Making A Plan And Making It Easy: Low Carb Edition

 

    It's that time again! Yes, that's right. It's my day off and I'm all about meal planning so I can stay healthy in the easiest way possible.

   This time around I am featuring low carb recipes. I'm pretty much addicted to the Cauliflower "Rice" concept and this week I'm eating the Pineapple Fried "Rice" from my last meal planning blog twice because I like it that much. I really recommend going back and looking at that recipe.

 

   As I did last time, I will start you off with a shopping list. I have to admit that my front planter is an herb garden, so I never buy herbs (or tomatoes for that matter). Herbs are very expensive in the grocery store and it is so crazy because they are incredibly easy to grow. My basil, rosemary, cilantro, mint and oregano have actually regerminated for the last 3 years so I have spent about $30 on herbs in 3 years! Just saying! :)

 



 

 

 

Shopping List:

• Dry Goods
• Cavendar's Greek Seasoning
• Adobo Seasoning
• Agave Nectar In The Raw
• Sambal Chili Paste
• Proteins
• 1 Turkey Kielbasa Sausage
• 1/2 lb Ground Turkey
• 2 Steaks (I used eye of round, but it doesn't matter)
• Produce
• 1 Avocado (Folic Acid, Good Fats, Iron B6)
• 2lb Tomatoes (Potassium, Vitamin C)
• 1 head Garlic (Used as an antibiotic in WWI)
• Cilantro
• Basil
• Oregano
• 1 Lime
• 1 head Cauliflower (Potassium)
• 1 smaller Spaghetti Squash
• 1 Red Bell Pepper
• 1 Jalapeno
• 1 Package Sliced Mushrooms
• 1 Vidalia Onion

 

 Prep Work:

• If you do not have a food processor with a grater attachment, a box grater will work just fine. I grate the whole Head of Cauliflower and use it both for the following recipe and the Fried "Rice" from my other blog.
• Dice the Onion.
• Smash the Avocado.
• Brown the Ground Turkey in a large pot.
• Thinly Slice the Steak. Sear half with Adobo Seasoning and use the other half with the Fried "Rice"
• Using a 6 inch section of the Sausage, cut it in half. Slice one piece down the middle and add it to the browning Turkey. Slice the other piece in rounds and set aside.
• Give everything else a rough chop. Nothing larger than a half inch. Keep it all separate.

 

Cilantro-Lime-Avocado Cauliflower "Rice"

 

Ingredients:

• 1/2 Grated Cauliflower
• 1 Smashed Avocado
• 1 Chopped Jalapeno
• 1/2 Cup Chopped Cilantro
• 1 Tablespoon Lime Juice
• 1/4 chopped Onion
• 1/4 of the Red Bell Pepper
• Cooked Adobo Steak
• 1 Tablespoon Sambal
• Adobo Seasoning TT

Instructions:

1. In a large saute pan (or pot), saute the onion, jalapeno and bell pepper until the onion is translucent.
2. Add Sambal and Cauliflower.
3. Once soft (al dente really), remove from heat, transfer to a prep bowl and mix in everything else but the steak. Add the adobo gradually and taste as you go.
4. When you have reached the desired flavor, transfer to 2 storage containers and divide the steak into both.

 

Spaghetti Squash Arrabbiata

 

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb Ground Turkey (Browned)
• 6 inches Turkey Kielbasa
• 1 Small Spaghetti Squash
• 3 Cups Tomatoes
• 1 Cup Red Bell Pepper
• 2 Tablespoons Garlic
• 1/2 Onion
• 1/2 Cup Chopped Basil
• 2 Tablespoons Sambal
• 1 Tablespoon Agave Nectar
• 2 Cups Water
• 2 Tablespoons Cavendar's + any extra TT at the end

Instructions:

 

1. Add everything but the squash and sausage rounds to the pot of browned turkey and sliced sausage.
2. Bring to a boil and then back down to a simmer.
3. Cover and let simmer for 20 minutes.
4. While the sauce is cooking, use a spoon to dig the seeds out of the squash, sprinkle Cavendar's over the it, wrap with saran wrap and microwave until soft (aprox. 10 minutes. You are more than welcome to bake it if you do not like microwaves, but it is faster).
5. After the 20 minutes has past, pour the sauce into a food processor or blender and blend. I like a more chunky sauce so I don't over do it but it depends on what you like.
6. Return the sauce to the stove over medium heat for 10 minutes.
7. Sear the Sausage rounds and set to the side.
8. Remove the sauce from the heat.
9. With a fork, shred the meat of the squash and divide it into 2 containers. Top with sauce and sausage rounds and you're finished!

 

  There you are people! 2 more delicious and healthy recipes that you can take to work! I hope you love them and the other recipes throughout this blog. Please like and share and always feel free to comment with request, suggestions or thoughts!

 

Culinary Terrors: Actual Nightmares From The Kitchen

  Kitchen Nightmares: The phrase is synonymous in today's society with an image of Chef Gordon Ramsey standing over some sad restaurant owner and staff that has let it all go to hell while he brow beats them for using frozen ravioli or powdered potatoes trying to pass them off as fresh. The horror! This blog however is about literal nightmares that haunt actual chefs.

  The stress, sleep deprivation and sometimes heat exhaustion that we professionals experience on a day to day creep into our minds and attach themselves. At Big Orange, we hear printers all day sending the guest's orders back. It becomes a challenge to see if we can "sell" all the tickets before another prints. When it happens we call it "shots". That sound of the printer scribbling though begins to have a real Pavlovian effect. I hear the printer and just a small rush of anxiety comes over me. I was in my typical morning haze a few weeks ago when I swear on my life instead of hearing my microwave beep, I heard the printer! My eyes shot open in surprise and I then decided I needed to ask other chefs. I immediately needed to know that I wasn't going nuts and I wasn't the only one who had these very real experiences.

 

Matt Clark: (Owner) Waffle Wagon- Little Rock, Arkansas

   "God I dream about work all the time! Just the other night I was at a job, except not in the Wagon. It was outside the trailer, irons on one side of the room and fryers on the other. Kind of a flea market set up. It was busy as hell and I was running back and forth. I get through it and start loading out. I go to the trailer and there are like 10 people in it and it's a mess. I was Mortified!"

 

  When I was a baker, I typically worked by myself from 8pm to 6am in a locked store. I had a key and between oven runs, I would unlock the store and go outside to smoke. My Miche loafs took close to 30 minutes in the oven and occasionally I would go out during that run. I remember having this reoccurring nightmare that I had stepped out during the Miche and just as the door closed, I realized I had forgotten my keys and my phone. I would panic and stare in the window as I watched the bread burn and the building alarm begin to sound. The oven would catch fire and like 10 police cars and a fire truck would come and I'd be standing in front of this burning building like an arsonist.

 

Jeff Owen: (Chef) Ciao Baci- Little Rock, Arkansas

   "I have stress dreams really. Tickets with cryptic symbols and no one's around to decode them. Never ending printer singing or kitchens that look the same but everything's out of place... I have nights where I wake up and feel like I left something in the oven but know I've pulled it out, only thinking I hadn't cause I was dreaming about it. Also stirring and turning when dreaming about risotto to wake up in a ball of sheets or rolled up like a crepe."

 

  When I was a kid, my family would go to the beach and my sister and I would splash in the waves all day. By the time we were headed home, every time I closed my eyes I saw waves and almost felt the currant. As a chef, I spend several hours cutting fruits and vegetables. I experience the same feeling I did as a kid. I cut so many strawberries that when I close my eyes, all I can see is bold red and seeds. I swear I can almost feel them in my hands.

Zara Abbasi: (Pastry Chef) Natchez- Little Rock, Arkansas
   "One day early on at Natchez, I was done with all my desserting and asked if anyone else needed help. I was handed a crate of peppers to chop up. Coming from a Pakistani background, I have chopped a million peppers in my day without any adverse effects, so the thought of putting on gloves never crossed my mind. Except, this day was different you see, because hidden in that crate of jalapenos and habeneros were devilish ghost peppers. Yup. You can only surmise what happened next as I chopped 200+ peppers gloveless. Nothing happened at first. I finished chopping and prepping and cleaned up. On the drive home, my hands started tingling a bit. It was summer and the air was on in my car but I cranked it up and held each hand, one at a time, up to the vent while trying to drive. By the time I got home, the tingling was certainly present enough to warrant putting my hands in the freezer for second but still not bad enough to complain about it. Within an hour I could tell it was getting worse. Now the tingling was a definite burning and I was running them under cool water. As the time passed, the burning became excruciating. At one point it felt as if someone had thrown hydrochloric acid on my hands and the flesh was melting off the bones. I had Googled everything to cure such pain and found 19 remedies including baking soda, sour cream, mayo, yogurt oil, pickle juice etc. My hands were a virtual salad bar of refrigerated items. I cried. I literally cried and I didn't cry through 2 child births. 16 hours later, yes 16, the pain finally subsided enough for me to get a few hours of sleep and wake up to get back to work. Worst kitchen nightmare of my life!! No matter how many times you have cut peppers, please put on gloves! I know I do!"

 Its amazing how stress can cause our imaginations to run wild. 15 hour days in the kitchen and it sometimes feels like you are hallucinating, but the fact is that sometimes the worst nightmares are actual events. I have witnessed people walking out in the middle of dinner service, embarrassing egos and many other colorful happenings. Definitely nightmares in their own right.

John Currence: (Chef/Owner) City Grocery, Boure, Big Bad Breakfast- Oxford, Mississippi
(Author) Pickles, Pigs and Whiskey
   "1. A pantry cook sending out a crème Anglaise because he had run out of dressing and was afraid to tell me...no wait, that really happened. 2. A pastry cook making 100 Ginger Crème Brulees at the Beard House with salt instead of sugar because he was a total fucking dumbass...no wait, that really happened. 3. A sous chef serving David Chang his OWN kimchi after an event Dave had cooked at because the sous was an asshole hack... no wait, that actually happened. 4. Editor in Chief of one of the biggest food magazines in the country showing up on opening night and the server spilling red wine all over her... no wait, that actually happened. 5. Bathrooms backing up into the dining room on graduation Friday TWO YEARS IN A ROW... no wait, that actually happened. 6. Disgruntled ex-employee setting fire to the loading dock/chem locker, because he was a total pillhead psycho (which is why he lost his job)...no wait, THAT REALLY HAPPENED. So, I guess I don't really have nightmares anymore because I understand now that there is truly very little you can control absolutely. It's all built on trust and there's only so much of that around these days."

   And there you have it. In just a small statement, a culinary giant like Chef Currence shows his experience. On our proverbial climb to the top of our goals, it's all stress. 'Does this taste right? Am a charging the best price? Do my sources reflect my views? Do I have enough strawberries for dinner???' It seems that one day we will all realize that sometimes it just hits the fan and all you can do is roll with the punches. Oh and take an Ambien. Ha!

Making A Plan and Making It Easy: 4 Premade Meals That Will Make Your Week

 I get so completely annoyed with meal plans. I have to begin making that statement because these things are always made for people who work Monday through Friday, from 8 to 5. They don't sit in front of food all day and they get a set time to stop, sit down and eat. Oh and never mind that they probably have a microwave and a break room to sit and eat in. Is this reality for everyone? Are planning healthy meals only for them? I'm here to say NO and NO.
  I work 40 hours a week minimum in a high volume kitchen and my husband works on a flight line in the Air Force. My schedule is all over the place and his is at odd hours. The only thing certain for me is 2 days off a week. I spend one cleaning and grocery shopping and another meal prepping so we can stay on track.
  Along with 2 meal replacement shakes (we us Visalus) and a healthy snack, these meals are total life savers and I've even found that I can eat them cold if I can't heat them up (Don't judge. The struggle is real). We don't put any restrictions on the time of day we eat or what day of the week belongs to what meal. The idea is to make things as easy as possible. If we can do this with our nutty schedules, then surely anyone can.

Let me start with a shopping list. This may be the most important step. In the restaurant industry, we are taught something called cross utilization. This means to use one ingredient in as many recipes as possible. This way nothing gets wasted and money gets saved. It works great at home. The following is a list for the 4 recipes I am providing. Each recipe is meant for 2 people so you may need to make adjustments based on quantity.

Dry Goods/ Condiments:
12 oz Brown Rice Pasta
Cavendar's Greek Seasoning
Salt
Olive Oil
Fish Sauce
Light Soy Sauce
Sambal Chili Sauce
Picante Salsa
1 16oz Can Garbanzo Beans (Chickpeas)
PB2 (Low Fat Peanut Butter Powder)

Meat/ Dairy Products:
Almond Milk (Works great for protein shakes too)
Plain Greek Yogurt (Also works great in shakes)
Small Package of low fat Shredded Cheese
Eggs (Cage Free and Organic)
1 lb Ground Turkey
1 lb Thin Sliced Chicken Breast (You can also cut it thin yourself and save $)
Buffalo Mozzarella (I prefer Ovalini, but it doesn't matter.

Produce:
1 Large Tomato (Heirloom are best.) -Vitamins A and C, Potassium and Folic Acid
1 Red Bell Pepper- Vitamins A and C
1 Large Portabella Mushroom- Potassium
3 Cups Baby Spinach- Folic Acid and Iron
1 Head Garlic
1 Bunch Green Onions
1 Head Cauliflower- Potassium
1 Pineapple (I prefer fresh, but a small can of chunks in water is fine.)
1 Jalapeno Pepper
*Ground Basil, Ginger and Cilantro (of course these can all be fresh then chopped, but these tubes in the produce section are very helpful)

Now that all your goodies are together, you are almost ready to start this cooking party. As far as equipment goes, you all should know that I hate doing dishes so I used 1 stock pot, a cutting board, a rubber spatula, my food processor with the grater attachment, a whisk and a chef knife and cleaned as I went. In preparation, you can grate the whole head of cauliflower (a box grater works if you don't have a food processor), Boil out all your noodles, dice your Bell pepper and slice your mushroom and Green Onions.

HERE WE GO!

Portabella Melting Pot
This recipe was actually thrown together at an Armenian BBQ one night in Hollywood. The host had a huge pile of veggies hanging out on his counter and insisted I do something with them haha! So basically over some great Russian Vodka, this got thrown together. It has evolved a little and I added the pasta and ground turkey to make it a full meal. Basically this one is dear to me.

Ingredients:
6 oz Brown Rice Pasta (cooked)
1 Cup Tomato (large dice)
1/4 Red Bell Pepper (diced)
1 Large Portabella Mushroom (thinly sliced)
2 Cups Spinach
2 Garlic Cloves (thinly sliced)
1/4 Cup Green Onions
2 Tablespoons Chopped Basil
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
8 oz Ground Turkey (Browned)
1/2 Cup Mozzarella (sliced)

Instructions:

• Boil Pasta.
• In a large pot over high heat, saute bell peppers, mushrooms, and garlic cloves until soft.
• Once soft, add the remaining veggies, reduce heat to medium, cover and let steam until spinach wilts. I typically use pan spray instead of oil and add a very small amount of water if things start sticking.
• Set veggies to the side and brown the turkey.
• Divide everything in two containers starting with pasta, veggies, turkey and then mozzarella on top. Pour olive oil over and sprinkle with Cavendar's and you are done!

Cauliflower "Fried Rice"

 This was the recipe that changed my thinking about Cauliflower. The texture is wonderful and it's a total favorite in my house. It's also super healthy and easy to make.

 

Ingredients:

 

1/2 Head Cauliflower (Grated)

1 tsp Fish Sauce

1 tsp Sambal Chili Sauce

1.5 Tablespoons Light Soy Sauce

1/4 Cup Green Onions (sliced)

1/4 Red Bell Pepper (diced)

2 Eggs

1/2 Cup Pineapple (diced)

8 oz Grilled Chicken Breast

1 Tablespoon Chopped Cilantro

1 tsp Chopped Ginger

1 Tablespoon Chopped Basil

1 Tablespoon Chopped Garlic

 

Instructions:

 

• Grill 8 oz Chicken Breast, slice and set to the side.
• In a large pot over high heat, scramble the eggs, remove from pot and add everything but the chicken and eggs.
• Reduce heat to medium, cover and stir occasionally until everything is soft.
• Once soft, remove from heat and fold the eggs and chicken in.
• Divide into 2 containers and your set.

Mexican Style Cauliflower "Rice and Beans"

 

Ingredients:

 

1/2 Head Cauliflower (Grated)

1/2 tsp Salt

1/2 Cup Picante Salsa

1/4 Cup Scallions (sliced)

1/4 Red Bell Pepper (Diced)

1 Tablespoon Chopped Cilantro

1 16 oz Can Garbanzo Beans (Chickpeas)

1/4 Cup Greek Yogurt

1 Tablespoon Minced Jalapeno

1/4 Cup Shredded Cheese

8 oz Ground Turkey

 

Instructions:

 

• Brown the ground turkey with salt and set to the side.
• In a large pot over high heat, mix together cauliflower, 1/4 cup salsa, scallions, bell peppers and cilantro.
• Reduce heat to medium and cover until soft.
• Once soft, remove from heat, divide into 2 containers and begin with the beans.
• Puree drained garbanzo beans with greek yogurt, Jalapeno and remaining salsa.
• Put beans in the pot over high heat, mix in cheese and stir constantly until cheese is melted.
• Divide beans and add them and turkey to the rice.

Thai Style Noodles

I absolutely love Pad Thai but it is not exactly healthy. I recently put this together using similar elements of this classic dish that are significantly lower in fat. It's not as thick but its a great substitute.

 

Ingredients:

 

6 oz Brown Rice Pasta (cooked)

1 Tablespoon PB2 Peanut Butter Substitute

1 Cup Almond Milk (or light coconut milk or soy milk)

1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce

1/4 Cup Chopped Cilantro

2 Tablespoons Chopped Basil

1 Tablespoon Chopped Ginger

2 Cups Spinach

1/4 Red Bell Pepper (diced)

1/4 Cup Green Onions (sliced)

8 oz Chicken Breast

1 tsp Sambal Chili Sauce

1 tsp Chopped Garlic

 

Instructions:

 

• Boil pasta and grill chicken then set aside.
• In a small pot over high heat, whisk together milk, PB2, cilantro, Sambal, garlic, ginger, basil and soy.
• Let the mixture reduce until it can coat the back of a spoon, then set aside.
• Saute bell peppers, spinach and onions until soft.
• Mix everything together and divide in half.

  Everything is meant for grab and go and it can be heated on anything from a flat top grill to a microwave. I hope everyone enjoys! Feel free to comment with any questions you have!

 

So Where Are You Drinking Tonight?

  Being a Southern California native, my first outings in Little Rock were basically down by The River Market which was fine because I was probably not so concerned with the taste of my drinks as I was the party. Now, a few years older and wiser, I'm finding myself more interested in the process of my drinks. The flavor, how it's made, what you should mix with it or eat with it.
  I owe credit to Ian Beard of Stone's Throw Brewery for making me think about beer. I first met Ian working on The Southern Gourmasian food truck at The Little Rock Film Festival last year. He had come to discuss his upcoming brewery with Chef Justin Patterson and we got to talking about beer. I may have been avoiding craft beer because I thought it was sour but he really got me thinking I needed to give it another chance. One of the great benefits I had working with Chef Justin was the monthly beer dinner he does with Stone's Throw. Each month these two forces combine and pair 5 beers with 5 dishes. Yes it is just as amazing as you think. I started paying attention to all the hidden flavors. The dark, coffee-like flavor of a Black IPA, light crisp flavors that wake your senses in a Heff, differences in carbonation to maintain it's integrity. It is like I had rediscovered beer all together. It was no longer a vessel for beer pong but it had purpose. It could be paired with a carefully thought out dish and made to be something complete.
  I started really paying attention to mixology at John Currence's Snack Bar in Oxford, Ms. this last year. I'm going to say that if you are at The Kentucky Derby, You get a mint julep [proper], if you are in Louisiana, you get a Hurricane and if you are in Oxford, Ms., you get a City Grocery Bloody Mary. Little Rock is so diverse that it gets a little of everything.

 

  Working at Big Orange, I am privileged to be around the great drink creations of Lee Edwards and our band of wonderful bartenders. Big Orange is known for making a great Old Fashioned but did you know about the Blood and Sand with Mezcal? It's smoky and citrusy and surprisingly clean and it rocked my world. Another recent favorite has been The Fold at the base of Cantrell Hill. This place has a lot of fun spins on the Margarita but they nail whiskey with The Apple Fold Fix. It's similar to a whiskey sour to me, but more refreshing. It's a perfect summer drink and it goes great with the shrimp tacos. Speaking of margaritas and tacos, Local Lime makes the best skinny margarita. It seems that everyone wants to dump a pound of splenda into every skinny drink and this ones sweetness is subtle. It really plays on it's fresh flavors. I always get it with the chorizo tacos which makes me feel like I just super sized my meal at McDonald's and then asked for a diet coke ha! I absolutely love sitting on the patio on industry night (Mondays) at Ciao Baci and sharing a bucket of fizz. Full disclosure: I typically like anything that involves champagne. I can honestly say I have never had a bad drink at Ciao Baci. Or dessert for that matter!
  Of course, what would Little Rock be without Pizza and beer at Vino's, or Gut Busters and beer at Midtown (surely at 4 in the morning), or just beer at a Trav's game? This place is full of small spots that we like to have a few. I feel like you haven't experienced this town without grabbing a jack and coke at The Town Pump. These are those hang on the patio till the wee hours of morning type places.
Where I find myself with other chefs talking about new dishes and ideas; who's opening a new restaurant and who's working where now a days.
 Really grabbing a drink has been a long time excuse for social occasion and all these places set the mood for one occasion or another. What more could I say than here are a few suggestions Little Rock. Drink Responsibly!