Zoodles Parmigiana

Most of my easy meals can be made in a single pan on the stove top. This Zoodles Parmigiana is one example.

So what exactly are Zoodles? Zoodles are a pile of zucchini strands, where each strand resembles a piece of spaghetti. Imagine what you’d end up with if you could push a zucchini through a pasta maker.

While you can buy pre-made Zoodles, I strongly recommend not doing so because they’ll rot quickly. Instead make them with a spiralizer¹ as shown in the first three images below. An organic zucchini can last a couple of weeks in the vegetable bin of your refrigerator; spiralizing takes only about a minute.

Once you have a pile of Zoodles, cut them up a bit because they can be ridiculously long. Then drop them into an oiled pan at medium-low heat and move them around for a minute or two as shown in the fourth image. Just take out the chill. Then add your favorite tomato sauce² and slices of mozzarella cheese (images 5 & 6). Cover the pan and turn off the heat. Allow the sauce to warm and the cheese to get gooey. Distract yourself by cleaning up the counter, stowing the tomato sauce and cheese back into the refrigerator, loading the cooking utensils into the dishwasher, and setting the table. By the time all that’s done, you can start enjoying your meal.

This is the bare minimum version. But what I like to do is first fry up some onions, red pepper and garlic to “stabilize the pan.” (Remember to add the garlic after sizzle mellows out so that it doesn’t turn bitter.) Then I add the Zoodles, sauce and cheese.

And really, all this is is an excuse to combine tomato sauce with mozzarella cheese, which is what makes pizza so great. And it’s combined with another favorite, spaghetti. This gives you near perfection.

You can make this with real spaghetti if you prefer. But then you’d have the extra step of bringing water to a boil and cooking it, which can add another 15 minutes to the prep time. And personally, I’d rather stay away from carbs, and incorporate more vegetable into my diet. Substituting Zoodles for spaghetti accomplishes both.

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¹ The spiralizer shown in the first two photos is “Veggetti Veggie Slicer” https://www.walmart.com/ip/Veggetti-Spiralizer-Spiral-Vegetable-Cutter-Vegetable-Noodle-Maker-as-Seen-On-TV-White-Plastic/43174708

² I like many bottled tomato sauces. I look for clean and premium ingredients, such as San Marzano tomatoes and olive oil. I avoid anything with sugar or vegetable oil, meat or cheese. Some brands I like are Silver Palate (especially the version with Basil), Mutti and even Newman’s Own. Bottles can be stockpiled for a couple of years. I buy it whenever it’s on sale.

Joyfully Almond Coffee Indulgence

My latest indulgence is Joyfully Almond Coffee.  This came about because I noticed that the bottle of almond extract expired quite a while ago.  Expiration dates don’t matter much to me. However, I live with someone who will look askance at a product with an expiration date of the current day.  Even if I explain that the extract contains alcohol, ¹ which acts as a preservative, it would be thrown out.

Anyway, here’s how I make the Joyfully Almond Coffee Indulgence.  I simply add a splash of the extract to a mug of coffee along with half-and-half (or cream) and three teaspoons (1 tablespoon) of sugar.  Before getting riled up about the carbs, consider that the sugar adds only 12 grams of carbohydrate, while the half-and-half adds only 1 gram (per two tablespoons). ²

Give it a try and let me know if you like it!

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¹ https://www.mccormick.com/products/mccormick-pure-almond-extract-2-fl-oz

² https://fullcirclemarketbrand.com/product/full-circle-market-organic-half-half-32-fl-oz/#sirv-viewer-185084835664

Loaded Baked Potato

One easy meal I’d like to introduce to you is the Loaded Baked Potato.  It’s based on the Russet Potato.

The advantage to potatoes is that they can be stored for weeks in a cool, dry, dark location.  Even after they’re baked, they can be kept in the refrigerator for at least one week.

The disadvantage is that some prep work is required to benefit from them.  The prep involves 15 minutes of washing and 60 minutes baking time in a conventional oven^{1, 2}.

I set the oven to preheat at 425°F (215°C) and then I wash them.  I use water, dish soap and a nylon brush to scrub the potatoes clean.  That way I can eat the skins knowing I did all I could to eliminate the crud.

After cleaning I pat them slightly dry, and then I use a sharp knife to make a single, lengthwise cut in the middle.  The cut needn’t be deep.  You could even call it a score mark.

Once the oven has fully preheated, I place the potatoes, unwrapped, directly on the rack.  They won’t ooze like sweet potatoes; they’ll stay dry and the skins will be crispy.  I’ll let them bake un-monitored for about 30 minutes before I put eyes on them again.  In that amount of time I can do some other food prep work, such as mince add-ons for a frozen pizza.

At the 30 minute mark, I’ll rotate just to ensure they bake evenly.  There’s no such thing as a perfectly uniform temperature distribution in an oven.  By rotating them, I trick myself into believing they’ll be cooked more uniformly than if I left them along.

If you choose not to rotate them, it’s a good idea to at least take a good look at them to ensure that the skin isn’t darkening.  That would mean the skin is starting to burn.

The potatoes are done if you can stick a sharp knife into them with only a little effort.

But the baking is only the beginning.  The real artistry is adding the toppings.

I’ll add toppings only to the potato I plan to eat right away.  The others will be allowed to cool and get stored in the refrigerator.  My favorite toppings are:

• butter
• cheese (cheddar mostly)
• sour cream
• salsa
• avocado

I start by folding the two halves open along the score line like a book.  Then I make deep cuts in the flesh lengthwise, crosswise, and diagonally and place two pats of butter on each half. (PIC 1)  If the potato is fresh out of the oven, the butter will melt and sink into the score lines.  But if it’s been stored in the fridge, I’ll heat mine in the microwave oven on medium for about 3:30 minutes.

Then I put slices of cheese on each half.  I use cheddar usually.  But I’ve just taken a liking to asiago cheese, which would work for me, too.  Then it goes back into the oven.  If using a microwave, go for another 2:30 on medium; if fresh out of oven, put it back in, letting the residual heat melt the cheese.  Of course you’ll need to make sure it’s on a sturdy oven-safe dish. (PIC 2)

After the cheese has melted, I like to sprinkle on some Adobo seasoning and perhaps Ancho Chili powder.  Then I add two hearty dollops of sour cream on each half (PIC 3), followed by salsa and then avocado. (PIC 4 & 5)

Cheddar cheese and sour cream have expiration dates, and they’ll spoil within a couple of weeks after opening even if stored in the fridge.  And avocados are notorious for transforming from rock hard bitter lumps to soft squishy off-tasting alien slime almost overnight in warm weather.  So omit that or try pre-made guacamole instead, which will turn brown on the surface even if refrigerated.

I show the progression of my latest topping effort.  Note that I goofed on the order of it.  I like to put the salsa directly on the sour cream.  This accentuates the juxtaposition of the heat from the salsa against the cooling sensation of the sour cream.  The photo progression shows avocado between the sour cream and salsa.  As well, note I use only half an avocado for the two halves of the potato as shown in the fourth frame.

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¹ I bake four potatoes at a time.  The nearly four minutes I allot to wash each potato is very generous, but it also includes other set-up activity.

² A single potato can be cooked in a microwave oven.  This cuts down significantly on time and energy.  But I usually I have the oven on to cook other foods.

Laughter Really is Good for You

A September Science News Today article reports the many benefits of laughter.  "It reduces stress hormones, strengthens the immune system, eases pain, and even protects the heart." ¹

A recent article by Albert Stumm published by Associated Press², provides some history on the subject as well as advice from some practitioners of the "sport."  "Dr. Madan Kataria, a physician in Mumbai, ... said the trick is to learn to laugh for no reason. He and others in laughing yoga classes around the world have created hundreds of exercises that help."

I've recently started watching reruns of The Office³, which "airs" for hours on E! and Comedy Central.  I haven't laughed out loud so much in a long time.

It should be obvious by now that this blog post won't make you laugh.

What makes you laugh?

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¹ https://www.sciencenewstoday.org/why-laughter-is-the-best-medicine-according-to-science
² https://apnews.com/article/laughter-health-benefits-1821b672f574a445e2fa9763452979c9
³ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Office_(American_TV_series)