Burritos, breakfast burritos…

With the kids back in school it is time to evaluate how we are fueling their minds and bodies. When they are home for the summer, if they do not get enough food for breakfast they can walk into the kitchen and get a snack. In school they need to be fed and out the door and most times are not getting any other sustenance until lunch time. 

Cereal is most everyone’s go-to breakfast food, but in my opinion it is usually a very poor choice for sustained energy. Most breakfast cereals are very high in sugar and low in protein and complex carbohydrates… what that means is that the cereal burns off quickly and the body needs more fuel to keep going.

Think about a fireplace, you build the fire with logs because you want it to burn for a long time. Now picture the fireplace and build your fire with newspaper. It burns quickly and it is gone. They are related substances (newspaper is made from wood pulp), but the paper is processed and refined, the logs are natural and unrefined.  The paper represents simple carbs and the log represents complex carbs, protein, fat, etc.

What can we do to keep the fire stoked all morning until lunch? EAT REAL FOOD! I know everyone is busy, but we can do a few things to make it easier, quicker, and cheaper.

How about my breakfast burritos?

2 lbs breakfast sausage

1 dozen eggs

2 cups shredded cheese

16 flour tortillas

4 potatoes (diced)

Brown sausage and cook diced potatoes in the same skillet, drain excess grease and set aside. Scramble eggs. Mix sausage, potatoes, and eggs in large bowl (when all ingredients are cool).

Layout tortilla, spread a small handful of cheese and about a ¼ cup of the sausage mix on one side. Roll burrito from the filled side, folding in edges and continue the roll until it looks right. Freeze on a cookie sheet overnight and then transfer to a zip top bag for longer storage.

Make the burritos spicier; add onions or peppers or whatever.

Did I mention that these burritos with no artificial flavors, colors, or chemicals only cost about 88 cents each?

Check out my site at www.cookingwithtrace.com or catch me on Facebook! Go cook something!

New year! New banana bread...

Almond meal?

What the heck is that? It is ground almonds. Simple as that… almond flour is ground blanched almonds, and almond meal is just ground almonds. Not just chopped nuts… but ground into a consistency somewhere between cornmeal and wheat flour.

Why? As I have mentioned I am trying to remove grain from my diet as much as possible and almond
meal allows me to hold on to a few favorite foods.

Breaded pork chops –
      I bread my marinated boneless pork loin chops in almond meal and then either fry or bake

Pie crust –
      Instead of using a traditional pie crust or a graham cracker crust, mix 2 cups almond meal
with 3 tbls melted butter and 2 tbls sugar. Press the mixture into a sturdy pie pan and prebake for 10 minutes. I added a pumpkin pie batter to the crust and baked into a delicious grain free pumpkin pie.

Banana bread – this was delicious. I made a quick bread with almond meal in place of flour and the
results were so amazing. The family loved it and it was devoured fairly quickly.

Cautions?

Well almond meal is very calorie dense, it carries a load of fat, protein, and fiber that is greater than
regular wheat flour…but it is very low carbohydrate.

¼ cup almond meal
160 calories
14 grams of fat (1 gram saturated)
6 grams of carbohydrates (only 3 are sugar)
3 gram of fiber
5 grams of protein.

¼ cup all-purpose white flour
114 calories
.25 grams fat
24 grams of carbohydrates (0 sugars)
.6 grams of fiber
3 grams of protein


Although almond flour has a higher total fat content, the fat is made up of fatty acids that were shown to reduce cholesterol levels in a 2002 study conducted by Canadian researchers.
(source: http://www.livestrong.com/article/90491-nutrition-information-almond-flour/)

So which one is better? That is up to you, but for me having a lighter carbohydrate load is excellent for my diabetes.

Here is a quick and easy banana bread that I made this weekend. My only warning is to watch the bread closely; mine was very done on the edges (almost burnt) after about 50 minutes.

Almond Flour Banana Bread from The Wannabe Chef
(http://www.thewannabechef.net/2012/06/04/almond-flour-banana-bread/)

Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 55 minutes

Ingredients (Makes 1 loaf):

1 1/2 cups almond meal or almond flour
4 eggs
1/4 cup oil (I used butter)
3/4 cup light or dark brown sugar
3 medium bananas, mashed(about 3/4 cup banana puree)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg (was out of nutmeg, substituted cinnamon)
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup walnuts(optional) ( I added some delicious local walnuts)
1/2 cup chocolate chips(optional) (maybe next time)

Method:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, mix together the almond flour, eggs, oil, sugar, mashed bananas, vanilla,
cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, and salt until there are no clumps.

Fold the walnuts, chocolate chips, or any other mix-ins you might want into the batter.

Lightly grease a 5 x 10 or similar sized loaf pan and pour in the batter.

Bake for 55 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. (watch carefully)

Remove from the oven and let cool completely before slicing.

The bread was delicious and I cannot wait to try again.

Try your hand at something different in 2013… and let me know what do think of this recipe on
www.facebook.com/cookingwithtrace or on my website at www.cookingwithtrace.com

Happy new year!

Zuppa!

Zuppa!

Hello November! Fall is in full swing and winter is just hanging back waiting for the right time to strike. So what does all that hyperbole mean??? It is soup weather! Don’t argue with me or “No Soup For You!”. 

Soup weather is really anytime because you can have hearty soups, chilled soups, vegetable soups, and fruit soups, ahh the list goes on. I prefer it being a little chilly before I break out the soup pot. So now is the perfect time.

I have mentioned before that soup is not difficult; it is basically a protein, some vegetables, liquid, and flavor. For a stew you slow cook for a long time so that the flavors develop, for a chili you can add any number of ingredients (I have a sweet potato chili on the stove as I am writing this article), or a soup can be leftovers brought together for delicious thriftiness. 

We occasionally go to The Olive Garden for an inexpensive lunch or dinner, and we order the all you can eat soup. With a family of four we can fill everyone up and give a generous tip for around $25.00. Whether it is the youngest always picking chicken gnocchi, or the oldest always picking a combination of gnocchi and Zuppa Toscana, we always walk away having a great time and a satisfied appetite. There are plenty of copy cat recipes out in the World Wide Web, so you can find out how to make the same soups at home, and then you can make them your way!

So I have taken the basic Zuppa Toscana recipe and added a couple of tweaks to stretch the meal, and satisfy the never ending hunger of my teenager. 

Photo courtesy of my Iphone 4s

Zuppa!

1 lb mild Italian sausage 
2 large russet baking potatoes, sliced in half, and then in 1/4 inch slices
1 large onion, chopped
1/4 cup bacon bit (optional)
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups kale or 2 cups swiss chard, chopped
2 (8 ounce) cans chicken broth
1 quart water
1 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions:

1. Chop or slice uncooked sausage into small pieces.
2. Brown sausage in your soup pot, then remove.
3. Add chicken broth and water to pot and stir.
4. Place onions, potatoes, and garlic in pot.
5. Cook on medium heat until potatoes are done.
6. Add sausage and bacon.
7. Salt and pepper to taste.

8. Simmer for another 10 minutes.
9. Turn to low heat.
10. Add kale and cream.
11. Heat through and serve.

Taken from: http://restaurant.food.com/recipe/olive-garden-copycat-zuppa-toscana-38298?

So what did I change?

I added sweet potatoes with the russet potatoes, great color, flavor, and nutrients. I substituted baby spinach (tear in the bowls and then add the soup), added a bag of frozen California blend, and lastly I did not add heavy cream. Instead I used the broth to melt 4 ounces of cream cheese and added it to the soup.

The best part about soup is using what you have on hand. To utilize the leftovers and the accidents such as overcooked meat, extra potatoes, a sudden gift from the hunter or gardener next door, etc.

I think you can throw it together without having to add any ingredients that you pronounce no processed food, no chemicals, just real food.

So go forth and cook some soup!

Connect with me on www.cookingwithtrace.com or on www.facebook.com/cookingwithtrace

Hey it is Wednesday, the kids are hungry, feed them maybe? (thank you Carly Rae Jepsen)

I am tired… Between my youngest turning 9, a freshman in marching band, teaching elementary kids to cook, oh and that pesky 40 hours a week that I have to spend making money… I am plum tuckered out! 

What about you? Are you so busy that drive through, or frozen dinners are looking better and better? I do occasionally take the family out for dinner just because it would be too much work to go home, find something to cook, blah blah blah… but I usually have some quick and easy dinner ideas up my sleeve.

This week I made a Boston butt (that is a pork shoulder roast). I took the time on Sunday to put it in the oven on about 275 degrees (after a quick dry rub) and then I went about my business until the internal thermometer started ringing. It was done and chopped about 9 pm, but I was able to divide it out into lunch portions for my wife and I and then we also had a great meal last night by re-purposing the delicious swine. I basically tossed the chopped pieces with a spice rub and put it in the oven (400 degrees) for about 20 minutes, cooked some frozen vegetables and dinner was done. 

By the way did you know that you can play the card game WAR at the dinner table and count it as math homework? I lost every single hand…

My point is that if you take a few minutes to think about your week, and decide what you can do, then you can prepare ahead of time and save yourself some time!

You could cook a turkey while the game is one and then use it all week in different recipes, from soup to potpies, or the ever popular turkey sandwich.

Brisket, pork roast, pot roasts, chicken, turkey, and ham are all examples of meal planners. You can make a low investment on one afternoon, and then have some go to ideas for the busy times.

Quick prep Boston Butt:

7-9 pound pork shoulder (Boston Butt)

Tin foil

For the spice rub mix together:

½ cup brown sugar, ¼ cup kosher salt,  ¼ cup paprika, 2 tablespoons granulated garlic,

1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon cinnamon (or make your own version)

Preheat oven to 225 degrees

Rub spice mixture all over roast until it is covered completely. Place roast on rack in a foil covered pan. Place in oven for 9-10 hours (I sometimes cook them over night). The internal temperature should be between 180 and 200 degrees. At 180 the roast is done, tender, juicy and delicious, at 200 degrees the roast will shred in to pulled pork. Your choice!

Connect with my on Facebook www.facebook.com/cookingwithtrace or on my website at www.cookingwithtrace.com

Go cook something! Trace

We are worth more...

“We have not, as a society, built a water system designed to deliver only clean water to the rich but dirty water to the poor. We have not typically told the poor that if they truly cared about the quality of their water, they should obviously drive farther and pay more money for it. And yet, that’s what we say about healthy food.” Tracie MacMillan, author of The American Way of Eating. (http://ruhlman.com/2012/07/american-way-of-eating-tracie-mcmillan/)

Wow, is that not an insightful sentence? I have never looked at it that way, have you? We have as a society said that we need clean, safe water to each and every person in our country. However when it comes to food, we allow companies and money to dictate how we nurture our bodies.  Even when the United States Department of Agriculture attempts to offer a small step toward a healthier diet, politicians, cattle associations, and others throw a hissy fit (http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/07/26/2223532/industry-beef-with-usdas-meatless.html). 

I like money; I would like more money… I am not opposed to creating wealth (and I am sure that this blog it my ticket to fame and fortune)… but not at the expense of others. Not knowing that I am hindering someone from obtaining real, pertinent, and accurate information about the sustenance needed for themselves and their children.

My point is we fight for causes every day, we protect endangered animals, we fight for people’s rights to protest/occupy, we pull together for tragedies… but do we fight for information to protect our children’s health, or our health for that matter.

If you don’t want to pull out your protest signs, or start firing off emails to shut down Monsanto… do this one thing, fight with your grocery list. 

• Don’t buy “food like substances” instead buy food! 
• Don’t buy food with ingredients, buy foods that are ingredients. 
• Limit fast food or casual restaurants, unless you know exactly what is in the food (Ihop omelets are made with pancake batter added to them (http://www.ihop.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=228&Itemid=2).

Start small, add more variety, and soon it becomes second nature.   You can do this... you should do this... 

Now if you will excuse me I have to return  this soapbox I seem to be standing on...  

Go cook something real…

Broiled Zucchini

Slice a zucchini into planks or rounds, brush with a little butter and sprinkle with your choice of spices

Broil for a few minutes for a little color, add some grated cheese and broil again until cheese is melted (I like mine dark brown and crispy). 

   

Adapted from this recipe: http://www.kalynskitchen.com/2005/08/vals-kid-friendly-broiled-zucchini.html

Enjoy!

Holy Squash!

Summer and the never ending squash…

as seen in The Source (http://www.yvsource.com/) July 2012

I know that by the end of the summer most people are sick and tired of zucchini, but not me. I am ready
for the plethora of low calorie tasty dishes that can be made with the every bountiful squash. In the past
I have made mock apple pie, pickles, lasagna and spaghetti (with ribbons of squash instead of pasta),
ratatouille and more. I bake, boil, broil, fry, grill, marinate, julienne, and so much more.

I recently spent a week in Washington D.C. and it seemed that every restaurant had a grilled veggie
sandwich on the menu. Slices of yellow squash, zucchini, bell peppers, and red onion; marinated in
balsamic vinaigrette and served on a delicious whole grain bun with hummus. As a tried and true
carnivore I was hesitant to give it a try, but I am very glad I did. The Sammy was so filling, and the fresh
taste was not heavy at all.

My point is you have a great opportunity to start using the vast bounty from this versatile plant. So start
thinking and planning now!

Here is my latest squash addiction:

Grilled Marinated Zucchini and Peppers

Serves 4

4 small green or yellow squash sliced into planks (1/4 inch thick)

2 bell peppers (yellow, orange, or red are my favorites) cut into quarters with seeds removed

2 tablespoons of olive oil

½ teaspoon each of: granulated garlic, paprika, kosher salt, celery seed

¼ teaspoon each of: black pepper and cumin

Mix all spices together

Preheat grill (or grill pan, or broiler)

Add cut veggies to large bowl, drizzle oil to coat, and while tossing or stirring vegetables sprinkle spices
evenly. Let rest for 5 minutes.

Grill until your desired level of char. I like mine to be well marked.

Serve as a side dish or on a sandwich or just sneak pieces while the rest of the food is cooking.

Now go cook a squash!

Something new... Stir fry with cauliflower rice

I often challenge myself to step outside my comfort zone and try new things. Whether it is a new food, or a new activity, I want to be able to evolve and expand my horizons. My boys have been a little timid in the past and I think that seeing me try new things and struggle or fail occasionally helps build their self-esteem and I hope it makes them realize that they can continue to improve and mold themselves even into their adult years.

Recently I have tried several new foods; I attended “Edesia. A Palisade Culinary, Wine & Spirits Adventure”. What an adventure to try new foods, wines, and spirits. Head cheese, caviar, pork belly, patty pan squash, ceviche… and the list goes on. I enjoyed most of what I tried but I have to tell you the Passion Fruit Panna Cotta from Il Bistro was by far my favorite sampling.

I also tried kombucha for the first time this week. Kombucha is a fermented tea beverage, so it is heady, effervescent, and supposedly great for your health… I was not a fan. I bought a variety that was juice and kombucha with chia seeds. I was hoping for this great experience and of course I wanted to feel energized and healthy from the probiotic nectar. I was put off by the aroma, the yeast was overpowering and the flavor was reminiscent of a spoiled drink. I know that I am probably not sophisticated enough to truly enjoy this drink, but at least I gave it a shot.

My point is there is always going to be new things to try and I suggest you give it a shot, it will not always work out, but you never know you might find your next obsession.





Here is a recipe that has something new for you to try. Let me know what you think!

Chinese Stir Fry with Cauliflower Rice
A quick and healthy Asian inspired dish


INGREDIENTS
1 lb fresh cauliflower shredded
24 ounces California blend
1 lb chicken tenders
1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon corn starch
2 tablespoons cold water
salt and pepper to taste


INSTRUCTIONS
1. steam shredded cauliflower until just tender
2. cook California blend according to package
3. sauté chicken until done
4. mix soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil together set aside
5. Add chicken and California blend together and heat add soy sauce mixture
6. mix corn starch with cold water add to skillet stir to combine add bring to a boil
7. turn off mixture let rest 3-4 minutes, stir and serve over shredded cauliflower
8.
season with salt and pepper

I like this version because I can have a nice Asian inspired dish without the starch of the rice. Tasty, a little healthier, and easy to do!

Connect with me on my website at www.cookingwithtrace.com or on www.Facebook.com/cookingwithtrace
Now go cook something!
Trace

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

My recipe for the economy...

The economy sucks, and with that great vacuum money and joy tends to wane. Luckily saving money on food can help with both. This is a depression era dish that my wonderful Grandma Hillman used to make. It is called 'Crumbs' I am sure it was thrown together with whatever was on had at the time, can you imagine living in a time where everyone was struggling to make it work and doing whatever they had to do to get by??? oh wait maybe you can imagine.

The recipe originally did not include any type of meat, and it included a fried egg on top whever they were available. My recipe does not include the egg on top but it does include a tasty and versatile protien source.

Feel free to adjust to your liking and then let me know what you did..

With due respect to my Grandmother Melba Grace Hillman, here is my version of her depression era dish.


Pork and Crumbs

4 large potatoes cubed
1 large onion diced
1 lb pork loin cubed
¼ cup olive oil
2 eggs
1 cup flour divided
salt and pepper to taste


Heat oil in a large deep skillet

In a zip top bag mix ¼ cup of the flour and salt/pepper (as you like) add cubed pork loin, shake to coat.
Add pork to hot skillet carefully even brown all meat, remove from oil.
Add cubed potatoes to oil and brown evenly.

Mix remainder of flour with two eggs and beat to a thin pancake consistency.
Add pork back to potatoes and toss with egg mixture to coat.
Fry until crispy, serve with white kidney beans.