Quin-what?

Quinoa: Most commonly considered a grain, quinoa is actually a relative of leafy green vegetables like spinach and Swiss chard. It is a recently rediscovered ancient "grain" once considered "the gold of the Incas." Having never tried cooking it before I was a little wary, I am horrid at cooking rice, and I figured this would be a lot like cooking that. But it wasn't that difficult.  Once cooked it has and interesting texture, not crunchy, but not soft, it sort of pops when you chew. All together a pleasant sensation.  So the question once cooked became "what do i do with it?" well it turns out it can be what ever you want it to be.

I decided to do what I do best with new foods....experiment.

experiment #1:

Quinoa Quiche (sort of)

1 cup cooked Quinoa
1/2 cup Blue cheese
1/8 lb prosciutto 
1 cup asparagus
5 eggs
1/2 cup scallions
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder

Cook the Quinoa according to the package. Dice the asparagus, scallion and prosciutto. Mix everything in a bowl and pour into a sprayed pie tin. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Slice like a pie and serve.

Addendum: having made this it was very tasty, but I think i would replace the blue cheese with Parmesan or a milder flavored cheese. It took over somewhat.

Orange Peel

You will notice that there are very few sweets on this blog, thats because i am not a baker. I am not really a sweet eater.  But i wouldn't be human if i didn't have a favorite treat. That one thing that I dont get very often. For me it was a treat you could only find once a year in the small specialty candy shop. Candied Orange Peals. Most people think this is the strangest thing they have ever heard of. For me it is the perfect treat. Not to sweet, just enough bite. Even dipped in a bit of chocolate its perfect (i am not a chocolate fan). However its a labor of love to make.  So when I decided to make my own...I made a ton. ;P it keeps well in air tight containers.

Ingredients

• 9 oranges
• Water, to cover peels
• 3 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 cup sugar, optional
• 26 ounces bittersweet chocolate, optional

Directions

Using a sharp knife, cut each orange into quarters. Remove the fruit from the peel, leaving the white membrane or pith attached to the peel. Save the fruit for another use. Slice each quarter peel on a diagonal into strips about 1/2-inch wide. If you cut them evenly, they will look nicer when displayed.

Place the sliced orange peels in a  4-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan and add enough water to cover the peels by about 1-inch. Place over high heat and bring to a rolling boil. Remove from the heat and strain. Return only the peels to the saucepan, cover again with fresh water, and repeat the boiling and draining process three more times. It is really important to change the water because it retains the bitterness of the peel.

After the fourth boil, drain the water as before and return the peels to the saucepan. Add the sugar and enough water to cover the peels by 1-inch. Place over low heat and let simmer for 2 hours. During this time, the sugar will sweeten and preserve the natural flavor of the peels. After 2 hours, they will be soft and translucent and the syrup will be thick. Let the peels cool in the syrup and keep them stored in the syrup, refrigerated, in an airtight container until you are ready to serve. They will keep this way for up to three weeks.


When ready to use, allow the peels to drain on a wire rack for a few hours to remove the excess syrup. Put the rack over a baking sheet so the syrup does not drip all over the work surface. For a longer lasting treat transfer the peals to a food dehydrator for 5 hours to remove excess moisture.


Once fully drained, you have three options for serving: First, you can serve them as they are. Second, you can place the peels in a medium-sized bowl filled with granulated sugar. Roll the peels around in the sugar until they are well coated. Third, you can dip the sugared peels into the bittersweet chocolate.

A bit corny

I made this last fall after an ill fated trip to the farmers market. I just got around to opening the first jar.  OMG was it good! I put some over my burgers and ended up eating it right out of the jar.  

Ingredients

• 3- 32 ounce fresh whole kernel Corn off the cob
• 4 Cups chopped Bell Peppers (green and red)
• 2 Cups chopped onions 
• 2 cups diced yellow squash
• 5 Cups Cider Vinegar
• 2 Cups Sugar
• 1/4 Cup Salt
• 1 Tablespoon Turmeric
• 1 Tablespoon Celery Seed
• 1/2 Tablespoon Ground Dry Mustard

Instructions

1. Combine all vegetables in a large pot. Add vinegar, sugar, salt, turmeric, celery seed, and mustard. Heat to a boil, stirring often. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes, or until vegetables are tender, stirring every now and then to ensure even cooking.
2. Seal in hot, sterilized canning jars. Process for 10 minutes in boiling water for pint size, and five for half pints. Yields 12 Pint.

Seasoning Sauce

Once upon a time there was an indecisive girl who could not figure out what she wanted to eat. She pawed through her cupboard, her refrigerator and cabinets but still she could find nothing palatable. In the freezer was an unmarked meat. After much searching, she debated ordering out, but her wallet was as empty as her pantry. So she cooked the undetermined meat source and searched for the one thing that can save her. The perfect condiment. Normally this would be sweet baby ray's bbq sauce or Korean Bulgogi bbq sauce but alas our poor heroine was out of both. So she turned to the magical internet. Waved her fingers over the magical board and found several recipes for:

Yangnyeomjang: Korean Seasoning Sauce
(pronounced yong-nom-jong)
Makes  about 1 cup
6 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 1/2 teaspoon rice vinegar
2 tbs  gochujang
4 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds, crushed or whole
1 tbs sugar
2 clove garlic, crushed
1 scallion, chopped
1 tsp onion powder
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Taste and adjust.

our heroine found that this would make shoe leather taste good. Dip meat, vegetables, tofu...shoes in this magical mixture and viola. Instant yummy.

garlic parm "fries"

The quest for the healthy side dish is a never ending one. The old stand by of greasy fried goodness is a craving that never truly goes away, no matter how healthy minded you try to be. I have tried going cold turkey on french fries. Tried baking them, its not the same. But this recipe...mmmmmm. It works. Its got the crisp, the potato'y goodness, the flavor and none of the grease. 

Parmesan Garlic "Fries"

3 medium potatoes (pealed and sliced into fries)
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 tbs parsley
1 tbs garlic powder
10 sprays "i cant believe its not butter spray"
Salt to taste

Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees.  Peal and slice the potatoes. Place in a bowl and spray with the butter spray. Toss the potatoes with the remaining ingredients.  Spread in an even layer on a baking pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 12 minutes, then flip them over and bake another 8-10 minutes. Serve with ketchup and a healthy appetite.

Buns of Steam...

After the last few weeks of being sick (and missing the weigh in day at work) I figured stepping on the scale would be painful, after all, I had eaten take out a few times, eaten whatever was easy and not really looked at points because I was just too sick to really care. So i was braced for a disaster. Luckily..Nope. I didn’t gain a thing....didn't lose a thing either, but I think holding steady through all of that is a win. However being sick and eating things I normally wouldn’t has left me with some odd cravings. Cravings for things I don’t eat often. Like cheese fries (fried foods and I don’t get along) and Steamed pork buns. I figured if I was going to give in to one of the cravings it should be the buns. Those I had a chance of making healthier.

I don’t generally eat a lot of bread, it stems from a brief and ill fated run in with the Atkins diet years back, I also don’t generally eat a lot of pork or beef (I’m a fish, fowl or soy girl), but steamed pork buns are my down fall. All that soft and pillow filled sweet spicy goodness, mmmmmmm. Truthfully I like steam buns no matter what they are filled with, be it bean paste or pork. It’s like eating a cloud with a lovely surprise in the middle. However, they are incredibly high points when made in the traditional Chinese bbq sauce. It’s all the brown sugar and flour and fatty pork. So the challenge yesterday, was to make those buns point friendly and hopefully see an improvement in my buns in the long run.

I started out with the crock pot, god’s gift to the working woman, and put in a 2 lb of pork tenderloin that I had trimmed completely and added a 1 cups each of onion, carrots, and mushrooms. Instead of brown sugar, I made a bbq sauce with ginger, agave nectar, rice wine vinegar, garlic and some oyster sauce. I had never used the agave sweetener before. It wasn’t bad. I think next time I make this I might do a whole vegetarian version. While I was eating it I realized the craving was for the sauce and the bun. The sauce makes it that delectable treat and when you were eating it you really don't discern a difference between the vegetables and the meat. Cutting out the brown sugar helped a lot with the points, and increasing the vegetable while decreasing the meat also made a huge difference.

I cheated horribly on the bread dough but not in a way that would cut the points of it. I used store bought bread dough that I defrosted, let rise, then cut into smaller pieces, rolled out and stuffed. All in all when I was finished I got each bun down to 6 points apiece. Not bad. Two buns and a salad is a really filling meal. But I really can’t wait to try it with just vegetables as a stuffing next time. Cut out the pork completely.

Steamed Pork Buns

2 lb of pork tenderloin,  trimmed completely 
1 cups each of onion, carrots, and mushrooms.
3 loaves frozen bread dough. 


BBQ sauce
1 tbs ginger, 
3 tbs agave nectar, 
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
1 tbs garlic 
4 tbs oyster sauce.

St the bread dough out to thaw and rise according to the package.  In the crock pot add all the other ingredients and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Cut each bread loaf into 8-10 pieces.  Roll each small piece into a flat 1/8" thick circle. Spoon about 3 tbs of filling onto each and pinch closed.

place in steamer and steam for about 10. Serve.
 

Eggstreamly Yummy

I am not an egg fan. I do not like eggs any way except hard boiled. Not in an omelet, not over easy, not poached, not fried. But I love them pickled. I have made all sorts of pickled eggs. The traditional beet eggs,  Japanese Tea eggs,  Spicy Jalapeno pickled eggs. And today...curried pickled eggs.

Curried pickled eggs

• 1 cup cider vinegar
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/4 onion, sliced
• 3/4 cup white granulated sugar
• 1/2 tbs Thief in a Jar massala (you can get this at Auntie Arwen's Spices http://www.auntiearwenspices.com/)***
• 1/2 Tbsp yellow curry powder
• 6 hard cooked eggs, peeled                            

This is a great recipe for a different spin on  the classic pickled egg.  Peel the eggs and place them in the bottom of a clean glass jar, quart sized. In a saucepan, add the vinegar, water , the onion , sugar, and spices. Bring to a boil and cook, uncovered, until the sugar has dissolved and the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool a few minutes.Pour the vinegar onion mixture over the eggs in the jar, covering the eggs completely. Let cool and place in refrigerator.  Ready to eat after 24 hours, but best after 2 days.

This is a shameless plug for my favorite spice shop. http://www.auntiearwenspices.com/ Great prices, wonderful spice blends and great variety.

Where did the time go!

 

 I have no time. These words come out of my mouth more often than I would care to admit. I cannot imagine how people with kids get through a day without pulling their hair out. What’s worse is when I have no time or have had one of those days where I get home and don’t want to cook because of extreme fatigue brought about by life. I found these are the times I reach for those quick, easy meals. You know the ones. The boxed, canned, fat laden, fast food like things we all keep around the house for just such an occasion. Once in a while is fine. But in my life when it rains it pours and I find myself grabbing for those "quick" meals for days in a row. I have noticed a direct correlation between those days and the arrow on my scale going in the wrong direction. But what to do about it?

The solution-Freezer meals:
I have had on my shelf for years a vacuum sealer. You know those gadgets you buy because you have so many plans for them but in reality they end up on a shelf collecting dust? Well mine has turned into a savior for my rear end. After my major food shopping trip I spend an hour with my trusty kitchen scale and my vacuum sealer, I portion out enough meat for a meal, add all the spices necessary, a marinade or two. Whatever I need to just dump and go. Then I vacuum seal it. Same with the veggies. (I do the veggies separately because they tend to cook faster than the meats. So I label the veg, label the meat (complete with a quick how to on cooking/temperature ect.) and throw it in the freezer. I have quick and easy meals ready to go. Pre-marinated, pre-spiced. Just throw in the oven/skillet and cook up. Most cook just as fast as if I were to grab those nasty pre-made chicken “nuggets” and throw them on a try. No fillers, scratch made home cooking for the girl on the go. 

Here is a sample (keep in mind I am only cooking for 2-3 servings and tend to not eat a ton of meat):
8 oz Raw chicken breast (skin and bone removed) cut into small cubes.
1 tbs minced garlic
2 tsp minced ginger
2 tsp chili pepper sauce (I use sriracha)
2 tbs soy sauce
2 tbs brown sugar
Seal separately:
1 C frozen broccoli
1 C frozen carrot (sliced ones)
Put all of this in a vacuum seal bag, seal and freeze. The directions on the bags read: put in skillet and cook over high heat until chicken is cooked through. Steam or add the vegetables right into the skillet the whole meal takes about 10 minutes. Serve with microwave minute rice or as a lettuce wrap.

In reality you can add anything to these “sealed meals”. Whatever works for you.  

The other option are precooked foods that are easily frozen.   

I also tend to make up large batches of "burgers" and dumplings. These are great grab and go meals. Pre-cooked and ready to eat. Just heat and go. Great for lunches, dinners or snacks. 

 Today was a Burger day.  I made three kinds, it took less than 30 minutes to mix them all and an other hour to bake them all. And i have grab and go meals for a while.  I made veggie bean burgers, Asian pork and tofu burgers and steamed tofu/chicken patties (this recipe is so good that it has its own post on my blog).

VEGETARIAN BEAN BURGERS

Ingredients

	1 cup(s) cooked chickpeas
	1 cup(s) canned black beans
	1/2 cup(s) pickled green tomatoes
	3/4 cup(s) seasoned bread crumbs
	1 large egg(s)
	1 Tbsp minced garlic
	1 Tbsp mustard
	1 Tbsp soy sauce
	1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
	1 oz parmesan cheese
	1 cup(s) (chopped) uncooked onion(s)
	1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
	1/4 cup(s) pine nuts  Instructions reserve half of the can of black beans, bread crumbs and pine nuts. Put everything else in the blender. and pulse to combine. combine blender mix and remaining ingredients. Form into patties and bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, then flip over and bake another 10 minutes. makes 15 burgers.  ASIAN PORK AND TOFU BURGERS Ingredients 1/2 pound(s)  lean ground pork    7 oz extra firm tofu    3 clove(s) (medium) garlic clove(s)    1 Tbsp soy sauce    1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce      1 item(s) egg white(s)      1 small uncooked onion(s), minced    1 tsp ginger root    1 Tbsp chili sauce     Instructions  Combine all ingredients in a bowl and form into patties. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes, then flip over and bake another 10 minutes.  Cool and freeze flat.  TIP: A jar lid makes a perfect burger form!!