Yummy Without the Tummy

Thanksgiving Recap and Yummy Sweet Potato Pie

2011-11-30T17:51:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving, this year, was wonderful.

It was a decadent, joyous time with friends. And guess what, I didn't cook the main dishes. What a relief!! Instead this year, I roasted and stuffed a chicken.

I was skeptical, but a roasted chicken for a household of two is much better (and way easier) than a roasted turkey. I stuffed this bird with a apple-cornbread-whole wheat stuffing with added celery, onion, and chicken sausage, similar to the recipe I used last thanksgiving. Yummy.

In preparation for dinner at our friend's house for thanksgiving, we prepared a sweet potato pie with a homemade whole-wheat crust. This crust is very quick and easy.

All-purpose Pie Crust:

Ingredients:

3 cups whole wheat flour
1.5 tbsp Stevia/Truvia
1/4 cup butter or Smart Balance
3/4 cup fat-free greek yogurt
1/3 cup ice water

Recipe:

Combine flour and sugar substitute into the bowl of an electric mixer. Cut butter or margarine into tablespoon pieces; add it, along with the greek yogurt, to the flour and sugar. Use the paddle beater to cut the butter and yogurt together with the flour.
With the mixer on low speed , or while stirring the mixture with a fork, pour in the cold water. When the dough starts to clump, and before it turns into a ball, stop stirring.
Lightly knead dough in the bowl until it forms a ball. Divide dough into two parts. Place into ziplock freezer bag. Flatten each part into a disk, and chill for about 30 minutes before rolling.

For the sweet potato pie filling, check out my blog post at a later date for the recipe to create a delicious treat to share (or keep to yourself) that looks like this. My husband did a fantastic job with the filling, this year, making the dish an extra treat for me ;)

Mushroom-Sausage Bake with Blue Cheese Crumble

2011-09-24T16:29:00.000-07:00

In preparation for a small brunch, I created this very quick and easy dish that combined some ingredients in my kitchen (and in my garden). This came out wonderful. I love the combination of mushrooms, thyme, and blue cheese. The sausage made this more substantial dish. I say if you have these ingredients on hand, go for it and maybe open some lovely Rosé for a quick brunch with friends.

Mushroom-Sausage Bake with Blue Cheese Crumble

Ingredients:

8 oz white button mushrooms, chopped and rinsed
1.5 links spicy chicken sausage (my favorite brand is Aidell's), chopped
1 tbsp Spanish Thyme, finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1/4 tsp black pepper (white pepper would also work well)
1 tsp garlic powder
2 tbsp egg white

Crumble:
1/2 cup toasted (preferrably day-old) bread, torn into pieces (I used some whole wheat crepes but any bready item on hand will do)
1 tbsp shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1 tbsp blue cheese, crumbled
1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 tsp garlic powder

Recipe:

(1) Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. In a non-stick skillet, on medium heat, add chicken sausage. Sauté until browned.
(2) Next add the mushrooms and garlic. Cook until the mushrooms are tenderized but not completely cooked through. Lower heat to simmer or "low" once the sauté reaches this point.
(3) Meanwhile, prepare crumble in a food processor. Add all the ingredients (no water or butter needed as the cheese will provide all of the binding texture). Pulse until small crumbles form.
(4) Prepare the baking pan, lightly spraying with canola oil (if needed).
(5) To the mushroom-sausage sauté, add the egg whites. Toss completely and immediately pour into the baking pan. Cover sauté with the blue cheese crumble.
(6) Bake for 15 minutes or until browned.

I hope you enjoy the tender mushroom melody with the sausage and blue cheese. Yum!

Spicy Cajan Chicken Bites

2011-09-16T17:41:00.000-07:00

With some thawed chicken and in preparation for a few guests, I decided to create something fast, tasty, and spicy. Oh spice, how I love thee !?! These nibbles are great to prepare right before guests arrive. You could serve them as is or with a dipping sauce, say a barbeque sauce mixed with a bit of ranch dressing. I particularly like KC's new Southern style BBQ sauce, which they just released and sent me a sampler of as part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaster Program. But you know me, if I don't like something, I won't recommend it.

Spicy Cajan Chicken Bites

Ingredients:
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp cajan seasoning
1/2 lb chicken breast
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp no salt added seasoning (Trader Joe's)

Recipe:
1) Clean and dice chicken breasts
2) Add cajan seasoning to a non-stick skillet and heat skillet to medium heat
3) Add chicken breast to pan, brown on both sides. Add seasoning and cayenne pepper.
4) When chicken is almost done, add apple cider vinegar to pan. Toss to coat. The vinegar will help keep the chicken moist and lock in the seasonings.
5) Reduce heat to a simmer and continue to cook until chicken is cooked through. Serve immediately with some dipping sauce.

Dipping Sauce

1/4 cup KC Masterpiece Southern Style Barbeque Sauce
1/8 cup Lite Ranch Dressing
1 tbsp finely chopped chives

Sausage-stuffed jalapenos

2011-08-18T19:02:00.000-07:00

Moving to the south has been a wonderful change. The seasonal ingredients like jalapenos growing in my backyard is phenomenal. We have also been taking advantage of a CSA box, Lee's Produce NC, for a weekly delivery of fresh ingredients straight from the farm. If you have the option for this in your area, I would highly recommend it. With a bushel of jalapenos to use, I came up with this recipe using pantry ingredients.

Sausage-stuffed jalapenos

Ingredients:

1 smoked sausage link, finely-chopped

4-6 medium to large jalapenos

1/8 cup cottage cheese

1/8 cup fat free sour cream

2 tbsp greek yogurt (strain if runny)

1/8 cup salsa

shredded cheese (cheddar, mozzarella, gouda, or your favorite)

black pepper and salt, as needed

Recipe:

(1) Cut jalapenos in half, length-wise. Using a spoon, scrape out the insides of jalapenos and save in a medium-sized mixing bowl. (Note: if you don’t want these two spicy, these contents can be discarded.)

(2) Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

(3) Add to the mixing bowl the diced sausage, cottage cheese, sour cream, greek yogurt and salsa. Add salt and black pepper to taste.

(4) Spoon the contents of the mixing bowl into each jalapeno half. Top with shredded cheese.

(5) Bake jalapenos for 20 min in the oven or until slightly browned at the edges.

(6) Remove stuffed jalapenos from oven and allow to cool 5 min before enjoying.

This recipe is fantastic if you need an appetizer for a party or a potluck. We just couldn't stop popping them in our mouths once this got out of oven. Enjoy the spicy goodness.

Seasonal Summer Fruit Salad

2011-06-25T13:30:00.000-07:00

In North Carolina, the sun is shining and flowers are abloom. It is beautiful. We recently started service with Lee's Produce to get fresh local fruits and vegetables delivered from farm to door. It is wonderful when the produce is delivered.

This week, the bounty included a juicy cantaloupe. I am not a huge cantaloupe fan but my husband is. Using some frozen blueberries from a delivery a few weeks ago, I decided to make something that I always love....Fruit Salad.

Ingredients:

1/2 large cantaloupe
2 medium Red Delicious apples
juice of 1 lemon or 2-3 tbsp
2 tbsp rum
1/4 cup frozen blueberries
1/4 cup apricots (canned but no added sugar) or fresh

Recipe:

(1) Run water over frozen blueberries to thaw.
(2) Wash and dice all fruits.
(3) Toss remaining ingrediants together in a large bowl.
(4) Allow fruit salad to marinate for 2hrs to overnight.

Enjoy the summer harvest with friends, perhaps a glass of wine, and of course, a smile.

Mummy's Banana Bread

2011-06-06T17:42:00.000-07:00

My mom recently sent me a care package with delicious banana bread in it. I had to get the recipe to share with everyone because it is super yummy.

Banana Bread

(2 large loaves or 3 small)

Ingredients:

3 ripe bananas (very ripe)

2 cups whole wheat flour

½ cup white flour

1 cup soy milk (or any milk)

¼ cup water (add/reduce if needed, depends on how soft and large bananas are)

1 large egg

3 tbl olive oil

2 tbl baking powder

¼ tsp baking soda

1 tbl cinnamon

½ tbl salt

2 pkts splenda

1 tbl brown sugar

¼ cranberries (the amount is optional- you can leave off or use substitute)

2 tbl Sunflower nuts - optional or any nuts

¼ cup raw oats

Recipe:

(1) Peel bananas and place directly into mixing bowl (KitchenAid).

(2) Use mixer to break up bananas- until mashed up.

(3) Add egg and all wet ingredients and mix for 2 mins (leave back ½ of the water, then add slowly after all dry ingredients are added.

(4) Add remaining ingredients and mix for 2 mins- add the remainder of water or a little more.

(5) Put into greased baking pans. You may sprinkle a little more oats on top and use a folk lightly to press into dough. Bake for about 45 mins, 340 degree oven.

(6) You may want to brush on some egg white and a little sugar (optional) about 3-5 min before taking out. Immediately place on rack to cool.

Hot Cross Buns (Easter Sunday recap)

2011-05-24T21:08:00.000-07:00

It has been a little while since I have blogged but I have been busy, both enjoying friends, learning about wine, and revisiting my tried and true recipes.

This past Easter was shared with a lovely group of friends, where they provided a delicious feast, and I provided my wholesome version of a sweet treat, Hot Cross Buns. I was asked, is this a dessert or a side? Well the answer is, it can be both, depending on how sweet you make it.

I love it this way, as a side dish, not too sweet but sweet enough.

Hot Cross Buns
adapted from Allrecipes.com

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon active dry yeast
3/4 cups warm milk (110 degrees F)
1 egg white + 1 egg, beaten
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1/4 cup white sugar or 4 splenda packets + 1 stevia packet
2 cups whole wheat flour
3/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup dried currants
1 tbsp orange/grapefruit zest
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons milk (almond, skim, or your favorite)

Recipe:

Put warm milk, butter, 1/4 cup sugar (or sugar substitute), salt, egg, egg white, flour, and yeast in bread maker and start on dough program.
When 5 minutes of kneading are left, add currants, orange/grapefruit zest, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Leave in machine till double.
Punch down on floured surface, cover, and let rest 10 minutes.
Shape into 12 balls and place in a greased 9 x 12 inch pan. Cover and let rise in a warm place till double, about 35-40 minutes.
Mix egg yolk and 2 tablespoons water. Brush on balls. This step will help give that golden brown color on the crust.
Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 20 minutes. Remove from pan immediately and cool on wire rack.
To make crosses: mix together confectioners' sugar, vanilla, and milk. Brush an X on each cooled bun.

I don't know (actually I do) why these are only made and eaten once a year. Such a shame. This recipe needs to be used much more often. :)

Braised Kale with Apples and Rosé

2011-04-06T19:27:00.000-07:00

I recently had a few girlfriends over to catch up, watch a movie, and relax. It was an enjoyable evening. I only had a limited time to prepare a few sides for the movie-watching experience. With a lot of kale from a recent trip to the grocery and some delicious Rosé from Chatham Hill winery I decided on this pairing.

Braised Kale with Apples and Rosé

Ingredients:
canola or olive oil spray
1/2 red onion, chopped
1/2 apple, diced
1/2 bell pepper, chopped (optional)
1 bunch of Kale, chopped
1/2 cup of Rosé wine
Seasoning blend (my favorite is from Trader Joe's)
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
salt and black pepper, to taste

Recipe:
(1) Spray a sauté pan with canola oil.
(2) Add red onion, apple, and bell pepper, if using, to pan and allow to brown slightly.
(3) Add the kale and the next three ingredients. Allow the kale to cook until completely wilted and slightly brown.
(4) Add salt and pepper, to taste.

Enjoy the braised kale with a glass of the Rosé. It has lovely strawberry flavor notes. This was so quick and easy. A great way to get your calcium, vitamin B6, vitamin C, fiber, and, of course, your daily wine.

Ginger Banana Muffins

2011-03-27T15:31:00.000-07:00

As a treat for my husband who loves a high-fiber cereal for breakfast, I decided to revisit a tried and true Kashi cereal recipe for Hearty Banana Muffins. I, of course, had to add my mom's crystalized ginger and some extra zing to put my twist on it.

Ginger Banana Muffins
adapted from Kashi cereal recipe

Ingredients:

2 and 1/2 cups Kashi Go Lean Fiber cereal, crushed in food processor
1 and 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 sugar crystals or 8 splenda packets with 2 truvia packets
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon powdered
2 tablespoon crystalized ginger
2-3 medium bananas mashed
1/2 cup nonfat or almond milk
1/2 cup egg whites
1/3 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Recipe:
(1) Preheat oven to 400F. Combine the first six ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
(2) In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients. Add the liquid mixture to the dry mixture and stir until just combined.
(3) Spoon batter evenly into lightly oiled muffin tins.
(4) Bake for 20 minutes or until a fork in the center comes out clean. Let cool and serve warm or at room temperature.

I personally like these with a glass of almond milk. Enjoy.

A wine complement: Bacon-wrapped Shrimp

2011-03-06T11:22:00.000-08:00

For a recent wine tasting event, featuring red wines from Pinots to Sparkling ones, I prepared a quick and easy pairing. I was excited that it was a hit. Did I mention how easy it was. Check out this recipe and try it for your next gathering.

Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp

Ingredients

Turkey Bacon (Jennie-O or Butterball)
Medium-sized Shrimp (frozen)
Red Pepper Flakes
No-salt added Season Blend (Trader Joe's)

Recipe:
(1) Spray a baking sheet with canola oil. Preheat oven to 350F.
(2) Cut turkey bacon into halves or thirds.
(3) Wrap shrimp with the turkey bacon, with the ends tucked underneath.
(4) Assemble wrapped shrimp on a tray.
(5) Dash red pepper flakes and seasoning blend to your liking.
(6) Bake for 20-30 min until you have reached your desired level of crispiness.

I loved this dish paired with a Pinot Noir. I also work with Chatham Hill winery and I know their Riesling would be awesome with this. Give it a try and let me know what you think ;)

Yummy Tex-Mex Slaw

2011-02-26T10:35:00.000-08:00

For our monthly potluck, I recently put together a southwestern slaw that I adapted from allrecipes.com. I didn't realize it would be such a hit so even though I don't have a picture, I will post the recipe. If I were you, scale up how much you make because this one is hard to stop eating, the cabbage does shrink in size after the incubation, and you might want to leave some aside for yourself after serving it.

Spicy Tex-Mex Slaw
adapted from Allrecipes.com

Ingredients:
3 cups shredded cabbage
1 can corn, drained and rinsed
1 onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 jalapeno pepper, diced (seed only if you don't want it spicy)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup canola oil (optional: I left it out)
4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon white sugar or 2 stevia (sugar alternatives)
1 tablespoon pimento sauce (can be found in the caribbean food section)
2 tablespoons dried garlic
1 tablespoon barbeque sauce
1 teaspoon garlic salt
pepper to taste

Recipe:

In a large bowl, toss together the cabbage, corn, onion, red pepper, jalapenos, and cilantro. Set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, bbq sauce, sugar, garlic salt, and pepper. Pour over vegetable mixture and toss to combine.
Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour. I refrigerated overnight.

Turkey two-bean chili and gluten-free biscuits

2011-02-02T22:04:00.000-08:00

One of my good friends, who has a gluten allergy, recently sent me a wonderful recipe for turkey chili with gluten-free cheesy biscuits. I don't have pictures to show but just imagine the delicious flavorful combination from these details. Try it and let us know what you think.

Guest post from B. Riley

Turkey two-bean chili

I created this recipe when HBH came to visit and announced that he doesn't eat beef. Here we go:

Recipe:

(1) Brown the following: 1lb ground turkey, 1lb hot italian poultry sausage, 1lb sweet italian poultry sausage, 2 c mushrooms.

(2) Once browned, add 2 tbsp tomato paste and stir for 2 minutes.
(3) Add herbs: 3 tbsp minced garlic, one large sweet onion, 2 tsp thyme, 2 tbsp chipotle powder, 2 tbsp chili powder.
Cook until onions are translucent.

(4) Add cumin, 2 more tsp thyme, crushed red pepper flakes, and stir.
(5) Add 3 cans stewed tomatoes, 1 can black beans (drained) 1 can white beans (drained), 1 can sweet corn (drained), 2 tsp thyme, 2 tbsp chili powder, 2 tbsp chipotle powder.

(6) Stir, cover, simmer for 30 minutes.

Makes at least 10 cups of chili or 40 servings. Freezes well, too.

I served that with

Cheesy garlic biscuits

Ingredients:

2 c gluten-free bisquick
1 c low fat sour cream
2 c low fat mild cheddar cheese
2 tsp (heaping) garlic powder

Recipe:

(1) Mix all ingredients until crumbly. Form into little balls and stuff down into a silicone mini-muffin pan.

(2) Bake at 400 for 25 minutes. Makes 24 biscuits.

Split, pour on the chili, top, and serve in cute little dishes. - or split and serve on little spoons for "bites". :-D

Note: As always, gluten free can be replaced with regular (especially with bisquick).

Oatmeal Gingerbread

2011-01-24T19:45:00.000-08:00

I have had an extended craving for gingerbread through the holiday season. I was dying to put together a recipe that married the crunchy texture of oatmeal with the wonderful spiciness of gingerbread.

I used a base recipe for a quick bread that is now my FAVORITE go-to recipe to make a sweet treat. The recipe is adapted from allrecipes.com, providing both sugar and non-dairy modifications.

I don't encourage people to use my recipes but really if you have 20 minutes, you have to try this one!!!

Oatmeal Gingerbread

Ingredients:

1 cup white whole wheat flour
1/2 cup old-fashioned oatmeal (not instant)
3/4 cup sugar or 4 packets of Splenda + 2 packet Stevia
1/6 cup barley malt or molasses
1/2 package of instant sugar free vanilla pudding mix (powder)
1/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup egg white
1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1/2 cup vanilla soy milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup vegetable oil
11/4 tbsp ground ginger
1 dash of ground cinnamon
1 dash of ground clove

Recipe:
(1) Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease one 9x5 inch baking pans or a mini-loaf pan.
(2) In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, oatmeal, sugar substitutes, pudding mix, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices.
(3) In a separate medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together the milk, oil, barley malt (or molasses), egg whites, and vanilla. Stir the milk mixture into the flour mixture until smooth. Do not over mix.
(4) Bake 1 hour in the oven, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out (mostly) clean.
(5) Remove the bread from the oven and cool for 10 minutes before cutting.
Note: since this is a pudding-based recipe, the bread will not fully set until after the 10 minutes of cooling time.

This is wholesome goodness, that I feel, not only can but rather should be enjoyed year round. I might have to bake it again tomorrow.

Toasted Crab-stuffed Mushrooms

2011-01-15T14:45:00.000-08:00

The crab cake is a well celebrated appetizer (or entreé) in the southeast. I have made crab cakes with a recipe that was very easy and healthful. Having guests over recently, I came up with the idea of using a crab cake-like filling to stuff delicious white button mushrooms. It turned out to be a delicious and quick appetizer, especially since the filling can be made when you have time, then stuffed and baked shortly before guests arrive. Let me know what you think.

Toasted Crab-stuffed Mushrooms

Ingredients:

- Large white button mushrooms
- Lump crabmeat, 1 small can
- Lite mayo, 1-2 tbsps
- Onions, finely chopped (best in food processor)
- Celery, finely chopped (best in food processor)
- Canola oil spray
- cayenne pepper, 1 tsp
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Parmesan cheese (optional)

Recipe:

(1) Preheat a medium sauté pan and spay with canola oil.
(2) Mix the lumpcrab meat with mayo, onions, celery, cayenne, salt and pepper, according to your taste.
(3) Form the crab mixture into small patties.
(4) When the pan is very hot, place patties in pan, flipping over after browning.
(5) Allow crab patties to cool completely on a saucer after cooking.
(6) Meanwhile, clean the mushrooms with a damp cloth.
(7) Using a spoon, scoop out the center of the button mushrooms, chopping these pieces for later. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
(8) Mix the chopped mushroom stems and centers with cooled crab patties, browned on both sides.
(9) Stuff the mushrooms with a tbsp (a spoonful) of the mixture. If desire, dust parmesan cheese over the tops of the mushrooms.
(10) Place the mushrooms in the oven to bake for 8-10 minutes before guests arrive.

Enjoy the savory bites and enjoy the omega-3s....

Buttermilk Pie

2010-12-29T20:41:00.000-08:00

A family recipe (from the in-laws).... Buttermilk Pie. I didn't realize how simple and easy it is and I did my sugar substitutions to make it even easier on the tummy, especially during this holiday season. I will keep this post quick and sweet, just like this pie recipe.

Buttermilk Pie

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Splenda
2 packets Stevia
3 tbsp White Whole Wheat flour
2 large eggs
8 tbsp butter or Smart Balance spread
1 cup lowfat buttermilk
2 tsp vanilla
9-inch pre-packaged pie shell (whole wheat if you have it)

Recipe:

(1) Mix the Smart Balance, Splenda, and Stevia together. Stir in the eggs (brought to room temperature) and mix with a fork or whisk until thoroughly combined.
(2) Mix in the flour until completely combined.
(3) Add the buttermilk.
(4) Pour batter into the rolled-out pie shell (unbaked).
(5) Bake in pre-heated oven at 425 F for 10 minutes.
(6) Lower the temperature of the oven to 350 F to continue to bake for 35 minutes. You will see the pie inflate and slightly brown when complete. Check with a fork or knife to ensure cooked in the middle.
(7) Allow pie to cool and settle before cutting and serving.

Enjoy this delicious treat. I enjoy it everytime I visit my in-laws and now with the recipe in hand, we can enjoy it more often.

Roasted Vegetable Salad with Chickpeas

2010-12-26T22:27:00.000-08:00

A quick, easy, and delicious preparation for lunch is a roasted vegetable salad tossed with chickpeas. I made this for lunch for the week and it was the perfect thing to look forward to on the rainy, wet days. I used green beans, tomatoes, and yellow squash. Incorporate whichever veggies are convenient, your favorite, and even better, in season.

Roasted Vegetable Salad with Chickpeas

Ingredients:

2 tomatoes, sliced
2 yellow squash, sliced
3 cloves of garlic, finely diced or minced in can
canola oil spray
1/2 tsp seasoning salt, such as Adobo
1 tsp pepper
1 tbsp Za'taar spice blend
1 tbsp red pepper flakes

Recipe:

(1) Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

(2) In a bowl, toss the chopped vegetables with the garlic, seasonings, and spray with a few sprays of canola oil. This is definitely a way to reduce the fat and calories from a dish incorporating roasted vegetables. Tossing before laying on a tray, will reduce the amount of oil needed to coat.

(3) If you are patient, separate and spread the vegetables on a baking trays lined with aluminum foil. If you are not patient, simply pour the vegetables out onto the lined trays without sorting. The sorting will help as some vegetables will cook faster than others (e.g. tomatoes will finish before the squash). Bake for 15-25 minutes. If you do sort, pull out the baking trays when the vegetable looks slightly brown at the edges and look and feel tender to the touch.

(4) Toss the roasted vegetables with the drained and rinsed chickpeas. Finish with the red pepper flakes, Za'taar, and salt/pepper to taste.

Enjoy this salad alone or with your favorite sandwich...a fall/winter treat.

Thanksgiving Recap and Cornbread Stuffing

2010-12-05T12:35:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving Day was awesome!

I have finally recovered from the Thanksgiving indulgences, pies, cakes, turkey (lots of it), ham, and stuffing. It was a wonderful day. I learned how to make my first Turkey. I have to say (not boasting) that it actually was a beautiful golden bird. My mom taught me how to make this beauty.

The stuffing, which was baked with turkey, was yummy.

Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

1 8x8 pan of cornbread (see my recipe for cornbread muffins), cubed
1/4 loaf whole wheat bread, cubed
1/2 head of garlic, minced
1.5 bunches of celery, diced
1 onion, diced
2 cups low-sodium beef stock
1/2 cup dried mushrooms, rehydrated (I used a wild mushroom mix from Chile but cremini mushrooms or porcini will work well)
1/4 cup dried cherries or dried fruit

Recipe:

(1) Cube the cornbread and toast in the oven at 400 degrees for 15 min (until brown).
(2) Mix with the remaining ingredients.
(3) Add the beef stock and toss to combine.
(4) Then bake in a oven-proof pan for 45 min - 1 hr at 350 degrees or stuff in the turkey for the 4 hour cook time.

Enjoy the deliciousness. Make extra as this is a hit.

Cherry Pepper Corn Muffins

2010-11-15T19:38:00.000-08:00

My husband has been craving cornbread. I have been craving all things spicy lately. In preparation for his upcoming exam, I decided to create a cornbread that was inspired by delicious jalapeño cornbread but also sweetly inspired by pie.

Cherry Pepper Corn Muffins

Ingredients:

2/3 cup cornmeal
1/3 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/4 tbsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
5 packets of splenda + 1 packet of Stevia or 1/3 cup sugar
3 tbsp Smart Balance margarine or butter, melted
1/3 cup unsweetned applesauce or 1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup dried cherries, finely chopped
1 HOT pepper, finely chopped

Recipe:

(1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray muffin pans with canola oil or line with muffin liners.
(2) In a small bowl, mix the flours, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Add the dried cherries and pepper to the mix.
(3) In a medium bowl, mix the margarine and apple sauce.
(4) Carefully add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing only until everything is combined. Since using the whole wheat flour, gluten formation will happen quickly so minimize mixing.
(4) Add 2-3 tbsp of the batter per muffin cup.
(5) Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick in the center of a muffin pulls out cleanly.

Enjoy the sweet and spicy combo. I certainly enjoyed them with a cup of cinnamon tea and also with a bowl of chili. A multipurpose food ;)

Apple-Pear Cobbler

2010-11-12T19:27:00.000-08:00

In preparation for a friend's dinner, I decided to prepare a simple and easy recipe using fruit that was both in season and in my refrigerator. Apples and Pears!!! I love the fall harvest. While I am usually a Crisp kind of gal, I decided to venture into Cobbler territory, where the crust is shaped from a buttery, biscuit-like dough. In fact, the leftover dough is perfect for a small crust, which is why I am keeping all the ends in my freezer for a rainy day.

Apple-Pear Cobbler
Recipe adapted from MayoClinic healthy recipes

4 servings

Ingredients

1 1/2 large apple and 1 pear, cored and diced

1 tablespoon orange juice

1 tablespoons splenda

1 tablespoons whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the topping:

1/4 cup oat flour + 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour

2 tablespoons sugar or 4 packets of splenda

3/4 teaspoons baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons cold trans-free margarine, cut into pieces

1/4 cup fat-free milk or vanilla soymilk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Recipe

(1) Preheat the oven to 400 F. Lightly coat a 9-inch square baking dish with cooking spray.

(2) In a large bowl, add the apple and pear pieces. Sprinkle with orange (or lemon) juice.

(3) In small bowl, combine the sugar, flour and cinnamon. Add the mixture to the chopped apples and pears and toss gently to mix. Stir in the Spread the apple-pear mixture evenly in the prepared baking dish. Set aside.

(4) In another large bowl, combine the flours, sugar, baking powder and salt. Using a fork, cut the cold margarine into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the milk and vanilla. Stir just until a moist dough forms.

(5) Turn the dough onto a generously floured work surface and, with floured hands, knead gently 6 to 8 times until the dough is smooth and manageable. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a rectangle 1/2-inch thick. Use a cookie cutter or knife to cut out shapes. Cut close together for a minimum of scraps. Gather the scraps and roll out to make more cuts.

(6) Place the dough pieces over the apple-pear mixture, until the top is covered. Bake until the apples are tender and the topping is golden, about 30 minutes. Serve warm.

Notice, that I used orange, instead of lemon juice to bring out the tartness of the fruit. If I did apple-cranberry I would definitely use lemon instead. Here I loved the combination of apple, pear, nutmeg, with the hint of orange. Experiment, like I did, and let me know what you come up with.

BALT Sandwich (Bacon, Ahi Tuna, Lettuce, and Tomato) & Taste Test

2010-11-06T20:22:00.000-07:00

As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program, I received Nature's Pride OvenClassics 100% Whole Wheat bread to taste-test. In an aim to try this bread, I wanted to create a quick sandwich for lunch. I also had some delicious seared Ahi Tuna already prepared.

I assembled this Bacon, Ahi Tuna, Lettuce, and Tomato sandwich using some Turkey Bacon and farm-grown tomatoes. It was a treat. The bread was delicious, hearty, and yet fluffy. That is saying a lot since I rarely eat bread.

The combination of the BALT was delicious. If you happen to have some seared fish, try a creation of your own.

Apple Cider Swiss Chard

2010-10-29T21:41:00.000-07:00

It was middle of the week, after a long day and running behind schedule, I needed a recipe that would be quick and under 10 minutes to prepare for guests that arriving any moment. I decided to finesse Swiss Chard that was sitting in the refrigerator, waiting for some attention.

Apple Cider Swiss Chard

Ingredients:

1 bunch Swiss Chard, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
2 tbsp garlic, minced
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
Canola oil cooking spray
salt and pepper, to taste

Recipe:

(1) Thoroughly wash and pat dry the swiss chard before use.

(2) Spray a medium saucepan with canola oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic to brown.

(3) Add Swiss chard to the saucepan, with any residual liquid serving to aide the cooking process. Add the apple cider vinegar. Sauté the chard until wilted. Add salt and pepper to taste.

This side pairs well with seafood, poultry, and red meat. The acidity of the vinegar will also pair well with many wines, such as a dry pinot grigio or very dry riesling. Feel free to add some spice like Cayenne if you want some heat and most importantly, enjoy!

Whole Grain Apple Cake

2010-10-19T19:26:00.000-07:00

In celebration of autumn, the turning of the leaves, and the delicious apples. You can never have too many good apple recipes in your collection.

Whole Grain Apple Cake

Recipe adapted from 101cookbooks (Unfussy Apple Cake)

Ingredients:

2 cups sweet, crisp green apples, cut into 1/4 cubes (peel on)
1 cup Buckwheat pancake and waffle batter (I used Arrowhead Mills)
1 1/4 cup white whole wheat flour
1/4 cup flaxmeal
1 tablespoon aluminum-free baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons nutmeg
12 packets of Splenda or 1/2 cup dark Muscavado sugar (or other fine-grain natural cane or brown sugar)
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 egg + 1/4 cup egg whites
1 cup buttermilk
1/8 cup butter, melted and cooled a bit
1/8 cup 0% fat greek yogurt
2 packets of PureVia (Stevia or another natural sweetener)

Recipe:

(1) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spray baking pan (preferrably non-stick tart pan) with canola oil (you could also flour but I didn't). I used a round smaller tart pan but this would have been best in an 9x13 rectangular pan. The smaller tart pan made baking time much, much longer.
(2) Place the chopped apples in a bowl with water with the juice of one lemon. Set aside. This really emphasizes the tart flavor of the apples.
(3) Combine the dry ingredients in a medium bowl (flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg).
(4) In a separate smaller bowl, whisk together the buttermilk (I used homemade 1 cup nonfat milk, 1 tbsp lemon juice, stirred, and let sit for 5 min), egg, and egg whites. Whisk in the cooled melted butter mixed with the greek yogurt.
(5) Pour the buttermilk mixture in with the flour mixture and stir just until combined. Don't stir more than this, especially if using whole wheat flour, like I am, as the gluten formation will make the cake dense.
(6) Drain the chopped apples, shake off the excess water, and fold into the cake batter.
(7) Spoon the cake batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the top with your favorite sweetner. I used splenda. (8) Bake for 40-45 minutes, using a toothpick in the center to test if baked throughout.
(9) Let cool for 10 minutes and remove from tart pan.

Enjoy this with some greek yogurt (my favorite) or ice cream....Oh, how I love autumn.

Chicken with Roasted Summer Squash

2010-10-05T18:54:00.000-07:00

After flipping through my 2007 Food and Wine cookbook, I was inspired by a quick Chicken with Zucchini salad recipe. I was cooking for some girlfriends and wanted to present something light and prepare something easy. Thankfully, I had all of the ingredients on hand and it was absolutely delicious. I love the tanginess of the lemon juice. I used red onions in place of Vidalias and topped with fresh basil (from my herb garden, which is finally doing well).

Chicken with Roasted Summer Squash
adapted from Food & Wine cookbook 2007

Ingredients:

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1/2 medium red onion or 1 shallot, chopped
1 1/2 tbsp fresh spanish thyme, chopped
1 tsp Dijon mustard (optional, since used less oil)
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
3 boneless chicken breast halves, with or without skin
3 medium yellow squash (1 lb.), sliced crosswise on a diagonal 1/3 inch thick
1/4 pound feta cheese
1-2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped (optional)
salt and ground pepper (best if fresh)

Recipe:

In a blender, combine the lemon juice with 1-2 tbsp garlic, red onion, and spanish thyme and puree until smooth. With the machine on, slowly pour in 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Stir in the mint and season the vinaigrette with salt and pepper.
Light a grill or preheat a grill pan. In a shallow bowl, coat the chicken with 1/2 cup of the vinaigrette. Let stand for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, spray the yellow squash with olive oil and season with garlic salt, pepper, and 1 tbsp minced garlic. Grill the squash, turning once, until tender and slightly charred, about 3 minutes total. Transfer the vegetables to a platter and keep warm.
Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper and grill over moderately high heat, turning once, until cooked through, about 10 minutes. Transfer the chicken to the platter and sprinkle with the feta cheese. Drizzle with the remaining vinaigrette, top with chopped basil, and serve.

This is so yummy. I hope you and your guests enjoy as much as I did.

Lemon bars with Almond-Cardamom crusts (Gluten-free delights)

2010-09-29T21:12:00.000-07:00

In preparation for a monthly dinner with some girlfriends, one of whom doesn't do well with gluten, I investigated options for dessert. This course of the meal I have read, many gluten-free folks unfortunately have to pass up.

With many lemons on hand, I decided to do a lemon bar using a version of an almond meal crust that I have done before. This time, however, I felt that something was needed to carefully pull together the flavor of the almonds with lemons. I added some cardamom and it did the trick. Hopefully, you enjoy it as much as I did. I almost couldn't stop licking the mixing spoon....I know, TMI.

Almond-Cardamom crust

Ingredients:

1 cup ground almond meal (processed almonds)

14 packets of Splenda + 1 packet of PureVia (or 3/4 cup cane sugar)

1/4 cup egg white

1/4 tsp cardamom, ground

1/4 tsp fine sea salt

1/8 tsp nutmeg

Spray oil (Vegetable or Canola...avoid Olive oil due to the flavor)

Recipe:

(1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8x8-inch square Pyrex dish with Pam or canola oil.

(2) In a mixing bowl, mix together the ground almonds, sugar, salt, cardamom & nutmeg. After thoroughly mixing, add the egg white. Mix to combine and spread the mixture into the baking dish and press lightly (with moist spatula) to form a crust.

(3) Bake the crust for 20 minutes. Cool completely before filling, allowing the crust to crisp more.

Lemon filling

Ingredients:

2 large eggs + 1/2 cup egg whites
14 packets of Splenda with 3 packets of PureVia or 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tbsp greek yogurt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup tapioca flour (best if freshly ground) or another gluten-free flour
zest of two small lemons (about 2 tbsp)
1-2 tsp powdered sugar (optional, for garnish)

Recipe:

(1) In a spice grinder, grind dry tapioca pearls, enough for 1/4 cup.

(2) Grate lemon zest and juice 2 lemons (1/4 cup lemon juice).

(3) In a small bowl, beat together the eggs, egg whites, sweeteners, vanilla extract, lemon juice, lemon zest, greek yogurt, and tapioca flour.

(4) Pour filling on top of pre-baked almond-cardamom crust.

(5) Bake for 20 minutes. Cool completely and serve.

This is a very fast recipe and great if you have other things going on in the background (during those cooling times)... I find it is best to stay out of the kitchen during these times so there is actually dessert left for guests. Hope you enjoy it. Next time, I will totally add finely chopped basil to the filling mix for an surprising and delicious twist.

Sweet-n-spicy black bean salad

2010-09-24T13:59:00.000-07:00

In preparation for a friend's party, I made a dish that reminded me of one of the lovely Sunday dinners that I had with the girls. I think it was Emma who made a delicious black bean salad.

For this recipe, I decided to kick up the heat with some cayenne, emphasize my island flavors with some lime juice and some sweet-n-tangy combo of sweetener with apple cider vinegar. You will love this quick and easy, sweet-n-spicy recipe for a party with some chips, or alone, as a salad.

Sweet-n-spicy black bean salad

Ingredients:

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can whole kernel corn, no salt added, drained
1/2 green pepper, diced
1/4 cup diced canned tomatoes
2 tsp cilantro, chopped
1/8-1/4 cup onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced

3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/8 tsp baking soda (to calm acidity)
2 1/2 tsp Splenda or another sweetener equivalent
1/8 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne
1/2 tbsp Adobo light seasoning or garlic-onion powder
1/4 tsp ground pepper
garlic salt, to taste
1/2 tsp olive oil
1/2 lime, peeled and mashed

Recipe:
(1) Mince garlic in food processor
(2) After draining and rinsing the black beans and corn (preferrably low or no salt added), toss together the black beans, corn, garlic, diced onions, tomatoes, and bell peppers.
(3) In a separate bowl, whisk together the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, and seasonings, with the exception of the Adobo light and garlic salt.
(4) To taste, add the Adobo light seasoning and additional garlic salt depending on your salt preference or dietary restrictions.

Note: To keep this completely low-carb, omit the corn kernels altogether and increase the onion and bell pepper ratio.

3-Grain Apple Cinnamon Granola

2010-09-21T09:01:00.000-07:00

Have I mentioned before, how much I love Costco. While some of the item sizes are ridiculous for a household of 1 or 2, the variety that they offer is fantastic. I love that they have FAGE 0% fat greek yogurt. This yogurt is delicious. I also love that they have the Old-fashioned Quaker oatmeal. The pairing is perfect.

This morning, I decided to make granola (for the first time). I don't know why I haven't made it before because it was fantastic, like OMG fantastic, delicious....I couldn't stop snacking on it. Made with three grains, oatmeal, flax meal, and sunflower seeds and sweetened with agave nectar, barley malt, and a touch of Splenda, I didn't have to ;)

3-Grain Apple Cinnamon Granola

Ingredients:

1/8 cup barley malt
1/8 cup olive oil
2 tsp agave nectar
1 1/2 tsp Splenda or another sweetener
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

1 cup oatmeal

3 tsp flax meal (ground)

1/4 cup roasted sunflower seeds

1/2 cup apple (chopped into small cubes) * I used Golden Delicious (Granny Smith would work well, also)
1/4 cup almonds (chopped)

Recipe:

(1) Preheat oven to 300oF. Line a baking sheet with foil.
(2) In a small saucepan on medium heat, mix the olive oil, barley malt, agave nectar, and Splenda.
(3) To this heated mixture, add the ground cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix until thoroughly combined.
(4) Lower the heat, add the chopped apple and toss until combined.
(5) Meanwhile, mix the dry ingredients: oatmeal, sunflower seeds, and flax meal.
(6) Add the heated mixture to the dry ingredients. Toss until combined.
(7) Bake the granola for 25-30 minutes until browned. For crispier apples, lower heat to 275oF and bake an additional 10-15 minutes. Allow to cool or eat immediately (like I did).

Enjoy alone, with milk (cool or warm), or with, my favorite, greek yogurt!

Taste test - Arnold's Sandwich Thins and Moroccan Chicken Sandwiches

2010-09-04T20:09:00.000-07:00

I recently had a serious craving for the sweet and savory combination like that of Moroccan-influenced food. Recently, as part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program, I received some whole wheat Arnold Sandwich Thins. In order to satisfy my craving and taste-test these buns, I decided to make Moroccan chicken sandwiches.

Moroccan Chicken Sandwich

Ingredients:

1 cup chicken breast, sliced
1 pimento pepper, diced
1 onion
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

1 tsp garlic, freshly minced
1/2 cup onions, chopped
olive oil spray

For sandwiches:

1/4 cup cucumber sliced
lettuce
tomato (optional)
sandwich buns

Recipe:

(1) Marinate chicken with all of the listed spices: pimento, onion, oregano, apple cider vinegar, cinnamon, cumin, garlic salt, paprika, and black pepper
(2) Spray a medium saucepan with olive oil. On medium heat, saute chopped onions and garlic until slightly browned. Remove and set aside.
(3) In the same pan, add the marinated chicken. Saute until cooked thoroughly.
(4) Meanwhile, toast the sandwich buns.
(5) Assemble sandwiches with all of the condiments, to your liking.

These were delicious. I served them open-faced to keep it low-carb but a closed sandwich, maybe even with smoked gouda would be fantastic. Enjoy!

Lentil Chicken Soup

2010-08-24T17:35:00.000-07:00

For two weeks, I craved lentils. I remember the delicious lentils seasoned with cumin, garlic, and onion that my mom would miraculously put together after coming home from work when I was young. Recently, I was fortunate to have my mom visiting with us in North Carolina. It was a great visit. After a quick trip to Weaver Street Market, we made lentil soup. This time, we cooked together, making this dish extra special.

Lentil Chicken Soup
adapted from The Joy of Cooking

Ingredients:

1 cup lentils (8 oz.), picked over and rinsed
4 - 5 cups water (more or less depended on desired thickness)
olive oil cooking spray
1 medium onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup diced tomatoes with juice
2 sprigs of thyme (fresh, if you have it) or 1/2-1 tsp. dried thyme
2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup chopped chicken breast (optional)
1/4 tsp. cumin
dash of oregano
salt and pepper, to taste

Recipe:

1) Rinse the lentils with water. Begin boiling the lentils in water with the dried thyme, cumin, and oregano in a medium stock pot. Do not yet add the salt and pepper.

2) While the lentils are boiling, spray a medium sauté pan with olive oil. On medium heat, add the diced onions and minced garlic. Sauté until slightly browned and add to the stock pot with lentils.

3) Reduce the heat on the lentils to a simmer for 30-45 minutes, stirring often to prevent the bottom from burning. Add the tomatoes and apple cider vinegar after 15-20 minutes to the pot.

4) While the lentils simmer, spray the medium sauté pan again with olive oil. On medium heat, add the diced chicken breast. Sauté until cooked through. Remove from heat and add cooked chicken to the stock pot.

5) Taste soup, adding salt and pepper, as needed. Serve in a 1/2 cup portion as an appetizer or a 1 cup portion as an entree with warm bread/flatbread/pita.

Enjoy this wholesome, delicious treat. I sure did!

Ginger Berry Crisp

2010-08-02T21:23:00.000-07:00

It has finally happened, I have moved to North Carolina! I am now working on catching up with my recipe postings. It uses the summer berries that I absolutely love from California, combined with my mom's handmade crystallized ginger (but go ahead and use some from your favorite market if my mom isn't handy). The recipe is one that I have adapted to have much less sugar and an extra crumbly top.

Ginger Berry Crisp
adapted from Self magazine

Ingredients:

Crisp:
1/8 cup crystallized ginger, pulsed in food processor
1/2 cup rolled oats, pulsed in food processor
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup turbinado sugar
1.5 tbsp splenda or sugar substitute
1/8 cup roasted almonds, chopped
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup margarine or butter
2 tsp ice water

Fruit filling:
1/2 pint blueberries
1 nectarine (or apple, peach, or more berries), chopped
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tbsp whole wheat flour

Recipe:
(1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray baking dish with cooking spray.
(2) Mix the ingredients for the fruit filling.
(3) In the food processor, pulse the crystallized ginger, rolled oats, and almonds 5-7 times so that still a little chunky.
(4) To the food processor, add the sugar, sugar substitute, whole wheat flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon until combined.
(5) Add to the food processor, cubed pieces of margarine or butter until a crumble forms.
(6) In the baking dish, fill with the fruit and top with the crumble.
(7) Bake crisp 35-40 minutes.

Enjoy with a little frozen yogurt, plain yogurt, cottage cheese, or, if you are like me, have it for breakfast!

Summer Brussel Sprout Panzanella

2010-07-20T15:43:00.000-07:00

The summer produce in San Francisco is phenomenal. I have mentioned before how I love farmer's markets. I will miss them here but I am looking forward to enjoying what North Carolina has to offer.

Inspired by some great seasonal produce, I decided to combine apricots, brussel sprouts, red onions, and left-over multigrain loaf to make a summery, light bread salad, known in Italy as a Panzanella.

Summer Brussel Sprout Panzanella

Ingredients:

1/2 red onion, chopped
1-2 tbsp white wine
1 cup brussell sprouts, chopped
3 small apricots, sliced

Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tbsp olive oil
salt
pepper
merquen seasoning or garlic-onion powder (optional)

olive oil spray

Recipe:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Spray sheet pan with olive oil. Lay apricots and brussel sprouts flat. Roast in the oven for 10-15 min until browned on sides (turn mid-way to brown on each side).
2. Slice multigrain loaf and toast twice to brown on all sides. Chop into cubes.
3. Meanwhile, saute chopped red onions with white wine in a small pan, sprayed with olive oil, until browned or caramelized.

4. Mix the roasted brussel sprouts with the caramelized onions, apricots, and toasted bread cubes.
5. Prepare vinaigarette in small bowl, whisking together the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, and seasoning.
6. Add vinaigarette to panzanella (bread salad) before serving.

Spicy White Bean Chili

2010-07-13T18:19:00.000-07:00

I recently made a chili for a group of friends. It turned out well so I decided to post the recipe without the picture. But believe me.... If you follow this rough recipe, even with a little extra of this or that, it will come out well. Chili, my friends, is forgiving. That is why I love it.

Spicy White Bean Chili

Seasonings:

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp malt vinegar
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tbsp barley syrup (I used) or molasses
1 tsp Adobo spice
1 jalapeno chopped with seeds
1 habanero (left intact and removed before serving)
2 cloves garlic, chopped

Base Ingredients:

2 cups water
1 can pinto beans
1/2 container of Great Northern Beans (Trader Joe's)
1/2 cup tomato sauce
2 small tomatoes, diced
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped

Recipe:

(1) Spray a 2 quart pan with olive oil. Add chopped garlic and onions and saute until slightly brown on medium heat.
(2) Add the red and green bell peppers to the mixture. Saute for 3-5 minutes.
(3) Add the beans and tomato sauce to the pan, followed by the jalapeno. Saute for a 2-3 minutes. Add water, spices, malt vinegar, and apple cider vinegar.
(4) After 30 minutes, lower the heat. Add the habanero and the small tomatoes. Simmer for 1 hour (basically forget about it).
(5) Remove habanero and serve.

Always with chili, it tastes better after a few hours of letting the flavors meld. I like to make a day in advance but this tastes good right after making.

Either way, enjoy.

Taste test - Nature's Pride Harvest buns and rolls

2010-07-02T17:32:00.000-07:00

On a recent trip to North Carolina (my last visit before I completely move there), I had an extra pleasant treat. As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program, I received Nature's Pride Premium Harvest buns & rolls. With some proscuitto and melon on hand, I decided to make a quick sandwich and test out both the texture and taste of the Whole Wheat Harvest buns. I was pleasantly surprised that the buns held up to the weight and juiciness of the melon but were also very mild in taste, not to overpower the protein on the bun.

The sandwich was an easy combination of cantelope, proscuitto, mixed salad greens, and dijon mustard.

Did I mention how much I love the simplicity but also the taste complexity of a sandwich...

My fiancé also recently made a delicious take on a burger:

Spicy Turkey Burgers with Asparagus

The asparagus is mixed in with the beef. Let me know what combinations you come up with!

Teriyaki Chicken Salad

2010-06-24T16:21:00.000-07:00

While I love to cook and plan what I will cook, there are those days where you get so hungry and that you need a quick recipe. Having a few key ingredients on hand and with the help of my friend, Virginia, we cooked a quick meal that was done in 15 min. The "15 minute fix" is an appropriate name, because in a short time you can create a meal that will fill you before you think about eating the plate by itself, which honestly there are days the plate looks appealing.

Teriyaki Chicken Salad
serves 2

Ingredients:

Teriyaki sauce (low-carb):

2 cloves of garlic, finely diced

1/4 cup soy-sauce (preferrably low-sodium)

1/4 cup water

2-3 splenda packets (to taste)

1/4 tsp ginger powder

2 tbsp lemon juice or apple cider vinegar

Protein and Vegetables:
1/2 carrot
baby spinach or mixed field greens
1/4 lb asparagus
white button mushrooms
1/2 bell pepper
cooked, sliced chicken breasts (such as Trader Joe's frozen, grilled chicken breast strips)
Olive-oil cooking spray

Recipe:

1. After finely chopping the garlic, whisk together the teriyaki sauce. Leave aside.
2. Spray a medium sauté pan with olive oil. Sauté sliced vegetables, including the mushrooms, asparagus, and carrots until tender but crisp, approximately 4-6 minutes at medium heat.
3. Add the cooked chicken strips to the pan with the teriyaki sauce. Saute until heated throughout.
4. Plate chicken with vegetables on top of a bed of baby spinach or mixed greens (shown here).

Enjoy the food, not the plate.

Sweet treats from Guest Bloggers

2010-06-23T18:10:00.000-07:00

I am so excited. This week, two best friends of mine, one being my fiancé, sent me yummy recipes for sweet treats. The first is a gluten-free recipe and the second is for some chewy oatmeal cookies. I am hoping that a cookie remains in the next day or so when I visit my fiancé in North Carolina. Try out the recipes for yourself and let us know what you think!

Banana Irish Cream (gluten-free)

Ingredients:

1 small-medium banana, cut into chunks, at least 4 hours
1/2 cup whipping cream
4 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp Bailey's Irish cream
Handful toasted chopped pecans (optional)
1/2 banana in slim slices for garnish (optional)

Recipe:

1. Place metal bowl and whip into the freezer. Meanwhile, place frozen bananas in food processor. Blend on med-high until creamy. Scoop out and place into a bowl. Place in the freezer.

2. Remove the metal from the freezer and pour in the whipping cream. Whip on low for one minute, then increase the speed. This might take 5 minutes. When the cream forms, add the Bailey's and sugar and whip just to combine. Top bananas with cream. Save some of the bananas for a garnish.

3. Slice the remaining unfrozen banana thinly. Chop the toasted pecans. Garnish with both.

Eat and revel in the fact that you're not eating more than 230 calories. :-)

Recipe from B. Riley, guest blogger

Guilt-Free Oatmeal Cookies

(15 min. prep, 25 min. total)

Recipe adapted from recipezaar.com, recipe #238738

I was faced with the task of making something for a work pot-luck and I decided to utilize my baking skills. I was able to create a very tasty guilt free treat.

Approximately serves 36

Ingredients:

1 cup (2 sticks) Smart Balance 50/50 butter blend

22 packets of splenda (slightly less than 1 cup of sugar equivalent)

2 eggs (I used “best of the egg” no cholesterol liquid eggs)

1.5 cups whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 cups Quaker Old Fashioned Oats

Ingredients:

Add in the order, as you see fit: nuts, raisins, chocolate chips, craisins, etc.

Preheat oven to 350°.
Microwave butter sticks for about 35 seconds and add in sugar, beat.
Add eggs and beat well.
Add flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Mix well.
Add vanilla.
Stir in oats and the add-ins.
I used a tablespoon and dropped cookies onto greased cookie sheet.
Bake for 11 minutes.

Enjoy!

Recipe from C. Jones, guest blogger

Banana Cookies with Zing

2010-06-09T18:54:00.000-07:00

Do you love Bananas? I really don't, thus they often end up highly ripened in my pantry. I was looking for ideas about how to use these ripe bananas. I was inspired by a cookie recipe from 101cookbooks, another food blog that publishes creative recipes. While I don't love bananas, per se, I do love a cookie. I mean, who doesn't love cookies.

I came up with my own version for a cookie recipe, using bananas as the base, but also incorporating some crystallized ginger, made by my mom in a way that preserves the zingy flavor of the ginger. This is the best crystallized ginger I ever had.

Also, I managed to forget to add any oil or butter to the recipe (as posted below) and they still came together and tasted great. A fat-free cookie treat.

Banana Cookies with Zing

Ingredients:

2 large, ripe bananas, well mashed (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups bran cereal (finely ground)
2/3 cup almond meal
1/3 cup crystallized ginger (finely ground)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/3 cup pecans (ground but not fine)

Recipe:

(1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees, racks in the top third.

(2) In a large bowl combine the bananas and vanilla extract. Set aside.

(3) In another bowl whisk together the ground cereal, almond meal, crystallized ginger, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder.

(4) Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until combined.

(5) Fold in the pecans. The dough is looser than a standard cookie dough, like a drop cookie.

(6) Drop dollops of the dough, each about 2 teaspoons in size, an inch apart, onto a parchment (or Silpat) lined baking sheet. Bake for 12 - 14 minutes. I baked these as long as possible without burning the bottoms and they were perfect - 17 minutes was perfect in my oven.

(7) Allow to cool 10-20 minutes before serving (if you can wait that long).

Makes about 2 dozen bite-sized cookies.

Update

2010-06-03T10:14:00.000-07:00

It has been a while since I have posted. I have been working on submitting my dissertation. This process is finally complete!! Hurray!

Look forward to some yummy posts in the next days/weeks. I have been trying out a few recipes, such as, Energy cookies (Banana with Crystalized Ginger), Banana bread, and more.

Thank you, everyone, for your patience and support.

Lemon Poppy-seed Teacakes

2010-05-17T22:22:00.000-07:00

I was looking for a recipes to use some remaining poppy seeds. I looked through my cookbooks and was inspired by a Russian Teacakes recipe.

I found that the combination of whole wheat flour, rolled oats, and poppy seeds, created a texture that was irresistible. The addition of lemon adds the flavor of Spring.

I shared these with some co-workers and faculty at my graduate institution. They were a big hit!

Lemon Poppy-seed Teacakes
adapted from King Arthur Flour Whole Grain baking cookbook

Ingredients:

1 1/3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup white whole wheat flour
1/2 cup white whole wheat pastry flour
2/3 cup almond meal (or chopped walnuts)
11 tablespoons unsalted butter
10 tbsp splenda or 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
Grated zest of 1 lemon
1 cup of confectioners' sugar for coating (optional)

Recipe:

(1) Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or use without parchment, ungreased.
(2) In a food processor, pulse the oats and flours until everything is finely ground. If using almond meal add to the processor, and pulse to mix.
(3) In a medium bowl, beat the butter, Splenda, and salt until smooth. Beat in the lemon juice, vanilla extract, and lemon zest. Then the oat mixture.
(4) Roll the dough into teaspoon-size balls. Place the balls on the prepared baking sheets, 1 1/2 inches apart.

(5) Bake the cookies, reversing the pans midway through (top to bottom, bottom to top), for 15 minutes. (Note: They won't have begun to brown, perhaps maybe at bottom edge.)

(6) Meanwhile, spoon about 1 cup confectioners' sugar into a plastic bag. (The cookies taste great even without the sugar coating, so go ahead and try one before coating...I did!)

(7) Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool for 5 minutes. Place the warm cookies in the bag and shake gently to coat with sugar. Allow them to cool completely, then shake them in the sugar again, adding more sugar to bag if needed. (This is very important, if you want the sugar coating to be very apparent for serving.)

Place the cookies on the sheet once more, to allow time for the sugar to adhere, before serving or storing.

Lime-Infused Black Bean Stew

2010-04-22T18:26:00.000-07:00

In a recent food challenge with my friends, we decided to explore South American cuisine in our cooking. My family is from Trinidad and Tobago, in the West Indies. Trinidad neighbors Venezuela and has been also influenced by the English, Portuguese, East Indian, French, African, and Chinese cuisines, to name a few. Growing up, I was exposed to all of these cuisines in addition to the derived "West Indian" cuisine.

I was very excited to embark on South American cooking as the flavor brought me home. Using ingredients in my pantry, I decided to do a lime-infused black bean stew, which uses minimal ingredients but packs a lot of flavor.

Lime-Infused Black Bean Stew

Ingredients:
1 can reduced sodium black beans, drained and rinsed
2 limes, juiced
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cabbage, diced
4 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
spray canola or olive oil
1/2 cup vegetable broth or chicken broth
1 1/2 cup water

Recipe:
(1) In a medium pot, sprayed with canola oil, brown the chopped onions.
(2) Add the black beans, vegetable broth, and 1 1/2 cups of water.
(3) In a separate saucepan sprayed with canola oil, add the cabbage and cook for 4-5 minutes covered.
(4) In the pot with the black beans, add the vinegar, lime juice, tomato paste, and coriander.
(5) Cook the black beans uncovered until reduced to two-thirds the original volume.
(6) Add the cooked cabbage to the pot of black beans. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with Tortilla chips (I love the Multigrain Food Should Taste Good chips). Enjoy!

Spring Corn Pudding

2010-04-20T23:01:00.000-07:00

For another Sunday dinner with my girlfriends, I decided to use some fresh spring ingredients like corn and green garlic to make this main dish. I added cheese and used whole wheat flour to incorporate some whole grains. I was pleasantly surprised with the sweet yet savory flavor of this main dish.

The sweet corn and fresh vegetable flavor, brought me back to Chile, a recent travel adventure.

Spring Corn Pudding
adapted from Bon Appétit magazine

1 cup chopped green garlic
1 cup chopped red onion (~ 1/2 medium onion)
3, 15- to 16- ounce cans corn kernels, drained, rinsed, and divided
3 tbsp butter, melted
canola oil spray
1/2 cup grated cheese (mixture of asiago, parmesan, cheddar, mozzarella, feta)
4 large eggs
2 1/2 splenda packets or 2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
3 tbsp white whole wheat flour

(1) Preheat oven to 400F. Spray 13x9x2-inch rectangular baking dish with canola oil.
(2) Spray a medium skillet with canola oil over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Cool in skillet.
(3) Meanwhile, whisk milk, eggs, flour, sugar, salt, pepper, and 3 melted tbsp butter in a large bowl.
(4) Scrape in onion mixture and green garlic. Add 2 cans drained corn.
(5) Puree remaining 1 can drained corn in food processor until smooth.

(6) Add puree to bowl with custard mixture and stir to blend well.
(7) Add 1/4 cup cheese to the custard mixture. I used a mixture of 5 cheeses. Use whatever you have on hand, preferably crumbly, slightly salty cheeses. Transfer to prepare baking dish.
(8) After 20 min, add the remaining 1/4 cup grated cheese to top of pudding.
(7) Bake pudding until set in center and beginning to brown on top, another 20 to 25 min. Serve warm.

This pudding is a great use of spring time veggies. The garlic works well with the corn. I will definitely use this recipe again and again. Let me know what creations you come up with!

Swiss Chard and Scallion Dutch Baby

2010-04-12T18:50:00.000-07:00

Do you have friends or family members that don't like vegetables? I have a few. Do you have a large amount of produce that needs attention? I did. That is why, for one of my Sunday dinners with the girls, I adapted a recipe from my 2007 Food and Wine Annual Cookbook that takes a creative spin on a classic dessert, a Dutch Baby, a light pancake.

I cut down the amount of butter as the scallions cook nicely in canola oil spray. I also prepared this with white whole wheat flour and it still came out light and fluffy. Their recipe used Scallions and Spinach but this is easily adaptable to anything green that takes to heat well (and doesn't spring too much liquid).

Try it for yourself and see. ;)

Swiss Chard and Scallion Dutch Baby
adapted from 2007 Food and Wine Annual Cookbook

Ingredients:

1 bushel of Swiss Chard, chopped
4 large scallions, thickly sliced
1 spray can of canola oil (or olive oil)
1 cup of non-fat milk (or almond milk or whole milk)
1 cup of white whole wheat flour
4 large eggs
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese
Pinch of ground or freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and Pepper to taste

Recipe:

Remove the top rack in the oven and preheat to 450°. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the swiss chard until wilted, about 1 minute. Drain and let cool. Squeeze the chard dry.
In a blender, mix the eggs, milk, flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, 1/8 teaspoon of pepper and the nutmeg until smooth.
Spray a 12-inch cast-iron or non-stick oven-proof skillet with canola oil (or olive oil).
Add the scallions and cook over moderate heat until tender, about 3 minutes.
Add the swiss chard and cook until heated through, about 1 minute; season with salt and pepper.
Increase the heat to high and cook for 1 minute without stirring.
Pour in the batter, sprinkle with the Parmesan and transfer the skillet to the oven.
Bake for 25 minutes or until golden. Cut into wedges and serve hot or warm.

Serve it as a first course (8 people) or a main course (4 people).

It tasted delicious topped with goat cheese! A wonderful pre-lude to San Francisco's Goat festival at the Ferry Building Farmer's Market on Saturday.

Let me know what of ingredient combinations you come up with.

Chocolate Banana Quick Bread

2010-04-04T21:13:00.000-07:00

I am huge chocolate lover. It totally melts in my mouth not in my hand.

To satisfy my chocolate craving and also use some ripe bananas, I decided to experiment with a quick-bread recipe. If you want a quick and easy baking recipe, check out this one. I was impressed that it was light and fluffy, while being very healthy.

Chocolate Banana Quick Bread

Ingredients:

1 1⁄2 cups whole-grain pastry flour
1/2 cup wheat bran or flaxmeal
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
4 tablespoons granular sugar substitute
1 tablespoon agave nectar
1 1⁄4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1⁄4 teaspoons baking soda
1⁄4 teaspoon salt
1 1⁄4 cups almond milk (or non-fat milk)
1 large egg + 1 egg white, lightly beaten
1 ripe banana, mashed
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 1⁄2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/3 cup walnuts, chopped

Recipe:

(1) Heat oven to 350ฐF.
(2) Spray a 9 x 5 loaf pan with canola oil.
(3) Combine flour, flaxmeal, cocoa powder, sugar substitute, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
(4) Combine milk, eggs, oil, agave nectar, banana, 1/2 cup walnuts, and vanilla in another mixing bowl. Reserve the remaining walnuts for topping.
(5) Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix just to combine; do not overmix!! (This is important because the more you mix, the more gluten forms, and the harder the bread will be.)
(6) Top with reserved walnuts.
(6) Bake for 35-40 minutes. Cool and serve.

Orange Fennel Snapper

2010-03-29T23:53:00.000-07:00

I recently hung out with my friend, Leslie, who recently moved to San Francisco from Boston. She and I have similar goals to eat at some of the San Francisco top restaurants and great taste places. I aim to check out Chez Panisse and Zuni café. She has managed already to check out quite a few wonderful spots in the city. After almost seven years of living in San Francisco, I am fortunate to have dined at many, many of the must see places of the area.

Since our bank accounts are beginning to suffer, we decided to stay in and create something light and yet wholesome. This is a very easy recipe for quick, 15 minute meal.

After a long day of work, I have to say, this was satisfying.

Orange Fennel Snapper

Ingredients:
1 lb Pacific Snapper (wild)
1 mandarin orange
1 tbsp fennel seeds, crushed in hand
2 tbsp capers
1 lemon
1/2 tbsp olive oil + olive oil spray can

Recipe:
1. Preheat the oven to 450C. Spray the 8 x 8 baking dish with olive oil. After de-boning the snapper, lay as a single layer in the dish.
2. In a small bowl, prepare the marinade. Mix one squeezed mandarin orange and lemon with 1/2 tbsp olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste.
3. Pour the orange marinade over the snapper. Crush the fennel seeds and sprinkle over the fish. Then add 2 tbsp drained capers over the fish. Allow the fish to soak up the marinade.
4. Put the fish in the oven for 6-8 minutes. The fish will be completely white when cooked completely.

The snapper is delicious with a side green salad or roasted asparagus. Enjoy!

Garlic Parmesan Biscuits

2010-03-19T10:00:00.000-07:00

I recently visited my fiancé in Durham. He is a very handsome Californian man with Southern roots (and a taste for good, Southern food). He had been craving biscuits for a while. I surprised him, while I was there, with a cheesy, garlicky version of a whole grain biscuit recipe from Enlightened Cooking. If you are a bread lover, a garlic lover, or a cheese lover, you have to try these biscuits. They are so easy to make. Good luck trying to limit yourself to just one.

Garlic-Parmesan Biscuits
adapted from enlightenedcooking.blogspot.com

Ingredients:

3 cups white whole wheat flour (or all-purpose flour)
4 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons sugar or 1 packet of Splenda
2 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp dried granulated garlic
3 cloves of roasted garlic, mashed
1/4 cup of parmesan cheese (grated)
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
3/4 cup vanilla soymilk + 3/4 cup plain or vanilla yogurt (such as Dannon light)
or 1 and 1/2 cups low-fat buttermilk

Recipe:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. In a large bowl whisk the flour, baking powder, sugar, baking soda, garlic powder, granulated garlic, and salt.
3. Cut in the butter with fingertips or a pastry blender until mixture resembles fresh breadcrumbs.
4. Mix the soymilk (or milk) with the yogurt and mashed garlic cloves. Let sit for 2 minutes at room temperature.
5. Add the milk-yogurt mixture to the breadcrumb-like ingredients with the parmesan cheese. Stir with a fork until just moistened.
6. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead lightly 4 times (not more).
7. Roll dough to a 3/4-inch thickness and cut with a 2 1/2-inch biscuit cutter (or a large jar top). Save the ends of this dough. It can be used for pies, turn-overs, and more!
8. Place on a baking sheet. Bake 12-13 minutes or until golden.

Makes 12-14 biscuits.

Spicy Shrimp with Fettuccine and Bacon

2010-03-17T10:31:00.000-07:00

As a break from everything, I love to cook. I decided to do a quick recipe to satisfy my cravings for something spicy and comforting, using fresh vegetables. I came up with this recipe for Spicy Shrimp with Bacon. I added fettuccine but I imagine having this over grits would be superb.

Spicy Shrimp with Fettuccine and Bacon

Ingredients:

1 medium zucchini, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 garlic clove
1 tsp olive or canola oil
1 cup whole wheat fettuccine
1/2 cup cooked medium shrimp
4 strips of turkey bacon
crushed red pepper flakes
cayenne pepper
chopped parsley (optional)
dash of salt
dash of pepper
Parmesan reggiano cheese

Recipe:

1. Cook the turkey bacon on medium heat in a pan. When the turkey bacon is complete, remove from pan and set aside.
2. To a medium fry pan, add 1 tsp olive oil. When the olive oil is hot, add the garlic and sauté until lightly browned but not burned. Add the chopped vegetables.
3. Start boiling two cups of water in a small pot.
4. Sauté the vegetables until softened slightly. Add the serrano pepper (seeds, optional).
5. Add the shrimp and the seasonings to taste.
6. Add the bacon to the dish and reduce heat to a simmer.
7. Meanwhile, add the whole wheat fettuccine to the boiling water.
Cook until the fettuccine floats (6-8 min) and is al dente.
8. Drain the fettuccine and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking. Add the fettuccine to the shrimp and bacon.
9. Toss together and serve with grated cheese and chopped parsley, to taste.

Lemon-Nut Torte

2010-03-12T18:58:00.000-08:00

I guess I have been in a baking mood lately. I was baking for Sunday dinner and turned to a very robust and delicious recipe, a lemon-almond torte, that I discovered in SELF magazine.

I was also excited to also use a spring-form tart pan, that I received as a birthday present from my brother. The torte is a delicious use of almond meal with a citrus appeal. I also substituted barley flour for the cornmeal, since I didn't have this ingredient on hand. It was even lighter than the first time I made it so I highly recommend this substitution. I also used agave nectar but if you don't have it, use honey.

If you are in the mood for a light dessert, very light on the carbs, this recipe is a must try.

Lemon-Nut Torte
adapted from SELF magazine

Ingredients:

Torte

Parchment paper (optional if use a spring-form pan)
Vegetable oil cooking spray
1 cup granulated sugar, divided
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon almond flour (found at health food stores)
1/3 cup barley flour or cornmeal
4 large eggs, yolks and whites divided
2 tablespoons grated lemon zest
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
1/4 teaspoon salt

Topping

1/3 cup agave nectar (or honey)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups berries (blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, or a mix)
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

Recipe:

(1) Heat oven to 350°. Coat a 8" or 9" pan with cooking spray.

(2) Combine 1/3 cup sugar and flours in a medium bowl.

(3) Whip 1/3 cup sugar and egg yolks in another bowl with an electric mixer about 5 minutes.

(4) Beat in zest, oil, lemon juice, and orange juice. Fold in dry ingredients.

(5) Beat egg whites and salt in a third bowl with an electric mixer until frothy. Beat in remaining 1/3 cup sugar until stiff peaks form. (6) Fold 1/3 of egg-white mixture into batter. Fold in remaining egg white mixture in two parts, mixing well.

(7) Pour batter into pan. Bake 30 to 35 minutes.

(8) Remove from oven; cool. Remove cake from pan.

(9) Prepare topping: Combine agave nectar, lemon juice, and vanilla in a bowl. Add berries; mix. Spoon topping on cake.

(Optional) Dust with powdered sugar and slice into eighths.

Enjoy...I couldn't have just one piece.

Butterscotch Brownies

2010-02-26T18:51:00.000-08:00

In an aim to give a sweet to my sweet for V-day, I searched for great recipes. I found a delicious and very easy recipe for Blondies, something I first tried when I was young. I also had butterscotch schnapps in my apartment. I found this wonderful recipe in the King Arthur Whole Grain Baking cookbook, which I can't stop raving about.

Blondies
Adapted from King Arthur Whole Grain Baking

Yield: 2 dozen (2-inch) squares
Baking Temperature: 350°F
Baking Time: 26 to 28 minutes

Ingredients
• 1/2 cup (1 stick, 4 ounces) unsalted butter
• 36 packets of splenda (1.5 cups of splenda) or 2 cups (15 ounces) packed dark brown sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon vinegar, preferably apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon butter-rum, butterscotch or butter-pecan flavor (optional, but delicious)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) traditional whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 cups (5 1/8 ounces) chopped walnuts (or pecans)
Recipe
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9 x 13-inch pan.

2. Melt the butter in a microwave-safe bowl or in a saucepan set over low heat. Remove from the heat and add the splenda/sugar, mixing until well blended. Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl and let it cool to lukewarm.

3. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vinegar, vanilla, flavor (if using), baking powder and salt. Stir in the flour and nuts. Spread the batter in the prepared pan.

4. Bake the blondies until the top looks shiny, 26 to 28 minutes. Don't overbake; bake just until the edges start to pull away from the sides of the pan and a sharp knife tip poked into the very center reveals sticky crumbs but not wet batter.

5. Remove from the oven and run a knife all around the edge of the pan (very important); this will help keep the blondies flat as they cool, by allowing the edges to settle in the pan along with the middle. Cool completely before cutting (optional - I couldn't wait. I just ate one). If you prefer squares with a very smooth texture, wait 24 hours before cutting; the waiting period gives the bran in the whole wheat time to soften up.
Here is what I sent to him... the love of my life.

Flavorful Jalapeno Meatloaf: Guest Blogger

2010-02-19T09:26:00.000-08:00

Even across the country, I can smell the delicious aroma of this spicy meatloaf. My fiancé, who knows how to finesse meat into tender, juicy entreés, made this turkey meatloaf recently. I heart meatloaf because you can make enough for lunch or dinner for the week. Also, leftovers, if there are any, can be frozen. Since my fiancé and I are currently long-distance, I am excited to have his recipe in my hands.
__________________

cJ's Jalapeno Meatloaf
Adapted from cdkitchen.com

I wanted to create one of momma’s favorites, so I decided to cook up the award winning Quaker Oats Meatloaf (with a few adaptations, of course). The below recipe is quick, easy and “fool proof”.

Ingredients:

1.5 pounds ground lean turkey (lightly sprinkled with garlic salt, seasoning salt, black pepper and sonaran seasoning)

1 cup of quaker oats, uncooked

1 cup of chopped red onions

1 cup of tomato sauce/ketchup (I used a combination of a homemade tomato sauce and a bit of ketchup to bring the total volume to 1 cup)

1 egg, beaten

Recipe:

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix, mix and mix until you have evenly coated mixture.

Form and pack into a tight “loaf” in a pyrex container (ungreased)

Place in a preheated stove (350°F)

Bake for 1 hr 15 minutes

Let stand for 5 minutes prior to serving

This recipe can be adapted to your liking by adding any of your favorite mixins (i.e. garlic, carrots, asparagus, bell pepper, etc). If you do not have access to ground turkey, you can substitute this with 93% ground beef. Next time, I plan to use a habanero; stay tuned…

cJ

Turkey and Salami Stromboli: Party!!!

2010-02-15T15:06:00.000-08:00

Even though it has been a little while, I have to post pics from our Super Bowl party, the first one in Durham, NC!!! Wooo hooo. I have one foot in San Francisco and the other in Durham.

To keep up with tradition and to control our excitement for the Super Bowl, we hosted a party. I stumbled upon a simple recipe for Stromboli on the Food Network.

To keep it a little lighter and wholesome, we adapted the recipe, using whole wheat pizza dough and substituting lean turkey meat in place of the mortadella and added some salami for a kick. Since my fiancé is not a huge olive fan, we used capers and it was sooooo delicious. This worked well as an appetizer but we also stashed some larger slices away for lunch the next day.

Turkey and Salami Stromboli
adapted from foodnetwork.com

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups coarsely sliced colby cheese (6 ounces)
2 cups tomato sauce (homemade from my mom)
1 cup thinly sliced string cheese (4 ounces)
Extra-virgin olive oil, spray for pan
3 tbsp dijon mustard
1 13.8-ounce package whole wheat pizza dough (e.g. Trader Joe's)
1 cup baby spinach
1/4 cup capers, roughly chopped
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1/4 pound sliced salami, reduced sodium

Recipe:

(1) Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

(2) Lightly brush a baking sheet with olive oil (we didn't do this and it made lifting the stromboli from the pan a little challenging). Unroll the dough, cut in half to make two 6-by-9-inch pieces and place on the prepared pan.

(3) Spread the tomato sauce in the middle of the dough, leaving an inch border between the sauce and the dough edge on all sides.

(4) Stack the salami, the turkey deli meat, and cheese slices on top of the tomato sauce. Add a 1/2 cup of spinach to each stromboli. Top with a 1/8 cup of capers (washed and drained) for each stromboli. Fold the dough over the filling lengthwise, pressing the edges to seal. Make slits in the top of the dough to allow steam to escape during baking.

(5) Bake the stromboli until brown, about 15 minutes; remove from the oven. Mix the dijon mustard and the tomato sauce in a small bowl. Brush over the top of the stromboli. Return to the oven and bake until the crust is golden. Rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

Feel free to use ingredients you have on hand. I personally like a combination of salty and tangy (salami, mustard, and capers) but lots of combinations will work! Enjoy the Party.

Moroccan Stew

2010-02-09T04:36:00.000-08:00

It's definitely winter. Doesn't matter if you are in California or New York. It is so cold and dreary outside.

There is one recipe that I discovered last year that I had to repeat when the rain started in San Francisco. It is a yummy Moroccan Beef stew. I tried it for the first time because it was (a) written by another graduate student, (b) easy, and (c) contained lots of protein. I made it again because it tastes amazing. With the smooth blend of cinnamon and aromatic spices, it is so warming. I made it with ground turkey to reduce the fat and used a mix of dried fruit that I had in pantry. I also left out the carrots, as I am not a big fan. It was as good as I remembered, if not better.

Moroccan Stew
adapted from Epicurious.com

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 pounds ground turkey, extra lean
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 cups beef broth (low-sodium)
1/2 cup halved pitted Kalamata olives
1/2 cup dried fruit
1 15-ounce can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon lemon peel

Recipe:

(1) Heat 1 tablespoons oil in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat.

(2) Add ground turkey to pan and brown on all sides, about 3 minutes per batch. Transfer to plate.

(3) Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil, garlic, and onion to pan. Cook until vegetables are soft, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes.

(4) Add spices; stir 1 minute.

(5) Add broth, olives, dried fruit, garbanzo beans, and cilantro; bring to boil. Simmer until juices thicken, about 5 minutes.

(6) Add ground meat and any accumulated juices and lemon peel to pan. Stir to warm through and serve.

Use any meat you have on hand. No substitutions on the amount of garlic. Add a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar if you like a tangy stew. Enjoy the warmth.

Thai meatballs and Cabbage wraps

2010-02-03T17:27:00.000-08:00

The other day I read over one of my favorite cookbooks, South Beach 30-minute meals. I got inspiration from a beef recipe for a thai sauce. With ground turkey on hand, I decided to make meatballs!!

A delicious snack to have on hand. Why not eat them as a wrap? If the Greek make gyros with falafel, I could certainly wrap my meatballs in Cabbage!!

Steamed Cabbage

Put a couple of cups of water in a large pot. Bring to a boil. Add a half cabbage to the pot, flat side down. Cover and steam for 8-10 min, until the leaves can separate and pull apart easily. The leaves should still be thick, not limp.

While the cabbage is steaming, prepare the sauce for the ground meat.

Thai Seasoning Sauce and Meatballs

Ingredients:

Sauce
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon Asian fish sauce
1/4 teaspoon chili paste
1 teaspoon granular sugar substitute
1/2 cup finely diced onions
1 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

Meatballs
1 tbsp canola or olive oil (or spray)
3/4 lb. lean ground turkey

Recipe:

1. Whisk all of the sauce ingredients together.
2. Add the sauce ingredients to ground turkey. Kneed together and form into small balls.
3. Heat oil in a small pan on medium heat.
4. Add meatballs once the pan is hot. Brown meatballs on all sides.
5. Reduce heat of pan. Cover pan and allow to simmer at low heat until meatballs are cooked throughout.
6. Wrap meatballs in cabbage leaf.

The meatballs were absolutely delicious and a great snack to have on hand. Enjoy as an entree with a side dish or as an appetizer/snack. Don't let your friends know you are making them because you probably won't want to share. ;)

Lemon Asparagus

2010-02-01T19:27:00.000-08:00

The other day, I wanted a quick and easy food but wanting to use fresh ingredients. I decided to use some asparagus that I had around.

Lemon Asparagus

1/2 lb. asparagus (chopped)
1/2 medium red onion (chopped coarsely)
1/2 lemon
salt and pepper to taste

Saute the onion until lightly browned with 1 tsp olive oil (or spray). Add the chopped asparagus. Then, squeeze the lemons into the pan. Saute the lemons with the veggies. Add salt and pepper to taste.

This was super yummy! Enjoy.

Fun articles and resources about sugar

2010-01-22T17:55:00.000-08:00

To my friends, it is no surprise that I love my low-carb lifestyle. A year ago, I was sick with an insulin-related illness. During that period, I learned that, based on my family history, if I don't pay attention to what I eat, later in life I could develop insulin resistance (aka diabetes).

This experience changed my life for the good. With a commitment to a low-carb lifestyle, I am doing my part to help my body. Yay!

Here are few fun articles to read about sugar and resources to jump-start (or continue) a healthy lifestyle:

Know what you eat: http://health.yahoo.com/experts/eatthis/42403/11-foods-your-dentist-wouldnt-touch/

Recipe and exercise resource (I love the workout log): http://www.self.com/fooddiet

Fitness and Nutrition articles: http://www.nytimes.com/pages/health/nutrition/index.html

Hope you find these beneficial ;)

Eggplant Involtini

2010-01-22T15:47:00.000-08:00

It was a lovely Sunday dinner with a few girlfriends. We have gotten together every Sunday for 5 years now. It is a fun time, where we catch up on the week, support each other, and bring to the table delicious creations, complete with appetizer, salad, entreé, dessert, and of course, wine! I highly recommend it. The person who hosts prepares the entreé. The remaining items are brought by the rest.

Recipe for Sunday Dinner

Ingredients:

Lots of Good food
Lots of gossip (usually work related)
Great wine
Friendship

Serve immediately and enjoy!

As the host of the Sunday dinner, I prepared the entree, which was inspired from Food and Wine magazine. It was a recipe for Eggplant Involtini ("stuffed," Italian) but I completely re-created it, using fresh ingredients that I had from Sunday Farmer's Market.

Eggplant Involtini with Feta and Red Peppers

4 servings

Ingredients:

1 small onion chopped
1/4 cup feta cheese (try Trader Joe's fat free feta - it is very flavorful)
1/2 cup chopped tomato
1/2 cup tomato sauce (I used a home-made sauce from my friend, Amanda)
3 long eggplants thinly-sliced length-wise
1 red pepper chopped
1/8 cup sun-dried tomatoes

Recipe:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Meanwhile, put the sun-dried tomatoes in a bowl with 1/2 cup hot water. Allow to rehydrate for 20 min. After the tomatoes are rehydrated, retain the liquid and finely dice the tomatoes.
3. After thinly slicing the eggplants, spray with olive/canola oil lightly. Roast in the oven for 15-20 min until lightly brown (particularly on the bottom). Save and chop the parts of the eggplant that could not be thinly sliced. Retain for the next step.
4. While the eggplants are in the oven, add the onions to a fry pan. Once the onions are lightly browned, add the chopped eggplant and red peppers to the pan. Cook for 5-8 min until softened.
5. Add the chopped tomatoes (fresh and sun-dried), tomato sauce, and 1/4 cup of the reserved liquid from the sun-dried tomatoes to the pan. Cook and season with salt and pepper. Most of the liquid should cook off during this part.
6. Pre-heat the broiler or the oven to 500 degrees F.
7. To assemble an involtini, lay the eggplant flat on a cutting board. Fill with a small amount of the cooked vegetables. Lay in a roasting pan.
8. Top all of the assembled involtini with remaining vegetables, additional tomato sauce, and feta cheese. Broil for 5-8 min until browned on top.

Lots of different veggies and cheese combinations will work well here. I would definitely try goat cheese! Enjoy!

Spinach and Mushroom Pita-crust Quiche

2010-01-13T18:31:00.000-08:00

I had a few friends over and looked in my fridge to decide what to prepare.

In my fridge, I had delicious low-carb pita bread, spinach, shredded cheese, shiitake mushrooms, white button mushrooms, onions, and egg whites.

After looking through my recipe book, where I keep print-outs of all previously used recipes, I came across my favorite quiche recipe. If you want a hearty, quick, and easy recipe, go for quiche. You can combine almost anything with eggs and make a great quiche. Since I needed to be really fast and didn't have time to return to the store, I used this pita bread to make it.

Adapted from allrecipes.com

Spinach and Mushroom Pita-crust quiche

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 (10 ounce) package baby spinach
1/2 cup mushrooms, white button, diced
1/8 cup shiitake mushrooms, finely diced
1 (8 ounce) package shredded Cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 pita, separated
12 tbsp egg whites or 4 eggs, beaten
1 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Layer separated pita pieces over quiche pan (I love the one my fiancé gave me for Christmas).
In a medium skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Saute garlic and onion in butter until lightly browned, about 7 minutes. Stir in spinach, mushrooms, feta and 1/2 cup Cheddar cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon mixture into pie crust.
In a medium bowl, whisk together egg whites (eggs) and milk. Season with salt and pepper. Pour into the pastry shell, allowing egg mixture to thoroughly combine with spinach mixture.
Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Sprinkle top with remaining Cheddar cheese, and bake an additional 35 to 40 minutes, until set in center. Allow to stand 10 minutes before serving.

Enjoy....I might have to make that again....like tonight.

This pita bread is amazing. You don't miss the carbs one bit. Look out for Middle Eastern Baking Co. "Carb-Watch" whole wheat pita bread in your grocery or local market.

Pumpkin Bread with Cranberries and Pecans

2010-01-07T14:27:00.000-08:00

It was one of the last days I had with my fiancé before he returned to the east coast for his residency. To properly introduce him, he recently started an orthopedic surgery residency. Meanwhile, I am working on a biochemistry Ph.D. We feel well matched. Perhaps our careers have influenced our philosophy on food - it should not only taste good but also be good for your body.

This morning called for a warm, comfort food. With the pumpkin puree remaining from the cheesecake recipe, we made pumpkin bread.

Adapted from allrecipes.com

Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients:

1 cup and 1 tablespoon white whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda (note: this is slightly more than original recipe to help the wheat flour rise)
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg (to taste)
2/3 cup solid pack pumpkin puree
1/3 cup canola or vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (to taste)
12 packets of splenda or 1 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons and 1-3/4 teaspoons water
1-1/3 eggs
1/4 cup cranberries (optional)
1/4 cup pecans (optional)

Recipe:

Grease and flour one 7 x 3 inch pans and a few muffin tins. (I used canola oil spray.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Measure flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and spices into a large bowl. Stir to blend.
Add pumpkin, water, salad oil, and eggs. Beat until well combined. Fold in cranberries and nuts. Pour batter into prepared pan and tins.
Bake for 45min - 1 hour.

Our oven took 45 min to bake the bread and it was delicious. It was hard but I exercised restraint and didn't eat the muffins. Therefore, he had these to carry back east.