Handmade Corn Tortillas

Third Times A Charm...

I attempted corn tortillas on Saturday night...fail. I made them again Sunday afternoon...fail. I attempted one last time on Sunday night...EPIC WIN!
Corn Tortillas-2 Robin-1
Not that anyone is keeping score.

But I wanted to share with you my meal; Fresh Peach Pico de Gallo, Shredded Chicken and Handmade Corn Tortillas.
I made this meal with my friend Jessica-Rae. I called her up the moment I wanted to learn to make these because she shares the same passion for food that I have. She is quite the incredible girl. She's a creative genius. She holds the best parties and writes stories more incredibly interesting than Ernest Hemingway. On top of that, she is literally one of the most generous people I know. The things she has done for people, I don't have time to list here. She is bold, she is uber intelligent and drop dead gorgeous. She is one of my best friends and I am so proud of her. 

Let's start with the Corn Tortillas...which should be easy for you because I have already made all the mistakes and worked out the kinks!

Ariel Moreland "The Adventures of Maseca Flour"

Handmade Corn Tortillas

 

What You Will Need:

Masa Harina** (I found this bag in the international section at Food Lion for $1.39)

Water 

Salt

Cast Iron Skillet

**These Tortillas are Gluten Free!

Really important-make sure that you get the right type of flour. Regular corn meal does not work as tortilla flour is specially treated with lime and cooked and dried appropriately for tortillas. 
For ingredient measurements, follow directions on the bag and mix together the ingredients. You should have a dough that is slightly wet but doesn't stick to your hands. If it sticks, add more flour until it comes to the correct consistency. Now, these are simple to make but can be a bit tricky if you don't follow each step. Trust me. I have failed twice. 

So, start by rolling a golf ball-sized ball of dough. While you are making the individual tortillas, keep a damp paper towel covering your original bowl of dough to keep it moist.

For your golf ball-sized dough ball, lay a piece of plastic wrap on the counter and put the ball of dough on top. Warning: learn from my mistakes and use the plastic. Sometimes I believe rules were not made for me and this is one of those times. I learned my lesson. Next, top the dough with another piece of plastic wrap. Then take a pie pan or a heavy pot and put it on top of the dough ball and press down. Now, in order to get the size you want, you will need to do this about 3 to 4 times. IMPORTANT: after each time you flatten the dough, you need to pull the top piece of plastic off and put it back on, flip it over and do the same to the other side. This will keep it from sticking.
Once you have the appropriate size tortilla, it's time to cook it. You will be making these one at a time. They're not like pancakes which can be cooked 10 at a time, so be patient. They only take a couple of minutes each. I cooked mine in a cast iron pan. You don't need any oil...another mistake I made, though I found that if you fry them in coconut oil, they are DELICIOUS but do not hold up well as tacos.
So add your tortilla into your already hot, dry pan. Medium heat is good for a cast iron skillet. DO NOT TOUCH IT OR FLIP IT until the edges start to come up off the bottom of the pan (I epically failed at this the 2nd time. Honestly I wouldn't even look at them. Just let them sit). It will take anywhere from 30-60 secs. Once that happens, flip and cook the other
side. 
When the tortilla is done, keep it in a tortilla warmer or in an oven set to about 200 degrees. Make sure to cover them with a damp towel if you keep them in the oven.

I made the tortillas last so that they were hot and fresh. Here are the two items that I filled them with:  

 

Pico De Gallo Credit: Jessica-Rae

Fresh Peach Pico De Gallo

(Made by Jessica-Rae)

What you will need:

3 Ripe Peaches
1 Red Onion
1 Jalapeno
2 Tomatoes
5 Sprigs of FRESH Cilantro
1 TBSP White Wine Vinegar
Sea Salt

Roughly chop peaches, tomatoes, jalapeno and red onion and add to a serving bowl. Pull cilantro leaves off stems and add to bowl. Next mix in vinegar and sprinkle with sea salt to taste. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving. 

Shredded Chicken

What you will need:

4 Chicken Breast
No Salt Added Chicken Stock
Water
Onion Powder 
Garlic Powder
Chili Powder
Cumin
White Pepper
Cinnamon

This is also super easy. I don't always measure out seasonings and ingredients and will go by what I feel. This is how I created this recipe. If you eat as much as I do, you can acquire the same skill. I was really worried about it not coming out right but it was absolutely delicious.  I put the chicken breast in the pot (make sure if you use frozen breast to defrost them first. Always defrost your meat before cooking it or it will be chewy when it's done). Pour no salt added chicken stock into pot covering chicken half way. Generously add onion powder and garlic powder. Not so generously add chili powder, white pepper and cumin (about half the amount of the onion and garlic powder). And in an even less generous manner, add the cinnamon. Next, add enough water to cover the chicken breast completely. Cook on medium heat for about 45 minutes. Cooking meat like this at a lower temperature for a longer amount of time is what causes it to fall apart and easily shred.

Flank Steak Corn Tortillas

Once the chicken is done, remove it from what ever liquid is left; there shouldn't be much. Put it into a bowl and shred it with two forks. You can add it back into the pan with the left over liquid and cook it uncovered until the liquid is ALMOST gone. 

Assemble your tortillas and enjoy!






-RB Xx

Roasted Tomato Dijon Chicken

Oh, you fancy...

So I know that many of you may be turned off by the fact that this recipe uses Dijon Mustard. But trust me when I say that the flavor profile the mustard in this dish carries is incredible. I have traditionally never liked dijon or stone ground mustards which is weird because Grey Poupon was wildly popular when I was a child...

"Pardon Me, but would you happen to have any Grey Poupon?"

"But of course."

Yeah, no. 

But I happened on these little jars of delicious Private Selection mustard's at the store one day and somehow now have a small hoard of them in my house. They were only $2.50 a piece on sale. When I see something that I love on sale, I buy 48 of them. That's what happened here. So now I have a flavored mustard for any and every occasion. 

The one I use for this recipe is "Stone Ground Mustard". It's simple, strong and vibrant. I love it. 

So, here it is...

Roasted Tomato Dijon Chicken

What You Will Need:

2 Chicken Breast (Butterflied)

4 Roma Tomatoes or 2 Beefsteak Tomatoes

1 Cup Low Sodium Chicken Stock 

2 Tbsp Dijon Mustard

2 Tsp Oregano

2 Tbsp Non Fat Plain Greek Yogurt 

Start off by cutting your roma tomatoes in half. If you use beefsteak tomatoes, cut them into quarters. Put the tomatoes cut side up onto a baking sheet. Turn your oven on to "broil" and put the tomatoes in. Your oven may be like mine and the broiler is in the drawer under the oven door. The point is to broil the tomatoes until they are black. This is perfectly ok to do. They will not taste burnt! There are actually several vegetable you can do this to to enhance the flavor: broccoli, cauliflower, green beans and red peppers are a few. 

While your tomatoes are roasting, take a pan and spray it with some Trader Joe's coconut oil spray. Add your butterflied chicken breast and saute on both sides until the chicken is thoroughly cooked. At this point, take the chicken out of the pan and leave put it to the side. There will be drippings left in the pan from the chicken, leave them in there because you will be using this same pan again.
Check on your tomatoes. When they're done, add them to the pan you had the chicken in. Take a fork and smash the tomatoes so that their juices run out. You are guaranteed to get tomato guts on you at some point. It's normal. 
Turn the burner on to about medium and add the chicken stock, greek yogurt, oregano and mustard. Use a plastic spatula to scrape the chicken trimmings off the bottom of the pan and to stir the mixture. Once the liquid is simmering, add the chicken breast again. Cook covered for about 5 mins.
My favorite side to serve this chicken with is green beans. They pair so well together. Plus, for whatever reason, green beans make me feel fancy...and I feel like this is a fancy chicken dish. 

This time I served the chicken with brown rice and ginger carrots (thinly slice your carrots, season with powered ginger and nutmeg and steam). Be creative but keep it healthy! 

I hope you love this recipe! If you make it, instagram it and tag #mypicnictable, I'd love to see it!! And as always, the best way to serve this food is to a table full of the people you love!

-RB Xx

French Lentil Soup

I Wish You Could Smell This Blog Post...

I found this soup online somewhere when I was first introduced to lentils. Whenever you find a new recipe, it's always a risk. You never know how it's going to turn out. It could sound great and end up a dud or it can sound a little strange and end up changing your life. This recipe changed my life. 15 minutes into cooking it, I was engulfed in an aroma that made me melt. I stood at the stove stirring the onions and carrots and spices and I could hardly believe what I was smelling. Seriously, if it smelled this good, I couldn't imagine how it tasted. 
Since then I have made this soup seven or eight times, usually when I have friends over for dinner. This time, I made it for Shereen. Shereen is one of my great friends. Her wardrobe is impeccable. She has a fantastic fashion sense and every piece in her closet is a "statement piece". We work well together because she can be just as sarcastic as I can and can handle my weird side. I don't know that we have ever taken each other seriously. 

Here it is...as always, I have adapted the recipe to fit me a little better. I REALLY hope that you enjoy this!

French Lentil Soup

What You Will Need:

1/8 Cup Olive Oil (I have also used Coconut Oil and it works just as well)

1 Large Onion, Diced

4 Carrots, Diced

1 Green Pepper, Diced

1 Cup Celery, Diced (Or 1 Tbsp Celery Seeds)

8-10 Sprigs of Thyme (Remove the leaves from the stem. I use fresh thyme as it is cheap and you can find it anywhere. You can use the left over to season chicken. And with any fresh herbs, you can always dry your left overs)

1 Tbsp Dried Tarragon

1 Tsp Paprika 

5 Cloves Garlic, Minced (I have also added shallots and it's just as delicious)

2 14.5oz Cans of Diced Tomatoes

1 1/3 Cup of French Lentils (Rinsed and drained. If you tend to have "issues" with beans, soak the lentils for 12 hours in water before and it should help significantly)

7 Cups of Low Sodium Chicken Stock (Substitute vegetable stock to make this soup vegan)

Begin with heating the oil in a large soup pan. When oil is hot, add onions. Make sure the heat is turned down low at this point. You will want to cook the onions like this for 10 minutes or until they are translucent. When they are ready, add the tarragon, thyme and paprika. Stir and cook for another 5 minutes. Next add the garlic, celery (or celery seeds), green peppers, and carrots and cook until all vegetables are soft. At this point, add your canned tomatoes. Stir until mixture is covered and let this cook for 5 minutes. When you're ready, add the drained lentils. Stir again so everything is coated and mixed well. If your mixture is dry at this point, add a little bit of stock. When it is all good and mixed, add the remaining stock and bring to a boil. Once it boils, turn down the heat to bring the soup to a simmer. Put a lid on it and let it cook for 25-30 minutes or until the lentils are soft. 

There are several ways you can serve this soup. I served it with brussel sprouts this time. You can also dice baked sweet potatoes, butternut squash or acorn squash and pour the soup over that. It goes perfectly with a good crusty sourdough bread. But I ALWAYS buy a block of Parmesan and grate it on top of the hot soup. Another idea, serve it garnished with pistachios.

However you serve it, it will be amazing. It's not a recipe that you can mess up easily. It's one that allows you to be creative and change out ingredients to fit your pallet. But most of all, it is hearty, filling and one of the most aromatic, delicious soups I have ever had. ENJOY!

-RB Xx

Seriously, This Chicken Recipe.

It's KILLER...

When eating healthy for the purposes of fueling your body to reach a fitness goal, it can get REALLY monotonous. It's all; brown rice, plain chicken breast and steamed broccoli...
BORING. Friggen shoot me now. I had raw spinach for my lunch today and forgot my balsamic dressing at home...I almost died. I had to eat it plain and it was torture...and I like raw spinach. 
I don't think it needs to be this way. 
I love flavor and food, and flavor and food together. Make sense? So I have been looking  for some ways to add really great flavor to really healthy foods that don't add a lot of salt, sugar, fat or calories to it. And it's got to be easy. This is really easy! 

Hot & Sweet Chicken

What you will need:

1 Green Pepper
1 Onion (I prefer Vidalia or "Sweet Onions")
1/2 Tbsp Coconut Oil
3 Chicken Breast Cubed
1/2 Tbsp Cumin
1/2 Tbsp Onion Powder
1/2 Tbsp Garlic Powder
Cayenne Pepper ("grow some" and add a lot!)
5 Tbsp Trader Joe's Hot & Sweet Mustard (If you can't get this, honey mustard works too!)
1/2 Cup Pineapple Chunks (Trader Joe's has frozen tidbits but you can always use fresh)


***Cooking Tip: You don't need to add salt to this recipe. If you add salt, I will magically show up in your kitchen and slap the salt shaker out of your hand. Test me.

To start, cut your onion and green pepper and sautee in a pan with the coconut oil. Coconut oil is AMAZING. And it's a miracle ingredient because it doesn't take much. Always use less than what you think you need.

**Cooking Tip: When cooking onions and peppers together, I always start with the peppers first. They take a about 3-4 minutes longer to cook than the onions. But like with most of my vegetables, I never cook them until they're limp. Who wants wimpy, limpy, soggy vegetables? Cook them less than what you think they need. The more you cook veggies, the more you remove the nutrients. My rule is this; the more they keep their color, the more they keep their minerals and vitamins and all that snazzy stuff. They should still have their shape and crispiness when you're done cooking them.

Next, take the onions and peppers out of the pan but leave the liquid that appeared during the cooking process in it. Add your cubed chicken and season it with your cumin, cayenne pepper (however much your little taste buds can handle), onion & garlic powder. Cook the chicken on medium heat until it's cooked through. This should take about 7-8 minutes. At that point add your hot & sweet mustard. Let this cook for another 3-4 minutes or so. You will want to cook the extra liquid off. The mustard may caramelize a little bit as it cooks. Near the end of this process, add your pineapple and cook for a minute more. Make sure not to add the pineapple until the chicken is cooked completely.


You're done! Congratulations, I know you did a really good job!

Side Recommendations:
Sweet Potato
Baked Purple Potato
Brown Rice
Black Rice AKA: Forbidden Rice
Broccoli
Acorn Squash 
Black Beans
Sauteed Spinach

You're going to thank me for this recipe.
You're welcome:)

-RB Xx

Breakfast is Served.

Ah, breakfast. 

It's how you start your day. It sets the tone for your day. It's what gets your energy up or brings it down (depending on what you eat). It's what kick starts your metabolism. It's one of the most important meals of the day. 

DO NOT be that person who skips breakfast. If you don't eat breakfast your chances of gaining weight increase drastically. Start your day off right by eating something to fuel your body. Your body does a considerable amount of work repairing and rebuilding during those hours while you're sleeping. Replenish the nutrients it burns while you're dreaming with a solid breakfast. Your mood will be better, you will last longer and be be able to keep your concentration at work, you will work harder during the day and you will lose more weight.

My breakfast usually takes about 15 minutes top to prep, cook and eat. If you're not eating breakfast now, you don't need to get up hours early to add it to your day. For my breakfast I will usually eat a protein, vegetable and a healthy carbohydrate. And of course, the most important part of my morning meal: COFFEE. I have recently changed my coffee up. I used to drink 1/4 mug of Coffee Mate Hazelnut Creamer and 3/4 mug of dark roast coffee. I did this even when I cut all other sugar out of my diet. And even though the creamer was the only sugar I allowed my self, it was adding around 25 grams of sugar and about 175 unneeded calories into my diet. In addition to that, it was setting the tone for my day. When I started my morning with that much sugar, it made it harder to say no to all the other sweets I was trying not to eat. I knew for a while that I wanted to stop using the creamer but I couldn't bring myself to do it. 

I finally got brave and stopped cold turkey. It has been the hardest cut I have made to date. Out of all the fats, white flours, refined sugars, salts, mash potatoes, and processed foods...the coffee creamer caused the biggest uproar in my mind and body. For several days after the removal of the liquid gold poured down from Heaven like Manna, my appetite became insatiable. No matter how much food I ate, I was ravenous immediately after. My body wanted that sugar back in the most obnoxious way. 

Sugar is just as addictive as drugs people. I was going through withdrawals. 

Now I'm back on track. As far as coffee goes, I still drink my dark roast every morning but it looks like this: 1/4 of my mug is filled with unsweetened vanilla almond milk and the other 3/4's, dark roast coffee. Took a bit to get used to, but it works. The monster inside of me has calmed. 

As far as food is concerned, here are a few examples of what my breakfast usually looks like: 

Scrambled Egg Whites & Salsa Served with Vanilla Scented Oatmeal & Steamed Brussel Sprouts

Brussel Sprouts: Clean brussel sprouts (cut about 1 cm of the bottom off. Do not cut too much off as it will take the leaves with it). Cut in half. Add to a pan with 1/2 inch of water. Cook covered for 3 minutes. 

Eggs:  Add 2 Tbsp of salsa to 3 egg whites and scramble with a fork. Spray a small frying pan with coconut oil spray (Trader Joe's) and heat to medium. Add eggs and use a spatula to stir until all liquid is gone. 

Oatmeal: Add 1/2 cup of old fashioned oats, 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk to a pot. Heat on medium high and boil. Stir occasionally. When it boils, turn down heat and cook until it looks like what oatmeal looks like when it's done.  

Basted Eggs Served with Sweet Potato Cakes

Eggs: Heat a small pan with about 1/2 inch of water in it on high heat. When water boils, which happens very quickly, crack two eggs into it. Cover the pan with a lid. It will take the eggs about two minutes to cook to over-medium (slightly runny yolks but cooked whites). You will need to watch the pan because the water tends to want to overflow and push the lid off. If that happens, just turn the heat down. When done, use a flat spatula to remove from pan and serve.

Sweet Potato Cakes: I take already baked sweet potatoes and add an egg. Depending on how many you need, I would add one egg to every two potatoes. As an additional binder, I add about 1 Tbsp of buckwheat flour per two potatoes. You can season it any way you want. I like them with cinnamon but you can make them savory by adding garlic powder and onion powder instead. When you have all ingredients together in a bowl, mix. Heat 1 tsp coconut oil in a pan on medium heat. Spoon the potato mixture into the pan in small piles. Flatten the pile down with the spoon to make a pancake shape. When cake is golden brown on one side, flip and cook until golden brown on the other. If you make them with cinnamon, drizzle with honey or pure maple syrup when served. If you make them the more savory way, serve with salsa and a small dollop pf plain greek yogurt on top (greek yogurt is a great substitute for sour cream in ANY dish. Make the switch). 

Vegetable & Egg White Frittata with Vanilla Scented Oatmeal

Vegetable & Egg Frittata: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8 inch cake pan with non-stick spray and add whatever diced vegetables you want. I added my vegetables in raw. The only thing I pre-cooked was the spinach. In this frittata I added: onions, green peppers, tomatoes, spinach, broccoli and feta cheese. In a separate bowl, add 8 egg whites and 2 whole eggs. Scramble. Pour egg mixture over top of the vegetables in the cake pan. Bake for 18 minutes.

Scrambled Egg Whites & Salsa Served with Steamed Broccoli. 

Broccoli: Cut broccoli into desired sized pieces. Add 1/2 inch of water into a frying pan. Add broccoli and cover pan with lid. Cook for 4 minutes. When done, broccoli should be crisp, not limp, and bright green, not dark green. Do not overcook your veggies. The more it cooks, the more nutrients you loose. And if you're daring, you can do what I do. Pour the liquid left from cooking into a glass, let it cool and drink up!

Hope this gave you some great ideas! And no, broccoli and brussel sprouts are not weird breakfast foods. I promise! Now go and EAT!

-RB Xx

Apple Butter.

Butter...

No, just kidding. Despite the name, apple butter does not contain butter. I know, I know. But it's still equally delicious. The taste of apple butter takes me back to when I was a child as multiple family members of mine have made it throughout the years. I'm pretty sure it's a southern thing. If you have yet to try it, you're missing out. It's like a thick, sweet, cinnamon-y applesauce that goes great on so many things.
Most apple butter recipes call for a large amount of sugar; at least two cups. But since I limit my sugar intake as much as possible, I wanted a healthier apple butter that I could eat large amounts of. So I made my own no-sugar-added version. Apples have enough sugar in them to make the butter sweet. In this no-sugar-added recipe, there are about 20 calories per tablespoon. I also cut out a lot of the cooking time, most of it actually. If you looked up apple butters, you would find that most recipes call for 15 hours in the crock pot or a few hours of simmering in a pot on the stove. Mine took me less than 45 minutes. 
I win. 

So here it is. This recipe is great during the fall and holiday seasons as apple are prevalent during this time. You can experiment with different types of apples. You can also use multiple types in the same batch. 

What you will need:

13 Gala Apples
1 Cup No Sugar Added Apple Juice
1 Tbsp Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Nutmeg
1/2 tsp Cloves 
1/2 tsp Apple Pie Spice

Cut all apples into quarters, removing the core and seeds. DO NOT PEEL. Slice the quarters again so that each apple is now in eight slices. When all apples are cut and cored, add into a large pot. Next add all spices and 1/2 cup of apple juice. Cover pan with lid and cook on medium heat for 25 minutes. After 25 minutes, remove lid and use a wooden spoon to mash the apples. Cook for 15 additional minutes uncovered. If at any point the apple mixture gets dry and begins to stick to the pan add remaining 1/2 cup apple juice. 
Apple butter is done when consistency is thick. When it reaches that point, remove from heat. Add contents of the pot into a blender or food processor and puree. 
Once the apple butter is cooled, add to jars or whatever containers you have and refrigerate.

Cooking Tip: With any food, try your best not to refrigerate it while it's still hot. Let it cool on the counter first. The more it's cooled before it's refrigerated, the longer it last. Just don't let your food sit out longer than 4 hours. That's when you begin entering the danger zone. 

 

What I Eat My Apple Butter With:

Whole Wheat Bagel Thins and Peanut Butter

Toasted Whole Wheat/Ezekiel Bread

Mix In with an Plain Oatmeal Packet

Add 2 Tbsp to Your Cottage Cheese

Add on Top of Your Baked Sweet Potato

Sometimes I just sit on my couch with a spoon and eat it out of the jar...:)

Enjoy!!

-RB Xx

Pumpkin Ice Cream

Jack-O-Lanterns Never Looked So Tasty...

I can't imagine my life with out ice cream. Some of my favorite things are made of ice cream. "Like what?" you ask.
Like ice cream cake. 
Yeah, that's right. 

Most of my friends know this fact about me and the other day my friend Yasmina told me about this recipe. I just LOVE Yasmina. One of the first things you notice about her is her beauty. The second thing you notice about her is that she's just as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside. She's one of those people who keeps me sane. If ever I feel crazy, I seek her out and just have a conversation with her. In the end, I always feel like I've gained my sanity back. She is so easy to talk to and so full of wisdom. My friendship with her always feels natural and easy.
I was really really stoked when she told me about this recipe for pumpkin ice cream. I've never actually jumped on the pumpkin train. I hate pumpkin coffee drinks; they taste like detergent to me. And I'd choose apple pie over pumpkin pie every time. But I wanted to check it out so I took her recipe, modified it to fit my diet and tried it. It turned out to be really good! And here it is for you to try. The consistency is more like sorbet but the taste is creamier because of the coconut milk. Give it a go!

Pumpkin Ice Cream

7-8 Frozen Bananas (the key to freezing bananas: wait until they are spotted because they have more flavor the older they are. Peel them before you freeze them because once you freeze them, the peel is impossible to get off)
1 Can Pumpkin Puree (NOT Pumpkin Pie Filling which is loaded with sugar. The bananas include enough sugar to sweeten the ice cream)
1/2 Can Lite Coconut Milk 
Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk  
1 Tsp Each: Cinnamon, Allspice, Nutmeg 


Add all ingredients into a blender. It helps to cut the bananas into quarters. The almond milk is there to help with the blending process. If the mixture is too thick and begins to become difficult to blend, add as much almond milk as it takes to get it spinning again. You may also need to stop every once and a while and use a spatula to push the bananas down towards the blade. 

Once it's blended, pour into a container and put into the freezer. It should be frozen in just a few hours. 

Once frozen, scoop into a bowl and DEVOUR!

-RB Xx