southwestern “egg rolls”: part two

March 30, 2014
appeteaser, the main event, the underwear diet
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1 tablespoon canola oil, plus more for frying (this recipe calls for a shallow, not deep, fry, so the oil should only come up about 1/4 inch on the side of the pan)
1 small onion, small dice
1 red bell pepper (this time I used orange because it was all I had, but I like the red against the rest of the colors)
1 1/2 cups frozen corn
4 cups frozen chopped spinach (from the bag, not a box, which is more compact), drained well
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup taco (or fajita) seasoning
Kosher salt to taste
8 whole wheat tortillas
8 oz pepper jack cheese

1. Heat the oil in a pan over medium-high heat.
2. Saute the onion and pepper until soft, about 5 minutes, and then add the corn, spinach, black beans, seasoning, and salt. Cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until all of the liquid has evaporated and the mixture starts to stick together (almost like a thick paste).
3. Mash the mixture with a potato masher to break up most of the black beans and help all the ingredients stick together.
4. Spoon about 1/2 cup of the mixture in the center of each tortilla and spread out to about 1 inch from the edge. Sprinkle with 1 oz of the grated cheese and roll into a burrito.
5. Heat canola oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, place the folded tortillas into into the pan, seam side down, and fry until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove and drain on paper towels.
6. Cut each “egg roll” in half on a diagonal and serve with a creamy dipping sauce (I was too lazy to include in this recipe, but this time I used 2 parts plain, non-fat Greek yogurt to 1 part mayonnaise, blended with chipotles in adobo).

This is the second time documenting this recipe, but the third time I’ve made it. The second time, I brushed each “egg roll” with canola oil and baked in a 425-degree oven for about 20 minutes. It was good, but the flavor did not come close to the fried version. So, depending on your mood, either method works well, but fried is preferred.

Notes: make sure to cook out all the moisture in the vegetable mixture, otherwise the tortillas will get soggy and puff up. This round had excellent flavor but the moisture was a problem.

perfect roasted chicken

March 29, 2014
the main event, the underwear diet
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1 4 1/2-5 pound chicken
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
2. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Season liberally, inside and out, with salt and pepper.
3. Tuck the wings under the bird.
4. Cut a slit into each flap of skin next to the legs, and tuck each leg into the opposite slit.
5. Place the chicken on a rack in a roasting pan and roast for 15 minutes.
6. Decrease oven temperature to 375 degrees F and roast for an hour and 15 minutes.
7. Remove chicken and allow to rest for at least 20 minutes before carving.

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andouille chicken sausage with grapes

March 23, 2014
sweet thang, the main event
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Not the prettiest dish, but hearty and tasty. I used this recipe for Sauteed Sausages with Grapes and Balsamic Glazed Onions from Fine Cooking, made a few little changes, and served it over raw Tuscan kale.

3 tsp canola oil
4 andouille chicken sausages (I used precooked because it was all I had on hand, but uncooked is best)
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup red seedless grapes (if they’re small, leave them whole; otherwise, cut in half)
1 pound Tuscan kale, ribs removed, cut into 1-inch thick slices
Juice of 1 lime
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pan over high heat. Add the sausages and cook until brown on all sides, about 8 minutes total.
2. Remove the sausage, lower the heat to medium, and add the onion to the pan. Cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden brown. Add garlic and cook for an additional minute.
3. Deglaze the pan with balsamic vinegar, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen the brown bits, and reduce by half.
4. Add the chicken broth and grapes, and nestle in the sausages.
5. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until the liquid has reduced by about half and the sausages are cooked through, about 15-20 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, massage kale with lime juice, salt, and pepper and place on a platter.
7. Serve sausages, grapes, and onions over the kale salad.

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strawberry cucumber smoothie

March 22, 2014
drink this, the underwear diet
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This simple smoothie is ridiculously easy to prepare, and provides key nutrients to nourish your skin. Strawberries are full of vitamin C, and cucumbers contain silica, both helping to boost collagen production for youthful-looking skin.

1 cup strawberries
1 cup cucumber, sliced
1 cup coconut water

1. Combine all three ingredients and whirl in a blender until smooth.

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photo 2

vegan chili: part two

March 20, 2014
the main event, the underwear diet
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I first time made this chili I served it to two meat-loving men, who both couldn’t believe that it was vegan. The first recipe attempt was spot-on, and I had to be sure it wasn’t a fluke. Attempt number two is very similar to number one, with some minor changes: changed the type of oil and reduced it from 3 to 2 Tbsp, increased beer from 9 to 12 oz (simply because it makes more sense, and I was making it at 11 a.m. on a Monday, which, even for me, is too early for a drink), corrected an error in the preparation method, increased cooking time. My S.S. preferred this attempt over the first.

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, medium dice
1 red bell pepper, medium dice
1 green bell pepper, medium dice
4 large cloves garlic, minced
1 cup textured vegetable protein
2 Tbsp paprika
2 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
12 oz beer of your choice (use gluten-free beer to make the recipe gluten-free)
1 28-oz can peeled whole tomatoes, crushed by hand
1 15-oz can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 15-oz can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 4-oz can fire-roasted green chiles
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Scallions, thinly sliced, for garnish (optional)

1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell peppers, and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Saute until soft, about 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, soak the textured vegetable protein in hot water. Drain, and then add to the pot along with the paprika, chili powder, cumin, and cayenne pepper. Saute for 2 minutes.
3. Pour in the beer and reduce by half, scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to loosen the bits.
4. Crush the tomatoes and add to the pot, along with the beans and green chiles.
5. Cover the ingredients with water (about 1 quart). Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally, until thick (chili will continue to thicken as it sits).
6. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with sliced scallions (optional).

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The result? Very tasty, not as spicy as last time. Increase cayenne pepper to 1 tsp, but otherwise this one is getting close to where I want it to be!