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