Brunch at Lucky's: 1st Brunch Trip (Most def not the last)

Brunch at Lucky's: 1st Brunch Trip

      By True Foodie Sound Bites

First, I have to point out the photo on the left...can you see that rich, velvety, creamy goodness? Of course you can. What I meant was, can you taste that with your eyes? Of course you can. The photo doesn't begin to do this liquid, silk gold justice. 

                         

                    

                            Eggs Poblano
Poached with Poblano Hollandaise, Marinated Chicken Breast, 
Fry Bread, and Grilled Pineapple.

 I can't believe I haven't had Lucky's for brunch before now.   

You're greeted by smiling faces throughout, from the moment you walk in the door. They're accommodating as they are friendly.  We sat at a table, in the bar section where we had an excellent server, Laura. They have top shelf signature cocktails as well as the ever popular $2 mimosas. I ordered their signature Bloody Mary. It was perfect in spice, flavor and ingredient ratio.
My friend and I usually order different from one another so we can try each other's food, but this time, both of us had our eyes fixated on the description of the Eggs Poblano. I don't even know where to start. 
My mouth is watering as I type and glance at the photo. [Note to self: must post photo last, after the typing]. 
This dish is as you might guess regarding the composition typical to eggs benedict. Bread at the bottom, protein, poached egg, hollandaise sauce. What makes this like no other eggs benedict is, most of the ingredients and how it's prepared. 
The fry bread is not as dense as english muffins, it's lighter, fluffier, but the crust gives it a nice crunch and rustic flare. The protein in this case, other than the poached egg, is marinated chicken breast, not the typical ham or bacon. Soooo full of flavor, tender and juicy. 
The eggs were poached beyond perfection, not runny, not over cooked. I really, REALLY enjoyed cutting into the egg and watching that rich, orangy-gold, thick, gravy-like yolk, slowly ooze down the side of the chicken, where it mingled with the light yellow, pearl puddle of hollandaise sauce, which included flavorful, soft poblano peppers. 
If this wasn't enough (I wanted to order another one but my tummy couldn't fit it in), this dish comes adorned with grilled pineapple. At first, I thought, wow, that's an interesting garnish...until, I sliced into the grilled pineapple and swiped the hollandaise sauce with it, then put it in my mouth. WOW!! That pineapple gave the hollandaise a sweetness to it, and the hollandaise gave the pineapple a richness.  It was like a full-on separate dish...a rich tasting, yet light textured dessert, DURING THE MEAL, not after. It made me think instantaneously, Matt and Brooke Kelley know their stuff...obvy! 

I'm looking forward to this Sunday...I'm going to have the Salmon, which also comes with the hollandaise. I may even swing by for dinner to try the Grilled New York Strip, with sage brown butter, potato hash and creamed spinach. Lucky's ='s Foodie paradise

 

Dear Me, Deer Meat...the other, other, non-white meat!

Dear Me, Deer Meat!

Deer meat, the other, other non-white meat... 

by True Foodie Sound Bites

Seriously good eats. Deer meat is by far one of the most healthy meats available today. Low in fat, calories, cholesterol, high in protein. The way the meat will taste depends on the preparation you put into it prior to cooking.




INGREDIENTS

Deer Meat
Sugar
Water
Sriracha (Asian chili paste)

Flour (enough to coat all pieces of deer meat)
Salt
Garlic Salt
Paprika
Red Pepper Flakes
Onion Powder
Fresh ground Pepper
Rosemary

Bacon Fat- 1 1/2 Tablespoons
Olive Oil-    2 Tablespoons
Chicken or Beef Broth 1/2 Cup
Red Wine 1/2 Cup (use a good one such as cabernet or malbec, not grocery store wine vinegar)

DIRECTIONS

First, place rinsed deer meat in gallon sized plastic bag with equal parts sugar & water and one part Sriracha. Slowly push as much of the air out of the bag as the bag is being sealed (this helps the marinade to fully cover the meat). Marinate 24 hours to at least eight hours or overnight.    
Now, you're ready to cook, so remove the deer meat from the plastic bag marinade, rinse well, and pat dry. Mix the flour and all the dry ingredients together, add the deer meat and toss till fully coated. 
Heat a fry pan on high, melt the bacon fat and olive oil together. As soon as the oil is hot, slowly lay all the pieces of deer meat into the pan and brown (about 3 minutes), then turn once and brown on the other side (about 2 minutes). Add 1/4 cup of chicken broth and 1/4 cup of wine, making sure the deer meat is NOT completely immersed. It should only cover the meat a quarter to almost half way from the bottom, this is called braising. Bring the liquid to boil then VERY quickly, turn down heat to low. 
When the sauce reduces significantly, add the remainder 1/4 cup of chicken broth and let the liquid reduce and thicken a bit, then add the remainder of the 1/4 cup of wine. 
The meat should not braise in the sauce more than 10 minutes. Remove the meat from the pan and let the sauce thicken and reduce to your liking (add more red wine if needed or to your liking as sauce thickens). 
Let the deer meat rest at least 5 to 7 minutes before slicing...trust me, that makes all the difference on how juicy it remains.  Once the meat has rested and the sauce has thickened, you're ready to plate. Slice meat over risotto, fried or mashed potatoes or pureed cauliflower, whatever you like then drizzle sauce over it. Some roasted brussel sprouts with a starch of your choice would do this deer meat recipe justice. A nice pinot noir, cabernet or malbec would pair nicely.
Enoy! Bon Appetit! Buon Appetito! Buen provecho!

 

Ah, La Madeleine....Bon Appetit Mon Ami

by True Foodie Sound Bites

It's a chain...but man is it good. Must be a small chain because you can taste the love that goes into this food.  I highly recommend this to anyone that appreciates not only exquisite food, but heavily influenced Country French.

Fast food type of quick service but sit down upscale French goodness in every bite.

My daughter treated me after church last Sunday. We split two plates.

What we have here is two different plates/dishes.

Croque Monsieur , French twist on the ham and cheese sandwich made with tender ham, warm Swiss and savoury garlic cream sauce (that's the one with the melted cheese on top) Chicken Friand, Puff pastry filled with chicken, mushrooms and béchamel sauce, topped with mushroom sauce, Bowtie pasta with basil, Parmesan, spinach, pesto, green onions and sun-dried tomatoes in a garlic dressing and Fresh spinach with mushrooms, roasted pecans, bacon, red bell peppers and strawberries, tossed with balsamic vinaigrette (chicken available)

Healthy, Spicy, Savory "Risotto" Style Oats w/Venison

I never knew oats could be eaten in such a way that I won't miss actual risotto. I made this recipe first with smoked deer meat my boss had brought to work. Looking for something hearty and healthy, I decided to cook some oats and add the smoked deer meat to it. Voila, instant savory goodness, you will not believe how delicious this is.

Photo: Chicken recipe

Recipe for one serving:

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup old fashioned oats
3/4 to one cup of chicken broth
1.5 to 2 oz. Protein such as chicken, pork, or deer/venison meat.
1 teaspoon of Sriracha (any Asian style chili sauce)
Salt & Pepper

In a saucpan, place the oats and chicken broth, bring to boil and cook on high for about two minutes. Turn down the heat to a medium and stir the oats, cook until a "risotto" consistancy. Take off heat, add cooled or cold chopped up meat, Sriracha, salt & pepper.  You won't believe how delicious and nutritious this is. See nutritional info below...BUEN APETITO!

With Venison
Calories:  240
Carbs:        27 g/Sugars 1g/Fiber 4g
Fat:              5 g
Protein:      20 g
Cholest:     64 mg
Sodium:     31 mg

With Chicken Breast
Calories: 293
Carbs:       31 g/Sugars 1g/ Fiber 4g
Fat:             9 g
Protein:     22 g
Cholest:   113 mg
Sodium:  1024mg  

Grilled Tilapia & Poached Egg Over Warmed Spinach

 by True Foodie

This was one of those meals you just make on a whim. I wanted something healthy but delicious.






 

Ingredients:
Tilapia
Cooking Spray
Spinach
Egg(s)
Salt & Pepper

Directions:
In a skillet sprayed with cooking spray, toss in some baby spinach, however much you like...just remember it reduces in size, but since we're just "warming"it and not sauteing it, don't over do it.  Toss the spinach around until it's soft and warm then plate it.  In the same pan, add tilapia that has been seasoned to your liking. I only used a pinch of sea salt and pepper. Don't over cook it. I found that using high heat made it crispy on the outside and cooked to perfection on the inside...about 3 to 4 minutes on each side. While the tilapia is cooking, poach an egg or two, however many you like. I use about a table spoon of cider vinegar in my poaching water to help it shape nicely as I turned it over and over with a wooden spoon. Take the poached egg out and place on a paper towel, then over the warmed spinach. Next, place the cooked tilapia over the poached egg and warmed spinach. I break the egg before eating...the thickened, warmed yolk becomes a rich, dressing or sauce of sorts.  Enjoy!

Juniper, Tulsa, 1st visit:

 I've been to Juniper a few times and haven't had the opportunity to blog on it, but it's just too good not to.

The following blog post has to be prefaced with a statement that isn't meant to offend anyone, it's just so you know what to expect.  The food is Top Chef worthy at minimal and if it's large portions you want, you'll need to stick to chain restaurants. There I said it. Moving on.

  

 We started with a couple of unique and delicious cocktails...

bloody martini

Serrano pepper, lemon and lime infused vodka 

bloody mary mix, fresh lime juice

 

rosemary lemon drop

Tanqueray gin, rosemary simple syrup

Then for our starters, we tried the pork belly...mmm, pork belly. It was flavorful, juicy and beyond delicious!

natural farms maple glazed pork belly

brioche crouton

Next, we sampled the saffron grilled shrimp served atop rosemary pesto "flan"...nothing short of melt in your mouth savory goodness. The food is rich and packed with flavor.

saffron grilled shrimp

rosemary pesto “flan”, grilled pearl onions

 For the main course, we had the brown butter trout and Colorado lamb chops...oh the flavor in these meals can not be expressed in writing. You'll just have to go sample this on your own. It's one of life's regrets if you don't! I ordered my lamb chops medium rate...words can't describe I say!

Colorado lamb chops

truffled white bean puree, roasted tomato, fennel panzanella

 This trout literally melted in your mouth with buttery goodness.

brown butter trout

brussels sprouts, cauliflower mash, lardons 

We finished our evening off with a mocha creme brulee, which I believe is not on their spring menu but hopefully will be back on the menu this fall. I ordered a black coffee with this and it just hit the spot...velvety, smooth, creamy and exquisite.

crème brulée

mocha creamy goodness

I can't wait to go back...there are so many cool, locally owned restaurants in Tulsa, with places like Juniper, it's hard to give them all a try and share equal rotation :-)

Find Juniper:

Online:         http://www.junipertulsa.com/

In Person:     324 East 3rd Street, Tulsa, OK 74120

For Reservations Please Call: 918.794.1090

Whole Wheat Ditali w/Fresh Mushrooms, Spinach, Roma Tomatos and Shrimp...mmm!

Healthy eating can be so much more than just egg whites and lettuce...

Whole Wheat Ditali w/Fresh Spinach,Mushrooms, Roma Tomato & Shrimp

...case in point, this delicious yet simple recipe.

INGREDIENTS

Whole Wheat Ditali pasta  -1c

Fresh Spinach                   - 1/2 c

Fresh Mushrooms             - 1/2 c

Roma tomato                    - 1 

Deveined medium shrimp - 14

Garlic oil                            - 3 tbsp
Red Pepper Flakes           - dash 
Salt & Pepper                   - to taste

Parmesan cheese

 
DIRECTIONS:
Cook pasta according to directions, drain. In saute pan, heat garlic oil, toss in shrimp & mushrooms. When they're close to being sauteed to your liking, add spinach, then toss in cooked, drained pasta. Saute and toss around then take off heat and add diced roma tomatoes. Top with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese and buon appetito!

Angel Hair Pasta & Cabbage w/ Light Fried Chicken...OH YEAH!

Angel Hair Pasta & Cabbage w/Light Fried Chicken
By TrueFoodie

Start with all natural chicken breast, vinegar, sugar, water, 1 cup of angel pasta (about a the size of a round inch gripped in your hand, dry not cooked, hee.) 1/4 cup of vegetable oil, salt, pepper, paprika, red chili pepper flakes, garlic powder, 1/4 cup parmigiano-reggiano cheese, fresh garlic, cabbage, 3 table spoons of corn starch.  

In a gallon sized plastic bag... that zips up, put a chicken breast that's been cut into three pieces. Into that same bag, put about 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar, 1/4 cup of sugar and 1cup of water. Seal it well then place it in a bowl, then into the fridge. Let it brine for more than five hours. 

MAKING THE MEAL! 

Pour the liquid out of the bag... and rinse the chicken thoroughly, pat dry with paper towels and set into a bowl. In a large mixing cup, place the corn starch, salt, pepper, paprika, chili pepper flakes, and garlic salt, all in the amounts to your liking. (If you're a newbie to cooking, shoot me an email and I'll give you more specific instructions and measurements.) 

Mix the corn starch and seasonings really well then toss in the bowl with the rinsed, dried chicken breast. Toss around until the chicken is completely coated. You can do this  in another gallon sized bag as well...just make sure you seal it right.  
Heat the vegetable oil in a fry pan as your tossing/coating the chicken, then place all three pieces into the pan and fry about 3 to 4 minutes on each side. As the chicken is cooking, in a separate saucepan, bring two cups of water to a boil and cook the pasta about 10 minutes, drain and set 1/2 cup of the pasta water aside. When the chicken is cooked, place it on a plate lined with paper towels and set aside. 
In the same fry pan you used to fry up the chicken, toss in the sliced/chopped cabbage and saute for about three minutes in medium high, then turn down to medium and add the cooked angle hair pasta and chopped or crushed fresh garlic. Keep swirling the pasta/cabbage mixture in the pan and slowly add the pasta water so it makes a clear but thick gravy-like sauce. Take off the heat and toss in the parmigiano-reggiano cheese and a drizzle of olive oil. 
Place the pasta onto a plate and add the chicken. Bon appetit! Bonapeti! or as I like to say Buen provecho!!

For questions about this recipe, contact us at: 

truefoodie@wordspreadmedia.com

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Chicken & Scallion Open faced Quesadilla-LOW FAT, LOW CARB!!

CHICKEN & SCALLION OPEN FACED QUESADILLA

LOW FAT, LOW CARB
By True Foodie

This is one of those "comfort food" type of dishes that won't mess with your waistline!  

INGREDIENTS-recipe for one serving

1 tortilla-LaTortilla Factory (Whole Wheat, High Fiber, low fat, low carb)

1/4 cup-scallions

3 oz chicken breast-no fat, no skin

1/4 cup-Kraft fat-free cheddar cheese  

Seasonings-dash of salt, pepper, red chili pepper flakes.

PRE-HEAT OVEN to 350〫 

NOTES- I baked/braised the chicken breast in the oven with Siracha, lemon juice, water & chicken broth...this just gave the chicken so much flavor. Then I weighed, portioned and bagged the chicken breast in 3 oz. individual portions and stored in the freezer to have handy anytime I felt like chicken.

DIRECTIONS- On a baking dish lined with parchment paper, give the parchment paper a quick spray with Pam Cooking Spray, like 1/2 a second short spray. Place the tortilla on the part you sprayed and add the chicken breast, scallions and cheese. Sprinkle the seasonings to your liking then give it a quick final spray with the Pam Cooking Spray. Place it in the oven and bake for about 4 to 5 minutes, then turn the oven up to 400〫and bake for about 5 minutes more.  Enjoy!   

NUTRITIONAL INFO:   Calories-241   Carbs-14g   Fat-5g   Protein-41g

PROJECT: Temporary new direction...get ready for summer goodness!

Okay, so, the objective of this blog is to provide information, insight and weekly reviews on local eateries.  Also, I share recipes from the internet, Facebook Fans, friends, and family. Basically, all things foodie, music and done in the form of all things marketing. 

You might notice it's been a few days since I've posted any blogs. Well, there's a good reason for that.  I'm on a mission to reinvent my palate and getting my summer body on at the same time. It all starts with bringing the goodness out of the food itself.  So, while I've gone back to pure basics, I'm on a three week hiatus. Having said that, my daughter had a great idea. While on my personal mission of showing people how amazing healthy food can be, why not show people how easy it is to make these delicious recipes on their own and, let's take it a step further.  

Let's put Tulsa restaurant chefs to the test and lets see how many Tulsa restaurants actually offer more than just simple side salads, chef salads or shrimp on skewers as healthy on the menu. I'm on a mission to see how many chefs actually have at least one or two entree menu items that equal that of an actual full entree portion.  Serious, high nutritional value, balanced in protein, vegetables and healthy grains...and I don't mean a pan seared tilapia with brown rice and steamed veggies...blah! Give me something that you put your heart and soul into like you do your French inspired dishes...only healthy!  

AFTER OUR PROJECT IN THREE MONTHS...revert back to our blogs on all kinds restaurants and foods ranging from rich and decadent to ridiculous yummy and healthy! 

Hey and if you foodies happen to dine anywhere and experience a uniquely, foodie-grade, healthy meal, let me know. 
Post it on my Facebook wall: https://www.facebook.com/TrueFoodie 
And thanks for visiting my blog :-)

Fresh Ahi Tuna Tartare by TrueFoodie

This was my lunch today...if you're a sushi lover like me, you will love this fast and easy recipe. I've been making it for a few years now and it's my favorite, hands down. I usually like it topped with spicy mayo (mayo and Sriracha) but as I've mentioned before, I'm on a mission to drop 60 pounds, 30 by May so, no spicy mayo for me.


Ingredients
1 lb Ahi Tuna
1/4 cup Tamari Soy Sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp hot chili oil
1 tsp Sriracha
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp wasabi powder
Pinch of sea salt 
1/4 cup of scallions
1/4 cup of cilantro (optional)

 
Directions
Dice and roughly mince tuna and set aside. In a small bowl, whisk all liquid ingredients, add the wasabi powder, salt, and pepper. Pour liquid mixture over tuna and mix in well with a fork until it resembles meatball mixture. Stir in scallions and cilantro if you opt to use cilantro. Garnish with additional scallions and cilantro. 

Option:Serve with a serving of crostini (4 slices), it only has 44 calories and it adds a delicious crunchy texture with each bite.

Recipe yields 4- 4oz servings (or approximately four 1/2 cup servings) 
160 calories per serving  4 carbs   3 fat grams   26 protein grams

Simple Shrimp & Baby Bok Choy by True Foodie

Swimsuit season is just around the corner, so I'm on a mission to post recipes of "clean eating" nature. Well, not always, but I'll try ;-) This is a simple shrimp and baby bok choy saute.

Ingredients

13 medium sized peeled shrimp

3 baby bok choy

Cooking Spray (I used Olive Oil flavor)

Literally a dot of Sriracha

Dash-Fresh ground pepper

Dash-Red chili pepper flakes

Dash-Tamari Soy Sauce (not even 1/4 of a teaspoon)

Directions

Just heat the pan to medium hi, coat well with cooking spray, add the shrimp, pepper, chili pepper flakes, and dot of Sriracha.  Cook until the water that draws out and evaporates. Wash the baby bok choy, and don't dry, you'll need the water in the pan. Cut the baby bok choy in half length wise and toss in the pan. Add more cooking spray. (You'll need to add more cooking spray as needed.) 

You might want to add a sprinkle of water and just toss all of the ingredients around in the pan. Let it sit for about two minutes, then toss, let it sit for about another two minutes then take it off the pan and serve. As with any recipe, modify it to your liking. Omit, add, whatever you like. This might be too spicy so omit the Sriracha or chili pepper flakes. It was just right for me :-) Also, I'm on a really strict diet but you could add four pieces of tasty crostini with olive oil and it would only add a few calories total.

Shrim & Baby Bok Choy  

Nutritional Info Per Serving:  Total Calories   Carbs       Fat      Protein 

                                                  150                    18             1         19

Fassler Hall's 1st Annual Inaugural Beer and Beefsteak Banquet

 First, thanks so much to Fassler Hall for hosting such a great event! I hope this is the first of many more to come!

 The turn out was impressive, especially for a first time event. The price, $50 per person or $45 per person for groups of 4 or more. If you think this sounds steep, well, it's not. I sat next to men that almost cried out like babies. First, from the pure joy of the platters after platters of beef tenderloin deliciousness being placed before them, then from the pain of said non-stop gorging. You just had to be there, smelling the aroma of the beef and the fries, more on that in a minute.

 

Traditionally dubbed a "male" event, Fassler Hall launched this in "co-ed" friendly fashion and we ladies were oh, so glad they did!

 Upon arrival we were handed a commemorative apron, which doubled as momento and a true, much needed apron, it turned out. (Yay for juicy, tenderloin...and beer splashed bread fights.) With the apron, we were also handed a cup, to open the flood gate of high quality, German beer that was to come.

 Yes, this is the delicious, savory, smoky beef tenderloin that was clearly marinated for hours maybe even a couple of days. It was tender, juicy, smokey, and succulent. They brought out platter, after platter, after platter...you get the point. Rumor has it, they planned approximately 5lbs of meat per person...yikes! And, what's beef without potatoes?

Fassler Hall can't do anything plain Jane and they prove it in everything they do, even something as simple as fries. These are extraordinary, like everything else...say hello to Tulsa's best Duck Fat Fries. By the way, the servers kept bringing these out non-stop as well.

 Remember that cup they handed us that opened the flood gate of beer? Turns out we DID need it, to wash down the food! We also found ways to entertain ourselves...

...in keeping with the "Beer Inauguration and Beef Steak Banquet" traditions, there was an unofficial bread tower contest. Diners figured out early on, they can eat more beef if they omit the bread.  So, they built towers of bread and the tallest tower of bread is proclaimed the winner.

Klondike 5 String Band was the entertainment. As always, they put on a really good show. They were lyrical, melodious, bread fight-starting, musicians extraordinaire!

 

It was a really great time...met some neat people, hi Heidi & Sarah :-) 

By the way, Heidi has a really cool and informative food blog that caters to gluten free recipes and the recipes look better and healthier than many non-gluten free. You've probably heard of her blog as she's a seasoned food blogger... you're going to love her blog site: http://glutenfreeindie.blogspot.com/p/gf-indie-bio.html

 

Bamboo Thai Bistro...don't judge the place by it's cover!

It's located on the North East corner of 51st & Yale Ave in Tulsa, Ok.  If you're familiar with this area, you know that it's primarily retail, fast food and known for a less "fancy" genre of restaurants and shops. To say I was pleasantly surprised when I walked in, was to say the least. The decor is fitting to the Thai food. More of a upscale casual, which is contemporary to restaurants these days. It's definitely a good place to take families, dates, etc. because it isn't too loud and you can actually hear your conversations.

 

Immediately, I'm greeted by friendly wait staff who are not only friendly, they're efficient. 

I opted to start off with the Thai Iced Tea and they brought me the complimentary Shrimp Chips...unique and yummy!

Next, I ordered the Spicy Squid as a starter. It's crispy squid stir fried with onion, garlic, jalapeno pepper, bell pepper and five spices...very good.

Next, I was in the mood for something with a creamy, coconut flair. So, at the waitresses suggestion, I went for the Gai Tom Ka...it's described as a traditional coconut soup with chicken, onion, and straw mushroom. Topped with cilantro and green onion. It was creamy without being too heavy...the cilantro gave it a hint of lightness. It was delectable, velvetty, goodness.

You can't go to a Thai restaurant and NOT order some Pad Thai, so, I ordered the Pad Thai noodles with pork. It's made with bean sprouts, green onion, ground peanuts and egg. Topped with fresh bean sprouts and fresh lemon on the side. I ordered mine "hot" so the lemon came in handy to help cut through the spice. It was everything I thought it would be...no disappointment here...in fact, I was impressed above my expectations.

Okay, so finally, I asked my waitress what her favorite entree was...she said, with a smile, "definitely, the crispy duck." As soon as my entree arrived I knew why she smiled when she answered me and I'm pretty sure my smile mirrored hers when I took my first bite. It was crispy on the outside, juicy and packed with flavor on the inside. The sauce really brought out the flavors even more.

I wish I had room for desert because they had coconut ice cream or fried banana roll on their menu. But, I had to have my meal boxed up to go as it was and ended up making four meals out of what I ordered this night. Next time you're in the mood for some really great, authentic Thai, visit Bamboo Thai Bistro, you'll be glad you did...Thai(nk) you!