Cafe Pangaea

A Tardis for Roma

2013-03-14T14:33:00.000-07:00

What do you get the the teen who has everything, loves Doctor Who, and needs more storage for the things teen girls have? You give her a Tardis armoire.

Thankfully, all it took was a conversation with my husband, Ross, who builds custom furniture to get her the most amazing Christmas present ever! You can see the in-progress pictures on the Watkins Woodworking Facebook page.

The finished cabinet is just over 4 foot tall and almost 2 feet square. It has sound and lights just like a Tardis should.

It turned out pretty awesome! Want to see a video of it? Go here

Want one of your own? Contact Ross via his Facebook page.

Prices start at $1200 (without sound and lights) and $1500 for sound and light.

Roast Spaghetti Squash

2012-10-22T15:44:00.000-07:00

If you're like me, you have almost as many things going on during the weekends as you do during the week and forget to plan meals. Yesterday was no exception...it was a day of house projects, cleaning, homework, and getting the Fall decor up. By the time 4pm rolled I still hadn't planned anything for dinner so I started digging in the pantry and found 2 medium size spaghetti squash. Since it was finally cool enough and "Fall-like" outside to want to make them (a week ago at this time it was over 100 at Casa De Dustbunny....happy Fall) so I decided to roast them for dinner and have them as a side dish with some spicy grilled Italian sausages.

If you've never had spaghetti squash you are in for a treat! When cooked, the flesh shreds out like spaghetti and makes a nice bed for sauces, but is wonderful all by itself. This was the first squash that Roma would eat because it's sweet and crunchy without the mushy consistency a lot of other squash has. If your kid avoids squash because they don't like the texture, give spaghetti squash a try.

Seasoned spaghetti squash ready for the oven.

You will need:

A covered roaster you can put in the oven (I use a large Le Creuset)
1-2 Spaghetti Squash (depending on the size and how much your family loves squash)
Spices - garlic, salt, cracked pepper, anything savory you like
Maple Syrup (I used Vermont grade A dark amber because I like the intensity)

To prepare:

Using a large knife and a sturdy cutting board, cut and scoop the seeds from the squash and then quarter the halves
Put in the roaster
Drizzle each hollow with syrup and season to taste (see picture)
Cover
Bake about 60 minutes at 325
Take out and let sit (covered) another 15-20 minutes.
When done, use a fork to scrap the squash from the rind - you will end up with long spaghetti-like strands. Throw away the rinds. They're not good eats.

PS - any leftovers can be made into cakes and fried in a little oil like potato pancakes or top it with your favorite marinara for a wheat-free pasta alternative.

Enjoy.

Maple Glazed Salmon

2012-09-13T14:28:00.004-07:00

If you have been following my last few posts, you'll know I took a little road trip this summer. I talked about it here. We visited a lot of great places along the way but spent most of it in New England, including 2 weeks in Vermont. In Vermont we camped...which meant I got to cook...which meant I got to experiment. Since I love finding local products, Vermont maple syrup naturally ended up as a go-to ingredient. I liked the taste and how it contributed to the flavors of what I added it to, so I bought a gallon (of 2 different kinds) and brought it home to split with some friends. One of the recipients was Elena at A Casarella since we are friends IRL (as my teen would say)....and I keep promising her I would post some of the recipes I used it in. Elena, this post is for you.

Maple Glazed Salmon

You need:

Tamari (if you're GF) or soy sauce
Maple syrup - I used a Vermont dark amber
Salmon filets (one for each person)
Seasonings - I like cracked pepper and sea salt
Sesame seeds
Large zip top bag.

Mix 1/3 cup of maple syrup with 2/3 cup of soy (or tamari) in the bag and put the salmon in it. Close it and put if on a plate in the fridge for between 2 and 4 hours. Flip over a few times while it's marinating.

Preheat your BBQ grill (or Foreman Grill if cooking inside). Before cooking, remove the salmon from the bag and season with sea salt, pepper, and sprinkle a generous amount of sesame seeds on it. It should look like the picture below.

Put the salmon on the grill

Don't touch it for 4-5 minutes. Enjoy the scenery and your glass of wine.....

Flip the salmon once and let cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Test to see if it's done...we like ours a little medium rare, but leave it on to whatever level you like. It will look like this when it's done.

Yummy, right? It was! It comes out sweet, but not too sweet thanks to the soy sauce. The syrup caramelizes a bit and creates a crust with the sesame seeds. We served it with some asparagus spears steamed in garlic butter and some brown rice. This was another meal where I wish I had doubled it because I think the leftovers would have been great topping a salad for lunch the next day.

Enjoy.

Can you be frugal and gluten free?

2012-09-10T13:33:00.003-07:00

I was talking to a friend this weekend and learned that her family is new to having to eat gluten free for health reasons. The conversation quickly turned to the challenges a newbie has when it comes to finding products to satisfy the taste buds and the wallet, and I know from my own experience the it's relatively easy to eat gluten free by spending a lot of money on pre-made GF products or by spending lots of time to make your own but neither is really sustainable for the long run. Your choices pretty much look like this:

Your challenge is to find the intersection of all three....but often it's more of a "Pick Two" situation. I've struggled with this all summer as we've traveled the country. It was hard to find healthy eating options on the road (except for when we were camping or eating at Cracker Barrel) so I fell off the gluten free diet I had been on for 9 months and immediately had a return of all the negative health issues I had managed to get rid of.

After talking to my friend, I realized that not only do I have to recommit to cutting out wheat and gluten but that I had to return to blogging because I've recently figured out how to do gluten free frugally. How did I do that? In addition to avoiding most prepared GF products, I discovered the grocery section of my local 99Cent store....yes, really. They have a good selection of produce and dry goods like beans and rice. They also have canned soups, veggies, and condiments that are brand name but might be dented or mis-labled. I have been making menus for the last 3 weeks almost exclusively with 99cent Store groceries for most parts of the meal except for a limited amount of things from the grocery store and farmers markets.

Here's one meal we had last week that was so good I wish I had made a double batch!

From the 99cent Store:

Wolfgang Puck spaghetti sauce (labeled Gluten Free)
Hot Italian sausage
Veggies - mushrooms, garlic, cilantro , lettuce, tomatoes, carrots, celery
Sea salt
Sourdough bread (for the wheat eaters in my house)
Italian dressing

Brown rice pasta (from Trader Joes)

In my 1-quart Le Crueset I diced up the sausage, mushrooms, and 2 cloves of garlic, tossed them in olive oil and added sea salt and crushed pepper and dumped in the jar of sauce. I covered it and put it in the oven at 325 for 30 mins.

I made the pasta following the directions on the package and drained and rinsed it when it was al dente. The drained pasta got tossed with the sauce mix and I sprinkled chopped cilantro on top as it was plated.

We added side salads (also made with dressing, lettuce, carrots, celery, mushrooms, and tomatoes from the the 99cent Store) and the bread eater in my house made a few slices of garlic bread from a loaf of sour dough (also from the 99cent store).

Bottom line, we figured out this entire meal came out to about $6 for 3 people. The most expensive item was the rice pasta from Trader Joes. The food got rave reviews from the family and everyone was looking for leftovers the next day...but it was so good we ate the entire thing for dinner. Next time, I'm making a double batch.

Summer's over

2012-09-05T10:05:00.000-07:00

Wow, it's been a long time since I posted a blog. Mea Culpa. Despite my best intentions, life took over. And by "life" I mean volunteering in 3 cities with MET2's production of Seussical, starting a new job recruiting for Verizon, and taking an 8 week/9000+ mile road trip this summer to look at colleges, to visit clients, and for Roma to attend 2 dance intensives - one at Texas A&M (Go Aggies!) and at Burklyn Ballet Theatre in Johnson, Vermont.

We went here:

East bound trip

And here:

New England Portion

And here:

Westbound trip

Along the way we ate and cooked and explored the food of each region and it's all going to be featured in coming weeks. Stay tuned while I figure out what to post first....

Product review - Pork Masitas (Trader Joe's)

2012-03-28T10:00:00.000-07:00

Although my local Trader Joe's has started to label gluten free items with shelf tags, not everything that is wheat free/gluten free is labeled. A few weeks ago, I was browsing the freezer section and came across "Pork Masitas". I have never passed up a pork product in my life so I picked it up to read the ingredients, expecting to find hidden wheat and have to put it back. I was thrilled that it was wheat free!

This is a microwavable entree that can easily serve two when you add a salad to the menu. The dish contains a blend of rice and beans, big chunks of plantains, and roasted pork with a Cuban spice. It microwaves in about 10 minutes (with some stirring and sitting time)

It has a nice sweet/spice mix that I like in Cuban food, but it could be a tad spicier. I upped the heat on mine by sprinkling on some pickapeppa sauce that we bought on a trip to Jamaica. I think Ross put sriracha on his to give it a little more kick.

The pork is plentiful and tender and breaks apart with a fork. I can't remember liking plantains the last time I had them, but these are good! They are soft yet firm, like a sweet potato, and have a sweet taste to them that goes well with the pork.

The black beans and rice was yummy and I would eat this part as a stand alone if they sold it that way.

This item was a winner and on my next trip to T-Joe's I bought two packages so I could stash it in my freezer. Now when we have a case of the "I don't know what to make for dinner" blues, I pull this out.

Do you have a favorite Trader Joe's find? What is it?

Crockpot Thai Chicken soup

2012-03-26T14:32:00.000-07:00

During my rainy crafternoon weekend I really, really wanted soup. Did I have soup ingredients? Nope, not really. But I had been to Trader Joe's the day before which meant a stocked pantry and freezer so I went exploring.

I found the following:

A box of ready-to-warm roast corn and red pepper soup
Some frozen chicken thighs
A bag of kale
Portobello mushrooms
Thai spice blend (with lemongrass and ginger)
A can of garbanzo beans
A can of coconut milk
And finally, brown rice pasta

Throwing caution to the wind I tossed the chicken (still frozen) in the crock pot and dumped in the box of soup, the spices, and the garbanzo beans. I turned it on and went back to my reusable sandwich bag project .

I returned about 4 hours later and was surprised by how good it smelled! I chopped up the mushrooms and kale and tossed them in. I added the coconut milk and turn it to low and went back to my sewing machine.

At dinner time I made the pasta and spooned the soup into bowls with some of the pasta and topped it with a sprinkle of sea salt.

I was a nice simple dinner for a rainy, lazy day.

Easy Gluten Free Fried Chicken

2012-03-22T12:05:00.001-07:00

Every time I drive by KFC I have to fight the Pavlovian urge to get a bucket of chicken. Sadly, even the rotisserie chicken has wheat so I don't eat it any more. I haven't had fried chicken since September and I sure missed it.....until last night.

Easy gluten free Fried Chicken

I made the easiest fried chicken I have ever made and it was wheat free but crispy, crunchy, and super tender.

How did I do it?

You will need:

Cut up chicken

Spices

Gluten Free rice cereal

Corn meal

Eggs

Milk (dairy, soy, coconut, almond, rice, buttermilk, etc)

Crock pot

Steamer insert

Frying pan

Cooking oil

Cooling rack

Tongs....a really long pair of tongs

Aloe Vera (keep it nearby....you might need it for splatter burns)

Start with putting a steamer basket in your crock pot. This lets the chicken cook but the oils drain away.

Got BBQ spice? I love Penzey's brand BBQ 3000.

Layer in the chicken (I used legs for this batch) and sprinkle spice on all the pieces.
Cover and cook on high for 4-6 hours until cooked.

Cooked chicken - no mess, no fuss! I'd eat it now if I wasn't craving fried chicken.
Remove the pieces and put on a pan with paper towels to drain.
Reserve any drippings for making gravy or chicken stock.

Crush 2 cups Brown Rice Gluten Free Rice Crispies Cereal

Add 1 cup Corn Meal

Add your "11 Herbs and Spices"
I used a mix of sea salt, cracked Tellicherry black pepper, more BBQ 3000, garlic powder, and a dash of chipotle spice.
Mix it all together.

In another bowl crack 2 eggs
Add about 1 cup of milk (I used coconut milk)
Whisk it together to create your egg wash.

Dredge the chicken in the egg wash and then in the breading mixture.

Coat completely and put on a pan to rest.

Repeat with all the pieces.

In a heavy bottom frying pan, heat about 1 inch of oil.
Fry the chicken a few pieces at a time. Don't crowd the pan.
Turn over to fry both sides.
Because the chicken is already fully cooked, you are frying only long enough to cook the coating.

When done, put on a cooling rack over another pan to drain.

Eat it right away or stick it in the fridge for cold "picnic" chicken for later. I had some of the leftovers this morning and the crunch of the breading held up even after being in a plastic bag overnight.

I need a good potato salad recipe to go with this. Got any recommendations?

BTL - Bacon Tomato Lettuce Wrap

2012-03-21T14:56:00.001-07:00

Part of cutting out bread and trying to eat gluten free (without relying on gluten free products) means that I have to come up with creative ways to eat the foods I enjoy.

Springtime to me usually means BLT sandwich time because my grandma would make them for me as an after school snack with early tomatoes from her garden. Since today is the first full day of Spring, I really wanted the salty/sweet taste of a BLT.

I replaced the bread with a leaf of Romaine (rinsed and patted dry), added some sliced and seeded Roma tomato wedges, thick cut bacon, goat cheese, and a drizzle of Ranch dressing.

It was so good I didn't really miss the bread.

BTL - Bacon Tomato Lettuce Wrap with goat cheese

DIY Reusable Sandwich Bags

2012-03-20T18:05:00.000-07:00

It was a rainy weekend in (not-always) Sunny San Diego so that meant we had a CRAFTernoon. For a long time I've been wanting to try to make reusable sandwich bags so that we stop wasting so many zip-top bags for taking lunches to school and work. We use even more now that we have cut back on processed and fast food in favor of healthier, wheat free and gluten free options.

The rainy weekend was the perfect time to try this project. After 2 days of tweaking patterns, ripping out stitches, and making peace with the quirks of my sewing machine I finally found a design that worked and was able to make 8 reusable sandwich bags.

I think they turned out pretty good. Want the instructions to make these? Download them here

Stuff to do with Lemons #3 - Poached Salmon

2012-03-19T10:42:00.000-07:00

For our St. Patrick's day dinner we paid homage to Irish food but didn't want to have the typical Irish stew or corned beef since no one in my house likes either one. Since I gave up wheat and am trying to eat gluten free, the wonderful Irish black bread I love so much was also off the menu. Ireland is a fishing country and a lot of fish is eaten there, especially in the coastal areas, so I built the menu around salmon and potatoes (twice baked and tinted green for a bit of whimsy) and a wilted kale salad with a warm bacon dressing (instead of cabbage). It made for a very pretty plate!

Lemon-ginger poached Salmon

Rinse de-boned salmon fillets (skin on) and pat dry.
Quarter a lemon (take the seeds out)
Rub the salmon with olive oil, season with a pinch of sea salt and cracked pepper and squeeze lemon juice on them and set aside.
Make a strong cup of ginger tea. I use the Yogi brand ginger tea bags or you can shave some ginger slices into hot water and let it steep.
Heat a skillet and add a small amount of olive oil to season the pan and let it warm up.
When hot, pour in the ginger tea and put the salmon in the pan (skin side down) and throw in the lemon wedges.

Cover and let the salmon poach for 3-5 minutes (we like our salmon slightly pink) and remove from the heat when it is just slightly less done than you like it. The internal heat will finish it off.

Serve with the lemon wedges. If you want a sauce, use arrowroot or corn starch to thicken the liquid in the pan.

I belatedly realized that I should have made the gluten free Lemon Ginger Bars I had seen a few weeks ago on the Gluten Free Girl's website because they would have been a great compliment to the meal. Instead we the gluten free Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter cups from Trader Joe's to cap off our Saint Patrick's Day meal.

What do you like to do with lemon?

I've been tagged - About Me

2012-03-16T08:45:00.000-07:00

Tag! ...I'm it thanks to Elena at A Casarella.

She said Megan over at Our Pinteresting Family tagged her game of Q&A. Megan asked eleven questions which Elena answered in her post called Tag and then came up with eleven new questions and tagged me.

How did you come up with your blog name?

Cafe Pangaea was chosen because it represents the blending of cuisines that I tend to embrace. I've never eaten typical "American" food so when I gave up wheat it was easy to embrace cuisines from non-wheat dependent menus. Cafe Pangaea also represents a state of mind - when I go in a cafe I settle in with a cup of coffee and read or just listen to the often thought-provoking discussions around me. I want Cafe Pangaea to be a place to do that virtually. It's also a reminder that my life is wholly integrated - work is life, life is work - there are no boundaries to how I follow my passions. Over time this blog will evolve to cover four themes that govern my life. They are: Learn - Earn - Give - Live.

Name one thing about yourself that most people would be surprised to learn.

Most people know me as a home school mom or costume ninja or technical recruiter but long ago, I spent over a decade in the food industry. My first "job" was to arrange the cookie trays for Summer School at St. Rita's Catholic Church in Racine, WI - I think I was in 6th grade - and I loved it! During high school and college I worked at Six Flags in Illinois in the Foods department where I learned about high volume food prep and serving. Six Flags also taught me "customer service" as a religion. From there I worked in a variety of restaurants and industrial kitchens in Wisconsin before moving to San Diego to attend UCSD. Once here, I needed a job so it was back to the restaurant business. I paid my way through college working in and managing restaurants. I managed Espresso Roma at UCSD for almost 2 years and helped invent a drink called the Bianca (a white chocolate mocha). I've held "train-the-trainer" food handler credentials. I've been an operations manager to a regional franchise. I've been 'Victor the Cleaner' and have been brought in to turn around struggling locations. At one time I thought my path was to become a personal chef and/or open a restaurant specializing in comfort food with an edge. Food blogging is bringing me back to my roots and my first love.

What blogs do you read religiously?

Cake Wrecks - I hardly miss a day and I never miss on Sundays. If you've never been there, check it out. It's pictures of professional cakes gone wrong....seriously, hilariously wrong!

If money were no object, where would you live and why?

Hawaii for sure. I want to live where there is a gorgeous natural landscape and where people respect the land. Ross is from Hawaii and when we visit we do it "like a local" so I have seen parts of the island the tourists don't go to...and if they do it is with a tour so they may not experience the simple wonder of it. I've hiked on Molokai and eaten guava right off a tree. I've swam in a waterfall and washed my hair with awapuhi (white ginger) growing on the banks. It's hard to beat that experience! My dream is to someday have a coffee plantation on Molokai.

What fashion choice do you look back on with regret?

Sammy Hagar parachute pants with zippers (1985/1986) and a mesh shirt over a tank top. UGH.

Post a link to your favorite blog post to date.

My favorite post was about a really simple quinoa breakfast I make. In fact, I had it today.

What was the first job you ever had?

I grew up in Wisconsin near farms - yes, I can drive a tractor and I know how to neuter a pig (I bet NONE of you knew that about me!). My grandma had a HUGE garden and she would pay the grand kids to pick rocks out of the garden so they didn't clog up the rototiller. We got a penny per rock, so we'd spend long summer days in the garden, eating more than we worked, filling coffee cans with rocks to earn money to walk to the corner store and get candy. Between the fresh veggies and what she canned and froze, I didn't buy veggies from a store until I moved to California when I was 20 because she had enough to supply the whole family. Any visit to my grandmas (about a mile away) meant a return home with a bag full of stuff. When I had to eat store veggies they were so bad tasting that I stopped eating veggies for a while. My grandma took pity on me and sometimes shipped me a box of stuff from the garden.

What song in your music collection would you consider your guiltiest pleasure?

All of it? I love everything from Southern Rock to today's songstresses and everything in between. Probably the only thing I don't really listen to is hardcore rap and opera.

Fill in the blank: I would die a happy woman if I discovered that Ree Drummond read my blog.

I've recently become aware of her and I think she is someone I could sit down with, share a meal, talk home schooling and kids and husbands, and just hang out. Her blog is what I aspire to for mine - I love how it is all about lifestyle and has all her interests incorporated.

What is your favorite "tip" to share with other people? It can be a product you love, a great place to get a bargain, and easy kitchen tip, your favorite book (anything, really).

Right now I'd have to say it's the Wheat Belly book and blog. I am also really proud of the woodworking my husband does.

What don't you know how to do with your blog that you'd love to learn?

Syndicate it to make money. Isn't that the goal for most bloggers?

According to Elena, the next thing I am supposed to do is tag some other people and come up with eleven new questions. I don't have new questions in mind so they can answer the same ones I did.

I'm choosing two people I know in real life, my friend Fay who writes Tao of Aging and Jodi at Surprise It's Mom who make me LMAO every time I read her stuff.

No pressure but have fun with this.

Twice Baked Potatoes in 45-minutes or less

2012-03-15T09:00:00.000-07:00

The other day I mentioned that I had forgotten to think about dinner. Dinner ended up being Twice-baked potatoes and cole slaw. And we made the potatoes in less than 45-minutes and they were fantastic!

Twice-baked potatoes and simple slaw

Normally, I only make twice-baked when I either have left-over baked potatoes from the night before or when I have time to bake the potatoes, let them cool a bit, and then re-bake. On Sunday I had neither time nor energy but I did have a hungry teen who was determined to have this for dinner.

We decided to cheat and I'm glad we did. I'll never make these the "traditional" way again.

Ingredients:

Large potatoes (one per person) - scrubbed - leave the peels on
shredded cheese
sea salt
olive oil
seasonings
Best Foods Mayo
chives
Pepperoni (chopped) - optional
Pasta or pizza sauce (for topping)
Nonfat Greek yogurt (for topping)

Tools:

Microwave
melon baller (or ice cream scoop)
shallow pan with sides

To make the potato skins:

1. Pierce and microwave the potatoes until they are soft all the way through. Test with a skewer.
2. When done, cut potatoes in half lengthwise
3. Using a knife, score a line around the inside of the potato about 1/8" from the skin - you will scoop withing this line to create an edge
4. Using the melon ball tool, carefully remove the baked potato from the middle, being careful not to go too deep and not to break through the peel.
5. Put the scooped out insides of the potato into a bowl.
6. Repeat with all the remaining halves.

Make the filling:

7. Using the scooped out insides, add about 1/2 cup of mayo (more or less according to taste), 2-3 big handfuls of shredded cheese, a small handful of chives (to taste), and a few pinches of sea salt. You can also grind in some pepper or any other spices your family likes. Mash this all together until the consistency of lumpy potatoes.
8. Sprinkle a thin layer of sea salt on the baking tray you are using.
9. Pour some olive oil on a paper towel and rub it on the outside of the bottom of the hollowed out potato skins. Place the oiled shells on the sea salt in the pan, nesting them in a bit.
10. Carefully spoon the seasoned potato filling into the skins until it is mounded slightly taller than the shell.
11. Sprinkle with a small amount of shredded cheese

Before baking

Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes (or until heated through and cheese is bubbly).

Variations:

Pizza potato - top with chopped up pepperoni chunks before baking and then top with a dollop of warmed up pizza sauce before eating. (see picture above)
Broccoli/Cheddar - add diced broccoli to the filling
Tex/Mex - add 1 cup of taco meat to the filling and top with salsa after baking
Dessert - replace the cheese and chives with some agave syrup, brown sugar, and pumpkin pie spice.

What's your favorite topping? Leave a comment below.

Happy Pi Day! Home school resources

2012-03-13T09:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Pi Day! It's not a day to eat pie....although you can. It's a day to remember that wonderful little number we all learned (or tried to learn) in school. Pi day is celebrated on March 14 every year (get it? 3.14)

How many digits of pi do you remember?

3.1415926535......and so on

Or

Do you remember the first time you heard a teacher say "Pie are square" in math class and were totally confused yet craving a slice of pie at the same time. I'm going to take a break from food blogging for today to share some of my favorite resources for home school Pi day activities.

When we were homeschooling Roma, Pi Day was a day devoted to lessons about Pi and was her first exposure to kitchen math.

A typical Pi day started with making pancakes for breakfast and then a quick lesson on radius versus diameter and how to figure out the circumference. As she got older we moved onto area of circles and volume of cylinders. Two pancakes overlapping led to a discussion of the Venn diagram.

An afternoon cooking lesson on how to make an apple pie taught basic food chemistry, kitchen sanitation, how to work with fractions (especially when we doubled a recipe), and gave us time to talk and share which is the best part of homeschooling. As she got older, I did less and hung out more. Her Pi day training was put to the test last Thanksgiving when she made her first solo pumpkin pie from scratch.

For Pi day dinner we'd have pizza.....naturally! Pi day is all about round food.

Here are some of my favorite links for Pi day resources and fun ways to spend it. Come back and comment and let me know if you tried any of them.

Exploratorium Pi Day - has a Brief History of Pi, activities, and more links

Pi and the Fibonacci Numbers - for advanced students - this site looks at how Pi is calculated

Pi Day Song - uses the numbers in Pi as musical notes (violin music)

Khan Academy - Circles: Radius, Diameter, Circumference

Teach Pi - teacher site for ideas for teaching Pi

Ridiculously Easy Coleslaw

2012-03-12T08:15:00.001-07:00

Since I am all about simple, last minute, "I forgot to plan dinner" cooking there was no stress last night when 6:00 rolled around and Roma asked what's for dinner. Just another Sunday night in our house! In the wheat days I would have said to make a PB&J and some apple slices and call it dinner. Sadly, this isn't an option any more. Roma really wanted to make twice baked potatoes so we set out to figure out how to shorten the prep and cooking time from over 3 hours to under 45 mins. We succeeded....and that recipe will be posted tomorrow.

Great! We had a main dish but needed a salad and our veggie drawer decided to freeze my lettuce so I had to come up with another option. We dug around and found a bag of chopped coleslaw buried under the permafrost that used to be romaine. It wasn't frozen so we had our salad base.

Since my typical slaw recipe is oil and vinegar based and takes a few hours to marinate, we needed a super simple coleslaw that cut the normal slaw time from hours to minutes. I'm all about pulling a creative solution out of my you-know-where so I was up to this challenge.

My magic fridge revealed a bottle of spinach salad dressing and a chunk of goat cheese. (I'm convinced my fridge is like Harry Potter's "room of requirement" at times like this. Thankfully, It tends to have what I need.)

My kitchen elf, Roma, rinsed the slaw mix and gave it a quick spin in the salad spinner since I hate wet drippy coleslaw.

In a large bowl I warmed about 1/2 cup of the salad dressing and we dumped in the slaw mix and tossed it really well to coat all of it. I did have to drizzle in a little more dressing after tasting it because it still tasted too dry. After mixing it well we forked goat cheese chunks over the top and let it rest until the potatoes were done.

A quick toss before serving incorporated the goat cheese. Was it good? I'd say so....we ate the entire bowl between the 3 of us.

Roma with finished coleslaw

Tri-colori Sausage

2012-03-11T13:08:00.000-07:00

If I had to describe my cooking style I'd call it "Improvisational". I love to cook, am not afraid to try new combinations, and am fairly confident when throwing flavors, textures, and items together. The biggest downside to this seat-of-my-pants cooking is that I am rarely able to recreate what I did when my family wants an encore of something I came up with.

Last night I realized that has all changed thanks to this blog. Now when my husband takes a bite of a new dish and gives me the "I like this" sound of satisfaction, I have somewhere I can save my concoctions.

This gorgeous dish is what I made last night. Nice colors, huh?

I'm going to call it Tri-colori Sausage because it reminds me of the colors of the Italian flag.

Ingredients:

Any sausage you like, chopped into bite size chunks. Not all sausage are gluten free/wheat free so read the labels. Last night I used kielbasa.
Kale - 4-6 leaves trimmed from the stem and sliced into thin strips
Bell pepper - cleaned and chopped
White onion - diced
Leftover, cooked grain - last night I used rice but you could use brown or wild rice, quinoa, millet, etc
Tomato - chopped into big chunks
Low sodium GF chicken or vegetable broth (you could also use a table-quality red wine)
Salt - I only cook with Kosher or sea salt....you can use table salt but don't add it until the end to avoid over salting
Olive Oil
Cider Vinegar

You will notice I don't have any measurements listed. I sort of eye-ball it and trust my gut.

Use a large sauce pan with a lid. Add enough olive oil for a thin layer to cover the pan. Pour cider vinegar into the center of the olive oil until it covers about 1/3 of the pan. If you are using non-table salt, throw in a pinch and let the oil, vinegar, and salt warm up.

When the oil is warm, add the chopped onion and cook until it's starting to get soft and translucent.

Add the sausage chunks, then layer the kale and bell peppers on top, cover and let cook a few minutes until the kale is really bright green and starting to wilt a bit. Stir, making sure to scrape the bottom of the pan.

Add the broth to deglaze the pan a bit (about 1/2 to 1 cup is fine....start small and add more if it is really sticking).

Stir in the cooked grain and mix it all together with the meat and veggies to break up any grain clumps. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer a few minutes until the everything is hot and the grains have absorbed most of the liquid.

Serve. (This made enough for 2 people with a small amount left over. Increase amounts for bigger families)

This turned out to be a very filling one-dish meal and no other side dishes were needed.

Chicken Mole Enchiladas recipe

2012-03-09T13:40:00.000-08:00

It's a good thing I live in the Southwest since I have always loved Mexican food - I can eat it 3 meals a day, 7 days a week, every week and not get tired of it (I'm not sure my family would be happy with the lack of variety, however). I love it even more since it is easy to eat wheat-free and fairly healthy when making Mexican food.

Yes, really. Mexican food can be healthy. My version has dark chocolate (instead of cocoa powder), portobello mushrooms, kale, gluten free tomato soup, Greek yogurt (instead of sour cream), and vegetarian beans (no lard!)- all of which make it healthier and adds nutritional value.

This recipe for Chicken Mole Enchiladas is actually 2 recipes - one for chicken mole and one for enchiladas. Both can be prepared separately and then frozen for use later.

Chicken Mole Enchiladas

Easy Chicken Mole Sauce- since all the mole sauces I looked at in the store had gluten in them, I had to come up with a mole sauce on my own. This is by no means a "traditional" mole because of what I have added to it....but it works for me.

Ingredients:

Preheat the oven to 350.

olive oil
4 garlic cloves - peeled and smashed
1/2 white onion - diced
1/2 bunch of cilantro with stems - washed and chopped (incl stems)
1 large Portobello mushroom cap - diced finely
2 ounces of good dark chocolate (my rule, only cook with what I would actually eat!)
2-3 cups of tomato soup (I used the Trader Joe's brand Creamy Tomato Soup because it's gluten free)
diced chilies (I used chipotle for a nice smoky taste)
salt/pepper/cayenne/cumin
2-3 lbs of boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs

Heat the oil in a wok or skillet. When hot, add the garlic cloves and cook until they sizzle and look soft. Add the onions and cook until soft. Add the chilies and mushrooms and cook for about 2-3 minutes. Add the soup and break the chocolate into pieces and add to the soup. Stir for a few minutes to let the chocolate melt into the mixture. Reduce the heat and simmer until it thickens. Add seasonings to taste.

While the sauce is cooking, spray a heavy covered pot or roaster with cooking spray. I love my dutch oven for this.

Season the chicken and put in the pot. Pour the mole sauce over it. Cover with the lid and roast for about an hour. It is done when you can easily shred the chicken with a fork. It will look like this.

Shredded chicken in mole sauce

Chicken Mole Enchiladas - this is a one-dish complete meal that doesn't really need much else to go with it. If you like, you can prepare it but not bake it right away. It can keep overnight in the fridge or be frozen for use later. If you do make it right after the chicken mole, leave the oven on while you make the enchiladas. Bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes. (If baking from frozen either increase the time or thaw first)

Ingredients:

Lasagna or baking pan (I like the 9 x 13 size for this)
Vegetarian-style re-fried beans (I use the Juanita's brand - no lard, lower salt, etc)
3-4 leaves of kale - trimmed from stalk and chopped
8 corn tortillas (look for organic or non-GMO corn if possible)
Large can of red enchilada sauce (shake it before opening)
Shredded cheese
Mashed avocado, plain Greek-style yogurt, and picante sauce (for toppings)

Tip - replace your sour cream with nonfat plain Greek-style yogurt to up the protein and decrease the fat.

Spray the pan with cooking spray and spread the re-fried beans in a thin layer across the bottom. Sprinkle the chopped kale over it. Fill a softened corn tortilla with the chicken mole mixture and put in the pan face down. Repeat until the pan is full of stuffed tortillas. The number will vary based on the size of the pan and the size of tortillas.

Tip - the tortillas will be easier to work with if you soak or steam them for a few minutes before filling.

Layer of re-fried beans, kale, and filled tortillas - I was able to get 8 enchiladas in this pan.

Shake the can of enchilada sauce before opening. When the pan is full of tortillas, pour the sauce evenly over the pan. Use all of it. Sprinkle cheese on top.

Ready to bake!

Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 for about 30-45 minutes (until warmed through).

Serve with mashed avocado, plain yogurt, and picante sauce.

Enjoy!

Simple breakfast for a complex day

2012-03-08T12:05:00.000-08:00

My days have been a little crazy lately. And by "little" I mean "totally". And by "crazy" I mean gob-smacked, full out insanity. Why, you ask?

My real job is super busy, it's midterms time for my daughter, and we are back into a full schedule of Springtime chores and activities. This week alone I've worked over 40 hours for on one project and it's not even Friday yet.

Normally, I love being busy, but when I am I tend to skip breakfast and then have a big energy crash by lunch. That leads me to overeat, after which I want a nap, which impacts my afternoon productivity.

A few months ago I solved the problem of needing to eat healthy and get some protein into me when I didn't really have time to make a proper breakfast (i.e something with protein and low sugar).

I make this:

It's just a cup of nonfat Greek yogurt topped with Trader Joe's gluten free granola and a drizzle of agave syrup.

Simple and fast and I can eat it at my desk while on conference calls.

It makes a great midnight snack too!

5-minute egg salad

2012-03-07T11:15:00.001-08:00

Have you ever wanted an egg salad sandwich but didn't have any hard-boiled eggs? That was my dilemma this morning. I really, really wanted egg salad but didn't want to wait to boil and cool the eggs so I decided to experiment.

Every since I was little, I have cooked eggs in the microwave and used them in fast food style egg and muffin sandwiches (you know....Canadian bacon, a slice of cheese, an egg patty, muffin) so I started my experiment at this point to skip the boiling water process.

Using small bowl with high sides, I sprayed it with Pam and cracked 2 eggs into it. I scrambled them and put it in the microwave for 90 seconds.

When it came out, I chopped the egg patty into chunks and stirred in Best Foods Mayo (gluten free), some shredded cheese (just because I can't live without cheese), and some sea salt.

I spread it on some toasted brown rice bread slices and tried it. It totally satisfied my egg salad craving and took less than 5-minutes to make. This recipe is a keeper!

Tip: to avoid rubbery microwaved eggs, under cook them a bit and then let them sit about a minute and the internal heat will cook them the rest of the way.

Hello to any viewers from the Gluten-Free Homemaker Gluten Free Wednesdays!

http://glutenfreehomemaker.com/gluten-free-wednesdays/

5 Things I've Learned About Being Wheat-free

2012-03-02T15:20:00.000-08:00

It was September 20, 2011, that I went cold turkey on eating wheat. It was Roma's birthday weekend and we had Kringle, and cake, and pasta....and I was feeling like crap. I was achy, run down, my skin itched, and I thought I was getting the flu. Since I didn't feel like doing a whole lot, I sat on the couch reading Wheat Belly by William Davis, MD.

By the time I was halfway through the book, I knew I was done with wheat. I have thought about going gluten free for a few years and bought the book as part of trying to learn more about a wheat-free life and it gave the final nudge because it helped me put all the pieces together and identify that some of my physical annoyances were, in fact, attributable to my diet.

Since I recently passed the 5-month mark, I want to share five things I've learned so far.

1 - Giving up wheat is hard because it was a physical withdrawal as much as a mental one. In the first few days without eating anything with wheat in it, I had migraines, fatigue, and cravings for carbs like I've never experienced before. When I ate wheat, I got a buzz from it that made me crave it more. Eating it caused inflammatory and digestive problems that I had never linked to wheat until I gave it up. Thankfully, after about 10 days I adjusted to not eating wheat and my felt a surge of energy unlike any I had experienced before. I also noticed less swelling in my hands and feet, decreased thirst, and I've lost weight pretty steadily since then without dieting.

2 - Wheat is hidden in everything thanks to a lazy, bottom-line focused food industry. In the months since I gave up wheat, I have only purposefully decided to eat wheat 2-3 times (mostly as an experiment to validate that I felt better without it). Sadly, I've accidentally eaten wheat more than that due to hidden ingredients and sloppy labeling on foods and every time I know, because I get sick. The food industry has gotten lazy and seems to have forgotten that you can puree veggies and add it back in as a thickener, or use arrowroot, or corn starch....but instead they scoop the wheat flour into it as a cheap binder.

3 - You have to read labels and ask even if something should naturally be wheat free. Because wheat is cheap and helps add thickness, texture and binding to processed foods, it ends up in things it shouldn't be. Like tomato soup. Or a box mix of red beans and rice. Or in corn tortillas. Or soy sauce (my biggest wish would be for Asian foods to use gluten-free tamari rather than soy). My trips to the store take a long time because I read labels on almost everything.

4 - It turns out that I like alternate grains and starches. Since I'm not reaching for a piece of bread or a plate of pasta, I've branched out to try things that I hardly thought to add to my menu. The entire family now likes brown rice, quinoa, lentils, barley, millet, sweet potatoes, and even kale (not a grain or starch....but I was able to slip it into our diets). There is a whole world of cuisine not based on wheat and we have been enjoying our forays into Indian, Thai, Mexican, and other ethnic offerings.

and finally,

5 - Without eating wheat, I don't think about eating wheat. Sure, the smell of warm bread is nice, but I don't start salivating when I smell it anymore. I've realized that for the first time in years my natural hunger signals are back and it's easier to feel full without feeling like I'm continuing to binge and eat past when I no longer need it. Psychologically I miss the idea of soft bread with my PB&J but I've discovered that it's just as good on toasted brown rice bread.

I look forward to seeing what I learn in the next 5 months.

Tropical Smoothie - recipe for a quick breakfast replacement

2012-02-28T13:00:00.000-08:00

If you've been reading this blog for a few weeks you have probably figured out we lead a busy life. My "real job" is in technical recruiting, Ross is an instructor at a college, furniture builder, and the primary driver for Roma who has a full schedule of school and activities. Most weekdays they are up and out of the house by 6:30, so my mornings are spent making breakfast and packing lunches for both of them as they head out the door. In addition to the dancer snacks I pack, and the frozen lunch thingy I put in Ross' lunch, I make smoothies.

I started making breakfast smoothies last semester because Ross' day started with tennis and he had very little time to eat before, nor did he want anything heavy. So, the breakfast smoothie became a "thing" in our house. There have been good ones and bad ones. Lumpy ones and runny ones. Every day they change based on the stuff I have to throw into them (and my mood) and each night I get commentary about the quality and ingredients.

The other day I got this message from him:

Yay! It was good. He liked it! And he let me know early in the day so I could remember what I put in it. I hurried to write it down on a post-it note and now here it is for all to enjoy!

Tropical Smoothie

4 chunks of frozen bananas - my secret smoothie weapon....got bananas getting too soft or turning black? Peel them and break them into chunks and stash them in a zip top bag in the freezer.
Trader Joe's frozen pineapple chunks
Jumex Mango juice (also works with mango flavored coconut water)
protein powder
fiber powder
soy milk (or coconut, almond, rice, or cow milk....your preference)

Using a blender or Magic Bullet (I love mine and can't live without it!) put the banana chunks in the cup, add pineapple up to 3/4 of the cup, pour in the mango juice until the cup is 3/4 full, add 1 scoop of protein powder, 2 tablespoons of fiber powder (or flax seed if you prefer) and blend.

Blend for about a minute and take the blades off and stir. Top the cup with soy milk and blend again for about a minute. Enjoy!

Tip#1 - invest in some sports bottles with wide tops for ease of filling and a decent size drinking spout and then you can send your family on the road with a healthy, portable smoothie that has less sugar and expense than a morning stop at Jamba Juice.

Tip #2 - The entire top shelf of my freezer is "smoothie central" and has bags and containers of frozen fruits and purees for smoothies. When you have fruit that is starting to get mushy or over ripe but is not moldy, rather than throw it out, peel it and freeze it. I slice strawberries and freeze them flat on a tray before dumping them into bags. I take grapes off the stem and freeze them too. Ditto with any berries, cherries (take the pits out), pears, oranges, etc. About the only thing that doesn't freeze well is watermelon but that too is possible if you puree it and freeze it in dixie cups or ice cube trays. Got left over coconut milk from making Thai food, yep, into the ice cube tray it goes for freezing. When its time to make a smoothie mix and match flavors to create what ever you are in the mood for.

Sweet Potato Coins - fast and easy for a quick dinner

2012-02-27T15:00:00.000-08:00

Every have one of those mornings where you think about taking something out to thaw for dinner then the phone starts ringing and the day gets busy and at 5pm realize you forgot about dinner?

Last Wednesday was one of those days.

At 5:30 was still at my desk and I got a text that my family would be home at 6 and was starving! (Aren't they always?!). It was time to transition from business owner to mom. Thanks to a weekend trip to Trader Joe's I had some nice steaks I quick thawed (in a water bath) and I had the makings for Caesar salad but all of us like a starch of some sort and I didn't feel like brown rice, was burned out on gluten free pasta, didn't have time to make lentils, and didn't really want a baked potato.

Then I spotted the sweet potatoes sitting so prettily in a bowl on the counter. I had gotten them to make twice- baked sweet potatoes but certainly didn't have enough time to make that recipe since the family would be home soon.

That's when I got inspired.

I'd use them to make a variation of the potato coins that I normally make with white potatoes. They turned out super delicious and ended up taking about 20 minutes (prep and baking).

Sweet Potato Coins

Note: this made enough for 3 people. Use more potatoes if you have a larger family

2 sweet potatoes (the white or the yellow, depending on what you like)

A large zip top bag
Olive Oil
Sea Salt
Spices - your choice - I used ground chipotle and a dash of a Mural of Flavor (from Penzeys)
A baking sheet

Preheat the oven to 350.

Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them in to round, coin-like pieces about 1/8 of an inch think.
Put the cut potatoes into the zip top bag
Drizzle in the olive oil and add the spices to your liking
Close the bag and shake it until all the pieces are coated in oil and spices
Pour out onto the baking sheet and arrange into a single layer

Bake about 15 minutes (or longer if you like them crispier). They are done when they are soft and fully baked in the middle.

They turned out sweet and spicy (thanks to the chipotle) and were a good balance to the steak and the Caesar dressing on the salad. I'll be making these again!

Stuff to do with lemons #2 - Lemon Ginger Vodka

2012-02-24T16:46:00.000-08:00

Springtime in So Cal means the lemons are in full force on the trees. Have you run out of things to do with them and are starting to think of mailing them to family in snowy states? I've got a great way you can use up the lemons and get a jump start on any gift giving you need to do for the rest of the year (heck, for the next few years!).

If you answer "yes" to the questions below then this recipe is for you!

Have too many lemons?

Like to drink? …..know other people who like to drink?

Great! Make Lemon-Ginger Vodka.

You need:

4-6 lemons (the more you use, the more lemony it gets) Note- you can use the flesh of the lemons in the lemon chicken recipe that I posted yesterday.

1 bottle (750 ml) Vodka – buy the cheap stuff in the big plastic bottles at Costco.

¼ tsp ground ginger

1 ½ cups sugar (I sift mine so it dissolves better)

Fancy bottles for gift giving (or plastic soda bottles)

· Wash the lemons (don't skip this step)

· Zest the lemon peels (you do know how to do this, right?)

· Combine vodka, lemon zest, and ginger in the vodka bottle, cover tightly, let sit for 24 -48 hours depending on how lemony you want your vodka

· After it sits for a day or two, strain out the lemon peel

· Add the sugar and still until dissolved

· Put it back in the vodka bottle and let it sit in the pantry (undisturbed) for at least a month

· After that time, pour it into a fancy bottle for gift giving or have fun drinking it with friends

If you have a lot of lemons you can make big batches of this stuff. Years ago Ross and I made about 4 gallons of it one summer and then gave bottles of Lemon-Ginger Vodka that Holiday season. We had people calling us weeks later to ask if we have any more because they wanted refills.

Happy eating (and drinking!)

Stuff to do with Lemons #1 (Lemon Chicken pasta sauce)

2012-02-23T16:33:00.000-08:00

My parents have the most amazing lemon tree – it produces truck loads of monstrous lemons all year round. And when I say monstrous I am not just talking about the size. They have oddly misshapen things sticking out of them that have lead to some funny conversations about what they remind us of. It's like a lemon Rorschach test and our over-active imaginations are fully engaged by these Frankenlemons.

When life gives you more lemons than any family can use, you start to find creative things to do to use them up. And although I like things like lemon bars and lemon slices in my water, that doesn't use them up quick enough so I've started cooking with them. (And try this on a hot summer day – take a glass of crushed ice, squeeze a lemon into it, and add red wine. Try it, you'll like it)

So this is the first is what will be an on-going series I will provisionally call Stuff to Do with Lemons.

This first recipe has no name yet but we call it "that lemon-chicken-y-pasta-thingee" (Don't laugh. It works for us).

You need:

· 2-3 lemons (use less if you aren't totally sure you like lemon in your food)

· 4-6 Chicken thighs – cut up into chunks

· Olive oil

· ½ bottle of Capers -drained

· 1 bunch of Cilantro – chopped up, stems included

· Garlic (we like the bottle of minced garlic from Trader Joes)

· Fox Point Seasoning from Penzey's – every pantry needs a large bottle of this stuff! It is my 'go to' seasoning for everything from eggs to fish.

· Salt, pepper

· Parmesan

Pour 2-3 glugs of olive oil into a large frying pan and get it hot. Peel the lemons and slice them into lemon rings (take out the seeds) and put them in the hot oil to fry. As they cook mash them up when they get soft. Add as much garlic as your family can tolerate. Add salt, pepper, and a hearty sprinkle of Fox Point to the lemon/oil mixture and add the cut-up chicken thighs. Stir fry until chicken is close to being done. Toss in the cilantro and the capers and cook for a few minutes until the cilantro is slightly limp and chicken is fully cooked. Serve over pasta and add parmesan.

If you end up trying this recipe, let me know how it turns out and if you have any modifications that worked for you.

PS - Have you tried the new Gluten Free brown rice pastas from Trader Joes? I think they have surpassed the Tinkyada brand for me when it comes to pasta that behaves and tastes like pasta should. They are also cheaper so that makes it a win-win in my book.

Zesty Orange Muffins - recipe

2012-02-22T16:21:00.000-08:00

I'm always looking for new things to make that are portable so that I have things I can take with me that are wheat-free. We made these Zesty Orange Muffins over weekend and I have to admit we ate 3 of them still hot from the oven because they smelled so good we didn't want to let them cool before eating them.

This recipe was inspired by one that I read in a cookbook called "Wheat free, Gluten Free - Cookbook for Kids and Busy Adults" by Connie Sarros but I've made quite a few modifications to it that better suited the tastes we like.

Because I think cakes, muffins, and cookies need a sweeter flour base than other baked goods, I came up with a gluten free flour mix that doesn't have the heavy "earthly" flavors of a typcial mix that has sorghum flour in it.

Sweet Flour Mix

6 cups white rice flour
6 cups coconut flour
1.5 cups potato starch
2 Tbsp Xanthan gum
1 Tbsp salt

Mix in a large container and store in a dry, dark pantry

Zesty Orange Muffin recipe

2 large oranges
1/4 cup applesauce
1/3 cup coconut oil (melted)
2 tsp mayonaise
2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 c. light brown sugar
2 cups Sweet Flour Mix (above)
2 tbls baking powder
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbls flax seed (ground) - good for adding fiber
For topping - agave syrup or honey, powdered sugar (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 and spray muffin pans with nonstick spray

Food Prep:

Using a zester or microplane grater, zest both oranges. Set the zest aside.
Trim the remaining peel from the oranges, remove pith and seeds, and puree in a blender or food processor until smooth. Set aside.
Grind the flax seed in blender or food processor.
Crack the eggs and lightly whip
Mix the dry ingredients together (flour, baking powder, spices, salt, flax seed) and set aside.
Mix the wet ingredients together (2/3 of the orange puree, the zest, applesauce, coconut oil, mayonaise, vanilla, eggs) set aside
Measure the brown sugar (tightly packed) and then mix it into the wet ingredients until it's well mixed.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet, stirring until they are completely blended. If the batter is too dry, add water to the remaining orange puree to thin it to the consistency of orange juice and add to the batter in small amounts until it is moist but not runny. Note: the batter will be somewhere between a cookie dough and a cake batter.
Fill the muffin tins 2/3 of the way up and bake for 20 minutes.
When done, let cool for a few minutes and then pop them out of the trays.
While still warm, drizzle with agave syrup (or honey) and dust with powdered sugar.

If you don't like the slightly bitter taste of orange zest or the tang of the pith reduce the amount of zest used to the amount of 1 orange. You can also use orange juice concentrate instead of orange puree if you like it a little sweeter. We like the savory tang of the orange zest that is offset by the agave syrup and powdered sugar.

Variation - leave the batter a little on the dry side and scoop the dough out to make cookies instead of muffins. Bake 10-12 minutes and check to see if they are done.

If you try this and come up with your own variations, let me know!