Inflation is coming! (according to my mother) And the price of groceries is going to skyrocket. Are you getting a good deal on your meats? Will you be able to afford to eat the same high-quality food if/when it does hit? Do you shop around? Do you check your weekly ads? I personally answer ‘yes’ to all three of these questions and so can you.
Of course, we all know it is best to purchase free-range meats but this is not always possible for a number of reasons. When I am unable to do so, I shop around and buy what’s on sale. This means that each week, I search the weekly ads of the local stores online to see what’s on sale (i.e. vons.com, Albertsons.com, Ralphs.com, henrysmarkets.com). It is only after doing so that I plan what I will be cooking for the week.
I used to cook for anywhere from twenty to one hundred people per day when I ran M Good Meals. Sometimes I even catered for groups of up to 300 people! Because of this, I learned how to spot a deal and I am about to pass my knowledge along to you.
I recently went to Henrys with a friend and he was amazed that I walked out of there with four bags of groceries and spent less than $30 on them when he had one bag that cost nearly $50. It’s all about the sales and knowing what price is a good price.
Here is a handy reference guide that I have pulled from deep within my noggin for you! Buy these items when they meet these standards. Don’t be afraid to buy extra and freeze in portions you will use. For example, the pork loin roasts listed below are usually on sale at Vons about once a month. They come in eight to ten pound hunks. I buy the whole thing and divide it into three or four roasts. Each roast is about five or six hefty portions that cost under a dollar per serving—holler!
Poultry
Boneless skinless chicken breasts, chicken tenders >$2/lb.
Boneless skinless thighs > $1.79/lb.
Bone-in chicken breasts > $1/lb.
Whole chicken > $.69/lb.
Cornish game hens > $.99/lb.
Ground turkey > $3.50/lb.
Whole turkey > $.99/lb. (unless it is Nov. or Dec. in which case it should be > $.50/lb and is sometimes free with a $25 purchase at Vons or Ralphs)
Pork
Pork loin > $2/lb.
Pork tenderloin > $3.50/lb.
Pork butt, Boston butt, picnic roast > $.99/lb.
Beef
Tri-tip, ribeye steak, strip steak, flank steak > $5/lb.
Ground beef > $1.29/lb.
Pot roasts > $.99/lb.
Prime rib > $4/lb.
Fish & Seafood
Salmon, cod, mahi, scallops > $5/lb.
Tilapia/snapper/calamari steaks, clams > $3/lb.
Halibut > $6/lb.
Shrimp > $4/lb.
Lobster tails > $5 each
Lamb
Rack > $10/lb.
Shank > $3/lb.
Roast > $5/lb
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Tony Tatonka's Debut Dinners
First off, let me apologize for such a long gap in entries. I was “homeless” for two months while house sitting for friends and looking for a place of my own. One month ago, I bought a house and finally moved into my very first home! Over the past month, I have been busy unpacking, painting, arranging, and more so unfortunately this blog has suffered.
I am back in action now and ready to spread The M Good Life once again. I have so many stories to share already about the adventures with friends in my new place and can’t wait for you to read them!
I just bought a bison (affectionately named Tony Tatonka by my friend Cynthia “Sinner” Lumley) with some friends from the gym and got an amazing deal (about $8/pound) and a variety of meat—roasts, steaks, shanks, tenderloin, stew meat, and ground…lots and lots of ground.
I really look forward to cooking the shanks so I can enjoy the tasty and nutrient-packed marrow and I plan to cook the roast and stew meat in a crock pot with some assortment of veggies and spices yet-to-be-determined. They await in my freezer for the perfect occasion.
So far, I have cooked the ground bison two different ways and both have been amazing. I had some friends over for Sunday Funday and served up “sandwiches” of lettuce wrapped turkey and bison burgers with sliced tomato, avocado, and three homemade sauces: ancho-garlic mustard, chipotle barbecue, and roasted cherry tomato balsamic (see August 27th entry for this recipe).
I roasted a turkey on Saturday and made gravy out of the pan juices reduced with fresh mushrooms to test some ideas for the first Thanksgiving dinner I will be hosting at my new place. Since there was extra gravy and gravy shall NEVER be wasted, I decided to use it in the bison burgers to make sure they didn’t dry out on the grill.
Bison is a very lean meat and therefore can dry out and become tough when cooked. The mushroom gravy was a perfectly delicious way to make sure this didn’t happen while adding amazing flavor to the meat because in my opinion, turkey gravy is the BEST gravy.
For lunch today, I made Anaheim chilies (from my CSA Box) stuffed with ground bison and baked with my homemade marinara sauce. To keep the meat moist while baking, I added fresh yellow squash and caramelized onions to the mix before stuffing the peppers. You can use any veggie you want, that’s just what I happened to have on hand. Be creative and share your ideas!
Gluten-Free Turkey & Mushroom Gravy
Ingredients
Pan juices from roasted turkey (about a 23 pounder)
2 packages of pre-sliced mushrooms
Directions
Strain most of the fat off the pan juices and put in a sauce pan. Simmer on medium heat until it reduces by half. Add mushrooms and simmer until it reduces by half again. You will know when it is ready when it can coat a wooden spoon.
Bison Burgers w/ Turkey-Mushroom Gravy
Ingredients
1 ½ pounds ground bison
1 cup turkey-mushroom gravy
1 tablespoon minced garlic (from jar)
Fresh pepper (no need to add salt since the gravy has plenty)
Steak rub
Directions
Mix all ingredients and form into patties (6-8 patties depending on size). Sprinkle with steak rub. Grill to medium (or however you like your burgers). Remember that bison meat is lean and dries out if overcooked.
Ancho-Garlic Mustard
Ingredients
1 cup Gulden’s Mustard
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon dried ancho chile powder
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon paprika
Directions
Mix all ingredients. Chill and serve.
Chipotle-Barbecue Sauce
Ingredients
15 ounce can tomato sauce (make sure no sugar is added)
7 ounce can chipotle peppers in adobo
1 tablespoon cumin powder
Directions
Blend all ingredients in your Magic Bullet or food processor. Chill and serve.
Bison Stuffed Anaheim Peppers w/ Marinara
Ingredients
1 ½ pounds ground bison
2 cups marinara (Use your favorite. My recipe is secret but I might share it with you someday)
4-6 Anaheim peppers
1 yellow squash, finely diced or shredded
1 red onion, caramelized
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt & pepper
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Thinly slice onions and put in small pan with olive oil, salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat until they begin to brown (about 10 minutes). Chop or shred yellow squash. Mix onions and yellow squash with the garlic and bison. Pour marinara in baking dish. Stuff peppers with meat mixture and stuff inside peppers. Place peppers in baking dish and dollop with marinara. Bake for 30-40 minutes.
I am back in action now and ready to spread The M Good Life once again. I have so many stories to share already about the adventures with friends in my new place and can’t wait for you to read them!
I just bought a bison (affectionately named Tony Tatonka by my friend Cynthia “Sinner” Lumley) with some friends from the gym and got an amazing deal (about $8/pound) and a variety of meat—roasts, steaks, shanks, tenderloin, stew meat, and ground…lots and lots of ground.
I really look forward to cooking the shanks so I can enjoy the tasty and nutrient-packed marrow and I plan to cook the roast and stew meat in a crock pot with some assortment of veggies and spices yet-to-be-determined. They await in my freezer for the perfect occasion.
So far, I have cooked the ground bison two different ways and both have been amazing. I had some friends over for Sunday Funday and served up “sandwiches” of lettuce wrapped turkey and bison burgers with sliced tomato, avocado, and three homemade sauces: ancho-garlic mustard, chipotle barbecue, and roasted cherry tomato balsamic (see August 27th entry for this recipe).
I roasted a turkey on Saturday and made gravy out of the pan juices reduced with fresh mushrooms to test some ideas for the first Thanksgiving dinner I will be hosting at my new place. Since there was extra gravy and gravy shall NEVER be wasted, I decided to use it in the bison burgers to make sure they didn’t dry out on the grill.
Bison is a very lean meat and therefore can dry out and become tough when cooked. The mushroom gravy was a perfectly delicious way to make sure this didn’t happen while adding amazing flavor to the meat because in my opinion, turkey gravy is the BEST gravy.
For lunch today, I made Anaheim chilies (from my CSA Box) stuffed with ground bison and baked with my homemade marinara sauce. To keep the meat moist while baking, I added fresh yellow squash and caramelized onions to the mix before stuffing the peppers. You can use any veggie you want, that’s just what I happened to have on hand. Be creative and share your ideas!
Gluten-Free Turkey & Mushroom Gravy
Ingredients
Pan juices from roasted turkey (about a 23 pounder)
2 packages of pre-sliced mushrooms
Directions
Strain most of the fat off the pan juices and put in a sauce pan. Simmer on medium heat until it reduces by half. Add mushrooms and simmer until it reduces by half again. You will know when it is ready when it can coat a wooden spoon.
Bison Burgers w/ Turkey-Mushroom Gravy
Ingredients
1 ½ pounds ground bison
1 cup turkey-mushroom gravy
1 tablespoon minced garlic (from jar)
Fresh pepper (no need to add salt since the gravy has plenty)
Steak rub
Directions
Mix all ingredients and form into patties (6-8 patties depending on size). Sprinkle with steak rub. Grill to medium (or however you like your burgers). Remember that bison meat is lean and dries out if overcooked.
Ancho-Garlic Mustard
Ingredients
1 cup Gulden’s Mustard
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon dried ancho chile powder
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon paprika
Directions
Mix all ingredients. Chill and serve.
Chipotle-Barbecue Sauce
Ingredients
15 ounce can tomato sauce (make sure no sugar is added)
7 ounce can chipotle peppers in adobo
1 tablespoon cumin powder
Directions
Blend all ingredients in your Magic Bullet or food processor. Chill and serve.
Bison Stuffed Anaheim Peppers w/ Marinara
Ingredients
1 ½ pounds ground bison
2 cups marinara (Use your favorite. My recipe is secret but I might share it with you someday)
4-6 Anaheim peppers
1 yellow squash, finely diced or shredded
1 red onion, caramelized
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt & pepper
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Thinly slice onions and put in small pan with olive oil, salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat until they begin to brown (about 10 minutes). Chop or shred yellow squash. Mix onions and yellow squash with the garlic and bison. Pour marinara in baking dish. Stuff peppers with meat mixture and stuff inside peppers. Place peppers in baking dish and dollop with marinara. Bake for 30-40 minutes.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
No Rules Allowed
In my opinion, cooking should be a relaxing, creative outlet, free from rigidity and rules. You should look at your ingredients and get excited because they are a palate for your creativity. Have fun, experiment, and be flexible enough to improvise and change your recipe based on what ingredients are available.
When I go grocery shopping, I just pick out what looks good in the produce section and what is a good price in the meat and seafood departments. I think it is fun to take my items home without a specific plan for them, and create new recipes throughout the week based on what was seasonally available.
A couple nights ago, my friend Courtney and I decided to make “Spaghetti Squash Gemelli” (twins) where each of us would provide a different sauce for the duo. Courtney made her famous “Creamy Deliciousness” and I was excited about steamed clams with basil and tomato.
I stopped by the store where the clams were on sale to find only five clams at the counter! Apparently many others had my same plan. No worries, the peeled and deveined shrimp looked divine so I grabbed a pound of that instead and headed over to cook with Court.
I used the same basic recipe and cooking method the clams called for and only had to change the amount of liquid so I could sauté the shrimp whereas I was planning to steam the clams.
As it turned out, the shrimp made a better half of the Gemelli than the clams would have because the sauce was a little thicker so it could stick to the spaghetti squash and could stand up to Court’s hearty selection. Plus, we got more bang for the buck with the meatiness of the shrimp versus the clam.
Italian Steamed Clams
Ingredients:
2 lbs. fresh clams
2 T minced garlic
2 T olive oil
2 tomatoes, 1” chop
2 cups dry white wine
2 T butter
1 bunch basil, julienned
Salt & Pepper to taste
Directions:
Put oil, garlic, and clams in pan medium-high heat and cook for about one minute. Add tomatoes, salt, and pepper and cook another minute or so. Add wine and stir around to deglaze pan. Cover and simmer on medium heat for about 5 minutes (until clams open). Remove clams and set aside. Simmer broth until it reduces by half. Remove from heat and stir in butter until it is melted. Add basil and stir. Put clams back in sauce and stir to cover.
Italian Shrimp
Ingredients:
2 lbs. fresh clams
2 T minced garlic
2 T olive oil
2 tomatoes, 1” chop
1/3 cup dry white wine
2 T butter
1 bunch basil, julienned
Salt & Pepper to taste
Directions:
Put oil, garlic, and shrimp in pan medium-high heat and cook for about one minute and then stir the shrimp to flip them and cook another minute on the other side. Add tomatoes, salt, and pepper and cook another minute or so. Add wine and stir around to deglaze pan and simmer another minute or so. Remove from heat and stir in butter until it is melted. Add basil and stir.
Courtney’s Creamy Deliciousness
Ingredients:
1 onion, diced
1 pkg. mushrooms, sliced
4-5 cloves garlic, chopped
2 t. olive oil
1 pkg. Trader Joe’s hot Italian chicken sausage
1 jar Trader Joe’s Rustico Marinara
Splash heavy cream (to taste)
Directions:
Heat oil in pan on medium-high heat and cook sausage until brown then add onion, mushrooms and garlic and cook until onions are translucent. Add marinara sauce and simmer for 3-5 minutes on medium heat. Remove from heat and stir in heavy cream.
When I go grocery shopping, I just pick out what looks good in the produce section and what is a good price in the meat and seafood departments. I think it is fun to take my items home without a specific plan for them, and create new recipes throughout the week based on what was seasonally available.
A couple nights ago, my friend Courtney and I decided to make “Spaghetti Squash Gemelli” (twins) where each of us would provide a different sauce for the duo. Courtney made her famous “Creamy Deliciousness” and I was excited about steamed clams with basil and tomato.
I stopped by the store where the clams were on sale to find only five clams at the counter! Apparently many others had my same plan. No worries, the peeled and deveined shrimp looked divine so I grabbed a pound of that instead and headed over to cook with Court.
I used the same basic recipe and cooking method the clams called for and only had to change the amount of liquid so I could sauté the shrimp whereas I was planning to steam the clams.
As it turned out, the shrimp made a better half of the Gemelli than the clams would have because the sauce was a little thicker so it could stick to the spaghetti squash and could stand up to Court’s hearty selection. Plus, we got more bang for the buck with the meatiness of the shrimp versus the clam.
Italian Steamed Clams
Ingredients:
2 lbs. fresh clams
2 T minced garlic
2 T olive oil
2 tomatoes, 1” chop
2 cups dry white wine
2 T butter
1 bunch basil, julienned
Salt & Pepper to taste
Directions:
Put oil, garlic, and clams in pan medium-high heat and cook for about one minute. Add tomatoes, salt, and pepper and cook another minute or so. Add wine and stir around to deglaze pan. Cover and simmer on medium heat for about 5 minutes (until clams open). Remove clams and set aside. Simmer broth until it reduces by half. Remove from heat and stir in butter until it is melted. Add basil and stir. Put clams back in sauce and stir to cover.
Italian Shrimp
Ingredients:
2 lbs. fresh clams
2 T minced garlic
2 T olive oil
2 tomatoes, 1” chop
1/3 cup dry white wine
2 T butter
1 bunch basil, julienned
Salt & Pepper to taste
Directions:
Put oil, garlic, and shrimp in pan medium-high heat and cook for about one minute and then stir the shrimp to flip them and cook another minute on the other side. Add tomatoes, salt, and pepper and cook another minute or so. Add wine and stir around to deglaze pan and simmer another minute or so. Remove from heat and stir in butter until it is melted. Add basil and stir.
Courtney’s Creamy Deliciousness
Ingredients:
1 onion, diced
1 pkg. mushrooms, sliced
4-5 cloves garlic, chopped
2 t. olive oil
1 pkg. Trader Joe’s hot Italian chicken sausage
1 jar Trader Joe’s Rustico Marinara
Splash heavy cream (to taste)
Directions:
Heat oil in pan on medium-high heat and cook sausage until brown then add onion, mushrooms and garlic and cook until onions are translucent. Add marinara sauce and simmer for 3-5 minutes on medium heat. Remove from heat and stir in heavy cream.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
There's no such thing as a buffalo turkey!
Yesterday may have been Labor Day to you but to me and two of my closest friends, it was Girls’ Day. I had Nichole and Sage over to hang out, eat, and plan our friend Katie’s baby shower. So yes, we mixed business and pleasure and ended up hanging out well into the night but the tiredness I am feeling today is totally worth it.
I played tennis in the morning with an awesome group of people (who actually asked me to join them again so I must not have been too terrible) so I prepped for Girls’ Day the night before by making the buffalo-turkey patties so they’d be ready to grill when I got home.
Tennis ran long and the girls beat me to my house so I did not hesitate to put them to work when they offered. Sage made the salad and Nichole took notes on the baby shower while I grilled up the burgers even though according to Sage, “there is no such thing as a buffalo turkey.” Sage may be an expert in many areas like Olympic Weightlifting and advice-giving but she doesn’t know that much about cooking (yet) which is why I usually have her over to eat instead of the other way around.
We wrapped the burgers in lettuce and ate them alongside Sage’s lovely salad while sitting in the back yard and catching up on all the things going on in each of our lives. We proved many things that day and one is that time really does fly when you are gossiping with a gaggle of good friends. Before we knew it, it was nearly 5PM and Sage took off for the grocery store and then home to study. Nichole stayed around to hang out so I decided to give her an impromptu cooking lesson. She was in a pretty bad car accident a few weeks ago and has just now got back to a regular routine including proper meals and has, admittedly, never really known how to navigate the kitchen.
I opened the fridge to see what was available. Since I probably should have joined Sage at the store, there wasn’t much to the naked eye but what I saw was potential for an Asian-inspired almond chicken. I quickly thawed a couple chicken breasts and whipped us up a meal in about 10 minutes. Nichole seemed highly impressed so I let her take home some of the leftovers for making me feel so smart.
Buffalo-Turkey Burgers
2 lbs. ground bison (Costco has started carrying this along w/ bison NY strips)
1 lb. ground turkey
3 cloves minced fresh garlic (or 3T pre-minced stuff in a jar)
Fresh basil, finely chopped (I got it from my friend Krazy K’s garden but it was probably 2 store pkgs.)
Salt & pepper
Put all ingredients in bowl and mix well. Form meat into about ten baseball size balls and flatten each into a patty. Grill what you are going to use immediately then individually plastic wrap and refrigerate or freeze the rest for a quick meal later on. Serve on large pieces of lettuce w/ all the fixins.
Almond Chicken
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced
½ onion, thinly sliced
1 small red or orange bell pepper, thinly sliced
2 cloves fresh garlic (or 2T pre-minced)
1 jalapeno, minced or a sprinkle or three of red pepper flakes (optional for heat factor)
2T sesame oil
4T almond butter
4T (approximately) chicken broth (I always have a container in the fridge for such occasions)
2 cups raw broccoli, chopped into bite size pieces
Sautee onions, peppers, garlic, and jalapenos in sesame oil on medium-high heat until veggies start to soften. Add chicken and cook through. Turn heat to medium-low and add almond butter and chicken broth and mix in until a sauce forms and coats the meat. Toss in broccoli and cook for 2-3 minutes. Serve.
I played tennis in the morning with an awesome group of people (who actually asked me to join them again so I must not have been too terrible) so I prepped for Girls’ Day the night before by making the buffalo-turkey patties so they’d be ready to grill when I got home.
Tennis ran long and the girls beat me to my house so I did not hesitate to put them to work when they offered. Sage made the salad and Nichole took notes on the baby shower while I grilled up the burgers even though according to Sage, “there is no such thing as a buffalo turkey.” Sage may be an expert in many areas like Olympic Weightlifting and advice-giving but she doesn’t know that much about cooking (yet) which is why I usually have her over to eat instead of the other way around.
We wrapped the burgers in lettuce and ate them alongside Sage’s lovely salad while sitting in the back yard and catching up on all the things going on in each of our lives. We proved many things that day and one is that time really does fly when you are gossiping with a gaggle of good friends. Before we knew it, it was nearly 5PM and Sage took off for the grocery store and then home to study. Nichole stayed around to hang out so I decided to give her an impromptu cooking lesson. She was in a pretty bad car accident a few weeks ago and has just now got back to a regular routine including proper meals and has, admittedly, never really known how to navigate the kitchen.
I opened the fridge to see what was available. Since I probably should have joined Sage at the store, there wasn’t much to the naked eye but what I saw was potential for an Asian-inspired almond chicken. I quickly thawed a couple chicken breasts and whipped us up a meal in about 10 minutes. Nichole seemed highly impressed so I let her take home some of the leftovers for making me feel so smart.
Buffalo-Turkey Burgers
2 lbs. ground bison (Costco has started carrying this along w/ bison NY strips)
1 lb. ground turkey
3 cloves minced fresh garlic (or 3T pre-minced stuff in a jar)
Fresh basil, finely chopped (I got it from my friend Krazy K’s garden but it was probably 2 store pkgs.)
Salt & pepper
Put all ingredients in bowl and mix well. Form meat into about ten baseball size balls and flatten each into a patty. Grill what you are going to use immediately then individually plastic wrap and refrigerate or freeze the rest for a quick meal later on. Serve on large pieces of lettuce w/ all the fixins.
Almond Chicken
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced
½ onion, thinly sliced
1 small red or orange bell pepper, thinly sliced
2 cloves fresh garlic (or 2T pre-minced)
1 jalapeno, minced or a sprinkle or three of red pepper flakes (optional for heat factor)
2T sesame oil
4T almond butter
4T (approximately) chicken broth (I always have a container in the fridge for such occasions)
2 cups raw broccoli, chopped into bite size pieces
Sautee onions, peppers, garlic, and jalapenos in sesame oil on medium-high heat until veggies start to soften. Add chicken and cook through. Turn heat to medium-low and add almond butter and chicken broth and mix in until a sauce forms and coats the meat. Toss in broccoli and cook for 2-3 minutes. Serve.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Win, Win, Win Situation
Part of living a healthy life is helping others to do the same. This can be done in many ways and I personally do it every day at my job as a fitness coach at Invictus Fitness. I love my job! It is an amazing way to touch people from all walks of life and help them reach their health and fitness goals. Most of you don’t have the pleasure of going to work at a giant playground like I do but I’m sure you could figure out ways to help friends, family, and even strangers live longer, happier, and healthier lives!
I have volunteered for a number of organizations over the years and find it very rewarding to work directly with the people who are served by them. A few months ago, I organized a group of fellow Invicti to join me in serving lunch to low-income seniors at Senior Community Centers (SCC) once a month. Volunteers like us mean that the center doesn’t have to pay staff to serve meals so more money can go toward the nutrition program and other services that they offer. It is also a wonderful community and team building activity for our gym. I put a sign-up on the whiteboard each month and it is full within a day. The staff at SCC is always pleasantly surprised at the size of our group and the seniors clap upon our arrival. It is a win, win, win situation.
Last week, a friend of mine who attends my 9:30 group class at Invictus had some pretty major surgery. I was stoked when the other ladies in the class decided to take turns checking in on her and bringing her food and of course, I jumped on the opportunity to help out. My day is Wednesday and I will go each week until she has recovered enough to get along on her own.
Last Wednesday I took her BBQ Rubbed Pork Tenderloin, a Garden Salad with my Roasted Grape Tomato-Balsamic Dressing (see August 27th entry), and a Frittata so she would have a week’s worth of breakfasts on hand within one minute in the microwave.
BBQ Rubbed Pork Tenderloin:
Open one package of pork tenderloin and remove both pieces (there are always two tenderloins in the package). LIGHTLY cover with liquid smoke but be careful because a little of this stuff goes a long way! Sprinkle on your favorite sugar-free BBQ rub. Cook at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes or until meat is medium-well. Remove from oven and let rest for 15-20 minutes before slicing. It will finish cooking through during the rest period but don’t worry, it is okay to eat pork when it is a little pink and is actually better if not overcooked.
Sausage, Mushroom & Roasted Red Pepper Frittata:
2T coconut oil
1 pkg. white button mushrooms, sliced
2 roasted red peppers, diced (I always have a jar of these on hand)
1T minced garlic (another thing I always have a jar of on hand)
1 pkg. turkey breakfast sausage links, quartered
18 eggs, beaten
In an oven proof pan, sautee mushrooms and garlic in the coconut oil on medium-high heat until mushrooms cook down (about 5 minutes). Add roasted red peppers and sausage and cook until sausage is no longer pink. Pour in eggs and scrape bottom of pan until mixture is almost set. Smooth out top and let sit over heat until steam rises through tiny holes in mixture (about 2 minutes). Place under broiler until top browns (about 2-3 minutes). Slip spatula under frittata and slide out of pan onto plate then cut into 8-12 pieces. This will keep for a week and slices can be reheated in the microwave in about a minute for easy breakfast!
I have volunteered for a number of organizations over the years and find it very rewarding to work directly with the people who are served by them. A few months ago, I organized a group of fellow Invicti to join me in serving lunch to low-income seniors at Senior Community Centers (SCC) once a month. Volunteers like us mean that the center doesn’t have to pay staff to serve meals so more money can go toward the nutrition program and other services that they offer. It is also a wonderful community and team building activity for our gym. I put a sign-up on the whiteboard each month and it is full within a day. The staff at SCC is always pleasantly surprised at the size of our group and the seniors clap upon our arrival. It is a win, win, win situation.
Last week, a friend of mine who attends my 9:30 group class at Invictus had some pretty major surgery. I was stoked when the other ladies in the class decided to take turns checking in on her and bringing her food and of course, I jumped on the opportunity to help out. My day is Wednesday and I will go each week until she has recovered enough to get along on her own.
Last Wednesday I took her BBQ Rubbed Pork Tenderloin, a Garden Salad with my Roasted Grape Tomato-Balsamic Dressing (see August 27th entry), and a Frittata so she would have a week’s worth of breakfasts on hand within one minute in the microwave.
BBQ Rubbed Pork Tenderloin:
Open one package of pork tenderloin and remove both pieces (there are always two tenderloins in the package). LIGHTLY cover with liquid smoke but be careful because a little of this stuff goes a long way! Sprinkle on your favorite sugar-free BBQ rub. Cook at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes or until meat is medium-well. Remove from oven and let rest for 15-20 minutes before slicing. It will finish cooking through during the rest period but don’t worry, it is okay to eat pork when it is a little pink and is actually better if not overcooked.
Sausage, Mushroom & Roasted Red Pepper Frittata:
2T coconut oil
1 pkg. white button mushrooms, sliced
2 roasted red peppers, diced (I always have a jar of these on hand)
1T minced garlic (another thing I always have a jar of on hand)
1 pkg. turkey breakfast sausage links, quartered
18 eggs, beaten
In an oven proof pan, sautee mushrooms and garlic in the coconut oil on medium-high heat until mushrooms cook down (about 5 minutes). Add roasted red peppers and sausage and cook until sausage is no longer pink. Pour in eggs and scrape bottom of pan until mixture is almost set. Smooth out top and let sit over heat until steam rises through tiny holes in mixture (about 2 minutes). Place under broiler until top browns (about 2-3 minutes). Slip spatula under frittata and slide out of pan onto plate then cut into 8-12 pieces. This will keep for a week and slices can be reheated in the microwave in about a minute for easy breakfast!
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Bison Ribeye & Krispy Kale - The One-Two Punch for a Fight Night Brainstorming Session on "The Evil Cooking Empire"
My friend Angela invited me over last night to watch the fight and cook some yummy food but really I went to talk about this new project called The M Good Life; the ongoing story and daily dialogue of my (I’m M Good) healthy life. I’m putting it all on this blog with the intent to turn it into a practical and fun show.
The blog will fuel ideas which will be turned into episodes of my “talk cooking show”. Each episode, I will interview a guest with expertise in a specific health-related topic ranging from acupuncture to organic farming. The topic of each episode will provide at least one related recipe that will be prepared for viewers.
Angela and I already have enough ideas to produce a weekly show for a year or more. She is full of ideas, excitement, and energy so she makes the perfect producer for this project. I know she will be able to help me finally make this “Evil Cooking Empire Dream” a reality by keeping things rolling behind the scenes as well as in the occasional cameo appearance or contributing editorial.
Not only is Angela a great producer, she’s also a mighty fine cook. For dinner, she prepared bison ribeye, sweet potato fries, and grilled eggplant from her garden. My contribution added crunch and texture to the meal. I wanted to share an unusual way to eat a dark leafy green and made Krispy Kale, a recipe I got from my friend, Lu Crenshaw, at CrossFit Allegiance.
This menu is perfect for a night of brainstorming since all of the recipes are simple and require minimal ingredients and prep time.
Bison Ribeye: Rub each ribeye with garlic, salt and pepper. Grill over charcoal to your desired cooking temperature (medium-rare is suggested).
Sweet Potato Fries: Cut sweet potatoes into long pieces and toss in olive oil or coconut oil then sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg. Bake at 425 degrees until slightly brown (about 20 minutes).
Grilled Eggplant: Cut eggplant into long pieces so they will not fall thorough slats on grill. Drizzle with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, fresh lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper. Grill for about 3 minutes on each side.
Lu’s Krispy Kale: Cut stems off of one bunch of kale. Toss in olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place on baking sheet and broil for about 3 minutes then flip and broil another 3 minutes. Watch these pretty closely because they finish quickly. You will know when they are done when they start to brown.
The blog will fuel ideas which will be turned into episodes of my “talk cooking show”. Each episode, I will interview a guest with expertise in a specific health-related topic ranging from acupuncture to organic farming. The topic of each episode will provide at least one related recipe that will be prepared for viewers.
Angela and I already have enough ideas to produce a weekly show for a year or more. She is full of ideas, excitement, and energy so she makes the perfect producer for this project. I know she will be able to help me finally make this “Evil Cooking Empire Dream” a reality by keeping things rolling behind the scenes as well as in the occasional cameo appearance or contributing editorial.
Not only is Angela a great producer, she’s also a mighty fine cook. For dinner, she prepared bison ribeye, sweet potato fries, and grilled eggplant from her garden. My contribution added crunch and texture to the meal. I wanted to share an unusual way to eat a dark leafy green and made Krispy Kale, a recipe I got from my friend, Lu Crenshaw, at CrossFit Allegiance.
This menu is perfect for a night of brainstorming since all of the recipes are simple and require minimal ingredients and prep time.
Bison Ribeye: Rub each ribeye with garlic, salt and pepper. Grill over charcoal to your desired cooking temperature (medium-rare is suggested).
Sweet Potato Fries: Cut sweet potatoes into long pieces and toss in olive oil or coconut oil then sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg. Bake at 425 degrees until slightly brown (about 20 minutes).
Grilled Eggplant: Cut eggplant into long pieces so they will not fall thorough slats on grill. Drizzle with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, fresh lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper. Grill for about 3 minutes on each side.
Lu’s Krispy Kale: Cut stems off of one bunch of kale. Toss in olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place on baking sheet and broil for about 3 minutes then flip and broil another 3 minutes. Watch these pretty closely because they finish quickly. You will know when they are done when they start to brown.
Friday, August 27, 2010
The CSA Box - A Palate for my Creative Outlet
I picked up my CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) box this week and was pleasantly surprised. Heck, I’m always pleasantly surprised. It is like a little treasure chest of seasonal veggies and fruits and I never know what I’m going to get. My healthy lifestyle completely supports eating all natural, chemical-free products which are in season. I am a master at throwing together a delicious and nutritious meal based on what’s available with no recipe at all and through this blog; I hope to teach you to do the same.
For those of you who have never heard of a CSA, you should really check it out. It consists of a community of individuals who pledge support to a farming operation where the growers and consumers share the risks and benefits of food production. Individuals do not pay per pound of produce but rather support the budget of the whole farm and receive weekly what is seasonally ripe. Basically you pay the same price each week and the available crop is divided amongst the participants so some weeks you might get a lot more goods than others.
At first, I was unsure about receiving the unknown. I used to go to my favorite Mexican market for the cheapest produce that I could find and didn’t worry where it had been or how it had been treated since I could fill up my cart for under $30. Now, I look forward to my weekly pick-up because it makes me feel good about avoiding eating harsh pesticides, supporting local farmers, and getting my creative juices flowing. Guess what? It still costs me $30 per week!
This might freak a lot of you out but YOU DON’T NEED A RECIPE OR EXACT MEASUREMENTS when cooking. We aren’t doing a science experiment here (i.e. baking) so use the kitchen as your canvas and let your imagination be your guide.
This week’s box included: hot house tomatoes, heirloom tomatoes, grape tomatoes, grapefruit, apples, peaches, kale, summer (yellow) squash, orange bell peppers, basil, carrots, red onions, mixed greens, and purple green beans.
Tonight’s Dinner (Serves Two):
Bacon-Wrapped Scallops
Heirloom Tomato Salad on a bed of Mixed greens w/ Roasted Grape Tomato Dressing
Sauteed Peaches
Roasted Grape Tomato Dressing Ingredients:
1 pint grape tomatoes
½ c. olive oil
4 cloves minced garlic
¼ t. red pepper flakes
1 bunch fresh basil (or oregano, or thyme)
¼ c. balsamic vinegar
Salt & Pepper
Roasted Grape Tomato Salad Dressing Directions (make this first):
Put tomatoes, garlic, pepper flakes, olive oil, salt & pepper in pan and in the oven on broil until tomato skins blacken. Let cool then put in food processor or Magic Bullet and top with balsamic and basil. Blend until smooth. Chill. This will make more than you need for one meal so save the rest for up to two weeks.
Bacon-Wrapped Scallop Ingredients:
12 large scallops
6 slices uncured bacon
Bacon-Wrapped Scallop Directions:
Preheat oven to broil. Cut six pieces of uncured bacon in half. Wrap twelve large scallops in bacon and place seam side down on baking sheet covered with foil. Broil for about 10 minutes (until bacon is crispy).
Heirloom Tomato Salad Ingredients:
Mixed Greens
2 heirloom tomatoes
¼ red onion, finely chopped
1 orange bell pepper, chopped (use any color)
Salt & Pepper
Heirloom Tomato Salad Directions:
Chop tomatoes into large pieces and mix in finely chopped red onion and orange bell pepper. Sprinkle with salt & pepper to taste. Toss mixed greens in salad dressing and top with tomato mixture. Again, make extra so you can have some on hand for a quick snack.
Sauteed Peaches Ingredients:
2 ripe peaches
1 T coconut oil
3 shakes cinnamon
1 shake nutmeg
Sauteed Peaches Directions:
Cut peaches in half and remove pits. Cut each half into four slices. Place peaches and coconut oil in pan on medium-high heat until edges slightly brown. Do not stir (you know who you are, over-stirrer). Sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg then turn each slice and cook other side until edges slightly brown. Serve hot.
For those of you who have never heard of a CSA, you should really check it out. It consists of a community of individuals who pledge support to a farming operation where the growers and consumers share the risks and benefits of food production. Individuals do not pay per pound of produce but rather support the budget of the whole farm and receive weekly what is seasonally ripe. Basically you pay the same price each week and the available crop is divided amongst the participants so some weeks you might get a lot more goods than others.
At first, I was unsure about receiving the unknown. I used to go to my favorite Mexican market for the cheapest produce that I could find and didn’t worry where it had been or how it had been treated since I could fill up my cart for under $30. Now, I look forward to my weekly pick-up because it makes me feel good about avoiding eating harsh pesticides, supporting local farmers, and getting my creative juices flowing. Guess what? It still costs me $30 per week!
This might freak a lot of you out but YOU DON’T NEED A RECIPE OR EXACT MEASUREMENTS when cooking. We aren’t doing a science experiment here (i.e. baking) so use the kitchen as your canvas and let your imagination be your guide.
This week’s box included: hot house tomatoes, heirloom tomatoes, grape tomatoes, grapefruit, apples, peaches, kale, summer (yellow) squash, orange bell peppers, basil, carrots, red onions, mixed greens, and purple green beans.
Tonight’s Dinner (Serves Two):
Bacon-Wrapped Scallops
Heirloom Tomato Salad on a bed of Mixed greens w/ Roasted Grape Tomato Dressing
Sauteed Peaches
Roasted Grape Tomato Dressing Ingredients:
1 pint grape tomatoes
½ c. olive oil
4 cloves minced garlic
¼ t. red pepper flakes
1 bunch fresh basil (or oregano, or thyme)
¼ c. balsamic vinegar
Salt & Pepper
Roasted Grape Tomato Salad Dressing Directions (make this first):
Put tomatoes, garlic, pepper flakes, olive oil, salt & pepper in pan and in the oven on broil until tomato skins blacken. Let cool then put in food processor or Magic Bullet and top with balsamic and basil. Blend until smooth. Chill. This will make more than you need for one meal so save the rest for up to two weeks.
Bacon-Wrapped Scallop Ingredients:
12 large scallops
6 slices uncured bacon
Bacon-Wrapped Scallop Directions:
Preheat oven to broil. Cut six pieces of uncured bacon in half. Wrap twelve large scallops in bacon and place seam side down on baking sheet covered with foil. Broil for about 10 minutes (until bacon is crispy).
Heirloom Tomato Salad Ingredients:
Mixed Greens
2 heirloom tomatoes
¼ red onion, finely chopped
1 orange bell pepper, chopped (use any color)
Salt & Pepper
Heirloom Tomato Salad Directions:
Chop tomatoes into large pieces and mix in finely chopped red onion and orange bell pepper. Sprinkle with salt & pepper to taste. Toss mixed greens in salad dressing and top with tomato mixture. Again, make extra so you can have some on hand for a quick snack.
Sauteed Peaches Ingredients:
2 ripe peaches
1 T coconut oil
3 shakes cinnamon
1 shake nutmeg
Sauteed Peaches Directions:
Cut peaches in half and remove pits. Cut each half into four slices. Place peaches and coconut oil in pan on medium-high heat until edges slightly brown. Do not stir (you know who you are, over-stirrer). Sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg then turn each slice and cook other side until edges slightly brown. Serve hot.
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