Let’s just say I’m not the most compliant or enthusiastic when it comes to trying to eat what I think I ought to eat. It’s not that I don’t love eating practically everything–it’s that I do–limiting my choices to what’s right at the moment seems amazingly hard to manage when I’d rather just eat what I feel like eating, in the largest possible quantities and whenever I’m so moved. Sadly, this is what gradually moves me toward the zaftig and less ‘peep show’ sexy than that of a Marshmallow Peep. While its High Season of springtime is ever nearer on the calendar, I don’t really fancy being the latter shape no matter how popular the treat is with other people as sweet-toothed as I am. In fact, I’d have nightmares about being chased around by lust crazed Sugar Zombies in a yellow snowstorm. The very thought!
So I’m going to see if I can’t reduce my carbohydrate footprint, so to speak, and eat things that stay with me in a more kindly manner, that is, in the form of longer-lasting energy and higher nutritive value and deeper savory satisfaction. Frankly, I’m not as worried about fats as I am about the quantity and quality of sugars I’m capable of packing away and have no real need of, nutritionally. So pardon me while I butter myself up, as long as I can learn to more nearly kick the carb habit.
Today I went for an easy start: steak and eggs, Tex-Mex style. I put a couple of cuts of steak in the Sous Vide cooker last night just before bedtime, and when we got going (at our respective times) today, each of us had a piece of medium-rare beef to sear off in the skillet when we were ready to eat. I browned mine in butter and while it rested momentarily on the plate, deglazed the skillet with some of the bone broth from the last batch, handily waiting for the summons from the fridge, and while the broth cooked down to a thin gravy I poached an egg in it. I topped it with a little gussied up salsa: I often buy a jar of Pace Picante Chunky salsa–a pretty mild type–and stick-blend part of it with a (yes, one) chipotle en Adobo, mixing all together for a slightly smoky kick. Then a spoonful of sour cream (didn’t have real crema on hand) and a spiff each of smoked paprika and some lovely crunchy Maldon sea salt flakes, and immediately stuck my fork in and got to work.
I'm just a Steak and Egg sort of cowgirl, I guess . . .
Thankfully, such a hearty brunch (I won’t lie to you about when I got up) holds up well when it comes to that Work thing, so I’m contentedly looking toward a 7 pm supper with nary a twitch. Well, okay, there is that completely hunger-unrelated humming in my candy molars . . .
Art-Colored Glasses 
Maldon sea salt, IMHO, is the best. How wonderful to have a sous vide cooker.
It just occurs to me how interesting it could be to get to tour the source of Maldon salt! But maybe I’d better not or I’d get kicked off the tour for licking everything in sight. 😉
Yes, I’m a lucky ducky with my home sous vide cooker!!!
If you are going low carb.. I made some super crackers today, made with nuts, seeds and cheese. they are on the blog tomorrow.. and they are superb.. aren’t we lucky being able to mooch about in other peoples kitchens! c
Both mooching and smooching are popular in my kitchen. Yes, a yummy cracker recipe, my dearie! So I send you a smooch of thanks for it.
Love “Foodie Tuesday”!
As I’m crazy about food all days of the week, it’s nice to have an excuse to celebrated it specifically on one day, no??
I like your Tuesdays too……still smiling over “reduce my carbohydrate footprint”.
😉 Couldn’t resist.
That is a brilliant phrase, Kathryn. You make cooking food sound like so much fun.
Those dratted Sugar Zombies have been following me everywhere!! Even as I sit to type my comment, my mind drifts to anything sweet and dessert-like. “Focus, Smidge, focus on the good stuff”… well, such a beautiful morning breakfast to wake-up to… beautiful and a work of art in itself resting on your plate:) I so adore studying your writing and art… but this, I could really sink my teeth into!! xoxo Smidge xoxo
I thought the photo ended up mildly gruesome looking, but not only is that representative of my typical plate “presentation” (if you could even remotely call it such), I suppose it’s particularly apropos for such a down-to-earth cave dweller sort of meal. But whatever the level, it did taste pretty good. Do come and bring your teeth over to my kitchen any time, darling!
Wow look at all that flavors on that steak, I wish I had this for breakfast everyday
As I’m watching an enormous squirrel run along the roof-line adjacent to my window, I’m thinking maybe I should learn to make *squirrel* steaks, and then I could afford to have steak for breakfast every day too! But for now, I’ll stick with the occasional splurge of beefsteak with my eggs! 😉
very tempting
I’ll put some on whenever you let me know you’re headed to north Texas! 🙂
That too is tempting. I did visti Texas about 45 years ago, and had a wopnderful time there. But I think it unlikely that I will ever travel such great distances again. Thank you all the same.
As I’m stuck indoors at the moment I realise I need to cut back on the carbs. Frustrating doesn’t do it justice! But what a way to start your day (regardless of time) 🙂
Today I’d better get moving on the food prep soon too or I’ll miss out entirely–we have to hit the road for R’s evening rehearsal by about 4 pm and won’t be home until near 10.
Madam, I salute your going the no/low carb route. I might as well attempt tap dancing. And with a foot that’s half-dead, I’d still have a better chance than I would following your lead into the land of no carbs. Still, I’m in the process of cutting back and your steak & eggs would make a great breakfast. Add a little pasta in bianco on the side and it would be perfect! 🙂
True, true!!! Pasta is absolutely the one thing I’m going to have the most trouble reducing (I won’t say eliminating, because that would simply break my heart. Not to mention my resolve) among carbs. So I’ll need to be figuring out some good tricks. Once we’re past the lowest-carb point of getting geared up for this new way of eating chez nous, I will certainly reintroduce more of the other carbs that are less unkind to our particular digestions, like say, some nice potato gnocchi made with potato flour instead of the wheat addition, and of course polenta. I’ll keep everyone posted if/as I find ways to satisfy my pasta cravings without flour and without too much other carb-ilicious goodies.
Lowering your carb footprint, so clever Katherine! 😉 it’s an idea that could go viral! Carbs have been getting such the bad rap the past couple years that I want to rise up in defense of them (not that they’re incapable of defending themselves or don’t have an army of defenders already.) But if we just switched out colorful carbs in place of most of the white ones, pounds would fall and life would seem sweeter, no? 😉
That is absolutely true, my dear, and something we’ll be working on around here! I don’t think carbs are inherently evil or even that there aren’t plenty of desirable ones available. But knowing how addicted both members of this household are to the naughtier kinds, and that we’ve both seen evidence that wheat is one of the main culprits in our case, I think we’re probably both going to have to find ways to reduce carb prevalence in our diet to feel healthier. No matter what the method or the actual ingredients end up being, the goal of the sweet life is indeed the best one of all!
Sounds like you had a big brunch…. Steak is one of my favorite meal… Now i am hungry too…..
I’d invite you over for a bite, but I ate every bit of it. 😉 Next time, just let me know!
My family is fasting for this first part of the year and sweets had to go – a Daniel fast was on the books, but I had so much that would go to waste that I just couldn’t bear to do that. I sure am craving a Reeses right now…. I think I might like to have a bit of your brunch to soften the pangs that only a Reeses can cure!
I *am* finding that upping the protein and fat content is helping to compensate for sugar jonesing. Not a cure, but a definite help.
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