Ode to Sous Vide

I've really been enjoying the Sous-Vide Supreme I got my mom for Christmas (unfortunately more than her, but hopefully she'll catch on soon). The benefits are endless. I mostly enjoy the convenience, efficiency, and perfect control of cooking.

This post is all about extremely fine tasting food that's stupidly easy to prepare.

Boom! Standard Breaky Ready in Advance

Cinnamon Sea Salt Sweet Potato w/ some PERFECTLY soft boiled eggs from the batch.

Magic revealed.

I used it for this Salmon and it came out amazing. Exploding with flavor from the Turmeric and some Green Curry Paste that was all vacuum trapped inside while cooking.

So tender, not over or underdone.

I enjoyed with some Mashed Cauliflower which I was recently really into after my Mom made some. Steam and then food process! It tastes better than mashed potatoes by far (especially because you can eat pounds of it and feel great). I did Garlic, Rosemary, and Sea Salt in mine.

A bit of Ghee melted over everything is always good.

Some Steamed Carrots and Chard Sauté as well.

I threw some Lamb Loin Chops in before training with a New Zealand Lamb Rub Spice Blend that came with the machine. It was done in an hour but I took it out 6 hours later!

And still perfect medium rare, exploding with flavor.

Along with Coconut Oil on Sweet Potato, Sauerkraut, and Sun Dried Tomato. Those three have sort of become a staple as i've been trying to eat less fiber on my bigger days to help with digestion, and that's really all I need (carbs, fat, probiotic fermented food, sun dried tomato b/c they are awesome).

Aussie Treats

This post is simply a collection of yummy eats/views from my stay in the Land Down Under!

 View from a road ride.

 My host Joel from Tahoe at the top of a MTB ride. View of Bateman's Bay

 Beets from the neighbors! In a Balsamic Salad w/Avo and Grass Fed Beef Rump Roast.

 A glass of Aussie Cabernet-Sauv at a fine restaurant called Terrace Restaurant in Thredbo (rated on of the best in Aus!).  Since I can legally drink here I have a half -full glass of Dry Red Wine 5 nights a week. I've decided it really is healthy and quite enjoyable (read 4-Hour Body).

 My dish was Prosciutto (almost cooked like crispy bacon!) wrapped chicken with Sage (a whole leaf on top turned into a 'Sage chip'), Lemon, and on top of Roasted Pumpkin and Spinach! Divine.

 We got stuck in Jindabyne for 4 days with a broken car and this was my staple meal downtown.  A large salad half Roasted Veggies Salad (thin sliced Eggplant, yam, Onion, Pumpkin w/ basil)- half Feta Arugula Salad (w/ Sundried Tomatoes and Olives and local Goat Cheese), and the Tandoori Chicken from their wraps on top. I also had it with thinly sliced lamb another time.

 My kind of meal!

 For dinner while stranded we went to Brumby's Bar twice which was also my kind of place! Choose your favorite grass fed meat and then an all you can eat salad bar/ buffet with lots of sald and roasted veggie options. Including lots of beets/yams/carrots/mushrooms. And watch them grill perfection right in front of you.

 I got a sirloin stuffed with scallops one night and the lamb shank the other.

 The beach across the street from home away from home.

Not beef lamb heart, a lamb heart sliced and marinated with garlic, red wine leftover, olives, Rosemary from the garden, and Salt and Pepper.

 This is what bacon back home looks like in my standard breaky.

Look at all the fat! Now this is what we have here... And at half the price for free range. (both egg/meat)

Like extreme Canadian Bacon!

It's good but i'm not partial to either kind. Harder to get crispy but still extra tasty. Yes that yolk is separate from the white, but more on that in my next post...(very stoked on this)

 Now for a big-ass Kangaroo Filet! Green Thai Curry Marinade soooo goood!

 After Green Curry Paste, Kaffir Lime Leaves, Pepper, Garlic, and Turmeric, seared both sides.

 In a roast veggie salad!

 With Cinnamon Pumpkin Coconut Oil Pumpkin Squash of course!

 Another beach pic...

 The rest of the Kangaroo in a Garden Salad with Fresh Herbs from the Garden! Kangaroo is awesome because it's grass fed since it is always wild, it's higher in Iron (you can taste it), it's helping the environment because they have too many in Oz, and it's cheaper than grass-fed beef!

 Including lovely Garlic Chives.

 The view from the Quay West Hotel in Sydney, last night before my flight home.

Thai Lime Coconut Chicken Curry

It's a great thing when farmer's markets lead you to good deals and fresh healthy whole foods. It's even better when they are new and way more delicious than your basic go to items. Thank you to the Santa Cruz Farmer's Markets (I've been frequenting many of the different daily ones)

(photo from Serious Eats) A new squash experience: More Sweet and Nutty than others!

This tasted ridiculously delicious. Way better than anything I should be able to create from random. It gets its own dedicated post!

It started with Delicata Squash and Kaffir Lime Leaves (also labeled as makroot leaves). They are both epic. So much flavor in just one whole food each. Thank you to the staff at the UCSC Campus Farmer's Market for the suggestions (not the combo, just the individual ingredients).

Then combine with lots of other good spices, herbs, and ingredients and I don't know how I do it. No need for grains/bread/legumes/dairy when you have super extra delicious whole foods that are even excellent on their own, and provide way more nutrition.

Sometimes I'm stoked on the food I make. Other times I like it so much it's almost less enjoyable because I'm bummed that everyone I know can't enjoy it as well! This is by far one of those times. Creamy, sweet, a little spicy but not really, a little tangy but not fruity. Excellent textures for days.

First time in a while I've done some real cooking/put a bit of extra time in and it was so incredibly worth it. Ahhhhh satisfaction. Ok onto the ingredients:

• Chicken Breast (from earlier) baked with Basil, Thyme, Coconut Oil, splash of Temari
• 1/2-2/3 Can Lite Coconut Milk with several Kaffir Lime Leaves, 1/4 bunch Cilantro, 2T Lemon Juice, 2 shakes Dried Basil, 1T Green Thai Curry Paste, 1 Chopped Shallot 
• 1 Baked Delicata Squash sliced/in coconut oil 
• Grilled Brussel Sprouts with Mustard Powder, S&P, Coconut Oil

I baked the chicken in the oven at 375º for 20 minutes and then sliced it up. The squash was 400º for 45min-hour (until super soft and browning).  I browned the Sprouts on medium high heat at first and then reduced the heat to low to cook for a pretty long time, covered, until starting to get soft, and then added the curry mix (mix all ingredients in bowl w/ hand blender or food processor/blender), squash, and chicken.

This was the perfect meal for me to refuel and prepare to rebuild for another day. The proper protein from a free range boneless skinless chicken breast, just enough healthy fat from almost a full can of coconut milk (I could do a full can if extra hungry), and 1 whole winter squash that's not too big or too small. And a hearty flavorful meal at that!

 I must make this over and over again. Hopefully in XL quantities to share and store for later. Definitely the best chicken curry sauce i've made!

I'd also like to use a red purple onion (never know which to call them) because they taste so good in curry's! Sweet yet with a bite.

PreSeaOtter: Coconut Nutella Crunch, Go To Garbanzo Kale Plate and ThaiCurry Salmon

So I've been a bit behind with Spring Break and focusing on the Sea Otter Classic trip with my team, but am catching up now! Flavor definitely went fast on the race trip with my team (another national race junior podium sweep!), and I learned a couple more awesome tricks and things i'll be implementing soon! Here's the report but the food will come soon!

 Another JapaCurry, except Thai

 It ended up being more of a Thai creamy salmon complimented with a bit of sweet and a hint of red curry. That dressing is not your average mayo creation! #1 Just super tasty Tahini given a kick with Thai Red Curry Paste.  Tasty Red Curry and Sesame all around in this one!  Another go to meal for sure, I referenced this version. 

-Salmon Fillet, Sauteed in Olive Oil, Sesame Seeds, Chicken Broth/Red Curry Paste, Curry Powder, Turmeric, Ginger

   -Thai Kitchen Red Curry Paste, Ginger, Tahini, Water

-Purple Cabbage, Tomato, Cucumber, Broccoli

-Brown Jasmine Rice

 Kale Garbanzo Tahini Plate

    This meal is now going to be one of my go to repeats. So much flavor and favorite ingredients that are so healthy.  Sweet dressing from mirin and lemon with a ginger/alcohol kick and #2 the nutritional yeast and tahini combo is cheesy! Ginger and garlic explosions all around as well. I referenced this dinner to make it but will use the more current version from now on.

-Tahini, Sweet Rice Wine (Mirin), Ginger, Water

-Kale and Carrots Sauté with Olive Oil, Turmeric, Cloves, Garlic, Lemon, Sea Salt

-Baked Sweet Potato, Garbanzo Beans

-Tomato, Olives

-Nutritional Yeast

Coconut Nutella Crunch Oatmeal

    This was one of those times where it's so good that your mind focuses in on it only for a moment.  The coconut kefir and chocolate definitely worked together and the crunchy texture of the quinoa combined with creamy oats was perfect as well, like a mix between cream of wheat and oatmeal. #3 Cacao nibs made it more like a dark chocolate nutella and added a nice crunch along with the chopped hazelnuts. Phenomenal.  Worth using coconut kefir for although I bet it wouldn't be differ much with just coconut water since it's cooked in not just soaked like overnight oats. I enjoyed it creamy once I added soymilk so you may choose either forté. Quinoa coincidently was the perfect choice for the nutella theme because its crunchy and nutty!! And there's not even any added sweetener, just a bit of banana, cocoa powder, and coconut kefir make it good with plenty protein from the quinoa, oats, and soymilk! The banana added just a hint of flavor, I couldn't convince myself to skip it.

-1/4c sprouted quinoa, 1/4c oats, 1/2c coconut kefir, vanilla extract

-1t cocoa powder

-1/3 banana

-chopped hazelnuts, cacao nibs, shredded coconut

-blueberries

 Mixed with Soymilk

Curry Chickpea Delight, Review Bungalow Munch Granola

Curried Chickpeas and So Much More

Curry and Cumin all around! Inspired by this recipe, I was thoroughly pleased with the flavoring of this meal.  I stir fried some onion/garlic/fennel with 'the epic spice mixture' and then added some chickpeas and tomato with some more of the spice mixture just to heat up/mix in.  Accompanied by even more similarly spiced vegetables, chicken, and an Avocado-Cumin Vinaigrette Salad. #1 Chicken went well with the avocado and salad and the chickpea stir fry went well with the carrot and sweet potato! A delicious combination for sure. Spices all around! And Orange Blossom Iced Tea.

-Cumin/Turmeric Baked Sweet Potato

-Curry Powder/Turmeric Steamed Carrots

-Chickpea Stir Fry (Fennel, Red Onion, Garlic)

    -Cumin, Curry, Ginger, Turmeric, Parsley, Coriander)

-Leftover Chicken

-Cumin Avocado Vinaigrette Salad (Spring Mix, Green Onion, Avocado)

    -Avocado Dressing + Cumin


 I met Jeri from Bungalow Munch through the cycling world, and could not be more glad! She's totally awesome on top of being an amazing athlete and granola-creator.  Since i'm not cashew-friendly she made me some nut-free to try.  There's so many great things about Bungalow Munch! From the reusable aesthetically pleasing containers option to the quality short list of ingredients. It's got amazing flavor and isn't dry like many granolas. Don't let the nutrition label fool you either, the fat content is a result of healthy fats and the sugar from natural sources, so although other granolas tute their low fat low sugar mantras, this has only real ingredients and is much better for you. There's just no need to add your own healthy sources of fat.

Review: Bungalow Munch

     The benefits to this granola are far from few! The 1st wave of awesome comes with the initial flavor from sunflower seeds and coconut. 2nd the Vermont Maple Syrup with a hint of maple, and making the granola just sweet enough and not chalky.  Sugar content low enough so there's no need to sweeten but is still nutritionally sound.  Finally you realize the pleasant compliments of the baking/roasting process and canola oil, finishing off the flavor.  The texture is not dry like many brands.
    It masters all proper granola aspects, but what really makes it stand out is the ingredients, or lack thereof.  While someone who has tasted few granolas might think safeway generics could taste the same (not even close!), the majority of other granolas have 2x the ingredients, especially the low fat chemically altered versions.  #2 Although the nutrition facts may not impress as far as granolas go, with slightly more fat, the key is the sources are all good for you. No evaporated cane juice (sorry galaxy granola) or other less beneficial sweeteners here. Sunflower seeds, cashews, and coconut provide healthy sources of fat that you need, and you conveniently don't need to add fat sources.
    This time I let the granola get soggy with soymilk and so the flavor was the highlight, but I also enjoyed with Coconut Kefir immediately, maintaining the crunch and it was even better.  Haven't even tried it with traditional yogurt!

-1/2c nut free Bungalow Munch

-Blueberries and 4oz Soymilk

Just an Epic Dinner. VIDEO included!

Did a little timelapse video action for a project i'm working on...You can see the clip but the project shall remain a secret!

    Gettin' Some!

    I mainly just wanted to eat my favorite steamed and grilled vegetables with my favorite toppings, but also busted out leftovers from Curry Chicken Night and enjoyed those in a slightly different way as well.  #1 Only thing different was my Tahini Sauce, which was spiked with Dijon (but also Turmeric and Lemon Pepper), an excellent decision for sure. Other than that just had my classic hummus on steamed broccoli and carrots, baked sweet potato needs nothing else it's so good on it's own, brought out the Mexican side of the chicken (Chile Verde) by enjoying with Olives and Salsa (but also Hummus), and almost the best of all: Roasted B-Sprouts with Pepper, Sea Salt, Ground Mustard Seed, and then topped with Dijon Tahini Dressing.  It was thoroughly enjoyed.
-Steamed Carrots and Broccoli with Hummus
-Roasted B-Sprouts w/ Sea Salt, Pepper, Mustard Seed, Olive Oil
-Baked Sweet Potato
-Green Curry Chicken (carrot/onion/almond) with Hummus, Olives, and Salsa
-Dijon Tahini Dressing (Tahini, Dijon Mustard, Water, Turmeric, Lemon Pepper)

http://www.vimeo.com/20863198


A Little DinDin from max123 on Vimeo.

Garlic Roasted Salmon-Butternut Squash Salad, Green Curry Chicken

Butternut Squash Salmon Salad

I know that worrying about blogging a meal means it was damn good. That's how I felt devouring this epic salad. So good with so many flavors and aromas going on I knew there'd be no way for my limited writing skills to do it justice.  I combined the ideas of a Spinach/Chickpea Butternut Squash Salad, Garlic Roasted Butternut Squash, and Lemon Garlic Salmon into one super dish.  The roasted squash, Salmon, garlic, and pine nuts were all browned to deliciousness. The butternut squash was tender and sweet, yet wore the flavor of garlic and lemon well.  That's all I got, you'll have to try making it to get the full experience (totally worth it). #1 I started with olive oil, garlic, squash with the spices and roasted on medium high heat about 4 minutes, then added some more of the spices, olive oil, and lemon with the Salmon for 2 minutes each side to brown, and then another 5 minutes in about 1/2c veggie broth to simmer and cook through. I hit all the healthy fats possible in this one with olive oil, nuts, avocado, and tahini, and it made it tasty! I also ended up adding olives which really gave a nice final touch.

-Butternut Squash and Salmon in Olive Oil, Garlic, Pine Nuts, Garlic Powder, Lemon Pepper, Lemon, Sea Salt, Veggie Broth

-Mixed Greens, Tomato, Cucumber, Olives, Avocado, Olives

   -Lemon, Tahini, Olive Oil, Water (forgot a clove of garlic and it was still amazing!)

Easy Tofu-Brown Rice Salad

Threw together these ingredients from the fridge for a clean and easy yet delightful and tasty lunch.

-Spring Mix Greens, Cucumber, Olives

-Salsa and Avocado Salad Dressing

-Short Grain Brown Rice with Tofu and Chia Seeds mixed in

Green Thai-Indian Curry Chicken

This was a solid creation! Kind of in between Chile Verde (like the tacos) and Indian Curry, but definitely leaned way more towards the Indian side. The good thing is now I know how to make both (if I want Chile Verde i'll just go with the same Green Curry Paste and Chicken broth but onion, garlic, and Mexican spices instead)! I didn't go for a Basil Coconut style Thai Curry, so used 1c Chicken Broth, 1t Thai Kitchen Green Curry Paste, and then my favorite Indian Curry Spices. #2 Cooked in the chicken, carrots, and onions until soft and tender, served over short grain brown rice, and topped with Sliced Almonds and Olives.  I then used the sauce to dress my salad, which had plenty of Avocado, which officially goes and looks great with Cumin. It all mixed together and the spinach really absorbed the spices and it was definitely a delicious curry party. Next time i'll throw some lemon on the salad as well and add some cloves/cinnamon to  the chicken for some real pop.

-Chicken Breast, Carrots, and Onion in Chicken Broth, Thai Green Curry Paste, Turmeric, Cumin, Curry Powder, Garam Masala, Fennel Seed Powder

-Salad with liberal Avocado 

-Brown rice and Olives/Almonds to top