Kale Cranberry Pine Nut Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

Salad:

1 bunch of fresh kale

1 cup chopped dried cranberries

1/2 cup roasted pine nuts

1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Sea salt and black pepper

Remove the hard stem off kale leaves and finely chopped. Combine all the ingredients in a large salad bowl. Season with sea salt and black pepper. Keep chilled.

Vinaigrette:

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt and black pepper

Blend lemon zest, juice, and mustard to combine. With the blender running. drizzle in olive oil until vinaigrette is thick and creamy. Season with sea salt and black pepper. Drizzle some over chilled salad and serve immediately with the rest of the dressing on the side.

Pear Fennel Salad with Lemon Maple Vinaigrette

Vinaigrette:

1 tablespoon French mustard 

1 large lemon, juiced 

2 tablespoons pure maple syrup 

1 cup extra virgin olive oil 

1 tablespoon chopped fennel fronds 

Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Blend all the ingredients until smooth and creamy. Keep refrigerated.

Salad:

1 fresh fennel bulb, slice into thin strips 

2 large ripe Anjou pears, slice into thin strips 

1 large shallot, slice into strips 

2 fennel stalks with fronds, slice into thin strips

Toss pears, shallot, and fennel to combine. Arrange in a large serving platter with fresh slices of sourdough baguette around the edges.Drizzle a generous amount of vinaigrette over the top and serve immediately.

Wild Cod in White Wine Butter Sauce

Serve: 4

Sauce:

8 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

2 large lemons, juice and zest

1 large garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup extra dry Chardonnay 

Combine lemon juice, zest, and wine. Cook over high heat until reduced to half. Remove from the heat to cool slightly (about 10 minutes). Add butter cubes and blend until smooth. Season with sea salt and black pepper. Keep warm. 

Cod: 

4 6oz wild cod or similar firm white fish

3 fresh large garlic cloves, minced

3 tablespoons virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon fresh chopped dill

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Combine garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, and chopped dill. Marinade cod in room temperature for 30 minutes. Season to your preference with sea salt and black pepper.  

Drizzle olive oil to cover the bottom of a large skillet on medium to high heat. When hot pan fry cod for 4 minutes, turning over halfway.

Serve immediately with a generous amount of the sauce over the top.

Mini Espresso Meringues

This recipe has been chosen for my upcoming book, "Rustic Modern Cuisine". To pre-order your copy, please click here.

Available for a limited time only!

Pea Carrot Soup

This recipe has been chosen for my upcoming book, "Rustic Modern Cuisine". To support this endeavor, please pre-order now by clicking here. Thanks!

Available for a limited time only!

Spicy Pan Seared Salmon

This recipe has been chosen for my upcoming book, "Rustic Modern Cuisine". To support this endeavor, please pre-order now by clicking here. Thanks!

Available for a limited time only!

Avocado Egg Tomato Salad with Parmesan Vinaigrette

To me, the ingredients in a salad can be varied and changed depending on what you have on hand. The quantities are up to you, the cook, and this is just my version. The salad is dressed with a simple vinaigrette and the basic recipe follows.

Salad: 

6 cups mixed salad greens 

2 large ripe avocados, skinned and cut into wedges 

3 hard boiled eggs, cut into wedges 

2 large tomatoes, cut into wedges 

1 cup alf alf a sprouts

 Extra virgin olive oil 

Sea salt and black pepper

Arrange salad ingredients on a large serving platter (refer to picture). Drizzle extra virgin olive oil over the top. Season with sea salt and black pepper to taste.

Vinaigrette:

 1 cup Greek yogurt 

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese 

1 garlic clove, crushed

Sea salt and black pepper 

Blend all the ingredients until smooth. Season with salt and black pepper and drizzle generously over the salad.

Arsenic In Rice

www.huffingtonpost.com - September 20th, 2012

WASHINGTON -- The Food and Drug Administration may consider new standards for the levels of arsenic in rice as consumer groups are calling for federal guidance on how much of the carcinogen can be present in food.

So far, FDA officials say they have found no evidence that suggests rice is unsafe to eat. The agency has studied the issue for decades but is in the middle of conducting a new study of 1,200 samples of grocery-store rice products – short and long-grain rice, adult and baby cereals, drinks and even rice cakes – to measure arsenic levels.

Rice is thought to have arsenic in higher levels than most other foods because it is grown in water on the ground, optimal conditions for the contaminant to be absorbed in the rice. There are no federal standards for how much arsenic is allowed in food.

Arsenic is naturally present in water, air, food and soil in two forms, organic and inorganic. According to the FDA, organic arsenic passes through the body quickly and is essentially harmless. Inorganic arsenic – the type found in some pesticides and insecticides – can be toxic and may pose a cancer risk if consumed at high levels or over a long period.

How much organic and inorganic arsenic rice eaters are consuming, and whether those levels are dangerous, still remains to be seen.

Read more

Jicama Cranberry Blue Cheese Salad

Jicama is a crispy, sweet, edible root that resembles a turnip in physical appearance, although the plants are not related. Jicama has been cultivated in South America for centuries, and the vegetable is quite popular in Mexican cuisine. Jicama has a unique flavor that lends itself well to salads, salsas, and vegetable platters.

Salad:

3 cups baby kale

3 cups baby spinach

1 cup dried cranberries

1/2 jicama, remove skin, thinly sliced

1/2 blue cheese crumbles

2 cups roasted turkey or ham (optional)

1/2 cup roasted walnuts (optional)

Arrange salad ingredients on individual serving plates (refer to picture).

Vinaigrette:

4 large garlic cloves, roasted and peeled

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon whole grain mustard

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon raw honey

Sea salt and black pepper

Combine the garlic, vinegar, mustard, honey, and lemon juice.  Blend until smooth. With the motor running, slowly add the oil until emulsified. Season to taste with sea salt and black pepper. Drizzle generously over the salad.

Serves 4

Grilled Boneless Skinless Molasses Lime Chicken Thighs

8 pieces boneless, skinless, chicken thighs

2 large lime, juiced

1 tablespoon molasses

2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon teriyaki sauce

1 tablespoon grated ginger

2 tablespoons sesame oil

Sea salt and black pepper

Combine lime juice, molasses, honey, teriyaki sauce, sesame oil, and grated ginger in a bowl. Toss chicken in the marinade to fully coat. Season with sea salt and black pepper.  Leave to marinade in room temperature for 30 minutes.

Preheat grill to medium-high heat 

Grill chicken for 10 minutes, turning over half way during cooking.

Serve hot.

Multi-Grain Veggie Patties (vegan + gluten-free)

Yield: 12

Patties:
1 large carrot, crated
1 large zucchini, grated
1 cup hemp seed powder
1 cup flax seed powder
1/2 cup chia seeds
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 tablespoon sea salt 
1 tablespoon black pepper
Olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 F

Combine all the ingredients.

Scoop mixture with an ice cream scoop. Place onto a lined baking sheet. Drizzle olive oil over the top. Season with sea salt and black pepper.

Bake for 20 to 30 turning over halfway until crispy and cooked.

Sauce:
1/4 cup roasted red peppers
1 teaspoon creamy horseradish
1/4 cup plain greek yogurt
2 teaspoons honey
Sea salt and black pepper

Blend until smooth.  Season with sea salt and black pepper. Keep refrigerated.

Gluten Free Fruit and Nut Energy Bars

Yield:30 bars

1 cup ground flax seeds 

1 cup hemp seeds 

1 cup chia seeds 

2 cups apple cinnamon quick cooking oats 

1 cup chopped dried apricots 

1 cup dried cranberries 

1 cup sliced almonds 

1 chopped dried apples 

1 cup milk chocolate or dark chocolate chips 

1 cup crunchy salted peanut butter 

1 cup pure maple syrup or honey 

2 tablespoons orange zest 

Sea salt

Preheat oven to 350 F

Melt peanut butter and maple syrup or honey. Stir into the dry ingredients to combine.

Pour into a non-stick 16 by 12 inch cookie sheet pan. Use a rolling pin to spread the mixture into a even layer. Grind sea salt over the top. Bake for 30 minutes. Leave to cool completely before cutting.

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Hatch Pepper Jasmine Rice Salad

3 cups cooked Jasmine long grain white rice

4 large mild roasted Hatch peppers, coarsely chopped (remove seeds)

1 cup coarsely tomatoes

1/2 small red onion, chopped 

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup sliced almonds

Handful fresh parsley, chopped

1 large lemon, juiced

1/2 cup olive oil

Sea salt and black pepper

Combine all the ingredients. Season with sea salt and black pepper. Drizzle extra olive oil on top to serve.

Quick-Sautéed Bok Choy and Kale

1 1/2 pounds kale, remove stems and coarsely chopped

1 1/2 pounds baby bok choy, coarsely chopped

1 small white onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Balsamic reduction (garnish)
Sea salt and black pepper

Add olive oil to a large skillet on high heat. When hot, toss onion and garlic to soften (about 3 minutes). Add the rest of the ingredients, stirring until wilted (about 3 minutes). Season with sea salt and black pepper. Drizzle olive oil and balsamic reduction over the top. Serve warm.

Three-Bean Mash

1 cup cooked black beans

1 cup cooked kidney beans

1 cup cooked red beans

Warm vegetable broth

Extra virgin olive oil

1/2 red onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 small green chili pepper

Handful fresh parsley or cilantro

Sea salt and black pepper

Add beans, onions, garlic, chili pepper, and parsley or cilantro to a blender. With the motor running, drizzle in extra virgin olive oil followed by vegetable broth until you've reached the consistency you desire. Season with sea salt and black pepper. Serve warm as a side dish or as a dip.

Berry Greek Yogurt Smoothie

1 cup plain Greek yogurt

1/2 cup fresh raspberries

1/2 cup fresh strawberries1/2 cup fresh honeydue

1 cup ice

1 cup fresh peaches

1 scoop vanilla protein powder (Bluebonnet Whey Isolate French Vanilla) 

Blend all the ingredients until smooth.  Enjoy!

Fig Salad

8 cups mixed salad greens

1/2 small red onion chopped

5 ripe figs, cut into quarters

8 slices goat cheese

1 large lemon, juiced

Balsamic vinegar

Extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt salt and black pepper

Arrange salad ingredients on a large serving platter (refer to picture). Drizzle a generous amount of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and lemon juice over the top. Season to taste with sea salt and black pepper.

Serve chilled.

Crispy Baked Green Bananas With Wasabi Ginger Sauce

5 large green bananas
1/2 cup full cream Greek yogurt
1 large lime, juiced
1 large garlic clove, crushed
Handful fresh parsley, chopped
2 teaspoons wasabi paste
2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon ginger paste
Extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and black pepper

Pre heat oven to 400 F

Peel bananas and soak them in a bowl of cold water for 30 minutes before slicing into thick slices (refer to picture). Remove and dry with paper towels. Drizzle extra virgin olive oil generously over the bananas. Add lime juice, garlic, and parsley. Season with sea salt and black pepper. Toss to combine.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Arrange bananas in a single layer and bake for 1 hour, turning them over occasionally during cooking.

Serve hot or warm with dipping sauce on the side.

Dipping Sauce:
Combine yogurt, ginger, honey, and wasabi paste. Whisk to combine. Serve chilled

Basil Lemon Garlic Salmon Shrimp Kebabs

1 pound fresh wild skinless salmon steak

1 pound jumbo shrimp deveined with shells still on

2 large garlic cloves, crushed

1/2 lemon, juiced

handful fresh basil, chopped

Extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt and black pepper

You will also need small metal skewers.

Cut salmon into equal size large chunks.  

Combine add 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, fresh garlic, basil and lemon juice. Season with sea salt and black pepper. Add shrimp and salmon. Set aside to marinade in room temperature for 1 hour.

Assemble kebabs (refer to the picture). Brush generously with the remaining marinade. Season with sea salt and black pepper. 

Preheat barbecue to high. Place kebabs on the barbecue and cook for 4 minutes on each side (8 minutes total). 

Remove from the barbecue. Drizzle extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice over the top to serve. 

Stuffed Figs With Pecan Balsamic Vinaigrette

I accepted a challenge by fellow foodie friend and blogger/nutritionist, Lauren from Nutri-Savvy. In this challenge figs were the main ingredient, supported by other nutritious ingredients.

Ingredients: 

Corn, Balsamic Vinegar, Goat Cheese, Basil, Garlic, Bread, Kale, Pecans, Caramelized Onions, Chicken, and Pine Nuts.

Fig Stuffing:

9 ripe figs (red or green)

1 cup goat cheese

1/2 cup caramelized onions

1/4 fresh corn kernels

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil

1 large crushed garlic cloves

1 small finely chopped dinner roll

1 finely chopped large kale leaf

1/4 cup pine nuts

1/4 cup finely chopped cooked white chicken meat

Clean figs with a damp cloth and cut in half. Remove a small piece from the bottom of each fig half to keep it flat. Season with salt and black pepper. Lightly drizzle extra virgin olive oil over the top of the figs. Arrange figs on a small baking sheet. Set aside.

Preheat broiler to high.

Drizzle extra virgin olive oil (about 2 tablespoons) in a large deep sided frying pan on medium high heat. Add onions, kale, garlic, and saute until cooked. Add the rest of the ingredients to the pan, continue sauteing a further 3 minutes. Season with sea salt and black pepper. Add a teaspoon of the mixture to the top of each fig half. Drizzle extra virgin olive oil on top. Broil on high for about 3 minutes or until crisp on top.

Drizzle sauce over the top to serve, making sure to leave some extra on the side.

Pecan Balsamic Sauce:

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup pecans

Blend until smooth. Season with sea salt and black pepper.