Month: April 2016

Healing Bitter Melon Pickles

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Bitter Melon is such a healthy food. It has been reported to help regulate blood sugar (good for type II diabetes),  rid the body of kidney stones,  cleanse the liver, help reduce cholesterol, fight pancreatic cancer, and help with weight loss. Wow have you ever heard of a food with such benefits. It does have a bitter taste as the name implies but it is a taste that I actually have acquired over some time, however these pickles do reduce the bitterness and add other flavors. Best of all they preserve the bitter melon for several months. Eat and enjoy the health benefits, here is the recipe.

Ingredients
3 medium-sized bitter melons
2 cups apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons kosher salt and additional salt for sprinkling over then to extract some bitterness.
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon red chile flakes (or to taste)
2 1/2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh giner

Directions
Slice each melon in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds and cottony bits with a spoon, then slice crosswise in about 1/2 inch to 1/4 inch. Put the slices in a colander in the sink and sprinkle generously with salt. Let stand about 20 minutes, then rinse and drain the slices. Put the bitter melon and the ginger in a clean one-quart glass jar or two pint jars. Combine vinegar, salt, sugar, and chile flakes in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil stiring till the salt and sugar dissolve.  Pour the hot brine over the bitter melon slices and ginger in the jar. Screw on a lid and refrigerate. Let the pickles set inf the fridge for about 3 days and then they will be ready to eat.

Flavorful Grilled Steak Fajitas

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SteakFajitas1
Succulent Steak Fajitas

The flavors of the marinade combine to form a great taste. This fajita recipe has a LOT of flavor due to the marinade. Whenever I make this it goes quickly and I rarely have left overs.

Ingredients

  • 2-3 lbs of skirt steak cut into about 8″ long steaks
  • 1 small onion chopped finely + 1 onion sliced.
  • 10 – 15 sprigs of cilantro minced finely
  • 1/4 cup of lime juice
  • 4 cloves of garlic minced finely
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1/4 cup of canola oil
  • 1 bell pepper sliced

Directions

Add all the ingredients but the sliced onion and bell pepper into a ziploc bag and marinade for at least 2 hours or up to 10 hours in the refrigerator. Grill the steaks on a very hot grill so you get some char on it. While the steaks are grilling fry the sliced onions and bell peppers in a preheated pan and get a little char on them cooking till tender. When the steaks are done, let them rest for 10-15 minutes, then slice across the grain. Serve with taco size flour tortillas, grilled onion and bell pepper, salsa, cheese, guacamole and sour cream laid out to create the fajitas. Everyone can customize their fajita by adding the toppings they like.

Chocolate Almond Biscotti

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Delicious Chocolate Almond Biscotti
Delicious Chocolate Almond Biscotti

These are great accompaniments to morning coffee or just for a snack. Kids love them and can have them with milk. If you use the healthier coconut oil in place of the butter, you will add a hint of coconut flavor (which I like). If you go totally vegan and decide to use the banana, it will add in a banana flavor which also gives it a nice flavor. If kept dry and sealed, these will last for several months.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • Pinch of salt (1/16 teaspoon)
  • 1 large egg (Vegan Substitute: 1/2 to 1 smashed banana, or Vegan Egg replacer equiv. to 1 large egg)
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened or coconut oil
  • 1/3 cup raw almonds
  • 3 tablespoons milk or soy milk

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Add 1st 5 ingredients in to food processor. Process till mixed. Add remaining ingredients in and process for about 7 seconds. It will not fully come together as a dough but will be mixed. Pour onto some plastic wrap and roll up. Squeeze together to fom into a 3″ wide roll about 1″ high.  Remove plastic wrap and put onto foil lined baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Then slice crosswise into 1/2 to 3/5″ slices using a serrated knife. Arrange slices layed out flat in a single layer on the baking sheet and bake at 350 for about 30-40 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 30 minutes then you can eat them. If you are going to store them, put them in a sealed container after they are completely cool. They will last several months if they are around that long.

Sara’s Braised K/C

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CabbageandKale

A friend of mine gave me this recipe and it is really good. When you cook it like this, it brings out the sweetness in the cabbage and kale and it is really healthy. It can be cooked as a side dish or a main dish.

Ingredients

  • 1 bunch of kale
  • 1 med head cabbage
  • 2 TBS garlic powder
  • 4 TBS Olive oil
  • Salt to taste
  • 1/4 TSP Red Pepper

In a deep pot add olive oil and chopped Kale. Sprinkle garlic powder over the top and cook at high heat. Shred entire cabbage (core and all). Stir kale. Drop cabbage on top and add salt. Put lid on top of pot (add very little water if any) Turn to med/low and cook until cabbage starts to breakdown then stir and cook some more.

Incredible Turkey Breast

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Delicious Healthy Turkey Breast
Delicious Healthy Turkey Breast

I have made turkeys for a while, at first they always came out dry. This was because by the time the thigh was done the breast was dry. I learned a few keys to making a juicy delicious turkey without soaking in brine. First don’t stuff the turkey and second remove the backbone and flatten the turkey before cooking. this will allow the turkey to cook more evenly. Cook the turkey on a rack such as a cooling rack over a pan and start checking the temperature early.

Ingredients

  • Turkey Breast or whole turkey backbone removed and flattened.
  • 1/2 stick of butter
  • 10-15 fresh sage leaves
  • 1/4 cup roughtly chopped parsley
  • 6-7 large cloves of garlic
  • 1 tsp salt

Directions

Put sage, garlic and parsley in food processor or food chopper. Chop finely. Add butter and salt and chop till mixed well. Remove backbone and flatten turkey breast if whole. This will allow it to cook evenly. Stuff butter under skin and rub on skin. Roast in oven at 325 degrees till breast or thickest part of turkey reaches temp 163 degrees (Temp will rise above 165 degrees when resting). Remove rest for 30 mins. Cut and serve.

Chinese Vegetable Noodle Soup

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Spicy Chinese Veg noodle
Spicy Chinese Veg noodle

This is a great satisfying vegetarian dish. I like to add the crisp chili oil to it and make it nice and spicy.

Ingredients

  • 1.5 quarts of vegetable stock from veg stock recipe
  • 2 to 3 tbsp of black bean and garlic sauce
  • 4 to 5 tbsp of dark soy sauce
  • 3 cloves garlic sliced
  • 1 inch piece of ginger peeled and sliced
  • 4 pieces of orange peal, just the zest, I use a peeler on an orange.
  • 6 pieces of star anise
  • 5 dried hot red peppers
  • 1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
  • 5 to 7 Sichuan peppers Ajika Sichuan Peppercorns Chinese Pepper, 2.5-Ounce
  • 1/4 top sugar
  • Noodles (Can be Rice Noodles or Chinese egg noodles)

Add ins: baby bok choy, spinach, green leaf lettuce, fried tofu, Crisp Chili Oil

Topping: green onion, cilantro

Directions

Add all ingredients and bring almost to a boil then simmer on med low for 1 hour, removing orange peal after 20 minutes or it will make the soup bitter. Remove from heat and strain broth and add cooked Noodles (fresh are best) pieces of bock chop, spinach, fried tofu, etc. Top with chopped green onions and chopped cilantro. Note bok choy, spinach, and lettuce need to cook in broth till soft.

Healthy Spicy Pepper Crusted Salmon

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Healthy Pepper Crusted Salmon
Healthy Pepper Crusted Salmon

I love this healthy recipe, It has a spicy crust with the rich salmon flavor inside. It is simple and great for a quick, healthy, easy to make main course.

Ingredients

  • Salmon fillets skin removed.
  • Course ground black pepper
  • Olive Oil
  • Salt

Directions

Bring your salmon fillets to room temp.  Coat your Salmon till it is covered with the course ground black pepper and sprinkle some salt on both sides. Preheat your pan till it is really hot, and then add the olive oil to almost coat the bottom of the pan. Now add the salmon to the pan and cook for about 7 minutes on each side till you can poke it and it feels firm. It should have a browned crust on it. Remove the salmon from the pan and let it rest for about 5 minutes, then serve and enjoy.