Everything in Moderation

JC and I have recently been on this workout kick. With my love of food, I realized the scale and I were not the best of friends, so I needed to take control. I am a huge advocate of healthy living and eating, but sometimes I am not the model spokesperson. I admit it, I love my sweets. My new rule: everything in moderation. Most of you know my passion for baking. I have decided I will only allow myself to bake if I plan on sharing the goods. I can keep a few for myself, but the rest have to get out of the house. That way I still can have fun in the kitchen, have some tasty treats in moderation, and get to feed my friends all together. I think it is a win-win situation.

Speaking of being gym rats, JC and I have been hitting the gym nearly every day for the past month or so. This is the longest I have ever stuck with a workout regimen. I have tried all the videos P90X, Insanity, Zumba... they just get boring after a while. I can't listen to Tony Horton say "do your best and forget the rest" one more time. Going to the gym has been fun and I have been learning how to use all the machines. I have been switching off between the Wellness Center at UMC and the Rec Center on main campus. I think it is hilarious to see the difference between the two locations. For instance, at the Rec Center, I'm probably one of the oldest people there by a few years. At the Wellness Center, I am probably the youngest person there--by about 40 years. At the Rec Center, you hear frat guys grunting as they lift way more than they should. At the Wellness Center, you hear oxygen tanks rolling on the ground. One of the things I love most about the Wellness Center is that the windows look right towards the smoking deck. As I'm running, I get to watch people smoke their cigarettes while eating a bag of potato chips. It drives me to work that much harder.

With all that said, here is a great cookie recipe. Only make these if you are planning on taking them somewhere because they are addicting. One of my favorite cookies are white chocolate macadamia nut. I found this recipe with a slight twist on a classic. It is an oatmeal cookie with white chocolate and sea salt. The oatmeal keeps the cookie nice and soft and the salt is the perfect touch to compliment the white chocolate. You could easily substitute something instead of the white chocolate, just keeping the oatmeal cookie base. I think it would be great with some butterscotch chips, or dried cherries and dark chocolate, or with some chopped nuts. Let your imagination run wild. The only thing I would have changed would be to use some nice big flake sea salt. I only had some fine sea salt, which was fine flavor wise, but the cookies look so much nicer with the sparkle of those big salt flakes. It's not a big deal, just purely aesthetic.

This is a really really great recipe. Enjoy these tasty cookies, but remember: moderation is key!

Salted Oatmeal White Chocolate Cookies
from Smitten Kitchen

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon table salt
• 14 tablespoons (1 3/4 sticks) unsalted butter, slightly softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 6 ounces white chocolate chips (or chopped white chocolate bar)
• 1/2 teapoon flaky sea salt (like Maldon or fleur de sel) (for sprinkling on top)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or Silpat or grease. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and table salt in a medium bowl.

2. Beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Scrape down bowl with rubber spatula, then add egg and vanilla and beat until incorporated. Scrape down bowl again. Add flour mixture gradually and mix until just incorporated and smooth. Gradually add oats and white chocolate and mix until well incorporated.

3. Grab about 2 Tbsp of dough and roll between palms into balls, then place on lined baking sheets about 2 1/2 inches apart. Using fingertips, gently press down each ball to about 3/4-inch thickness.

4. Sprinkle a flake or two of sea salt on each cookie

5. Bake until cookies are deep golden brown, about 13 to 16 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through. Transfer baking sheet to wire rack to cool.

Bacon Makes The World Go 'Round

Everyone loves bacon--I think vegetarians do too, just in secret. It's part of our DNA, the sequence is right there next to the "love garlic" and "love ice cream" genes. Bacon has such a unique flavor and is so versatile. It can be the star of a breakfast with eggs and toast, forefront in a BLT sandwich for lunch, speckled in a pasta for dinner, mixed into bacon cupcakes with maple syrup frosting for dessert, and even infused in a bacon bloody mary during happy hour. Now what other food can be incorporated into every single meal of the entire day? Not many, but bacon is a superstar.

I have already professed my love of brussels sprouts and here is yet another way to enjoy them. I bought a pound of them with the intention of making the usual brussels sprout hash, but after some searching on tastespotting, I thought this recipe looked interesting and it features our favorite friend bacon. The dish called for cooking up some bacon and then sautéing the brussels sprouts in the bacon fat. Toss with some chicken broth and cream, and you've got a winner. The only thing I added were some sliced shallots for a little more flavor. The dish is incredibly simple and doesn't call for many ingredients, but the finished product was way better than I could have imagined. The bacon adds just enough savory meaty flavor to pair perfect with the sweetness of the brussels sprouts. The cream makes the perfect sauce that isn't too heavy. I used orrechiette pasta because I thought the little cups looked cute, sort of mimicking the shape of the brussels sprout leaves.

This probably took be about 45 mins, start to finish. It's a great weeknight meal because it is so quick and easy and also makes great leftovers. You get your fill of brussels sprouts and bacon wrapped in a perfect dish.

Bacon and Brussels Sprouts Pasta
adapted from Taste Food

• 1 pound orrechiette pasta
• 1/2 pound bacon, cut in 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 pound brussel sprouts, trimmed and halved
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 shallots, sliced
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese, plus extra for garnish

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente. Drain; transfer to a large bowl. While the pasta is cooking, heat a skillet over medium heat. Add bacon and cook until fat is rendered and golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a plate lined with a paper towel. Remove all but one tablespoon bacon fat from skillet, reserving the rest in a dish on the side. Add brussels sprouts and saute until they start to soften. Add garlic and shallots and saute until fragrant, 1 minute. Add a few more tablespoons of the reserved bacon fat if the brussels sprouts get too dry. Add chicken stock and continue to cook until brussels sprouts are tender.  Add cream and simmer until reduced and thickened. Stir in salt and pepper. Add brussel sprouts and bacon to the pasta. Toss with cheese to combine. Serve with extra cheese on the side.

Indian Saag 2.0

I don’t know what it is about Indian people (dots not feathers), but they are so secretive. Close to 10 percent of my class are of Indian descent and I’ve asked every one of them to ask their mom for their family Saag recipe. I’m still waiting.

Until now I have been using a recipe that is a sad imitation of the creamy, smoky saag that I eat at Saffron or any Indian Buffet for that matter. My saag is too green. I’m sure you’re wondering what color has to do with taste. Well, this is purely speculation on my part, but I’m pretty sure, the reason my saag is so green is because I didn’t cook it long enough. Also, this may also account for why my saag is bitter instead of smoky and pasty, not creamy.

This past month I was fortunate enough to work with a doctor who is Bengali and not so tight lipped. I know I know Bangladesh is not India. But let me remind you that Bangladesh is surrounded by India on all but one of its borders. So, this is as close to authentic as I will get until I can convince an old Indian woman to lend me her secrets.

Lamb Saag
from Dr. Halder

• 20 oz frozen chopped spinach
• 1 med onion (yellow)
• 2 cloves of garlic (peeled and coarsely chopped)
• 1x1 inch piece of ginger (sliced)
• 2 tbsp water
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tsp whole cumin seeds
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 2 tbsp tomato puree or tomato paste
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 2 tbsp regular whipping cream

1. Defrost your chopped spinach and drain. I used a salad spinner.
2. Coarsely chop onion, garlic, ginger.
3. Add the chopped onion, garlic, and ginger to a blender.
4. Add the 2 tbsp of water and puree into a paste.
5. Next heat your oil into the pan under medium heat. Get it hot but don’t allow the oil to smoke because it will start to combust into flames sooner than later.
6. Add your cumin seeds. (Do not substitute powdered cumin for seeds because it will burn faster)
7. Allow the cumin seeds to cook until golden brown.
8. Once golden brown add the turmeric and spinach.
9. Stir for 5 minutes and then add the coriander, tomato puree/paste, and blended onion, garlic, ginger.
10. Cook for another 20 minutes still under medium heat. Stir continuously to avoid any burning.
11. Add the garam masala and regular whipping cream to the dish.
12. Salt and pepper to taste.
13. I also cooked chopped lamb shoulder separately and mixed it into the finished dish to give the dish more volume.
14. Enjoy!

A Little Taste of the Islands

I can remember growing up and my mom, grandmother, and uncles always cooking delicious Hawaiian food for our family potlucks. Some of my favorite memories of my childhood involve food. My uncles would all bring their version of poke and I would be the official taste-tester. Some involved combinations of tuna, octopus, and different seaweeds, but my favorite was always the traditional version. I remember having a Hawaiian themed birthday party and my mom cooked a feast. The table was filled with chicken long rice, kahlua pig, lomi lomi, lau lau, spam musubi, poke, fried wontons, potato mac, poi, and (my favorite) haupia for dessert (I purposely left out loco moco, ick!). That list probably sounded like a foreign language to most, but to me, that's a list of some of my favorite things in the world.

Yesterday, my mom made a great spin on haupia. She got this recipe from my Auntie Tammy. Haupia is like a coconut jello. It is simply made with just coconut milk, cornstarch, sugar, and water. If you like coconut, you will love this. This classic dessert reminds me of Hawaii--just take a bite, close your eyes, and imagine you're sitting on a beach. This version takes the classic haupia and adds a wonderful buttery crust and a layer of cool whip to sweeten the deal. You also get a sprinkling of nuts for a little crunch and a nice flavor. Bring this to your next summer bbq, it will be sure to make a splash.

Haupia Delite
from Mom and Auntie Tammy

Crust:

• 1 1/2 c. flour
• 4 Tbsp. powdered sugar
• 1/2 c. chopped walnuts
• 1 1/2 sticks butter

Mix flour, sugar, and nuts. Cut in butter. Press dough into 9 x 13-inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Cool

Filling:

• 2 c. coconut milk
• 1 c. sugar
• 1 c. water
• 7 Tbsp. cornstarch mixed with 1/2 c. water
• 8 oz. cool whip
• Chopped walnuts to sprinkle on top

Mix coconut milk, sugar, and water. Cook until hot. Add cornstarch mixture and stir until thick and boiling. Cool. Pour into baked crust. Chill 3-4 hours. Add cool whip and sprinkle with chopped nuts.