Curry Cauli-Rice Salad

A well-stocked fridge, freezer, and pantry can spark some amazing dishes! Since I hate to be wasteful, I frequently improvise with what I have. This can sometimes sacrifice color, but never flavor. 

Hint: Do not hesitate to tweak leftovers if you feel that the original can still be enhanced. Some of our favorite meals were toyed with before I was satisfied.

CURRY CAULI-RICE SALAD

• 2 packages of Trader Joe's frozen Organic Riced Cauliflower (yields 6 cups)
• 2 heaping tablespoons of Chosen Foods Avocado Oil Mayo
• 1 tablespoon of natural stone ground mustard
• 2 nitrite/nitrate free hot dog weiners, sliced
• ½ of a large onion, diced
• 1½ cups of mixed small red and yellow tomatoes, sliced in halves or quarters depending on size
• 1 heaping tablespoon of curry (I used Muchi curry)
• Italian seasoning to taste and a little for garnish
• Maldon salt to taste (I rub it between my fingers while sprinkling)

1. Follow the directions on the riced cauliflower to defrost in the microwave.
2. Allow the riced cauliflower to cool. 
3. Add the remainder of the ingredients. Stir well and refrigerate to allow flavors to marry.

Again, I used what I had. I plan on adding red and green bell peppers along with some fresh herbs next time. The mayo and mustard dressing makes a wonderful base, not to mention the healthful benefits of avocado oil.

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3 Ways to Menace Mosquitos

Mosquitos and fleas have loved me since I was little. No summer was complete without a series of welts begging to be itched. Yet, for the first time ever, I have not suffered one mosquito bite this season!

So, we slather ourselves with diethyltoluamide and the DEET is done. Not so quick! DEET has side effects. Manufacturers warn against using it under clothing due to possible irritation. Other repercussions include coma, seizures, and slurred speech, largely because the product has been ingested or applied for 3 or more consecutive days. Our skin absorbs everything.

We call our wounds mosquito bites, but this is not accurate. The female sticks a part of her mouth—called the proboscis—into our skin. She then injects her saliva into our bloodstream. The proteins in her saliva keep our blood from clotting as she dines. The itching, redness, and swelling are actually caused by these proteins.

I recently attended a progressive dinner in the mountains. At dusk, I was seated on a log bench next to a pond. Mosquitos appeared like party crashers. Women were swatting. Insect repellent upstaged the night air. Surprisingly, the mosquitos were ignoring me and I was not wearing protection.

The bites were so bad during my first summer in Idaho, that I wrote the following militant poem.

Memo to Mosquitos

Listen up mosquitos! I declare WAR!

Your assaults leave me itching, scratching, and sore!

Regardless of mission, whether hungry or bored;

I refuse to be your adored smorgasbord.

You dine without invite, with little decline;

And tip me with welts needing calamine.

Be advised. Be aware. Remember this day!

I'm closing down your all-day buffet!

Say good-bye to this flesh for which you are smitten,

For "Vengeance is mine," says the Bitten!

—Karen June Miller | July 2011

I have been low-carbing for almost a year. My diet no longer includes grains, sugars, high carb fruits and vegetables. Did my body chemistry change?

Sure enough, after research, I discovered that other low-carbers have made the same discovery! When we lower our carbohydrate intake, there is not enough glucose to burn for energy. We switch from being a sugar-burner to a fat-burner. Fats are broken down for energy. This results in a buildup of acids known as ketones, which act as a natural mosquito repellent.

It never dawned on me that low-carbing would make me impervious to mosquitos! Perhaps my Memo to Mosquitos was prophetic.

Click HERE to read another low-carber's mosquito experience.

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6 Tips for Meaningful Meals

MEANINGLESS

I have been guilty of fast-food frenzies and driving-while-eating. Anticipation was far more exciting than the food ever was! I finally hit the brakes when I recognized that mealtime had become meaningless and rushed.

I then pursued more natural, organic choices that included whole grains and my unwillingness to dismiss sugar. It was a start, but not the remedy.

LOW-CARB TO THE RESCUE!

While low-carbing is restoring my health, energy, and common sense, I still have a challenge with timing. My family is too busy to coordinate a set dinnertime. Since eating later slows down my weight loss, I dine alone . . . a lot!

Solo meals, however, do not have to be mundane. Replace the "M" with an "F" and you have FUN-dane! Every meal should be celebrated and here are 6 ways to accomplish that.

SATISFY THE SENSES

Keep it visual...

Add personal touches such as favorite linens, place settings, or a small floral centerpiece. Use herbs for garnish. Employ simple food styling. Example: I used a tonal camera filter on this photo to emphasize the crosshatch slice on the sausage.

Relish aroma...

Make sure your spices are fresh and potent. Taste-testing is essential, but aroma should be a discernible precursor to the meal.

Flirt with flavor...

Allow the 5 basic tastes (umami, sweetness, sourness, bitterness, and saltiness) to throw a tastebud party! Do not forget FAT—the low-carber's best friend. Fat adds flavor.

Remove distraction...

A meal is a short journey. Turn off the TV. Put the book, project, and smart phone aside. Have a prepared and relaxing playlist ready to listen to. Avoid anything causing stress—like politics!

Focus on the food...

When is the last time you chewed slowly and thoughtfully? Try putting the fork down between bites (not as easy as it sounds). Pretend you are a food critic and identify all that you are tasting. 

Understand satiety...

Okinawans practice hara hachi bu which means “eat until you are eight parts (out of ten) full” (Wikipedia) or 80% full. This requires stopping the meal before the stomach has stretched to make room for it. Satiety does not occur because your stomach is full. It has more to do with the brain reacting to the chemicals in your food, which takes about 20 minutes to kick in. The chemicals then rise and stay elevated for 3 to 5 hours before hunger is experienced again. 

The beauty of a low-carb lifestyle is that satiety is easily achieved when meals find a balance between low-carb vegetables, moderate meat, and plenty of high quality fats.

NOTES

1. The Smoked Andouille Chicken Sausage is precooked and nitrate/nitrite free. After slicing it, I microwaved it for 45 seconds. (It will naturally open up when heated.) I nested the sausage in a salad comprised of cucumber, tomato, and feta cheese—with Pomegranate Vinegar drizzled on top. 
2. The sausage and the vinegar were purchased from Trader Joe's. I also find sausage deals (Aidelle's) at Grocery Outlet. Of course those are hit and miss.
3. Check out Still Tasty for spice shelf-life information.

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Saveur Magazine

Saveur is my absolute favorite culinary magazine! It reminds me of Disney's It's a Small World—only in the warmth of an ethnic kitchen. The photos and personal perspective invite me into its pages, making me a mealtime guest.

Saveur's website shares the following...

This magazine truly speaks to people who are enthusiastic about creating artful cuisine. It explores the authentic cuisines of the world, tracks recipes and ingredients to their places of origin and illuminates their history, traditions and local flavors. In addition, it contains informative news about the latest in culinary trends, kitchen tips and techniques and a calendar of culinary events. If you are an adventurous eater who loves tasting all different kinds of food and exploring their heritage, you will love what Saveur has to offer.

This blurb describes me, too. I view myself as an "adventurous eater" and for the very reasons listed. Being raised on a traditional American diet left a plethora of exotic foods off of the shopping list. There are so many cultures, regions, and foods to explore; and Saveur inspiringly provides the transportation.

World cuisine recipes obviously include some grains and sugar, but most of Saveur's recipes can be easily modified with real food. It is true that using substitutes like almond or coconut flour will alter the texture of certain recipes. If done right, though, flavor will not be sacrificed.

The Saveur website is currently offering a year's subscription for $19.95—a 62% savings! However, I picked up a copy of their Summer 2016 edition at Barnes and Noble and the enclosed subscription card is a far better deal. For a 73% savings, you can subscribe for only $11.97! Plus, you will receive 2 gifts: Italian Classics Vols. 1 & 2.

♫ "It's a small world after all..."

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Pork Kebabs

I featured kebabs 2 posts ago and guess what. I'M STILL ON A KEBAB KICK!

You might recall that I mentioned pork kebabs being on this weekend's menu. We cubed a pork tenderloin purchased from Trader Joe's, which was very kind to our pocketbook.

Pictured here are the skewers before the flame. We devoured every last morsel.

Kebab-bab-babbing along...

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Pollo Con Crema

Pollo Con Crema at Lima Limon | Kuna, Idaho

As I sit here typing and eating fried eggs topped with melted cream cheese, I marvel at how satisfied I am. I take inventory of the horrid, tasteless diets that always left me hungry and eager to jump ship! I will be celebrating my FIRST LOW-CARB ANNIVERSARY on September 1, 2016. I have never been bored, nor have I been tempted to stop.

Dining out is also an adventure! Yesterday, I visited the Kuna Historical Society, located about 30 minutes southeast of my Ida-home. Lima Limon, a Peruvian-Mexican restaurant is 2 buildings west of this museum. How could I possibly pass that up? I knew that my LCHF lifestyle would require adjustments to the way I approached Peruvian food. Yet, to my surprise, I was not interested in the empanadas, plantains, rice, and tortillas that would normally have me giddy. I chose, instead, to order Pollo Con Crema, without the rice and flour tortillas. Chef Deysi brought me this beautifully orchestrated dish with brightly colored, steamed vegetables; and Pollo Con Crema consisting of chicken and sautéed mushrooms in a sour cream sauce. I showed great restraint in not licking my plate!

Pollo Con Crema at Lima Limon | Kuna, Idaho

Adventurously Yours,

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Kebab-bab-babbing along...

Here in Idaho, the weather is windy, dry, and hot. Besides wishing that I could return to sunsuits, I am on a serious, and I mean SERIOUS, kebab kick! I cannot get enough! I even daydream about my next set of skewered sumptuousness! Even though our old barbecue is falling apart, Barry is not deterred! He creates something new and then babies those kebabs over just the right amount of heat.

We have had strip steak, chicken breasts, and shrimp thus far. (Pork sirloin is on the menu for this weekend.) The vegetables vary, but we never seem to omit the cherry tomatoes because they pop with flavor. I love the way juicy, crispy, savory, and sweet marry over the flames. And we must not forget the freshly chopped herbs sprinkled on top.

As I go kebab-bab-babbing along, please take a moment to share your favorite kebab combinations. 

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