Trevor

Top 8 Blogs That Have Influenced Me And Keep Me Going

This is a minor change in theme for a day. I want to acknowledge some people and groups that have helped shape me into the person I am. For now, I am not going to talk about apps and devices (let’s save that for a future blog post) but about people who are also blogging.

I am not the only blog out there! (I know, surprise?) Many of my recipes began as ideas coming from other places. I have found ideas in cookbooks and magazines, from friends and relatives, dining in restaurants and my wife has found some on Pinterest. I generally don’t make any recipe exactly as I find it (unless I am trying to duplicate Julia Childs). I usually look at the recipe, consider it’s appearance and ingredients and then make my own, in the spirit of the original recipe.

But I also read these blogs and they have helped me grow personally and as a blogger. I thought that I needed to give them full credit for their assistance and suggest that you might want to take a look at them, too. (But please don’t stop visiting me! We are almost getting to be like family!)  Please note that these are not listed in any specific order, neither alphabetical nor preferential.

  1. Danica’s Daily:  Danica Pike loves food–good food–and following the Weight Watchers plan has lost over 55 pounds. She focuses on living healthy by eating well. She has a very professional blog, and has been blogging since 2009. She offers life tips, recipes, food reviews and menus. She also writes about her travels, and was published in CharBroils “America Grills” cookbook. The pictures of her foods are wonderful, and I aspire to someday be as skilled. 
  2. Snack Girl: Lisa Cain has a Ph.D. in Evolutionary Biology, who over time became obsessed with the effects of food on health. She, and her husband Matt, believe in fresh food. and real food is the basis of good health and good living. Lisa also uses the Weight Watcher plan, and has her recipes categorized by both description of the food and the PointsPlus that each has, making searching very efficient. She also provide weight loss tips and suggestions on snacks that are healthy, even if they are packaged. If Lisa suggests it, I am convinced that it is a good choice.  
  3. In the Kitchen With Kath: Kath Dedon is a wonderful blogger and has been blogging since December 2009. Like me, she is her own photographer. Unlike me her photos are absolutely mouth-watering. (My photos are good, hers are great.) Her recipes are easy to follow and step by step (you wonder where I learned that from?) The subtitle to her blog really says it all:  “Old favorites…New discoveries. Fresh and easy!” 
  4. Greatist: In contrast to the first three, Greatist is not a single person, but a collection (I like to throw around big words, so here is one–it is an aggregator) of information from all around us. The staff and contributors are experts in their fields and therefore this one site can provide expert information in many areas. Their banner states “Fitness, Health, Happiness” and those are wonderful goals. Of course, I use the site mostly for food (well, what else?) and was the original inspiration for my Kimchi. As a nurse, one specific fact that really makes me trust this site is that if they state that XYZ is a fact, they have a PubMed reference and the fact is verified and expert vetted. They don’t throw “garbage science” out as the gospel truth.
  5. Spunkisuzi: Suzi hails from Canada and started blogging in June 2008, as a way to maintain motivation and increase her own accountability in her weight loss plan (sound at all familiar?) She talks about life in general, and posts pictures of her healthy and delicious-looking meals. She also wears a Fitbit, is a Weight Watcher, and from what I can tell, lives a pretty darn nice life.
  6. Lifehacker: This source is another non-single-person blog, and another aggregator of general knowledge. Lifehacker covers everything from personal finance, to apps and technology to (of course) foods, recipes and cooking ideas. The extent of information at Lifehacker defies description, and this short paragraph does not do it justice. Go take a look for yourself.
  7. We Beat Fat: This is a husband and wife (Angela and Willie) team who document the course of their weight loss journey. While they are still working on their ultimate goals, from January 2011 2013 February 2013,Willie lost 300 pounds and Angela lost 200. In the process, they have reinvented themselves. They are now runners and live a healthy life. They did not do anything extreme. They learned how to change their life and live on the correct amount of food, and they learned to move more. (Have you heard that before?) The blog continues to show their progress, shares favorites recipes and gives good weight loss tips.
  8. Grill Talk: Fabienne opened her own custom mixed perfume company in 2006. To do that, you need a sensitive sense of smell. If you know anatomy and physiology, that means you will also have a sensitive palate of tastes. When you enjoy the aroma and taste of food–well, I think we all know where that leads, and in 2011 Fabienne realized it was time to lose some weight. She focuses on eating the correct amounts of healthy foods and loves to grill because the heat of grilling brings out and intensifies flavors (remember, she has a palate with a Ph.D. in taste!) She also writes about non-food life observations and has a very well-rounded blog. The subtitle to her blog is “Healthy, Fast, Succulent”. Who wouldn’t want to eat that?
I appreciate everyone who reads my words, but I also appreciate those who write the words that I read. If you have a minute, check out one or more of these blogs and websites. And if there is a blog that you know about and you think I need to read, leave me a comment here with a link. I will look at everything! I have lived long enough to know that I can learn from anyone, and I should listen to everyone.

A Busy Week!

Sorry that yesterday’s blog post was so long. The recipe had several steps and I wanted to include pictures at the various stages.

I also wanted to show you how to make minor modifications to other recipes. It is relatively easy to create good delicious foods that will fit in your calorie budget. In almost any situation, it is possible to reduce the fat and sugar in a recipe and still create a delicious end result. In the case of that cake, it was unbelievably moist as a result if swapping the oil for applesauce.

It has been a hectic week here at home. Our eldest son stayed at college all summer, working for one of his professors as a research assistant, and in addition to that, he is preparing to spend a semester abroad in the fall. That entails a lot of planning and organization. Yesterday, our youngest moved into his own apartment (with a fair amount of help from us, naturally.)

Hello, “Empty Nest!”

Well,  not quite empty. We still need to move some of his stuff out. Possibly by the weekend. And then….we will finally have a room dedicated to be our office!

More on that as it happens!

Thanks for reading. Keep coming back to see what is next!

Another Short Poll–One Day Only

The first poll was pretty conclusive, with 87% of respondent choosing the shorter digital ebook sooner rather than a traditional print book later.

I want to explore a little more:

  • My book will be an ebook which will be readable on any digital device: Kindle, Nook, iPod/iPhone/iPad, other tablets, and downloadable to your computer. That way there will  be no impediment to reading it simply because you don’t have the right machine.
  • The book will be approximately 40-50K words. If I put that on paper, single-spaced in 12 point size font, that would be 100-125 pages, plus there will be another 20-25 pages with recipes and full color photos. 
  • As for the content, the focus will be how to stay on track to reach your weight loss goal. Some content will come from LoseIt posts, some from previous blog posts, and some will be original content that no one has read yet.
  • When this is published, I will make it possible to read 10% of the book before you buy it so that you know that what you are buying will meet your needs.
So here is today’s poll question:
How much would you pay for that book?
1.  $0.99-2.99
2.  $3.00-5.99
3.  $6.00-8.99
4.  $9.00-11.99
5.  $12.00-14.99
6.  $15.00-$19.99
7. You think it is worth more than $20
I already have a an idea in mind, but I am curious about your opinion, because I value your opinion.
This poll will only be open for 24 hours (closing Thursday, July 25, at 1pm Central Time.)
After this poll, I will get back to excellent recipes and some motivational blah-blah posts!

Garlic-Olive Oil Paste for Steaks

Garlic Paste (it really isn’t a paste, but it isn’t a sauce either.)
Enough for a 1.5 pound steak

2-4 cloves of garlic, peeled and roughly chopped (I used 2 large cloves)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon coarse salt (Kosher or the type you would need to put in a grinder)

Optional: 2 black pepper corns
               1-2 teaspoon fresh rosemary leaves
               5-10 whole coriander seeds (I used 10)

Special equipment: Mortar and pestle

This holds about 12 ounces (360ml) and I think this is as small as you should buy. I wish that I had a larger one. We’ll see. I bought this at IKEA for about $10. It is heavy marble, and has a very smooth exterior and a slightly rough interior. The marble makes it very easy to clean.

Peel and roughly chopped the garlic, and place it and the salt, and 1 teaspoon olive oil in mortar (and the optional ingredients if you are using them).

With the pestle light crush the garlic chunks a couple times with an up and down action.
Then, holding the mortar tightly in one hand, grind the ingredients in a continuous circular motion, twisting it occasionally to pull the material under and between the mortar and pestle.
After about a minute of grinding.
Note: you need a mortar that holds at least 1 cup. If you can find one that holds 3 cups, it will be easier because the pestle will be larger with a larger grinding surface.
The goal is to mash the ingredients into a relatively uniform paste.
When you have a nice texture, add the rest of the oil. (If you add all the oil at once  before grinding, the garlic tends to float around and it is much harder to grind it.)
That’s it.

The salt in here is necessary, because it acts as small grinding stones within the mash mixture. You also need a mortar that is light rough on the inside. I have seen some that were as smooth on the inside as on the outside. That would make grinding much more difficult because the roughness grabs the material and briefly holds it while you work out your day’s frustrations.
The whole process will only take a couple minutes.
Don’t forget to add the oil to your log. If you have three portions of meat, is is 40 calories of oil ,four portions is 30 calories of oil. 
This thin paste can be used on steaks of any sort, but I like using it on beef flank steaks, as they are relatively lean and benefit from having some added oil. I also use it on my pizza crust in place of a tomato sauce.

Preparing a flank steak takes a few additional steps.

Do you see the muscle fibers running from the lower left corner to the upper right? That is the “grain” of the meat, and when you serve a steak like this, you will slice it into 1/4 or 1/2 inch slices across the grain (moving the knife from upper left to lower right, in this picture) when you plate this meat for your dinner guests.

To help further tenderize the meat, before adding the garlic-oil paste, score the meat. Using a VERY sharp knife, cut a series of 1/4 slices into the meat, parallel and 1 inch apart, at about 45 degree to the grain.

Then, cut it again, on the same side, but at right angles to the first cuts.

Flip the steak over and repeat the process on the other side. Then, rub the garlic-oil paste on both sides.

At this point, you can pause our dinner prep. You could do all this even a day in advance. Just wrap the meat in plastic film and refrigerate, and it will be ready as soon as the grill is hot. Using an oil paste like this will help keep the steak juicy and tender.

When ready to grill, preheat the grill on high for at least 5 minutes (gas grill) or let the charcoal burn down to gray embers. Brush the grates, and using tongs and paper towel, carefully rub vegetable oil on the grates to help prevent the meat from sticking.

This steak cooks quickly.  It is generally an inch thick at most, and when you criss-cross cut 1/4 inch on both sides, you open up a lot more cooking surface. (See how the heat opens the cuts?) About 4 minutes per side will be medium.

Last night, I accidentally let it go a total of 9 minutes and it went to medium-well. (When cooking something that goes so quickly, don’t get sidetracked watering your herb garden.) For us, that was a disaster. An edible mistake, but not one that I will commemorate with pictures. (We like our steaks medium-rare, which is about 6-7 minutes total cook time.)

Nutritional data?  Depend on the size of the portion, and the exact cut of steak. The paste is enough to cover a 1.5 pound steak (above). I generally cut a flank steak into four ounce portions, so I can get about 6 servings per steak (many fewer if both of our boys are eating with us.) A four-ounce portion would have about 20 calories added from the oil.

———————————

Poll results:  87% of respondents preferred the idea of a shorter ebook available sooner.

An new poll will be out later today, to further refine that idea.  THANK YOU for helping me with my next projects. I hope that you will be as satisfied with them as you are with this blog.

Asian Chicken Salad

Asian Chicken Salad
Serves 2

Remember Last Friday’s recipe? The Grilled Chicken and the Hoisin BBQ sauce?

Well, this recipe uses 2 left over chicken quarters and the remaining Hoisin BBQ sauce.

Skin the chicken and remove the bones. Roughly chop the chicken. Pour the BBQ sauce over the chicken and stir to coat. Warm in the microwave until it reaches the temperature you want.

Make a salad on a base of thinly sliced Napa cabbage (yes, the same as in the Kimchi recipe.) On the bed of Napa, add your preferred vegetables:

  • Peeled, seeded and chopped cucumber
  • Shredded carrots
  • Chopped bell pepper
  • Onion (white or green)
  • Chiles
  • Snow pea pods
  • Mushrooms
  • Bean sprouts
  • Bamboo shoots
  • Water Chestnuts
Think of your favorite Asian dish. If you liked the veggies in it, you will like it on the salad.
Top your veggies with half of the chicken/BBQ mix. If you want more dressing, you can use your favorite Asian-style salad dressing, or simply make more of the BBQ sauce.

Since the calories and other nutritional data will vary based on what you choose and the quantities used, I am not going to give any nutritional data. Like any salad, the calories are concentrated in the dressing. Use as little as you can get away with, and you will have an full-flavored, low calorie meal, that uses up leftover chicken in a way that maybe you never considered.

Tuna BLT

Tuna BLT

I’m not going to give a specific recipe here. This is just a pictures to stimulate ideas. You can do this with any protein (beef, pork, chicken, turkey, or fish. You could even use a piece of tofu or a black bean burger.)

For this sandwich, I used about 4 ounces of ahi tuna. I heated a heavy-bottomed pan until it was really hot then seared both side for about 30 seconds. That tuna is about 3/4 inch thick.

The last time I posted a BLT, I used Healthy Life’s Whole Wheat English muffins. This sandwich was built on two pieces of their 100% Whole Wheat High Fiber bread. Depending on your personal focus, per slice it has 35 calories, 5 net carbs, 3g fiber, and only 85mg sodium.

Instead of mayo, I used mashed avocado as in the earlier sandwich. That drizzle in front is an excellent chipotle-infused olive oil from my friends at Olivada, in Sheboygan, WI. The smoky heat (but not too hot) of the oil nicely off-set the smoothness of the avocado and the meatiness of the tuna.

(No, I don’t get freebies, commissions or anything else. I just enjoy supporting small businesses that offer great products and great service. You can visit in person or shop online.)

No nutritional data today. The sandwich will vary based on your ingredients. I just hope that I gave you a new idea.

You have until 11:59pm on Tuesday to vote in the poll. I have a couple other polls that I will post after this one, to further refine my plans. Why am I polling you? It’s really for the same reason I do this blog. I want to create a product that you really want. I don’t want to spend a lot of time (and money) making a book that will only be of interest to my Mother. I want to satisfy your needs more than my needs.

Kimchi


Kimchi
Make 2-3 quarts

1 head (1.5 to 2 pounds) napa cabbage or green cabbage, cut into 2 by 1-inch pieces (reserve 2-3 large leaves, uncut). Note: You can also substitute bok choy in place of cabbage.
2 tablespoons kosher salt
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
1 teaspoon sugar (alternatively, use 1 apple or pear).  I used 1 apple, cored, but not peeled
3 tablespoons Korean chile pepper flakes or paste (gochugaru).  I used 1 tablespoon Sriracha sauce.
4 green onions, green parts only, cut into 2-inch pieces (optional, but I used it)
1/4 cup medium yellow onion, thinly sliced (optional, but I used it)
Optional:             a few large carrots, thinly sliced (I used this)
                           1-3 teaspoons fish sauce (I didn’t use this, to reduce the sodium content)

For extra hotness: add 1 chili pepper (doesn’t need to be gochugaru).  I used a dry Thai Birds-Eye pepper, shown in the foreground.
A three quart-size, sterilized mason jars (Place in boiling water, mouth down, for 10 minutes. Do this while you are preparing the garlic-ginger-chile paste.)

Yield: 1-3 quart-size jars (I made 2 quarts from a 2 pound head of Napa cabbage.)

What to Do
Wash all vegetables and premeasure all of your ingredients so you have them ready to go. Set aside a few large cabbage leaves (to be used at the end of the process).

Place the rest of the cabbage in the large bowl and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of kosher salt. Toss to combine. Cover the large bowl and allow its contents to sit at room temperature until the cabbage has wilted (expect this to take a minimum of one hour and as many as 12). As it wilts, the cabbage will release around a 1/4-1/2 cup of liquid. (To speed the process, place a plate on the cabbage and then put a weight on the plate. A gallon jug of water works perfectly.) Remember this could take as many as 12 hours, so give it time if it needs it! I think leaving it the full 12 hours under that plate created more juice and a better finished product.

Once the cabbage has wilted, drain it, set the liquid aside,and pat the leaves dry.

After you drained the cabbage, combine the garlic, ginger, chili pepper, carrots (if you’re using them), and sugar (or the apple or pear, if using) in the food processor or blender.


Process the mixture until it forms a rough paste (around 30 seconds if using a food processor or blender). Be sure to scrape the container’s sides as needed.

Thoroughly mix the cabbage with the paste. This is your basic kimchi mixture.

Pack the kimchi into the mason jars (try to avoid air pockets). Add equal amounts of the reserved cabbage liquid to each jar, making sure that each jar has at least an inch of head space (If needed, add some water to the jars to make sure the kimchi is completely covered by liquid.). Press the mixture down firmly using the wooden spoon, so that the brine covers the top.

Cover the top of each jar with one of the reserved large cabbage leaves.

Seal the jars loosely. (If you seal them tight, they will eventually explode.)  Let them sit at room temperature (65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit) for three to five days. Taste the kimchi every few days; it will be ready when it has developed a sour, spicy taste and a texture resembling that of sauerkraut.  (I found that 7 days at room temperature was perfect. Also, I was out of town on days 3-7 so I didn’t really have an option. Fortunately, fermented foods are forgiving.)


When the kimchi is ready, remove the big cabbage leaves from the top of each jar and store the jars (tightly sealed) in the fridge. The kimchi should keep for several months.

Nutritional data: (1/4 cup, drained)
Calories:          17
Fat:                0.1g
Sat fat:              0g
Chol:              0mg
Sodium: 117.3mg
Carbs:               4g
Fiber:             1.3g
Protein:          0.7g

Hoisin BBQ Chicken Quarter, with Grilled Potatoes and Home Made Kimchi

Hoisin BBQ Chicken Quarter, with Grilled Potatoes and Home Made Kimchi
Serves 2

(There are many steps, but nothing is difficult.)

Hoisin BBQ Chicken
4 chicken leg quarters
Chinese Five Spice Powder
Vegetable oil for the grill

Mix together and set aside:
2 teaspoon commercially prepared Hoisin sauce
2 tablespoon sesame oil
2 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon fresh minced and mashed ginger
1 clove garlic, minced and mashed

Grilled Potatoes
1 medium potato, sliced thinly
1/4 small onion, sliced thinly
2 medium carrot, peeled and sliced thinly
2 strip raw bacon, chopped
2 sheets aluminum foil each about 18 inches long
Cooking spray

Kimchi (this is a more complex–but not difficult–recipe and I will make that a separate posting)

  1. Preheat the grill on high for at least 5 minutes. Make sure that about 1/3 of your grill is only warm, to make a safe zone. (If you have a three burner gas grill, set two on high and one on low. If you have a two burner, one is high and one low. Charcoal? Most of the coals are under 2/3 of the grill and only a a couple are under the remaining 1/3.)
  2. While the grill is preheating, sprinkle the Chinese Five Spice powder on the chicken.
  3. Spray one sheet of aluminum with cooking spray.
  4. Place 1/3 of the potatoes on the sheet.
  5. Add in layers, half the bacon, half the onion and half the carrot. Season with black pepper.)
  6. Add another 1/3 of the potatoes.
  7. Add, in order, the remaining carrots, onions, bacon and potatoes. (The packet will be the same upside down or right side up.)
  8. Carefully bring the top and bottom edges of the foil together over the veggies and fold the edges together to seal. Then tightly roll the right and left edges.
  9. Place that packet on the second sheet of foil, seam side down, and repeat step 8.
  10. Note: I just saw that they now sell aluminum foil bags which would greatly simplify this part of the meal.
  11. Using tongs and a paper towel, wipe the vegetable oil on your freshly brushed grill to help prevent the chicken from sticking.
  12. Lay the chicken, skin side down, over the direct heat. Place the veggie packets near the chicken, on the edge of the hot and safe zones.
  13. Turn the chicken after 5 minutes, or if the flames of hell start to flare up.
  14. When both sides are browned (10-12 minutes) move the chicken to the safe zone. Let if cook, undisturbed, until it has an internal temperature of at least 165, but with legs and thighs, you can even go to 170 without drying the meat.  This will take 30-4 minutes.  If you don’t have a thermometer, use  a meat fork or a skewer, and pierce the thigh in the deepest part. Pull it out. If the juices are red, it is still raw. If they are clear, it is done. 
  15. Turn the potato packets 1/4 turn (flat, right edge, upside down, left edge, flat) every 10 minutes. Remove 40 minutes after putting on the grill.
  16. Remove the chicken when done and immediately brush the Hoisin BBQ sauce over it. I don’t brush this on while the chicken is still on the grill, because I don’t want it to burn, or all run off and fall into the grill.
  17. Let the veggie packets and chicken rest for 5 minutes, then serve.
Nutritional data:
Chicken (an average leg/thigh quarter will yield about 4 ounces of meat)
Calories:     210
Fat:             15g
Sat fat:        4.5g
Chol:        90mg
Sodium:  150mg
Carbs:           0g
Fiber:            0g
Protein:       19g
Hoisin BBQ Sauce (less than 1 tablespoon of the sauce–save the remaining sauce covered in the refrigerator)

Calories:       67
Fat:            6.9g
Sat fat:          1g
Chol:          0mg
Sodium:    34mg
Carbs:        2.5g
Fiber:            0g
Protein:      0.3g
Grilled Potato (half the packet):

Calories:       136
Fat:             3.7g
Sat fat:        1.3g
Chol:        9.5mg
Sodium:   133mg
Carbs:       22.1g
Fiber:             3g
Protein:          5g
In the next couple days, I will show you how to make an Asian Chicken Salad, using the leftover chicken and Hoisin BBQ Sauce.

Strawberries and Balsamic Vinegar

Strawberries and Balsamic Vinegar
Serves 1

1/2 cup fresh strawberries, sliced
1/2 cup whipped cream (or whipped topping, which is what I used. I was out of whipping cream)
1/2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

  1. Layer half of the strawberries and whipped cream.
  2. Repeat with the remaining berries and cream.
  3. Drizzle vinegar over the top.
  4. Serve immediately.
Nutritional data:
Calories:      71
Fat:            2.2g
Sat fat:          2g
Chol:          0mg
Sodium:   2.1mg
Carbs:      13.3g
Fiber:         1.7g
Protein:      0.6g
I used a special balsamic vinegar, from Olivada Oils, in Sheboyan,Wisconsin which is about an hour from my home. 
This is their dark chocolate infused balsamic vinegar. It added a complex flavor of cocoa with some oak, and vanilla, and what tasted like a very dark beer in the background. It was WONDERFUL in this dessert (although I will admit not everyone will like it.)
If you are unfamiliar with balsamic vinegars, the aging process doesn’t make them less sour than traditional vinegar, but adds flavors that bring a new balance, which makes the sourness seem appropriate and even, and more like tartness rather than truly sour.
Note to any beer geeks out there: if you really enjoy the sour beers of Belgium, you need to get a bottle of this. I think–but haven’t tried it, yet–that drizzling this over a bowl of Bing cherries will end up tasting like a kriek, and over raspberries it will taste like a framboise. If anyone tries those ideas, please let me know, okay?
Go to Olivada’s website and take a look at the olive oils and balsamic vinegars they offer. If you are near Sheboygan, go to the shop and taste. I spent about an hour (yes, I logged the oils that I tastes) tasting different oils and vinegars, and mixing them together for combined flavors. 
Here are the treasures I bought that day:
They will be featured in recipes to come.  Keep watching, and I hope you try today’s recipe. When you do, let me know what you think, even if you don’t like it. (But I am confident that you will.)