Whole30 Day 2

Those of you who are saying "who cares that JennyMac is going on a food plan for 30 days, Meh!"

Let me tell you why...this book's author (Melissa) has a great sense of humor (like me😜) and she took the time to include in the book a timeline compiled of thousands of the physical and emotional challenges of people who had underwent the Whole30 plan.  I wanted to blog my journey to see how I compared to those people.  Do I have a big bad sugar dragon lurking within me or is it just a eensie-weensie one?

The book says that most people will be either excited or overwhelmed on day 1 and some people may ask 'what have I gotten myself into?'  My first day (I am on spring break) was uneventful emotionally and physically although I was preparing more foods than normal.

Day Two:
The book says some people will feel headache-y, sore or foggy. Like a hangover.  I don't.  I am more anxious for all my body pains to go away....what day will that start?  I think for a food to really get out of the system will take at least 3-4 days.  I mean, I did eat some chocolate cake 11:45pm the day before I started...lol.  My motto has always been "life is uncertain, eat dessert first." Technically eating that cake at before midnight wasn't first...but it certainly was the last thing I was eating before my big day...

Breakfast: Just a few cantaloupe cubes, small grab of roasted, unsalted CAM (cashews, almonds and Macadamia nuts) mix and black coffee.

I got up late because I can, whilst on spring break....I didn't want too much because I will have to eat lunch earlier due to K-man going to the eye doctor today at 3 and he wants me to go so I cannot have a late lunch (this is probably better because I don't eat a late lunch when I go back to school- we have to gobble it down between 11:30-12 noon!)

The cool thing about this plan is that many of the meals can rollover unto the next day for another meal and that means LESS cooking!

Lunch: On a bed of spinach leaves is my leftover sausage and peppers, and another egg muffin (sauteed peppers and onions, garlic, herbs in ghee placed in a Texas-sized muffin cup with scrambled egg and unsweetened coconut milk) cut up with shredded carrot.

Tonight's dinner will highlight one of my purchases that I purchased beforehand on Amazon.com (same price but I get free shipping from Prime) as an approved product of Whole30 - Tessemae's All Natural (from Baltimore).

From left to right: Buffalo, Lemon Chesapeake, Ketchup, Lemon Garlic, Cracked Pepper, Balsamic, Southwest Ranch, Matty's BBQ Sauce.

Dinner: Bed of mixed organic greens. Drizzled Tessemae's Southwest Ranch onto greens. Added chopped poblano and onion (we always have this chopped in a container in the fridge 24/7) into roasted chicken.  Tablespoon of homemade mayo mixed with tablespoon of Tessemae's Southwest ranch mixed in chicken. Half and avocado and a few black olives. Lemon squeezed all on top and drank lemon water with dinner.

Late night note: So it's been an hour after dinner and you know you are NOT hungry.  You start to listen to your insides and you say things...."something sweet would be good right now"  Just a little candy, a cookie, a COFFEE WITH TRUVIA AND CREAM!  I immediately go look how to stave off a sugar craving....says to eat fruit.  However the Whole30 book says "why are you eating it? If you're reaching for a banana or grapes to prop up your sugar cravings, we'd ask you to rethink that strategy. You don't want to end up with the same cravings after your program, and continuing to feed your brain the sweetest stuff allowed every time it pitches a tantrum isn't really changing your habits." 

So I caved and had a really small banana cut up with a small drop of almond butter on each.  Even though I fed the sugar dragon, I am proud that at least I was compliant. There is chocolate around, Kirk isn't on the plan....he needs to eat up that stuff.  LOL. 
So now I know....although I don't feel hungry or stark raving mad for sugar....THAT was definitely my sugar dragon calling.  I gotta train him to go.....that dinner was huge....I didn't even finish it....Eating when you aren't even hungry is soooo stupid!

I've got this!

Summer Corn and Tomato Salad

Got tomatoes coming out of your ears? We do. No worries just restyle them each dinner time for a great side dish. No cooking, easy wonderfully tasty!

Summer Corn and Tomato Salad
adapted from Chow.com

2 cups sweet white corn kernels, from 3-4 medium cobs
1 tablespoons lime juice
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 /2 cup grape or juliet tomatoes (seen here), halved (can use cherry or pear)
1/4 cup red onion, small dice
6-8 leaves fresh basil, chiffonaded (sliced into ribbons

1. This could be a great use of leftover corn from dinner or I just used raw corn removed from the cob...so sweet and refreshing. Cook in microwave for 4 minutes if you prefer if cooked.

2. Combine lime juice, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. While continuously whisking, add oil in a steady stream until completely incorporated. Add remaining ingredients and cooled corn and toss until well coated. Serve.

Cook's Notes:
I found that if you refrigerate this, you may want to let it sit out before serving. Olive oil tends to cloud over and tighten in the fridge. Either use canola to keep it from seizing but if you enjoy the flavor of olive oil a few minutes in a bowl on the table before you eat dinner it should be fine and loosen up.



Enjoy!

No ordinary buns for this pork BBQ!!!

Pepper Jack Rolls Baby!

I've been a fan of the Artisan Bread in 5 minutes book and have made my own bread a few times. Yummy! I used the Vermont Cheddar Bread recipe (page 106) as my springboard idea.

Pepper Jack Rolls
adapted from Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day

3 cups lukewarm water
1 1/2 Tbsp. granulated yeast
1 1/2 Tbsp. salt
1 1/2 Tbsp. sugar
6 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup white cheddar powdered cheese
1 cup grated pepper jack cheese
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 egg, beaten

1. Mix the yeast, salt and sugar with the water in a 5 quart bowl (I used my lidded non air tight food container that I store my dough in).

2. Mix in the dry ingredients, grated cheese, powdered cheese and pepper flakes without kneading, using a spoon. You can use a 14 cup food processor with a dough attachment but mixing this dough directly in the container was just fine.

3. Cover (not airtight) and allow to rest at room temperature until the dough rises and collapses (or flattens on top), approximately 2 hours.

4. The dough can be used immediately after the initial use, though it is easier to handle when cold. Refrigerate in lidded (not airtight) container and use over the next 7 days.

5. When baking rolls, dust the surface of the refrigerated dough with flour and cut off dough pieces roughly equal portions (about the size of a plum) Shape each one into a smooth ball. Allow them to rest and rise on a cornmeal-covered pizza peel for 40 minutes (or just 20 minutes if using fresh unrefrigerated dough).

6. Twenty minutes before baking time, preheat the oven to 450 degrees with a baking stone placed on the middle rack Place an empty broiler tray on any other shelf that won't interfere with the rising bread.

7. Just before baking, coat with beaten egg and stick a few jalapenos on top.

8. Slide the rolls directly onto hot stone. Pour 1 cup of hot tap water into the broiler tray and quickly close the oven door. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until deeply browned and firm.



Here is one of the final rolls in relation to the place size. Ginormous! Honestly too much bread for me. I think I overestimated my size of plums. LOL. Although K-man was ecstatic about his man sized pork BBQ sandwich!







I could have probably put more pepper flakes in the dough as you can BARELY see the pepper. The bread wasn't a cheesy as I thought it would be. Although bread was fluffy and tender. The crust held up GREAT to the smooshy BBQ inside.

AWESOME!

But when you still have BBQ left and a bit of dough what do you do to restyle your dinner?

BBQ Pork Rolls!

The dough that remained after making 6 ginormous sandwich rolls was just enough to cut into 6 small circles. Using my greased TEXAS sized muffin tin....

Place a handful of green onions on the dough about 1/4 cup BBQ on the onions. Pull up dough around the filling and place in greased muffin tin dough edges down.

Throw a few slices of jalapenos around the dough in the muffin tins. Preheat oven to 450 degrees and put tin on the stove to let dough rise enough to fill up the muffin cups.

Bake for 20 minutes until brown. Serve with chilly coleslaw...sprinkle a bit of chili powder on top of it to compliment your BBQ rolls. Pickles, some extra BBQ sauce on the side for dipping and PERFECTION!

BTW, making your own Pork BBQ is very easy too!

Bake a Pork Butt according to package directions. Rubbed with favorite dry BBQ dry rub (mine was 6 lbs and it took about 4 hours). Stick a fork in the roast until when twisted is falling apart. Remove from pan and put on plate and let cool until able to tear apart with a fork. Add your favorite bottle of BBQ sauce to pork shreds. DELICIOUS!

Made enough for 4 HUGE sandwiches, 6 pork rolls and package of BBQ for two more average sandwiches for the freezer for a quick dinner another night!

Oink!

Got salsa leftovers from your New Years Party?

What do you do with your leftover salsa?

I found this at Chile Pepper Magazine where they are inundated with salsas. They try them all. This generally results in an abundance of half-used salsa jars in their fridge. With all this excess salsa, they’ve come up with a few creative ways to use it over the years. I thought I'd give you some of their suggestions below (with a few of mine) next time there’s a salsa jar lurking in your fridge or you have some leftover from a party. Do YOU have a creative way to use salsa that we can add to the list?

1. Mix with ketchup; use as a dip for French fries. Mix with mayo and use as a dip for tortilla chips.

2. Combine with softened butter and refrigerate for a salsa compound butter; add thin slices to a grilled steak.

3. Stir into scrambled eggs or add to omelets and frittatas.

4. Spoon into cooked grits; add bacon and cheese.

5. Add to burger meat mixtures or slather on top of burgers (or both!).

6. Add lime juice and canola oil to a thin, puréed salsa and marinate meat.

7. Replace tomato sauce for a chunky tomato salsa on a homemade pizza.

8. Make a béchamel sauce, add salsa and toss with pasta.

9. Stir into cooked rice; add olives and cheddar cheese.

10. Layer onto a grilled cheese sandwich.

11. Use a puréed, chile-intense salsa an enchilada sauce.

12. Add salsa as your secret ingredient to soups, stews or chilis.

13. Take a fruit salsa and use as a chutney substitute with roasted pork loin.

14. Kick up some mac and cheese with a dollop of salsa.

15. Use in place of cocktail sauce for shrimp.

16. Add to deviled eggs for a pop of fire.

17. Combine with cheese for jalapeño popper filling.

18. Top off tacos, burritos, or huevos rancheros.

19. Glaze a sweet, fruit-filled salsa over pound cake or drizzle over ice cream.

20. Add breadcrumbs and feta cheese to salsa; stuff into eggplant, pepper or zucchini halves.

21. Use a chunky salsa as an easy start to bruschetta.

22. Mix with goat cheese and use as a dip for veggies or serve with crackers.

23. For a quick Mediterranean spin, top fish or chicken with an olive-filled salsa and bake.

24. Add cucumbers, jalapeños, tomatoes and vegetable stock to salsa. Purée into gazpacho.

25. Mix equal parts with yogurt or sour cream; slather on a baked potato or combine with mashed potatoes.

26. Add to meatloaf to give it a Mexican flair.

27. Stir into chicken salad, tuna salad or potato salad.

28. Mix with lemon or lime juice and use as a ceviche marinade.

29. Use a thin salsa, like as a base for salad dressing.

30. Mix chunky salsa with ranch dressing to dip your chicken nuggets/strips in.


Don't forget to enter my Cookbook Giveaway, you still have time to enter a comment and get that cookbook Santa didn't bring you!

Enjoy!

A Doggie Bag Make Over

Ok admit it, you have no shame in taking home a doggie bag. I don't either. But most times you heat it up in the microwave in the same container the next day for a snack or for a meal when you are eating alone. Or do you schlep them to work the next day for lunch cuz it's easier than 'making' a lunch. Am I right?

Well, your leftover deserve a 'make over'....don't make your leftovers ho-hum. Jazz them up...

Last night's fare was a mexican combination platter. So my doggie bag consisted of a half eaten chile releno, half eaten chicken enchilada, a few grains of rice and most of my refried beans. How are you supposed to facelift THAT, you ask? Easy peasy....

You are getting two bangs for your buck here.....makeover for your doggie bag PLUS a new way to poach eggs!!!!

My Mexican Brunch con Heuvos

Mexican Leftovers
2 eggs
non stick spray
ziploc bag
shredded cheese

1. Chop everything into bite sized piece and gently combine. The beans provided moisture so I didn't worry about the food getting dry when reheated. You can use some salsa or enchilade sauce to give your leftovers more moisture if needed. Plate your leftovers.
2. Boil water in a pot.
3. Spray non-stick spray in a ziploc bag
4. Place 1-2 eggs in it. Seal.
5. Dip bag into boiling water for 2 minutes (or until the egg yolk is to your desired doneness- runny/hard). While egg is cooking warm up leftover in microwave.
6. Gently mix leftovers after one minute to distribute heat. Continue heating one more minute.
7. Place poached egg on top of hot mexican leftovers.
8. Sprinkle with shredded cheese....

Ole! This is our way of having our leftovers the next day for breakfast or brunch. K-man loves a fried egg or poached on top....the more runny the better! Try jazzing up your doggie bags...it's fun!

Deja Vu Recipe Redux

Do you recall seeing these beauties?

I was rummaging around in the freezer and I came upon a bag of leftover Clementine cakes that I made awhile back. You know how it is...your recipe makes so many that you get tired of eating something and you put it in the freezer in case you have a hankering later on for them...

I got this idea how to revamp these mini cakes from eating some crackers I got at the wholesale club that were made from mini pumpkin and mini date walnut cakes. They were twice baked just like biscotti. (great with the Borden light swiss cheese spread BTW)

I wondered....

So I cut them into slices....put them in the oven for a slow bake to dry them out. Keep checking or turning them over until they are totally dried out....

Let them cool....

I took a large spoonful of orange juice concentrate in a custard cup and added powdered sugar until it was thick....spreaded it on thinly....let that dry....

Melted some dark chocolate chips....drizzle, drizzle... BAM...

Chocolate Orange Biscotti Bites!


Now get out your coffee...


...and enjoy the chocolatey orangey crunchy goodness...

Holy Guacamole!

One of the few things K-man goes absolutely crazy over is guacamole. He will eat just an avocado half with pepper as a snack, he loves it so. So you can imagine when I make this...he makes all sorts of yummy sounds!

Here is your step by step, full recipe follows:


Half your two ripe avocados.









Take tip of knife and make criss cross marks through the avocado meat.








Use your spoons to scoop out the avocado. We like chunks rather some people prefer to mash their avocado.









Squeeze your lime juice onto the cubed avocado. Stir to coat.








Put one clove of garlic in your garlic press.









Slice down your green onions...










Then chop








Remove top of tomato and gouge out the tomato liquid and seeds. Chop into small chunks.








Season well with salt and pepper (not pictured in my palm here) Taste to make sure it's the way you like it.








Then place in your bowl...

We think unsalted tortilla chips are best for the saltiness of the chip doesn't ruin your dip flavors.

Awesome Guacamole

2 ripe avocados, cubed
2-3 green onions, chopped
1 clove of garlic, pressed in garlic press
2 Tbsp of lime juice
1 tomato, seeded and chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Chop all ingredients, coat with lime juice and season with salt and pepper. Mix to combine.

Serving Suggestion:

Pork Tenderloin Wraps


We have a low carb tortilla here....with a light layer of light ranch dressing on it. Put some lettuce on it....










Put on your leftover slices of pork tenderloin on your lettuce.










Load on your homemade guacamole....my mouth is watering already....









Fold up and BITE! The smoky meat with garlic smoothness of the avocado, the crunch of the lettuce, the chewy tortilla...mmmmmmmmmmm. Try it....I guarantee you'll like it!

Hearty Soup that is Super Bowl worthy

One of my students gave me for Christmas one of those '18 bean soup' mixes. I used it today. I had the perfect thing waiting for me to use it with this mix, a leftover ham bone in the freezer (if you read one of my past posts on the copycat ham, this is the bone from that!)

The beauty about making soups is that your heart is your leftover meat carcass and using whatever veggies, starch, etc that fits your whimsy. This turned out great and I will provide for you the process...(you may need to taste along the way)

18 Bean Soup

1. Get from your grocery your brand of 18 bean mixture of choice (some have a ham flavor packet or cajun seasoning packet, you decide if you want to use it....my mix had a bouquet garni in it...so why re-create the wheel...I used it.)
2. Gather all the veggies you like in your soup. (I always start with a chunky 'holy trinity' of celery and the leaves, onions and carrots)
3. Also needed: large chicken broth, 29 oz canned of whole tomatoes and garlic cloves. If you are not using your provided flavor packet, create your own "garni"...place your favorite combo of fresh herbs in a cheesecloth and tie it closed with butchers twine.
   
4. My recipe said to soak beans overnight. I didn't. I filled my large stock pot with water to cover my ham bone. Since I know beans take a long time to soften and so does the ham to 'fall off the bone'....I cooked the ham off the bone, beans and herb garni at the same time. I was boiling it, not simmering. I stirred it several times and about 1-1/2 hours.
5. While the bone and beans (that sounds funny) were cooking I prepped my veggies, opened my tomatoes, readied my broth, mashed my garlic.
6. Take out the bone when you can see when the meat is starting to separate from the bone. Put it to the side to cool off (trust me, it's way too hot to pluck the meat off now) while your meat is cooling add all your veggies.
   
7. Stir in your chicken broth, tomatoes, garlic. I threw in some canned hominy since K-man loves it. Now is the time to adjust your salt, pepper and any other herb flavors you want. Taste the broth as you add. I could not tell you what was in my bouquet garni...but it definitely had something like allspice or nutmeg, nice addition.
8. Cook your veggies until they are about to soften. Pick off your meat from the bone, making to sure cut away all the extra fat that comes with ham and any other inedible mystery pieces. As you cut them off, dump them back into your pot to simmer.
   
9. By the time you are done cutting your meat....your veggies should be soft enough. Since your meat is already cooked....you are ready to eat.
   
10. Serve with some crusty rolls and you are good to go!!!

I think this soup is not only man-food worthy but totally suitable for Super Bowl. Oh yes....it was a super bowl of soup for sure!!!

Sunday Blues Week #1

What's worse than the impending doom of work on a Sunday night? The impending doom of going back to work after a two week vacation...THAT's whats worse!!! SIGH....

They say death and taxes are guaranteed. I say add vacation ending to that list. So all my blog fun may slow down once I get back into the swing of teaching again. Plus, in two weeks we have a semester change of all classes (for us elective teachers).

So here is what made my day perk up today. Here it was a bluesy Sunday....ugh....what to cook for lunch. I am snooping around the fridge and freezer. I just don't want to eat the leftovers from last night DAG-NABBIT!! Are you feeling what I saying? So before I tell you what I concocted....I will show you a picture and see if you can put together parts of this whole.

Just so you know...the pix isn't fuzzy....it's the steam from the soup. I shot the pic right after I ladled it out.

Nice huh? I think I am getting better at this. (Funny footnote to these pictures: I show K-man my pix after lunch and I am getting ready to write and load for the day....he says...."Can't we just have some ugly food on some days? Like some good ole grilled cheese?" I busted out laughing. I asked him why he said that AFTER I showed him that I had photographed our lunch, he didn't make that comment when I served it to him...Men. LOL Besides I don't think a grilled cheese is an ugly food. The brown crustiness of the bread, cheese oozinees....mmmmm.

So what is the name of my concoction up there?....hmmm. I think Cajun Chicken Pozole, K-man says it should be called Chicken Enchilada Hominy Soup. (too wordy for me). LOL. Sunday Leftover Soup?

SO let's break it down....You may recognize the chicken that was on the skewers are in here. The fusilli pasta is here. Then I nosed through the many containers in the freezer that I needed to get rid of and I thought that they all went well. So I dumped them all in and THIS was GREAT!!! Here's what I ended up using....

First as my base:
Chicken and Sausage Gumbo Soup by Progresso (it's kinda spicy)
Two leftover skewers of grilled chicken (cut up in chunks)
1- 15oz can of hominy (from the pantry K-man has been nagging me to cook)
1 cup of my leftover tomato puree (was in freezer)
1 cup of homemade enchilada sauce (was in freezer)
1 cup of leftover butter green beans from a dinner
1 1/2 cups (?) of leftover cooked fusilli (chopped in bite sized pieces)

Heat until piping hot....no real cooking for everything was cooked already. I added no seasoning or salt or pepper for everything had been seasoned when it was a meal from before. It was perfect. After heated, I added just a little eye candy for serving....Parmesan Cheese

But more importantly you have to have the cutest bowl to put it in first....

I have only two soup bowls, two bread plates and two mini bowls (for like pudding). I got them last year at Home Goods. The had them in red too. I would had preferred green since that is my main COLOR through the house...but oh well. If it's CAT....I can overlook color. If they had been in green I would have gotten the WHOLE LOT. Set of 4 or 8.

So call my soup what you want....I am sure I will never replicate it again. But I sure did free up space in the refrigerator!!!! Woohoo!!!

BTW: K-man read my blog finally. He was very kid-like over it. He was not only touched but I could tell he was thrilled to be included in my new blog. AND he approved of my name for him. He was glad it wasn't K-fed....ugh. never. LOL. But what he IS suggesting that I include once a week, is some MAN food recipe. Again....I busted out laughing. (I wondered quietly to myself as to why HoneyB's husband is called Grumpy? Was he unwillingly brought in her blog? Cuz K-man sure wants to be included and is starting his suggestions!!!) Well, I don't have a problem with some of his input....that would be fun. So be on the look out!!!

Tonight's Menu:

Sausage, Mushroom and Onion Pizza (I always have a thin frozen crust in the freezer). We don't use sauce for we like our pizza "white" - we want to taste the toppings on the pizza....sauce to us often is too highly flavored and muddles the overall flavor. It's fresh sliced tomatoes or nothing at all....oh speaking of which, I have some grape tomatoes I can throw on there....Yeah, more room freed up from the fridge!!!

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Wake me up for treats when all the football is done...