secret health

I’m back from a way long overdue hiatus and since we're coming out of the holidays and the season of indulgence, I thought this was the perfect time to share a bit of healthy new years inspiration with you. 4 ingredient Gluten free sweet potato waffles.

Before I lose you, hear me out... I’m obsessed. Seriously, I couldn’t wait to share this recipe with you.

Some of you are probably rolling your eyes about the gluten free recipe, let me explain! I’ve been trying to eat more clean the past year. I've been working a lot and feeling gross. I knew the one thing I could change was my diet. I’ve felt so much better since making that change. And the best part about it?! I’ve found some seriously amazing recipes that don’t taste like they’re health food.

And don't worry, this blog isn't going to change. I still plan on sharing my favorite recipes and latest experiments from my kitchen - healthy, indulgent and sometimes a combo of both. This new lifestyle still has room for gluten, dairy and all the yummy things, just more sparingly.

When I first made this waffle, it blew my mind. I can’t shut up about it. You would never know that it has no flour in it, let alone the fact that it’s gluten free. Best part? It’s only FOUR ingredients. FOUR. Ok, 5 if you count the pinch of salt. Who counts salt?! This waffle isn't the super crispy kind, it's more pillowy and cake like. I would swear it had flour in it if I didn't make it myself. It’s really great. Seriously, look at that texture!

You can prep the sweet potatoes a day or two in advance too. And there’s tons of things you can add to the mix to improvise it and make it your own, see the suggestions at the bottom of the recipe.

I posted the recipe measurements and process for both a spiralizer and a box grater if you don't have a spiralizer. The pictures are of the shredded waffle but I found the spiralizer a lot more efficient and it makes a prettier waffle.

I haven't tried this batter as "pancakes" but if you don't have a waffle maker, that would probably work too.

sweet potato waffles

slightly adapted from inspiralized

yields 1 waffle (4 triangles)

ingredients:

2 c. shredded sweet potatoes, packed 

1 egg

½ tsp cinnamon

2 tsp vanilla extract

pinch of salt

coconut oil or nonstick cooking spray

garnishes: 

fresh fruit

maple syrup

slivered or chopped nuts
granola

whipped cream or coconut whipped cream (see, small indulgence)

Peel and shred about 1 medium sweet potato. It should fill a 2 c. measuring cup. Make sure you pack it tight like you would brown sugar. You can also use a spiralizer instead. The spiraled noodles should fill a 2.5 c. measuring cup, just don't pack it tight or you'll break the spirals.

In a medium skillet with a lid, heat your pan over medium and add in ½ TBSP coconut oil or cooking spray. Add in your sweet potato and cover with the lid. After 2-3 minutes, toss your sweet potato so that it cooks slightly on all sides. Cook with the lid for another 2-3 minutes until the sweet potato becomes slightly tender but not fully cooked. Shredded will take less time than spiralized. *The cooking step is necessary, trust me, I tried putting raw sweet potato into my waffle iron and had to deal with the consequences.*

You can prep your recipe up to this point 1-2 days in advance of making the waffles if you want. 

Add cooked sweet potato to a medium bowl and let cool for 5 minutes. While you wait, preheat your waffle iron. Add remaining ingredients to your bowl and stir gently until the mixture is fully combined.

Coat your waffle iron in non stick cooking spray and pour your batter in. Cook based on your waffle irons instructions.

improv style:

you can use whatever spices you like in these waffles. not a fan of cinnamon? leave it out. i actually hate cinnamon but it works in this waffle. you can use more if you're really into cinnamon. other great spices would be pumpkin pie spice, star anise, cardamom, cloves, or allspice.

you could add in ¼ c. fresh blueberries, raspberries or strawberries into the batter. i’m not really into cooked berries so i prefer to top my waffle with it but go nuts if that’s your thing!

not a fan of maple syrup? me either. i actually prefer this waffle naked. but you could also top it with butter, jam or even peanut butter or your favorite nut butter.

i'm never one to turn down whipped cream or if you're being healthier, you could do coconut whipped cream.

the next thing i want to try with this batter is adding in almond flour to see if i can get a slightly crunchy texture on the outside. would love to know your improv ideas in the comments below!

green smoothies round 2

Where did the last 3 months go? I swear it was just the holidays and the next thing I know, BAM, it’s Spring. How has it been so long since I’ve posted?! You probably thought I’ve abandoned you, right? I promise I haven’t. This Winter in Chicago has just been so… COLD. And I’ve been so busy and tired and and I’ve had great intentions of sharing what I’ve been up to in the kitchen with you guys. I just never got around to testing, shooting and writing all of the thoughts in this crazy head of mine. Plus, polar vortex. No human should ever have to experience -40º F let alone 3 different times!!

Just because the sun is out longer during the day doesn’t mean that 36º is Spring, Chicago. Lets close our eyes and pretend that Spring has sprung, for reals. Or maybe you’re already in Spring mode because you don’t live in one of these crazy states with freak cold weather. Did I really just rant about the weather for 2 paragraphs?! I promise I’m not usually that person… 

Lets talk about feel good things. Like cats, new shoes, lipstick and green smoothies. Green smoothies?! Ever since I discovered them over 2 years ago, I’ve been making one for breakfast almost every morning. It’s a natural boost of energy and such a great way to start the day. I’m always looking for new combinations of ingredients to keep from getting bored. My latest favorite is a bit more “advanced”. I say that because when I first started making green smoothies I used unsweetened almond milk and was heavy on the fruit. Eventually you get more and more used to the bright and fresh flavors of the greens and begin to crave it. There’s lots of ways to tweak this recipe to cater to whatever level green smoothie drinker you are - novice to advanced. 

green smoothie

yields 1 serving

ingredients:

1 stalk dinosaur kale

1 c. leafy greens (spinach, red leaf lettuce, romaine, etc…)

2 limes, juice + pulp

1” ginger, peeled & roughly chopped

3” cucumber (skin on)

3 mint leaves

1 green apple

1 c. brewed green tea, chilled

Place all your ingredients in a blender (starting with the kale and ending with the iced tea) and blend on the highest setting for 1 - 2 minutes. Add more tea or water as needed to reach your desired consistency. 

improv style:

i like the balance that the green apple gives but if you don’t have green apples, you could use any apple you have on hand. no kale? you can add a little bit more leafy greens or just leave it out. no brewed tea? just use water!

more of a beginner? leave out the kale and stick to spinach. you can do 1 - 2 apples to amplify the sweetness too. if you’re going to use almond milk i would consider leaving out the cucumber as it might be a weird flavor combo.

finally, you can add in your favorite bonus heath food too! think chia seeds, flax, hemp, etc… 

*note, i'm not usually a mint fan but in this recipe, it's subtle and very balanced. if you're like me, give this mint recipe a try.

**curious about what blender to use and my first discovery of green smoothies? check out the post here. yes, my kitchenaid blender is still going strong 2+ years!

holiday leftovers part 1

The holidays are in FULL swing and I couldn't be more excited about it. It's a great excuse to get together with friends, family and everyone who's special in your life. Holidays come with a lot of excess and leftovers. Which in my book is an exciting thing because it means I get experimental in my kitchen on new ways to improvise dishes. This week I'm going to share a few ideas of things you can do with all those random leftovers in the house. 

First up, a winter sangria. Nothing is more festive than a holiday cocktail, amiright?! I'm a huge fan of sangria so this drink is inspired by the Spanish classic. 

Is it just my family or do you guys buy a bag of fresh cranberries every year and forget about it in the back of the refrigerator?! This happens without fail EVERY year. I decided to put those bad boys to good use since once again, they were forgotten about. I always like to have a bottle of Martinelli's Sparkling cider for the kiddos but that usually leaves me with an almost full bottle of cider at the end of the night - they just don't drink that much… or maybe they're too little to drink that much. Either way, I made it work in my favor! That plus leftover wine from the evening come together to make this super simple sangria. Leftover rosemary from that roasted turkey?! Yep, we're using everything here! Who's thirsty?

Winter Sangria

Yields 4 servings**

ingredients:

1 c. fresh cranberries

2 - 3 TBSP rosemary simple syrup

1 c. sparkling cider

2 c. white wine (pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc are my favs)

1 honey crisp apple, sliced or diced

rosemary simple syrup:

¼ c. water

¼ c. sugar 

3" piece of rosemary

To make the simple syrup:

Combine all ingredients in a small sauce pan and cook over medium high heat until sugar is dissolved. Set aside to cool. This can be made a week in advance. Just put in a mason jar or tupperware container and into the fridge it goes! I like to leave the rosemary in it to continue flavoring the syrup but also so I know what the heck it is in my refrigerator!

Cocktail assembly:

Place your cranberries on a baking sheet in a flat layer in the freezer. We'll use those instead of ice cubes so we don't water down our cocktail. Nothing worse than a watery cocktail!

Mix all ingredients (minus the cranberries) together in a pitcher and let it sit for 30 min in the fridge for the mixture to get happy. When you're ready to serve, add in the cranberries and fill your glass. Cheers to the holidays!

**Sounds yummy but you want to make a full batch?! Here's the quantities:

2 c. fresh cranberries

¼ c. TBSP rosemary simple syrup

2 c. sparkling cider

1 bottle. white wine (pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc are my favs)

2 honey crisp apples, sliced or diced

rosemary for garnish

improv style:

this drink pairs really well with any roasted meat. especially turkey and chicken. the subtle rosemary flavor is really refreshing. if it scares you, go ahead and leave it out. Like the idea of herbs but don't have any rosemary? thyme would be the next best herb to use. basil works too but i prefer to save that for my blueberry basil fizzes. 

don't have sparkling cider? you could totally use regular apple cider. in fact, i think i'd probably prefer it that way! not a fan of cider? try using cranberry or white cranberry juice instead. that would be super tasty!

can't find fresh or frozen cranberries? no worries. you can do pomegranate seeds instead. you'll still get that beautiful pop of red color and they're fun to crunch on too. actually, adding them in with the cranberries would be good too! get crazy, it's the holidays! 

no honey crisp apples at the store?! DAMN! they're the best, but that's ok. you can use ANY apple you have on hand. seriously, they're going to get boozy and really are mostly there for the crunchy freshness. 

not a fan of pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc? use what you like to drink! moscato or reisling would be just fine. it would also be super sweet… so if you're into that, do it! chardonnay is ok but not my favorite pairing for this drink. again, if you only like chardonnay, do it. life is too short!

happy holidays!

pork out

It's been a long time - do you ever have those moments in life where everything becomes chaotic all at once? I have been knee deep in chaos since mid-february and have been seriously neglecting you. I'm sorry. I promise my hardest not to do that to you again. 

You see, lots of things have been happening in my life. Matt and I bought a condo - yep, first time home buyers! My new kitchen is amazing and I can't wait to share it with you soon. That is, when i'm done digging my way out from all of the boxes. On top of all the moving/buying a condo chaos, work has been crazy busy AND I'm planning a wedding. Life is great. Life is amazing. But mostly, life is BUSY! 

Lets slow things down for a minute and talk about bacon. Specifically hot pepper + bacon vodka. Yep, that's a thing. It takes 1 - 2 weeks to make (the closer to the latter the better) but it's totally worth the wait. It's so easy to make and definitely makes brunch a lot more exciting.

hot pepper + bacon vodka

ingredients:

1 pint (375 ml) vodka 

6 strips of bacon (cooked & crispy)

1 jalapeno, cut in half length wise

1 serrano pepper, cut in half length wise

put ingredients into a mason jar or any sealable container and let sit for 2 weeks. if you're in a big rush, 5-7 days will work. the longer you let it sit, the stronger the flavors build. after 1 week, remove the peppers (unless you like it really hot). this way the hot pepper won't overpower the smokey bacon goodness.

now the little bit of work happens… totally worth it work. work that gets rewarded with bacon vodka in the end. strain your cloudy mixture through a fine mesh sieve and put it in a clean container and into the freezer. the freezer portion is key here. nobody likes greasy vodka, nobody. fat + drinks don't equal awesomeness. although it sounds like it could work, trust me, it doesn't. freeze your vodka for a minimum of 5 hours, 1 day is ideal. take a coffee filter or cheesecloth and place it into a fine mesh sieve on top of a medium sized bowl. pour your frozen vodka into the strainer and place in the refrigerator. after about 2 hours, the mixture should fully strain through, separating the fat from the liquor. 

bacon + hot pepper vodka is ready! store in the refrigerator or freezer. use to make the best bloody mary's or fancy, kicking cocktails. 

improv style:

you can leave out the hot peppers if you're not into spicy. if you're into heat but not HOT, use a milder pepper or peppercorns. candied bacon would be interesting… all types of bacon will affect the mixture - smokey bacon would be really great here but use what you can find! vodka is a neutral flavor but what about gin? bourbon... that could be REALLY interesting. 

winner, winner chicken dinner!

A few months ago I was lucky enough to take a bucket list trip to visit one of my best friends in Peru. I've been wanting to see Machu Picchu for a long time and the fact that Meg moved to Cusco made it the perfect, stars aligned moment to bite the bullet and buy the ticket! 

The colors and flavors of Peru took my breath away. I wasn't really familiar with the cuisine until I did a little research. Depending on where you're at in the country, they're known for different things. Cuy - Guinea pig, alpaca, ceviche, potatoes (over 3,000 varieties), and quinoa to name a few. We were lucky enough to have the chef at our hostel create a feast of peruvian dishes for us to try. I guess that's the perk of being best friends with the owner's girlfriend :)

We feasted on lomo saltado, aji de gaina, potato dishes of all sorts, Mazamorra morada - a purple corn pudding that tastes like Christmas, ceviche, peruvian fried rice, and 3 other amazing dishes that I didn't catch the name of. We feasted like kings. My favorite was the lomo saltado - a simple steak dish with peppers and onions served with french fries AND rice. Everything in Peru seemed to be served with two forms of starches. 

One thing I really enjoyed were all the different ways they used and prepared quinoa. For our first meal in Cusco, Meg took us to one of her friends restaurants. Almost immediately upon sitting down they brought us some little nuggets of chicken crusted in quinoa. Um, GENIUS! I immediately proclaimed to Meg that this would be making an appearance on the blog, and here it is!

I love the idea of using this seed (although I think of it as a grain) to create a healthier, protein + fiber packed chicken finger. I baked mine but if you're feeling naughty, frying would make them spectacular. That's how they were served to us in Peru and I have to say, I preferred the crunch frying gives it. And lets be real, how naughty could it be when you're using such healthy things?! 

quinoa chicken fingers

yields 4 servings

ingredients:

4 chicken breasts or 8 - 10 chicken tenders

2 eggs beaten

2 c. cooked quinoa (I used red but you can use any type)

1 c. panko bread crumbs

2 tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder

salt + pepper to taste

drizzle of olive oil

In a shallow bowl, beat eggs and set aside. In another shallow bowl, combine: quinoa, bread crumbs, onion powder, garlic powder, salt + pepper.

Pat your chicken dry with some paper towels and then dunk them in the egg mixture. Pick one piece up at a time, allow the excess egg to drip off and then dump it in the quinoa breading mixture. Pat hard so that you get as much of the coating to stick to the chicken breast. Place on a baking sheet (TIP: I like to put my wire cookie cooling racks on top of the baking sheet so that they bake up extra crispy). Repeat until all chicken pieces are coated. Depending on how much mixture sticks to the chicken you may need to add more breading. This isn't science, just dump some more of the breading ingredients and continue dipping. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and place in oven. 

Bake at 350º for about 20 - 25 minutes depending on thickness (15 - 18 if using chicken tenders). Serve with your favorite dipping sauces.

improv style:

you can make this gluten free by using all quinoa or using GF bread crumbs. i served this with a roasted red bell pepper sauce but you could add all sorts of fun seasonings/flavors to the chicken tenders before baking. consider using this spice mix or your favorite curry spices lightly dusted on the tenders before dipping into the breading. also, marinading the chicken in some buttermilk or dairy with spices would be a great idea. give the meat some flavor while tenderizing it!

you could even serve these as little chicken nuggets by chopping up the chicken tenders into bite sized pieces. this is how we had them as an appetizer in Cusco. next time i make these i'm totally doing bite sized pieces. 

i used red quinoa but you could use brown quinoa or even experiment with other grains/nuts. additionally, i used panko bread crumbs but experiment with your favorite or whatever you have on hand. i liked a 2:1 ratio but maybe you'd like more or less bread crumbs in the mixture? if you like your tenders extra crispy, i recommend frying them in a little bit of oil instead of baking. watching your cholesterol? you can whip up egg whites instead of using whole eggs.

these can also be frozen before baking and kept in an air tight bag/container for a few months. so make a double batch and freeze half so you can have tons of chicken on hand for later!

peachy keen

The weather is nice and oddly we've been eating a lot of hot dogs for dinner. Hot dogs and coleslaw. The weather is nice and we've been busy running around like crazy lately. Something about this Chicago weather right now makes hot dogs sound like a good idea.

When I do get some free time, I'm going to make another batch of this peach tea sparkler and sit outside reading the latest cooking magazine. Ok, most likely I'll be reading the issues from 6 months ago (I'm a little behind) but it will be fantastic. I'm looking forward to this day. I wonder when I'll be able to fit it in. 

Iced tea is one of my summertime favorites. I'm a sucker for peach iced tea. I'm also a sucker for all things sparkly. Bubbly sparkly, not shiny sparkly. Who am I kidding, I love shiny sparkly too but were talking about bubbly things right now. Peach tea sparkler. I said it. It's everything you love about a subtly sweet peach iced tea with little bubbles that tickle your tongue and scream IT'S SUMMER! Little things, like bubbles, make me happy.  

This recipe is just a guideline. I like my tea STRONG. I also like it subtly sweet, not hit you in the mouth sweet. Peaches are my favorite tea combination but lots of other tea/fruit/herb combo's would be just as nice. Improv suggestions below!

Happy, almost, weekend!

peach tea sparkler

yields 4 servings

ingredients:

3 black tea bags (I used Tazo Awake)

2 c. water

2 fresh peaches, sliced

2 T. agave nectar

4 c. sparkling water

In a medium sized pot, bring your water to a boil. dump in your tea bags and steep for 5 minutes. yes, you have to wait the whole time. you're making a tea concentrate and you want it to fully brew. if you add in anything (sugar, flavor, etc…) at this point, it will disrupt the steeping process. once you have a nice dark brew, remove your tea bags and add your sliced peaches. Return to a gentle simmer and cook for another 5 minutes. You want the peaches to release their juices into the mixture. Remove from heat and add as much or as little sweetener (in this case agave) to the pot. It will taste strong but remember, you're topping it with sparkling water which dilutes it, a lot. Let it sit for 15 more minutes off the heat. Then strain and let the mixture cool in the refrigerator (about an hour). Pour about ¼ c. of the tea mixture over ice and top with about 1 c. of sparkling water. Give it a stir and adjust to taste. If you don't have the patience to let it cool, just pour it over some ice and use a little less sparkling water. Instant gratification.

improv style:

fresh peaches might not be available where you are yet. it's technically not their season, yet. if that's the case for you, you can use frozen peaches. not down with peach? blackberry, raspberry, blueberry, lemon - you see where i'm going here. use your favorite flavor combination. 

this would also be great with other types of tea. i like the taste of black and the jolt it gives me but green tea, white tea, or even herbal tea would be just as tasty. if you're going for light and refreshing consider doing lime juice with some fresh mint leaves and green tea. or blackberry black tea with lime sparkling water. so many options, these would be my alts.

on to sweeteners... i like using truvia on most days (it's a stevia based natural low-cal sweetener) but when i'm splurging, i do agave nectar. honey, white sugar, sugar in the raw... however you prefer to sweeten will work just fine here. add as much or as little as you prefer.

what's your favorite iced tea sparkler flavor?

green machine

I had one of those work weeks where I didn't have a second to breathe, let alone grab lunch. After 4 days in a row of catered pizza for lunch, pizza for dinner and the occasional greasy chinese takeout I was feeling sluggish and run down.

There was a time when I did 80-90 hour work weeks and it was just fine. I'm now officially old because that 82 hour work week KILLED me. Saturday morning on my way to the office I walked past a restaurant called Protein Bar - their tagline stated "We do healthy healthier". Feeling run down from the long hours and pizza, I went in for some breakfast. I ended up getting a "green juice" - my body craving something fresh. This juice was composed of spinach, kale, lime, cilantro and pineapple. I was nervous and excited all at the same time. I'd heard great things about green smoothies and juices but quite honestly I considered it food for health crazed people, not for people like me, who worship butter and salt.

Call me a health nut but this juice changed me. It might have been because I was delusional and overworked but it was exactly what I needed. I felt energy for the first time in days and it made me feel good from the inside out (if that even makes sense). I was hooked after my first one. 

I've been making green smoothies almost every morning for the past 2.5 months now. I've had some that were ok and most that were fantastic. I've joined the "health crazed" people while maintaining my love of butter and salt. It's all about balance, right?! I love the beautiful green smoothies I have for breakfast. They're vibrant and so perfect for Summer. They don't taste like gross veggies, they actually have a subtle sweetness (which can be adjusted based on preference). I've learned the secret to a good green smoothie thanks to my friend Natalie from college - unsweetened vanilla almond milk. I tried this stuff back on the detox and HATED it. It was gelatinous and just plain gross in my cereal. If you, like me had a bad first experience with almond milk, please give it a second chance. I did and it completely transforms this smoothie! 

A few things about green drinks… I had a hard time deciding between blending and juicing. Ultimately, I went with smoothies so I could get all the fiber and nutrients from the fruits and veggies. Once I decided on smoothies, I had to pick a blender. Lots of friends recommended a Blendtec or Vitamix but if you, like me don't have $500+ to shell out for a blender, you'll go a more reasonable rout. I did a lot of research and finally ended up choosing a kitchen aid 5-speed blender. This sucker cuts through kale and apples like nobody's business. There's never any chunks in my smoothie and I'm very satisfied with my purchase. Plus they sell it at Macy's and there's always some sort of sale or discount you can apply to it. For $180 full retail, it's much more cost effective than the high end blenders. Hopefully one day I'll own a fancy blender but until then, my kitchen aid works just fine. 

On to actual smoothie making… there's a million variations and things you can add to make a great smoothie. I've recently discovered chia seeds (again, thanks to my friend). They're flavorless and honestly, I don't notice them in my smoothie because they get pulverized - BUT, they're full of OMEGA 3 and antioxidants so I toss some in with my smoothie and I feel better knowing I'm getting some extra nutrients. I know they probably sound scary, but they're really not. If you're not down with going extra healthy (I don't blame you), you can leave them out no problem. I've added in some Emergen-C when I was feeling on the verge of sickness and that worked nicely too. TONS of improv suggestions below, just wanted to share some disclaimers before you read the recipe and went running for the hills when you saw chia seeds. Can't find them at your grocery store? You can get them on amazon, I use this brand. Seriously, don't be scared by them, they're secret health.

green smoothie

yields about 24 oz (one large smoothie or 2 small ones)

ingredients:

2 handfuls of spinach (about 2 cups slightly packed)

1 handful of kale leaves (i usually do dinosaur kale)

1½ c. unsweetened vanilla almond milk

1 T. chia seeds

1 c. frozen pineapple chunks

Combine all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Pour and enjoy… it's that easy! This isn't rocket science, just dump and pour and adjust to your taste! 

improv suggestions:

any combination from the various categories will work, use your favorites! also, if you're new to green smoothies, start with spinach as it's the most mild. Avoid greens that don't have nutritional value like iceberg and romaine. if your fruits aren't frozen, add about 5-6 ice cubes to the mix. 

greens (about 3 c.): 

spinach, kale (any variety), arugula, collard greens, mixed spring greens*, ½ an avocado


*you want a green that has a lot of nutritional value so skip the iceberg and stick to the darker leafier greens

frozen or fresh fruits (about 1 - 2 c):

pineapple, apple (with peel, it gets blended up), raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, cherries, bananas, orange, lime, lemon, peaches, kiwis (2), plums

liquid base (about 1 - 2 c):

milk, almond milk, soy milk, coconut milk, goat milk, rice milk, brewed iced tea (black, green, herbal), water, yogurt, orange juice, lemonade, grapefruit juice, iced coffee, carrot juice, apple juice, cranberry juice

extras (about 1 - 3 T.):

peanut butter, almond butter, unsweetened cocoa powder, espresso powder, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, chia seeds, flax oil, protein powder, powdered vitamin packs, emergen-c or airborne, oatmeal

a little sweeter, please (to taste):

stevia sweetener (i like truvia), honey, agave nectar, sugar, molases, any artificial sweetener of your preference


Matt's favorite green smoothie (more brownish, but still):
1 frozen banana
3 c. spinach
1½ c. soy
1 giant spoon of peanut butter
1 T. chia seeds
1 T. espresso powder
1 packet truvia or a big squirt of honey

what's your favorite combination?! 

chili for this chill

The weather in Chicago has been a bit cold the past week. I'm not complaining by any means. We had unseasonably warm weather for a few weeks before that. But this chill in the air has me craving some of my favorite fall comfort foods. This weekend we had a huge tunder + lightning storm. I couldn't pick a better dinner than a big bowl of hearty chili to go along with that storm! 

This is my new favorite chili recipe. I've tried a few from scratch before and this one has everything I'm looking for. A little tang balanced with some brown sugar, a slight kick of heat - just enough to tickle your lips, and lots of hearty, thick chunks of meat and beans. I know in some parts of the country chili is religion - that's not the case where I grew up. I still think this recipe could hang with the best of them! 

balsamic + bean chili

adapted from Sharon Boswell on Allrecipes

ingredients:

2 lbs ground beef

2 onions, chopped

1 carrot, finely grated

6 cloves garlic, minced

12 oz (1 bottle) beer

2 - 25 oz cans kidney beans, drained & rinsed

2 - 28 oz cans diced tomatoes

4 T. chili seasoning

½ t. garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

½ t. cayenne pepper

1 t. oregano

2 T. brown sugar

½ T. worcestershire sauce

1 T. balsamic vinegar

3 T. chili pepper sauce (I got mine from trader joes but you could use your favorite)

4 oz diced green chile

to garnish:

sour cream

shredded cheddar cheese

finely chopped onions

chopped cilantro or parsley

In a large pot, brown your ground beef with a little olive oil. Once meat is browned, remove it from the pan. Add your onions and cook until translucent. Add in carrot and garlic and cook for another 2 minutes until softened. Add your meat back in the pot an pour your beer (I used PBR but any light beer would do), beans, and diced tomatoes. Give it a quick stir and add all of the remaining ingredients. Once mixture comes to a boil, reduce heat to low and gently simmer for about 4 hours, stirring occasionally.

Top with your favorite fixin's and serve! 

improv style:

think of chili as a hodge podge of ingredients. i add balsamic vinegar and a little brown sugar to balance the dish but you can leave it out. this chili is subtly spicy, if you like more or less kick, play with the cayenne and chili pepper sauce or red pepper flakes. don't have green chile? it's ok, you can leave it out. you could also add in your favorite veggies. think red bell pepper, or carrots, sweet potato or corn. 

i like the depth of flavor that beer adds to the dish. don't make the same mistake i once did and use a super hoppy IPA. chili is best with either a porter, stout, or american ale. i like PBR but you could use coors light, miller light, or your favorite light beer. if you're going the stout/porter direction, choose one you love. like the idea of beer but don't have any on hand? you can substitute a little instant espresso powder instead of using a porter or stout. don't want to use beer? that's ok too. just use a good beef stock or water. 

beans or no beans... it all depends on where you're from. for me chili isn't chili without beans. i like kidney beans but you can use whatever ones you have on hand. black beans or pinto beans would be great in this for a little mexican twist! oooh, if you do that, add some corn kernels too, yum! you can also play with the type of meat you use. lighten it up with some ground turkey or chicken breast. try it with a combo of ground pork and chuck, OR don't use ground meat and use chunks of brisket, steak, or even pulled pork. mmmmm, pork.

if you like a thinner or thicker chili, you can add more liquid or thicken it up with some cornmeal or cornstarch. 

saucy goodness

If you're like me and my family, you've probably waited until the last minute to figure out what you're making for Easter dinner. And in true fashion, this post is a little later than I would have liked to share with you guys. Hopefully you're like me and haven't given two thoughts to your Easter dinner yet. Do you want to do something a little different or do you stick to the classic family recipes? 

Last year I celebrated Easter with my Aunt and Uncle for the first time. I hosted my very first Easter dinner with all the fixings my family traditionally has. I was really proud of myself. Everything went without a flaw (I got lucky). I was really happy I got to share a bit of my Seattle family traditions with my Chicago family.  I was able to introduce my Uncle to ham gravy - something he had never thought of before. Something I couldn't imagine ham dinner without… seriously, HAM GRAVY. Do I need to say more? 

Is it just my family that makes this or is it something you've heard of before?! Either way, I feel it is my duty to share this salty, meaty, porky goodness with you all. If you haven't had it, make sure you include it in your Easter menu this year. You can thank me later. 

If you're all about a glazed ham, not to worry. I've taken it upon myself to figure out how to get ham gravy goodness without sacrificing your beloved glaze. Check out the improv style section below the recipe for all of the different options you have. And if you're looking for a tasty glaze that's not bourbon brown sugar, maybe try my fig mustard glaze. Fig + Ham were a match made in heaven in my book. 

This year, Easter dinner is at my Aunt and Uncle's house. I can't wait to see what their family meal traditions are!  I know what they do with their ham leftovers and I can't wait to share that with you guys! My Uncle blew my mind last year when he suggested it… GENIUS and yet so simple! What are some of your Easter or Passover traditions? 

ham gravy

yields about 2 c.

for the stock:

1 ham hock (you can get this from the butcher)

4 c. water or chicken/veggie stock

for the gravy:

2 c. of your stock (created from above ingredients)

3 T. butter

3 ½ T. flour

for the stock:

Preheat oven to 325º. Take a big knife to your ham hock and gash it a few times in the bone. This will help release the flavors. In an oven safe dish, combine ham hock with water or stock (I use my 9x9 glass pyrex). You don't have to measure perfectly how much liquid you put. Just fill the dish as much as you can with water and cover up the ham hock at least half way. I usually use a box of chicken stock and then fill the rest up with water. I know chicken isn't pork but I find it helps add to the depth of flavor in the gravy. It also gives it a nice brown color. Heat in the oven for at least 2-3 hours so that the ham flavors get in the liquid. Strain liquid into a bowl and let cool. You can do this up to 3 days before you want to serve. 

for the gravy:

Depending on the amount of liquid you yielded and the consistency you like, the next steps vary. For me, I like a gravy that isn't runny but isn't a thick, gelatinous lump either. For thinner gravy, add more liquid or less flour. For thicker gravy, add more flour or less liquid. In a medium sized pot, melt your butter with flour and stir until it forms a  paste. Pour your stock over the roux (flour + butter mixture) and whisk like a crazy person until it's incorporated. Gently simmer for about 15 minutes until mixture is thickened. If you find your gravy too runny, you can always mix some flour with a little bit of water (you want to dissolve it best you can) and slowly stir a little at a time into the pot and wait 5 minutes to see how it thickens up. If your gravy is too thick, you could add a little more stock if you have it or chicken/veggie stock OR a little water if you must. If your gravy turns out lumpy, never fear. You can put it in a blender or use a hand blender to incorporate all of those little lumps. 

improv style:

first off, if you have more than 2 c. of stock, adjust the measurements accordingly. I did a smaller batch so that people could always go bigger if they wanted. i tried to make it easy to batch out…

this is a basic ham gravy. i like a strong ham flavor but if you want to make it a little fancy, you could add some herbs (thyme, rosemary) or booze (sherry, bourbon, or a little white wine). whatever you like to do to your turkey gravy would make sense here for the most part. you could add some veggies like carrots, celery, onion and garlic to the pan with the ham hock as you cook it to add more flavor. maybe i'll try that next time i make it.

gluten free? NO PROBLEM! use cornstarch instead of flour. Just make sure you mix it well with a bit of the cold stock or water. You want to turn it into a slurry (a thin paste) to drizzle into your hot stock. You can always add more so be light handed at first! it will thicken after about 7 minutes and you'll know if you need to add more or less. 

don't want to buy a ham hock or can't find one at your store?! no problem. pour some water and chicken stock in the bottom of the pan you cook your ham in. baste it every 30 minutes with the juice to maximize the ham flavor in your broth. you won't want to glaze your ham unless you want a sweet gravy or your gravy to taste similar to your glaze. i've found sweet gravy = gross. while your ham is resting, make your gravy.