Posts from the ‘Informational’ Category

QUESTION: CAN I HELP? ANSWER: If you’re old enough to ask…YES

This book is based on my experiences cooking with children-preparing my own for the future, keeping the neighborhood ‘gang’ amused on a rainy day and safely distracting clients’ curious kids. Children love to hang out in the kitchen when something’s going on. I think it has to do with cooking being a process which yields quick results. The fact is, they will try to participate and safety is a major concern. These modified recipes solve those problems.

So much for my primary motive in writing the book. Then a friend was seriously injured and her husband and young daughter had to do KP. Both were total novices, the daughter willing to step up, the husband, not so much. I helped them with the basics, consequently I gave them the book and they made it through with flying colors. The husband actually became interested in cooking and active in the kitchen. Making dinner became a family bonding project they enjoyed together.

I had realized the book could be a training manual for those starting out and the modified recipes could help a pinch-hitter in a strange kitchen. I also intended it to be a way to bond with children but hadn’t thought of it as a family bonding tool before. Everyone doesn’t have to develop an interest in cooking as my friend’s husband did, just understand that there’s a way to lend a hand and produce something of value together. If anything, the past few years have shown the importance of sharing and doing things as a family, especially when there’s no one else to do them for us, like preparing a dinner, or lunch or breakfast.

There are over 100 recipes in Can I help? ranging from personalizing frozen or take-out waffles or cake with special toppings, like Easy Berry Cakes #1 & #2 (below) and simple can openers like Tuscan Tuna Salad (below), Sausage, Bean, Potato Casserole to more challenging ones like Double Punch Lasagna Roll-Ups (below) and Cornish Hens with Wild Rice and Grapes. Every recipe is adult, and child, pleasing while still having lots of safe tasks for little, or novice, hands, without loss to ego.  The hope is that most people will realize cooking can be interesting, creative and FUN but above all it can link people by giving them something to share.

Summer, when there is no homework, fewer organized activities and the longer hours of daylight make evenings less hectic, is the perfect time to begin this process. Dinner can be a little later, last a little longer and interacting with other family members given more time. If everyone helps with meal preparation, it’s that much more time to spend together and the meal becomes a family accomplishment. It doesn’t have to be every night, once a week is a good start, and it can yield rewards the rest of the year too, if the family gets into the habit of pitching in. It could become a tradition which carries into fall, winter and on.

The recipes in Can I help? are divided into four groups, breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert. I’m including sample recipes from each group below to show how they can be both ‘company presentable’ and easy to make. With each category heading I’ll list a couple of others from that group as examples of the variety of options. To read more about Can I help? Go to July 6, 2016,   June 22, 2017,   July 5, 2018,   May 28, 2020    and June 3, 2021

WELCOME to CAN I help?

Breakfast: Other recipes include Eggs Parmesan, Easy Home-Made Cinnamon Buns, Oven Pancake and Melon Boats

Yogurt with Bananas and Nuts: Serves 4
3 large, ripe bananas
16 oz. Greek yogurt
4 Tbs. toasted chopped nuts, walnuts, almonds or hazelnuts
Peel the bananas and wrap separately in plastic wrap. Microwave 1 min. on high. Cool, unwrap and mash. Gently mix with the yogurt and spoon into 4 dessert dishes. Chill briefly to cool and sprinkle nuts equally over the tops as garnish.

Eggs Florentine: Serves 4
(1) 10 oz. box frozen chopped spinach
4 eggs
1tsp. salt OR 1 envelope bouillon powder-beef or chicken
Pinch nutmeg
Grated Parmesan cheese
Thaw and drain the spinach in a sieve until it is moist but not wet. Mix in the bouillon or salt and nutmeg then divide it between 4 greased custard cups or ramekins. Top with a raw egg and sprinkle with cheese. Place cups in a pan with ½ inch water and bake at 350 deg. 15 min. or until eggs are set.

Oven Pancake: Serves 4
6 eggs
1 cup milk
¼ cup butter or margarine melted + extra for topping
1 cup flour
½ tsp. salt
Powdered sugar
Blend first 3 ingredients until smooth. Add flour and salt and blend on medium until smooth. Pour into a greased 13 x 9 x 2 inch pan and bake at 450 deg. for 20 – 25 min until puffed and golden. Serve from the dish drizzled with melted butter or margarine and dusted with sugar.

Lunch:  Some other options are Greek Pita Pockets, Shrimp and Spinach Salad, Classic Quiche, and Gazpacho-Pasta Salad

Tuna and Bean Salad: Serves 4
6 oz. can solid white tuna in water- drained
16 oz. can cannellini or other white beans-rinsed and drained
2 plum tomatoes diced
2 tsp. dried basil
Ground black pepper
Salt to taste
1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. powdered garlic
1 Tbs. oil
2 Tbs. Dijon or spicy mustard
Mix the last 5 ingredients well and set aside to let the flavors form a dressing. Gently toss the first 6 ingredients. Then add the dressing. Allow the whole to chill for 30 min. at least to meld flavors. Serve on lettuce lined plates garnished with a sprinkle of basil.

Turkey Mousse: Serves 4
1 ½ cups chicken or turkey stock
1 envelope Knox unflavored gelatin
1 ½ cups minced cooked chicken or turkey – Deli, canned or leftover
¼ cup mayonnaise** See options at bottom
1 small onion minced
1 stalk celery minced
½ tsp. curry powder
1tsp. celery seeds
¾ cup heavy cream whipped ** See options at bottom
Soak gelatin in a microwave safe cup with ½ cup of stock until softened and risen. Microwave for 30 sec. or until dissolved. Mix in all remaining ingredients except cream and chill until beginning to set. Fold in whipped cream and spoon into a lightly oiled 1 qt. mold. Cover and chill overnight. Unmold and serve on a lettuce lined plate.
** Cream can be replaced with yogurt. Use 1 ½ cups plain Greek yogurt and increase mayonnaise to ½ cup.

Monte Cristo Sandwiches: Serves 4

Anyone who likes French Toast will love this

½ lb. cooked ham – sliced

½ lb. cooked White meat turkey – sliced

½ lb. Swiss cheese- sliced

1 loaf (preferably bakery) unsliced whole wheat or 7 grain sandwich bread

Mayonnaise

Dijon or spicy Brown mustard

3 eggs

1 cup – possibly more – milk

4 Tbs. butter – at least

Divide the cheese and meats into 4 piles each. Mix the eggs and milk. Cut 8 slices of bread. This is one recipe where I like the bread sliced rather thick at least ½ an inch. Lightly toast the bread and spread one side of 4 slices with mayonnaise, and one side of the other 4 with mustard. Divide the cheese for each sandwich into 3 piles. Put 1/3 on the mustard covered bread slice; top with ham, then 1/3 cheese; then the turkey, then the last 1/3 cheese, and cover with the mayonnaise spread bread slice. The reasoning here is that the cheese in melts and holds the sandwich together. Melt 1 Tbs. butter in a skillet, if you have one that holds 2 sandwiches good, melt 2 Tbs. of butter. Dip both sides of a sandwich in the egg mixture then gently fry them in the butter, first one side and then the other, until both are brown and crispy, and the cheese has melted. Repeat with the rest of the sandwiches. Serve hot. 

Dinner: Among the other choices are My Beef Kabobs, Chicken with Cherries, Pork (or Turkey) Loin with Apricot Glaze and Salad Nicoise. These recipes point out specific tasks for children.

Chicken with Mustard and Honey: Serves 4-easy to divide and/or multiply
NOTE: The seasoning ingredients are placed under the skin to help them infuse the meat. This can be done by children and they can count the cooking time.
4 large chicken thighs
4 tsp. honey
4 tsp. Dijon or grained mustard
¼ tsp. ground black pepper—optional
Garlic Powder NOT garlic salt
Mix the honey, mustard and pepper, if using. Lift the skin on the chicken and place 2 tsp. of the mixture on the meat sprinkle with garlic. Place the pieces slightly separated in a roasting pan. With ½ inch of water or broth in the bottom. Bake in a preheated 350 deg. oven for 30- 40 min. or until juices run clear when pricked with a knife point.
A pan sauce can be made by adding a bit of apple juice, cider or broth to the pan drippings to deglaze. 

Double Punch Lasagna Roll-Ups: Serves 4
Save for the actual cooking, children can do most of the work in preparing this dish.
If you need to plan ahead for an oven-ready dinner, this casserole keeps wonderfully well for 2 or 3 days in the refrigerator, and makes a good party dish, but the stuffed noodles have to be served as separate entities. Don’t randomly cut into the dish.
1 lb. ground turkey (Frozen rolls ex. Jenny-O, work well here. The finer ground seems to compact more easily for stuffing. Be sure to thaw before cooking.)
1 medium onion chopped
(1) 4oz. can mushrooms-stems and pieces – drained
2 tsp. chopped garlic
2 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. dried basil
¾ cup ricotta cheese
1 Tbs. oil
4 Lasagna noodles broken in half (or cut after boiling)
(2) 8oz. cans tomato sauce
7 oz. canned diced tomatoes = ½ a 14 oz. can- drained and juice reserved
2 ½ cups milk
5 Tbs. flour
5 Tbs. butter
4 oz. Monterey Jack cheese in small cubes ( peppers optional)
¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
Salt to taste
Grated Parmesan cheese and paprika to garnish
Cook noodles in boiling water until very tender @ 10 min. Drain and keep in cool water so they don’t dry out. In a skillet, heat oil over medium heat and sauté onion until soft @ 3 min. Add mushrooms for 2 min. then add garlic for one minute, then turkey, separating it between the fingers as it goes into the pan, and 1 teaspoon each of the oregano and basil. Cook, stirring, to keep meat separated until it browns @ 5 min. If mixture begins to seem dry or stick to the pan, add a bit of the reserved tomato juice. Stir in ricotta and remove from heat.
Lightly coat a casserole about 9x9x3, with cooking spray. Spread tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and second teaspoons of oregano and basil, in the bottom. Lay out the noodles, and put an equal portion of the meat mixture on each. Roll the noodle around the stuffing, until the ends meet, and carefully lay each, seam side down in the prepared casserole.
In a saucepan, over high heat, melt the butter until it foams. Remove from the heat and stir in the flour to make a smooth paste. This is called a Roux. Add the milk, and stirring constantly to incorporate the roux, return the pan to the stove over medium heat. Continue stirring until sauce thickens, never allowing it to boil (lift the pan for a moment if it starts to) @ 3 min.
When it has thickened, stir in the Jack cheese until it melts, add the nutmeg and salt. White Sauce often does need salt (see Sauces and Gravies Link) Pour this sauce over the noodles, dust with grated parmesan cheese and paprika to garnish. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and bake until sauce bubbles and slightly browns about 30 min.

Salad Nicoise:

Ideally this should be made with grilled Tuna steaks thinly sliced, but canned works well. Just be sure it’s a good brand of Solid White Albacore. This recipe is actually for 6 servings, but I find it does 4 well. Kids love making this because they can safely do most of it themselves…

1 head Boston lettuce – sometimes called “Garden” or “Bibb” – if not available buy Romaine NOT Iceberg

1 lb. redskin or new potatoes

1 lb. whole green beans

4 hardboiled eggs – peeled, halved lengthwise and chilled

1 large red or Bermuda onion in fairly thin slices

3 large or 4 medium tomatoes peeled and cut in medium slices OR pint box cherry or grape ones

(1) 2oz can anchovy fillets drained oil reserved for dressing

(1) 5oz can colossal pitted ripe olives – drained

(2) 7 oz. cans solid white Albacore Tuna in water – drained

Kosher salt 

White wine

Dried tarragon

Fresh ground black pepper

DRESSING RECIPE BELOW

Cut the potatoes in quarters, or halves, depending on size. Boil them separately or together with the beans until the potatoes are done and the beans still crisp about 10 min.

Drain well, run under cold water to stop the cooking and cool. Place the potatoes and beans in an oblong container, so they can spread to marinate, with ½ cup white wine and 2 tsp. dried tarragon. Allow to marinate at least ½ hr. or all day. Separate the lettuce leaves, wash well and allow to air dry. Cover a large platter with the leaves. Pile the tuna, topped with the anchovies in the center, and attractively arrange the other ingredients, in separate sections, in a surrounding circle. Sprinkle with the salt and fresh pepper.

Dessert: Here there are three recipes to show the variety. Some other choices in the book are Baked Alaska Pie, Fruit Pizza, Chocolate No-Cook Bars, Cherry Cobbler and Chocolate Raspberry Cake

Easy Berry Angel Cake # 2

1 purchased pound cake
8 oz. tub of Whipped Topping
1pt. box of strawberries
Save several nice berries for decoration. Slice the rest and sprinkle with sugar. Allow to rest a few hours for the juice to extract itself. Just before serving, cut the cake into 3 layers. Spread first with 1/3^rd of the whipped topping, spoon ½ the sliced berries over it allowing the juice to drip down the sides. Repeat with 2^nd layer. Finish with 3^rd layer topped with the rest of the whipped topping and the reserved decorative berries.

Dump Cake

2 cans fruit pie filling
1 box yellow cake mix
½ cup butter or margarine melted
1 tsp. ground cinnamon – optional
Spread the pie filling in the bottom of a 13 x 9 inch pan, mix with cinnamon if using. Cover with the dry cake mix and pour the butter over all. Do not stir. Bake in a preheated 350 deg. oven 30 min. until top is golden. Serve with ice cream or whipped topping.

Fruit Gelati: Makes 1 quart
2 bananas
2 papayas
1 Orange grated to yield 1 Tbs. zest and 1 Tbs. juice reserved
1 lemon grated to yield 1 Tbs. zest and 1 Tbs. juice reserved
1lime grated to yield 1 Tbs. zest and 1 Tbs. juice reserved
½ cup sugar
1 quart milk
1 tsp. vanilla
Blend or process all ingredients until blended. Pour into a shallow pan and freeze until firm. Process again until smooth, pour into a bowl and freeze until solid-overnight is best. Scoop as ice cream to serve.
Variation: Substitute 1 ripe pineapple diced and 4 peeled and diced kiwi for the other fruit.

LETTUCE SUBSTITUTES

cost     https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/california/price-lettuce-salinas-california/3099309/

PORK BUTT-THE ECONOMIC WINNER

Usually, when discussing pork, I include alternatives for restricted diets, (See  Jan. 12, 2017,   Jan. 28, 2021) but not today. This post is focused on pork, or more specifically one productive cut, because with meat so pricy now, pork is the most economic, non-poultry choice for the weekly menu. The change in the control of our food supply (see post Oct. 6, 2022) has spread from produce to meats, resulting in the demise of the Meat Packers’ Union thus limiting the variety of cuts of meat in supermarkets.

For pork, among those disappearing cuts are the boneless roast, the rolled roast, steaks and cubes for stew or chili. Country ribs are still around, probably because they are the easiest to carve from the section of meat, the butt or Boston butt, which produces these cuts. The ‘whole butt’ as it’s now called, rarely seen before, has been appearing in markets as an option in itself, and, every few months most markets feature it on sale. It’s a terrific buy because butts run 7>8 lbs. and the sale is usually $.99>$1.29 per lb. That’s a lot of meat for the price today.

First, a bit of information about the ‘whole butt’ because the name is misleading. The term ‘pork’ refers only to the meat located in the front part of the animal along the back. The hind quarters are labeled ham, the sides are ribs, and the belly is bacon. The whole or Boston butt is the primal cut from the pork shoulder and extends down the neck from the head to the top of the shoulder. Its only bone is the tip of the blade. 

It is often confused with the Picnic roast or butt, which is the actual shoulder joint and as such contains a complex a bone mass, making it easier to carve as a whole, than to separate into different cuts. With the butt, the small wedge of shoulder blade is easily removed and the rest is solid meat easily cut into steaks, roasts and country ribs.  It’s such a terrific buy because it furnishes the basis for many independent meals. Its only drawback is that it’s highly marbleized, requiring longer cooking, but on the plus side, the butt is one of the juiciest, flavorful parts of pork.

This was just too much for me, professionally or personally, to resist. I had carved meat, cut it into cubes for stew, disjointed poultry and skinned fish, but never butchered. Undaunted, I turned to You Tube and found Jimmy Kerstein  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D10lJYqjLB4  who guided me through my first try with a whole butt. It wasn’t seamless; I really made a mess out of removing the bone, but I did get enough good cuts to make trying again worthwhile. Now I have it down and enjoy different cuts of pork which I can size to my needs as an empty nester. And that is a very important aspect of this. No matter if your family is large or small, rarely are supermarket packages of meat perfectly proportioned to your needs.

I know all of you can find plenty of recipes for roast, cubes and boneless pork steaks, but since butt meat is best when cooked longer, I searched for recipes which have few ingredients. This way, the meat is quickly prepped for cooking and easily served, to make up for any extra stove/oven time.  My thanks to Robert and Carol Hildebrand’s 50-3 ingredient Recipes for most of the recipes below. Just remember with pork to follow the recommended cooking times and temperatures-usually for ovens 350deg 35-45 min per lb. adding 20 min. per lb. if cooking the meat frozen. The same is true when pot roasting-add roughly half of the total calculated cooking time per lb. 

Butt roasts also do well in Dutch Ovens, uncovered to brown the last hour, following oven roasting directions. If you don’t have a Dutch oven or a covered roasting pan, line the pan with enough foil to bring the ends up to cover the roast.

Crock pots, or slow cookers are not recommended for frozen pork because the gradual heating process allows the meat to sit in the danger zone for bacteria growth too long. However, there are many recipes for raw pork and there’s a fantastic, truly simple recipe for pulled pork below. 

Instant pots heat faster so they do allow for frozen meats, but recommend having it cut in large pieces before freezing. They also generally recommend adding half the total cooking time if necessary. Because Instant Pots do heat so fat and can be tricky you go to https://cookthestory.com/instant-pot-roast-pork/ before you start. The most important thing is that the meat registers 150 > 160 deg. on a meat thermometer when finished. Like poultry, pork is served well done.

RECIPES

My Boneless Pork Roast: Serves 4-5—A basic recipe
2 lb. boneless pork butt roast
2 tsp. ground thyme
1 Tbs, dried rosemary
1/4 -1/3 cup water
Preheat oven to 350 deg. Spread thyme then rosemary over top and sides of meat. Place roast in pan with water and roast required time, making sure water level remains constant. When done remove and slice. Serve hot with gravy.
Optionally add potatoes and/or onions (lightly parboiled so they roast evenly) to the pan for the last hour.

GRAVY
1 cup chicken stock or broth-can be 1 cup water + 1 envelope bouillon granules
1 cup beef stock or broth- can be 1 cup water + 1 envelope bouillon granules
2 heaping Tbs. cornstarch
Poultry seasoning to taste or rosemary and thyme
Dissolve solids in the liquid, add pan drippings, bring to a boil and simmer for 3 min. or until desired thickness is reached. Serve hot.
TIPS: If you want a bit more zing to the gravy, add ½ tsp. vinegar and a few drops Worcestershire sauce

VARIATIONS: Pork loves to partner with fruit
1) Add pared cored apples-centers optionally filled with raisins the last hour of cooking-1 per portion
2) Add firm pear halves, cored but not peeled, bottom side down, the last hour of cooking-1/2 per portion
3) Add 2-3 fennel bulbs, fronds removed and split in 4 wedges each.
GRAVY VARIATION:
1) Reduce water in above recipe to 1 ½ cups, bouillon to ½ packet each and add ½ cup cider-proceed as directed.
2) Add 3 cups cider to the pan and maintain level during roasting. Serve as a sauce in place of gravy.

Cranberry Glazed: Serves 6-8
6 lb. pork butt roast
(1) 16 oz. can whole berry cranberry sauce
1/3 cup brown sugar
Mash the berry sauce and mix with the sugar to dissolve. When the roast is done, uncover and make deep slashes across the top. Fill with the cranberry mix and cook 30 min more, basting often.

My Family Pork ‘n Kraut Recipe: Serves 4
Bone from the butt roast
4 portions of pork meat in large pieces
(1) 2 b. can of sauerkraut
(1) 16 oz. can sauerkraut
1 pkg. instant mashed potatoes
Put the 2 l. of kraut in the bottom of a large pot. Lay the bone and meat over and top with the kraut from the smaller can. Add enough water to almost cover.  Put the lid on the pot, bring to a boil and simmer for about 3 hrs. until pork is falling apart. Make potatoes as director on box but don’t enrich taste. Serve the pork and kraut either over or alongside the potatoes.

Chinese Black Bean Pork Roast: Serves 4-6
4 lb. pork butt roast
(2) 10 oz. jars Chinese black bean sauce
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Cook pork as for Cranberry Glazed but only lightly slash the top of the roast. Pour over the bean sauce and cook 30 min. more basting occasionally.
NOTE: This recipe can also be used for pork steaks, Cook them covered for about 1 hr., depending on thickness. Uncover and pour over 1 jar of sauce then cook 30 min. longer.

Pork in Wine: Serves 2-4-deending on the amounts of add-ins
1 ½ -2 lbs. pork cubes or roast leftovers
2 Tbs. butter or oil-if using raw meat
1 large or 2 medium onions –in 16ths
1 cup red wine
2 tsp. dried rosemary
2 tsp. dried thyme or sage
Enough half chicken-half beef stock, or water with bouillon granules mixed with any leftover gravy, to cover
1 Tbs. cornstarch for every cup liquid
Optional add-ins
1 cup Julianne Bell pepper
(1) 8 oz. can mushroom caps or more r equal amount fresh button mushrooms
(1) cup peas or cut green beans
12 or more baby carrots halved
1/2 cup sliced celery
If using raw meat sear it in the oil in a large pot. Otherwise, put the meat in the pot, add the wine and enough of the broths to cover, and simmer for 1 hr. Add the chosen add-in ingredients, the remainder of the broths and cook until they are tender. Dissolve the cornstarch in equal measure of water or wine, add to pot, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until desired thickness is achieved. Serve hot.

Pork Steaks in Pepper Sauce: Serves 4
@ 1/2 to 2 lbs. pork in 4 thick steaks

2 tsp. minced bottled garlic
1 tsp. dried basil
1 medium onion –chopped
(1) 7 oz. jar roasted red peppers*
1 tsp. oil
1/8 tsp. lemon pepper
¼ cup White wine
2 Tbs. butter

SAUCE: Microwave onion in oil with lemon pepper 1 ½ min. Drain peppers, blend with onion, basil, and garlic to a puree. Add the wine.

Melt the 2 Tbs. butter in a skillet over medium heat and brown meat on both sides. Pour sauce over the meat, reduce heat and cover. Simmer gently for 40-60 min., until pork is done, checking to maintain fluid level Add more water or wine if needed.
*Other varieties of roasted peppers or chilies can be added to taste as can hot sauce, but be aware if using Method B that the longer hot spices are cooked the hotter they become.

Spicy Pork: Serves 6
3-4 lb. pork cut in 2>3 inch cubes
2 Tbs. EACH oil, chili powder, chili flakes, chopped cilantro, chopped parsley
½ Tbs. EACH seasoned salt and ground cumin
1Tbs. EACH minced garlic, dried oregano and black pepper
1 cup EACH diced onion and chicken broth
In a large bowl mix all ingredients but broth. Toss to coat pork well and marinate, chilled, at least 4 hrs. Put the mixture in a Dutch oven or covered oven-proof pot; add broth and cook in a preheated 350 deg. oven for 3 ½ to 4 hrs. until meat is fork tender. Serve hot in bowls or over grain or pasta.

Crock Pot Barbecued Shredded Pork: Serves 6-8
2-3 lb. pork butt-thawed or raw-optionally cut into large cubes*
(1) 12 oz. bottle barbecue sauce
1 onion sliced –optional
Place half the onions and half the sauce in the bottom of the pot, add meat then the rest of the onion and sauce. Cook on low 24 hr. Remove meat, cut and shred with 2 forks. Return to pot to mix with juices.
* If cut into cubes reduce cooking time to 6-8 hrs. on low


Sausage: Yield 5 lbs. Adjust ingredient measurements to the quantity of meat. This is for the left over scraps after butchering-especially if you mess it up as badly as I did the first time.
5 lb. meat untrimmed
3 ½ Tbs. salt
1 Tbs. black pepper
1 2/2 Tbs. dried thyme or sage
Grind meat, mix thoroughly with other ingredients. Form into rolls or patties. Allow to rest in the fridge at least 12 hrs. before using. Can freeze.

ALL ABOUT CARBS

I answer food questions on several platforms, and weight loss is a frequent topic. I avoid discussing most ’miracle’ diet programs because weight loss involves the body’s metabolic system and is a personal undertaking.  One size doesn’t fit all. I do know most people, who try these systems, reach target weight then gain it back when they resume normal eating. A friend of mine yo-yoed so often he was nicknamed ‘Toy’.

As a cookbook author and food blogger, I understand the three food groups, fiber, protein and carbohydrate and combine them to create a lean balanced diet.  As a chef watching her figure this helps avoid an occupational hazard.  If I gain weight, I adjust the combinations of foods I eat, and problem solved. The secret is knowing the functions of the food groups and how to combine them, which is the basis of the classic, medically approved weight loss diet.

To explain the process, I wrote How to Understand Carbohydrates So They Don’t Go to Waist. However, though the results are lasting and program safe, the classic diet is not considered fast enough for many. Recently I found a brand new diet program with the classic diet concept but offering new ways to combine carbs and proteins geared to today’s preference for snacks and light meals, which also yields fast results. Check it out.  It’s called The Cinderella Solution.

But first, it’s important to know how the food groups work together and inter act to control weight

Fiber is plant based-fruits, vegetables, grains. If your body were a car, it would be the oil that keeps everything running. Protein builds muscle, the source of power, the engine. Carbohydrates are the gas. The body converts them into glucose which provides the energy to start and run the engine, or more accurately for the body to move even to breathe or blink.

A car tank holds just enough gas to go a certain distance, if overfilled it overflows. Not so the body.  We overload it with more carbs than we need in a day and the body considers the resulting glucose so valuable that instead of rejecting it, cells are created to store the surplus. Those cells are stored in layers we call ‘fat’.

If a car guzzles gas, we check it, but we continue eating, until the effects are noticeable. If we were cars, we would have gages telling how many carbs we need per day. As is our only solution is to learn about carbohydrates, the difference between the two types, how our body uses them, and, if needed, with professional help, how fast we, personally metabolize them and how to calculate our daily requirements.

So it’s particularly important to understand carbs and how to use them. That’s right USE them. It’s necessary to have an idea of how much energy we need in a day to avoid consuming excess carbohydrates which, converted into glucose, have to be stored resulting in a weight gain.

All foods, with the exception of pure fats, oils and meats, contain carbohydrates. Sugar and items made of sugar, like candy, are called ‘simple’ carbohydrates. They convert and enter the bloodstream quickly giving us short spurts of energy or ‘sugar highs’ but the unused glucose from simple carbs converts to cells fast, mainly because these carbs contain little or no fiber. Usually they convert before we used all the energy they provided, which is why sweets are responsible for fast weight gain.

‘Complex’ carbohydrates are foods with fiber content which slow down the digestive process allowing the glucose to enter the bloodstream gradually, giving us sustainable energy to get through the day. This is why fruits with lots of natural sugars are still considered complex carbs and healthier than candy. A medium banana has 105 calories and 27 grams of carbohydrates while 2 Tablespoons of sugar are 100 calories with 26 grams of carbs, but the banana has 3 grams of fiber while the sugar has none. Consequently, the sugar can be absorbed in a short time, whereas the banana will take several hours, allowing time for us to use more of the carbohydrate fueled energy it provides.

Packaged foods cause confusion about carbs because processing ingredients can change the value of the result. Refining removes much of the fiber in an item, particularly grains, by stripping the hulls or skins and grinding the meat into a fine powder. As a result, the finished product is digested much faster more like a simple carbohydrate and can be blamed for weight gain. This is why so many processed foods have bad reps, white flour, cornstarch, white rice and of course sugar.

I remember a woman in my gym gloating that she had devised the perfect diet and lost 5 lbs. by eating nothing white. When reminded of skim milk, egg whites and cauliflower, she simply shrugged that some things were always sacrificed. The woman was confusing foods containing processed ingredients like white bread and sugar, with whole foods. She didn’t understand that what we refer to as ‘starchy,’ fattening foods are the processed ones. A plain baked potato is an excellent, filling snack, corn and beans are universally recognized as healthy food, but process them into flour and they lose value.

The amount of energy we consume is calculated in units called calories, based on the body’s basil metabolic rate, or the essential amounts needed to perform the vital functions. Carbohydrates and protein both contain 4 calories per gram, so to figure out the calorie content of a food from carbs alone, simply multiply the grams of carbs by 4. If an item has 12 carbs, it has 48 calories from carbs. Fiber doesn’t contribute to calories.

According to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, between 45 and 65 percent of the calories in your daily diet should come from carbohydrates. So if you know your caloric requirement, you can roughly calculate your carbohydrate one by dividing by 2 and again by 4. Remember though, all carbs are not of equal use to your body.  Stay with the complex ones, especially if your diet is medically advised or cosmetic.

To read a food label, grams of carbohydrates are listed in the left-hand column and the math is done for you based on a 2,000-calorie daily diet. The carbohydrate percent daily value is calculated at 300 grams. This is called the DV, and is based on a standard recommendation according to the Food and Drug Administration. You’ll have to adjust it to comply with your personal requirements.

I find keeping track of the smaller numbers of carbs easier than thousands of calories and I can focus on choosing the right ones, especially when watching my weight. Moreover, I’ve learned from experience, that supervising carbohydrates rather than calories is more important to some medical diets, for example, diabetes.

I’m listing recipes below for some satisfying low carb dinners. A few facts may surprise you in planning these meals. For example, heavy cream has no carbohydrates and when boiled, it thickens naturally without separating, making wonderful sauces without adding carbs. For more entrée and vegetable ideas check the Jan.23,2020 post on Braising.

My book How to Understand Carbohydrates So They don’t Go to Waist explains carbs and gives you confidence in planning your meals. The Cinderella Solution shows how to pair carbs and proteins for fast weight loss. Here the book helps in enabling you to better understand the system and widen your menu options. Both are available in this site’s Books/Products section. Check them out-you’ll be glad you did.

Nutritional values quoted are for a single serving but recipes serve 4. For more recipes, see post of Jan.19, 2017.

RECIPES

Basil Pork Wafers with Spinach-Fennel Fruit Salad:(Photo on post for Jan, 26, 2017)
1 lb. thin pork cutlets or wafers
(1) 2.5 oz. bag spinach leaves
2 Grapefruit
3 oranges
1 medium fennel bulb
4 Tbs. Chopped toasted walnuts
2 Tbs. dried basil
2 tsp. garlic powder
½ Tbs. oil
1 Tbs. poppy seeds –optional
Slivers of cheddar cheese
1 cup brown rice cooked to 2 cups total
If using pork cutlets, pound them thin. Sprinkle ½ the basil and ½ the garlic in a pan to hold the meat without crowding, put the meat in the pan and sprinkle with the rest of the garlic and herbs. Cover the pan with foil and bake in a 250 deg. oven for an hour. This can be done ahead and kept in the refrigerator or frozen. Bring to room temperature and gently reheat before plating. Remove the meat from the pan. Stir the rice in the pan drippings smooth it out and broil until slightly dry
While the meat cooks, remove fennel fronds and cut the bulb in quarters, then in thin slices. Halve the fruits and remove the meat to a plate, juice fruit. Place the juice in a bowl with the poppy seeds if using, then add fennel and microwave for 1 ½ min. Allow mixture to cool and remove fennel with a slotted spoon.
To plate: divide all the dinner elements in 4 parts. Fan pork slices on one side of each plate, and using a spatula, place about ½ cup of rice in 2 portions at right angles on the opposite side. Fill the center with spinach, topped with fennel slices, then fruit. Drizzle the dressing over and garnish with nuts and cheese. Reserved fennel fronds make an elegant topping.
Carb.40g   Protein 37 g

Peppered Tuna Steaks:
(4) 6 oz. tuna steaks
¼ cup oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 red bell peppers-julienned
2 yellow or green bell peppers-julienned
Brush each side of the fish steaks with oil and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper-chill. Heat the remaining oil in a non-stick skillet over medium high heat and add the peppers along with ½ tsp. pepper and ¼ tsp. salt. Cook peppers until soft about 20 min. Set peppers aside and keep warm. Raise heat under pan to high and brown fish on both sides until done but still moist and still pink in the center—test with the point of a knife. Return peppers to pan to reheat if  peppers need reheating. Serve at once with peppers over meat, while still hot.

Coconut Chicken:
4 boneless, skinless breasts
1 Tbs. curry powder
2 Tbs. oil-divided
2 cups asparagus sliced in 1 inch pieces on the bias
necessary. Serve at once with peppers on top of tuna and pan drippings.
Carb.3.0g –Protein 34.1 g

1 cup snow peas
1 large carrot-shredded
4 scallions white and light green parts sliced thin
(1) 14 oz. can coconut milk
Mix curry powder with 1 Tbs. oil in a bowl. Add chicken cut into 1 ½ inch pieces and toss to coat well. In a large sauté pan, over high heat, cook the chicken in the other Tbs. oil until golden, stirring to prevent sticking. Add the vegetables and cook, stirring, until tender about 3 min. Add the coconut milk, bring to a simmer and serve at once. Carb. 18.3g Protein 38.0 g

Beef Provencal:
¼ lb. Bacon
2 lb. beef-chuck or round-in 2 inch cubes
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 medium onions-quartered
1 small fennel bulb-trimmed and sliced
1 head garlic-cloves peeled
6 large strips orange zest
1 bay leaf
Pinch EACH dried basil, thyme and parsley
1 cup red wine-merlot suggested
1 cup beef broth
12 whole, pitted, black olives-Mediterranean style suggested
Using a large sauté pan with a lid, cook bacon until crisp and remove, reserve ½ of fat in pan.  Lightly salt and pepper the beef. Over medium-high heat, cook the onions in the fat until soft, add beef and brown on all sides, adding reserved fat as needed. Remove beef and onions and cook fennel, orange, garlic and herbs in remaining fat until soft.  Return the beef and onions to the pan with the liquids, bring to a simmer and cover. Braise for 2 hrs. or until meat falls apart, skimming fat off the top as necessary. Add olives last 30 min, Serve in bowls garnished with the bacon.