Sweet, Sweet Corn on the Cob

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Aug 172021
 

Sweet, Sweet Corn on the Cob

     Tʜᴇ ɪɴᴅɪɢᴇɴᴏᴜs ᴘᴇᴏᴘʟᴇ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ Tᴇʜᴜᴀᴄᴀ́ɴ Vᴀʟʟᴇʏ in Southern Mexico were thought to have been the first to domesticate corn—about 10,000 years ago. It was also thought that multiple, independent domestications coevolved to produce today’s linages.

But those understandings have been challenged.

     A study reported on in 2002 indicates all corn evolved from a single instance of domestication arising in the Balsas River Valley which is adjacent to the Tehuacán Valley.
     A single instance of domestication is particularly striking. Corn requires human intervention to propagate. This suggests one person is the father of all corn. (And you thought it was Larry the Cable Guy.)
     Whoever and however, today, more corn is grown worldwide than wheat or rice.

 Two great uses for corn are corn whiskey and popcorn.

     Since popcorn gets stuck in my teeth and, to my knowledge, there is no corn wine, my favorite way to consume corn is on the cob. I skip the conventional slathering on of butter and lightly sprinkle the kernels with salt and pepper.

 “No butter?” you exclaim.

     Don’t make that face. Go ahead, try it. The sweetness of the corn stands on its own and you’ll save 70 to 100 calories without the butter.

 Cooking corn on the cob is amazingly simple.

      If you are already grilling something, simply pull off the husks and add the cobs to the grill turning them every few minutes. It doesn’t take long, maybe 7-10 minutes; make sure your cold beer is at hand so you don’t have to go off in search of it.
     Another great way to cook corn on the cob is to leave the husks on and microwave it. Set the microwave to high. Cook two cobs for about three minutes, four for about five minutes. Squeeze them to see if the kernels are soft, if not add a minute or two.
     Using a heavy knife, chop off the ends and the husk and the hair-like silk will nearly fall off.
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     Servings: 1 cob           Calories: 120           Satisfaction: 85

Zuke Soup

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May 042021
 

— Zuke Soup —

Tap here to download a PDF of this recipe.

Somewhere around 9,000 years ago, hunter-gatherer Sexy Beasts living in the area we now call Mesoamerica, began the transition to sedentary villages by cultivating foods. These foods included a prolific squash that is the predecessor to the vegetable we call “zucchini.”

In the 1800s clever farmers near Milan, Italy, bred the original squash into the green, cylinder-shaped one we know today. The Italians dubbed it “zucchini” or “little pumpkin.”

It is thought Italian immigrants brought it the U.S. in the 1920s.

According to the University of California at Davis’ agriculture department, if you were to farm zucchini, you could expect to make nearly $4,000 an acre each year.

I think I could have sold my backyard production of zucchini for at least that the one year I grew it. All my neighbors began to hide from me when I showed up on their doorsteps with another boxload.

Zuke Soup can be served chilled for a refreshing summer treat or served warm.

You’ll need:

2 medium zucchini, skins and all.

4 tbsp lemon juice (or the juice of 2 lemons)

½ tsp salt

1 tsp onion powder (or half a medium onion diced)

2 tsp cumin

1 tsp ginger (optional)

10 oz water

1 tbsp ground black pepper (plus enough for garnish)

Do this:

Blend all ingredients until smooth.

Either chill in the refrigerator or heat on low in a microwave for a few minutes before serving. If you don’t want to wait for it to chill before serving, make it with ice water.

Garnish with a slice of lemon if chilled or with a light touch of ground black pepper if served warm.

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Serves: 2   Calories: 35   Satisfaction factor: 60

Doc Holliday’s Cowboy Caviar

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Jun 242020
 

Doc Holliday’s Cowboy Caviar

Tap here to download a PDF of the recipe.

When Southern gentleman John Henry “Doc” Holliday wasn’t shooting it out with bad guys, quaffing Arizona rotgut, or carousing with wild women, he was stirring up a mess of cowboy caviar.

BTW, I have it on good authority this is his original recipe. (You can trust me on that…I’m your huckleberry.)

You’ll need:
1 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. chipotle or another chili powder
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. ground black pepper
4 tbsp. your choice of vinegar (white wine, red wine, or apple)
¼ cup lime juice (optional, but adds verve)
½ cup olive oil
1 jalapeno pepper, finely diced (use two if you’re feeling daring.)
2 medium-size ripe tomatoes, chopped
1 yellow or red bell pepper, chopped
1 large red onion, diced
1 15-oz. can blackeye peas
1 15-oz. can black beans
16 oz. frozen corn

Do this:
Whip the spices, olive oil, vinegar, and lime juice together in a small bowl.
Place everything else in a large bowl. Pour the spice-oil-vinegar-lime juice mixture over the top and gently toss to coat. Chill or serve immediately.
This will keep in the refrigerator for at least a week.
Holliday’s caviar works as an entrée, side dish, snack, or salsa.

Servings:
As salsa: 40. 88 calories each
As a snack: 22. 100 calories each
As a side dish: 8. 250 calories each
As an entrée: 6. 325 calories each
Satisfaction factor: 88

Stuffed Tomatoes

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Dec 292019
 

Stuffed Tomatoes

You Like Tomato, I Like Tomahto…

You like potato and I like potahto
You like tomato and I like tomahto
Potato, potahto, Tomato, tomahto.
Let’s call the whole thing off
—Or not.

Here’s a recipe Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong could agree on…

Stuffed Tomatoes

Ingredients
4 firm, ripe, large tomatoes
1 tbs extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp red wine vinegar (I prefer balsamic wine vinegar.)
¼ of a medium onion, minced
¼ tsp salt (or to taste)
¼ tsp black pepper (or to taste)
1 small or half of a medium unpeeled cucumber, diced
1½ ounces (about ¼ cup) crumbled feta cheese (herbed or plain)
1 cup cooked, chilled, quinoa (Use leftover quinoa from another meal if you have it.)
4 sprigs of parsley (optional)

Directions
Cut the tops off the tomatoes. Scoop out and chop the insides.
Put the olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, and onion in a large bowl and whisk with a fork.
Add the cucumber, cheese, quinoa, and chopped tomato and gently toss to mix.
Spoon a quarter of this mixture into each tomato shell.
If you’re trying to impress someone, top each with a sprig of parsley.

These can be assembled in advance and refrigerated for an hour or two before serving.
Substitute any cooked, chilled rice for the quinoa, if you like.

Serves: 4
Calories: 150
Satisfaction factor: 86

Baked Potato with Sour Cream, Bacon Bits, and Chives

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Dec 222011
 

The extra calories in most baked potatoes we eat comes from the sour cream and butter we slather on. Try this recipe instead. Photo courtesy Simon Howden, Free Digital Photos.

 

 

 

 

 

This recipe adds a hot, satisfying 6 to 7 ounces to your meal at only about 200 calories. Try it with two eggs for a 380-calorie breakfast.

 

 

 

 

Baked potatoes don’t always have to be the Idaho variety, try the red and golden ones too.

Ingredients

1 Medium (6 oz) baked potato (about 2¼” to 3¼” in diameter)      161 calories

2 Tbls Nonfat sour cream      20 calories

2 Tbls chopped chives or chopped onion     2 calories

1 Tbls Bacon bits      25 calories

Directions

Poke holes in the potato so you don’t coat the inside of your microwave with potato.

Microwave the potato on high for 6 minutes.

Slice open the top and push in on the ends to make a white fluffy pillow.

Spoon the nonfat sour cream on top.

Add as much chopped chives or onion as you want. You don’t have to stay with 2 tablespoons, chives and onions are on the Sexy Beast Diet eat-all-you-want list.

Sprinkle with the bacon bits and chow down.

Approximately 200 calories