Crookpot Thai Curry Soup

Anyone who knows me knows that it is no secret that I love Asian flavors. Particularly Vietnamese, Thai and Japanese (in that order). The flavors are fresh, bright and are feeling without causing too much chaos in our diet. I especially like that the flavors are easy to achieve with a few simple staple ingredients.

Because today was Mothers' Day, I wanted to enjoy those flavors without spending all day in the kitchen or having to spend a bunch of money going out (not to mention the crowds!). So, the obvious choice was to make it in the crock pot, which is especially ideal because you will get the slow development of flavors with little to no supervision.

What you will need (keep in mind that these are items I always have on hand and anyone who loves this flavor profile should invest in stocking the pantry with the same -- It will be money well spent!)

• 1 small yellow onion
• 1 TB red curry powder
• 1/2 tsp five spice powder
• 2 TB of Better Than Bouillon chicken stock base
• 1 TB fish sauce
• 1/2 TB soy sauce
• 1 tsp garlic chili paste 
• 1" piece of fresh ginger grated
• 1-2 grated carrots
• 3 celery stalks
• 1 half gallon carton of coconut milk (I used Blue Diamond)
• 1 bag of frozen peas
• 4oz of vermicelli noodles
• cilantro, scallion and peanuts for garnish

1. Turn your crock pot to high then halve your onion lengthwise (so slices look like arches) and thinly slice. Add to crock pot along with all your spices and still until well combined.
2. Add ginger, carrots and celery and stir again. 
3. Add all your coconut milk (you can use two cans of traditional coconut milk with two cups of water, but I find this easier and results in the same flavor and consistency). NOTE: I used the one that is only coconut milk, not the one that is half almond. I don't see why you couldn't but almond usually adds a sweeter and nuttier taste. 
4. Leave on high for 4 hours and stir occasionally. 
5. Reduce to low and add peas and cook for another hours
6. Add noodles (I use half an 8.8ox pack or two of the smaller 2oz bundles) and leave for 30 minutes. I then use kitchen scissors to cut into manageable strands. 
7. Ladle into bowls and garnish with cilantro, scallions and/or unsalted peanuts. 

This dish is so easy and is the perfect combination of salt, sweet and heat as well as creamy. Hope you enjoyed as much as we did!

Grand Granola... Your new favorite snack!

I LOVE granola but am very picky when it comes to its composition... I want it crunchy without feeling dry and chalky; flavorful but not sticky sweet; and, most of all, I like to have variety. A few years back, I started making my own and can't believe that I hadn't started sooner. It is quick, easy and absolutely delicious while satisfying my criteria. The best part is that you can make it with whatever you have on hand or whatever you are in the mood for.

This recipe is perfect for breakfast, as part of a trail mix, topping for cereal... the options are endless! I also like this recipe because the egg whites help to bind it together to create crunchy clusters, which makes it easier to snack on. Feel free to adjust any of the ingredients to suit your fancy. Just remember that adjusting the sugar content effects the cooking time (more sugar = less cooking time) and may need to be stirred sooner to avoid scorching. However, it is perfectly normal to have variations on color for a batch.

Seriously... Doesn't this look delicious!

Preheat oven to 300ºF
Mix together in a large bowl:
3c old fashioned rolled oats
1.5c nuts (I did a combination of almonds, pistachios, hemp, Chia seeds - all not salted)
1.5c of coconut (I only had sweetened but I would use toasted next time)
1/2c dried fruit (You will want to choose with more moisture or it will become too chewy)
Mix together.

In a small bowl:
1 egg white
1/4c olive/coconut oil
2TB of brown sugar
1/4c maple syrup
1.5tsp of vanilla
Beat very well.

Fold the wet and dry ingredients until well coated then let sit for 10 minutes. Then spread out on a jelly roll pan lined with parchment paper in an even layer. Sprinkle lightly with coarser sea salt (I actually used lava salt).
Start by baking 45 minutes, turn in oven and add another 5-10. You want it to be toasted. Let cool completely (it will get crunchy as it cools). You can also sprinkle with chocolate chips that will incorporate while it cools. If you bake them with the granola, you risk burning the morsels (Yuck!). Last time I made some, I added a little cinnamon and used pumpkin spice chips and it was pure heaven!

Stuff your face and enjoy! Makes a little more than 2 one quart Mason jars. Keep in a cool, dry place for up to 2 weeks (if it lasts that long!) 

Burgers aren't just for cows... Salmon Burgers

Summer time means long days, warm nights and summer foods! However, I am not a big fan of the grill and standard burgers can get old. Salmon burgers are an excellent alternative and the they are surprisingly easy to make. The best parts about this recipe is that it is quick and versatile.

Salmon Burgers

2# Salmon, skin removed and cut into 1" pieces

1/4 c cilantro chopped

1 egg

1/4 c onion, diced

1/2 c panko crumbs

1. Preheat oven to 352 degrees.
2. Place half of the salmon into a food processor and pulse about 7 times. Place aside in a bowl;
3. Place remaining salmon in the processor, pulse for 4 times, and add to the other salmon;
4. Mix in remaining ingredients and let sit for 5 minutes;
5. Form into patties (will be looser than hamburgers). I use a boiling pan to reduce excess oils. 
6. Bake for 18-22 minutes. 

Siracha Mayo

1/2 c mayo

1 squirt of siracha

1 garlic scape and/or green scallion

Mix all ingredients into a bowl and let sit for a couple minutes to meld. Assemble on buns with favorite vegetables and enjoy! Other variations include adding or substituting lemon/lime zest, chili/cumin powder. 

Time Flies when You're Having Fun... (CSA's, Mushrooms and risotto)

This year I set myself up with some goals that I thought that I could realistically accomplishing (writing on my blag was not one of them). Most of them were the typical ones... be healthy, read more, run... etc. But the one that I felt was the most important and fulfilling was the fact my family joined a CSA.

"What is a CSA?" You ask... Well, a CSA is Community Supported Agriculture, which you buys shares to help pay for a farm's operating costs before the growing season starts and then you get a portion of the bounty. There are many things to consider when choosing a CSA... location, products, cost,  variety...etc. While all of these areas played a role in making our decision, we choose Food Joy in South Auburn because they offer organic produce, recipes and meal plans to ensure that you are using your share to the fullest potential. After reviewing our grocery bills' contents and costs, it only made sense to join for $134 a month to ensure that I was getting fresh, local, organic produce on a weekly basis; not to mention, the owner Karen is absolutely amazing. The best part of the CSA is not knowing what you may get. Quite a few of the items that we received are not typically available at the grocery store and, if they are, they would either be out of my price range or I would not buy them because they weren't on the "list"... especially the edible flowers.

A picture of our first crate that came with a chef's knife and apron!

Since I am so far behind on posting, I am probably going to have to pick my favorite meals that I made. One ingredient that I was extremely excited about receiving was chanterelle mushrooms. So excited in fact, that I cooked them up immediately.

Chanterelles are golden in color and have a nutty, sweet, peppery flavor. 

I decided to make a risotto with them and serve them with bay scallops, which complemented quite well. Though this recipe has a few steps involved, it is totally worth it! Hope you enjoy!

Broth:
1/2 c mushroom pieces
6-8 c chicken broth (low or no sodium)
1/2 ts black pepper
1/2 ts dry savory
1 ts soy sauce

Combine all ingredients in a stock pot and bring to a boil on high for 5 minutes then reduce to a simmer and cover. You want to keep this heated for the risotto.

Risotto
2 TB EVOO
2 shallots, diced
1 c mushrooms, chopped
1 garlic scape or 1 TB garlic
1 c arborio or other risotto rice
1/2 c white wine
2 TB butter
2 c Parmesan cheese

1.  Heat EVOO over medium-high heat then add shallots and cook until clear;
2. Add mushrooms and cook until soft then add garlic/scapes;
3. Add rice and coat well. Stir constantly and cook until toasted (about 5 min);
4. Add white wine, stir well and cook until most of the liquid is gone;
5. Add ladle-full of broth to the rice (about 1/2 c) and reduce heat to medium-low. Stir often and let the the mixture to cook down until almost all of the liquid is gone then add more liquid. Continue to do this until the rice has started to break down, rice is al dente, and sauce is thick.
6. Stir in butter and cheese. Set aside.

Topping

2 TB butter

1/2 c mushrooms, large pieces

EVOO

1# bay scallops

1 garlic scape/scallion

1 ear of corn with corn removed

1. Heat pan over medium-high heat and add butter until browned;
2. Add mushrooms and toss until covered. Continue to heat until mushrooms are crispy (about 7-10 min);
3. Remove mushrooms from the pan, toss with scapes/scallions, and return pan to the heat. Add EVOO and heat but not smoking. Add scallops, dust with pepper, and cook each side about 2-3 minutes. You want each side to be browned. 
4. Add scallops to mushrooms then toss corn in pan until warm. Serve everything over the risotto.  Enjoy!

Quinoa Stuffed Peppers Revisit

It is funny how quickly a year passes and with that things also change. If I didn't think my life could get any busier, but it has. It is easy to fall back on take out or processed foods, and trust me I am of the most guilty, but life strikes its balance and we learn to make it work. I love this recipe and I've adapted it to work I'm the crockpot and with fewer processed ingredients.

You will need:
4 Large Green Peppers (tops cut off, cleaned out, tops reserved and chopped)
1c Dry Quinoa
2 TB EVOO
1 Small onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
4oz button mushrooms, sliced
1 jar of tomato sauce

1. Start quinoa by adding to 2c of water, bring to a boil and cover. Reduce heat and cook10 minutes.
2. While quinoa is cooking, heat oil in pan and add veggies in two minute intervals in the order shown, ending with green peppers.
3. Prepare large crock pot by  placing 1c of sauce on the bottom and turning heat up to high. 
4. Add quinoa (it will still be al dente) to veggies then add remaining sauce. Mix up and divide into peppers. 
5. Reduce heat on crockpot to low and cook 3-4 hours. You can add cheese if the last 30 minutes if you want but I thought it was fine without it. 

So, now that I have shared both of my recipes. Let new know what you think of each.

Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

I am starting to go through my cupboards to use up all the items that have been sitting there a while. Despite what people may think, even dry pantry items have an expiration date, especially if they are bulk items that are exposed to the air.

As I was doing this, I came upon a wonderful mason jar of quinoa and knew that it was exactly what I was in the mood for. This meal is fresh, fast and delicious! Not to mention, it is dairy and gluten free and the fact that it is 353 calories* a serving doesn't hurt either.

Quinoa Stuffed Peppers
4 Large Green Peppers (about size of grapefruit or softball)
3TB EVOO
5 Cloves of Garlic
2 Carrots
2c Mushrooms (Cremini and/or Shitake)
1tsp Worcestershire Sauce
3TB Hoisen Sauce
1c Dried Quinoa
1 Jar of Spaghetti Sauce (I prefer Newman's Own)
4 slices of veggy cheese

Instead of using a dutch oven, my stock pot is oven safe.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Pot needs to be large enough to stand the green peppers next to one another and be completely submerged. 
3. Meanwhile cook quinoa by placing in a quart sauce pan with 1 1/2c of water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, cover with a lid, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
4. Then prepare peppers by cutting the tops off (reserving) and removing the seeds from the inner core and discard. When the water comes to a boil, submerge the peppers under the water, cover and cook for five minutes.  Drain and set aside uncovered
5. Chop the remaining produce including green pepper tops, heat EVOO over medium heat and saute veggies until soft then add Worcestershire Sauce.
6. Add quinoa to veggies then add hoisen sauce and heat for 5 minutes. 
7. Turn up heat to high, add 2/3 jar of sauce to veggies and remove from heat when it just starts to boil.
8. Use a small amount of remaining sauce to coat the bottom of a dutch oven. Transfer green peppers and divide quinoa mixture among peppers then top with remaining sauce.
9. Cover the dutch oven back for 25 minutes. Remove lid, top each pepper with cheese and bake for an additional 10-12 minutes. 
10. Let peppers rest for five minutes and serve hot. Enjoy!

My lovely husband: "I was so sad when I was done eating because it was all gone."

 *Calorie count based on recipe information entered into MyFitnessPal.

Chocolate Chip-Apple-Raspberry Quick Bread for a Busy 2013

So, 2013 has already given me a run for my money. With trying to plan family celebrations and parties, our wedding and meetings at work, it is nor surprise that January is a half over. Though I did not make actual resolutions this year, I am taking strides to better myself... which is basically the same. Part of that is trying to return to a healthier life style and eating habits. We did really well last year but ended up returning to our bad habits when my husband was told that he did not have a gluten allergy.

However, after returning to our casual eating style, may of his problems returned, which was all the convincing I needed to go back. Not to mention, I also noticed that I felt "slower" when we eating crap laden foods. So, it is back to homemade foods with few ingredients and even fewer preservatives and I happy to say that this includes juicing, but at the end of the week I sometimes have a few produce items left behind that really should be used up in order to maximize their nutrient potential.

I took my family's banana bread recipe and threw together this fabulous quick bread. It is the perfect balance of decadence and healthy yumminess.

Chocolate Chip-Apple-Raspberry Quick Bread
2c Flour
3/4c Turbinado Sugar
1tsp Baking Powder
1 1/2tsp Baking Soda
1/2tsp Salt
2TB Coconut Oil
1 Egg or 1/2c Apple Sauce
3/4c Coconut Kefir
2tsp Orange Zest
2 Granny Smith Apples (peeled, cored and chopped)
1/2c Frozen Raspberries
1/2c Mini Chocolate Chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease two 9x13 loaf pans. 
2. Mix together dry ingredients and wet ingredients (coconut oil, egg/apple sauce, kefir and orange zest) separately.
3. Make a well in dry ingredient and mix in wet ingredients until just combined. 
4. Fold in apples and chocolate chips and then add raspberries until just combined. 
5. Divide the batter into two loaf pans and bake 50-60 minutes, until knife comes out clean when inserted in the center.
6. Enjoy warm or cooled

This bread is so moist and decadent that it can even be served as a dessert with a little ice cream.

 

Eliminating the Processed and Getting Back to Basics

I cannot believe how quickly this year has gone by. I feel like we were just watching the last of the ice melt away and, within a blink of the eye, we are awaiting the first winter flakes to fall. One of my cold weather preparations is to keep my eating habits in check, which is hard with the upcoming holidays.

My "bat family" all dolled up for Halloween

As you may have noticed in my earlier posts, I was making it my goal to eat fresh and unprocessed foods. However, we got busy this summer with moving, unpacking, meetings and summer fun. As a result, more of our meals were from restaurants or prepackaged foods; the consequence was the 20 lbs that I quickly lost came back even faster and I went from feeling bright and "fluid" to bulky and
 slow.

So, I made a resolution that, after Halloween, we were going back to eating nutrient rich, fresh foods. Our biggest problem is not liking these foods, because my three year old daughter will wolf-down broccoli and other veggies without a second thought, but more the foods' shelf life and the time to transform the food. I don't have the time to make several trips to the farmers market and salads get old quick. The way I get around this is by creating my own dressings and eating the salads in wraps- nothing amazing but it manages to trick my brain into thinking that I am getting variety.

The other night we had fresh kale with apples, tofu, cucumbers, and a quick cilantro-lime dressing and it was a big hit. The best part was it was FAST. I literally squeezed a lime into a bowl with a couple tablespoons of olive oil and chopped cilantro and let my kale marinate in it while I chopped up the other vegetables. We eat have our own preference of nuts... I like flax and pinenuts; my husband likes raw sunnies; and my daughter likes hers with all other above and sliced almonds.

 

The hardest meal for me to eat, although very important, is breakfast. I am an early riser, and I am usually a get-up-and-get-out-of-the-house sort of person or I lounge around until it is lunch time. I always make sure that my daughter is eating the appropriate number of meals, but have always missed the mark with myself, which is one of the primary reasons that I struggle with my weight. The way I get around this is by making foods that last several days or taste a bit more fulfilling than traditional breakfast foods, such as cereal. One of my favorites is quiche because I can eat it anytime of the day, they are filling and taste delicious. 

The below recipe is a goat cheese quiche with sauted vegetables, homemade pesto, and fresh eggs. It takes about an hour, start to finish, to make but it can be refrigerated and eaten over a week (if it makes it that long). 

Sauted Veggie Quiche with Pesto and Goat Cheese

1c basil leaves, loosely packed

1/4c EVOO

1 clove of garlic

9" Crust (keep refrigerated in pie pan until needed)

1/4c goat cheese

1Tb Coconut Oil

1 zucchini, chopped

1 carrot, diced

1/2 medium onion, diced

6 eggs

1c veggie cheese shreds

1/2 cup almonds, sliced

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. In a blender, place the first 3 ingredients in order, liquify and set aside.
3. Break up goat cheese and place along the bottom of pie crust and keep cold while preparing remaining ingredients.
4. Saute veggies in coconut oil (feel free to add salt and pepper to taste) until soft. Coat with pesto and add to pie pan over the goat cheese.
5. Whisk eggs until they are uniform and pour over the veggies and cheese. 
6. Bake on the bottom rack for 15 minutes to cook the crust then add the cheese and almonds and move to the top rack and continue cooking for another 20-25 minutes until no longer "giggly." 
7. Let sit for 5-10 minutes to continue setting and serve warm. 

Can be eaten with salad, cottage cheese or toast. You can also switch up the vegetables (such as broccoli, asparagus...etc) or even add salsa for an extra kick!
Enjoy!

Cordon Bleu Casserole to Fight the Falltime Blues...

This fall has been busy between balancing every day life and picking apples, transforming said apples into something yummy and getting my house ready for the event of the year... Skye's Halloween bash!

 First, I had to get the inside of my house ready by finishing up some much overdue projects. The primary being that, even though we have been in our house since May, we still did not have a drop of color on our walls. More than that, we still had not organized it in a meaningful way... Maybe not so much meaningful, but it was super cluttered.

Our 4 month old kitten, Monty (left), and 2 year old cat, Jade, watching the leaves blow by

On top of that, I have a list of started but not completed projects. One of which was one that I had been meaning to finish up since early summer when I bought this awesome mirror at a yard sale for $5. I had searched high and low for the perfect accents, and I knew I wanted shutters but, since Pinterest became so popular, it was harder to find shutters that people were just giving away rather than charging an arm and a leg. That was until my local library was redoing some renovations and threw theirs out. They were too perfect for me not to snatch them up. So, after painting our room a nice "succulent" green and sealing the shutters in a clear gloss, I arranged them like this in our TV room...

Next, I had to find a way to entertain a dozen or so preschoolers without breaking the bank and that could be done out in the yard. The first think that came to mind was bean bag toss. So, I stacked a couple boxes on one another, taped them to a large piece of card board as well as garden stakes. Then we reinforced it with nuts and a couple bolts, glued on pumpkin faces and sewed some lentils into flashy cloth for an awesome bean bag toss, which was a great hit with all the kids even though I had other things planned. It probably did not hurt that I had about ten different variations of sugary foods for them to OD on.

 

Though the day was awesome and we could not ask for better weather, today we are back to feeling what the season really has to offer, which is chilling mornings and getting dark early. To add to that, we're actually expecting to feel the effects of Hurricane Sandy in the next couple of days. With days like these, what better than to cook something warm. In fact, I have been craving chicken cordon bleu. I had seen pins for a casserole, which would be way more convenient that preparing it the traditional way. However, when I pulled up the recipes I found that many involved throwing canned chicken with canned condensed soup and that did not sound appetizing at all. However, my heart was set on having this casserole and I came up with a way to achieve the same thing, only better because it would have fresh veggies and is just as fast!

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole 

2c Chicken Stock

1 package of Better Than Cream Cheese, Chive flavored

2TB Dijon Mustard

3c Chicken, cooked and chopped

2 Stalks of Celery, finely chopped

1 Bunch of Asparagus, cut into 1" pieces

1/2c baked ham, chunked

Gluten free bread crumbs

1.  Preheat oven to 350.
2. Heat stock until boiling, remove from heat and mix in "Cream Cheese," mix in mustard and set aside.
3. Toss together chicken, celery and asparagus in an 8x8 pan then pour reserved sauce over and sprinkle with bread crumbs.
4. Bake for 30 minutes until crumbs are toasted. Let sit for 5 minutes and serve with rice or on top of egg noodles.

This was really fast and very fresh tasting. Being very simple, it was easy to throw together; a plus since my husband and I were exhausted from the party, but, once again, totally worth it. Also, I entered this recipe into my Fitness Pal App and it says there are only 322 calories a serving (definite score!). Though I grew up eating the traditional (less healthy version), but I think this will be my "go to" recipe from now on. I hope you enjoy it as well and I think that it would be good with broccoli or carrots in addition to or instead of the asparagus. Enjoy!

Simply, Splendid Salsa

This reason is not any different from any other salsa that you will find on the web but I figured that I would share in case no one realized just how easy it was to make salsa!

Salsa:
2-3 medium sized ripe, but firm tomatoes, diced (I do not seed them but feel free to do so)
1 green onion, chopped
1/2 c chopped, fresh cilantro
1-2 sliced of pickled jalenapnoes
1 small lime, juiced
salt

1. Place chopped tomatoes in a bowl and sprinkle with salt then let sit while you prepare the rest of the ingredients;
2. Drain off most of the liquid from the tomatoes, add remaining ingredients (including lime zest but be careful not to add too much because it will make it bitter).

If you can help yourself, this is best if you wait about 15 minutes to give the flavors time to meld. However, no one will hold it against you if you can't because this stuff is pretty amazing and I have actually eaten this as a meal with some chips, but also goes really well with poached eggs or tacos.

Poached egg with lime hollandaise sauce and fresh salsa

Enjoy!

Chili with Quinoa and Sweet Potato

Nothing welcomes fall quite like a bowl of chili. However, having family members whom have food sensitivity, makes eating high fiber foods such beans, less than magical. I saw this recipe on Pinterst and had to give it a try with a few modifications (I omitted beans and added grass-fed ground beef) and it was and instant hit for the whole family!

Chili
Safflower oil
Small onion, diced
Small green pepper, diced
1 lb grass-fed ground beef
Medium sweet potato, cubed
1 TB cumin
1 TB ancho chili powder
1c Homemade tomato sauce
4c Veggie Broth
1c Quinoa
*Optional: Avacado, sour cream, plain yogurt and/or cilantro

1. Heat safflower oil over medium heat then add onions until translucent and starting to brown.
2. Add green peppers and cook until soft then add raw hamburger and cook thoroughly. 
3. Add sweet potato and cook for 5 minutes then add spices, making sure to coat mix well;
4. Add tomato sauce and bring back up to heat then add broth and increase heat to high.
5. Once boiling, add quinoa, reduce heat to a simmer and stir uncovered ever 5 minutes until quinoa is cooked (about 20 minutes). If you find that the mixture is getting thick before quinoa is cooked add cover.
6. Remove from heat and cover for 15 minutes to let flavors marinate. 
7. Top with you favorite chili condiment and enjoy! Perfect the day after or on those cool fall days!

Daikon "noodles" and Polenta Caprese "toasts"

This mean is fresh, simple, quick and tastes great. My daughter thought this were actual noodles and ate them right up! I hope that you enjoy them as well!

Daikon "Noodles" and Bruschetta Sauce

• 2 large daikons, about 1#
• 2TB EVOO
• 2TB garlic, minced
• 3 large tomatoes (I prefer vine ripe), chopped
• 2ts horseradish, fresh ground
• 1 bunch scallions, chopped
• 1 ts basil paste or 1/2c chopped

1. Peel daikons then use the peeler to create thin strips and add to salted cold water and soak for 30 minutes.
2. Heat EVOO over medium-high heat, add garlic and reduce to medium.
3. Heat garlic until fragrant then add tomatoes. Continue to cook until tomatoes are broken down and most of liquid is evaporated. 
4. Add horseradish and scallions and cook for about another 5 minutes until scallions are soft.
5. Drain daikon and add to pan. Cook for another 10 minutes until "noodles" are soft and sauce rethickens.
6. Let rest for 5 minutes, top with veggie cheese and enjoy!

Polenta Caprese "Toasts"

• 1 sundried tomato polenta "log"
• basil paste (in produce section or puree a bunch of basil)
• 1 medium tomato
• veggie mozzarella

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cut log into 1/4" slices and add a thin layer of basil paste. Place on a cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes.
3. Thinly slice tomato and place on top of polenta round, top with veggie cheese and back for another 5-10 minutes until cheese is melted.
4. For best results, let rest for 10 minutes and enjoy!

Hopefully I will be able to get some more recipes posted as we get the last of our stuff moved.

Green Asparagus and Eggs

There is not much to say except I LOVE THIS MEAL! It is simple but amazing. I cook everything in one pot and could eat it every night... seriously.

• 1-2 bunches of asparagus
• 1 TB Apple Cider Vinegar
• 2 eggs a person
• truffle oil
• 2 slices of dry whole grain toast per person 

 Rinse off asparagus and take one stock and bend until it snaps. This shows you where to line up the bunch in order to cut off the woody part. Fill a stock 1/2 full with water, add vinegar and a pinch of salt, add asparagus and heat on high. Continue to cook for 10-15 minutes or until tender. Spoon asparagus out of water (do not drain water) and transfer to ice bath for 30 seconds then lay on a towel to drain before plating.

Reduce water to medium, the carefully transfer eggs to water. Wait about a minute until adding next egg, leaving adequate space for eggs to spread. Cook for about 3 minutes then gently flip in the water and cook for another minute. Use a slotted spoon to remove from water and lay over spears on plate. Once your eggs are plated, sprinkle with salt and pepper then drizzle lighly with truffle oil. Serve with dry toast and enjoy!

Now that's fresh Tomatillo-Pepper Salsa

I love spice and salsa offers the best of all the flavor profiles. It can be sweet, savory, spicy, tart and so on and so forth. However, by biggest bone to pick with salsa is that most commercial varieties are soggy and are a monochrome color though they claim to have a more than just tomatoes represented. I made this recipe up on a whim to use up my salsa verde base and it turned out to be a great success. 

• 1-2 large fresh tomatillos, seeded and chopped
• 1/2 bunch of green onion, chopped
• 1/2 orange pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1/2 red pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1/2 green pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1/2 c tomatillo salsa verde
• 1TB cider vinegar

Mix everything together and allow to marinate for a couple hours before using. This is not as soupy as conventional salsa but it is a crisp, fresh and vibrant alternative. I chose not to add tomatoes because they tend to "deflate" after a day but you are more than welcome to add them or maybe corn, zucchini or chickpeas.