meatballs with greens and fruit

She called it rosemary meatballs with dijon collard greens and apricots, but I forgot the dijon and used kale and nectarines instead.  And this lasted for a few meals and I have really enjoyed it. 
 Meatballs:

• 1 lb grass fed ground beef
• 3 sprigs of rosemary, de-stemmed and minced
• 2 large cloves of garlic, pressed
• salt, pepper, granulated garlic
• 1 tbs coconut oil (liquid state) (or avocado oil, or leftover bacon grease from breakfast)

Greens:

• 4-6 cups shredded collard greens (or lacinato kale)
• 1 tbs dijon mustard
• 4-5 apricots, pitted and chopped (or nectarines)

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees
2. Add your ground beef, chopped up rosemary and pressed garlic into a large mixing bowl. Using clean hands work the meat until the garlic and the rosemary are evenly disbursed throughout the meat. Add in some salt, pepper and granulated garlic to your liking and mix again. Form your mixed meat into meatballs. I made mine on the small side and yielded eleven or so out of my pound of ground beef.(I got about 15)
3. Coat the bottom of a cast iron skillet with your tablespoon of oil. Make sure that the bottom surface of the pan is covered. Arrange your meatballs neatly in the pan. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes or until your meatballs are cooked through.
4. Remove the meatballs from the oven and transfer the skillet to the stove top. Using tongs, remove your meatballs from the pan and set them aside on a separate plate. Add your tablespoon (or more if you like) of dijon mustard to the fat drippings in your pan. Whisk together lightly.
5. Add in your shredded collard greens and allow them to cook down in the leftover beef fat and mustard mixture over medium heat. Once your greens have wilted, add in your apricots and allow the entire mixture to cook down until the apricots and lightly softened.
6. Place the meatballs back in the pan over the greens and serve! Enjoy!

thai fish cakes with cilantro-lime slaw

The flavor of these is SO ON POINT. Super yummy, and with the coleslaw, it filled me up very well.  From Home Chef.

Thai Fish Cakes with cilantro-lime slaw

IN YOUR BOX
1 Lime
3 Cilantro Sprigs (more would have been nice)
2 Garlic Cloves
2 Tilapia Fillets
8 oz. Slaw Mix (cabbage green and purple, carrots)
⅔ Cup Panko Breadcrumbs
1⅞ oz. Mayonnaise
1 tsp. Dark Chili Powder
2 tsp. Chopped Ginger
1 Tbsp. Fish Sauce
1 ½ oz. Sriracha

Prepare the Ingredients
Quarter lime and cut one quarter in half. Stem cilantro and finely chop. Mince garlic. Rinse tilapia and pat dry.

Roast the Fish
Season both sides of tilapia with ½ tsp.salt and ¼ tsp. pepper. Place tilapia on prepared baking sheet, drizzle with 1 tsp. olive oil, and place on middle rack of oven. Roast 12-15 minutes, or until fish reaches a minimum internal temperature of 145 degrees. Remove from oven, carefully transfer to a plate, and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes.

Prepare the Slaw
In a mixing bowl, combine slaw mix, juice of two lime quarters (add additional lime quarter to taste), 1 Tbsp. olive oil, half the cilantro (reserve remaining for fish cakes), ¼ tsp. salt, and a pinch of pepper. Refrigerate before serving. Mix slaw a few times throughout refrigeration to marinate evenly

Prepare the Fish Cakes
Once tilapia has cooled, transfer fish to a mixing bowl and use two forks to lightly pull fillets into shreds. Add panko breadcrumbs, mayonnaise, chili powder (to taste), ginger, remaining cilantro (reserve a pinch for garnish), fish sauce, garlic, 1 Tbsp. Sriracha (to taste), and a pinch of salt and pepper to bowl with fish. Using hands or a spoon, mix together until combined and able to be formed into cakes.

Cook the Fish Cakes
Form mixture into four evenly-sized fish cakes. Place a large non-stick pan over medium heat and add 2 tsp. olive oil. Add fish cakes to hot pan (in batches, if necessary, to avoid crowding pan). Cook 3-4 minutes per side, or until browned and warm throughout. Remove cakes from heat and set aside.

Plate the Dish
Add a serving of chilled slaw to plate. Place two fish cakes against slaw and drizzle with remaining Sriracha for a bit of heat, if desired. Garnish with remaining cilantro and lime wedge.

cashew chicken

Trying to clean out my freezer, I found a bag of cashews and found this recipe for cashew chicken.  So good!  I just made a few modifications, like adding broccoli.

Ingredients

• 1 lb / 500g chicken breast or thigh fillets, cut into 1”/2.5m pieces
• 2 tsp baking soda (bi-carb soda – NOT baking powder)

Sauce

• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 3 tbsp Chinese rice wine (shaoxing wine) or dry sherry
• 3 tbsp oyster sauce
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• Dash of white pepper

Stir Fry

• 1 tbsp cornstarch / cornflour
• 6 tbsp water
• 2 tbsp peanut oil (or vegetabe oil)
• 2 garlic cloves, very finely chopped
• ½ onion (yellow, brown or white), chopped into 1cm/1/3” pieces
• 1 small green bell pepper (capsicum), chopped into 1cm/1/3” pieces
• 1 head broccoli
• ½ cup roasted cashews (salted or unsalted)

Instructions

1. Place Sauce ingredients in a jar, screw on lid and shake to combine.
2. Place chicken in a bowl and measure out 3 tbsp of Sauce. Mix and set aside to marinate for 20 minutes.
3. Add cornstarch and water into remaining Sauce. Screw lid on, shake to combine.
4. Heat oil over medium high heat in a wok or heavy based skillet. Add the garlic and fry for 15 seconds, then add the onion and cook for 1 minute.
5. Then add the chicken and bell pepper and cook until all the chicken turns white but is still pink inside (about 2 minutes).
6. Pour the Sauce in, bring to simmer and cook for around 2 - 3 minutes or until it thickens and the chicken is cooked through.
7. Remove from stove, stir through cashews and serve with rice.

Notes

1. Tenderizing the chicken with baking soda is optional.

2. If you feel like a bit of zing, add 2 tsp chili sauce or sriracha .

3. This is a recipe that has evolved over time as I endeavoured to make it as close to what it is like at restaurants. The original base recipe probably came from a Chinese cooking show like Kylie Kwong.

Nutrition per serving assuming this serves 4. It can easily serve 5 or more with other sides, as is typically served at Chinese restaurants.

frittata

Just made an amazing frittata that I'll have warmed up all week for breakfast.  I had no idea how wonderful it could be, so open to interpretation. 

What I did:

*Saute 2 leeks and 3 cloves garlic

When getting soft, add:
*about 1.5 pounds of zucchini

Again cook a bit, then add in:
 *about 3-4 c. of chopped spinach

Preheat oven to 425.  Then mix together and add:
*7 eggs
*about 1/2 c. milk
*feta with herbs

Cook it in the pan (which is ok for ovens) until the eggs set around the edges - when they've about cooked through.

Then pop in the oven for about 10 minutes.

Yum!!! I'll eat it with fresh tomatoes.

Next time, I'm putting in potatoes and okra.  And whatever else I have around. 

potato-sausage-spinach-okra soup

In a quest to empty my fridge and eat something light, this soup came on my menu evening.

Potato sausage spinach okra soup

Brown sausage (I had 2 links of chicken sausage in my freezer to use up)
with 1 chopped onion and 3 cloves of garlic

When the sausage is brown, add in
2 potatoes
4 c. stock (I used chicken stock I'd made)

Add salt and pepper
 Toss in about 20 pods of okra*

When the potatoes are tender, add in
3 c. chopped fresh spinach and cook for a few minutes more



*Fresh is best, and it needs to be dry.  I slice off the cap and then into 2" pieces or so and toss them in.  

ground beef and cabbage

ground beef and cabbage - recipe from here with my additions

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef (or turkey, venison, etc)
• 1 small head of cabbage, chopped
• 2 onions, thinly sliced
• 2-3 cloves garlic 
• 2 carrots, grated
• 1 c. diced tomatoes
• Spices to taste: salt, pepper, garlic, basil, oregano, thyme, etc- I use at least a teaspoon of each

Instructions

1. Brown beef in a large skillet or wok, adding spices to taste as you go.
2. When beef is almost completely browned, add sliced onions and grated carrots.
3. When onions/carrots are starting to soften, add the cabbage and spice well.
4. Cook about 10 more minutes, stirring often until cabbage starts to soften.
5. Can be topped with salsa or sour cream if desired.

roasted broccoli

This recipe for roasted broccoli is very good!

Ingredients

4 to 5 pounds broccoli
4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
Good olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt*
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper*
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest*
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice*
3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons julienned fresh basil leaves (about 12 leaves)*

            *I omitted all these things (for no good reason), and it was still very tasty.

 

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Cut the broccoli florets from the thick stalks, leaving an inch or two of stalk attached to the florets, discarding the rest of the stalks. Cut the larger pieces through the base of the head with a small knife, pulling the florets apart. You should have about 8 cups of florets. Place the broccoli florets on a sheet pan large enough to hold them in a single layer. Toss the garlic on the broccoli and drizzle with 5 tablespoons olive oil. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, until crisp-tender and the tips of some of the florets are browned.

Remove the broccoli from the oven and immediately toss with 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, the lemon zest, lemon juice, pine nuts, Parmesan, and basil. Serve hot.