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The photo is the result of the pan…it was too good of a photo to pass up. As we were eating dinner, Hubby asked me what I would have done differently (hubby didn’t enjoy his homemade dinner too much). For anyone else, here are my suggestions for a quick and easy dinner:

1. Salt and pepper chicken (boneless/skinless thighs are more flavorful, but breasts work as well) liberally.
2. Add oil to pan and heat on med to med-high until oil shimmers (or runs freely from one side of pan to the other)
3. Cut chicken into sections (about 2″ x 2″)
4. Place chicken in pan, arranging in one layer
5. Cook chicken, without moving pieces, until well-browned (about three minutes)
6. Remove chicken and set-aside
7. Add about three tablespoons wine (I use de-alcoholized wine) or chicken-stock with lemon juice (you need acid to help clear off those super yummy browned on bits—just like in the photo!!), using a whisk, scrape off the bits and allow the wine to reduce.
8. Add marinara sauce to pan, nestle chicken in pan, cooked-side up. Cook for ten minutes or so.
9. Meanwhile, boil pasta, until just al dente.
10. Combine and eat. 
11. Sharing Optional!™

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I grabbed a book called Sensational Stevia Sweets to begin my quest. As I flip through the book, there are seemingly lots of great recipes; I didn’t hardly know where to start! I settled on pumpkin bars, because I adore pumpkin. Pumpkin and citrus–these are my weaknesses in baked goods. Ooh–and adding orange to pumpkin? Divine!

I grabbed the Stevia Extract (as called for in the recipe) and promptly mixed up the ingredients. Other than the Stevia, it was all basic: butter, flour, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin, salt… Simply mix, blend and bake. Once it popped out of the toaster oven, I set it about to cool. As soon as I could stand the heat, I took my first nibble…very pumpkin-y. I noticed immediately that the texture was better than expected, and that the lack of sugar hadn’t changed too much, but I suspect it is because pumpkin tends to take over most baked goods, anyhow. As I continued to nibble, I felt that the bread wasn’t the least bit sweet, seemed much more like a squash quick-bread, instead of the promised dessert.

Assuming I had used the incorrect Stevia, I returned to the store and purchased Stevia Concentrate. I then decided to rustle up two more batches, side-by-side: a repeat of the original, with the called-for Extract and a new version, with the concentrated form. As once taught to me by a chef, always taste things raw—once they’re cooked or baked, it’s too late to adjust the flavors. I tasted a wee bit of the batter with the concentrate, and my eyes rolled back in my head with disgust!! Clearly, I had not made a mistake–Extract was definitely the correct choice! The concentrate had made such a bitter, terrible flavor. I thought perhaps heat could temper the flavor of the Stevia, so I baked on. Heat definitely does not temper the flavor—I had one nibble, and promptly had to trash it. There was no rescue for this!

Batch #2 of the pumpkin bars, with the originally-called for extract (though, I doubled the measurement this time) was better…but, still left me craving the sugar. Texture was fine, no complaints, really. It did seem a little rubbery, but I can’t for sure say that was the Stevia. In the end, I scrapped them both and made a small-batch pumpkin cake–with real sugar!

I won’t rule out the Stevia overall, but I think I will rule it out completely for baked goods. Based on the mild sweetness that it offered, it seems that it would best be paired with any fruit-type dessert, such as cobblers, smoothies, etc. The Stevia allows the strong flavor of the main ingredient to shine through, so it definitely has promise. I’ll be trying some fruit dishes soon.

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I have already made a full-switch to all-natural, non-toxic cleaners in my house (mostly white vinegar)–which works great! I use a mix of vinegar and water, then add some peppermint oil for odor-control. Anyhow, so I did some research on some fun ways to use sugar, and I found one I love: a homemade body scrub, compliments of TipNut.com. Of course, I was immediately drawn to the site by its name–but, it is a rocking site!

I mixed about 1 cup of granulated sugar and 1/2 cup hazelnut oil (uh, no particular reason, other than that’s what is on the verge of going rancid in my house)–though, I will do olive oil next time, as I know it has good skin-karma. I added a few drops of peppermint oil, and voila! I had an awesome body scrub. Ironically, I had just been to Aveda recently to have a pedicure (a nice little gift to myself), where they had used some [very-expensive] all-natural sugar scrub–a $38.00 jar. This homemade scrub—identical (well, at least in what it accomplishes).

So, for a cheapie way to enjoy a home spa (well, at least a bodyscrub), find some extra fixin’s in your house! 

Other ways to play with your food:

TipNut : Strawberry Leaf Infusion Facial
TipNut: 11 Easy Food Facials

Enjoy! Sharing Optional.™

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Sugar, of course, is all natural–therefore, in my book, the best!

Splenda seems to have good qualities, as the body doesn’t recognize it as a sugar, so it is not processed as such. The downfall, of course, is that it is chemically-altered, which means I have an overwhelming desire to run away from it!

Stevia…this is intriguing to me, as it is derived from an herb plant from South America, therefore all natural. It’s an extremely sweet herb leaf, allowing you to use very minimal amounts to sweeten anything. It has zero calories, nor does your body recognize it as a sugar, so there are not effects from a “sugar-high.”

So, this is where I’m at…trying to decide how to curb the sugar intake in our house, but stick to something all-natural. Of course, I’m typing this as I’m pulling out some Snickerdoodles from the oven. It’s research–I promise! ;) I made this batch with real sugar, and now I plan to make comparable batches with stevia and splenda, to see how the family rates it. Stay tuned!

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…or in layman’s terms, “Opera Cake.” Or, in hubby’s and my terms, “super yummy cake.” I was petrified of doing this cake…really petrified. The rules are intense and long, very explicit detail of the do’s and don’ts of the cake…I was sure I wouldn’t survive! Once I realized that the rules were really options that could be omitted at will, I breathed a sigh of relief, and took the easy way out–I omitted all the options. :D I’m feeling terribly burned out from trying to hard to healthify so many other things for hubby’s new diet, to add a cake in the mix seemed daunting, but I wanted the challenge. So, I chose an Orange-Almond themed cake, based on the fact that my favorite cookies in the whole world are Orange-Almond-Oatmeal, but hubby doesn’t like them, so I don’t make them too often.

Let’s remember…I’m a whiz at making things taste good, but as for presentation? I’m still in Kindergarten; probably the kid in the back of the room eating paste, instead of using it. I am totally OCD about the flavor, but as for decoration, I don’t really bother. Not very OCD of me, huh? I’ll have to work on that.

Getting back to L’Opéra, it was so easy! Like all good things, it took time, but absolutely worth it. Definitely different, but truly one of the best cakes I’ve had. And, as you’ll see below, I totally “healthified” it, due to the health changes we’ve had to make in the house.

Small-Batch Easy-Peasy L’Opéra

Joconde

• one egg white
• 5 grams sugar
• 38 grams almond meal (or any ground nut of choice)
• 38 grams confectioners sugar
• one large egg (I used three tablespoons Better’n Eggs + 1 teaspoon extra-light olive oil)
• 12 grams all-purpose unbleached flour
• 8 grams butter (I used 6 grams extra-light olive oil + 2 grams water)

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I decided to use oat flour in place of a portion of the white flour (I got the idea from King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking), which makes perfect sense, as now it is a lovely Scottish Shortbread (since oats are so very Scottish). The oats, pecans, and cloves worked so lovely together; the recipe came together very naturally. I was very pleased. I did cheat (not on the recipe, but on hubby’s diet) and use real butter–really, can you have true shortbread without real butter? It did taste wonderful!

I was terribly anxious about the recipe, as I am usually terrible with anything that requires patting, refrigerating, etc.…basically, anything related to a pie crust. However, Dorie managed to put together a phenomenal recipe that just made it work, even for us crust-challenged cooks. Dorie does recommend to roll the shortbread into a bag (or between saran wrap) and refrigerate. I felt that given the small-batch size of my recipe, patting into the pan would be fine. The proof is in the pudding, it tasted delightful!

Small-Batch Brown Sugar-Pecan Shortbread (a fusion between King Arthur Whole Grain Baking and Baking from My Home to Yours, by Dorie Greenspan)

• 1.55 oz oat flour
• .25 oz all-purpose unbleached flour
• 2 t cornstarch
• tiny pinch cloves
• 1.30 oz unsalted butter, room temperature
• .90 oz brown sugar
• pinch salt
• 1 1/2 T toasted, finely-ground pecans

Tools Used

• Oxo 1 1/2-quart bowl
• KitchenAid 9-Speed Hand-Mixer
• Mini Loaf Pan
• Krups Toaster Oven

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I read a lot of cooking & baking blogs…I mean, a lot! I’m not a really big commenter, though. I need to be better, though, because as a blogger, I know how excited we can get when there is confirmed knowledge that people do, in fact, read our blogs! the clean plate club is among my favorites, for which I wait anxiously for kate’s next post. I love them! I love reading about life and cooking; I’m not really into celebrity cooking blogs—-they get paid to do it all. It’s about the people who try hard everyday to come up with the best food for their families.

With that in mind, can I give this award to every blog I read?? Seriously. There are lots. But, to be fair to the blogging world, and to keep the torch going, I’ll pick a few that I truly do lay in eagerness waiting for their next post. In alphabetical order:

Bakin’n'Bacon : Really, can there be a better name for a blog?? Darcie’s hip, get-with-it style is fantastic. Partially it makes you want to hide for not being as bold and daring as she is with her “step-it-up!” demands in the kitchen, yet, you want to keep reading. Even with the tongue lashing of how much better we can be, she really does believe it. And it makes you want to run to the kitchen and follow her recipes—because they have to be good with all the research she has done!

Cookie Chick : not only is her site gorgeous (she’s a graphic designer, as my hubby), but her writing style is familiar and inviting. I learn so many things of alternate ways to use products, or fabulous new recipes. Reading her blog is like having a good food chat with a best friend. Very engaging! I love following along with her life and her discoveries of new food experiences.

Keep it Rowdy : Though not a strictly cooking blog, my cousin offers the best laugh-out-loud experiences about being a young, hip mom with some great cooking experiences. She offers the best down-to-earth laugh-out-loud experiences I can find on a blog. Her cooking experiences are awesome–any attempts from a mom to get food on the table is fantastic in my book!

Porter House : How Becca has time to pull off all her cooking excursions with her children is far beyond me. Yet, it gives me hope…that perhaps I can keep it up when kiddleos do join hubby and I. Becca offers a very sweet, down-to-earth cooking style, with some excellent photos. I love her basic, home-cooking styles. I simply want to un-earth my grass and plant a garden so I can make food as lovely as hers!

Many thanks to y’all, and all the others on my blog roll, for all the inspiration that y’all provide!!

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Also, Big Bro made a post on his usual computer-focused blog about how much better he has been feeling since he decided to invest only pennies more to eat better food: the cost of eating healthy (very good post. check it out.) It is for Big Bro that I made the post Well, then, what should I eat?? to help get him jump-started. Another good post if you’re looking to get started on eating healthier.

In the adventure of eating healthier, dear hubby has just been put on “get healthier” diet by doctor, so I get to find new ways to be creative with veggies, all whole-wheat pastas and breads, etc. Join me in the adventure, as I’ll be posting all about the ups and downs of egg whites-only, whole grain pastas, and the potato-free zone.

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