Are those potatoes?  Nope,  daikon radish cubes cooked and ready to mash.   A great low carb potato or rice substitute and full of fiber!

This week we are experimenting with lower carbohydrate potato substitutes.    At my house I had an array of  tubers of all shapes and sizes that I was cooking up.    Parsnips, Jicama, Rutabagas, Daikons,  Russets, Yukon Gold and New Potatoes were on my kitchen counter ready to be peeled, boiled and mashed.


Ah, this is the best part of the cookbook experimental thought process -  I feel like a mad scientist at work!  There I was slaving over these ugly potato versions in search of the right combination of potato fluffiness but lowering the carbohydrate with adding a less starchy but satisfying addition. 

Tubers in general are an excellent source of fiber,   most are good sources of Vitamin C,  Potassium and

Here's a low down of the tubers and their calorie/carb breakdown:


Sweet Potato:   These are the vitamin A powerhouses.  A serving of sweets will give you over 3 x the RDA for these essentail retanoids.   They also pack a punch of carbs at 24 g net carb/.5 cup.

Yukon Gold:  Those creamy deliciously yellow round potatoes that are perfect for making mashers.  22 g net carb  / .5 cup

Red Potato:   Very similar in nutrition to the Yukons. These potatoes hold their shape better when boiled and lend themselves to a great potato salad.   22 g net carb / .5 cup

Russet Potatoes -  These are your standard fluffy bakers which are known to make the best mashed potatoes.   27 g net carb in a 1/2 cup serving.  But if you hollow it out and just eat the skin - you get 2 net carbs per half potato skin!

Parsnips -  They look like a large pale carrot and taste like a cross between a potato and carrot - similar to a yam.   These are slightly lower in a carbohydrates than your standard potato and cook up to a tender, creamy starch with a slightly sweet taste.   17 g net carb / .5




Rutabaga - These are nutrition powerhouses with loads of Vitamin A and C with high fiber and low sugar.  However,  these are an acquired taste - often bitter.  I find these best blended with a sweeter tuber like a yam or potato.  4 g net carb.

 

Daikon Radish:   The Asian tuber!  I just discovered the potential for these This radish has a sweet crunchy taste raw but cooked can be a great potato replacement - slightly sweet and less creamy but offering up only 4 net carbs / .5 cup.




Jicama -   The Mexican tuber - this sweet fleshed beauty is best served raw.   I've tried roasting and boiling this starch but I believe raw is the way to go.   Too bad it can't be a good mashed potato substitute as it serves up only 2 g net carb.

Waffles for Dinner?

Snow Day...except where is the snow?     Our school district called off school last night with the threat of a looming "bomb cyclone blizzard" approaching the front range and Boulder County. Woke up to light rain and no snow,  I think my kids are a bit confused.  Anyways it was nice to sleep in, a midweek treat.

We had received a snow day lunch/brunch invite from our neighbor so I decided to trial a low carb waffle recipe idea that I had. It is also dairy and gluten free.    These waffles (photo above) came out of the waffle iron so light, crisp and delicious that I was certain that my recipe was a keeper!    We all gobbled these down without syrup or butter. 

However when I went to reheat them and serve at the brunch,  the color and flavor changed.   They turned a darker brown (not burnt) and the garbanzo bean flour flavor was overpowering.  I was humbled,  although everyone said they were good, they were nothing like what I tried an hour earlier.  Hmm...


Club Soda Waffles -  (no gluten, no dairy,  lower carb)

1 cup ground oats (oat flour)
1/2 cup garbanzo bean flour
1/2 cup almond flour
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp stevia
2 tsp baking soda
Pinch of Salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup club soda
2 Tbsp canola oil
1 tsp natural vanilla

100 kcal per waffle  / 6 g net carb

Sift the dry ingredients together,  stir in the wet ingredients until the mixture is light and bubbly.  Preheat and butter or spray your waffle iron.   Waffle away... best eaten hot right off the waffle iron.

Next time,   I'm going to omit the garbanzo bean flour and sub  3/4 cup almond flour and 1 1/4 cup oats.

This waffle idea inspired a couple other recipes.   I'm thinking dinner, savory dinner... not chicken and waffles as that idea is so overdone and sweet.   May gave me the idea of a salmon/ cream sauce over waffle idea.  That sounded delicious but I didn't have salmon and didn't want to leave the house... so I decided to try a creamed tuna with peas over waffles.   

 This turned out really good,   I even made a coconut cream tuna sauce thickened with tapioca that was equally as delicious.  If you need dairy free, I'd recommend that option for the whole family. It is slightly sweet so a few splashes of soy sauce helps tone down the sweetness.   The kids loved it.   Here we go...

Creamed tuna  (dairy-full and dairy-free option)

1 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp Flour
1 cup milk  (or 1/2 and 1/2 if going for keto)
1 can tuna, drained
1/2 cup peas
Salt and pepper to taste
2 splashes of Tamari or Soy Sauce

In a medium saucepan melt the butter and stir in the flour to make a roux.   Let the roux brown slightly to carmelize and then stir in warm (or room temp)milk.   Continue stirring until thickened.  Stir in 1 can of tuna, drained and 1/2 cup frozen peas.   Allow to heat thoroughly for a couple minutes and serve over freshly crisped waffles  (you can freeze the waffles and crisp quickly in the over or toaster prior to serving.

Dairy Free

1/2 can cream of coconut (not sweetened)
1 Tbsp  Tapioca Flour mixed with 1/4 cup cold water - stir well and set aside
1 can tuna, drained - albacore is best
1/2 cup frozen peas
2-3 splashes of soy sauce or tamari
Salt and pepper to taste.


I also toyed around with the idea of a zucchini waffle (sort of a zucchini pancake) but in waffle form. Zach really enjoyed eating these - I'd like to play around still with this recipe as it was soft like a pancake-  I was hoping for more crispness.

2 zucchinis, shredded
2 green onions,  finely diced
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 eggs
1 tsp baking soda
2 Tbsp Almond Flour
2 Tbsp oil or melted butter
Salt and pepper

These are 60 kcal with only 1 g carb.   They are good as a stand alone treat or with sour cream and dill on top.

Inspired!

Just listening to Michael Pollan talk with Oprah about his new book  Conscious Eating.   All I can say is "Amen" to many of his thoughts and ideas.  Podcast with Michael Pollan

We live in a society where eating is an unconscious process.  We no longer take the time to prepare home cooked meals for our families.   We bring home take-out,  we eat bars for breakfast,  we sit in our cars and eat fast food for lunch.   There is no love in our food-  factory workers aren't putting the love and care we would into our soups and sauces.   We are all missing out on a sacred part of life - the love of cooking and eating.

Did you know that meals have been tested and proven to taste better when prepared by someone who is thinking loving thoughts?   Some crazy (smart) researcher put two cooks in the kitchen and gave them the same ingredients and same recipes - they told one cook to think about people they loved and happy thoughts.    The other cook was to think about people he didn't like and think about sad/negative thoughts.    Food prepared with love just tastes better and ultimately is better for our bodies. 

What fond memories do you have of your childhood?  Of your grandparents?   Many of these memories are usually found in the kitchen or around the dining table?   Maybe your grandmother was like mine and made the absolute best Sunday meals.   What memories are we passing down to our children and grandchildren when we eat out all the time?  Will their memories be of the video game they played at Chuck E Cheese rather than the delicious dumplings that mom used to make.

Eating is a ritual best done with people you love.   It is so much more than putting fuel in your tank.   It is a time to come together, a time to relax and enjoy the food you prepared just for them.   Eating should bring families together, they should eat from the same "shared" menu or plate.   This is the essence of healthy eating - this is how we pass on the tradition from generation to generation.

This is our cookbook inspiration.  Sharing home cooked healthy dinners.    No matter your time restraints, regardless of your families dietary restrictions or allergies, it can be done!   It must be done.     We are nourishing growing bodies and minds -  it is so much more than filling a belly.

Sloppy Joe Sliders on a Low Carb / Gluten Free Cheddar Bay Biscuit with Slaw

The low-carb dieters dilemma... how can I eat hamburgers, sloppy joes and all those other comfort foods served on a delicious soft, sweet fluffy bun? We have tried the lettuce wrap,  the keto bun (cream cheese and egg whites), and just going solo.  Nothing ultimately satisfies that need to soak up the delicious juices from  a sloppy joe or burger.

Today I am trying out a new recipe idea - its a slider with a low-carb, gluten free cheddar biscuit bun.

The bun:

1 cup almond flour,  blanched and superfine grind  (I use Trader Joe's)
1 cup cornmeal flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. salt
4 Tbsp cold butter,  cut into cubes
2 eggs, beaten
2 Tbsp.  Heavy Cream
6 oz shredded sharp cheddar

Sift together the dry ingredients in a large bowl.   Cut in the butter using a pastry cutter or two knives until the mixture looks like pea sized clumps.   In a separate bowl,   add the eggs and cream.  Slowly pour the egg/cream mix into your dry ingredients mixing vigorously.   Lastly,  knead in the shredded cheese.

Turn out the dough on a lightly almond floured board and pat into a 1 1/2 inch thick circle.  Use a biscuit cutter or a drinking glass to cut  your biscuits into small 2-3 inch circles.

Place biscuits on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 12-14 minutes. They will expand and brown slightly.   Do not overcook - under baking is better than over doing it.

Rating: 💗💗💗💛💛

Do over:    These are so delicious right out of the oven.   It is best to slightly under cook these so you can warm them prior to serving.   The cheddar cheese gives these a delicious chewiness.

 The cornmeal was too coarse and gave these biscuits a slight crunch which wasn't too bad but I will try masa next time.   I'm thinking of 1 cup almond flour / 1/2 cup masa  and 1/2 cup of garbanzo bean or oat/barley flour.    The cheese is delicious and could even be increased to 8 oz.   These should be served immediately as they tend to dry out after awhile.




The Sloppy Joe -   Meat and Vegetarian Options  (Gluten free / Keto/ Paleo approved)

The protein
1 lb ground beef

1 lb ground pork
OR
1 can pinto beans and 1 can kidney beans

1 medium onion, diced
1 orange or red bell pepper, diced
1 tsp.  Oregano
Salt and Pepper


Saute the onions and peppers over medium heat in a saucepan or instapot/ slow cooker.   Add the meat (or beans) stir under the meat is browned.



1 can fire roasted tomatoes
3 Tbsp tomato paste
3/4 cup water
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce (use Tamari sauce if gluten-free)
1 Tbsp  Mustard, prepared
1 Tbsp  Maple Syrup
1/4 tsp  Stevia
2 tsp.  Chili powder (mild)
1 tsp.  Smoked Paprika
1 splash liquid smoke (about 5 drops)
Salt and Pepper

Add the above ingredients to your blender or food processor and puree.   If you are making both the bean and meat versions,  double the sauce ingredients as listed above.   Add your pureed mixture to your meat  and/or beans and simmer over low heat for at least an hour.   This is good slow cooker meal that you can prepare and simmer for a few hours while you go pick up the kids from soccer or ballet.


Serve slider style over mini burger buns (gluten eaters) or with the biscuit recipe listed above.   I like these with a side of sweet potato fries and cole slaw.    This is also good without a bun  - make a bowl with the fries, sloppy joe mix and top with cole slaw.

Rating:  💗💗💗💗💗  5 Hearts

Do over:   The sloppy joe mix was excellent.  I wouldn't change a thing!   The key is to let the sauce simmer with the meat or beans for an hour or more.   This allows the flavors to mellow and blend into a slightly sweet and tangy sauce. 

Bacon Beef Stew with Vegetables

Stick to your ribs kind of dinner... This easy one pot meal is so satisfying on a cold, foggy late winter day.   This easy method can easily be adapted to serve both vegetarians and meat eaters.  It is keto, paleo, low carb, gluten and dairy free.


I picked parsnips to replace the potato.  Parsnips are a nutrient dense, lower carb alternative to potatoes or carrots.  Cooked they add a creamy, slightly sweet base to this delicious stew.  Fennel is fun for kids as it has a strong licorice scent that my kids loved.   In stew it adds a celery like texture with light sweetness and interesting peppery twist.

This recipe will serve about 8-10 people.  I like to make extras for leftovers.  It will freeze well.

The ingredients:

6 slices thick cut bacon, diced
3 lbs.  Boneless chuck roast, cut into large cubes

1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
3 large parsnips,  coarsely chopped
1 medium fennel bulb, coarsely chopped
1 lb green beans, cut in 2 inch pieces (or use frozen green beans.)

1/2 cup red wine
1 cup beef bone broth  (use homemade stock when possible)
1 tbsp. Thyme
Salt and Pepper
Tapioca starch and cold water to thicken.


You can make this a one stop dump and go slow cooker meal or make it meat / vegetarian friendly with the pressure cooker in under an hour.

If doing the slow cooker,  I do recommend browning the beef, bacon and onions prior to adding the rest of the ingredients, except the green beans.    Cook for 6-8 hours over low heat. Before serving,  add a  bag of frozen green beans and cook for 10 minutes on high.

Pressure cooker method:

Use the browning or saute setting and add the bacon and brown until lightly crispy
Remove the bacon and add the beef,  stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes allowing all the pieces to brown equally.    Add salt and pepper generously.

Return the bacon to the cooker and add the red wine, broth, and thyme.    Set the pressure cooker for 25 minutes at high pressure.    While the meat is cooking,   prep your vegetables.

After 25 minutes, release the pressure and carefully pour the meat into a heat-proof bowl.    If desired, rinse or wipe out the pot and then add 2 tbsp olive oil..   Set the cooker on the saute mode and add the onions, fennel and garlic.  Saute for 5-6 minutes, stirring frequently.   Add the parsnips and 1/2 cup broth from the meat or vegetable broth (for vegetarians).   Return to high pressure cooking mode and set for 4  minutes.  After 4 minutes release the pressure and add the green beans - return to high pressure cooking for 3 minutes.   

If preparing this for both vegetarians and meat eaters you can serve the stew separately in two different bowls.   Otherwise,  add the meat to the vegetable mixture and cook over low heat until thickened.  Add tapioca starch mixed with a bit of cold water to thicken if necessary.

Garnish with fronds of the fennel.


Rating:   💗💗💗💗💛   4 out of 5 hearts

Zach ate two big bowls of this!   It is very filling and satisfying dish.   I love the taste of the parsnips.  Lauren didn't like this dish.   I think she would like it more if I served the meat separately than the vegetables.   For kids,  stews can be overwhelming and look scary.   Serving this dish separately can help kids choose the amount and see the meat separate from the vegetables.    This could also be served with rice or noodles for the picky eater that just wants a little bit of the meat and sauce.

Do Over:    The flavors worked deliciously together but I'm not a fan of vegetables pressurized.  They just become mushy.    Next time I make this,  I would saute the vegetable in a saucepan while the meat is cooking.   This should bring on the flavors and textures of the vegetables along with some carmelization of the sugars.

Puttenesca

I went to the library yesterday and surrounded myself with hundreds of cookbooks.   The Boulder Main Library must have over 1000 cookbooks - its an amazing sight. 

I was looking for cookbooks around the theme of shared plates but not appetizers.  This was a difficult category to uncover...hmm.

Anyway,  I was very inspired to make the following quick but so delicious dinner of Puttenesca - a Portuguese Breakfast dish that easily converts to a dinner pasta.

Puttenesca is an easy tomato based sauce with eggs poached on top.  There is something decadent and special about a slightly runny egg mixing in the with bright yet briny sauce and dripping down on the silky noodles.    So pretty served with a side of zucchini noodles.

Puttenesca for Dinner 

The recipe:

1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 large strips of roasted red peppers, diced
1 15 oz can of crushed tomatoes
1 Tbsp Tomato Paste
1/4 cup of kalamata olives, quartered
Salt and Pepper
5 eggs
Parsley garnish

2 large zucchinis, spiraled and sauteed in olive oil for 5 minutes  and/or
2 cups of rice or regular spaghetti noodles

In a large saucepan, add 2 tbsp olive oil and heat until shimmery. Saute the onions until translucent,  about 6 minutes. Stir in the the red peppers, garlic, tomato sauce and olives.  Cook about 5 minutes over medium heat for the flavors to blend.   Add a couple pinches of salt and pepper, as desired to taste.

 Make 5 rounded indents in the sauce to poach the eggs.  Carefully crack the eggs into the indented circles.   Cover and allow the eggs to poach for approximately 3-4 minutes over medium low heat or until the whites are opaque.

Serve with zucchini noodles for a low-carb option.  Serve with rice noodles for your gluten-free crowd or spaghetti for those regular eaters.

Rating:

5 Hearts!  💗💗💗💗💗

This was an all round hit in my family.   Everyone cleaned their dishes and it made the most excellent leftover breakfast dish the next day.     I loved the briny olives against the richness of the slightly runny egg yolk. The zucchini noodles were a beautiful backdrop for the sauce.   An easy recipe for those nights you want dinner on the table in 20 minutes.

Southern Style Paella   

(Keto, Paleo, Low Carb, Gluten Free- options for Vegan and Regular Dieters)

Tonight I came up with a Paella dish that can be made Keto, Low Carb and Paleo plus a regular rice version for the gluten -free or regular eaters in your family.  Omit the meats and you have a nice vegan rice dish.   It was an easy one pan dish (two if you make it regular and low carb.)    I trial ran a new type of low-carb rice -  Daikon radish rice.    

 The ingredients

2 Tbsp. Olive oil

1 large onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 Bay leaves

4 mini red, yellow, orange peppers, diced

1 Tbsp Thyme

1 pinch saffron

1 Tbsp tomato paste

1/2 cup vegetable or chicken broth (vegetable if you decide to make this vegan and omit the seafood/meat)

1 cup frozen peas

Parsley for garnish

2 cups cooked rice or 2 cups Daikon radish rice (instructions below) or both

18 Extra Large Raw Shrimp

18 Mussels cooked and cleaned - frozen section.

Natural Smoked Sausage 10 oz - sliced about 1 inch thick.

Start by cooking your rice or daikon rice.  I used a pressure cooker for ease and time. 1 cup rice and 1 cup water into the pressure cooker for 3 minutes and then a natural pressure release for 5 minutes.   The daikon radish can be cut and pulsed in a food proccessor until finely chopped.   Add the Daikon radish to the pressure cooker and cook for 2 minutes on high pressure.    Drain into a colander and press most to all of the water out of the radish rice.

I made my paella two different ways. 

To start: 

Heat oil over medium heat in a large saucepan until glossy.   Add the diced onion, garlic and peppers and saute for about 5 minutes.    Stir in the seasonings (bay leaves, thyme and saffron) plus the tomato paste and chicken broth.  Turn down the heat and allow to simmer for another 5 minutes.

If making two different batches,   split the onion mixture in half and add to another saucepan.   Add two cups cooked rice to one saucepan and two cups cooked, drained daikon rice to the other pan.   Stir rice  and 1/2 cup peas into both pans.    You are now ready to add your raw, shelled shrimp, mussels and sausage to the pans.   Arrange in symmetrical pattern if you are anal like me!  Cover the pan and let simmer for about 6-8 minutes or until the mussels open and shrimp are pink and curl.   

Garnish with parsley.   I put the pan right on the table with this one. It is such a beautiful dish - just make sure to use a trivet or hot pad.

Rating:   3 out of 5 Hearts

💗💗💗💛💛

Comments:

Zach gave it a thumbs up and cleaned his bowl.    Lauren said she didn't like the Mussels as they tasted like "the ocean."  And my husband Marc suggested that the Daikon radish have more substance as it was mushy.   Overall,  I think this is a workable dish that is delish and healthy and fairly quick to put together.

Next Time:

The mussels didn't add much to the dish. Next time I'm going to try chicken, shrimp and sausage.   Marc suggested that I add something to thicken up the Daikon Radish rice to give it more of a glutenous texture.  I'm going to try adding some white chia seeds next time.   These will add Omega 3 fatty acids, fiber and texture without any added carbs.

The means determines the end

I have a process oriented, achievement based mindset that has made me into a terrific employee and manager in my past jobs.   Even though I've spent the past 15 years running my own business,  entrepreneurship is a difficult mental process for me.  I am hardwired to follow the plan and get results.  I would probably be a great candidate for a franchise.   I have no fear giving a job all my energy and time,  but not without certain predetermined results and financial gain. 

 This is my challenge as I attempt to break the mold and take a leap of faith with our cookbook venture.   I've been doing some mental homework in addition to cookbook research.   My mental homework has led me to listening to Oprah's Super Soul Conversations and reading Sylvia Browne's Soul Series.

I've had sort of an epiphany tonight.    "The means determines the end."     If you toil and agonize for years to create a widget to sell and finally make it to market with financial success,  what have you gained?   Probably years of being grumpy with your friends and family and now you have money but no personal fulfillment. There is still a personal void in your inner purpose.

Comparatively, you take something that you utterly enjoy doing and do it to the best of your ability for years.   Perhaps there is no financial gain or there is a tremendous financial payoff in the end.  Which route has a better outcome for your inner peace, how about your family and friends?

This is how I see our current process.   LOVE reading cookbooks + LOVE inventing new recipes + LOVE feeding my friends and family delicious healthy meals + LOVE tweaking recipes to fit dietary needs = making a cookbook with a dear friend.   So, here we go... even if we can't sell one copy of our new cookbook... we have spent time doing something we love and creating something special that our families and friends can enjoy.

Nevertheless,  we are awesome and we will create a best-selling cookbook - even a whole series of cookbooks!  This will be a launching pad of a new career.  A career that allows us to work from anywhere,  spend time doing what we love - cooking for our families and a low-stress, fun, creative outlet for our energy.

Now for the fun part -  a creative explosion of new recipe ideas.   Stay turned.

Goals, Outcomes, Questions...

Besides my wonderful marriage (of 15+ years),  I have never entered into a partnership venture before.   With that being said,  I'm at a loss for roadmap as to how to process and proceed with our new cookbook venture.    Traditional religious weddings come with a set of plans, agreements, etc. to make it easy on us newly engaged folks with our gaga smiles and goo-goo eyes.  But, what about business partnerships?  

It seems as if May and I are in the "honeymoon" phase of our venture with big dreams and lofty plans.  May tells me she pictures us on the Today show doing cooking demos.  "Or we could be at the Farmer's Market selling our cookbooks."she gleams.   I love those ideas but yet - yikes, I am more comfortable behind the scene.  Perhaps its time to make sure we are both on the same wavelength with outcome goals.

It has come to my attention that all good partnerships shall not only start with enthusiasm and determination but also with a shared vision.   I always hated the yearly goal setting exercise that my boss made us do,  but I realize its importance, especially in a teamwork setting.      Last week we said "jump" and the net will appear.  Err,  I'm frightened and want to at least visualize that net.

So the process continues.   We are both exploring healthy recipes that are easily adaptable to all dietary restrictions especially low carb and gluten free.    We are coming together with recipes our families like and new ideas for recipes.    My fear is that we haven't nailed down our niche market - or have we?   

Questions to consider as we progress:

1.  Name your top three priorities for work/life balance?  

2.  What would your ideal role is this project look like?

3.  What is our plan after creating this cookbook?  

4.  How will we market and sell it?

5.  How much money are we willing to invest?

Mission statement

The business side of mind knows that every viable idea or business needs a shared mission statement.   I think May and I are on the same page with coming up with recipes that are nutritious and low allergy.   We like the idea that everyone in the family can come together and eat the same meal despite their food preferences, dietary restrictions, etc.

There is so much undue anxiety and pressure around cooking meals for your family these days, especially if you are working full or even part time and then add the pressure of food allergy or intolerance or a new diet.

   Many of us wait until the last minute to decide what's for dinner and then it seems to be what is easiest or available.   I'm often uninspired to cook and just make a simple meat and vegetable dinner which is fine but leaves me feeling uninspired in the kitchen.

Many cultures believe that there is more to just nutrients in food.   Food can taste better when prepared with love - there are studies.  Food can taste better depending on where and when it is shared.   We don't need to go out to dinner to bring the family together in a shared event.   We could easily create this shared event at home.   I want to research a way to bring this to every family and make dinner shared, enjoyable and absolutely nutritious.

A few years ago I decided to get out of my cooking rut with a venture into cooking a meal from a different country.   This was a fun process as it opened up my repertoire of cooking ideas - but the involvement was huge.  I was constantly researching and hitting up several stores for special ingredients.

Why can't there be a way to simplify it all -  a repertoire of recipes that use a basic pantry of ingredients.   Recipes that are varied in taste and easily adaptable to every family members dietary needs.    I'm looking for dinners that are fun - dinners that bring everyone together in a way that is lost in our society.    Dinners that make us interact and enjoy each other.   Gone are the dinners where we have to pass food around the table.   For the most part,  we cook one pot or one dish meals and serve it up on a plate.    Its all about speed and not about enjoyment or interaction.

When I'm out at restaurants,   I've noticed that the tables where people are sharing food - they are sharing a connection.    Fajitas, Pho,  Fondue -  recipes such as this seem to bring people together.   There is always a sense of fun and smiles when meals like this are placed on the table.

My mission is to uncover this... I'm going to try a new experiment at my house.    I'm going to seek out recipes where we share the meal prep at the table.    I want to see if this idea can bring everyone together, make the cooking process less stressful for the chef,  and result in more clean plates.

Examples of recipes to explore:

Tacos, Fajitas

Fondues

Pho and other soups

Crab pot - corn, potatoes, crab, shrimp poured out onto the table.

Roll your own Sushi

Stirfry - cook meat, vegetables and sauce  separately and bring to the dinner table.

Lettuce boats

Can passion create a business

Research can be delicious!

When you consider starting a new partnership, business or other endeavour, the analytical mind considers the business plan.   Is there a market?   What is our target market?  What do people want?  What will sell?  What is marketable?

What if,  just what if... we forgot about all that and just go with a passion project.   Why do we have to cater to what we think people want?   Maybe people don't know what they want?   Maybe we all want to just see someones passion shine through.

These are things that I am exploring.   I'm listening to a podcast by Todd Rose, author of the Dark Horse.    His Harvard based research has shown that we can be extremely successful in doing what we are passionate about.   It is all how we measure success.

Food has always been my passion.    I can remember loving cookbooks ever since I was a young child.  Back in the 70's, cookbooks lacked beautiful photos and delicious descriptions,  but they made up for it in taste.   You could just read the title and let your imagination take you on a delicious ride.  "Blackberry tarts, I bet those look and taste amazing.   Chicken and biscuits,  ah, that sounds so warm and yummy."

Today we are loured into a online world where nothing looks as it seems.   I am disappointed time after time with delicious looking recipes on Pinterest or some blogger's lovely website.  The photos are taste tempting and the flowery long description makes my mouth water.   In the end,  it is just
disappointment.  Nothing is as it seems.    Is this the future of recipes?   Clickbait!     Just like a failed date on Bumble...  the photo and description are nothing like the real thing.   Why waste your time with  online recipes that lure us in but leave us totally unsatisfied. 

I have a stack of cookbooks in my dining room,  I'm studying everything about them - the foreword,  the layout,  the quality of the binding,   the photos, etc.    A great cookbook is one that you'll dog ear, break the binding,  cover with food spatters and end up wishing you bought two copies because your first one is just a mess.  A good cookbook shouldn't overwhelm but inspire great delicious meals time after time.

What happened to the Joy of Cooking?    Most of my friends with kids express so much anxiety about food shopping and cooking.   Their kids have a gluten intolerance or severe food allergies.  Their 10 year old just declared that they are a vegan or their youngest was just diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.    Yikes, meal planning is now a ticking time bomb - what if  the food manufacturer doesn't list all the ingredients?  What if I misread the food label?    What if this has too much sugar?

Even as someone formally trained in food label diagnostics,   I have made some fatal mistakes.   We have a multi-diet household.    My husband and I have been doing an Atkins/Keto hybrid diet for the past 5 years and we do our best to keep our two kids on a Feingold diet plan.   Sounds daunting - well it is,  even for the most seasoned professional.    You can't ever assume what is in a healthy sounding product.  Just a few days ago I was duped into buying Life Cereal.   We rarely have cereal in our house, but after a lot of begging and a 99 cent sale,  I allowed a box that junk into my house.

My 7 year old son polished off the entire box in one weekend!   And then the crazy anxious behavior ensued.    When Zach eats too much BHT,  TBHQ,   Red Dye 40, Blue 1, etc - well he turns into an emotional mess and his skin turns into a bumpy, itchy mess. 

An Idea, maybe?

Gone are the days where a stay at home mom could enjoy the down time and relax when her kids go to school, maybe indulge in a few daytime soaps.   Us mom's are now expected to act as the CEO of our home domain and XYZ company, while juggling parental duties such as take the kids to school, cook, clean, tutor, and walk the dog.

As a small business owner and stay at home mom,  I should be happy for a bit of respite now that my kids are in school full time. Alas when my fellow foodie friend, May, approached me with the idea of co-authoring a cookbook -  my mind suddenly shifted into high gear with hundreds of ideas and images of cookbook titles and recipes floating about.

As a dietitian,  food and health is near and dear.  I'm dream job was always that of a food tinkerer or writer.   And my cohort, May, is  a CIA trained chef,  she definitely has the credentials for a project of this caliber. 

Umm, so cookbook authors... I like the sound of it.  Definitely not
out of our realm of expertise,  but where do we begin.   It seems as though everyone is writing recipes these days.  Scores of cook books adorn the shelves and online sites offer any recipe you wish within a three second google search.   Can an unknown author even have a chance at getting published?   Do we need an extreme niche?   Who is our target market?  What health marker should we focus on?   This opens a world of questions that has me bogged down into idea paralysis. 

The process... this blog is a tool to define the process.   Take a step back and look at the bigger picture, one step at time that one must undertake in any creative business venture.     Please read on and subscribe to ,  one step at time... this blog is a work in progress documenting the process from an idea dreamed up in a coffee shop to hopefully a salable book.