BRUNCH. Garlic Shrimp Omelette. Or Scramble.

". . . because eating breakfast, even if it's 5 o'clock in the afternoon, is a sign that the day has just begun and good things can still happen.”
- J. Goldstein

Oh Brunch (not to be confused with Breakfast), How I love thee. 

On a leisurely weekend or vacation day. Those few and far between mornings when you wake up with the soft caress of the morning sun, open your eyes at your own pace, and lay in bed for a while contemplating the wonders of the world. . . or what to have for breakfast (in this case a garlic shrimp scramble medley. yum.) 

As opposed to the mornings of being rudely woken by the screaming alarm clock,  having to drag yourself out of bed barely able to squint one eye open just enough to not run into the wall, throw on clothes decent enough for work or get out in time to make it to the gym before work. 

Those mornings where breakfast doesn't exist, but its rare and more beautiful form; Brunch. 

brunch/brənCH/

Noun:

A late morning meal eaten {enjoyed} instead of breakfast and lunch.

To have the time to conjure a delicious breakfast, cup of coffee/tea and truly enjoy a beautiful morning; either in peaceful solitude, or in the gracious company of family or friend(s). 

To have time to get ready, put on a cute sundress and meet up one of your closest friends for a fancy little egg scramble and fruit dish, surrounded by the wonderful aroma of fresh brewed coffee, pancake syrup, and the lively chit chatter of other lucky brunchers. 

sigh. good sigh. 

Few things are more awesome than those mornings. when things slow down enough to actually ENJOY.  Thankful to have had one of those mornings today. As I sat there with my mom and brother enjoying my a delicious shrimp omelette. 

I take in the moment.

I am blessed. 

Garlic Shrimp Omelette. or Scramble. 

-Shrimp sautéed in butter and/or olive oil+ lots of finely minced garlic+Salt to taste. 

(cut into bite size pieces once cooled) 

-1/4 chopped Onion

-1/2 chopped Roma Tomato

-Eggs (~ 2 per serving)

Directions: 

Sauté chopped onion and tomato in  butter or Olive oil until translucent or lightly caramelized. Add in pre-sauteed/chopped garlic Shrimp; season with salt and pepper to taste.

Omellete:

Beat eggs (whole or egg whites) until fluffy; pour half the beaten eggs into a greased, heated skillet. Spoon one portion of the shrimp mixture over half the omelet and fold. Turn and fry until golden brown on both sides. 


Scramble:
In heated skillet containing chopped onion, tomato &  garlic shrimp, add in eggs. . . scramble.

ENJOY  : )

BBQ Ribs (homemade all-natural bbq sauce ! )

"Cooking is a creation. As a creation, it is a personalized view of the way we like to express our feelings. It is how we share our sense of art, our knowledge, and our taste with other people. Food, after all, is not merely a product. It is necessary to our sustenance. Food is the support of life and is the center of the way we live when we take a moment to sit down and share life, share conversation, and share joy. That is the joy of cooking, which is a cliche, and yet is it the ultimate way we really fulfill ourselves and those around us. When people come to us and reach out to us, we must reach out with a very personalized and individual way of expressing our beliefs." Piero Selvaggio

Did you know. . . just 2 tbsp of the typical-store bought BBQ sauce contains more sugar than a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup!?! Holy shit! and you KNOW no one has just two tablespoons! 

Its important to know whats on your plate, and whats going in your mouth. Thats your body you're putting it into, and we only get one. I was going to attend a dinner/cooking party and wanted to bring a hearty, savory dish. Not only is it important what I feed myself, it also matters to me what I feed those I care about, and aim at maintaining the same high quality when sharing. This recipe was delicious, it could pass as a "regular", "non- healthy" BBQ dish. That good. It had people licking fingers, going back for seconds, BBQ sauce all over the face kinda good. (no joke). Highly recommend! Who says food thats nutritious, made with fresh, all-natural ingredients can't be finger licking good? 

They're wrong. 

BBQ Ribs

Ingredients (serves 2-4)
- 2 racks of ribs
- 2 tablespoons coarse salt
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
- 8 whole cloves garlic, smashed
- 4 chipotle peppers – we used canned
- 1 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
- 2 cups of FRESH squeezed orange juice
- ~1-2 cups of beef broth

Directions:

1. ALERT! You need 3-4 hours for the braising, so make sure you’ve got time.  You can do it 1 or 2 days before then pop it in the fridge until you’re ready to grill.
2. To braise, pre-heat oven to 200. Yes, 200.
3. Prepare the rub by mixing together all of the spices.  Spread the rub over the ribs to create a light layer.
4. Put the ribs in a baking/casserole dish.  Pour the tomatoes, chipotle peppers, orange juice and garlic into the baking dish on top of the ribs.  Mix it around to combine the mixture.  You want the ribs to be slightly covered with liquid, so use the beef broth to make sure they are covered.  You’ll have to modify the amount you use based on the size of the baking dish and # of racks of ribs.
5. Cover tightly with foil and pop in the oven for 3-4 hours.  You want to take it out as soon as the meat starts to feel tender and come away from the bone.
6. Once it’s finished braising you can grill it right away or let it cool, pop it in the fridge and grill it another day.
7. Grill the ribs at medium-high heat for ~5 min per side.  Depending on whether you had them in the fridge or not will impact the cooking time.  Ours were in the fridge so it took 5 min per side with the bbq lid down.
8. While the ribs are BBQ’ing, pour the sauce into a saucepan and let it simmer and reduce.  Apply some extra sauce to the ribs before you serve.
9. Enjoy!

Recipe taken from cosmopolitanprimalgirl.wordpress.com 
Image from delish.com

Shrimp. Mango. Avocado Salad

"The most indispensable ingredient of all good home cooking: LOVE, for those you are cooking for"

Sophia Loren

I was introduced to this deliciously refreshing and very satisfying (not to mention nutritious!)  dish by one of my dearest friends one evening visiting her home. We got hungry. She fed us : ) One of my favorite things is cooking with friends and family. There's nothing quite like spending quality time together chatting it up, laughing, chopping sautéing. . .  making a meal together with lots of love! Maybe thats why those often taste the best. As it did that day. . . Great food, Even better company!

Shrimp, Mango, Avacado Salad
with a homemade olive-oil vinaigrette 
3 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 table spoon olive oil
2 large mangos peeled, pitted, and diced
2 avocados peeled, pitted and diced
2/3 cup green onion, finely chopped
2/3 cup cilantro, finely chopped
1 lb peeled cooked/sautéed shrimp
Salt & Pepper to taste

Preparation

1. In a small bowl prepare the vinaigrette by combining the lime juice with the olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper and whisk together. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, mix the mangos with the avocado, green onion, cilantro and shrimp. Pour in the vinaigrette and give it a good toss. Let sit in refrigerator until cold/ let chill.
3. ENJOY!

*Recipe found @ paleodietlifestyle.com 

Sweet Potato BROWNIES! Rosacea. & Anti-Inflammatory foods for gorgeous skin (oh yea...and better health)

I have a skin condition called Rosacea. 
(You may never have noticed it, because, thank youuuu Sephora! : p ) 


 Characterized as a chronic inflammation of the skin on the face, developing into rashes, papules/pustules (red/yellow acne like bumps), persistent flushing/redness, spidery red veins, and may be itchy, hot and/or even painful. Sometimes the symptoms get better, sometimes they get worse. There is no cure for Rosacea, and the exact cause is unknown, however there are certain triggers which worsen these symptoms (by increasing inflammation) & how awesome! wine, coffee, and diet coke are included! boo (pretty much any alcohol, caffeine, and artificial sweeteners). . . However! there are also ways, through nutrition and doing other thing like drinking tons of water! to decrease inflammation. yey. So thats what I'll share with you today. You may not have rosacea (and hopefully you don't) but reducing inflammation in the body is important for anybody and err'body!


 WHY??? is it important you ask. Because chronic inflammation lurks beneath the surface of many serious health conditions, diabetes, excess weight, coronary heart disease, (and now proven through research) even cancer! .....so as you see even without a skin condition it is important to be mindful about decreasing intake of inflammation causing foods, drinks, etc. 

Sometimes better, sometimes worse. No cover-up. 

So here it is. Some good "stuff" to know.
 INFLAMATORY STUFF:
1. Sugar: Sugar is everywhere. Try to limit processed foods & foods with excess/concentrated sugar. Fruit is a great alternative for that sewwt tooth. 
 2. Common Cooking Oils: Safflower, soy, sunflower, corn, and cottonseed. These oils promote inflammation and are made with cheaper ingredients. 
 3. Trans Fats: Trans fats promote inflammation, obesity and resistance to insulin. They are in fried foods, fast foods, commercially baked goods, and items prepared with partially hydrogenated oil, margarine and vegetable oil. 
4. Dairy: While kefir and some yogurts are acceptable, dairy is hard on the body. Milk is a common allergen that can trigger inflammation, stomach problems, skin rashes, hives and even breathing difficulties. 
 5. Feedlot-Raised Meat: Animals who are fed with grains like soy and corn contain high inflammation. These animals also gain excess fat and are injected with hormones and antibiotics. Always opt for organic, free-range meats who have been fed natural diets.
 6. Processed Meat: Red/processed meat contains a molecule that humans don't naturally produce called Neu5GC. Once you ingest this compound, your body develops antibodies which may trigger constant inflammatory responses. Reduce red meat consumption and replace with poultry, fish and learn cuts of red meat, once a week at most. 
 7. Alcohol: Regular consumption of alcohol causes irritation and inflammation to numerous organs, which can lead to cancer. (Specific to Rosacea: Alcohol, especially red wine, beer, bourbon, gin, vodka or champagne Hot drinks, including hot cider, hot chocolate, coffee or tea) 
 8. Refined Grains: "Refined" products have no fiber and have a high glycemic index. They are everywhere: white rice, white flour, white bread, pasta, pastries... Try and replace with minimally processed grains.
 9. Artificial Food or Drinks/Sweetners/Additives: Aspartame and MSG are two common food additives that can trigger inflammation responses. SODA (yes, even diet) & other artificially sweetened beverages. 
 10. Fill in your own Blank: Do you constantly have headaches, feel tired, or some other symptom ? Sometimes, you may develop an allergy to a food and not even know it. Coffee, certain vegetables, cheese, there might be a trigger you aren't even aware of. Problem solve. Experiment. Try and take a few foods out, see how you feel and slowly incorporate them back in to see if there might be guilty as charged. 


 Side Note: A number of anti-inflammatory drugs promise to "ease pain and calm angry allergic reactions" and while they may provide quick relief, long-term use of some anti-inflammatory medications can actually weaken our immunity and /or cause unwanted side effects. 


"Nature has provided us with many anti-inflammatory foods which don’t just work with negligible adverse reaction, but are also great tasting. Besides their abilities to reduce inflammation they also supply us with loads of essential vitamins and minerals that boost our immune health" 
Here are a few, to incorporate in your cookin' . . . &  life. 


 ANTI-INFLAMMATORY STUFF (fyi there is much more than the stuff on this list. go on. Explore.)
First and foremost, yup. water.

1. Salmon: Salmon contains anti-inflammatory omega-3s (wild is better than farmed) and has been known to help numerous ailments. Try and incorporate oily fish into your diet twice weekly. If you don't like fish, try a high quality fish supplement. 
 2. Kelp (and other sea veggies) High in fiber, this brown algae extract helps control liver and lung cancer, douses inflammation, and is anti-tumor and anti-oxidative. Kombu, wakame and arame are good sources. 3. Extra Virgin Olive Oil: The secret to longevity in Mediterranean culture, this oil provides a healthy dose of fats that fights inflammation, can help lower risks of asthma and arthritis, as well as protect the heart and blood vessels. 
 4. Cruciferous Vegetables: Broccoli, brussel sprouts, kale and cauliflower are all loaded with antioxidants. Naturally detoxifying, they can help rid the body of possible harmful compounds.
 5. Blueberries: Blueberries not only reduce inflammation, but they can protect the brain from aging and prevent diseases, such as cancer and dementia. Aim for organic berries, as pesticides are hard to wash away due to their size. 
**Spice it up. Garlic, Tumeric, Ginger, curry, and other spices can have an anti-inflammatory effects. 
6. Turmeric: This powerful Asian spice contains a natural anti-inflammatory compound, curcumin, which is often found in curry blends. It is said to have the same effect as over-the counter pain relievers (but without their side effects). 
 7. Ginger: Ginger contains a host of health benefits. Among them, it helps reduce inflammation and control blood sugar. Ginger tea is a great addition to any diet. 
8. Garlic: Though a little more inconsistent (in terms of research), garlic can help reduce inflammation, regulate glucose and help your body fight infection. 
9. Green Tea: Like produce, this tea contains anti-inflammatory flavonoids that may even help reduce the risks of certain cancers. (caution here: if you do have roasacea, tea may be a trigger due to its heat)
 10. Sweet Potato: A great source of complex carbohydrate, fiber, beta-carotene, manganese and vitamin B6 and C, these nutrients are powerful antioxidants & actually help heal inflammation in the body. 
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On that note, just because your aim is to eat well for better health, skin, etc. . . doesn't mean life can't be sweet. In fact (or actually in MY opinion) it should be! : ) 
 & now what you've been waiting for. 
Featuring Main Ingredient, Anti-Inflammatory #10. 
Get your anti-inflammatory on! 


 SWEET POTATO BROWNIES

1 sweet potato 
3 eggs whisked 
1/4 c coconut oil melted 
1/3 c honey 
1/2 c cocoa chips 
3 tablespoons coconut flour 
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder 
1/4 teaspoon baking powder 
1/4 teaspoon vanilla 
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon pinch of salt


 Bake sweet potato till soft. 
 Peel and mash 
add coconut oil,honey,vanilla and eggs. 
Mix, then add: 
Coconut flour, Cocoa powder, Baking powder, Cinnamon and Cocoa chips 
pour into 8x8 greased glass pan. 
 Bake at 350 for 30-35 mins 
Let Cool. 


 ONE more thing thats a huge trigger for Rosacea symptoms as well as other things like Stroke, Heart Attack:  STRESS. 

 So RELAX . 

&

 ENJOY. 

 "If people only knew the healing power of laughter and joy, many of our fine doctors would be out of business. Joy is one of Nature's greatest medicines. Joy is always healthy. A pleasant state of mind tends to bring abnormal conditions back to normal." 

 Catherine Ponder

*** lists/info taken (& slightly modified) from consiouslife.com, chigaconow.com, dlife.com, and rosacea.org***