How to Cook Large Raw Lima Beans

My friend Sam, who is a chef I respect very much, has been on me for years to stop using canned legumes and embrace dried beans. He preached better flavor, no chemicals, more flavor control etc etc etc... Well... it turns out he's absolutely right, and I am slowly incorporating dry goods in my cooking. What follows is a method my friend Lori introduced me to by way of her Lima Bean & Sauerkraut Soup, and it has proven quite successful in other dishes as well. Enjoy!

How to cook raw lima beans:

• 8 oz dried large white lima beans - rinsed and sorted
• 1 medium carrot - rough chopped
• 1 medium celery rib - rough chopped
• 1/4 yellow onion - rough chopped
• 4 garlic cloves - smashed
• a few glugs of olive oil
• sea salt to finish

Place beans, carrot, celery, onion, and garlic in a pot. Add filtered water to cover by two inches. Add olive oil. Boil for 15 minutes then reduce heat to a simmer and cook until beans are tender, usually 1-2 hours. Add salt to taste near the end of cooking. Pour mixture into a suitable strainer and reserve the cooking water for possible use in your main dish.

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Garlic Sprouts with Turkey Bacon & Shallots

I adore Brussels sprouts and their versatility. I decided on a trial run of some new ingredients that were kicking around the fridge and needed to get used. So here you have it:

Total prep time is 15 minutes, so it's a really quick hot and very healthy lunch... (the turkey bacon is 90+% fat free) Or if you're on the go, make it in the morning and pack it - it's really good cold as well.

Ingredients:

• 1  10 oz pkg frozen Brussels sprouts (fresh are also good)
• 1 small shallot
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 strips turkey bacon
• Salt to taste
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Preparation:
Cook the Brussels sprouts in water until almost tender. Keep them firm as they will be going in the skillet later. Mince the shallot and garlic and cut the turkey bacon into small pieces. Sautee these items in the olive oil until the bacon is nicely browned. Add a dash of salt if needed.

When the sprouts are done, drain and then cut them in half. Add to the pan and mix while sauteeing for a few more minutes until the sprouts are partially browned.

Serve as is or with a touch of parmesan.

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Low-Carb Cauliflower Mash

Boiled potatoes, with their glycemic index around 80, are simply not a good choice for diabetics. Everybody loves a good pile of mashed potatoes, though... especially when slathered with a good gravy. I found this cauliflower mash on the ADA's Diabetic Food Hub and have to say... it works. It will never replace the awesomeness of the mashed potatoes I still make for everyone else on holidays, but hey... I'm a diabetic and have to do what's right for me. 

I've adapted this one with a bit more cheese and salt for more flavor. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 large head cauliflower
• 1 tbsp salted butter
• 1/2 cup sharp white cheddar cheese - grated 
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp fresh chives or scallions - chopped

Preparation:

Cut the cauliflower into florets (discard the thick stem). Insert a steamer basket in a large pot and fill the pot with water up until the level of the steamer basket. Add the cauliflower florets. Cover the pot and steam over high heat for 12-15 minutes or until the cauliflower is softened.

Drain the cauliflower and add it to a large bowl. Use a fork or potato masher to mash the cauliflower. Stir in the butter and cheese while the cauliflower is still hot. Add the salt and pepper and stir until the mixture is mostly smooth and creamy. (Chef Michael Note: If you want your mash really smooth, finish the mix with a stick blender.) Serve and top with chives or scallions.

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

 

Lemon Parmesan Barley

I think I've now established that barley has become my go-to grain, not only because of its low glycemic index but also because it matches my flavor pallet and cooking so well. I always look for new ways to use this grain, and recently I came across this little gem on Food.com that will pair quite well with any lemon oriented protein. Enjoy!

Barley is shown here paired with Chicken Gruyere

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups chicken broth
• 3/4 cup quick cooking barley
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 cup shaved parmesan cheese
• 1 tbsp lemon zest
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Preparation:

Combine the broth, oil and pepper in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir in the barley, cover and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer ~12 minutes until tender and liquid is absorbed.

Remove from heat and stir in cheese, lemon zest and parsley.

Cover and let stand for 5 minutes... then fluff with fork and serve.

Barley is shown here paired with Slow Cooker Mediterranean Chicken

The barley also pairs well with Lemon Caper Snapper

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Lima Bean Medley

 

One of my rainy day experiments turned out to be a very nutritious dish with fair amount of protein, anti-oxidants and other stuff that’s good for you. 😊 Use stand-alone or as a side or even as a snack. A half recipe is plenty for two people as a side dish with some left over.

Ingredients:

·       16 oz frozen baby lima beans

·       10 oz baby portobello mushrooms - sliced

·       2 lge yellow onions – cut up to your liking

·       2 tbsp olive oil

·       Salt & pepper to taste

 

Preparation:

Cook the lima beans per pkg instructions and set aside.

In a non-stick Dutch oven , or large skillet, saute the onions over medium heat until just translucent.

Add the mushrooms and continue to cook until mushrooms are soft.

Add cooked lima beans and season with salt & pepper. Give it all a good toss and serve.

Lima Bean Medley paired with BBQ chicken and German Cucumber Salad

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Hot Bacon Kale

Ready for a green treat? Well then..... Have I got a treat for YOU!!!
I discovered kale.

There... I said it. I really didn't know kale existed until I was in my mid-fifties. LOL
I have to tell you... I'm kind of ticked off that nobody ever introduced me to
this great leafy green wonder before, but hey... can't win them all, right?
My introduction to kale was by way of this recipe, and let me tell you... it was baptism by fire, because this side is just insanely good! Now granted, it has bacon, and I am the first to admit that just about ANYTHING with bacon is amazing... There are more flavor levels to this dish than just the bacon, though, that make it so great. Here.... check it out...

Ingredients:

• 4 slices bacon, chopped - turkey bacon is what I use these days.
• 1 bunch fresh kale, about 10 oz, de-stemmed and shredded
• 2 tbsp real sherry (not the grocery store crap)
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp water

Preparation:

Mix sherry, mustard and water together in a measuring cup and set aside.

Place the bacon in a cold large stock pot over medium heat.

(cold pot promotes an even cook on the bacon)

Cook 3-4 minutes, until the bacon browns.

Cook's note here: I made a double batch in these pics and used turkey bacon.

 Add the kale and cook another 3-5 minutes, turning often, and pressing it down with a small lid or spatula until the kale reduces in size and is tender.

Turn the heat to low and add the sherry, mustard and water mix.
Toss until well blended and serve immediately.

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

White Bean Salad - Signature Collection

This fresh and bright white bean salad is another example of a restaurant cook not willing to share a recipe back in 2013. After finishing the bacon wrapped scallops that included this tasty treat I could not stop thinking about it all through dinner. Instead of dessert I ordered a second appetizer and we deconstructed right there at the table.

What follows is my version of a white bean salad inspired by the chef at S&P Oyster Company in Mystic Seaport, CT. I hope you enjoy this as much as Carolyn and I do. :-)

I never did write up the recipe back then, but fortunately I was smart enough to take a group shot of the ingredients I used, so that gave me a place to start.

After studying the old pic it was time to get to work cutting up the ingredients using sizes best I could see in the decade old images and guessing at quantities.

This looked like a pretty good balance so I just put it all together, taking really bad notes along the way. LOL Hey... creativity is not always pretty! :-)

Now that I had my salad it was time to create a proper dressing. I could see from the old picture that lime juice was included, so I immediately went to my Luscious Lemon Vinaigrette recipe for guidance. Trial and error came up with this mix.

My mix really brought it all together to create a fresh, vibrant, flavorful salad than can actually stand alone. And finally, here is the ingredient list I can call my own... Enjoy!

Salad Ingredients:

• +/-3 cups baby spinach - should yield 1.5 cups chopped
• 2 15oz cans white beans - drained and rinsed
• 1 orange bell pepper - diced
• 1 shallot - minced
• 2 medium tomatoes - seeded and then diced
• 1/2 English cucumber - peeled, quartered, seeded and diced - should yield 1 cup

Dressing Ingredients:

• 1/8 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/8 cup fresh squeezed lime juice
• 1/4 tsp table salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Barley with Beef Stock & Mushrooms

After multiple tries I can finally say the balance in this side dish is so good that it will rival any protein for top billing when served. :-) Cooked pearled barley is an excellent choice for diabetics as it has a GI of only 28 and a GL of only 6.2. Cooking it in a blend of beef stock and water and adding mushrooms takes this grain to a Next Level... Enjoy!

Served here with my Venison Fried Meatballs

Ingredients:

• 1 cup pearled barley - long cook - rinsed
• 2 cups beef stock
• 1 cup water
• 6-7 oz baby portobello mushrooms - coarsely chopped
• 1 tbsp salted butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• salt to taste

Preparation:
Bring beef stock and water to a boil. Add barley after a good rinse and simmer for approximately 4o minutes. Check liquid level toward the end as every stove is different. Adjust your timing as needed.
While the barley is simmering, saute the mushrooms in oil and butter until just done. Cover and set aside.
When barley is done, blend in the mushrooms. Check seasoning and add salt if needed.

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Roasted Asparagus & Red Bell Pepper

 Credit goes to Chef Robert Lewis at happydiabetic.com

Roasted asparagus in the oven is one of the easiest ways to prepare asparagus. Just coat them with a little olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and maybe a little minced garlic, and roast them until lightly browned and tender.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb of asparagus
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp fresh garlic -chopped
• 2-3 tbsp thin red bell pepper slivers
• salt & pepper to taste
• lemon juice for drizzle

Preparation:

First, wash the asparagus in cold water and trim away the lower 1/4 of the stalk. Toss the asparagus in a large bowl with 1 tbsp of oil and 1 tbsp chopped garlic. Add kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to your tasting. 

Roast at 425°F on a foil-covered baking sheet until stalks are soft and the skin is slightly crispy. Turn the stalks at 10 minutes of roasting time, add the bell pepper and roast another 8-10 minutes.

Cutting thin strips of bell pepper to roast on top of the asparagus will offer a feast of flavor for your pallet and a feast of color for your eyes! Top your cooked asparagus with a sprinkle of fresh lemon juice. Serve with something like my Garlic Butter Baked Cod.

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Chef Michael's Cauliflower Mash

I made this mash as an alternative to the one with cheese I got from the ADA's Diabetic Food Hub as not all proteins go well with a cheese flavor. As it turns out, my version is quite versatile and goes with just about any protein. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 medium head cauliflower
• 1 medium yellow onion - minced
• 2-3 tbsp salted butter - as needed
• flavored bread crumbs - as needed
• salt & pepper to taste

Preparation:

Cut up the cauliflower and use your preferred cooking method until the florets are moderately soft. I simmer/steam in my Guardian Service - lid on.

While the cauliflower is cooking, mince the onion and saute in a bit of olive oil until translucent and slightly browned. Set aside for later, including saute oil for flavor.

Once the cauliflower is cooked, use a potato masher to break up the florets.

Add butter and puree the cauliflower using a stick blender. Add salt, pepper, butter and maybe flavored bread crumbs until you achieve a consistency and flavor to your liking.

Finally add the sauteed onion to the mix and blend well. Set the mash aside and keep warm.

Blessed be... and happy cooking!