I never blog anymore. I really think it's becuase I am in front of a computer 8-9 hours a day and the last thing I want to do when I get home is more computering.
But I want to blog. I really do. I miss writing, and so I am going to blog again. I am taking a class next month on food writing and I am reading a book on it...and actually reading other books, too, which honestly is super lame to admit that I am reading books...again...implying that I have gone on a book reading hiatus for quite some time.
The implication is totally right on. I did go on hiatus. For no apparently good reason, but I am going to find something to blame and as soon as I do I am going to blog about it.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Baked Chimichangas
I love Mexican food. Who doesn't love Mexican food? If you don't, stop reading my blog. We have nothing to say to each other.
If you are still reading, Ole! Have you ever had a chimichanga? A flour tortilla wrapped burrito, deep fried, usually served under some sort of sauce (green or red), cheese, sour cream, guacamole...depending on where you get it from. Its a calorie bomb from Dios (heaven). Sometimes I want it real, real bad. There's nowhere around here with a chimi on the menu worthy of such a splurge. So I made one up.
Baked Turkey Chimis
Serves 8
1 turkey breast on the bone
1 medium yellow onion, diced
4-6 cloves garlic, chopped
Bay leaf
2T ground cumin
1T chili powder (or more to taste)
1T smoked paprika (optional)
1T dried oregano, crushed
2 tsp salt
2 bunches fresh spinach (or 1 bag), washed, de-stemmed and chopped
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 cup salsa
2 cups light shredded cheese OR cotija cheese
8 medium whole wheat tortillas
your choice of sauce: red, green, or fundido. OR just go buy some.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place turkey breast on a roasting pan and cook until 185 degrees or about 35-40 minutes. Set aside to cool. When cool to the touch, shred it with your hands into a bowl. Go on, get messy. Reduce oven to 350 degrees.
In a large saute pan, film the bottom with olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and bay leaf and cook, stirring frequently about 5 minutes or until it softens. Add garlic and cook about one minute. Add chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano and salt. Stir to combine and cook for about 30 seconds. Add can of tomatoes with it's liquid. Bring to a simmer and add turkey, beans, then spinach. Cover the pan, reduce heat to medium low. Uncover when spinach is wilted and reduce the liquid.
Spray a 9x13 casserole dish well. Heat tortillas in microwave between 2 paper towels for 45 seconds. Set up the 8 tortillas on the counter with 1/4 cup** cheese in the center of each. Portion filling into each of the tortillas, about 1.5 cup each. Wrap each like a burrito and place, seam down, in the pan. Spray the top of the tortillas well.
Pop that in the oven, bake until tortillas are golden and crispy, about 15 minutes. Serve with 1/4 cup sauce (or more). Wicked tasty.
**If you only add 2T of cheese to each, these are 7 WW points each
If you are still reading, Ole! Have you ever had a chimichanga? A flour tortilla wrapped burrito, deep fried, usually served under some sort of sauce (green or red), cheese, sour cream, guacamole...depending on where you get it from. Its a calorie bomb from Dios (heaven). Sometimes I want it real, real bad. There's nowhere around here with a chimi on the menu worthy of such a splurge. So I made one up.
Baked Turkey Chimis
Serves 8
1 turkey breast on the bone
1 medium yellow onion, diced
4-6 cloves garlic, chopped
Bay leaf
2T ground cumin
1T chili powder (or more to taste)
1T smoked paprika (optional)
1T dried oregano, crushed
2 tsp salt
2 bunches fresh spinach (or 1 bag), washed, de-stemmed and chopped
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 cup salsa
2 cups light shredded cheese OR cotija cheese
8 medium whole wheat tortillas
your choice of sauce: red, green, or fundido. OR just go buy some.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place turkey breast on a roasting pan and cook until 185 degrees or about 35-40 minutes. Set aside to cool. When cool to the touch, shred it with your hands into a bowl. Go on, get messy. Reduce oven to 350 degrees.
In a large saute pan, film the bottom with olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and bay leaf and cook, stirring frequently about 5 minutes or until it softens. Add garlic and cook about one minute. Add chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano and salt. Stir to combine and cook for about 30 seconds. Add can of tomatoes with it's liquid. Bring to a simmer and add turkey, beans, then spinach. Cover the pan, reduce heat to medium low. Uncover when spinach is wilted and reduce the liquid.
Spray a 9x13 casserole dish well. Heat tortillas in microwave between 2 paper towels for 45 seconds. Set up the 8 tortillas on the counter with 1/4 cup** cheese in the center of each. Portion filling into each of the tortillas, about 1.5 cup each. Wrap each like a burrito and place, seam down, in the pan. Spray the top of the tortillas well.
Pop that in the oven, bake until tortillas are golden and crispy, about 15 minutes. Serve with 1/4 cup sauce (or more). Wicked tasty.
**If you only add 2T of cheese to each, these are 7 WW points each
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Iron fer yer strength
I was gifted a freezer-full of meat. Thanks to a friend's cross country move, my heme iron intake has skyrocketed. Why do I care? I mean, you know and I know and hopefully more and more of the general population knows that iron can be obtained from plant sources (aka non heme iron). But heme iron is especially important: it's easily absorbed. Ladies, we need iron! We need more iron than men do! We lose a bunch of it every month, and need to replace it. Females age 19-50: get 18mg a day! Males? Pssshhht. A measly 8mg.
Don't worry vegetarians and vegans out there. There's hope. Here's a table of non heme iron sources:
*DV based on 18mg a day. For the ladies.
Now, don't get too excited. Just because there are plenty o' options out there to build everyone's blood cells doesn't mean everything that goes into your mouth actually goes into your body. If you only consume non heme iron, you need to take an extra step to make sure its getting in there. Vitamin C actually helps that absorption tremendously. This doesn't mean you have to begin to suck lemons every day. If you are getting your 5-7 servings of fruit and vegs a day, chances are you are probably getting enough C to cover yourself. Keep in mind, though, that some soy proteins can actually inhibit non heme absorption. If you are having tofu for dinner, just make sure to add some C to your meal: squeeze orange over it, have it with cabbage or eggplant or eat fruit for dessert.
Don't worry vegetarians and vegans out there. There's hope. Here's a table of non heme iron sources:
| Food | Milligrams per serving | % DV* |
|---|---|---|
| Ready-to-eat cereal, 100% iron fortified, 1 cup | 18.0 | 100 |
| Oatmeal, instant, fortified, prepared with water, 1 cup | 10.0 | 60 |
| Soybeans, mature, boiled, 1 cup | 8.8 | 50 |
| Lentils, boiled, 1 cup | 6.6 | 35 |
| Beans, kidney, mature, boiled, 1 cup | 5.2 | 25 |
| Beans, lima, large, mature, boiled, 1 cup | 4.5 | 25 |
| Beans, navy, mature, boiled, 1 cup | 4.5 | 25 |
| Ready-to-eat cereal, 25% iron fortified, 1 cup | 4.5 | 25 |
| Beans, black, mature, boiled, 1 cup | 3.6 | 20 |
| Beans, pinto, mature, boiled, 1 cup | 3.6 | 20 |
| Molasses, blackstrap, 1 tablespoon | 3.5 | 20 |
| Tofu, raw, firm, 1 cup | 3.4 | 20 |
| Spinach, boiled, drained, 1 cup | 3.2 | 20 |
| Spinach, canned, drained solids 1 cup | 2.5 | 10 |
| Black-eyed peas (cowpeas), boiled, 1 cup | 1.8 | 10 |
| Spinach, frozen, chopped, boiled cup | 1.9 | 10 |
| Grits, white, enriched, quick, prepared with water, 1 cup | 1.5 | 8 |
| Raisins, seedless, packed, 1/4 cup | 1.5 | 8 |
| Whole wheat bread, 1 slice | 0.9 | 6 |
| White bread, enriched, 1 slice | 0.9 | 6 |
*DV based on 18mg a day. For the ladies.
Now, don't get too excited. Just because there are plenty o' options out there to build everyone's blood cells doesn't mean everything that goes into your mouth actually goes into your body. If you only consume non heme iron, you need to take an extra step to make sure its getting in there. Vitamin C actually helps that absorption tremendously. This doesn't mean you have to begin to suck lemons every day. If you are getting your 5-7 servings of fruit and vegs a day, chances are you are probably getting enough C to cover yourself. Keep in mind, though, that some soy proteins can actually inhibit non heme absorption. If you are having tofu for dinner, just make sure to add some C to your meal: squeeze orange over it, have it with cabbage or eggplant or eat fruit for dessert.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Pearl Couscous with Roasted Tomatoes
When watching what I eat and spend, I think its really important to make lists. A weekly dinner list and, from that, a grocery list. This helps me do two things. One, I know whats for dinner every night and, ensuring its a tasty or new item, it keeps me from making poor choices for my late afternoon snack. For example, I am less likely to grab something high in calories and fat (bag of chips, candy bar, fries...) and more likely to eat a piece of fruit and/or yogurt because I want to save room for the upcoming dinner.
Two, by making the list that includes only the items I need for the week I am reducing my spending and also food waste as I am not buying anything that will not be used. The list includes items for lunchmaking and snacks, of course. It works 95% of the time for me; there are definitely splurge buys here and there.
I was looking through the fridge last Saturday, scoping out what we already had on hand before I created our weekly dinner menu. Turns out, last week was that rare 5% of the time I over buy. We had an abundance of Splendido tomatoes in there, all with that early shriveley-skin sign of "Use me now or lose me".
Splendido tomatoes, like a large Grape tomato but not as large as a Roma
I immediately went online and looked up roasted tomatoes. I found Pearl Couscous with Roasted Tomatoes on Epicurious and couldn't be happier with the results. I changed the recipe a bit and here is what I added or swapped:
1. Added fresh thyme and rosemary sprigs to the roasting tomatoes; tossed them when the roasting was done
2. Caramelized a medium yellow onion in 2 tsp olive oil before adding the couscous and toasting it in the pan for about 5 minutes.
3. Reduced the amount of olive oil in the dressing to 3T instead of 1/4 cup.
As a main meal, it was satisfying. I think it would be fantastic with grilled garlic shrimp or sardines.
Two, by making the list that includes only the items I need for the week I am reducing my spending and also food waste as I am not buying anything that will not be used. The list includes items for lunchmaking and snacks, of course. It works 95% of the time for me; there are definitely splurge buys here and there.
I was looking through the fridge last Saturday, scoping out what we already had on hand before I created our weekly dinner menu. Turns out, last week was that rare 5% of the time I over buy. We had an abundance of Splendido tomatoes in there, all with that early shriveley-skin sign of "Use me now or lose me".
Splendido tomatoes, like a large Grape tomato but not as large as a Roma
I immediately went online and looked up roasted tomatoes. I found Pearl Couscous with Roasted Tomatoes on Epicurious and couldn't be happier with the results. I changed the recipe a bit and here is what I added or swapped:
1. Added fresh thyme and rosemary sprigs to the roasting tomatoes; tossed them when the roasting was done
2. Caramelized a medium yellow onion in 2 tsp olive oil before adding the couscous and toasting it in the pan for about 5 minutes.
3. Reduced the amount of olive oil in the dressing to 3T instead of 1/4 cup.
As a main meal, it was satisfying. I think it would be fantastic with grilled garlic shrimp or sardines.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Mushroom Mania
I love lasagna. Who doesn't? Sometimes, though, I get a little tired of the same ol' pasta, filling, sauce, repeat. Well, really, I don't. But what I do like is finding a recipe that can satisfy the lasagna urge for vegetarians, gluten free-ians and health conscious folks combined. Based on an Eating Well recipe, I've added a few ingredients to really boost the flavor and vegetable content.
*Stuffed Portabellos*
serves 6
6 large portabello mushroom caps
1 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 cup part skim ricotta cheese
1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp olive oil
1 cup finely chopped fresh spinach
1 cup finely chopped fresh broccoli
2 T finely chopped kalamata olives
1 tsp granulated onion (optional)
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 T dried oregano
1 T dried marjoram (or basil)
1 1/2 cup prepared marinara sauce
1 cup whole wheat pasta (or rice, or polenta if you need it gluten-free)
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Coat a foil lined baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. Gently remove stems and gills from the mushrooms by scraping them lightly with a spoon. Place the caps bottom side up on the pan. Sprinkle with 1/2 tsp salt and roast until tender, about 20-25 minutes.
3. In a large bowl, combine ricotta, spinach, broccoli, garlic, olive oil, remaining salt, pepper, onion, oregano, marjoram, 2T Parmesan and olives. Heat marinara sauce in the microwave and keep covered to keep warm.
4. Set a pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta according to instructions.
5. When the mushrooms are tender, remove them from the oven and carefully drain off any liquid that accumulated in the caps. Return them to the pan and add 1 T marinara sauce to each, making sure to spread it to the edges of the cap. Mound about 1/3 cup of the filling into each cap and sprinkle the tops with the remaining Parmesan cheese.
6. Bake until hot, about 10 minutes. Serve one cap over 1/2 cup pasta topped with a few tablespoons of marinara.
Nutrition Info:
287 calories; 7 g fat (4g saturated); 26g carbohydrates; 3 g fiber; 13 g protein; 7g sugar
WW points: 6
*Stuffed Portabellos*
serves 6
6 large portabello mushroom caps
1 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 cup part skim ricotta cheese
1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp olive oil
1 cup finely chopped fresh spinach
1 cup finely chopped fresh broccoli
2 T finely chopped kalamata olives
1 tsp granulated onion (optional)
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 T dried oregano
1 T dried marjoram (or basil)
1 1/2 cup prepared marinara sauce
1 cup whole wheat pasta (or rice, or polenta if you need it gluten-free)
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Coat a foil lined baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. Gently remove stems and gills from the mushrooms by scraping them lightly with a spoon. Place the caps bottom side up on the pan. Sprinkle with 1/2 tsp salt and roast until tender, about 20-25 minutes.
3. In a large bowl, combine ricotta, spinach, broccoli, garlic, olive oil, remaining salt, pepper, onion, oregano, marjoram, 2T Parmesan and olives. Heat marinara sauce in the microwave and keep covered to keep warm.
4. Set a pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta according to instructions.
5. When the mushrooms are tender, remove them from the oven and carefully drain off any liquid that accumulated in the caps. Return them to the pan and add 1 T marinara sauce to each, making sure to spread it to the edges of the cap. Mound about 1/3 cup of the filling into each cap and sprinkle the tops with the remaining Parmesan cheese.
6. Bake until hot, about 10 minutes. Serve one cap over 1/2 cup pasta topped with a few tablespoons of marinara.
Nutrition Info:
287 calories; 7 g fat (4g saturated); 26g carbohydrates; 3 g fiber; 13 g protein; 7g sugar
WW points: 6
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