Food Reward Friday

This week's lucky "winner"... low-carb gluten-free bacon chocolate mocha ice cream cake!!

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Fried Egg Caprese Sandwich

I love breakfast sandwiches. More often than not, if a brunch menu is sans the bfast sammie, I'll order toast, a fried egg, and a side of bacon, and I'll make my own damn breakfast sandwich. 

Amanda taught me that trick. She's pretty smart like that. I mean� she just got her Master's degree over the weekend� talk about brains, that gal's got em! 

This breakfast sandwich is super fresh tasting�that's the basil. It's basically a caprese salad (um, yum!) but on a ciabatta roll. With a fried egg. It's got all the right fresh & tangy & creamy stuff goin' on. And it comes together really fast (no Master's degree required). 

PS. Doesn't that fried egg look like a steak? Why is it shaped like that? 

Fried Egg Caprese Sandwich

Serves 1

1 ciabatta roll, sliced open

Olive oil 

1 tablespoon mayonaise 

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

2-3 thick slices fresh mozzarella 

2-3 large basil leaves

1-2 thick tomato slices (I used a big, meaty heirloom)

1 egg

Salt and pepper

Brush the insides of the roll with a little bit of olive oil, and broil until lightly golden and crispy (or grill!). Whisk together the mayo & balsamic, and spread on half the ciabatta roll. Add tomato on top of mayo, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add cheese then basil to other half of roll. Fry an egg to your liking (I prefer over-medium�.the yolk is still runny, but the white is fully cooked everywhere), and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Put egg on tomato, and combine sandwich halves. That's it!

Food Reward Friday

This week's lucky "winner"... cronuts!!

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Chive Pesto and how wonderful to grow them!

Chives!  These are the most OMG plant in my garden right now.  First of all, they are low maintenance in being perennials.  Second, I've never found a weed around them.  Third, and not in order of actual importance, there are reports now of fantastic health benefits from Chives.

Chive Pesto is my new favourite pesto.  I am actually mad about pesto from basil, cilantro, pea shoot, arugula, etc.  Chive is now on the top of the list.

Chive Pesto
1 cup roughly chopped chives
1/2 cup ground almonds
1/2 cup grated parmesan reggiano or padano
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 + cup good olive oil
pinch salt, to taste

Grind up all ingredients to a paste.  Enjoy as a pesto, as an ingredient, as a sandwich spread, etc.  In pasta, try with chopped tomatoes to bring out the sweetness of the chives.

Enjoy!

Food Reward Friday

This week's "winner" will certainly be the most controversial yet... bacon!!

Bacon is a fatty cut of pork (typically side or back) that has been thinly sliced, cured, then cooked until crispy. This results in a fatty, salty, savory flavor that almost everyone loves. Bacon's extremely high calorie density, saltiness, and savory flavor give it a reward value that competes with chocolate and ice cream. Sometimes it's even used to flavor chocolate and ice cream!

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Update

I haven't been putting much effort into blogging these past few weeks.  Frankly, a little break has been nice while I take care of other things in my life.  But I haven't been twiddling my thumbs.  Obesity research hasn't slowed down and there are many topics that I'd love to write about here if I had the time.  I'll be starting a new series soon on the genetics of obesity-- a fascinating subject.  I also plan to cover some of my recent publications on obesity and blood glucose control by the brain.  Last but not least, we will soon roll out a substantially upgraded version of the Ideal Weight Program.  Those who have already purchased the program will continue to have access to the new version.

Steaks with compound butter 3 ways on CBC's Weekend Morning Show

 This morning I had the pleasure of presenting the following 3 compound butters on strip loin steaks for CBC's Weekend Morning Show with host Ismaila Alfa. 

Grill steaks to your desired doneness, recommending rare but...  :)

To be put on grilled steaks as resting.

1. Roasted Red Pepper Saffron Butter

1 cup softened butter
1 roasted red pepper
2 good pinches Saffron
1 pinch salt

Skin and seed roasted pepper. Blend together chopped pepper, butter, saffron and a pinch of salt. Drop onto a sheet of plastic wrap or waxed paper and shape into a roll. Chill until firm.

For other prepared butters, try ripe mango, butter, lime and jalape�o flakes. Try flavours that you enjoy together or ripe locally grown fruit.

2. Chive Pesto Butter
1 cup chopped chives
1/4 cup chopped almonds
1/4 cup grated parmesan
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup + good olive oil

Mix all ingredients in a blender or food processor.  Mix with butter as with previous compound butters. 
Can use basil pesto, arugula pesto, etc.

3. Squash Butter (apple butter)
Mix apple butter preserve with softened butter. 

*I'm likely going to add some Ras el Hanout as well to this one.