Spring Omelette with baby Jerusalem Artichokes

I picked my first 2 spears of asparagus recently, and decided I most wanted some buttery eggs with spring onions to accompany them. I also had a handful of tiny jerusalem artichokes that I pan fried, and topped everything with some fresh tarragon. (Had it occurred to me earlier, I would have incorporated the tarragon into the cooking part, and not just as a garnish. I had to go cut more after I realized how delicious it was with both. Tarragon and jerusalem artichokes = delish!) 

During Ramadan I find I want eggs at least once a week, and the way I want them is with a lot of butter. A LOT. Buttery eggs - how can I eat them any other way? It makes me think of Julia Child. *Though, speaking of buttery eggs - I took myself on a solo date last week to a "show" at the Walker (show is a loose term, because the single other person there, a stranger, and I, made up both the show and the audience, reading our "script" from note cards placed between us under the pane of glass, making it more like an experience) followed by take-out dinner from Rainbow Restaurant. Which included a very fancy egg dish. And those eggs, while I cannot imagine were cooked with butter, must have been cooked in a good quantity of sesame oil in a hot wok - they were so light and airy and somehow both creamy and crispy. With the accompanying tarot rice flour cake, the dish just melted in my mouth and I was in complete awe. So, maybe it is eggs with fat that I love?!

I've made these eggs with just spring onions, or just with butter and herbs. Stellar every time. 

Spring Omelette (serves 1)

• 2 T butter
  
• salt
• 3 spring onions, chopped
  
• 2 spears asparagus (opt), chopped
• opt herbs: tarragon, parsley, chives
• 3 eggs
  

1) Heat a small cast iron on med heat. Melt your butter in the pan, and add your spring veggies. (I add just the white onion part now, adding the green part just before I pour in the eggs.) Saute the veggies for a few minutes until tender.

2) While they saute, crack your eggs into a vessel, and use a fork to lightly whisk them. I hear over-whisking is not beneficial, so whisk just enough to mix them. If you want herbs, add them, and the green onion bits to the buttery pan. Saute 30 seconds or so before adding the eggs.

3) Pour your eggs into your cast iron. Stir them a bit to incorporate the butter into the eggs. As they start to set, gently stir some more so that the runny part has access to the pan. The goal is an omelette, not scrambled eggs, so you want to stir just enough, then let it sit to set. The butter will help you here. I am no good at flipping my omelette, so I stir/let set until the top is cooked, meaning the bottom will brown just slightly. Fold your omelette over on itself, and serve. 

I had mine with some labneh, which was divine, and the baby sunchokes, pan fried in yet more butter.

Also, it is almost Eid!! The last week was particularly challenging on the fasting front, and it was so lovely to not only get this beautiful henna, but also to a) be around some more people who b) are also fasting. What a gift. I love seeing the different designs each henna artist creates - they are all SO different. 💕

Nettle egg-cakes

Ramadan is around the corner, and I plan to fast again, so I am in the time-right-before where I feel both excited and a bit panicky. I decided this year to do a little prep (beyond just cutting caffeine) to decrease some daytime food intake now, so that the sudden switch isn't quite so, well, sudden. Which really means I am eating a little later for brunch, a bit less than I might otherwise. I made these nettle egg cakes today, a riff on the multitude of mostly korean pancakes I have tried lately. I don't know why, but sometimes it is just satisfying to have my breakfast/lunch in pancake form. Savory style. Oooh, which makes me think these would have been good with bacon. (Though I did eat them with some basturma, which is almost as good!)

I made these today with just nettles and red onion, though I have made them before using grated potato, and sometimes cheese along with the greens. This is the simplest version that I ate with some plain yogurt. They were really good, and the recipe is forgiving. You can approximate and increase/decrease the veggies to your tastes. (I am on my last, I think, batch of frozen nettles. Good timing, because the green onions are just getting big enough to harvest, and I dug up some jerusalem artichokes yesterday. And dandelion greens are starting. So, I made it through to spring time vegetables! Fasting for the month will also help with the limited produce!) *I also tried them with coconut and almond flours - I used a combo of both in place of the ones below. It turned out great.

Nettle egg-cakes - Serves 1

• 1/3 c steamed nettles (or other greens), chopped 
• 1/4 c red onion, diced small
• 2 eggs
• 1-2 tsp arrowroot starch
• 1-2 T buckwheat flour

Mix all ingredients together; you want a thick consistency - think thick pancake batter. It won't pour so much as scoop. 

Heat some butter, ghee or coconut oil in a skillet. When hot, scoop your batter to the center, and flatten out to a pancake. Cook over med heat for several minutes on each side. This amount makes 2 egg-cakes for me. Serve with plain, thick yogurt, or a little butter, or top with a drizzle of mayo and sriracha. 

Shrimp Egg Fried Cabbage-Rice (take 2)

I posted about egg fried cabbage-rice some months ago, and since then I have revised (and improved) my technique and recipe. I literally make this every week - if not for breakfast, then for dinner. My favorite is to throw some shrimp in, which is really easy b/c I just keep a resealable bag of frozen shrimp in the freezer, and voila. Tasty, comforting, and fast. My wok has never gotten so much love!

*I have some gochujang paste in the fridge that I've been using in this dish. You don't need it, or you could use whatever chili paste you have, or use hot peppers plus a little fish sauce. It adds a nice umami kick. Sometimes I also add in some chopped kimchi.

I've experimented with the order I add things to the wok, and my favorite is to do the eggs early. When starting with the eggs, they stick together without just coating everything else, and they stick to the pan less than when I add them at the end. So my preferred method follows, but you really can't go wrong.

Serves 1:

• 2-3 T sesame oil
• 1 rib celery, diced
• 1/4 large onion, diced
• 2 eggs
• 1 small carrot, diced
• 1-2 cups cabbage, chopped small
  
• 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2"+ of ginger, minced
• 4-6 shrimp, de-veined and tails removed, diced 
• 1-2 T tamari
• opt: minced chili pepper and dash of fish sauce OR 1-2 tsp gochujang paste
• salt to taste
• opt: garnish with sliced scallions

Have all of your veggies/shrimp prepped!

Heat oil in a wok on high heat. Add onion and celery and stir fry for a minute. Push them to the side, and crack two eggs into the wok, ideally there should still be a fair amount of oil for the eggs to crack into. Stir up the eggs so they scramble and cook, mixing with onions/celery.

Add carrot, cabbage, ginger and garlic. Stir and toss for a few minutes. Add shrimp. Cook until pink, 1-2 minutes. Add tamari and gochujang - stir and toss to coat everything. Tip into a large bowl and eat!

Za'atar Eggs

This is so simple, but so good. Fried eggs, basted in butter, za'atar and sumac, with some cilantro. I've been eating them as is, or with potatoes, or slices of olive bread to sop up the extra spiced butter. And sometimes yogurt too if I have it, which is especially good with the potato iteration. Yum. 

This recipe comes courtesy of Kahlil Omar, who I came across...somehow? and watched his middle eastern style za'atar egg youtube video. I make my own za'atar, but you can also purchase it. The za'atar recipe I make follows, which is by Sylvia of Feasting At Home. The roasted spices smell so good, and it is delicious on just about anything. Sylvia says: "There are many variations of Zaatar. This was my dad’s recipe- he was Egyptian. Other regions have different versions. There is not one “right” way. It varies from area to area, and even household to household." It is delicious on these eggs, but also on labneh, hummus, or as a rub on meat or fish. 

*If you would rather purchase yours, Sylvia recommends this one: Villa Jerada Zaatar Spice Blend from Seattle.

Za'atar Spice Mix

• 1 tablespoon dried thyme- crushed (or sub oregano)
• 1 tablespoon  cumin (see instructions about whole or ground)
• 1 tablespoon  coriander
• 1 tablespoon toasted  sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon sumac
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon or more aleppo chili flakes- optional

1. For the most flavor, toast whole seeds (cumin seeds and coriander seeds) until fragrant, then grind. This will make the most flavorful zaatar. If you don’t have whole seeds, feel free to use ground spices.
2. Mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl. Store in an airtight container.

I toasted the cumin/coriander together, then the sesame seeds.

Za'atar Eggs! 

There is no set amount - season heavily. Sumac is a tart, tangy spice available in middle eastern grocery stores. I have tried to harvest it myself, with minimal success on the spice front, but good success on the sumac lemonade/tea front. It is from the sumac berry clusters that you see in the late summer that are so brilliant and red!

• 1-2 T Butter
  
• Eggs
• Za'ater spice mix
• sumac 
• salt
  
• Fresh cilantro
  

1. Melt a pat of butter in your skillet/cast iron pan. 
2. When it is hot, crack two eggs. As they begin to set, sprinkle with a good amount of za'atar, salt and sumac. 
3. Add 1 T butter to the side of the skillet. Tilt the pan slightly as it melts, and spoon it over the egg yolks to baste them. Cook/baste them to your liking. 
4. Sprinkle cilantro over the top, and eat as is, or with some bread-like substance, sopping up the spiced butter. (Kahlil actually ate his eggs just out of the pan with pita bread, which looked delectable!)
   

*I ate these eggs with sliced fried potatoes and yogurt and it was really good. I have also eaten them with my Caraway Olive Bread, which is decidedly a weird combo. But I really love that bread! Making it with sundried tomatoes, sans caraway, might better match these eggs. Injera or some other flat bread would also be delicious.

Eggplant and Tomato Kookoo

I was out of town the past week, and prior to my drive north I made this dish to bring on the road. It turned out delicious - both fresh and hot from the oven, and eaten the next day. It would be a great dish for brunch, and I especially enjoyed it with some plain yogurt on top. Kookoo are Iranian style frittatas - and as Naz Deravian says, are more about the filling than the eggs. Typically one ingredient will be the star, though in this case it is two: the eggplant and the tomatoes. This is another Bottom of the Pot recipe, and I used all garden produce and herbs. I didn't have capers (I am going to try making some with milkweed pods, if they aren't too big yet), so I used some diced up pickled green tomatoes instead.

Serves 4-8

• 2 large long eggplants (about 1 1/4 pounds) 
• 1/4 c plus 1 T olive oil
• salt
• 6 large eggs
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed to a paste
• Leaves from 1 stem tarragon, minced (plus more leaves for garnish)
• 1 T capers, rinsed and roughly chopped
• Black pepper
• 2 T unsalted butter
• 4 med tomatoes (about 1 lb 6 oz), sliced into 1/4" rounds
• Fresh herbs to garnish: mint, basil, cilantro, tarragon
• Yogurt for serving

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl toss eggplant with 1.4 c olive oil and 3/4 tsp salt. Divide eggplant slices on two baking sheets and lay out in a single layer. Roast for 20 minutes, flipping once halfway through. Remove from oven and set aside. Lower oven heat to 400 degrees.

While the eggplant roasts, add the eggs, garlic, tarragon, capers, 2 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper to the same bowl you used for the eggplant. Beat well to combine and set aside.

Heat a 10 or 12" cast iron skillet over medium high heat and add the butter and remaining Tablespoon of olive oil. As soon as the butter sizzles place one layer of tomatoes in the pan. It's okay if they overlap slightly. Sprinkle the tomatoes lightly with salt and layer with eggplant slices. Repeat with another layer of tomatoes (sprinkled with salt) and one more layer of eggplant. Pour the egg batter over the whole thing and place in the oven to bake for 20 minutes, until the kookoo has set and the edges are slightly browned.

Set aside to cool slightly. Garnish with whatever fresh herbs you have on hand, and slice into wedges or squares. Serve with a dollop of yogurt.

Bonus vacation picture: Moose! All week I ate thimbleberries like this moose ate river grass - steady, ongoing, and with pauses to breathe. :)

Beets with beet greens & soft eggs

I planted my beets a little earlier than usual this year, and they are so lush! It was a good move. I am going through and eating a few of them to thin things out as we progress through the summer, since they are a good veggie that will keep well into the fall. Last fall I remember walking home from my garden with an overflowing basket of beets and their greenery, and an older couple stopped me to ask about them. They told me beet greens were their favorite greens and they go to the farmers market just to buy them as they are hard to come by elswhere. I used to not like beet greens as much as kale or collards, but then I started to steam them briefly before loading them with butter. They become so soft and luscious, it is pretty much the only way I eat them now.

I made a 1 person serving, so adapt this as necessary!

2-3 small/med beets with greens

2 tsp Butter

2 tsp Dijon mustard (I used my homemade stuff)

salt/pepper

fresh dill sprigs

2 eggs

1. Chop beet and beet stems into 1" pieces; chop greens. Boil salted water in a small saucepan and add beets and stems. Cover and simmer for 5-6 minutes, then add greens and simmer another couple of minutes. Drain water, and add butter, mustard, salt and pepper; toss to coat.

2. While beets are simmering, make a 6 minute egg: bring enough water to cover eggs to boil in a small saucepan. Once boiling, carefully add eggs (I use a spoon so they don't crack) and cover pot. Set timer for 6 minutes. When done, remove eggs and cover with cold water to stop the cooking.

3. Plate beets and greens, top with eggs, and sprinkle dill over the top. Eat!

Eggs and Asparagus Broiler Breakfast

I got this idea from Nom Nom Paleo, where the main flavoring is furikake, which I don't have, but sounds delicious. Basically, you just saute some asparagus in a cast-iron skillet for a few minutes, then crack some eggs in the same pan, and put the whole thing under the broiler until it's done to your liking (for me, like 2 minutes or so, but I'm a time optimist, so I could be wrong about that estimate).

The flavorings I use are also inspired by Nom Nom Paleo - before I read her cookbook, I'd never thought of using powdered mushrooms before. She has a flavor mix she calls Magic Mushroom Powder, which I've made before and which is good. Lately, though, I've been using an onion powder mix, which I made partly with spices from an outfit called Burlap & Barrel, and I also sprinkle some dried porcini powder on top.

You can get dried porcini mushrooms in small packs at the co-op, and then blitz them in a spice grinder or coffee grinder (if you don't also use it for coffee). I just keep mine in a jar next to my stove.  Add it to anything, for FLAVOR.

SPICE BLEND
Onion Powder
Sumac (I used sumac that was flaked and then cured in oil and salt, as opposed to whole berries)
Pepper flakes (I used "Aleppo-style" pepper flakes - also cured in oil and salt)

I think I used fairly equal parts of the three ingredients, but possibly more onion powder than the other two, as it's kind of the base. I keep this in a jar by my stove, like the mushrooms. It does get kind of caked up, so you have to crumble it with your fingers over the food. I think the oil-cured ingredients help it to not turn into a total brick, which has happened to me before with other onion-powder blends.

BROILER BREAKFAST
Handful of asparagus, washed and chopped (or you can cook them whole)
Two (or more) eggs
Your favorite fat to fry eggs in (I've been using some schmaltz I made)
Oniony spice blend to taste
Dried porcini mushroom powder to taste
Salt to taste

1. Turn on the broiler.
2. Heat the fat in the skillet on the stovetop.
3. Add asparagus and saute them for a few minutes, to par-cook them.
4. Crack the eggs into the skillet and turn off the heat.
5. Sprinkle everything with salt, the spice blend, and the mushroom powder.
6. Put the pan under the broiler and cook until the eggs are done how you like them. I don't like undercooked whites, but I do like the yolks to run a bit, so I wait until there's a skim of white on the top of the yolks (see picture above, and below, where I've scraped that white away so you can see the yolks aren't overcooked).

Egg Foo Young with Nettles and Bacon

I came across this recipe from Nom Nom Paleo, and I made it with my bounty of nettles, and found these little egg cakes so tasty! They really would make a perfect road snack, or lunch. You know, for the time when I might ever go on road trips or work away from home again.

I basically followed the Nom Nom Paleo recipe, with a couple exceptions: I made mine with bacon, used nettles instead of spinach, and I used a flour combo of buckwheat/tapioca flour instead of coconut flour. Mine turned out more green and less egg-y, I think because nettles are just more dense than spinach, so they are more robust. Next time I want to try these with left over bbq meat, for some reason that sounds like a really good combo. (Egg Foo Young is a Cantonese dish made to use up left over meat and veggies, so left over bbq is totally appropriate.)

Egg Foo Young (makes 6-7 small cakes)
3 large eggs
scant ¼ cup gf flour (I used 2 T buckwheat & 2 tsp tapioca flour)
1 teaspoon fish sauce
½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
½ cup chopped cooked bacon, diced ham or cooked meat of choice
5 ounces frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry (or cooked and squeezed nettles)
1 scallion, sliced
¼ teaspoon baking soda
Freshly ground black pepper
oil for frying

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, flour, fish sauce, and apple cider vinegar until smooth.
2. Mix in the meat, spinach/nettles, scallions, and baking soda, and some freshly ground black pepper.
3. Melt a tablespoon of ghee/coconut oil/bacon fat/avocado oil in a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Use a scoop to plop the batter in the pan, and flatten the pancake to ½-inch thick with the back of a spoon. Don't overcrowd!
4. Fry without disturbing the patties for 2 minutes before flipping the pancakes over and cooking it on the other side for about 1 to 2 minutes more. The pancakes  are cooked through when the centers bounce back when you press down on them with your finger.
5. Cook through all of batter, and serve!

Oftentimes Egg Foo Young is served with a gravy, but I I ate mine plain, and with sriracha. Both ways were super tasty.

Breakfast rice bowl with Fancy Eggs

I guess I am posting more frequently now because, well, coronavirus. I feel entertained to chronicle these times via some meals. Also, it seems a mostly enjoyable quirk of my personality to menu plan, ration a bit, and see how to eat up everything with the least amount of shopping trips - is at peak utility* in these times! 😂 And since I am reaching the end of some fresh (less long-lived) produce, forthcoming recipes will primarily be composed of cabbage, carrots, beets, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and any remaining stuff in the freezer.

*The time where this skill was was less fun, but also of peak use, was when I was co-caretaking a rustic hideaway (with a few guests) on a remote island in Norway for two weeks and the previous caretaker paid no heed to food going bad or using things up. MANY nights I labored over what needed to be eaten before it went bad without needing to order more food, and thought up new recipes to make with things like a surplus of cod, red peppers, cucumbers and sour cream. It's like I went into survival mode of the pantry (even though it wasn't even my money I was spending!!)

So. Today's breakfast was rice, Japanese-inspired scrambled eggs, avocado, kimchi, and nori. It was SO good, partly because rice is delicious and I don't eat it that often and it felt novel. Also, I hadn't had nori in a long time, but remembered a package that has been in my cupboard for months. Or a year? Nori on these eggs - yum.

This is less a recipe and more a guide or inspiration. Even just rice and these eggs would be good (I saw a recipe for something similar recently in Bon Appetit or Saveur, but now I cannot seem to find it) which is what made me think of making this today.

Fancy Eggs
2-3 eggs
2 tsp rice vinegar
1-2 tsp tamari
pinch of stevia (or 1 tsp sugar or sweet something)
1 T butter for skillet
1 sheet Nori, cut up into strips

1. Mix your ingredients other than butter in a bowl.
2. Melt the butter in a cast iron skillet. When it is melted and hot, pour in your eggs. Allow the eggs to fry in the butter around the edges, and stir gently. I think these are best eaten when they are still soft, and not overly cooked. Salt as needed.
3. Sprinkle nori strips over the top.

Serve atop freshly cooked rice and any sides - I had avocado and kimchi with mine. I also added some spinach to my eggs (I sliced a handful and added it right after pouring in the eggs).

Easy Zucchini Noodle Bowl

It's been 4 months since I last posted, and for some reason after breakfast today, I thought - I think I'll post this one?! So here I am.

Mayday!

Since the last posting, Mayday happened, I went to the boundary waters, attended several lovely wedding/love festivities, visited Colorado, and watched a lot of Lynx basketball! And did garden tending and cooking in there too...some of which I may post about if I get back into the swing of things on the blog.

Boulder mountains

My gardening got a late start due to the late spring and being up north, but things are looking alright as we head into fall. The cucumbers and green beans are bountiful, with zucchini and eggplant not far behind. I'm hoping the fall lasts long enough for at least a few good winter squash, but we'll see!


I made a pork roast in the crockpot yesterday, and had some leftover broth from all the juices in there. I inevitably freeze that cup of pork broth and it gets lost in my freezer, so this morning I decided to just use it right away in an easy breakfast soup: zucchini noodles (or "zoodles"), some arugula, eggs and a bit of left over pork belly. It was super delicious, and in aftermath I realized it was partly inspired by a zucchini noodle bowl recipe I saw on a blog called Studio Snacks. All of the recipes are free of major allergins (wheat, dairy, soy and grains) and Cherry (the blogger) calls them "vegatable-forward" meals, which I find charming. Many are also Cantonese recipes since she grew up in Hong Kong. It's a new fave recipe checkout spot. My version is way simplified though.

Easy zucchini noodle bowl (for one!)
1 small zucchini
handful arugula (or spinach or swiss chard)
1/2 -1c. pork or chicken bone broth
fish sauce
coconut aminos
salt
slice of pork belly (opt)
egg or two
basil, chopped (opt)

1. Make zucchini noodles via mandoline and set aside.
2. Heat broth in a pot and keep on a low simmer. Add a dash of fish sauce, aminos, and salt if your broth is unsalted.
3. Cook pork and egg! I had pork belly left overs in the fridge, so I just cut a slice and re-heated it. If yours is raw, cook your slice/s longer. I fried my egg in the same pan as the pork belly.
4. While everything is cooking, get your bowl and fill it with the raw zucchini noodles and arugula. Pour the hot broth over the top (that will wilt the veggies to a nice texture) and top with fried egg and pork belly.
5. Serve with sriracha and chopped fresh basil on top! Cut green onions or garlic scapes would also be delicious here if you've got them.

Paleo Quiche

Sometimes I get in the mood to try something a little novel in the grain-free eating realm. This weekend it was quiche, using a coconut flour crust. I find that baking things with coconut flour usually works out well, it just has a slight dryness/density that feels specific to coconut flour (more so than almond flour). Sometimes I get in the mindset that I don't want to have as many nuts because of the omega 6s, so often coconut flour baking is more appealing than nut flour baking. In any case - the quiche turned out well - there was a solid crust that worked perfectly. I think I might prefer an egg bake to paleo quiche because I find the dryness of the crust less appealing. My Charming Companion was loving the crust however, so, if you want crust - this is a good one.

*Incidentally I had a little leftover crust mix and used it to make a mini-ramekin sized pie crust. It looks beautiful! I have not yet had a chance to make a filling for it - but pumpkin custard, chia seed pudding, or apples would be pretty awesome I think.

I followed this recipe for the crust and as a guide for the filling. The ingredients I used were a little more dry (kale, sausage and onions) - and like I said - I want a more moist quiche. So I recommend filling your quiche with oven roasted tomatoes, a green like spinach or arugula, mushrooms &/or red peppers - maybe bacon too. No matter what you use, it will still be good.

Crust (for a 9" pie plate):
1/2 cup coconut oil or ghee, melted
2 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup coconut flour
1/2 tsp. sea salt

Preheat oven to 350. Combine eggs and coconut oil until well-blended. Stir in coconut flour and salt and mix until a dough forms. Press dough into the bottom and up the sides, into an even layer. (I used coconut oil and because it was cold in the kitchen, it started to firm up on me. It will still spread, you just have to work the dough a bit more!) Prick dough all over with a fork. Bake for 10 minutes and set aside.

For the filling:
5 eggs
1/2 c coconut milk
salt and pepper
1 t mustard/mustard powder
1-2 cups veggies/sausage/bacon (pre-cooked)

1. Saute your quiche filling in a large skillet. Be sure to cook and sausage or bacon thoroughly. Anything would be good in here: broccoli, olives and bacon; mushrooms, spinach and tomatoes; greens and onions with sausage, etc.
2. While the veggies cook, mix together the rest of the ingredients.
3. When veggies/meat are cooked, put them into the crust. Pour the egg mixture over it. Bake the whole thing for about 25 minutes, or until firm in the center. Let it cool for 5-10 minutes so that the eggs "set" and serve!

The ramekin mini-pie crust!

Snap Peas!

Well, the time of peas will soon be over, but I have enjoyed them SO much! My favorite has been the pea puree, and last weekend I had a chilled pea soup that was amazing. I will try making it sometime, but it included English peas, mint, lavender, and vegetable broth. Omg - it was like a smoothie in a bowl, but savory too. Yum. The snap peas have also been delicious - I've been tossing them in salads and eating them straight from the garden. I tried this slaw recipe from Bon Appetit for Snap Pea and Cabbage Slaw this week, and it turned out nice - crisp and sweet.

Snap Pea and Cabbage Slaw

My favorite way to enjoy snap peas though, at least of late, is to eat them for breakfast with eggs. The light saute of the peas brings out extra flavor, and with some soft scrambled eggs it tastes like sweet and savory summer (whatever summer tastes like, I am calling it peas).

Northside Homestead Dakota Fire Pit!

My Charming Companion has been experimenting with some outdoor cooking set-ups to better bridge living in the bwca to living in the city. This one was an underground system called a Dakota Fire Pit - though since he has built a rocket stove that I think is the better design. It is higher up so it's easier to use, and is super efficient because it gets so hot in the brick tower that even the smoke burns, so you use barely any fuel. Fuel in this case was sticks that blew down in the yard, and some kindling that had been in the shed for about 10 years.

Dakota Fire Pit design

Snap Pea Scramble
Bunch of snap peas, strings removed
Onions
Eggs
Ghee

I used the white onion part from the garden green onions. The green part is too tough now, but the white part is really nice. Chop onions small and saute in ghee for a few minutes on medium heat. As they start to brown, add chopped snap peas and saute another 2 minutes. Add eggs (I like to scramble mine right in the pan) and turn heat down just a hair. Cook just until eggs are done, stirring to push the cooked egg to the side.

I have been eating these eggs all week - here I had them with lamb's quarters, but they are also great with sauteed green beans (they are just coming into full bounty).

Deviled Eggs

This weather is so beautiful! I am loving the 80 degree days and 60 degree nights - I am finding it the perfect temp to manage coolness inside and also be outside whenever possible.

I did lots of gardening at the Northside homestead on Saturday. The pepper plants and the cucumbers seem to be struggling - I think it was just too cold for too long after they went in. So I tried an experiment of fertilizing with urine?! Apparently there is quite a compelling read on the subject, called "Liquid Gold" (isn't that an amazing title?) I have not read it yet (Hennepin county library does not own it), but did do some research and learned that you can use your fresh (as in less than 24 hours old) urine to help your plants: use 1 part urine to 10 parts water. Free and plentiful! So I gave it a try on the peppers and the cucumbers, and will do another dose later this week. We'll see if it helps - the little plants seem to be a bit stunted, so it might already be too late. (You can also pour urine directly on weeds as a weed killer, and it works great as a compost starter. So many uses?!)

I have grand plans to do some weeding and transplanting of brussel sprouts and kale this weekend - we'll see if it comes to fruition. I am continuing to enjoy lots of salads, and also made a really delicious batch of deviled eggs on Saturday. I love deviled eggs in just about any fashion, but I think they are amazing with homemade mayo and smoked paprika (the smoked part is really key to the surprising flavor). You can get smoked paprika in the bulk section at the co-ops.

For the hard-boiled eggs:
Fill a pan with cold water and your eggs. Make sure eggs are covered by about an inch of water. Heat on stove on high heat until boiling. Once it hits a rolling boil, cover the pot, turn off heat, and let sit for 10 minutes. Use a timer for best results! After 10 minutes, remove eggs to a cold water bath (I just get some kind of large bowl or vessel ready with cold water in it, you can put ice cubes in if you want to get real fancy) to cool. You can refrigerate them, or move on with the deviled eggs as soon as they are cool enough to handle.

Deviled Eggs: Peel eggs, than carefully cut them in half, removing egg yolks to a small bowl. I have not measured precise amounts, but add a good amount of mayo, a little bit of mustard, some salt (smoky salt would be great), and a splash of vinegar (white wine or champagne vinegar works nicely) to the yolks. Mix together and than spoon back in the egg white halves and sprinkle smoked paprika on top. Garlic chives are growing like crazy in the garden, so if you have some of those, throw them on top. So good!

If you are not bringing these babies to a potluck, serve with a nice garden salad - mine included a few nasturtiums, some radishes, and some shredded beets (not from the garden) on a bed of lettuce and arugula. So pretty.

Scrambled eggs with chicken livers

More liver! This was a total trial of something new, and I thought it was really good. I am finally learning how not to overcook liver - they are really tender and so delicious when they are cooked on the more medium rare side so that the center is still pink. Putting them in this egg dish makes it easy because you have small pieces and you just cook them for a a few minutes with the eggs. The result is a creamy, soft egg and liver combo that is surprisingly good. I was inspired about it from a lovely article in the NY Times that made me think "that sounds super delicious!" even though it also sounded a bit strange.

The original recipe calls for vermouth - which is a dry wine that is flavored with herbs. I didn't have any, so just used a dry white wine. I made this for lunch, and also used cream in lieu of the parmesan cheese. This dish will be really nice when some fresh herbs come in: sage or fresh thyme!

Scrambled Eggs with Chicken Livers
3 tablespoons fat (I used ghee, but coconut oil, bacon fat, or olive oil would work) 
1/2 medium onion, sliced
5 eggs
1/4 c heavy cream
Salt and pepper to taste
6 fresh sage leaves, or a teaspoon minced rosemary or thyme
4 chicken livers, cut into pieces
1/4 cup dry wine (or dry vermouth)
1 T olive oil for garnish
Parsley, chopped for garnish

1. Put 3 tablespoons of the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat; a minute later, add the onion and cook, stirring, until it begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, beat the eggs with the cream and some salt and pepper.

2. Add the herbs and livers to the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until pink, about 2-3 minutes. Pour in the eggs and vermouth and stir until the eggs set, a minute or so. Garnish with the remaining olive oil and parsley and serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.

Breakfast Veggies & Eggs with Tahini

I started doing kettle bells this month. I am not sure what got me inspired to do it, except I had a little extra time and a desire for some more msucle. And I found a nice kettle bell place right by my house. I tried lifting weights one time last year (ha!) - the way where you do very few reps with as much weight as you can do and still actually lift it. I burst into tears each time. Not because it was impossible, but it was like my mind thought I couldn't do it and my mental state just collapsed. So. Kettle bells seemed like a nice way to build up some muscle without the tears. I've gone to 4 classes and already I feel stronger and could do way more than the first couple of times. Holy cow!

My breakfast this morning is based on Modern Times' "Good Morning Healing Earth" breakfast, which is a lovely medly of lots of sauteed veggies topped with scrambled eggs and drizzled with tahini. It seems like an excellent pre-kettle bell breakfast. It's really good, and the version I made at home turned out equally as tasty, if a little simpler. The original dish at Modern Times actually uses onions, beets, carrots, green peppers, mushrooms, kale, zucchini and broccoli. So go for it all if you happen to have all those veggies - but I thought the ones I selected were a good combo that still gave a similar taste. Sub any veggies in for something else, though I do think the kale, beets, and carrots are key. Modern Times uses roasted beets instead of my pan sauteed ones, so if you happen to make a big batch of roasted beets, keep a few out to use in this for breakfast!

Good Morning Breakfast (serves 1 large serving)
1-2 T butter, ghee, coconut oil, bacon fat, etc
1/4 small beet, diced small
1 small carrot, diced small
3 kale leaves, de-stemmed and chopped
1/2 small onion, diced
handful of broccoli florets, trimmed small
salt
1 T. parsley, chopped
2 eggs
tahini (mixed with water - and lemon juice if you have it - to thin it out, plus a pinch of salt)

1. Put a cast iron pan on medium heat. Add fat, and then beets. Cook covered for 3-5 minutes. Add onions and remove lid. After another few minutes, add broccoli and carrots. Cover the pan again for 3-5 minutes. Add kale. Cook a final 5 minutes, until greens are wilted but still bright, and beets are just tender. Stir often to keep things from sticking and add a little more fat if needed.
2. Meanwhile, scramble eggs in another pan so that they finish about the time of the veggies. Mix up some tahini with water to make it drizzle-able (a little less water than tahini ratio).
3. To serve: dish out veggies in a pile on a plate and top with scrambled eggs. Sprinkle parsley and drizzle tahini over everything. Serve!

Breakfast "taco" salad

Well, the winter kinda just keeps coming. I put my winter boots and ski shoes away last week, only to go get them out again on Monday morning. I am happy for all the precipitation though - the farmers will be resting much easier now than a few months ago when it looked like pure drought. I am starting to wonder when the spring green onions will get to show themselves, and when I'll be able to get some seeds in the ground! It's looking like it will be well into April before the soil is thawing. I did come across this handy guide to dates for planting vegetables from the U of MN extension though, just to get the ideas percolating.

I usually try to get in a big bunch of veggies in the morning - reference past piles of food or carrot porridge - and typically that means I cook a bunch early. The time change means that I am generally eating breakfast with the sunrise, which feels quite lovely. The other morning I was not in the mood to cook, and instead made a big delicious salad with bacon-y eggs and some homemade salsa from last fall. It was sort of like a breakfast burrito, without the burrito. And a little reminiscent of the Modern Times' amazing lime-cabbage slaw, which I LOVE. Because it was largely raw, it had a fresh, spring like quality. Which you know - bring it on. It is the equinox afterall!

Breakfast salad (use however much you are hungry for)
Purple cabbage, sliced thin
Green onion, chopped thin
Parsley or cilantro, chopped
fresh lime juice
olive oil
2-3 eggs
bacon
salsa
salt

1. Slice the cabbage as thin as you can manage, and toss in a bowl with chopped green onion and parsley or cilantro. Squeeze fresh lime juice over the top, sprinkle salt, and drizzle with olive oil.
2. Chop bacon and saute in a cast iron skillet on medium until crispy, about 5-8 minutes. Pour in 2 whisked eggs, salt and cook until done. Add a good amount of salsa to eggs towards end of cooking, or alternatively, spoon salsa over salad.
3. Serve eggs with salsa over cabbage slaw.
*This would of course be amazing with avocado if you wanted to go really wild!

Eggnog (paleo-ish)

I love eggnog - especially in my (decaf) coffee. I made some for the first time this week, and it is SO easy. I found several recipes online, but settled on this conglomeration of a few. I went ahead and used raw egg yolks, but there are plenty of recipes out there that heat the nog if you prefer.

For 2 servings:
4 egg yolks
1 c. coconut milk
1 c. heavy cream
1-2 T. honey (depending on your taste)
1 t. vanilla
1/4 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. nutmeg

Blend egg yolks in blender. Add coconut milk and honey (my honey is the raw kind, so I have to heat it up with a little water so it is liquid!) and blend. Add vanilla, spices and heavy cream and blend for a couple of pulses (you don't want to whip the cream - it gets too fluffy).

Sprinkle a little nutmeg on top, and serve! You can chill it for up to a few days as well (probably longer, but I always drink it by day 2).

Paleo Bibimbap

You know that really tasty cucumber noodle recipe I posted last month? I've been making it fairly non-stop ever since, especially eating it with bibimbap.  Bibimbap is a korean dish that is traditionally rice with a variety of vegetable dishes and meat all together in a bowl, with an egg on top. I have been having a version of that dish pretty much every week - sometimes twice. It's a meal that can use whatever you've got around, which makes it an easy weeknight dinner...or breakfast. Or lunch.

Though you can use whatever veggies you want, I recommend that for the paleo version you DO use the sesame cucumber noodles, since it provides a sort of base/extra flavor for all the other veggies. It sort of takes the place of the rice in that way - tying everything else together.

Here are some recommended veggies for my version of Paleo Bibimbap (serves 2) - primarily selected because they grow in my garden. But see other options and inspirations here (includes more precise measurements than I use) and here.

• Cold Sesame (cucumber) noodles
• Sliced Zucchini - Use a mandoline or sharp knife to thinly slice 1 smallish zucchini. Salt with 1 tsp salt and let sit in a colander over a bowl for 30 minutes. Squeeze and pat slices dry. Splash with olive oil and stir to mix.
• Julienne carrots - Cut 2 smallish carrots to matchsticks. Flash cook them in a pot of bowling water for about a minute. Remove from hot water, rinse briefly to cool. Season with salt.
• Sauteed greens (or red cabbage) - Grab a handful of kale or collards or mustard greens, roll up and thinly slice. Saute in coconut/olive oil with a little water for several minutes, until greens are wilted and bright. Season with tamari, olive oil, sesame oil, and vinegar.
• Seared green beans: Saute green beans in oil/fat for a few minutes, letting them brown on the pan over high heat before stirring. Sprinkle with some pepper flakes and sesame oil.
• Kimchi
• Meat (optional): Any thinly sliced leftover steak/pork would be great, or bacon is good too.
• 2 Fried or poached eggs
• Toasted sesame seeds and sliced green onion or chives (optional)
• Sriracha (is my cop out - the sauce can be made from the above inspiration links)

To assemble your dish: Each ingredient is dished between two large bowls. I generally put the big pile of cucumber noodles (which will be the largest quantity ingredient) in the center, with all of the other veggies/meat piled around it. Top the whole thing with the egg, and then sprinkle on the toasted sesame seeds and sliced green onion or chives. Serve with sriracha. YUM!

Crispy Paleo Pancakes

Crispy Cakes

I've been looking for some ways to spice up my diet, since I tend to eat the same things day after day.  I have been experimenting with different pancake recipes, and this one is very simple and can be customized in all kinds of ways to suit your preferences.

For those of you who are avoiding wheat and other flours, nut butter is a great alternative.  It can be used in place of flour to make pancakes, cakes, brownies, and a host of other baked goods.  Nut flour is also a good option.  In a few weeks when I can start eating nut flour I will try out some recipes.

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp nut butter- cashew or almond both work well
1 egg
1 tsp baking soda
1 Tbsp butter, ghee, or coconut oil
dash of sea salt
1 Tbsp honey (optional)

Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl- a fork works well for breaking up the nut butter, which can be sticky.  Heat butter, ghee, or coconut oil in a pan and cook away.  Be careful not to burn the cakes, they don't bubble up like regular pancakes, so keep an eye on them.  To make the pancakes crispy put them in the oven or toaster oven on 350 for a few minutes.

Now comes the fun part- figuring out what delightful things to put on top of these crispy cakes.  I top mine with some rhubarb compote I whipped up, which is just rhubarb cooked down with a little water, lemon juice, and a few drops of stevia for sweetness.  You could also top them with maple syrup, honey, fruit, yogurt or something savory such as cheese, meat, roasted veggies, or anything you would put on a cracker.

Jane

Breakfast Veggie Pile-up

The garden is in full swing with green beans, zucchini, cucumbers, and various other greens. Exciting! I've been eating lots of veggies for breakfast lately - always in the form of some sauteed veggie medley topped with either fried or scrambled eggs. It feels really decadent to eat so many vegetables for breakfast, and it is surprisingly easy. And you can use just about anything. I always make the veggie mix on my fave cast iron skillet, starting with the onions and slower cooking veggies, and adding in whatever else I am using so it all finishes about the same time. Then I dump the veggies onto my plate, put a little ghee in the pan, and cook up a few eggs to go on top.

This one was beets (from my co-worker's CSA), red cabbage, onion, and a little bit of sweet potato and bacon. I put a little homemade mustard in with the veggies too.

Greenery! There is zucchini, green beans, onions, basil, and kale in this one - everything was from the garden but the onions. I cooked some basil in with the scrambled eggs too, and put a little lemon juice on the greens while they cooked.

This photo got my breakfast table in addition to my plate - ah well.  This one was zucchini, bacon, onion, green beans, chives, and a leafy green called Tyfon Holland greens from the garden. They cook down pretty small (like spinach)- and are super good to throw in just about anything.