teaspoon ground gloves
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 cup (I think) Sugar in the Raw (use this- the texture is better)

Blend all this up in a food processor until smooth. Adjust the spices until it's wonderful and serve with dark chocolate covered pretzels or whole wheat gingersnaps.

I mean, duh.

2010-11-04T13:00:00.000-07:00

I was in the grocery store today and had to hold my tongue. Two women stood in the bread isle, comparing breads. One was Sarah Lee white and the other was Oroweat Whole Wheat. They came to the conclusion that the Sara Lee white was the HEALTHIER OPTION because it had far less calories, zero fat and fewer carbs. Yet, it contains high fructose corn syrup and the flour has been enriched (highly processed white flour "enriched" is missing the two most nutritious and fiber rich parts of the seed: the outside bran layer and the germ embryo. A diet of refined foods leaves many people malnourished, constipated, enervated and vulnerable to chronic illness. Popping fiber, vitamins and mineral supplements, in the hope of compensating for what's missing from our diet will not work. For just as "enriching" refined flour with spray-on nutrients can't make up for those lost during refining. SUPPLEMENTS CAN NEVER REPLACE WHOLE "REAL" FOODS.)...but as long as it is fat free it's healthy, right?! This is why "diet food" totally sucks and will make you fatter!

I started researching food online and came across this totally basic, no brainer list:

Of course everyone eats this stuff sometimes. A brownie here, a slice of pizza- nothing wrong with moderation. But if you're consuming these ingredients daily, it'll affect your mood and your health. Check the labels. These ingredients are in everything these days.

1. Hydrogenated oil (often labeled as trans fat) - A process that turns free flowing oil into a lard-looking solid at room temperature. The food industry uses it to increase shelf life of products and maximize profits. Eating this stuff increases the bad cholesterol (LDL) in your body and is bad for your heart.

2. Enriched flour – All the grain’s nutrients are destroyed in the refining process. Companies add a little bit of the lost nutrients back and label it “enriched” so it seems nutritious.

3. High Fructose Corn Syrup – Your body processes this differently than good old-fashioned cane sugar. It contains more fructose than sugar and converts to fat more easily, which adds to weight gain.

4. Refined Sugar – When you put sugar into your system, you experiences a “sugar high,” that rapidly raises your blood sugar levels. So 2 hours later you “crash,” feeling tired and empty. Sugar that’s naturally combined with fat or fiber sources, like in fresh fruits, will absorb into your body much slower. Then you can avoid the roller coaster sugar ride.

5. Saturated Fats – These are found mostly in animal products and oils. Avoid the ones that are solid at room temperature like lard. They increase your cholesterol levels and clog your precious arteries, which causes cardiovascular disease. Plus they can also be used for furniture polish - how appetizing is that?

Iced Whole Wheat Pumpkin Cookies

2010-09-30T08:32:00.001-07:00

This is a very traditional recipe that I slightly modified. Not the healthiest because of the sugar, but I'm going to mess around with honey until I get a healthier and tasty cookie:

2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup Earth Balance (or regular butter, if you wish)
Sugar...the recipe calls for 1 1/2 cups white sugar, but I used less than a cup of dark brown
1 cup canned pumpkin puree (just regular- not the kind that has junk mixed in)
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the glaze...

2 cups confectioners sugar
3 tablespoons unsweetened soy milk (or cows milk- whatever you have)
1 tablespoon melted Earth Balance (or butter)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (I used lemon and almond combined because I ran out of vanilla and it tasted better)

Preheat oven to 350. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves and salt; set aside.

In a medium bowl, cream together the 1/2 cup butter and sugar. Add pumpkin, egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla to butter mixture and beat until creamy. Mix in dry ingredients by half amounts. Drop on cookie sheet by the tablespoon and flatten slightly.

Bake for 15-18 minutes in the preheated oven. Cool cookies then drizzle glaze with a fork. **I put the icing into a Ziploc bag and pipped it onto the cookies and only used half. The cookies don't need all that additional sugar added to them...in my anti-sugar opinion.**

To make glaze: Combine confectioners sugar, milk, 1 tablespoon melted butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add milk as needed to achieve drizzling consistency.

Share and enjoy!

Happy Meals

2010-08-17T11:19:00.000-07:00

I personally don't understand why parents reward/bribe their children with Happy Meals or candy. What about a trip to the park or something other than food? What really sucks is that nuggets are served to school kids in combination with the other delightfully sickening items such as, pizza, hot dogs, waffles, spaghetti, french toast sticks and fried chicken! Ever think about the behavioral challenges when students are stuffed full of processed garbage?

In the February 2010 issue of Men's Health, David Zinczenko writes:

"You’d think that a breaded lump of chicken would be pretty simple. Mostly, it would contain bread and chicken. But the McNugget and its peers at other fast-food restaurants are much more complicated creatures than that.

The “meat” in the McNugget alone contains seven ingredients, some of which are made up of yet more ingredients. (Nope, it’s not just chicken. It’s also such nonchicken-related stuff as water, wheat starch, dextrose, safflower oil, and sodium phosphates.) The “meat” also contains something called “autolyzed yeast extract.” Then add another 20 ingredients that make up the breading, and you have the industrial chemical—I mean, fast-food meal—called the McNugget. Still, McDonald’s is practically all-natural compared to Wendy’s Chicken Nuggets, with 30 ingredients, and Burger King Chicken Fries, with a whopping 35 ingredients."

That's all for now. I was hesitant to post this because I know a bunch of people who let their kids eat this "stuff". Don't take it personally- it's my opinion and I'm not judging. Sheesh.

Pizza Flavored Hummus

2010-08-12T11:03:00.000-07:00

Such a lame picture, I know.

This creation might make me famous. Oh wait, Tribe already has this product. I saw Tribe Pizza Flavored hummus in the store today for $3.99 and I told Maximus, "dude, I can totally make this." He replied with, "Yeah!" We came home from the store, he went down for a nap and I got to work.

It turned out SO GOOD. It literally tastes like pizza. It's a better craving "fix" than pizza- it's creamy and it won't make you feel like crap after devouring a load of it.

can of Chickpeas
1/3 cup tahini
1 lemon
roasted red peppers (half jar)
2 garlic cloves
salt and pepper
a glug of Muir Glenn pizza sauce (haha, this is where I cheated)
oregano
basil
paprika
a squirt of tomato paste to bind it a bit

Blitz it all up and let it chill. Try it.

Dark Chocolate Cookies Sweetened BY CARROTS!!!

2010-07-20T12:47:00.000-07:00

I like to play with food when Maximus takes long naps. This afternoon I made dark chocolate cookies but I wanted to mess around with sweeteners. I don't know how carrots popped into my head, but I pureed a bunch in my processor and strained them. Here's what I did:

heaping cup of quinoa flour mixed with whole wheat (maybe half and half- heavier on the quinoa)
dark chocolate cocoa- I never measure, I'm sorry, but maybe a heavy 1/4 cup?
1/2 tsp baking soda
bit of salt

Just like any old cookie recipe- mix those in a separate bowl.

1 stick Earth Balance (vegan butter stuff) softened
molasses- I dunked a spoon in twice
carrot juice and pulp
1 second pour vanilla extract
2 egg whites

In two or three portions, combine the dry with the wet ingredients. Then add some dark chocolate and white chocolate chips (I know, horrible for you- I used them sparingly) Bake at 350 until they're done. Makes 12.

I stood by the oven until they were done expecting them to totally suck. But guess what? They didn't suck at all! I even did a little "happy dance" whilst chewing my cookie! Cha-ching!

Baahahaha!

2010-07-03T10:44:00.000-07:00

I've decided pumping my kid full of wheat grass, garlic and blue green algae once a week is good parenting. Maximus loves this stuff:

Dude, I get all excited when I realize what Maximus is ingesting: apples, mangos, pineapples, bananas, kiwis, SPIRULINA, BROCCOLI, SPINACH, BARLEY GRASS, PARSLEY, GINGER ROOT, BLUE GREEN ALGAE, ODORLESS GARLIC. Yes! Yes! Yes! Cheers!

How We Eat Tuna Salad

2010-07-02T14:46:00.000-07:00

I just realized I posted a similar recipe a few weeks ago...sorry.
I don't like mayonnaise on too many things- especially tuna. Yuck. Jesse has a disgusting love for Miracle Whip and I won't even touch that stuff. And all the crap that's in mayo and Miracle Whip makes my skin crawl. So when we eat albacore tuna, we mix it with extra virgin olive oil, sundried tomatoes, sea salt & pepper, olives and avocados. The taste is loads better and so are the good fats. Have a nice day.

Baked Tofu

2010-06-23T14:33:00.000-07:00

I buy baked tofu from Open Harvest all the time. I LOVE IT. I made baked tofu for the first time in my life and I ROCKED IT! Jesse and I had some last night at "Hippie Dinner" and Jesse couldn't get over how much he liked it. I looked at several recipes online and didn't love a particular one, so I started experimenting. I mean, you can't really screw up a soy marinade. Then I had the brilliant idea of WRITING DOWN what I used as I was doing it instead of trying to remember. Play with all the ingredients until you get a balance you like. I went a little overboard with the chili paste and I'm not the biggest fan of spicy food, but Jesse and Maximus digged it.
Before you marinate it for 20 or so minutes, press it.

I baked it at 400 degrees for um...maybe 45 minutes? Maybe less? I turned the pieces a few times too.

Then I made Jesse a sandwich and Maximus ate 2 whole pieces of baked tofu heaven alone. I'm telling you, don't be all, "eww, it's tofu and I've made up my mind tofu is gross because I've never tasted it" because you suck. Just shut up and try it.

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

2010-06-22T17:30:00.000-07:00

We went to "Tuesday Night Hippie Dinner" a while ago and Evan made roasted red pepper hummus. This afternoon I made the my version:

heaping 1/3 cup tahini
5 garlic cloves
can of chickpeas
juice of 2 lemons
sea salt
1/2 jar roasted red peppers
handful of pine nuts

Pulse garlic then add the remaining ingredients. Refrigerate for a few hours. Top with flatleaf Italian parsley. I'm serving it with whole wheat baguette and strips of cucumber and yellow bell pepper. It won't make your breath smell like heaven.

Dark Chocolate Banana Agave Bread

2010-06-20T13:00:00.001-07:00

I didn't take a pretty plated picture of this bread because this is how it's eaten in our house. Take a slice straight out of the dish and shove it in your mouth before dropping crumbs all over the place.

Hey, I just realized something...if Jesse buys another bike, maybe we can get a new camera too? I really like taking pictures of bikes and food and ours isn't cutting it anymore...

This is a recipe I have "mastered" after years of messing around...

1-1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1-1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
dash of salt
2 slightly beaten egg whites
1-1/2 (or 2) mashed bananas
less than 1/4 cup sugar (Sometimes I use molasses; this time it was brown sugar)
3 or 4 second pour of honey
3 or 4 second pour of agave nectar
1/4 cup coconut or soy bean oil
1/4 (maybe even 1/3) cup unsweetened dark chocolate cocoa
1/2 bag dark chocolate chips or carob

In a medium bowl sift then stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, dark cocoa and salt.

In a large bowl stir together egg whites, banana, sugar, agave, honey and oil. Stir flour mixture into banana mixture just until moistened. Add dark chocolate chips.

Prepare a loaf pan. Spread batter and bake at 350 for 50 minutes to over an hour.

I View This as SUCCESS

2010-06-19T08:29:00.000-07:00

I know, I know...Jesse and I won't be able to brainwash our child with healthy food forever. Maximus will have friends who will always be munching on processed crap and drinking soda. Yeah, we get it. BUT Jesse and I are doing our very best in building an excellent nutritional foundation for the child we're raising. We can teach him all that we can so he can make his own decisions in life.

Maximus and I were reading yesterday afternoon. We were all sprawled out on his bedroom floor with 200+ books scattered everywhere. He picked up one of those books that make parents dizzy, sort of like "Where's Waldo?". We turned to this page and I asked him what he saw. He pointed and named each piece of fruit "apple". He looked at the rest silently. I pointed at the ribbon candy and asked him what it was and after a few seconds he asked, "nana?" (banana). I pointed at the other pieces of candy and he called the round pieces "balls". He doesn't know the word "candy". AND WE SEE NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT.

Tuna Salad

2010-06-19T08:21:00.000-07:00

I wanted a cold pasta salad to go with dinner last night. Jesse and I thought this tuna salad was the bees knees:

2 cans albacore tuna
a jar of sundried tomatoes
cucumber
half a red onion
reduced fat feta
black olives
half package whole wheat elbows
half package spinach leaves- chiffonade
pancetta
lemon juice
extra virgin olive oil
oregano
artichoke hearts

Dump, mix, let it sit. Eat.
And look at Jesse's beautiful grill marks on the pork chop!

Apple Coffee Cake

2010-06-12T13:43:00.000-07:00

I wanted to make Jesse apple coffee cake for after his Time Trial bike race today. Coffee cakes are usually total junk for your body, so I took a horrible recipe from the Country Living website and started with the substitutions...

Mix the following and set aside:
1 cup millet flour
3/4 cup brown rice flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

Mix the wets:
1/4 cold Earth Balance
1/4 cup mixed agave nectar and brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 unsweetened soy milk

Combine the dry and wet ingredients and mix thoroughly. Spread the super thick batter into a sprayed 9 inch round cake pan. Arrange apple slices (peeled) on surface and sprinkle with a mixture of agave nectar, honey and cinnamon. Bake at 375 for a bit longer than 30 minutes.

My Preachy Disclaimer

2010-05-28T06:04:00.000-07:00

I realize I sound like a preachy bitch when it comes to food; especially when it concerns children. Jesse and I are first time parents and we're convinced our child will rule the universe one day. We are health nuts and it encourages people while it annoys the hell out of others.

I grew up eating healthy with my mother who taught aerobics and my father who ran every morning at 4:30am. When I was in high school playing 20 hours of tennis everyday, I went anorexic and my diet consisted of a candy bar before practice (can you say STUPID BLOND?). When I attended college, I gained the "freshman 15" because I discovered pizza assisted in late night studies. I ate decent up until I got pregnant at age 26. While I was knocked up, I had cravings that made the world stop. Give the pregnant woman her cheeseburgers and hot dogs and no one gets hurt.

I weighed over 200 pounds the day I delivered Maximus. I'm sure there are other women who are 6 feet and carry 200 pounds well. I have an extra small bone structure and I'm not built to carry that weight. I know, I know, you're probably like, WHATEVER BITCH, YOU WEREN'T 120 POUNDS ANYMORE...WAA WAA. I'll just be honest- I expected to deliver an 80 pound kid and I was not happy with extra weight. Now, I'm not saying I had a "weight problem", but I needed to feel great in my own body.

We simply ate healthy from that point. No, we didn't eat carrot sticks and lettuce because we weren't "dieting" (God, I hate that word. It's so restrictive). We researched and learned about the food we ate and how it works with our bodies. We learned WHY stuff will kill you and how other things make you feel great! We cut out white flour, sugar and processed foods. I can proudly say that my arthritis is under control (without medication) and I feel great. I never crave food that we don't eat. Once Maximus was of age to eat "human food", we made the point to feed him in a way that will give him the best building blocks for health. And we realize that feeding him in such a way is an abundance and not the least bit restrictive like so many people think. Kids don't NEED soda and chicken nuggets on a weekly basis. What did children eat before large companies started making chemically "enhanced" beverages? What happened to water? Let me correct myself here: Maximus used to eat vegetarian chicken nuggets because I believed Morningstar Farms was the answer, but he no longer does because they are also shit. Real, baked chicken people! It's not hard.

Let me jump off my soapbox for a second. I am NOT saying that people who don't feed their kids the way we feed Maximus are bad or are bad parents. I am not judging (and I know so many of you think I am). Jesse and I are totally obsessive and that's the road we chose for our son as long as we have the control over what goes into his mouth. Hey, I know that eventually he'll go to school and shove candy, chips and soda down his gobb, and that I can't control. I'm not that dense and I KNOW THIS. Look at my childhood again: I grew up healthy, went haywire, then returned. Shit happens like that. One more thing I want people to realize about us: we know that people cannot afford to eat healthy (although eating most everything from scratch that takes eons of time to make is actually cheaper, but who has that time?) and we know that some people simply don't give a flying you-know-what about being healthy. Jesse's friend recently told him his family eats Fruity Pebbles and they're fine. Cool for that family. And I'm serious. Each family is different.

Jesse freaks out about diabetes and the health care system. If you ever want to be lectured about why America is the way it is, just mention high fructose corn syrup to the man.

Anyway, I'm always on Facebook. I will continue yapping away about healthy eating. I know I sound like such a prick about it, but in addition to the hate emails I get from other parents I do receive messages of encouragement. The encouragement helps me realize I'm not a total lunatic and the hate messages keep me grounded. Basically, I'm apologizing for offending anyone with my blunt statements about food. I will continue with that in mind.

I don't want to sound all mighty about this. I'm just trying to explain myself to anyone who actually spends the time reading this. And anyone who cares. Have a grape day!

Vitamin Water

2010-05-16T15:00:00.000-07:00

Vitamin Water is NOT good for you. I know a bunch of people who drink this and sugar water beverages that are advertised as Green Tea. "Hydrate Responsibly"? Seriously?! I can't believe how misinformed people are and they don't read about what they put in their body. It's full of sugar and it contains NO FRUIT JUICE. One bottle contains 33 grams of sugar and a 12 ounce serving of regular Coke that contains 30 grams. Why the hell is this even called WATER?!

It's advertised with sexy fit models and athletes and comes across as it being "essential". Bull shit. They just add chemically synthesized vitamins and sugar to water. What's wrong with plain old water? I don't know about you, but I don't want to drink my calories. Sadly, the people who drink this stuff are wannabes. People who want to be healthy but make minimal effort, jump on the Vitamin Water and organic bandwagon and care about what people only see them eating. Like, how sleek is it to walk around with a canteen of water and an apple? Take a minute to read a label!

Food Inc.

2010-05-08T14:06:00.001-07:00

Sorry about the formatting...I somehow managed to cut off part of the screen. The point gets across anyway.

Sugar Coated Kids

2010-05-01T09:24:00.000-07:00

A direct quote from School Nutrition Professionals: "With calcium and eight other essential nutrients, flavored milk offers the same great nutrient-rich package as white milk and can help improve overall diets."

Are you effing kidding me?! I bet these jackasses believe that high fructose corn syrup is "just fine in moderation" too. And when can sugar IMPROVE an overall diet?

Good Ol' Chicken Nugs

2010-04-28T12:44:00.000-07:00

This is for my friend, Stephanie.

I even like chicken nuggets. I do not eat them unless I make them myself because of what usually goes into those things. I mean, it's really hard to make a chicken breast into the shape of a chicken unless you break it all down and mush it up. Yuck. And even if you want a healthier nugget and opt for an organic frozen variety, they're usually quite expensive. Enough preaching already, Stace.

I sliced a chicken breast into thirds. The flour mixture I dredged them was whole wheat flour, chili powder, sea salt, pepper and my old standby: paprika. Then I dipped them in a mixture of 1 egg plus 1 egg white. I then covered them in the breadcrumb mixture and lined them all up on my Silpat covered cookie sheet. (If you don't have the blessed Silpat, simply use foil with whatever spray you have around. I use my handy dandy Misto. Quick tip on foil: scrunch it up before laying it flat. The uneven surface will make the outside more crispy) I baked them at 375 for I think 30 minutes?

They were good and got that nugget craving covered. Dude, we dunked them in Sorrisos sauce and it was the bomb. It was so good it gets me talking like a teenager again. I could dip a shoe in Sorrisos sauce and it'd be awesome too.

Breadcrumbs 101

2010-04-23T14:07:00.001-07:00

Easier than pie:
-old bread (I'm using old croutons too...I'm busted for not making my own croutons this time)
-garlic
-whatever herbs and spices you want

Food process and done. Bread your chicken to make some chicken "fingers" out of REAL food. Bye bye for now.

Did I Mention I LOVE Sorrisos?

2010-03-16T12:15:00.001-07:00

I've mentioned Sorrisos pasta sauce before, but dude...COOK WITH IT. I cooked a lean pork tenderloin in a bottle of Sorrisos Spicy Red Pepper sauce and it was off the hook! I added red onion and baby bella mushrooms and let it go 8 hours. I found a couple half-finished bags of spinach and whole wheat noodles and served the pork on top. I topped it with some chopped fresh flat leaf parsley and blam! Easiest thing in the world.

Oat Rolls

2010-03-11T13:32:00.000-08:00

Yeah, these things look like little turds, but I unlocked something magical when I made them. Jesse said they are "tremendous" and I'm so proud I came up with something so damn tasty. I wish I could patent these!

All of this goes into a bowl:

2 cups organic rolled oats (bulk section of the health food store)

Handful of orange flavored dried cranberries (be careful about the ones that add sugar or god forbid, high fructose corn syrup)

1/2 cup no salt added roasted almonds (processed in the food processor)

Dash of organic cinnamon

1 second pour organic vanilla

1/3 cup of pure (no sugar added) almond butter

Maybe a tablespoon of local honey

Agave nectar- use enough to bind the mixture...maybe 1/3 cup?

You'll have to dampen your hands and mix it up with them. Make a bunch of little balls or whatever shape you want and wrap them tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for a couple hours and then enjoy! THEY ARE AWESOME!

Salmon with Red Wine "Butter" Sauce

2010-03-05T13:02:00.000-08:00

Excuse the bad photo, but I took it with my cell phone because I was in a hurry.

The other night I made a killer dish. I found some amazing salmon fillets and tampered with a recipe I found in Women's Health magazine.

1 shallot, finely sliced
1/2ish of red wine (remember, don't cook with something you wouldn't drink)
1.5 second pour of balsamic vinegar
Fake butter spread
pepper

Make a reduction. (Bring sauce to a low boil and reduce heat and let it go. It'll become almost like a syrup.) After it's reduced, add a couple pats of "butter" so the sauce gets a nice little shine to it. Grill salmon fillets skin side down first until desired temperature and flash boil asparagus. Plate the salmon and drizzle the reduction over it and top with asparagus.

It's a win! Salmon is full of omega 3's and vitamin D, the asparagus is great for your heart and is a natural diuretic and the red wine is loaded with antioxidants.

I used to use Smart Balance but I didn't like to cook with it. There's something about it that makes it watery when you saute with it. While I was at my favorite store in the world, I came across Earth Balance and let me just say...it is like butter. The texture and creaminess is there. Amazing stuff!

Broccoli Slaw

2010-03-04T16:10:00.001-08:00

I hate cole slaw. The mayo thing freaks me out. Since it warmed up to 53 degrees today, I deemed it appropriate to make a summer-ish salad with dinner. It's the easiest thing but it tastes so fresh.

Broccoli slaw
1/2 head red cabbage
Corn (if you want)

1/4 mixed red wine vinegar and rice wine vinegar
olive oil to balance out the vinegars (I'm guessing less than 1/4 cup)
Agave nectar (or honey)
Sesame seeds
Pepper
Garlic

Mix it all together and let it sit in the fridge for an hour or so.

PIG

2010-02-17T14:39:00.000-08:00

My friend asked me to document what I consume on a typical day. She thinks eating healthy means only eating green salads. We have salad like, once a month.

I realized how much I graze. I eat breakfast and dinner, but no lunch because I spend the entire time between morning and night eating a bite here and a bite there.

Hey, I don't want to sound all mighty about what we eat. I've totally inhaled a bag of chips before. And I drink tons of artificial sweeteners. I love those Crystal Light packets that dissolve in water and I drink them all damn day.

Breakfast was one slice of this bread and two egg whites with a half a yolk...
A couple hours later I had a couple bites of this amazing Alpha Omega salad...
Maybe like, 8 of these (roasted edamame)...
A bite of Maximus' applesauce...A small handful of these...
A few of these leftover Schezwan beans...
Maximus and I shared a vegan spring roll that has become my new obsession...
I heated up some butternut squash for Maximus and had a couple pieces...
Now, I know dinner looks sort of gross but it was TASTY! It's brown rice, leeks, a bunch of beans, bell peppers, a bit of a rotisserie chicken (I'm totally not above buying those things) and it's all cooked in salsa.
Every night an hour after dinner or so, I eat about an ounce of dark chocolate because I can't live without it.
And a night cap.

Black Bean Paradise

2010-02-11T20:49:00.001-08:00

I like black beans, but I'm not in love with them. I'll eat them because I know they're good for me, but I'm never experimenting with them. I usually just open a can and add cumin and salsa and there's an okay side dish.

A couple posts ago I mentioned black bean spaghetti. No, not spaghetti with black beans- actual noodles made from black beans and water. The 20 grams of protein caught my eye. And as I've mentioned, I'm on this kick of "fake" pasta. (Tofu pasta is Jesse's favorite thing on the planet.)

All I did was make the recipe suggestion from the back of the package. Easy peasy. It was served cold and the pasta is off the hook! It doesn't taste like black beans and it's chewy. It could easily stand a bolognese sauce with heavy veggies. Since I threw the packaging out, I, of course, didn't write down the recipe. I think it's tri-colored bells, green onions and the pasta mixed with this dressing...umm...I'm guessing 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, 1/3 cup rice wine vinegar, 1 tbsp balsamic, salt and pepper and oh! I added wasabi paste to it and it was good. And to a few of the readers I know that are saying, "eww" just quit being dumb try something new. Those frozen Totino's pizzas are as good for you as smoking.
MAXIMUS APPROVED!

Brown Rice Pasta Casserole Thing

2010-02-11T09:36:00.010-08:00

Cold days deserve a warm, filling pasta dish. Especially for Jesse because he's out working in the snow!
I had a bunch of vegetables I needed to use up, so I threw them into a casserole. Jesse loved this and so did I. This is something that would be awesome with fake meat. The sauce is awesome! I buy like, 20 jars of it at a time.
Now, brown rice pasta. We love it! It's soft but not mushy and it tastes just like that crap white pasta, but it's good for you!

Once again, I didn't write down what I did, sorry. I know I quartered fresh brussel sprouts, used carrots, a half bag of fresh spinach, yellow onion, garlic and umm...I think that's it. No, I added paprika because I add paprika to everything.
After I cooked everything, I combined it all with the cooked brown rice pasta and the sauce. I spread it into a huge casserole dish and sprinkled a little organic Parmesan to give it a crust. I baked it at 350 until it was warmed and then put it beneath the broiler for a few minutes for the crust effect.
I served it with a green salad and the "Alpha Omega" salad I found at Open Harvest- kamut, cranberries, bell peppers, carrots, red onion, extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar.

It was one of those pasta dishes you almost feel guilty for eating because it's so good. It was so tasty.

Look What I Found!

2010-02-09T13:58:00.000-08:00

I saw this at Open Harvest today. I was totally intrigued. I picked it up and actually said, "doooode, no way!" My new love- pastas that aren't really pastas. Tonight we're eating gluten free brown rice pasta with dairy free brussel sprout gratin. The ingredients in this black bean pasta are black beans and water. I was like, whaaat? With 187 calories, 16 carbs and a whopping 20.5 grams of protein per serving...what's not to like about it?!

I think I'll make it with chicken, bell peppers and capers. Maybe tuna instead of chicken...yeah, that'll work.

Chocolate Banana Bran Bread

2010-02-07T10:37:00.000-08:00

This is the easiest recipe I'll ever post. It's not even a recipe- it's using stuff in a box.

I love chocolate, especially dark. I eat it almost every day. I can eat my weight in chocolate banana bread and I felt like it yesterday, so I quickly whipped this up...
It's just a box of this stuff...
with a couple heaping tablespoons of dark cocoa powder and a handful of dark chocolate chips. I added a smashed banana and instead of using butter or oil (like the box calls for), I used maybe 1/4 cup of applesauce and nonfat organic milk. Jesse ate a piece and said, "that bread is AWESOME." So, there ya go.

Tofu Shirataki Miso Soup

2010-02-05T14:47:00.000-08:00

I am now completely obsessed with tofu shirataki noodles. I'll post more recipes as I create them...for like, the 3 people who actually read this blog. I'm thinking I should order some non tofu style from www.miraclenoodle.com

So, here's my recipe for Tofu Shirataki Miso Soup:

1/2 box of stock (chicken or mushroom)
Maybe a cup and a half of water
5 tablespoons of miso paste
About 10 spinach leaves made into chiffonade
About 8 chopped baby carrots
1 package of House Foods Tofu Shirataki Noodles
Handful chopped baby bella mushrooms (or whatever you have- I think oyster would be best)

Put carrots, and mushrooms in pot of water/stock and simmer for 15 minutes. While simmering, drain and rinse the noodles and then microwave for one minute (eliminates the weird smell) and pat dry. I let mine air dry for an additional 10 minutes. I just wanted to show off my pink pop corn maker but then I noticed how disgustingly dirty our toaster is in this picture...

Add the noodles to the simmering veggies and simmer for another 10 minutes (or until veggies are tender). Take some of the cooking water from the pot and dissolve the miso paste (don't boil it! Yuck!). Remove the veggies from the heat and stir in the diluted miso paste.

Warning: don't pig out on the the entire pot like Maximus and I did. I think the noodles expand in your stomach because within 10 minutes, I was feeling like I ate a Thanksgiving dinner. The good thing is that I was stuffed until the next morning.

This is what was in the Crock Pot for dinner- pot roast with brussel sprouts and Klondike potatoes. I'm a carnivore- I love red meat, but we rarely eat it because it's not very good for us. I loved the soup so much I considered throwing the roast out and making another pot of tofu soup. It was that good, dude.

Whole Wheat & Quinoa Flour Pizza Dough

2010-01-25T10:35:00.000-08:00

I combined 2 recipes to make this dough. It turned out tasty and I topped the dough with red onions, organic jarred pizza sauce, red onions, spinach and basil leaves, black olives and some chicken I grilled. Easy peasy! And you don't have to feel like lard ass for eating more than 2 pieces.

1 cup of water
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup quinoa flour
2 tbsp. vital wheat gluten
1 1/2 tbsp. honey
1 tsp. salt
1 packet of instant yeast
2 tbsp. olive oil

In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, wheat gluten, and salt. In another bowl, combine one cup of warm water, honey, yeast, and olive oil. Let it sit for a second and get foamy, then dump into the dry combination and stir starting from the middle to form batter-like dough, adding more and more from the sides until you can handle it. Knead for 5-10 minutes (although you'll notice immediately if you bake bread often enough that the vital gluten changes the texture of the dough almost immediately) and then let sit in an oiled bowl, covered, for about an hour. Punch down and knead back into a ball until no longer spongy. Let sit for 10 minutes or as long as you want while you prep all your pizza goodies, then roll out.

Chicken with Sun Dried Tomatoes, Spinach, Artichoke Hearts and Dijon Pan Sauce

2009-11-09T16:35:00.000-08:00

I'm posting this one because it's healthy and I didn't use anything weird that people may be afraid to try. And it's almost as easy as making a sandwich.

5-7 julienned sun dried tomatoes
can of quartered artichoke hearts
half a bag of fresh spinach
2 chicken breasts flattened and marinated in any garlic-herb seasoning (you can even buy a bottle of it)

Warm a bit of extra virgin olive oil in a medium saute pan. Add chicken breasts (really important you flatten them to about 1/4 - 1/2 inch thick) and saute a couple minutes on each side until a little browned and almost done.

Add sun dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, fresh spinach and the juice of half a lemon to the pan and cook until spinach begins to wilt.

Pan Sauce:
Move the chicken and veg to the sides of the pan and add about a tablespoon of Smart Balance (or butter, if you must) and about the same amount of dijon mustard right in the middle of the pan. If you are unfamiliar with pan sauces, PLEASE don't ever use yellow mustard in something like this because it will end up tasting like a hot dog. Break down the butter and dijon and add chicken stock. I don't know how much! I never measure! I'm guessing about 1/2 cup. Let reduce and thicken and add a splash more until you have amount of sauce you want.

Plate pretty and eat. Oh, the temp you want to use is in the middle of medium and medium high. Enjoy!

If Heaven is Real, it's Made of Quinoa Soup

2009-10-23T20:18:00.000-07:00

I wish I could take credit for this soup, but it's not my recipe. I nabbed it from bread-and-honey.blogspot.com. I changed a few very small things, but of course, I didn't write them down. You can't go wrong with this soup. It is the ultimate "this will heal you whilst you're sick in bed" soup. I ate 6 bowls of it in one evening. Phenomenal. I added a shake of red pepper flakes and paprika, because I'm Greek and add paprika to everything.

About 8 cups of chicken stock
A heaping plateful of mushrooms, chopped into bite-sized hunks. (we used shiitake, portabella, and criminis)
1 yellow onion, cut in half then slivered
a few cloves of garlic, finely minced
Juice of half a lemon
Brown mustard (something fancy, if you've got it. Stone ground whatever.)
Large handful of fresh spinach
1 cup of quinoa
Fresh Thyme
Hunk of butter (Stacey used Smart Balance)

In a large stock pot, saute onions & garlic with chopped mushrooms. Squeeze in juice of half a lemon, a generous squirt of brown mustard, and throw in a chunk of butter. Stir frequently while sauteing, and when everything begins to cook down and soften, add 6 cups of chicken stock, and a few sprigs of fresh thyme.

In another pot cook 1 cup of quinoa in 2 cups of chicken stock. Keep to the side until the end.

To the soup pot, add 2 whole chicken legs (thigh & drumstick, bone-in, skin removed.) and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, skimming the soup every so often. When meat is cooked, remove chicken legs, shred meat, and return to pot.

Add cooked quinoa, a handful of fresh spinach, and more mustard and lemon juice (and zest, if you'd like) to taste.

It's Not About the Salmon

2009-10-14T12:38:00.001-07:00

...it's about the quinoa pilaf in this picture. The salmon is just a simple marinade of tamari, honey, shallots, five spice and rice wine vinegar. I may have added a few more ingredients, but I don't remember. You can't screw it up.

Anyway, the quinoa takes the cake! While I toasted a handful of organic pine nuts, I sauteed shallots, red onion, shiitake mushrooms and hit it with a bit of garlic and white wine. I removed it from the heat and threw in the nuts and flipped it a few times to combine. I added the wonderful mixture to quinoa that was cooking in organic free range chicken broth about 5-7 minutes before it was finished cooking. If my 20 month old son screamed for more quinoa pilaf and Jesse, Maximus and I ate about 6 servings of it, you know it's a winner. I'm sorry I never measure anything. I'm trying.

Open and DIVE IN!

2009-10-09T08:24:00.000-07:00

Don't open it, I'm kidding. This is the most disgusting thing on the planet.

Limited Resources

2009-10-09T07:55:00.000-07:00

I've had a difficult time finding certain kinds of sausage here in Lincoln. I don't know why most stores only sell breakfast sausages and brats. Ew. Anyway, I managed to locate some Smart Chicken sausage the other day. I removed it from it's casing and created spicy chicken sausage with fire roasted tomato, portobello and garlic sauce over whole wheat bucatini. It was divine. Spicy, sweet and balanced. And who knew Target sold whole wheat bucatini?! I found it on the end of an isle on clearance and grabbed it.

And finally...at last...I got my hands on some whole wheat panko. I don't know why whole wheat anything is hard to find.

Boo!

2009-10-05T08:33:00.001-07:00

Relax, they're just organic banana bran skull muffins with dark chocolate features.

Tuna Casserole

2009-09-10T14:56:00.000-07:00

Tuna casserole is a guilty pleasure of mine. It's one of the dumbest things to make, but I could eat the entire casserole in one sitting. It's one of my favorite things my mom would make me as a kid. I've taken her recipe and added my twists to make it a teeny bit healthier:

8oz whole wheat egg noodles (cooked)
2 cans of tuna
1 can organic cream of mushroom soup (use Amy's semi condensed-the flavor is richer)
Splash of organic milk
1 small package organic peas (cooked)
Potato chips

Spray a casserole dish. Dilute the mushroom soup with a bit of milk, but keep it thick. Put the noodles, tuna, peas, soup and crushed potato chips in single layers, ending with the chips on top. Dot with Smart Balance Light and bake for 45 minutes to an hour in a 350 degree oven.

Chocolate Chip Cookies (vegan)

2009-09-06T11:00:00.000-07:00

I had this laying around and wanted to use it...
so I threw it into a batch of vegan cookies that kicked ass! Try it before you nay-say it. Jesse was blown away!

2 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 tbsp baking soda
dash of sea salt
1 1/2 cups evaporated cane sugar
1 1/4 cups refined coconut oil
1/4 cup ice water
1 tbsp molasses
1/2 tablespoon organic pure vanilla extract
1 package vegan chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 175 and line baking sheets with parchment.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the sugar and coconut oil until creamy. (I used medium, maybe 2-3 minutes) Add the water, molasses and vanilla and mix well. On low, add the flour mixture in 3-4 additions, mixing each addition until almost fully incorporated. Add the chocolate chips and mix by hand until they're really in there.

Arrange 2-tablespoon sized balls of the dough 2 inches apart on the sheets.
Bake about 15 minutes and after cooling, each enough to make yourself sick.

The McGangBang

2009-09-03T07:56:00.000-07:00

A McChicken sandwich inside a double cheeseburger.

Would someone actually eat this?!

Type Brighter: You know how Mcdonalds sometimes gets criticized for trying to hide the fact that their food is unhealthy (pretty much the basis for the movie Supersize Me). Well that's bullshit! People just need to learn to read properly. Here is a pic that is found on all the burger packages.
It's what i eat and what i do. The pic shows Ronald McDonald recklessly walking on what appears to be a construction beam (we can only assume many many stories in the air). I think the message is pretty clear what he eats and what he does is dangerous. Hahaha!

French Onion Soup

2009-09-02T12:34:00.001-07:00

I posted this on my other blog quite some time ago, but I'm making it again today and thought I'd share. I'm making it only with my 5 pound bag or organic red onions I have laying around.

I made french onion soup last night. It turned out so well that Jesse lowered his head closer to the bowl and made an odd humming noise while he ate it. We had the soup with steak, crab stuffed mushrooms and steamed vegetables. If it's chilly outside, make this recipe. It's an easy version and it doesn't take all day to make.

French Onion Soup (an easy version):

1 clove garlic

2 organic shallots

1 organic Spanish onion

1 organic red onion

2 organic leeks

2 tablespoons Smart Balance Light

3 turns of the pot organic extra virgin olive oil

dash of sea salt

3 tablespoons organic whole wheat pastry flour

4-5 cups organic beef stock

freshly ground pepper

2 big pinches of Asiago cheese

1 small cube of Gruyere cheese

a pinch of Jarlsberg cheese

2 slices of french bread or pumpernickel

Finely chop garlic with shallots. Slice onions almost into julienne. Finely slice leeks and mix all together and put aside.

Heat butter and olive oil in a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Add garlic and onion mixture and stir to coat with butter and olive oil. Lower the heat, cover loosely and allow the onions to cook over low heat for 10-12 minutes to soften. Add the salt and stir to combine and cook the onion mixture over low heat for 25-35 minutes to caramelize, stirring every 4-5 minutes. The onions should become the color of toffee. Sprinkle with the flour. Cook for 4 minutes, stirring. While stirring, add the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, loosely covered, for about 30 minutes. Add pepper and taste and adjust seasonings.

While the soup is cooking, grate the Asiago, Jarlsberg (or Parmesan) and Gruyere. Put aside.

Slice the bread and brush with olive oil and rub with a crushed glove of garlic. Toast in a 400 degree oven until golden and crispy.

Serve the soup in warmed bowls topped with a slice of toasted bread and a sprinkling of the cheese blend. Place the bowls under the broiler until cheese has melted over the sides and is bubbly.

And the BEST beverage to enjoy with this...1554 by New Belgium. It's one of my favorite beers and it pairs well with flavors like the soup.

Spinach Pesto with Shrimp

2009-08-19T21:20:00.000-07:00

This one goes out to Teri Dorman!

1 cup loosely packed spinach (fresh)
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
2 cloves garlic

1 pound organic shrimp, tails off and de-veined
nearly an entire box of organic whole wheat angel hair pasta (Get the Full Circle brand)

Toast the pine nuts in a small saute pan for a few minutes, until fragrant. Combine spinach, nuts and garlic into a food processor and process until finely chopped. Stream in 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil until well blended. Transfer to a bowl and stir in 3 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper.

Coat shrimp with olive oil and salt and pepper. Saute over near high heat until cooked, about 2-3 minutes.
Toss with freshly sauteed shrimp with enough pesto to coat. Add to a bowl of hot whole wheat organic angel hair pasta to coat each strand. Eat the entire dish. It's really that good. If Maximus eats it, you know it's a winner.

Spicy Chicken Lo Mein Satay

2009-08-19T09:48:00.000-07:00

Jesse wanted something different last night. He wanted something that he usually "splurges" with, so I made him spicy chicken lo mein satay. I searched for organic whole wheat lo mein noodles for a while and finally found them. Like I've said before, I will not buy products made with enriched white flour. And these noodles tasted great! So light that I checked the back of the package a few times.

I whisked together:
3 tbsp organic soy sauce
2 tbsp organic rice vinegar
dash organic red pepper flakes
1 packet of Splenda
1/2 organic spicy satay sauce (I used Annie Chun's Thai Peanut all natural sauce)
1 tbsp organic sesame oil
a bit of fresh ginger (peeled and grated)
about 1/2 cup free range organic chicken broth
chopped organic scallion

I sauteed thin strips of chicken in extra virgin olive oil until browned. Don't saute in sesame oil! It burns quickly and is used as a flavoring. I cooked the noodles for about 3 minutes, then drained and rinsed them. I added the sauce to the chicken and simmered for the amount of time it took me to set the table and make thin cucumber strips. (used as garnish) Grab a large serving bowl, place the noodles in first and top with the chicken mixture. Gently toss. Eat. Next time, I'll add the scallions in last. I wasn't thinking when I actually cooked them.

The Best Salad Dressing I've Ever Had

2009-08-12T12:39:00.000-07:00

I created the perfect balance of flavors! Here's what I piled into my food processor:
1/4 cup agave nectar
1/4 cup + 1 tbsp dijon mustard
1/4 cup Italian red wine vinegar
2 large cloves of minced garlic
Sea salt
Freshly cracked pepper
...then I streamed in extra virgin olive oil. I probably used close to 2/3 cup.

*remember, I'm trying to write down measurements, so this is pretty close.

Clam Chowder

2009-08-12T10:59:00.000-07:00

"Holy moly!! Your recipe was perfect and it totally hit the spot! I did change the half and half to 2% milk just to cut it down a little but everyone loved it (family reunion time right now so I had to make triple batches) so it was reviewed by about twenty-five Moseleys and they all loved it!! you are a life saver!!!"

-Katy Mosely Eugene, OR

The clam chowder recipe I used while working at The Oyster Bar, with a few adjustments:

(Serves 12)

Ingredients:
1 cup organic potatoes, diced ½ inch (russet or reds)
1 cup organic celery, diced ½ inch
1 cup organic yellow onion, diced ½ inch
1 cup organic green pepper, diced ½ inch
1 cup leeks, diced ½ inch
¾ cup organic chopped clams (try to get fresh, even if you have to order them online)
¾ tablespoon organic coarse ground black pepper
1 ½ tablespoon organic Italian sea salt
¾ tablespoon whole fresh organic thyme
6 organic bay leaves
1 teaspoon Tabasco
¾ cup sherry wine (optional) and it MUST be a kind you'd drink, so don't get the cheap stuff.
2 cups water
¾ cup clam juice (you have to purchase this separately from where you buy your clams)
¾ cup butter, melted OR Smart Balance Light
1 cup whole wheat or 12 grain PASTRY flour. Don't use non-pastry flour because you'll end up with wheat chunks!
2 quarts organic half-and-half

Method:
Combine melted butter and flour in oven-proof container and bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes. In large saucepan, combine remaining ingredients except half-and-half. Simmer until potatoes are thoroughly cooked. Stir butter-flour mixture into chowder and stir until thick. Mixture will be slightly less thick than cookie dough. Remove chowder from heat. Stir in half-and-half until blended. Heat to serving temperature, stirring occasionally.

Serve immediately.

Weekend Salad

2009-08-08T13:17:00.000-07:00

I make this salad once a week, usually on Fridays. The longer it sits, the better the flavors incorporate. It's really easy and it's good for you.

Organic whole wheat pasta (cooked and cooled, about half a package)
3/4 red onion, sliced thin
2 cans organic medium sized artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
palm of organic capers
handful of pitted kalamata olives
8-10 organic sun dried tomatoes, sliced (you have to add these-they make the salad sweet)
2 tbsp organic extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp and a dash more of Italian red wine vinegar
2 cloves of garlic run through a press
lemon juice of one lemon

Instructions: mix everything in the same bowl. Cover and refrigerate for as long as possible. I told you it was easy.

Lemon "Cheesecake"

2009-08-08T12:44:00.000-07:00

I'll be honest, I don't measure ingredients even when I bake. I'm trying to remember how much went into this one, but try it! It's surprisingly delicious and you won't believe it's low fat and almost sugar free.

Crust:
10 organic graham crackers, reduced sugar
1/4 cup of melted Smart Balance Light

Process the crackers in a food processor for a bit and stream in the melted Smart Balance. Line a glass pie dish with the crust and blind bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes. Let it sit out until it's cooled, the refrigerate until chilled.

Filling:
1 cup organic fat free sour cream
3/4 cup organic low fat ricotta cheese
1/4 cup organic neufchatel cheese at room temperature the other cheeses do not need to be at room temp.
a dash of organic vanilla extract
another dash of organic lemon extract
fresh lemon peel
a couple drops of the lemon juice
1 small packet of organic instant sugar free lemon pudding mix. it's hard to find, but it's out there.

Process the cheeses first until smooth. Add the rest of the ingredients and process until well incorporated. Pour into your prepared pie dish and refrigerate for a couple hours until firm. It's best if it sits overnight.