Homemade Sloppy Joe's

I had some ground Beef that needed to be cooked and I wasn't sure what to make with it. My son suggested Sloppy Joe's. I haven't made then for a really long time. It's one of those sandwiches that I remember from my own childhood and it was usually made with a spice mix and some Tomato Paste. Tonight, though I decided to make it from scratch since I didn't have an of the mix. I looked up the ingredients on the McCormick website and the main ingredients were: Sugar, Onion, Salt, Corn Starch, Paprika, Chili Pepper, Red and Green Peppers, Garlic and Vinegar. I decided to use Dehydrated Onions and Garlic Salt so it would taste more like the mix. I used minced Red Pepper since I didn't have any Green. Peppers. I combined Tomato Paste with a little Ketchup and also added some Coconut Vinegar (a very mild Vinegar) and some Brown Sugar. I finally added some Worcestershire Sauce to give the sauce some depth and some Chili Powder and Paprika to make it just right. It was wonderful!  I served it over some Gluten Free Hamburger Buns and felt like a kid again! 

Homemade Sloppy Joe's

1 pound lean Ground Beef

1/4 teaspoon Garlic Salt

1/2 cup Dehydrated Onion (or minced Onion)

1/2 cup minced Red Pepper (or 1/4 cup Red and 1/4 cup Green Pepper)

1/2 cup Tomato Paste

1/3 cup Ketchup

1/4 cup Water

1/2 teaspoon Paprika

1/2 teaspoon Chili Powder (or another mild vinegar like Apple Cider Vinegar)

1/4 cup Coconut Vinegar

2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar

2 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce

Cook the Ground Beef with the Dehydrated Onion and Red Pepper until the Beef is no longer pink. Sprinkle in the Salt and add the Tomato Paste, Ketchup and Water and mix thoroughly Then add in the Coconut Vinegar, Brown Sugar, Chili Powder, Paprika and Worcestershire Sauce. Heat until bubbling and mixed thoroughly. Serve over toasted Hamburger Buns.

Five Element Analysis

Beef belongs to the Earth Element and the Brown Sugar adds even more. The Red Pepper, Tomato Paste and Ketchup bring in the Fire Element as does the Paprika and Chili Powder. The Onion and Garlic Salt contribute some of the Metal Element and the Wood Element is represented by the Coconut Vinegar. The Water Element is seen only in the Worcestershire Sauce. All Elements are present but Wood, Metal and Water need some support. Serving this with Hamburger Buns - either regular or Gluten Free will add some more Elements - Wheat will bring in more Wood and Gluten Free Buns are made from Rice Flour, which is a Metal Food and Tapioca Starch and Corn Starch, which are more Earth ingredients. The best way to balance this meal is to bring in some more Wood, Metal and Water foods, perhaps in a vegetable salad to create an even better balance.

Italian Cabbage Salad

It's been a crazy month around here with lots of comings and goings - houseguests and kid's moves - and so I've had vey little time to post. Besides that, And, I'm mostly only doing really light meals and salads. Finally, I am getting back to my usual routines and getting to post a few things too.

My latest favorite salad, which I made when there was very little in the fridge, is a marinated Italian Cabbage Salad. It has the usual flavors of an Italian style Vinaigrette with Balsamic Vinegar and the advantage of this salad is that it keeps well. Cabbage can hold up to the dressing for quite a long time so I usually double the recipe when making it. I love adding lots of Pine Nuts to give even more texture.  

Italian Cabbage Salad

2 cups shredded Green Cabbage

2 cups shredded Red Cabbage

1/4 cup Basil Leaves, sliced thinly (Chiffonade)

1/4 cup Red Onion minced

1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar

1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1/2 teaspoon Sugar

1/3 - 1/2  cup Pine Nuts

In a small frying pan, cook the Pine Nuts until you can smell their fragrance and they just start to brown.  Remove to a plate to cool. 

Place the Cabbage and Basil in a serving bowl. In another smaller bowl, mix together the Red Onion, Balsamic Vinegar, Olive Oil, Salt and Sugar.  Stir to combine and pour over the Cabbage.  Toss to coat thoroughly and sprinkle on Pine Nuts. Let the flavors meld for at least 15 minutes or place in the refrigerator to serve later.  

Five Element Analysis

Cabbage belongs to the Earth Element although the Red Cabbage also contributes some Fire. The Pine Nuts bring in the Earth Element. The Balsamic Vinegar and Olive Oil make sure that the Wood Element is involved and finally the Basil and Red Onion both come from the Metal Element. As a side dish, it's quite balanced, but for a meal, be sure to have more Fired Foods.  

Vietnamese Meatball Bun Salad Bowl

It's hot and smoky here in Seattle due to all the wild fires burning in British Columbia. That makes me too tired to cook much, so I've been eating a lot of salads and sandwiches. Tonight, though, I was craving Bun, which is a Vietnamese Salad bowl full of Rice Noodles, Cucumber, Carrots and lots and lots of fresh herbs like Cilantro, Thai Basil, Mint and Shiso Leaf. Unfortunately, my favorite Vietnamese restaurant closed recently near my house and I didn't want to drive downtown to their other location. The solution? I decided to make it myself. Luckily, I have Mint, Shiso Leaf and Thai Basil all growing in my garden and I always have Cilantro in my fridge along with Carrots, Cucumbers and Lettuce. The only thing I was missing was Pork that I could slice to caramelize the Vietnamese way. But, I did have ground Pork so I made Vietnamese style Meatballs in the Broiler and I added just a bit of caramel into the Pork to give it the right flavor. I got that idea from a recipe I saw once and wrote down on a little slip of paper, which I kept, but I am sorry to say that I didn't write down where it came from. So thank you to whomever created that recipe. I topped the salad with chopped roasted Peanuts and I was in heaven. It was so good!  I might not need to order takeout anymore since I love this version so much!

Vietnamese Meatballs

1 pound ground Pork

1 large Shallot, minced

3 Tablespoons Fish Sauce

2 Tablespoons Sugar 

3 Tablespoons Boiling Water

2 Tablespoons Cold Water

Put the Pork into a mixing bowl and add the Shallot and Fish Sauce. Then in a small frying pan, add the Sugar and Boiling Water. Cook over medium heat for about 8 minutes or until golden brown. Then quickly add in the cold water, stir and add to the Pork mixture. Stir to combine, pushing the meat down with a spatula until it becomes somewhat pasty. Shape into about 20 meatballs and place on a baking sheet. Press to flatten. Put into the broiler and cook for 4 - 5 minutes and then turn over and cook for an additional 4 minutes.  

Bun Salad Bowl

8 ounces of Rice Noodles

1 large or 2 smaller Cucumbers, peeled and cut in half

1 large Carrot, peeled

1 small head of Butter Lettuce, washed

1/2 cup of Cilantro Leaves

1/2 cup of Thai Basil Leaves

1/2 cup of Mint Leaves

Optional:  1/2 cup of Shiso Leaves

1/3 cup chopped roasted Peanuts

Cook the Rice Noodles in boiling water from 7 - 10 minutes. Drain and rinse with Cold Water. Place in a serving bowl. 

Remove the Seeds from the Cucumbers using a small spoon.Then cut into julienne pieces about 2 inches long.Julienne the Carrots into similar size pieces. Then slice the Lettuce using a Lettuce knife or tear into thin strips. Place on top of the Noodles. Then sprinkle on the fresh herbs. Lay the Meatballs on top of that and sprinkle with the Peanuts. Pour the Dressing over all and toss before serving.

Nuoc Cham Dressing

1/2 cup Lime Juice

2 Tablespoons Light Brown Sugar

2 Tablespoons Sugar

1 cup Boiling Water

4 Tablespoons Fish Sauce

2 Garlic Cloves, minced

1/4 teaspoon Red Chili Flakes

In a bowl, stir together the Sugar and the Boiling Water. Stir until dissolved and then add in the Lime Juice, Fish Sauce, Garlic Cloves and Chili Flakes.  

Five Element Analysis

Pork belongs to the Water Element and so does the Fish Sauce. The Wood Element is represented by the Lime Juice. The Fire Element is seen in the Lettuce and Chili Flakes. The two kinds of Sugar, the Peanuts, the Cucumber and the Carrot all make sure that the Earth Element is present. And finally the Metal Element is represented by the pungent herbs, the Shallot and Garlic and the Rice Noodles. This then is a perfectly balanced Summer meal!

Greek Salad

In the summertime, I eat a lot of salads during hot weather and I have a lot of different salads that I make, but wanted something a little new and different. I also had someone coming over and decided to make Greek food for dinner, so the perfect accompaniment would be a Greek Salad. I've had lots of them in Greek restaurants, but wasn't that excited by them and not too long ago, a friend of mine - who is half Greek - told me that traditional Greek Salads don't have lettuce in them. I've always had them served with Lettuce - usually Iceberg so I was intrigued. I got her recipe and when I made it, I loved it and so did my guest.

A traditional Greek Salad incorporates Cucumber, Sweet Red, Orange or Yellow Peppers, ripe Cherry Tomatoes, thinly sliced Red Onion, Feta Cheese and Kalamata Olives. The dressing is made with Red Wine Vinegar, Olive Oil, Garlic, Salt and dried Oregano. It's very important to cut the Feta into cubes instead of using it crumbled and it's actually much better to use dried Oregano than fresh. My friend told me to make the Salad dressing ahead of time to let the flavors meld and also to dress the salad at least 30 minutes before you serve it. This is such a great salad that it is joining the summer salad rotation!

Greek Salad

1 large hothouse Cucumber or 4 Persian Cucumbers, ends trimmed (leave peel on) 

1 small Orange Pepper

1 small Yellow Pepper

2 cups Cherry Tomatoes, cut in half

1 cup thinly sliced Red Onion cut in quarters

4 ounces Feta Cheese (Sheep's Milk if possible to find), cut into small cubes

1/2 - 3/4 cup Kalamata Olives        

Cut the Cucumber in half and take a small spoon and scrape out the Cucumber seeds and then cut into 1/4 inch thick half moons. Then cut a think slice off the top and bottom of the Peppers. Then, cut in half and then cut into 1 inch squares - you should have about 1 cup of each. Put the Cucumbers, Peppers, Tomatoes, Red Onion, Feta Cheese and Olives in a large salad bowl. Drizzle dressing over and toss to coat everything. Let sit for at least 30 minutes before serving.  

Dressing

2 Garlic Cloves minced

1/4 cup Red Wine Vinegar

1/3 cup Olive Oil   

1 teaspoon dried Oregano   

3/4 teaspoon Sea Salt

1/2 teaspoon Sugar

1/4 teaspoon fresh Ground Black Pepper   

Place all dressing ingredients in a bowl and whisk together.  Let sit for at least 15 minutes up until overnight before dressing the salad. 

Five Element Analysis

There are so many colors in this salad that you can be pretty sure that most Elements are covered. To start, the Cucumbers belong to the Earth Element. The Yellow and Orange Peppers have both Earth (because of the color) and Fire because Peppers belong to that Element. The Tomatoes and Black Pepper add even more Fire. The Red Onion and Feta along with the Garlic and Oregano make sure that the Metal Element is present.  The Vinegar and Olive Oil contribute the Wood Element and the Calamata Olives bring in a bit of Wood but also some Water o because they are black. The little bit of Salt in the dressing and in the Feta bring in a touch more Water. The Water Element needs a little support, so this would be a perfect salad to go with some grilled Fish, or an Eggplant dish or some Greek soup.  

Radish Salad with Butter Vinaigrette

One of the classic French ways of serving Radishes is with softened Butter and Sea Salt and I've loved it since the first time I tried it in France. I still eat Radishes that way quite often. I've even been known to make that combination into a sandwich. Something about the flavor of Butter softens the pungent bite of the Radishes. So tonight I got inspired to make a Butter Vinaigrette and make this classic combination into a salad. I cooked some Shallots in unsalted Butter and added some Sherry Vinegar, flaky Sea Salt of course, a pinch of Sugar and a spoonful of Dijon Mustard. I poured it over a plate of sliced Radishes and I was in heaven! This recipe is definitely a keeper so I decided to share it with you. It's so easy and so good. If you love Radishes, you need to try this Radish Salad with a Butter Vinaigrette!

Radish Salad with Butter Vinaigrette

16 Radishes, trimmed and cut into thin slices

4 Tablespoons unsalted Butter

1 small Shallot, minced

4 Tablespoons Sherry Vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard

1/4 teaspoon Sea Salt

pinch of Sugar (about 1/8 teaspoon)
fresh ground Pepper to taste

In a small frying pan, melt the Butter and add the Shallots. Cook until the Shallots just start to brown. Turn off the heat and add in the Sherry Vinegar, Mustard, Salt and Sugar. Stir to combine and pour over the Radishes. Sprinkle with fresh ground Pepper and serve immediately.

Five Element Analysis

Radishes are one of the few Metal vegetables because of their pungent flavor. But because they are red, they have a bit of Fire too. The Mustard, Butter and Shallots bring in even more of the Metal Element. The Vinegar belongs to the Wood Element.  There's only a hint of the Water Element from the Salt and Earth from the Sugar. So, this is a great dish to serve when you need a lot of Metal to round out the meal.   

Gluten Free Spinach and Feta Quiche

This is a Quiche that I make frequently for my son and daughter in law. It incorporates all the flavors of Spanikopita but it is cooked in a pie shell instead of inside puff pastry. I have to admit that I don't usually make my own Gluten Free Pie Crust, I buy it frozen. It saves a lot of time and the only downside is that it is smaller than I usually make my Quiches so I use less Egg and Milk. So the Quiche ends up tasting mostly of Spinach and Feta instead of just being savory custard and I think it actually makes it better. 

Gluten Free Spinach and Feta Quiche

1 frozen Gluten Free Pie Crust (I used Silly Zak's)

6 ounces frozen Spinach, thawed

3 - 4 Green Onions, trimmed and minced

1/4 cup fresh Dill

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

2 Eggs

1 cup Milk

8 ounces Feta Cheese, crumbled

1/2 teaspoon Salt

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake the Pie Crust on a large sheet pan for about 10 minutes or until the crust is just starting to get lightly browned.  Remove from oven and let cool slightly.

Add the Olive Oil to a frying pan and then add the Green Onions and Spinach. Cook until the Spinach is heated through. Remove to a bowl and add the Dill.

I another bowl, mix together the Eggs, Milk, Feta Cheese and Salt and add to the Spinach mixture. Pour into the Pie Shell and place in the oven.

Cook for 35 - 40 minutes or until the center is set when you test it with a knife and the top of the Quiche is lightly browned. 

Five Element Analysis

With all the Spinach in this Quiche, you know that there is a tot of the Wood Element present. The Eggs bring in the Water Element. The Feta Cheese, Green Onions, Dill and Milk all contribute the Metal Element and the Pie Crust which is made of mostly Butter and Rice Flour adds even more. It also contributes a tiny bit of the Earth Element with the Tapioca Starch, but this Element needs to be incorporated into the meal in some other way so I add a Cucumber and Tomato Salad, for the mostly missing Earth and the missing Fire Element to create a balanced meal. 

Eggplant Dip with Georgian flavors

I love making Dips with Eggplant and had the idea today to make one with Georgian flavors. I've always enjoyed Georgian food when I've been lucky enough to have it. This dip is sweet and sour, due to the addition of Pomegranate Molasses and has as additional seasoning of pureed fresh Tomatoes and Garlic. I sprinkled it with toasted Walnuts, which gives it another textural layer. If I had some Pomegranate Seeds, I would sprinkle those on top as well. I served it with Gluten Free Crackers and it would also be very good with toasted Bread. Georgian Eggplant Dip is incredibly delicious!

Georgian Eggplant Dip

1 large Eggplant

1 Roma Tomato, stem end removed

2 small Garlic Cloves 

3 - 4 Tablespoons Pomegranate Molasses (depending on how sour you want it to be)

1 teaspoon Salt

1 teaspoon Sugar

1/4 cup Walnuts, broken or chopped into small pieces

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Prick the Eggplant all over with a fork and place on a foil covered pan. Cook for 45 minutes to one hour or until the Eggplant is soft at both the top and the bottom.  Slice open and let drain until cool. Peel and then chop the Eggplant.  

In a blender or food processor, puree the Tomato with the Garlic, Salt and Sugar. Add to the Eggplant mixture and stir thoroughly. Refrigerate until ready to serve to let the flavors meld. When ready to serve, toast the Walnuts in a small frying pan and sprinkle on top.

Five Element Analysis

Eggplant belongs to the Water Element and the Walnuts add even more. Tomatoes and Pomegranates come from the Fire Element although the Pomegranate Molasses is Sour so it also contributes the Wood Element flavor. The Garlic brings in the Metal Element. The Crackers I served (Schaar Entertainment Crackers) are made from Cornstarch and Corn Flour and add in the Earth Element. This ended up being a balanced Five Element Snack!