Foodie is Stewing

Posted on June 17, 2016 by Paula

I promised this recipe for Tugboat Lentil Stew to friend who was curious. I made it earlier this week because I was in the mood for something substantial but heart healthy. This turns out to be more of a stew than a soup because lentils soak up liquid and because the large veggies aren’t reminiscent of a thinner dish. I usually use brown lentils, but if you aren’t sure what kind you should use in a particular recipe, this might help.

I’m a cook who uses what’s on hand if it works. I also make substitutions all the time to go along with my own taste and health needs. This stew can easily translate if you want it to. This is the basic recipe; you’ll find some alternative additions/substitutions at the end of the post.

Use your imagination. It’s your kitchen!

Tugboat Lentil Stew

1 lb. dried lentils
1 T. olive oil
1 c. chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 c. sliced carrots
1 c. sliced celery
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 c. water
1 14 oz. can vegetable broth
2 bay leaves
1 lb. sliced chicken sausage
Black pepper to taste
1 t. sea salt
Lemon slices for garnish
Red wine vinegar

Rinse and pick over lentils for stones. In a Dutch oven, heat oil until hot. Toss in onion, garlic, carrots and celery. Sauté for 10 minutes or until onion is translucent and vegetables are tender crisp. Add tomato sauce, water, vegetable broth, bay leaves and lentils. Bring mixture to a boil. Cover; reduce heat and let simmer for about 25 minutes or until vegetables are slightly soft. Add chicken sausage and pepper. Cover and let cook another 10 minutes or until chicken is heated through. Add salt. Ladle into bowls and garnish with lemon slices and a dash of red wine vinegar. Serves 8-10.

Meat: I have never used chicken sausage because I can’t find it. I have used ground turkey because I like cooking with it and it’s less fatty. When I use ground turkey in this recipe, I cook it until done in a frying pan with the olive oil first and add some ground fennel. Fennel will give a sausage-like flavor. Experiment with it for your own taste.

Veggies: I’m not a fan of celery so I’ve never used it in Tugboat Lentil Stew. Sometimes, if I have them, I’ll throw in 2 cups of frozen mixed vegetables instead. Or one cup each of frozen carrots and green beans (or peas). I always use onion because what’s a stew without it?

Liquid: I like the flavor we get using tomatoes. But if I don’t have tomato sauce, I almost always have a can of petite diced tomatoes around. A large can is okay because those lentils really soak up the liquid. In fact, I use more broth too. I add it as the stew cooks when needed. Unsalted chicken broth is my favorite because there’s so much sodium in other types.

Spices/Herbs and Garnish: Bay leaves are a must. It’s a stew, after all. (Just remember to remove them or give a prize to the person who finds one in his dish.) If you don’t like garlic, leave it out. No sea salt? Use whatever kind you have. Remember that with sea salt, you don’t need as much for flavor. I don’t garnish mine. I usually want my stew right away and I’m not so fancy I need them. Although…the vinegar sounds good for a little kick. Speaking of “kick,” I’m all for just a pinch of red pepper too. You can add that to the pan when you pour in the liquids.

One big plus about this recipe is you don’t dirty a lot of dishes.

Enjoy your stew.

Your comments are like that extra kick in my stew. Are you one of those “by guess and by golly” cooks like me?

Family Foodies

Posted on May 20, 2016 by Paula

When my daughter, Sarah, was growing up, she learned how to cook a few simple meals. Once she reached high school, our schedules didn’t always match, so she fended for herself sometimes.

It seemed to be something she enjoyed. She even experimented with cooking.

One time, when I invited a friend for dinner, she surprised us by making meatloaf. However, she thought if she split the meat mixture into two pans, it would make double the amount. Sarah couldn’t understand why she ended up with two pans of two-inch-high meatloaves. We explained to her why it didn’t work, and we all had a good chuckle. It was a fun learning experience for her.

Later, as a homemaker and mother to my grandson, she wanted to expand her Foodie experience and add more variety to her cooking. “I need some new recipes,” she said. “We’re rotating the same stuff.”

So I put my little pea brain to work and decided to gather a collection of family recipes. I contacted my siblings and my stepmother, requesting one or two of their favorite recipes. I asked them to send something she could prepare easily using fairly common ingredients.

No fancy stuff; just good home cooking in her own specialized cookbook.

I compiled the recipes in a binder I’d found in a mail-order catalog. Poppin’ Fresh (otherwise known as the Pillsbury Doughboy) graced the cover and insides of that 3-ring binder. Other Doughboy promotional items came with the binder and after slipping each typed recipe into a plastic sheet protector, I sent the package off to my little girl.

It was more of marriage gift than a wedding gift, but she was happy that she could provide new variety in the meals she cooked. More stuff to add to the rotation, you might say.

My beef stroganoff recipe was the first one I added to the collection. It was the recipe I used for the first meal I cooked for her father when we were dating. He loved it. Now, she makes it too.

My mom’s famous chocolate cake recipe went in as well. Mom called it “Mayonnaise Cake” and it was always chocolate. She made it when she wanted to bake a cake but was low on eggs. There was always Miracle Whip in the fridge so that was her way of substituting. I remember that cake being really moist. It was a winner.

Each family member who cooks has a specialty when it comes to cooking and baking. Mine are spaghetti sauce, chocolate chip oatmeal cookies with a ‘secret’ ingredient, and wet burritos with all the elements made from scratch. Maybe someone in your family creates killer appetizers or a stew that keeps everyone warm and filled up on a cold winter day.

Sharing family recipes leaves a legacy to Foodies, and kitchen heritage is important. We form memories around eating with family and friends. For a long time, the potluck meal has been a way people find fellowship and form community. Eating together gives a whole new meaning to the phrase “comfort foods.”

Maybe you’d like to give the gift of food memories to a family member or friend. Do the research. Get creative with presentation. Then believe that your gift will bring fond memories with their every trip to the kitchen.

Fur Ball Friday

Posted on May 13, 2016 by Paula

Today is supposed to be when I post my Foodie information. A fun or informative post about eating and cooking.

But

A fellow blogger, Genie, of BunnyEatsDesign has a bunny who looks a lot like my little Scout. Today she gets to see him just like I’ve checked out pictures of her little guy, Tofu, on her site. Go check her out here.

Click on “Bunnies” at the top of the page to see posts about Tofu. She offers some great recipes with accompanying photographs she takes herself.

Hug your furry friend today and eat hardy!

Foodie and Herb Part 2

Posted on April 15, 2016 by Paula

In “Foodie and Herb” a couple weeks ago, we talked about how to enhance some different meats with herbs and spices. Maybe you’ve already begun to experiment.

This week, Foodie give some ways to enhance seafood, pasta and vegetables.

When working with pasta, you can add new twists to familiar tastes. For instance, using ground nutmeg smooths out the flavor of Alfredo sauce. Ground mustard, rosemary, parsley and black pepper go well with savory mushroom sauces. Sprinkle tarragon over a primavera recipe. Thyme, rosemary, oregano leave, garlic powder and black pepper are good with any pasta salad recipe.

Italian seasoning, basil, crushed red pepper, garlic and onion powders and oregano give hearty flavor to pasta soups, stews, and casseroles.

The variety of pasta lend themselves differently to which sauces you use. Capellini, angel hair, fettucine, linguini and spaghetti work the best with smooth, thin sauces or sauces with chopped ingredients. Shaped pasta like mostaccioli, penne, rotelle, rotini and ziti are best used with chunky and heavier sauces. Large shells and manicotti lend themselves well to being stuffed with a hearty red sauce or cheese sauce.

If you’ve never tried making your own pesto sauce, try this recipe which is easy and goes well with those finer pastas like angel hair, fettucine, linguini and spaghetti.

Whether your vegetable dish is a salad or you’re dressing up baked or steamed veggies, herbs will prove a welcome addition. Potato salads, green salads, vegetable salads perk up with dill week, celery salt, paprika, and white or black pepper.

For a new sensation, use lemon pepper seasoning on green leafy vegetables like salad greens, spinach, kale, mustard, collard or mustard greens.

Season corn, carrots, potatoes, sweet potatoes and winter squash with ginger, cardamom, dill weed, chives, onion powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, mace, marjoram, or thyme.

When it comes to fish, they fall into categories of mild, moderate and full flavors like other meats. For delicately flavored fish like flounder, sole, orange roughy, or trout, enhance them with thyme, tarragon, dill weed, garlic powder, oregano or white or black pepper. The moderate flavors of salmon, snapper, catfish and rockfish peak up with dill weed, Italian seasoning, tarragon, lemon and pepper seasoning, oregano, garlic powder, or pepper. Tuna and swordfish are full-flavored fish. They wake up to the addition of basil, rosemary, oregano, marjoram, thyme, garlic powder, and red or black pepper.

In cooking shrimp or scallops or for creating any seafood recipe, try tarragon, garlic powder, thyme, oregano, lemon pepper, red or black pepper or parsley. Whether steaming crabs or broiling lobster, the unique flavors of dry mustard, red pepper, lemon pepper and chives work well.

Substitutions are helpful to know when you’re out of something fresh and something from your cupboard is handy. For 1 medium -size onion, use 1 tablespoon onion powder. One eighth teaspoon garlic powder or half teaspoon garlic salt substitutes for 1 medium clove of garlic. Substitute one fourth teaspoon ginger for 1 teaspoon fresh ginger. For 1 tablespoon fresh herbs, use 1 teaspoon dried herbs.

Remember to have fun while you navigate the kitchen. You might even decide you’d like to start your own herb garden. Then you’ll really be a Foodie!

Foodie And Herb

Posted on April 1, 2016 by Paula

Something great happened the day I decided to be brave and begin experimenting with herbs and spices. I still use recipes, especially for baking. But cooking “by guess and by golly” is generally pretty much how I do it. Now I enjoy cooking much more. I also enjoy the results much more.

I never make my famous spaghetti sauce the same way twice. I may be using the same herbs, but never in the same amounts, and it always turns out tasty. When I don’t have a specific herb or spice, I often find I can substitute.

However, knowing a little about which spices and herbs work well with different foods can help. It can also be a boon to have some spice blends on hand to use so you don’t have to buy those small bottles with cranked up cost.

Add These to This to Get That

To enhance the flavor of beef, use bay leaves, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, lemon pepper seasoning, rosemary, marjoram, oregano, or thyme.

When cooking with pork, which has a mild flavor, give it some oomph with basil, caraway seed, ground ginger, Italian seasoning, oregano, savory, rosemary, or garlic powder.

Where I live, we eat wild game. Enhance those flavors with marjoram, thyme, bay leaf, garlic powder, or onion powder.

Turkey is traditionally flavored with poultry seasoning or sage, but you can also try oregano, black pepper, herbs de Provence, onion powder, rosemary savory, or basil.

Chicken and Cornish hens come alive with such herbs as dill weed, basil, ginger, oregano, thyme, chives, bay leaf, garlic and onion powders, paprika, rosemary, sage, or tarragon.

Make Your Own Seasoning Blends

If you need a little jump start to try some new herbs, here are a few blends you can mix up to experiment with.

Salad herb blend: 2 tsp. basil leaves; 1 tsp. dill weed; 1 tbsp. marjoram leaves; 1 tbsp. parsley flakes; 1 tbsp. tarragon leaves. If you like to add protein to your salad, match these ingredients to the list of which goes best with each herb.

Meat and vegetable blend: 1 tbsp. basil; 1 tsp. celery seed; 1 tbsp. marjoram; 1 tsp. onion powder; 1 tsp. thyme.

Taco seasoning: 1 ½ tbsp. oregano; 1 ½ tbsp. garlic powder; 1 tbsp. paprika; 2 tbsp. cumin; 1 tbsp. chili powder; ½ tsp. allspice.

Don’t be afraid to experiment and tweak the blends to your own taste. There’s no right or wrong combination. An advantage to using herbs and blends is that you can spice up your food without using salt.

What’s That Flavor?

Herbs have different flavors, naturally. In addition, they fall into categories of mild, medium and robust. Chives and parsley are examples of mild-flavored herbs. Some medium-flavored herbs are basil, dill weed, marjoram, and mint. Stronger-tasting herbs are those like bay leaves, oregano, rosemary, sage, savory, tarragon, and thyme.

Tips for Keeping Herbs and Spices Fresh

Avoid storing spices near the stove, dishwasher, sink or a window. Dried spices don’t spoil, but they can lose strength. Moisture and heat contribute to this. Be sure to never sprinkle or pour spices directly into a steaming pot since the steam introduced into the bottle hastens loss of flavor and aroma. It also results in caking. For the same reason, if you’re measuring from the bottle with a measuring spoon, be sure the spoon is dry.

Some folks like to use fresh herbs for everything and that’s a great idea. You can always substitute dried herbs for fresh if you know how, and vice-versa. Check it out here.

Next week, Foodie meets herb in part 2 to talk about how to enhance other foods (pasta, vegetables and seafood), helpful substitutions, cooking tips, and a recipe or two.

Bon appetite!

“Crazy” Foodie

Posted on March 18, 2016 by Paula

There must be as many different ways to make baked beans as there are families who make them. Honestly, I don’t remember how I prepared them prior to finding this recipe. When I served them to my family, even the picky eaters liked them. I like the idea that most of the sweetness comes from raisins and apple. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a no-sugar-added recipe for baked beans before this one.

Crazy Baked Beans
1 medium apple, pared and diced
½ c. chopped onion
1 31-oz. can pork and beans
6 ounces smoky links, thinly sliced
¼ c. raisins
2 T. ketchup
2 t. prepared mustard
¼ t. cinnamon

In a small sauce pan, cook apple and onion in a small amount of boiling water about five minutes or until tender. Drain. In large mixing bowl, stir together apple/onion mixture, beans, smoky links, raisins, ketchup, mustard and cinnamon. Turn mixture into a 1 ½ quart casserole dish or bean pot. Bake uncovered at 375 F. for one hour (or until heated through), stirring once.

These are good served with corn meal muffins.
Makes 8 half-cup servings

As always, if you like to cook with raw foods, you can substitute the pork and beans with dried beans to make the equivalent. In that case, you would want to add some molasses and a little brown or raw sugar. It might not take more than a couple tablespoons of each. Add them to your own taste. Use your imagination for substitutes for the meat.

Flexibility makes for a great cook!

Tex-Mex Foodie

Posted on March 11, 2016 by Paula

I’m a big fan of ethnic foods. All kinds: Greek, Chinese, Indian, Mexican, Japanese, Italian.

Over the years I’ve attempted recipes for a few of them and I enjoy cooking Mexican style best of all. I have a Hispanic friend who taught me to make refried beans from scratch. My authentic Spanish rice recipe comes from Azteca foods.

Every once in a while I invite friends over for a meal of beans, rice and homemade wet burritos. I even learned to make my own flour tortillas and enchilada sauce. After learning to make wet burritos for a family years ago, I don’t think I’d know how to make them for one.

So I go all “social butterfly” and enjoy the fellowship.

Today’s Foodie offering is a simple dish.

Tex-Mex Black Beans
Makes 4 one-cup servings

16 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
15 oz. can corn, drained and rinsed
½ c. chunky salsa (mild, medium or hot; your choice)
Juice of one lime
1-2 tsp. cumin
1 T. olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Just toss all the ingredients together and warm thoroughly in the microwave.

Although the dish is meant to be warm, you could make it a salad by adding greens of your choice and tossing together with a little more salsa or some ranch dressing. If you prefer using dry beans, use enough for the equivalent of two cups canned beans. Another healthier choice is using fresh or frozen corn.

Enjoy!

Sweet Tooth Foodie

Posted on February 19, 2016 by Paula

Not too long ago, a friend and I had a conversation about the amount of sugar added to food. This happened right after I’d read an article about the hidden sugars in foods we eat every day. She’d been interested in making changes just like I was.

I’ve wanted to be a food snob; really I have. But I can’t be one. I’ve had a history of eating junk, and sugar was a big culprit in my formerly decadent diet. I still crave it at times.

But there’s something annoying about a former food addict trying to tell people how they should eat. That said, here’s my take on sugar and why I’ll pass on something of interest you may want to take to heart. (Literally)

Besides, it’s my blog and I can.

Facts are facts. Below is some information about recommended sugar intake and a list of 56 ways–count ’em–in which sugar can be listed on an ingredients label.

So how much should your sugar intake be? Several health organizations, including the American Heart Association, suggest that added sugar should be limited to no more than six to seven percent of your total calories. This does not include naturally occurring sugars found in fruits (fructose) and dairy products (lactose). The chart below lists the maximum recommended daily sugar intake based on various calorie levels.

Maximum Sugar Intake
Daily Calorie Intake              Grams of Sugar         Teaspoons
1,200                                                  21                               5
1,500                                                  26                               6
1,800                                                  31                               7
2,100                                                  36                               9
2,400                                                  42                               10
2,700                                                  47                                12

And here’s that list of the ways sugar shows up on an ingredients label. This list had me flabbergasted.

Look how many say syrup! What do you think of when you hear the word “syrup?” Yep, sticky and sweet. Ethyl maltol sounds like something you’d put in your gas tank.

Agave nectar
Barley malt
Beet sugar
Blackstrap molasses
Brown rice syrup
Brown sugar
Butter sugar
Cane juice crystals
Cane juice
Cane sugar
Coconut sugar
Caster sugar
Carob syrup
Corn sweetener
Corn syrup
Corn syrup solids
Crystalline fructose
Date sugar
Demara sugar
Dextran
Diastatic malt
Diatase
Ethyl maltol
Evaporated cane juice
Fructose
Fruit juice concentrate
Galactose
Glucose
Golden sugar
Golden syrup
High fructose corn syrup
Honey
Invert sugar
Lactose
Malt syrup
Maltodextrin
Maltose
Maple syrup
Molasses syrup
Muscovado sugar
Organic raw sugar
Oat syrup
Panela
Panocha
Confectioner’s sugar
Rice bran syrup
Rice syrup
Sorghum
Sorghum syrup
Sucrose
Sugar
Syrup
Treacle
Tapioca syrup
Turbinado sugar
Yellow sugar

As I said, I’m by no means perfect when it comes to my diet. After all, I’ve posted recipes on this blog for cookies I really like. And I’m not a doctor, a scientist or a dietitian. But I’ve made drastic changes in what and how much I put in my mouth. The reasons are many, but I began looking at food labels a few years ago and decided then some changes had to be made.

For instance, a couple years ago, I did an experiment with eliminating sugar and artificial sweeteners from my diet. After two weeks (I fell off the wagon), I noticed the pain from arthritis in my thumbs was gone. As soon as I started eating sugar again, the pain came back. I’m limiting sugar and artificial sweeteners now and for the last couple months, that pain has disappeared again.

What a relief. I can only imagine the other forms of inflammation in my body that are slowly going away or being reduced as a result of the decision.

Now if I want the flavor of an apple or an orange, I don’t drink it. I eat an apple or an orange. Nothing added and there’s the benefit of getting fiber.

I wish I’d made these changes sooner in life. Some of what I’m learning about food–especially sugar–is just common sense. But in my case, common sense wasn’t so common. I have to say I really didn’t care much either.

Now I do care.

That’s why this Foodie post is about eliminating as much sugar as possible from one’s diet. Even if I don’t personally know you who are reading this, I know you can benefit from the information.

Of course, knowledge is power only if you apply it.

Foodie Friday will still feature the occasional recipe that uses sugar. I am NOT a food snob and I love to cook and bake. But there will probably be more recipes for ‘stuff’ that doesn’t include it.

Good eating to you. And here’s to your health.

Foodie Stocking Stuffers

Posted on December 12, 2015 by Paula

If you’re looking for a last-minute idea for stuffing Christmas stockings and you like something quick, easy and somewhat wholesome, try Trail Mix.

I’ve made trail mix with a variety of ingredients and if you’re planning to make a large batch, you can save money buying your own ingredients over buying pre-made and dividing it up. Of course, it can’t hurt to look at what the brand names are using to get ideas.

Mix and match from the following list of ingredients

Chopped walnuts
Chopped pecans
Dry roasted peanuts
Cashew pieces
Almonds
Filberts
Raisins
Chopped dates
Chopped dried apricots
Chopped dried pineapple
Dried blueberries
Dried cranberries
Sunflower kernels
Pumpkin seeds
Baking chips
Marshmallows
Coconut
Air-popped popcorn

Your trail mix can be as unique as you want to make it.

To package your trail mix, buy small cellophane gift bags with twist ties and fill them with about a cup of mix. Or line a small Christmas tin (get them at the second hand store) with tissue paper, then stuff with trail mix in a zipper bag. Again, packaging and presentation are all up to your imagination and creativity.

While you’re at it, you can always make a few snack bags for yourself to keep in the car when you need a quick pick-me-up while out running errands or shopping.

Speaking of shopping, are you done yet? Beat the rush…you know how crowded the stores are when people wait ‘til the last minute to shop for Christmas dinner fixin’s

The Fruitful Life

Tag Archives: Recipes