Returning Home Soon

In two days I will be returning home.  I have been very busy with my work here as well as trying to continue with my healthy eating that I have not been posting much at all.  I am managing to continue my no excuses eating plan and exercising.  With the Fresh Market near the hotel I have been able to stock up on fresh fruits and breakfast foods as well as salads for lunch.  For dinner I have been eating light meals at the nearby Japanese and other restaurants  Tuesday night I ventured out on the metro to Bethesda and had a very good Asian salad from a food truck near Bethesda Row.  I noticed a farmer's market co-op building that is open on Friday and Saturday, so I may check it out. 
During this trip I watched an interesting video on how to make yourself "heart attack proof" by Dr. Carlton Esselstyn.    (Thanks Chef Penni!) He advocates a plant based diet.
 I have lab work coming up so I am curious to see if in 3 weeks of eating a plant based diet I will see a dramatic reduction in my cholesterol and LDL levels. Even with my usual healthy eating they have been worrisome in recent years, skirting on borderline high.  Dr. Esselstyn has years of evidence to back up his claims so I am intrigued.   I am on day 4 of eating nothing but plant based food.  Once I get home I will be able to make my own food and start posting my favorite recipes. 

If you are interested in watching Make Yourself Heart Attack Proof go to:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYTf0z_zVs0

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Eating in my hotel room

I'm on a very long business trip staying is a fairly nice hotel.  I have to spend 9 or 10 hours in meetings so there is not much time for fun.  My challenge is how to eat healthy during this trip.  I usually just eat all my meals out but that typically means buffet breakfasts, heavy lunches ordered in so we can continue working, and dinners out with colleagues or alone.  Since I am determined to stick with my healthy eating routine I don't want to passively accept that traveling is an excuse to indulge in excessive eating (like I did in the past when I was 20+ pounds heavier).
It's not like I'm in Italy (where I was at this time last year!) where there is a once in a lifetime opportunity to eat scrumptious food on every corner.  I'm in an area surrounded by Cheesecake Factory, PF Changs, Brio, TJI Fridays, Fuddruckers, and the like.  There are also a few local places, everything within walking distance from my hotel, but my experience at the Lebanese Taverna my first night here was pretty disappointing.  It has also become a chain.  The good news is there is a Fresh Market nearby, kind of like a little Central Market.  My room is a big suite with a refrigerator and a microwave oven so I was able to pick up some things at Fresh Market.  I treated myself to some huge organic strawberries and some beautiful mandarin oranges and plenty of breakfast items such as Greek yogurt and even eggs.  I will see how microwave eggs turn out!  Instead of eating lunch at the industrial cafe in the building I'm stuck in all day I will be bringing my own salad and fruit.
Microwave eggs:  They are really very good, believe it or not.  I placed 2 eggs in a bowl of about 1/2 cup water, pricked the yolks with the end of a paper clip, then covered them with an opened plastic baggie.  After about 2 1/2 minutes total and letting them sit for a minute, I drained the water.
I had the eggs with a piece of whole wheat bread I bought from a local bakery.  Excellent!
Yesterday I discovered that the building I am working in has a huge, modern gym.  I worked out in the hotel gym on Monday night and it was small with only a couple weight machines and no space to work out, so today I am bringing work out clothes and will take a break in the afternoon.

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I understand the Fat Chef show

I mentioned the birthday party in my last post.  A woman asked me to come to her home and prepare the food for her daughter's 21st birthday party for her and 15 friends.  My good friend, Lisa Wright, agreed to help.  Between my "real" job, and preparing for my trip to Washington D.C., I was wondering how I would get everything done.  The menu selected by the mom was pretty simple, however I discovered that wrapping dozens of things in bacon is pretty time consuming.  The party went very well and the guests loved the stuffed mushrooms, bacon wrapped jalapenos, bacon wrapped chicken, Thai cucumber cups, Beef tenderloin on crostini, vegetables, cheese tray, and bacon cheddar biscuits with chile maple butter.  Somehow I got so busy that day I barely had time to eat anything but a Mojo bar.  By the time we got the food served I was so hungry I was ready to eat all that bacon wrapped food I would normally avoid like crazy! 
On the Food Network show, "Fat Chef", overweight chefs are profiled.  They work very hard cooking for others and rarely take time to have a healthy meal.  They grab a bite here and there and at the end of the day all the "tastes" of food add up to 7,000 calories.  I can see how that happens!  Fortunately I stopped with a few samples of everything I made and no real damage was done.
I did discover, however, that I really enjoyed the bacon wrapped chicken!  This does not fit very well into my healthy recipe collection, but just take chicken breast, pound it out, stuff it with pepper jack cheese and a slice of jalapeno, rub it in your favorite spice rub, wrap nitrate free good bacon around it, secure it with a toothpick and bake it at 375 for 20-25 minutes.

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Party Time

I have been working on a party menu for a 21st birthday event for this Friday.  I'm excited to have the opportunity to try something different.  It's a small event, 15 girls, all of whom will be out on a wine tasting adventure prior to the party, and tasting wine with the food we prepare.  My friend, Chef Lisa Wright, is helping me with this event since it's during the work week and a busy time for me at work.
The client is a person a met during the Taste Tour of Azle activities.  She was on the planning committee and attended the various events, including the VIP party which was caterered by Wild Mushroom Steakhouse.  We decided on a menu which includes things like stuffed mushrooms, bacon wrapped jalapeno peppers, grilled tenderloin steak with an A-1/Cabernet reduction on crostini, cheese stuffed chicken and pepper bites (wrapped in bacon), crudite, Asian beef cups, bacon wrapped shrimp, and a cheese and fruit platter with nuts and crackers.
Last night I tested a recipe for bacon wrapped chicken stuffed with cheese and jalapenos.  I'm glad I did because I didn't like the bacon  I used as well as the usual Pedersen Farm organic bacon I normally use.  Back to Central Market again today.
Although it's not the food I normally eat my husband was very happy!  I will post photos the day of the event, although I'm not sure if I will post all the recipes.

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Mongolian BBQ at Home

Before there were chain restaurants like Genghis Grill mass producing "all you can eat" bowls of oversauced and weirdly seasoned Mongolian Barbeque I was making my own at home.  I first had Mongolian Barbeque in the 70's when I lived in Japan.  The Yokota Air Base Officers' Club had it on the menu once or twice a month.  There was a buffet set up with all the raw ingredients, the assorted meats and sauces. You gave your piled up bowl to the chef outside who cooked it on a very hot, huge, flat top griddle.  I always tried to pack as much into my bowl as possible without it spilling out.  It was so delicious!
A few years ago I tried making it for a special family dinner on my outdoor grill with a large griddle.  That worked fine, but so does cooking it indoors in a wok or large skillet.
If you're making it for a large group you will be doing the cooking, so it's not something you can serve for a "sit-down" dinner.  It's also best eaten right after it's done.  This time I tried adding an egg at the end.  I just dropped in a whole egg, not mixed up in a bowl, just cracked into the pan, them mixed it up.
The egg added a nice creaminess to the dish that I really liked.  What a great dinner and excellent way to use up bits and pieces of vegetables and leftovers.  Earlier in the week I had made Asian noodle salad, roast beef with carrots and green beans, and shrimp and grits.  I just took out all my leftovers and the vegetables, cut everything up and put it on a sheet pan or in a bowl.  I wish I had some leftover noodles from my salad because noodles are great in this recipe.  I also had a stockpile of rice, both brown and white, frozen in individual servings.  For the sauce, I put out bottles of several Asian sauces and little bowls.  Each diner makes a little bowl of sauce with the heat/salt level they prefer.  It's also a great way to use your assorted spices and herbs that sit on the shelf neglected.
My daughter really liked this meal because she was able to pick vegetables she likes and customize her portion.  She complains when I make stir-fried vegetables and meat I put too many mushrooms and peppers in it and things she doesn't care for.
There is no standard recipe for this dish, so feel free to use anything you prefer.  If you have a group of picky eaters or a mixed group of meat eaters and vegetarians, it's an excellent crowd pleaser.
Let me know how yours turns out.

Mongolian Barbeque

An assortment of raw vegetables, thinly sliced so quick cooking
Celery
Cabbage (Napa is best)
Bok Choy
Bell peppers (yellow, red, orange--skip the green)
Jalapeno peppers, sliced
Onions
Scallions
Mushrooms
Bean sprouts
Snap peas
Bamboo shoots (canned, sliced)
Water chestnuts (canned, sliced)
Some vegetables may require blanching (cooking briefly in boiling water, then cooling in ice water) or cook with a little water in the microwave for a minute.
Green beans
Carrots
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Other ingredients:
cooked pasta, rice noodles or wheat
pineapple tidbits

Proteins:
Beef, chicken, or pork sliced paper thin while partially frozen.  Place each in a separate bowl.
Shrimp, crab, or fish, cut into bite size pieces
Tofu, cut into cubes
Egg (set out a bowl of eggs, still in the shell)

Sauce:  Choose any of the ingredients listed below.
Sesame oil
Hot chile oil
Sriracha
minced ginger
minced garlic
wine (red or white)
sake
soy sauce or tamari
oyster sauce
mirin
pineapple juice
1 T organic cane sugar mixed with 3 T water
vinegar (rice or white)

Spices:
cayenne
curry powder
lemon pepper
cumin
sesame seeds
black pepper

Herbs:
cilantro
basil
lemon grass

For my dinner I had Napa cabbage, yellow, orange, and red bell peppers, scallions, mushrooms (Crimini and portabello), jalapeno peppers, carrots cooked for 1 minute in the microwave, blanched green beans, tofu, chicken breast, and leftover cooked shrimp.  For my sauce I used 1 T low sodium soy sauce, a drop of sesame oil, a few drops hot chili oil, a tsp of oyster sauce, a teaspoon of ginger and garlic, a T of mirin, cilantro and a dash of cayenne. 
Heat a wok or large skillet and add canola or peanut oil.  For mine I used 2 tsp of oil but a little more for my husband and daughter.  The skillet should be VERY hot, don't be afraid!  If you're using your outside grill, heat the grill to high and place a large cast iron flat griddle on top of the grill.  Add oil to the griddle.  Put the meat or tofu and vegetables in the hot oil and stir fry for a couple minutes, until the chicken or meat is done (which is why you want it to be paper thin).  Add the sauce mixture and cook for another minute.  If you're using an egg, crack the egg into the mixture and quickly mix the egg, then spread it throughout.  It will cook instantly, so get ready to pull it out of the pan and serve.  Have a clean bowl (not the one you had the raw meat in) ready with a serving of rice or noodles waiting.  Place the meat/vegetable mixture on top of the rice or noodles and serve with additional garnishes such as chopped peanuts, scallions, cilantro and sriracha.

Enjoy!

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Asian Noodles with Spicy Slaw and Beef

We had  "Taste of Carswell" at work this week and I was asked to bring something representing my "culture" for approximately 60-70 people.  I didn't want to bring something that had to be hot or heated up since that is a pain where I work (in a federal prison).  I thought of a cold noodle salad that I could assemble right before lunch.
I am posting of photo of what I made at home later that day for myself, but I had beef for the one at work.  I grilled about 5 pounds of sirloin before I left for work, sliced it thin and kept it chilled until lunchtime.  The salad was a big hit and the portion I made without meat for my vegetarian friend was much appreciated. 






Asian Noodles with Spicy Slaw and Beef
3/4 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
3 T vegetable oil
2 T seasoned rice vinegar
1tsp hot chili oil
1/2 T sesame oil
2 cloves finely minced garlic
2 tsp finely minced fresh ginger
2 T organic cane sugar
1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions
8 ounces thin noodles (thin spaghetti, soba noodles, rice noodles)
kosher salt to taste
1 cup cilantro leaves
1/4 cup finely chopped roasted, salted peanuts
Sriracha sauce

Spicy Slaw

1/2 head napa cabbage, thinly sliced
1/4 head purple cabbage, thinly sliced
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 carrot, shredded
1 small cucumber, cut into 1/8 by 2 inch strips
1 bell pepper (red, orange or yellow) cut into strips
1 red jalapeno pepper, sliced into thin rings

Mix all slaw ingredients and set aside.

In a bowl combine soy sauce, sesame oil, vegetable oil, rice vinegar, hot chili oil, garlic, ginger, and sugar.  Mix to combine and adjust flavors to your taste.  Cook noodles according to package directions.  Drain and place in a bowl.  Pour part of the dressing over the top and toss to combine.  (Reserve enough dressing to lightly dress the slaw and a little to drizzle over the noodle salad right before serving.) Add the green onions.
Optional:  Grill or sear beef, chicken, pork or tofu and place in a ziploc bag.  Add a few tablespoons of reserved dressing and some cilantro and allow to marinate for an hour.  Place sliced meat or tofu on top of noodles.
To serve, lightly dress the slaw with reserved sauce.  Place a layer of slaw on a large plate or in a large shallow bowl.  Add a layer of noodles, meat (if using), a layer of slaw, a layer of meat and noodles, ending with meat.  Sprinkle cilantro and peanuts on top.  Drizzle with reserved sauce right before serving.  Use Sriracha, to taste.

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Low Fat Banana Cake

I guess I'll always have to bake something.  When I see the overripe bananas sitting in my basket on the counter I always think of banana bread.  I came upon a different recipe in a cookbook called The Brownie Lover's Bible by Lisa Slater and thought it might be a way to lighten up my usual banana bread.  It turned out very well and I will be making it again.
For my husband, I made the ganache and covered his with chocolate.

Low-Fat Banana Cake (adapted from The Brownie Lover's Bible)

1 1/3 cups (170 g) whole wheat flour or white whole wheat flour
1 tsp (5 ml) baking powder
1/2 tsp (2 ml) baking soda
1/2 tsp (2 ml) kosher salt
1/4 tsp (1 ml) cinnamon
2 very ripe bananas (7 oz/200 g each)
3/4 cup + 1 T (165g) organic evapaorated cane sugar
5 T (75 ml) Fage 2% or 0% fat Greek yogurt
1 egg
2 egg whites
3 T (45 ml) grapeseed oil
1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
3 oz chocolate chips (I use Callebaut dark)
Ganache (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray 3 mini loaf pans or a 8x4 loaf pan with non stick spray.
In a bowl, mix together the dry ingredients with a whisk.  In a bowl (or food processor) mash the bananas until smooth.  Add the sugar, yogurt, egg, egg whites, oil and vanillas.  Mix until smooth.
Sprinkle the flour mixture over the batter and mix briefly until combined.  Add chocolate chips, mix briefly.  Pour into prepared pans.  Bake large pan for one hour or until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs attached to it.  It it starts to brown too much turn oven temperature down to 325 degrees.
Smaller pans will take 35-40 minutes.  Cool for 15 minutes, then unmold to a wire rack.

Glaze with ganache, if desired.

Ganache
8 ounces dark chocolate chopped
1 cup heavy cream
Place chocolate in a bowl. Heat the cream in a pan until just below a boil.  Add to the chocolate and let it sit for 5 minutes.  Stir and cool until desired texture.  Spoon on top of cooled banana cake.

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