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Posts Tagged ‘picture book recipe’

December 10th, 2022

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Best Chestnuts Foreign and Domestic

Roasted chestnuts have been a big part of Tretter family tradition for many decades. And though I knew we had some chestnut trees here in the US, almost every chestnut I’d had until this year came from Italy. That’s because American chestnut trees, billions of them that were a staple for both food and lumber, were decimated by an Asian blight beginning in the 1880’s (for more information, click this American Chestnut Foundation link) and therefore made US chestnuts hard to find, though there is a bright light at the end of the tunnel, as you’ll see below.

Regarding chestnuts from Italy, by far the most explosively flavorful Italian chestnuts I’ve ever had I found last winter in an Acme grocery store imported by Bella Vita (“beautiful life”) while visiting my stepmom in Greenwich, CT. Those chestnuts roasted so well, had such a comforting chewy texture and tasted so good that I had to call the company to let them know how much I liked them.

I called, and funny thing, Bella Vita is headquartered in Harrison, NY, and its smart, personable owner, Celso Paganini, lives within a half mile of where I grew up in that same Town of Harrison. You bet, small world. And, though those killer flavorful chestnuts are not yet available in North Carolina, something I hope we can change, please do look and ask for them if you live in the Northeast. They are well worth the effort and price.

Regarding the domestic bright light mentioned above, I just found an exceptionally rich resource of American-grown chestnuts available from early November to mid-December through Suttles Farm out of Pelzer, South Carolina. Those fresh-off-the-tree chestnuts, as with their other fresh nuts, come to Hickory, North Carolina, where I live, by the truck shown below staffed by Shane Stuart (great guy) and his team. I have to say, with decades of experience, those South Carolina chestnuts are the freshest, easiest peeling, and sweetest tasting chestnuts I’ve ever had. It turns out that American chestnuts, which are making a comeback and, as noted by the American Chestnut Foundation, are known for their smaller size and sweet flavor.

Like I mentioned in the last post, roasting chestnuts is very easy, especially in a toaster oven. Here’s all you need.

You can get complete picture book directions that show both how to roast chestnuts in a toaster oven or a standard kitchen oven by clicking this link or any picture on this page.

October 18th, 2022

Blog, Breakfast, Crepes, Cycling, Cycling Food, Fitness Food, Hiking Food, Leftovers, Running Food, Sports Nutrition

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JIC Follow-Up: Crepe with Nut Butter, Cookie Spread & More

Last post was about a crepe I made with nut butter, cookie spread and raisins, as my dear ol’ mom used to say, “JIC”. And that “JIC” was “just in case” I needed it to refuel on a 60 mile North Carolina ride. And though I didn’t need to refuel on the ride, that full-on flavorful crepe sure didn’t go to waste. No way!

Crepe with nut butter, cookie spread; fruit with yogurt, jam & dried fruit; and coffee

Last weekend I used half of that leftover crepe for breakfast, as shown above, along with fruit, yogurt, jam and dried fruit and a vat of coffee – and, you bet, both the crepe and coffee got a good shot of whipped cream. Again, that breakfast – and a good meal the night before (equally as important) –

…sustained me just fine for another 60 mile less hilly ride, as shown above, with no need to chomp on the nuts, raisins and dried coconut I bagged and shoved in my pocket, again, “JIC”. Ha, Mom!

October 3rd, 2022

Blog, Crepes, Fish, How To & Tips, Leftovers

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Tuna and Provolone Cheese Crepe Picture Book Directions

Last post showed how to make fully flavorful Fresh Crepes with Nut Butter, Jam, Yogurt & Whipped Cream all very easily. Like I mentioned this summer in Killer Versatile Active Life Power Food: Fresh Crepes with Picture Book Recipe, crepes are incredibly versatile – way more versatile than regular syrup-sucking flapjack pancakes.

And crepes make for great “on-the-fly” food. I made a stack of crepes before taking off across the country this summer. On that trip, I loved keeping my foot on the gas to take in all I could about our wonderfully vibrant country. Those crepes worked great for making lunches that I enjoyed rolling on the road, like the ham, cheese and mustard crepe shown above.

I made that crepe no-kidding while gassing up the car and, therefore, didn’t take pictures. When I got home, though, I shot this easy to make Tuna and Provolone Cheese Crepe that you can make either as shown below or by substituting the tuna and provolone cheese with any meat, vegetable and cheese you like. Imagination and flavor rule!

Here’s what I used to put together this Tuna and Provolone Cheese Crepe: leftover pan cooked tuna, provolone cheese, mustard and crepe.

Tuna and Provolone Cheese Crepe Ingredients

I started by spreading mustard on the crepe, laying on a slice of provolone cheese and hand-pulling apart pieces of leftover cooked tuna on half the crepe.

Spreading mustard on a crepe and topping with provolone cheese & cooked tuna

Warm the topped crepe in the microwave oven for 20 seconds.

Warm the crepe in the microwave oven for 20 seconds

Take the warmed crepe out of the microwave oven and fold the cheese only covered half over the tuna covered side and…

Fold the warmed crepe one half over the other half

…enjoy!

September 26th, 2022

Blog, Breakfast, Crepes, Cycling Food, Fitness Food, Hiking Food, How To & Tips, Running Food

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Fresh Crepes with Nut Butter, Jam, Yogurt & Whipped Cream

Last post – I know, quite a while ago – showed how to make fresh crepes, which are just as easy to make as flapjack pancakes but are way more versatile, as shown with just a few examples above.

Whether you use your own crepes or pre-made store bought crepes, the top middle version, filled with nut butter and jam and topped with yogurt and whipped cream is very easy to make, killer flavorful and great power fuel for any kind of strenuous activity because of its combination of simple “get up and go!” sugars from the jam and cookie spread (optional), complex carbs from the flour in the crepe, protein from the egg in the crepe, Greek yogurt and nut butter, and fats from nut butter, yogurt (if you use whole milk yogurt) and whipped cream.

Here’s what I use to put together a crepe like this: homemade crepe (which can be substituted with a prepared, store bought crepe), then from left to right: whole milk Greek yogurt, almond butter, cookie spread (optional – I love both added flavor and light crunch!), jam, raisins and whipped cream.

Crepe with nut butter, jam, yogurt and whipped cream ingredients

Start by spreading nut butter, cookie spread (optional) and jam down the middle of the crepe.

Spreading nut butter, cookie spread and jam down the middle of a crepe

I fold over one of the crepe thirds and add a dab of nut butter to the middle of that third and then fold over the opposing third, as shown below, to keep the crepe folded in place when I warm it in the microwave oven.

Using nut butter to keep the folded crepe thirds together when warmed in the microwave oven

Warm the filled crepe in the microwave oven for 20 seconds.

Warming the filled crepe for 20 seconds in the microwave oven

Finish buy topping the warmed crepe with yogurt and whipped cream.

Finishing with a good shot of yogurt and whipped cream

This crepe just by itself is great. Here’s how I have it before a good crunch on the bike that keeps me satisfied completely with no need to refuel on the fly for distances of 30-50+ miles with plenty of North Carolina hills along the way.

Pre-ride crepe with nut butter, cookie spread, jam, yogurt and whipped cream

May 1st, 2017

Anti-Inflammatory Foods, Cooking Technique, Vegetables

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Picture Book Directions Show How to Microwave Cook Fresh Spinach

The most important tip regarding spinach is that the less you cook it, the more you retain its flavor, texture, and terrific nutritional value – high in the oil soluble vitamins A, E and K and water soluble vitamins B2, B6 and C as well as rich iron and magnesium content. There’s just no comparison between quickly cooked fresh spinach and spinach that’s been cooked to a very distasteful mushy mass. (My favorite source for spinach’s nutrition and health benefits is The World’s Healthiest Foods: http://whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=43)

The second most important tip: to avoid an unpleasant crunch on the sandy soil spinach grows in, always give fresh spinach a Read more »

December 6th, 2016

Anti-Inflammatory Foods, Anti-inflammatory Recipes, Cycling Food, Fitness Food, Nutrition, Vegetables

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Kale Teriyaki Picture Book Recipe

Dig kale? I didn’t until only a few years ago, but now I’m a big fan, especially when it’s made the way you see here!

Nutritionally, kale rates highest along with collard, turnip, and mustard greens, Swiss chard, and upland watercress with a score of 1000 on the Read more »

November 10th, 2015

Blog, Snacks, Vegetables

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Brussels Sprouts Chips – Flavorful Alternative to Bagged Chips & All in Pictures

Brussels sprouts chips are an excellent quick, flavorful, and much more nutritious alternative to commercially bagged chips.

The hardest part about making these great tasting chips – and it’s actually not hard at all; it just takes a little time – is peeling the sprout leaves as shown above. After that, it’s just add oil, broil & enjoy!

Microwave Cooked Corn on the Cob – Incredibly Easy, All in Pictures

Aside from being incredibly quick and easy, cooking corn in the microwave oven as shown in the picture book recipe you can get here is probably the best way both to maximize corn’s flavor and nutritional value as the corn cooks inside its own husk.

Here’s what you need to cook corn on the cob in the microwave oven.

Needed to Make Microwave Cooked Corn on the Cob Read more »

August 28th, 2015

Blog, Vegetables

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Stove Cooked Corn on the Cob: Quick, Easy, and All in Pictures

Fresh, crisp corn on the cob; it’s a summer staple and very quick and easy to cook on the stove.

Here’s all you need.

How to Take Microwave Cooked Kale From Simple to Exciting – All in Pictures

Last time I showed how to cook kale in the microwave oven, which is a great way to prepare kale both to maximize it’s flavor and not just retain but even boost its terrifically nutritional properties. But eating kale all by itself? Not for me.

So, here’s how to take microwave cooked kale from simple to exciting, which really is an example of just how easy – and flavorful – improvising in the kitchen can be. What I mean specifically regarding this recipe is that all the ingredients you see below or in the full picture book recipe you can download by clicking any picture on this page are just suggestions. Sure, they taste great together – for me. But what about you? You might not like onions or chickpeas (I used to not be a chickpea/garbanzo bean fan at all). Fine. Don’t use them, or substitute them with something else you do like, for example, chopped red – or any color – bell pepper, kidney beans, sun dried tomatoes, cucumber; you get the picture. Read more »