Cooking for Your Health and Your Tastebuds

Spaghetti Squash

2011-04-18T20:51:00.001-06:00

Tonight I had a new, old experience. I have had spaghetti squash, however it has been about 15 years. Tonight we replaced the regular whole grain pasta with spaghetti squash. It was simply amazing. I could happily give up most regular pasta at this point. I really enjoyed it plain or with pasta sauce. I then proceeded to try it with a little olive oil and fresh herbs. It was SOOOO good. You may be wondering at this point why this is significant? The reason is compared to whole grain pasta's 200 + calories per cup where as spaghetti squash has 42 calories per cup. Yes that is right 42 calories, and it has 2.5 grams of fiber in that one cup. That means if I want a whole plate of "spaghetti" an average of 3 cups of spaghetti squash it is only 126 calories. This is an amazing amount of food, for a very low calorie count. If you add a cup and a half of Hunts Mushroom Spaghetti Sauce it adds 150 calories equaling 276 calories for enough food for two people.

I hope you enjoy try this amazing food and find a new favorite like I did.

Jake

P.S. I forgot to let ya know how to cook it...lol

It is super simple to cook. Just pierce the skin a couple times and place it in the microwave for 6-9 minutes until the skin is soft. Then cut the squash in half and remove the seeds. Scrape the
"noodles" out of the squash and enjoy. Super simple.

High Fiber Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

2011-04-18T20:35:00.001-06:00

1 c Whole Wheat Flour
1 c Whole Oat Flour
1 c Cooked Pumpkin
4 Medium Eggs
2/3 c Bob's Red Mill Oat Bran Cereal
3/4 c Fat Free Sour Cream
2 T Molasses
2 T Ginger Root
1 1/2 c Sugar
1 t Salt
1 1/2 t Baking Soda
1/3 c Dark Chocolate Chips

Place the Oat Bran cereal through either a spice or coffee grinder to a fine flour. Mix all dry ingredients. Add all additional ingredients, and mix well. Place in a prepared muffin tin. Cook at 350 Degrees 20 - 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the muffin comes out clean.
Enjoy.

Makes 24 servings

Nutritional Info

Servings Per Recipe: 24
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 132.1

Total Fat: 2.2 g
Cholesterol: 27.9 mg
Sodium: 220.8 mg
Total Carbs: 27.2 g
Dietary Fiber: 2.6 g
Protein: 3.4 g

Kitchen Sink Quiche

2011-04-13T00:41:00.001-06:00

This is awesome. Admittedly not an everyday food but just amazing.

Oven Temp 350 Dutch Oven 300 deg bottom and 450 top

2 Red Garnet Yams

2 Red Potatoes

1 Leek stalk

2 Garlic Cloves

1 Small yellow onion

1 yellow summer squash

1 bell pepper

1 jalapeno

1.5 oz. Smoked Gouda

1.5 oz. Smoked Gruyere

1.5 oz. Smoked Cheddar

3 slices of bacon

2 oz. ham

3 Stalks Fresh Tarragon

1/8 c fresh chives

8 eggs

1/2 c milk

1/4 c sour cream

1/4 t fresh grated nutmeg (1/8 t if using ground nutmeg)

2 c Whole Grain Flour

1/3 c butter (softened)

1/2 t Salt

1/8-1/3 c very cold water

Heat to boiling enough water to cook the yams and potatoes in. On a medium high burner prepare the peppers by charring the outside, directly on the burner. This takes about 30 seconds on each side. Chop the yams and potatoes into bite size chunks. Boil the yams while you are cutting the potatoes. Add the potatoes. Chop the leeks, ensuring they are clean; be sure to check under the first layer after slicing the length of the leeks. If you don’t check the leeks you will have sand in your quiche. After slicing length wise chop them into 1/2 inch sections, and add to the yams. Cook the yams and potatoes till they offer very little resistance when poked with a fork, turn off the heat and set aside when done. While the yams are boiling fry the bacon. Chop the onion, and using some of the bacon grease sauté the onions. Crush the garlic and add it to the onions. Chop the summer squash into bite size chunks, add to the onions. Chop the peppers and sauté in the bacon pan over medium heat until they are al dente. Chop the bacon and ham into bite size chunks, and refrigerate. Cut the cheese into small chunks, about 1/4 x 1/4 inch cubes. Strain the yams. Place the peppers, onions, bacon, ham, nutmeg, and yams in a bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste. This mixture will most probably smell very strong, it is supposed to. Place the veggie mixture in the refrigerator, and cool while preparing the remainder of the dish. In a medium bowl combine the eggs, sour cream, milk, tarragon, and chives. For the crust, in a bowl mix the flour and salt till fully combine, add the butter and cut in with a pastry paddle or a couple butter knives, until it resembles rough cornmeal. Mix in enough water to make medium dough. Press the dough into a pie plate, or a Dutch oven. Spread the cheese over the crust. Pour the veggie mixture over this, and finish with pouring the egg mixture over that. Bake in the oven 350 for 55 minutes to 1 hour 15 minutes. In a Dutch oven start with 8-10 coals on the bottom and 17 on the top, and cook for 35-45 minutes and check, if it needs more time add 4-5 coals to the top, and 2-3 to the bottom. Cook this until the middle jiggles a little and the edges are firm. As you probably guessed I just cleaned out my refrigerator to put this delicious quiche together, the nice thing about quiche is it works with so many kinds of veggies, meats, and cheeses. Try it with steak and replace one of the cheeses with blue cheese and add 2 T brown or honey mustard. Super good!!

Enjoy

Jake

Makes approximately 12 servings


Amount Per Serving

Calories		240.6

Total Fat		13.0 g

	Saturated Fat	6.6 g

	Polyunsaturated Fat	1.0 g

	Monounsaturated Fat	2.4 g

Cholesterol		150.8 mg

Sodium		425.1 mg

Potassium		328.4 mg

Total Carbohydrate		19.3 g

	Dietary Fiber	2.7 g

	Sugars	1.5 g

Protein		12.4 g

Gingerbread Cake

2011-04-09T08:11:00.000-06:00

I love gingerbread, but since it isn't the best for you I don't have much of it. I have changed the recipe a little to make it much healthier. I like it to have a lot of ginger, if you don't like spicy food you may want to reduce the ginger by 50% or more.

Ingredients:

4 T Butter
2 Medium Eggs
2/3 c Fat Free Sour Cream
1T Ground Cinnamon
2 1/2 T Ground Ginger
1/2 t Nutmeg
1/4 t Black Pepper
1/4 c Applesauce
4 T Ginger Root Finely Grated
1/2 t Baking Powder
3/4 t Baking Soda
1/2 c Molasses
1/2 c Brown Sugar
1 3/4 c Whole Oat Flour
3/4 c Whole Wheat Flour
1 c Very Hot Water

Add all the dry ingredients in one bowl and set aside. In a large mixer bowl cream the butter, applesauce and sugar, then add the eggs one at a time mixing well after each addition. Add the sour cream and grated ginger root. In a bowl combine the cup of hot water and molasses. Alternately mix the flour mix and the molasses with the butter mixture. When combine fully continue mixing for 3-4 minutes to develop the gluten. Pour in a prepared 8x8 pan.

Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean. This cake is good alone or with hot lemon pudding and whipped cream.

Nutrition Info

12 Servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories		231.8

Total Fat		5.4 g

	Saturated Fat	2.9 g

	Polyunsaturated Fat	0.5 g

	Monounsaturated Fat	1.4 g

Cholesterol		38.6 mg

Sodium		153.9 mg

Potassium		377.5 mg

Total Carbohydrate		43.2 g

	Dietary Fiber	3.6 g

	Sugars	19.7 g

Protein		5.2 g

Thai Cashew Pepper Chicken

2011-03-15T23:43:00.001-06:00

I made this in a dutch oven tonight at school. It was SOOOOO good.

18 oz Boneless skinless chicken tenderloin
1 package Thai rice noodles
2T Soy Sauce
5 T Hoisin sauce
2 t Sesame Oil
1/2 c Thai Sweet Pepper Sauce
1 1/2 T Canola Oil
1 c Chicken stock
2 T Corn Starch

Place oils in a fry pan and heat to medium heat. Brown chicken. While the chicken is cooking in a large bowl place the rice noodles and cover with water to soak while the rest of the mixture cooks. Mix the remaining ingredients in a small bowl, reserving the cashews. When the chicken is browned add the sauce and cook covered over med low heat for 5-7 minutes. The noodles need to soak for at least ten minutes. When the chicken is done add the noodles, and mix well, cook for five minutes. Garnish with the cashews.

Enjoy

6 Servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories		464.0

Total Fat		16.9 g

	Saturated Fat	2.8 g

	Polyunsaturated Fat	3.8 g

	Monounsaturated Fat	9.3 g

Cholesterol		54.1 mg

Sodium		651.2 mg

Potassium		186.9 mg

Total Carbohydrate		52.9 g

	Dietary Fiber	1.7 g

	Sugars	12.7 g

Protein		23.4 g

Turkey Noodle Soup

2011-03-10T12:33:00.000-07:00

Meat from a small turkey breast.
1 large onion
4 medium carrots
1 head of celery
1/4 c butter
1 bag 12 oz Al Dente Fettuccine
1/2 - 1 gallon water
Salt as needed (I calculated at 2 Tsp)

Place the frozen young hen turkey breast in a crock pot over night on low. I usually put mine on at round eleven or midnight and then as soon as I wake up at 7 or 8 the turkey is done so I turn it to keep warm. When you are ready to cook the soup, place the butter in a large stock pot over medium heat. When the butter is melted add chopped onions, chopped carrots, and chopped celery. Saute for 10 minutes. Add 1/2 of the water, and bring to a boil. While the water is coming to a boil remove all the meat from the bone. Place drippings from the turkey in the stock pot. and the meat in the pot. Simmer for 1 - 4 hours. When you are ready to serve add water as needed and bring to a boil. Add the noodles and boil until the noodles are "Al Dente" firm but not crunchy. Serve with a roll and enjoy.

I often make my own noodles and you can use any variation of pasta you would like, or change it up with brown rice. For the brown rice it is good to cook it over night with the turkey, but if you do make sure you add enough water to keep it very moist over night, or it will burn to the bottom of the crock pot. When choosing a turkey make sure it is not pre-basted if you can to save on sodium. This is also good the day after Thanksgiving rather than the customary dry turkey sandwiches:)

Number of Servings: 15

Calories		325.1

Total Fat		13.4 g

	Saturated Fat	4.8 g

	Polyunsaturated Fat	2.4 g

	Monounsaturated Fat	4.5 g

Cholesterol		91.2 mg

Sodium		449.2 mg

Potassium		487.0 mg

Total Carbohydrate		21.5 g

	Dietary Fiber	2.1 g

	Sugars	3.1 g

Protein		28.9 g

Chicken Corn and Black Bean Fajitas

2011-03-07T22:08:00.000-07:00

I like to use the frozen Corn and Black Beans because it makes these Fajitas super quick. If you want to chop the peppers and onions separate and use a can of black beans it would work perfectly fine as well.

10 oz Raw Chicken Tenders

2 cups of Pictsweet Corn and Black Beans(Frozen)

1/4 c Fat Free Sour Cream

2 oz Part Skim Mozarella Cheese

3 Carb Balance Whole Wheat Mission Tortillas (Fajita Size)

1 1/2 t Chili Powder

1/4 t Garlic Powder

1 T Dried Chopped Onion

1/4 t Salt

1/4 c Water

Place the chicken in a saute pan over medium heat and sprinkle with chili powder, garlic powder, dried onions, and salt. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Turn the chicken and pour the corn and black beans over the chicken, and add the water. Cover and cook for five minutes. Uncover and add the sour cream and cook for a couple minutes over medium low. Add the mozzarella cheese, mix well. Remove from heat and serve with tortillas.

Enjoy!!

Makes 3 servings.

Nutritional Info

Servings Per Recipe: 3
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 330.8

Total Fat: 6.2 g
Cholesterol: 50.4 mg
Sodium: 706.8 mg
Total Carbs: 34.7 g
Dietary Fiber: 11.0 g
Protein: 29.9 g

Whole Grain Bread

2011-02-13T13:09:00.001-07:00

This is a challenge for me to put this recipe into this format. Usually I do the first half of this recipe by measure and look/feel, and the second half by feel alone. I am going to refer you to my first post on this blog to read. It gives a description of my bread making process and some pointers I will not use in this post. Many of the bread making tips can be used for making rolls or bread or any type of yeast bread. Here is the link: http://chef4rent.blogspot.com/2010/12/rising-comfort.html
If you have any questions while making this please feel free to ask. As I said I go mostly by feel with this since I do it all by hand. I do have a bread mixer but I only use if for meringues, creams, and quick breads. I like to feel my yeast bread to know when it is right. Good Luck with this. Don't give up if you don't succeed on the first try. I have been making bread for about 25 years since I was about 6-7 years old. Here it goes.

First for all of my baked goods I use a mixed flour. I mix 2 cups of whole wheat flour with 1 cup whole oat flour. This makes the bread much lighter and fluffier. I also use instant yeast because I don't have to let it soak to soften. This is still the same thing as other yeast just ground a little finer. Another benefit of this is mixed in the flour the water you add can be a little warmer than if you need to soften it. If you don't have instant yeast just reduce the water temp to 110-120 and mix 1/2 c water with the yeast and 1 T of the honey. I replace the oil with either cooked and mashed sweet potatoes, yams, or mashed bananas, or applesauce, really just what is convenient. I know many people are salt intolerant up to 50% of the people in the US, but I like the taste of it in the bread. If you are salt intolerant feel free to replace the salt with something else. I also sometimes will add 1-2 t of cinnamon, you can barely taste is but it does change the flavor a bit, I usually add this when I am using yams or sweet potatoes. Sponging the initial mixture gives the dough a fantastic texture.

9-12 c Whole Grain Flour
2 T Instant Yeast
2 T Honey
1 c of Veggie or Fruit
3 c of Warm water (120-135 deg)
1-2 T Salt
1/2 c Powdered Milk
2 c Ice Cubes

Mix 5 cups of flour with the yeast and powdered milk. Add the honey, fruit or veggie, and water, mix well. The mixture should be loose at this point, just a little thicker than pancake batter. Cover and let this mixture sponge for 15-30 minutes in a warm room. When the sponging is complete it should have risen about double. Add the salt and 2 cups of flour. Begin mixing. When the mixture begins holding together well enough turn the dough out on a floured counter and begin kneading. I usually knead my bread for 20 - 30 minutes. When you are done kneading the dough place your large mixing bowl over the dough and let it rise for 15 minutes. While the dough is rising preheat your oven to 425. On the lower shelf of the oven place your oldest worst cookie sheet or a couple pie pans. After the dough has risen shape it into 4 loaves. Place in your bread pans and let rise till a little more than double. When the dough has risen place the bread in the oven on the top shelf in about the middle of the oven. On the baking sheet on the bottom shelf pour the ice cubes. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350 and continue baking 30 - 45 more minutes until done. Test doneness with a spoon. Tap the top of the loaf with the back of the spoon. If it sounds hollow and the loaves are golden brown remove and butter the tops. Remove the loaves from the pans and cool on their side on a rack. Wrap them in plastic when they are cool. These loaves are best the next day as the crust will soften over night. Good Luck.

Nutrition Facts I split each loaf into 12 slice for a total of 48 servings. These facts are calculated using unsweetened applesauce.

Amount Per Serving

Calories		104.6

Total Fat		1.0 g

	Saturated Fat	0.4 g

	Polyunsaturated Fat	0.2 g

	Monounsaturated Fat	0.2 g

Cholesterol		1.3 mg

Sodium		296.9 mg

Potassium		119.9 mg

Total Carbohydrate		21.6 g

	Dietary Fiber	3.5 g

	Sugars	1.5 g

Protein		4.1 g	Nutrition facts calculated on sparkrecipes.com

Valentines Day Chicken Cordon Blue

2011-02-13T12:10:00.002-07:00

2 Chicken Breasts boneless skinless
2 slices Ham extra lean 5 % fat
1/4 c Italian Flavored Bread Crumbs
2 T Whole Wheat Flour (divided)
1 Egg
1 oz Blue Cheese (crumbled)
1 oz Mozzarella Cheese (shredded)
1 c Nonfat Milk
2 T Fresh Chives chopped

Trim the Chicken breasts to medallions by cutting approximately 1/3 of the chicken breast off of the pointed side of the breast. Cut a slit in the side of the chicken breast. Take the ham and cut in half. In a bowl mix the cheese and honey mustard. Make a "sandwich" with 2 pieces of ham and half of each of the cheese mixture. Stuff these sandwiches in the slit in the chicken breast. Use a toothpick to keep the chicken breast shut. If you have a difficult time with the "sandwich" ham you can chop up the ham and mix it with the cheese and stuff this mix in the chicken. In a separate bowl mix the bread crumbs and flour, season with salt and pepper to taste. In another bowl slightly whisk the egg. Dredge the chicken breasts in egg first then in bread crumbs. Place the breasts on a baking sheet. Bake for 35 - 45 minutes @ 350 deg. With a meat thermometer ensure the chicken breast reaches 165 deg. While these are cooking place the trimmed pieces of chicken breast in a frying pan season with salt and pepper while cooking. When this is half cooked add the milk to the pan. Cook until the chicken is done and remove the chicken from the milk. I usually add some chicken flavor "better than bullion" to my gravy. Add the remaining flour and thicken over medium heat. Season with salt and pepper. Add more flour to thicken as needed. When the chicken is done serve the gravy over the chicken and garnish with fresh chives. Enjoy:)

Jake

2 Servings P.S. I made this using Smoked Gouda from Arla Dofino in the little waxed rounds. I replaced the mozzarella cheese and what a difference this made. I also used a single piece of thick sliced Canadian Bacon. The gouda cheese adds about 30 calories but the canadian bacon reduces the calories by 20 calories for a net gain of 10 calories. Definitely worth as far as taste goes.

Amount Per Serving

Calories		451.4

Total Fat		11.9 g

	Saturated Fat	5.6 g

	Polyunsaturated Fat	0.9 g

	Monounsaturated Fat	3.4 g

Cholesterol		172.4 mg





Total Carbohydrate		24.7 g

	Dietary Fiber	1.5 g

	Sugars	3.1 g

Protein		56.9 g

Nutrition Facts

Banana Bread

2011-02-07T21:23:00.000-07:00

This recipe is an adjusted family favorite. It is super delicious and fairly low cal. I hope you enjoy this as much as I do.

1 3/4 c Whole Wheat Flour
3/4 c Oat Flour
1 c Sugar
7 Mashed Bananas (Medium or Large)
1 t Salt
2 t Baking Soda
1 t Vanilla
2 Eggs
1/2 c Applesauce

Combine all ingredients, and bake @ 350 degrees for 30-60 minutes. Slice 1/4 inch slices. Makes 32 servings. The huge difference in temperatures is due to the vairance in banana sizes. The loaves are done just like a cake when the edges pull away from the sides of the bread pans, and a toothpick comes out clean from the center. This makes heavenly french toast, regular toast, or just a slice of bread with a little butter on it.

Jake

Nutrition Facts

Amount Per Serving

Calories		86.0

Total Fat		0.6 g

	Saturated Fat	0.2 g

	Polyunsaturated Fat	0.2 g

	Monounsaturated Fat	0.2 g

Cholesterol		13.3 mg

Sodium		156.1 mg

Potassium		147.0 mg

Total Carbohydrate		19.6 g

	Dietary Fiber	1.8 g

	Sugars	9.9 g

Protein		1.9 g	Nutrition Facts calculated on Sparkrecipes.com

Italian Serrano Chicken

2011-01-27T20:54:00.000-07:00

The wonderful aroma of this family favorite really takes me back. I remember one time a year or so before I got married I was working in my Dad's cabinet shop with my Nick my brother in law. I brought a half gallon jar full of this chicken and a quart of brown rice. I took a serving of this ate and stepped into the finish room to put another coat of varnish on the cabinets. When I emerged from the finish room (15-20 minutes) the WHOLE jar of chicken and all the rice was gone. Hahaha. It was definitely one of the most amazing feats I have ever seen.

Italian Serrano Chicken

3 lb Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
1 Small Onion Rough Chopped
2 Cloves of Garlic Crushed
3 Shallots Chopped
1-3 Serrano Peppers to taste
1/2 c. Red Wine
2 Cans of Low Sodium Tomato Paste
1 small can of Tomato Sauce Low Sodium
2 Sprigs of Rosemary removed from stalks and chopped lightly
1/2 can Chicken Broth

Heat the Oil in a large pan. Saute the onions, shallots, and garlic for 3-4 minutes. Chop the chicken into bite size pieces, and add to the onions with the serrano peppers. Cook until done. Add the tomato paste, and tomato sauce, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the red wine, half the rosemary, and chicken broth. Simmer again for 30-45 minutes, adding a little additional chicken stock if needed. Just before serving sprinkle the remaining rosemary over the chicken. Serves 8. Great served over brown rice, and the servings are very hearty, satisfying a big appetite. Please let me know what you think of this recipe.

Nutrition Facts
8 Servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories		314.0

Total Fat		9.3 g

	Saturated Fat	1.6 g

	Polyunsaturated Fat	1.2 g

	Monounsaturated Fat	5.6 g

Cholesterol		99.1 mg





Total Carbohydrate		12.6 g

	Dietary Fiber	2.4 g

	Sugars	6.1 g

Protein		42.1 g

Breaded Shrimp

2011-01-17T11:09:00.001-07:00

4 oz Shrimp I prefer 21-30 size
2 T Whole wheat flour
1T Light rye flour
1/2 t salt
1/2 t pepper
1/8 t cayenne pepper
1 egg white
2 t lemon juice

Prep the shrimp by peeling and removing the tails. Thoroughly dry the shrimp off. I do this with 2 layers of paper towel on top and two layers on the bottom. Mix the flour and spices. Mix the egg white and lemon juice. pour all the shrimp in with the egg white and mix it up. Dredge the individual shrimp in the flour mixture, place the dredged shrimp on a prepared sheet pan. Cook 8-10 minutes @ 350. Watch them closely, overdone shrimp is dry and chewy. Serve hot with a cocktail sauce. Multiply ingredients by the number of servings you intend to need. When you get to about 4 servings you can cut down on the flour a little with each serving.

Enjoy

Jake

Nutrition Facts
1 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories		203.7

Total Fat		2.4 g

	Saturated Fat	0.4 g

	Polyunsaturated Fat	0.9 g

	Monounsaturated Fat	0.3 g

Cholesterol		172.3 mg

Sodium		196.9 mg

Potassium		316.1 mg

Total Carbohydrate		17.4 g

	Dietary Fiber	2.8 g

	Sugars	0.1 g

Protein		28.1 g

Halibut Stew

2011-01-13T11:01:00.000-07:00

This recipe is from SparkPeople's Chef Meg. I am not usually a huge fan of fish soups, however this is AWESOME. The only changes I made to it were to add a one half to one teaspoon lemon juice and a half teaspoon of apple cider vinegar, right at the end. I just love this it is super good. Try it out, it isn't fishy at all. My kids thought it was chicken soup...lol success.

http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/cookbooks.asp?cookbook=308919

This link will take you to my SparkPeople recipe book all of the recipes I have in there are super good and include nutrition information. I suggest checking out spark people if you are not already acquainted with it. Just click the link at the top of my page. They have helped me a ton.

Jake

Really Yummy Satisfying Taco Soup

2010-12-31T21:24:00.000-07:00

Jake's Taco Soup

beans

Heat canola oil in a pan, saute onion, celery and chicken in the oil, after 5 minutes add saffron. Remove the chicken and chop into bite size pieces. Add the chicken back to the onion. Cook for 1-2 minutes more to let the saffron soak into the chicken. Add the v-8 juice beans and corn. Bring to a boil. Cook for 10 more minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve over a serving of corn tortilla chips or whole grain brown rice. If you divide this only 4 ways you are still only up to 335 calories. Hope you enjoy.

Number of Servings: 6

Nutritional Info

Servings Per Recipe: 6
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 223.3

Total Fat: 6.8 g
Cholesterol: 27.4 mg
Sodium: 245.6 mg
Total Carbs: 25.3 g
Dietary Fiber: 6.6 g
Protein: 17.1 g

Nutrition Info Figured at www.sparkpeople.com

Find me on www.sparkpeople.com as chef4rent and follow my fitness and nutrition journey. Enjoy your soup!!

Very Veggie Spaghetti Sauce

2010-12-30T19:50:00.001-07:00

4-5 Lb Roma Tomatoes
1-2 Baby Zucchini
1-2 Summer Squash
2-3 Onions (diced)
3-4 Stalks Basil (chopped)
2-3 Stalks Rosemary (chopped)
2-3 Peppers (red, green, yellow, orange)
4-5 Cloves of Garlic (crushed)
1 Lb Tofu firm (diced fine) 1 lb ground meat can be used in place of tofu (beef, lamb,veal, turkey, pork, or any combination) I also like shrimp in place of the beef/tofu.
2-3 T Better than Chicken or Beef Bouillon
1 Stalk Leeks (Cleaned and chopped)
3-4 T Olive Oil
1 can Tomato Sauce
1 1/2 c Red Wine

Bring oil to heat in a large sauce pan, add onions, peppers, garlic, tofu, leeks. Saute these until a little color shows on the onions and garlic. Chop tomatoes while the onions saute. Add the tomatoes and tomato sauce. Crush the pine nuts in a mortar and pestle, and add to the sauce. Add the red wine to the mixture, and reduce the sauce to the thickness desired. 20 minutes before the sauce is done add the zucchini and squash and continue to cook. Finish with finely chopped basil and rosemary. Enjoy. This can be used in the place of spaghetti sauce or in lasagna. Very hearty and healthy. Jake.

Fuzzy Navel Omega-3 Smoothie

2010-12-30T11:20:00.000-07:00

1 c Frozen Peaches
1/6th of a can of Minute Maid Calcium Enriched Orange Juice Concentrate
1/2 c Frozen Yogurt (your favorite flavor)
1 c Skim Milk
1/2 Haas Avocado
1 T Honey

Blend all ingredients until smooth and enjoy. You are getting your essential Omega-3s and you can't even taste the avocado. It is a very great way to enjoy them. The avocado makes it a little smoother drink. The nutrition info follows. It makes a really satisfying breakfast with a piece of whole wheat bread.

Nutrition Facts
1 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories		587.7

Total Fat		17.0 g

	Saturated Fat	4.2 g

	Polyunsaturated Fat	1.7 g

	Monounsaturated Fat	9.5 g

Cholesterol		16.2 mg

Sodium		205.0 mg

Potassium		1,776.8 mg

Total Carbohydrate		101.3 g

	Dietary Fiber	9.3 g

	Sugars	58.8 g

Protein		16.0 g


Vitamin A	33.8 %

Vitamin B-12	16.5 %

Vitamin B-6	24.8 %

Vitamin C	156.7 %

Vitamin D	50.0 %

Vitamin E	12.2 %

Calcium	75.9 %

Copper	15.2 %

Folate	39.6 %

Iron	7.2 %

Magnesium	18.2 %

Manganese	11.5 %

Niacin	20.2 %

Pantothenic Acid	23.8 %

Phosphorus	39.2 %

Riboflavin	47.2 %

Selenium	11.5 %

Thiamin	14.5 %

Zinc	13.9 %

Nutrition info calculated on www.Sparkpeople.com

New Years Dinner in style.

2010-12-26T19:49:00.000-07:00

Who says you can't have a totally luxurious New Years Eve dinner and have it healthy too. Try this Salad for the Entree and you will not be disappointed. The recipe is for a single serving so just multiply the ingredients by the number of servings needed.

Ahi Tuna Salad

1 4 oz Ahi Tuna Steak
2 T Fat Free Sourcream
1/2 t fat free mayonaise
juice from 1/4 lime
salt and pepper to taste
Lemon Pepper
Cayenne Pepper
2 c green salad mix
1/8 t Garlic Powder
5-6 cherry tomatoes

Season the Tuna Steak with lemon pepper, salt, and a little cayenne. Pan fry the Tuna Steak till it flakes apart easily (it may be a little pink in the middle still, that is good). For the dressing mix the sour cream, mayo, lime juice, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and a little cayenne. Flake the tuna and set aside. Mix the salad greens and tomatoes together, add the dressing sprinkle with the tomatoes, and tuna. Enjoy. This is without a doubt the tastiest prep for fish I know of. I just love it. Check out the nutrition info on it too. If you want to double the dressing it only adds 30 extra calories. Very good and you won't feel like you are missing anything.

Enjoy
Jake

Nutrition Facts
1 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories		190.7

Total Fat		2.4 g

	Saturated Fat	0.3 g

	Polyunsaturated Fat	0.2 g

	Monounsaturated Fat	0.0 g

Cholesterol		63.3 mg

Sodium		111.4 mg

Potassium		428.6 mg

Total Carbohydrate		18.6 g

	Dietary Fiber	2.3 g

	Sugars	5.0 g

Protein		28.3 g	Nutrition facts provided by Spark People Recipe Analyzer

Christmas Feather Rolls

2010-12-24T10:26:00.000-07:00

This is my favorite recipe for rolls it is super easy, and can be made with either white flour or whole wheat flour. I prefer 80% whole wheat 20 % whole oat flour. The trick to making really good rolls is two fold, first fresh yeast, second knead the dough enough to develop the gluten in the dough. I hope you enjoy these as much as I do.

9-10 cups flour
2-3 T instant yeast
1/2 c powdered milk (optional, I usually use it)
3 c warm water (120 to 130)
2/3 c canola oil
1/2 c honey
4 eggs
4 t salt

Mix 5 cups of flour, yeast, powdered milk, and sugar. Add the water and the oil, mix for 2-3 minutes. Let this mixture sponge for 15-30 minutes. After your mixture has sponged add eggs and salt. with mixer going add flour 1 cup at a time until the dough begins cleaning the bowl. This should still be a very soft tacky dough. If your dough gets too stiff add a little warm water. Knead the dough in a mixer for 7-10 minutes. If kneading my hand knead 12-18 minutes, this gives the rolls the good texture. Cover the dough and let it rest for 5-10 minutes after kneading. Shape the rolls. Let the rolls rise for 20 minutes in a warm area. I prefer 3 oz of dough per roll. If you make 3 oz rolls each batch should make 30 rolls. Bake rolls at 350 for 19-23 minutes. Rolls should be golden brown and sound hollow when tapped lightly. When you remove the rolls from the oven butter the tops lightly to give them a soft crust and a great flavor. Enjoy.

If you are not using instant yeast you will need to soften the yeast with 1/2 cup of the warm water ( not over 120 deg) and 1 t of the sugar for 5 minutes, then add in the recipe with the water.

Jake

Black Sesame Halibut

2010-12-22T15:17:00.000-07:00

This is one of my favorite ways to prepare halibut. The black sesame seeds can be found at almost any Asian grocery. They are traditionally used in sushi preparation.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Halibut portions as needed.
1/2 c. Black sesame seeds
1/2 c. Wheat flour
1T Cornstarch
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 t. Cayenne pepper
1 c buttermilk or 3 eggs

Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl. Place buttermilk in a bowl. Pat the halibut portions dry paper towel. Dreg the halibut in buttermilk, then in the sesame mixture. Place on a prepared sheet pan. At this point the halibut can be deep fried pan fried or baked. I prefer the baked taste. To bake place the oven and bake 8-15 minutes depending on the thickness of fish portions. Serve with lemon and your favorite fish dip.
Enjoy.

Ribs Ribs Ribs

2010-12-13T22:39:00.000-07:00

Today was an interesting experience. I cooked 100 racks of ribs using 2 turkey roasters and 9 slow cookers. It was quite an experience. I learned some valuable lessons. First, when cooking large quantities of meat leave plenty of room in the slow cookers. Second, when you buy your BBQ sauce, don't buy it from the restaurant unless you have containers for it. The restaurant packaging is a bag in a box that creates an amazing mess. At the end of the day it was an amazing success. The succulent meat was falling off the bone, every finger in the house was sticky, and every belly satisfied.

Pork Ribs

Racks of ribs as needed.
1 large onion
salt and pepper
BBQ sauce of choice

Season the ribs as desired. Place the racks of ribs in the slow cooker with the chopped onions. Cook on high for 1 hours and low for 4-6 hours until the meat is tender. Just before serving pull the ribs out of the slow cooker, and slather with BBQ sauce. Cook the ribs on a hot grill for 3-5 minutes on each side. Serve with stewed apples, and a wet nap.

Rising Comfort

2010-12-10T18:11:00.000-07:00

What is the most comforting smell to come home to at the end of a long day? Fresh baked warm, buttery bread. It has a way of calming my nerves and relaxing my muscles. The ritual of bread making has long been a form of meditation for me. Making fresh, hot bread is like relaxing in the sun on a warm summer day, or a chat with an old friend. It serves to calm my nerves, and relax my mind.

The aroma of the fresh ground flour is reminiscent of the smells in an old fashioned furniture shop; the smell of the hot wood just sawn, and the deep warmth of the sawdust. The warmth of the fresh ground flour helps the yeast to grow and develop the springy elasticity in each slice of bread. By grinding fresh flour I am safeguarding the quality of each new batch of bread.

Once the flour is ground, I begin mixing the dough, using enough water to create a texture similar to pancakes, this step is called sponging. Next I let the warm dough sponge; it looks like the bubbling mud pots in Yellowstone. The pungent smell of the yeast growing in flour is an almost acrid, yet pleasant aroma. Letting the dough sponge allows the yeast to grow, and helps provide a light yet supple loaf of bread. Sponging helps develop the gluten, or glue that holds the bread together, and gives it elasticity. The sponging period resembles early years in school; of learning and setting a foundation for the rest of our lives. The dough is setting a foundation of flavor, in addition to developing structure for the loaf of bread.

Once the dough has sponged, I further the development of the gluten by kneading the dough. The rhythmic pushing, pulling, and tugging to develop the gluten is like the process of repetition in learning. The more I knead the more the gluten or foundation of the bread will develop. It could be said that the kneading step in bread making is the most important aspect. The amount of kneading changes the texture bread dramatically; if the dough is kneaded too little the bread will crumble and fall apart. I know my dough is ready to rest, and rise for the first time when it forms a ball, and is very uniform and pliable.

The rest and rise period will ensure a silky light bread that melts in your mouth. While the dough rests it will rise and become easier to work and shape. Dough that is ready to shape has a very sensual feel; it’s soft, smooth, and just firm enough. The dough needs to be handled carefully think of it as a lover, if handled too roughly it will become tough and difficult to live with. Once shaped into loaves half the size I desire, they need to be left to rise until about double in size. I always cover the loaves so a crust doesn’t form that will prevent them from rising properly. The perfect temperature for dough to raise feels like sitting in front of a window after the sun rises on a summer day.

What is the best way to bake the bread? Though there are many ways to do it I like to start with a much hotter oven than I intend to bake the bread with. When pre-heating the oven, place a baking sheet on the lower rack of the oven. Once the oven temperature is fifty to seventy five degrees hotter than the intended baking temperature, place the loaves on the upper rack in the oven. Throw about one and a half to two cups of ice onto the baking sheet, and return the temperature of the oven to the desired baking temperature for the bread. This helps develop a crispy, crusty loaf of bread.

To achieve the correct doneness the loaves, should bake until there is a deep resonating thump when you tap them with the back of a spoon. If they sound solid then they will still be doughy in the middle. Once the bread is done cooking you should coat the crust with a thin layer of butter. This serves a dual purpose; it will soften the crust and change the ultimate flavor of the bread. Once the hot loaves are out of the oven buttered, and rested for about fifteen minutes, I like to cut into my loaf to experience comfort of a fresh soft aromatic slice of bread.

The wispy steam rising out of the loaf invokes the feelings from childhood, of going to grandma’s house, and having a slice of fresh hot buttered bread. The savory aroma of the bread and the comfort of being in a safe place at Grandma’s house are fond memories. Nothing compares to sharing a slice of warm homemade bread, with butter and fresh raspberry jam on it, and a tall glass of cold milk with your best friend.