Grilled Tri-Tip Steak with Bell Pepper Salsa Recipe
INGREDIENTS
Marinade

• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• A couple of turns of freshly ground black pepper
• A sprinkling of salt

Steak

• 1 2-pound tri-tip steak or roast
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Salsa
• 1 large green bell pepper, stem and seeds removed, finely chopped (if you don't have green, probably any color will do)
• 6 green onions, thinly sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 Tbsp chopped parsley, basil, or arugula
• 1/4 teaspoon red chile flakes
• 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

METHOD
1 Prepare the marinade in a large bowl, stirring together all of the marinade ingredients. Place steak in the bowl and coat on all sides with the marinade. Let the steak sit in the marinade and come to room temperature while you prepare the grill. (No need to marinate the steak more than 20 minutes or so.)

2 Prepare the grill for direct high heat. If you are using charcoal, use
approximately 5 pounds of coals. Bank the coals so that more of them are on one side than the other, so that you have a high heat zone and a lower heat zone.

3 When the grill is ready and hot, remove the meat from the marinade and dry it all around with paper towels. Sprinkle all sides of the tri-tip generously with both salt and freshly ground black pepper.

4 Place the tri-tip on the grill, on the hot direct heat side. Leave the cover off and watch carefully for flare-ups. As the meat browns, any fat will melt and drip on to the coals causing flare-ups. These are okay, as long as they don't get out of control. Keep moving the tri-tip around the grill away from the flames if they get too high. After one side of the meat is browned (about 5 minutes) use tongs to flip it on to the other side. When it is browned all around, move the tri-tip to the lower heat side of the grill. Cover the grill and close the vents enough so that you maintain about 300-325°F temperature in the grill. (If you are using a charcoal grill, you can place a meat thermometer through the vents to measure the heat.) If you are using a gas grill, turn off one of the burners and move the meat over that burner for indirect heating.

5 Cook the tri-tip until a meat thermometer reads 130°F when inserted into the thickest part of the meat (15-30 minutes, depending on the thickness of the meat). Remove the tri-tip from the grill. Cover with aluminum foil and let rest for 10 minutes.

6 Prepare the salsa by combining all of the salsa ingredients into a small bowl.

7 Cut the tri-tip in 1/4-inch slices against the grain. Serve with the salsa.

Dad's Fish Stew Recipe
 

INGREDIENTS
• 6 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup of chopped onions
• 2 large garlic cloves, chopped
• 2/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 cup of fresh chopped tomato (about 1 medium sized tomato)
• 2 tsp of tomato paste.
• 8 oz of clam juice (or shellfish stock)
• 2/3 cup chicken stock
• 1 1/2 lb fish fillets (use halibut, cod, sole, red snapper, sea bass), cut into 2-inch pieces
• Touch of dry oregano, Tabasco, thyme, pepper
• Salt
METHOD
1 Heat olive oil in heavy large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion and garlic and sauté 4 minutes. Add parsley and stir 2 minutes. Add tomato, tomato paste and cook 2 minutes longer.

2 Add clam juice, chicken stock, and fish and simmer until fish is cooked through, less than 10 minutes. Add seasoning. Salt to taste. Ladle into bowls and serve.

Herbed Roast Chicken Recipe
 

INGREDIENTS

• One 5 lb. chicken
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 small handfuls of fresh herbs (basil, parsley, marjoram), finely chopped
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 lemon, halved
• 4 bay leaves
• 1 sprig of fresh rosemary

METHOD
1 Preheat oven and a roasting tray to 400°F. Wash chicken inside and out; pat it as dry with paper towels. Rub the cavity with salt. Carefully grab the skin at the tip of the chicken breast and pull up gently. With your other hand, gently separate the skin from the breast meat. Sprinkle a little salt in the gaps and push in as much of the chopped herbs as you can. Drizzle in a little olive oil. Stuff the chicken with lemon, bay leaf and rosemary and whatever may be left of the fresh herbs. Pull the skin of the chicken breast forward so that none of the actual flesh is exposed, tuck the little winglets under, and tie up as firmly as possible with kitchen twine.

2 Rub a little olive oil into the skin of the chicken and season generously with salt and pepper. Remove the hot tray from the oven and add a little oil. Put the chicken on one side, breast side down, on the tray and put back in the oven. Allow to cook for 5 minutes, then turn it over on to the other side, breast side down. Cook for another 5 minutes and then place the chicken on its back. Cook for 1 hour. The chicken is done when the juices run clear (not pink) when a knife tip is inserted into both the chicken breast and thigh, about 165-170°F for the breast and 180-185°F for the thigh.

Red Chile Marinated Grilled Chicken Recipe
 

INGREDIENTS
• 3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken parts, preferably thighs, trimmed of excess skin and fat
• Salt
• 1 1/4 cup Mexican red chili sauce, either homemade* or canned (if you are gluten intolerant and are using canned chili sauce, make sure to read the ingredients on the can, some makers put wheat products in their sauce)
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 Tbsp white or cider vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• A couple of turns on a black pepper grinder
• A pinch of dried oregano, crushed
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
Garnish
• Thinly sliced lettuce or cabbage
• Thinly sliced radishes
• Cilantro
METHOD
1 Heat oil in a medium sized saucepan on medium heat. Add the chili sauce. Add vinegar (2 Tbsp if using canned sauce, 4 Tbsp in you've made your own sauce), cloves, allspice, cinnamon, cumin, black pepper, oregano and garlic. Bring to a simmer and let simmer for 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat and let cool.

2 Sprinkle salt over all the chicken pieces on all sides. Put chicken pieces in a non-reactive bowl or a large freezer bag. Add the marinade, make sure all pieces are coated well with the marinade. Marinate in the refrigerator at least one hour, preferably overnight.

3 Remove the chicken from the refrigerator before starting up the grill. Preheat your grill, allowing for a space on the grill for cooking the chicken with indirect heat. (If using coals, move all the coals to one side of the grill, if using gas, after the grill is hot, turn off one of the burners.) Brush the grill grates with olive oil. Make sure the chicken pieces are well coated on all sides with the paste-like marinade. Place the chicken pieces on the indirect heat part of the grill (not over a flame or coals). Cook, covered, for 25-30 minutes, turning the pieces over after the first 15 minutes. Try to keep the temperature in the grill around 350°F. Chicken is done when juices run clear, breasts have an internal temperature of 165°F and thighs 175°F.

3a no grill If you aren't in a grilling mood, you can bake the chicken pieces in the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the chicken pieces in a roasting pan, skin-side up. Cook for about 45-50 minutes, until breasts have an internal temperature of 165°F and thighs 175°F.
Serve garnished with sliced avocado, sliced lettuce or cabbage dressed with a little vinegar and oil, sliced radishes and cilantro.

Roasted Asparagus Recipe
 

INGREDIENTS
• 1 lb asparagus spears (thick spears are best for roasting)
• 1-2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Kosher Salt
• Freshly grated black pepper
• Lemon juice
METHOD
1 Preheat oven to 400°F. Rinse clean the asparagus. Break the tough ends off of the asparagus and discard.

2 Lay the asparagus spears out in a single layer in a baking dish or a foil-covered roasting pan. Drizzle olive oil over the spears, roll the asparagus back and forth until they are all covered with a thin layer of olive oil. (Alternatively you can put the asparagus and oil in a plastic bag, and rub the bag so that the oil gets evenly distributed.) Sprinkle with minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Rub over the asparagus so that they are evenly distributed.
3 Place pan in oven and cook for approximately 8-10 minutes, depending on how thick your asparagus spears are, until lightly browned and tender when pierced with a fork. Drizzle with a little fresh lemon juice before serving.

Salmon Salad Recipe
 

INGREDIENTS
• 1 lb salmon fillet, cooked, either poached, grilled, or gently fried, and cooled to at least room temperature
• 2 celery stalks - finely chopped
• 1/2 red onion - peeled, finely sliced
• 1 Tbsp of capers (strain out the pickling juice)
• The juice of 1 lemon (regular lemon, not Meyer lemon)
• 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 Tbsp fresh dill - chopped
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
METHOD
Break cooked salmon into chunk sized pieces and add to bowl. Combine celery, red onion, capers, lemon juice, olive oil, fresh dill in a separate dish. Gently add the dressing mixture into the bowl of salmon, mixing just enough so all pieces are coated. Add a sprinkling of salt and ground pepper to taste. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to cool and to allow the flavors to blend.
Serve with a slice of lemon. Serves 4.

Seared Ahi Tuna Recipe
 

INGREDIENTS
• 2 (6-8 ounce) ahi tuna steaks (3/4 of an inch thick)
• 2 Tbsp dark sesame oil (can substitute olive oil)
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce (or 2 teaspoons of wheat-free tamari for gluten-free option)
• 1 Tbsp of grated fresh ginger
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 green onion (scallion) thinly sliced (a few slices reserved for garnish)
• 1 teaspoon lime juice
METHOD
1 Mix the marinade ingredients together and coat the tuna steaks with the marinade, cover tightly, and refrigerate for at least an hour.

2 Heat a non-stick skillet over medium high to high heat. When the pan is hot, remove the tuna steaks from the marinade and sear them for a minute to a minute and a half on each side ( even a little longer if you want the tuna less rare than pictured.)

3 Remove from pan and slice into 1/4-inch thick slices. Sprinkle with a few green onion slices.

BIG MAC (no cheese) IN A BOWL
 

• 1/2 pound raw ground beef, about 5 1/2 ounces cooked weight or 153 grams cooked *
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 teaspoon minced dry onions
• 46 grams dill pickle slices or 2 dill spears, chopped, about 1 5/8 ounces
• 2 tablespoons WF Thousand Island Dressing
• 1 1/2 ounces iceberg lettuce, shredded

Brown the ground beef, drain off any fat, season with salt and pepper.. Meanwhile, soak the dry onions in a little water to rehydrate them. Put the meat in a large salad bowl and add the remaining ingredients. Toss and eat at once.

Green Beans Braised With Shiitake Mushrooms
 

• 1/2 ounce dried shiitake mushrooms, about 10-11 small mushrooms
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon granular Splenda or equivalent liquid Splenda
• 1 teaspoon oil
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
• 1 pound fresh green beans, ends trimmed
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Put the mushrooms in a medium bowl; add 1 cup boiling water. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let stand 5 minutes. Remove the mushrooms and reserve the liquid. When the mushrooms have cooled, remove the tough stems and dice the caps. Strain the liquid through a paper towel lined strainer. Add the soy sauce and Splenda to the liquid and set aside.
In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat until almost smoking. Add the ginger and cook 20-30 seconds. Add the beans, mushrooms and drained liquid. Stir to combine then cover and reduced the heat to low. Simmer, stirring occasionally, 15-20 minutes. Turn the heat up to high very briefly to evaporate the liquid in the bottom of the pan. Season with salt and pepper.

Stir-fried Bok Choy With Ginger & Soy
 

• 1 3/4 pounds bok choy, about 1 medium head
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon granular Splenda
• 2 tablespoon oil
• 2 1/2 ounces onion, sliced thin
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced

Trim about an inch of stalk off the bottom of the head of bok choy. Separate the leaves; wash and pat dry. Cut the green leafy part away from the stalks, reserving the stalks. Cut the stalks into thin strips. Stack the leaves and cut crosswise into thin strips. Keep the leaves and stalks separate.
Mix the soy sauce and Splenda in a small bowl. Heat the oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat until almost smoking. Add the onions and stir-fry for a few minutes or until they start to soften. Add the bok choy stalks, garlic and ginger and cook until the bok choy is tender-crisp, stirring frequently. Add the bok choy leaves and the soy sauce mixture. Cook and stir until leaves are wilted, about 1 minute.

Zucchini Fries
 

• 1 pound zucchini, small to medium
• 2 tablespoons oil, about
• Salt and pepper

Cut each zucchini in half crosswise, then into quarters lengthwise. Put in a bowl and toss with the oil to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in a foil-lined baking pan in a single layer. Roast at 400º for 15 minutes; flip and roast another 10 minutes or so until past the soft stage and until crispy.

Fried Zucchini Strings
 

• 1 medium zucchini, about 5 1/4 ounces after trimming *
• Oil for deep frying
• Salt

Using a julienne peeler, cut the zucchini into very thin pasta-like strips. Discard the center core with the seeds. Blot with paper towel to remove as much moisture as possible. Heat 3 inches of oil in a deep fryer to 375º (see my comments below). Add the zucchini strands without crowding the pan. Turn when the zucchini is golden brown. Brown the other side; remove and drain on paper towel. Sprinkle with salt and serve at once.

Even Better "heinz" Ketchup
 

• 6 ounce can tomato paste
• 8 ounce can tomato sauce *
• 1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons white vinegar
• 3 tablespoons granular Splenda or equivalent liquid Splenda
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2-1 teaspoon salt
• 1/16 teaspoon allspice
• 1/16 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/16 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/16 teaspoon garlic powder

Mix all of the ingredients well. Keep refrigerated.
Makes 1 3/4 cups or about 28 tablespoons

"heinz" Ketchup
 

• 6 ounces can tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons granular Splenda or equivalent liquid Splenda
• 1/4 cup vinegar
• 1/4 cup plus 1/3 cup water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• Dash celery salt

Combine everything in a pan over medium heat. Whisk until smooth. Bring to a boil; reduce the heat and simmer 20 minutes, stirring often. Remove from the heat and cover until cool; chill.

Chicken Soup
 

Ingredients:

• 500 g skinless chicken breasts
• 4 celery, chopped
• 1 leek, chopped
• 1 cup green beans, chopped
• 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped finely
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 3-4 tablespoons chicken stock
• 8 cups water
• salt & pepper

Directions:

Bring water to boil.

In the meantime, cut up all the vegetables into small cubes.

Cut the chicken into 1cm cubes.

Add the vegetables and garlic and stock and boil on high heat for 5 minutes, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

Add chicken and bring to boil for 2 minutes, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes or longer.

Soup is ready when all ingredients have sunk to the bottom!