Going Vegetarian?

 

Black bean burger and baby spinach on a bun with sweet potato fries.

Lately I've been toying with the idea of going vegetarian.  Not forever, but maybe try it for a month or so... but in the end, I usually decide I enjoy meat too much.  So instead, I've made the decision to limit my meat intake and try out new vegetarian dishes to add some variety.  Why not, right?

Taking meat out of dishes like pastas and pizza is not hard, but I wanted to go further than that.  I decided to start out trying to make black bean burgers.  I wasn't sure how they would taste or how the texture would be because I had never had them before.  I'm happy to report that they were great!  Well, the second time I made them they were great... the first time I accidentally went overboard on the spices and the burger was so spicy I couldn't enjoy it.  The second time, I toned down the spice a lot and also tried using a food processor during the burger making process.  Both of these changes made the burgers much better.  Doug had found a great black bean burger recipe here, so we used that recipe to go off of.  We edited it a bit, so the recipe at the bottom of this post is the actual version we used. 

And what goes better with a burger than fries?  In order to keep this meal on the healthy side, we opted to make baked sweet potato fries.  Our grocery store only had sweet potatoes labeled "yams," which after some research we learned in most supermarkets in America, what is labeled yams, is in fact a sweet potato.  Usually to actually get a yam, you have to go to a market with a large international market and they will clearly be labeled as imported.  So after we finished our sweet potato/yam research, I sliced them all up into steak fries.  In a bowl we tossed them with a drizzle of EVOO, salt, pepper and garlic.  Then we covered a baking sheet with tin foil (easy clean-up) and sprayed with a non-stick spray.  We laid them out in a single layer and cooked them at 425 degrees for 25 minutes, turning them after the 15 minute mark.

Black Bean Burgers
Ingredients
1 can (15 oz.) Black beans (or 2 cups of cooked black beans)
3/4 of a medium Onion (cut the onion in half, and then each of those in quarters, add 6 quarters)
1/2 c. Rolled oats
1 egg
1 tbsp. Chili powder
1/2 tsp. Cayenne pepper
1 tbsp. Black pepper
Salt to taste
1/4 c. Bread crumbs (plain)


Instructions
1. Combine the beans, onion, oats, egg, chili powder, cayenne pepper, black pepper and salt to a food processor.  Pulse until chunky.  Do NOT puree.
2. The mixture may be very liquidity, if it is, remove to a mixing bowl, and gradually mix in bread crumbs (you may not need the whole 1/4 cup) with your hands.  Mix until you are able to form a patty.
3. Form 4 patties with the mixture (you can make more if you want them smaller).
4. In a pre-heated non-stick skillet, at medium heat, place the patties in.  Flip once the bottom of the burgers have a crust formed on them, approx. 5 minutes.  Continue to cook until both sides have formed a crust.  Remove and serve as you wish!

The ease and deliciousness of this meal makes it a go-to meal for after work or a weekend lunch.  Plus, this is a super cheap meal to make, which is always nice.  It has definitely helped inspire me to find more vegetarian dishes!

Cold Outside, Chili Inside

On a day where snow is falling and piling up outside, there is little I find as comforting as good bowl of chili.  I had never really ate chili before, but tried it when I first went skiing about 4 years ago.  After a very long day of a lot of falling down, all I wanted to do was sit in the lodge and have a beer.  It seemed as if everyone was eating chili out of a bread bowl and it looked so good, so I ordered it.  It was delicious, and as I swore I would never ski again, I also decided I need to start eating more chili.  The following year my friends were planning another ski trip, so I went and opted to try snowboarding.  I fared better on a board than on skis, but it was still a long day of falling down and again, I found comfort in the ski lodge's chili (and beer).  Since then, I've actually gotten pretty good at snowboarding, now very little falling down, but I still look forward to that warm, comforting bowl of chili when I'm done. 

This year, since it seemed to get so cold so early into winter, I tried and succeeded in making my own turkey chili.  It was perfect for when we were snowed in after Christmas and lasted a few days.  I had looked up a bunch of recipes and decided to start with one that was posted on the Food Network website and then add in a few things that I saw in other recipes.  At the time when I made my first batch, I did not own a crock-pot, so I had to make it in a regular pot on the stove.  Since then, I now have a crock-pot and have made the same recipe in it, and it comes out just as good.  The crock-pot is a bit easier because I didn't stir it or constantly walk over there to make sure it didn't get too hot or boil.  And also in the crock-pot, once it was done, I was able to keep it on the warm setting for quite some time, which was nice.  I'd like to also add that while this recipe calls for ground turkey, I one time substituted it with ground chicken and it came out just as good, so if your grocery store, like mine, is lacking in meat department, feel free to switch it up. 

Everytime I have made this chili it comes out delicious and is also very cheap to make.  Once you have the all spices/seasonings, your biggest expense is buying the meat.  What I like to do is see when ground turkey or chicken is on sale and buy a few packages of it.  I then keep them in my freezer so I have them on hand and feel great knowing I saved money on them.  If you have the meat, spices/seasonings, you can make a whole batch of chili for about $5 (depending on your grocery store).  Again, especially with canned goods like tomatoes and kidney beans, if you buy them on sale and have them in your pantry, it's a great way to save money and make quick, cheap meals.  Here's the recipe I ended up using (adopted from the Food Network recipe):

Ingredients
1 Tbsp. Olive oil
1 c. Yellow Onion - chopped
1 Tbsp. Garlic - minced
1/4 c. Green bell pepper - chopped
1 lb. Ground turkey
1 (28 oz.) Can of crushed tomatoes, undrained
1 (16 oz.) Can of red kidney beans, drained & rinsed
1 Tbsp. Chili powder
1 Tbsp. Sugar
2 c. Low-sodium chicken stock
1/2 tsp. Garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp. Sea salt
1 tsp. Dried basil*
1/2 tsp. Cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. Paprika
1 tsp. Hot sauce (optional)

Directions
1. In a large skillet (or I use the large pot I plan to cook the chili in), saute the onions, minced garlic and bell peppers in the olive oil on medium heat, until the onions are translucent.
2. Add the ground turkey and cook until browned.
3. If using a crock-pot, transfer the contents of the skillet to the crock-pot and add all remaining ingredients.  Set the crock-pot on low and stir well to combine.  If you are not using a crock-pot, reduce heat to low add all remaining ingredients to the skillet/pot and stir well to combine.
4. Let simmer on low for 1 hour.
5. This is optional but you can top each bowl with some shredded cheddar cheese and/or sour cream if you like.  Enjoy!

Here's a picture of mine in the pot (once with flash, once without flash):

*Instead of using dried basil, I keep some frozen "fresh" basil leaves that my mom grows in her garden.  She, very kindly, picks them for me and puts them in a ziploc bag that I keep in my freezer.  It's great to have on hand!

Eat Your Greens!

My new favorite lunch salad

Two of my 2011 new year's resolutions were: (1) be able to run the Warrior race wearing shorts & a sports bra (so really: eating healthy and working out) and (2) save more money/become better at managing my money.  One way I hope to accomplish both of those goals is by bringing a healthy lunch to work everyday.  I'm actually one of the few people I know my age that brings my lunch to work.  Working in Times Square, buying lunch can cost anywhere from $5 (Subway footlong) to $15, and it's crazy to think of what you can spend if you buy it everyday.  So usually, I brown bag it - either leftovers from dinner, a salad, a sandwich, and sometimes, when I overspend on the weekends, a good ol' pb&j.  And usually, I'm satisfied with that.  But sometimes I get bored with that and just feel like having something different, which is how I felt last Monday - the very first day I was putting my resolution into effect.  Also, I hadn't gone food shopping, I was too busy celebrating 2011!  So I had to go buy my lunch.

I went to Pret A Manger near my office and got my favorite wrap, the spicy shrimp and cilantro wrap.  It's delicious and is only 290 calories!  I kept thinking that the wrap is so good and does not have a lot of calories, so it's worth buying.  But it's about $8, which is more than what I would like to spend daily on my lunch.  So I decided, I will take this wrap and make a salad inspired from it.  Then I can have it for lunch or even with my dinner if I desire.  So that's what I did.  And I've eaten about 3 times for lunch so far (not bad for 6 days!). 

Making the shrimp for this salad is what took me the longest time to do.  I, in a rush, bought the frozen shrimp that was on sale, with out really realizing that it was still shelled and raw.  Usually, I prefer the one where they're all ready to go and just have to be defrosted (which is what I would recommend).  So I removed the shells from my shrimp, and then seasoned them with some salt and pepper and tossed them into a frying pan.  I simply used a non-stick frying pan, so I didn't add any oil/butter/spray to it.  I let them cook on the stove on a med-low to heat until they looked done (all pink, shaped like a "C"), not too long.  I then let them cool.  In the mean time, I gathered my other items: baby spinach, cilantro, a red pepper and a cucumber.  The baby spinach I simply opened and took out the amount I needed (I trust that it was washed, but give it a rinse if it looks suspect).  I then rinsed and chopped my cilantro.  I didn't chop it too well, because I wanted some bigger pieces in my salad, but you can use your discretion.  Then I cut the cucumber and red pepper into bite size pieces.  What I like to do, to save time during the week, is cut up everything and put them in separate tupperware.  Then when you're making your salad, you simply have to just reach into different containers and throw them in your bowl - super easy!  For dressing, I was able to find sweet chili sauce in the Asian section of my supermarket.  I found that even though it's not a dressing, you can use a tablespoon or less (depending on the size of your salad) and it will lightly coat everything.  I pack my dressing separately from my salad, so I just brought a lot the first time and I brought my salad to work and leave it in the refrigerator here.  It makes it much easier and then I can put some on right before I eat. 

This salad is my new favorite lunch to eat.  It's delicious, refreshing and healthy - perfect for keeping up with resolutions! 

No Soup For You!

Just kidding! Fall is my favorite season, I love the cool weather, the colors and all the warm, comforting food. One of my favorites is soup... on a Sunday... watching football in my sweats... curled up on the couch... with a good book for half-time. Luckily for me, that's pretty much how I spent this past Sunday. Now, don't get me wrong, I love football Sundays filled with beer, wings, fried anything, and more beer. But sometimes, I just want to relax. And after a busy 2 months of completely booked weekends, that's exactly what I did. However, later on in the day, after Doug and I broke in our deep fryer with fish & chips (we'll save that for another day), I decided I want to make my own butternut squash soup.

So I searched around for recipes, found one I liked, and headed out to the store. My ingredients were all pretty cheap (luckily I had the spices on hand) and this soup made enough to last me all week! I was able to fill 5 tupperware containers, each with about 2 cups of soup in them - which for me, is great for lunch. The soup itself was also very easy to make, although my "mise en place" of all my veggies took some time - and left me with a blister on my finger (thank you butternut squash!). The soup came out delicious AND, it weighs in at only 159 calories per 1-1/4 cup serving. Not bad at all!

After I made this, I saw a post (I wish I remembered to save it), where someone served soup out of pumpkin bowls. I immediately loved the idea and thought this soup would be perfect for that! Just pick up the amount of small baking pumpkins (or acorn squash), cut the tops open for the bowl. Scoop out the seeds and all the fibers and sprinkle with a bit of sugar and salt. On a baking sheet, roast them for about 25-30 minutes at 400 degrees (longer for larger pumpkins). Viola! Not only will you have a great soup in a cool bowl, but no dishes to be washed when you're done! Also, for a larger group, you can use a larger pumpkin, pour in all the soup, put a ladle in and let your guests serve themselves. A great idea for Thanksgiving :)

Ok, now time for the recipe. I got this recipe from a Taste of Home Cookbook my mom bought me last year (it's my go-to cookbook and I would recommend it for all, buy it here). I actually changed a few small things, so below is the version I actually used.

Ingredients
1 c. Onion - chopped
2 Celery ribs (stalks) - chopped
2 tbsp. Butter
2 cans (14.5 oz each) + 2 tbsp. Reduced sodium Chicken Broth
1 tsp. Sugar
1 Bay leaf
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. Ground turmeric
1/4 tsp. Ground cinnamon
1 Butternut squash (approx. 3 lbs) - peeled, seeded & cubed (this is how I got my blister)
3 Potatoes (medium sized) - peeled & cubed
1 1/2 c. 1% Milk

Instructions
1. Coat a large saucepan with cooking spray and cook the onion, celery and butter until the onions and the celery are tender.
2. Stir in the 2 cans of broth, sugar, bay leaf, salt, nutmeg, turmeric and cinnamon.
3. After about 1-2 minutes, add the squash and potatoes and bring to a boil.
4. Once it has come to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for approx. 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
5. Remove from the heat and cool slightly. Discard the bay leaf.
6. In a blender, puree the mixture in batches. (I held my pureed mixture in a bowl while I pureed in batches.) Return all of pureed vegetables to the saucepan.
7. Stir in the 2 tbsp. of broth and the milk. Heat through, but do NOT bring it to a boil.

This recipe yields approx. 10 cups of soup, and thanks to Taste of Home, there is nutritional information for each 1 1/4 cup serving:
Nutritional Analysis: 1-1/4 cups equals 159 calories, 4 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 10 mg cholesterol, 487 mg sodium, 29 g carbohydrate, 6 g fiber, 5 g protein.


Enjoy! Here's a picture of my finished soup (not plated though since it went straight into tupperware):

Crunch!

While bikini season is almost over, I still have a few more weekends that require me in a bathing suit. Only problem is, my desire to look good in a bikini directly conflicts with my love of chips, popcorn, crackers, pretzels and crunchy snack foods in general. For some reason, when I crave junk foods, I don't crave a specific flavor, instead, I know I want something that will crunch. So when I heard about kale chips, I was intrigued. Do they really get that crunchy in the oven? And even if they do, will they even taste good? Kale is extremely nutritious and filling, so if this will work as a yummy, crunchy snack, I can munch on them guilt-free! So, on my way home from work before the weekend, I stopped by the store and picked up some fresh kale, and was ready to go. Making the chips was pretty quick and very easy. They did crisp up and prove to be very tasty! Doug said they "weren't his thing," but what does he know anyway? I enjoyed them. After making them, I read some other recipes/reviews online, and found that if you leave them in the oven for too long, they will become so crispy that they crumble and fall apart. While my chips didn't fully crumble, after biting into them, some of them made a bit of a mess with all the crumbs. So now, I'm thinking perhaps I should've removed them from the oven a minute or two earlier. However, they were still very enjoyable. I also read that some people like to add more flavoring, such as cheese or garlic, which sounds like it would be delicious. While I don't think you need the extra flavors, I do agree that it would probably taste very good.

All in all, I was happy with the result. One head of kale made a lot of chips, so come Sunday, I was still snacking away on them (fyi - I didn't keep them in the fridge, just in a bowl with seran wrap, a ziploc bag would work fine too). See below for recipe & photos. Crunch away!

Kale Chips

Ingredients

1 Head of kale

1 Tbsp. olive oil (I didn't measure this, I just used enough to be able to toss all the leaves in it)

Sea salt to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.

2. Cut the Kale off of the stems and tougher rib areas. Cut into manageable, chips size pieces. Wash with cold water and run through a salad spinner. Make sure leaves are dry.

3. In a large bowl, toss the kale in with the olive oil.

4. Spread the coated kale on to a baking sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle sea salt over the pieces (as much or as little as you like).

5. Bake for about 20 minutes or until crisp and the edges start to brown. Enjoy!

Right out of the oven...

And into the bowl!

Healthy, Summer Turkey Burgers

Summer in NYC this year has been HOT, I mean, way hotter than any other summer I can remember. Living in an apartment, it makes turning on the oven painful. Even having the stove on seems to make our living room feel 20 degrees hotter. While dreams of a backyard growing fresh herbs and vegetables, a giant grill and outdoor kitchen set up dance in my head, I have still been cooking and baking in the apartment, just not as often as I would like too. To make it better, I have been choosing meals (and the occasional treats) that are faster to make. One of those things, is turkey burgers.

Normally, when Doug and I make burgers, he handles it. He is a man, he cooks red meat while his Gears of War video game is paused, that's what men do. Or so he tells me. I usually have no objection to this, as I lay on the couch, read and then just eat what is presented to me. He does make an awesome burger. But this time, I wanted to do it. I had caught part of a Rachael Ray episode over the weekend where she made turkey burgers with fresh herbs and I was inspired.

So on the way home from the gym (I find that the best time to go food shopping, I only want healthy things!), I stopped at the grocery store to pick up my ingredients. I picked up great whole wheat buns, as well as 93% lean ground turkey, which I would have liked to go leaner, but the selection at the store was not the best. For my fresh herbs, I decided to go with parsley, cilantro and dill. I felt the citrus-y flavor of cilantro will also bring out the subtle citrus & sweet flavor in the dill, and the savory parsley will be a nice addition to it. For your herbs, feel free to choose what you like best!

Because ground turkey is lean, it is easy to let it dry out when cooking. That is why you want to add a lot of fresh herbs, they will help keep it moist. For the 1.3 lbs of ground turkey, I added a little less than a 1/4 cup of each chopped herb. Also, to maintain moisture, I added a tablespoon of dijon mustard. Sprinkle with salt & pepper and mix it up - mix enough so everything is incorporated, but then do not keep mixing. Form the patties (I was able to form 6 decent sized patties) and throw them on your grill - or in my case, grill pan*! I served them with a slice of vegan cheese (mozzarella flavor), on the whole wheat buns I bought, with a nice slice of tomato. The whole burger had a fresh, crisp feeling to it, perfect for a hot summer day! Also, since it was only Doug and I eating, I saved the extra patties by wrapping them in plastic wrap and putting them in the fridge. If you want to reserve them longer than 3 days (that's my limit), put them in the freezer instead.

*Before putting on the grill pan, make sure it's hot! Also, I pour some vegetable or canola oil on a paper towel and use to spread over my grill pan so it is very lightly greased.

Some patties before they hit the grill:

After a bite or two:

DIY: Granola Bars

I found this recipe a while ago, when looking up treats that featured peanut butter for a LOST party. Before that, I had never realized how easy it was to make your own granola bars. These are great for snacks or a on-the-run breakfast. They will also stay for at least a week if in sealed package. This recipe was a Giada recipe that I slightly altered after reading some reviews:

Peanut Butter Granola Bars

Ingredients

-Vegetable cooking spray

-1 Egg white

-1/2 cup Chunky peanut butter

-1/3 cup Brown sugar

-1/4 cup Honey

-5 Tbsp. unsalted butter*, melted

-2 cups Old fashioned oats

-1/4 cup Slivered almonds

-1/3 cup Miniature chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and position oven rack in the middle.

2. Spray a 7 x 11 baking pan with the vegetable cooking spray. Lay parchment paper in the pan, allowing excess paper to hang over the sides. Spray the paper lightly with the vegetable cooking spray.

3. In a medium bowl, beat the egg white until frothy. Stir in the peanut butter, brown sugar and honey. Add the melted butter, oats and almonds. Stir to combine, and then add the chocolate chips.

4. Spread the mixture into the prepared baking pan with a rubber spatula. Press lightly to form an even layer. Bake for approximately 15 minutes, when the edges begin to brown.

5. Remove from the oven and let cool for at least 1 hour. When thoroughly cool, cut and serve.

*If not stated, use unsalted butter in baking recipes. This way, you are controlling the salt in the recipe, not the company that processed your butter.