Food additives to avoid

Bless the Caltons for researching these dangerous chemicals the FDA allows in our food.  You probably already read labels carefully, but here are a few more crazy ingredients to avoid.  I haven't read their book yet, but it is on my list.

Healthy - what does it mean?

Healthy means eating your colors. If you can walk to get your groceries, prepare, and enjoy them with loved ones, friends, or pets, even healthier.
This year, my cranberry sauce was enlivened by fresh grated ginger.

Winter is full of gorgeous tasty greens.

Turnip chips

Sliced as thin as possible, fried in coconut and olive oils, these were sweet and wonderful.  I seasoned with turmeric and red pepper, and I sprinkled basil after I pulled them out of the pan.

Albacore with Fried Sage, Oregano and Garlic

Trader Joe's frozen fish - the trick to get a good texture is to use several paper towels to press out moisture after thawing and just before cooking.  I love fresh herbs, this time sage and oregano.  I cooked this in a mixture of coconut and olive oils, about 2/3 ratio.

Bison brisket is bomb

Last Thanksgiving, I made a beef brisket with Whole Foods grass fed beef.  Last weekend, I tried a 2 lb. bison brisket, grass fed and grass finished, from Linder Farms.  It was about $10 per pound, the same price as the WF brisket.
I was concerned that bison is leaner than beef, so after defrosting, I marinated overnight in lime juice, olive oil, and red pepper flakes.  When I was ready to cook, I pulled the meat out to allow it to come to room temperature and turned the oven to 450.
While the meat warmed, I started my two large golden onions, 1.5 bulbs of garlic, and chopped cabbage to cook in coconut oil.  Cabbage in a brisket?  I'm Polish.  I seasoned with oregano, cumin, parsley, thyme and red pepper flakes. 

Then I seared the brisket in very hot coconut oil.

I added it to the vegetables and added my low-sodium vegetable broth.  I don't use any foods that include "spices" or "flavor."

I covered, brought the broth to a boil, and put it in the oven.  After 30 minutes, I turned the oven down to 200 and left it for five hours.

I consider both briskets to be a success.  Both had great flavor but slightly different texture.  The beef was more moist and stringy, while the bison was firm and drier.

I made a salad with radiccio, a spicy yogurt and olive oil chimichurri sauce, and slices of brisket.

I chopped small pieces of the brisket and fried them in olive oil and coconut oil, added eggs and small chunks of real Parmesan cheese.

Italian snacks in the apartment

ricotta salata, oil, cayenne from Pakistan, dried basil

bufala mozzarella

beef, mozzarella, spicy olives, olive oil, dried basil

Spicy curry fish with greens and garlic

Sometimes all you need to make fish and greens exciting again is a new spice blend.  I got some spicy curry from a Pakistani stall in the Nuovo Mercato Esquilino.  The fish is a snapper, I think.  The greens are lambs' lettuce or purslane.  They are the only vegetable that has any significant amount of omega-3 fats, so this meal packs a very healthy punch.  I've seen this kind of greens at Trader Joe's.