empanadaaaa (also known as fire fire!!)

i almost wish i had gotten a picture of the oven after i had melted the microwave plastic cover thing in it when i was preheating the oven...but what should have been a rather straight forward foray into empanada making became a multi hour ordeal of how to scrap dried plastic off oven surfaces and glued to metal racks. but i'm hoping i'll never forget to check the oven again (and baking soda does put out a plastic fire :)

moving onto happier more yummy topics. luckily, we have a mini oven so while the burnt smells of plastic got to cool in the actual oven my empanadas could still get baked (although in baby batches of four...i suppose a sort of physical moderation on the speed of my consumption)

doesn't this one look like a spotted cow?? as i'm moving to vt in a little over a month, seems like a good omen! 

there was that adventure actually making the empanada shells a while back with s4. but buying premade are just so easy. i take my short cuts where i can. these babies are kind of like the stir frys i make for the parents- stuffed with any ol vegetable i find in the house. the great thing about empanadas (dumplings, momos, samosas or whatever form yours takes, is that it can really be stuffed with anything you want. the empanada shells are a pastry shell so it can handle all sorts of flavors, as you'll see later with a sweet version).

this recipe came from the mexican food blog i found that i mentioned last time. loosely adapted but i liked all the spice ideas she had (along with some of my own add-ins).

Tuna and Veggie Empanadas (makes about 13*)

adapted from Pati's Mexican Table

Olive oil (for skillet)

3/4 c chopped onion

1 T minced garlic, or to taste

2 handfuls kale, chopped (w/o stalk)

1 c frozen mushrooms, thawed with water remaining

1 ear of steamed corn, kernels removed

1/2 c black beans, rinsed and drained

1 tsp brown sugar

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/4-1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/2 tsp sea salt, or to taste

1/2-1 tsp cumin

1/4-1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 T dried parsley

2 cans 5 oz chunk light tuna in water, lightly drained

2 T salsa, just b/c i had it leftover

To make empanadas

1 packet Goya empanada discos (containing 10)

1 egg

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Saute the onions and cook until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for about another minute. Add the kale, mushrooms and black beans and cook out the water. Add the tuna and salsa (or chopped tomatoes) and then all the spices. Cook until soft. Taste for salt. My mix was dry but if you add tomatoes and really let it cook down you will have something more mushy and moist.

Brush the egg (I just had the yolk, I used the egg white at breakfast) around the edges of a disco and then scoop 1/4 cup of the filling into the middle. Press it to fold over the circle and seal the edges of the empanada with the tines of a fork until sealed. If baking immediately preheat oven to 350F and brush the tops of the empanadas with the egg. Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. If not using immediately, lay out the empanadas on a tray not letting them touch and freeze until solid then transfer to a bag.

*I realize the goya comes in packs of 10, and yes, it is obnoxious to have to buy another set of 10 just to make 3, kind of like having an odd number of hot dogs to hot dog buns, but based on the ingredients i used i had this many, so feel free to decrease any vegetable or ingredient you're not wild about, b/c if not, you'll buy more empanada shells and think you actually need 2 more sets and then the craziness never ends.

another savory version to test out. i actually preferred the tuna one over this one, but M&D both voted this one as their favorite (i swear if i put cheese in anything my mother will absolutely gobble it up).

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Empanadas 

Makes 10

1 large sweet potato (mine was 0.95 lbs)

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

3/4 c onions, chopped

olive oil

garlic, to taste

salt, to taste

1 tsp dried cumin

1 tsp dried chili powder

1/4 c shredded pepperjack cheese

10 empanada shells, defrosted

egg wash (egg + 1 T water)*

Bake the sweet potato about 15-20 minutes at 400F until easily pierced by a fork. Unwrap and let cool then mash in a large bowl. While the potato cooks saute the onion in olive oil until translucent then add garlic and cook for a little longer. Add to mashed potatoes and add beans and spices. Combine and let cool.  Spread egg wash on the edges of the empanada shell then scoop 1/4 of the filling, fold over the shell and seal the edges together (with fork or fingers). Brush the outside with the egg wash.* Bake at 350F for about 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Or you can freeze them and not brush the egg wash across the outside. 

*making an egg wash as i learned from Pati's site makes the stuff last longer, but also gave that spotting browning (as in my cow) and sort of inconsistent browning. my batch with kale had just egg yolk brushed onto it.

a sweet empanada, the empanada shell can handle any sort of flavor. i'm thinking for D next time i'll go for a thanksgiving empanada and just put in shredded turkey, mashed potato, corn and maybe some peas or something. his tastebuds would probably handle that better ;) the empanadas are pretty high calorically (not that two won't be more than filling) but i made up for that by making all the fillings very much on the healthy side, including this sweet creation. which is probably why it came in last place for flavor for M. 

Apple, Cranberry and Pecan Empanadas

Makes 10

3 medium apples, peeled and chopped into small pieces

1/4 of an orange, squeezed for the juice

1/2-1 tsp cinnamon

dash of nutmeg, optional

heaping 1/4 c dried cranberries or raisins

1/4 pecans, chopped

Cook down the apples with the orange juice in a pot (about 15-20 minutes until tender). Let cool. Drain juice in a colander over a bowl.  Transfer cooked apples to a large bowl and mix in spices, dried cranberries and pecans.  Brush the edges of the empanada shell with egg wash. Scoop a small 1/4 cup amount of filling into the center of each shell. Seal the edges together with the tines of the fork and brush the outside with egg yolk or egg wash. Bake at 350 for about 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. 

happy baking and eating!

lunch 101

Having to always eat lunch out of the house whether at work or school, I have to make meals that are appetizing and yummy enough that I won’t be tempted to buy something every day.  As a dietetic student we learn how to counsel clients in building nutrition and healthy foods into their diet in an economical and easy way- 1) making grocery lists, food prepping all in one day, etc. it’s one of those things that sometimes comes to “do as I say not as I do.” Because really, everyone has a busy schedule, who has the energy after a long day at work or school to go grocery shopping and cook rice and veggies and prep foods that are healthy and satisfying?

But that’s where I’m trying to improve myself and hopefully give you some ideas to make your lives easier. I’m busy- I go to school part time, I have 4 jobs and I like to workout and relax and have a social life (some of those things definitely get pushed to the bottom of the list when things get really crazy), but I also want to eat well and make sure I have foods that make my stomach happy (currently, processed foods are on the “makes my tummy sad list”).

When I research recipes to fiddle or try the ingredient list is the first thing that decides whether or not I will try it. Not just if the ingredients are archaic and things I don’t want or have the money to buy, but if it’s longer than say 7 items (not including salt and pepper) then I usually find it too overwhelming. I want simple, straight forward recipes that won’t take my whole life to figure out. And if I can just use one piece of equipment or use two at the same time to save time, more power to the recipe.

As the weather gets warmer my lunches get more colorful and lighter (salads, wraps, etc.) as opposed to my colder weather lunches which usually include veg chili and things that need to be microwaved. My go-to building of a lunch for spring/summer includes:

Starch            +       Vegetable                         +              Protein

Brown rice             Lettuce (arugula,                                Beans

Wild Rice               Mixed greens, romaine, etc)                Tuna salad made with yogurt

                             Cucumber                                          Hardboiled eggs

                             Tomato, etc.                                     Hummus

 

I cook rice in batches of 1-1.5 cups for the week (in ½ cup servings that can usually last me 5 days). Rice can be boiled simultaneously as you prepare your vegetables…

I finally got around to roasting some squash and zucchini. Just slice, drizzle with olive oil both sides and season (I just did black pepper and garlic) and then bake in 400F for about 20 minutes. I also threw in some red onions for extra fun (my kitchen smelled amazing!).  The idea of prepping your vegetables for the week is actually a really great idea. If I have them cut up in the size of how I plan to eat it for the week it makes it really easy to make a stir fry really quick one night or to grab some carrots for snacking with hummus.

Protein is usually from a can or an egg. I know dried beans in a bag are cheaper and don’t have the sodium of canned ones, but by the time I remember I need beans I’ve forgotten to do the presoak and I’m saving time just popping a can open. I’ll rinse the beans really nice to get extra salt off and then toss together for a bean salad or combined with rice and veggies (like the fake fattoush). Tuna from a can is probably one of the easiest ways to get protein and made into a tuna salad with carrots or celery and old bay is eum eum good! Hummus (I usually buy sabra or I’ve delved into making my own) is a great way to get creamy protein in a salad. 

tuna and egg salad lettuce wraps are a great lunch/snack option,
just add some grains if you make it lunch

Snacks are another place of contention in my life. I don’t want to eat the same stuff I ate in my meal so it comes down to more creativity, pinterest, and just google searching. So far, my go-to snacks throughout the day are:

• ·         Fruit
• ·         Carrots and hummus
• ·         Handful of nuts
• ·         More fruit (I can never have too much fruitJ)
• ·         Dried fruit
•        I'm still on the fence about roasted chickpeas, maybe i just made it wrong
• ·         If you don’t have a lactose problem string cheese is always a nice addition here
• ·         If you don’t have a peanut butter addiction like me, where once you have one bite somehow the entire jar disappears, peanut butter energy balls are a great snack

         happy cooking! and have fun w/ it :)

fake fattoush (great for lunch!)

packing lunches can be no fun. esp doing it every day. so a great way to avoid that morning panic and spending $ everyday at the food court you can make something every week or every 2-3 days to pack for lunch. this is a fake "fattoush" or at least the version i'm going with :) i took great liberties but i'm enjoying it (maybe not the amount if made, but def like how it tastes. it's also very easy to modify to your own tastes.

Fake Fattoush (gluten free)
(makes 6 two cup servings)

1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cucumber, chopped into bite size pieces
1 head romaine lettuce, chopped
1 cup wild rice, cooked and cooled
1/4 red onion, diced
1/4-1/2 c olive oil
paprika, to taste
cumin, to taste

Combine all ingredients. Cover and chill.