Cold Suppers–Classic BLT

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The classic combination of bacon, lettuce and tomato is widely loved, but often forgotten when we make our meal plans.  I like mine with cheese and pickles too :).  For those watching their carbs, it can be made into a wrap with a tortilla, pita or flatbread.  For those wanting to bulk up a bit, try making it club style, layered with several slices of whole grain bread as pictured above.

Add nutrition by adding veggies such as thinly sliced cucumber, sweet peppers or avocado.  Ad flavor by spreading the bread with fat free plain yogurt and sprinkling with lemon pepper.

To keep from heating up your kitchen, fry your bacon on a glass plate between two layers of paper towels in the microwave.  If you have an aversion to microwaves, a Foreman style indoor grill does wonders too.  We prefer Turkey bacon as it cooks up flat and has more meat than fat on it.

Serve with fresh grapes, veggies sticks and a large tossed salad (hopefully from stuff you gleaned from your kitchen garden.)

High Fiber Coconut Flour Biscuits

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This is not a gluten free recipe, but it’s a nice treat for people looking for reduced carb recipes.  The extra fiber from the coconut flour promotes colon health too!

1 cup unbleached flour (I haven’t tried this with fresh ground 100% whole wheat yet)

1/2 cup coconut flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 packet purevia stevia blend (optional)

1/4 cup plus 1 Tablespoon coconut oil, or butter

1 1/4 cups skim milk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Set a large cast iron skillet in the oven to heat up with it.  In a mixing bowl combine flours, baking powder, salt and stevia.  Useing a fork or pastry blender, cut in 1/4 cup of coconut oil or butter.  Stir in milk and set aside for 3 minutes.  This allows the coconut flour to absorb the moisture.  Turn mixture out onto a silicone baking mat, or pastry cloth.  Pat 1 inch thick and cut with a 2 inch cutter.  Place the remaining tablespoon of coconut oil or butter into the hot skillet and allow it to melt.  Place the biscuits in the skillet and bake for 15 minutes.  Makes 11-12 biscuits

1 biscuit has 134 calories, 7 grams of fat, 3.5 grams of protein, 11 net grams of carbohydrates; 4 grams of insoluble fiber

Cold Suppers: Chicken Ceasar Salad

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This refreshing meal is low calorie and  full of protein and veggies.  Serve wtih fresh fruit.

In a pretty bowl combine the first 5 ingredients.  Serve with dressing on the side and fresh parmesan.

1 head Romaine Lettuce, chopped

1 small red onion, thinly sliced

1 small can of black olives (whole or sliced), drained

1 tomato sliced, or a handful of grape tomatoes

2 cups lowfat garlic and onion croutons (see recipe below)

2 cups of roughly chopped chicken (use the leftovers from a roasted chicken dinner or grill 1 lb of chicken breast sprinkled with lemon pepper)

Reduced Calorie Ceasar Dressing Mix:

1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

Combine all and store in a snack size baggie in the fridge.  When ready to make dressing, mix 1/2 cup mayonnaise with 1/2 cup plain yogurt and contents of mix.  Blend well.  If dressing is too thick, add a little skim milk or lemon juice until it reaches desired consistency.

Bread Machine Lowfat Garlic and Onion croutons:

The secret to these croutons is baking the flavors into the bread!  This reduces the need for the oil to stick the flavors to the bread.  Bake this flavorful bread in the bread machine overnight.  Then in the morning, slice and toast in the oven before the house heats up.

1.5 cups water

2 Tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

2 teaspoons dried parsley

1/4 cup honey

4.25 cups whole wheat flour (fresh ground hard white wheat is my favorite)

2 Tablespoons vital wheat gluten

2 teaspoons active dry yeast

Place all ingredients in the bread machine in the order listed.  Bake on the whole wheat cycle.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. When bread is cool, slice the bread into cubes and place in a single layer on a lightly greased cookie sheet.  Spritz with olive oil, or non-stick cooking spray.  Sprinkle lightly with salt if desired.  Toast for 12-15 minutes or until bread is golden brown.  Place on a cooling rack.  Bread will crisp as it cools.

More Solar Cooking

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When solar cooking, keep in mind that protective eyewear (sunglasses) are a really good idea.  Also, if children will be nearby, remind them that this not to look at the glare.

Here’s a solar cooking video from Minnesota.  Roberta roasts a chicken and bakes cornbread in her solar oven.  The worst part about this is having to go outside to set it up and check it, brrr!  But if she can do it on a -10 degree day, then cooking on a pleasant summer afternoon should be a piece of cake. http://youtu.be/aJ22QCAqFCc

Here’s another type of cooker, with a parabolic mirror–that made a really fast grilled cheese sandwich.  http://youtu.be/aJ22QCAqFCc

Other Solar Cookers

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There are other ways to cook with the sun than in a cardboard box. 

Here’s an open reflector.  This one can be purchased on ebay for about $30. 

http://solarcooking.wikia.com/wiki/Windshield_Shade_Solar_Cooker

This one is made from a reflective windshield covers (the kind designed to keep your car cooler in the summer.)

http://solarcooking.org/plans/newpanel.htm

Here’s a page for making a similar style reflector from cardboard and foil.

This oven is also for sale on ebay for around $50.  It fascinates me because it folds down very compactly–perfect for those with small amounts of storage space.

And here’s a video of a man sun roasting a 6 lb chicken in Ontario Canada on a windy day in February!  He paid so much for his supplies for his slow cooker that he could have purchased this one and come out ahead (since his didn’t turn out as well as he had hoped.)  But I love that it shows you don’ t have to live in Arizona to cook with the sun.

The Solar Oven

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We’ve all heard the phrase, “It’s so hot you could cook an egg on the sidewalk.”  But cooking with the heat from the sun is not a cliche.  With about $5 in materials you can create a solar powered oven that will bake bread, cook a casserole, or even boil water.  For 3rd world areas where cooking fuel is scarce, solar ovens can give natives a way to purify their water.  For the rest of us, solar ovens offer a cost effective way to cook our summer meals without heating up the kitchen.

Solar Oven cooking times resemble those of an electric crock pot, but will vary based on the cloud coverage and time of day.  If your box is well insulated, the outside temperature is not as crucial as how direct are the sun’s rays. It helps to invest in an inexpensive oven thermometer positioned so you can read the temperature without lifting the lid.  Also helpful are black or dark pans that aren’t reflective. 

I’ve searched the web for the best online instructions for building yoru own solar cooker.  Try it with cardboard and plastic first and if you like it, you can build a more permanent model from wood, metal hinges, and glass.  Click the photos to go to the instructions.

Also See:  http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles/radabaugh30.html and http://articles.cnn.com/2009-04-09/tech/solar.oven.global.warming_1_cardboard-solar-box-cookers-international-simple/2?_s=PM:TECH

Solar Cooking fascinates me, and tomorrow I’ll show you some other types of solar cookers, plus show you the most affordable places to buy your own if crafting isn’t your thing.

The Summer Grill

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Cooking outdoors on a grill gives great flavor to food, reduces fat, and prevents heating up the kitchen.  If you have a covered porch to grill on, a summer shower doesn’t have to stop your cooking plans.  We enjoy our gas grill but the most economical way to grill is in a traditional fire grill (Like a Weber), with coals made from fallen wood that has been allowed to cook down into coals.

When you think about a grill, what foods do you think of most?  The first thing that popped into my mind was BBQ chicken, then hot dogs and hamburgers.  But there’s even more that can be cooked on a grill, including stew and pizza!

To make the most of your grilled foods, consider marinating them.  There are lots of commercial marinaids available for sale, but homemade ones are easy, cost effective and delicious.  Marinades typically have oil, an acid ingredient like vinegar, pineapple or lemon juice, and herbs and spices.    I’ve found that I can replace the oil with water which saves money and calories.  We didn’t notice a difference in flavor. 

You can marinate meat or vegetables, just don’t marinate them together.  To marinate, mix all ingredients, pour over the food in a zipper seal bag and store in the refrigerator overnight.  Flip the bag over and continue to marinate until time to grill.  Discard raw meat marinades after use.  If you’d like to brush the meat with marinade as it cooks, save some separately before you marinate the food to keep it from getting contaminated.

Here’s my favorite chicken marinade recipe:

3/4 cup water or oil

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup vinegar (red wine or rice vinegars are nice)

1 teaspoon fresh thyme

Favorite Fajita Marinade

2 Tablespoons oil

2 Tablespoons lemon or lime juice

1 1/2 teaspoons seasoned salt

1 1/2 teaspoons oregano

1 1/2 teapspoons cumin

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon paprika

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Zucchini is one of my favorite vegetables to grill.  We like to slice it thick (about 3/8″) and marinate it in low calorie Italian dressing before grilling.

We’ve also grilled corn on the cob:  http://whatscookingamerica.net/Vegetables/GrillingCorn.htm

http://www.backyardandbbq.com/easy-grilled-pizza/186

Here are some links for grilled pizza instructions:  http://slice.seriouseats.com/archives/2008/05/how-to-make-grilled-pizza-tips.html and http://pizzatherapy.com/grilling.htm

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Photo Source: Food Network

Or try making your own individual meal packets in foil and grilling them.  We love hamburger patties with carrots, potatoes, green beans, garlic and salt.  Or fish with carrots, zucchini, onions and lemon pepper.

The Summer Slow Cooker

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Slow cooking uses less energy than a traditional oven because there is less space to heat up, it is better insulated, and once it reaches temperature requires little to maintain it.  When you use a slow cooker instead of an oven your air conditioning bills will be lower too.

When it’s hot, lighter dishes are more appealing.  Our bodies use less energy since we are not working as hard to keep warm, and we can eat fewer calories.  Dishes that feature clear broth are better than creamy dishes, and even better are dishes that can be served cold once they are cooked through.

Balance a hot main dish with lots of cold side dishes, such as fresh fruit, veggie sticks, lettuce salad, pasta salad, or gelatin.

Here are some summer recipe ideas for the Slow Cooker;

1.  Cook a chicken rubbed with herbs in the slow cooker, then debone and use for cold chicken salad sanwiches, top a lettuce salad with chicken pieces, or use the sliced breast meat for deli style sandwiches.

2.  Did you know eggs can be boiled overnight in a slow cooker?  The whites may absorb some pigment from the shell, but the flavor remains the same.  Try this recipe:  http://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/recs/538/HardBoiled_Eggs56347.shtml Use your cold hard boiled eggs to make egg salad, eat them peeled with a little salt and pepper, or slice them to add protein to a lettuce salad.

3.  Mexican style food is a warm weather favorite.  Even though the spices can heat up your mouth, they often have cold companions such as salsa, avocado, and shredded lettuce that balance the temperatures.  Plus our bodies require more salt when it’s hot which make nacho chips even more appealing.  One of our favorite dishes is Chalupa which is a beef or pork roast slow cooked with beans and spices then served like a taco salad with lots of cold companions.  Here’s a recipe:  http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/pork-chalupas/Detail.aspx or you can find my favorite take on the chalupa in my cookbook: Slow and Savory Suppers

If you can’t stand the heat…

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It’s warming up around here.  Today it’s supposed to be in the 90’s in Kansas City and yesterday it was almost that hot.  Our neighbors are opening up their pools and I’m starting to think of lovely warm weather meals like cold chicken salad in whole wheat pitas and fruit kabbos.

There’s nothing that heats up the heart of the home like cooking a big meal, but there are ways to minimize the heat while still getting a traditional meal on the table.  I’ll give a quick list of ideas and then take each one in more detail over the next few days.  Cooking to minimize heat, also minimizes energy and cost.  It’s a win-win!

1.  Use a slow cooker.  For even less heat in the house, plug in the slow cooker outside in a covered porch.

2.  Use an outdoor grill

3.  Use a fire pit

4.  Use a solar oven

5.  Use a reflector hot plate

6.  Prepare cold meals