I love my garden. I love harvesting vegetables and making a meal using them. This dish came from a great day of harvesting greens ^[1] and potatoes. And it was delicious!

Here’s How to Do it:

Preheat the oven to 350°.

Start by heating the olive oil in heavy skillet and gently sautéing the greens.

Lay the greens in the bottom of a heavy casserole dish ^[2]

Slice the potatoes

and layer them on top of the greens.

Add a layer of sliced sausage.

In the same skillet, melt the butter and sauté onions. Stir in the cream, beef bouillon and onion soup, stirring until well blended.

Pour the mixture over the layers and bake for about 45 minutes.

Add parmesan and

crushed Fritos

to the top.

Bake for another 15 to 20 minutes, or until the top is brown.

Allow to cool for about five minutes, then serve and enjoy!

© Copyright 2021 The Lazy Gastronome

Here are some things that are perfect to use for this recipe!

Disclosure: The items below are affiliate links through Amazon.com. If you purchase any of these products through the links, I receive a small commission at no cost to you. Thanks for your support!

I love beets. I decided to plant some in an old wheel barrow this year. They took off like crazy, but they are only getting about as big as a large radish. I learned the wheel barrow is not deep enough. So I harvested the biggest ones and came up with this really delicious baby beet salad! You can find baby beets at farmer’s markets too.

Here’s How to Do it:

Scrub the beets and rinse the greens. Then cut the greens off the beets and gently rinse them. Set aside.

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the beets and reduce to simmer. Cook for about 5 minutes, then add the greens and simmer another 3-5 minutes.

Drain the beets and greens and chill. While the vegetables are chilling, make the balsamic reduction.

Place the vinegar and honey in a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low. Continue to simmer until it has reduced to half and is a syrup consistency.

Chill.

When you are ready to serve, cut the beets and greens into bite sized pieces.

Add the olive oil to the balsamic reduction and whisk until it’s all well blended.

Pour over the vegetables and gently toss. Grate some parmesan cheese over the top and serve and enjoy!

There is a slight bitterness from the greens, sweetness from the beets and a gentle tartness of the dressing. Your mouth will thank you! Goes great with Grilled Ahi with Raspberry Salsa ^[7].

^[7]

© Copyright 2020 The Lazy Gastronome

Here are some things that are perfect to use for this recipe!

Disclosure: The items below are affiliate links through Amazon.com. If you purchase any of these products through the links, I receive a small commission at no cost to you. Thanks for your support!

The California Cobb Salad – The signature dish of the Brown Derby Restaurant in Los Angeles – a hearty main course perfect for a summer evening.

California has an eclectic list of foods that are fresh and vibrant. I grew up in Southern California and I remember the fresh fish right off the dory boats in Newport Beach. We had a lot of summer grills with burgers and corn – and the oranges! When the trees would start to blossom the smell permeated the air for miles! The avocado is the state fruit and fusion foods have found their way across the state. They even have their own pizza, topped with fresh ingredients like fresh tomatoes, basil leaves and olive oil. Then there’s the California roll, fish tacos – and did you know cioppino was invented in San Francisco?

Which brings me to this week’s recipe –

The California Cobb Salad.

I’ve always wondered why it’s called a Cobb salad. Well now I know! The iconic Brown Derby Restaurant in Los Angeles created this amazing salad. There are varying reports as to who and when it was created – Some say in 1929 by chef Robert Kreis; others say 1937 by chef Paul J. Postini. But no one disputes that this signature dish was named for the owner of the chain, Robert Howard Cobb. But the most prominent story is that of Mr. Cobb’s late night hunger! He went into the kitchen and threw together some things he found in the kitchen – lettuce, fresh cooked bacon, left-over chicken…And topped it with their house dressing. And the rest is history.

What is a Cobb Salad?

This delicious main dish salad starts with greens. Iceberg or romaine lettuce and some watercress or arugula tossed in.

Then there are the veggies – Red onions, chopped tomato and some good old California avocado – and some chives at the end on top of it all.

Then the protein – Roquefort cheese (some use bleu cheese, but to be authentic you need roquefort), Crumbled bacon, hard boiled eggs and diced chicken.

Top it all off with a red wine vinaigrette and enjoy!

© Copyright 2019 The Lazy Gastronome

Leave me a comment and let me know what you think!

Superfoods are something that just about everybody should make an effort to eat for optimal health.  The only problem?  Most people don’t know what to do with them! This is understandable.  After all, they can look, taste, and smell funny.  Some of them are great alone, but for others, you’re going to need to add them to your cooking to get the full benefits of them.  You wouldn’t want to try to eat a spoonful of chia seeds alone!

Here’s a list of some of the healthiest superfoods and how you can incorporate them into your diet:

Matcha Powder

Matcha powder is one of the healthiest possible superfoods you can incorporate in your diet.  It’s bright green, and it can be used in numerous delicious ways.  Some people choose to simply mix with hot water and drink it.  This is how monks have used the powder for years and I find the flavor delicious!  It’s so popular because it gives you clarity and focus, without any of the jitteriness of coffee, like the most effective green tea you could possibly drink.  It’s also been linked with weight loss and a faster metabolism.  Take a look at the benefits for yourself ^[16].

Don’t like the taste of matcha powder?  You can make just about anything you want with it.  Add it to a fruit smoothie, or make an ice lolly. Some people like to make matcha ice cream and even matcha cake! The list is endless.

Chia Seeds

Chia seeds come in colors white and black, but it does not make a difference which you choose.  They both have high levels of protein, healthy fats, and fibre, and can make a wonderfully healthy addition to any meal.  They can be sprinkled over salads, added to overnight oats, and so much more.  They’re great at soaking up moisture, so bear that in mind.  Drink plenty of water and only consume 1/2 oz of these per day!

Cacao Nibs/Powder

If you love a chocolate fix but you want to do it the healthy way, using cacao (pronounced ca-cow) nibs or powder is a great way to do so.  You can top your cereal or oatmeal with the nibs, and add the powder to smoothies.  You can even make a healthy hot chocolate. If you choose to liven up your cereal with this, make sure you only choose healthy cereals.

Ingredients like trisodium phosphate can be found in cereal, and they are seriously unhealthy.  Find out more here https://stoppoisoningus.org/trisodium-phosphate-in-cereal/ ^[17].  You don’t want to defeat the object of adding superfoods to your diet!

Kale

Kale is a green leafy vegetable, full of micronutrients and goodness.  Some people like to chew it raw, but it can be tough to eat.  Instead, why not stop any chip cravings by baking kale ^[18] in the oven with a little salt, pepper, and lemon juice?  You can even add your own toppings to create unique flavors.

Spinach

Spinach is another green leafy vegetable, but you don’t have to eat it raw like Pop Eye.  To enjoy the nutrients that spinach has to offer, why not add it to a banana and peanut butter smoothie?  It’ll turn green, but it will still taste delicious!

Which of these superfoods is your favorite?  I can’t decide!

 

After spending three glorious days at the beach, I’m so in the mood for seafood!  I found these beautiful ahi steaks on sale and decided they would go great with the greens I already have.  And the bonus?  It’s a low fat, healthy meal too!

What you need:

• 2 Medium sized ahi steaks, about 1 inch thick
• 1 ½ cups mixed greens (I used spinach and arugula)
• ¼ cup chopped, crispy bacon
• 1/3 cup coarsely chopped green onion
• 1 teaspoon butter
• 2 Tablespoon smoke flavored olive oil (or just regular)
• 1 ½ cup orzo cooked in broth and lightly buttered
• Garlic salt
• Lemon pepper

How to Do it:

First cook the greens.  Add them and about ½ cup water to a skillet.  Bring the water to a boil, cover and cook until the greens are soft and tender.  There should be about ¾ to 1 cup left.

Pour off all the water and add 1 Tablespoon of olive oil and the butter.  On medium heat, sauté the cooked greens for about 3 minutes.  Add the onions and the bacon and cook until the onions are slightly softened.

Remove from the pan and keep warm.

While the greens are cooking, sprinkle the last tablespoon of olive oil over the steaks on both sides.  Sprinkle some garlic salt and lemon pepper on each side.

In the same pan as you cooked the greens, turn the heat to high.  When the pan is hot, place the steaks in and sear about 2-3 minutes on each side.  You want it warm but still pink in the middle.

Serve the greens and ahi with the orzo.

Serves 2

It goes really good with a hearts of palm, avocado, kumquat and fennel salad! ^[22]

© Copyright 2017 The Lazy Gastronome