Manly Meals Redux

MANLY MEALS REDUX
THE SNEAKY CHEF HELPS YOU HEALTH UP
DADDY’S FAVORITE DISHES

Yes, the way to a man’s heart might be through his stomach,
but why does the food always have to be so bad for his heart?
Serve your best mister the kind of meals that taste great and
are actually good for him. The Sneaky Chef, aka Missy Chase
Lapine, cooks up mouthwatering dishes — including healthier
versions of donuts, burgers, guacamole, chili, sesame noodles and
even brownies — that are heavy on taste and light on calories, fat
and sugar, all featured in her book, The Sneaky Chef: How to Cheat on Your Man (In the Kitchen).

Legal Donuts

Makes 12 donuts

Ingredients:
1 cup plus 3 tablespoons Flour Blend (See Make-Ahead Recipe #13)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon instant coffee powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 large egg
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons walnut, almond or canola oil
3/4 cup Purple Puree (See Make-Ahead Recipe #1)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Powdered sugar for dusting

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a mini bundt (donut) pan with oil.
If you choose the cupcake option, line a muffin tin with paper liners.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together Flour Blend, baking powder, salt, coffee powder, cinnamon and cocoa.
In another large bowl, whisk together the egg whites and sugar until well combined, then whisk in the oil, Purple Puree and vanilla.
Fold the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until flour is just moistened (don’t over-mix).
Divide batter evenly among 12 donut molds (or mini bundt pans).
Bake 12 to 14 minutes until the tops spring back when pressed lightly.
Loosen the edges with a knife and turn the donuts out over a plate.
Allow to cool, and then dust with powdered sugar.

Barbell Burger

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/4 cup Purple Puree (see Make-Ahead Recipe #1)
1/4 cup oat bran
2 teaspoons Worcester sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pound lean ground beef
4 hamburger buns or English muffins (preferably whole grain)
Optional extra boost: lettuce, tomato slices or grilled onions and mushrooms

Directions:
Preheat outdoor grill to medium high (or heat indoor grill pan to medium high and spray with oil).
In a large bowl, mix tomato paste, Purple Puree, oat bran, Worcester sauce and salt.
Then add the ground beef, mixing with hands until well combined.
If too sticky, add a bit more oat bran.
Using damp hands, shape mixture into 4 quarter-pound patties.
At this point, the burgers may be prepared a day ahead and kept covered in the refrigerator or frozen (chilling the burgers will also keep them together better on the grill).
If you are not freezing for future use, proceed to next steps.
Spray both sides of the burgers with oil and place them on the prepared grill.
Cook for 4 to 7 minutes on each side or to desired doneness.
Serve on whole-grain buns slathered with One and Only Guacamole (see below) and optional extras.

One and Only Guacamole

Makes about 6 appetizer servings

Ingredients:
2 ripe avocados
1 lime, freshly squeezed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 to 1/2 cup Green Puree (See Make-Ahead Recipe #3)
Optional extra boost: 1/2 cup chopped red onion, chopped tomatoes, handful of chopped cilantro (or fresh basil) and/or chopped jalapeños

Directions:
Halve the avocados lengthwise, remove the pit and scoop out the flesh.
In a small bowl, combine the avocado with the lime juice, salt, Green Puree and optional extras and blend lightly with a fork.

Doctor’s Choice Chili

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, minced
1 pound lean ground beef or turkey (or a combination)
1 to 2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 cup to 1 cup White Puree (see Make-Ahead Recipe #4)
1/2 cup Green Puree (see Make-Ahead Recipe #3)
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 15-ounce can kidney beans, drained*
1 to 2 cups vegetable broth
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional garnishes: chopped green or yellow onions, low-fat sour cream and shredded low-fat cheese

Directions:
Heat oil over medium heat in a chili or soup pot.
Cook the onions until they are slightly translucent, about 10 minutes, and then add ground meat, stirring to break it up, cooking about 5 minutes until meat is no longer red.
Then add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, cayenne and a few grinds of pepper.
Add the White and Green Purees, tomato paste, tomatoes, 1 cup of vegetable broth and the kidney beans, and mix well to combine the colors.
Return to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour, adding more vegetable broth as necessary.
Season with salt, pepper and more cayenne for extra spice, and top with optional garnishes.
Save leftovers and put a portion in a thermos or plastic container for your man’s lunch pail.

Cold Sesame Noodles

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon brown sugar
4 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup tahini sesame paste, well-stirred
1 cup White Puree (see Make-Ahead Recipe #4)
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar or cider vinegar
2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes, to taste
1 pound Asian noodles or thin spaghetti, ideally whole wheat, freshly cooked
Optional extra boost: 3 green onions, thinly sliced, and 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

Directions:
In a medium bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, oil, soy sauce, tahini, White Puree, and vinegar.
Add red pepper flakes to taste.
In a large serving bowl, spoon about 1 ¼ cups of sauce over pasta, tossing well to coat pasta evenly.
Garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds, if using. Serve cool.

Brawny Brownies

Makes about 16 brownies

Ingredients:
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips (or 5 ounces good dark chocolate)
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup Purple Puree (see Make-Ahead Recipe #1)
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons Flour Blend (see Make-Ahead Recipe #13)
1/4 cup oat bran
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon instant coffee powder
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Butter or nonstick cooking spray
Optional extra boost: 1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Butter or spray only the bottom, not the sides, 13-by-9-inch or 9-inch square baking pan.
Melt the butter and dark chocolate together in a double boiler or metal bowl over simmering water (or in a microwave, checking every 15 seconds).
Remove from heat and allow mixture to cool a bit.
Meanwhile, in another bowl, stir together the eggs, vanilla, sugar and Purple Puree.
Combine this purple egg mixture with the cooled chocolate mixture.
In a mixing bowl, stir together Flour Blend, oat bran, cinnamon, coffee powder, cocoa powder, and salt.
Add this to the chocolate mixture and blend thoroughly. Mix in the chopped walnuts, if using, then pour the entire mixture into the baking pan.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
Allow to cool completely in pan before cutting the brownies and use a plastic or butter knife.
Dust with powdered sugar, if desired.
Keeps for a week in the refrigerator, covered tightly.

Sneaky Chef Make-Ahead Recipe #1: Purple Puree

Ingredients:
3 cups raw baby spinach leaves
1 ½ cups fresh or frozen blueberries (no syrup or sugar added)
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1 to 2 tablespoons water

Directions:
Thoroughly wash raw spinach even if the package says “prewashed.”
If using frozen blueberries, quickly rinse them under cold water to thaw a little and then drain.
Fill the bowl of your food processor with the blueberries and raw spinach, along with the lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of water, and puree on high until as smooth as possible.
Stop occasionally to push top contents to bottom.
If necessary, use a second tablespoon of water to make a fairly smooth puree.
This amount of spinach and blueberries makes only about 1 cup of puree.
Double the recipe if you want to store another cup of the puree.
It will store in the refrigerator up to 2 days or you can freeze 1/4 cup portions in sealed plastic bags or small plastic containers.

Sneaky Chef Make-Ahead Recipe #3: Green Puree

Ingredients:
1 cup sweet green peas, frozen
2 cups raw baby spinach leaves
2 cups broccoli florets, fresh or frozen
2 to 3 tablespoons water

Directions:
If using raw spinach, thoroughly wash it, even if the package says “prewashed.”
Using a vegetable steamer, steam broccoli in 2 inches of water in a tightly covered pot for about 10 minutes until very tender.
Add the frozen peas to the steamer basket for the last 5 minutes of steaming.
Alternatively, place broccoli and spinach in a microwave-safe bowl, cover with water and microwave on high for 8 to 10 minutes until very tender.
Once cooked, drain the broccoli, spinach and peas and place them in the bowl of your food processor along with 2 tablespoons of water. Puree on high until as smooth as possible.
Stop occasionally and push contents from the top to the bottom.
If necessary, add the third tablespoon of water to make a smoother puree.
Makes about 2 cups of puree. Double this recipe if you want to store an extra 2 cups.
Store in refrigerator up to 3 days, or freeze 1/4 cup portions in sealed plastic bags or small plastic containers.

Sneaky Chef Make-Ahead Recipe #4: White Puree

Ingredients:
2 cups cauliflower, cut into florets
2 small to medium zucchini, peeled and rough chopped
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 to 2 tablespoons water, if necessary

Directions:
Steam cauliflower in a vegetable steamer over 2 inches of water, using a tightly covered pot, for about 10 to 12 minutes until very tender.
Alternatively, place cauliflower in a microwave-safe bowl, cover with water and microwave on high for 8 to 10 minutes until very tender.
While waiting for the cauliflower to finish steaming, start to pulse the raw peeled zucchini with the lemon juice only (no water at this point). Drain the cooked cauliflower.
Working in batches if necessary, add it to the pulsed zucchini in the bowl of the food processor with 1 tablespoon of water. Puree on high until smooth.
Stop occasionally and push contents from the top to the bottom.
If necessary, use the second tablespoon of water to make a smooth (but not wet) puree.
Makes about 2 cups of puree.
Double the recipe if you want to store another 2 cups of puree, which can be done in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze 1/4 cup portions in sealed plastic bags or small plastic containers.

Sneaky Chef Make-Ahead Recipe #13: Flour Blend

Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose, unbleached white flour
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1 cup wheat germ, unsweetened

Directions:
Combine the flours and wheat germ in a bowl.
This blend can be stored in a sealed, labeled plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.

Mouth watering for more?
Pick up a copy of The Sneaky Chef: How to Cheat on Your Man (In the Kitchen) at www.amazon.com.