Salad Days

Salad Days

I eat a lot of salad. A lot! It probably makes up more than 50% of my diet. My typical salad consists of mixed greens with any and all vegetables I have on hand, nuts and/or seeds and possibly any leftovers from the night before. Sometimes, leftovers make great salad toppings. The salad below is one I made last winter. It's definitely an entrée salad. Some might argue that it's really a steak with a kale and mushroom garnish. Call it what you want. It's not the healthiest but it's low carb. Call it a "hey, I deserve a treat" salad. I also made a version with tofu that is 100% vegan. So there you have it. You decide...


Warm Steak and Kale Salad with Mushrooms and Dijon Vinaigrette



Ingredients:


1 bunch kale washed and torn into fork sized pieces
I medium Vidalia onion, julienne
1 lb. white mushrooms or your choice. (I also like to use shitake and oyster) sliced or quartered
1 12 oz. NY strip steak, choice or better or
1 1 lb. package extra firm tofu drained and squeezed, see below*
1 package grape tomatoes, halved
3 cloves garlic minced

For the dressing and marinade:
 
2 tbsps. good quality Dijon mustard
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
1-2 tbsps. fresh chopped herbs(this is where you can get fancy. Use what you like. I like fresh parsley, thyme and tarragon.)
 

slowly whisk the vinegar and oil into the mustard. Season with salt, pepper and herbs

For the tofu:
 
Drain and wrap in multiple paper towels. Gently apply pressure to squeeze out the excess moisture being careful not to break the loaf. Marinate in half of the dressing. For best results marinate overnight.
To cook, grill on medium high heat for about 5 minutes each side. Remove and slice on the bias about 1" thick slices.


                       


                                                                                    For the steak:
Marinate the steak in half of the dressing for 30 minutes. To cook, drain and season with salt and pepper. Grill on med-high heat to desired temperature. For NY strips, I prefer medium rare. When done, remove and allow the steak to rest for at least 5 minutes. Afterward, slice on the bias about 1" thick slices.

To assemble, Sauté the kale in a little EVOO just to wilt the edges. About 30 seconds. Remove and place some on your plate. Top the kale with your steak or tofu Next, sauté the onions mushrooms, and garlic until the onions turn clear and the mushrooms are cooked through. Add the tomatoes to the pan and cook another 30 seconds. Spoon some of this mixture on top of the salad and drizzle a few tbsps. of the dressing over the top and enjoy!

A Plate of Pot-roast Pleases My Palate

Ok I know. It probably pleases pretty much everyone's palate. Standard recipe plus mushrooms minus potatoes. I try to eat organic as much as I can. It costs a little more but makes me feel better (at least in my head.)
So I'm six months into my new marriage and I realize I have so much more to learn about my new partner. This relationship was arranged. I had no choice in who I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. I had no say in how much attention I had to give to my new partner. I did however have an option to decide how much my "forever" partner would affect my life. I thought I had that figured out but have realized lately that I have much to learn. There are so many factors that affect glucose levels. Diet is only one part of the equation and when I thought I had that part licked I got a swift kick in my ass from my new "wife." Every day is a new day. What is the magic combination today? Can I eat some carbs if I exercise? If so, how much? I've read that there is a honeymoon phase immediately following the diagnosis after which you start to build up insulin resistance. Maybe that's the reason I have been running high. Then again I have been running pretty even this week so who the hell knows. All I can do is keep testing and injecting.
I started this post in December. It's February and I'm finally posting it. A wise person once told me to have at least a dozen posts ready to go before going live with this blog. She warned me that "life" would get in the way of things and there will be times when I need something to post just to keep it going. Well, as usual, I didn't listen and charged into my new hobby swiftly and blindly. I enjoyed it. It was a release for the stress of diabetes. Then it happened. Life caught up. I fell behind. Suddenly, something that brought me joy brought me anxiety. I began to dread the thought of "keeping up." It's funny, the writing part of the process, which I thought would be the hardest, has become the thing I like. What I dread is writing recipes. That shit sucks and is boring. I always hated writing recipes, even when I was cooking. It's tedious and never comes out exactly right. Recipes are only a guideline. They need to be used as a backbone but not taken literally, unless of course you're baking a cake. The final product depends on it's creator. Follow my techniques and season how you want. That's my advice to all home cooks. Don't get hung up on measurements. Whether it be searing or simmering, concentrate on the process. Constantly taste and adjust and finally, don't be afraid of salt. So, with that said, I'm going to change my format slightly. I'm going to list ingredients and processes. You do what amount you happen to like. After all it's your dish. And, this is my blog...

 

Get yourself a fairly large beef chuck roast(USDA grade choice or higher.) Season it well with salt and fresh ground black pepper. Sear that puppy in a really hot large pot with a little olive oil. Don't get in a hurry. Sear that shit until it gets a nice crust on all sides. Pull it out and add to the pot: diced onion, carrots, celery, grape tomatoes, sliced mushrooms and chopped garlic. Sauté the veggies until the onions start to turn clear. Add the roast back to the pot and cover about 2/3 up with beef broth. Add a couple sprigs of fresh thyme and bring that shit to a simmer, cover and cook for about 3 1/2 hours. The roast will fall apart when it's done. Again, don't get in a hurry. Let that shit cook slow and low. It will be worth it.

A green salad would go nicely with this dish.

I hope you enjoy and, as always, have a happy GD day!