Chard Salad

I've been staying home and using up all the perishable food I bought last week. So I've been cooking up a storm. First to use up are all the leafy greens as the hard vegetables will keep for quite a while. Last night I made a Chard Salad that we really enjoyed that was dressed with a Lemony Dressing that comes form my friend Kelly. The secret ingredient is Bragg's Liquid Aminos along with some Red Onion and Garlic that marinated in the dressing. To make the Salad more colorful, I used an Orange Pepper cut up. It's full of Vitamin C - more than Oranges! And, I sprinkled the Salad with toasted Sunflower Seeds for even more crunch. It was so good that I have to share it with you!

Chard Salad

1 large bunch of Chard

1 small Orange Pepper, trimmed and cut into small pieces

1/4 cup Lemon Juice

1/4 cup Olive Oil 

1/4 cup minced Red Onion

2 Garlic Cloves, minced

1 teaspoon Bragg's Liquid Aminos (or Coconut Aminos)

1/3 cup Sunflower Seeds, toasted

Put the Onions, Garlic, Lemon Juice, Olive Oil and Bragg's Liquid Aminos in a salad bowl.  Stir to combine. 

Wash the Chard thoroughly to remove any sand. Tear the leafy part of the Chard off the Stalk and then tear into bite size pieces. Place in the salad bowl.  Add in the pieces of Orange Pepper and toss so that the dressing coats everything thoroughly. 

This salad can be made ahead and refrigerated. Sprinkle with Sunflower Seeds before serving. 

Five Element Analysis

Chard is a leafy green so you know that it's part of the Wood Element and the Lemon Juice and Olive Oil add even more. The Orange Pepper brings in the Fire Element and the Sunflower Seeds and the Bragg's Liquid Aminos contribute the Water Element. The Metal Element is represented by the Onion and Garlic.  So, all that's missing is the Earth Element so serve it with a main dish from the Earth Element like a Steak, if you are a carnivore or some baked Butternut Squash if you are Vegan, for a balanced meal!

Broccoli Salad with Ceasar Style Dressing

I was in the mood for some Broccoli Salad, but I didn't want the usual sweet ones. So, I decided to make one with a Caesar Style Dressing, minus the Parmesan and it turned out wonderfully. I chopped up the Broccoli and softened it slightly by pouring boiling water over it and letting it sit for about 5 minutes. I didn't have any Anchovies so I whipped up a dressing that included Mayonnaise, a bit of Worcestershire, a bit of Fish Sauce since it's also made from Anchovies, some Lemon, a pinch of Sugar and minced Garlic. It was wonderful!  If you can eat cheese, you could sprinkle some Parmesan on top to make it even more authentic and of course some Croutons would be good as well. I loved this Salad!

Broccoli Salad with Caesar Style Dressing

2 cups chopped Broccoli including trimmed and peeled stems

1/4 cup Mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon Lemon Juice

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce

1/2 teaspoon Fish Sauce

1/8 teaspoon Sugar

1 small Garlic clove, minced

freshly ground Pepper

Optional:  2 Tablespoons Parmesan Cheese

Put the chopped Broccoli in a bowl and cover with boiling water for 5 minutes.

In a small bowl, mix together the Mayonnaise, Worcestershire Sauce, Fish Sauce, Lemon Juice, Sugar and Garlic.

Drain the Broccoli and pour the Dressing over it and stir to combine. Let marinate for at least 30 minutes before serving. Toss again before serving. Sprinkle with the freshly ground Pepper and Parmesan Cheese, if desired.

Five Element Analysis

Broccoli, as a dark green vegetable, clearly belongs to the Wood Element. It also looks like little trees! The Lemon Juice adds a bit more. The Mayonnaise, Garlic and Parmesan contribute the Metal Element and the Eggs in the Mayonnaise along with the Worcestershire and Fish Sauce bring in the Water Element. The Fire Element is only represented by the hint of Pepper and the Earth Element by the pinch of Sugar. So, be sure to add foods from these two elements to round out the meal!

Savory Sausage Gravy

I have a love of Southern Breakfast foods and that includes Grits, Country Ham, Chicken Fried Steak and especially Biscuits and Gravy. Since going Gluten Free and Lactose Free, it has taken me a while to figure out how to make them differently. Biscuits are relatively easy now with the development of good Gluten Free flour blends like Cup4Cup and Bob's Red Mill 1to1 so that's covered. But making Sausage Gravy required that I substitute Chicken Broth for the Milk and I use Sticky Rice Flour to thicken it. And you know what? I like this version even better than the traditional Sausage Gravy made with Milk   Now, if you want to use Milk, go right ahead. This recipe will still work and taste great, but if you add a little Chicken Broth too, it gives it a wonderful savory taste that is so good! Another option is to use mostly Chicken Broth and then add a little Whole Cream too. I like to add a little bit of Red Onion sautéed in Ghee (Ghee is Lactose Free) to amp the flavor. I also like to add more Sausage than is traditional. It's great over toast too if you don't feel like making biscuits and this recipe can easily be doubled. If you are a fan of Sausage Gravy, I think you''ll like this version!

Savory Sausage Gravy

1/4 pound Pork Breakfast Sausage (I used Jimmy Dean Natural)

2 Tablespoons Ghee (or Butter or Oil)

2 Tablespoons Red Onion, minced

2 Tablespoons Sticky Rice Flour (Mochiko)

1 1/4 cups Chicken Broth (I use Swanson's Natural Goodness)

sprinkling of fresh ground Pepper

Heat the Ghee in a frying pan and add in the Red Onion. Cook until they soften. Then add in the Sausage and break if up with a spatula. Cook until it is no longer pink. Then add in the Sticky Rice Flour and stir until well combined. Then add in the Chicken Broth and stir. Cook until thickened and sprinkle with Black Pepper. Serve over split biscuits or toast.

Five Element Analysis

This Gravy isn't meant to be eaten by itself, but it does have some of the Elements covered well. The Pork Breakfast Sausage brings in the Water Element. The Sticky Rice Flour  Ghee and Red Onion contribute some Metal. The Chicken Broth adds the Wood Element and the Pepper makes sure that the Fire Element has a tiny bit of representation. Served with Biscuits made of Gluten Free Flour, you will be adding more Metal from the Rice Flour and some Earth from the Tapioca Starch.  Serve this with Coffee or Tea that adds some Fire and you have a fairly balanced breakfast!

Italian Roasted Eggplant Dip

I bought a jar of Calabrian Crushed Chilis and was thinking about what I could use it for. My first thought was a Pasta Sauce and that morphed into a pasta sauce with Eggplant and then I decided I really wanted a dip! I call it Italian only because the Chlis came from Italy. Otherwise, this dip could be seasoned with other Chilis from other areas of the Mediterranean and Middle East. And I think it would make a great sandwich spread too!

I took one large Eggplant and cut it up into cubes along with an Onion, some Garlic Cloves and some Tomatoes, tossed them with Olive Oil and Salt and Roasted them. When they were done, I pureed them in a food processor and added in a dollop of the Calabrian Chilis. It was so good!  Served with some Rice Crackers, we ate it all up. Roasting all the Garlic and Onion mellows them and the Calabrian Chilis add just enough heat to make it interesting. I will be making this again and again!

Italian Roasted Eggplant Dip

1 large Globe Eggplant, trimmed and cut into 1" cubes

1 large Onion, trimmed and peeled and cut into 1" chunks

4 - 6 Roma Tomatoes

3 Garlic Cloves

3 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1 teaspoon Salt

2 teaspoons Calabrian Crushed Chilis

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. In a larger bowl, toss the Eggplant, Onion and Garlic with the Olive Oil. Pour onto a large sheet pan and add the Tomatoes. Sprinkle with the Salt.  Cook for 45 - 55 minutes, turning at least once.  Let the vegetables cool slightly, then remove Tomato peels if desired. 

Put all the vegetables plus the Calabrian Crushed Chilis in a food processor (or use a stick blender in a bowl) and puree. Serve as a dip with crackers.

Five Element Analysis

Eggplant with its dark purple skin and many seeds is a Water Food. The Olive Oil adds the Wood Element and the Tomatoes and Calabrian Chilis contribute the Fire Element. The Onion and Garlic bring in the Metal Element, but they cook for so long that they get Earthy to. This simple dip is fairly balanced all by itself!

Instant Pot Assisted Refried Beans

As you saw in my last post, I've been playing with my new Instant Pot and one of the things that I made and loved was Pinto Beans. They cooked up perfectly and were ready to make into Refried Beans in only 30 minutes. I cook all Beans without Salt as it can make the skin of the Beans a little tough. I use only Water, a Bay Leaf and an herb called Epazote to cook my Pinto Beans. This herb is often used in Mexico for cooking Beans as it helps to improve your digestion, meaning that it reduces gas, which is a god thing!  Epazote has a somewhat medicinal smell, but I love it as it reminds me of Mexican home cooking. I also have started using Lard in my Refried Beans, as I am quite enamored of it as an ingredient in Mexican food. I buy a special high quality Leaf Lard online and for those of you who worry about saturated fat, many studies show that Lard is actually very good for you!  You can use a light tasting Vegetable Oil instead if you prefer, or if you are Vegan.  I also like my Refried Beans to be somewhat pasty with chunks left in. I use Refried Beans on top of Tostadas to hold the other toppings on and of course they are an essential ingredient for Burritos. With an Instant Pot, making Beans has never been easier!

Instant Pot Assisted Refried Beans

1 cup dried Pinto Beans
3 1/2 cups Water
1 Bay Leaf
1 teaspoon dried Epazote
1 Tablespoon Lard or a light tasting Vegetable Oil + an additional 2 Tablespoons
1/2 cup of minced White (or Yellow) Onion
1/4  teaspoon Salt
Optional:  1/4 teaspoon of Chili Powder or a pinch of Cayenne Pepper

Rinse the Pinto Beans and place into the Instant Pot. Add in the Water, 1 Tablespoon of Lard or Oil, Bay Leaf and Epazote. Seal the lid and cook on High Pressure for 30 minutes. Let cool naturally.  When ready to make the Refried Beans, drain the Pinto Beans, remove the Bay Leaf and reserve the cooking liquid. 

In a frying pan, melt the Lard or heat the Oil and add in the Onions. Cook until soft and just beginning to brown. Put in the Beans and Salt. Then mash the Beans with a Potato Masher or the back of a fork. Add in 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking liquid and cook on medium low heat until thickened, adding more liquid if necessary until you get the consistent desired. Serve immediately. If you reheat the Beans later, you will need to add a bit of Water to rehydrate them.

Five Element Analysis

Pinto Beans, like all Beans, belong to the Water Element and the Lard  or Oil adds even more, but their brownish color also makes them a bit Earthy.  The Onion contributes the Metal Element and there is just a hint of Fire if you add in the Chili Powder or Cayenne. Clearly, this is a food meant to be eaten with other foods to create a balance.  

Instant Pot Shredded Beef

I'm a bit of a slow adopter of new technological gadgets and I probably wouldn't have gone out to get an Instant Pot myself, as I have an old Kuhn Rikon Pressure Cooker. But the seal isn't working well and I can't seem to find a replacement. So, my son gave me an Instant Pot that I finally started using and I was astounded at how quickly it cooks food!  In half an hour, I made delicious shredded Beef for Tacos, Tostadas and Burritos!  

I used a 2 1/2 pound Chuck Roast and I seasoned it with a combination of spices - Chili Powder, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Cumin, Salt and Sugar. I mixed in a small can of Tomato Sauce and some Water and let it cook. I was mimicking the flavors of my childhood standby Taco Seasoning Mix. The Beef came out perfectly. I served it on fried Corn Tortillas, spread with some (Instant Pot assisted) refried Beans, sprinkled on some shredded Lettuce and drizzled it all with Salsa. I was very happy and it was so good!

Instant Pot Shredded Beef

2 - 2 1/2 pound piece of Beef Chuck Roast, cut lengthwise in half

1 8 oz can of Tomato Paste
1 cup Water

2 Tablespoons Chili Powder

2 teaspoon Garlic Powder

2 teaspoon Onion Powder

1 te2 teaspoon Sugar

Add the Tomato Sauce and Water to the Instant Pot.  and then add in the seasonings. Stir to blend. Then add in the Beef. Seal the lid and cook for 30 minutes on High Pressure. Let cool naturally and then take the Beef out and shred with two forks.  Use as a topping for Tostadas or as a filling for Tacos, Burritos or Quesadillas.

Five Element Analysis

Beef is an Earth Food, but the Tomato Sauce and Chili Powder bring in some Fire. The Garlic and Onion Powder, as well as the Cumin contribute the Metal Element. Served with Corn Tortillas, you add more Earth, but when served with Flour Tortillas, you add the Wood Element. Lettuce brings in more Fire as does Salsa, which also has Lime for more Wood  and Onions and Cilantro adding in more Metal. And finally, Refried Beans contribute the Water Element.  So making Tostadas with this Shredded Beef gives you a pretty balanced little snack!  

Gluten Free Waffle Batter

I had a desire to make Waffles so I invested in a Dash Mini Waffle Maker. I think they make the perfect size Waffles and I froze the leftovers (yes, there were several!) And then when I wanted them again, I popped them into the toaster and they were just as delicious as the day they were made. I used the recipe from the book that came with it, but I subbed out the Milk for Oat Milk and the Wheat Flour for Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten Free Flour. You can use any Gluten Free Flour blend, but make sure it has Xanthan Gum in it or add 1 teaspoon.  I did leave in the Butter as it has very little Lactose and I especially wanted it to melt on top the hot Waffles. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for you Waffle maker - for mine, this recipe made 6 mini Waffles. They were so good that I am sharing the recipe with you!

Gluten Free Waffle Batter

1 cup Gluten Free Flour (add 1 teaspoon Xanthan Gum if mix doesn't have it)

1 Tablespoon Sugar

2 teaspoons Baking Powder

1/4 teaspoon Salt

1 Egg

1 cup Oat Milk

2 Tablespoons Melted Butter

Mix the GF Flour, Sugar, Baking Powder and Salt in a small mixing bowl. In a separate larger mixing bowl, whisk together the Egg, Oat Milk and Melted Butter. Add in the Flour mixture and stir to combine. Make the Waffles as directed by your Waffle Maker. Serve the Waffles with Butter and Maple Syrup.

Five Element Analysis

Gluten Free Flour is usually made with Rice Flour which brings in the Metal Element and Tapioca Starch and Potato Starch, which bring in the Earth Element. The Metal Element is further enhanced by the Butter and Baking Powder, whereas the Oat Milk adds more Earth and the Sugar contributes just a little bit more. The Water Element is found in the Egg. Maple Syrup is a Wood substance made more Earthy since it is sweet. This meal needs some Fire, which is easily added by drinking Coffee or Tea and some more Water, which is easily added if you serve Pork Sausage or Bacon. Only the Wood Element needs some support, so be sure to eat some greens later in the day!