Red Wine Beef Stew

Have I been slackin' or what?  Work has kept me ever busy and stressed out.  To the point where I haven't had the energy or brain-power to even think about how everything is going.  How will I ever make it up to you?  

I know!  Recipes!!!

How about what I made today?  Hmmm.... One of my favorite comfort foods in the winter is Beef Stew.  Of course I've always made it using flour (to thicken the broth), white or red potatoes (sugar!) and a packet of McCormick's Beef Stew Seasoning (MSG anyone?).  So what's a girl to do when she has chosen to do none of those?  Substitute!  And make a masterpiece!  No flour.  Who needs thick broth anyway?  Sweet potatoes and turnips instead of regular potatoes (made it sweet and delicious).  And dried spices from my cupboard.

So here we go.  Straight from my heart (and happy tummy) to you.

Red Wine Beef Stew

Ingredients

1.5 lbs lean beef, cut into cubes for stew

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes

3 small turnips or 1 large turnip, peeled and cut into cubes

2 celery stalks, sliced

1 large leek, sliced

4 green onions, chopped (whites and greens)

8 ounce bag of baby carrots

1 1/2 cups organic beef stock

3/4 cup red wine (to be honest, I just pour a bunch in...I'm guessing)

Dried basil, oregano & rosemary - to taste

Directions

Add all of the ingredients to a slow cooker and mix well.  Cook, on low, for 8 hours.

Before Cooking:

After Cooking:

 

I'd show you after eating, but I don't think many people would appreciate that!

DD+14!

Ahhh two weeks in. And I feel great!! A beautiful side effect is I can now fit into some jeans I haven't been able to wear for a couple of months. I really can't complain about that!

My sugar cravings are mostly under control. In fact today I stared at the bulk bin chocolates at the grocery store and all I thought was "oh ya, I like those, those are good." But not "I must have them!!" which is what I did when I saw candy last week. I've also walked through the baked goods section of two grocery stores today to only look with a passing interest. More like a "they sure know how to place products!!" type of interest.

Instead I'm looking with serious interest at new vegetables and how I can prepare them. Should I buy kale and collard greens or will they go bad before I can eat them? Hey I can put turnips and sweet potatoes in my stew instead of potatoes! Leeks! Red cabbage! Broccoli! Pretty soon I'm going to turn into a carrot with arms and legs. Do not call me Carrot Top if you want to live. I mean it. I eat a lot of meat now and that means protein which translates into muscle building if you catch my drift....

Speaking of meat, we bought 20 lbs of boneless skinless chicken breasts today. I know I'll be making garlic clove chicken this week but I guess I'd better get busy figuring out some other creative ways to use it. Otherwise I'll be stuck with "Baked chicken? Again?"

The only issues I've had is when I didn't plan right or when my plan didn't work. Such as my forgetting breakfast. Or when I'd wanted to go to lunch with co-workers but ended up having a meeting (and then didn't have lunch at all).

But I have a plan to combat my poor planning! Don't let that hurt your sense of reality too much. Tomorrow I am making omelet muffins!! They are exactly what it sounds like. I'll wrap them up nicely and have them on hand for the week. And I'll make sure I take a lunch every day to work even if I plan on going out. I can always eat it the next day.

So there you have it. I was relatively quiet this week because it was crazy busy. But everything kept moving on.

Before I close I want to share my favorite quick breakfast from the week. (I truly had no time). Almond butter and honey on 7 sprouted grain bread, a pear and a glass of milk. Simplicity. Delicious too.

Cravings and Hunger

1st issue

Candy. More specific, chocolate. Every time I turned around that's all I could see today. Lindor Truffles, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, chocolate caramel turtles, Dove's chocolates, M&Ms, chocolate.... So many forms, so much temptation. None of this is new. But I have had little problem passing it by. But today at DD+11 it's like I could sense it and even came close to grabbing something a couple of times without thinking.

2nd issue

Snacking. More specific, night time snacking. I feel hungry at night even though I've eaten well. I am just fine all day until after dinner. Man. It's mental, I know. But what can I do? Eat chocolate? Hmmm...no no no!

But really it's a trial. I know it's only temporary and will go away. I'm just not sure how well I'll survive without any slip ups. It's just one little bite, right? Oh Tagalong!!!

Sweet Potato Frittata

I did say I wanted today to be a Vegetarian Day, right?  Here's to a beautiful start.   First of all I love frittatas.  I don't make them often, unfortunately.  They do take a while.  When I DO make a frittata it is typically packed full of veggies such as spinach, mushroom and leeks.  Red bell peppers, onions & spinach.  Red potatoes, green bell peppers & onions.  (I like color.)  Or whatever veggie I'm hankering for at the time.  But always with sliced tomato and a little swiss cheese on top.  That's a must.

So this morning the daughter and I cracked out the cast iron skillet, knife and cutting board and got to work making a masterpiece!

 

Sweet Potato Frittata

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil or butter

1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into slices

1 red bell pepper, cut into slices

1 zucchini, cut into slices

1/4 cup chopped green onions

8-12 large eggs (seriously....see below)

Dried basil, to taste

Sea salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 large tomato, cut into slices

1/2 cup shredded swiss cheese

2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Directions

Before I begin, do you know how hard it was to remember the ingredients to write them down?   This isn't a science!  This is ART!  I need a nap now.

* A frittata must be made in a cast iron skillet because you have to cook it on the stove at first but then finish it in the oven.  It's kind of like a giant omelet, only you don't turn it and the veggies (or meat) are all mixed in with the eggs.  If you let it cook only on the stove, the bottom will burn and the middle will be raw.

I ran out of olive oil and refuse to cook with the evil vegetable oil in the cupboard.  But butter, blessed, pure, unsalted butter, is always in this house.  

1. Melt/Heat 2-3 tbsp of butter (or olive oil) in a cast iron skillet (see above!*)
2. Add the sliced sweet potatoes to the skillet and cook them on medium heat for approximately 8 minutes, turning often, until they are soft.  You should be able to easily cut them in half with a spatula.  They will also start to brown.
3. Add the red bell peppers, zucchini and green onions to the skillet and continue to stir until they are crisp-tender, approximately 4 minutes.
4. In a bowl, whisk 8 eggs vigorously.  You want lots of air in them to make them fluffy.  Add some basil, sea salt and black pepper, to taste, to the eggs and mix well.  Pour the eggs in the skillet.   Now on to why I said 8-12 eggs - if the veggies stick out of the top of the eggs, whisk more eggs (with more basil, salt & pepper) and add it to the top.  We ended up using 11 eggs.   You don't want them completely covered, but you want the veggies & eggs to be even.  
5. Lift the veggies underneath with a spatula so the egg will go under.
6. Place the sliced tomatoes on top of the egg & veggie mixture.
7. Sprinkle with swiss cheese.
8. Put a little more basil, sea salt & black pepper on top if you desire.
9. Cook on low heat for approximately 10 minutes.
10. With the oven rack in the middle, turn the oven to broil (hopefully you can do this...if not, skip to the next step) and place the skillet in the oven for 2-3 minutes until the top is brown.
11. Check to see if it is done (it won't be) - change the oven temperature to 375 F and change the rack to the top shelf.  Put the skillet back in and let it cook for approximately 5-8 minutes until the eggs are set.
12. Remove from oven, sprinkle with parsley.  Cut into wedges and enjoy!

Meatballs! Can I hear an Amen?

Let me tell you something about meatballs.  I don't make them often. But I have never had a meatball, homemade, restaurant or store bought, this good before.  

I was craving meatballs.  Glorious & delicious meatballs.  I have a recipe for them that's pretty good.  But I wanted something great that fit into my new way of eating.  So I was on the hunt for the perfect recipe.

The first step in this process was figuring out what I was going to use instead of flour, breadcrumbs or oats to hold them together.   I started searching far and wide and finally found a picture of a recipe in a Paleo Recipe Book for Herb Meatballs. It mentions using almond meal.  OF COURSE I said.  Why hadn't I thought of that before?   Of course I have quite a few walnuts, leftover from December, so why not make walnut meal?  

The second step was finding a recipe.  But wait...remember that picture?  It's from this awesome looking book I'll end up buying eventually, but for now, I took a screen cap and printed it out. 

After buying the ingredients, it was time to start.

Making walnut meal is pretty easy.  Just use a food processor and pulse the walnuts to a nice "meal" substance.  Doesn't have to be too over-done.  I made a bunch so I could have more, if needed (it was), and also to refrigerate for use later.

To make almond meal, it's a little trickier because it will turn to almond butter very easily.  Use this handy guide and you'll be set.   From what I can tell (the internet doesn't lie, does it?) they can be easily swapped but walnut meal has a stronger flavor.

Then I followed the recipe:

Fresh Herb Meatballs

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef

1 lb ground pork

1/2 onion, minced

1/2 cup fresh basil, finely minced

1/2 cup fresh parsley, finely minced

1 cup spinach, finely minced

4 eggs

1/2 cup almond meal (or walnut meal..)

1 tbsp dried oregano

4 cloves garlic, minced

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Preheat over to 350 F

2. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well with your hands to combine.  You can use a food processor to reduce the basil, parsley and spinach to a finer mixture before adding it to the ground meat.  Season the mixture to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

3. Make small balls the size of a golf ball and place them apart on a baking sheet, then place them in a preheated oven to cook for about 25 minutes, until well cooked.

The ONLY issue I had was I actually needed nearly a cup of the walnut meal to get the meat mixture to stick together with the best consistency.  But other than that they were amazingly perfect.  I also used hot Italian pork sausage to give them a kick.

I served them with marinara sauce and spinach.  I also had fresh steamed broccoli on the side. I also made some spaghetti noodles for my husband and step-daughter.  The next time I'll make homemade red wine marinara (so much better).   

See how I slipped in an extra?  Tomorrow is Vegetarian Day....

 

Decision Day + 7

Last Saturday I made the decision to do something for myself that seems drastic to most, impressive to few and difficult to all.

Some responses I've received when telling people:

"WHY????"
"NO SUGAR???"
"ARE YOU CRAZY?"
"I get that you're giving up the grains.  BUT WHY WOULD YOU GIVE UP SUGAR?"
"I hate veggies"

And some nice ones:

"That's great!  I felt better when I didn't eat sugars and starchy food.  I should do that again."
"Wow, I'm impressed."
"You're a lot stronger than me, that's fantastic."

"You didn't eat dressing on your salad?  I can't believe you could do that!!!"    (haha, ya it's called "hmmm, I love the taste of lettuce & spinach")

I've also gotten a lot of questions from people because it seems like they just can't understand or believe it.  Like it's just a foreign concept.  And I've had to defend it a lot.  But I expected that.  Because, to be honest, it was easy for me to understand the need to drop processed foods and sugars, but even last Saturday morning I was still resisting the health benefits of dropping the sacred "whole grain".

So now we are at DD+7.  Well technically 6 days since I started this.  I had to party on Saturday night of course.  And I can tell you that I feel GREAT!  I've had a few hiccups where I've not planned properly and forgotten to bring food with me.  I've also eaten a few products I didn't want to eat during the week (cornstarch, a little flour, a little processed food, bit o' sugar, etc) but I also made it clear to myself that this wasn't about cutting it out completely but a journey to that place.  

With, of course, the allowance of some slips - both accidental and very much on purpose.   I mean come on!  If I can't have a treat now and again, this will be something I won't be successful at in the long run.  Plus, I have to admit, I'm a good baker.  I must have cookies & sweet rolls in my future!  Or else.  Just in moderation, right?  Plus if I don't have cake & ice cream with my grandma on birthdays, she'll kill me.  If you think I'm joking, you don't have a grandma.

I do feel some longing and desire for the treats in this house - we have some chocolates that make me weak.  And when I'm hungry, I crave bread products.  But it's not overpowering and it's certainly easy to say no.  I think I've helped myself by still eating some starchy foods such as sweet potatoes and also fruits - pears & apples.  If I feel a craving coming on I just grab one.  Plus I am eating a little rice and legumes.  And lots of veggies.  So I'm not depriving myself of carbs.  Just not candy and sweets. 

But my stomach feels so much better!  No heartburn!!!  No upset stomach (except for the first two days while I adjusted).  And yes, I'm "regular".   And yes, I feel good mentally and physically. 

What's for lunch today?  7 sprouted grain bread (find it in the freezer section!) and Chicken Salad.  Yes, I'm eating lunch at 3:30 p.m.!  Oh, is that why my belly is growling?  Right...

A few of my favorite things

I feel the need to share a couple of my favorite recipes from last week.  So hold on to your pants, grab a fork and try not to drool too much!

By far, my absolute favorite creation of the week: Honey Teriyaki Turkey.  Served with a mix of broccoli & cauliflower on the side, this flavor explosion made me feel like I was in heaven.  I didn't miss the rice or bread at all.  The only thing I wish I would have done is spent some time on the veggies too but I was working with what I had in the kitchen and a tight budget this week. 



Honey Teriyaki Turkey

Ingredients

1 tsp. honey
1/4 C. rice vinegar
1/4 C. Organic Tamari soy sauce
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons peeled and finely grated fresh ginger (can do more to taste)
Sea salt and ground pepper, to taste
1.5 lb turkey tenderloins, cut into 1 inch medallions
Pineapple chunks (I don't remember how many I had...)

Directions

In a food processor, mix garlic and peeled ginger until minced. In Ziploc bag, mix honey, vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper (salt and pepper to taste...). Add turkey and toss to coat. Place in fridge and let sit for 30 minutes.  (Seriously, that's all I did and it was great.)

In a large skillet, empty the bag of turkey and all of the mixture as well as the pineapple and cook on medium heat, turning the turkey often until the turkey is nearly cooked through.   Remove only the turkey from the pan and place on a platter.  Cover with foil and keep warm. 

Continue cooking the pineapple in the rice & soy mixture until the pineapple is soft and the mixture is reduced about half.  Add the turkey back to the skillet and mix to coat evenly.  Cook until the turkey is done (most likely it is already finished since the turkey will have continued to cook on the platter) and serve.

BEWARE: the pineapple will be VERY FLAVORFUL.  I ate it in chunks with the turkey.


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The other favorite from the week were the Steak Fajitas.  I ate the mixture on a bed of baby spinach.  So, so good.  The husband made this.  I have a recipe from Allrecipes that I, as usual, changed to suit my personal tastes, handed him some pen scratchings and he ran with it.   I like things crispy you see...  :)

The original: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/slow-cooked-steak-fajitas/detail.aspx

And the changed!

Slow-Cooked Steak Fajitas

Ingredients

1 (1 1/2-pound) top loin steak
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 medium onion, sliced
1 medium green pepper, julienned
1 medium sweet red pepper, julienned
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro

Directions

Thinly slice steak across the grain into strips; place in a 5-qt. slow cooker. Add tomatoes, jalapeno, garlic, coriander, cumin, chili powder and salt. Cover and cook on low for 2.5 hours.

Saute the onion, green pepper and red pepper in a little olive oil until crisp-tender.  Remove from heat and sprinkle with cilantro. 

Serve together on a bed of spinach (or tortillas, who am I to judge) and add cheese, salsa, etc. Whatever you'd like.