recipe book!

yummmm

Last week I tried the teriyaki sauce recipe below and it was amazing! Far exceeded my expectations and SUPER easy. Low sodium, no refined sugar, and no preservatives. I used it to marinade and cook chicken, but you can put on rice, veggies, etc.

Ingredients 1 cup low-sodium soy sauce

¼ cup pure maple syrup

1 tbsp mirin OR balsamic vinegar

½ tsp ground ginger OR 3 tsp fresh grated ginger

½ tsp garlic powder

1 ½ tbsp corn starch

¼ cup water

Instructions In a small sauce pan, whisk the soy sauce, syrup, mirin/vinegar, ginger and garlic powder until combined. Heat on medium-high heat until it just begins to boil, then reduce to a simmer. Whisk the corn starch and water together in a small bowl until fully combined. Whisk into the teriyaki sauce for approximately 30 seconds or until it thickens. Remove from heat.

I just made some farro egg bites that are worth trying. My advice for changes to the recipe is double the paprika, thyme, pepper, and salt. They turned out a little bland, though this was easy enough to fix with salsa and avocado. I also don't think the full 20 minutes is needed, unless you want a very firm finished product. Maybe check them at 15-16 minutes to see if they are cooked enough for your taste. Finally, I made the recipe at 1.5 times original quantities and that yielded 16 full muffin cups.

My favorite way to eat them so far is with avocado, salsa, and roasted cauliflower.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup farro

6 large eggs

1/3 cup low-fat milk

1 medium-sized red bell pepper diced

1 cup finely chopped spinach

2 shallots, finely chopped

1 ounce grated Parmesan cheese (about 1/3 cup)

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Place farro and 2 cups water in a medium-sized saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, covered, until grains are tender, about 25 minutes. Drain any excess water. Preheat oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and milk. Stir in remaining ingredients and cooked farro. Divide among 12 standard-sized greased muffin cups and bake for 20 minutes, or until eggs are set. Let cool for a few minutes before unmolding. Keep chilled for up to 5 days.

Run Fast, Eat Slow - Shalane Flanagan's cookbook! So far everything we've made has been amazing but for the season:

Sage Brown Butter!!! We've had it w/ butternut squash spaghetti, and on mashed sweet potatoes - it makes everything taste like Christmas (but in a good way).

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh sage leaves

sea salt to taste

black pepper to taste

In a skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and continue cooking & stirring until the butter turns golden brown, 4-5 minutes.

Remove the pan from heat, slowly add the sage leaves, salt, and pepper.

But isn't butter terrible for you?! Not real butter, from pastured cows, not margarine. It's a great healthy fat because it's high in fat-soluble vitamins, including vitamins A, E, and K (stress fractures no more!) <<<< all from the cook book - get it!

My wife and I bought Shalane Flanagans Run fast eat slow and Run fast cook fast cook books. I HIGHLY recommend it to everyone if you don't already have it!

Also anyone have any Christmas dessert recipes?? :)

Roasted veggies rule! Chop up whatever veggies you like - squash, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, etc. Put them on a foil-covered roasting pan, drizzle with olive oil, add salt/pepper/spices and pop it in the oven at 400 for 20-25 minutes. For carbs, cube up some sweet potatoes, for protein, add some chunks of Italian sausage.

Chicken Piccata - I think this recipe is one of those that hits the sweet spot on effort vs return. One pan, easy ingredients to keep on hand, simple to make a little or a lot at once.

(2) skinless/boneless chicken breasts, butterflied & cut in half (four pieces)

Salt & pepper to your taste

Flour (enough to coat your chicken)

4 TBSP butter (this is what the recipe calls for, but I use less without noticing)

5 TBSP extra virgin olive oil

1/3 c. lemon juice (I squeeze one fresh lemon)

1/2 c. chicken stock

(most recipes call for capers, I omit)

1. Season chicken with salt & pepper, dredge in flour

2. In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter with 3 tablespoons olive oil. When butter and oil start to sizzle, add 2 pieces of chicken and cook for 3 minutes. When chicken is browned, flip and cook other side for 3 minutes. Remove and transfer to plate. Melt 2 more tablespoons butter and add another 2 tablespoons olive oil. Cook the remaining pieces of chicken, following the same instructions. Remove pan from heat and add chicken to the plate.

3. Add lemon juice, stock and optional capers. Return to stove and bring to boil, scraping up brown bits from the pan. Check for seasoning. Return all the chicken to the pan and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove chicken to platter. Pour sauce over chicken and garnish with parsley.