Sporkful Sauteed Broccoli

I have about an hour commute round trip each day.  I use those 5 hours each week to listen to podcasts--one of my favorites of which is The Sporkful (it's not for foodies, it's for eaters).  At the end of each Year, The Sporkful asks listeners to call in with their new year's food resolutions--the things they resolve to eat MORE of.  Last year, my thing was BREAKFAST, since I am a notorious breakfast skipper. It was hugely successful--I ate breakfast all but two days last year.  So, this year, I resolved to eat more veggies.

During one episode of The Sporkful, the host Dan Pashman noted that his favorite way to cook broccoli (specifically, broccoli stems) was to thinly slice them, saute them in duck fat, and then season with Maggi sauce.

My mouth started watering.  Duck fat has that effect on me, ever since the famous duck fat fries at the The Delachaise bar in New Orleans.

So, I hopped on Amazon & bought a jar of duck fat, and bottle of Maggi sauce, and anxiously waited for the mail to arrive.

As soon as they showed up, I ran out & bought some broccoli.

Now, I didn't exclude the florets, like Pashman had suggested, but rather tried to make "broccoli spears", so that each small floret had a thin slice of stem.  I also added a little garlic and ginger, because I love me some garlic & ginger.

It did not disappoint.  Perfectly salty and fatty, while still feeling somewhat healthy because it's fresh broccoli.  You can serve with just about anything, but I did a pan-seared chicken breast.

INGREDIENTS: (makes 4 servings)
1 Tbsp duck fat
1 tsp minced ginger (I buy the small tubes of ginger paste in the produce section)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small head of broccoli, as "thinly sliced" as you can manage with florets still attached
Maggi sauce to taste (about 1 Tbsp)
black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:
In a large skillet, heat the duck fat, ginger, and garlic over medium heat until your kitchen starts to smell amazing (about 1-2 minutes).  Then add the broccoli and toss to coat.  Cover the pan with a glass lid to help the broccoli steam.  After about 5 minutes, add the Maggi sauce and toss well, and cover again, stirring occasionally.  After another 5 minutes, the broccoli should be tender.  Serve hot & season with cracked black pepper.

NutriFacts: (per serving)

• Calories55.0
• Total Fat3.5 g
• Saturated Fat1.1 g
• Polyunsaturated Fat0.5 g
• Monounsaturated Fat1.6 g
• Cholesterol3.3 mg
• Sodium390.7 mg
• Potassium253.5 mg
• Total Carbohydrate4.5 g
• Dietary Fiber2.3 g
• Sugars1.3 g
• Protein2.9 g

Boudin Crusted Jumbo Shrimp

So, this idea was inspired by St. Patrick's Day and a delicious sounding recipe from Raised on a Roux.  The St. Paddy's idea was a boudin Scotch egg, while Genet made an andouille crusted shrimp.  Both sounded delicious, but think I started wondering--has anyone ever made a boudin-crusted shrimp?  After a quick Google search, it appears the answer is "no"...

UNTIL NOW.

Heads up--this is a messy recipe, and the boudin can get a bit crumbly, so prepare to get a little frustrated.  Also--PREP NOTE: You need to chill the crusted shrimp in the fridge for about 30 minutes to an hour to help the boudin crust set up, otherwise it will start to crumble when you're pan-frying.  But the end result is SO tasty.

INGREDIENTS: (makes 8 jumbo shrimp)
2 links boudin, removed from the casing (we use Zummo's with is the most common one found outside of Louisiana)
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
1/2 cup panko
8 jumbo shrimp, peeled, tails on
olive or coconut oil for frying (add as needed)

DIRECTIONS:
Combine the boudin and egg in a small dish and mix well. In a separate dish, combine the breadcrumbs and panko. 
Then grab a handful of the boudin mixture, place a shrimp in the middle, and then squeeze your palm lightly to wrap the boudin around it.  Add more if needed to fully cover the shrimp.  If too loose, squeeze some of the egg out.  Then gently set into the breading mixture, shake the bowl to coat the sides, and then use a spoon to make sure the shrimp is fully coated.  Then gently place onto a sheet pan.  Repeat until you run out of shrimp or boudin.  Then place the coated shrimp in the fridge for about 30 minutes to an hour to help them set up.

Meanwhile, heat up a small skillet and add your cooking oil of choice. (I like to use a small skillet because it takes less oil to get about a 1/4 inch of oil in the pan.  You can cook up to 4 shrimp at a time with the small skillet.

Once the oil is hot, place up to 4 shrimp in the pan (again, gently--the boudin always seems to want to crumble because the rice is only par-cooked) and fry until golden, then flip.  Once golden on both sides, you can brown on the "back" side of the shrimp.  Then remove from the pan and place on paper towels to remove the excess oil.
These would make a great appetizer, or you can have them for dinner like we did.  Serve with "shrimp boil style veggies"--we did fresh Missouri sweet corn and red potatoes, but you could do mushrooms, onions, etc.

Daniel Fast Day 13: Bruschetta & a Cajun Veggie Boil!

Today’s Devotion:  “Day 13- Heirs Of Salvation-- Hebrews 1: 13-14  ‘But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool? Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?’
Romans 8: 16-17 ‘The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.  And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.’

When we entered into covenant relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ we became partakers of His glorious inheritance. As heirs everything He has belongs to us & we have access to it at any time. This is so powerful at work in His saints that He will dispatch angels to go ahead of us & prepare the way for his purposes to be fulfilled in his saints. I believe that at our command we can release an angelic host over cities or nations to prepare atmospheres for the presence of the Lord. Principalities & powers are already submissive to the Lord because of His victory over them at Calvary. So if there are some changes that need to take place or doors that have been closed that need to be opened for you, remember you’re an heir of God so release this angelic host by your decree & see the Salvation of God.”

Powerful words, especially when you find yourself feeling out of control and at the end of your rope.  All you have to do is ask.  Though I think it’s also important to spend time focusing on the blessings you’ve already been given, and thanking Him for those, lest we end up being unappreciative.  So many times we only find the time to pray when we need something.  I try to make sure to find time to just spend time thanking him for having a job I love, having a great family and friends, an awesome husband, paid off debts, surviving the first season of The Scoop…

Today was a nice day—we got to sleep in a little bit, I finished reading two books that I’ve been working on for a while.  Then I helped the Hubs bottle up his homebrew that he started 3 weeks ago:

48 bottles of American bock.  Can’t wait to try it!

Aaaaand after that… we were pretty lazy.  And it was AWESOME.

Breakfast: Leftover veggie minestrone

Lunch:  a small serving of leftover salsa rice, and then some yummy homemade bruschetta with Triscuits!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 Roma tomato, diced
• 1/4 cup minced red onion
• 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tsp minced basil
• 1 tsp minced oregano
• salt & pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS: 

Mix all of the components together, and let rest for 30 minutes or overnight so the flavors can come together,  Then serve!

 

Dinner:  Again…this is a CAJUN food blog… and we’re still tired of beans.  So, I decided to have a SHRIMP BOIL!!!  …without the shrimp. 

Yup, a dinner of just the sides.  YUM.

INGREDIENTS:

• 3-4 large red potatoes, halved or quartered
• 8 oz white mushrooms
• 4 ears corn, halved
• 1 onion, quartered
• 4-6 garlic cloves, halved
• 1 lemon, quartered
• 1 bag Crab Boil
• 1 tbsp Liquid Crab Boil
• 1 tsp cayenne (optional – you can add more or less to your taste)
• Cajun Seasoning

DIRECTIONS:

Fill a large pot with about 3 quarts of water, place over High heat, and add both of the crab boils, garlic, lemons, and onions.  When the water starts to simmer, add the corn & potatoes & cook for about 15-20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.  Add the mushrooms when you have about 5 minutes of cook time left.

Serve up on newspaper, and sprinkle with Cajun seasoning.  Dig in!  (and wash your hands after you finish eating—lest you end up with capsaicin in your eye.)

Roasted Beets & Potatoes

 

I have a confession. I have never, ever, cooked beets before. I was one of those people who was exposed to pickled beets at a young age and officially decided, “um…nope.  These are not for me.”  Likewise, I of course assumed that ALL beets tasted like pickled beets.  My husband LOVES pickled beets.  I try not to hold that against him.

I did start to warm to the idea of beets thanks to Dwight Schrute on The Office.  I didn’t crave them, mind you…I was just enlightened to all the wonders OF beets.  But I still wasn’t cooking them.

And then Pinterest came along, and showed me this GORGEOUS photo of beet “raw-violi”, which is just precious and gorgeous…and somewhat appealing.  Okay, okay…maybe beets aren’t all bad.

And then…there was Babsy.  My dear friend who knows all about gardening and composting and making things like kombucha. 

This stuff scares the crap outta me.

She grew beets, and gave me beets.  So I had beets. In my fridge.  Waiting for some sort of revelation from God as to what in the WORLD to make with beets.  Aside from pickled beets, which was entirely out of the question.

And then finally, I just decided, “you know what?  They’re a root vegetable.  I bet they go well with other root vegetables.”

Not exactly a revelation, but it’s a step!  And you know what?  Apparently there’s some stock in my “like with like” hypothesis, because it was totally delicious, and extremely easy.

Ingredients:

4 red potatoes, washed & cubed

4 beets, washed & quartered

1 onion, cut into 1/2 inch rings, then halved

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp fresh rosemary, minced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp salt

 

Ya gotta admit…that’s a gorgeous color.  And it pairs well with the red skins on the potatoes.

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 475F.  Place your veggies in a 9x13 casserole dish and sprinkle with the seasonings, then drizzle the oil over top, and toss.  The red juices from the beets will probably mix onto your potatoes & onions, but it actually ends up making them really pretty—if you have a finicky kid who likes pink, this could be a good way to get some extra veggies in their system.

Roast in the oven for 15 minutes, then stir, and roast another 30 or until tender.

I was really happy with the results of this. Roasted new potatoes are ALWAYS awesome, and the sweetness of the onions and the beets really played well off each other.  And, I mean, this color palette is just amazing.

I totally want to try it again with a larger mix of fall veggies.  Perhaps some sweet potatoes or butternut squash, or some purple potatoes? 

The texture of the beets is pretty similar to potatoes as well, which makes me wonder… beet fries?  Hrmm…

NutriFacts (makes 4 servings):

Calories 203.2

  Total Fat 3.8 g

  Saturated Fat 0.5 g

  Polyunsaturated Fat 0.5 g

  Monounsaturated Fat 2.5 g

  Cholesterol 0.0 mg

  Sodium 373.1 mg

  Potassium 325.4 mg

  Total Carbohydrate 36.8 g

  Dietary Fiber 3.0 g

  Sugars 7.6 g

  Protein 5.0 g

Southwest Cauliflower Pasta Bake

 

Here’s a fun one—we bought a head of cauliflower a while back…for pretty well no reason aside from the fact that it was 29 cents.  Usually, I pretty well only use cauliflower in its raw form as a salad topping, but cauliflower is actually a really great option as a “filler” in casseroles & baked dishes.  It’s really low in calories, and doesn’t have a strong flavor of its own, and once you boil it, it breaks down really easily so you can sneak it into dishes.

…especially cheesy dishes. I mean, surely I’m not alone here: I can remember my grandma trying to get me to eat plain steamed cauliflower, and I fought it like she was trying to poison me.  But then, ol’ Nana dumped cheese sauce all over it.

(Clever Nana…DANGIT, yes, now I DO want it.)

As an adult, I know the benefits of these tiny albino trees.  Despite their lack of color, they’re a great source of antioxidants, anti-inflammatories, fiber, and B vitamins.  Not to mention there’s only 30 calories in a whole cup.

I started with this recipe from Jamie Oliver, and then modified it to give the dish a Southwest feel.

INGREDIENTS:

1 head of cauliflower

1 lb. whole wheat pasta, uncooked

1/2 cup sliced green onions

1/2 cup jalapenos, diced

8 oz. 2% or low fat Sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded

4 oz. 2% or low fat Pepper jack, shredded

1 cup nonfat sour cream

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

1 tsp Sea salt

1 tbsp chili powder

1 tsp Pampered Chef chipotle seasoning

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tbsp cumin

additional seasoning to taste

1 cup sweet corn kernels

1 cup black beans, rinsed

TOPPING:

1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs

1/2 cup grated parmesan

1/4 cup wheat bran flakes

1 pat butter, melted

 

Directions:

Separate the cauliflower into 1-inch florets and wash well. 

Then boil with the pasta according to the directions on the pasta package (usually 7-10 minutes, depending on your preferred done-ness).

While the pasta is cooking, dice your onions & jalapenos. 

Now, if you read the original recipe, it calls for you to use the pasta/cauliflower pot as a double boiler, and melt the cheese in a bowl placed on top of the pasta pot, while the pasta is cooking.  I found this to be a challenge, because the pasta & cauliflower together require a really big pot, which means you need an equally large bowl to sit on top of the pot.  I didn’t have one, so I ended up having to use a bowl with handles so the handles would rest on the edge of the pot, as shown here:

This results in the bowl actually being in contact with the water, and the pasta, and consequently it got hot really fast & cooked the cheese a little too quickly in my opinion.  It would have been really easy to overshoot & have things start separating out.  Also, having a bowl of hot cheese on top of your pasta makes it kind of hard to focus both on your cheese melting and then, occasionally lifting up the bowl to check on your pasta.

So if you don’t have the proper pots & bowls to make this work, do yourself a favor & just start a separate, smaller pot of water to boil & use that as your double-boiler for melting the cheese.

Anyway… once the cheese is good & melty, and the pasta/cauliflower is done, drain the pasta/cauliflower in a colander, and then return to the pot.  Add the onions, jalapenos, corn, black beans, and finally the cheese sauce.  Add the first round of seasonings, and then season to taste.

Once everything’s tasting good, you can either serve it like this:

Or you can transfer the contents of the pot into a 9x13 baking dish, and then top with the bread crumb topping as noted above. (The wheat bran is optional—I just like to add it along with bread crumbs for the additional fiber & nutritional benefits.)  Then heat under the broiler in the oven until the crust is golden.

(Cauliflower?  What cauliflower?  There’s no cauliflower in here, kids!  Just cheesy pasta!  You love cheesy pasta!)

 

NutriFacts: (makes 12 servings)

Calories 227.4

  Total Fat 4.2 g

  Saturated Fat 2.5 g

  Polyunsaturated Fat 0.3 g

  Monounsaturated Fat 1.0 g

  Cholesterol 12.3 mg

  Sodium 120.9 mg

  Potassium 281.5 mg

  Total Carbohydrate 38.2 g

  Dietary Fiber 6.3 g

  Sugars 0.5 g

  Protein 11.0 g

Shared on 33 Shades of Green's Tasty Tuesday

Creamy Cabbage Soup–Great for Winter!

Okay, is everyone else having as weird of a winter (weather-wise) as we are here in Missouri?  It’ll be in the 60s for three days, then a storm rolls in & we’re in the 30’s, then a few days later it’s back to 50’s & 60’s.  It’s nuts.

Well, during one of those cold days, the hubs & I were craving some warm comfort food, and we had some produce that needed to be used up.  So I called upon my backlog of “Recipes to Try” and found this delicious-looking soup. 

Unfortunately, we didn’t have everything fresh onhand that the original recipe calls for, so we improvised a wee bit with some canned goods—however, the result was still fantastic. 

This is an amazing dish—extremely healthy & low fat, but jam-packed with flavor.  Hope you enjoy as much as we did!

 

Ingredients:

1 can peas, partially drained

1 can diced potatoes, drained

2 tbsp bacon grease (this is the only fat in the whole dish, so might as well make it jam-packed with flavor)

1/2 sweet onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

4 oz mushrooms, sliced

4 cups low sodium chicken broth

salt & ground pepper

cajun seasoning

1/2 head cabbage, chopped into bite size pieces

 

Directions:

1. In a large skillet, heat the bacon grease over medium heat, then add the onions, celery, garlic, and mushrooms for about 10-15 minutes until the onions are translucent. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and cajun seasoning

2. In a blender (or a pot, if you have an immersion blender), combine the peas, potatoes, chicken broth, and the onion mixture. 

 

Pulse until blended.

 

 

Combine the cabbage & the blended mixture.

 

 

Stir until combined, and cook over medium heat for 15-20 minutes or until the cabbage is wilted. 

Serve sprinkled with shredded mozzarella & crumbled bacon, and a slice of toasted french bread.

 

NutriFacts: (Makes 6 servings)

Calories 127.3

  Total Fat 3.4 g

  Saturated Fat 1.2 g

  Polyunsaturated Fat 0.5 g

  Monounsaturated Fat 1.3 g

  Cholesterol 2.7 mg

  Sodium 1,043.1 mg

  Potassium 619.3 mg

  Total Carbohydrate 19.4 g

  Dietary Fiber 4.9 g

  Sugars 2.5 g

  Protein 6.5 g

Vitamin A 8.0 %

  Vitamin B-12 0.1 %

  Vitamin B-6 8.0 %

  Vitamin C 54.7 %

  Vitamin D 2.9 %

  Vitamin E 1.8 %

Calcium 8.3 %

  Copper 6.3 %

  Folate 15.9 %

Iron 8.5 %

  Magnesium 6.2 %

  Manganese 17.4 %

  Niacin 6.3 %

  Pantothenic Acid  4.4 %

  Phosphorus  7.4 %

  Riboflavin 8.4 %

  Selenium 4.6 %

  Thiamin 8.5 %

  Zinc 4.3 %

Shared on 33 Shades of Green's Tasty Tuesdays & The Sweet Spot's Mouth Watering Mondays.