Taco Salad and Guacamole

Wow that was quick turnaround! Here I am again. Hey here's a cool tidbit. The other morning Kenzie and his friend Cody wanted to make breakfast, so they pulled out the laptop and pulled up the french toast episode and cooked along with the video. I was so farklempt I almost teared up. When we started this whole endeaver, I imagined Kenzie learning to cook and be autonomous in the kitchen. I'm thinking that maybe in the future we could burn the most watched episode onto a dvd and give it out to the kids in the family. I don't know, it just warmed the cockles of my auntie heart.

So, back to Taco Salad:

Taco Salad

Meat:
1 lb ground beef
1 tbsp oil
1 medium onion diced finely
2 cloves garlic pressed
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/4 tsp cumin
1 tsp flour
1/4 cup tomato juice
1/4 tsp paprika

Saute onions in oil in a medium frying pan. Once onions start to turn translucent, press garlic into pan and add ground beef. Press ground beef apart with masher and brown meat. Add spices, tomato juice and flour and simmer for 4-5 minutes until thickened.

Guacamole:

3 ripe avocados mashed
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (1 large or 2 small limes)
3 large cloves garlic, pressed
1/2 tsp salt (to taste, it may need more)
pepper to taste
1/4 tsp chili powder
1 tbsp mayonnaise
Optional: chopped cilantro, jalapeno, diced tomato

Cut avocado in half long-wise, going around the pit. Grasp each half in one hand and twist gently to separate one from the pit. Sink knife into pit using a chopping motion and twist knife to dislodge the pit from the other half. Discard pit (save one to place in finished guacamole to keep the color fast). Using the knife cut through the avocado in a grid pattern being careful not to slice through the skin. This is best accomplised by holding the half in your hand; just be careful not to press the knife through the skin and cut yourself. Now just scoop out the meat of the avocado with a spoon and mash it with a fork to desired consistency. Add in all other ingredients and mix thoroughly. Place one pit into guacamole, and press cling down gently onto surface of dip, which will keep the guac green and fresh. Let set in fridge for 30 minutes and serve. Make sure to taste test before serving. Here's the secret: good guacamole needs a perfect balance of garlic, lime and salt. When you taste test it, make sure that all flavors are balanced. If it tastes a bit sour, it needs salt. If you don't get the party on your tongue, it probably needs a bit more lime juice, and you'll know if it doesn't have enough garlic.



Other Salad Ingredients:

Lettuce of choice (iceberg for the traditional, romaine, or spring mix for the party bunch)
shredded cheese
diced tomatoes
cilantro
tortilla chips (such as Tostitos, or Fritos, or Doritos)
Salsa of choice
Chopped bell peppers
olives chopped
guacamole

Get creative! There are tons of choices, you choose your favorite.
You can set the ingredients up as a buffet and let the kids assemble their own.

Baking With Bailey: Chocolate Chip Cookies

It took us a little longer this week to get it together, but I hope you find it was worth the wait. I recently found out I have diabetes, so our quest for healthier eating has taken on new meaning. Now we're trying to find ways to incorporate whole grains and fiber into everything we bake, as well as utilizing alternative sweetening to cut out sugar. Thankfully, I have an amazing sister-in-law who loves to research almost as much as she loves to encourage. I am going to note the alternatives for those who are trying to cut out fat, up fiber, or cut out sugar. You pick if you want to do any or none of those options. I found that using half wheat pastry flour actually improved the texture of the cookie.
Above all, have fun trying it all out. I did. I am finding my new excitement in cooking is finding new ways to get great flavor out of meals/baking while making them healthy. Can't tell you how good it feels to give the kids cookies that are delicious (they eat them 4 at a time) and really good for them. A note on the Blue Agave: the darker the better. You can get it at most health food stores, but Karen found it much cheaper online at Amazon ($.17 per ounce).


Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup firmly packed light or dark brown sugar (or 1 cup blue agave nectar, or 1 1/2 tsp pure
powdered stevia + 1/2 cup of apple sauce, plain yogurt or water)
3/4 cup butter (or trans-fat free soft tub margarine, or apple sauce)
2 large eggs (or just egg whites)
2 tsp pure vanilla
1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 cups semi-sweet (or dark) chocolate chips
3/4 cups chopped walnuts
2 cups all- purpose flour (substitute 1 cup of whole wheat pastry flour)
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl whip butter and sugar until well blended. Add eggs and continue to mix until incorporated. Next add chickpeas, chocolate chips, and nuts mixing for approx 1 minute until chickpeas are broken down.
In small bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, salt and oats. With mixer off, add dry ingredients and mix until it forms thick batter. Spoon onto greased cooking pan and cook for 9-11 min. Makes 3 dozen cookies.


On a side note: Wasn't Bailey great? I couldn't get a word in edgewise :) She is going to be a star!