Life – Page 21 – Gastography

Hiking Bull Hill

December 5, 2012LifeLeave a Comment

We hiked Bull Hill (Mt. Taurus) via the Washburn, Notch & Brook trails last weekend. It was a chilly, foggy day and made for some interesting shots. We would love to hit the Brook (blue) trail again to fully explore the ruins of an old estate we came across but were too exhausted and hungry to do more than glance at.

Space Invaders!

We saw these beautiful leaves all down the mountainside.

Grass and rock in fog

This lichen looks like toad hide

Mushrooms

Leaning rocks

Little rock, big rock

Zen in the land of fog

Fungi

Mossy

Looking up

Hiking in a cloud

Looking out at the secondary payoff view (or at least we think. The summit was a complete whiteout)

Rocks

Trees

Lilliputian pine trees

Old quarry

Quarry rock slide

Woodland (taken by my DH)

Mountainside (taken by my DH)

Quarry (taken by my DH)

Tree contrasts (taken by my DH)

Rushing water (taken by my DH)

Still waters (taken by my DH)

Kelly + Cory Sitting In A Tree – Engagement Shoot

December 3, 2012LifeLeave a Comment

This Thanksgiving, my DH and I had the opportunity to do a mini photo shoot for my sister’s Save The Date cards. She and her husband-to-be are ridiculously adorable and the shoot was really fun to do. Luckily, the day was warm and the tree my sister wanted to use as a prop was as low to the ground and perfect as she remembered.

Here are some highlights:

Kelly + Cory Kissing In A Tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G... — Kelly + Cory Kissing In A Tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G…

A surprise dip

My super adorable, ridiculously photogenic baby sister

We wish them both all the luck and all the love.

Sweet, Spicy & Earthy Potato Lunch

December 1, 2012December 29, 2014Life, RecipesLeave a Comment

Yet again, I have no idea what to title this recipe. It’s a sweet/spicy/earthy/savory pile of sausage goodness heaped on top of a baked sweet potato, and it’s delicious. I made this one day for lunch with a leftover baked sweet potato that came with whatever lunch I ordered Monday from the healthy delivery place, some sausage I didn’t use with last night’s dinner (more on that later), and some of my emergency freezer greens. Dead simple, wholly satisfying, and damn nutritious.

A note on sausage: Buy the best you can. If your town has a butcher, get it there. Your belly will thank you. I grew up eating sausage from the grocery store – I didn’t even know butchers still existed and that they were places I could actually visit – and since I discovered that they a: do exist, and b: are more than happy to help you, I’ve never looked back. Fresh sausage made from good ingredients is a million times better than the mass-produced crap stuffed with fillers you find with a brand on it. Except Neese’s (and to a lesser extent Bass) – if you’re from the south, you know what I’m talking about. That stuff is delicious. When we lived in Miami, my favorite sausage (that I didn’t make myself) was the hot Italian from Laurenzo’s. Now that we’ve made the move to Brooklyn, we have fallen in love with Fleisher’s. Fleisher’s makes better sausage than either my hubbs or I do, and from top quality ingredients – a win-win no-brainer. Don’t think your town has a butcher? Hit Google. I’m willing to bet it does, especially if your town has European immigrants (even “generic” immigrants that have been here for generations). Got Italians? You’ve definitely got a butcher. Eastern bloc peeps? Yup, butcher. Germans? Poles? Old people? Rednecks? Hunters? Anybody that likes traditional style foods? Butcher. Hipsters? Definitely a butcher. Even Whole Foods makes sausage, and it isn’t half bad. Not as good as sausage from a business that has been making it for forever (or a new up-and-comer that thinks outside the box), but still better than something made in a huge factory with a label.

Sweet, Spicy & Earthy Potato Lunch

Paleo, gluten-free & loaded with nutrients

Half of a baked sweet potato
1 tsp. coconut oil
1/2 c. frozen broccoli raab
1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
1 stem rosemary, diced
1 sausage, slipped free from it’s casing
1/4 onion, thinly sliced
Big pinch chili powder
Big pinch curry powder
Sprinkle chipotle powder
Salt & pepper to taste

In a medium skillet over medium heat, put your sausage on to cook, breaking it up as you go. Add the onions and sautée until everything is nice and brown. Set aside.

Set your broiler to high and place the sweet potato half a few inches from the heating element (5-6 inches) to reheat.

If your pan is dry, add the coconut oil. If you still have some sausage fat, use that instead. Add the broccoli raab and sautée until well thawed and beginning to brown, adding the garlic about halfway through. Salt & pepper to taste.

By now, your potato should be warm and just starting to turn golden at the edges. Pull it from the oven and sprinkle with the chili powder, curry, and chipotle powder. Top with the broccoli raab and sausage.

Serves 1 for lunch

Romanesco, Radicchio & Yellow Pepper Salad with Tarragon Vinaigrette & Avocado

November 25, 2012October 11, 2013Life, Recipes1 Comment

This hearty warm salad makes a great weeknight meal. It’s light but filling and the warm roasted veg really hits the spot. Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free & paleo-friendly.

Romanesco, Radicchio & Yellow Pepper Salad with Tarragon Vinaigrette & Avocado

1 head romanesco
1/2 head radicchio
1 yellow pepper
5 scallions
1/4 c. blanched, slivered almonds
Big hand parsley
1 avocado
Olive oil
Coconut oil
Salt & pepper to taste

For the vinaigrette

1 Tbsp. white wine vinaigrette
2 Tbsp. fresh tarragon, chopped
1 tsp. honey
3 Tbsp. grapeseed oil
Salt & pepper to taste

Turn your broiler onto high while you separate the romanesco into pretty little florets. Alternately, you can chop the romanesco. Sprinkle with a little olive oil and salt & pepper. Broil 10 minutes, flip and broil an additional 10 minutes until softened and browned.

While your romanesco is going, halve and slice the radicchio; chop the yellow pepper; and slice the scallions. Heat a large pan over medium heat with a Tablespoon of coconut oil and add the veggies, reserving the dark green scallion tops for another use. Sautee until the veggies are browned and softened. If you want a little char on your radicchio, kick the heat up a notch – charred radicchio is fabulous. Salt & pepper to taste.

While that is kicking, toast your almonds in a dry pan. Remove from the heat and chop.

Chop the parsley and scallion tops and set aside.

Make your vinaigrette. Whisk all vinaigrette ingredients together – salt & pepper to taste.

When the romanesco is done, add to the veggies in the pan. Turn off the heat. Chop the avocado and add to the mix, along with the almonds and parsley scallion mixture. Toss to combine and drizzle the vinaigrette over top. Toss again and taste for seasoning.

Serves 2 for dinner + 1 for lunch.

_DS32847w — Vibrant color on a cold day? Yes, please.

Caramelized Vegetable & Tomato Ragu with Sausage & Egg

November 17, 2012December 29, 2014Life, RecipesLeave a Comment

I’m on a bit of a runny egg kick. Blame it on the weather (we got snow in NYC this last week thanks to my first Nor’easter since moving back up to the frozen North), but I want runny yolks and the silky body they bring to otherwise humble ingredients. The main portion of this dish was initially supposed to be a more runny tomato ragu, but since I inexplicably fail at making any form of marinara, it turned out more substantial – almost like a stew, but not quite as wet. This is a main that needs no starch for backbone – it gets along just fine without. Gluten-free & paleo-friendly.

Caramelized Vegetable & Tomato Ragu with Sausage & Egg

1 head fennel, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 large yellow onion, chopped
1 yellow pepper, chopped
4 stalks celery, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
Coconut oil
White wine
4 links Italian sausage
1 red pepper, sliced
1 head collards, big vein removed and ribboned
28 oz. can San Marizano peeled tomatoes
1 palmful red pepper flakes
2 eggs per person

Add all your chopped veggies to a enamel dutch oven or other heavy-bottomed pot set over medium heat with a bit of coconut oil in the bottom. Sautee, stirring often to avoid burning and deglazing the pan with white wine if things are getting too sticky, until the whole mess is nicely browned and cooked way down. The finer you chop the veg, the quicker the cooking will go – I like roughly 1/2 inch pieces or a little under. I’m not 100% sure how long my veggies took to cook, but it was awhile. Maybe half an hour? 45 minutes? You’re looking for a color here, not a time. Everything should look deeply caramelized, and kind of melted together. Not burnt, but nice and brown and cozy.

While all that is happening, get your additions going. Slip your sausage links out of their casings and sautee in a large pan, breaking it up as you go. Remove to a towel to drain. Add the pepper and collards to the sausage fat and sautee until softened, about 10 mins. Taste everything for salt at this point and add if needed.

When your veggies are cooked down to your liking, add the sausage, collards, and pepper to the pot. Open your can of tomatoes and crush each one into the pot. Alternately, you can crush these separately with a potato masher, but where’s the fun int that? Add the liquid from the can along with the red pepper flakes, pop the lid on, lower the heat, and simmer 30 minutes.

To serve, spoon into a bowl and top with two fried eggs.

Serves 2 for dinner + 2 lunches

Good for what ails you Cabbage, Kale & Apple Hot Toss

November 12, 2012October 11, 2013Life, RecipesLeave a Comment

This is one of those super comforting good for what ails you meals for chilly nights when all you want to do is curl up with some runny egg yolks and huddle under the blankets. It won’t be winning any beauty pageants, but it is warm, filling, comforting, gluten-free & paleo-friendly.

Good For What Ails You Cabbage, Kale & Apple Hot Toss

1 head Savoy cabbage, cored and sliced
1 Granny Smith apple, cored and sliced
1/2 large yellow onion, sliced
1 bunch Lactino kale, washed and sliced into ribbons
1 Tbsp. carraway seeds
2 Tbsp. garlic powder
2 Tbsp. onion powder
1 Tbsp. white pepper
Salt to taste
2 eggs per person
Bacon
Coconut oil

In your largest skillet over medium heat, melt 1 Tbsp. coconut oil. Once the oil is melted and the pan is hot, add your cabbage, onion and kale. I happen to like my apples on the disintegratey side, so I added them at this point as well. If you like firmer apples, wait until 5 minutes or so before the end of cooking.

Sautee 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally to avoid burning, until browned and softened. I hit the mixture twice during cooking with the spices and some salt; you might want to add all of it in the beginning. Either method works, just taste as you go.

In a separate pan, crisp your bacon. Set aside and add the eggs to the hot fat. Fry till your heart’s content.

Serves 2 for dinner or 1 for dinner with 2 lunch portions left over.

Creamy Squash Ribbon Red Pepper Pasta (Paleo)

November 3, 2012October 11, 2013Life, RecipesLeave a Comment

This paleo-friendly, gluten-free & vegan pasta is a diabolical way to sneak zucchini and other soft squashes past the squash texture-averse. By cutting the squash in ribbons, the squishy texture disappears and they become more palatable (even for Southerners who grew up hating the gloppiness and squeek of squash casserole). The ribbons also look like pasta; more important than looks alone, your belly is also tricked into thinking it has just consumed a mound of pasta. Yum all around. The creamy sauce helps with this as well and doesn’t taste like coconut – with the nut butter, peppers and other spices, it ends up tasting savory and rich.

I loved this pasta; my squash-averse DH ate it warily, but didn’t have any real complaint about it other than he knew it was squash. I’m sure the presence of a big ol’ slab of London broil on the side did wonders for the pasta’s begrudging acceptance.

Creamy Squash Ribbon Red Pepper Pasta

Adapted from Paleo Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Steak and Pasta from PaleOMG

2 zucchini
2 yellow summer squash
1 roasted red pepper
1 bunch spinach
1/4 c. almond butter (to be paleo, use almond butter – I happened to only have peanut on hand, so I used peanut. The original recipe called for a full half cup almond and would be thicker with the full amount. I halved because I was using the wrong nut butter)
1/2 can coconut milk
1 Tbsp. garlic powder
1 Tbsp. onion powder
1 tsp. golden mustard (or your favorite mustard – I use Golden’s spicy)
1 Tbsp. coconut aminos
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 Tbsp. chipotle powder
Salt & pepper to taste

First, prep your noodles. I used a wide speed peeler to make long, wide noodles. If you can use a mandoline without slicing off a digit, the julienne setting makes nice matchstick noodles. I prefer less blood in my dinner, so I went the slow route. It didn’t take that long. If you’re not into wide noodles, stack those babies up and slice lengthwise.

Make your creamy sauce. Add the coconut milk, almond butter, spices, garlic, aminos, red pepper and mustard to the bowl of a food processor. Whiz until thoroughly combined. Taste. Add salt and pepper (and any additional amounts of spice) until you’re satisfied.

In your largest skillet over medium – medium-high heat, add the squash noodles. A dry pan is fine here; you’re going to be adding the sauce momentarily. Toss the noodles a time or two so each is kissed by heat. Add the spinach and sauce and toss (carefully with tongs or you’ll break all your noodles up and throw the spinach around the room) frequently until it all looks cooked. You’re not cooking the noodles to death and you’re not serving them raw – think al dente with wilted spinach. This process should take 5-8 minutes, depending upon how hot and crowded your pan is.

Serves 2 for dinner + 1 for lunch.

Restrictive But Delicious – ‘Paleo’ Tortillas

October 27, 2012October 11, 2013Life, Recipes1 Comment

I struggled in naming this recipe. This is a straight-up paleo recipe – restrictive, delicious – but so much more. I’m trying to steer clear of the ‘paleo’ label, but I find much of what I’ve been making lately falling firmly in that category. The hubbs and I are trying something different this fall – gone are the whole grain and lentil-heavy dishes of previous seasons; in are the veg and meat-laden dishes prescribed by the followers of paleo-style diets. We’ve decided to limit our intake of dairy to good-quality butter, to forego glutinous starches, to limit our intake of non-gluten substantive substances like lentils, beans and legumes (except for the occasional quinoa and near-weekly sushi nights). We shall see how this goes long-term, but so far we’re kind of liking it. Finding the right fat-to-everythingelse ratio has been challenging (for the hubbs at least, who was making some kind of crazy-ass bulletproof coffee drink with butter and coconut oil and who seems to need more than a salad & exercise goo as fuel for a long run). I seem to be faring better in the switch – other than not being able to cuddle with chickpeas and lentils lashed with greek yogurt, not a huge change (except for upping my meat intake, which isn’t the easiest thing when meal planning – I love me some vegetarian dishes).

For those of you that enjoy my mostly vegetarian dishes, never fear – I’m not abandoning those at all. I will most likely be posting more side dishes that can easily be bumped up to become vegetarian mains. Like this one. These ‘tortillas’ are really, really good. Tortillas isn’t quite the right term, here – they’re more like a crepe – but whatever the taxonomy, they work just fine as a taco wrapper. They taste a little coconutty, a little spicy, and a lot good. I could easily see this basic blueprint morphing into a sandwich wrapper or a pancake with very little trouble. Come to think of it, these would kick ass in place of a crepe in one of those huge cone-shaped sandwiches. Some grilled veggies, something in place of the hummus I’d naturally gravitate toward, a little balsamic, a little garlic… that sounds like sandwich heaven. Ham and cheese also comes to mind, for the non lactose-averse.

Enough with the daydreaming; I’m making myself hungry. I was first introduced to these tasty babies through PaleOMG’s recipe for Pork Avocado Cream Enchiladas. I’m a sucker for avocado crema. Love, love, love it. I could eat it on anything – and have, actually (as a pasta sauce, burger topper, by the spoonful, in ice cream, etc.). I’m also a huge lover of all things tacos, so this was a no-brainer. The entire dish was fabulous – so fabulous, I made the tortillas again for lunch the next day with the tweaks I’d envisioned the night before and polished off every last bit of the leftovers taco-style in a single sitting. Yum. So without further ado: tortilla-y crepes.

Restrictive But Delicious Paleo Tortillas

6 egg whites
3 Tbsp. coconut flour
6-8 Tbsp. coconut milk
1/4 tsp. baking soda
Big pinch salt
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. dried, ground chipotle
1-2 Tbsp. coconut oil

Whisk all ingredients together until smooth. If your batter is too stiff, add a little more coconut milk or some water until it thins out to the consistency you want – somewhere between what you woud use for a thick pancake and a crepe – not too watery, and you’ll have a huge mess; not too pasty, or you’ll have a hard time spreading into a thin layer and you will end up with a pancake.

In your largest skillet, heat 1-2 Tbsp. coconut oil over medium heat. When the pan is hot, add a ladelfull of your batter and circle with your spoon to spread into a thin layer (newspaper thin is ideal).

When you can see the edges are browning and just beginning to turn up on the sides (everything will be smelling really nutty at this point), very carefully reach your thinnest most flexible spatula under and flip. Be gentle; these babies want to tear if they’re not quite ready to go. Brown on side 2; transfer to a plate to await filling. This week was all about shredded pork; next week I’m playing with an eggless version for ground beef tacos.

Serves 2-3, depending upon how hungry you are and how carried away you get with the batter on the first few. I ended up making 3 large tortillas and 1 baby tortilla because I’ve only made pancakes like twice in my life and had zero idea of portion size. If you’re a pancake maker, think silver dollar pancake size servings and you will be fine.

Full Flavor Root Veg Mash

October 20, 2012October 11, 2013Life, RecipesLeave a Comment

This time of year, my mind wanders to thick hearty bowls of mashed potatoes; warm and cozy, wrapped in nostalgia. White potatoes, semi-unfortunately, aren’t a part of the high nutrient payload way we are trying to eat these days.

On the plus side, Idaho’s best aren’t the only tubers that purée into loveliness. This mash won’t win any beauty contests, but it is good. Thinner than starchy potatoes, and (at least this version) not as silky, these mashed turnips are still something to be reckoned with. Stout in their own way, with ribbons of decadent butter, homey garlic and a little something extra from stock.

Full Of Flavor Root Veg Mash

1 lb. turnips, chopped into 1/4 to 1/2 inch cubes
1 Tbsp. butter
1/4 c. or less vegetable stock
1 tsp. granulated garlic
Salt & pepper to taste

Boil the turnips in a large pot of salted water 6-10 minutes or until tender. Drain and add to the bowl of a food processor with the butter and garlic. Let run, drizzling in vegetable stock until your desired consistency is reached. Salt & pepper to taste.

Serves 3 as a vegetarian, gluten-free, paleo-friendly fall side dish.

Tart and Spicy Chickpea & Lentil Salad

October 13, 2012October 11, 2013Life, Recipes4 Comments

This dish comes together in a flash and makes a nice, light, refreshing weekday meal. Vaguely Indian, vaguely not – big on flavor and low on fat.

Tart and Spicy Chickpea & Lentil Salad
Inspired by Wacky Chana Chaat from Herbivoracious

Salad Base
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 c. carrots, diced
1/2 c. black lentils (or any other lentil that stands up to cooking), cooked
10 cherry tomatoes, halved
6 scallions, sliced into thin rounds
1 colored bell pepper, chopped (or 1/2 to 3/4 c. mixed color peppers – whichever you fancy)
Juice of 1 lime
1 tsp. sriracha
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. ground coriander
1/4 tsp. black pepper
Big pinch salt

Yogurt Topper
3 oz. plain greek yogurt
1 Tbsp. tamarind paste
Another big pinch salt

In a medium sized pan over medium heat, toast the chickpeas and carrots until browned. I did this in a dry pan and kept everything moving to prevent sticking. If you’re worried about having to babysit, add a Tablespoon or so of oil to the pan.

While the chickpeas/carrots are cooking, chop the pepper, slice the scallions, halve the tomatoes; toss into a big bowl along with the spices, lime juice, sriracha, and lentils.

Once the chickpeas/carrots are to your liking, add to the bowl. Toss and taste for seasoning.

In a separate small bowl, combine the yogurt, tamarind paste and a big pinch of salt. Stir. Taste and add more salt or tamarind as necessary.

To serve, top bowls of the salad with the yogurt mixture and mint chutney if you have any on hand. Extra splashes of tamarind or squirts of sriracha may be requested.

Serves 2 for dinner + 1 for lunch

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