Had to get back to my VegHead roots so tonight it was Orange Scented Broccoli and Cauliflower.........a couple of my fav vegetables.
Ingredients
1 head broccoli, cut into florets
1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
1 navel orange, rind removed and reserved
Salt
3 tablespoons evoo
2 shallots, thinly sliced
1 orange, juiced
Pepper
2 scallions, sliced
Bring a couple inches of water to boil in a large skillet and add the florets, orange rind and salt. Cover and simmer until tender, about 6 minutes. Drain broccoli and cauliflower, remove rind and transfer to a platter or bowl. Return pan to heat, add extra-virgin olive oil and heat over medium heat. Add shallots and cook until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Add broccoli and cauliflower and turn to coat. Squeeze the orange juice over the pan and toss veggies again. Season the orange scented broccoli and cauliflower with salt and pepper, to your taste. Garnish with sliced scallions.
The Verdict.......this was a new combination of flavors for me. I have to admit the orange favor added a little extra something to this dish that I really enjoyed. I would never have thought of oranges with these other items, but it works well and i will make this again.
Until Tomorrow.......
Friday, September 4, 2009
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Open All Night
well, your ever loving green eyed chef, could not get to sleep last night.......I think because I have my fantasy football draft tonight(yes, I have a sport hobby outside of cooking)and it is quite stressful since it is basically the beginning of what always turns into another losing football season for me.
Anyway, around 2:30am I started craving a fruit and yogurt parfait from a local fastfood eatery but was too lazy to get dressed and drive myself there. So I looked in the fridge to see what I had and then looked through rachaels meals and found myself this quick and easy little gem.........Yogurt Crunch
Ingredients
6 cups vanilla yogurt
4 firm granola bars
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1/2 pint strawberries, sliced with stems removed
Directions
Pour yogurt into a bowl. Add granola bars to a plastic food storage bag and crush. Add to yogurt along with nuts. Stir to combine all ingredients and transfer to cups. Top with strawberries and serve.
The verdict.......this quick and easy item(took less then 10 mins to make), really hit the spot and is pretty healthy to boot. Now I listed the entire recipe, but since I am cooking for one, I cut the ingredients down to about 1/5 the amounts.
For the granola bars, you could use whatever flavor you want, I used oats and honey and I also used toasted walnuts for the chopped nuts.
I also put the strawberries in the bowl first and use the yogurt mixture as a topping instead of what Rachael recommends.
But again, this was a great little item and can be used really for breakfast or dessert.
Until Tomorrow....................
Anyway, around 2:30am I started craving a fruit and yogurt parfait from a local fastfood eatery but was too lazy to get dressed and drive myself there. So I looked in the fridge to see what I had and then looked through rachaels meals and found myself this quick and easy little gem.........Yogurt Crunch
Ingredients
6 cups vanilla yogurt
4 firm granola bars
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1/2 pint strawberries, sliced with stems removed
Directions
Pour yogurt into a bowl. Add granola bars to a plastic food storage bag and crush. Add to yogurt along with nuts. Stir to combine all ingredients and transfer to cups. Top with strawberries and serve.
The verdict.......this quick and easy item(took less then 10 mins to make), really hit the spot and is pretty healthy to boot. Now I listed the entire recipe, but since I am cooking for one, I cut the ingredients down to about 1/5 the amounts.
For the granola bars, you could use whatever flavor you want, I used oats and honey and I also used toasted walnuts for the chopped nuts.
I also put the strawberries in the bowl first and use the yogurt mixture as a topping instead of what Rachael recommends.
But again, this was a great little item and can be used really for breakfast or dessert.
Until Tomorrow....................
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Breakfast in Bed
Decided to do "my breakfast with Rachael" instead of dinner, cause I was craving french toast or I guess "freedom toast" to appease my republican readers :-)
Now I am also going to include the Three Berry Compote portion since it is apart of the recipe, but I myself just topped my french toast with maple syrup, as I do not dig berries on pancakes or french toast.
Ingredients
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in a splash of water
1 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
8 slices stale white bread or 6 slices thick cut stale bread
Butter, for griddle pan
Warm maple syrup, powdered sugar, cinnamon sugar and/or fresh berries for topping
Preheat nonstick griddle or skillet over medium heat. Beat eggs very well, add sugar and beat again. Add cornstarch in water and beat that in, then add milk and nutmeg. Coat bread thoroughly in egg-milk mixture. Lightly butter hot pan with butter nested in paper towels. Add bread to the pan and cook slowly, 3 or 4 minutes on each side, 2 to 3 slices at a time. Serve hot with your favorite toppings or Three Berry Compote
Three Berry Compote:
1/2 cup sugar
1 lemon, juiced
1/2 cup water
1 pint strawberries, sliced
1 cup raspberries
1 cup blackberries
1/4 cup maple syrup or honey
Combine sugar, lemon and water in a small sauce pot. Over moderate heat, dissolve sugar into water. Stir in fruit, coating it in sugar water and bring the fruit and water to a bubble. Reduce heat and simmer 7 or 8 minutes. Remove fruit with a slotted spoon to a serving dish and add maple syrup or honey to the pan. Thicken syrup 5 minutes and pour over fruit. Serve with French toast, pancakes or waffles.
The Verdict........well first I have to say that I think this is the first of Rachaels items that did not call for EVOO, although I guess you could use it instead of butter on the griddle or frying pan in my case. But let me get back on point......this stuff rocked, it was crispy, flavorful, really sweet and really just perfect, so much that I might just make this again at dinner time tonight. To make this a bit healthier, i but you could use skim milk and egg beaters and I bit the great taste would not change at all.
Until Tomorrow......
Now I am also going to include the Three Berry Compote portion since it is apart of the recipe, but I myself just topped my french toast with maple syrup, as I do not dig berries on pancakes or french toast.
Ingredients
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in a splash of water
1 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
8 slices stale white bread or 6 slices thick cut stale bread
Butter, for griddle pan
Warm maple syrup, powdered sugar, cinnamon sugar and/or fresh berries for topping
Preheat nonstick griddle or skillet over medium heat. Beat eggs very well, add sugar and beat again. Add cornstarch in water and beat that in, then add milk and nutmeg. Coat bread thoroughly in egg-milk mixture. Lightly butter hot pan with butter nested in paper towels. Add bread to the pan and cook slowly, 3 or 4 minutes on each side, 2 to 3 slices at a time. Serve hot with your favorite toppings or Three Berry Compote
Three Berry Compote:
1/2 cup sugar
1 lemon, juiced
1/2 cup water
1 pint strawberries, sliced
1 cup raspberries
1 cup blackberries
1/4 cup maple syrup or honey
Combine sugar, lemon and water in a small sauce pot. Over moderate heat, dissolve sugar into water. Stir in fruit, coating it in sugar water and bring the fruit and water to a bubble. Reduce heat and simmer 7 or 8 minutes. Remove fruit with a slotted spoon to a serving dish and add maple syrup or honey to the pan. Thicken syrup 5 minutes and pour over fruit. Serve with French toast, pancakes or waffles.
The Verdict........well first I have to say that I think this is the first of Rachaels items that did not call for EVOO, although I guess you could use it instead of butter on the griddle or frying pan in my case. But let me get back on point......this stuff rocked, it was crispy, flavorful, really sweet and really just perfect, so much that I might just make this again at dinner time tonight. To make this a bit healthier, i but you could use skim milk and egg beaters and I bit the great taste would not change at all.
Until Tomorrow......
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Veggie Feast
Felt like making soup tonight............so it's Pumpkin and Black Bean Soup.......sounded really interesting so here we go........
Ingredients
2 tablespoon evoo
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 cups canned or packaged vegetable stock
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes in juice
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained
2 cans (15 ounces) pumpkin puree
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Coarse salt
20 blades fresh chives, chopped or snipped
Heat a soup pot over medium heat. Add oil. When oil is hot, add onion. Saute onions 5 minutes. Add broth, tomatoes, black beans and pumpkin puree. Stir to combine ingredients and bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and stir in cream, curry, cumin, cayenne and salt, to taste. Simmer 5 minutes, adjust seasonings and serve garnished with chopped chives
The Verdict...........I like this flavor combination a lot, very tasty. I could also see thickening this with mashed potatoes, but overall i like this soup. cats on the other hand smelled it and slowly backed away, but hey, can't win the all.
Until tomorrow.......
Ingredients
2 tablespoon evoo
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 cups canned or packaged vegetable stock
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes in juice
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained
2 cans (15 ounces) pumpkin puree
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Coarse salt
20 blades fresh chives, chopped or snipped
Heat a soup pot over medium heat. Add oil. When oil is hot, add onion. Saute onions 5 minutes. Add broth, tomatoes, black beans and pumpkin puree. Stir to combine ingredients and bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and stir in cream, curry, cumin, cayenne and salt, to taste. Simmer 5 minutes, adjust seasonings and serve garnished with chopped chives
The Verdict...........I like this flavor combination a lot, very tasty. I could also see thickening this with mashed potatoes, but overall i like this soup. cats on the other hand smelled it and slowly backed away, but hey, can't win the all.
Until tomorrow.......
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
I am back with a Southwestern Brunch
Well, your ever-lovin green eyed chef is back from Eureka Springs and is well rested. I had a blast roaming among the hippie crowd looking at art and I even took some time to do a little fishing. I saw more wildlife then I have ever seen before.....I even found an old hummingbird feeder and got the thing up and running and damn if like 100 hummingbirds showed up all the time...........really kind of cool to see.
Anyway after a long drive back, i was really hungry so i made Roasted Red Pepper and Potato Egg Pie.
Ingredients
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and halved
1/2 cup evoo
2 medium Russet potatoes, peeled and halved, then thinly sliced across into half moons
1 small onion, halved, then very thinly sliced
1 small brown paper sack
8 large eggs, beaten
Salt and pepper
Preheat broiler to high. Place red pepper halves on a cookie or baking sheet. Place peppers under broiler and allow the skins to blacken all over, about 10 minutes.
While peppers are working, heat about 1/4 cup evoo in a medium nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add sliced potatoes and fry in oil until they begin to become tender, 5 minutes. Add onions and cook 5 minutes more. Remove potatoes and onions to a bowl using slotted spoon. Wipe out pan, return pan to heat and add remaining oil. Reduce heat to medium. Remove peppers from broiler. Leave broiler on. Place peppers in a brown paper sack and seal sack tightly. Allow peppers to stand and cool for a couple of minutes. Peel away charred skin and slice. Add peppers to potatoes and onions. Add beaten eggs to cooked vegetables and season with salt and pepper. Add mixture to the pan and cook until eggs settle and brown on the bottom. Transfer pan to broiler and allow the egg pie to brown on top and puff up.
Slide pie out of the pan and on to a serving plate. Cool slightly, then cut into 8 wedges and serve
The verdict..........well for starters the cats liked this.........but they have always had a very Pro-Egg stance, so no shock here. As for me, I thought this was a really flavorful dish, hearty, filling and the perfect dish when you are hungry yet wanting to stay healthy. The only thing I could see adding would maybe be sprinkling some cheese on top, like a Monterrey jack or Colby would work best.
Kudos to rachael on this one.
Until Tomorrow............
Anyway after a long drive back, i was really hungry so i made Roasted Red Pepper and Potato Egg Pie.
Ingredients
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and halved
1/2 cup evoo
2 medium Russet potatoes, peeled and halved, then thinly sliced across into half moons
1 small onion, halved, then very thinly sliced
1 small brown paper sack
8 large eggs, beaten
Salt and pepper
Preheat broiler to high. Place red pepper halves on a cookie or baking sheet. Place peppers under broiler and allow the skins to blacken all over, about 10 minutes.
While peppers are working, heat about 1/4 cup evoo in a medium nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add sliced potatoes and fry in oil until they begin to become tender, 5 minutes. Add onions and cook 5 minutes more. Remove potatoes and onions to a bowl using slotted spoon. Wipe out pan, return pan to heat and add remaining oil. Reduce heat to medium. Remove peppers from broiler. Leave broiler on. Place peppers in a brown paper sack and seal sack tightly. Allow peppers to stand and cool for a couple of minutes. Peel away charred skin and slice. Add peppers to potatoes and onions. Add beaten eggs to cooked vegetables and season with salt and pepper. Add mixture to the pan and cook until eggs settle and brown on the bottom. Transfer pan to broiler and allow the egg pie to brown on top and puff up.
Slide pie out of the pan and on to a serving plate. Cool slightly, then cut into 8 wedges and serve
The verdict..........well for starters the cats liked this.........but they have always had a very Pro-Egg stance, so no shock here. As for me, I thought this was a really flavorful dish, hearty, filling and the perfect dish when you are hungry yet wanting to stay healthy. The only thing I could see adding would maybe be sprinkling some cheese on top, like a Monterrey jack or Colby would work best.
Kudos to rachael on this one.
Until Tomorrow............
Friday, August 21, 2009
Vacation
Just a short note that I am leaving on vacation and will not be back util next tuesday evening...........but i will be cooking rachael meals while down at Eureka Springs...............that's right your ever loving green-eyed checf is heading off the Hillbilly country....................anyway I will be jotting down notes on the meals I make, so i will be back with a multi post blog tuesday night.........unless something happens to me while in the backwoods of eureka.................on the plus side, the police will easily identify my body, cause I will be the only one wearing shoes:-)
Later Taters..........
Later Taters..........
Thursday, August 20, 2009
tasty and guilt free
Only need to make a dessert tonight and I wanted something light, so I made, Melon with Berries and Sorbet. Low fat and low cal.
Ingredients
1 cantaloupe, quartered and seeded
1 pint mango or strawberry sorbet
1/2 pint raspberries
1/2 pint strawberries, sliced
2 teaspoons sugar
Cut a thin piece of the skin off of the back of each wedge of melon to give the melon sections stability. Top each melon boat with a scoop of mango or strawberry sorbet. Toss berries with a little sugar and spill them down and over the sorbet and melon
The Verdict.........ok it's not the crustfree apple pie from the other night, nor is it chocolate cake..........but it is still pretty damn good and more importantly, it is healthy, so enjoy.
Until Tomorrow............
Ingredients
1 cantaloupe, quartered and seeded
1 pint mango or strawberry sorbet
1/2 pint raspberries
1/2 pint strawberries, sliced
2 teaspoons sugar
Cut a thin piece of the skin off of the back of each wedge of melon to give the melon sections stability. Top each melon boat with a scoop of mango or strawberry sorbet. Toss berries with a little sugar and spill them down and over the sorbet and melon
The Verdict.........ok it's not the crustfree apple pie from the other night, nor is it chocolate cake..........but it is still pretty damn good and more importantly, it is healthy, so enjoy.
Until Tomorrow............
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