comfort food

Fruit – What’s Not To Love ? ! ………..

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Ever  since I have started my “Hans’ Lighter, Healthier Comfort Food” meal plan, many people have asked me:
“How can you survive on so much fruit without getting bored?”
My meal plan calls for fresh fruit (supplemented by power-bars, dried fruit and nuts) for breakfast, lunch and snacks.
Below find a small selection of typical fruit platters and fruit bowls I make at least once a day. Please notice that there are few (if any) “exotic fruits”.
I will of course buy other fruits besides the ones pictured, such as mango, rambutan, star fruit, kumquat, sapote, dragon fruit, passion fruit, dates, mongosteen, star apple, etc, but what you see below is my usual, daily staple. I usually make a large platter of mixed fruit and berries when I get home from work and put it in the fridge. Later, a few hours after dinner, I usually eat about half, then have the other half for breakfast. For lunch on workdays it’s usually apples, pears, mandarines and such. Lunch at home is usually a bit more elaborate, with grilled fruits and a small cup of sugar- free/fat-free yogurt or sugar-free sherbet thrown into the mix. Most fresh fruit meals are supplemented by either dried fruits, vegetable chips, powerbars and assorted nuts or a combination thereof.
I hope the pictures below will encourage you to eat more fruits and help you to believe that a plate of fruit does not have to be boring 🙂
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Bon Appetit !   Life is Good !
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Week Two – Tuesday Dinner

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Grilled  Roman  Romaine Feast
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Who  on earth would object to lighter, healthier food if it comes prepared and presented like this mouth-watering  salad ? ! 🙂
The grilled romaine salad is a marvel of taste and texture, just make sure you don’t overcook it on the grill. The outside should have nice grill mark’s, while the heart should still be crispy, Use a strong dressing, so it will not be overpowered by the charred taste of the salad’s outer leaves. As for the other veggies, use whatever you have available and you think will be enhanced by grilling. If smoked salmon is not your thing, use any other protein, grilled, smoked or sautéed.
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Bon Appetit !   Life is Good !
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Grilled Romaine Feast

Grilled Romaine Feast

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Grilled Romaine Feast

Grilled Romaine Feast

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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
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Shrimp, Broccolini And Ramen Noodles In Ginger/Garlic Broth

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New Post  on ” Hans’ Lighter, Healthier Comfort food ” :
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Week Two – Monday Dinner:

Shrimp, Broccolini And Ramen Noodles In Ginger/Garlic Broth
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Bon Appetit !   Life is Good !
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To see all pictures and instructions, click HERE
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Tomato Soup With Spicy Sausage & Pasta

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Comfort  food – the moniker say’s it all – it gives you comfort and leaves you in a better state than you were before you consumed it.
And the best thing about it is that not only does it make you feel good and satisfied, it usually is also uncomplicated and easy on the wallet.
I have included spicy Italian sausage “meatballs” here since I had leftovers from yesterdays dinner. Frozen tomato soup is a staple in my freezer, since I usually make a large batch and freeze whatever I don’t eat right away. ( Empty” Crystal Light” containers are perfect and free for this). So all that was needed for this beauty of a soup was to cook the pasta, heat the soup and saute the sliced  sausages in garlic oil.
Voilà – instant great comfort and happiness 🙂
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Bon Appetit !   Life is Good !
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Click here for Tomato Soup Recipe
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Tomato Soup With Spicy Sausage & Pasta

Tomato Soup With Spicy Sausage & Pasta

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Tomato Soup With Spicy Sausage & Pasta

Tomato Soup With Spicy Sausage & Pasta

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Tomato Soup With Spicy Sausage & Pasta

Tomato Soup With Spicy Sausage & Pasta

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Preparation :
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Grilled Chicken, Grilled Shiitake & Creamed Spinach

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Comfort food  at it’s easiest, it’s quickest and it’s best. Once the spinach has been blanched  (I always keep some in the freezer for occasions like this),  the whole shamukus does not take more than fifteen minutes to prepare, ideal for a lazy day-off  lunch while watching a good movie ( Captain Phillips )

Bon Appetit !   Life is Good !

Click here for  Creamed Spinach  recipe

 

Grilled Chicken, Grilled Shiitake & Creamed Spinach

Grilled Chicken, Grilled Shiitake & Creamed Spinach

Grilled Chicken, Grilled Shiitake & Creamed Spinach

Grilled Chicken, Grilled Shiitake & Creamed Spinach



Preparation :

season chicken and shiitake with kosher salt, cayenne pepper and granulated garlic, grill until internal temperature has reached 162F, remove from grill and let rest for fife minutes, carryover heat will cook chickento a perfect 165F

season boneless chicken tights  and shiitake mushroom with kosher salt, cayenne pepper and granulated garlic, grill until internal temperature has reached 162F, remove from grill and let rest for fife minutes, carry-over heat will cook chicken to a perfect 165F

place creamed spinach on a serving dish

place creamed spinach on a serving dish

top spinach with chicken and shiitake, drizzle with lime juice, sprinkle with sliced scallion

top spinach with chicken and shiitake, drizzle with lime juice, sprinkle with sliced scallion

Grilled Chicken, Grilled Shiitake & Creamed Spinach

Grilled Chicken, Grilled Shiitake & Creamed Spinach

Grilled Chicken, Grilled Shiitake & Creamed Spinach

Grilled Chicken, Grilled Shiitake & Creamed Spinach



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please be so kind and click on the video on the bottom of this page.  Thank you 🙂







Creamed Spinach

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Like  so much other comfort food, creamed spinach is hardly found on menus (or homes, for that matter) anymore, with the exception of steakhouses where it usually is one of the standard side dishes. I just love spinach, no matter how it is prepared, but the price goes without a doubt to creamed spinach. Following is the simple instruction how to prepare this great dish.

Bon Appetit !   Life is Good !
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Creamed Spinach

Creamed Spinach

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blanch spinach in generously salted water.

blanch spinach in generously salted water.

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shock in ice water ( screaming BOOOOO does not work )

shock in ice water ( screaming BOOOOO does not work )

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saute onions and garlic in butter

saute onions and garlic in butter

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add flour (ratio butter flour = one to one)

add flour (ratio butter flour = one to one)

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add half milk and half heavy cream, season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Simmer for five minutes. sauce must be VERY thick, chopped spinach contains lot's of water

add half milk and half heavy cream, season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Simmer for five minutes. sauce must be VERY thick, chopped spinach contains lot’s of water

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chop blanched spinach to the texture you prefer

chop blanched spinach to the texture you prefer

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add to sauce. simmer for 5 minutes. check/adjust seasoning

add to sauce. Simmer for five minutes. check/adjust seasoning

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Creamed Spinach

Creamed Spinach

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Asian Inspired Fiery Lamb With Egg Noodles And Vegetables

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This  is comfort food at it’s finest.
What quick, easy and affordable food can be more comforting than spicy, juicy noodles with ground meat of any type, vegetables of any sort, seasoned to that just slightly burning mouthfeel that feel’s oh so good and satisfying after your taste buds have adjusted to the heat after the first few bites.
Tonight I have used lamb, egg noodles , cabbage, peppers, onions and scallions, but you could use any protein, such as pork, beef, chicken, shrimp, scallops. You  could also substitute the egg noodles with any other type of pasta, as well as use the vegetables of your choice/ availability. This is such a versatile dish that only your fantasy  limits your choice of ingredients.
Experiment for a bit and you will arrive at your very own favorite version of this dish 🙂

Bon Appetit !   Life is Good !

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Fiery Lamb With Noodles And Vegetables

Fiery Lamb With Noodles And Vegetables

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Saute Fine diced Onions, Garlic Paste And Grated Ginger

Saute Fine diced Onions, Garlic Paste And Grated Ginger

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Add Lamb, Saute Until All Lumps Are Broken Up

Add Lamb, Saute Until All Lumps Are Broken Up

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Add Salt, Hoisin Sauce, Soy Sauce, Sriracha, Maggi Seasoning, A Bit Of Corn Starch Slurry And Chicken Stock. Simmer until Meat Is Tender

Add Salt, Hoisin Sauce, Soy Sauce, Sriracha, Maggi Seasoning and Chicken Stock. Simmer until Meat Is Tender

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Add vegetables, Simmer For One Minute

Add vegetables And A Bit Of Corn Starch Slurry , Simmer For One Minute

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Boil Egg Noodles, Drain, Mix With Sesame Oil

Boil Egg Noodles, Drain, Mix With Sesame Oil

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Add Freshly Cooked Egg Noodles And A Splash Of Lime Juice. Adjust Seasoning If Necessary. Mix Well.

Add Freshly Cooked Egg Noodles And A Splash Of Lime Juice. Adjust Seasoning If Necessary. Mix Well.

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Fiery Lamb With Noodles And Vegetables

Fiery Lamb With Noodles And Vegetables

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” Naan, Veal Ribs & Other Stuff “

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Last  night’s dinner made me realize that I eat a lot of comfort food which does
not necessarily fall into a specific group or cuisine. Sometimes, just raiding the
fridge without a grand plan and simply putting some stuff together on the fly
does produce some great dishes. This was one of them :
Naan with ribs, chilies, onions and yoghurt ”
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Ingredients :

Veal ribs,                  simmered, bones removed
Naan,                        Generously buttered and sprinkled with sea salt
Greek yoghurt,
Chilies,                     finely diced
Lime,                         juiced
Garlic,                       paste
Scallion,                   sliced
Onions,                    rings
Sesame seeds,
Oyster sauce,
Sriracha,
Soy sauce,
Teriyaki sauce,
Kosher salt,

Water,

Method :

Blend all ingredients except ribs and half of the chilies.
Put a bit of water into a small, rimmed pan, into which
the ribs just fit, one layer only. Add the ribs.
Cover ribs with the sauce, (the sauce should be very watery
at this point) cover airtight and bake in
a low heat oven until very tender, about 3.5 hours.
When the ribs are tender, the sauce should have thickened
and cling nicely to the ribs.
Arrange rib meat on hot naan, drizzle with yoghurt, add onion rings,
sprinkle with chilies, sesame seeds and scallions and serve with a
garnish of spinach salad and sliced lime.

Bon Appetit !   Life is Good !