DINNER FOR BREAKFAST

I just don't like to waste food!  I cannot even begin to tell you how it pains me to do so.  So when there are just three or four sauteed yellow peppers (for my obsessive-color-compulsivité for August, of course!) left over from dinner, I pack them in a snack baggie and save them.  Or when there are a few spoons-full left from the yellow squash casserole, I don't throw it away.  I have no idea at the time what I may do with it, but I know I have to do SOMETHING.  I am using those specific examples because that is exactly what I had in the fridge this morning and knew I needed to use it so it didn't go bad.  I also saw a jalapeno pepper on its last leg and felt sorry for it so I took out the leftovers and the pepper.  I created one of the very best frittatas I've ever had in my LIFE.  The recipe will give the measurements of the leftovers, in case it sounds so good, you just want to create it from scratch, but remember: you can use practically ANYTHING in a frittata!  This is also SHEtox Week-Three friendly and low-carb!  So go wild and take your dinner left-overs and make yourself some breakfast!!

DINNER FOR BREAKFAST FRITTATA

Extra virgin olive oil (evoo)

1 jalapeno, sliced thin *de-seeded if you don't like heat*

4-5 slices sauteed yellow bell pepper and onion, cut into small pieces

1/4 cup yellow squash gratin   (sliced yellow squash, now diced, sea salt, pepper, garlic powder, ro-tel tomatoes, mozzarella cheese)

4 eggs

1 tbs milk

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp paprika 

1 tsp cumin

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a medium-sized oven-safe frying pan, sprinkle enough evoo to barely cover the bottom and heat for one minute over medium heat.  Add jalapeno slices and cook leave in oil, making sure they are not stacked, for about two minutes until almost crisp.  Add (left over) yellow bell pepper and onion, and (left over) yellow squash casserole.  Stir and let warm through (see notes) for about a minute.  Meanwhile, put eggs and milk in a small bowl and whisk like crazy.  Add seasonings and whisk again.  Pour over mixture in pan and with a wooden spoon or delicate spatula and gently scrape bottom of pan through egg mixture, and then gently scrape egg edges down toward the bottom of the pan.  Remove from heat and place in oven.  Bake for about ten minutes, or until cooked through and to desired consistency.

NOTES: If you are not using leftovers and are starting from scratch, place the yellow bell pepper and onion, as well as the diced yellow squash a some tomato in the pan with the jalapeno.  Directly before adding the egg mixture, sprinkle the mozzarella over the top of the veggie mixture in the pan.  But a frittata is the perfect avenue for any of your dinner leftovers!!

BURGER, SHE WROTE

LASDI©

It is no secret I am a Low-Carb Girl.  But I am only human.  And I have needs, too!!  And sometimes, I just NEEDS a bun for my turkey burger!!  I saw a ton of videos going around for grilled cheese made with cauliflower "bread".  I thought perhaps I could do something similar for a burger.  And let me just tell YOU!!  It.  Was.  EPIC.  Granted, it was not as bun-y as regular bread, but it did the trick!  It satiated a craving, and it tasted great!  I put some smashed avocado on it, then the turkey burger, some home-made spiced mayo, and roasted jalapenos.  My mouth is watering just THINKING about it!!  Oh yea......for all you SHEtoxers, this is Week Three-friendly!!

CAULIFLOWER BURGER BUN

2 cups raw cauliflower

2 tbs almond flour

2 tbs coconut flour

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp sea salt

1 tbs toasted sesame seeds (I used black for color)

2 eggs

Pulse cauliflower in food processor until fine, and mix all the ingredients together.  Place a cookie cutter or other "shaper"  on parchment paper placed on a baking sheet and put your cauliflower mix into it to desired thickness.  Bake at 400 degrees for about ten minutes, flip it and cook for another ten minutes.  Transfer it onto a hot, dry pan (I used my cast-iron skillet, of course!) or grill, and cook for a few minutes on each side to make it firmer and more pliable.  I made mine an open-faced turkey burger, but feel free to use a top AND a bottom!!  Scandalous!!

SES-A-YOU, SES-A-ME!

LASDI©

I think we are all the busiest person we know these days.  I know I am!  I am really trying to get every piece of the Life As She Does It quadrant perpetuated, and sometimes that means no time for a healthy dinner, or no energy for one......or BOTH!  But I have learned from the tragic example of ex-300-pound me that not carving out that time or energy can cost both my hips and my wallet!  The other night after a crazy-busy day, I found we had two tuna steaks in the freezer, some lettuce, cabbage and onion, and some sesame seeds in the spice cabinet.  This dinner litch-rah-lee took five minutes to make, was inexpensive, healthy, delicious, and SHEtox Week Two-friendly!

SESAME TUNA OVER ASIAN SLAW SALAD

4 tbs coconut oil

2 tuna steaks

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp coriander

2 cups toasted sesame seeds (for color: 1 cup black, 1 cup regular)

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup rice vinegar

1/2 cup toasted sesame oil

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp pepper

1/2 head lettuce, shredded

1/2 head cabbage

1/2 onion, slice fine

1/2 cucumber, sliced

4 radishes, sliced fine

Heat the coconut oil in a heavy skillet (I use my cast-iron skillet, of course!) on medium-high heat.  While it is heating, mix sea salt, pepper, garlic powder, coriander, and sesame seeds in a small bowl.  Roll your tuna steak (see notes) in the spice and sesame seed mixture until all sides are coated and press down into the steak with your fingers.  Place the coated tuna steaks carefully into heated oil and cook for 45 seconds before turning and heating on the other side for 45 seconds (see notes).  With tongs, carefully stand up the steaks on it's perimeter and sear for five seconds on each side, and remove from heat.  Place on a cooling rack or paper towel.  Combine the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, sea salt and pepper in a medium-sized bowl ans whisk for about 45 seconds.  Add the vegetables to the bowl and stir.  Serve on a plate with the tuna on top.  Delicious, fast, and inexpensive!  (Ses-a-ME!!)

NOTES: If your tuna is frozen, as mine was, run the water from your faucet until it gets warm, almost hot and put in a bowl.  Place your tuna steaks in the bowl for about a minute or two and they will be ready to roll in your sesame seeds and seasonings to sear!  If you like your tuna somewhat rare, the recipe above is good.  If you like your tuna a little more medium, sear for one minute on each side.  Like it cooked through?  Cook for one minute, fifteen seconds on each side.  It will still be fantastic!  Trust-a-me!

PICNIC LUNCH

LASDI2016©

I am learning that catering doesn't always mean a fancy, sophisticated spread.  Sometimes may also be doing a ton of amuse bouche or appetizers, and sometimes the theme could be low-key and understated - and yet still very appreciated!  In this particular case, I made a picnic-style lunch of gorgeous paninis with three kinds of cheese and shaved deli turkey on sprouted-grain bread, hand-crafted veggie-chip blend, baked cornichon, and the most wonderful chocolate chip cookies that were crisp on the outside and just-soft-enough in the middle that they melted in the clients' mouths!  I know, because they said so!!  I have a little trick for uniform cookies so read on in the recipe to see what that little hack is!!

CHOCOLATE CHIP PICNIC COOKIES

1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup softened butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tbs vanilla extract
1 pkg (16 oz) chocolate chips

Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Beat together butter and sugars until fluffy. Beat in egg. Add vanilla and mix well. slowly add flour mixture until just blended. Stir in chocolate chips. HACK PART ONE:  Spread your mixture onto a prepared baking sheet to meet the edges.   Bake until cookie "cake" is brown, which is approximately 13 minutes.  HACK PART TWO: Take a circular (or whatever shape) cookie-cutter (I used a small round with tiny scalloped edges for this catering job) and immediately cut your shape into the sheet of baked cookie.  DO NOT REMOVE.  Immediately place your cookie sheet in the freezer and leave there for anywhere between fifteen minutes to a half hour.  When you pull out the cookie sheet, carefully remove your cookies and keep the scraps for another recipe or as a treat for later!  I freeze mine and use in cheesecake for Sunday Supper!

NOTES: I use all-organic ingredients but it is not necessary for the flavor in the cookies for this particular recipe.  Also, be on the watch for your husband sneaking his nose into the freezer for the scraps you are saving for later.  I'm not trying to throw anyone in my house under the bus (The Hubster)......I'm just sayin'......

LIVE BY THE SWORD

Well, this Cleanse & Detox (word on the street is its called the SHEtox.  Get it?) I wrote is WORKING!  It is everywhere I look right now and I am so grateful it's helping me earn an honest living, and I'm happy it is helping people be healthier all at the same time.  So I was going through some of my foodie-photos to post and came across this swordfish steak.  I remember I made it in May because in my world of obsessive compulsivité (just looks fancier that way), May is pink month for me.  So I made it with a pink puree made from cauliflower and a little beet juice and seared up some gorgeous fish to set on top.  The beets and artichoke hearts were definitely a bonus but not the star of the show!  This is SHEtox Week Two-friendly, easier than you could possibly imagine, and oh-my-GRAND-PUBA-delicious!

SEARED SWORDFISH

4 swordfish steaks, rinsed and patted dry

2 tbs coconut oil

1 tbs sea salt

1 tbs pepper

1 tbs garlic powder

1 tbs cumin

1 tbs paprika

1 tbs Italian seasoning

juice of one lemon

Heat the coconut oil in a heavy pan (I use my cast-iron skillet, of course!) on medium heat.  Meanwhile while the oil is heating, mix all seasonings in a bowl and rub into both sides of the fish.  Lay each steak into the heated oil carefully, making sure not to crowd your pan with more than two at a time (see notes).  Cook for about five minutes on each side, squeeze a little lemon over the top of each one just before removing from the pan to serve.  Yes.  It is THAT EASY!

NOTES: If you crowd your pan with too many steaks at once, you will end up steaming your fish and will miss out on a beautiful sear on each side.

NO TEARS HERE!

SHE2016©

I mostly make onion soup in the fall and winter, with plops of brie, and drops of toasted home-made bread.  But with the “She-tox Detox” everywhere I look right now, and Spring moving to Summer, it was time to lighten it up and make it inside-out Cleanse-Friendly.  So I made it with vodka instead of Winter-rich brandy (you can use veggie broth instead, Cleansers!), used a bright seasoning, and made the onions translucent instead of deeply caramelized.  It was unbelievably delicious and ridiculously EASY!!  Paired with a simple salad of Romaine and cucs with home-made lemon-poppy-seed (heavy on the poppy-seed for me, if you please!) dressing, there were no tears involved from THESE onions!

SPRING-TO-SUMMER ONION SOUP       

4 medium purple onion, cut in half and sliced thinly

extra virgin olive oil (evoo)

1 tbs sea salt

1 tbs pepper

1 tbs garlic powder

1 tbs herbes de provence

½ cup vodka

1 ½ boxes vegetable broth

Sprinkle enough evoo in a heavy soup pot to cover the bottom.  Heat on medium for about a minute or so and then add onion.  Cook on medium heat for about two minutes and add all seasoning.  Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until onions are translucent, about five more minutes.  Add the vodka a little at a time, letting it evaporate into the onion each time before adding more until vodka is gone and onion has absorbed all of it.  Add vegetable broth and turn heat to low.  Let simmer fifteen minutes and EAT!!

NOTES:  This is Meatless Monday friendly, too!  If you are on Week One or Two of the “She-tox” Detox, omit vodka and simply use a shot of the veggie broth instead.  The flavor profile changes a bit, but worth it while you cleanse.  This recipe is perfect for Week Three!  Interested in this Cleanse & Detox?  Message me!  Want to help the Texas Flood Victims but not sure how?  Message me!  Want to make some variation suggestions for the recipe?  Message me!!  I love all feedback, and love you She-Peeps!!

SHE2016©

YES, PEAS!

SHE2016

I LOVE the part of the Life As She Does It quadrant that allows me to cook for people.  It truly is a joy for me.  This catering job was for my home church and was a lot of fun to set up for, too.  The May menus to choose from included Kentucky Derby (of course!) and that is what they chose!  The menu was made up of Kentucky Bourbon Chicken, Muddy Mash,  Southern Greens, a Mint Julep Pea Salad, Honey Biscuits, and Pecan Pie for dessert.  WOW!  Well, believe it or not, everyone went WILD for the pea salad (said no one ever!!).  They really loved it and asked me about it for days afterwards.  And even if you don't typically care for peas, trust me when I say you should VERY MUCH still try this at home!  It's also perfect for the Spring-time warmer weather!

MINT JULEP PEA SALAD

1 bag frozen peas, thawed and drained

1 small pkg Spring mix greens, chopped fine

3 hard boiled eggs, diced

1 cup sharp white cheddar, shredded

4 slices of bacon, cooked and chopped roughly

1/2 cup mint, diced fine

1 cup sour cream

2 tbs milk

1 tbs sea salt

1 tbs pepper

The ease of these peas is CRAZY!!  Watch this: Mix all ingredients.  Serve.  BOOM

NOTES:  I use organic ingredients, but I think as far as flavor for this recipe it is not absolutely necessary.  I do notice the texture of organic sour cream is different from that of the regular.  I also notice an empty bowl every single time I make this!!

MEAL TRAIN MEAT LOAF

SHE2016©

Ohhhhh, MAN!!  This meal was made TWICE in one night at my house!  Well, yes it was that good, but specifically, I was invited to take part in a meal train for a community member.  If you don't know, a meal train is when someone is sick, or has a new baby, or needs help in some way for some reason and the community gathers together to take meals to them for a few weeks.  It's brilliant.  I've been on both ends of a meal train, and let me just tell you, it is nothing short of amazing to watch people team up to help in any way they can.

This one was so good and pretty easy that I decided that's what we were having, too!  Besides, doesn't that make it easier on you?  Just doubling up and feeding the masses?  This particular family's special request was lean meats and veggies and mostly low-carb!  Ah!  A family after my own heart!  So I made low-carb home-style turkey meatloaf with pan gravy, cheesy cauliflower "mac", seasoned wilted spinach, broiled tomatoes, and a simple salad.  Just threw in some organic juice and chocolate crackers for the kiddos, and some vino for mommy and daddy, and created a meal train marveloso!!

Home-style turkey meatloaf recipe below - you know the kind: crumbly, savory goodness that melts in your mouth?  Use for a meal train to bless someone, or for yourself to bless yer belly!!

SHE2016©

HOME-STYLE TURKEY MEATLOAF

1 large carrot, diced fine

1/2 onion, diced fine

2 garlic cloves, diced fine

extra virgin olive oil (evoo)

sea salt pepper

1/4 cup red wine

1 family pack ground turkey blend (not just breast meat)

1 egg

1/2 cup oats

1 tbs sea salt

1 tbs pepper

1 tbs paprika

1 tbs cumin

1 tbs your favorite steak seasoning

1 can rotel

Worcestershire sauce

Over medium heat, sprinkle about 2-to-3 tablespoons of evoo and let heat through for about a minute.  Add your diced carrots, onions, and garlic and stir.  Sprinkle with a tiny bit of sea salt and pepper and stir again.  Let cook for about 5 minutes, until just-soft, and then hit the pan with the wine. Using a wooden spoon or one safe for your pan, scrape the bottom and stir the veggies for one more minute. Remove from heat.

In a bowl, combine ground turkey, eggs, oats, seasonings, and rotel.  Add vegetable mixture from the pan.  Mix until just blended.  Pour meat mixture into a prepared baking pan and sprinkle the top with Worcestershire sauce.  Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes.  Slice up and plate, and then use those gorgeous juices left in the baking pan for gravy!!

NOTES: I use any regular red wine - it does not have to be labeled for cooking.  Mix the meat well, but do not over-mix.  Turkey can tend to get tough if you over-mix.  Sprinkle enough Worcestershire sauce to just cover the top, not too much!  You are now the hit of the meal train peeps!!