Cooking with Coley

Many say they’d love to move someplace new.  They dream of the hypothetical.  Of quitting a job – of traveling – of pursuing something they love.  But most never do it.  My very best friend since Kindergarden isn’t one of those people who just talks the talk.  At the end of last school year, she’d decided it was time for a change.  She quit her job as a teacher in the Bronx and set out to find her calling.  Discover her passions.  Or at the very least do some cool $h!t in the coming months.

Among her plans and adventures included a trip to Costa Rica.  For the past couple weeks, she’s been living in a tent and  working on a farm.  This week she set off  to explore the country and take in everything Costa Rica has to offer.  She emailed me the other day letting me know that she was going to bake with a woman who uses organic and healthy products to make yummy breads and asked if she could write a guest post.  Obviously I said yes.

Take it away Heather…

When I first saw Debra at the local market in Ciudad Colon, Costa Rica her baked goods stand was already  near empty… and it was only 10am! After trying her sweets, I knew why.  I also knew I had to get into her kitchen. Luckily, she was more than willing to share her knowledge of healthy baking tips, as long as I was willing to meet her at 6:30 am. Coffee in hand and a smile on my face, I was off. Tucked in a tiny town in an even tinier kitchen with an apropos “Home Sweet Home” sign hanging on the wall, Debra spends her days cooking and creating new recipes.

Debra tries to use organic ingredients whenever possible. By using organic you are helping not only your body, but companies that care about our environment. I urge you to check out your local farmer’s market or health food store to find ingredients for your kitchen.

Please read through the recipe in its entirety before beginning, as there are several modifications and choices you can make.

What you’ll need for 1 loaf:

• 1/2 lb apples (for 1/2 cup applesauce) or 2 cups banana
• 2 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cup wheat germ
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 1 egg white, 1 1/4 Tbsp ground flax seed , 1 1/2 Tbsp water  OR 3 eggs and 1 egg white
• 1/2 cups vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cups raw sugar
• 2 cups grated carrots
• 3 Tbsp whole flax seed

Procedure:

• Quarter apples and core. Do NOT peel. Keeping the peel on will add fiber to your bread (OR you can substitute 1 cup softened bananas)
• Place apples in pot with about an inch of water. Keep covered on medium low heat for about 20 minutes
• After 20 -30 minutes of cooking apples, they should then be pureed to make the apple sauce; NO additional spice or sweetener is added.
• Shred carrots- use a traditional grater or food processor
• Preheat oven to 350
• In separate small bowl combine 1 1/4 Tbsp ground flax seed and 1 1/2 Tbsp water. Mix and set aside  (The flax seed is great for digestion. If you have a sensitive stomach I suggest using an egg instead of this mixture and leaving out the whole flax seeds for later. If you are a vegan, each egg can be substituted for this mixture of flax seed and water.)
• In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients and mix
• Add flax seed previously set aside and all remaining ingredients except carrots
• When ingredients are well mixed and moist, add the carrots a cup at a time and mix well
• Pour into greased or parchment lined bread pan and cook at 350 for 1 hour. You will smell the delicious bread wafting throughout your kitchen after about 30 minutes
• This bread will keep well in the fridge for about a week.

Serving suggestion- pair with butter, jam, honey or naked. The bread is moist enough without any extra topping.

- Heather

Thanks for the recipe and the inspiration, Heather.

Like her unique recipe and post?  Let’s help her keep traveling, so she can send more our way.   How to help? Just take 1 (literally 1) minute to vote for her travel post on Trazzler.

Keep an eye out for another recipe that Heather will also be sharing with us in the coming days!

I think we can all relate to the frustration of watching produce go bad.  You spend all that money and time in the market on Sunday strategically selecting veggies for week night meals and sometimes not so strategically throwing in an extra eggplant or a couple of red peppers just because they look good.   Sure it’s a great feeling to see a fridge packed with fresh veggies and produce, but when late nights at work take precedent over homemade dinners or last minute social plans sneak up, it often leads to too many veggies on-the-verge of going bad.

Here’s an eggplant bake I threw together one evening in a desperate attempt to rescue my ingredients from crossing the line of over-ripe…

What you’ll need:

• Eggplant, sliced the long way in strips
• Yellow  squash, sliced the long way in strips
• Zucchini, sliced the long way in strips
• Marinara or tomato sauce
• Mozzerella or an Italian cheese
• Romano cheese
• Fresh basil optional
• Note: You can add in sliced onions

Procedure:

• After slicing the veggies, grill them for  few minutes on each side (peeling the eggplant will eliminate the tough skin)
• Layer veggies and cheese in a baking pan or lasagna pan, topping with sauce and sprinkling with Romano cheese on each layer
• Add basil in to your liking

And that’s it!  Simple.  Yummy.  Veggies salvaged!

I love trying new ingredients and testing out foreign flavors.  It’s a creative outlet that energizes my mind and my palate.  It’s how I expand my cooking horizons. I recently tried to experiment with an asian style spring roll. I was drawn to the possibilities of using fresh, bold flavors and vivid, bright colors.  This is one of those “presentation” dishes that I was ready to tackle.

The first time I made them, I went with only fresh and healthy, but the following time I ventured into oil.  Serving both fresh and pan fried yielded a perfect combo – everything you could  ever dream of in a spring roll.

What you’ll need for rolls:

• Rice papers
• Rice vermicelli
• 1/2 lb raw shrimp; peeled and cleaned
• Shredded purple cabbage
• Shredded carrots
• Thai basil (or regular basil)
• Cilantro (optional)
• Peanut, sesame or extra virgin olive oil

Image is shown with a fresh and pan fried spring roll

What you’ll need for sauce:

I use the same sauce as I use for my lettuce wraps but add the crushed peanuts into the sauce

• Hoison sauce
• Soy sauce
• Sriracha
• Crushed peanuts

Procedure:

• Cook the rice vermicelli according to directions
• Poach shrimp (bring water to a boil, add shrimp; remove pan from heat and cover; let shrimp sit in water for 3-4 minutes or until shrimp is cooked through)
• Cut shrimp into thirds
• Prepare rice paper per instructions (in case it’s not in English… Fill a large bowl with water. Dip one wrapper at a time into the water for 3 seconds or until all paper is wet. Lay wrapper flat on a surface to roll. Note: individual plates or a plastic cutting board are good non-stick rolling surfaces.
• Once rice paper is fully dry (it takes about 2-4 minutes), add filling near one end; filling to include chopped shrimp, cabbage, carrots, vermicelli and Thai basil (cilantro optional). Note: Be sure paper is dry, because damp paper will not stick when rolling; also note that fresh cilantro and basil should be used sparingly – flavors are strong
• Fold paper over filling and roll; tuck sides in and roll over while rolling tightly
• Fresh spring rolls are complete; serve with dipping sauce
• For pan fried spring rolls–heat oil in pan until hot; place fresh spring roll into pan and crisp each side (2-4 minutes on each side)

Procedure for sauce:

• Start with 2 tbsps of hoison and add soy and sriracha to your liking
• Mix and add crushed peanuts

Note: the spring rolls are quite easy to make, however, I should point out a couple of red flags: 1) finding the rice paper and vermecilli may be tough depending on your local grocer.  I  found both at Whole Foods and actually found a whole wheat vermecilli option; 2) the actual rolling is quite time consuming!  Either find a friend (aka “sous chef”) or factor in an hour or more of rolling time depending on the number of spring rolls (30 by myself took me over an hour).

Looks like I’m not the only fan around.  In fact, I’m far from it.  Tandoor Chef’s Naan pizzas were just awarded a “Tastie” by Cooking Light magazine (www.CookingLight.com).  During a blind taste test for the magazine’s first-ever Taste Test Awards, editors selected Tandoor Chef’s new Margherita Naan Pizza as the Grand Prize Winner in the Pizza Category.

In addition to this honor, Tandoor products have been gaining steam and getting recognition from other food aficionados including the Real Simple’s Road Test team.

What’s all the hype about?  Check out my reviews of the Margherita, Spinach & Paneer and Cilantro Pesto.

For the full list of Cooking Light Winners, see the press release.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned in the past year, it’s that all yummy food isn’t created equal.  What is it that sets some dishes apart besides its flavor and quality of ingredients?  What can make a dish stand taller than others?  What the heck am I talking about?  The presentation.

Yep, you got it – good food should be good looking.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m by no means implying that taste and quality isn’t extremely important, but it’s often the presentation that instills that automatic “awe factor” from your company.  It’s what makes your friends impressed right off the bat.

Anyways, let me get to the point.  Presentation is something I’m working on, so the second I saw a similar recipe in Rachel Ray Magazine, I knew I would set out to create my version of Philly Cheesesteak Skewers.   Yep, you read that right – Philly. Cheese. Steak. On a skewer.

Great for a dinner with some pals, but the delectable presentation is even more perfect for a party app.

What you’ll need for Skewers:

• Steak tips
• Onions
• Green Peppers
• French bread (or something similar with a crisp crust and soft center)
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
• Salt, Pepper & Garlic Powder or your choice of seasoning
• Skewers (wooden ones, so that you can cut in an appropriate length)

What you’ll need for Cheese Sauce:

• 1 and 1/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese ( I shredded my own Irish sharp cheddar and it was delicious)
• 1/4 stick (4 tbsp) light butter
• 2 tbsp flour
• 1 cup reduced fat 2% milk
• Salt & Pepper
• Fondue pot (optional)

Procedure for Skewers:

• Skewer veggies and bread; Brush with EVOO and seasoning (salt, pepper, garlic powder or whatever you choose)
• Season steak
• Grill steak tips in their full form / large pieces;  do not cut steak before grilling because it will increase the chance of overcooking the meat; tips do not need to go on a skewer
• Grill veggie and bread skewers on low heat (Note: bread will burn quickly, so keep an eye on it)
• After meat is cooked, cut into bite sized pieces
• Arrange steak, veggies and bread proportionately on the skewers

Procedure for Cheese Sauce:

• Heat butter on low until melted
• Whisk in flour slowly
• Once thickened and flour is mixed in, add milk and continue whisking
• Once consistency is smooth, slowly whisk in the shredded cheese
• Continue stirring until cheese is melted and creamy
• Add salt and pepper to taste
• Serve in bowl alongside the skewers or in a fondue pot

Please note that skewers in image include larger pieces than what is ideal for an appetizer.

Tuna Asian style is one of my favorite preparations of fish.  For some reason the combination of a savory and sweet sauce with a rare tuna makes my mouth water.   Until recently, I never made my own seared tuna.  It was one of those restaurant menu items that always captured my attention since I didn’t dare try it at home.   

Thankfully one day I decided to give it a shot.  No longer would I wait until I was dining out to satisfy my craving.  It was time to man up and take this (not-so) challenging adventure on head first.   And so I did it.  And I did it well. 

It was a VERY pleasant surprise how easy it was to make; I think you will agree!   

What you’ll need:

• Ahi tuna steak
• 3 tbsps Soy sauce (I prefer Kikkoman Reduced Sodium)
• 2 tbsp Teriyaki or Hoison sauce
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1/4 cup sesame seeds
• Fresh grated ginger (optional, but adds a nice kick!)

Procedure:

• Mix the soy, teriyaki or hoison, sesame seeds and ginger together to create a sauce
• Use a little less than half the sauce to coat the tuna; Note: marinating is not  necessary because the sauce will be brushed on the fish after it’s cooked
• Heat the pan with sesame oil on high heat until very hot. Place steaks in the pan, and sear for about 1 minute on each side; Note: the inside of the fish should remain rare and pink
• Remove the fish and pour the remaining sauce in the pan; heat sauce until it’s warm and it starts to reduce and reaches a flavor and consistency of your liking
• Slice tuna steak into thin pieces and brush sauce over

It’s especially yummy served with rice and/or Asian stir-fried veggies – maybe a bok choy and mushroom blend?  Let me know what you think!

I’ve been saving the rest of my Tandoor Chef Pizzas to try out on a night when I wasn’t up for cooking.  When that night came, I decided to make two for Ryan and I to share – a Margherita and a Spinach & Paneer Cheese. I recently reviewed the Cilantro Pesto varietal which I found to be a delicious meld of several spices and flavors, so I was especially excited to see what these had to offer.

All the pizzas follow the same simple preparation instructions – remove from packaging and bake for 10-12 minutes on the middle rack in a pre-heated over at 450 degrees.  My oven took the full 12 minutes for all the pizzas.  I elected not to place on a cookie sheet because I love when the crust gets a bit crispy.

I preferred the Margherita one to the Paneer one, but they were both tasty.   I think it’s my bias to the traditional flavors of basil, tomatoes and cheese atop some crusty dough.  However, the Spinach & Paneer was bursting with the Indian flavors that you would typically look for in Indian cuisine.

After sampling three of the flavors,  I’ve concluded that the crust, in this case naan of course, is the best part.  Giving the pizza it’s originality and setting it apart from those other pies in the grocer, the naan offers up a nice crispness and tandoor flavor that’s simply delightful.

The calories are moderate, but the good news is that they are made with all natural ingredients including fresh buffalo milk mozzarella.  The low down on the Margherita nutrition facts can be found below.

With an SRP of only $2.99, these pizzas are a reasonably priced spin on the traditional frozen pie.  With their gourmet flair and uniqueness, I’d say they are definitely worth a try.  Where can you find Tandoor Chef pizzas and other frozen meals? All over.  Check out their website for locations near you.