Hello Beautiful.

Steamed & Curried Cabbage, Carrots, & Tilapia over Purple Basmati Rice. 

Zuke Girl!

I remember eating {and loving} a lot of zucchini growing up. We usually had it sauteed in some butter. It was heavenly. It's back in season now, so I decided to buy zucchini and carrots, then put my kitchen gadgets to work. 

I wanted to make several dishes using the vegetables in a similar fashion but with different flavor combinations. Take a goose, take a gander. 

Omelette with shredded veggies. 

Swai in a Balsamic Peanut Sauce w Garlic Sauteed Zucchini

Swai w Curry Sesame Seeds & Balsamic Peanut Veggies. 

The Party's Over . . .

It is with great sadness and deep regret that I have to announce the commencement of clementine season. Alright they are still around, but not in abundance nor nearly as cheap. I was downing them like a Hunt's Point hoe. And as much as I adore their sweet juiciness, I'm not willing to turn tricks to afford them. So it's the end of clementine season for this broad broad. It was a fun ride.

What perverted fool thought of that slogan? It sounds like something I would write. Hahaha!

There are Some Benefits to Laziness.

I bought a whole mess of kale last week. To be frank, I wanted to eat it but didn't really feel like chopping the shit up, putting in a pot, and checking on it periodically. Now that's pretty pathetic, I know. But it also led to this stroke of genius.

I bought some salmon steaks & cut them in half. I also cut off a few heaps of kale. I'd say about 12-15 leaves. Watch out for that wet floor!

Then I sprinkled them with Lawry's {feelin lazy!} and some garam masala. Next I nestled the salmon in between two pieces of kale, like a sandwich you shouldn't eat. 

There goes Mr. Steamy. I placed the extra leaves of kale on the bottom of the steamer, then covered, and let it cook for I'd say 15-20 minutes. Don't quote me on that.

Luscious! 

The great thing about steamed fish & veg is that you can eat as much mac & cheese as you want! 

Mr Steamy.

So, unfortunately, if you haven't seen the informercial product the subtle hilarity of this title is lost on you. My family celebrated Christmas at my sister's apt in BK. She prepared a delicious spread and I felt full for days. My Mom, my sister, and I all have different approaches to food which is brilliant because I always pick up some new ideas when we spend time together. {food is a regular subject.} One of the stand out, "ah that's a good idea," dishes was steamed salmon. I found myself thinking, wait why don't I have a steamer? It would certainly make shit easier and healthier. I think it's also a merit badge on my Food Nerd Merit Badge Sash. {Shit, now I actually want one of them.}

As you can imagine, I've been steaming veggies like crazy. First bunches upon bunches of broccoli then I moved onto every kid's favorite, brussel sprouts.

Meet the newest addition to the kitchen gadget family.

Gorgeous!

I sliced the piping hot brussels in half then sauteed them in a 

pan with butter, red onions, chopped garlic, and sea salt. 

So f'n good!

Jasmine Rice.Coco Black Beans.Curried Cabbage.

Collards & Black Beans over Basmati Rice

Yeah you're going to be seeing these ingredients a lot over the next few weeks. I'm on a mission to make wicked collards & dry beans instead of canned. I've already made some progress, but wish me luck!

RedQuinoa.YellowOnions.CollardGreens.Corn.OnTheVineTomatoes.SoyBeefStrips.

Broken Beets.

So as I've mentioned before, Sundays have become a big cooking day for me. And if I'm not watching an old movie, I'm listening to one of my favorite djs on BBC 1xtra, Benji B. His show is a mix of dubstep, hip hop, broken beats, and soulful wickedness. It makes for a cool, smooth afternoon. I've also been exploring new spring salad ideas. My new favorite is a combo of shredded beets & carrots with a basic dressing of roasted garlic, lemon juice, honey, & sesame seeds. It's great on it's own and on sandwiches. 

And on the Seventh Day, She Roasted!

Sundays have become my day to listen to good music, watch an old movie & peacefully prepare for the week. This includes cooking a few dishes to get me through the first part of the week. The past two Sundays I've been roasting beets, carrots, & yukon gold potatoes. Scrub, peel, & chop the veggies. Place in a bake/roast safe dish. Drizzle with olive oil, season with fresh garlic, & season with kosher salt & cinnamon. Pair it with a protein and you've got yourself a meal! 

Roasted Garlic

Roasted garlic in 4 easy steps: 1. Preheat oven at 400 degrees 2. Peel garlic 3. Chop the top off  

4. Drizzle with olive oil 5. Wrap with foil and bake for 30-35 minutes