Squashed Mac n' Cheese

The other day we tried something new...well, old and new.  My family loves macaroni and cheese.  I love anything with cheese, it is my weakness in the course of healthy eating.  I strongly believe that even when you are following a strict healthy eating plan, you should allow room for some "old favorites", including some comfort foods.  For me, this means I cannot give up homemade mac n' cheese.  I have been searching for ways to make this dish even slightly more healthy without losing texture or taste.  I will be honest, unless you begin to use fat-free cheese (I don't even like low-fat cheese, so fat-free is OUT), this dish will never be the most healthy bite of your life.

I am always trying to sneak extra nutrients into classic dishes.  I found out that squash is an excellent additive to mac n' cheese when made into a puree' and added to the cheese sauce.  With only a very slight difference in flavor (I think a positive improvement), I decided to perform a blind taste test on my husband and children.  While my husband was at work, I made homemade mac n' cheese with puree' of squash.  My husband and middle son are very selective eaters!

When they arrived home, I gave them a plate of mac n' cheese.  I saw my husband's face light up, as this is one of his favorite dishes.  I held my breath while he took the first bite, halfway expecting him to spit it out and begin to ask questions.  Surprisingly, he quickly ate the entire plate full of the stuff!  When he was finished, I informed everyone about the change I made, and they all asked me to make it again soon!  So, now I am sharing this delicious (and semi-healthy) creation with you.

Squashed Mac n' Cheese

16 oz. macaroni pasta
1 medium carnival squash (cut, roasted and puree'd)
3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
4 Tbsp. flour
2-3 Tbsp. organic butter
1/8 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. white pepper

Makes 8 cups @ $1.11 per serving

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Peel, cut and cube carnival squash and layer onto cookie sheet.  Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle salt, pepper and nutmeg on cubes.  Bake 30 minutes, or until fork-tender.  Boil water and prepare pasta according to instructions.  Make a roux in another saucepan of butter and flour.  When squash is fork-tender, place into blender and puree until smooth.  Mix squash puree into roux in saucepan.  Add shredded cheddar cheese and heavy cream.  Whisk until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth.  Season with garlic salt, kosher salt, and white pepper.  Drain pasta noodles and combine with cheese sauce.  If desired, you can bake this mixture in 9" x 13" casserole dish and sprinkle a little extra shredded cheese on top, baking until cheese is melted.  If not, simply spoon onto a plate and serve hot!

I hope you greatly enjoy this twist on homemade mac n' cheese!

From my home to yours~
Sarah Cox
-The Cheap Gourmet Mom

Everything Tastes Better with Za'atar!

Oh, how I have been waiting to discuss this with you (my readers).  As you probably have noticed, I have included the spice blend of Za'atar in many of my recipes.  If you are unfamiliar with this amazing spice blend, you are in for a treat!  I am going to tell you what it is, why it is included in almost ALL my recipes, and also encourage to you buy at least a pound of this stuff to keep on hand in your pantry.

I encountered this magical little blend after my husband returned from a government contracting position in Kuwait.  Shortly before flying home, he asked if I wanted anything special from this Middle Eastern country.  Knowing that I am woman completely in love with food, only one thing entered my mind....SPICES.  I told him to go the local store and buy me LOTS of spices.  I named a couple of spices that I particularly wanted him to bring home, including curry powder and the holy grail of spices - saffron.  He told me he would just gather various spices and bring some that were unusual as well.  I never could have imagined that this one shopping trip would change my culinary life forever!

Upon returning home, he took out the plethora of spices he gathered at the store.  He had many I had never heard of before, including tekkia and za'atar.  He brought star of anise, cumin, curry, cardamom pods, cassia powder, and much more.  I am still using those spices today from this trip.  As I took them into the kitchen, I began to discover flavors I had never imagined.  I had fallen in love with Middle Eastern cuisine during college in 2001 while dating a man from Saudi Arabia (who had an entourage and his own bodyguards, and also told me he had 51 brothers and sisters - I think he may have been a member of the royal family).  Although the relationship only lasted a couple of months, and I couldn't understand half of the words he said, he gave me the gift of loving the food from his region of the world.

Back to the real point here, the star of the show - za'atar - was a spice I took from my new collection and began to sprinkle it on chicken, beef, pork, etc.  I researched this spice and discovered it can be used in almost EVERYTHING.  Now, I sprinkle this spice blend on my eggs, my sandwiches, all types of meat and my macaroni and cheese.  It even helped me to win a Chili Cook-Off with a white chili over 200 other contestants.  Upon accepting the award, I had to mention that I used a secret weapon in my chili - za'atar.  Most in the crowd had never heard of this spice blend, and I am venturing to say that many of you haven't either.

After using this is everything, even a broth mixture I drink when I am sick (my daughter calls it "Mama Mia Soup)...I ran out one day.  It was like my heart just stopped in that moment.  As you can read in the link I will post at the bottom of this blog, this spice blend varies from family to family in the Middle East, and each recipe is closely guarded by family members.  It is passed down from generation to generation as a family secret.

This little spice blend is so intriguing.  It has a unique flavor that I have not yet been able to replicate,  or even pinpoint exactly which spices are included.  It's a mystery!

Shortly after running out of this precious culinary gold, I searched the Internet and found various sites selling it, but did not know which one would be best.  This past Christmas, we visited Jeff's family in Alabama and while driving home, we noticed a store selling Middle Eastern foods.  I had to stop!  The workers told me they were from Iraq, and pointed me to the best za'atar in the store.  It only cost me $3.50 per pound. I took home three pounds! A pound will last you at least 6 months to a year, depending on how addicted you are to the stuff (I admit my addiction).

I implore you to visit this link telling more about za'atar and its origins.  I also would highly recommend that you follow the link I have posted to buy some, or visit your local Middle-Eastern store and ask for the best za'atar in the house.  It will be a purchase that you will never regret!


WHAT IS ZA'ATAR?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Za'atar

BUY SOME NOW!
http://www.amazon.com/Ziyad-Green-Zatar-16oz/dp/B004PBZJF6/ref=sr_1_4?s=grocery&ie=UTF8&qid=1344700235&sr=1-4&keywords=Zaatar

Just as a tip, this blend comes in many varieties and colors.  Once again, I say GO GREEN!  It is the best.

From my home to yours,
Sarah
--The Cheap Gourmet Mom

Going Green: Cream of Vegetable Pasta Soup

While reading about how to feed my family more healthy foods, I learned that the best way to shop is to stick to outside perimeter of the grocery store. This keeps you from buying pre-packaged and over processed foods that contain little nutritional value, with high fat and salt content. I have been putting this technique into practice and find that my shopping cart is mostly full of meat, fruits and vegetables. I visit the center aisles to get items such as whole oats, Bulgar wheat, cereal and pasta. I and finding that following this idea has led us to make healthier choices. Tonight, as I looked into my refrigerator, I saw so many vegetables that they will no longer fit into the crisper drawer. This was never a problem in the past, but now my fridge is overflowing with colorful items. I decided to gather a few vegetables and make my own soup in the blender. I recently purchased a Ninja Professional blender and food processor. I decided what better way to test my new product than to throw a bunch of veggies into the carafe and watch it work! I have never made this recipe before tonight, but I must say it is definitely one I will be making over and over again. Take a little trip with me and GO GREEN!

Cream of Vegetable Pasta Soup

6 cups organic chicken broth (or stock)
2 1/2 cups leafy spinach
1 bundle of celery (7-8 individual stalks)
3 carrot sticks, halved
1 floret of broccoli
2 tsp. minced garlic (or 2 whole garlic cloves)
1 tsp. white pepper
3 Tbsp. garlic salt
1 Tbsp. smoked chipotle paprika
3 Tbsp. za'ater
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 1/2 cups of Mexican cheese
16 oz. elbow macaroni *(I prefer Hidden Vegetable for extra nutritional value)*

sour cream (for a garnish)

Makes 11 cups for $1.82 per serving


Place spinach, celery, carrot, broccoli, salt, paprika, za'ater, white pepper and garlic into the blender. Pour chicken broth into blender and blend for 30 seconds, or until smooth. Add buttermilk, yogurt, cream of mushroom soup, and blend until creamy. Empty blender carafe into a large saucepan and heat on medium high for 5-7 minutes. Add cheese and stir until melted completely. Add pasta and cook for another 7-9 minutes on medium-high until pasta is al-dente. Remove from heat and let stand for 3-5 minutes, soup will be thickening.


Ladle into a bowl and garnish with a dollop of sour cream. Enjoy!


From my home to yours,
--Sarah Cox
The Cheap Gourmet Mom

Morning Delight: Bacon and Egg Breakfast Dumplings with Ginger/Soy Sauce

I love being creative when it comes to food.  I get these interesting ideas and I thank God for giving me the ability to cook what I imagine.  Food is a very important part of my life.  I am a self-declared "foodie."  Last night, we ate delicious Asian Lettuce Wraps featured on this blog.  This morning I woke up with those wonderful Asian flavors still on my mind.  I decided to create fusion food between classic American comfort food and Asian cuisine.  This brand new recipe has all the great flavors of an American breakfast of bacon eggs, and all the lightness and spicy flavors of Asia.  This is a marriage made in heaven (for food, of course!) 

Bacon and Egg Breakfast Dumplings with Ginger/Soy Sauce

1 lb. diced turkey bacon (or pork bacon if you prefer)
10 large eggs
1/4 cup of Mexican cheese
1 1/4 cup of white onion
2 Tbsp. of minced garlic
1 Tbsp. Za'ater (you can buy at www.amazon.com)
1 Tbsp. organic butter
1 tsp. seasoned salt
12 oz. pkg of all-natural won-ton wrappers
1/4 cup of water

If you are unfamiliar with folding won-ton wrappers, please take a minute to watch this video:

http://www.chow.com/food-news/55429/how-to-fold-a-wonton/

Begin heating the butter in a large skillet.  Whisk eggs together in a bowl and then pour into the skillet.  Use a spatula to keep the eggs from sticking and scramble the eggs.  While the eggs are cooking, fry bacon in another large skillet over medium-high heat.  When bacon becomes crispy, add onions, Za'ater and seasoned salt.  When onions become translucent, reduce heat to low.  Sprinkle cheese over the scrambled eggs.  Combine eggs with bacon mixture over low heat.  Take out won-ton wrappers and place a teaspoon of egg/bacon filling in the center of the won-ton.  Continue to fold all won-tons.  Place 1/4 cup of water in the bottom of a large saucepan and place a metal steamer basket above the water.  Place dumplings (won-tons) gently into the basket.  Begin to boil the water over medium-high heat, covered, with dumplings steaming for 30 minutes. 

Whisk together soy sauce and ginger in a separate bowl. 

Dip dumplings in sauce and ENJOY!

Serves 48 dumplings for $.19 each

From my home to yours,

Sarah
--The Cheap Gourmet Mom

Wrapping Up the Day: Asian Lettuce Wraps

I used to love visiting this Asian restaurant when I was in college that served the most delicious lettuce wraps.  Today, I began thinking that I should be making these for my family.  They are cheap, healthy and gourmet!  My husband and I are currently in week two of the Insanity workout program, and I am trying to increase my caloric intake.  Although there is fat in these wraps, it is polyunsaturated "good fat". Asian lettuce wraps may be the perfect solution for a quick and delicious snack, lunch or dinner.  These would even be a suitable choice for entertaining friends and family.  These can be made with chicken or beef.  I am choosing chicken for my recipe.  I have not visited this restaraunt in a long time, but I am happy I can make these at home for a fraction of the price of going out!

2 heads of butter lettuce, leaves removed to make individual wraps
8 boneless chicken breasts (preferably organic), cut into 1/4" chunks
2 Tbsp. coconut oil
3 Tbsp. minced garlic
2 Tbsp. Kikkoman soy sauce
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
2 tsp. ginger
1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar with garlic
Asian chile pepper sauce (to increase spicy flavor)
1 bunch green onions, chopped
2 tsp of sesame oil

Serves 5 for $2.50 per serving (2 lettuce wraps)

Rinse lettuce heads and pull off individual leaves; pat them dry and set aside.  Be careful that these are not torn.  In medium skillet, cook chicken over medium heat with 2 tbsp. of coconut oil. Cook chicken until juices run clear and meat is white throughout.  Remove chicken and place on a plate with a paper towel to absorb excess liquids.  Combine and cook garlic, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, ginger, vinegar and chile pepper sauce over medium heat.  Stir in green onions, cooked chicken and sesame oil.  Cook for about 2 minutes.  While this is cooking, arrange lettuce leaves around the edge of a large serving platter (or individually on each plate) and place the meat in the center of the platter.  You may also spoon the chicken mixture into the center of each lettuce leaf if you are serving people individually.  Wrap the lettuce leaf up to contain the meat, and then ENJOY!

You can substitute 2 lbs. of ground beef for chicken.  The cost will change to $1.70 per serving.

From my home to yours,

Sarah
--The Cheap Gourmet Mom

Keeping it Simple: Hummus

If you know me, you understand why I am posting about hummus on my blog.  I absolutely love this stuff.  I could eat hummus morning, noon and night!  Way back in my college days, I met a man from Saudi Arabia who introduced me to middle eastern cuisine.  Since the first time I ate hummus in a little middle-eastern cafe, I have been hooked!  If you meet me, it will not be long before I am begging you to try it.

I have found that most people think the texture is questionable.  It has the consistency of a bean dip. Not only is hummus delicious, but it also has incredible nutritional properties.  Here is a good article about the health benefits of hummus.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/446490-what-are-the-health-benefits-of-hummus/

Here is a simple but delicious hummus recipe:

1 can chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. Za'ater
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1 teaspoon cumin

**You can purchase the spice blend "Za'ater" at a any middle eastern specialty store, or online at various websites include www.amazon.com**

Hummus can be eaten with pita chips or inside a sandwich wrap.  I eat hummus with veggies and as a dip for my quesadillas!  Try it today.

From my home to yours,

Sarah
--The Cheap Gourmet Mom

Satisfy the Sweet Craving: Agave Sweet Tea

This afternoon, after eating some delicious Mac n' Cheese with Leftover Turkey Bacon, I became very thirsty and we have run out of everything but water.  Time to visit the grocery store.  I suddenly remembered that I had some Lipton Cold Brew tea bags in the pantry.  I prefer my tea sweet, one of the downfalls of moving to Oklahoma.  I have become fascinated (and somewhat addicted) to sweet tea. 

I found a way to have my sweet tea and not feel guilty about it!  Recently, I read about the amazing health benefits of eating agave cactus honey powder.  This sweetener is 1.4 times sweeter than refined sugar and actually balances out your insulin levels, rather than causing your body's insulin to spike.  It metabolizes differently than refined sugar as well and actually helps your body.  So, I decided to replace the refined sugar of sweet tea with agave cactus honey powder.  It definitely satisfies my sweet craving!

Here is a good article about the great health benefits of agave cactus honey powder. 

http://www.livestrong.com/article/550034-health-benefits-of-cactus-honey-powder/

Agave Sweet Tea

1 gallon water (filtered with Brita)
4 bags Lipton Cold Brew Tea
1/2 cup of Cactus (Agave) honey powder

Serves 16 (8 oz. glasses) for $,09 per serving

Brew tea bags in cold water for 10 minutes, remove.  Stir in cactus honey powder.  Refrigerate and enjoy!

From my home to yours,

Sarah
--The Cheap Gourmet Mom