Red Beans and Rice

Popeye's Chicken just opened in Charlotte - and in the mall no less. All day long I kept hearing about people going to partake in the fried chicken and red beans and rice. So that has somehow influenced me to prepare my own red beans and rice today, along with some buttermilk cornbread.

Brown rice, unless it is wild rice, is not one of the favorite items on my clean eating list. I am not a fan of the grainy, firm texture. I don't like soggy rice; but I do like for it to be fluffy as opposed to firm. However, I decided to try a brand of brown basmati rice from Trader Joe's that turned out to be perfect for this dish. Even better, it cooks in 15 minutes, whereas most brown rice has to cook for at least an hour.

Brown rice is nutritious, a good source of energy, contains fiber and is fat burning!

Red Beans and Rice

2 tbsp olive oil

2 garlic cloves, diced

1  medium yellow onion

1 small  green bell pepper, diced

1/2 c red pepper, diced

2 celery stalks, diced (optional)

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1/4 c parsley

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp paprika

Salt and pepper, to taste

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1 pound dried red beans, soaked overnight 

4 cups water

2 cup chicken stock

1/2 pound andouille sausage, sliced

Cooked white or brown rice

Green onions, garnish

Heat oil and sautée garlic, onion, green and red pepper and celery for 3-5 minutes. Add seasonings and beans.  Simmer for 15-20 minutes. Add andouille sausage.  Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from heat. Serve over rice. Garnish with green onions.

All photographs are actual pictures of the recipe listed, prepared by Sweet Treats 'n Good Eats, and cannot be used without the owner’s consent.

Chicken Pot Pie

I love a good chicken pot pie. But as I have gotten older, I no longer care for the typical chicken pot pie filling so much - peas, carrots, white potatoes...and remember those icky pearl onions? I prefer to make my chicken pot pie with squash, broccolini, zucchini, kale, fresh roasted corn, mushrooms, asparagus...getting excited just thinking about lunch time approaching.

The thought of making homemade pastry can turn some away from trying a recipe -but this crust does not require a food processor and can be done in minutes. If you decide not to make a pie crust, you can use a biscuit topping, store bought puff pastry or store bought pie crust. 

I like to take Sunday's leftover whole chicken pieces to include in my filling- you can also parboil boneless skinless chicken breasts or stop by your grocery's deli and pick up a roasted chicken to pull apart and use in the filling. You can opt to make a large pie or individual pies in ramekins. Nice to have so many options!

Whole Grain Pie Crust

1 1/3 c whole grain pastry flour   
1/3 c olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1 packet Stevia (or 1 tsp honey)
2 tbsp ice cold water

Mix flour, olive oil, salt and stevia together until everything is moistened. Add water and form dough into a ball. Roll dough. If you are using crust on the bottom of your pie, place dough in a 9' pie plate and cook in the oven for 10-12 minutes until golden brown. Cool.

Chicken Pot Pie

3 tbsp unsalted butter
1 medium diced onion
2 large carrots, diced 
2 celery stalks, sliced 
1 c fresh corn
1 lb button mushrooms
1 lg squash
1 c brocolini, chopped
3 tbsp whole wheat flour 
1 ½ c chicken stock
½ c soy milk
2 c rotisserie chicken, torn into pieces
1 tsp fresh thyme
Salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Melt butter in a large pot. Add the onion, carrots, celery, corn and mushrooms and cook over medium heat for 8-10 minutes. Add broccolini and squash and cook for approximately 2-4 more minutes. Toss flour over vegetable mixture and stir. Cook for a few minutes longer. Add the chicken stock and milk and bring to simmer. Stir until thickened.

Add the chicken pieces, thyme and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 5-7 minutes.

Fill pie crust with filling. Place second pie crust on top, sealing the edges. Brush with egg wash, if you choose. Cut slits in the top of the pie and bake for 30–40 minutes until golden brown and bubbly.

All photographs are actual pictures of the recipe listed, prepared by Sweet Treats 'n Good Eats, and cannot be used without the owner’s consent.

Orange Whole Grain Buttermilk Pancakes

Is anybody working during the day anymore? I called myself beating the SuperBowl shoppers and stealing a few minutes during my lunch hour to go to Wally World to get some groceries for the weekend and it was packed! Inevitably, I always run into someone I know at Walmart. And today, I saw an old friend who I had not seen in ages. So all’s well that ends well.

I got back from my shopping trip and had not thought to pick up anything for lunch. So I decided to make some pancakes. These pancakes are so fragrant that I was dying for them to finish. And trust me, they did not disappoint!

Orange Whole Grain Buttermilk Pancakes

2 eggs
2 c buttermilk
1/4 c safflower oil  (or 4 tbsp butter)
2 tsp grated orange zest
1 c all purpose flour (or spelt flour)
1 c white whole wheat flour (or whole grain pastry flour)
2 tbsp sugar (or 2 packets stevia)
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
½ tsp vanilla
Dash of Grand Marnier liqueur

Combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, combine wet ingredients. Slowly incorporate them together. Do not over mix.

Preheat griddle or cast iron pan. Brush with butter. Ladle batter onto griddle or into pan. Cook on the first side until bubbles form and begin to pop. Flip the pancake and cook until golden brown. Keep cooked pancakes warm until ready to serve, in a 200 degree oven.

All photographs are actual pictures of the recipe listed, prepared by Sweet Treats 'n Good Eats, and cannot be used without the owner’s consent.

Blueberry Pancakes

Weekends used to be reserved for my pancake breakfasts but I have recently turned into a pancake whore. I just can't get enough of them. Spelt flour pancakes, whole wheat flour pancakes, buttermilk pancakes, soy milk pancakes, zucchini pancakes, lemon ricotta pancakes, with whipped topping, with caramelized fruit...

I used to love waking up on Saturdays as a child because Saturdays meant cartoons and big breakfasts. One of the things I remember fondly was having blueberry muffins. I probably shouldn't be telling on my mother but she would get the ones from Betty Crocker - and that is what we she would serve with our scrambled eggs, grits and bacon. They may not have been made from scratch but they were so moist and delicious. Other than having blueberry muffins as a child, I never tried eating fresh blueberries until I started using them to spruce up my protein shakes about a year ago. And since I cannot get off of this pancake craze, instead of using the blueberries in my protein shake today, I decided that I would toss them into my pancakes.

Blueberries are known as a superfood due to their extremely high nutritional value. They are packed with Vitamin C, high in antioxidants, help promote urinary tract health, help slow the deterioration of vision, promote healthy digestive systems, and they are an excellent source of manganese. Manganese plays a role in bone development and in converting proteins, carbs and fats from food into energy. One of the reasons I enjoy blueberries is because it helps me get my daily fruit serving in without the high sugar content.

If you are in a hurry, you can make the batter the night before and keep it in the fridge. If it is too thick, use a little milk to change the consistency of the batter. Or you can cook them and keep them, well wrapped, in the refrigerator for a few days (or in the freezer for up to a month).

Whole Wheat Blueberry Pancakes

1¼ c whole wheat pastry flour
¾ c spelt flour
2 packets Stevia
1½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 tbsp ground flaxseed
1 c Greek yogurt
1 c soy or 2% milk
2 tbsp melted butter
1 tsp vanilla flavoring
½ c blueberries, rinsed and dried

Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes

1 c all purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp sea salt

2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 lg egg

1 1/2 c buttermilk

2 tbsp butter melted

1/2 c blueberries

Whisk the wet ingredients together. Combine the dry ingredients. Combine the wet and dry ingredients together; careful not to whisk too much. The batter should be lumpy.

Preheat griddle or cast iron pan. Brush with butter. Ladle batter onto griddle or into pan. Place a few blueberries on the pancakes as they cook.

Cook on the first side until bubbles form and begin to pop. Flip the pancake and cook until golden brown. Keep cooked pancakes warm until ready to serve, in a 200 degree oven.

All photographs are actual pictures of the recipe listed, prepared by Sweet Treats 'n Good Eats, and cannot be used without the owner’s consent.

Spaghetti with Braised Kale

Today is National Spaghetti Day! Who comes up with this stuff anyway?

So here is a little history I am certain everyone is dying to know about spaghetti. It is often claimed that Marco Polo brought spaghetti to Italy after his travels to China. However, historical references to pasta exist in Italy prior to Polo's return. References to pasta-like doughs have been found amongst the Ancient Greeks and Romans, but it is thought that it was actually the Arabs who brought this type of noodles to Italy during their conquest of Sicily. The word spaghetti derives from the Italian 'spago', meaning 'thin string' or 'twine'. Under Italian law, dried pastas must be made with 100% durum wheat flour or durum wheat semolina. Outside of Italy other flours are commonly used, such as wheat flour, though this results in softer pasta which cannot be cooked al dente in the traditional Italian way.

Now that we've gotten that out of the way...

I thought I would have to abandon all of the things I loved when I cut refined sugar and all things "white" from my diet. And then I discovered whole grain pasta. It did not look very appetizing; it was brown for goodness sake. But I find that whole grain pastas are much richer and heartier in taste than your refined (white) pastas. If you don't make a fuss about it, once you add the sauce to your dish, many won't even know the difference.

Why eat whole grain pasta? Whole grain contains considerable protein, antioxidants, B vitamins, minerals, and fiber. High-fiber diets drive down harmful glucose, insulin, and fat levels in the blood and fiber is very kind to your mid-section. And who doesn't want a slim waistline? You will typically find Barilla and Healthy Harvest whole grain pasta varieties in your local grocery store. But if you can find it, I use Tinkyada's organic brown rice pasta.

Just because it is National Spaghetti Day does not mean we are doing your traditional spaghetti and meatballs!

Spaghetti with Braised Kale

1/2 lb whole grain spaghetti
1 handful dried porcini mushrooms
Extra virgin olive oil, for cooking
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 bunch of kale
1/4 c white wine
Grated Parmesan cheese
Salt & pepper, to taste

Cook the spaghetti according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

Soak mushrooms in hot water for 15-20 minutes.

Heat approximately 1 tbsp olive oil in a heavy skillet and saute the onion for 3-5 minutes, until golden. Add the garlic and cook for 2 more minutes. Chop the kale and add to the onion and garlic mixture. Add the wine and mushrooms, season with salt and pepper and cover. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 8-10 minutes. Add the spaghetti to the kale mixture. Toss to combine. Serve immediately.

Garnish with Parmesan cheese.

 

 

All photographs are actual pictures of the recipe listed, prepared by Sweet Treats 'n Good Eats, and cannot be used without the owner’s consent.