Back to Basics 27 - Coleslaw

I'm kind of picky about coleslaw. I don't like coleslaw that's swimming in mayo and the veggies are limp and lifeless, I also don't like coleslaw that barely has anything and it just tastes like cabbage salad. The worst though, is watery coleslaw. UGH. This recipe is perfect. The cabbage is crispy, there is enough mayo to coat all the veggies and it's also gorgeous! This goes great alongside some pulled pork with homemade BBQ sauce.

Homemade Mayonnaise

Making mayo at home is not as crazy as it sounds. I feel like that's a pattern on this blog. Many things sound super complicated but when you actually found out how to make them, they're super easy. I decided to make my own because of the same reason I make everything else, I wanted real food. It's also really cool to see how it's made and it's a lot fresher. The taste of fresh mayo does not even compare to store-bought. This recipe is from Alton Brown, who is a culinary genius! If you cross Mythbusters with Food network, you get Alton. You don't need any unusual equipment to make mayo, all you need is a whisk and a bowl.

The only thing I will say about the homemade mayonnaise is, there is no way to make this "low-fat". Once you see what ingredients go in mayo, you will question just how they can sell it in a store and call it low- fat or even fat-free. There's gotta be some crazy science behind making mayo only 10 calories per tablespoon. So, I would suggest using the real thing, but just use less of it.

Back to Basics 26 - Spicy Broccoli

I'm always looking for sides recipes. I can make grilled chicken breast and I know right away what grains I want to make with it (Quinoa with pine nuts, brown rice, farro with pistachios). Same goes for steak, fish or meatloaf. But I'm at a loss for the veggie side. Well, this recipe has saved many dinners! It's quick, nutritious, delicious and easy. I always have everything in my pantry, including the broccoli which I keep in my freezer. You don't even need to defrost it, just pull out the amount you need and add it to the skillet. Just omit the chicken stock or add a tiny bit.

Back to Basics 25 - Meatloaf

This is my go-to recipe for meatloaf. It makes A LOT of meatloaf, it's tasty and it has so much nutrition! The bulgur and mushrooms allow you to decrease the amount of fatty ground beef, while not taking away any of the flavor. In fact, it adds to it! This recipe does have a few steps so let's get right to it!

Back to Basics 24 - How to Cook Chickpeas

"Why would you cook chickpeas when you can buy canned?"-you ask
Well, #1 it's fresher. Who knows how long those chickpeas have been in that can? Plus the can might contain BPA which we don't like.
#2 it's cheaper! You can buy organic chickpeas, or any bean for that matter, and it will be cheaper than the organic canned beans or maybe even the conventional ones!
#3 you get to choose the consistency you want for your beans. You can cook them for longer, or add different spices and herbs to flavor them.

Plus it's really not that hard! You barely do any work. I'll show you.

Better Onion Bagels

Soooooo I've given you guys a recipe for onion bagels in the past (click here). This one is infinitely better. It's softer and chewier and it has the perfect amount of onions. It was taken from this awesome book called "Make the Bread, Buy the Butter", it teaches you how to make all this great stuff at home and answers the questions: is it worth it? Is it cheaper? So, give this a try! It's really not that hard to make!

Yellow Mustard

Today's recipe is a good one. It takes you about 10 minutes to do and everybody will think you're a chef when they learn you made this. The humble yellow mustard!

Whole Wheat English Muffins

I was looking online for a recipe for whole wheat English muffins that were mostly whole wheat flour without being too dense, and I'm pretty sure I found the perfect one. It uses 5 cups of whole wheat flour and only 1 of white all purpose flour. If you find that it's still too dense for you, you can always substitute all purpose for the whole wheat until you reach the perfect density. English muffins are surprisingly easy to make. Give'em a try!!

Greek Pasta

This pasta recipe is pretty interesting. Instead of using the typical tomato to make a sauce, we use jarred roasted red peppers; instead of Parmesan, we use feta. It's an especially perfect recipe for Meatless Mondays because it's so quick! First of all, you don't miss the meat. Second: Mondays are hard! Nobody wants to spend hours in the kitchen after coming home from work and you can work on cooking the pasta while the sauce is being made. You also proooobably have most of the ingredients in your pantry right now. That being said, if you do want to add some meat, chicken, tuna or shrimp would be a great addition.

Miso Soup

I came across this delightful recipe when I was searching for miso soup with a bit more substance. I had a cold and wanted to get better VERY soon and this did the trick. It has garlic and ginger which are great for you when you have a cold (and also great for your taste buds). We add mushrooms and bok choy which give you lots of vitamins. Lastly, it has some very flavorful and not-at-all-dry chicken thighs. So, let's get this going!!