Roasted Cauliflower

H and I love cauliflower.  My husband claims he doesn't like it.  This recipe didn't change his mind, but another one did (more on that cauliflower recipe soon). 

roast at 450 degrees 20-25 minutes

 The only thing I did differently from the Everyday Food recipe pictured above, besides not measuring, was use smoked Spanish paprika instead of regular paprika.

I bought some cauliflower plants before I researched cauliflower and discovered that it's not one of the easiest vegetables to grow. Wish me luck!  Any cauliflower growing tips?

Paleo Spaghetti Squash and Meatballs

Spaghetti Squash and Meatballs

For the meatballs, I mixed ground pork and ground beef with Italian sausage seasoning, Italian herbs, and garlic powder, along with salt and pepper.

 I browned the meatballs in batches in coconut oil.  I'm using my electric skillet, the same one I used when we were staying in a hotel for a month.  (We were searching for a house at the time, and we were getting sick from eating fast food - our hotel room didn't even have a microwave.  That's when we decided to do the Whole 30.  We bought an electric skillet and I cooked our meals every day in a niche between the bedroom and the bathroom.  And yes, I washed dishes in the bathtub!)

After all the meatballs were browned, I added onions and sauteed them.  Then I added this:

Look at the ingredients!

Before I added the tomato puree, I turned the temperature way down because tomato products spatter like crazy.  If your pan isn't hot, they won't explode everywhere.

I added some garlic and salt to the tomato puree and then I added the meatballs.  I let the mixture simmer, covered, until done.

Now on to the spaghetti squash.

I cut the squash in half and removed the seeds.

I put the one half of the squash in a microwave safe dish (Pyrex!) with a little water and microwaved the squash for about 8 minutes.  Then I cooked the other half of the squash the same way.

My assistant used a fork to make the spaghetti.  She loves this part.

I seasoned the squash with salt and pepper.

Enjoy!

Baked Kale Chips

I'm no stranger to kale.  I love it!  I first discovered it when I wanted to make Creamy Parmesan Swiss Chard Gratin for Thanksgiving a few years ago.  There was no Swiss chard to be found in Lake Charles, so I substituted kale and it was a hit.  I still make it every Thanksgiving.  

For the baked kale, I pulled the leaves off the stems, washed the leaves and dried them.  I preheated the oven to 375 degrees and spread the dried kale leaves on a parchment lined baking sheet.  After a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkling of salt and pepper, I put them in the oven.  Here's where I made a mistake.  I started vacuuming the bedroom and forgot about the kale in the oven.  Here's the result:

I'm going to try this recipe again, but this time I'll hang around the kitchen for the 10-15 minutes it takes for the kale to get crispy. 

I Feel Good...Neh Neh Neh Neh Neh Neh Neh.

Yes.  I'm evoking James Brown for this post.  Read more to find out why the Godfather of Soul could sing no truer words for me.

On June 22 I decided to wholeheartedly throw myself into a 30-day challenge.  I had just eaten a philly cheesesteak for lunch.  I was sitting at my desk.  My belly was tied in knots, which is something that had become par for the course.  Thank heavens to Betsy, something caused me to type www.whole9life.com into my browser.  It's a site that I browsed about a year ago.  At the time I was definitely intrigued, but something between skepticism and laziness stopped me from taking it any further.  On this day, however, after reading about the Whole 30 and immersing myself in all the testimonies from people who had much more enjoyable lives as a result, I texted to my sweet friend, D: "My next snack is going to be Paleo."

We cannot possibly put enough emphasis on this simple fact – the next 30 days will change your life. It will change the way you think about food, it will change your tastes, it will change your habits and your cravings. It could, quite possibly, change the emotional relationship you have with food, and with your body. - Melissa and Doug Hartwig, founders of www.whole9life.com and creators of the Whole 30 challenge

Fueled by the idea that this new way of eating could change my relationship with food [!!!!], stop my stomach pains [!!!], and help me to lose some pregnancy weight [!!], I was ecstatic and teary-eyed.  Using the Whole 30 as a guide, I cut grains, dairy, legumes, and sugar from my diet...and I went cold turkey.  One minute I was Philly McCheesesteak, and the next minute I was Broccoli McSteamerson.  I can happily say that it was only occasionally that I found my new lifestyle limiting.  I will definitely concede that I  could have been more strict during my Whole 30.  For example, try getting grass-fed beef and pastured chicken on a whim in SWLA.  And I may have relied a little too much on bacon and almond butter [separately, natch].  Nevertheless, I feel like I was still able to benefit from my complete dietary overhaul.  Now, being a working mother, I didn't want to spend too much time devoted to scouring recipes and experimenting with ingredients.  So, I just cooked the ingredients and put them on a plate!  Steamed broccoli and grilled chicken?  Check.  Roasted asparagus and hamburger steak?  Check.  Bacon and Eggs?  Check...and check and check.  

 How do I love my new lifestyle?  Let me count the ways...
1.  I have not experienced stomach pains since beginning the Whole 30.  This one fact alone sells me on the benefits of eating clean.  Just prior to beginning the challenge, I was experiencing intense stomach pains up to 2 times a week, stomach pains that would leave me curled up in a ball on the couch, grouchy, and not a whole lotta fun for my family.

2.  I lost 10 pounds in 30 days.  While I'm aware that the purpose of the challenge goes way beyond the numbers on a scale, I do have 40 - 50 pounds to lose before becoming my most healthy self.  So, I do appreciate the nice little jump start.

3.  What?  I don't have to count calories?!  This still amazes me.  Every other time I've tried to lose weight and be more healthy, it involved logging every. single. bite. I put in my mouth.  What a downer!  Not only does counting calories cause me to become a bit obsessed with food, but it takes a matter of days before I start resenting the whole process.  It is so freeing to know that as long as I eat whole foods, including healthy fats, there's no need to have a pen and paper handy at all times.

4.  I have not felt bloated since beginning the challenge.  Yea for being able to suck my stomach in!  And woohoo for not feeling 8 months pregnant...3 months after giving birth.    

5.  Grocery shopping is a breeze.  I shop around the perimeter of the store, hitting the veggies, fruits, nuts, and meats.  I zoom down the coffee aisle for my Community Dark Roast.  I shoot over to the frozen section for a few more vegetable selections.  Thanks to Subscribe and Save on Amazon, I've got my Justin's Nut Butter and a variety of coconut products coming to me automatically, every six months.

5.  I have more energy.  I stayed up until midnight last night!  Do you know how long it's been since I've done that?!  Well, I'll tell ya, it's been a really, really long time; just ask my husband...and all my friends.  And I have yet to have one of those days where you don't feel like you could possibly pick your head up off the pillow, even if it's just to click "Next Episode" so your Cheers-a-thon can continue.

6.  I'm not hungry all the time.  I eat three tasty meals a day, with a couple of snacks thrown in for good measure, and I stay satisfied throughout the entire day.  I've also noticed that I don't watch the clock, anticipating when I can eat next.  ["Hmm.  Is 10AM too early for lunch?"]  Instead, my stomach tells me when I'm hungry and that's when I feed it.  

7.  My relationship with food has changed.  This can not be taken lightly.  And of all the good things that have come from my dietary changes, I hope it's this one that is around for the long-haul.  I no longer see food as a reward or a comforter.  Instead, food is fuel!  And it can be incredibly tasty fuel!  I still enjoy eating and I savor flavors and different textures, but it's different now.  Thank goodness it's different.  Of course, there will be times when a piece of cake will be completely worth every single bite, and I'm looking forward to my next ice cold brewski.  But, man, that beer better be damned good and so cold it hurts my throat when I swallow it.  And that cake?  It won't be from Jo's Party House or the Wal-Mart bakery.  It will be special and rare and...somebody make me a cake!  

8.  I sleep more soundly.  It may have something to do with drinking less coffee [since black coffee doesn't exactly make my heart all a-twitter] and it probably has a teensy bit to do with cranking up with CrossFit again, but I don't wake up 3 or 4 times a night anymore.  Yee Haw.

Here's hoping I've made a life-long change.

I Scream You Scream

I love Everyday Food magazine.

source: Not Martha

Not only is it fun to browse through every month, but the recipes are usually spot on.  In last month's issue was coconut-lime semifreddo...and it was DIVINE!  Unfortunately [or fortunately, depending on your point of view], I'm the only one in my house who likes coconut.  So, guess who devoured the entire dessert all by her lonesome?  Yep.  This girl.

Give 'er a try.  Go HERE for the Shutterbean Everyday Food-approved adaptation.  It tastes like summer and the beach and being on vacation, and it's a cinch to whip up.  Who knew you could make something so creamy and tasty without an ice cream maker?!

Yum!

J is leaving tomorrow for the long drive to Alabama, and we are stuck here until school ends at the end of June.  Since my main griller is going to be away, I asked him to make us some hamburgers one last time before we all meet in Alabama.  

The buns are from the freezer (Yea!).  I made extra buns a few weeks ago and stashed them.  The sausage is from the freezer as well, but it can't really be called sausage.  It's really just a glorified hotdog.  The best sausage is from Louisiana, but unfortunately the stockpile of sausage I brought to New York with me last summer is gone.  It did make for same tasty gumbo, though!

Calzones

It's Clean out the Freezer Month here at Moore, Please New York Headquarters.  We're heading South in June - J leaves Saturday and I'm already sad - so I am trying to use up everything out of the upright freezer.  And when you're a coupon clipping stockpiling mama like I am, there's a lot of stuff in the freezer. 

I had pizza dough in the freezer, which is something I always have.  Every time I make pizza dough I always made extra and freeze it.  I also had ground turkey, another staple in my freezer, pepperoni, and sweet Italian chicken sausage. I decided to make calzones.  

The pizza dough recipe I use is from Annie's Eats.  I added some pizza seasoning from Penzey's Spices in the dough and in the meat mixture.

I need to order more, but not until we move. 

I know Kraft Triple Cheddar with a Touch of Philadelphia isn't the cheese calzone purists use, but it's what I had in the freezer.  And you know what, the calzones were still tasty.

     I love all the flecks from the pizza seasoning spice.  

Here's one out of the oven on my vintage Metlox platter that J has claimed as his own.  Have I told you that I love vintage kitchenware?

Now it's off to the freezer to see what's for supper tonight. 

Mmm Mmm Good: Mexican Lime Chicken Soup

Mexican Lime Chicken Soup
picture source Every Day with Rachael Ray

Though watching her on TV is on my list of Things to Avoid, I do enjoy Rachael Ray's magazine, Every Day with Rachael Ray, and I've turned to her recipes on more than one occasion for a quick, tasty meal.  Enter Mexican Lime Chicken.  Though, technically, I believe it's a Daisy Martinez recipe, I made it for the second time today and it was delicioso.  What about the first time I attempted this South of the Border chicken soup?  Well, back when I was younger and more impatient, I misread the recipe and learned an important lesson:  2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce is a very different thing from 2 cans of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.  My lips and tongue have never been the same since I made that fateful mistake.  Even then, however, I could tell this soup was something I could really get behind.  And I was right!  I'll be bookmarking this baby.  Check out the recipe HERE. 

Saturday in New York

 Before

After

I made buttermilk biscuits this weekend.  I used a recipe from Bobby Flay which can be found here.  I changed it a little.  I omitted the black pepper and used all buttermilk instead of buttermilk and cream.  J said they were the best biscuits I've made!  They were tasty.

 Next, it's the second best part of the weekend - BBQ.  J used the electric smoker I got him for Father's Day last year.  That's one of the best gifts I've ever given!  I love reaping the rewards!  While that's a smokin', H and I made silly putty.

 The recipe is here.

Now the best part!

Yum!

There was sangria, too, but it was gone before I could take a picture.

Heart Cake Challenge

 I used three cake mixes for the challenge cake.  There were no red velvet cake mixes to be found in the Arctic Area, so I added red gel food coloring to one of the mixes.  

 Here's the finished cake.  I used the buttercream recipe posted on I am Baker for the outside of the cake.  I did use canned icing between the layers. 

I Am Baker? ...Well, sorta.

Well, I actually completed the I Am Baker Heart Cake Challenge!  I was more than a little daunted at first, but I figured the worst that could happen is that I would end up with a lot of tasty cake with a strange red blob in the middle.  Definitely a problem I could handle.  I am happy to report, though, that it worked out better than I expected!  As I mentioned before, I decided early on to use boxed cake mixes.  I don't have a go-to white cake recipe, and I didn't think this would be the appropriate time to experiment with the unknown.  For the icing, I used the buttercream Magnolia Bakery recipe I Am Baker mentions in her tutorial.  I'll be bookmarking that recipe for future use; the icing was delicious and a breeze to work with.  Anyway, enough stalling; here's the finished product:

You can definitely see a heart in there...right?  For a first attempt, I think it turned out really well.  And, of course, no one has complained about eating it.  P even enjoyed it in-process:

So, Leslie, how did yours come out?