November 20, 2015

Sheila Garcia

Casseroles, Fall Eats, Italian, Just Dinner, Leftovers, Meatless Monday

EGGPLANT PARMA-PARADISE

November 20, 2015

Sheila Garcia

Casseroles, Fall Eats, Italian, Just Dinner, Leftovers, Meatless Monday

This image is © 2015 by Life As She Does It. Please link back or credit if any content or images are used.

Look, I know some of you have an eggplant Parmesan recipe you swear by; whether it's your own or your mama's or your noni's or a coveted recipe passed down for generations. But I'm here to tell you that this recipe is THE ONE -the holy grail of eggplant Parmesan - the GOLDEN TICKET TO EGGPLANT PARMESAN PARADISE. For real, People. FOR REAL. This was fresh, organic eggplant picked on our Annual Fall Family Day. And it will be forever the annual eggplant Parmesan recipe from here on out!!

EGGPLANT PARMESAN

3-small-to-medium-sized eggplant

grated Parmesan cheese

1 pinch sea salt

1 pinch pepper

1 tsp sea salt

2 tsp pepper

2 tsp cumin

4 eggs

splash of water

canola oil

shredded pizza cheese or mozzarella

1-48 oz can diced tomatoes, drained and split in two

1 can rotel, drained

Italian seasoning

1 bunch thyme

6 cloves roasted garlic, chopped fine

1 onion, chopped fine

Wash and dry your eggplant, and cut it into slices about 1-inch thick. In a bowl, take your eggs and whisk them like crazy. Add a splash of water, a pinch of sea salt and a pinch of pepper and whisk again. In another bowl, pour about two cups of grated Parmesan, and add your sea salt, pepper, and cumin and mix with a fork. In a heavy pan (I use my cast-iron, of course!), pour about an inch of canola oil and heat on medium. The oil is ready when you can put a tiny sprinkle of water in it and it sizzles. Take a slice of eggplant, dip it in the egg-mix and then the Parmesan mix. Put it in the hot oil and let cook about a minute-and-a-half on each side (until crust is hard). Do not put more than four slices at a time so that they don't steam but get good and crunchy. Place each one on a drying or cooling rack and continue to cook until all slices are done.

In the same pan the eggplant was cooked in and on medium heat, place the thyme, roasted garlic, and onion and saute for about three minutes (see notes). Remove from heat, take out the thyme sprig and discard, and set aside the onion and garlic. In a prepared baking dish, layer your cooked slices of eggplant, breaking apart a few to fit and cover the entire bottom of the dish. Your next layer is the first half of the drained diced tomatoes. Cover the tomato layer with your cheese and sprinkle Italian seasoning generously over the cheese. Next, layer half the onion and garlic mix over the Italian seasoning and cheese. Repeat layers, starting with eggplant and ending with the second half of the onion and garlic mixture, but in place of the tomatoes, layer the rotel. Repeat for the last (third) layer, using eggplant, second-half of the diced tomatoes, and a heavy layer of cheese with a sprinkle of the Italian seasoning. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Let rest for five minutes. Eat it up - I will feel your love from afar!!

NOTES: I had some leftover roasted garlic from the meal the night before. You can either roast it yourself, buy it already roasted, or simply use regular garlic. I use organic ingredients whenever possible for clean eating, and in this case, I believe it helped the eggplant flavor! This is FANTASTIC for Meatless Monday AND it is low-carb, though it is so rich it sure doesn't taste like it! Wanna see it happen fast-and-on-video on Life As She Does It's YouTube channel? Click HERE

November 11, 2015

Sheila Garcia

American, Fall Eats, Just Dinner

Squash It!

November 11, 2015

Sheila Garcia

American, Fall Eats, Just Dinner

Like many of you, autumn is my most-absolute favorite time of year. Part of our Annual Fall Family Day consists of vegetable picking as a family, and boy did I get a TON of squash! So, for this particular dish, I cooked it up with some chicken thighs and the green-and-purple beans we picked wrapped in bacon (let's just say The Hubster was HAPPY!!)

CHICKEN THIGHS AND SQUASH

2 pkgs chicken thighs

extra virgin olive oil (evoo)

sea salt, to taste

pepper, to taste

3 cups squash, any kind, peeled and cubed

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

3 tbs dried rosemary

3 tbs dried sage

2 tsp ground nutmeg

2 tsp sea salt

2 tsp pepper

2 cups vegetable (or chicken works here, too) stock or broth

1/2 cup parsley, chopped fine

In a large, heavy oven-safe skillet (I use my cast-iron, of course!), pour enough evoo to cover the bottom and heat on medium. Meanwhile, sprinkle both sides of the chicken thighs with sea salt and pepper to your taste. Place thighs top-side-down first into the heated pan. Let sear and brown well before turning, about four-to-five minutes and the same on the other side. Remove from heat and let rest on a plate covered in paper towel. Heat your oven to 350 degrees. To the same pan and on the same medium heat, add your squash, onion, garlic, rosemary, sage, nutmeg, sea salt, and pepper and stir. Let cook for about five minutes, stirring occasionally. Add your vegetable stock and scrape the bottom of your pan for all those goodie-brown-bits with a wooden spoon. Turn off the heat and return the thighs to the pan, nestling them in between the squash mixture. Cover and place the entire pan in the oven and let it braise by continuing to cook it for another 30 minutes. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with parsley, and cover and let rest for five minutes. Lift the lid. Smell the wonder of autumn. Then, eat the MESS out of it!

NOTES I served this over brown rice and with the side of bacon-wrapped green bean stacks, but if you want low-carb, simply omit the rice.

October 22, 2015

Sheila Garcia

Asian, Just Dinner, Leftovers

STAPLE IT - WITH A TWIST

October 22, 2015

Sheila Garcia

Asian, Just Dinner, Leftovers

I am all about staples. Some people have one, some have a handful. They're the go-to's. You know.....it could be your spaghetti and meatballs. Or maybe it's the chili you make every winter. Perhaps it is your mac-n-cheese with the recipe you got from your grandmother. I have staples, too! One of them happens to be mini-turkey patties with pan gravy over rice with a side salad. It is definitely one of my go-to's in a pinch and a staple when I just can't think of something new to make. HOWEVER COMMA, this particular night I had some Asian leftovers to get rid of - and you know me and leftovers!! So here's what I did: I made the staple, but with a twist. I created a new-but-old-go-to-staple!

MINI-ASIAN TURKEY PATTIES

2 pnds ground turkey

1/4 cup oats

1 egg

1 tbs sea salt

1 tsp pepper

1 tbs garlic powder

1 tbs cumin

1 tbs Chinese five-spice

1/8 cup soy sauce

2 tbs extra virgin olive oil (evoo)

4 tbs extra virgin olive oil (evoo), for cooking

Mix everything down to second evoo in a bowl until just combined (see notes). With the side of your hand, score the meat mound into eight equal parts. Roll each one and flatten to a small patty. Sprinkle the four tablespoons of evoo into a pan and heat on medium for one minute. Place four patties at a time into pan and cook for 8 - 10 minutes on each side, or until cooked through and brown on each side. Let rest on paper towels and serve with pan gravy over rice.

NOTES: Do not mix too much or the meat can get tough. I use organic turkey for this recipe and it does seem to make a difference in flavor. I sauteed mushrooms and added atop the patty with gravy for a super-delish punch!

ASIAN BROWN PAN GRAVY

turkey patty bits and juices in the pan

2 tsp almond flour

1/2 tsp cornstarch

2 tsp brown sugar

4 tbs soy sauce

1 cup of your favorite broth (I use my home-made vegetable stock, but chicken broth works here as well)

sea salt, to taste

pepper, to taste

1 tbs butter

In the same pan the patties were cooked in on medium heat, pour almond flour, cornstarch, and brown sugar and cook for one minute. Turn up the heat to medium-high, add soy sauce and broth and bring to a boil, whisking constantly until thickened. Add sea salt and pepper. Remove from heat, add butter and stir, and let sit one minute before pouring over turkey patties and rice.

NOTES: I cooked the rice like usual, and once it was cooked just added a little diced red pepper, soy sauce and Chinese five-spice. For the salad, I used leftover baby bok-choy and Chinese radish and just added a little ground ginger and ketchup to some mayo and mixed it in with lettuce and green onion. SO YUM. And leftovers gone. Waste not, want not!

October 20, 2015

Sheila Garcia

American, Crockpot Cooking, Fall Eats, Just Dinner

Stew In It

October 20, 2015

Sheila Garcia

American, Crockpot Cooking, Fall Eats, Just Dinner

Yes, People. Autumn is upon us. Much like you - it's my most favorite time of year So even though it is still a bit warm outside, I couldn't wait to get my beef and vegetable stew into my Menu Planner. Super-duper easy, and SUPREME as far as flavor! I served it to The Hubster with some leftover garlic flatbread I had from the meal the night before. Come on in, Autumn! You are welcome here.

BEEF & VEGETABLE STEW

1 pkg beef stew meat

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (evoo)

1 turnip, peeled and chopped into 1/2-inch chunks

4 carrots, washed and cut into 1/2-inch chunks

1 medium onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, chopped

4 stalks celery, cut into 1/2-inch chunks

1 pkg frozen green beans

2 cups favorite broth (beef works best here)

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1 can tomato paste

sea salt, to taste

pepper, to taste

2 tbs garlic powder

2 tbs cumin

2 tbs coriander

2 tbs Italian seasoning

2 bay leaves

fresh parsley, chopped coarse, for garnish

Now watch this: throw everything (minus the parsley garnish) into your crockpot. Set on lowest setting and just let it cook. Remove bay leaves and sprinkle with parsley. Eat it up. THAT'S IT!!

NOTES: You may want to re-season a little prior to serving, as crockpots can tend to mute the seasoning level. I use organic ingredients whenever I can, including the balsamic vinegar, and I would add that in this particular case, organic beef or beef without hormones or additives will definitely help in flavor here. You want the liquid to reduce, but add a little more broth if you like it soupier. You can throw some chunks of potato in, if you like, but I leave it out for low-carb, and it is just as hearty and filling.

October 15, 2015

Sheila Garcia

Great for Summer, Just Dinner, Meatless Monday, Salads & Dressings

TASTES LIKE CHICKEN

October 15, 2015

Sheila Garcia

Great for Summer, Just Dinner, Meatless Monday, Salads & Dressings

I am so grateful to have a partner in life that doesn't ever turn up his nose at anything I cook and put in front of him to eat (even though sometimes he REALLY wants to!). He never even batted an eyelash when I announced a few years ago we were going to start Meatless Mondays (even though he REALLY wanted to!). So I do my best to make those nights as chock-full of flavor as possible. The great thing about tofu is that it is a flavor absorber! So this particular night I went with pan-seared tofu, heavily seasoned to where it really tasted like chicken! Pair that with a beautiful warm Lima bean salad and some creamy greens and you won't even believe yourself how good this meal is! Meatless Monday for the win!

SEASONED SEARED TOFU

1 block organic tofu, extra firm, sliced about 1/2-inch thick

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp paprika

extra virgin olive oil (evoo)

Mix all the spices together in a small bowl and sprinkle over both sides of each tofu slice. Heat evoo in a heavy pan on medium for about a minute-and-a-half. Cook each slice for 4-5 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and desired consistency is reached. Serve with whatever your heart desires. (But I'd go for the warm Lima bean salad recipe below if I were you!)

NOTES: Using organic tofu keeps your conscience clear about not allowing GMOs into your diet. Do not overcrowd your pan or else you will not get a good sear on the tofu. Too many pieces will steam it instead. I did 4 at a time. Serve with anything you like, but if I were you, I'd go with the warm Lima bean salad recipe below!

WARM LIMA BEAN SALAD

1 bag frozen Lima beans, thawed

extra virgin olive oil (evoo)

sea salt

pepper

1 cup parsley, chopped coarsely

1 cup crumbled feta cheese

juice of one lemon

In a pot, sprinkle enough evoo to cover about half of the bottom and heat on medium for about a minute-and-a-half. Add the Lima beans and let them brown well before stirring. Continue to cook, only stirring after the Lima beans have browned well and are cooked through, about ten minutes. Remove from heat and salt and pepper to taste. Add parsley, feta, and lemon juice. Mix well. This is truly INCREDIBLE STUFF, even if you are not a Lima bean fan.

NOTES: Just for a pretty plate, I mixed power greens (usually raw spinach, kale, etc.) with some mayo, sea salt and pepper and added it to the plate. But the tofu and Lima beans on their own is pretty hearty! This meal is high in fiber and low in carbs! HUGE IN FLAVOR!!

October 14, 2015

Sheila Garcia

Just Dinner, Sandwiches

REUBEN-ESQUE

October 14, 2015

Sheila Garcia

Just Dinner, Sandwiches

We LOVE sandwich night in our house. That's a BIG PART of Life As She Does It! This particular night, we came home from Legacy Fitness Boot Camp and had to make a quickie dinner. Well! A Reuben sandwich with home-made thousand island dressing, and some from-scratch onion rings took exactly thirty minutes to make. Gourmet gastro-pub dish - and it totally hit the spot!

REUBEN SANDWICH

1/2 pound sliced corned beef

4 slices Swiss cheese

4 slices of your favorite bread (traditionally: rye, we used Ezekiel)

1/2 cup sauerkraut, drained

Toast bread and split corned beef among two sandwiches. Split sauerkraut and place on top. Place two slices of Swiss cheese per sandwich and stick open face under broiler until cheese is melted. Remove from broiler and place second toasted piece on top for each sandwich. To make it easier to eat without it falling apart as you do, I made the thousand island for the sandwich to be dipped into per each bite (recipe follows). I only put about half-a-teaspoon over the cheese before I cover with the last piece of bread. Serve with home-made onion rings.

NOTES: I use organic ingredients, including the sauerkraut, which I had to order online; if using regular sauerkraut, you can find it on the canned goods aisle. But if this is the case, use the one in the jar. The sauerkraut in the can tastes just awful. Squeeze it tight in order to keep your sandwich from getting too wet! For a low-carb option, prepare as a wrap using low-carb tortillas.

THOUSAND ISLAND DRESSING

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 tbs ketchup

1 tbs apple cider vinegar

1 tbs pickle relish

1 tbs pimentos, chopped

1 sprinkle of sugar

sea salt

pepper

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and whisk vigorously. Place under sandwich, on sandwich, or on side of sandwich for dipping. Use leftovers for salad!

ONION RINGS

2 cups flour

1 egg, beaten

1 tbs Italian seasoning

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1 cup beer

1 thickly sliced onion

1 cup canola oil

Mix all ingredients down to beer together in a bowl with a whisk Dip onion slices in it and fry in a deep, heavy frying pan with heated canola oil. Flip after about one-and-a-half minutes. Cook for same time on other side or until golden brown. Let cool on paper towel and sprinkle with a little sea salt as they cool. Serve alongside sandwich.

October 14, 2015

Sheila Garcia

Great for Summer, Just Dinner, Italian

RAGU YOU!

October 14, 2015

Sheila Garcia

Great for Summer, Just Dinner, Italian

Like most of America, I love spaghetti and "the sawse". But sometimes I like to put my own spin on things because I get all hum-drummed out. So I made some ragu with ground turkey and for The Hubster, used some organic rotini pasta, and tofu shirataki noodles for me, being the Low-Carb Girl that I am. Add some fresh basil and you've got a beautiful meal that tastes authentic Italian......and DELICIOSO!

GROUND TURKEY RAGU

1 pkg ground turkey

extra virgin olive oil (evoo)

sea salt

1 tbs garlic powder

1 tbs ground sage

1 medium-sized onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 cans tomato paste

1 small can diced tomatoes

2 tbs fresh oregano

6 basil leaves, cut in a chiffonade

shredded mozzarella or Parmesan, for garnish

In a heavy pot, sprinkle enough evoo to cover about 1/2 of the bottom and heat on medium heat for about a minute Add ground turkey, and add all seasoning, onion, and garlic. Brown the turkey, using a wooden spoon or silicone spoonula to break it up as it cooks. Once it is cooked through, bring to low heat, and add tomato paste, diced tomatoes and oregano. Cook on low for about ten minutes or until heated through. Serve over pasta of your choice and sprinkle with fresh basil chiffonade. Add cheese of your choice and mangia!

NOTES: When cooking the ground turkey, be careful not to stir too much or break it up until it starts to cook or it can get tough and dry. I suggest using a wooden or silicone utensil to break it up so you don't scratch or scrape up your pot Do not sprinkle with the chiffonade (rolled up and sliced fine) until the end, or it could turn black instead of looking and tasting fresh. This is a great meal for the end of summer because it just tastes so fresh.

October 9, 2015

Sheila Garcia

Fall Eats, Just Dinner, Leftovers, Mexican, Salads & Dressings

Left Chop

October 9, 2015

Sheila Garcia

Fall Eats, Just Dinner, Leftovers, Mexican, Salads & Dressings

I was at my local grocery store that happens to carry whole-and-natural foods, and found the most beautiful turkey chops (which actually taste just like pork chops if cooked correctly) so I bought them. When I got home, I saw I had leftovers that would make this meal something GRAND. Check this out: I had leftover roasted potatoes from dinner the night before, leftover unused red cabbage from salad that week , leftover onion and cilantro from a meal train meal, leftover chipotle in adobo sauce from fish tacos, and leftover cream sauce I made for the fish tacos as well. Woo! That's a-lotta-leftovers!! But it was such a beautiful meal no one ever would have known......except I'm sharing the secret with you!

SEARED TURKEY CHOPS WITH ADOBO CREAM SAUCE

one package turkey chops

extra virgin olive oil (evoo)

sea salt

pepper

1/2 cup home-made cream sauce from fish tacos (or ranch dressing or sour cream with some seasoning)

2 chipotle in adobo peppers, chopped, with sauce

1 tbs butter

Sprinkle a pan (I use my cast-iron skillet, of course!) with enough evoo to cover the bottom and heat on medium heat for one minute. Meanwhile, sprinkle the chops with sea salt and pepper on both sides. Cook in pan for five minutes on both sides. Remove from heat and let rest for a few minutes

While chops are resting, in the same pan the chops were cooked in and on medium heat, add chopped adobo peppers and adobo sauce and cook about two minutes. Add cream sauce and cook another two minutes until creamy and cooked through. Add butter to smooth. Turn off heat and let butter melt. POUR OVER CHOPS AND BE PREPARED FOR HEAVEN IN YER MOUTH!!

NOTES: For less heat, use one pepper or just the sauce. I just cannot STAND leftovers and couldn't let those two peppers go to waste! It was perfect heat for us, but could be too much for others. If so, add a little cream or more cream sauce. Serve on top of the leftover roasted potatoes to make it magical.

MEXICAN CABBAGE

extra virgin olive oil (evoo)

red cabbage, sliced chunky

leftover onion, chopped (about one onion)

leftover cilantro, chopped (about 1/2 cup)

sea salt

pepper

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp chili powder

In a heavy pan, sprinkle enough evoo to cover the bottom of the pan and heat on medium heat for one minute Add remaining ingredients and cook for about five-to-ten minutes, or to desired consistency.

NOTES: Serve alongside chipotle chops and leftover roasted potatoes for an amazing experience. TRUST ME.