Jessica Gray's Philosophies, Rants, Information, and Etcetera

I created this dish for a cooking contest.  I consider it a perfect meal.  The ingredients take from each food group.  This is perfect for people who may not eat healthy during the day and want to make up for it at dinner time.  To me, it also is a nice way to conclude summer (BBQ) and welcome Fall (apples, apples, apples!).  The combination may sound strange, but it actually is very good.  I didn't wind up winning the contest, but I was very proud of it. INGREDIENTS 2 cups of frozen turnip greens 1 lb. of boneless, skinless chicken breasts 1 tbsp. of vegetable oil 1/4 cup of sweet BBQ sauce 1 3/4 cup chopped Granny Smith apple 2 cups cooked brown rice 1/4 tsp. of chives 1/8 tsp. garlic 1/8 tsp. red pepper 1 egg white 1/2 cup of shredded six cheese (* This is a package that mixes six different cheeses together: Mozzarella, Provolone, Parmesan, Asiago, Fontina, and Romano) 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese PREPARATION ...

Many years ago, I had a brief flirtation with vegetarianism.  I was a lacto-ovo vegetarian, which means I ate eggs and milk.  I could never commit to being a vegan.  I had health concerns because vitamin B-12, which is quite essential, can only come from animal products.  Another problem is that I have a sensitivity to soy products, which vegans often use as a substitution. I lasted a full year on this diet.  I even got through the holidays.  After the holidays, I caved to the temptation of a bacon cheeseburger.  As it turns out, my falling off the wagon coincided with my disenchantment for what caused me to become a vegetarian in the first place. I had been interested in Buddhism, and though I still retain many beliefs from this religion...like most organized religions, there were other things I didn't believe enough to commit. I don't regret, though, that year of vegetarianism.  It opened up a whole new world of foods.  Like ...

This is a recipe I put together one day with what I had around the house.  I call it Northern Teriyaki Steak because I use vegetables that are popular in the North:  zucchini and yellow squash.  Be warned that some people have an allergic reaction to zucchini...or at least a sensitivity to it.  Some people experience embarrassing bowel problems.  I'm sorry to bring up something gross when I'm talking about food, but I thought that I should warn you...if you've never had zucchini before, don't try it when you have somewhere to go and are not going to have access to a bathroom.  Many times, if I don't have zucchini, I substitute cucumber...but I would not recommend that in this particular recipe.  If you don't have it, just use the yellow squash. INGREDIENTS 1/8 cup canola oil 13 oz. of round or sirloin steak 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion 1 3/4 cup sliced Bella mushrooms 1 cup chopped zucchini 1 cup chopped yellow squ...