It was such a lovely day today. After fixing breakfast for Larr and sending him off to work, I mowed our front lawn with a push mower, trimmed some of the bushes, weeded parts of the flower gardens and felt generally pleased with the work I accomplished before it got too hot to be outside and working enough to break a sweat. It made me feel good. After that I headed to the Cherry Creek Farmer's Market. I love going as often as I can. They are open on Wednesdays and Saturdays, though I hardly ever make it on Saturdays. I had a grand time.
I scored big at the Palizza Farm booth where the person working the booth was wonderful, inviting and knowledgeable. The prices were great, too. I sampled the shelling peas and found them to be almost like candy. Thinking my family would enjoy them, I purchased a few pounds. I also got small new potatoes, cucumbers and a gorgeous head of cauliflower.
I also enjoyed the various flower vendors. I wish that I had a spare ten dollars that I could have used to get one of these bouquets. I think they were a wonderful deal. Peonies are one of my favorite flowers and I love how they smell. Which one would you want to take home? I think the person who put them together did such a lovely job. I would not have thought to put in the bits of wheat which contrast so nicely with the soft pedals.
One of the first booths I visited was "Over the Moo" which offers lactose and gluten free ice cream made with coconut milk. I tried the vanilla and the chocolate, opting to get some right before I left since I knew it would melt quickly. The owner is a great young lady who had been stricken with an awful illness that completely changed how she eats. She created these desserts so that others like her could have fun stuff to eat.
I had a hard time deciding what to have for lunch. I loved the look of the Denver Biscuit, but was not in the mood for bread.
I went for Mexican Street style food over at the Pinche Taco truck. It was hard deciding what to get. In the end I picked the Asada because the ones that were coming out of the delivery window looked so good.I imagine it was all great. I so enjoyed it that I decided I would make them for my family. You can see the recipe I used below. I also tried a few things at the Raw Shanti Bar. By that time my money was spoken for, but I plan on visiting them next week. I am not sure if I will go for the flax seed crackers or one of the fabulous macaroons. When I asked the owner, Josh, for a business card, he gave me one attached to a small bag of some tasty looking mix that can go on yogurt or in cookie. I am excited to try it.
Here's a variation on Carnes Asada.
I was inspired and guided by the one found at norecipe.com, but had to make a few modifications based on what I had on hand and what my family likes.
Carne Asada
1 Flat Iron Steak (1 skirt steak or 2 hanger steaks)
Marinade
juice of 1 limes
1/4 C olive oil
(1/4 C minced cilantro - I did not have this)
(1-2 Serrano chillies minced (to taste) - I omitted this)
1 Tbs minced garlic
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp ground coriander seed
1/2 tsp Mexican oregano
1/4 tsp ground cumin seed
2 tsp kosher salt (less if using table salt)
black pepper to taste
(1 Tbs pureed kiwi (optional)I did not have this)
garnish
(1/4 C sweet onions minced - I did not have this)
(1/4 cilantro minced -I did not have this)
Avocado, cubed
Queso Fresa Cheese (Cheddar would be fine, but different from this)
Salsa
Fresh lime juice
1 batch of homemade tortillas (You can serve this without a tortillas, or you can serve them on corn tortillas for a wheat free option. It is the more authentic way to do it.)
Combine all the marinade ingredients in a container with a lid that will fit the meat. Kiwi has a powerful enzyme called actinidin that breaks down protein, making it a great addition to the marinade if you don’t plan on letting the meat marinate overnight. Taste it and add more salt or sugar if needed. It should be relatively salty, but not so salty that it burns your tongue. The sugar is a personal preference thing. If you like it sweeter, add more sugar.
Cut the marinaded meat into small bite size pieces and saute in a stir fry style. Be careful to not overcook the meat.
(Here's her recommendations: When you’re ready to grill the meat, remove it from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before cooking to allow it to come to room temperature. This helps ensure the Carne Asada will cook evenly. If you’re using a broiler, move the rack to the top position and turn the broiler on high, with a grilling rack on top of a baking sheet. Scrape any excess marinade off the meat and place the meat on the grill. Cook until nicely browned on one side, flip and brown the other side. Skirt steak will cook much faster than hanger steak, so be careful not to overcook it.
Transfer the Carne Asada to a cutting board and let it rest for at least 5 minutes. Use a sharp knife to roughly chop up the meat then add it to a bowl with the sweet onions, cilantro, and any juices that accumulated on the baking sheet or cutting board.
Serve the Carne Asade with fresh tortillas and Pico De Gallo.)
I served mine by placing the shredded Queso Fresca and some avacado on a tortilla, adding the meat and squeezing a bit of lime over everything.
We thought this was very tasty. Too bad Ethan is away at camp and did not get to try this one. I'll have to make it again.
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