Getting Back to Cooking

My nights in the kitchen have been seriously sporadic as of late. I'm finding it really hard to get everything done and still have the desire to shop and cook. But I snuck a quick meal in the other night and it was soooo good!

sorry for the not so creative picture...the camera on my phone is
so much more convenient 

Scallops are tricky sometimes because you can overcook them very easily. It is the type of thing that you actually have to pay attention to. But overall this was a quick and tasty dish that I highly recommend you try. Let me preface this by saying I usually do not opt for rice (I'm a pasta girl) but I wanted to try jasmine rice for the first time.... and I'm hooked. I don't know why I've never had it before.

• scallops (6 per person)
• scallop seasoning: paprika, Jamaican curry, cayenne pepper, garlic powder
• jasmine rice (1 c. per 2 people) 
• snow peas
• cilantro
• scallions
• garlic
• ginger
• shredded coconut
• olive oil

1. Soak the rice for 20 minutes in room temp water
2. Coat both sides of each scallop in it's seasonings
3. Saute the garlic, ginger, & scallions in olive oil, put aside to mix with rice
4. In same pan, saute snow peas for a few minutes
5. Drain rice and add new water (1 1/2 c. per c. of rice), bring to boil, stir, cover, let simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Cook scallops in same pan used for snow peas. Add more olive oil if necessary (should lightly cover entire pan). Cook 4 minutes per side.
7. Mix garlic, ginger, scallions, and coconut into rice. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro.
8. Done & done!

This whole meal should take about 30 minutes, and it was D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S! The sweet rice goes really well with the spicy scallops.

Enjoy!

Self Doubt Creepers

I know I've used this cartoon before but it is very fitting for today

Over the past few days I've been feeling the self-doubt creeping into my thoughts. Mainly I guess because I'm starting something new and I'm just nervous that it isn't going to work out. I'm going into uncharted territory in the world of Jess and it’s F-ing nerve-racking. 

So I started my day out yesterday with a much needed convo with my business coach and we hashed out all of the S-H-I-T in my head. Haha, actually at one point she said 'your head isn't a litter box so get that shit out of there!' Love her! Usually I'm the one telling people to stop thinking bullshit thoughts and sometimes I guess I need the same advice. 

Something that I had worked on a few years ago when working through the hard core anxiety I used to have was asking myself if my thoughts were true. Like, when I would start what-if-ing about hypothetical situations that might happen. All I had to do to challenge it is say to myself... what are the chances that that particular situation would happen the way I think it's gonna happen? Slim. What happened to all of the catastrophes I conjured up in the past? They never happened the way I thought!

Anxiety and negative thoughts are not healthy! In fact I think they might be equally as bad as eating fast food. (Just my personal theory)

All I had to do this morning to whip myself back into shape was realize that I was being Debbie Downer and told myself to STOP! and THINK POSITIVE THOUGHTS so I can move on and conquer the juice world!

Thanks Tracey!

Cooking Chickens

If you've been reading me for a while you know that I'm obsessed with eating soup in the winter. I'm in soup mode now and have my cooking itch back now that the Christmas season is over and things are settled with the re-branding of Raw Generation.

I made a really great soup a few days ago from one of the chickens I picked up from the farm I get my meat from. I was shocked at how much soup I got from 1 chicken. I made 2 different stocks which I'll describe below. Both were super easy, but do take some time.

Broth #1:

• 1 chicken, whole
• 1 onion
• 1 apple
• 1 container organic vegetable broth
• water
• salt, pepper, thyme, marjoram, rosemary, coriander, cloves (just a touch), bay leaves, garlic powder
• olive oil
• celery
• 4 sml. red potatoes
• carrots

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Put whole chicken in lg. baking pan/ casserole dish breast side down. Pour in vegetable broth and fill pan to cover half of chicken with water.
3. Add quartered apple, chopped onion, spices, and drizzle chicken with olive oil.
4. Bake for 1.5 hours
5. Let chicken cool, take out of broth, and cup up breast meat. 
6. Add meat back in to broth with chopped carrots, celery, & potatoes (chop small).
7. Simmer on stove for 10 minutes at medium high heat.
8. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Broth #2

• Chicken from Broth #1
• 1 onion
• water
• salt, pepper, thyme, marjoram, rosemary, coriander, cloves (just a touch), bay leaves, garlic powder
• celery
• carrots

1. Pull chicken from broth #1 apart into pieces and put in lg. pot on stove.
2. Add in onion and spices.
3. Fill pot with water and boil for 10 minutes. Turn heat down to simmer for 45 minutes.
4. Let cool and strain broth into another lg. pot, catching chicken pieces into a strainer.
5. Pull meat off of chicken pieces and put into broth.
6. Add in chopped carrots & celery and simmer on stove to 15 minutes.

Both ways make good chicken soup, but they are a little different. Broth #1 has a stronger flavor and Broth #2 is more like traditional chicken soup. This one chicken made a little over a gallon and a half of soup! I put some in the refrigerator and most in the freezer. Definitely a great way to stock up! 

Hope everyone in the NE stays warm and safe during the snow storm!!! Have a great weekend!

Corn & Crab Chowder

not a very appetizing picture, but I assure you it was FANTASTIC!

This might be my favorite new recipe that I've ever made... ever! The recipe I found online was super complicated, which I can't stand. So I seriously simplified it for you guys. I made this for the Superbowl, and it was a pretty big hit. But this is one of those things that you can make for just about anything, and I plan on making it way more than once and a while.

• 3 cans organic sweet corn
• 1 lg sweet onion, chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 small red potatoes, chopped into small cubes
• 1 box organic chicken stock
• 1/3 box organic vegetable stock
• 2 containers crab claw meat
• 1/4 stick butter
• olive oil, a few splashes
• salt, pepper, ground cloves, seafood seasoning to taste
• 2 c. half & half

1. Heat olive oil and butter in pot on med/low heat. Chop onions & saute in butter/oil mixture. Add in garlic after onions are soft. 
2. Add in 1 can of corn and chopped potatoes. 
3. Take other 2 cans of corn (including water) and blend in blender/vitamix until it is a creamy consistency.
4. Add in corn and chicken stock. Bring to a boil for 10 minutes. Stir every few minutes.
5. Turn heat to low.
6. Add in seasonings a little at a time, stir, and taste, adding until desired taste. (Go easy on the cloves at first...they are a very strong flavor.)
7. Add in crab meat and half and half to desired creaminess!

If you are making it for a party, you might want to set some aside for yourself as leftovers (we did). It goes fast with seafood lovers! 

Enjoy!

Last minute cornbread

If any of you are looking for a last minute quick recipe for something you can bring to your Superbowl party... here it is. I made these last night in 30 minutes and they taste amazing!

• 1 c. organic cornmeal
• 1 c. whole wheat bread flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 container of plain Greek yogurt (6 oz)
• 1 c. half & half
• 1 lg jalapeno (diced), take out seeds if you don't want it to be too spicy
• 2/3 can organic corn 

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line muffin tins with paper liners or heavily grease w/ organic butter
2. Put all ingredients in Kitchenaid mixer (or you can do it the old fashioned way with a bowl and a wooden spoon)
3. Batter is going to be thick and gooey so you will have to spoon it in.
4. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Hope you all enjoy tonight!