Posts from Michelle

What the heck is Quinoa?

August 27, 2014 by Michelle

The Wiki people describe it as the seed of a grain crop. Really? I thought it was one of these ‘ancient grains’. I guess not. Although, it is ancient. Then why has it taken soooo long to get here?

Who knows. I’m just glad it did. This is a wonder/super food. It’s high in protein, low in gluten and grows in dry soil. These days it’s all over the place. One place in particular is in my favorite salad at the California Pizza Kitchen – ‘Quinoa Arugula Salad’. But before I attempt to make this at home, I have to make the quinoa. It’s pronounced, Keeen – wa…. not like the guy in the BudLight commercial, “What the heck is Queeno?”, and thinking it’s good luck he eats it anyway. Little does he know it’s so much better for him than that beer.

To eat it, you have to make it. I’ve made the boxed versions and haven’t been all that impressed. I’m a fair cook – it can’t be that hard. Turns out, it isn’t. Although it’s not exactly as I’d thought. It’s more like cooking rice than couscous.

Simple Quinoa:

Step 1:

Use 1 cup Quinoa to 2 cups liquid (water or broth)

Step 2:

Give it a rinse. Apparently, there’s a coating on it that makes it taste bitter. Not knowing this step would probably make you not like the stuff. Commercially sold varieties have had most of it rinsed off, but I let it sit in the water and then rinsed it as I would basmati rice, just in case.

Step 3:

Now you can drain off the water, and get your pot ready. Take a little olive oil and heat it. Dump in the quinoa and toast it, letting the water evaporate and bringing it to a nutty smell.

Step 4:

Here may be another reason quinoa doesn’t make many menu’s – everything tastes better made with broth than plain water.

Step 5:

Give it a stir. Bring it up to a boil, turn the temp down to low and cover. Simmer for 15 min. Then remove from the heat and let it sit for another 5 minutes.

Step 6:

Fluff with a fork and serve ! Wait, what’s with the little white strings? (My sister hates them) Since it’s a seed, there’s a ‘germ’ inside and that’s what’s been loosened with the cooking process.

Finale:

So, since I had steamed some asparagus, and I had most of the ingredients, I went ahead and made a pseudo CPK salad – it was so good !! (but that’s another blog)

CPK Salad - recipe next week — CPK Salad – recipe next week

So, don’t be scared of the quinoa – super food that’s really super easy to work with. This nutty tasting morsel works well with veggies in summer salads, and even eaten like oatmeal for breakfast !

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Florentine Lasagna ; a slightly healthier version

August 20, 2014 by Michelle

I’m back, and I’ve got a whole lot of rotisserie chicken to use up. I buy them 2 at a time at the warehouse club. An oversized chicken pre-cooked, under $5.00 – I can’t deny the frugality! Sure, I could freeze the meat like usual – but I’ve got blog posts to put up!

Now that I’ve stripped them of the meat and made stock out of the bones, let’s do up one of my favorites. Chicken Lasagna Florentine. Well, that’s how its listed in the Southern Living Cookbook. I re-named it because I simply cannot make their’s – overly salty, calorie laden, cheese smothered gut buster. And after all that they cover it with a ‘butter pecan topping’. Wait, isn’t that an ice cream? Not this one, but it may as well be, there’s nearly as many fat grams. Sorry, no can do.

So go and get some rotisserie chicken and follow along.

Florentine Lasagna – Michelle Style

Wait - what's that lemon doing in there ?! (photo bomb) — Wait – what’s that lemon doing in there ? Photo bomb!

Step 1

Gather up the ingredients: Preheat that oven – 350 deg please.

6 no-Boil Lasagna noodles (or regular, if you’re into extra steps)

1 Cup Mozzarella Cheese, shredded

4 Slices Provolone Cheese

1/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese, grated

1/2 a bag (5-6 cups) Spinach or leafy green mix (kale/shard/spinach)

1 can Cream of Chicken or Mushroom Soup (fat-free)

1 Cup Reduced Fat Sour Cream

1/3 Cup Mayonnaise (reduced fat is ok)

1 Tbl Soy Sauce

1/4 tsp Nutmeg

1 Tbl Corn Starch

1/4 tsp Black Pepper

1 Medium Onion, chopped fine

2 Cups Rotisserie Chicken, shredded

Step 2

Combine the nutmeg, and pepper with the corn starch and set aside. Also set aside the Mozzarella and Provolone cheeses, and noodles. Take everything else and get into a huge bowl and combine.

Why, no that’s NOT spinach. It’s a ‘Power Mix’ I got at the warehouse club – an awesome mix of kale, spinach and swiss chard. All super good for you and easy to cook with beyond a salad.

Step 3

In your lasagna dish, lay out the noodles with space for expansion. then top with 1/2 of the chicken mixture.

Step 4

Divide the cheese and sprinkle half over the mixture and lay on another set of noodles. Top them with the remaining chicken mixture and cheeses. Cover with foil tightly and get it in the hot box for about 55 minutes.

Then remove the foil and if you like, put it under the broiler for a minute or two to brown up the cheesy top. (Caramelized cheese is right up there with chocolate fondue on my faves list!) If you’re going to eat cheese make it worth it! A little bit of full fat Provy is so much better than 2 cups of garbage-fat-free-melted-plastic-type-substance.

Step 5

So good – oh, you can’t smell that – too bad. You’ll just have to make some yourself!

Finale:

So good ! And even you can have a piece. Add a salad and some refreshing water – you’re set. This isn’t one of those piled high lasagna dishes, but you could pump it up with the addition of a low fat cottage cheese and an extra layer of noodles. But that’s another blog.

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Frosty anyone? …in August!

August 13, 2014 by Michelle

Oh, yes, Frosty’s – sooo good when it’s sooo hot. And it’s really hot ! But even though the ubiquitous Frosty is a low fat wonder, it doesn’t exactly make the diet playlist. It’s still a machine made milkshake, a really thick one. Anybody with a Pinterest Login will tell you there are a million recipes for them,…well, here’s mine.

Step 1:

Gather together

3/4 Cup Almond Milk

1/2 Banana (frozen)

1/2 scoop Whey Protein Powder

2 Tbl Cocoa Powder

1 Tbl Agave

1 Cup Crushed Ice Cubes

Frozen bananas? Oh yes…take those bananas that are covered in what I call sugar freckles (to get the kids to eat them when they’re best). Slice them up and load a cookie sheet lined with plastic wrap. Cover with more wrap to keep out the ‘freezer funk’ taste. Pop them in the freezer. The next day put them into a container and keep in the freezer for all your smoothie and Frosty needs.

Step 2:

Get the goodies into you Magic Bullet and give it a whirl.

Step 3:

That’s no smoothie – it’s a Frosty !!! (why do I bother with ‘steps’)

Cool chocolatey goodness - and healthy! — Cool chocolatey goodness – and healthy!

Finale:

I think I’ve been a good Blogger girl – I deserve a treat. Oh, thank you – You might need one yourself…go and get that blender out ! Cool deliciousness awaits….