Quiche Lorraine réduit en gras

[EDIT 11/11/09:] I do plan on revising this and creating a vegan quiche sometime in the future... all in good time.

A lot of people seem to think that a quiche Lorraine contains cheese (typically Gruyère or Swiss), and I don't know where this came from. The most traditional recipes for quiche Lorraine contain only bacon, eggs and cream in a crust. My version is more of a quiche alsacienne, since I add caramelized onions. However, with or without the cheese, it is a very calorie-laden dish. I have tried to lighten up my quiche a lot using tofu, turkey bacon and evaporated milk. I haven't tried it, but I'm sure it could be made vegan by omitting the egg white, using soy bacon or making a more creative quiche with all vegetables in lieu of a bacon product. I'm working on ideas for a reduced-fat crust, but for now I just used a store-bought pie shell!

Reduced Fat Quiche Lorraine

1 frozen pie shell
1 block silken tofu (soft), drained and squeezed of any liquid
1 egg white
½ c. evaporated skim milk
7-8 strips turkey bacon or veggie bacon
2 T. olive oil
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Cook the turkey/veggie bacon in the microwave according to package instructions. Add olive oil to a small skillet and cook the onion over medium heat for about 20 minutes, or until light brown and caramelized. Allow to cool.

Meanwhile, in the bowl of a food processor, process the tofu until smooth. Add the egg white and evaporated milk, season with salt and lots of fresh black pepper and process until well combined.

Chop the bacon and sprinkle in the bottom of the pie shell. Then, add the caramelized onion and spread out on the bottom of the shell. Pour the tofu mixture into the pie shell. Grind some fresh pepper on top, if desired.

Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the filling has set.




I served some creamed spinach alongside, which I prepared by sautéing up a small onion and 2 cloves of garlic, then adding some flour (allow to cook 2 minutes), a splash of white wine and about ½ c. evaporated skim milk. Allow to thicken and add about 10 oz. defrosted frozen spinach (wrung dry of any excess water.) Season with salt and pepper and serve.

I also made some roasted carrots, which I baked alongside the quiche, tossed with some olive oil, salt, pepper and herbes de Provence. So delicious!!
And finally, I will be on vacation with W starting Tuesday, but I will be busy all weekend until then, so I will not be cooking anything for a good, long while, I suspect. If I am feeling ambitious, I might blog about some of the amazing restaurants in which we plan on dining, but I have a feeling I will be too busy relaxing...

Penne à la russe...

... sometimes also called Penna alla vodka. Usually, the sauce for this dish is made with a lot of cream and butter, so I've tried to lighten it up quite a bit using my old reliable evaporated skim milk substitute.

On the side, I simply served a lot of steamed broccoli tossed with a small bit of margarine, garlic powder, salt, pepper and lemon juice. Enjoy!

Penne alla vodka

1 lb. whole wheat or Ronzoni Smart Taste penne pasta
2 T. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
½ tsp. margarine (recommended: Smart Balance or Olivio)
1 tsp. flour
1 (12 oz.) can evaporated fat-free milk (shaken well)
1 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
¼ c. inexpensive vodka (optional)
1 tsp. dried basil
½ tsp. dried oregano
about 5 sundried tomato halves, chopped
a handful of fresh basil leaves, sliced in a chiffonade
½ c. frozen peas
Salt and pepper, to taste

Heat a large pot of salted water and bring to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions, drain and reserve, tossed with a little olive oil.

Meanwhile, heat 2 T. olive oil over medium-high heat and cook the onion and garlic until translucent and fragrant. Add the red pepper flakes and toast for about 1 minute. Melt the margarine and sprinkle in the flour, stirring to combine well, and cook for 2 minutes. Then, pour in the evaporated milk, stirring briskly. Bring to a boil, then slowly add the crushed tomatoes, stirring well to blend. Add the vodka, dried basil and oregano, season with salt and pepper, and lower the heat. Simmer, partially covered, for 10-15 minutes, or until reduced. Then, gently stir in the sundried tomatoes, fresh basil and peas, keeping over the heat just long enough to warm the peas.

Add the pasta to the sauce, toss well and serve.

Notes: If ever you are in a hurry to get dinner on the table, and your sauce just isn't reducing fast enough, sprinkle in a few plain or seasoned dry breadcrumbs. If you need the opposite result, make a slurry of 1 tsp. cold water + 1 tsp. cornstarch, then whisk well to thicken a sauce in no time flat.

PS - Don't go wasting your Grey Goose on something like this... I know they say to only cook with alcohol you would drink, and I usually stick to that regarding wine. However, in this case, I don't think it's necessary. The cheap-o stuff will do just fine.

"Taco" Night

[EDIT 11/11/09:]  I have made this since using a package of TVP beef-style crumbles... if I come up with anything else to substitute the ground turkey, I'll create a new post.

The reason Iuse the word "taco" lightly is because I prefer using a whole wheat tortilla, but I can never find them small enough to just fold once over the filling into a taco. So we usually end up rolling them into more of a burrito-like formation.

I think the concept of having a Taco Night is such an enduring American tradition because it's easy to pull together. However, it's not always the healthiest thing to eat. And unless your on the richer side of life and can afford to spend $20+ on 99% lean cuts of high-end beef and have them ground for you, you probably do what I used to do, and that is to buy the cheapest package of ground chuck you can find (usually around 70-80% lean.) I just graduated from college last year and am as yet unemployed, so I definitely do not blow my meager grocery budget on really great quality meat, considering I don't even enjoy meat much. But my fiancee does, however, so I need to indulge him every so often. And turkey, that ever-versatile beef stand-in, has come to the rescue again on Taco Night. I buy the extra-lean ground turkey, which I can usually get for $4-5 for 1½. The beauty of ground meat is that it's such a vague taste and texture that you can disguise lots of replacements as the real McCoy.

The "fix-in's" on this evening in particular were diced tomato, lettuce, sliced jalapeños, jarred salsa and a little low-fat Mexican cheese blend (which really can be ommitted, if you're watching your waistline, else just use a little sprinkling if you must.) Make sure you add more veggies than meat to your taco, as this is a pretty protein-rich meal. Alongside, I served my Mexican rice (yum) and easy refritos (refried beans.) The achiote seeds called for in the rice recipe are optional if you can't find them, but they give the rice a gorgeous, golden color and a light, almost saffron-like flavor. And on my budget, you know I am not buying saffron! I buy my achiote seeds at my local dollar store, actually, but living among such a high Hispanic population as I do, they are relatively easy to find all over. If you can't find them, no biggie.

Turkey Taco Meat

1½ lbs. extra-lean or lean ground turkey
1-2 T. vegetable or canola oil (or another light oil of your choice)
½ medium onion or 1 small onion, finely chopped
1 c. fat-free, reduced sodium beef broth
1 recipe taco seasoning (see below)

Heat the canola oil in a large, deep-sided skillet or pot, then add the chopped onion, cooking until translucent. Add the ground turkey, breaking it up with the back of a spoon and allow it to brown. Do not stir frequently, or you will prevent the caramelization from occurring. Drain off any excess liquid or oil, then sprinkle in the taco seasoning. Pour in the beef broth and simmer until the liquid has evaporated and there are no traces of pink left in the meat, about 10 minutes.

For the taco seasoning:

1 T. chili powder
¼ tsp. garlic powder
¼ tsp. onion powder
¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
½ tsp. dried oregano
½ tsp. paprika
1½ - 2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper
a couple pinches of cayenne pepper

Combine all ingredients in a jar, cover tightly and shake until well-combined.



Mexican Rice


1 c. long-grain white or brown rice, rinsed and drained
1-2 T. canola or vegetable oil (or another light oil of your choice)
1 T. achiote seeds (also called annatto seeds)
½ a medium onion or 1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 jalapeño peppers, minced (I prefer mind un-seeded)
1 T. adobo seasoning (recommended: Goya)
½ tsp. chili powder
1-2 T. tomato paste
2 c. water, or as directed on the rice's packaging

Add the oil and achiote seeds to a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Slowly heat the oil until tiny bubbles start to form around the seeds. Do not overheat the oil, or the seeds will burn and the oil will taste bitter. Use a slotted spoon to remove the seeds from the oil and discard.

Add the chopped onion and garlic to the oil and cook until translucent and fragrant. Add the jalapeño and cook until softened. Stir in the drained rice and stir to coat with oil. Toast the rice for about 5 mintes, then stir in the adobo, the chili powder and the tomato paste and roast for about 1 minute. Add the water and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cover. Simmer the rice for about 20 minutes, fluff with a fork and serve.


Refritos

1 can pinto beans, rinsed and drained (or 1 c. dried beans, soaked overnight)
1 c. vegetable stock
½ tsp. onion powder
¼ tsp. garlic powder
½ tsp. chili powder
Salt and pepper, to taste
Chopped cilantro, for garnish

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan and cover. Bring the liquid to a boil, then remove the lid and allow most of the liquid to reduce. When almost all of the broth has evaporated, mash the beans with a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon. Garnish with cilantro, if desired.

Vegetarian Sunday Roast

I have always loved the idea of the British Sunday roast. However, the only problem therein is the actual roast! I do not care much for red meat, especially not pot roast/roast beef. I know a lot of Brits roast up a chicken, but I really wanted to see if I could make a passable vegetarian Sunday roast. Now I know it's Tuesday and not Sunday, but I don't really care.

What I did to replace the meat was marinate some slices of extra-firm tofu in some olive oil, soy sauce (reduced sodium), real maple syrup, freshly ground pepper and paprika. I would give you exact amounts, only I didn't really pay attention! Just use your own discretion. Chill for about an hour, flipping carefully midway. Dredge the tofu slices in some seasoned flour and fry in a small amount of olive oil until golden brown on both sides. I then made a vegetarian gravy to go over the top. Here is the recipe:


Vegetarian Gravy:

Chop 1 small onion and 3-4 cloves of garlic and cook in 1 T. olive oil until softened. Add 2 T. margarine and ¼ c. flour, whisking well to combine. Cook 1-2 minutes to get rid of the flour taste. Deglaze the pot with a splash of dry red wine, then add 2 c. vegetable broth/stock (low sodium), whisking rapidly to prevent lumps. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

I don't think anyone needs directions on how to make mashed potatoes, but just in case, here's how I do mine.


Garlic & Chive Mashed Potatoes:

Peel about 3 lbs. of white potatoes and cut into quarters or eighths, depending on the potato's size (you want all chunks to be roughly the same size.) Place in a large pot of salted, cold water, then put the lid on and turn the heat on to bring to a boil. Once the potatoes fall off the ends off a knife, drain them and return to the pot. Heat 1½ c. skim or lowfat milk, plus 1 T. margarine (or butter) in a microwave-safe container (I used my Pyrex measuring cup.) "Nuke" them for about 2 minutes. Meanwhile, use an electric hand mixer to break up the potatoes. Pour the milk-margarine mixture over the pototoes and use the mixer to combine. Season with salt, pepper, ½-1 tsp. garlic powder (according to your taste) and 1 T. fresh or dried chives. Mix on low to combine.


And now for the veggies.

Virginia Green Beans:

I boiled a small pot of water seasoned with salt and pepper, then quickly cooked about 1 lb. green beans (trimmed) for about 3 minutes, or until bright green and still crisp-tender. Removed with a slotted spoon and quickly run under cold water to stop the cooking. I tossed them in additional fresh black pepper, then zapped 1 slice of turkey bacon in the microwave, chopped it up and tossed with the beans. These are probably Wyatt's favorite side dish ever.

Steamed Carrots:

I kept the water boiling and placed my steamer basket full of a couple of handfuls of baby carrots over the water, covering tightly with a lid. Once they are tender (a knife inserts easily), toss them with 1 tsp. margarine, the juice of half a lemon and some salt and plenty of fresh pepper.


PS - I meant to make some Yorkshire pudding as well, but it was just too oppressively hot to turn the oven on. I may still make some to go with the leftovers, as the next few days are supposed to be chilly and rainy. If I do, I will update!


[EDIT:]
So I did make some Yorkshire pudding last night... I used a recipe from an old 80s cookbook my mom gave me years ago. I'm not sure I'm pleased with the way they turned out... I wish they had puffed up a bit more like a traditional popover, and the flavor was a tad on the eggy side, in my opinion. But I was glad to finally be able to use some fresh chives from my window box!

[EDIT 2, Nov. 10, 2009:]
This entry is from before I started cooking vegan... the dinner itself is 100% vegan, but Yorkshire pudding is totally not vegan.  I've been trying to come up with a way to make a vegan Yorkshire pudding to no avail, but I'll keep at it!  I just wanted to note this, since the entry is labeled as "Vegan."

Yorkshire Pudding

1 c. flour
¼ tsp. salt
1 T. fresh chives, chopped
1 c. milk
2 large eggs
1 T. butter, melted or light olive oil

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Whisk together the flour, salt and chives. In a separate bowl, whisk the milk and eggs together, then slowly pour this mixture into the flour, whisking to create a smooth batter. Grease a muffin tin with the melted butter, making sure to grease the top as well for when the puddings "pop over" and fill each cup halfway with batter. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until puffed up and golden.

Rachael Ray's Lasagna Bowls

Words cannot express how unbelievably annoying I find Rachael Ray. Her voice alone is enough to send me running for a stress ball or, better yet, the nearest sharp object with which to gouge out my ear drums. Not to mention her pesky use of words like "Yum-o!" and "Groovy!" or that whole annoying deal with constantly repeating the meanings behind her little acronyms [i.e. "E.V.O.O. --that's extra-virgin olive oil, kids! or "Toss it in the ol' G.B. -- that's your garbage bowl."] However, I have to say that she almost always delivers with great recipes, and this one for her Lasagna Bowls is no exception. It's pretty easy to throw together, but my one complaint is that it took me like 3 pots to put together, and that's before I even thought of what to serve with it. I don't believe in eating only pasta for dinner, as you can tell. I think it's the easiest way to fill up your daily caloric intake with carbs. Anyway, I lightened this up a bit by doing the following things:

◊ Replacing the ground beef/meatloaf mix with extra-lean turkey
◊ Using skim milk (or lowfat) milk for the white sauce
◊ Using only 1-2 T. regular or soy Parmesan cheese instead of ½ cup
◊ Using turkey bacon in lieu of pancetta

I was afraid that that turkey would become too dry, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that the stewing process kept it nice and moist. I would definitely recommend these alterations! The taste did not suffer at all. Also, I used a whole small can of tomato paste instead of just 3 T.

Alongside, I made grilled eggplant and grilled asparagus, which I made by whipping out the Old
George Foreman Grill, as I did not feel like turning on an oven, and our grill is broken. I sliced the eggplant and salted it in a colander over a bowl for about 15 minutes, then tossed it in a marinade of 1 T. honey, 1 T. olive oil, a dash of paprika a few grinds of pepper and a couple splashes of balsamic vinegar. Then I just grilled it for about 5 minutes. For the asparagus, I tossed the spears in some olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic powder and grilled for about 4-5 minutes. Very easy and yummy! My only complaint is that our G.F. Grill is the original model, meaning the plates are not removable, making cleanup somewhat of a hassle at times...
Anyway, it's important to fill up on veggies and fiber first before indulging in carbs! I've been living by this motto for the past 3 weeks and have lost 5-6 pounds, so I must be doing something right. Oh, what I wouldn't give to have my pre-college figure back, but then, wouldn't we all?