And this little piggy went to the roaster...

Call me a savage, just don't call me late to dinner!



I'm going to hell, who's coming with me?

Whatever, life is too short 2 not eat what you feel like eating. I'm in shape & healthy- sue me!

Zhang's BBQ in Madison Heights MI is this tiny joint in a strip mall that will redefine your idea of what pork is.




We went with both flavors, and it was out of control good. Highly recommended.


I went to a Chinese market and defied all laws by getting these tofu "snacks", spicy chewy bites. The girl on the package totally sold me, lol.

Gansito: they are kinda like a twinky on crack but not really.



Lastly we ventured to a Chinese bakery, where I randomly chose these 3 delicacies. A coconut tart, mung bean ball & lotus root ball.


mung bean ball on the right, lotus on the left- both equally unsavory.

Going hard on the Grill

Behold- the beauty that is the BBQ salmon



We cut some fresh greens from the garden and made a salad. Then boiled some golden baby potatoes, smashed them ever so gently with a cup and baked them with some chili powder, paprika, garlic, onions, salt & pepper.

The BBQ sauce is a modified one because I did not have any molasses to make my own. It is some Sweet Baby Rays mixed with some extra organic ketchup, dried onions, sriracha, and grade B maple syrup.



The salad dressing was made in the vitamix with some Dijon, red wine vinegar, oregano, parsley, olive oil, salt & avocado.


Aidan LOVED the potatoes.


For desert I made a brown rice pudding.

2 cups cooked brown rice
2 cups eggs
1/4 cup honey
2 cups soy milk
clove, ginger, cinnamon & a touch of nutmeg
1/2 cup currants

baked @ 350 for 1 hour. It was alright, I shall be perfecting this.


There is something to be said about dining "al fresco", or outdoors. It is something you need to do at least once a week during the summer/spring/fall to keep you sane. Just don't forget the citronella candles, because Satan created mosquitoes...i'm jus sayin'.

Happy grilling to all, and to all a good night.

Doin' it, Doin' it, Doin' it well

Life is art, but most importantly food is art.

I love trying to create something visually appealing, even if it tastes like crap.

Below is a little something I whipped up with a breaded salmon in Mediterranean spices & pine nuts.


It is atop roasted vegetables and topped with a quail egg. The chili paste in the chili oil was the finishing touch the dish needed.

It was quite delish, even the monster man approved.


Pictured above is my first attempt at home made falafel- not out of a box, finally. Not sure why I never tackled this issue before, but it turned out great. I used a can of chick peas as the base, then added fresh parsley, garlic, cumin, turmeric, lemon juice, salt & Cayenne. I added a very small amount of brown rice flour & sesame seeds.

It is important to note that legit falafel is made from soaked raw chickpeas, not out of a can. I will go for the gusto soon enough.
The texture was fantastic but unlike any falafal I have ever had. It was really light and melted in my mouth as soon as it hit my tastebuds. The tahini sauce was just tahini, lemon juice, soy sauce, water and dill.

The dressing for the fatoosh was sumac, olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, garlic powder, salt & pepper.

Everything on the plate was super simple but full of flavor, just how I like my life.



I was felt like making something Sunday worthy, and tossed this plate together for shits n' giggles. The crepes are made from a multi grain flour and tons of eggs. I let it chill in the refrigerator then made a creamy cheese sauce in the trusty vita mix to finish with a sha-bang.

The fruit is just a bunch of goodies from Eastern Market with some honey, fresh chocolate mint & lemon zest.

Mama does bento

Bento; did you know?

Bento, or packed lunches, can be traced back as far as the fifth century, when Japanese leaving their homes to till their fields, hunt, fish, or even wage war carried food with them to eat on the go.  These portable meals typically contained staples, such as white rice, rice mixed with millet, or potatoes. Bento carried to school by children became a reflection of a student's wealth.  A movement thus developed to abolish bento in school and, after World War II, the practice of bringing bento to school gradually declined and was replaced by uniform food provided for all students and faculty.

My very first bento was quite the feast


The entire box is gluten free. Pictured above is egg spinach rolls, shrimp tempura, ginger slaw & red pan fried sweet potatoes with honey & sesame seeds.


I had to buy a box for my baby, he is worth every penny.

Aidan's breakfast bento box- contains rolled omelet chicks, broccoli grass, strawberry/mozzarella mushrooms & homemade toddler cereal bars. I created recipe;

1 1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 ground flax
1 mashed ripe banana
2 tbsp agave
1 egg
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup strawberry jam- no sugar added- goes in the center

350 degrees, 30 min- formed into a bar on a baking sheet


Baby's lunch bento. Homemade black bean burgers, avocado smiles. Carrot/snowpea flowers, organic yogurt & cantaloupe



Dinner baby bento-  potato cheese souffle on a croissant


My baked egg recipe;

5 whole eggs whipped
2 small potatoes mashed
1/2 cup cheese of choice
2 table spoons chopped chives
salt & pepper

Mix all ingredients & bake at 375 until done- around 25 min.




He just can't get enough.

Hates gluten, loves food

For the record I LOVE gluten, but my body no me gusta.


My sister Michele's paella. Spicy greatness this way comes...

What is paella? Paella is a cornerstone of traditional Spanish cuisine, originating in Valencia, although it is served all over the nation, especially on Sundays and holidays. Superficially, it resembles a risotto, since the dish is made with rice, meats, and vegetables cooked together in a large pan, also called a paella, or paellera in some regions of Spain. However, the cooking process for a paella is slightly different than risotto. Primarily, the rice is never fried in a paella, although it is to make risotto. It can be made at home for a dinner party, but prepare to put some serious prep time into it, as there are a lot of ingredients in a good paella.

A traditional paella is made in a broad, shallow dish with sloping sides. It is usually around 13 inches (33 centimeters) in diameter. First, the vegetables and meats are sauteed in olive oil, usually separately to ensure that they are cooked all the way through. Next, water is added, followed by rice. The mixture of meat, vegetables, and rice is stirred and then simmered slowly for approximately twenty minutes on low heat before the heat is raised to high to make the soccarat, the deliciously toasted bottom which is a delicacy in Valencian cuisine. After the soccarat has formed, the paella is removed from the heat, allowed to cool slightly, and served.



A choice cut steak in a blue cheese red wine reduction over butter parsnip puree. Parsnips are one of my favorite starches!



What are parsnips? The parsnip (Pastinaca sativa) is a root vegetable related to the carrot. Parsnips resemble carrots, but are paler than most carrots and have a sweeter taste, especially when cooked.^[2] The buttery, slightly spicy, sweet flavor of cooked mature (often picked after the first frost) parsnips is reminiscent of butterscotch, honey, and subtle cardamom.


Salmon in a lemon white wine reduction & dill.


Humus guacamole- just a basic humus recipe with added avocado, lime, red pepper flakes & finely chopped red onion.


salmon stirfry with buckwheat noodles


Gluten free quiche in a rice crust. The salad looks quite red due to the ground carrot, it is tossed in a fresh roma tomato vinaigrette.

I made the rice crust by combining cooked rice, mozz & parm cheese, egg, herbs & spices. It held together perfectly.


Aidan gettin' down for the cause, it's quiche time.


Cashew mac & cheese in a brown rice pasta...in your dreams.



He lovers it.


Pan seared organic chicken in herbs, sweet potato puree & an asparagus cream sauce.

Fun fruits

The horned melon (Cucumis metuliferus), also called African horned cucumber or melon, jelly melon, hedged gourd, English tomato, melano, or kiwano and also known as "cherie", is an annual vine in the cucumber and melon family. Often known by its nickname in the southeastern United States - blowfish fruit - it is grown for its fruit, which looks like an oval melon with horn-like spines. The fruit of this plant is edible, but it is used as often for decoration as for food. When ripe, it has a yellow-orange skin and a lime green jelly-like flesh with the taste similar to a banana and texture similar to a cucumber. The horned melon is native to Africa, and it is now grown in California, Chile, Australia and New Zealand as well.



Aidan VS. the cherimoya
[2]

The cherimoya (Annona cherimola) is a species of Annona native to the Andean-highland valleys of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru.The fruit is oval, often slightly oblate, 10–20 cm long and 7–10 cm diameter, with a smooth or slightly tuberculated skin. The fruit flesh is white, and has numerous dark brown seeds embedded in it. Mark Twain called the cherimoya "the most delicious fruit known to men."[1]The Moche culture of Peru had a fascination with agriculture and represented fruits and vegetables in their art. Cherimoyas were often depicted in their ceramics.

Aidan's 1st Birthday

My beautiful healthy baby boy turned one this year, and all eyes were on him (as usual). We had a very small family gathering, as all first birthday's should be. It was tons of fun and he was surrounding with more love than he could handle as always.
For his first birthday cake I made him a carrot currant cake with cream cheese frosting and fresh pineapple.




The adults cake had walnuts in it, but in his petite cake I left them out.


He came out of the womb smiling, I'm so proud of him!


gorgeous.



his beat machine, which he loves to annoy us with!

Sushi O'clock!

Sushi time should be everyone's favorite time, that is of course unless you have no soul. If you have no soul, than sushi is clearly not for you. But for everyone else, lets dish :)


What you are witnessing is the second time I've ever rolled sushi. The first was with my partner on a dinner date, where he was 'showing' me his skill. Unfortunately for him, i'm better than him now. (Love you, mean it)



The rolls are spicy shrimp, avocado, cucumber, radish sprouts, and spelt roe. They were fantastic.

Along side the rolls were some abura age' or tofu pouches stuffed with fried quail egg rice.

One of my oldest and dearest sister friends celebrated receiving her masters in social work so I made her some grub, she is an amazing woman & I love her dearly.



Side dishes was bok choy flashed fried in ginger, baked taro root with turmeric, cumin & garlic, and baked kombucha squash in maple syrup.



Taro root; did you know?  Taro is grown in tropical areas and is an important starchy food in West Africa, the Caribbean and Polynesian islands. A variety of taro grown in the southern United States since the early 1900s is called dasheen. Taro roots range in length from about 5 inches to a foot or more, and can be several inches wide. Though acrid-tasting in its raw state, the root has a somewhat nutlike flavor when cooked. It's also extremely easy to digest.

Read more: http://www.answers.com/topic/taro-root#ixzz1SCGxsxln

Nibble this!

I found this great nibble box online, Aidan loves the variety at his tiny fingertips.



I stuffed this box with Greek strawberry yogurt, miniature banana slices, bow tie mac & cheese with broccoli, black beans, fresh corn, avocado, strawberries, cauliflower & carrot.



Spoiled to the core.