My Way, No. 13

*If you’re new to my blog, you may want to read this for info on what ‘My Way’ posts are all about. 🙂 *

— Very interesting piece: Umami Taste Buds Are Important for Your Overall Health. It seems kelp tea helps if you have decreased umami taste sensitivity. I’ve never tried kelp tea, so maybe I’ll check it out.

— I told you that I tend to accumulate far too many kitchen gadgets, etc. So, of course I immediately thought, oooh, I need this banana guard, sandwich box with a bamboo lid/prep board, and stainless utilitarian soup canister.

— I’ve found that seemingly little things can make me feel so luxurious…a bit of rich cream added to a special dish, fresh picked flowers on the table, a candle lit bubble bath with symphony music playing in the background. This weekend, I felt a little luxury when I used my homemade coconut oil for a soothing hot oil & deep conditioning hair treatment, followed by using it as a body rub (with a little essential oil added). It’s nice when we have a bit of time to pamper ourselves. After my last coconut endeavor was so successful, I decided to purchase even more. As I said, it can be a labor of love, but it is so worth it. I had an idea that coconut milk/oil/flour/butter making would be a great “party” idea. You know, like when your so-called friends invite you to a painting or moving “party” (basically a way to get cheap labor, lol). Or, you could make it a family tradition like making pies, tamales, etc. You could end the party with pina coladas or something.

— My coconut milk, cream, and flakes went into several of my recent meals. I forgot to mention a quick tip in my last coconut post: I wrap the coconuts in a towel before giving them a few good whacks (to crack them open). This eliminates the sometimes flying shards from going all over your kitchen. I’m sure you can find all kinds of additional wisdom online, but my other suggestion is that you make sure you have a very sharp paring knife handy (and possibly a knife sharpener). This will make removing the brown “skin” from the meat much, much easier. A dull knife is nobody’s friend.
I started craving turkey as soon as I saw this recipe for Thai Turkey Meatballs with Lemongrass Coconut Sauce. But, I didn’t have any turkey 😦 and didn’t feel like going to get any. Then, I remembered the recipe I recently posted for Lentil “Meatballs” with Lemony Pesto. So, these recipes collided, and I was extremely pleased with the results:

I took the basic ideas for the lentil “meatballs” and gave them the flavorings from the Thai turkey dish. For the “meatballs”: lentils (1/2 whole, 1/2 mashed), egg, little olive oil, tofu (frozen, thawed, liquid squeezed out), s&p, whole wheat bread crumbs (taken from the innards of the Niçoise sandwich I made), shallots, lemongrass, ginger, soy sauce, fish sauce, cilantro, homemade chili-garlic paste (oven-dried chiles & garlic cloves), and finely ground walnuts. The pesto sauce called for walnuts, so I decided to use them in the actual “meatballs” instead. I popped them into the freezer for an hour or more, then browned them on the stove. After browning them on all sides, I had “meatsquares” vs. “meatballs,” haha. I reshaped them after they cooled a bit. I finished them in the oven. I made the recipe for the Lemongrass Coconut Sauce, using fresh turmeric and foregoing the star anise (as you know, anise is not a fave flavor of mine). The recipe called for full-fat coconut milk, but I used my coconut water to dilute the cream’s fat content a bit. I tried to make up for the lack of anise and coconut fat by punching up the flavor with: red pepper flakes, onion powder, a little sweetener, and a pinch or two of mustard. This flavor combo satisfied me, and the finish of cilantro and lime zest made this recipe sing. Served up with soba noodles, this meal was fab! It was made better by maple bourbon milk. I have to find ways to use my Holiday gift of bourbon, so this was my second go round (the first was the Sage-Peppercorn Old Fashioned I previously posted). I’m not a mixologist, so forgive me if the portions, ingredients, etc. are not scientifically correct. I just make what tastes good to me 🙂 3:2 fresh coconut milk to bourbon, maple syrup to taste, blended for froth, served over crushed ice, garnished with fresh grated nutmeg. I separate the coconut cream from the water so I can mix them together at my whim for different recipes. I think the cream to water ratio for this drink was 2:1.
I also made the Low-Fat Banana Pecan Cranberry Granola Bars, subbing coconut for some of the nuts. I actually used a combo of walnuts and pistachios. I had cranberries in the freezer, so I decided to dry them myself instead of purchasing them. I used a little less than was called for and added a bit of maple and wheat germ. They were just mildly sweet and do actually not call for any added sugar. The sweetness comes from the banana and applesauce (also acting as binders). After cutting them, I stuck them back in the oven for 15 min. They were soft and chewy, and I was craving a crunchier bar. It’s probably because I really enjoyed the last crunchy batch I made wherein I accidentally turned up the oven too high, haha. I used the Low Cal Almond-Raisin Granola Bar’s method of grinding part of the oats:

— Tofu 2 Ways: I had baby bok choy to use up, so that’s what attracted me to this recipe: Sesame Seed Salmon with Mirin. I didn’t have any salmon, though! So, tofu it was. I was so hungry by the time this hit the plate, so it doesn’t look as good as it could. I tried to make it appear more dignified by only putting a small portion on the plate, but I really gobbled up twice this much:

One of my new top ways to prepare tofu! So simple, yet SO good! Can’t wait to try it with salmon. After looking at the ingredients of my store-bought mirin, I thought I should start making it myself. Here’s a recipe if you dig making your own condiments, etc: Homemade Mirin. If you’re really serious about it, try brewing your own sake for the mirin: Home Brewed Sake. My second new top way to prepare tofu is as a steak alternative in this Fajita Salad with Chipotle Salad Dressing I recently posted:

I made the marinade in the morning and by dinner time, this tofu was fajita flavor-packed! I only changed the recipe by adding a little balsamic and a pinch more sweetener. The tofu I used in both of the recipes was frozen, then thawed. I really love the texture freezing gives, as I’ve said before.

— Super cute and easy for any craft-skill level DIY Geometric Canvases. Also, very cool Aluminum Foil Drawings.

— DIY Black Lace Manicure & DIY Draped Skirt.

— RECIPE TIME! I made this Spinach, Lentil, and Sweet Potato Curry, and it was delish! I didn’t have the exact curry ingredients, so I had to improvise. I served it with brown rice and added a little kale. I didn’t take a pic because I started in on it as soon as it was finished. Speaking of curry…I always like to keep a ready-made spice blend in the pantry as a back up to my own blend (as with many other items like stock, condiments, and such). I quickly grabbed what I thought was a SQUEAL DEAL for curry powder and found it contained MSG 😦  . Why does curry powder need MSG??? Anyway, this recipe was fab, and I think I will be making it again this week. I have yet to try pho, but this recipe looks quite yummy: Umami Crispy Pork Pho. Months ago, I was saying to an acquaintance, “I want to try this pho I keep reading so much about.” I pronounced it ‘foe,’ and she said it’s ‘faaaah’ with your voice raising like another octave at the end of the word. Just like I said ling-er-ee when I first read lingerie, haha. Afternoon Tea delights from those in the know. Banana Split Cake, Honey Beer Bread, Jam Roly Poly with a2 Milk Custard, Sweet Potatoes Stuffed with Cheese, Black Beans, and Corn with Avocado Crema, Chicken Cordon Bleu Pizza.

‘Til next time!

My Way, No. 11

*If you’re new to my blog, you may want to read this for info on what ‘My Way’ posts are all about. 🙂 *

— Has one of your New Year’s Resolutions been to get more organized? I am going to make this ‘minimalist-chic’ entryway organizer. Crafted from a simple wood frame & bungee cords, it’s one of the easiest and most practical projects I’ve seen. As I have a few days to myself, I’m doing a lot of clearing out and re-organizing of things right now. How do you collect so much stuff? I err on the side of ‘pitch it, donate it, or give it to an unsuspecting friend or relative ;)’ if I think an item has fulfilled its purpose in my life. This comes from previously living with a roommate and relatives with “stuff” in every nook they can find — they cannot have an inch of unused space anywhere. I do have a tendency to collect way too many kitchen pieces, though…gadgets, glasses, dishes, etc. Sometimes, I have to force myself to not purchase them. And, speaking of the kitchen, take a look at this link with 50 Clever Ways to Organize Your Pots and Pans.

— The Detox Drinks have been a hit! Since the last ‘My Way‘ post, I’ve also prepared the Natural Daily Detox Remedy, Beet Juice Smoothie, Mango Ginger Lemonade, Detox Smoothie w/ Pineapple, Spinach, & Ginger, Citrus & Green Tea Smoothie (very grapefruit-y, so you’ll have to love grapefruit), Grapefruit-Cado Sunrise Smoothie, and the Detox Beet and Carrot Smoothie. I left the beets and carrots raw in the beet/carrot smoothie instead of steaming them. I added a good handful of cranberries, a 1/4 of a lime, and a tsp. of sweetener, as well. Delish! I realized the Cranberry Pomegranate Detox Juice I linked to from another site is the same as the Red and Green Festive Cocktail on my original post. So far my faves have been the pineapple-spinach-ginger (just needs a little rum — teasing 😉 ), and the Grapefruit-Cado (I added just a little extra banana).

— EATS & DRINKS: Homemade Chili-Garlic Paste, Lentil Meatballs with Lemony Pesto, Cinnamon Whole Grain Power Pancakes, Philly Cheesesteak Stew, Grilled Lobster Tails with Sriracha Butter, Cinnamon-Orange Animal Crackers, Harvest Apple Sangria with Bourbon and Thyme, Nutty Florentine Bars. Also, I want to make a batch of granola bars soon, so I found these low cal treats: Low Cal Almond-Raisin Granola Bars & Low-Fat Banana Pecan Cranberry Granola Bars. I usually do not use a recipe for granola bars, but I wanted to try to control the portions and cal count. There’s not a lot of sense in eating something supposedly healthy if it’s going to have 500 calories per serving, lol.

— I updated my blogroll and photo gallery.

— As you know, I have a series of posts on mental health. I will try to post another installment soon, but I like to take the opportunity to share a few related articles here. I found this quite heart-breaking: http://atlantablackstar.com/2015/01/11/racial-discrimination-behind-high-suicide-rates-young-black-men-proving-dire-need-combat-stigma-depression/

— I would like to do another WhirlwinDISH post soon, too, but my meals have pretty much been the detox smoothies, salads, bagel sandwiches, and the salmon-Thai coconut soup recipe collision. I saw a recipe for a Salade Niçoise Wrap, so I started craving Niçoise. I put together a simple one with cold roasted veggies and a light vinaigrette. Besides just lettuce and tomato, Niçoise was the first type of salad I ever prepared. It is the reason for my love of cold, salty potatoes.

Pic’d: boiled eggs, roasted turnips, boiled Peruvian potatoes, roasted white asparagus, roasted red bells, roasted golden beets, radishes, roasted rutabagas, grilled marinated artichokes, tuna, toasted walnuts, capers, and black olives. I have never been able to get used to the color of purple potatoes. They came in a mixed bag, and it was the sole boiled potato in the fridge. I subbed asparagus for my normal haricots verts. I need to pick up anchovies, so I had to make-do without them. I added the walnuts because I read they are terrific in upping your serotonin levels.
After posting about How to Eat in Europe on a Budget, I saw a perfect picnic opportunity. What do you do when you have a few days to yourself? Have a “girly” day: an indoor picnic for one, pretend you are in Europe & put on your Maurice Chevalier records, soak in a bubble bath (Homemade Bubble Baths), give yourself a facial (10 Homemade Facial Scrubs), bubbling water spa pedicure, warm hand wax and manicure, deep condition your hair (Homemade Deep Conditioner and Hot Oil Treatment), don your best fluffy ‘hotel-style’ robe and slippers, and turn on your heated back and neck massagers. My picnic included a sandwich inspired by the Pan Bagnat I posted several months back. I stuffed a round mini-loaf with all the same Niçoise toppings except the turnips, rutabagas, and walnuts. I also added a little avocado and raw green bell pepper. Guess what I used for the bread? The bagel recipe, of course! I know you probably think I’m going a little too far with the reshaping the bagels, haha. That super-quick bagel recipe, though, is the next best thing for me since (well, it is sliced bread, so that analogy won’t work)…since Noosa Honey Yogurt, I guess.

And, as I am keeping it alcohol-free for a couple of weeks, I made myself a little kicked up green tea in a flask (it helps with the illusion 😉 ): Green tea, honey, ginger, lemon juice, lemon zest, & red chiles. Who needs bourbon when it’s this good? A set of 2 of these flasks in a nice leather bag came by way of a very good family friend. We lost touch with him for years, and through very miraculous and random circumstances found him again. Anyway, I have him to thank for this lovely picnic memory. I cherished a few pear slices and some sugar & spice frozen cranberries (raw sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves). After the Holidays, I always keep craving cranberry sauce, so this satisfied my need. I think I could eat a whole cup or two in one sitting, I love it so much. A lot less damage this way, with probably less than a 1/4 tsp. of sugar.

— Scroll down to see this wicked decent DIY Zipper Cuff Bracelet and also check out this DIY Gold Hinge and Chain Bracelet.

— Article: Why Are So Many Drinks Flavored with Honey? Because it’s yummy??? I received honeyed bourbon as a Holiday gift. Yums. This article also includes comparisons between honey, agave, xylitol, and stevia. What about maple? Maple bourbon is good, too. Scratch my earlier statement about the green tea…maple bourbon might be all the world ever needed.

‘Til we meet again!