Cookin' with Chris 👨‍🍳

[Chris_Shugart]

“The more you cook, the better you look.” – Me

I wrote that a decade or two ago. Of course, it depends on what you cook.

My general philosophy is high protein, “cleaner” ingredients, minimal or no wheat, and volumization – lots of satiating food without blowing up the calorie count.

Get enough of that stuff right and there’s no need to count calories all your life. Cue autoregulation.

Anyway, I’ll use this thread to share some meal ideas, go-to recipes, and nutrition/cooking tips. Feel free to ask questions.

Important Disclaimer: This is for entertainment purposes only. Information contained herein is not intended to replace professional cooking advice. Consult your chef before making any dietary decisions.

[donnerschweer]

FYI, your assistant can turn in a serious PIA if your have a garden.
Mine now, pick apples, tomatoes, carrots, squash… all on his own. That will teach me to show proper cooking to my dog.

[Chris_Shugart]

Let’s get this started with a classic I wrote about years ago here at T Nation but I’ve since rediscovered:

Trashcan Fritatta

This is high in protein and low in carbs, if that’s your thing. Basically, it’s eggs mixed with a bunch of leftovers. Here’s how to make one:

1. Preheat oven to around 375 degrees F.

2. Add chopped onions and some ghee or avocado oil to an oven-safe pan. (I use cast iron because I’m one of those people.) I had a piece of a yellow onion left over so I used that. I also had a little bit of red bell pepper and some mushrooms left over, so those went in too, along with some garlic, salt, and pepper. Cook on stovetop until the onions are translucent and kill the heat.

3. Whisk up a few whole eggs with a splash of egg whites. Pour over the onion mixture. I had a handful of spinach too, not enough for a salad though, so it got chopped up and tossed in. Then I noticed that we had a few little tomatoes and green onions hanging around at the back of the fridge, so those went in.

4. Transfer to oven and bake until the top gets a little golden, about 15 minutes. I added our last pinch of parmesan cheese in the final 5 minutes. Rest for 6-7 minutes before eating. If the top is a little wobbly, that’s okay; it will continue to cook for a few minutes after you take it out of the oven.

Getting the idea here? It’s an easy, healthy way to use up all those random odds & ends and clean out your fridge. Got a potato? Dice and cook it on the stovetop in the same pan before adding the eggs. A lonely slice of leftover bacon? Toss that in. Leftover tuna sandwich? Don’t use that. That’s f’ing gross, you freak.

You can of course use a big-ass pan, 10 eggs or a carton of egg whites, and make this for the whole fam. Just increase the bake time. It’s hard to screw up since there are no rules. Make it once and you’ll want to make it regularly.

Tip: Make it on a weekend morning to get rid of all the odds and ends in your fridge before you restock.

[atlas13]

@Chris_Shugart

Make it on a weekend morning to get rid of all the odds and ends in your fridge before you restock.

Oh this is a great idea! I get some serious guilt over throwing away food, this is a great way to handle the leftovers from meal preps.

[punnyguy]

@Chris_Shugart

Leftover tuna sandwich? Don’t use that. That’s f’ing gross, you freak.

Nicely hidden…

[Chris_Shugart]

Breakfast Pizza – Sausage & Eggs

Dani and I make this about once a week. Big fan of “The Nudo” wheat-free crust from Etalia. Unlike a lot of gluten-free crusts, this one actually rises.

We make regular healthed-up pizzas too, but who doesn’t like breakfast for dinner?

1. Pre-cook crust 90% of the way through. (Just follow directions on your pre-made crust of choice.)

2. Cook ground turkey sausage and set aside. We’ve used lean ham and turkey bacon as well.

3. Scramble eggs or egg whites. We use a blend. Nothing wrong with glorious egg yolks, but adding egg whites bumps the protein and keeps the calories in check.

4. Add eggs and sausage to crust, top with cheese of choice, tomatoes, etc. Tip: Add the cheese last to help glue everything onto the crust.

5. Bake until it’s all melted together, just a few minutes on the top rack.

This would be great with hollandaise for the sauce, but that’s a calorie bomb. Still, might fit your needs.

Here’s a link to the crust I like: Amazon.com

[cyclonengineer]

I definitely need to make use of this kind of thing to use up greens before they go bad.

I noticed you and Dani seem to be “wheat-free”. Have you noticed any benefits from that change (assuming you aren’t Celiac).

Thanks

[Chris_Shugart]

@cyclonengineer

I noticed you and Dani seem to be “wheat-free”. Have you noticed any benefits from that change (assuming you aren’t Celiac).

Nope, not celiac. While most of that stuff in the popular Wheat Belly book is debatable, I always say that if 75% of it is incorrect, it’s still a good idea for most people to minimize wheat. Dani does better with it than I do, but I notice fewer cravings and less bloating. At the very least, the stuff you replace wheat with is generally healthier and more filling.

Also, Tim Patterson has a theory: Even if we’re not allergic to common allergenic foods, the accumulated “weight” of those foods could tip the scales and at least cause water retention and other minor but annoying issues. You may recall Poliquin saying not to eat eggs every day, but when you do eat them, eat a dozen (like once a week). Same idea.

We sometimes buy Dave’s Killer Bread and have a couple of slices per week. That’s my wheat allotment for the week (okay, and maybe a beer here and there).

[Chris_Shugart]

Salmon, Jasmine Rice, Avocado Creme, Roasted Broccoli

I gave up rice steamers a while back because there’s some evidence that non-stick surfaces are pretty bad for ya. So this rice was made in an Instant Pot (stainless steel insert). Pretty easy:

0. Spray insert with coconut oil.
1. Add one cup water.
2. Add one cup rice.
3. Pressure cooker setting: 3 minutes.
4. Allow natural release for 14-16 minutes.
5. Pop the top.

Perfect every time. No monitoring or stirring required. Just use equal parts water and rice if you want more: 2 cups rice, 2 cups water, etc.

The green stuff is a topping/side/sauce that Dani came up with. She calls it “avocado creme.” We have it with everything. It’s just an avocado fork-mashed into sour cream with a pinch of salt and a squirt of lime juice. Have it that way or modify it with onion and garlic powder, chives, whatever.

Spray some fresh broc with avocado oil, add salt and pepper, and slap it in the oven at 385 to 400 degrees until it starts to get a tan. Easy enough.

I made oven-baked salmon for years until the day our oven broke. Used a pan on the stovetop and realized it was much better that way. Cook skin side down for a few minutes covered. Flip it. Peel off skin and give it to the dogs. Re-season. Flip it one more time and it’s ready to go.

I use this stuff, which is available at Walmarts and Smoke & Fire Society’s website: Fish Monger Spice Blend | Fire & Smoke Society Seasonings

[TrainForPain]

These are awesome - thanks for sharing @Chris_Shugart and making it its own thread. Very helpful.

I also use that fish monger seasoning and it’s pretty foolproof.

[Chris_Shugart]

Thanks!

All of the Fire & Smoke stuff is good. Some varieties add some sugar (rubs) but most are just simple, perfect seasoning blends. “Chicka Licka Bam Bam” is great for spicy baked french fries.

[SkyzykS]

@Chris_Shugart

The green stuff is a topping/side/sauce that Dani came up with.

That stuff looks Sooo good. I’m going to have to try it. I’ve never really been into avocados but thats just irresistible.

[TrainForPain]

I thought I was the only person that didn’t like avocado! It seems to sit in my chest a bit when I eat it

[SkyzykS]

I’ve never had any problems, it just never became part of my repertoire.

Thats an easy addition too, because I do salmon & broccoli at least once a week.

[Chris_Shugart]

It’s sort of a lighter-tasting, fluffy guacamole.

You could even spin the ingredients together in a blender or food processor and make a true creme out of it, but we just fork-mash it and leave it chunky. I think we eat it with everything but oatmeal!

Here it is topping some chicken and chickpea pasta:

[SkyzykS]

I’m familiar with the fork mash technique!

I did something similar with broccoli & sour cream a while back to make chicken & broccoli sandwiches.

The chicken & chickpea looks great too.

[cyclonengineer]

@SkyzykS

chicken & broccoli sandwiches.

That sounds horrible. But i applaud the effort to get as much chicken and greens as possible in one combo.

[mnben87]

Does modifying fast food count as cooking? If so, my quick hack is to buy the 2 for $7 french dip and swiss sandwiches from Arby’s and transferring the contents of one sandwich to another and then discarding the extra bun.

[cyclonengineer]

I did this all the time in college when wendy’s had 89 cent chicken sandwiches. I would buy 3 and toss the bread out on two of them and make a beastly chicken sandwich.

[mnben87]

I used to make quad burgers out of the McDouble, and before that the double cheese burger. Both used to be a dollar. The two dollar quad burger had like 45 grams of protein IIRC.

Taco bell chicken chipolte melts used to be a dollar with 180 calories and 12 grams of protein. Doubling those up into one melt was actually better than the original.

Places like chipolte, panda / lee anne chin can be pretty macro friendly.

Jimmy johns with the lettuce wrap is pretty solid. 5 guys also offers lettuce wraps.

I wonder if people here would enjoy a fast food hacks thread. Some fast food can actually have fairly good macros if you aren’t the typical consumer. Cooking at home is best, but sometimes pretty good (regarding nutrition) and convenient wins out for me.