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elvespartyofcanada · 7 years ago

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Are Dads Too Cool For Bread?

by Ele

Man, I literally just got a degree and this is what I'm doing with my life.

Cooking for Dads, whom one of our Elves Party guest writers, Ben, has written about already, has been posting some new content lately. Our pal(? maybe?) Rob Barrett has a slightly bizarre new interest: replacing carbs in meals with...chicken. Most notably, he's now made multiple videos about what he calls “chicken paper,” which is chicken breast pounded incredibly thin, with the intent of using it to replace bread products.

My curiosity became too much. I took it upon myself to try one of these recipes: Chicken Paper Pizza. And oh my, what a trial it was.

Cooking for Dads has three videos of chicken paper so far: preparation of the paper, making pizza with it, and making Taco Bell-style chalupas with it. I doubt I'll make the chalupas, it was enough of an effort to make one sheet of chicken paper.

WARNING: This post will contain pictures of raw meat. If you’re not down with that, you might want to skip to the third part (”The Verdict”). I've tried not to add the particularly gross-looking pictures (because oh boy, it sure did look interesting), but since a lot of this involved raw meat, I did take some pictures.

Part One: The Chicken Paper

Video

Ingredients: chicken lol

This step had to happen yesterday, because the chicken paper needs to be cooked from frozen or else it will be too fragile. I went to the store and bought some chicken breasts, and set to work. Now, I'm not stranger to flattening meat. Half my family's German, we do schnitzel sometimes. But they never get quite this thin, and that invariably leads to preparation problems.

This part was actually pretty frustrating as a whole, and touched on one of the things that genuinely annoys me about Cooking for Dads. Rob likes to promote or condemn specific brands based on what works for him, but I'm in Canada, not Mississippi. I've never even heard of most of the brands he uses for his cooking.

In this case, Rob claims that Tyson chicken is no good for chicken paper, as it disintegrates easily when it's pounded too thinly. Gold'n Plump is ideal for chicken paper as it holds its shape more readily. I have access to neither of these. My choices were President's Choice (one of the in-store brands for Canadian grocer Loblaws and its subsidiaries) and Maple Leaf.

At first I thought maybe Maple Leaf would be the better option since it's touted as being higher quality than store-brand, but...what part of the chicken makes it flatten without breaking up? It's not something really advertised on the package (“SQUISHES INTO A THINNER MEAT PANCAKE THAN THE LEADING BRAND!!!”). I really wouldn't be able to tell without trying them both, and I'm not interested in spending that much time on this. President's Choice was the cheaper option, and so I used it.

THE BEAST IS SEALED, THE TRANSFORMATION SOON BEGINS

The chicken went on a sheet of parchment paper and got covered in plastic wrap. Honestly, Rob Barrett and his fast-forwarding in the video made it look so easy. It was a lot of work, especially at first, to get it to really flatten, and I couldn't for the life of me get it to flatten into much of a circle. I used a pounder and a rolling pin as was suggested, but the rolling pin didn't really do much.

It did, in fact, start to break apart just a little, which Cooking for Dads said was fine, just push it back together. However, given that I had to put toppings on it, I didn't want it to disintegrate entirely, so I probably left it a little thicker than I should have.

Fun fact: that’s my rolling pin from when I was 5, because the alternative is a huge marble one that would destroy the chicken

I think Rob must have thicker parchment paper than me, too. It kept crinkling under the chicken, making it hard to keep things flat and even, and I had to transfer it to another sheet of paper before freezing because the one I'd started with had gotten so damp and wrinkled.

I'm not even going to share a picture of it without the plastic wrap on it because honestly it looked so...concerning. Like a piece of skin or something. Which doesn't really elicit thoughts of pizza. But oh well, I'd gotten this far, I wanted to see this through.

It was the most disappointing thing, though: last night, I kept thinking “oh boy! We have such tasty leftovers in the fridge, I can't wait for lunch tomorrow!” and then remembering that no, lunch tomorrow is chicken paper pizza. Sigh.

Part Two: The Pizza

Video

Rob's ingredients: chicken paper, salt and pepper, tomato, olive oil, sausage, cheese, red onion, fresh basil.

My ingredients: chicken paper, salt and pepper, tomato, canola/olive oil blend, dried oregano, dried basil, cheese, turkey pepperoni

I didn't make my pizza with the exact same toppings as Rob. For one thing, due to food sensitivities I actually can't eat red onion. We also don't use fresh basil in my house basically ever, so I figured it'd be a bit of a waste to get some just to use a little.

As for the sausage, it's interesting that in the video he cuts open the casing and squeezes some sausage out to fry. I mean, it makes sense, sausage on pizza usually isn't in rounds like pepperoni, it's in little clumps like that. It still looked kind of weird to me though! I'd never thought of doing that.

I'm a little picky about my sausage, though, so my chicken paper pizza was just a good 'ol pepperoni and cheese pizza. I tried turkey pepperoni, to go with the poultry theme (the turkey pepperoni was actually pretty good!).

Ready for action

Now, the concept of chicken paper pizza is odd enough, but when you think about it it's not THAT bad culinarily – think chicken parmesan but with pizza toppings on top. However, the Cooking for Dads replacement for sauce is kind of upsetting.

If you don't have any tomato sauce on hand, Rob suggests taking a chopped tomato, adding olive oil, salt, and pepper, and pulverizing it in a mortar and pestle (SILENT T IN PESTLE, ROB). Elves Party friend Seth described the result as “mashed up tomato boogers,” and I think he's pretty on the mark.

Frankly, it's minimal effort and much better flavour to just go buy a damn jar of pizza sauce. But, since it's another part of the recipe, I did this too. However, if we have a mortar and pestle, I don't know where it is. Rob's suggestion? Put it in a plastic bag and squish it with your hands. I'll admit, squishing stuff with my hands is my kinda cooking.

Chopped Judges, this is my Tomato Sauce Deconstruction with a Versatile Rustic Presentation

I put just a splash of oil in (a canola and olive oil mix cuz it's what we have right now), pepper, and I added dried basil because I wasn't adding fresh basil on top. I also added a bit of oregano for flavour, because I'm not a goddamn monster. I know what even the saddest of pizzas deserves.

I ended up using the meat pounder again to smash it all up, because it was too tough to really squish well with my hands. The funny thing is...I think I ended up with a better consistency than the Cooking for Dads version. It looked much more like a chunky but thick salsa than just partially-mushed runny tomato. Score one for me, I guess???

I mean it still looks weird, but not as weird as it could look? maybe???

With the sauce ready, it came time to assemble the whole behemoth.

Unlike Rob Barrett, I do not have a cast-iron pan. Unfortunately, his preparation method involves first frying the chicken to begin cooking it, and then popping it in the oven to broil. You can't exactly pop a Teflon pan in the oven without making a huge mess and ruining your pan.

This is another annoyance I have particularly with this video: if this is a channel intended for people who are new to cooking (like the allegedly-gender-role-adhering titular “dads” who've somehow made few proper meals before), will they even have, and know how to look after, a cast-iron pan? He doesn't even mention that you can't put every kind of pan in the oven.

Some of the other tools, like the meat pounder and the mortar and pestle, have alternatives suggested in the videos (a rubber mallet and the plastic bag method). But there's nothing for if you don't have a cast-iron skillet. We don't even have one, and everyone in my family actually does cook regularly.

I decided to try the stove-top part of the cooking in a Teflon pan and then sliding it onto a cookie sheet to broil in the oven. I also tried to preheat the pan in the oven as it preheated, because the video mentions that the residual heat of the pan will help finish cooking the chicken as the top broils in the oven. Sigh.

Beginning the cooking process also brings another issue: the Cooking for Dads video never actually says how hot your stove top should be. Like, at all. He just kind of says “hot.” If you're trying to teach people how to cook, you need to add basic instructions like that!? I started with medium-high and adjusted as need be depending on how the chicken was cooking and how violently the oil was trying to evict itself from the pan.

Anyway, I put oil in the pan once it was hot, put the chicken in, and put a bit more oil and some salt and pepper on top as per the video instructions. It was at this point it became especially clear to me that my chicken paper wasn't thin enough, because it didn't cook as quickly as Rob's did.

Magical Girl chicken

It was kind of neat, though, that the oil on top of the chicken kept doing this oil-slick thing and putting rainbows on the top of the meat. I mean, it's not generally a thing food should probably really be doing, but it was pretty and made it look kind of magical. Well, as magical as literal raw meat gets, anyway.

After I saw more white around the edges and seeping through to the top of the chicken, I added my toppings. Rob put his cheese on last, but I like a bit of broiling on my pepperoni too, so that went on last for me. It was a little tricky because even though I hadn't added that much, there ended up being a lot of oil and juices in the pan and it splattered my arm just a little. Not only does this take some work to prepare, it fights back!!!

The still-raw meat on the edges just really makes this look appetizing

I really felt like it still looked more raw on top than it does in the video, by the time I felt I was probably ready to move it into the oven. I had to be real careful about slipping it into the pan, which meant that the pan lost most of the heat it had (which wasn't much because it was only on broil setting). There was just so much oil and drippings and grease, even though I'd been more sparing with the oil than the Cooking for Dads video had, and I didn't wanna just dump it all onto the tray.

After some careful moving, I managed to slip it onto the tray and into the oven. I ended up turning on the full oven (to 400F) at first, because I really was worried about the chicken not cooking enough. I switched it back to broil when it looked like the meat was white all over, in order to get the cheese and pepperoni to darken a little more.

INTO THE FIRE WHERE YOU BELONG

It took a bit longer than it probably should have, and I would have liked it a bit darker still, but I was worried about overcooking the chicken and so I pulled it out and gave it a chance to cool while I tidied up the kitchen a little.

Part Three: The Verdict

Tah-daaaah!!!...???

The first thing about this pizza, which is also what I've been saying in the previous section is that it was SO oily and greasy. Like, I'm one of those people that blots their pizza a bit (I heard it does actually cut down on calories just a smidge!), but even if you didn't do that, you'd have to do it for this one. A lot.

When you're making it, there's oil in the pan, a bit of oil on the cookie sheet that I probably didn't need to add, oil on top of the chicken, oil in the sauce (although I was very sparing with that), and grease/fat from the chicken, pepperoni, and cheese. I got rid of as much of it as I could but it was still pretty gross to deal with, and it was impossible to totally get rid of it.

nothin’ quite like soggy chickenpizza

I would say that the oil put on top of the chicken, at least, is totally unnecessary. After getting rid of as much wetness as I could, I cut it open and was so glad to find that the chicken was cooked. Raw meat after all this effort was honestly the last thing I needed.

Time to eat. Unlike Rob, confidently picking it up like the world's floppiest pizza, I found it was just easier to eat with a knife and fork, although not for lack of trying to use my hands. It was just too hot and oily and floppy. Sturdiness is one thing a chicken crust could really never imitate.

I have a lot of mixed feelings about what went on in my mouth. It wasn't...bad, per se. It was not actually that bad in taste. I think that the pepperoni carried a lot of the flavour, though, giving it that Classic Pizza™ taste. The chicken actually probably overcooked a little, which isn't surprising given how long it took the cheese to brown, but it wasn't inedible, just a bit dry in texture.

My biggest problem was, unsurprisingly, the sauce. Because it had never properly cooked on its own, the oregano and basil flavours didn't really meld with it, although it still helped that they were there. As well, because there was still chunks of tomato skin, I'd get this taste of mostly-raw tomato every few bites, and honestly I'm not really a big tomato fan. It's frankly just easier and tastier to buy tomato sauce, and if you want to get better at cooking by making your own pizza sauce, all the better. This isn't a good replacement! It's really not! Don't do it!

this meal also doesn’t make very appealing cut-up crust shots

As a whole, it was a passable meal. I didn't want to puke (except maybe toward the very end because I ate the whole thing for lunch and it was kind of a lot, whoops), but I won't be rushing to make this again either. With all the oil and grease, it didn't really feel healthier either. Maybe Cooking for Dads is secretly sponsored by Big Vegetable Oil??? Conspiracy??!?

I feel like if you're really trying to eat healthier but still want pizza, moderation and home cooking are gonna be your best bets. Even if you use premade pizza dough, you can still control how much of everything else goes into it. Even having whole-wheat dough would give it a little more dietary benefit! Just pace yourself. The body does need some carbs anyway. This is far too much effort and finickiness for a frankly lacklustre result.

Also, just, like, pizza crusts are tasty.

#pizza #chicken #cooking for dads #ele's posts #misc posts

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swiftrunnerfelidae · 5 years ago

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y’know what fuck it let’s just go for it HEY Y’ALL I’MMA TEACH YAH A GREAT FUCKIN’ PASTA RECIPE TO TINKER WITH and also where all of my personal tinkering got me OKAY SO the basic recipe, the thing it all started with, is dirt simple. Get yourself some mixed italian herbs - they sell them in a jar at the grocery store. Also get yourself some canned tomatoes, and a tube of tomato paste - it’s way more convenient than the jars - and oh yeah also a jar of Better than Bullion of your favorite variety. Combine a spoonful of the Better than Bullion with the canned tomatoes and a good squeeze of the tomato paste - eyeball it, it’s really hard to do wrong - and then simmer that down for like half an hour to an hour. Check on it every ten minutes or so. When you can pull a wooden spoon through it and see the bottom, or you come out and go “oh crap it’s about to burn!”, mix in the italian herbs (don’t skimp on them!), add salt and pepper to taste, and serve with pasta. I recommend a good chunky one like penne or rotini. Now why is this great to tinker with? Because it’s super easy to add things! Several months of tinkering have led me to my favorite version of this recipe which I’m about to share so buckle up. First, par-cook some bacon in the bottom of the pot. Par-cook means “cook, but not, like, until it’s all the way done or anything.” Basically, get the bacon to leak delicious bacon fat over the bottom of your pot. Evacuate the bacon to a cutting board, but leave the liquid fat! You want that for later. Repeat this process with about a pound of italian sausage, and some good chunky ground beef (I use an 80% lean-20% fat blend) that you season however you think sounds good (I just use pepper but honestly go nuts), evacuating each of those to a bowl for safekeeping. You’ve now got a pot with a bunch of mixed fats and also bits of meat stuck to the bottom. That stuff’s called “fond” and it’s fantastic, but what’s most important is you’ve got all that fat on the bottom. What’s that good for? STIR FRYING SOME VEGGIES that’s damn right. Take about half a diced onion and start frying it in the bacon-beef-sausage fat. When it starts getting translucent or you’re worried you’re overcooking it oh god oh god, add in a diced bell pepper. Green, red, orange, yellow, I don’t care and neither should you unless you have a preference in which case go for what you like. Stir-fry those suckers together until you think they’re picking up color or they’re done or whatever it doesn’t ultimately matter. Now remember that tomato paste from the other recipe? Add that shit and let it start browning up too, but not for too long! Now’s time to deglaze. How do you deglaze? Well, you’ve got a hot pan with stuff stuck to the bottom of it. If you hit that with a water-y thing and scrape the bottom with a spoon or something, all that stuck on stuff comes up and mixes in the sauce and ooooh shit yeah now you’re cooking with gas. Or maybe electric I dunno the point is we’re gonna take about a 15 ounce can of tomatoes and just dump it in there and use the tomato juices to deglaze your pot. Once you’ve deglazed, add three more cans of tomatoes. All told, I prefer three cans of petite diced to one can of puree, but I ain’t your boss go with whatever mix you think sounds best. Like it chunky with lots of tomato bits? Go ham. And now for the secret sauce. Y’see a while back I was making tacos and I decided to throw in some chipotle peppers in adobo sauce and that worked really well. But I don’t have tacos often, so it was just sort of sitting in my fridge one night while I was making my pasta, and I thought “Hmmm. What if I added some of this?” And hooooboy I can’t look back. Add about a teaspoon to a tablespoon of diced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce - if you’ve got a good mexican section at your local grocery store they’ll have it in a jar pre-diced, and if you don’t they might have it in a can not-pre-diced. If it’s not pre-diced, then pull out a pepper (two if you’re crazy) and dice them up and throw them in. Yes, seeds and all, I’m crazy and this stuff gets hot fast. Now, cut up the bacon into chunks, whatever size suits your fancy, and then dump them into the pot with the ground beef and italian sausage, and let all that stuff just simmer for like 50 minutes or so. If you don’t know how to simmer, it’s like the sauce is trying really hard to boil but it just can’t get there. Stir it every five to ten minutes, and once again when you come out and go “oh shit it’s about to burn”, that’s the time to mix in the herbs, and any salt that it needs - taste it first! The bacon and sausage and canned tomatoes can add salt enough. And then, finally, mix in some rotini or penne or whatever pasta you like, kill the heat, serve. ... look it’s gonna take a while to make but this thing feeds me for four nights straight and the leftovers are AMAZING.

you know what fuck it. send me your best cheap and easy recipes I need to make food for me, my bf and roommate. if any kitchen witches want to throw in some spells i will be thrilled

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tentbat8-blog · 6 years ago

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Skinnytaste Meal Plan (Aug 27-Sept 2)

posted August 25, 2018 by Gina

A free 7-day flexible meal plan including breakfast, lunch and dinner and a shopping list. All recipes include calories and Weight Watchers Freestyle™ SmartPoints®.

The last week of August is always bittersweet. I love the summer, but I also love the Fall. New month means new goals, cooler temps, comfort food like One Pot Cheesy Turkey Taco Chili Mac, schedules, cozy sweaters, etc. I’m also thrilled to get so many emails from those of you using the meal plans!!

If you’re new to my meal plans, I’ve been sharing these free, 7-day flexible healthy meal plans (you can see my previous meal plans here) that are meant as a guide, with plenty of wiggle room for you to add more food, coffee, beverages, fruits, snacks, dessert, wine, etc or swap recipes out for meals you prefer, you can search for recipes by course in the index. You should aim for around 1500 calories* per day.

There’s also a precise, organized grocery list that will make grocery shopping so much easier and much less stressful. Save you money and time. You’ll dine out less often, waste less food and you’ll have everything you need on hand to help keep you on track.

Lastly, if you’re on Facebook join my Skinnytaste Facebook Community where everyone’s sharing photos of recipes they are making, you can join here. I’m loving all the ideas everyone’s sharing!

THE DETAILS:

Breakfast and lunch Monday-Friday, are designed to serve 1 while dinners and all meals on Saturday and Sunday are designed to serve a family of 4. Some recipes make enough leftovers for two nights or lunch the next day. While we truly believe there is no one size fits all meal plan, we did our best to come up with something that appeals to a wide range of individuals. Everything is Weight Watchers friendly, I included the updated Weight Watcher Freestyle Points for your convenience, feel free to swap out any recipes you wish or just use this for inspiration!

The grocery list is comprehensive and includes everything you need to make all meals on the plan. I’ve even included brand recommendations of products I love and use often. Cross check your cabinets because many condiments you’ll notice I use often, so you may already have a lot of them.

And last, but certainly not least, this meal plan is flexible and realistic. There’s plenty of wiggle room for cocktails, healthy snacks, dessert and dinner out. And if necessary, you can move some things around to make it work with your schedule. Please let me know if you’re using these plans, this will help me decide if I should continue sharing them!

MONDAY (8/27) B: Avocado Toast with Sunny Side Egg (4) L: Greek Chickpea Salad *(6) D: Angel Hair with Zucchini and Tomatoes (7) with 2 cups chopped romaine (0) with Skinny Caesar Dressing (2) Totals: Freestyle™ SP 19, Calories 868**

TUESDAY (8/28) B: Avocado Toast with Sunny Side Egg (4) L: Greek Chickpea Salad *(6) D: One Pot Cheesy Turkey Taco Chili Mac (6) Totals: Freestyle™ SP 16, Calories 862**

WEDNESDAY (8/29) B: Overnight Oats with Figs and Honey *(7) L: Greek Chickpea Salad *(6) D: LEFTOVER One Pot Cheesy Turkey Taco Chili Mac (6) Totals: Freestyle™ SP 19, Calories 878**

THURSDAY (8/30) B: Greek Yogurt with Berries, Nuts and Honey (5) L: Greek Chickpea Salad *(6) D: Chicken and Broccoli Stir-Fry (4) over ¾ cup brown rice (5) Totals: Freestyle™ SP 20, Calories 956**

FRIDAY (8/31) B: Overnight Oats with Figs and Honey *(7) L: Spiralized Raw Zucchini Salad with Avocado and Edamame (5) D: Blackened Fish Tacos with Cabbage Mango Slaw (4) with Quick and Delicioso Cuban Style Black Beans (1) Totals: Freestyle™ SP 17, Calories 891**

SATURDAY (9/1) B: 4-Ingredient Flourless Banana-Nut Pancakes (4) (Recipe x 4) L: Eggs Pizzaiola (2) with 2 extra eggs***and 2 ounces multigrain baguette (3) D: DINNER OUT! Totals: Freestyle™ SP 9, Calories 684**

SUNDAY (9/2) B: Asparagus-Pancetta Potato Hash (4) L: Cilantro Chicken Salad (1) (Recipe x 2) on 1 piece toasted whole grain bread (3) with an apple (0) D: Moroccan Meatballs (6) over 1 cup cauliflower “rice” (0) Totals: Freestyle™ SP 14, Calories 939**

*Prep the night before.

**This is just a guide, women should aim for around 1500 calories per day. Here’s a helpful calculator to estimate your calorie needs. I’ve left plenty of wiggle room for you to add more food such as coffee, beverages, fruits, snacks, dessert, wine, etc.

***With extra eggs, recipe serves 4.

**google doc

Shopping List:

Produce

1 medium green bell pepper

2 fresh figs

1 pound Yukon gold potatoes

4 medium bananas

½ pound asparagus

1 medium bunch cilantro

1 medium bunch fresh parsley

1 medium mango

4 Persian cucumbers (or 1 large English cucumber)

1 large head Romaine lettuce

½ small head red cabbage (or 1 small bag pre-shredded)

2 medium and 1 large shallot

1 small bunch/container fresh basil

1 small bunch scallions

2 medium heads garlic

4 medium lemons

3 medium limes

1 large red bell pepper (save 2 tablespoons for TK)

1 small (4-ounce) Hass avocado

3 medium zucchini

1 dry pint grape tomatoes

3 medium vine-ripened tomatoes (can sub an extra pint grape tomatoes for Angel Hair, if desired)

1 (6-ounce) container fresh berries (your choice)

2 small and 1 medium yellow onion

1 small bunch/container fresh oregano (can sub ½-¾ teaspoon dry in Greek Salad, if desired)

1 small red onion

1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger

1/2 pound broccoli florets

1 medium head cauliflower (or 4 cups “riced”)

Meat, Poultry and Fish

1 1/3 pounds 93% lean ground turkey

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast

1 pound 93% lean ground beef

1 pound skinless cod or halibut filet

2 ounces pancetta

Grains

1 (1-pound) package angel hair pasta*

1 (1-pound) package whole wheat shells (I like DeLallo)*

1 package corn tortillas (you need 8)

1 small bag dry brown rice

1 loaf whole grain sliced bread

1 package quick oats

1 (8-ounce) multigrain baguette

Condiments and Spices

Extra virgin olive oil

Cooking spray

Olive oil spray (or get a Misto oil mister)

Kosher salt (I like Diamond Crystal)

Pepper grinder (or fresh peppercorns)

Crushed red pepper flakes

Dijon mustard

Garlic powder

Cumin

Chili powder

Paprika

Oregano

Mirin

Sesame oil

White pepper (can sub black pepper in Stir-Fry, if desired)

Canola oil

Sesame seeds (optional for Stir-Fry)

Smoked paprika

Mustard powder

Cayenne

Bay leaves

Red wine vinegar

Light mayonnaise

Cinnamon

Hot paprika

Hot sauce (optional for Avocado Toast)

Honey

Reduced sodium soy sauce*

Dairy & Misc. Refrigerated Items

1 18-pack large eggs

1 block fresh feta (you need 4 ounces)

1 wedge fresh Parmigiano Reggiano

1 small wedge fresh Pecorino Romano (can sub 2 tablespoons more Parm in Pizzaiola, if desired)

1 (8-ounce) carton unsweetened almond milk (can sub skim or soy milk, if desired)

1 (8-ounce) bag shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese

2 (6-ounce) containers nonfat plain Greek yogurt

Frozen

1 small package shelled edamame (soybeans)

Canned and Jarred

1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas (I prefer Goya)

1 jar Kalamata olives

1 small can/jar anchovy fillets

1 (10-ounce) can Rotel tomatoes with green chilies

1 (14.5-ounce) can pink or red beans

1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce

1 small jar green olives

2 (14-ounce) cans no salt added diced tomatoes

1 (32-ounce) box reduced sodium chicken broth

1 (16-ounce) can fat free refried beans

1 (15-ounce) can black beans (I prefer Goya)

1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes (I like Tuttorosso)

Misc. Dry Goods

Cornstarch

1 small package granulated sugar

1 small bag chopped pecans or walnuts

1 small package chia seeds

*Can sub gluten free, if desired

posted August 25, 2018 by Gina

Source: https://www.skinnytaste.com/skinnytaste-meal-plan-aug-27-sept-2/

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oovitus · 6 years ago

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Easy, Cheesy Vegan Loaded Potatoes with Broccoli & White Beans

As many of you know, I’m not one for New Year’s goal-setting or themes or programs, or even resolutions. I know that they can all be motivating and inspiring and great, depending on the context. But I spend enough time vying with unrealistic expectations from day to day; I like to enter a new year gently, and in some ways it takes more for me to accept things as they are than to contemplate what I’ll be changing.

All of that said, I don’t like to discourage the positive energy that can emerge at this time of year, especially when it takes the form of folks resolving to take good care of themselves, whatever that means. I’m a big fan of Veganuary, which inspires a lot of people to give veganism a dedicated try. And here on the blog, I do sometimes give fresh thought to new content, ideas, initiatives.

This year, in the spirit of that gentle entrance I just mentioned, it feels appropriate to use the first few weeks of the month (which I have off from the DI!) to reflect on some of the strategies that allowed me to make it through my 15 weeks of clinicals fed entirely by home-cooked meals. Until September, I’d been working from home, which gave me the good fortune to cook often and when I liked. I wasn’t really sure that I’d be able to sustain a meal plan once the DI started, but—for economic reasons as much as the fact that I like to cook/eat homemade food—I’m glad I did.

Cooking my way through my first two rotations often meant knowing when not to cook (i.e., rely on some of my go-to vegan store-bought products). Sometimes it meant throwing together meals in 20-minutes or less, which has never entirely been my cooking style, mostly because I haven’t needed it to be. And sometimes it meant cooking and meal prepping when I could have been doing other, fun things. It was all a balancing act, a question of knowing when to cut corners and when not to.

Between now and mid-January, I’ll be sharing some of the practically-not-recipe-recipes that I relied on when the going got tough, meals so simple that I’d normally not consider them as contenders for the blog. They’ll be a little basic, but they’ll also be an honest reflection of how/what I’ve been eating.

I’ll also be doing a big post on my batch cooking/meal prep process, since I get so many questions about it on Instagram! I’ll talk about how I plan, store, freeze/defrost, balance the things I choose to make each week. If you have any particular questions about my weekly process, please feel free to comment or email or DM me on the ‘gram—I’d love to address the topics that people want to hear about.

For today, here’s one of those quickie meals I mentioned. If you batch cook the baked potatoes over a weekend and make the cheese sauce at that time, it’s a 5-minute dinner. Even if you prepare it all at once, it demands only about 15 minutes of active work (the rest of the time is spent waiting for the potatoes to bake, and you could absolutely microwave them if you wanted to—I often do).

I’ve made a lot of vegan cheese sauces and mac n’ cheese sauces in my day. I’d venture to say that this is my all-time favorite: the most cheesy, the most creamy while also being relatively low in fat and not overly rich (I’ve made some very cashew-heavy sauces—this one’s got potato to help balance things out). It’s based on the sauce for my carrot mac, with some adaptations.

Since I bake potatoes for the recipe anyway, I use one of them for the sauce. I do think that red peppers add a special combination of tartness and sweetness that enhances the sauce, and I always have a jar of roasted red peppers in my pantry. But you can substitute a handful of steamed carrots or cauliflower or zucchini, too—you’d be surprised at how adaptable the sauce is.

To make the dish, you start by baking the potatoes. You split them, mash the flesh lightly with some non-dairy milk (or Earth Balance, or broth, or vegan parm), and top them with white beans (or chickpeas, or navy beans) and broccoli florets (or brussels sprouts, or green beans, or kale, or whatever you’ve got). The cheese sauce gets piled on top.

That’s it. This is the very definition of a “throw together” meal, but it’s hearty and tasty and good, and in spite of how little it takes to make it, it’s got plenty of nutrient density. It works well with sweet potatoes and Japanese potatoes, too. Here’s the recipe—perhaps you’ll tuck it away for a day when you need something real comforting, real fast.

Easy, Cheesy Vegan Loaded Potato with Broccoli & White Beans

5.0 from 2 reviews

Recipe type: main dish, quick & easy

Cuisine: gluten free, soy free, tree nut free option, no oil

Author: Gena Hamshaw

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 1 hour

Total time: 1 hour 10 mins

Serves: 3-4 servings

Ingredients

For the vegan cheese sauce:

1 cup (about 5 ounces) cooked white potato (or sweet potato) flesh

2 roasted red bell peppers from the jar, drained, or 1 fresh red bell pepper (substitute a heaping half cup of steamed cauliflower or carrots)

¼ cup (1 ounce) raw cashews, soaked for at least 2 hours and then drained (substitute ¼ cup silken tofu)

3 tablespoons nutritional yeast

1 tablespoon mellow white miso

¼-1/2 teaspoon fine salt (to taste)

2 teaspoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons white wine vinegar or rice vinegar

½ teaspoon dry mustard (or 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard)

½ teaspoon turmeric

¾ cup + 2 T water

For the potatoes:

2 large russet potatoes, scrubbed and pricked over with a fork

A few tablespoons non-dairy milk, broth, or a little Earth Balance/vegan butter

Vegan parmesan (optional)

1½ cups (1 can) cannellini or navy beans, rinsed and drained

3 cups broccoli florets, fresh or frozen, cooked according to preference (you can steam, microwave, or boil), or another green vegetable

Instructions

To make the sauce, blend all ingredients together in a powerful blender till completely smooth and creamy (1-2 minutes).

To make the meal, preheat the oven to 400F. Place the potatoes on a lined baking sheet. Bake for 1 hour, or until fork tender.

When the potatoes are ready, split them. Use a fork to mash the interior of each half gently, using a tablespoon or so of non-dairy milk, vegetable broth, or a little pat of vegan butter to make the potato a little creamy. You can add some vegan parmesan now for extra flavor, if you like.

Add ¼ cup white beans to each half and mash them gently into the potato with your fork. Pile about ¾ cup cooked broccoli florets on top. Pour the cheese sauce on top (about ¼ cup, or to taste). Serve.

Notes

The cheesy sauce will keep for up to 5 days in an airtight container in the fridge and can be frozen for up to 6 weeks. It yields 2 cups.

3.5.3251

If your potatoes are generously sized, each half is a decent meal on its own. If you have small potatoes, you can use a whole potato for each portion. I had this very meal for lunch today, seeking something easy because I’ve definitely got a cold. It was so good, and I added Brussels sprouts this time! The cheese sauce will yield a full 2 cups, so once you’ve made it, you can use it throughout the week on vegan mac n’ cheese, on top of grains, in quesadillas or tacos or burritos, or whatever.

Wishing you all an easy end to this inter-holiday week. Look forward to a lot more low-stress recipes in January, and I’ll be back this weekend with some recipes and reads.

The post Easy, Cheesy Vegan Loaded Potatoes with Broccoli & White Beans appeared first on The Full Helping.

Easy, Cheesy Vegan Loaded Potatoes with Broccoli & White Beans published first on

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realsimplegood · 7 years ago

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I’m sure you already know salmon is really good for you! That’s not really new news, but if you are like us, while you know salmon is good for you, you might sometimes feel like you need new ways to enjoy it. We are always looking for new salmon recipes and new ways to make it. These honey ginger salmon bowls are not only a tasty way to enjoy salmon, but also quick and easy to make!

Simple + Easy To Execute

We love these honey ginger salmon bowls because there is really nothing fancy about them. Yep, that’s right, simple and easy to execute pretty much always wins in our house. Don’t you just want to make something that’s good for you and also super easy sometimes (or all the time)? For these honey ginger salmon bowls, we just bake the salmon and season it with sea salt and pepper. The rest of the ingredients are just veggies and an uncomplicated sauce. Throw it all together in a bowl, because duh bowls are life, and call it good! You will get the health benefits of salmon along with plenty of veggies and a tasty sauce.

You Should Really Eat More Salmon

We always mean to eat more salmon, but honestly sometimes it just sounds so boring. It’s SOOOO good for you though. It’s all the good stuff wrapped up in one superfood. You get plenty of protein, healthy fats, selenium, B vitamins, vitamin D and more. Plus, it is great for promoting reduced inflammation and overall brain health. There are plenty of posts and articles out there, but this one from Dr. Axe sums it up nicely.

Homemade Sauces

We love making sauces and marinades at home! I used to be intimidated at the thought of making my own sauce, dressing or marinade. Luckily, Justin is a wizard when it comes to these things, and he’s taught me so much and helped me gain confidence. Now, I would rather make my own sauce than use a store bought one. I love how easy it is to tweak the flavors to just what you want, and you can also control the ingredients and make sure it is made with only real food ingredients. The best part though is that adding a simple sauce can add that extra flavor punch that really makes a dish. That is exactly what the simple sauce for these honey ginger salmon bowls does! Also, check out our post with 5 Homemade Marinades for other sauce ideas.

Other Seafood Recipes To Try

FISH TACO BOWLS

VERACRUZ STYLE FISH SKILLET

ROASTED SALMON + ASPARAGUS

PALEO FISH TACOS AND COLESLAW

SLOW COOKER PALEO GUMBO

PALEO CAULIFLOWER RICE BOWLS W/SHRIMP

Your Turn To Try Our Honey Ginger Salmon Bowls

Add a little more salmon into your life with these honey ginger salmon bowls. You’ll love the fresh flavors and and enjoy the simple and quick preparation. Let us know how it goes by leaving a comment below. Also, take a photo and tag us on Instagram @realsimplegood, so we can check it out!

LIKE THIS RECIPE? PIN IT AND TRY IT LATER!

Honey Ginger Salmon Bowls (Paleo, GF + Soy-Free)

These honey ginger salmon bowls are not only a tasty way to enjoy salmon, but also quick and easy to make!

For the sauce:

1/4 cup coconut aminos

1 tsp ground ginger

2 tsp raw honey

1 tsp sesame oil

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

For the rest of the bowls:

4 salmon fillets ((of similar size))

6 cups cauliflower, riced

2 cups broccoli, bite-sized florets

1 bell pepper, roughly chopped

4 green onions, diced

1 tbsp avocado oil

Salt and pepper

Sesame seeds, for garnish

Preheat oven to 400° Fahrenheit, line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Make sauce by whisking all sauce ingredients in a bowl or jar. Set aside.

Place salmon fillets on baking sheet and season liberally with salt and pepper. Place in the oven to bake for 15-20 until flaky with a fork. Cooking time will vary depending on the size of your fillets.

While the salmon is baking, prep cauliflower, broccoli, bell pepper and green onion as noted.

When the salmon has about 5 minutes left, place oil and all of the veggies (except reserve half the green onion for a garnish) in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook stirring occasionally until salmon is done. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Once salmon is done, remove from oven and make bowls. Start with a couple scoops of the veggie mixture, add salmon, drizzle sauce over everything and top with sesame seeds and the remaining green onion. Enjoy!

Honey Ginger Salmon Bowls (Paleo, GF + Soy-Free) I'm sure you already know salmon is really good for you! That's not really new news, but if you are like us, while you know salmon is good for you, you might sometimes feel like you need new ways to enjoy it.

#clean #clean eating #easy #gluten free #health #paleo #quick #refined sugar free #soy-free #wellness

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oovitus · 6 years ago

Text

Easy, Cheesy Vegan Loaded Potatoes with Broccoli & White Beans

Easy, Cheesy Vegan Loaded Potato with Broccoli & White Beans

5.0 from 2 reviews

Recipe type: main dish, quick & easy

Cuisine: gluten free, soy free, tree nut free option, no oil

Author: Gena Hamshaw

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 1 hour

Total time: 1 hour 10 mins

Serves: 3-4 servings

Ingredients

For the vegan cheese sauce:

1 cup (about 5 ounces) cooked white potato (or sweet potato) flesh

2 roasted red bell peppers from the jar, drained, or 1 fresh red bell pepper (substitute a heaping half cup of steamed cauliflower or carrots)

¼ cup (1 ounce) raw cashews, soaked for at least 2 hours and then drained (substitute ¼ cup silken tofu)

3 tablespoons nutritional yeast

1 tablespoon mellow white miso

¼-1/2 teaspoon fine salt (to taste)

2 teaspoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons white wine vinegar or rice vinegar

½ teaspoon dry mustard (or 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard)

½ teaspoon turmeric

¾ cup + 2 T water

For the potatoes:

2 large russet potatoes, scrubbed and pricked over with a fork

A few tablespoons non-dairy milk, broth, or a little Earth Balance/vegan butter

Vegan parmesan (optional)

1½ cups (1 can) cannellini or navy beans, rinsed and drained

3 cups broccoli florets, fresh or frozen, cooked according to preference (you can steam, microwave, or boil), or another green vegetable

Instructions

To make the sauce, blend all ingredients together in a powerful blender till completely smooth and creamy (1-2 minutes).

To make the meal, preheat the oven to 400F. Place the potatoes on a lined baking sheet. Bake for 1 hour, or until fork tender.

Notes

The cheesy sauce will keep for up to 5 days in an airtight container in the fridge and can be frozen for up to 6 weeks. It yields 2 cups.

3.5.3251

Wishing you all an easy end to this inter-holiday week. Look forward to a lot more low-stress recipes in January, and I’ll be back this weekend with some recipes and reads.

The post Easy, Cheesy Vegan Loaded Potatoes with Broccoli & White Beans appeared first on The Full Helping.

Easy, Cheesy Vegan Loaded Potatoes with Broccoli & White Beans published first on https://storeseapharmacy.tumblr.com

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oovitus · 6 years ago

Text

Easy, Cheesy Vegan Loaded Potatoes with Broccoli & White Beans

Easy, Cheesy Vegan Loaded Potato with Broccoli & White Beans

5.0 from 1 reviews

Recipe type: main dish, quick & easy

Cuisine: gluten free, soy free, tree nut free option, no oil

Author: Gena Hamshaw

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 1 hour

Total time: 1 hour 10 mins

Serves: 3-4 servings

Ingredients

For the vegan cheese sauce:

1 cup (about 5 ounces) cooked white potato (or sweet potato) flesh

2 roasted red bell peppers from the jar, drained, or 1 fresh red bell pepper (substitute a heaping half cup of steamed cauliflower or carrots)

¼ cup (1 ounce) raw cashews, soaked for at least 2 hours and then drained (substitute ¼ cup silken tofu)

3 tablespoons nutritional yeast

1 tablespoon mellow white miso

¼-1/2 teaspoon fine salt (to taste)

2 teaspoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons white wine vinegar or rice vinegar

½ teaspoon dry mustard (or 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard)

½ teaspoon turmeric

¾ cup + 2 T water

For the potatoes:

2 large russet potatoes, scrubbed and pricked over with a fork

A few tablespoons non-dairy milk, broth, or a little Earth Balance/vegan butter

Vegan parmesan (optional)

1½ cups (1 can) cannellini or navy beans, rinsed and drained

3 cups broccoli florets, fresh or frozen, cooked according to preference (you can steam, microwave, or boil), or another green vegetable

Instructions

To make the sauce, blend all ingredients together in a powerful blender till completely smooth and creamy (1-2 minutes).

To make the meal, preheat the oven to 400F. Place the potatoes on a lined baking sheet. Bake for 1 hour, or until fork tender.

Notes

The cheesy sauce will keep for up to 5 days in an airtight container in the fridge and can be frozen for up to 6 weeks. It yields 2 cups.

3.5.3251

Wishing you all an easy end to this inter-holiday week. Look forward to a lot more low-stress recipes in January, and I’ll be back this weekend with some recipes and reads.

The post Easy, Cheesy Vegan Loaded Potatoes with Broccoli & White Beans appeared first on The Full Helping.

Easy, Cheesy Vegan Loaded Potatoes with Broccoli & White Beans published first on https://storeseapharmacy.tumblr.com

0 notes

oovitus · 6 years ago

Text

Easy, Cheesy Vegan Loaded Potatoes with Broccoli & White Beans

Easy, Cheesy Vegan Loaded Potato with Broccoli & White Beans

5.0 from 1 reviews

Recipe type: main dish, quick & easy

Cuisine: gluten free, soy free, tree nut free option, no oil

Author: Gena Hamshaw

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 1 hour

Total time: 1 hour 10 mins

Serves: 3-4 servings

Ingredients

For the vegan cheese sauce:

1 cup (about 5 ounces) cooked white potato (or sweet potato) flesh

2 roasted red bell peppers from the jar, drained, or 1 fresh red bell pepper (substitute a heaping half cup of steamed cauliflower or carrots)

¼ cup (1 ounce) raw cashews, soaked for at least 2 hours and then drained (substitute ¼ cup silken tofu)

3 tablespoons nutritional yeast

1 tablespoon mellow white miso

¼-1/2 teaspoon fine salt (to taste)

2 teaspoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons white wine vinegar or rice vinegar

½ teaspoon dry mustard (or 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard)

½ teaspoon turmeric

¾ cup + 2 T water

For the potatoes:

2 large russet potatoes, scrubbed and pricked over with a fork

A few tablespoons non-dairy milk, broth, or a little Earth Balance/vegan butter

Vegan parmesan (optional)

1½ cups (1 can) cannellini or navy beans, rinsed and drained

3 cups broccoli florets, fresh or frozen, cooked according to preference (you can steam, microwave, or boil), or another green vegetable

Instructions

To make the sauce, blend all ingredients together in a powerful blender till completely smooth and creamy (1-2 minutes).

To make the meal, preheat the oven to 400F. Place the potatoes on a lined baking sheet. Bake for 1 hour, or until fork tender.

Notes

The cheesy sauce will keep for up to 5 days in an airtight container in the fridge and can be frozen for up to 6 weeks. It yields 2 cups.

3.5.3251

Wishing you all an easy end to this inter-holiday week. Look forward to a lot more low-stress recipes in January, and I’ll be back this weekend with some recipes and reads.

The post Easy, Cheesy Vegan Loaded Potatoes with Broccoli & White Beans appeared first on The Full Helping.

Easy, Cheesy Vegan Loaded Potatoes with Broccoli & White Beans published first on

0 notes