Meatless “ChickN” Fricassee

The traditional Cajun version of this recipe is one of my brother-in-law’s specialties. A Louisiana native, he makes the whole thing from scratch, starting with a roux. The whole house fills with the wonderful fragrance of peppers and onions. That set me on a mission to develop a meatless, and less time-intensive, version. Although it wouldn’t past muster with any meat-loving Cajun, the meatless version has become a family favorite, good any time of the year but especially now when the cold air sends us hunting for something to warm our bellies!

This recipe is a great way to add vegetables to your diet. I started with celery, bell pepper and three colorful heirloom carrots from my garden. For this version I used an 8 ounce cake of Tempeh, although I have used tvp in the past. (Don’t forget to steam the tempeh for 15 minutes before using).  Here is the recipe:

• 1 Tbsp                                     Olive oil
• 1 stalk                                      Celery
• ½ large                                   Red bell pepper
• 2 large                                     Carrots
• 4 servings                              Vegetarian chicken substitute
• 2 cups                                      Vegetarian chicken flavored broth
• 1 ½ tsp                                     Cajun seasoning
• ¼ tsp                                        Paprika
• 1/8 tsp                                      Cayenne pepper
• 1 Tbsp                                       Corn starch
• ½ cup                                       Cold water

1. Dice celery, bell pepper and carrots.
2. Heat oil over in a large saucepan over medium heat. Sauté chopped vegetables in oil for 3-4 minutes or until soft.
3. Add chicken substitute, broth and seasonings to saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10-15 minutes.
4. Stir corn starch into water in a small dish. Add mixture to saucepan. Stir until thickened.

Serve over brown rice! Quick and easy, this recipe makes 4 hearty servings. It is so tasty that my non-vegetarian son often requests it for his birthday dinner. This is another recipe that will be found in our new cookbook, Homestyle Meals Made Meatless.

Notes: Tempeh is a fermented soy and grain based product and a good meatless source of protein and iron. It has a nutty, chewy flavor. For this recipe I cut the tempeh cake into squares and steamed it for 15 minutes. Then I crumbled the squares and added to the vegetable mixture. Tempeh also marinates well and is good cooked on the grill.

If you like your meals spicy, add more cayenne pepper and Cajun seasoning to taste while cooking, or offer hot sauce when serving.

Even though  I often use tvp for this recipe, I used tempeh this time as I am trying to eat more fermented foods. Remember, fermented foods are one of the old-fashioned immunity boosts used to temper flu and other illnesses. Since hot pepper is another traditional immunity booster, this dish isn’t just healthy, it may help protect you against H1N1 too!

Red Wine BBQ “Chicken” Simmer Sauce

I love to prepare food from scratch, but sometimes don’t have the time or the inclination. I also want my food to taste good, and unfortunately most packaged mixes lack any sort of flavor – unless you call preservatives and other chemicals “flavor”. So when I use a mix, I stick to the all-natural kind. And when I develop a mix, I keep the same principles in mind. The mix has to taste good, be free of artificial flavorings and preservatives, and be easy to use. Last night I had a hankering for red wine barbeque.

Start with one Wine Barrel Gourmet Red Wine Barbeque Ragout Simmer Sauce mix.

Combine the mix with 1 cup of water and 1/4 cup of red wine (I used a yummy Kiona Lemberger). The package directions are to simmer the sauce until slightly thickened and then serve over chicken, beef or vegetables. However, I added Quorn brand meatless turk’y burgers to the skillet and let them soak up the flavor while the sauce cooked down.  I served it with baked sweet potatoes,  green beans, and a glass of the same Kiona Lemberger.

Spoon extra sauce over the burger for additional flavor.  Any meat or meat substitute could be cooked this same way. The simmer sauce mix makes a spicy/sweet French style barbeque sauce, or you could use one of the recipes included in the package (Baked Vegetable Ragout, BBQ Lentils, Red Wine Pork Tenderloins).

An elegant, delicious meal with very little work. The potato took about an hour to bake, the burger cooked for about 15 minutes.  Lots of flavor, healthy, and simple – it doesn’t get any better!

Celiac Awareness Month – Eating Gluten-Free

The August dog days of summer lead to a back-to-school September transition, but October seems to be the month when the whole country gets serious again. Not only is it National Cookbook Month and Vegetarian Awareness Month, it is also Celiac Awareness Month! Celiac disease is a serious issue where your body reacts to the protein, gluten. Think of it as a potentially life-threatening allergy. People who have true Celiac disease (and fortunately it is still a small percentage of the population) violently react to gluten resulting in a host of digestive symptoms along with weight loss, anemia, bone loss and more.

But those who suffer from Celiac disease aren’t the only ones who should avoid gluten. More and more people are diagnosed with gluten-intolerance every day, and have to avoid all gluten containing products like those made from wheat, rye, and barley. It sounds simple, but isn’t always. If you have been diagnosed as gluten intolerant or having Celiac disease you also have to look out for the following “hidden” ingredients in your food:

• brewer’s yeast
• yeast extracts
• malt flavoring
• malt vinegar
• hydrolyzed vegetable protein
• many vegetable gums and food starches (including modified food starch)

Also avoid these food products:

• beer and ale
• gin, rye, whiskey and some vodkas
• root beer
• wheat, bulgur, couscous, durum flour, farina, kamut, wheat germ, semolina
• purchased gravies (wheat used as thickener)
• imitation crabmeat
• processed meats like hot dogs, bologna, canned meats, sausage
• soy sauces
• many purchased BBQ sauces
• catsup/ketchup
• many cocoa mixes
• French fries
• ice cream
• sour cream
• taco seasoning

Why are gluten intolerance and Celiac disease increasing? Some is due to better diagnosis. But I believe that it is also because gluten is lurking in so many products where we least expect it. Take French fries for example. If you make fries at home from scratch what do you use? Potatoes and oil, neither of which includes gluten. But pre-packaged fries (used by all fast food and most other restaurants) almost always have a vegetable starch coating which keeps them from getting soggy when cooked. As a result, our bodies are constantly being bombarded with additives and other ingredients we don’t even know we are eating!

How do you know what is ok to eat? You must become a persistent label-reader. In addition to avoiding all of the above ingredients, be sure to avoid anything made from the big three; wheat, barley and rye. Oats are usually ok, but may be contaminated since they are often processed in facilities that process wheat. It is also a good idea to avoid most processed foods. Processed foods almost always have hidden wheat, soy, dairy, fish, and other allergen ingredients. Stick to as many all-natural products as possible – at least then you know what you are eating! We have put together a booklet, small enough to fit in your purse, to help at the grocery store. I originally designed this booklet for one of my consulting clients. Word of mouth led to people calling me up and asking for a copy.

Ingredient Guide

The guide price is $2.50 but you can get a copy for FREE. Just go to our website, sign up for our free online healthy tips newsletter,  leave your name, mailing address, and Avoid This in the comments section. We will send you an Avoid This guide in the mail.

Wine Barrel Gourmet also offers these  other gluten-free products:

• Red Wine Lentil Soup, Red Wine Split Pea Soup, Red Wine Vegetable Bean Soup
• Savory Red Wine Sauce mixes; Country Cacciatore, Mama’s Mediterranean, Sweet Orange Valenciana, Barbeque Ragout
• Red Wine Salad Dressing mixes: Sunny Greek Vinaigrette, Italian Rosemary Vinaigrette, and Creamy Parisian Herb

National Cookbook Month – Cheesy Ham and Pasta

The weather here has turned cold and wet, and that means it’s comfort food time! Since comfort food and cookbooks go together, the other night I made this family favorite, Cheesy Ham and Pasta and served it with the last of the summer tomatoes.

Meatless Cheesy Ham and Pasta with heirloom tomatoes

This is another simple recipe for all you “efficient” cooks out there, and prepared using only one pot! To make 4 servings cook 3/4 lb. of pasta according to package directions.  A medium shaped pasta like bow-ties, wagon wheels, shells, etc. all work well here. Add 3/4 cup of frozen peas to the pot during the last 4-5 minutes.

While the pasta is cooking, dice 3/4 cup ham (I used a meatless ham substitute) and slice 3 Tbsp of roasted red pepper (found in the pickle aisle at the grocery store).

Drain the pasta/peas and return to the pot. Add the diced ham and sliced red pepper along with 3/4 cup half and half, 3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese,  1 Tbsp butter (optional), and hot sauce to taste. Toss gently, over low heat,  until the cheese is melted and the pasta is coated with sauce (3-5 minutes).

Tips: There are plenty of ways to make this lower in fat; use evaporated milk instead of half and half, use low-fat ricotta cheese instead of Parmesan and then top with a sprinkle of Parmesan, omit the butter (the sauce won’t hold together as well), use a drizzle of olive oil instead of butter,  and/or use lean ham. You could also add even more vegetables to the mix, like chopped carrots, broccoli, or sun-dried tomatoes for increased vegetable servings. Experiment – remember a good cookbook serves as a jumping off point for creativity!

This recipe came from our budget-friendly cookbook, I Want My Dinner Now! – Simple Meals for Busy Cooks. To celebrate National Cookbook Month we are having a 50% off sale on all orders – visit our web site today!

End of the Garden Pasta Sauce

Winter came early to the mid-Columbia this year. Usually I am gathering the green tomatoes from my garden about this time, turning them into salsa or enchilada sauce. But this year the frost got to them before I did. Luckily I had picked all the red and almost-red tomatoes the day before. Most of them went into canned puree, but the rest became a big pot of yummy, end of the season pasta sauce.

Pasta sauce is a great way to use up vegetable odds and ends and this batch was no different.

First I sauteed a leek from the garden, one poor little leftover garlic clove, and half a bell pepper in a little bit of olive oil. Then I added the ground-up, pureed tomatoes.

To that I added a good pinch of dried basil (from the garden), dried marjoram, dried red pepper flakes, and a splash of balsamic vinegar. Sometimes I add brown sugar to my sauce, but for this batch I used some of the sweet cherry tomatoes that I dried earlier in the season. The funny looking red stuff is dried bean granules. Dried bean granules are a great way to boost protein and fiber in any dish, without affecting the flavor.  Plus, I like the texture they add to the sauce. I mixed that all up and let it simmer for about an hour. Some people prefer their sauce cooked all day, but if you really like that fresh-tomato taste (even when using canned tomatoes) don’t cook it for more than an hour or two.

Toss the sauce with cooked pasta and let it sit for 5-10 minutes. The pasta soaks up the sauce so you get twice the flavor! Add a little more sauce to each serving and top with grated Asiago cheese.

That’s all! No added salt, no added corn syrup. It was absolutely scrumptious, as only a fresh sauce can be. And a great way to use up those garden ends. Happy eating!

The Family Meal – Better Than a Longer School Day

“Today I’m participating in a mass blogging! WOW! Women on Writing has gathered a group of blogging buddies to write about family relationships. Why family relationships? We’re celebrating the release of Therese Walsh’s debut novel today. The Last Will of Moira Leahy (Random House, October 13, 2009) is about a mysterious journey that helps a woman learn more about herself and her twin, whom she lost they were teenagers. Visit the Muffin www.wow-womenonwriting.com/blog.html to read what Therese has to say about family relationships and view the list of all my blogging buddies. And make sure you visit www.theresewalsh.com to find out more about the author.”

The President wants our children to spend extra hours in school each week. I have to disagree with him on this point. While America’s school children may be falling behind the world, for many another hour or two in school isn’t going to fix the problem. Yes, there are more facts to learn today than 50 years ago, but as any adult who has forgotten their algebra can tell you, facts are not the most important thing learned in school. Where to find the information you need, how to learn, how to interpret and how to get along in the world are the most important lessons of all. An easier and less expensive way to learn those lessons than keeping our children locked up in a building with few windows? Bring back the family meal.

For years now studies have shown that children who eat with their family have better social relationships and better grades than their non-family meal peers. Think of all that you learn at a family meal; being open to unfamiliar ideas (“try just one bite”), how to share (splitting the last brownie with your sister) how to sit still (“you are not excused yet”), proper deportment (“keep your feet under your chair”), learning about new ideas (“so Dad, what did you do today”), learning about consequences (“so Billy, what did you do today”), learning self-restraint (“don’t eat so fast!”), how to budget (tuna casserole again), how to carve out your own place in a group (living with other members of your family), and how to get along with your spouse (see, you learned how to relate to others by living all those years with your little brother!).

The list goes on, but over the years many people have given up the family meal due to lack of time and cooking know-how. Don’t believe those TV cooking shows, you don’t have to be a gourmet cook to fix a meal for the whole family. Some of our family favorites were Greta’s Favorite Casserole, a quick concoction of ground beef, pasta, tomato sauce and cheddar cheese soup, homemade one-pot Tomato Beef Stew and grilled Vegetable Quesadillas, full of canned black beans, corn, cheese and tomato and grilled indoors on the electric grill.  None of these meals took very long to prepare or cost very much either. But they all led to the whole family sitting around the dinner table, sharing our day, learning new skills, and enjoying each others’ company. I’m sorry Mr. President. As a former teacher, a mother and grandmother, I can tell you that warehousing our children isn’t the answer. But sharing a family meal? It’s better than a longer school day!

All the recipes mentioned, plus many many more, can be found in my budget-friendly cookbook, I Want My Dinner Now! – Simple Meals for Busy Cooks. Every recipe is written for both 2 servings and 6 servings and includes “serve with” suggestions to round out the meal.

Vegetarian Awareness Month – Meatless Steak Pizzaiola

October is Vegetarian Awareness Month, the perfect time to explore vegetarian meals that even the most die-hard meat eater will love. The trick is to increase the seasonings, and thus the flavor, in traditional favorites that are prepared using meat substitutes. Today we offer a spicy, tangy, meatless version of Steak Pizzaiola.  This recipe can also be found in our new cookbook, Homestyle Favorites Made Meatless, available soon!

Saute one chopped bell pepper and 1 clove of garlic in 1 Tbsp of olive oil until soft. Add 1 cup sliced mushrooms, 2 tsp dried basil, 1 (14 oz) can of diced tomatoes in juice, 1 Tbsp capers, 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, 1 cup red wine and 4 meatless steaks (I used Worthington brand Stakelets here) to the skillet.

Bring almost to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the liquid has cooked down to a sauce-like consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste. Just before serving, sprinkle each steak with 1 Tbsp shredded Parmesan cheese.

I served it here with oven roasted potatoes and steamed broccoli. Quick, easy, and sinfully yummy! You could also use any frozen meatless burger or tempeh in place of the Stakelets.  Enjoy.

It’s National Cookbook Month!

If you like to eat good food (and really, who doesn’t?) you can never have too many cookbooks.  I personally own so many cookbooks that they have overtaken the kitchen and are spilling into the living room, family room, etc. In fact, I had to start writing cookbooks to support my little cookbook “habit” – purchasing a new cookbook is now “research”! While it’s easy to be seduced by a flashy cookbook cover, how do you know if the cookbook is actually useful? I wrote the following article a few years ago to answer that very question, and it is the most popular article I have ever written. So celebrate National Cookbook Month with a new cookbook! (You can find my cookbooks on our web site or check them out on Amazon).

Choosing a User-Friendly Cookbook: 7 Tips

October is National Cookbook Month, making now the perfect time to add to your collection. But with more than 24,000 new cookbooks published each year, how do you choose one that doesn’t just sit on the shelf gathering dust?

1. The cookbook works for you. New or busy cooks will be happy with a variety of family-friendly dishes presented in an easy-to-follow format. Look for key works in the title like basic, simple, busy, or quick. Experienced cooks might be looking for more creative recipes, maybe a specialty book on pasta, or Chinese cooking, or vegetarian dishes. Ready to whip up a gourmet meal? Choose a glossy chef-authored book.
2. Recipes arrangement is logical. Are the recipes in defined sections and arranged according to the main ingredient, (chicken, pasta) or cooking method (grilled, baked, one-pot) or type of dishes (entrees, salads, soups)? A book of 800 consecutive recipes may seem like a great deal, but excitement can quickly turn to frustration when the recipe that piqued your interest the other day is hidden somewhere in the middle of a never ending tome.
3. Easy-to-follow directions. Most of us prefer easy-to-follow numbered directions written in chronological order. Avoid cookbooks whose directions are in a narrative format or that are continued on a non-facing page. Any interruption makes it too easy to miss an important preparation or cooking step.
4. Bonus information. Good cookbooks show the preparation time and number of servings for each recipe. Really good cookbooks also give you bonus information; cooking tips, suggestions of what to serve with each dish, definitions of unusual ingredients, recipe history, and/or nutrition information.
5. The book lays flat. Is there is anything more annoying than trying to follow a recipe when the book keeps slapping shut? A user-friendly cookbook has a plastic comb, wire coil, or lay-flat binding. How can you tell if the binding is lay-flat? Hold the book open with both hands and look at the spine. If the cover is attached to the end pages, but not attached to the spine, the binding is lay flat. Force the pages open by running your hand down the length of the open book. You will not damage the binding.
6. An extensive index. Cookbook indexes should list recipes both by name and main ingredients. Want to make Florentine rice? You should be able to find it under “F” for Florentine, “R” for rice and  “S” for spinach. A good index makes the cookbook one you’ll use again and again.
7. Provide inspiration. A cookbook should inspire you to go beyond the written recipe and experiment on your own. Some books do this by suggesting alternative ingredients, others by the shear creativity of the recipes. Cooking is a creative endeavor and the best cookbooks will serve as a jumping off point to your own unique dishes.

Follow these tips and soon you will have a shelf of dust free cookbooks!

World Vegetarian Day! Renee’s Black Beans

Happy World Vegetarian Day!  It’s the perfect time to try Renee’s Black Beans, an easy, delicious recipe that even meat-lovers crave. Better yet, the recipe is a good source of fiber, will help you lose weight, and is heart-healthy. You can find it, along with other great recipes, in our cholesterol lowering cookbook, The New Contented Heart Cookbook.

This recipe serves 4 but can easily be doubled or even quadrupled.

 In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, cover 1 cup of dried black beans with water. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let sit 1 hour.

 Drain the water and return beans to pan. Add 1/2 cup of chopped onion, 1/2 tsp dried marjoram, 1 Tbsp olive oil, 1/2 tsp anise seed, 1 tps chili powder and 1/2 cup chopped bell pepper. Cover with water and bring to a boil.

 

Reduce heat and simmer until beans are tender, about 4 hours. Add more water as needed.

Stir in 2 Tbsp lime juice and 1 medium tomato, chopped. Continue cooking until beans are thick and completely cooked. Serve as is, or puree and serve as a dip.

This dish fills the whole house with a mouth-watering aroma. I usually puree about half of it, add it back to the pot of beans and serve topped with queso fresco or feta cheese.

 

Use Renee’s Black Beans stuffed into burritos, with tortilla chips, or with Mexican rice and sauteed zucchini and tomatoes on the side. The perfect way to enjoy World Vegetarian Day.

The Grocery Store Diet

Today I want to tell you all about a newly recommended weight loss program, the Grocery Store Diet.

As a nutrition consultant I seldom recommend that my clients enroll in or follow any of the popular diet plans. Although short term weight loss usually does result, I find diet plans too restrictive, too expensive, and often too unhealthy for the long term. But this program is different, and one that I can highly recommend.

The whole point of a diet plan should be a long term lifestyle change, but one that is sustainable. The Grocery Store Diet achieves this goal, plus is affordable, convenient and workable for today’s busy women. (Disclosure: I am a contributor to the plan).

The plan is designed around 8 mini-meals/snacks each day, focusing on fat-burning fiber, complex carbohydrates, and protein rich foods, so you will not be hungry. These are foods that you can purchase at the local grocery store, or can be quickly and easily prepared at home, and better yet – is the kind of food you already enjoy. The plan is not restrictive, but introduces some new, healthy, good tasting foods that we might have either missed or been hesitant to try. Better yet, the meals are well balanced. Participants receive 7 full days of menus each week, a variety of quick recipes, and a weekly shopping list. A 100 calorie bonus is included each day. The web site is full of tips, product highlights and more. At only $1 per week, if you are a busy person, trying to fit weight loss into your schedule, this is the plan for you! Visit the Grocery Store Diet web site today.

I am happy to answer any questions you may have about weight loss plans in general and the Grocery Store Diet plan in particular.