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I apparently have a lot of sick grandparents ... Two grandfathers and two grandmothers who are very ill ... I feel, down to my bones and in my soul, that one of them will pass in 2010 ... Grandpa Steve has had cancer over and over again but manages to beat it each time ... however, how many times can someone beat cancer? Now, he has a cancerous tumor in his neck (again) and one at the base of his skull ... they think they can do surgery on his neck again to remove that tumor and chemo again for the skull ... maybe ... Grandma Lois only has one Kidney and that's starting to fail so she's going on dialysis after xmas so what am I to do? Grandpa Paul has had failing health and its just getting worse and worse (can't even sleep without an oxygen mask) and Grandma Mary ... well ... don't get me started on that ... One option is to move to Utah, Cali, AZ or NV so I can be within driving distance for lots of visits ... Another option is to stay here and miss out on spending more time with them before they pass ... if I go, I may lose Tom or if I don't his brother (who already hates me) will hate me more and he'll burn bridges with him because we live in his brothers house and he was planning on taking it over ... and tom will be moving away from his brothers and grandparents (and other family he hates so they don't matter in this equation) ... its like, either way, I lose something ... but a choice has to be made ...
- Mood:
contemplative
Pot Roast
Ingredients:
5 lb Pot Roast
5 Med/Small Red Potatoes, Quartered
1/3 White Onion, Large Slice
1/2 Small Jar of Julienned Sun Dried Tomatoes with garlic in oil
Season Salt
Lemon Pepper
Marjoram
Rosemary
Garlic Powder
Instructions:
- Bake the roast in a Crock=Pot (I suggest using a roasting bag to put everything in) -
1. Quarter and slice the potatoes and onion.
2. Place potatoes, onion and tomatoes into a seal-able bag. Add a light seasoning of all seasons and toss really well.
3. Place 1/2 the contents of the bag, evenly at the bottom of the crock-pot.
4. Sprinkle/rub all spices moderately over the top, bottom and sides of the roast.
5. Place the remaining potato mix on top of the roast.
6. Roast on high for at least 6 hours. Meat should pretty much fall apart with a fork.
Verdict: Tom said it was really really good.
_____
Fried Pumpkin
Ingredients:
1/4 Sweet Pumpkin (not 'sweet' in flavor, just the name of a medium-small pumpkin)
3 Cups Oil
Salt, to taste
Instructions:
1. Clean out all seeds and pulp, then cut/peel away skin, if desired.
2. Slice pumpkin to desired thickness.
3. Pour oil into a small pot or skillet and heat on high.
4. When oil is read, put the pumpkin slices into the oil and cook until crispy.
5. Remove from oil and place on paper towels to soak extra oil. Blot the top with more towels as well.
6. Sprinkle with coarse salt and eat.
Verdict: I prefer to remove the skin. Thinner slices work and taste better but don't make them so thin that you can see through them (they end up too oil or burnt). Overall, it was okay but not really worth the effort and time. I'd rather have some good old fashioned fries or baked potatoes.
_____
Baked Pumpkin
Ingredients:
1/2 Sweet Pumpkin
1 1/2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
Coarse Salt
Rosemary, basil, chili powder or other flavorful spice
Feta Cheese (Optional)
Instructions:
Preheat Oven to 350 degrees
1. Clean pulp and seeds from pumpkin, remove skin, if desired.
2. Dice the pumpkin and place into a seal-able bag.
3. Add oil, salt and other spice and toss well.
4. Evenly lay the pumpkin chunks on a covered baking sheet.
5. Bake for about 15 - 20 minutes or until toasted.
6. Cool for 5 minutes and eat as is, with feta cheese and/or dipping sauce.
Verdict: The pumpkin was okay but was better with the cheese.
_____
Autumn Curry
Ingredients:
1/2 C Uncooked Rice
5 C Water
1/2 Large Vegetable Bullion Cube
1 1/2 Tablespoons Turmeric
1/2 White Onion, diced
2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
1/2 Cup Tomato, Diced
3/4 Can Tomato Paste
2 Tablespoons Garlic, minced
2 teaspoons Ground Cumin
2 Cloves, ground
2 Tablespoons Curry Powder (I used Sharwood's Tandoori Spice Curry Powder)
1/2 Sweet Pumpkin, cleaned, peeled and diced
4 Red Potatoes, peeled and diced
Instructions:
1. Cook Rice in all of the water, bullion cube and turmeric. Stop cooking about 15 minutes before the rice is ready.
2. Heat oil in a large pot on med-high.
3. Add Onion and cook for about 6 minutes.
4. Add everything else, except pumpkin, rice and potatoes. Cook 5 minutes longer.
5. Add Pumpkin, Potatoes and rice with excess water.
6. Cover, reduce heat to med and cook about 40 minutes longer. Make sure to stir often, scraping the bottom of the pot.
7. Remove from heat and serve. Works really well with feta cheese, greek plain yogurt or sour cream in small amounts.
Verdict: Was very tasty. I only had a few bites with feta but it was complimentary and overall the dish was filling, flavorful and very red lol.
- Mood:
pleased
Mediterranean-esq Penne Pasta
Serves 8 - 12
Ingredients:
1/2 Cup Sun Dried Tomatoes (julienne-d)
1 lb Penne Noodles
1 Onion, diced
5 Cloves Garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Bundle of Fresh Asparagus (rinsed, cut into 3rds, toss the bottom (hard) third of each stalk)
2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
2 Cups (16 oz) Artichoke Hearts, drained and chopped
20 oz Canned/Frozen Spinach, drained
2 Cups Broccoli Florettes
Feta Cheese (I use the President Feta Cheese brand made from cow milk, instead of goat)
Optional:
Pine Nuts and Katamala Olives
Instructions:
1. In very hot water, soak the sun dried tomatoes for 30 minutes.
2. While tomatoes are soaking, thaw/drain any frozen veggies you will be using in the recipe
2. After 30 minutes, drain and Julienne the tomatoes, if not already done.
3. Boil a pot of water and cook the pasta as the package directs.
4. Over a medium heat (or medium-high if desired), saute onions and garlic for about 3 minutes.
5. Add asparagus, broccoli, soy sauce, some salt and black peppercorn. Saute another 5 minutes or until veggies are tender. Add any spices or seasonings you may want, at this point (I added oregano, basil, garlic powder and season salt instead of regular salt)
6. Add the tomatoes, artichoke heart pieces and the optional pine nuts and olives. Cook another minute.
7. Add spinach and mix very well until everything is heated through and through.
8. Add veggie mixture to drained pasta.
9. Serve and add about 1 oz of feta cheese to each serving (you can add more or less, as desired. Feta is pretty low in calories and fat)
Verdict: Delicious. With all the spinach and other veggies, it was filling, without having to pile on extra noodles. I, the sauce-a-holic, did not miss the sauce at all, but Tom decided to add some to his 2nd portion anyway. I used less Feta on mine, Tom used more on his, which makes me glad that I waited to add the Feta individually. I do not think this dish would have turned out as well, if I had used less spinach, unless I replaced it with an equally 'meaty' vegetable. You could easily add grilled chicken or ground beef to this recipe to make it a non-vegetarian meal. Also, it only used 1 pot, 1 skillet and a few minor dishes, so the mess was minimal. Super-Win.
Approx. Nutritional Information, if serving 8, per serving: 400 Calories, 12g Fat, 746mg Sodium, 57g Carbs, 7g Sugar, 10g Fiber, 17g Protein
- Mood: full
Baked Fettuccine
Ingredients:
1 lb Fettuccine
1 lb Frozen Spinach, Chopped
2 Tablespoons Butter (or Margarine)
2 Tablespoons Garlic, Minced
1 Large Onion, chopped
1 & 1/4 Cups Sour Cream
1 Cup Heavy Cream
1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg
1/2 Cup Parmesan Cheese, shredded
1 Cup Mozzarella, shredded
1 Tablespoon Oregano
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
1. Boil a large pot of water with the spinach.
2. Once it is boiling, add the Fettuccine and cook 9 minutes. Drain and set aside when it is done.
3. In a large skillet, heat the butter over medium heat.
4. Add the onion and saute until tender.
5. Add the garlic (add less if you are not big on garlic) and cook another minute.
6. Add in the sour cream and the pasta/spinach and mix very well.
7. Add the the heavy cream, nutmeg, 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese (save the other 1/4 cup), salt, pepper and oregano.
8. Mix, mix, mix.
9. Grease an 8x11 inch casserole dish (it may not look like it, but it is big enough).
10. Pour the mixed noodles into the dish.
11. Top with the Mozzarella and remaining Parmesan cheese.
12. Bake for about 15 minutes (or until bubbly and golden).
13. Serve. Trust me: Sprinkle season salt on top, as you would normally with regular salt on a dish. This brings the dish up a step. Add red pepper flakes if you like the heat.
Verdict: SO GOOD. I would eat this often but since the fat is so high, I will not, lol . I will save this and make it now and then when I've been extra low on fat. Really, the calories aren't the issue, just the fat. But yea, really freakin good. Win.
Approximate Nutritional Info: 525 Calories, 26g Fat, 81mg Cholesterol, 464mg Sodium, 50g Carbs, 5g Sugar, 3g Fiber, 23g Protein
- Mood: amused
"Meat" Balls
Ingredients
8 oz Plain Seitan (I used the 'Westsoy' brand)
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Egg
1 Cup Bell Pepper Strips, Minced (I used the frozen Birds Eye bag)
1/2 Cup Onions, Minced
1/4 Cup Bread Crumbs
1/8 Cup Garlic, Minced (yes, I love garlic)
1 Tablespoon Oregano
1 Tablespoon Basil
1 teaspoon Savory
Salt and Pepper
16 oz Angel Hair or Spaghetti Noodles
1 Jar of Pasta Sauce (I used the Prego "Chunky Garden" just to try something new)
PAM no stick spray
Instructions:
Preheat the oven: 400 degrees.
1. In a food processor, blend the seitan until it is 'crumbly'.
2. Put the Seitan into a bowl.
3. Mince the pepper strips and onion.
4. Whisk/beat the egg well.
5. Put all ingredients into the bowl and stir/blend until very well mixed.
6. Cover a cookie sheet with a piece of tin foil and spray with PAM.
7. Roll the seitan mixture intil small-ish balls and place on the cookie sheet.
8. Lightly brush the balls with olive oil. (I waited until this step to add salt and pepper. I generously salted/peppered each ball and then brushed the oil on).
9. Put the cookie sheet into the over and bake 10 minutes. While this is baking, boil a pot of water and cook the noodles according to box instructions.
10. Remove, roll the balls over and lightly coat the ball with olive oil again (this side wasn't coated before, remember?)
11. Put the cookie sheet back into the over for another 10 minutes.
12. When done, the 'meat'balls should be a light golden brown with a little bit of a 'crusty' feel to them.
13. In a bowl, combine the noodles, pasta sauce and 'meat'balls. Top with a little parmesan and parsley. NOM.
Verdict: Good. I liked the seitan. When I first opened the package, the wheat-meat had a very rubbery, wierd texture that immediately put me off but I'm glad I went ahead and made it. I will say that the combination of ingredients made the 'meat'balls too watery which caused some issues. It was tasty but so much of a pain in the ass that I think I'll skip it and just brown it in a skillet, with a little oil, instead, next time. Also, the mixture was also too watery for the real meatballs, so they didn't brown correctly, didn't crisp up nicely and didn't look right (didn't look 'done', even though they were fully ... maybe even over- ... cooked). I also set aside a handful of the 'meat'balls and tried to cook them in about 1" of olive oil. That was a mega-fail. It didn't taste right, fell apart while cooking and was, in general, a bad idea. I tossed that mini-batch. I'd do this again, because it was tasty. However, like I said above, I'll crumble it and fry it in a minimal amount of oil, with everything except the egg. I think I made about 60 meatballs between the wheatballs and real meatballs. The prego sauce was good, though a little thinner than I usually like. I didn't take a picture because I had a GIGANTIC mess in the kitchen. Maybe I will take one tomorrow when I eat the left-overs.
- Mood:
tired
Ingredients:
16 oz Noodles (I used 'No Yolk' Egg Noodles ... why? Well, that's all I had in the house and I like em.)
16 oz Frozen Broccoli
14 oz Frozen Mixed Bell Pepper Strips
3 Tablespoons Butter or Margarine (You can reduce if needed but I wanted a little fat for my sauce, but I used margarine)
4 Tablespoons Garlic, minced (You can reduce this too but ... I love garlic)
4 teaspoons cornstarch
1 Cup Water
1 Can Diced Tomatoes with Basil and Oregano
1 Can Corn, drained
1 Can Sweet Peas, drained
1 Can Green Beans, drained
1 Can Asparagus, drained
Oregano, Onion Powder, Onion Salt, Savory and Basil, to taste (or about 1 well rounded tablespoons of each)
Sea Salt (or Kosher Salt) and Pepper, to taste (or about 1/2 Tablespoon)
3 Bay Leaves
1 can evaporated 2% milk
3 Cans White Albacore Tuna Chunks, drained (You can replace with cans of chicken or any protein. Or, just omit completely)
*Note: Really, use whatever vegetables you have on hand. I can't imagine any vegetable NOT going well with the simple ingredients. I just used what I had in the pantry and freezer.*
*Cooking Note: Steps 7 - 11, make sure you mix often to avoid burning.*
Instructions:
1. Boil a pot of water.
2. Once the pot is boiling, add frozen veggies and cook until hot and tender.
3. Drain the veggies and set aside in a large container. Cover.
4. Add water to the pot again, and salt or garlic salt. Bring to a boil.
5. Add pasta to the boiling water and cook per the directions on the box/bag until al dente.
6. Once the pasta is done, drain, rinse with cold water and put the container with the boiled veggies.
7. Drain the cans of tuna and put into the container of pasta/veggies. Re-cover the container.
While waiting for all the boiling and cooking to be done in the pot ...
8. In a large skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of butter/margarine, on high.
9. In a cup or bowl (or whatever), stir cornstarch and cold water together.
10. Once the butter has started to bubble, add garlic to the skillet. Saute for about 1 minute. (Oh, how I wish I had onions in the house /cry)
11. Reduce heat to medium. Remove the skillet from heat and pour in the cornstarch/water mixture. Mix quickly and return to heat. (Why? Helps to avoid clumps from the cornstarch)
12. Add the can of tomatoes (with juices), drained corn, sweet peas, green beans, asparagus, basil, oregano, salt, pepper and onion powder. Optional: Add in some red pepper flakes for a spicy kick; about 1/4 tsp or more if you wish.
13. Once the mixture starts to boil, add in the evaporated milk, slowly, mixing very well.
14. Once the mixture is boiling, allow to boil for about 5 minutes. At this point, I tasted it and felt it was lacking something, so thats when I added onion salt and savory. The sauce became balanced.
15. Pour contents of skillet into the container of veggies and pasta. Toss to coat as evenly as possible.
16. Serve and sprinkle with parmesan cheese, crumbled bacon (or McCormick Bac'n bits which are fake bacon) and/or parsley flakes. EAT!!!
Serves 8 good sized portion. Each serving (Without cheese or bac'n bits) is approx: 400 calories, 2g of fat, 21mg cholesterol, 1,059mg Sodium, 70g Carbs, 19g Sugars, 10g Fiber, 24g Protein
Verdict: So good. Absolutely perfect for what I was craving. I just wanted something lightish, really low fat and high protein. Yea, its pasta but the noodles are lighter and the sauce wasn't heavy or greasy. Not to mention, it was very easy to make while I did other things around the house (waiting for one thing or another to boil) and required very little maintenance. (Boil, dump things in. Mix. Boil, dump, mix ...) I WILL make this again. WIN.
Edit: Next time, don't add tuna.
- Mood: cheerful
(It is a little 'grainy' looking because I added the sour cream and shredded cheese toppings and stirred them in.)
Vegetarian Chili
Ingredients:
5 cups water
4 tsp cornstarch
3 Large Vegetable Bullion Cubes
2 Tablespoons Dry Mustard Powder
5 Tablespoons Minced Garlic
2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
4 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
1 Bag Reduced Sodium McCormick Chili Seasoning
6 Bay Leaves (dried, whole)
1 1/2 Yellow Onions, diced
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
2 Cans Chili Beans (Pinto Beans with added seasoning)
1 Can Light Red Kidney Beans, Drained
2 Cans Mexicorn, Drained
2 Cans Diced Tomatoes
8 oz Tempeh, Crumbled (optional)
7 oz Okra (I used 1/2 of a 14 oz bag of frozen Okra)
14 oz Mixed Bell Pepper Strips (I used a frozen bag and diced them)
To Taste:
Red Pepper Flakes
Chili Powder
Paprika
Instructions:
1. In a large crock pot, mix water and cornstarch until the cornstarch is fully dissolved. Set the crock pot to 'high' once this has been done.
2. Add in the flour and other spices. Mix well.
3. Add in all other ingredients, except: Onions, Bell Peppers and Olive Oil. Stir and mix the ingredients.
4. Heat a large skillet and add olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add in the onions and bell Peppers.
5. Continue to cook the bell peppers and onion (stir often) until the onions are soft and translucent.
6. Add the Onion and Bell Pepper mixture into the crock pot and stir.
7. Allow the chili to cook for 6 - 8 hours.
8. At the top of the final hour, taste the broth of the chili. Add Red Pepper Flakes and Chili Powder, to taste. Add a little bit at a time, mixing very well with each addition, until satisfied.
8. Serve topped with cheese, avocado, corn chips or any other topping you enjoy.
Avocado Butter
Ingredients:
2 Avocados, small
1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
2 oz Unsalted Butter, softened (1/8 cup)
1 Garlic Clove, minced
1 Tablespoon Paprika
2 teaspoons Cumin, ground
Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions:
1. Dice the avocado and put into a food processor. Add all other ingredients and blend until smooth (mostly).
2. Pour onto wax or parchment paper, as much horizontally as possible.
3. Roll the paper, twist the ends and/or wrap in saran wrap.
4. Put in the fridge for about 6 hours, or wrap extra extra well in saran wrap and put in the freezer.
Verdict: I love it ... it's great. I really can't taste or tell the tempeh is in the chili so in the next batch, I'll either omit it or double it. I want to try using dry/uncooked beans in the next batch, too (for the chili beans: pinto beans and just add extra chili seasoning). It is very filling,, as well. I declare this a WIN.
- Location:Snuggled in my Comfy Chair
- Mood: chipper
Avocado Cheesecake
Ingredients:
- 2 Small Avocados (or 1 & 1/2 Medium or 1 large)
- 8 oz Whipped Philadelphia Cream Cheese (or your preferred type)
- 1/2 teaspoon Sweet n Low (or about 1&1/2 teaspoons sugar)
- 2 Tablespoons Clove Honey (or agave nectar ... if you really want, you can substitute with maple Syrup)
- 1/2 Cup Light Daisy Sour Cream (or your pref. sour cream)
- 1/3 Cup Lemon Juice
- 1 teaspoon of Vanilla Extract
- 3.4 oz Package of Jello Vanilla Instant Pudding and Pie Filling
- 9" Graham Cracker Pie Crust
Optional:
- Approx. 1 Cup Whipped Topping/Whipped Cream
- 3oz Almonds, Crushed (about 57 almonds)
- 1 teaspoon Country Crock Margarine
Directions:
1. Use a spoon or fork and scoop the pulp out of your Avocados. Place the pulp into a medium mixing bowl.
2. Mash the avocado pulp. It does not have to be smooth, but try to smash down all the larger pieces of avocado.
3. In the mixing bowl, add: Cream Cheese, Sweet'n'Low, Honey, Sour Cream, 1 tablespoon Vanilla Extract and Lemon Juice.
4. Beat/Mix until smooth. You can use a blender or food processor for this process.
5. Add in the Pudding powder and blend until well mixed.
6. Pour mixture into your pie crust, cover and set into the fridge to chill for 1 - 2 hours.
(Looks good so far, huh?)
2 hours later ... Serve and eat! Or, follow the optional steps below (I would suggest it!)!
Optional steps:
(I had some whole almonds and rather than devise a way to slice them nicely, I opted to crush them.)
(Don't make the nuts into a powder, just break them up a bit)
7. Heat a small skillet.
8. Once heated, add 1 teaspoon of Margarine or butter and stir until fully melted.
9. Add the almonds and vanilla extract to the melted butter and stir.
10. Continue to cook until the almonds have browned.
(Careful not to let the smaller bits burn!)
11. Remove from heat and allow this mixture to cool.
12. Evenly distribute over cheesecake.
(Unfortunately, some of my nuts burned a little ... boooo)
13. Top with about 1 cup of whipped cream, evenly smoothed over the cheesecake. Much easier if the whipped cream is very soft/melty.
14. Put back into the fridge or freezer until the cheesecake firms.
(Doesn't that just look deeeelish?)
Depending on how large your portions are, this cheesecake will serve 8 - 12 people. Including the optional steps/ingredients, I have included the nutritional values for this:
8 Servings: Each serving is approx: 378 Calories, 24g Fat, 25mg Cholesterol, 423mg Sodium, 40g Carbs, 22g Sugar, 4g Fiber, 6g Protein
12 Servings: Each serving is approx: 251 Calories, 16g Fat, 17mg Cholesterol, 279mg Sodium, 27g Carbs, 15g Sugar, 3g Fiber, 4g Protein
Verdict: In a way, it was a win, because it was just plain tasty. However, it was a fail because it did not firm, so it was more pudding than cake. I think next time, I will use one of the no bake cheesecake mixes instead of the pudding. That will take care of the issue.
EDIT: After an extra day in the fridge, it firmed up the way I wanted and we were able to eat it like a real pie/cake.
- Mood: contemplative
(This is attempt 3, it also broke apart)
________________________________________
Now, I made fried chicken for Tom but the chicken would NOT cook all the way through ... I was really annoyed so I ended up taking a baking dish, putting water at the bottom, putting in a rack then setting the chicken on top, then cooked it for 20 minutes at 400 degrees. This finally made the chicken well cooked, and still moist ...
(Unfortunately, it was already fairly blackened but not thickly and was more than edible and moist)
Fried and Baked Chicken
Ingredients:
- 3 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast Halves
- Salt and Pepper
- Garlic Powder
- Red Pepper Flakes
- Plain Bread Crumbs
- Italian Seasoning
- 2 Eggs
Instructions:
1. Whisk the eggs in a bowl. Spread breadcrumbs on a plate. Trim fat and blood vessels from Chicken.
2. Dip the chicken into the eggs and lay on breadcrumbs.
3. Sprinkle un-breaded side with salt, pepper, garlic powder and red pepper flakes. Flip chicken and make sure entire piece is covered in breadcrumbs.
4. Repeat for all 3 pieces.
5. Heat a skillet with oil.
6. Place chicken in hot oil and cook for about 3 minutes on each side.
7. Line a baking dish with tin foil, add a metal rack into the dish and place each piece of chicken on the rack. Be careful not to let the chicken drop into the water.
8. Cover and put into preheated oven for 20 minutes at 400 degrees.
My tuna steak would not cooperate either ...First, I let it sit in some lemon juice, water, oregano and basil for about an hour as I worked on the rest ... Then, once everything else was done, I put a bit of oil in a skillet and cooked the tuna ... but, it kept staying super uncooked in the center ... I REALLY hate electric stove tops >.< ... I ended up chopping the tuna to bits with my spatula, then continued to flip and turn each piece until it was well cooked. This, at least, turned out very tasty.
(This may not look delicious, but it was)
Tuna Steak
Ingredients:
- 4oz Tuna Steak
- 4 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
- 3 Tablespoons Water
- 2 teaspoons Basil
- 2 teaspoons Oregano
- 1 teaspoon Olive Oil
Instructions:
1. In a bowl, combine all ingredients, except olive oil.
2. Allow to sit for 30 minutes, then flip the steak over and let sit for another 30 minutes. (or longer)
3. Heat a small skillet with olive oil.
4. Add tuna and cook for about 3 minutes on each side.
Verdict: Potatoes were good but lacking, they needed something more *fail*. Chicken (according to Tom) was good and moist *win*. Tuna was a little dry but very good and not at all fishy tasting *win*.
- Mood: exhausted
(top - Pasta and tomato mixture, bottom - reduced balsamic vinegar)
Bruschetta Pasta
Ingredients:
- 10 Fresh Basil Leaves (or about 7 - 10 teaspoons of Dried Basil)
- 1 lb angel hair pasta
- 2 minced garlic cloves
- 1/2 c tomato sauce
- salt & black pepper (To Taste)
- 6-8 medium size roma tomatoes (can substitute with canned diced
tomatoes if needed)
- 2 Garlic Cloves, Sliced into Thin Coins
- 1 Cup of Balsamic Vinegar
- 4 Tablespoons of Olive Oil, divided
Optional:
- Parmesan Cheese
- Parsley
- 4 (4 oz) chicken breasts
Directions:
1. In a small or medium pot, pour in 1 cup of balsamic vinegar.
2. Warm and bring to a very slight simmer (do not boil).
3. Allow to cook until the vinegar reduced about 75%, creating a syrup (I did not watch the time closely but I think it was about an hour and a half. Remove from heat and set aside once it is done.
4. Take the tomatoes, core them, dice them and place them in a bowl.
5. Slice the 10 basil leaves into thin strips and place into the bowl (I used 7 teaspoons of dried basil instead).
6. Put 2 cloves of minced garlic (2 heaping teaspoons), 1/3 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper (adjust salt and pepper to taste) and 2 tablespoons of Olive Oil.
7. Mix very well and set aside for 2 hours.
2 hours later ...
8. Boil a large pot of water. Cook pasta according to box directions.
9. Heat a large skillet. Once hot, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
10. Allow oil to heat about 20 seconds, then add the sliced garlic. Cook only about 45 seconds. DO NOT allow the garlic to brown (if it browns, toss it and start steps 9 & 10 over).
11. Pour in the tomato mixture and mix well with garlic and oil. Stir, Stir, Stir.
12. Add in about 1/2 cup of tomato sauce and bring to a boil.
13. Remove from heat.
14. Drain pasta and add to the tomato sauce mixture. Toss to coat pasta.
15. Plate your portion and drizzle, very easily, the balsamic reduction over the top. You don't need much.
16. Top the pasta with a little parmesan cheese and parsley, if desired.
For those who eat meat ... While the pasta is cooking, take chicken breasts and season with salt and pepper on both sides. Place on a grill (or indoor grill like the George Foreman grills) for about 4 minutes on each side, creating the dark grill lines on each side. Cook until chicken is fully cooked. Slice at a 45 degree angle and serve on top of the pasta.
Verdict: This was DELICIOUS.
- Mood: cheerful
(Fresh from the oven ... smells really tasty)
Stuffed Zucchini
Ingredients:
- 2 Zucchini, Whole
- 1 Tablespoon of Daisy Light Sour Cream
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 1/4 teaspoon Turmeric
- 2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil
- 3 Tablespoons of Minced Garlic
- 4 teaspoons Bacon Bits
- 1 Tomato
- 1 teaspoon Rosemary (See verdict notes)
- 1 Yellow Onion, diced
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese
- 4 divided 1/2 teaspoons of Mustard
- 2 teaspoons Parsley
Instructions:
1. Wash the Zucchini and slice in half, length-wise.
2. Dig out the zucchini pulp, leaving a small margin along the skin.
3. Roughly chop the zucchini pulp (as best you can), tomato and onion. Put the pulp and tomato into a bowl.
4. In a skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and add the onion.
5. Saute the onion until it is almost done, then add the turmeric and garlic.
6. Continue to stir and cook for another 30 seconds then remove from heat.
7. Pour onions into the bowl with the pulp and tomato.
8. Add in all the remaining ingredients, except the mustard and cheese. Mix well.
9. Line a large baking dish with tin foil and spray with pam.
10. Place the zucchini "boats" in the dish and scoop the mixture into each boat.
11. Top the zucchini with a very light sprinkling of parmesan cheese.
12. Cook for 20 minutes.
13. Turn the oven to 'broil' and cook for 5 more minutes.
14. Remove the zucchini from the oven and top with a little mustard and parsley.
Verdict: It was okay. It wasn't wowing but it wasn't bad and it was filing. The mustard helped the dish a lot, in my opinion but it still seemed to be missing something. Next time, I'll add some cooked rice or an egg. I'll also use basil or oregano and I will not use rosemary. That did not seem to work with the dish very well.
- Location:On my way to the Gym
- Mood: content
(pre-frozen image ... looks more or less the same after it firms up in the freezer)
Avocado Ice-Treat
Ingredients:
- 1 Avocado
- 2 teaspoons Honey
- 2 teaspoons Lemon Juice (or Lime)
- 1/4 Tsp Sweet'n'Low (or 1 & 1/2 teaspoons sugar)
Instructions:
1. Cut the avocado in half, length-wise.
2. Scoop out the avocado pulp, leaving the 'skin' intact. Save this.
3. Slice up the pulp (if it was not already done) roughly and put into a food processor.
4. Add honey, lemon and sweet'n'low. Blend until mostly smooth (or let it be chunky, or super smooth).
5. Lay a sheet of saran wrap down. Place one of the avocado skins on top.
6. Fill to the top with the avocado puree.
7. Fold the wrap around the avocado and secure tightly.
8. Place into a tupperware bin.
9. Repeat steps 5 - 8 with the other avocado half.
10. Seal the top of the tupperware and place in the fridge for several hours, to freeze.
11. Once frozen, unwrap and serve. You can top with whipped cream, nuts and/or honey.
Verdict: Okay ... it tasted a lot like Kiwi, actually. Next time I think I'll add some sort of cream to it (soy milk, condensed milk, vanilla ice cream, something) and maybe a little more honey or vanilla extract. I think that should take it from 'Okay' to gooood.
- Mood:
Meh
Avocado Protein Shake
- 3/4 Avocado
- 1 Banana
- 1/2 Cup Vanilla Soy Milk
- 1 Cup Ice
- 1/8 teaspoon Sweet 'n' Low
- 2 Scoops of Vanilla Protein Powder
Optional:
- 2 teaspoons Honey (can be replaced with agave nectar or maple syrup)
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
In a blender, add all ingredients and blend, blend, blend until really well mixed.
Verdict: This is heavenly. It is sweet. The banana and vanilla go very well with the avocado. I feel like something is missing from this recipe but I'm not sure what ... I guess I'll just have to keep making and tweaking it until I figure it out ;-)
- Mood: pleased
The recipe for the potatoes can be found here (that woman is a genius). I did add the suggested red pepper flakes but I didn't have green chilies so I added 2 teaspoons of chili powder.
I followed the recipe exactly (although, I let my sauce stay more watery, instead of mixing it until it became paste). However, after the 45 min cook time was up, I took it out, gave it the 3rd stirring, then topped it with a light sprinkling of plain bread crumbs and put it back in the oven, uncovered, for 5 more minutes. I tasted them before the last step and after ... the last 5 minutes made the dish perfect. Then, I added a little parsly over the top and ... nom ... nomnom ... omnomnomnomnomnomnom...
As for the stir fry ... I started with the intention of making my own sauce ... but the store didn't have some ingredients that (I feared) were key to the sauce. So, I cheated and bought a bottle of sauce instead. I took a big portion of shrimp out of the freezer, poured in about 1/3 of the bottle and let it marinate in the fridge. It continued to marinate for 2 & 1/2 hours. Then, in a large skillet, I put a little dot of oil, several cups of veggies, lots of garlic powder, a medium coating of Turmeric (I went a little heavier than I ever have before... probably about 2 or 3 tablespoons) and a light sprinkling of ginger. (adjust seasonings to your own taste). Once the veggies were tender, I added in the bag of shrimp and sauce. Since my shrimp was precooked (and was still a little frozen), I just cooked it until the shrimp were hot. Then, removed, served and drizzled a tiny bit of extra sauce on top. It was pretty good.
Verdict: The peanut flavored potatoes were to DIE for ... /drool. The stir fry was good and I'd probably make it again but it needs more of a citrus kick or something ... I'll have to play with it. I could not finish this plate, what-so-ever ... lol
- Location:In a food coma somewhere ...
- Mood: full
It didn't brown on the top, as I like them to, but the stick test came out clean and I didn't want to risk over-baking the dish. The muffin was tasty but next time, I'll make the following changes:
1. Use 1/2 the amount of listed chips.
2. Make 1/2 (or 1/4) as much as the recipe calls for ... I do not need this many muffins laying around, nor do I wish to waste food (I know some of these will end up going stale before they are eaten).
3. Put a little more banana and a little less peanut butter.
4. When the muffins are almost ready, spray the top of each muffin with Pam, or lightly brush with butter for a crisper muffin top.
Each muffin is approximately: 200 calories, 9 grams of fat, 28g carbs, 15g sugar and 4g protein.
- Location:The Kitchen
- Mood: peaceful
Celery Dip
- 2 Tablespoons Ranch Dressing
- 3 Tablespoons Yellow Mustard
- 1 Tablespoon Chili Powder
- 1 teaspoon Cumin
Stir together and dip. Sorry about the messy picture, I was nomming away before I thought to take a picture or jot down the recipe idea for next time :-)
- Location:Snackin in my Comfy Chair
- Mood: happy
Teriyaki Sauce
- 1/2 Cup Kikkoman Soy Sauce
- 1/2 Cup Water
- 1/4 Cup Brown Sugar
- 1/4 Tablespoon Minced Garlic
- 1/2 Tablespoon Powder Ginger
----Pour all the ingredients into a bottle, jar dish, tupperware (whatever container) and stir, stir, stir (and/or shake, shake, shake)!!----
Stir Fry Tempeh, 4 servings
- 4oz Tempeh, Diced or Cubed (I used Garden Veggie Tempeh this time)
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil & 1/2 Tablespoon, divided
- 1 Tablespoon Turmeric
- 2 teaspoons Cumin
- 2 teaspoons Celery Seed
- 1 Tablespoon Sesame Seeds
- 3 Tablespoons Garlic Powder
- 2 Tablespoons Ginger Powder
- 2 teaspoons Chili Powder
- 3 Cups Broccoli
- 2 Cups Mixed Bell Pepper Strips
- 2 Cups Yellow and Green Zucchini
- 3 Cups Cooked Rice
(Keep in mind that I do not actually measure these ingredients ... I fill the bottom of my pan with zucchini and bell pepper, then fill the rest of the deep skillet with broccoli and I add light or heavy sprinkles of each seasoning over the mixture)
1. Heat 1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil in a deep skillet. As an optional step, you can sprinkle some celery seed, turmeric, garlic and cumin into the oil and let those spices flavor the oil a little before adding other ingredients.
2. Once the oil is sizzling, throw in all of the veggies, then top the veggies with all the above seasonings. Mix well.
3. In a separate, smaller, skillet, heat 1/2 tablespoon of Olive Oil.
4. With a slotted spoon or carefully with a fork, remove the tempeh from the marinade and add to the sizzling oil in the small skillet.
5. Stir, stir, stir, both skillets often. Cook the tempeh until it is lightly browned on both sides (will be hard to see real 'browning' but once the tempeh starts to darken, it should be ready).
6. Toss the tempeh into the skillet with the veggies and mix well.
7. Drizzle 1/4 cup of the teriyaki sauce over the mixture and continue to cook and stir for about 3 more minutes.
8. Remove from heat and serve on 3/4 cup of rice. Drizzle teriyaki sauce over top if desired, but the sauce can be strong so you don't need to use much. Just add a tiny bit and stir well.
Verdict: I was not overly impressed. The tempeh was not awesome but it wasn't bad either. It was a tie (both a win and a fail). I think the marinade may have been too salty for such a long marinade process. I really need to use up the soy sauce and get low-sodium soy sauce.
Again, sorry about the blurriness of some pictures ... camera has been dropped a lot ...
- Location:The Kitchen
- Mood:
blah
4oz Tempeh, crumbled
1/2 Tablespoon & 1 teaspoon Olive Oil, divided
3 Tablespoons McCormick Taco Seasoning
1 Heaping Tablespoon of Minced Garlic
1/2 Medium Onion, diced
1/4 bag of Mixed Bell Pepper Strips, diced
1/2 can of Diced Green Chilies
(Images from left to right, top to bottom: Step 1, Step 2, Step 3, Step 4, Step 4 up close)
Instructions:
1. In a baggie, crumble the tempeh and add 1/2 Tablespoon Olive Oil, Garlic and Taco Seasoning . Mash, squish, roll, shake, toss, massage and otherwise manipulate the tempeh until its well mixed and all of the tempeh has a light reddish coating (instead of the pale whiteish/tan color it initially has).
**Note: I set my tempeh in the fridge for several hours, giving the tempeh time to really sit with the taco and garlic flavors. However, I can't say that this is a required steps to get the same results.**
2. In a small skillet, heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil, then add the onions and bell peppers. Mix and fry until the onions are tender. (The image of the onions and peppers appears to have more oil, but thats just some excess water from the frozen bell peppers)
3. Add in the tempeh mixture and 1/2 can of diced green chilies. Stir to mix well and cook until all ingredients are hot.
4. Scoop into taco shells and top as usual.
Verdict: Actually, it was quite tasty. It wasn't wowing on its own, but with the taco toppings it was very scrumptious. I would have added some corn or (my favorite) mexicorn, but I was out! I'd make this again, no doubt. However, next time I will use a full can of chilies and I will not forget the mexicorn.
- Location:The Kitchen
- Mood: cheerful
So, I was overwhelmed with all the tempeh recipes when I first became veggie ... but ... there was only one place to get such mystical items ... and that's in some little shop out in Anchorage ... so it was a while before I was able to go there. I finally got there and found that there is not just one type of tempeh but the recipes never specified any specific version so I decided to go with garden veggie tempeh ... cooking with veggies, you can't go wrong with veggie flavor, right? Well, anyway ... I get home and then ... suddenly, I can't find any tempeh recipes ... hah ... so I ignored it for a while and focused on other things. Well, today I read something about tempeh that made me go hmmmmm ...
I found that most people fry it and dip in in whatever sauce, marinade it over night for really rich flavor, then bake or fry it or crumble it and it can have a very similar consistency to ground beef ... soooo ... I whipped out my package of tempeh, cut it into 4 long strips, cut two strips into 1/2 the size of bite size pieces, and put that in tupperware ... then, I made some home-made teriyaki sauce , had to double the recipe to make sure allll of the tempeh is well marinaded (I'll post more specific details when I actually make it). Sealed the tempeh, put it in the fridge to sit overnight ... The nice thing about tempeh is that it isn't raw meat, so after I take it out of the sauce, I can still use the 'marinade' for my stirfry and rice :-)
Now, for the other half ... I will crumble it (so much easier to crumble this than tofu ... haven't even tried because the idea mystifies me... how do you crumble slightly hard goo? The image in my mind is like cottage cheese ... eeewww) ... put in a little bag or tupperware with a bit of oil, garlic and taco seasonings ... tonight, I'll fry it up with some onion and maybe bell peppers, and have tacos again (hey, I need to use up all the leftover shells so that means tempeh tacos and then bean tacos)
- Mood: hungry
Shrimp Tacos ... the less fried version
- 3/4 or 1 lb small, precooked tiny shrimp (I don't really have a way to properly measure the weight)
- Shrimp 'marinade'
- 1/2 Yellow Onion
- 1/4 bag of frozen mixed Bell Pepper Strips
- McCormick Taco Seasoning (about 1 bag needed ... I have a big container of the seasoning so I'm not 100% sure of the exact amount I used)
1. For the shrimp marinade (its not truly a marinade but for lack of a better term ...), I put the following in a ziploc baggie with the shrimp and tossed/mixed well:
- 2 - 4 Tablespoons Lime Juice
- 3 heaping Tablespoons Taco Seasoning
- 2 Tablespoons Minced Garlic
- 1 Tablespoon Creole Seasoning
2. Let chill for several hours.
3. Diced the onion and bell pepper strips.
4. In a skillet, I heated 1 tablespoon of olive oil and added the onion and bell pepper.
5. Added an even, lightish, coating of taco seasoning over the mixture and mixed often until onions were translucent.
6. Let cook about 2 - 3 minutes (until shrimp is fully warmed).
8. Spoon into taco shells and add a little salsa, avocado, tomato and any other desired toppings. (will try cheese but I'm not sure how I'll dig cheese and shrimp ... we'll see ...)
Taco picture is kinda blurry ... sorry ... camera has been dropped a few times
Ground beef version is similar but no oil is used, add the taco seasoning, brown the ground beef , drain, then add green chilies and mexicorn, mix and cook until corn and chilies are warmed, then serve with chosen toppings.
Verdict: Verrrry tasty ... very filling ... And quite low in fat ... one fully loaded taco (shrimp, avocado, tomato, a tiny bit of shredded cheese and a small dollop of sour cream) is about 250 calories. Next time: chop the shrimp into lil pieces instead of leaving them whole.
- Location:Home, in my workspace
- Mood: full
