Apple Quinoa Delight

Has the bear been hibernating in this hot weather? Something like that. I’ve been slacking…bigtime…but I promise to step it up! Who missed me?

I was at a conference in San Fran and this caterer had this delicious, refreshing salad made with this cool grain called quinoa. I am slightly obsessed because it’s healthy and fulfilling and gluten free. Who cares about gluten? I don’t, but it sounds fancy. This is one of those times when someone tells you “oh I just threw this together, it’s a little of this and that” and when you make it, it’s gross.  Actually, my version was pretty close!

The orange vinaigrette dressing was a bit difficult to make. I googled the recipe but still didn’t get it quite right. If you find a good recipe for it, please let me know! Also, if you can buy orange vinaigrette dressing in the store, go for it!

Oh and a little sprout goes a long way.

This is part of my “Summer Salad Series.” And by series, I mean this might be the end of the series until I come up with something else.

Apple Quinoa Delight

Ingredients

• 1 granny smith apple, chopped
• 1 fuji apple, chopped
• handful of sprouts
• 1/2 cup Crasins, to taste
• orange vinaigrette dressing

Directions

1. Cook the quinoa on the stovetop, then cool and set aside. Don’t add it to the fruit until it’s completely cooled.

2. Chop the apples. Set aside.

3. Mix the quinoa and apples. Then add the Craisins and sprouts. Add the dressing last because it gets soggy.

4. If you want the salad to last longer, just add the sprouts and dressing to the servings you want to eat immediately.

Oriental (Asian) Cabbage Salad

This recipe is so old, it’s politically incorrect. My mom has been making it for years and it’s a fresh alternative to a lettuce salad. (Helloooooo ruffage)

So you’re at a BBQ, and you’re eyeing the goods. Burgers…check. Hot dogs…check. Then you see this salad, and it looks okay, but you’re a little concerned because you don’t know how it’ll taste. But then some brave soul tries it and raves about it and then by the time you go back for seconds, it’s GONE. Don’t make this mistake.

That’s another rule I have about Vegas potlucks. Try everything once.

This salad is a crowd favorite. The textures of the roasted nuts combined with the sweet tangy dresssing and crisp cabbage make a great combination. It catches you like surprise, like a blind date that is actually attractive.

Make sure to add the nuts, uncooked Ramen noodles and dressing at the LAST MINUTE or it will get soggy. Also make sure to shake the dressing really well. Like a shake weight. Seriously.

Oriental Cabbage Salad

Serves 12-15

Mix these two items together in a large bowl, then set aside:

• 2 lbs. shredded cabbage (red or green)
• 6 oz. (1 bunch) green onions chopped into 1/2 inch strips (chop up the green part also)

Roast (either in oven or in a frying pan with a little oil), then set aside:

• 1 cup slivered almonds (or a package)
• 1/4 cup seasame seeds

Add to salad greens just before serving:

• 1 package Top Ramen noodles (I prefer Sapporo-ichiban, original flavor) – break the noodles up while still in the package. Add the flavoring packet to the salad dressing.
• Roasted nuts

Pour dresssing over greens and roasted almonds, serve immediately.

Dressing

• 1 cup salad oil
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup rice vinegar
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• flavoring packet from noodles

shake together well until dissolved

Put Your ______(Memories) In a Box

My boyfriend’s first cousin Dan and Shannon got married on New Years Eve! The wedding was a blast and his family and extended family were really cool. I had such a great time, I wanted to make them a shadow box of all the wedding paraphernalia. Try saying paraphernalia three times fast on New Years Eve – not happening!

I started collecting things at the wedding like the program and invitation, but the fun stuff like the party favors and personalized napkins and matches added a special touch. Of course, I removed the matches from the matchbox before placing in the frame… (I think)

You don’t have to wait for a special occasion to make a shadow box. If you’re like me, you like to hoard save things other than pictures to remember a fun time. Now all you have to do is put your _____ in a box. (Memories).

Congratulations Dan and Shannon!!

Five Spice Shrimp

Who missed me?

(Quickly brushing away tumbleweeds)

I’ve been busy but I finally went grocery shopping which means – FOOD! I was ready for something new, something different, something….SPICY.

Turns out, this recipe is actually somewhat healthy. I realized that using so many spices brings out flavor without the extra calories. Who am I – Jillian Michaels?

I didn’t use the fresh coriander though. After mixing up green chiles for green beans a few years ago, I keep my herb/vegetable shopping to a minimum.

As spicy as this seems, I’d add a little more of the spices. Just a bit. Just a tad. Maybe a little salt too.

Serve with rice and enjoy!

Five Spice Shrimp

INGREDIENTS

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1-inch piece ginger
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/8 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 2 medium tomatoes, pureed
• 1 pound large shrimp, shelled and deveined
• 2 1/2 cups cooked rice
• Coriander sprigs

PREPARATION

1. Heat oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Sauté onion until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Grind ginger and garlic into a paste; add it and remaining spices and tomatoes to pan; simmer 5 minutes. In a separate pan, sauté shrimp 30 seconds. Add sauce and stir continuously on high heat, 2 or 3 minutes, until most of the liquid evaporates. Serve over rice. Garnish with coriander.

THE SKINNY

300 calories per serving, 4.9 g fat (0.8 g saturated), 35.4 g carbs, 2.1 g fiber, 26 g protein

Squarsh Souffle

I say ‘squarsh’ because my mom tends to add an ‘r’ after anything with a ‘qu.’ Meanwhile, both squish and squash become “squarsh.”

I know what you’re thinking – squash souffle?? really? It’s fluffy, light, sweet and hearty all at the same time. Kinda like me.

My friend Jean, the food genius, gave me this recipe*. She makes the most incredible things I’ve ever eaten. (Hopefully, she doesn’t start a blog, cause all of my 14 readers would leave me).

This is a great accent to any main meat dish – I’ve served it with ham, pork and chicken. It kinda tastes like my Sweet Potato Delight. What can I say – the bear’s got a sweet tooth. Hey-hey-boo-boo

I had to tempur the eggs just a bit so they wouldn’t actually cook in the mixture. But this was super easy. The cinnamon adds a nice touch. Enjoy!

Squarsh Souffle

• 1 10 oz pkg frozen cooked squash
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup cake meal (for Passover) or 1/2 cup cake flour
• 2 cups non-dairy creamer–Farm Rich fat free
• 1/2 stick margarine

Defrost squash over low heat
Add margarine and melt
Beat eggs, sugar, cake meal and add to squash
Add creamer
Pour into 1 1/2 quart pan
Sprinkle with cinnamon or add to mixture
Bake 1 hour @350, for double bake (1 hour and 15 minutes)

* Note: This recipe is from a friend’s family friend.

Made with Joe’s Hands

I know, I know. I should be the one cooking since this is my blog. But a bear’s gotta take a break, roighto? Truth be told, I have made this recipe many, many times. The actual picture is from a batch that Joe (my boyfriend) made.

It’s really easy and only involves a few ingredients. The hardest part is the chopping. Note to self: always be fully dressed when using a sharp knife. If you cut your finger, would you want to go to the hospital with no pantalones?? just sayin.

Another note: did you know that zucchini is also known as green squash?? I did not. This is from the girl who almost bought green chiles instead of green beans at Thanksgiving.

Soooo yeah. The problem is that the actual recipe is for a ‘make-ahead’ meal which means you freeze most of it in small containers instead of cooking the whole thing at once.

Which means – I haven’t quite mastered the timing on this one. Maybe you can help me? I think I should cook the potatoes first, then add the other stuff. Cause the chicken is so crispy, I thought I invented chicken chips.

Yummm. Don’t steal my idea.

Rosemary Chicken with Zucchini

• YIELD: Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 pound new potatoes
• 2 carrots
• 2 small zucchini
• Olive oil
• Whole-grain mustard
• 1 bunch rosemary
• Kosher salt and pepper
• 4 6-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 4 1-quart resealable plastic freezer bags

Preparation

• Freeze It
  Quarter the potatoes. Peel the carrots. Cut the carrots and zucchini into 2-inch sticks. Mix them in a bowl with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons mustard, 1 tablespoon rosemary, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. 

  Season the chicken with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

  Divide everything among 4 bags. Freeze, until ready to cook, for up to 3 months.

  Cook It
  Heat oven to 400° F.

  Remove the bags from the freezer (you’ll need 1 bag for each serving). Empty the contents of the bags into a baking dish. Roast for 25 minutes. Toss the vegetables, turn the chicken, and continue roasting until the chicken is cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes more.

  Divide among individual plates.

The Big Payback

Who has missed my bearily crafts? Anyone?

(tumbleweed)

Believe it or not, I was not always so crafty. Back in the day I made several failed attempts to be creative. I made my friend Monise these really cool socks with her name on it (in puffy paint). Needless to say, she was not a fan.

So I figured I owed her a personalized craft since this is kinda my thing now. I made her this “M” in earth tones to match her decor. Yes, I said “decor” mmmmkaaaay.

I also painted this piggybank for my friend Erica’s baby shower. What did I make for her back in the day? I painted a candle with puffy paint, and the paint melted. Not attractive.

Seafood Yumbo

See how I manipulated ‘gumbo’ and made it bearily by saying ‘yumbo’? I’m so witty.

Seafood gumbo is a cherished dish from N’Awlins (New Orleans). Is it a soup? A stew? No, it’s so much more.

Some notes:

• The most important part of gumbo is the ‘roux’ which is flour and oil. This is the base of the gumbo and you want it to get nice and thick before adding the other ingredients.
• This is a weekend meal. It takes a lot of prep and patience.
• I recommend that you saute the okra. Let me tell you what okra looks like when you don’t saute it. It looks like baby alien pods that are slimy and disgusting and it slops out of the packet in a gooey mess. So. Saute it.
• The file is the seasoning that thickens the gumbo and adds the overall ZEST and flava.
• This recipe calls for a TON of ingredients, but don’t be scared. You probably have most of the seasonings already. As with most recipes, the pain is in the prep. Start at the beginning, and when you get to the end…stop.

Spicy Seafood Gumbo

1 cup vegetable oil

1 cup flour

2 cups chopped onions

8 ribs celery, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

8 cups chicken broth, canned or from base

2 large cans (28 ounces each) tomatoes, diced

2 packages (10 ounces each) frozen okra, sliced, thawed

1 pound crab claws

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon hot sauce

2 large dried bay leaves

1/2 cup fresh minced parsley

2 teaspoons dried leaf thyme

2 teaspoons dried leaf basil

2 teaspoons dried leaf oregano

1 teaspoon sage

1 teaspoon pepper

2 pounds shrimp, medium, unpeeled

1 quart oysters, undrained

1 pound crab meat

1 pound fish fillets, such as catfish or other firm white fish, cut in 1-inch pieces

hot cooked rice

file powder, optional

Combine oil and flour in a heavy skillet; cook over medium heat for 20 minutes, stirring constantly, until roux is dark. Be very careful to keep the roux from scorching. Stir in onion, celery, and garlic; cook 10 minutes, stirring often. Transfer mixture to a Dutch oven or large kettle. Add chicken broth, tomatoes, okra, crab claws, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, bay leaves, parsley, thyme, basil, oregano, sage, and pepper; simmer 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Peel and devein shrimp. Add shrimp, oysters, crab meat, and fish to the pot; simmer 10 to 15 minutes. Remove and discard bay leaves. Serve gumbo over hot cooked rice and, if desired, sprinkle with file.

Sidenote: I did not used the crab claws or fish fillets.

I suggest freezing the leftovers (if there are any HAYO).

Breakthrough

I’m having a moment. I feel like I have seen the light! (Chorus of angels)

I made up my own recipe!! I want to shout it from the rooftops! I wish I had a megahorn like my middle school principal yelling, “It does not take 5 people to open a locker. Get to class!”

So I had a bunch of leftovers, and it wasn’t enough to make a meal out of and I was just going to throw it out. But then – a thought – what if I somehow combined the leftovers to make a NEW meal??

I had a rotisserie chicken, white rice and spinach. Hmmm what could I make with that? AHA! SOUP! I used chicken broth, picked the chicken until it looked like a carcass and dumped the rice and spinach in a pot.

Look at that. C’mon, you’re kinda sweatin me now, right? 

I added some red pepper flakes (or mirchi for my Indian friends) to really jazz it up. Yes, I said “jazz it up.”

Now comes the tricky part. I don’t have a recipe to share! So this is my best advice to re-create this masterpiece.

Chicken & Rice Soup

• shredded rotisserie chicken
• 1 cup cooked white rice
• 1 box chicken broth (or 2 cans)
• 1 package frozen spinach (cook it first)
• red pepper flakes
• black pepper

1. Cook the rice. Cook the spinach.

2. Shred the chicken (use the rotisserie chicken since it has so much flavor).

3. Heat the chicken broth on medium for a few minutes.

4. Dump the chicken, rice and spinach in the pot. Cook for about 10 minutes.

5. Season with red pepper flakes and black pepper to taste.

Enjoy!!! Tell me how it comes out!

Chocolate Meets Fiber

Was it love at first sight? Did the chocolate say to the peanut butter – “how YOU doin?” The answer is YES. The oatmeal and peanut butter add a kick of fiber, but are blended together with the chocolate chips in a smooth cheek-to-cheek dance reminicent of Cliff and Clair Huxtable. Ah, the sweet smell of cookies baking.

I went to Bethenny Frankel’s Girls Night Out tour this week for my birthday, so I thought I should try one of her recipes. Mmmmm fiber.

Why is there no photo? Because like my Bangin Buffalo Dip, it was just not photogenic. Don’t worry – they are delarcious!!

Oatmeal/Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

¾ cup oats

2 tablespoons butter

¾ cup raw sugar

½ cup natural peanut butter

1 egg

½ teaspoon almond extract

1 cup whole-wheat flour1 teaspoon baking soda

½ cup chocolate chips

¼ cup soymilk

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In large bowl, mix together ingredients.  Stir well until all ingredients are combined.

2. Use a 3 oz. ice cream scoop to drop batter onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper (to prevent sticking). Press the scoop of dough flat.

3. Bake for 23 minutes, rotating the cookies at around 12 minutes.

4. Cool slightly on baking sheet before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.