Metabolic Cooking 3-Step Fat Burning Protocol

Hi,
How is everyone doing today? So I have been doing a lot of reflecting and thinking the last couple week about my life and goals.  One of the things that keeps coming up is the question about living a satisfied life. And what does living a satisfied look like in the day to day living.

My goal is to lose 85lbs, while still being able to eating delicious meals that are full of flavor.
I am starting the Metabolic Fat Burning Protocol and looking forward to posting my weight-loss journey. Here is the cookbook that I am going to be using if you would like to join this journey with me.

Metabolic Cooking 3-Step Fat Burning Protocol Website


So come along on this journey and let's explore weight loss through eating the right foods.

Mocha Decadence

Molten layers of chocolate, infused with dark espresso and essences of Madagascar vanilla baked into a rich dense mass of sin. The fact that this is flour-less and gluten free is the only justification for this over the top masterpiece that will woo women and mystify your company. I have seen countless women completely melt under the intoxicating effects of the rich succulent dark chocolate married with the powerful espresso. Don't tell anyone about the pound of rich organic butter that is the foundation of this award winning recipe.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees
Prepare an 8in pie pan with a cut out of parchment paper. 

Melt the following ingredients together over meduim high heat until smooth and glossy.     3/4 cp Organic Dark Chocolate

1/4 cp Organic Milk Chocolate

    1cp Strong coffee Espresso beans or French Roast

    2 sticks Butter  
                                                                                                                    1 cp white Sugar
4 eggs 

                                                                                                           
Before incorporating the eggs, turn the burner off and whisk the rich chocolate coffee mixture well to lower the temperature so you don't curdle the eggs. 


Whisk the eggs harshly and with vigor for about 2 minutes. 


Slowly....I  mean it...very slowly add the beaten egg mixture to the chocolate. 


As your adding the eggs keep whisking the eggs into the chocolate. It will immediately begin to thicken to a  thick syrup constituency. 


Place your pie pan into a 9X13 oven proof dish. Add enough water to come 3/4th of the way up the side of the pie pan. BE VERY CAREFUL NOT TO SPILL ANY WATER INTO THE MIXTURE...ONE DROP THE WHOLE THING IS RUINED!!!! Believe me from personal experience, instead of being rich and creamy it tastes like someone dumped a cup of sand in the mixture .  Bake for minutes (e-mail me for the time) 
   Chill over night and then decorate to your hearts desire.   

Parmesan Crusted Elk Burgers

 Their is just something about having guy time around the campfire grilling game from the hunt. The smoke slowly rising through the summer's air. Light fades slowly into dusk and just the peace of knowing that your buddy has your back.
Parmesan Crusted Elk Burgers 
with Sun-dried Tomatoes Ciabattas



The fragrant overtones of juniper and spruce accents the lean and flavorful elk meat. This recipe is pretty straight forward and open to your imagination.













       Ground  Elk









                                              Parmesan Cheese

Black Pepper

      

    Sea Salt

  

Crushed Red Pepper flakes

                                                                                 Garlic Powder

Add spices to your liking- I prefer well seasoned meat, add plenty of Parmesan to the mixture you want the cheese to completely through the mixture. It will start to melt outside of the burger creating a wonderful crisp coating of cheese on the outside of the burger. Grill over medium heat until throughly cooked. . Five minutes before the burgers are done slice your sundried Ciabattas and brush with olive oil and garlic. Place face down on grill to crisp the buns and add a great smoky essence to the bun.   

                                              

Watermelon Roses

Today has been an amazing day. It was my Washington mom's 50th birthday. A great celebration of a life who has made such an impact for the good in so many lives. Anita Knight is a woman who deserves a statue and a book to be written about her. She is one of the unsung hero's of the faith who grand parade may not be until heaven, but she contiunes serving her family and Saviour faithfully.

Part of my gift for her birthday was making a watermelon rose. It was my first attempt at with one watermelon. So grant it, I was really thankful that it turned out alright. It took about two and half hours to carve it, but it was totally worth it.

Phuong Vi Deli

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder totally fits this next Pho restaurant I visited on Monday.
Simple and hidden is this tiny Vietnamese deli Phuong Vi Deli . I had been their before for their sandwiches which are the best priced sandwiches around. $2.50 for a 7inch sandwich with all homemade fresh ingredients you can't beat that price anywhere else in the Sound.

I was just going to get a sandwich and run, I had some other errands that I needed to do. But the Pho started calling, beckoning me until I just caved. As I was ordering the owner, Lynn, came in and asked me if I liked Pho. A wide sheepish grin filled my face and all I could do is sheepishly nod my head like a love struck fool. I think a nervous giggle sneaked out with the smile.  I told her that I am a food blogger and that I have been trying different Pho restaurants around the Puget Sound.

"Sit, Sit" she motioned to the tables, with a beaming smile she laughed as she said, " My Pho is the best Pho around, nobody makes Pho like Lynn!"

With bold curiosity I just threw out the question, "Well what makes Lynn's Pho the best?"

Lynn's eyes flashed with passion and intensity, "I don't use MSG!", emphatically waving her hands, "You understand, Lynn don't use MSG only natural, real ingredients!"

When you met a true chef you can tell, their is a passion in their voice and eyes for their food. Its a part of their soul, an extension of their heart for people to taste and savor. Hungry for the inside scoop into what makes a great Pho recipe I asked what was the secret to her success.

Beaming with delight and with the flair of a true Pho chef, she stated with a pride, " I am the only Pho restaurant to use real bones in my stock, everyone else uses powdered Pho mix, full of chemicals. But my Stock is made with 100% natural ingredients no chemicals."

"Enough talk, you must taste my Pho and decide yourself if it is the best around!"

As I was waiting for my steaming bowl of Pho, I realized that I might have stumbled upon a hidden jewel in the Puget Sound. A woman who is passionate about great food, tucked away from the spotlights with a gift just waiting to be discovered.

Her nephew brought the large bowl of Combination Pho (beef flank, rib eye, soft tendon, tripe and meatball) steaming its aromatic essence through out the shop. It hits me like a fragrant train, I have never smelled anything like this before in my life.

Lynn watches me with anticipation as I waft the aromas towards my sniffer and inhale deeply.
She smiles and saids" You really do know about Pho, you smell before you eat, just like the Vietnamese."

The flavors and spices permeated the broth fully rich and brimming with intoxicating  ethic taste. The meat was well season and complemented the fresh rice noodles. This by far is the best bowl of Pho that I have ever had. I highly recommend this restaurant for a bowl of heavenly goodness.





side note- this is really good thing because I am super allergic to MSG (monosodium glutamate)

Iced Coconut Coffee

I am still buzzing after my twenty ounce Iced Coconut Coffee this morning.
Their is just something about the combination of Coconut and Coffee that is so strangely strange but best friends with my taste buds. Its the rare treat first thing in the morning where I can escape the monetization of the Rat Race.  
The best place to get an Iced Coconut Coffee is Cafe Adamo in Puyallup,WA click on the link for the website. This cafe has been ranked the third best coffee shop in Western Washington. Great food and atmosphere. The grilled cheese worth making the trip to South Hill, and battling meridian ave. *Confession to make* I have driven over their several times just for their Grilled Cheese.

 Caffe ADAMO

109 35th Ave SE

Puyallup, WA 98374

(253) 445-4237

caffeadamo@gmail.com

Often as I sit on the train, I stop and think about my life, the impact of my existence, and what the purpose of all this is for in regards to eternity. Its interesting how many days I have dreamed about writing about life,food, and just the random things that wander across this random brain of mine.

The passion for food is like an artist with a blank canvas and full paint spectum. I don't only just love to cook, but i love to teach and explain why the flavors interact in your mouth the way they do. To see someone eyes ignite with passion and desire when the rich cheesecake stuffed strawberries begins to whisk them away to another place.  To show them how to create gourmet dishes and have the confidence that they can host amazing parties where the food is the star and the fellowship just flows freely.

A Perfect Saturday

Today was a perfect summer morning on the Puget sound. I was awoken to the barking of sea lions squabbling and the haughtiness cackle of the seagulls.    The yacht groaned and creaked at the mooring but its the gentle rocking starts the wind chimes of bells and cables.

It was a late night with friends on the yacht, but it was good and as in house chef I have a gourmet breakfast to start.
French Toast with Sausage Egg Scramble.

Greek yogurt slightly sweetened with honey and powered sugar,layered the French Toast providing an interesting contrast in flavors. But at the same time sanguinely complementing each of the distinguished flavors of the French Toast.






The essesnce to perfect French Toast is the bread. Even though is humble origins and only a foundation for the complexity of flavours that waits its heavnely union. I have found that the bread by far has been the most important ingredient in a great French Toast. Today I used a one day old Raisin Sweet Braid, slightly sweetened with organic honey and the plump raisins bursting with flavor.

I have found using bread that has been allowed to sit over night tends to hold together better then fresh bread. Their is a tendency for people to try to use their stale, leftover freezer bread for French Toast. Which I have found absolutely appalling as freezer breads can absorb the smells and flavors of his freezer buddies. 

 Sliced in even, thick slices I prepared the dipping batter. 

                Six eggs

Cracked Eggs
by
-joseph-pizzuti

 half a bottle of Pure Vanilla Extract

 1 pint of Heavy Whipping Cream

about 3 tablespoons cinnamon

and my secret ingredient. You can e-mail me directly for the SI.  Preheating the griddle to 350 degrees, I generously sprayed the surface with Pam 

 

Whipping the above ingredients until well incorporated and frothy I smothered each side of the bread with the fragrantly creamy liquid. As I placed each piece on the griddle, the aromas of cinnamon, vanilla and slight undertones of raisin filled the cabin of the yacht.

Honestly this is the way I love to start my mornings is cooking for my friends. If I could cook at a bed and breakfast I would flip my lid...but for now I am stuck in Corporate America aka The Rat Race.