recipe: WATERMELON BASIL RIB EYE STEAK

Watermelon and basil is one of my favorite combinations.  Together these flavors create a rich and refreshing taste that is both savory and sweet!

This recipe is very similar to the Mango Flank Steak.  Fruit makes such a fantastic marinade that is low in calories but high in nutrients.  Steak is already a rich food so by making a marinade out of fresh fruit you can keep things light and enjoy a nice piece of meat without any guilt!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 to 2 lbs rib eye steak
• 1/4 of a large watermelon
• 5 or 6 large basil leaves
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

INSTRUCTIONS:

Rinse steak and place in large ziplock bag.

Remove rind from watermelon.  Peel and chop garlic. Tear or chop basil leaves.  Place watermelon, basil, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper in blender and mix until smooth.

Pour mixture into bag with steak.  Close and place in the refrigerator.  Allow to marinate for a minimum of 1 to 2 hours.  (I like to put it in the refrigerator in the morning before work and then come back at night and cook it).

Grill for about 5 minutes on each side or until steak is the way you like it.  (I like to use my George Foreman grill for these steaks. It cooks both sides at the same time and it's easy to heat up and clean!)

Makes 2 to 4 servings.  (If you are making this recipe just for yourself then I recommend using the leftovers in a salad or as a steak sandwich!)


Check back later in the week for a Watermelon and Basil Drink!

GTBB,
Bad Joan

recipe: MANGO SALSA AND MANGO SALAD

Depending on what you're in the mood for you can make a mango salsa or mango salad out of the same fresh and delicious ingredients.  Both are great for a healthy snack or serving at an end of summer BBQ!

SALSA

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 ripe mango
• 1 container of grape tomatoes
• 2 Persian cucumbers (aka mini seedless cucumbers)
• 2 - 3 stalks of fresh cilantro finely chopped (approximately 2 tablespoons)
• 1/4 cup of finely chopped red onion (can be a little more or less depending on your taste)
• splash of extra virgin olive oil
• splash of rice vinegar
• salt and pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

Peel mango and chop into small pieces.  Place in a large mixing bowl.

Finely chop cucumbers. Keep the skin on. Persian cucumbers have a thin skin that is crisp, delicious and nutritious. I usually cut the cucumbers into 1/8ths lengthwise creating long strips and then chop. Chop tomatoes.  I usually chop the tomatoes into 1/4s.  Add everything to the mixing bowl.

Very finely chop the onion and cilantro. Add both to the mixing bowl.

Drizzle in a small amount of olive oil and rice vinegar, about 1 teaspoon each (you can always add more later if you want and you will find that the mango and tomatoes have their own natural juices so you don't want to over saturate the mix).

Sprinkle in some salt and pepper and mix.

Set it out for your guests with chips (tastes great with Bad Joan's Ezekiel Chips).  Or store it in a plastic container in the refrigerator and snack on it over a couple of days. 

I don't know about you but I love to snack all day, so having some of this mango salsa in the fridge helps me make a much healthier but still satisfying snack choice!

SALAD

This is the same exact recipe except for 2 things:

1. Chop everything into larger pieces so that you can grab them with a fork.  In other words, I half the tomatoes and cucumbers and make larger chunks of mango.
2. Crumble some fresh feta cheese on top for an added savory taste!

Enjoy!

GTBB,
Bad Joan

tip: CRUMBLE AND SHRED YOUR CHEESE

I love cheese but I definitely think it is something to be enjoyed in moderation.  While it is high in calories there are a lot of valuable nutrients like calcium, Vitamin A, zinc, etc. The calories can be put to good use so that doesn't bother me as much as the fact that cheese is generally a heavily processed food and I am a believer in eating food as close to the source as possible. 

That said when I do buy cheese I never buy pre-crumbled or pre-shredded cheese and here are the reasons:

1. It's a waste of money.  Buying a block of cheese gives you way more bang for your buck!  I find that a block of cheese is half the price and yields 2 to 3 times more cheese than pre-shredded or pre-crumbled.  Don't get ripped off!
2. When a cheese is pre-shredded or pre-crumbled certain ingredients are added to keep the cheese from "caking" or sticking together.  These ingredients are usually things like powdered cellulose, calcium carbonate and/or starch.  These ingredients are considered "naturally occurring."  PS - everything starts out as a "naturally occurring" substance, and then it gets altered.  Bottom line, even if these ingredients were once natural they have been altered from their natural state in order to keep your cheese looking pretty for a long time after being crumbled or shredded.  Which leads to you ingesting these ingredients for no good reason.  It's one more thing that your body does not need and cannot make use of so why eat it?

Crumbling and shredding your own cheese takes a whole minute longer than if you bought it pre-shredded or pre-crumbled.  

"It's good to be Bad"... not Lazy!

GTBB,
Bad Joan

GTBB,
Bad Joan

recipe: MANGO FLANK STEAK

You should think twice before you buy any type of prepackaged sauce or marinade because they are made up of mainly sodium, artificial sugars and all kinds of things that I can't pronounce.  AND because it's so easy to make your own!  Just take some fresh fruit, extra virgin olive oil and a little salt and pepper and presto, you've got your own homemade marinade that tastes great and adds nutrients to your meal.  Check out this quick and easy steak recipe complete with fresh fruit marinade...

INGREDIENTS:

• approximately 1 lb of flank steak
• 1 mango
• 2 cloves of fresh garlic
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS:

Rinse steak and place in large ziplock bag.

Peel and cut mango.  Peel and chop garlic.  Place mango, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper in blender and mix until smooth.

Pour mixture into bag with steak.  Close and place in the refrigerator.  Allow to marinate for a minimum of 1 to 2 hours.  (I like to put it in the refrigerator in the morning before work and then come back at night and cook it).

Grill for 3 to 5 minutes on each side or until steak is the way you like it.  (I like to use my George Foreman grill for these steaks.  It cooks both sides at the same time and it's easy to heat up and clean!) 

Makes 2 to 3 servings.  (If you are making this recipe just for yourself then I recommend using the leftovers in a salad or as a steak sandwich!)

PS - You can substitute the mango with strawberries for a slightly different but equally delicious and nutritious steak marinade!

GTBB,
Bad Joan

recipe: PEACH AND BASIL COBBLER

Peaches are one of my favorite summer fruits!  And basil is my absolute favorite herb (which you will discover as the blog continues).  So it's no surprise that these two divine tastes go well together!  I found a recipe a while back from Martha Stewart for Peach/Basil Crumbles that I modified a tiny bit to up the nutritional value without compromising on flavor!  Check it out...


INGREDIENTS:

Filling:

• 4 large ripe peaches, pitted, and sliced into wedges (you can peel them if you like, I usually keep the skin on)
• 1 to 2 tablespoon fresh chopped basil
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

Topping:

• 1/2 cup chopped almonds
• 1/3 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons oat flour
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
• 3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

To make the filling simply mix all the filling ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

To make the topping, combine all the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl (this is a different bowl than the filling filling).  Rub in the butter a little bit at a time with your fingers until mixture is crumbly.

Place filling in 8 x 8 baking pan.  Cover with topping. 

Bake until bubbling and golden brown, 25 to 27 minutes. Let cool slightly.

Makes 6 servings. 


*Differences from the original Martha Stewart recipe*

• She uses sugar in the filling: I find that fresh, ripe peaches have enough natural sugar already and do not need any additional processed sugar.
• She uses lemon zest in the filling: I personally did not like the taste that the lemon zest added to this particular recipe.
• She uses all purpose flour for the topping: I use whole grain oat flour which is higher in protein and fiber than all purpose flour. In this recipe I also think the oat flour gives an added flavor that is delicious!
• I also added a tiny bit more almonds because I enjoy the crunch texture!

This dish is great to serve if you have guests over.  If you are cooking for 1 then you can store this by putting plastic wrap over the pan and keep in the refrigerator (note - it will get a little grey in color once you store it in the refrigerator but it will still be delicious and keep for several days).  When I make this cobbler I like to eat it throughout the week...  I eat it for breakfast if I'm in the mood for something sweet.  I like to take a serving to work in a Tupperware container and eat it as a snack when I'm feeling the need for a little sugar.  And of course I eat it for dessert or a snack if I'm watching TV.

With fresh fruit, herbs, nuts, and oats this dish makes a healthy dessert or snack so enjoy!

GTBB,
Bad Joan

tip: OAT FLOUR

There is no denying that all-purpose flour turns out some pretty delicious baked goods.  But it is also made up of mainly "empty calories."  Sometimes you just need a few empty calories in life, we've all been there!  But if you cook a lot for yourself, and if you love baked goods as much as I do, than you might think about exploring flour substitutes in order to make those calories count for something instead of just taking up space on your thighs!

A lot of alternate flours can be tricky and require a lot of math and experimenting in order to figure out the right quantities.  However, oat flour is wonderful because you can just plug it right into any recipe without having to change the quantity!  It will substitute 1 = 1 for any recipe that calls for all-purpose flour.  This is great news because oat flour is higher in both fiber (which will help your body break down those pesky carbs) and protein than all-purpose flour. 

I personally like to use Bob's Red Mill Whole Grain Oat Flour which consists of finely ground oats and nothing else.  You can buy it in bulk online at the link above or in smaller packages at your local Whole Foods or other health food markets.

*IMPORTANT: Oat flour does have a slightly different taste than all-purpose flour.  While you can substitute the quantity without any problem, it will give a different flavor to your baked goods.  I often prefer the oat flour flavor, but it does not work with everything.  You just have to experiment in order to find out which recipes work with this flavor and which do not!


GTBB,
Bad Joan

recipe: APPLE AND BASIL TUNA

I could literally eat a tuna sandwich everyday for lunch.  There is something so delicious and even comforting about it for me.  But all that mayo can get fattening.  So I came up with a recipe that uses less mayo than normal and added lemon for moisture and flavor, plus a few extra bits of flavor! 

And remember the half an apple that you have left over from the Apple and Cucumber Guacamole?  Well now you can use it in this recipe...

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 can of tuna (I prefer to use tuna in water with no salt added and then you can add a small amount of salt on your own).
• 1/4 fuji or gala apple
• 1 to 2 tablespoons of red onion depending upon your taste
• 1 tablespoon fresh basil
• 1/4 lemon (1 wedge)
• spoonful of mayonnaise
• salt and pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

Drain tuna and place in bowl to mix.

Finely chop onion, apple and basil and add everything to the bowl.

Squeeze in lemon juice, add mayonnaise, add a dash of salt and pepper and mix all the ingredients together.

Taste.  You can always add more salt, pepper, lemon or mayo depending on your taste preference. 

Makes enough for 2 sandwiches.  I recommend using a sprouted grain bread for increased nutritional value.

GTBB,
Bad Joan

recipe: APPLE AND CUCUMBER GUACAMOLE

Avocados have a bad reputation for being fattening. While it is true that avocados do contain some fat it is the good kind of fat full of things that your body can use like Potassium, Vitamin E and Vitamin C among other things. So enjoy them!  But just in case you are still paranoid here is a guacamole recipe that uses less avocado than a traditional recipe without skimping on flavor...

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 ripe avocados
• 2 Persian cucumbers (aka mini seedless cucumbers)
• 1 yellow or orange pepper
• 1/2 fuji or gala apple
• 2 - 3 stalks of fresh cilantro finely chopped (approximately 2 tablespoons)
• 1/4 cup of finely chopped red onion (can be a little more or less depending on your taste)
• 1/4 lemon (1 wedge)
• extra virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

Skin and chop avocados and place in a large mixing bowl.

Finely chop cucumbers.  Keep the skin on.  Persian cucumbers have a thin skin that is crisp, delicious and nutritious.  I usually cut the cucumbers into 1/8ths lengthwise creating long strips and then chop.  Cut peppers and apples to be about the same size as the cucumber pieces.  Remember you are only using half the apple.  Add everything to the mixing bowl.

Very finely chop the onion and cilantro.  Add both to the mixing bowl. 

Squeeze lemon juice into the bowl and remove any lemon seeds.  Drizzle in a small amount of olive oil, about 1 teaspoon (you can always add more later if you want).  Sprinkle in some salt and pepper and mix until creamy.   

Presto!  Nutritious and delicious guacamole is ready to serve and enjoy!

GTBB,
Bad Joan

PS - Tastes great with Bad Joan's Ezekiel Chips!

recipe: EZEKIEL CHIPS

My name is Bad Joan and I am addicted to crunchy snacks.  It is a definite problem but I figure if you can't beat 'em find a way to be smart about it!  Insert Ezekiel chips.  Ezekiel tortillas are made from sprouted grains and they are high in Potassium, Protein and Fiber.  And in just a few short steps you can turn them into crunchy tortilla chips...

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 bag Ezekiel Tortillas
• extra virgin olive oil
• salt

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with foil.

Place tortilla on a cutting board.  Brush both sides with olive oil.  Cut tortilla into strips and/or triangles.  Place tortilla pieces on foil lined baking sheet in one layer, do not overlap. 

When the sheet is full sprinkle with salt and place in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes.  Chips should be about 2 shades darker and hard/crispy when they are finished.

Place in a zip lock bag or tupperware container to store.

Makes about 12 chips per tortilla, about 72 chips per bag.


Enjoy your new crunchy and savory (but still good for you) snacks!

GTBB,
Bad Joan

tip: SHOP IN A SMALL PRODUCE STORE

First things first, you need a place to buy produce.  If you live in Los Angeles there are lot of small/local produces stores to choose from.  On Fairfax between Beverly and Melrose as well as on Pico just east of Robertson.  Personally, I love the Three Amigos on Fairfax and Rosewood.  The "three amigos" are friendly and helpful, and I like their selection.... 

The benefits of these types of stores are twofold... 1) they are about half the price of shopping in a regular supermarket and 2) their product is fresher and uses less sprays and chemicals. 

These stores generally sell wholesale/bulk to restaurants and therefore turnaround product quickly.  This allows them to charge less and the products don't need to have such a long shelf life or look "pretty" and shiny like they do in the supermarket.   

If you are not in Los Angeles but want to find a store like this near you I suggest doing some research and finding out where your local restaurants buy their produce.  Or if you know of a local produce store in your area post about in the comments section here so that others in your area can find it!

Okay, let's start cooking... and eating!

GTBB,
Bad Joan