Hot Peppers

This is an interesting article, and I knew there was a reason I love hot peppers besides the fact that they are damn delicious!  This is good news for all you people out there that can't handle the heat too!

Mild Peppers May Help Burn Calories

 

Vietnamese Spiced Pork Chops

These were so damn good I couldn't get enough!  They have a good kick to them too and I didn't even add more spice like I normally do.  I love lean pork chops, they are healthy, tastey, and oh so filling!  Anyways I made these the night of the blazer game as well, and even though the blazers lost I had a major win or success with these. Try 'em now!

Serves 4
Adapted from Cooking Light

The Ingredients
4 boneless lean pork chops, about 1 inch thick
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons ground coriander
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 tablespoon ginger, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
cooking spray


The Process
1.  Lightly score a diamond pattern on both sides of pork.


2.  In small bowl combine: brown sugar, paprika, ground coriander, salt, crushed red pepper, ginger, and garlic and mix well.


3.  Spray large skillet with cooking spray and turn to medium-high heat.


4.  Take mixture from bowl and rub evenly over pork.


5.  Add to skillet and cook each side for 5 minutes or until done.


The kitchen will smell so good once this pork hits the pan! Also some more nutrition facts.


Calories:199, Fat:6.4g, Sat. Fat:2.1g, Carbs:9.2g, Protein:25.3g, Fiber:1.1g

Picture from: http://www.cookinglight.com/food/quick-healthy/quick-easy-superfast-asian-recipes-00400000047614/page17.html

Tomato Corn Salad

You can thank my graduate school for separating me from one of the only things I love more than life......food and cooking it.  For some details my cohort and I are all struggling to put together 12 source annotated bibliographies....not fun at all.  Anyways on to food (the thing I love)....last thursday night I gave myself a break from life and asked my mother if I could go come up to her house make her dinner and watch the blazer game.  So the obvious answer was yes so I made these next two items, and yes they tasted great together!

Serves 4
Adapted from Sunset

The Ingredients
3 ears sweet corn
1 pound tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1/4 fresh basil, finely chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and Pepper

The Process
1.  Cut kernals off raw corn cobs and put in medium bowl.  Add tomatoes and red onion and stir.

2.  Toss with vinegar, oil, basil, and salt and pepper to taste.

This is seriously an amazing and fresh tasting salad, also a good way to use up corn when it is so cheap you have to buy lots of it.  Here are some awesome nutrition facts as well, might I mention that I added the olive oil to the recipe so that will change things a little but really its olive oil, its good for you, get over it!

Calories:58g, Fat:0.8g, Carbs:13g, Protein:2.3g, Fiber:2.4g

Picture from: http://www.sunset.com/food-wine/kitchen-assistant/fresh-summer-corn-recipes-00400000044682/page10.html

Benihana Salad Dressing

You heard me right! If any of you have ever been to Benihana's (the restaurant), all of their meals come with a side salad that has this absolutely amazing dressing!  I searched the internet far and wide and this ingredient combination seem to come up the most.  I did make the dressing and while it is really really good, I am not convinced that it is the same as the restaurant's.  It is hard to tell because I have not been to Benihana's in years, so I guess that means I need to go again soon.....anyone want to join???  Oh and as far as healthy goes for this recipe....I would say not very healthy because of the 1/2 cup peanut oil, but at the same time moderation is the key word to staying healthy....so take it or leave it.

Makes 1 3/4 cups dressing
From somewhere in the crazy web

The Ingredients
1/2 cup minced onion
1/2 cup peanut oil
1/3 cup rice vinegar
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
2 tablespoons minced celery
2 tablespoons ketchup
4 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

The Process
1.  Combine all ingredients in a blender, make sure all ginger is well pureed.

Picture from: http://thefoodaddicts.com/asian-salad-dressing-is-super-simple/

An article for the haters of cilantro

Sorry to inform you, but this is not a recipe.  It is an article about cilantro and how some people love it and some people hate it.  My lovely roommate Tom brought it to my attention, and I had to blog about it.  So read this article then read my commentary.


The Curious Cook - Why Cilantro Tastes Like Soap, for Some - NYTimes.com

First of all I honestly don't think it tastes or smells like soap; if we are talking about soapy things might I mention how much mirror pond by Deschutes brewery taste like shampoo! Just think shampoo the next time you talk a nice cold sip of mirror pond.  Second of all the reference the article makes to it smelling like bed bugs: I have already put that reference at the bottom of my blog page because I find it hilarious...and sorry but no I don't know what bed bugs smell like....and I personally think that is a good thing.  As for myself and cilantro, back in the day I hated it!  I would always pick it out because it was too overwhelming for my IMMATURE taste buds;)  Now a days I'm apparently more refined than Julia Child, because I wouldn't be caught dead trying to pick something out of my food haha.  Anyways I do like the researchers suggestion of starting with cilantro pesto, it is very good.  I personally started liking cilantro when I was eating tons and tons of thai food (thanks to my lovely friend amber).  The thai soups especially incorporate cilantro is such a wonderful way.  And on an ending note may I reiterate that not everything I post has cilantro in it.  I will admit to one thing, I cannot stand green bell peppers...so if anyone can convince me otherwise please try because I want to love all food and so far that is the only thing I despise.

Hot and Sour Soup

This is so amazing. I have only made it twice, but both times have healed my soul.  I love hot and sour soup so I would like to think that I have somewhat of a palate for it....well and all my friends love it too so that is honestly all the gratification I really need.  Anyways I made this soup last Friday for two lovely friends during that crazy stormy weather.  It was perfect after a long week and work day, and very filling too I might add.  Sad to say I did not create this recipe, but second best Sunset did:) Picture from this link.

Makes 4.5 quarts (that is a lot, just in case you were wondering)
Adapted from Sunset

The Ingredients
2 pounds pork top loin, cut into bite size pieces
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons ginger, freshly grated
3/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup peanut oil
1 can (8oz.) sliced bamboo
12 cups chicken broth
3/4 pound shiitake mushrooms, chopped however you like it
12 ounces firm tofu, drained and cubed
4 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Chopped fresh cilantro and sliced green onions to sprinkle on soup in the end

The Process
1.  In a bowl, toss pork with 1/4 cup soy sauce and ginger.  Marinate 20 minutes.  In another bowl, stir together remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce, rice vinegar, cornstarch, sugar, and salt; set aside.


2.  Heat peanut oil in large pot (at least 5 quarts) over medium-high heat, the add pork and marinade.  Cook, stirring consistently, until pork loses its pink color, about 4 minutes.  Stir in bamboo shoots and cook 1 minute.

3.  Increase heat to high, add broth, and bring to a boil.  Add mushrooms, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook about 20 minutes.  Add tofu and simmer 5 minutes.  Add soy-vinegar mixture and simmer 5 mintues more; the liquid will thicken.

4.  In a small bowl, beat eggs with sesame oil.  Slowly pour eggs into soup in a thin stream while stirring soup very slowly in one direction.  Add pepper, stir briefly, them simmer 5 minutes.

Serve with cilantro and green onions AND SRIRACHA!

The heat is the key in my humble opinion...hehe

Nutritional facts: per bowl, Calories-224, Fat 18g, Protein 15g, and Fiber 0.7g

Pretty darn healthy once again, especially for a dinner!

Picture from: http://www.hotdog.hu/user_prof.hot?user_id=878726

Pineapple Bake

This one was inspired by a dish I tried along time ago on Easter.  It is a sweet and FATTY side dish that compliments the Easter ham very well.  Now remember when I said that this food blog will consist of 98% healthy recipes?...well consider this part of the 2% that is not healthy or good for you at all.  But seriously we all need a little something different at times.  And a holiday is a perfect time to make excuses and eat whatever you want....so do it!

Serves 10

The Ingredients
2 cans crushed pineapple, about 2lbs.
1/2 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons brown sugar
6 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
6 slices of white sourdough bread, cubed

The Process
1.  Grease a large shallow glass baking dish, and heat oven to 350 degrees.

2.  In medium bowl, mix pineapple, white sugar, flour, salt, and eggs.  Pour into baking dish.

3.  In medium skillet, melt butter over medium heat.  When butter is melted add cubed bread and stir until all butter is absorbed.

4.  Put bread on top of other mixture in dish and bake for 30 minutes.

5.  Take dish out of oven, turn oven to broil.

6.  Sprinkle brown sugar over top of bread, and put in oven for 1 minute or until slightly golden.

Try not to eat the whole dish, it is soooooo good!

Picture from: http://www.defeatdiabetes.org/self_management/text.asp?id=KYFV_Pineapple

Parmesan Yogurt Chicken

Once again school and work have been running my life.  While I can't post often, I refuse to let the things I have to do take over the things I want to do!  So last week I made dinner for my lovely friend Alaina, she made couscous and roasted parsnips and broccoli yum!  I realized I hadn't made my mum's Parmesan yogurt chicken dish in so so long, so I did.  Growing up my mum made this dish for us kids all the time, it was my favorite.  The cool thing about this dish is that you can make it as fatty or low fatty as you want....so I did:)

Serves 4
From my mum's cookbook

Ingredients
4 chicken breasts
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt 
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup low-fat or fat-free plain yogurt
1/4 cup smart balance mayonnaise or lite mayonnaise
1/4 cup green onions, chopped
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/3 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

The Process
1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2.  Grease a large glass baking pan and place chicken breasts in pan.

3.  Drizzle chicken with lemon juice and sprinkle salt and pepper over chicken.

4.  In medium bowl combine yogurt, mayonnaise, green onions, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, cayenne pepper, and thyme.  Mix well.

5.  Spread mixture evenly over chicken.

6.  Put chicken in oven and bake for 50 minutes or until chicken is tender and cooked.

7.  Take chicken out of oven and drain extra juices.  Turn oven to broil.

8.  Sprinkle parmesan cheese over top of chicken and put back in oven.

9.  Broil until golden brown, about 3 minutes.  Take out of oven and eat with creamy sauce all over everything!

This is one of the best comfort meals ever!  Great for anytime of the year too!

Picture from: http://mmm.sartorireserve.com/recipe_sar_parmesan_3.aspx