Onion Rings

So I cleaned my house this morning from top to bottom.  In tidying up the kitchen, I realized that I have an insane amount of onions.  Not that this is a bad thing - onions are one of my favorite foods.  But what does one do with a pile of onions? 

One Googles 'Onion recipes' of course.  

The recipe at the top of the list was for Onion Rings.

Like most Americans, I have a genetic love for fried foods.  I won't pretend for a moment that grease is healthy, or something to indulge in regularly, but I just couldn't resist. 

The recipe I chose was super easy - but needed a bit of tweaking.  the first batch didn't turn out so well.  Couldn't get the batter to stick.  (they still tasted great, I mean, they're onions, they always taste great)

The Second batch went much better, and by the time I had fried up an en entire onion, I pretty much had it down to a science. Adapted from allrecipes.com  

Heat 2 - 3 cups oil in a deep-ish frying pan or wok. (the recipe says to heat to 365° F, but I don't have a thermometer, so I have no idea how hot it really was)




 Mix 1 cup white whole wheat flour with 1/4 cup of seasoned salt (I didn't have seasoned salt, so I used my own blend of garlic salt, celery salt, Garlic powder, and Mrs. Dash Table Blend)  Add 1 cup of milk, and mix until smooth.  Add more Milk if necessary until the batter is like a thick soup. 

Slice 1 large red onion in 1/3" slices and separate the rings.  Dip the rings into the batter and drop them into the hot oil six or seven at a time.  In retrospect, I should have taken note of the length of time that I fried these darling little treats, but it didn't occur to me as I was busy trying not to drool on them)  I'm guessing each wok-full fried for about 4 minutes, maybe 5.  I turned the onions with a pair of tongs a couple of times. 

Dry on a paper towel.  Sprinkle with Sea Salt.

I love onion rings.  Who knew making onion rings could be so easy? 

I hope your new year is filled with good food and incredible health!
Happy New Year,
JamiK

Holiday Musings

Here I am. . . . . at the end of my first year without sugar.  I realize that I did not live entirely without sugar.  July August & September were pretty shady months.  Not that I was running around snorting pixie sticks, but I was not paying that much attention.  The little things slipped through the cracks.  As I look to 2011, I am anticipating another year without the inGREEDient.  More planning, better knowledge, more resources . . . . maybe these things will help me to do better. 

I know that I have not even begun to scratch the surface of truly healthy living.  I wish I could choose only organic products - I wish I could grow all of my own vegetables - I wish I could raise my own grass-fed beef. . . . etc. etc. etc.  It is not to be - at least not at this juncture in my life.  Unless someone wants to turn my blog into a movie, these things are just to far outside of my budget. 

While home with my family for Christmas, I read Dr. Mercola's Total Health Cookbook & Program.  I don't know if I buy into the 'Eat for your body type' philosophy, but I am quite thrilled that it contains 150 grain free recipes.  Dr Mercola's philosophy includes the conversion to a completely organic lifestyle with an emphasis on animal products and vegetables with a minimum of grains, starches, and fruits.  I struggle the most with the lack of fruit in this particular prescription.  

I have tried some of the fad diets - Atkins, South Beach, I think I even tried the cabbage soup diet for a short time.  Any diet can help you lose weight.  Simply by eliminating a food group, or by halving one's calories it follows that weight loss would be the result.  

I have noticed lately that I have often dwelt on and expounded upon the weight loss aspect of my decision to give up sugar.  Don't get me wrong, after more than a decade of struggling with my weight, I am thrilled to have lost weight.  What's even better is that it takes very little effort on my part to maintain my new weight.  More importantly, though, my health has been transformed.  I do feel vital.  I wake up every day with a new plan to conquer the universe.  No matter how overstated a cliche, it is so true that only a change in lifestyle, not just a temporary fast or binge, is what enables us to change the course of our health.  

Yes, I do wish for a Pepsi now and again.  I wish for the simplicity of boxed dinners that only require adding water to make them 'food'.   I wish that dark chocolate bars didn't contain sugar.  Wishing doesn't make things happen.  Action makes things happen.  So I am going to act in such a way that my health continues to progress from that of an average person to the point where people start wondering if I'm really a super-hero.

I have two major goals for the first quarter of 2011: 

1. No more Vitamin Water (or similar beverages).  I have been telling myself that these drinks are acceptable because they are sweetened with a stevia product.  The problem is, I suspect that the sweetener used is far more processed than mere ground stevia leaf.  It's back to water and unsweetened tea for me.
2. I am going to drastically cut back on the amount of pasta I eat despite the fact that I adore pasta.  OK.  Here's the truth.  I detest whole wheat pasta.  I can never seem to cook it properly.  Either I don't cook it enough, and it is tough, or I cook it too much and it becomes mush.  Either way, I just don't like it.  So I have continued to eat regular pasta.  White flour, however is generally considered as unhealthy as sugar itself - having had all the nutrition refined out of it.  An anti-nutrient, if you will. 

Right now I have no idea how to fill in the pasta gap, but I'm sure I'll manage.  Your suggestions are always welcome.  More experimentation with strange foods I've never tried before?  Probably.  Will they all turn out perfectly?  Probably not.  Such is life - trial and error.  No one gets it right all the time.  Success rarely presents itself without a fight.  I shall leave you tonight with a quote. 

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat. - Teddy Roosevelt

Strive Valiantly!
Dare Greatly!
Avoid Sugar!

JamiK

Spicing Up An Old Favorite

I woke up this morning with a hankering for flavor.  I'd been planning on meatloaf, but somehow it didn't seem all that exciting.  However, since I had all the ingredients, I didn't want to put it off.  So here is my meatloaf recipe with a few changes to what I would normally make.  I don't believe I've ever actually referred to a recipe when making meatloaf.  As usual, I make things in large quantities, so this may be more than you want to make at once.  

Ingredients:

2 lbs ground beef
2 cups rolled oats
1 1/2 cups chunky salsa (I used medium)
2 eggs
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp crushed red pepper
1 tsp ground black pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375°
• Saute the chopped onions and minced garlic for about 2 to 3 minutes
• Combine ground beef, onions & garlic, oats, salsa, eggs, crushed red pepper & black pepper in a mixing bowl.
• Shape into a loaf in a large baking dish

• Bake for 45 minutes
• Pour 3/4 cup salsa over the top of the loaf 
• Replace meatloaf in the oven for an additional 45 minutes

My original recipe uses tomato sauce instead of the salsa, and does not contain the crushed red pepper.   Most of my oven time was covered, but I removed the cover on the baking dish about 10 minutes before it was done. 

Serve with vegetables, or whatever side you like.  

I have to say I think my imagination paid off this time.  The meatloaf was done to perfection - fully cooked, but not dried out.  The salsa and the crushed red pepper add the perfect ZING to a traditional dish.  I am quite delighted that I don't have to worry about lunch for the next few days

Add Spice to your life!

Enjoy your leftovers - avoid sugar!

JamiK

Ahhhh. . . . The Weekend.

I'm not quite sure how the week got away from me.  Wasn't it just Sunday?  I haven't tried any new recipes this week.  Leftover Chili, and a batch of pasta salad have been all I've had time for.  In a previous life, my friend Martin & I used to joke about finding a way to breach the time-space continuum - I wish that was a possibility.  

Tomorrow, I will be cooking.  Recipes to come.  

Do what you can to avoid the insanity.
Keep it together - avoid sugar.

JamiK

Sometimes You Have to Wait for It. Sometimes You Have to Work at It.



Sure, I'd like to make a wish and bring back the 70° weather we enjoyed here for most of October and part of November, but I'm pretty sure that I will have to wait until Spring.  Of course I'd love to be able to be able to pop a pill and magically have legs like Vera Ellen, but it's just not gonna happen. 

When the weather gets colder and I spend more time indoors listening to the radio or watching television, I am reminded of the insanity of our fast paced lives.  Sometimes I wonder if we all realize how much we have come to expect an 'easy button' for every aspect of our lives. 

Heard on the radio today:

"Remember the days of 'X' wonder drug?" (yeah, you know, that drug that is no longer on the market due to whatever tripped out side effects it caused)  "Wasn't it great how the pounds would just melt away and you could eat whatever you wanted?" (yeah, because it's so intuitive that results should appear out of nowhere) "Well now we would like to offer you a free trial of our new 'XX' wonder drug!"  It works even better than 'X', and the best part is, it doesn't have any of the old side effects!" (yeah, because it has new side effects that are probably worse than the old ones, but no one has noticed them yet).  I fell for the scheme when I was in college.  The only thing those pills ever did for me was give me case of the shakes that wouldn't go away for about six years.


I get so irritated with all the get rich quick and lose weight fast gimmicks out there.  We know they don't work. . . . if they did we would all be thin and rich.  Oooo, Oooo!!  I have an idea!  Maybe congress can legislate us some weight loss next year! 

What ever happened to good old fashioned determination and elbow grease?   You get what you pay for.  Garbage in, garbage out.  Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.  There are a host of sayings that speak to the probability that grit and perseverance are the best way to get something done. 

Oh, wait!  What about the 'my pain pill is better than your pain pill commercial'?  This is Jill, who took two 'Q' pills in the morning, two more with lunch, two with dinner, and another two pills before bed.  (insert breach of time-space continuum returning to the morning) This is Jill, who took two 'Z' pills in the morning and enjoyed the rest of her day. 

Now I realize that I am not what many would consider 'in the mainstream'; but really?  Who goes through life in constant pain and does nothing but pop over-the-counter pain pills to alleviate the agony?  Change your diet, exercise, see a chiropractor, see a doctor.  Get help.  Good grief people get a grip!  Treating symptoms is no way to cure a disease.  The key to happiness does not lie in a pain pill, a weight loss pill, or a get rich quick scheme.  For more inspiration, please see my post from 01/01/10 .

Don't give up on life if it isn't perfect, start working towards what you want.  Make a change, even if it is difficult.  Believe me, I realize that Vera Ellen's legs are a pretty lofty goal, but I am going to keep working towards them. 

There is no easy button for life.

Work Hard - Avoid Sugar

JamiK


p.s. I made a big ol' batch of chili yesterday - the perfect food to warm me back up after shovelling the driveway and walking the dog.  Chili Recipe here

I Wish I Had A Bigger Kitchen . . . . . And A Gas Range.

I am going to be doing dishes for the next three days . . . . . . . and eating pancakes for the rest of the week based on the fact that I spent nearly a weeks worth of my grocery budget on dinner tonight.  I wouldn't say it is my best dish, but with a little practice this recipe could make another appearance or two. 

Asparagus, Artichoke and Shiitake Risotto
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

8 cups chicken broth
1 cup water
1 pound thin to medium asparagus,
        trimmed and cut into 1/4 inch thick slices, leaving tips 1 1/2 inches long
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) butter
3/4 pound fresh shiitake mushrooms,
        stems discarded and caps cut into 1/4 inch thick slices
2 large fresh artichoke hearts,
       cut into 1/4 inch thick slices, prepared*
2 shallots, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano 

• To prepare the artichokes, remove all the outer leaves, choke and stem of a whole artichoke, leaving just the heart.
• Cut the heart into 1/4 inch slices and toss it with lemon juice
• In a small pot, boil water with a slug or two of white wine, a splash of white vinegar and a smashed garlic clove
• Drop in the artichoke hearts with all of their lemon juice, and simmer them for about 20 minutes, or longer if needed for them to become tender.
• Drain and set them aside.
• Heat broth and water over high heat until it boils 
• Add asparagus and cook, uncovered for 3 to 4 minutes.
• Use a slotted spoon to remove asparagus from the broth.
• Keep broth at a bare simmer, covered.
• Heat oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat , saute mushrooms, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 4 minutes.
• Season with salt and pepper, then transfer to a bowl.
• Cook onion in 2 tablespoons butter in saucepan over medium heat, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes.
• Add rice and cook, stirring, 1 minute.
• Add wine and cook, stirring, until absorbed, 1 minute-ish
• Add 1 cup simmering broth and cook at a strong simmer, stirring, until absorbed, about 2 minutes.
• Continue simmering and adding broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring until absorbed before adding more, until rice is just tender and looks creamy, 25 to 30 minutes. (Save leftover broth for thinning.)
• Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup cheese, remaining butter, and salt and pepper to taste.
• Stir in asparagus, artichokes and mushrooms, then cover pan and let stand 1 minute.
• If desired, thin risotto with some of remaining broth.
• Serve immediately with remaining cheese on the side

The flavor of this dish is AMAZING.  Somehow, I didn't quite get the artichokes done right. . . . and had to put several pieces on the side of my plate . . . . . I am going to have to research artichokes.  Pictures of this dish from Smitten Kitchen are beautiful. . . . mine kind of look like mud.  I am going to blame the electric range for that.  It's so hard to get the temperature right on an electric range. 

Truth be told, I have no idea if there is any sugar in white wine.  I used a cheap chardonnay.  Does anyone know if there is sugar added to wine?  My thought is that wine is supposed to be just grapes. . . . . . anyone out there able to clarify?

Well, I had better go get to work on the dishes. 

Enjoy food - Avoid sugar.
JamiK

Whoa. . . . slow down there. . . .

I'm eating leftovers tonight.  And I'll probably be eating leftovers tomorrow as well.  I'm hoping to share another new recipe on Thursday. 
For now, though, please enjoy my sister's chicken dip recipe!

JulieK's Chicken Dip

2 pkgs cream cheese

¾ cup mayonnaise (Spectrum Canola Mayonnaise does not have sugar)

1 – 2 chicken breasts  cooked & shredded

16 oz shredded cheese (cheddar, colbyjack, etc)

1 jar mild or medium salsa

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 tbsp chicken bullion

Put it all in a crock pot and heat it up.


JamiK

You don't like what??

Most people gasp in astonishment when I say that I don't particularly like peanut butter.  It's not the taste, but the texture. . . . . It's not that I'm un-American, I just don't like the way it sticks to the roof of my mouth.  But, in breaking with 'life as usual' I bought a jar of peanut butter and made these tasty snack bars.

Recipe courtesy of my sister-in-law SamanthaK:)

Ingredients:

1 cup peanut butter (I used Smuckers Natural)
1 egg
½ cup honey
2 cups oatmeal oats
½ cup or as much as you would like of berries (dried cranberries, raisins, etc)
½ cup or as much as you would like of nuts (peanuts, sliced walnuts, etc)

Baking:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350*

2. Mix ingredients together in a bowl

3. Compress and mold into 3” x 1” and roughly ½” thick bars onto ungreased cookie sheet

4. Bake for 8 minutes or until brown (10 minutes is too long)
     **(Mine were a little thick - so I actually did bake them for 10 min)
5. Let cool, if bars do not cool all of the way they will fall apart. Once cool they stay together.
6. Makes about 15 bars.
7. Enjoy!

These peanut butter bars are actually quite yummy - they don't stick to the roof of my mouth!  They are sweet enough, too, that I do not even vaguely resent the gingerbread house I made over the weekend with some friends and their kids.  

It's a good thing I don't plan on eating this epic feat of art - it's about the only holiday-ish decoration I have in the house.

Have a fabulous evening!

Be American - Eat Peanut Butter!

Avoid Sugar!

JamiK

Pork Tenderloin with Apple Cider Reduction

I just made one of the most delightful dishes. 
It's amazing what one discovers when new things are attempted.

My sister-in-law HeatherK suggested the recipe for today's adventure

Pork Tenderloin with Apple Cider Reduction

(Courtesy of Aida Mollenkamp)

2 (1-lb) Pork Tenderloins cut in half (crosswise)

*** I substituted pork chops I had in my freezer in an attempt to use what I had on hand

Vegetable Oil

Salt

Freshly Ground Black Pepper

1/2 cups Apple Cider
1/2 cup Apple Cider Vinegar

1/4 cup Pure Maple Syrup

Directions:

• Arrange an oven rack in the upper 1/3 of oven. Heat oven to 500 degrees F.
• Pat Pork Tenderloins dry with paper towel, brush with oil, and season well with salt and pepper.
• Heat a large frying pan over medium high heat and brown tenderloins on all sides.
•   Place Tenderloins on a baking sheet and place in oven about 15 minutes (10 min for pork chops)    

• Meanwhile, place frying pan over high heat and add cider and vinegar. Stir this until mixture is reduced by about 2/3.
• Reduce heat to medium, stir in maple syrup and remove from heat until pork is cooked.
• Warm sauce over medium-high heat, add pork and any accumulated juices and spoon sauce over meat to completely coat.

• When Pork is warm, remove it to the cutting board and slice thinly.
• Spoon pan sauce over the pork and serve

Total Prep time, cook time and cleanup time for this dish was about an hour. 

I think I have found a recipe worthy of being added to my favorites.  Yum Yum!!

Eat Well - Avoid Sugar!

JamiK

Crock-Pot Lasagna

OK . . . . . this is what I am prepping tonight to cook tomorrow.
My sister in law loves this recipe and has made it several times.


Crock-Pot Lasagna Recipe
(Courtesy of Jessica Seinfeld)
Ingredients

• 1 can (14.4 ounces) crushed tomatoes
• 3 cloves garlic , finely chopped
• 2 Tbsp. dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 2 containers (15 ounces each) fresh ricotta
• 2 cups (8 ounces) grated mozzarella
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
• 12 lasagna noodles (about three-quarters of a 1-pound box)
• 5 ounces (about 6 cups) baby spinach

Directions

• In a medium bowl, combine the tomatoes, garlic, oregano, salt, red pepper and black pepper. In a separate bowl, mix the ricotta, 1 cup of the mozzarella and Parmesan.
• In the bottom of a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker, spread a thin layer of the sauce. Top with 3 of the noodles (breaking to fit as necessary).
• Spread about 1 cup of the sauce over the noodles and layer with 2 cups of the spinach and 1 1/2 cups of the cheese mixture.
• Repeat twice more with the noodles, sauce, spinach and cheese mixture.
• Top with the remaining 3 noodles, sauce and 1 cup mozzarella.
• Cook on low, covered, until the noodles are tender—especially in the center of the lasagna—about 3 to 3 1/2 hours.

Servings: Serves 6

***Update***
I couldn't wait until Friday . . . . . so I just ate dinner really late last night. 
Crock-Pot Lasagna = Awesome

My crock-pot has a four settings:  2 hr, 4 hr, 6 hr, & 8 hr.  I cooked my on the 6 hr setting for 3 1/2 hrs.

I do have to admit that I used regular pasta instead of whole wheat. . . . We'll try it with the whole wheat pasta next time.  This will probably entail a longer cook time.