Zucchini Pancakes

Lately, I have found myself feeling fed up with all the protein. I am tired of meats. Really. I want to delve into my vegetable self, feeling full of energy and busting at every seams.

I decided I wanted vegetarian breakfasts every once in while to take a break from all the meats, so what could I make that's Paleo Friendly?

Zucchini Pancakes!!!

I decided to experiment with this. For some reason, I though it was already invented but I could not find the recipe anywhere (or perhaps I have been searching in wrong places??)

First of all, I did this experiment myself and ate all of the pancakes. Oops.

Meat Lover: Uh, what pancakes?
Greenarie:  Needs Salt, but yummy!

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Zucchini Pancakes
serves one Greenarie, two if shared

1 Zucchini, shredded
1/4 cup green bell pepper, finely chopped
1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon basil

1: throw bell pepper and onion into pan to soften (about 3-5 minutes)
2: mix everything in a bowl
3: dump a little mixture in pan, press down with spatula. Flip when bottom is brown. Put away when both sides are brown, repeat until out of mixture.

NOM NOM     

Bliss

Randomly, I am allowed to go and buy food. Usually, I hate shopping, but when it comes to food, I have a requirement that I must get something delicious out of it.

I have asked my Meat Lover to help me plan out the week's dinners. Summer looming around the corner, our days are getting more busier. We arrive home at 8:30, starving, wanting FOOD and having limited time if we want to grab some shut-eye. Comes in the Crockpots and quickies.

We scourged the website for different recipe ideas and trying to figure out how to fit everything so that we won't end up eating out of boxes or grabbing Taco Bell, planning ahead our meals. Especially that. Maks had asked how we could quickly warm up a meal? My response: doubling our dinner sizes: eating our servings and freeze the other half. See-see if this works.

When it comes to vegetables, I LOVE the colors of it. Isn't it pretty!?!?

Headed over to the Farmer Stand, then stopped by grocery store for remaining ingredients.

Avocado and Tomato Salad

This is my favorite bowl of snack. Two of my favorite vegetables growing up, putting them in a combination, and pesto! Of course, pickles.  I miss pickles.

Anywhooo, back to the point. I was making my partner's breakfast for the next day and I started to edge to chewing on the raw onions and green bell peppers, so while cooking, I made this yummicious bowl to tide me over.

If you are not familiar with the Paleo lifestyle: we are usually only eating twice a day. The breakfast should contain plenty of protein (breakfast meat and eggs) that keeps us content until evening for one more meal.

As for me, my "dinner" appetite knocks at about 3 pm. If I do not eat a meal, I raveously eat anything off cupboards, even cramming sugar in my mouth. Not so good.

What also does not help is that my partner is still on "three-meal" regiment, so her dinner kicks in at about 6pm. She has a strong opinion that we should eat as a family for dinners, so I find myself in a mush. 

Before going Paleo, I always ate out of a can of refried beans. Since legumes are a big no-no, and eating plenty of raw veggies, fruits, and nuts are encouraged, I'm still experimenting in this area.

MEAT LOVER: Um, veggies, go veggies.
GREENARIE: *singing the --mmmmmm--- song*

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Avocado and Tomato Salad
serves one

1 tomato
1 avocado
1 stalk chive/green onion
Dash of Sunflower kernals
Several Spinach leaves 
a thin slice of lemon
salt and pepper

1: chop up the tomato and chive, toss in bowl
2: dice up the avocados, spread on top of other veggies
3: squeeze lemon on avocados, add pepper/salt to your preference.

NOM NOM       

Walnut Chocolate Bars

Well, in the previous blog, I have the tendency to put anything in my mouth.

So... here comes the attempt to find the perfect snack to keep me content chewing-wise.

MEAT LOVER: At first, tangy, then afterwards, smooth.
GREENARIE: Um, not a keeper... :-/

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Walnut Chocolate Bars
Makes 9 bars

Ingredients for Cookies:
1/2 cup coconut flakes
2 cups walnuts
1/2 cup cashews
1/2 cup sunflower kernals
1/3 cup flax soaked in 1/3 cup water
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Ingredients for Chocolate topping:
3 Tablespoons Powdered sugar/preferred sugar
1 Tablespoon cocoa/cacao
1 1/2 Tablespoons melted Coconut Oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1: Mix all cookie ingredients in blender or food processor for a full minute. evenly spread out in a square pan (layered with wax paper).      
2: in a bowl, mix all the chocolate topping ingredients. Until well blended, pour over the cookie, spread. 
3: sprinkle a little coconut flakes over the cookies.
4: Freeze for at least 3 hours, cut up in squares, eat, enjoy, and remaining to be put back in freezer.     

Roasted Brussel Sprouts and Rutabaga

Rutabaga!!!

I have never tried rutabaga. Actually, I'm not much on radishes and turnips because... well, never had the experience and no feedback from the peers concerning these. I decided to go ahead and try a new vegetable! YEEEEESSSS!!!

Brussel Sprouts and Cabbage are two vegetables that I always kept in stock. They're awesome fillers in whatever I throw in my breakfast. I LOVE them. My partner is starting to adapt and learn to like them.

I decided, it's time for a vegetable meal! YES! Make me happy. I wanna be happy!

MEAT LOVER: Um, sure, yes, it's good. You're a good cook.
GREENARIE: Hey! Where did all the vegetables go? Oh, I ate them? Heh.

I forgot to snap a picture. I ate them too fast before my camera could snap a photo. ALTHOUGH, I think there should be a little extra favor. This is something I need to experiment with.

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Roasted Brussel Sprouts and Rutabaga

-1 Rutabaga
-2 cups of halved Brussel Sprouts
-1 teaspoon Basil
-Salt and Pepper 
-2-3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
 Optional: A head of garlic, taken apart, still in coat, bottom cut out, rolled in olive oil

  
1: Turn on the oven at 410 degrees
2: Peel and dice Rutabaga
3: In square pan, put Rutabaga and Brussel Sprouts (and garlic if desired), drizzle Olive Oil
4: Bake for 20-25 minutes

   

Breakfast Loaf

Just a little tidbit here: I like to keep things simple, in both cooking and in sense of having kitchen stuff. I do not like have a lot of junk in the kitchen.

I baked this gooey breakfast in a loaf pan just because I don't have a pie pan. Still works out pretty great and I love it. Also, I sped up the cooking process because I did not have enough time on my hands, it took me 40 minutes.

MEAT EATER: Yummy!
GREENARIE: Nom Nom

Added avo with a small squeeze of lemon, and cooked fried sweet potatoes. Heaven!

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Breakfast Loaf
serves two

ingredients:
-6 links of turkey sausage
-2 green onion/chives
-1 cup chopped cabbage
-1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
-2 stalks cooked asparagus
-1 teaspoon Basil
-1/2 teaspoon Paprika
-1 teaspoon salt
-1 teaspoon black pepper 
-3 eggs

Directions:
1: mash down the turkey sausage in pan, bake in 400* for 18 minutes.
2: chop the cabbage, bell pepper, and cook in skillet with a dash of olive oil. Cook on Lo-Medium, until a little wilted.
3: chop chives, cooked asparagus, put in bowl. Add spices.
4: add the cabbage and pepper in the bowl with other veggies
5: let it cool off a little (5 minutes), add eggs, mix.
6: when turkey is ready, pour the veggy mix over the turkey and bake again for another 20 minutes.
7: let it cool, and slowly eat the gooey yumminess!  
 
(modified from PaleOMG)
   

Tangy Chicken Crockpot

You should expect a lot of Crockpot or slow cooker recipes from me. I like to keep my days filled with activities and most of them happen in the evening, so it's easier to prepare in the late morning then come home to warm dinner.

Oddly, I recently started learning how to cook meat. My partner, Maks, has found this delicious and said it is a "keeper." Me... it's dandy OK, nothing impressive. I decided to experiment on how bacon cooks in the slow cooker, best result: the over-cooked ones are best because they turn a little soft. The cooked (how meat-eaters like it) turns limp and scary.

Rating based on my and my partner's responses.

MEAT LOVER: keeper!
GREENARIE: um, sure, whatever.

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Tangy Chicken Crockpot
serves two

ingredients:
-2 chicken breasts
-1 cup of green enchilada sauce
-2 Tablespoons crushed jalapeno peppers
-8 pieces of pork bacon
-1 yellow onion, chopped
-1 1/2 cups crushed tomatoes
-1 teaspoon Cumin
-1 teaspoon Black Pepper
-1 teaspoon salt
-1 teaspoon Basil
-1 teaspoon Ground Coriander Seed
-1/2 teaspoon chili powder

directions:
1: cook bacon in skillet, make sure they're overdone (but not burnt)
2: while cooking bacon, pour in sauce, tomatoes, jalapeno, and spices in pot, turn it on to warm.
3: let bacon cool off, leave bacon grease in skillet, start cooking chicken breast in skillet. Cook until light brown (not raw).
4: while letting the chicken cook, chop onions and add to pot, stir.
5: gently drop cooked chicken breast on top of sauce mixture, lay bacon across (usually 4 bacon for one chicken). If any bacon grease left, pour over chicken/bacon. 
6: cover, heat on HI for a hour, then LOW for 5-8 hours. 
      

(Reference: This recipe was modified from Paleopot.)

Long explanation of.. my diet?

I am a Greenarie.

I LOVE vegetables. It makes my tummy happy, makes me light enough to float, and yeah... generally makes me happy.

What separates Greenaries from Vegetarians/Vegans are the fact that we don't care about the animals. I'm often categorized in the "a vegetarian to prevent butchering of animals" crowd, when in fact... I eat a lot of vegetables because I LOVE vegetables. Simple.

Meat, eh. I'm not too fond of meat. Pork tastes like rubber glue. YUK, the fat? Even more sticky rubber glue! Also, well, I have a little phobia with meat. Especially Seafood.

Every fricking time I go to the doctor's office for blood-draw, my blood is screaming "feed me MEAT!!" and I'm always listening to my doctor saying "you need to eat meat." I would go in deep conversation about vegetarian friendly proteins and iron to support my red blood cells, and my doctor says "it does not matter. You need meat."

Stoooopid doctor. Actually, all 4 of them. Okay, point taken.

I had done a little research on consuming protein for a vegan/vegetarian lifestyle. It seemed like a lot of work. Lots. I just felt like limited options and unable to consume enough to work on my stability of protein consumption. Every vegan person I have met has tried to convict me "Kale!!" or other suggestions. Seriously, I suck at watching what I eat. Hell, if you hid a camera in the kitchen, you wouldn't believe what I put in my mouth. I just gobble whatever is on hand.

Originally, I decided to continue my vegetarian diet with a random (boneless breast) chicken here and there. Sometimes a homemade beef burger.

Really, my partner has a big part about the meat part of my life. She has a high carbohydrate/protein cravings,  so my diet did not fit her very well. Her body doesn't recognize vegetables as food, she does not get content or tummy-happy. In order to fit with my lifestyle, she often ate rice-a-roni, pasta-a-roni, chicken, and ramen. She did research on her blood type and realized that in order to lose weight, she needed to follow a stronger vegetarian diet.

My descent is Czech. Meat represents wealthy. My grandma thought I was off my rockers when I requested baked potatoes. Grandma and Dad always thought something was wrong with me, they often prodded their finger in my food, inspecting its worth, and tried to figure out why in the hell she is not touching the ham!? Honestly, it has been this way my whole life. My favorite soup when I was a wee elementary kid: Split Pea Soup (no meat). My favorite meal in high school: Beans and Rice casserole. My favorite snack growing up: Pickles, Tomatoes, Avocados, and Sunflower seeds. I was the oddball in the family.

A little annotation here: when I was about 10 years old, my dad made BLT and chicken noodle soup for dinner. As usual, I like to add mayo and eat a LT sandwich. In the past, Dad had tried to convince me to eat bacon because "it's good for you" which never stuck. That night, Dad told me, "Do you know how Popeye got strong?"
I said, "because he ate a can of spinach."
He said, "well, sweetie, I'm sorry to break it to you. I'm older than you, so you see.. Popeye originally ate a lot of Bacon, it made him so strong, he stayed strong all the time. But they ran out of Bacon. So he eats Spinach, but it does not make him strong all the time. That's why you always see him gulp the Spinach when he needs a little help. Poor Popeye.."
I believed him. I grabbed one bacon, tasted awful, gulped it. Then I ran outside to the bars and lifted myself, waiting for my arm muscles to bulge. In a hour, I realized... he lied!

 With my Czech bloodline, it's difficult for my blood to be happy on vegetarian diet. It's not always fun to be anemic when you're spinning. Thus I did not follow a full vegetarian regulated diet.

When I first heard about Paleo, I realized... this is a good median for my partner to meet me. Her love of Meat and my love of Vegetables. Ever since I started the Paleo guidelines, my partner has seemed to be more content with meals. I was feeling better that we were not eating out of boxes. Everything comes from scrap.

 I tend to follow RAW and Paleo recipes. RAW when I want a Green meal, Paleo for a meaty meal. It's a great balance. Of course, a lot of modifications. Eh.

So, with the encouragement of my partner, to set up a Paleo blog based on Greenarie preferences so I can track my cooking. Haha. Cheers.