I bought some Kale on Sale, It was a KALE SALE! #vegansoulfood

I have been craving faux chicken nuggets ever since trying some at Whole Foods a few weeks ago. Not wanting to pay $7.99 a pound to get my fix, I searched online and found this recipe. I've never attempted fried tofu before, and after researching various methods, I froze some organic extra-firm and let it thaw before pressing it for an hour.

While the breading and tofu are low in calories, deep-frying is never going to be the healthiest way to prepare. To combat it I sauteed some lacinato kale, in kind of a 'collard green' style.

Libby's Kale

Let your [vegan] soul glo!

Sweet Little Something [production preview]

Most of today was consumed with shooting my latest video project. My lovely assistants and actors worked their butts off catering to my demands. In exchange, I fed them mashed potatoes and leeks. I am such an amazing director.

Add root veggies to your mashed taters, you'll LEEK it a lot.

I won't have the first edit done until some time tomorrow, but I have such great stuff to work with. ai-yiyi-yi-ya, so excited.

A tasty treat from the 'set.' Can you tell which one is storebought?

I'm even gonna throw in a doodle on top of all this craziness!

9 hours of forcing friends to help me with a class project and I managed to find time to sketch an homage to Jessica Fletcher, aka my Grandmother's favorite fictional character. Well, I had to make something for today, although the cake counts too.

off to my editing cave! xxoo

Look Who's Stepping Up to the CHOPPING Block.

Even though I haven't desired (or paid for) cable television since 2007, there's one show that tempts me.

Hosted by the saucy Ted Allen, Chopped is the only cooking show I'll watch. The premise is basic. Three rounds, four chef contestants, and mystery ingredients! During the rounds contestants open up their baskets and are required to use the 3-4 ingredients inside in their dish, which they have 20-30 minutes to prepare. 

What's inside?

This past season has featured some truly weird mystery ingredients - purple mustard, kentucky oysters, coffee liqueur + beef jerky, tamarind soda, cockles, umeboshi, hot dogs(in the dessert round).... For one episode the appetizer round included gooseberries, Darjeeling tea, ricotta salata, calf's liver. Another dessert round included biscuit dough, pistachios, dried hibiscus flowers, & black olives(!).

The dishes are judged based upon taste, presentation, and creativity. And I do mean judged.

3 of my faves, Aaron Sanchez, Alex Guarnaschelli, & Chris Santos

Probably the best part of the show is when the judges discuss the meals. Alex Guarnaschelli and others have no mercy for the peons who forget one or two pinbones in their fish or that the contestants have only 30 minutes to make a chilled sorbet that must include the smelly Asian fruit duriam. But ... it looks like my fave chefs are about to get theirs. I recently saw an episode for Chopped Champions featuring the judges competing!!!! I wonder if they'll become nicer now that they are the other side of the chopping block...

Bavarian Creme Cupcakes

A fellow Elizabeth came over the other day to bake cupcakes. This was the first time I've ever made filled cupcakes. I'm not going to write an entire cupcake recipe so you can check one out [here.] We used vanilla, but you can also try chocolate, orange, lemon, or strawberry. After the cupcakes cool, slice them in half. Take large spoonfuls of the Bavarian creme and place in middle of the cupcake. Melt some 3/4 cup dark chocolate with 2 tbsp. cream in a double boiler. Top cupcakes while chocolate is still warm.

 Bavarian Creme

2 c. milk or 1 c. milk plus 1 c. half and half
Vanilla
6 egg yolks
2/3 c. granulated sugar
1 tbsp. unflavored gelatin
3 tbsp. cold water
Touch of vanilla

Put milk and vanilla in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Beat the egg yolks and the sugar on medium speed until the mixture whitens and forms a ribbon. Still beating, add the milk to the egg yolks. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan. Heat slowly, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. DO NOT ALLOW TO BOIL. When the liquid coats a spatula, remove from heat, and place the pan in a bowl of cold water to stop the cooking. WHILE STILL WARM, add the gelatin that has been dissolved in the cold water. Cool in refrigerator.

Value = 2/5

Healthy = 1/5

Tasty = 5/5

Ease =  3/5

Quick Vegi Quiche

Sometimes the crust gets nibbled on before you can take the pic.

1 lb. fresh spinach, chopped, cooked & drained
1 medium onion

6 oz. fresh mushrooms

Garlic to taste, minced 

Butter
3/4 c. gruyere cheese (substitute Swiss, feta, mozzerella, or parmesan)
4 eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 c. milk

Large red pepper
1 unbaked 9" pie crust

Saute onion and garlic in butter until slightly golden. Add mushrooms and spinach. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until excess moisture evaporates. Let cool slightly. The hot vegetables cause the egg mixture to cook. Combine spinach mixture with cheese, eggs, milk, salt, and pepper. Pour into pie shell. Arrange red pepper on outer edge of quiche. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and bake 10 minutes more or until top puffs and center moves slightly when quiche is moved. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. This will supposedly feed 8. Or two very hungry people.

Value = 4/5

Healthy = 4/5

Tasty = 4/5
Ease = 4/5

Baked Tomatos and Shrimp with Feta

 I served this with couscous, but it would also be delicious over linguine, spaghetti squash, or the starch of your choosing.

Thanks to Ms Jenn Fleming for sending me the recipe - You can get it [here.]

Value = 3/5

Healthy = 4/5

Tasty = 4/5

Ease = 4/5

thai one on

I grew up in the mid-west where most local Asian restaurants have punny names (Side Wok, Thai Tantic). So this is my unauthentic Phad thai. Obviously the sauce is the secret - I haven't attempted my own sauce yet, so I usually buy a mix at a local Asian or World market.

12 oz med rice noodles

Phad thai sauce packet

2 tbsp. peanut oil
2 minced garlic cloves
1 lb large shrimp, peeled, deveined
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
3 eggs, beaten
1 cup fresh bean sprouts
1/3 cup chopped, fresh cilantro
3 sliced scallion
1/4 cup salted roasted peanuts, chopped

Cook pasta as directed. Drain.In a small bowl mix sauce. In a large skillet over med heat, add oil. Add garlic, cook until softened. Add shrimp and cayenne pepper. Cook, turning once until shrimp are opaque. Remove from skillet. Reserve.
In same skillet, cook eggs, stirring until set, 2 minutes. Stir in pasta, shrimp, and sauce until coated. Stir in sprouts, cilantro, and scallion. Transfer to serving platter.
Sprinkle with peanuts, garnish with lime. Serves 4-6.

Value = 4/5

Healthy = 4/5

Tasty = 5/5

Ease =  4/5

Killer BBQ Kalzone

Never attempt to make someone else's recipe the same way they did. Especially if the recipe is a well-established, well-loved Italian classic. My boy's Ma makes a kalzone so killer it alters the spelling of the word. Thanks to Lady Di for showing me the ropes, below is my take on the klassic.

 

4 slices bacon
1/2 small red onion

2 garlic cloves

2 medium chicken breasts

3/4 c BBQ sauce of your choice (ellebeezy recommends Stubbs)

1 lb pizza dough (Trader Joe's, or Whole Foods)

1 1/4 c shredded mozzerella cheese

1/4 c parmesan cheese

1 egg white

Italian herb blend

Sesame seeds

Cook bacon until crispy. Break into little pieces. And if you love bacon as much as I do you're gonna wanna cook the chicken in the bacon grease. Once chicken no longer has any pink, remove from heat and shred. Chop onion and garlic.Add to chicken and bacon. Stir in BBQ sauce. Set mixture aside. 

Divide dough in half. Roll out each half so that dough is about 1/2-1/4 inch thick. Place 1/2 of BBQ mixture in the center of dough. Repeat. Sprinkle cheese over BBQ. Fold up the edges of the dough forming a tube (Calzone is Italian for trouser or stocking. Keep this in mind while forming dough tube). 

Place your two well formed dough trousers in a lightly greased pan. Brush the tops of calzone with the egg white. Sprinkle with Italian herbs and sesame seeds.

Cook calzones in 425 degree oven for 30-40 minutes.Pull out and let stand for 5-10 minutes before enjoying. Makes 3 to 4 servings. It's best to have extra BBQ on hand.

Value = 2/5

Healthy = 3/5

Tasty = 5/5

Ease =  3/5

Baked Eggplant Parm

Finicky eaters do not like vegetables. Especially weird looking or tasting ones. I wanted a healthier, palatable version of eggplant parm and I choose to cook this one with the sauce on the side versus layered. The finished casserole had nice texture and wasn't soggy, so I think serving the sauce on the side was pretty genius.

1 eggplant

Diced canned tomatoes in water

2 eggs

1 cup breadcrumbs (ellebeezy uses Italian flavored Panko)
EVOO

Low fat mozzarella cheese
Garlic to taste

Salt and pepper

For easy cleanup, line baking pan with foil and wipe with olive oil. Saute garlic, in oil, adding salt and pepper to taste.Add tomatoes and set aside. Beat eggs in a small bowl. Slice eggplant into 1/4 inch slices, or as thinly as possible. Dip eggplant in egg mixture, then coat sides with breadcrumbs.
Place first layer of eggplant into baking dish. Top with sliced mozzarella cheese. Continue layering eggplant and mozzarella until you have 2 or 3 layers.
Bake in a 350°F oven for 30-40min or until cooked through. Serve with tomatoes. Top with grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Value = 5/5

Healthy = 4/5

Tasty = 4/5
Ease = 4/5