First Dusting Of Snow / Veggie And Grain Stews

 

Song:  Heaven On Earth

Artist:  Hilary Stagg

Yesterday...

the temperature began to drop...

and our first light dusting of snow began.

This morning the snow picked up again...

and as the temperature is supposed to be below 20 F to mid 30s F...

although we had originally planned to go into Woodland Park 

to do some shopping...

as we are expecting heavier snow today...

we decided to just stay inside.

The days were sunny just two days ago...

as can be seen out of the kitchen sink window.

My wife was actually planning to make me Okonomiyaki...

but as she didn't have all of the necessary ingredients...

she had instead made thinly sliced pork Yakisoba...

which was delicious all on its own.

Yesterday had started out with a light snowfall.

This is the Japanese chicken stock my wife uses in much of her cooking.

My wife had made some sliced pork stew...

which was hearty and delicious...

with a twist.

She had added oats to the stew...

and it was delicious.

She started out by sautéing garlic and ginger... 

and then adding shiitake, onions, and leeks

into the Japanese chicken stock base...

and adding thinly sliced pork and tofu...

and then in the last few minutes of cooking...

she added in oats.

When she had first mentioned it...

I was skeptical...

but...

it not only adds to the body of the stew...

but it tastes good...

adds to the texture...

and makes it much more healthful.

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Yesterday...

my wife had begun making a veggie and grain packed stew.

This is a very tasty and healthful stew which...

after the ingredients are added...

takes about 30 minutes in an Insta Pot.

My wife started out by sautéing three cloves of garlic in olive oil... 

 making the stock with this vegetable soup base...

and then added a whole host of ingredients:

Barley

Faro

Lentils

celery

onions

mushrooms

kabocha

Japanese sweet potatoes

carrots

shishito

bell peppers

bay leaves

jalapeno flakes

and then after cooking...

she added:

Beans (canned)

and Oatmeal.

Bandi loves her great room bed.

We will soon be moving around some things in the great room...

as we are shopping for our great room sofa set.

The snow fall ceased...

and the skies began to lighten...

but more clouds rolled through...

creating a misty...

almost ghostly mood in the mountains.

The finished veggie and grain stew.

My wife's stews are just filled with healthful ingredients...

and with the inclusion of oats in her stews...

it is even more healthful...

especially for the heart and gut...

and...

it is, surprisingly...

very hearty and delicious.

My wife has been incorporating oats into our meals.

We will even snack on thinly cut and dried oats...

straight out of their containers...

however...

we don't eat oatmeal in the traditional fashion

(boiled mush in a bowl)...

which I find to be tasteless and boring.

-------------

My wife is very good at making healthful meals out of whatever

ingredients we have on hand.

She is very creative...

and she constantly searches out new recipes on YouTube...

especially veggie base foods.

Long Mountain Trike Route Drive / White Al Ajillo

 

Song:  Alone

Artist:  Ray Wilson

Today...

I took my wife on a little car ride...

following the long mountain run/triking route we will use in the future.

It is five miles in total...

and it has various declines and inclines.

I took her on a reverse route I normally take with Bandi while triking...

as, at least...

for her first time...

the route in reverse is relatively flat for the first mile

(after a steep and long decline)...

it will allow her to get into her rhythm as she warms up

before she enters the majority of the inclines.

But...

as we drove...

she said that she would like to try both ways eventually.

On our way down our mountain.

As I took the majority of these photos through the front windshield...

whenever we faced the sun...

the bright light through the glass washed out the photos a bit.

We had hit the first T-intersection.

It is where going left runs the course in reverse...

and going right runs the course forwards.

We had gone left for the reverse course.

We then turned off on a side road to begin the long gentle inclines.

The inclines got a little steeper.

And then there was a small portion of declines.

And we finally ended up at the T-intersection...

and where the long and steep incline would begin...

and only end at home.

Just a short ways from home here.

Almost home here...

just around the next corner.

We had just pulled into the lower driveway.

This is my view just to my right as I eat at our kitchen eating counter.

I ordered these heavily padded bar stools last night...

as our present stools are not nearly so comfortable as are these.

I like to eat in comfort.

We should be getting them in a couple of weeks.

As you can see...

some of the Aspens are already losing their leaves...

while some are still developing their full colors.

------------------------

After our drive...

my wife began making my meal for the day...

White An Ajillo.

It was just so outrageously delicious...

so deeply flavorful...

and even though it is an alteration of a Spanish dish...

it is an iteration that all places around the world should incorporate.

It is like a seafood stew...

but I have never had any stew with these combination of flavors.

My wife explained that she had crushed seven cloves of garlic...

and had heated them in olive oil...

and then sautéed three types of mushrooms in the garlic infused olive oil.

She then added heavy cream...

and the seafood (shrimp, scallops, squid, mussels)...

and then brought everything to a low boil...

and then plated and garnished it with parsley and black pepper.

It was ohhh SO good.

What flavor...

and I couldn't even taste any garlic...

but it must have been a large part of the flavor.

This is a high end stew...

the type you would expect in a high end restaurant.

My wife said next time...

she will try the actual Spanish way of making Al Ajillo...

with no heavy cream...

but with just the garlic infused olive oil...

with the mushrooms and seafood.

My wife had made these meal accompaniments last night:

She had diced and air fried:

 Kabocha

Japanese Sweet Potatoes

Purple Yams

And she had also made another batch of Tsukemono (Japanese pickles):

Japanese Cucumbers

Turnips

Daikon

But these had a Yuzu flavor...

as she had added Yuzu juice and Yuzu pepper...

along with her normal pickling ingredients.

They went along so well with the stew.

And for an appetizer...

my wife air fried some calamari rings.

These perfectly complimented the seafood stew.

This Thai Sweet Chili sauce just tastes so good with the calamari.

I am now full...

but even more importantly...

I am feeling fully satisfied.

What a meal!

That was the most delicious stew I have ever had.

And...

my wife has so many more dishes she wants me to try.

Of course!

I am on a delicious adventure...

and loving every meal.

And...

as I always give Bandi little tastes of my food...

she stands near me as I eat...

and then she will rest her muzzle on my thigh...

and if I don't give her another piece of food quickly enough...

that is when she will lift up her upper body...

using my leg as a step stool.

Bandi is just too cute to resist...

and so...

what Bandi wants...

Bandi gets  :)