Faux Farming! Baked Asparagus, Artichoke and Goat Cheese Frittata

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Eggs! We love them and eat them all the time; breakfast, lunch or dinner – eggs always offer a wonderfully light nutritious protein option. For me, for now, I buy eggs that are from cage-free chickens fed organic, vegetarian food. I also rely on the kindness of friends who have chickens, and getting fresh eggs from a backyard chicken is my preference! My families love for the egg coupled with more recent headlines related to the unnatural way animals raised for consumption are being massed produced, led me to dig further down to my roots…I bought our family 5 beautiful little chicks, hens in the long run we hope!
So…did I mention I live in a suburban neighborhood in a small house with a backyard we affectionately coined the courtyard?  We moved into this house 7 ½ years ago just 10 days after my daughter Liv was born. The plan was to live in this house for 2 years then move back to the country…and so now nearly 8 years later we laugh and somehow make it all work. The biggest issue for me is I am a true country girl, so the lack of outdoor space makes me, well claustrophobic! I do what I can to maximize the art of suburban homesteading…I weave edible plants throughout all of my landscape front, back and side yards. I, of course, live by the genius concepts of “gardening by the foot” in my raise beds and I have worm composting bins in my garage right alongside the new baby chicks!

You see, I was raised in the country on a farm. We raised animals both for companionship and sustenance. Yes I named, groomed, exercised and loved the very animals we eventually turned into food. But this process gave me tremendous respect for life, food and the process of getting from A to B. There is something very special about knowing where your food comes from and the kind of life it lived. The best I could do for now is share what little space I have in my yard with some lovely egg producing hens; Maude, Maven, Molly, Mary and Morgan! This has also satisfied my kid’s recent request for a puppy, double win! While more animals will have to wait for more space (maybeJ), we can do a lot with fresh eggs.
Frittatas are so wonderful because they fit the bill for breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner or a snack; you can make them super low fat and low calorie too! I like to make-over the traditional frittata with a lighter, healthier version. Thanks to my all-time favorite fitness-forward eating mogul Tosca Reno, clean eating is the term and concept I live by!!! She is amazing, if you haven’t done so already check out her website www.toscareno.com.When I know there is no real feasible way dinner can be made from scratch, frittatas are a simple, fun, go-to idea! I mean who doesn’t like breakfast for dinner? It takes no time to put together and 20-30 min to bake in the oven, the same time most of us take to check our email or help with homework. Sometimes I have it all ready and covered in the fridge with instructions for my hubby to throw it in the oven when he gets home if I will be a bit later with the kids. It’s great sliced up the next day in a lunch box too, for adults or kids for that matter. I use more egg whites to egg yolks and non dairy or non fat dairy milk for the base of this frittata and load it with yummy veggies and only a sprinkling of cheese to really lighten it up. Now it’s not as rich as the traditional frittata using all whole eggs and lots of cheese, but it is just as tasty and satisfying with no guilt! This one features asparagus, artichoke hearts and goat cheese, but get creative with any “mix-ins” you’d like!

Baked Asparagus, Artichoke and Goat Cheese Frittata

4 whole eggs 
6 egg whites
¼ cup non fat milk (I use goat milk, but you can use whatever you like dairy, non dairy etc…)
12 oz of asparagus, the woody ends removed
12oz of artichoke hearts, roughly chopped
½ tbsp of lemon zest
4 oz goat cheese
1 tbsp fresh chopped herbs (basil, tarragon and thyme are my favorites for this)
Salt and pepper to taste
Olive or vegetable oil as needed

What To Do:

Preheat oven to 375 and mist or lightly grease a 10” pie pan with olive oil. In salted boiling water blanch asparagus for 1 min (do not go any longer or they will be mushy) immediately remove asparagus stocks and place in ice bath for 2 min. Cut asparagus stocks into 1 ½ inch pieces, set aside. Mix eggs and egg whites together add milk, herbs, lemon zest, artichoke hearts, salt and pepper. Pour mixture into prepared pie pan, arrange asparagus pieces throughout the dish in a single layer, and crumble goat cheese over the top. Place dish in the oven and bake for 20-30 min until eggs are completely set. Remove from the oven and let cool 10 min before slicing and serving. Enjoy!

Waste Not Want Not Tip:

Don’t throw out your egg yolks! You can freeze egg yolks to use in future recipes that call for only yolks. Make sure you stabilize the yolks prior to freezing; if they are not stabilized they will be thick and hard to mix. To stabilize egg yolks separate into two categories, sweet and savory; for savory mix 1 tsp salt per pint of egg yolks, and for sweet mix 1 tbsp of sugar or honey per pint of yolks. Freeze in ice cube trays for easy access.
Posted by The Junk-Free Chef at 9:14 PM 0 comments

Nutrition Packed Caramelized Banana and Dark Chocolate Chunk Pancakes

Saturday, April 28, 2012

Nothing warms my heart more than when I hear my children talking with their friends and explaining something (anything) I have taught them about life, faith, science, nutrition etc… It means they ARE actually listening! So it was pleasing to me when I heard my daughter explain to her friend the difference between a treat and a snack. When my daughters friend said she was hungry and suggested they eat some chips, my daughter responded “chips aren’t a snack they are a treat, let’s have an apple.” So they both ate an apple, laughing the whole time because they both only have half their front teeth, then they shared a small lunch-size bag of Doritos.  Now sure, I would love to say my kids don’t eat things like Doritos, but this is reality and they ARE going to eventually… So I am glad it was in my estimation only about 6 chips per girl and of course the apple first!
This concept of treats vs. snacks is something I work hard to keep consistent in our lives, so that my children understand that when they are hungry they need to nourish and feed  their body  with a healthful snack , preferably one that came from the earth and still looks like it did when it was in nature. I also recognize the need to satisfy a craving for something sweet or salty, so we call those treats and we typically don’t eat them when we are hungry, but rather when they sound good and in moderation. This is an important lesson for children, especially with all of the prepackaged “food” labeled as snacks, but really containing little to no sustenance, only empty calories which ultimately leave kids hungrier in the end.  I am not a fan of taking a healthy a snack like an apple, and then covering it in caramel or chocolate just so kids will eat it. If you are going to turn fruit into a dessert, which we do all the time, then call it what it is so kids learn to differentiate between treats and snacks.

Now sometimes I like to turn something with good solid nutritional value into a treat, especially on Sunday mornings! This last Sunday I made our family favorite Sunday morning breakfast treat; Caramelized Banana and Dark Chocolate Chunk Pancakes. Doesn’t sound nutritious you say? The base of these pancakes has no butter, dairy or sugar and boast nearly 20 grams of fiber! I use a 50:50 ratio of whole wheat to white flour to keep the pancakes from being too dense, and I eliminate the need to use butter or oil by adding ground flax seed. I use almond or soy milk to replace the dairy and raw agave nectar to eliminate the need for sugar.  Caramelizing the bananas really adds depth to the flavor of these luscious pancakes! And as if you need to explain why dark chocolate chunks make these pancakes just that much better, well the bitter sweetness of the dark chocolate adds an earthy balance to the sweet caramely bananas which altogether transform this healthful breakfast into a dreamy Sunday treat! Pair the pancakes with a 75:25 egg white to egg yolk scramble, some turkey bacon and fresh fruit and you have a healthy breakfast topped with a delicious treat! Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

Caramelized Banana and Dark Chocolate Chunk Pancakes   

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup white flour
3 tbsp ground flax seed
1 ½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
2 eggs
2 cups almond, soy or non-fat goat or cow milk
3 tbsp raw agave nectar (or ¼ cup raw unfiltered honey)
½ tbsp neutral oil (I use vegetable)
2-3 ripe but not mushy bananas, peeled and cut into rounds
½ cup dark chocolate chunks or chips (75% or higher, I use Valrhona but I’m a self professed chocolate snob)
What to Do:
Heat oil in large sauté pan, add bananas in a single layer and cook on medium-high heat until they begin to caramelize, about 5 min on each side. Remove bananas from pan and set aside.  Mix all dry ingredients together in a medium mixing bowl. Mix eggs, milk and agave nectar or honey together in another mixing bowl. Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients and mix with a wood spoon just until the dry ingredients are all incorporated. It is important to not over mix this batter or your pancakes will be tough and dense. Gently fold in the bananas and the dark chocolate.  On a non stick griddle or in a nonstick pan lightly sprayed with oil, I use vegetable oil sprayed from Misto, spoon batter in about ¼ cup scoops. Cook for a few minutes on each side until golden brown. Serve warm with butter and honey, or syrup or nothing at all because they are that good!! Enjoy!
Posted by The Junk-Free Chef at 12:22 PM 0 comments

Shrimp Roasted with Lemon and Thyme Over Red Wine Braised Lentils

Thursday, April 26, 2012

I have water in my kitchen (finally)! It is nice to be back at my range doing what I love to do, cook! I, like all chefs, am obsessed with food and I am constantly thinking about blending flavors and coming up with new dishes. I am equally as obsessed with nutrition and making sure I teach my kids, and my husband for that matter, how to eat well and eat right, which technically isn’t always the same. Most of the food I cook for my family and my clients is low-fat and low-calorie but high in nutrition and full of flavor.  I love to cook with tons of fresh herbs and I am always looking for ways to add more fiber and protein to meals without making them too heavy and meat centered.
In my quest to figure out the best way of eating for me, I have been a raw vegan, a vegan, a vegetarian, a pascatarian and a full on meat eater! These days I find the best way of eating for me and my family is based on balance. My dishes aren’t centered around meat, but rater seasonal produce and other fiber rich complex carbohydrates.  We typically have a different protein source each night for dinner and always eat at least one vegetarian dish per week. I find by making fiber rich complex carbohydrates and seasonal produce the star of the show you can nicely balance the flavor profile with whatever protein source you choose to add.  

One of my favorite protein and fiber packed complex carbohydrates to use is lentils.  Lentils, a small member of the legume family, are so underused in everyday cooking in the United States! They are extremely inexpensive ($1.77/pound at Whole Foods) and full of nutritionally beneficial, properties, not to mention they add a wonderfully nutty and earthy flavor to a variety of dishes. They provide cholesterol-lowering fiber which also is beneficial to those who have to manage blood-sugar disorders.  Their high fiber content prevents blood sugar levels from rising rapidly after a meal, which both helps those with weight-loss goals as well as those with blood-sugar disorders. Lentils are also packed with vitamins, minerals and protein and still only weigh in at 230 calories per cup!
One of my other favorite go-to protein packed meal stars is shrimp. Nutritionally shrimp are very low-fat and low-calorie, but high in protein.  4 oz of shrimp weigh in at only 112 calories but boast just over 23 grams of protein. Shrimp also provide an excellent source of selenium and vitamin B12. I have heard from so many people that they just can’t cook shrimp without over cooking them. Try this method of roasting the shrimp with lemon and thyme. By oven roasting the shrimp you are keeping them at a perfectly even cooking temperature which will help to avoid over cooking.  Also, by roasting them with flavorful lemons, garlic and herbs and serving them over rich earthy lentils you have no need for the typical butter and pasta which is commonly used to turn the naturally low-fat, low-calorie shrimp into a calorie laden carb-overloaded meal! Enjoy!

Shrimp Roasted with Lemon and Thyme

1/3 cup olive oil
1 lemon, zested then cut into thin wedges
3-4 fresh thyme sprigs, leaves removed
Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper
1 pound medium-sized shrimp, shelled and deveined
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp honey
1-2 heads Belgian endive, core removed and thinly sliced root to top (lengthwise like matchsticks)
3-4 scallions, white and green parts thinly sliced root to top (lengthwise like matchsticks)
What to To:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In an 8x8 baking dish combine olive oil, lemon zest and thyme. Add shrimp, toss in the oil mixture and season liberally with salt and pepper. Bake in the oven for 8-12 minutes, you want to watch them closely, check every few minutes (they are done when they are curled up and pink with some caramelization.) Add the honey to the liquid that has accumulated in the bottom of the baking dish, toss to dissolve. Tent until ready to assemble.

Red Wine Braised Lentils

1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, diced small
2 cloves garlic, minced
Pinch of crushed red pepper, or to taste
2 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups dry red wine, I use 2 Buck Chuck
1 cup French green lentils
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme
1/4 tsp salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
What To Do:
In a medium sized sauce pan or Dutch oven over med-high heat add the oil  and let it warm, then add the onion and cook until translucent, 4 to 5 minutes. Add garlic, thyme and crushed red pepper and cook while stirring, until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add water and wine, increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Add lentils and salt, reduce heat to maintain a simmer, and cook, partially covered, for 40 minutes. Taste lentils and adjust seasoning as needed with salt and pepper. 

To Assemble

Transfer cooked lentils into large wide family style serving bowl.  Arrange shrimp and lemon wedges on top, poor all shrimp liquid over the dish and top with thinly slice Belgian endive and scallions. Enjoy!


Waste Not Want Not Tip:

Tip #1)
Kitchen garden experiment via Pinterest! I love this, haven’t bought scallions in a few weeks! Just place the white root end of the scallion in a clean glass jar and fill with enough water to cover the roots and place it in the sun; mines in my kitchen window. In only days you will see the green portion of the scallion regenerating! Change the water often to avoid a funky onion smellJ
Tip #2)
When you are picking the leaves off your fresh herbs, like parsley and thyme, save the stems until the end of the week then throw them into a pot with some mirepoix and whatever other scraps you have saved and make veggie stock! I save all of the stems of my mushrooms in a baggie in the freezer, and any onion or carrot scraps I get from making even knife cuts. You can use the veggie stock right away, leave it in the fridge in a sealed container for up to five days, or freeze it to use anytime in the next six months.

Classic Vegetable Stock

1 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, medium dice
2 stalks celery, including the leaves!
2 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
8 sprigs fresh parsley
6 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon salt
2 quarts water
What to Do:
On medium-high heat, heat the oil in a stock pot and add onion, celery, carrots, parsley, thyme, and bay leaves. Cook over high heat for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add water and bring to simmer.  Simmer uncovered, for 30 minutes. Strain and discard vegetables.
Other ingredients and scraps to consider: mushrooms, eggplant, asparagus trimmings, corn cobs, fennel stalks and trimmings, bell peppers, pea pods, chard stems and leaves, celery root trimmings, marjoram stems and leaves, potato trimmings, garlic… the list is endless!!!

Posted by The Junk-Free Chef at 12:49 PM 0 comments
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