I contemplated starting this post by saying like “I have a confession…” but then I remembered that I hate when bloggers “Confess” something that isn’t worth confessing.
“I am addicted to almond butter!”
“I sometimes skip my workouts because I’m tired!”
“I love lamp.”
Honestly, it makes me wonder if they REALLY love lamp, or if they’re just saying it because they saw it.
So here’s just something I wanted to share, no confession needed: Sometimes, I go to the grocery store twice a day. I live 0.3 miles from the nearest Harris Teeter, and it’s right between my office and apartment. At lunch, after work, if I need something for a recipe in the middle of cooking, it’s always nearby. I’m there a lot (I think the sample guy hates me.) But it DOES result in a lot of great deals when I pop in on my favorite “Reduced for Quick Sale” items. You know, the battered and bruised veggies and fruits that are just aching for a home. My newest adoptions?
Plantain in the Membrane!
Those brown beauties were just waiting for a loving, hungry lady like myself to snatch them up and, for 3/$1, I couldn’t say no!
After deciding against frying them, or really doing anything too involved, I figured the best route was ol’ reliable. Slice/Dice/Roast. Bingo.
After preheating the oven to 450 degrees, I sprayed some parchment paper with a bit of Olive Oil spray, placed all my plantain disks on the paper, and sprinkled them with some cinnamon and a little bit of salt.
Such beauties!
I put them in the center rack of the oven for about 10-12 minutes, flipping them over once (the skinnier ones burned a bit). That wasn’t a problem, however, as I discovered the joy of Plantain Peanut Butter Sandwiches! Just take a few extra crispy ones, add a smidge of PB, and voila! Problem solved.
The Salt Bear approves
I can’t deny that these bad boys are addictive. They’re crispy like chips, sweet, and, with some peanut butter, downright indulgent. I tried my best to save some space for the main event, though:
Tuna-tastic
Though my seared, chia-seed crusted tuna didn’t have that beautiful red center I’ve dreamt about, primarily because it has been frozen for quite some time waiting for me to thaw and devour it… But I still felt pretty delighted with the end result: Honey Soy Marinated Chia Seed crusted Ahi Tuna. And, if I ever come up with a legit recipe, I’ll share it. Until then, just imagine something tasty. So tasty that, even if you were full on Plantain Peanut Butter Sandwiches, you’d still enjoy.
And now, I’ll go enjoy the season finale of Mad Men. Season 1. Better late than never….
Food, Sweat, and Beers 