Category: Food

No wonder Elvis had a heart attack!

kaitiscotland4 Comments

 

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I’m not long back from a holiday to the USA. So far I’ve been to New England, California, Florida and some of the National Parks. Every time, the food has been a highly enjoyable part of the holiday. Not this time. To my amazement there are places where people choose to eat worse than the Scots.

The holiday was a bus tour that took in Nashville, Memphis, Natchez and New Orleans. We added a few days at New York independently to complete the holiday.

Nashville is the place where country music really took off. The Bluegrass and Country genres stem from a background of poverty and hardship mainly from people of immigrant Scots/Irish extraction who had to make their own entertainment. Because they really did eat a subsistence diet, every calorie counted, and it still does even when the grinding poverty is no longer an issue.

Nashville is Deep- Fried- Ville. Everything is covered in breadcrumbs and deep fried, with chips. To add a Southern twist they cover this with a gloopy yellow sauce and add some mushy overly boiled vegetables. I recognise these from school dinners a la 1960s.

Barbeque meats for the Appalachians was originally a method of marinating poor cuts of meat and cooking them very slowly to make them tender enough to eat. Today we tend to marinade but then quick cook choice cuts over a grill.

Grits is a porridge like substance made from corn husks. I thought it was pretty tasteless and didn’t like the texture but some people love it and eat it by choice. Biscuits and gravy is also popular. The biscuits look and taste like our scones. The gravy is actually a yellow/white flour based sauce.

In Memphis, we went to Graceland, where Elvis’s favourite snack, peanut butter sandwich, mashed banana, fried in butter can be served.

Elvis’s parents actually bought Graceland and he had no part in its design as it was already an established house. The kitchen a lot  smaller and darker than I was expecting.

Natchez is a beautiful town on the Mississipi that was largely spared destruction by the Union troops during the civil war because they surrendered.  The gracious wooden ante bellum houses with their porches all round still remain. At last I had a lovely spicy prawn main course served with not boiled to death vegetables. To start with there was deep fried breaded catfish. Catfish is a very mild tasting fish and has no bones similar to monkfish.

As we travelled into New Orleans the standard of food rose considerably. You certainly could get deep fried junk and boiled vegetables but there was also the choice of Cajun and Creole food and a lot of seafood such as oysters, shrimp and crab. Rice became more popular as an accompaniment than chips. Alligator is eaten here too.

Cajun food, which was brought by French Canadians from Arcadia is spicy but not hot and does not involve tomatoes. It tends to be brown in colour.

Creole food is also spicy and often includes chilli and tomatoes which make it red and hot. French and Spanish ancestors popularised this form of cooking. This was my favourite and I hope to try my hand at some dishes at home.

New York is famous for its sirloin steak and baked cheesecake. It has a huge number of ethnic groups within its population and has restaurants in all cuisines. Maybe we were unlucky in our restaurants but I usually eat better in Ayrshire.

 

 

 

A Day of Very Low-Carb Eating

Emma2 Comments

What does a day of very low-carb eating look like? Bacon and eggs, chicken salad and then steak, blue cheese sauce and green beans?!

Okay, some of the low-carb clichés work well. I don’t mind bacon and eggs in some form for breakfast every day. Otherwise, I might have low-carb bread (and you can see our great recipe for this here) with butter and Marmite, or I have smoked salmon or leftovers from the night before.

Whisper it: I’m not fussed about steak. A great burger, on the other hand… I’m also keen on turkey, particularly turkey mince which is very versatile. Turkey tacos, turkey chilli, turkey burgers and turkey curry are regular features in my house.

Bacon and egg.

Two rashers of back bacon, chopped up and fried in a little egg. Once they have cooked, I add in one large egg and mix it up. The whole thing takes less than 10 minutes to make.

2g carbs

Prawns and vegetables

imageI made my own Marie Rose sauce (2tbsp mayonnaise, a teaspoon of tomato puree and a dash of Tabasco), and mixed this with 100g king prawns. I served this with salad and steamed broccoli. I also had some dry-roasted peanuts.

10g carbs

Turkey steaks in mushroom sauce

I had one and half turkey steaks, diced with a cream sauce. The sauce was made from mushrooms fried in a little butter. I added a tablespoon of wholegrain mustard, 250ml double cream and some salt. (I used about a quarter of this sauce.) I served it with steamed cauliflower and salad.

8g carbs

atkins-barI finished with an Atkins bar – the chocolate coconut one that’s a bit like a Bounty bar. These bars are controversial in low-carb circles. They are heavily processed, after all. However, I really love the coconut chocolate one and I count 8g of carbs per bar, not the 2g of net carbs the label claims*.

8g carbs

 

 

 

*You need to figure this out yourself. The nutritional information for the Atkins bar subtracts polyols (the sugar alcohol used as a sweetener) from the total to give you the net carb content, but some people find polyols do affect their blood sugar levels.

Jovina cooks Italian: Pesto flounder with dressed garden salad

kaitiscotlandLeave a comment

 

Pesto Flounder Packets

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This recipe is easy to adapt to seasonal ingredients. When basil is not available, use a spinach or red pepper pesto. Baking in parchment during cold weather is quite successful, but use the grilling method when the weather cooperates.

4 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 4 (6-ounce) flounder fillets or any white fish fillets available in your area
  • 1/4 cup prepared pesto
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • Sliced tomatoes
  • Lime slices

Directions

Prepare  an outdoor grill.

Cut aluminum foil into 4 pieces large enough to enclose the fillets. Drizzle 1/2 tablespoon olive oil on each piece of foil. Place fish on top of the oil.

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Lightly spread 1 tablespoon pesto over each fillet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top with tomato and lime slices.

Seal foil packets and place on the grill. Grill 8-10 minutes or until fish are cooked.

Summer Entertaining | jovinacooksitalian

Garden Salad

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Ingredients

  • 1/4 of a red onion, sliced
  • 2 small tomatoes, diced
  • Half a cucumber, diced
  • Sliced radishes and black olives to taste
  • 4 cups torn garden lettuce
  • Salt and Pepper
  • Italian Vinaigrette, recipe below

Directions

Combine all the ingredients in a salad bowl. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Drizzle some of the dressing over the salad and mix well. Taste and add a little more dressing, if necessary.

Italian Vinaigrette

Yields: ¾ cup

  • 1 tablespoon dried Italian mixed herbs
  • 3 cloves garlic, pressed
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
  • 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1/2 cup olive oil

Directions

Whisk the first seven ingredients together. Whisk in the olive oil, a little at a time, until it is all incorporated.

Pancakes

kaitiscotlandLeave a comment

 

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5 tbsp soya flour

4 tbsp ground almonds

2tbsp granulated sweetener

½ tsp baking powder

Pinch of salt

2 eggs

50ml/2fl oz double cream

2tsp butter

Berries and double cream (optional)

 

Method:

Place the soya flour, almonds, sweetener, baking powder, salt, eggs and double cream in a blender and process until smooth.

Heat a large non- stick pan over a low to medium flame and add 1 tsp of the butter. Tilt the pan to coat the surface with the melted butter.

Spoon  the batter into the pan to make three pancakes about 6 cm in diameter. Cook until risen, golden on the undersides and dry around the edges, then flip over and cook the undersides until golden.

Serve with berries and double cream.

 

Jovina cooks Italian: Summer fish, gratin and salad

kaitiscotland1 Comment

Getting together with friends doesn’t need to be something that’s planned for days. Keep it simple and enjoy the evening. You also want to cook easy, but delicious food with a minimum of fuss. I try to make up menus that do most of the cooking on the grill and much of the preparation in advance. That way I can spend time with my guests. Make dessert easy by serving fresh fruit. It is much more refreshing than a heavy dessert and add a little frozen yogurt, if desired.

 

Serve this dinner with a tray of vegetables and a creamy dip.

 

Pesto Flounder Packets

This recipe is easy to adapt to seasonal ingredients. When basil is not available, use a spinach or red pepper pesto. Baking in parchment during cold weather is quite successful, but use the grilling method when the weather cooperates.

4 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 4 (6-ounce) flounder fillets or any white fish fillets available in your area
  • 1/4 cup prepared pesto
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • Sliced tomatoes
  • Lime slices

Directions

Prepare  an outdoor grill.

Cut aluminum foil into 4 pieces large enough to enclose the fillets. Drizzle 1/2 tablespoon olive oil on each piece of foil. Place fish on top of the oil.

Lightly spread 1 tablespoon pesto over each fillet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top with tomato and lime slices.

Seal foil packets and place on the grill. Grill 8-10 minutes or until fish are cooked.

Summer Vegetable Gratin

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This casserole can be prepared in advance and cooked when the guests arrive or cooked in advance and reheated. Tastes just fine reheated.

Serves 6

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 1 medium bell pepper, diced
  • 1 medium yellow squash, diced
  • 1 large garlic clove, minced
  • 3 cups fresh corn kernels, divided
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup whole milk
  • 1 small handful of fresh parsley, washed, dried and coarsely chopped
  • 3/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Oil a 2-quart gratin or baking dish.

Set aside 1 cup of the corn kernels.

Heat the butter in a large skillet over low heat and add the onion. Cook, stirring often, until it begins to soften, about three minutes.

Add the bell pepper, squash and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are tender, about five minutes.

Add the garlic and 2 cups corn kernels, stir together and add another generous pinch of salt and some pepper.

Stir together for a minute or two and remove the pan from the heat.

Place the remaining 1 cup corn kernels in a blender and add the eggs, milk and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Blend until smooth. Combine with the vegetables in the skillet.

Add the parsley and the cheese, and stir together. Pour into the prepared gratin dish.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes, until the top is browned and the gratin is firm to the touch. Serve hot or warm.

 

Garden Salad

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Ingredients

  • 1/4 of a red onion, sliced
  • 2 small tomatoes, diced
  • Half a cucumber, diced
  • Sliced radishes and black olives to taste
  • 4 cups torn garden lettuce
  • Salt and Pepper
  • Italian Vinaigrette, recipe below

Directions

Combine all the ingredients in a salad bowl. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Drizzle some of the dressing over the salad and mix well. Taste and add a little more dressing, if necessary.

Italian Vinaigrette

Yields: ¾ cup

  • 1 tablespoon dried Italian mixed herbs
  • 3 cloves garlic, pressed
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
  • 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1/2 cup olive oil

Directions

Whisk the first seven ingredients together. Whisk in the olive oil, a little at a time, until it is all incorporated.

 From Jovina Cooks Italian food blog

 

Carrot, dill and yoghurt salad

kaitiscotlandLeave a comment

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Carrot, Dill and Yoghurt Salad

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

  • 1tbsp olive oil
  • 220g grated carrot
  • 3 tbsp Greek yoghurt
  • 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
  • 4 tbsp chopped dill
  • pinch of salt
  • 40g toasted walnuts

Method

  1. Warm oil and saute carrots until wilted.
  2. Whisk 3 tbsp yoghurt, garlic, dill and salt.
  3. Stir in carrots, scatter with walnuts and serve warm or cold.

Allow about 5g of carbs per serving.

 

Beef Stroganoff – Low-Carb Main Courses

Emma2 Comments

low carb main coursesBeef Stroganoff is a quick and easy dish for two. All in all, it takes about 15 minutes to prepare. The classic accompaniment is rice or noodles. If you are following a low-carb diet, try cauliflower rice instead, broccoli or a huge salad.

Beef Stroganoff

  • Servings: 2
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

  • 300g rump steak (Aldi sells rump steaks in this size)
  • 1tbsp butter
  • 100g mushrooms
  • 100g onion, finely sliced
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1tsp Dijon or wholegrain mustard
  • 100ml reduced-fat crème fraiche
  • 2tbsp parsley, finely chopped

Chop the steak into 2cm chunks. Melt the butter in a large frying pan and cook the steak pieces. You might need to do this in batches to prevent over-crowding the pan.

Depending on how you like your steak, cook for 2-4 minutes – the lesser time will mean a rarer finished dish.

Remove the steak from the pan and add the onion and mushrooms. Cook for five minutes until softened and lightly browned. Add the salt and pepper, steak and mustard and cook for one minute. Add the crème fraiche and cook through. Top with chopped parsley and serve immediately.

Allow about 10-12g of carbs per portion.

 

Low Carb Baked Custard

kaitiscotland3 Comments
THIS RECIPE IS FOR TWO CUSTARDS. YOU CAN TRIPLE IT AND MAKE SIX SERVINGS. IT KEEPS IN THE FRIDGE FOR SEVERAL DAYS.

Low-Carb Baked Custard

  • Servings: 2
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print
  • 1 whole egg
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1/2 cup double cream or whipping cream
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 1/2  tbsp. Splenda  or similar granular sugar substitute
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • Ground nutmeg  (optional)

Lightly beat the egg and yolk.  Add cream, water, Splenda, vanilla and salt and mix well.  Pour into two un-greased 6-ounce custard cups.  Sprinkle with nutmeg.  Set in a pan containing 1/2 to 1 inch of hot water.  Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until set.

Yield:  2 servings; approximately 5 grams carbohydrate per serving.
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Steakhouse Dinner at Home

kaitiscotland1 Comment

Pining for a great steak dinner or celebrating a special occasion? A trip to a premium steakhouse in the US will cost you the following:

  • Morton’s 3 course steak dinner for one is $150-160.
  • Ruth’s Chris price for just the cowboy rib eye is $50.
  • Gibson’s Steakhouse in Chicago – premium steaks average $40 to $60 per steak.
  • Dinner at less prestigious steak restaurants will be at least $90 per person.

If you make this special dinner at home, and I did, this is what it cost me:

Cost of a quality steakhouse dinner at home for 2 is less than $30 plus whatever your wine cost. These are prices for my area and the vegetables are in season and often on sale [in the US] here:

  • 1 1/2 lb organic, grass fed French cut rib eye steak cost $22.50
  • Prices at the market this week:
  • $1.99 per lb for asparagus = $2.98 for 1 ½ lbs
  • 5 lb bag of red potatoes on sale for $3.49 = $1.40 for 2 lbs needed for the recipe.
  • 1 lb mushrooms were $2.49

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Grilled French Cut Rib Eye Steak

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

This steak has several names, such as cowboy or tomahawk. The steak can be grilled over indirect heat or it can be baked in the oven,

It is a large steak and we will only eat part of it. However, I like having leftovers that I can use for a salad or a quesadilla later in the week.

Ingredients
•One 22 – 24 oz French Cut Rib Eye Steak
•2 teaspoons kosher salt
•1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
•2 tablespoons butter, melted

Directions

  1. One hour before grilling, remove the steak from the refrigerator. Season it liberally with the salt and pepper. Let it rest at room temperature until it is time to grill.
  2. Set the grill up for direct and indirect heat.
  3. Put the steak on the grill over indirect heat. Close the lid, and cook the steak, turning a few times during cooking. The steak is ready for searing when it reaches 115°F in the thickest part of the steak, about 25 – 30 minutes.
  4. Brush the steak with some of the melted butter, then slide it to the direct heat side of the grill. Sear the steak until a brown crust forms on the steak. This should take about two minutes on each side, at which point the steak should reach 125°F for medium rare.
  5. Remove the steak to a platter and baste i,t one last time, with the butter. Let the steak rest for 10 minutes, then slice and serve.

Oven Baked Method

  1. Melt 2 tablespoons butter with 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large heavy ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and add the steak to the skillet. Cook until seared and golden brown, 2 minutes per side. Transfer the skillet to the oven..
  2. Roast steak in the oven, turning halfway through cooking and basting frequently with the butter in the pan, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into steak registers 125° for medium-rare, about 15 minutes, or to your desired temperature.
  3. Transfer the steak to a cutting board and and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

Balsamic Sautéed Mushrooms

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

Ingredients
•1 tablespoon good quality balsamic vinegar
•1 teaspoon brown sugar
•1 tablespoon unsalted butter
•1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
•1 lb cremini (baby bella) mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
•Pinch Kosher salt
•1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
•1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
•1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

  1. Combine the vinegar and the brown sugar in a small cup and set aside.
  2. Heat the oil and butter in a medium skillet and saute the mushrooms until all the liquid has evaporated. Stir in the garlic, thyme, salt and black pepper.
  3. Turn the heat to low and add the vinegar mixture. Cook, stirring, until the liquid reduces to a glaze consistency that coats the mushrooms, 15 to 20 seconds.

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Grilled Asparagus

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

Grilled Asparagus

Ingredients
•2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
•2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 1/2 teaspoons)
•1 1/2 pounds asparagus spears, ends trimmed
•Salt and ground black pepper
•1 teaspoon lemon zest
•Heavy duty foil

Directions

  1. Lay the asparagus on a large sheet of heavy duty foil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and then with the garlic and lemon zest. Pour the melted butter over the asparagus.
  2. Enclose the asparagus in the foil and seal the edges tightly. Place the package on the direct heat side of the grill while the steak is cooking.
  3. Cook the asparagus for 8 minutes, turn the package over and cook another 8 minutes. Be careful opening the package because the steam will be very hot.

There’s also a potato salad to go with this recipe, but go easy on this side dish if you have diabetes or weight to lose! You can substitute cauliflower for the potatoes. Divide it into even-sized florets and steam until tender – about five minutes.

Warm Potato Salad

  • Servings: 4-6
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

Warm Potato Salad

Ingredients
•2 pounds red potatoes, peeled and quartered
•1/2 cup good quality extra-virgin olive oil
•1 garlic clove, minced
•1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
•1 tablespoon capers, rinsed and coarsely chopped
•1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
•1/4 medium red onion, coarsely chopped
•1 celery stalk, thinly sliced
•2 tablespoons chopped parsley
•Salt to taste

Directions

  1. Place potatoes in a medium-sized saucepan covered 2 inches by salted water. Bring to a boil and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain.
  2. In the same saucepan, combine the olive oil, garlic, red pepper flakes, capers, vinegar and red onion. Bring to a simmer and remove from the heat.
  3. Add the drained potatoes and toss with the warm dressing, celery and parsley. Salt to taste and serve warm.

Reblogged from Jovinacooksitalian with thanks.

 

What To Do With Excess Tomatoes

Emma4 Comments

diabetes diet recipesPuree them, roast them, sauce them, turn them into soup – honestly, there’s plenty you can do with a tomato glut. I’ve decided to turn mine into oven-dried tomatoes, with the aid of some homegrown herbs too.

What about the higher carbohydrate content of tomatoes, I hear you ask. A medium-sized tomato – roughly 100g, say – contains 4g of carbohydrates, 1.2g of fibre. If you’re going to use them for sauces, chances are you’ll be using quite a few of them. Eat your tomatoes with protein, as part of a salad with chicken or ham, for instance, or as a sauce in a curry.

It is easy to eat a lot of sun or oven-dried tomatoes. They concentrated flavour makes them very tasty, for one. Because they have lost a lot of water, they are smaller and denser than normal tomatoes and you could end up eating a lot of them – and a lot of carbohydrates as a result. Eat them sparingly, two or three added to salads or with some sliced meat.

I’ve used rapeseed oil here to keep my product as Scottish and local as possible, but you can also use extra virgin olive oil.

Oven-dried tomatoes

  • Servings: 1-2 jam jars
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

  • 250g tomatoes
  • Fresh oregano – about 8tbsp chopped
  • Fresh basil – about 3tbsp chopped
  • 6 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 5-6 black peppercorns
  • Salt and pepper
  • Rapeseed oil
  1. Cut the tomatoes in half and scoop out the seeds. It’s easiest if you use your fingers, or you can use a teaspoon.
  2. Place the tomatoes, cut side down on a grill rack over a tray and leave for half an hour to drain.
  3. Preheat the oven to 100 degrees C.
  4. Mix together the crushed garlic, oregano, basil and salt and pepper. Using a teaspoon insert tiny amounts of the mixture into the tomato halves.
  5. Sprinkle a tray with a little of the rapeseed oil and place the tomatoes cut-side up on it. Cook in the low oven, turning the tray a few times, for three hours.
  6. Place in sterilised jars* and top with rapeseed oil.

Sun-dried/oven-dried tomatoes have roughly 23g of carbs (6g fibre) per 100g.

 *To sterilise jars, heat the oven to 140 degrees C. Wash the jars and their lids in hot, soapy water and place in the oven to dry out completely – about 7-10 minutes. Fill and seal.