Chili Con Turkey

May 16, 2010

It's almost summer time and that means bathing suit season is just right around the corner. To shed a few lbs, I decided to go on a diet. My friends have raved about the abs diet and it worked for them and they didn't have to starve themselves in the process. Like many people, I've struggled with my weight and I'm always looking for the fastest solution as I am impatient. From my experience it's all about patience and determination. So I've had the Abs Diet book for a while and I'm focused on shedding a few lbs. Just a brief overview of the diet, it mainly focuses on 12 groups of food. Each meal should consist of at least 2 foods from the list:

A - Almonds and other nuts
B - Beans and legumes
S - Spinach and other green vegetables
D - Dairy (fat-free or low-fat milk, yogurt, cheese)
I  - Instant Oatmeal (unsweetened, unflavored)
E - Eggs
T - Turkey and other lean meats
P - Peanut butter
O - Olive Oil
W - Whole-grain breads and cereals
E - Extra-Protein (whey) powder
R - Raspberries and other berries

This is a great diet because I'm not starving myself and the recipes are easy to follow and most importantly they're delicious.

Ingredients: (adapted from Abs Diet for Women)
1 1/4 lb of Ground Turkey
1 tbs of olive oil
1 can (15 oz) of Southwestern Diced Tomatoes
1 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 can (15 oz) of black beans
1 can (15 oz) of kidney beans
1 can (15 oz) of sweet whole kernal sweet corn
1 package of taco seasoning
1 tbs of ground flaxseed
1/2 cup of water
salt and pepper to taste

Directions: 
Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, add ground turkey and cook until golden brown
Add the rest of the ingredients and cook on medium heat for 30 minutes stirring occasionally

 

Asparagus with Hollandaise Sauce

May 15, 2010

Asparagus is in season and I couldn't resist taking them home when I saw them at the market the other day. The long green spears are delicious any way you cook them. whether it be steamed, blanched, fried, or grilled.  I usually grill them on the grill but these were too skinny and they would have fallen through the grill. This time, I decided to make the classical French dish, Asparagus with Hollandaise Sauce. I quickly blanched them in salted boiling water and quickly shock them in an ice bath to complete the cooking. Then I make my sauce which takes a few minutes and drizzle the sauce on the asparagus and they're absolutely incredibly delicious. As Julia Child would say "Fat is Flavor"

Ingredients: 
bunch of asparagus, washed and trimmed
2 egg yolks
1 tsp of fresh lemon juice
pinch of paprika
1/2 cup of butter (1 stick of  butter)

Directions:
In a large pot, boil water, and generously season with salt
Blanch the asparagus and transfer to a cold ice water bath when fork tender
In a small sauce pan, simmer water over a large bowl or use a double boiler.
Add egg yolks and lemon juice, and whisk until well combined
Add butter in pieces and whisk until the sauce thickens
Season with salt and pepper, and a pinch of paprika

Bon Appetit!

Tilapia with Mango Salsa

Apr 2, 2010

I rarely cook fish, the memories of choking on a bone when I was a young child traumatized me that I don't have a desire to cook fish at home. The only fish I love is salmon which I get already cleaned and deboned from the market. Because I gave up chicken, beef, and pork for lent, I was craving fish for some reason. I was at the seafood section at the asian market hesitatant whether or not I should get it. The line was long and I just grabbed the slimy fish with my plastic bag glove. The man asked how I wanted it, "just cleaned, gutted, and scaled, " I said. This market also deep fried it which maybe I'll try next. I originally wanted to grill the fish outside but I didn't have one of those fish baskets. I grilled fish once on the grill without the basket and it was a disaster. The darn thing was stuck to the grill and the meat falls completely apart from trying to scrape it.

Ingredients: 
1 tilapia
sea salt for seasoning
fresh ground black pepper
1 piece of 1" ginger, peeled and sliced
1/2 lemon, thinly sliced
a bunch of cilantro
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
2 bay leaves

Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees
Season the fish inside with salt and pepper. Stuff the fish with ginger, lemon, garlic, and bay leaves.
Generously rub the fish with salt including the slits.
Place the fish on a wire rack and cook for 20 -25 minutes or until the fish is opaque.

Mango Salsa:
1/2 mango, peeled, diced
1 jalapeno, seeded and finely diced
1 bunch of cilantro, chopped
1/4 red onions, finely diced
1 garlic, minced
1 medium tomato, diced
juice of half a lime
 salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Combine all the ingredients, season with salt and pepper.

Homemade Pizza with Sun-dried Tomatoes and Basil

Mar 24, 2010

Pizza is one of all time favorite food that I love and crave all the time. I like mine simple with just a few ingredients and let the bread and toppings speak for itself. I've gotten comfortable making own dough but shaping it is another story. I like my pizza thin and when I attempt to roll it out thin, it either bounces back to it's round thick shape or I'm left with a few holes that needs some repairs. When I see the dough tossed up and over frightens me with the anticipation of it being tossed up into my ceiling or kitchen floor. My thin crust is still a work in-progress and I shall keep practicing. For now I've gotten fond of my thick crust pizza for which is great for dipping in extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Tofu over Green Beans with Peanut Curry Sauce

Mar 13, 2010

 I was craving the Thai Curry Peanut sauce I made last week. There's just something about the combination of coconut milk, curry, and peanut butter that makes me crave it. I honestly don't care too much for peanut butter, nor peanut butter and jelly sandwiches but I do crave that sauce. This time instead of spinach, I decided green beans would be on the bottom and soft tofu on top with the sauce and some chili flakes for more heat. I start by sauteing 2 cloves of garlic until golden brown and then I add the green beans. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until fork tender. Add bite size cubed tofu on top and drizzle  on the sauce. Garnish with chopped peanuts and chili flakes (optional)

Here's the original recipe that I posted a couple of weeks ago, click here