Category Archives: Dining

Recipe: Pumpkin Coconut Cornbread Pudding

December 20, 2013 epicureasian

Cornbread pudding is relatively easy to make, especially when baking with pre-mixed boxed cornbread. But to add a little variety, here’s an autumn spin on cornbread pudding:

Cornbread ingredients (adapted from Comfybelly.com):

1/2 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup coconut flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 jumbo eggs
1/4 cup coconut oil
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup coconut
1 tbsp coconut oil (for greasing pan)

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease an 8×8 baking pan. Mixed dry ingredients and wet ingredients separately. Then fold together and stir well. Pour mixture into pan and smooth top with a spatula. Bake for 20 minutes until inserted pick comes out clean.

Remove from pan to cool, then chop into cubes. Meanwhile heat oven to 250F. Place cornbread cubes in pan, lay flat. Bake until toasted, about 15 – 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit on counter to continue dry and cool.

Pumpkin custard ingredients (adapted from HealthyRecipesBlogs.com):

1/2 cup pure pumpkin puree
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup sugar free maple syrup
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 jumbo eggs
1 tbsp coconut oil (for greasing pan)

Beat eggs, mix all wet ingredients together. Fold in cornbread cubes and mix with custard until incorporated. While the bread soaks up the custard, heat oven to 350F. Grease an 8×8 pan with coconut oil. Pour bread and custard into pan, and use a spatula to flatten the surface. Bake for 30 minutes.

Dining, Fitness, Recipes

Recipe: Lemon Garlic Vinaigrette

August 26, 2013 epicureasian

Is there such a thing as too much garlic? Nooooo!

I love this as a salad dressing or a marinade to fish/salmon.

Garlic – Raw, 85 g
Pompeii – Lemon Juice (From Concentrate), 2 fl oz
Truvia – Artificial Sweetener, 3 tsp
Food Club – 100% Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 10 Tbsp
Kroger – Garlic Powder, 3 tsp
Kroger – Coarse Kosher Salt, 1/4 tsp

Chop/mince garlic, then throw all the ingredients into a blender until thoroughly incorporated. I store it in a shaker dressing bottle so that the sediment can be stirred up when used.

MFP Recipe Calculator estimate per 1 oz (2 tbsp) serving:
112 Calories
4g Carbs
12g Fat
0g Protein
0g Sugar

Dining, Recipes

Recipe: Chili Garlic Mukimame with Crab and Salmon

March 1, 2013 epicureasian

Oh, mukimame…how I love thee. You’re the soybean of my dreams, unfettered and free. (Why is it that edamame removed from husks are referred to as “shelled” while imprisoned they are “unshelled”? Seems backward to me.)

While I was shopping at the grocery for a low-fat meat ingredient to go with soybeans, I recalled an edamame salad I once enjoyed from Central Market that featured smoked salmon. That cinched it, I was going to match soybeans with crab and salmon. (Yes, real crabmeat is a splurge, but it tastes delish!) Edit: I also made this recipe with crawfish and crab (shellfish delight)!

Atlantic Salmon Fillets (Farm Raised), about 1/2lb (cut into 4 sections)
Garlic – Raw, 20 clove
Kroger Private Selection – Frozen Shelled Soybeans (Mukimame), 16oz
Kroger’s Private Selection – Wild Caught Claw Crabmeat, 8oz container
Huy Fong Foods – Chili Garlic Sauce, 2 tbsp (less if you don’t like spicy)
Sempio – Grapeseed Oil, 1 tbsp
Abc Kecap Manis – Medium Sweet Soy Sauce, 2 tbsp

Preheat oven to 350F. Place salmon fillets on baking sheet or oil-sprayed pan (I omitted spray). Season with garlic powder, black pepper, salt, or whatever suits your fancy. Place pan in oven and broil for about 10-15 minutes. (It’s okay if still a little rare in center, it will cook out later.) Set aside to cool.

Steam a 16oz bag of mukimame in the microwave for 5 minutes, or boil according to package instructions. Set aside.

Chop garlic. Heat grapeseed oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat. Fry garlic until golden brown.

Add steamed mukimame and toss in pan for 5 minutes. Stir in chili garlic sauce and sweet soy sauce until beans are coated. Cook for another 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, carefully break apart salmon into small chunks with a fork. Transfer salmon to pan. Empty container of crabmeat into pan. Toss mixture until everything is coated, about 1-2 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Serves 8.

MFP Recipe Calculator estimate per 4oz serving:
205 Calories
11g Carbs
9g Fat
20g Protein
5g Sugar
4g Fiber

Dining, Recipes

Recipe: Baked Panko Coconut Yogurt Chicken

February 28, 2013 epicureasian

This recipe got the stamp of approval from my fiancee. I had been thinking about doing something with the leftover coconut flakes from my mango bread pudding recipe from last week. I also had some panko breadcrumbs that I thought about using in another chicken recipe. After surfing the net for some ideas, I came up with a plan to make panko coconut yogurt chicken. Talk about protein! The only thing I worried about was that the yogurt might make the chicken too sour. So I had to sweeten things up a bit.

4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast W/ Rib Meat, about 3 pounds, thawed
All Natural Plain Non Fat Yogurt, 1 cup
Major Grey Chutney, 2 tbsp (substitute with mango chutney or any fruit jelly/jam/preserve)
Truvia – Artificial Sweetener, 1 tablespoon (substitute with sugar or other sweetener)
Panko Bread Crumbs – Japanese Style, 1.25 cup
Unsweetened Coconut Flakes, 8 tbsp

Preheat oven to 350F. Spread 4 tablespoons of unsweetened coconut flakes on a cookie sheet or broiler pan. Bake coconut flakes in oven until golden brown. Remove from oven and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 cup of yogurt with 2 tablespoons of Major Grey chutney and 1 tablespoon of Truvia. Add more sweetener to taste. Set aside.

In a second mixing bowl, combine panko bread crumbs, browned coconut flakes, and the remaining unbaked coconut flakes. Toss and set aside.

Place chicken breast between two pieces of plastic wrap. With the flat side of a meat tenderizer (or rolling pin, brick, something really heavy), pound chicken breast from the center to the edge until 1/4″ inch thick. I left the breast whole, but you can slice the breast in half for smaller portions. Repeat with the remainder of the chicken.

Toss the pounded chicken breasts into yogurt mixture until they are completely slathered. At this point, you can cover the chicken yogurt mixture and refrigerate until ready for baking.

One by one, transfer chicken to bread-coconut mixture and coat thoroughly. Transfer coated chicken to a an oil-sprayed baking sheet. (I omitted oil in mine, but it helps prevent the chicken from sticking and creates a lovely golden crunchy skin.)

Bake at 350F for 20 minutes or until juices run clear. If additional browning needed, place oven on broil until chicken reaches desired color. Serves 12.

MFP Recipe Calculator estimate per 5 oz serving:
205 Calories
11g Carbs
5g Fat
31g Protein
4g Sugar
1g Fiber

Dining, Reviews

Dallas Brisket Challenge 2013 Part 1

February 24, 2013 epicureasian

Pecan Lodge

I remember Pecan Lodge back before the long lines, before the Guy Fieri/Triple D endorsements, before they became best in Big D…before they were outrageously famous.

Was it worth the 45 minute wait in line?

For my Dallas Brisket challenge, I pitted Pecan Lodge’s brisket against Lockhart and newcomer Babb Bros to see who’d win top prize in smoked beef.

The moment of unveiling revealed who had the sexiest slabs of beef on the plate. Sweaty and seductive, rimmed with a ribbon of red, and the darkest blackest bark possible–Pecan Lodge won the beauty contest hands down. They were so undeniably gorgeous that it took sheer willpower not to gorge down on them immediately.

The taste test: Pecan Lodge was an auto-firing barrage of flavor in the mouth. It hit all the sweet spots on the front, middle and back of the tongue with equal effect–a balance of smoke and seasoning. This was a finished symphony, full-bodied without being overwhelming…equilibrium approaching nirvana. You can have your beef and smoke flavor too…without the two constantly battling for your approval. For those who find Lockhart’s brisket too aggressive, Pecan Lodge is the right amount of assertiveness without the attitude.

It’s up there in my top 5 list of Dallas ‘que. I know I haven’t gotten around to trying out their Hot Mess or even some of the other meats they offer like Burnt Ends or their Beef Ribs. (Keep an eye on their blackboard so that you know what’s sold out by the time you get to order.). Someday, maybe I’ll get a chance to try them, when I don’t have to fight the crowds.

If you haven’t been to Pecan Lodge yet, give it a try and judge for yourself.

Rating by epicureasian: 4.5 stars

Babb Bros BBQ and Blues

Babb Bros, I had high hopes for you. When I learned that this new outpost of BBQ in Trinity Groves shared a common pedigree with Rudy’s (my fave “chain” bbq), I was eager to try them out. In fact, from the moment I walked in through the door, I felt a sense of deja vu. The lines, the layout, the big dining hall, and the menu were so uncannily similar that I could easily have mistaken Babb Bros for Rudy’s.

You want your brisket moist or lean? Babb Bros offers both. Jalapeno or regular sausage? Yep, Babb has those too. Basically anything that has clucked, mooed, oinked or gobbled shows up in the meat by the pound section, with the unique inclusion of smoked meatloaf. Babb also offers combo plates, sandwiches and stuffed spuds, plus an array of sides such as creamed corn, cheesy potatoes, slaw, beans, onion straws and collard greens. Where Babb differs from the aforementioned: the menu offers import and domestic beers as well as frozen margaritas. So if you ever wanted adult beverages with your ‘que, Babb will set you up. They even have patio seating so that you can enjoy your bbq and drinks outdoors when weather permits.

Babb Bros was our 2nd stop in our one-day bbq brisket tour of Dallas (pitting Babb against Dallas brisket all-stars Pecan Lodge and Lockhart Smokehouse). We picked up a pound of moist brisket along with a side of creamed corn and collard greens and took it to-go. When it came to the unveiling and taste test, it was evident that the Babb brisket wasn’t going to win any beauty contests: light brown meat, with a pale ribbon of pink, hardly any bark, and the most grievous carving job ever. A crying shame–our carver had cut our brisket ALONG the grain–which guaranteed some stringy mouthfuls of beef.

Another minus was in the taste category. While Babb’s brisket was tender and moist, it lacked serious smoke and required saucing. Babb Bros had furnished us with a mild-flavored light-weight tomatoey bbq sauce…the texture was right but it just didn’t do enough to rescue this brisket. The creamed corn that we had looked forward to all day was a disappointment; Babb opted for a savory recipe that didn’t contrast well with the beef. Collard greens proved to be better; they tasted fresh and not overcooked with a hint of spice and a good mustardy bite.

Maybe I should have gone with something that departed from the Rudy’s formula. If I find myself out this way again, I’ll be sure to try the smoked meatloaf and the onion straws; but Babb Bros needs to improve on their brisket especially since this is beef country. For a restaurant that’s barely a year old, they have time to tweak their recipes, gain experience, and distinguish themselves in this part of Dallas where so few bbq joints rarely go.

Rating by epicureasian: 2.5 stars

Lockhart Smokehouse

The man and I went on a one-day brisket tour of Dallas with Lockhart Smokehouse being our last stop. Sadly when we had arrived at LS Sunday mid-afternoon, we were met by signage to come back at 4:30. Lockhart was sold out of our fave smoked meats! That’s okay, we had an hour to walk around the Bishop Arts area to burn off some of the calories we would soon be consuming in earnest. We came back 15 till and noshed on some deviled eggs while we camped the dining room along with other patrons. Deviled eggs were still tasty, though I wish they’d let these things age a little more so that the smoke permeated them more thoroughly.

By the time the bell rang, we had already built up an appetite for brisket and some of that famous Kreuz Market sausage. We took a pound of beef and a link to go (remind yourself that butcher paper won’t spare your car upholstery from all that leakage–so get a plastic bag).

When it came time to compare the briskets (Lockhart vs Pecan Lodge vs Babb Bros), Lockhart had to take second place in the looks department. While the brisket slices were thoughtfully sliced in half, neither the bark nor smoke ring were quite as vivid as rival Pecan Lodge. They were still pretty slabs of meat, but not knockout gorgeous.

But in taste, Lockhart was a bull in a china shop…trampling your tastebuds with smoke…heavy heavy smoke. It was intense, it was overpowering…and this is why Lockhart brisket needs no sauce–they had delivered a tactical nuke to my mouth party. Some folks might not take so kindly to such a smokering, but I loved it. This was the no-prisoners approach that made Lockhart the top of my list for brisket love–tender, juicy, and oh-so-smokilicious!

Let me not forget to mention the sausage: this is a beefy sausage in case you were expecting more pork for your buck. Texture is gravelly, tending toward dry (as with any sausage with a low pork/fat content), but the flavor leans toward the beef with a good helping of pepper to liven up the meat. Once you’ve had a bite, you’ll forsake all commercial sausages from here on out.

Rating by epicureasian: 5.0 stars

The head-to-head comparison pics:

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