Here we go again...

Bacon Egg Muffins with Spinach and Feta

Flexitarian Cooking

When I am trying to be healthy I try to cook 80% vegetarian.  Save the meat for the weekends with my beer and cheese consumption.  I found a cookbook, written by Dawn Jackson Blatner that is right in my sweet spot, called Flexitarian Cooking.  


Tonight I prepared (with my twist on it of course) 2 recipes that paired fantastically!  I prepared a salad with arugula and orange slices with a shrimp curry.  They received above average praise so I thought I would share.

Arugula Salad with Orange and Avocado
INGREDIENTS
10 ounces baby arugula
1 cup fennel bulb, shredded
1/3 cup walnuts, chopped
1 orange, sliced
1 1/2 Avocados
1 Lime


Vinaigrette:
1/3 cup walnut oil
1/3 Cup 50/50 orange juice
Juice of 1/2 an orange
Juice of 1/2 a lime
Orange zest
1 clove garlic, minced (optional)
Salt & pepper to taste


Directions:
Prepare vinaigrette ahead of time to let flavors come together.  Add ingredients into a bowl and let sit.
Put fennel and oranges, into a bowl and add a little dressing.  Roll around and let it sit.  Cube avocado and squeeze half a lime over it. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Then to a bowl I add the Arugula, Fennel, orange slices, and avocado. Add dressing then mix.  Plate and add toasted walnuts.

Shrimp Coconut Curry

INGREDIENTS
Sauce:
1 can (13.5 ounce) coconut milk
1 Tablespoon curry powder
1 Tablespoon minced garlic (optional)
2 Tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 Tablespoon Fl. honey
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 head cauliflower, chopped
1 red bell pepper, sliced (about 2 cups)
carrot chips
2 cups frozen peas
1lb. Shrimp (peeled)
1 Tablespoon oil or butter

2 cups cooked brown rice
Toppings: chopped green onions & lime wedges

Brown rice takes a good 40+ minutes to cook, so get it started early.  I prepared my salad next.  Then, I put the ingredients for the sauce in a small sauce pan, and let them get together.  While everything was getting happy, I chopped all the vegetables and removed the tails from the shrimp for the curry.  Once the rice was about finished, I fluffed and set aside.  I add a little oil to the pan, and sauted the cauliflower, carrots, and red pepper.  Once the vegies have a little color, I add the sauce, and let everything come together for about 6 or 7 minutes.  Then 1 add the peas and the add the shrimp.  Stir it around to coat with the sauce and cover with a lid.  After about 3 or 4 minutes add the brown rice, and stir together.  Let combine while you plate the salad.

-Sean

Build a Better Burger Tips

While sitting in Paradise (on spring break with my girls in Key Largo) I realized I had not had a burger worth posting about since my original post from the Green Iguana.  Sorta wishing I could just fire up the grill and make my own.  But not having a grill at the moment, I decided instead to post about tips I have learned over the years, and hopefully I run into Jimmy or at least a 'cheesy' touristry burger joint...Until then here ya go:

1. Alway start with 80/20 ground beef.  You want healthy start with turkey.
2. You want fresh, so ask your butcher for it.  You should know your butcher, let him know you are a foodie, and you take these things seriously.
3. Season your ground beef 4 - 6 hours before.  Save some for during the grilling, and don't add salt yet (or not much if you are using a store bought seasoning mix). Don't play with your meat too much, it makes it tough.
4. Make patties right out of the fridge, the fat will be cold, and they will stick together better.
5. Stack patties using wax paper between layers.  I usually stack them in those throw away aluminum trays.
6. Let your meat come to room temperature before grilling.  I use charcoal a lot, so it has just worked out this way, but does seem to make a difference.  Don't worry about it with store bought frozen burgers though.
7. Seasoning should always be done in intervals.  So as the burgers grill, add a little of what ever you put in the burgers. It adds depth...
8. Flip only once!  It was a hard habit for me to break, but it is best.
9. Now you can add salt.  I use finely ground sea salt or kosher salt.  But wait until you flip. And when the burger is finished flip it as you take it off, salt this side.  Meat has two sides! 
10. If you are adding cheese (and who doesn't) instead of taking the burger off, I flip on the way to a part of the grill with little or no heat, apply your 2nd salt here, and then add cheese.  Cover with the aluminum pan or grill lid.  
11. Use a good Mayo on the bottom bun; keeps the juices from making the bottom bun soggy.  Nobody likes a soggy bottom.

Sean

Simple Cheese Omelet

Good morning.  Today's breakfast of choice given that I am headed to Yuengling Brewery is a low carb favorite:  Cheese Omelet.  Now I figure like my burger choices, that if you gonna do it, do it.

So I start by melting a little butter in the pan as I beat 2 brown eggs with Tobasco and salt and pepper.  Once the butter solids brown a little, I slowly pour the egg mixture in the pan.

As I let it firm up a little, lifting the edges to allow the mixture to ooze around and under, I add shredded cheddar, that's right 2 or 3 days of cholesterol all it once.

Slice a tomato for color, and find a favorite blog to catch up on (today was the Florida Beer Guild site) and breakfast was served.  You could see the browned bits slightly, adding color to the lightly browned outside.  Also influencing the taste, the melted cheese that stretches from the plate as I lift my fork to my mouth.  Nothing to fancy but definitely tasty!

Sean

Breakfast for Dinner

  This is a favorite recipe of my kids.  There are many ways to vary this recipe, sugar versus brown sugar, with or without sliced bananas, with or without powdered sugar.  But I have never had any complaints.

- Day old French loaf bread

- 1/2 cup (opt. Brown) Sugar

- 1 tsp. Cinnamon 

- 6 lg eggs

- 1/2 cup Half&Half (opt.)

- Philly Cream Cheese (flavored are best, although I wouldn't suggest the salmon)

- Butter/Oil for pan

Pre-heat oven to 220 degrees, with cookie sheet ready.  Slice the bread on angle about 1/2" thick. Spread liberally with cream cheese. Add a top to complete the 'sandwich'.  Pre-heat skillet or counter grill to medium heat.  Beat eggs, sugar, cinnamon and half&half together until the sugar looks like it goes into the mixture.  Depending on the size of your bowl, put a couple of the sandwiches into the egg bath, and allow to absorb the mixture.

Add a pat of butter to the skillet, and allow it to spread and slightly brown in pan. If using oil, give it a couple of minutes to come up to pan temperature.  Place sandwiches in the pan, and let brown for a couple of minute on each side.  Then place on the cookie sheet, which I have learned through experience that helps the cream cheese soften to a desired texture.  Once all the sandwiches have sat in the oven for a few minute or the bacon is ready ;) then you can serve.  Enjoy

Sean

Tasty Balance...

So after the lunch time burger, I needed something tasty but lite for dinner.  Chickpeas and cauliflower over brown rice served the need.

While I let the brown rice simmer, I sauted green peppers and onions, and then added the chickpeas.  I added a little salt, pepper, and paprika,

While everything was getting together in the pan, I sliced the cauliflower, and layered it on top, to let the juices steam the florets.  With about 7 minutes left on the rice, I stirred it all together.

Served with a little side salad, I felt the balance return to my day...

Sean