RecipeOfTheDay: Indian-Spiced "Tater" Tots

I love to eat. That has never been something I debated, but I DO want to eat healthier and as I get older, I am also trying to get "fitter" and eat well. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is more important to me than ever, and it's not just about being fit and looking great. It's about feeling fit and feeling great.

I love to snack, and during downtime, or watching movies, that is something I like to do. I like the social aspect of eating with friends or family. Here is a GREAT recipe I found for tater tots that are good, and can easily be translated for healthier versions!

Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/4 pounds russet potatoes (about 2 medium), cleaned and washed
• 1 teaspoon plus 1 1/2 to 2 cups canola oil
• 3/4 teaspoon panch phoron, finely ground in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric (if you have to buy it in powdered form. IF you have fresh tumeric, or tumeric you freeze and use, then freshly grated is the best...)
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (I use 2 "pinches", as I don't absolutely love the bite that cayenne gives)
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon fine salt, plus more as needed
• Cucumber-Yogurt Sauce, for dipping

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat the oven to 450°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Place the potatoes in the oven and bake until easily pierced with a knife but still firm in the center, about 35 to 40 minutes. (If you have 3 smaller potatoes, cook them about 25 to 30 minutes.) Meanwhile, heat 1 teaspoon of the oil in a small frying pan over medium heat. Add the panch phoron, turmeric, and cayenne and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and set aside.
2. When the potatoes are cool enough to handle but still hot, peel away the skin using a paring knife and discard. Shred the potatoes on the large holes of a box grater. Transfer the potatoes to a large bowl, sprinkle in the flour, salt, and cooled spice mix and stir gently until combined.
3. Measure 1 teaspoon of the potato mixture and roll into a short cylinder about 1 1/2 inches long and 3/4 inch wide. Place on a baking sheet and repeat with the remaining potato mixture until you have used all if it and made the tots.
4. Line a second baking sheet with paper towels; set aside. Add enough of the remaining oil to a large frying pan to reach about 1/4 inch up the sides and set over medium-high heat until hot, about 5 minutes. Check to see if the oil is hot by submerging the handle of a wooden spoon or wooden chopstick till it touches the bottom of the pan—the oil should bubble vigorously. When it’s ready, fry the tots in batches of 8 to 10 pieces (do NOT overcrowd the pan), turning once, until medium golden brown on both sides, about 2 to 3 minutes per batch. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to the paper-towel-lined baking sheet and season with salt. Serve immediately with cucumber-yogurt sauce. (NOTE: If you have a "Fry Daddy", it's okay to use that, OR - to be healthier, I have a kitchen machine that "fries" things in a vacuum and uses only spoonfuls of oil, rather than cupfuls. It's a much healther, if more expensive and involved, alternative for "frying" food for snacking. If you go that route, you save TONS on calories and oil consumption.)
5. To freeze, let the fried tots cool, then transfer to an airtight container or zip-top bag. Arrange in a single layer and place in the freezer. To reheat, heat the oven to 400°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Evenly spread the tots in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake until hot, about 15 minutes

Lemongrass and Coconut Curry with Summer Vegetables

This recipe is amazing! Try it out. It's easy, healthy, and delicious!

http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2012/07/lemongrass-and-coconut-curry-with-summer-vegetables

Smoked Salmon over crabmeat & crustini

OMG... During a layover at BWI, I stopped by one of my favorite places to check out wine and relax, Vino Volo.

Today was a summer white wine flight. I paired it with smoked salmon over crabmeat and crustini.

It. Was. Magical.

Cheers,
#JustBeingMichael ツ

RecipeOfTheDay MK's Meatloaf

I love a good meatloaf. It's just good Southern comfort food. And I love cooking it, if done correctly. This is something I love that I took my Mamaw Sue's recipe, my Mamaw Estelle's recipe, and tweaked what my mother had done to come up with my own when I first moved out and started cooking. Now, it's not for everyone, but in reality... it is. It's very good meatloaf, and you can top with whatever you like, but I love the recipe "as is"...

I am TRYING to work up an organic or vegetarian/vegan alternative recipe that actually tastes/compares to this one, but I just haven't gotten it "right" yet. Until then, I do try to make sure I buy local, buy organic, and buy the best quality I can. Hopefully soon...

You Will Need:
~1/2 cup ketchup (if you can, get the sugar free/juice sweetened kind that is organic. It is just as tastey, but the glycemic levels are much, much lower and will help with insulin spikes.)
~1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons brown sugar
~1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons bacon bits (NOT the chemically treated fake kind. Either get real bacon, fry it, and then crumble it. OR get the fake soy bacon, cook it, and crumble it.)
~1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons crushed pineapple, drained
~1-1/2 dashes Worcestershire sauce
~1 pound ground beef, sirloin, or chuck (the leaner the better since we are combining meats that also have a fat content for flavor and juice. We are all trying to be more conscious of our diets)
~1/4 pound ground pork (as lean as possible from the butcher. Get you some pork chops and have them ground)
~1/4 pound ground turkey (this is already pretty lean. Just get it from your local trusted organic butcher)
~1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons dry bread crumbs (I usually like these to be very, very fine so there are not hunks of bread in the meatloaf, but please feel free to do this to YOUR liking. I sometimes use Jiffy cornbread crumbs that I will make the cornbread and then crumb them in a blender or food processor)
~1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons crushed saltine crackers (crushed finely)
~1-1/2 egg, beaten
~3/4 clove FRESH garlic, minced
~3/8 onion, minced (just a little less than half of a medium sized onion)
~1/2 medium green bell pepper, minced
~Salt, pinch
~Black pepper, pinch
~White pepper, pinch
~Cayenne, pinch
~Paprika, pinch
~3 dashes Worcestershire sauce (or a tablespoon if your aren't very sure of your dashes)

Directions:
1. Preheat your oven to 350F. (It doesn't have to be exact, but let the oven heat up and get hot. Don't turn it on and then let the loaf heat up with the oven.)
2. Stir ketchup, brown sugar, bacon bits, pineapple, and 1 dash Worcestershire sauce together in a small bowl; Cover, and reserve in the fridge.
3. Combine the ground beef, pork, and turkey together in a large bowl and fold with your hands. (Don't get squeamish now, it's messy, but it's necessary to thoroughly mix the meat, and to get the ingredients mixed in well.) Add the remaing (2 or so dashes) of Worcestershire sauce in with the meat and keep folding. Then add the dry ingredients and keep folding. Add the bread crumbs, saltines, garlic, onion, bell pepper, and then last, the eggs (the eggs are necessary as a binder, if you are watching cholesterol, you can use an egg substitute or a vegan alternative); Mix well. Pat meat mixture into a loaf pan.
4. Bake meatloaf in the preheated oven for 30 or so minutes. Remove from oven; pour reserved pineapple mixture over loaf. Return to the oven; bake until no longer pink in the center, about an additional 20 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 160F when done.

Enjoy!
#JustBeingMichael

Southern Fried "Chicken" (Vegan)

I grew up country. Really country. Like on a farm with my grandparents in Smith Count, Mississippi country. And I love my vegetables and my meat to be fresh, clean, and to not have chemicals in or on them. I don't like how the world has become when it comes to farming and especially to "farming" meat. That disclaimer being said, that's why I eat clean, and why I mostly eat vegetarian or vegan. But it's not a moral choice, it's a healthy choice. Now, I love fried chicken. I specifically and especially love my grandmother's homemade fried chicken. That woman wasn't afraid of going out in the yard and getting a chicken to cook. She could make just about any part of a chicken taste amazing... And she was "green" in her approach because they chickens were raised in the yard, and she used the gizzards, livers, meat, and bones. She made fried chicken, cooked the bones and carcass for stock, and used the organ meat for other meals... Like I said, it was as humane and green as possible. And I loved her fried chicken and her dumplings!

However, fried foods, and overprocessed farm animals filled with hormones make it more difficult to economically buy and eat free range meat. So, whether you are vegetarian or vegan for health reasons or moral reasons, I like this recipe for "Southern Fried Chicken":

You Will Need:
Oil (I use grapeseed oil to fry. It's smoke threshold is higher, and it fries cleaner. However, EVOO is awesome too. Just be sure to use the cleanest, healthiest oil you can.)
1 lb tofu, drained and pressed for at least 1 hour
1.5 cups flour, all purpose white flour ORGANIC
2 cups buttermilk
1 tsp salt (I use sea salt)
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp vegetable stock powder
1 tsp granulated onion
1 tsp granulated garlic
1/2 tsp cayenne or a red pepper (not too much, though... I don't like heartburn. 2 pinches will do)
1/4 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp marjoram
1/4 tsp sage
1/4 tsp celery seed
1/4 tsp dry mustard
1/4 tsp oregano (or a big pinch, I am not a huge oregano fan...)
1/4 tsp basil (dried, OR fresh and chopped very, very finely)

Step One:
Get a large pot or stockpot and heat 3" to 4" of oil. Or a "Fry Daddy", OR if you have one of those NEW oil-less fryers that use 2 to 3 tablespoons in a vacuum frier, then that... (They are quite amazing.)

Step Two:
Cut tofu into approximately 1/2" wide x 2" long pieces (cut it how you like it, just not too thin, or the breading will outweigh the tofu).
Place buttermilk and flour in separate mixing bowls.

Step Three:
Dip tofu in buttermilk, then dredge in flour, then dip in buttermilk again, then dredge in the flour once more and drop into fryer. Fry about 2-3 minutes, until golden brown.

Country Fried Seitan Steak and Gravy

Country Fried Seitan Steak and Gravy:

Seitan steak:
Seitan: 1-1/4 cup vital wheat gluten flour
1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes
1 cup vegetable broth
1/2 cup of chickpeas
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon dried mustard
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon sage
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground fenugreek seed
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon turmeric

Broth:
10 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup soy sauce

Directions:
1. Seitan: In a bowl, combine wheat gluten and nutritional yeast flakes; set aside.
2. In a blender, combine remaining seitan ingredients; blend until smooth. Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients in the bowl. Mix well. Let the wheat gluten mixture rise for a few minutes.
3. Broth: In a large pot, combine the vegetable broth and soy sauce. Mix. Do not turn on stove yet.
4. Form the wheat gluten mixture into a log. Cut this log into three equal pieces. Put the seitan into the pot and now turn on the stove to medium heat. Place pot cover on, but allow some room for the steam.
5. Simmer for 2 hours, rotating the seitan occasionally. To store, keep the seitan in the broth mixture and refrigerate.

Breading:
1 cup bread crumbs
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon oregano
dash of salt & pepper
1/2 cup soy milk flour (enough to coat all the steaks)

Gravy:
1/2 medium onion, sliced
3 tablespoons flour
1-1/2 cups soy milk
1 tablespoon vegan margarine

Directions:
1. Prepare the seitan steaks according to the recipe you use (there are several great recipes on this site to choose from).
2. While steaks are boiling, prepare the breading. In a bowl, combine the bread crumbs, basil, and oregano. Add salt and pepper if you wish. Then, pour soymilk into a second bowl, and place flour into a third bowl. I like to have these set up right next to each other, to make breading simple.
3. Once the steaks have absorbed all of the broth, remove them from the pan. One at a time, coat each steak with flour, then dip the steak in the soymilk, then coat it with the breadcrumb mixture. Repeat until all steaks are breaded.
4. Pan fry the breaded steaks in vegetable oil over medium heat until brown and crispy. Place the fried steaks onto a plate covered with paper towels to absorb the excess oil. Reserve the frying oil when you are finished to make the gravy.
5. After frying all the steaks, add onion to the pan, and fry in remaining oil over medium heat until soft (you may want to add a little more oil if there is not enough left). Add 3 tablespoons flour and stir until mixed. Slowly add the 1-1/2 cups soymilk and 1 tablespoon vegan margarine to the pan, and stir well. Cook and stir until gravy bubbles and thickens. Add salt and pepper to taste, and serve over steaks.

Sides of mashed potatoes, corn, and green beans all go wonderfully with this dish.

Serves: 2 to 4

Recipe of the Day: Vegan Crab Cakes (Seaside Cakes)

Vegan Crab Cakes (Seaside Cakes)

Sometimes, you just want to eat a crab cake. You just do. Now, I am very picky about the seafood I will eat. I am spoiled, growing up near the Gulf Coast and being used to FRESH and available seafood. Also, due to work travels, I have had the PRIVILEGE of eating at some amazing seafood restaurants on the lovely Inner Harbor of Baltimore, MD. But, generally, the food is very rich, usually fried, and it can become unhealthy. So, what are some alternatives?

Trying to eat healthier, and to really watch what I put in my body, I loved some of the healthy alternatives that High Noon Café and Rainbow Natural Grocery offered me. I love the fact that it can be completely organic and/or vegan. If you substitute carefully and watch how you make it, it can be gluten free! Thus, this recipe for Seaside Cakes, which is really a vegan version of a Crab Cake.

"Side Note: These are NOT the Seaside Cake recipes from Rainbow High Noon Cafe, but they are similar, with my own twist… and I love the tartar sauce recipe."

You will need:
~.25 cup oil (I use either EVOO or I will use grapeseed oil. It has a lower fat content and higher burn threshold.)
~1/4 cup unbleached white flour (you can find great quality in a local health food store.)
~1 cup non-dairy milk (please use what you can with your specialty needs diet. I like soy milk, or rice milk.)
~1/2 teaspoon salt (this is for the sauce, and not for taste.)
~2 Tablespoons onion, minced (fresh onion is best for this, because it just adds something, but you can use dried in a pinch!)
~1 pound tofu, crumbled (just regular tofu. I get the refrigerated kind, but personal preference should drive you to get what you want.)
~1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
~1 teaspoon sea salt
~Dash of cayenne (dash here means a generous pinch)
~12 to 16 soda crackers, crushed to crumbs (you can also you panko, or a GF cracker or flatbread)
~1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
~Extra-virgin olive oil, just enough to brown the cakes (approximately 2 Tablespoons)
~Lemon wedges, tartar sauce (see recipe below) for serving.

First, turn on your burner. Get a small saucepan and get it heated up. Don't go in cold. Once the saucepan is warmed, add oil and flour. Heat, and let bubble over low heat for 1-2 minutes. Slowly whisk in the non-dairy milk and salt. Stir in the minced onion and continue cooking until very thick.

Second, in a bowl, combine tofu, dry mustard, sea salt and cayenne. Add the flour/milk mixture to the tofu. Mix well. Chill 3-4 hours.

Third, use your hands and scoop and shape the chilled mixture into cakes about 1/2" thick. Then dredge the cakes in a mixture of soda crackers and paprika. Chill the crumb-covered cakes about 1 hour.

Fourth, fry the cakes in a little hot oil. Turn them gently, browning on both sides.

Lastly, serve with lemon wedges, tartar sauce or cocktail sauce. Garnish with parsley.

Yield: 10 large cakes; Per Serving: 210 Calories; 15g Fat (63.8% calories from fat); 8g Protein; 11g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 470mg Sodium.

Vegan Tartar Sauce
~1/2 cup vegan mayo (I like Vegenaise the best.)
~1 Tablespoon sweet relish~
~1/2 Tablespoon minced onion
~1 teaspoon minced garlic, or 1/2 teaspoon garlic granules or garlic powder
~1/2 Tablespoon lemon juice
~Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Whisk ingredients in a small bowl. Refrigerate unused portion.

Recipe Of The Day (Season) December 21, 2011

Note, this is not originally organic, but CAN be converted to oganic, vegetarian/vegan, or even gluten free... I'll try to do some conversions, but I am posting this because, well... it has bacon and chocolate. Need I say more?

Chocolate Almond Bacon Bars

Now, the key to this treat is really crispy bacon. You can use the applewood smoked bacon. I like it for its sweet, smoky flavor, and another key is to make sure that you render all of the fat. (That way it's nice and crunchy.) Nuts always go well with chocolate. And this particular recipe calls for 3 kinds of chocolate. I am not even going to do a nutrition value, because... well. It's depressing. But in moderation, you should be fine, and this is definitely a holiday treat. The contrasting flavors are ah-mah-zing...

Step One:

You will need...
~1 cup heavy cream (or soy or vegan based creamer if you prefer. Silk coffee creamer is a good substitute)
~10 ounces dark chocolate (or carob or cacao nibs if you prefer)
~4 ounces blanched almonds, crushed (there is no nut substitute)

Heat the cream until almost boiling. Melt the dark chocolate in a double boiler, or a bowl in a pan of boiling water if you don't have a double boiler. Remove the chocolate from the heat and combine with the cream. Fold in the almonds. Pour the entire mixture onto a baking sheet and then freeze until set.

Step Two:

You will need:
~1/2 cup of heavy cream (or soy or vegan based creamer if you prefer. Silk coffee creamer is a good substitute)
~10 ounces white chocolate (I am not aware of a good substitue of white chocolate. But there are some good organic/fair trade chocolates available at reputable local health food stores)
~12 ounce package of bacon, pan fried, and finely chopped (there are bacon substitutes available that I like. The vegetarian bacon is good for flavor. It is crispy, and while it looks like a cartoon cutout, cooked and then chopped it shouldn't matter)

Heat the cream until almost boiling. Melt the white chocolate in a double boiler, or a bowl in a pan of boiling water if you don't have a double boiler. Remove the chocolate from the heat and combine with the cream. Fold in the chopped bacon. Spread the white chocolate mixture onto the dark chocolate baking sheet and then freeze until set or for 1 hour at a minimum. Then cut the bars to a desired size and completely freeze.

Step Three:

You will need:
~12 ounces of semisweet chocolate (or carob or cacao)
~1/2 cup of vegetable oil

Melt the semisweet chocolate in a double boiler, or a bowl in a pan of boiling water if you don't have a double boiler. Remove the chocolate from the heat. Whisk in the oil. Arrange bars on a cooling rack over a pan, white chocolate side up. Cover the bars with the melted chocolate. Cool bars in the freezer. Turn the bars over and coat the underside. Cool the bars in a freezer

Now, this is a task. It's not quick, or simple, but it is delicious and worth it! You can merchandize the bars up, and wrap them, or make them as gifts, or arrange them very pretty for the family on a dish to eat from during the day or holiday. Just keep the bars cool and dry and enjoy!

Cheers!

#JustBeingMichael

Recipe of the Day, August 14th

Asparagus Frittata

Now, this is a DELISH and good recipe. Good for you, too. But it’s asparagus. This is more of a Monday - Wednesday meal. The date nites…not so much. If you get my drift, boys…

Okay:

• 1 8oz can chopped asparagus (the most organic/whole you can fin) Rainbow has both


• 1 tbsp finely sliced scallions


• 1 tbsp chopped green pepper


• 4 egg whites


• 2 tablespoons uncreamed cottage cheese (soy will do, or drain and press dairy cottage cheese in a cheesecloth for the most reduction in water and calories, etc.)


• 1.5 tsp skim milk


• 1 tsp chopped parsley


• 1/8 tsp ground pepper

Drain the asparagus, pouring several tablespoons of it’s liquid into a non stick skillet. Chop the asparagus pieces into even smaller bits and add to the skillet; add the scallions and the green pepper. Cook over low heat until the veggies are tender. Beat the egg whites with a fork unitl they aer frothy; stir them into the cheese with the skim milk, parsley, and pepper. Mix until smooth.

Pour the mixture over the vegetables in the skillet and stir the veggies quickly into the mixture. Cook low over heat until the bottom is browned. Loosen up the edges and flip over to brown the other side.

Place in a 300 degree oven for 15 minutes and then ENJOY!

Serves 2.

Recipe of the Day - Stuffed Zucchini

4 8in zucchini
1/2 cup matzo meal
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1/4 cup grated sapsago cheese
3/4 cup skind and diced fresh tomato
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup finely chopped green pepper
1 cup cooked rice
1 tablespoon diced pimento
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Slice the zucchini in half lenthwise. Scrape out the pulp from the centers and set it aside. Place the zucchini in a pan in a little boiling water and simmer it gently for a few minutes. (The zucchinni should be firm enough to withstand stuffing.)

Combine the pulp and the other ingredients in a bowl. Drop whole tomatos in a boiling water for a couple of minutes to facilitate removing the skin. Skin and dice the tomatos and add them to the other ingredients. Stuf the zucchinni and and lay them in a nostick baking pan or casserole dish. Cover and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 45 minutes. Then uncover and brown.

Serve plain or with a spaghetti or tomato sauce...

Recipe of the Day

Fish Fillets with Orange Salsa

½ cup unsweetened organic orange juice
2 – 3 tablespoons mild salsa (homemade preferably, but if store bought…use freshest and most salt/sugar free)
10 to 12 oz fish fillets, something like orange roughy, sole, or halibut
½ cup all purpose unbleached white flour (get it from your local health food store)
2 tablespoons chopped green onions

In a small bowl, compine the OJ and salsa and set aside. Dry the fish fillets with paper towels.

Spray a nonstick skillet with nonstick cooking spray and put the pan over high heat. Dredge the fillets in the flour, shaking off the excess, and then sauté on one side until they are lightly browned (about 2 or 3 minutes). Gently turn the fillets over and brown for 2 minutes. (Note: Don’t try to move the fillets around in the pan…they’ll probably start sticking and then tear…) Remove the skillet from heat and allow to cool for a minute before continuing.

Stir up the salsa mixture and pour it over the fish (the fish will now unstick easily). Lower the heat to medium and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, basting the fish with the sauce. Do this until the fish is cooked and the sauce has been reduced to a glaze.

Garnish with a sprinkling of green onions and serve.

Serves 2, each serving is only 245 calories, 33g carbs, 25g protein, and 10g of fat

Recipe of the Day - Tomato/Rice Soup

1 Onion, chopped
2 small carrots, chopped
3 stalks of celery, chopped
1 large green pepper, chopped
1/2 head cabbage, chopped
1 28oz can whole-packed tomatos, chopped, with juice
3 cups canned tomato juice (mix with water if thinner soup is desired)
1 15oz can of salsa (or homemade salsa...it's good too!)
3 cups of Brown Rice, half cooked

Seasonings: Bay Leaf, Garlic Powder, Oregano, Chili Powder, Celery Seed

• Fresh Veggies are ground to provide a flavor base for the soup. ;)


• Put the onion, carrots, celery, green pepper, and cabbage in a blender and grind it up. Add some tomato juice in as you go to make the grinding easier.


• Transfer the ground veggies to a soup pot.


• Add the rest of the tomato juice, canned tomatos(including juice), and salsa to the soup pot.


• Bring the contents to a boil and then simmer gently for about 15 minutes.


• Add the partially cooked rice and seasonings(to taste) and simmer gently for 15 minutes.


• Check the consistency of the soup, and add more tomato juice or water to suit your preference.

This makes about 16 servings. And the soup is amazing! Enjoy.