Chinese Stir Fry! GF, MD!

Tags

ahi tuna, brown rice, carrots, chinese, cilantro, edamame, ginger, gluten free, Maker's Diet, red peppers

Happy Columbus Day! Or Happy Thanksgiving to those of you “up north!”

I hope everyone’s week is off to a great start! Today was the first day that felt like a true fall day! It was cold!

So lately, I’ve been on a roll of seeing famous people.

Two weeks ago, I saw Michael Cera, the guy from Superbad.

photo source: thecinemamen.wordpress.com

Then this past week, I walked past Cameron Diaz.

photo source: cajuntomato.com

And then TODAY, I passed Zac Young, the guy from Unique Eats, who — since we’re all foodies — I’m sure you know who I’m talking about!

photo source: zimbio.com

So yeah, I guess I’m on a roll! :D haha

Alright, so tonight, I thought I’d share a recipe that, like the Mango Salsa, is a dish that we always make for special occasions. A show-stopper of a dish. It’s “company food,” but also easy enough to make any night of the week!

Fresh Veggies with Melt-In-Your-Mouth Tuna!

OK. Breathe.

I need to remind myself, because I am just brimming with excitement to share this recipe with you.

check out that gorgeous ruby red ahi tuna!

Chinese Ahi Tuna Stir Fry.

Let me preface this by saying that I was not planning on going with Chinese cuisine today. BUT…we encountered a “game changer”…in the form of Sushi Grade AHI TUNA. And also, let me say that this dish is not Vegan. However, tofu would be a great substitute for the fish – the marinade would be fabulous with it! But it IS gluten free and  Maker’s Diet friendly!

delicious!

But my goodness, did Lobsta Bakes give us a real treat today. When my dad walked in the shop this morning, they pulled out the most AMAZING Ahi Tuna. We’re talking: not even in the case yet — right off the truck fresh! It was deep ruby red, sushi grade, and of course, wild, ocean caught, antibiotic free, and never frozen. Beauty, in the form of a fish!

bursting with flavor!!

Ahi tuna is best served very rare…as in, seared for just a minute. But here’s the thing…since you’re eating nearly raw fish, it is imperative that it is sushi grade…meaning extremely fresh! That was not a problem for us, since we got it from Lobsta Bakes:)

So I marinated the tuna for about an hour in the fridge, to give it a great Chinese flavor.

Here’s the marinade:

2 T Tamari (gluten free soy sauce)
1 T grated fresh ginger
1 BIG garlic clove, grated
1 t fresh lime juice
1 green onion, thinly sliced
small squeeze agave
1 tsp EVOO (or sesame oil if you have it)

I combined these ingredients with the tuna steaks in a gallon ziplock bag.  I made sure they were all coated, and then put the bag (on a plate incase it leaks) in the fridge.

Then I put some brown rice on the stove, and started the stir fry.

Here’s what you’ll need.

1/2 red onion, sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 in chunk of fresh ginger, grated
healthy pinch of red pepper flakes
1 big portobello mushroom, sliced into bite size pieces
1/2 green pepper, sliced into matchsticks
5 carrots, sliced into matchsticks
1/3 c edamame
fresh cilantro, chopped (garnish)

Sauce:

2 T tamari
2 T vegetable stock
1 T white wine
1 t apple cider vinegar
squeeze of lime juice
squeeze of agave – probably about 1 tsp
1 tsp sesame oil (if you have it…we didn’t)

Saute your onions in 2 tsp EVOO with salt and pepper. After they soften for a couple minutes, add the carrots and peppers. Allow those to soften for a bit. Add in the garlic, ginger and mushrooms.  Allow to cook until the mushrooms are tender and the carrots are no longer super crunchy. Stir in the frozen edamame, and then stir in your sauce.

Searing your fish: In a super hot, non-stick grill pan sprayed with olive oil spray, sear each side for 1-2 minutes. If you want it less rare, you can cook it longer, but I wouldn’t recommend it!

mmm!

When you slice the ahi tuna, make sure to slice it against the grain. This makes it super tender and wonderful.

To serve, either mix the rice and the stir fry together, or make a bed of rice on the plate and top with a scoop of stir-fried veggies. Top this with slices of the ahi tuna.

This meal was so wonderful. First of all, it was aesthetically beautiful with all of the vibrant colors from the veggies and the ruby red tuna. Next, the textures….oh my Gosh. The tuna was absolutely like butter. It melted in your mouth. So satisfying. Contrasting the tuna were the crisp veggies, and the sticky rice. Finally, the flavor. There was such a full, zesty Chinese flavor!

Even though it tasted super decadent, it was actually light and healthy. Not without the flavor and flare though! Try this fantastic dinner! You won’t be disappointed!

Did you have the day off today? What did you do?

Until tomorrow!

Super-Charged Kale, Artichoke & Quinoa Soup!

Tags

ahi tuna, artichokes, Body Ecology Diet, gluten free, kale, quinoa, soup, vegan

Ever have one of those days where its time to cook dinner, and you open your fridge only to find that you’re out of … everything?

Yeah, that’s how today was. Good thing I always have certain Pantry Staples on hand!

don’t judge a book by its cover — this soup ROCKED!

So here’s what I had to work with:

In the Fridge: Kale, Celery, 1/2 onion

In the Pantry: Veg Stock, Quinoa, Garlic

I scratched my head for about 3 minutes. Mind you, I have a dad who won’t touch Kale with a 12 foot pole. So I had to disguise it — in form AND flavor. Enter: a delicious, creamy soup.

Scrumptious Dinner!

And let me preface this by saying that my dad was *raving* about this soup and said it was amazing!

Here’s what you need for the Super-Charged Kale, Artichoke and Quinoa Soup:

3/4 bunch of Kale, de-stemmed and diced
1/2 onion, diced
1 cup frozen artichokes, thawed
4-5 garlic cloves
4 green onions, sliced — whites & light green separated from the dark (for garnish)
3/4 bunch of celery, diced
3 cups veg stock
1 cup water
3/4 cup quinoa cooked in 1 1/2 cups veg stock
juice of 1/2 a lemon
dried oregano and basil – about 1 tsp each
salt and pepper

In your dutch oven, saute your onions in 2-3 tsp EVOO with salt, pepper, oregano and basil. Allow them to soften for about 4 minutes. Then, add in your celery and let it cook until it begins to soften – about 5 minutes. Then, stir in your garlic and let it cook for about 2 minutes. Next, add your artichokes, veg stock and water. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, add kale and stir so it all gets “in the pool.” Then, reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes, until the kale is tender. Once tender, add your lemon juice. Then, with a submersion blender (aka stick blender), puree the soup so it becomes smooth and creamy. (You can also do this with a regular blender, but do it carefully and in batches!) Once it’s pureed, stir in your cooked quinoa. Finally, stir in some final salt to taste — I added about 1+ tsp. Serve garnished with the dark green parts of the green onions.

gorgeously seared Ahi Tuna!

With this Super-Charged, Nutrient-Dense soup, I served Seared Ahi Tuna. This was amazing. And I had more, but the slices weren’t “pretty” enough for the picture:) Lobsta Bakes’ wild, ocean-caught Sushi-Grade tuna absolutely melts in your mouth. It is such a beautiful ruby red color, with a succulent, melt-in-your-mouth texture! It is seriously like buttah!

Now that I’m on the Body Ecology diet, I can no longer have sugar or soy sauce (among countless other things). Therefore, I could not marinate the tuna like I usually do. However, to give it a truly spectacular taste, I suggest to marinate it first. This is the marinade I {{used to}} use…….*tear*

Marinade:
2 T Tamari (gluten free soy sauce)
1 T grated fresh ginger
1 BIG garlic clove, grated
1 t fresh lime juice
1 green onion, thinly sliced
small squeeze agave
1 tsp EVOO (or sesame oil if you have it)

I combined these ingredients with the tuna steaks in a gallon ziplock bag.  I made sure they were all coated, and then put the bag (on a plate incase it leaks) in the fridge for about an hour.

Searing your fish: In a super hot, non-stick grill pan sprayed with olive oil spray, sear each side for 1-2 minutes. If you want it less rare, you can cook it longer, but I wouldn’t recommend it!

Gluten Free, Vegan, AND Body Ecology Friendly!

This meal was absolutely delectable! The soup was so luxurious — velvety and creamy! The flavor completely blew me out of the water – it had a deep, satisfying, earthy flavor, but it was complexly sweet from the celery, and beautifully garlicy. The addition of the quinoa provided a nutty flavor, plus a textural *pop* for the soup. It was out of this world! It warmed the belly and soul!

delish!

Until Tomorrow!

GF Vegan Roasted Red Pepper & Kale Pesto!

Tags

ahi tuna, Body Ecology Diet, buckwheat, kale, pasta, pesto, red pepper, vegan

Scrumptious Recipe Alert!!!

gluten-free and vegan amazingness!

Today was a day that we needed comfort food. Long story short, it was an emotional day, and nothing sounded better than a soul-warming serving of a creamy pasta.

the sunflower seeds added depth and texture!

This can be quite a difficult task with the Body Ecology Diet — since the only grains allowed on the diet are quinoa, millet, amaranth, and buckwheat. Well, wouldn’t you know, they sell buckwheat pasta!! How fantastic!! It’s not AS wonderful texture-wise and taste-wise as brown rice pasta, but still hits the “pasta spot.”

beautiful ruby-red Ahi Tuna!

So tonight, I blanketed these legal buckwheat noodles with a velvety, creamy, pesto — made from a roasted red pepper, steamed kale, basil, and roasted pumpkin seeds! This was so delicious! My dad was CONVINCED that there was butter or cream in the sauce! I served this with seared Ahi Tuna! Yum Yum Yum!

gorgeous green color!

Lets start with the Pesto. Here’s what you need:

1 red pepper, roasted and peeled
2 big stalks of kale, steamed
2 garlic cloves
juice of 1/2 lemon
3 Tbsp pine nuts, toasted
3 Tbsp pumpkin seeds, toasted
1 cup basil
6 olives
salt

To roast your red pepper, I literally set it on our gas flame and kept turning it with tongs until it was completely charred. I then put it in a bowl and covered it with plastic wrap so that the steam loosened the skin. Then, after about 15 minutes, the charred skin peels right off (use your hands), and you’re left with a wonderful, roasted red pepper! If you don’t have a gas flame, you can do the same right under the broiler! Place all your ingredients into your food processor, whirl it up, and you’ve got a luxurious sauce! Toss it with your buckwheat pasta and enjoy!

want a bite?

Finally, the Ahi Tuna! Oh my Gosh – Lobsta Bakes’ wild, ocean-caught, sushi-grade tuna is amazing. It is such a beautiful ruby red color, with a succulent, melt-in-your-mouth texture! It is seriously like buttah!

Now that I’m on the Body Ecology diet, I can no longer have sugar or soy sauce (among countless other things). Therefore, I could not marinate the tuna like I usually do. However, to give it a truly spectacular taste, I suggest to marinate it first. This is the marinade I {{used to}} use…….*tear*

Marinade:
2 T Tamari (gluten free soy sauce)
1 T grated fresh ginger
1 BIG garlic clove, grated
1 t fresh lime juice
1 green onion, thinly sliced
small squeeze agave
1 tsp EVOO (or sesame oil if you have it)

I combined these ingredients with the tuna steaks in a gallon ziplock bag.  I made sure they were all coated, and then put the bag (on a plate incase it leaks) in the fridge for about an hour.

Searing your fish: In a super hot, non-stick grill pan sprayed with olive oil spray, sear each side for 1-2 minutes. If you want it less rare, you can cook it longer, but I wouldn’t recommend it!

red pepper and kale — really??

This meal hit the “comfort spot” that we so needed after such an emotional day. This pasta warmed your belly and warmed your soul. The pesto was seriously delicious. My parents said it is in their “Top 3” of what I make. By roasting the pepper over a real flame, it got this deep, smokey-sweet flavor. It was fantastic — it went perfectly with the fresh, sweet basil. The garlic gave it nice backbone, while the lemon provided a refreshing bright note. But the thing that was most wonderful about it was its consistency! It was SO creamy and velvety. A truly great “mouth feel!”

velvety and creamy sauce!

Next time you need comfort in the form of pasta, try this guilt-free and highly nutritious red pepper pesto!

Weekend Recap!

Tags

ahi tuna, artichoke, asparagus, Body Ecology Diet, broccoli, buckwheat, chinese, cucumber, fennel, millet, pesto, red pepper, roasted vegetables, vegan

So last night was great — my sister-in-law was with me for dinner while my parents were out with friends. Girls’ Night! We had a great chat over dinner, and then watched a movie afterwards. So fun!

And best of all — she found a house, made an offer, and bought it yesterday!! We’re so excited!! Congrats A and R!!!

such crunch and bright flavor!

For dinner last night, I served my GF Vegan Cucumber-Fennel-and-Dill salad over Millet, with broiled wild, ocean-caught Flounder from Lobsta Bakes. I think we were both hungry, because we cleaned our plates!!! {{that’s buckwheat in the pictures}}

You can find my recipe here.

light, crisp and refreshing!

This was so delicious. The combination of the fresh cucumber, the sweet-licorice-y fennel, sweet red pepper, lemony dill, and bright-tangy lemon juice was SO refreshing. It seriously rocked!! And it was SO crunchy and juicy. It was light, but just exploding with flavor. Over the nutty millet — priceless. My sister-in-law loved it so much, she wanted the recipe!!

Sometimes, simplicity is genius!

The food was “prime time”, but the best part of the meal was sharing it with my sister-in-law. After all, that’s the best part of cooking — making something delicious to delight the people you love, to show them that you care.

Tonight, my parents have friends from high school staying with us, so it’ll be the 3 of us, my S-I-L, and our 2 guests! So my parents are having a nice Sunday Supper here at the house. Since we didn’t want to force them to eat from the exhaustively restrictive Body Ecology Diet, they will be having one meal — this delicious Chinese Stir Fry with Ahi Tuna , and I’ll be having a different, BED meal. Ahhh, someday *hopefully soon* this tedious BED will be put to rest.

What my parents and their friends will be indulging in---mouth...is...watering

What I can’t eat in the above picture *right now while on the Body Ecology Diet*: brown rice, peas, carrots, edamame, Tamari, ginger, agave, mushrooms, and green peppers. Someday….someday.

asparagus and gorgeously caramelized red onions

Here’s what I had:

my "Incredible Hulk" sized plate! (eyes were bigger than stomach)

This is an UNmarinated, gorgeous piece of Ahi Tuna, with nutty Buckwheat, and beautiful Roasted Vegetables. The green topping is a delicious, oil-free, Artichoke Pesto! It was delicious!

artichoke basil pesto!

I guess I’m used to cooking for 3, because by the time I plated up everything I had cooked…it was an absolute MOUNTAIN of food! I couldn’t finish it all, but that was fine with my dad — he thought it was outrageously delicious!

gorgeous roasted veggies

Here’s the recipe for the pesto:

3/4 cup artichoke hearts, dethawed
1 cup of fresh basil
1 clove of garlic
juice of 1 1/2 lemons
1-2 Tbsp toasted pine nuts
salt
water to consistency

Whirl it up in the food processor. It is great over the ahi tuna, as well as the buckwheat and veggies!

succulent and sweet garlic inside its shell!

For the Roasted Veggies, I roasted asparagus, broccoli, red onions (don’t be scared — these were the best), and garlic (in its skin) in a bit of EVOO, salt and pepper. I roasted them at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, flipping half way through.

ruby red ahi tuna!

My meal was phenomenal. The roasted veggies had such a wonder flavor! The natural sweetness of the veggies come out and they gently caremalize. The red onions become SO sweet and delicious! My dad said they were like CANDY! And the garlic steams in its skin, so when you take it out of the shell, it is like the consistency of butter! I shared with everyone at the table, and had them spread it on their bread. They were blown away.

so many nutrients on one plate!

And the pesto was so bright and refreshing! Its tanginess paired beautifully with the nutty quinoa and the buttery ahi tuna. Great food, great company.

It was wonderful to all be together:)

Until tomorrow!

Roasted Broccoli Lemon Buckwheat Pilaf!

Tags

ahi tuna, Body Ecology Diet, broccoli, buckwheat, mushrooms

I’m so excited because my sister-in-law is flying in tonight! (For more house hunting!) I can’t wait to see her and catch up! She picked a great weekend to come, because spring is in full swing. The sky could not be bluer, the dreadful Cincinnati humidity hasn’t set in yet — perfect weather to scout houses!

yum!

Dinner.

Confession: I was so in love with last night’s Roasted Cauliflower Steaks, that I just had to try the same method with broccoli! This time, I served it in a buckwheat pilaf complete with shiitake mushrooms, onions, garlic, spinach and lemon! (All Body Ecology Diet approved!!) And oh yeah — did I mention we had it with AMAZING Ahi Tuna?!?

gorgeous ruby-red Ahi Tuna!

Yeahhh, it was a delicious meal.

beautiful caramelization on the broccoli!

Lets start with the Roasted Broccoli. Here’s what you need:

1 head of organic broccoli, washed and broken into florets
Olive Oil (spray)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with tin foil and spray with olive oil spray. After you’ve broken them into florets, and they are *really* dry (I put mine in the salad spinner), place the florets on the baking sheet. Spray with olive oil, or toss with 2 tsp EVOO. Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper. Roast them for 30 minutes, flipping half way through. YUM!

what a pilaf!

Now for the rest of the pilaf: Here’s what you need:

3/4 cup dry buckwheat groats, cooked in 1 1/2 cups veg stock.
1 shallot, minced
1/2 onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
5 shiitake mushrooms, quartered
2 handfuls of spinach, chopped
dried basil and oregano

Dressing:
juice of 1 1/2 lemons
4 green onions, sliced
1 tsp EVOO

Saute your onions in 1 tsp EVOO with salt, pepper, dried basil and oregano. Let that soften for about 5 minutes. Then, add your shallot and let that soften for about 2 minutes. Stir in your mushrooms, and let those release their moisture, about 4 minutes. Finally, stir in you garlic and let it cook for a minute.  When your buckwheat finishes cooking (only 6 minutes!!!), fluff it with a fork, and then add your spinach to the top, put a lid on it, and let it steam and wilt for about 3 minutes. Then, fluff it into the buckwheat with your onion/mushroom mixture, roasted broccoli, and dressing. Salt to taste. YUM!!

such a gorgeous piece of fish!

Finally, that amazing Ahi Tuna!!

Oh my Gosh, this GORGEOUS ruby-red Ahi Tuna from Lobsta Bakes was just succulent! As you know, we’re big fans of Ahi Tuna — its buttery, melt in your mouth consistency is just fantastic. Now that I’m on the Body Ecology diet, I can no longer have sugar or soy sauce (among countless other things). Therefore, I could not marinate the tuna. However, to give it a truly spectacular taste, I suggest to marinate it first. This is the marinade I {{used to}} use…….*tear*

Marinade:
2 T Tamari (gluten free soy sauce)
1 T grated fresh ginger
1 BIG garlic clove, grated
1 t fresh lime juice
1 green onion, thinly sliced
small squeeze agave
1 tsp EVOO (or sesame oil if you have it)

I combined these ingredients with the tuna steaks in a gallon ziplock bag.  I made sure they were all coated, and then put the bag (on a plate incase it leaks) in the fridge for about an hour.

Searing your fish: In a super hot, non-stick grill pan sprayed with olive oil spray, sear each side for 1-2 minutes. If you want it less rare, you can cook it longer, but I wouldn’t recommend it!

well hello broccoli!

This meal was spectacular! First, the Ahi Tuna! Oh Gosh, the Ahi Tuna, when seared, is SO tender and buttery — it just melts in your mouth. Even though I couldn’t have it marinated in the Chinese-style marinade, they were amazing. And the lemon juice I used to flavor it really complimented the steaky, smokey flavor!

Finally, the Buckwheat pilaf was just out of this world! Now let me just say: I know it is confusing that I am gluten-free, but I’m eating buckWHEAT. Doesn’t it contain gluten?!? Well, my Happy Tummies, Buckwheat, despite its name, is NOT wheat — and not even related to wheat!! It’s a seed! Completely Gluten-Free! And they are delicious! Slightly nutty flavor, with a pleasant chewiness.

buckwheat gives it such amazing texture!

Back to the pilaf. The roasted broccoli in this was so amazing! Cooking it low and slow releases its sugars, and allows it to caramelize. It becomes slightly crunchy, and chewy, with an intense, smokey, broccoli flavor! The broccoli, paired with the slightly sweet caramelized onions, earthy mushrooms, bright spinach, fresh *zingy* lemon, and nutty buckwheat combined to a fantastic flavor combination!!

So yummy! My dad doesn’t even like broccoli, but he was gobbling it up — raving about it!! Roasting wins again!

Happy Tummies!

Vegetable Noodle Pesto!

Tags

ahi tuna, asparagus, carrots, gluten free, grain free, pesto, Specific Carbohydrate Diet, vegan, zucchini

Another day and another chance to see improvement in my UC flare — nothing. We’re getting a little discouraged. But another day also means another opportunity to keep my head in the game and get closer to healing.

Seared Ahi Tuna with Veggie Pesto!

So I’ve decided to try to be grain free for the next couple days — or at least as long as I can last! I’ve been following The Maker’s Diet, which allows brown rice and some occasional grain. However, I’ve decided to try the Specific Carbohydrate Diet which doesn’t allow grains, potatoes, certain beans, or certain fruits — its pretty radical. Many Ulcerative Colitis sufferers follow the SCD and report having some success. I hadn’t been following this because a) I like carbs too much, and b) I didn’t think I could get enough calories without carbs. But I’ve decided to take the plunge because something’s gotta give, so why not give this a try.

Luxurious Pesto!

So what did I make for dinner tonight?

Here’s a hint…it was DELICIOUS! :)

I made Seared Ahi Tuna with Pesto Pasta, made out of Vegetable Noodles!

These vegetable noodles were great! They were crunchy and slurpy and satisfying –without the grain! They’re made with lightly steamed asparagus, carrots and zucchini.

Asparagus, Zucchini and Carrots, oh my!

Here’s what you need:

1 bunch of asparagus, sliced ***carefully*** on a mandolin, lengthwise
6 or 7 carrots, peeled into strips
2 zucchini, peeled into strips
1 batch of pesto

I used a potato peeler to peel the carrots and zucchini into “noodles.” I cut the tips off the asparagus, and then used the mandolin to shave the asparagus into “noodles.” It is imperative to be extremely careful, or you can cut yourself! I then steamed the asparagus strips and tips for about 3 noodles, until firm-tender. I removed those, and then steamed the carrots and zucchini together for about 1 minute. I topped that with my pesto. YUM!

Pesto
1 cup fresh basil
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
2 garlic cloves
juice of half a lemon
1 Tbsp EVOO
3-4 Tbsp water
salt to taste

Whirl those in the food processor until you get your gorgeous, emerald, creamy pesto!

such a beautiful ruby red color!

Finally, I served this with Seared Ahi Tuna!

Oh my Gosh, this GORGEOUS ruby red Ahi Tuna from Lobsta Bakes was just succulent! As you know, we’re big fans of Ahi Tuna — its buttery, melt in your mouth consistency is just fantastic. To give it a truly spectacular taste, I marinate it first.

Marinade:
2 T Tamari (gluten free soy sauce)
1 T grated fresh ginger
1 BIG garlic clove, grated
1 t fresh lime juice
1 green onion, thinly sliced
small squeeze agave
1 tsp EVOO (or sesame oil if you have it)

I combined these ingredients with the tuna steaks in a gallon ziplock bag.  I made sure they were all coated, and then put the bag (on a plate incase it leaks) in the fridge for about an hour.

Searing your fish: In a super hot, non-stick grill pan sprayed with olive oil spray, sear each side for 1-2 minutes. If you want it less rare, you can cook it longer, but I wouldn’t recommend it!

so delicious!

This meal was awesome. I didn’t miss the brown rice my parents had with their meal at all! The veggie pesto pasta was SO refreshing! It was crisp, light, fresh, bright, slurpy! So wonderful! The bright basil flavor of the pesto made slurping down those veggie noodles so satisfying! And the Ahi Tuna just was like butter — complimenting the crisp veggie noodles perfectly!

The Non-Noodle Noodle!

And the plate itself was just so beautiful! The colors just jumped off the plate! The ruby red tuna, the bright green asparagus, fiery orange carrots, and soft green onions. So aesthetically pleasing.

Maybe grain free won’t be as dreadful as I’m expecting it to be! :/

Birthday Eggstravaganza! ::sorry couldn’t resist!::

Tags

ahi tuna, brown rice, carrots, chinese, coconut oil, dessert, edamame, GF cake, gluten free, green pepper, Maker's Diet, mushrooms, peas, vegan

The disposal is all fixed! After an early morning house call, we’re back in business and ready for a great Saturday! The boys went golfing while the others went house hunting again!

So tonight, we’re celebrating my sis-in-law’s birthday! And earlier in March, I made this delectable meal for my dad for his birthday, and  I was requested to make the same meal for her birthday tonight! Haha, we are creatures of habit!

buttery and succulent Ahi Tuna!

Dinner was my delicious Seared Ahi Tuna with Chinese Stir Fry Rice! Oh. My. Gosh. SO fantastic! The key to this amazing meal is having outstanding, organic ingredients — most importantly the fish!

Lobsta Bakes‘ wild, ocean-caught Ahi Tuna is sushi grade, and the most GORGEOUS ruby red color — a sign of an extremely fresh fish. Ahi Tuna is best eaten seared — very, very rare, and nearly raw. Just a minute or 2 per side on a screamin’ hot pan. When you just sear both sides, the middle maintains this buttery, melt-in-you-mouth consistency. Outstanding.

With it, I made my scrumptious Chinese Veggie Stir Fry Rice! It pairs so beautifully with the Ahi Tuna because the tuna itself is marinated in a fantastic, bright Asian marinade. The vegetables were so fresh and crisp with great Chinese flavors! Beautiful colors, bright flavors, and wonderful textures! The nutty rice, the salty sauce, buttery tuna, crunchy peppers and carrots, and peas that *pop* in your mouth. Truly a magnificent dining experience.

You can find my full recipe here — and I highly HIGHLY recommend this dish. It is a show stopper!

such delicious cake!

To end the meal with a birthday flare, I made again, a Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free cake with Vanilla Coconut-Oil Buttercream. HOLY COW! It was from a cake mix ::sigh:: but still phenomenal. Light, fluffy, moist, and not at all crumbly, chalky, dense, or unpleasant like a lot of GF baked good. It was Pamela’s Gluten Free Vanilla Cake Mix.

And then the frosting! Get outta town! Can you hook me up to an IV of this stuff?? (This is coming from someone who hasn’t had sugar in 6 months!) Because of my UC flare, I’ve eliminated dairy from my diet…so how do you make a butter-less buttercream? Some vegan icings use margarine, which I am against….its just a bunch of hydrogenated oils and processed chemicals. So I used…COCONUT OIL!

Coconut oil is amazing. It is solid at room temperature, and liquefies if you heat it – like for a stir fry. But there are SO MANY outstanding health benefits of coconut oil. It is anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-viral, full of antioxidants, helps with digestion, nourishing for your hair, and is actually heart healthy, despite its high saturated fat content! You see, the molecule chains are much shorter than all other types of saturated fat which have long chains. Coconut oil’s molecules are processed by the liver and used as instant energy, instead of being stored in the body as fat, like butter and shortening. It’s truly an amazing ingredient that is being continually researched for its amazing health benefits.

Frosting:

1 cup coconut oil
3 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 1/2 – 2 tsp vanilla extract
1-2 Tbsp almond milk

Blend the coconut oil until smooth. Then slowly add the rest of your ingredients while you blend.  Store at room temp, and frost on a completely cooled cake. It will melt when it gets too warm.

look at that outrageous frosting!

This frosting was lick the bowl good. We couldn’t get enough! My mom even said she preferred it over regular buttercream because it had “a more wonderful consistency!” This cake was a food-bliss moment:)

The entire meal was absolutely delectable, and even MORE fantastic because my ENTIRE family was together! This was such a great, great night full of laughter, sharing stories, and joy. There is nothing sweeter than a united family — not even my cake:)

a show stopper:)

Make this dish, share it with your family, and revel in the goodness that is togetherness.  Have a Happy and Blessed Easter!

Birthday Bash!

Tags

ahi tuna, brown rice, carrots, chinese, coconut oil, dessert, edamame, GF cake, gluten free, green pepper, Maker's Diet, peas, Ulcerative Colitis, vegan

Today was a great day! My brother and sister-in-law came in town to celebrate my dad’s birthday! We had such a great day, catching up and hanging out.  There’s something almost electric in the air when *most of* the whole family is together. There’s lightness and joy in every breath. Not to be sappy, but there’s nothing quite like a united family. And I am so thankful for mine.

ahi tuna...so succulant

So I know that today is St. Patrick’s Day, and we’re supposed to be honoring our Irish heritage (50% woo woo!)….but…………we ate Chinese food tonight instead! Nothing against our potato loving ancestors, but Lobsta Bakes just had the.most.amazing sushi grade Ahi Tuna today. It was one of their fresh catches. Wild, ocean-caught, and the most beautiful ruby red color! We just couldn’t pass it up. Chinese Ahi Tuna it is! And hey…we ate potatoes yesterday! :)

mmm!

I’ve made this fantastic meal before….you can get my recipe here. I seriously recommend trying this! Everyone literally licked their plates. It was delicious!

Ahi Tuna –conceptually– can be a bit frightening…nearly raw fish?!?! But fear not, Happy Tummies!! Sushi Grade is your key here…..and that is why Lobsta Bakes is so incredible. Their fish is naturally Sushi Grade because it is so dang fresh! Ahi Tuna is best served rare –just seared– because the consistency in the ruby center melts in your mouth like butter. It is SO outrageously tasty and decadent.

The veggie rice was also amazing. The vegetables were so fresh and crisp with great Chinese flavors! Beautiful colors, bright flavors, and wonderful textures! The nutty rice, the salty sauce, buttery tuna, crunchy peppers and carrots, and peas that *pop* in your mouth. Truly a magnificent dining experience.

my half eaten piece....i was just so excited, I forgot to take a "before" picture!

Finally…no birthday is complete without a birthday cake!! Last night, I wasn’t able to partake in dessert, but tonight, I was in hog heaven! :) I made a fantastic Gluten Free Vanilla cake with Coconut Oil Buttercream. Oh boy. Somebody pinch me.

truly amazing gluten free, dairy free cake! We made a good dent!

Confession: It was a cake mix. But such a good one and I HIGHLY recommend it! It was Pamela’s GF Vanilla Cake Mix. It was not your typical dry, crumbly, dense, chalky, gummy, gluten-free disaster. Quite the opposite. It was glorious! Light, fluffy, and completely delicious!

Bengals Birthday Napkins:)

Finally, the icing….my oh my. Can you hook me up to an IV of this stuff?? (This is coming from someone who hasn’t had sugar in 6 months!) Because of my UC flare, I’ve eliminated dairy from my diet…so how do you make a butter-less buttercream? Some vegan icings use margarine, which I am against….its just a bunch of hydrogenated oils and processed chemicals. So I used…COCONUT OIL!

Coconut oil is amazing. It is solid at room temperature, and liquefies if you heat it –like for a stir fry. But there are SO MANY outstanding health benefits of coconut oil. It is anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-viral, full of antioxidants, helps with digestion, nourishing for your hair, and is actually heart healthy, despite its high saturated fat content! You see, the molecule chains are much shorter than all other types of saturated fat which have long chains. Coconut oil’s molecules are processed by the liver and used as instant energy, instead of being stored in the body as fat, like butter and shortening. It’s truly an amazing ingredient that is being continually researched for its amazing health benefits.

outrageous coconut oil "buttercream" frosting!

Frosting:

1 cup coconut oil
3 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 1/2 – 2 tsp vanilla extract
1-2 Tbsp almond milk

Blend the coconut oil until smooth. Then slowly add the rest of your ingredients while you blend.  Store at room temp, and frost on a completely cooled cake. It will melt when it gets too warm.

This frosting was lick the bowl good. We couldn’t get enough! My mom even said she preferred it over regular buttercream because it had “a more wonderful consistency!” This cake was a food-bliss moment:)

Finally, as I mentioned yesterday, I had a 3 1/3 hour doctor appointment for my UC. I am so tired of being sick, and I think we’ve finally found a natural therapy that is going to work! Right now, I’m still taking Asacol, but “stepping up” treatment in the drug world would be either a dirty steroid, an immune system modulator (which basically suppresses your immune system to the point of almost non-existance), or Remicade, which I don’t even really know what it does, but it involved and IV 4 times a week, and seriously messes up your immune system, health and wellbeing. Not to mention, is 15 Grand a month. So we decided to try a naturopath. We are very hopeful. UC is an autoimmune disease, and so my immune system attacks itself. This naturopath is going to calm it down, and rebuild it. Sounds good. But it comes as a full-time job………check out my pills….4 times a day.

new pill regimen...4x a day. And yes, that's my bag from NYC...I haven't unpacked yet

Wish me luck.

Seared Ahi Tuna with Chinese Stir Fry!

Tags

ahi tuna, brown rice, carrots, chinese, edamame, ginger, gluten free, green pepper, Maker's Diet, mushrooms, peas, vegan

OK. Breathe.

I need to remind myself, because I am just brimming with excitement to share this recipe with you.

Check out that gorgeous ruby red ahi tuna!

Let me preface this by saying that I was not planning on going with Chinese cuisine today. BUT…we encountered a “game changer”…in the form of Sushi Grade AHI TUNA.

My goodness, did Lobsta Bakes give us a real treat today. When my dad walked in the shop this morning, they pulled out the most AMAZING Ahi Tuna. We’re talking: not even in the case yet — right off the truck fresh! It was deep ruby red, sushi grade, and of course, wild, ocean caught, antibiotic free, and never frozen. Beauty, in the form of a fish!

delicious:)

Ahi tuna is best served very rare…as in, seared for just a minute. But here’s the thing…since you’re eating nearly raw fish, it is imperative that it is sushi grade…meaning extremely fresh! That was not a problem for us, since we got it from Lobsta Bakes:)

So I marinated the tuna for about an hour in the fridge, to give it a great chinese flavor. Here’s the marinade:

2 T Tamari (gluten free soy sauce)

1 T grated fresh ginger

1 BIG garlic clove, grated

1 t fresh lime juice

1 green onion, thinly sliced

small squeeze agave

1 tsp EVOO (or sesame oil if you have it)

I combined these ingredients with the tuna steaks in a gallon ziplock bag.  I made sure they were all coated, and then put the bag (on a plate incase it leaks) in the fridge.

Fresh Veggies with Melt-In-Your-Mouth Tuna!

Then I put some brown rice on the stove, and started the stir fry.

Here’s what you’ll need.

1/2 red onion, sliced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 in chunk of fresh ginger, grated

healthy pinch of red pepper flakes

1 big portobello mushroom, sliced into bite size pieces

1/2 green pepper, sliced into matchsticks

5 carrots, sliced into matchsticks

1/3 c edamame

Sauce:

2 T tamari

2 T vegetable stock

1 T white wine

1 t apple cider vinegar

squeeze of lime juice

squeeze of agave – probably about 1 tsp

1 tsp sesame oil (if you have it…we didn’t)

Sautee your onions in 2 tsp EVOO with salt and red pepper. After they soften for a couple minutes, add the carrots and peppers. Allow those to soften for a bit. Add in the garlic, ginger and mushrooms.  Allow to cook until the mushrooms are tender and the carrots are no longer super crunchy. Stir in the frozen edamame, and then stir in your sauce.

Searing your fish: In a super hot, non-stick pan sprayed with olive oil spray, sear each side for 1-2 minutes. If you want it less rare, you can cook it longer, but I wouldn’t recommend it!

so much flavor!

This meal was so wonderful. First of all, it is aesthetically beautiful with all of the vibrant colors from the veggies and the ruby red tuna. Next, the textures….oh my Gosh. The tuna was absolutely like butter. It melted in your mouth. So satisfying. Contrasting the tuna were the crisp veggies, and the sticky rice. Finally, the flavor. There was such a full, zesty Chinese flavor!

Although it was Fat Tuesday, we definitely kept it light and healthy. Not without the flavor and flare though! Try this fantastic dinner! You won’t be disappointed! Happy early Ash Wednesday!