Cycling Foodie

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Perfect after a long, cold, wet day!

We’re finally getting some rain and a nice little storm has settled in. It’s windy, wet, and chilly out there this morning – perfect weather for a hearty, healthy, fragrant, spicy curry dish. Curry powder is a blend of spices widely used in Indian cuisine. Commonly used spices include turmeric, fenugreek, coriander, cinnamon, and ginger. Some blends may also include mustard seed, cayenne pepper, or cardamom. This recipe, by Alton Brown, sounds really good and I’m bookmarking it for future, but tonight I used a prepared curry powder because that is what I had.

Some of the health benefits associated with consuming curry powder include cancer-preventative benefits, cholesterol management, blood sugar control,  and detoxification.

You can easily make this vegetarian or vegan. I’m sure there’s a way to make it gluten free, also, but I like to thicken the sauce with a little flour.

I used lamb because I love it with curry, and because I had some leftover. You can use any meat or fish you like, or none at all. This is a great way to use up leftovers, just be sure to add lots of fresh vegetables to give it good crunch and brightness of flavor.

Be sure you have some freshly cooked brown rice to serve with this.

Lamb Curry

Saute just enough to warm through.

6-8 ounces leftover lamb
8 cups of assorted fresh vegetables*
A few tablespoons of olive or avocado oil
2-3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
1-2 teaspoons good quality curry powder
1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon cayenne powder (optional)
2-3 cups chicken or vegetable stock

Assemble all of your ingredients.

Cut the lamb and vegetables into bite-sized pieces.

Over a medium flame, heat 1-2 tablespoons of oil in a large saucier pan.

Add the lamb and saute briefly to warm through. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Set the lightly sauteed vegetables aside and sprinkle with a little curry powder.

If necessary, add a little more oil to the pan. Saute the vegetables briefly in batches – they will cook more later and you will want them crisp-tender to serve. Set them aside for now and sprinkle with about 1/2 teaspoon curry powder.

If necessary, add a little more oil to the pan. Make a roux: sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of flour and about 1/2 teaspoon curry powder over the hot oil. Allow to cook and bubble a little, being careful not to scorch the roux. Whisk together until a smooth paste forms, then slowly whisk in the chicken stock.

Making the roux

Whisking to a smooth paste.

Whisking in the stock.

Bring to a gentle rolling boil and allow the sauce to thicken.

Thickening the sauce. 

Whisk occasionally.

Check the seasoning and spice – remember you’ll be adding a little more curry flavor when you add the vegetables. Check for salt – I did not add any salt to this dish. I found it to be quite flavorful with just the curry and cayenne.

Be careful not to splash - the sauce will be hot.

When the sauce has thickened, add the vegetables and meat and stir to combine. Reduce heat to low and cook gently until the vegetables are crisp-tender and heated through.

Serve in bowls over brown rice

* Use any vegetables you have on hand – I had cauliflower, asparagus, snap peas, and carrots. I also had a few roasted potatoes leftover, so I added them. You could also use frozen vegetables if that’s all you have – just remember to adjust your cooking time.

Enjoy in good health!

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Sunday night I just really needed to make some comfort food. Not having had a “traditional” Christmas turkey this year, I felt myself longing for roasted chicken. I stopped by my neighborhood market and picked up a free range chicken, some fresh lemons, mushrooms, herbs, and salad makings.

Roasting a whole chicken is actually pretty easy. You want to be very organized and tidy when working with any raw meat, especially chicken. It’s important to assemble all of your ingredients and equipment first and to keep your hands and work surfaces clean. You will need:

Ingredients:

Whole chicken
A few sprigs of fresh herbs (thyme, rosemary, parsley)
1-2 lemons
2 large carrots
2 large stalks celery
2 large crimini mushrooms
salt, pepper, or your favorite grinder seasoning

Equipment:

A large cutting board
A good knife
Roasting pan

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. There are different schools of thought on this – some like to start roasting chicken in a hotter oven (425), but I usually just stick with the 350 degree oven and have good results with this.

Wash and dry the lemons, carrots, celery, mushrooms, and herbs. You will want to prepare these and set them all aside before you start handling the raw chicken.

1. Slice one lemon into about 1/4-inch thick slices. Depending on the size of your bird, you’ll want 4-6 lemon slices. Cut the second lemon into halves. Remove and discard any seeds from the lemons.
2. Cut one of the carrots and a stalk of celery into 2-4 pieces, again depending on the size of your chicken. You want these pieces to fit inside the bird. Cut the remaining carrot and celery into about 1 or 2-inch chunks and scatter these in the bottom of the roasting pan.
3. Cut the mushrooms into quarters.
4. Leave the herbs whole – you don’t want to chop them for this step.

Ready to roast

To prepare the chicken, the first thing you want to do is to remove the packet of giblets and set these aside for now. Remove any excess fat and rinse the bird inside and out with cold water, then pat dry with paper towels. Season the bird inside and out with salt and pepper, or your favorite grinder seasoning (ex: Trader Joe’s “Everyday Seasoning” is my favorite). With your fingers, carefully loosen the skin on the breast, then work 2-3 slices of lemon on each side, gently working the slices as far down towards the legs as you can. You’ll want to do this gently so you don’t tear the skin. Then, place a sprig of each herb under the skin.

Some recipes call for butter under and/or over the skin, but I did not do this and this chicken came out beautifully moist and delicious. Maybe it wasn’t as shiny and pretty as it would have been with some butter, but I prefer it without the added fat and calories.

The bird is now ready to roast. This was about a 4-pound chicken and it took about an hour and 15 minutes to cook. You’ll want to cook to an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

My mother always made giblet gravy, so of course this was a must to truly satisfy that comfort food craving. Mom would always place the giblets in a little water with some carrot, celery, onion, and herbs, and simmer gently to make a little broth. You don’t want to cook the liver in here or the resulting broth will be bitter. Save the liver for another use, if you like.

While the chicken is roasting, prepare your giblet stock, side dishes, salad, etc.. We had roasted potatoes and a light, refreshing salad of baby spring greens, heirloom tomato, kalamata olives, and a drizzle of balsamic glaze and extra virgin olive oil.

Herbed Roasted Potatoes

Baby Spring Greens Salad

After I put the chicken in the oven, I got things cleaned up and started on the side dishes. I scrubbed, rinsed, and dried the potatoes. Simply drizzle with a little olive oil, sprinkle on some fresh herbs, a little salt and pepper, and put them in the oven. These were about 1 1/2-inch diameter gold, red, and purple potatoes, and the timing was just right. They took about 1 hour to roast to perfection, so by the time I got them in the oven, they finished about the same time as the chicken.

If you want mushroom gravy, prepare your mushrooms while the chicken is roasting. I used about 5 ounces of crimini mushrooms for my gravy.

Prepare any side dishes while the chicken is cooking. We had a light, refreshing, and simple salad of baby spring greens, heirloom tomato, kalamata olives, with a drizzle of balsamic glaze and extra virgin olive oil.

Roast the chicken to an internal temperature of 165-degrees Fahrenheit. Remove from the oven, place chicken on a large dish, cover with foil, and set aside. Check the juices in the roasting pan. Depending on your chicken, you may want to pour the pan juices into a separator and pour off excess fat. The chicken I roasted had so little fat that I did not have to do this, which made me very happy! You will want to let the roasted chicken rest for 10 minutes before cutting.

This is a good time to strain your giblet stock. Discard the vegetables and herbs, and if you desire, chop the giblets to add to the gravy.

Mushroom Gravy

To make the gravy, set the roasting pan on the stove over medium heat. If you want, you can remove and discard the carrot and celery that was in the roasting pan, but I chose to leave them in this time just to try that. Add the mushrooms and saute a few minutes to cook out some of their moisture. Sprinkle about 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour in the roasting pan and whisk to eliminate any lumps of flour. Let this cook for a bit, then whisk in your giblet stock. You will probably need to add additional liquid, so be sure to have some prepared stock available, or if you have steamed any vegetables, you can use this liquid, also. Growing up, we always had some sort of steamed (or boiled, ugh!) vegetables with roasted chicken, and my mom always used this liquid in her gravy. Continue whisking and cooking your gravy until you reach the desired consistency. If you like, add the giblet meat. Adjust seasonings with fresh herbs, salt and pepper to taste.  As you can see, my gravy had a lot of texture because I kept the roasted celery and carrot, and it wasn’t necessarily the prettiest gravy I have ever made, but it was loaded with flavor, but also very light for a gravy.

I hope you have a wonderful day! It is now time for me to get off the computer and get outside for a ride! Happy New Year!

Roasted Chicken

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This year a heart-healthier Christmas menu was in order for Mom.

Herb Marinated Pork Tenderloin with Port-Cherry Sauce
Twice-Baked Yam
Roasted Herbed Potatoes
Sautéed Baby Kale with Mushrooms
Fresh Blackberries with Light Orange Curd

Sadly, this is best photo of this meal.

Herb Marinated Pork Tenderloin

1 to 1 ½ pound pork tenderloin
1 ½ teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 ½ teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
A few grinds of fresh ground pepper
About ¹/₈ to ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

1. Measure herbs, olive oil and seasonings in a large zip top bag. Stir or whisk to combine.
2. Trim any excess fat from the pork tenderloin and place in the zip top bag. Squeeze any excess air out of the bag, seal it, and with your fingers work the marinade around the meat.
3. Place the sealed bag in the refrigerator and allow to marinade at least a few hours or overnight.
4. Preheat the oven to 350° Fahrenheit.
5. Remove tenderloin from the marinade, place in a roasting pan, and roast in the preheated oven for 35 to 45 minutes until it reaches an internal temperature of 145° Fahrenheit.
6. Remove from oven, cover with foil, and allow to rest for about 10 minutes before slicing.

Port-Cherry Sauce

Ever so slightly modified version of Port and Dried Cherry Sauce, p. 58, Williams-Sonoma SAUCE  

1 cup ruby port
2/3 cup dried cherries, soaked in water for 20 minutes and drained
½ cup chicken stock or prepared broth
¼ teaspoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Optional: 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces

In a heavy bottomed non-reactive saucier pan, bring the port and cherries to a simmer over medium. Cook until the liquid is reduced by half (2 or minutes). Add the stock, vinegar, rosemary, ¼ teaspoon of salt, and a grind or two of fresh pepper. Simmer until the sauce is syrupy (about 2 minutes). Taste and adjust the seasoning. Remove pan from heat. If desired, whisk in the butter, one piece at a time. This will help to slightly thicken the sauce.

Twice Baked Yam

On a recent shopping trip to one of my favorite local markets, I found the largest yam I have ever seen. I sit here now wondering why in the heck I did not take a photo of it before cooking it. It was HUGE. You’ll just have to take my word for it.

Scrub the yam(s) and trim the ends. Pierce them a few times with a sharp knife. You can bake these all the way in the oven, or get a jumpstart by par cooking them in a microwave. When the yams are fully cooked and soft, remove from the oven and cut lengthwise in half. You may need to let them cool a little before handling them. Scoop the flesh out of the skins, leaving about a ¼ inch shell in the potato skin. Place the skins in a baking pan. Place the cooked yam into a large bowl and add about 1 tablespoon shredded reduced fat cheddar per serving. Stir to combine well and then return the mixture to the skins. You can use a piping bag and fancy tip, if you desire, or you can just scoop them in with a spoon and smooth the top. Return these to the oven to heat through and melt the cheese.

Roasted Herbed Potatoes

These are so delicious and simple once you make them you may wonder why you don’t make these every day.

Use your favorite waxy potatoes (red, golden, purple) or fingerling potatoes. Scrub and dry, place in a baking dish, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme, sage, etc.. whatever you like!), and season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. Roast at 350° Fahrenheit for about 1 hour. The size of the potatoes will determine the actual baking time.

They make great leftovers, too. You can just reheat them for an easy side dish, or add them to a frittata for a simple and comforting breakfast, brunch, or dinner!

Sautéed Baby Kale with Mushrooms

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
4 to 6 ounces of shiitake mushrooms, rinsed, trimmed, and sliced into ¼ inch slices
8 to 12 ounces of baby kale, rinsed and spun dry

On medium-high, heat oil in a large cast iron skillet or other heavy bottomed skillet. Add mushrooms, stir frequently. You want them to brown a bit, but not burn. Place greens on top, cover, reduce heat to medium-low and allow to steam until tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper, if desired. Watch carefully – these can quickly go from tender and perfect to bitter and overcooked.

You can cook almost any cooking green this way – spinach, chard, collards, kale, or any combination of them.

Light Orange Curd

This recipe is in development and not ready to post yet. It needs work! I am not sure about the Monk Fruit In The Raw. I haven’t quite figured it out and I am not sure how much I like the taste. It is expensive, so I need to do a bit of recipe research before I just try to substitute it like this. I don’t know if it’s the corn dextrose filler they use in the Monk Fruit, or the egg whites from a carton, but the consistency was off.

I might try this orange curd with the C&H ½ & ½. It’s half stevia and half cane sugar. I liked that much better in the low-sugar version of lemon curd I made a few weeks ago.

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Here’s a very basic outline of what to expect … I’ll have to do a full post later with recipes and photos. The menu will be along these lines, but I’m going to have to sort of “wing it” a little on some things:

Smoked Wild Salmon with Organic Light Cream Cheese on Rye Toasts
Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Cherry-Port Sauce
Roasted Brussel Sprouts
Roasted Yams
Baby Kale Salad with Granny Smith Apples, Candied Pecans, and Honey-Mustard Vinaigrette
Low-Fat & Low-Sugar Orange Curd with Fresh Blackberries

The curd turned out a bit looser than I had hoped, but it will work nicely as a sauce for the big beautiful fresh blackberries I found this week at the store. I don’t think this curd would work well in a tart, though, because it’s not quite thick enough. Perhaps next time I’ll try 1/2 whole eggs and 1/2 egg whites, and I need to play a bit more with the Monk Fruit. I guess I could also use some corn starch, but that seems like cheating, but we’ll see. I think this recipe has promise, but it’s not just right yet.

I also wanted to make meringues to serve with this, but there is just so much going on right now that I did not have time to do so.

I will have limited Internet access over the next few days, so it may be the weekend before I get a chance to post any pictures or follow-up.

Merry Christmas! May your hearts be filled with the joy and warmth of the season, and your bellies be nourished by delicious and wholesome food!

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Start your holidays with a super healthy green smoothie!

Baby Kale, Kiwi, Banana, Mango, Oats, Whey Protein

This year’s menu is going to be a little different – a little heart-healthier and lighter – but it will still be festive and delicious!

Pork Tenderloin with a Port-Cherry Sauce
Roasted Yams
Roasted Brussel Sprouts
Baby Greens Salad with Organic Apples, Spicy Candied Pecans,  & Honey Mustard Vinaigrette

Dessert may be a low-sugar & low-fat orange curd with blackberries. That is, IF my curd sets. I used half sugar & half Monk Fruit. I used one whole egg and replaced the other with egg whites (the ready-to-use kind you get in a carton). The juice of 1 1/2 Cara Cara oranges and one lemon, plus the zest … it tastes OK, we’ll see how it sets when it cools. I’m not 100% sure about the taste of the Monk Fruit yet. I need to play with this a bit more. I tried using 100% Monk Fruit in the last batch of curd I made and it was dreadful. We’ll see how it is with 1/2 sugar & 1/2 Monk Fruit.

If the curd does not set, I’ll have to figure out a way to use it as a sauce for something.

Here’s wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! I’ll have limited Internet access, but will do my best to get a few posts in here and there.

Please be SAFE – remember – NO drinking and driving!

P.S. Santa brought me a very cool new helmet! A Rudy Project Technically Cool and super comfy green/blue helmet – it’s like the one that one of the cycling teams wears that every time I see it I say, “I have to find one of those!” And, it will go great with the Ireland jersey Santa brought me last year!

Thanks, Santa! You’re the BEST! I’m looking forward to riding with you again soon!!

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Life can be so cruel sometimes … like when you’re sick on a perfect-weather weekend. I rode nary a mile this weekend, and barely made it to the gym at all this entire week. And if ever a Fall weekend was perfect for cycling, this was it. I even had to take a very, very rare sick day this week, and had to back out of volunteering to help with morning snacks for the Davis Bike Club’s Foxy’s Fall Century. A group of friends were having a special foodie event – I had to miss that, too! I did make my work event on Saturday, though – UC Davis Preview Day!

Matcha Smoothie

So, it turned out to be a pretty low key weekend, with some much needed rest at home watching reruns on the Food and Cooking channels, and hanging out with a warm cat on the couch.

This morning’s smoothie was very light and interesting with a matcha green tea whey protein powder. I whirled this in my Vitamix with about a half cup of water, 1/4 cup steel cut oats, a big handful of baby kale greens, a handful of frozen red grapes, about a half cup of frozen pineapple, and six ice cubes. This made a lovely green smoothie, and was delicate and lightly sweet.

I’ve finally got an appetite again, and tonight am preparing a Maple Mustard Herb Marinated Pork Tenderloin, with Roasted Herbed Potatoes, and Maple & Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Apple.

Brussels Sprouts & Apple - ready to roast!

Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Apple*

2 pounds Brussels Sprouts
1 large Gala Apple
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons real maple syrup
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Rinse and trim the Brussels Sprouts. Peel, core, and cut the apple into 8 wedges. Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast about 20 minutes, to your desired tenderness. You’ll want to check them after about 10 minutes and give them a stir. This will help them to cook evenly. You can also cook these in a cast iron skillet.

While the sprouts are cooking, combine the maple syrup and vinegar. Bring to a boil and cook gently until reduced to a thick syrup. Watch carefully – it can go from perfect to too sticky in a moment.

Be careful to not overcook the sprouts. You can get a nice char, but don’t cook them until they’re soft. They’ll be bitter and nasty.

* inspired by this Weight Watchers recipe.

Purple, Gold, & Red Potatoes with Thyme & Rosemary

Herb Roasted Potatoes

1 pound waxy potatoes
Olive oil
Fresh herbs of your choice
Salt & pepper to taste

Half the potatoes, toss with the olive oil, herbs, salt and pepper. Place in a roasting pan. Roast until perfect.

If you’re pressed for time, you can par-cook the potatoes for about 7-10 minutes in the microwave. Cook them about halfway, then prepare and roast as above.

Maple-Mustard-Herb Roasted Pork Tenderloin

Pork tenderloin, about 1-1/2 pounds
about 1/4 cup fresh chopped herbs of your choice (I used thyme, rosemary, sage, and parsley)
1 heaping tablespoon coarse Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons real maple syrup
2 tablespoons champagne vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt

Maple Mustard Herb Roasted Pork Tenderloin

Place tenderloin in a zip-top bag. Whisk herbs, mustard, maple syrup, vinegar, and salt together, then pour into the bag with the pork. Seal bag and give it a little shake to evenly distribute the marinade. Refrigerate for at at least 4 hours or overnight.

Roast or grill the tenderloin to an internal temperature of 155 degrees Fahrenheit.

I liked each dish individually, but all together on one plate the meal needed color. Hmm …

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Grilled Avocado

That was a really long week. Now it’s time for some good grilling!

Grilling avocado works best with slightly under ripe avocados. Quarter, remove pit, brush with a little avocado oil, and sprinkle with a little salt. Set aside until ready to grill. Place directly on the grill grates to get beautiful grilling marks. They only take a few minutes on the grill and can easily burn, so watch these carefully. You just want to heat them through and soften them a bit.

Grilled Asparagus

Asparagus on the grill is amazing and so simple. Rinse and trim the stalks. Toss with a little avocado oil, season to taste with a little salt. Grill in a disposable aluminum pan on medium-low heat. They’ll get a nice char, but be careful to not overcook and they’ll retain a nice, bright green color. I will usually also season with a little lemon juice and lemon zest before grilling, and then toss with a little good, freshly grated or shaved Parmesan cheese, but didn’t have any on hand for this batch.

Grill-Roasted Yukon Gold Potatoes with Fresh Herbs

Wash and dry the potatoes, cut into even-sized chunks. Drizzle with a bit of avocado oil; season to taste with salt, freshly ground pepper, and chopped fresh herbs. Grill in a disposable aluminum pan until tender. You will want to move these around now and then to make sure they’re not sticking to the pan. You can make them crispy by turning the heat up a bit at the end to get a nice crust on them. These will take longer to cook than the asparagus and avocado, but cooking time will depend on the size of the chunks.

Turkey Burgers

Mix together 1 pound of ground turkey, fresh herbs, 1 whole egg, a handful or two of plain breadcrumbs, a drizzle of olive oil, a pinch of kosher salt, and a grind or two of black pepper. Cover tightly and place in the refrigerator for at least one hour. Shape into patties. Grill on medium-low heat until the internal temperature reaches 165-degrees. Cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of the patties, but plan for about 15 minutes on the grill.

So, to plan this meal, here’s your timeline:

1. Prepare the burger mixture. Refrigerate at least one hour. Remember to always wash your hands well with hot, soapy water after handling raw poultry, meat, or fish.
2. Prepare the potatoes, the asparagus, then the avocado. Set aside until ready to grill.
3. Fire up the grill and give it time to heat up. Actual time to reach temperature will depend on your grill.
4. Remove the burger mixture from the refrigerator, shape the patties and place on a platter and set aside. If you are not going to cook them within a few minutes, cover them and return to the refrigerator.
5. Wash your hands!
6. Place the pan of potatoes on the grill. For even cooking, make sure the chunks are in a single layer.
7. Place the burgers on the grill. Turn one time and one time only! Depending on your grill and grill grates, you’ll probably want to spray or wipe a little oil on the grates to help prevent burning. If you use ground skinless turkey breast (makes the best, healthiest turkey burger!), these are very lean and can stick. It’s worth it, though.
8. Check to make sure the potatoes aren’t sticking to the pan – turn them in the pan with a flat metal spatula.
9. When the burgers are done (internal temperature 165-degrees), remove from the grill. Place on a clean plate and cover with foil.
10. Grill the asparagus and avocado. Be sure to watch the avocado carefully. Place flesh side down first and turn when you have achieved lovely grill marks. Then grill briefly on the skin side. Again, cooking time will vary based on how firm the avocado is.

You can serve the burgers as is, or with the full works – bun, cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, pickles, condiments of your choice. These burgers, when seasoned well, are wonderful on their own, too, without all the fixings.

This makes enough for four servings. If you have leftovers, these all keep well refrigerated for a day or two. If you have leftover potatoes, asparagus, and avocado, think about how amazing these will be in a fritatta … but that’s another post.

Enjoy!

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I’ll post the recipes soon …

Beef, Lamb, Vegetable, & Barley Soup*

Whole Grain Herbs de Provence Biscuits

* The soup can easily be made vegetarian (or vegan) by omitting the meat and substituting vegetable broth. I guess you could use a texturized vegetable protein if you want a meat-like texture. Even better yet, a nice, “meaty” and flavorful mushroom would be divine!

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Turkey Fennel Herb Sausage

2 teaspoons fennel seed
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 pound ground turkey breast
2 tablespoons grated cheese or 4 tablespoons shaved, such as asiago, romano, parmesan
2-4 tablespoons fresh chopped herbs, such as thyme, rosemary, parsley, mint, oregano
2 tablespoons plain breadcrumbs
1 egg
1-2 teaspoons red chile flakes (optional, depending on how spicy you like it!)

1. Measure the fennel seeds into a small bowl and add the wine. Allow to soak a few minutes.
2. Place the ground turkey, cheese, herbs, breadcrumbs, egg, and chile flakes in a large bowl. Add the fennel seeds and wine.
3. Combine all ingredients well.
4. Transfer to an appropriate storage container and place in the refrigerator. Allow to chill at least 4 hours, but overnight would be better.
5. 

   Cooked & ready to go on pizza!

   To cook, heat a little olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Cook the sausage thoroughly, to a temperature of at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

If you use ground skinless turkey breast, this is a low fat, high protein sausage. If you want, you could omit the cheese and use 2 egg whites instead of a whole egg, also, to make it practically fat free. If you omit the cheese, you will want to add a bit of salt.

This will be wonderful on pizza (the plan tonight with shiitake & crimini mushrooms, smoked mozzarella, and a simple tomato sauce), in a red sauce, in lasagna, or with eggs, or anywhere you might otherwise use sausage.

You could also make patties, or links if you’re so inclined. I think this would also make fantastic meatballs. The possibilities might be almost endless for the creative foodie.

If you’re going to put this on pizza, here is a great pizza dough recipe!

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Yesterday was a ride to Winters and back, nothing too much, just a decent paced 41-mile ride. The plan was to do a big ride today, so last night’s dinner had to do double duty:  recovery and preparation. Being Labor Day weekend, it also had to involve grilling.

Fresh Local Corn on the Cob

Soaking ...

Grilled to perfection!

Now for the protein …

Grilled Organic Chicken Breasts

Grilling corn is quickly becoming my favorite way to cook corn on the cob. It’s pretty easy, it just requires an extra step or two. Carefully peel back the husk, being sure to keep it attached at the bottom. Remove the corn silk and discard. Re-wrap the corn with the husk and then soak in cool water for about 15 minutes. This will moisten the husk and help prevent burning. The outer layers of the husk will char, but the inner layers will protect the corn. I like to expose some of the corn so that it gets a little char, but you don’t want too much. I found that this corn was so sweet, flavorful, and moist that it did not need anything else. But, if you like butter and stuff on your corn, you could make your favorite herb butter or other spread and create your own version of perfection.

For the chicken breasts, I marinated them about 30 minutes with a little lemon-orange-pepper and a splash of white white and olive oil. The beans are just lightly steamed. Super easy. Super healthy. Super yummy.

Now, on to riding … I’m getting a much later start than expected this morning and plans for a big ride through the Napa Valley today are seeming rather unrealistic. It seems to be turning into a Davis to Winters ride kind of day. Or, maybe just a Greek Food Festival kind of day … it is the 50th annual Greek Food Festival. How can we foodies say no to that?