Bowl of Berries

Since spending almost a full week without a truly healthy meal, I started the week off right with a weight lifting session and these fantastic black bean cakes.  The recipe comes from a local restaurant, we used to order these every once and a while for lunch and I was surprised at how much I enjoyed them.  I mean come on, they are just black beans.  But oh the way they are spiced makes all of the difference.   This is a super easy recipe and also quite cost effective.  We halved the recipe which made about ten small patties, we ate 3 each with 4 leftover for lunches.  I also made a tomato corn chutney, namely because I had 2 roma tomatoes that were on their last leg. With a bit of sour cream, we were set.  I ate mine over a bowl of greens (yey veggies!) and Scottie had his alone on a plate.  I will probably make a full batch next time and freeze the leftovers…these would be easy to reheat and stick in between a whole wheat roll for lunch.

Black Beans Cakes
Full recipe
From Lucky 32

6 ½ cups black beans
½ cup salsa
½ cup diced red onion
1 ¼ red bell peppers, diced
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 cups bread crumbs (I used panko crumbs)
1 tablespoon diced jalapeño peppers
½ teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1 teaspoon Tabasco jalapeño sauce

2 cups crushed tortilla chips
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon coriander

2 tablespoons olive oil

Rinse black beans in cold water. Place in a colander and drain well (at least 10 minutes). Add all ingredients except tortilla chips, cumin, coriander, and olive oil to a mixing bowl. Blend well with hands, mashing some of the beans to form a thick mixture. Form into 3-ounce patties and set aside. Using a food processor, blend tortilla chips, cumin, and coriander until it is a crumb consistency. Dredge each bean patty in the tortilla mixture. Heat oil in large skillet and sauté bean cakes over medium-high heat, turning when they are golden brown.

Tomato Corn Chutney

In a bowl combine:

2 roma tomatoes, diced
1/2 jalapeno pepper, diced
1/2 can corn, drained
juice of half a lime
pinch of salt
a few dashes of tabasco sauce

Stir, allow to sit about 30 minutes then serve!

I am back from a great trip to Texas, saw just about all of my Dad’s side of the family and was able to spend some quality time with them all.  Dad and I ate alot while we were there but hardly any veggies so this week it’s all about the veg.  Scottie and I  also have a month until the big race, and I wasn’t able to do my long run yesterday due to some extreme  sleep deprivation and cold weather so it’s back to running as well as a new weight lifting program.  It’s nice to be home and back into the swing of things.

Monday-Black Bean cakes with corn and jalapeno chutney and salad
Tuesday-Jaycee Board Meeting- Scottie on his own
Wednesday- Chicken Stir Fry (bok choy, carrots, onions, peppers) with brown rice
Thursday-Big Salad and Grilled Brie sandwich on foccacia
Friday-Sunday- still up in the air, maybe a trip to Sanford for dinner, maybe a fish dish another night

I am currently on a plane to Texas to visit my Dad’s side of the family and eat some fantastic mexican food and BBQ!  Can’t wait.  I am also looking forward to spending some time with my Dad, we have such a fantastic relationship but sometimes don’t have the time to chat so we get to catch up on the 4 hours plane flight!

Be back Sunday!

So I thought I will document my running as of late.  For those that don’t know, Scottie and I are training for a half marathon, the Raleigh Rocks Half on March 28th.  I am both excited and nervous because I have wanted to run a half for a while now, and was close to signing up last year but kinda underestimated myself and chickened out at the last minute.  This year, I made a point to start training at the beginning of the year, giving me 3 solid months to train.  I now know why people fail in fitness resolutions that are made at the beginning of the year because it is too damn cold to do anything in January!  I can’t even fathom running more then 3 miles on a treadmill so instead Scottie and I resorted to bundling up and running in the cold.  It was fine until it hit like 20 degrees for about 2 weeks straight in January.  We didn’t run at all.  Luckily it warmed up a bit and we were able to run without our faces and fingers being subjected to frostbite.  Then  came the realization that we had 2 months until the race and the most we had run at one time was about 5 miles.  So we stepped it up and planned one long run on the weekend, and the occasional run during the week when there was time.  This is working out well for us as we are both pretty athletic and really just needed to work on increasing our mileage.

In addition to increasing the mileage we have also had to invest in running “equipment.”  You may think you only need shoes to run, but you are sadly mistaken.  Once you begin running longer distances you need things like breathable clothing,  non-cotton socks, reflective gear,  BodyGlide (because chafing is NOT fun!), fuel belts so you don’t dehydrate and gels so you can keep your energy up.  While these are all things that can be used for a while (besides the gels) I had no idea I would need some much extra stuff!  But I suppose it will all be worth it in the end.

We are up to 8 miles and neither of us are dead tired when we are done, so that’s a good sign.  We have been dealing with some bumps and aches but luckily I think all is under control.  One thing I must have is variety, we have been researching new routes to keep things interesting, our favorite routes being those done downtown.

All in all things are going quite well.  We have about 5 weeks left, an 8k race about 3 weeks before, and many more miles to log before the big day!

A few weeks ago I defrosted a whole chicken with the hopes of making a nice traditional roasted chicken with potatoes but life got in the way and I was faced with a chicken on a Tuesday night that needed to be cooked.  Luckily I remembered a recipe from ages ago that I found on Good Things Catered and knew this would work out perfectly.  The recipe calls for the chicken to be cooked in a cast iron dutch oven which resulted in a roasted chicken in half the time!  Perfect!  I prepped the chicken and placed it in the oven to cook while Scottie and I went for a run.  By the time we came back, the chicken was close to being done and I made some quick potatoes and a beautiful salad and dinner was ready!  I altered the flavorings a bit with this recipe and used Chinese 5 Spice and oranges because I had an abundance of oranges to use up and didn’t have any fresh herbs.  Regardless, this is a great base recipe and you can flavor the chicken however you like.

I made a beautiful salad with some mixed greens, orange segments, sunflower seeds and chopped figs.  YUM!  I have been integrating different salads into our menus because I have been completely inspired by Kath and KathEatRealFood who makes some amazing slaads and makes oatmeal interesting!  Seriously, check her site out if you haven’t already…she has me hooked on oatmeal

Slashed Chicken with Orange and 5 Spice
Adapted from Williams-Sonoma

Ingredients:
4 Tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 Tbsp of Chinese 5 spice
1 tsp salt, plus more, to taste
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper, plus more, to taste
1 chicken, 3 to 4 lb.
2 oranges
2 garlic cloves, sliced

Directions:
-Put a 5-quart oval Dutch oven in a cold oven and preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
-After the oven has preheated, heat the pan for 20 to 25 minutes.
-Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the butter, 5 spice, orange zest, the 1 tsp salt and the 1/2 tsp pepper and stir until well blended.
-Set the compound butter aside.
-Rinse the chicken with cold water and pat dry.
-Set the chicken, breast side up.
-Using a sharp knife, cut 3 slashes, each 4 inches long and 1/2 inch deep, in each breast.
-Cut 2 slashes, each 3 inches long and 1/2 inch deep, in each leg.
-Rub the compound butter all over the chicken, pushing the butter into the slashes and under the skin.

-Push the garlic slices into all the slashes.
-Squeeze the juice of the oranges over the chicken and place rinds in the pot
-Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
-Carefully place the chicken, breast side up, in the hot pan.
-Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, away from the bone, registers 170 degrees, 50 to 60 minutes.
-Transfer the chicken to a cutting board, cover loosely with aluminum foil and let rest for 15 to 25 minutes.
-Carve the chicken and arrange on a warmed platter.

What better way to start the day of love then to have a nice warm mug of pink hot chocolate! So cute and yummy!

Valentine’s Day this year was pretty normal for Scottie and I, though I thought we would start the day one of Scottie’s favorite breakfast dishes, quiche.  I found this to be interesting the first time he told me, quiche is not considered a “manly” food but then again Scottie is pretty set in his masculinity.  I found a pretty basic recipe and added some ham to it to bulk it up.  I cheated and used frozen pie crust as I have not yet mastered pie crust but I don’t think either of us cared.  This took no time to whip up and soon we were enjoying a nice breakfast and the beautiful sunshine outside.

And I was treated to some lovely flowers as well. Not a bad Saturday!

Broccoli, Ham, and Cheese Quiche

2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 cup chopped fresh broccoli
1 cup chopped ham
1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar
4 eggs, well beaten
1/2 cups milk
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Over medium-low heat melt butter in a large saucepan. Add garlic and broccoli. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are soft. Spoon vegetables and ham into crust and sprinkle with cheese.

Combine eggs and milk. Season with salt and pepper. Pour egg mixture over vegetables, meat and cheese.

Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until center has set.

It’s no secret that one of our favorite dishes is Shrimp and Grits.  It is often the “benchmark” entree when Scottie and I go out to eat.  We have had quite a few different versions and this is one of my favorites.  We ventured out sometime last year to Chapel Hill to visit Crook’s Corner.  It is this little shack of a place on the outside but inside it is quite trendy.  The food is a slightly done up version of classic country food and the Shrimp and Grits are one of their most well known dishes.  I remember loving the dish as well as the fried oysters for appetizers…ugh yum!

I have made quite a few different recipes for S&Gs and I think this is definitely the winner.  It is not a hard dish to make and is a perfect “pantry meal” as we almost always have frozen shrimp in the freezer and who doesn’t have cheese and bacon!?

Crook’s Corner Shrimp and Grits

2 cups water
1 (14 1/2 ounce) can chicken broth
3/4 cup half-and-half
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup regular grits (I actually used the Crook’s Corner grits form Southern Season)
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
3 slices bacon
1 lb medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup flour
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup sliced green onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup fat-free low-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
lemon wedge

Bring first 4 ingredients to a boil in a medium saucepan; gradually whisk in grits; reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes or until thickened; add cheddar cheese and next 4 ingredients; set aside but keep warm.

Cook bacon in a large skillet until crisp; remove bacon and drain on paper towels, reserve 1 tablespoon of drippings in skillet; crumble bacon and set aside.

Sprinkle shrimp with pepper and salt; dredge in flour.

Saute mushrooms in hot drippings in skillet 5 minutes, or until tender; add green onions and saute 2 minutes; add shrimp and garlic and saute 2 minutes or until shrimp are lightly brown; stir in chicken broth, lemon juice and hot sauce and cook 2 more minutes, stirring to loosen browned bits from skillet.

Divide grits into 4 large, shallow soup bowls; divide shrimp mixture into four servings and place on top of grits; top each serving with crumbled bacon and serve with lemon wedges.

Last week I failed miserably at sticking to the menu, resulting in eating out 3 nights in a row- ugh!  This week we are back on track, I hope

Monday: Tuna Nicoise Salad
Tuesday: Pork in Pineapple Chili Sauce with brown rice
Wednesday: BLT’s with Potato and Kale Soup
Thursday: Asparagus and Cheddar Quiche with salad
Friday: Baked Penne with Spicy Sausage
Saturday: V-day…don’t know what we are doing yet- maybe get some lobsters
Sunday: London Broil with baked sweet potatoes

I decided to not make Black Bean Tostados and went with trying to recreate the Chipotle Burrito.  I think Chipotle’s are just about everywhere, you may know Moe’s or Qdobo…they are all pretty much the same thing.  Gargantuan burritos that weight about 2 pounds each, and in case you are still hungry they have really thin, salty chips that I can never stop eating.  I had just about everything to make these burritos, including the massive tortilla.  I found these fantastic whole wheat tortillas from Whole Foods that work perfectly, they stay really soft even a few days later and are much better for you then the ones they serve in the restaurant.  Oh and they are HUGE and easy to stuff with as much as you want.

Scottie was in charge of making the guacamole, the 2 avocados I had were mashed and to that he added half of a large tomato, 2 jalapenos, 1/4 of a large red onion (though I would add less next time), about a cup of chopped cilanto, the juice of one lime and some salt.  YUM!  So good!  Next time we may use some hotter peppers because these were more like bell peppers, but it was still delish and so easy.  I made some lime basmati rice (see below) and shredded some leftover chicken breasts and re-heated it in some fajitas spices and a bit of water.  I used a bit of the same fajitas spices to perk up some black beans.  Then it was just a matter of shredding some cheddar and getting out the sour cream.

The beauty of this is that you can add as little or as much as you want, including as much guac as your little heart desires without getting charged extra :)  Ah the beauty of cooking at home.  Scottie menitoned that this was ten times better then Chipotle because is tasted fresher and less processed.  I couldn’t agree more.  We both gobbled up our burritos and I snacked on some chips and guac while he made a nacho/burrito bowl type thing with some leftovers since I only had two wraps.  Add in some margaritas and I’ll say this was a successful meal.  I am not sure I can go spend $6 on this now that I have recreated it at home!

Chipotle’s Lime Basmati Rice

1 teaspoon vegetable oil or butter
2 tsp. fresh cilantro
2/3 cup white basmati rice
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Lime

In a 2-quart heavy saucepan, heat oil or butter over low heat, stirring occasionally until melted.  Add rice,lime juice, and lime zest, stir for1 minute.   Add water and salt, bring to a full rolling boil.  At boiling, cover, turn down to simmer over low heat until rice is tenderand the water is absorbed, about 25 minutes. (I added about 1/2 more water as I felt it needed a bit more liquid- use your judgment) Fluff rice with a fork.

*Another lovely cell phone pic at work.

Instead of heading out to a party for the Suoerbowl, or hosting one ourselves, we saved ourselves the hassle and just stayed home, cooked some chili and buffalo chicken dip and enjoyed the game and commercials from the couch.   It was actually nice because I was actually able to watch the game, and it ended up being quite a game!

Scottie was in charge of finding the chili recipe and I think he found the one with the most ingredients but  don’t let that deter you, this is so easy to make!  It took maybe 20 minutes to chop and saute everything then it’s just a matter of dumping everything in your pot and letting it simmer away.  Scottie worried about it being too thin (due to me adding the liquid from the beans) so he added about a tablespoon of cornstarch at the end to tighten it up.  You may or may not need this depending on how you like your chili.

This is a really fantastic chili, not terribly spicy but enough to tickle your tongue a bit, though the brown sugar does a nice job of balancing that out.   It is also quite rich and deep in flavor, which I really like.  I re-heated some for lunch today (3 days later) and found the flavor to be even better, so this would be a great make ahead meal!

With at least 6 more weeks of winter ahead of us (stupid groundhog) I am sure there will be plenty of cold nights left to make this.

Superbowl Chili

2 teaspoons oil
2 onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb lean ground beef
3/4 lb beef sirloin, cubed
1 (14 1/2 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 can dark beer
1 cup strong coffee
2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
1 can beef broth
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 1/2 tablespoons chili sauce
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon cocoa
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon salt
2 (15 ounce) cans kidney beans
4 chili peppers, chopped

1. Heat oil over medium heat. Cook onions, garlic and meat until brown.
2. Add tomatoes, beer, coffee, tomato paste and beef broth.
3. Add spices Stir in 2 cans of kidney beans and peppers.
4. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 1/2 hours.