WAFFLES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I own a waffle iron - doesn't everyone?!?. Mine, probably like your's, has been sitting on the bottom shelf in the back of a cabinet for about 7 years. When I dug it out recently it was lonely, dejected, unloved and covered in dust... If you've got one, dig it out, dust it off and try this recipe. These are crispy cheesy savory waffles made with one of my favorite tasteless ingredients - cauliflower!

 I assure you that with the possible variations and the delicious crispiness of the savory waffles you're going to find here, you will never have a dusty waffle maker again!

Ingredients:

1 cup raw cauliflower 
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1/3 cup Parmesan cheese/shredded
2 eggs
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp pepper
1 Tbsp chives

Optional:
fresh parsley
sun-dried tomatoes

Instructions:

Heat waffle maker until fully hot and ready. 

Pulse shredded mozzarella in blender - THEN measure 

Pulse cauliflower in blender to texture of coarse crumbs

Mix all ingredients to form batter.(it will be thick)

Add 1/4 cup of batter on the griddle. 

Set the timer for 4-6 minutes, peeking after four. 

If the waffle maker sticks, let it cook slightly longer. 

Remove once cooked. 

Allow to cool on a plate. 

Refrigerate remaining.

Makes 6 waffles.

Cook's Notes:

• Don’t like cauliflower? Use well drained, shredded zucchini instead.  But I HIGHLY recommend you give the cauliflower a chance!
• Be sure to wring the vegetables in a kitchen towel to remove as much liquid as possible.
• Stop checking every 30 seconds while it’s cooking. It KNOWS how to make waffles! If you mess with it while it’s trying to do it’s job, you’re going to have a mess. Set the timer and walk away. Go on. Go away. I see you hovering over there…
• Always make sure to allow your iron to fully heat before you add batter. Cold waffle irons take time to heat, so if you add the ‘dough’ while it’s still heating, you’ll end up with either an overcooked hockey puck, or the blob from outer space.  I claim no responsibility for either.  YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.
• The waffles may stick ever so slightly, but that’s only because they're not yet done hugging the waffle iron. Just gently coax with any nylon cooking instrument.  Be careful to not use a metal fork and scratch your non-stick surface or hurt yourself.  A little 'Pam' helps as well.

Options:

• Make pancakes! - microwave and drain (and wring) the cauliflower first then cook 4" circles in a medium low skillet for 6 to 7 minutes, flipping every 2
• Serve loaded with meat and/or sliced veggies
• MAKE A SANDWICH!!!  
•  Add some Italian spices and use these as a basis for a pizza! (Remember bagel bites? How about waffle bites!)
• Try using cheddar and green onions - or crumbled feta!

Pumpkin Spiced Latte - Mousse

While some watch for changing tree leaves and cooler evenings as signs of autumn, others know fall by three words: pumpkin spice latte.  But why limit yourself to just the period from Halloween to Thanksgiving when you can enjoy the "pumpkinness" year round - and cold - and for dessert!!

I said this was a dessert - and it WILL be sugar free and low carb..  BUT, to paraphrase old maps "Thar be CALORIES here", so enjoy, but in moderation.  And a little IS enough.  It's RICH!!!


2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons instant decaf coffee

1 Tablespoon hot water
1 1.4 oz pkg Jell-0 Sugar Free Vanilla pudding and pie filling mix

2 Tablespoons pumpkin puree

In a large bowl mix the hot water and decaf instant coffee until dissolved.

Add remaining ingredients and whip vigorously with a fine whip or hand mixer for approximately 2 minutes until mixture thickens.

Refrigerate until serving

Cook's Notes:

• I recommend a modest dusting of pumpkin pie spice just before service.
• Great with a dollop of whipped cream and a sugar free ginger snap.
• Makes a perfect parfait
• It also makes an incredible filling for a "Gâteau Mille Crêpes" if you make my low carb pancake/crepes for a spectacular "crepe cake"

Quinoa Salad with Toasted Almonds and Roasted Tomatoes

I'm a snob.  I don't eat fresh tomatoes in the winter.  Those pinkish perfectly round orbs sitting in my grocer's produce section are closer to the texture of felt than they are tomatoes - and have ALMOST as much flavor.  BUT...  By concentrating the flavor of some hot house cherry or plum tomatoes from Mexico I can get through the winter - particularly for this quinoa salad

I like the texture of the slivered almonds - and they lose their blandness when you toast them and get a nice nutty crunch.

Ingredients:

1 cup of cooked quinoa
1/2 cup roasted tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted
1/4 cup of pitted Kalamata olives, chopped
baby arugula
feta cheese (optional)

Dressing:

3 tbsp good olive oil
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 packet Splenda
salt & pepper

Whisk dressing ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

Let the cooked quinoa cool before adding ingredients.
Then mix everything together (except arugula and feta).

Plate over arugula and toss w/ the dressing.
Sprinkle feta on top.

Cook's Notes:

Salt and pepper your tomatoes and roast at 275 F  for 3 to 4 hours until shriveled but still have some life in them.  I make sheet trays full at a time and store the extras in a jar of olive oil in my refrigerator.  A great accompaniment for farro, quinoa and salads of all sort.  And the leftover oil makes and incredible salad dressing!

Quinoa Paella

My first introduction to paella (pronounced pie-A-uh) was on a Spanish beach over 30 years ago.  The local people I was working with coerced me into joining them to share their national dish.  Through the course of the evening and the consumption of many beers, I watched them construct what I can only describe as a culinary masterpiece.  Once we finally got to dip into the huge "community skillet" as I thought of it, I was transcendent with the incredible flavor.  

It's the saffron that makes this dish.  It's and expensive spice, but you are using a TINY quantity - and once you taste it, you'll be glad you have some in the cupboard!

Classic paella is a rice dish - and you know I'm not going to get all carbed out, even for paella, so here is a version that substitutes quinoa - and does so QUITE admirably.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 lb firm white fish fillets (such as pollock or haddock), cut into 1 inch pieces
1 onion, finely chopped
4 oz dried chorizo, chopped (Spanish - not Mexican)
1 red bell pepper, seeds removed, thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups quinoa, rinsed, drained
Pinch of saffron threads

salt to taste
2 3/4 cups  chicken stock
2/3 cup  frozen peas

1 lb peeled and deveined shrimp, squid, octopus (any combination)
1 lb pot-ready mussels (rinsed and bearded)

For Serving:
Flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Lemon wedges

Instructions:
Get a HUGE skillet or large shallow casserole dish with a lid

Heat 1 Tbs oil over medium-high heat. 

Add fish  chunks and cook for 2-3 minutes until almost cooked through. 

Remove from pan and set aside.

Reduce heat to medium, add remaining 1 tbs oil to the pan and cook the onion for 3-4 minutes until softened.

Add the chorizo and bell pepper, and cook for a further 2-3 minutes until starting to crisp.

Add the quinoa and saffron, season and stir to coat. 

Add the stock and bring to a simmer. 

Cook, covered, for 8-10 minutes until almost all the liquid is absorbed.

 Stir in the frozen peas.

Return the fish to the pan with the mussels and seafood mix. 

DO NOT STIR

Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for a further 15 minutes or until mussels have opened.   This allows the juices from the mussels and seafood to mix with the quinoa.

Scatter with parsley and serve with lemon.

Cook's Notes:

• Besides the incredible combination of seafood, one of the best parts of the paella is the crunchy grain (rice or quinoa) on the bottom of the pan - that is why you DO NOT STIR during the last 15 minutes.
• There are those who also like tomato in their paella, so you are invited to experiment.  A can of diced tomatoes - or some from your garden will be perfect.  I've even scattered a carton of cherry tomatoes over the top, so they burst and mingle their flavor.
• Spanish Chorizo is like a firm sausage, whereas Mexican chorizo is loose,  Search for the Spanish for this dish.  It's worth the effort.
• If you are short on seafood - or don't care for it, try boneless chicken thighs!

Sausage Spinach Bake

Porky, cheesy goodness, laced with fresh firm tomatoes over healthy iron rich spinach.  Tasty AND nutritious!!  This is a "sorta quiche" that requires no crust and practically prepares itself.

If you are looking for an easy but striking dish for dinner or a brunch, this one is HIGHly recommended

Serves 6

1 pound pork sausage
10 ounces frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1/3 cup roasted red peppers or pimientos, diced (about 2 1/2 ounces)
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
Dash pepper
4 Roma tomatoes, sliced thin 
6 tablespoons parmesan cheese 

Brown the sausage in a large skillet; drain the grease if desired. 
Place in a greased 11x7" baking dish along with the spinach and peppers.

In a small bowl, whisk the cream and eggs. 
Add the salt and a dash of pepper. 
Pour over the sausage and vegetables; mix to coat everything with the egg mixture.
 Arrange the sliced tomatoes in a single layer over the top; sprinkle the cheese over the tomatoes. 

Bake at 350 F for 35 - 40 minutes or until set in the center and nicely browned on top. 

Let stand about 10 minutes before serving.

Cook's Notes:

• I used 4 average sized Roma tomatoes, slicing them about 1/4 inch thick. 
• Cut both ends off each tomato because I wanted consistent looking slices.   
• Be sure to use a VERY sharp knife so you SLICE the tomatoes rather than SQUISH them.
• You CAN use the stuff in the green can for your Parmesan, but the shredded is SO much better.
• If you don't have an 11 X 7 baking dish, you can use an ovenproof 10 " skillet, which holds almost exactly the same amount - just slice it into wedges instead of squares.
• Options: add more and different cheeses, sauteed mushrooms, chopped artichoke hearts...  

I Love Food - Confessions of a Fat Man

I wrote this piece in early 2010 - about a year before my surgery.  It shows where my head was and where I assume a lot of you pre-ops are today.  I hope the insight into my mind helps you deal with the questions and concerns you are having now.

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I have a love affair with food. When I say "food," I mean food. I mean the French bread I tear off in hunks and stuff in my mouth as I run out the door. I mean the brownies a friend bakes for me and which I parcel out in slivers for weeks. I mean the soup, freighted with its nuggets of onion and squash and potatoes, which I spend all afternoon making and whose aroma rises, steaming, toward my face at dinnertime. And when I say "food," I mean too that stuff that foams like endless verbal meringue across the pages of cookbooks and novels and menus. I mean the liberally sprinkled adjectives: "freshly ground," "extra spicy," "braised to perfection." The lingering step-by-steps: "saute until golden," "whisk until light and fluffy," "season to taste." I mean the groaning, page-long tables of Thomas Wolfe, the banquets spread before Odysseus and that wine-blue sea, Levin and Oblonsky's dining, William Carlos William's plums, the catalogs of the young Gargantua's meals, Proust's Madeleine, the Ghost of Christmas Present's puddings and chestnuts and stuffing and cakes, and the fact that Babette spends all her fortune on one supernal meal.  I mean "FOOD."

I love food - and giving it up, or limiting it in any way, is VERY difficult. So I'm having some trepidation as I say goodbye to all my nutritionally unsound friends and move towards my date with a bariatric surgeon.

Shocked?!? You shouldn't be.. I've been the "fat man" for over 30 years - and I'm tired of the sweating, the sore back and knees, the limited wardrobe choices, the diabetes, the high blood pressure... But mostly, I'm tired of the staring... The "Oh God please don't let him sit beside me" looks I get as I push down an airplane aisle. The "why doesn't he order a salad" look when I open a menu.. The "I bet you five bucks he gets dessert" whispers as I finish a restaurant meal. I don't eat dessert - at least not often. A really good creme brulee or cheesecake may tempt me on rare occasion. I don't sneak cookies or candy bars. I actually eat reasonably. I'm just fat - too fat - and now, dangerously fat, so I have to do something about it.

My dieting story is like nearly everyone else. Lose 20 pounds - gain 25, lose 30 - gain 40. I have no choice but to try another tack - something drastic..

Bariatric surgery isn't a "get out of fat free card" - far from it. What it does is give me one, and only one, "do-over" so I can make the right choices and learn to eat the right foods to stay healthy and slim.

The road from here to there isn't an easy one. In the next few months I'll be preparing for the surgery, both mentally and physically. After the surgery my meals will amount to the total size of a single small dinner roll, but I'll rarely eat bread - and never another grain of sugar, so goodbye to pumpernickel rye and southern sweet tea. The nutrition I'll no longer be able to eat will come from vitamins and supplements. I'll eat almost exclusively protein for the next 2 years or more - maybe I'll eat that way forever..

I'll always be aware of the closest restroom, as a shortened digestive tract is almost certainly a recipe for disaster if I eat the wrong, or too much, food.

The skin on my body won't shrink as the fat dissolves under it. It will hang loosely about me. I'll be spending hours in a gym, but no amount of exercise will make that skin retract. I eventually face additional surgeries to remove the excess skin from my face, arms, stomach and thighs. No, bariatric surgery isn't exactly a "get out of fat free card".

So.. why am I doing it? It's because I'm a very selfish man. Food, as much as I love it, loves me too much. It's killing me. The fat is surrounding my heart and invading my veins. It interrupts my sleep and makes it difficult to breathe. I want to play with my eventual grandchildren, not just sit in a chair and watch, but actually run with them. I want to walk again on the beach at sunrise, not sit in the car in a parking lot just to listen to the surf. I want to walk onto an airplane and sit comfortably in a middle seat - and no one notice me. I want to grow old with and take care of the woman I love.

I'm twice the man I used to be, and I look forward to being half the man I am now. I just don't want to be the fat man any longer. There are plenty of candidates in America today who can take over that position so I won't be missed.

Pork and Cabbage Casserole

As the cold weather encroaches I begin to crave those central European comfort foods that my ancestors loved. Making stuffed cabbage is difficult and time consuming, but this is just as tasty and WAY simpler! It's more of a pork and cabbage lasagne.

Pork and Cabbage Casserole

Nutrition Facts
Servings 6

Amount Per Serving
Calories 306
Total Fat 15.8g
Saturated Fat 5.1g
Cholesterol 90mg
Sodium 151mg
Total Carbohydrates 6.3g
Dietary Fiber 2.3g
Sugars 3.3g
Protein 33.7g


1 small head cabbage, about 1 lb
2 Tbs vegetable oil
1 onions, chopped
1 1/2 lbs lean pork, in 3/4 inch cubes
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 tsp caraway seeds
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
6 slices bacon, cut in half

Cook the whole cabbage in a large pot of boiling water for 10
minutes.

Peel off 12 of the outer leaves, set aside, and chop
the remaining cabbage.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over moderate heat and saute the onions until tender but not brown, about 5 minutes.

Add the pork and cook until lightly browned.

Add the chopped cabbage, stock, caraway seeds, salt, and pepper and simmer covered for 10 minutes.

Line a greased 9X13 baking dish with half the cabbage leaves, removing the ribs if
necessary to make them lie flat.

Add the pork mixture and top with the remaining cabbage leaves.

Arrange the bacon slices on top and bake in a preheated 350F oven for 45 minutes. 

Allow to rest 10 minutes before slicing

Cook's Notes:

• You can use the traditional method of boiling the whole cabbage to tenderize the leaves as I have indicated in this recipe, or you can employ the more modern method of freezing the cabbage to accomplish the same thing.

Spinach and Sausage Quiche

So much for the myth that a quiche is a light, dainty snack for the "ladies who lunch" crowd. This quiche rolls up its sleeves and gets dirty. This quiche is a MEAL. 

Spinach and Sausage Quiche

Nutrition Facts

Servings 6
Amount Per Serving
Calories 307
Total Fat 24.4g
Saturated Fat 11.2g
Trans Fat 0.1g
Cholesterol 149mg
Sodium 484mg
Total Carbohydrates 5.1g
Dietary Fiber 0.9g
Sugars 0.7g
Protein 17.1g


8 oz bulk pork sausage
4 scallions (spring onions), green and white parts, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
6 oz fresh spinach or frozen spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry
1 1/2 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups half-and-half or milk
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Cook the sausage, scallions, and garlic in a skillet, stirring to break up the sausage, until the sausage is browned and the scallions are tender but not browned, about 10 minutes.
Stir in the spinach.
Sprinkle the Monterrey Jack cheese into a 9 inch pie pan and add the sausage mixture.
Whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, salt, and pepper and pour over the sausage mixture.
Sprinkle with the Parmesan and bake in a preheated 350 F oven until the top is golden brown and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, about 40 minutes.

Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Cook's Notes: 

• Like all my quiche recipes, I made this one without a crust, but if you want to pour this into a standard 9 inch pie shell it makes a beautiful presentation. 
• I am not averse to dropping a handful of crumbled bacon into any quiche recipe (or most any OTHER recipe!) 
• Of course you can substitute turkey sausage - or even that hideous veggy-sausage stuff if you must...

Salmon Quiche

If there are still some men in your life who won't eat quiche, you can call this a salmon and egg pie.

Salmon Quiche

2 Tbs butter
1 shallot (or tiny onion), finely chopped
1 lb flaked canned salmon, skin and bones removed
3 Tbs chopped fresh dill
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/4 cup half-and-half, or milk

Melt the butter in a skillet over moderate heat and saute the shallot until tender but not brown, about 5 minutes.
Add the salmon, dill, salt, and pepper and transfer to a greased 9 inch pie pan.
Combine the eggs and cream and pour over the salmon mixture.
Bake in a preheated 375 F oven for 35 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Allow to rest for 15 minutes before slicing.

Cook's Notes: If you have some left over salmon this is a great way to use it up, but it's hard to beat the convenience of opening a can.

Roasted Cauliflower Sformato

A sformato is a savory custard like pudding. You can make it in a ring mold, a gratin dish or in individual ramekins for a dinner party. 

Any vegetable works, especially zucchini and spinach. It's like making a quiche, really. A traditional Italian sformato uses boiled vegetables, but I prefer the depth of flavor from roasted vegetables.

These are sensational. They make a lovely presentation, and taste good warm or cold. You can make them the day before, then reheat them in a water bath to loosen them out of the ramekins.

I did not use butter in my recipe, I sprayed the ramekins with nonstick cooking spray.


Roasted Cauliflower Sformato

(makes 4 small ramekins or 8 x 10 gratin dish)

1/2 head of leftover roasted cauliflower (recipe below)
2 eggs
1 cup of milk
2 tbsp flour
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
pinch of salt & pepper
pinch of nutmeg

Mash the cooked cauliflower in the bowl until desired consistency (I like mine chunky).
Add the eggs, milk and flour and beat together with the cauliflower.
Add the cheese, salt & pepper, and nutmeg.
Spray 6 oz. ramekins or gratin dish with PAM (or grease with butter), and pour in the mixture.

Place the ramekins in a roasting pan and carefully pour water up near the tops of the ramekins, to create a bain-marie (hot water bath). The water will prevent the mixture from forming into a cake, and will be a custard instead.

Bake in a 350F oven for about 35-40 minutes.
CAREFULLY remove the ramekins from the hot water bath and cool for 10 minutes before inverting onto plates.

It is actually prettier if you leave the darker side up, but then it isn't a pudding, more like a souffle. I'll leave it up to you (or down!).

Cook's Notes: You can drizzle tomato sauce or pesto on top for some color, but these were perfect on their own!

Roasted Cauliflower 

Cauliflower is the most misunderstood vegetable in the U.S.
It's kind of ugly to begin with and it seems that the only way I ate it growing up was choking on it boiled, or with a canned cheese sauce. Kill me now.

In Italy it seems to be a popular and highly respected vegetable.
The Italians know how to make me love this vegetable.

During the winter months, I roast cauliflower weekly at 400F with just some kosher salt and olive oil. It becomes sweet and nutty.   Sort of like me.

For an extra treat, after taking the baking sheet out of the oven, throw in some capers, a dash of red pepper flakes and grated Parmesan cheese.