Monday, November 14, 2022

CHICKEN TENDERS

 

Parmesan crusted air fryer chicken tenders
INGREDIENTS
1 1/4 pounds chicken tenders boneless skinless
1/2 cup white flour
Salt and Pepper
6 tablespoons olive oil or melted butter
3 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1 cup Panko
2/3 cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
INSTRUCTIONS
Trim the fat from the tenders. Set out three bowls. Fill one with the white flour, about 1/4 teaspoon pepper, & about 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir. Fill the next bowl with the olive oil or butter and minced garlic. Stir. Place the basil, paprika, Panko, and parmesan cheese in the last. Stir.
Place the tenders in the flour mixture, then the garlic oil, then the panko mixture making sure to evenly and thoroughly coat each piece.
Place the tenders in the basket of the air fryer.
Cook at 400 degrees for 9 minutes and then flip the tenders and cook for another 8-9 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees F.
Remove and enjoy immediately with the dipping sauce!

Thursday, November 3, 2022

PLAIN CHICKEN BREAST instapot

 November 3, 2022   I skinned them and put them in with no seasoning.

Directions called for 4 to 10 minutes.  The little guide called for 8-10 minutes. These were large with some bone, so I went for 10.

June 2023

Three split breasts.  pressure cooker for 11 minutes.  Then I let the steam release slowly by itself for perhaps another 10 minutes.  I used water.  Broth is good too.  I did not season.  Some do.

Tuesday, October 25, 2022

CURRY POWDER

 There are lots of choices. 

Here is a simple one, only I will use packaged ground corriander.

Ingredients

  • 1 Tbsp ground coriander seeds
  • 1 ½ tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • ½ tsp ground black pepper
  • ½ tsp chili powder
  • ½ tsp ground ginger
  • I added garlic and black pepper.

Saturday, October 8, 2022

CARROTS MASHED

 3-4 minutes in the Instapot.

I mashed them.

added a small amount of butter and a sugar substitute -lucuma- as well as cinnamon and nutmeg.

Tastes good.  Maple syrup would be great at well.


Tuesday, September 20, 2022

SALMON IN MICROWAVE

 Put butter on it and dill and black pepper.

microwave for 1 minute on high

Then covred on high for 2 min

Then 30 sec more

Saturday, September 17, 2022

CORN ON COB INSTAPOT

 Most of the recipes on line call for a cup of water and 2 minutes cooking time with quick release.

The first manual calls for 3-4 cooking time.

I read that it depends on the model.

I'm going with 3 minutes.  There was no recipe guide with the new pot.

Turn the pot on and set the time, then hit start.

Corn was good. 4 would be too much.

7/10/23

I found it hard to get the thing to heat up, but it went well, and 3 minutes for 4 ears was just fine.

Sunday, September 4, 2022

CHICKEN TANDORI INSTAPOT

 Browned four thighs.

I put four thighs in yogurt and tandori spice and marinated in the refrigerator overnight.  

I used the rack with the handles folded down for a bit more distance from the bottom.

I used the poultry setting for just five minutes.

I used the rack and a bit of water (1/4 cup)  to protect from burning the yogurt on the bottom.  I thought about using some parchment paper in the bottom, but this time did not.

I also thought about adding frozen peas or frozen green beans.  Not this time.

They came out fine, but were very moist and unlike tandori in the oven.  Elizabeth liked them.  I liked them, but I want the real Indian tandori, so perhaps an Indian restaurant is in the near future.

Friday, August 26, 2022

MICHAELADA CHICKEN

 This spicy, tangy chicken is flavored with — you guessed it — ingredients that make a michelada. This recipe combines beer, Worcestershire, hot sauce and lime for a marinade that results in surprisingly tender meat and a sizzled crust, as well as a sauce that, for obvious reasons, is good enough to drink. Eat the chicken with tortillas, rice and beans or a creamy slaw. The marinade also works well on steak. (For grilling instructions, see Tip.)


Ingredients

Yield: 4 servings
  • 1(12-ounce) can or bottle of Mexican lager, such as Tecate or Modelo
  • 3tablespoons Worcestershire or soy sauce
  • 2 to 3teaspoons hot sauce, depending on heat preference
  • 1lime, zested and juiced
  • 1teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
  • pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts
  • 2tablespoons neutral oil, such as grapeseed or canola
Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a large bowl, stir together the beer, Worcestershire, hot sauce, lime zest and juice and salt. Reserve ½ cup of the marinade and set aside.

  2. Step 2

    Pat the chicken dry. If thickness varies greatly, pound to an even thickness. Add chicken to the marinade in the large bowl and set aside for 30 minutes at room temperature, or refrigerate for up to 3 hours. (Bring to room temperature before cooking.)

  3. Step 3

    Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high. Wipe off excess marinade from the chicken with your hand or a paper towel. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook until the chicken is browned and releases easily from the pan, 5 to 7 minutes. Flip and cook until cooked through, 2 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate or platter to rest.

  4. Step 4

    Reduce the heat to medium. Carefully pour in the reserved marinade and boil, scraping up browned bits, until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Pour the sauce over the chicken and turn to coat. Eat the chicken drizzled with sauce.

Tip
  • To grill, heat a grill to medium-high. Oil the grates. Wipe off excess marinade from the chicken, then grill over direct heat until the chicken is well browned on one side and easily releases from the grates, 4 to 6 minutes. Flip and cook until cooked through, 2 to 5 minutes. (For a gas grill, close the lid between flips.) Set on a plate or platter to rest. On the stove or grill, boil the marinade in a skillet, then pour over the chicken.

LEMONY CHICKEN

 

Ingredients

Yield: 2 servings
  • 2lemons
  • pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (2 to 3), patted dry with paper towels (see Tip)
  • pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed, halved and cut into ½-inch wedges
  • teaspoons dried oregano, plus more for serving
  • teaspoons kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal), plus more for serving
  • ¾teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 3tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • Mayonnaise, mustard, ketchup or hot sauce, for serving
  1. Step 1

    Heat oven to 425 degrees and, if you like, line a sheet pan with parchment paper (not essential but helpful for cleaning up).

  2. Step 2

    Trim the ends off 1 lemon, then cut the lemon in half crosswise.Thinly slice one half of the lemon into rounds, then cut the rounds into quarters, creating small triangles. Shake out the seeds then place the lemon quarters into a large bowl. Save the remaining lemon half for serving. Cut the remaining whole lemon into wedges, for serving.

  3. Step 3

    Add chicken and potatoes to the large bowl with the lemon quarters. Add the oregano, salt and pepper; toss well. (Your hands are the best tools here.) Drizzle in the oil and toss again.

  4. Step 4

    Arrange chicken thighs skin side up on one half of the prepared sheet pan, and potatoes and lemons on the other, spreading the potatoes out into one layer. Roast for 20 minutes. Using a long-handled spoon, stir the potatoes, then spread them out again in one layer. (You don’t have to touch the chicken.) Continue roasting until chicken and potatoes are cooked through and everything is golden and crisped, another 15 to 20 minutes (40 to 45 minutes total roasting time).

  5. Step 5

    To serve, squeeze the juice from the lemon half all over chicken and potatoes and give everything a good stir to incorporate all the tasty juices and browned bits at the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle with more oregano and salt, and serve with additional lemon wedges and condiments on the side.

Tip
  • You can substitute 1¼ pounds chicken drumsticks for the thighs, or use a combination of thighs and drumsticks. Bone-in, skin-on breasts can also be substituted; because they cook more quickly than dark meat does, you’ll need to start checking on them after 30 minutes of total roasting time.

Friday, July 29, 2022

Elizabeth's PORK LOIN Instapot recipe




Gravy was mushroom soup in the olive oil and butter that seared the pork chops for 4 minutes a side and chicken soup and onions from the bottom of the instapot.


Tuesday, July 26, 2022

CHICKEN BREAST IDEAS

 Four split chicken breasts (99 cents a lb) fit nicely in the Instapot.

Then I sliced a breast length wise, added lacy swiss, serious cheddar, hot peppers from Jack cooked in olive oil, some butter, paprika, ground pepper and Benson's salt.

2 minutes in the microwave, even if the breast comes out of the refrigerator the next day cold.

Other ideas:  Use Kickin' Chicken spice, use turmeric, use thyme.

May 3 2023

Three chicken breasts with skin.  Put them on parchment in a glass oven dish.  Used Poultry magic, Benson's, black pepper and a spray of canola.  Cooked in oven at 380 for about 40 minutes and then at 350 for another 20 minutes.  I did not baste, but that would have been a good idea.  Delicious.

***********************************************************

Did 11 minutes in instapot plus 10 letting off steam for three split breasts.  Needed more time.  

Put one in the large cast iron roasting pan after slicing it to allow better seasoning..

Coated with half can of cream of chicken soup

3 scoops of sour cream

a quarter stick of butter

tanduri powdered spice

California garlic blend

tumeric powdered spice

black pepper

Benson's salt

parsley dried

a dozen mushrooms whole

About three cups of frozen peas later in cooking process.


Covered and cooked in olive oil on low for a half hour.  This takes care of the undercooked chicken and blends the flavors.

Tuesday, July 19, 2022

HAMBURGER PATTIES

 jULY 19, 2022

I took the hamburger and made patties to freeze.  I saved a good bit of money by making them myself.  I used the circle molds, placing the thinner edge down on a cutting board.  Then I turned them over to put them in the waxed paper lined freezing container.  I think it will work fine.  I had a half burger left over and ate that.  It was good.  Perhaps I could make the burgers thinner.  The meat was just 80%, but I liked it fine.

Friday, July 15, 2022

STUFFED PEPPERS

 

INGREDIENTS

  • 4 large red, orange or yellow bell peppers
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 cup finely chopped fennel bulb (about 1/2 a small bulb) or celery
  • 1 cup finely chopped yellow onion (about 1 small)
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon red-pepper flakes
  • 1 pound ground beef (at least 15 percent fat), turkey, chicken or pork
  • ¾ cup dry white wine, chicken broth or vegetable broth
  • 1 (14-ounce) can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
  • 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
  • 1 cup cooked white or brown rice
  • ¼ cup grated Parmesan
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley, plus more for serving (optional)
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella, provolone or other semifirm cheese

PREPARATION

  1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the peppers in half lengthwise and carefully remove core, seeds and ribs using a paring knife. Arrange the peppers, cut-sides up, in a 9-by-13-inch pan or other baking dish in which they fit snugly.
  2. In a large (12-inch) skillet, heat the olive oil over medium. Add the fennel and onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic, oregano and red-pepper flakes, and cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the beef and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, for 3 to 5 minutes, until no longer pink.
  3. Add 1/2 cup wine, increase the heat to medium-high and cook, scraping the bottom of the pan, until the liquid in the pan is reduced by about half.
  4. Add the tomatoes and their juices, salt and pepper, and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the rice, Parmesan and parsley, if using. Taste and adjust seasonings.
  5. Divide the mixture among the peppers. Pour the remaining 1/4 cup wine into the bottom of the dish, wrap tightly with foil and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a paring knife easily pierces the peppers. Remove the foil and spoon any juices that have accumulated in the bottom of the pan onto the peppers. Sprinkle the mozzarella evenly onto the peppers and bake another 10 to 15 minutes, until the mozzarella is melted and beginning to brown.
  6. Allow the peppers to cool for 5 minutes, sprinkle with parsley, if using, and serve hot.

Thursday, June 23, 2022

SALT SALT SALT

 

Everyone has different tastes and preferences, but perhaps some of what I've worked out for myself in the area of salt reduction will be helpful.

First, I've found shopping on Amazon very helpful. Supermarkets have grand sections devoted to “gluten free” but for “salt free” we have to hunt and peck. They also do not carry the products I find online.

Having a magnifying glass is helpful because even though the nutritional label may be visible, it is often in such tiny print that the naked eye can't make out the amount. This is especially true when shopping on line.

If the label is not with the ad for the product, try a search with the products name and "nutrition."  That usually works.

I can't keep grams straight in my brain, so I use the percentage of daily salt allowance per serving on the nutritional label as a way to sort out what I buy.

I actually should not go beyond about 80% of the daily recommendation.

Generally, I try for foods that are 2-3% of daily allowance per serving. Sometimes I go higher, but then I limit what I eat.

Eating out is more difficult unless we just want to eat salads. Salt is everywhere and usually the server has no idea how much salt is in anything.  

Sometimes a menu on line will list salt content.  The Longhorn restaurant.(high is salt)
I have my server talk to the chef, but even there I am skeptical. Chinese and Mexican are just not worth bothering with. Indian food buffets will often contain some good choices and there will be someone there who knows which choices have no added salt.
Places that make their own french fries or potato chips can sometimes be helpful and not add salt to them. Others do automatic salting.  This the server usually does know.



So, the best I can do some days when I eat away from home is to be certain to have nothing with salt all the rest of the day and limit portions.


Okay, let's get to some low salt foods I like.

I don't have links for all of these, but if you can't find them in an Amazon search, ask me and I'll find them for you.

I was a big salt lover. 

 

The key to satisfaction has been Benson's salt substitute that not only eliminates salt, but also sugar and other questionable stuff. I love it and buy it in two pound bags.

Some of it is a fine powder, so if moving it to a shaker with a funnel, wear a mask.  Some of it is course, so the smaller shaker sizes won't let it out.  I use left over shakers from Trader's joe's 21 Salute spice.  They have nice large openings and are glass, so they can be washed clean between fillings.  I get lazy and don't run them through the dish washer sometimes between fillings, but I pay for it with more caking.

I have a wooden skewer handy to stir it up and get it to come out again.

I was not impressed with the Mrs. Dash line most common in local groceries. 

 The basic did not satisfy;  the mixtures did not satisfy. 

 I carry the Benson's in a bag to restaurants along with a no salt hot sauce and sometimes unsalted butter.

Benson's is pretty expensive, but worth it. I just use the basic blend.

Other salt substitutes rely on potassium, but too much of that is not healthy either.  Also, it has an unappealing taste.


SPICES

I also experiment with no salt spice mixtures. There are a lot out there. My son just bought me one from the hot sauce store at Crossgates, but it is too bland for me. My favorite is Trader Joe's 21 salute.

I dropped all soy sauce, even that called “reduced sodium” and substituted worchestershire sauce when I can get that at 3%.

HOT SAUCE

For a while I thought I would be denied hot sauce. Frank's was my favorite, and it is just too salty.

Tabasco has less salt.

However, Bruh Bruh hot sauce has no salt or sugar. And Palo Alto hot sauce, sold by firemen in New Mexico has three no salt varieties, and I like all of them. 

I also use “everything bagel” for adding a nice taste. It comes in a salt free version. It is a nice mixture of seeds.

Speaking of bagels, they are too high in salt as are most breads. I use a tiny torilla shell called Mr. Tortilla as it is good for both salt and carb reduction.Sometimes I stretch to 7% on a slice of bread.

Eziekiel bread has a no salt version, but I'd rather eat sawdust.

Dave's is a decent choice for bread. Also, you can make a kind of bread easily in the microwave. It is called “bread in a cup”
Here is my experience with making that,
Recipes: Bread in a mug (weightlossveggie.blogspot.com)

Crackers are hard to find as well. I go to 4% and get Stoned Wheat Thins and am careful not to overeat.


Meats are generally about 3% per serving. No smoked meats. I go to either Shop Rite on Western Avenue Albany or the Prime butcher  in Stuyvesant and buy pork belly to substitute for the taste of bacon. No one will slice it thin, and although I bought a little home slicer, I cannot either. 

 So I cut inch long pieces and slowly fry them up crisp. I make five pounds at a time and freeze the results in small portions, refrying when I want bacon and eggs.

The only sausage I've found is a rather tasty Spanish chorizo.  

Aurelia's Spanish Chorizo - All-Natural, Keto Friendly, Fully Cooked Sausage w/ the Full Flavor of Spain. No Gluten. Paleo Friendly - 8oz

8 Ounce

I think that is 3%.

Salmon is acceptable for salt as long as you stay away from the glazed versions or smoked salmon.

:

"serving of baked salmon has just 55 milligrams of sodium, and most other fish follows suit. Just make sure your catch of the day isn't smoked, or covered with a glaze or sauce, because this piles on the sodium. Shellfish is higher in sodium than fish, often ranging up to 500 milligrams per serving."

Most fish is good. Most shellfish should be avoided.

Canned tuna is generally too high in salt.  However, Wild Planet Albacore Wild Tuna is just 4% and I like that.  It is more expensive.  However, I've discovered that the cheaper tuna in cans has a greater content of water.  The expensive cans are packed tighter with tuna, so that balances things a bit.

Yo Mamma is expensive for catsup, but it is low in salt.  3%

Turkey is hard. Most whole turkeys are brined in salt and sugar and that increases the salt load substantially. Whole foods told me they sell an unbrined turkey, but were having trouble getting them. Last holiday they only managed to get four.  Shop Rite had Kosher turkeys, but when I asked the meat manager said they had been brined.  I don't know if the brining salt shows up on the nutritional label.

Boar's Head has a no salt turkey, but I wonder if they don't have to report brining.

They have a no salt beef as well, but are usually out of it when I shop.

What I do for beef is buy a cheap fairly square roast of beef. I put it in a preheated oven at 500 for 20 minutes, don't open the oven, turn the oven off and let if cook undisturbed for about two hours. I get a nice roast of beef. This the slicer will cut easily. I had a slice with eggs this morning.

CHEESE

Boars Head makes a lacy swiss cheese that I love. Swiss will often be low salt, but you have to check labels because what they label in the deli as low salt or reduced sodium is often way off the charts.

This is true for broth as well. Swanson's sells a chicken broth and a beef broth that is low in salt. All the rest “low sodium” are very high in salt even if they are less than the usual. Sometimes “reduced sodium” means a score of 25% per serving.

Packages of chicken bullion can be high in salt, but they make a salt free version which I find very tasty.

Hannaford has low salt cheese, parmesan and some 3 and 4 cheese blends, all grated. It is in small plastic bags with their brand on them.

Sometimes for a sandwich like meal I'll skip the bread, take a slice of beef, roll it with lacy swiss cheese or grated Hannaford cheese and tomato or onion.

Mustards can run a gamut of salty to no salt. Amazon will give you options with a no salt search. Here is one
Amazon.com : Westbrae Natural Stoneground Mustard No Salt Added -- 8 oz (Pack Of 3) : Grocery & Gourmet Food

It is rare to find low salt food in cans, but Hunt's makes a no salt added tomato sauce and diced tomatoes. 

There is also an unsalted tomato paste.

 Also, Campbell's just started making cream of chicken and a cream of mushroom no salt added soup. It is snatched up quickly, so when I find it, I stock up.


POTATO CHIPS

We love the Kettle cooked no salt potato chips that can be bought in bulk on line at Amazon, but they are expensive.

Utz makes one that is pretty good.

They are hard to find. And if I find them on a two for one, I'll buy them up.

Potato sticks that we ate as kids are 4% a serving, but very good. They are online or in the Latham Hannaford store.

NUTS

There are generally unsalted versions of nuts.  Peanuts are very easy to find.  Some others require the internet.

PICKLES

  • I made pickles using the crisp smaller cucumber sliced length wise. Not as much shelf life. I also made pepperoncini, but finding the fresh peperoncini pepper  is hard. I substituted a Japanese pepper. 

  •  Again shelf life.

  • This one is on my pickle list:
    Healthy Heart Market No Salt Dill Pickles - 32 oz.