Healthy Fried Rice

Sorry guys! I have been super busy the past week! This month is jam packed with stuff to do and it is just flying by! Multiple birthdays, planning our engagement party, tax season (i.e. I work for an accountant) etc. it is non stop! Anyway, so here is a super fast recipe- that will leave you throwing take-out menus in the garbage from now on ;)

So honestly this is not a super original recipe or idea for that matter of making fast food healthy.  (Inspired by Elie Kreiger's recipe) This recipe was so delicious, easy and satisfying I had to share.  In fact I'm eating some as I type this.  Flavors and textures are awesome and if you aren't a tofu person, substitute some chicken or just leave it out all together.

I cannot get enough of edamame (immature soy beans).  I can just eat them boiled raw. They remind me of big beans or peas that don't have such a starchy taste/texture.  I usually by them boiled and frozen in the pod (it is hard for me to find them shelled) and then defrost quickly and shell them myself. But if you can find shelled go for it.  If you can't find edamame, just substitute peas- no big deal.

Also, the serving size is about 1 and a half cups- for about 500 cal. Plus a whole lot less sodium and fat then regular take out. 

This is a great place to use up left over rice.  If you don't have left over just precook the rice.  This dish takes minutes to come together so start after the rice is fully cooked.  I like to precook the tofu separate so it gets crispy and browned on the outside instead to just mixing it in.  The eggs are also optional, I don't think I would miss them, but it definitely adds to the feel of classic fried rice.

Also for the tofu, take out of the package and drain first.  Then wrap in paper towels and set on a plate- then put another plate on top of that and put something heavy, like a can of tomatoes or a skillet to help drain and squeeze out all the extra liquid.  Before cooking I like to cut long-ways in half to get max surface area browning.

Ingredients

· 1 package of firm tofu

· Cooking spray

· 1 tablespoon of oil

· 2 large cloves of garlic, grated

· 2 tbsp of ginger, grated

· 1 bunch of scallions (about 6), chopped/sliced

· about 3-4 cups of brown rice

· 1 red pepper, diced

· about 1 cup of edamame, shelled

· 1/2 cup of frozen corn

· 2 eggs beaten

· 3-4 tbsp low sodium soy sauce

Directions

1.      Cook the rice if needed first, then when that is done start these other steps.

2.      If you need to cook the rice you can precook the tofu while you cook the rice and just reserve it for later.  Heat a non stick skillet over high heat and spray with cooking spray.  When hot add the tofu. Brown on both sides (couple minutes each side) and then remove and let cool.  When cool cut into small bite sized squares.

3.      When your rice and tofu are ready- Heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat.

4.      When really hot add the scallions, pepper, garlic and ginger.  Cook only for about 2-3 minutes. 

5.      Add the rice, tofu, edamame and corn.  Stir gently until all heated through- not even five minutes.

6.      You can either do this is a separate pan or the same.  If doing it in the same pan- make a well in the middle and either spray with cooking spray or drop a splash of oil, then add the eggs.  Stir until scrambled. (Obviously if doing it in a second pan, just scramble the eggs and then stir in)

7.       Finally just add the soy sauce and make sure everything is mixed well.

We like top enjoy topped with Sriracha! Spicy!

Enjoy!

Winter Squash- Butternut Squash

Butternut squash has the same benefits as the Spaghetti Squash.  It is sweet and versatile.  I prefer to roast it and then use it for whatever I might be making.  You can eat just as is as a side dish, or add it into other things (like this risotto); you can also puree it and stir into things for a lovely color and texture or probably an all around favorite making it into a soup. 

 

This recipe will be incorporating my Classic Risotto recipe and making it into a fall favorite of mine.  Sweet, salty, cheesy, filling- so good, seriously. And don’t forget to save the seeds and roast them like we did with the spaghetti squash!

 

For my Butternut Squash Risotto we just change a small amount of things to make this dish all it's own.  I actually have to credit Giada De Laurentiis for the idea of this.  The addition of the vanilla is definitely odd, and you can always leave it out, but the taste makes it so warm and comforting- it pairs perfect with the squash.  Don't knock it until you try it- I was skeptical at first too.

 

Ingredients

•  2-3 pound butternut squash, peeled and diced into bite size pieces
• 1 tsp of vanilla extract (or 1 vanilla bean seeds scraped plus the hull)
• Plus all the regular ingredients for classic risotto:
• 1 cup of rice (shorter the grain the better)
• about 5-6 cups of chicken stock (you might not use it all- it varies each time)
• 1 onion, diced
• ½ cup of dry white wine
• ½ cup of parmesan cheese
• Butter

Directions

Honestly an easy way to prepare this is go to my risotto link because everything is exactly the same except for two things:

1. In the pot with the stock add the vanilla
2. For the squash: preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.  Toss the squash with salt, pepper and oil and roast for 15-20 minutes until soft (will vary on how small you cut the squash pieces).  When that's done- add to the risotto at the very end and mix until everything is fully incorporated.
3. Add don't forget to reserve about 1-2 cups of squash for the next recipe of leftover butternut squash soup



Super Easy Leftover Butternut Squash Soup/Puree

Ingredients

(Serves about 2-4 people depending on how thick/thin you make it)

• 1-2 cups of leftover butternut squash from risotto recipe
• One small onion, diced
• 2 ribs of celery, diced
• 2 small sized carrots, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1-2  cups of chicken stock
• 1 tsp thyme
• salt and lots of fresh cracked pepper

Directions

1. In a skillet sweat the onion, celery, carrot and garlic.  Season with salt and pepper.  Remember: Sweating is cooking over medium heat and not browning the veggies.  Cook for about 5-7 minutes or until soft.
2. Then add the leftover squash and spices.  I mashed the squash a bit in the pan to make it easier for blending later.
3. Now when everything is heated through- you can do this in either a food processor, blender or you can use your immersion stick blender .  I used a regular blender- so I put about half the veggie/squash mixture in the blender with about ½ - 1 cup of stock- and gave it a buzz until blended.  Then I emptied the blender and did the second batch.
4. Now the consistency is completely up to you- I like thick soups (almost a puree really) and used less stock- if you want it thinner- just use more stock.  
5. When all batches are done I put the soup/puree back into the skillet and heated it up- just to make sure it was hot throughout. (because I used leftover cold stock)
6. When its hot- dish out into bowls and top with whatever you like.  Some suggestions: roasted squash seeds, sour cream, crème fraiche, bacon, extra virgin olive oil etc.

If you leave it thick, like a puree, then you could also serve underneath some baked chicken as a side dish application.

Also to make this soup vegetarian- just use veggie stock instead of chicken!

Pommes Anna (aka Huge Layered Potato Cake)

Pommes Anna is another classic French dish.  Now of course there is a "right" way to make this recipe (which is only potatoes and butter), but I've changed and added a couple things that I liked from a couple different recipes.  The only thing I suggest is using a mandoline because your job will go so much quicker, but if you don't you can always slice these by hand.  This came out so awesome with such little effort- just a little time.  Seriously, next time I have guests over I will definitely be making this.  If you like potato chips- you're going to love this. I served as part of a meal (so I definitely had leftovers- but no worries you could even eat this for breakfast!) or you can make it a whole meal by layering some meat or veggies inside, or along side something else of course.

Special equipment: mandoline and a cast iron pan

(These are not necessary but makes things easier)

http://www.saucyandsweet.com/

• The mandoline is definitely a favorite of mine, I'm so excited when I get to use it!  If I were to just slice the potatoes and fry them in oil- wha-la! potato chips! So if you don't have one just cut the potatoes as thin as you can. Be careful either way you slice it though (No pun intended)
• Cast Iron Skillets: If you don't have one- I'm sure grandma has one that she might hand down to you one day- that's where I got mine anyway.  They aren't too pricey and have many uses.  I'm pretty sure mine is a 10 inch skillet- so this recipe makes for about 4-6 people.  If you want to make it smaller, obviously go for a smaller pan.  The difference of a cast iron skillet (besides being extremely heavy) is the retention and distribution of heat.  Basically it can get really hot and stay really hot for a while and the whole pan gets real hot evenly (even the handle so watch out!) which equals even cooking. And in this case the potatoes get real crispy.

Ingredients

(Remember: bigger the pan, more potatoes you are going to need)

• 5 medium sized potatoes (I used Russet)
• oil, salt, pepper, cooking spray
• a cheese of your choice (I used a mixture of Parmesan and Pecorino Romano)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425°
2. Wash the potatoes (I leave the skin on, you can always peel if you want to). Slice them into coins using your mandoline or a knife. I would say the thicker they are the longer you will want to cook for.
3. Coat the whole skillet with some oil- sides and bottom- I used a basting brush to help me.
4. You need to work fast because you don't want the potatoes to discolor.  You might also know a trick where you soak the potatoes in water with some lemon or vinegar- but don't do this- it will wash off the starch and the cake wont stick together as well. Start by layering the coins in a circular fashion- taking into account that the bottom layer will become the top of the cake- so make it pretty!
5. After each layer spray with cooking spray and sprinkle with some salt and pepper.
6. I did two layers of potato and then a layer of cheese- and repeat.
7. As you go-try and push down and compact the cake as much as possible.
8. When you are all done layering, put it on the stove top for about 7 mins over med-high flame.  We want to just help it start to get crispy.
9. Slide into the oven and bake for 25 mins
10. After 25 mins, take it out and use a lid or dish to help you cover and pour out any excess oil- because we need to flip this cake over and we don't want to be burned by the oil.
11. After the oil is out flip over (I had to flip out onto a cutting board and then slide back into the pan because the cast iron is super heavy) and put back into the oven for another 15 mins.
12. Then just slice and I served with some sour cream!

Almost looks like a pepperoni pizza!

Remember:  You can pick any cheese you like- or omit it all together!

You could also do this with sweet potatoes! I am definitely going to try that next!

Béchamel Sauce, Roux's & Homemade Mac and Cheese

Bechamel Sauce: Another staple in the food world that has been bestowed upon us courtesy of the French.  Bechamel sauce is also known as the "white sauce".  It has many applications as well as being a starting point for many other sauces, such as Mornay sauce (aka cheese sauce- yea another tidbit to impress your friends).  This is why I thought to first blog this recipe, because tonight along side some honey mustard marinated chicken, I am going to make some homemade mac and cheese.  Yea I have some in the box, but honestly it really is so easy to make from scratch and it looks super impressive- so why not try it out yourself? AND you are not limited to just that wierd orange "cheese" flavor- you can add any cheese (or combination of cheeses) that you like. Not fond of cheddar?- try fontina or gruyere.  This is a technique/recipe every half decent cook should know.

(By the way if you really feel the need to know more about Bechamel sauce you can always Wikipedia it)

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 4 tablespoons flour
• 2 cups milk
• salt, pepper and nutmeg

(You will probably find many different measurements for these couple ingredients, but these are the ingredients that make up the sauce- sometimes I need to use a little more butter, sometimes I need a little more flour- the end result (consistency) of the sauce is what's important)

Directions

1.  Melt the butter on low to medium heat in a sauce pan.  We don't want it bubbling away, just enough heat to melt it. 
2. When the butter is completely melted add the flour and whisk until completely incorporated.  This is what we call a roux (roo or rue), it just means a mixture of butter and flour.  This is another staple in the kitchen- you use a lot for everything from soup to gravy- it just helps thicken things up.  It should look like a sticky paste- almost balls or clumps of floury butter mixture- sometimes it isn't as thick- don't worry it will work just the same.

(This sauce looks a bit clumpy- its because I added half a white onion to the butter first, sauteed for a few mins, then added the flour- not traditional but that is just one simple way to just give it a bit more flavor and customize it to your liking)

3.  Continue to cook the roux for 1 to 3 minutes or so- we want to cook out the flour taste, plus slightly brown the roux to develop the nutty flavors. 

4.  Now we add the milk- SLOWLY! Adding it slowly will help reduce the amount of lumps and make the sauce come together nicely- and you should be whisking it in constantly until all the milk is in the pan.

5. Bring the sauce to a light simmer- the sauce should appear to be thickening- you can test the thickness by dipping a spoon in the sauce and seeing if it coats the back of the spoon- when it does that- it's ready.

6.  Turn off the heat and add your seasonings. A couple grates of fresh nutmeg (if you don't have fresh, I would use a very small pinch of dried), a pinch of salt and a couple grinds of fresh black pepper.

Everyone has their own opinion and method to make this sauce- keep trying it out until you have mastered your own!  You can also flavor this sauce however you want- it has endless applications- you can put it over veggies (try mixing a bit of cheese into the sauce-awesome over veggies), chicken, steak, etc.  It is also classically used in lasagna.

Homemade Mac & Cheese

 

-All ingredients for the bechamel sauce, 1/2 lb of pasta, 1-2 cups of cheese

• Make the bechamel just like before- but at the very end melt in about a cup to two cups of the cheese of your choice.
• In another pot- bring some water to a boil and salt it- add 1/2lb (aka half a box-8oz) of any short cut pasta you like- I love to go with the classic elbows- but wheels, penne, rotini, gemelli, etc will do.  You can even use the pasta in the boxed mac and cheese and just throw away the cheesey powder packet.  Using the store brand mac and cheese pasta is usually a good deal.  When the pasta is al dente, drain and add to the cheese sauce.  Combine completely.
• Now from here we can do one of two things: either just eat as is (which I did in the above pic), OR we can put the mac and cheese in a baking dish and top with extra cheese (and breadcrumbs too if you want) and pop under the broiler for a couple minutes to melt the cheese and let it get brown on top- then enjoy!

Asparagus with "Healthy Hollandaise"



Hollandaise is an emulsion (blend) of egg yolks and butter, usually seasoned with lemon juice.  It is also usually hailed as a difficult sauce to make because you don't want to scramble the yolks with the heat of the butter.  The sauce is very classic, but I feel it's so heavy and unhealthy plus it's a pain to make. So here is a fancy looking dish that is SUPER easy to make.  I actually just made it for myself for dinner tonight.  Serve with some toasty bread so you can soak up all the rest of the runny egg and lemon juice.  This is for ONE serving, so it's really easy to make for one or many.

Ingredients

• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tablespoon of white vinegar (to help the egg whites coagulate)
• One egg
• 1/2 bunch of asparagus (about 1/2 lb)
• 1/2 lemon, juice and zest
• salt and pepper
• extra virgin olive oil
• Parmesan or peccorino romano cheese, shaved

Directions

1. Blanch and shock the asparagus.  (Boil in salty water for a couple mins until bright green, them drain and run under some cold water) Set aside for now.
2. In a small pan we are going to poach the egg, but first I wanted to infuse the water with a couple spices- smash 2 garlic cloves, the vinegar, 2 tbs of salt and a couple grinds of fresh black pepper.  (I threw in 2 small sprigs of fresh thyme-if you have it throw that in too, if not, don't worry)
3. Bring the water to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for about 5 mins.  Reduce the heat to low, where you just have a few bubbles, and poach your egg for 2-3 mins. Just until the egg sets, then turn off the heat and let sit for about a min.
4. Zest the lemon half and reserve.
5. Toss the asparagus with the oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper.  Plate them.
6. Top the asparagus with the poached egg- top with a pinch of salt and pepper and the lemon zest.
7. Top with pieces of shaved Parmesan or peccorino romano.

When you cut it open the egg runs and coats the asparagus. Use the bread to soak up all the extra sauce. It was seriously delicious, and it's a full complete meal- protein, veggie, and carb/starch.

Lemon Garlic Broccoli Sidedish

Yum broccoli- I used to hate broccoli when I was younger- now I love it.  You can roast it, eat it raw, steam it, stir fry it etc.  When fresh broccoli goes on sale, I buy a whole lot of it because I just bring it home and freeze it myself- it turns out to be cheaper than if I bought it frozen already (try and get it on sale like 99¢ a pound.  Not a bunch, by the pound!). 

First, start a big pot of water boiling.  Then while you wait for that to boil take your broccoli and cut it up into regular floret pieces and rinse them.  When the water boils we are going to blanch* them.  Dump them in the water and keep them there for about a min or so- when they turn a really bright green strain them and you can either run them under cold water (which I do because I'm lazy) or you can do it the right way and "shock"** them.

(*Blanching is boiling a vegetable for about a min or two to bring out all the bright green color, take away that raw taste, but still keep it crisp-ish.  It also helps to prep it for freezing.  I have tried freezing it raw- and believe me it just does not work)
(**"Shocking" is taking a blanched item and putting it directly into an ice water bath to stop the cooking process to keep that bright color and crisp texture)

Let the broccoli drain and cool, then pop in ziplocks and put in the freezer!

Then when you want to use them, you can either let them defrost and use however you want- If I'm roasting I using squeeze some water from them first.  Or you can just put them in a microwavable dish and enjoy steamed- just like from the frozen food section! And that is what I did with this super easy recipe:

Ingredients:

• About 2 to 3 cups of broccoli
• a lemon (zest* and juice)
• salt & pepper to taste (about a 1 tsp of salt and 1/2 tsp pepper)
• a clove of garlic peeled
• 1 to 2 tablespoons of butter (or the butter substitutes)
• extra virgin olive oil-EVOO (optional)

Directions

1. If the broccoli is frozen- put in your microwave dish and put in the microwave for about 4 mins to get them going. 
2. Pop the garlic out of its skin and lightly smash- trying to keep it intact- we are going to pull the clove out later, just using it a bit to lightly flavor the broccoli.  This dish really is about the clean lemon taste. Or you can just totally omit this step.
3. When the broccoli can be easily mixed up and is not frozen solid, take all the ingredients (except the oil) and mix all together.
4. Put back into the microwave and cook until done.  Drizzle with a bit of EVOO if you want and serve next to whatever's for dinner or all by itself! Just don't serve the garlic clove.

*Lemon Zest: what an awesome flavor booster- and you already bought the lemon, so why not use all of it.  The zest is where the essential oils are.  Use only the colored part, because the white part (the pith) is bitter and no good for eating.  You need a zester, but they are cheap and good for other things like cheese, nutmeg, garlic etc.  A zester was one of my very first kitchen gadgets. There are different types of zesters- try and get one that is a microplane one- because the citrus zester is (obviously) just for citrus. The one below is what I have- a microplane

oneshetwoshe.com

A Lite Lunch- The Salad Wrap-Up

I've had a request for vegetarian dishes. They don't have to be boring or stereotypical- vegetables are super yummy and super good for you.  This is a wrap I LOVE to make for lunch, it's light and refreshing, but still fills you up.  Simple, clean flavors all wrapped up and ready to go anywhere! And so many things can be switched around or omitted to your liking!

The Salad Wrap-Up

Ingredients

• 1 wrap of your choosing (I like the whole wheat or spinach) about 8 in diameter
• 1 to 2 slices of swiss cheese or provolone (any tangy cheese will do)
• 1 leaf/piece of romaine lettuce (or any leafy green you like)
• 1 tomato
• 1 cucumber (I prefer the seedless english cucumbers so I can leave the skin on)
• 1 carrot
• 1 avocado
• Red wine vinegar
• Salt

Directions

1. We need to prep the veggies first, except the avocado and lettuce (you can cut up the whole veggie and save some for the next wrap or just cut what you need).  You can cut up these veggies anyway you like, butttttt the way I like it best is if you cut them all into small matchstick pieces- it lays in the wrap better and you get a taste of everything in each bite.
2. Cut the avocado in half lengthwise- pop the pit out*- scoop out the flesh with the spoon and cut into about 4 to 5 strips lengthwise.
3. Now time to assemble! Lay down the wrap, lay down the piece of lettuce, pile on the veggies (you don't need to use everything you cut, just enough to fill up the wrap), and then the avocado.  Sprinkle with some kosher salt and drizzle a bit of red wine vinegar**, roll it up, cut on the bias (cut in half diagonally) and enjoy!

*Avocado pits can be tricky to pop out- cut in half length wise and then hold the half that has the pit in it with a towel in your hand face up towards you.  Take a big sharp chef knife and chop down on the pit (not too forceful- you're just trying to get the knife and the pit to be stuck together a bit). Then just rotate your knife and avocado in separate directions and it comes out very easy.  To get the pit off your knife just push it off from the top of the knife (not sharp end).

**I love the simple taste of just vinegar in this recipe, you definitely should try it, but if you think it's not for you- you can always substitute lite /fat-free Italian dressing (or really any other salad dressing you like)