Last night as you will remember from our first exciting, unfolding recipe escapade, of Epicure Au Naturale, I made Turkey Loaf for 2. Because I am eating as healthy a diet as a person of my judgement level can, I find myself eating less meat, but not hating the taste of meat. Therefore, there were meat leftovers. Since we are beginning this series based on the fact that a determined person, with access to a kitchen, can survive, thrive and create healthy lives on any budget, we will explore the wonderland of leftovers in this recipe.
Turkey Pasta in Tomato, Cilantro, Cream
Before we begin the exciting ingredients and prep portion of this culinary journey into health and well being. Let's get comfortable with social structure survival basics, which can be applied to savings and health for all incomes and lifestyle choices.
Some Epicure Au Naturale, Health Asset Cost Basics
As Jesus said, in so many words, it is cost effective to enjoy health and prosperity, in the natural order. He defined the natural order as divine, by a Creator in Creation. Today we have exponentially expanded our terminology in defining the natural order. Yet certain basic economic truths contained in that basic cost effective, healthy life message apply.
In my teen tears of discovery directed towards wellness, I determined to go back to basics and begin a life of ecstatic meditation and hardship. I lived in an abandoned cabin in the woods which I and some friends repaired and kept clean and safe as our service to the house. It was without running water, gas or electricity. Friends lived there briefly on and off during that 16 mo time. In this experience I learned the basic tools of personal and social order. The daily quest for fire water, or money for coal, food and the need to gather wild food, and store water were constantly on my mind, I made this all a part of my morning meditation till evening reflection. Couldn't even meditate unless all was planned and ready on all other fronts. In that time a few people recovered from health problems on my very cheap vegetarian diet, cooked on a wood stove. I learned to be aware of a simple, inexpensive health benefits, found from pursuing basics.
Low Impact: This recipe is a dish using a leftover turkey loaf. The cost in Cali, abo a buck, based on the dinner and lunch in the last recipe which cost about 7$s. The cost savings in the survival plan in the first recipes of this series, is what is important here. If you are seeking health in survival mode, you have achieved luxury in 35 minutes with proper planning. For the cost of a pint of half and half, 50 cents worth of pasta, and a few vegs, also leftover as parts of the last recipe, and the cost of a tomato, you come in at abo 6 bucks for tonight's dinner and lunch tomorrow. Remember, we had T-bone soup last night and some is left because we made enough for tomorrows lunch.
If you are surviving as you read this, you still have obtained luxury and health with this recipe. If you are a large income producing food eater, with recipes like this, you have bought an extra week in your dream cabin. Or resort with kitchen. HELL YA! Plus all incomes have simplified their life and environmental impact. You have not wasted planetary resources and can more easily move through other perceived complexities, in an aura of tasty satisfaction.
Turkey Pasta in Tomato, Cilantro Cream
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 lb+ Leftover turkey loaf or seasoned, ground turkey cooked with vegetables.
1 Whole Tomato
1 whole green or other pepper
Part of an onion
Fresh Cilantro
Half and Half aprox 1 pint
Pasta (any kind, linguine is good. Also any whole grain. Tasty with Millet
Salt Pepper
Garlic Bread
A word about bread
Not too much is good for cost and health. The more whole grain and fresher the better. This loaf is a sourdough french Betard of all things, baked at Saints and Sinners Bake Shop, in Long Beach, California, USA, of all places. Still within $12-$15 a day, as you will see as Epicure Au Naturale unfolds.
PREPARATION
Slice butter and season bread with salted garlic seasoning or minced garlic, seasoning and sea salt Wrap in foil, put in the oven set it to 350 and then begin the rest of the prep. This will make it very hot garlic bread when ready to serve. Higher heat for crispiness, or time savings an option. You can take your bread om foil opened slightly and place it into an oven preheated to 450. In about 5-8 minutes it is crispy delicious.
Boil Water for pasta and add salt to taste and olive oil to allow easy separation of pasta. Add pasta when water boils.
Cook the chopped pepper and onion in a skillet on high in some olive oil
Get them cooking on the bottom, stir and add the larger part of tomato. Stir again and allow to moisten a bit then turn to lowest temp cover and continue to simmer.
You want to cook all the moisture into the skillet mix without over cooking the vegies. When you think you are almost there add the cilantro and tomato remainder chopped, and seasoned at the beginning of the chopping process, with salt and pepper, then allowed to sit till now.
Bring the heat up and allow to cook for a minute or two. Then add half and half. Excess moisture will evaporate in the heat you apply till creamy. When it is still a little watery you can reduce heat to low and cook for a minute or two on lowest heat while covered. then stir and serve or allow to cool a minute.
Serve over over pasta with bread.
A word about the sauce
For immediate consumption. It it will thicken into something that will not look like sauce over a short time. Keep it thinner if you want to re-heat to serve later. Heat will return its original creaminess initially, but this will deteriorate over time.
We will include tricks for sauce renewal, very useful for reconstituting office lunches to desired creaminess, in further episodes of Epicure Au Naturale.