My favorite Chinese food take-out item has always been and probably always will be fried rice. It is so simple but so satisfying. You can basically add any meat or vegetables to it but I kept it basic this time. The number one trick in making this is to use rice that has been cooled completely and refrigerated, using freshly cooked rice changes the texture completely because it is lighter, stickier and fluffier. Continue Reading →
Eggplant Bruschetta with Deconstructed Guinness Cottage Pie
One of my brothers has been complaining that the food I have been making lately is not up to his standards. He likes his food to be beige, maybe with a bit of brown, simple and hearty. I made this with him in mind and he said I redeemed myself. It has the same basic flavors as cottage pie, which is shepherd’s pie with beef instead of lamb, but it is easier to throw together. The bruschetta is a lighter take on the classic, with the added vitamins A, B, and C and calcium and magnesium that eggplant offers. Continue Reading →
Mexican Bean Salad
This is a very vibrant salad with lots of different vitamins and nutrients. The beans are a great source of folate, calcium, potassium and B vitamins. They are very dense and help your body utilize leptin, a hormone that signals to your brain that you are satiated. A salad like this a more food safe option for BBQs than mayonnaise based or dairy heavy salads, because it can sit out longer. Continue Reading →
Peach Pork BBQ with Foiled Vegetables
My brother and I threw this family dinner together because we have been wanting to try grilled peaches. There was one ominous fireball when he turned on the BBQ but at least we did not heat up the house with the oven. By the end of the summer I may overcome my fear of singeing off all my hair and start it myself, but for now I am lucky to have him as my sous chef… If you have not tried grilled peaches yet, I highly recommend them! Continue Reading →