Category Archives: Main Dish

Mar1

Drunken Chicken

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This past week has been kind of stressful and over-run with numerous glitches, broken schedules, attitudes and other not overly pleasant surprises. Blame it on Mercury retrograde squaring Mars in emotional Pisces combining with Full Moon (and whatever else was happening in the cosmic desert and other people’s lives), but I think I need a vacation just to decompress from the past 7-10 days.

Last Friday, I got home after especially stressful two days at work covering surgery. Let me tell you (and I hope I’m not offending any surgeons, as there are definitely many who are not only skillful doctors, but also have great professional and human attitude), but I’ve worked with far too many “cut and run” surgeons to say I HATE working in surgery. There, my very personal “Full Moon influence” moment!

My coworker who covers surgery is the most respected and revered among us all, as she is the only one who seems to handle the responsibilities with her no-nonsense attitude, perfect attention to details and caring demeanor. When she is out, all of us pray for her health or immediate return from vacation and our reprieve from her line of duty. I hope to find some kind of youth serum to offer her so she works for a long long time, and none of us are ever faced with a necessity to cover surgery permanently! :)

So, I got home last Friday and was met with yet another pleasantry, aka cranky teen. What’s a girl to do?! With my boots still on, I marched right into the dining room and poured myself a nice shot of Amaretto. That took the edge off!

But the pleasant evening didn’t end there. The cherry on top was the kid having an immediate allergic reaction to whatever it was in those sushi that he had 1000 times before. So the evening actually ended with a Benadryl cocktail (for the kid) and me holding my own EpiPen praying I won’t actually have to use it.

Yep, it was fun indeed!

We are now in uncharted territory, having to deal with the kid’s food allergies, which are unfortunately creeping up. I always knew he was allergic to cats and to some long-haired dogs, which was easy to control as we don’t have any pets, and if we were visiting any home with pets, he’d get a Claritin before, and would be fine for that day. A few years back, we found out he was allergic to melons, which again, was easily avoidable. We’d have found out even earlier, but the silly kid was afraid to tell us that he was having a reaction every time he had a melon. I guess, we should count our blessings that he finally did say something, before we had one of those EpiPen moments. Over the last summer, he’d undergone what we thought was a thorough testing confirming his pets and melons (but not watermelon) allergies, but clearing every else, only to have a reaction to watermelon also a few months after that. And now to whatever it was he reacted to in those sushi.

So, we’re going back to see the allergist next week to re-do the whole food panel yet again. I’ll keep you posted. And if it is shrimp, the kid would be greatly disappointed, as he loves shrimp, but I know he will adjust (to whatever the allergy is) and most definitely survive!

What’s Cooking This Week

Since the theme of the last week seemed to be running around like a chicken without a head and then chasing it all with alcohol, I figured it only made sense to combine both and actually make something comforting out of it. And when food allergies are involved, you may sometimes think that certain dishes are out of your reach, but really you don’t have to, you can adjust it all and still enjoy the foods you love.

Baked Chicken in Vodka Sauce

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1 lb boneless skinless chicken (I used thighs)

32 oz can/carton of crushed tomatoes (I used Pomi)

1 1/2 cup of brussels, cut in half

1 1/2 cup of baby Bella mushrooms

1 small bell pepper, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

1/2 cup of unsweetened Mimic Cream (or regular dairy cream)

1/4 cup of vodka (I used Liv potato vodka)

2 Tbspoons of fresh chopped parsley

1 tspoon of Italian seasoning blend

1 tspoon of brown sugar

salt, pepper, olive oil

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Start by heating up some olive oil, saute the onion until lightly golden, then add tomato sauce and heat up on a low heat until it starts to boil. Add vodka and slowly boil until alcohol is evaporated, then stir in cream, salt, pepper, seasonings and brown sugar.

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Spray a baking dish with oil spray, lay out the chicken pieces and vegetables, lightly season them with salt and pepper, pour the sauce on top and sprinkle chopped fresh herbs.

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Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes, or until brussels are soft.

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Serve it over pasta for an ultimate comfort level.

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I had it on a bed of kale leaves and thought it was still outstanding on its own.

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Enjoy!

Feb21

Playthings

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It’s the end of February, that often frustrating time when you just want to be done with winter and move on into warmer spring weather and more exciting things happening. So what do you do?

I say be a kid again and if sick with cabin fever, find some playthings to occupy yourself with.

Remember Little People playhouse? Yep, my kid had it, I too spent numerous hours playing the little figures with him, entertaining his every kiddie desire to be a rescuer, or a fireman, or every imaginable hero that was popular on TV at that time…

I say they need to have a grown-up version of these toys, let bored and impatient adults play “house” during long winter months.  So what kind of people would you populate your mini-society with?

First, you need “the boss” of the house, somebody in charge to make all the main decisions. I say a female makes the best boss! :) We are already in charge of all the big and mundane things in the household anyway, that in addition often holding a job and being a caretaker to a million other people and projects.

Then of course you’d need somebody to enforce the house rules, like a police force, or at least a person who is familiar with the task even if he’s moved on to other things in life.

You definitely need a doctor, to make sure everybody is safe and healthy and just to be ready to jump and help if an emergency occurs.

You’d then need an intellectual, to read and know all about everything and just ponder life in general.

I say you also need a “free spirit”, a bit of a hippie and a rule-breaker to shake everything up and make it more interesting.

And, as in any modern society, you need a visiting international traveler, let’s say from France (just because who wouldn’t want a French man staying in your house?!), to entertain the lady while the rest of them are gone rescuing people or making sure the societal rules are strictly enforced.

When you’re bored in winter, make your own Play House and spin the Russian Roulette to see where your luck lands.

What’s Cooking This Week

It’s cold and often snowy, and sometimes you need to comfort yourself. In that case, nothing is better than a stew. You can just see what’s already available, aka Little Play People, and maybe add a few things to spice it all up. :)

Country Style Veal and Vegetables Stew

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1 lb of veal cubes

4 potatoes, cut

1 1/2 cup of baby carrots

1/ 1/2 cups of sliced mushrooms (I used cremini)

1 cup of white pearl onions

1 medium eggplant, cut

2 tomatoes, cut

2 cups of vegetable stock

1/2 cup of white wine

3 Tbspoons of olive oil

1 tspoon of lemon-pepper seasoning

1 tspoon of French mixed seasoning

7 small bay leaves

1/2 tspoon of fennel seeds

salt, pepper

fresh herbs for garnish

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In a large Dutch oven, heat up olive oil and start by browning veal cubes (I usually cut big pieces in half). After a few minutes, add potatoes, pearl onions and carrots,, add some salt and pepper and brown them for a couple of minutes also.

Add vegetable stock and wine, cover and slowly bring it all to a boil.

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Add bay leaves and seasonings, mix it all well, cover and cook on low heat until about half way done. Then add mushrooms, eggplant and tomatoes, bring it all to a boil.

Transfer the pot into pre-heated oven and cook at 325 degrees for about 15 minutes.

Warm and comforting yet not overly heavy and full of nutritious vegetables.

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Enjoy!

Jan1

Night at the Opera

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I don’t know what you felt about 2012, but I was literary ready to kiss the old year goodbye. It brought a heartache, a lot of changes and transitions, and not all of them were welcomed, but ultimately yet again, it helped me grow and be propelled on my own evolutionary path. The good thing that the world didn’t end on December 21, and even though we were all shocked with an unimaginable tragedy in Newton just days after, I think it will lead us into certain necessary changes as a country and as a human society in whole, some “new era” happenings are surely to come. And the most exciting thing of the last year, this blog was born that also gave life to many delicious foods, hopefully you enjoyed them too! :)

According to the Chinese Zodiac, 2013 is going to be the year of the Water Snake (starting February 4). Despite its scary appearance, in Chinese Horoscope the Snake is thought to be energetic and vibrant, full of fire and love. And that’s exactly what I’m hoping for, more energy and fire please, to fill the air with vibrant electricity and excitement. I’ll definitely take that! And supposedly the Snake year could be beneficial for Monkeys (which is my sign). Now, if anybody read my Award and Recognition post with some revelations about myself, you remember that I’m deathly afraid of snakes (to the point that when my mom brought me a crystal cobra figurine, as a good luck for the coming year, I couldn’t even bring myself to unpack it, yeah, it’s bad!). So, let’s hope this Snake is all about passion and fireworks and won’t bite the Monkey in the butt.

I thought that the beginning of such promising year should be met with compatible energy and vibrant presentation. The experience you’d only get at the Met Opera, especially at their New Year’s Eve Gala. And even though Maria Stuarda this night was a dramatic offering, it was full of an intense love triangle, cleverly woven plots and a never-ending line of trying different roles and opposing different characters. Who would say “no” to that? I’m ready to try some pretty costumes and participate in a role play myself. :)

So let’s toast to this New Year! To new energy, new roles, opera-worthy fireworks and definitely awesome food!

What’s Cooking This Week

On a night where both “the old and the new” meet, it’s nice to present a familiar dish with a different twist, especially if it’s a bit healthier version. After a whole month of partying and food sampling, the body is probably craving less fat and more nutrients. But it doesn’t mean you have to totally abandon the comfort food notion.

Chicken and Spaghetti in Lemon-Avocado Sauce

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1 lb of chicken strips

1 lb of spaghetti (I used gluten free Tinkyada brand)

1 bell pepper

1 cup of sun-dried tomatoes

1/2 cup of sliced mushrooms

1 avocado

1 cup of fresh baby spinach

1/4 cup of pignoli nuts

2 Tbspoons of fresh lemon juice

1 tspoon of lemon-pepper seasoning

1/2 tspoon of each basil and oregano

salt, olive oil

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In a large frying pan, heat up some olive oil and start to saute lightly salted chicken strips till about half way done. In a mean while, cut the pepper and mushrooms, then add them to the pan along with all the seasonings, after a couple of minutes, also add sun-dried tomatoes.

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While that is cooking, cut and scoop the avocado and blend it with lemon juice and a bit more seasoning.

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When all is almost done, add spinach leaves and pignoli nuts to chicken and veggies, cook for 1 minute, then mix in avocado sauce and stir until everything is well combined.

Such a creamy and comforting dish yet full of good fats and vitamins. Everything you’d crave for in the New Year.

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Enjoy!

And Happy New Year!

Dec24
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‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.

A quiet and peaceful pre-holiday weekend indeed. No last-minute gift shopping, no endless hours in the kitchen (OK, maybe just a couple :) ), no worrying about how your “perfect” holiday would actually turn out. I was blissfully happy to have moved away from the “commercial” side of Christmas but have retained the spirit and the traditions that really matter, like spending time with the ones you love, making foods while you actually enjoy the process rather than just rushing to put everything together to “feed a crowd”, putting thought into wrapping up small gifts and not the ones that would definitely impress but won’t necessarily be meaningful.

It seemed I had time for everything, visit my parents, sleep in, have several leisurely meals, read, make blueberry-lemon heart cakes for Christmas Eve dinner, watch a marathon of cheesy Christmas movies on Lifetime… It seemed like the time has stopped.

When did we all become so engulfed into creating a “perfect” holiday that we forgot what perfection really means?! And do we even need all going “nice and straight”?! I bet you remember the holiday when the turkey got burned, and you all had Chinese, or pizza. Just because it was so “imperfect” and unpredictable, and probably full of laughs (after the initial anger and frustration settled in) and more shared conversations than all the previous family gatherings before. You remember the holiday spirit and what you felt inside days or maybe even years after it all ended, not the elaborate meals, expensive gifts or the hours you spent wrapping and decorating only to have a whole day being just a blur because you were so tired and probably too worried about all the little details to actually enjoy it.

My most fondest memory of Christmas comes from a day many would say was lacking “excitement” yet it created the most memorable experience and warm feelings of remembrance of a blissfully happy little boy having all the time in the world to play with his new toys rather than being rushed into a car to make a trip to attend a family gathering. And then eagerly chomping on a knish and a hot dog for lunch at a local Jewish deli. And being led by his equally delighted parents on a walking tour to see the Christmas lights in the neighborhood followed by a movie and more playing untill he is fast asleep clutching one of the new toy trains, happy, exhausted and completely filled with love…

I’m yet to top this day among all other occasions, Christmas or not, with a complete fulfillment of what a “perfect” holiday should be.

What’s Cooking This Week

To me Christmas Eve meal is always structured around seafood. That’s one day a year when lobsters, shrimp, scallops and such are on the menu no matter the price. The more typical menu this eve would probably be shrimp scampi or lobster Fra Diavolo. This dish however is a nice diversion while still maintaining the traditional seafood theme.

Provencal Seafood Stew

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1 lb of any fish cubes (I used salmon, tuna and tilapia)

1/2 lb of medium shrimp, tails removed

8 little neck clams

16 oz of fish stock

1/2 cup of white wine

1/2 cup of chopped tomatoes with juice

1 Tbspoons of lemon juice

3 large sweet potatoes

3 large carrots

2 shallots

1 tspoon of French herbs blend

1/2 tspoon of lemon peel

1/2 tspoon of garlic powder

salt, pepper, olive oil

chopped chives for garnish

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In a large dutch oven, heat up some olive oil, thinly slice shallots and saute them for about a minute, then add cut sweet potatoes and saute for several minutes until them start to soften. Add to the pot fish stock, chopped tomatoes with juice, wine and lemon juice, cover it and slowly bring it all to the boil. Season with salt, pepper, lemon peel, garlic powder and spices.

Add chopped carrots and clams, cook for about 10 minutes. Then add shrimp and fish cubes, cook until clams begin to open and the rest of the shrimp and fish look done.

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Here I’m serving it with fresh herbs and mozzarella biscuits.

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Enjoy!

And Merry Christmas to all!

Dec6
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imagesAs I settle in at my new work environment and some new responsibilities, things are getting a bit easier, but I still can’t get adjusted to the difference in certain staff’s attitude between what I’m used to at my hospital and how it’s done here. In a few words, “I just can’t wait till all the building repairs are done so we can go back!”, the unfortunate part is that it will probably take about a year before the hospital is fully operational again. That Sandy truly did a number on it!

So it means I have to get used to being in a “double boiler” without also constantly heating up and either burning my own insides or dumping all the hot water on somebody else. I need to find some outlets to let the steam out once in a while. Or every day, judging by how things are going here at this hospital. I’ve been trying to take small 15-minute breaks, when possible, to hide in the office and just check my mail, read or write the posts. :) I wish the hospital would not be so isolated and I can go outside and browse through some stores, but, no, only an army base and a golf course around here. Ughhhh! You just can’t win!

Sometimes I simply sit and think about food, what I’ll make next week or some new dish I have to try, maybe look at a few recipes. Sounds great you’d say! Yes and no. As when you’re under stress, you tend to crave comfort food, and none of the choices you have in mind are too healthy. So choosing to compromise is a task in itself, finding how to make it appealing yet nutritious is an extra twist.

I don’t know what you crave when you think of comfort food, I usually want pasta, potatoes, chocolate, or other wonderful sweet and carb-filled things. And there is always a special soft spot for some Russian food. That’s my ultimate “childhood memories wrapped in double layer of comfort and joy” dishes.

I’m working on my “last meal” menu, in case I’m ever put on a death row.

What’s Cooking This Week

Yep, you guessed it, Russian food! Well, a very close Russian variation of an American classic. When I think of Russian staples, potatoes, mushrooms and meat immediately come to mind, they are in most Russian dishes but can also be easily “translated” into any other international version. This dish can delight both Russian and American families and is packed with protein and other beneficial nutrients.

“Russian Supreme” Twice-Baked Potatoes

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4 large baking potatoes, skin intact and washed thoroughly

1 lb of lean ground beef

1 onion, chopped

1 cup of cut mushrooms

1/3 cup of chopped tomatoes

1/2 cup of cheddar style daiya shreds (or use regular cheese)

1/4 cup of chopped fresh herbs, like parsley

1 tspoon of each basil and oregano

salt, pepper, olive oil

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Rub the potato skins with salt and pepper, make a cut lengthwise, wrap each in foil and bake at 425 degrees for about 30-40 minutes or until the potatoes are soft. Let them cool off a bit, cut each in half lengthwise and scoop out the soft part leaving the skin intact.

In a frying pan, heat up some olive oil and saute chopped onion until yellow golden, add ground beef and stirring often saute until almost done, season with salt, pepper and dry herbs. Then add chopped mushrooms and tomatoes and finish cooking. Stir in scooped out potatoes and chopped fresh herbs, mix well.

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Fill each potato half with the mixture and top with some cheddar shreds. Line a baking sheet with foil and arrange the potatoes. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-15 minutes.

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Serve along a salad as a great meal either for lunch or dinner. You’ll feel completely indulged yet health-conscious.

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Enjoy!

Dec3
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Everybody knows that an apple a day keeps the doctor away. Apples are surely abundant all year round and generally not that expensive, so there shouldn’t be any excuses why you can’t have them if not every day, but at least farely often. All the vitamins and antioxidants and extra iron will be beneficial to your whole body. And you definitely have your pick, no matter the sweet, the tart or a hybrid variety, apples are a wonderful addition to any healthy lifestyle. Plus they just taste great!

But what about a nice helping of an “emotional” apple-a-day? At a time that may be busy or stressful, do you also remember to stop and give yourself a pat on a back? Even if you feel you don’t really deserve it, or you think you didn’t do the best job, because chances are, you actually did, the best you could master at this particular time. When you run around trying to take care of everybody and everything, don’t ever forget yourself, have a daily “I love you” message going straight to you heart, and smile, smile every time you pass a mirror. :)

I have a client, a young guy whose “alter” ego seems to win most of the time. In a constant battle of good vs. demeaning, his negative side always has the last word. I think we can all relate to that on some level. We’ve all had an experience where in a long chain of conversations with yourself, the last statement of something like “you’re still a loser” sticks with you and continues to poison your whole being long after the words stopped vibrating in your head. So as he sits in front of me every week and on my prompt says that “he is awesome”, I know he doesn’t believe it, but I also know that if I stop pushing him to vocalize something good about himself, he will continue his journey deeper into the twilight. Therefore unless you want to forever be lost in a world of “empty glasses”, you need to find a way to always finish the “me and I” conversation on a positive note, even if you literary have to utter the words, turn around and run before the negative side overtakes the process yet again.

It’s your “a praise a day keeps the blues away” emotional pat on a back that should be practiced right along with eating your apples. :)

What’s Cooking This Week

Some foods naturally go together, like peanut butter and jelly or strawberries and cream. I think just about anything pairs perfectly with apples, but apples and cheddar create an especially marvelous combination. This recipe is incredibly simple but simply delicious.

Oven Baked Apple-Cheddar Stuffed Chicken

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6 chicken breasts, skin and bones removed

1 large or 2 small apples

1 small onion

6 slices of cheddar (I used daiya cheddar cheese)

1/2 cup of bread crumbs (I used Gillian’s gluten free crumbs)

2 eggs, beaten

1 tspoon of herb blend like Italian

salt, pepper, oil spray

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Wash, pat dry chicken breasts with paper towels and rub some salt and pepper on the outside. Mix bread crumbs with herbs and little salt and pepper. Thinly slice onion and apples, removing apple core first.

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Butterfly each chicken breast lengthwise but not completely cut off, arrange onion and apple slices inside the chicken and top with cheddar slices.

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Place the top part of chicken breast back, secure with tooth picks if needed, dip each chicken piece in beaten egg and then into bread crumbs. Spray a baking dish with oil spray and arrange all chicken topping with more apple slices.

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Bake at 400 degrees for about 25-30 minutes. If you have any other vegetables, cut and mix them with the same herb blend you were using for the chicken. Cook them in a separate dish in the oven while chicken is also being made.

Here I paired chicken with yellow squash pieces for a healthy yet completely satisfying meal.

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Enjoy!

Nov16
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What do you feel when you look at your child? Love, of course, care, a sense of fierce protection, but also a blood connection and belonging to the same family. It feels like the child is a combination of all the myriad puzzle pieces that individually do belong to either mom’s or dad’s side, but together make a whole different picture of a unique human being.

I look at my son and see my chin dimple on his chin too, he has his dad’s posture and walk. And what do you get when you combine his dad’s piercing blue eyes with my deep brown ones? I guess what the kid has, his grayish-green chameleon eyes.  He has his dad’s interests in electronics and technology, but deep inside he is also into some things that make up my life, like human psyche (even if to prove that sometimes I’m wrong :) ). He has, behind a seemingly calm or even aloof appearance, a passionate and independent spirit, that clearly comes from me, and he has his dad’s conservative side in clothes and appearance (at least comparing to modern teens). And he does “burst in flames”  on certain occasions, especially around some changes or authoritative influences, that comes from both parental sides, so he got a double dose. He is surely a child of his parents. :)

Despite the fact that this is my birthday week, it’s all about the kid as we’re currently spending several days in Boston. In Cambridge, to be exact, as he is going to participate in MIT Splash weekend for high schoolers. And we’re visiting Harvard Engineering too while we’re at it. Yes, dream big but have a huge safety net also! Potentially, I can send him to college now, according to his PSATs, he is already above the  national average level (he is only 15 so we have almost 2 years to prepare), but as he got on my nerves today, I was seriously considering just dropping him off at one of the Boston area colleges and leave LOL.

So, kid, you better not spoil it as this mama is willing to spend her birthday weekend away and with just you around. But if I think about all the craziness in the past few weeks after the hurricane, job relocation and all the related inconveniences, a bit of a solitude as he is stuck in classes all weekend is actually a good thing to look forward to. :)

What’s Cooking This Week

As the post seems to be all about the kid, we have to make his favorite food, at least one of them. The kid LOVES chili! Somehow he likes mine the best. :) This one is a special recipe combining many of his favorite ingredients, all in one pot, kid, so go nuts!

“Gus’ Delight” Chili

1 lb of ground beef

1 lb of sausage meat

1/2 cup of pancetta

1/4 cup of crumbled bacon

1 can of black beans

1 medium onion

1 medium red bell pepper

1/4 cup of chopped chili peppers (I used the medium heat ones)

1 container of tomatoes/tomato sauce (I used Pomi chopped tomatoes)

1-3 tspoons of chili powder (depending on desired heat level)

1 tspoon of oregano

salt, pepper, olive oil

1 Tbspoon of brown or raw sugar (optional, I like my chili a bit sweet)

Chop the onion, in a pan, heat up some olive oil and saute the onion until golden. Then gradually add both ground beef and sausage meat constantly breaking the lumps as you stir (I like to use a potato masher), when the meat is half way done, add pancetta and crumbled bacon, cook for a couple more minutes.

Chop the peppers and cook everything till almost done.

Drain and rinse beans, add to the mixture, along with tomatoes and all the salt and spices. Cover and simmer until everything is done.

Serve over rice or alongside guacamole and chips (another kid’s favorite).

Enjoy!

Oct15
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When did you feel the most beautiful? Perhaps when you descended the stairs to meet your high school prom date. I bet you felt it walking down the aisle only minutes away from saying “I do” to your spouse. Maybe you thought you looked especially pretty just waking up and meeting a gaze of your adoring partner. Somehow our opinion always rests on a reflection in other people’s eyes to feel beautiful, we need  to rely on an outside approval and societal views on appearances to feel accepted, rarely our self-confidence comes from within. But it really should be the other way around. Your opinion is the only one that truly matters!

When I was undergoing surgeries and chemo treatments, it was far from any glamorous experience you can ever imagine. My body resembled a tic-tac-toe board with all the scars and black and blue marks, I was bold, not even eyelashes or eyebrows, pale and barely standing on my feet. Yet somehow, I still don’t know why, it was the only time in my life when I felt a complete self-acceptance and love, I felt absolutely beautiful and strangely whole. I can’t tell you why and how this happened, maybe it was some hallucinogenic state from all the chemo drugs I was on, or maybe my human spirit, crushed by the physical burden of treatment, gave way to the Eternal Inner Self, and true divine beauty was able to shine through. But as that period fade away and turned to recovery and then remission and now being cancer free, self-doubts and striving for unattainable perfection started to visit my thoughts yet again. As life took over, hair grew back, some color appeared on my cheeks, and scars became thin and barely visible so did the beauty. Isn’t it ironic and particularly sad that we get it wrong every single time?! We find beauty among complete distortion and delusion that has nothing to do with reality and seek answers where only nonsense exists.

We’ve perfected the story of Alice in Wonderland to the point that we don’t know how to get back Home. Yes, I’m guilty of it myself!

What’s Cooking This Week

When speaking of beauty in the kitchen, to me all foods are beautiful, especially the ones that are clean, unprocessed and full of nutrients. Pretty presentation is just that, icing on a cake, it makes the food more appealing but doesn’t change the essence if the dish is full of junk. This recipe is beautiful in its simplicity, and “icing on top” provides a perfect blend of being pretty and healthy.

Pink Series: Recipe # 5

Baked Salmon with Horse Radish Sauce

1.5 – 2 lbs of salmon

1 Tbspoon of lemon juice

1 tspoon any fish seasoning (I used Herbs de Provence)

8 Tbspoons of Horse Radish sauce (both liquid and pulp)

2 Tbspoons of mayo

1 tspoon of seasoning blend (I used Herbamare)

salt, pepper

Wash and pat dry the salmon. Place it in a foil or baking dish, drizzle with lemon juice and sprinkle fish seasoning, salt and pepper.

 Bake at 375 degrees until the fish is flaky but not overdone. In a mean while make the sauce. In a blender combine together horse radish sauce (I used the one with beets to add a splash of flavor and color dimension plus some extra nutrients, if you don’t like it, use the white one), mayo, seasonings and salt/pepper.

The dish is good served either warm or cold. Here we’re having it warm alongside sautéed spinach with sun-dried tomatoes and cauliflower mash.

Enjoy!

Oct5
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Sometimes you’re faced with your biggest fears, and sometimes you’re faced with fears you didn’t know you had. You can try to run and hide, but they’ll still cross your path any way your turn. Then you need to just turn around and face them. You may not always have a shining armour to protect you, but you’ll definitely be a winner no matter how many wounds you end up getting in a battle.

On a day when I saw the doctor about the lump in my breast that I just found, I was immediately sent for a biopsy. Standing outside the doctor’s office that cold February afternoon, for a minute there, I thought of turning around and going home. I can’t tell you exactly how many different emotions were running through my head, all I wanted to just be in my bed and fall asleep and not to think about it, at least for a while, put it aside, run from it, for now…

And then something else inside me, my own spirit and probably my Guardian Angels watching over me, propelled me into action and on a mission that ultimately saved me and brought to the point where I am today, healthy and looking forward to the future. Only now I know that any kind of procrastination may have put me in a much worse prognosis and outcome category.  So potentially that was “make it or break it” point. And I made it work!

Facing your fears is never easy, it’s hard to make that first step towards whatever it is  that terrifies you, but once you do, you get that elated feeling of having crossed over to the side where fears become accomplishments, and you no longer have to hesitate and back down if presented with the challenge again.

If undergoing some medical testing or a procedure has always been one of your fears, because you’re afraid of what might be found, face your fear and make that first step. It may literary save your life! Knowing the facts, no matter how difficult they may be, is always so much better than remaining in a dark. Knowing it is conquering the fear and taking steps towards recovery if necessary, pushing it aside is continuing a cycle of constant terrors that may at the end haunt you down and kill you.

Be very brave and make that first step, see you doctor today! Your own spirit will thank you for that!

To learn more about breast cancer risk factors, screening and diagnosis, please visit:

http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/breast/basic_info/screening.htm

http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/screening/breast/Patient/page1

http://www.breastcancer.org/risk/factors/

http://ww5.komen.org/uploadedfiles/content_binaries/806-372a.pdf

What’s Cooking This Week

Cooking some spicy dishes has always been one of the challenging areas for me, just because I don’t particularly enjoy eating spicy foods. A little “zing” in your mouth is usually OK with me, but feeling like you’re eating uranium is generally not on a list of my favorite things. To the contrary, my son loves everything spicy, so satisfying us both is often a tricky road that I’m still learning to navigate. This recipe was a perfect compromise featuring some sweet and spicy undertones and hitting all the right notes for us both.

Pink Series: Recipe # 2

Grilled Pork Chops with Blackberry-Ginger Sauce

4-5 pork chops

2  small containers of blackberries

1/4 cup of honey (more if you want a sweeter sauce)

1/4 cup of lemon juice

1 Tbspoon of balsamic vinegar

1/2 Tbspoon of freshly minced ginger

1 minced chili pepper

1 tspoon each dried oregano and paprika

3-4 rosemary sprigs

salt, pepper, olive oil

Drizzle each pork chop with some salt, pepper, oregano, paprika, rosemary and olive oil, set them aside to marinate for about 15-20 minutes.

In a mean while make the blackberry sauce. Smash the berries and mix them with the rest of the ingredients, transfer to a sauce pot and cook for about 10 minutes or until sauce starts to thicken. Set it aside to cool off.

Grill pork chops according to your specifications.

Serve immediately pouring some sauce on top. The dish is simple, but the flavors are definitely complex, serving it alongside just a salad seems enough to appreciate it.

Enjoy!

Sep10
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The last weekend before the school started the kid and I spent a couple of hours “getting into educational mode”, we visited The Frick Collection www.frick.org . If you’ve never been there and are in NYC, I suggest do, you won’t regret it. Fine paintings, sculpture, furniture and some collectibles like Limoges are on exhibit in a grand house that once belong to Henry Clay Frick (thus the name), the Pittsburg coke and steel industrialist who bequeathed his New York residence and art works to establish this public gallery. Some house renovations and more art acquisition were done after his and his wife’s death to now hold over 1100 works of art in a magnificent house just across Central Park East. The gallery also holds concerts, lectures and other educational activities along with offering a nice collection of books in their Art Reference Library.

The museum is not for young children, they actually don’t admit anyone under 10. But it’s a great choice to spend the afternoon away before going out for drinks and a fancy dinner to impress your date. And if you’re really into it, may I suggest Daniel www.danielnyc.com just several blocks down on 65th Street. The fine art will be appropriately paired with a top-notch fine cuisine and service. :) It will truly be a day to remember!

Since the gallery is a historical place, most of the rooms are set as a display of centuries-old furniture and household items creating a unique feel that you’re really inside the house sometime in the 1800s. There is a deep nostalgia about the bygone era, which we have glimpses of walking through the rooms and hallways where every corner holds a piece of history and our connection to the future with the hopes that my son’s children will be able to stroll through the same place and enjoy the art that is ever modern as time is just an illusion at the Frick’s house.

What’s Cooking This Week

Speaking about something fine and imported, salmon isn’t native to the Mediterranean waters, therefore, it’s more of a modern addition to the Italian cuisine. With its silky texture and many health benefits that it provides, salmon is now a staple in most Italian restaurants and seems to be the fish of choice when you want to give your family an off-night from the usual meat options. The recipe that continues our Italian series would be a great offering for both, the finest restaurant or your family table.

Recipe # 10

Salmone alla Senape

(Salmon in Creamy Mustard Sauce)

1.5 lbs of salmon, portion size

1/2 cup of white wine

1/2 cup of fish stock

1/4 cup of heavy cream (I used unsweetened Mimic Cream)

2 Tbspoons of butter or oil spread (I used Earth Balance)

2 Tbspoons of Dijon mustard

1 Tbspoon of lemon juice

1/2 tspoon of dried basil

Seasoned flour for coating (I used Better Batter gluten free mix)

salt, pepper

olive oil

Heat up some olive oil in a pan, coat the salmon pieces with flour and cook for about 1-3 minutes (depending on thickness) on each side. Set salmon aside and discard the oil.

Return the pan to the stove, heat up oil spread/butter, add wine, salt/pepper and simmer for a couple of minutes. Add fish stock, lemon juice, basil and mustard, mix well and let it simmer some more. Gradually add the cream stirring constantly and simmer for another several minutes.

Then return salmon to the pan and simmer until the liquid is reduced coating the fish with spoonfuls of the sauce as it cooks. You can serve this dish over rice or pasta, I thought it was great with a side of salad and a piece of gluten free focaccia bread (to dip in the sauce). :)

Enjoy!