International Style Cuisine with Bok Choy

Last night, I made a wonderful tasting Bok Choy dinner.  I kept on passing the bok choy up in the store but had the urge to make something with that vegetable.  I've used it before, but the last time I used it I was in college.  So, I bought it last week.  These urges are are a bit strange to me; I get a spark of an idea for dinner and I can't let it go, so I eventually break down and buy whatever it may be.  Well, you're in luck, because it tasted great, and I'm going to let you in on the recipe.








Bok Choy with Pork (or a protein of your choice)

1-2 Large Bok Choy (or a few baby Bok Choy)
2 medium sized Tomatoes (diced)
1 medium sized Onion (diced)
4-6 cloves of Garlic (smashed and chopped)
1-1.5 lbs of Pork sliced thin (or Chicken, Beef, or Shrimp)
2+ Tbs. of fish sauce.
Oil/grease for the pan
Salt and Pepper to taste
Chilies of your choice or Garlic chili sauce

Cut up all the vegetables.  Saute only the onions, tomatoes and garlic in a larger pan with some bacon grease (that's what I used, and it worked pretty well).  Once those start to smell good, about 5-10 min, depending on the heat (it should be medium high), add in the pork and the fish sauce (it's going to smell pretty strong, but it will dissipate).  I think this dish works and looks good with thinly sliced pieces of Pork (I accomplished this by slicing the pork chops before they thawed all the way).  Once the pork is about halfway done, add in the larger/thicker pieces of the Bok Choy, and a few minutes later add in the rest of the B.C.  Now, I stir it all together so the juices reach every little thing and put a lid on it for 5 minutes, at a medium boil.  Take off the lid, and let it simmer for ~10 min. Or until the rice is done.

This goes great with some white rice.  To make it, I rinse a cup of rice off with water until the water runs clear.  Then, I add it to my pressure cooker with a 1 1/4 cup water, and set my pressure cooker on high pressure for 6 minutes (5 minutes would probably be good for lower altitudes).  Another way to make this type of rice, if you don't have a pressure cooker is to make it on the stove top.  I keep the same measurements of rice to water and put them in a saucepan, make sure it has a lid.  Stir the rice until it reaches a boil, then put the lid on and reduce the heat to low.  Let it sit without disturbing it for 20 minutes.  It should come out nice and tender and sticky.  If you're at lower altitudes you should probably take off a couple of minutes.  But, if it doesn't work for you, just experiment with the times.

To finish it off, add the rice to the plate then place the Bok Choy and Pork on top with a lot of the juice!

Garden, Tinctures and Prospects

Here is a little update into my life:

I had a few tinctures finish up: licorice root, peppermint, and oregano.  I’ve said this in a previous post, but I’m most excited about my licorice root.  I think it has a lot of helpful benefits.  For example, in the book “The Healing Remedies Sourcebook,” it lists licorice root as being a “...demulcent (relieving inflammation), expectorant (used to treat coughs), with laxative and alterative properties.  It has been used with muscle problems because of its anti-inflammatory, antiarthritic properties.  Licorice is antibacterial and antiviral.”  Also, it is used in many formulations to activate and increase the effects of other herbs (http://www.anniesremedy.com/herb_detail102.php).  But, again, this is to be used in moderation as licorice may increase blood pressure, water retention and should not be used by pregnant women.    

My peppermint finished up, too.  I’m finding many interesting things to put that in.  I put it in my tea, which is awesome.  I also put a bit in my kefir drink, as well.  I like the taste, but it also has some beneficial qualities: it aids in digestion; it’s a mild stimulant; carminative (relieves flatulence); and it’s antispasmodic.  Overall, I think I may use it for the taste than anything else.  




Aside from tinctures, I’m trying to start up my hydroponic gardening.  I haven’t had the best of luck in the past, with aphids eating through my stems on my first attempt.  On the second attempt, I didn’t have enough light, and my seedlings just fell over.  But, now, I think I may have reached a point where the seedlings are working out, and I can finally move them on to the next step, which is putting them in my hydroponics system.  At that point, I will probably be up against a whole new slew of problems and difficulties, but, I’m up for the challenge!  So far, I have 7 bell pepper seedlings that have sprouted.  I moved them from their germination chamber (a tupperware container) to their intermediate step: I put them in their net cup with hydroton and into a red solo cup with their nutrient.  I did this to get them closer to the light, but also, I won’t move them to my hydroponics system until I see roots sprouting from the bottom of the rock wool.  I can’t wait, and I hope to have peppers by early summer (fingers crossed)!

If everything goes well with that, I have a few more plant projects that I plan to start here in the near future.  First, I want to start a batch of some California Poppy, so I can make my own, homemade tincture, which I find very useful.  I’m thinking I’ll probably plant these hydroponically, too, but in a much simpler rock and water system.  I think if I do it this way, I can plant them closer together.  Secondly, I’m going to begin making a pepper plant bonsai, or bonchi.  I’m pretty excited about this, too.  I love the look of bonsai trees, and what could be better than to add a bit of color with the multi-colored peppers!  This is going to take some time to do properly.  I have to grow it in soil, and get it pretty big so I have a nice base stem.  It’ll probably be a year + long project.  Finally, I got some easter egg radish seeds for my girlfriend, and some catnip... for me.

Well, that’s what I have going on right now.  Leave a comment and tell me what your plans or projects are for the spring/summer/new year.

It's Time for Tea Somewhere in the World

I say let the world go to hell, but I should always have my tea.
― Fyodor Dostoevsky

So, I like tea.  And, I think I can trace this preference back to my Grandma.  When I was younger, she’d always drink lemon tea; I think it may have been Lipton’s or Nestea Lemon tea.  It came in a big container, and it was granularized.  She also drank it out of a taller glass, that to me, recounting the experience, seemed like it was a very special glass, only for her tea.  I liked it, and I’d always steal sips out of it, if I could. Then a long time passed and I really had no interaction with tea.  I don’t think I started drinking it again till I was in college.  

While in college, I would go in spurts: tea for a while, then coffee for a while.  I liked both, equally.  I probably had an equal amount of gadgets to make my own version of the brew.  For the coffee, I had a french press and later I had a Italian moka pot (a great device to make pitch black coffee, then all you need is to add a bit of honey!!).  For the tea I had a, well, a french press, the same one as I used for coffee, and I also had a small portable tea steeper, and then I also had tea bags.  I think primarily, in the beginning, I used store bought, pre-packaged tea.  It was convenient, as I was crunched for time while in school.  But, as time progressed, I feel like, as with a good wine or cheese, I matured (hopefully, not as smelly) into what I am today.

What I am today is not necessarily pretentious but  just accustomed to what I like.  And that is, for me, having an accurately timed and appropriately heated loose leaf tea.  It can be the best thing in the world to me.  I can almost taste that first sip as I write this, and it is divine.  I can’t explain it the way it should be explained, but just imagine tasting the earth while in the middle of a very green forest with the sun shining through the canopy, sitting peacefully with no distractions.  The smell, the taste, the warmth creates an experience and I get to enjoy that with a simple cup of tea.  

It is hard for me to understand, completely, how some may not like such a thing.  And, I’ve been told by numerous people that tea just tastes like warm leaf water.  As the emotions rise, I have to remind myself we are all different and we have different opinions.  But, it’s HARD! tea is great!  

Some of my favorite teas are genmaicha, which is a tea with roasted or puffed pieces of rice.  Which gives the tea a more earthy flavor.  Pu-erh is also a preferred tea of mine.  At first, I was a bit put off by the aging process.  However, as soon as I tried it, it once again brought me to the forest, I could taste the ground, the air, the time it took to age; it was like a rainforest in my mouth.  As I write this, I can see why some may not like tea, all I’m talking about is tasting dirt or trees or leaves... but I love that symbolism.  I grew up in a place where the look and smell of nature was very apparent, so it does strike a chord with me, and it is a very good one.  

I hope I’ve inspired some of you to try tea.  Leave some feedback in the comments about tea you’ve tried, and how it has made you feel.  Or, maybe you enjoy and feel similar things, but it’s coffee, let me know, it won’t bother me :)

A Tincture a Day... Licorice, Garlic and Oregano Tinctures

My small collection of tinctures

Lately, I’ve become more interested in natural health remedies.  I think it began during my bouts with insomnia.  At the time I knew that the insomnia I had wasn’t very severe but it still wreaked havoc on my energy levels the next day.  So, I looked for ways to help me fall asleep at night.  I began to take sleeping pills, but I was worried about the continued use of these drugs because I knew they could be addictive; it even said so on the box!  Aside from that, they left me groggy in the morning, and for the better part of the afternoon.  I didn’t really like that.  Then I found another drug, or more accurately, a hormone, melatonin.  I like this one.  It still made me groggy in the morning, but not as bad.  However, after some time of taking it, I had to begin increasing the doses.  After finding out that this was a hormone and understanding the basic science behind hormones and neurotransmitters, I came to the conclusion that it was similar to what was happening to the brain during a cocaine addiction.  Basically, your brain gets used to the elevated hormone levels (or neurotransmitter levels) and requires more of that chemical.  I know my brain can produce melatonin on its own, so I was just adding to that by a lot.  Now, I only take melatonin when I really need to fall asleep, and I divide the pill into quarters.

After doing a bit more googling about certain sleep aids, I happened upon a tincture of California Poppy Seed extract.  I was worried about it containing opium, since it said poppy in the name.  But, I found out it was from a different genus or species of plant and was non-narcotic.  So, I took bought it and started taking it twice a day.  And it worked! I didn’t feel groggy, and I actually started to wake up earlier and more refreshed.  As with anything, though, I don’t take it all the time, as moderation, I feel, is key.  But, that kind of inspired me to find out what other plants made by natural means, not synthesized in labs, could be beneficial to me and how I can extract those beneficial properties.

Everybody should have some experience with this; we have all made, either, tea or coffee.  That is, essentially, an extraction of the beneficial properties of the plant or seed.  So, a baby step of mine was making a tea...wait for it... out of garlic!  I made it for my girlfriend.  The reason being is that it has, purportedly, amazing cold/flu/sickness fighting properties within that awesome tasting little bulb.  Let me tell you, that amazing taste isn’t very amazing when it’s concentrated; I had to fight tooth and nails to get my girlfriend to drink it, as she felt a cold coming along in her lungs.  She hated it. I didn’t much care for it, either, and we both suffered through some awesome(?)/awful garlic breath (I persuaded her by saying I would have some with her).  To her chagrin, she no longer felt that cold creeping up on her the next day!

After that I began making tinctures of some simple things, like: oregano, garlic, peppermint, and licorice root.  All out of fresh or dried leaves, roots or bulbs and some grain alcohol or vodka.  I think they work great.  When I’m getting a stuffy nose, I take a bit of the oregano tincture and some of the garlic tincture and the next day I can breath again.  But, I do have to say the garlic smell is STRONG!!! But, I like it.  I’m very excited about my licorice root tincture finishing up here in the next month.  As I like to do combat sports like Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and I’m starting back up with Thai boxing, I get some nice bruises and muscle aches.  Licorice root has anti-inflammatory properties, by working in similar ways to hydrocortisone, as well as alleviate stress and anxiety.  

As I continue to make more of these tinctures, I think I may sell a few of these, here and there.  I make very small amounts, but definitely more than what I can consume.  So, if you’re interested in something I’ve talked about, let me know in the comment section.  Also, if you would like me to make you one, let me know about that, too.  As I become more proficient at making these tinctures, I may even step into the distillation of essential oils.  I just have to make my own distillation apparatus.  The distillation process can be very fun, as I’ve done a few distillations in my organic chemistry class :)

Finally, if you have used any tinctures before, or even found some interesting plant or natural product that you’ve used to help with something, please tell me in the comment section! I always find it interesting when someone uses non-conventional ways to help themselves and forgo pharmaceutical drugs.

It Was A Cold and Lobster Filled Night

**Ok, so I got a little bored writing about my night with lobster, so I decided to make it into a 50’s noir type post.  I have read very little from this genre, and I haven’t written a story in a long time.  Also, it will be a little (probably a lot) lame.  Finally, everything in this story didn’t happen, other than for the fact that I made lobster tonight. Have fund**

Tonight was an interesting night.  It all started with a very sincere want to make a lobster pot.  Two weeks ago, I was at Albertson’s and they had some lobster for sale in the deli case.  I thought to myself, “I can’t pass this up, the price is just too good.”  I asked the deli-man for two.  He gave me a keen look, but I couldn’t be distracted by him, I was worried about my girlfriend, and if she would like lobster.  The deli-man said something under his breath as he was handing me my lobster, I wasn’t too happy and I opened my overcoat to show him I meant business.  He got the message.  I was glad, I didn’t want any more stains on my hand; doing my kind of work you think you get used to it, but you never do.  It’s a cold and dreary night, and I have to walk home, lucky for me it’s only a few blocks away.  So, I hunker down and make my way, hoping I don’t run into Vinnie.  Our last poker game didn’t go so well.  What I’ve heard on the streets is that he wants the 100 bucks or two of my fingers.  I sure as hell wasn’t going to part with my fingers, but I didn’t have his money, either.

I make it home.  My girlfriend is on the phone and when she spots me she drops everything and gives me a big kiss.  I wasn’t the mushy type, but that was the first good thing to happen all day.  Maybe, she hasn’t figured out that I got the lobster, but she’ll know soon enough.  As I’m putting the groceries away, she grabs the lobster and grabs my coat by the neck.  “You got lobster?!  I don’t know if I even like lobster; what did you have in mind with this?”  I smell  her perfume, it’s sweet and intoxicating and I almost forget that she’s got me by the neck.  “It’s for the lobster pot I’m going to make,” I say as I loosen the grip from my neck, “You’re going to like it, I swear, Honey.”  I figure I have to let the situation cool for a bit, so I don’t bring it up for two weeks.  

It’s finally time.  I had to settle my nerves, so I stop by the local bar to grab a few beers.  I ask the bartender for 2 beers.  He doesn’t understand why I don’t order one now and get the second one later, but as he’s about to ask me why, I spot Vinnie in the corner of my eye.  Not the person I wanted to see when I needed to relax a bit.  He’s alone, which means I can give him a hard time if he comes at me with his knife for my fingers.  As he walks over, I reach down to get my gun ready.  But, I keep reaching, there’s nothing there; I must have forgotten it at home.  “I know you’ve been looking for me, Vinnie.  I don’t have your money.”  He reaches inside his coat, and I think I’m a goner, when he suddenly slams down a stack of cards.  He says, “I heard you got some lobsters two weeks ago, I want them.  I’ll play you for them.  If you win, I’ll let your debt slide, if you lose, I take your lobster and you owe me double the money.”  With that offer, I couldn’t refuse.  Three hours go by, and we’re down to the last hand, winner take all.  Where the hell is my second drink.  I gotta keep focused, I have it all on the line.  There’s a flush draw on the table and I know he’s got it, but I have three of a kind and the river hasn’t been played, yet.  The sweat is dripping down my brow, the bartender has stopped serving and the dealer is shaking.  What is it already!!??  All I need is another king.  Time slows to a standstill as the dealer flips over the last card.  It’s the king of spades.  I dodged a bullet there. Little do I know, I wouldn’t be so lucky later.

Fresh off my win, I decide I’ve done enough relaxing, more like none at all, and go home to make the lobster pot.  I take my knife out of my pocket, and start to cut up the sausage.  I get the shrimp and scallops ready; all go in the pressure cooker.  Five minutes later, we’re ready to eat.  I let her take the first bite.  How are we going to get into the lobster! We don’t have any claw crackers, only our cutlery.  That’s when everything goes flying.  It hit me first.  She was going at the claw with her fork, and it slipped.  The shell dislodged and came right at me; it almost took out an eye.  But, I could go on.  After the claws and the tail, we wanted more, but what else could we eat?  Opening up the shell around the body, everything looked odd and unlike anything I’ve seen before.  I tried going in for something, but she said, “Don’t eat anything green!”  I was going to do it, but I think she saved my life.  

Well, fake story aside, here are some tips, and questions I have about lobster.

Tips:
Learn what you can and cannot eat on a lobster
make sure you have claw crackers.
Don’t be afraid to get dirty.  You are going to hit whomever you’re eating with with stray fluids or shells.
Throw the trash out right away.... pew

Questions:
Can you eat the green stuff?
What can’t you eat from a full lobster?

Image Source

Jambalaya Recipe (or Generic Rice Dish, You Be the Judge)

Alright, so here’s another recipe.  Now, it was inspired by jambalaya, or gumbo; to tell the truth I don’t really know the difference.  But, now you have it, so you can say, when you make it, that it was inspired by Kevin.  No more confusion, and you don’t have to explain anything to anyone.  

I made this recipe one night when I didn’t have a plan for dinner, and when I had bits and pieces of random food items here and there.  That’s a great skill to have, making food with little on hand.  I acquired it, honed it, and mastered that technique while in college.  One does not have much money to spare when in college but one must eat, so you deal with what you got.  Now, the great thing about that is anything that I have in the recipe can be replaced with something else, or completely left out.  If you only have a little bit of this and that, use it; whatever you make will be good and it’ll fill you up.

Pressure Cooker Jambalaya Inspired dish

1 lb bratwurst, cut into chunks
0.5 lb shrimp (uncooked)
1 c. rice
2+ carrots (diced)
1 bell pepper
1 c.+ broccoli
0.5 onion diced
4 garlic cloves
1.5-2 cups chicken broth

(try 1.5 c first. If you’re using bouillon, dissolve them first! Ask me why I say that...)

1 tbsp cajun seasoning (I used hawaiian cajun seasoning)
1 tbsp chili powder
1.5 tbsp thyme
0.5 tbsp ginger powder
0.25 tsp cayenne pepper powder

Have chicken stock ready by dissolving bouillon cubes.  Chop all vegetables.  Saute garlic and onion.  After smell is right (5-10 min), add in rest of vegetables, meat, spices and broth.  Set pressure cooker for 18 minutes.

Now, if you don’t have a pressure cooker, I’d say make your rice first.  Then, cook your vegetables for a bit in a frying pan, until they get soft.  Add the meat and the spices; cook until meat is almost done.  Finally, add in the rice and the broth.  Just let that simmer for 10-15 min.

So, that boullion cube... I was making it for the first time, and I have rarely used bouillon cubes before.  Without thinking, I just threw two of them in the pot, thinking they would dissolve before I put the lid on.  As I was stirring, I saw both of them not really dissolving as quick as I wanted them too!  I didn’t want to have a really concentrated broth zone, so I tried my best, jabbing and scraping at the cubes to break them up.  It took 5-10 min. extra time before I could put the lid on the pressure cooker, and I was hungry! It was a journey I don’t really want to repeat, especially if I’m hungry.

Let me know in the comment section what you think this is more like: Jambalaya, gumbo, or something completely different.  Also, if you’ve made it and added something different to it, let me know.

Picture source:
http://www.picturesof.net/pages/090912-179092-448054.html

Keep It Simple Silly: A Guide to Simple Lifestyle Change

I think when dieting, one has to ask themselves, “Why are there so many diet plans or ideas to choose from?”  A very simple answer to this question is that we are all different from one another, and thus think that a different plan is needed to work for me.  We were raised differently; we have different environmental factors contributing to what makes us who we are.  One person may have been raised in a very affluent household and would have a plethora of foods to choose from to eat.  Another person could have been raised in the exact opposite lifestyle.  They would be trying their hardest to get the best bang for their buck, eating the 99 cent deal at the local fast food joint.  Then, we have genetic differences.  Our genes, either, give us a body that makes people envious with the little effort they need to exert to look fit.  And the rest are the ones that wish they had it that easy.  But, what if I were to say that the fit person and yourself weren’t too different?  The thing we need to remember is that we are all humans.  What does that mean for you?

It means we are all just about 99% the same as the person sitting next to you, or your neighbor or your boss, or even Arnold Schwarzenegger or that model from the magazines.  And, I think that’s great because it means that we can all achieve similar things as those prodigious people.  Now, I’m not saying you’re going to win the next ironman contest, I think that’s where we begin to see divergences in greatness.  But, if you can achieve just a bit of what makes a person great isn’t that, in itself, an achievement?  I think so.  And if you did achieve just a bit, I’d give you a thumbs up, and a high five.

Keep this picture in mind, I'm here to support you!

Now, you’re on your road to greatness, what do you do first if you want to lose some weight?  I’d say the simplest thing you can do is cut some calories out of your diet.  This may be real hard for some people.  So, start small, this is going to be a journey.  

I don't look to jump over 7-foot bars: I look around for 1-foot bars that I can step over
-Warren Buffett

Cut out some sweet stuff that you enjoy: candy bars, sugar laden lattes, pops or similar things.  Notice, I didn’t say cut out everything, cold turkey.  I think this is where a lot of people fail, they just go cold turkey.  Then, your brain goes through withdrawal symptoms and you eat or binge on whatever it was you were craving.  This doesn’t help you, at all.  It also messes with you emotionally.  You have feelings of failure and regret.  Then, somehow, you see that you’ve failed that diet and you are back to your old habits.  What, I believe, is better is to think this as a process.  You don’t fail the end goal in a process if you achieve it, they can just be viewed as missteps or miscalculations along the way.  One good thing to remember is that it’s OK to screw up along the way, if you keep your eyes on the goal and know what you need to do.

See, this road has ups and downs, too!

Here are some things I think will help to keep you on track:

• Keep a food log
• write down everything you eat and the approximate amounts of food
• Keep a photo food log!
• I think this is the easiest way to keep on track; everyone has a phone with a camera on it
• Just take pictures of foods you’re about to eat
• look at it at the end of the day, see if there was one thing you could have done without
• Keep track of your waistline, or another part of your body that you feel is in need of help
• As you do this, your weight is going to fluctuate, and it may not feel like you’re getting anywhere.  
• It may even go up (I’ll talk about why this isn’t bad, later)
• Get a flexible tape measurer
• or get some string/twine and wrap it around yourself and mark the place where it meets with permanent marker

Now, as everything in life is so easy and fast, you may get disappointed that results don’t occur very quickly.  This may have prevented you from finishing a diet in the past.  The one thing you’re going to have to come to terms with, is that this is going to take time!  Weight loss doesn’t happen overnight.  Did you get to the state you’re at now, overnight?  I’m going to have to go with no.  So, don’t get disgruntled with the slow pace of things... you’ve heard of the race between the hare and the tortoise, right?

Once you feel comfortable taking some things out of your normal diet, and maybe you’re seeing some results, you could be feeling that you want to do something more.  Enter exercise.  Just as with cutting some calories out, start small.  Walk around the block, do some stretches, dance.  Whatever it is and you like doing it, do it for 5-10 min.  
You’ll feel refreshed, and you may even release some endorphins (the things your brain releases that make you feel good and happy).  Here’s a word of warning: let’s say you’re feeling really invigorated and just want to go balls to the wall and work the heck out of your body.  DON’T DO IT.  Spread that vigor out over 2 days or more.  If you work out real hard after being sedentary for a long time, you’re going to get sore (I know, I’ve done it before).  And, most likely, you’ll be sore for the next few days.  This means that you’ll have an excuse to not work out, and that does bad things to your motivation.  Just use the mantra: KISS (keep it simple silly).  After a while of consistent effort is when you can bump it up a notch.
You can do your walks in the style of the Ministry
of Silly walks... or not.

Remember when I said your weight may go up if you start this plan and you exercise?  It’s because muscle weighs more than fat!!! If you’re working out, walking, or dancing, you body is going to build some muscle.  So, don’t freak out if you put on a bit of weight.  Also, for the ladies out there, you’re not going to look like a man, either, with your newly made muscles (it takes a long time for this, even with the help of steroids). In actuality, you’re going to look great!

I’m going to leave it at that.  Just start out small.  Little puddles are easier to cross than oceans and lakes, and you’ll always be on your way to your destination.  It’s going to take time.  Be truthful with yourself in the beginning, this isn’t some quick fix.  You’re also going to screw up (maybe a lot), but tell yourself and know that you haven’t failed, it’s just a hiccup in your process.

This is not a diet, it’s a lifestyle change

It took a lifetime to get where you’re at, so give yourself some time to get where you want to go.

I hope to continue providing this sort of information as an ongoing theme throughout this blog.  So, check back for more!  I only have a few outlets for the thoughts in my head, as my girlfriend is getting tired of my ramblings (and trying my weird concoctions, e.g. garlic tea...more on that later) :)
Leave some comments about things that have worked for you or observations that you think would help others in the comment section.  The more the merrier.

Image source: http://thegreensamaritan.com/2011/07/summer-road-trip-4-ways-to-maximize-your-fuel-efficiency/
23 Mar 2005, Hawaii, Hawaii, USA --- Hilly Road --- Image by © Royalty-Free/Corbis

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/SillyWalk