Ground nut stew

I haven't made anything since I slow cooked the turkey thighs last Thursday.  I was all set to make lamb today, until I returned home after 4 days in NYC and the house looked like it had been ransacked...stuff was strewn about the living room, laundry was spilling over, and there were dishes piled up in the kitchen...I immediately decided to go on strike for the rest of the week.

This morning peanut butter was "featured" on Good Day...first as a donation item for Philabundance and then as an ingredient for sandwiches beyond pb&j.  Since my kids' school is participating in The Great Food Fight, I figured I'd get some peanut butter in addition to the pasta and canned goods I was already planning to purchase.

I'm not a fan of peanuts so I didn't really miss them during our Whole 30 but I wanted to make the peanut butter soup that the nurse from Sierra Leone told me about last week.  I was inspired by all of the peanut butter talk on the news so there's no time like the present...I  figured it would get me through the next couple of days of my strike.

I sauteed onions, celery, and garlic then simmered in stock.  I pureed it with my stick blender then added a few frozen boneless skinless chicken thighs and a half of jar of natural peanut butter.  I added a bit more stock, celery tops, tomatoes, tomato paste. and diced yams.  I sprinkled in some seasoning and topped it off with some sliced leeks.  I reluctantly made a small pot of jasmine rice as a base for the soup and let the soup continue to simmer while the rice cooked.

I ate a small bowl and I'm stuffed (not sure if it's because it's so filling or because of the grain/legume combo)...it was absolutely delicious!

Culinary diversion

I was a little apprehensive about spending 5 days in NYC because I wasn't sure what I was going to eat. Firstly, I didn't want to spend a small fortune dining out, and secondly, I didn't want to stray from the progress I made with the Whole 30. Technically I could've cooked since I was staying in a cute apartment on the Lower East Side and was in walking distance from WF, but I didn't have time to meal plan, nor did I want to soil the neat little kitchen.

Thanks to my friend, yelp, and some pedestrian exploration I managed to do just fine in the food department (and I didn't break the bank).  Friday my friend and I stumbled across the NY Tofu House (korean)...it was delicious, and although I had a rice dish, I didn't feel like I had gone too far, perhaps because it was nicely balanced with vegetables.

My daily breakfast plan was yogurt parfait (yup, dairy)...plain Liberte yogurt with almonds and berries...

Saturday I had an udon noodle soup for lunch at Cafe Zaiya, once again I didn't feel bad but I knew I didn't want to make a habit out of it. Saturday night my husband and I tried Cafe Himalaya (Nepalese), I was careful not to do noodles or rice but nobody goes to a Nepalese restaurant without trying the mom (dumplings) and paratha bread.

Sunday was Bareburger, we shared a Roadhouse bison burger and a Mediterranean lamb burger and only ate half of the gluten-free roll, but did have a homemade soda because of the yelp check-in offer.  Sunday night we took it easy with a premade salad from WF to which I added almonds and robusto cheese. We had wonderful chocolate chip cookies from Tate's Bake Shop that we also picked up in WF.

I convinced myself that the grains and dairy were balanced by the miles of brisk walking I did throughout midtown. Today it was Gaia for lunch, an intimate Italian cafe with quality food and prices I haven't seen in a decade...not to mention authentically delicious paninis...we did some walking around LES to work off the thin bread and stopped at il laboratorio del gelato for desert (honey lavender, apple calvados & espresso, banana chocolate chip).

We are heading back to Philadelphia and will have to forego some of these indulgences if we settle back into our sedentary auto dependent lives...

Finding a balance

I have mixed feelings about my family's Whole 30 outcome - the seemingly insatiable hunger is beginning to be a little annoying.  I'm going to continue to press on by limiting simple carbs in the meals I prepare; frankly I no longer find them appealing.

Last night I "set it and forget it" - I pulled out my Showtime Rotisserie that had been collecting dust for at least 5 years.  I pressure cooked yams in cider (much sweeter than pineapple juice), and also had kale.  Everyone, including the unexpected dinner guests, enjoyed the meal.   

Since the entire family was home, lunch was our big meal today - I made lamb (be'geh) zigni.  I cut up a 2 pound top round (in hindsight I could have made the pieces bigger because lamb top is the most tender piece of the lamb leg) - I know a stew might not have been the best use of this cut but we enjoyed it anyway.  I sauteed eggplant and of course we had it with injera; I think ancient grains like teff and barley are fine in moderation.  I just need to figure out when I'll make the mac & cheese my son requested - maybe I'll compromise with a gluten-free pasta.  

I made a simple dinner - a refrigerator stir fry - made from onions, chicken, and tired veggies I found in the fridge, tossed with the lime, oyster sauce, fish sauce combo and served over the sweet potato starch noodles.  

I just need to find a way to balance my family.

Regrouping

There was a bit of binging this weekend.  Cupcakes from Sistah's and pizza from Bertucci's.  I am thankful that I developed a bit of willpower after being on the Whole 30.  I ate 1/4 cupcake with just a tad bit of icing and I stayed away from the rolls at Bertucci's - I called myself balancing the pizza with 2 orders of tuscan vegetables and 1 order of tuscan wings; I think I was successful because I didn't have the same aftereffects I did with Manakeesh.

I didn't formally plan a menu for this week so I asked if anyone had any requests - qulwa & escabeche.  I still have no cow and I refuse to pay retail for beef so I went to WF for chicken because my husband suggested rotisserie (yet another gadget that's been collecting dust for years) but time was ticking so that wasn't really an option for last night.  Fortunately wild salmon was on sale $10.99/lb so I bought a piece.  I seasoned it with zatar and kurkum; sauteed spinach and eggplant on the side.  Very delicious.

I am so excited about the lamb order I placed this morning - top round, shoulder chops, loin chops, and ground lamb.  This will buy me sometime until I can get a cow share and I'm looking forward to some old favorites and some new creations!

On parole

I'm not sure if ending the Whole 30 was a good choice...I think the kids have been celebrating by eating who knows what...I did inform them that I don't intend to purchase any cereal or milk, they can finish the cereal we have in the house with almond milk.  I also let the husband know so that he doesn't buy any simple carb breakfast items.

Last night was touch and go because I was simply out of energy, but I pulled it together to make a meal that my daughter referred to as "unplanned" - I pulled boneless, skinless thighs out of the freezer, put in a celery top, seasoning, stock, and apple cider and cooked under pressure for 10 minutes then seared for a nice finish.  Meanwhile I steamed brussel sprouts in stock and made a balsamic mustard sauce to give it a little pizazz.  It wasn't bad for a 15 minute meal but it wasn't spectacular either.

Breakfast went ok with sausage and brussel sprouts but I made a bad choice for lunch - I had a kafta flatbread at Manakeesh and I think I suffered a some sort of carb letdown.This is kind of disappointing because I've been thinking about Bertucci's all week - perhaps I can go with a whole wheat crust to limit the impacts. 

Tonight I was finally able to make the dinner I've been planning for ages...duck bacon and pan seared scallops...absolutely luscious.  I've been lusting after duck bacon since I first saw it in Wegman's back in September...I was apprehensive about the cost because I was unsure of the taste...however a friend mentioned sometime ago that she tried the duck bacon so I went for it and bought frozen New England scallops from TJs.  My husband said it was awesome. 

I fried the bacon, removed it from the pan, then seared the scallops - luscious. 

Craving crostata

Apple crostata is the only form of apple pie that I like...I prefer peach cobbler.  My daughter has been asking for dessert (largely because she's binged on refined dessert at least once per week during this Whole 30) and I finally obliged.  The only problem is that I didn't start making it until 815.

I sauteed sliced granny smith apples in coconut oil then tossed on apple pie spice and vanilla and let steam until they were soft.  I made coconut pancakes as my "crust".  The pancakes were a little dry but they worked with the topping.

I wonder if I could've made a sauce by cooking down some apple cider...

Today is the last day of our Whole 30, my 10 year old son was the only person that demonstrated will power (he's trying to get a $10 Target gift card).  I don't think tomorrow will look much different than today because we're not going to go crazy largely because we don't have a bunch of refined products in our house.  I can't imaging going over the edge with baked goods or dairy products because frankly, I'm not that interested.  Although we've had some bumps along the way I'm not sure that we will start another Whole 30 on Sunday.  I know we have consumed some hidden sugar because there were labels that it didn't dawn on me to check until after the fact, and there was the Super Bowl incident, but I'm feeling pretty good about where we are and I think the psychology of restriction might be a contributing factor to my husband and daughter's quest for cake.

I will keep experimenting with coconut flour but I will probably mix it with barley and add a little maple syrup for sweetness.  My multi grain chocolate chip cookies (oats, barley, whole wheat flour) will be the biggest challenge, but that'll be in moderation.

So we'll see what happens and if things get slippery, we'll jump back on the Whole 30...the main thing is that Whole 30 has helped me find a way back to the way we ate when I was growing up.  I feel good that my kids have developed sophisticated palates and have knowledge of whole eating; even if they slip at some point, they will have roots to which they can return.  I think my dad would be proud.

Stirring it up

Tonight's stir fry was absolutely delicious.  For lack of a better term I'm going to call it Indochinese because I essentially used oyster & fish sauce as seasoning.  I sauteed onions and garlic in chili oil & grapeseed, threw in the last bit of the chopped veggie mix, then added sliced cauliflower, sprinkled on a bit of kelp seasoning, then added the shrimp.

I made a space in the pan and mixed broth, oyster sauce, and fish sauce; then stir-fried the whole thing.  It was so simple that I forgot the celery and cilantro but it was absolutely delicious.  I considered making noodles but thought that the cauliflower had enough body.  In hindsight not only should I have made noodles, but I should have also doubled my quantity to two heads of cauliflower and two pounds of 16/20 shrimp.

Simple stir-fry

In order to maintain this way of eating, things must be as simple as possible.  I didn't make a menu for this week but I did go buy staples, including veggies & protein so I knew that I could at least get through Tuesday without a hitch.  

One thing's for certain is that I've used more celery and eggs during this Whole 30 than I have in my entire life.  We've been using a bunch and a half of celery and 2-3 dozen eggs per week, not to mention the nuts and other things we regularly consume.  

I made some adjustments to the caveman custard (additional banana, vanilla, and apple pie spice) and it was a hit, topped with berries, pistachios, and flax seed...needless to say I made another batch tonight because the morning flows so much better with a grab and go breakfast.  

Tonight I went basic - sesame oil, garlic, onions, chicken breast, ginger, broccoli slaw, celery tops, scallions, with a bit of broth and tamari over dangmyeon (sweet potato vermicelli noodles) - it could have been a japchae if I had stir fried the noodles as well.   

I'm loving simplicity.  

Essentially escabeche

Escabeche fish is a great example of cultural diffusion...the Arabs brought it to Spain, and the Spanish took it the parts of the world they colonized.  Versions of it can also be found in Asian cuisine.  For the most part fish is marinated in some sort of acid (vinegar or citrus) and then fried or poach.  Usually it's topped with colorful sliced veggies.  In some ways the Senegalese poisson could be interpreted as an escabeche.

Snapper was on the menu tonight and of course it tastes really good as escabeche.  I did a very basic marinade of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and pineapple juice.  I sprinkled onions, garlic, and peppers on it before I convection roasted.

The aroma created great anticipation and we subsequently devoured our fish, the cabbage paled in comparison.

Winding down

I'm stuffed.  I made two of the three dishes I was planning for tonight.

I did Indonesian style mussels (garlic, ginger, celery, scallions, cilantro) and steamed eggplant.  I had the best steamed eggplant a few weeks ago in South Philly.  We stopped in a Chinese restaurant and ordered duck and eggplant.  I explained that I didn't want any cornstarch or sugar in my garlic sauce so the guy decided to steam it and toss in some sort of garlic soy concoction.  It was delicious and the inspiration for our veggies tonight.

I sliced an Indian eggplant, steamed it, and sauteed garlic in sesame oil with a little tamari and broth...tossed the eggplant in and then we ate.

After dinner I ended up making another batch of pseudo bananas foster...I stepped it up today with a dash of vanilla and apple pie seasoning.

Other than snapper, I have no idea what's on the menu next week.

Snow day soup

We just finished lunch and now my daughter wants dessert.  I told her I'd do the pseudo bananas foster but she's online looking up coconut flour recipes...I have no plans to bake anything.

I've been wanting coconut milk soup (tom kaa gai) all week and today was just right for making it.  I'm so glad I had galangal root and kaffir leaves in the freezer.

I brought my chicken stock to a boil, then simmered the galangal, kaffir leaves, and lemon grass; next I added the "seasonings" - fish sauce, lime, pineapple juice (substituting for sugar), and a chili pepper; I let the frozen seafood mix and mushrooms steep a bit and finally added coconut milk and cilantro.

Unfortunately I have to leave the comfort of my home to take my son to basketball practice but I am certainly looking forward to the late afternoon snack I'm planning.

Egg Foo Omelet

On cold snowy days I like to stay home and cook.  Since Pacific Island is the theme of today's lunch, I thought it made sense to kick it off with a related breakfast.  This really worked out because I couldn't figure out what to make for breakfast since I was out of sausage and have once again grown to dislike eggs of any kind.

I thought a twist on a veggie omelet might hit the spot so that's what I did.  Sauteed celery, onions, and garlic in sesame oil; added cabbage, mushrooms, and chicken; sprinkled on kelp season; then added eggs beaten with tamari and allspice.  I think it was more like fu yung hai than egg fu yung, but it worked...the kids wanted gravy but I had no desire to fool around with that.

Looking forward to lunch.

Food

We have been eating food this week, nothing spectacular, just food.  I've been having a little difficulty bouncing back after Sunday's fiasco.  Although Monday would have been Day 21, if we would were to hold fast to Whole 30 rules, it would be Day 1.  My family can't handle that kind of setback so we will finish up as planned on February 15th and my husband and I will start a fresh Whole 30.

I am beginning to feel the impacts of our moment of weakness...it's becoming more difficult to feel satisfied...my daughter is back to being constantly "hungry,"  my husband rummages for food, and I always seem to have a "taste for something."

I totally deviated from the menu that I made for the week...breakfast has become any protein and veggie combo I can make in under 20 minutes (everyone enjoyed the liver on Tuesday).  I did a couple of stir -fries for dinner and finally stepped it up on Thursday.

I put a whole cut up chicken in the crockpot with my staple onion & celery, sprinkled on a little cayenne then smeared on a concoction of dijon, grated ginger, minced garlic, bizarra, cardamon pods, and allspice; I topped it with dried apricots.  I think it could have passed for a Moroccan dish.

I finally have a decent muffin.  After two attempts at adjusting this blueberry muffin  recipe I switched to bananas for awesome results (relatively speaking); for the most part I followed the recipe except I replaced the honey with applesauce, added  2 T of coconut milk, and a dash of apple pie spice.  When Whole 30 is over I'll see what I can do with chocolate chips.

Fiasco

We left home with a strategy but things took a terrible turn and seemingly went from bad to worse.

We made my husband's uncle's house our first stop because they generally have a variety of food. There was quite a selection but we went with fish, bbq chicken, and cabbage. I'm sure the sauce had sugar but it was the best we could do.  He held himself back from the beans by eating the smoked turkey neck.

My daughter desperately wanted a pepsi and her father tried to rationalize it because my son has been having mayo. I told him he was comparing apples & oranges and a cup of caramel colored chemicals was not an option. I reminded him that we were never going back to that...our soda would be something I make or a spritzer.

My daughter managed to restrain herself but someone walked in with three homemade cakes (lemon, rum, & carrot), which they immediately coveted. I suggested that we leave, particularly because I really wanted a slice and was beginning to have stomach pangs just thinking about it. My husband went into this entire spiel about how good we've been doing and how we should reward ourselves instead feeling deprived.  I couldn't imagine how anyone in this house could feel deprived since I've been cooking nonstop since we started.

I warned him that it was a slippery slope but he had a slice...finally I succumbed and had a sliver...before I knew it, he had consumed 3 additional slices.  Needless to say, I was appalled.

We left and went to his sister's. She offered us a seafood stew, it had spaghetti noodles so I declined. My daughter however had a bowl. When it was time to leave he sat down and ate a plate piled high with lamb ribs, greens, and string beans. I had an immediate flashback of the demise of the south beach he tossed out the window while on vacation some years ago.

It's this "treat yourself" mentality that causes me to avoid the "diets" that he often tells me about. I thought the Whole 30 would be a success because I didn't consider it to be a diet, I thought of it as a reset...but something has gone terribly wrong with the messaging to the family.

Compromises

My son has become addicted to mayonaise - of course mayo is not Whole 30, first of all the oil is not heart healthy and, like everything else, it contains sugar.  I've let him have mayo with his burgers though as an alternative to ketchup.  I've also been making tuna & chicken salad for the kid's lunch...

We're in our last week and my husband wants to continue the Whole 30 because he's feeling pretty good about our progress.  The kids have been counting down but I think I've come up with a compromise.  We'll keep "Whole 30" in the house but the kids will be able to have what they want at lunch & when we dine out or at friends, we'll allow ourselves to dabble in the occasional taboo items...I'm thinking that as long as I don't purchase those things, we should be good to go.

We did ok this weekend - largely because we stayed at home de-cluttering...it's as if the Whole 30 has had an impact on our whole life.

Friday night was our usual post-cookie-booth visit to Elevation; Saturday I made turkey bacon, leftover squash, and smoothies; lunch was burgers & kale; and dinner was slow cooked chicken sausage & cabbage.  This morning was chicken sausage and sweet potato homefries; lunch was the post-cookie-booth Elevation (I'm spending a small fortune on Elevation lettuce wraps); and tonight is going to be interesting.

We're going to several Superbowl parties and I planned to make dinner prior to our departure but that didn't happen so we'll be at the mercy of temptation.

Tasty tails

My friend is claiming that my Whole 30 experience has been hectic because I'm ridiculous...supposedly "normal" people don't cook breakfast every weekday morning.  I have begun to go with the flow a little better...this morning was chicken steak and spinach - quick and easy.

I'm loving this simple food thing.  Dinner was absolutely delicious and relatively easy because the crockpot is my best buddy.   This afternoon I put celery, onions, garlic, thyme, cilantro (on its last legs), and tomatoes in the crockpot - I seasoned that with a little jerk then added my oxtails and sprinkled on the brown meat seasoning, I topped it off with some leeks and let it cook in a little beef stock.

While waiting at ice hockey, I realized I had forgotten to cook the cabbage - my only solution was going to be the pressure cooker but was apprehensive that I'd end up with mushy cabbage.  I sauteed a half onion, cut up half a cabbage and threw it in, sprinkled on some seasoning and cooked under pressure for 5 minutes with a little chicken stock.

Dinner was lip smacking good, we didn't even miss the rice & pigeon peas - I only wish there were leftovers.  We topped it off with mango cream.

I'm nervous about next week - my cow share is just about finished, I am trying to get folks in on a new cow, but even so, it'll be at least 3 weeks before the cow is slaughtered and butchered - guess we'll be eating chicken (or lamb).