I Wanted To Be a World Traveler, So Then I Was ~ Plus Some Delicious Honey-Orange Chicken

I have always, really, wanted to travel the world.  The furthest I had gone was Hawaii and of course Tijuana when I was 18.

This yearning, all of a sudden caught up with me.  The yearning was more of a gnawing in my gut and the only way to get rid of it was a ticket to China.  But first I needed a passport.

Yes I am 36 and just got my first passport.

Once that was accomplished I needed to apply for a tourist visa to China.  $100 later…I am purchasing tickets to Beijing.  Oh my god.  That was thrilling.  The whole experience was thrilling.  I had never taken an international flight before.  Nor experienced the cattle-like process of customs upon returning.  It was all worth it.  Every last moment.

Plus I’m really good at disassociating.

The Great Wall of China you ask?  As magical as you can possibly imagine.  Taking the toboggan back down?  Fucking unreal!

The whole experience made me realize that, as corny as it sounds, the world is, in fact, my oyster.  It is just waiting to be experienced by me.  As my best friend and I were going our separate ways at the Beijing Internal Airport, she turned and asked me,

Well, where to next?

Yes!

I believe Switzerland

is in the running for our 40th.

Back home I am wondering how to get to England and Iceland in February.  It’s one of my oldest and dearest friends’ wedding.  He’s in Manchester.  We met when I was 16 and he and his brother were years younger.  We were both in Kauai, stuck (haha, is anyone stuck in Hawaii?? No.) on the North Shore and so we spent the summer hitchhiking to Bubba’s burgers, laying on the beach, eating at my Dad’s restaurant and basically laughing the whole damn time.  It was epic.  We spent the summer laughing.  I had found the little brothers I was missing in my life.  From that summer on they would visit me in California periodically and we stayed in touch and now….19 years later…. I just bought tickets for my husband and I to fly to London to see my friend get married.

Just so happens we are flying Iceland Air so we get a ‘free’ stopover in Iceland.  Naturally, I made sure to book 3 nights in Reykjavik.

I am a world jet setter.  That is me.  How you ask?  Well, I simply decided it so.

The following New Years will be spent in the Dominican Republic.

After that…well.  I’ll wait to feel it out.  Maybe the oyster will whisper a sweet something in my ear…

To celebrate, let’s dig our teeth into this most delectable, savory chicken recipe.  Good news it’s all done in the crock pot.  All you do is mix and dump.  I believe my husband ate 10 drumsticks that night and my kids ate several (anymore than 1 is a miracle).

Thank you to Eating Well Magazine.  This is their recipe from the May/June 2014 edition.  I did change the recipe slightly.  I will post the recipe as it is in the magazine.  But here are my changes: after cooking in the crock pot for the said amount of time I put the drumsticks on a baking sheet and kept them warm in the oven (at about a 250 degree oven temp).  I then poured the sauce into a saucepan and simmered until the sauce was reduced by half (or more).  Once the sauce had reduced, I took the chicken out of the oven, topped with sauce, sesame seeds and cilantro.  Yum!  Serve with white rice (or I made smashed potatoes) and grilled asparagus.

Enjoy friends.  Happy travels.

Me and the Great Wall of China

INGREDIENTS

• 1/3 cup honey
• 2 teaspoons orange zest
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• 3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce or tamari
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 12 medium chicken drumsticks (3-3 1/2 pounds), skin removed (see Tip)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds

PREPARATION

1. Combine honey, orange zest, orange juice, soy sauce (or tamari), garlic, ginger, vinegar and crushed red pepper in a small bowl.
2. Coat a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Add drumsticks, pour in the sauce and mix to coat. Cover and cook until an instant-read thermometer registers 165°F when inserted into the thickest part of the meat without touching bone, 2 to 3 hours on High or 4 hours on Low.
3. Transfer the drumsticks to a bowl. Very carefully pour the liquid from the slow cooker into a medium skillet. Bring to a boil over high heat. Boil until reduced and syrupy, 10 to 15 minutes. Pour the sauce over the drumsticks and stir to coat. Serve sprinkled with cilantro and sesame seeds.

TIPS & NOTES

• To remove the skin from chicken drumsticks, grip the skin from the meaty end of the drumstick with a paper towel and pull down toward the exposed bone until it comes off completely.

High Altitude Adjustment

• Nada

Compost

• Used and abused orange
• Garlic, ginger and cilantro trimmings

Recycle

• Any empty containers

Reuse

• None

Southwest Slow-Cooker Chicken Tacos ~ The Smell of Crisp

Do you smell that?

Heavenly scent.

Go ahead, take a moment and smell that air outside.  Especially at night.

When the world has settled,

your day has calmed,

and all responsibility has dimmed.

I’m not sure what it is about this crisp, Autumn air.  Why my mind and body react the way they do when I smell it.  I remember smelling that crisp air growing up.  You could catch me at any given age, on any given night with my nose pressed against the screen of my cracked-open window.

Sniffing.

Smelling.

Embracing the changing seasons and all its glory.  Fall.  We all know my fascination.  Obsession.  The magical – all too crisp air.

This dish is perfect for such a night.  All day long the crock pot was doing the cooking as I was doing the working.  I spent just about 4 minutes preparing the crock pot in the morning and when the kids and I walked into the house at the end of the day we were enveloped with the most tasty smells.  Even my youngest was like “Mom!  Do you smell that delicious smell!?”

Yes.I.Do.

My good friend had inquired if I had any good crock pot recipes up my sleeve and so I decided to do some experimenting.  This my friends, was a successful experiment.  Now I am all about using fresh, local, organic foods but seriously – if none are available…look harder!

No, just use frozen organic corn if you don’t want to use fresh.  Make it as easy as you want.  All I gotta say is please, please don’t tweak the measurements of the seasonings.  The taste was perfection.

Do you live above 5000 feet elevation?  Check out an addition after the recipe.

Vegetarian?  Supplement bell peppers, sliced onions, chayote, tomatillos instead.

Like red meat instead?  Add a roast to the pot instead of chicken.

Add a fresh side salad consisting of some organic greens with crisp radishes, jicama, carrots and green onions and you have yourselves one heck of a well balanced – healthy meal.

Happy slow-cooking friends.

Ingredients

2 large chicken breasts
1 (16oz) jar salsa
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained/rinsed
2 corn on the cobs, corn removed
1 Tbsp chili powder
½ Tbsp cumin
2 cloves of garlic, minced
½ tsp dried oregano
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
½ tsp salt

Trimmings: shredded cheddar cheese, chopped cilantro, chopped onions, sour cream, corn or flour tortillas

Preparation

1. Add everything except the trimmings to the slow cooker along with ¼ cup of water.  Stir well.

2. Turn slow cooker on low and cook 7-8 hours.

3. Near the end of the cooking time shred chicken or beef using two forks.

4. After 8 hours of cooking and utilizing the trimmings, build yourself a delicious tacos/burritos.

High Altitude Adjustment

• Add two cups of chicken stock at Step 1.

Compost

• Corn cobs/husks
• Cilantro trimmings

Recycle

• Salsa jar/lid
• Bean can/lid

Reuse

• Double recipe and freeze some for another time…

Healthy Lasagna: Embracing the Roller Coaster of Change

Notice the little boy running to his seat…the savory deliciousness permeated the whole house.

Wow.

What a week.

To say the least.

The roller coaster of going through an experience is exhausting.  When I first got on the ride, it was in August and although hectic, it was not scary.  So then I hit the first major dip of the ride and instantly I am struck with panic:

No.no.no.  I want to get off this ride.  I can’t handle it.  Too scary.

Enter life lesson:

Don’t get off the ride prematurely.  Don’t act on those first initial emotions.

As soon as I was able to welcome and honor the sadness, betrayel….change.  I was then able to let all of the rest go…embracing the latter.  I was able to feel those extreme emotions, sense that I wanted to jump but hung in there knowing that as long as I am in that emotional place, I am not connected to my higher power.  That I need to work past that initial shock, regain my balance, see the bigger picture (primary purpose), put my hands up in the air and fly.

So that’s what I did.  Along with my fellow co-workers.  The ride is far from over.  But what I will forever hold dear was honoring all our different emotional stages without judgement.  Ultimately we stand as one, shoulder to shoulder with our intentions on the primary purpose.  We will prevail.  And we will be stronger for it.  So will the school and ultimately…the children.

My major life lesson, which helps me to know that I actually am teachable and that I do retain new thoughts and actions:

I was able to sit comfortably in my uncertainty with blind faith.

So after that week I was still a mom, a wife and hungry.  I wanted something comforting, yet healthy so I chose this lasagna dish compliments of Food Network Magazine circa May 2013.

 The beauty of this recipe is not only the fact that it is quick enough to make after work, or that it can technically be a one-pot meal, but that it is so very interchangeable.  And an excellent way to hide the goodness of vegetables to those picky ones who despise anything green.  Some options that would be delectable in lieu of the celery and carrot mixture:

• Spinach and mushroom
• Butternut squash and kale
• Pumpkin and sausage

The light bechamel sauce that you make is outstanding.  You would never know there are no creams or milks in this dish.

Relax and relish in the fact that this lasagna is healthy.  I hope we all can learn to embrace the ever inevitable change that life brings us.

Happy cooking friends.

Ingredients

9 sheets no-boil lasagna noodles

1 small shallot

3 cups fat-free low-sodium organic vegetable or chicken stock

3 tablespoons all-purpose unbleached flour

1/2 teaspoons freshly grated nutmeg

1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese

1/4 cup chopped fresh organic parsley

1 1/2 cups roughly chopped celery

1 1/2 cups roughly chopped carrots

1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese (about 4 ounces)

1 large egg

2 plum tomatoes, chopped

Preparation

1. Position a rack int he upper third of the oven and preheat to 475 degrees.  Fill a bowl with hot water; add the noodles and soak 10 minutes.  Drain and hang side by side over the bowl’s edge so the noodles don’t stick.
2. Meanwhile, mince the shallot in  food processor.  Heat a skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the shallot and 1 cup of broth; cook 3 minutes.  Add the flour and nutmeg; whisk until smooth, 1 minute.  Whisk in the remaining 2 cups broth; cook, whisking, until thickened, 7 minutes.  Whisk in 1/4 cup ricotta and the parsley; remove from heat.
3. Mince the celery and carrots in the food processor.  Add the remaining 3/4 cup ricotta, 1/2 cup mozzarella and the egg; pulse until smooth.  Spread 2 tablespoons of the shallot sauce in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.  Top with 3 noodles and half of the mozzarella mixture.  Repeat the layers, ending with the noodles.  Top with the remaining shallot sauce, the tomatoes and the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella.  Bake until bubbly, about 20 minutes.

High Altitude Adjustment

• None

Compost

• Shallot, parsley celery, carrot and tomato trimmings
• Egg shell

Recycle

• Broth container/lid
• Ricotta cheese container/lid
• Mozzarella cheese packaging

Reuse

• Plastic bags vegetables came in

Slow-Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup – Doesn’t Get Any Easier Than This

I feel like a loser.  A blog loser.  Like who am I to sit here and ask you all to read my post as I have not had the decency to read any of yours?  Rude, is all I have to say about that.  But you know when you are in that place, where you are suffering deeply in an area of your life and it consumes you?  Where you can’t drum up anything else to talk about as you are utterly drained with this uncertainty?  I think every day, I want to write!  I want to write a blog post but what do I say?  There is no anonymity here.  What I say here will travel to people I actually know.  And it’s none of anybody’s business.  I don’t want to talk about it, to dilute it and make it a topic that is allowed to be spoken freely of.  This is mine.  My sacred uncertainty.  And it’s condensed.  The way it should be.  I have a beautiful inner circle of women I share my innards with.  They are trustworthy, respectful and most importantly they are non-judgemental.

That is why I sit down here and wonder.  How does one B.S.?  I’ve never been good at it.  Either delivering it or receiving it.  I tend to look at the B.S.-er with a blank stare.  Both of us knowing that he/she is full of B.S.  I don’t know how to respond, without calling that person out.  So it makes it hard to practice it myself.  I’ve done it a few times in this blog and those are my most shameful posts.  They make me shiver with embarrassment.

Anyways…

Whew.

When I am a bit over-worked (not usually due to actual work, but because my brain does not freakin’ stop) I tend to want to make other areas in my life a tiny bit easier – to give myself a bit of a reprieve.  I deserve to give myself a little slack.  This is perfect timing as it is soup season.  Nothing easier than soup.  Here are some soups I’ve already posted and do not want to repeat but also, I want my new followers to be aware of: Moroccan Chicken Soup, Spinach-Artichoke Soup, and good ‘ol fashioned chicken and dumplings.

Here is another to add to the list.  I’ve been making this one for years.  It’s a wonderful slow-cooker recipe that you just dump into the crock pot before work and enjoy the fruits of your non-labor when you get home.

Happy no-cooking friends.  Be kind to you.

Ingredients

1 rotisserie chicken, de-boned and meat shredded

1-15 oz can of organic diced tomatoes

1-10 oz can mild (or if you like it hot…) red enchilada sauce

1 medium onion, chopped

1-4 oz can of diced green chilies

2 cloves of garlic, minced

2 cups water

1-14.5 oz can of chicken broth

1 teaspoon each cumin, chili powder and salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 bay leaf

1-10 oz bag of frozen organic corn

Corn tortillas

Vegetable oil

Garnish:

• Chopped cilantro
• Diced avocado
• Lime wedges
• Crispy tortilla strips
• Cheddar cheese
• Tapatio
• Sour cream

Preparation

1. Place chicken, tomatoes, enchilada sauce, onion, green chilies, and garlic into a slow cooker. Pour in water and chicken broth, and season with cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Stir in corn and cilantro. Cover, and cook on Low setting for 6 to 8 hours or on High setting for 3 to 4 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
3. Lightly brush both sides of tortillas with oil. Cut tortillas into strips, then spread on a baking sheet.
4. Bake in preheated oven until crisp, about 10 to 15 minutes. To serve, sprinkle tortilla strips over soup.

High Altitude Adjustment

• None

Compost

• Onion, garlic and cilantro trimmings

Recycle

• All rinsed cans and lids

Reuse

• Plastic bags vegetables and herbs came in.

Salami and Provolone Chicken Roll-Ups

I just did a post on Mediterranean chicken.  I disliked not only what I was babbling on about but I disliked the recipe.  I know, I know….so why did I post it in the first place?  Um, it was good.  Then again, what I just made tonight was even better.  And it is my recipe, cheaper, tastier and less ingredients.

Here’s what

Flip on that oven to 400. Do it.

I had purchased a large thing of pork cutlets on clearance about a month ago.  I’m taking those out and utilizing my fantastic find. There are 8 cutlets, perfect.  Feel free to use 6 boneless/skinless chicken breasts.  Or one ginormous boneless/skinless turkey breast.  No matter what you’re using, you are going to get the opportunity to pound out some anger maybe?  Frustration?  Money woes?  Relationship woes?  Whatever is making those shoulders slowly raise to your ear lobes, let’s see if we can work on getting those lowered a bit.

Between two pieces of plastic wrap. Pound cutlets to a nice thinness.

Once aggression has receded, lightly season with fresh cracked pepper and kosher salt. Both sides.

Start getting a large skillet of several tablespoons of olive oil heated.

As the oil heats. Gather 8 slices of provolone cheese and 16 thinly sliced Genoa salami. Take one slice of cheese, 2 slices of salami and roll up. Use a toothpick to secure. Set aside and repeat with the rest of your meat.

I was lucky enough to find this huge bag of pre-sliced Genoa salami on clearance for 50% off!  I put it in the freezer as soon as I got home knowing this was going to make a fantastic meal one day….here we are.

Add roll-ups to the heated oil. Cook on medium heat 2-3 minutes per side.

Make sure all sides are nicely browned.

While cutlets are browning, let’s make the sauce.  You’ll need 1-2 garlic cloves, minced, 14.5 oz can of crushed tomatoes, 1 teaspoon dried basil, 1 teaspoon dried oregano.  Stir until all mixed.

Once cutlets are evenly browned on all sides, remove from skillet and put them in a casserole dish. Top with home-made marinara. Bake for about 20 minutes in pre-heated oven.

While cutlets are baking, heat a large pot of water. Cook pasta as directed on bag.

I decided to add some fresh spinach to our dinner.  You know, something green.  So I went to my garden and picked some and on my way back I noticed……..

myself.

What the….

What am I wearing?  I literally look like a housewife/farmer lady from the 1920s.  I mean an apron, which can be cute, just not at this time.  A peasant skirt that needs to be donated ASAP.  CROCS!  Oh my god.  But not just crocs, a pair of crocs with some thick, awful socks.  I swear to you, to all of you….I use to be cute.  Stylish.  Pretty.  Youthful.  I use to have time to brush my hair for gods sake.  Do I get props for wearing the beaded necklace Aiden made me?

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A thousand times.  No.

Ugh.  UGH!

Well, anyways….

No baby spinach allowed.

30 seconds before your pasta is to be drained, add that washed spinach to the boiling water. Heat until wilted, it will happen rather quickly.

So then, get a large beautiful bowl.  Fill it up with the strained pasta and spinach.  Using tongs, place cutlets on top.  Pour remaining sauce over everything.

Eat up.

It’s good.

I promise.

Especially that ooey gooey cheese…

Don’t forget to remove the toothpicks before serving.

A quick shout out to me, 15 years ago….awe, those were the days. Not a care in the world, on top of the world or at least on top of Waimea Canyon.

Apple-Bacon-Cheddar Mac ‘n’ Cheese

I woke up this morning and debated for close to an hour if I should turn on the heater.

It’s July 2nd people. 

Currently, I am wearing a large coat and slippers, freezing.  My kids are in sweatshirts, shoes and socks.  Cold.  Um….really?  All this rain is fantastic and usually the rain feels like a warm Hawaiian rain and when it leaves the humidity is like being enveloped in a cozy blanket.  Instead, this rain feels like a Californian rain.  Cold.  Leaving the air very crisp.  If I wasn’t sure it was July, I’d think I woke up in late September enjoying the starts of Fall.  But no.

It’s July 2nd people. 

Having to get the extra blanket for my bed, the one I had just put away, was annoying.  Cozy….but annoying.  Not as annoying as fires, though.  Always want to look at that glass half full.

Liquid +  air = darn glass is always full science nerds!

So here I am, unable to shake off this chill and I have decided to make one of the recipes I wanted to hold onto until Fall.  When it is appropriate to turn on my oven.  It is inexpensive and delicious.  I know, I know I’ve already done a macaroni and cheese post but this one, I could not pass up and then once I made it, I knew I had a new go-to mac n cheese recipe.  I really don’t think they are even up for comparison.  This one is just out of this world.  The salty bacon, the sour/sweet crisp of apple and the creaminess of the cheese.  The leeks are outstanding as well.  What a fantastic addition.  I would have loved to use the white cheddar as that is so superior to its dyed counterpart due to the fact that it’s not dyed but I couldn’t afford it and we already had the orange cheddar.  Still tasted glorious.  I made this in one large baking dish as opposed to the 4 small ones, although that is an adorable idea.  Kids loved this dinner, which is always a feat in of itself.  Add a nice garden salad to the side and you’ve got yourself one perfectly complete meal.  As always, if are have a hard time not having meat as a part of your dinner, add a cup or two of shredded cooked chicken.  Thanks Rachael Ray Magazine March 2013!

Happy cooking peeps.

Ingredients

6 slices bacon, cut into 1/4-inch pieces

2 granny smith apples – peeled, cored and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

2 leeks – white and light green parts thinly sliced crosswise, rinsed well and drained

3/4 pound elbow macaroni

4 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup flour

3 cups milk, at room temperature

8 ounces sharp white cheddar, coarsely shredded (about 2 cups)

Salt and pepper

1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees . In a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat, stirring frequently, until crisp, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Pour off all but 1 tbsp. fat, add the apples and cook, stirring frequently, until browned and beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
2. Place the leeks in a colander in the sink. In a pot of boiling, salted water, cook the pasta until al dente, 4 to 5 minutes; drain in the colander with the leeks to soften them.
3. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, whisking constantly, for 1 minute. Whisk in the milk; cook until smooth and thickened, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and add 1 1/2 cups cheese and a generous sprinkling of pepper; whisk until smooth.
4. In a bowl, add the pasta and leeks, the sauce, apples and parsley; toss well. Reserve 1/4 cup of the bacon. Add the remaining bacon to the pasta; toss. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Divide the pasta among four 16-oz. baking dishes, top with the remaining 1/2 cup cheese and bake for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with the reserved bacon and serve hot.

High Altitude Adjustment

• None

Compost

• Apple skins/cores
• Green parts of leeks, ends
• Parsley trimmings

Recycle

• Butter wrapper
• Rinsed bacon container
• Macaroni box
• Cheese plastic wrapping

Reuse

• Plastic bag vegetables/herbs came in

Greek Farro Salad – Around the World with Farro

My mother-in-law knows and understands my obsession with Trader Joe’s.  She feels my pain of having to leave that all behind in California.  Although….Denver is getting one soon!  *happy dance*  So their last visit a few weeks ago they start unloading their car and I see piles and piles of Trader Joe paraphernalia.  O.M.G.  YES!!!  “Oh Mom!!!!  You shouldn’t have!!!!”  But so glad you did.  Yippeeee!  So as we were emptying the contacts of the gazillion bags she brought: spices she thought I’d like, a case of organic olive oil, organic veggie pasta, fun stuff for the kids, Gabe’s favorite peanut butter filled pretzels, all of a sudden I came across this small bag of Farro.  Um….Mom, what’s this?  She laughs.  And that was that.

So here I am with a bag of Farro.  I have learned Farro comes from wheat (sorry celiac’s) and is common in the Middle East although rare in almost every other part of the world (apart from Trader Joe’s of course) mostly due to the fact that it is low producing and has been replaced by other crops.  I believe Italy is now producing it and Switzerland uses it to make bread.  Anyways, I decided to play.

This recipe, like most recipe’s I come up with leaves plenty of room to make it your own.  Add, delete whatever you like and do not like.  I decided to go Greek with my first Farro experience.  Check out some other ideas (please note all dressings are compliments of Eating Well Magazine):

Italian

• roasted fennel bulbs, diced
• diced salamis
• buffalo mozzarella
• tomatoes

Tomato-Garlic Dressing:  1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil; 1/4 cup red-wine vinegar; 1/4 cup fresh parsley; 1 medium tomato, quartered and seeded; 5 anchovy fillets; 2 cloves of garlic; 1 tablespoon capers, rinsed.  Using a blender-blend.

or

Balsamic Dressing: 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil; 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar; 1/4 cup chopped shallot; 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard; 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper.  Using a blender-blend.

Hawaiian

• flaky  white fish
• diced mango
• shaved coconut

Carrot-Ginger Dressing: 1 cup shredded carrot; 1/4 cup canola oil; 1/3 cup rice vinegar; 2 tablespoons white miso; 2 tablespoons chopped onion; 1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger; 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce.  Using a blender-blend.

Or hey…stay domestic…

Southern Californian

• diced avocado
• bay shrimps
• Any other fresh vegetables/herbs you see at a stand on your way home

Cilantro-Lime Dressing: 1 cup cilantro; 1/4 cup canola oil; 1/4 cup lime juice; 2 small cloves of garlic; 1 medium jalapeno pepper, halved and seeded; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 1 teaspoon sugar; 1 teaspoon salt.  Using a blender-blend.

or

Raspberry-Tarragon Dressing: 1 cup fresh raspberries; 1/2 cup walnut oil or canola oil, 1/3 cup raspberry vinegar or other fruity vinegar; 1/4 cup chopped shallot; 1/4 cup fresh tarragon; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon sugar.  Using a blender-blend.

Greek Farro Salad

Ingredients

1 cup faro

1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

1 cucumber, skinned, seeded and diced

1/4 cup oil-cured olives or kalamata olives, chopped

1/4 fresh mint, chopped

1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled

Preparation

1. Place Farro in a large saucepan; add enough water to cover by 2 inches.  Bring to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook until tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
2. Once Farro is tender, toss with remaining ingredients.  Top with dressing (recipe to follow).

Roasted Red Pepper Dressing: 1 cup jarred roasted red peppers; 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil; 3 tablespoons sherry vinegar; 2 cloves garlic; 1 teaspoon smoked paprika; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper.  Using a blender-blend.

High Altitude Adjustment

• You may need extra water as well as cooking time for Farro.

Compost

• Tomato, onion, cucumber and mint trimmings

Recycle

• Olive and feta containers and lids

Reuse

• Any dressings for salads throughout the week.

Make a few of these dressings at once and keep in mason jars, because anything in a mason jar is chic. It will also help spice up your salads during the week.

Quick Ramen – Yup, Just As Quick As the 10 Cent Packages

And so much better for you.  That’s actually not saying much.  Have you seen the ingredients in those Top Ramen packages?  Yikes.  Yet….this girl right here, can’t get enough of it.  I know I’m suppose to be all “green” and eat only wholesome foods but kids, I have a little confession to make.

I’m the human

that loves

dipping her French fries

in a large chocolate frosty.

I’m the girl

who thinks that frying an egg

in bacon fat

should not be left only

to camping mornings.

I’m the person

who thinks that

marshmallow fluff

should be eaten

with a spoon.

The woman who

wants an over-easy egg

added to any burger

she’s about to eat.

In other words, come on!  Who’s perfect?

^———-not her

I decided that ten cents a package was just too much money to spend, damn it.  No.  Actually, you can’t beat the price.  Not this recipe anyways.  But what this recipe beats, is nutrition.  Takes about the same amount of time, costs a little bit more

B.U.T.

it tastes better and it doesn’t have ingredients you are unable to pronounce.

This is a one person serving.  A quick, healthy, substantial lunch.  It can be made 100% organic as I have.  Feel free to get frisky with this bowl.  Add some shrimp, chicken, beef, tofu…..the ideas are endless.  More vegetables, use beef broth or vegetable broth….let those creative juices flow.  Here is the recipe for which I just came up with as I was jonesin for a bowl of Asian-style noodle soup.

Ingredients

3 cups organic chicken broth

2 tablespoons soy sauce

splash of sesame oil

2 scallions, sliced nice

1 bunch organic authentic Japanese buckwheat noodles

Preparation

1. Add first 4 ingredients into a small saucepan, bring to a boil
2. Add noodles, cook just until tender (careful, they cook quick).

Noodles won’t fit at first. Finagle them as they start cooking to get them emerged…

High Altitude Adjustment

• None

Compost

• Scallion trimmings

Recycle

• Any empty containers such as the chicken broth carton, soy sauce bottle, sesame oil bottle, noodle packaging.

Reuse

• Nada-that bowl should be slurped clean.

Roasted Cilantro Chicken Breast with Avocado, Mango and Papaya Relish

Please don’t judge the color of my avocados. I live in the mountains, there is not an avocado tree in sight…

Okay kids….it’s cleanse time!  Tomorrow, I embark on my 21 day “are you insane” cleanse.  No caffeine, soy, dairy, wheat, sugar and anything else one would eat during the course of a day.  I drink my breakfast, eat a “clean” lunch and drink my dinner.  I am allowed to snack on organic apples and almond butter or maybe that awesome lentil hummus with organic carrot sticks.  Herbal teas are okay!  Green tea is as well, which is my saving grace during these 3 weeks as that is the only caffeine I am allowed.  This the Clean cleanse by Alejandro Junger, M.D.

There are a trillion of cleanses out there and at first I was totally overwhelmed with not only how to begin a cleanse but which cleanse to choose.  An acquaintance nonchalantly mentioned this cleanse and for some reason (although I am pretty sure the Universe had something to do with it) I bought the book without needing to hear another word about it.  From the first chapter, this book resonated with me so completely I knew that I needed to look no further.  There are lots of added supplements that they suggest you buy for this cleanse but I don’t.  I am able to do this cleanse quite cheaply by adding the other supplements they suggest in the book such as milk thistle, oregano oil, maca, Super Seed by Garden of Life and multi-vitamins.  So, my blender is in position on the counter, my hummus is made, my quinoa salad is made and I am looking forward to that balsamic chicken.

I have done this twice prior and both times I have felt so completely alive and “clean” and with such an abundance of energy, it is hard to explain.  I know this is going to be hard because of my sugar addiction and my love of food but then again, I need this.  My brain feels clouded, I feel slow, my body feels heavy and I feel tired most every day, all day long.  I want that clarity back in my brain, the quickness and alertness I am use to.  What makes this time a lot more thrilling, is that my best friend will be doing it as well.  Although she lives in California, technology comes in handy.  So if one or the other gets frustrated, or hungry or scared about coming off the cleanse too early, the other is prepared to support and lend suggestions and encouragement to remain and complete the 21 days.  So here I am.  I have decided to venture out and try some other “clean” recipes, such as this one I am posting.  I feel like I need that.  Yet, for the days that I am either too busy to prepare an extraordinary lunch or don’t feel like it, I have some organic chicken breasts I’ll just grill with some olive oil, fresh cracked pepper and sea salt.

This makes 2 portions.  Happy cleansing peeps.

Ingredients

Relish

1/2 mango, diced

1/2 papaya, seeded and diced

1/2 avocado, cut into 1/2-inch chunks

2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger

1 tablespoon lime juice

1 teaspoon sesame oil

pinch of salt

pinch of cayenne

Chicken

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

pinch of cayenne

2 organic chicken breasts, boneless and skinless

Preparation

1. Mix all relish ingredients and let sit for at least one hour in the refrigerator.
2. In a bowl combine olive oil, lime juice, cilantro and cayenne.  Coat chicken and marinate it for one hour.
3. Turn oven to 350 degrees.  Place chicken with marinade on top and bake for approximately 45-50 minutes.  Turn occasionally until ready.
4. Serve chicken and place relish on top.

High Altitude Adjustment

• Decrease oven temperature to 325 degrees.
• Increase cooking time to 50-60 minutes.

Compost

• Mango pit and skin
• Papaya seeds and skin
• Avocado seed and skin
• Ginger, lime and cilantro trimmings

Recycle

• Any used spice container

Reuse

• Prepare relish by doubling recipe so as to use the whole amount of the mango, papaya and avocado and save for the following day.
• Plastic bags vegetables and fruit came in.

Succotash Salad with Buttermilk Avocado Dressing – A Salute to My Bestie

The thing is…I absolutely loathe the word “bestie.”  Makes me cringe.  Blah.  No thanks.  The other thing is that my best friend hates the term best friend.  She finds it negative in terms of having one friend better than any other.  I get that.  Friends are the best – no need to classify one superior over another.  I know what we have, I don’t need an added term to make me feel more special.  Just being her friend is special enough.  If you knew her, you would want to be her friend too.  I don’t like playing favorites nor do I like being the favorite, too much pressure.  Labels are lame and unnecessary.  The fact is, it seems I have always been blessed in the friend department.  I have old friends, new friends, lost friends, let go of friends.  The one constant has been this girl.  She is not my best friend.  She is my sister.  We may not have had the same parents or siblings but she is more family to me than some family members.  We met in 7th grade and have been a part of each others lives ever since.  I sang her down the aisle at her wedding, she stood next to me at mine.  She knows me more than any other human.  And look, I can go into how deep our relationship is, how much she means to me but the fact of it is, what I have already written will probably make her uncomfortable.  She is not much for the mushy stuff.  We definitely seem to balance one another out – I seem to cry all of the time and I have only seen her cry a handful of times in the 20 years we have been together.  So anyways, this is my ode to a special person, whom will always have a place in my heart.

Kristi is coming over for a few days.  She is bringing with her, her amazing little girl so that our children can play with each other, in turn allow Krys and I to get some quality time.  Since I don’t have girls I have been having a fun time getting some girl things in the house.  She has her own special princess cup, princess fishing pole and a few other surprises.  Can you tell I’m excited?  I don’t have much planned as I want to be flexible but I have ideas just in case we need some.  What I am planning are the meals.  Krys is awesome in the fact that we like similar foods and have similar ideals for what constitutes breakfast, lunch and dinner.  We are both health conscious yet love to indulge (you should see this chocolate crepe cake she just emailed me with a caption of “I’m bringing the ingredients”).  So to start off the vacation I want to have a delicious, vegetable-filled lunch (or dinner, depends on what time we get back from playing in Denver that first day).  I want it ready so that when we get back to my house, I don’t have to be stuck in the kitchen.  So I will have a big bowl of succotash waiting in the fridge, along with a lovely home-made buttermilk avocado dressing.  I found this delectable recipe out of the June 2013 Better Homes and Gardens magazine.

I am going to be making this recipe as printed.  I can not foresee any changes I would want to make.  I love all of the ingredients, I have bleu cheese in the freezer along with chicken breasts and bacon.  I’ll keep those items, prepared and on the side for whoever may like some added protein.  If you wish to keep it vegetarian, you will still get a substantial meal out of this recipe.  As for the kids…they may not like this.  It’s always helpful to have some Annie’s Organic Mac & Cheese lying around (we get it in bulk from Costco for such emergencies).  Here is the reason we don’t ever buy Kraft Mac & Cheese.

Happy Summer folks, oh and it wouldn’t hurt to let your buddy know just how awesome he or she is…

Ingredients

For the dressing:

¾ cup buttermilk

1 small avocado, halved, seeded and peeled

1 tablespoon snipped fresh Italian parsley

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon onion powder

¼ teaspoon dry mustard

¼ teaspoon ground pepper

1 clove garlic, minced

For the salad:

2 ears fresh corn

½ cup frozen lima beans

1 large head Boston lettuce, torn

2 cups (8 ounces) sliced grilled or rotisserie chicken breast*

6 slices bacon, crisp-cooked, drained and crumbled

½ cup finely chopped red onion

½ cup (2 ounces) crumbled feta or bleu cheese

Preparation

1. To make dressing, combine buttermilk, avocado, parsley, salt, onion powder, dry mustard, ground pepper and garlic in a blender and process until smooth. Pour into a small container and set aside.
2. Cut corn kernels from cobs; set kernels aside. In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup of lightly salted water to boiling. Add corn and lima beans; simmer about 5 minutes or until tender. Remove with a slotted spoon; set aside.
3. Line a large platter or four serving plates with the lettuce. Arrange chicken, crumbled bacon, corn-lima bean mixture, onion and cheese in rows on lettuce. Serve with dressing.

*For grilled chicken, lightly season 12 oz. skinless, boneless chicken breast halves with salt and ground black pepper.  For a charcoal or gas grill, place chicken on the rack of a covered grill directly over medium heat.  Grill for 12 to 15 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink (170 degrees F), turning once halfway through grilling.  Or you can grill on a grill pan on the stove top.  Same amount of time.

High Altitude Adjustment

• None

Compost

• All vegetable and herb trimmings.

Recycle

• Buttermilk carton
• Any empty spice container

Reuse

• Plastic bags vegetables and herbs came in.