Food

You’ve seen pics of me. I obviously like food. However, I’m trying to be a lot healthier in what I’m eating. I love sweet treats, and if I could tolerate dairy, I could be happy with the occasional yogurt. However, dairy free yogurt is twice as expensive, and the cups are usually smaller. It’s a sad thing. That’s when I ran across this chia seed stuff.

So before you ask, yes, this is the same type of seed you used to smear on clay figurines in the 70’s and 80s (ch ch ch chia!). However, instead of growing them, you’re going to be eating them. It sounds odd, I know, but they’re cheap, and when they’re soaked overnight, they’re really tasty!

This recipe makes a single serving, so feel free to upscale as much as you like!

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp chia seeds
• 1/2 cup coconut milk (or any other milk or milk substitute)
• 1 tbsp honey (or other sweetener of choice)
• 1 tsp cocoa powder

Put all of the ingredients into a jar or other container with a lid, and whisk together well. Let it sit for a couple of minutes, then whisk again, as sometimes the seeds or the cocoa can clump. Cover the container and put it in the fridge for at least two hours, and best overnight. Before serving, top it with a bit of fresh fruit or whatever you like!

It really is that simple, and it’s tasty. Just be careful to mix, let it sit for 2 to 3 minutes, then mix again. The seeds make a sort of gel around themselves (which makes them sort of like mini tapioca balls when you eat it), and so once that begins to happen they are easier to stir.

For those who are diet conscious, the above comes out to about 200 calories, 5g protein, 9g fat, and 28g carbs (but with a whopping 9g of fiber, which makes your net carbs only 19). A fairly balanced dessert!

I would call this a pesto but it isn’t actually pesto. There’s no Parmesan cheese, and no pine nuts. On the other hand, it’s healthy, and ZOMG so good. I made this two nights in a row, once over gnocchi, and once with chicken and veg, and it was just incredible. This is the chicken version.

Ingredients:

• 1 oz fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 cup cashew yogurt or Greek yogurt (plain)
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• 1/4 cup tahini
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 6 oz chicken per person, cubed
• 1/2 red onion, rough chopped
• 6 large mushrooms, sliced thick
• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 handful spinach

In a blender or food processor, add the basil, yogurt, yeast, tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper, and pulse until thoroughly mixed. If it is too thick, add a drizzle of either milk or a non-dairy milk substitute (oatmilk or soy milk). Set aside or refrigerate until ready to use.

In a large pan, saute your chicken until it’s browned. Add in the onions and mushrooms, and cook until the onions soften and the mushrooms have released their liquid. Add in the tomatoes and spinach at the end of the cooking time for just a minute or two. Turn off the heat, and add the creamy basil sauce. Stir to incorporate it evenly.

This can be served as is, or over pasta or rice. It’s quite good over potatoes, too. I would actually love this over cold pasta as a pasta salad!

I’m not a huge fan of hash, to be honest. However, I am a BIG fan of using up leftovers. The other day when it was hot, I used our Westinghouse to cook up a whole turkey (it was small, only 15 lbs or so). I’ve been using it in sandwiches and salads since last week, which has saved us turning the stove on during hot weather. As with Thanksgiving turkey, after a while you tend to run out of the usual leftover turkey dishes. I was looking for something different but yummy, and this was the recipe I found. This is my take on one by DownShiftOlogy. It was so delicious that we’ve decided to make it again, and soon! This dish serves two people.

Ingredients:

• 1 medium or a couple of small red potatoes
• olive oil
• 1 small yellow or red onion, in half circles
• 2 green onions, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup cooked turkey, diced finely
• ½ cup thick sliced mushrooms (optional)
• ½ cup rough diced bell peppers (optional)
• 1-½ tsp finely chopped fresh thyme (or ½ teaspoon dried thyme)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4 eggs

Cook your potatoes until they are barely soft. I did mine in the microwave, but you can easily use leftover potatoes, or even frozen hash browns for this. Dice the potatoes into small pieces, about a half inch square. I like the skin; your mileage may vary. Feel free to discard it if you wish.

Oil a large cast iron (or other) pan and add in the onions and potatoes, and cook until the onions begin to soften. Add in the mushrooms and bell pepper, if you will be using them. Continue to cook until the mushrooms are soft and cooked. You want to leave the contents of the pan in a single layer, as much as possible, and don’t touch them for about four to five minutes. This lets the bottom get crispy and golden.

Add in the green onion and garlic, and gently stir. Cook for another minute or two. Add in the turkey and spices. Saute for another five to ten minutes, or until everything is thoroughly warmed.

In another non-stick pan, cook two eggs per person. These can be fried or poached, as you wish. Keep the yolks soft, unless you have picky eaters who simply can’t tolerate it.

Serve up on a plate with half of the hash and the two eggs on top. There’s no need for toast, with this meal, but it’s a welcome addition if you have some.

Notes:

If you like spicy, sprinkle the entire plate with a good quality sriracha. This adds both color and flavor, as well as a dash of heat.

This hash is lightly based off an African dish called shakshuka. You can find it here, if you’d like to check it out!

We love salmon in our home, and I cook it in a variety of different ways. This, however, is my “signature” recipe and it’s the one I get requests for most often. This salmon can be eaten with “the usual suspects” as sides (pasta/potato/rice, salad/steamed veg), or you can shred it after cooking and toss it over a cold salad for a summer treat. Check out the notes below, as there are cooking options listed!

Ingredients:

• 4 to 6 oz salmon per person (filet, not steaks)
• oil for cooking
• soy sauce
• fresh lemon, half sliced and half juiced
• good quality balsamic vinegar (like this one)
• white wine (optional)
• minced garlic (fresh or dried)
• salt and pepper to taste
• fresh herbs: thyme, oregano, rosemary, winter savory, dill are usual

Preheat your oven to 400*F. In a high edge pan or cast iron pan, add some olive oil or other heat safe oil and spread it over the bottom of the pan. Add in your salmon pieces, skin down. Drizzle with soy sauce, the half of a lemon’s juice, about a tablespoon or more of the vinegar, and a dash of wine if you like. Then top with the garlic, herbs, salt, and pepper. You can use dried herbs, about a total of a tablespoon of herbs per 6 oz of salmon. Fresh herbs are, in my opinion, better.

Pop the salmon into the oven and bake for about 25 minutes. Using a thermometer, check for a finished temperature between 125* and 145* F (I like mine more rare, but some people don’t like to risk it and cook it for longer). Check the temp at the fattest part of the salmon. If you don’t have a thermometer, you can try flaking the fat part of the salmon; when it flakes easily and is no longer fleshy and dark pink, it’s ready.

Let this sit on the counter, out of the oven, for about five minutes. This lets the juices settle and the flavors mingle.

Notes:

You can cook this on your stove top, at a medium heat. Using a pan large enough for your salmon, begin with the salmon skin-side down. Cook until you start to see the cooked part of the salmon not quite to the half way point. Flip the salmon over, and continue to cook for about 2 minutes, then flip so the skin is down again. Cook until the salmon is done (see instructions above). If you have a very fat part of salmon, you can put a couple of tablespoons of water or wine or broth into the pan and put a lid over it while cooking.

You can cook this on your grill! If you have a fish grill basket, you can use that. If you don’t, then use a cast iron pan or pick up disposable mesh grill mats. Don’t try to grill salmon directly on your grill bars, because they’re too far apart and your salmon will end up in the fire, and you will be sad.

Though I haven’t tried it, I’d warrant you could even cook this in your air fryer or your slow cooker (though I’d be wary of that last). Enjoy!

I have always loved green goddess dressing. It’s creamy and refreshing, and so garlicky! This recipe teaches you how to make it yourself, and then uses it to make some delicious meatballs. I hope you like this as much as I do.

Ingredients:

• 1 small garlic clove, peeled and smashed
• ½ cup Greek or cashew yogurt
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• ½ cup packed fresh parsley, coarsely chopped
• ¼ cup fresh tarragon, coarsely chopped
• ¼ cup thinly sliced chives
• 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• ½ tsp fish sauce or 1 anchovy fillet
• kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 large egg
• ½ cup panko or breadcrumbs
• 1 tsp salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 lb ground chicken or turkey
• cooking spray
• cooked orzo, for serving (optional)

In a blender or food processor, add the garlic, yogurt, mayonnaise, parsley, tarragon, chives, lemon zest, lemon juice, fish sauce, 1/2 tsp of salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Blend or pulse the ingredients together until smooth. Season with more salt and pepper, if needed. Transfer 1/4 cup sauce to a large bowl (for the meatballs). Transfer remaining sauce to a medium bowl and refrigerate until ready to use.

In the large bowl with the sauce, add your egg, panko or breadcrumbs, salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Stir to combine, then add the ground chicken and gently mix to combine (do not over-mix). You want to use your hands for this, rather than a fork or spoon. Make sure you have the panko and spices well integrated. Refrigerate until mixture firms up, about 10 minutes.

Arrange a rack in center of oven, and pre-heat it to 450*F. Lightly grease a lipped baking sheet with cooking spray or cover it with parchment paper. Roll the meat mixture into 20 balls and arrange them on prepared baking sheet.

Bake the meatballs, watching closely, until cooked through and browned on top, 6 to 8 minutes. Turn the meatballs over and continue to cook for 5 to 8 minutes, checking for doneness. Divide the orzo (if you are using it) among plates. Top the orzo with meatballs, then drizzle with the refrigerated green goddess sauce.

Notes:

This recipe originally called for broiling the meatballs, but I find you get much better results if you bake them instead. It takes a bit longer, but it’s worth it. You can check your meatballs for readiness by cutting one in half to see if it’s cooked through, or you can use a meat thermometer to check if the internal temperature has reached 165*F.

I made a double batch of the dressing, and I’m glad I did. This stuff is delicious! Beware; you will not have to worry about vampires for a couple of days after eating this.

I use cashew yogurt in this because I’m allergic to dairy. There’s barely any difference in the end result. You can make the dressing vegan by using a vegan mayo, such as Nayanaise, or just leaving that out entirely and using the cashew (or other non-dairy) yogurt. The herbs are the star of this dressing, so feel free to experiment with it a bit. I’ll be doing some experimenting this week, when I add winter savory to mine!

When the deep heat of summer hits, and the idea of cooking anything makes you queasy, this is the perfect meal for any time of the day. I adore gazpacho soup because it’s all the deliciousness of a salsa but in a soup. There are layers of delicate flavor that combine to make something incredibly special. Just don’t be like Rimmer on Red Dwarf and ask for it piping hot. 😉

Ingredients:

• 2 ½ pounds ripe red tomatoes (about 4 large or 9 small)
• 1 small Vidalia, sweet yellow onion, or red onion (½ pound), peeled
• 1 small cucumber (½ pound), peeled and seeded
• 1 medium red bell pepper, cored and seeded
• ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, plus extra for garnish
• 1 large garlic clove, peeled
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
• ¾ teaspoon fine salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• V8 juice OR tomato juice (optional)
• curly parsley, Italian parsley, cilantro, green onion (optional, garnish)

First, prepare your vegetables. You’ll need a blender or food processor bowl, a medium serving bowl, and a small bowl for mixing, all ready to use. Core your tomatoes and cut half of them up into about one inch chunks. The chunks go into your blender. The other half of the tomatoes should be chopped fine and added to the serving bowl. All of the juice and seeds can be tossed in the blender. Do the same with your onion, the cucumber, and the bell pepper, though discard the pepper seeds.

Add the basil, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, salt, and a half teaspoon or so of black pepper, preferably fresh ground. Put the lid on your blender and blend the contents, starting on the pulse and then gradually increasing the speed to high. You want the mixture to be completely smooth, and it will take about two minutes. If there isn’t enough liquid, you can add in a little V8 or tomato juice, a tablespoon at a time until it’s the right consistency and thickness for you.

Add the liquid to the fine chopped vegetables, and stir well. Again, if there isn’t enough liquid, feel free to add more V8 or tomato juice to make it “correctly soupy” for you. Add in a pinch of salt and pepper, to taste, and set in the fridge to chill. The gazpacho needs at least two hours and up to 24 hours to rest.

Before serving, give it another taste. It may need a bit more salt. If you like, you can top the gazpacho with finely minced parsley and/or cilantro, or sprinkle it with thinly sliced green onion or chives. Small basil leaves are also a nice addition.

Notes:

I usually serve this soup with a side of salad that includes a good protein such as chicken or shrimp. As a fun alternative, you can switch out the V8 and add in Clamato and a splash of hot sauce, and top the soup itself with shrimp for a “shrimp salad soup” that is really tasty. You can also consider adding miniature croutons, tiny shrimp, or even other summer vegetables such as corn, finely chopped zucchini, etc.

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Tourtière is one of those iconic dishes that gets served in Northern areas. While it hales originally from France, it was popularized in Quebec, Canada. Early settlers made Tourtière frequently, and it’s a filling and very tasty pie. I don’t normally like French Canadian stuff, but Tourtière and Poutine are acceptable.

Ingredients:

• pie crust
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 0.5 teaspoon dried sage
• 0.5 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 0.5 teaspoon ground ginger
• 0.25 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 0.25 teaspoon ground allspice
• 0.25 teaspoon ground mustard
• 0.125 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• 1 large russet potato, peeled, quartered
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 pinch salt
• 0.5 cup finely diced celery
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 pound ground pork
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 cup potato cooking water, plus more as needed
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon water

First, make the spice blend. Mix together the salt, black pepper, thyme, sage, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, mustard, clove, and cayenne in a small bowl. Set it aside.

Next, make the filling. Place potatoes and 1 teaspoon kosher salt in a saucepan; cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer potatoes to a bowl, reserving potato cooking water in the saucepan. Mash potatoes with a potato masher until smooth; set aside.

Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and a pinch of salt. Cook and stir until onions turn golden, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir celery, garlic, and spice blend into the skillet with onions. Stir until onion mixture is evenly coated with spices, about 30 seconds.

Add ground pork, ground beef, and about ¾ cup potato cooking water to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until meat is brown and tender and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 45 minutes. Stir in mashed potatoes , turn off heat, and let cool to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 375*F.

Place your dough in a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate. Have the top crust rolled out into an 11-inch circle, and keep it for later.

Fill bottom crust with meat mixture. Smooth out the surface. Whisk together egg and water in a small bowl to make an egg wash. Brush egg wash over the edges of the bottom crust. Cover with top crust; press lightly around the edges to seal. Trim excess dough and crimp the edges. Cut small slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape. Brush entire surface of pie with egg wash.

Bake in the preheated oven until crust is well browned, about 1 hour. Let cool to almost room temperature before serving.

Notes:

I have a vegan version of this, where I replace butter with margarine, and the meat with a Beyond Beef “ground pork” sausage. It turns out very well, and has been enjoyed by many friends who were surprised to find it was not real meat!

I wanted to make a birthday cake for my vegan friend, and that meant no milk, no butter, and no eggs. I decided to search for vegan alternatives, and came up with several awesome looking ones. As a side note, chocolate is easy to make vegan. However, I didn’t have the ingredients for most of the cakes I found. I did what I usually do, however, and I took an existing recipe and re-made it in my own image. That’s right, I am a Food Goddess! This is my lovely sweet treat: Orange Cake

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp white vinegar
• 5 tbsp canola or vegetable oil
• 1-1/2 tsp orange extract
• 1 cup orange juice

Preheat your oven to 350*F. Line a 9×9″ pan with parchment paper, leaving an inch over each side overhanging, for easy removal.**

In a large mixing bowl, add your dry ingredients and mix well. Form three depressions in the dry mixture. In one, add the vinegar . In the second, add the orange extract , and in the final one, add the oil. Pour the orange juice over the top and, using a whisk or wooden spoon, mix together until fully combined.

Transfer your cake batter, which will be quite runny, to the lined baking pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes and then check. It will probably take close to 45 minutes to bake entirely, but you need to start checking every five or ten minutes after the 30 minute mark. Continue to bake until a skewer comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely. If desired, frost the cooled cake.

** I used a round springform baking pan, fully lined with no-stick-sprayed parchment paper. You do have to allow the cake to cool completely before removing the parchment paper, but it works very well. I used a 9 inch diameter pan that was about 1-1/2 inches deep.

I had frosting for this cake. We didn’t use it. We literally ate hunks of it with our hands. It was moist, sweet but not unbearably, and delicious. I would recommend removing 2 tbsp of orange juice from the cup, if you plan to frost the cake. It was so moist, if I had tried to frost it, it would have fallen apart despite having good crumb.

I haven’t touched on the topic of what to drink when you’re enjoying your post-apocalyptic spam, so I think today I’ll go there. 😉

There are several really tasty, easy to make drinks for when you’re doing a lot of labor or it’s extremely hot, but you don’t have access to Gatorade or its equivalents. I would hazard to say that they’re much better for you, as well.

Sekanjabin

This is what we refer to as “Viking gatorade” because it was popularized by the Vikings. It originated in Persia as a mint based drink, but the Vikings played with it, and I played with it more. It is basically a simple syrup that you add to water to make it more palatable. The vinegar and sugar help balance your electrolytes, and the ginger makes it just “warm” enough (from your body’s standard) to drink even in very hot weather without causing yourself cramps. Just a note, the Vikings and Persians both added crushed mint to this. I don’t, so it isn’t included in my recipe. Feel free to add it to yours!

Ingredients

• 4 cups red wine or apple cider vinegar
• 4 to 8 cups sugar/honey/sweetener/blend of choice
• 2 tbsp minced or grated ginger
• fruit of choice (I like lemon, strawberry, and blackberry, or a mix, but you do you)

In a pot, add the vinegar. You can even mix red wine and apple cider vinegars for a different flavor if you like. Get the cheap stuff, by the by. This is not something where the vinegar has to be bougie. Bring the vinegar to a low boil, then begin to add the sugar, a cup at a time. I usually use four cups of a mix of sweeteners, but always use at least one cup of real sugar to help it become syrup. Stir in between, preferably with a wooden spoon. When all the sugar is in and has dissolved, add in your ginger, and your fruit. When it comes to fruit, you can use fresh, but frozen works better because it sort of dissolves in the vinegar. I’ve done it with fresh, though; just cut it up into chunks so the “meat” of the fruit is exposed.

Simmer your fruit stew for a minimum of 20 minutes, and likely much longer.  You should reduce the amount of liquid in the pot by AT LEAST one third. It’s usually easy to tell, because it leaves a sugary ring on the edge of your pot. What you want is a syrup, not a liquid, so wait for it to really begin to thicken up. You want it to have the texture of a light corn syrup or maple syrup, but not be as thick as molasses. Allow your syrup to cool for several hours.

Once it’s cool, strain the sekanjabin through cheesecloth or a lint-free towel, and store in jars. I usually purchase the apple cider vinegar that comes in a glass bottle (it’s cheap), and so I pour it right back into the bottle and put the diffuser thingie back in. That way I can easily shake out just enough to sweeten my water.

To use, add about a tablespoon of syrup to 8 oz of water, stir, and enjoy. You may want to add a bit more or a bit less depending on both your tastes and the intensity of your sekanjabin. Store your sekanjabin at room temperature for up to a week, or in the fridge pretty much forever (I’ve never had it go off).

Note: it’s pronounced seh-KAHN-ja-bin

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