Clean-Your-Fridge Recipes

My fridge is full. I do not mean it's full of Thanksgiving dinner leftovers - those were readily consumed at a "you snooze, you lose" speed. No...my fridge is full of Thanksgiving ingredient leftovers. That's right, somehow I ended up with the remainder of ingredients used for making the delicious Thanksgiving feast: a half-full half-gallon of milk (have I mentioned that I'm not a big milk-drinker? It hurts my stomach too much...), 10 eggs (I already had a dozen in my fridge), an unopened half-and-half carton, whipping cream, chestnuts, kale, parsley, a bag of fresh cranberries, apples, pears...the list goes on. Last night I felt like I was playing Jenga trying to fit all the leftover food into my fridge (side note: I share a fridge with three other people...think about that). I don't know about the rest of you, but having an overflowing refrigerator quickly gets on my nerves. I hate the hesitant feeling of opening the door and hoping that the balancing act of food doesn't topple out of the fridge. So, how do we get rid of this superfluous supply of food? It's time to introduce the clean-your-fridge recipes! 


The theory of clean-your-fridge recipes (which I also refer to as "dump-it" recipes, however, that didn't seem like a title-appropriate phrase) is quite simple: these recipes  are designed to use the perishable ingredients from your fridge (vegetables, fruits, dairy products with an approaching sell-by date), and therefore clean out some fridge space. Don't get me wrong, I like my fridge to be filled with staple items and whatnot. But I literally just opened my fridge and barely saved a jar of plum jelly (another weekend acquisition) from crashing onto the floor. I want well-stocked food in my fridge, not mini-replicas of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Hence my love of the clean-your-fridge recipes. 


Just so we're clear, these recipes are more like guidelines. The surplus food in your fridge is probably different than mine; thus these recipes have to be more flexible. You should not go out and buy x, y, and z in order to make any of these recipes...that defeats the purpose of the "clean your fridge" theory. As I said, these recipes are simple and easy - soup, stir-fry, pasta, and mac 'n cheese - not fancy, but definitely delicious. You'll feel satisfied from the food, as well as from purging your fridge!


1. Everything Soup: 
  --chop whatever vegetables you have to the size of your thumb nail
  --add 1 tablespoon oil to a saucepan
  --cook aromatics first (carrots, celery, onions, garlic), along with some ground pepper 
  --add water to saucepan (for every cup of vegetables, add two cups of water...for those of you who are bad at math, 1 cup veg = 2 cup water / 2 cup veg = 4 cup water...etc.)
  --add longer cooking vegetables to water (sweet potatoes, regular potatoes, zucchini, squash, green beans, broccoli) and add any spices you want to use (basil, oregano, thyme)
  --bring pot to boil then reduce to simmer; add quick cooking vegetables (tomatoes, leafy greens, peas), and any left-over cooked meat you have (right now, probably turkey)
  --simmer for 10-15 minutes (depending on how much soup you're making...more soup = longer cooking time)
  --add salt to taste and serve hot (tastes good with a grilled cheese sandwich!)


2. All Of It Stir-Fry
  --Dice vegetables to whatever size you want (just make sure they're all roughly the same size)
  --Heat canola oil in sauté pan over medium-high heat
  --When pan is hot add vegetables (you should hear a satisfying sizzle)
  **If using raw meat or tofu, add to pan before vegetables; cook for 5 minutes and then add veggies
  --Cook vegetables for 5-10 minutes, until color has brightened and vegetables are slightly  softened
  --Add a dash or two of soy sauce; serve hot over rice


3. Pasta with the Works
  --Cook pasta according to package
  --Chop vegetables (1-2 inches in size)
  --Heat olive oil in sauté pan over medium-low heat
  --When pan is hot, add garlic and onions; cook for 5 minutes
  --Add other vegetables; cook until tender (time is dependent on type of veggie)
  --Add pasta to pan and mix thoroughly; serve warm, topped with grated cheese


4. Macaroni 'N Cheese ('N Everything Else In Your Fridge)
  --Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit
  --Cook pasta according to package (if you don't have macaroni, use shells, penne, or even bow-tie pasta instead!)
  --Heat 2-3 cups of milk in sauce pan; once heated, cover and set aside
  **Here are two different ways to thicken the milk, to create the sauce:
  a. Heat 3 tablespoons butter in saucepan; add 3 tablespoons flour once butter is hot; slowly whisk milk into butter-flour rue
  b. Heat 1/2 block of cream cheese in saucepan; add warm milk once cream cheese starts to melt
  --Once sauce is thickened, add 1- 1 1/2 cups of cheddar cheese to sauce and mix well until cheese is melted (use other kinds of cheese if you don't have cheddar or if you're trying to get rid of some cheese)
  --Combine pasta and any vegetables you have (diced into 1-inch pieces) in a large mixing bowl
  --Pour cheese sauce over pasta-vegetable mix; stir together and make sure everything is coated well
  --Coat a baking dish with canola oil; pour pasta mixture into dish; sprinkle 1/2 cup shredded cheese (cheddar or mozzarella) on top, along with 1/2 cup of any bread crumbs you may have
  --Bake in oven for approximately 20 minutes, until top is golden brown and bubbling
  --Serve warm


I already made the soup for dinner tonight (and I have leftovers for lunch...yay!). However the dent in the stockpile of food is negligible, so I plan to make the stir-fry on Wednesday and the mac 'n cheese on Thursday. I also plan to bake a LOT of muffins and breads over the next week, to use up some of the 22 eggs I currently own. I'll let you know how it goes (hopefully I'll bring good news). In the meantime, what sort of foods do you have leftover, waiting to be used, in your fridge? 

Useful Advice For Turkey Day

Tomorrow is a big food day, to say the least. It is the only day of the year devoted to cooking and eating. And it is the one day when all thoughts of portion control, low-fat options, and limiting dessert intake are thrown out the window without protest. In addition to being the day in which we share with the people whom we love what we are most thankful for, Thanksgiving has become a day of gluttony and hedonism. Now, this blog is supposed to be focused on healthy cooking and eating, but I'm not going to sit here and write out recipes for vegan stuffing (it just doesn't taste the same without the two sticks of butter and sausage) or low-fat pumpkin pie (the freshly whipped cream and butter-infused crust are clutch for this holiday). Instead, I'm going to give some useful advice on how to have an enjoyable day of eating, without the feeling of waking up on Friday and wanting to shoot yourself in the face because you're still so full. 


--Eat Breakfast - Most people wake up Thanksgiving morning and think "I'm going to be eating  a lot tonight, so to avoid feeling guilty I'm just not going to eat anything else today". Wrong. First, you need breakfast more than ever on Thanksgiving - breakfast will kick-start your metabolism, thus making your body burn up calories right away and at a relatively fast rate. If you don't eat breakfast (and this is true all the time), your body goes into starvation mode - as soon as you start eating (or rather, feasting), your body is going to initially hold onto all those calories. Eventually some of those Thanksgiving calories (that haven't already turned to fat) will start to be burned, but at a very slow rate. Second, if you eat breakfast, you'll actually be less likely to over-over indulge. Eating breakfast decreases the likelihood of overeating throughout the rest of the day; so if you eat breakfast (and lunch), you'll actually feel more satisfied at Thanksgiving dinner and may only get a light second helping, rather than a heaping third. 


--Be active in the morning - A lot of people try to exercise the day before Thanksgiving and then compulsively workout the day after; but doing some sort of physical activity the day of Thanksgiving will help boost your metabolism and therefore help you burn more calories that day. You don't need to go for a 5 mile run (and let's be honest, if you're helping to cook at all, you don't have time to go for a 5 mile run). But go for a walk around the block after you've eaten breakfast or do a few push-ups when you wake up. You're going to be doing a lot of sitting, eating, and more sitting during the later part of the day, so try to be a little active in the morning. Aside from burning calories, it's important for our overall health to be active on a daily basis, and we often forget about this fact on Thanksgiving. On a day when there's usually very little bodily movement (other than our jaws chomping and hands utilizing a fork and knife), it's important to be proactive and move a lil' bit in the morning. 


--Take one helping at a time - This is a holiday devoted to cooking and food, so there is plenty of food to go around at the Thanksgiving table (we typically have at least five tupperware containers filled with leftovers the next day). So don't be greedy when you initially fill your plate with food. There will be enough stuffing, turkey, cranberry sauce, etc. for you to get seconds. Resist the temptation to pile extra helpings on your plate during round 1 of feasting. Fill your plate with one helping of everything and then eat all of it before getting up to fill your plate again. This brings me to the next point...


--Wait 15 minutes - It takes 20 minutes for the human body to feel full, so after your first round of gorging, wait a little bit and let your body digest. Suggest to your family that after everyone's done with their first helping of food, you go around the table and say what you're thankful for. The food isn't going anywhere, and like I said, there is plenty of it. So, no need to jump the gun and rush for second helpings. Saying thanks will take 10-20 minutes (and isn't that really what Thanksgiving is about?), giving your body enough time to digest and feel a bit more satiated. You'll find that when you go up for seconds, your helpings will be smaller than your first round. 


--Drink water - For some reason, people have a hard time distinguishing between feelings of thirst and hunger. Often times, when we think we're hungry, we are actually thirsty. You should heed this advice on a daily basis, but especially the day of Thanksgiving, make sure to drink lots of water along with your yummy food. This will help you feel more satisfied and your body will be extra grateful for the hydration. Additionally, water helps food digest...to put it bluntly, it helps push things through. Not only will you digest your Thanksgiving meal faster, but you'll also feel less bloated. 


--Do a little dance - Growing up, my family would always have a dance party after our Thanksgiving feast (and to be honest this was just as memorable, if not more so, than the actual feast). Many of you are probably thinking "I can barely move after Thanksgiving dinner, let alone dance". Take some time to digest: help clear the table, put away the leftovers, wash the dishes...but after everything is cleaned up, put on some favorite tunes and have a little dance party. You and your family will probably be happily intoxicated from all the Thanksgiving wine, so why not take advantage of everyone's bubbling state of mind? I'm not saying you should turn your living room into a bumpin' night club. I'm simply suggesting to turn on some Michael Jackson, Spice Girls, and Black Eyed Peas and get your groove on. In addition to helping you digest the three pounds of food you've consumed, this is a fun way to end the night. Fantastic food, great drinks, and fun music. Thanksgiving will become your favorite holiday, if it isn't already, especially after watching your drunk relatives try to shake it to Shakira...


So there you have it - some useful advice to help make your Turkey Day a day of satisfying feasting and memories (rather than a day of regretful indulgence). Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Gobble gobble :)

Clean As You Cook

One of life's best feelings: successfully cooking a delectable and satisfying meal. 
One of life's worst feelings: walking into the kitchen (belly full and feeling partially comatose from so much yummy food) to find that a small war has taken place on your countertop: pots and pans are piled high; cutting boards, knives, and measuring spoons are magically balancing in the sink; leftovers are stone cold...
The last thing you want to do is clean up this mess. You'd much rather spread out on the couch and let your food baby digest. Well here's my (somewhat obvious) tip and secret to having a happy cooking experience: clean as you cook.


Since the first time I started helping my dad in the kitchen, he's been telling me that simple phrase. It seems so obvious - clean as you cook - and yet many people forget that the sink actually does work while the stove is also in use. And I know, some people have trouble multi-tasking...but seriously, this isn't rocket science. Let's take a meal (Roasted Veggies Mixed with Orzo) and I'll show you how the "clean as you cook" method can be implemented: 


1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit; place saucepan filled with water on the stove on high heat
2. Combine sweet potato, eggplant, cauliflower, onion, 2 cloves minced garlic, 1 tablespoon olive oil, dried herbs, and pepper in a bowl. Mix well
3. Evenly spread veggies on a baking sheet; wrap beets in aluminum foil (like a tent) and place them on the same baking sheet.
4. Place baking sheet in oven for 20-25 minutes (after 10 minutes, check on the veggies, mix them around with a spatula, then let them continue cooking for 10-15 more minutes).
At this point, clean the bowl (in which you mixed the veggies).
5. Heat sauté pan on stove on medium heat; once the pan is hot, add remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil 
6. Add kale stems & cook for 2 minutes; then add kale leaves (you may need to do this in batches, depending on the size of your pan)
Clean the cutting board (used for chopping the veggies) and knife.
7. Meanwhile, your saucepan with water should be boiling. Add orzo to water and cook according to package.
8. Remove veggies from oven after 20-25 minutes; carefully remove beets from foil and peel off their skin; chop the beets into 1-inch pieces and combine with the rest of roasted veggies --- you will only use half of this roasted veggie mix. Save the other half for another meal! Put leftover 1/2 of veggie mixture into a tupperware container. 
9. Drain orzo. Before combining everything, wash the pasta pot. Combine 1/2 of roasted veggie mix, sauteed kale, orzo, 1 clove minced garlic, balsamic vinegar, parsley, and chickpeas in a bowl. 
Quickly wash colander and tablespoon (the food will stay hot during the 48 seconds it takes to wash these utensils)
10. Top with grated cheese and serve!
What's left to wash? baking sheet, sauté pan, wooden spoon (used for mixing kale)...


That's much better than messes created in previous cooking experiences...don't you think? So, the next time you make breakfast/lunch/dinner, do yourself a favor and try the "clean as you cook" method. Instead of spending an additional half hour cleaning after you eat, you'll find yourself washing dishes for maybe 10 minutes (leaving you plenty of time to finally pay attention to your food baby). 


Tell me, do you normally have a lot of dishes to clean after cooking/eating or are you a "clean as you cook" person already?

Super Salads to the Rescue!

I have a question for you all: have you ever eaten a salad for lunch (you know the kind - lettuce, some carrots, a little tomato and maybe some cucumber) and thought to yourself "huh. that was alright, but when do I actually get to eat"? We all (hopefully) strive to eat healthier, and when we think of "healthy eating", more often than not, we think: salad. It feels like we're being healthy when we eat a salad, but we don't always feel satisfied afterwards. Eating a salad should not feel like punishment or torture. Eating a salad should be enjoyable (as all eating should be). Personally, I'm a huge fan of salads, especially for lunch. They're quick to make, portable, don't require any microwave/heating source, and store really well (fridge or no fridge..just use an ice pack!). However, I don't eat just any type of salad - I specialize in grain or bean based salads. I like to call them my super salads. 


But what do I mean? What is a "grain or bean based salad"? I mean that instead of using wimpy looking romaine lettuce (that originated in California and has been on the road for 5 days before it even reaches your supermarket) as your main ingredient, you should use grains, beans, or lentils as the base of your salad. Then, add a variety of vegetables (raw, sauteed, roasted, or even grilled), dried fruit, fresh fruit, seeds, nuts, or cheese, and you've got yourself a damn fine and filling lunch or dinner!


In preparation of this post I've eaten a different kind of grain-based salad for lunch every day this week. And I must say that I've felt incredibly satisfied each and every day. These salads are filling, but won't make you feel stuffed. They provide the perfect midday energy boost that our bodies need after a few hours of work, and they'll help keep you going for hours after you've eaten lunch. Here are the "super salads" I made this week (but by all means, when you make your own, use whatever ingredients you have in your fridge/pantry - don't feel constricted to the ones I used):


Monday: Quinoa Salad (1/4 cup dry quinoa - cook according to package; 1-2 cups chopped raw veggies - broccoli, sweet potato, mushrooms; 2 tablespoons dried cranberries; 1 tablespoon crumbled gorgonzola cheese; Dressing = a little olive oil & balsamic vinegar)
Tuesday: Bulgur Salad (1/4 cup dry bulgur - cook according to package; 1-2 cups chopped raw veggies - broccoli, red pepper, avocado; 1 tablespoon minced jalapeno pepper; 1-2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese; Dressing = a little olive oil & 1/4 of a lime, squeezed)
Wednesday: Barley Salad (1/4 cup dry barley - cook according to package; 1 cup roasted veggies - acorn squash, sweet potato, broccoli; 1 cup sauteed kale; 2 tablespoons roasted pumpkin/squash seeds; 1 tablespoon crumbled gorgonzola cheese; Dressing = a little olive oil & balsamic vinegar)
Thursday: Brown Rice Salad (1/4 cup dry brown rice - cook according to package; 2 cups roasted veggies - fennel, broccoli, sweet potato; 1/4 cup canned beets, chopped; 1 tablespoons roasted pumpkin seeds; 1 tablespoon golden raisins; 1 tablespoon crumbled feta cheese; Dressing = a little olive oil & apple cider vinegar)...yes, I already made this salad tonight, in preparation for tomorrow's lunch. I'm a huge proponent of planning meals in advance. 


As you can see, super easy to make super salads, right? To make life even easier, make a big batch of whatever kind of grain (or bean/lentil) you want at the beginning of the week, then every day add a different combination of ingredients to that grain! This is a fun way to get creative with your lunch :) Trust me, all your co-workers will be jealous of your super salad, as you sit there feeling pleasantly satiated. So tell me, have you ever made a super salad? And if so, what did you put in it? 

Pumpkin Is Still Here People!

Despite all the newly posted advertisements and billboards for "Minty Hot Chocolate", I am still in full-fledged FALL mode: butternut squash, apples, cranberries, and most importantly, PUMPKIN! Pumpkin season is not over people. We're still in autumn; it's only November. Thanksgiving hasn't even happened yet! Why is everyone so eager to get rid of pumpkin and move straight to the happy holidays of peppermint, snowflakes, and frosted cookies? 

I want to indulge in as much pumpkin as possible (before the cold winter months of "joy to the world" make it seasonally impossible to get pumpkin spice coffee or buy armfuls of canned pumpkin). So, for all those people who care for pumpkin as much as I do, I have a few recipes for you to use before the glorious days of pumpkin-lovin' expire for 2011. The best part about these recipes is that if you buy one can of pumpkin (I use the Libby's brand), then you'll have enough pumpkin to make all three recipes! And if your pantry is stocked with my recommended 25 staple items, then there are very few other ingredients you'll need to buy in order to make the following:

1. Pumpkin Pie Pasta Bake (your mouth just started to salivate)
2. Pumpkin & Raisin Oatmeal (you're getting verrrrry hungry)
3. Harvest Bread or Muffins (you just wet your pants a bit, because you're so excited to make this)

From the bottom of my heart: enjoy the lingering days of pumpkin-lovin', for pumpkin is one of the most incredibly tasty vegetables that can be used in both savory and sweet dishes. If this post has inspired a newfound interest into the world of pumpkin, my friend Ebbe (fellow Batesie, dancer, and California girl) has a wonderful pumpkin spice granola recipe on her blog Champagne for Ducklings (which you should also check out, as she is an incredibly talented narrator and photographer). And finally, what are YOUR favorite pumpkin dishes? I'd love to know!


Pumpkin Pie Pasta Bake
Serving Size: 1

Ingredients:
-1/4 cup dry penne pasta
-2 tablespoons walnuts, coarsely chopped
-1/2 cup onions, chopped
-1-2 garlic cloves, minced
-1/2 cup canned pumpkin
-1/8 cup part-skim ricotta (1/8 cup = 2 tablespoons)
-1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
-2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
-1/4 cup fresh whole wheat bread crumbs
-1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
-salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
2. Cook pasta according to package
3. Toast walnuts in saute pan (follow directions from Toasted Walnut Pasta recipe); place into separate bowl when toasted

4. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in saute pan; add onions and cook until translucent (about 5 minutes)
5. Remove saute pan from heat and combine onions, pasta, pumpkin, garlic, walnuts, pumpkin pie spice, and ricotta cheese

6. In separate bowl, combine bread crumbs, parsley, and 1/2 tablespoon of oil
7. Evenly spread pasta mixture in a casserole dish; top with bread crumb mixture

8. Bake for 15 minutes, until cheese is melted; transfer to plate and serve (add salt and pepper to taste)

Pumpkin and Raisin Oatmeal

Serving Size: 1

Ingredients:

-1/2 cup dry rolled oats

-1/2 cup canned pumpkin

-1/8 cup (2 tablespoons) raisins

-1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (or whatever combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger you have in your pantry)

Optional:

-1-2 teaspoons brown sugar (taste the oatmeal first, then add sugar as needed)

Directions:

1. Cook oats in saucepan according to package (boil 1 cup of water, add oats, reduce to simmer for 5 minutes)

2. Add pumpkin, raisins, and spice(s) to saucepan; mix well 

3. Transfer to bowl and enjoy! Add sugar as needed

Harvest Bread/ Muffins

Serving Size: 1 bread loaf + 4 muffins OR 15 muffins OR 29 mini muffins

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter or butter substitute (I prefer Smart Balance)

1/4 cup applesauce

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon salt       

½ teaspoon nutmeg    

¼ teaspoon ginger  

¼ teaspoon cloves

¾ cup canned pumpkin

Optional:

-1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

-1/2 cup raisins

-1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

Directions:

1. Grease and flour loaf pan or muffin tins.  Preheat oven to 350.

2. In medium bowl, cream butter/butter substitute, brown sugar, and eggs.

3. In a separate bowl mix the dry ingredients together: flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, ginger, cloves.

4. Alternately add the dry mixture and canned pumpkin to the butter/sugar/egg mixture.   

5. Fill pans and bake in oven, according to these baking times:

   -Bread for 65-75 minutes

   -Muffins for 25-30 minutes 

   -Mini muffins for 15 minutes

6. Cool bread/muffins on wire rack; enjoy!