We wish, not to be understood, but to be misunderstood exactly as we misunderstand ourselves

by KitchenRebel on February 9, 2015

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Sometimes I think the idea of fashion and clothes so absurd. Imagine if no one was going to see what you were wearing? Would you buy as much clothes?
Imagine it didn’t matter what your clothes looked like. Imagine it just had to be a functional body covering.
Imagine all the time and resources and lives it would have saved our species and planet.
We’re strange stupid interesting creatures us humans.
And I really want that cute lil red dress.

Biltong and Boerewors

by KitchenRebel on January 20, 2015

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Biltong and droerwors are South African dried meat snacks.
Wors or droerwors, is dried boerewors.
And biltong is like beef jerky.
But comparing biltong to jerky is like comparing American Cheese to a fine aged English cheddar..
Or imitation crab to peak season king crab..
Or getting teeth extracted when you have dental phobia to multiple orgasms from your fantasy lover..
Ok I might be getting a little carried away because I’m so happy my biltong and boerewors shipment just arrived, but you get the idea. Its just that goood.

I’ve had versions of biltong and dried meat all over the world and theres just nothing like real proper biltong.
When I saw that Prather Ranch is making biltong I immediately bought some. It was about as close to biltong as apples are to car tires.
Theres just nothing like real biltong, made by real South Africans.

Biltong and Boerewors are such a  part of South African cuisine and culture, I think we’re born eating it as we leave the womb..
Teething rings? Pfffft. We just hand our babies a hunk biltong. Its not an uncommon to see babies teething on a biltong stick.

I think they even hand it to you when you first enter the country.

Excuse me while I go eat some biltong.. and try not to eat it all in one sitting!

 

by KitchenRebel on January 19, 2015

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Boerewors

by KitchenRebel on January 14, 2015

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There are few dishes as quintessentially South African as boerewors (farmers sausage).

With warm spicy flavours of coriander, allspice, nutmeg and cloves, its like a Jamacan Jerk sausage without the heat. Something I realized when I made boerewors and jerk chicken on the same day. They have similar ingredients and flavour profile, one with extra chili peppers for heat. I think next time I should make a jerk sausage. A Jamaican South African sausage baby!

I made this sausage using a hand stuffer. This was a nice alternative to a big bulky, pricier stuffer. As expected it required multiple refills. Which I didn’t mind at all. And I wasn’t making a very large quantity of sausage (about 10-15lbs).

Sausage making is so much fun, we’ve made it part of our holiday tradition. Be warned, it is impossible to make sausage without some really bad jokes and innuendo.

Bocanova

by KitchenRebel on January 10, 2015

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We went to Bocanova for lunch.

Beautiful location. Nice decor. This place had an upscale but laid back vibe.

The beef short rib empanadas came out piping hot. They were not bad, but not good either. One of those dishes that sounds way better than it tastes. The menu is where I should have left this one.

He had the fried chicken sandwich, also just ok. Not the worst fried chicken sandwich I’ve ever tasted, but also not something either of us would volunteer to eat again.
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I had the mussels with sofrito and stuff.. Also just ok.

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The drinks were excellent. Whiskey Sours and Moscow Mules were perfect.

I had such a good time here. But that may have more to do with the drinks and the company.

Kale

by KitchenRebel on January 10, 2015

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In the past few months I explored all things Kale. There are so very many different varieties of Kale and I tried all of them I could find – Curly, Dino, Red, Premier, Siberian, Russian, Tuscan, Black.

I tried everything from sautéing to baking to frying.

And I have unequivocally proven that I fucking hate kale.

This is usually when people tell me to try kale chips. Now I don’t know what kind of shitty potato chips they’re eating, but kale chips do not taste just as good as potato chips. Thats like comparing apples and tires.

I’m just not very fond of bitter flavours. So I eat chard instead. I think its my favourite leafy green. Not only is chard is higher in nutrients and vitamins than kale, and lower in calories, but its delicious, with a mild, non-bitter taste.
So if like me, you don’t like kale, try chard.

And just look how beautiful it is.. those colours are so vibrant and happy, and so good for you it’ll make your body happy too.

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Best Fried Chicken Ever They Said

by KitchenRebel on January 4, 2015

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This week I got two messages from people who tried my fried chicken recipe and said it was the best fried chicken they’ve ever made. I can’t adequately express just how happy that made me.
#DayMade #Foodlove

Purple Crayon

by KitchenRebel on December 12, 2014

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One of the best things that happened in my week was finding Purple Crayon.

Those strings.. those vocals..  oh my

Thank you Moonchild for all the music love you bring to my life.

http://purplecrayon.bandcamp.com/releases

Brown Sugar Kitchen

by KitchenRebel on December 10, 2014

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I finally visited the popular Brown Sugar Kitchen and I don’t really understand what the big deal is. The place smelled really great, but the food was mediocre at best.

Fried chicken was awful.  Sure it was freshly fried and juicy, but not something I’d want to eat again. This chicken was trying too hard. Probably one of the worst versions of fried chicken I’ve had in a long while. So bad I couldn’t finish it, even at $4 a piece.

Waffles were fluffy and light, but not something I would eat again either. I know they have brown sugar in their name, but damn, just how much brown sugar do you need to put on a waffle!

Cheesy grits and eggs were not bad.

Poached eggs – one was over cooked, one was undercooked.

Coffee was just awful. Over roasted, unbalanced, bitter brown shit. Just thinking about it makes me want to never drink coffee again.

$45 for breakfast for 2, before tip.
I’d gladly pay $50 to NOT have had this food or dining experience.

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I’m totally baffled why anyone would wait in line for this food or dining experience. The place is small, crowded and cramped. Tables right on top of each other. We were literally touching elbows with the table next to us. Forget about having a private conversation!
And waitresses kept leaning over us to refill coffee and water. So much contact and touching from the wait staff, and other strangers because its so small. When did it become ok to lean and reach over someone, elbows in their face, while they’re eating?! Thats not something I even do to people I’m intimate with.  Ya know.. basic table manners!

If I had to wait in line for this food and dining experience, I’d have been pissed off.
This is one of those places that proves that you don’t need to actually be good, to be popular and trendy. The hipsters will come. And they will eat any shit as long as the perception is that its fancy and its hard to get a table.

I would never take anyone here again. I would never go here again. Not when there are so many better options, in better neighbourhoods in the East Bay.
I wouldn’t eat this food again if it was free!

 

The Kitchen Rebel X-Mas Mix

by Noodles on December 7, 2014

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Some of my all time favourite holiday songs.

Buckle up, strong language, nudity, graphic violence, sexual content ahead.

Merry Christmas. Happy Holidays.

Be happy. Be safe everyone.

This goes out to all the Elves we lost last year.

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Tracklist

01. It’s The Most Fucking Wonderful Time of the Year — The Hellpitfaeries
02. Interlude: Elf Training
03. I’ll Be Stoned for Christmas — Zak Scott
04. Rudolph The Red-nosed Reindeer Remix — DMX
05. Chipmunks Roasting On An Open Fire — Bob Rivers
06.  I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus — The Hellpitfaeries
07.  Hey Santa, You Cunt — Kevin Bloody Wilson
08.  Interlude: Ghosts Are Real
09. The Most Offensive Song Ever—
10.  Grandma Got Molested At The Airport —  Donny Aldridge
11.  Interlude: Santa’s Testicles
12.  Holy Shit, It’s Christmas — Red Peters
13. Dirty Sleigh Bells Songs —
14. Personal Jesus — Richard Cheese
15. Father Christmas is a Queer — Bob Noxious
16. Fuck Christmas —
17. Interlude: The Easter Bunny
18. Not So Silent Night — The Hellpitfaeries

 

Avocado Oil Fried Chicken

by KitchenRebel on December 6, 2014

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I made Crispy Chicken Strips for Crispy Chicken and Cheddar Sandwiches for ‪#‎Lunch‬ today.

I fried chicken strips in Avocado Oil. I’m LOVING avo oil. Not only good for you, but the high smoke point makes it great for frying.
Also If you want to find out just how little oil you can use when frying, try avo oil, so expensive you won’t believe how little oil you can fry in!

Converse in mouth moment..

by KitchenRebel on December 4, 2014

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My beautiful lake.  Its become hipsterville out here. 

Standing in a looong line to get Blue Bottle Coffee I was in mid-rant about all these damn hipsters, when I caught my reflection in the glass and noticed that I’m wearing the hipster uniform – plaid shirt, ripped skinny jeans, Converse, slouchy beanie and blue hair!

Ima just be quiet while I wait for my coffee.

by KitchenRebel on November 26, 2014

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Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Reset Cleanse

by KitchenRebel on November 7, 2014

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I lost track with posting my cleanse
I had technical problems with my websites
And we had a wedding anniversary (something I kinda sorta forgot about when starting the reset cleanse)
Dental problems
Money problems
Problem problems
Ah life

I think its important to not fall into the trap of getting despondent and thinking that you haven’t achieved anything and have to start over from the beginning. You don’t get a brand new body or life.
Tomorrow or Monday isn’t the day to start your ‘diet’ or taking charge of your health and weight. You’re already doing that by being more mindful and aware of what you put in your body. Sometimes its important to remember not to beat yourself up too much.

Life happens.
Regroup
Reset
Lets go!

Carrot Chips – Just two healthy ingredients

by KitchenRebel on October 20, 2014

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These carrot chips were not pretty, but boy were they yummy and addictive. AND good for you! Just carrots sprayed with coconut oil and baked until crispy.

I’ve made these twice now and they’re so morish, they disappear so quickly I can’t seem to make them fast enough. As you can see in the pic I added some salt to some of them, I also tried some with smoked paprika. They were good, but the naked carrots were so yummy nothing extra was really needed.

I need to refine this recipe. And find a better way to slice the carrots. I really wish I had a bowl of them to snack on right now.

Swoon – Rising Appalachia

by KitchenRebel on October 16, 2014

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“Drink me in down in one long drop
And then taste me the whole way down
I don’t know what it is about me
I just know that I love this sound
Cherry pie, my sugar sweet
Thats how they know my name
Once you come around my kitchen baby,
Aint nothing gonna be the same ”

I love this track so much. And I just love saying “Appalachia”

Another gem from the Radio Daisie show! You guys must be sick of me telling you how much I love Radio Daisie, but that show is just that awesome!  Tune in every second Thursday (Allfm) or listen on Mixcloud it’ll make your ears happy.

 

DAY 3

by KitchenRebel on October 16, 2014

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Another crazy day. Another day that I was so busy I forgot to eat. I really hate when that happens. I had 3 hours sleep last night.

I experimented making carrot chips last night. Thinly sliced carrots sprayed with a little coconut oil and baked in oven till crispy. Oh my. These were yummy. They weren’t pretty though, the carrots I had were kinda small and I used food processor to slice them which gave me carrot ribbons rather than chips. But they were delicious!

carrot chips

We pretty much ate leftovers today.

Breakfast: Smoothie – Strawberries, blueberries and banana

Snack: Carrot Chips

Lunch: Carrot Soup

Snack: Fruit – apple, orange

Dinner: Lentils and quinoa with cucumber salad

Lights Out

by KitchenRebel on October 15, 2014

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This short was great. Scared the crap outta me.. right before bedtime.

A must watch for horror fans.

So well done. Just 2:30 mins and scarier than a lot of horror movies I’ve watched recently.

Day 2

by KitchenRebel on October 14, 2014

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I woke this morning feeling great, and eager to have another great nutrition day, after just one day.

It was a crazy busy day for me, and at 2:50pm I realized I haven’t had anything besides water all day. Its amazing how when you cut out sugar and chemicals you don’t get hungry as often, or for no reason.

Hubby is diabetic, so I make sure that he doesn’t skip meals, else it wrecks havoc on his blood sugar. In fact I make him set alarms to remind him to eat something every 3-4 hours.

Breakfast: Green Smoothie
Snack:  
Banana and Almonds
Snack:
Cup of Carrot soup
Dinner: 
Lentil Curry with quinoa and pickled cucumber and mangoes

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