health

Bombay Vegetable Omelette

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Although most egg dishes which I have encountered in India and Pakistan use hard-boiled eggs, this dish, which I make often when I have some leftover curry sauce in the fridge, seems to capture (for me) the spirit of Indian and Pakistani breakfast dishes I had in hotels and private homes while living (Pakistan) and traveling (India) in both countries 🙂
Serve with naan and / or rice
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Bon Appetit ! कृपया भोजन का आनंद लीजिये ! (kripyā bhojan kā ānnaṅd lijīyai)
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Link to “EASY DOES IT # 11 – CURRY”

Link to Naan Recipe
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Link to Chelo / Polo
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Link to Rice
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Bombay Vegetable Omelette

Bombay Vegetables

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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
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: saute botton mushrooms in clarified butter until starting to brown

: add diced onions, saute until opaque

: add diced peppers, blanched broccoli and blanched cauliflower

: add curry sauce (see link to”easy does it – curry)

: add spinach leaves and a dollop of greek yogurt

: add plenty of chopped cilantro, check / adjust seasoning

: plate veggie-curry

: whisk whole eggs with kosher salt and cayenne pepper

: transform eggs into omelette 🙂

: place egg atop of veggie-curry, add a small dollop of greek yogurt and more chopped cilantro

: Bombay Vegetable Omelette

: Bombay Vegetable Omelette

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Salade De Pâtes

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A simple pasta salad will, more often then not, hit the spot for a simple yet satisfying meal.
And if you add some fruits to it, culinary bliss will be achieved with a minimum of fuss and expense 🙂
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Bon Appetit ! Life is good !
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P.S.
Use any protein or vegetable to replace the bologna and Swiss cheese, such as shrimp, crab meat, chicken, roast beef and/or any vegetable and cheese at hand.
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More Pasta Salad
Even more Pasta Salad
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Pasta Salad. Salade De Pâtes

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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
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: blanche asparagus in salted water

: shock asparagus in ice water, drain

: cook pasta, drain

: slice bologna and swiss cheese into julienne(or other protein / cheese of your choice)

: radish, cucumber, asparagus, swiss, bologna

: add COLD pasta, garlic paste, apple cider vinegar, mayo, mustard, ketchup, kosher salt and cayenne pepper

: serve with carambola and kiwi (or other fruit of your choice)

: mix all ingredients, check / adjust seasoning

: Pasta Salad. Salade De Pâtes

: Pasta Salad. Salade De Pâtes

: Pasta Salad. Salade De Pâtes

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Chicken Noodle Soup With Broccoli Rabe & Tomatoes

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My very own preference for chicken to use in a soup are the wings, which makes for a bit of messy eating at the dinner table. (Bella does not mind 🙂 )
So, if this is an issue for you, you might want to replace the wings with boneless diced chicken leg.
On the other hand, chicken noodle soup was never meant to be an elegant dish, so what the heck, use whatever makes you happy!
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Simmer wings with water, sliced ginger, sliced garlic, kosher salt and cayenne pepper until wings are cooked through, about 30 minutes. Remove wings, set aside. Meanwhile, cook pasta, strain, toss with a bit of sesame oil. Strain soup, return to simmer, add chilies, broccoli rabe, tomatoes, scallions, hot sauce, soy sauce and wings, simmer another minute. Check / adjust seasoning. To serve, add pasta to serving dish, top with soup, wings and veggies, sprinkle with more scallion.
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Chicken Noodle Soup With Whole Grain Pasta And Vegetables

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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
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: wings, garlic, ginger, blanched broccoli rabe, mild chilies, scsllions, whole grain spaghetti, hot sauce, say sauce, sesame oil

: Chicken Noodle Soup With Whole Grain Pasta And Vegetables

: Chicken Noodle Soup With Whole Grain Pasta And Vegetables

: Chicken Noodle Soup With Whole Grain Pasta And Vegetables

: Chicken Noodle Soup With Whole Grain Pasta And Vegetables

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Buttermilk Pancakes With Caramelized Black Plums

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I am supposed to eat as much fresh fruit as possible, so here we go with a wonderful way of preparing fresh plums.
The pancakes? Not using refined sugar in the batter helps me feel less guilty than otherwise…….. 🙂
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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P.S.
Usually I use whipped egg white and a/p flour for my pancakes, but because I had some self rising flour in the cup board, I skipped the extra step of whisking the egg whites separately and used whole eggs. Almost same results 🙂
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Buttermilk Pancakes With Caramelized Black Plums

Dutch Pancakes With Caramelized Black Plums

Buttermilk Pancakes With Caramelized Black Plums

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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
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: fresh black plums

: remove pits by cutting along for sides

: melt a generous amount of butter

: add plums and honey

: saute until caramelized and released juices have formed a syrup

: ahhhh……

: whisk self rising flour, whole eggs, honey, buttermilk and a drop of vanilla extract into a smooth batter

: cook pancake in clarified butter

: flip and cook on other side

: to serve, sprinkle pancakes with castor sugar, serve with caramelized plums and unsweetened whipped cream

: Buttermilk Pancakes With Caramelized Black Plums

: Buttermilk Pancakes With Caramelized Black Plums

: Buttermilk Pancakes With Caramelized Black Plums

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Meal Plan – Week 4 “Hans’ Lighter, Healthier Comfort Food”

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Update after my own completion of Week Four of “ Hans’ Lighter, Healthier Comfort Food ” meal plan :
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Here is the final tally after my own completion of four weeks of “Hans’ Lighter, Healthier Comfort Food” meal plan :

1) Total weight loss: 28.5 lbs. (From 286.5 lbs on January 19th, to 258 lbs on February 16th).

2) No more need to inject Insulin. Before my change of eating habits, I had to inject twice a day for about ten years)

3) Tremendous increase in energy.

4) New-found ability to sleep well and deep.

5) No more depressions and dark moods.

6) Overall increase in well-being

7) Even with occasional “falling off the wagon” from my meal plan, (ahhh, those pastries 😦 ), my weight has stabilized at 261 lbs. Obviously this is still too high and I will start with a new Hans’ Lighter, Healthier Comfort Food meal plan (Same principles, different dinner menus) at the beginning of May to shed another 20 lbs.

As I mentioned before, I am sure that other changes in my life style, such as more exercise, alcohol abstinence and refraining from smoking have greatly contributed to my overall improvement of physical and mental well-being. However, all noticeable improvements have only started since I started Hans’ Lighter, Healthier Comfort Food meal plan.
After just one month of adhering to my Hans’ Lighter, Healthier Comfort Food meal plan, my physical and mental state has changed so much that I can wholeheartedly recommend it to anybody who is on a quest for a healthier lifestyle without being confined by a bland, boring, unrealistic diet which does not make sense and is impossible to maintain in the long run.

However, please note that UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES should you change your nutrition or your medication without consulting your physician and / or nutritionist first, even getting a second or third opinion before considering any changes !!!

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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Daily Breakfast – Fruit/Tea (fibrous fruit + unsweetened tea of your choice)
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Daily Lunch – Energy bar/Fruits (fruits of your choice + energy bar of your choice)
(many different brands / types of Energy Bars are available – consult your doctor/nutritionist)
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Daily Dinner –

Monday – “ Chicken Noodle Soup ”
Tuesday – “ Salade De Pâtes” ”
Wednesday – “ Bombay Vegetable Omelette”
Thursday – “ Potato And Carrot Soup With Salami And Shrimp ”
Friday – “Chirashizushi -Unagi Kabayaki & Ebi”
Saturday – “ Curry Ribs ”
Sunday – “ Lentil Salad With Tandoori-Style Chicken ”
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Special Chicken Noodle Soup

Salade De Pâtes

Bombay Vegetable Omelette

Potato And Carrot Soup With Salami And Shrimp

Chirashizushi -Unagi Kabayaki & Ebi

Curry Ribs & Naan

Lentil/Yogurt Salad With Tandory-Style Chicken

Lentil/Yogurt Salad With Tandoori-Style Chicken

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Shrimp And Lap Cheong Fried Rice

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Leftover rice –
soup, congee or fried rice ? – that was the question ! 🙂
Well, this time the decision came easy because I also had a few slices of cooked ham and a few small shrimp in my fridge, along with some peppers and fresh eggs. And besides, I’ll have a good fried rice anytime 🙂
This version is very simple and only takes a couple of minutes to prep and execute. Just make sure you use day-old rice – fresh cooked rice is too moist and will not result in good fried rice !
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Bon Appetit ! Live is Good !
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Shrimp And Lap Cheong Fried Rice

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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, lap cheong, peppers

: stir fry finely diced onions, grated ginger and garlic paste in peanut oil

: add shrimp, lap cheong and peppers, season with kosher salt and cayenne pepper, remove from oil, set aside

: add day-old cooked rice to oil, stir fry until rice makes popping sound

: move rice to one side of wok / pan, add more peanut oil, stir fry whisked eggs until scrambled

: mix rice and eggs, season with salt, pepper

: mix all previously stir fried ingredients with rice / egs, add sesame oil and a few drops of chili oil

: add sliced scallions, stir fry for another few minutes, check / adjust seasoning

: Shrimp And Lap Cheong Fried Rice

: Shrimp And Lap Cheong Fried Rice

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Mama Tilly’s “Quer Durch Den Garten” Eintopf

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Link to “Hans’ Lighter, Healthier Comfort Food”
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I wish I could sit one more time at my parents dinner table and be served my moms “Quer Durch Den Garten” eintopf. Of course, as a child, veggies and stews were not exactly big time favorites, but, as with so many memories, decades later all we usually remember are the good parts of our experiences and so it is with this dish – so, one more time please 🙂
This dish shows up in many homes nowadays but its new name is usually “clear out the fridge”.
But, what was then, way back, poetically called “quer durch den garten” (across the garden) was literally just that – everything that was ripe in the vegetable garden and had to be used up before it spoiled. Therefore, during harvest time in our back of the house small veggie garden, “quer durch den garten” was a dish that showed up a bit too often. Always a bit different, sometimes added pasta or rice instead of potatoes, usually different vegetables (whatever was ready for consumption) and most always a different protein – bacon, sausage, chicken, beef, or a combination of whatever was available. Obviously, this is one of my favorite dishes now, but back then…….. 😦
So here it is, in honor of my mom’s “Quer Durch Den Garten” eintopf:
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Bon Appetit ! Hans, you are not allowed to go outside before you finish your plate !!!
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Link to ” Eintopf ”
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Link to ” Gnocchi ” Recipe

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Mama Tillys “Quer Durch Den Garten” Eintopf

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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
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: chicken, kilbasa, tomatoes, broccoli stems

: simmer all vegetables in chicken stock until almost done, add meat

: bring back to a simmer, add gnocchi, simmer until gnocchi float

: check / adjust seasoning

: Mama Tillys “Quer Durch Den Garten” Eintopf

: Mama Tillys “Quer Durch Den Garten” Eintopf

: Mama Tillys “Quer Durch Den Garten” Eintopf

: to serve, add freshly grated swiss cheese ( mama tilly’s original) or parmesan cheese

: Mama Tillys “Quer Durch Den Garten” Eintopf

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Steamed Bok Choy In Oyster Sauce & Grilled Chicken Breast In Sweet Chili Sauce

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Link to : “Hans’ Lighter, Healthier Comfort Food ”
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Baby bok choy – must be one of the best vegetables anywhere. I just love the looks, the taste and especially the texture. Of course, as far as the taste is concerned, there is not much of it’s own, so I usually add oyster sauce or fermented black bean sauce among other strong ingredients to bring out the best of these beauties 🙂
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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P.S.
In case you wonder why I did not toast the sesame seeds –
I sometimes prefer the taste of un-toasted sesame, it is milder as if you toast them, – just a personal preference 🙂
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drizzle vegetables with oyster sauce mixture

top with chicken, sprinkle with sesame seeds and cilantro

Steamed Bok Choy In Oyster Sauce & Grilled Chicken Breast In Sweet Chili Sauce

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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
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: make a sauce by simmeringoyster sauce, hoi sin sauce and soy sauce with garlic paste, grated ginger and cayenne pepper until reduced by half

: season bok choy with kosher salt and cayenne pepper

: saute in peanut oil until leaves start to wilt, add oyster sauce mixture, cover, steam for ca 3 minutes or until bokchoy is heated through

: remove bok choy, from sauce, set aside, add beansprouts and radish julienne, steam until heated through, remove veggies from sauce, set aside

: meanwhile, season chicken breast with salt and pepper, grill, brush generously with sweet chili sauce

: serving platter….

: arrange vegetables on platter

: drizzle vegetables with oyster sauce mixture

: top with chicken, sprinkle with sesame seeds and cilantro

: Steamed Bok Choy In Oyster Sauce & Grilled Chicken Breast In Sweet Chili Sauce

: Steamed Bok Choy In Oyster Sauce & Grilled Chicken Breast In Sweet Chili Sauce

: Steamed Bok Choy In Oyster Sauce & Grilled Chicken Breast In Sweet Chili Sauce

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Seafood Snack

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Your choice:
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$ 3.95 – 1 pack of crappy “Nachos”
$ 4.50 – 1 small tub of crappy “Salsa”
$ 3.50 – 1 small can of crappy “Cheese Dip”

Total: $ 11.95 for a crappy snack 😦
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OR !!!
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$ 11.00 – 1,5 lbs snow crab legs
$ 6.00 – 0.5 lb eat & peel shrimp
$ 1.00 for some Thai sweet & spicy chili sauce
$ 0.50 half a lemon
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Total: 18.50 for a delicious, healthy, beautiful snack 🙂
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You be the judge !

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Bon Appetit ! (Either way) 🙂
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: Seafood Snack

: Seafood Snack

: Seafood Snack

: Seafood Snack

: Bella loves Seafood 🙂

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Braised Turkey Leg With Bell Peppers And Great Northern Beans

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Week Three – Monday Dinner – “Hans’ Lighter, Healthier Comfort Food” meal plan
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While most folks think Turkey is only appropriate as a thanksgiving meal, I enjoy turkey all year-long. Braised turkey legs, turkey giblet adobo, grilled turkey hearts and turkey neck soup are some of my favorite dishes, while the whole turkey serves mostly as a showpiece for family celebration on thanksgiving.
Turkey legs are a lean cut, so they fit perfectly into my meal plan at “Hans’ Lighter, Healthier Comfort Food” meal plan.
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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