The Link Between Argentina, Lake Tahoe, and Colorado

What do Argentina, Lake Tahoe, and Colorado have in common? Empanadas, of course!  I'm sure that was the first thought in your mind, right? And you still might be baffled as to how I connected empanadas to all three of those locations. Well, let me share a few stories with you.

My freshman year of college, I attended Colorado Christian University in Lakewood, CO.  Even though I grew up in Southern Michigan, it had been my dream to live in Colorado since I was in the 2nd grade. As soon as I was able to move out of the house, I was off to make my dreams come true!

Shortly after school started, I began looking for jobs. I still remember the fateful day I interviewed for a job at MetLife in downtown Denver. I thought it was be so "romantic" to have a job downtown. Oh, my! Inadvertently, I parked on the opposite side of the downtown area and I had to literally run across town to make it to my interview on time. I showed up with flushed cheeks and windblown hair just as the interviewer was about to give up on me. He ushered me into a room and asked me what I knew about MetLife. I literally said (very hesitantly), "I've seen the Snoopy commercials on TV..." Yikes! I still cringe when I think back to that day.

Needless to say, I didn't get the job.  A few days later, however, I saw an add for Granny Scott's Pie Shop!!! It was in Lakewood, not too far from the college. Perfect! I loved to bake and it definitely sounded more "me" than an office job with Snoopy.  I called them up, and they basically hired me over the phone. I did show up for an interview, but it didn't take long before we were discussing when I could start. Without even realizing it, this was what I was made for: making pies! Or baking, in general, I guess. It was probably one of the most fun jobs I have ever had.  My first day on the job, I got to use my hands to mix 11 lbs of shortening, 5 lbs of butter, and more flour than I could imagine in one tub.  I might be off on my quantities now, but it was a lot.  So much of my love for baking, excellence in cooking, and courage to try difficult dishes stemmed from that year at "my" pie shop. I can't imagine my life without that experience.

Along with pies, we also made a number of savory items - most of which included the use of pie dough in some way.  One such item was beef empanadas, a half-moon shaped filled with meat, potatoes, veggies, and mexican seasoning.  They are still one of my favorite things to order when I go back to visit - as long as I can get some melted cheese and salsa on top!

Fast forward nearly 9 years. I was living on a mountain top pass in Lake Tahoe and working for a chiropractor.  One of my favorite things about my job at that time was talking with all of our patients. For most of my time there, I was in charge of doing the therapies that followed the patients' adjustments.  This allowed me to get to know the patients and talk to them about all kinds of random things.  For example, one of our patients was a runner from Argentina.  I am fascinated with Spanish-speaking cultures, so I would often talk to her about her country; more often than not, the conversation typically involved their food. I remember asking her what type of food they typically ate in Argentina. She went on to describe all the ways in which they eat empanadas! Seriously! Empanadas were extremely popular there - all flavors and types.  However, they were not spicy empanadas, like I had eaten. There were basil, tomato, and mozzarella empanadas. Tuna and cheese empanadas. Chicken empanadas. There were all sorts of different kinds! One of her favorites (and I believe one of the more popular kinds) was a simple beef empanada: ground beef, potatoes, and carrots cooked in beef broth, and lightly seasoned with salt and pepper.

Now, shortly after that, I went through a season of being extremely poor and not having a car. I am not sure what brought it about, exactly. I just remember I needed a starter on my car, but I didn't have the money to buy one at the time. So, I figured out how to use the local bus system and walked to my various jobs.  This particular time lasted a few months. I was able to pay all of my bills, but there were times when I literally only had enough money to pay the bus fare to make it to my next job.  And I had to go to that particular job to have enough money to pay for my bus fares later in the week. It was a very interesting time.  As suddenly as it came on, it also left.  About a year later, my car died altogether. I sold it for parts, and I went back to using the local transit system and walking 7-13 miles a day to get to and from my various jobs.

It was during those times, however, that I learned how to be very creative with the food I had in my house! I have always been a foodie, and I tended to accumulate food very easily. I would find good deals or have ideas on how I would use particular items. So, while I was without transportation and didn't have any extra money, I did what I could to take control of my life: I made food.  One of the most memorable food adventures during that time were empanadas - inspired by our Argentinian patient. Altogether, I made beef, curry potato, chicken, and caramel apple empanadas.  They were awesome! They required a little bit of time (which I had) and very simple ingredients (which I had). They also froze extremely well! I was able to freeze packages of empanadas for my mom and sister's visit.  We had various flavors of empanadas all throughout the week!


I am happy to now add Northern Michigan to my list of empanada locations! Maybe it was the "making food on a low budget" concept that brought back my fond memory.  Or maybe it was the remaining CSA potatoes that desperately need to be used.  Whatever the case, I spent my Sunday trying to recall exactly how I made these empanadas nearly 6 years ago.  I had to be a little creative with some of my ingredients, based on my current food challenge - but I wasn't disappointed!

Argentinian Beef Empanadas

2 recipes of pie pastry (recipe to follow)

1.25-1.5 lbs ground beef

2-3 potatoes, diced

4-5 carrots, diced

1 carton beef broth  (I used pork bone broth, since I had some on hand - and it worked great!)

1 medium yellow onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

salt to taste

pepper to taste 

 

Kitchen Aid Pie Pastry

(I use the Kitchen Aid recipe, as it is the only one I have found that uses shortening and butter - both of which I learned were necessary for a flaky crust while working at the pie shop) 

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shortening (I use organic, as it does not contain partially hydrogenated oils)
2 Tbls butter, well chilled
5-6 tablespoons cold water (though I typically need at least double this amount)

I suggest starting with the beef filling, as you can make the pie dough while the filling is cooling.  Start by placing the ground beef, onion, and garlic in a large skillet on medium high heat.  Let it cook until the beef is no longer pink. Drain the excess fat, if necessary.

While the beef is cooking, dice the potatoes. I leave the skins on, as it is easier - and it adds more vitamins and fiber to your diet. At least that is what my mom always told me as a kid. :) My potatoes also happened to be purple, but don't let that deter you.

Once the fat has been drained from the beef, add the diced potatoes, carrots, and beef broth. Season with salt and pepper.

It should look pretty soupy.  Bring the mixture to a simmer/light boil on medium high heat. Let it continue to cook until the broth has been reduced to a thick sauce. It shouldn't be very runny at all, as that will make the pie dough wet.  This takes a little time. Feel free to wash the dishes while you wait.

Once the beef broth is no longer runny, remove the mixture from the heat.  While it is cooling, prepare your pie dough.  Place the flour and salt in the bowl, and stir well with a fork.  Add shortening and chilled butter.  As I mentioned, an old roommate of mine (with the help of another friend) got me started on using organic shortening, as it does not use partially hydrogenated oils. I rarely use the shortening any more (it's been awhile since I've made pies), and I found some older containers in the back of my cupboard.  I'll be ready to get them out of my pantry and free up some space!  It does help make one feel slightly better about eating pie dough, though. :)

Wash your hands and remove all rings.  Use your hands to "rub" the mixture together, by rubbing your hands back and forth.  This ensures the butter and shortening rub together, which creates the flake. Repeat this until the butter and shortening are well incorporated and crumb-like.

Add water. I typically add double the amount called for in the recipe to start. Then add a Tbls at a time until the mixture is no longer floury, but not too wet.  Be careful to toss the mixture together, rather than knead it, like you would bread.

At this point, I break off chunks of dough to make smaller "pucks" (our term from the pie shop). They should all be similar in size - about the size of a small fist. I was able to make about 8 medium/large empanadas with this recipe. You could make smaller ones, too.

Spread some extra flour on the counter, and proceed to roll out the first puck into a small circle.

Fill half of the circle with the cooled filling, leaving an inch or two around the edges.

Fold the empanada in half.

"Crimp" the edges of the empanada. I typically hold my left finger on the dough, and use my right forefinger to fold the dough over. Repeat until the entire edge has been crimped.

Place a piece of parchment paper on a cookie sheet. Carefully place the finished empanada on the parchment paper. Once the cookie sheet is full, freeze the empanadas for 20 mins to an hour, until they are hard.

After they are hard, pull them out and wrap them in plastic wrap, to protect them. Place in a freezer-safe ziploc bag and freeze!  When you are ready to eat them: place an unwrapped empanada on a cookie sheet and bake for 35-40 mins at 350 degrees. You could brush the tops with egg to give it a golden hue, though it is not necessary.  

It may look rather plain, but it definitely hits the spot! And it is an easy meal to make for those nights you get home from work late and you don't feel like cooking. Rather than eating out - grab an empanada! If you are like me, you may want to add a little ketchup and hot sauce on top! Yum!

I was able to make about 8 empanadas with this recipe.  I initially made 3 recipes of pie dough, as I wasn't sure how much I needed. I had about 1.5 recipes remaining after the empanadas. I divided them into 3 larger pucks (almost double the size of the empanada pucks).

I wrapped them in plastic wrap, placed them in a freezer-safe ziploc - and I have pie dough ready for a special occasion (or that time when you realize at 8 pm you need to have a pie ready for the next day and you cringe at the thought of making pie dough).

The Challenge is On...

My, what a week it has been! I have to tell you, I have been so incredibly excited about this $5/week food challenge. I spent quite a bit of time planning menu ideas and possibilities; I can hardly wait for these next few months to take place! I know, I know...I need to enjoy each day and week in the moment. I sometimes have a hard time with that concept. Needless to say, I can tell my inner drive has stepped up to the challenge.

At the same time, I have found myself noticing a few changes this week. Without intentionally planning it, this challenge has become a bit of a "fast" for food spending - and my eating habits!  Have you ever completed a non-medical related fast? Although I don't always choose to refrain from eating totally, I love doing fasts every so often. In fact, I tend to complete some sort of cleanse or food-related fast at least once a year. I love the discipline and self-control that come from doing fasts; even though it is difficult in the moment, I am reminded that I am in control of my body and the choices I make. I can make good choices and reap the benefits of choosing well. I typically feel awesome at the end of those fasts. Unfortunately, it is easy to fall back into the routine of a busy lifestyle and slip away from making those good choices.

Although I realized this would be a fast from spending money on food, I had not considered the effect it would have on my eating habits.  There were multiple times this week when I realized if I were not participating in this food challenge, I would have stopped to grab something quick while I was traveling (which is typically not very healthy), or I would have purchased a coconut milk latte to help keep me going when I got tired. After merely one week of completing my challenge, I realize this might have some very great health benefits - along with monetary and pantry-clearing benefits!  Who would have thought a spur-of-the-moment idea would be so effective at helping me achieve some of my other goals!

Despite the temptations, I am proud to say I have done well with my first week of the challenge - aside from not having time to blog during the week.  It was a busy week with work, and I am trying to get back in the groove of being active. Unfortunately, that meant my food prep wasn't finished until after 11:00 pm a couple of nights. Such is life. My goal is not to show myself as some Wonder Woman of the kitchen.  I want this to be a real blog by a real person - who happens to work 40+ hours a week, travels a great deal during the week, and has a lot going on outside of making food.  Even so, making REAL food is incredibly important to me! About 3 or 4 years ago, I had an intense issue with food allergies. The types of foods I could eat were very limited. I couldn't have anything that contained sugar - or anything that turned into sugar once consumed. That included most grains, dairy, root vegetables, fruit, onions and garlic, and even beans (among other things).  I have improved dramatically from that initial bout with allergies. I am able to eat more of those items now without having such adverse reactions; however, some of the items I can only eat occasionally. I try to stay away from them as much as possibly in my "normal" routine, but I can eat wheat or dairy from time-to-time. If I eat them regularly, I tend to get sick.

Having gone through this experience, I grew tremendously in my ability to make healthy foods and find alternative ways of eating "normal" foods.  This was incredibly important to me - important enough that I choose to dedicate time to making food every week. I have found the outcome of my week is directly dependent on the food I prepare (or don't prepare) to eat.  Yes, part of my motivation is not getting sick from eating processed or junk food.  But, to be honest, part of my motivation is because I am a foodie. I need to enjoy what I'm eating - or why bother eating it? I cannot "maintenance eat" for very long; I get bored. And then I don't eat. Or I choose to grab quick food - which, in turn, effects my immune system, energy levels, and outlook on life. It's a vicious cycle. So, I choose to make food.

Now that we covered the motivations behind my food-making habits, let's get on to the good stuff! I just wanted to share a bit of the work that went on in my kitchen this week.  I hope my story inspires you to try new things or be creative with the foods in your pantry!  Many of the recipes I use I don't create on my own; however, I am happy to share some of my favorite go-to recipes - or new ones as I try them!

For my main food prep this week, I made Spiced Vegan Lentil Soup, except I used chicken broth.  (I have often made this soup with a veggie broth, but I did not have any available at the time.) This is one of my favorite ways to eat lentils! I love this soup! My friend texted my recently to share about her first experience eating lentils. That text inspired my meal choice this week. Now, she can try one of my favorite ways to eat lentils!  This soup was made with onions, garlic, carrots, and swiss chard from my CSA shares.  In fact, I chopped and froze the swiss chard last summer. To be honest, this was my first time eating greens that had been frozen like that. Initially, I can't say I was super excited about it. The greens looked, smelled, and tasted like canned spinach. (blech!) By the next day, however, I never would have guessed; the soup tasted amazing!  I completed my food prep after 11:00 that night, as I got home from work late and went for a walk. I boxed it all up and was ready for lunches this week! 

I didn't have a ton of time to make other food this week. Typically, I like to make my breakfast, lunch, and dinner all in one fell swoop. That way, I have food for the week and I am free to do other things in the evenings. This week, I had no such luck. I ate oat-flour morning glory muffins (from the freezer) for breakfast, soup for lunch, and (I hate to admit it) a leftover box of cheese-its for dinner a couple of times.  I was able to make some food again on Thursday evening, though.  I was off from work on Friday because of Good Friday. It was the first sunshiny day all week, so I was motivated to go for a hike.  Since I am not eating out, I also needed to prepare a picnic for my venture.  What is a good way to use up the following items (belgian endives and pita chips, in case you were wondering...)?

 Chicken Salad!!!  One of my all-time favorite picnic foods, thanks to the inspiration of a couple of different friends.  My friends, Ben and Deanne, taught me how to make the most flavorful chicken while we all doing a food-cleanse at the same time.  They use salt, pepper, a dash of cayenne, and rosemary. It's fabulous.  My good friend, Lacy, taught me how to use greek yogurt in my chicken salad, instead of mayonnaise.  It was a new idea for me, at first, but I could never go back now!

This chicken salad is so easy! I typically use a package of two chicken breasts. I wash and dry both sides.  While the coconut oil is heating in the pan, I dash salt, pepper, cayenne, and rosemary to the first side of chicken breasts.  I put that in the pan (spiced side down), set the timer for 7 minutes, and let it do it's magic.  While that side is cooking, I use the same spices on the uncooked side of chicken.  After the timer goes off, I flip the chicken and set the timer for another 7 minutes.  Typically, the chicken is ready to go after the 2nd 7 minutes. However, I do suggest using a knife to check and make sure the chicken is done. Occasionally, I have to slice the breasts in half and let it cook longer.   This process of frying the chicken gives it a crisp outer coating. It's delicious! (And happens to be the way I cook chicken most often these days. I'm sure you'll see this recipe come up again!)

Once the chicken is cooked and cooled a little, throw it in the food processor with a couple of spoonfuls of greek yogurt (You can add as much or as little as you want.  It might be best to start with a little and add to your desired consistency), 2-3 stalks of celery roughly chopped, 2 green onions roughly chopped, and about 1/2 a cup (give or take) of dried cranberries.  Give it a twirl, and voila! I know it doesn't look like much, but it tastes great!

Along with the chicken salad, I made a Mexican bean salad and cut up a cucumber.

For the bean salad, I used a recipe from an old Mexican cookbook from my college days, Mexican Cooking Made Easy, by Diane Soliz-Martese.  Again, super easy: 

Use 1 can each: drained canned garbanzo beans, red kidney beans, whole kernel corn.

1/2 cup each: diced green and red bell peppers

2 T olive oil

3 T red wine vinegar

1/4 t. salt

1/8 t. pepper

I don't typically eat corn these days, so I didn't have any on hand. I substituted a can of black beans for the corn, and it was still good!

Again, I didn't finish up with my food prep until around 11:30 pm, but I was all set to go on a hike and picnic in Petoskey on Friday!  I had the perfect weather, view, and food for a hiking and picnic adventure! Next time, I'll take pictures of my view while I'm eating. :)

What is your favorite picnic food? Please share in the comments below!

Resurrection Week: Resurrecting the Blog for a Food Challenge

A lot has happened since my last blog entry! In the past two years, I have traveled to Lake Tahoe, Redding, Colorado, Kansas City, NYC, Minnesota, and Chicago. I toured California (including a drive up Hwy 1), explored the U.P (Michigan's Upper Peninsula), and checked off a number of items on my "dream list" here in Northern Michigan. Most importantly, I completed my master's degree! Yahoo! I graduated with my MBA from Spring Arbor University in November of 2016.  Life has continued to be a whirlwind, though, between job transitions and teaching my first couple of college classes.  Though it would be a lie to say life is becoming "normal" again (I've been told I am continually in a state of being busy), I do feel as though I am beginning to have more time on my hands.

Unfortunately, more time means more ideas! Hence the inspiration to resurrect my blog. But first, a little background.  One of the most incredible things I did last year was sign up to be part of a CSA.  For those of you who are unfamiliar with this terminology, CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. Basically, throughout the summer and early fall, I receive a box - or "share" - of veggies once a week from a local farm. I signed up for a small share, as I do enjoy making food and eating lots of vegetables, but I am only one person. However, I quickly realized I had quite a bit of food on my hands! Especially while in the midst of completing my master's degree. I froze a good deal of food - both prepared and unprepared - so I wouldn't waste my precious veggies.  I enjoyed my CSA experience so much, I decided to do a winter CSA, as well. I continued to get a box of veggies every other week from the end of October through February. Along with the veggies, I also received a carton of eggs every two weeks.

Needless to say, it was a lot of work to keep up with my food preparation! It was fun - and just the challenge I was looking for to help me stay on track with eating healthy.  However, I realized I have a bit of a dilemma: the start of my summer CSA is quickly approaching (mid June) and I still have LOADS of food in my fridge, freezer, and pantry. I have been working hard this past month to use my veggies and pantry items, but I still have so much food! I jokingly decided last week that I would see how long I could go without buying food.  Less than a week after making that statement, I found myself using my trip downstate to purchase raw honey and stop by the Amish bulk food store. I only spent $50, but I came away with a lot of food! Among other things, I was excited to find a 5 lb. bag of steel cut oats for $4.95!

So, this is where you enter the story. I decided I needed a little more accountability in my new venture. I have a pantry, two overflow pantry shelves, a fridge full of food, a freezer, and a small second freezer (about the size of a dorm refrigerator). My goal is to reduce the amount of food so it all fits into my regular pantry, and clean out my fridge and freezers so I am ready for my 2nd CSA summer. Along with that, I decided to give myself a little challenge. I don't know about you, but I tend to need a challenge to make life interesting. So, I decided to see how long I can go without buying food. To make my challenge slightly more sustainable, I decided to give myself $5 a week for groceries.  That way, I can purchase key ingredients; however, I will still have to be strategic in how I spend my money.  At some point, I will have to decide between coffee creamer and peanut butter. Or even if I should forego coffee, itself.  I did make a quick stop at the grocery store today, to grab a few essentials: coffee, coffee creamer, coconut milk, flour, bananas, asparagus (this was before I decided on a $5 allowance, and I didn't want to miss asparagus in season), and a box of lavender chamomile tea (my most favorite, once-a-month indulgence).  Aside from today and my stop at the Amish bulk food store yesterday, I have not purchased any other food. In fact, I have purchased very little food for the past month, as I was already trying to use up as much food as possible. I did buy some fruit and a few items for a friend's visit, but most of the food in my house has been here for quite some time.  

Will you join me on my food journey? Initially, it may not seem too different from my everyday life, but I am thinking it will get more interesting as the weeks go on. Depending on how well I do, I could continue even as I begin my summer CSA.  I will share pictures and recipes as I am allowed to do so.  I would love to hear your thoughts and ideas, too. Also, if you are inspired to make food or be creative with your ingredients, feel free to share your experiences and pictures in the comments!