RECIPE: Chicken & Wild Rice Casserole

I love casseroles.  Take the simplest, humblest ingredients--leftovers, even!--and throw them in a baking dish with cheese and some cream, and you're set!  I call this the Law of Excellent Dinners, wherein the prime tenets are simplicity, cheesiness, and toothy delight. 

Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole 

INGREDIENTS

3 cups cooked sprouted brown rice
1 cup cooked sprouted wild rice
6 tablespoons butter
8 oz sliced fresh portobello mushrooms (about 3 cups, or 1 package)
1/2 sweet yellow onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup white wine
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 cups milk
1 cup sharp cheese, shredded (I used Parmesan & Gorgonzola)
2 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken*
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup slivered, sliced, or crushed almonds, toasted
salt & pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Grease a 9" by 9" glass baking dish with butter or cooking spray.  Cook rice as directed on package(s), using 2 tablespoons of the butter and a pinch of salt.

Meanwhile, in an extra-large skillet, melt the remaining 1/4 cup of your butter over medium-high heat.  Cook mushrooms, onion, and garlic in butter and white wine for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the bellas are tender and the onions are translucent.

Reduce the heat to medium and stir in cornstarch.  Gradually add milk and heat to boiling; cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens.  Remove from heat and stir in half of the cheese.

In a large bowl, mix your cooked rice, milk mixture, chicken, broth, and seasonings until blended.  Scrape into baking dish with a spatula and sprinkle with almonds and remaining cheese.  Bake uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes, or until thoroughly heated and cheese is melted.

VERDICT?  This dish is so, so good.  It is complex.  It is rich.  It has cheese, chicken, bella mushrooms, and wild rice.  Can I hear three cheers for texture?  Amen.


* For this recipe, I used the leftover chicken from my honey & molasses-glazed chicken, which added a pleasant rich sweetness to the already complex pastiche of flavors in this casserole.

RECIPE: Honey & Molasses-Glazed Chicken

I have decided that I have a bad penchant for taking the path of least resistance when it comes to food.  That is, I tend to gravitate toward the cheap carbs, like the Ezekiel bread you can find at Harps or the great range of sprouted-grain breads, bagels, pastas, tortillas, and pocket breads that are available at Ozark Natural (my go-to place for whole, bulk, and healthy foods now).  These carbs are not bad in the big scheme of things--but they're still pretty worthless if they're your primary food group.

And so, because I like meat the same way that women like classy gentlemen, I decided I would try to introduce a little more protein into my diet.  (Protein is not to be confused with peanut butter, a divine substance which I believe stands as a food group in and of itself.)  Hence, I shopped the weekly special at Aldi and picked up a pack of drumsticks, simply because I've never cooked drumsticks before and they're a relatively inexpensive cut of meat, especially at Harps on a Wednesday evening.

Honey & Molasses-Glazed Chicken

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons water
4 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons molasses
1 teaspoon garlic, minced or crushed
1 teaspoon olive oil
10 chicken drumsticks, skinned
salt & pepper, freshly ground, to taste

DIRECTIONS

Whisk together the water, honey, balsamic, Dijon, molasses, and garlic.

Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, and season the chicken with the salt and pepper.  Once the pan is sizzling hot, add chicken and brown on all sides.  Pour the honey & molasses mixture over the browned chicken, turning the drumsticks to coat.

Reduce the heat to medium-low, and cover and cook the drumsticks for 15 minutes or until done, turning the chicken every 5 minutes.  Uncover and cook for an additional minute or until the honey-molasses mixture is thick and rich in color.  Remove from heat and cool 10 minutes before eating.  Cover and chill your leftovers--they make an excellent base for something like my chicken and wild rice casserole.


VERDICT?  I rather enjoyed this one.  I haven't made a sweet chicken recipe before, and it made a refreshing change from the dry and bland overcooked chicken that is so common in this area.  The meat practically flaked off of the bone, and even though it was sticky and messy it was a delight to eat.  Best of all, it violates none of the laws of the Body Chemistry Diet, and it's safe to eat for anyone with a gluten intolerance, as well.  Extra points!

RECIPE: Salmon-Stuffed Softbreads with Dill Aioli

I'm really lucky to live in relative proximity to a whole foods store (that is, around 45 minutes away).  We have this lovely big whole foods grocery out this direction that stocks a wide variety of fresh-baked sprouted grain breads, and they also carry a few other sprouted grain options (pasta, tortillas, and the like).  Last time I was there, I found these lovely sprouted-grain softbreads that are somewhere between naan and pita, but open up in the middle to allow for all sorts of options.

I adapted this recipe from a much more bold variant I found online (it went in for tomatoes and suchlike), but I made some significant changes.  I wanted the dill and the lime to speak loudest, making a cool and slightly sharp contrast to the salmon.  I cut back on the oil and I switched out yogurt for mayonnaise like I always do, and the end result tastes about as healthy as pan-fried foods can.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 to 1 cup oil (I used half vegetable and half olive oil)
2 halibut fillets
1 teaspoon cumin
5 teaspoons lime juice    
1 egg
2 teaspoons icewater
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 & 1/2 cups rolled oats, crumbled    
4-6 soft flatbread rounds (or corn tortillas)
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 teaspoon lime zest
5 teaspoons lime juice
3 teaspoons fresh dill, minced
1 small sweet onion, chopped
1 avocado, sliced

DIRECTIONS   

To make the dill aioli, mix the yogurt, lime zest, 2 teaspoons lime juice, chopped dill, and garlic together.  Keep this refrigerated while you prepare the rest of the meal.

Heat oil in saucepan to medium (or just slightly under) heat.  Cut salmon filets into strips and place in a bowl.  Sprinkle cumin and your remaining 3 teaspoons of lime juice over fish.

In a separate bowl, mix your egg and icewater with your cornstarch to make a kind of tempura.  Dredge the fish strips in the batter and then in the crumbled oats (you could use Panko here if you prefer, but the oats complement the salmon perfectly).  Roll the fish in the oats to make sure your strips are completely coated.

Fry fish in the preheated oil a few pieces at a time, making sure to give them enough room, for 4-5 minutes or until golden brown on all sides.  Place fried fish strips on paper towel to drain.  Once your fish are finished cooking, drain all but a little oil and use the remainder to caramelize your onions.

To assemble the final product, slice your softbreads in half and fill with fish strips, topping with avacado, caramelized onion, and your dill aioli sauce.

VERDICT: I really, really enjoyed this meal.  It was a bit fiddly to make, sure, but it didn't take overly long and the final product was absolutely scrumptuous.  I love finding new uses for salmon, and this one was excellent!

RECIPE: Bacon-wrapped Meatloaf

One day last week, I found myself making dinner for a friend.  Such an event usually means I pull out all the stops and go gangbusters with exotic ingredients.  That day, though, I had next to nothing in the pantry and fridge to satisfy a visitor.  I had to think creatively, and quickly, in order to keep her happy (she's a picky eater!).  So, I decided to make meatloaf for the first time in my life.

At this point, you're probably questioning the wisdom of making something for the first time while entertaining a picky eater.  Well, now I am too.  Apparently, said friend is not only a picky eater but doesn't particularly like meatloaf. So! The moral of this story is: always keep something fancy on hand.  Even the best meatloaf won't keep everyone happy.

To the food!

For this recipe, I drew from the fantastic cooking resource, How to Cook Everything.  I have certainly put it to good use since my sister gave it to me a year ago!  I recommend choosing a fattier blend of meats than I used--mine turned out well, but the fattier the ground meat, the richer the final product.  Meatloaf with bacon on top isn't exactly calorie-free in the first place.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs (I used some leftover Ezekiel bread, to keep this Body Chemistry Diet-friendly)
1/2 cup milk

2 lbs ground beef (or any other meat, or combination of meats)
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 small sweet onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 carrot, minced
1 teaspoon fresh sage or summer savory
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

4-6 slices peppered bacon


DIRECTIONS

 
Heat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Meanwhile, soak the bread crumbs in the milk until the milk is absorbed (about 5 minutes).
Mix together all the ingredients except for the bacon.  Shape the meat into a rounded loaf on a baking pan, then lay the bacon across the top and tuck underneath.  The bacon should help hold the loaf together.
Bake 45 to 60 minutes, basting occasionally with the pan juices or barbecue sauce (supposing you can find some without high fructose corn syrup in it).  When fully cooked, the meat loaf ought to be lightly browned and firm to the touch.  If you have an instant-read thermometer (I do not), it should read 160 degrees Fahrenheit when inserted into the center of the loaf.  The bacon should be nice and crispy--if you find it hasn't become so by the time the meatloaf is fully cooked, you can run the whole loaf under the broiler for 2-3 minutes and it will crisp right up.

VERDICT:  Pretty great, really, unless you don't like meat loaf in the first place!

RECIPE: Simple Potato Wedges

There's nothing simpler than making your own potato wedges.  In fact, baked potato wedges are a fast and dead-easy way of introducing a healthy dose of starch into your diet, with none of the grease and MSG and other additives that make fast food a documentary-worthy vice.

You also have to hold this recipe fairly loosely in terms of proportions--every potato is a different size, and only you know how many wedges will satisfy you (and your family or guests), and how much seasoning you like.

The basic ingredients are as follows:

INGREDIENTS

Potatoes, sliced

Herbs, to taste

Salt & pepper, to taste

Olive oil

Parmesan cheese

As for my own personal preferences:

I like russet potatoes well enough, but Aldi was selling butter golds for cheap when I was last there, and I've discovered a new love in life.  Butter golds are really and truly--and naturally--buttery tasting.  They don't crisp up as much as your russet, but the flavor is delightful.

As far as seasonings go, I'm a fan of adding a little garlic (powder or fresh), a little paprika, summer savory or thyme, and rosemary.  There are endless ways you can spice up your wedges, but I have found the combination that works for me (for 6 of my little butter golds, 1/2 teaspoon paprika, 1/2 teaspoon savory, and 1/2 teaspoon rosemary).

DIRECTIONS

The trick to good wedges is to get your oven well and truly hot--between 400 and 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

Throw all of the ingredients into a ziploc bag.  (For my six butter golds, I add a 1/3 cup parmesan and a healthy drizzle of olive oil.)  Zip the bag shut and shake it around until the seasonings are evenly distributed, then pour the contents out onto a foil-covered baking sheet, making sure they're not crowded together.

Bake until tender and golden-brown, somewhere between 25 and 40 minutes depending on the type of potato and oven temperature.  I recommend checking the wedges at around 25 minutes, and if they're not done, flipping them and adding another 10 minutes to the clock. 

Baked wedges things are always a bit unpredictable, but they are always delicious.  So long as they don't burn and they're not over-seasoned in jalapeno flakes, it's almost impossible to ruin them.  Enjoy!

RECIPE: Scalloped Turnips

Turnips are one of those vegetables I never felt tempted to try.  That being said, I kind of made a promise to myself on starting this new diet that I would be adventurous--and try everything listed on the "best veggies" list.  I haven't yet found a use for kale that I think I can tolerate, but here's one way to make turnips palatable!

RECIPE: Scalloped Turnips

INGREDIENTS

4 tablespoons butter

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

4 medium-large turnips, thinly sliced

4 tablespoons cornstarch

freshly ground salt & black pepper, to taste

1 cup milk (or cream, or [preferably] a mixture of the two)

1 cup shredded cheese*

DIRECTIONS

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and butter a 8" by 8" glass casserole dish.

Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large pan and sauté the sliced onions until they begin to wilt.

Layer the sliced turnips in the casserole dish and top with a third of the onions.  Sprinkle liberally with cornstarch, salt and pepper, and pat with dollops from 1 tablespoon of butter.  Repeat until you have run out of ingredients.

Pour the milk/cream over the turnips, and sprinkle the cheese over the top of the casserole. 

Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for another 30 to 45 minutes--or until the cheese is turning a nice golden brown, and bubbling.

* NOTE: I used a fiesta mix, but cheddar or even parmesan would work, depending on your tastes.

VERDICT: This is actually a fairly tasty dish.  Now, I tend to think anything cooked with cheese is pretty excellent, but this is actually quite good.  The turnips are a milder flavor once cooked, so add to rather than detract from the cheese-loving extravaganza.



 

 

 

 

 

RECIPE: Oven-Roasted Brussels Sprouts

One of the greatest challenges for me in beginning the Body Chemistry Diet is to find enough recipes featuring a limited number of fresh ingredients that taste good.  I like to eat, but I really, really don't like to eat food that doesn't taste scrumptious.  Problematically, the list of acceptable vegetables is more than half made up of things I've never tried before.  Rutabaga?  Jicama?  Really?! 

It's not that the proponents of this diet are intentionally trying to make the process of cooking and eating a tasty meal difficult.  Truly good, healthy food just happens to be hard to acquire.  A diverse diet is even harder to manage.

Luckily for me, I was raised to eat whatever was on my plate (thank you, Mom!).  I don't mind trying new things, especially when said "new things" fit under the category of "things I can photograph and blog about."  Thus, my last trip to Wally World saw me picking up a couple more items to check off of the list: radishes, turnips, and Brussels sprouts.

Now, the only time I've ever consumed Brussels sprouts has been as a topping on salads I didn't select myself and couldn't inconspicuously dispose of politely in company.  It's not that I hate the taste ... but they always seemed to get stuck in my teeth.  I don't need that, and nobody else wants to look at me with a big clump of green hanging out between my front chompers.

I did, however, recently see a delectable-looking recipe for oven-roasted Brussels sprouts on a food blog that I follow (The Garden of Eating), and Martha Stewart featured a similar recipe on her Thanksgiving special.  How could I resist?  I made a few alterations to TGoE's recipe, meaning I substituted sprouted-grain Ezekiel bread for the breadcrumbs, upped the garlic a little, and left off the pepper (which is unnecessary, really).  The end result was a surprisingly buttery, delicious treat that you can really sink your teeth into--without spoiling your waistline.

I approve!

INGREDIENTS

1 pound (or one sizable package) Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup fresh Ezekiel-bread-crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Sea salt to taste

DIRECTIONS

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.  Foil the bottom of a baking sheet or, if you lack foil, pull out the cooking spray and give it a light dusting.  Place the halved Brussels sprouts in a bowl and drizzle with the olive oil, shaking to coat them evenly, and then spread them out, cut-side-down, on the foiled baking sheet. 

Roast for about 15 minutes at 425 degrees, checking occasionally to make sure they're cooking evenly, until the sprouts are tender when stabbed with a fork and browning slightly.

While the sprouts are baking, grab a small saucepan and melt the butter.  Add the garlic to the butter when hot, and saute lightly for 2-3 minutes.  Remove from the heat and add the breadcrumbs and parmesan, mixing evenly.

Remove the sprouts from the oven and sprinkle the breadcrumb & cheese mixture over them.  Return the sprouts to the oven and cook for another 6 minutes or until the breadcrumbs are turning golden.

Serve warm.

VERDICT: I found this recipe delectable, and even my skeptical housemate was won over by their melt-in-your-mouth buttery goodness.  There was no ugly drama of sprouts stuck in teeth, even!  I will probably never eat them any other way, now.

RECIPE: Maple Walnut Whipped Sweet Potato

I apologize for not having blogged over the last week.  Thanksgiving, you know?  Things just got away from me.  I was planning on blogging about my adventures in the kitchen over the holiday, but it turned out that I wasn't much wanted/needed in the kitchen since my sister was so on top of things.  She personally brined a turkey straight into heaven, and had most of the sides and desserts ready even before we drove into town.  I would love to blog about her creative and fantastic foods, but I wouldn't know where to begin.  I'll let her win you over herself, supposing you're friends with her on Facebook.

It's so funny to think of Facebook now, all these months after quitting.  My finger doesn't automatically twitch over to the Facebook button on Symbaloo anymore.  I think I must be recovering!  I'm plenty busy with cooking, sleeping, and generally surviving to worry about missing everyone's what-I-had-for-breakfast status updates.

Ah!  But you didn't come to this blog to hear about my life.  You came to this blog to find out about my maple walnut whipped sweet potatoes!

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I returned home from Alabama to discover I had very little food in the house save for sweet potatoes and fish.  Now, I love fish.  I adore fish.  There is, however, only so many ways to prepare fish without boring my blog audience.  I will find some new ways to prepare the sea's bounty before talking more about them. 

My sister had made this fabulous sweet potato casserole with brown sugar and pecans, but as you well know, sugar is a definite no-no on the Body Chemistry Diet.  Besides, I think sweet potatoes are quite sweet enough without that delectable nonsense of a crunchy topping.

My dilemma, then, was to capture the same spirit of the sweet potato, without all of the sugar.  I made this up on the spot, and it is quite simple, but I feel this recipe does justice to the materials I had on hand.

Maple Walnut Whipped Sweet Potato Confection of Goodness

INGREDIENTS

1 whole large sweet potato

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/3 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/8 cup sweet white wine (optional), like a Moscato

2 tablespoons maple syrup (for the potato mixture)

1/2 to 2/3 cup whole walnuts

2 tablespoons maple syrup (for the walnuts)

DIRECTIONS

Bake the potato until very soft, about 7 minutes in the microwave (on high)*.  Make sure to stab it with a fork a couple of times and wrap it in paper towel before putting it in the microwave, and be very careful when removing it--or you will learn the true origin of the game, "hot potato."  (I'm serious.  You could really burn yourself.)  Test the potato with a fork.  Once the potato is soft all the way through, cut it in half and scoop the flesh out of the skin.

Put the sweet potato in a medium sauce pan and add the olive oil and white wine, mixing with a fork.  Turn the stove to medium-low heat and stir in the milk, vanilla, and maple syrup.  Use the fork to crush lumps of sweet potato against the side of the sauce pan, for a more even and creamy texture.  Heat until the mixture is smooth and bubbling, then remove from the heat.  Beat the mixture rapidly with your fork until it begins to look whipped.  Alternatively, you can use an immersion (stick) blender to do this for you.

While the sweet potato mixture is cooking, heat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.  Pour your remaining maple syrup over the walnuts and turn so that they are evenly coated, then lay them out on a small, foil-covered baking sheet.  Bake for about 10 minutes or until the syrup has caramelized but not burned--keep a close eye on the walnuts to ensure that they do not get to that point.

Once the walnuts are toasted, remove them from the oven and let cool until they are easy to handle.  I bundled them up in the foil and stuck them in the freezer for around 5 minutes, then took them out.  Remove the walnuts from the foil and add to the sweet potato mixture, stirring to combine.

Serve warm!

VERDICT: I felt like I was having dessert, this was so delicious, but it actually served as a relatively healthy main course.  It was far from being overly sweet, as sweet potato casseroles often are.  The walnuts add a delightful crunch to the creamy sweet potato, and add another little distinction from the standard pecans they are often paired with--but pecans would work in this recipe if you did not have any walnuts on hand.  By leaving out cinnamon and other spices, the sweet potato really asserts its natural, complex flavor here.  (This also has the added benefit of being gluten free!)  Housemate J gave her cute face of approval when I showed her the final product.



Grinding Sprouted Wheat - an actual near disaster

As I mentioned a few blogs ago, I have undertaken the sprouting & grinding of my own wheat for flour, to meet the requirements of the Body Chemistry Diet that I am undertaking with my housemate.  There are three major steps to the process: sprouting, dehydrating, and grinding.  The sprouting element is the most lengthy one, and after that the dehydrating adds another day to the process--as, to grind the wheat berries they have to be completely dried out--while the grinding itself is fairly simple but potentially difficult.

The first time I undertook this sprouting-drying-grinding adventure, the flour turned out coarse but usable enough.  Drama arose when the cookies all melded into one giant pan-sized cookie.  The problem was that, in order to make the peanut butter cookie recipe we were after, we had to substitute honey for sugar--and in so doing, we doomed our cookies to excessive runny-ness.  We couldn't add more sprouted-grain flour ... because we didn't have any more.  The cookies tasted fine, but I won't be posting the recipe until I can find a way to make them look palatable (and cookie-ish).  We enjoyed them with full glasses of milk and a few episodes of Castle, our current TV-show obsession.  (I mean, come on!  A writer and a cop team up to tackle crazy crimes?  It's like NCIS, but with a literary nerd bent!)

Tonight we ground some more flour, about a cup worth.  Actually, we quadruple-ground the berries this time, producing a much, much finer texture.  I'm eying the potential of a small cinnamon-roll bake thing.  We'll see if I end up going that direction-or end up making muffins.

RECIPE: Slow-Cooked Apple Cider Ribs

Monday being my day to make dinner for the house, I decided to go with something relatively simple that I wouldn't have to worry about when I got home from work.  Once again, I picked my recipe based on what ingredients I happened to have on hand, which happened to be beef ribs, apples, and leftover apple cider from a party.  Hence, slow-cooked apple cider ribs with roasted radishes as a side dish.

Slow-cooker meals are about as easy as they come.  I'm not sure how I feel about them, in general, given that a lot of flavor is cooked out of foods by stewing them for such a long time ... but the simplicity factor means a great deal when you're making a meal for more than just yourself.  And I have to admit that having our whole house together, sitting down at the kitchen table and sharing a meal together, is a lot of fun.

INGREDIENTS

2 lbs boneless beef ribs
4 apples
2 cups apple cider
1 onion, sliced
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar (or regular vinegar, if you're using apple cider)
4 cups water
salt & pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Core, peel, and chop your apples into chunks.  Cut apart the ribs (if necessary) and place all of the ingredients in your slow cooker.  Set to "low" and cook for 8-10 hours.  Use a slotted spoon to remove the ribs and apples from the slow-cooker, as you will have a lot of leftover liquid.

OR,

Place the ingredients in a large soup pot and bring to a boil.  Cover, reduce to a simmer, and cook until the ribs are tender (approximately four hours).

VERDICT: I'm used to my beef being spicy, I think, so this came as a bit of a surprise to my taste buds.  That being said, it was pretty dang good for an(other) experiment.  The apple cider vinegar and the lengthy cooking process made the meat so tender it flaked under the fork.  The savory radish dish was the perfect flavor complement to the slightly sweet ribs.

RECIPE: Baked Apples

Baked apples are one of those desserts I used to read about as a kid--the kind of thing little boys would bake over campfires while waiting for rescuers or dodging them (think Hatchet and My Side of the Mountain, respectively).  They're so absurdly simple and impossibly delicious that I can't believe I never made them before--or that my mother never made them for us kids.  I suppose she was too busy trying to convince us that apples could be eaten in any other form than pie.

You can make this recipe with as many or as few apples as you like, so long as you have a proportionally sized oven-safe dish to put them in, and scale your ingredients up or down to suit.  I will simply relay the portions that I used.


INGREDIENTS

3 small apples (mine were gala)
1/3 cup walnuts
cinnamon
cardamom
nutmeg
allspice
cloves
honey*

white wine (optional) or water

DIRECTIONS

Heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Core the apples carefully, cutting from the top making sure to leave the skin at the bottom intact.

Take your walnuts and pound them into submission, then mix with your spices to taste (I like my spices to be strong at this point, since a lot of them cook into the apples).  Pack the nut and spice mixture into the wells left by the absent apple cores, and drizzle over the top with a scant tablespoon of honey per apple.

Place the apples in an oven-safe pan (I used a bread pan), and pour about a quarter inch of white wine or water in the bottom of the pan.

Bake until the apples are soft enough to cut easily with a spoon and your house is filled with the smell of deliciousness (around 40 minutes).  Remove from the oven and let cool before eating, and serve.

VERDICT: Well, they look kinda funky, but they're absolutely scrumptious.  I recommend baked apples as a healthy (!) treat to all my friends and family.

* If you're not on a killjoy sugarless diet, you can use brown sugar instead of (or in partnership with) honey.  Mix the brown sugar in with the nuts and cinnamon before packing the apples.

RECIPE: Bacon-Wrapped Whiting

One of my housemates has told me I should advertise my blog as gluten-free while I pursue this Body Chemistry Diet.  I'm not sure I really know what qualifies as gluten-free, so I'll have to do a little more research.  What you can know for a certainty, though, is that for the near future you will not be seeing any baked goods where I have not personally cranked the wheat through the hand mill (which arrived day before yesterday!).  I will make sure to exclude any wheat/grain-based dishes from the gluten-free tags.

For this meal, however, you gluten-free friends won't have to bat an eye.

Bacon has been on my mind a lot lately.  I have heard about some current craze in bacon desserts, and last weekend I saw some bacon-topped chocolate cupcakes in Savoy, a little tea shop in Pinnacle Hills.  I'm still not convinced that bacon and desserts go together, but I'd be open to trying it some day ... some day when I'm not on the Body Chemistry Diet.  Anyway, I picked up some peppered bacon last week and was looking for creative ways to cook fish and thought: hey!  I have these two ingredients!  I wonder if they work together? -- and so I used trusty Google to see if anyone else had the same idea.  They had, but I like to do my own thing.  So I whipped up a simple but delectable dinner for anyone who likes white fish and bacon, together or separately.


INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon butter
Two sizable white fish fillets (I used whiting, but tilapia would work just as well)
1/2 one chopped yellow onion
2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 cup white wine (I used a moscato, which complimented the peppered bacon perfectly)
6 medium slices peppered bacon (prosciutto and regular bacon also works, I hear)
1 tbsp chopped basil (fresh or dried)

DIRECTIONS

Heat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

All good things start with bacon, so begin by pan frying your bacon until it is about halfway done--that is, until it is beginning to brown, but is still flexible enough to wrap around your fish.  Remove from the heat and set aside.

In the same pan (keeping the bacon drippings, since they're so wonderful), saute the onion and garlic in the butter.  As the onion begins to become translucent, add the white wine and basil and let simmer until the sauce cooks down to about half its original volume (somewhere between 5 and 10 minutes). 

As the sauce cooks, wrap your bacon around your fillets, using toothpicks to secure the bacon.  Place the wrapped fillets in an oven safe glass pan or casserole dish.

When the sauce has cooked down, remove it from the heat and pour it over the fillets.  Place the pan in the oven and cook for between 40 and 45 minutes, or until the bacon is crispy on both sides (turn the fillets over halfway through).

Serve hot, heaping the caramelized onions on top and drizzling with the remaining sauce.

Do remember to remove the toothpicks before chowing down.

VERDICT: This dish is as divine as you can imagine for a simple, easy dinner.  Sure, it takes about an hour to prepare--but a meal like this is worth every second.  The natural sweetness of the white wine and the yellow onions pairs perfectly with the unique taste of whiting and the bold sharpness of the peppered bacon.

RECIPE: Mango-Jicama "Slaw"

This is not a proper "slaw" at all.  There is no cabbage, no mayonnaise, and no sugar.  It is delicious, though, and as sweet and crunchy as you can hope for.

As per the norm, I did not have all of the ingredients recommended for any high-falutin' jicama recipe, but I had found several websites that recommended combining the jicama with mango.  With a little help with the chopping, I whipped together a simple and easy side dish for our lemon basil shrimp. 

Jicama, for the record, is an odd, odd sort of vegetable.  It smells like a potato when you chop it, but it tastes more like a pear on the tongue.  Its consistency is somewhere in between the potato and the pear, too, so perhaps the foodies are playing a prank on us and it's really a GM hybrid.  Kidding.

The jicama has been around a long time, really.  It is sometimes called the Mexican Turnip or the Yam, and like the potato it is an edible tuber.  The tuber is the only edible part of the plant--so don't let me catch you gnawing on the vine or I'll send you off to Katniss Everdeen for an edible plant test.  I used to read books where the characters chowed down on yams, but I never expected to eat one myself.

I'm glad I did. 

INGREDIENTS

1 mango, julienned
1 pound jicama, peeled and matchsticked
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup raspberry or red-wine vinaigrette 
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground paprika
Sea salt & pepper to taste

1 red bell pepper, seeded and julienned (optional)
1/2 cup carrots, matchsticked (optional)
1/8 cup fresh chopped mint (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Combine all of the ingredients, mix thoroughly, and refrigerate until serving.


Eating well is really that easy.  Sometimes.

RECIPE: Star Fruit & Mango Dessert

In my ongoing quest to satisfy my sweet tooth while on the Body Chemistry Diet, I ran across a recipe for a star fruit (carambola) dessert.  I never have all of the exotic ingredients these recipes called for, but I happened to have the big three: star fruit, mango, and coconut milk.

Star fruit are a strange and wonderful invention.  They are sharp and tangy in flavor, not to mention visually distinctive.  I have wanted to try one for a very long time, and when I saw them listed on the "safe" foods on our little adventure, I splurged and picked up two.  Their tangy-ness is the perfect complement to the rich thick sweetness of the mango and the creaminess of the coconut milk.  I cannot recommend this dish to you highly enough for a late-night fruit binge, or if you're looking to try something new.

INGREDIENTS

2 fresh star fruit
1 cup orange juice OR 3 tablespoons lime juice
1 medium-sized fresh mango
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 to 1/2 cup coconut milk

DIRECTIONS

A ripe star fruit will be a nice bright yellow color, with very slight brown ridges.  To prepare the fruit, slice off the end originally attached to the plant (it will be darker than the other end), and then use a sharp knife to pare the brown off of the ridges.  Then, slice the star fruit into thin cross sections, taking care to remove the seeds.

Place the star fruit slices into a pan and add the juice, keeping the burner on high until it boils and then turning it down to medium.  Cook for 10 or so minutes, or until the fruit flesh is tender enough to cut with a spoon, and lightly browned on both sides.  As you remove the star fruit from the stove, stir in the honey.

Slice your mango small or puree it, depending on what mood strikes you, and then add it to the warm star fruit and mix well.  Divide the fruit between serving bowls (or only one--this dish is too delicious to share) and drizzle lightly with the coconut milk and enjoy.

Seeds that grow - like magic!

I'm continually amazed by how absurdly easy it is to do self-empowering things like growing my own food or cooking experimentally (read: with limited ingredients).  You can have your cake and eat it to ... or at least, I intend to, once I develop my wheat-grinding skills.

See, I invested in three things this last weekend: 1) whole grains from Ozark Natural, 2) a dehydrator, and 3) a wheat grinder.  So far, the wheat berries and the dehydrator have proven themselves as up to the task as I am.  I don't yet know about the wheat grinder, since it hasn't been delivered yet.  Don't worry, I just got the cheapo version.  If I can't stand it, or if it breaks, it's not much of a loss.  It's just a thing, in the end.

Remember how I mentioned I was going on this new diet with my housemate?  Well, the Body Chemistry Diet stipulates only one absolute no-no.  No processed grains or sugars.  Sprouted grains are acceptable, but unless you happen to have some sprouted grain bread handy, you're out of luck for the standard carbohydrates.  Luckily, Ozark Natural is only forty or so minutes away, and they stock their own fresh sprouted wheat breads and sprouted grain pasta.  That gives us two "normal" options for carbs, which I appreciate.

But what about the fun stuff?  What about baking and such?

Thus, the grain-sprouting experience.

THE PROCESS

Sprouting grain is relatively easy, even in the confines of a suburban kitchen.

The first and most important part of the process is in making the right selection for your grain.  Theoretically, you can sprout pretty much anything--so long as it hasn't been processed.  You don't want grouts, or bleached grains, or any grain where the original seed has been in any way treated or compromised.  You want the whole seed.  In my case, I selected wheat berries, wild rice, and chickpeas.  Any half-decent whole bulk foods store will stock wheat berries, I should think.

Once you've purchased your viable grain, the rest of the sprouting process is dead easy.  You soak your grain overnight in several inches of water (or more, depending on the type of grain--some of this has to be discovered by trial and error), then drain it in the morning.  This soaking process activates the growth cycle.  You want to let the grains breathe while remaining moist.  A jar sealed with loosely meshed cotton or some sort of sieve will work just fine, so long as the jar is tilted so that the grain isn't sitting in the water.

Over the course of the next day, rinse and drain the seeds regularly.  You should see your seeds beginning to sprout by the second morning, and if you're going to dehydrate them and grind them into flour, you should stop the cycle right there.  The chemical changes that make sprouted grains so much better for you than unsprouted grains has already taken place.  You can eat sprouted grains raw (although, I will warn you, sprouted wheat tastes exactly like those wheat grass shots you can get at juice stands ... it's wonderful for you, I'm sure, but a bit ... well ... green), or you can cook them up like you would oatmeal.

And there you go!  I promise you, if your grain is good, sprouting it should be as easy as it sounds.

I will update my blog as I complete the other steps towards grinding my own flour.

BEFORE:

 

AFTER:

The Body Chemistry Diet

My housemate came back from medical leave with a course of antibiotics and doctor's orders to begin the "Body Chemistry" diet.  This diet is no joke, either.  It's a serious business.  It's scientifically designed to torture the living daylights out of carb-cows like myself.

And yet, the Body Chemistry diet is extremely simple.  There is only one absolute rule:

NO PROCESSED FOODS.

How hard could it be?  I thought at first.  Oh boy.  (Let me tell you how hard.)  Not only are you not allowed any processed sugars (no white sugar, brown sugar, or sugar substitutes--natural sweeteners like honey and molasses are allowed, but only in small quantities), but you're also allowed no processed grains. 

No store-bought flour of any grain is allowed, unless that grain is sprouted.  Ezekiel bread is allowed (and is sold at the Harp's in town), as are the home-brand sprouted-grain breads we found at Ozark Natural.  But white rice?  Nope.  Pasta?  No.  No oatmeal for breakfast, either.  The only grains allowed are sprouted grains, and very few places sell sprouted grains for a reasonable price.

And guess what?  I'm going to start this diet, too.  The Body Chemistry diet is medically proven to help rid the body of toxins, and to improve energy and all that jazz.  I can use all the help I can get, when it comes to the energy department.  Plus, any diet is easier to begin if you have an accountability partner ... so my housemate and I will actually be a great help to each other by doing this together. 

Besides, the single years post college are the best years to make big lifestyle changes. 

So, yesterday afternoon, I ran by Wally World and brought home a dehydrator and a whole shelf-full of fresh produce.  What I don't eat fresh, I will dehydrate and take to work as snacks.  (Oh yes ... and fruit can be eaten as snacks, but not with meals.  Apparently the sugars change the way you digest your food, so it's not good to combine them with protein or something.  I'm not entirely clean on the "whys" and "wherefores" of this particular point.)  And ...

... insert random breaking-news earthquake story here ....

And today, my housemate and I made the long drive in to Fayetteville to get ahold of some grains and ... okay ...  some shoes too.  Ozark Natural is a fantastic resource for sprouted grain options, by the way, at least so far as Northwest Arkansas is concerned.  This area isn't renowned for being caught up with the cool hip granola kids. 

The point of this diet is, in the end, to live a healthier, more well-balanced life.  To eradicate the unnecessary.  To simplify.

I'm all about simplification.

I'm not saying this new diet will be easy.  I'm going to miss my empty carbs.  At the same time, I think the benefits outweigh the difficulties.

Look for some exciting new experimental recipes here in the next few weeks.  I have all kinds of crazy foods on hand I've never tried before--radishes, star fruit, and jicama, to name a few--as well as some golden oldies I haven't had in a while.  I love mangoes, sweet potato, and kiwifruit.  I just haven't eaten them in a while.  Time to change a few things!  Time for an adventure.