Custard (Aussie style)

*Tastes like Mom's custard recipe from childhood.

Ingredients:

6 egg yolks

1 1/4 cup heavy cream

1 1/4 cup milk

2 tbsp cornstarch

1 tsp vanilla

1/3 cup sugar

Directions:

-Combine cream and milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat and bring to just a simmer.

-Meanwhile, whisk egg yolks, cornstarch, vanilla and sugar together in a medium bowl. 

-Gradually whisk in 1 cup hot cream mixture to egg mixture until smooth.

-Add egg mixture to saucepan and mix well with whisk. 

-Place over low heat and cook, stirring constantly, until custard thickens and thickly coats the back of a spoon. It will thicken quickly.

*Serve warm or transfer to a glass bowl and cover surface with plastic wrap (to prevent a skin from forming). Set aside to cool then refrigerate for up to 3 days.

*For a thinner (Anglaise-style) custard, reduce cornstarch to 1 tbs.

Hummus

I finally made this after many years of having it on my to do list! Add more/less cumin and lemon to suit your taste. You can also either omit the tahini (ground sesame seeds) if you don't have it or don't like it, or can try using peanut butter in its place. I also plan on trying it with roasted garlic, roasted red peppers or kalamata olives.

Ingredients:

One 15 oz can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed OR 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about 1 large lemon)
1/4 cup tahini
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbs olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cumin
2-3 TBS water (or liquid from cooked chickpeas)
dash of paprika for serving

Directions:

In food processor, combine tahini and lemon juice. Process for 1 minutes. Scrape sides. Process another 30 seconds. Add garlic, olive oil, salt and cumin. Process 30 seconds. Scrape sides. Process another 30 seconds. Add half chickpeas and process 1 minute. Add rest of chickpeas and process 1-2 minutes. Add water until consistency suits your fancy! Put into bowl and sprinkle with paprika.

Lentil Soup (Alton Brown)

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped carrot
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 pound lentils, picked and rinsed
1 cup peeled and chopped tomatoes
2 quarts chicken or vegetable broth (I use stock)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground toasted cumin
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground grains of paradise (I use 1/4 tsp black pepper instead)


Directions
Place the olive oil into a large 6-quart Dutch oven and set over medium heat. Once hot, add the onion, carrot, celery and salt and sweat until the onions are translucent, approximately 6 to 7 minutes. Add the lentils, tomatoes, broth, coriander, cumin and grains of paradise and stir to combine. Increase the heat to high and bring just to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook at a low simmer until the lentils are tender, approximately 35 to 40 minutes. Using a stick blender, puree to your preferred consistency (I take out 1/3, puree the rest, then add the 1/3 back in). Serve immediately.

Recipe from Alton Brown

Chicken Chorizo Zucchini Stir Fry

Ingredients

• ½ red onion, chopped (I use white if I don't have red)
• ½ chopped cilantro
• 4 large zucchini, cut into 1/3 inch cubes
• 1 red pepper, seeded and chopped (green is okay if that's all you have)
• 6-8 oz. Mexican chorizo (This is spicy! Add less until you know how spicy you like it, say 3-4 oz.)
• 2 cups cooked chicken, chopped or shredded
• 1 Tb. oil, if needed
• Salt and Pepper

Instructions

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high. Brown the chorizo for 2-3 minutes, then add the chicken until warmed through. Remove the chorizo and chicken, and set aside.
2. Add the onions to the skillet and sauté for 1 minute. Add the zucchini, red pepper and a tablespoon of oil if needed. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, until just cooked, but not mushy. Salt and pepper to taste. Then add the protein back in.
3. Remove from heat and stir in the cilantro. Serve immediately!

Got recipe from here: http://punchfork.com/r?url=http%3A%2F%2Faspicyperspective.com%2F2011%2F02%2Fchicken-chorizo-no-potato-hash.html

Vegan Tomato Soup

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/2-1 cup chopped onion (I use 1/2)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup chopped carrot
• 1/4 cup chopped celery
• 2 (28 ounce) cans crushed tomatoes or 8 cups peeled tomatoes or about 12 medium tomtaoes
• 3 1/2 cups vegetable broth or water or chicken broth
• 1/2-1 tablespoon vegetarian Worcestershire sauce (I use 1/2)
• 3/4-1 teaspoon salt (depending on what your broth is)
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 4 drops hot pepper sauce

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large pot oven over medium-high heat. Saute onion and garlic until onion is tender.
2. Add carrot and celery; cook 7 to 9 minutes until tender, stirring frequently. Stir in tomatoes, broth, Worcestershire sauce, salt, thyme, pepper and hot pepper sauce. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer 20 minutes, stirring frequently. 

**From allrecipes but altered a bit by me

The 4-Hour Body Recipe Ideas

Some High Protein and/or Low Carb Meal Ideas for those doing The 4 Hour Body:The 4-

Fish tacos (fish, cabbage, salsa, maybe tarter sauce)

Chicken Breast broiled or baked with olive oil and herbs

Rachel's Meaty Zucchini Casserole

Lettuce wraps

• P.F. Chang's Lettuce Wraps

Soups

• Chicken and Rice Soup (minus the rice)
• Lentil soup
• Vegan Tomato Soup

Salads 

• Taco Salad 

Chili

• Tavias White Chicken Chili 

Crockpot

• Crock pot chicken and black beans

Beans - Try adding cumin to the beans and mixing with cooked veggies.

Spinach, tuna and bean salad with oil and vinegar

Add more as you think of them!

 

 

Rachel's Meaty Zucchini Casserole

6-8 medium sized zucchini

1.5 lbs meat (I use a combination of sausage and ground meat)

2 eggs

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 onion, chopped and sautéed

1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated (can use the cheepo kind too:)

1 cup colby jack, cheddar or mozzarella cheese (I use whatever I have on hand)

1.5-2 Jars spaghetti sauce (24 oz)

spices (oregano, parlsey) to taste, optional

2-4 cups cooked rice, optional

1 cup cottage cheese, optional

Cook meat. Put in 9X13 casserole dish to cool, leaving fat from cooking in pan.

Wash and trim ends of zucchini. You can also peel zucchini, which is what my family prefers. Cut zucchini lengthwise into four pieces. Then cut into inch wide pieces. Preheat oven to 350. Cook zucchini until mostly done in pan you used to cook meat. I usually cover and cook on medium low for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

While zucchini cooks mix together eggs, garlic and parmesan cheese and spaghetti sauce into meat mixture. When zucchini is done cooking, drain it then mix into the meet mixture. Add more spaghetti sauce, if desired and rice and/or cottage cheese, if desired. Top with some cheese before putting in over, or right before taking out of the oven. Cover lightly with tinfoil then cook 45-60 minutes.

P.F. Chang's Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons oil
• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (or ground chicken)
• 1 cup water chestnut
• 2/3 cup mushroom
• 3 tablespoons chopped onions
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 4 -5 leaves iceberg lettuce

Special Sauce

• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/8 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon hot mustard (optional)
• 2 teaspoons HOT water (optional)
• 1 -2 teaspoon garlic and red chile paste (optional)

Stir Fry Sauce

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon rice wine vinegar

Directions: ** you might want to use a food processor to speed things along!

1. 1 Make the special sauce by dissolving the sugar in water in a small bowl.
2. 2 Add soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, ketchup, lemon juice and sesame oil.
3. 3 Mix well and refrigerate this sauce until you're ready to serve.
4. 4 Combine the hot water with the hot mustard and set this aside as well.
5. 5 Eventually add your desired measurement of mustard and garlic chili sauce to the special sauce mixture to pour over the wraps.
6. 6 Bring oil to high heat in a wok or large frying pan.
7. 7 Saute chicken breasts for 4 to 5 minutes per side or done.
8. 8 Remove chicken from the pan and cool.
9. 9 Keep oil in the pan, keep hot.
10. 10 As chicken cools mince water chestnuts and mushrooms to about the size of small peas.
11. 11 Prepare the stir fry sauce by mixing the soy sauce, brown sugar, and rice vinegar together in a small bowl.
12. 12 When chicken is cool, mince it as the mushrooms and water chestnuts are.
13. 13 With the pan still on high heat, add another Tbsp of vegetable oil.
14. 14 Add chicken, garlic, onions, water chestnuts and mushrooms to the pan.
15. 15 Add the stir fry sauce to the pan and saute the mixture for a couple minutes then serve it in the lettuce"cups".
16. 16 Top with"Special Sauce".

Chicken and Rice Soup

Ingredients:

• 1.5 lbs chicken thighs
• salt and pepper
• 2 tsp canola oil
• 2 cups onions, diced
• 1.5 cups celery, diced
• 1 cup carrots, diced
• 2 tsp sage (I prefer a little less, but Breno loves it like this)
• 1 tsp garlic powder (or real garlic)
• 1/4 tsp thyme
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup water
• 2 cups cooked brown or white rice

Season chicken with salt and pepper (remove skin from chicken for a "healthier", but in my opinon, less tasty soup). Heat an 8-quart pot on medium. Sear chicken in oil until golden, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, mix onions, celery, carrots, sage, garlic, thyme and nutmeg. Add vegetable/spices to chicken. Satue until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add broth and water. Cover pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes (until chicken pulls away from the bone). Remove chicken, discard bones and add meat back to the pot. Mix in rice just before eating and heat 2 to 3 minutes.

Lentil soup

Ingredients:

• 3 Tbs olive oil


• 3 medium carrots, peeled and diced


• 3 medium celery stalks, diced


• 1 large onion, diced


• 3 cloves garlic, minced


• 4 sliced bacon, diced or ham, diced (optional, but makes it very good)


• 8-9 cups water


• 2 cups lentils picked over and rinsed (1 lb bag)


• 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes, drained (I use italian flavored and then omit the thyme)


• 1 tsp dried thyme


• 1.5 tsp balsamic vinegar


• 1-2 tsp salt (more if you use water, less if you use broth etc)


• ground black pepper

Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-low heat. Add carrots, celery, onion, garlic and bacon/ham and cook, stirring ocassionally, until tender but not browned, about 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in water, lentils, tomatoes and thyme. Cover and bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until the lentils are tender, about 30-45 minutes. Stir in balasmic vinegar, salt and ground balck pepper.

Recipe from The Joy of Cooking

Taco Salad

Ingredients

• tortilla chips
• 1-2 avocados
• 2 tomatoes
• 1 small head lettuce
• 1 cup jack or cheddar cheese
• 1 can kidney beans
• 1 lb hamburger
• 1 packet taco seasoning, optional

Cook hamburger and add taco seasoning per packet instructions. Mix all ingredients in large bowl.

Dressing

• 1 1/2 cups salsa mixed with mayo. Mix as much mayo in as you want for taste.

Tavia's White Chicken Chili

Ingredients

• 1 lb chicken, canned or fresh (shredded, cooked or cubed)
• 1 medium onion, chopped (steam in water until translucent)
• 1 (16 oz) can chicken broth
• 1 (16 oz) can cream of chicken soup
• 1 small can chopped green chilies
• 1 cup water or more, depending on consistency
• 1 can (11 oz) green giant brand mexi-corn
• 2 (16 oz) cans of great northern beans
• 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder or fresh garlic
• 1/2-1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• ------------------------
• 1/2 cup whipping cream or evaporated milk
• 1 cup sour cream (you can also use the entire can of evap. milk and omit sour cream)
• cheese
• tortilla chips

Mix first group of ingredients together and heat through. Just before serving add the whipping cream and sour cream. Top with cheese and tortilla chips.

Also tastes great dairy free (no cream of chicken soup, evaporated milk, sour cream and cheese)