Food Therapy

I am totally one of those people that would munch on appetizers and dips than eat the main course at a party.  In fact, I really love dips and these are 2 knock-outs.  Both are adaptations of traditional dips, guacamole and tomatillo salsa. 

Roasted Pepper Guacamole
2 avocados (very ripe)
2-3 Tbsp. yellow onion - finely diced
2 cloves garlic - finely diced
Juice from 1 md. lime
1/4 c. cilantro - chopped
1/4 tsp. salt
fresh cracked black pepper
2 roasted Hatch chili peppers (Hatch Chili peppers may be hard to find so you can use poblanos instead)
Garlic Powder to taste
1 Tbsp. sour cream

Place all ingredients in a med. sized bowl.  Use a fork to mash together.  Serve immediately.  Keep the avocado pit in the dip to prevent the guacamole from browning.


"Salsamole"
This one is a knockoff of the green salsa served at Taco Diner in Dallas.  Our friend Zac gave me the challenge to recreate it and he says that this one is pretty close...

12-15 tomatillos - remove outer paper and rinse
5 cloves garlic - unpeeled
olive oil
salt
1 avocado
3/4 c. cilantro
1/2 md. yellow onion
juice of 1 med. lime
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. garlic powder

1. Preheat oven to 400.  Place tomatillos and garlic on a baking sheet.  Drizzle a generous amount of olive oil over tomatillos and garlic.  Sprinkle with generous amount of salt.  Roast for 15-20 minutes, until tomatillos are soft and have some brown coloring. 
2. Remove from oven and squeeze the roasted garlic out of the peel.  Place garlic, tomatillos, oil from the baking pan and the rest of the ingredients into food processor.  Pulse until incorporated. 
3. Refrigerate until ready to use.

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Anyone that is actively following my blog has probably recognized that I am slightly inconsistent when it comes to posting.  I really don't have any good excuse for this other than I just haven't been making the time to write everything all out.  That said, I am really going to try to do my best to get more blogs up in a more timely manner.

Last week I brought back one of Matt's favorite recipes, stuffed peppers.  My mom used to make these all of the time because you literally can put anything but the kitchen sink in them.  I kept this recipe pretty traditional, but still super yummy!

Stuffed Bell Peppers
1 1/4 - 1 1/2 lbs. ground meat (I used half turkey & half sirloin but also love meatloaf mix or just one type of meat)
1 bag of Uncle Ben's Ready Rice (I used Chicken Brown Rice) but you can use pretty much anything
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/3 c. yellow onion - diced fine (about 1/3 med onion)
1/2 c. fresh parsley - chopped
tsp. garlic powder
tsp. salt
2 lg. eggs
3/4 c. seasoned bread crumbs
2 c. sharp cheddar cheese (1 c. into meat mixture & reserve 1 c. to top the peppers)
1/2 c. tomato sauce (use anything that you have in your kitchen - leftover marinara, even just pizza sauce)
fresh pepper
4 bell peppers (I prefer green but red will provide a sweeter pepper) - cut off tops and remove seeds and ribs

1. Preheat oven to 375.  Place prepared peppers in a baking dish standing up.  Mix the balance of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Mix until well incorporated (hands work best!)
2. Fill all of the peppers to the top. 
3. Place the baking dish in the oven and cook for 45 minutes.  After 45 minutes top the peppers with the remaining cheddar cheese and return to the oven for an additional 10-15 minutes.
4. Let side 5-10 minutes prior to serving.

That's it!  Super easy and incredibly cheap to make.  I made these for friends and everyone loved them...and they make even better leftovers.  Be creative, try different rices and different meats and have fun.

Ahhhh....food therapy complete!

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After a couple of days, we are settling in nicely...meeting new people, relaxing by the pool and most importantly....entertaining.  Last night we served a motley crew of new friends from Dallas.  Since Matt and I haven't been together in a while, I saw it only fitting to cook his favorite...Italian.

All parties were represented...Tony Soprano, the "boss" - played by Matt, Carmela, the consummate host - played by Me, Johnny Cakes (for obvious reasons - minus the leather S&M get-up) - played by Jon, Dr. Melfi - played by Amy, and Phil, Second-in-command, played by Zac.  As long as the wine was flowing and the food was good, there was no fear of getting knocked-off.

Well, one thing that I can say...the food was good!  For a WASP, I certainly can whip up some pretty good Italian food.  Last night was the "family" recipe Caesar Salad, Auntie's Meatballs and Baked Ziti....now, I would love to give you the recipe's for both the Caesar and the Meatballs, but I'm pretty sure my body would be with Hoffa, so the Ziti will have to do!

Baked Ziti
2 lbs. ziti - boiled in salted water
1 lb. ground beef - browned and drained
1 large contained of Ricotta Cheese
2 - 8 oz. bags shredded Mozzarella or Italian cheese
1 egg
1/4 c. Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 Tbsp. Italian Seasoning
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. fresh pepper
Tomato Sauce (recipe below)

Place cooked ziti and cooked ground beef in a large baking dish (I bought a disposable Aluminum one - lasagna size).  Mix the remaining ingredients in a bowl and add to the baking dish.  Add sauce and mix until all ingredients are incorporated.  Cover with aluminum foil.  This can be done up to a day in advance.  When ready to cook, preheat oven to 375.  Bake for 45 minutes.  At final 15 minutes of baking, remove foil and top with more shredded mozzarella.

Tomato Sauce
1 jar Prego tomato sauce (I use something simple like tomato basil)
2 small cans of diced tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
1/3 c. shredded Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp. garlic powder
1 Tbsp. salt
pepper - to taste
1 tsp. Italian Seasoning

Place all ingredients in a large sauce pan and stir.  Boil over medium heat then reduce to low.  Let simmer for 1 hr.  Taste and season as necessary.

Seriously, everyone was fighting for the leftovers last night.  This meal could easily serve 10 people and each and every one of them enjoyed it.  It is pretty inexpensive for a group and very satisfying.

Ahhh....food therapy complete...

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Well, it has been a little while since my last post, but I am finally back in Dallas and actually back to living under the same roof as my husband!  Novel concept, huh?  We will see how we make out in less than 1000 sq. feet but the kitchen at the new place is awesome!  I should have no problem at all...

I must say, it was nice to cook for someone other than myself.  This is actually a recipe that I created for Matt a long time ago that I was reinstated last night.  Much to my delight, it was just as good as we remembered.  The fish topping is very flexible and can go on anything from Salmon (for Matt) to swordfish (for me) or even shrimp or tilapia. 

Mediterranean Style Salmon
4 - 1/2 lb. pieces of fish (either Salmon or Swordfish)
Salt
Pepper
Garlic Powder
1/2 medium yellow onion - sliced thin
Olive Oil
1 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. fresh oregano
1 clove garlic - chopped
2/3-3/4 c. kalamata olives - chopped
2 c. diced tomatoes (the better the quality of tomato, the better the sauce will be)

1. Drizzle the fish with olive oil then sprinkle with salt, pepper and garlic powder.  Set aside. Preheat the oven to 375.
2. Meanwhile, saute the onions in a skillet with 1 Tbsp. olive oil & 1 Tbsp. butter over medium heat.  Cook until soft then turn down to medium-low.  Let cook an additional 10-15 minutes to let the onions get sweet.  Add in the remaining ingredients.  Return heat to medium and let sauce come together.  It should be chunky.  Put in a bowl and set aside.
3. Rinse out the skillet and return to medium high heat.  When the pan is hot, drizzle with 1-2 Tbsp. Olive oil, then add fish to the skillet.  If skin is on, place skin-side down first.  Cook for 4 minutes/side.  This will make Salmon medium rare.  If you would like it cooked through or are using swordfish, place fish in the oven for an additional 5 minutes.    
4. Remove from the oven.  To plate, place fish on a plate and top with tomato mixture.  I served with roasted vegetables.

Fish is definitely not one of my faves but it is so good for you that I at least try to incorporate it into my diet.  this is a great way to get the health benefits of the fish, as well as the fresh tomatoes while still having an incredibly tasty meal. Enjoy!

Ahhhh....food therapy complete!

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I know, I know...everyone already knows about my love of Tex-Mex and yes, I have published an enchilada recipe before, but this one is definitely worthy of a post.

The recipe actually comes from my friend, Stephanie.  We were chatting it up last week and she mentioned that she had a fab enchilada recipe.  So naturally, I had to try it.  Oh...my...god...absolutely delicious!!!  I am so happy that she shared them with me (and now you!).  And not only are they yummy, but they are super easy too...

Stephanie's Chicken Enchiladas
1 package boneless-skinless chicken breast
salt
pepper
cumin
garlic powder
1 package flour tortillas
1 can chopped green chilies
1 block cream cheese (I only use Philadelphia brand...you can sub low fat if you want)
1 bag shredded Mexican cheese blend
1 can diced tomatoes w/ chilies
1 can tomato sauce
1/2 c. heavy cream

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Place chicken in a baking dish and sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic powder & cumin.  Bake for 20-25 mins.  This can be done ahead of time.  Let the chicken cool slightly (about 15 mins) then use 2 forks and shred the chicken. 
2. Place a medium size non-stick skillet over medium heat on the stove.  When heated, add the cream cheese, stir until melted.  Add the can of chilies.  Sprinkle with salt & pepper.  Add 1 tsp. cumin.  Stir until incorporated.  Add shredded chicken.  Stir and remove from heat.
3. Meanwhile, mix the can of tomatoes and tomato sauce and cream in a pot.  Heat through over medium heat. 
4. Lay a tortilla on a cutting board.  Spoon 1/8th of the chicken mixture about 3/4 down the flat tortilla.  Sprinkle with shredded cheese (about 1-2 Tbsp).  Roll and place in a greased baking dish.  Repeat until you have 8 enchiladas.  Top with the tomato sauce mixture (you don't have to use all of it).
5. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until heated through.  After about 13 minutes of baking time, top the enchiladas with more shredded cheese. 

When I first heard the ingredients that were in these, I assumed that there wouldn't be enough flavor...boy, was I wrong.  These are so so so good.  They were even good as leftovers (which is saying A LOT considering that I don't eat leftovers!).

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Anyone who knows me knows that as much as I love to entertain and go to parties, I HATE showers!  Bridal showers, baby showers...you name it, I hate it.  I mean who really wants to sit around and see who can make the best "dress" out of toilet paper or have you answer questions to see if you really know your fiance?  Or better yet, watch a bunch of 30-somethings try to decipher a baby word scramble?  Talk about feeling like a moron.  The foodie in me didn't hate tasting the baby food, but Jesus, what genius at Gerber though that chicken and apples would be a good combo for an infant?!  I mean really?  Haven't they heard of focus groups?  Anyway...I digress...

The point is, my soon-to-be sister-in-law's shower is this weekend.  Since I love to throw a good party, I was actually looking forward to this one (aside from the 5 hr drive each way)...but, due to extenuating circumstances, I won't be able to go.  Liz...I will be thinking of you as you act surprised opening gifts that you picked out and as you wear your "hat of bows" as everyone takes pictures of you....I made sure that I put extra bows on my gift  :) 

And even though I won't be there, I am still contributing in spirit...Diane will be making the following on my behalf.  And by the way, it is so good that I just have to make some this weekend for myself!

The batter for this streusel-topped breakfast sheet cake can be prepped and chilled in the pan up to 18 hours before baking.

Overnight Cinnamon-Pecan Coffee Cake
¾ c. butter, softened
1 c. granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 c. all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
½ tsp. salt
1 c. sour cream

Beat butter and granulated sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Combine flour and next 4 ingredients; add to butter mixture alternately with sour cream, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. Spread batter into a greased and floured 13x9 in. pan

Topping



Stir together brown sugar, pecans and cinnamon; sprinkle over batter. Cover pan with plastic wrap and chill 8-18 hours. Preheat oven to 350. Bake coffee cake 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Serve at warm or room temperature.

Regardless of the antics that go on at the event, one thing I can promise is that the food will be delish!  So, Liz...make sure that you try everything and drink a mimosa or 10 for me!  Love ya girl! Can't wait to add another female to the ranks!

Ahhhh...food therapy complete...

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Much to my delight, I have had some great success putting together healthy meals over the past couple of weeks.  I have lost nearly 5 lbs while still enjoying my daily wine consumption.  It's been a really great trade-off and has encouraged me to try some new food combinations in the meantime. 

Since we all know that I don't really "follow" any recipe, I just use them as guidelines, the following recipe is a Greek pork chop and salad, adapted from Cooking Light magazine.

Greek-Style Pork Chops
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar, divided
1 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. olive oil, divided
2 garlic cloves, mined
4 (4-oz) boneless pork chops (I used bone in, some you can use either)
3/4 c. plain fat-free Greek-style yogurt
1/4 c. reduced fat sour cream
1 1/2 Tbsp. fresh dill - chopped

1. Combine 1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar, oregano, 1 tsp. olive oil, and garlic in a zip-top plastic bag.  Add pork to bag, and seal.  Marinate for 20-minutes at room temperature, turner after 10 minutes.  Combine remaining 1 Tbsp. vinegar, remaining tsp. of olive oil, yogurt, sour cream, dill and 1/8 tsp. of salt in a small bowl.  Stir together with a whisk, cover and chill.
2. Heat a grill pan (or non-stick skillet) over med-high heat.  Coat pan with non-stick cooking spray, remove pork from the bag.  Sprinkle both sides of pork with salt and pepper.  Add pork to pan, and cook for 3-4 mins./side or until desired degree of doneness.  Remove pork from the pan and let stand for 2 minutes.  Serve with Cucumber Greek Salad (recipe below) and top with dill yogurt mixture.

Cucumber Greek Salad
1 1/2  c. diced tomatoes
1 c. diced seeded cucumber
1/2 c. finely diced red onion
1/2 c. feta cheese
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. olive oil
salt
pepper

1. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl.  Toss and chill until ready to eat.

This meal has less than 300 calories per serving and tastes amazing!  It is a great summer meal and definitely satisfying.  The yogurt-dill mixture is so versatile.  It would be amazing on chicken, fish, a salad, maybe even chocolate!  Okay....probably not chocolate, but you get the point.  It is a great stand-by condiment that you can use on anything.  Opa!

Ahhh...food therapy complete....

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One of the best things about my healthier eating plan, is that I am able to take traditional recipes and make them a little better for me.  It has made my creative juices flow and I am really enjoying the challenge.

Tonight I started with a recipe from Rachael Ray.  In general I find her recipes to be under-seasoned so I always have to adapt them, but this one I took a little bit more creative freedom with. 

Chicken and Roasted Veggie Napoleons
2 large or 3 small portobello mushroom caps (remove the stems and wash) Slice into 1/4-1/2 in. slices
3/4 of a 2.2 lb. tube of prepared polenta sliced into 1/4-1/2 in. slices
1 eggplant, peeled and sliced lengthwise into 1/4-1/2 in. pieces (should have 6)
1 zucchini, sliced on the diagonal into 12-18 pieces
1 squash, sliced on the diagonal into 12-18 pieces
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, butterflied into 2 pieces (should yield 6 pieces total)
3/4 c. non fat ricotta cheese
1/2 c. reduced fat Italian Cheese Blend
1 Tbsp. Sundried tomato paste (available in the Italian section of the store)
Salt
Pepper
Garlic Powder
Italian Seasoning

1. Preheat the oven to 400.  Spray a large cooking sheet with Olive Oil Non-stick spray.  Layer zucchini, squash & mushrooms on the tray.  Spray veggies with olive oil spray and top with salt, pepper & garlic powder to taste. Place in oven for 10-12 minutes or until cooked through.  Remove from oven and set aside.  Repeat process with eggplant and set cooked eggplant aside.

2. Meanwhile heat a skillet over medium-high heat.  Spray with non-stick spray and add polenta.  Cook until heated through and crisp on the outside - about 2-3 mins per side. Set aside.

3. Season the chicken with salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste.  Using the same pan, add more non-stick spray (if necessary) and cook chicken.  About 3-4 mins. per side.

4. In a small bowl combine ricotta, Italian cheese & sundried tomato paste.  Add salt, pepper, garlic powder and Italian seasoning to taste. 

5.  The eggplant will be the base for the napoleons.  Top each piece of eggplant with 1 piece of chicken, 2-3 pieces of zucchini, 2-3 pieces of squash.  Place 1 large tablespoon of the cheese mixture on top of the veggies and spread out.  Top with 2-3 polenta rounds and one more scoop of cheese mixture.  Top with mushrooms and return the napoleons to the oven for about 5 minutes until heated through.

This meal was incredibly satisfying.  The sundried tomato paste is a perfect way to add a ton of flavor without a lot of calories...not to mention, this is an entire meal in one!  Christopher (my bro) also suggested topping it off with a tomato sauce, which would be delish. 

Ahhh...food therapy complete!

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For those of you that don't know, I am on a mission to lose some ell-bees (lbs.).  I quit smoking over a year ago and as a result of have added about 15 pounds of love. While my husband loves me unconditionally, I am not the long, lean woman that I once was and it kills me.  I have started a much stricter eating program and have finally incorporated some working out into the program.

Despite the need to be more conscience, I feel that I need to maintain some sense of 'normalcy' in order to succeed.  Potatoes and cheese are my weaknesses and but I am still able to eat them all, to a different degree and in moderation.  Tonight I made a "traditional" meat and potatoes meal...with a spin.

Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes

8 oz uncooked lean ground beef (with 7% fat)

12 oz lean ground turkey

1 medium onion(s), chopped

1/2 cup(s) uncooked old fashioned oats

8 oz canned tomato sauce

2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce 2 large egg white(s), beaten slightly    1/4 tsp table salt    1/4 tsp black pepper    1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/2 c. seasoned bread crumbs

1/2 c. low-fat cheese (cheddar or Mexican blend)

Preheat oven to 350.  Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.  Spray loaf pan with non-stick spray.  Place mix into loaf pan.  Bake for 1 hour.

Mashed Potatoes

	4 large potato(es)
	1/4 cup(s) fat-free skim milk
	1/4 cup(s) plain fat-free yogurt
	1/4 cup(s) reduced-fat sour cream
	1 Tbsp chives, minced
	1/8 tsp table salt, or to taste
	1/8 tsp black pepper, or to taste

1 Tbsp. reduced fat butter or butter substitute
1 Tbsp. reduced fat cream cheese

Peel potatoes and cut into large chunks. Cover with salted water and bring to the boil. Cook until tender when pierced by a knife. Remove from heat and drain.

Mash potatoes. Combine with milk, yogurt, sour cream and chives. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Do not overbeat or potatoes will become gummy.
I have to say, I found this meal extremely satisfying.  I was definitely nervous about the oats in the meatloaf, but you don't even taste them!  And the mashed potatoes were pretty darn close to the family stand-by.  I mean, you definitely notice the reduction of fat, but isn't that the point?!  I will definitely make this again and might get a little bit more creative with the meatloaf next time (add some peppers, Parmesan cheese, etc.).  I hope you enjoy!

Ahhhh...food therapy complete!
 

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It's been an incredibly long time since my last post and I have to apologize...there have been many changes on the Clem/Hendricks homefront in the past month which has resulted in my inconsistent postings.  We have decided to make the big move back to Dallas, but unfortunately, it means another long-distance relationship for the time being.  But enough about that, let's get back to the food...

I have decided to make a concerted effort to eat better which has encouraged me to make new recipes and in some cases use ingredients that I don't typically use.  Tonight I was craving some good, old-fashioned comfort food.  With the new eating regimine, that meant a turkey burger as opposed to my normal beef burger.  But word on the street is that I make a pretty mean turkey burger, so this one definitely hit the spot!

Turkey Burgers
1 package lean ground turkey (about 1 - 1 1/4 lbs)
1 egg
1/4 - 1/2 c. seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 c. finely diced onion (red or white)
1 tsp. worchestershire sauce 
1-2 tsp. montreal seasoning
salt
pepper

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and divide into 5-6 equal patties.  Make a divot in the center of one side of the patty (this stops them from "puffing up").  Cook on med-high grill or cast iron skillet for 5-6 minutes per side.  Add cheese during final 1 minute. Serve on a roll or english muffin.

I served the burgers with a side of green beans and an arugala salad (arugala, fresh parmesan cut with a potato peeler, topped with fresh lemon juice and olive oil).

I think that this healthy eating is a really nice trend that I am going to keep up with.  Expect more recipes with a healthy twist  :)

Ahhh...food therapy complete!

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