Warm the body and cleanse the soul!

Well–finally the holiday season is over. Can we get a collective sigh of relief as we loosen the belt and adjust to our expanded waistlines? I ate, laughed, drank, ate, danced, ate, celebrated family and ate–and ate–did I mention I ate a lot? We had prime rib roasts, gourmet once a year chocolates and wine, mixed drinks–oh man the foods we had!  What did you have? Leave a comment telling us all what your favorite holiday eats were.

Now that they are over–oh my the clean up I have to do with my body. Yeah, the house too but mostly the body. I like to just eat what i want during the winter break and then clean myself up after. I like to think it is the way we are designed to eat–feast or famine, right? No, I am not in a famine state–forbid someone in a profession of health and wellness to advocate famine–I can just imagine the emails on that mention alone! I just like to return to a healthier meal plan of fruits, nuts, legumes and veggies veggies veggies! Oh and hot lemon water–yes please! I am lucky enough to be the recipient of several cookbooks over the holidays as well–all catering to my healthy desires-WOOT! Last nights dinner was based off  a beautiful vegetarian cookbook given to me by a family friend (Thanks Christine!). The book is Good Housekeeping: Vegetarian Meals: Meatless Recipes Everyone Will Love (Good Housekeeping Cookbooks) and I adapted this recipe from the Vegetarian lentil Stew on page 22. I want to also mention WHAT A BORING NAME!?!? This was such a wonderful meal–I can’t wait to have the left overs today for lunch even! The cookbook calls for lentil soup in a can but I can’t find many soups in a can that do not contain gluten so I always make my own. It took all of maybe 2 hours to cook–hands off cooking. The taste was so fresh and alarming with the curry paste and squash. The apple added a subtle sweetness that was a perfect pair to the heat of the curry. The colors were beautiful and appetizing–you will really love this recipe!

Curried Lentil Stew
serves 8 generous bowls

1 1/2 cups yellow lentils
4 cups vegetable broth
4 cups peeled and diced butternut squassh
3 large tbsl red curry paste (pick your own heat)
10 ounces raw spinach
1 large apple
2 teaspoons diced ginger ( I do not peel mine)
2 cloves diced garlic cloves

In a large soup pan add lentils,broth and curry paste–allow to cook for about 2 hours on medium heat. Add in the remaining ingredients except the spinach and cook for another 30 minutes or until the squash is tender–then add the fresh spinach and stir. Once the spinach has cooked down you can serve and eat.  Really–yes it was that simple–crazy I know.

Calories per serving- 190
Protein-9 grams
Carbohydrates- 34 grams
Fat-4 grams

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a warm healthy comfort meal

A lot of our readers know my dilemma for finding a vegetarian gluten free meal that my entire family will enjoy–not just eat but enjoy. Meal time should be about the love of the family as well as the food that is shared.  We want to know that what we are feeding our spouses, guests, children etc will not damage their body but encourage whole health–body and mind. Well, one night I was stumbling around Foodbuzz and was reading vegetarian meals I wanted to try. The Picky Eater: A Healthy Food Blog is the final blog I rested on when I found this recipe for Spiced Indian Chili-Rajma.  You should really look over that blog, too, what a great resource for recipes and ideas!

So, with that recipe in mind I began my own creation of Rajma–it was so deliscious  I have made it twice more since the first time.

Rajam
16 ounces canned diced tomato
16 ounces Red Kidney beans–drained
1 large onion diced
1 large red pepper diced
1 tbls minced fresh ginger root
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp Garam Masala
Chili powder to taste
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Add all ingredients aside from the cilantro to a 8 quart pan and cook medium heat  until the onions and peppers are soft –stirring to prevent burning of course. Add in the cilantro and heat through.

See how EASY this recipe is?  It has so much flavor and really is now one of my favorite dishes! I pictured it here served with a dollop of Greek yogurt for those who want a creamier dish.  It is an excellent dish reheated so make extra!

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A perfect warm dish on a cool fall day

I love a hearty stew in the fall. I love all the rich flavors of the fall harvest, too. Carrots, squashes–heck I want to curl up inside a cornucopia and marvel at the fall wonders.  When I think of winter squashes and hot stews I want to draw hearts on paper with the names of each dish they can create. Comfort, warmth, excitement of the seasons cool nights, crunching leaves–the bright open night sky with the stars spilling across the entire view like vibrant beacons of sparkling hope.  I love Autumn!  This dish is a great accompaniment for the mood of the season. Rich, soothing  velvety and crisp!

I used boneless skinless thigh meat in this recipe because, let’s face it, that is where the flavor is. Sure we run off and purchase chicken breast in bulk now for most recipes but in a hearty dish like this–use the thigh! The heavy cream–just a bit–ensures it will hold up with the vinegar and not curdle or do anything else in the stew you do not want it to do. Fully fat creams behave well in this recipe–and it is just a splash–or two.

Creamy Chicken Stew
(adapted from Eating Well October 2010)
serves 6
1 pound brushed clean mushroom caps
1/2 cup diced sweet onion like Vidalia or Wala
1 cup chopped white and orange carrots
1 cup fresh peas
1/4 cup water
3 cups chicken broth
2lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into bite size pieces
1 Large spring fresh rosemary
2 bay leaves
4 tbls cider vinegar
2 tbls corn starch
1/4 cup whipping cream
1 tbls Olive Oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Combined mushrooms , onions , olive oil and 1/4 cup water to a 6 quart dutch oven. Cover and cook over high heat stirring often until the mushrooms are juicy –about 6 minutes. Remove cover and cook for another 10 minutes–browning the mushrooms. Add 2 cups broth, carrots, rosemary, and bay leaves and bring to a boil. Cover the entire soup with the chicken thighs and sprinkle the cider vinegar over the meat. Lower heat to simmer and cook for 45 more minutes. Mix the cornstarch with the remaining cup of chicken broth add in the cream. Pour the mixture into the cooking soup and stir until thickened, add the fresh peas and heat for another 20 minutes. Serve warm in large baked squash bowls.

Calories per 1 cup serving: 319
Fat: 15 grams
Carbohydrates: 17 grams
Protein:31 grams

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So, after flipping through some magazines I found a spaghetti frittata idea in the September edition of Health. As an aside–I hate getting a September magazine at the end of July–right now I am getting thanksgiving articles in the magazines -in the month of September magazines are encouraging me to baste the tofurkey bird and unleash the fresh cranberries.  In the words of Paul Simon “slow down you move too fast”. Anyway this recipe was about less costly meals that are healthy enough to actually prepare and share versus the mac and cheese mass produced- costs 10 cents a pound junk that most of us think of when we think of feeding a crowd for less money.I wanted to give this recipe idea a run–Spaghetti Fritatta, eh?  I needed to omit the pasta from the recipe because of the gluten and really the whole idea of spaghetti does not fit in with the level of carbohydrates we want to eat right now. I then thought that spaghetti squash would be a fun substitute to try in the recipe. Spaghetti squash is in season right now and the farm stand is over flowing with it ; since it is only 50 cents a pound it is less pricey than cheap pasta–win, win! i also picked up a ton of other veggies to toss into the mix and of course a dozen of some farm fresh local eggs. Yeah Baby!

Spaghetti Casserole
serves 4

4 cups  cooked spaghetti squash
4 large fresh eggs
1 large red bell pepper diced
1 medium hot pepper diced and seeded
3 cloves minced garlic
1 whole tomato sliced thin
1 large sweet onion diced
3 cups chopped broccoli florets
1 handful fresh basil crushed and chopped
1 spring fresh rosemary diced fine
2 generous pinches sea salt
1 tblspn Olive Oil

Optional Topping –1/4 cup cheddar cheese–shredded

Add all ingredients to a large bowl and mix well. Set in the fridge for at least an hour to marinate and allow the flavors to meld. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and lightly oil a 9×9 baking dish. Add the marinated raw casserole to the pan and bake for 40 minutes or until the dish is set.  Serve hot.

Other good ideas:

–make a large batch and store for easy lunch grab and goes
–add in chopped bacon or ham
–go heavy on the additional vegetables

Calories Per Serving: 227
Fat: 11 grams
Carbohydrate: 24 grams
Fiber: 5 grams
Protein: 11 grams

What do you love to throw on the grill?

My garden is in full glory, full of yummy treats and pretty flowers and I can’t forget to mention the weeds.  They completely got away from me this year.  So away they go and I am just trying to clear paths through the weedy jungle to get to the veggies.  I found a few pattypan squash and had lots of basil so I came up with some grilled treats.  If you are like me and lived most of your life without trying pattypan squash… go try it.  It has a similar flavor to yellow crookneck squash but the texture is better and stays firmer when cooked.  But please don’t overcook it.  Leave a little crunch in it.

Balsamic, Basil Chicken

4 servings of skinned chicken breasts (I used chicken tenders cause it’s all I had)

¼ c chopped fresh basil

3 T balsamic vinegar

3 T lime or lemon juice

1 T honey (optional)

Place all the ingredients in a large Ziploc baggie or bowl and dissolve the honey.  Mix well and toss in the chicken.  Coat the chicken well and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

Heat up your grill to low heat and cook until done all the way through. Timing is so different on each and every grill so you will have to figure out when yours is done.  Just FYI- watch out for the honey burning on the chicken. Cook slowly.

Grilled Pattypan Squash

Trim your squash and slice so it’s at least ½ inch thick.  Brush on a little, maybe 1 t per serving, of an Italian vinaigrette

on tops and bottoms of each slice.  I keep a bottle of Newmans oil and vinegar dressing for easy access but you can make your own from

1T olive oil and 2T vinegar and any seasonings you like.  Next I pepper the squash and add a dash of garlic powder to each slice.  Off to the grill.

Grill over low heat, approximately 2 mins on each side.  Enjoy.

–Jamie Wilson co author to Squeaky Gourmet

Some Pizza pickings!

So, follow the basic cheesecake recipe from here: “Let Them Eat Cheesecake!” but omit the lemon and vanilla from the design.

My 6 yr old handles the sharp objects that I am not allowed to touch.

Have a helper chop finely a couple of cloves of garlic for you. This is all based on how you want your own pizza–so 2 cloves, 5 cloves–dare for more? You pick! Add that garlic to the cheese as well as a couple pinches of sea salt and a few dashes of pepper. Now,you can add all the seasoning your pallet can handled in this step of the process. We choose to add fresh oregano as well as fresh sage and sun dried tomatoes chopped fine.  Once the seasoning is added in I folded in the egg whites as well as a 1/2 cup Asiago cheese. This was going to be your crust and sauce all in one. Once this is done, pour into a well oiled spring form pan.

Once this was prepared we chopped fresh peppers, more oregano, sage, mushrooms, left over grilled pork cubed up–really–the question for you is how do you like your pizza?  You could add anything here–feta and basil with roasted pine nuts. Salami and shredded cheddar. Endless–the possibilities are ENDLESS!

Ready for some HEAT!

After we topped off the pie with what we (my 6 year old and I) deemed GENIUS  we added a bit more Asiago to the top. We put it in the oven which has been preheated to 350 degrees.  We then paced the floor for 60 minutes, checking it periodically for–pizza-ish-ness. the house was filled with the amazing aroma of a Pizzeria. We anticipated this pie to be wonderful based simply on the scent filling the air. We drifted around like cartoon characters floating along behind the smell in the air. My 6 year old would clap her hands and yell I CANNOT WAIT! After the 60 minute mark arrived I added about 2 ounces sliced fresh mozzarella and continued cooking for another 10 minutes.

Done! I wish you could inhale the aroma this was making!

Then the timer went off, we opened the oven and shook the pan to make sure it was “set” (wiggly a bit but not soupy or sloshing around in the pan) We giggled a bit as only mad scientists in the kitchen do as I took the pie from the oven to cool. I took more pictures of it, stared at it, closed my eyes over it and breathed deeply through my nose in hopes to taste the wonderful scents wafting from the pie.  Once it had cooled about an hour I placed it in the fridge. I was not sure if i could cut it that warm and wanted to see what it would be like 1) re-heated and 2) cold.

When I removed the outer ring of the pan there was a lot of run off from the vegetables so be ready for that–no need to make a mess and ruin the experience you are creating here! I set it in the fridge and took pictures of it there as well. It was like sending a friend off at the airport. Good bye, Pizza Pie, one last picture before I close the door. have a safe trip, see you soon!  I let it chill for about 2 hours then removed it and cut out a slice. It cut perfectly, held shape wonderfully and tasted exactly as i needed it to taste. See that brown crusty edge in the photos? That was made up of the Asiago inside the pie itself, it tasted like cheese crusted bread. it was wonderful! So, slice aside I returned the pie to the oven to reheat for 30 minutes. See what some of us do to create a recipe to share??

It reheated perfectly, held shape and flavor and was just perfect in every way I wanted it to be!

I served it reheated with a tossed salad in a mustard vinaigrette. The left over slice that I ate for breakfast this morning was even better–just so you know!

Ricotta Pizza Pie--low Carb--Gluten Free--Perfect!

Squeaky Gourmet Cream Sauce w/ Mushrooms

Well, we all love it. We all have had cravings for a creamy topping on pasta–even if you won’t admit it.  That rich smooth silk of a cream sauce clinging to the pasta and coating our mouth with exquisite flavor and textures. When you give your life over to a healthier diet, a cleaner way of eating foods, you give up that experience. You walk around OK with not having a rich pasta meal because you know your arteries and your body deserves to be treated with more respect than those belly bloated pasta-fairs. However, the tickle in your brain returns at times when you see those commercials on TV before bed seducing you with the cream coated olive branch.  Your reward response in your head is tempted and you think “Oh yes, a creamy delight indeed!” . They leave you dreaming of rivers of cream sauce, mountains of pasta–all you can eat and more! So, the internal battle begins, lunch at the Italian American buffet or that lunch you  packed last night. What are you to do?

Well, 1–shut off that TV at night and read a book before bed and 2–prepare this wonderful cream sauce ahead of time and reward your body with being prepared!

The typical calories found in a cream sauce per serving (1/2 cup) are on average 500 calories. WHAT? It takes 500 calories extra to your diet to add on a pound of fat a week–roughly. For a person weighing 150 pounds, they would have to walk QUICKLY for 104 minutes to burn that off.  Our cream sauce will leave you satisfied and it is under 12o calories per 1/2 cup serving. WIN/WIN!!

Clean Sauce
serves approximately 8
8 ounces reduce fat cream cheese
2 cups low fat Greek yogurt
1 ounce grated Parmesan cheese
2 cloves garlic-crushed
2 Pinch Sea Salt
Black Pepper to taste

In a sauce pan set on medium heat place the cream cheese and stir until it is melted, add in remaining ingredients and heat through while stirring to prevent burning. Serve hot.

Flesh that is easy to flake apart with a fork indicates this is cooked.

Before I began my cream sauce I cut a large spaghetti squash in 4 and seeded it. I then placed all 4 parts in a large pot of boiling water and cooked the squash for 20 minutes–until it could flake off with a fork.

Spaghetti Squash Magic

Here is the final product of the squash–hot and waiting for any sauce. See how wonderful it looks? My husband is a bog pasta lover and this squash honestly does the trick for him!

Creamy Chicken "Pasta"

Finally I sautéed up some chicken breast and added that to the cream sauce to create the final dish. The possibilities are endless for the sauce. Consider it a base for anything you want to create. Over potatoes, over broccoli,green bean casserole,meatballs–think outside the olive branch!

Squeaky Gourmet Cream Sauce

Right now Basil is spilling out of my herb garden with it’s bright green leaves just begging me to make something with it–anything with it!  This is one of my most favorite fresh herbs to use in most dishes and dressings this time of year. It has such a fresh, clean  and wholesome flavor to it. This particular dish is a light and flavorful summer meal that will leave you experiencing the full feeling of summer and health.  You will love it! The smell of the pork cooking is so enticing, the fresh herbs, the lemon and garlic all dancing together in harmony–tantalizing your taste buds without adding to your waistline! Such a simple dish to prepare–but when you taste it  you will be taken away by the medley of flavors. This is not just your basic “other white meat” recipe.

Herb Infused Pork

1 1/2 lbs pork loin fat removed and sliced thin
4 cloves fresh garlic
1 handful fresh basil
1 handful fresh cilantro leaves
1 teaspoon lemon
1 tablespoon basil olive oil
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
3 generous pinches sea salt

In a food processor or blender add all ingredients but the pork loin. Blend completely. In a mixing bowl add the sliced pork and pour over it the herb marinade–toss until the pork is completely coated. Allow this to sit for at least 30 minutes. I usually marinate mine while preparing the salad and the sautéed veggies that go so well with this dish.

heat a cast iron skillet lightly coated with oil on medium high heat–add pork loin pieces one at a time not crowding them in the pan. You want to sear this pork–too many pieces in the pan will cool off the surface and let more moisture escape from the pork than you want.  Continue this method until all the pork is cooked–it is about 3 minutes each side.

to keep the meal light and easy to digest in the summer heat serve over some summer fresh sautéed vegetables–here it is pictured with various peppers, onions and mushrooms and a field greens side salad.

I love this time of year in the garden–well in the miraculous growth in my yard, really. I am not an avid gardener like other people are–I compost and stir the land and then scatter seeds and wait and hope the earth will allow it all to grow. I am not the organized boxed Gardner like I want to be–rather, I look and see the ripe rich green of the natural flora of my yard and hope the seeds I scatter will follow suit.  Some do–some do not. I do not mind that some do not grow because I get over joyed with the ones that DO!

Right now I have some wonderful sage, coriander, tarragon and oregano overflowing the garden edges and seducing the air with their textured leaves and sultry green life forces. I love to just pluck a leaf or two off each one and rub them together in my hand and just inhale the fragrance of them. They smell like nature, rain fall on a hot summer night, healing and sustenance–they smell like life.  The fresh herbs do not lose any flavor in the food you add it to, cooked or raw. They dance around the dish touching it all lightly with their own voice. How can I not cook with them?

I had some chicken breast in the fridge and some new quinoa in the cupboard and they each seem to go perfectly with the fresh herbs I grabbed from the garden. Even though the settings were off on the camera ( I really need to learn how to USE this camera of mine!) I had to share the images and the recipe is really a must try. If you do not have the herbs growing in your yard–hop the fence of the neighbors and see if they do. If they also do not, consider listing your house and relocating as well as checking your local farmer markets for samples of what other people may be growing. I would also ask for some sprouts to plant since you will fall in love with this combination  and will be in dire need for more.

Quinoa Chicken Salad with Garden Fresh Herbs

serves 4

1 pound raw boneless skinless chicken breast-cubed
1 cup rinsed raw quionoa
2 cups vegetable broth
Zest of 1 lemon
2 tbls fresh lemon juice
2 whole fresh scallions
1 green bell pepper
1 handful each tarragon, sage, coriander, oregano

Place raw chicken in a bowl, add to it 2 teaspoons sea salt and cover with ice water–set aside.  Cook quinoa in the vegetable broth for about 15 minutes or until all the broth is absorbed into this magic little seed. Set quinoa in the fridge and allow to cool.  To prepare the herbs, rinse them with cold water and remove leaves from the stems. You easily remove the leaves by holding the stem upside down in your hand and then just pinch the stem between your thumb and pointer finger of your other hand and gently slide your pinched fingers down the stem–the leaves come right off.

Next heat a non-stick skillet on medium high heat–add in chicken and herbs. Cook chicken all the way through while stirring to prevent burning. Even with the raw meat, look how fantastic the herbs look–trying to restore life to the meat!

Once the chicken is cooked through add in the fresh lemon juice and remove from heat. While the chicken is still warm dice the peppers and scallion and stir into the chicken.  Stir in cooled quinoa and store in the fridge until the entire dish is chilled. Serve on a bed of cucumbers and enjoy!

Other Good Ideas:

–add different spices, anything you can think of!
–make extra and bring to a summer picnic
–add in some mango and use lime juice

Some of you are reading the header of this post and thinking to yourselves–”I knew it! Moe is a slob!” However that is not what I am going to talk about–this is not a confessions of a messy housewife entry into our blog. Though it did for a moment make me look around my work area and consider abandoning this post for other projects.  ADHD is the enemy I tell you!  OK back to my point–This is a soul sharing entry on a comfort food favorite for lots of Americans–and we of course cleaned it up! This is a slow cooker recipe that would be perfect to have on a “game night” or bring to a pot luck party. These even made spectacular left overs for the hubby to bring to work the next day! I paired it with a Napa slaw that was so fast to prepare i wonder why I never thought of sharing it with the readers before! The bun is a gluten free cheesy bread roll–but you can use any of your favorite rolls for this–just make sure they are not store bought rolls–it would be a great disservice to the meat and slaw.

Sloppy Moes
serves 5
2lbs lean beef roast
1 medium onion diced
1 sweet red pepper diced
1 14oz can low sodium diced tomatoes–drained well
2 tbl chili garlic sauce
2 tbl spicy brown mustard
2 tbl cider vinegar
2 tbl garlic powder
Juice of half a lemon

Place all ingredients into the slow cooker and cook on high for 5 hours. When the meat is done it should shred very easily with a fork. Serve shredded with some added sauce.

For the Napa slaw, dice 1 head of Nappa Cabbage and toss with Squeaky Gourmet’s Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing. You can either serve the slaw on the side or serve on a bun as pictured.

Other Good Ideas:

– Serve on corn taco shells with added chili sauce and avocado slices
– Serve over brown rice

Calories Per Serving (meat only) : 298
Protein: 55 grams
Fat: 6 grams
Carbohydrates: 7 grams