New dish, no name

This is the problem I encounter when creating new dishes out of the hat. No clue what to call them! Maybe I will starting calling them Goulash #1, Goulash #2 and so forth. Nah, that would be too dull. I am anything but dull!!

I have a confession to share with all of you folks first. About to commit the ultimate sin in my kitchen. For those of you that have forgotten, didn't care or are new to my blog. I have a very bare bones kitchen. Take great pride in not having the typical tools used in a proper kitchen. Was rebellious as a child, that trait has not outgrown with age. No microwave, no toaster, blender, measuring cups and the like. Cannot tell you how many people the years have tried to give me...almost DEMAND I take a microwave. Who the hell has more than one microwave?!

What was I talking about?

Oh yeah! The ultimate sin! I am also easily distracted, even in the middle of my own ramblings. It is rather embarrassing when I have to stop myself in the middle of a conversation and hope the listener was indeed listening then get me back on track.

Ready to slap me yet?

After years of coveting a fancy smancy blender, I am going to buy one! Spent the last few days looking at every freaking youtube video, reviews, stories on all the major brands. Will soon be a owner of a Vitamix! Hopefully, my kitchen won't rebel, maybe yet, they will rejoice that I will be in there less.

Ready for the mysterious new dish? It has an Indian flare...tried a new spice blend. Talk about a change in taste and texture but amazing. Nothing more fun watching the family try and identify what is in their food, looking at me for confirmation that I have not lost my marbles and decided to poison them. Can't understand why they did not believe me and demanded I take the first bite.

The new spice blend is called Panch Phora: fenugreek, brown mustard seed, nigella, cumin seed, fennel seed. They can be soaked in oil, ground or cooked in oil whole.


Aren't they gorgeous?!

1 pound of ground meat (pork or turkey work great)

1 onion sliced

1 can diced tomatoes drained (freeze juice for future recipes!)

2 cups broccoli sliced

2 heaping tablespoons Panch Phora spice blend

4 tablespoon plain yogurt

In a tablespoon olive oil, cook Panch Phora on medium high heat, when the seeds start to pop, turn heat down to medium. Add ground meat. Cook until barely pink, add onions. Allow to cook for approx. 10 minutes until onions are translucent, add broccoli. Cook for 15 more minutes. Add drained dice tomatoes and simmer for 10 minutes.

Top with a tablespoon of plain yogurt. Wonderful served with a side of rice or as pictured, quinoa.

Tex Mex revisited

Made this a week or so ago and decided to make it again. Here is the original recipe. Tex Mex Surprise

Did not have all the original ingredients so used a different variations in the vegetables. Instead of kale, I used corn, garlic was a no go this round. Did not serve it with rice either. Thought it would be a good opportunity to kick the spice temperature up a bit. The boy handled it like a champ!

See? Still beautiful!

Also, wanted to report that I am still climbing the stairs each morning! 

Tortilla de España

I credit growing up in Spain to opening my palate to a wide range of flavors. We had a nanny, Maria, that cooked the most delicious foods. Since I was older, I was able to help and watch how she created these tasty meals for us children on a daily basis. This is one of them, Tortilla de España.

My mother carried the tradition when we returned to the U.S. and dubbed it my brothers favorite dish. Little does he know, it was all of our favorite. While I love my mother and turned out to be a wonderful cook, she did not make it the same way as our Spanish nanny. I prefer Maria's method. Not dramatically different, but I can taste the difference in preparation. Sorry, Mom.

There is some prep work involved, make sure you give yourself enough time. Because of the time involved, I do not make this dish very often. This dish involves *flipping* so I strongly urge you to use a smaller frying pan, not the large version.

2 potatoes, cubed small
2 clove garlic, diced
1/2 onion sliced
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon basil
1 cup veggies
   -This various to what you have on hand or prefer. Popular to add peas, but I often use colored peppers, broccoli and spinach. Experiment! :)

7 eggs

Scramble eggs in a large bowl and set aside. (tip: do not add milk!)

Cook potatoes in olive oil until tender. Add spices, garlic and onions, cook for additional 5 minutes. Toss in veggies. Stir for 5 more minutes.

This process happens quickly. Add potato mixture to the eggs, mix well. Pour evenly back ton the pan. Cover and cook for approx 10 minutes on medium heat. Using a plate, cover the pan and flip. Don't second guess yourself, just do it...flip it! Make sure you have enough oil left in the pan, may need to add a teaspoon more.

Ready for this? Slide the plate back into the pan so the other side cooks. Allow to cook for 10 more minutes.

This may be served hot or cold.

Been six months since I weighed...

Even though my family has been working on a healthier lifestyle for a couple of years, six months ago, we became even more fierce in our eating/exercise regime. I have not stepped on the scale in six months until now.

It has been very visibly obvious in my husband that he has been losing weight....nearly drastically. His own mother was shocked and this was a couple of months ago. My husband started at size 44 pants. He is now wearing 36 and they are falling off of him. He weighed at the doctors office 4 weeks ago at 210. This morning he weighed 188. (the bastard! LOL) Even he was shocked!

Truly cannot be more proud. It is also proof to me that the way I have been cooking and enforcing exercise IS working. Just not for me...yet.

I've neglected my thyroid issues. In six months, I've barely managed to lose 20 pounds (I have dropped a size, almost two). I know men lose faster and all that jazz. But I also know from past experience when I was on thyroid meds, I lost weight appropriately to my eating lifestyle. Without meds, I have not.

Fret not my friends, I'm not upset. It is a lesson in what I need to do. A doctor appointment is in order to get me back on thyroid meds. It is good I weighed and not further delay the obvious. *smiles*

Also, I shudder at the thought of how much I would have gained had I not made the changes I have.

Looking forward to the continuing journey to a healthier lifestyle. I have many supporters to thank. Every encouragement and suggestions have been not gone unnoticed. Now know that I am NOT alone in the everyday struggle called life.

Peanut butter surprise

Would write something snazzy to accompany this recipe but a handful of people have been barking at me for me to hurry up and blog it! Pushy people I tell you! 

:o)

No clue what to call it so it is a surprise...with peanut butter.

2 skinless boneless chicken cubed (I prefer breast, but mix will work fine as well)

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons garam masala

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 onion sliced

3 tablespoons peanut butter

1 can coconut milk

2 cups baby bok choy - chopped large

2 cups arugula or spinach - chopped large

1 tablespoon unsweetened coconut flakes (optional)

Cook cubed chicken on medium heat with olive oil, when just barely pink, add garam masala seasonings, salt and onions. Let that cook for approx. 10 mins or until onions are translucent. Add peanut butter and coconut milk, allow to simmer on low heat for 15 mins. Toss in all the greens, mix well. Simmer for an additional 10 mins.

Serve with rice or as pictured, quinoa. Sprinkle with unsweetened coconut flakes. Enjoy! 

Tex Mex surprise

It has been awhile. I assure you, I've been cooking, even expanded to regular bread making. Cannot bring myself to buy store bread. I'm sure at some point, I will, hopefully just for a random event not permantely. It has brought me great comfort mentally as well as emotionally. This doesn't make sense, does it? Ha, didn't think it did as I look back at that sentence. How can bread bring one comfort?

The kneading brings some sort of meditation. I haven't meditated in years. Too much chatter to tone down long enough to allow some quiet. Even more funny to say this as a deaf person, well mostly anyways. Walking has helped reduce the chatter but something about kneading the dough just puts me in a slight trance. Think my arms will tell you differently. They think it is a torture session. Ha!

The other comfort it brings me is knowing that I am making my family as wholesome of a product as possible. Of course the wheat and other ingredients were not grown and processed by me, but I am very selective about the products I do buy. After doing extensive research, I've decided to purchase stone ground whole wheat flour. Found Bob's Red Mill to be the best choice aside from doing it by hand with a stone ground flour mill. I've looked around, they are very expensive, I think I will stick with buying the flour for now. Before making my own bread, I found Dave's Killer Bread to be a wonderful choice in bread for me and my family. Lower carbs and loaded with natural/organic ingredients and most of all, taste awesome! :)

Oh yeah, this is suppose to have a recipe in it! I got off track, I apologize. *wink*

Remember me talking about all the wonderful spices I bought from a local spice store, Summit Tea and Spice? No? I wrote about it in this post. Chugach Chili Blend is my new favorite spice. I use it in chili, taco seasoning and other random dishes that needs a kick ass spicy taste. I also used it in this dish...

Tex Mex Surprise

1 chicken breast diced
1 large onion sliced
garlic sliced (adjust amount to your preference, I used 1/2 a head)
1 bunch kale sliced
1/2 head cabbage sliced
2 large tomatoes diced
3 cups black beans cooked (or 2 cans)
2 tablespoons Chugach Chili Blend (or other spicy seasonings of your choice)
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup pepper jack cheese shredded or diced

Cook diced chicken with a little olive oil on medium/medium high heat, when almost done, add chili seasonings. Stir for a couple of minutes, add onions and garlic. After 10 minutes, add kale and cabbage. Continue to stir frequently for approx. 10 mins. Add tomatoes and black beans. Let simmer for 10-15 minutes.  Serve topped with pepper jack cheese.

May add rice or as pictured, served with a side of wild rice.

If you want to try out dried beans, it is super easy and very tasty! Just toss some dried beans in water in the morning before you take of for work. I never measure, just throw a bunch of beans (approx. 1-1.5 cups for this recipe) and cover. About a half an hour before you are going to cook, drain beans, add to a pot, cover well with water (about 3 inches above beans) and cook on medium high (after bring to a boil) for approx. 30 minutes. Drain and set aside until ready to add to main dish.

Did you see a fat lady jogging this morning?

If are in Anchorage, chances are, you did. No worries, it was just me. Yes, in my bright lime green jacket, scarf wrapped around my neck with a matching bright green backpack and a blinky light thingie attached to the backpack. I've been attempting (a very loose term right now) to jog.

I asked my knees a couple of weeks ago if I attempted jogging if they would give out or not. At first, they laughed at me. When the expression from my face went unchanged, they started to growl, actually, grind is more like it. Perhaps I should have waited a little longer, they are still bitter about the whole elevator fiasco.

I gave them a week to moan and groan, literally. I felt like such a wimp! I'd jog for about 5 seconds and about want to die! Damn those joggers, they make it look so effortless!! I jogged a few more times in 5 second intervals. Thought, this has to look like a joke! A 200+ pound woman jogging?! I'm sure folks don't know whether to cry or laugh...probably both....cry from laughing. I would quickly retreat from jogging as soon as I would see a vehicle approaching.

Gave up for a few days. I'm just too fat! My husband was bewildered I even tried to run, jog, whatever! What possessed me to do it? I explained I had a dream that I ran everywhere. Not the running from monsters or vampires, just joyfully and effortlessly running everywhere. Sigh.

Woke up to a dense fog this morning. Something stirred in me as I ventured out for my morning routine of walking to work. The urge to jog surfaced again. Peering into the deep fog, I looked around. Maybe there is a vampire watching me? After laughing at myself, felt that a warmup is required. Approached the main road, looked around again for vampires (or other vehicles). Started to jog. Granted it is very low impact kind of jogging but, I was doing it!

Saw headlights approaching...QUICK! What should I do?! I didn't want to stop, so my feet kept on with the jogging. Made it nearly 2 blocks then had to walk a bit. Wow. I just jogged more than 5 seconds! Made it pass some buildings, then the long stretch to work. Took turns for a half mile, jogging and walking. Shins were starting to burn, ankles getting numb. I think I felt safe under the blanket of the fog, not overly concerned if someone saw me. My knees did pretty good considering. They were not happy with my decision to climb the stairs. Oh well!

Felt a little bit sad that my friend who lives clear across the country was not there to share it with me although, I did tell her about it on facebook. I think we'd make fabulous walking/jogging buddies. She already said hell no to moving here. Maybe if I just tell her how totally awesome this place is, she'll have no choice but to move. Yeah, right. Hahaha!