De Ma Cuisine

Eggs Archive

Friday

3

July 2020

0

COMMENTS

Simple Garden Salad

Written by , Posted in Dairy-Free, Eggs, Gardening, Gluten Free, Herbs, Lunch, Main Dishes, Nuts, Quick and Easy, Salads, Thoughts, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian

I have so much to say that I feel as though I might burst. My thoughts seem to tumble about and get muddied because there are too many to organize. I don’t know where to start.

I guess I’ll begin here. In the garden.

I feel like I should be talking about something other than plants and seeds and watering schedules. But, right now the world is showing me that there’s not a lot of joy out there. So, I’m going to share something that brings me a bit of happiness in the midst of turmoil.

I’ve been growing vegetables for years. My first garden was planted in hard-packed sandy dirt. It was at the top of the driveway of the second Central California house that Tim and I lived in during our second year of marriage. It resulted in five foot tall tomato plants with more fruit than we could eat. It was glorious.

The next garden was in raised beds set on a cement patio in our third house. That garden’s potato yield was incredible. A year or so later we moved again. This time to an apartment in Southern California. We brought a few of the garden boxes along with us and tried to grow herbs and tomatoes. They were always covered by a thin layer of soot from the nearby freeway. But, the real thwarmp that killed them was when the landlord renovated the unit above us and blew tiny paint droplets out the window and all over the garden. I was furious. I demanded to be compensated for the loss. I was. But, it didn’t fix the ruined garden. A couple of years later we moved into a house with a small front yard that served as our outdoor space. We put the garden boxes on the tiny cement patio. I was able to coax some tomatoes and basil to grow, but not much else. The next year I grew one acorn squash and some basil, but the tomatoes got blight.

We finally gave up on Burbank’s insane cost of living and moved to the East coast. Going from an almost year round growing season to one that’s about four months long has been a challenge. Last year I got three tomatoes. Total. And they were green when I picked them the day before the first frost. Green beans have grown well for me in this climate. My hope this summer is for jars and jars of dilly beans. I made some last year and they were delicious. I’d wanted to make pickles again too, but something has eaten all of my cucumber plants. Last year’s pickling cucumbers produced enough to can two quart sized jars. I can’t tell you how disappointed I am that that probably won’t happen this year.

Of all the gardens we’ve had, this one is my favorite. Last summer Tim worked so hard to build it. He cemented eight foot posts to keep the fence strong and the deer out, buried the coated chicken wire a foot deep to deter pests, and made it as perfect as I could have hoped for. This summer we’ve added solar powered lights, an umbrella that Tim found at the dump, and mulch to cover the weed mat that lined our pathways. We’ve planted sunflowers, nasturtiums, and morning glories around the perimeter of the garden. Some hanging in pots, some in the ground. I had great hopes that the English peas would grow up the sunflowers. But, the sunflowers have had a rough spring. The same thing that’s eaten my cucumbers seems to like them too.

Whether or not the cucumbers survive, the sunflowers grow, or the tomatoes produce, in the garden is one of my favorite places to be. Nature is great, from a distance. I don’t like to hike or be outdoorsy. So this little space is just perfect for me.

I don’t know if this is where we will stay for years and years. It’s been a tough place to fit in and feel like we belong. That doesn’t mean we should leave. I love lots of things about where we are. The main thing being my home with Tim and Brando. They are not specific to this place. Home is where we are together. For now, this little piece of the East coast is it. And we’ve built a glorious garden to play in during the warm months.

Yesterday I picked some greens to use in a salad for lunch. It’s so simple that it doesn’t require a recipe. Here are the basics:

Simple Garden Salad

Ingredients

  • greens (arugula, spinach, beet, baby kale)
  • fresh herbs (basil) (parsley and chives could be great too)
  • seeds (pepitas, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, flax seeds) (chopped nuts would be great too)
  • homemade dressing (olive oil, balsamic vinegar, a splash of maple syrup, dijon mustard, and salt)
  • fried eggs or crispy tofu
  • Burlap & Barrel Black Urfa Chili*
  • Maldon salt

Directions

  1. Wash the greens well. Tear into bite sized pieces.
  2. Sprinkle the greens with seeds and drizzle with dressing. Top with fried eggs or crispy tofu. I like my eggs over medium: whites cooked, yolks still runny so that they become a second dressing. Sprinkle some Black Urfa Chili* and Maldon salt on the eggs or tofu.
  3. Serve alongside last night’s reheated leftovers.

*Black Urfa Chili is an affiliate link, which means that I get a small commission for any sales generated from referrals.

Friday

8

November 2019

0

COMMENTS

Breakfast Burritos

Written by , Posted in Beans, Breakfast, Brunch, Cheese, Dairy-Free, Eggs, Gluten Free, Herbs, Kid-Friendly, Low Carb, Lunch, Main Dishes, Quick and Easy, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian

Monday was a very bad day. Tuesday morning started out kinda the same. Remnants of the crappy yesterday had stuck around. I hadn’t been this angry about something in a while.

My response to crisis is usually food. Food is comfort. That can lead to mindless eating. But, sometimes it leads to a really good breakfast that makes for a better start to the day.

I had cereal for lunch with zero plans for dinner. But, at least breakfast was good.

I started it simply, with chopped bell pepper and some minced cayenne pepper from the garden. I don’t know why they didn’t turn red. But, the seed pack said cayenne, so that’s what they are.

You could add a million other things in there too. Leftover potatoes, chopped onions, broccoli, leftovers from last night’s dinner… pretty much any veggies you think would be great probably will be.

After the peppers cooked in some oil for a few minutes I added some beans. I had pinto on hand. Yum. Black beans would also be great. And if all you have are kidney, or cannellini, use them! Why not?!

After the beans got hot, I added some whisked eggs. To keep it vegan, add in some crumbled tofu. Easy.

I took a pic of the tortilla being topped. It looked not amazing. The eggs had turned a bit grey from being cooked with everything else. If you want them to look amazing and yellow, scramble them separately. And then wash that extra dish. Yeah. No thank you. Less dishes is always the best option.

I laid out the tortillas, topped them with a handful of cheese, then the bean mixture. I used a mixture of cheddar and monterey jack, but if you’re going vegan, my favorite is Violife (just like cheddar or just like mozzarella shreds are great!). They got rolled up and then, the best part. A clean skillet with hot oil, cook that burrito on all sides until it’s shatteringly crisp. Yes please!

For topping or dipping, I like avocado with a bit of salt, and some sour cream. Tim likes salsa. Some people might like cilantro or some diced tomatoes.

However you serve them, they’re pretty quick and easy and make for a great start to the day.

Happy Eating!

Breakfast Burritos

Yields 3 burritos

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon oil (I used grapeseed)
  • 1/2 of a medium-sized bell pepper, diced (could also use: onion, cooked potatoes, cubanelle pepper, broccoli… whatever you have on hand)
  • 1/2 of a small hot pepper (I used cayenne), ribs and seeds removed, minced
  • pinch of salt
  • 1-14 ounce can of beans (pinto or black), drained
  • 4 eggs or half a brick of firm tofu
  • a little more salt
  • sprinkle of chili powder
  • handful of shredded cheese for each burrito, vegan (I like Violife) or conventional (I like a mixture of cheddar and monterey jack)
  • 3 burrito-sized tortillas (whole wheat, white, or gluten-free)
  • topping options: salsa, sour cream, cilantro, avocado, diced tomato, Sir Kensington’s Chipotle or Sriracha Mayo
  • a bit more oil, for crisping

Directions

  1. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the bell pepper, hot pepper, and any other veggies, and a pinch of salt. Cook until the veggies are tender, about 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the beans and cook until the beans are heated through, about 4 minutes.
  2. Whisk the eggs, or crumble the tofu, in either case, with a pinch of salt and a sprinkle of chili powder. Add to the skillet with the beans and cook until eggs are set or tofu is hot (or you can cook the eggs separately if you want them to stay yellow – have fun washing that extra pan). Taste for seasoning.
  3. Top each tortilla with some cheese. Divide the bean filling between the tortillas and roll them up.
  4. In a clean skillet, add a bit of oil and crisp up the burritos, turning until they’re golden brown and delicious.
  5. Serve burritos cut in half with desired toppings.

Wednesday

2

October 2019

0

COMMENTS

Roasted Grain Bowls

Written by , Posted in Breakfast, Brunch, Condiments, Dinner, Eggs, Grains, Herbs, Leftovers, Lunch, Main Dishes, Quinoa, Rice, Roasting, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian

I’m sitting here shoveling this food into my face hole and I keep wondering what that B.O. smell is… Oh. It’s the unused scallions. Why even do they smell like that?! It’s kinda gross.

Not quite as yucky as dog toots, rotten stuff, or humidity. But, off-putting none-the-less.

Speaking of humidity, it’s kinda warm and rainy and humid today. Buuuuuut, tomorrow it’s gonna be in the 50s, Friday night it could freeze, and that, plus the blanket of leaves on our lawn, is making it feel like fall. Which makes me want to eat all the soup and bake all the things.

Today I baked an apple cake and some sandwich bread. I also roasted cauliflower for my lunch, even though what I really wanted were the Red and Green Enchiladas that I made a few weeks ago. But, I don’t have any tortillas and I didn’t want to go to the store or make them. I had the oven on and a bit of time before while the bread rose. I figured I should do something with the very old cauliflower that I’d forgotten about in the crisper. I tossed it with olive oil and salt and let it roast for a while.

I had frozen the leftover farro from the Kale and Farro salad that I made at the beginning of September. It was thawed and in the fridge, ready to be used. I added it to the baking sheet when the cauliflower was browned and delicious. Plus the stinky scallions, a smidge more salt, some Italian Hot Salt, and a grind of black pepper. It just needed to get warm and a bit crispy.

I’m sorry I said “stinky scallions”. That doesn’t make things sound delicious.

I wanted one more element, so I fried an egg in butter and popped it on top. Over-medium, so the yolk could run through the farro. Everything got topped with some local Sriracha and a bit of Maldon salt.

You could skip the egg and top it with a plomp of Fabanaise, to make it vegan. You could use brown rice, barley, or bulgur wheat instead of farro (maybe quinoa?? not sure how it would do – it could end up as tiny crispy bits… nope, that still sounds delicious). Just adjust your baking time accordingly. If you have broccoli, that would be perfect, carrots might be great, you could even use those green beans that are still growing in your garden. Treat this recipe as a starting point. Remember, you’re the boss of your meal. Make it how you want.

Happy Eating!

Roasted Grain Bowls

Serves 2

Ingredients

  • 1 small head cauliflower, core removed, chopped into medium-sized pieces
  • 1 1/2 T olive oil
  • 1/2 t salt, divided
  • 2 C cooked farro (can sub: brown rice, barley, or bulgur wheat)
  • 1/2 T chopped scallions
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • Italian Hot Salt (or a pinch of cayenne)
  • 1/2 T unsalted butter or olive oil (optional)
  • 2 eggs (optional)
  • Sriracha, for serving
  • Maldon salt, for serving

Directions

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 350°F.
  2. Toss the cauliflower with the olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Roast, turning once, until cauliflower is tender and browned, about 30 minutes (time may vary depending on your oven).
  3. Add the farro, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, the scallions, black pepper, and Italian Hot Salt or cayenne. Toss with the cauliflower. Bake until the farro is hot and a bit crispy, about 5 minutes.
  4. Fry the eggs in hot butter to desired doneness.
  5. Divide the farro and cauliflower mixture between two plates and top each with a fried egg, some Sriracha, and some Maldon salt.

Tuesday

23

July 2019

0

COMMENTS

Summer Daze – Scrambled Egg Tacos

Written by , Posted in Breakfast, Brunch, Cheese, Condiments, Dinner, Eggs, Gluten Free, Herbs, Lunch, Main Dishes, Quick and Easy, Vegetables, Vegetarian

Summer is a season I just want to get through. It’s hot and muggy and buggy and I don’t like any of that. I’m trying to enjoy it as much as a person like me can. But, if I’m honest, I’m really just waiting for fall.

There are some perks to summer. My garden is thriving… Ok, my kale is thriving and the potatoes went crazy. Everything else is still mini. I dunno why. I’ll take the kale though. I have plans for a kale pesto on some savory pancakes. The garden provides a place for simple summer meals. At this time of year I feel like I need less food and more drinks. Makes sense. The produce that’s available right now is more water-laden than its winter friends. Think zucchini compared to butternut squash. Both delicious, but who’s craving winter squash right now?!

Last week I made Tired Spaghetti. It was a simple and easy meal for a tired workday. It had burst grape tomatoes, garlic, chickpeas, pasta water, cream, Italian Hot Salt, Kosher salt, and pepper. I cooked the pasta while the tomatoes did their thing in some olive oil. Then I added some pasta water to the tomatoes and other saucy ingredients. I drained the pasta when it still had a bit of a bite, and let it finish cooking in the sauce. It was exactly what we needed that night.

Today, I’m sitting at the kitchen table to work. On days like this, lunch needs to be quick and filling enough that I don’t need a snack break twenty minutes after I eat. Our fridge is stuffed with food… but it’s mostly condiments. I don’t know if we really need a whole shelf of jars of mayo, pickled veggies, and different varieties of Asian sauces. But, somehow we can’t bear to part with any of them. So we shrug our shoulders and use them up bit by bit.

I have some mayos by Sir Kensington’s that I really love. I eat the Sriracha and Chipotle mayos most days. Usually I stand at the counter and shove fistfuls of corn chips dipped in both mayos into my face. If we don’t have dinner planned and started as soon as we get home from work, this is what I eat. And I usually eat so much that I’m not hungry when dinner is ready. It’s a problem.

This morning I planned our menu for the next two weeks. But, I forgot to plan something for today’s lunch. I almost gave in and just ate corn chips and mayo. It would have tasted so good. But, I saw the eggs and corn tortillas and figured that with a little bit of effort I could make something a little bit more substantial.

It was really good. I’ve got the basic recipe below. But, it’s more of a use what and however much you want kinda thing. So, do that.

Happy Eating!

Scrambled Egg Tacos – Serves 1

Ingredients

  • pat of butter
  • 2 eggs
  • pinch of salt
  • 2 corn tortillas
  • pinch of grated cheese for each taco
  • Sriracha mayo
  • Chipotle mayo
  • 1 French breakfast radish, very thinly sliced
  • chopped chives or scallions
  • Maldon salt

Directions

  • Heat the tortillas.
  • Heat a skillet and add the butter. Whisk the eggs with a bit of salt (you can add a splash of water/milk/cream to them too). Add them to the hot pan and cook until they’re softly scrambled. Don’t overcook them!
  • Top each tortilla with a scoop of eggs, some cheese, either or both types of mayo, some radish slices, the chives, and a few Maldon salt flakes.

Tuesday

1

March 2016

2

COMMENTS

Spicy Cabbage and Cauliflower

Written by , Posted in Breakfast, Brunch, Dairy-Free, Dinner, Eggs, Fruit, Gluten Free, Herbs, Lunch, Main Dishes, One Dish Dinners, Quick and Easy, Sides, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian

SpicyCabbageCauliflower-1You ever have a day (or a week) where you just need to eat your feelings? One day, about two weeks ago, I had ice cream three times. It was a rough day. But, the ice cream helped. So did the wine that I drank after the ice cream. And the popcorn that I had for lunch. Sometimes I need to allow myself to not think. To just eat because I want to. It’s not usually like that. Meals are planned in advance, food is purchased, time is carved out to cook.

On those days when I’d rather reach for the ice cream, or potato chips, or just run to In-n-Out, there are meals like this one.

SpicyCabbageCauliflower-2

It’s a synch to prepare and it was so good that I almost licked the plate.

SpicyCabbageCauliflower-3
I sautéed some quarter inch thick slices of cauliflower in olive oil. It was generously seasoned with salt, pepper, cayenne, and paprika. Partway through I added some cabbage. Well seasoned, just like the cauliflower. I love a fried egg on almost anything, so I scooched the veggies over and cooked one once the veggies were done. I moved the whole skillet over on the burner so the egg would be over the flame. But, keeping the veggies in there allowed them to stay nice and hot while the egg cooked.

SpicyCabbageCauliflower-4

The veggies were topped with a squeeze of lemon, some garlic chives, and finally the fried egg. The veggies were really the star, so if you want to make this a vegan dish, you won’t be missing out. I made it a second time the other day when I had lunch with my friend Billye, who is a vegan, and served it with some crispy chick peas. Crispy sweet potatoes would also be great. Whatever you serve it with, a slice of toasted sourdough slathered with salted butter or olive oil and coarse sea salt is the perfect accompaniment.

Happy Eating!

Spicy Cabbage and Cauliflower

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Yield: 2

Spicy Cabbage and Cauliflower

Ingredients

  • 2-3 T olive oil
  • 2-3 C cauliflower, sliced about 1/4" thick
  • 2 C napa cabbage (or any other type of cabbage), sliced 1/4" thick
  • to taste salt
  • to taste pepper
  • to taste cayenne
  • to taste paprika
  • 1 egg/serving (optional)
  • 1 T garlic chives (or regular chives, spring onions, green onions, green garlic), chopped
  • lemon wedges, for serving

Instructions

  1. Heat a large skillet over medium. Add oil. When oil is hot add cauliflower in a single layer (if possible). Season with salt through paprika and cook for 3-5 minutes. Flip and cook for about 3-5 minutes more (or until browned and crispy). Push to one side and add cabbage. Season it with salt through paprika and cook, stirring often, for 3-5 minutes (turning the cauliflower from time to time so it doesn't burn).
  2. If serving with eggs: Push the veggies to one side and move the skillet over so the veggies are off the flame. Add a bit more oil, and cook eggs as desired. Season with salt.
  3. Serve veggies topped with egg (optional), chives, and a squeeze of lemon, alongside a piece of toast with salted butter or olive oil and coarse sea salt.

http://www.de-ma-cuisine.com/spicy-cabbage-and-cauliflower/