Appetizers – The Hungry Athlete

Mango Salsa

March 10, 2015March 10, 2015thehungryathlete

Mangoes are one of my favorite fruits. I’ve been patiently waiting for mangoes to be in season. There are six different types of mangoes and each are in season during different months during the year:

Ataulfo
Francis
Haden
Keitt
Kent
Tommy Atkins

Right now, the Kent mangos are in season (January through March) and the season has just started for Ataulfo mangoes (March through July).

Mangoes are rich in vitamins C and A, potassium and fiber, and also contain a small amount of vitamin B-6, magnesium, iron and calcium. Mangoes contain the nutrient, beta-carotene and the antioxidant zeaxanthin, which filters out harmful blue light rays and is thought to protect against macular degeneration of the eye.

This sweet fruit is versatile; it can be enjoyed in desserts and in savory dishes. The key to enjoying a mango is knowing when it’s ripe. Those who are patient and allow the mango to sit on the counter at room temperature for 2 – 4 days to ripen are rewarded with tender, juicy and sweet flesh. Those who prematurely bite into an unripe mango may find it unpleasantly stringy and sour.

Here are some tips on how to pick a good mango: http://www.wikihow.com/Pick-a-Good-Mango

Now that you’ve picked a good mango, here’s how to cut it: http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/how_to_cut_a_mango/

Serving size: 4

Ingredients:

1 large ripe mango, peeled, pitted and diced
1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
1 cup English cucumber, diced
1 small Jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely copped
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated lime zest
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped (optional)
Kosher salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

In a bowl, combine only half of the Jalapeno pepper with all of the ingredients. Taste and add more of the Jalapeno pepper based on taste. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.

Serve with chips or as a condiment over Fish Tacos with Mango Salsa or Vegetarian Tofu Tacos with Mango Salsa.

Vegetarian Tofu Tacos with Mango Salsa

March 10, 2015March 20, 2015thehungryathlete

Crispy, full of flavor and a fun meal to eat, you will not miss the fish in this Vegetarian Tofu Tacos with Mango Salsa.

Coating the tofu with panko bread crumbs then pan frying them in oil yields a crunchy exterior and a tender interior. Layer the tofu with Mango Salsa and Purple Cabbage and Carrot Slaw which can be prepared in advance.

Serving size: 4 (2-3 tacos per person)

Ingredients:

Pan Fried Tofu

1 package firm or extra firm tofu
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup corn starch
1 egg
salt and pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Vegetable oil
Flour or corn tortilla

Purple Cabbage and Carrot Slaw

2 cups of finely shredded purple or red cabbage
1 cup of shredded carrots
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar

Directions:

Prepare the Mango Salsa. This can be prepared the day before.

Prepare the Purple Cabbage and Carrot Slaw by whisking together the lime juice, vegetable oil, salt and sugar. Toss in the cabbage and shredded carrots. Set aside.

Place the tofu in a sieve and pour boiling hot water over it. This will help draw out moisture. Dry out tofu by placing them in between paper towels and sandwiched in between two plates. Weigh the plate down with a 28 ounce can or something of similar weight for at least 15 minutes.

In a shallow dish, combine the panko bread crumbs with cayenne pepper. Place the corn starch and lightly beaten egg, each in its own separate shallow dish.

After the moisture is drawn out of the tofu, cut the tofu into 4 x 1 inch pieces then season with salt and pepper.

Coat the tofu with the corn starch, then dip it in the egg and then coat it with the panko bread crumbs.

Over medium high heat, heat enough vegetable oil to coat a non-stick frying pan. Test the oil temperature by dropping in a piece of the panko bread crumbs. The oil should bubble around the bread crumbs and start turning it brown. If the oil smokes, the pan is too hot.

Fry the tofu until golden brown on each side. Drain on a paper towel.

Warm the tortilla in a hot pan for a couple minutes on each side until warm. Assemble the taco by placing some slaw in the middle of the tortilla. Next add a couple pieces of the tofu and top with the Mango Salsa. Serve with a couple extra slices of lime, hot sauce and a side of my Sweet Potato, Bean and Corn Hash.

J’Wow’s Salsa

September 17, 2014February 11, 2015thehungryathlete

I had the pleasure of training for my first Ironman with Jerrold, a good friend and triathlete known as J’Wow. He’s like a little brother to me. He’s rescued me when I was suffering from heat exhaustion during a long training ride and encouraged me to run with him when I was suffering from stomach pain during our first Ironman. And like any little brother, he thoroughly enjoys annoying me with his teasing.

I joined J’Wow at Lake Tahoe this summer when he came up to train with his coach. This is when I discovered J’Wow’s delicious fresh salsa. Fresh salsa is a very healthy snack. Tomatoes, onions, jalapeños and lime juice contain vitamin C. Jalapeños contain capsaicin, which generates heat, increases the heart rate when consumed and naturally raises the metabolic rate. Avocados contain healthy fats, mostly oleic acid, which helps reduce bad cholesterol. In addition, avocados contain protein, fiber and is an excellent source of potassium. What a delicious way to consume raw and nutritious fruits and vegetables.

J’Wow prefers chips with a hint of lime flavor to serve with the salsa. I’ve used the salsa with fish tacos, burritos and a variety of chips. Although you can serve the salsa right away, it tastes even better the next day after all the flavors have had a chance to marry. We had 6 people in the house and this recipe made enough salsa for us to enjoy for 2 days.

Serving size: 12

Ingredients:

10 tomatoes on the vine diced
1 large yellow onion diced
1 green bell pepper diced
3 ripe avocado diced
¼ cup finely chopped cilantro
2 – 2 1/2 jalapeño peppers, seeds removed and minced
½ cup of lime juice (4 medium fresh limes)
Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

In a large bowl, dice the tomatoes, onion, green bell pepper and avocado. Add finely chopped cilantro and minced jalapeno peppers. I removed the seeds and was careful to wash my hands well after handling the peppers. Add more or less peppers depending on your taste and how hot the peppers are.

Add the lime juice. One fresh medium lime should yield about 2 teaspoon of juice. If the limes are small or dry, you may need more than 4 limes to yield ½ cup. To get the most juice out of a lime, I put pressure roll it on the cutting board while putting pressure on it with the palm of my hand. I then use a reamer. You can also put it in the microwave for 20 seconds before squeezing.

Toss all of the ingredients together. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Pear and Goat Cheese Pizza with Caramelized Onions

February 6, 2013February 11, 2015thehungryathlete

I am the social athlete. I never turn down an opportunity to have a meal with my fellow athlete friends. Last week I had the pleasure of dining with 4 other fellow female Ironman triathletes, two were racing a 50K marathon in the next 48 hours and I was racing a half marathon in the next 72 hours. Our carbo-loading meal was a fabulous Pear and Goat Cheese Pizza. It was so good, I was still thinking about it this week and decided to make it.

Since I’m the busy every day athlete, with competing fulltime responsibilities like everyone else, I take cooking shortcuts every chance I get. The big time saver for this recipe is buying the pizza dough. These days you can find a variety of pizza dough in your local supermarket’s freezer. I decided to buy whole wheat dough, but you can also use multi-grain or traditional pizza dough.

Here’s nutritional information for whole wheat pizza dough:

http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/nutrients-whole-wheat-pizza-dough-3626.html

NOTE: I originally made candied walnuts to add to the pizza (in the photos), however the caramelized onions added enough sweetness. I ended up picking the walnuts off and enjoying them separately. Next time, I’ll use plain toasted walnuts for some crunch without the added sugar. Nuts, including almonds, walnuts, and pecans, have been shown to have heart healthy benefits, including lowering “bad” LDL cholesterol. Walnuts are also a source of omega-3.

Ingredients:

pizza dough*
1 cup of thinly sliced onion
¼ cup olive oil
Kosher salt
freshly cracked peppercorns
corn meal
6 ounces of crumbled goat cheese*
juice of 1/2 lemon
2 ripe pears, thinly sliced (depending on the size of the pear, you may only need 1 1/2)
arugula
1/3 cup toasted walnuts (optional)

* NOTE: If you are a gluten-free diet, ensure that the ingredients you are using are gluten-free.

Directions:

Preheat over to 450F.

Follow the instructions for the pizza dough. Usually the dough, if frozen, will need to defrost over several hours and then allowed to sit a few more hours in a bowl, greased with olive oil, until the dough doubles in size.

Cook onions covered in pan over medium/low heat with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook for about 15 minutes until soft and caramelized. You may need to remove the lid to allow all of the liquid to evaporate towards the end of the cooking time. Allow to cool.

The caramelized onions will be very sweet so a little bit added to the pizza will go a long way.

Prepare pizza dough and place on pizza stone or baking pan dusted with corn meal. Bake pizza dough for about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and top pizza with goat cheese and bake for 10 additional minutes or until cheese is starting to melt.

Whisk together remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, juice of 1/2 lemon and salt. Toss arugula and in olive oil and lemon dressing.

Remove pizza from oven and top with pears, caramelized onions and arugula. Season with freshly cracked pepper. For some extra crunch, top with some plain toasted walnuts.

My Mother’s Chicken Larb

September 8, 2012February 11, 2015thehungryathlete

February 1, 2012 was the 10th Annual National Wear Red Day, supporting the American Heart Association’s fight against heart disease in women. Both my mother and one of my best friends, Pam are survivors of heart disease. In honor of my mother and Pam, I am wearing red and sharing with you a heart healthy recipe, My Mother’s Chicken Larb. This Thai appetizer is a healthy and easy to prepare finger food for Super Bowl Sunday!

Note: The authentic Thai recipe includes chopped cilantro and mint which you may want to add. I like to keep it simple and use as few ingredients as possible so I usually omit these 2 ingredients.

Pam’s story:

My first video walking you through how to prepare My Mother’s Chicken Larb:

Ingredients:

2 tablespoon toasted raw rice
1 pound of ground chicken
2 tablespoons olive oil
chicken broth*
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons fish sauce*
4 tablespoons of sliced scallion/green onion (both the green and white parts)
1 teaspoon of grated galangal
½ cup finely chopped onion (I prefer a milder white onion but my mother uses a red onion)
2 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
red pepper flakes to taste (I like 1/2 teaspoon)
1 finely diced sweet red bell pepper
iceberg lettuce, rinsed and leaves separated

* NOTE: If you are a gluten-free diet, ensure that the ingredients you are using are gluten-free.

Directions:

Toast raw rice in oven until lightly brown. Place in plastic bag and break the rice grains with a mallet. Set aside.

Cook chicken over medium heat with just enough oil to coat the plan. Separate the chicken meat into small pieces while cooking. If the chicken appears to be dry, add a splash of chicken broth to moisten.

Add the lime juice, sugar, fish sauce, scallions, galangal, chopped onion, garlic and red pepper flake. Cook for 5 additional minutes.

Turn off heat and combine red bell pepper.

Place spoonful of larb onto iceberg lettuce leaves and sprinkle with toasted rice.