Blackened Pork Chop w/ Candied Butternut Squash

You can prepare this recipe with boneless chicken breast pounded flat if you wish.  Either will be really good!!!  Enjoy!!

Blackened Pork Chop w/ Candied Butternut Squash

By Ted Slee

Servings: 2

Prep Time: 30-60 mins

Cook Time (Pork): 10-16 mins

Cook Time (Squash): 20-24 mins

Pork:

2 Boneless Pork Chops

2 cups (approx) Apple Cider

Fresh Black Pepper

3 tbsp rustic honey mustard

1 tbsp butter

Kosher Salt

Soak the pork in apple cider for about an hour after perforating gently with a fork.  Before cooking remove from cider and sprinkle with kosher salt and coat with black pepper on one side.  In a hot cast iron skillet let the butter melt and begin to turn slightly brown before putting the pork chop in black pepper down.  Let cook for 2-3 mins before flipping to the naked side for 2 mins.  At this point remove them from the heat and coat the naked side with honey mustard liberly before cooking on the black pepper side for another min before flipping to finish 1-3 mins based on thickness of pork chop.  When done remove from heat and let them rest. 

Squash:

½ Butternut Squash cubed

½ vadalia onion (1/8” slices)

2 cloves garlic minced

2 tbsp maple syrup

½ tbsp chipotle powder

½ tbsp black pepper

3 tbsp butter

2 tbsp apple cider

Kosher Salt (for taste)

Put the cubed squash in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 4 mins on high.  In a non-stick skillet melt half the butter and add the squash making sure to coat evenly.  Cook for 2 mins.  Add onions and cider, cover and cook for 5 mins.  Remove cover and cook for 3 mins before adding pepper, chipotle and syrup coating and cooking until a golden brown color with squash evenly cooked.

Garlic Roasted Chicken Sandwich

Garlic Roasted Chicken Sandwich

By Ted Slee

Servings: 4 to 6

Prep time: 5-10 mins

Cook time: 3 mins

1 Store bought Garlic Roasted Chicken

1 Package of dinner rolls

2 tbsp butter

English Cheddar slices

½ cup mayo

½ tsp chipotle pepper powder

¼ tsp garlic powder

Baby spinach

Slice rolls open and place in a hot pan with melted butter and garlic powder, turn off heat.  Mix the mayo and the chipotle powder.  Cut up chicken in 4-6 portions. Assemble by spreading the mayo on the bottom, add a good portion of chicken, add a slice of English cheddar, add half a handful of baby spinach and put the top on.  Enjoy!!  Best served with pretzels. 

Day 26 of Insanity with Curried Mango-Butternut Squash Soup w/ Curried Beef Tenderloin

Tonight is the completion of day 26 of 60 in this Insanity workout experiment.  So far I have lost about 20-25 lbs and feel great.  The workout tonight was a Plyometric Cardio workout that kicked my ass and I thought I should celebrate with a healthy tasty treat.  This is a spin-off of the Meat Luck winning Curried Squash soup with tenderloin skewers.  Most of the meals I have been making have been based on greens, fruits, whole grain and protein from egg whites, chicken & turkey.  I've been varying the flavor between spice, sweet and savory.  But tonight is about this treat.  Check out the recipes and I hope you enjoy!  Thanks again for following me through this journey!

-----

Curried Butternut Squash & Mango Soup

By Ted Slee

Servings: 8-10

Prep: 10-15 mins

Cooking: 30 mins

Ingredients

2-3 tbsp olive oil
1 medium sized butternut squash (peeled, seeded & cubed)
1 large yellow onion (chopped)
2 green mangos (peeled, seeded and chopped)
2 carrots (chopped)
2 inches of ginger (grated)
3 garlic cloves (minced)
2 tsp red curry paste

½ tsp yellow curry powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp yellow mustard seeds
1 tsp red pepper flakes (or harissa paste)
1 can coconut milk (well shaken)
1 can water (or more to cover all ingredients

Salt & Pepper (to taste)

Prep

Heat the olive oil in a medium stock pot over medium heat until oil is shimmering.  Add the onion and saute until translucent.  Stir as you add the garlic and ginger until fragrant, about a minute.  At this point add the butternut squash, carrot, mango and gently stir until contents are coated with oil.  After about a minute add the red curry paste, yellow curry, cumin, coriander seeds, mustard seeds, turmeric and red pepper flakes.  Continue to occasionally stir until spices are mixed.  Add the coconut milk and water, cover and bring to a boil.  Then reduce heat and simmer for roughly 30 minutes.  Let soup cool for five minutes then puree in manageable batches until silky smooth in a blender (be careful of steam).

-----

Curried Tenderloin Skewers

Servings: 10-12 pieces

Prep: 10 mins

Cooking: 5 mins

Ingredients:

1 ½ tbsp Yellow Curry powder

1 ½ tbsp Red Curry powder

1 ½ tbsp Ground Turmeric

1 ½ tbsp Ground Coriander

1 ½ tbsp Ground Cumin

1 tsp cayenne

2 cloves of garlic minced

4 tbsp vegetable oil

¾ lb beef tenderloin cut into ½” slices pounded thin

Bamboo Skewers – soaked in water

Prep:

Combing all spices, garlic and oil in a bowl, mix well.  Weave skewers through meat and brush spice mixture on the meat.  Grill 1–2 mins per side on hot griddle plate brushing with spice mixture each time you turn it over.  If you prefer less spice, cut back on Cayenne pepper.  If you want to change the flavor add a tablespoon of plain Greek yogurt to spice mixture.

Day 15 Treat of Mako Shark & An Update

I have survived to day 15 with some marked results.  I have been repeating the same recipes that have been posted before with minor changes.  This work out is quite difficult, yet very rewarding!  I have learned that moderation is the key lesson of this and hopefully I can figure out a way to make that a lifestyle not just a fad.  On day 15 I decided to test my lack of love for anything seafood...  I asked the staff at a local fish market what he would suggest for a non-fish eater and he offered Mako Shark.  It was probably one of the most delicious things I have ever eaten.  Here is the simple recipe I pulled together.  Enjoy!

Mako Shark

Serves 1-2

Prep 40-60 mins

6oz Mako Shark steak about 1.75” thick

2 tbsp vegetable oil

4 cloves of garlic sliced

3-4 tbsp of cilantro minced

Zest & juice of one lemon

Salt & Pepper

Mix all ingredients together and brush liberally on the Mako steak.  Let it rest for about 10 mins prior to grilling.  Get your grill nice and hot.  Cook for 10-20 mins depending on how you want the temp to be and size of the piece of fish.  Serve with side salad or brown rice. 

Day 2! Oh boy this is going to be tough but worth it!!

I’ve made it to day two!  I noticed after the first day that I was not eating enough so I bumped up the calories a bit today.  I will have a plum and some mixed nuts as snacks today.  I hope you enjoy the recipes!!

Breakfast:

Egg white omelet – 301 cal

10 mins prep

2 eggs

2 egg whites

¼ cup mushrooms

½ tbsp minced garlic

2 tsp non fat ricotta cheese

1 slice of whole wheat toast

Whip the eggs and season with a pinch of salt and black pepper.  Cook mushrooms and garlic in a non-stick skillet with a tsp of vegetable oil.  Add egg and cheese cooking till complete.  Serve with toast and garnish with scallions.

Brown rice – 140 cal per ¼ cup

9 cups

20-25 mins prep

32 oz unsalted Chicken Stock

2 cups brown rice

1 Tbsp garlic

1 Tsp rosemary

Bring stock to boil reduce add rice, garlic and rosemary cook till done.  This will be a versatile add-on to any dish where the desire for carbs exists.  I will be using this for burritos, dinners, breakfasts etc… 

Lunch:

Chicken Burrito – 320 cal

10 mins prep

½ chicken breast sliced

½ avocado sliced

¼ cup spinach

1 tsp balsamic reduction

2 tsp fat free ricotta

1 tsp Cholula hot sauce

¼ cup brown rice

1 med whole wheat tortilla

Take all ingredients and roll up in tortilla

Dinner:

Brown Rice Stirfry – 330 cal

15 mins prep

½ cup of cooked brown rice

¼ cup of non fat ricotta cheese

1 diced chicken breast

¼ cup baby bella mushrooms

½ cup spinach raw

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp Cholula Hot Sauce

In a non stick skillet, brown chicken with a tbsp of olive oil.  Turn off heat add rice, spinach, mushrooms, ricotta, mix thoroughly and cover.  Let stand for about 5 mins.  Stir again and salt and pepper to taste.

Day 1 of Instanity! Here we go!

Welcome to day one!

The next 60 days are going to be a great culinary and athletic adventure! So here are the basics of the workout program Insanity.  The workouts last about an hour and they vary each day.  The diet plan is very important and the body needs the right mix of fuel.  The menu plan is just basic ingredients with no flavor…  This is a problem.  So each time I present a daily meal plan I am hoping to take some inspiration from their cookbook and add my personal twist!

So here is the Menu for the day:

Breakfast: 294 calories

Homemade Granola with Greek Yogurt and Gala Apple

Snack: 105 calories

Banana

Lunch: 495 calories

Spinach Salad with Sirloin, Parmesan, Shallots, Gala Apple and Balsamic Reduction

Snack: 145 calories

Kashi Snack Bar

Dinner: 426 calories

Chicken Breast with Grilled Aspargus, Non Fat Ricotta and Balsamic Reduction Served with brown rice.

The recipes!

Granola

20 servings – 1hr 30mins prep            

1 ½ cup light brown sugar

¾ cup of water

4 tsp vanilla

1 tsp kosher salt

6 cups oats

1 ½ cups wheat bran

7 oz sliced almonds – roasted for a minute

½ tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground nutmeg

½ tsp ground cloves

Preheat oven to 275.  Cover two baking sheets with aluminum foil or silicon mats.  In a sauce pan add sugar, water, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves stirring until sugar has melted.  Toss the oats, bran and almonds in a large bowl with wet ingredients until well mixed.  Spread on cookie sheets and cook for about an hour stirring occasionally.

------

Balsamic Reduction (aka Black Gold)

½ cup – 20-25 mins cooking

17 oz bottle of balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp of any preserve

1 pinch of kosher salt

Add to a medium sauce pan and lightly boil stirring occasionally taking care not to burn.  Great for adding flavor to any dish.  Get creative with the preserve flavors!

------

Spinach Salad

1 Serving – 25 mins prep

5 oz sirloin steak cooked in a cast iron skillet

1 cup raw spinach

2 oz shaved parmesan

½ Gala apple sliced thin

3 tsp Balsamic reduction (black gold)

1 shallot sliced thin

Juice of half a lemon

Slice the cooked steak thin and toss with the ingredients.  It makes a simple lunch or dinner.  Can last a day or so in refridge.  Add avocado if you need more flavor or need to add some calories.

------

Chicken Breast with Asparagus

1 Serving – 35 mins prep

1 chicken breast – skinless

6 asparagus spears

2 tsp balsamic reduction

2 tsp of non-fat ricotta cheese

½ cup of cooked brown rice

Roast the chicken breast and asparagus after sprinkling with kosher salt and pepper.  Serve with brown rice, balsamic reduction and non-fat ricotta cheese.  The ricotta actually tastes good, I was surprised. 

A new journey!

Last week I posted on facebook that I was going to create a meal plan with healthy, great tasting food.  Well, this is turning out to be harder than I thought.  I have begun to experiment with flavors trying to adjust my diet and boy do I miss cheese, butter and bacon!  I have found that with cooking complex comfort food, a healthy diet is easily forgotten.  A few weeks ago I ordered the Insanity DVD workout series from the TV infomercial.  I have started a few of the workouts as a test, to see if I could actually do this series and stick with it.  So far I haven’t quit, which is great, but the meal plan book is less than appealing for a foodie like me.  Starting April 5^th I will begin this Insanity 60 day work and diet program full time.  With each day I will produce a daily meal plan that fits my daily caloric and fat intake as prescribed by Insanity.  I am so excited to share this journey and hope you enjoy the recipes!  Any comments or suggestions will be great!

Sausage and Shrimp Stew

The latest creation from my February is for fish series.  This is the first time I have ever eaten shrimp and wanted more!!  Just enough spice and warmth to make the chill of a winter night melt away.

By Ted Slee

Prep Time:  10 – 15mins

Cook Time:  40 min

Serves:  4-6 servings

Ingredients:

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 large Spanish onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

12 ounces sweet Italian Sausage (casings removed)

2 tsp smoked paprika

4 tsp crushed red pepper

Kosher salt

1 – 28 ounce can whole plum tomatoes (chopped, plus juice from can)

4 bay leaves

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 lb red potatoes cut in bite sized pieces

1 bunch red kale (stems removed & leaves roughly chopped)

5 leaves of cabbage (stems removed & leaves roughly chopped)

1 lb medium shrimp (peeled & de-veined)

Prep:

Mix sausage with garlic and red pepper flake using your hands in a bowl and loosely form inch chunks and add to the olive oil in a small Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until golden brown, stirring frequently for about 15 minutes. Add the paprika and 1 teaspoon salt and cook until the oil turns deep red, about 1 minute. Then add the chopped tomatoes (save the juice), bay leaves, thyme and oregano and mix for about 1 minute.  Now mix in the potatoes, the tomato juice and 2 cups of room temperature water. Bring to a boil before reducing to a simmer and cover until the potatoes are almost tender for about 15 minutes. Add the kale & cabbage cooking until the potatoes are tender about 10 more minutes. When you have reached this point turn the heat off and gently add the shrimp mixing until they are submerged curl and turn pink about 3 minutes. Serve while hot with a good piece of bread.

Awesome Tuna Melt

By Ted Slee

Serves:  Four

Prep time: 45 mins

Cook time: 10-15 mins

Ingredients

1 lb fresh Tuna Steak

2 lemons

8 oz Broccoli Cole Slaw Mix

4 Tbsp Vegetable Oil

Clove of Garlic Minced

1 Tsp Mustard Powder

St Andre Cheese (or any creme brie)

4 large slices of crusty artisan bread

Salt

Pepper

Prep

Gently with a sharp knife cut the tuna into cubes of about ½”.  Add the tuna, zest and juice of one lemon in a bowl and let rest at room temp for 30 mins.  Mix 2 tbsp of oil, mustard powder and the juice and zest of the second lemon in a bowl with the broccoli cole slaw and let rest.  Once the tuna has been sitting for 30 mins add it to a hot non-stick pan with the remaining oil and garlic.  Cook for a minute or two on high constantly mixing until the fish has just a little color.  Lay the bread out on a cookie sheet and distribute the fish evenly.  Add some of the broccoli slaw on top and cover with the cheese.  Broil just long enough to melt cheese about 2-4 minutes.  Enjoy!

February Kickoff

So, here is the kickoff to February is for Fish… Or, atleast it is for me.  I should probably explain why I am taking this culinary journey.  In my 34 years of life, I have eaten fish about 4 times and never really liked the texture or flavor.  Its sort of like what broccoli and brussel sprouts were to most of as a kid, just weird adult food that would never cross our lips.  So my plan on the first of February is to try to cook a traditional fish recipe and then try to make my own version with ingredients that make me want to eat it. 

I decided to start with one of the most simple things I could think of, a Tuna Melt.

I have created the standard Tuna Melt that I have seen in most restaurants to place side by side with my new creation.  Take a look at the pictures and then try the simple recipe and let me know what you think!!

February is for Fish....

Get excited folks!!! February is going to be a month of new beginnings for me as a cook and a person. I will be pushing my limits and learning to cook fish! I know that sounds weird to some of you, but I have only cooked fish once and it was in a cooking competition... So, come along for the ride!!!

The Perfect Winter Treat

Here is a winter treat that will warm the soul and the body on a cold day.  This soup was part of a winning entry for a friendly cooking competition and this grilled cheese is a family favorite.  I am really a fan of this rustic sour dough I get a local bakery, but any rustic loaf will work.  Enjoy!

Curried Butternut Squash & Mango Soup

By Ted Slee

Servings: 8-10

Prep: 10-15 mins

Cooking: 30 mins

Ingredients

2-3 tbsp olive oil
1 medium sized butternut squash (peeled, seeded & cubed)
1 large yellow onion (chopped)
2 green mangos (peeled, seeded and chopped)
2 carrots (chopped)
2 inches of ginger (grated)
3 garlic cloves (minced)
2 tsp red curry paste

½ tsp yellow curry powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp yellow mustard seeds
1 tsp red pepper flakes (or harissa paste)
1 can coconut milk (well shaken)
1 can water (or more to cover all ingredients

Salt & Pepper (to taste)

Prep

Heat the olive oil in a medium stock pot over medium heat until oil is shimmering.  Add the onion and saute until translucent.  Stir as you add the garlic and ginger until fragrant, about a minute.  At this point add the butternut squash, carrot, mango and and gently stir until contents are coated with oil.  After about a minute add the red curry paste, yellow curry, cumin, coriander seeds, mustard seeds, turmeric and red pepper flakes.  Continue to occasionally stir until spices are mixed.  Add the coconut milk and water, cover and bring to a boil.  Then reduce heat and simmer for roughly 30 minutes.  Let soup cool for five minutes then puree in manageable batches until silky smooth in a blender (be careful of steam).

-----------------

Pepper Jelly Grilled Cheese

By Ted Slee

Servings: 4

Prep: 5-10 mins

Cooking: 5-10 mins

Ingredients

Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Rustic Sour Dough Bread

Butter

Pepper Jelly

Prep

Slice bread into 1/2” slices and spread pepper jelly liberally on inside.  Spread ¼” thick of cheese on pepper jelly.  Grill in a hot pan with butter until golden brown and cheese is melted.  Cut in half and serve.