Category: Thinking Food

Just another home “chef” with recipe ideas and tips I hope you find helpful

Cauliflower Soup Puree

A filling low calorie, low carb soup with multiple uses

The family loves this recipe as a soup but I’ve discovered this cauliflower puree can be used to whip up Creamy Parmesan Zoodles and Less-Guilt Broccoli Cheese Soup.

Roast the cauliflower and garlic

  1. Preheat oven to 410 degrees
  2. Break up 2 heads cauliflower on baking sheet; drizzle with Olive Oil and season with Sea SaltRoast 1 1/2 head cauliflower,
  3. Roast for 15 minutes
  4. Add 10 cloves rough chopped garlic
  5. Continue roasting 10 minutes
  6. When lightly browned, pull cauliflower out of oven; set aside

Prepare the soup

  1. On stove top, place deep soup pot on medium high heat
  2. Add two table spoons of Olive Oil
  3. After oil is hot, add 1 chopped onion; stir frequently
  4. After about 4 minutes, add 1 tablespoon cumin
  5. Add 1 teaspoon Gas Il Hanout (careful, a little goes a long way).
    • If you don’t have this, no worry, it just adds a nice heat and savory flavor. You could always replace with a few shakes of red pepper flakes.
  6. After mixture of onion and spices are browned (about another 3 minutes), add 6 cups of chicken or vegetable stock
  7. Bring liquid to a boil
  8. (Optional: Add 1 quartered russet potato boil for 4 minutes.)
    • The potato adds a nice texture to soup — but totally not a showstopper if you’re avoiding starchy vegetables.
  9. Add roasted cauliflower and garlic
  10. Bring liquid back to a boil; continue boiling for 5 minutes
  11. Reduce to medium low heat; continue simmering for 10 minutes
  12. Turn off heat; let liquid cool for 10 minutes
  13. Puree liquid and vegetable mixture: I like to use a hand mixer right in the pot but you can also use a blender. If using a blender, I like to work in batches. Either way, be careful of hot splashes from liquid!!!
  14. (Optional: Add additional stock little by little until desired consistency is reached; incorporate into puree by stirring well)
  15. (Optional: Add 2 tablespoons unsalted butter or vegan butter (which is made of cashews) — incorporate into puree by stirring well)
    • I prefer using vegan butter; gives the soup a subtle nutty flavor and creaminess I enjoy
  16. Season mixture with salt and pepper to taste
    • As someone that doesn’t like my foods overly salty, I usually stop here and let people season their bowl of soup to their preference.

How-To: Low-Carb Cauliflower Tortilla

Meet the lower calorie, non-starchy alternative to the classic Tortilla Española.

Ingredients

  • Trader Joe’s Roasted Cauliflower
  • 4 Eggs
  • Salt
  • Garlic Powder

Instructions

  1. Heat Trader Joe’s Roasted Cauliflower per instructions on packaging
    • I chose to microwave for 2.5 minutes
  2. Sprinkle cooked cauliflower with salt and garlic powder; let cool to room temperature
    • This will help season the egg mixture
  3. Scramble 4 eggs
  4. Add cooled and seasoned cauliflower to egg mixture
    • Break up larger clumps of cauliflower with fork
    • Mix cauliflower and eggs well
  5. Heat 10 nonstick pan over medium high heat with a tablespoon of olive oil
  6. Add egg and cauliflower mixture to heated pan
  7. As mixture cooks, use a spatula to pull cooked egg away from the side of the pan
    • This allows uncooked egg in center of the pan to move outward and cook
  8. Flipping the tortilla
    • When underside of tortilla is slightly browned (use spatula to carefully lift and check), place a plate on top of the pan with one hand
    • With other hand holding the pan’s handle (and the other securing the plate in place), flip tortilla from pan onto the plate
    • Slide the uncooked side of tortilla back into the pan
  9. Cook side two in pan until lightly browned (approximately 2 minutes)
  10. When finished slide (or flip) tortilla onto a clean plate

If you don’t feel comfortable flipping the tortilla, use a large spatula to flip

Serving Ideas

Tortilla Española is traditionally served as a tapa (appetizer) and as the filling in a sandwich (Bocadillo de Tortilla). This variation can be used as either way but also makes a:

  • Side for dinner (Try it with Cajun Cod and Spicy Parmesan Green Beans)

  • Savory breakfast or lunch (Try topping it with guacamole and sriracha)

How-To: TJ’s Shrimp Burger Bowl

Trader Joe’s-Inspired Low-Carb Quick Meal

Yes, I forgot to add the spoonful of Last-Minute Guacamole for the pic!

Making it: Long story short

In a bowl add one serving each of Trader Joe’s Roasted Broccoli (85g or 1/2 cup) and Cauliflower Stir Fry (105g or 1 cup) — two Trader Joe’s Shrimp Seafood Burgers (chopped up) — and top with a big spoonful (50g) of Last-Minute Guacamole.

1 Serving approximately = 370 calories
Net Carbs (12.5g) 13%, Fat (21.5) 52%, Protein (32g) 35%
Yields 2 Servings

Making it: The full story

When I used to work in downtown San Francisco as a copywriter for Autodesk, my co-worker (and friend) Maria O. and I would occasionally leave the office and grab some Chinese food from the Rincon Center across the street from the office. In addition to conversation and laughs with Maria, a plate of fried rice topped with some type of protein (drenched in a yummy savory sauce) accompanied by a side of spring roles was a welcome escape from my day.

Fast-forward a few years. I’ve living down in Palm Springs, California again (one of those unplanned pandemic-inspired life detours) and good Chinese around every corner just isn’t a part of my reality. Now, that’s not to say that my “new favorite go-to three-item combo plate + included drink” lunchtime place doesn’t exist — I’m sure it does — but I haven’t found it yet.

And besides trading the Bay Area for the Coachella Valley, something else has changed; my diet. Down 33 pounds (and still working on it), I’m continuously taking steps to make better food choices and create new dishes I can put into rotation here at home.

What I’m calling my Shrimp Burger Bowl is essentially a combination of three Trader Joe’s items, spices, and an avocado. Here’s how I prepared this dish today.

Not into shrimp or can’t find the shrimp burgers at Trader Joe’s? No problem. Just find a protein you like. Mahi burgers, cod, salmon, turkey burgers, Just Chicken, or plant-based options can make great substitutes. Feel free to let your inner Test Kitchen Chef free!

What you need:

  • 1 pack Trader Joe’s Shrimp Seafood Burgers
  • 1 pack Trader Joe’s Roasted Broccoli with Olive Oil, Sea Salt, and Black Pepper
  • 1 bag Trader Joe’s Riced Cauliflower Stir Fry
  • 1 Avocado
  • Soy Sauce
  • Garlic Powder
  • Ground Cumin
  • Lemon Juice1
  • Sea Salt

How to make it:

  • Prepare the following per packaging instructions:
    • Seafood Burgers
    • Roasted Broccoli
      • Season with a shake or two of Sea Salt and Garlic Powder
    • Riced Cauliflower Stir Fry
      • Toward the end of cooking the cauliflower, add 1 tablespoon Soy Sauce + 1 tablespoon Garlic Powder; toss well
  • Last-minute Guacamole:
    • Mash avocado in bowl
    • Stir in 1 teaspoon each of Ground Cumin and Lemon Juice
    • Add Sea Salt to taste

Plate it:

Trader Joe’s-Inspired Shrimp Burger Bowl

In a bowl add one serving each of roasted broccoli (85g or 1/2 cup) and riced cauliflower (105g or 1 cup) — two shrimp burgers (chopped up) — and top with last-minute guacamole (50g or big spoonful).

1 Serving approximately = 370 calories
Net Carbs (12.5g) 13%, Fat (21.5) 52%, Protein (32g) 35%
Yields: 2 Servings

How-To: Raymo’s Greek Shepard’s Bake

O.k., not sure if using kalamata olives makes this dish “greek” — but it just felt right. This is something I made the other night with what I had available in the kitchen. The recipe below is the full-blow, full-fat, non-vegetarian, and non-vegan version — but with a little common sense additions (or subtractions), it’s got the foundation to be whatever your little heart desires:)

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