Warm Potato and Fresh Pea Salad

First, let me apologize for being erratic with my blog updates. Part of it is sheer laziness (both in lack of cooking and lack of posting what I do manage to cook these days), and part of it is that I'm way busier than I was when I started this thing... and that's LEGIT!

Let me also explain a couple of lifestyle changes I've made. First, I've started Intermittent Fasting. How does this affect my blog, you ask? Well, the calorie counts of my recipes have increased... by quite a bit. Second, I've started eating fewer carbohydrates. The affect of that one is quite obvious and a little funny to mention here in this post about POTATO salad. Hey, I said "fewer" not "no." And third, I've started lifting heavy weights aka training. That's just a tidbit of which I'm quite proud.

On to the food! This was adapted from smitten kitchen's warm lentil and potato salad. I just happened to have a bag of fresh peas that needed eating and then I thought... why not add bacon? I mean, really, when is the answer to that ever no. I know there are times, but I don't care.

Warm Potato and Fresh Pea Salad
Components
4 strips thick-cut bacon, cut into "lardons"
A few Brussels sprouts, shaved (optional - I had 5 leftover and just decided "why not?")
600-ish grams of peeled potatoes, in small chunks (new/red potatoes would be great, but I only had russet, which were fine, but not the best)
10 oz fresh peas (I get fresh English peas from Trader Joe's, but frozen ones would be fine)

Dressing
1 small shallot, minced (2-4 T, depending on your taste)
1/4 C red wine vinegar (I may have used more because I love vinegar)
2 T capers, drained
4 cornichons, minced (or mini kosher dills)
2 T - 1/4 C olive oil (I used 2 T, but called it 1/4 C in the recipe because I didn't discard the bacon grease... yeah it's lazy and inaccurate, so sue me)
salt and pepper to taste

In a small bowl, pour the vinegar over the shallots and let it sit while you do the rest of the things (this will mellow out the shallot flavor).

Start your bacon in a pan on low heat to render as much fat as possible. Once that's nearly complete, add the Brussels sprouts and cook until tender. Set aside.

Cook potatoes in salted water until close to fork-tender. Add the peas to the potatoes and cook another 60-90 seconds until the peas are done. Drain and put back into the pot with the lid on for 5 minutes to absorb the remaining water and steam.

Stir the rest of the dressing ingredients into the shallots & vinegar. In a large serving bowl, combine the potatoes & peas and bacon & Brussels and toss well with the dressing. Sever warm and enjoy.

Ancho Chile Candied Pecans

Last year for the holidays, I made some semi-successful salty maple pecans for people. This year, I got a real recipe for candied pecans and replaced the disgusting cinnamon with ancho chile powder. Holy crap was that a stroke of genius. The smoky chile flavor paired perfectly with the flavor of the pecans. I used less sugar and more salt than most recipes and have been receiving nothing but compliments, specifically that they are the perfect level of sweetness.

Ancho Chile Candied Pecans

2 lb pecans

1/4 C egg whites

2 T water

1/2 C evaporated cane juice (or granulated sugar)

1/2 C coconut sugar (or dark brown sugar)

3 t ancho chile powder

2 t Kosher salt

Preheat oven to 350. Whip egg whites with water just until a little foamy. Toss pecans in egg wash, coating thoroughly. Whisk the rest of the ingredients together and toss with eggy pecans until well-combined. Pour onto parchment-lined cookie sheet and bake 15 minutes. Stir and bake another 15-20 minutes until the sugary stuff starts to crystallize. Immediately remove parchment paper to another surface to cool. Wait to bag pecans (if you're not shoveling them directly into your mouth) until they are completely cooled and dry.

Leftover Chicken... Tikka Masala

Chicken Tikka Masala
1 lb leftover chicken, cubed (I used b/s breasts that had been roasted with olive oil, salt and pepper)
1/2 C plain yogurt
1/2 t each of garlic powder, ground ginger, garam masala

1 T butter or ghee
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 fresh jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
2 T fresh grated ginger
1 t ground cumin
1 t ground coriander
1/2 t smoked paprika
2 t garam masala
salt & pepper to taste
8 oz tomato puree
1/2 C heavy cream

Toss the chicken with the yogurt and spices and set aside.

Melt butter/ghee over medium heat. Suatee jalapeno and garlic for about 1 minute, then add the ginger (protip: frozen ginger grates super easily) and dried spices. Cook for 1-2 minutes then add the tomato sauce. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the cream and simmer another 5 minutes, then add the chicken mixture and simmer for 5 more minutes. Serve with rice if you do that kind of thing, or make my adaptation of "Paleo naan," below (no, I'm not a Paleo weirdo... yet... and it's not really naan). Makes 2 very protein-filled servings or 3-4 regular servings.

Lower-Carb "Naan"
1/2 C almond flour
1/2 C Bob's Redmill GF AP Baking Flour (or similar)
2/3 C coconut milk
1/3 C water
1/2 t salt

Stir all ingredients together and pour by fourths onto a medium-heat nonstick griddle or cast iron skillet. Makes 4 small breads. It's good, but more like a dosa than naan.

Sorry for no pictures... it wasn't that pretty.

Whey Protein Powder Comparison NERD TIME

This, my nerd friends, is a cost comparison for several brands of whey protein powder. Basically, I've calculated the price per gram of protein in each one, based on the cheapest price I could easily find online. I've also included a ratio of net carbs to protein and some comments, if applicable. If you'd like me to evaluate a brand you don't see in my table or if you've found lower prices on brands I've evaluated, just comment with details!

Product*	Container Size (lb)	Serving Size (g)	Servings per Container	Protein per Serving (g)	Net Carbs per Serving (g)	Cost of Container ($)	Protein Cost ($/g)	Net Carbs to Protein Ratio	Notes
Body Fortress Whey Isolate	1.95	36.00	24.57	30.00	1.00	15.98	0.022	0.033	Contains carageenan
GNC Pro (1.04 lb)	1.04	34.00	13.87	24.00	5.00	22.99	0.069	0.208
GNC Pro (7 lb)	7.00	35.50	89.44	24.00	5.00	70.52	0.033	0.208
GNC Pro Amp (1.22 lb)	1.22	79.00	7.00	60.00	6.00	34.99	0.083	0.100
GNC Pro Amp (3 lb)	3.00	79.00	17.23	60.00	6.00	75.99	0.074	0.100
Jay Robb Whey Isolate (24 oz)	1.50	30.00	22.68	25.00	1.00	36.39	0.064	0.040	Grassfed**, no artificials, non-GMO, GF
Jay Robb Whey Isolate (80 oz)	5.00	30.00	75.60	25.00	1.00	99.97	0.053	0.040
ON 100% Whey GS (2 lb)	2.00	30.40	29.84	24.00	3.00	28.79	0.040	0.125
ON 100% Whey GS (5 lb)	5.00	30.40	74.60	24.00	3.00	59.69	0.033	0.125
ON Classic Whey	5.00	29.40	77.14	21.00	3.00	85.99	0.053	0.143	4 types of protein
ON Natural 100% Whey GS (2 lb)	2.00	32.00	28.35	24.00	5.00	27.99	0.041	0.208	No artificial sweeteners
ON Natural 100% Whey GS (5 lb)	5.00	32.00	70.87	24.00	5.00	48.62	0.029	0.208
Six Star Whey Isolate	1.54	36.00	19.40	30.00	2.00	19.97	0.034	0.067	Contains creatine
Six Star Whey Protein	2.00	42.00	21.60	30.00	8.00	18.97	0.029	0.267
Syntrax Essence	2.25	28.00	36.45	23.00	0.00	56.95	0.068	0.000	Contains soy
Syntrax Nectar	2.00	25.00	36.29	23.00	0.00	59.95	0.072	0.000	Fruit flavors
Trutein (2.5 lb)	2.50	34.00	33.35	23.00	2.50	30.99	0.040	0.109	Contains Omega 3s and 3 types of protein
Trutein (5 lb)	5.00	34.00	66.70	23.00	2.50	59.95	0.039	0.109
Unicity Lean Complete	1.22	36.80	15.02	18.00	7.00	45.00	0.166	0.389	Contains vitamins
*Whey protein, chocolate, unless otherwise stated; cheapest price found on Amazon.com or mfg website **Grassfed doesn't matter for isolate, though, only concentrate

As you can see, Body Fortress Whey Isolate is the cheapest per gram of protein (and doesn't contain creatine like other BF products). Both Syntrax products have zero net carbs, but are certainly not the cheapest. In the end what matters is taste, because if it's nasty, I won't use it! And what good is a protein powder that you don't use?!

Über coconut muffins

Adapted from http://wholelifestylenutrition.com/recipes/coconut-pumpkin-bread/

I found this recipe and thought to myself, "this bread could be coconuttier." And I was right. Boy, was I right.  I made some initial changes and then thought of some more that would be even better. So here's what I highly recommend you try:

3/4 C coconut flour
1/4 C almond meal
1/2 t Kosher salt
1 t baking soda
3-4 T unsweetened coconut shreds
3 T coconut sugar, divided
4 large eggs
1 cup coconut milk (regular, not light, shaken or stirred well)
1 T to 1/4 cup coconut oil (melted and cooled, since coconut milk is fatty, you could get away with very little oil IMO)

Preheat oven to 350°F. If you're not using a non-stick muffin tin, grease your tin. I recommend a giant-muffin tin for 6 large muffins. Whisk together everything through the coconut shreds and 2 T of the coconut sugar, making sure to crush any lumps in the flours or sugar. Make a well in the center and add the wet ingredients to it. Discard your whisk - it will not for for this next part! Using a large spoon, stir everything together really well. Divide into muffin tins and dust with the remaining 1 T of coconut sugar. Bake for 25 min, until the edges are golden and a toothpick comes out clean.

Nutrition facts will depend on how much coconut oil and shredded coconut you use, but here's an estimate for 3 eggs (I think 4 would be best after all), 2 T coconut sugar (needs more sweetness), 1/4 C coconut oil, and 3 T unsweetened coconut shreds, with the rest the same.

Makes 6 muffins.

Ingredients

Yup, that's mah fridge.

I just wanted to talk ingredients for a moment and explain some of my choices. When you cook, you should consider all of your ingredients carefully. This is especially true if you have any kind of dietary restrictions or considerations. You don't want to be throwing things into a recipe with abandon and then at the end, freak out when it has tons of calories or sodium or whatnot. You also want to make sure that what you put in your recipe tastes good! Otherwise, what's the point? On that note:

Butter
I always use salted butter. Always. I do this for two reasons. One, I like salt. Two, salted butter keeps better. I like to leave some butter out at room temperature for spreadability reasons, and salted butter will last longer than unsalted. Now, if you have health issues that require you to restrict your sodium intake, use unsalted butter! Also, don't use margarine. Just don't. EAT THE BUTTER.
UPDATE: I just did a bunch of research on salted vs. unsalted for baking and I think I'm going to try unsalted European-style butter in my next recipe and see what happens.
UPDATE #2: I'm using Kerry Gold Irish unsalted grass-fed butter for everything now. I get a 3-pack at Costco for a very reasonable price and wow it's delicious (I read that unsalted butter is fresher and I really think that's true). I put one in the fridge and keep the other two in the freezer until I'm ready for them. I am an unsalted butter convert.

Shallots
Shallots have a lovely, delicate onion flavor. I use them almost exclusively in place of onions because I have issues with strong onion flavor (I love it, but it can trigger a migraine... lovely, right?). I use onions for times when I need a larger piece of stuff, like for fajitas, but then I cook them very well. Also, caramelized onions. Anyway, if you've never tried cooking with shallots, I highly recommend it. They are often used in restaurant cooking. If you've ever tried to duplicate a restaurant dish and couldn't figure out why it's just not quite right, try adding shallot (or like twice the amount of butter you might usually use).

Carrots/potatoes/stuff with peels
I never peel these. The other day, I went to my friend's house at snacktime and she was peeling carrots. I was like, "WTF are you doing?!" The skins of root vegetables in particular contain tons of nutrients. That's because the skins are in the dirt and the dirt has all the nutrients! Even on above-ground produce like squash and apples, the skins are both tasty and full of nutrients. You should only peel things if the skin is toxic (like mango) or tough (like avocado), or if you're making a fancy delicate recipe (like whipped potatoes). Now, if you're using non-organic produce (especially those from the bad list below), then by all means, peel it (the skin contains the highest concentration of pesticide residue). All that said, I don't particularly like sweet potato skins, so I peel those! No matter what, it all comes down to your taste. You won't get any nutrients from a thing you don't eat.

Organic foods
Use this list to figure out which foods are best purchased organic and which are safe to eat conventional. While the list specifies spinach and collard greens, I just buy all organic greens. I find it incredibly odd that conventional potatoes are unsafe, yet conventional sweet potatoes are fine.

Refined grains
Some of you who look at my blog might wonder why I use refined grains, rather than whole ones. Well, without getting too gross, I have Irritable Bowel Syndrome, so I need a lot of soluble fiber and very little insoluble fiber in my diet (which is reserved for the peels discussed above). When I first started on this weight-loss journey, I was eating a ton of whole grains and ended up having... problems (I had forgotten about my IBS for a long time since I was eating mostly refined grains while I was gaining all this weight). Anyway, in a lot of my recipes you can substitute whole grains for the refined ones, except in the Chao Ga; that requires starchy white rice.

Animal products
I do what I can, within my limited budget, to purchase ethical animal products. They are better for everyone involved. I spend more money on food than most Americans because I feel that what I put into my body is important and it should be good (in every sense of the word). But I'm not going to go broke buying a chicken that was raised in a spa, either. Grass-fed beef is healthier for you and the cow, organic free-range chickens just plain taste better, and pigs that ate whatever they wanted and rolled around in the mud all day become the most delicious bacon. Sometimes, the cost is prohibitive, so I try and find the next best thing and then look for a deal next time.

Banh Mi Wrap

Yeah, I said wrap. I'm not in the habit these days of having delicious crusty baguettes lying around, so my banh mi craving became a wrap. I made Chao Ga last night, and the leftover chicken was my inspiration for this amazingly delicious creation.

Banh Mi Wrap
Quick-Pickled Veg
1/2 C rice wine vinegar (or just regular old white vinegar)
1/4 C water
2 t sugar
1 t salt
about 1/4 C shredded carrot
1 small or 1/2 large shallot, thinly sliced
1 small jalapeño pepper, thinly sliced (you can leave these unpickled if you want, but don't leave them out!)

Heat the vinegar, water, sugar, and salt until the sugar and salt dissolve completely. Place the vegetables in a bowl and pour the warm liquid over them. Let sit for about 30 minutes, then drain. Note: add shredded daikon radish if you have some.

Wrap
tortilla or other wrapping apparatus
mayonnaise
thinly-sliced cucumber
leftover chicken or other meat or tofu (if you use tofu, cut it into small batons and toss it in mayo and some of the pickling liquid)
quick-pickled vegetables
fresh cilantro (I like LOTS of cilantro, as you can see from the photo)

Warm the tortilla over a medium flame on your gas stove (or I guess you could do it on a skillet, or if you MUST, in the microwave). Spread desired amount of mayonnaise (I used 1 full serving because I freaking love mayo) down the middle of the tortilla, then lay however much of the rest of your ingredients nicely on top (I used 3 oz. of chicken). Wrap it up and eat it. If you've got a baguette and the calories available to eat one, then by all means, do it up right!

For the meat filling, you can use all kinds of things. From ham to pâté to meatballs, almost anything will work. Just make sure whatever it you use isn't seasoned in a way that will clash with the lovely Vietnamese flavors.

Makes 1 wrap.