So, it’s
been awhile. That was predictable. It was a busy month – my sister in law got
married in BC so that involved a cross-country trip with a small baby and all
the related preparation and recovery afterwards.
But
truthfully, it was more than that. Lately I haven’t really wanted to reflect on
things, or write about things. I've been pretty down, so reflecting on things
ain’t my jam at the moment. I’ve tried getting more sleep, going to a mom’s
support group, and some other self-care techniques recommended when you’re
trying to raise a tiny human and your brain is ready to ooze out through your
ears.
It's helped a bit, but realistically, I know it's going to take me quite some time to get back to my old self - that's what happens with post-natal depression. There's no quick fix. But you can find moments of motivation. I'm still bummed. But I’ve
been slightly kicked back into gear by a book, of all things.
Specifically,
Medium Raw by Anthony Bourdain.
For those of
you who don’t know, Anthony Bourdain is the bad boy of the North American
culinary scene. He spent years working in restaurant kitchens, is a recovering
drug addict, and has traveled all over the world in search of amazing meals. His
current TV program, Parts Unknown, involves him trekking all over the world and
exploring the local culture through food, history, and sometimes politics. It’s
super interesting and totally devoid of bullshit, and usually involves him getting a little tipsy.
He has an
entire chapter dedicated to paragraph-long descriptions of phenomenal meals
from through his life. From tacos on the streets of Panama to yakatori eaten at
a Japanese sake lounge to pasta in the foothills of Italy, I was drooling by
the end of it. Complete and utter food porn.
Time to
start cooking like I mean it again. Here’s the most recent share-worthy
creation:
Spicy Sriracha
Endive Chicken Tacos (makes 8 tacos)
1 tbsp Sriracha
chili sauce
1 tbsp olive
oil
1tsp minced
garlic
2 tbsp lemon
juice
2 tbsp lime
juice
1 tbsp chili
powder
½ tsp cumin
2 shakes
liquid smoke (about 6 drops)
2 large
chicken breasts (about 1 lb)
4 green
onion stalks, chopped
1 orange
bell pepper, chopped into 1 cm cubes
3 small
Belgian endive, separated into leaves
8 whole
wheat tortillas
½ cup 2%
greek yogurt
1 tsp
cilantro
½ tsp ground
thyme
2/3 cup
shredded white cheddar (the stronger the better – I used a mix of Millbank
organic old white cheddar and Fifth Town goat cheddar)
Whisk
Sriracha sauce, olive oil, garlic, lemon and lime juice, chili powder, cumin,
and liquid smoke into a marinade. Chop the chicken breasts into small chunks
and add to marinade. Let the chicken marinate for 2 hours in the refrigerator.
Add chicken,
marinade and all, to a frying pan and cook on medium heat until chicken is
cooked through. Add orange pepper and onions, and cook until they begin to let
off moisture. Drain off the excess
moisture and marinade from the pan, return to low heat, and add the endive.
Cook until endive just begins to wilt.
Stir
together the yogurt, cilantro and thyme and set aside.
Warm
tortillas in the oven until soft.
Assemble
tacos and top with cheddar and yogurt.
Serve with a
good local beer. The Junction Brewery is a current favourite.
