June 30, 2013
Since it's Sunday but also ninety degrees out, I thought grilling a meal would be casually perfect for our one big meal of the day. However, we ran out of propane so I put a Vornado fan (these are the best ever) in the kitchen. This meal took very little prep time and the stovetop was only on for five minutes.
I took two tuna steaks out of the freezer earlier today to thaw.* Once they came to room temperature, I patted them dry. This allowed the steaks to sear in the pan. Using a little sesame oil in the pan and bringing it to medium heat, I put the steaks in for 2-3 minutes each side. I like to eat the fish on the mostly raw side, but it can be cooked longer. When ready to plate, I drizzled some Trader Joe's Soyaki sauce over the sliced pieces which were fanned out over the plate.
*While the tuna was thawing, I put together the coleslaw. I like to used bags of shredded cabbage because I don't have to buy a whole cabbage which I won't use. I do end up mincing it and always throw in extra carrots for color. I added two spoonfuls of nonfat Greek yogurt and a small dollap of wasabi mayonnaise to give it a kick. A little lime juice and salt and this bowl went back in the fridge until I was ready to serve. I used a slotted spoon to put on the plate to avoid too much liquid on the plate.
Russ loves fish, so this was a hit even before he tried it. The wasabi and soy flavors complemented each other well, and there was lots of crunch. It was a light and still very filling meal.
I love food. I love making it, eating it, looking at it, listening to others talk about it, planning a menu, and writing about it. When I travel, I take food photos. Food brings me joy and it I only have a little money left to spent, I want to buy good food with it. Lately, I began thinking I should write some of my meals down so I have an easy reference. The one place where I can't lose them is the internet, and thus a blog is born.
We are committed to healthy eating. My husband and I always thought we were eating well. In retrospect, it was not as good as I thought. Russ had a heart attack at age 43 which completely changed our food trajectory. We rarely, if ever, eat meat now. Our diet is mostly vegetarian with lots of fish, eggs, and the occasional chicken. Our only dairy is nonfat plain Greek yogurt and sprinkling of a hard cheese for flavor (not melting). Bread is at a minimum. We eat lots of greens, fruit, and nuts. If someone thinks that this sounds awfully boring, it rarely is and we are not draconian in our eating. The trick is to know when to splurge (on a homemade piece of bread or a good piece of chorizo) I use lots of seasonings and am not afraid to use good fats.
I will not be using annoying acronyms like EVOO and it will not take long to see that I am a big Trader Joe's fan. What I am not a fan of is following long complicated recipes. More often than not, I don't even use one. Sometimes it flops but most of the time it turns out pretty darn good. I will not be counting calories but have always looked for ways to trim fat and sugar without sacrificing taste. Not everything will be perfect or lowfat, but that is what treats are for.
I am inspired by Julia Child who was the epitome of simplicity and grace. By my mom who taught me to cook by letting me cook myself and can put together a superb meal without cracking a cookbook. By my sister-in-law Sue who makes the prettiest poached egg I've ever seen and believes in the importance of plating well. If it looks good, it will taste even better.
Because I am still a step or two behind technologically and because most of the time I cook, I am hungry, I will most likely not take photos of every meal in this blog. However, hopefully I can provide enough of a descriptive narrative so that the reader can almost see and taste it!
We are committed to healthy eating. My husband and I always thought we were eating well. In retrospect, it was not as good as I thought. Russ had a heart attack at age 43 which completely changed our food trajectory. We rarely, if ever, eat meat now. Our diet is mostly vegetarian with lots of fish, eggs, and the occasional chicken. Our only dairy is nonfat plain Greek yogurt and sprinkling of a hard cheese for flavor (not melting). Bread is at a minimum. We eat lots of greens, fruit, and nuts. If someone thinks that this sounds awfully boring, it rarely is and we are not draconian in our eating. The trick is to know when to splurge (on a homemade piece of bread or a good piece of chorizo) I use lots of seasonings and am not afraid to use good fats.
I will not be using annoying acronyms like EVOO and it will not take long to see that I am a big Trader Joe's fan. What I am not a fan of is following long complicated recipes. More often than not, I don't even use one. Sometimes it flops but most of the time it turns out pretty darn good. I will not be counting calories but have always looked for ways to trim fat and sugar without sacrificing taste. Not everything will be perfect or lowfat, but that is what treats are for.
I am inspired by Julia Child who was the epitome of simplicity and grace. By my mom who taught me to cook by letting me cook myself and can put together a superb meal without cracking a cookbook. By my sister-in-law Sue who makes the prettiest poached egg I've ever seen and believes in the importance of plating well. If it looks good, it will taste even better.
Because I am still a step or two behind technologically and because most of the time I cook, I am hungry, I will most likely not take photos of every meal in this blog. However, hopefully I can provide enough of a descriptive narrative so that the reader can almost see and taste it!
Love your new sight....yum...food.. Steph gets her love of food from me--it comes naturally, but she is so very creative on her own...I can learn. I'll enjoy checking out this blog often. Mom
ReplyDelete