Cooking Lessons with the Grill

There are a few kitchen basics that I thought everybody knew, but apparently I was wrong.

I realized this when I left my fiancée strict instructions for dinner, one night when I was working late. Everything was prepared, he just had to put it in the oven. So he reads the directions that says to use an oven safe SKILLET (as pictured above). Instead he used a pyrex, glass casserole dish on the stovetop. Needless to say, I came home and the glass dish had exploded all across the kitchen. This is what leads me to basic cooking rules for those who are just learning how to cook:

1. The only materials that can be used on the stove are metals, cast-iron counts as a metal. Glass and ceramic can never go on the stove top, they may be used in the oven if labled oven safe, but NEVER on the stove top

2. Metal can never be put in the microwave, glass is best for microwave. Metal also includes aluminum foil

Glass - microwave and oven only Metal - Stove top and occasionally oven (if oven safe)

3. Boiling means that the water is so hot that you can visibly see large bubbles

4. Simmering means cooking over low heat and keeping a close eye on whatever the contents are so they don't burn

5. Measuring cups are meant to be used and every kitchen needs a set. They should always be used when baking, even if you are a pro due to the chemical reactions that happen during the baking process, ingredients need to be precise.

For cooking, measuring is not always needed if you can eyeball well; however, if you are just beginning, I recommend using them.

6. Use a cook book and read the instructions FIRST before starting

7. Have fun and when in doubt, look on the internet for answers

Zucchini Bread

This Recipe is for Zucchini bread made even healthier. I used to love when my mom made it for me as a kid.

Ingredients:

2 cups shredded zucchini

1.5 cups All-Purpose Flour

1.5 cups Whole Wheat Flour

1 teaspoon Baking Soda

1 teaspoon Baking Powder

1.4 Cups Sugar

1/3 cup Canola Oil

2/3 cup unsweetened Organic Applesauce

2 Tablespoon Cinnamon

1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract

3 Eggs

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. Sift all both types of flour, baking soda, baking Powder, and Cinnamon in a bowl and set aside

3. Beat Eggs, Oil, Applesauce, and sugar in another large bowl until well mixed and creamy

4. Slowly combine dry ingredients into the creamy mixture and beat for another minute or until well mixed

5. Add Zucchini to mixture

6. Pour into a buttered or sprayed loaf pan and bake for 40-50 minutes

I added the whole wheat flour for the health benefits to this recipe; however, if you make it all with whole wheat flour, then the taste isn't as smooth

I also used Canola oil instead of Vegetable Oil since it has far less Saturated fat and I substituted the rest of the oil for the applesauce which cuts both fat and calories.

In addition, I put less sugar in because the applesauce is sweet naturally.

My verdict on this recipe is: Doesn't taste exactly like mom's zucchini bread, but tastes pretty close. I could not tell much of a difference.

Ratatouille

Ok this may not look the most appetizing, but there is something comforting about it and it has wonderful taste with the most simple ingredients. It is also virtually impossible to mess this recipe up.

Ingredients:

1 pound of tomatoes, sliced

1 pound of eggplant, sliced

1 pound of zucchini, sliced

5 Cloves of Garlic, Minced

1 Red Bell Pepper, Diced

1 Onion, Diced

This dish is best made in a Cast-Iron pot such as a Le Creuset Dutch Oven, a Soup Pot will also do if you don't have a Dutch Oven.

Start by layering the Eggplant on the bottom, then the tomatoes, next the Zucchini and then sprinkle the onion, red bell pepper, and garlic on top. Cook over low heat for 1-1.5 hours.

I serve my ratatouille over Quinoa (can be seen in the picture above). It is a great dish to take for lunch or freeze.

A Slice of Heaven - Flourless Chocolate Cake

8 0z. Dark Chocolate Chips

8 oz. Unsalted Butter at room temperature

4 Large Eggs

1 Cup Sugar

2 Tablespoons Vanilla

6 Tablespoons Cornstarch

Before you start you will need two mixing bowls and 1 mold or spring form pan

1. Preheat the oven to 350 Degrees

2. Brush the mold or spring form pan with butter

3. Place chocolate in a bowl that is set above a pot of simmering water - a double boiler will also do. Once chocolate is melted, remove from heat and let cool.

4. In a separate bowl cream butter

5. Pour chocolate into mixing bowl with butter and beat for another 2 minutes

6. In separate bowl beat eggs and start adding sugar, beat at high speed until the eggs are thick (about 6 minutes)

7. Beat chocolate/butter mixture into egg/sugar mixture

8. Add Vanilla and cornstarch to mixture

9. Pour batter into prepared mold and cover chocolate in mold with buttered wax or parchment paper.

10. Put mold in baking dish and fill baking dish with hot water, until the water almost comes up to the top.

11. Place in oven and bake for 45-50 minutes

12. Turn mold over on serving plate and wait 30 minutes until the mold is cooled

I also like to make a raspberry sauce to go on top, I find its the perfect compliment to the rich chocolate. This is how it is made:

1 Cup of Pureed Raspberries

1/2 Cup of Sugar

juice squeezed from 1/2 of a lemon

All contents are placed in a sauced pan and cooked over low heat until contents have been cooked off and reduced. Keep stirring while it is over heat though.

Leek and Potato Soup

Soups are my favorite thing to make. They are virtually impossible to screw up, are usually very healthy, easy to make, cheap, and are great to take for lunch.

One of my favorites is Leek and Potato soup, It is healthy because leeks contain much vitamin K, Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, Iron and Folate and the potatoes also contain much Vitamin C, B6, Iron, and Potassium. In addition, this soup has a creamy consistency, but has no cream in it.

This is how I make it:

1 Yellow Onion, minced
1-2 tablespoons of Olive Oil
3 cloves of Garlic, minced
1-2 bunches of Leeks, white parts only, chopped
2-4 Potatoes (depending on size and type, I usually use 4 red potatoes), cubed
5 cups of Vegetable Stock or until all veggies are covered in the pot, you can also use Better than Bouillon Vegetable Base and Water (this is my method of choice, its cheaper).

First, saute the onions and leeks in about a tablespoon or two of olive oil. Once they are mostly cooked, add the minced Garlic, and cook for another minute.

Next add the potatoes, and the stock or base and water until the veggies are just covered in liquid. Let boil, then reduce heat to a simmer for about 20 minutes or until the potatoes are soft. Next, blend the mixture with either an immersion blender or regular blender, be careful with the hot liquid. The soup should have a creamy consistency then.

Note: you may add whatever other spices you want to this, dried or fresh thyme is good, sometimes I add cheese into it, and sometimes just a little bit of salt and pepper.

Kaeng Raeng Cleanse/Detox: Day 3

YAY!!! This is my last day of this cleanse! I am ready for some bread or pasta tomorrow!

There is nothing new today.

While the smoothies/shakes are good, I am kinda getting tired of them. They seemed more filling today so I only had half a package during each meal. After this cleanse was over, I have 2 packages left.

Kaeng Raeng Cleanse: Day 2

I forgot to pack my lunch smoothing mix to bring to work today, hopefully the day will be ok without it. I did pack plenty of fresh raw veggies and fruit, so I think I will be good.

9:30 am: Luckily my morning smoothie made more than normal, so I think I can get by with drinking half of it, and it is delicious!

11:00 am: So far today, I have some cravings, but they are definitely not as intense as yesterday. I had some celery and carrots as a snack, they are quite flavorful and are filling.

1:00 pm: Was doing so well until now, we have a warm food lunch n' learn in the office and the food smells so good. I haven't given in yet, but the cravings are back.

4:00 pm: Made it through the afternoon while only having one spoonfull of rice, not bad

7:00 pm: Just finished a run and I feel great. For dinner I am having a shake mixed with a little bit of plain Greek Yogurt and a banana. Yum

8:00 pm: I had two mushrooms that Tim didn't eat out of his Chicken Pot Pie. I think this cleanse/detox is working because those mushrooms tasted too salty, I had to drink a whole glass of water afterwards, just to get the overly salty taste out of my mouth.

So far so good!

Kaeng Raeng Cleanse: Day 1

After eating non-stop all weekend, this cleanse couldn't come at a more perfect time. My motivation for trying the cleanse is because after I studied abroad in France, I did not crave or want any processed foods for about 6 months. I wanted to get back to that point where I didn't find the processed foods appealing so I decided to do a detox/cleanse.

I found the cleanse through a health newsletter I subscribe to. Unlike some cleanses you actually can eat food, only raw fruits and veggies that is. It seemed to be the most reasonable cleanse and it is all natural. This is the website for more information: http://www.kaengraeng.com/. I tried the three day beginners cleanse, I think the 6-day cleanse is a little excessive for me just starting out, maybe next time.

I was a little nervous getting everything together this morning, what if I am starving, what if I have to run to the bathroom every 5 minutes.

9:30 am: This morning I did the daybreak package of mix that came from Kaeng Raeng and I put that into a blender with a container of non-fat plain Greek yogurt, 1 medium-sized banana, a few strawberries, and about 1/2 a cup of soy milk (I eyeballed it). It actually does taste pretty good and is surprisingly very filling. Ok I think we can make it three days

11:45 am: I am seriously craving salt and carbs. I could really go for either cheese and crackers or chicken noodle soup right now. I guess the whole point of this cleanse is to ease the addiction of salt. Hopefully I last through the whole 3 days without breaking!

12:00 pm: I tried to cure the salt craving with fresh slices of red bell pepper, it seemed ok, at least enough to hold me over. It helps I am at work and can only eat what I brought to work for lunch. I also had my afternoon shake mix, this time I mixed it with milk. It tasted good, but is a bit grainy, I felt like I was drinking a cup of blackberry seeds.

2:00 pm: I decided to go for the salad I brought. I made the salad with baby fresh spinach, shredded carrots, sliced strawberries, and avocado slices. The dressing was just an orange I cut up and squeezed the juice for dressing. It was actually a quite refreshing salad and I think the a avocados and strawberries really went well together, I will have to make it again.

4:00 pm: I am craving sandwich, I don't know if I can make it three days without carbs. Instead of a sandwich, I am going to have blueberry green tea, it sounds weird but is delicious, and hopefully it will take my mind off of the carbs.

7:00 pm: Ate my salad and cheated by putting a dab of low-sodium soy sauce on it. Soy sauce on salad might sound weird, but after my cravings today, it was so delicious.

8:00 pm: Drank my smoothie and it was rather delicious and very filling. Tim tempted me to eat Sour Patch Kid Jelly Beans (the best jelly beans I have ever had), and I even managed to turn him down without temptation on that offer.

I also did not have use the restroom every 5 minutes today.

Parmesan-Roasted Broccoli

Broccoli is my other favorite vegetable. When I studied abroad in France and lived with a host family, they could always tell when I was cooking because I made the whole house stink of broccoli. I practically had it almost every day, and it really does smell when cooking.

This particular recipe is actually an Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa Recipe. Ina Garten and I also share the same love for France and French Food, hence my love for her dish.

I cooked this dish for the first time for Tim's Dad's 60th Birthday Party, and it gets good reviews every time I make it!

Ingredients
4 to 5 pounds broccoli
4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
Good olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons julienned fresh basil leaves (about 12 leaves)
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Cut the broccoli florets from the thick stalks, leaving an inch or two of stalk attached to the florets, discarding the rest of the stalks. Cut the larger pieces through the base of the head with a small knife, pulling the florets apart. You should have about 8 cups of florets. Place the broccoli florets on a sheet pan large enough to hold them in a single layer. Toss the garlic on the broccoli and drizzle with 5 tablespoons olive oil. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, until crisp-tender and the tips of some of the florets are browned.

Remove the broccoli from the oven and immediately toss with 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, the lemon zest, lemon juice, pine nuts, Parmesan, and basil. Serve hot.

Note: I sometimes halve the recipe if cooking for just Tim and I, it yields a large serving.

Court's Mashed Sweet Potatoes

One of my favorite veggies is Sweet Potatoes! Not only are they delicious, but they have many vitamins and minerals that are good for you too. They contain fiber, much Vitamin A, Beta-Carotene, Lutein, Vitamin B6, and Folate among many other vitamins.

For this recipe I used my friends Sara and Kristin as taste testers. I think they were rather pleased, and I kept the recipe healthy!

How to make the sweet potatoes: (serving size: 4)

2 large sweet potatoes or 3 medium sized sweet potatoes
2 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk
2 table spoons maple syrup
2 shakes of Cinnamon

First for this recipe, I peeled the skin off the potatoes and discarded of it. I then cut the potatoes into chunks and boiled them for about 15 minutes or until soft.

Next, combined the sweet potatoes, sweetened condensed milk, maple syrup, and cinnamon into a bowl and mixed for about two minutes until smooth and creamy. Then they are ready to serve, its really that easy!

The reason I used the sweetened condensed milk was to add some creaminess and sweetness to the sweet potatoes. I used the Maple Syrup to also add sweetness and it also offers many antioxidants and is high in vitamins, Manganese and Zinc. Cinnamon has a reputation to cure colds, has been used to treat digestive issues, has antimicrobial properties, and is also high in antioxidants. What a healthy side dish!

Appetizers in a Rush

While I am not a huge fan of prepared foods, I came across this website while reading Real Simple Magazine www.theperfectbiteco.com they sell side dishes and appetizers. It is all homemade and is delivered frozen to your house, all you have to do is pop it in the oven. It seems like a good alternative when there is no time for making everything from scratch for a party.


After looking at how much appetizers cost for weddings, this also seems fairly inexpensive $9.95 for a box of 12 Smoked Salmon and Chive Pastry Kisses. Note: there is typically a 3 tray minimum per order.

Heaven in a Jar or Packet

This item is pretty much heaven in a jar. It is all natural peanut butter and chococlate mixed together. What could get any better than that? It pretty much tastes great on anything from bread, to graham crackers, to ice-cream. A bonus is that the oils also do not separate like most natural peanut butters do. I am in love with it! I usually buy it at Fairway since its sold the cheapest there, but I have seen it at Grisedes as well.

I also just found out they now sell it online in individual packages (pictured above) so you can take it anywhere! Meaning, for those real addicts, it will fit into your purse a little better than the whole jar.

I recommend this item; although, I am warning you that once you try it, you will be addicted too.

Surburban Kitchen Must Have

I got an e-mail newsletter about a week ago about this mini cupcake maker. It really seems rather cool, its almost like a waffle maker for cupcakes. It reminds me of the next step up from an easy bake oven(I used to ask for them as gifts when I was a kid, but never got one).

This might even be an excuse to move to the suburbs, just to own a mini cupcake maker. New York City apartment kitchens cannot accomodate anything extra besides the necessary basics. Although, this may be considered a kitchen basic when you find out what it does... It bakes mini-cupcakes in under 8 minutes! How cute is that? I am sure you can also bake bite-sized muffins in it as well.

The one question I want to know is, has anybody ever used this? All of the websites that sell this item, do not have more than 2 customer reviews for it.

Chinese Chicken and Broccoli

When Tim and I go out to eat at Chinese restaurants, our favorite item off the menu is chicken and broccoli; however, while it sounds healthy, it can be rather unhealthy due to the amount of oil and sodium it has at the restaurant. My goal was to make a healthier recipe, and while being quite skeptical about it, it actually tasted better than the dish at the Chinese restaurant. I found this recipe on foodnetwork.com.


Ingredients
Game Plan:
Marinate the chicken while you prepare the rest of the ingredients
1 pound chicken breast (about 2 breasts), cubed
3 scallions, whites only, thinly sliced on an angle
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-inch piece peeled fresh ginger, minced
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon dry sherry
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
About 1/3 cup water
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
5 to 6 cups broccoli, trimmed sliced stalks and medium florets (keep the 2 cuts separate)
3/4 to 1 teaspoon red chili flakes, optional
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
Garnish: toasted sesame seeds, optional
Serving suggestion: Jasmine rice
Directions
In a medium bowl, toss the chicken with the scallion whites, about half the garlic and ginger, the soy sauce, sugar, 1 teaspoon of the cornstarch, 1 teaspoon of the salt, the sherry, and the sesame oil. Marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes. Mix the remaining cornstarch with 1/3 cup water.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil and heat. Add the broccoli stems, and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add the florets and the remaining garlic, ginger, 2 tablespoons of water, and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Stir-fry until the broccoli is bright green but still crisp, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Get the skillet good and hot again, and then heat 2 more tablespoons oil. Add the chicken and chili flakes if using. Stir-fry until the chicken loses its raw color and gets a little brown, about 3 minutes. Add the hoisin sauce, return the broccoli to the pan and toss to heat through. Stir in the reserved cornstarch mixture and bring to a boil to thicken. Add more water if need to thin the sauce, if necessary. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if you like. Mound the stir-fry on a serving platter or divide among 4 plates and garnish with sesame seeds; serve with rice.

Website Notes: The garlic and ginger can be chopped together in a minichopper to save time.

Scallion greens can also be used to garnish, if you like that extra onion-y flavor and you want to use up the scallions.

The broccoli stems are used (love all that fiber) to add textural contrast and also to help bulk up the dish, and why waste them?

My Notes: To make the dish healthier, I steamed the broccoli first, why add extra oil when you don't have to. I then just sauted the garlic and ginger in a tiny bit of oil and mixed that in the broccoli. I then used half the amout of oil when making the chicken and instead of vegatable oil I used Canola Oil since it is lower in saturated fat and calories.

For rice I used Brown rice instead of the suggested Jasmine Rice, it has more whole grains and is healthier.

This recipe got two thumbs up from both Tim and I. I definitely will cook it again, its a balanced meal with grains, protein, and vegetables!

The Brits are Obsessed with Cadbury

Easter is right around the corner, and one well known Easter candy is the Cadbury Creme Filled Egg. In the US we only know Cadbury well for this product; however, Cadbury is quite popular for a wide range of products in the UK, where it is based.

Every holiday my grandparents give all of the grandchildren a huge bar of Cadbury Chocolate (a little bigger even than the one pictured above). My grandparents have cases of this chocolate in their basement. Every time friends of theirs from England come to visit, they bring a case or two.

Yesterday, our marketing counterpart in London, Patrick came to visit us in the New York office, and he too gifted us with this exact chocolate as well. The Brits do make it known that they love their Cadbury, but I didn't realize it was such a common gift for them to give to Americans.

By the way, it does taste better than American chocolate (ie. Hersheys), it melts in your mouth!

New Lunch Sandwich

I got this recipe from FitnessMagazine.com via EatingWell.Com

This streamlined version of a northern Italian idea is perfect for a summer evening: no-fuss, no-cook and big taste. You can even make it ahead and store it, covered, in the refrigerator for several days. If you do, use it as a wrap filling for the next day's lunch.

Servings: 4 servings, 1 cup each
Prep: 10 mins
Total: 10 mins
Rated : Not yet rated
Rate and Comment
Ingredients
2 6-ounce cans chunk light tuna, drained
1 15-ounce can small white beans, such as cannellini or great northern, rinsed (see Ingredient note)
10 cherry tomatoes, quartered
4 scallions, trimmed and sliced
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
Directions
1. Combine tuna, beans, tomatoes, scallions, oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Stir gently. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Tips:
Ingredient Note: When you use canned beans in a recipe, be sure to rinse them first in a colander under cold running water, as their canning liquid often contains a fair amount of sodium.
MAKE AHEAD TIP: Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Nutrition Facts
Calories 253, Total Fat 8 g, Saturated Fat 1 g, Monounsaturated Fat 5 g, Cholesterol 53 mg, Sodium 453 mg, Carbohydrate 20 g, Fiber 6 g, Protein 31 g, Potassium 451 mg. Daily Values: Vitamin C 20%. Exchanges: Starch 1,Vegetable 1,Lean Meat 3.5,Fat 1.
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet


This recipe is yummy, healthy, and cheap! I put spinach in mine instead of lettuce. Spinach is such a powerhouse for extra good vitamins such as Iron, Vitamin A, Beta-Carotine, Lutein, Folate, and Vitamin C among many others! This recipe is a good alternative to the regular boring sandwich.

For the Love of Water

It was finally time to say "good-bye" to the my Brita filter I have had since college. It was getting gross even after bleaching it numerous times. So when it came time to make a trip to Target, a new pitcher was the first thing on our list. I will drink tap water, but its not my favorite thing and I am not high maintenance enough to only drink bottled water. So a water filter pitcher is the perfect option.

While browsing Target I saw this Pur Filter pitcher that came with flavor cartridges. Living with a fiancee that is addicted to fruit juice (and sometimes soda), this seemed like a good option. The flavor cartridges are sugar free, no calories, and have no artificial coloring, I didn't knows what was actually in it, but it seemed appealing on the label.

The minute we got home we washed and used it, the flavoring does taste good, and it flavors the water without flavoring the whole pitcher. This seemed like a good money saving option to all the fruit juice we buy.

So what is the catch then? After doing some research, it contains sucralose(Splenda), which I am not a fan of. When googled sucralose is a chemical substance used as a sugar subsitute; however, the body does not know how to metabolize it. Also one of the main components of sucralose is chlorine. Why would I consume the same toxic substance that is used in pools to kill bacteria? Yes, I know it is small doses but still....

At least having a new pitcher is nice!

About Me:

My Fiancee, pictured here loves junk food and I love healthy whole foods. So I am blogging about my adventures to get this man to eat a balanced diet, and compromising at meal time.

I almost feel like Jessica Sienfield with her book "Deceptively Delicious." I actually think she was rather ingenious in writing this book. For those who are not familiar with this book, Jessica Sienfield writes recipes about how to sneak fruits and vegetables into food kids love. For example, she might add cauliflower or butternut squash into Mac n' Cheese, and you cannot even tell the difference.

My mission is to make healthy foods that my pizza and chicken finger loving fiancee will eat. Its much like cooking for a kid; although, its time to graduate from eating chicken fingers every night for dinner. Don't get me wrong, I love a good chicken finger occasionally, but not every day.