Sunday, March 20, 2011

Getting Your Ruffage

Coming up with sides for dinner can be a pain.  Being used to having pasta, mashed potatoes, or rice as faithful companions for my meat not having those options can make dinner a challenge. Seriously, there's only so many nights you can open a can of peas or green beans for dinner.

The Broccoli Salad is an oldie but a goodie.  Delicious, nutritious, and VERY VERY EASY.


Randi's Broccoli Tree Salad

Ingredients 
Broccoli
Onion
Carrots
Dried Cranberries
Honey Roasted Sunflower Seeds
Extra Sharp Chedder
Mayo
Vinegar
Cumin
Garlic Powder
Instructions
This is one of those "make to taste" recipes....meaning there are no set amounts and requires the cook to be in touch with their inner taste buds. 
Dice that broccoli into little tiny pieces.  This is a good way to take out pent up frustration....Whack that veggie! 
Throw the broccoli in your mixing bowl 
Dice that Carrot into little tiny pieces.  More frustration venting...WHACK WHACK WHACK! 
Throw the carrot in your mixing bowl.
Dice that onion. More frustration venting but don't cut your fingers off ;).
Throw the onion in your mixing bowl.
Add a handful of cranberries.
Add a handful of Sunflower Seeds.
Shred some cheese.

If you have diced and chopped correctly, your bowl of salad goodness should look like the photo below:




Don't be discouraged if your bowl looks a little less than orderly...it's all going to get mixed up anyway once you add a couple dollops of mayo, a tablespoon of vinegar, and a couple shakes of garlic powder and cumin.  That being done and a few stirs and your salad will look like this:




At this time I usually throw the whole deal into the fridge while I finish making dinner.  This gives the flavors of the salad time to meld into each other.

And there you go.  A perfect side and means of veggie goodness.



Thursday, March 17, 2011

Is There Life After Pasta?

In seeking to find myself in the world without grains and processed food I've made some new friends in fruit and nut salads, tofu, and combinations of other things that I've found can be transformed into some delightful and filling meals.  However, there are those old familiar dishes that one simply can't quite let go...those comforting pasta dishes; lasagna, spaghetti, Fettuccine and my spotlight meal for this evening....MAC AND CHEEEEESSSEEE!

Mac'n cheese was the first pasta dish I immediately began craving after giving up grains.  That thick cheesy goodness one believes can only be achieved with nice thick egg noodles.  Needless to say I was much grieved to have given up such a yummy dish and even made plans for a "cheating"day so I could indulge in that guilty pleasure known as pasta.  And then I met spaghetti squash....and my life was changed FOREVAH!....

....Well, not really change but drastically improved.  Now squash and I haven't always had the greatest relationship...I distinctly remember puking it up after being forced to eat it when I was four.  I didn't like eating it , it didn't like being puked....you can see the issue.  But it seems that not all squashes are created equal and perhaps I was just waiting for the right squash to come along.  (and the maturity to appreciate my veggies)


Squasherroni and CHEESE

Ingredients:

1                    Spaghetti Squash
1/4 cup          Butter
1/3 cup          Garbanzo flour
LOTS           CHEESE
3/4 cup          Half and half or 2% Milk
1/2                 egg beaten
1/2 tbls                Mustard
                     Onion Powder
                     Cumin
                    Chives
                     Salt
                   Pepper

Making it all FOOD:

First we need to turn the squash into "squasherroni".  First preheat your oven to 375 degrees.  While that is happening grease a pan....doesn't matter what kind of pan, the squash is not going to care and neither should you.  Cut the squash in half length wise and remove the the guts...this is gross, but save them because we'll want them later.  Place the squash cut side down in the pan, slide it into the oven and set the timer for 30 minutes otherwise you might forget it's in there.  Now go kill some time for 15 or 20 minutes...

(18:34 minutes later....)

Ok, now your in the last stretch of the squash cooking.  At this point in time when you take it out and run a fork along the edge it should start shredding but still be firm.   CAUTION!!!  There will be LOTS of steam when opening the oven...don't burn your face off!

Start preparing the sauce:

  1. Place the butter in a small pan with the heat set to low.  You want the butter to melt but not bubble or evaporate.  Begin to SLOWLY add the Garbanzo Flour stirring constantly as you do.  Do this until all of the flower is added....it will still seem runny.  Don't worry, it will thicken as you add the half and half.
  2. Begin adding the half and half slowly and stirring constantly.  Don't worry if it's a little lumpy or runny at first.  As it warms it will thicken and smooth out.
  3. Now start adding the CHEESE!  Any CHEESE!  As much CHEESE as you want!
  4. Now while it's still not too hot...add in the half egg...stir CONSTANTLY or you will have scrambled egg in your cheese sauce!
  5. Add Mustard.
  6. Add spices....to you're taste....you have to taste while you cook!
  7. Pull the squash out of the oven and let it cool for a minute.
  8. Begin running a fork through to loosen up the strands of squash and transfer them to a glass casserole or baking dish.
  9. Layer the sauce (and I usually grate more CHEESE)  Mix, top with a layer of cheese and put the whole kit'n kaboodle BACK into the oven at 375 Degrees
  10. Go kill some more time, but DON'T forget to check on it!
  11. It is done when that layer of cheese on top is melted, bubbly, and a little crispy about an inch or so in from the edge of the dish (very technical here...;)
  12. Pull it out and EAT IT!...well, not right away....it's very hot.

Tricks and Tips

Squash
First of all, in the spaghetti squash world, bigger doesn't mean better.  What it means is riper which translates to a harder shell and if you can even hack your way into it's insides you will be disappointed because they will only come out mooshy when cooked and what's the point of that...you can get any damn squash to do that.
Look for smaller squashes in a light yellow vs large and deep yellow.
 CHEESE
The cheese is up to you and your flavors and tastes.  Personally, I have found that in making mac and cheese it is better to use stronger flavored cheeses as you can taste them better...remember, you are diluting the flavor of the cheese considerably with half n half, butter, flour, and the squash itself.  That being said; I prefer to combine a mild and extra sharp cheddar with a hint of a smoked cheese such as provolone, cheddar, or mozzarella.  I am careful to balance the amount of dry cheeses, like the extra sharp, with creamy cheeses like the provolone or perhaps a yummy Munster.  I am also careful not to eat all of the cheese before it makes it to the sauce.
The Egg
The egg is an additional sauce thickener.  I have found that more egg makes it a little bit like a pudding after cooking and less egg more creamy texture.

Spices
Spices are another personal choice.  I prefer to go light on the spices myself with just enough mustard to enhance the flavor, salt, LITTLE bit of pepper, paprika and a little onion powder.  However, some good additions would be fresh basil, garlic, cilantro, leeks (well cooked, VERY WELL COOKED) chives, chili pepper, and dill.


NOW GET IN THAT KITCHEN AND MAKE SOME FOOD!!

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Wait..why you still here??? What's the matta with ya?  Go avay!......

......Ooooohhhhh......the seeds! Yes, the SEEDS!  Almost the BEST part of the whole squash.  And if you were worried about getting constipated with all that cheese, never fear with the seeds here! (ok, that was cheesy....((no pun intended))

Clean those puppies of squash gut slime.  Put them in a cup of water with salt and any other seasonings you might want and let them sit for awhile.  Then throw them in the oven at 350.  Keep a close eye on them, you may need to turn the oven off and just let them sit.  It usually takes about 10 minutes till they are nice and dry and crispy and ready to be your late night snack :)

Happy now?  I told you about the seeds.  Now go cook something.

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

It's a Simple Complicated Procedure...

It seems like it should be simple...you get hungry, you eat something.  However, in a world where there are numerous options for the palate, the process of deciding on something both savory and satisfying can make choosing a meal challenging.  The process is further complicated by the difference in opinion of what foods are actually healthy and what will send you spiraling on your merry way towards obesity, health complications, and possible early death. Once you've made the decision as to what shape your culinary lifestyle is going to look like then comes the work in figuring out how you're going to make that lifestyle work for you especially if it means the removal of one or more of the major food groups such as meat, dairy, grains, or spam.

Having given up most grains, processed foods, and a combination of other items in my attempt to follow what is called the Primal or Paleo diet, I feel the pain of those around me seeking other options to many of their favorite foods such as Mac and Cheese, Sandwiches, and Spammy-spam or simply trying to find something worth cooking and eating for days on end.  I share my findings with you. 

Bon Appetite