Back in the Saddle Again...Again

Do you ever want takeout because you just don't know what to cook? I mean, there are ingredients, but nothing jumps out at you? I've felt that a lot lately and just throw random stuff together to mediocre results. Last night, my husband came home after his first day of clean eating. Bracing for the sinking feeling that lack of inspiration brings, I opened the refrigerator and started pulling things out. Bagged veggies, sausage, half an avocado. Starting with an idea for slaw, I pulled out the mayo and apple cider vinegar. Then I added a few golden raisins and shredded half a carrot into it.

Looking at the avocado, I wanted to have something inspired by potato salad, so I diced it, added some chopped dill pickle, and a couple of squeezes of mustard. Then I put it on a plate and took this picture. Oh, and I sprinkled smoked paprika on top for color.

How exhilarating to have ideas again. I figured I better document it for inspiration in the next dry season. But in the meantime, it feels good to be back in the saddle again.

Thai Green Curry and Pineapple Rice

The dish originally on the menu for tonight called for olive oil, and we are out. What to do? Walnut oil is not supposed to be cooked at a high temp. But I had coconut oil, so I decided to try something new. It was pretty good for winging it, but would have been better with bamboo shoots and fresh basil.

Here is my little secret. It's okay, I've seen Thai food blogs that use curry paste in a jar, so it is authentic-ish.
 

Thai Green Curry
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp coconut oil\
4 chicken thighs, boneless
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 can coconut milk
2 T green curry paste
1 cup sweet potatoes, cooked and cubed
1 small can pineapple chunks, drain and reserve juice
1 small can bamboo shoots, drained
1/4 cup peas Basil, several leaves fresh or 1 tsp dried.

Melt butter and coconut oil over medium high heat. Sear chicken for 2 minutes on each side, then remove and add red bell pepper. Cook 4 minutes and remove. Add chicken broth and deglaze, then pour over chicken and red bell peppers. Pour the top half of the coconut milk in, being careful to only get the solid white part. Boil like crazy for 2 minutes (This is called "cracking the coconut") and then add the curry paste. Stir until paste is completely incorporated, then turn the heat down to medium low. Stir in the rest of the can of coconut milk. Return the chicken and peppers, and all the lovely juices. Add sweet potato, (if you're in a bind, canned sweet potatoes will work, but rinse off that syrup and drain well), pineapple, bamboo shoots, and peas. If you don't have fresh basil, add the dried stuff now. Turn the heat down to low and simmer for 15 minutes. If you're using fresh basil, chop roughly and add just before serving.
*The following recipe is not paleo, but white rice is occasionally okay.

Pineapple Rice
Add juice from pineapple can plus enough water to reach the 1-cup mark on your rice cooker. Add 1 scoop of rice. Cook.

Please don't fight over who gets the chewy crust that forms on the bottom. So that's that. Dinner was made, eaten, and cleaned up, and I still had time to do a load of laundry before bed. 'Night, folks!

Pumpkins

Lately, I have been cooking more hearty, autumnal fare, using my Le Creuset and Lodge Logic pots. Inevitably, my thoughts went to the Le Creuset Pumpkin casserole that I talk myself out of each year.

It is not practical for me to have a dish that I only use a few months out of the year. Because, let's face it, I know me, and there is no way I would cook with that bad boy in, say, February. So I started thinking about last year, remembering this post from Three Many Cooks. And I realized that using real pumpkins will be even more fun, and I won't have to get rid of anything to make room. Real food for the win!

Challenge Yourself!

Staring into the open refrigerator, I recognized my food fatigue. Do you ever get tired of making the same dishes or the same genre of food? When I don't have a set recipe in mind, the end result usually lands at Italian. Chicken, garlic, onion, oregano, basil, thyme, and rosemary. Sometimes tomatoes. At lunch with friends, Kristen, a teacher friend of mine who each summer undergoes a tremendous transformation into a fearless chef, encouraged us to "Challenge yourself" by trying new recipes. Last night, I decided I wanted to cook with wine. And rosemary. My friend Mel lives in the middle of the city and has this amazing garden. She brings me bouquets of fresh herbs tied with raffia, and I feel compelled to use them for something special. I found Chicken Provençal online and asked the hubby to open a bottle of red. Cooking with wine takes food to a whole 'nother level. Plus, it makes me feel legit. Too legit too quit. Instead of cooking oil, I used olive oil. And I omitted the anchovy paste, because I didn't have any. I used pitted Kalamatas, because I didn't have any Nicoise, and they are probably more expensive anyway. It was very good. We're talking, lift the bowl to drink the sauce good. So, we now have another favorite in the rotation. My sweet husband told me, "This is so good, you should be making it for our friends." Guess I'll be breaking out the calendar and scheduling some dinner dates.

Italian Chicken

Italian Chicken

2 T olive oil

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 T Italian herb seasoning

1 cup Nature Sweet Cherubs tomatoes

1 cup Cara Mia marinated artichoke hearts

1 lb. organic baby spinach

1 elephant garlic clove (or 3 garlic cloves)

Heat 1 T olive oil in a skillet. Slice chicken breasts lengthwise and coat with Italian herb seasoning. Cook over medium-high heat for two minutes and then turn. Cook two more minutes, and then flip to third side. After two minutes, add tomatoes and artichoke hearts, cover with lid, and turn heat to low. Meanwhile, heat one Tablespoon olive oil in a large frying pan. Finely dice one section of elephant garlic and toss in. Cook two minutes, stirring once or twice, and add baby spinach. Cover with a lid and cook two more minutes. Add sea salt and freshly ground black pepper and stir. Cook two more minutes, or until all the leaves are wilted. If you are a multi-tasker, this meal can be on the table in under fifteen minutes. Put the spinach on the plate first, stack two pieces of chicken on top, and ring with tomatoes and artichokes.

It looks fancy and is really easy. And inexpensive. And healthy. I almost feel like I cheated somehow. Hey honey, I just saved us forty dollars and a twenty minute wait for a table. Can I go get a pedicure?

Paleo Pioneer Woman

It's no secret that I'm a fan of Ree, The Pioneer Woman. Almost three years ago, my dear friend Tiffany told me about this blog I HAD to check out. Her writing captured my attention and cooking her recipes kept me busy in the kitchen. At one point, I even contemplated a Ree and Jenn Marie Project where I cooked through all her recipes. HA! Anyone who knows how frequently she posts and how sporadically I do knows that is a mathematical impossibility. Anyhoo, I have cooked several of her recipes, taken awfully composed pictures of many, had my husband take better pictures recently, and still only a pitiful few made it into posts. What is it they say is paved with good intentions? Yes, so last week we started fully embracing the Paleo lifestyle, and I'm trying to incorporate some of our favorite dishes. Last night, I cooked her Chicken with Olives, making some modifications, and was pleased with the result. And as I scarfed the leftovers at lunch today, I remembered there was no photo, so I whipped out my Android and took a quick photo. Can someone please inject me with good photography skills so I don't have to think about it? I start reading posts about it, and then I see a link to recipes on the right, and I'm off on a rabbit trail, and I "save" the article for later. Squirrel!

The following changes Paleoized this recipe. Use coconut oil instead of butter. Remove the skin from the chicken thighs. Use coconut milk instead of cream, and increase to 1/2 cup. Serve over spaghetti squash instead of pasta. Last night, I forgot the olives. Ten minutes before I'm supposed to pull dinner from the oven, as I'm prepping other food for later this week and feeling pleased as punch with myself that I'm so with it on a Monday night, it struck me...I'm making Chicken with Olives and forgot the olives. So, I threw them in real quick like and then announced to hubby how duncelike I felt. Can you imagine if we had people over? Yes, I'm a great cook, I forgot the main ingredient. Oops. If you happen to have any leftovers, this dish tastes even better the next day. This is the fourth time I've made this dish, and it is now being elevated to "Showcase Dish." There are certain meals I cook for company, South American, Greek, Thai, Meatloaf, Pot Roast, and now this will be added to the list. Guess I need to evaluate and Paleoize the others. And post before and afters so that I preserve the recipes for posterity and friends.

Spaghetti

Image from BigChuy Last night, in the throws of carb craving that is imminent when embarking on a new healthy eating plan, I created this dish. I know I am not the first to come up with this, but the hubby liked this version and asked me to make it again.

Spaghetti Squash Marinara

1 spaghetti squash, halved, seeds removed
1 lb. ground sirloin
1 T oregano
1 t basil
1/2 t garlic powder
1/4 t rosemary
1 jar sugarless marinara with olives and mushrooms

Bake squash face-down at 400 for 25 minutes. Remove and let cool down, so you don't burn your fingers. Brown the sirloin, adding dried spices just before finished and rubbing between your fingers to activate the oils. Or use fresh if you have a green thumb. Add the jar of marinara, making sure it has no ingredients that aren't grown in dirt. Turn down the heat and simmer. Meanwhile, with a fork, scrape the innards from the squash skin and be amazed at the noodle-ness of it all.* Combine and serve to happy family.

*Note: If the squash is going to sit for any amount of time, it is best to serve or store in a steamer insert over a saucepan, as it will accumulate lots of liquid. Almost half an inch of liquid drained out during dinner. Seriously, this guy the Paleo pasta lover's friend.

Sweet

After a long day at work, I came home to find my sweet husband had cooked dinner. Grilled 1015 onions, chicken, mixed vegetables, and strawberries for dessert. Dinner was delicious, healthy, and very appreciated. Later, he was wishing for something pastry-like, so I pulled out a Pecan Pie Larabar, and it satisfied his sweet tooth. Sweet surprise, sweet onions, sweet berries, sweet treat.

Everything But the Boombox

A few weeks ago, I had a discussion with a colleague about our recent move and the tremendous thinning of stuff that took place beforehand. He talked about how he had been feeling the need to get rid of excess junk in his life lately.
Today, he came by my office to tell me he shredded eighteen bags of paper over the weekend. Then he went through his electronics and kept only his boombox. It was sentimental, and the radio can be used in case of hurricanes.
How exciting to see others breaking free from the stuff that so easily entangles us! Guess I'll be going through my bookcase this week, and maybe picking up some D cell batteries.

The Johnny Mop

This will revolutionize the cleaning of the porcelain throne.

Spray every surface with cleaner including handle and base and let dwell at least one minute. Wipe down top to bottom with a tube cloth or an old kitchen towel with short ends sewn together to create a tube.

Use the Johnny Mop to push the water out of the bowl. This allows the cleaner to remain concentrated and be more effective.

Pour an ounce or so of Safety Foam on the Johnny Mop and swipe all around and under the edges. Let sit five minutes. Spray sinks, clean mirrors, and wipe sinks while you are waiting. Swipe once more and flush, swishing while the water circles. Push cover over fluffy part and squeeze excess water out. Store upright and admire your work.

A sparkling clean bathroom in less than fifteen minutes. If you need inspiration, or are just a compulsive cleaner, you'll love this video.

Strawberry S'mores

Tonight, I was berry inspired. It's been cold weather, and it's about time for a trip to HEB. As I stood in front of the nearly empty snack cabinet, I decided to freshen up a time-tested recipe. Isn't the current fad to gourmandize common foods?

Here's what you need: Strawberry Marshmallows, Ghirardelli Strawberry Chocolate bar, Ricanela graham crackers

Break a graham cracker in half and cover with chocolate square and marshmallow.

Microwave 10 seconds at 50% power (I did it for 20 because my microwave lacks in the power department).

Gasp in dismay that some of the luscious strawberry puree has gushed out. Put the other graham cracker on top and decide another must be made to get it right.

Nuke just the marshmallow and graham cracker this time. Open the door and say, "It's so fluffy, I'm gonna diiiiieeeee!", and then add the chocolate and other graham cracker. Give to your daughter and wait for her reaction. When she says it's good, make her stop mid-bite so you can take a picture. Bribe her by mentioning that her crackle nails will be online.

Strawberry S'mores...pink, fluffy, chocolatey, crunchy, and berry sweet.

Salmon Success

Dinner tonight was salmon, broccoli, brown rice, and baked pears with raspberry preserves. And I enjoyed it.

All my childhood, I hated fish. The smell of seafood made me nauseous. But my tastebuds have been changing, so I figured I'd give salmon another chance. I bought a big ol' slab of wild Alaskan salmon and let it thaw in the fridge.

Then I wimpered, because I've always been scared of cooking fish. I can whip up a full South American meal like nobody's business, but put a little sea creature in the pan, and I'm calling for takeout.

But I recently saw this video by the great Pam Anderson and felt brave. I put foil down for easy cleanup, laid the fish skin side down, sprinkled sea salt, and ground some fresh pepper. And then I panicked and forgot the temperature and how long to bake, and all I can remember is Sharon putting the pan in the oven saying, "Even I can get behind that."

I think it was fifteen minutes, but salmon is thicker, so should it cook longer?

I started at 450 and then remembered that is for roasting root vegetables, so I knocked it back down to 400. At fifteen minutes, the thickest part didn't look quite finished, so I let it go five minutes more, all the while trying to find the link. I should have pinned it.

I ended up cooking the fish twenty minutes. After squeezing a lemon wedge, a took a tentative bite and was pleasantly suprised. It was good. And my husband loved it. Score!

After dinner, I searched around for the video and finally found it. Yay! So I posted the link just in case I forget again, and then I have it in print.

Menu Plan Monday

Here are my meals for the week.

Monday: Turkey Tacos with Brown Rice Tortillas

Tuesday: Chicken Stir Fry, Fried Brown Rice

Wednesday: Sesame Crusted Seared Sashimi Tuna, Edamame, Miso Soup

Thursday: Roast Turkey, Sweet Potatoes, Cranberry Wild Rice

Friday: Chuy's

Check out more at the source, Organizing Junkie.

Halloween Cake

My daughter was home from college this weekend and we made this cake. She did all the mixing herself, and we took turns decorating. It has been a joy to watch her grow over the years, and I'm treasuring our time together in the kitchen.

Time to start looking for Thanksgiving treat ideas.

Cranberry Pork Tenderloin

Tonight was a "What am I going to cook?" kind of night. I wanted dinner fast. Here's how it happened.

Cranberry Pork Tenderloin

2 T walnut oil
1/2 white onion
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1 t rosemary
1 pork tenderloin

Heat some walnut oil on medium high in a skillet. Slice some onion thinly and toss in the pan. Dry pork with a paper towel and add to the pan. Brown for about a minute, then flip. Add the cranberries and rosemary. Cook for five minutes. Flip and cook five more. Decide it's taking too long, and slice it lengthwise. Cook for five more minutes. Serve.


Asparagus

1 T olive oil
1/4 t oregano
2 c asparagus

Heat olive oil and oregano in a skillet. Add asparagus. Cook seven minutes.

Couscous and Quinoa with Vegetables

Pull bag from freezer and put in microwave. Follow directions. Cut open bag and pour into serving dish. Marvel at your masterpiece.

Dinner in under 20 minutes for less than $10. Score!

Climbed Off the Wagon

After weeks of healthy eating, Sunday evening, I embarked on a 24 hour period of gastronomic hedonism. Not that I went all out... But I had a Zero sandwich, chips, and Dr. Pepper for lunch. And pizza for dinner. And froyo after our run.

The bread was fresh-baked with a chewy, perfect crust. The chips tasted like powdered cheese covered shortening blobs. The Dr. Pepper was amazing.

After two slices of pizza, some cheese sticks, and an hour of American Pickers, we went for a jog. My body felt the difference in fuel. I ended up walking the last half because my energy tanked.

The salad, quinoa, and lean meat I had for lunch today tasted delicious, and I could feel it fueling my body with goodness. Saddle up, we're gettin' back on the wagon.

Herb Crusted Pork Tenderloin and Truffle Quinoa

Trim tenderloin into three inch sections.
Combine 1T each of rosemary, thyme, and crushed pepper. Think of the sweet friend who grew the herbs and wonder why I didn't get my mom's green thumb. It's pretty bad when I can't keep mint alive. Heat 1T grapeseed oil in an iron skillet. Add some sea salt to the herb mixture. Roll the tenderloin in the herbs and decide maybe that's not enough seasoning for my man. Sprinkle on some garlic salt. Sear one minute and flip and sear again. Then put into a 400 degree oven and bake 12 minutes. Check with a thermometer to make sure it's finished.

Meanwhile, while the meat is in the oven, bring 1 1/2 cups of water to a boil and add 3/4 cup quinoa. Cover and reduce heat to low. Cook 10 minutes. Decide it needs some flavor and bust out the truffle oil. Add 1T and fluff.

While the meat is resting, throw some frozen green beans in the microwave with a splash of water and 1T Earth Balance spread for 3 minutes. Grab a 1/3 cup measure, fill with quinoa, and turn onto plate so it looks fancy. Add green beans and meat, and wow your family with the plate.

Fruity Salad

Tonight, pork tenderloin was on the menu. So I made a fruit and nut salad to accompany it.

Organic Romaine
Sunflower seeds
Dried Cranberries
Chopped Walnuts

Dressing: Olive oil, Red Wine Vinegar, Sea Salt, Cracked Pepper

Verdict: The Walnuts made it too bitter, or it could be because they were languishing in the dark recesses of the pantry. Anyhoo, I'd use pecans next time. And add apples.

PeacH 2 O

We returned from a run tonight, and I wanted a Chick-Fil-A peach milkshake. Real bad. (Jennifer Coolidge in Legally Blonde 2)
But I'm on Week 2 of the Daniel plan, which means no sugar or dairy, so I improvised. I threw some ice in the blender. Then I pulled the last giant peach from the fridge and split it in half. I started peeling it, but it was too tedious, so I just broke it into a few pieces and tossed it onto the ice. Poured a little water on top, and zip, zip, zip, there it was. If I really wanted to get fancy, I could have poured a splash of So Delicious Coconut Milk Creamer, but I was in a hurry.
No, it was not as satisfying as what I originally wanted. But I think tomorrow morning, the button on my jeans will thank me.

Running

We are training for a half marathon. It started with another couple from our church. One day the men asked us what we thought about running together on Saturdays. And then, being the supercool manly men that they are, suggested we "go big or go home" and sign up for a half marathon. So we did.
That was many months ago, before the weather turned on us. As the summer grew hotter, my pace slowed, and I worried that I might have to walk most of it. I know the goal is to finish, but I really wanted to push myself to do more. If this body can swim a mile without stopping, surely I can jog the better part of a half marathon.
Tonight, the weather dropped below 90. It was 86 with a slight breeze. After so many triple digit runs, it felt spectacular. My ponytail was swaying in rhythm, my feet felt like they had springs attached instead of anvils, and I wanted to spread wide my arms and fly. I remember why I loved running in college. It feels good to go fast. Fast being a relative term.