Mid- Day Blog Post- Because Lunch

Mid- Day Blog Post!

As I’ve been grocery shopping lately, I’ve been happy to notice that manufacturers and retailers have been LISTENING to us!

I am seeing more and more offerings that are healthy, lower in preservatives, super easy to prepare…and as they become more prevalent…cheap!

My newest obsession is the frozen cauliflower rice.  For the perhaps uninitiated, cauliflower “rice” is not really rice, but very finely shredded cauliflower, that when cooked, really closely resembles the texture of actual rice.

It doesn’t usually come flavored, but that’s the fun part.  It’s a great vehicle for whatever you like.  Currently, I am on a fried “rice” kick. I like to add some other frozen veggies, a little low-sodium soy sauce and chopped scallions for a healthy, fully vegetarian lunch that takes about 5 minutes from start to finish. 

You could definitely buy a raw head of cauliflower and make the “rice” yourself, but this is actually a cheaper (and faster!) option ($1.99 for a bag of Organic Cauliflower rice at Whole Foods).

Here is my 5 Minute Fried “Rice”:

Portions: This would normally feed 2 humans, but I was hungry and ate all of it, and didn’t feel the least bit guilty.

What you need:

-1 bag frozen cauliflower rice (if you don’t have a Whole Foods nearby, Green Giant does this as well)

-half a bag of frozen veggie mix (I used the one with corn, peas, carrots and green beans).

-A splash of olive oil ( this is my preferred cooking oil, but coconut or grapeseed or whatever you like is fine- I’m not a stickler)

-2 scallions

- 1 TBSP Low – Sodium soy sauce (give or take depending on taste)

What to do:

1.       Heat the oil in a (preferably) non-tick type pan.

2.       Add the cauliflower rice, stirring frequently, you really just want to heat it up. 

3.       After about 2 minutes, add the remaining mixed veggies and keep it moving. 

4.       If it starts to stick or seems to dry, don’t hesitate to add a splash of water. 

5.       After about 4-5 minutes total, add in the soy sauce and stir, and top with scallions.  

Just a Quickie....

For anyone that knows me, you know I am a major avocado devotee.

I regularly look for ways to sneak it into my meals.  After all, aside form being one of the most delicious foods on the planet, it contains healthy satiating fats, vitamin C, magnesium and B-6. There is also a great deal of potassium in a serving.

This morning, I was looking for a new spin on my routine avocado toast.  What I came up after scavenging my pantry this morning  was still super simple, but had a much more complex flavor than the usual.

The addition of flax seeds add insoluble fiber and satiety to this meal, as well as some extra texture.

Also, a note on the flax seeds, nowadays, they can even be found at Aldi, so they are not an expensive addition to your pantry.  They're great for all kinds of things; sprinkling in oatmeal, Greek yogurt...the list goes on.

The finished product was spicy, sweet, and salty.

If I could, I would eat it all over again for lunch.

Avocado Toast Remix:

-2 slices of your favorite whole wheat or seed bread ( I love Alvarado Street Bakery Complete Protein)
- about 3/4 of an avocado
- red pepper flakes
-Natural honey
-Kosher salt
- flax seeds

Begin by toasting your bread to its desired level of crispness.  Next, mash your avocado onto the toast slices.  sprinkle a little Kosher salt to taste.
Add some flax seeds, for as much crunch as you would like.  Sprinkle a conservative amount of red pepper flakes and then a light drizzle of honey.


The rest of the job is up to coffee :)

As it gets deep into the week, and I find myself swamped with work, I am less excited to bust out a dinner that isn’t toast and eggs.  Enter the crock pot…..

I had made eggplant Parmesan earlier in the week and had about half of a massive eggplant left in the fridge. My wheels started turning. Why not a vegetable ragout?

This is a soul satisfying and healthy dish that can really be made with the contents of your pantry.  Not a fan of eggplant? Leave it out (but really; try it!); you can replace it with zucchini, or mushrooms.  Any vegetable that can vibe with a predominantly Italian flavor profile.

Aside from plain convenience and ease of preparation, this recipe is incredibly healthful.  Eggplant; for starters; is loaded with dietary fiber; but also folate, B vitamins and copper.  It also contains high levels of an antioxidant compound known as nasunin.  According to the NIH, nasunin dramatically decreases free radical production and prevents cellular damage. Eggplant is also a very low calorie food; about 1 cup equals 35 calories.

So here is the recipe:

Ingredients:  (TOTAL TIME; ABOUT 2 HOURS- SERVES 4 WITH LEFTOVERS)

-          1 small eggplant

-          5 cloves minced fresh garlic

-          1 large can of diced tomatoes (San Marzano if you get can your paws on them).

-          1 cup diced marinated artichokes; drained.

-          I can Northern beans; drained and rinsed.

-          2 handfuls whole wheat penne.

-          Kosher salt to taste

-          Freshly ground black pepper to taste

-          2 cups veggie stock or chicken broth.

-          Red pepper flakes to taste.

-          2 Tsp. dried oregano

-          2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

- Pecorino Romano for garnish at time of serving. If you prefer non-dairy, dried aminos would be a nice compliment.

1. Turn the slow cooker on high. Cut the eggplant into somewhat uniform cubes; roughly ½- ¾ inch in size. Don’t stress; this is a rustic dish.  Read: it’s OK not to be perfect or anywhere close.

2. Add the olive oil to the crock pot. Why oil? Eggplant has a tendency to stick, this will help keep the whole dish from doing so.  Next, add in the eggplant cubes.

3. Add your diced tomatoes, no need to drain them. Also, your (drained) beans, garlic, artichokes and seasonings. Let it ride on high for about an hour or so, stir occasionally. If you sense it’s starting to stick, turn down to low.

4. As you go into your second hour of cooking, add in your noodles and your stock. The eggplant should be pretty well cooked and broken down by this point.   Make sure you taste occasionally, I think the way people like eggplant cooked is largely subjective.

Once your noodles are soft; you’re ready to go.  Despite only using 2 handfuls of noodles, the combination of those and the beans will have created a very hearty and filling meal.  Sprinkle with the Romano cheese.

Until the next.

 Resources:

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?dbid=22&tname=foodspice

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10100509

My Long Lost Friends!

        Yea, I know, I’m technically the one who disappeared.  What can I say? I’m human.  I have to admit it has taken the better part of 7 months to get into the swing of being a full-time working mom.  There is an awful lot to balance.   There are only 24 hours in a day, and on any given week day that means I have to give up 7 of those for sleep, about 8 for work and then I’m left to squeeze LIFE out of the rest.  Mom, wife, friend, haphazard triathlete-now yogi.  It’s a lot.  But I’m not complaining. Just reporting the news.

        Anyway, despite all of that…a girl still needs to eat! I’ve still been plotting and working on recipes and dishes that should serve you well throughout the rest of the holiday season and into early (cold) spring. Now that I have located my laptop charger, behold the torrent of blog posts I have been saving up! I have really also missed having a creative outlet, writing and sharing my cooking. 

 I have also had a lot of time to dip my toe into different programs like juice cleanses (cool- but not for me) and even tried adopting a Paleo lifestyle.  My philosophy has always been less about weight loss (if you eat clean foods and stay active, this is just a given) and more about finding something that I enjoy and that makes me feel good.  Especially now, a lifestyle that allows me to keep up with the demands of my life and my tiny tornado of a daughter. 

Ok. More soon. XO

        

Food That Heals

A few days ago, I got back from vacation and I brought back a fabulous souvenir.  A raging, awful, snotty cold.  So then along came this soup... I needed something hot and spicy and warming to cut through the fog I was in.

This is a totally easy soup with little or no prep work in the flavor style of a Japanese hot pot.  There's also a ton of ginger and garlic to help open clogged nasal passages and boost immunity.  It can be served over vermicelli noodles or it can stand alone depending on how hungry you are.

So here is the recipe... I promise it's like a blanket in a bowl ;)

Spicy Hot Noodle Soup

Ingredients:

- 1.5 containers of stock of your choice ( veggie, chicken or beef)
-1 large yellow onion, chopped
-3 large cloves garlic
-About 3 TBSP grated fresh ginger
-Low sodium soy sauce to taste
-2 TBSP Mirin
-3 TBSP Rice wine vinegar
-2 8oz containers baby bella mushrooms; sliced.
-a few handfuls of either spinach or kale
-olive oil
-Sriracha to taste


In a large pot, heat the olive oil and add the onion and saute until tender.  At this point, add in the grated ginger and garlic.  Make sure you turn the heat to no higher than medium so as not to burn the garlic;which can emit a pretty foul flavor. By now, feel free to add the mushrooms and cook them until tender as well.  Once the mushrooms are cooked to your liking, add the stock and the vinegar, soy sauce, mirin,and sriracha.  For many of those, I did not indicate a quantity because this is the stage in the soup where you use your own tastes to dictate how spicy, salty and acidic you like your soup.  Bring the whole mix up to a simmer and add your greens of choice and cook until wilted.  The soup is ready to eat, or serve over some cooked vermicelli or ramen noodles to make a more substantial meal.

Til next time~

Meatless Monday shouldn't be a boring old salad.

I started spending a lot more time on my bike as of late, so I was craving something with a hearty feel but without most of the guilt that would still keep me fueled for the coming week's torture I plan to inflict on myself.  Even if your energy demands are simply the every day; just juggling a busy work, school schedule peppered in with kids and a gym trip can leave you feeling drained.

I asked my husband today for dinner ideas and he suggested pot pie.  The traditional dish can be a real monster where excess carbs, sodium and fat can be concerned.  In using the small amount of dinner roll dough as a topper, we are getting the satisfaction of the doughy crust, but there will be a lot less of it.   And please just forget the frozen variety, that's not real food. Stop it.

This revision takes only about 30 minutes from start to finish, and is super cheap.

I was also super excited to use these individual oven safe dishes to make individual servings. You could also achieve this in a larger baking dish to feed a larger family.

You will also notice if I use pre-packaged foods like soups etc, I almost always opt for low sodium options to control my own flavors and sodium levels.

So I give you my considerably lightened and vegetarian version, though feel free to sub out the garbanzo beans ( aka chick peas) for chicken or tofu if you prefer.

Veggie Pot Pie
(serves 2)

Ingredients:

-4 celery ribs
-1/2 large yellow onion
-1 1/2 cups  carrots
-1 8 oz. white package mushrooms
- 1 15 oz can garbanzo beans
- 1.5 cups low sodium chicken or veggie broth
- 1 can low sodium condensed mushroom soup
-1 can reduced calorie rolls ( they sell mini- cans some places which only contain only enough for 4 rolls, which is more than enough to make this dish for 2).
-1/2 palm full dried tarragon
-paprika, salt, pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Begin by adding splash of olive oil to pan and then add onions, celery and carrot, season now with salt to release water from vegetables. Cook these on low- medium heat; stirring frequently.  Add sliced mushrooms and continue to cook.  Periodically add small quantities of broth to loosen the mixture and to allow flavors to come together.  Once the vegetable mixture is cooked through and the mix has the texture you like, add the garbanzo beans and season the whole pot. Finally, add the mushroom soup mix and stir to incorporate.  Remove from the heat and set aside.

Spoon the veggie mix into your serving dishes until they are about 3/4 of the way full, then cover with the dough of 1.5 of the dinner rolls.  Try to gently pull the edges of the dough to reach the edges of the dish and put in the oven, preferably on a cookie sheet.  Cook for about 11 minutes or until the dishes appear golden brown; like so:

Make sure to let them cool before you dig in, I assure you, they are like LAVA inside.

Side note, if you're feeding your whole family or soccer team, double the recipe and use a large 9x13 baking dish and just place the roll dough throughout the top of the dish.  Cook for the same amount of time, as the oven is just for cooking the dough.  

Detox chili- Better than it sounds. Promise.

I love the idea, especially in winter, of a super satisfying Sunday night meal. I also had the need to reset  and sort of detox my body after a weekend of fun, shall we say.  It would seem as if those two objectives would be at odds, but that doesn't have to be the case. 

I've been making this chili of sorts for a long time.  I call it a chili because of the thickness, consistency and flavor profile that I shoot for.  It is totally vegetarian, it's super cheap to feed a family with, it freezes well, and it can be thrown together in about 15 minutes and served in about 45. Also, I would bet you already have the majority of these ingredients gathering dust in your pantry.  

White mushrooms act as the "meat" in this dish.  When they're sliced and cooked and mixed with the other ingredients, they take on a very earthy, meaty consistency, plus mushrooms are naturally high in protein and potassium and are very low calorie. Black beans are also added thicken to and boost the fiber content of this pleasing pot.

Finally, before I go ahead and post the actual recipe, just a note about spices.  I use the term "palm full" when describing seasoning quantities. 

 I think seasonings and spices should always be eye balled and tasted and adjusted frequently through out the cooking process.  I have found many times, even if I follow a recipe to a "t" that I still have my own preferences.  If you like it spicy, as I usually do 
( spices have their own detoxifying properties!), go heavy on the cayenne and red pepper.  If you're a little more timid, start small...taste and adjust.  


Sunday Night Veggie Chili
(Serves 4)

Ingredients:
-2 8 oz packages white mushrooms; sliced. ( baby bellas are great too)
-1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
-1 15 oz can diced tomatoes
-2 15 oz cans black beans
-1 bag frozen corn
-1/2 one large yellow onion
-1 large red bell pepper
-2 cloves garlic
-2 palm fulls Cayenne pepper
-1/2 palm full red pepper flakes
-2 palm fulls cumin
-1 TBSP olive oil
-salt & pepper to taste

Directions:
Start by coating the bottom of a good sized pot with the olive oil.  Dice the onion and the pepper and add to the oil and cook until soft and translucent, add garlic now.  If you haven't already, slice the mushrooms and add to the mix, keep cooking on medium heat until soft.  Start seasoning now...salt and pepper to taste and start to add your desired levels of spice and seasoning and adjust later.  Add all of the tomatoes, and the beans ( make sure you drain and rinse them first).  Finally, add the corn and let the whole mix cook up until a simmer, about 10 minutes or so on low heat.  Make any final seasoning adjustments and you're ready to serve!

Feel free to top the chili with light sour cream or plain Greek yogurt and some chopped scallions.

Cheers!

Til' next time!