Egg Benedict

The last few weeks, we reduced our time in the kitchen, dramatically.

Why?

It is too warm outside to be with the stove. The summer arriving in a short periods, then rain periods, I still find myself hesitant to cook. We ate things cold: salads, tomatoes, jerky.

Although, I try to remind myself, that we need to grab a little kitchen adventures, discovering new things to make from the Earth. What new things can come from a butternut squash (we are up the wall, butter-nut high), rutabagas, cabbage, or kale? I am still in the learning process of kale. It is high in iron and very rich when raw. I find it easier to eat when cooked, combined with other vegetables. I'm getting there.

For the last couple of days, my breakfasts consists of baked vegetables with mixed in eggs. It's high in green, low in egg flavor, and easily eatable. Honestly, this is a perfect breakfast for any meat-eaters, they get all their vegetables in one meal (with mixed kinds of vitamins), so they can splurge a little on their meat cravings. As for me, I get my greens in, and sometimes I demand a green dinner to get my fix in.

Maks had discovered this, fancy egg thingie, she shoved up the page to my face with her laptop and said "I don't mind trying this."

Message recieved. This morning, I woke up earlier, decided to leave the kitchen alone. Once Maks woke, I said, "you said you wanted to try the egg thing. I'm leaving that up to you." Bemuddled with her quick task of cooking breakfast, she hesitated then took up the task.

MEAT LOVER: It went down so smoothly, I felt I needed two more, but two eggs is fulfilling, I need something else on the side. Oh wait! This is for the blog? I say "Two Thumbs Up."
GREENARIE: Smooth, love the lemon and garlic touch to the avocado. Although to even distribute, I suggest diced tomatoes instead of sliced.



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Egg Benedict
serves two

4 bacon, cooked
1 large tomato, sliced (4 slices)or diced roma tomato
1 medium size avocado
1 slice lemon
1 clove garlic
1 Tablespoon water
4 eggs

1: place meat of avocado, garlic, lemon, and water in food processor, whip until creamy (should be thick, if not creamy enough, add little water).
2: add little water to pan, heat, then use cookie cutter or poacher, crack an egg in the enclosed area and cook. Bottom line: poach your eggs.
3: stack the egg on top of sliced tomato, then spread the avocado cream on top of egg. 
4: crack, crinkle the bacon, sprinkle on top.

NOM NOM!!!

Thank you Food Lovers Kitchen! 

Burgers with Butternut Squash and Onions

This was deeelicious! I enjoyed this every little bit. The butternut squash made a smooth and beautiful touch to the burgers. I could eat this up.

Of course, my dog was the major influence in change of my diet. I realized: why am I feeding my dog better than I eat? She is on raw based diet: eating animals as whole (fat, bone, etc), which is grounded and given raw (cooked is not as beneficial). It's her main meals, eating chicken, turkey, cow, lamb, pheasant, and sometimes buffalo. Since dogs are omnivores and scavengers, they eat whatever they can in between their hunts, so I have an approval list of vegetables posted in the kitchen, so when we have scraps, we pass them along to Bella.

Sometimes I suspect that Bella is a greenarie as well. She would drool after my salads, eat whatever vegetables I hand to her. My previous family dog was NOT a greenarie at all, he hated carrots and refused to eat anything that was not kibble or anything from animal.

After she dove for the whole spaghetti squash and chomped it whole once we left her alone in the house, we learned that she definitely loves vegetables and had to stow away all of the vegetables if we were to leave her home alone.

Anyway, in this case, we had left over squash spread, Bella lunged after it and licked the bowl clean. She gives a good rating which was constant licking.

Yes, I agree. it's so good!

MEAT LOVER: Slightly spicy, but good.
GREENARIE: nom nom!

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 Burgers with Butternut Squash and Onions
makes 5 burgers

Burger:
1 lb Italian Sausage (Mild or Sweet)
1 lb Ground beef
1/2 cup sweet onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup red bell pepper, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1 egg
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper

Spread
1 small/medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut in small chunks
1 Tablespoon Coconut Oil 
1 cup caramelized onions

Garnish
Large Lettuce leaves
1 roma tomato

1: Put coconut oil in large baking dish, and put in oven. Turn on heat to 400*
2: Chop the butternut squash, toss in the dish and mix a little, return to oven
3: Bake for 20 minutes or until soft, then let out to cool
4:While squash is cooking, mix beef and sausage in a large bowl until well combined
5: Add garlic, onion, red pepper, egg, and flakes to the bowl, stir with spoon until meat mixture is well combined
6: Divide mixture in 5 patties, Drizzle each side with olive oil and season with salt and pepper
7: Grill burgers in skillet on medium-high heat
8: When the squash is cooled, puree in blender or food processor, set aside
9: When burgers are done, spread the squash on top, sprinkle the caramelized onions, and top with lettuce and tomato.
10: Eat with a fork, and nom nom!         

Thank you Paleo Table!

Stuffed Cabbage

I was rushed today. I had to drop Maks off at her work, fortunately, able to pick up delicious black coffee at Blue Pig Cafe (local, organic beans). Then I had to focus on finishing the canoe, so I had to pull out paints... the waterproof oil for the canoe, then sample paints for the living room.

It was 11 am. I had to pull out the crock pot to prep the dinner. This was easy to handle, fast. Actually, it did not help when I'm preparing food with the fumes of paint, but I lived through it.

After the pot got closed and sweet cookin', I was able to focus on my lumber projects. I like to provide simulation for my dog, and since I moved in with my girlfriend, I decided her cat needed simulation as well. Turns out I am not a cat person, but after my projects of cat-activities, Cleo has improved a lot in learning and discovering new things.

Then I had to clean up, then run over to my Dragon Boat practice. It was a lovely, calm day on the river. This meal was the best thing to come with this day.

MEAT LOVER: This is good.
GREENARIE: I like it!

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Stuffed Cabbage
serves 4

12 leaves of Cabbage
1 egg
1 cup beef broth (1/3 and 2/3 cup to make 1 cup)
1/4 cup white onion, chopped
1 lb ground beef
1 cup cauliflower, grated
2 Tablespoons squeezed lemon
1 can tomato paste
1/2 Tablespoon Basil
1/2 Tablespoon Oregano
1 teaspoon Parsley
1/2 Tablespoon Marojam leaves
1 teaspoon ground Thyme
1 Tablespoon Salt
1 Tablespoon Black Pepper   

1: Boil water in a large pot, gently peel leaves off cabbage head (try not to rip), about 12 leaves
2: Toss cabbage leaves in pot, when cabbage starts to soften, pour out the hot water, run cold water and run your fingers through the leaves to cool off. Set aside
3: In a medium mixing bowl, mix onion, cauliflower, egg, beef, and 1/3 cup of broth. Mix throughly with your hands.
4: lay out one leaf cabbage, make an oval ball of meat mixture in your hands, roll it up in the cabbage.
5: Put rolled up cabbage on bottom of Crockpot, in rows, and if extra, on top in opposite rows.
6: Mix tomato paste and 2/3 beef broth together until smooth. Mix in spices. Pour over the cabbage rolls
7: Squeeze lemon over the cabbage rolls.
8: Leave on LOW for 7-9 hours          

Basil Avocado Chicken Salad

I was searching for something simple to make, on a day off, but not too complicated that I can extend working on my projects. My canoe partner had snapped one of our beams attached to the canoe as we loaded it on her car after a morning of canoe practice. I volunteered to get the beam replaced and whatmacallit.

Of course. My dog likes to photobomb my photos. ;o)

Turns out the screws were all rusted so bad, even when I tried to unscrew, it had broken off. Attempt to drill out, hammer out, break out, and listing all the shit a tool could do, the broken screws inside the holes of the canoe... was unsuccessful. Fuck it. I'll just make new holes. I glued up the screw plugs and pressed them against the old plugs, waterproofed them. Maks had arrived in middle of my cutting of a new board, figuring out the angle, shoulder curves. It was already 7 pm and kitchen is untouched. I suggested that Maks could take up the task of sanding down the wood so I could grab some cooking.

This was a great summer-time cooking. Took me a little while because I had to thaw and prepare the meat before I could proceed. (And yes, both the cat and dog was perching, begging for some chicken)

This is a keeper: very simple recipe and easy to make.

MEAT LOVER: Two Thumbs UP!!!!
GREENARIE: Good meaty salad.

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Basil Avocado Chicken Salad
serves 3

1 breast chicken boiled and cooled (organic tends to be large. If you buy standard kind, then use two breasts)
1/2 teaspoon basil
1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 cup halved (stems removed) Spinach
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 teaspoon black pepper
2 ripe avocados

1: Mix in everything except chicken and spinach, smash down with potato smasher until smooth.
2: Add in spinach, mix
3: Shred chicken above the salad (Some people use forks, I use my phalanges. Dang. I have been watching a lot of "BONES" lately... I meant... my fingers...)
4: Mix in. Let stand for few minutes.
5: NOM NOM        
  

Thank you PaleoCupboard!

Stuffed Zucchini

This is a great, simple summer side dish. My greenarie barometer sprung up with this vegetarian dish (omit the bacon, haha).

Turns out, I found this recipe being circulated around on Facebook. There was no link, no reference to any sites of where this recipe came from. It was posted in a NOTES and passed around by different people, and my mom's church friend shared this on her Facebook wall. I slapped my thigh and in determined tone, I said, "This is a must!"

Maks asked me where the recipe came from. I said, "well, I saved it in a word document because it was on Facebook." She asked me which page, "there's no page. Just people posting a great idea and circulating it." She gave me a weird look. I will prove her wrong.

My favorite part about this meal was that Maks had chopped one bite of the zucchini, her eyes widen and she took a moment, savoring the bite. About a minute later, she finally reacted, saying "oh my god. this is so good."

That reaction from a meat lover is just... a great result!  And.... I was right. Told you so!

MEAT LOVER: KEEPER!! Two big thumbs up!!
GREENARIE: Oh yes, a keeper.

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Stuffed Zucchini
serves 3

3 medium Zucchini
1/2 white onion, finely chopped
2/3 roma tomato, seeds filed out, finely chopped
6-8 bacon, prepared and finely chopped, save a little bacon fat
1/2 teaspoon Basil
1/3 teaspoon thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1: Turn on the oven at 375*
2: Slice Zucchini in halves (don't cut stem off, will help hold zucchini in place)
3: spoon out the zucchini middles, chop 2/3 of the bunch in small cubes
4: toss zucchini bits and onion into skillet, warm up. Stir occasionally until onion starts to sweat.
5: Put onion mixture into a bowl with tomatoes, spices, and bacon bits, mix well
6: Lay zucchini halves in a casserole pan, spoon mixture in the hollow middles. drizzle A LITTLE of bacon fat over each zucchini halves
7: Bake for 30-35 minutes
8: Let cool for few minutes then eat! NOM NOM 
     


    

Short Rib Bacon Burgers

This was all Maks. I have ZERO experience with meat on bone. I only manage to learn how to handle chicken breasts, ground meat, and sausages. Honestly, I think meat on bone is somewhat... weird. It's not gross, but at the same time, it's not pretty.

Maks had to set this up in the crock pot early in the day, and was anxious because it would be at least 9 hours before we could return to the meat, but it turned out delicious. We had a long day, heading out to a plant fundraiser to benefit a child undergoing surgery, then went to our team's fundraiser which was a comedy show.

To loosen myself, I had mixed vodka in my drink, felt no effect, handed a shot of tequila. Then another shot. My body burned them right off that they did not even seize my blood stream. It was a hot day, my temperature maintained itself pretty well while other performers started blacking out and one was tossed into a ice-bath. Craziness.

We arrived home, ready to crash. I had my projects that I had to get into: Portland is expecting two-day rain, so I had to grab my time on the saw table, cutting up all the lumber for my project so that I wouldn't be sidetracked. Maks proceed to cook up the bacon and make burgers.

We spent our dinner eating outside, it was cooler than inside the house, and my dog drooling after my burger. She got lucky, as I got 2/3 through my meal, the burger slid off. Mon appetite.

MEAT LOVER: Needs flavor, but delicious.
GREENARIE: Where are the vegetables? It's all meat. *pouts*

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Short Rib Bacon Burgers
serves 4

Short Ribs:
4 lbs Short ribs
1/2 cup broth
5 garlic cloves, minced
salt and pepper

Maple/Mustard Sauce:
1/2 cup Maple syrup
1 cup mustard sauce
1 teaspoon black pepper 

for the burgers:
1.5 lbs ground beef
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped
salt and pepper
your preferred # of bacon to top the burgers

1: place ribs in the crockpot, add broth
2: top the ribs with maple/mustard sauce, then sprinkle the rest of ingredients
3: Turn on LOW for 8-10 hours
4: when the ribs are ready, take them out to cool. to kill time, fry or bake the bacon for topping
5: Use a fork to shred the ribs (remove the excess fat), put in a bowl
6: add ground beef and rest of its ingredients, knead until well formed in burger patties
7: grill on skillet, both sides brown
8: let cool, lay bacon on top, add any preferred toppings, sauce and enjoy!         
 
Thank you nomnompaleo!