Kale Beautiful Kale

kale....
if you read in world's healthiest foods, George talks about how the right kind of fats - good fats like
Avocado .   Coconut Oil.   Extra Virgin Olive Oil.  Chia Seeds.  Nuts.  Eggs. 
can increase the absorption of certain minerals and vitamins in leafy green vegetables .

Eating a Green Salad with a small slice of Avocado can increase your absorption of those vitamins by 400%... yes... check it out for yourself. Its amazing. The fat allows the vitamins to travel to wherever they need to get to and absorb into the cells in our body. Amazing!

So I began experimenting with Kale and trying to invent ways to LOVE kale...

and I discovered that one way to eat Kale for breakfast is to eat it with good pasture-raised eggs...
and there are so many different ways to do this. But the yummy flavor dense and creamy yolk pairs so nicely with the kale. And there are a lot of ways of achieving this scrumptious blend.

Here are two ways to do it with tips...

Pan Seared Kale with scrambled eggs--
Take a very hot pan- with grass-fed butter, or coconut oil- and get it hot and melted- add two large handfuls of already chopped Kale... it will sizzle- and don't be scared- allow it to "burn" slightly- tossing with a wooden spatula... 2 minutes? - then reduce the heat.
allow the kale to wilt a bit in the pan- on lower heat- until it is slightly soft- this is a personal preference. I like my kale crispy and chewy. but if you cook it longer- it will be softer. Either way is fine-

whip you egg mixture and if you like- add other seasonings like Herb de Provence, dried Dill, dried Rosemary... if you want- you can use fresh minced parsley or fresh minced cilantro-
I particularly love this herbacious flavor ... If you like, add a spot of garlic to your sauteed kale and salt with whatever salt you use. Kale does need salt , in my opinion. It seems to help the balance of flavors.

okay- add your eggs. cook like you normally would to whatever consistency you  prefer-
(about 10 minutes overall)- If you are in a hurry- you can toss continuously and speed up the cooking-
I like to drink my coffee and let the pan do the work. I set a timer for 5 minutes and just let it do its thing- with a lid- on low.

and serve. If you like cheese- you can add some shredded cheese when you add the egg in the pan and cover with a lid to allow it to melt. try using shredded parmesan as a garnish after cooked. YUM. great heart healthy breakfast with loads of kale vitamins and minerals...good fat for your brain from the egg. this is a very satisfying breakfast and will keep you nourished for hours.


Fried Eggs with a Nest of Kale on top---
This method is sort of like the first- only slightly inverted-
Essentially we are going Fry the eggs like normal- adding a couple handfuls of prepped Kale on top of the eggs- and cover with a lid. So- get your pan HOT!!! with melted butter or coconut oil- and then crack in your egg(s) and after about a minute or two- add in your kale. If you want- now is the time to add your shredded cheese, if you are doing it that way. Cover with a lid- lower the heat- and let Cook until desired consistency of the eggs. Ideally- my recommendation is firm whites but the yolks would be slightly runny still- go for that peachy Yellow color- that shows you that they are cooked but still mushy. that is an incredibly point for this dish- the creamy yolk adds a decadent contrast of flavor to the kale. This is delicious and you will wonder why you have never eaten Kale & Eggs for breakfast before.

Enjoy!

Craving Salmon

Fresh Salmon + Sundried tomatoes + garlic + olive oil + herb de provence...

roasted in the oven at 350 degrees for 40 minutes-

I've made it three times in the last month and my sister-in-law wishes I would make this everyday for her. She can't get enough of this salmon.

I tried giving the recipe to my brother for him to make it- but somehow she said it did not taste the same...
so I guess you just have to invite me over to see if you like it just as much!!!!! #enchantedfeast 
www.facebook/enchantedfeast

All You Can Imagine- Ideas Galore Buffet

ideas... to get you cooking...

this post is intended to shake out the boring... and inspire NEW food adventures....
enjoy... reinvent... and create your own.

fried pancakes
make your favorite pancake batter...I used gluten free ready to make mix, added egg and water to make a delightful fluffy and dense batter. In a hot pan, I heat about a cup of vegetable oil until piping hot- drop small spoonfuls into the hot oil- and fry on both sides-
remove once they are golden (but they aren't done yet)- pour off the hot oil into a bowl- or use a new pan to finish cooking the pancakes. 
why do that? 
the fried pancake has a crispy crunchy outer texture and a cakey inner texture- a nice treat with coffee- can be eaten with your hands. Doesn't even need butter or syrup- like one of those zeppoli things you get at the county fair!

Deli Salad Container for Tossing Changing Coleslaws
take one of the giant deli containers when you are at your local grocery store- or buy something and save the container- its got a very wide mouth for serving and it is small enough to shake really well. layer in your ingredients: I did already shredded cabbage- already shredded carrot- and already diced onion- as well as sliced cucumber and other veggies. I poured in the vinegar and the salad dressing * I used an Avocado dressing bought from the store- and add my seasonings- like chopped cilantro or parley-
then close the lid and SHAKE SHAKE SHAKE-  
leave in the container for 30 minutes... to allow the flavors to intensify.
Serve. 
the best part is- that you always have a little bit of salad left over that is not enough for a serving- in the container- that becomes your starter for the next salad- just reload all your layers- and dressings and shake and its ready for your next meal.
You can change every time- to add new flavors. 
* try dried elements like cranberries or tried diced jalapeno if you like spicy...
In my opinion good coleslaw is lots of little pieces- plus a good vinegar and a good creamy dressing- together it makes a delicious refreshing crunchy salad.

RAW CACAO POWDER
cacao powder is said to have really great antioxidant content as well as other healthful benefits... but its so darn bitter- how in the world can you have a little bit each day?
add 1 tablespoon plus a nondairy creamer- to make a delicious cacao infused coffee-
pour the hot coffee over the cacao milk mixture and stir. 
unless you add the sweet- this will not be "chocolatey"- 
but the flavor of the cacao is really warm and soothing. not a sugar rush at all.



Cheater Deviled Eggs
everybody loves deviled eggs- but who has the time to make them every morning for breakfast...
never fear- I've got a hack that ends up with the same flavors of a deviled eggs with no prep- what you need is- 
EGGS- already boiled- (10 minutes+) depending on your preference
once you have the boiled egg- peel-
slice in half.

my trick is a mayonnaise Central Market sells called LEMONAISE- 
its cage free mayo with lemon juice and it is magical on everything from raw veggies to eggs! yes. indeed. 

lather the egg with a nice little dollop of lemonaise , layer with your favorite toppings...
like smoked salmon, sliced avocado, capers, salt & ground pepper-

and ENJOY...
bam! its not fancy shcmancy like a cocktail party egg- but its got all the flavory goodness-
and its super satisfying for breakfast. 

don't have lemonaise? no problem-
just use the juice of a half of a lemon- and about 4 Tablespoons of Mayonnaise-
in a small container (like a tupperware container so you can refrigerate the leftovers)-
just mix both ingredients. If you prefer- you can use LIME- its wonderful too.


off the top of my head ideas...

leftover turkey taco night  .... turn thanksgiving into leftover tacos. you can make a display of fun ingredients like crumbled bacon, sauteed peppers, diced onion, minced cilantro, sour cream, cranberry chipotle sauce* and more... 

Popsicles for christmas  ...take leftover cookies and brownies and hot cocoa from parties and put in a blender with your favorite yogurt or milk and PULSE- not blend- just pulse to chop it up like they do at the ice cream shop... then spoon the mixture into your popsicle containers- let freeze and then enjoy christmas after christmas...
for fun- you can add christmas themed sprinkles or red hot cinnamon candies- 
to do this- you would need to fold into the "ice cream" mixture- 
the best effect would be a blended swirly effect- so not too much blending- not too much folding. work delicately- so the kids will enjoy big chunky surprises in their popsicle. they'll love it!

old pizza bruschettas   sometimes there is leftover pizza and it gets thrown out- or it stays in the oven too long and nobody wants to eat the burnt pieces... but sometimes the pizza is essentially still "good" material- but just not what anybody wants to eat the next night- or the next week- because its old- or the kids have already picked off all the pepperoni ...
have you ever thought of pizza and a bread? if you were to use it as a base- as a "cracker" if you will- then you could make a bruschetta- 
now- I don't recommend the super sad degenerate slices that got black in the oven.
but take your extra slices and cut them into triangles- small bitesize uniform triangles.
If you are into cookie cutters- now would be a good time for a FUN cookie cutter...
like maybe the shape of TEXAS...

Next- dunk each piece in a bowl of water- if the pizza is very hard and very old- you may need to soak it longer to put water back into the bread-
line your shapes on a greased cookie sheet- be generous with the grease- it will make the shapes crispier on the bottom.

then prepare the salad that will bring it back to life:
dice some raw fresh tomato- and mix with fresh minced basil, balsamic vinegar- and raw red onion, and minced garlic. make a salad of fresh- super vibrant ingredients-and toss with olive oil. (if you have time- let this mixture sit for about 20 minutes to intensify the flavors)

layer this salad on top of you shapes...

and bake in a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes- 
test ONE to see if it is crunchy enough- and heated all the way through. 
You want a mixture of crunchy bottom and fresh vibrant top-

if you'd like- you can sprinkle with fresh shaved parmesan cheese- or grated parmesan as a garnish.
serve warm-

if you are interested in personalized cooking classes or more specific recipes - please email at elviasings@gmail.com

Heaven Help US!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjCs_gvImyw
a very gruesome video about people talking about the harvesting of fetal tissue for profit.

oh my dear Lord...

the other day I was doing research into how to help better in my profession through the nonprofit that I work for... La Via Sana is focused on whole health and mental health. I was doing research into chronic hunger and I was doing research into how malnutrition affects brain health and therefore mental health- even though the two aren't necessarily the same exact thing. Some people think brain health- as in the organ - is not related to mental health, since the emotions and thoughts aren't necessarily generated in the brain only. Some scientists think the MIND and the brain are the same thing and some believe the mind is not even IN the brain! Fascinating debate. 

But what I've come to the conclusion-- people need to EAT in order to FEED their brains... 

and we've been working on how to do that with our nonprofit. visit our website to learn more. 

 I learned that Texas is 5th in the country for hunger in children under the age of 5

with about 3,000 to 5,000 school age children being homeless. 

In other words, a lot of hunger.

And from what I researched- children who do not eat 3 meals a day or the equivalence of proper nutrition will have more risk for health problems, including mental health problems. My goal was to try and figure out how our nonprofit could supply food to children as a way to PREVENT mental health crisis. But the more I read the more unclear it became - HOW to actually do that in the best way.

And the reason was because some children have chronic stress- which is a bigger factor in health problems than even malnutrition. Except chronic stress might be from neglect, abuse, insecurity, poverty, violence, and more. These are harder to deal with than cooking someone a meal. 

These are not tangible issues that I know much about.

So, I decided to watch the CNN Presidential Debate from last night  

and that is where I heard about Planned Parenthood and the harvesting of fetal tissue-

I thought of myself as a Democrat for so long- not because I believe in everything they say- Not at all.

I guess I viewed myself as a bleeding-heart liberal/socialist... but in recent months, I have come to think of things differently. I still want peace and compassion and I still believe in my dear Savior Jesus as a healer but I know now that there is another side to things- a dark side- an ugly side. I guess I close my eyes- but it is there. and I watched these debates and I watched these Planned Parenthood videos and I felt numb. In one of the videos- the lady is just eating her salad and drinking her wine. . . which is why I share this on this blog. 

I am very interested in food and cooking and I want to make delicious food.

but there are bigger issues going on. and I can't stay silent.

Jesus is Lord. The bible is real and true. and God is not dead.

And blatant callous evil is appalling. Its not "legal" "modern" or just keeping with the times. NO. 

I have thought abortion was wrong since I was in high school. I always believed it was an actual human being inside the womb- even from conception. The bible says that God knows us from even before we are conceived and we are imprinted on HIS hands...

yes- we are. the wounds of JESUS from the cross- the two gaping holes where the nails were holding him in place- are exactly where he holds us! 

I wish there was a nice way to put this- I wish Grace was going to make everything new and shiny and save the world... and it will... somehow... but there is evil in our world. 

No amount of wine can silence that reality. No amount of cheese can erase the atrocities of humanity.....

I still like wine and cheese and all the niceties of fine dining and cooking-

but please, DEAR Lord- let us not become barbarians...

Let us remember the value of life.

I don't say that to depress anyone. but simply to say- if you are blessed to have a home, a car, and water to drink and food- please take a moment to thank God and to remember that Jesus Christ died for you.

If you are struggling for peace, please remember that Jesus Christ is the answer. 

choose wisely which path you will take... don't follow the money, don't follow the crowd...

just follow JESUS...

when you eat, invite Jesus to eat with you...

when you enjoy an exquisite champagne, remember Jesus has overcome the world....

when you see beautiful bounty in our markets and herbs and spices from around the world,

please be mindful of all the hard workers, the "illegal" immigrants, the peasants, the farmers, the poor people who slave to make that possible, please remember that they are also valuable people...

when you eat in a luxurious restaurant- don't be a pain in the neck-

yes- you are paying- but that doesn't give you the right to act like Donald Trump....

be humble, the chef works hard... the kitchen staff works hard... for very little pay!

Don't send your food back and complain about everything... just don't do it.

You are priviledged just to be there- just to have the choice of eating!

when you have the luxury of eating with friends and family...

remember there are many refugees and traveling children who do not have a home...

hug your children! enjoy their little faces. play with them- 

tell them they are beautiful!

Jesus says in Matthew 11:28

Come to ME all you who are burdened and I will give you REST.

Jesus is the one that gives us rest.

a beautiful meal is a way to rest with friends and family.

I pray you can enjoy this evening and remember the blessings of Jesus...

remember it is because of HIS self-sacrifice that we have anything at all.

Food is ART

food is fun...

 enjoy it...
relax...
enjoy it...

 Food is nourishment. Food is creative expression. Food is God's gift to us each and every day.

 My favorite Food ART is the comical stuff, simple, humorous, and still makes you want to eat it.

( I have not made any of these myself- these are images shared from the internet. If you have information regarding their ARTISTIC author, please supply the info as I would not like to take credit for someone else's work.)

I will however be trying to do my own experiments and I will post my images here.

Sugar is Just Sugar

Recently, I had the experience of watching Cupcake Wars with my niece who loves the show... her favorite is the critiques. She gets all excited about who is going to win and in all seriousness, all of the contestants are very professional and skilled at what they do. The fact that one person may make a mistake or create a "hideous" "flat" "flavorless" cupcake, according to Florian is probably just good TV drama and also based on the ridiculous ingredients they force them to use in a cupcake.  I mean, seriously, who wants to eat a salami cupcake??? That is just disgusting and wrong.

For the record, I'm extremely close minded in the sense that I think certain words in cooking have meaning. Not everything is a cupcake just because it is cooked in a muffin tin and wrapped in paper. To me a cupcake is SWEET... always sweet...it is a dessert. 

Other things that are in the shape of a muffin and are savory, would be some kind of a biscuit or maybe even a pie... not a cupcake.  Doing savory cupcakes makes me sick just to think about it. I know- I'm so old fashioned. But who asked me anyway? nobody...  

One day, when we were watching Cupcake Wars, with my family- it was the perfect opportunity to get into the kitchen and do our own creating. I looked up a basic vanilla cupcake recipe that was very easy using google. I know that cupcakes are flour, sugar, butter, eggs, and leavening. A recipe gave me the right proportions and we had everything we needed. And we got my dad's secret icing recipe which is impossible to improve upon and bound to secrecy. We wanted basic ...because we were going to have fun decorating.

We emptied the secret stashes of candy that they had tucked away in their rooms, or in the freezer for a special occasion, and we dumped it all out into little containers and using plates and knives- they began to create. It was pure joy. There really were no rules and I enjoyed seeing them take liberty with Sugar.

Sugar has gotten so villified in the media with more and more pressure being placed on people who eat the stuff and more and more horrible comparisons for people who make anything sweet. So there is that old saying that anything good is either ILLEGAL, IMMORAL, or FATTENING... but I really think that is the wrong approach to take with Sugar. Is it really wrong to love sugar? Is it wrong to have any emotional feelings about it at all? After all- it is just sugar. Not awesome. Not horrible. Just sugar.

I think it is more healthy to have a balance of LIKING it, Eating it, and then also knowing when you need other healthier options. Its not always a cupcake day- and too much of a good thing can make you sick....
but who wants to only eat salad, or only lettuce... that kind of restrictive perfectionism won't get us anywhere...

we need to have fun with our food-
and to be in control of our own appetites-
EAT it. Don't Eat it. Full. Hungry....
and .... hmmm...I prefer Spinach today...
we should aim for FREEDOM...

not some kind of puritanical goal.

Delightful Inspirations

Stuffed Portabello
Because it was over 100 degrees I did not want to grill outside!  So I devised a way to Smoke/Roast my Portabello inside using a sauce pan , some Bragg's Amino Acid, Bay Leaves, Garlic, and salt. I created a steaming bath- that infused the portabellos with these flavors and it worked really nicely. Then I placed the mushrooms with the liquid in the refrigerator in a sealed container to chill. 

I proceeded to make the stuffing using fresh Nature Sweet yellow and red grape tomatoes. I had just listened to interviews about this companies philosophy of treating their staff with utmost respect. They treat their staff as skilled workers and really build them into leadership roles. I wanted to buy these tomatoes because I love them and I love their philosophy. I sliced the tomatoes and in a bowl mixed...

fresh snipped basil leaves, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Pink Himalayan Salt, Fresh Ground pepper, Fresh Squeezed Lemon ... 

I also added chick peas to add more protein .

this mixture was placed in a sealed bowl and chilled in the refrigerator for about one hour. 

When we were ready for dinner, all I did was make the pasta- with olive oil, and assemble the stuffed portabello mushrooms. 

*Laying the mushroom on the plate and filling with the salad (I had already removed the stems- but don't throw them out- they are delicious- ) 

It made such a beautiful presentation.

In actuality, the portabello mushroom was firm and meaty in texture, salty and dense in flavor. It was really tasty. Offset by the fresh crunchy tomato and earthy basil. 

It was perfect for a hot summer day- and very filling.

Go AWAY Cold ...Juice

I desperately needed some boost of vitamins because I felt achy and chilled and I knew I had a bug.

So last night, I pealed myself out of bed and went in the kitchen to do some juicing.

I had :
2 oranges-( and I juiced with the peel so I would get all the beautiful nutrients from the rind.)
1 bag of cranberries
1 bag of celery

I juiced all of that-

and in the refrigerator I had a pitcher of iced Cinnamon Tea

I mixed the juices in with the tea, and added two measuring cups full of water-

and shake.

I drank two glasses before bed and It had a strange effect.

At first it gave me the boost I wanted.
and I miraculously felt better.

Then it was like the Chills came back with a vengence... and I collapsed for the night.

This morning I woke up at 5:45am really super hungry and feeling better.

So I resumed drinking my concoction.

I'm on my second glass - struggling my way through because now I got the chills again.

I'm thinking this really works because I have already gone to the bathroom a ton- -Which is a good way for the body to get rid of all the junk inside. And overall- its like I crave this juice now.

The taste was very bitter at first, but I seem to have adapted to it.

Well, this is the last bit of it- and hopefully I'll sleep some more and be good to go!

Enchanted Feast: Resurrecting Old Dreams

Enchanted Feast: Resurrecting Old Dreams: I'm back to the CAFE concept but I really don't know why. It would be so much work. Am I really prepared to do that much work. I&#39...

Resurrecting Old Dreams

I'm back to the CAFE concept but I really don't know why. It would be so much work. Am I really prepared to do that much work. I'm not sure. I guess I always imagined that I would find happy partners along the way and join forces. Wonder Twins Power Activate. But that hasn't happened yet. So far, its just me -

But something I realized while volunteering for Mobile Loaves & Fishes through Riverbend Church is that there is a whole lot of incredible work being done already in the city of Austin and maybe I don't need to reinvent or overinvent any new wheels.

Maybe the thing to do is to just participate in the flood of energy going in a direction that helps the underpriviledged.

And maybe that is exactly what I am going to focus on doing this year. Just volunteer wherever I can and meet people. This is my new networking strategy. Don't pay for networking- Volunteer and meet great people. And see where that takes you.

Featured in the picture is an Asian Slaw...
RED CABBAGE, cilantro, toasted sesame seeds, green onion, shredded carrot, fish sauce, vinegar, and other seasonings. It came out so good.

Cooking Smarter

Let the oven do the work---
Load up a good baking pan with Greens, seasonings, Fresh Fish- make separate dishes at the same time--
the seasonings will not spread to the other dish- they will stay where they are- unless there is liquid involved.

Tonight I did Fish on a bed of Greens--- one was ARTIC CHAR, and I seasoned with Curry and Sumac, and Salt, and Butter, and Black Cumin Seeds... on the other side I did a bed of greens- with Catfish- seasoned with Za'atar, Salt, Mint, Butter...

Each fish cooked separately- at the same time!! I had a delicious dinner within 20 minutes, and I have dinner or lunch ready for tomorrow.

So easy. So fast. and I got to sit and relax the whole time.

Maseca vs. Areparina

 Maseca is "instant corn masa flour"-- very fluffy and soft, almost feels like sand- very finely ground
Areparina is "precooked corn meal"---feels more dry and gritty but is still very finely ground
ADD warm water- slowly until the dough sticks together into balls, roll out in your palm and flatten into small corn cakes.

 FRY in hot oil until crispy on the outside, don't let them touch because they will stick together.

 Can you guess which is which????
(top Areparina, bottom Maseca)

to eat- you can slice them open and add butter and salt, or you can poke holes in the top and let the butter drip down into the corn cake.

The DIFFERENCE: The Areparina is precooked- so the inside tastes much smoother and light in taste-
The Maseca is more of a true "flour" and has a doughy taste to it.

Both are good, they have their own sweetness to them, even though we did not add any sugar to the flours. The corn has a natural mild, refined flavor.

This is good with Beef- or Chicken- as a side dish for many Colombian Favorites. We like them for breakfast, but you can serve with soup, or even Chili.

Leftovers Makeover

Loaded Leftovers Salad
Avocado
Leftover Tabouli from Mother's Day
Red Onion, diced
Green Onion, sliced
Vinagrette-- Lavendar infused Olive Oil, Regular Olive Oil, Apple Cider Vinegar, Balsamic Vinegar, Salt, Pepper, Black Cumin Seeds, Ground Mustard, Turmeric, Dried Cilantro, Duck Sauce (from Chinese Take Out)--- Yes! it worked great! With my new gadget from KISS THE COOK store in Wimberley- a handheld emulsifier dressing maker. 

Turkey Salad Tacos

I had leftover Turkey Breast for another meal and I didn't know what to do with it. At HEB, I found an avocado dressing which sounded good and I decided to try making a turkey salad tonight.

Turkey, Diced

Red Onion, small juliene

orange sweet baby tomatoes- halved

feta cheese

mint, minced

braeburn apple, diced

salt & pepper

about 3 or 4 tablespoons of the HEB Avocado dressing

and to make the Tacos- I used Multigrain tortillas, 

with a nice slice of avocado on the bottom of the salad. 

Easy & Delicious Dinner!

Pancakes? or Puddingcake

I started off with a glutenfree all purpose baking mix by the brand King Arthur Flour. I was excited because this mix claims to be useful for breads, cookies, pancakes, waffles, etc. Up until this brand- I had only ever used the Bob's Red Mill all purpose glutenfree biscuit mix 

and adapted it to meet my inspirations. 

I love mixes that have everything in them because it can be much less expensive than trying to do it yourself and can be quite versatile. Cheaper, Easier- I'm all for that!

so this is what I did:

1 cup of this all purpose flour is what it called for to make pancakes according to the box...

I sort of followed the box instructions and then I just went off into my own little world-

1/2 cup whipping cream instead of milk

1 egg

1.5 TB melted butter

1.5 tsp vanilla

2 or 3 TB brown sugar

1 generous dash nutmeg

a couple pats of cinnamon

I had to add water because my mixture was so thick.

I got a pan hot- with grassfed butter but what happened was that the fat from the cream , eggs, and butter made the pancake super thick- good flavor, 

but it was more like a bread pudding flavor and consistency. 

It was weird... and I could figure out how to fix it. 

So, today, I tried again- lowered the heat and cooked them longer- 

They are DELICIOUS!!!! and I ate them with grassfed butter and RAW LOCAL HONEY-

I have a little batter left over- and my next try, I'm going to pop them in the oven in a muffin tin 

and see what happens- I want then a little fluffier ? maybe I should have blended the ingredients to fluff them up, I used a spoon to mix. I'd like some air in them...

As a topping for the Pudding Cake- I took a couple drops of the Pomegranate Molasses -

I got at Savory Spice Shop, and drizzled over the honey on the pancake. 

Now the Pomegranate Molasses is sweet, but is extremely BRIGHT and Tangy!!! Not really a syrup, even though you could make into a syrup by adding sugar. I did not add sugar- I just dropped tiny drops onto my pancake as is- to see what would happen. It was potent- 

Also, just a plug on RAW LOCAL HONEY- eat some every day- just a small teaspoonful is fine- put it in your tea, in your smoothies..especially if you are prone to allergies. I've been doing this for a couple years (I do not religiously eat the honey but I try to eat it a little)- and I don't get allergies anymore... is that weird or what? I started to try this a couple years ago, and bought a super fancy honey. Turns out the honey was made in Brazil! So I have no idea why it worked- 

but I have since switched to Texas Honey.

 The theory is that the bees are picking up the pollen from the environment and then when you eat the honey, you are getting micro-doses of the allergens in your environment, and then your body builds up an immunity. 

Taste Buds agree! - its super thick and it actually gets thicker as time goes by- it doesn't need to be refrigerated and it is super creamy and sweet. just a little bit is very sweet. 

Experimenting in the Kitchen

MINT STICKS my thought was if the mint is fresh and delicious- what happens if you put the leftover sticks in hot water, will you get mint water? Not Really. 
I'm sure it gives off some oils and healthful properties, but it really didn't have any flavor at all. 
Some "food waste" like lemon rind and cilantro stems, or even celery leaves- are very useful for using in dishes. For instance the citrus rind can be dehydrated in the oven with sugar and turned into candy.

Tabouli without the tomato, without the lemon (because I didn't have any)

 and using some new spices I bought at SAVORY spice shop.... YUM!!!!

what you see is black cumin seeds being added to my Tabouli.

I used a Bulghur and Red Quinoa Quick Mix, Fresh Parsley, Fresh Mint, Balsamic Vinegar, 

Lavendar infused Olive Oil, and salt and pepper. 

 Red Lentil & Green Pea Mash  not all experiments have happy endings. The taste was good! but the texture was not too exciting to me. it came out clunky and hard to eat. I had a ton of it- so it is going to get blended with some tahini to make a hummus- some fresh lemon juice will pick this up off the ground and give it new life--which is what I was trying to do anyway but ran out of ingredients and time... 

Chickpea salad

YUM- but it's missing something

the chickpeas were made from scratch- so they are extra crunchy- 

but something is missing- maybe more olive oil. 

I used Turmeric, Cucumber, Cilantro, Hot Pepper Vinegar, mayonnaise, mustard, and Za'atar - 

which is another spice I found at Savory. Its a curry. 

The flavors were good- and it is super fresh and crunchy. I haven't put my finger on what its missing- but maybe some more veggies, like artichoke hearts and fresh lime juice. It marinated over night in the sauce and I think that really helped it a lot.

Other random easy experiments:

A turkey sandwich - oven roasted thin slices, mild slice of cheese (havarti), on Toasted bread --

spread the bread pieces with Honey

Turkey sandwich-- oven roasted turkey, bacon strips, sharp white cheddar (sliced) or Brie, on toasted seeded bread--

quince preserve on the bread

happy experimenting!!!

Fava

I've only ever really eaten this in Colombia- when I've visited. I love these beans in soups and stews and even roasted as nuts, but I don't see them very often here in recipes. They are extremely tough and need to be pre-soaked- at least a full 24 hours- then they need to be cooked for a good hour- at least. But once they are cooked, they are so creamy and delicious.

This soup is delicious and takes all morning . I made it for an Easter celebration- and I had about three or four hours cooking- I served with Fresh cilantro Chopped up small- Fresh Avocado, and Fresh White Rice. And a good hot sauce. All these elements can be added as each person wishes to make a perfect tasting soup. If you eat dairy - you might try adding a dollop of mexican cream- (just a drop)- to give it a nice creamy touch. This is a typical way to eat soup in colombia with many add-ins served at the table to personalize the soup. 

Greens Galore

Greens are always good and so simple to make in an oven- or even a toaster oven- especially a toaster oven that can go to high heats because since it is so small- it almost acts as a broiler and an oven- the tops of the greens become charred and crispy while the bottom portion of the dish roasts nicely.

All you need is to toss lightly in a good oil like try walnut oil, or flaxseed oil, or even avocado oil- salt lightly, if desired, and add any other seasonings that you wish- lightly over top-
and cook in the oven for about 30 minutes on a heat of at least 350- ideally 400-

Now the Swiss Chard- which is what this picture is of- will have two different textures- the leaves and the stems- That is okay- they can cook at the same time- but they have completely different textures. If you like your stems more soft- then make sure they are up on top of the leaves- so they will receive the direct heat from the top of the oven- unless your oven is convection in which case- that will not work-

If you prefer your greens more soft, you can simply drizzle a bit of water- like 1/4 cup in with the greens- the water will heat up and evaporate creating steam- and this will wilt the greens more-

also, the way you chop the greens will affect the cook time- If you leave it in big sheets- it will not cook the same as if you chop it into bite sizes- because the surface area is different. Cutting through the fibrous leaves with a knife and tossing before cooking will greatly impact the quality of the dish after it is cooked. and its much easier to serve ready to go.

Different Greens cook differently- but they all SHRINK. So you can load up your pyrex dish- or aluminum pan with greens- it can be a big mountain of greens. NO problem. they will shrink in size.
the pieces that stick out the top will get charred and crispy from the oven heat. this adds dimension to the dish.

Don't overcook- and keep an eye on them so they don't burn . Yes- they go from perfect to burnt in just a few minutes once they reach their point of doneness. It varies slightly depending on whether it is kale or spinach or swiss chard, or bok choy- - I tend to feel that Kale has to go in the oven for the longest- but I tend to like my vegetables crisp, light, and airy.... not soggy and weighed down.

about 40 minutes is ideal-
if you are making Chips and using more oil- you need to be careful they don't burn.

happy greens!

Eating the Earth

I love to work with items from scratch so if I'm going to make a stew or a soup, I start at the beginning. If I don't have all day, I may start with a good quality low salt stock, ideally vegetable, chicken, or beef.

For this stew in picture, I was going for a really Earthy flavor... it was the fall and I wanted something warm and comforting.

I started with sauteeing the onions and garlic (fresh)- then adding the liquid- If I had hours to spend- I would use little bits of vegetables that could be cooked down into a flavorful broth- or I could even use bones from a whole chicken or turkey- (the bones give off incredible depth of flavor and are incredibly nutritious) 

The beans are best done from scratch- which requires that you soak them the night before and then cook them for at least an hour the next day. Fresh beans have such a nice crunch to them- and you have so much control over how much you cook them. Beans in cans are usually very mushy- which is fine if you are in a hurry, but don't underestimate the power of fresh.

The herbs I used in this stew were a mixture of dried and fresh---- I love Herb de Provence, I love Rosemary- dried and fresh. I love Fresh Thyme.

My rule of thumb is- if it is going to cook long- use dry--- and then when you are almost done- throw in the minced fresh herbs- or use as a garnish after it is served. Certain herbs need to be fresh, like cilantro- unless of course you get the dried cilantro which is better for cooking soups and sauces and things that require a longer cook time. Don't use fresh cilantro in a long cooking item- the flavors will leech out of the cilantro and you will be left with wilted stringy pieces---- it's not that you cannot do it, its that the best part of the cilantro is the FRESH kick, and the flavor profile- which is ideal when freshly chopped or thrown into a salad. It doesn't do well in cooked stews and things- unless added in later in the cooking process.

In this stew in the picture, I definitely used DRIED CUMIN  which reminds me of home. I don't know what that even means, but the spice makes me feel like I'm connected to a place in my ancestry that is really comfortable. That makes sense to me because I am part Colombian and cumin is a spice they use a lot.

I think it is interesting to try and figure out what spices really call to you- and to cook from the soul.

Recreating Thai Rendang

I've been searching for the recipe to Rendang and so far I know it has :

brown sugar
lemon grass
thai red chiles
garlic
onion
galangal (ginger)
coconut milk

The packet I bought somewhere had everything ready to go- with some "flavors" added to it- so I want to learn how to make this from scratch so the hidden ingredients will no longer be an issue, and I'd like to subtract the brown sugar to see if I can sweeten with just the food that I cook it with- Mango?

Tonight, I made a pepper dish, using Red, Orange, and Green peppers, Basil, Cashews, and sweet plantain- then I poured the Rendang sauce that I had bought- and roasted this in the oven...

It was spicy! and I liked the Sweet Plantain with the thai red chile taste-

So now I'm searching for how to do different variations of this sauce from scratch.

I LOVE THAI FOOD!

It is by far my favorite food and I think its because there are so many flavors in thai food- and there is a lot of spice used. I love the sweet and spicy mixture and I find it very adventurous and also very soothing at the same time.

I dream of going to Thailand... one of these days. I imagine trying all the different things throughout the country- maybe a culinary tour :)

Tuscan Beauty

I like to do things in such a way as to optimize my time, my equipment, and experience. Sometimes that means laboring over a dish until it is perfect, adding elements to make it exquisite on every level. But sometimes, it means letting the oven do all the work.

I bought natural Turkey patties that were not treated with hormones, or antibiotics and were already portioned out- and when I got home, I had a brilliant idea- what happens if I roast the Tuscan Kale that I had bought at Trader Joe's simultaneously while cooking the turkey patties - truly letting the oven do all the work.

So I did...

First, I rendered the bacon fat that I collect from the bacon I buy which is NO nitrates, NO nitrites, NO hormones, NO antibiotics. This bacon gives off a lot of fat when it is cooked in the oven and I retain that for cooking later on. It adds delicious flavor and you don't need a lot at all.

In a deep dish cooking pan, I rendered the bacon grease- so that I could coat the pan-

Then I took the precut Tuscan Kale and made a pillow of green goodness- I didn't add anything- NO salt- No pepper- No nothing. Just the Kale-

On top of the kale, I put the Turkey patties- like making a puzzle- and then in between the burgers, I layered a few strips of bacon.

At 350 degrees, in the oven, this was all going to cook together- the flavors would infuse into each other as they cooked- allowing me to cook with virtually nothing other than the fat from the meats themselves.

And it takes a good 35 minutes- which gives me time to do something else while I wait. So I did a little computer stuff- but then I had an idea- I was going to prepare the bun for the burger-

I got Onion Rolls from HEB which I thought would be tastier than regular Burger Buns, and because I did not want 8 burger buns! I wasn't going to eat that many burgers- what a waste of money.

I bought pickled jalapenos in a tiny pack- and Organic Sharp Cheddar cheese slices. and Avocado.

When the bacon was ready- I layered the jalapeno and the bacon under the slice of cheese- and toasted the Roll in my toaster oven. The cheese melted and sealed in the extra pieces.

(I do not use microwave ovens- I gave up on that about 3+ years ago. I only use real heat... which is why I like the oven and toaster oven so much)

Once the burgers were ready- what happened is that some of the tuscan kale seemed like a perfect addition to my burger creation.  and a couple slices of Avocado.

if you keep the pit in the avocado when you store in the fridge- it won't turn brown

So what ended up happening is that I had the salty from the roll and the cheese and the bacon, the hot and tangy from the jalapeno, the creamy from the avocado- and the delicious crunchy goodness of the kale- surrounding a perfectly lean and clean turkey patty.

It was really satisfying - Not in a way that makes you feel gross afterwards because you stuffed yourself silly... and it was just a great mixture of flavors, nutrition, and pleasure.

This is how I like to cook- clean and also pleasurable. I like to feel clear in my conscience about what I'm eating- and that doesn't mean,  I don't occasionally have the diet soda- or the chips--- but it means I try to be good to myself and the people I love. I want to give something good... Not loading up on junk, and also not depriving anyone of everything that is delicious. There has to be a balance.

I believe you have to find a happy medium between striving and relaxing--

This burger, which I'll call the Tuscan Beauty inspired me to create other burger ideas...

but the next day, all I could dream about was another burger- and I had all the ingredients ready to go because I had made more than ONE in my cooking-

Its always smart to cook more and have left overs- it takes just as much work to make one burger as it does to make 4. And I've had the turkey burgers for lunch and dinner in different ways. Sometimes you want something fancy to eat... something original...sometimes you are busy working and you just need to nourish your body with something powerful and good -

I cook with both moods in mind. and I am sometimes amazed at how connected cooking makes me feel to life... whether its just chopping a mushroom... or making a sauce...

Where does the mushroom come from? Who picked it? What is that person's life like?

I am connected to other people who take care of me- who don't know my name- but who have provided this food.

I believe I am connected to a God that sees all these details and doesn't forget my name and my personality. I'm not a drop in the ocean, I am a drop-

Somehow the beauty of food really connects me to nature- how vast- how beautiful- how immeasurable...

I dream of gardening when I cook- of being a farmer-
I dream of traveling and meeting grandmothers in other countries who will tell me their secret recipes-

I dream-

and I live-

Why is it called Tuscan Kale?

I have to discover new things when I cook- I have to know...