Kasha Surprise!

After receiving much scrutiny from my friends I'm here to post again.

Kasha!

Now a lot of you may or may not know what the hell kasha is, but let me tell you before you shoot the idea down. If you like rice, you like kasha. If you like awesome vegetables too, you like Kasha Surprise - simple as that. Kasha, which is cooked buckwheat, looks similar to chopped brown rice but I find it more wholesome and flavorful. Its very easy to prepare (and its actually the only cooking you'll do in this recipe!)

Usually, the only differences of buckwheat in the store are the size of the granules - fine, coarse, and whole granulation. I prefer to get whole granulation but my Dad used coarse granulation growing up and still does; he prepares it differently, more traditionally adding bowtie pasta to his kasha.

Kasha, as the cooked dish, is unique because of its nutritional benefits. It is mostly composed of complex carbohydrates, (complex carbs detailed in a previous post); high-quality proteins (ranked as one of the highest in the plant kingdom); and upward levels of fiber. Each of these components help keep you satiated, contempt, and most importantly, healthy. Kasha is also rich in B-vitamins, phosphorus, potassium, and iron.

Add this wondergrain to the mounds of vegetables in the rest of the dish and you have yourself a marvelously delicious and nutritious bowl of awesomeness - just like Senator Cari! This light, simple, and sufficiently filling dish will have you running back to the market for another box in no time.

Here's The List:
By the way - use the amount of vegetables that you need/want. I used these amounts for about 3 people

• Kasha, whole granulation (can be found in the ethnic aisle near the matzoh in Publix)
• 1 Large sweet onion - 3/4 diced and 1/4 sliced
• 2 Cups chicken or vegetable stock
• Butter
• Olive oil
• 1 Avocado, sliced
• Your favorite color bell pepper, sliced
• 1 Carrot halved longitudinally and sliced
  
• 1 Stalk of celery, sliced
• 1 can of Kidney beans, rinsed
  
• Either 1 box of frozen corn or 1 ear of corn
• Fresh Spinach
• Fresh salsa or diced tomatoes
  
• Salt and pepper
  

Making the Kasha:

1. Saute the 3/4 chopped onion in a medium pot with some olive oil and salt/pepper for a few minutes until just before they turn translucent.
2. In the pot with the onions, bring 2 cups of stock, 1 tsp of butter and a small glug of olive oil to a boil.
3. Add 1 cup of kasha to the boiling liquid and some some salt and a good amount of pepper.
4. Cover and reduce the heat to low. Let simmer for 10 minutes or until the liquid gets absorbed.
5. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork.

Putting it all together:

1. Cook the corn according to the box and drain the kidney beans. For the kidney beans, put them in a colander and run some cool water over them to get that syrupy-looking liquid off of them.
2. The rest is simple: add the desired amount of bell pepper, carrots, and celery in the bottom of a bowl. Add however much kasha above that and then assemble the rest of the veggies on top of the kasha.
3. Top with salsa and some freshly ground black pepper.

Unless you're making dinner for 3 or 4 you will likely have leftover kasha, beans, and corn. I like to separate the kasha into one container and mix the beans and corn in another. This way, I can eat the kasha plain or add it to a salad or pasta; and have a great veggie leftover with the corn and beans.

Get the Guac Going!

Ode to Guacamole:

You're suave, green and luscious.
You make every party a hit -
I just want to dip my chip,
Hold you up high,
Devour you and
(sigh.)

Guac, as Urbandictionary.com so deftly describes it, can be defined as a multitude of things i.e. "money, dollars, greenbacks, and benjamins" (check out the site for some other definitions if you dare to be curious). I, unlike the street terminology, refer to the green dip that caresses the tongue with that thick, creamy texture that everybody enjoys lapping up. Here's what you need for a real party pleaser:

For the basic, but still delicious recipe:
2 ripe avocados, cut into medium chunks
1 medium onion, chopped (yellow, sweet, or white)
1 tomato, chopped
2 Tbsp Lime juice (about 1 lime) or lemon juice
2 tsp olive oil
salt/pepper
garlic powder

To make the guac really exciting add some of this:
1 minced bonnet pepper, for a little kick
one small bunch (a handful) of fresh cilantro, chopped

To cut open the avocado:

Cut through the avocado longways around the pit. Once you go all the way around with your knife, sort of twist the top and bottom in opposite directions (it should come apart easily).

Then take the sharp side of your knife and hit it down on the pit so it gets a slightly wedged inside. Making sure you didn't chop a finger off, twist the knife/pit and the pit should come right out attached to the knife. Discard the pit.
Gently peel the skin off (it can come off in a few big pieces or many smaller ones)

Now the prep (it really can't get any simpler):
1. Add the avocado, onion, tomato, and bonnet pepper and cilantro if using them, into a mixing bowl.
2. Drizzle the olive oil, lime juice, salt and pepper, and a little bit of garlic powder into the mixing bowl.
3. Using a fork, try to fold everything together. You want the avocados to "mush" up a little but try to keep some of the chunks to give it some good texture. Taste check for salt and pepper.
4. Pull out the tortillas!

Quick tip: Avocados, especially prepared as guacamole don't really sit well for a long time; however, adding the citric lime or lemon juice is crucial for making it last a little longer, as well as adding a great kick of flavor.

I'm Coming Back

Hey guys, just wanted to write a quick apology for not posting for a few weeks (who am I kidding, its been 2 months.) At that time last year, school began loading exam after exam on me, and then finals so finding the extra time to blog was tough. But after a successful end to the semester and a relaxing winter break I'm coming back with more food and recipes!

I'm just moving into a new apartment myself, so my pantry and fridge are being refreshed a little bit more every time I make a trip to Publix, the local Farmer's Market (remember, every Wednesday 4-7 pm), etc. - so NO excuses! Cooking should interesting, pleasurable, palatable, and simple - don't make it a task.

Please don't hesitate to leave me comments, suggestions, or ideas; and from one foodie to another, don't forget to enjoy the deliciousness!

Can Eggs Be that Devilish?

Breakfast is definitely at par with dinner in regards to my favorite meal of the day, especially because you can eat any of it's foods at any time of the day, for instance a veggie-packed omelete on top of toast for dinner. Speak of the "devil", eggs are definitely one of my favorite foods - they are one of very few foods to contain all of the essential amino acids, they have a complex source of proteins, and they are versatile in so many flavors! For a long time eggs have been given a bad rep, but I'm here to change that. Check out this article and read for yourself why eggs aren't really as malicious as they are the P on the pedestal.

Balsamic Tomato Chicken Breast over Pasta

So the other night, I was looking around my kitchen trying to decide what kind of sauce or seasoning I can add to plain, boneless chicken breast. I was originally thinking of using a large can of crushed tomatoes to make a simple, homemade tomato sauce to put over lightly seasoned chicken and some whole wheat pasta, but I didn't have the time or stamina at that point in the evening to start making a tomato sauce from scratch. However, my eye caught a can of diced tomatoes in the pantry and thought, "this seems like a good alternative." I took the tomatoes out, then opened the fridge and stared at the Publix-brand balsamic vinegar. Perfect.

For the sauce:
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup grape jelly/jam
3 Tbsp Good spicy mustard (I used Boar's Head; Dijon would work fine, DO NOT use yellow mustard)
3 Tbsp Basil, chopped
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt/Pepper

Other Ingredients:
1 package boneless chicken breasts
Pasta (I always prefer whole wheat, its up to you)
1 - 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
A few glugs Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 tsp Garlic, minced
Salt/Pepper

1. Set up a pot of water to boil for the pasta.
   
2. Mix all of the ingredients for the sauce in one bowl and whisk together until they all mesh into one consistency. Taste check, add some salt and pepper; it should taste mostly like balsamic vinegar but a little thicker and slightly sweeter with a nice aftertaste of basil.
3. Heat up the olive oil on a large pan at medium heat, add the minced garlic and let cook for about 1 minute.
4. Add pasta to boiling water and cook according to directions on the box.
   
5. While the garlic is cooking, dunk the chicken breasts in the balsamic sauce one at a time, and add to the pan - SAVE any remaining sauce.
   
6. Let each piece of chicken cook on one side about 3 minutes, flip.
   
7. Add the can of diced tomatoes to the large pan with chicken, raise the heat to medium high, and add the remaining balsamic sauce. Stir everything together, coat the chicken in the tomatoes' au jus (with its own juices). Sprinkle a little bit of salt and pepper.
8. Allow for some of the excess liquid from the tomatoes to boil away, about 8-10 minutes.
9. Plate pasta with chicken on top; add some of the tomatoes with sauce and you've got yourself dinner!

**It's delicious with a little bit of parmesean cheese on top**

Before I Begin Blogging

Let me just start off by saying that most of my recipes, excluding baked goods, are entirely customizable. If there is something you don't like in preparation for a dish, you have the complete freedom to use less or remove the ingredient from the meal altogether; however, understand that it may not taste as I so diligently describe it. On the other hand, if I were adding tomato sauce to pasta, and you just happen to eat tomato sauce like soup such as myself, then by all means add sauce by the cup-full!

And this brings me to one of my first Unwritten Rules of Cooking: Your food will always come out delicious if you incorporate ingredients that you love! The beauty of cooking is that YOU are the boss - no recipe book, T.V. show, or professional 5-star chef can give you better advice than your taste buds; although a 5-star chef may be able to tempt you.

Play some music, pull out the aprons, be creative, and make some magic!

Just a reminder - I am a student, so time is a virtue. I will post recipes, articles, and pictures whenever I get the chance so please be patient!

Cinnamon Raisin Oatmeal

Oatmeal is one of the best breakfast items you can eat because of the benefits it grants the consumer. Unlike most other cereals, hot or cold, oatmeal is comprised of complex carbohydrates plus protein, soluble and insoluble fiber. Complex carbs mixed with fiber and protein keep you feeling full longer by taking more time to digest, thus the energy acquired from it is processed slower - equating to an extended supply of steady energy until your next meal. Simple carbs such as bleached, fortified, processed white bread and other fiber-less starchy foods spike your blood glucose (sugar) levels rapidly, which provides your body with immediate yet disposable energy - a "sugar high" - that usually gets stored (eventually as fat) because it doesn't get used. Try this awesome, simple, and EASY recipe for a great and tasty start to your day!

I generally estimate how much of everything I put in my bowl of oatmeal depending on how I'm feeling that day, but I'll give you some measurements. Before you start mixing, boil about 1 1/2 cups of water.

Desired amount of Old-fashioned Oats - about 1/2 cup is considered a serving (try to avoid instant or flavored oatmeal)

A few shakes of ground cinnamon from the bottle (1-2 tsp)

Raisins and/or any other dried fruit

Honey (can be substituted for white or brown sugar)

A few drops of vanilla extract - The secret ingredient

1. Mix the oatmeal, cinnamon, raisins, and honey in a bowl
2. Gradually add and stir some of the boiling water to the mixture. Everybody likes their oatmeal at different consistencies, I personally like mine on the drier side.
3. Add the vanilla extract
4. Stir everything together and give the oatmeal a minute or two to absorb the water. If it is at your desired consistency, ENJOY!

Nutritional Advantages to one bowl: 1 g each of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, +4 g of fiber, and 5 g of protein

Welcome!

Hello to everyone checking out Just Delicious for the first time! I'm Danny and I have a serious passion for healthy, tasteful, natural, mouth-watering, stomach-smiling, DELICIOUS delicacies. I want to pass on my creations and combos to those wanting to experience a modern style of eating that is generally healthy and tasty, yet simple and practical. I am a student at UF in Gainesville, Fl (Go Gators!) so I am somewhat on a budget, depending on how I decide to allocate my funds (food or liq... tough.)
Lately I have been doing my best to go to the Farmer's Market in downtown every Wednesday between 4-7 so that I can purchase fresh produce, support the local farms, and most importantly, reduce my carbon footprint. Some may not realize that going organic doesn't always necessarily mean healthier for the body and planet. Going local usually kills 2 birds with 1 stone: greatly reducing your "carbon footprint" as it is so commonly referred to now, and also acquiring fresher and more natural food regardless if it is organic or not. Most of the farmers selling their foods at the market do not work for the corporations that chemically enhance their produce with pesticides and gases for better colors, size, and weight (what they fail to realize is that in doing so the fruits, vegetables, or even animals lose their natural nutrient contents, flavors, and reliability.)
I can keep going on about sustainability and the environment, so maybe I'll save it for another post. I just want to share my favorite recipes, tricks of the trade, and tips for maintaining a healthy and fulfilling lifestyle thats easy to follow and most of all, Just Delicious!