Brussel Sprouts Are Your Friends

Brussel Sprouts Are Your Friends...

I know a lot of people who have been traumatized by their parents forcing them to choke down bitter, mushy Brussel sprouts. I never understood this since I've only had them stir fried or roasted, never boiled down to the horrifying descriptions some of my friends have described to me.
I promise that these recipes will neither be mushy, bitter or force-fed to you. I just ask you give this poor vegetable another chance. It's actually really simple to make tasty brussel sprouts and there are tons of recipes trying to change the image of lovely and healthy treat around. The easiest it to steam them with a sprinkle of salt and pepper.
Another way to serve is to roast them. I have a two for one today providing two recipes with Brussel sprouts.


Balsamic Brussel Sprouts

6-8 fresh Brussel sprouts (Buy them at your local produce specialist if you don't want to buy a whole (usually expensive) packaged bag, shout out to Grower's Direct in Costa Mesa!)
1 large clove or 2 small cloves of garlic minced
1 small shallot, minced
3 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons Olive oil
Salt
Pepper

Heat oven or toaster oven to 350 degrees. Sprinkle olive oil and balsamic vinegar on sheet pan (again I like to use foil for easy cleanup since balsamic vinegar will caramelize and get sticky.) Add a pinch of salt and some fresh ground pepper on top.

Mince the garlic and shallots. Sprinkle half of them on top of the oil and vinegar.

Trim the ends of the Brussel sprouts. Take the top outer layers off
(sometimes they just come off themselves).

Cut each Brussel sprout in half.




Place cut face down onto the sheet pan. Move them in a circular motion around the pan to absorb the vinegar and oil.
Sprinkle on the rest of the garlic and shallots.
Sprinkle some more olive oil and balsamic vinegar over the tops of the Brussel sprouts. Salt and pepper again, and place into oven.

Yes. Sprinkle is the word of the day.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until the Brussel sprouts are tender. Cover the first 15 minutes or so with foil so the Brussel sprouts steam a little from the liquid and won't dry out as quickly and then let it roast uncovered for the remaining time.

If you want to sneak the Brussel Sprouts or disguise them, here is another tasty recipe. Think of the Brussel sprouts like mini cabbages.

Israeli Couscous with Vegetables

1 package Trader Joe's Israeli couscous
1/2 yellow onion diced
4-5 brussel sprouts, ends trimmed, and sliced (like cabbage)
1 diced carrot
1 broccoli head choped into small flowerets
2 diced cooked chicken breasts, seasoned
Chili oil (if desired)
EVOO
Balsamic vinegar
Kosher Salt
Pepper

Follow directions on the the box for the Israeli couscous...I treat this like orzo, toasting the couscous a little in the pot before adding a bay leaf or two with the water for extra flavor. In another pan, saute the garlic, shallots, onion in sesame oil and chili oil until onions are translucent...Add a few swirls of balsamic vinegar to the pan.
Add Brussel sprouts, broccoli, carrots, or any other veggies you would like until cooked thoroughly. Salt and pepper to taste. Add more balsmamic if needed.
Spoon mixture on top of cooked Israeli couscous. Top with green onions.
Add chili flakes, or hot sauce if desired.

Kanpai!

Michael's Smokin' Turchili

So, once a year my housemate makes food that requires more than unwrapping a Clif Bar or microwaving a burrito (that I made). And I KNOW he can cook, he just chooses to withhold his culinary skills for whatever reason. And yes, he named this recipe himself.

The idea for making his famous chili came about when we were having a "cold snap." in SoCal. However, the day he chose to make the chili it was 82 degrees out and fires were raging as they have all too commonly been this fall... (My other housemate's brother and fam actually had to be evacuated this actual day...my thoughts are out to you affected by the fires)

So here is his chili recipe...beware, it makes A LOT. That being said, we're more than halfway through this batch since he made it on Saturday...midnight chili, chili and eggs, chili and pasta...and it's still not getting old..
Disclaimer: this is written per his instructions, so they're way more loosey-goosey in timing than I usually write for my recipes, since stove top ranges...well, range, I would suggest checking in often.
All in all, it took about 5 hours, 4 of it of simmering.

Michael's Smokin' Turchili
2 1/2 lbs ground turkey
2-3 large yellow onions diced
2 heads garlic minced
1 green bell pepper diced
2-15 oz canned corn (no salt added)
2 containers fresh HOT salsa (non-jarred)
75 oz whole unsalted tomatoes
60 oz tomato sauce
16 oz tomato paste
3/4 cup Kahlua liqueur
1 1/2 cups finely chopped cilantro
2 jalapeno peppers minced or finely processed (do not seed)
1 Thai chili minced (be careful handling, I suggest using gloves, especially for you contact lens wearers)
3 tablespoons parsley flakes
5 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon basil
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
3 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon oregano
3 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper
2 tablespoons hot sauce (he prefers Frank's)
Salt to taste

Brown turkey and place in large pot
Saute onions, green pepper, garlic, jalapeno, Thai chili, cilantro
Add to pot. DO NOT add spices yet.

Cook on medium heat 30-60 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add spices, one at a time, stirring fully after each addition. let simmer for additional 1-2 hours, stirring occasionally. Add additional spices to taste. Pour into a big bowl and top off with a dollop of Greek yogurt (or sour cream) and cheese. Enjoy!

Salud!

Spinach and Cheese Goodness

This is a recipe based off of an Eating Well mag that I yoinked from one of my best friends after a marathon of watching season 2 of Dexter...but I digress...

The recipe is linked here. http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/parmesan_spinach_cakes.html
I made an accompanying sauce created while drinking "2002 Columbia Crest Two Vines Merlot-Cabernet" so I wanted to give them the appropriate creative credit they deserve. And I apologize, most of the pictures turned out blurry, "maybe" due to my drinking, and only one decent pic came out, above.

After looking at the mixture following the recipe, I knew there was no way it was going to turn out looking like the end product so I tweaked, eyeballing things in the end. Note: they used fresh spinach which in my past experience has leached out a lot of liquid turning things into mush, so I used a 16 oz bag of frozen spinach, thawed and drained.

Makes 12-ish. Or 6 large.

The nutritionals may be off in my version since I didn't make as big of muffins as they stated in the recipe. But these are great under 200 calories for 2 pieces even in their full size.

Spinach Parmesan Cakes
1 package frozen spinach (16oz), thawed and drained
1 cup non-fat cottage cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
2 large eggs, beaten
2 clove garlic, minced
1/2 small onion small dice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes. pan spray
Finely dice onion and mince garlic. Heat EVOO, add onion and garlic and saute until onion is translucent. Salt and pepper. Set aside.
Make sure you drain as much water as possible from the spinach. Add to bowl. Add cottage cheese, Parmesan, eggs, pepper, pepper flakes.

Add the onion and garlic mixture well. Pan spray LIBERALLY in the muffin pans. Spoon mixture to just below muffin top pan line.

Bake 400 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until you see dark browning around the edges. My oven sucks and I have gotten used to it, so add another 10 minutes if your oven sucks like mine.

Optional dipping sauce
3 tablespoons non-fat plain Greek yogurt
1/2 Roma tomato diced
small pinch salt
1 turn of ground pepper (lemon pepper even better)
Splash of balsamic vinegar
Dash of garlic powder.

Spoon yogurt onto plate. Place diced tomatoes on top. Sprinkle salt, pepper, and garlic powder on top. Splash a few drops of balsamic vinegar on top. Enjoy!

Ganbai!

Breakfast Burritos Cheap

Breakfast burritos are the best invention ever. Eggs. Good. Cheese. Good. Potatoes. Good. Chorizo. Goood. Able to be eaten in one hand. Goood. Cheap healthy burritos...infinity good=)
Now of course, there are detractors on what should go into these burritos like, ahem, a certain roomie of mine who claimed he is "allergic" to eggs. He gets the eggless ones. Yeah, I'm that nice.

There is the fact that real chorizo is not the healthiest for you (but oh, does it taste so good when it touches your lips), but there are other options that are much healthier.
Trader Joe's used to sell this chicken chorizo in their stores and but have been told that it has been discontinued. If anyone has any comparable substitute, I would greatly appreciate it.

In the meantime, I have been using "soyrizo," the soy substitute for chorizo. It is healthier and you know there aren't any questionable pieces of animal parts going into it...though which end of the soy bean that the soyrizo is made from is in question>D

This is a great, cost effective and healthy breakfast (or any daypart) item that you can just pop into the microwave of toaster oven to heat. Feel free to add any other favorite breakfast item like chicken sausage, bacon, rice, peas, etc. This recipe is just soyrizo, eggs and cheese for less than you would pay at a fast food place and much more healthier for you.
UPDATE**-This recipe is meant for you or others to either eat within a week or frozen for later consumption.

Breakfast Burritos
(Makes 10 burritos)
10 pack of Whole wheat tortilla (about 10 inch rounds)-$1.99
3 red potatoes medium $.79
1 medium yellow onion $.25
1 jalapeno (you can add more if you lika da heat) $.10
1 package soyrizo (12oz) $1.99
6 eggs $.75
1 cup Organic Lite shredded Mexican cheese $1.00
Cilantro $.15

~$7.00 for 10 burritos=$.70 each

Boil potatoes. To make them cook faster, half or even quarter the potatoes. Salt the water and add potatoes in the cold water. That's right. Add them in BEFORE the water boils. Drain the water after the potatoes are easily pierced with a knife, approximately 20-30 minutes.

While the potatoes are boiling away, you will start making your soyrizo mix. Chop up garlic, shallots, and onion. Heat a deep pan with olive oil. salt and pepper. When hot, add the veggies at medium low heat until translucent. You can up the temp if it seems to take too long, but the garlic may burn faster and turn black before the onions are cooked through.

Add the soyrizo and turn heat down between low and medium low.

Now, the eggs. Crack the eggs into a bowl.
One thing I've never seen before is in the picture. A bloody egg. I looked it up and apparently it's edible. something about the blood vessel not separating correctly when it is being formed. So, if you don't see any more posts from me, you'll know what happened...


Add the chopped cilantro and parsley and add the cumin, paprika, salt and pepper. Beat eggs. Now I choose to extend the eggs with water about 1/2 cup but you make also add milk, 2% or less will work fine.

Heat another pan for the eggs. If the eggs don't look like they're all going to fit, make them in batches. Make sure you re-beat the eggs a little to pick up the cilantro and parsley each time.

Now. the potatoes should be done. You may choose to keep the skin on, or peel the skin off. I would suggest taking the skin off since it is mostly coming off at this point, but there are good vitamins in the skin. Drain and rinse under cold water. Be careful, they will be HOT. When they are cook enough to handle, dice the potatoes into 1 inch cubes. smaller if you're using a smaller tortilla. Now, if you have potatoes that are just crumbling and not really dicing, set aside in a separate bowl. You can make mashed potatoes, or potato burritos with the "leftovers."What's left is to assemble. I realized I didn't measure the filling amounts, but eyeball and make sure not to overfill. Rip foil sheets slightly bigger than the tortillas and pan spray before placing the tortillas.

To help roll the tortillas easily so they won't crack, I heated them a little over the gas stove one by one. Another option is to heat the oven to about 250 degrees, place a moist paper towel on top of a long piece of foil and place the tortillas op top of that. Wrap the foil around the tortillas. Add more water the the paper towels to make sure the tortillas don't dry out.

Again, you can add whatever other fillings you would like. in the end, it will be a lot cheaper and healthier for you.
Have it your way! (Please don't sue me Burger King)
Enjoy!

Sante!
DD

No on 8!

This blog was to be only about food, but I noticed something that is compelling me to step outside of that just this once. I noticed on my Google ads that there was a link to Yes on 8. I do not have much control on what scrolls through on the ads, but I want to firmly state that I do not advocate this absolutely ridiculous discriminatory proposition. If Prop. 8 goes through, it will throw us back to the Stone Ages. Whatever your orientation, Californians, please vote NO on Prop. 8!
(Ok, off my soapbox now.)

Roasted Fennel Tomato Soup

Fennel Fun

I've been experimenting with soups lately. With the weather getting colder (yes, it gets chilly even in coastal Southern California.) And I've been infatuated in fennel recipes because, well, I've never really worked with it. It's compared to celery...except it's got a fat white base, has green fuzzy fronds, and has layers like an onion. It's labeled, incorrectly as anise, in many stores, so it should look like this.

Now, I'm fairly adverse to the licorice taste. Not the Twizzler kind, more the black anise-y tasting kind. I'm sure it goes back to some nasty Chinese herbal medicine my parents tried to pour my throat at some point. But, after reading up on fennel and how to prepare, I've been pleasantly surprised with the great taste that fennel effuses. It's perfect roasted alone, or added as an ingredient to soups and sauces. So the recipe posted below will provide a great base for a sauce and soup. I found the inspiration for fennel and tomato soup from several sources, but I will like this one because I like what they did to the veggies.=)

ahttp://www.vegan-food.net/recipe/749/Roast-Fennel-and-Tomato-Soup/

Notice that you do not need to add any sugar like you would to a tomato sauce or soup. The caramelization of the veggies and balsamic vinegar adds a natural sweetness.

Roasted Fennel and Tomato Soup
1 fennel bulb $1.19
1 medium red onion quartered $.22
2 Roma tomatoes $.69
3 garlic cloves, smashed $.30
1/2 box low sodium chicken broth $1.00
1 bay leaf
Salt
Pepper
Olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
Red pepper flakes or 1 diced jalapeno

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. To prepare the fennel bulb, chop the long stalks from the bulb. You can actually see the picture above where I made the cut. Save the stalks for the feathery leaves for recipes calling for herbs and the stalks for soup bases. Trim the base of the bulb where the root end is. Rinse the bulb.

Quarter the bulb and quarter again. Repeat with the tomatoes and red onion. Drizzle olive oil and balsamic vinegar onto a sheet pan. Place the quartered pieces onto the pan, drizzle more olive oil and vinegar over the veggies. Fennel pieces will roast better if you separate the layers a little. Bake in the oven for 35 minutes. Turn the veggies halfway through.

Add a couple of drops of oil or use a spritz of pan spray to a soup pot. Heat on high and saute smashed garlic for a few minutes. Add chicken stock and bay leaf, bring to a boil. Add the veggies, cover, and reduce to simmer for 30 minutes.

In batches, add the stock and veggies to blender. Add the red pepper flakes or jalapeno at this step. Pulse and then blend until smooth. Stop occasionally to scrape down sides of blender. The mixture will look a little more pink then red. Add a tablespoon of tomato paste for added color if you would like, but it tastes great without it.

You can extend and use this for a multitude of recipes.

Variations:
Add oregano and basil to make a nice pasta or pizza sauce.
Add more broth to make this a soup. Top with some Greek yogurt and chopped chives.

I mixed in some leftover pumpkin puree and it provided a light nuttiness with undertone of pumpkin. Add more or less to taste

Happy November!
DD

Pumpkin and Roasted Butternut Squash Casserole

Happy Halloween!
It's the Great Pumpkin and Roasted Butternut Squash Casserole Charlie Brown!

I thought I would add to the multitude of pumpkin recipes with this one. The only difference was this was created by pure accident because I was testing pumpkin and butternut squash ravioli recipes and "Good grief!" they weren't coming out the way I wanted it to (wonton skins too "slimy"). So I'll mess with that recipe a little more and share a great accidental recipe that resulted instead.

Roasted Butternut Squash and Pumpkin Casserole
(Serves 6-8)

1 1/2 cup Pumpkin Puree-$.75
1 1/2 cup Fat free cottage cheese $.80
3 tablespoons goat cheese $.65
10 leaves of fresh sage finely chopped (about 2 tablespoons) $.85
1 shallot minced $.20
3 cloves garlic minced $.15
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan $.25
1/2 roasted butternut squash (1-1.5 cups)* $.50
1 teaspoon nutmeg $.01
1 egg $.11
Roasted Gorgonzola crackers crushed (Trader Joe's brand or an savory cracker) $.23

Total cost: ~$4.50
Per portion ~$.56-$.75

*Roasted Butternut Squash
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Halve butternut squash. To prevent rocking or tipping, I trimmed a part of the more rounded part of the squash to make it flat and stable. Take out the seeds and pith (the stringy stuff). Pierce or score the fleshy part. Place skin side down. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon brown sugar on each half. Drizzle olive oil and balsamic vinegar over the halves, Salt and Pepper. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Use one half for this recipe. Reserve the other half, either cube it or scoop out into a mash.

Casserole:
Mix everything BUT the crackers. Mix thoroughly. Lightly oil or pan spray sides of a small casserole dish or loaf pan. Place mixture into the pan and top with crushed roasted Gorgonzola crackers. Cover with foil. Bake at 350 degrees for ten minutes. Remove foil and brown for 5-10 more minutes. Enjoy! Sorry, we dug into this before I could take a picture!

Happy Halloween!
DD