Recipes

Being a nutrition freak/health food nut I need to cook most of the food I eat myself to ensure that the nutrients are appropriate for my very specific diet. As I develop new recipes for some of my various health-food (and not so healthy-food) I'll post them here. Most of these recipes are adapted from other peoples recipes (as are almost all recipes). No, no credit is given to the original recipe (duh).

Ingredient measurements that are not listed are subjective; you can decide how much to use.

Habañero Recipes

• Habañero Beef or Turkey Chili *
• Habañero Ejotes *
• Habañero Chicken Paprikash *
• Habañero Crab Cakes *
• Habañero Ice Cream *

Exotic/Ethnic Recipes

• Kimchi *
• Kimchi Jjigae *
• Stuffed Cabbage *
• CousCous Salad
• Adobo Chicken/Beef

Baking

• Fondant !

The Rest

• Grilled Southwestern Asparagus
• Parmesan Cayenne Broccoli
• Chipotle Beef Brisket with BBQ Sauce
• Okra (goes well with brisket)
• Chicken Parmesan
• Dephazer Sandwich
• Black Beans
• Chicken Salad
• Southwestern Chicken Salad

Ancillary Recipes

• Beef Stock
• Chicken Stock

* = Spicy, and ! = Not very healthy

Habañero Beef or Turkey Chili

Ingredients:

1. 2.5lbs Ground Beef or Turkey (I always use 93-96% lean ground beef)
2. Some Pilsner or Blonde Belgium Ale (a can/bottle or two)
3. 3 Diced White Onions (medium)
4. 1 Can of Stewed Tomatoes
5. 10 Pickled Jalapeños, cut crosswise (make sure they are pickled WHOLE)
6. 5 - 10 Habañero Peppers (minced)
7. 2 Cans of beans (white for turkey, black for beef). You can also use soaked or cooked beans.
8. 1 Can of Tomato Sauce
9. 1 Can of Tomato Paste
10. Spice blend (mix to taste): Cumin, Garlic Powder (if desired), Paprika, Cayenne, Salt, Pepper, and Chili Powder
11. If you can find them, dried minced jalapeños make a good addition

Instructions:

• Throw onions and meat into a big stew pot and cook until done over medium high heat.
• Throw in beers and deglaze (you don't need to add the cans).
• Dump the rest of the ingredients in and stir well.
• Let stew for 1 to 1.5 hours.

Habañero Ejotes

Ingredients:

1. Green Beans, Stemmed
2. Habañero Peppers, minced
3. Paprika Paste and/or Sambul
4. A Few Strips of Bacon (crispy cooked bacon has a low cal:prot ratio and thus is healthy)

Instructions:

• Cook the bacon crispy and let dry on paper towels or newspaper.
• After it's cool, cut the bacon into 3/4" pieces.
• Blanche the green beans.
• Drain and return to pot with all ingredients, stirring until cooked over medium heat.

Habañero Chicken Paprikash

Ingredients:

1. Chicken Breasts, Butterflied
2. Tomato Paste
3. Condensed Skim Milk (you can use cream if you want it to taste better)
4. Minced Habañeros
5. Paprika
6. Sundried Tomatoes (not the ones marinating in oil, the dry kind)
7. Olive Oil

Instructions:

• Coat a sauté pan conservatively with olive oil.
• Brown the chicken on both sides.
• Deglaze with milk.
• Add other ingredients and cook until desired internal temp.

Habañero Crab Cakes

Now I'm starting to get hungry...

Ingredients (cakes):

1. 2lbs Crab Meat
2. 1/4c each Red, Green, and Yellow Bell Peppers, minced
3. 1.5 Stalks of Celery (USE VERY LEAFY ONES AND USE THE LEAVES!), minced
4. 1/4c Sweet Red Onion, minced
5. Habañero Peppers, minced
6. 2 Eggs (or 3 whites)
7. Habañero or Tapatío Hot Sauce
8. 3ts Worcestershire Sauce
9. 1/2c Light Mayo
10. 1/2c Bread Crumbs (I use crumbs of health-food bread)
11. Peanut Oil (high smoke, low flavor)

Ingredients (sauce):

1. Mayo
2. Cayenne
3. Dried Minced Jalapeños
4. Sherry Wine

Instructions

• Start with the cakes. Sift through the crab keeping the lumps in tact but squeezing out as much moisture as possible. Make sure no shells are present.
• Mix all crab cake ingredients in large bowl. Gently and slightly incorporate.
• Form into cakes
• Fry for 3 minutes on each side in 375 degree oil
• For the sauce, simply mix all sauce ingredients and dust on top with cayenne.

Habañero Ice Cream

Sounds strange... but tasty.

Ingredients:

1. Equal parts stemmed and seeded habañeros, carrots, and red bell peppers
2. 1 Cup Cream
3. 2.5 Cups 1% Milk (I use Omega Farms Light)
4. 2TBSP Vanilla
5. 1.5 Cups Sugar or Sugar Substitute
6. Optionally, some Any Whey Powder (two scoopfuls) for extra protein and fluffiness

Instructions

• Rough chop the vegges.
• Process vegges in food processor until desired coarseness
• Mix milk and sugar until dissolved in mixer with whisk attachment
• Add vegges, vanilla, and cream
• Process in icecream maker as instructed by manual

Kimchi

Everyone loves kimchi, especially Koreans. I can't ever find it spicy enough though, and most people do not have access to fresh kimchi. Here is the solution:

Ingredients:

1. You will need a large glass/earthenware (nothing that is going to electroplate your kimchi) pickling jar
2. 2 Heads Napa Cabbage
3. Pickling Salt (iodized salt may discolor kimchi)
4. Asian Style Dried Red Peppers (do not use sambal, or Korean garlic Chili sauce)
5. Fish Sauce or Oyster Sauce
6. Garlic
7. Ginger
8. Spring Onions (that's what Koreans call green onions, or scallions)

Instructions:

• Separate leaves of napa cabbage and wash well.
• In a large non-reactive pot layer cabbage leaves while throwing salt liberal in between layers.
• Fill with water and let it soak all day (4-8 hours).
• DANGER! Make sure the cabbage is weighed down and does not come into contact with the air (this is an anaerobic fermentation!).
• While fermenting, make the sauce.
• Put peppers, garlic, ginger, fish sauce, and any other flavors you think might be good into a food processor and turn into a paste. Add water as necessary.
• Cut spring onion crosswise into 1" pieces and add to sauce.
• Re-layer kimchi into pickling container liberally applying sauce in between layers.
• Let this ferment in your fridge for a week.
• Remove from fridge, and cut into 1" squares.
• Your kimchi is ready to eat, repack firmly into containers and refrigerate. This should last a little over a month.

Kimchi Jjigae

This is a very healthy kimchi stew.

Ingredients:

1. 3 Cups Kimchi
2. 2 lbs Beef or Pork, Cubed (use meat suitable for stewing).
3. 1 lb Tofu, Cubed (look for a tofu with a very high protein density for maximum firmness)
4. Garlic (smashed and minced)
5. Shallots (minced/diced)
6. Spring Onions (cut into 1inch sections)
7. Beef Stock
8. Salt
9. Pepper
10. Bay Leaves
11. Optionally, your favorite Asian hot sauce (Sambul, Chilli Garlic, Sriracha's Sauce, etc.)

Instructions:

• Put all ingredients (except stock) into stew pot and fill with beef stock until everything is submerged.
• Stew for a few hours until meat is as tender as desired.
• Remove bayleaves and serve.

Stuffed Cabbage

Ingredients:

1. Several Heads of Cabbage
2. Several Pounds of 93-96% Lean Ground Beef
3. Paprika (lots)
4. Riced or Minced White Onion
5. Brown Rice
6. Salt and Pepper
7. A Cayenne Based Hot Sauce or Something Like Dave's Insanity
8. Chicken Stock
9. Tomato Paste and Sauce
10. Bayleaves

Instructions

• Wash the rice.
• Mix the meat, rice, onion, a lot of paprika, and some of the hotsauce together.
• Blanch the cabbages in a large pot.
• Carefully separate leaves from cabbage and cut a small piece of the center vain out (the thick part).
• Layer the bottom of a stew pot with the smaller, unusable leaves.
• Slice the unusable cabbage into strips and add to pot.
• Put filling in cabbage and roll like a cigar, but tucking the ends in.
• Layer these in the stew pot.
• Add stock, bayleaves, paprika, hotsauce, tomato paste/sauce, salt and pepper to taste in the pot.
• You can periodically taste the sauce to determine what more to add.
• Stew for 1 hours and remove from heat.
• The sauce can be reduced or served as is.

CousCous Salad

Ingredients:

1. Cooked Couscous (I use 2 cups couscous, and 3 cups water)
2. Chicken Thighs (use breast to make healthier)
3. Artichoke Hearts (marinated if you prefer)
4. Steamed Asparagus Flavored with Lemon and Bayleaf
5. Lemon Juice
6. Diced English Cucumber
7. Mint Leaves
8. Cilantro
9. Diced Roma Tomatoes
10. Green Onions Cut Into 1" Pieces
11. 1 Can of Garbanzo Beans Drained
12. Salt and Pepper
13. Olive Oil
14. Cayenne

Instructions

• Grill chicken. I usually season with garlic powder and seasoning salt.
• After chicken cools, cut into bite-sized pieces.
• Drain artichoke hearts or prepare as desired (bite-sized).
• Cut asparagus into bite-sized pieces.
• Chop cilantro and mint
• Add couscous, chicken, artichokes, asparagus, cucumber, mint, cilantro, tomatoes, green onions, and beans to couscous.
• Toss with large fork (never a spoon for grain or couscous)
• Season with cayenne, oil, salt and pepper, and lemon juice to taste.

Adobo Chicken/Beef

This recipe is very easy to make and is a tradition Filipino recipe. Don't get this confused with the popular mexican dish made with mexican adobo, it's completely different.

Ingredients:

1. Chicken Breast or Lean Beef (l. broil, flank, skirt, etc.)
2. 1 part Vinegar
3. 1 part Soy Sauce
4. 4 parts Water
5. Bayleaves
6. You can also add garlic, pepper, and other tasty things, but simpler is often better.

Instructions:

• Cut meat into byte sized pieces.
• Put all ingredients in saucepan and cook over medium high heat until for at least an hour and until the sauce is reduced. Add water as necessary.
• Server over steamed rice.

Grilled Southwestern Asparagus

My favorite!

Ingredients:

1. Asparagus (the more the merrier)
2. Paprika
3. Lemon Juice or Fresh Lemons
4. Bay Leaves
5. Garlic, minced
6. Cayenne

Instructions:

• Break asparagus at weak point near bottom discarding woody inedible portion.
• Put asparagus on stovetop or regular grill.
• Coat with lemon juice and minced garlic.
• Sprinkle paprika liberally (a lot!).
• Dust with cayenne and serve.

Parmesan Cayenne Broccoli

Ingredients:

1. Parmesan Cheese (the powdery stuff in a can, or fresh grated; they both taste good)
2. Broccoli
3. Cayenne

Instructions:

• Steam Broccoli until just past blanched.
• Drain well and let water evaporate for a few seconds.
• Toss with parmesan and cayenne and server.

Chipotle Beef Brisket w/BBQ

I need this at least twice a week...

Ingredients

1. Brisket
2. Chipotles in Adobo
3. Red Wine
4. Garlic, peeled
5. Worcestershire Sauce
6. Strong Smoke Extract (not artificial, real condensed smoke), Old Hickory is Good.
7. White Vinegar
8. Brown Sugar
9. Ketchup

Instructions:

• Sear brisket on a grill on both sides at the highest heat you can muster up.
• Mix one can of the chipotles and sauce in a blender with wine, garlic, worcestershire sauce, smoke, and vinegar and blend until liquid.
• Put marinade and brisket in bag and let sit in fridge for 12-24 hours.
• Preheat oven to 250-275 degrees.
• Put brisket and marinade in covered stone/glassware container (container must have high specific heat or brisket will be too crusty).
• Cook for 6-10 hours.
• Remove brisket and cut to serve.
• Transfer sauce to bowl and mix in 1 part sauce, 1/2 part ketchup, and a tbsp or so of brown sugar. Use dark brown sugar, this has a higher molasses content.

Okra

Ingredients:

1. Okra
2. Can of tomatoes w/chilies
3. Chopped White Onion (big pieces)
4. Some kind of spicy (peppers, hotsauce, you pick)
5. Salt, Pepper to taste
6. Canola Oil

Instructions:

• Rinse okra.
• Cut okra crosswise into pieces.
• Heat oil in skillet and cook onion until brown (past translucent).
• Add tomatoes and spicy until liquid is reduced (5-10min).
• Stir in okra and cook for 5 minutes or until tender.
• Season with salt and pepper.

Chicken Parmesan

A Tijana favorite.

Ingredients:

1. Butterflied Chicken Breasts
2. Fresh! Grated Parmagiano-Reggiano
3. Sliced Low Moisture Part Skim Mozzarella (the healthiest you can find, I get 60cal/9grams protein)
4. Bread Crumbs (from healthy bread) Mixed with Garlic Powder, Salt, Paprika, and Pepper.
5. Egg Whites
6. Low Calorie Spaghetti Sauce (make your own if you like)
7. Cooked and Drained Vermicelli]
8. Olive Oil

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 375.
• Heat sauté pan and coat with olive oil conservatively.
• Coat chicken in bread crumb mixture.
• Dip in egg whites.
• Coat again in bread mixture.
• Cook on both sides in pan until almost completely done.
• Coat bottom of stoneware casserole dish with sauce.
• Put vermicelli in bottom of dish and cover with sauce and parmesan.
• Layer chicken breasts, covering with sauce and topping with Mozzarella
• Bake until cheese is melted and chicken is cooked through.
• Serve with grated cheese.

Dephazer Sandwich

Modified from Dephazer's not-so-original recipe.

Ingredients / Healthy ingredients:

1. Bread / Wonderlite Italian
2. Eggs / Egg Subst or Whites
3. Bacon / Crispy Cooked Bacon
4. Sliced Gouda / Low Moisture Part Skim Mozzarella (60cal/9gram prot)

Instructions:

• Cook eggs in fashion desired (overhard works best).
• Toast bread, and hey, put some butter on it if you want.
• Cook bacon to desired level.
• Make into a sandwich.
• Get really drunk...
• And eat it.

Black Beans

An inexpensive dish I make certain weeks and serve them each night with southwestern/southern style dishes.

Ingredients:

1. Black Turtle Beans
2. 4 Parts Tomato Sauce and 1 part Tomato Paste
3. Several Strips of Bacon
4. Dark Brown Sugar or Molasses
5. Mined Onions
6. A Touch of Vinegar (if you use to much you'll need to neutralize those protons with some baking soda).
7. A Spice Blend to Your Liking. I prefer: Paprika, Cayenne Chili Powder, Onion Powder, Mustard Powder, etc.

Instructions:

• There is no need to soak the bean. In fact, I recommend you don't.
• Cook bacon in stewpot until crispy.
• Cut bacon into pieces and return to stewpot.
• Add all ingredients and water.
• Simmer for 1-3 hours adding water as needed.

Chicken Salad

A high protein, low calorie, simple to make dish

Ingredients:

1. Cans of Chicken Breast (or poached chicken breast)
2. Chopped Celery
3. Ribbons of Carrots (use apple peeler)
4. Dried Cranberries
5. Roasted Low-Calorie Soy Nuts
6. Chopped Broccoli Pieces
7. Low Calorie Ranch Dressing
8. Salt and Pepper

Instructions:

• Chop all the ingredients to bite-sized pieces.
• Mix in large bowl.
• Serve chilled.

Southwestern Chicken Salad

A high protein, low calorie, simple to make dish (but better, cause it's SouthWestern)

Ingredients:

1. Cans of Chicken Breast (or poached chicken breast)
2. Chopped Celery
3. Chopped Bell Peppers (all colors)
4. Canned Shoepeg Corn
5. Boiled Black-eye Peas
6. Boiled Black Beans
7. Pickled Jalapenos
8. 1/2 Cup Splenda (or sugar, tubby)
9. 1/2 Cup Olive Oil
10. 1 Cup Cider Vinegar

Instructions:

• Chop the celery, peppers, and jalapenos to bite-sized pieces.
• Boil beans until tender.
• Bring the vinegar to a boil.
• Dissolve Splenda in vinegar.
• Whisk oil into vinegar.
• Cool vinegar and oil solution.
• Mix in large bowl.
• Serve chilled.