hearts of palm, that is... I was checking around my pantry for something to make and since I had not been home in several weeks, I didn't have much fresh, except what was in my garden. I came up with this quick, easy and delicious dish:
Chickpea and Hearts of Palm Salad
1 can whole chickpeas
1 can sliced hearts of palm
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. fresh chives
salt and white pepper to taste
1. Rinse and strain chickpeas and hearts of palm and put in a medium bowl.
2. Whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, chives, salt and pepper until the oil has emulsified.
3. Pour the dressing over the chick peas and hearts of palm and chill for about an hour.
I like to use the white pepper so that I don't have little black specs all over my salad. The other thing is that if I had some fresh tomatoes, I would have put them in there too, but I used them all in the salad I made yesterday. Other options - artichoke hearts and olives - it would be fun to be creative with this one.
enjoy :)
Friday, September 19, 2008
Thursday, September 18, 2008
lentils... superfood?
I was feeling a longing for lentils lately and had some things on hand, so I whipped up this great lentil salad yesterday. I'd take a photo of it, but it didn't last that long ;)
Lentils are basically a superfood from everything I have read. Lots of protein, no fat, great for veg-heads. There are a lot of these recipes out there, so I'll humbly offer mine.
Lentil Salad
1/2 c. green whole lentils (I find the split ones get mushy)
enough water to cover the lentils by 1/2 inch
two garlic cloves, cut in half
bay leaf
1 tsp. curry powder
4 to 6 cherry tomatos
2 tbsp. lemon juice
salt to taste
few dashes of hot sauce
1. Bring water to boil (you can boil the lentils right in the water, but I have read that they are easier to digest if you put them in boiling water). Add lentils, garlic, bay leaf, curry powder.
2. After water begins to boil again, lower heat to simmering and simmer uncovered until all the water has been absorbed. If the lentils are still a little hard, add more water and simmer some more.
3. Remove from heat, salt and add lemon juice, and hot sauce to taste. Let the lentils come to room temperature and add the cherry tomatos.
4. You can either eat immediately, or chill for up to 2 to 3 days.
I usually eat this as my dinner, but it can also be a great side dish.
enjoy
~me
Lentils are basically a superfood from everything I have read. Lots of protein, no fat, great for veg-heads. There are a lot of these recipes out there, so I'll humbly offer mine.
Lentil Salad
1/2 c. green whole lentils (I find the split ones get mushy)
enough water to cover the lentils by 1/2 inch
two garlic cloves, cut in half
bay leaf
1 tsp. curry powder
4 to 6 cherry tomatos
2 tbsp. lemon juice
salt to taste
few dashes of hot sauce
1. Bring water to boil (you can boil the lentils right in the water, but I have read that they are easier to digest if you put them in boiling water). Add lentils, garlic, bay leaf, curry powder.
2. After water begins to boil again, lower heat to simmering and simmer uncovered until all the water has been absorbed. If the lentils are still a little hard, add more water and simmer some more.
3. Remove from heat, salt and add lemon juice, and hot sauce to taste. Let the lentils come to room temperature and add the cherry tomatos.
4. You can either eat immediately, or chill for up to 2 to 3 days.
I usually eat this as my dinner, but it can also be a great side dish.
enjoy
~me
Monday, August 11, 2008
a long hiatus and chipotle salsa
and a much needed return... I can't promise blogging with the same vigor as my original entry into the blogging world, but I can try.
I whipped up some salsa for a bbq over the weekend. I didn't think much of it, except that I wanted to do something fun and I didn't want to show up empty handed. It was a big hit, so I'll post it here.
Chipotle Salsa
1/2 of 7 oz can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (about 3 peppers + some sauce)
1 can of low (or no) sodium diced tomatoes, drained
1/3 vidalia onion
1 jalepeno pepper
- in a food processor, puree the chipotles and the can of tomatoes
- roughly chop the onion and the jalepeno and put in food processor and pulse 3 to 4 times
- chill for 2 hrs and up to 2 days
Of course, salsa is always more fun if you have sometime to dip in it. I had some flour tortillas and thought it would be a good accutrement to the salsa.
Baked Chili Tortilla
Flour tortillas, cut into wedges
olive oil
chili powder
coarse sea salt (optional)
Set oven to broil. Arrange the wedges on a cookie sheet and brush each with a bit of olive oil. Sprinkle with chili powder and sea salt and broil for about 2 minutes or until crisp and golden(keep a watch on them so they don't burn!). Once the first side is browned, flip the wedges over and repeat on the second side. Cool completely and serve with the salsa.
enjoy!
*k*
I whipped up some salsa for a bbq over the weekend. I didn't think much of it, except that I wanted to do something fun and I didn't want to show up empty handed. It was a big hit, so I'll post it here.
Chipotle Salsa
1/2 of 7 oz can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (about 3 peppers + some sauce)
1 can of low (or no) sodium diced tomatoes, drained
1/3 vidalia onion
1 jalepeno pepper
- in a food processor, puree the chipotles and the can of tomatoes
- roughly chop the onion and the jalepeno and put in food processor and pulse 3 to 4 times
- chill for 2 hrs and up to 2 days
Of course, salsa is always more fun if you have sometime to dip in it. I had some flour tortillas and thought it would be a good accutrement to the salsa.
Baked Chili Tortilla
Flour tortillas, cut into wedges
olive oil
chili powder
coarse sea salt (optional)
Set oven to broil. Arrange the wedges on a cookie sheet and brush each with a bit of olive oil. Sprinkle with chili powder and sea salt and broil for about 2 minutes or until crisp and golden(keep a watch on them so they don't burn!). Once the first side is browned, flip the wedges over and repeat on the second side. Cool completely and serve with the salsa.
enjoy!
*k*
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
a bushel of apples
I went apple picking this weekend. Autumn is finally here, the leaves are changing and the temperatures are cooling and picking apples just seemed like it was the appropriate thing to do. Ok, who am I kidding... I've never gone apple picking, I never thought I would like apple picking, and most days I'd rather be doing something that seems a little more active than that. In the end, I really did have a great time. I can not even begin to explain how different and wonderful these apples taste right off the tree, as compared to in the supermarket. The entire ride home, I couldn't stop daydreaming about what I was going to make with these apples. An apple bread I remember from my childhood, an apple pie maybe, apple tartlets, caramel apples, mmmm.... and with each recipe idea, I thought about all those calories planting themselves right on my ass. And so, I decided some savory recipes might be a better idea. Here's what I came up with:
*k*
Cabbage Apple Slaw Recipe
1-16 oz package of tri-color ready slaw cabbage mix (or chop up a head of cabbage)
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 tart apple (I used a Winesap apple with the skin on, you can take the skin off if it doesn't appeal to you), chopped
1 english cucumber, chopped
3 tbsp. dijon nayonaise (it's a soy based low fat mayo alternative)
2 tbsp. spicy mustard of your choice
juice from 1 large lemon
salt and pepper to taste
Mix it all up, chill for about an hour, enjoy.
*k*
Sunday, October 7, 2007
My first bad restaurant review
I really hate to do this, but it's warranted. I went to Tiffany's in Pine Brook today for football. If all you care about are the TVs, then this place is fine. There are tons of flat screen TVs, with all of the games and they are easy to see.
If you want service, this place is not for you. We sat down at a table in the bar area and went up to the bar for some drinks. I ordered a club soda with lemon. The club soda was flat. I let them know it was flat and asked if they could try again from a different drink machine. They oblidged, and it was slightly better. We sat there for about an hour and a half getting up each time for drinks - really no problem there at all, I mean the bar was only about 4 feet away. But then a waitress came over (who knew we had a waitress!). We decided to order some food, and I knew immediately she wasn't going to get it right. How, you may ask? Because she didn't write anything down. I don't care how good of a waiter or waitress you are or think you are, write it down for crying out loud. I'm sure that even if you don't make many mistakes, you make more than if you had written it down. I ordered a salad with grilled shrimp and with the dressing on the side. This happens to me all the time, of course it came with the dressing on it. Also, the shrimp were not grilled, they were sauteed. I know, it's kind of picky but when you're at least trying to be healthy, it's annoying to have your efforts thwarted. I should have said something but it was about another 10 minutes before she came back, so I just ate some of it.
The grand finale... since the club soda was obviously flat, I decided to try and get a water with lemon. I mean, how could that get messed up. She comes back, no lemon.
I give up. Don't go to Tiffany's unless you only want to watch the game.
*k*
If you want service, this place is not for you. We sat down at a table in the bar area and went up to the bar for some drinks. I ordered a club soda with lemon. The club soda was flat. I let them know it was flat and asked if they could try again from a different drink machine. They oblidged, and it was slightly better. We sat there for about an hour and a half getting up each time for drinks - really no problem there at all, I mean the bar was only about 4 feet away. But then a waitress came over (who knew we had a waitress!). We decided to order some food, and I knew immediately she wasn't going to get it right. How, you may ask? Because she didn't write anything down. I don't care how good of a waiter or waitress you are or think you are, write it down for crying out loud. I'm sure that even if you don't make many mistakes, you make more than if you had written it down. I ordered a salad with grilled shrimp and with the dressing on the side. This happens to me all the time, of course it came with the dressing on it. Also, the shrimp were not grilled, they were sauteed. I know, it's kind of picky but when you're at least trying to be healthy, it's annoying to have your efforts thwarted. I should have said something but it was about another 10 minutes before she came back, so I just ate some of it.
The grand finale... since the club soda was obviously flat, I decided to try and get a water with lemon. I mean, how could that get messed up. She comes back, no lemon.
I give up. Don't go to Tiffany's unless you only want to watch the game.
*k*
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Gridiron Grub Week 5: The Sandwich, Deconstructed
It's still too hot out to keep the oven on for hours and cook up something warm and autumn-like. So, you'll have to bear with me on this one. A few finishing touches turns a boring sandwich into something you would actually call dinner. Here, I break down the sandwich into five parts and show you how to spice up each one with fresh healthy options:
1. The Bread. Throw away that Wonder Bread already. Not only is it ridiculously processed, and full of "partially hydrogenated soybean oil," it doesn't taste nearly as good as fresh bread. Next time you're in the grocery store or neighborhood bakery, take a look at the artisan bread section and pick one that looks appetizing to you. Artisan bread is handcrafted by skilled bakers using water, flour, salt and yeast. Can't beat that - pure and simple. Personally, I like a good ciabatta with the crispy goodness on the outside and a chewy inside with large pores. If you can't find a good artisan bread, pick a nice hearty bread that suits you. A pita or flat bread also works very nicely. Trust me, it will be loads better than that plain old white (or green....) sandwich bread in your pantry. In fact, if you get really creative, it doesn't even need to be bread at all - it could be a big leaf of romaine lettuce.
2. The Condiments. Don't get me wrong, I love mustard but there are many more options out there. For an Italian flare, try pesto or a sun dried tomato paste. For Mediterranean, how about spreading a bit of hummus, olive tapenade, or baba ganouj on the bread. Asian? You can try a wasabi mixture.
3. The Greens. Sure, I could go to a deli and get some nice shredded iceberg lettuce on my sandwich. But that would be right next to the plain old white bread and we're talking about doing sandwiches right! There are many salad greens out there that can add a little zip to your sandwich. I like adding arugula. It has a peppery, slightly bitter taste and adds some zest. It works best paired with a something that will mellow it out such as some avocado slices or a balsamic reduction. Other choices are mesclun greens, field greens, watercress. Try a few and see which ones you like best.
4. The Filling. Grilled portabellas might be my favorite. But then there are other grilled veggies like squash, big chunks of vidalia onions, or a few slices of thinly sliced grilled eggplant. If you're a meat eater, try to stay away from the processed deli meats and steer more toward things like thinly sliced grilled chicken breast or steak. The filling is [at times] literally the meat of this whole project so don't forget to add some seasoning. You can sprinkle with an Italian spice mix and cook in some garlic and basil, or add a Mediterranean flare by adding a little tarragon. You could also take a trip to the east and cook in some soy and tamarind for an Asian taste, or a dash of curry powder or cumin seed to bring out those Indian flavors. Pick your poison.
5. The Extras. This is where it really gets fun. You can put some fire roasted red peppers (you can easily find these in a jar), maybe some pickled jalapenos or cool cucumbers. Instead of fresh tomatoes, try some sun dried tomatoes. If you're going with an Asian taste, maybe some bamboo shoots and bean sprouts. Instead of mayo, some sliced avocados will give a creamy taste to the sandwich without all the "bad" fats.
Let's put this all together now. You're having some folks over and want to have some sandwiches ready. Everyone has their own favorites and things they won't touch. Here are some ideas for a make-your-own sandwich assembly line that you can set up and your friends can make their own:
Breads - pick a variety of breads and have them pre-sliced. There's nothing worse than trying to find the knife, cut the bread and fill up your sandwich when there are 10 hungry guys standing behind you.
Condiments - Put out two or three out in separate bowls, each with it's own spreading knife. These should be lined up right after the bread because it's too hard to spread this on after the sandwich is full.
Greens - I suggest that you pick one or at the most two. Put them in a large bowl next to the bread with some long tongs.
Fillings - About two hours before your guests arrive, grill up some portabellas using a balsamic, garlic and Italian herb seasoning. Cook up your meats using some flavorful spices. Put the goods out, keeping the veggies separate from the meats.
Fixings - Gather a few bowls and line them up like you see in Subway. All the fixings, right there for your guests to pick and choose as they please.
When the time comes, you'll be totally prepared and your guests will be totally impressed.
*healthy foodie*
1. The Bread. Throw away that Wonder Bread already. Not only is it ridiculously processed, and full of "partially hydrogenated soybean oil," it doesn't taste nearly as good as fresh bread. Next time you're in the grocery store or neighborhood bakery, take a look at the artisan bread section and pick one that looks appetizing to you. Artisan bread is handcrafted by skilled bakers using water, flour, salt and yeast. Can't beat that - pure and simple. Personally, I like a good ciabatta with the crispy goodness on the outside and a chewy inside with large pores. If you can't find a good artisan bread, pick a nice hearty bread that suits you. A pita or flat bread also works very nicely. Trust me, it will be loads better than that plain old white (or green....) sandwich bread in your pantry. In fact, if you get really creative, it doesn't even need to be bread at all - it could be a big leaf of romaine lettuce.
2. The Condiments. Don't get me wrong, I love mustard but there are many more options out there. For an Italian flare, try pesto or a sun dried tomato paste. For Mediterranean, how about spreading a bit of hummus, olive tapenade, or baba ganouj on the bread. Asian? You can try a wasabi mixture.
3. The Greens. Sure, I could go to a deli and get some nice shredded iceberg lettuce on my sandwich. But that would be right next to the plain old white bread and we're talking about doing sandwiches right! There are many salad greens out there that can add a little zip to your sandwich. I like adding arugula. It has a peppery, slightly bitter taste and adds some zest. It works best paired with a something that will mellow it out such as some avocado slices or a balsamic reduction. Other choices are mesclun greens, field greens, watercress. Try a few and see which ones you like best.
4. The Filling. Grilled portabellas might be my favorite. But then there are other grilled veggies like squash, big chunks of vidalia onions, or a few slices of thinly sliced grilled eggplant. If you're a meat eater, try to stay away from the processed deli meats and steer more toward things like thinly sliced grilled chicken breast or steak. The filling is [at times] literally the meat of this whole project so don't forget to add some seasoning. You can sprinkle with an Italian spice mix and cook in some garlic and basil, or add a Mediterranean flare by adding a little tarragon. You could also take a trip to the east and cook in some soy and tamarind for an Asian taste, or a dash of curry powder or cumin seed to bring out those Indian flavors. Pick your poison.
5. The Extras. This is where it really gets fun. You can put some fire roasted red peppers (you can easily find these in a jar), maybe some pickled jalapenos or cool cucumbers. Instead of fresh tomatoes, try some sun dried tomatoes. If you're going with an Asian taste, maybe some bamboo shoots and bean sprouts. Instead of mayo, some sliced avocados will give a creamy taste to the sandwich without all the "bad" fats.
Let's put this all together now. You're having some folks over and want to have some sandwiches ready. Everyone has their own favorites and things they won't touch. Here are some ideas for a make-your-own sandwich assembly line that you can set up and your friends can make their own:
Breads - pick a variety of breads and have them pre-sliced. There's nothing worse than trying to find the knife, cut the bread and fill up your sandwich when there are 10 hungry guys standing behind you.
Condiments - Put out two or three out in separate bowls, each with it's own spreading knife. These should be lined up right after the bread because it's too hard to spread this on after the sandwich is full.
Greens - I suggest that you pick one or at the most two. Put them in a large bowl next to the bread with some long tongs.
Fillings - About two hours before your guests arrive, grill up some portabellas using a balsamic, garlic and Italian herb seasoning. Cook up your meats using some flavorful spices. Put the goods out, keeping the veggies separate from the meats.
Fixings - Gather a few bowls and line them up like you see in Subway. All the fixings, right there for your guests to pick and choose as they please.
When the time comes, you'll be totally prepared and your guests will be totally impressed.
*healthy foodie*
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Bush finally facing in the right direction
I don't generally post too much about politics, mostly because I'm sure there are gobs of people out there who know way more than I do on the subject. But, in reading this article it seems like Bush has finally acknowledged that global warming exists and that the US will take steps to reduce emissions. Great news, and kudos from our UN counterparts.
The thing is, we should have been doing our part long ago - all of us. I'm not saying that we should all be granola crunching, vegan eating, non-leather wearing people. We have to live after all. But, we can be a little more cognisant of doing things that aren't wasteful.
Bottom line is I'm not sure where Bush is really going with this plan - is he for real or is it a stunt to bolster the republican party? Whatever the reason, at least we're moving in the right direction.
*k*
The thing is, we should have been doing our part long ago - all of us. I'm not saying that we should all be granola crunching, vegan eating, non-leather wearing people. We have to live after all. But, we can be a little more cognisant of doing things that aren't wasteful.
Bottom line is I'm not sure where Bush is really going with this plan - is he for real or is it a stunt to bolster the republican party? Whatever the reason, at least we're moving in the right direction.
*k*
Montclair Ethiopian Restaurant
We have been wanting to try this restaurant for quite some time. It's called Mesob, which is a vibrantly colored woven basket upon which food is served. I've never had Ethiopian cuisine before, in fact, when I'm running down the list of food to try, Ethiopian food isn't on there. I chalk that up to the fact that it's not widely publicized and that there aren't that many restaurants of this type around. It's too bad actually, because the food was absolutely delightful.
We looked at the clock and it was about 7:15 pm, on a Saturday night. I immediately thought that we would not be able to get a seat. So we called over there and they said there was a 30 minute wait. I was disappointed but we went anyway. Three minutes later, when we got there, bottle of wine in hand, we were seated immediately. I'm not sure why we were told there would be a 30 minute wait... anyway, all was good. We were greeted with a strong, almost overwhelming, aroma of clove. It did not subside while we were there, but I think I ended up getting used to it.
They have a sampler platter for two on the menu, which seemed perfect because of course there were two of us and we had absolutely no idea what to order. They had a vegetarian sampler platter and a meat sampler platter. Given that I'm a [mostly] vegetarian and Rob isn't, we weren't sure how that was going to work out. They were very accommodating though, we were able to get the meat sampler and substitute some veggie dishes for the meat dishes so we could share most of the meal. Rob's meat dishes were a chicken, beef and lamb. The chicken dish was a little bit spicy and the other two were somewhat mild. On the veggie side, there was a portabella dish and lentil dish, both of which were very spicy; and a collard green dish and a chickpea dish, both of which were somewhat mild. All the veggie dishes were prepared vegan style, a healthful bonus.
As we waited for our order to come out, we talked about what we thought it was going to be like, while we looked around at the other tables, with seemingly experienced Ethiopian food eaters. A few minutes later, they bring out a giant plate with a spongy, pancake looking thing on it and a few other spongy pancake looking things on a plate - then they leave again. So Rob and I are looking at each other and the pancake and wondering what the heck we're supposed to do. Do we eat it now? Are we supposed to be waiting for something else? Was this an appetizer? We each took a small bit of the pancake and noted that it had a little bit of a sour taste and that it was somewhat chewy.
The waitress came back a few minutes later with our main dishes and proceeded to place each of the stew-like food on the big pancake. When she was done, I shyly let her know that we were novices and would like some help understanding the best way to eat the food. She let us know that the pancake was called "injera" and that it was both a utensil and a bread. We were to break a small bit of the injera and use it to scoop up the stew. When we ran out of the pieces of injera that she brought over, we were to eat the injera that was on the plate. Ok, that sounds easy enough, but we got forks just in case. Of course, we ate it all. I want to see if I can figure out how to make the lentil dish or the portabella dish. They were both so good, very spicy and flavorful.
We decided to split a halewa for dessert. This reminded me of Indian burfi. It was a sesame paste molded in the shape of a small slice of cake with pistachios on it. It was also very good, but very rich and sweet. A good dessert to split.
I'm very happy that we stepped outside of our comfort zone and tried this restaurant. I know we will be going back there.
*k*
We looked at the clock and it was about 7:15 pm, on a Saturday night. I immediately thought that we would not be able to get a seat. So we called over there and they said there was a 30 minute wait. I was disappointed but we went anyway. Three minutes later, when we got there, bottle of wine in hand, we were seated immediately. I'm not sure why we were told there would be a 30 minute wait... anyway, all was good. We were greeted with a strong, almost overwhelming, aroma of clove. It did not subside while we were there, but I think I ended up getting used to it.
They have a sampler platter for two on the menu, which seemed perfect because of course there were two of us and we had absolutely no idea what to order. They had a vegetarian sampler platter and a meat sampler platter. Given that I'm a [mostly] vegetarian and Rob isn't, we weren't sure how that was going to work out. They were very accommodating though, we were able to get the meat sampler and substitute some veggie dishes for the meat dishes so we could share most of the meal. Rob's meat dishes were a chicken, beef and lamb. The chicken dish was a little bit spicy and the other two were somewhat mild. On the veggie side, there was a portabella dish and lentil dish, both of which were very spicy; and a collard green dish and a chickpea dish, both of which were somewhat mild. All the veggie dishes were prepared vegan style, a healthful bonus.
As we waited for our order to come out, we talked about what we thought it was going to be like, while we looked around at the other tables, with seemingly experienced Ethiopian food eaters. A few minutes later, they bring out a giant plate with a spongy, pancake looking thing on it and a few other spongy pancake looking things on a plate - then they leave again. So Rob and I are looking at each other and the pancake and wondering what the heck we're supposed to do. Do we eat it now? Are we supposed to be waiting for something else? Was this an appetizer? We each took a small bit of the pancake and noted that it had a little bit of a sour taste and that it was somewhat chewy.
The waitress came back a few minutes later with our main dishes and proceeded to place each of the stew-like food on the big pancake. When she was done, I shyly let her know that we were novices and would like some help understanding the best way to eat the food. She let us know that the pancake was called "injera" and that it was both a utensil and a bread. We were to break a small bit of the injera and use it to scoop up the stew. When we ran out of the pieces of injera that she brought over, we were to eat the injera that was on the plate. Ok, that sounds easy enough, but we got forks just in case. Of course, we ate it all. I want to see if I can figure out how to make the lentil dish or the portabella dish. They were both so good, very spicy and flavorful.
We decided to split a halewa for dessert. This reminded me of Indian burfi. It was a sesame paste molded in the shape of a small slice of cake with pistachios on it. It was also very good, but very rich and sweet. A good dessert to split.
I'm very happy that we stepped outside of our comfort zone and tried this restaurant. I know we will be going back there.
*k*
Milestones
I'm happy to announce that I have reached a few milestones in the past few days. Milestones that I never even imagined when I started on this blogging journey. I can thank my loyal readers, and occasional, but never enough commenters ;) for helping to keep this blog alive and vibrant. Here are the recent milestones:
- over 100 posts
- over 1,000 visitors
- 40 recipes
Thank you and I hope you continue to enjoy the Healthy Foodie!
*k*
- over 100 posts
- over 1,000 visitors
- 40 recipes
Thank you and I hope you continue to enjoy the Healthy Foodie!
*k*
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Pancakes and Eggs with a little flair
Sometimes we get in a rut and end up staying with the basics. With a little modification, you can turn a basic breakfast into something unique, and some may even call a little gourmet.Pancakes and Eggs Recipe (with a little flair) - makes 1 serving
Enough of your favorite pancake mix + liquid to make one serving
1 tbsp. wheat germ
2 tbsp. rolled oats (also called old fashioned oats)
4 fresh figs
1 tsp. white sugar
cooking spray
1 tbsp. raspberry preserves (or jam / preserves of your choice)
2 eggs
1 tsp. herbs de provence
1 heaping tsp. white flour
pinch of salt
1 tbsp. milk (or soy milk)
1. Turn on your broiler to high. Put a griddle or a large saute pan on the stove and turn the heat to medium. Let it stand, dry, over the heat to pre-heat the pan.
2. Mix up the pancake mix as usual. Add the wheat germ and rolled oats and add a little more liquid, as needed to make a thick batter. Let stand for about 5 minutes.
3. Cut off the stem of each fig, and then cut an X in the top of each one. Do not cut all the way through. Place the figs, X side up, on a cookie sheet or other baking dish. Spray lightly with cooking spray and sprinkle a little bit of sugar atop each one. Put in the broiler and keep a watch on it. As the figs cook, they will open up like a flower. Make sure the sugar doesn't burn. It should be about 7 minutes.
4. Now start making your pancakes. Your pan should be hot and the batter should be a little bit thicker. Pour pancake batter onto your hot surface (pan or griddle), and once bubbles appear on the top, flip the pancakes. I like mine to be a little darker than traditional. If you like that too, then don't flip the pancakes until a minute or so after the bubbles appear. Continue cooking until you have used all of your pancake batter. If you are making a large batch and want to keep the pancakes warm, put them in some aluminum foil and put them on the bottom rack of your oven.
5. Next, in a small bowl, mix 2 eggs, herbs, milk, flour and salt and whisk until smooth. Using a medium non-stick saute pan (I use the same pan I did the pancakes in), take the pan off the heat, holding the pan in one hand and using the other hand gently pour about half of the mixture into the pan. It is extremely important to use a non-stick pan. Swirl the pan around to form a thin coat around the entire bottom of the pan and set back on the heat. Let the egg mixture cook for a minute until it is easily removed from the bottom of the pan and then flip it. Let it cook on the other side. Then remove from the pan and roll up. Do the same with the other half of the mixture.
6. By this time, I hope you took the figs out of the oven, otherwise they will be charred. Arrange the pancakes on a plate, put the rolled up eggs/crepes next to them, top the pancakes with the figs and raspberry preserves.
Serve hot and enjoy.
A few things to note about this recipe -
- I was lucky enough to find a high-protein, low calorie pancake mix in the Whole Foods. If you can locate something like that, you'll be better off in terms of a healthy choice. I added the wheat germ and rolled oats to add some more fiber to this dish. You could also sub oat bran, or other higher fiber grains and put a little bit in the pancake mix.
- Limit the white sugar, and rasperry preserves. Just use a bit to carmelize the top of the figs.
- If you use a non-stick pan, there's no need for any butter or oil. Another way to keep this healthier.
- Use fresh ingredients, substitute egg beaters if you like, you can also use soy milk in place of milk, etc. Feel free to substitute similar ingredients in order to suit your needs. Have fun with it!
*healthy foodie*
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Gridiron Grub Week 4: The Chewy
There are a few readers out there who I know are lucky enough to be part of Rob's weekly cookie exploitation, I'm one of them. While I often engage in the cookie festivities, in the past couple of weeks, I have been remiss in my baking duties and have been relegated to licking the the spatula (my favorite part!). I have been trying to avoid taking a dive face first into the cookie jar, so I haven't been championing the cookie baking lately. The cookie baking went from one day a year to a weekly ritual during football season.
This past weekend, Rob was at it again. The fortunate few indulged grandly on Sunday night, leaving nothing but scraps. So for those of you waiting for the Monday afternoon cookies, well it will have to be next week. In the meantime, here's a chance to see behind the scenes.
One of my favorites, the Chewy:
Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
2 sticks unsalted butter
2 1/4 c. bread flour (all purpose works fine, you'll have a chewier crumb if you use bread flour)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 c. sugar
1 1/4 c. brown sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons milk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 c. white chocolate chips
1/2 c. milk chocolate chips
1/2 c. semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 c. chopped walnuts
Heat oven to 375 degrees F.
Melt the butter in a heavy-bottom medium saucepan over low heat. (the microwave works too)
Sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda and set aside.
Pour the melted butter in the mixer's work bowl and add the sugar and brown sugar. Cream the butter and sugars on medium speed.
Add the egg, yolk, 2 tablespoons milk and vanilla extract and mix until well combined.
Slowly incorporate the flour mixture until thoroughly combined.
Stir in the chocolate chips. Chill the dough, then scoop onto parchment-lined baking sheets, 6 cookies per sheet.
Bake for 14 minutes or until golden brown, checking the cookies after 5 minutes.
Eat immediately. :)
*k*
This past weekend, Rob was at it again. The fortunate few indulged grandly on Sunday night, leaving nothing but scraps. So for those of you waiting for the Monday afternoon cookies, well it will have to be next week. In the meantime, here's a chance to see behind the scenes.
One of my favorites, the Chewy:
Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
2 sticks unsalted butter
2 1/4 c. bread flour (all purpose works fine, you'll have a chewier crumb if you use bread flour)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 c. sugar
1 1/4 c. brown sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons milk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 c. white chocolate chips
1/2 c. milk chocolate chips
1/2 c. semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 c. chopped walnuts
Heat oven to 375 degrees F.
Melt the butter in a heavy-bottom medium saucepan over low heat. (the microwave works too)
Sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda and set aside.
Pour the melted butter in the mixer's work bowl and add the sugar and brown sugar. Cream the butter and sugars on medium speed.
Add the egg, yolk, 2 tablespoons milk and vanilla extract and mix until well combined.
Slowly incorporate the flour mixture until thoroughly combined.
Stir in the chocolate chips. Chill the dough, then scoop onto parchment-lined baking sheets, 6 cookies per sheet.
Bake for 14 minutes or until golden brown, checking the cookies after 5 minutes.
Eat immediately. :)
*k*
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
AAA
And I don't mean triple A car service... This is kind of our forgotten place in Hoboken, Three A's Restaurant and Bar. We don't go there that often. I seem to remember that the last time I was there, I was not all that enamored with the selection on the menu. But when I wanted to get a big salad, we didn't know where to go, so we went here. You may ask, how do you go out to dinner and just get a big salad. Read on... I didn't get the big salad ;) Either they changed the menu since I was there, years ago now, or maybe they added a few things. Either way, there were lots of options.
Three A's changed hands a few times several years ago (ok, about a decade now... boy do I feel old) but has been Three A's for quite a while now. They have a bar area that is fairly wide open and caters to the martini crowd on weekends. The restaurant area is a cozy, romantic area with dim lighting, set in the back of the restaurant. I began with a Pinot Noir and paired it with a house salad and a dinner special - grilled tilapia with scallops and shrimp. I was waffling between that and the scallop rigatoni. My dish was fantastic!! And somehow, even after I ordered it, I wondered if I should have gotten the scallop rigatoni. The scallops were cooked to perfection in my dish but it only came with one and left me wanting more. I joked that I would have traded one of the filets for another scallop ;) Rob ordered a special too, the lobster ravioli, which was also very good. It was served in a clear sauce that had notes of citrus.
While the dessert menu looked decadent, we decided against it - trying to stay fit.
Another winner! Check it out.
Three A's changed hands a few times several years ago (ok, about a decade now... boy do I feel old) but has been Three A's for quite a while now. They have a bar area that is fairly wide open and caters to the martini crowd on weekends. The restaurant area is a cozy, romantic area with dim lighting, set in the back of the restaurant. I began with a Pinot Noir and paired it with a house salad and a dinner special - grilled tilapia with scallops and shrimp. I was waffling between that and the scallop rigatoni. My dish was fantastic!! And somehow, even after I ordered it, I wondered if I should have gotten the scallop rigatoni. The scallops were cooked to perfection in my dish but it only came with one and left me wanting more. I joked that I would have traded one of the filets for another scallop ;) Rob ordered a special too, the lobster ravioli, which was also very good. It was served in a clear sauce that had notes of citrus.
While the dessert menu looked decadent, we decided against it - trying to stay fit.
Another winner! Check it out.
Friday, September 21, 2007
flavorful rice
This post ties in a few of the previous posts quite nicely - I used my pressure cooker, got rid of some of my rice, and continued my adventures with Indian cuisine. I can't get enough of it actually. I made vegetable biryani using a recipe reprinted from Recipe Delights. If you have been reading for any amount of time, you'll know that I had to make some tweaks to this recipe. Here's what I did:
Vegetable Biryani Recipe (makes about 10-12 servings)
2 c. Basmati rice or other medium grain white rice
3 small red potatoes
2 c. mixed vegetable (I used a frozen vegetable mix w/broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, squash)
1/2 c. french beans
1 c. green peas
1 medium vidalia onion, diced
2 serrano chili, diced
Salt to taste
1 tsp. Red chilli powder
2 tsp. Cinnamon
2 tsp. Caraway seeds
1/2 tsp. clove
1/2 tsp. Black pepper powder
1/2 c. plain fat free yogurt
2 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp black mustard seeds
3 tbsp. Dried fruit and nut mix (I mixed cashew pieces, raisins and dates)
Dice and cook the potatoes in a pressure cooker. Set aside.
Wash rice well before cooking. Then take rice with 3-3/4 cup water and a little salt added to it and 2 tbsp of dry fruits. Cook it in pressure cooker (wait for one whistle and then switch off the gas). You can also cook it in a pan or do microwave cooking just the same way as you cook ordinary rice.
Cut all the vegetables, except potatoes, into bite sized pieces and saute in a little bit of olive oil. When done, set aside.
Then fry mustard seeds, green chilli, cinnamon and caraway seeds powder, cloves, black pepper powder for about half minute and then add onions. Fry till the color of onion changes to pink.
Add salt and red chilli powder and stir it properly.
Next add yogurt and stir well.Heat it for about 10 seconds.
Add all the vegetables, including potatoes.
Lastly add the cooked rice and mix well with very light hands so that the rice grain doesn't break. Cook for about 3 minutes.
May be covered and kept in fridge for about 5 days.
I did a few things to refine the recipe to my tastes. First, I just about doubled the amount of vegetables in the recipe. I did this so that I would fill up more on the vegetables than on the rice. I also used plain fat free yogurt instead of full fat yogurt. No need to add extra calories. Last, I used less oil. Especially when you're sauting frozen vegetables, there is usually enough liquid in them so that you don't need to add much, if any, oil. You definitely need to add oil to cook the mustard seeds and chili and onions or else they will stick to the pan and get messy.
This is a great dish with a lot of nutrients and balanced food groups - cinnamon, chili pepper, black pepper, cloves, and mustard seeds show up on the healthiest foods list, as do many of the veggies like squash, carrots, cauliflower, green beans, onions, potatoes, broccoli, raisins, and even the yogurt.
Keep your portion sizes measured and enjoy this fulfilling and satisfying autumn dish.
*healthy foodie*
Vegetable Biryani Recipe (makes about 10-12 servings)
2 c. Basmati rice or other medium grain white rice
3 small red potatoes
2 c. mixed vegetable (I used a frozen vegetable mix w/broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, squash)
1/2 c. french beans
1 c. green peas
1 medium vidalia onion, diced
2 serrano chili, diced
Salt to taste
1 tsp. Red chilli powder
2 tsp. Cinnamon
2 tsp. Caraway seeds
1/2 tsp. clove
1/2 tsp. Black pepper powder
1/2 c. plain fat free yogurt
2 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp black mustard seeds
3 tbsp. Dried fruit and nut mix (I mixed cashew pieces, raisins and dates)
Dice and cook the potatoes in a pressure cooker. Set aside.
Wash rice well before cooking. Then take rice with 3-3/4 cup water and a little salt added to it and 2 tbsp of dry fruits. Cook it in pressure cooker (wait for one whistle and then switch off the gas). You can also cook it in a pan or do microwave cooking just the same way as you cook ordinary rice.
Cut all the vegetables, except potatoes, into bite sized pieces and saute in a little bit of olive oil. When done, set aside.
Then fry mustard seeds, green chilli, cinnamon and caraway seeds powder, cloves, black pepper powder for about half minute and then add onions. Fry till the color of onion changes to pink.
Add salt and red chilli powder and stir it properly.
Next add yogurt and stir well.Heat it for about 10 seconds.
Add all the vegetables, including potatoes.
Lastly add the cooked rice and mix well with very light hands so that the rice grain doesn't break. Cook for about 3 minutes.
May be covered and kept in fridge for about 5 days.
I did a few things to refine the recipe to my tastes. First, I just about doubled the amount of vegetables in the recipe. I did this so that I would fill up more on the vegetables than on the rice. I also used plain fat free yogurt instead of full fat yogurt. No need to add extra calories. Last, I used less oil. Especially when you're sauting frozen vegetables, there is usually enough liquid in them so that you don't need to add much, if any, oil. You definitely need to add oil to cook the mustard seeds and chili and onions or else they will stick to the pan and get messy.
This is a great dish with a lot of nutrients and balanced food groups - cinnamon, chili pepper, black pepper, cloves, and mustard seeds show up on the healthiest foods list, as do many of the veggies like squash, carrots, cauliflower, green beans, onions, potatoes, broccoli, raisins, and even the yogurt.
Keep your portion sizes measured and enjoy this fulfilling and satisfying autumn dish.
*healthy foodie*
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Gridiron Grub Week #3: Seven Places in Hoboken to Watch the Game
Looking for a place to watch the game? Here are pros and cons of 7 places in Hoboken (in no particular order):
1. Hobsons - The best thing about this place is that it's located across the street from the PATH station, so if you come in on the train there is no walking halfway across town to get settled in to watch the games. There are TONS of TVs and NFL Sunday Ticket, so no matter where you sit, you'll be able to see every game. With the clearly marked signs on each TV way in advance of the games' start time, you'll be able to position yourself in front of the game you want to see. Get there crazy early if you want a seat though (before noon), Hobson's gets very crowded early on. The food menu is very limited before 3:30, so unless you want an omelet or a burger, eat before you get there.
2. Black Bear - Located on Washington Street, this bar is a short walk from the PATH train and close to a few parking decks. They have a full menu, a three giant projector screen TVs and a festive atmosphere. There is a lot of room with a downstairs bar area and separate restaurant area and an upstairs bar area. If you're lucky enough to be a woman and upstairs, you don't need to walk downstairs to use the bathroom like the guys do (yay - a plus for us!). The only problem is that there is an annoying DJ who is super loud during commercial breaks.
3. Liberty - On the plus side, the Liberty opens early and has a large circular bar with lots of room to sit around the bar as well as table seating and lots of TVs. The Liberty has a great menu, probably one of the best places for food on this list. I had the shrimp po' boy wrap one time and it was fantastic!! The down side is that if you're coming in on the PATH or live downtown, you either need to take a cab or make it a really long walk.
4. Shannon Lounge: Located on the halfway between Bloomfield and Washington on 1st, this bar is well within walking distance from the PATH. They have a great back room that is giant and has all the games. The only downside is that they don't open until after noon (around 12:30 maybe?) and you have to reserve a table ahead of time.
5. Texas Arizona: If you're a Steelers fan, this is the bar for you. 'nuff said.
6. Scotland Yard: If you're an Eagle's you MUST go here. Why? Because the more Eagles fans that go here, the less there will be clogging up the rest of the bars ;)
7. The Mystery Bar: You heard me, I'm not giving up the name of this bar. I'm afraid that if I do, it will be too crowded and lose its appeal. It has about 12 flat screen TVs, a great menu, cheerful wait staff, and a festive atmosphere that doesn't get too crowded. Sound perfect? Almost, which is why I'm keeping this one to myself.
*k*
1. Hobsons - The best thing about this place is that it's located across the street from the PATH station, so if you come in on the train there is no walking halfway across town to get settled in to watch the games. There are TONS of TVs and NFL Sunday Ticket, so no matter where you sit, you'll be able to see every game. With the clearly marked signs on each TV way in advance of the games' start time, you'll be able to position yourself in front of the game you want to see. Get there crazy early if you want a seat though (before noon), Hobson's gets very crowded early on. The food menu is very limited before 3:30, so unless you want an omelet or a burger, eat before you get there.
2. Black Bear - Located on Washington Street, this bar is a short walk from the PATH train and close to a few parking decks. They have a full menu, a three giant projector screen TVs and a festive atmosphere. There is a lot of room with a downstairs bar area and separate restaurant area and an upstairs bar area. If you're lucky enough to be a woman and upstairs, you don't need to walk downstairs to use the bathroom like the guys do (yay - a plus for us!). The only problem is that there is an annoying DJ who is super loud during commercial breaks.
3. Liberty - On the plus side, the Liberty opens early and has a large circular bar with lots of room to sit around the bar as well as table seating and lots of TVs. The Liberty has a great menu, probably one of the best places for food on this list. I had the shrimp po' boy wrap one time and it was fantastic!! The down side is that if you're coming in on the PATH or live downtown, you either need to take a cab or make it a really long walk.
4. Shannon Lounge: Located on the halfway between Bloomfield and Washington on 1st, this bar is well within walking distance from the PATH. They have a great back room that is giant and has all the games. The only downside is that they don't open until after noon (around 12:30 maybe?) and you have to reserve a table ahead of time.
5. Texas Arizona: If you're a Steelers fan, this is the bar for you. 'nuff said.
6. Scotland Yard: If you're an Eagle's you MUST go here. Why? Because the more Eagles fans that go here, the less there will be clogging up the rest of the bars ;)
7. The Mystery Bar: You heard me, I'm not giving up the name of this bar. I'm afraid that if I do, it will be too crowded and lose its appeal. It has about 12 flat screen TVs, a great menu, cheerful wait staff, and a festive atmosphere that doesn't get too crowded. Sound perfect? Almost, which is why I'm keeping this one to myself.
*k*
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
zucchini bread I
Zucchini bread is one of my all time favorite cake breads. I have a number of recipes and I constantly try new ones and tweak those to suit. This one is adapted from a Paula Deen recipe (I love Paula, but damn if she doesn't make the most caloric dishes there could be). I'll call this one Zucchini Bread I because I suspect that I'll be posting some other recipes.
Zucchini Bread I Recipe
3 1/4 c. whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 c. brown sugar
1 c granulated sugar
1/2 c. apple sauce
1/2 c. vegetable oil
4 eggs, beaten
1/3 c. water
2 c. grated zucchini
juice from 1/2 lemon
1 c. toasted pine nuts (because that is what I had, use walnuts or pecans)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon and sugar. In a separate bowl, combine oil, apple sauce, eggs, water, zucchini and lemon juice. Mix wet ingredients into dry, add nuts and fold in. Bake in 2 standard loaf pans, sprayed with nonstick spray, for 1 hour, or until a tester comes out clean. Alternately, bake in 5 mini loaf pans for about 45 minutes.
Using some apple sauce in place of the oil helps to reduce the fat. I don't recommend a complete substitution for the fat though because then the muffins will be dry. Also, the original recipe called for 3 cups of granulated sugar. So if you like it a little sweeter, you can add in the extra sugar. I was trying to go light on the sugar though.
*healthy foodie*
Zucchini Bread I Recipe
3 1/4 c. whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 c. brown sugar
1 c granulated sugar
1/2 c. apple sauce
1/2 c. vegetable oil
4 eggs, beaten
1/3 c. water
2 c. grated zucchini
juice from 1/2 lemon
1 c. toasted pine nuts (because that is what I had, use walnuts or pecans)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon and sugar. In a separate bowl, combine oil, apple sauce, eggs, water, zucchini and lemon juice. Mix wet ingredients into dry, add nuts and fold in. Bake in 2 standard loaf pans, sprayed with nonstick spray, for 1 hour, or until a tester comes out clean. Alternately, bake in 5 mini loaf pans for about 45 minutes.
Using some apple sauce in place of the oil helps to reduce the fat. I don't recommend a complete substitution for the fat though because then the muffins will be dry. Also, the original recipe called for 3 cups of granulated sugar. So if you like it a little sweeter, you can add in the extra sugar. I was trying to go light on the sugar though.
*healthy foodie*
Monday, September 17, 2007
faux-mosas
Rob coined this name and I really like it actually. We made samosas the other weekend, except we tried to cut a few corners in order to speed up the time to prepare. The result - our American version of this famous Indian snack - fauxmosas :)
Samosa Recipe (makes about 6 to 10 depending on size)
3 medium roasting potatoes
1 1/2 cup frozen peas
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp chili powder
salt and pepper to taste
puff pastry thawed
Preheat the oven to 375.
Cut the potatoes into 1" chunks and boil them or cook them in a pressure cooker to speed up the cooking time. Once they are cooked, drain them, keeping some of the liquid so that they aren't too dry.
Keep them in a large saute pan over medium heat and add the cumin, garam masala and chili powder, salt and pepper. Using a potato masher, roughly mash the potatoes so that it forms a thick and chunky mashed potato consistency. Add the frozen peas and allow them to thaw in the mixture. This is now your filling. At this point, give it a little taste and add more of the spices if necessary to give it a flavor that you like.
Unwrap and unroll the thawed puff pastry dough and roll it out slightly to thin it out a little. Cut the puff pastry dough into about 3" x 6" rectangles. Place about 1 to 2 tbsp. of the filling (depending on the size of your square) and fold up the pastry dough around the filling into a square. Press the edges down firmly (you can wet your fingers slightly to help the dough stick) so that they will not separate when you cook them.
Place the samosas into the oven and cook for about 15 to 20 minutes until the pastry has puffed and is golden brown.
Serve with green chutney.
Green Chutney Recipe
1 cup fresh cilantro
1 cup fresh mint
1 garlic clove
1 serrano chili pepper (less if you don't want it to be so spicy)
juice from 1 lime
salt and pepper to taste
Place all ingredients in a food processor and puree on high for several minutes until mixture is essentially liquefied. Chill for about an hour to let the flavors combine.
This is healthier than the traditional fried samosa because it's baked. So you can easily make these at home and save yourself a lot of calories and fat. Also, you can make this recipe a little more healthy by not using the puff pastry. While it works just fine in a pinch, it is a processed food and has quite a bit of fat in it due to all the butter. To make your own dough, use 1 cup of whole wheat flour (Chapati flour), 1/2 tbsp olive oil, and about 1/2 cup of water. Add the water a little bit at a time and mix until the dough forms a ball. Knead it out for a few minutes and then let it sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to let the gluten form. After at least 30 minutes, knead the dough for about 3 more minutes. Then roll it out into 1/8" thick, fill with the samosa filling and bake at 375 until golden brown.
*healthy foodie*
Samosa Recipe (makes about 6 to 10 depending on size)
3 medium roasting potatoes
1 1/2 cup frozen peas
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp chili powder
salt and pepper to taste
puff pastry thawed
Preheat the oven to 375.
Cut the potatoes into 1" chunks and boil them or cook them in a pressure cooker to speed up the cooking time. Once they are cooked, drain them, keeping some of the liquid so that they aren't too dry.
Keep them in a large saute pan over medium heat and add the cumin, garam masala and chili powder, salt and pepper. Using a potato masher, roughly mash the potatoes so that it forms a thick and chunky mashed potato consistency. Add the frozen peas and allow them to thaw in the mixture. This is now your filling. At this point, give it a little taste and add more of the spices if necessary to give it a flavor that you like.
Unwrap and unroll the thawed puff pastry dough and roll it out slightly to thin it out a little. Cut the puff pastry dough into about 3" x 6" rectangles. Place about 1 to 2 tbsp. of the filling (depending on the size of your square) and fold up the pastry dough around the filling into a square. Press the edges down firmly (you can wet your fingers slightly to help the dough stick) so that they will not separate when you cook them.
Place the samosas into the oven and cook for about 15 to 20 minutes until the pastry has puffed and is golden brown.
Serve with green chutney.
Green Chutney Recipe
1 cup fresh cilantro
1 cup fresh mint
1 garlic clove
1 serrano chili pepper (less if you don't want it to be so spicy)
juice from 1 lime
salt and pepper to taste
Place all ingredients in a food processor and puree on high for several minutes until mixture is essentially liquefied. Chill for about an hour to let the flavors combine.
This is healthier than the traditional fried samosa because it's baked. So you can easily make these at home and save yourself a lot of calories and fat. Also, you can make this recipe a little more healthy by not using the puff pastry. While it works just fine in a pinch, it is a processed food and has quite a bit of fat in it due to all the butter. To make your own dough, use 1 cup of whole wheat flour (Chapati flour), 1/2 tbsp olive oil, and about 1/2 cup of water. Add the water a little bit at a time and mix until the dough forms a ball. Knead it out for a few minutes and then let it sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to let the gluten form. After at least 30 minutes, knead the dough for about 3 more minutes. Then roll it out into 1/8" thick, fill with the samosa filling and bake at 375 until golden brown.
*healthy foodie*
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Venturing out
Normally when I'm out and about town going out to eat or meeting up with friends, I stick with my familiar Essex and Hudson counties. So when a friend suggested a place up in Paramus, I was quick to accept, get out of my old routine and check out a different place. We went to Biagio's on Paramus Road not far from Garden State Plaza. I passed this restaurant a few weeks ago when we were playing golf at the Paramus Country Club (a great place to play by the way, very nicely kept course and wide fairways).
The bartenders at Biagio's were great, very friendly, joking and sparking up conversation with everyone at the bar. All of the TVs were set to sports, they had both the Yankee game and Met game in easy viewing distance. We ordered the pizza, which my friend said was fabulous, she didn't lie! I rarely take home leftovers from any restaurant and this morning that cold pizza is calling my name :) We also had the Caprese salad and it all tasted so fresh.
*healthy foodie*
o-hi-o
I was traipsing around Ohio earlier this week, well traipsing really isn't the right word. I flew in and flew out within a 24-hr period. Gotta love work. Anyhow, I was in Dayton for one night and in search of a suitable restaurant to meet our client's per diem and a fun place to get to relax a little bit, we headed out of the hotel in search of a restaurant.
Staying in downtown Dayton, we headed out of the hotel toward Dayton's historic Oregon District (yep, we're still in Ohio, haven't passed the Mississippi and into the Pacific Northwest). The Oregon District is a quaint little area a few blocks long that has lots of shops, restaurants, bars, and even a comedy club. We bypassed all of the, wooed by the lure of every traveler's staple - an Irish bar. Really, how could one go wrong with an Irish bar.
We stopped in the Dublin Pub, which I later found out is affectionately referred to as the DubPub. We walked in, and the 10 of us were seated quickly at a combination of round tables to fit all of us. While the seating arrangements weren't ideal, there was plenty of room and the waitress was quick to fill our pints. They have a large selection of beer, of course mostly Irish beer and the menu even explains the black and tan, the half and half, etc.
Then we got the menus that would be our novellas for the night. I'm not kidding. I wasn't sure where to start. I opened the menu and there was a paragraph for each appetizer, salad and entree. I guess if you have the time to read it all, sure. Despite the rather long menu, there were lots of options and things were easily substituted (cole slaw or salad for fries, etc.) and the food was simple and delicious. If you're ever in the sleep city of Dayton, give this one a try.
*healthy foodie*
Staying in downtown Dayton, we headed out of the hotel toward Dayton's historic Oregon District (yep, we're still in Ohio, haven't passed the Mississippi and into the Pacific Northwest). The Oregon District is a quaint little area a few blocks long that has lots of shops, restaurants, bars, and even a comedy club. We bypassed all of the, wooed by the lure of every traveler's staple - an Irish bar. Really, how could one go wrong with an Irish bar.
We stopped in the Dublin Pub, which I later found out is affectionately referred to as the DubPub. We walked in, and the 10 of us were seated quickly at a combination of round tables to fit all of us. While the seating arrangements weren't ideal, there was plenty of room and the waitress was quick to fill our pints. They have a large selection of beer, of course mostly Irish beer and the menu even explains the black and tan, the half and half, etc.
Then we got the menus that would be our novellas for the night. I'm not kidding. I wasn't sure where to start. I opened the menu and there was a paragraph for each appetizer, salad and entree. I guess if you have the time to read it all, sure. Despite the rather long menu, there were lots of options and things were easily substituted (cole slaw or salad for fries, etc.) and the food was simple and delicious. If you're ever in the sleep city of Dayton, give this one a try.
*healthy foodie*
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Gridiron Grub Week #2: Mediterranean Munchies
Sometimes you just get tired of the same old salsa and chips. You can mix it up and still have great munchies. Here are a few recipes and tips for setting out a Mediterranean themed brunch.
Hummus Recipe (chickpea dip)
1 can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 clove of garlic
2 tbsp tahini paste (available in most grocery stores)
1/4 c. of lemon juice (juice from about 2 lemons)
about 1/4 c. of water (more or less to make a good consistency for dipping)
salt and white pepper to taste
Put all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend for several minutes until completely pureed. Chill for at least 1/2 hour before serving.
Baba Ganouj Recipe (eggplant dip)
1 medium eggplant
Juice of ½ lemon
2 tbsp tahini paste
3 tablespoons fat free yogurt or ff sour cream
4 garlic cloves
½ tsp. chili pepper
1 tsp. tarragon
Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut eggplant lengthwise and brush cut side lightly with 1 tbsp. of olive oil. Place cut side down on a baking dish or baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes. At the same time, put 4 garlic cloves in 1 tbsp. of oil in a covered baking cup. Roast garlic in the same oven as the eggplant for 45 minutes. Scoop out eggplant from the skin and put in food processor along with the roasted garlic and olive oil, yogurt, chili pepper, tarragon, salt and pepper. Process until smooth. Chill for 90 minutes.
By taking it easy on the tahini in these two recipes, you end up keeping the nice mediterranean flavor but without the extra calories and fat. If you eliminate it all together, you won't get the same flavor, but I do it sometimes and it is still good.
Items to assemble to complete your Mediterranean Platter
Pita bread or flat bread cut into bite sized dipping pieces
veggies for dipping like baby carrots, celery, cherry tomatoes, julienned squash, broccoli florets, cauliflower florets
kalamata olives
other fun items to serve - sun dried tomatoes, feta cheese crumbles, stuffed grape leaves
*k*
Hummus Recipe (chickpea dip)
1 can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 clove of garlic
2 tbsp tahini paste (available in most grocery stores)
1/4 c. of lemon juice (juice from about 2 lemons)
about 1/4 c. of water (more or less to make a good consistency for dipping)
salt and white pepper to taste
Put all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend for several minutes until completely pureed. Chill for at least 1/2 hour before serving.
Baba Ganouj Recipe (eggplant dip)
1 medium eggplant
Juice of ½ lemon
2 tbsp tahini paste
3 tablespoons fat free yogurt or ff sour cream
4 garlic cloves
½ tsp. chili pepper
1 tsp. tarragon
Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut eggplant lengthwise and brush cut side lightly with 1 tbsp. of olive oil. Place cut side down on a baking dish or baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes. At the same time, put 4 garlic cloves in 1 tbsp. of oil in a covered baking cup. Roast garlic in the same oven as the eggplant for 45 minutes. Scoop out eggplant from the skin and put in food processor along with the roasted garlic and olive oil, yogurt, chili pepper, tarragon, salt and pepper. Process until smooth. Chill for 90 minutes.
By taking it easy on the tahini in these two recipes, you end up keeping the nice mediterranean flavor but without the extra calories and fat. If you eliminate it all together, you won't get the same flavor, but I do it sometimes and it is still good.
Items to assemble to complete your Mediterranean Platter
Pita bread or flat bread cut into bite sized dipping pieces
veggies for dipping like baby carrots, celery, cherry tomatoes, julienned squash, broccoli florets, cauliflower florets
kalamata olives
other fun items to serve - sun dried tomatoes, feta cheese crumbles, stuffed grape leaves
*k*
Monday, September 3, 2007
Gridiron Grub Week #1: A trio of salsa
When you're watching the game, munchies are key. But over-do it and your pants don't fit on Monday. Each week I'll post one or a few [healthier] recipes good for lounging around watching the game. Since the first game is on Thursday, I figured that I better get moving - don't forget your picks!
This week's line up is a Tex-Mex theme with a trio of salsa recipes that you can serve with pita chips or baked tortilla chips. Try and make these at least an hour before game time so that the flavors have time to combine. All of these make a medium bowl full - make all three and you'll have enough for about 15 people.
Traditional Salsa Recipe
6 plum tomatoes
1 small onion, diced
about 1/2 cup cilantro, finely chopped (more or less to taste)
2 jalapenos, seeded and finely chopped (more or less to taste, use fresh, not jarred)
2 cloves garlic, minced
juice from one lime
hot sauce to taste
salt and pepper to taste
1. Cut and remove the seeds from the tomatoes (the seeds will make this bitter). Dice the tomatoes and put them in a bowl, reserving about 1/2 cup of them. With a potato masher, mash up the tomatoes in the bowl for about 2 minutes. Place the rest of the tomatoes in the bowl.
2. Add the onion, cilantro, garlic, jalapeno and lime juice and stir.
3. At this point, take a taste of the salsa and adjust it with salt, pepper and Tabasco (or another hot sauce) to taste. Chill for at least an hour. Garnish with fresh cilantro.
Variation: This will give you a rustic and chunky type of salsa. If you want it a little bit smoother, then you'll have to break out the food processor. You can do everything pretty much the same, except put all of the ingredients in the food processor and use it in pulse mode to obtain your desired consistency.
Smokey Chipotle Salsa Recipe
6 plum tomatoes
1 small onion, diced
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce (they come in a can, the small can has a few peppers in there, use more if you can take the heat), sauce drained
dash ground cumin (optional)
1/2 cup cilantro, finely chopped
adobo sauce to taste
salt and pepper to taste
1. Cut and remove the seeds from the tomatoes (the seeds will make this bitter). Dice the tomatoes and put them in a bowl, reserving about 1/2 cup of them. With a potato masher, mash up the tomatoes in the bowl for about 2 minutes. Place the rest of the tomatoes in the bowl.
2. Add the onion, chipotle, cumin, and cilantro.
3. Take a taste of the salsa and adjust it with salt, pepper, more adobo if needed, to taste. Chill for at least an hour. Garnish with fresh cilantro.
This next one might seem like it would be too sweet, but we have made this a few times and the combination of sweet and hot makes it hard to resist. Since plums won't be in season much longer, you'll have to make this one soon.
Mango Plum Salsa Recipe
4 plums pitted and chopped (try and find firm plums)
1 mango, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup scallions, sliced
3 tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 tbsp. brown sugar
1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and chill for at least an hour. Garnish with fresh cilantro.
If you want to round out your menu, you might consider grilling some portobellos with large slices of onions and peppers (could also do steak and chicken) and serve with some tortilla roll-ups. Have some fixings on the side like diced tomatoes, lettuce, and salsa (ahem, above!). You can lay it out on a buffet and have people make their own.
Go Giants!
*k*
This week's line up is a Tex-Mex theme with a trio of salsa recipes that you can serve with pita chips or baked tortilla chips. Try and make these at least an hour before game time so that the flavors have time to combine. All of these make a medium bowl full - make all three and you'll have enough for about 15 people.
Traditional Salsa Recipe
6 plum tomatoes
1 small onion, diced
about 1/2 cup cilantro, finely chopped (more or less to taste)
2 jalapenos, seeded and finely chopped (more or less to taste, use fresh, not jarred)
2 cloves garlic, minced
juice from one lime
hot sauce to taste
salt and pepper to taste
1. Cut and remove the seeds from the tomatoes (the seeds will make this bitter). Dice the tomatoes and put them in a bowl, reserving about 1/2 cup of them. With a potato masher, mash up the tomatoes in the bowl for about 2 minutes. Place the rest of the tomatoes in the bowl.
2. Add the onion, cilantro, garlic, jalapeno and lime juice and stir.
3. At this point, take a taste of the salsa and adjust it with salt, pepper and Tabasco (or another hot sauce) to taste. Chill for at least an hour. Garnish with fresh cilantro.
Variation: This will give you a rustic and chunky type of salsa. If you want it a little bit smoother, then you'll have to break out the food processor. You can do everything pretty much the same, except put all of the ingredients in the food processor and use it in pulse mode to obtain your desired consistency.
Smokey Chipotle Salsa Recipe
6 plum tomatoes
1 small onion, diced
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce (they come in a can, the small can has a few peppers in there, use more if you can take the heat), sauce drained
dash ground cumin (optional)
1/2 cup cilantro, finely chopped
adobo sauce to taste
salt and pepper to taste
1. Cut and remove the seeds from the tomatoes (the seeds will make this bitter). Dice the tomatoes and put them in a bowl, reserving about 1/2 cup of them. With a potato masher, mash up the tomatoes in the bowl for about 2 minutes. Place the rest of the tomatoes in the bowl.
2. Add the onion, chipotle, cumin, and cilantro.
3. Take a taste of the salsa and adjust it with salt, pepper, more adobo if needed, to taste. Chill for at least an hour. Garnish with fresh cilantro.
This next one might seem like it would be too sweet, but we have made this a few times and the combination of sweet and hot makes it hard to resist. Since plums won't be in season much longer, you'll have to make this one soon.
Mango Plum Salsa Recipe
4 plums pitted and chopped (try and find firm plums)
1 mango, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup scallions, sliced
3 tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 tbsp. brown sugar
1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and chill for at least an hour. Garnish with fresh cilantro.
If you want to round out your menu, you might consider grilling some portobellos with large slices of onions and peppers (could also do steak and chicken) and serve with some tortilla roll-ups. Have some fixings on the side like diced tomatoes, lettuce, and salsa (ahem, above!). You can lay it out on a buffet and have people make their own.
Go Giants!
*k*
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