Avocado Egg Scramble

I know that breakfast can be one of those hard to deal with meals. You run out of breakfast ideas that don't include a starch-based carb. So, I'll keep posting breakfast recipes to keep you going!

In the morning, I like to start with a bottle or glass of water with the juice of a lemon and a teaspoon of bee pollen. It's like taking a super detox/allergy relief/vitamin. Bee pollen can also be a great chaser after a workout to help speed recovery and build muscle faster. It's a great addition to any meal plan! 

Avocado Egg Scramble

2 eggs

1/2 avocado, cubed at room temperature

2-3 sprigs of chopped green onion, to taste

juice of 1/2 lime

Freshly ground sea salt and pepper to taste

Scramble the eggs, sprinkling with salt & pepper to taste. Add the green onions just a minute or two before removing from heat to soften. 

Squeeze the juice of the lime on top of the cubed avocado. 

Remove eggs from the pan onto your dish and add the avocado mixture. 

That's it!! 

Now if I have some fresh salsa, I pour it on top and mix it in sometimes to keep things interesting. This is a satisfying breakfast that will definitely keep you until your first snack of the day, preferably within 2 hours of breakfast. Keep your metabolism going! 

Sweet Summertime Treats: Blackberries

Today I was lucky to catch the community garden at the health club where I work. I found the most beautiful, organic sweet blackberries. So I bought a package and brought them home for inspiration. And I made this:

Blackberries in a cloud of marscapone & honey

I simply took roughly a tablespoon of marscapone cheese and whipped it together with a little honey & cinnamon. Scooped the mixture into a small bowl and topped with the blackberries. It was delicious & satisfying-not a large portion, just enough to enjoy. Eat it slowly and mindfully, so many textures & flavors bursting from the small bites. Don't act like a baby and stuff your cheeks full of it. #savor

Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness (and good food!)

So here is the latest creation that I made on the 4th of July. I had been moving for a bit and wasn't cooking as much, transitioning between kitchens at my old and new place. I am pleased to say that I have a fabulous new kitchen, perfect inspiration for my inner (frustrated) chef. So lots more recipes and pictures to come!

On the Fourth, I had a menu of Arugula with honey & pears paired with a buttery chardonnay; for the entree I chose pan-seared sirloin topped with blue cheese & blackberry reduction paired with a fruity Cabernet Sauvignon; for dessert, I whipped up a little Marscapone drizzled with honey & a light dusting of cinnamon served over an apple tart. We ate the meal so quickly that I only got a picture of the salad. All else was demolished without permanent record. Afterwards, we languished in our food coma while watching dvd's and fireworks through the windows of my new home. It was a great way for me to celebrate life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness and it brought new meaning to Independence Day for me. Vive La 'Merica!! 

Pear & Honey Arugula Salad

2-3 cups of arugula 

1 bosc pear, sliced thin

1-2 handfuls of Asiago cheese

2 handfuls of Pecans

Honey

Rinse the arugula and dry thoroughly. Place in large, shallow bowl or platter.

Arrange sliced pears on top of the leaves. 

Sprinkle pecans and Asiago on top of the pears & leaves evenly.

Drizzle honey lightly on top, evenly making a few passes.

Optional: garnish with freshly ground pink peppercorns for color & a kick! 

My friend ate this entire dish...it was a really large dish of it, too!! 

Blue Cheese Crusted Sirloin with Blackberry Reduction

For the steaks, I placed each in a medium heat pan with a little Kerrygold butter or ghee (I like using enameled cast iron cookware like Le Creuset & Le Chef). Sear a few minutes on each side for a good mid-rare steak (my preferred temp). 

Leave steaks in pan & sprinkle blue cheese on top. Heat oven to broil and place steaks inside, still in pan. Broil for 2-3 minutes, until the cheese browns slightly. USE AN OVEN MITT TO REMOVE THE PAN-IT WILL BE BLAZING HOT!!

Let the steaks rest and the cheese to cool. 

Place blackberries & honey (or sugar) in a small pan. Reduce while constantly stirring & smashing with wooden spoon. Once bubbly and liquid (mostly), pour on top of steaks & cheese. Serve immediately. 

Dessert is a breeze and this will pair well with pretty much any in-season fruit. You can get creative and add nuts to it, too. 

Honey-sweetened Marscapone with Cinnamon

Spoon out desired amount of marscapone into a stainless steel bowl. Whisk briskly with honey. Dust lightly with cinnamon and serve on top or on side of fresh, in-season fruit. Easy-peasy, lemon-squeezy! 

I cannot wait...I have a fig tree in my backyard and I'm eagerly awaiting it's harvest. Cross your fingers for me! If they produce a lot I will be posting lots of recipes!! So many options...

Remember that the best dishes are made with the freshest, in-season, local ingredients. This makes a world of difference in your cooking. Go to farmer's markets, stop at farmer's stands, and get inspired by the gorgeous food out there waiting to be picked!

Eating well on the move.

I've been moving this week into a great new home. Meal planning is a little off-that's life, just learn how to balance! I ate sushi last night-smoked salmon. Today, I made some ground meat with cumin and chili powder for a little southwestern kick, chopped up a tomato, green onions, cilantro and the juice of 1 key lime-all things I bought from the farmer's market this past weekend. I mixed it all together once the meat had cooled and it was delicious. A heavier dinner, but I need the nutrition since I was so on the go today, and the past few days. I'll post the recipe although really its just a little bit of this and that. I'll have leftovers for tomorrow and I'll have to make a new frittata since I've eaten all of the last one-4 servings, 4 breakfasts. I have a late morning so I'll have the time. FYI, working legs (workout) when you are doing a move that requires a flight of stairs with heavy boxes is less than ideal. I do not know what possessed me. No bueno. 

You'll know you've made healthy eating your LIFESTYLE when you eat the same way on Saturday that you do on Monday.

Moderation & Balance.

Food Marketing Translations

Instead of buying products with reduced, enriched, no sugar, or non-fat ingredients buy the full fat or sugar "original" version. The chemicals that make it "reduced" will eventually deplete your body and make you hold onto weight. Go for the "raw" ingredients and learn how to moderate. It's harder, but it is so much more sustainable and healthier in the long run. 

Source: Raw for Beauty 

Sorry for the spelling error in it, but the content was too good to pass up. 

Swiss Chard & Garlic Frittata

Here it goes with meal planning. I was a little lazy today and I only made tomorrow morning's breakfast and tea. But I'll be off of work early so I can make a little more of this week's food from my post eating clean on a budget. With the Swiss Chard and free-range eggs I purchased, I made a frittata. I already had a single-serving pack of cottage cheese, the shaved & grated cheese in my fridge, as well as the garlic because they are staples that I always have. With the mint that I bought, I added it to the green tea I prepped for tomorrow. Make sure to tear the leaves after you wash them so the mint really infuses the tea. I'll be making another Summer Tomato Salad with the tomatoes and basil I bought and tomorrow's water will be infused with the cute key limes. Tomorrow for dinner (and Tuesday's lunch) I think I'll do something with the grass-fed beef in my freezer and the fennel I bought. With the goat's milk, I'm thinking I may try to make some ice cream this week. I've taken dairy milk (except for hard cheeses, the occasional cottage cheese for frittatas and sour cream from time to time) out of my diet and it has made a big difference for me (for the reduction of inflammation & sugar-which is inflammatory). I haven't experimented with raw milk, which they have at the farmer's market but eventually I will. So here's the recipe, pretty much the same frittata with a little variation. It's a great base recipe that you can get creative with. 

• 4-5 large leaves of rainbow swiss chard, sliced into thin ribbons
• 1 clove of sliced garlic
• 1/4 cup of cottage cheese
• 2 oz. of shaved parmesan, grated romano & asiago
• 3 whole eggs 
• 3 egg whites
• A pinch of sea salt & fresh ground pepper

1. Heat a medium pan on medium heat, add a small amount of Kerrygold butter
2. Saute the garlic until browned
3. Whip 3 whole eggs, 3 eggs whites, and cottage cheese together
4. Add the egg mixture to the garlic in the heated pan 
5. Turn oven on broil
6. Set the bottom of the frittata, 3-5 minutes
7. Add raw swiss chard ribbons to the pan, allow to sink into egg mixture
8. Add the cheese on top and allow for it to be absorbed by the egg mixture
9. Place entire pan into oven 
10. Broil for 2-3 minutes to set the frittata and brown the top
11. Remove with an oven mitt
12. Allow to sit for a few minutes, then cut open and enjoy!

You should be able to slice this into 4 servings, so you have breakfast for the next few days!!