giving menu planning a shot---in my dreams

I am not a planner by nature. I'm not good at making lists, though I give it a shot from time to time. I'm not the best at follow-through. I tend to forget.

Still, having changed from a very structured life to one that's more free-flowing, I find myself surprised by mealtimes, at a loss for what to serve or eat. This is frustrating anytime, but when you deal with dietary restrictions and ordering in is not an option, it's downright scary.

I wrote those first two paragraphs about two months ago. At that time I seriously thought I could conquer meal planning. Two months and many attempts later, I'm declaring defeat. I can plan for a large party or a holiday with ease. Everyday stuff, though, just isn't happening, and I doubt it ever will.

Since, as I noted earlier, ready made food and ordering in are not options for me, I knew I needed to do something. This, like most of my food adventures in gluten-free and Paleo eating, has been and will likely continue to be a work in progress. I'm very fortunate to have a large chest freezer and a series of closets (and one underused dining room) that we've converted to pantries. So while I still don't have meal plans, I have lots of food that can be prepared at my fingertips. Of course, mostly I have ingredients. Ingredients require time, attention, and energy. I'm still working on the energy part.

I'll write more about what I'm keeping in the freezer and pantry soon. I've done that in the past, but like so many aspects of my Paleo food course, it is ever changing. My daughter will occasionally look into our fridge or pantry and say, "Who are you?". Everything looks so unlike what she'd always been used to seeing.

And, to those of you who plan, you have my unending respect and admiration. I don't know how you do it.

why i can't cheat

I lied today. I lied on Facebook. I lied for no good reason, and it's been bugging me ever since. It was a dumb lie. A really stupid lie. A "I want to fit in" lie. And it was on my friend's Facebook page. Pretty low.

Ginger Lemon Girl asked, "No matter what type of "diet" you are following (as long as it's totally GF!! :-P) what is a food that you HAVE to have, even if it's not allowed?? (chocolate yes?)" And I answered "coffee." Okay, it wasn't a big lie. No one got hurt. No one lost their job or their broke their fingernail. But, of course, as all of you know, that is not the point. The point is I lied. That's not something I do often. That's not something I condone, in myself or others. Still...


And my coffee answer wasn't the lie. The lie was that there is nothing, absolutely nothing, and I'm quite serious here, that I am willing to eat that is "off program" for lack of a better phrase. I simply don't. Never. Not on a bet. Not when staring down a Point Reyes Blue or a dark chocolate Godiva.


I am not bragging. I am terrified. There is no food, no drink, nothing that's worth the pain. Plain and simple, I'm a coward. Jeez! and now I'm a lying coward. Sorry Carrie. I started to tell the truth. But that sounded so smug. I started not to respond, but that felt so lonely. I wanted to play the game. It was a fun game. I do drink coffee, though I've given it up in the past to see if it was a culprit in my diet. That was not difficult. Coffee doesn't seem to be a problem for me, so I drink it. I'd prefer to drink it with cream. Cream is a problem, so I don't. In fact, since I realized that, I have not had so much as a drop of cream or any other dairy product (willingly or knowingly, at least,) not one. I've had a couple of accidental doses that left me curled up in a ball wondering about the possibility of voodoo dolls and such. No, I'm not bragging. I'm scared to death.

meat and onions getting started

I was thinking tonight, as I started dinner, about what it is that lets me do this. Every one of you who lives with dietary issues knows how scary this all is. And if you're reading this, unless you're one of my family who I make read it, you're probably a foodie, as well. So how do we manage? My trick, my salvation, my mantra is leftovers. I don't have accidental leftovers. I plan for them, religiously. 

the browned meat and onions are underneath the beautiful fresh broccoli

I cook for two, usually, yet tonight I browned two pounds of ground beef (grass-fed is a given, right?) with onions, then added four heads of fresh broccoli and one can of organic diced tomatoes. That's a favorite comfort food for us this time of year, seasoned simply with sea salt and pepper, but no way in our wildest dreams are we eating that much in one or even two sittings. We'll have dinner; I'll freeze a couple of lunches, and we'll see what's still left for a snack. It's safe. It's Paleo. It's not expensive. It can be made from all frozen ingredients if needed. Oh, and it's really, really good.

added one 15 ounce can of Muir Glen diced tomatoes

The bonus: As I heated the pan to start dinner, I made a very sloppy looking patty from about 4 ounces of the beef and sauteed it with salt and pepper in the empty pan. When it was almost done, I tossed in a few mushrooms. Voila! tomorrow's lunch.

tomorrow's lunch

bean salad, a salute to summer's end

Canned beans are fine, but in the summer, why not start with fresh?

Possibly, probably, my hardest sell for the Paleo diet at home is giving up beans. We both like beans and have used them often to replace other, likely worse, food choices. Still while I like beans; GK, LOVES them. He can wax poetic over beans, really. It is an experience to behold. He listened, somewhat intently, as I described some of the tenants of Paleo eating, nodded acceptance at the inclusion of leafy greens and fish, grimaced a bit over what he considers a high fat content, then turned white as a sheet before turning completely away from the discusssion when I mentioned the avoidance of beans. Did I say hard sell? I do so like understatement.

Though I can understand the argument against them when one is moving toward eating only foods that can be safely eaten raw, it's going to be an uphill battle on the homefront. Success will come in time.

Today, however, is an ode to the bean, in this case the bean salad. As we say goodbye to summer, I'm likely also saying goodbye to a favored salad, so please indulge me while I revisit it here one more time.

Three Bean Salad

For the dressing

• Crush one clove garlic and macerate in 2 tablespoons balsamic, 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, and 1 teaspoon salt. 
• Whisk in about 3 to 4 ounces of good olive oil, add pepper to taste. 

• 1 pound fresh green beans, preferrably organic
• 1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 canned garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/4 cup finely diced onion, or 1 tablespoon dried minced onion

• Cut fresh green beans in 1 inch pieces, then boil or steam until tender.
• Combine all beans and onion in large bowl.
• Pour dressing over beans and onion.
• Allow flavors to develop in refrigerator for 4 hours or overnight.
• Can be made a day or two ahead.

This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled. Feel free to substitute beans of your choice.

Goodbye beans. 

slow-cooked marinara sauce with a chicken option

For years one of my favorite pastimes was simmering a large pot of marinara sauce, sometimes two, on the stove. I'd end up with jar upon jar of rich, thick sauce for the freezer. Though in recent years, I've cut way back on my use of tomatoes, there's something comforting about the slow simmer of that sauce. The house just smells wonderful all day, which, of course, is one of my favorite things about slow-cooking and braising.

Though I used large, heavy pots for the fun of it, a crock pot works beautifully, too. The crock pot also has the advantage of needing much less attention during the long cooking process. This sauce goes together so quickly that you could even start it before work and come home wondering if you're in an Italian restaurant.

2  large yellow or white onions, sliced or chopped
5  cloves garlic, chopped
1 or 2 carrots, finely diced
1 pound mushrooms, sliced (canned will work here in a pinch)
2 to 4 tablespoons olive oil
2 to 4 tablespoons Italian seasoning blend*, preferably one with red pepper flakes
2  15 ounce cans diced tomatoes
2  28 ounce cans tomato sauce**
sea salt and pepper

• Brown onions and carrots in oil in a large saute pan.
• Stir in mushrooms and brown slightly.
• Add garlic and cook another minute or so.
• Pour onion mix into crock pot and add seasonings, tomatoes, and tomato sauce. 
• Stir in 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper to start.
• Cook on low for at least 8 hours. The long, slow cooking is what creates a rich sauce.
• Taste and add salt and pepper if needed.

*a combination of dried or fresh herbs such as basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, and parsley with a pinch of red pepper flakes can be used if you prefer.
**whole tomatoes may be substituted for tomato sauce, resulting in a lighter, though still tasty, sauce.

This sauce can be used as is over spaghetti squash or pasta, or it can be the basis of any number of dishes.

For a quick and easy chicken dish, one of my all-time favorites, add chicken pieces of your choice (I like thighs for this) to the uncooked sauce before beginning the 8 hour cook time. The chicken cooks with the sauce and comes out tender and moist, as it adds more depth to the sauce.

Freeze leftovers for quick dinners on weekdays.

who needs wheat?

Sometimes now when I look at older recipes, both mine and those of others, I am dumbfounded at how often we add gluten when it doesn't even add to the dish, certainly not substantially. The same holds true with dairy and soy, though I'm still holding fast to my right to whine where heavy cream and luscious cheeses are concerned. I'm thinking of this today partly because I'm reviewing dozens of my own chicken dishes and partly, too, because I recently read a comment from a newly diagnosed young mother who is cooking separate meals for her family and looking for better options.

When I look at my old notes---I don't often write recipes per se, at least not for my own use---I notice wheat flour and bread crumbs in most dishes. Few, if any, of these need the wheat. It was just always our go to grain. It was just there. It almost feels quaint now and a little foolish that I never questioned it. It would not have occurred to me that breading didn't have to be wheat or that gravy didn't have to start wit a wheat flour roux. Of course, I was familiar with corn meal or arrowroot or corn starch for these uses, but they never seemed adequate, and I never thought of any as good substitutes. Still, that was then, this is now, and I'm delighted to see that wheat is almost always replaceable with something, often something better.

For many, many dishes, sweet rice flour makes a beautiful sauce or gravy. It can even be used as you would wheat flour to make a roux with oil, pan drippings, or butter if you can use it. If you haven't tried sweet rice flour, you're in for a pleasant surprise. It is milled from short-grained, sticky rice, so it's more glutinous than that from long grained rice, making perfect as a thickener.

One way to use sweet rice flour when preparing crock pot dishes that adds a good deal of flavor is to dredge the meat in the flour and then brown it in small batches. Chicken pieces are especially good this way. Though they can be tossed into the crock pot raw with good results, coating the pieces in rice flour and browning first by sauteeing them on the stove in oil is worth the extra effort. When using whole chickens, sprinkling the rice flour over them before placing in the crock pot also works well. Whole chickens will usually brown nicely on their own in the crock pot.

With almost any recipe, you can mix the spices, herbs, salt, and pepper with the rice flour first and then use this mix to coat your chicken pieces before browning. Any unused seasoned flour should be added to the crock pot to flavor and thicken the dish.

Chicken Chile Verde is quick and easy in the crock pot. This dish can be made more or less firey by adjusting the quantity of hot peppers. Remember to check them when your cutting them if using fresh jalapeno or serrano  peppers. The heat varies so much from one to another that some may taste like bell peppers and others set your mouth on fire. I usually cut off the stem and touch the stem end, the part headed for the compost bucket, to my tongue. Do NOT do this if you are particularly sensitive to to hot and spicy foods. If you're really in a hurry, skip the browning step and layer all ingredients in crock pot. Browning adds to the flavor, but the dish is still very good without it. This recipe can easily be doubled. Note, too, that by leaving out the rice flour, which is in the dish to thicken primarily, this fits into a Paleo plan.

• 1 onion, sliced or diced
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 cans, about 8 ounces, of mild whole or diced chiles
• 1 15 ounce can tomatillos, drain most of the liquid
• 2 to 4 serrano or jalapeno chiles, or a few tablespoons canned
• 4 ounces chicken broth
• 2 ounces sweet rice flour
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 to 3 tablespoons oil
• 8 chicken thighs, cut in eighths (boneless, skinless thighs make it easier)

1. Mix rice flour with dried herbs, salt & pepper. Add chicken pieces and mix well to coat.
2. Brown onions and chicken pieces in a small amount of oil.
3. Place chiles, garlic, and tomatillos in crock pot with any leftover flour mixture. Add browned chicken and onions.
4. Pour broth evenly over top.
5. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours.
6. Check seasoning, add more salt and pepper if desired.

This is great served with rice, gluten-free tortillas, noodles, mashed cauliflower, or spaghetti squash.
Add a garnish of avocado slices, finely sliced green onions, and sour cream (if dairy works for you.)

More crock pot recipes to come.

slow-cooked chicken

I love so many things about the return of fall, and though the temperatures where I live do not give us a hint, at least the calendar does. One of my favorite methods of cooking, one that fits right into the mood of autumn, is braising---braising almost anything. Roasting runs a close second, I must admit, and more on that very soon.



sauteed vegetables add flavor to lots of braised dishes

Braising fills the house with wonderful aromas for hours and hours. It's my favorite thing to do on slow weekend days as the temperatures begin to drop. Almost as nice, and better for working weekdays, is the crock pot. I remember when crock pots, like fondue sets, were the stuff of jokes about overdone and never used wedding presents. Thankfully, both have had quite the comeback in recent years. Many recipes can easily go back and forth, from stovetop to crock pot or even into the oven depending on what we want to do at the time.

Carrie, at Ginger Lemon Girl, recently asked in a FaceBook post about people's favorite chicken recipes for the crock pot. Carrie bakes a lot, and I love to read her recipes and posts, as well as enjoy all her pictures of great food, though I, myself, am not much of a baker. But, now she's really speaking my language. Rather than fill her page with a miriad of chicken recipes and ideas, I decided to include them here.

So many chickens, so little time. What's not to like about chicken in the crock pot? It's versitle, it's inexpensive, it's quick, it's easy. Oh yeah, sometimes it's really dry. Chicken breasts will tend to dry out because they cook much more quickly since they have less fat within the muscle. For some it's a hard sell, but I recommend trying chicken thighs instead of breasts when cooking individual pieces in the crock pot. This applies to most braised and roasted recipes, as well. Stop grimmacing; try them at least once. Whole chickens also work well with attention to timing, as do whole legs.

 

Many of my recipes begin with diced onions and sliced mushrooms, too many my daughter would surely contend.




Crock Pot Chicken Methodology
A basic crock pot method is much more valuable than an individual recipe because, once mastered, it becomes dozens upon dozens of different dishes. One need only change an ingredient or two or three, and the dish is completely tranformed. We'll start with that and go on to many, many possibilities. Most will include vegetables with the chicken. If you have time to saute them before adding them to the crock pot, you'll enjoy additional depth of flavor. If not, they're still darned good.

I use a fairly large crock pot usually, though this method is completely adaptable to almost any size, except maybe the gravy boat or the mini crock.

Basic Crock Pot Chicken

1/2 to 1 cup onions, sliced or chopped
3 or 4 garlic cloves, whole, sliced, or chopped
2 carrots, thickly sliced
8 ounces mushrooms, thickly sliced
1 tablespoon fresh tarragon leaves
2 to 3 tablespoons oil (only if you saute vegetables first)
4 to 8 ounces chicken broth, I use Pacific
8 chicken thighs or 1 whole chicken
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
sea salt
black pepper
2 to 3 tablespoons sweet rice flour (completely optional.)

If you plan to saute vegetables, do this first in a few tablespoons of olive oil or chicken fat. Coconut oil would also work well here. This step is optional but fun and rewarding if you have the time.

• Layer ingredients in the crockpot: vegetables first, sprinkle with rice flour if using, add chicken, then tarragon, salt, pepper, and broth. About the rice flour, while I love the way it thickens a dish like this, I don't use grains anymore. I'm still playing with other thickeners but haven't zeroed in on anything.
• TaDa! Cover and cook. At low heat this should take from 6 to 8 hours. At high heat, four hours should be plenty.

Remember that crock pot temperatures and cooking speeds vary tremendously, so if you know how yours heats, let your experience lead you where time and temp are concerned.

As in any dish, if you know you don't like an ingredient, say tarragon leaves, don't use them. Substitute an herb you do like, thyme is one of my favorites, or leave it out entirely. It'll still be great. My next post will include many, many options for chicken, including chile verde and an Italian-style  with spicy tomato sauce.

everyday eating

I have had a great few days playing with all sorts of foods I would call marginal, though I am definitely not saying they are lacking in taste or even particularly unhealthy. It's just that they don't work well for me on a daily basis. I'm talking about desserts and breads and crackers, gluten-free and dairy-free, of course, but still not my daily diet.

So today, it's back to basics for me. By basics, I mean all my favorite proteins, fats, and carbs in the tastiest, simplest, healthiest forms. I am not a dietician or a medical professional of any sort, so I'm not prescribing but describing the foods that make me feel good. As is the case for any foodie sort, it will not make me feel good if it doesn't taste good, oops I mean great.

I am not teaching this week, so I have lots of time to play with food (interspersed with self-pampering activities---facials, manicures, hairdresser, etc. this is my vacation after all) but mostly, playing with food. Playing for me often means making sure our kitchen is stocked with safe foods. Sometimes we all want a quick snack or a no-brainer, no cooking dinner, especially with our current weather conditions---hot and hotter. This requires advance planning and prep when you can't order pizza or grab some cheese and crackers. This should be everyday stuff because we do eat everyday, and we darned well out to be able to eat well and eat safely. For me, partly because I love to cook and I hate pain, this means eating at home. Sometimes, clearly, we can't spend everyday in the kitchen even if we want to, and I do realize that not everyone wants to. (Don't understand it though.)

Simple things like cold cuts aren't even so simple. Salami often contains milk products, sliced deli meats can have all manner of additives, including gluten, and you can count on too much sodium and an array of ingredients you can't pronounce. We are fans of simple roast turkey, sliced thick or thin, depending on its intended use. I pick up packages in the store, even from high-end companies, and quickly put them back after reading the ingredients. This I do a couple of times a month with the identical products. I don't know if I'm hoping for a miraculous change from the company or that I'll decide I can really eat all that junk. Neither happens, anyway. I always put the package back in the case. The same is true at a deli counter. Read the ingredients. Look at the labels, same companies. I did recently buy 6 ounces of sliced turkey at a natural foods grocery without additives for 7 or 8 dollars. It made two sandwiches, and these were not large sandwiches. I bit high, I believe, for everyday meals.

Instead, on days like today when I have the sense of extra time, I like to roast a turkey breast to slice after it's chilled. It really takes so little time that this could be an evening meal with leftovers sliced for the next day or two. I simply rinsed and dried a two-pound turkey breast, sprinkled it with Frontier Herbs Savory Seasoning blend and a little sea salt and black pepper. I rubbed a bit of good olive oil over all sides, and placed it skin-side up on a small round cake rack in a covered pan. I used Le Crueset's low-sided, round covered pan. Then I simply poured about an ounce of white wine in the bottom and set it uncovered in the oven which had been pre-heated to 400. After a few minutes, I covered it and turned the oven down to 325. I use a remote meat thermometer, but you can go by feel of the meat if you prefer. When the thermometer registers 150 or 160, remove it from the oven, and let sit with the lid slightly ajar. I should mention this is not as pretty as a Thanksgiving Day turkey, but it's moister and its uses are almost limitless. Slice it thin for sandwiches, thicker for salads, or in chunks for a salad like the Cobb.

I have not had a Cobb salad since realizing I had to avoid dairy products. That is about to change. It may not be a traditional Cobb, but it should be a great tasting one. Some of the turkey breast that just came out of oven will find its way into that salad. The dressing will be my usual olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper with an herb or two from the garden thrown in for good measure. I can eat everything in a traditional Cobb except the blue cheese, so while I may whine as I put some on GK's and not mine, it will be mostly for show.

I have gotten used to creating a pretty wide safety zone between me and ALL dairy products. This blue cheese, in fact, the blue cheese for the Cobb salad was purchased for that specific purpose. We don't keep it in the house, normally. He goes out to lunch with friends several times a week, so our agreement to keep our house a safety zone for me doesn't really keep him from enjoying those foods that I can't eat. And of course, we make the occasional exceptions for him like the blue cheese for a few salads and bagels for yesterday's salmon.