My Food Style: Interstitial Cystitis Support, Recipes, and Community

Warm Vegetables with Herb filling and Chive Oil

Chef Daniel — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 04:00:38 +0000

Serves 4

Ingredients:

Roasted Vegetables

2 large russet potatoes

1 butternut squash

2 large red beets

Herb Filling

1 cup goat cheese (ricotta, or mascarpone will work)

¼ cup tarragon, chopped

1 tsp thyme

1 tsp garlic

Chive Oil

1 cup chives (must be fresh)

½ cup vegetable oil (olive oil will work)

Preheat your Oven to 350 degrees F.

Begin by rinsing the potatoes and beets. Peel the butternut squash by cutting off the ends leaving you with a 3 inch long cylinder. Hold the butternut squash tight, and cut length wise one side (¼ inch) making a flat bottom. Turn the squash so this flat cut is facing down, you can now safely cut length wise the other three sides. You should end up with a three inch long block of squash with no peel remaining. Now make ¼ inch slices until the squash is completely cut. You should get six pieces of squash 3 inches long, and two inches wide. Repeat this with both the potato and beets. The sizes won’t be perfect, but the intentions are to make layers of equal size vegetables.

Lay the vegetables on two baking sheets lined with aluminum foil, brush each piece with olive oil and season with salt. Bake these for 40 minutes.

Filling

Combine all the filling ingredients into a food processor and pulse for one minute. Refrigerate the filling until the vegetables are done baking.

Chive Oil

Use a blender to make this sauce. Toss in chives and oil and blend for one minute. Now strain the oil into a squeeze bottle. If you don’t have a squeeze bottle store the oil in the refrigerator in Tupperware and spoon onto the finished dish. This will be safe to eat for up to two weeks and could be tossed with any salad, and can be made with basil, tarragon, mint, and sage.

To construct this dish, simply layer each vegetable with the filing in between each layer then sauce using the chive oil. Enjoy.

TIP: Serve this dish warm, right out of the oven!

Zucchini Bread Muffins - For Vicki

Chef Daniel — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 03:25:54 +0000

Makes 10 Muffins

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cup flour (white flour, or wheat)
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs, beaten
1/8 cup water
1 cup zucchini, grated
1/2 cup nuts, chopped (walnuts or pecans)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

Start by sifting all the dry ingredients in one bowl. Now beat the eggs in a separate bowl and add the rest of the wet ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry, and mix well. Finally toss in the nuts and fold them into the batter.

Butter enough muffin pans to make 10 muffins. Using a dinner spoon scoop one big portion into each muffin hole, keep an eye on the portions, be sure they are all equal.

Bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick thats stuck in the middle comes out clean. Serve with a little butter.

Breakfast with Daniel: Big Flavor…No flares!!!

Chef Daniel — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 21:29:23 +0000

If you’re anything like me, you are afraid of clowns and eat breakfast less than three times a week. We are not alone in our fears, nor are we in our eating habits. More than 20 percent of Americans just don’t eat breakfast, which we all know is the most important meal of the day - especially if you have IC. Whether you eat a large dinner, or you just don’t enjoy eating breakfast, there are many reasons why millions sabotage their morning fuel intake. If your one who does not like eating breakfast, you can easily split it up into two smaller meals. Eat blueberries or a hardboiled egg at home (minus the yolk), and an hour or two later, sneak a pear and a handful of healthy nuts like almonds or walnuts.

On average it takes the body 8 hours to digest a meal, in those 8 hours the body will extract up to 90% of the nutrients. These nutrients may carry you through the night and they may even provide you enough energy to convince yourself you’re not hungry come breakfast. However it is important to remember this is the best way to ensure your getting the vitamins and minerals you need to make it through the day.

When I skip breakfast, I will usually hit a wall that leads to extreme hunger, which then leads to a lack of discipline and ultimately leads me to stuffing my face as if I were the hot dog eating champion of the world. Okay, I do confess that sometimes it’s salty food and sometimes it’s sweet…nevertheless, it creates a craving for things that just aren’t good for you. This panic is why many with IC flare up and assume it’s just better to not eat at all, but this method of avoiding flares leaves your body malnourished, and your brain foggy as if your watching “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire!” Pity there is no influx of cash flow on the days you do devour your breakfast…

Not eating breakfast is as serious a problem as wearing socks with sandals. You may have your reasons for avoiding breakfast AND ignoring good fashion sense, but there is no reason to deprive yourself of a healthy morning meal that won’t irritate your bladder. This is quick and simple! A healthy breakfast would consist of protein and fiber. You can get your protein from low fat meats, eggs, beans or dairy and the fiber can be found in vegetables, whole grains, and fruits. So throw away your excuses, suppress your fears (especially of clowns) and talk your kids into trying some of this before you rush them off to school.

Come to my table on this beautiful morning and join me in a delicious:

Spinach Mushroom Egg White Omelet with Cheese, Blueberry Jam on Crispy Toast and Mint Scented Chamomile Tea

4 egg whites

½ cup mushrooms, sliced

1 cup fresh spinach

1 tablespoon butter or olive oil

1 tablespoon chives, minced

1/8 cup mild cheddar cheese

Pinch of kosher salt

Heat a small sauce pan over medium heat and add the butter/oil. When the butter/oil is hot, sauté the mushrooms and salt for three minutes, then add the spinach. Separate the egg whites and whisk for 30 seconds.

When the spinach has wilted, add the eggs to the pan and turn the pan so egg whites can cover the entire surface. Let the egg cook from the bottom up without turning. When very little moisture is left on top, fold the egg in half and transfer to your plate. Top with fresh chives and cheese.

Holly’s “Ain’t Missing Nothing Salad”

Chef Daniel — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 16:15:31 +0000

This recipe comes from Holly in Texas!

Ingredients:

Organic Mixed Baby Greens
1/4 cup Crumbled Feta Cheese
1 Tbl Organic Raw Sunflower Seeds
1 Chopped Pear
1 Tbl Dill, chopped
3 each Basil Leaves, chopped
1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
Black Pepper***
2 tsp. Olive Oil

Mix all the ingredients together with the olive oil in a large bowl, toss very well. Serve with crispy bread, or some pasta.

Pear Preserves

Chef Daniel — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 16:52:27 +0000

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup sugar
3 cups water
8 medium pears
1 1/2 cup sugar

Combine the first measure of sugar and water; boil for 2 minutes. Add diced pears and boil (very slowly) for 15 minutes. Add the remaining sugar. Stir until sugar dissolves. Boil gently until fruit is clear, about 25 minutes. Cover and let stand for 12 to 24 hours in a cool place. Pack fruit into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Adjust caps. Boiling the filled jars in water for 5 minutes. Remove jars; cool and store.

Fennel Stuffed Pork Loin, Apple Glaze and Red Chard

Chef Daniel — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 03:47:04 +0000

Fennel Stuffing

1 apple, small dice (any apple)
½ fennel bulb, small dice
1 tsp fresh basil, chopped
1 tsp fresh sage, chopped
1 tsp lemon zest, (use juice if you can cook with it) ***
1 Tbl olive oil
¼ cup bread crumbs (dry any bread you can eat at 250 degrees for 20 minutes, and then blend)

Sauté all ingredients (besides bread crumbs) until the apple and fennel are softened.

Transfer to a food processor and add the bread crumbs, then pulse seven times.

Pork Roast

1pork tenderloin, 12 ounces (3/4 lbs)
All of the fennel stuffing
2 Tbl salt

Peheat the oven to 375.

Butterfly the pork by cutting the middle of the loin length wise almost in half. Do not cut all the way through; stop ¾ of the way and then fold the loin open. Using plastic wrap, cover the loin, then using a heavy sauté pan, smack the loin a few times to flatten a little more.

Smear the stuffing covering the interior of the loin. Fold the loin over itself and tie the ends tight using butcher twine (ask the meat department for 5 feet). Make another tie every few inches until the stuffing is secure in the loin. It’s okay if a little stuffing is exposed.

Roast in a roasting pan for 90 minutes or until the center reaches 160 degrees on the meat thermometer.

Set the roasted pork to rest for ten minutes while you make the apple glaze.

Place the roasting pan on the stove top over medium-high heat; add all the ingredients below and stir until all the bits stuck to the pan are free. Turn off the heat and enjoy.

1 apple, peeled and diced
1/2 cup of the reserved pear juice
3 tbsp. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon***
1/2 tsp. ground ginger***

Sautéed Red Chard

1 head red chard, rough chopped
1 Tbl garlic, fresh
1 Tbl olive oil
Salt to taste

Heat the oil over medium-high heat and sauté the garlic and red chard until the greens are softened.

Beet Greens Salad

Chef Daniel — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 02:49:12 +0000

Start by removing the greens from the top of the red beets only. Rinse and save these for the salad.

Roasted Beets

8 small beets (any color)
2 Tbl olive oil
1 tsp salt

Cover a small baking dish with foil and roast at 375 for 50 min. Reserve the liquid left in the pan when the beets are finished roasting.

Remove the beets from the oven and allow them to cool. Once they have cooled, slice the beets into 1/4 inch slices and serve with the baked mozzarella and beet greens.

Baked Mozzarella

8 layers phyllo dough (found near pastry dough in the local grocery store)
1 Tbl butter, melted
4 oz fresh mozzarella,

Butter a baking sheet large enough to hold the mozzarella.

Lay down 4 sheets of phyllo, brushing melted butter on each layer. Now set the mozzarella on top of the phyllo and fold the edges of the phyllo up around the cheese. Cover top of cheese with the other 4 sheets of phyllo, brushing melted butter on each layer. Tuck the loose ends of pastry under the cheese.

Sauté over medium heat for three minutes on each side. Place in the oven at 375 for three minutes. Enjoy.

Beet Greens

Toss the beet greens you picked from the red beets and toss with the reserved beet roasting liquid along with 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil. Salt to taste.

SERVE TOGETHER

Poached Pears in Vanilla Crema

Chef Daniel — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 02:25:31 +0000

Candy Almonds

½ cup water
1 cup white sugar
½ cup whole almonds

Toss all ingredients in a sauce pot. Boil for 10 min until it turns into syrup. Transfer to wax paper and separate using a fork. Do this very quickly or the almonds will stick together.

Poached Pears

1 pear
32 oz of pear juice
1 cinnamon stick

Bring to a boil then lower heat to as low as the stove top goes. Submerge pears using a normal dinner plate just small enough to fit the pot. Let the pears sit in the hot liquid for 1 hour.

TIP: pour the pear juice back in the bottle, it will be delicious for up to a week.

Vanilla Mascarpone

½ cup mascarpone
1 tsp honey
½ tsp vanilla extract

Mix all together. Keep cool until ready to serve.

TIP: Top this off with fresh blueberries.

Mahi Mahi Tacos

Chef Daniel — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:25:02 +0000

Makes 4 - Serves 2

Ingredients:

4 corn tortillas (any tortilla will work)
1 - 8 oz mahi mahi filet (salmon, sea bass, shrimp, and halibut will work)
1/4 cup red bell pepper, minced (any bell pepper or cucumber will work)
1/2 cup queso fresco
4 romaine leaves

Preheat the grill to 400 degrees, or medium-high

Season the mahi mahi with salt and any spice you can eat, I like cumin and paprika, and grill both sides for 6 minutes.

When you remove the mahi mahi, place four corn tortillas on the grill for 2 minutes each side. Keep a watch, they will burn quickly.

Serve the mahi mahi in four portions mixed with the other ingredients.

TIP: Serve this with guacamole.

Brown Butter Walnut Sauece

Chef Daniel — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 04:39:32 +0000

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1/2 stick unsalted butter
2 tablespoons walnuts, chopped
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Heat a small sauté pan over medium-high heat. Place both the walnuts and butter in the pan and sauté. The butter will slowly turn golden brown, turn the heat off and remove from the stove. Be sure to leave the butter in the pan, you want the color to turn a rich brown color. Add the salt and serve.