More recipes! Lime Cilantro Pork Tacos, Turkey Thai Basil & Blue Cheese Steak

Last weekend we (fine me...I admit...lol I'm a kitchen hog) made some amazing recipes. Two that I got from the internet were:

Lime Cilantro Pork Tacos

Oh my....so good.  There were absolutely NO modifications to this recipe and they were not needed.  Ummm, did I get a picture? No way!!!  I ate it way too fast.  Just trust me when I say it looked as good as it tasted.  A bit messy....but no worries.  I licked it up fast.  Would be great on tortillas too, but was wonderful on the butter lettuce.

I'll paste the recipe here but full credit goes to the link above.

Lime Cilantro Pork Tacos

Ingredients

    2 tsp coconut oil
    1 lb pork tenderloin, trimmed and cut into 1/4" - 1/2" strips
    1/4 tsp sea salt
    1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
    1 red onion, diced
    1 small jalapeno, minced
    1/2 cup chicken broth
    2 medium tomatoes, diced
    3 Tbs lime juice
    3 Tbs cilantro, chopped
    8 butter lettuce leaves (about 1 large head)
    2 avocados, sliced

Instructions

1. Wash and chop onion, jalapeno, cilantro and tomatoes.
2. Season both sides of pork with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
3. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  When hot, add coconut oil to pan.
4. Sauté pork  until lightly browned, about 4 minutes.  Remove pork from pan and place in a bowl.
5. Add onion and jalapeno to hot pan, and sauté until tender.
6. Add broth and tomatoes, and reduce heat to low. Simmer two more minutes, scraping pan sides and bottom to loosen any browned bits.
7. Return pork and juices to pan.  Stir in lime juice and simmer until pork is fully cooked.
8. Top with fresh cilantro and avocado, and wrap with butter lettuce leaves to serve.

Turkey Thai Basil

I did get a picture of this!!!   I was patient enough to wait 30 seconds before digging in.

I chose to do the wheat free tamari & honey choices in the recipe.  Also, with the baby bok choy, I love the baby bok choy juniors which are itty bitty and cute.  So I just threw a big handful in.  And the turkey was just some raw turkey that I cooked up fresh for this.  Oh so very good.  I did serve it on a little white rice. 

And again, a little copy/paste of the recipe.   You can get wheat free tamari at an Oriental Market.  They sell it near the wheat-full tamari & soy sauce.  (The tamari is a soy sauce that isn't part wheat.)

Turkey Thai Basil

Ingredients

2 lbs. leftover cooked turkey, cubed or shredded (chicken, beef or shrimp would work too)
3 Tbsp fish sauce
3 Tbsp coconut aminos (or wheat free tamari)
1 Tbsp water
1/2 Tbsp unrefined granulated sugar or honey (optional)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground white pepper
2 Tbsp lard
4  baby bok choy, leaves pulled apart, hearts halved
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
1 large onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 C lightly pack Thai basil leaves

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, combine turkey with fish sauce, coconut aminos, water, sugar, salt and pepper; stir until turkey is thoroughly coated and set aside
2. Melt lard in large wok or frying pan over medium-high heat
3. Add bok choy, peppers, onion and garlic and saute until softened, about 8 minutes, stirring frequently
4. Add contents of set-aside bowl (with the meat) to pan and stir for about 3 minutes until turkey is fully incorporated and heated through
5. Remove from heat and add Thai basil, stirring until basil wilts

Blue Cheese Steak

Then one I made because it's something I adore is New York Strip Steak with melted blue cheese and sauteed onions & mushrooms (in red wine) on top. Of course, no picture.  Why would I wait for a picture?  Come on!!!!

I don't have any propane but it's really easy to cook a steak on the stove in a cast iron skillet.  If it's a thick steak, you can sear it on the stove and then finish it off in the oven.  But the steaks I picked up were about 3/4 inch thick so they were cooked only on the stove for about 4 minutes and they were perfect.

Let's see.... 

Leave the steaks out on the counter for about 45 minutes.  Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high.  Season both sides of the steak with fresh ground pepper and sea salt.  Add to the hot pan and sear both sides for about 1 minute each.  Let cook on medium heat for another minute on each side.  Remove from heat and they should be medium rare.  You can also cover them during that two minutes if you like them a little more done.

Then I just sauté some mushrooms and onions in red wine & garlic until soft.  Melt some blue cheese on top of the steaks, top with the mushrooms & onions.  OMGG!!!  EXTERMINATE!  DEVOUR!!!!!!  Oh ya, I think I made some cauliflower rice on the side.  lol

Long time!

It's been a while, and it's time I made an update!   Work has exhausted me to the point where I am having difficulty finding time and energy to say anything here.

Things are going well for me.  It's been 5 weeks since I started down this path and I am still happy.  Although there are some serious challenges...

1. Refined sugar and white flour.  I can't believe how difficult it's been the last couple of weeks for me to say no to them.  I've made some slips.  

• Last weekend I admit I made a very deliberate slip.  The husband and I went on vacation to Park City, UT for the St. Patrick's weekend and I admit I did the following over the weekend: chicken wings in bleu cheese dressing, three beers, 2 margaritas and some bread with bruschetta (a couple of pieces).  The rest of the weekend was great eating because I cooked in the hotel room.  I was having fun!  And it was, frankly, worth it.  
• But then a couple of nights ago we went to a steak & seafood restaurant and they had some white flour rolls that looked so good.  Oh my God...they were amazing.  A sane person would have asked for the rolls to be removed.  But I, after eating my meal, decided to eat one.  Before all of this I would have had at least two of them, so I did well considering.  And again, it was worth it.

So to say that I am able to withstand the refined sugars and white flours completely would be lying.   For the most part I can.  But it's so hard sometimes.  I just keep chanting to myself that at least I'm not eating cheesecake or candy or donuts or pancakes or chips, etc.  Because that was the pre-me.  Ice cream... that one is really hard for me.  *whimper*

Is this anything like what an addict goes through when they quit drugs?  I'm sure it's not quite as powerful.  But that battle after with themselves to stay away?  To help me out I eat fruits and honey for the sugar.  Then sprouted grain bread for the flour.  Not a lot of it by any means.  It helps curb that craving.

2. Breakfast.  I'm still struggling with this.  Although I've gotten really good at eating a yogurt and fruit for breakfast and being good until lunch.  Nothing wrong with that I suppose. I keep waking up late so I don't have time to make breakfast, let alone eat it.  So I pack a couple of pieces of fruit and an organic Greek yogurt and go to work.  I don't want to eat a huge breakfast or anything, but something better than stressing out and snagging whatever I can would be nice.  I really need to bring ingredients to work for smoothies.  There is an awesome blender there after all.  And a freezer for frozen fruit.  I'm just used to eating a bowl of cereal or oatmeal on the fly.  Sigh...I miss oatmeal.  I didn't even eat it with a lot of crap in it.  Just whole oats, a teaspoon of brown sugar and some raisins/dried cranberries and I was a happy girl.  I <3 you oatmeal.
3. Eating too much.  The food we're making is too damn good!  IT IS!  I'm not struggling at all with getting enough calories.  
4. Not drinking enough water.  Why Me?  I love water!  I always have.  I've never had to worry about needing sugary drinks or flavors in my water because I love water!
5. Realizing that I can't control other people's impressions.  I keep getting irritated when people scoff at this or say things like "you don't need to lose weight!"  It's not about that.  It's about eating healthy for me.  And that just gives me stress and makes me feel annoyed.  But this is supposed to be making me happy, not stressed.  I can only control myself. 
   

So there you have it. The negatives.  Well gee, now it sounds all bad!!!  No way!!!!  This is so awesome. 

1. I can still have them, but in moderation.  As it should be.  I just need to break that habit.  I have other, pure, options that I can pursue if I want something sweet.  And I really do enjoy things that are not too sweet.  Vegetables for one.  Carrots especially, which I don't eat enough of.  When  I was a baby I actually turned an orange tint because the only baby food I would eat was carrots.  True story.  Carrots. Nothin' better!  
2. I really am okay with just eating a little for breakfast.  And smoothies would rock.  More planning!  I need to get more "on-the-go" options for breakfast.  I also need to stop having to scramble, when I'm already late for work, to grab something to take with me.  It's really a PITA.
3. Moderation, again, is the key here.  Also, I shouldn't complain too much since a lot of the food is vegetable heavy.  But I can really put the food down, I tell you what!  I just need to learn how to back off the delicious.  I've never had that ability.
4. I still haven't stopped to grab any water since I started writing this.  Seriously.   This is not even "diet" related.  I'm just bad this way.   I'll get better as summer rolls around.
5. I believe I addressed this above.  Just chill.

I do feel better than ever before and like how I am eating.  I have less stomach problems - indigestion, heartburn, etc.   And it's a lot more whole foods.  Not as much organic or "grain-fed" as I'd like, but that's so expensive.  I work it in as I can.   Now I think I'll go grab a glass of water.

Roast lamb and cauliflower rice

Ohhhh.  Yes, that is the sound of pleasure I'm making after this dinner.   I still have the lingering taste of rosemary and garlic and I'm not in any hurry to stop it. 

I was making the weekly menu of chicken, steak, chicken and more chicken when I thought, "NO!  I need, no, I DESERVE something fantastic."  I thought pork, fish...eh...something special that I don't have often.   And then it hit me!  Lamb!  More specific - a leg of lamb.  After staring at our finances and realizing that even though I'm spending a ton of money of whole foods that we are spending less money overall and that yes, we can afford this, I packed the hubby off on a three store search for my lamb.  

Yup, three.  I guess Utahns don't eat lamb.  I can understand why.  $$  Plus there's Mary's little one.  I like deer too.  Circle of life.  And I could not be detoured.   Oh sure...we could have gone to Costco and picked up a lamb on steroids, but I only wanted a small one.  And at the third store, there it was.  In all its glory.  All 2.48 lbs.  Boneless leg of lamb.  $10.99/lb.  $27.30.  And worth every penny.

Now what to serve on the side?  Steamed broccoli?  Check.  Cauliflower rice?  Say what?  That's a big check too!  Turned out great! 

Now even though I made this last, I'll start with it first.  Just to help with any confusion.  I found on a couple of websites reference to Cauliflower Rice which is just cauliflower pulsed into a rice-like consistency and then pan fried with whatever you want to put in it.  So no it's not rice.  Just looks like it.   And below is how I did it.

Cauliflower Rice

Ingredients

• 1 head cauliflower
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp garlic, minced
• 1 small onion, chopped
• Fresh rosemary, to taste (I just used one "twig" I guess you can call it. I have no idea.  Took the leaves off and chopped them up)
• Sea salt & fresh ground pepper, to taste

 Instructions

1. Place the cauliflower into a food processor and pulse until it has a grainy rice-like consistency. 
2. In a skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
3. Add the garlic and onion to the pan and cook until the onion is translucent.
4. Mix in the rosemary and cauliflower.  
5. Season with salt & pepper.
6. Saute for approximately 10-15 minutes.

 I tell you something...it was marvelous.

But now onto the best part!!!!!  I got this recipe from http://paleocomfortfoods.com.   Since I have a smaller roast, I halved everything except for the sliced garlic and lemon.  :)  Then for the minced garlic I used three teaspoons of bottled, pre-minced garlic.

But I will not change a darn thing on this recipe below.  It was medium-rare at 145 degrees.  Oh oh yummy.  It took about 1 hour 15 minutes total (including the 30 at the higher heat.)  Maybe a little longer because I took it out at one point when I thought it was done and then realized I don't know how to read a thermometer.  Even that didn't ruin it!

Leg of Lamb

 

Ingredients

• 1 bone-in leg of lamb (6-8 pounds)
• 2 garlic cloves, slivered
• ¼ cup (6 g) Italian parsley, chopped
• 3 tbs. fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1-2 teaspoons sea salt
• juice of 1 lemon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 F (205 C).
2. Trim the lamb of any excessive fat.
3. Cut about 10 or so ½-1 inch slits in the lamb, and insert the garlic slivers.
4. Combine the parsley, rosemary, garlic and salt in a small bowl and combine well.
5. Squeeze the lemon juice all over the lamb to coat.
6. Using your hands, massage the herb mixture all over the lamb.
7. Place the lamb onto a rack placed within a roasting pan.
8. Cook at 400 for 30 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 F (175 C) and cook for about 60-90 more minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 145-150 F (60-65 C).

And here it is!!!  Food Porn!

Sweet Potato Pancakes

Pancakes.  Oh God, pancakes.  Sweet, moist, excellent and delicious, they are the deliverers of all things wonderful - syrup, peanut butter and blueberries are just three of my favorites.  So you can imagine my sadness when I realized that I couldn't have pancakes, as I know them.  Pancakes!!!!

But wait!  There are options!!!  When the hubby and I were in San Francisco for our honeymoon, we went to this restaurant that was so amazing that if you don't go there immediately the next time you are in SF, I will call you a fool and laugh in your face.  The only trick?  You have to get there at the butt crack of dawn in order to get in to the place.  But oh, it's worth it.  Oh and don't be too put off by the ... unsavory neighborhood.

Dottie's True Blue Cafe

But let me tell you about the pecan pancakes.  Holy delicious.   I loved them.  And that memory makes me realize there is hope for me!  (Hey don't miss out on the whiskey-fennel sausage either...hmmmm...)

So now, why did I go off on this tangent?  Not to say that I made pecan pancakes.  Oh no.  That will be next weekend.   But to say that, because there are choices, I decided to try sweet potato pancakes with pure maple syrup!

I picked up the recipe for the pancakes from here: Sweet Potato Pancakes with Maple Pecan Coconut Butter

But I have to say "no" to coconut butter... and also the extra effort.  So, with true Melissa fashion, I changed the recipe a bit.  And I have to say that they don't have the texture or taste of pancakes, of course.  But dangitall!  They are delicious!!!

Sweet Potato Pancakes

Ingredients

3 large eggs
1 large sweet potato
1/2 cup almond butter
1/2 cup skim milk
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
olive oil

Directions

1. Microwave the sweet potato until it is fork tender (it took me 5 minutes). Then cool, peel and chop into pieces
2. In a blender add the sweet potato, almond butter, milk, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon nutmeg, and sea salt and mix well.
3. You want to have a pancake consistency. If it is too thin then add a little more milk.
4. Heat your griddle over medium heat (250 degrees is what I picked the second time I made them and I liked it better.  Took longer but easier to control).
5. Add olive oil to the skillet and pour in the batter, in whatever shape or size you’d like.
6. When the pancake begins to have surface bubbles near the center flip and cook other side (each side 2-3 minutes).  (I didn't have any bubbles...I just waited until they were browning on the bottom.  They're also very fragile, so be careful.)
7. Add more oil to cook surface as needed between batches.
8. Let your pancakes rest in the oven on “warm” on a paper towel lined plate until all batches are complete. (Or just in the microwave with no heat which is fine.  They stay warm.)

 Served with Pure Maple Syrup and Strawberries.  Oh ya...  I ate four.

Red Wine Beef Stew

Have I been slackin' or what?  Work has kept me ever busy and stressed out.  To the point where I haven't had the energy or brain-power to even think about how everything is going.  How will I ever make it up to you?  

I know!  Recipes!!!

How about what I made today?  Hmmm.... One of my favorite comfort foods in the winter is Beef Stew.  Of course I've always made it using flour (to thicken the broth), white or red potatoes (sugar!) and a packet of McCormick's Beef Stew Seasoning (MSG anyone?).  So what's a girl to do when she has chosen to do none of those?  Substitute!  And make a masterpiece!  No flour.  Who needs thick broth anyway?  Sweet potatoes and turnips instead of regular potatoes (made it sweet and delicious).  And dried spices from my cupboard.

So here we go.  Straight from my heart (and happy tummy) to you.

Red Wine Beef Stew

Ingredients

1.5 lbs lean beef, cut into cubes for stew

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes

3 small turnips or 1 large turnip, peeled and cut into cubes

2 celery stalks, sliced

1 large leek, sliced

4 green onions, chopped (whites and greens)

8 ounce bag of baby carrots

1 1/2 cups organic beef stock

3/4 cup red wine (to be honest, I just pour a bunch in...I'm guessing)

Dried basil, oregano & rosemary - to taste

Directions

Add all of the ingredients to a slow cooker and mix well.  Cook, on low, for 8 hours.

Before Cooking:

After Cooking:

 

I'd show you after eating, but I don't think many people would appreciate that!

DD+14!

Ahhh two weeks in. And I feel great!! A beautiful side effect is I can now fit into some jeans I haven't been able to wear for a couple of months. I really can't complain about that!

My sugar cravings are mostly under control. In fact today I stared at the bulk bin chocolates at the grocery store and all I thought was "oh ya, I like those, those are good." But not "I must have them!!" which is what I did when I saw candy last week. I've also walked through the baked goods section of two grocery stores today to only look with a passing interest. More like a "they sure know how to place products!!" type of interest.

Instead I'm looking with serious interest at new vegetables and how I can prepare them. Should I buy kale and collard greens or will they go bad before I can eat them? Hey I can put turnips and sweet potatoes in my stew instead of potatoes! Leeks! Red cabbage! Broccoli! Pretty soon I'm going to turn into a carrot with arms and legs. Do not call me Carrot Top if you want to live. I mean it. I eat a lot of meat now and that means protein which translates into muscle building if you catch my drift....

Speaking of meat, we bought 20 lbs of boneless skinless chicken breasts today. I know I'll be making garlic clove chicken this week but I guess I'd better get busy figuring out some other creative ways to use it. Otherwise I'll be stuck with "Baked chicken? Again?"

The only issues I've had is when I didn't plan right or when my plan didn't work. Such as my forgetting breakfast. Or when I'd wanted to go to lunch with co-workers but ended up having a meeting (and then didn't have lunch at all).

But I have a plan to combat my poor planning! Don't let that hurt your sense of reality too much. Tomorrow I am making omelet muffins!! They are exactly what it sounds like. I'll wrap them up nicely and have them on hand for the week. And I'll make sure I take a lunch every day to work even if I plan on going out. I can always eat it the next day.

So there you have it. I was relatively quiet this week because it was crazy busy. But everything kept moving on.

Before I close I want to share my favorite quick breakfast from the week. (I truly had no time). Almond butter and honey on 7 sprouted grain bread, a pear and a glass of milk. Simplicity. Delicious too.