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Mar 07 2013
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$40 homemade meals per week, Healthy Eating

RECIPE: Israeli Couscous with Roasted Shrimp

Absolutely Delicious!

Absolutely Delicious!

I wish that I had more time to cook during the week. Time seems to slip by me with my hectic schedule. So, I appreciate any time I can cook a delicious, nutritious, and beautiful meal. Here’s my original recipe for Israeli Couscous with Roasted Shrimp. This is a great weeknight dinner idea that feels like a special weekend dinner. Why? It’s done in just 30 minutes and it’s amazing.

Israeli Couscous with Roasted Shrimp

Serving size: 1.5 cups
Total servings made: 4
Total cooking time: 30 minutes

1-3/4 cups Israeli Couscous
2 cups of water
1 tbsp of olive oil
1 lb of shrimp, thawed, drained, and patted dry
4 tbsp canola oil
2 tsp of red chili flakes
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/2 large white onion, sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
1-1/2 cups of spinach
1 cup of baby tomatoes
1/2 meyer lemon, juiced
1/2 cup of feta cheese
additional salt and pepper, to taste

Start by boiling the water on high heat. Once it’s boiled, add the couscous and olive oil, turn the heat down to low/simmer, place the lid on, and cook the pasta until the water has completely evaporated (~6-10 minutes).

Meanwhile, pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees. While it is pre-heating, prepare a baking sheet with some parchment paper on top. Combine the shrimp, 2 tbsp oil, red chili flakes, salt, and pepper, and place the mixture onto the baking sheet. Evenly space the shrimp, so that there is only one equal layer. Once the oven is properly pre-heated, place the shrimp in and cook until they are just done/pink (~8-10 minutes).

Heat a large non-stick skillet on medium heat for 3-4 minutes. Add the remaining 2 tbsp of oil to the pan and let it heat for 1 minute. Add the onion and bell pepper, and sauté the mixture for 5-6 minutes until the onion is slightly translucent and the bell pepper has slightly softened. Toss in the spinach and cook it all for another 2-3 minutes until the spinach wilts. Then, add the tomatoes, cooked shrimp, and Israeli couscous to the skillet. Squeeze the juice of half a meyer lemon into the mixture (if you like it very lemony, you can either add more lemon now or later at the table). Right before serving, toss in the feta cheese, salt, and pepper to taste.

Serve the dish warm with wedges of lemon on the side and some hot sauce for an extra kick. It’s a wonderful comfort-food dish that is spicy from the shrimp, tart from the lemon, sweet from the onions/tomatoes/bell pepper and savory from the feta cheese.

Other Healthy Alternatives: This is a dish that can be modified in various ways. You can substitute the Israeli couscous with any other whole grain like barley or brown rice. Whatever tickles your pickle. Don’t like bell peppers? No worries! Toss in some green beans or your favorite brightly-colored vegetable instead. Vegetarian? Swap that shrimp out for some delicious tofu.

The best part is that it makes for a great chilled salad for your lunch the next day (if it lasts that long) ;)

Happy eating, friends

Thomas Ngo
Dietetic Intern
NASM Certified Personal Trainer

Jan 17 2013
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$40 homemade meals per week, Healthy Eating, Money Saving Ideas

My Mushroom Couscous Recipe

Mushroom Couscous

My Mushroom Couscous

 

This weekend, I went to the store with my friends and I spontaneously decided to buy some dried couscous.  I’ve never made couscous at home before, but I really wanted to try cooking something different.  The last time I was adventurous with a different type of whole grain was when I bought some barley and made an amazing warm barley salad.  Nutritionally, couscous is high in vitamin content, especially the B-vitamins.  In culinary regards, there are many varieties of couscous; it is a wonderfully light and fluffy grain that remains very moist after cooking. It’s also great warm or cold!

Last night, I didn’t follow any specific recipe.  Instead, I did what I like to do most: I looked in my fridge and freezer and used what was there.  I found some crimini mushrooms and mozzarella cheese, and I instantly knew that I had to make a mushroom couscous.  There’s something truly special about the flavor of sautéed mushrooms with shallots and garlic.  I threw in some other ingredients to give it a boost in nutrients, and the melted chunks of mozzarella cheese were divine.

Try out this great recipe for a simple and delicious weekday dinner.

Mushroom Couscous
Serving size: 1.5 cups
Servings made: 5
Cost: $1.60/serving = $8.00

2 cups of dried couscous
5 cups of water
2 tbsp of canola oil
4 shallots, diced
4 cloves of garlic, sliced
8-10 oz of crimini mushrooms, sliced
8 oz of grilled chicken, diced
salt and pepper, to taste
2 yams, roasted and roughly chopped
1/2 cup of fresh mozzarella cheese, diced (up it to 1 cup if you want it extra cheesy)
3 green onions, chopped

In a medium sized pot, combine the couscous and water until it boils.  Lower the heat to low and let it simmer until the water is fully absorbed (5-7 mins; it cooks REALLY fast).  When done, pour the couscous in a large bowl.

Heat a nonstick pan on medium high heat until hot (3-4 mins).  Add the oil and wait for 1 min while it gets hot.  Throw in the shallots and garlic and sautée them for 2 mins.  Add the mushrooms and cook them until the mushrooms soften and their brown color deepens (5-7 mins).  Adjust with salt and pepper.  Add roasted yams and chicken to the pan and cook for another 3-4 minutes.  Combine the mixture with the cooked couscous and immediately add the cheese and onions.  Serve warm.

Enjoy

Thomas Ngo
Dietetic Intern
NASM Certified Personal Trainer.

Dec 31 2012
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$40 homemade meals per week, Healthy Eating

Recipe: Greek Salad

My home-made delicious Greek Salad

My home-made Greek Salad. It’s absolutely delicious!

A few days ago, my sister and I went to Opa for a quick lunch. We ordered a gyro and a greek salad to share. The gyro was good but the greek salad was outstanding. The balance of flavors is amazing: the saltiness from the feta, the tanginess from the olives and red wine vinegar, the sweetness from the peppers, cucumbers, and tomatoes, and the spiciness from the red onions. It’s a wonderfully healthy salad alternative from the regular iceberg lettuce, and it’s a great rustic and chunky salad that is so easy to make and best when prepared in advance!

Recipe: Greek Salad

Servings Made: 4
Estimated Cost: $2.50/serving = $10.00 total (even though it’s more than enough to serve four people as a substantial side dish/starter, we scarfed our faces with the entire thing)

6 small persian cucumbers, roughly chopped into big chunks
2-3 large roma tomatoes, roughly chopped into big chunks
1/2 large yellow bell pepper, thinly julienned
1/2 large red onion, thinly sliced
10-12 Kalamata olives
1/2 cup of feta cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Toss everything into a big bowl and add enough dressing to the coat everything. Place into the refrigerator for one hour to let the flavors set. Serve dish cold with slices of toasted pita bread.

This is going to be my go-to dish for potlucks and dinner parties. It’s so simple and delicious and it’s a sure fire hit!

Happy Eating, friends.

Thomas Ngo
Dietetic Intern
NASM Certified Personal Trainer

Dec 07 2012
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$40 homemade meals per week, Healthy Eating

All About Omega-3′s (plus, a Super Easy Fish Recipe)

In food & nutrition world, omega-3 fatty acids are held on a high pedestal. And for good reason! It’s suggested that increasing omega-3 fatty acid intake may have cardiovascular and mental/nerve health benefits. This is in contrast to our high intake of omega-6 fatty acids in the common forms of coconuts, chicken, avocados, and vegetable oil which make have detrimental effects. In fact, the general intake ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 is approximately 10:1 or even higher! It’s recommended that the ratio is 1:1 to 1:3 (3 times the amount of omega-3 as compared to omega-6) to reduce our risk for CVD, stroke, etc.

Still, Many studies have yet to fully substantiate its benefits because many people only increase their omega-3 intake without properly altering the rest of their diet (i.e. reducing their omega-6 intake). The best way to translate this recommendation is to choose food which help to adjust the PROPORTION of total fat we consume. The amount of total fat we consume is individualized. Therefore, reduce the amount of foods high in omega-6’s and increase your intake of foods high in omega-3’s. Foods with a high proportion of omega-3’s include fish, flaxseed (ground), chia seeds, canola oil, olive oil, and many plant based sources. Note that most foods don’t just have only omega 3’s or just omega-6’s. They also have a ratio of different fats.

Here’s a simple and delicious recipe to cook fish. I actually rarely cook fish because I’ve been too scared to cook it. Fish can be so delicate and easily overcooked. Cooking it in the oven is one of the easiest ways to make the perfect fish.

Oven-Steamed Fish

Ingredients/Materials

-       2 Pieces of Parchment Paper (big enough to wrap the fish)
-       2 Fish Steaks (8 oz each)
-       4 tsp of Olive or Canola Oil
-       Salt and Pepper
-       Herbs/spices (optional to your preference): dill, thyme, or green onions
-       1 Lemon, (1/2 sliced, 1/2 juiced)

Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees with the rack in the top/middle position. Place each piece of fish in the middle of each piece of parchment paper. Rub each fish with 2 tsp of oil. Add salt, pepper, and herbs. Add the lemon juice and place slices of lemon on top.

To wrap each piece of fish, bring two opposite edges together and fold downward until the fold meets the fish. Then, fold/roll the other two open edges. Place the wrapped fish onto a baking pan and bake for 10-15 minutes.

(Try a asian twist: skip the lemon and add soy and fresh ginger)

Enjoy!

Thomas Ngo
Dietetic Intern
NASM Certified Personal Trainer

Oct 25 2012
3 Comments
$40 homemade meals per week

Recipe: Breakfast Burritos in Lavash

A few years ago, my friend, Anoush, took me to my first Persian restaurant, called Lavash. An absolutely mind-blowing dish was Zereshk Polo (Basmati Rice with Barberries, Raisins and Sauteed onions Served with Chicken Spiced with Cumin, Turmeric and Saffron). Other people rave about persian kabobs, but I will continue to rave about Zereshk Polo. The entire meal was spot on. Most importantly, it really took me out of my comfort zone to try a different type of cuisine that I don’t eat every day. I am grateful because it helped me be more adventurous with food.

One other item really piqued my interest: lavash. It’s a flatbread that is a mix between pita and tortilla; it’s thin and flat like a tortilla but the texture is a little rougher like pita. And it is delicious! We ate it with a wonderful yogurt and shallot dip or simply with tomato, feta cheese, cucumber, and fresh herbs.

It wasn’t until last week that I found lavash bread again. I bought a whole wheat version from Trader Joe’s (I know right?) and wasn’t sure how to use it. It was great with hummus, but I had so much lavash leftover by the end of the week (and close to its expiration date) and didn’t know what to do with it. So, I decided to make breakfast burritos out of them. It was perfect because I had leftover cheese and other ingredients to get rid of. I made 5 Lavash Breakfast Burritos, some of which I froze so that I could nuke whenever I am hungry.

Try out this great recipe:

Lavash Breakfast Burritos
Serving Size: 1 burrito
Total Servings Made: 5 burritos
Cost: $1.10/serving = $5.50 total

6 large eggs, beaten
1 tbsp of milk
salt/pepper, to taste
5 pieces of Trader Joe’s Lavash bread
half of a 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup of cheese
2 cups of spinach

optional side: salsa with sweet corn (or your favorite salsa!)

Heat a non-stick skillet on medium for 2-3 minutes. Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, combine, eggs, milk, salt, and better. Beat the eggs. Add the egg mixture to the skillet and scramble them. Once they are cooked, set them aside.

To assemble the burrito, place a piece of lavash on your plate. Add some scrambled eggs, black beans, cheese, and spinach. Wrap it up! Boom, instant and delicious breakfast. I love eating this with medium spicy salsa and sweet corn. It’s brightens up the flavors of the dish even more.

I hope you try out this delicious recipe with lavash bread. It’s a wonderfully simple idea for weekend brunch or if you make them in advance and freeze them, they are great on the go! Also, lavash is a great alternative to tortilla or pita or even normal bread. Who knows? Maybe you’ll fall in love with it like I did.

Happy eating,

Thomas Ngo
Dietetic Intern
NASM Certified Personal Trainer

Oct 11 2012
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$40 homemade meals per week, Healthy Eating, Time Saver

Eat an Egg

Everyone has a such different relationship with eggs. I used to work at Mimi’s Cafe and during breakfast service, I learned so many ways to prepare an egg: poached soft/hard, over-easy/medium/hard, scrambled, basted, hard boiled/cooked, omelets, and in quiches. Any people…are picky about their eggs!

Nutritionally, eggs have the highest biological value of 100 (which refers to how well the absorbed protein from food becomes incorporated into the body’s cells like in protein synthesis by the body). But for a while, people have been concerned about eating eggs because of cholesterol concerns. Even a year ago, I was taught that the standard recommendation was to eat only 2 egg yolks a week (as cholesterol and fat is within the yolk of the egg). But studies have been recently released breaking that old belief and now the current research supports eating more eggs because there has been minimal evidence that shows a link between eating eggs (and yolk) and increases in cholesterol. Personally, I’m going to keep an eye on the research as it continues to evolve. I think that if you are concerned still, you can moderate your egg yolk consumption. For example, instead of eating a 3-egg omelet (yolk included), try using 2 egg whites and 1 whole egg.

But, all things considered, this released research is good news. As I’m eating more vegetarian meals and finding substitutes to protein and fat sources, I turn to milk, cheeses, legumes/nuts, and eggs instead of meat. As an athlete, post-workout protein consumption is important for recovery and healing. Vegetarian dishes can be heavy on carbohydrates so ensuring that I get enough protein from non-meat products can be more difficult. Eggs are a great go-to protein source.

Since the weekend is coming, here are two breakfast recipes you can try at home for your weekend brunch. They’re easy and super delicious.

Recipe #1: Spicy Tomato & Basil Eggs

Servings size: 2 eggs
Recipe Servings made: 2 (4 eggs)
Cost: $1.00/serving = $2.00 total

1 cup of tomato sauce
red chili flakes, to taste
1/2 cup of corn
1/2 cup of sliced mushrooms
salt/pepper to taste
4 large eggs
16-20 fresh basil leaves (I love basil!)

While you heat a non-stick pan on medium heat for 2-3 minutes, mix the tomato sauce, chili flakes, corn, and mushrooms in a separate bowl. Once the pan is hot, add some canola oil cooking spray and add the sauce. Stir for 2-3 minutes. Adjust salt/pepper if needed. Moving the sauce to the sides of the pan, make room in the middle of the pan so you can add the eggs. Cook your eggs to your preference. Right before serving toss in your basil leaves. Enjoy this dish with some toast to balance out your meal.

Recipe #2: Egg Frittata
Serving size: 1 slice
Servings made: 6
Cost: $1.00/serving = $6.00 total

Egg Frittatas are the easy thing ever. Basically, you can add any ingredient you want. They’re a great canvas for vegetables! Goat cheese and avocado make any frittata extra special. They’re also super great for brunch because you can cook for all your guests and serve it out of the same pan!

3 cups of diced vegetables (anything you like! bell peppers, onions, zucchini, spinach)
2 tbsp of canola oil
10 large eggs, lightly beatened
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
5 tbsp of goat cheese (add more if you’d like)

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Meanwhile, start your work on the stovetop. In a 10″ oven-safe saute pan, saute the vegetables in the oil for 3-5 minutes until they soften. In a separate bowl, whip the eggs and combine with salt, pepper, and cheese. Add egg mixture to the pan. Turn the stove off and place the pan into the oven for 25 minutes until the top is nicely brown and the frittata is cooked through. Serve immediately with toast, fresh avocado and/or salsa.

Happy eating,

Thomas Ngo
Dietetic Intern
NASM Certified Personal Trainer

Sep 23 2012
2 Comments
$40 homemade meals per week, Healthy Eating, Money Saving Ideas

Weeknight Dinners

Who has time to cook on weeknights anymore?  No one, that’s who.  I could stand on my soapbox and declare our busy and long work/school days are dumb but then, I’d be the dumb one.  The reality is that we are busy, no matter how much we want to have that work-life balance everyone’s about which everyone is talking.  I struggle because there are days I wake up at 5:30am and don’t finish my work until 10pm.  It’s not easy, and it’s not uncommon especially with this generation’s workforce.  God knows I’d rather come home at 3pm everyday and cook everything from scratch, but I don’t have the job of the Barefoot Contessa (love her!).

Last week, I was at Trader Joe’s and I was perusing their prepared foods section.  Even though I make grocery lists, I like to walk down the aisles to see what inspires me.  That’s when I spotted their freshly-made spinach and cheese tortellini.  (Side: they also have the dried kind.)

Ready-to-eat meals are a complete upgrade from our childhood frozen Swanson dinners.  They’re great because they’re freshly made and require no or minimal cooking time.  The best part is: they’re relatively inexpensive!  Even frozen foods have been upgraded.  But not all frozen, prepared, or ready-to-eat meals are made equally.  Here are some tips to help you pick the best ones for you and how to maximize their benefit:

(1) Separate the sauce.  Frozen vegetable and chicken stirfry options are great because they’re loaded with vegetables, they’re easy, and they have the sauce in a separate package inside.  This allows you to moderate how much sauce you eat.  The sauce can be the culprit of the meal because it can be high in extra calories and low in nutrients.  Otherwise, you can always substitute it with your favorite sauce at home or skip the sauce all together.

(2) Buy single item meals.  Choose meals that are just one ingredient like the tortellini or a marinated roast.  These are great because all you have to do is cook that one individual ingredient and add your favorite vegetable, protein, and/or whole grain to make it a whole meal.

(3) Check the expiration date.  Most of these meals are freshly made each day or up to a week in advance.  It’s great to have freshly made items because they’re easy/quick to cook at home.  If you don’t use all of it, just pop it in the freezer for later use.

(4) Balance out your meal.  As previously stated, make sure that you pick a variety of ingredient to prep your meal.  Following the guidelines of Choose My-Plate, load up on the fruits/vegetables/whole grains if you pick up a ready-to-eat rotisserie chicken.  Vegetables and salads are also easy to prepare at home or pick up at the grocery (they have many prepared vegetable and salad options).

(5) Buy them during the weekends.  By doing some light planning, you can buy these items during the weekend and have them within arms’ reach when you get home during those busy weeknights.  How easy is that?

Here are a couple of ideas for weeknight dinners that you can make with this one package of pre-made tortellini–

Dinner Idea #1:  Tortellini Soup.  Toss the tortellini in your favorite stock with some garlic, onions, tomato slices, parsley and spinach and BOOM!  Dinner is ready.  If you like meat, some shredded chicken would be great.

Dinner Idea #2:  Tortellini Pasta in Spicy Tomato Sauce.  A few months ago, I made a large batch of tomato sauce to which I added fresh tomatoes, garlic, mushrooms, and onions.  I made so much that I froze small portions of it so I could have homemade tomato sauce on-hand.  I tossed in some frozen peas and fresh basil from my garden.  DELICIOUS!

You may ask, “Thomas, are these meals nutritious?”  Actually, they’re totally acceptable especially with the idea that you follow the Choose My-Plate recommendations of eating a balance meal each time you sit down.  If you’re loading up your plate with fresh produce, then eating a cup of tortellini is totally fine.  This is where you exercise good portion control.  To be frank, it’s probably a better option than going through the Jack-in-the-Box drive thru, which you were probably considering since you’re so busy.

Enjoy!

Thomas Ngo :)
Dietetic Intern
NASM Certified Personal Trainer

Sep 04 2012
1 Comment
$40 homemade meals per week, Healthy Eating, Money Saving Ideas, Time Saver

The Benefits of Legumes (Plus a Recipe!)

Last Thursday, I felt really off.  I had a crazy headache, and by the time I went to bed, I was in a delirious fever.  Luckily, it didn’t drag out for days, and by Friday afternoon, my fever broke.  I was really craving some soup, so I decided to make this great Moroccan Stew.  It’s a variation on Dave Lieberman’s recipe (check it out at the bottom of the post).

It’s a wonderful vegetarian option that packs a punch from the great Moroccan-style seasonings.  The base on the soup relies on the legumes I added: chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans) and lentils.  They are awesome alternatives to meat!  In regards to their nutritional value, there are a lot who claim legumes are high in iron and protein.  So I decided to investigate.

Legumes, along with other vegetables, are good sources of non-heme iron, which is less easily absorbed as heme iron, which is found in meat and meat-based foods.  It’s not to say that it isn’t absorbable at all, just less easily absorbable.  Vitamin C helps with the absorption of iron, so whenever you eat legumes, squeeze some lemon juice on top or have it with a small glass of OJ afterwards.

In terms of protein, legumes are good sources but the protein is usually incomplete (like most foods), which means that it does not contain all of the essential amino acids.  But have no fear, they can be eaten with other sources of protein to make our daily protein intake complete.  Think of it like a puzzle.  Legumes can hold 50% of puzzle.  Throw in something like whole grains and you’ve got another 50% of the amino acid puzzle.  BOOM!  Complete.  I love eating this stew with brown rice. It makes it a super hardy meal.

So, if you’re looking for a vegetarian meal that packs a punch in flavor and nutrition, try this super easy recipe.  It uses ONE POT and it’s done!  I love recipes that require me to throw everything into one pot and simmer.  It makes my life (and clean up) so easy.

RECIPE: Moroccan Stew

6 servings
Cost: $1.50/serving = $9.00 total

1 large yellow onion, chopped
6-8 cloves of garlic, pressed
1 tsp of paprika
1 tsp of cinnamon
1 tsp of cumin
1/2 tsp of cayenne pepper
2 – 15oz cans of chickpeas (rinsed)
1/2 cup of dried lentils (or 1 cup pre-cooked lentil)
15 oz can of diced tomatoes
1 lb of carrots, peeled and diced
4 cups of chicken stock (or more if you like it less thick)
1 tsp of sugar
2 tsp of salt (to taste)
1 tsp of pepper (to taste)
12 oz of baby spinach

On the stove, heat a large pot on medium for 3 minutes.  Add 3 tablespoons of olive oil.  After 1 minute, toss in the chopped onions, pressed garlic, paprika, cinnamon, cumin, and cayenne pepper.  Stir to mix well.  Cook for another 3-4 minutes.  Add the remaining ingredients, except the spinach.  Bring the stew to a boil and immediately lower the heat so it is lightly simmering.  Let it simmer for about 30 minutes.  Using a potato masher, lightly mash the stew so that the legumes and carrots slightly break.  This will help thicken the stew!  Be careful not to mash them up too much or the great chunky texture will be lost.  Right before serving, toss in the spinach so it wilts and keeps its bright green color.  I love serving this over some brown rice (like it’s an Indian style dahl dish), but it’s great on it’s own.

It was definitely a great hardy stew to have while I was sick.  It gave me great warmth and comfort, and the flavors are truly amazing.  I hope you love it as much as I do.

Enjoy,

Thomas Ngo
NASM Certified Personal Trainer
Dietetic Intern

Aug 24 2012
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$40 homemade meals per week, Healthy Eating, Money Saving Ideas

Goat Cheese & Tomato Tarts

Last weekend, my friends and I hosted a wonderful dinner party.  I decided to make these great goat cheese and tomato tarts.  I followed a Barefoot Contessa recipe but changed it up a little bit.  They were so delicious!  They can be served as a great savory pastry for breakfast or brunch get-togethers.

Goat Cheese & Tomato Tart Recipe
Servings: 12 individual tarts
Cost: $1.20/tart = $14.40 total

Ingredients:
1 package of puff pastry (2 sheets), defrosted overnight
1/4 cup flour
4 cups of onion
2 tbsp of butter
2 tbsp of olive oil
1 large heirloom tomato (1 lb), sliced
1 tablespoon of salt
4 cloves of garlic, diced
1/4 cup of parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon of olive oil5 oz of herb goat cheese
1 egg
1 tablespoon of water
1/2 cup of fresh basil, julienned
balsamic reduction (optional)

Sprinkle a little flour on a clean counter space.  Using a rolling pin, roll each dough flat until the rectangle is approximately 10″ x 16.”  Cut each sheet into 6 equal pieces to yield 12 pieces in total.  Place the 12 pieces on two greased baking sheets.  Place them in the fridge for 30 minutes.

In the meantime, combine garlic, parsley and olive oil in a separate bowl.

In a saucepan, combine the butter, oil and onions and cook on medium-low heat for 30 minutes until onions are caramelized.

After 30 minutes, take the chilled puff pastry dough out of the fridge. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  On each puff pastry square, put a tablespoon of the caramelized onions and a tomato slice in the center with a little of salt.  Spread a teaspoon of the garlic, parsley, and olive oil mixture on top of the tomato.  Add goat cheese.  Brush a little of the egg wash (egg and water) on each of the tarts edges.  Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.  Sprinkle the basil generously right before serving.  If you have balsamic reduction, you can drizzle some on top but it’s not necessary.

Enjoy!

Thomas Ngo
NASM Certified Personal Trainer
Dietetic Intern

Jul 27 2012
2 Comments
$40 homemade meals per week, Healthy Eating, Money Saving Ideas

The BEST Pancake Recipe…EVER!

THE BEST PANCAKES IN THE UNIVERSE

I’m not the biggest fan of breakfast.  I usually eat something easy like cereal or oatmeal on weekday mornings.  But I like to make a nice brunch on the weekends to ease into my plans for relax.  So, I went on a hunt for a pancake recipe a few months ago, and I found it.  What makes it the best recipe ever?  It makes THE fluffiest pancakes on the planet!  No, the universe!  Not to mention they taste great, cost a fraction of what you’d pay at a restaurant, and your friends will be racing to get invited over for weekend brunch.  It’s not my recipe, and here’s the official link (http://allrecipes.com/recipe/fluffy-pancakes-2/).  Based on the nearly 4,000 5-star reviews, I fully believe this is a winner.

 

So, how does it make the fluffiest pancakes ever?!  There are two essential components here.  This delves into some basic food science stuff that is really neat to share.  Firstly, we add vinegar to the recipe.  Vinegar?  You must be thinking, “EEWWW!” but you can’t taste it!  It’s super important to the recipe because, along with the baking soda and baking powder, it acts as the leavening agent which helps the pancakes rise.  Also, the second key point is to not over mix the batter.  Combine everything until it’s just mixed, meaning leave it a little lumpy.  Over-mixing the batter will develop the gluten protein complex in the flour and yield a really chewy pancake (no thanks)!

 

You can dress your pancakes whichever way you want.  But if you’re like me and maple syrup is a little too sweet, then try a couple of different ideas.  There is nothing like adding fresh blueberries or some chocolate chips.  You can add it to the batter but I recommend making the pancakes plain and serving it with the extras on the side.  This way, the pancakes stay extra fluffy.  My favorite way is eating them with cooked bananas on the side.  After the pancakes are made, cut a couple of bananas in half  length-wise.  Place them evenly in the non stick pan and cook each side for about 30-45 seconds.  It makes the bananas softer and sweeter.  Who wouldn’t want that!?

 

Also, this recipe makes REAL pancakes.  Don’t combine this recipe with another recipe for “protein pancakes” because it will yield less fluffy (and less delicious) pancakes.  If you want more protein during breakfast, eat an egg separately.  Leave the pancakes alone and leave them fluffy!!  You might also ask, “Aren’t pancakes super unhealthy?”  It depends…on what you eat it with and how many you eat.  Besides, it’s the weekend: have a pancake.

 

World’s fluffiest pancakes
Yields four 6-inch pancakes
Cost: $0.50/pancake = $2.00 total

3/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
2 tablespoons butter, melted
cooking spray

First, combine the milk and vinegar. Let it sit for a few minutes.  It’ll look chunky, but don’t worry.  It hasn’t gone bad.  Warm a non stick pan on medium heat.

Secondly, melt the butter in the microwave for 30 seconds until completely melted.  Set it aside for a few minutes and allow it to cool.  You want it to cool so that it doesn’t cook the egg when you combine them.

Thirdly, combine all the dry ingredients into a medium sized bowl and stir until thoroughly mixed.  Then add the milk/vinegar, egg, and cooled melted butter.  Mix until just mixed.  Don’t over mix it!

Lastly, add the batter to make approximately four 6-inch pancakes.  Cook each side for about 2 minutes until each side is golden brown.

 

I hope you love these pancakes as much as I do.  Happy eating, friends.

Thomas Ngo :)
NASM Certified Personal Trainer
RD In-Training.

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