Mediterranean Tapas Plate

Ok, so I mainly took the photo to prove to the doctor that I actually am eating.  I'm not sure anyone has ever been so paranoid about losing five pounds.

I love tapas meals, even when it isn't hot.  Yes, they're a bit of work.  Instead of making two or three items for a dinner, you're doing up to six.  In this case, I got a little over-achiever and filled the plate with a few tastes of as much as I could fit.  There was a bit of a meal prepping day.  However, when I got home from work, I could just portion it out onto a plate and put the cold dinner on the table.

• Turkish Meatballs (Which kind of fell apart.  Work in progress)
• Hummus with cucumber and tomato wedges
• Brie and whole wheat pita
• Cooked carrot salad
• Olives and marinated artichokes

You can see that appetizers don't have to be full of saturated fat, carbs, salt, and calories.  I did count this as two servings of carbs because of the barley used in the meatballs (I didn't want to get stuck with a pound of bulgur), even though as a vegetarian meal you get to ignore one if it is high protein, like the lentils and hummus.

Two or three people could share a plate like this before a light dinner of fish or chicken with salad.  Or double it for a lunch or tea spread.  Mediterranean-style foods are great for patio gatherings and wine tasting parties.  Because those are a thing again.

Pickled Salmon

 

I'm trying to discover new ways to incorporate more fish into my diet.  You're supposed to have 2-3 portions per week.  I tend to have one per month unless I make an effort.

One idea I had was to have some kind of fish at breakfast instead of turkey sausage.  I googled "breakfast fish recipes", which brought up mostly Asian and Scandinavian ideas.  Those are both healthy cuisines.  I settled on the idea of pickled fish, a Scandinavian option.  When I go on a cruise, I tend to do this one of the mornings, just as a personal thing.  But when I went to get a jar of LASCCo pickled herring, the label had a surprising amount of sugar in it.  Ok, new plan: buy fish and get out the erythritol.  You have to use actual sugar in canning recipes, but refrigerator pickles can use alternate sweeteners.

The recipe I'm adapting is for pickled herring.  I don't know if you can even buy herring at a basic supermarket in California.  I went for frozen salmon portions because I have experience with curing it, and changed the seasonings to make them appropriate.

This recipe doesn't have to be exclusively for breakfast.  That's just one of the things I used it for.  I usually have the Lasco for afternoon snack.  Papa Smurf rarely had lunch, but when he did, it was often something like this or peanut butter and crackers.

There are two ways of pickling fish, raw and poached.  I'm doing the poached version, where you pour the vinegar and spices just off the boil and it barely cooks the fish through.  You can also wait for the liquid to cool and do a raw version.  The recipe site included a link to the U of Minnesota's page on preserving fish, if you have safety questions.

Water
1/4 C pickling or kosher salt
12 oz salmon filet, skin-on
1 C vinegar (I used a mix of white wine and distilled)
3 Tb sugar
1 tsp mustard seed
1 tsp peppercorns
*4 juniper berries
*1 bay leaf
*1 tsp dill weed
1 lemon, thinly sliced
*1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

1.  In a small, non-reactive saucepan, heat 3 C water and the salt until the salt thoroughly dissolves.  Allow to cool to room temperature.  Pour over salmon in a small container until submerged.  Refrigerate 8 to 24 hours, to brine.

2.  In the small saucepan, combine vinegar, 1/2 C water, sugar, and all spices except the dill.  Bring to a low boil for several minutes.  If doing the poached version, maintain a low boil while you fill the jars.  For raw, allow to cool to room temperature.

3.  Thoroughly wash two wide-mouth pint jars, or a glass quart jar with a fairly wide mouth.  It's just going to be easier to get the pieces out later.  Don't use metal, as it will react with the vinegar.  Plastic will pick up flavor and odors.  Glass or ceramic is best for this, and glass is prettier.

4.  Drain the salmon and cut into one-ounce pieces.  This is meant for small servings.  You should be able to feel that the texture of the fish is slightly denser than raw.  Add dill to the bottom of the jar.  Then alternate adding fish, lemon, and onion until all are used up.

5.  Carefully pour hot (or cooled) pickling mixture into the jars, including the spices.  The cold fish should cool off the mixture enough to prevent the jar from cracking.  Shake or debubble the jar.  By now, you can see the color of the fish change as it cooks.  Cap and refrigerate at least a day before using.  The fish will get soft, flaky, and fall apart slightly as you remove it from the jar.  Maybe use a spoon.  Use within 2-3 weeks.

Makes 12 1-ounce servings

Difficulty rating  :)

Chickpeas, Cauliflower, Tomato, Sumac Yogurt

A while back, the L.A. Times did a spotlight on Jeanne Kelley's cookbook Vegetarian Salad for Dinner.  I haven't decided if I'm going to cough up that much for it yet, especially since I just spent $30 on another salad cookbook.

The recipe they published looked fantastic, and far more accessible than the ones in Salad Freak.  It went on the meal plan as a "one pot" dinner, even though I ended up with a lot of dishes to wash.  It's also another oven-cooked salad, which was a better idea when it wasn't quite so hot out yet.

Choose a good-quality Greek yogurt for this.  It doesn't have to be the most expensive one.  I got the "organics" version of the store brand, so second-cheapest option.  It should be thick and creamy.  You aren't making a smoothie or throwing fruit into it.  The flavor and texture have to hold on their own with only a bit of seasoning.  Plus, it's half of the protein in this dish.

I had to go looking for sumac.  I did not want to commit to a big container until I knew if I liked it.  A few spice brands carry it and it isn't cheap.  Sprouts had it in the bulk spices, so I got enough to fill one of my little 2 oz spice jars, to experiment in this and a few Salad Freak recipes.  I decided that if I liked it, I could go to a Middle Eastern or Kosher market and buy a full container.  The receipt was a bit scary at $24.79/lb, but 1/4 C by volume was 74¢.  The whole cumin seeds were easier.  Tampico and other bargain brands carry them for a little over a dollar.  Plus, I know I will use them.  If you don't want to go to the effort to find sumac, sweet paprika or a mild chili powder would be the next closest in flavor.  I don't have Aleppo pepper and subbed chili powder to very nice effect.

And as long as I've brought up food prices, a word about pine nuts.  They aren't in the original recipe, but I wanted to garnish with them.  Last time I bought them, they were $1.25 an ounce.  I got about five dollars' worth and kept them in the freezer, using a few tablespoons at a time as garnish over a couple of years.  The best I could do to restock was $2 per ounce from Smart & Final.  As long as I use cashews when I make pesto, this will last me another few years.  Long enough to choke at the next price hike.

1-1/2 C plain Greek yogurt
*1 clove garlic, grated or put through a garlic press
1 generous tsp ground sumac, plus more for sprinkling (or sweet paprika)
Olive oil as needed (over 1/4 C)
1 large head cauliflower, cut into 2-inch florets
salt and pepper
12 oz cherry or grape tomatoes (dry pint)
*1 14-16 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 rounded tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp Aleppo pepper or chili powder
*1/2 C chopped fresh Italian parsley
Extra garnishes such as feta, olives, pine nuts, herbs (optional)

1.  To make the dressing/dip, stir together yogurt, grated garlic, and sumac.  And who are we kidding, it was closer to 3 garlic cloves.  Refrigerate to let flavors meld while you prepare the veggies.

2.  Preheat oven to 425º.  Line two sheet pans with parchment.  I didn't, thinking that I've been far too protective of my baking sheets.  Took forever to scrub them clean, especially the tomato one.

3.  In a large bowl, toss cauliflower with about 3 Tb olive oil, so they're well coated.  Spread on one baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Put the tomatoes in the bowl with another tablespoon of oil and toss to coat.  Spread those on the other sheet and also sprinkle with salt and pepper.

4.  Roast 15 minutes, then stir both pans to turn up the browned sides.  The tomatoes may be done, or give them 5 more minutes to get a little blistered.  The cauliflower will need longer.  Once the tomatoes are blistered through, stash them somewhere safe, like the serving bowl.  Toss the chickpeas in the mixing bowl with another tablespoon of oil and spread them on the tomato pan.  Sprinkle with cumin seeds and Aleppo pepper and put them in to roast until the cauliflower is done.

5.  Once everything is roasted, allow it to cool 10 minutes.  Everything goes back in the bowl, plus the chopped parsley.  Admittedly, I used way more than 1/2 C.  I liked the look and have a lot of it.  Toss until evenly mixed, bearing in mind that the tomatoes are very fragile.

6.  Arrange salad on a platter or large serving bowl.  Transfer yogurt to a shallow bowl and set amid the veggies.  Garnish with more sumac, olives, feta, pine nuts, or anything else you think would enhance the dish.  Serve veggies room temperature or slightly warm.

Difficulty rating  :)

Chicken Tagine (Slow Cooker Version)

I made a Crockpot pork roast as kalua pork and instantly became a convert to making meats in it.  Next up on my wish list was chicken tagine.

I might buy a bigger slow cooker, and keep my little one just for yogurt.  Not super huge, maybe a 4 or 5 quart.  This one was never intended to cook four main dish servings.  Four chicken thighs were kind of a tight fit.  Granted, they were big.

This one was super easy.  I didn't brown anything.  Onion, garlic, chicken, sprinkle on spices, pour in some water, and go.  You can definitely brown the chicken or sauté the onions first if you want, but I was leaving the house pre-dawn.  I set up everything but the water the night before and kept it in the fridge.  In the morning, the crock was transferred to the heating element, I added the water, and set it on low while I was at work.  This is just the kind of thing I bought the appliance for.

I used some "tagine spice" as part of my mix.  A quick search will find you many brands, including my local Sadaf.  If you can't find something similar, maybe labeled Moroccan seasoning, there are numerous DIY recipes online, likely with spices you already have.

I do realize that one chicken thigh per serving doesn't sound like enough.  For one thing, even that barely fit in the cooker, but it's also an actual serving of meat.  3-4 oz, about the size of a deck of cards.  It's how I've judged my portions for years, so I'm used to it.  It can shock some people.  I'm trying to adhere to the 3/4 of the plate being veggies rule.

*1/2 yellow or white onion, diced
*2 cloves garlic, minced
4 chicken thighs
*2 tsp tagine spice
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp kosher salt
3" cinnamon stick
water as needed

1.  Line slow cooker with a disposable liner.  This is a lot of spices.  Or, put a roaster bag in a 3 quart casserole with a lid.

2.  Place the onion and garlic at the bottom of the crock.  Fit in the chicken, then add the spices.

3.  Add about 1 C water, at least halfway up the crock.  Top with the lid.  If oven-baking, set to 175º.  For slow cooker, set on low.  Run for 6-8 hours, until chicken is fall apart tender and thermometer reads at least 165º.  If you strain the liquid, it's a Moroccan-style chicken bone broth.  Not a lot of it, but still worth adding to a small batch of soup.

Difficulty rating  π

Eggplant and Cucumber Salad

I threw some eggplant on the grill, since I always feel it's such a waste to light it up for four burgers.  There were cucumbers in the fridge that I wasn't sure why I bought.  And on the page facing the coleslaw dressing recipe in the Bible were two for cucumber salads.  As long as I had a bit of sour cream in the fridge, I thought this was something I could play with.

Yes, I realized it would be different to have a salad with one component raw and the other cooked.  The texture contrast surprisingly works.  I do not recommend doing this with zucchini instead of eggplant.  It looks too much like the cucumber and things would get weird.  Most other recipes in the world, they're interchangeable as long as the eggplant can be cooked.  I don't even know if a raw eggplant is edible.

1 large eggplant
olive oil for brushing
*2 cucumbers
*1/2 C sour cream
1 Tb cider vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
1/8 tsp celery seed

1.  If grilling, start the grill.  If not, turn on the broiler.

2.  Cut the cap off the eggplant and slice longways into wedges.  Sprinkle with kosher salt and let sit 10 minutes to draw out some of the moisture.  Rinse thoroughly.

3.  Brush cut sides of eggplant with oil to reduce sticking.  Remember, eggplant is a sponge, so don't go crazy.  Set on the grill for about 10 minutes per side, or 5 per side under the broiler.  Once the insides are softened, remove to a plate to cool.

4.  Peel cucumbers and cut into thin half-moon slices.  I originally was doing full rounds, but unless you're using Persian cucumbers, that gets unwieldy.

5.  Whisk together sour cream, cider vinegar, salt, pepper, and celery seed.  Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary.  Remember that the dressing is going to draw out moisture from the veggies and resist the urge to thin it out.

6.  Once cool enough to handle, chop eggplant into bite-sized pieces.  Toss in a bowl with cucumber slices and dressing.  Chill until ready to serve.

Serves 6-8

Difficulty rating  :)

Citrus Slaw

I spent the extra on a bag of coleslaw shreds from Sprouts rather than end up with at least half a cabbage left over.  They don't come with dressing or onions.  Probably should have gotten the kit from somewhere that does, but the veggies looked very fresh.

What this did was give me freedom to finish the salad how I wished.  I've been making all my own salad dressings during this low-carb journey.  You would be amazed how much sugar is in most dressings, especially the "lite" ones.  Lite generally refers to low fat, and 90% of the time the flavor the fat brings is replaced with sugar.  I've known this for a long time, but never cared when my focus was on fat content.

Let's face it, the appeal of most coleslaws is the sugar in the dressing.  It's why I love KFC's, when I generally don't like mayo.  Here, the sugar is replaced with citrus fruits.  I still have a lot of orange baggies in the freezer because I've been buying fresh fruit instead.  I need to be better about using my frozen produce.  Its basket is seriously full.  I pulled out a few of those and some limes I had bought on clearance and never gotten around to preparing for the freezer.

I'm adding broccoli to this one because my plants were putting out more than I could find uses for.  They were the tender side shoots that don't form a head, what is often sold at a premium as broccolini.  There are all sorts of veggies you can add to a slaw.  Get creative.

1 small bag coleslaw shreds
1/4 C thinly sliced yellow or red onion
2-3 oranges, peeled and segmented
*1/2 C (lite) mayo
*juice of 2 limes
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp white pepper
1/8 tsp paprika
milk or buttermilk as needed

1.  In a large bowl, toss together prepared salad, sliced onion, and half the orange pieces.

2.  In a small bowl, whisk together mayo, lime juice, and seasonings.  Add milk to achieve a ranch dressing-like consistency.

3.  Toss together salad and dressing until everything is coated.  Place in serving bowl and top with remaining orange pieces.  Chill until ready to serve.

Serves 6-8

Difficulty rating  π

Did It Work?

I had my follow-up blood test to find out if my carb cutting changes worked.  (I've been running ahead with my posts, so it has been quite a bit longer than two months since the original diagnosis.)

Aside from the weight loss, I have noticed some changes in how I feel.  They were symptoms that I had associated with other possible conditions, not putting together that they could also be part of pre-diabetes. I had fatigue (stress), occasional lightheadedness (dehydration, aging, possible long Covid), blurry vision (haven't gotten new glasses this year), and a wee bit of weight gain (Passover, stress, aging).  One change that may not be directly related to diabetes, but improved with a lower carb diet, is a decrease in asthma.  I went down a dosage at the beginning of this, and I've adjusted to it well.  That's an autoimmune and anti-inflammatory improvement.  I would love to go off daily meds entirely and only have an inhaler, like how I was pre-Covid.

What has astonished me is how much energy I have.  A higher percentage of my calories are from protein just from cutting half of the calories from carbohydrates.  On top of that, I'm having more protein as a way to have some of those calories back.  I'm not weak at all from weighing less than I think I should.

I did get a migraine.  It had only been three months since the last one.  I need to watch my salt, caffeine,  and other triggers.  I don't actually need as much caffeine anymore to get me going, and that comes attached to sugar, so cutting back would help both issues.

It's important to note that none of the improvements happened the first week.  Well, except the first two pounds of weight loss.  It took me a month to figure out what I was supposed to be eating, and I made a lot of mistakes that probably made things worse for a while.

I finally had my recheck appointment last week.  I showed the doctor some of the blog photos of what I had been eating, and she was impressed.  She was even cool with keto cheesecake.

So how did I do?  My cholesterol went up, as I expected.  Come on, all that meat, eggs, and dairy I have been enjoying had to have messed with it.  However, it wasn't horrific enough to go on statins.  My ratios improved, which is what drove up the numbers a little.

But, drum roll...

I'm no longer pre-diabetic!  It's one of the lower readings on my graph over the past 10 years.  I haven't been below 5.3 at this practice.  Downside, I'll need to keep my carbs relatively low to maintain it.  A splurge once in a while won't kill me.  I also now know to time my annual physical so it isn't close to some time I might be eating a lot of cake.

Quinoa and Roasted Vegetable Bowl

 

This was originally going to be quinoa tabouli, then I decided to make it a heartier bowl of veggies and grain.  "Bowl" meals are really un-tossed salads, where you play a game of arranging the components on top to make them more appetizing.  It's the same amount of work as a regular salad prep-wise, but looks like a lot more because you end up with a million little bowls instead of dumping it in as you go.  Full disclosure, leftovers became a tossed salad over quinoa.

I bought a salad cookbook, Salad Freak.  Not because I'm suddenly in love with salads, but because they seem to be the best way to incorporate the foods I should be eating.  I'll be honest, I probably won't make anything in there exactly as written.  For one thing, the ingredients are way too particular.  Yes, I have cilantro flowers and copious amounts of fresh mint because I grow them.  And I'm not going to get name brand snobby about mayo.  Many of the Amazon reviews agree that the author is a lovely food stylist, but the recipes are often not accessible.  However, I'm learning composition and plating, which allows me to create dishes like this one.

This one is entirely accessible and basically a sheet pan dinner.  If you don't want to invest in a jar of tahini (which will last forever), peanut or another nut butter can be thinned out for a similar effect.

*1 C dry quinoa, any color
1/2 lb waxy potato, such as Yukon or rose
2 large carrots
1/2 red onion
8 oz white or baby bella mushrooms
*1 C cherry or grape tomatoes
1 bunch chard or lacinato kale, or 1/2 lb fresh spinach
olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
paprika to taste
*1/4 C tahini paste
2 Tb lemon juice
*2 cloves garlic, minced
*feta for serving, if desired

1.  Get out a big bowl, two sheet pans lined with parchment, a wide skillet, and preheat the oven to 375º.  Rinse the quinoa until all the soapy residue is gone and start it simmering with 1 C water.

2.  Wash potatoes and cut into 1" pieces.  Peel carrots and cut into a similar size.  Toss in the bowl with a little oil to coat.  Lightly season with salt and pepper.  Start roasting.  Not the order I started in, but go with it as written.

3.  Wash and peel the onion.  Cut the long way, stem to root, and slice into Frenched pieces.  Wash the mushrooms and remove any tough stems.  If bigger than bite-sized, cut in halves or quarters.  Wash the tomatoes.  All these guys go in the bowl with more oil, salt, and pepper, then onto the other sheet.  By now, the harder veggies have an 8-10 minute head start.  Move the carrots and potatoes around a little on their pan, then add the second to the oven.

4.  Wash the greens very well.  There's more dirt on them than you think.  Cut the stems into small pieces and start them cooking in a tablespoon of oil over medium heat in the skillet.  Slice the green parts crosswise into ribbons and add to the skillet.  Don't worry, they're going to cook down.  Move them around occasionally.

5.  By now, the quinoa is probably done.  Check that the water is fully absorbed and the little tendrils have separated from the main seed.  Add more water if necessary and remove from heat.  It can finish cooking on its own.

6.  After peeking that the mushrooms aren't overdone, start on the dressing.  Whisk together tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and a bit of salt.  Taste and adjust seasonings, then start thinning it out with water until desired consistency is reached.  I went for ranch dressing fluidity.  You can make it more like cream, or thinner like buttermilk.

7.  Remove greens from heat when they have fully wilted.  The only thing in the oven which requires cooking is the potatoes, so get everything out once they're done.

8.  At this point, it's up to you if you want to serve this hot or cold.  I went for slightly warm.  Spoon a base of quinoa into a serving bowl or individual meal bowls.  Add the vegetable elements in their own little piles as desired.  I tried to balance the colors rather than textures.  Drizzle with tahini, and have more on hand.  If not going vegan, sprinkle with feta.  Or honestly, you could add a bit of fish or chicken, maybe even lamb.  This definitely has a Mediterranean feel to it.

Difficulty level  :)

Boysenberry Harvest 2023

I never know what I'm doing when I try to grow produce.  I plant something that I'm reasonably sure can survive in my climate, generally over-water it, and am thrilled when something edible happens.

In all the years I've had the boysenberry bramble, I think this has been its most productive year.  I only trim it back every other year, and this was one that I let it grow.  I might have used blueberry fertilizer on it after the blueberry bushes died.  But really, I'm attributing this harvest to getting double the average annual rainfall this winter.

The bush was gorgeous when it bloomed, and the vast majority of the blossoms became fruit.  I went out every couple of days with one hand covered in a suede glove to protect it from thorns and harvested at least a dozen berries.  They went in the fridge in a blackberry clamshell I had saved for this purpose.

Once a week, or when the box was full, I washed, dried, and froze the berries.  Minus one or two that I tested for product quality.  This is the step I have missed in the past, when I would just throw a few in yogurt before they could spoil.  You can definitely save up berries in the freezer.  Think of the huge array of frozen fruit at the market.

The snails and birds did take their share, mostly around the front edge.  All those thorns prevented worse damage, as they are designed to do.  I came out of a berry-picking session bleeding more than once.  I have no clue what these berries will eventually become, but I now have over three quarts of boysenberries to enjoy.

Layered Cherry Gelatin Ring

Yes, I have been reduced to sugar-free Jell-O and calling fruit dessert.  Of course, this recipe works just as well with regular gelatin mix.  Probably better.  And I didn't realize that sugar-free only comes in the bigger boxes, at least where I shop.  I got out the big Tupperware bundt-style mold, since it has a 6 cup capacity.  The smaller one I intended to use is only 4 cup, which wouldn't leave room for the fruit.

I got cherries for 80¢ a pound.  Not a typo, and they weren't gross.  I should have gotten more and canned them, but I'm not making pie filling this year, boo-hoo.  So many things I miss.

I had a minor catastrophe when turning out the mold, which was entirely my fault.  I let it sit in the warm water too long.  I could see it was drippy around the edges and turned it over anyway.  It won't break if you unmold it properly.  Or, you can make these single-serving in wine or plastic picnic glasses, and turning them over will not be an issue.

1 large package cherry gelatin mix
*2 C (about 1 lb) sweet cherries
1/3 C lite sour cream
whipped topping for serving

1.  Prepare gelatin according to package directions in a medium bowl.  Refrigerate in the bowl, and start checking after one hour.  When you stir it, you should get a rough texture that settles down smooth in a minute and not a whole lot of resistance.

2.  During that hour, pit your cherries.  You will end up with about 1-1/2 C after pitting, which really isn't fair.  If working with frozen fruit, use 1-1/2 C and put them in frozen.  It will help the dessert set faster.

3.  Pour half of the gelatin into a mold or 8 single serving cups.  Drop half of the cherries into the gelatin.  They will sink eventually.  Refrigerate the mold until mostly set, another hour, while leaving the remainder at room temperature so it doesn't gel.

4.  Stir sour cream into remaining gelatin until smooth.  Pour into mold and add remaining cherries.  Chill until firm, at least 4 hours.

5.  To turn out, dip mold in warm water for 30 seconds, until it just barely starts to melt around the outer edge.  Place serving plate on top and flip over.  If the gelatin doesn't drop, place back in bowl for another short while.  Not 2 minutes.  Slice and serve with whipped topping.

Serves 8

Difficulty rating  :)