So, I bought some chicken tenders to make with my home made McNugget recipe, and when I got home and pulled the cornmeal out to make the coating, that I was trying not to eat grans, or carbs...Well, in the end, i did use a little cornmeal, just a light dusting, but here is what I came up with.
I am really sensory about my cooking. I guess that is why I am always making up recipes. I was sad that my oven baked chicken strips would not be crispy golden brown, because of trying to avoid the corn meal. So, my mins flashed to turmeric. I have been an inflammatory mess, and turmeric is so helpful, I try to fit it in everywhere that I can. So, the color problem was solved, and I had the idea that my tarragon roasted carrots would be a good pairing.
So I created my chicken strips with a spice rub mixture of the following:
Turmeric, sweet paprika, salt, while pepper, a little of the Frontier brand poultry seasoning.
Into the bag which held my chicken tenders, I poured olive oil to liberally coat, then in went the spice mix, and I coated the chicken turning and squishing the bag, I hate touching raw meat...I use gloves even for touching the outside of the bag...
Then, so as to use as minimal corn meal as possible, i dusted the pieces with corn meal, I forget how, I think I laid out the strips in the pan, dusted the top, then turned it over, dusted the bottoms, then turned then over once more..because for oven frying, you need oil on the dusting flour to make it crispy...but you know what, baked in my outdoor oven, with the carrots and potatoes, it came out with a thinner 'pot-liquor'...it had a nice coating, but more gooey than crispy...and that was fine...it was moist...Mmm
I will be working with this one some more. I will add to this post as I experiment...but it was delicious flavorful and healthy!
Saturday, May 26, 2018
Tarragon Roasted Carrots
This recipe is so easy. Why didn't think of it before!
I was making a special lunch for two. My husband kept taking Friday afternoons off,after a year of upheaval at work, he is trying to catch his breath, and I kept being at work or etc,..he was not even sure if He could get home, but I wanted to make a special lunch.
More backstory, I am taking steps to better my health. I have been lax for about 5 years, a fixed and specific date where my heath was better than ever, but I got cocky and thought I did not need to be pro-active...first step was to get off most carbs...
I wanted to make herb roasted potatoes, but I did not want to eat potatoes, that would have set me back. Potatoes are great, but not for me right now. All of a sudden, since I was on day 5 off carbs, my culinary creativity returned with clarity of thinking.
I sprayed a pan with coconut oil, and added chunks of potatoes, and then chunks of...yes, carrot! My mouth is watering as it type!
To those I liberally dusted with tarragon, as little salt, and a little white pepper,very little, not enough to tell that it is really there, but it balances the sweetness of the tarragon tossed...
And baked in a 400 degree oven until the bottoms of both root vegies were brown and caramelized,for about an hour. Oh my! Unbelievably flavorful!!!
That is what I am going for. Flavorful! Not salty, no more deceptive fleeting carb-fixes....just flavorful! Enjoy!
Next post is the baked chicken strips I made to go with...also a winner!
I was making a special lunch for two. My husband kept taking Friday afternoons off,after a year of upheaval at work, he is trying to catch his breath, and I kept being at work or etc,..he was not even sure if He could get home, but I wanted to make a special lunch.
More backstory, I am taking steps to better my health. I have been lax for about 5 years, a fixed and specific date where my heath was better than ever, but I got cocky and thought I did not need to be pro-active...first step was to get off most carbs...
I wanted to make herb roasted potatoes, but I did not want to eat potatoes, that would have set me back. Potatoes are great, but not for me right now. All of a sudden, since I was on day 5 off carbs, my culinary creativity returned with clarity of thinking.
I sprayed a pan with coconut oil, and added chunks of potatoes, and then chunks of...yes, carrot! My mouth is watering as it type!
To those I liberally dusted with tarragon, as little salt, and a little white pepper,very little, not enough to tell that it is really there, but it balances the sweetness of the tarragon tossed...
And baked in a 400 degree oven until the bottoms of both root vegies were brown and caramelized,for about an hour. Oh my! Unbelievably flavorful!!!
That is what I am going for. Flavorful! Not salty, no more deceptive fleeting carb-fixes....just flavorful! Enjoy!
Next post is the baked chicken strips I made to go with...also a winner!
Sunday, January 14, 2018
Shiitake Mushrooms, Not a phase
So, one day at Farmers Market I saw them, and thought, why not, the whole region has the flu, and it was after Christmas, when we were likely exposed, who couldn't use all the immunity they can get? So I submit to you the Shiitake Mushroom. Which I pronounce like "She-I ( a soft schwa e or i) tock- a (long a or ee)... or like "she-a ta(l)k-ie too much"...whatever, it is Japanese I think, and they have their own soft-spoken polite way of saying words, but either way the first half of the word is not pronounced like something you do in an outhouse, though, done on a daily regular basis, that too is good for immunity...LOL
I brought these critters home, and dumped them out on the counter, they seemed clean, but I washed them as I would a button mushroom, with my wonderful soft mushroom brush which is shaped like a mushroom. then I trimmed the stems because they would be too chewy. Knowing what I know now, next time I prepare them, I will pop those stems in a bag, and freeze them for use in making clear veggie stock. Ok, so as not to freak anyone out, because these are ugly mushrooms, I sliced the tops thinly, say and 8th of and inch, then cut the rows of slivers in half, before anyone (picky eaters) here saw me. I believe that this mushroom would be too chewy to leave whole. or eat raw, but some do, but not for me. I admit I was slightly afraid of them being poisonous. I usually like my mushrooms to be white and scrupulously cleaned and trimmed. I ate some first, just in case. LOL!
The first time I made them, I was considering only having broth that evening, as tummy aches had been hitting this one and that, so my plan was for a dual dinner, broth for me, and an oriental stir fry for the others, in a miso-like reduction of either braggs amino acids, or wheat free tamarii sauce...I can't remember, and it may have used both. First I sauteed the little mushrooms sliver in as little oil as possible, tasting them i realized that i had had this before, these mushrooms to my taste seem to have a flavor as if they have been lightly marinated in garlic, so I quickly added pressed garlic and an onion, and sauteed these three...that The combination was so dark and flavorful. I then added water to make my broth, which I boiled while cutting up vegetables for stir fry.
While the sauteed mix boiled to extract broth, I sauteed lean slivers of organic beef which had marinated in wheat free tamarii over night. Once the meat was done through, I added 1/8 inch carrot "pennies" cut on the diagonal to make ovals, not circles...because presentation is important to me, especially when introducing something new. To the wok, i added sliced water chestnuts and a large sliced onion...then I strained my broth, and added the solids to the stir fry, and then added a little more wheat free soy sauces.
The broth seemed like something cooked up by an Elf to heal Hobbits, but it tasted phenomenal and rich, almost "beefy." So I now know if I am make vegetarian "beef broth" that these will form a good base...along with potato and carrot peels....will start "banking" these in a container in the freezer....Mmmm and oh so healthy!!!) I drank the both and my tummy felt so good, I was able to eat dinner with the family with no repercussions...it was warming and soothing and healing and good! If you want to read about the proven benefits of Shiatke Mushrooms a simple Internet search will do! They are immune boosting, super anti-inflammatory, and full full full of vitamins, like B vitamins, which I would by FAR rather get from foods than form a pill, which seems to be hard on my kidneys and makes pee too yellow and smelly...TMI< but everybody knows what B-complex pills do to your pee, and if you are trying to keep it clear, then that messes with the ability to observe your hydration throughout the day.
Now the second time I bought Shiitake Mushrooms, it was to re-create a dish I had at a farm to table restaurant. I knew when I tasted them the first time, that that was a foundational flavor in the dish I had ordered at our fave restaurant, on our last anniversary. WE rarely go, but every time we do, I am inspired by the meal, and try to re-create it at home, because I must repeat it, but cannot afford to got there but once a year...anniversary...Ok yeah, we have to pinch pennies here. As a result, I CAN live on love. Ha!
I have no title for this dish. Which reminds me of the awful parenting I would resort to when my kids would ask what was for dinner. I was always making something up, but basically we eat poultry and potatoes or rice, with vegetables, in some combination or another...so if the kids asked me, and I had no really good answer, I would say one of to things, "Does every meal have to have a name? (ie a title) or I would just reply, "festering roadkill" and hoping nobody would ask me again, because I was either being lazy and making some boring thing, or being creative and did not want to be boxed, or held to my word about what I was making for supper, usually a combination of both of those, but I digress.
The dish was a vegetarian main dish using spaghetti squash, and small bits of flavorful vegetables, and in the restaurant, pistachios sprinkled on top. it was phenomenal, (yep, i used that word again...I am tryna get this recipe down, before I forget, if I get famous, I will have to severely edit...yep) and my mouth is watering just thinking about it. Mine own version turned out exceptionally well too, thought I did not have or use pistachios, I used a toasted sunseeds and raw green pepitas, or pumpkin seeds, and that nailed the pistachio flavor. Added those at the very end, so they did not become water-logged.
So, machete a spaghetti squash in half lenghtwise,remove the seeds and "guts" and palce it cut side down in water, about one half to one inch, and bake it for an hour or tow, depending on what else I have going on...once baked, and I like to bake it soft, so it even gets a little browned, I scoop out the strands and tossed them with just a little bit of olive oil, maybe even a hint of real butter, and a little salt. For the stir fry, I make the same shiitake and pressed garlic, and diced (small) onion...mushrooms first, then add the others...layering the flavor. Remove the mix to a bowl, dump the bowl of tossed squash into the saute pan, or wok, to "de-glaze" it while tossing spoonfuls of the veggies back in to the pan...then finally freshly toast the sun seeds and sprinkle those on top, then add the green pepitas for color, and interesting texture, and there is a full flavored, no carb, macro-nutrient-rich vegetarian dish, that you too will nee to repeat at intervals....
Mmmm....I had some side dishes for those who needed meat and potatoes, but I cannot recall what they were, because this to me was a hearty meal in itself.
And that is what I have to say about Shiitake Mushrooms. You body will thank me for this recipe.
I brought these critters home, and dumped them out on the counter, they seemed clean, but I washed them as I would a button mushroom, with my wonderful soft mushroom brush which is shaped like a mushroom. then I trimmed the stems because they would be too chewy. Knowing what I know now, next time I prepare them, I will pop those stems in a bag, and freeze them for use in making clear veggie stock. Ok, so as not to freak anyone out, because these are ugly mushrooms, I sliced the tops thinly, say and 8th of and inch, then cut the rows of slivers in half, before anyone (picky eaters) here saw me. I believe that this mushroom would be too chewy to leave whole. or eat raw, but some do, but not for me. I admit I was slightly afraid of them being poisonous. I usually like my mushrooms to be white and scrupulously cleaned and trimmed. I ate some first, just in case. LOL!
The first time I made them, I was considering only having broth that evening, as tummy aches had been hitting this one and that, so my plan was for a dual dinner, broth for me, and an oriental stir fry for the others, in a miso-like reduction of either braggs amino acids, or wheat free tamarii sauce...I can't remember, and it may have used both. First I sauteed the little mushrooms sliver in as little oil as possible, tasting them i realized that i had had this before, these mushrooms to my taste seem to have a flavor as if they have been lightly marinated in garlic, so I quickly added pressed garlic and an onion, and sauteed these three...that The combination was so dark and flavorful. I then added water to make my broth, which I boiled while cutting up vegetables for stir fry.
While the sauteed mix boiled to extract broth, I sauteed lean slivers of organic beef which had marinated in wheat free tamarii over night. Once the meat was done through, I added 1/8 inch carrot "pennies" cut on the diagonal to make ovals, not circles...because presentation is important to me, especially when introducing something new. To the wok, i added sliced water chestnuts and a large sliced onion...then I strained my broth, and added the solids to the stir fry, and then added a little more wheat free soy sauces.
The broth seemed like something cooked up by an Elf to heal Hobbits, but it tasted phenomenal and rich, almost "beefy." So I now know if I am make vegetarian "beef broth" that these will form a good base...along with potato and carrot peels....will start "banking" these in a container in the freezer....Mmmm and oh so healthy!!!) I drank the both and my tummy felt so good, I was able to eat dinner with the family with no repercussions...it was warming and soothing and healing and good! If you want to read about the proven benefits of Shiatke Mushrooms a simple Internet search will do! They are immune boosting, super anti-inflammatory, and full full full of vitamins, like B vitamins, which I would by FAR rather get from foods than form a pill, which seems to be hard on my kidneys and makes pee too yellow and smelly...TMI< but everybody knows what B-complex pills do to your pee, and if you are trying to keep it clear, then that messes with the ability to observe your hydration throughout the day.
Now the second time I bought Shiitake Mushrooms, it was to re-create a dish I had at a farm to table restaurant. I knew when I tasted them the first time, that that was a foundational flavor in the dish I had ordered at our fave restaurant, on our last anniversary. WE rarely go, but every time we do, I am inspired by the meal, and try to re-create it at home, because I must repeat it, but cannot afford to got there but once a year...anniversary...Ok yeah, we have to pinch pennies here. As a result, I CAN live on love. Ha!
I have no title for this dish. Which reminds me of the awful parenting I would resort to when my kids would ask what was for dinner. I was always making something up, but basically we eat poultry and potatoes or rice, with vegetables, in some combination or another...so if the kids asked me, and I had no really good answer, I would say one of to things, "Does every meal have to have a name? (ie a title) or I would just reply, "festering roadkill" and hoping nobody would ask me again, because I was either being lazy and making some boring thing, or being creative and did not want to be boxed, or held to my word about what I was making for supper, usually a combination of both of those, but I digress.
The dish was a vegetarian main dish using spaghetti squash, and small bits of flavorful vegetables, and in the restaurant, pistachios sprinkled on top. it was phenomenal, (yep, i used that word again...I am tryna get this recipe down, before I forget, if I get famous, I will have to severely edit...yep) and my mouth is watering just thinking about it. Mine own version turned out exceptionally well too, thought I did not have or use pistachios, I used a toasted sunseeds and raw green pepitas, or pumpkin seeds, and that nailed the pistachio flavor. Added those at the very end, so they did not become water-logged.
So, machete a spaghetti squash in half lenghtwise,remove the seeds and "guts" and palce it cut side down in water, about one half to one inch, and bake it for an hour or tow, depending on what else I have going on...once baked, and I like to bake it soft, so it even gets a little browned, I scoop out the strands and tossed them with just a little bit of olive oil, maybe even a hint of real butter, and a little salt. For the stir fry, I make the same shiitake and pressed garlic, and diced (small) onion...mushrooms first, then add the others...layering the flavor. Remove the mix to a bowl, dump the bowl of tossed squash into the saute pan, or wok, to "de-glaze" it while tossing spoonfuls of the veggies back in to the pan...then finally freshly toast the sun seeds and sprinkle those on top, then add the green pepitas for color, and interesting texture, and there is a full flavored, no carb, macro-nutrient-rich vegetarian dish, that you too will nee to repeat at intervals....
Mmmm....I had some side dishes for those who needed meat and potatoes, but I cannot recall what they were, because this to me was a hearty meal in itself.
And that is what I have to say about Shiitake Mushrooms. You body will thank me for this recipe.
Thursday, January 4, 2018
Warning Not Food: Reforming Soap Scraps
I am a weirdo who saves all her soap scraps. I have used one kind of bath soap all my life. it does not cause me skin reactions, it does not leave film on my tub or my skin. I like to save last of each bar, it is like a thick sliver, and when we go camping, we take one with us, and then we throw out whatever is left afterward, then we are not bringing any grossness back to our camper form the public showers. Well, my pile of ends no longer fit in the jar I had designated for it. So, I decided to attempt to re-form them.
Note, I SHOULD have microwaved them before placing them into my food processor to be ground to a powder. if you microwave soap, it will froth up into something that looks like shaving cream, but is dry, and will crumble almost into a powder, easier on your food processor...so you have been warned. I could have easily liked what is left of my good old food processor today.
Some recipes say to add water, i decided against it. Instead I melted some cheap coconut oil, so that perhaps my newly formed bars might add more moisture. i hope they do not clog my drains, or make my tub too slippery and make filmy rings. Anyhow, I melted about a half cup of hardened coconut oil, and added the powdered soap, and heated and stirred and mixed.I may have added a little water, now I cannot recall.. They are set, and out of the greased muffin tins, but they are still soft...more about them later.
I am using my little sample piece, and it is more moisturizing than in it original form. Will see if it cures and drys and how it "wears" in the soap dish.
Note, I SHOULD have microwaved them before placing them into my food processor to be ground to a powder. if you microwave soap, it will froth up into something that looks like shaving cream, but is dry, and will crumble almost into a powder, easier on your food processor...so you have been warned. I could have easily liked what is left of my good old food processor today.
Some recipes say to add water, i decided against it. Instead I melted some cheap coconut oil, so that perhaps my newly formed bars might add more moisture. i hope they do not clog my drains, or make my tub too slippery and make filmy rings. Anyhow, I melted about a half cup of hardened coconut oil, and added the powdered soap, and heated and stirred and mixed.I may have added a little water, now I cannot recall.. They are set, and out of the greased muffin tins, but they are still soft...more about them later.
I am using my little sample piece, and it is more moisturizing than in it original form. Will see if it cures and drys and how it "wears" in the soap dish.
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