Braised Ribs: The Speedy Slow Cooker

It's test week, so I have little time to cook.  I actually should be studying instead of writing this blog, but procrastination is addictive.  I turned to my slow cooker this week for a savior from my hunger woes.  Through my internet search, I found a great recipe for braised short ribs from a 2008 Bon Appetit Post: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Braised-Short-Ribs-350091.

As in my usual style, I changed the recipe.  Instead of beef spareribs, I used pork loin ribs because 1) I like pork better than beef and 2) loin ribs are less fatty than spareribs.   But feel free to use which ever suits your taste.  I also added rosemary and fennel to add more flavor into the broth and carrots for a sweet component.  After 30 min, voila, I have delicious ribs.  Well, it actually took 8 hours to cook, but that doesn't count since I went to bed during this time.

When I had it for lunch the next day, I was surprised at how good it tasted.  The red wine really gives the ribs a rich flavor and the fennel adds extra depth.  The cooked carrots were also delicious, sweet and savory at the same time.  All the ingredients in this recipe should be gluten free.  But for those that are extra sensitive, double check all your ingredients.  Certain brands of wine may contain gluten from the production process.

Enjoy!

Food in the Fast Lane

Welcome to my food blog. My title may be a misnomer as I actually cook one big meal once a week for the whole week.  The purpose of my blog is to follow my food journey through my busy life.  Hopefully, my posts will be helpful to any busy bees out there gluten-free or non gluten-free who wish to have easy, fast, and healthier homemade meals.

My cooking method is "cooking for the masses", except I'm the only one eating.  This comes in handy, as sometimes I don't get a chance to cook during the weekday, so I'm thankful when I can reheat leftovers and have lunch or dinner ready in 3 min. This is a life saver at work, since I have trouble finding gluten-free food at the hospital cafeteria or nearby fastfood restaurant.

I always find some way to incorporate a good portion of veggies and fiber in every meal. This keeps my body happy. I usually base my recipes from random websites, blogs, and my cookbook collection.  I must warn you, however, I don't like to follow instructions. When I cook, I don't measure and I change ingredients. I call it "cooking with feeling"...sometimes it's a success, other times not so much. I, also, shop on a budget, so I only buy whatever fruits and veggies are in season and then improvise the recipes. I splurge only on certain items, like chocolate :o)

I hope you enjoy  my blog.