Sunday, February 16, 2014

Massaged Kale Salad

For the dressing
  • 1 1/2 T olive or walnut oil (also could use a combination)
  • 1 1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1/4 tsp honey
  • salt and pepper to taste
Whisk last five ingredients until combined. Slowly drizzle in the oil while whisking until fully emulsified. 
  • 1/2-3/4 cup cubed butternut squash or sweet potato
  • oil
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • several big handfulls of raw kale, chopped
  • lemon juice
  • feta cheese (optional)
  • walnuts (optional)
  • craisins (optional)
  • pomegranate arils (optional)
  • roasted beets (optional)
Lightly toss the squash with oil, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Roast at 400 until creamy and slightly caramelized. In a large bowl, combine kale, a sprinkle of salt and a drizzle of lemon juice. Massage kale until wilted and tender (it will reduce in size by about half). In serving bowl, toss kale with desired amount of dressing and add squash and any other ad-ins you want. I like to add feta, walnuts, pomegranate seeds, or roasted beets (but not all at once).

Saturday, February 15, 2014

Roasted Eggplant Salad

For the dressing
  • 32 grams fresh basil
  • 16 grams fresh parsley
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1/4 tsp cumin
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 T lemon juice
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 2 T olive oil
combine all ingredients in a food processor and process till smooth and thoroughly combined.
  •  Eggplant, roasted with salt, pepper, and oil until soft and creamy inside
  • Tomatoes, diced
  • Green beens,cut into 1 inch strips and steamed till temder
  • Feta cheese
  • Avocado, diced
Combine all the ingredients and toss with the dressing. Garnish with chopped salted roated almonds. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Thanksgiving dressing

  • 2/3 cup chopped green pepper
  • 2/3 cup chopped celery
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 1 tsp salt
  • oil
 Saute until tender and remove to a bowl.
  • 1 lb sausage, cooked in the same pan used for veggies
  • 1 lb bread cut into 1/2 inch cubes, dried
  • 1 cup toasted, chopped pecans
  • 1 cup craisins
  • 1 can water chestnuts, diced
  • 1 T fresh, chopped sage
  • 1 T fresh, chopped thyme
  •  2 T fresh, chopped parsley
  • Ground pepper to taste
  •  1 stick butter
  • 3 cup broth
Mix sauteed veggies, cooked sausage, herbs, pepper, and 1 cup broth. Mix in craisins, pecans, and chestnuts. Mix in bread. Pour into a 11x15 cake pan. Melt butter and 1-2 cup broth, pour over mixture and toss to combine. Ladle broth over dressing until bread crumbs are moist, there should not be standing broth. Cook at 350 until hot though and toasted on top.

Thanksgiving creamed onions

  • 3 T flour
  • 3 T butter
  • 1 C. milk
  • 1/2 C. chicken broth
  • a couple dashes of Tabasco
  • 2 T sherry
  •  dash of ground cloves
  • dash of thyme
  • salt to taste
  • 9 oz peeled pearl onions (peel when raw)
Melt butter in a saucepan. Add flour and whisk vigorously. when thick, slowly pour in milk and broth, whisking constantly. Add Tabasco, sherry, and spices; cook until desired thickness is reached. Boil onion until tender. Put onions in 1 qt. casserole dish, pour cream sauce over onions and cook at 350 until sauce bubbles at edges.

Fondue

For white fondue
  • 1 bottle of blue moon beer or white wine
  • 4 whole cloves
  • 2 shmashed cloves garlic
  • 4-5 pepper corns
  • 1 tsp whole Dijon mustard
  • flour
  • 16ish oz of white cheese, havarti, white cheddar, fontina,est. (a combination is tasty)
Pour the beer or wine into a sauce pan. Add the cloves, garlic, and peppercorns and simmer, coverd, for about 30 minutes. Grate the cheese into a bowl and toss with just enough flour to cost lightly. Fish the whole spiced and garlic out of the liquid. Stir in the Dijon mustard. Over medium heat, add a handful and stir. Slowly add cheese, stirring constantly until it's all combined and smooth. If it seems very thin then a little more cheese tossed with flour until it smooths out. Serve with veggies (carrots cauliflower, broccoli, pepper, green beans, apple ect.) and bread.

For yellow fondue
  • 1 bottle of beer
  • 1-2 garlic cloves
  • 3-4 cloves
  • dash of Tabasco
  • 1 T worcertershire sauce
  • 1 T Dijon mustard
  • Chedder cheese 
  • flour
Precede like white fondue. Add Tabasco and Worcestershire with the Dijon.

Thursday, November 21, 2013

Flourless Pumpkin (or Sweet Potato) Muffins

    1/2 Cup Coconut Oil - melted -  or butter
    •    6 Eggs, beaten
    •    1tsp Vanilla - I use Simply Organic Madagascar Vanilla Extract
    •    1/2 of a 12oz can of Organic sweet potato puree (or you can use Pumpkin puree as Balanced Bites does)
    •    1/4 cup Maple Syrup
    •    1/2 cup Coconut flour
    •    1 1/4 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice - Trader Joe's Brand (Ingredients - cinnamon, cloves, ginger, cardamom, nutmeg & lemon peel)
    •    1/2 tsp baking powder
    •    1/4 c dates, pureed
    •    2 tbsp raw walnuts - finely chopped (rinsed)


Directions
    •    Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
    •    Grease muffin pan with a little coconut oil. I used a paper towel and just lightly coated the inside of the pan.
    •    Beat 6 eggs in medium mixing bowl
    •    Add melted coconut oil, vanilla, maple syrup, sweet potato puree - mix thoroughly with eggs using a whisk
    •    In a separate bowl add & mix dry ingredients - coconut flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice
    •    Slowly mix dry ingredients into wet mixture and whisk until fully mixed(w/ no clumps)
    •    Stir in Chopped Walnuts & Chocolate Chips
    •    Scoop enough into each section of the muffin pan
    •    Place into oven and bake for 15-20 min.
    •    Let Cool & Enjoy!

Saturday, September 14, 2013

Cashew Chicken Korma

For the marinade
  • 3/4  c. yogurt
  • 1 T cumin powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp. coriander powder
  • 1/4 tsp. turmeric
  • 1 T ginger/garlic paste
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. chili powder
  • 1/8 tsp. cayenne
  • 1/8 tsp. Indian chili powder
  •  2 large boneless chicken breasts, cut into cubes
For the sauce 
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 1/2 cup cashews (soaked for at least an hour in water)
  • 1/3 c. milk
  • 1 c. chicken broth
  • 1/4 c. cream (optional, depending on how rich you want the sauce)
  • 1/4 tsp. ground clove
  • 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp. ground methi (fenugreek)
  • 1/4-1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
  • 1/8 tsp. grated nutmeg 
  • A dash of ground ginger
  • 1/4 tsp. turmeric
  • 1/4 tsp. coriander
  • 1/4 tsp. cumin
  • A pinch chili powder (optional, taste first)
  • 1/2 tsp. salt 
  • 1/4 c. chopped cilantro
Mix all the marinade ingredients and chicken in a ziplock bag. Marinate for at least 1 hour and up to 12. Melt a tablespoon of ghee in a saucepan. Saute onion till golden. In a food possessor or blender, combine the onion, broth, milk, and spices. Blend on high until smooth. Taste and adjust spices if necessary. In same pan, melt a little ghee. Add chicken, wiping of as much marinate as possible. Cook just until done. Pour sauce over chicken and warm everything through. Sprinkle cilantro on top and serve with rice or naan.
      
          Rotisserie chicken works fine. If you use it, only use about 1/4 c. yogurt or just enough to lightly coat the chicken.

Black Bean and Corn Salad

  • 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 can corn, drained
  • 1-2  medium tomatoes, diced
  • 1/2 c. sweet onion, diced
  • 1 red (or green) bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
  •  1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
  • 1 avocado, cubed
  • 1/4-1/3 c. chopped cilantro
  • 2 T olive oil
  • 1 T lime juice
  • 1/4 tsp. oregano
  • 1/4 tsp. cumin
  • 1/4 tsp. chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
This salad is best made the day before. Combine everything except the avocado and mix well. Let flavors mingle overnight. Adjust seasoning if necessary. Add chopped avocado just before serving.

Coconut-Poached Mahi Mahi

  • 1 lb. skinless, boneless mahi mahi or other firm whitefish fillets
  • 1 small head bok choy, torn (about 3 cups)
  • juice of 1 lime
  • 1/2 (15) oz can light coconut milk, OR 1/3 can coconut cream thinned out with chicken stock.
  • 1 Thia green chili, thinly sliced
  • 1 T sugar
  • 1 T soy sauce
  • 1 T fish sauce
  • 1 tsp. salt
In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine everything except the fish and bok choy. Taste sauce and adjust of needed. cut fish into fillets and place in coconut milk mixture. Cook fish, covered for 4-5 minutes. Uncover, and gently stir in bok choy. Cook for 2-4 minuets or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Ladle fish with cooking liquid into bowls.

Cooking time will vary depending on size of fish so adjust accordingly. If you want a less coconuty flavor, use less coconut milk and add some chicken stock. You can make this without boc choy and it turns out fine. This is very good served over rice noodles to soak up the sauce.

Friday, September 13, 2013

Asian Slaw

For the dressing
  • 2 T. peanut oil
  • 2 T. toasted sesame oil
  • 1 T. soy sauce
  • 2 T. lime juice
  • sucanat or brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 T. rice vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp chili paste
  • 3/4 tsp ginger-garlic paste
1 cup shredded carrots
2 cups shredded broccoli ("broccoli slaw")
2 cups shredded cabbage
1/2 cup thinly sliced sweet onion (Vidalia, purple, etc.)
1/2 cup thinly sliced bell pepper

Toss vegetables and dressing.  Adjust to taste for salty, sweet, hot, acid balance.