Open-Faced Vegetable Melt

After eating shepherd's pie for lunch* I wanted something lighter for dinner. I also have been browsing pinterest too often and there is an oddly high number of grilled cheese sandwich photos. Talk about getting a craving! I wanted to make this staple comfort food healthier with lots of vegetables, thus the Open-Faced Vegetable Melt was born. Make and enjoy!

Open-Faced Vegetable Melt

1 english muffin
4 tbsp edamame hummus
2 thick slices tomato
6 slices avocado
1/3 c baby spinach
2 slices English Cheddar with Caramelized Onions (or another sharp cheese that you like)

Turn the oven to broil.
While the oven is warming up, cut the English muffin in half and place on a baking sheet.
Spread on the edamame hummus, then top each half with half of the the tomato, avocado, spinach, and cheese.
Slide pan under the broiler and, leaving the door ajar, broil until the cheese melts and starts to brown just a little bit.
Remove from the oven and serve.


*I will try to post the recipe for that in the future, I was replacing the Worcestershire sauce with substitutes, which took some "dash of this, pinch of that, drizzle of this" and ended up with me not know how much of anything I ended up putting in it.

Chili

I went to the store freezing from the cold (hello winter, bit of a late arrival there) and knowing I wanted to make a soup or stew. I ended up getting the ingredients for chili (and for what I hope will be an awesome attempt at edamame hummus and ingredients for berry smoothies).

Chili

2 tbsp bacon grease
1/2 lb ground grass fed beef
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
3 large garlic cloves, peeled, smashed and sliced
1 fresno pepper, top removed, quartered lengthwise and sliced
1 1/2 red bell peppers, seeded and chopped
1 5 oz container sliced shiitake mushrooms
1 14.5 oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
42 oz water
1 tsp beef bouillon
1 yam, peeled and cubed
4 tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp thyme
2 tsp cumin seeds
2 pinches allspice
6 shakes smoked paprika
salt to taste
diced avocado

In a large stock pot, heat bacon grease over medium heat.
When melted, add beef and stir until browned.
Add onion, garlic, bell pepper, and fresno pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly soft.
Add shiitake mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms look moist.
Add both cans diced tomatoes, water, bouillon and seasonings.
Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes.
Ladle into bowls and top with diced avocado.

Two years later...

It's like a movie segue. I guess I'm just bad about consistently keeping this blog rolling. If anyone out there still checks this, a new recipe for you. It's nothing fancy, just a quick meal that I put together last night (and again tonight). I wanted an omelet, but I didn't want a heavy one. So, I sauteed some vegetables (yellow bell pepper, shallots, and artichoke hearts) and decided I would see how pesto and avocado do as a substitute for cheese. I really enjoy this omelet, especially since it's out of the ordinary.

Omelet with Artichoke, Pesto, and Avocado

1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 small shallot, peeled and sliced
1/4 of a yellow bell pepper, chopped
3 artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 tsp butter
3 eggs
pinch of salt
1/2 tbsp pesto
1/4 of an avocado, peeled and sliced

In a small frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the shallot, pepper, and artichoke hearts. Saute, stirring frequently, until pepper and shallots start to soften. Turn off the heat.

In a large frying pan, heat the butter over medium to medium low heat. Beat the 3 eggs with the salt in a bowl. Swirl the butter around in the pan to coat the bottom, then pour in the eggs. Once they are firm enough, use your spatula to loosen it from the bottom of the pan and flip. Spread the pesto onto half of the egg. Layer the avocado over that, and then add the sauteed vegetables over that. Fold the egg in half to cover the fillings and transfer to a plate.

I've been eating this with a side salad of green leaf lettuce and cherry tomatoes drizzled with balsamic vinegar. It's a nice little, fast meal.

A quick note about food love

My present food love? An avocado, cut in half, pitted, salted and eaten with a spoon.