Recipe Face-Off!

Recipe Face-Off: Banana Bread

Even though I have my own set of food ideas and philosophies, I actually spend a surprising amount of time listening to or reading stuff written by those who have totally different views. I don’t want to be a vegan, live the paleo lifestyle, or completely swear off sugar. Yet every camp of thought raises excellent points and gives me plenty to think about. It’s nice to see what we have in common, like pretty much everyone thinks we need more veggies and less processed food. But hearing views opposite to your own really helps you question and doubt your own belief system, which is a great thing, because no one should ever blindly and militantly believe anything without really examining different sides to the story.

That’s the philosopher in me. The food lover in me is like, whatever. Let’s make some banana bread.

I heard about Civilized Caveman Cooking when blogger, George, was interviewed on the Fat Burning Man podcast. Both interviewer and interviewee were gushing over how delicious George’s paleo banana bread recipe is. This piqued my interest, so it was Recipe Face-Off time. Civilized Caveman Cooking’s Paleo Banana Bread vs In The Small Kitchen‘s Banana Bread (my Amazon affiliate link). Sans chocolate chips to make it a fair experiment. I’m scientific like that. I halved the recipes and adapted them for a muffin tin, ’cause lord knows I don’t need two loaves of banana bread in the house.

Civilized Caveman Cooking’s Paleo Banana Bread

This was super quick and simple to make, and I love how clean the ingredients list is! I used bananas, eggs, almond butter, coconut oil, almond flour, and just a little cinnamon, baking soda/powder, vanilla and sea salt. Dassit. The taste was great–a subtle, natural sweetness. The bread was really moist though. It’s not necessarily a bad thing; it’s just different from what we’re used to. As you can see from the first photo, it was already much flatter than the regular banana bread. For the second photo, I pressed down with light pressure and it just sunk down completely. Sad.

In The Small Kitchen’s Banana Bread

Can ya tell I love In The Small Kitchen? The cookbook and the blog that started it all, Big Girls, Small Kitchen, are such great go-to resources for us quarter-life aged folk. This is a pretty foolproof banana bread recipe. Tasty, perfect texture, and without adding the chocolate chips it’s surprisingly not too sweet at all.

Final Verdict

Oh, snap. This is the first time I’m going to declare a tie! So far, the original recipes have won in these face-offs (see here and here). I’m brutally honest about what tastes better, and as you can probably tell, I have a “if-you’re-going-to-eat-it-at-all-just-eat-the-real-thing” stance when it comes to treats. This time I decided it was a true tie–both taste as great as the other. I might not love the texture of the paleo version as much as the regular banana bread, but the ingredient list is so incredibly clean, it is totally worth having a moister bread.

Still can’t say it was better, though. Still keeping it real here on Eating Clean in the Dirty City. ;)

Have you guys tried baking “paleo” treats? How was your experience?

Lunch and Dinner

Bacon Fried Rice

I saw this recipe for Bacon Fried Rice on Shutterbean. I’m usually a little dismissive when it comes to Western takes on Chinese food, because you know, that’s my cuisine and my peoples. But how can one not be enticed by Bacon Fried Rice? I mean, bacon. Fried. Rice. All three words sound delicious.

Unfortunately, my go-to store ran out of organic bacon and non-organic supermarket meat scares me, so I had to settle for turkey bacon. It still came out tasty, but it was definitely lacking that little kick the bacon grease would have given it. Go check out the recipe on Shutterbean, it’s good stuff. My only suggestion would be to julienne the carrots and stir-fry them with the veggies, but that’s just ’cause I hate raw carrots. Can’t wait to try this again with real bacon!

Health and Nutrition

What 2000 Calories Look Like

The concept of visually comparing how different types of food add up to a certain number of calories isn’t new. But this is really simple but well-made video showing 2000 calories in different commonly eaten foods, so I thought I’d share it with you. Read more about it here.

Man, I want to do more video work! Here’s another food-related video I’ve enjoyed recently, produced by Joy the Baker. I don’t want to know how many calories is in that shake.

Happy Hour Hot Fudge Milkshake from Joy the Baker on Vimeo.

Random

I Need Your Help!

I need your help, readers! I entered this contest to win 6 months free travel. I worked really hard making my first video ever, teaching myself how to use iMovie and facing my fear of getting in front of the camera! Even if I don’t win, I’m really happy to have made a tribute to Queens–the place I’ve called home for the past 10 years. As you may or may not know, I am leaving the country soon, so filming this was all very bittersweet.

If you could spare a couple minutes of your time, I’d be SUPER grateful if you could visit the link below and vote with your different social media accounts. (Each tweet/pin/etc is one vote). There’s no limit to voting, I don’t think. Also, feel free to watch my video and laugh at my on-screen awkwardness :) Here’s the link!

http://www.mydestination.com/users/irisvk/bbb

Thank you soooo much <3

Eating Out in the Dirty City

My Blog’s One Year Anniversary!

Yesterday was Eating Clean in the Dirty City’s first birthday, yay! It’s been one year since my inaugural post about rediscovering Brussels sprouts. You know, I really thought I would have figured out my niche after a year and run this website like a well-oiled machine, but nope! Everything still feels disorganized and haphazard, even with my readership growing. Oh well. I can’t control and perfect everything in life, right?

I’ve definitely come a long way since last year–my photography is much better (hello, natural light), I’ve developed more cooking skills and instincts, I’ve been more creative in the kitchen, and I’ve even dared to write my own recipes. I’ve also expanded my knowledge of nutrition and fitness. Even though I see my eating habits as a work-in-progress and still haven’t learned how to moderate my sugar intake (working on it, promise!), I actually did cut way back on alcohol. Without any real intention, it kind of happened organically ever since I pondered when I would learn to just have one or two drinks. In fact, having “one too many” now sounds difficult for me to do!

Even if I’m not going to box myself in with a niche or a shtick for this blog, the one year mark has gotten me thinking about how I’m going to move forward. I’m going to put more time and effort into fixing all the little things that bother me, like the design. I also want to take a stab at creating some video content and learning how to better market my blog so i can reach more people. But the most important thing for me to focus on is getting back to the core message of Eating Clean in the Dirty City. I may post a lot of desserts and recipes that include bacon, so maybe my mission to help people eat delicious and nutritious food has been lost. That is about to change. I’m going to talk a lot more about clean eating and how you can eat your way to health, without depriving yourself of treats like dessert and bacon!

I want to take this chance to thank my readers for being so supportive. You made this a great year. I look forward to an even better year of eating clean with you guys <3

My favorite posts in the last year:
What a Mug Cake Has To Do with Clean Eating
An Apple
10 Guidelines for a Wonderful Life of Eating
No Hearts of Darkness Here! My 2013 Valentine’s Treats

Party Food

Feeding A Crowd: Smoky Bacon Mac And Cheese

I’ve been lurking on the community-driven website, Food52, for a long time now. I’ve found some wonderful recipes there and have enjoyed the editorial content, but I never participated other than leaving a comment or two. But the other day, I noticed their recipe contest for Your Best Cheap Feast. It was high time I submit my own recipe, even if it was just as an excuse to put it in writing.

I came up with this Smoky Bacon Mac and Cheese when I was competing in that All-American Cook-Off with Paula. I was inspired by A Cozy Kitchen’s Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese, but thought bacon and scallions might make it even better. And then at the last second decided, oh what the heck, let’s throw in some smoked paprika too and take the smokiness to the next level. It worked out really well! Even though I didn’t win the actual cook-off, I received many compliments on the mac and cheese.

So if you ever need a simple, inexpensive dish to serve a lot of people, here it is. My Smoky Bacon Mac and Cheese. Or if you’re already on Food52, you can save it here. It’s sinfully delicious…just don’t be like me by eating it in place of a balanced meal. I’ve been trying to avoid buying food before I leave for vacation. San Francisco, here I come!

Smoky Bacon Mac and Cheese

Adapted from A Cozy Kitchen

1 lb package elbow macaroni
5 slices bacon, cut crosswise into small strips
5 scallions, white and green parts chopped and separated
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups milk
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
8-oz sharp white cheddar cheese, grated and divided (about 2 cups)
8-oz smoked gouda cheese, grated and divided (about 2 cups)

Preheat oven to 400. Lightly grease an 8 x 11 x 2 baking dish.

Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

In a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, cook bacon until it is browned and the fat is rendered, about 10 minutes. Throw in the white part of the scallions with the bacon for the last 3 minutes of cooking, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and set aside.

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour until smooth. Continue whisking while gradually adding the milk one cup at a time. Cook for 5 minutes until thickened. Reduce heat to low and stir in salt, black pepper, and most of the cheese, reserving about a cup of cheese. Once the cheese has melted, remove from heat and stir in the bacon and scallion mixture, as well as the green part of the scallions.

Pour the pasta in the greased baking dish. Spoon the cheese sauce over the pasta, stirring to even out the sauce in the pan. Sprinkle the remaining cup of cheese on top, then sprinkle the smoked paprika over the cheese. Bake for 20 minutes until hot and bubbly

Random

Another Useful Infographic: The Shelf Life of Food

You know I can’t help sharing silly infographics with you.

I’m really paranoid about how long I can keep food. This is a concern of mine ’cause when you’re cooking for one, you end up with a lot of food you’re not going to eat within the next 2 days. And I don’t have the stomach to risk it. Visual.ly created a handy infographic of the shelf life of your food in the pantry, fridge, and freezer (if it should be there at all). Check out Foodbeast’s post for the full graphic.

Happy Friday!

Lunch and Dinner

I Need A Hug From My Chicken Tortilla Soup

This is a crazy time in my life. There’s so much going on that it’s a little too much to take in at times. I put in my notice at work last week. While I still have two months to go, I am starting to pack up everything I’ve acquired in my ten years in New York City to return to a faraway city I haven’t lived in since I was a teenager. I’m talking opposite-side-of-the-earth far. I’m ready to start a new chapter but I’m not ready to leave all the people I love, even if it ends up being temporary. It’s bittersweet.

I’m not doing the best job of processing all my different emotions, the change, and my never-ending to-do list. Or how to balance productivity with spending time with the ones I will miss the most. All I can do is try. Sometimes I just need a hug. May it be in the form of a physical cuddle, encouraging words, or a ~~box of cookies~~ warm bowl of soup.

I’ve actually only had chicken tortilla soup once but it was the most delicious, comforting thing I could have eaten on a cold winter’s night. I’ve been craving it ever since. And while I don’t make as good a version as La Esquina, this is exactly what I’ve needed the past few days.

Chicken Tortilla Soup
Makes about 6 servings

Adapted from Eat, Live, Run

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 red onion, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, diced (remove seeds if you don’t deal well with heat)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoon chili powder
2 teaspoon cumin
2 teaspoon salt
6 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cup cooked black beans, drained and rinsed
1 14oz can of fire roasted diced tomatoes

For serving:
corn tortillas, cut into strips
a squeeze of lime juice
a few chunks of avocado
chopped cilantro

Directions:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the chicken breasts and simmer for about 20 minutes, until cooked through. Drain and set aside to cool. Then chop into cube-sized pieces.

Heat the olive oil over medium high heat in a large pot. Once hot, add the diced onion and jalapeno and cook for five minutes, until soft. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the chili powder and cumin and mix until well combined.

Pour in the chicken stock and add the diced tomatoes, black beans, diced cooked chicken and salt. Bring to a boil for a couple of minutes. To serve, ladle out your desired portions and add tortilla strips into each serving. Lightly stir each so that the tortilla can start to soften in the hot soup. Top each serving with lime juice, avocado, and chopped cilantro.

Book Review

Book Review: The Sharper Your Knife, The Less You Cry

I’m currently reading Kathleen Flinn’s The Sharper Your Knife, the Less You Cry (my Amazon Associates link) for my online book club. It’s not nearly as emo as the title suggests! It’s a memoir of the author’s time at Le Cordon Bleu. So many people’s worst fear is to lose their job, but in reality, being fired can make people happier in the long run, because they were are given an opportunity to leave a less than ideal, but comfortable, situation and think about what they truly want to do. Flinn lost her corporate job, and with the encouragement from her boyfriend, being let go gave her a chance to pursue a long-time dream: studying cooking at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. If you’ve ever been curious what culinary school is like, The Sharper Your Knife gives you all the inside scoop.

I’m enjoying the book so far, and it makes me think about taking a break from work and doing something for me. Though I’m in no financial position to enroll in culinary school for fun, it has made me think about how I want to spend the next few years. It made me reflect on the fact that I will soon be leaving a job of six years, and before jumping right back into another job I’m not passionate about, I should think about what my own dreams are. Culinary school does sound fun, I will admit. But that’s something I don’t need to pursue while I’m young…one day, perhaps! Flinn is a great writer and brings her culinary school and Paris experiences to life, drawing you into her story. This has been a very satisfying read so far, especially compared to the last culinary school memoir I read, which lacked the attention to detail and heart that this book has.

Most chapters in the book ends with a recipe inspired by her story. I’ve always wanted to make a quiche, so I went ahead and adapted one of Flinn’s recipe. It came out delicious. Enjoy!

Please check out our online book club, The Kitchen Reader.

Sun Dried Tomato and Caramelized Onion Quiche

Pâte Brisée:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick butter, cut into pieces and chilled
4 tablespoons water

Quiche:
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 large onions, sliced
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon flour
6 to 8 sun dried tomatoes
1 clove garlic
1 1/2 tablespoon chopped or dried thyme
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 egg, beaten
3 large eggs
3/4 cup heavy cream
3 ounces Gruyère cheese, grated
Salt and pepper

To make the pâte brisée:
Add the flour and salt to a food processor. Process for a few seconds. Add the butter. Pulse until you get coarse crumbs. Gradually add a bit of water ar a time until the dough forms and sticks together. You may want to use your hands and add more water if needed until you get a soft dough. Form the dough into a disk shape and wrap in plastic.Let rest in the fridge for at least half an hour or up to one day.

To make the quiche:
Preheat oven to 425. Melt the butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the onion and bay leaf for about half an hour, stirring every so often, until soft and brown. Remove the bay leaf, then add the flour and a pinch of salt. Cook for 2 more minutes, then take off heat and let cool completely.

Meanwhile, pour boiling hot water over sun dried tomatoes in a small bowl and set aside to plump for a few minutes, then drain tomatoes. Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Cook the garlic, drained tomatoes, 1 tablespoon of thyme, and Kosher salt for a few minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.

Roll out the dough and press it into a pie pan. Set a large piece of parchment paper in the center and fill with pie weights or dry beans. Bake for 5 minutes. Remove parchment and weights, and brush the pastry with the beaten egg. Return to the oven for 7 minutes. Remove and let the pastry cool slightly.

Whisk the 3 eggs and heavy cream in a large bowl. Stir in one third of the cheese, a pinch of salt and pepper, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of thyme. Stir in the cooled onions and pour into the pastry shell. Arrange the tomatoes in a pretty pattern on top, and sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. Bake for 20 minutes until firm. Reduce oven heat to 400 and return to oven for another 15 minutes until firm, browned, and a little puffy.

Lunch and Dinner

The Chinese Takeout Cookbook: Beef Chow Fun

Despite being born and raised in Hong Kong, I never really learned to make Chinese food, aside from simple fried rice and stir-fried eggs with tomatoes. And much as I love Chinese food, I don’t know all too much about it, not even my beloved Cantonese cuisine. I was even more confused when I moved to the US and didn’t recognize items on American Chinese takeout menus like General Tso’s Chicken and Crab Rangoon, though they soon became my favorite guilty pleasures. I’ve been really into cooking for over a year now and am proud of what I’ve accomplished in the kitchen, yet something has always been nagging me at the back of my mind. I need to learn how to make Chinese food. I need to get back in touch with my roots. Looks like I’ve found a little motivation!

I’m excited. One of my favorite bloggers, Diana Kuan of Appetite for China, recently got her book The Chinese Takeout Cookbook published (my Amazon Associates link). She posts awesome recipes on her blog and I even had the opportunity to take one of her dumpling-making classes here in New York City (she’s just as lovely in person). So of course I had to get a copy when the book came out. It’s filled with all kinds of great stuff I can’t wait to try, both “authentic Chinese” and “American Chinese”. I used to be a bit of a snob about that distinction but she makes a really great point in her book–all food has evolved from somewhere or something else; food changes, travels, adapts.

I chose to make Beef Chow Fun first, as it’s one of my favorite dishes, and I had a huge bloody steak leftover from my Valentine’s Dinner, waiting to be stir-fried. I only have one small Chinese market in my neighborhood and unfortunately they didn’t know what fermented black beans were, so I had to forego those for my recipe. Otherwise, it came out pretty good! I still need much practice with the art of stir-frying and I don’t think I fried the noodles for long enough. Regardless, I enjoyed my homemade Beef Chow Fun and appreciated that it didn’t come out super greasy as it sometimes can when you order takeout.

I’m actually moving back to Hong Kong soon, where I won’t need to trek to a Chinatown to gather ingredients, so this cookbook is coming with me. I have a feeling that I will be turning to this book again and again. It will feed me comforting, nourishing food in the years to come.

Follow “Eating Clean in the Dirty City”