Sauce:
1/8 tsp white pepper
1/4 tsp chili paste
1 tsp of meat masala or
1 1/2 tsp tumeric
2-3 tsp hot (Madras) curry
1/4 cup soy sauce or
1/8 cup broth with 1/8 cup soy sauce
1 tsp sesame seed oil
1 lbs thin rice noodles
1 pound baby shrimp, shucked, deveined, rinsed and drained
1 skinless chicken breast, 1/4-inch strips
1/2 tsp ground white pepper
1-2 TB ginger
3 cloves garlic
2 green peppers thinly sliced
1 red pepper thinly sliced
8 dried or fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced thin
2 carrots, julienned
6-8 scallions, 1 inch batons
1/4 cup chicken broth, optional (to keep noodles from drying out)
oil for frying
First assemble sauce, and set aside.
Next, scald noodles in boiling water for about 15 seconds, then spread out over a baking sheet and let dry.
Heat 1-2 tablespoons of oil in a small pan over medium-high heat. Salt and pepper shrimp, then saute shrimp until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Remove from pan.
Sprinkle chicken lightly with white pepper, then cook chicken in remaining oil.
When chicken is nearly cooked through begin to add ginger and garlic. When chicken is no longer pink, add vegetables.
This is usually a good time to toss your lovely marinade into the rice noodles, or you can throw it right over your veggies and meat.
When vegetables reach desired constancy, add add noodles. Stir gently, but often. Heat thoroughly, and incorporate ingredients well.
(If adding egg, I usually add it last, and never when adding meat or seafood. Make sure you use small amount of sauce, then add egg to fairly dry noodles and quickly scramble.)
Serves 4-6
Note: you can easily substitute common curry powder for the hot. If you want it spicier, just add a little extra curry and some cayenne.
Also, over boiled rice noodles do not hold together as well once you begin frying them, and you will end up with tiny slivers of noodle.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Ginger and Spice
My household has spent the last several weeks ill, ill, ill. Quite gross and impossibly recurring, I shall spare you the messier details.
One Friday morning, while the whole house grumbled lay about in abject misery, I was forced to get up and put together something that would appease the roiling masses of heavy breathers. And, would you believe it? Like the holy grail of meals, Singapore rice noodles appeared.
Truly the Hong Kong Noodle, this recipe is not actually from Singapore. There are many different ways to make this; some call for curry, while others do not. This is the first dish I loved curry in, so I definitely use it.
This version we ate for about three days; egg, tofu, several grated carrots and zucchinis making up the base, with the ginger, garlic and cayenne in fluctuating amounts. Whatever I thought we could handle at the moment.
In fact, I attribute a sudden turn around in health to the insane amounts of ginger and garlic (and perfect spice!) the first batch had.
I was quite surprised anyone ate it, to tell you the truth. It reeked!
But, Singapore rice noodles are delicious, quite impossible to ruin; and contain all requisite ingredients for nearly any type of un-wellness. They are fairly flexible in terms of what goes in them. They can be pretty plain and lightly seasoned, or they can be loaded up with a variety of spice, meats and veggies. Chilis, carrots, snow peas, onion, cabbage, bean sprouts, and peppers among them.
I find that writing a recipe seems overly fussy for these noodles. I make a version for the kids that has no broth, or soy sauce and is a slightly milder version of what I make for bigger meals. I usually just sprinkle spices over things in the order I see fit, instead of marinading anything.This is really a simple meal, and can be easily put together according to tastes and preferences.
Also, I find a lot of recipes don't include egg. However, every time I have ordered it in a restaurant, it comes with egg. I find I prefer egg and tofu to other protein choices. Only a bit of egg goes a long way. Or you can separately scramble several eggs with a bit of curry and chili powder and add them as a major protein source.
This is a new go-to meal for our family. Gluten-free, lots of veggies, easy to make, and everyone eats them! Fantastic.
I found this blog post expresses the incredible delight of Singpore Rice Noodles, while explaining the history and traditional way of eating them. You might be interested in reading that, too!
One Friday morning, while the whole house grumbled lay about in abject misery, I was forced to get up and put together something that would appease the roiling masses of heavy breathers. And, would you believe it? Like the holy grail of meals, Singapore rice noodles appeared.
Truly the Hong Kong Noodle, this recipe is not actually from Singapore. There are many different ways to make this; some call for curry, while others do not. This is the first dish I loved curry in, so I definitely use it.
This version we ate for about three days; egg, tofu, several grated carrots and zucchinis making up the base, with the ginger, garlic and cayenne in fluctuating amounts. Whatever I thought we could handle at the moment.
In fact, I attribute a sudden turn around in health to the insane amounts of ginger and garlic (and perfect spice!) the first batch had.
I was quite surprised anyone ate it, to tell you the truth. It reeked!
But, Singapore rice noodles are delicious, quite impossible to ruin; and contain all requisite ingredients for nearly any type of un-wellness. They are fairly flexible in terms of what goes in them. They can be pretty plain and lightly seasoned, or they can be loaded up with a variety of spice, meats and veggies. Chilis, carrots, snow peas, onion, cabbage, bean sprouts, and peppers among them.
I find that writing a recipe seems overly fussy for these noodles. I make a version for the kids that has no broth, or soy sauce and is a slightly milder version of what I make for bigger meals. I usually just sprinkle spices over things in the order I see fit, instead of marinading anything.This is really a simple meal, and can be easily put together according to tastes and preferences.
Also, I find a lot of recipes don't include egg. However, every time I have ordered it in a restaurant, it comes with egg. I find I prefer egg and tofu to other protein choices. Only a bit of egg goes a long way. Or you can separately scramble several eggs with a bit of curry and chili powder and add them as a major protein source.
This is a new go-to meal for our family. Gluten-free, lots of veggies, easy to make, and everyone eats them! Fantastic.
I found this blog post expresses the incredible delight of Singpore Rice Noodles, while explaining the history and traditional way of eating them. You might be interested in reading that, too!
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Yakisoba
Sauce:
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sake
1/2 teaspoon mirin
3 dashes white pepper powder
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon sesame oil
Mix in small bowl and stir until dissolved. Set aside.
12 oz soba noodles
1-3 TB oil for frying
1 lbs choice of meat, tofu, seafood cut thinly against the grain
3-4 carrots, coarsely grated, julienned, or sliced thin on the diagonal
1 lbs cabbage (napa, savoy, bok choy) slightly more may be used if preferred
1 white onion, cut in half and thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic
1-2 TB grated ginger
2-3 green onions, finely sliced (optional)
After slicing protein and vegetables begin to prepare noodles according to package, rinse with cold water and drain. Set aside.
Over medium/high heat, add oil to a large frying pan or to a wok. Add protein, stir while frying. Lightly brown. Remove from pan and set aside.
Add cabbage, carrots, onions, ginger, and garlic to pan. Stir often. When vegetables reached desired consistency, about 7-10 mins, add noodles. Toss lightly, for 1-2 mins. slowly adding in soy sauce mixture.
Return protein to pan. Make sure everything is coated with the sauce. Bring up temp quickly, stirring noodles another 3-5 minutes.
Serve very hot.
Traditionally served with sliced, red pickled ginger on top.
Serves 4-6
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sake
1/2 teaspoon mirin
3 dashes white pepper powder
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon sesame oil
Mix in small bowl and stir until dissolved. Set aside.
12 oz soba noodles
1-3 TB oil for frying
1 lbs choice of meat, tofu, seafood cut thinly against the grain
3-4 carrots, coarsely grated, julienned, or sliced thin on the diagonal
1 lbs cabbage (napa, savoy, bok choy) slightly more may be used if preferred
1 white onion, cut in half and thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic
1-2 TB grated ginger
2-3 green onions, finely sliced (optional)
After slicing protein and vegetables begin to prepare noodles according to package, rinse with cold water and drain. Set aside.
Over medium/high heat, add oil to a large frying pan or to a wok. Add protein, stir while frying. Lightly brown. Remove from pan and set aside.
Add cabbage, carrots, onions, ginger, and garlic to pan. Stir often. When vegetables reached desired consistency, about 7-10 mins, add noodles. Toss lightly, for 1-2 mins. slowly adding in soy sauce mixture.
Return protein to pan. Make sure everything is coated with the sauce. Bring up temp quickly, stirring noodles another 3-5 minutes.
Serve very hot.
Traditionally served with sliced, red pickled ginger on top.
Serves 4-6
Throw Together Noodle
Yakisoba can really be prepared with any combination of meat, tofu and vegetable, though most commonly made with cabbage, carrots, onion and pork.
I am not a huge fan of pork, but I will cook it when specifically asked to do so. (ie: pork and raspberry sauce.) I prefer a small amount of chicken or use tofu in yakisoba.
I do love cabbage, though! This is a great way to use purple cabbage.
I usually skip the sauce, citing the uselessness of sugar and grease for dinner; if anyone asks. Instead throwing a bit of mushroom flavored soy sauce, drop of teriyaki or worchesterhire sauce over it and cutting it with broth before it gets too salty. Too much broth, and they won't fry. Just so you know!
The sauce can be bought at any local Asian grocery. I am the clueless white girl perusing the nearby Local H Mart and buying rice in bulk on a regular basis. (The one I went to before I moved had nicer vegetables.)
Supposedly you aren't supposed to use soba noodles, but that's how they were served the first time I had them. I like them that way. I haven't yet found pure buckwheat noodles; most are made from a combination of wheat and buckwheat, so this recipe does not pass the gluten-free test. The recipe above uses soba, but most recipes will call for top ramen (without spice packet) or udon.
Tonight I used buckwheat soba noodles, two chicken thighs cut very small, 1/2 lbs white mushrooms sliced, ginger and mung bean sprouts. I also added about a 1/4 of super delicious celery/mushroom broth I'm making. We were supposed to have chicken soup for dinner, but somehow ended up with this.
Clean plates all around!
(Lucky had rice noodles with egg, broth and cashews. There may have been carrot and mushroom in there, but no one noticed...)
I am not a huge fan of pork, but I will cook it when specifically asked to do so. (ie: pork and raspberry sauce.) I prefer a small amount of chicken or use tofu in yakisoba.
I do love cabbage, though! This is a great way to use purple cabbage.
I usually skip the sauce, citing the uselessness of sugar and grease for dinner; if anyone asks. Instead throwing a bit of mushroom flavored soy sauce, drop of teriyaki or worchesterhire sauce over it and cutting it with broth before it gets too salty. Too much broth, and they won't fry. Just so you know!
The sauce can be bought at any local Asian grocery. I am the clueless white girl perusing the nearby Local H Mart and buying rice in bulk on a regular basis. (The one I went to before I moved had nicer vegetables.)
Supposedly you aren't supposed to use soba noodles, but that's how they were served the first time I had them. I like them that way. I haven't yet found pure buckwheat noodles; most are made from a combination of wheat and buckwheat, so this recipe does not pass the gluten-free test. The recipe above uses soba, but most recipes will call for top ramen (without spice packet) or udon.
Tonight I used buckwheat soba noodles, two chicken thighs cut very small, 1/2 lbs white mushrooms sliced, ginger and mung bean sprouts. I also added about a 1/4 of super delicious celery/mushroom broth I'm making. We were supposed to have chicken soup for dinner, but somehow ended up with this.
Clean plates all around!
(Lucky had rice noodles with egg, broth and cashews. There may have been carrot and mushroom in there, but no one noticed...)
Monday, April 18, 2011
Raspberry Sauce Over Pork Chops, With Garlic Mashers
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
1/2 teaspoon dried sage, crushed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 (4 ounce) boneless pork loin chops
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup seedless raspberry jam
2 tablespoons orange juice
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
4 sprigs fresh thyme (optional)
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees F (95 degrees C). In a small bowl, combine crushed thyme, sage, salt, and pepper. Rub evenly over pork chops.
2. Melt butter and olive oil in a nonstick skillet. Cook pork chops for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, turning once. Remove from skillet and keep warm in preheated oven.
3. In the skillet, combine raspberry jam, orange juice, and vinegar. Bring to a boil, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until sauce is reduced to desired consistency (sauce will thicken as it cools). Spoon sauce in a pool onto a serving plate, and top with pork chops. Garnish with sprigs of thyme.
Served with garlic mashed potatoes, and peas.
1/2 teaspoon dried sage, crushed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 (4 ounce) boneless pork loin chops
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup seedless raspberry jam
2 tablespoons orange juice
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
4 sprigs fresh thyme (optional)
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees F (95 degrees C). In a small bowl, combine crushed thyme, sage, salt, and pepper. Rub evenly over pork chops.
2. Melt butter and olive oil in a nonstick skillet. Cook pork chops for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, turning once. Remove from skillet and keep warm in preheated oven.
3. In the skillet, combine raspberry jam, orange juice, and vinegar. Bring to a boil, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until sauce is reduced to desired consistency (sauce will thicken as it cools). Spoon sauce in a pool onto a serving plate, and top with pork chops. Garnish with sprigs of thyme.
Served with garlic mashed potatoes, and peas.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Sweet & Sour Sauce
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 white vinegar
1 TB catsup
2/3 pineapple juice
1/4 cup soy sauce (optional)
2 TB cornstarch
Whisk cornstarch into liquid ingredients. Combine remaining ingredients and bring to a boil over med heat. Stir often until thickened, about 3 minutes.
1/3 white vinegar
1 TB catsup
2/3 pineapple juice
1/4 cup soy sauce (optional)
2 TB cornstarch
Whisk cornstarch into liquid ingredients. Combine remaining ingredients and bring to a boil over med heat. Stir often until thickened, about 3 minutes.
This for that
Then the need to dig up a suitable cornstarch substitute does arise, as one cannot really live without soups, cakes and other food delights in life. Cornstarch also happens to have a very high carbohydrates quotient, with only a tablespoon of cornstarch containing up to 7.4g of carbs with 0% dietary fibers. Naturally, weight conscious people would instinctively opt for healthier substitutes. So, here are some viable cornstarch substitutes for you.
- Buzzle.com
- Buzzle.com
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Cheesecake and other bad habits
I am up eating a ham and smoked cheddar with red onion, mayo and brown mustard, even though I am not very fond of ham.
It was that or eat the rest of the cheesecake sitting in the fridge. I really think eating the cheesecake was the better option, but that wouldn't have been very fair to anyone else when they woke up and the whole cheesecake was missing.
My sister brought it from work, a thoughtful thank you for me letting her babysit tonight!
It was in one of those plain, white boxes that just screams DELICIOUS GOODNESS WITHIN!
So, so soft! The kind of soft that makes you wonder how it holds shape when you cut it.
Also, it came it a variety pack. One set was boston creme. Oh, my goodness! Whoever had that genius idea is a, genius!
Parent teacher conferences were tonight. Hence me wanting to eat the entire cheesecake...
Duckie and Blue stayed home, had frozen pizza and cheesecake. Lucky came with me, and we went out to eat between conferences. I had a couple of california rolls, a mango roll and a bowl of miso soup. (Don't look at me like that! It's the same cost as going to a diner! I know, I know... but still.)
Lucky had tempura veggies and shrimp again. He loves to eat the tail!
I just finished making rice. I don't know what I'm packing for Lucky's lunch tomorrow. Probably plain rice and egg pancakes. Maybe I'll put some zucchini in the egg. I've been grating it into everything this week.
Now, back to that cheesecake!
It was that or eat the rest of the cheesecake sitting in the fridge. I really think eating the cheesecake was the better option, but that wouldn't have been very fair to anyone else when they woke up and the whole cheesecake was missing.
My sister brought it from work, a thoughtful thank you for me letting her babysit tonight!
It was in one of those plain, white boxes that just screams DELICIOUS GOODNESS WITHIN!
So, so soft! The kind of soft that makes you wonder how it holds shape when you cut it.
Also, it came it a variety pack. One set was boston creme. Oh, my goodness! Whoever had that genius idea is a, genius!
Parent teacher conferences were tonight. Hence me wanting to eat the entire cheesecake...
Duckie and Blue stayed home, had frozen pizza and cheesecake. Lucky came with me, and we went out to eat between conferences. I had a couple of california rolls, a mango roll and a bowl of miso soup. (Don't look at me like that! It's the same cost as going to a diner! I know, I know... but still.)
Lucky had tempura veggies and shrimp again. He loves to eat the tail!
I just finished making rice. I don't know what I'm packing for Lucky's lunch tomorrow. Probably plain rice and egg pancakes. Maybe I'll put some zucchini in the egg. I've been grating it into everything this week.
Now, back to that cheesecake!
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Tempura Batter
2 egg whites
1 cup cold water
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 baking powder
2 icecubes
Whip egg whites until they are quite foamy but not yet stiff. Sift flour and salt into egg whites and mix lightly. Add baking powder and then water. Stir very gently, only until just mixed. Batter will be very dry and lumpy. Do not overstir or batter will lose it's crispiness when fried.
Add icecubes and let sit until melted.
After ice is melted stir once more, batter is now ready for vegetables.
Salt after frying or serve with dipping sauce.
Vegetable suggestions: zucchini, onion, green beans, asparagus, sweet potatoes, baby corn, mushrooms, potatoes, green peppers
Protein suggestions: 2 inch pieces of chicken, fish, shelled shrimp, tofu
Note: this video is a very good guide to the proper texture for your tempura batter, also gives an egg-less recipe and the traditional dipping sauce recipe.
1 cup cold water
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 baking powder
2 icecubes
Whip egg whites until they are quite foamy but not yet stiff. Sift flour and salt into egg whites and mix lightly. Add baking powder and then water. Stir very gently, only until just mixed. Batter will be very dry and lumpy. Do not overstir or batter will lose it's crispiness when fried.
Add icecubes and let sit until melted.
After ice is melted stir once more, batter is now ready for vegetables.
Salt after frying or serve with dipping sauce.
Vegetable suggestions: zucchini, onion, green beans, asparagus, sweet potatoes, baby corn, mushrooms, potatoes, green peppers
Protein suggestions: 2 inch pieces of chicken, fish, shelled shrimp, tofu
Note: this video is a very good guide to the proper texture for your tempura batter, also gives an egg-less recipe and the traditional dipping sauce recipe.
Kitchen Supplies
We are still eating gluten and casein. This is really an all or nothing deal. I haven't quite wrapped my head around it, yet. I picked up rice flour at the store today thinking I could try to make tempura from it, then put it back. How will I know if I don't try it?
Friday night the two bebes had vegetable, shrimp tempura out to dinner with their father and I. Lucky had less than half cup plain rice, Duckie shared my Yukkisoba (glorified teriyaki? I looked up the recipe later, I am trying something of the sort later this week. Out, it was very greasy, but sweet and tasty enough.)
I have been wanting a wok, for-ever! There's really no room for it in this kitchen, so I keep telling myself I don't need it. I started scouting them out.
I also decided I need a rice steamer. A few weeks ago Dman decided we needed to replace the blender that broke a year ago. It seems I underestimate how important smoothies are in our lives. I was more convinced a rice steamer would fill a need while the blender would take up space.
I was wondering what I could make smoothies with now if I'm not using cow's milk . . . I have had the stuff for making rice milk here for over a week now . . . just wondered if I could make kefir with rice milk . . . and . . . look what I found!
A fantastic new fooding blog with a recipe on dairy-free yogurt!
I'm overloaded with thinking about the way rice milk will react to kefir grains and probiotics! Oooh, I'm going to have to try this! I wonder if it will work?!
Where was I? Blenders, steamers. . . I bought a rice steamer today. In fact, the universe really blessed me today by making available to me a fancy multi-purpose kettle! It steams, it deep fries! It roasts, it browns, it boils! I linked it because it really is that cool. So cool, in fact that I could afford to buy a toaster oven big enough for a chicken! How's that for no room in the kitchen?
I am so thankful for these not so little things.
And that was the point of this post ;)
Here's to looking forward to the oncoming week!
Friday night the two bebes had vegetable, shrimp tempura out to dinner with their father and I. Lucky had less than half cup plain rice, Duckie shared my Yukkisoba (glorified teriyaki? I looked up the recipe later, I am trying something of the sort later this week. Out, it was very greasy, but sweet and tasty enough.)
I have been wanting a wok, for-ever! There's really no room for it in this kitchen, so I keep telling myself I don't need it. I started scouting them out.
I also decided I need a rice steamer. A few weeks ago Dman decided we needed to replace the blender that broke a year ago. It seems I underestimate how important smoothies are in our lives. I was more convinced a rice steamer would fill a need while the blender would take up space.
I was wondering what I could make smoothies with now if I'm not using cow's milk . . . I have had the stuff for making rice milk here for over a week now . . . just wondered if I could make kefir with rice milk . . . and . . . look what I found!
A fantastic new fooding blog with a recipe on dairy-free yogurt!
I'm overloaded with thinking about the way rice milk will react to kefir grains and probiotics! Oooh, I'm going to have to try this! I wonder if it will work?!
Where was I? Blenders, steamers. . . I bought a rice steamer today. In fact, the universe really blessed me today by making available to me a fancy multi-purpose kettle! It steams, it deep fries! It roasts, it browns, it boils! I linked it because it really is that cool. So cool, in fact that I could afford to buy a toaster oven big enough for a chicken! How's that for no room in the kitchen?
I am so thankful for these not so little things.
And that was the point of this post ;)
Here's to looking forward to the oncoming week!
With a Grain of Salt
My focus for this blog is what I feed my family.
As much as I would love to step into a fully formed food blog, full of fantastic pictures and fabulous recipes, this is not that blog.
This is where I write about what we are eating, where I write about the frustrations of them not eating and express the joys of what we do eat.
I forget that.
I really wanted this blog to be something that I would do every day, some place where I could freely lament the trouble I am having. A place that would hold all the trials and all the triumphs.
But, I got very discouraged.
I want this to be interesting, and fun to read. I want this to be helpful to others, or at least entertaining.
I don't want to talk about white rice and eggs every day. I don't even want to eat white rice and eggs every day.
One of the reasons I started this is so I could clearly see what my kids do eat and then use that information to break out of the mold.
But I don't want to talk about white rice every day.
"Write the book you want to read". Have you ever heard that?
Well, the foodie book I want to read is about the mom who doesn't have a lot of extra money, a mom who is working with the same eating restrictions I deal with. I want to read the book about the mom who doesn't smile a fake smile, who won't tell me about how her children eat six servings of vegetables every day, never eat fried food, never throw food. I want to read the book about the mom who cried after dinner every night for eight weeks before leaving the dishes for tomorrow and sitting around with a tub of forbidden ice-cream.
I want to read about the mom who is creative and struggling and who conquers meals one mustard seed at a time.
The one that that always has "and then everyone had a delicious meal, felt filled with great energy and went about their business" in every chapter!
And, you know what? I am being unfair to what I really want this blog to be about by wishing that it was something else.
I ramble. I get frustrated. I get discouraged. I feed my kids foods I don't want them to have because I am frustrated and discouraged.
I cook less than I ought to and order far more than I should.
I don't like it. But that's how it is, right now. And I am here to keep track of all of it. Not just the yummy stuff.
Whatever this blog may not be, it is definitely about food.
This blog is purely for myself and my own purposes. I have never kept online journals to connect with others.
It's an incredible tool for doing so. Don't get me wrong. Of course I would love to have many readers and lots of comments. But that is not my motivation, nor the goal of this project.
Right now, I just want to watch what we eat. Andtalk write about it.
Beside, I must remember, if I do hope to reach someone else through what I am writing, I must be extremely straightforward about what we are eating, how we like it or not. Going to write about what I really use to cook, how I could do it differently.
I do love to talk about tastes and what I thought went right or wrong in cooking!
So, here's to figuring it out from scratch; to taking the lumps, and the burnt bits and eating it with a smile!
Here's to writing it all out in it's messy glory and not feeling bad when mine doesn't look as good as yours.
Here's to practice makes perfect. Nobody's looking, anyway!
As much as I would love to step into a fully formed food blog, full of fantastic pictures and fabulous recipes, this is not that blog.
This is where I write about what we are eating, where I write about the frustrations of them not eating and express the joys of what we do eat.
I forget that.
I really wanted this blog to be something that I would do every day, some place where I could freely lament the trouble I am having. A place that would hold all the trials and all the triumphs.
But, I got very discouraged.
I want this to be interesting, and fun to read. I want this to be helpful to others, or at least entertaining.
I don't want to talk about white rice and eggs every day. I don't even want to eat white rice and eggs every day.
One of the reasons I started this is so I could clearly see what my kids do eat and then use that information to break out of the mold.
But I don't want to talk about white rice every day.
"Write the book you want to read". Have you ever heard that?
Well, the foodie book I want to read is about the mom who doesn't have a lot of extra money, a mom who is working with the same eating restrictions I deal with. I want to read the book about the mom who doesn't smile a fake smile, who won't tell me about how her children eat six servings of vegetables every day, never eat fried food, never throw food. I want to read the book about the mom who cried after dinner every night for eight weeks before leaving the dishes for tomorrow and sitting around with a tub of forbidden ice-cream.
I want to read about the mom who is creative and struggling and who conquers meals one mustard seed at a time.
The one that that always has "and then everyone had a delicious meal, felt filled with great energy and went about their business" in every chapter!
And, you know what? I am being unfair to what I really want this blog to be about by wishing that it was something else.
I ramble. I get frustrated. I get discouraged. I feed my kids foods I don't want them to have because I am frustrated and discouraged.
I cook less than I ought to and order far more than I should.
I don't like it. But that's how it is, right now. And I am here to keep track of all of it. Not just the yummy stuff.
Whatever this blog may not be, it is definitely about food.
This blog is purely for myself and my own purposes. I have never kept online journals to connect with others.
It's an incredible tool for doing so. Don't get me wrong. Of course I would love to have many readers and lots of comments. But that is not my motivation, nor the goal of this project.
Right now, I just want to watch what we eat. And
Beside, I must remember, if I do hope to reach someone else through what I am writing, I must be extremely straightforward about what we are eating, how we like it or not. Going to write about what I really use to cook, how I could do it differently.
I do love to talk about tastes and what I thought went right or wrong in cooking!
So, here's to figuring it out from scratch; to taking the lumps, and the burnt bits and eating it with a smile!
Here's to writing it all out in it's messy glory and not feeling bad when mine doesn't look as good as yours.
Here's to practice makes perfect. Nobody's looking, anyway!
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Marcella Hazan's Tomato Sauce
1 x 28-oz can (whole or diced) plum tomatoes, with their juices
5 tablespoons (75 g) unsalted butter
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and cut in half
salt, to taste
Mush tomatoes with your hand into med saucepan. Do not drain out juices. Add butter, and onion halves in a medium saucepan. Add a pinch or two of sugar. Place over a medium heat and bring to a simmer, mashing up the tomatoes gently with the back of a wooden spoon. Cook, uncovered, at a very slow but steady simmer, adjusting the heat as necessary, for about 45 minutes, or until droplets of fat float free from the tomato and the sauce has reduced and thickened. Stir occasionally, continuing to mash any large pieces of tomato with the wooden spoon. Taste and salt as needed. Discard the onion.
From Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan
Polenta
- 7 cups water
- 2 tsp sea salt
- 1 3/4 cups Bob's Red Mill Polenta
- 1/4 cup ground flax
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
Bring back to boiling, then reduce heat to low simmer. Stir constantly; continue cooking over low heat for 30 mins. Polenta will become very bubbly and thick.
Spoon cooked polenta into desired mold. Let set for a minimum of ten mins. Turn mold upside down on flat surface. Slice about 1/2 inch thick.
Fry polenta in med-high heat skillet with small amount of olive oil for approx. 4 mins per side. Top with tomato sauce.
Friday, January 28, 2011
Salmon Patties
1 lb smoked salmon
1 lb mashed potatoes
2 tablespoons melted butter
2 tablespoons coarse grain mustard
1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopeed
1/2 lemon, juice and rind of, grated
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup flour
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups gluten-free breadcrumbs
Flake salmon with a fork and place in a large bowl with potatoes, butter, and mustard and mix well.
Add dill, parsley, chives, lemon rind and juice, salt and pepper and mix thoroughly.
Divide mixture into eight portions and form into balls.
Flatten each ball to about 1 inch thick.
Dip each cake in flour, egg, and breadcrumbs thoroughly coating with each.
Fry fish cakes in oil over medium high heat until golden brown and crispy about 5-8 minutes on each side.
You can serve with a tartar sauce or some other condiment but really they are great just with a squeeze of lemon or a dash of tabasco.
1 lb mashed potatoes
2 tablespoons melted butter
2 tablespoons coarse grain mustard
1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopeed
1/2 lemon, juice and rind of, grated
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup flour
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups gluten-free breadcrumbs
Flake salmon with a fork and place in a large bowl with potatoes, butter, and mustard and mix well.
Add dill, parsley, chives, lemon rind and juice, salt and pepper and mix thoroughly.
Divide mixture into eight portions and form into balls.
Flatten each ball to about 1 inch thick.
Dip each cake in flour, egg, and breadcrumbs thoroughly coating with each.
Fry fish cakes in oil over medium high heat until golden brown and crispy about 5-8 minutes on each side.
You can serve with a tartar sauce or some other condiment but really they are great just with a squeeze of lemon or a dash of tabasco.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Gluten-free 'Breadcrumbs'
Toast 2-3 gluten-free, plain waffles
Break them apart waffles then process in food processor, pulsing on and off until they resemble classic breadcrumbs (not too fine).
Add dried Italian herb mix, or dried basil, parsley and marjoram, to taste.
Break them apart waffles then process in food processor, pulsing on and off until they resemble classic breadcrumbs (not too fine).
Add dried Italian herb mix, or dried basil, parsley and marjoram, to taste.
To make a classic pan-fried crumb topping, I pour a tablespoon or so of good olive oil in a medium- not too hot- skillet and toss in the processed waffle crumbs. I add dried Italian herbs to taste and stir, shake the pan and brown them for a minute, then add the crumbs to the recipe.
Picky, picky
I once made a list of foods that my children, as individuals, will or will not eat.
I would like to post that here, now. It helps me to plan meals and grocery lists.
Also, I would like to post a list containing edibles that are gluten and casein free to make it easier to cross reference what everyone can, cannot or will not eat. I'll make a separate entry for it.
I would like to post that here, now. It helps me to plan meals and grocery lists.
Also, I would like to post a list containing edibles that are gluten and casein free to make it easier to cross reference what everyone can, cannot or will not eat. I'll make a separate entry for it.
Veggie Burger
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 1/4 cups chopped onion
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3/4 cups black beans, drained
- 3/4 cups chickpeas, drained
- 1/2 ounces white beans, drained
- 2 1/4 cups cooked quinoa
- 2 tablespoons diced red bell peppers
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground sage
- 2 tablespoons seasoned bread crumbs
- 1 egg
Directions
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and garlic; cook and stir for a few minutes, continue cooking until tender. Remove from the heat and transfer to a bowl. Pour in the beans, rice and bread crumbs. Season with salt, paprika, oregano, chili powder, sage and celery salt. Mix thoroughly using your hands. Form into 6 patties. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Heat the remaining oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat (you can use the same one). Fry the patties until golden on each side, about 10 minutes total.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Chewing It Over
Today Lucky's bento was packed with two egg crepes, rice noodles cooked with kombu and a tiny bit of miso
(on the dry side); top tier was grapes, broccoli and the rice pudding.
The whole top layer came back, though the broccoli was gnawed at. His teacher wrote in his notebook about how 'impressed' they were with the variety of foods he eats. It gave me a laugh! I secretly think it's just because it looks different.
I, not so secretly, feel really good when there's not much of his food coming home. I also get really pleased when the bento and snack is all packed. If Lucky enjoys it half as much as I do, then, GREAT! :D
Lucky ate rice and egg for dinner. Ducky and Blue had potato and eggs. Boring. There were no veggies.
I need to go shopping!
Bebes had rice pudding after dinner! I added minced apple and made blueberry compote. The little ones had about a 1/4 cup vanilla ice cream on top.
I use dairy products a lot more than I really thought. Have been looking into cheese substitutes. Thinking about what I use cheese in and why.
Also been thinking about 'binders' a lot!
I need to make shorter posts! I'll just post recipes for the rest of the week. I need some time to focus all this information into something edible!
(on the dry side); top tier was grapes, broccoli and the rice pudding.
The whole top layer came back, though the broccoli was gnawed at. His teacher wrote in his notebook about how 'impressed' they were with the variety of foods he eats. It gave me a laugh! I secretly think it's just because it looks different.
I, not so secretly, feel really good when there's not much of his food coming home. I also get really pleased when the bento and snack is all packed. If Lucky enjoys it half as much as I do, then, GREAT! :D
Lucky ate rice and egg for dinner. Ducky and Blue had potato and eggs. Boring. There were no veggies.
I need to go shopping!
Bebes had rice pudding after dinner! I added minced apple and made blueberry compote. The little ones had about a 1/4 cup vanilla ice cream on top.
I use dairy products a lot more than I really thought. Have been looking into cheese substitutes. Thinking about what I use cheese in and why.
Also been thinking about 'binders' a lot!
I need to make shorter posts! I'll just post recipes for the rest of the week. I need some time to focus all this information into something edible!
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Blueberry Rice Pudding
1 cup cooked jasmine or basmati rice
1 cup cooked Bob's Red Mill Mighty Hearty Cereal
2 1/2 cups (625 ml/213/4 fl oz) low-fat milk
3 tablespoons raw organic honey
2 large ripe banana, small dices
2 eggs
1 vanilla bean (or 2tsp vanilla extract)
1 cup (150 g/5 1/4 oz) blueberries (fresh or frozen)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons almond flakes
Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly spray an ovenproof baking dish with olive oil.
Using a sharp knife slice vanilla bean in half, lengthwise. Scrape out the vanilla seeds with the tip of the knife.
Place eggs, milk, honey and vanilla seeds in a blender and mix until well combined.
Place rice, banana and blueberries in baking dish and cover with milk mixture.
Bake in oven for 15 min. Take out of oven and gently stir until rice and berries are evenly mixed through pudding. Sprinkle with cinnamon and almond flakes and return to oven for 30-35 minutes, until pudding is set. Cover with foil if pudding is becoming too brown.
Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Serve warm or cold.
Serves 4-6.
1 cup cooked Bob's Red Mill Mighty Hearty Cereal
2 1/2 cups (625 ml/213/4 fl oz) low-fat milk
3 tablespoons raw organic honey
2 large ripe banana, small dices
2 eggs
1 vanilla bean (or 2tsp vanilla extract)
1 cup (150 g/5 1/4 oz) blueberries (fresh or frozen)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons almond flakes
Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly spray an ovenproof baking dish with olive oil.
Using a sharp knife slice vanilla bean in half, lengthwise. Scrape out the vanilla seeds with the tip of the knife.
Place eggs, milk, honey and vanilla seeds in a blender and mix until well combined.
Place rice, banana and blueberries in baking dish and cover with milk mixture.
Bake in oven for 15 min. Take out of oven and gently stir until rice and berries are evenly mixed through pudding. Sprinkle with cinnamon and almond flakes and return to oven for 30-35 minutes, until pudding is set. Cover with foil if pudding is becoming too brown.
Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Serve warm or cold.
Serves 4-6.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Cheesy Rice Bake
3 cups cooked rice
2 eggs, beaten
3 cups Mozzarella cheese, grated
½ teaspoon oregano
1 garlic clove, minced
½ cup onion, minced
¼ teaspoon thyme and/or marjoram
15 ½ ounce can tomato sauce
Directions:
Mix rice, eggs, and 1 cup cheese together. Spread thinly with raised outer edge into greased cast iron skillet. Bake at 450 F 15-20 minutes or until lightly brown.
Simmer tomato sauce and herbs together for 15 minutes (for oregano and thyme/marjoram, I have used 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning instead.). Spread over rice crust. Sprinkle with the rest of cheese and bake at 450 F until cheese is bubbly.
Possible additions before cheese: Ripe olives, green olives, green peppers, onion, pepperoni, precooked drained sausage, ham, Canadian bacon, precooked drained hamburger. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top of mozzarella cheese or combine mozzarella cheese with cheddar cheese if you wish.
2 eggs, beaten
3 cups Mozzarella cheese, grated
½ teaspoon oregano
1 garlic clove, minced
½ cup onion, minced
¼ teaspoon thyme and/or marjoram
15 ½ ounce can tomato sauce
Directions:
Mix rice, eggs, and 1 cup cheese together. Spread thinly with raised outer edge into greased cast iron skillet. Bake at 450 F 15-20 minutes or until lightly brown.
Simmer tomato sauce and herbs together for 15 minutes (for oregano and thyme/marjoram, I have used 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning instead.). Spread over rice crust. Sprinkle with the rest of cheese and bake at 450 F until cheese is bubbly.
Possible additions before cheese: Ripe olives, green olives, green peppers, onion, pepperoni, precooked drained sausage, ham, Canadian bacon, precooked drained hamburger. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top of mozzarella cheese or combine mozzarella cheese with cheddar cheese if you wish.
Easy Egg Pancake
3 eggs
2 TBS heavy cream
oil for pan
Blend all ingredients together with a blender.
Heat small pan with tiny amount of oil. (I used peanut oil).
Pour 1/8cup mixture in the pan. When it starts to come away from the edges, carefully turn over with a spatula.
Slide the finished crepe onto a plate and repeat until your mixture is finished.
Season with ground cinnamon.
*Note: I used regular milk with these. I got about four crepes from it.
And I'm a huge fan of apricot jam! Dman suggested wrapping sausages in them and covering them with syrup. Lucky will only eat them plain.
2 TBS heavy cream
oil for pan
Blend all ingredients together with a blender.
Heat small pan with tiny amount of oil. (I used peanut oil).
Pour 1/8cup mixture in the pan. When it starts to come away from the edges, carefully turn over with a spatula.
Slide the finished crepe onto a plate and repeat until your mixture is finished.
Season with ground cinnamon.
*Note: I used regular milk with these. I got about four crepes from it.
And I'm a huge fan of apricot jam! Dman suggested wrapping sausages in them and covering them with syrup. Lucky will only eat them plain.
Filler
I have written a lot but haven't posted any of it.
I'm having a hard time not letting my posts center around me crying about how hard this is and how ridiculously expensive it is. Don't forget to mention how utterly time consuming.
Only to wind up serving the same food over and over.
I'm concerned about how I can't just feed one person in the family a certain way. About how I'm going to reach a point where keeping foods of a certain type in the house isn't going to work.
I think about how this might get easier as he gets older and starts to accept more foods. But for now there isn't much he will eat; and it's amazing how many things are to be cut out.
I worry about how many vegetables I can really hide in everything.
Baby steps.
I have to embrace how much effort this is going to take. Look at the positives.
I LOVE FOOD! This is going to be a great opportunity to really get in touch with what is going into our bodies. Also, I'll be pleased to be trying new recipes.
Ducky loves trying new foods, and it is really important to me for her to have a really healthy foundation for her food choices later in life. Blue needs more excitement in his diet as well. I want him to want to eat more than just pasta, bread, milk and meat. Same goes for Dman, to tell the truth.
And Lucky, who knows? Maybe the only thing he'll get out of this is a more healthy diet foundation. And that alone is worth it to me. But, maybe. . . just maybe this will help clear out his body and brain and make him feel more connected. Maybe.
I splurged on custom cereal, today. I would love to do that again! It was fun! Probably won't happen, though! I also bought Bob's Red Mill Mighty Tasty Hot Cereal.
I'm also going to Whole Foods tomorrow to check out flours. I found some recipes for flatbread that seem easy and versatile.
Blueberries are buy one get two free! Going to put them in everything this week!
Lucky starts his new school tomorrow. Hello, nerves!
I bought a super adorable bento box for his lunches. It's beautiful green lacquer on the outside with two giraffes, plain black inside. There's a curious saying printed on the top "Around the year when we would wish to stand on tiptoe". It's microwavable and dishwasher safe. Bonus!
I thought it was probably the most suitable option, considering how much rice he eats. Plus, how nice to be able to microwave only one tier, leaving the other cold or room temp.
Besides, aren't all first lunchboxes supposed to be extra special?
There's graham crackers, oranges and V-8 fusion strawberry juice for snack. Cheesy rice bake, egg crepes and apple for lunch. All in all, quite easy.
Yes, I know cheese isn't casein-free. Nor is milk. I'm trying to not explode before the end of the week.
Note: I didn't make the rice bake according to directions. I added italian seasoning, thyme, and pepper to the rice (which was made in veggie broth) and put the tomato paste directly in half of the rice mix. I didn't put cheese on top. They were bake in cast iron skillets in the oven.
They turned out nice. The tomato one would have been better if I had spread it thinner and used less paste.
I'm having a hard time not letting my posts center around me crying about how hard this is and how ridiculously expensive it is. Don't forget to mention how utterly time consuming.
Only to wind up serving the same food over and over.
I'm concerned about how I can't just feed one person in the family a certain way. About how I'm going to reach a point where keeping foods of a certain type in the house isn't going to work.
I think about how this might get easier as he gets older and starts to accept more foods. But for now there isn't much he will eat; and it's amazing how many things are to be cut out.
I worry about how many vegetables I can really hide in everything.
Baby steps.
I have to embrace how much effort this is going to take. Look at the positives.
I LOVE FOOD! This is going to be a great opportunity to really get in touch with what is going into our bodies. Also, I'll be pleased to be trying new recipes.
Ducky loves trying new foods, and it is really important to me for her to have a really healthy foundation for her food choices later in life. Blue needs more excitement in his diet as well. I want him to want to eat more than just pasta, bread, milk and meat. Same goes for Dman, to tell the truth.
And Lucky, who knows? Maybe the only thing he'll get out of this is a more healthy diet foundation. And that alone is worth it to me. But, maybe. . . just maybe this will help clear out his body and brain and make him feel more connected. Maybe.
I splurged on custom cereal, today. I would love to do that again! It was fun! Probably won't happen, though! I also bought Bob's Red Mill Mighty Tasty Hot Cereal.
I'm also going to Whole Foods tomorrow to check out flours. I found some recipes for flatbread that seem easy and versatile.
Blueberries are buy one get two free! Going to put them in everything this week!
Lucky starts his new school tomorrow. Hello, nerves!
I bought a super adorable bento box for his lunches. It's beautiful green lacquer on the outside with two giraffes, plain black inside. There's a curious saying printed on the top "Around the year when we would wish to stand on tiptoe". It's microwavable and dishwasher safe. Bonus!
I thought it was probably the most suitable option, considering how much rice he eats. Plus, how nice to be able to microwave only one tier, leaving the other cold or room temp.
Besides, aren't all first lunchboxes supposed to be extra special?
There's graham crackers, oranges and V-8 fusion strawberry juice for snack. Cheesy rice bake, egg crepes and apple for lunch. All in all, quite easy.
Yes, I know cheese isn't casein-free. Nor is milk. I'm trying to not explode before the end of the week.
Note: I didn't make the rice bake according to directions. I added italian seasoning, thyme, and pepper to the rice (which was made in veggie broth) and put the tomato paste directly in half of the rice mix. I didn't put cheese on top. They were bake in cast iron skillets in the oven.
They turned out nice. The tomato one would have been better if I had spread it thinner and used less paste.
confusion is nothing new
I am reading conflicting information.
Is tofu and miso gluten free or not?
From what I gather miso and tofu are both acceptable because the soy bean has been fermented.
Anyone able to enlighten me?
Note* I need to look for chickpea miso
Possibly soy is fine, but it's when the ingredient in question is made in combination with a wheat product?
Still don't know...
Is tofu and miso gluten free or not?
From what I gather miso and tofu are both acceptable because the soy bean has been fermented.
Anyone able to enlighten me?
Note* I need to look for chickpea miso
Possibly soy is fine, but it's when the ingredient in question is made in combination with a wheat product?
Still don't know...
Friday, January 21, 2011
Miso with Tofu and Green Onions
4 cups water
1 1/2 teaspoons instant dashi granules
1/2 cup miso paste
1 tablespoon dried seaweed (for miso soup), soaked in water
1/2 cup cubed tofu
2 tablespoons chopped green onion
1. Pour the water into a pot and bring to a boil. Add the instant dashi and whisk to dissolve. Turn the heat to medium-low and add the tofu. Drain the seaweed and add the seaweed to the pot. Simmer for 2 minutes.
2. In the meatime, Spoon the miso paste into a bowl. Ladle about 1/2 cup of the hot dashi broth into a bowl and whisk with chopsticks or a whisk to mix and melt the miso paste so that it becomes a smooth mixture.
3. Turn the heat off, add the miso paste to the pot and stir well. Do not bring miso to a boil!
Top with green onions and serve immediately.
*Note: The miso makes this soup not gluten-free.
(This is not the recipe I use, but the comment about kelp fortified with Prozac makes me laugh. And this is a very easy version.)
1 1/2 teaspoons instant dashi granules
1/2 cup miso paste
1 tablespoon dried seaweed (for miso soup), soaked in water
1/2 cup cubed tofu
2 tablespoons chopped green onion
1. Pour the water into a pot and bring to a boil. Add the instant dashi and whisk to dissolve. Turn the heat to medium-low and add the tofu. Drain the seaweed and add the seaweed to the pot. Simmer for 2 minutes.
2. In the meatime, Spoon the miso paste into a bowl. Ladle about 1/2 cup of the hot dashi broth into a bowl and whisk with chopsticks or a whisk to mix and melt the miso paste so that it becomes a smooth mixture.
3. Turn the heat off, add the miso paste to the pot and stir well. Do not bring miso to a boil!
Top with green onions and serve immediately.
*Note: The miso makes this soup not gluten-free.
(This is not the recipe I use, but the comment about kelp fortified with Prozac makes me laugh. And this is a very easy version.)
Simple Fried Rice For One
1 cup cold, cooked rice
1 egg
3 baby carrots, shredded
1/4 inch ginger root, shredded
Heat drop of peanut oil in small frying pan. Lightly saute rice over high heat for 2 mins. Add carrot, sauteing another minute.
Mound rice in center of pan. Make an open hole in middle of rice mound and crack egg into it. Quickly scramble egg into rice. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Cook until egg is cooked to desired temp. approx 5 mins.
Chicken, broccoli, peas and other veggies are all quick easy additions if you prefer more ingredients!
1 egg
3 baby carrots, shredded
1/4 inch ginger root, shredded
Heat drop of peanut oil in small frying pan. Lightly saute rice over high heat for 2 mins. Add carrot, sauteing another minute.
Mound rice in center of pan. Make an open hole in middle of rice mound and crack egg into it. Quickly scramble egg into rice. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Cook until egg is cooked to desired temp. approx 5 mins.
Chicken, broccoli, peas and other veggies are all quick easy additions if you prefer more ingredients!
Don't Overthink It
Just fed the smallest ones tonight.
Thank goodness for leftover white rice. Hide a little shredded vegetable in it, add an egg and voila. Most common food in my house.
Tonight there was shredded carrot, ginger, three eggs and about two cups of rice.
Easy, breezy.
I am making sushi -style brown rice for myself and Dman. I have some smoked salmon, imitation crab, cucumber, carrots, and cream cheese; going to attempt inari. I have the stuff for miso soup, which can be quite simple to prepare. And, there's salad ingredients if anyone is still peckish.
We're to have a super late dinner after the babes go to sleep. I can't tell you how much I appreciate being able to have a meal without children present.
Imitation crab: $2.00
Smoked salmon: $6.00
English cucumber: $1.50
Cream cheese: $2:00
Avocado: 2@ $2.00
Roasted Nori Sheets: $3.00
Twenty dollars. It's cheaper than a movie. Plus, it's bound to be a good laugh trying to roll it!
If it isn't a total wreck, I can try different types in the future. A superb dinner treat for me!
I'm going to eat it and be happy. Not worry about how I'm going to make this gluten/casein free thing work for us without making Lucky separate meals for the rest of my life!
I'll post the recipe I used for the brown rice sushi tomorrow, providing it turns out!
Thank goodness for leftover white rice. Hide a little shredded vegetable in it, add an egg and voila. Most common food in my house.
Tonight there was shredded carrot, ginger, three eggs and about two cups of rice.
Easy, breezy.
I am making sushi -style brown rice for myself and Dman. I have some smoked salmon, imitation crab, cucumber, carrots, and cream cheese; going to attempt inari. I have the stuff for miso soup, which can be quite simple to prepare. And, there's salad ingredients if anyone is still peckish.
We're to have a super late dinner after the babes go to sleep. I can't tell you how much I appreciate being able to have a meal without children present.
Imitation crab: $2.00
Smoked salmon: $6.00
English cucumber: $1.50
Cream cheese: $2:00
Avocado: 2@ $2.00
Roasted Nori Sheets: $3.00
Twenty dollars. It's cheaper than a movie. Plus, it's bound to be a good laugh trying to roll it!
If it isn't a total wreck, I can try different types in the future. A superb dinner treat for me!
I'm going to eat it and be happy. Not worry about how I'm going to make this gluten/casein free thing work for us without making Lucky separate meals for the rest of my life!
I'll post the recipe I used for the brown rice sushi tomorrow, providing it turns out!
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Baked Sweet Potato Disks
2-3 large sweet potatoes, peeled, sliced 1/2 thick rounds
cooking spray
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 TB molasses
1/2 tsp five spice powder
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/8 cayenne
Salt & pepper
Preheat oven to 425°
Place potato rounds in large bowl and coat lightly with oil. Salt and pepper to taste. Mix seasonings thoroughly, then add syrup and molasses. Marinating them ahead of time is great.
Cover baking sheet with wax paper to prevent sticking. Place rounds on sheet, being careful not to crowd (overcrowding leads to steamed potatoes). It's best to bake similar sized rounds per batch to prevent burning.
Bake 15 mins, then flip and continue baking another 10 mins. Place in broiler for 1-2 mins per side, for crispier fries. Serve hot.
(Sweet potato fries are trickier than you may expect. It's hard to get them crispy without deep-frying them. Also, you can cut them into strips if that's what you prefer, but I've found that it's harder to get them to cook uniformly this way, and much harder to flip. You can also do wedges. Adjust baking times accordingly.
I also recommend playing around with the seasonings until you find one that suits your tastes.)
cooking spray
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 TB molasses
1/2 tsp five spice powder
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/8 cayenne
Salt & pepper
Preheat oven to 425°
Place potato rounds in large bowl and coat lightly with oil. Salt and pepper to taste. Mix seasonings thoroughly, then add syrup and molasses. Marinating them ahead of time is great.
Cover baking sheet with wax paper to prevent sticking. Place rounds on sheet, being careful not to crowd (overcrowding leads to steamed potatoes). It's best to bake similar sized rounds per batch to prevent burning.
Bake 15 mins, then flip and continue baking another 10 mins. Place in broiler for 1-2 mins per side, for crispier fries. Serve hot.
(Sweet potato fries are trickier than you may expect. It's hard to get them crispy without deep-frying them. Also, you can cut them into strips if that's what you prefer, but I've found that it's harder to get them to cook uniformly this way, and much harder to flip. You can also do wedges. Adjust baking times accordingly.
I also recommend playing around with the seasonings until you find one that suits your tastes.)
Finnish Egg Pancakes
3 eggs
2 cups milk
1/4 cup honey (or sugar)
3/4 cup amaranth flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup honey (or sugar)
3/4 cup amaranth flour
1/4 tsp salt
4 Tbs butter
Sift flour. Beat eggs and milk together. Beat in honey or sugar, then add flour and salt.
Melt butter in a 9" frying pan until it sizzles and immediately pour the batter into the hot pan in a circle around the center so butter will not be pushed to the tops and sides.
Bake in a preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until the pancake is set and puffed and golden brown on top.
Serve with maple syrup or homemade jam. Serves four.
(I made these for dinner last night. They were surprisingly good! I burnt the first batch, so be careful! They turn golden very fast! We topped them with apricot jam and ate them with sweet potato fries.)
I'm hungry. . .
There's no way I can afford to start feeding a family of five the way I would ideally like to.
How nice it would be, to only buy organic foods. How proud I would be to serve my children only free-range chicken and eggs.
But that isn't realistic for me right now. So, I have to start with little changes.
Truthfully, I don't really know where to start.
The two younger bebes don't really drink milk or eat cheese; or really even consume dairy, for that matter. Blue does, but if I don't keep it in the house it doesn't seem to bother him. But, Dman (the little guys' daddy) could easily go through a gallon of milk a day. He isn't so big on raw cheese, so that's something.
I used to buy only Rice Dream or Almond Breeze for cereals and cooking, but it became a huge drain on us. We simply cannot afford to supply to amount we would need.
And then there's the issue of gluten.
Oh, sweet heavens. I feel doomed.
On the bright side, Lucky tends to naturally gravitate towards foods that are gluten-free. He favors rice noodles, plain steamed rice (white or brown) and potatoes over other carbs.
However, he still loves crackers, oatmeal, flour breading.
And of course, there's the matter of protein.
Lucky doesn't eat meat, with the occasional exception for white fish. And eggs, which isn't a 'meat' but in my family we say it is. He likes to eat nuts and some seeds, but these aren't allowed at his school as there is another child with a severe nut allergy. And, again, the cost issue with buying large amounts of nuts is a major factor.
The other two children eat meat without any inhibitions. Personally, I could live as a vegetarian and be happy. But, Dman is very much a meat and potatoes kind of person. I could have a very hearty mushroom pasta thing on the table and he would still worry that he wasn't getting enough food. It's really a mental thing with him, but pointing that out doesn't do any good.
So, I am going to wind this post down by saying this is what I'm working with. Finding a balance that nourishes and satisfies everyone isn't going to be easy.
I'm always open for suggestions and advice!
How nice it would be, to only buy organic foods. How proud I would be to serve my children only free-range chicken and eggs.
But that isn't realistic for me right now. So, I have to start with little changes.
Truthfully, I don't really know where to start.
The two younger bebes don't really drink milk or eat cheese; or really even consume dairy, for that matter. Blue does, but if I don't keep it in the house it doesn't seem to bother him. But, Dman (the little guys' daddy) could easily go through a gallon of milk a day. He isn't so big on raw cheese, so that's something.
I used to buy only Rice Dream or Almond Breeze for cereals and cooking, but it became a huge drain on us. We simply cannot afford to supply to amount we would need.
And then there's the issue of gluten.
Oh, sweet heavens. I feel doomed.
On the bright side, Lucky tends to naturally gravitate towards foods that are gluten-free. He favors rice noodles, plain steamed rice (white or brown) and potatoes over other carbs.
However, he still loves crackers, oatmeal, flour breading.
And of course, there's the matter of protein.
Lucky doesn't eat meat, with the occasional exception for white fish. And eggs, which isn't a 'meat' but in my family we say it is. He likes to eat nuts and some seeds, but these aren't allowed at his school as there is another child with a severe nut allergy. And, again, the cost issue with buying large amounts of nuts is a major factor.
The other two children eat meat without any inhibitions. Personally, I could live as a vegetarian and be happy. But, Dman is very much a meat and potatoes kind of person. I could have a very hearty mushroom pasta thing on the table and he would still worry that he wasn't getting enough food. It's really a mental thing with him, but pointing that out doesn't do any good.
So, I am going to wind this post down by saying this is what I'm working with. Finding a balance that nourishes and satisfies everyone isn't going to be easy.
I'm always open for suggestions and advice!
Does not come standard with model
"Gluten is found in wheat, rye, barley, oats, spelt, and any derivatives of these grains, including, but not limited to malt grain-starches, malt wash, hydrolyzed vegetable/plant proteins, grain vinegar, soy sauce, and natural flavorings. Casein is found in milk and milk products from mammals....Gluten is in even in Play-Doh, adhesive on stamps and stickers, and many hygiene products. Soy, another common food allergen, is in many foods and hand lotions, make-up, etc." - Nutritionist, Carol Ann Brannon
This simple statement is so overwhelming.
This is probably the most impractical way of living I can think of. It's like a recipe for neuroticism.
But I'm not trying to build Rome. Not today, at least.
This simple statement is so overwhelming.
This is probably the most impractical way of living I can think of. It's like a recipe for neuroticism.
But I'm not trying to build Rome. Not today, at least.
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