What do you call a masturbating bull?

What do you call a masturbating bull?

Beef Stroganoff

14/08/12012

Its Tuesday night and me and my flat mate Danielle couldn't decide what to cook for dinner. I found a recipe for healthy shitaki mushroom stroganoff the other day, which got me thinking yum. I told Dani who was pretty keen to try make the original, and once she asked that I realised I had a packet of sauce from pre "health phase Gina". 

So we set of to New World to buy ingredients... Onions, mushrooms, beef...

This blog will have two recipes the healthy and the traditional both just as easy:

Mis en place

Danielle Cooking

Danis Traditional Ingredients:        

Button mushrooms: 5

Onion: 2

Celery: 4

Beef: Waguu schnitzel 200g

Sauce:

1 packet Maggis Beef stroganoff

Dash white wine

2 tsps sour cream

1/2 cup beef stock

Salt and Pepper

Pasta:

If desired

Me cooking

Comparing the sauces

Healthy tofu sauce beef stroganoff:

1 cup precooked wholegrain spirals

100g Waguu beef schnitzel

Vegetables:

2 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced

5 Portobello mushrooms, thinly sliced

1 clove garlic, minced

½ cup low sodium beef stock

1 tbsp unsalted tomato paste

Sauce:

1 pkt  soft tofu, puréed in blender or food processor

¼ low fat plain yoghurt

¼ of a leek

8 cherry tomatoes cut into quarters

½ cup frozen beans (defrosted)

½ cup baby spinach leaves

Seasoning:

1/2 tsp Cajun seasoning

Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste

1 tsp dried dill

White wine if you like

INSTRUCTIONS:

1.       Cook spirals according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

2.       Heat a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet or wok over high for 1 minute.

3.       Reduce heat to medium-low, mist with cooking spray and add onion. Sauté for about 8 minutes or until caramelized. Add Portobello mushrooms and garlic. Sauté until cooked, about 5 more minutes.

4.       Add beef cook until coloured. Add tomatoes, beans, and leek cook 5 minutes.

5.       Blend tofu, yoghurt and tomato paste until smooth. Stir in seasoning, salt and pepper. Add to wok with stock. Bring to boil and then reduce heat.

6.       Put in cooked spirals, and baby spinach cook for another 5minutes or until tender. Serve topped with dill.

To substitute Danis Traditional ingredients in:

Swap mushrooms at step 2.

Leave out extra vegetables, or swap with celery

Blend packet sauce, stock, wine instead at step 5.

Leave out spinach at step 6.

Both taste amazing, Healthy is a lighter colour then traditional.  

Enjoy with a nice wine.

I thought I would also chuck in a few photos of yesterdays Satay Apricot Chicken which I had for lunch (Just to prove I don't just cook for this blog):

bon appétit

avant-garde

10/08/2012
Its nearly the end of another week, I've had some bad news so I have chosen to spend my night off chilling at home. I had absolutely nothing planned for dinner. Instead of being organised I tend to spend all day thinking about what to cook for dinner? In my case today I was actually dreaming about it while having a nap hahah. So after my foodie dream I popped down to the Asian supermarket got some random things and also bought some chicken breast! lets see if what I can make is better then what I had dreamt hahah.

So far the ideas are :
Dinner I am thinking I will make Chicken/Tofu or Chicken/Chickpea meatballs with a chunky tomato or  chilli/coriander sauce, low calorie noodles and I will chuck in some veges. Desserts a different story I am going to make a mixed nut banana bread loaf using protein powder which I would eat with low fat yoghurt.  That way its healthy and I am using food I already had. I have just finished cooking and eating dinner! I don't usually think alot of my own food but i found this so so yum:

Healthy/ Asian take on Spaghetti Bolognese

In a bowl

Spaghetti:
1 portion of Hakubaku Organic Soba (90g) - Available from New World

Sauce:
3 small tomatoes cut into small chunks
1/8 red onion tiny cubes
leek leaves cut into thin slices
3 tsp white wine/vinegar
2 Tablespoons water
Salt and Pepper

Veges:
3 Bok Choy - remove outside leaves cut inside leaves into half in length
10-20 Green beans

Meatballs:
4 Tenderloins chicken, or 1 chicken breast
1/4 packet soft tofu (fridge in supermarket or shelf)
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup ground yellow corn flour/meal (not your usual corn flour)
few coriander leaves

Garnish:
sesame seeds
salsa-verde which is fresh herbs blended with oil, I used basil, spring onion, coriander and mint with olive oil.

Method:
In a kitchen wiz put all the meatball ingredients and blend until soft and sticky almost. Roll into small balls and put on a lined tray cook at 200 degrees for 20min or until brown and cooked through. No need to use oil or anything. Note the Tofu doesnt taste but makes the chicken stay moist.

While cooking pasta to al dente, blanch veges in hot water for 3-5minutes and then cool in ice water this helps them retain the green colour. Also put the sauce ingredients in a small pot cook until tomatoes are soft and runny. Check all seasoning then you can eat! I loved it.

on a plate 

ON too dessert which was a mission baking because my flat mates were cooking there dinner, which smells divine.

Banana mixed loaf/cake
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups wholemeal  flour
2 egg whites whisked
1/2 cup of  plain yoghurt
2 yellow/brown bananas mashed 
3 scoops vanilla protein powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon & 1/2 nutmeg
1/4 cup trim milk
1 tsp vanilla essence
1/4 cup crushed/sliced walnuts, almonds
1/4 cup sultanas or raisins

1/2 cup sweetener 

Method:
Sift dry ingredients, and mix in with the wet then put the mixture into a cake tin/ loaf tin or muffin cases. Bake at 250 degrees for 35-40 Min for a cake or 20-25 for muffins. Check its cooked through then when its cold slice and serve. 

I served mine to my flattie with a sea salt sugar and almond praline, organic pecan ice cream and fresh banana. Sweeet overload.  

Secrets in the closet

08/08/2012

Its pretty early still and I have been up for quiet a while such a surprise since I am finding I am not sleeping that well. I am too addicted to fifty shades of grey lol. However while I was cooking breakfast it occurred to me that I have a few tricks and tips which I have learnt while being a poor student, eating healthy, some of which is also just general industry knowledge so I thought this blog would be dedicated to sharing some of my secrets.

Firstly I know they say you can tell alot about a girl by the contents of her purse, or a guy based on his car but I think the contents of your pantry/fridge gives the most insight into who you are, your lifestyle (student, single), and potentially your knowledge and understanding of food.

Everyone (healthy eating or not), should have the basics, flour (wholemeal, rice etc), oil (olive avocado), vinegar, herbs, seasoning's etc etc. The best thing you can do for your self is actually have a look through your pantry and through out things your not using, anything expired haha, and make a list of things you want to buy/try for next time. Your bound to get a few surprises. I do this a lot and it helps me live a little as I get heaps of new ideas. 

Once your done de-clutering take into mind the following

Best tips I have learnt:

• Cook for more then one meal/portion. This saves time and alot of foods can be frozen to reuse. If your a sucker for frozen meals this is a money saver. Just pick a day and you can do a batch cook (I usually wouldn't cook red meat (that will be left in the fridge) If I didn't plan to eat it in the next 3 days and chicken 2).  DONT get me wrong you do not have to cook a massive batch of spaghetti perhaps just cook a big packet of mince which could then be used as spaghetti, nachos, lasagne then all you do is cook the extras, and like I said you can freeze it. This leads on to step two
• KEEP leftovers and actually reuse them. This is my biggest strength I honestly think. I usually just turn it into something else. Left over meat into a salad, yoghurt into muffins anything. Or again just freeze it...haha your bound to feel like it again at some point.
• Make your own vinaigrette, its simple whisk vinegar (white wines yum), 1 tsp mustard, salt pepper, with olive oil. You whisk as to create an emulsification which binds the oil and vinegar. Try adding herbs, different mustards, a drop of red wine etc. Other sauces are just as easy
•  You can freeze butter.. If you bake only occasionally I recommend this
• Buy herbs fresh and if your not going to use them chop them up finely, and stick in an ice tray fill with water and freeze this makes herb cubes you can easily put into sauces.
• If you want chicken try buying a whole one and breaking it down yourself into segments. You can do something with each bit, crumbed drumsticks, honey glazed wings, poached breast, leftovers can go into a soup and the bones can make stock or be used as a trivet which you place other food on while baking or grilling it provides more flavour and prevents the food sticking to the pan
• If you want to poach eggs, add vinegar to the boiling water, if you break the eggs alot crack them into a ladle first and lower it into the water. Honestly you do not need to swirl the water its a bit of a fib. If the water is hot enough the eggs stay together. 
• Another egg tip is they have a longer shelf life in a fridge, but if you don't have room and not sure if they have expired put them into a bowl of cold water if they float then they are expired as there is more air inside the egg. 
• Buy freezer bags and zip lock bags, then you can purchase your meat from wholesalers and separate into bags making it easier to defrost.
• If you struggle to drink water, add a cucumber, mint, or a green tea bag and fridge. The flavour infuses the water making it nicer while still being healthy.
• If you take sandwiches to work try placing a damp paper cloth in with them this keeps the bread fresh.
• Buy veges and fruit and cut it before putting it into the fridge. Put it into a bag for easy access and use. Don't do this for fruit and veg that brown fast though e.g bananas, mushrooms
• To make eggplant less bitter try sprinkling salt over it until clear liquid drips off, do this in a strainer then rinse under cold water. Another thing to note is that if you don't cook it for long enough it can leave you with an itchy throat.
• Marinade food then you use less sauce, marinades can be as easy as mustard, oil, herbs, wine. Try different flavours and have a play.
• Use a thermometer when cooking whole chicken and poultry.
• Buy your veges from a market they are fresh and alot cheaper
• Try to use coloured salt for example pink or grey himalayan salt, normal salt is bleached which can not be good for you. Another trick is using a little flaky sea salt it tastes so much more natural on food and way nicer.
• Use a sharp knife when cutting, if you don't you apply more pressure making it harder and worse if you slip. 
• Disguise food your kids boyfriend don't really like by adding it to something they do a typical would be broccoli and cauliflower with cheese sauce, but you can try adding carrots, mushrooms, eggplant to mince, or tomatoes in rich chocolate cake. Another easy is if you make your own juice add a few veges like carrots, beetroot, celery.
• OR you can try making different shapes with your vege cuts, or mixing up the colours to make food look more appealing and yum.
• Try adding texture to food by adding nuts/seeds, grilling something and mashing something else. The contrast makes food more appealing in your mouth. Do this also with sweet and savoury as well it appeals to different taste buds in your mouth.
• use your microwave even chefs will admit that they are useful at times, not every culinary creation needs to be done on a stove/oven. Scrambled eggs work amazing in one.

I think that is it for now but when I think of more I will be sure to add them. I thought I would leave you with a quick healthy breakfast recipe which I love as I am a huge fan of eggs, and I just ate one

Breakfast burrito:

2 eggs/ egg whites if you prefer

1 small tomato chopped fine

1/2 a small onion chopped fine

Garlic if you want

2 cubes frozen spinach (defrosted)

1 small lite tortilla warmed for 30-40sec in a microwave

In a small fry pan/skillet heat a drop oil. Add onion, mushroom, spinach, tomato until warm and parshely cooked then crack in the eggs and make into scramble texture.  You do not have to add milk to make it scramble but its up to you. Put into a wrap and fold or roll. If your roll it try wrapping it in tin foil it makes it easier to eat.

extras/adjustments:

1 tsp cottage cheese/ a bit of grated normal cheese/ Milk if you want.

Bacon/ham/ Chilli beans

seasoning: try adding curry powder

herbs: I eat mine with coriander, spring onion and basil.

You feel pretty satisfied after, especially knowing how healthy it is. 

bon appétit 

P.s If you have food tips please feel free to share.

The early bird gets the worm, but the second mice gets the cheese

So its a late night and I have just finished my shift at work, I am currently just hanging out on the couch watching the Olympic games with my flat mate and attempting doing some baking, while trying to wind down.


Now I am not much of a baker the master would have to be my flat mate Danielle and my boyfriends mum. I prefer cooking roasts and meat dishes and any sauce where I can mix the flavours of herbs and add a dash of red wine. Tonight I am branching out of my zone  however and as I was walking home past fix (a 24 superette) I decided that I would bake something for the girls in my Look Better Naked group at Lesmills. Now I can't exactly rock up with full fat, high sugar and ultimate indulgent baking unless I plan to sabotage everyone's weight loss.. ha-ha (EVIL GRIN). 


So instead I decided to continue on my low fat cheese cake journey (I tried this a week ago but didn't like the base). So I picked up a banana, 2 tubs of low fat cottage cheese, a plain yoghurt, a bag of salt free nuts, and 6 pack of eggs cost $14.00. The idea a low fat/sugar high protein banana berry cheese cake with a nut and special k base. Before I list the ingredients properly and method I must point out again that I am not  GREAT BAKER this is because I like to freestyle when it comes to cooking and 9 times out of 10 I do not follow a recipe e.g I have a habit of swapping vegetables, meats, flours and this works fine in curry's or soups but baking is basically science. (I wasn't to bad at science at school but I did love trying to set things on fire, break test tubes and make reactions) because it is practically a science one slight change can prevent a cake from rising or a pana cotta mold setting. This can leave you with a batch of in-edible cakes, buns or  a soggy slice.  


I have just finished one batch of miniature cheese cakes and I am going to taste test them before I upload the recipe and make my batch for the girls.  It pays to do this if you want to show off its just like checking the seasoning or spice in a dish before serving it to customers. I am going to check the consistency,  the texture, how sweet it is.  


I am scared too eat this, it's still slightly warm so I am taking that into account and it isn't smooth like a cold set cheese cake. I have just had a flash back: I am already laughing I remember this time mum (who is a pretty good cook) baked this cake for me and my brother, chocolate our favourite. Now mum baked for my brothers friends and for us all the time things always tasted great except for this one cake she made were she put to much baking soda into it or mixed up the powder but this cake was so so bitter and horrid and me and my brother cracked up and tried to tell her but she didn't want to believe us and ended up forcing us to eat it with chocolate custard as to not waste food. We will always hesitate while processing the first bite of her baking after that, and she denies that it ever happened.  


I have processed the first bite and its yum the base is better then the last time I tried it, the texture is like a normal cheese cake but its also light and not as sweet. 


Ingredients & Method:  Time 20min, makes about 13 mini cheese cakes 
1/2 cup special k, and a 150g mixed nuts ground up, drizzle a little olive oil about 2tsp and mix through the mixture. Put 2 tsp of the mixture into the bottom of muffin tins in cupcake cases. Press down firmly using the flat bottom of a glass. Bake on 180 degrees for 7minutes to help set.


In a blender, put:
1 1/2 cups lite cottage cheese
2 eggs
1 scoop protein powder (Banana flavour)
1 Banana
2 scoops defrosted mixed berries
2 tsps honey
1 Little tube plain lite yoghurt.
Process until smooth and runny. Scoop onto the muffin base and fill until almost at the top. Poke in a few berries in the centre and bake at 180g for 15-20min or until set. Fridge-rate.

Alterations: Swap Banana protein with chocolate, remove banana and once cooked and cool dust with weight watchers hot chocolate


use flavoured yoghurt.

Heat a sachet of weight watchers jelly with berries and a few drops of water (not the usual amount) it should be runny and thick. Once cooled place a thin layer on top of cold cheese cake and re-fridge to set a sarah lee style sweet fruit layer on-top.


or for a cold set variation remove the eggs and in the blender instead mix in one sachet of low fat instant mouse mix pour into moulds and fridge-rate until set. 


For a nut allergy I would suggest using no base as the special k is to soft by itself. They taste great without the base anyway its just an added crunch


Now you can indulge without the bulge. 
bon appétit. 

Breaking the fast of the night

29/07/2012
So I am still bit unwell, but as it was the weekend I fancied doing something and being productive after a boring week inside. On the plus side I also have five days of at the moment, as a friend was suppose to be coming to stay but due to unfortunate circumstances she couldn't come. With all my time of I have eaten out a bit this weekend:


Saturday night my flat mates and I went to Southern Cross bar for a few wines and some fries, the atmospheres amazing and the garden bar is always packed. Then Danielle and I went home and meet the guys to go out for some yum dessert at Espressoholics we had so much cake, I had Carrot cake with yoghurt, Danielle had chocolate brownie, Luke had chocolate Silk cake (Not the greatest to be honest) and Michael had berry cheese cake. In my experience Espressoholics on Cuba Street always make the most amazing food, has good portion size, and a great variety especially if your gluten free. They don't have the best service but the food out weighs that and they don't overly pester you which is quiet refreshing. I personally recommend sharing your food with others, you eat less, get to try more, and you get better satisfaction knowing what you picked was nicer haha.


Then on Sunday we decided to carry on with the couple theme and went out for breakfast (Michaels favourite meal of the day) at Enigma, and in one word it was amazing!! So much food the only downside is our poached eggs were a bit overcooked which I hate, but it is still easily one of my favourite places for brunch. After all the food we did (and needed to) a 16km walk to Pencarrow Lighthouse, now  I am feeling pretty tired and I am going to dig into my left overs from last night which was an interesting change I made Lamb and Lychee Red Thai Curry with long grain rice. There is something about Thai food I crave, and the sweet contrast gets my mouth watering every time. I followed no recipe and just based it of something I once had out in a Hamilton Restaurant after a Karate Grading.


Ingredients: (Serves 2 people)

1x can Lychee in syrup (Drain and keep a little syrup for flavour)
1x small can coconut milk
1/2 cup Chicken stock
2-3 Bok Choy (Dispose of outer leaves, cut inside leaves in half all of it is edible)
1 cup sliced beans
1/2 red onion (Cut into thin slices)
1/2 white onion (Cut into thin slices)
2 cloves garlic (Crushed)
1 tsp garlic basil paste
1-2 tsp red curry paste
4 button mushrooms (Cut into slices)
spring onion (for garnish)
200g lamb leg steaks trimmed (Cut into slices or chunks)


I heated the onions and garlic in a sauté pan, then added the curry paste and garlic paste and the lamb, cooking until the lamb began to colour on the outside only. I then added the mushrooms and beans to begin to cook. Transfer to a pot add lychee, coconut milk, chicken stock, and Bok Choy. Bring to the boil, check and adjust seasoning (add more curry paste for more spice, or more lychee syrup for sweeter) and then reduce to a simmer. Serve with a portion of rice and garnish with spring onion.


Variations: Chicken instead of Lamb, or Duck
Mixed veges like carrots instead of Beans
Pineapple instead of Lychee
vegetarian, using just vegetables and vegetarian stock
Leeks instead of Bok Choy

Asian dishes always taste great as left overs it is like the flavours infuse more over night, you could also freeze this for a later date. Try checking out Asian supermarkets for fresh herbs, bok choy, and spices I bought mine from one and they are really good priced!


bon appétit

Chicken Noodle Soup for the soul

So this is my first post.. tonight I am not exactly feeling great its very cold and I feel under the weather.
Being a foodie at heart and a girl I realise that I am typically an emotional eater, I will eat based on how I am feeling, which again right now is crap and cold. This leaves me with one thing in mind a good homely winter meal, its just a matter of what kind...


I am currently doing look better naked (I am in my third week) through Les-mills and am also following an eating plan from a nutritionist, this means I have to stick to certain criteria when cooking, like no oil and go as far as to weigh out my protein weather it is chicken, or fish, or lean beef.  


On a side note, yes I am watching what I eat at the moment, because I have spent the past year or so eating Mc Donalds and buttery sugary food and drinks, just indulging in what ever tempted me. Apparently I can't do that now I am no longer a child, and yes I would love to know how Nigella Lawson does it too.


Since I studied Culinary arts and constantly watch my flat mates eat delicious looking food I can't just make plain boring food or I know my eyes as well as my stomach will feel unsatisfied, I am relying on inspiration from other people, recipes I already know (just making adjustments), and  my good old emotions.


So tonight I have decided I will stick to Mums traditionally recipe for making me feel better as a kid, and a great winter meal, chicken soup. I am going to make it healthy and modern however..


Ingredients:  Recipe for 4 portions (1 serving for me, 2 for my boyfriend (blokes need more energy) and 1 portion as left overs yum!)

Chicken: (100g per portion is considered healthy ) 400g skinless chicken breast cubed into chunks 
Vegetables: 
Onion                                     1- 2 medium onion
Celery                                     2-3 stems leaves included
Carrots                                    1 large or 2 medium (Peeled)
Mixed Veges                            1 cup (can be frozen kind, mushrooms, leek etc)
Liquid Chicken stock:               2 cups (Dilute with water enough to cover all vegetables and                                        chicken and noodles)
Low Calorie noodles:                I used Hakubaku Organic Ramen 1 1/2 portions or 140g
Herbs:                                      add almost any herbs, thyme is great and fresh is best or add a little coriander to make your soup more asian inspired. 


Method: Cut vegetables into MIREPOIX (rough bite size cuts), or you could have fun and cut shapes.


In a pot sauté the onions, and chicken (you do not want to colour the onions or chicken), then add the stock, water, vegetables with hardest first and any soft ones can be left out at first and the noodles. Wait for the stock to come to the boil and then lower the heat down to just simmer (slow bubbling). Check and adjust seasoning, adding salt as required.


The soup will take a different amount of time to cook based on the portion size but the chicken should be cooked and so should the noodles.  When cooked check the seasoning again and serve, have with yum rolls or bread if you want. 


Bon appetite.