Roasted Veggies

Roasted veggies are one of the most simple and yet flavorful sides you can whip up at a moment's notice.  Since it is so simple, I'll explain the components and some tested options.  This is another recipe that is only limited by your imagination.

There are 3 components to this recipe.

The Star:
The veggie themselves in their naked glory.  We've used:

• Brussel Sprouts
• Carrots
• Zucchini
• Yellow Squash
• Asparagus
• Sweet Potatoes
• Red Potatoes

Typically the vegetables with the best results are heartier fare that can stand up to the heat.  Squash, although prone to weeping at the sign of heat, can be positively modified into heartier fare by a thicker cut.  The list above is not comprehensive, but are the ones we roast most readily.

The Entourage:
This group contains your flavor additives.  

• Oil - such as Olive, Walnut, Sunflower, Grapeseed will all lend flavor a hand, lightly drizzled
• Flavor - our favorite is Lemon Pepper, but any herb blend that suits your tastes will do, lightly sprinkled.  Try a vinaigrette, or some balsamic vinegar.
• Friends - Onions, Leeks, Shallots help intensify and develop the flavor of the star.  Try to cut them such that they are not too small and thus will burn, but are still fork friendly and palatable.
• Parmesan Cheese is a nice addition after the veggies have had a chance to break down and get used to the heat.

The Stage:

• A 400 F oven
• A vessel - I generally use a cookie sheet that has sides with a silicone liner or foil.

Enjoy! The length of time to roast depends on what you are making.  I generally start checking on them (using the oven light, not by opening the door) after 20 minutes.  Something like zucchini or other squash will not need very long.  Something like raw brussel sprouts will take longer.  And surprisingly, frozen veggies that are not thawed work beautifully.  I can take brussel sprouts right from the freezer and have a delicious side in about 30 minutes while everything is cooking.  If you're using root veggies, the time will be closer to 40 minutes in the oven.  You're looking for a nice color with touches of deeper browning.  That color brings out the more intense flavors in your veggie.  Feel free to combine veggies to create your own medley, but you should combine veggies that are of similar heartiness.   The other great benefit of this method of cooking is that it is very forgiving.  If the veggies have developed a nice color, but my risotto isn't quite done, I can leave them in there.  Sometimes I'll just turn off the oven and let them ride out the time left to finish cooking the other meal components while staying warm.  You literally can't get easier than this, nor more versatile.

Pork & Apples

We recently found these lovely Pork Loin boneless Chops from Costco.  They are massive and tasty.  I've enjoyed making the Orange Glazed variety and wanted to try this classic pairing.  There's something about the very light flavor profile of pork that lends itself to fruit flavors.  Also, we've been trying that old adage of eating an apple a day keeps the Dr away...

The original recipe called for a large 3-4 lb Pork Shoulder, but we used 2 lbs of Pork Loin Chops to much success.

• 3 - 4 lbs Pork Shoulder
• 6 apples (your choice, we used 2 granny smith, 2 braeburn, and 2 cameo.  Unless you want sauce, stick to the more crisp varieties)
• 1/4 C Apple Juice (I used unfiltered apple cider)
• 1 t fresh ground ginger
• 1/4 C packed Brown Sugar
• 2 T Olive Oil
• Salt & Pepper
• (I also added 1 T Fig Preserves)

Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper.  Heat saute pan with oil over medium heat.  Brown all sides.  Putting a sear on the meat intensifies the flavor.

Meanwhile, core and quarter the apples.  The original recipe suggested peeling, but I find this step unnecessary.  The apple's skin contains much of the dietary fiber and keeps the apple's shape in the event you chose a more grainy apple.  This prevents the apples from becoming sauce and makes the overall presentation beautiful.  Please the apples in your slow cooker making a hole in the center for the meat.

Add the meat and surround with the apples.

Mix the juice, the ginger, the sugar and the preserves if using and pour over the pork and apples.

Cook on high for 1 hour, then drop to low until the Port achieves temperature, about 160 F.  Drop heat to warm until ready to eat.

Enjoy!

Whole Wheat Pizza Dough w/Rosemary

So, Tim and I try to eat healthy as much as possible, and we are pretty successful at it.  But that doesn't mean we don't get a hankering for some comfort food or some great Pizza!  When these cravings happen I try to modify the recipe to make it more healthy.  This weekend we made Pizza, but with a fantastic Whole Wheat crust.

I love any opportunity to use my massive stand mixer.  This beast is one of my favorite kitchen tools.  I know there is romance in making bread by hand with the whole "make a hole in the middle of the flour to add in the wet ingredients", but I think having my lovely beast with the massive dough hook does an excellent job.  And I have the beast, so I might as well use her, right?  Oh, KitchenAid Professional Stand Mixer with your lovely 6 Qt working bowl, your heavy aluminum paddle and hook attachments... How I love you!

• 2 C Whole Wheat Flour + more if needed depending on humidity
• 1 C Bread Flour (if you find that in whole wheat, let me know!
• 1 packet (2 1/4 t) rapid rise, fast acting, dry yeast.
• 1 1/2 t granulated sugar (or honey)
• 1 C warm (between 90 to 110 F) water
• 1 t kosher salt
• 1/4 C Olive Oil
• 1 t crushed dried rosemary (but if you have fresh, totally use it, chopped fine)

Combine the yeast, warm water & sugar in a bowl to let bloom for about 5 minutes.  The concoction will develop a head of foam which will help the bread rise.  You can skip this step if you have uber special yeast.  Even so, it never hurts to give your bread this head start.  


Using the paddle attachment on your stand mixer, add in the flours and salt.  Stir on low adding in the yeast mixture.  Add in the oil and beat until a dough forms.

Switch the paddle attachment for the dough hook and knead the dough for at least 3 minutes on medium.  I've under estimated the time on this step before and the dough didn't rise as much as it did this past weekend when I set a timer on the kneading cycle.  


Drizzle a little oil over the dough ball and flip the ball over and over to for an nice coating of oil and make sure to spread the oil to the walls of the bowl as well.  Cover with a tea towel or plastic wrap and let rise for 1.5 hrs.  I was lucky to be baking cooking during the rising time and thus had a warm oven to place the dough bowl on top of.  The mass more than doubled in size and smelled wonderful!

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Pizza crust has an amazing quality in its ability to mold to a person's preference.  The same dough, when handled differently can produce a different texture.  So, for a fluffier texture, stretch out the dough to desired shape and allow a second rising.  Cover with toppings and bake on cookie sheet, or in large cake pan for deep dish crust.  Be sure to coat pan with non-stick lube of choice.  You could also toss down some corn meal like the pros do.

For a crispier texture, don't allow the second rising.  Stretch thin, top with preferred ingredients and sauce and place in oven.  If you have a baking stone, the crust will thank you for it!

I used a modified version of these two.  I did not allow the second rising, and pulled the crust fairly thin, but since I don't have a stone big enough (ours broke) and don't have a pizza peel (as the stone needs to heat up with your oven to prevent breakage) to make the pizza on, we used a large cookie sheet.  The kind with a small edge.  The resulting crust was crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.  

I'm not really a bread person (by choice, as I do really love the stuff.  South Beach has made me fear it!), but this crust I ate.  It was the lovely nuttiness of the wheat and the subtle hint of rosemary married with a touch of kosher salt.  Awesome.

Bake with toppings in the 350 F oven for 20 - 30 minutes until desired doneness.

Topping options:
Limitless, really... but if you are somehow at a loss, try any combination of these.  These lists are nowhere near comprehensive.

Your meats:
Sausage
Pepperoni
Bacon
Ham
Anchovies
Smoked Salmon
BBQ Chicken

Your Veggies:
Onions
Mushrooms
Fresh Tomatoes
Sun Dried Tomatoes
Oven Roasted Tomatoes
Peppers
Roasted Peppers
Banana Peppers
Spinach
Olives
Artichokes
Eggplant
Broccoli

Flavor Additions:
Rosemary
Oregano
Basil
Pesto
Garlic
Herb Blends such as Italian
Crushed Red Pepper

Cheese:
Mozzarella
Provolone
Ricotta
Goat Cheese
Cheddar
Pepper Jack
Colby
Fresh Mozzarella
Parmesan
Romano

This weekend we had:
Sausage, Mushrooms, Onions, Pepperoni, Muir Glen Pizza Sauce (one day I'll make my own, but no doubt if I guess it will taste more like pasta sauce... is there a difference?), Fresh Basil, Fresh Oregano, Fresh Garlic, Ricotta, Mozzarella, Parmesan & Romano.

Parmesan Crusted Chicken with Spring Salad

Better weather is upon us which means I have the same desire to cook, but using less heat. I like to do more light vs hearty fare and incorporate fresh greens into each dish. The Barefoot Contessa has a nice take on this recipe. It's so simple that I don't measure anything and I modify it on the fly. I'll do my best to approximate the measurements. But feel free to make this with abandon and leave the confines of your cup measurers behind!

I made this for myself and my husband, so serves 2. But very easy to scale up.

There are three basic parts to this dish, that could serve as a light dinner all on its own or a hearty but healthy lunch.


the Bird:

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, butterfly (which makes kind of a nice heart shape)
• Salt and pepper to taste

the Bath:
in a shallow dish combine...

• 2 eggs beaten (I used 1/2 C egg beaters and had plenty left over, so try 1 egg)
• 2 T water

 

the Dredge:  

in a shallow dish combine...

• 1/2 C bread crumbs (I used Whole Wheat)
• 1/4 C Parmesan (I used shredded)
• 1 T Italian Herbs
• 1/4 t Kosher Salt
• 1/8 t freshly ground black pepper

the Pan:

• 2 T regular Olive Oil or Peanut Oil (or any oil that can stand a higher temperature)

 

the Directions:

 

Place a wide bottom skillet over medium heat and add the 2 T of oil. Allow the pan to come to temperature. You will notice the oil moves more readily in the pan, there might be a wisp of smoke, there might be rippling of the oil.

 

Butterfly the chicken. This involves cutting the chicken almost in half along the length. This is a method of making the chicken thinner without pounding it to smithereens. If you accidentally cut the chicken entirely in half, no worries, you can serve two pieces to a person. Or just one for a light lunch portion. Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel and lightly dust both sides with kosher salt and pepper.

 

Starting with a dry bird means more bath will take hold of the chicken. The bath step will give the dredge something to adhere to. Dip the chicken on both sides in the bath. Coat thoroughly with the dredge, patting to make more stick. Shake off any excess. Add the breaded chicken to the hot oil. You should hear a good sizzle. Don't move the bird around the pan, we want a nice browning, but we don't want to lose any of the breading with excess agitation. Cook about 3 or 4 minutes on each side. Only flip once.

 

Now the Greens. Since the chicken is breaded, it's nice to pair this protein with something light and full of nutrients. Salad fills the bill. But, I don't want to overshadow the flavors in the breading, so the salad is relatively simple. Just a variety of greens and some cherry or grape tomatoes. Here's the details...

 

 

the Greens:
portion one or two healthy handful(s) per serving using a combination of the following...

• Spring Mix for color
• Romaine for crunch and a fork friendly texture
• Spinach for calcium, folic acid, vitamin K and iron among others. Adds depth of color and is a Super Food!
• Cherry or Grape Tomatoes halved or quartered
• Parmesan, shredded

 

the Dressing:
toss with the greens (depends on how much greens you have, the following is for 2 servings of greens)...

• 2 t Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 t White Wine Vinegar
• 1 t Lime Juice
• 1 t French Herb vinaigrette blend
• pinch salt and few grinds of pepper
• Top with a pinch of shredded Parmesan

 

Tossing the dressing with the greens right before serving allows each leaf to become glossy and flavorful while allowing the bulk of the excess to stay in the bowl. You end up using less dressing at the expense of an additional bowl to clean. Particularly for creamy dressings, this equates to a caloric and fat savings which is well worth the extra mixing bowl clean-up.

 

Now, since there is starch in the breading and the greens are the veggie, you technically don't need to have other sides. I didn't think Tim would cotton to that idea so we also had left over risotto.

 

Enjoy!

Risotto Romance

Risotto has always been something I've wanted to make. The dish itself, while being gloriously flavorful and creamy, has almost a mythical romance to it. The labor involved (which isn't really all that much) allows you to infuse love into the dish (anyone seen "Like Water for Chocolate?"). As the base recipe is so simple, any enhancing ingredients really shine which also gives the dish a personal signature to any cook willing to experiment. I also like the idea that this dish must be handled with care ensuring the right amount of time and attention has been placed developing the right tooth feel to the granules of Aborio rice, and requiring that you serve immediately to enjoy at its peak. All of these things may seem like this dish is fraught with disaster potential or so difficult that why should we want to attempt it?

Because of the taste! And because of the perceived challenge. The sense of accomplishment. The ultimate pairing of flavors. The versatility. The secret is that only the good parts are true. This dish is not labor intensive, not difficult, not fraught with danger that would prevent even a novice from being successful... And the best part? Tim and I have been making this from a box for a while, making it from scratch took THE SAME AMOUNT OF TIME and almost the same amount of steps.

Making risotto from scratch is a Heck of a lot more FUN!

This is the base recipe and is delicious all on it's own. But feel free to make substitutions. Use a different cheese, a different oil, add in some veggies, some proteins, some nuts. The options are limitless. This can also easily be converted into a one dish meal with the right mix of additives.

 Ingredients:

• 2 T Olive Oil
• 1 small onion diced
• 1.5 C Aborio Rice
• 1/2 C dry white wine
• 4 C Chicken Stock
• 2 C Water
• 2 T Unsalted Butter, cut into pieces
• 1/8 - 1/4 C Parmesan + more to garnish
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions:

In a sauce pan combine the water and chicken stock and bring to a simmer.

In another pan, (I used another sauce pan, but I think a wide bottomed skillet would have been better), add the oil and saute the diced onion until translucent. As the flavors are very simple, don't brown the onion or the flavor might overpower the other ingredients.

Add the rice to the onions and stir to coat the grains with oil, toasting lightly for about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the white wine and stir until completely absorbed. Take a ladle full, or about 1 C of the Stock and add to the rice, stirring. You don't need to stir constantly, but periodically. Make sure the heat is set such that you maintain a solid simmer, but not a rolling boil on the rice. The agitation releases the starch in the grain which produces that tell-tale creaminess. Once the liquid is absorbed, add another ladle full. Repeat. After the third dose, start to try the rice. You are looking for al dente. So the rice should be firm, but not crunchy. You will likely not use all of the liquid. Tasting the rice will let you know when to stop.

Once the rice has reached the target texture, remove from heat. Add the butter and stir vigorously to incorporate into the rice. Add in the cheese and stir to combine. (my favorite part) Serve IMMEDIATELY. It's true that risotto is better eaten while there's still heat, but if you want to avoid the molten lava stage. Also, when you have it in a pile, the center maintains its temperature pretty well. So don't rush, just make sure this is the last thing you complete. Don't START cooking something else when the risotto is finished.

Flavor Options:

1) Sun dried tomato and goat cheese
Replace the olive oil with the marinade from sun dried tomatoes
Replace the Parmesan & Butter with chevre (a log rolled in herbs is welcomed)
Add 1/8 C of julienne sun dried tomatoes (I prefer those marinated in oil to the ones from the bag which have a stiffer texture)

2) Gorgonzola & Walnuts w/ Asparagus & mushrooms
Replace the olive oil with Walnut oil
Replace the Parmesan & Butter with Gorgonzola cheese
Add in 1/8th C each, briefly sauteed Asparagus and Mushrooms (Shitake without stems, Cremini, etc)
Add in 1/8th C toasted walnuts

3) Corn and Basil
Make the same base as above
Add in 1/8 Fire Roasted Corn off the cob
Add in 2 T Basil Chiffonade

4) Baked Potato
Replace onion with Leeks
Replace Parmesan & Butter with Mascarpone (2 T) & Sharp Cheddar (1/8 C)
Add in 4 strips of crispy thick cut pepper bacon chopped
Add in 3 Green onions cut fine

5) [Insert your imagination here]

Please post comments with some of your flavor ideas! When I posted the fact I made risotto on my FB page it was clear how creative this dish can be! Most of the flavor options were based on the suggestions of my friends.



Nutrition:

As I've mentioned in other posts, I like to have control over what I eat which means knowing how much Sodium, Cholesterol, Fat, and Fiber I'm consuming as well as getting a good mix of nutrients, protein, and whole grains. Using ingredients that don't have ingredients of their own (in other words are whole foods) gives you control over your sodium intake, fat, etc. So, the one draw back to this dish and that plan is traditional Aborio rice is white. For Risotto the characteristics of white Aborio is a critical component to the final texture as the starch is more easily released without the bran layer which creates the creamy texture without all the dairy.

So, what's the problem? What do I have against white rice? Well, it's not that I have anything against it. I just think Brown rice is superior. Brown has more flavor, more fiber, more iron and magnesium and nutrients. Brown Rice is a more complex carbohydrate which means my body has to do more work to break it down into energy and that allows better absorption of the nutritive value. So, I'm on the hunt for a whole grain version I can use in this recipe, stay tuned!

Easy Summer Pasta

During the Summer months, while I like being in the kitchen, I generally want to make foods that require less oven and stove time to keep the temperature in the house cooler. So for menus I focus on salads with only the protein being cooked, or easy and light pasta dishes.

This dish is a take on a dinner I had at Bravo! Italian Restaurant. What I liked most was the sauce wasn't heavy at all and they used fresh spinach allowing the heat of the pasta to "cook" the dark leafy greens. The other piece I loved was at the actual restaurant, they used multigrain pasta. One serving of the pasta contained 5g of dietary fiber (or 20% of your recommended daily intake). This is the type of pasta I would use at home so it was nice to see at a restaurant being offered on the menu.

Recipe serves 4

• 2 large boneless & skinless Chicken breasts
• 1 Shallot diced
• 3 cloves garlic, diced
• 3 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil divided
• 2 T Fresh Oregano stems removed and chopped
• splash of dry white wine
• 2 T butter
• 1/4 C Pine Nuts
• 1 lb whole grain pasta shape (like Penne or Rotini)
• 1/4 C julienne sun dried tomatoes (or oven roasted cherry tomatoes)
• 2 C Fresh baby spinach (I used some Frozen Green Beans instead)
• 1/4 C shredded Parmesan
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large stock pot with 2 T kosher salt. The salt will add to the natural flavor of the pasta as it cooks. Once the water has reached a boil, add the pasta giving it a good stir to ensure no sticking. Cook according to the packages instructions for an al dente texture. Since we didn't have spinach, we used frozen green beans.  I added them to the pasta when there were 4 minutes left in the cooking. Drain and set aside.

While the pasta is cooking prepare the chicken (We grilled with a lemon pepper rub). Pat dry with a paper towel and lightly salt and pepper both sides. Place a large skillet over medium heat with 2 T oil. Allow this to heat for a few minutes to come to temperature before adding chicken. (You could instead grill your chicken) Depending on the thickness of the breast, cook 4 to 6 minutes on each side, flipping only once. You want the chicken to develop a nice golden brown crust. Slice thinly and set aside.

In the same pan, add the remaining T of oil over medium heat.  Add the shallot and cook until translucent stirring frequently.  Add the Pine Nuts and allow them to get a little toasted.  Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute. Bring the temperature up to medium high and add a healthy splash of wine (once around the pan) along with the 2 T of butter. Deglaze the pan by scraping the brown bits leftover from the chicken with a wooden spoon or spatula. This will add a nice flavor to the sauce. Allow the sauce to reduce by half.

This may not look like much sauce, but you're going to toss the pasta and the chicken in the pan. So you don't need that much. Speaking of that... Add to the pan the sun dried tomatoes, the fresh oregano, (We also added some lemon zest), the sliced chicken, and the pasta. Stir until everything is nicely coated with the sauce. As this is a light sauce you don't need too much of it. The flavor will carry, just get all the noodles shiny. 


Use the largest pan you've got.  I felt I ran out of room once I added in all the noodles and chicken and beans.  While stirring I had a few penne jump ship.


Have a taste, then season with Kosher salt and Freshly Cracked pepper as needed. On the plates, put a healthy handful, about 1/2 C of the fresh baby spinach (didn't have spinach at the time). Put the steaming pasta on top and garnish with some shredded Parmesan. As you eat or stir on your plate the leaves will begin to wilt. This minimal cooking keeps most of the texture and all of the nutrients intact.


Enjoy!

Korean Spinach

This dish is inspired by one of my favorite dishes from the all natural grocery I sort of co-owned back in Ithaca. I don't know if this is, in fact, a Korean dish or if just the flavors are inspired by Korean food, but the resulting concoction is amazing and fairly impossible to mess up. Plus it's great warm or cold, so make a huge batch and keep in the fridge for a healthy snack.

Once again I refer to the lists from Alton Brown's "Live and let Diet" episode of Good Eats. in his "Eat Daily" list, dark leafy greens were listed. Dark leafy greens, as opposed to pale almost white iceberg lettuce. Oh, iceberg has its place due to the refreshingly high water content and crisp fork friendly crunch, but there's not a whole lot to it beyond that. And there's nothing wrong with a fabulous Caesar salad with crunchy Romaine lettuce. In fact, that is my go to salad of choice in order to avoid getting iceberg at a restaurant when they don't mention what kind of greens are in their salad on the menu. You just can't make a Caesar without Romaine. 

The dark green color denotes the nutritional powerhouse presence of a bonafide Super Food!

Now, spinach cooks down to almost nothing and you want some leftovers to try this dish cold too, so scale the recipe up as needed. I've given you the recipe for using one lb of spinach which might feed only one person if they really dig their greens. Also, feel free to substitute the chili sesame oil for regular toasted sesame oil if you don't want the spicy kick.

• 1 lb fresh spinach (baby leaves won't need their stems removed)
• 1 small shallot, diced
• 3 T soy sauce (I recommend using reduced sodium tamari)
• 1 T chili sesame oil (this has a very wonderful, but strong flavor and a little goes a long way. If you don't want the spice, use the regular toasted sesame oil)
• 1 T toasted sesame seeds
• 2 cloves garlic diced
• 1 inch peeled and diced fresh ginger

In as large of a pan as you have, heat the sesame oil over medium heat and add in the garlic and ginger and shallot. Stir to combine and spread around the pan, you don't really need to cook this for any length of time. Add in the soy sauce and stir to combine.

Drop the heat to medium low and try to work fast. Add in the spinach in large handfuls at a time. I find it helpful to use tongs as the bottom will cook, you flip over so the top leaves can cook as well. The bulk will decrease dramatically. As soon as there is room in the pan add in another large handful using the same turning technique until all of the leaves are incorporated. Remove from the heat and add in the sesame seeds, stir lightly to incorporate throughout the salad.

Eat immediately or refrigerate for a cold salad.

Guacamole

This recipe is one I developed long ago, but I've recently made more often due to Alton Brown's "Live and let diet" episode. In his list of foods to eat at least three times per week, avocados were there. Tim doesn't dig on the avocado so I hadn't purchased or cooked with them very regularly. But since I've been incorporating the rules from Alton's lists in our weekly menu I found the perfect opportunity to make that guacamole recipe more often.

Like most things I cook or have made-up, the portions for ingredients are approximate and to taste. I'll also modify this recipe quite a bit adding items that work nicely that I happen to have on hand at the time. But I'll detail all of that. 

The basics:

• 2 or 3 avocados
• about 3 T Lime Juice - inhibits browning of the avocado, so apply immediately
• Cilantro - handful chopped
• 2 heaping t Cumin
• 1/4 t Cayenne (or chipolte powder) or more to taste
• 1/2 t Onion powder
• 2 t fresh Garlic or 1 t garlic powder
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Optional ingredients:

• 1/4 C finely chopped red onion
• 1/4 C seeded and diced tomatoes
• pinch celery salt

In essence, anything you'd put into a homemade salsa would work nicely in the guacamole. Oddly I do like the onion powder here, even though I generally opt for fresh when possible. I'm not sure why, I think it just incorporates nicely while not competing with the other flavors. Cumin is the star of the show as is the fresh cilantro. 

To verify the avocado is ripe the flesh should give a little with a gentle squeeze. It's best to purchase the avocado while the flesh is still really firm and wait it out at home, giving a squeeze every day to determine the peak of ripeness. If the fruit is overly ripe, it won't really effect the flavor, but the color will be off due to brown patches and likely the nutrient content will be reduced. Carefully cut the avocado in half around the length. Remove the seed by gently whacking with a knife to embed the blade into the seed, turn to release the seed from the fruit and remove by squeezing from the back of the blade over the garbage to remove. Or save the seed to perform that elementary school experiment with the toothpicks and a cup of water. To remove the flesh, scoop with a spoon into your work bowl.

If using fresh lime juice (recommended, though I more often use organic, all natural juice in a glass jar that I keep on hand in the fridge), use a reamer to release the juice and pulp from the lime over the work bowl. If you squeeze by hand, you can get more of the pulp by using a fork to agitate the flesh. Just don't try and scrape out large chunks of the pulp or any of the bitter pith. this needs to be performed as soon as the avocados have been removed from their skins to minimize browning. 

Wash and remove the stems from the cilantro. I generally tear off the leafy tops, run under cold water to remove the grit and chop rather than pull off each leaf. The stems aren't woody and contain just as much flavor when near the leaves that this method works well. Also, when chopping herbs, don't macerate them to a liquidy pulp on your cutting board. You're looking for a rough chop. Essentially I make three passes with the knife. Right to left, scooping everything back to a pile in the center. Top to bottom, again scoop everything back into the pile in the center. Then at an angle, and that should do it.

Add in all of the remaining ingredients with the exception of tomato or onion if using. Then take your potato masher and get to work. The masher I use is a thick stainless steel hardened wire that forms a wave at the base. In geek-speak this wave is a tight sine-cosine graph. I prefer this formation to those waffle mashers as there are no holes to clog up. However, that's why you leave out the tomato and onion until the product is the desired consistency; these ingredients don't require a mashing. 

Stir in the remaining optional ingredients if using. Taste to confirm your seasoning and modify as needed. Store in the fridge in an air tight container with a piece of plastic wrap touching the guacamole. This prevents air contact which will further inhibit browning. Browning, doesn't really affect the flavor, but may affect your desire to eat. Which would be tragic.

Speaking of eating. I take a small 1/2 C container with the guacamole and a snack sized baggy of carrots to work. Around 3 pm this is my snack. It's flavorful and healthy.

Some opponents of the avocado will tout the high fat content in this fruit. Well, it does have a lot of fat (29g per each), but it's mono and polyunsaturated, which is necessary to absorb fat soluble vitamins and nutrients. It's also considered a bonafide Super Food due to the nutrition density that is not found in other fruits/vegetables. Avocados also contain a healthy dose of lutein which may help maintain healthy eyes.

So, eat up and enjoy!

Smoothie

I mentioned in our "Routine" entry that for breakfast I often make a smoothie for breakfast. This was based on the recommendation from Alton Brown, my culinary hero, in his "Live and let diet" episode. Breakfast being the most important meal of the day, and all. I also came to realize that I didn't eat near enough fruit as recommended due to being afraid of the calories. Well, fruit is naturally high in sugar, so it's bound to have quite a lot of calories too. But each of those calories are so densely packed with nutrients, like Vitamin C & Antioxidants, that they are very valuable and worthy calories. Also, since the last time I ate would have been 13 hours ago at dinner the previous night, my body is needing a few calories about that time. But this argument is much more sound than the, "What, it's not cake for breakfast, it's a muffin!" argument.

 

It's kind of funny to give a recipe for a smoothie when it's such a pliable on the fly thing. But there are some theories that can be applied, some options that can be considered. Alton recommends including "purple" in your breakfast smoothie. Fruits that are purple tend to be higher in anthocyanins which possess tremendous antioxidant powers. Purple fruits include, Blueberries, Blackberries, Acai, Cherries, etc. What? Cherries aren't purple!?! Really the tell-tale sign of a high level of Anthocyanin is the presence of deep Red or blue... or both! Red and Blue make purple. So, I make sure to include some fruit from this category in the smoothie.

 

I'm not one to take medication regularly. For one, I just can't remember to do it; I'm a really really bad patient. For another, particularly when we are talking about voluntary supplements like a vitamin pack, I just don't see the benefit in doing so. I've always believed in eating a colorful and varied diet that is rich in vegetables and fruits and whole grains, lean meats, minimal saturated fats, etc. So, if I truly follow that plan, would I even need the supplement? Also, there are studies that show our body's ability to absorb artificial sources of vitamins and minerals is inhibited. Whereas a diet rich in these nutrients is more readily absorbed.

 

The typical smoothie that I make has 5 ingredients. Two are liquid and three are frozen or fresh fruit.

 

Liquids - Liquids help your blender do it's job by making all of the solids viscous and makes the final texture of your smoothie more drink-like. Generally I use a fruit juice and a "milk" product whether it be soymilk or yoghurt. 

• Acai juice - I use Acai juice and soymilk typically. I might use yogurt instead of soymilk if the mood strikes and I'm looking for a thicker texture. Acai juice helps me comply with the "purple" mandate from Alton Brown.
• Soymilk contains isoflavanoids, a powerful antioxidant that mimics phytoestrogens. This powerful nutrient has shown to fight breast and prostate cancer as well as reduce the risk of heart disease by preventing the build-up of plaque in your arteries. I am a fan of the Silk brand in the green box, organic and unsweetened.
• Yoghurt - I've traditionally wanted the plain, nonfat variety. I like the Giant Eagle brand or the Stonyfield organic brand. I've recently tried Greek Yoghurt and may be a convert. The texture was amazing, thick and smooth. The flavor was also unique. It still had the traditional tang of those enzymes and cultures at work, but it was different than yoghurt I've tried before. Yoghurt is high in enzymes and active cultures which aid in digestion.

 

 

Solids - Fresh, unadulterated fruit contains tremendous health benefits, not the least of which is a healthy dose of dietary fiber. Without sounding like I'm wearing sandals with black socks, yelling at teenagers to get off my front lawn, I can't stress enough the importance of dietary fiber. Other than the obvious benefit, dietary fiber can also lower your risk of diabetes and heart disease. I keep all of the fruit for smoothies in the freezer. I purchase fruit that is unsweetened and typically not in a mix. I only want to see fruit as the ingredient on the packaging. Also, I purchase those that have been IQF or Individually Quick Frozen which keeps the integrity of the fruit intact more than those little boxes of fruit which are sweetened and turn to gooey mush when thawed. Individual fruit is also easier to portion out and is generally sold in a resealable package. I keep a variety on hand including:

• Bananas - I enjoy bananas in my smoothie. They add a nice decadence, creaminess, thickness. If I used yoghurt, I probably would not add a banana as I wouldn't want the resulting concoction to be too thick. I enjoy being able to use a straw vs. needing a spoon to consume. I also recently discovered that Giant Eagle sells ripe bananas in a bag for 99 cents. The bag usually weighs about 3 lbs. I peel and break each banana in half, then stick in a gallon bag into the freezer. Bananas are notoriously high in potassium which acts as an electrolyte helping to regulate blood pressure and muscle contraction. Interestingly, while bananas (and all fruit for that matter) are high in sugar, potassium helps your body store excess energy for later use without converting it to fat.
• Blueberries are a favorite, again high in Anthocyanin and vitamin C.
• Pineapple, while adding a nice tang to the mix, has a high concentration of Vitamin C and Manganese as well as dietary fiber. Manganese is an essential trace mineral which helps your body synthesize fatty acids and cholesterol and keeps your bones strong and healthy.
• Mangoes are a good source of dietary fiber, vitamin B6, vitamin A and vitamin C. Like bananas, Mangoes are also an excellent source of potassium.
• Strawberries contain near obscene levels of vitamin C. They are also a good source of folate, iron and potassium. Folate is particularly important for pregnant women in the prevention of neural tube defects. It's other benefits include prevention of cervical cancer, increase in the production of serotonin (the happy chemical in your brain), as well as the prevention of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women.
• Cherries - like blueberries contain high levels of Anthocyanin, vitamin C and also contain high levels of vitamin A. The skins of this fruit are known to reduce chronic headaches. Vitamin A helps your eyes adjust to light changes as well as keep your eyes, skin and mucous membranes moist.
• Raspberries - Aside from being an excellent source for vitamin C and manganese, raspberries are also a good source of magnesium and vitamin K. Most Americans are deficient in this critical mineral, Magnesium due to a diet that is mostly processed foods and over produced soil that has become deficient in this mineral over the years. Magnesium works on muscles to reduce the instance and effect of cramps as well as lessens the symptoms of asthma due to relaxing lung airways. This muscle benefit could positively affect anyone with restless legs, fatigue, headaches or fibromyalgia. Vitamin K primarily helps the body to slowly stop bleeding, it is also beneficial in the reduction of heart disease and heart failure by preventing the hardening of the arteries.  

There are other fruits, but these are the ones I have in my freezer at the moment and are commonly available in your grocer's freezer.

 

Now, the assembly.

 

Alton Brown recommends portioning out equal parts of each of the 5 (he actually uses 6, but I don't want THAT big of a breakfast) ingredients you choose, by weight. 2 parts liquid, 3 parts solid. Since I have deviated slightly from his formula, I'll detail what I made this morning.

• 4 oz Acai Juice (sometimes I accidentally pour 5 oz)
• 4 oz Soymilk
• 1 banana (this generally weighs between 2 to 3 oz so that extra oz of juice/milk is made up here)
• 3 oz blueberries
• 3 oz pineapple

Final weight 1 lb 2 oz.

 

Then we mix!

 

Long long ago I decided to invest in my kitchen equipment. So I tended to make a really big purchase if the item was truly functional and would last for years. The blender was the first of these items. I wanted a blender that could crush ice. One that could take wheat berries and produce whole grain flour if I needed. I wanted a blender that people hand down to their children like a Kitchen Aid stand mixer. The VitaMix is such a blender. I found in my research people selling their old VitaMix from the seventies on eBay and thought, ok, if a blender can last through multiple hands for over thirty years it is worth the investment. This is the same blender you will see in Starbucks to make their frappucinos and Jamba Juice making their smoothies. Since these high volume locations use it, you know it's a quality piece of equipment. It's a heavy work horse with a square carafe made of polycarbinate. It also happens to be (though I swear I bought it years before I even heard of Good Eats) the exact same blender Alton Brown recommended on his "Live and let diet" episode. But I love it when that happens!

 

As Alton recommends I put in the liquid ingredients first, then the solids. Since these are frozen I can either assemble the morning of for a thick smoothie that would need a spoon to eat. Or I put the ingredients together the night before and store the carafe in the fridge where the fruit will thaw. Starting at the lowest variable speed, I slowly increase the speed until a vortex forms. I let that run until all the ingredients are incorporated. When I blend I will get a delightfully thick, yet drinkable through a straw, nutrient dense breakfast.

 

Stuffing (Dressing)

I recently made stuffing for the first time. Though now that I've done it, I feel as though I've been wasting bread all my life letting some of it mold and go to waste!  For this stuffing I have a mixture of some Whole Wheat rolls, some Honey Wheat, some Cornbread, Sourdough and some Ginger Bread.  This is an excellent use for all those bread ends.  Pop them in the freezer in anticipation of a delicious homemade stuffing!

Officially this is a dressing recipe as it will not find its way inside of a turkey. Therefore we can't really call it stuffing. But to alleviate the confusion that I might be drafting a recipe for something to gussy up a salad, I used both monikers.

You will need:

Old getting stale bread. No mold, please! You want the bread to be a little stale so it will soak up the liquid ingredients and hang on to the moisture without getting mushy. If you have bread you want to use, but it's not stale, stick it in the fridge overnight.

• 8 C of diced, torn up, piecy breads. Any flavor that suits your palate.
• 2 eggs beaten or use 1/2 C egg beaters
• 2 C chicken stock (or veggie or what have you) If you use plain water, you might want to add some additional flavor elsewhere.

Combine the above in a large mixing bowl. You can adjust the liquids. You want the entire mix to be moist and to be able to absorb the entire volume of liquid without any reserve (or you'll be making bread pudding, but that's another show). None should be very dry or you might be crunching at the table unintentionally. Save those fillings!

lightly saute or sweat:

• 1/2 to 1 onion (depending on your preferences)
• 2 T of butter (could probably use less, but would you want to?)
• celery (You could use more or less and the heart with its leaves are welcomed here) (could put right in dressing without softening, depends on the texture you want)
• Salt and Pepper (Kosher salt is really where it's at and freshly ground pepper. You wouldn't believe what a difference it makes from the table/preground variety. In fact, we no longer have the regular table variety and put grinders on our table... but to each their own)

Once the onions are translucent, add to the afore mentioned mix and place in a glass lasagne pan (9x13, what else is that pan called?). Or whatever will hold it's mass without spreading it too thin or too thick. Casarole pan, roasting pan? Is that what it's called? Anyway, use what you've got.

along with:

• 2 T chopped parsley (flat or curley)
• 1 T something else that you have fresh
• 1.5 T poultry seasoning
• If'n you likes sage, throw in some sage. You really can't mess this up.
• More Salt and Pepper

Actual volume of seasoning is really to taste. These are approximate. I used a combination of fresh and dried. Fresh thyme, fresh parsley, and fresh oregano 'cause I had them.

Now, you should have your oven at 325 or 350. Depending on whether you're making it share. We were making this for Chicken and Stuffing so it cooked nicely at 350. This will be baking for 40 minutes to an hour. You are looking for the entire mass to be hot and tasty.

To cover or not to cover. Depends on the texture you want. If everything needs to stay soft, then cover as it will keep the moisture from leaking out. If you want some crispy bits in there, leave uncovered (or some combination thereof). What we ended up doing was leaving uncovered, but then covering after taking it out of the oven. It softened some of the crispy bits while still allowing for a variation in texture.

Makes a bunch.

Enjoy!

Shrimp & Sausage Gumbo

How long has it been since you’ve seen “Forest Gump”? I know you’ve seen it and could likely recite at least a quarter of the Bubba Gump Shrimp recipes, or possibly just a few, but with a killer accent. Well, I don’t often get seafood and thus took the opportunity to satisfy my craving with this lovely Shrimp Gumbo recipe from the “Sunday Soup” cook book when Tim was out of town (on his last business trip EVER!).



I’ve never made Gumbo, but I am such a fan of what I’d call Process Type recipes. The type of recipe where there is a distinct method and tradition to the creation of that particular flavor. Gumbo is definitely such a recipe with the incredible brick red roux and cunning use of okra and file powder (aka sassafras). I was overjoyed to attempt this recipe and very pleased with the results.

For your Mise en place:


6 T Vegetable or Canola Oil
     (recipe called for 8, but I didn’t need the other two)
4 T Whole Wheat Flour
     (recipe called for AP Flour, WW was fine, just shortened the time to make the roux)
¾ C chopped onion
¾ C chopped celery
¾ C chopped carrot
¾ C diced and seeded red bell pepper
2 ½ t minced garlic
½ t cayenne pepper
     (recipe called for ¼, but I didn't feel this was enough)
¾ t dried thyme
Pinch kosher salt
Pinch freshly ground black pepper
3 C chicken stock
     (I had 2.5 C chicken stock on hand, so I didn’t drain the tomatoes as specified)
One 28-oz can diced tomatoes
     (they asked to be drained, I didn’t drain and used less chicken stock)Handful fresh parsley
     (I think I accidentally used Cilantro, but didn’t harm anything)
2 Bay leaves
     (recipe suggested to break these in half, I did not as a whole leaf is easier to fish out than something smaller)
12 oz okra cut into rounds
     (I purchased a 10 oz box of frozen okra rounds. I’d like to try fresh next time as there was a texture difference I feel)
6 oz Andouille sausage diced
     (I used 12 oz smoked chicken and apple sausage)
1 lb uncooked shrimp, shelled and deveined
     (I used what I had left in freezer which was 12 cooked shrimp, thus the increase in sausage)
1 t file powder
4 C cooked brown rice
     (recipe called for white, but why?)

For the roux, use a small sauce pan with rounded edges. Over medium heat combine 4 T of oil with the flour. Stir to combine. The color of the flour will deepen as it cooks and absorbs the oil into the grain. Using wheat there will be a nutty flavor. I found the while wheat darkened in color much faster than their prediction of 6 to 8 minutes. I was removing the pan from the flame in under 5. Carry over heat turned the roux a deep mahogany. The smell was glorious. You want to trust your nose and not let the mixture burn. Stir fairly constantly with a wooden spoon. I was taking pictures so it was easy to see the color progression. It’s pretty subtle while you’re watching it. You are looking for a deep brick red color. Remove from heat and set aside.

Now, for the veggies. Although the recipe calls for ¾ C of everything, it’s easy to scale this recipe as that translates to “equal parts”. I’m not a fan of having an unusable fragment of a veggie left over so I tend to just use the whole thing. My onions were pretty small so I used 1 and a half I had in the fridge. The carrots I had an awesome rainbow color package of the full length carrots, I used 3. Celery I used 5 ribs, but cut off the tops and the base. There’s lots of flavor in the leaves of the celery, so don’t remove the tops if you’re down to the heart. I used up the whole red pepper and it was pretty large, about the size of a lady’s softball. Sauté the vegetables for about three minutes. You want them to soften and release some of their liquid, the onions should be translucent.

Add the garlic, give it a stir and cook for an additional minute.


Add in your spices, cayenne, salt and pepper, and thyme along with your stock, tomatoes, bay leaves and parsley. Bring to a simmer and reduce heat to low while maintaining the simmer.

Whisk in the roux and continue to simmer for 20 minutes. The vegetables should become tender and the soup will thicken.

While the simmering is happening, cook the okra. If you used the thawed frozen okra you can skip this step. If using raw, you can heat the other two T of oil (making your total 8 T instead of 6 T) and cook okra over medium-high heat. You want the edges of the okra rings to get a bit brown. Stir occasionally. Add okra and the sausage to the soup after the soup has simmered and thickened, about 20 minutes).

Now for the shrimp. Since mine were already cooked I added them at the very last minute. I basically just wanted them to come to temperature (I did not thaw them). Also I was making this soup for future lunches, so I just tossed them into the pot at the end. If you are using raw and especially if you are eating the soup, cook the shrimp until they curl and turn pink, about 3 minutes.


At the very end, take the soup off the burner and add in the file powder. Gumbo wants to be thick. This soup uses three different agents to add that thickness. The roux, with the flour and oil. Okra, with its eerie sliminess. And finally the file powder also add thickness. You could eat this with a fork if you really wanted to.

When ready to serve, add the rice to the bottom of your bowl and pour the soup on top (Yet ANOTHER thickener). Enjoy!