Every once in awhile we all need a day to relax, recharge and just be lazy. For me, that day, or weekend for that matter, was this weekend. I made sure not to set my alarm and before going to bed I made sure that all of the shades were closed so that I would wake up when my body was ready to wake up. Well, my body decided that it was not ready to wake up until ll am. The funny thing is, that when I rolled over and looked at the clock, I kind of freaked out that it was 11am. I mean, I had almost wasted half the day. But then I realized that the only plans I had today were to lounge on the couch and watch movies. So I got up, started a half a pot of coffee, showered and then proceed to start my lazy movie watching weekend. I even had a fresh direct order delivered so that I could have a nice lunch and an even tastier dinner. I started off my movie weekend with "Get Him to the Greek." Now, I love a good laugh out loud movie just like any other person, but I felt like this movie lacked consistency and it really didn't seem to flow. It did have some funny moments, but nothing memorable. While I was watching the movie, I also made some homemade vanilla ice cream. Now I know what you are probably thinking. Dave, how is that healthy for you. Well, I used all fresh organic ingredients and no preservatives which is what normal store bought ice cream is full of. So, in moderation, it is great and in my opinion tastes so much better than the usual store bought ice cream.
The next film in my lazy movie weekend was the animated film "9." I love animated films and one that is action packed and kind of a thriller can move right to the top of my Netflix any day. I was definitely impressed with not only the story but also the look and feel. It got my stamp of approval. Now while watching "9", I decided to brine some nice pork chops for dinner. I used 2 cups of water with some sea salt, crushed red pepper flakes, agave and rosemary and brought it to a boil on the stove. I then let it cool completely and then let my pork chops brine for an hour. Brining is a way to permeate the meat with other flavors while also ensuring that your meat will stay moist as it cooks. I decided for dinner that I would do an herb crusted pork chop with some roasted Brussels sprouts and a nice kale salad. I love kale and this salad is simple and tastes great.
Marinated Kale Salad
1 Bunch of Curly Kale
3 - 4 Portabella Mushroom Caps (I am allergic to mushrooms, so I left them out)
1 Cup of Onions (feel free to mix red and white onions for texture and taste)
1 Red Bell Pepper
2 Avocados
3/4 Cup Tamari Sauce
1/3 Cup Fresh Lemon Juice
1/3 cup Olive Oil
Wash the kale and shred it up however you like. Dice up the mushrooms, bell pepper, avocados, and onions and toss into the kale. If you can, shred the onions with a cheese grater so they are smaller and stick to the kale easier, but diced is fine too. In a separate bowl mix the tamari, lemon juice and olive oil and then pour over the veggie mix. Toss the salad around. The goal is to get the kale in contact with as much sauce as possible. The lemon is what tenderizes the kale. This salad can be served in as little as four hours, stirring the kale around two times. However, overnight is best so that the kale is super tender.
The best part of making a nice big dinner is that there are left overs. Yummy! Well, I am off to watch Shutter Island. I have yet to see this film, even though I know how it ends. I remember reading the script back when we were prepping the film. We actually opened a satellite office out in Boston so that we could cast the extras for the film. Well, I need to get back to my lazy film weekend. Till tomorrow.
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