I often get asked what I eat. Or more precisely, it’s like “is this meal Igor-approved?” Well, you asked for it, and now you got it.

I prefer to write geeky articles on exercise and nutrition. But today, we’ll take a break from that, and I’ll show some Igor-approved recipes. They’re Igor-approved because I actually ate these things J

As I mentioned in an earlier article, I hate to cook, but like to eat. So the following recipes are all delicious (at least for me), but take less than 5 minutes to prepare.

Also, I have to give major props to Whole Foods Market Unionville. That’s where I do my grocery shopping. They’re both healthy and delicious.

Bon appetit.

Exhibit #1: baked asparagus, sauteed mushrooms, hard-boiled eggs, and (yummy) bacon

Asparagus, mushrooms, hard boiled eggs, and bacon

Exhibit #2: Asian salad (don’t ask me what’s in it – I don’t know), roast beef, almonds, and a slice of cheese

Beef, almonds, cheese and salad

Exhibit #3: Steamed broccoli with cheddar, baked beans in tomato sauce, and chicken in some kind of sauce that I don’t know what it is, but tastes good.

Broccoli with cheddar, beans, and chicken

Exhibit #4: Meatballs, baked Brussels sprouts with melted cheddar, and coconut chips

Brussels sprouts, meatballs and coconut chips

Exhibit #5: chicken, broccoli with cheddar, and kimchee (fermented cabbage, carrots, and a few other veggies)

Chicken, broccoli and kimchee

Exhibit #6: salad consisting of spring mix, cheese, cashews, and chicken

Chicken, salad, almonds, and cheese

Exhibit #7: Pork rounds, sauteed mushrooms, and sweet potatoes

Pork round, mushrooms and sweet potatoes

Exhibit #8 (contributed by our trainer, Jeff Cheung, who stole it from Diane Sanfilippo’s book, Practical Paleo): Swirly Crustless Quiche

Swirly Crustless Quiche

Yields: 6 servings

Total time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

    • 1 large zucchini, shredded or grated and strained
    • 2 large carrots, shredded or grated
    • 1 tsp. Rosemary
    • 1/2 tsp. Sea Salt
    • 12 Eggs beaten
    • 1 tbsp. Butter or bacon grease or coconut oil

PREPARATION

    1. – Preheat oven to 375F. – Strain the zucchini with cheese cloth or strainer bag. This step isn’t absolutely necessary, but will help yield a better consistency in your quiche.
    2. – Mix together the zucchini, carrots, rosemary, salt and eggs in a large bowl and then set aside.
    3. – Grease a 9″ baking dish with butter and pour egg mixture into the pan. For a swirl effect, use the fork to create a circular pattern before baking.
    4. – Bake for approximately 45 minutes or until edge are brown. The quiche will puff up while baking and then deflate when removed from the oven

Exhibit #9: Molokhia Soup (contributed by our trainer, Katrina Korjenevich)

Molokhia Soup
Do you know what molokhia is?
Molokhia is a dark leafy green plant that looks similar to spinach but tastes very different. There is a legend that molokhia was actually an ancient Egyptian staple eaten only by kings and nobles, pharaohs.
Molokhia has an impressive nutrition profile There are more than 30 vitamins, minerals. Some of the most prominent nutritional components of molokhia include fiber, potassium, iron, calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, and selenium, as well as vitamin C, E, K, B6, A, and niacin. It also contains  antioxidant elements, making a well-rounded and highly beneficial addition to your diet!
If I make soup I usually buy it  frozen  and minced, but not chopped.
 How to cook molokhia soup?
It’s very easy! You need:
1 frozen bag (400gr) of minced molokhea
1 litre of chicken broth
6-7 heads of chopped garlic
1 1/2 tablespoon of coriander
1 1/2 table spoon vegetable oil
 half lemon
 salt
 Step 1. Take one frozen bag (400gr) of minced molokhea and put it  boiling chicken broth. Add some salt and leave it on medium heat until the leafs defrost.
Here is how frozen minced molokhea looks like
Step 2. While molokhia is boiling, in a small saucepan heat vegetable (not olive) oil, add chopped garlic  and  coriander and stir everything on very low heat, Don’t let garlic get brown!
Step 3.As soon molokhea is defrosted pour in the garlic sauce immediately into the molokhia. Then squeeze half of lemon.
Egyptian serve  this soup with rice. I like to add a hard boiled egg instead.
Bon appetite!
P.S. Where to find molokhea? not every supermarket has it. Coppa’s, Highland Farms,  or ethnic Arab’s store (like Adonis, Arz) have it.
Exhibit #10: Chili (contributed by our trainer, Jeff Cheung. Who again, stole it. This time from foodtvfan)

Chili

2# Ground beef
1tbsp Olive oil
2-3 Onions (diced)
3 Celery ribs (diced)
1 Green pepper (diced)
1 (10 ounce) can of Dark red kidney beans (rinsed, drained)
2 (10 ounce) can of Mushroom pieces (drained, chopped)
2 (10 ounce) can of Tomato soup (undiluted)
1 (28 ounce) can of diced Tomatoes with Juice
2tbsp Chili powder (divided)
1tsp Oregano
1tsp Salt
1/4tsp Pepper
1tsp Sugar
1-2 Garlic cloves (minced), or 3tsp Garlic powder


Directions


Brown the ground beef in the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat until no longer pink; place in a large pot. Do not drain.
Sauté onion, celery and green pepper in the drippings, in the same frying pan used for the ground beef, for about 5 minutes until onion is translucent.
Add a little of the chili powder.
Add sautéed veggies to the ground beef.
Add rinsed and drained kidney beans, mushrooms pieces, undiluted tomato soup and tomatoes with the liquid.
Add the rest of the chili powder, oregano, salt, pepper, sugar, and garlic.
Stir ingredients together well.
Cover and simmer for one hour, stirring occasionally.
Remove cover and simmer for 30 minutes or more, stirring occasionally.
Exhibit #11 (contribute by our trainer, Katrina Korjenevich): Stewed Savoy cabbage with Radicchio
Stewed Savoy cabbage with Radicchio Ingredients Stewed Savoy cabbage with Radicchio
For this delicious  dish you need
1 medium size savoy cabbage
1 radicchio
2 medium size red onion
1 green  apple  (Granny Smith)
1/2 tea spoon  of coriander
 1/2 tea spoon of cardamom
1 stick of cinnamon
2 tea spoon od brown sugar
2 table spoon of balsamic vinegar
1 handful of cranberry
2 table spoon of coconut oil
some salt
Step1
Cut onion in half rings and stir it with coconut oil in a big and deep frying pot
Step 2
Shred savoy cabbage and  add it into the frying pot. If cabbage sticks to the bottom of the frying pot and gets burnt don’t add more oil, add a little bit water instead. Cover and leave it on a medium heat for 5-7 minutes stirring  once in a while until the cabbage shrinks a bit.
Step 3
 Cut or shred radicchio, add it to cabbage and mix well. If you see that cabbage again sticks to the frying pot, add a bit more water. Add some salt, cover  and leave it on the medium heat for 10-12 minutes.
Step 4.
Add sugar, coriander, cardamom, Shred apple ( I don’t pill it) and add it into the frying pot. Put cinnamon and add  balsamic vinegar and cranberry.  Leave it for another 10-15 min, on a medium heat.
Cabbage is ready. Enjoy! Taste should be little bit sweet and sour.  You can eat it hot or cold