Luck o' the Irish!

My name is Erin.  My favorite color is green.

You can see where this is going...

...Ireland!

Tonight's dinner feast was pork tenderloin, warm apple slaw, and colcannon.

I am amazed by how simple these dishes were to prepare, what a great use of fresh, seasonal vegetables (in February!) they were, and how tasty they turned out.

I was inspired by the recipes I found at The Irish Chef and Simply Recipes, as well as by an abundance of winter produce kicking around my countertop and fridge!

1-pound pork tenderloin
4-5 potatoes
20 Brussels sprouts
1 onion
2 apples
3 cups kale
3 green onions
3 tablespoons of honey
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 cup of milk
1/2 stick of butter
cracked black pepper

Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees.
Set a large pot of water on the stove to boil.

Rub the pork tenderloin with enough honey to coat (about 1-2 tablespoons).  Sprinkle with cracked black pepper.  Place on a greased baking sheet and put in the oven for 30-45 minutes, flipping halfway through.

Chop potatoes, shred Brussels sprouts, slice onion,  dice apples, rip kale, and cut green onions.

When the water comes to a boil, put the potatoes in and cook for 20 minutes.

In a skillet, put one tablespoon of olive oil.  Heat the oil over medium-high heat and then add the Brussels sprouts, onions, and apples.  Cook for about 5 minutes and then add 2 tablespoons of honey.  Cook for 5 more minutes.

Drain the potatoes.  Place potatoes in a large bowl with 1 cup of skim milk, half a stick of unsalted butter, kale, and green onions.  Mash together.

Slice the pork tenderloin into one-inch-thick pieces to serve.

The pork is tastiest when eaten with a forkful of the warm apple slaw and the colcannon makes a comfort-food side dish that is still packed with vitamins.

Here's the warm apple slaw:

And here's the colcannon:

I'm usually a big fan of spicy food, like Habanero Bison Chili.  I usually avoid food that is any way bland.  But there is something really nice about the subtle flavors of Irish food every now and then.

Especially because my name is Erin!

Garlicky, Lemony Kale and Brussels Sprouts Salad

I haven't been eating very well for the past couple of days.

Restaurant and convenience foods came back into my life in a big way in the past week or so.  With a stressful job and two kids, something's gotta give sometimes.  I'm okay with that.

But I'm learning the hard way that rich, salty, sugary, fatty foods don't agree with a healthy body.  I've had an upset stomach and a headache, and felt extremely sluggish, for the past few days.  It's no way to feel when you have a to-do list as big as mine.

So it was time to get back on track.

I wanted to make something outrageously healthy and fresh to remind my body what good food is all about.

I combined Bethesda Locavore's Garlicky, Lemony, Kale Salad recipe (I love her "nothing gets measured/everything gets tossed" style...) with Bon Appetit's Kale and Brussels Sprout Salad.  I read both recipes and then did my own thing.  I basically used Bethesda Locavore's recipe, but with the additions of Brussels sprouts and almonds from Bon Appetit.

The result was a bright and happy salad that seemed to have no place as a seasonal recipe in gloomy February.  It was like eating sunshine itself.  Which is, of course, the entire point of eating food at all.

The recipe is simple: Put all this stuff in a bowl and toss, according to your hunger and taste:

Kale, chopped
Raw Brussels sprouts, chopped
Juice of one lemon
Olive oil
Clove of garlic, crushed
Freshly-grated Parmesan cheese
Raw almonds
Black pepper

I was so excited to eat this, I just put a fork in the mixing bowl and chowed down.  I didn't even bother with a serving bowl.  :-)

Indian-Spiced, Parsnip, Apple, and Chicken Soup

I made this soup entirely from scratch.  Yup, I made the stock, too!

After reading Joel Salatin's "Folks, This Ain't Normal," I was inspired to cook with a whole chicken.

A few nights ago, my husband roasted a bird, stuffed with an apple, covered in olive oil and rosemary (in a 400 degree oven for about an hour).  We had the chicken for dinner with vegetable side dishes, including Winter Fruit and Cabbage Side Salad.  That night, I picked through the leftovers, separating the meat from the bones, skin, and sinew.  I put the meat in one bag and the bones, etc. (including the apple!) in another.

Tonight I made the chicken stock.  I put the remains of the chicken (including the apple, but not the meat) in a stock pot along with carrots, celery, onion, garlic, kale, Brussels sprouts, and parsley.

[It was pretty much a sampling of all the fresh veggies I had in my 'fridge that I had no other immediate plans to use.  You could use whatever veggies and herbs you have on hand.]  Then I covered the ingredients with water and brought them to a boil.  From there, I turned it down to a simmer and allowed it to cook for three hours.

During that three hours, I became ADDICTED to the smell wafting from the pot.  I actually had to tell myself, "just clear out the dishes in the dishwasher and then you can go take another whiff."  Which turned into, "okay, a whiff after I finish the top rack...".

When the three hours were up, I removed the big "stuff" with a spoon, and then strained the remainder over a bowl.  I wasn't picky about the very small bits of chicken and veggies that remained; if you are, you could strain through a cheesecloth.  It seems like such a waste to throw out the veggies used to make a stock, but it's really not.  They've given up their flavor to the stock and would only add unpleasant texture if you kept them.  Think of them like tea leaves.  :-)

I tasted the stock and it was amazing with a sprinkle of salt and pepper!  I couldn't wait to make it into a tasty soup.

I put the stock back into the stock pot, and added 5 chopped parsnips, 2 peeled and chopped apples, 1 chopped onion, and a 1/2 bunch of chopped celery.

I also added the leftover chicken meat.  Then I put about a teaspoon of garam masala in a tea ball and dropped it in.  The tea ball was pretty much superfluous, because the spice got out anyway!

I allowed it to cook for half an hour, until the vegetables were tender.

I served the soup with very light sprinkles of salt, pepper, and more garam masala.  It does need just a touch of salt to make it taste "like a soup."

The result was a fragrant, spicy / sweet soup that was unexpectedly delicious (I had high hopes for this soup, but not this high!).  If you have not had parsnips in soup before, you absolutely must try this recipe.  The parsnips are so sweet!  Sweeter than the apples!  Who needs sugar?!

And my experiment with the whole chicken was a definite success.  The soup made enough food to feed an army, so for a $13 (organic, free-range) chicken, I got countless meals.  That never happens with a package of boneless, skinless breasts!

Beef and Winter Veggie Stir Fry

I love to make stir-fry, but it’s not a dish that I usually associate with winter vegetables. I’m more inclined to reach for peas and bell peppers than for kale, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts. But it turns out that fresh, winter veggies make a delicious and authentic stir-fry!

Sauce ingredients:
1/3 cup orange juice
1/3 cup Tamari (or low-sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 tablespoon cornstarch

Stir-fry ingredients:
1 pound shaved beef (pastured and grass fed!)
1 nub of fresh ginger (about the size of a thumb), peeled and sliced
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced
1 onion, peeled and sliced
1 cup kale, sliced into ribbons
2 cups cabbage, sliced into ribbons
4 Brussels sprouts, sliced into ribbons
1 cup baby carrots
1/2 cup raw cashews

Whisk together all of the sauce ingredients.

Put the beef, ginger, garlic, and onion into a wok. Put two tablespoons of the sauce in the wok and cook, stirring occasionally, until beef is just about done.

Add the kale, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, carrots, cashews and the rest of the sauce to the wok. Stir together and cook for 2-3 minutes or until veggies are warm, but still crisp, and the beef is done.

Viola. A beef stir fry that keeps veggies at the center, and tastes delicious without tons of sugar, oil, or salt.

I eat this just as it is, but it can also be served over a mix of scrambled eggs and rice.

Scramble two egg whites and one whole egg (I like at least one yolk in there so that the scrambled eggs look a little yellow) in the wok or in a separate pan. Add the scrambled eggs to two cups of cooked brown rice and mix together. This makes a kind of a “fried rice” that cuts down on the carbs (even if you eat the rice) by including protein-packed egg whites in the mix.

I should note that my husband tolerates kale and cabbage, but despises Brussels sprouts. I slipped them into this stir-fry and he cleaned his plate without so much as a question about the ingredients. Score one for me in “putting food in his food”!

Home-Made Kale Pasta with Brussels Sprouts

Home-Made Kale pasta with Brussels Sprouts. This is pretty much as good as local, seasonal eating gets. I'm pretty proud of myself for this one!

I am currently in the middle of reading "Folks, This Ain't Normal" by Joel Salatin. He tells the story of a friend at the supermarket who was buying staples: flour, salt, sugar, etc. The lady behind him in the check-out line said, "You don't have anything in there to eat. How do you eat?"

The more I learn about cooking with fresh, seasonal produce, the more I realize that there are some things that seem to go into almost every recipe. Whole-wheat flour. Eggs. Milk. Honey. Spices.

These things, I'm realizing, are all staples. I need them to cook! [I know that this is basic knowledge for many people, but I'm just coming to it now.] Just a few months ago, I could have so easily been the woman in the check-out line behind Joel Salatin's friend. I was very used to frozen pizza, canned soup, etc. If I had a pantry full of flour and a fridge full of milk and eggs, I wouldn't have known what to do with them. I might have starved! But now I know that with just a few basic ingredients (staples!) you can make just about anything with the addition of fresh, seasonal ingredients.

Case in point: Home-made Kale Pasta with Brussels Sprouts.

I combined fresh, seasonal kale and Brussels sprouts with a handful of basic staples: whole-wheat flour, egg whites, cheese, olive oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes. And I came out with dinner.

Who knew cooking from scratch could be so basic and so EASY?!

[...Everyone but me...]

The recipe for the homemade pasta itself was inspired by a whole-wheat spinach pasta recipe I found at Food Doodles. I knew I wanted something green and whole-wheat, and her recipe hit the mark. I used three handfuls of kale (my hands are small) instead of two handfuls of spinach, omitted the salt, and used six egg whites instead of three, whole eggs.

The recipe for the sauce and Brussels sprouts topping was directly from this recipe. I omitted the salt and used four egg whites instead of two whole eggs.

So, my final recipes were as follows:

Home-made pasta:

3 handfuls of roughly chopped kale
6 egg whites
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cups whole wheat flour, plus extra

In a blender or food processor blend the eggs, oil, and kale till very smooth.

Transfer the egg mixture into a bowl with the flour. Mix well then knead with floured hands adding at least 1/2 C extra flour.

Wrap in plastic wrap and let sit for 30 minutes before rolling.

[Good opportunity to cut Brussels sprouts and otherwise assemble ingredients for the sauce.]

Roll and cut the pasta using a pasta maker.

Boil for just a few minutes until the pasta floats and is al dente.

Sauce and Brussels Sprouts:

1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. red chile flakes
8 oz. Brussels sprouts, trimmed, outer leaves removed, and thinly sliced
4 egg whites
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Put water on to boil for pasta.

Meanwhile, in a large frying pan over medium-high heat add olive oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes. When fragrant and sizzling, add Brussels sprouts. Cook, stirring occasionally, until Brussels sprouts are soft, about 3 minutes. Reduce heat to low and keep warm, stirring occasionally.

In a bowl, combine egg whites and cheese. Set aside.

When pasta is done cooking, drain and immediately add to egg and cheese mixture. Toss to coat pasta (and lightly cook eggs).

Add Brussels sprouts mixture and toss to combine thoroughly.

That's it! A meal from scratch, entirely from fresh ingredients and staples, in less than one hour.

The sauce comes out unexpectedly creamy (though upon re-heating leftovers, it loses this magical quality). It's like having a cream sauce without REALLY having a cream sauce.

And with all the egg whites, this dish not just a mountain of carbs topped with fat (like many pasta dishes). It's, instead, a mountain of healthy carbs bursting with protein and veggies.

I paired mine with a glass of Pinot Noir and it was hearty, green PERFECTION.

 I will never think of pasta the same way again!

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Caramelized Grapes

When I saw Brussels sprouts and grapes together in one dish on the cover of this month’s Whole Living Magazine, I knew I HAD to try the recipe.

As usual, I went off the reservation (not wanting to add salt, not having any thyme, and forgetting yet again to purchase any balsamic vinegar). But, I figured, how bad could Brussels sprouts and grapes roasted in a bit of olive oil and then sprinkled with cracked black pepper and chopped walnuts be?

I spread quartered Brussels sprouts and whole, red grapes on a tray until the ratio looked right to me. Then I gave everything the lightest coating of olive oil and popped it in the oven for 15 minutes at 450 degrees. Roasted brown and caramelized sticky, the results were ooey-gooey but not at all too sweet. I tossed the mixture with cracked black pepper and added some chopped raw walnuts (hard to say how much…just until it was about the ratio I wanted).

Very easy and very delicious, plus fancy enough to look like it took all day. I might make this again and serve this thoroughly unexpected side dish at Thanksgiving!