Whole 30, Day 1

First, a recap of what I ate this first day of my attempt at Whole30. Below is a short bit about how it went, then a recipe for the Spanish "rice" I made from riced cauliflower (it's super yum and is definitely a keeper).

Breakfast:
1 egg, 3 egg whites, sauteed mushrooms all cooked in ghee

Lunch: 
1 apple, 2 T almond butter, turkey patty cooked in cast iron in olive oil (from frozen)

Dinner: 
Lettuce wrap tacos using ground turkey, bibb lettuce, chopped avocado, cilantro, and Spanish "rice" (recipe & pic below)

Snack: Banana with 1 T almond butter


Surprisingly, today went very well. Much better than expected! We had a 4 year old's birthday party to attend, and I managed to avoid all snacks and even the cake (I mean it wasn't chocolate, so it wasn't that hard...). The key so far seems to be about not counting calories. Since I don't have to account for an entire bottle of wine, or the usual tortilla/tortilla chips, or cheese, you can really load up on veggies and healthy fats to feel full and not guilty. We'll see how this progresses once my body catches on and starts saying 'Hey wtf!' but for now, I feel positive.
Other great effects from today: no bloat, no headache, no sniffles/sneezing, and a clear head. Dammit, I'm sold.


Spanish "Rice"
2 T olive or vegetable oil
1 bag riced cauliflower (from Trader Joe's)
1/3 each: red, green, yellow, and orange bell pepper, chopped
1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
Chili powder, cumin, garlic salt, oregano (maybe 1 teaspoon), and generous black pepper

Using dutch oven, saute onion and garlic in oil on medium heat. Once translucent, add bell peppers and cauli rice; season to taste, turn heat down to med-low, and let simmer for 10-ish minutes stirring occasionally. Turn down to low and cover til ready to serve. Excellent with chopped avocado, green onion, and cilantro, and if you're not doing Whole30, top with shredded cheddar cheese! I stuffed bibb lettuce leaves with this "rice" along with a spoonful of cooked, seasoned ground turkey.

Lettuce leaf tacos using Spanish "rice" and ground turkey

Baked Oatmeal (Toddler Approved!)

This recipe is fantastic for hiding healthy ingredients into something that tastes like it should be dessert.  My toddler approves wholeheartedly (at least she has for the last few weeks....check again tomorrow, that could change...).

Preheat oven to 375

Butter 8" square baking dish

2 c oats
1/2 c chopped walnuts
1/3 c sugar
1 t baking powder
1 t cinnamon
dash salt
2 c whole milk
1 egg, beaten

1 t vanilla
1 or 2 bananas, sliced lengthwise
1 carrot, finely shredded

3 T butter, melted 

Place bananas on bottom of baking dish to cover the entire bottom.  Combine all dry ingredients and pour into baking dish on top of bananas.  In a separate bowl combine wet ingredients thoroughly (except butter), then pour over top of dry ingredients in baking dish.  Blend slightly with a fork, then shake the dish to smooth out all cracks & crevices around bananas.  Bake in preheated oven 35-40 minutes.  Test center for doneness before removing from oven - will be moist & dense when done.  Drizzle  the melted butter over top after baked.

Note:  banana can be omitted; carrot can be increased; can use lighter milk instead of whole.

Lactation Cookies

When my daughter was just a few weeks old, I found this recipe somewhere on the interwebs for "lactation cookies", that promised to boost milk supply for nursing mamas.  Boy, did these things work.  The only drawback is that they are so delicious, I couldn't stop eating them!  Considering the individual ingredients, they can't possibly be "light" in calories - but nursing mamas need extra calories, right?  Right??

Anyhoo, no need to be a nursing mama to enjoy these amazing cookies.  My husband stole plenty of them as a matter of fact.  If you are nursing, I can't promise they'll boost supply, but they'll certainly boost mood!  Cookies are happiness.

Preheat oven to 350

3/4 c flour (I used 1/2 c almond flour & 1/4 c coconut flour)
2 c oats
1 t baking soda
3/4 t salt (original recipe called for 1 t, but they turned out a bit salty so I reduced it)
3 T brewer's yeast
1 c ground flaxseed (3/4 c also works well)
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c brown sugar

3/4 c almond butter
1/2 c butter
1/3 c water
2 eggs
2 t vanilla

Handful each - chocolate chips & chopped nuts (optional)

Blend dry ingredients together (top section); beat wet ingredients together in separate bowl (bottom section).  Mix both dry & wet together, then stir in choco chips & nuts.  Drop by big ol' spoonfuls onto greased sheet or parchment-lined sheet, bake at 350 for 12-14 mins or until lightly tanned.  Enjoy :-)

Rustic No-Knead Bread

This bread is all over the interwebs, and for good reason:  it's damn delicious.  And damn easy!  They all source back to one guy, Jim Lahey of New York's Sullivan Street Bakery.  His recipe is very basic and utilizes a Dutch oven to bake the bread.

This variation is my favorite though, because it makes extra dough, which you "ferment" in the refrigerator for up to a week.  Who doesn't love freshly baked bread on a moment's notice??

No Knead Crusty White Bread (from King Arthur Flour)

• 3 cups lukewarm water
• 6 1/2 to 7 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour*
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 1/2 tablespoons instant yeast

Use 32 ounces of flour by weight - 6 1/2 if scooping flour out of container.
Mix everything together in a giant bowl and let rise for 2 hours at room temp, covered.  Dough will be sticky & messy.   After 2 hours, put dough in fridge for up to a week.
When you're ready to make bread, preheat oven to 450 with a lidded Dutch oven inside.  While preheating, place a hunk of dough on a sheet of parchment paper and let rise for a while.  Once oven is preheated, remove Dutch oven, place bread (on parchment) inside of Dutch oven, cover, and bake for 15-20 minutes.  After 15-20 minutes, remove lid, and bake uncovered another 15-20 minutes (or until browned slightly).

That's it!  So stinking easy.

Sliced Steak, Arugula, Raspberry Salad with Goat Cheese & Balsamic

I should've just named this salad "Superfood Salad" since it contains so much goodness.
Unfortunately, because it was so good, I dove in right away without remembering to take a picture of it!  Trust me, it looks almost as amazing as it tastes.
Any type of steak will work; just slice it thinly.  You can use leftover grilled steak, or pre-slice and simmer it with onions and garlic as I did here.  Also you can use any type of goat cheese (we used bucheron for its creaminess, but a less expensive feta would do just fine).  The creamy flavor of the goat cheese is absolutely necessary with all of the other flavors going on here - I've made this salad before without the cheese, and it's just not as delicious!


2 steaks, any type (I used rib steaks in this version) sliced thinly
1/2 red onion, sliced thin
2 garlic cloves, minced
Olive oil, balsamic vinegar, S&P

Arugula (or any combination of salad greens, but it must contain generous amounts of arugula for its bitter/tangy bite!)
2 c fresh raspberries
2 c toasted walnuts
1 "round" of bucheron, crumbled, or one container of feta (roughly equivalent to 6-8 oz)

Dressing:
3/4-1 c balsamic vinegar
1/4 c Cherry Heering (can substitute red wine or even omit this; the Heering will give it the required sweetness...if omitting Heering, substitute about 1-2 T honey)
2 T butter
S&P

Place thinly sliced steak into heated & oiled cast iron skillet on low-medium heat with a generous splash of balsamic and olive oil.  Saute with the sliced onions and garlic.  When meat is mostly browned, add a little water, turn down heat and simmer while rest of salad is being prepared.  This will tenderize it a bit and really get that balsamic incorporated for good flavor.
For dressing, simmer all ingredients except the butter to reduce by 1/2.  When reduced, turn off heat, and add the butter while stirring to incorporate.  This will thicken the dressing further and add a nice consistency & flavor.  Set aside.
Assemble arugula on plates and add a few slices of the simmered steak strips & onions; top with very unselfish amounts of raspberries, walnuts, and goat cheese.  Drizzle balsamic reduction and voila!  You have yourself a very superfood-y salad that will help you live to see 100.

This salad was enjoyed with a nice cold glass of Chardonnay (only because I didn't have any reds on hand - it wasn't bad, in the same sense that sex & pizza are never bad; but really it would be better with a Merlot or any bolder red to offset all the strong flavors of this salad).

Chicken Burgers - Know What You're Eating!

I may have already mentioned it in a previous post, but one of my good friends gave me the ingenious idea of grinding up my own chicken in the food processor.  No need for the grinder attachment of a Kitchenaid (neither of which I have...hint hint Brandon, if you're reading...)!  I now do this every time I make something involving ground chicken or turkey.  I haven't tried it with beef or pork yet, as I'm not sure if the processor is strong enough to handle those - or if it would grind it finely enough.  I'll try it sometime soon!

With all the hype lately about "pink slime", it raises doubts about what's really in our food.  To some extent I trust stores like New Seasons, but I can't always afford to shop there.  Fred Meyer carries hormone-free chicken, which I buy boneless/skinless whenever I see it.  It's perfect for grinding up.  Plus it doesn't take much for a few burger patties.

2 or 3 boneless/skinless chicken breasts
1/2 onion, finely chopped
2 T parsley - or cilantro
1 clove garlic, finely minced
S/P - heavy handed dose of each

You can really cut the fat out of the finished product by trimming all evidence of fat from the breasts before grinding, but these are pretty low fat as it is.  Just removing the skin alone is a huge help.  You can add an egg to help with binding, but I found these really don't need it.  Just chop the breasts into pieces small enough to fit into the food processor tube, add the rest of the ingredients, and pulse til the chicken gets to the consistency you want.  I like a pretty fine chop.  You may need to process in batches.  Transfer all to a bowl, finish mixing in the onion, garlic and parsley til thoroughly blended, and form into patties.  Grill on the BBQ or fry in a cast iron skillet.
*These will cook much faster than regular store-bought ground chicken or turkey, so watch carefully.

Green Soup

My SIL gave me this idea last weekend as a remedy for the overabundance of greens in my garden.  I altered it a bit (mainly due to my forgetting her original recipe), but it's a perfect summer soup that can be served hot or cold/room temp.
The flavor of the soup will vary depending on what combo of greens are used.  This one had a bite from the mustard and arugula.  We ate this with grilled chicken burgers (that were topped with generous helpings of arugula) and sauteed onions, which went well with the bittery bite of the soup.

2 T butter or ghee
5-6 big handfuls of greens - any kind - I used mustard greens, spinach, a little arugula, watercress, and kale; washed & stemmed
1 carton vegetable broth (Pacific brand organic)
1 large clove garlic, minced
1/4 - 1/3 c plain yogurt or sour cream, optional (omit for Whole30)
1 t onion powder
S/P

Saute garlic in butter, add greens, cover, and steam for a bit.  When they've cooked down slightly, add the broth and bring to a slight boil, then turn down to simmer.  Don't overcook the greens, just cook them enough to be fully softened.  When soft, bust out your handheld stick blender, and blend the greens til smooth.  Some of them may have a little stringy-ness to them, so watch your blender blade in case it gets wound up.  When fully blended, you can either strain through a mesh strainer to get rid of any fibrous bits, or eat as is.  To finish, add yogurt or sour cream and seasonings to taste.

Saute some sliced sweet Vidalia onions in olive oil and serve with the soup.

Looks much more appetizing in person, trust me.

Banana "Ice Cream"

This Paleo-ish diet I've been on, as I've mentioned, hasn't been too difficult.  Mainly because I don't have a sweet tooth.  Every once in a while though, especially in the summer, I crave something sweet and cold.  Those are the days I wish I wasn't lactose semi-intolerant (lactose averse?), because ice cream is really the best thing to cure that craving.  Luckily, somewhere (probably Pinterest) I stumbled upon this crazy idea to make "ice cream" out of frozen bananas - and it really is the next best thing to the real thing.

For one serving:
1 banana, peeled, frozen

Misc additions:
Raspberries
Sliced strawberries
Chopped almonds
Almond butter
Honey (if you want it sweeter)
Unsweetened cocoa powder

Throw the banana in the food processor with the blade attachment and whirl away, til it's fully creamed.  You can add the cocoa at this point to make it like chocolate ice cream, or any of the other misc additions to blend them in.  Or add them afterward for a little chunkiness.

So far I've tried freezing the banana both ways - with the peel on, and peeling it first before freezing.  Freezing with the peel on seemed to keep the banana from getting too hard; when I peeled it first, it was more difficult to cream in the food processor.  It just took longer, and at one point I had to stick it in the micro for 15 seconds to soften up.  But, freezing with the peel on was messier, because it was a little tricky getting the peel off of the frozen banana!  I think from here on out I'll stick to peeling them first, just because I don't like the messy/sticky hands.

Arugula & Coleslaw Wraps

Me thinks this will not be a popular snack in many households.  For one, arugula is an acquired taste that I can't imagine too many kids liking - it's kind of a Foodie Green.  It's slightly bitter, it's got a bite, and... it's a vegetable.  Foodies love things like that.  Kids don't.  But wrap up some creamy coleslaw inside, and not only is it fun, but some of that bite is masked by the slaw.  The two are a perfect pair!

I'm proud to say this arugula was grown in my very own garden, the first (finally...it's freaking June) edible product to be reaped from the months of work we put into that thing.  Thus I had to take a picture:

(The lovely ladies in the background did not get any....bummer for them)

Slaw Dressing:
1/2 c mayo
1/4 - 1/2 c white wine vinegar (depending on taste)
1 T sugar (use stevia drops for paleo or fruit juice for Whole30)
1-2 t mustard
S/P
Shake vigorously in a sealed container til blended.

Slaw:
1/2 large head green cabbage
2 medium carrots
1/2 jicama (optional)

Shred veggies in food processor. Pour dressing over and blend thoroughly; let sit in fridge for flavors to meld - about 30 mins

If you have large-leafed arugula like I did, just place a spoonful in the center of each (washed) leaf and eat.  If you have the smaller arugula like they sell in packages at the store, just make a salad out of it - serve the slaw right on top of a bed of arugula greens.  Delish!

This was great with BBQ'd pork roast and caramelized onions.

Avo/Mango Salad

The combination of avocado and mango is amazing - slightly savory, slightly salty avocado yummifies the tropical sweetness of mango.  Honestly I've eaten these two together by themselves before, no other ingredients, and they're almost as good.  Throw in the extras, and you've got yourself a really great salad to go with some roasted chicken or salmon!

2 avocados*
2 small mangoes* or 1 large
2 heads romaine, chopped
1/2 small red onion, very finely chopped
1/4 c chopped cilantro (optional)
1/2 c chopped almonds
juice of 1/2 big lime
S/P

Toss everything together in a big bowl, and garnish with cilantro and almonds.

*Why is the plural of avocado "avocados", while the plural of mango "mangoes"?

Best Beet Salad

Clearly there's more to this salad than just beets, but I needed a good name.  It didn't really have one before.  This has got to be in my top 5, if not top 1, favorite salads of all time.  What makes it so good is all the flavors that are going on - savory, salty, sweet, and tangy.  Plus it's great for using up leftover roast beef, or steak (if you have any that is)!

Vary ingredients to your taste:
Beef - either roast or steak, preferably grilled, sliced up.  Ground is not recommended.
Beets - chopped in 1/2" pieces, salted, oven roasted for 20 minutes at 425.
Onions - sliced, sauteed in olive oil til caramelized - Vidalia are best (the sweeter the better)
Arugula
Balsamic vinegar

I prefer a large amount of caramelized onions in my salad bowl, along with a heavy handed pour of balsamic.  The arugula can't be substituted - it lends a peppery bite that reduces your need for seasonings.  And this really is much better when the steak (or roast) is grilled beforehand, and the beets are roasted to a caramelly goodness.  I could eat this every day!

Option:  Throw the beets with some butter or grapeseed oil in heavy-duty foil, seal up, and throw on the grill while the steaks are cooking.  Depending on the heat of the grill they may need a lot more time for roasting than when cooking in the oven.

Dairy-Free Cauliflower Crust

I've seen variations of this recipe floating around the interwebs for years, but have never had the gumption to try it myself.  With this new "Paleo-adjacent" way of eating I've taken on in recent months, it's been a bit of a struggle to come up with dinner ideas that aren't boring.  

A recent rainy Sunday I decided to finally take on the task of making my own cauliflower crust mini pizzas - low carb, Paleo-friendly, and super delish.  These actually weren't all that hard, really, and they tasted amazing.  Just be warned - don't look up the calorie count on these suckers.  The almond flour alone will bite you back.

1 smallish head cauliflower, "riced" in food processor (or just buy pre-riced at Trader Joe's - make your life easier)
1 c almond flour/meal
1/4 c nutritional yeast
2 eggs
2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 onion, very finely minced or chopped (can reduce quantity for less onion-y flavor)
S/P

Preheat oven to 450.  Blend all ingredients in a bowl to form a dough.  If dough is too wet, add a bit more almond flour and/or yeast.  Line baking pan or cookie sheet with parchment paper, spray with cooking spray.  Form dough into 2-3" balls, place on parchment, and flatten out using fingers to about a 1/4-1/2" thickness.  Bake for 12-15 minutes, or til edges brown.  This makes about 4 batches of mini pizza crusts, depending on how wide and thick you prefer to make them.  Be sure to replace parchment between each batch.

To make pizzas, sprinkle any desired toppings on top (pre-cooked veggies work best) and throw back in oven for another 10-15 minutes.  We liked a little marinara, turkey pepperoni (microwave on a paper towel for 30 seconds to crisp up first), and sweet caramelized onions.  If you're doing dairy, for sure sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan on top!

Ham & Egg Muffins, Sans Muffin

In 6 1/2 years of cooking for B, I've never made something that made as big of a splash as these ham & egg "muffins".  Not only are they super delicious and perfect for grab-n-go breakfasts, but he can slip them right in between two halves of an English muffin and have his own healthier version of the McDonald's one!  (He's not following the same diet plan that I am, so it's nice for him to have options).

Someday this picture will be updated and improved...

These are adapted from a pin I saw on Pinterest (where else...), so I can't claim credit.  Actually there are a million of these pins floating around on there, so really, who can?  I've also seen them called "cups".

Anyway, here's the lowdown, with variations posted below:

12 eggs (or 24 egg whites, but it's better with yolks....trust me)
2 handfuls spinach
12 slices good quality deli ham
S/P

Preheat oven to 400.  Grease muffin pan (I use a silicone type).  Place one slice of ham at the bottom of each well, smoothing up sides. Press a few spinach leaves at the bottom, then crack one egg into each "cup".  Sprinkle S & P on top, throw in oven, and bake for about 12 minutes.  Giggle the pan a bit toward the end of cooking time; if whites aren't set, cook for another couple minutes.  You do want the yolk to be a bit on the runny side though, which as B says, is the best part.  Of course if you don't want to run the risk of salmonella, cook them a few minutes longer.  Or just wash your eggs with soapy water before cracking to reduce risk.
When they've cooled completely, remove from pan and wrap individually before refrigerating.   Reheat each in the microwave for about 1 minute on high.


Variations:
1-2 T diced pre-sauteed ham cubes sprinkled at the bottom of each cup instead of sliced ham (creates more of a "layered" muffin than a "cup")
Crumbled bacon
Chopped, pre-sauteed onion
Finely chopped peppers

You Say Frittata, and I Say....Frittata

Cast iron pans are my absolute favorite for most daily cooking projects, except baking eggs.  Not only do they stick like crazy, but they can take on a weird flavor from the iron pan.  I haven't figured out a tried-and-true method for preventing the eggs from sticking when making a dish like this, but I have learned that the more flavor-y ingredients you add, the less iron taste leeches into the dish.

Frittatas are incredibly versatile, so finding flavorful ingredients to mask off-tastes is super easy.  Bacon, of course, is a no-brainer.  Diced ham is a close 2nd.  The more veggies you pile in, the better.  The eggs just serve to "glue" it all together.

Here's our favorite version, the one I make the most; below are some additional suggestions.  This makes a giant skillet's worth of frittata that you slice up and wrap individually for daily breakfast throughout the week.

Generous amount of butter, ghee, or oil
4 whole eggs, beaten
4 egg whites
6 slices bacon, pre-cooked and crumbled
1/2 sweet onion, like Vidalia, chopped and pre-sauteed
2 handfuls of fresh spinach
Small bunch of asparagus, chopped in 1/2-1" pieces
S/P

Make it all in one pan like this:  Preheat oven to 350.  Saute your onions in the cast iron pan in the butter or olive oil til softened.  Remove to a bowl and set aside.  Turn pan down a bit, and add bacon.  Cook bacon til very crispy.  While bacon is cooking, beat eggs/egg whites together, and chop the asparagus (or whatever veggies you're using).  Remove bacon from pan onto a paper towel and allow to cool a bit before crumbling.  Turn heat off, leave bacon drippings/fat, and add beaten eggs.  Sprinkle all remaining ingredients evenly around the skillet and use a fork to submerge as much as possible into the eggs.  Toss the whole thing in the oven for 25-30 minutes - watch carefully for the edges over-browning.  Check the center toward the end of baking time to ensure it's cooking evenly - the eggs should be firmed up.
This could also be baked in a casserole dish instead of the cast iron pan.  Adjust heat/time settings accordingly for glass.


Variations:
Diced ham, chopped broccoli
Crumbled sausage, chopped cauliflower, pre-steamed kale
Italian sausage, mushrooms, sliced olives, onion
Avocado, cilantro, green onion, spinach

Turkey Muffins

I know this sounds gross but trust me, they aren't.  They were a HUGE hit here and will definitely be on heavy rotation.  These are the easiest things to make and I'm bummed I never thought of this before Pinterest came around.  Damn you Pinterest for overwhelming me with your amazing ideas!

1 lb lean ground turkey or chicken (*can also grind your own in the food processor so you know what you're eating...)
1 large egg (optional)
2 big handfuls spinach leaves, chopped
1/2 large sweet onion, like Vidalia, finely chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
S/P

Preheat oven to 350 and spray a muffin pan with non-stick spray.  In a bowl, combine all ingredients thoroughly.  Shape into 12 balls, and place in muffin pan.  Throw it in the oven for about 30 minutes; check with a meat thermometer before removing from oven (160 degrees) - bake longer if temp isn't up there yet.  Good browning is a must for better flavor.

Serving ideas:  asparagus, arugula salad, watercress soup, steamed spinach

*To grind your own:  Buy boneless/skinless fresh cuts of turkey or chicken, chop down into 2" chunks (to make them easier to fit), and toss them in the food processor with the blade attachment.  Pulse til the meat is ground down, but not mush.  This is a great option for anyone who doesn't own a KitchenAid grinder attachment.  Thanks to my friend Staci for giving me this smart idea!

Paleo Pumpkin Piecakes

Since I've been on this new diet, I haven't had many cravings for sweet things.  But, as anyone who reads this blog can see, I don't tend to have much of a sweet tooth anyway.  Sometimes though, you just gotta have something that isn't MEAT.

Enter Pumpkin Piecakes!  Yes, I realize it's almost June.  No, pumpkins are not in season.  But pumpkin pie is my all-time favorite kind of pie, no matter what time of the year it is, and it also happens to be very Paleo-friendly, especially when made with a nut/seed crust and no sugar.  And, how fun to have little individual servings!

Just a warning to anyone who has a much sweeter tooth than I do though - this is not a super sweet desert.  It does have a sweetness brought out by the combo of molasses and coconut milk, which will satisfy a craving.

Crust:
2.5 c almonds
1 c walnuts
5 T ground flaxseed/meal
3 T butter/ghee
1 t baking soda
dash salt

Pie filling:
2 15 oz cans pumpkin
1 13.75 can coconut milk, unsweetened
4 eggs
5 T molasses
2 t vanilla
1 t each:  cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice
dash salt

Preheat oven to 350.  Grind nuts in a food processor til somewhat fine, then add butter, salt, flax meal, and baking powder and pulse til well blended.  Firmly press mixture into the bottom of the cupcake wells, and bake for 10-12 minutes.  Do not let it brown.

While crust is baking, thoroughly blend all pie filling ingredients together in a bowl.
 
When crust is done baking, remove from oven and allow to cool slightly.  Leave oven on at 350.  Pour filling into each cupcake well, to the top.  Place back in oven and finish baking for approximately 30-40 minutes, or until filling is firm and set up.  Watch edges and bottom for browning; turn oven down to 340 if browning is occurring faster than the filling is setting up.  Piecakes are done when centers are fairly firm (will continue to set up after removing from oven).

Options:  To increase sweetness, replace molasses with maple syrup.  Stevia can also be added in, but start small.  Molasses can also be drizzled on top right before eating.

Sausage & Veggie Pasta

As usual I could not get a decent photo of this deeeeelish dinner, but it was worthy of a blog post nonetheless. There have been a ton of coupons for sausage lately, and while it's normally not on my grocery list, the cheapness couldn't be passed up. Besides....throw in enough veggies, and suddenly you're not eating so much of the "bad" stuff.

3 Hot Italian sausage links sliced into 1/2 pieces, or 1/2-1 lb of ground hot Italian sausage
1/2 onion, chopped
1 large head broccoli, chopped
3 small zucchini, 1/2 slices
S&P, garlic powder, onion powder
1/2 box rotini pasta, cooked (omit for paleo/low carb/Whole30)
2 very large handfuls spinach
Parmesan, shredded (omit for paleo/Whole30)

Cook sausage in a large skillet over medium/medium high heat til browned. Add onions, stir & cook for a minute, then add broccoli and zucchini. Splash a couple tablespoons of hot water in the pan and quickly cover to steam the veggies. After a couple minutes, stir and cover again. Leave over heat for another couple minutes, then uncover and add the seasonings. Stir thoroughly, remove from heat.
In a large bowl, toss the spinach and pasta. Dump the veggie/sausage mixture on top, toss again, and serve with a hefty helping of shredded Parmesan. For paleo or Whole30, just serve sausage mixture over spinach and allow it to wilt.
Since the sausage isn't the star of this dish, a Sauvignon Blanc went really well - good with the veggies and Parm.

Asian-Infused Fish Tacos - or Salad

There are a TON of different elements and depths to this meal - some sweet, some hot, a little Asian, a tad Spanish. Thrown together, it made an insane dinner that gave us both food comas from eating so much.
The definite star of the show tonight was the caramelized cabbage. I don't remember where I saw it, but in one of my typical rabbit-trail, blind stumbling through the interwebs recently, I remembered seeing a picture of roasted cabbage, and it inspired me to change up the standard fish tacos I usually make. Cabbage is really good right now; jicama and carrots are inexpensive; and avocados have been on sale, so this is a good go-to winter dinner. Roasting the cabbage gave it an unusual sweetness that really offset the heat of the cayenne and onions.

Olive oil
1/3 head green cabbage, sliced 1/2" thick through the middle with core intact
4 small cod fillets

"Slaw":
1 large shallot, very thinly sliced, divided (could also use yellow onion)
1/3 medium jicama, shredded
1 carrot, shredded
3 tomatillos, thinly sliced
1 jalapeno pepper, sliced (seeds removed for less heat) - divided
1/2 bunch cilantro, finely chopped

Juice of 2 limes
2 T soy sauce, divided
2 T rice vinegar, divided
1 T black sesame oil
1 t garlic powder
1 t cayenne powder (or to taste)
1 t chili powder (or to taste)
1/4 c Hain canola mayonnaise
S&P

1 large avocado, sliced
Corn tortillas (omit for whole30, paleo, or low carb)

Marinate cod in advance with some of the shallot rings, 1 T of the soy sauce, 1 T of the rice vinegar, the juice of 1 of the limes, 1 t of the jalapeno, and a little S&P. Leave in fridge til ready to bake.
In the meantime, preheat oven to 425. Toss the jicama, carrot, tomatillos, rest of the jalapeno, shallot, cilantro, and the rest of the lime juice, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, and a little S&P in a big bowl, cover and set aside.


When oven is preheated, brush both sides of each wedge of the cabbage with olive oil and place on jellyroll pan. Sprinkle with kosher salt and roast in oven for 20-30 minutes (check around the 15 minute mark to make sure there's no burning). If the core of the cabbage was kept intact & not removed before slicing, they can probably be flipped easily. If not, it's perfectly fine to just roast on one side. They'll still get that caramelly sweetness!


When cabbage is done, remove from oven & transfer to a plate. Turn heat down to 375, and transfer cod from the marinade to a roasting dish (or you can use the jellyroll pan from the cabbage like I did). Bake fish for about 30 minutes, or until flaky.
While cod is baking put its marinade in a saucepan to make the "slaw" sauce - add the mayo, cayenne, chili powder, garlic, and a little S&P, and heat over very low til thickened. Extra lime and/or cilantro could be added to the sauce if more tanginess is needed.
By this time the fish should be just about done. If making tacos, start heating the corn tortillas. If making salad, plate the fish, top with the "slaw" sauce, jicama salad, and sliced avocado. Good with a Pino Gris.

Steak & Beet Salad

If there was a heaven, this would be on its menu year-round. This is perfection on a plate. Of course, you must love beets to agree with me here.
I don't recall ever being made to try beets as a kid, in fact my earliest memory of eating beets was when I was around 21. There was a diet circling around (pre-interwebs, mid 90s), that was called something like the "OHSU Diet". It involved 3 days' worth of meals, and if you followed it exactly to the letter it promised weight loss of at least 10 lbs in those three days. (Of course it didn't work.) Anyway, one of the meals involved eating canned beets dressed with red wine vinegar. Surprisingly I was not grossed out.
I can almost guarantee that even non-beet eaters will not be grossed out by this salad:

1-2 lbs round steak
2 large beets, with greens, washed
Salted butter
Olive oil
3 cloves garlic
1/2 large red onion
2 handfuls washed arugula
Chevre, Feta, or other goat cheese
Balsamic vinegar (vary quantity to taste)
S&P

Well ahead of the game, scrub and peel the beets, separate greens, wrap beets in foil, and roast at 375 until cooked. These took about 45 minutes.
In the meantime, trim stalks off washed greens and set aside to drain. Prep steaks by trimming fat. Let rest a bit, before pan-frying in olive oil with a good seasoning blend and S&P. Fry til browned on each side and med-rare. Remove from heat and let rest on a plate.
While beets are roasting and steak is resting, thinly slice onion, and mince garlic. Slowly saute onions in butter/olive oil over medium low heat til caramelized (can add a tiny splash of Balsamic at this stage if desired, but I add mine at the end for stronger flavor). Remove beets from oven to cool at this point. Add garlic and beet greens to the caramelized onions, cook over low til greens are barely wilted - just a few minutes. You want the greens to still have a little bite and not turn to mush. Set aside.
Quickly slice both the steak and the beets. Toss with the greens/caramelized onion mixture with a bit of Balsamic, Salt, & Pepper. Place a handful of arugula on each plate, and top with the steak/beet/greens combo. Sprinkle a little cheese around each plate, and enjoy - with a giant glass of something meaty & rich, like a Cab, Malbec, Bordeaux, or Shiraz!

Chicken, Cauliflower, and Garbanzo Hot Salad

I originally wanted to call this CCC Salad due to everything starting with C (Chicken, Cauliflower and Chickpeas), but then I remembered how much I love the name Garbanzo. For some reason when I hear the word, I always think of Gonzo from the Muppets. Could not be more unrelated.

Tonight's dinner was a mishmash of things I needed to use up in the fridge. It's not very colorful, but it's super flavor-y. In my book, the only way to make cauliflower is to roast it in the oven - it brings out the most flavor - otherwise it's pretty bland. Roast it with garlic, olive oil and garbanzos, and it's even better!

3 cloves garlic, minced
1 T olive oil, 1 T salted butter
1 can garbanzos, drained (or 1 1/2 c soaked & cooked dry garbanzos made in advance)
1/2 large head cauliflower, chopped into florets
S&P, red pepper flakes to taste
2 chicken breasts

Preaheat oven to 425. Smear butter on jellyroll pan and toss minced garlic, garbanzos, cauliflower, and seasonings into pan. Roast for 10 minutes, check and stir, and roast in 10 minute intervals til browned.
While that is roasting, start chicken in the olive oil on stove top - medium heat. Season with S&P.
When chicken is thoroughly cooked through, remove from heat and set aside on cutting board to cool slightly (for easier handling). Remove veggies from oven. When chicken has cooled a bit, chop into 1" pieces, and place back in its pan. Throw roasted veggies in with chicken, and toss to combine.
We ate this by itself but it would be great with rotini pasta and some Parmesan.