Onion Breath!

The more I have been experimenting with food the more I have come to realize how versatile the onion is. Not only can it be thrown into almost anything, it really gives food that extra oomph to take something from blah to Oh-My-GAAHHHHH! Better yet, the onion packs an abundance of health benefits. It is known to alleviate asthma due to it’s sulfur-containing compounds, fight the flu, they are a natural source of inulin (a type of prebiotic), and they are well preserved so it’s a great ingredient to have laying around. They can be used in so many different dishes. Soups, stews, chili, sauces, dips, stir-fries, salads, sandwiches, wraps, eggs (scrambled, omelet or frittata), or throw them on your burger or mix them in with other veggies on the grill. The possibilities are endless!

Experiment 5- Egg white veggie frittata
Veggies- Zucchini, tomatoes, onions, spinach, and asparagus
Spices- Cumin, paprika, garlic, S&P
1 Egg+egg whites+skim milk+olive oil+parm cheese
Bake at 350 degrees until brown on top

Two for one hump-day special: Experiments 3 & 4

Experiment 3: Roasted whole chicken. Now I can’t take full credit for this one, but I did find the recipe….and I did sit, drink wine and observe Corey prepare it, you know, as moral support. Anyways, he made a whole chicken with veggies. We used a turkey roaster but you can also use a crock-pot. It turned out so juicy and flavorful! And the best part is we had left over chicken for sandwiches the next couple days. This is a great one to try, highly recommended!

INGREDIENTS

- 1 tbsp olive oil

- 4 lb whole chicken

- Sprigs of fresh thyme

- Sprig of fresh rosemary

- 1 tbsp salt

- 1 tbsp black pepper

- 1 lb carrots

- 1 lb assorted bell peppers

- 1 large fennel bulb

- 1 lb celery

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Season chicken with half the salt and pepper and place springs of fresh thyme and rosemary on top and in the cavity. Lay chicken on a roasting rack and place in the oven. Meanwhile, chop the carrots, bell peppers, fennel and celery into 2 inch pieces and combine in a large bowl with the remaining salt, pepper and olive oil. Toss to coat. After the chicken has roasted for approximately 45 minutes place the veggies in the roasting pan and return to the oven for another 35 minutes stirring once. The chicken should register 160 degrees on a meat thermometer and the vegetables should be tender. Allow the chicken to rest for 10 minutes so that the juices redistribute and serve the chicken sliced on a bed of the vegetables.

Experiment 4: Eggplant Pizza Casserole, courtesy of Ali from Live Laugh Eat.

INGREDIENTS

- 1 large eggplant

- 1 jar pizza sauce

- 1-2 cups spinach

- 1 large tomato

-Cheese (I used mozzarella; Ali used goat; I want to try low fat feta next time)

Directions

Preheat oven to 375* F. Wash and cut eggplant and tomato into round discs. In a glass pan/casserole dish, layer ingredients in the following order starting at the bottom 1) eggplant discs 2) pizza sauce 3) spinach 4) tomato discs 5) pizza sauce 6) eggplant discs 7) pizza sauce 8 ) cheese. Cover pan with aluminum foil and bake for 65 min. or until eggplant is soft. Remove foil for the last 10 minutes.

P.S I added basil underneath the top layer of cheese and a sprinkle of garlic salt. I also didn’t put the cheese on until the last fifteen minutes because my experience with homemade pizza has been that it burns. It came out perfectly browned on top so I think it worked!

**Photos courtesy of Google images (I will have my camera back next week!!)

Cooking experiments cont...Quinoa recipes

Experiment #2: Quinoa salad- if you don’t know about quinoa, you must add it to your diet regime asap! It is a whole-grain that looks similar to cous-cous. It is a great source of dietary fiber, it has an unusually high protein content and is gleuten-free so it’s easy to digest. Here are a few different recipes starting with quinoa cooked in chicken or vegetable stock and a cube of bouillon:

1. Tofu, chicken, shrimp or steak prepared how you like. Add a veggie, good choices are broccoli, mushrooms, squash or zucchini. Mix a tsp of olive oil with a tbsp of balsamic vinegar and drizzle on top. (served warm)

2. Whole foods inspired with onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, low fat feta cheese and a tsp of lemon juice. (served cold)

3. Dried cranberry, chopped walnuts, green onions, garlic, and drizzle just a little bit of honey (my fav so far!)

Cooking for Dummies

Upon my much-anticipated move to Chicago in a week I have earth shattering (and slightly tragic) news; I am officially hanging up my college party pants for the domestic (ever elusive and obviously foreign), apron. Yes friends you heard it here first, I’m a big girl now and it’s high time I graduate from microwave to oven. Don’t get me wrong I’m shakin’ in my boots. For those of you who say cooking is easy, whatever. Not all of us grew up with mother Martha Stewart (or anything remotely close) so for those of you who, like me, grew up on Ramon Noodles and cake batter. I render it necessary that I document this momentous occasion and share with you my trials and tribulations.

Experiment #1: Sweet potato fries- if you order these at a restaurant or buy them frozen from the grocery store they will hardly be any better for you than regular fries. However, if you make them yourself you know exactly what is on them and how they were prepared and can rest assured they are healthified. I cut up two sweet potatoes into long thin strips and laid them on tin foil. I sprinkled extra virgin olive oil and various spices. I put them on the grill and what came out was nothing short of heaven. Absolutely delish and a perfect veggie to pair with any kind of poultry!

Stay tuned for more!