Crazy for Zucchini's

I know the summer is ending which means the beloved zucchini will no longer be in season BUT who doesn't love a good Zucchini Bread? Mr. FFF looooovvves Zucchini Bread. He must think its good for him or something... but just like carrot cake this delicious bread is full of sugar and gluten. Just take a look at the standard version from my Better Homes & Garden *Cookbook. One cup zucchini to one cup sugar? Not the best way to eat your veggies. Since our home is now gluten free I decided to try out a couple of zucchini bread recipes I have had my eye on from my two **favorite gluten-free bakers. 

First up, Paleo Chocolate Zucchini Bread from Elana's Pantry. I like zucchini and love chocolate but the two of them together?? I wasn't sure. Followed her recipe to the T and it turned out great! Moist, chocolaty, but still had that underlying zucchini taste we all know and love. 

Next up, Almond Flour Zucchini Bread from Against All Grain's Danielle Walker. This bread turned out ***okay but to be fair I misread the directions and I don't enjoy the taste of banana. Danielle states to use two mini loaf pans and I used the same pan as in the first recipe which is apparently in between the regular loaf and the mini loaf. Whoops- first world problems, lesson learned. The center was still pretty under cooked once I took it out of the oven but I ended up slicing this bread up and sticking it on a cookie sheet back in the oven until done. The good news is that it tasted very similar to the classic version. 

Mr. FFF didn't like any of them. After one bite the words "This doesn't taste like my mom's" slipped right out. *sigh* The chocolate one is out for him (although I loved it!) because it is too different from the original but I am going to try out Danielle's version again when I have an extra zucchini laying around. I can tell from the taste he will like it if I can just use the proper pan... I think we will have a winner. 

In the mood for some zucchini bread? Why don't you do a taste test too! 

*This is the cookbook I refer to to see all standard recipes before making it mine.

**Both of these ladies also have cookbooks so be sure to check them out. (Elana has three and Danielle just came out with her first one this year.) 

***The recipe includes one very ripe banana- I don't really like bananas but I did recognize that it would be needed for the sweetness in the recipe, so I included it. >> I << can taste the banana but it is pretty faint and mixed in with the other flavors but if you are the other 1% of people who could do without the taste of this high potassium fruit you might not like it.  

*Organic is the New Black

Over the last year an item on my to do list was to get more organic veggies in the house. We have always had vegetables in this household but we wanted to aim for more per serving per meal.  Of course I want the most nutrient dense veggies for our overall health as well.

 There are several ways to go about this:

• Option 1: Continue to buy conventional produce.
• Option 2: Buy ALL organic produce.
• Option 3: Buy regular produce, except for the dirty dozen. 

Conventional: Buying conventional produce is fine for anyone on a budget. Eating veggies is better than not eating veggies. Although the thought of eating these items that were grown with pesticides and chemicals gives me the heebe geebees when I really start to think about it. Conventional is the most cost effective.

Organic: Buying organic produce makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. I like eating vegetables that I know have no pesticides/chemicals** on the land for a minimum of 3 years and were grown with care using farming practices that are both old and new. If you buy all organic veggies be prepared to spend $50+ per week on produce particularly if you buy from a major grocer.

Pick 'N' Choose: This (maybe more affordable) option is to purchase all conventional except what the Environmental Working Group calls the dirty dozen. I came around to this option because Mr. FFF (FoodFavesFun) doesn't like it when I buy... an Organic Apple that is smaller AND more expensive than its conventional prototype. He doesn't see the value. Health duh! This is still an expensive option considering basically everything I like to eat is on the dirty dozen list except for celery***. But over the last year it has been the way that I have been making sure I can vote with as many of our dollars as possible and still feel slightly warm and fuzzy.

Here is a handy guide to take along with you to the grocery store to keep you on track.

Is shopping Organic important to you? If so, do you "vote with your dollars" by buying/supporting organic farms?

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*How much did you love Orange is the New Black??? One awesome thing about Netflix making their own shows is getting to partake in the ultra marathon once the show is released. The bad thing is still having to wait until the net season. Ekkk!

**Due to the Government Shut down of October 2013, I wasn't able to link up and get the deets from the National Organic Program itself. From my understanding, there are no chemicals and synthetic pesticides plus the veggies are not subjected to irradiation and are also inspected/certified each year.

*** Hate celery!!! Unless its chopped up really small and hidden in my food.

Hello, Again!

Hello!

It's nice to see you again. It has been basically a year since I have updated this blog which is when I started my new job last November. It was challenging and different but similar everyday plus the people; they were pretty cool to work along side. That's over now and I have all of this free time so I am happy to re-start something that is really enjoyable.

There have been many times that I have started a topic: "New Year, New Goals", "Whole 30 = A Whole New me?" -just some unpublished examples. I have loads of pictures on my phone of food that I have made or eaten over the last year. It's ridiculous when you look at my cell phone gallery: food, food, pup, pup pup, followed by food. I might be obsessed- but some studies say that it makes for a better meal.

Bella at the Independent, Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup, Morning Tail gate food, Abita Pecan Harvest, Me with a week of groceries, Gluten Free Quiche with a side salad at Piquant, Bella for the first swim of the year. 

I am sorry I have been gone for so long. Mostly for myself because I enjoy making food, commenting on happenings in my hometown or local hot spots. Plus I am consistently asked how I made things I post on Instagram or Facebook. So a blog is the obvious choice. I really can't promise anything but I hope to continue for the foreseeable future. Staying home definitely gives me more time to do the things I love but I should probably find a new job sometime... one day... soon.

In the meantime I am going to channel The Pioneer Woman.

This weeks meals

I should probably post one of the really awesome recipes I made this week. But instead here is my week of meals- they were really good! 

Bacon Butternut Squash soup with a side salad.

Grilled steak, sauteed kale & leeks with grilled zucchini.

Next Day Lunch: my version of Chipolte Steak Salad featuring Chipolte vinaigrette

Chili Dog with asparagus: sweet potato "bun" (skinned sweet potato) all beef hot dog, chili w/ onions. 

Bed of arugula, chicken salad stuffed avocado with roasted  lemon. 

Curry Tilapia with coconut "rice" (its really cauliflower) and spinach.

I also just made Chicken  Pizza tonight for dinner but forgot to take a picture of it (FAIL).  It was delicious and almost  satisfied my pizza craving.

Here is a recipe after all: Take your meat tenderizer and pound your chicken so its even in thickness. Spread a Sundried Tomato Pesto on top (1/2 c. sun-dried tomatoes, 1/4 c. walnuts, 1 c. basil, 1/2 c. olive oil, one lemon- juiced, 2 cloves garlic, pinch of red pepper and salt) then  place pepperoni's over full surface of chicken. Bake at 375 for 30-40 minutes.

Your welcome.

Healthy Breakfast on the Go

I am always on the go (aka running late to work) and if you don't plan, it is really hard to eat healthy. That is why I make time each week to prepare some "eggies".  It's like a mini quiche without the crust! 

I have this for breakfast EVERYDAY so I change the ingredients weekly. We all know that you can make something that is healthy but if don't like or are tired of the ingredients, it will not get eaten and you will be more likely to make bad choices. Which is why this recipe is so fabulous: you are able to change this recipe to what YOU like, when you like!


Basic Recipe:
4 ounces meat 
1/2 veggie #1 
1/2 veggie #2 
1/4 veggie #3
6 large eggs 
1/2 cup sliced or shredded low-fat cheese (optional)

This weeks Recipe:
4 ounces Turkey Sausage
1/2 c Onions
1/2 c Chopped Spinach
1/4 c Sundried Tomatoes
6 large eggs 


Meat options: Choose a meat that is tasty like Canadian bacon, turkey sausage or crumbled bacon. 
Veggie options: green pepper, mushrooms, onion, spinach, asparagus, zucchini, broccoli, sun-dried tomatoes, green onions, roasted red pepper, poblano, kale.

Directions: Preheat oven to 350°F.  Coat a 6 cup non-stick muffin pan with cooking spray or line with foil baking cups + cooking spray . (I like to use a silicone muffin pan since I make these so often plus it makes super fast clean up.) In a medium non-stick skillet, cook the sausage, peppers, onions and mushrooms for 5 minutes, or until sausage is no longer pink. Salt & pepper veggie mixture and then evenly divide into 6 muffin cups, cool slightly. Whisk eggs and add one egg per muffin cup. (I like to stick ,my fork in each cup and mix up all of the ingredients) Sprinkle with cheese, if desired. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until egg is set in the middle.

Killer K's Chili

Ahhh... Mid-October in Florida. The weather is getting crisp and cool (low of 63/ high of 85), the humidity is at bay (sort of). Obviously its time to break out the ole Chili recipe and try to recreate this belly warming, deliciously satisfying, spicy meaty mouthful.

A few years ago, along with my father in law, my husband and I entered Steve Otto's 22nd Chili Cook-off. We didn't win with our recipe but to be fair there are some serious chili heads out there! Like almost professionals- it wasn't a fair competition.


Be warned: this Chili is good. People might see/smell you eating this for lunch or taste it when you have them over for a game; they will ask you to make them a batch. It happens eveerrryytime. Below is my latest recipe (I change it up depending on what ingredients I have on hand). Its gonna take a few hours; DON"T WORRY IT'LL BE WORTH IT!

*Killer K's Chili

Basic Stock:
2 lb. Ground Chuck
1 lb. Sirloin Steak (1/2 inch cubes)
1 Chorizo Sausage
1 lg. Valdia (sweet) Onion
1 Green + 1 Yellow Pepper
1 Poblano
2 Serrano (if I want it really hot ill add a Habanero or two as well)
4 Garlic Cloves
2 Bottles Beer (dark if possible; that Coors Light in the fridge will do the trick)
2 (15 oz.) Tomato Sauce
28 oz. Diced Tomatoes
1(14 oz.) Beef Broth
1/4 tsp. Salt
1/8 tsp. White Pepper
1/2 tsp. Liquid Smoke

With your cast iron skillet, brown ground beef and sirloin in batches. Drain and set aside. In same skillet add chorizo along with onion & all peppers. Saute until soft, about 3 minutes. The grease in the chorizo should be enough to saute all of the vegetables but if it is not add some olive oil. Add garlic and continue to saute about 2 more minutes. Pour in beer to deglaze skillet and let alcohol burn off, about 5 minutes or once beer is reduced by about 1/3.

In a large stock pot, combine all browned beef, the chorizo/vegetables mixture, then add the remaining ingredients: tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, beef broth, salt/pepper and liquid smoke. Bring mixture to a boil, stir, and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 1 hour.

Spices, Round 1: Mix all spices in a bowl. Add to Chili; simmer for 30 minutes.

2 tsp. of Chicken and Beef Bullion
1/4 c Cumin
1 tbsp. Jalepeno powder
1/2 tsp. White Pepper
1/4 c Brown Sugar
1 tbsp. unsweetened Cocoa
1 tsp. Cayenne pepper
3 tbsp. Chili Power
32 oz. Beef Broth
28 oz Chili Beans/Kidney beans (optional- I like Chili sans beans)

Spices, Round 2: Add remaining spices to chili; let simmer for another 20 minutes. **Keep a little extra beef broth on hand, you might need more if some liquid evaporates or if you like your Chili loose (in consistancy; not morals).

1 tsp. Cumin
1 tsp. Chili Powder
1/2tbsp. Liquid Smoke

This year's Steve Otto Chili Cook-off will take place in a combined event called Riverfest: Chili, Beers & Cheer. It's gonna be fun; You should go.

* Team Name from 2009 Chili Cook-off; recipe adapted. 

Finally a GOOD jarred salsa

My last post (which was over a month ago...opps) was also about salsa so obviously I LOVE SALSA. But to be honest its hard to keep around.

Fresh salsa, roasted salsa, salsa verde; I feel like its only really good for two days MAX. I have been in search of a good jarred salsa for a while. Until recently, I was using a medium salsa verde from a familiar brand; it was a good standard. (much better than the mild/medium -never ever hot- red salsa that is in the "ethnic aisle") But I haven't been able to find it in any of my local grocery stores or online via Amazon Prime.

Four jarred salsas later.....

Green Mountain Gringo actually said "Hot" on the label which was intriguing... I am so glad I stumbled upon this little jar at Fresh Market. It is actually decently hot. "Are you trying to give me heartburn"- my other half said. I am going to try the medium too so if you aren't a hothead try the medium first. Additionally, this salsa is pretty chunky for my taste, if you like it that way your set. I like my salsa to be easily poured and more saucy so if your preferences are the same,  I suggest once you open the jar empty the whole thing in a food processor and give a few pulses until its to your liking.

Enjoy!