The Fat Girl's Guide to Living

At our house, we try to have a salad with about every other meal. Not only is it an easy way to add a few more veggies to our diet, but it’s a super-easy side item that pairs nicely with almost everything. The only problem? We fall very easily into a salad rut: romaine, cucumber, tomato, a sprinkle of whatever shredded cheese might be in the fridge, and a dollop of ranch. It’s tasty, but sometimes it just feels a little… uninspired.

So, when I’m feeling the need to freshen up our salads, I turn to this recipe. It’s no more difficult to prepare than our old standby, but it’s sophisticated enough to serve to dinner guests. The tangy vinaigrette is the perfect compliment to the sweet dried fruit and the crunchy pecans are just the right balance for the creamy goat cheese. As an added bonus, spinach is packed with lots of great nutrients, including vitamins A and C and iron.

Double or triple the recipe for the candied pecans and keep them in an airtight container for quicker salad prep or for easy snacking!

Spinach Salad with Candied Pecans & Goat Cheese
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon finely minced garlic
1 teaspoon honey
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 (5 ounce) bag baby spinach
1/2 cup dried mixed fruit (cranberries, cherries, blueberries)
4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
1 cup candied pecans, recipe follows

For vinaigrette, stir together mustard, garlic, sugar, lemon juice and vinegar in a medium bowl. Gradually whisk in olive oil until mixture is smooth and glossy.

To assemble salad, place spinach, candied almonds, cranberries and goat cheese in a large bowl. Toss lightly with dressing and serve immediately.

I’m a member of the “get it now” generation. The temptation of instant gratification arrived fairly early in my life, the byproduct of remote controls, drive-thru windows, and one of my personal favorites, the microwave oven. After all these years, the microwave and I still have a pretty tight relationship; it zaps comforting cups of chai and bowls of soup and reheats leftover pizza quickly and without complaint. Recently I found a new way to partner my occasional hankering for a salty snack with the convenience of microwave cooking: homemade potato chips!

Microwaved potato chips? I know what you’re thinking, because I had the same thought at first: “They’ll be soggy!” But amazingly, these chips come out crispy and flavorful, all while boasting an ingredient list only three items long: potatoes, olive oil, and salt. This means you can have homemade potato chips in ten minutes or less any time you want. Sliced to your desired thickness. Salted to your taste. Dressed up with a little shaved Parmesan. Convenience never tasted better!

Microwave Potato Chips
1 large russet potato, unpeeled, scrubbed and patted dry
1 scant teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
salt to taste

Using a sharp knife or a mandoline, thinly slice the potato to your desired thickness (1/8″ or thinner works best). Transfer to a medium bowl and toss with olive oil until completely coated.

Coat a microwave-proof plate with cooking spray and arrange potato slices in a single layer, ensuring edges do not touch. Salt as desired.

Microwave potatoes on regular power for 2.5 minutes. Turn slices and cook for another 2-4 minutes until the chips brown and crisp. Remove from microwave and transfer to a clean plate to cool and finish crisping. Repeat as necessary with remaining potato slices.

Yield: 1 big or 2 small servings

Looking for more great recipes? Visit my blog at
http://culinography.wordpress.com

I love butter. Dearly. Sometimes I think if I didn’t love butter so much, I might spend a little less time wondering who shrunk my jeans. That said, any time I can find a recipe that works a little butter into the mix without turning it into a Paula Deen recipe, I’m a happy girl. Not that there’s anything wrong with an occasional butter-laden recipe with a generous side of cream, but it’s not exactly practical for everyday dining. That’s why I love creating my own herb butters and butter sauces: they strike a perfect note between abstinence and overindulgence.

You can mix any herb you like into butter with wonderful results (parsley or chives work great), but I am a huge fan of basil. You can enjoy the herb butter at room temperature (great for slathering on a piece of crusty bread or melting over a piece of meat or fish) or you can ensure a little goes a long way by melting it into a butter sauce for drizzling over meat, fish, pasta, rice, etc.

This baked salmon recipe requires minimal effort and just a handful of ingredients to produce a satisfying meal with robust flavor.  Serve the salmon on a bed of wild rice with a drizzle of leftover melted basil butter and a crisp, green salad on the side. Enjoy!

Baked Salmon with Basil Butter
(recipe courtesy of Alice Waters)
4 salmon fillets
Salt and fresh pepper
3 tablespoons of basil butter (recipe follows)
Olive oil, to taste

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Oil a baking dish, then prepare the salmon by seasoning it with salt and freshly-ground pepper. Place the salmon in the baking dish and brush to generously oil the fish. Bake the salmon for about 10 minutes (check it after 7-8). The flesh of the fish should feel firm, but the inside should still be slightly pink.

Place the salmon over rice, spoon the basil butter over the fillets and allow to melt.

Basil Butter
3 tablespoons unsalted butter,
1/4 cup of chopped basil
1 garlic clove, minced
salt and pepper, to taste
a pinch of cayenne pepper
fresh squeezed lemon juice (about a teaspoon)

Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl or ramekin, making sure to mix thoroughly with a fork.

Last week, Peony shared some tips with us on how to have a lovely, low-pressure Valentine’s Day. As part of the Valentine’s Day fanfare, most of us are looking for a dessert that’s impressive, but won’t find us spending hours in the kitchen. This, my friends, is just the thing — cute little two-bite brownies, filled with cream cheese and topped with a maraschino cherry.  They’re perfect for sharing and, for those of you with a significant other in your life, how sexy would it be to feed these to each other?

Even better, you can whip these cuties up in no time flat. If you don’t feel like making the brownies from scratch, you can substitute brownie mix (look for a fudgy variety). No matter which way you decide to go with these, you’ll end up with an amazing little treat that’s perfect for Valentine’s Day or any other occasion. Enjoy, and Happy Valentine’s Day!

Tuxedo Brownies
(adapted from Alice Medrich’s Pure Dessert
and The Pampered Chef Celebrate! cookbook)
Brownies:
8 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into several pieces
3 large eggs
1 cup sugar
scant 1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon (1.2 ounces) all-purpose flour

Position oven rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 350˚F. Spray two mini muffin pans with non-stick cooking spray.

Place chocolate and butter in heatproof bowl and set over a pan of almost-simmering water. Stir frequently until mixture is melted and smooth and warm. Remove from the pan and set aside.

In a medium bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, salt and vanilla with a hand-held mixer on high speed until the eggs are thick and light colored, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the warm chocolate. Fold in the flour.

Using small scoop, place a level scoop of batter in each cup, filling 2/3 full. Bake 12-14 mins or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and edges are set (do not overbake). Remove from oven and immediately press tops of brownies with a mini tart shaper to make indentions (if you don’t have a tart shaper, you can use the back of a measuring spoon or your thumb to gently press down the center of the brownie). Cool in pan briefly and then loosen edges and gently remove brownies from pan. Cool completely on a wire rack while making the filling.

Filling and toppings:
4 squares white chocolate for baking — 1 oz each
4 tablespoons heavy cream
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup powdered sugar
48 maraschino cherries
melted semi-sweet chocolate for drizzling(optional)

Microwave white chocolate and milk uncovered on medium power in 20-30 second increments, stirring in between, until melted and smooth. Cool slightly. Combine cream cheese and powdered sugar; mix well. Gradually beat in white chocolate mixture until smooth.

Fill a decorator bag fitted with rosette tip with cream cheese mixture. Pipe mixture into cooled brownie cups. Place cherries on top. Drizzle with melted chocolate. Place in airtight container and refrigerate for 1-3 hours before serving.

Yield: 4 dozen

Looking for more great recipes? Visit my blog at
http://culinography.wordpress.com

My friends, today is World Nutella Day. A day all about decadence. Decadence and Nutella, that wonderful hazelnut spread that makes people all over the world* swoon in delight. Perfectly nutty and chocolatey, I can eat the stuff straight from a spoon. I try not to though (okay, not much) and, instead, channel my Nutella love into something at least a bit more nutritionally responsible. A teeny, tiny bit.

These Nutella oatmeal thins are a nice balance of yummy decadence and portion control. They’re light and thin, so they don’t pack a gazillion calories in each bite; but they’re also wonderfully rich with just the right combination of chewy and crispy, so I know I’m indulging in something great!

The cookies are easy to pull together, but do require just a little bit of patience. They’re quite soft fresh out of the oven and need to cool on the baking sheet for 10 or so minutes to firm up before being removed to a wire rack to cool completely. Using multiple pans will definitely make your life easier (and get you to the finished product more quickly)! Store the finished cookies in an airtight container and they’ll be great for several days after you bake them. Want to take it to a whole other level? Pair them up with some vanilla ice cream!

*I’ve heard rumors that there are people among us who’ve never had Nutella and, therefore, don’t understand its joy. If you are one of those people, I beg you…try it! Can’t find it? Don’t want to indulge in processed foods? Make your own! Come on over to Culinography later today for a great recipe!

Nutella Oatmeal Thins
(recipe courtesy of Baking Bites)
1 cup plus 2 tbsp all purpose flour
1 tbsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup butter, room temperature
6 tbsp Nutella
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup quick-cooking oats (not instant or regular)

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a large bowl, cream together butter, Nutella and the sugars until mixture is fluffy. Beat in the egg and the egg yolk, followed by the vanilla extract.

Working at a low speed or by hand, gradually blend in the flour mixture and the oats (if you don’t have quick-cooking, pulse whole rolled oats in the food processor to chop them up a bit). Drop teaspoonfuls of the batter (1/2-inch balls) onto prepared baking sheet, leaving at least 2-inches between cookies to allow for spread. Bake for 10 minutes, until cookies are set.

Cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Yield: 6-7 dozen cookies

Looking for more great recipes? Visit my blog at
http://culinography.wordpress.com

One of my “resolutions” for 2010 has been to get re-focused on finding/developing great dinner recipes that don’t take a lot of time to put together. There’s nothing better than a really great meal on an otherwise “regular” day, but most weekdays we find it really difficult to come home and spend an hour and a half in the kitchen cooking dinner. Too late, too tired, too hungry… if there’s not something easy in the queue, it’s highly likely we’re going to skip cooking and go straight to take out or pizza.

A recent favorite is a more sophisticated take on tacos — Cumin-Crusted Pork Soft Tacos, a take on a recipe from FGG’s beloved magazine, Cooking Light. These beauties satisfy any craving for Mexican food, and I love the freshness of the corn-tomato salsa (which you can easily assemble while the pork cooks). Sometimes we eat them with black beans and rice, others we just have tacos with a side of margaritas; but no matter what you decide to accompany them with, they’re pretty amazing for something that comes together in about 20 minutes.

Cumin-Crusted Pork Soft Tacos
(adapted from Cooking Light)
Pork:
2.5 teaspoons  ground cumin
1.5 teaspoons smoked paprika
1/2  teaspoon  salt
1/4  teaspoon  black pepper
1 pound pork tenderloin, trimmed and cut in half crosswise into two, 1/2 pound pieces
1  tablespoon olive oil

Salsa:
1/2  cup frozen whole-kernel corn, thawed
12 grape tomatoes, quartered
2 tablespoons red onion, diced
1 1/2  teaspoons fresh lime juice

Chipotle Sour Cream:
1/4 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce, minced

8  (6-inch) corn tortillas

To prepare pork, combine first 4 ingredients. Rub cumin mixture over pork. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork; cook 4 minutes or until browned on all sides. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook 15 minutes until a thermometer registers 155°. Remove pork from heat; let stand 5 minutes. Cut pork across grain into thin slices.

To prepare salsa, combine corn and next 3 ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

To prepare chipotle sour cream, combine sour cream and chipotle.

Wrap tortillas, 4 at a time, in a damp paper towel. Microwave on high 20 seconds. Place about 1 ounce pork onto each tortilla. Top with 2 tablespoons salsa and a dollop of sour cream. Fold in half.

Yield: 4 servings

Most nights, a couple of hours after dinner, I find myself thinking about dessert. Scavenging around the kitchen looking for something sweet, I discover I have a few choices: skip dessert, grab a big glass of water, and try to distract myself; sniff out the nearest chocolate bar or bowl of ice cream and indulge just a little, or find something in between – balancing sweetness with responsibility.

Depending on the day, any of these options are perfectly acceptable in my world, as long it’s a conscious decision rather than mindless eating (my downfall). However, I try to choose the middle road and throw together something that satisfies my sweet tooth and might even provide a little nutritional benefit, too.

One of my fast favorites for a reasonable dessert option is actually also something that’s a breakfast favorite – a yogurt parfait. For about the same calorie intake of a half cup of ice cream, I can have organic yogurt with a punch of protein and antioxidants, and get a little more fruit into my day. Win-win? Yep… and I’ll save the chocolate bar or the ice cream for a day when I really need it.

Blackberry and Granola Yogurt Parfait
1/2 cup lowfat, organic vanilla yogurt, divided
1/4 cup blackberries (fresh or frozen, unsweetened – thawed)
1 tablespoon granola
4-6 raw almonds

In a small bowl, layer in 1/4 cup of yogurt, blackberries, another 1/4 cup of yogurt, granola and almonds. Relax and enjoy!

Yield: 1 serving

Looking for more great recipes? Visit my blog at
http://culinography.wordpress.com