PLAYING SQUASH

All year long I wait in anticipation for October to get here.  For my family, it means our annual Fall Family Day, the start of the Renaissance Festival, and all things autumn eating!!  For October, and considering my obsessive compulsivité, I cook orange-colored things or autumn-inspired foods.  So this night I had a turkey tenderloin that I cooked up with clove, sea salt and pepper, served in its own juices, and I paired it with the butternut squash and dried cranberries I had in the fridge.  The squash was AH-MAHZ.  Like, the stuff dreams are made of.  So that's the recipe you have here.  Happy Autumn, Everyone!  Be blessed in abundance!

BUTTERNUT SQUASH WITH DRIED CRANBERRIES

1 butternut squash, halved and seeded

extra virgin olive oil (evoo)

1 tbs sea salt

1 tbs pepper

1 tbs pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp cayenne

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup parsley, chopped finely

Sprinkle the two halves of the squash with evoo, place flesh-side-down on a prepared baking sheet, and roast at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  Let cool for five minutes.  Scoop out the flesh from the inside of the squash into a pan sprinkled lightly with evoo.  Add seasonings and smash with a potato masher while it cooks on medium heat for about one minute and to desired consistency.  Remove from heat and gently fold cranberries in.  Sprinkle with parsley before serving.  This is SHEtox Week Three -friendly and low-carb!

Mellow Yellow

LASDI©

So there I was, staring at another piece of fish and wondering how in the WORLD I was going to put it on a plate with  a little variety.  I considered my obsessive compulsivité with colors and months and wondered if I could fit in that it was August and that means yellow.  I looked in the fridge for whatever veggies I might have to help out, and lo-and-behold!  I found yellow squash, yellow bell peppers, and lemons!  I made lemon-thyme cod, sauteed peppers and onions, and yellow squash moots-a-rell au gratin.  This was going to be fun AND delicious to cook AND eat!  This is totally Week Three-friendly for the Detox & Cleanse, low-carb for all you low-carbers, and delicious for all you EVERYONES!!  

YELLOW SQUASH MOOTS-A-RELL AU GRATIN

4 yellow squash, sliced about 1/2 inch thick

1 can rotel

1- 8 oz pkg mozzarella cheese

1 tbs sea salt

1 tbs white pepper

1 tsp garlic powder

Place one even layer of squash in a prepared 9x13 baking pan, sprinkle with half the can of rotel, mozzarella cheese, sea salt, pepper, and garlic powder.  Place the rest of the squash in a layer over the first layer, then repeat with the other half of the rotel, seasonings, and cheese.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbly on top.

My Crabby Friend

Photo Cred: HERE

My friend, Hugh Durlam, is a FANTASTIC cook.  And when he decided to do my Inside-Out Detox & Cleanse (aka, and lovingly referred to as the "SHEtox") I knew he would make a mockery of the fear of what to cook.  And I was right!

When he made these beautiful crab cakes for a Week Two-friendly meal, I knew I needed the recipe.  He agreed that I could share it with you all.  You're welcome.

DURLAM'S LOW-CARB CRAB CAKES

1 head of cauliflower
1lb lump crab meat, cleaned and picked for shells
2 eggs, beaten
2 green onions (scallions), chopped
2 oz crumbled feta (Week Two) or fresh shredded Parmesan (Week Three). And buy the good stuff (treat yo self!)
onion powder
garlic powder
sea salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350.  Pulse cauliflower in processor. layout flat on parchment on large cookie sheet. Place in oven for 10 min. Place towel or cheese cloth into bowl. Dump cauliflower on to towel. Grab the loose ends of the towel like a hand and start to twist the cauliflower into a ball, twisting and squeezing as hard as you can. you'll be surprised how much water comes out. 
Now drink that water!
Did you drink it?
That's gross! :)

Mix all ingredients in large bowl. Heat up your skillet with extra virgin olive oil.  Make tight patties in your hand and place in hot pan. (Should sizzle) Cook about 5 min on each side. Flip carefully as they don't tend to stick as well as the fattening ones do.

Makes 10 patties!

NOTES: I made them and used parsley in the mix, as well as some fresh herbs I had in the fridge.  WONDERFUL!!  Made me feel crabby, too!
 

ALL CHOKED UP

LASDI©

Fish and veggies in this house are a staple!  It's because when we allow ourselves to have rewards over the weekend, it's the very best way for us to get back on track.  Here's the problem: it is difficult to make fish and veggies and have it be different each time so it doesn't become hum-drum.  So I am always looking for ways to bring different kinds of vegetables into the mix! In this case, a beautiful artichoke was a great accompaniment to lemon-thyme fish over sauteed mushrooms, onions, and zucchini.  I gave The Hubster a quarter, and I ate a quarter, and had the other two for lunch the next day!  Super yummy, "SHEtox" (Inside-Out Detox & Cleanse) Week Two-friendly, and low-carb.  Did I mention it was ridiculously easy??

LEMON PEPPER ROASTED ARTICHOKE

1 artichoke, leaf tips snipped, end nub peeled

extra virgin olive oil (evoo)

1 lemon

2 tbs sea salt

3 tbs pepper

Carefully cut the artichoke into quarters length-wise.  Being careful again, cut and scrape out the spiny needles in the middle of the choke and discard.  Place the artichoke pieces on a baking sheet and sprinkle generously with evoo, making sure to get inside the leaves and front and back.  Squeeze the juice of the lemon over all four pieces, making sure to get inside the leaves again.  Blend the sea salt and pepper and using your fingers, sprinkle over each artichoke piece.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes

NOTE:  After scraping the leaves with your teeth, the meaty, beautiful heart is in the middle and with the peeled stem still in place, is not only edible, but a beautiful treasure in your mouth!!

I LOVE WAFFLES

.....and The Hubster.  I love him enough to do THIS to his waffles.  I mean, let's be real here: marriage is hard work in order for it to be successful, and the only extra time this took was about a minute longer to use a cookie cutter to cut them out.  That's not hard work.  That's love, if you'll pardon the cliché.  I used a mold for the egg and fixed the plate up all purty-like and he loved it!  And he loves me.  And I'm ever-so-grateful.  Grateful enough to share my vanilla waffle recipe with you!!  It's fast and easy, and you'll love them!  (And maybe you'll learn to love me, too.)

VANILLA WAFFLES

2 cups flour

1 1/2 tbs baking powder

1/4 tsp sea salt

2 tbs sugar

2 eggs, beaten

2 tsp vanilla

1-1/2 cups milk

1/4 cup canola oil (or other medium-to-high heat oil)

Get your waffle iron going by preheating it while you make your batter.  Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.  Make a hole in the center of your dry ingredients and and add the eggs, vanilla and milk. Stir like a crazy person until well-combined, though your batter may be just a tad lumpy.  Add the oil to your batter and stir again.  Using a ladle, pour desired amount of waffle batter onto your preheated waffle iron, and cook until desired brown-ness (is that a word?).

NOTES: Since carbs, sugar, and flour are a treat in this house, I at least use all-organic ingredients, including the oil, but this is not a necessity in order for the waffle to taste crazy-amazy.  #LoveYou

DINNER FOR BREAKFAST

I just don't like to waste food!  I cannot even begin to tell you how it pains me to do so.  So when there are just three or four sauteed yellow peppers (for my obsessive-color-compulsivité for August, of course!) left over from dinner, I pack them in a snack baggie and save them.  Or when there are a few spoons-full left from the yellow squash casserole, I don't throw it away.  I have no idea at the time what I may do with it, but I know I have to do SOMETHING.  I am using those specific examples because that is exactly what I had in the fridge this morning and knew I needed to use it so it didn't go bad.  I also saw a jalapeno pepper on its last leg and felt sorry for it so I took out the leftovers and the pepper.  I created one of the very best frittatas I've ever had in my LIFE.  The recipe will give the measurements of the leftovers, in case it sounds so good, you just want to create it from scratch, but remember: you can use practically ANYTHING in a frittata!  This is also SHEtox Week-Three friendly and low-carb!  So go wild and take your dinner left-overs and make yourself some breakfast!!

DINNER FOR BREAKFAST FRITTATA

Extra virgin olive oil (evoo)

1 jalapeno, sliced thin *de-seeded if you don't like heat*

4-5 slices sauteed yellow bell pepper and onion, cut into small pieces

1/4 cup yellow squash gratin   (sliced yellow squash, now diced, sea salt, pepper, garlic powder, ro-tel tomatoes, mozzarella cheese)

4 eggs

1 tbs milk

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp paprika 

1 tsp cumin

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a medium-sized oven-safe frying pan, sprinkle enough evoo to barely cover the bottom and heat for one minute over medium heat.  Add jalapeno slices and cook leave in oil, making sure they are not stacked, for about two minutes until almost crisp.  Add (left over) yellow bell pepper and onion, and (left over) yellow squash casserole.  Stir and let warm through (see notes) for about a minute.  Meanwhile, put eggs and milk in a small bowl and whisk like crazy.  Add seasonings and whisk again.  Pour over mixture in pan and with a wooden spoon or delicate spatula and gently scrape bottom of pan through egg mixture, and then gently scrape egg edges down toward the bottom of the pan.  Remove from heat and place in oven.  Bake for about ten minutes, or until cooked through and to desired consistency.

NOTES: If you are not using leftovers and are starting from scratch, place the yellow bell pepper and onion, as well as the diced yellow squash a some tomato in the pan with the jalapeno.  Directly before adding the egg mixture, sprinkle the mozzarella over the top of the veggie mixture in the pan.  But a frittata is the perfect avenue for any of your dinner leftovers!!

BURGER, SHE WROTE

LASDI©

It is no secret I am a Low-Carb Girl.  But I am only human.  And I have needs, too!!  And sometimes, I just NEEDS a bun for my turkey burger!!  I saw a ton of videos going around for grilled cheese made with cauliflower "bread".  I thought perhaps I could do something similar for a burger.  And let me just tell YOU!!  It.  Was.  EPIC.  Granted, it was not as bun-y as regular bread, but it did the trick!  It satiated a craving, and it tasted great!  I put some smashed avocado on it, then the turkey burger, some home-made spiced mayo, and roasted jalapenos.  My mouth is watering just THINKING about it!!  Oh yea......for all you SHEtoxers, this is Week Three-friendly!!

CAULIFLOWER BURGER BUN

2 cups raw cauliflower

2 tbs almond flour

2 tbs coconut flour

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp sea salt

1 tbs toasted sesame seeds (I used black for color)

2 eggs

Pulse cauliflower in food processor until fine, and mix all the ingredients together.  Place a cookie cutter or other "shaper"  on parchment paper placed on a baking sheet and put your cauliflower mix into it to desired thickness.  Bake at 400 degrees for about ten minutes, flip it and cook for another ten minutes.  Transfer it onto a hot, dry pan (I used my cast-iron skillet, of course!) or grill, and cook for a few minutes on each side to make it firmer and more pliable.  I made mine an open-faced turkey burger, but feel free to use a top AND a bottom!!  Scandalous!!

PICNIC LUNCH

LASDI2016©

I am learning that catering doesn't always mean a fancy, sophisticated spread.  Sometimes may also be doing a ton of amuse bouche or appetizers, and sometimes the theme could be low-key and understated - and yet still very appreciated!  In this particular case, I made a picnic-style lunch of gorgeous paninis with three kinds of cheese and shaved deli turkey on sprouted-grain bread, hand-crafted veggie-chip blend, baked cornichon, and the most wonderful chocolate chip cookies that were crisp on the outside and just-soft-enough in the middle that they melted in the clients' mouths!  I know, because they said so!!  I have a little trick for uniform cookies so read on in the recipe to see what that little hack is!!

CHOCOLATE CHIP PICNIC COOKIES

1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup softened butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tbs vanilla extract
1 pkg (16 oz) chocolate chips

Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Beat together butter and sugars until fluffy. Beat in egg. Add vanilla and mix well. slowly add flour mixture until just blended. Stir in chocolate chips. HACK PART ONE:  Spread your mixture onto a prepared baking sheet to meet the edges.   Bake until cookie "cake" is brown, which is approximately 13 minutes.  HACK PART TWO: Take a circular (or whatever shape) cookie-cutter (I used a small round with tiny scalloped edges for this catering job) and immediately cut your shape into the sheet of baked cookie.  DO NOT REMOVE.  Immediately place your cookie sheet in the freezer and leave there for anywhere between fifteen minutes to a half hour.  When you pull out the cookie sheet, carefully remove your cookies and keep the scraps for another recipe or as a treat for later!  I freeze mine and use in cheesecake for Sunday Supper!

NOTES: I use all-organic ingredients but it is not necessary for the flavor in the cookies for this particular recipe.  Also, be on the watch for your husband sneaking his nose into the freezer for the scraps you are saving for later.  I'm not trying to throw anyone in my house under the bus (The Hubster)......I'm just sayin'......