Of course they are!
Over the last couple of weeks, I've been asked by a few people whether I actually make the food on my blog. Since I haven't taken many pictures, it's easy to assume I would just adapt things I've seen around, and then post them.
I make everything you see on this blog. Often, I make it more than once to try different variations and get things just right. This is why I sometimes go for long periods without posting - because I'm in the midst of recipe development. My process is to try everything at the same time and come up with a gem of goodness that works its way into my rotation. I don't stick with one thing and keep at it until it's perfect. That would be boring.
I have some more adaptations to post in the coming days that I have already drafted, and then you'll start to see more things with pictures. I have a small digital camera in my kitchen, and I've been using it while making dinner most nights. It's been pretty fun for me, and you'll all be able to see what I do, step by step.
Showing posts with label recipe. Show all posts
Showing posts with label recipe. Show all posts
Tuesday, 2 August 2011
Saturday, 9 April 2011
Honey Garlic Salmon with Roasted Asparagus
When I ran out of sake and couldn't make my beloved Miso Salmon, I came up with this as a substitute. When grilled on the BBQ, the honey creates a barbecue-like glaze that is just delightful. It's especially wonderful served with a strawberry, goat cheese, roast asparagus and cucumber salad, and a glass of rose for extra poshness. Happiest accident ever!
Honey Garlic Salmon
Ingredients
2-4 WILD salmon filets. Remember, farmed salmon is full of sea lice and failure.
1-2 Tbsp light tamari or soy sauce
1 tsp honey
1/2 tsp garlic powder (add more if you want a more potent flavour)
juice of 1/2 lemon
splash of olive or grapeseed oil
Directions
Mix all ingredients together and marinate salmon for a minimum of 1 hr. I find it tastes worlds better when the salmon marinates for 24 hours.
Grill or pan sear for 4 minutes on each side.
Enjoy with side of your choice. As a mentioned above, I love this with a light summer salad. If asparagus is in season, try roasting it. It's amazing. My husband says they are almost as good as French fries. This is my no-fail method:
Roasted Asparagus
Ingredients
1 bunch thin asparagus (not the fat spears), washed and trimmed. If using in salad, cut them in half horizontally so you have little half-spears.
drizzle of olive oil
pinch of sea salt
Directions
Preheat your oven to 400F.
Arrange the asparagus on a cookie sheet (you need a low-sided sheet pan to keep them from steaming), drizzle with olive oil and sea salt, and mix thoroughly with your hands. Pop them in the oven for 10 minutes on convection, or 12-14 mins on regular. They will be crispy and salty when removed, and can be served as-is, or mixed with a salad.
If you're looking for a wine to pair with this meal, I recommend a robust, off-dry rose. I used a La Frenz (BC) 2009 Rose (Rattlesnake Vineyard).
Honey Garlic Salmon
Ingredients
2-4 WILD salmon filets. Remember, farmed salmon is full of sea lice and failure.
1-2 Tbsp light tamari or soy sauce
1 tsp honey
1/2 tsp garlic powder (add more if you want a more potent flavour)
juice of 1/2 lemon
splash of olive or grapeseed oil
Directions
Mix all ingredients together and marinate salmon for a minimum of 1 hr. I find it tastes worlds better when the salmon marinates for 24 hours.
Grill or pan sear for 4 minutes on each side.
Enjoy with side of your choice. As a mentioned above, I love this with a light summer salad. If asparagus is in season, try roasting it. It's amazing. My husband says they are almost as good as French fries. This is my no-fail method:
Roasted Asparagus
Ingredients
1 bunch thin asparagus (not the fat spears), washed and trimmed. If using in salad, cut them in half horizontally so you have little half-spears.
drizzle of olive oil
pinch of sea salt
Directions
Preheat your oven to 400F.
Arrange the asparagus on a cookie sheet (you need a low-sided sheet pan to keep them from steaming), drizzle with olive oil and sea salt, and mix thoroughly with your hands. Pop them in the oven for 10 minutes on convection, or 12-14 mins on regular. They will be crispy and salty when removed, and can be served as-is, or mixed with a salad.
If you're looking for a wine to pair with this meal, I recommend a robust, off-dry rose. I used a La Frenz (BC) 2009 Rose (Rattlesnake Vineyard).
Wednesday, 6 April 2011
The easiest dinner ever: Roasted Veggies with Goat Cheese
It's a main, a side dish, AND a salad. It's pretty and it's good for you. You need it in your life.
If you've never made roasted vegetables, you need to start immediately.
I make this two or three times a week and it's always fantastic. Vegetarian. Vegan, even, if you omit the cheese. And very filling.
Roasted Veggies with Goat Cheese
Ingredients
Any combination of vegetables you like, cut to about the same size.
Need some inspiration? Here's what I like to use:
Butternut squash
Beets, peeled
Parsnips
Carrots
Broccoli
Kale (give this a rough chop and add it at the end)
Salt
Olive oil, for drizzling
Fresh herbs of your choice (thyme and rosemary do it for me)
2oz or so goat cheese, cut or crumbled into small pieces
Directions
Preheat oven to 425 F.
Chop everything (or buy it pre-chopped. No judgment!) and mix around in a roasting pan of your choice. I have two roasting pans and use both, because one you start chopping you may as well keep going: one is Pyrex and was purchased recently; the other is aluminium and was my grandmother's. The aluminium pan roasts better, probably because it conducts heat more evenly. Word to the wise.
Anyway, don't overcrowd your pans otherwise you'll have steamed veggies and not roasted veggies.
Drizzle with olive oil and salt and pop them in the oven for about 35-40 mins. Add the kale and stir it all around, and roast for another 10 mins.
Serve hot with goat cheese on the top. Delicious!!
If you've never made roasted vegetables, you need to start immediately.
I make this two or three times a week and it's always fantastic. Vegetarian. Vegan, even, if you omit the cheese. And very filling.
Roasted Veggies with Goat Cheese
Ingredients
Any combination of vegetables you like, cut to about the same size.
Need some inspiration? Here's what I like to use:
Butternut squash
Beets, peeled
Parsnips
Carrots
Broccoli
Kale (give this a rough chop and add it at the end)
Salt
Olive oil, for drizzling
Fresh herbs of your choice (thyme and rosemary do it for me)
2oz or so goat cheese, cut or crumbled into small pieces
Directions
Preheat oven to 425 F.
Chop everything (or buy it pre-chopped. No judgment!) and mix around in a roasting pan of your choice. I have two roasting pans and use both, because one you start chopping you may as well keep going: one is Pyrex and was purchased recently; the other is aluminium and was my grandmother's. The aluminium pan roasts better, probably because it conducts heat more evenly. Word to the wise.
Anyway, don't overcrowd your pans otherwise you'll have steamed veggies and not roasted veggies.
Drizzle with olive oil and salt and pop them in the oven for about 35-40 mins. Add the kale and stir it all around, and roast for another 10 mins.
Serve hot with goat cheese on the top. Delicious!!
Tuesday, 5 April 2011
Curried Carrot Lentil and Apple Soup
You know what else you can do with lentils? Add them to soups! When blended, they make everything nice and creamy and rich, just like they do in this soup. It's spicy, tangy, fresh, and rich, and can be enjoyed hot or cold. I had this for dinner one cold dreary Sunday night and cold for lunch the next day. It was lovely with a dollop of plain yogurt. You could also serve it with goat cheese for extra yummy.
Since this will all be pureed at the end, don't worry about your chopping.
If you're looking for a good wine pairing, I recommend Riesling or Rose.
Ingredients
olive oil for cooking
1 large onion, rough chop
2-3 celery stalks, rough chop
4-5 garlic cloves, chopped
1-2 Tbsp curry powder
1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger
4-6 large carrots, peeled and chopped
1 cup dry lentils (red or green, doesn't matter)
1 Granny Smith apple, chopped
1 L turkey or veg stock (or chicken stock for you non AB's out there)
Sour cream or plain yogurt, for serving (optional)
Directions
In a large pot, heat a drizzle of oil over medium-high heat and saute the onion, celery and garlic for a few minutes, until soft. Add a pinch of salt to help everything soften and cook. Add the curry powder and ginger and cook for another minute, then add the carrots, lentils, apple and stock. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat and cook for about 30 minutes, until everything is nice and soft.
Using a hand-held immersion blender, puree the soup right in the pot. Season with salt if it needs it, and serve hot, with a dollop of yogurt sour cream on top to cool the spice, if you like. Serves 6.
Thursday, 31 March 2011
Red Lentil Dahl
In keeping with the love of lentils, today's post is all about spicing them up, Indian style. Dahl is kind of like a lentil stew with any mix of spices and liquid you like. This version has just enough spice without heat, is delicious hot or cold, inexpensive to make, and whips up in no time. I make this about once a week. Sometimes twice.
The original recipe calls for toasting whole spices, which I'm sure makes this dish amazing. Don't be intimidated by the long list of ingredients - you can get everything from the grocery store. I have a well-stocked spice cabinet, but almost all my spices are ground and from the grocery store. I've made adjustments and tested this dish multiple times to get it just right. You know what I've found? It's a little different every time, but always amazing, so don't worry too much about exact measurements. If there's something you don't like, just omit it. Simple as that.
Red Lentil Dahl (adapted from Eden Kitchen)
Ingredients
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and grated
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 ¼ cup red lentils
4 cups vegetable stock
Juice of 1 lime
1 cup chopped cilantro (for garnish)
Plain yogurt or sour cream (for garnish)
Directions
Toast the spices (not the cinnamon) in a large skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from skillet, cool, and then crush into a fine powder with the cinnamon. I do this old-school, with a mortar and pestle. It also works with a spice grinder, but is a lot more fun the old-fashioned way.
Heat the oil in the same large skillet over medium heat, sauté the onions for 3-4 min or until translucent. Add garlic and ginger and sauté another 3-4 minutes. Add spices and salt and sauté 3-4 minutes more.
Add lentils and vegetable stock. Bring to the boil and then lower heat and simmer uncovered for 20 min.
Add lime juice and some water if it looks too thick. Simmer 5 minutes more or until lentils are tender.
Garnish with cilantro and some plain yogurt or sour cream.
The original recipe calls for toasting whole spices, which I'm sure makes this dish amazing. Don't be intimidated by the long list of ingredients - you can get everything from the grocery store. I have a well-stocked spice cabinet, but almost all my spices are ground and from the grocery store. I've made adjustments and tested this dish multiple times to get it just right. You know what I've found? It's a little different every time, but always amazing, so don't worry too much about exact measurements. If there's something you don't like, just omit it. Simple as that.
Red Lentil Dahl (adapted from Eden Kitchen)
Ingredients
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and grated
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 ¼ cup red lentils
4 cups vegetable stock
Juice of 1 lime
1 cup chopped cilantro (for garnish)
Plain yogurt or sour cream (for garnish)
Directions
Toast the spices (not the cinnamon) in a large skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from skillet, cool, and then crush into a fine powder with the cinnamon. I do this old-school, with a mortar and pestle. It also works with a spice grinder, but is a lot more fun the old-fashioned way.
Heat the oil in the same large skillet over medium heat, sauté the onions for 3-4 min or until translucent. Add garlic and ginger and sauté another 3-4 minutes. Add spices and salt and sauté 3-4 minutes more.
Add lentils and vegetable stock. Bring to the boil and then lower heat and simmer uncovered for 20 min.
Add lime juice and some water if it looks too thick. Simmer 5 minutes more or until lentils are tender.
Garnish with cilantro and some plain yogurt or sour cream.
Monday, 21 March 2011
Borscht
Make you strong like bull!
Sorry, I couldn't help myself.
My Oma used to make borscht when I was little and it was as comforting for me as chicken soup is for most people (she made that too, btw). Her version had beef, and since the hubby and I can no longer have beef, this is a lighter vegetarian version. It tastes great hot or cold, and I think it's a lovely dish to commemorate the first day of spring.
Borscht (adapted from Dinner With Julie)
olive oil, for cooking
2 onions, diced
3-4 garlic cloves, fine dice
2 celery stalks, diced
1 carrot, diced
1 leek, diced
1/2 head savoy cabbage, shredded
4c vegetable stock
3-4 beets, peeled and roasted
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt to taste
Low fat sour cream, for serving
Preheat oven to 375F.
Peel your beets with a paring knife and wrap each one in tin foil. Put them all on a baking sheet and cook for about 1 hour. Open the little parcels and let them cool so they can be handled later.
(Protip: there are like a zillion ways to roast beets - peeling then roasting is my favourite way)
In a large pot, heat a drizzle of oil over medium-high heat. Saute the onions with some salt for about 5 minutes, until soft. Add the garlic, celery, carrot, leek and cabbage and cook for about 10 minutes, until everything is soft and starting to turn golden.
Add the stock and 2-4 cups of water. Grate the beets using the coarse side of a box grater and add those as well. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes, until all the vegetables are tender and the broth has thickened slightly. Add the lemon juice and salt to taste and serve hot, with a big dollop of sour cream on top.
Take a minute to look at the colour of your soup. There's nothing better than that gorgeous magenta colour.
This is also great served cold as leftovers the next day. Sour cream is a must.
When you eat roasted beets, leave a post-it note on the back of the bathroom door reminding yourself that you did so to avoid some scares the next day.
Sorry, I couldn't help myself.
My Oma used to make borscht when I was little and it was as comforting for me as chicken soup is for most people (she made that too, btw). Her version had beef, and since the hubby and I can no longer have beef, this is a lighter vegetarian version. It tastes great hot or cold, and I think it's a lovely dish to commemorate the first day of spring.
Borscht (adapted from Dinner With Julie)
olive oil, for cooking
2 onions, diced
3-4 garlic cloves, fine dice
2 celery stalks, diced
1 carrot, diced
1 leek, diced
1/2 head savoy cabbage, shredded
4c vegetable stock
3-4 beets, peeled and roasted
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt to taste
Low fat sour cream, for serving
Preheat oven to 375F.
Peel your beets with a paring knife and wrap each one in tin foil. Put them all on a baking sheet and cook for about 1 hour. Open the little parcels and let them cool so they can be handled later.
(Protip: there are like a zillion ways to roast beets - peeling then roasting is my favourite way)
In a large pot, heat a drizzle of oil over medium-high heat. Saute the onions with some salt for about 5 minutes, until soft. Add the garlic, celery, carrot, leek and cabbage and cook for about 10 minutes, until everything is soft and starting to turn golden.
Add the stock and 2-4 cups of water. Grate the beets using the coarse side of a box grater and add those as well. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes, until all the vegetables are tender and the broth has thickened slightly. Add the lemon juice and salt to taste and serve hot, with a big dollop of sour cream on top.
Take a minute to look at the colour of your soup. There's nothing better than that gorgeous magenta colour.
This is also great served cold as leftovers the next day. Sour cream is a must.
When you eat roasted beets, leave a post-it note on the back of the bathroom door reminding yourself that you did so to avoid some scares the next day.
Thursday, 10 March 2011
The AB Breakfast Omelette
I like to work out first thing in the morning. There are a few reasons for this: I haven't been awake long enough to talk myself out of going to the gym. My work hours are long and waiting until the end of the day means a very unproductive workout. And it's damn crowded in my gym after work.
Most days, I'm in the gym between 4 and 4:30am lifting big heavy weights, turbulence training, and endurance training. Not all on the same day, of course. After I'm done, I like to eat a good breakfast high in protein and unrefined carbs to refuel my body. I do this even on the days when I have to dash off to work.
To make life easier, I saute all my veggies Sunday night to get them ready for a week of breakfast-y consumption, and just keep them in the fridge. Here's what I cut up on masse:
1/2 or 1 onion, fine dice
1 sweet potato, fine dice
1 stalk of celery, fine dice
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
250 (or so) grams of mushrooms, dicedHeat some olive oil in a pan and saute the veggies, starting with the top of the list and working your way from onions to mushrooms as each layer softens. Add a pinch of kosher salt to help flavour everything and help it soften. I like to add some paprika and chili powder at the end for extra flavour.
Let this cool, then store in the fridge until needed.
So for each omelette, I scramble:
2 eggs from free-run chickens (or if I'm feeling really virtuous, I'll use 1 whole egg and 1 egg white, saving the yolk for mayonnaise)
splash of water
pinch of salt
Gather the other accoutrements:
Spinach leaves
Low-fat feta cheese
Preheat a small skillet on medium and add a little olive oil. Once it's hot, add the eggs and let them cook for a minute. Add a handful or so of veggies and spread them out over 1/2 of the omelette. While everything is cooking, add a small knob of cheese (like 1 Tbsp - I just crumble it over everything with my hands) and the spinach leaves.
While everything is still a little soft, fold the side with no veggies over the veggies and flip the whole shebang over. Turn the heat to low, cover it with a lid, and cook for a few more minutes. I like mine a little gooey, and this method leaves me with a slightly raw, vegetable-y omelette.
Beats a bowl of cereal any day!
Friday, 4 March 2011
Miso Salmon
So there is no shortage of recipes out there for miso-glazed salmon. This one is not glazed. It's marinated. And it has booze. And I'm not very precise with my measurements. So enjoy!
Ingredients
WILD Salmon fillets. The not so wild ones are full of things like sea lice and failure (2, 4, however many you need. I buy my fish pre-cut at the store because I'm lazy)
2 heaping spoonfuls white miso paste
1/4 c soy sauce or tamari
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tbsp honey
2-3 tbsp (or more) sake
Diretions
Mix all ingredients together and marinate at least 12 hours, or longer for extra yum. Grill salmon for about 4 mins per side, depending on the salmon's thickness.
Serve with your choice of sides, such as brown rice and salad. I had mine with a green salad and some sauteed kale. You don't know how to make sauteed kale? Well aren't you in for a treat. Here's how:
Wash a bunch of kale and cut into small pieces
Heat some olive oil in a large saute pan on low and throw in 2 cloves of minced garlic
Once you can smell the garlic, add the kale with a pinch of salt and move it around in the flavoured oil for a few minutes or until it's as done as you like. If you would like to steam it, but the lid on your saute pan and let it cook for a few minutes.
Kale should never be mushy. Mushy kale is why people hate kale.
Ingredients
WILD Salmon fillets. The not so wild ones are full of things like sea lice and failure (2, 4, however many you need. I buy my fish pre-cut at the store because I'm lazy)
2 heaping spoonfuls white miso paste
1/4 c soy sauce or tamari
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tbsp honey
2-3 tbsp (or more) sake
Diretions
Mix all ingredients together and marinate at least 12 hours, or longer for extra yum. Grill salmon for about 4 mins per side, depending on the salmon's thickness.
Serve with your choice of sides, such as brown rice and salad. I had mine with a green salad and some sauteed kale. You don't know how to make sauteed kale? Well aren't you in for a treat. Here's how:
Wash a bunch of kale and cut into small pieces
Heat some olive oil in a large saute pan on low and throw in 2 cloves of minced garlic
Once you can smell the garlic, add the kale with a pinch of salt and move it around in the flavoured oil for a few minutes or until it's as done as you like. If you would like to steam it, but the lid on your saute pan and let it cook for a few minutes.
Kale should never be mushy. Mushy kale is why people hate kale.
No-vinegar Mayonnaise
Remember how I said that this no vinegar business was cramping my salad-making style? Well, it's also cramping my condiment style. I didn't realize just how much stuff has vinegar as the second or third ingredient on the list. Mayonnaise? Yup. Ketchup? You'd best believe it. Worcestershire? Heavens to Betsy, I die.
I like a little bling (read: condiments) with my food, so for the firs time ever, I made my own mayonnaise. You know what? It's so yummy and so much better than anything from the store. If you have a lot of patience and a mixer (I used a hand mixer because my KitchenAid Mixer was out of reach and the husband wasn't home), I recommend trying this.
Mayonnaise (adapted from Elizabeth Nyland at Guilty Kitchen)
Ingredients
2 room temperature egg yolks (leave them on the counter for a couple hours). I used eggs from free-run chickens
1/2 tsp mustard powder
1/2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
400 mL Extra virgin olive oil
Juice of one lemon
Directions
I can't really instruct as well as Elizabeth does, so I recommend using the method described and shown in her original post. The Coles Notes version is this: grab a metal and bowl and beat the egg yolks, salt and mustard powder in it. Then add 200 mL oil in a veeeeeery thin stream.
I ended up pouring my olive oil into a measuring cup and adding it drop by drop from a teaspoon. Totally time-consuming, but it worked very well.
Add the lemon juice and the rest of the oil and keep mixing it til it looks like mayonnaise. Or til you can mix no more. Whichever comes first.
Leave it alone for an hour to two to let the lemon juice do its thing, then keep in the fridge and enjoy with everything. This is a great flavour carrier, so feel free to add herbs and spices as well, to make a more flavourful mayo.
Mayo really has a bad rap, but I feel it's undeserved. We're talking about 2 egg yolks and some olive oil here, people; nothing too scary.
I'm going to enjoy this with sweet potato fries and a beer and I recommend that you enjoy it with whatever you love as well.
I like a little bling (read: condiments) with my food, so for the firs time ever, I made my own mayonnaise. You know what? It's so yummy and so much better than anything from the store. If you have a lot of patience and a mixer (I used a hand mixer because my KitchenAid Mixer was out of reach and the husband wasn't home), I recommend trying this.
Mayonnaise (adapted from Elizabeth Nyland at Guilty Kitchen)
Ingredients
2 room temperature egg yolks (leave them on the counter for a couple hours). I used eggs from free-run chickens
1/2 tsp mustard powder
1/2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
400 mL Extra virgin olive oil
Juice of one lemon
Directions
I can't really instruct as well as Elizabeth does, so I recommend using the method described and shown in her original post. The Coles Notes version is this: grab a metal and bowl and beat the egg yolks, salt and mustard powder in it. Then add 200 mL oil in a veeeeeery thin stream.
I ended up pouring my olive oil into a measuring cup and adding it drop by drop from a teaspoon. Totally time-consuming, but it worked very well.
Add the lemon juice and the rest of the oil and keep mixing it til it looks like mayonnaise. Or til you can mix no more. Whichever comes first.
Leave it alone for an hour to two to let the lemon juice do its thing, then keep in the fridge and enjoy with everything. This is a great flavour carrier, so feel free to add herbs and spices as well, to make a more flavourful mayo.
Mayo really has a bad rap, but I feel it's undeserved. We're talking about 2 egg yolks and some olive oil here, people; nothing too scary.
I'm going to enjoy this with sweet potato fries and a beer and I recommend that you enjoy it with whatever you love as well.
Cheesy Broccoli Soup
I love cheesy broccoli soup. Back when I used to snowboard regularly, it was my favourite thing to eat after a day on the slopes. Perhaps not the best choice nutritionally, but man did it taste good.
Luckily for me, broccoli and several dairy products are on the beneficial list, and it's easy to healthy it up a bit. I based my recipe on the Broccoli Soup recipe at Fat Loss Quickie by Scott and Angie Toussignant.
Ingredients:
Extra virgin olive oil
2 large heads of broccoli, chopped (including stems)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups water
1 large stalk of celery, fine dice
1 onion, fine dice
2 tbsp almond or walnut oil
2 tbsp arrowroot starch
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
Dash of ground nutmeg
1/2 cup goat milk
1-2 oz. goat cheese
cheddar (AB) or feta (A), for topping
Salt to taste
Directions:
1. Heat oil over medium heat
2. Add broccoli, celery, garlic and onion, sprinkle with salt, and saute until slightly softened.
3. Add water, cover and boil for 5-10 minutes or until broccoli is tender. Do not drain.
4. Using an immersion blender, blend until smooth.
5. Mix arrowroot and oil together until smooth, and add a ladleful of warm soup. This is going to create a slurry.
6. Stir slurry into hot soup, add broth, and heat to boil. Boil mixture for 1 minute while continuously stirring.
7. Add nutmeg then turn heat down to low (or off). Add milk and goat cheese and stir.
8. Remove from heat and season to taste. Serve with grated cheddar cheese or feta on sprinkled on top.
Luckily for me, broccoli and several dairy products are on the beneficial list, and it's easy to healthy it up a bit. I based my recipe on the Broccoli Soup recipe at Fat Loss Quickie by Scott and Angie Toussignant.
Ingredients:
Extra virgin olive oil
2 large heads of broccoli, chopped (including stems)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups water
1 large stalk of celery, fine dice
1 onion, fine dice
2 tbsp almond or walnut oil
2 tbsp arrowroot starch
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
Dash of ground nutmeg
1/2 cup goat milk
1-2 oz. goat cheese
cheddar (AB) or feta (A), for topping
Salt to taste
Directions:
1. Heat oil over medium heat
2. Add broccoli, celery, garlic and onion, sprinkle with salt, and saute until slightly softened.
3. Add water, cover and boil for 5-10 minutes or until broccoli is tender. Do not drain.
4. Using an immersion blender, blend until smooth.
5. Mix arrowroot and oil together until smooth, and add a ladleful of warm soup. This is going to create a slurry.
6. Stir slurry into hot soup, add broth, and heat to boil. Boil mixture for 1 minute while continuously stirring.
7. Add nutmeg then turn heat down to low (or off). Add milk and goat cheese and stir.
8. Remove from heat and season to taste. Serve with grated cheddar cheese or feta on sprinkled on top.
Tuesday, 1 March 2011
Turkey Curry
I've been making turkey curry for ages in some form or another. I prefer the taste of turkey to chicken, and I like that I can buy turkey tenders from the store, which cuts down on my prep work. Some sauteed veggies and a can of Patak's sauce, serve over rice, and there you go.
Have you ever looked at the ingredient list on Patak's sauces? They are full of things no one should eat, like vegetable oil, but more important, they contain several ingredients that are unsuitable for As and/or ABs, such as tomatoes and coconut milk.
I needed inspiration, so I looked through my Thai and Indian cookbooks for help. New Thai Cuisine, by Nathan Hyam, proved most useful. I ended up making a peanut butter pineapple curry sauce, which can be used with any combination of meat, soy, and/or veg you like. It's intended to be a dipping sauce for satay, but when thinned out, works nicely for curries.
I used turkey because it's good for me. And because I like it.
Pineapple Peanut Sauce (adapted from New Thai Cuisine, by Nathan Hyam)
1/4 of a pineapple, fine dice (A/AB beneficial)
1 tbsp soy sauce (A beneficial/AB neutral)
1 tsp curry powder (A neutral/AB beneficial)
1/4 tsp hot curry powder (optional)
2 garlic cloves, minced (A/AB beneficial)
1/4 cup water (or more as needed to thin the sauce)
3 tbsp all-natural peanut butter (ALL-NATURAL. Don't mess around here and use something that's packed with crap. Do yourself a favour and use the good stuff where the ingredients are limited to peanuts and salt. I like Maranatha.) (A/AB beneficial)
Other goodies
3 turkey tenders, or however much you want, cut into pieces (A neutral/AB beneficial)
1 onion, rough dice (A beneficial/AB neutral)
1 celery stalk, rough dice (A/AB beneficial)
Extra virgin olive oil (A/AB beneficial)
1 head of broccoli, cut into pieces (including the stems) (A/AB beneficial)
2-3 parsnips, peeled and chopped (A/AB beneficial)
1 zucchini, chopped (A/AB neutral)
1 cup mushrooms of your choice, quartered (I used cremini) (A/AB neutral)
Preheat your oven to 450F. Lay the broccoli, parsnips, zucchini and mushrooms on a sheet tray, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, mix with your hands, and pop the tray into the oven. Cook for about 15-20 mins, or until the veggies are good and roasted with brown and black bits on them.
Now, let's make some curry sauce! Put the pineapple and any accumulated juices into a small saucepan and heat over medium. Add everything else except the peanut butter and let it come to a boil. Turn off the heat and stir in the peanut butter. Mix until smooth, and add more water as needed to make it saucier. Or leave it the way it is.
Meanwhile, heat a large skillet on medium and put in a little olive oil. Add onions, celery and a small pinch of salt, and let them soften. The salt will help the onions sweat. Once the onions are translucent, add the turkey and cook until it is opaque.
Reduce heat to low. Add your sauce, put on the lid, and let the whole mess cook for about 5-10 minutes. Add the roasted veggies right before serving, mix, and enjoy over rice.
Have you ever looked at the ingredient list on Patak's sauces? They are full of things no one should eat, like vegetable oil, but more important, they contain several ingredients that are unsuitable for As and/or ABs, such as tomatoes and coconut milk.
I needed inspiration, so I looked through my Thai and Indian cookbooks for help. New Thai Cuisine, by Nathan Hyam, proved most useful. I ended up making a peanut butter pineapple curry sauce, which can be used with any combination of meat, soy, and/or veg you like. It's intended to be a dipping sauce for satay, but when thinned out, works nicely for curries.
I used turkey because it's good for me. And because I like it.
Pineapple Peanut Sauce (adapted from New Thai Cuisine, by Nathan Hyam)
1/4 of a pineapple, fine dice (A/AB beneficial)
1 tbsp soy sauce (A beneficial/AB neutral)
1 tsp curry powder (A neutral/AB beneficial)
1/4 tsp hot curry powder (optional)
2 garlic cloves, minced (A/AB beneficial)
1/4 cup water (or more as needed to thin the sauce)
3 tbsp all-natural peanut butter (ALL-NATURAL. Don't mess around here and use something that's packed with crap. Do yourself a favour and use the good stuff where the ingredients are limited to peanuts and salt. I like Maranatha.) (A/AB beneficial)
Other goodies
3 turkey tenders, or however much you want, cut into pieces (A neutral/AB beneficial)
1 onion, rough dice (A beneficial/AB neutral)
1 celery stalk, rough dice (A/AB beneficial)
Extra virgin olive oil (A/AB beneficial)
1 head of broccoli, cut into pieces (including the stems) (A/AB beneficial)
2-3 parsnips, peeled and chopped (A/AB beneficial)
1 zucchini, chopped (A/AB neutral)
1 cup mushrooms of your choice, quartered (I used cremini) (A/AB neutral)
Preheat your oven to 450F. Lay the broccoli, parsnips, zucchini and mushrooms on a sheet tray, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, mix with your hands, and pop the tray into the oven. Cook for about 15-20 mins, or until the veggies are good and roasted with brown and black bits on them.
Now, let's make some curry sauce! Put the pineapple and any accumulated juices into a small saucepan and heat over medium. Add everything else except the peanut butter and let it come to a boil. Turn off the heat and stir in the peanut butter. Mix until smooth, and add more water as needed to make it saucier. Or leave it the way it is.
Meanwhile, heat a large skillet on medium and put in a little olive oil. Add onions, celery and a small pinch of salt, and let them soften. The salt will help the onions sweat. Once the onions are translucent, add the turkey and cook until it is opaque.
Reduce heat to low. Add your sauce, put on the lid, and let the whole mess cook for about 5-10 minutes. Add the roasted veggies right before serving, mix, and enjoy over rice.
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