Oven-Grilled Chicken, Rosemary Mashed Potatoes, Brussel Sprouts, Salad

>Oven-Grilled Paprika Chicken
>Rosemary Mashed Potatoes
>Brussel Sprouts
>Broccoli & Lettuce Salad

I have been posting a lot of beef/red-meat lately and some not quite up to par with the 'grub a plate philosophy' so...I had to appease it with this plate.

Here is a a recipe I found online for cooking Brussel Sprouts for those who are not quite believers. I haven't followed this yet, but my hubby is all about claiming his superpower recipe (no meat added) to make brussel sprouts not taste like butt juice (okay that probably shouldn't be on a blog about food, but there it is). 

Cumin Chicken, Cauliflower Mac & Cheese, Kale Salad

>Cumin Pan-Grilled Chicken w/sauteed bell peppers & onions
>Cauliflower Mac & Cheese
>Kale Salad


So this was one of those collaboration meals with my neighbors... which help good eating come easy, because you make one or two items and then someone else makes one or two and voila! Plate. to. grub.
Sarah (who's an amazing cook) made the Cauliflower mac and cheese and I asked her "what's in this?" she said it's with Cauliflower mac and cheese gluten-free pasta & italian sausage and white wine

Pan-Grilled Pork, 3-bean Porridge, Sauteed Cabbage & Steamed Broccoli

> Lean Pork Loins topped with sauteed Bell peppers and caramelized Onions and seasoned with fresh Rosemary
>Garbanzo, Lentil & Red Kidney Bean Porridge
>Steamed Broccoli heads
>Sauteed Cabbage with Balsamic Vinegar

Notes:
This was two-person-effort meal (I made the beans and my husband made everything else).
The pork loins were a bit dry, probably because they're lean, so they could have done with some sort of sauce on top, but it was still good: the flavor of the fresh rosemary herbs with the pork was a force to reckon. I really liked it.

For the beans I started out wanting to make a Daal but it kind of ended up as porridge that got a little burnt at the bottom of the pot which then gave it a yummy smoked flavor. It reminded me of the way some bean dishes are cooked in Nigeria. This Bean dishes I had made a day before, I think it is a great idea to cook a large amount to eat multiple times because they store well in the fridge and freezer. Also there is something about dishe like this that make them taste better the next day, after all the flavors have had more time coming together.

The cabbage was super yummy with the tangy taste of the balsamic vinegar, such a simple and fast concept. I bet would be even better with purple cabbages.

And broccoli. All you need is some steam and YUM!

Make it vegan, by preparing it with your favorite meat substitute.

Orange-glazed Pork Loin Kebabs, Broccoli Salad & Cassava Corn Bread

>Pork Loins on skewers with Carrots, Pears & Bell Peppers, glazed with fresh orange sauce
> Cast-iron Yucca/Cassava Cornbread
>Broccoli salad
 I knew I wanted to make Kebabs.

I had just made like a bazillion beef ones for a friend's bbq party, and I had it in my head. So combined with memories of the best kebabs ever at this restaurant Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica when I went for Annie's wedding, and left over skewers I knew I had to make some.

It was time for some lean pork loins on the 'protein rotation'. I searched around for some pork recipes because I don't really eat pork and this was my second time cooking it. I knew I wanted to find a different taste or way to cook it (because otherwise I would default to something I do all the time). So I found a site dedicated to pork recipes! Wow. Fancy that. And you can search by themes, cut, and preparation time. Since I had some cut loin I knew it wouldn't take me that long to make something anyway (and I wanted this meal to happen quickly), and so yeah I searched by cut. I picked this recipe well, kinda. Haha. I pretty much didn't actually do any of what it says here except for the concept of a glaze. I squeezed some fresh oranges, and reduced it with maple syrup, and thickened with a tiny bit of flour.

I didn't roast over an open flame. I put the pork into a cast iron pan, and threw some black pepper, herb de provence & sea salt on it and threw it into the oven 375. After about 15-20mins? When it was part-way cooked, I brought it out and cut into chunks for skewering. I seasoned some veggies (bell pepper & carrots) and pears chunked and skewered them with the pork. Okay DON'T BE LIKE ME AND TRY TO SKEWER RAW CARROTS. Which I know not to do but did anyway because I don't know I just did.  And then threw it back into the oven at 500 degrees to grill.

For the Cassava (Yucca) & Corn Bread: Okay I get recipe requests from friends a lot and I really never know what I do, and I can't remember. I just do stuff and then it's done. So when I saw we had some leftover Yucca from a previous meal, and some corn on the cob from another meal, I decided they could all get together and party with cornmeal, egg, oil & milk in the oven. And that's what they did and it was GOOD. (And I didn't just say so myself)

Broccoli Salad, Emilie my upstairs neighbor made this and it was delicious.

This was an awesome meal!

With Love from Detroit!

>Chicken & Blackeyed Pea Fritters in Mushroom Gravy
>Kale Salad
>Veggie Rice

 My friend was visiting in Detroit and sent me this picture. I was really jealous. Kinda. But now I'm just going to make this.

I have to give Tavi the credit of really rounding my Health Education-education, and putting me on to the food focus, by way of working with youth to eat better.

 I'll let you know how my attempt at this plate turns out, 'cos you know I can't follow a recipe for anything, as for now. My mouth will just continue watering.

Recipe: Orange & Green Goodness

 Eat your colors!

Today's color is Orange (with a touch of green)
Butternut Squash
Mandarin Orange
with Basil and Mint Leaves.

As Fall's bounty comes to and end, we can still eat squashes 'cos these babies usually hold out for a bit; you can store them for a while and still enjoy them long after everything else is gone.
To make:
>Throw the whole squash into the oven on baking tray (or if it's not to hard you can cut it in two first and take out seeds). Once roasted cut out cubes of the meat & throw into a bowl.
>Peel and separate mandarin sections, throw into the bowl.
>Add fresh mint and basil leaves
>Add a like bit of olive oil, salt and black pepper.
>Toss
>Yum!

Oven-Baked Tofu Scramble

I love gas-powered cooking ranges. I love my oven. I love cast iron pans.

I swear with the combination of these two things, I can't go wrong with meals I make. They are a magic team.

On days when I am lazy, or busy, or making a lot of things at once (like brunch or dinner parties), my oven and cast iron pans are my best friends.

Almost like a crock pot. You can just toss everything in, turn over to anywhere between 350-450 degrees, depending on what you're cooking. Check back in 15 min-1hr later and your meal is ready.

I usually make tofu scrambles over a stove top, but sometimes I remember I can just toss it in the oven to create effortless magic. The good thing about this is that it also saves it from becoming to mashed up (unless that's what you want. I sometimes do).

For this
Cube some Extra Firm Tofu
Chop some Bell pepper, onions (and other veggies you like)
Add oil, salt, peppers, and other spices and herbs you like
Throw into oven at 400 degrees

Cook for about 30 mins, check and turn over, cook for longer if you want browner.
Ready!