Spring Break/Weight Loss Hiatus/Red Alert

     I'm in the middle of a weight loss red alert.  It's exactly four weeks to the day that I HAVE to lose enough lbs. to fit into my vintage dresses.  It's that time of year, Easter (Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekender!!!) is just around the corner.  You might have noticed that recently my posts have gotten fewer and farther between.  That is due in part to my focus on eating light, as opposed to delicious, food.  I really haven't felt inspired because I spend too much time counting calories and fat grams.  Also, I've doubled my workout load and so the time I used to spend on my butt blogging is now spent working it out instead.

     Hopefully in a month I'll be svelte and rejuvenated(after vacay) and ready to make some super delicious food.  In the meantime, I'm going to take time off of blogging and spend it working out and depriving myself of tasty food and counting more calories and fat grams and reading instead of watching TV (burns more calories) and drinking copious amounts of water and taking my measurements and walking my baby in the park and crossing my fingers in hopes that four weeks is enough time to undo 10 months of eating whatever I want.  I'll leave you with a recipe for the only sweet treat (if all goes according to plan) I'll be ingesting these next few weeks. 

Banana and Coconut Protein Smoothie!

1 banana

1 cup coconut milk- Silk Pure Coconut Vanilla flavored

1 scoop Chocolate Protein Powder

1 scoop Vanilla Frozen Dairy Dessert aka Ice Milk-very low fat(omit if on red alert)

1 graham cracker(reduced fat or omit if on red alert)

Place all ingredients in blender and blend.

Calories-436

Fat-11 grams

Sugar-42 grams

Protein-30 grams

Red Alert

Calories-216

Fat-7 grams

Sugar-25 grams

Protein-26 grams

Bon Appetit?

More from the Chickpea

     Last weekend I decided to try out a recipe that's been hanging around my recipe box for a while now.  I ripped it out of a magazine years ago because it calls for chickpeas-which I love-so I had to have it.  I had forgotten about it until Ellie decided to have a party with my recipe box on the kitchen floor.  It sounds delicious, Fried Chickpea Patties, and it tasted even better!
     The recipe is super easy and so versatile you could serve it as a main dish with some cooked veggies and rice, or as a side with other mediterranean dishes.  I don't have a pic because I didn't read the recipe through correctly and so they looked awful (but still tasted so good!).

Chickpea Patties

• 2 cans of cooked chickpeas, drained
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2 c flat leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper

Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse just a few times until coarsely chopped-be extra careful not to over chop you just want the mixture to barely start to combine or you will end up with mush like I did!  Make into 1/2 inch thick patties and coat with flour.

Heat 2 Tbs. olive oil on medium high and cook until golden brown on both sides.  Makes 8-10

Dressing

• 1/2 c lowfat yogurt
• 3 Tbs. lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp. salt and pepper

I didn't have yogurt so I just served them with sour cream.  They don't need a condiment though, they are so good plain!

-Natasha

The Lazy Woman's Pizza Pie

     I love a good slice of pizza.  Have you ever met someone who says that they don't like pizza?  Aren't you always a little suspect of these people?  Even my nephew who hates cheese and has lactose issues loves pizza.
     A few weeks ago I ordered a pizza delivery because I felt too lazy to cook.  Huge mistake.  It was not only bad for me, it tasted like it had been dipped in some weird pizza preservative chemical.  Gross.  I vowed then and there to stop being pizza pie lazy and make my own from now on.  Which is not so bad because I like my pizza way more than anything I can get delivered and my recipe is actually super easy.
     I lucked out and got the perfect, quick and delicious crust recipe from a co-worker at SLT-thanks Michael!  The only problem is you need a stand mixer to make it.  And really you need a stand mixer anyway, sorry!  So if you don't have one put it on your b-day, x-mas, v-day, tax refund day wish list and just make it happen already.

Pizza Crust Dough

• 3 cups All Purpose flour
• 1 pkg Red Star Quick Rise yeast
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• 1 c water- 125 degrees

Add all ingredients minus water to the bowl and using the paddle attachment mix on low for 30 seconds.  Add water-make sure it is between 120 and 125 degrees no higher or lower-and mix for 60 seconds.  Change to dough hook and mix on speed 2 for 2 minutes.  Place in an oiled bowl and let rise in warm area for 15 minutes.  You can also freeze the dough once it has risen, just put in fridge to defrost and pull out 30 minutes before you roll it out.

     When the dough is ready punch it down a little and cut in two.  Each half will make 2 10-14 inch (the larger you roll the thinner the crust) pizza crusts.  I roll mine out on a pastry cloth which I shake out and keep wrapped in the fridge.  Place crust on a perforated pizza pan.  I believe this pan makes the best crust, even better than a pizza stone and it's cheaper and easier to store!

     Spread pizza sauce-I just use pasta sauce from a jar-or brush crust with an olive oil, garlic salt and herb mixture.  Top with whatever you've got hanging out in the fridge.  Here's some ideas from my fridge: sliced red onion or carmelized sweet/yellow onion, roasted red pepper(I just buy them in a jar), olives, sundried tomatoes(costco sells huge jars), artichoke hearts, garlic(best if you roast it first), steamed broccoli, cooked potato(seriously it's good!) and peperoncinis (spicy!).  Then cover with cheese.  I buy a shredded pizza blend but often I will change it up and use fresh mozzarella, sliced provolone or goat cheese.  Try it vegan style too!  I really like it vegan style brushed with the garlic oil, crushed red pepper and lots of veggies.

     Bake at 415 degrees for 12-14 minutes depending on thickness of crust.  

Pizza easily slides onto a pizza screen, see above, which is great to cut on.  Serve with a salad and it's the perfect meal.  Bon Appetit!

-Natasha

Chicken Curry in a Hurry

      We are egg lovers in our house.  That might explain these guys (gals actually)

We have a small hen house on our property where we keep 4 hens.  We had five but one stopped producing eggs.  When this happens, just like in the old days when people had family farms instead of cramming thousands of chickens on a gross crazy factory farm, we eat it.  So this weekend we made a gigantic batch of super rich chicken broth.

      I honestly didn't know what to do with it other than make chicken soup since we don't have the freezer space for all of it.  But I wanted to do something more challenging being that last month, thanks to the flu, I had already made my fill of chicken soup.  So I decided to try an Asian inspired chicken curry soup and serve it over brown rice.  Being that I am a novice at this type of cuisine, the recipe needed to be fairly simple and thanks to my mom's donation of yellow curry paste and some quick study on the internet I came up with a version that is quick, easy and delish.   Warning: this recipe makes 8 quarts so you might want to scale it down, we took it to Grandma's for Sunday dinner and had plenty of leftovers.

Chicken Curry Soup

• 3 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 1/2 large onions or 2 small-chopped
• 8 medium size carrots-sliced about 1/4" thick
• 8 small potatoes-boiled until almost done and cut into largish pieces
• 3 large chicken breast-approx. 2 lbs.
• 1/3 cup yellow curry paste
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 62 oz. chicken broth
• 2 13.5 oz cans of coconut milk-one of the cans I used was a light coconut milk

 In a large stockpot cook chicken on medium heat in some olive oil until done.  Remove chicken but leave oil and juices from the meat then add 3 tbsp olive oil and 1 tsp sea salt of salt.  Chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces and set aside.  Add onions and carrots to the pan and saute on medium heat until onions begin to soften.  Then add curry paste, brown sugar, chicken, potatoes and stir well, cook for 2 minutes.  Pour chicken broth and coconut milk in and simmer for 30 minutes stirring occasionally.

This broth has an amazing amount of fat in it so your soup will probably look creamier on top than mine. We didn't bring the camera with us to Grandma's so there is no presentation picture but just serve it in a bowl over brown rice.  Yum!

-Natasha

Mac and Cheese Please!

     While working for SLT I won a 2 year subscription to Bon Appetit.  It's a blessing and a curse.  I love to sift through the gorgeous photos and yummy recipes, but then it just sits there on the coffee table or on the magazine rack for months tempting me and making me feel guilty for being too lazy and selfish to make any of the recipes.  There is a gigantic stack and I've only used one or two recipes.
     The March issue came and as soon as I saw it I knew I couldn't resist it anymore.  Baked pastas are featured this month and on the cover a dish of bubbling hot mac and cheese sits with a fork lifting up an ooey gooey bite.  I immediately started scheming.  Why scheming?  Because I'm officially on a diet to lose the baby weight, and mac and cheese is hardly diet food.
      I decided to combine a cream sauce recipe I have that calls for low fat cream cheese and 1% milk with a bag of a lowfat shredded Italian cheese blend and whole grain rigatoni.  I hoped that this combo would still be delicious enough to calm my craving for a "sumptuous baked pasta" while maintaining my diet integrity.
     Last Friday night we had friends over and I tested out my recipe on our guests.  I think it's safe to say they liked it...clean plates all around!  Some of us even had seconds, I had an extra spoonful ok?  It really was good and lowfat and packed full of veggies and I felt satisfied.

First you'll need to roast one large or two small bulbs of garlic for one hour, cool and pull out each clove of garlic with a fork then set aside.  Boil whole grain or semolina pasta (I used rigatoni but ziti will work well also) until al dente and set aside.

White Sauce
Use a roux whip to stir 1 Tbsp. flour into 2 Tbsp. melted butter over medium heat, then gradually add 2 cups of 1% or skim milk.  Stir constantly until it begins to thicken-about 4 minutes-and add 1 8 oz. package of lowfat cream cheese and 2 Tbsp of grated parmesan cheese.  While stirring add 1 Tbsp. Onion Powder and 2 tsp. of Garlic Salt.

Stir until all of the cheese is combined and sauce is hot.

Veggies- I used about 10 spears of asparagus and half of a large head of cauliflower cut into bite size pieces and steamed.  Then I sauteed half of a large onion and half of a red bell pepper in olive oil and sea salt.  Once onions and peppers were soft I added the other veggies to the skillet and seasoned with oregano, garlic salt, and basil to taste.

Combine all of the above plus one 8 oz. package of shredded mozzarella, or an Italian blend like I found at Smith's, in a covered casserole and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.  Serves 4-6
Bon Appetit!

-Natasha

     

Gonzo for Garbanzos

     I have a thing for the garbanzo bean.  Which is a good thing because garbanzos are packed with protein, folate, B6 and a bunch of other stuff.  A nutritious and versatile little bean.  Also known as chick peas, these guys are in a million Middle Eastern and Indian dishes including Hummus, one of the best things that happened to my lunch hour.  Another favorite garbanzo dish of mine is a simple salad that can be served on a bed of spinach or in a pita.  I make this a couple of times a month because it's so easy and nutritious-kids like it too!

     Canned garbanzos are far too convenient for me to think about it but if you're hardcore go ahead and cook your own.  Add sour cream (reduced fat works great) to a can of drained beans until they are covered.  Then mince one slice of red onion and add to beans along with lots of dill, sea salt, and pepper to taste.  If your kids freak out at the sight of onion, omit and add onion powder or onion salt (if so omit sea salt) instead.  Last step is to add the feta, also to taste.  I like to add a lot of feta so to watch the calorie content I use a fat free feta (available at Costco for cheap!).
     You can add fresh tomato-in season only don't bother with the crappy grocery store tomatoes-or some radish or green onion to switch it up.  It has a great fresh flavor and is super filling.  Love it!

-Natasha
       

The Incredible Edible Omelette

     I love to start off the day with a delicious, filling breakfast.  It just makes me feel pampered like a movie star or a Real Housewife.  For me every good breakfast starts by sauteing onions in olive oil.  Onions make everything taste better.  Especially eggs.  So I often make a mostly egg white omelette with fat free feta and random veggies from the fridge.
     Julia Child has an entire chapter in Mastering the Art of French Cooking dedicated to the egg.  While I would like to attempt the French Omelette sometime, I like my method for it's ease and flexibility.  After sauteing 1/4 cup onions until almost transparent on med-low heat, I add 2-3 beaten eggs (it's what Julia recommends also), but if I want to go lo-cal and low cholesterol I'll use 2 egg whites and 1 egg, beat eggs with a fork or a small roux whip works great.  You can also add some milk, just 2 Tbsp., and spices-I like paprika, onion salt, thyme, and pepper-but it really depends on the day and my mood, just add the milk and spices before beating the eggs.
     Once you add egg mixture to the onions in an 8" omelette pan, swirl it around to get maximum coverage.  You're still on med-low heat but keep checking the around edges of omelette for their release from the pan.  When the edges release just slowly finesse your spatula under the omelette until you get a full release from the bottom.  At this point your just waiting for the center to cook enough that you can successfully fold it in half.  Right before I fold it in half I add about 1/8 c of feta, but feel free to use more!
     Now that the omelette is folded in half just tip skillet toward open end and let excess egg run out a little to ensure it gets thoroughly cooked.  After a minute or two flip over (I use one of those huge pancake spatulas which also works well for grilled sammies too), top with feta, cover and let cook for another 1-2 minutes.  Voila, the perfect omelette!

     I like to add julienned red pepper to the onions at the beginning, it softens them while killing the bitterness.  Spinach can go in towards the end of the saute, right before adding egg.  Feel free to change up the cheese and spice combo accordingly.  

     The real secret is to use a good pan.  Teflon is bad news for many reasons but mainly because everyone but you is probably going to use metal utensils and ruin the coating.  Then you have issues with it flaking into your food (gross) and it starts to stick.  I use a Scanpan.  

This is a Danish product that is made from a ceramic and titanium composite.  It is non-toxic, durable and is totally amazing.  Just make sure you actually read the directions (yes I'm serious) to get optimal performance.  Oh and you can use metal in it so no more yelling at the people in your house who don't care about your dammit pan.

Bon Appetit!

-Natasha

Whirley Pops

      A few years ago a couple of my girlfriends introduced me to stovetop popcorn.  I was surprised at how delicious it is compared to an air popper.  Back in the 70's, before microwave popcorn, my family used an air popper and then melted butter over the top.  I was never that impressed.  Then came along microwaves and I fell for microwave popcorn.  For years it was my snack of choice, low fat versions of course, and I always had a box in the cupboard.
     After the diacetyl flavoring disaster, when it came out that inhaling the fumes could kill you, I cut myself off cold turkey.  I'll admit I'm a little neurotic and maybe that was an extreme reaction, but like I said it was my favorite snack food...for years!  So my girls on Jefferson Street taught me that by simply adding some canola oil and kernels to a covered pot you could shake your way to an even better, unadulterated popcorn flavor.
     Now, I'm a kitchen gadget girl and to be honest the whole shaking the pan with hot oil where the lid could come off at any time causing a third degree burn method kind of freaked me out.  So I was glad to discover The Whirley Pop while working at Sur La Table.  It makes gourmet popcorn quick and easy and no burns.

     This is a 6 qt model and makes tons of popcorn, however it never seems to be enough.  The trick is to read the directions and follow them.  If you do that it's no fail.  They recommend 1-3 Tbsp. of oil, I use 2 Tbsp. and 1/2 c organic popping corn-I think it's the perfect amount.  Then sprinkle with sea salt and pepper.

     You can add hot sauce, soy sauce, I even heard a girl say she puts maple syrup on hers(?).  My favorite is your basic salt and peppered popcorn.  No need for butter and amazing flavor, yay!

-Natasha

Be the MasterChef of Your Domain

     This past fall MasterChef came to America.  It was super fun for me to watch because being that I don't have cable I've never seen an episode.  I loved how crazy the competition was and how not crazy(for once) Chef Ramsey was.  It was nice to see him talking to people in a calm, courteous fashion as opposed to screaming obscenities and spitting all over the place, ewww.
     My favorite moment had to be at the end when Whitney, a 22 year old girl from the South, beat out this cocky dude who had the nerve to use Beef Wellington(Gordon Ramsey's signature dish) in the finale.  Whitney, on the other hand, chose a very homey dish-Chicken Fried Steak-and added her own variations on the prep while deciding to cream the collard greens to help elevate the dish.  Sounds amazing and looked it to!
     In my opinion every home cook operates more like Whitney and rarely like the dude who lost.  It's inevitable that we will be missing some ingredient that will force us to be creative in order to save the dish.  Sometimes it's not even an ingredient but the lack of culinary equipment that will trip us up.  Instead of wigging out when these things happen we should consider it a challenge!  Practically every dish I make on a regular basis has two or three different incarnations depending on what's in my cupboards.
     For example, a few years ago I had to make a large cake for a party.  My chocolate cake recipe can be a little labor intensive and requires the use of a stand mixer.  Being that I only had a hand mixer at the time, I didn't know how I was going to make it happen.  So I decided to use a devil's food cake mix(Duncan Hines) and do a little elevating by substituting butter for the oil and adding finely chopped snobby chocolate at the tail end.  It worked so well that I can't remember the last time I used my chocolate cake recipe.  Whenever there is a sale on Duncan Hines or Betty Crocker cake mixes I always buy one of the super chocolatey varieties because I know one day I'll need it.

     Here are a few tips if you ever need a delicious cake and don't have a lot of prep time.

• Soften your butter to room temp, I pull it out of the fridge the morning of.
• Line your cake pans with parchment or wax paper, but you'll still need to butter and flour the pans under and on top of the paper. 
• Use a sweetened or milk chocolate, you can also do a 70/30 blend of sweet and bittersweet if you want to tame the sugar content. Don't be frugal with chocolate, buy the most expensive one on the shelf.
• I usually add about 1/3-1/2 cup of chocolate per box.
• Finely chop the chocolate-you can also use a small cuisinart just pulse it so you get an even consistency without melting the chocolate.
• Add chocolate right after your final scrape down of the bowl.
• Follow the directions on the box, but watch baking time it might need 5-10 extra minutes. 
• Turn cakes out onto wire racks while still warm and pull liner off of the bottoms.
• Let cool and if your not frosting right away freeze them, it's so much easier to frost a frozen cake.
• I like to make a cream cheese frosting or ganache-please make your own frosting nothing ruins a cake faster than the gross, sugary canned stuff. 

     I guarantee no one you serve this to will know it came from a box...maybe even Chef Ramsey.

-Natasha

The Ultimate Granola Bar

     For many years now I have baked my own granola bars.   I decided that by making them myself not only would I have control over the "bad" ingredients like preservatives and sugar,  I could also add whatever yummy, healthy stuff I want.  So I tweaked a perfectly good recipe for dried fruit bars into a delicious granola bar formula that allows room for creativity.
     My granola bars call for 3 cups of add-ins which can be decided based on mood, availability or occasion.  The add-ins usually consist of dried fruits, nuts and occasionally a few chocolate chips.  One of my favorite creations is an "island" granola bar that has coconut, cashews, peanuts, dried papaya, dried pineapple, dried apricot and the usual spices are substituted with cardamom and ginger.  Seriously delicious.
     Also, my g-bars have half whole wheat and half all purpose unbleached flour.  I have tried several different flour formulations and found that this one has the best flavor and consistency.  If you really want to go all the way with whole wheat then you must add 2 T of butter or one egg, which is a not a concession I want to make in the fat and calorie content department because this recipe already has enough of the stuff.
     Yes, I know it's strange that I call for one and a half eggs.  It's not that hard to do just break an egg into a separate dish and use a spoon to break the yolk in half and toss it.  Then scoop out a little of the white and you're good.  This really is best, trust me I've tried it with one egg and it's way too dry, with two eggs it's too moist and doesn't bake consistently.
     Finally, please don't overbake these beauties because they might break tooth!  They will get way too hard to eat if baked too long, so even if they look like they need more time only bake for 30 minutes.

• 3/4 c unbleached all purpose flour
• 3/4 whole wheat flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp allspice
• 3 c mixed dried fruit & nuts
• 1/2 c or 1 stick unsalted butter softened to room temp
• 1 c packed brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste*
• 1 1/2 eggs
• 1 c & 1 tbsp old fashioned rolled oats-don't use the quick cook

     Mix flour, salt, baking powder, and spices. Toss 1 tbsp of flour mixture with fruit and nut combination and set both aside.  Cream butter and sugar with mixer on medium(use paddle attachment if you have one) until fluffy-4 minutes.  Add vanilla bean paste and egg, continue to beat until mixture is light-2 minutes.

     On lowest speed add dry ingredients, then oats, last fruits and nuts- scrape after each addition  and mix only until incorporated.  Press into a buttered 13x9 pyrex(you can use a metal pan but you might need to shorten bake time to 25 min) and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  Cut while still warm into 24-48 bars and individually wrap and freeze any you won't be using in 3 days.  I always freeze half of a pan before the family can gorge themselves and then pull them out as needed for lunches and after-school snacks.  They defrost in about an hour at room temp.

-Natasha

* I love this stuff!  Why bother splitting open a vanilla bean when someone has done it for you already?  You can see all the itty bitty beans in it so be forewarned if you use it in light frosting-I put it in my cream cheese frosting and I think it looks pretty. They stock it at SLT and it's around $11-13-well worth it and lasts a long time.

  
        

Vitamin C Fix

     More advice from the cold front.  I was lucky to have found one of those electric citrus juicers crammed in the back of my cupboard.  I always thought these machines were a poor substitute for a real juicing machine.  I was wrong.  These things are great because they work really well, are easy to clean and take up less space!  Of course they only work on citrus but that's really all I need to juice anyway.
     Fresh squeezed juice has a higher Vitamin C count than the store bought stuff so it really is best when you are dealing with sickies to go for it.  I mixed up orange, lemon and grapefruit juices for a yummy alternative to plain old oj.  The perfect combo is 1 orange, 1 ruby red grapefruit and half of a lemon.
     If you don't have a citrus juicer or just don't feel like going to the trouble you could make a quasi-hot toddy.  Just heat water to boiling, squeeze half of a lemon, and add two tablespoons of honey in a large mug.  If you'd like to you can add a cinnamon stick or two whole cloves.  Please resist the urge to add alcohol or caffeinated tea, they are dehydrating which is bad for colds.   Cheers!

-Natasha

Chicken Noodle/Rice Soup for the Sick People

     Ok, so the sickness in my household continues.  And what's better for your sick loved ones than some good old-fashioned chicken noodle soup?  This recipe is fairly easy and only takes a small amount of prep. I try to have some Organic Chicken Broth in the cupboard for these times.
     Start out by roasting a whole bulb of garlic in the oven at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes.  If you don't have a garlic roaster just place in a small ovenproof dish, cut the top off to expose the cloves, drizzle with olive oil, and cover with aluminum foil that has a couple of holes-just prick it with a fork.  Meanwhile, chop about half a red bell pepper and half of a large onion, then saute in 2 T butter or olive oil and sea salt until very soft-about 10 minutes-and set aside.
     Once the garlic is done and cooled enough to handle, pull all of the individual cloves out.  I used a mortar and pestle to smash the cloves into a paste and then added to 32 oz. of broth in a medium saucepan.  You could add the cloves to the broth in saucepan and then use an immersion blender also.  Or if you're in a big hurry forego the roasting and just add 3 cloves of minced fresh garlic or 3 tsp of minced garlic from a jar.
     Add the carrots to the broth and on medium-high heat bring to a boil.  Then add 1 cup uncooked egg noodles(I use the no yolks noodles and they work great) or 1 1/2 cups cooked rice and sauteed veggies and lower heat to medium heat.  Season with fresh black pepper, paprika, pinch of cayenne and onion salt.  Simmer for 10-12 minutes.  Serves 3-4.

-Natasha

Blogging on the Fly

     I had planned on writing a blog about my granola bars today, but I've got a sick man in the house so I can't dedicate the time they require.  Instead I'm writing about one of my easiest meal plans.  This one I've been doing for years and it's especially popular with the kids.
     I buy cans of chili beans-not chili just the beans-for those occasions when I'm really pressed for time.  In a large skillet saute about 1/3 c of onions in olive oil.  As soon as they become soft add two cans of the chili beans and spices like cayenne, paprika, chili powder, onion powder-whatever you think will help the dish along.  Once beans are hot spoon over a slice of mixed grain or whole wheat (the beans need a hearty slice) bread and top with shredded cheddar and a dollop of sour cream.  Serve with a salad and a side of steamed broccoli or sauteed carrots to complete the meal.
     I know it's not very gourmet, but it'll do the job better than hamburger helper.

-Natasha
     

You Say Tomato, I Say Heirloom Tomato

     This week I was lucky enough to find Heirloom tomatoes at the Sunflower Market.   I don't know about you, but the tomato I grew up with is nothing like the tomatoes we have access to at Farmer's Markets.  I had no idea that tomatoes are not necessarily mealy, bland, pointless pieces of mush.  After tasting my first heirloom, I was hooked!
     I was super happy when I found these beauties on sale at the Sunflower.  Too bad it was the last day of the sale and I had to scour through the few that were left to find a couple that weren't beat to hell.  That's what happens when you don't genetically engineer a tomato to withstand traveling a thousand miles and sitting in a grocery store for a week without becoming a disaster.  I was lucky to find two.
     Fresh tomato sandwiches just taste like summer to me.  I can, and do, eat them all summer long.  They are easy, delicious, refreshing and if prepared with a light mayo and whole wheat, low cal.   For lunch yesterday I prepared mine the usual way with the exception of using an onion bagel.  Then for dinner I made another, this time I used good old white bread from Great Harvest and I have to say I like it better on white bread.

     The key ingredients for the perfect tomato sammy are Heirloom tomatoes, mayo (both pieces of bread), sprinkle the tomato slices with salt, fresh cracked pepper, and reduced or aged balsamic, and some baby spinach.  I used a 12 year aged balsamic that I bought at SLT.  It is amazing but not cheap($30!)it will last forever though, just use it sparingly because it is potent!  If you think spending that much on vinegar is stupid then just reduce some balsamic by simmering on the stove until the volume is half of what you started with.  Warning: your house will smell like balsamic vinegar for a while, especially if you live in a teeny tiny one like me.

     For those of you who have never been lucky enough to sample an Heirloom get yourself to the Farmer's Market this summer and try one.  I promise it will change how you feel about tomatoes.

Happy Eating!

-Natasha

To the Grocer

     The first day of the month is Grocery Day.  I love going to the grocery store.  It's almost like going clothes shopping except it's affordable and it doesn't make me feel fat, usually.   We are lucky to have so many products to choose from, but sometimes it can be a little overwhelming.  If I'm not careful I could leave with a cart full of processed foods that will eventually make me feel fat.  So I come to the store armed with a list of essentials and I give myself a little leeway to take home some fun finds.  They also sell magazines, beauty products and kitchen gadgets too, so often I will forego the high calorie treats for something more functional.
     Last month I bought a bell pepper saver.  It is a plastic container in the shape of a bell pepper that holds the unused parts in the fridge.   I love it because I'm not throwing out endless sandwich baggies and, thanks to the obnoxious shape and size, it also helps me remember that I have pepper to use before it goes bad.  I also have one in the shape of an onion.  Don't laugh at me, but next time I'm getting one in the shape of a tomato.
     Grocery shopping can also make me feel guilty.  I look at all of those rows of prepackaged foods, the bright lights and refrigeration units and I think there is another store just like this down the block and that's just one neighborhood in one city in one state in one country...you get the picture.  Meanwhile there are children starving in India.  I know this because as a child my mother used to give money to those charities that send you pictures of the starving children.  She would take these pictures and put them up on a bulletin board, in the kitchen.  That pretty much solidified my lifetime habit of cleaning my plate.  Thanks Norma.
      Sorry, tangent, so while grocery shopping I keep myself in check by thinking about cooking as opposed to eating.  I picture the dishes I will make with each ingredient, this also stops me from buying things I will never use.  It ensures that I actually purchase food that the sum of which equals a meal.  Otherwise I will come home with a random assortment of things that will require creativity on a daily basis, this can make cooking three squares a day very unappealing.
      Also, I like to buy different food items that together create a theme.  For instance, if I'm feeling a box of Couscous then I make sure to pick up some Hummus (or garbanzos so I can make it), olives, feta cheese, pita bread and so on.  That way I've got a meal plan and things that can do double duty (lunch and dinner).   It doesn't have to be ethnic either, be creative.
     Finally, to recap when grocery shopping make sure to a) bring a list b) give yourself a treat c) think about cooking, not eating and d) create themes.  Hopefully this will help your grocer trips be more successful and less stressful.  Oh and if you come across an onion, bell pepper or tomato saver get it!

-Natasha
     

Manic Monday

     I've decided that Monday is the perfect day off from blogging.  I mean if Chinese restaurants and hair salons do it why shouldn't I?   For me Monday night dinner can often be a hard one to get excited about.  I try to have a few easy pieces in my repertoire for days just like this.
     One common go-to of mine is the pasta dish.  The right combo of veggies, sauce in a jar, grated cheese and I'm ready to go.  We are so lucky to have a huge selection of pasta sauces to choose from, they even make Vodka sauce(one of my fancy restaurant favorites) in a jar now.  Not to mention the plethora of whole grain pastas (I know what you're thinking but just stay with me here) on the market.  If you just feel like you're taste buds can't stomach the whole grains try an angel hair or thin spaghetti, because they are so slight you really don't get that whole grain flavor.
     If you're not loving the sauce just doctor it up, I like to add garlic salt, oregano, basil(fresh herbs are best but dried work too), red pepper flakes, onion powder, just let your intuition guide you.  My mom likes to put sugar in hers, hey she's not from this country so give her a break, she doesn't have the sugar hang-ups we do.  I only do this if I'm feeling particularly frugal and I buy canned pasta sauce which usually needs all the help it can get.
     Finally, take it to the next level with some sauteed veggies.  Start with olive oil and coarsely chopped onions in a big skillet then just go crazy with whatever veggies you need to purge from your refrigerator.   I like to add red/yellow/orange bell pepper, summer squash, mushrooms, corn, broccoli and cauliflower (steam first), potato (trust me it's good but boil first)...etc.  Add spices that compliment your sauce or if you're feeling lazy just use some seasoning salt or garlic salt.  Once your veggies are ready just add some of the sauce to the skillet, mix and then add contents along with the remaining sauce into a pot of cooked pasta.  Maybe grate some parmesan or romano (I sometimes get the "freshly" grated kind from the deli section at Smith's) over each portion.  Easy peasy.
     Serve with a salad (see my last post) and, if you have to do it, a delicious crusty bread.  Monday's not so bad.

-Natasha

Salad 101 or Don't Skimp on the Dressing

     Why is it that salads never taste as good at home as they do at fabulous restaurants, or actually even at Soup or Salad?  It's the dressing.  I used to think the only way to have a tasty salad dressing was to make it at home, which is a rare occurrence at my house.  Not true.  You know the dressings they keep refrigerated in the produce area?  Those are for the most part worth every penny.  I have recently discovered that having a delicious dressing ready to go in my fridge almost guarantees, as long as there is something green and leafy in there too, that salad will be served with dinner.   I never thought the day would come when I could go months without throwing out rotten greens, but it has.
     Also, you can throw just about anything into salad and I usually do.  Apples, oranges, nuts, pomegranate, beans(kidney, black, garbanzo, or even pinto just make sure to drain and rinse), cheese (romano, gorgonzola, and dubliner are my faves), raisins, craisins, cooked squash, corn, beets, red onion(I've used yellow too), grapes...etc.  The more the merrier.  I buy the big plastic containers full of organic (it's just a couple of bucks extra) spring mix and spinach, bags of nuts I keep in the freezer and just take what I need out and throw directly it into the salad, peas and corn I also keep frozen-just thaw under warm running water, I like to buy crumbled cheese on sale and the Dubliner they sell at Costco in a medium-sized block, and Costco also sells huge resealable bags of craisins.  During the winter months when squash is plentiful cut it up into 1" cubes and boil for 20-30 minutes then cool, keeps in the fridge for a couple of days.
     Last, but not least, the dressing!  I like the Organic series from Litehouse, my fave is the Balsamic.  At Smith's there is also a local brand called Wild Coyote that makes a tasty light ranch.  Sometimes I'm already working hard on the main and side dishes and I don't want to fuss with the salad.  Because the dressing is so good, I can just throw it on the greens and toss and everyone still loves it.  I always dress and toss the salad in a large bowl to ensure that there is enough/not too much dressing and everything gets coated because, admit it, that's what makes it taste good.
     The point is don't be cheap when it comes to salad and you will probably want to eat it, all the time.

Bon Appetit!
-Natasha

Cookbookish

     I have this thing for cookbooks.  I feel like it's wrong because I just don't use them enough to warrant buying one and bringing it home, but I do anyway.  It's a guilty pleasure for me, like trash magazines and reality tv, an escape from my reality.   For example, I bought this fantastic Spanish cookbook at work called La Cocina de Mama by Penelope Casas.  It features "more than 175 recipes from Spain's hottest chefs and finest cooks".  When I first brought it home, I sat down and read for at least an hour about things like braised chicken in brandy sauce and octopus with paprika in simmered onions.  While I read I pictured myself preparing these elaborate meals, laughing and talking with friends in a kitchen that looks like something out of Martha Stewart Living or one of Oprah's houses.  In this foodie fantasy I'm in the South of France and there are beautiful people running around next to a vineyard and there is a long table beautifully set with vintage tableware and flowers, classical music is playing in the background, and then the food is brought out, everyone is eating and laughing.  I receive accolades from all around the table, everyone loves my food...nirvana.  Then I finished reading the cookbook put it away and have cracked it open only once or twice to get some inspiration for a couple of dishes.  That's usually how it goes when I get a new cookbook.
     What I did learn from this particular cookbook is to use paprika more often.  I mean this thing is loaded with recipes using paprika!  However, it calls for the snobby paprika that you have to buy at specialty stores.  I just use the stuff you buy at Smith's.  I actually buy it in a plastic bag in the hispanic foods area and refill my spice jar at home.  The package costs around 70 cents and it has less packaging so it's "greener".  Take that Penelope Cruz, I mean Casas.
      In conclusion, I urge you to use paprika liberally and the next time you find a cookbook that you want and you think-no I will never make any of the recipes in it-buy it anyway.  Let it inspire you, that's what a good cookbook should do anyway.

-Natasha

Foodist Field Trip

     Yesterday I visited Sur La Table (pronounced seur la taableuh or something like that but we always said sir la tawb which still sounds stupid-just stop using hard to pronounce french names-this is america and the french hate us anyway-just kidding I love the french, seriously I do), my last place of employment before I left the workforce to stay home with my baby.  This past weekend I worked on inventory to help out and so I'm eligible for the employee discount for the entire week!  How could I pass up this chance to stock up on much needed items for my pantry?  It would really be a shame.  Also, it's perfect segue for some pantry talk.  I'm creating a section on my blog called The Pantry(what else?) that will feature a running list of essentials for the kitchen.  So here are a couple of must have's for the pantry from SLT:

     A must for any kitchen is sea salt.  I like it in flake form rather than the rock because it's easier to evenly distribute.  Contrary to popular belief sea salt does not have a lower sodium content so you still have to watch your intake!  

     This is one of my new favorite things.  It's Steven Raichlen's Slider Spice and it is insanely delicious.  Steven Raichlen is one of the best bbq/grilling chefs in the world.  He has a show on PBS and probably something on cable too, but I wouldn't know because I'm too cheap to subscribe.  This spice mix was created to use in "sliders" which is fancy talk for "mini-hamburgers".  Really you can put this stuff on any meat and it will probably be amazing.  I've used it on (regular) burgers, steak, and even rice.  Buy it, put it in your pantry and when you are too lazy to make a red wine sauce for your next steak dinner use it.   It will not disappoint!

PS-Williams-Sonoma is good too but my heart belongs to SLT!

-Natasha

     

Cooking on the Fly

     There is a blog I love called The Pioneer Woman.  She is truly a renaissance woman.  She does everything and then she blogs about it, which makes her more of a 21st century woman I guess.  She makes me feel bad about myself because I can't do everything and then take step-by-step pictures of it and then upload it to the internet and then write about it all.   I've decided that my blog is for those of us without the time, capital, emotional energy, and general desire to overachieve in the kitchen but still want to eat like we do.
     I'll probably drop some recipes here and there,  review food gadgets, give some light cooking tips and discuss cooking using my three basic tenants of a good meal: quick, inexpensive, and delicious.   By the way I rarely follow recipes anymore, it's too time consuming.  For example, last night I made up my own American style version of Fried Rice and it was hit.  Here's the how to: cook 1 cup Jasmine rice with vegetable bouillon until done, then in a large skillet saute 1/4 cup onions, 2 t sea salt, and 5 slices of honey cured bacon(I used a local brand) in 2 T of olive oil-you can start this halfway through the rice cooking time-until done but not too crispy!  Chop bacon coarsely and add rice to skillet stir until all of the flavors have mixed and mingled.  Delish!

-Natasha

Foodist? Really?

Foodist is not a real word.  I looked it up in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary online and it's not there.  Though some people, who are very serious people, who read a lot of books and listen to NPR and make over 75K a year and eat at fancy restaurants actually use this word as if it were one, but it's not.  This is one of the many reasons I am reluctant to call myself one.  Also, I LOVE to eat which can become a problem late in life when your body decides that it needs to hang on to every last morsel of fat just in case...why, oh why?   Last but not least, thanks to the recession and my new stint as a stay at home mom, I cook all the time...on a budget.  SO my love/hate relationship with food has finally reached a tipping point.  Well I've decided that sharing my insights and anecdotes about this food madness might be therapeutic, thus the blog.  I hope to entertain, as well as enlighten.  Stay tuned for more.  It's time to start dinner.

-Natasha-The Reluctant Foodist