Beet Chips

I am adding more Beets to my diet on the advice of a nutritionist I am working with, so I have been seeking different ways to prepare them. Since I always like Chips of any kind, you just know that I had to make them that way. Besides that, buying Beet Chips at the health food store is expensive and it costs very little to make them at home. They are easy to make and I think they taste better too! The trick to making Beet Chips is to cook them very slowly so that they crisp but don't burn. While they do shrink down a great deal, you still get a decent size bowl of them using 4 - 5 small Beets. I loved them and luckily I recently bought myself a mandolin that makes slicing a breeze. If you like Beets, you will love this recipe!

Beet Chips

5 small Beets, trimmed and peeled

3 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1/4 teaspoon Salt

Slice the Beets with a Mandoline into thin slices. Place in a bowl and add the Vegetable Oil and Salt.  Leave the Beet Slices in the bowl until you are ready to cook them

Put a wire rack inside a Sheet Pan. Take the Beets and place them on the wire rack spacing them apart as much as you can - it's okay if they are touching or overlapping a little.  Place in the oven and bake for 45 - 50 minutes. Take out and let cool and then enjoy!

Five Element Analysis

Beets belong to the Earth Element with a little bit of Fire thrown in due to their vibrant red color. The Olive Oil brings in the Wood Element and of course Salt (although there isn't very much) belongs to the Water Element. While you would never expect a snack like this to be balanced, it can help balance out the rest of the food you eat in a day. This snack primarily adds more Earth. 

Deconstructed Chicken in Lettuce Wrap Salad

I'm so behind on posting as I have been finishing up the Cookbook - it's gone to layout and now we have to start taking photos. I'm hoping for a fall release date so I will keep you posted. I'm really excited to see it taking shape - my son Stephen and I have been working on it for 3 years!

In the meantime, I have been cooking, as I do most days, but I pretty much cook my old standards, most of which are posted here on this blog. So, I decided to give you a preview of one of the recipes in the cookbook that we have been working on.  

I was testing Chicken in Lettuce Wraps, but the Iceberg Lettuce I bought had leaves that were so tightly bound that it wouldn't let me get big enough pieces to make into wraps so I got fed up and chopped it up instead. Deconstructed Chicken in Lettuce Wrap Salad was born. It was so incredibly good that I may never try to make Chicken in Lettuce Wraps again the old fashioned way except maybe for a party and then I would use cute little Butter Lettuce leaves as they are so much better behaved!  

This Salad is very easy to make and can be made quickly.  The only downside is that you do have to eat it right away because it is a warm salad. If you feel like taking the time to make them, fried Bean Thread Noodles would make this even better.  Hope you enjoy this as much as I did!

Deconstructed Chicken in Lettuce Wrap Salad

1/2 pound ground Chicken

1 Tablespoon Rice Wine

1 Tablespoons Tamari 

3 Dried Shitake Mushrooms, rehydrated in boiling water, stems trimmed and chopped into small pieces

½ cup chopped Water Chestnuts (from a can)

2 Tablespoons Oil

1/2 teaspoon peeled and grated Ginger

2 Green Onions, minced – white and green parts separated

3 Tablespoons Chicken Broth mixed with 1/2 Tablespoon Tamari

¼ teaspoon Sesame Oil

1 scant teaspoon of Cornstarch mixed with 2 teaspoons of Water

½ head of Iceberg Lettuce, core removed

Optional: 1/3 cup Pine Nuts for garnish

1/4 cup Gluten Free Hoisin Sauce mixed with enough Hot Water to make it pourable

Marinate the Chicken with the Rice Wine and Tamari for at least 15 minutes.

In a large frying pan or wok, heat the Oil and add in the Ginger and the white part of the Green Onions. Cook until you smell the fragrance. Then add in the Chicken, Mushrooms and Water Chestnuts and cook until the Chicken is opaque. Add in the Chicken Broth mixture and the remaining Green Onion pieces. Then add in the Cornstarch mixture and stir until thickened. 

Chop ½ head of Iceberg Lettuce and place in a bowl. Top the Lettuce with the Chicken Mixture and drizzle the thinned Hoisin Sauce over it. Then sprinkle with Pine Nuts. Toss before serving. 

Five Element Analysis

Chicken belongs to the Wood Element and Lettuce is part of the Fire Element and the Rice Wine adds just a bit more. The Water Element is represented by the Shitake Mushrooms, Tamari, Sesame Oil and Hoisin Sauce as well as the Pine Nuts.  The Green Onions make sure that the Metal Element is also present and the Ginger, which is partly Metallic adds a bit more, but also contributes the Earth Element. The Water Chestnuts are also a mixed Element food as they grow under Water, which brings in a bit of that Element, but have a brown exterior, which makes them also Earthy and the flavor is a bit sweet so it can be considered mostly Earth. The little bit of Cornstarch adds a tiny amount of more Earth. So, it looks like this Salad is a fairly balanced Five Element dish!

Tomato Bruschetta Topping

I finally found some really good Tomatoes at the Farmer's Market and that means it's Bruschetta time!  Bruschetta literally means grilled bread with any number of toppings, although Tomatoes are quite traditional. It's quite easy to make this Tomato topping, but what's different about this one is that the Garlic is mellowed by cooking just a little and that let's the flavors of Olive Oil and Basil shine through a bit more. How does something so simple, taste so good?  I used a Gluten Free Baguette and sliced it thin and brushed it with Olive Oil, cooked it just until the edges were browned and then topped it with the Tomatoes. To me, Bruschetta with ripe Tomatoes is a summertime delight!  

Tomato Bruschetta Topping

2 pounds fresh, ripe Tomatoes 

1/2 cup Olive Oil

4 large Garlic Cloves, minced

1 1/2  teaspoons Sea Salt

20 large Basil Leaves

Cut off the stem end of each Tomato and then slice in half, scoop out the seeds and then dice. Place in a bowl and add the Salt.

Roll up the Basil Leaves and slice thinly and add to the Tomatoes.

Pour the Olive Oil into a frying pan and add in the minced Garlic. Heat and stir until you can smell the Garlic fragrance and remove from the heat. Pour over the Tomatoes and stir to mix thoroughly. Let sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes to let the flavors blend. 

Five Element Analysis

Tomatoes belong to the Fire Element so this dish is mostly Fiery. The Olive Oil brings in the Wood Element and the Garlic adds the Metal Element as does the Basil. The Bread, in this case is Gluten Free so that means it is made primarily from Rice Flour adds more Metal and if made from Wheat, adds more of the Wood Element. This is not meant to be a balanced meal as it is an appetizer so be sure to serve it with some other dishes that bring in the Water Element and the Earth Element too for balance. 

Sautéed Caramelized Fennel

I'm currently enamored with Fennel and often cut it up and add it to my lunchtime salads, but today I wanted to make it a different way to tame it for the rest of the family who are not as crazy about the licorice-like taste as I am. I decided to sauté it in a combination of Olive Oil  and Vegetable Oil to give it a higher smoke point and I sliced the Garlic so it wouldn't burn. I finished it with a bit of White Wine. It was so delicious and was greatly appreciated by all my non Fennel loving family members!  

Be sure to use a frying pan that is not nonstick if you want to caramelize it properly. I used my trusty All Clad stainless steel frying pan and the Fennel ended up with that golden glow that is the hallmark of good caramelization. All in all it took less than 10 minutes to prepare and that includes slicing the Fennel and the Garlic and cooking it too. It was so easy and so fast and so good that I will be making it often!  

Sautéed Caramelized Fennel

2 Fennel Bulbs, top and bottom trimmed and cut into thin slices

2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1/4 teaspoon Sea Salt

2 - 3 Garlic Cloves, peeled and slice thinly

1/4 cup dry White Wine

Heat the Oil in a frying pan (not nonstick) and add in the Fennel slices. Cook, stirring often until the Fennel starts to brown. Add in the Sea Salt and the Garlic and continue to cook until the Fennel is golden brown.  Then add in the White Wine and cook until the liquid is completely evaporated. All in all it should take about 5 - 6 minutes to cook. 

Five Element Analysis

Fennel is one of the few Metal Element vegetables, but because it is caramelized and becomes sweet, as does the Garlic, it also has the properties of the Earth Element.  The Olive Oil adds the Wood Element and the White Wine brings in the Fire Element. All that's needed is a main dish from the Water Element, such as Fish or Pork or even some Beans and you will have a balanced meal!

Sautéed Spinach and Beets

I've just returned from teaching in England. While there, I stayed at an Airbnb so that we could cook and my friend Deirdre made a delightful dish of Sautéed Spinach and Beets. I'v never thought of putting these two ingredients together, but Spinach does belong to the same family. The dish came about because we found a package of pre-cooked beats so it was a simple matter to slice them and add them to some sautéed Spinach and Garlic. It took no time at all. However, if you cook the Beets yourself, it will take much longer. She drizzled the dish with Balsamic Vinegar and it was wonderful!  I hope you like it too.

Sautéed Spinach and Beets

4 small or 2 large Beets, cooked* and sliced 1/4"  (in half if small, in quarters if big)

10 oz of Spinach (2-5 oz packages) of Spinach

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

3 Cloves of Garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon Salt

2 Tablespoons Balsamic 

Heat the Olive Oil and add the Garlic. Cook, stirring until you smell the Garlic fragrance Add in the Beets and stir and then add in the Spinach. Sautéed until the Spinach wilts. Sprinkle with the Salt and drizzle with the Balsamic Vinegar. Toss to coat and serve immediately. 

*If using fresh Beets, boil with the peels on until the Beets can be cut through with a knife. Rub off the peels and trim the ends. Then proceed with the recipe above.

Five Element Analysis

Beets belong to the Earth Element as they are sweet root vegetables, but they also have some Fire due to their red color. Spinach belongs to the Wood Element and the Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar add even more Earth. The Garlic brings in the Metal Element. Be sure to serve with a Main Dish from the Water Element, like Fish or Pork to balance the meal.  

Simple Sautéed Corn and Edamame

I haven't been posting much since I've been working so hard on my cookbook - due out later this year. Testing recipes over and over again kind of takes away the time and creativity I need to develop new recipes but I will be done soon and I'll keep you posted. about the release date!

 In the meantime, here's something I whipped up tonight when I wanted some protein from a vegetable source. I had three ears of Corn in the fridge that needed to be cooked and I found a container of already cooked shelled Edamame from Trader Joe's. If you can't find this particular product, look for Edamame in the shell and cook following the package instructions and then peel them. I cooked the Corn, cut it off the cob and sautéed it in Butter it with some Green Onions and the Edamame. I added some Tamari too and it was so good!  My son said he was going to add some Sriracha to his, but he gave a thumbs up to the dish, which means he will definitely eat it again.  I served it with a Green Salad with lots of other cut up vegetables. This dish a really quick and easy to make when you have so many other things to do and it's delicious!

Simple Sautéed Corn and Edamame

3 Ears of Corn

9 oz of shelled Edamame (already cooked)

3 - 4 Green Onions, ends trimmed and cut into small pieces

3 Tablespoons Butter

1 teaspoon Tamari

Bring a pot of water to a boil and add the fresh Corn. Cook for 5 - 7 minutes and remove. Cool and cut the Corn off the Cob.  

Melt the Butter in a frying pan over medium high heat. Add in the Green Onions and cook until you can smell the fragrance strongly. Then add in the Corn and the Edamame and sauté for 4 - 5 minutes or until the Corn and Edamame are hot. Then drizzle on the Tamari and toss to coat.  Serve immediately.

Five Element Analysis

Corn belongs to the Earth Element whereas the Edamame is partly the Water Element because it's a bean and partly the Wood Element because they are green. The Tamari brings in a hint of the Water Element and the Butter and Green Onions contributes the Metal Element. For a balanced meal, serve it with a Fire food, as I did with a Lettuce Salad with Tomatoes and Red Onion pieces (more Metal) and dressed it with Lemon Juice and Olive Oil  (Wood foods) to balance things out.

Stir Fried Chicken and Broccoli

Stir-frying food the Chinese way is very, very fast if you cut up all the ingredients ahead of time. And these days, it's so easy to buy things ready to cook, like Broccoli Florets. I happened to have a big bag that I bought, so I've been making Broccoli several different ways. My favorite was a family classic - Chicken and Broccoli, which I realized that I have never posted, even though I make it often. If you cut up the Chicken and marinate it ahead of time and have Broccoli florets on hand, this dish literally takes only minutes! 

The sauce is a classic Chinese Brown Sauce made from Chicken Broth, Oyster Sauce, Tamari and a few drops of Sesame Oil. I use Kikkoman Oyster Sauce because it is Gluten Free and if you don't like Shellfish, there are some Vegan versions out there too.  The Cornstarch that is mixed in with the Chicken makes the sauce thick enough for my family, but if you like a thicker sauce add a little bit more Cornstarch. If it gets too thick, add a little bit more water. It's very forgiving. You can also make this dish with sliced Beef too and it's also delicious!

Stir Fried Chicken and Broccoli

¾ pound of boneless Chicken – Thighs or Breasts

2 Tablespoons Rice Wine

2 Tablespoons Tamari

3 Tablespoons Cornstarch

2 – 3 cups Broccoli Florets, cut in half if large

2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil

2 large Garlic Cloves

Sauce:

¼ cup Chicken Broth

¼ cup Water

2 Tablespoons GF Oyster Sauce

1 teaspoon Tamari

a few drops of Toasted Sesame Oil

Optional: 1 teaspoon of Cornstarch mixed with 2 teaspoons Water

In a bowl, mix together the Chicken Broth, Water, Oyster Sauce and Tamari. In another small bowl, mix together the Cornstarch and Water.  

Cut the Chicken into chunks less than 1”.  Place in a bowl with the Rice Wine, Tamari and Cornstarch.  Mix thoroughly.

Boil a small pot of Water and bland the Broccoli for 1 minutes.  Drain and rinse with cold water.

Heat the Oil in a large frying pan or wok.  Add the Garlic and cook until you just smell the fragrance.  Then add in the Chicken, pushing down so that it forms a single layer and starts to brown on one side. Turn over and cook on the other side. Then add the Broccoli and the sauce mixture. Stir to combine. Then add in the Cornstarch mixture and cook until lightly thickened.  Serve with Steamed Rice.  

Five Element Analysis

Chicken and Broccoli both belong to the Wood Element, so this is a mostly Wood dish. However, the Oyster Sauce, Tamari and Sesame Oil bring in the Water Element and the Rice and Garlic contribute the Metal Element. The Fire Element is only found in the Rice Wine and the Earth Element in the Cornstarch, so be sure to add another dish or two that bring in those Elements for balance.