Maximize your Cooking Potential

Maximize your cooking potential: cook four chicken meals in a day

By Chef Channon

April 04, 2010, 9:00AM

Nine sporting events, three appointments, four conflicting social calendars, two classes and 50-plus hours at a full-time job. This sounds like a schedule that requires a personal assistant, or maybe these are the weekly responsibilities of the average family.

Let’s not forget preparing and eating three square meals a day.

So what gives? Often it’s dinner, and consequently not only family time suffers but so does our health. The Child and Youth Well-Being Index Report highlights how obesity is a growing threat to our nation’s children. Because of the recession, obesity is expected to climb in 2010 as families turn to low-cost fast food to pick up the slack when we run out of time to cook for ourselves.

Sam ZomerChicken enchiladas. Food styling by Channon Mondoux.How can busy people reduce stress and save money? Instead of turning to takeout, turn things around in your own kitchen. Organize to maximize — take a little time to set up your cook day and prepare food for a whole week or at least a few days.

Make a recipe wish list — choose family favorites that have a sauce, because these will freeze best, or go to Web sites or the library to get recipes designed for freezing (see resources). Make double batches of every recipe and freeze in family-sized and single-sized servings people can take for lunches.

Print out recipes and use them to make your grocery list, shop the day before your cook day, and prepare ingredients for several recipes all at the same time. For example, peel and chop staples such as onions and celery for several recipes.

On cooking day, get the whole family helping. Youngsters can open cans, measure ingredients, stir; even little tykes can wash produce and help with jobs like peeling carrots, shelling peas or snapping beans.

Create labels for your freezer meals that include recipe name, thawing and reheating instructions and the date made, all important factors for successful dining later on.

Check your supply of containers. Glass and ceramic are all-purpose and environmentally friendly, but foil and plastic are great in a pinch. Just don’t reheat in plastic or microwave foil. Use containers that are close in size for contents- this reduces freezer burn-Have foil and plastic to wrap when necessary

First In, First Out: Post a list of the meals on the fridge and cross them off as you use them.

Start a potluck switch. You prepare two freezer-friendly meals — one for yourself and one to swap. You can also organize a group cook date to prepare multiple meals in one day.

Resources
Free freezer-friendly recipes:
www.foodnetwork.com/quick-and-easy/freezer-friendly-recipes/index.html www.prevention.com/easyfreezermeals/2.html
www.mothering.com/discussions/showthread.php?p=14919195

Software, Books and Services
www.30mealsinoneday.com/index.php
www.findachef.com: when you can’t manage the time and you’d like to find a personal chef who can do all of this for you.

Multi-meal recipes
When you take the time to prepare a meal, maximize your efficiency by cooking four times as much of the main ingredient all at once, then use the extra to create other delicious recipes. This is especially easy to do with chicken. When you’ve got the oven hot for that roasted chicken, cook two birds instead of just one.
Voila!! Four days worth of delicious homemade meals. You are amazing.

Roast Chicken
To roast, rub whole chickens with a little olive oil, season with salt and pepper and cook in the oven at 350 F until the internal temperature reaches 180 degrees. Then proceed as follows to prepare meals for four days.

Day 1 — Roasted Chicken with Sweet Potato Wedges and Salad

Sweet Potato Wedges
Serves 4
These can be prepared a day ahead, wrapped in foil and refrigerated until ready to bake. Let them come to room temperature first. They can also be prepared and frozen.

2-3 pounds sweet potatoes, unpeeled, washed and cut in eighths
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or cold pressed oil
1.5 teaspoons paprika
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with foil. Place cut potatoes on the sheet, drizzle with oil. Using hands, rub oil onto all areas of the potatoes. Season with paprika, salt and pepper. Arrange skin side down. Place in the oven for 15 minutes. Turn. Bake another 10-15 minutes or until crispy and browned. Serve with chicken and your favorite green salad.

Day 2 — Chicken Enchiladas
These enchiladas are always met with cries of “Yeah, Mom!” Designed for freezing, this recipe is from the United States Personal Chef Association, devoted to helping families eat well.

1 quart enchilada sauce (make your own or use sauce from jars)
12 corn tortillas
3 cups chicken breast, cooked
6 ounces Jack cheese, grated
6 ounces Cheddar cheese, grated
2 1/4 ounces black olives, sliced
1 small bunch of green onions
1 cup plain yogurt or sour cream

To prepare tortillas, instead of frying, brush tortillas lightly with oil, and layer them in a glass baking dish. Cover and heat them in the microwave for 1 minute. This softens the tortillas and imparts a great olive oil flavor without excessive deep frying. It also minimizes the mess.

Assemble the enchiladas: Mix chicken and half the cheese. Roll each tortilla around a quarter cup of filling, reserving 2 cups of cheese for top of enchiladas. Place a layer of sauce in the bottom of 9×9 tins or baking dishes and lay enchiladas side by side. Pour remaining sauce over the enchiladas and sprinkle with the olives and remaining cheese. Garnish with sliced green onions. Cover with aluminum foil, then label with instructions. To serve, heat covered in 350 F oven for 30 minutes if thawed and one hour if frozen, or until hot throughout. Uncover and let brown 10 minutes. Garnish with yogurt or sour cream. This recipe easily doubles.

Homemade Enchilada Sauce
(for use in chicken enchiladas recipe)

1 small onion diced
2 Tablespoons oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds, ground
18 ounces tomato sauce, canned
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 Tablespoons chili powder
1/4 teaspoon oregano, dried
dash salt

Cook the onion in oil over medium heat until soft. Add the garlic, ground cumin seeds, and cook for 1 minute. Add tomato sauce and chicken stock, then gradually stir in chile powder. Add oregano and a dash of salt. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning.

Sam ZomerChicken and Wild Rice Patties. Food styling by Channon Mondoux.Day 3 — Chicken and Wild Rice Patties
Use dark meat from your roasted chickens for this recipe. Simply debone and chop.

1 6 oz. package mixed rice, long grain and wild
2 cups chicken, cooked, chopped
1/3 cup green onion, sliced thin
1/2 cup biscuit mix
1 cup baby peas, frozen
3 eggs, lightly beaten

Cook rice according to package directions, and then cool.
Combine rice, chicken and remaining ingredients. Drop about 1/3 cup mixture for each patty onto a hot, nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray. Cook 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Wrap in parchment or foil, label with directions to reheat in 350 degree oven for 10-12 minutes or microwave on low, and freeze.

Day 4 — Soup!
Don’t be afraid to finish up that chicken by making a simple soup. Simmer both carcasses (debone after simmering 10 minutes) and any remaining meat with onion, carrots, stock, seasoning and 1 cup pasta or grain to complete the meal.

Food for Pisces, and other fish lovers

By Chef Channon

March 07, 2010, 9:00AM

Every Friday night was “Fish Fry” night when I was a child. As much as we liked eating fish, it was also our Catholic tradition (practiced during Lent, the period leading up to Easter) linked to restricted eating (in this case meat and meat products) as a way of becoming closer to a higher power. These fasting traditions started millennia ago and are practiced in various forms by most religions.

Meat fasting has broad social implications. Around the world and across time, meat has been for the wealthy, requiring tracts of land, labor and feed. Fish, on the other hand, can be had for free from local waters, and just about anyone can grow vegetables and beans, the other mainstay of a nonmeat diet. Traditional fasting often takes place during times of scarce supplies or seasonal hunger (the word lent has its roots in Anglo-Saxon word lencten, meaning “spring,” a time of perpetual hunger). Did our ancestors inherently know of the health benefits related to a diet high in fish, seafood, vegetables and grains? Regardless of their understanding, they have contributed to our health.

The health benefits of eating fish

Omega 3s: These so-called good fats, also found in vegetable products such as seeds, whole grains, dark green leafy vegetables and algae (the main form of food for wild fish), are linked to reduced risk of cancer and of cardiac, arterial and inflammatory diseases and to increased function of the brain, digestion and immune system.
Vitamins: Fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K and the B vitamins riboflavin, niacin and thiamin.
Minerals: Calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, zinc, selenium and copper.
Lower caloric intake: A 5-ounce serving of broiled cod has 140 calories, while 5 ounces of the leanest cut of sirloin roast contains 299 calories.
Lower saturated fat: 2 grams for a serving of wild caught Atlantic Salmon, compared to the leanest cut of pork loin, which has 4 grams.
Reduced risk of Alzheimer’s: people who eat at least one meal of fish per week were 60 percent less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease than those who never eat fish, according to the Rush Institute for Healthy Aging.

Resources
Check these sites for up-to-date information on sustainable fishing around the world.

Healthy Fish Guide
Marine Stewardship Council
Monterey Bay Aquarium

Choosing fish
Since you only require about 7-10 ounces of fish per week to obtain sufficient health-related benefits, choose wisely.

The freshest fish: Clear not cloudy eyes, with a fresh sea smell.

Wild-caught: Higher in Omega 3 fatty acids than farm-raised, they are not treated with antibiotics, netted in concentrated numbers or fed artificial food pellets

Smaller fish varieties from wide open, deep waters (sole instead of swordfish).

Sustainable: Some farm-raised fishing practices can cause damage to the environment through waste contamination, cross breeding and competing for food with wild populations. Some fish breeds are in danger of extinction through overfishing.

Great Lakes fish: Some fish and portions of fish contain higher concentrations of mercury, a serious health threat. Check the Michigan Department of Community Health for information on fish recommended for consumption.
It should be noted that there are ongoing efforts to improve fish farm practices and to clean and restore our Great Lakes to improve fish quality.

Recipes
No need to fish around for a great recipe. Here are a few to get you swimming along nicely

View full sizeSam Zomer

Crusted Fish with Oriental Style Barbecue Sauce. Food styling by Channon Mondoux.Crusted Fish with Oriental Style Barbecue Sauce
Serves 6
This recipe works well with smaller fillets of a white-fleshed fish such as whitefish, sole, cod, tilapia, perch or even halibut or haddock. The bulgur or flax are also sources of Omega 3 fatty acids, delivering a real boost to the nutrition of this dish. Broiling instead of frying reduces fat and crisps the breading nicely.

Oriental Barbecue Sauce
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/3 cup honey
1 Tablespoon dark sesame oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground Szechwan pepper (Oriental groceries or spice stores) or red chili flakes (optional)
2 teaspoons fresh ginger, grated
1/4 cup molasses
1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds
Prepare sauce: Place ingredients except seeds in small saucepan, cook over medium heat until reduced to syrup consistency, 20 minutes. Add sesame seeds at end.

6 6-ounce fish fillets
1/4 cup fine bulgur wheat or flax seeds
1/4 pound whole almonds, toasted
2 Tablespoons curry powder
pinch sea salt
pinch black pepper
2 eggs whites beaten with 2 Tablespoons water
2 Tablespoons cilantro, chopped
fresh lime, cut in 6 wedges

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Place flax/bulgur and almonds in food processor. Process until nuts and seeds are broken down into crumbs. Add curry powder, salt, pepper, herbs, and process until well blended. Dredge each filet in egg (just water works OK but is not as nice of a crust) and then coat with crumbs. Line a baking pan with parchment and lightly brush with oil. Place in the hot oven for 11-13 minutes or until fish is flaky and opaque and crust is browned. Place each filet on plate. Drizzle with barbecue sauce and garnish with fresh cilantro leaves and lime. Goes well with whole-grain side dish such as quinoa or brown rice.

Click here to check out my latest article and video online at MLIVE.com. Info on the health benefits of fish, delicious recipes and even a video for a two- in -one appetizer or main dish salmon.

A note about the Great Lakes and Fishing, posted to the Eat Local list serve;

Hello all,

A few weeks ago, someone asked about local fish on the “Eat Local SW Michigan” discussion list and there was not a huge response. I was holding my tongue because I was working on an article on fish recipes (published this past weekend in “Be Your Best” in Traverse City, GR and other more northern cities and should be online soon at MLIVE.com) When it comes online I’ll post it. But because of a book I just finished reading I was compelled to post this.

Having grown up on Lake St.Clair, Lake Erie, the Detroit River and in a fishing family (both sport and commercial) I have been keenly aware of the deadly contamination of our local waters. I can tell you about the decimation of 2 mink farms in Essex County in the 1970’s due to contaminated fish, unprecedented rates of congenital birth defects such has spina bifida in Windsor as well as anecdotal information about  autism spectrum disorders linked to local environmental toxins. So when asked to write an article with fish recipes I was, in the least hesitant about recommending local fish. You should know that there is a safe fish intake suggested by the Michigan Dept of Community health (go to www.michigan.gov/documents/FishAdvisory03_67354_7.pdf) that outlines what fish to eat, how much and by whom. You know that when the govt. advises against eating it, there is some serious concern about it’s safety.  In my research for the article “Go Fish, food for Pisces and other fish lovers” I came across a book by a local former Upjohn scientist Melvin J Visser, “Cold, Clear and Deadly, unraveling a toxic legacy” on the contamination of our Great Lakes and consequently the Arctic Circle. Mr.Visser began this journey many years ago and as outlined in his book, came to the conclusion (based on his research and that of others) that the contamination of our waters by PCB’s, toxaphene and chlordane (which make PCB’s look like child’s play according to Visser) is continuing and actually growing despite the local efforts to eliminate these chemicals. His book demonstrates how developing countries are using the banned chemical’s in excess and that they are carried by wind currents and deposited in cold water sources including fresh water lakes- the largest of which is Lake Superior- on their way to the Arctic Circle where the TDI (tolerable Daily intake) of POP’s is 15 times the safe recommendation (and more in some cases).

We should all be pressuring our congressmen and the current administration to address these developing countries  use (and heck, why are they even still producing this stuff is beyond me) of these deadly chemicals and help to find the worlds farmers safe alternatives. Regardless of what our farmers do, the global effect is poisoning our fresh water.

I’ve been using the phrase “Eat Local, Think Global” for years- this is one of the prime reasons why. We can talk about local food and how to eat more of it, but how do you address the global behavior that is destroying one of our greatest resources?

I suggest that any of you interested in local fish read  Melvin J Visser’s, “Cold, Clear and Deadly, unraveling a toxic legacy” . Michigan State University Press- and then start discussing what fish you want to eat and from where. There are two copies at the Portage Public library. A NY Times best seller it may not be, but a speaker of hard truths it is.

I should note here that my article does not address the issue of our contaminated waters except to direct you to go to the website to check what fish to eat from the Great Lakes. It would have taken a series of articles to properly address this issue and the venue is just not up for an article on PCB contamination of fish and recipes to go with it. The recipes and information are about what I can say is healthy about fish (because there are a lot of good things about them) and recipes featuring primarily wild caught ocean fish.

If anyone would like to discuss this with me, please feel free to contact me or the author of “Clear Cold and Deadly” at his website www.clearcoldanddeadly.com