Just Freeze it! April 9, 2009

One of the biggest tips I can offer any time crunched cook is to prepare yourself for those times that you don’t want to cook by freezing things that you did have the time to make. I freeze everything! If fruit is going to go bad before I can eat it, I freeze it (which makes for great smoothies). Same with veggies! Most of what I cook usually makes at least 4-6 servings so unless I am planning to use the leftovers for another meal during the week… You guessed it… I freeze it! Spaghetti sauce, mashed sweet potatoes, grilled fish or chicken, pad thai noodles etc. So those times when I get home from work late and I really don’t feel like cooking I go through my freezer and defrost something. It’s like having one of those lamely proportioned frozen dinners but  it is full of goodness instead of preservatives and sodium. When freezing items make sure you put them in an airtight container or a plastic baggie with the excess air pressed out. I label the bag or the container with the date and try to use it within 1 month of that date. Don’t freeze things that you don’t think you’ll eat again as they will just take up space.

 
Here’s an example of a quick lunch that I made utilizing something that I had frozen. I defrosted 2 edamame burger patties that I made last month (See my blog entry under Vegetarian Options “Edamame Veggie Burger”). I heated the patties in the microwave (at 70% power) for 1-1/2 minutes. I served the patties wrapped in a whole wheat tortilla along w/ black bean hummus, field greens, sliced cucumbers and a little sauce that I made out of nonfat Greek yogurt and Tapatio. The whole lunch took me 5 minutes to make and was so super tasty and filling! 

 

Do you have any freeze it tips? Please share!

Long time no blog… My Quick n’ Easy Meals for a Hectic Schedule March 5, 2009

I can’t believe that it has been MONTHS since I last blogged. Actually I CAN believe it as the past 3 months of this little home cook’s life have been quite hectic to say the least. It’s not that I haven’t been cooking; it is that I haven’t been cooking anything that I considered “blog worthy”. I mentioned this to one of my girlfriends and she reminded me that maybe I should write about such meals anyway. People can relate to hectic schedules and it might inspire someone even though it may not be a 5-star creative meal. People sometimes just need fast, healthy and EASY!!! So here are some of my not so creative staples that have gotten me through the past few months. I am going to commit to cooking something new each week so that I can keep up with my blog (If there is anyone still reading it out there. Hellloooooo???? )

 

- Grilled Mahi Mahi (on my George Foreman of course) marinated in store bought Tequila & Line marinade served with steamed broccoli and brown rice or quinoa (I probably eat this meal at least 2 times a week!) 

- Erin’s Zaba Bowl. There is a chain here in Vegas called Zaba’s (similar to Chipotle) where you can get a bowl of brown rice, black beans and veggies (you can also get meat but I usually go sans meat). It is so easy and filling. My Zaba bowl is cooked brown rice, black beans, sauteed onions and red bell peppers, lettuce, chopped avocado, pico de gallo and nonfat plain Greek yogurt (instead of sour cream). All topped with many dashes of Tapatio! SPICY! 

- Baked Tofu (sliced into strips) with steamed green peas & broccoli tossed with whole wheat pasta noodles and store bought Thai Peanut Salad dressing (I like the Fresh n’ Easy brand).

- Grilled Chicken (on my George Foreman once again) that has been marinated in a mixture of lemon juice, olive oil, white wine vinegar, dried herbs, salt n’ pepper. Served with couscous. I like to add chopped sauteed zucchini and red bell pepper to plain n’ simple ol’ couscous. 

- Baked Soy Chicken Nuggets served with Light Honey Mustard Salad Dressing and my favorite side salad… Romaine lettuce, grape tomatoes, English cucumber, avocado, fat free feta and chopped walnuts tossed in a home made oil n’ vinegar dressing.

- Grilled Turkey Burgers (no bun), topped with mushrooms sauteed in Worcestershire  and served with steamed broccoli and  mashed sweet potato or sweet potato fries (you can find them already cut up and prepped in the produce section of Trader Joe’s. All you do is toss them lightly in olive oil, salt n’ pepper then bake according to directions).

 

I know, I know… Not so exciting but hopefully it will at least remind you that even with a hectic schedule, there are still healthy and quick options out there for you. I would love to hear some of YOUR staples if you would like to share!

Garlic Roast Chicken with Rosemary and Lemon November 20, 2008

I blogged about the following recipe in a previous entry and I just wanted to reiterate what a great weeknight staple this is. It is so easy to make, easy to clean up after and it tastes wonderful. Check it out under the Poultry section of my blog. TRY IT!

http://whatzonmyplate.wordpress.com/2008/07/20/garlic-roast-chicken-with-rosemary-and-lemon/

Dressed Up Hummus October 14, 2008

Sometimes when I am asked to bring an appetizer to a party or get together and I know I don’t have a lot time to cook; I opt for the following fake-out. I buy a nice brand of quality pre-made hummus and I dress it up. It’s super simple, it’s “semi-homemade” and people love it.

My Hummus “Accessories”

Add the following to 12 to 14 oz. of quality store bought hummus

1 stalk of celery finely chopped

1/2 red bell pepper, seeded, finely chopped (optional)

1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded, finely chopped

Handful of chopped fresh parsley

Freshly squeezed lemon juice, to taste

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

 

Easy breezy!

Do you have any healthy fake-out tips on “semi-homemade” dishes that you prepare? If you do, please share!

Shopping Tips for Healthier Eating October 8, 2008

I was recently asked a question about the best places to shop for some of the items that I used in my week of vegan cooking. If you are not used to this style of cooking you may not know where to find some of the healthier items. Here are my tips…

- Fresh & Local is best! If you have a farmer’s market near you, I highly suggest buying your produce there. This is not always the most convenient option but it will guarantee that you are getting the freshest (and best tasting) produce possible and in addition you are supporting your local farmers. Yay Farmers!

- Many of the box stores are carrying a variety of healthier items now. Great news, right? Sure but I’ll tell you this you will probably pay a little more than you need to at the box stores (unless you have a coupon). My suggestion is to hit your neighborhood Trader Joe’s. You can find a wide variety of healthier food options such as tofu and meat and cheese alternatives at this great store. Fresh and Easy and Henry’s also have great selections of healthy food options.

- Some items such as nutritional yeast or amaranth cereal can only be found at your more specialty health food stores like Whole Foods. I love Whole Foods but I don’t do the majority of my  shopping there because it doesn’t really fit into my thrift-wise budget.

 

Hopefully these tips help!

My Top 3 Kitchen Appliances September 17, 2008

One of the key factors that can make cooking more simple and fun is having the right tools. But there are so many kitchen gadgits, appliances and tools out there; how do you know what you really need? I am quite familiar with how the marketing of such products work… You see an add or commercial and all of a sudden you are saying to yourself “How can I live without that “3 in 1″ juicer, slicer, pasta maker?”. So you break down, you buy it and where does it sit? In the cabinet, pantry, closet, garage, etc… next to all the other impulse buys that you never use. Right?

 

I thought it would be fun to open up this entry up to y’all. What are your Top 3 Kitchen Appliances/ Gadgits/ Tools? And why? You can leave out the obvious such as a stove top or refrigerator…  It was hard to narrow down to just 3 but mine are as follows; 

 

1. My George Foreman Grill. I seriously could not live without this one. I use it probably 3 times a week on average. It cooks perfectly and the clean-up is a breeze!

2. My Cuisinart Mini Food Processor. I have a beautiful large food processor but I never used it because I thought it was a pain in the booty to clean. I use the handy mini version all the time.

3. A quality chef’s knife (mine is a J.A. Henckel). Food prep goes by without a hitch when you are using a high quality knife.      

 

Can’t wait to hear some of your suggestions.

Southern Indian Curry September 17, 2008

So last week I decided to make a curry because my boyfriend was out of town and he is not a big fan of curry (actually he can’t stand it). I found the following recipe on Real Simple. I thought this particular curry sounded so tasty plus it called for fresh peaches and I had just picked up some beautiful peaches at the market. Since I was cooking for one, I halved the recipe and planned to eat it for dinner one night and then lunch the next day.

 

I made the following revisions to the recipe;

- After the onions cooked for 5 minutes I added 1 chopped zucchini to the saute pan and cooked them both for 2 minutes more before following the recipe again.

- I added 1 cup of frozen peas to the pan at the same time as the peaches. My boyfriend doesn’t care for peas either so I figured I was killing 2 birds with one stone.

- I used reduced fat coconut milk 

 

When ready I spooned a hearty serving of curry into a bowl then put a scoop of cooked jasmine rice on top. That is a tip I learned from Rachael Ray. If you put the rice on the bottom and then serve the curry on top of it; the rice will absorb all of the liquid and it changes the consistency of the dish.

 

I will definitely make this curry again.

Recipe Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars.

 

http://food.realsimple.com/realsimple/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1072641

Cooking for One September 10, 2008

One might think that if there is only one person eating and that one person is YOU; then it isn’t worth your while to create a meal plan or cook creative meals. I am here to tell you different! Ditch the Lean Cuisine, branch out from the ol’ Progresso Classic Chicken Noodle, and maybe it is time to ease up on the speed dial to your favorite local take-out. Cooking for one just takes a little creativity which doesn’t necessarily mean more work.

 

This week I am cooking for one. My boyfriend is off on the East Coast for a week riding his bike for an amazing charity (www.tourdeforceny.com) Although I am solo doesn’t mean either of the following a.) that I didn’t plan my meals for the week or b.) that I am not going cook something tasty and creative for myself.

The key to cooking recipes for one has to do with two main principles;

1. Can the recipe be cut in half or in quarters to satisfy and accommodate just one person?

2. Is the recipe in question “leftover appropriate” or can it be evolved into another meal?

 

It’s really that simple. For example… If you are making a  grilled chicken breast for dinner one night to be served with steamed vegetables and rice. Instead of grilling just one you should grill two breasts instead. The next day you can use the leftover rice and vegetables tossed with a light vinaigrette and turn them into a veggie rice salad topped with the second chicken breast. See what I am talking about?

 

Another thing to keep in mind is this… if you are used to cooking for other people and you finally have an opportunity to think about no other special requests besides your own… make something that you wouldn’t normally make. Something that maybe your family, significant other, etc… wouldn’t like. FOR EXAMPLE… I LOVE curry! Love, love, love it! But my dude… not so much. So guess what is on my meal plan this week. CURRY! Yay! I am reducing the recipe in half for dinner tonight and I plan to have the leftovers for lunch tomorrow.  (I’ll probably blog about the curry later in the week)

 

If you have any “cooking for one” questions or suggestions, please let me know. I would love to hear from you!

 

One is not always the loneliest number! So turn on your Project Runway (that’s what I plan to do tonight. What can I say… Guilty Pleasure!) or curl up with a good book, pour a nice glass of wine and enjoy your meal for one!

It’s a Simple Plan August 12, 2008

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Your meal plan needs to work for you and your life. It is all well and good to create a lofty meal plan full of new amazing recipes for the week. But if you can’t live up to the plan because it isn’t realistic; you will probably end up disappointed and might even waste food and money. So be realistic.

After the weekend I kind of realized that I was feeling a little burnt out on cooking. See! It happens to eveyone! You are not alone! But that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t still create a meal plan. Just make a simple one. I am attaching my plan for this week just to give you an idea of how easy it can be. I picked meals that were quick and low prep. I also planned so that I could make extra at times and use it in lunches for the week. You will notice that I don’t plan breakfasts specifically. That is because it is usually 1 of 4 breakfast items depending on our moods (waffle w/ peanut butter, grain toast w/ peanut butter, oatmeal or smoothie)  

Monday

Lunch: Out (I knew we would be eating out for lunch that day)

Dinner: Turkey Mish Mash

Recipe: turkey-mish-mash-of-the-gods

Tuesday

Lunch: Grilled Mahi Mahi, Steamed Broccoli & Salad (Steam extra broccoli to go in wraps for lunch tomorrow)

Dinner: Leftover Turkey Mish-Mash & Salad

Wednesday

Lunch: Broccoli Turkey Wrap

Recipe: broccoli-turkey-wrap

Dinner: Grilled Chicken with Whole Wheat Spaghetti & Fresh Tomato, Basil & Garlic sauce (Grill extra chicken for lunch tomorrow)

Thursday

Lunch: Chicken Salad

Dinner: Baked Salmon with Grilled Red Peppers & Couscous (make extra salmon for lunch tomorrow)

Friday

Lunch: Simple Nicoise Salad with Salmon

Dinner: Turkey Burgers, Asparagus & Brown Rice

THE BOOK July 16, 2008

Ever since I started this blog I knew that I would eventually write about “THE BOOK”. I capitalize the words because it is not just any book. It is one that I revere, cherish and dare I say that I LOVE.  Brace yourself this is going to be a long entry. 

A few years ago I read an article in Real Simple magazine about a recipe binder/ organizer. I ripped out the article but never did anything with it. That year for my birthday my friend Sally gave me the start of what is now my revered book. The goal of this recipe binder/ organizer is that it is personalized just for you and how you cook because you are the one who creates it. It is a working tool; ever changing, ever the same. 

 

Inside THE BOOK

 

MY BIG "FAT" BOOK

 

Here’s the skinny… 

What You Will Need: 

- 3-ring binder: Pick a sturdy one that has more space than you think you will need as recipe collections have a tendency to  grow. 

- Sheet protectors: I prefer the heavier stock/ non-glare sort but any type will do.  Seriously one of the best parts about this book is that you can protect your precious recipes from runaway spillage and rogue splatage. 

- Dividers w/ Tabs to separate each section. 

- Other possible things to personalize your book: Colored paper, colored dots or stickers, post-it notes. 

 

How to Get Started:

1. Create your categories. I have found that the more specific the category the easier it is to locate the recipe. The original book that my friend gave me had 12 categories. It now has 18 based on how I use the book.  

I have my book broken down into the following categories (but once again the categories need to work for YOU and how YOU cook)… Mornings, Sandwiches & Wraps, Appetizers, Soups, Salads, Poultry, Beef, Pork, Fish, Vegetarian, Vegetables, Pasta & Rice, Sauces, Spreads & Salsas, Desserts & Cookies, Breads, Drinks, Tips & How To’s 

2. Write on or print labels for your categories for your dividers.  

3. Go through your recipes & consolidate! You know you have them stashed everywhere! Get all those recipes that you have saved from magazines, e-mails, notecards, recommendations, my blog , etc… Organize them into your new categories and start sliding them into your sheet protectors. This is a good time to discard the ones that you really don’t think you will ever make for what ever reason (i.e. Too complicated, No one in your family including you even likes the main ingredient, etc.) 

4. Assemble! 

5. Collect! Now that you have a handy and personalized place to put recipes you will find that you will probably have more fun collecting them. Go through all those cooking magazines that you have piled up. I have even gone through cookbooks and if there are only 2 or 3 recipes in an entire book that I think I will make, I photocopy those recipes and then I donate the book which can save a lot of space. Cookbooks are expensive so utilize your local library and photocopy recipes out of books you have checked out. Another tip is to go online. There are so many great resources out there for recipes like Epicurious.com, Foodnetwork.com and Allrecipes.com to name a few. 

6. COOK!  

7. Comment and Date. This is one of my favorite parts of THE BOOK. Whenever I make a recipe I write down the following information on the recipe itself (if there isn’t room that is when I use post-it notes);

- Date that I made it

- Recipe rating (How easy was it to make? How good did it taste? I personally like to use a 5 star rating system) 

- Any revisions or substitutions that I made. Plus any revisions or substitutions that I WOULD make the next time.

- Comments from those whom I served it too. Good, bad or indifferent. 

Note: This is a good time to mention that if you don’t think you will make a recipe again. Toss it! You don’t need it crowding up your book. 

8. USE IT! One of the things that I love about THE BOOK is that it is a working tool. I refer to it every week when I make my meal plans as it offers great inspiration. About once every few months I flip through the pages and I repeat the consolidation step. If you’ve had a recipe for over a year and you really don’t see yourself making it.. Toss it! Or if you don’t like to throw things away create another binder and call it Recipes that I Don’t Think I Will Ever Make But Can’t Throw Away For Some Nutty Reason… Another way to manage your book is to look at your clipping trends… Do you really need 5 different recipes for a citrus inspired Salmon? If that is the case (which happens to me all the time) I look at the differences between the recipes and write those down as options & variations on one page. 

So I guess that’s it! I could go on forever about this topic but I think I’ve gone on long enough. Hopefully this will inspire you to create a BOOK of your own. If anyone has any comments on their version of THE BOOK. Please do share!