Guiltless Egg Salad Sandwich

For a while now, I've been meaning to do a post about healthy foods and condiments you can add to dishes that pack a HUGE flavor punch. This is not that post. But this recipe has, like, 4 of the items that would be on that list!

Uh...pay no attention to my dirty glass table and ripped chair. Focus on the food!!! #howembarrassing 

This Egg Salad has baked chicken in it, also, to help with that much needed lean protein punch midday. Let's talk about the chicken briefly.

I baked two breasts side by side, drenched in honey mustard. The result was a deliciously moist, flavorful chicken.

Okay. That's all I wanted to say about the chicken. Moving on.

Egg salad is dynamiiiite. But can be considered not-so-healthful because it's swimming in mayo. Well, I've found a way to avoid the mayo and replace it with things that are actually good for you!

The secret? AVOCADO OF COURSE. AND YOGURT OF COURSE.

The two life-saving healthy-yet-delicious replacement foods.

Nothing more satisfying than a fresh, healthy lunch sitting at your table. Except, of course, when it's sitting
in your stomach.

To make a very small batch, I took 1/2 of an avocado, and mashed it up roughly with a spoonful of 0% fat Greek yogurt.

Then, coarsely chopped up a hard-boiled egg and tossed it in. A few pieces of chicken breast as well. This would be good in itself, but it needs help from another one of my favorite healthy miracle flavor-saver ingredients: (WHITE WINE) VINEGAR OF COURSE. I added quite a few glugs, but be sure to taste test before adding too much. I'm a sucker for vinegar-y things, so an intense vinegar flavor doesn't bother me.

My fingers look all pink and weird o_O
Once again...focus on the food!!! -_-*

Still needs a bit more to keep the rich flavors fresh --- and yes, it's another one for the list --- FRESH HERBS OF COURSE!!! I added a hefty amount of fresh parsley and fresh dill, but basil or cilantro would be good too, I imagine.

Add some S&P, mustard powder, turmeric (I like that it adds a yellow color, and it's actually very good for you),  a bit of garlic powder (a little goes a long way!)....BOOM. Healthy Egg Salad for a nice sandwich.


I also recommend adding Curry Powder, (a dash of) Cayenne Pepper, and Smoked Paprika. They add tons of flavor without adding any calories. Next time I'm going to experiment with some bolder flavor profiles!

Of course, you could eat the egg salad on it's own as a side. Or just connect an IV and pump it into your blood stream directly. You get lots of protein, healthy fats, and even an anti-inflammatory agent (the turmeric) in just one little sandwich, so no need to feel bad about having seconds.

I didn't!

Welcome to my belly!

Free-For-All Homemade Marinara

I think now's a good time to talk about Marinara.

Why? No particular reason. It's delicious when it's homemade, and it's easy. It also pretty much transcends every season (whether or not that's true, let's just pretend), so you can make it whenever you feel like it. Those are the reasons.

I know pasta gets a bad rap for being unhealthy, but homemade marinara makes up for it.
So eat as much as you want! This message brought to you by me.

Oh yeah. And one more reason. There's a bit of a recipe backup over here. As you may know, this blog is purely a casual mix between hobby and organization --- I enjoy cooking, and I like to take pictures of what I eat so I remember to make it (or not make it) again.

You can probably tell by the shoddy photography that at this point in the blog, I'd rather cook stuff up and snap a quick photo before I devour it (sometimes I forget), instead of taking lovely still photography photos of every ingredient and each step. One day I want to do that, but right now I feel a bit guilty spending too much time on it because, well, I probably should be spending time looking for a job instead. *wince*

So, now that I said that, on to the fun stuff!

Dis one's got ground turkey meat, yo. But dat's optional. Why am I talkin' like dis?

These photos are actually of a dish my boyfriend made! I'm so proud of him. He's seen me make fresh marinara before, and wanted to surprise me and give it a shot himself. Not that he's a bad cook, but he's just a lot simpler in his meal sentiments (a piece of fruit for breakfast, cold cereal for a snack, a few carrots for dinner...).

It really is easy to make homemade marinara. Here's what I always add to make a small serving:

1 8oz can diced tomatoes
Diced Onion (probably about 1/4 of a large one)
1 Large Clove Garlic
Splash Red Wine
Small bit of Honey (about the size of half a peanut shell)
Bay Leaf
Handful Fresh Basil
A Few Shakes Dry Basil
A Few Shakes Dried Oregano
A Small Shake Red Pepper Flakes
Generous S&P


A handful of spinach, diced mushrooms, or ground meat are optional!

I have also been known to add some sort of stock to thin it out if it gets too thick, or a Tablespoon of tomato paste if it's somehow still too runny. But typically all the water evaporates and the sauce condenses into a beautifully chunky sauce. If you don't like chunky, throw everything in the blender (save for the bay leaf).


There's really only three steps to this dish.

1.) Add onions with some oil and sautee until slightly translucent.
2.) Add garlic, and cook for about a minute.
3.) Add everything else!

And there you have it. Don't forget to sprinkle with fresh parsley or more basil if you desire. And, of course, definitely try to make homemade pasta! There's proof it can be done, see?

Best Ever Rustic Autumn Galette

You know when they say, "dress for the job you want"?

Well, amidst this Los Angeles draught / heat wave in mid-September I've been getting a little antsy for fall. Can you blame me? It's the best season. Autumn is the only other season outside of Summer that you could argue Los Angeles gets. But it's taking foreverrrr to get here.

So, I decided to "cook for the season I want".

Ladies and Gentleman....The Rustic Autumn Galette.

I improvised everything, including the crust, which makes me proud (pie crust and I are NOT friends). And it turned out absolutely divine. This might be my favorite thing I have ever put together, it's that good.

All I did was sautee some fall-ish veggies (Leeks, Carrots, Asparagus, Mushrooms) in some coconut oil with a giant clove of garlic and some autumn herbs (dried Thyme, dried Sage, and fresh Rosemary). Add some S&P, a little black magic (seriously though, most people would have to sell their soul to the devil for this to turn out so good), and let 'er cook til everything is softish (remember it will cook more in the oven). Oh yeah! I also added a glug of sherry. I wouldn't skip this step, I think it actually is pretty critical. If you don't have sherry, a splash of red or white wine will do, I imagine.

I cooked the asparagus and carrot first (they take longer), then added the rest, garlic last so it didn't burn.

As for the crust, it's amazing it turned out so well, considering I didn't measure anything (what else is new?). Maybe about a cup of flour (I could be making that up, I have no idea), 1/2 stick butter, sliced into smaller pieces and frozen, 8 cranks of freshly ground sea salt, and a dash of water (probably 1 T).

I had intentions to chill the crust like I know you are supposed to do, but I got impatient and it only sat in the fridge for like 5 minutes.

It rolled out beautifully (I am still in awe of this). I placed a thin slice of Provolone in the center of the dough, then added my veggie mixture. On top of that, I added a small bit of cottage cheese, and a little sprinkle of parmesan cheese. Then, I folded it up, STILL flabbergasted that the dough was holding together.

Then --- and this is important for that beautiful brown crust --- I swiped the top of the crust with a beaten egg yolk mixed with a small amount of water.

25ish minutes later at approx. 375, I had a beautiful, rustic, perfectly delicious and satisfying autumn meal.

I can't wait to experiment with more flavors...but let's be real. I'll probably make this exact version several more times before that happens. YUM.

Teff Breakfast Porridge w/ Apples

Good news: I'M OFF THE RAW DIET! My brother came into town and it was just impossible to maintain. And the thought of going back on it actually made me feel sick.

So I excitedly opened my container of flour to make my first non-raw meal in a long time, and found something unacceptable in there. I was going to make homemade tomato pie, but when I opened my flour container there were little round black dots...and when I looked closer...I realized they were bugs. Writhing, terrifing little bugs. NOT OKAY.

I threw it out, and last night took care to organize and seal every dry good into air tight containers. The last thing I want is an infestation. Soooooo, while I was going through things, I realized I still had Teff seeds from my attempt at injera, the Ethiopian spongy flat bread.

What is it about eating things in mugs that feels so . . . adult??

This morning I discovered that you can make a pretty delicious breakfast porridge from Teff! I cooked it up plain in water, added some leftover raw sliced apples that I seasoned with apple pie spice and maple syrup last night for mini pies, a little extra cinnamon and syrup, and homemade almond milk.

The result: HOLYCRAPITSGOOD.

It's got that nutty, bran-like flavor that's perfect for fall. The spiced apples and light sweetness were so warming and homey. The homemade almond milk? Heavenly creamy.

Make this for yourself (and then eat it). Trust me.

Teff is also very good for you, and apparently delicious. I think I'll keep this ancient grain in my pantry arsenal full time!