Work & Travel While Desperately Seeking Paleo Foods

Malai Kitchen, Midtown Dallas

Determination:the process of something typically by calculation or research. 


First & foremost always travel with a plan. When we lived in Mexico if travel plans weren't in place, wild adventures could occur! It is not so different here in the states. On a personal note there is also less self recrimination when you planned for something if it doesn't work out. I for one try and attempt some self restraint & sticking to a schedule, a diet or plan of some type.  Second, if things don't work out then go to Plan B & Carry  On.  (ie: Get back into the swing & keep plowing ahead.)  I had to travel to Dallas last week for work. While traveling with a fellow Crossfit/paleo eating co-worker we thought we would keep each other on track.  We actually did help each other out in many aspects.  It always helps to have someone in your corner who understands why you don't want bread, dairy, rice is a grain, etc..... The first night in Dallas I met two friends I hadn't seen since living in Monterrey, N.L.  We dined at a wonderful Asian restaurant Malai Kitchen in Midtown Dallas. The restaurant is a fusion of Thai & Vietnamese cuisines with several variations similar to other Asian  cuisines. Finding Paleo eats was no problem there and my friend was a dedicated vegetarian of many years therefore; she too had great choices.  The staff was great at accommodating all of our  different dietary needs.  With a menu full vegetable & protein choices it worked for each of us. I had a wonderful Tom Yum Gung with Black Tiger Shrimp which was sheer heaven. There was an eggplant house appetizer which was so good I am still trying to find a recipe for it. 
 The first morning of our trip however was another story entirely.  We are always fed very well at these events so we assumed that breakfast was served  at our destination the first morning. Seriously don't ever assume when it comes to food & travel.  Take control of specific food requirements. After a few days of semi off the grid eating & drinking I was glad to get back into the swing of things at home. Poor food choices on the road make me more determined to eat healthy & plan better the next time around.

Leftover meat, egg & veggies make a quick meal.

This past weekend I was determined to cook our Paleo foods & feel great (*Did I mention I managed to sit next to 2 folks fighting the late Winter Flu in a stuffy conference room the entire trip?) With throbbing head, scratchy throat & my packs of Emergen-C, I carried on.  Wanting to cook, yet spare shoppers my germs;  I sent Mister Tx2Mx to the store for a couple of essentials. One of the dishes I made was reminiscent of the Korean meals a friend of mine used to make in South Florida.  The use of protein & eggs in Korean food is incredible. I always admired her way of cooking  eggs crepe thin & then slicing it up into delicate bits adding such flavor to the meals. I am a very long way from her skill set however I did try & replicate Bi Bim Bap. The very name is meant to imply leftovers or mixed with rice/rice noodles however the Paleo version certainly doesn't rely on rice or noddles. I opted out of rice & doubled up on the veggies. The efforts yielded a very nice protein packed meal using leftover venison loin, cooked egg along with  multiple vegetables. Cooking the dish in a stainless wok made the process super fast. If I'd had a bowl of this for breakfast in the Big D, I'd have been one happy camper.  Next time Plan B may include where to find the Korean food trailer & will certainly include a return visit to Malai Kitchen.

A bowl of  Paleo Bi Bim Bap is a quick fix for dinner.

Paleo Bi Bim Bap


8 oz. Sliced Leftover meat: tenderloin, roast, steak, chicken, etc.
Egg, I used 1 egg
8- 10 oz. of each Vegetable; I used Carrots, Chard, Cabbage & Bell Peppers
Korean Spicy Sauce or chili flakes to taste
1 tsp. garlic
rice vinegar or lemon juice to taste
coconut or grapeseed oil (with a splash of sesame oil for good measure)
dash of sea salt
sesame seeds
Cucumber sliced or grated; used for garnish
*Kimchi is often served with this dish


Slice up all veggies, meats & then scramble egg. Coat the wok or skillet with as few tablespoons of oil as you need, a well seasoned wok won't require much. Cook egg(s) quickly over med high heat, turning to coat the bottom of the wok or skillet. Slice the egg into thin strips & cover to keep warm while preparing the rest of the meat & vegetables. Quickly cook vegetables & garlic adding in the more dense vegetables first to cook them a little longer & finally ending with the chard or leafy vegetables & then adding the meat which is pre-cooked & only needs to be reheated with the rest of the dish. Toss in dash of salt & sprinkle with sesame seeds. Place this in serving dish with eggs over top of meats & vegetables then garnish cucumber and Korean Spicy Sauce* Kimchi or Siracha Sauce. This dish can be expanded easily to accomplish feeding many with very few ingredients. Multiplying the egg or veggies can expand this meal quite easily. There are so many versions of this dish, be creative & add what you have on hand.  This recipe yields 2 large adult portions for more just multiply ingredients. 


*For true Korean Kimchi check at the local Asian Market
**Korean Spicy Sauce can be easily made at home:
5 Tbsp Kochujang (Korean chili pepper paste)
2 Tbsp agave nectar or honey
3 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp sesame oil
Mix all ingredients thinning out with water if it is too thick, store remaining sauce in refrigerator.

Farmer's Markets & Spicy Favorites

The Farmers' Almanac predicts numbing cold this winter. If that will hold true or not only time can tell but it is hard to see that far right now as our days slowly slide the mercury down the thermometer towards something bearable. Many Texans felt we had almost hit a cold spell this past week when temperatures that day only hit 95. I'll be mixing up a batch of those Hatch-a-ritas the moment the Texas temps drop below 80. Something with that much heat needs a little cooperation from Mother Nature!

While Fall is many weeks away here in Central Texas the tiny break we've had from our 100* temperatures gave us reason to hit the Farmer's Markets once again. Hornsfan & I loaded the dogs in the car (note the photo below which shows Jack sleeping in his doggie seat belt) last Saturday & left everyone else snoozing as we hit the road early to visit the Austin Farmer's Markets. We first went to Sunset Valley & bought produce & strolled the vendors booths amazed that so much produce could exist during our intense late Summer weather. Somehow as my backyard garden has sizzled & popped it's way to the compost pile our brave Texas Farmers had great things in store for lucky Austin folks. Next we headed downtown to the Republic Square Farmer's Market & were in awe once again of the produce, plants, live music & array of wonderful locally produced goodies. Our dogs were impressed with the number of Canine friends they met as well as the array of pet items for sale. We even found our favorite Green Chiles at one booth. As you know Gloria is still running her Green Chile Contest over at Food & Flavors of San Antonio. That leads me to the recipes I've cooked up once again using those Sizzling, Sirens of the Spice world! I've been on the go much of this week but still managed to whip out a couple of Green Chile Pepper items for even the most uninitiated Foodie with semi-Spicy interests. I have relied upon my Crockpot more than once recently. Family needs food & I am too busy to stir a big fuss up in the kitchen & "voila" I can slow cook it & be done with it. My Crockpot Roasted Chicken & Vegetables has 2 Fresh Green Chiles in the recipe & while the peppers added flavor they did not make the chicken hot. The Green Chile Mashed Potatoes were delicious the first night, had a bit of a kick but the leftovers the following evening had even more heat! We loved them but fair warning, Green Chiles add heat & at times just keep on adding...





























Crockpot Roasted Chicken & Vegetables
1 3-4 lb whole Natural Chicken, remove giblets
4-5 Red Potatoes, cut into quarters
2 Fresh Green Chile Peppers, seeded & halved
1 Red Onion, quartered
12 Baby Carrots
1 Tbsp dried Herbs de Provence
1 tsp Adobo seasoning (Goya brand)
1/2 c water or white wine
1 clove chopped Garlic
Olive Oil
Salt and pepper
Preparation:
Prepare the potatoes, baby carrots, and onion, and chopping potatoes & onions into quarters.

Lay 1/2 of the vegetables on the bottom of the Crockpot. Sprinkle Adobo Seasoning and pepper to taste.

Sprinkle the garlic over the vegetables.

Sprinkle dried herbs over the vegetables.

Wash and dry the chicken.

Rub salt in the cavity, place 1 Fresh Green Chile Pepper, seeded & halved.

Rub olive oil on the outside of the chicken.

Lay the chicken breast side up on top of 1/2 of the vegetables and sprinkle with Herbs de Provence, black pepper, arrange remaining vegetables & top Chicken with other Green Chile Pepper halves.

Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for 5 hours.




















Hatch Green Chile Mashed Potatoes
4 large baking potatoes, or about 2 pounds, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup heated milk
2 tablespoons butter, room temperature
4 ounces shredded or crumbled Mexican Cotija Cheese
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 Roasted Green Chile Peppers, seeded & diced
pinch Smoked Paprika
Preparation:
Cook potatoes in boiling water until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain well.
Put potatoes back in saucepan; stir over low heat until dry, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Mash, adding about 1/2 cup milk and the 2 tablespoons butter. Add grated or crumbled Cotija cheese and Roasted, diced Green Chile Peppers. Beat with a spoon, adding remaining milk until desired consistency is reached.
serves 4.

Texas Beaches~a love affair with the Gulf of Mexico

Texas the beautiful...my state of mind, relaxed~~~~~


Kicking back with family in Texas~perfection indeed.



Few things are a certainty in life. While we moved several times as I was growing up there were a few constants other than family, faith & friends. The Gulf of Mexico was always there somehow. My visits to the Texas Gulf coast might have been punctuated with long absence but my heart was always there somewhere between the sand & the surf. As an adult we've lived other places close to beaches but there is something kind & gentile about the Texas beach towns. Galveston & South Padre are quite past "touristy" these days. (Believe me, I still enjoy a trip to Galveston now & again!) While condos & rapid expansion have gobbled up many coastal communities Port Aransas Texas has stayed much the same. I can only say that; growth hasn't changed the overall character & feel of the town. I like the sight of surf fishing in the early hours, bonfires on the beach in the evening & the noises of countless sea birds at the edge of the sand rushing in for the morning's salty pickings!




Nothing feels so nice on the toes as the soft sand of the misty mornings there.



















Everything old is new again in a beach town~I remember these little beach cottages from my childhood. I was glad to see that some landmarks are still just as I remember...well almost! Mermaid's & cute paint jobs not withstanding, these are exactly the same. My love affair with the Texas Gulf Coast? Not over yet, not in this lifetime~

It's not just a state of mind~

Good to be home
























I only know how I feel when I am here. It's just hard to take the Texas out of the Texan. I love the way Fall smells, the sun feels & the wind feels with a "Blue Northern" blows in, putting that chill in the wind. The people, places & spirit of Texas are just hard to get when I am any other place on earth. Day to day these things carry me through & give me a mental anchor to let me drift back home when I need to.

From my point of view~

Home again!

Words can't describe the feeling when I see Texas from any angle! On those days when Texas & Mexico are worlds apart this is a blessed & wonderful sight.

The Domain, new place in Austin.

While home in Texas we had a chance to check out Austin’s newest shopping plaza, The Domain Mall. The girls have been telling Mom & Dad that we just had to see it! The Domain features nearly 100 high-end local & national retail stores. High-end, retailers that include Barneys, Macys, Tiffany & Co., Louis Vuitton, Neiman Marcus and some equally impressive restaurants like McCormick & Schmick’s, California Pizza Kitchen, Daily Grill and many more. My favorite store there was a kitchen store called Sur la Table. After the whole lack of Williams & Sonoma or frankly any other kitchen store in Mexico of the same quality, it was a fun place to visit. They are currently featuring alot of Latin American items which I found interesting. Scale & planning of the Domain seemed to bring to mind the small town walkable shopping areas on a traditional town square. There was even a cute, smaller local tea shop called The Steeping Room. I was struck by the large scale art scattered throughout the plaza. *The one aspect I was most impressed with: pleasant weather! Fairly low humidity, temps didn't hit 100 that day as is the norm this time of the year, all in all a wonderful experience. Fancy Schmancy might be how some would discribe The Domain, but it is a breath of fresh air when you live outside the US for any length of time.



















Texas Artist' certainly adds whimsical beauty to The Domain, keeping things from being too serious. This cute Armadillo totally caught my eye!