Watermelon Rind Pickled in Thai Spices

My kitchen is my laboratory and dream factory.  The question that runs through my mind while preparing, chopping, sorting, seasoning and at all times: What else can I do with that?

I absolutely love watermelon.  I add it to salads, in cold gazpacho, sliced with a drizzle of balsamic and juiced.  But, those rinds take up a lot of this fruit, right?  So, of course I'm always saving them for the answer to the question, what else can I do with that?

Pickling is a fun and easy go-to for so many vegetables and fruits.  That's what I decided to do with this batch.  Then the next step is deciding the seasoning.  Since Thai food is a delicate balance of all flavors (sweet, spicy, hot, sour, bitter), I gave it a try.

What a crunchy, spicy side dish to meat, sandwiches and cheese platters this created.  It goes into my "yeah, that works" kitchen file.  Hope you get the chance to try it, too.

 

 

Recipe: Watermelon Rind Pickled in Thai Spices - ShowFood Chef
 
4 cups Chopped Watermelon Rind (green and red removed)
1/4 cup salt
1 quart water

In a large bowl, stir the salt in the water to dissolve, then add the rind to this brine. Place another plate or bowl on top to hold the rinds submerged. Place in refrigerator for 8 hours or over-nite.

Drain, rinse the rinds well and drain again.

4 cups water
2 cups cider vinegar
2 teaspoons Thai spices (including paprika, turmeric, black pepper, coriander, fenugreek, mustard, cumin, cayenne and ginger)
Zest of one lime
1 tsp lime juice

In a large pot, bring these ingredients to a boil, then add the rinds. Simmer for 45 minutes until the rinds are translucent.
Pour rinds and liquid into prepared jars, close lids and refrigerate or use hot water bath method for 10 minutes for keeping pickles outside of the refrigerator for months.

ShowFood Chef~

Roasted Curry Cauliflower with Quinoa & Cashews

This recipe for Roasted Curry Cauliflower with Quinoa & Cashews is part of a plan to wake myself up from a "bad habit" coma. Somewhere around September or October the health conscious part of me went into a deep dark sleep. When I woke up, I was standing in a poorly lit dressing room in Macy's, struggling to get a pair of new jeans over my wide ass. The trendy denims were a size I was convinced would be my new "fat" pants and yet they wouldn't even zip. As I sat down on the tiny bench and let the tears pour down my face (while cursing myself for being so shallow), I tried to put my proverbial positive spin on things.

1- This is a wake-up call (wish I could hit the snooze button, now.)

2- I should feel thankful. (I've got legs and arms...and eyes...and hair...and at least I HAVE an ass, right?)

3- I didn't need to spend money on new jeans anyway. I have a closet full of clothes that I'm not wearing (oh yeah, cause they don't fit anymore.)

4- I think designers are changing the size numbers on clothes these days (oh, but wouldn't they make them go the other way?)

5- Maybe this is just my best, and I should accept myself (except I'm also tired, not focused, and by the way, I'm crying in a friggin' department store dressing room. That is not a sign of a healthy body and healthy mind.)I told the weepy mess of me (three of me, thanks to those stupid "see all of you" mirrors) that I had two choices. They're the same two choices I always have for everything. I can give-up, give-in and not give-a-crap or I can do something about it.

I've never believed in diets that cut out food groups, and I think our food industry is killing us with chemically enhanced, high sugared "low-fat, not real" foods. I believe in the science of burning more fuel than you take in, and balance in all things.

I love all foods. I love creating recipes, baking, cooking, and challenging myself to create specialty treats. I will not stop cooking and serving those things that make me happy (and some other folks around me, too.) I need balance, more conscious eating, and a return to my exercising/dancing/moving and energetic lifestyle.One exciting way to get more greens into my day is by blending some of the top nutrient greens into a fruity smoothie for the morning. A local blogger friend, Erika, is working on her own plan for a healthier life and she posted about this recipe: The Green Smoothie.

Both my husband and I have been drinking these several times a week along with taking 4 mile walks, going to bed earlier (instead of 3am) and drinking more water. Another way to add balance is by making sure I have good foods in the fridge to choose. I grew up thinking I didn't like Cauliflower (maybe you're the same) until I roasted it. The flavor mellows out, becomes naturally sweeter with a toasty base. When you add a little Curry, a few crunchy cashews, the ancient and perfect grain of Quinoa (Keen-Wha) and a tangy spritz of lemon juice you end up with a full flavored lunch/dinner/snack that keeps well when chilled.The next thing I make will probably be some kind of chocolate treat, or a cheesy casserole, but you can bet I'll be eating a regular portion and balance it with a heart pumping workout. I'm awake from the coma, and I'm going back into that dressing room in a few weeks and face those mirrors head-on.

Balance. It's always about balance, for me.

Thanks for stopping by. I hope your health is at its best and the mirror is always grinning back at you. :D

Recipe: Roasted Curry Cauliflower with Quinoa & Cashews

1 Medium Cauliflower (cut into bite-size florets)
2 Tbls. Olive Oil
1/2 cup unsalted Cashews
1 teaspoon Curry Powder
pinch of salt/pepper
1 cup Quinoa (I used Red Quinoa)
1 1/2 cup Vegetable Stock (or you could use water)
1/4 cup Scallions (chopped including some green)
1 small Lemon zest and juice

Preheat Oven 350F

1) Spread the Cauliflower florets onto a parchment lined baking sheet, drizzle with oil and roast in oven for 15 minutes.

2) Add the cashews to the baking sheet and sprinkle the curry powder over all of it. Toss to coat with a spatula and return the pan to the oven for another 10 minutes. Hold for later.

3) While the Cauliflower is cooking, add the vegetable stock to a sauce pan and pour in the Quinoa and a good pinch of salt. Heat on Med/High to boiling. Reduce heat to low, cover and allow to cook until all the liquid has been used and the Quinoa has sprouted (about 20 minutes.)

4) Fluff the Quinoa with a fork, and allow it to cool for a few minutes.

5) Add the Quinoa and the Cauliflower with cashews together and toss to combine.

6) Add the chopped scallions, salt and pepper to taste. Then lightly toss in the lemon zest and squeeze the juice over the whole dish. Toss and serve or refrigerate for later. The flavors combine and are even better the next day.

Beer Braised Brussel Sprouts with Apples for Food Network "Pull Up A Chair"

I'm bringing these Beer Braised Brussel Sprouts with Apples to the Food Network's Virtual Thanksgiving Meal. It's a Communal Table online, so Pull up a Chair. I mean I'd love to have you join in, and also that's the name of the event, "Pull Up A Chair". Then, check out the entire menu for Food Network's Communal Table (below.)(the secret is browning the Brussel Sprouts first)

Along with giving you the recipe for this smokey sweet way to serve these petite cabbages, you'll also find links to just about any recipe idea for Thanksgiving you could ever want.

Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday and I could eat Turkey and Dressing about 7 times a week any time of the year. One of my grandmothers used to raise turkeys on her farm. When November came around I imagine there was extra gobbling and throat swallowing in the pen as all the turkeys felt the extra long gazes during the regular feeding time.

My mom taught me how to roast a turkey and always made an extra pan of dressing just for the leftovers the next day. Her mom had a true talent for gravy and her tip was: brown the flour in a cast iron skillet before adding the fat and stock. Her gravy was toasty brown and she knew better than to tell me what giblets were until I was a little older.(The Apples add just the right amount of sweet to the caramelized greens)

Over the years with my children we made pine cone turkeys for place holders, and construction paper Pilgrim Hats, and Paper Mache Cornucopias. Now that my youngest is a teenager, our family of 6 plan other projects.

One year, we created a giant wall art that each person participated in (and it still hangs in my dining room.) Another year, we each brought items to fill boxes for sending to soldiers stationed far from home.One year had a music theme and each person brought a CD, a record (yeah, can you imagine?), a video or a DVD of 2 favorite songs. We sat around the room as each person explained why they picked this song and then we listened to it. The choices ranged from my husband's favorite comedy album, my son-in-law's music from being a teen in Germany, a southern gospel song from my past, and others ending with my teen's favorite rap song. It was enlightening, to say the least, and we laughed our selves into exhaustion.Last year, each person participated in the making of the meal. When they arrived there was a recipe card, an apron and all their ingredients ready to create their dish. I stood by for guidance, but let them create and tweak the dish as much as they wanted. We took pics of the dishes and played music, gave each other a hard time and ended the meal the way we always wrap up Thanksgiving. One at a time we talk about what we are thankful for this past year and our hopes for the next one ahead. It gets emotional. It feels important. I love it so much.
I also love these Brussel Sprouts. I know, I know - not everyone does, but I still believe it's because not everyone has eaten them prepared well. It would be hard to find a side dish with more benefits than this and they add a nice balance to the rich gravy, dressing and pies to follow.

Recipe: Beer Braised Brussel Sprouts with Apple

1 Bunch Brussel Sprouts (cleaned, cut in half and dry)
1 Tbls. Butter
1 Tbls. Olive Oil
1 Shallot (minced)
1 Apple (peeled, cored and cubed)
1 Amber Ale, or other favorite Beer

1) Heat a skillet over med/high with butter and oil combined.
2) When the oil/butter is hot, add the brussel sprouts without crowding, cut side down. Allow to brown for a minute or so, then turn each one over to brown on other side.
3) Using tongs, remove the browned Brussel Sprouts to a dish for holding.
4) Reduce heat and add the minced shallot, stirring, for about 2 minutes or until tender.
5) Deglaze the pan, by pouring in 1/4 cup of the beer and stirring to release all the flavor.
6) Return the Brussel Sprouts to the pan, add the apple cubes and the rest of the beer.
7) Bring the heat to boil, then cover and turn down the heat to low. Braise for 12-15 minutes.
8) Remove the Brussel Sprouts and Apple with slotted spoon. You can serve like that, or drizzle with sauce, or continue heating the sauce on High for a couple minutes until it is reduced and thicker for serving over the greens.A sincere Happy Thanksgiving to all who stop by here and my deep wishes for a peaceful year~

Here's the whole gang with a giant table's worth of recipes:

Cocktails, Appetizers, Soups and Salads:
Eat Be Mary: She’s Mulling It Over Wine
Cookistry: Bread With Ancient Grains
Celebrity Chefs and Their Gardens: The American Hotel Peconic Clam Chowder
Picky Eater Blog: Butternut Squash Soup With Thyme and Parmesan
Good Food Good Friends: Mushroom Soup

Mains:
Examiner.com: Grilled Quail with a Warm Beet, Frisée, and Pistachio Salad
She Wears Many Hats: Mayonnaise Roasted Turkey

Sides:
Living Mostly Meatless: Vegan-Friendly Corn Casserole
Healthy Green Kitchen: Red Kuri Squash Pie
The Naptime Chef: Crispy Rosemary Fingerling Potatoes
Gluten-Free Blondie: Apple and Cranberry Studded Stuffing
Eat Drink Man Woman Dogs Cat: Blue Cheese and Rosemary Celebration Potatoes
Burnt Lumpia: Turkey, Sweet Potato and Cranberry Empanadas
Panfusine: Pan Fried Polenta Seasoned With Cumin, Ginger & Black Pepper
Homemade Cravings: Warm Brussels Sprouts and Cranberry Slaw
Bakeaholic Mama: Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Crispy Prosciutto
Show Food Chef: Beer-Braised Brussels Sprouts
T’s Tasty Bits: Sweet Empanadas with Pumpkin and Lupini Beans Filling
The Amused Bouche Blog: Braised Kale
The Little Kitchen: How to Make the Perfect Mashed Potatoes

Desserts:
The Macaron Queen: Macaron Tower
Poet In The Pantry: Amaretto Apple Crisp
Farm Girl Gourmet: Pumpkin Coconut Panna Cotta
That’s Forking Good: Cinnamon Chip Pumpkin Blondies
Out of the Box Food: Out of the Box Food Maple Pumpkin Pie
Cake Baker 35: Orange Spiced Pumpkin Pie
Lisa Michele: Pumpkin, Pecan, Cheesecake Pie
Food For My Family: Buttermilk Custard Pear Pie
Simple Bites: Black-Bottom Maple Pumpkin Pie
A Cooks Nook: Swedish Apple Pie
Yakima Herald: Pretzel Jell-O Salad
How Does She: Three of Our Favorite Desserts
Dollhouse Bake Shoppe: Thanksgiving Candy Bar Name Plates
Sweet Fry: Pumpkin Latte
Tasty Trials: Spiced Apple Panna Cotta With Caramelized Apples and Caramel Sauce
An Uneducated Palate: Puff Pastry Apple Tart
Frugal Front Porch: Mini Cheaty Cheesecakes

Even more:
Kitchen Courses: Thanksgiving for Six People Under $60
A Curious Palate: The Communal Table

The "I Thought I Didn't Like Kale, But I Love It" Salad

Kale is the green I thought I didn't like. It's the one I have to convince more people to try than any other green. And, without fail, this salad turns them around. It turned me into a Kale lover, too.

"I Love Kale Salad"

This is now my go-to healthy salad. When I've been pushing a few too many cupcakes or carbs into my mouth, my body starts to crave the fresh, lemony crunch of these iron filled leaves. This recipe is from the wonderful chef at Miraval Wellness Resort in Arizona. He was generous enough to share several recipes with us during a "Dinner with the Chef" night and I've blogged about a few of them. One of the best things about this Kale Salad, is how well it holds. It just doesn't get soggy. It makes a fantastic salad for catering or bringing over to a friend's house, or being able to prep the salad early for a meal.
You can also make the vinaigrette the night before, toast the panko crumbs the night before, and strip the leaves into bite-size pieces the night before and be ready to just toss and taste the next day.

Even after tossing together, the flavors actually blend better with time which makes it a great lunch-box salad, too. Wow, I can go on about Kale, right? I can't help it. This salad is one of those foods that make you feel like you did something right. Kale - it's a keeper!
Recipe: I Love Kale Salad
(adapted from Cavalo Nero Salad)
serves 4 side salads

1 head/bunch of Lacinato or Black Kale (about 4 cups of pieces)
1 Lemon (zest and juice, separate)
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
2 Cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. Red pepper flakes
pinch of salt
1/4 cup. Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese grated
1/4 cup Panko bread crumbs
1) Spread the Panko crumbs out on a parchment lined baking pan and toast in a preheated 375F oven for about 3-4 minutes until lightly browned. Watch them carefully. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
2) In a blender, mix together the lemon juice, minced garlic, pepper flakes, salt and olive oil.

3) Wash/ dry and remove the ribs from the Kale leaves, then chop or tear into bite-size pieces.

4) Pour the Lemon/Garlic vinaigrette over the Kale in a bowl and toss well. Add about half of the cheese and toss again. Let the salad sit for a few minutes or longer to soak up the flavors.5) Add the break crumbs and toss again. Just before serving, toss in the rest of the cheese and garnish with the zest.

The recipe is easy to double for making a big bowl of this for sharing the health. :D

Heart Healthy Apple, Jicama & Potato Salad

Don't you just love it when a new report comes out that blames one particular food for making us fat? Potatoes (according to Nutrition Data) are Low in fat, Cholesterol and Sodium. They're a good source of Vitamin C, B6 and Potassium, and high in fiber. Recent media chatter would suggest that the humble potato is a fat producing tuber-tiger. The farm fresh potato is not the villian, but maybe processed badly-fried and double baked oily cheese and bacon covered bowls of them could add a few extra lardons to our waist line. If that's accompanied by pitchers of beer and a lot of sitting on our rumps, we could probably rack up a few sizes, too. I don't think the potatoes need to take the blame on this one, do you?With that in mind, (and also as a late dated posting for this month's Daring Cooks) I bring you this Heart Healthy Heritage Potato Salad from potatoes that slept on a farm last week.Jami Sorrento was our June Daring Cooks hostess and she chose to challenge us to celebrate the humble spud by making a delicious and healthy potato salad. The Daring Cooks Potato Salad Challenge was sponsored by the nice people at the United States Potato Board, who awarded prizes to the top 3 most creative and healthy potato salads. A medium-size (5.3 ounce) potato has 110 calories, no fat, no cholesterol, no sodium and includes nearly half your daily value of vitamin C and has more potassium than a banana!

RECIPE: Apple, Jicama, Potato Salad (California Style)

1lb. Farmer's Market Potatoes
1 Apple
1/4 Large Jicama
2 tsps Lemon juice
Fresh Thyme
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbls. Olive Oil
salt/pepper
1 tsp Dijon Mustard
1 Tbls. (minced) Shallot
3 Tbls Balsamic Vinegar
Fresh Tarragon or more thyme

1) Wash, scrub and cut the potatoes into small chunks. Peel and cube the Apple and the Jicama, sprinkle with lemon juice and hold for later.
2) Place the potatoes on a parchment lined baking sheet, drizzle with 2 tbls. olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and scatter fresh thyme over the top.
3) Roast these for about 20 minutes til tender, but not overcooked. You want them to hold up for tossing as a salad later.
4) While the potatoes cool, prepare the Vinaigrette Dressing:
In a small bowl, whisk together the Dijon Mustard, Shallot, Balsamic Vinegar, pinch of salt and pepper, and fresh herbs. Continue to whisk briskly while drizzling in the 1/4 cup Olive oil. Only use as much as you need to create a thick dressing. Adjust seasoning as desired.
5) When the potatoes have cooled, toss them in a bowl with the dressing and the Apple and Jicama cubes.
**The flavors are even more full when allowed to sit in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight to meld.**

Southern Turnips and Greens - Simple Saturday

I grew up familiar with the smell of Turnips and Turnip Greens simmering away in a big pot with a chunk of salt pork adding its porcine punch. I've helped pull those purple topped roots out of the ground, washed them off, peeled and chopped them. I've helped scrub the leaves which hold on to the nourishing grit of the soil unless they get dunked and swished with a heavy hand. And I hated them. Knowing there are so many foods I didn't enjoy as a child, and then fell in love with as an adult gives me comfort. When my kids used to turn up their noses to healthy vegetables, and I became an expert in negotiating for a balanced diet, I tried to remember my own culinary journey. I've tried to not get stressed about my teenager not liking pickled things, or cole slaw, or egg plant. I left all those same foods on my plate, too. Today? My plate hardly needs washing because there is never anything left on it. I think curiosity, education and exposure has made an enormous difference. It astounds me there are so many adults who have allowed themselves to be trapped in a food box of meat and potatoes with a feeling of "if I don't eat it already, I don't need to start now" kind of mentality. What a world of tastes and experiences they are missing.
I've watched my adult daughter grow into a good cook, an experimental and curious eater, and she used to snub almost everything green. I believe as long as we keep trying, making good food available, show by example and make food events (whether at the table or out in the world) a fun and stress-free time, our kids will grow into good healthy eaters.
If you haven't ever tried Southern Turnips and Greens or you had them as a kid and couldn't stand them - it's time to give them a try. The iron and minerals in Turnips and Greens are worth the chance that you might fall in love with them, too.

RECIPE: Southern Turnips and Greens

1 bunch Turnip Greens (wash well, strip from stalks and chopped large)
2 Fresh Turnips (wash, peel and cut into cubes)
Small piece of Salt Pork
1/2 onion chopped
salt/pepper
1 quart Chicken Stock (or vegetable stock)

1) In a large pot, heat the salt pork and the chopped onions on Low/Med. heat until tender (about 5 minutes.)

2) Pour in the stock, then add the chopped greens, turnip cubes and pepper. Salt to taste, but be careful as the salt pork adds some too.

3) Bring the pot to a boil, then turn the heat down to low/simmer and cover. Cook for about 1 1/2 hours. Stir now and then to keep it even.

These are so good just served alone, but also good over rice or as a side dish with fish, chicken, beef or pork.

The juice left over is called "Pot Liquor" and you can sop this up with a good buttermilk biscuit to put a real smile on your face :D

Mom's Simple Southern Cole Slaw - Simple Saturday

If Mom's hands prepared it - the food will always taste better. I think my mom could put a stack of crackers from a box on a plate and I'd love them because she did it for me. I hope you have a mom, or someone in your life you feel that way about (or maybe YOU are that person to others.)

Mom's Simple Southern Cole Slaw

My last visit home to North Carolina was just a week ago and when I arrived at Mom's, she had fresh Tilapia seared in brown butter, whole green beans and handmade corn bread waiting for me. Then, in about 5 minutes she whipped up a bowl of fresh, crisp Southern Cole Slaw to go with the fish, saying - "we have to have slaw if we're having fish". As I watched how simple this tangy/sweet/crisp side dish came together under her "done it a thousand times" skillful hands, I knew THIS would be my Simple Saturday dish to pass along to my readers. If I could bottle her love and send you that recipe, believe me I would - it's definitely the best!

Mom insists on making her cole slaw at the last minute because she says the cabbage should be cut only when needed, and the slaw should be cold and crisp - without smothering the cabbage taste at all, just accented.RECIPE: Simple Southern Cole Slaw
(amounts are approximated, because it's one of those "put-n-taste" recipes)

1/2 head of Cabbage (mom keeps this wrapped in foil for freshness in the refrigerator)
1 tsp. sugar
1 Tbls Apple Cider Vinegar
1 Tbls. mayonnaise
Kosher Salt
Cracked Pepper

1) Slice the cabbage in long thin strips.2) Sprinkle the cabbage with the sugar, add the vinegar and toss.3) Add the mayonnaise and toss to coat thoroughly4) Season with salt and cracked pepper.**Optionally, you may add - celery salt, celery seed or garlic powder.

The next night we had Pulled Pork on Buns and of course more of this addictive Cole Slaw. In true North Carolina style, we had the slaw on top of the pulled pork with barbecue sauce.As soon as I returned home to California, I had to make this for my family. It was a little of wanting to share it with them, and a little of hanging on to my time with Mom. Of course, it didn't taste as good as hers, but that's how it should be, right?