FoodieCuisine.com

By Todd Barron @ FoodieCuisine.com

Fish Tacos - Chevys

It’s dinner time and once again I’m with a group of co-workers who are tired and hungry after traveling from around the country to Orlando, Florida.

We end up at Chevy’s Fresh Mex in Lake Buena Vista, Florida at around 7pm.  The group wants to go to the chain of Chevy’s Fresh Mex which looks like your standard American-Mexican restaurant from the outside.

The menu is impressive to say the least with many items which I want to order.  The problem is, most of the items on the menu will go straight to my waist.

Clocking in at 920 calories they offer the Mesquite Grilled Fish Tacos.  Although 920 calories sounds like a lot, when compared to items which have 1500 or more, it’s not too bad.  The plate comes with two tacos on flour tortillas, grilled fish, lettuce, chipotle sauce, and cojita cheese and the tacos are sided with grilled vegetables and a side of corn tamalito.

While waiting on the food I am very impressed with the balloon artists walking around entertaining the kids.  I’m not used to seeing people make balloon hats, animals, and even suits in real-time, but they are doing it and and the designs look amazing.  I wish there was a Chevy’s in my area as my son would love the balloons, regardless of how the food tastes.

Fortunately, my food comes out and looks wonderful.  The fish is grilled nicely and smells great.  The vegetables are a little too charred but have a nice flavor to them and are far better than fattier options.  The tacos are moist, seasoned well, and the chipotle sauce adds a nice small kick to the flavor and heat levels.

I am very pleased with my food and would order it again in a heartbeat.  I do not try the other food at the table but the dishes my co-workers order look great as well.  In a nutshell, I have a great dinner and want to visit a Chevy’s again in the future.  I do not normally like chain restaurants very much, but Chevy’s beats the trend.

By Todd Barron @ FoodieCuisine.com

I made some rather simple appetizers for the Arkansas Razorback Game yesterday.  Arkansas won 49-7!

Hot Wings with Hooter Wing Sauce

The hot wings are from the local grocery store. I poured Hooter’s Hot Wing Sauce over the top and broiled at 450 degrees F for about 5 minutes.

I also baked some prepared stuffed jalapenos and mini-spring rolls.  The peppers were sided with ranch dressing and the spring rolls with sweet and sour sauce.  Easy and cheap but good enough for the game. 🙂

Jalapeno Poppers and Spring Rolls

By Todd Barron @ FoodieCuisine.com

Mesquite Wood-Grilled Salmon

Once again I find myself on the road and this time it is with a group who wants to go to Logan’s Roadhouse in Kissimee, Florida.  The name sends off alarm bells in my head as roadhouses typically do not serve healthy food.  I expect huge steaks, burgers, and mounds of french fries.

Logan’s has items on the menu covering a variety of tastes including meatloaf, salads, BBQ chicken, steaks, ribs, shrimp, and even a “Health Nut” section!  My eyes are drawn to the “Health Nut” section since I am doing my best to eat low-fat and low-calorie food while on the road for work.

I decide on the Mesquite Wood-Grilled Salmon and opt for broccoli as my side dish.  Others in my party order burgers and other tasty sounding dishes which unfortunately are not in my diet.

The food comes out quickly and looks better than I imagined.  For some reason I expected to see salmon covered in cheese sauce but am pleasantly surprised.  The broccoli is perfectly steamed and the salmon has a good amount of seasoning on it.  The herbed oil it is served with adds a diet-safe amount of fat to the dish and boosts the flavor of everything.  The salmon is flaky, well seared around the edges, and is quite enjoyable.

Overall I really liked my lunch and once again am happy with eating “well” while on the road.

By Todd Barron @ FoodieCuisine.com

Turkey and Swiss

If you travel for work, you know how hard it is to eat healthy food while on the road.  Airports, hotels, and fast-food restaurants offer few healthy options.

The problem is, most people do not choose healthy options which results in fewer options for those of us who do.

In this road warrior article I’m focusing on a healthy option while traveling through many of the airports in the United States.

Quiznos Sub can be found in many airports around the nation and while they have many tasty looking options, most of them are based on beef, pork, or chicken smothered in cheese and sauce.  Their sandwich board many look great, but I can almost hear my arteries clogging when looking at the menu.

One item that stands out to while waiting for my plane to start boarding is the Turkey, Ranch, and Swiss sub.  The word “Ranch” automatically sends my calorie-alarm buzzing so I order the sandwich on wheat bread without the Ranch.  This results in a slightly dry sub sandwich, but I make up with it by adding jalapeno peppers.

The lady who is serving me today has the personality of a moss overrun brick, but my sub is prepared well and has plenty of vegetables on it.  The bread is slightly toasted and overall, the meal is edible.  Airports are not known for their cuisine but the sandwich does the trick and I feel plenty full afterwards.  In the future I can see ordering the sub again.

By Todd Barron @ FoodieCuisine.com

Grilled Chicken Thighs

I marinated chicken the other night and prepared it with a side of fresh spinach.

It is amazing how flavorful chicken thighs can be when marinated properly and also healthy if you trim the fat.

Everyone enjoyed the dinner and my wife and son both went back for seconds!

Note: I also cooked roasted potatoes but will post how to make them in another follow up recipe.

Ingredients (Makes enough for 4-6 people)

• 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 1 bag fresh spinach (about 1 pound)
• 5 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper
• 1 tablespoon rosemary
• 2 teaspoons garlic salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Prep

Trim the fat from each chicken thigh.

Add the chicken thighs to a large plastic bag (ziplock).

Add 4 tablespoons of the olive oil and all of the following: red pepper, rosemary, garlic salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper to the bag.

Close the bag while pressing the air out of it.

Thoroughly knead the bag, moving the chicken parts around to completely coat each one and to spread the ingredients around.

Marinate in the refrigerator for 24 hours.

Cooking – Chicken

Pan fried first and finished in the oven

Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and let warm to close to room temperature.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

Turn the oven on to 450 degrees F.

Turn a large skillet on high and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan.

Cook the chicken thighs in a single layer, in batches, in the pan.  Only turn once and only after they are brown on the side you are turning from.  This should take no more than a couple of minutes as you will finish cooking the thighs in the oven.  You are only looking to brown them in this step.

Remove each chicken thigh once browned on both sides to a cookie sheet (in a single layer.)

Once all of the chicken is browned, place the cookie sheet in the oven and cook until it reaches 165 degrees F.  This should take about 10-15 minutes.

When the chicken is done, remove it from the oven and cover with foil.

Cooking – Spinach

Add the fresh spinach (washed,) to the pot of boiling water and boil for 1 minute.

Use a slotted spoon and remove the spinach to a colander.

Press down on the spinach to release all liquid.

Plating

Arrange a single chicken thigh on each plate along with a mound of spinach.

Drizzle fresh lemon juice over each chicken thigh.

Sprinkle salt, pepper, and red wine vinegar over the spinach.

Drizzle aged balsamic vinegar over the chicken thighs if you have it.

I entered into Sashimi’s Gift Certificate giveaway and actually won!  Not only is Sashimi my favorite Japanese Steakhouse in town, but now I have $25 more to spend there. 🙂

If you like Hibachi or Sushi I suggest going to Maumelle to give them a try.  I eat there every Monday and sometimes even on Thursday too.

By Todd Barron @ FoodieCuisine.com

Sweet and Savory Cod Filet

I came up with a sweet and savory fish recipe last night and the family really enjoyed it.  I keep the calories down by pan-frying and baking in the oven, instead of deep-frying.

I also rely on sweet raisins and spicy peppers instead of a heavy sauce.  It does use butter, but not a lot.  Olive oil is used for frying to ensure a healthy fat is used.

Ingredients (4-6 servings)

• Small package sliced almonds
• Small package golden sweet raisins
• 1 fresno pepper
• 1/4 stick butter
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 2 pounds cod filets
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 4 large eggs
• 2 cups flour

Prep

Heat your griddle to 400 degrees F.

Cut the cod filets into manageable pieces (about 3″ long).

Whisk the eggs in a bowl.

Put the flour in another bowl.

Dredge each cod filet through the egg mixture and then through the flour mixture.

Set each battered filet on a wire rack until ready to pan-fry.

Sauce

Put the butter in a sauce pan over high heat.

Once the butter starts to boil, reduce the heat to low.

Add the raisins and the almonds.

Turn off the heat after 1 minute.

Cooking

Heat oven to 425 degrees F.

Place cookie sheet in oven to warm.

Drizzle olive oil over the hot griddle.

Place cod filets over the griddle and pan-fry on each side until golden brown (about 3 minutes per side)

Remove filets from grill and place on heated cookie sheet.

Spoon almond/raisin mixture over the top of each filet.

Remove seeds from pepper and finely chop.  Sprinkle over the filets.

Place sheet in oven.

Cook until filets are 155 degrees F in the center (or desired doneness).  About 15 minutes.

Remove from oven.

Plating

Place one filet on each plate and serve!

Note: I served steamed broccoli with mine.

By Todd Barron @ FoodieCuisine.com

Pork with Mushroom Sauce

I made pork cutlets with mushroom sauce the other night and everyone in the house had an empty plate to put in the sink afterwards.  They were healthy but very flavorful and a huge hit.

They may seem difficult by the number of ingredients, but in reality it all was done in a short time.  While I cooked the sauce and the pork, my son cooked the mushrooms and my wife cooked the potatoes.  It was a family effort enjoyed by all!

I kept the fat and calories away by cooking in butter but not using it in the final dish.  The potatoes use a low-fat buttermilk for creaminess and the sauce is made without butter as well.

Pork

• 2 pounds boneless pork chops
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter

Sauce

• 1 14 ounce can Campbell’s Beef Broth
• 1 8 ounce box chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon scallions
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1 tablespoon freshly chopped tarragon

Mushrooms

• 1/2 Stick butter
• 1 pound sliced mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon garlic salt
• Salt and pepper to taste

Potatoes

• 3 large russet potatoes
• 1 cup low-fat buttermilk
• 1/2 cup roasted garlic (from the deli area)
• 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste

Cooking the Potatoes

Wash and peel potatoes.

Wrap tightly in plastic wrap.

Microwave on High for 12 minutes.

When you are ready to serve everything, remove potatoes from wrap and place in large mixing bowl.  If you mix the potatoes too soon, they will get cold.

Mash with potato masher and incorporate buttermilk, cheese, garlic, salt and pepper.

Cover until ready to serve.

Cooking the Mushrooms

Place mushrooms, butter, garlic salt, and Worcestershire sauce in sauce pan over high heat.

Once the butter is boiling, reduce heat to medium and continue cooking.

When mushrooms are browned and soft, remove from heat (about 20 minutes).

Strain mushrooms well to remove all butter and set aside.

Cooking the Sauce

Place beef broth in large skillet over high heat.

Add the finely chopped scallions.

Cook until broth is syrupy (about 10 minutes).  Watch carefully as it will burn.

Once reduced, add the chicken stock and reduce for 3 minutes.

Add 1 tablespoon flour to a few tablespoons of water in a glass.  Stir completely.  This technique will prevent the flour from clumping in the sauce.

Slowly stir the flour/water mixture into the sauce until the sauce is thick.

Add the strained mushrooms.

Add the tarragon and remove the sauce from the heat.

Cooking the Pork

Heat oven to 400 degrees F.  Add cookie sheet to oven.

Trim all fat from the cutlets and pound each one until thin using a meat mallet.

Lightly flour each pork cutlet.

Heat butter and olive oil in skillet on high.  Once the butter is brown, cook eat cutlet until browned on both sides (about 3 minutes per side).  Remove to the side and continue in batches.

Place cutlets on heated cookie sheet and put in oven until cutlets reach 165 degrees F (or until desired temperature.)

Remove from oven and cover until ready to serve.

Plating

Spoon a large serving of potatoes onto each plate.  Cover each mound with with (1) pork cutlet.  Spoon mushroom sauce over the top of each cutlet.  Enjoy!