What Did You Eat?

Iron Rich Food: Beef And Broccoli, With Oyster Sauce

Well, this explains a lot of things.  My visit to the doctor on Friday revealed that I have anemia.  And not  mild anemia.  Oh no, my hemoglobin is half of what it should be, as are the other levels they measured in my blood test. My doctor expressed amazement that I'm not flat on the floor, which alarmed me, as well as making me realize that I'm very stubborn...and stupid.  So, this is why I'm so absent minded, dizzy, and just plain exhausted most of the time. It's also likely the cause of my restless leg syndrome. And the cause of this anemia...well, it's a female thing.  All women hear me now, make sure you're getting enough iron, or you could wind up like me. 

I'm now taking awful tasting iron supplements, and researching iron rich foods on Google.  It so happens that beef and broccoli are both a good source for iron, and this recipe is a favorite of mine.  It tastes like beef and broccoli from Chinese restaurants, but I was able to make it with almost no oil.  And I did that because absent minded, anemic, me forgot to buy oil.

You might be on to the fact that I'm milking the anemia a bit. My cousin was chastising me for something today and I replied, "Hey, I'm anemic, cut me some slack!"  It's no fun being anemic, but it's rather freeing too. I do what I feel like doing, and no one can make me feel lazy or incompetent. 

I'm anemic, so cut me some slack.

PPN: Scallion-Chicken Noodles

I enjoy this recipe.  It's quick, simple to prepare, and delicious, with a lovely fragrance of scallions and ginger root.  Of course, not everyone likes this recipe as much me.  One friend made it, and objected to chopping an entire cup of scallions.  What?  That's not a lot of prep work.  Try making a real cobb salad someday--that's chopping worth complaining about.    I chop the scallions and grate the ginger root as the water for the pasta boils.  My only problem with this dish is sharing it with others. I want all of it myself.

This is my submission to Presto Pasta Night, which was started by the wonderful Ruth at Once Upon A Feast. Each Friday Ruth has a recap of wonderful pasta recipes from bloggers from all over the world.  So, do stop by and check it out.

PPN: Turkey And Bok Choy Wonton Soup

One of my very favorite comfort foods is wonton soup.  If I see a recipe different from those I've tried, I must make it.  To me, there's nothing so soothing and delectable than a soft wonton full of savory filling. This recipe from Martha Stewart Living included bok choy in the filling.  Hooray!  I've never made wonton soup with bok choy, so I had to correct that oversight.  As it turns out, bok choy gives the dumplings a stronger taste than spinach, which was appreciated. 

To those who think making wontons is laborious, I urge you to plunge in and make them.  It's a simple process, which I detailed here.  Once you do it, you'll get faster and faster, until you can turn them out very quickly.

No Rest For Weary Knees

You take a lot of things for granted when you're younger.  At one time, the biggest issue for my knees was skirt lengths.  Now, I spend every day wondering how difficult walking, sitting, or sleeping will be for me.   It all dates back to one moment around 12 years ago when I slipped on wet tiles in my bathroom and tore the meniscus in my left knee.   An operation seemed to solve the problem and I was a very happy camper for many years. Then, trouble arrived.  It turned out that the operation that solved the meniscus tear set me up for future problems.  And the future is now.  My left knee hurts horribly all the time, leading to severe hip pain, because I don't walk properly anymore.  And my right knee hurts, because it feels lonely and wants attention too.  Actually, it's been overworked, compensating for the left knee. I'm sure there are many people nodding their head as they read this, because they've gone through a similar experience. 

My knee doctor (who hates knee surgery) tried all the non-surgical fixes: glucosamine and chondroitin, synovial fluid injections, cortisone injections, lidocaine patches, etc.   Finally, he gave me a prescription for vicodin.  It helps some with the pain, but mostly makes me very sleepy. So, I decided enough was enough and asked to be referred to an orthopedic surgeon.   I want an knee replacement. I want to walk like a normal person, ride my bike, take yoga classes, and go to Italy.  This Thursday I have an appointment with the surgeon, and I hope this is the first step in a more active, pain free life.

WHB: Three Pea Stir-Fry With Chicken

As I was cooking this dish, I remembered the first time I grew my own sugar snap peas.  They were all the rage for back yard gardeners at the time. One night I asked my husband to go pick a bowl of peas, as I completed dinner.  The water for the peas came to a boil and I waited for him to come back bearing a large bowl of freshly picked peas. I waited and waited. Finally, I walked out to my garden and found him munching on the pea pods, straight off the vines.  The bowl I'd given him was virtually empty, and as I looked at him askance, he remarked, "Hey, these taste really good raw, why do you bother to cook them?"  I never asked him to gather the peas again, but he had a point.  They're delicious raw, or lightly cooked, as in this dish.  I had my own problems as I was trying to take the above picture, eating the peas from the bowl faster than I snapped the shutter on the camera.

PPN: Nigella's Sesame Peanut Noodles

I must love this kind of salad, because I've made quite a few versions. This is Nigella Lawson's version from Nigella Express, a cookbook full of simple, straightforward recipes.  This recipe makes a big bowl of noodles that should carry over into the weekend.   Feel free to change the ingredients as you see fit.  The original recipe didn't include radishes, but since they are one of my favorite vegetables, I included them.  The recipe uses peanut butter, but you can omit that and use tahini, or just go with a soy vinaigrette.  I didn't use precise measuring, just eyeballed everything and dumped it in together.  This is a good recipe, delicious, healthy, and pleasing to the eye. 

This is my submission to Presto Pasta Night, which was started by the wonderful Ruth at Once Upon A Feast. Each Friday Ruth has a recap of wonderful pasta recipes from bloggers from all over the world.  So, do stop by and check it out.

PPN: Prawns And Coconut Laksa With Vermicelli

This is one of those recipes that can be very hot, or mild, depending on how many chilies you add.  I'm feeling quite pro-chili right now. My sciatica acted up recently, making it unpleasant to sit or lie down.  If I do either, a searing pain flashes in my hips when I walk, accompanied by me yelling a long string of obscenities.  However, my foul mouth has been silenced (for now).  I used a capsicum patch last night, containing capsaicin, the chemical found in chili peppers that causes the burning sensation when you eat the hot varieties.  When applied topically, capsaicin overwhelms neurons , making them unable to report pain for an extended period of time. It doesn't work on every type of neuron, but the capsicum patch vanquished my pain all night long.  Yes, it felt like a hot heating pad was strapped to my back, but better that than a sciatic nerve making sleep impossible.  I've always loved chilies, but now they've assumed superhero status for me.

Kona Kampachi With Thai Red Curry Sauce, Cabbage Salad, And Jasmine Rice

For my last two meals made with the remaining kona kampachi, I chose two of my favorite recipes.  Both dishes are pleasing to the eye, and quick to make.  The first uses a sauce made from Thai curry paste, with a tangy slaw of cabbage, cucumbers, mint, and cilantro resting on top of the fish.  The contrasting textures and  flavors make this a memorable dish.  I've made it before with salmon, and it worked very well here using the kona kampachi. 

Kona Kampachi Tartare With Spicy Lemon-Ginger Vinaigrette

Several weeks ago Northern California went thorough a severe rain and wind storm.  I woke up to find sections of my fence flattened, my yard flooded, and angry squirrels who blamed me for all of it.  It was  pretty dismal, until I read an e-mail sent to me from the good people at Kona Blue.   They offered to send me their product, Kona Kambachi, at no cost, so I could test it out.  I immediately Googled the company, discovering that Kona Kambachi is a premium sushi grade yellowtail species, full of omega-3 oils, mercury free, and farmed in Hawaii without damaging the ocean environment.  And the fish is much sought after by top chefs, due to it's taste and texture.  Suddenly, the flooded yard and angry squirrels faded in importance.  I've always wondered about the quality of sushi grade fish sold by mail, and now I was about to receive some, no strings attached. The more I read about the fish from a variety of sources, not affiliated with Kona Blue, the more I looked forward to receiving it.

In my research, I found that most chefs like to serve the fish raw.  So, I decided that the first dish I would make would be an adaption of a recipe from the cookbook Terra, which calls for sushi grade salmon and tuna, dressed with a lemon-ginger vinaigrette.  Using the Kona Kambachi, it wound up being a memorable dish.

WHB: Vietnamese Meatballs, With Lettuce Wraps (Mint)

Yes, it's another recipe for meatballs.  Frankly, I never get tired of them and would eat them everyday, if I could.  The recipe comes from Food and Wine, for small hors d'oeuvre meatballs resting on lettuce cups, and dipped in sweet Asian chili sauce. Reading that, I immediately thought it foolish to wait until I threw a party.  So I made my meatballs bigger, placed them on red leaf lettuce, and served them for dinner.  There are many things to like about these tasty orbs.  Besides being quick to make and low in fat, they're fun to eat.  I always like wrapping food up in a crepe, tortilla, or lettuce leaf and popping it into my mouth.

The meatballs contain cilantro and mint. Cilantro haters can omit it and just use the mint, or add some basil.  I'm a great fan of mint used in savory dishes.  If you've only had it in desserts, you'll be amazed at how it adds a unique taste, different from when it's used in sweets  This recipe was made in honor of Weekend Herb Blogging, which was founded by the marvelous Kalyn at Kalyn's Kitchen.    WHB is being hosted this week by the lovely Anna at Anna's Cool Finds.  Stop by her blog and see a recap of all the wonderful herby recipes from bloggers around the world.