Banana Nut Porridge

Ah yes, another recipe from Danielle Walker, and the Against All Grain cookbook.

http://againstallgrain.com/2013/01/04/banana-nut-porridge/

This one is pretty simple to make, but one needs to plan ahead to soak the nuts overnight AND to have a ripe banana on hand.  I was surprised by how close the texture was to my regular oatmeal porridge, and I was very surprised at how filling this bowl of porridge was.  There was no need for a morning snack...I was kept full until lunch time!  I loved the sweetness of both the banana and cinnamon.  I don't think I would change anything.  I thought about adding some fresh fruit on top, but I am glad that I did not as I was pretty full.  My only complaint would be that there are a few dishes to wash as there is the bowl for soaking the nuts, the food processor as well as the saucepan.  For those looking for a gluten free breakfast, I do recommend giving this a go.

Banana Porridge

Bulletproof Coffee, simpler version

I am attempting once again to take a break from dairy.  I am not; however, taking a break from coffee!  I have learned to like drinking my coffee plain with nothing added, but I do prefer it with some milk or creaminess to it.  I have tried almond milk in it (not my thing) as well as coconut milk (yum!).

My sources have told me to try out a variation of 'bulletproof coffee' by blending one cup of brewed coffee with a teaspoon of coconut oil.  So, I tried that this morning.  It was good.  I liked the creaminess and how frothy the coffee got.  Would I do it again?  Maybe....  I didn't see much difference in taste from just adding in coconut milk to my coffee.  Plus, now I have to clean the blender...The frothiness might be worth it on a weekend when I have more time.

If you are taking a break from dairy or want to try something a little different, it is worth a try!

Ahi Mango Poke Stack

 

This is yet another recipe from Danielle Walker's "Against All Grain".  I love the seared ahi tuna salad at Cactus Club, so I am always keeping an eye open to something that is close.  This one has very similar flavours, but obviously not textures as the tuna is not seared.

 

I have learned that I am definitely not a fan of ahi tuna sashimi anymore, although I still LOVE sockeye salmon sashimi.  The flavours were amazing as it combines green onion, coconut aminos (you could use soy sauce), sesame oil, garlic, ginger, poblano pepper, and salt.  The texture was too much for me, so my husband was VERY happy that he got to indulge in the treat.  He REALLY enjoyed this recipe!!  I didn't use the entire pound of tuna that the recipe called for ($$$$- especially if I wasn't enjoying it) as I didn't think that the ratio was correct for the amount of avocado, mango, and sauce I measured.  After measuring everything EXACTLY,  I pretty much made up my own recipe using the ingredients measured above along with the tuna, avocado, and mango, adding a little of everything until it looked and tasted up to my liking.  The sauce is similar to the one at the Cactus Club, which made me happy that I am getting closer to it.

 

What to do with the extra, oh, half pound or more of tuna?  I used the same ingredients to give it a marinade and then we seared it for dinner along with some corn on the cob and our favorite grilled Caesar Salad.  We spoiled ourselves big time!  We don't eat beef steak very often, so when we do, we like to get a nicer cut.  Not anymore!  We have decided that next time we are craving a "steak" that we will go to an ahi tuna steak and marinade it and sear it  just as we did - two minutes per side.  This was AMAZING in both texture and flavour!  The seared tuna balances out the texture for me...a bit of firmer tuna with a bit of rare tuna...I can handle that.  The next step might be to add some spiralized green papaya and toasted pine nuts to the avocado, mango, sauce, and seared tuna to try and create the Cactus Club masterpiece.

 

So sadly, I don't think I will make or try another ahi poke (Hawaiian salad - a google search resulted in a ton of variations of recipes for this) unless my texture issue changes one day.  We will, however, use the marinade again and sear the tuna when we feel like spoiling ourselves, perhaps in a few weeks for our 9th anniversary!



 

 

 

 

Ahi Mango Tuna Poke

Top View

Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos

 



Danielle Walker's "Against All Grain" cookbook has impressed me again.  This time with a delicious recipe for chicken that can be used for tacos or lettuce wraps.  There are many variations if you google 'slow cooker chicken tacos', but I like this recipe as it uses real ingredients, such as diced tomatoes, Serrano chilies, cilantro, cumin, chili powder, coriander.....not just taco seasoning and salsa.

 

I knew it was going to be good as it looked and smelled great before I even turned on the slow cooker.  I like that the recipe uses both chicken thighs and breasts as each one used alone has its own issue.  I think the former would be too moist and the latter too dry.  There is a bit of prep as one has to chop onions, seed and chop peppers, mince garlic, chop cilantro and measure six spices not to mention the shredding of the chicken at the five hour mark before it cooks on low for one more hour.  The biggest challenge was trusting the process.  I didn't feel that five hours on low was going to cook 2 pounds of chicken (use one pound of each), but the magic of the slow cooker worked out just fine!   I had to resist the urge to turn it onto high many times throughout the day.

 

In the future, I am going to have to plan ahead for this one.  Due to the cooking time of five hours, then shredding, then one more hour of cooking, it will be tricky to make this on a work day (unless I come home at lunch to turn it on).  I can see myself making this on a Sunday to have leftovers for the week.  This recipe would also be VERY popular for our staff lunches when we have the theme of wraps or Mexican Fiesta.  I could also see this dish making its appearance to a group dinner or to a Grey Cup party.   Of course, this recipe lends itself to MANY uses and variations.  It would be a great base for a Mexican Soup or Chili by adding in beans, corn, broth, etc.  There is no shortage of things to do with the leftovers as it does make a bit.

 

All in all, it was a nice change from our usual tacos with ground turkey or grilled fish.  We used soft corn tortillas heated up and had the usual fixin's like lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, avocado, salsa, sour cream, and hot peppers as our topping choices.  You know it is a delicious meal when your husband gives you a bow as he leaves the table.  I would say this recipe is a keeper!

 

 

 

Slow Cooker Chicken for Tacos

(it was so good, I forgot to take pictures of the tacos...oops

this is what we had leftover after our feast)