Grilled Crab Cakes

(makes 3 servings)

WHAT YOU NEED

• coconut oil (for cooking)
• 2 cans of crab, strained (I choose Wild Planet which I purchase from Costco)  
• 1 small carrot, grated
• 1/4 small red onion, diced
• 1/4 green bell pepper, diced
• 1-2 tbs mustard
• 2 eggs yolks (save the whites for a breakfast omelette!) 
• 2 tsp coconut aminos (optional, I feel like it ties the flavors together very well) 
• freshly ground black pepper to taste
• sliced green onions for garnish

WHAT TO DO

1. Heat oil in a grill pan over medium heat.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine crab, carrot, onion, bell pepper, mustard, egg yolks, coconut aminos, and black pepper and mix until well combined. For maximum flavor, place this patty mixture in the fridge overnight! 
3. Using your hands, form 6 tight balls of equal size and press them out just until slightly flat but still thick. 
4. Add patties to hot pan and cook about 4 minutes on each side.
5. Enjoy them hot over leafy greens with avocado and fresh tomatoes (when in season)!

Eggplant Buns

prep time: 10 minutes
cook time: 15 minutes

I have NEVER been successful at creating eggplant crisps/chips...especially thick ones. I was given a BEAUTIFUL eggplant by a friend recently and as always, the damn thing intimidated me. I originally thought, "Maybe I'll just dice it and add it to my breakfast scramble." Easy, right? No! I needed a challenge. So, yesterday, my partner and I were down to the last of our amazing 4 lb home-roasted chicken and I wanted leftover sandwiches. Kinda like Thanksgiving, but from a bird of another feather. The chicken was BEGGING to be put in a sandwich after 3 days of bathing in its own buttery, flavorful broth. 

My first roasted whole chicken! Turned out PERFECT!

Garden fresh veggies from my friend Elise. Damn eggplant!

WHAT YOU NEED

• 1 large (wide) eggplant 
• stable cooking oil/fat (lard, tallow, clarified butter, coconut oil, etc.) 
• a few pinches of sea salt
• any desired seasoning

WHAT TO DO

Amazon sells these for a great price! 

1. Preheat oven to 450F.
2. Using a mandolin slicer set to the THICKEST slice setting, slice the eggplant into however many slices you need. Don't slice the entire thing if you don't plan on using it, it will brown and get all nasty. If you want to make "chips," use the thinner setting. 
3. Place each slice between a few layers of paper towels and press down evenly to remove as much excess moisture as you can without murdering the veggie. The more moisture you extract, the better.
4. Use your fingertips to rub an even, THIN layer of oil on both sides of each eggplant slice. Place them on a silpat lined baking sheet. I believe the success of this recipe is half technique, half equipment. Invest in a silpat liner, you will NOT regret it! 
5. Sprinkle some sea salt on the slices and/or your desired seasoning. 
6. Line the slices on your baking sheet and once the oven has reached 450F, place the sheet on the middle rack and bake for 15 minutes.
7. Enjoy! You can eat them as is, or use them in place of bread like I did. These sandwiches were DELISH!

Easy Homemade Sushi (sans rice!)

Just in case you missed my lunch post this morning on my Facebook page, I'm sharing this ridiculously easy and DELISH lunch idea. I favor keeping my meals as simple as possible, and it's doesn't get any simpler than this! 

1. Lay out a piece of thinly sliced cucumber on your plate or cutting/prep board. I used a mandolin slicer on the thinest setting to ensure even slicing and flexibility.
2. Starting at one end, layer on your ingredients. I used: smoked salmon, avocado, carrots, boy choy, and green onion. You'll want to keep each add-in fairly thin and long. 
3. Roll tightly from the layered end to the opposite side and tie the roll to secure it using thinly sliced scallions or a kelp noodle.
4. Drizzle with sesame oil or sesame seeds for an added pop or color and/or flavor! 

Self-Love 101

Recently, while waiting for my name to be called to get my blood drawn at my local health center, I came across an article in Essence magazine (the May 2013 edition) entitled Love Yourself Tool Kit written by Gina Roberts-Grey.

The article talks about how women are usually nurturing, caring, and loving by nature but often neglect themselves. You know I talk about this allll the time. We are often so concerned with DOING FOR OTHERS that we forget to DO FOR US! I love being selfish and I encourage you all to do the same. Spend time with yourself, cook for yourself, do something daily that makes you happy.


These are the tools in the love yourself tool kit:

Let Go 
Forgiveness is empowering. Tell yourself aloud, "I forgive myself and I'm putting my best foot forward."

Commemorate a Win
Reflect on a goal you've achieved and relive the experience! Find your strengths by jotting down how you achieved that goal and with which skills. It could be anything from paying off a credit card to clearing a box in your storage.

Pick a Favorite Photo
Collect a few photos of yourself that you like and make a note of at least 3 things you like about each photo.

Build Your Bio
Write a 10-sentence autobiography that describes what's most authentic about you. Keep that bio handy to remind yourself who you are at your core.

Create a Feel-Good File
Save all of the uplifting texts and emails you receive from loved ones and write yourself a few of your own. When you need a "Go, me!" boost, throw yourself a compliment from the lot!

Make a Plan
Write out the blueprint for how you want your life story to read. Type it up or write it by hand. Start with where you envision yourself towards the end of a long, happy life and work backwards through all the positive experiences you will have enjoyed by embracing self-love.

Frame the Option of Acceptance
Write or print the phrase "You Deserve Happiness" on a piece of paper and frame it. Get creative with this; make it your own. Place your finished work somewhere prominent and BELIEVE that you're entitled to be happy!

Tap into Positivity
Adopt a zero-tolerance policy for negative self-talk. Be your own cheerleader instead of your own worst critic. When you're not feeling positive, acknowledge those feelings and choose to treat yourself with love and acceptance anyways.

Rethink Your Reflection
When you see yourself in the mirror or catch a glimpse of your shadow, resist the urge to critique the size and shape of your body. Focus instead on what you like about yourself.

Love It or List It
Create a list with two columns and label the left side "I feel" and the other side, "I prefer to feel." List your current emotions on the left and the emotion you'd rather feel on the right. Perhaps you feel lonely because you're not in a relationship but you could prefer to feel grateful for the love and support of your friends. Let this list serve as a reminder that you can choose to have a different attitude about yourself.