Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Almond Butter
Did you know that one of the health benefits of almonds is to lower bad cholesterol?
I was just reading an article about it a couple days ago. I was excited to find that out because lately I have been experimenting with nut butters of all kinds; cashews, pecans, almonds...
Nut butters have changed my cooking style for the better, I would say, to a higher level of health. You see, I try to stay away from dairy products (and I'll tell you why in a minute) and nut butters are a fantastic substitute. They almost taste like butter or cheese, they have a similar creamy, rich, full body kind of texture.
One of the reasons I choose to limit my dairy intake is the antibiotics and pesticides you find in all of the animal products these days. Another reason is that dairy has been linked to many different ailments like: acne, asthma, eczema, gastrointestinal disturbance, high blood pressure and many many more...So, I just prefer to stay away from it.....whenever possible anyways.
Don't worry about the calcium, there is plenty of other places you can get it from. Think about all the leafy greens, many nuts and seeds, sea vegetables, sprouts, many grains etc.
Almonds are also a leading source of vitamin E and magnesium and offers protein, fiber, potassium, calcium, phosphorus and iron. Also, almonds (and other nuts) contain phytochemicals, which are plant chemicals that may provide powerful protection against heart disease, stroke, and other chronic diseases.
I don't really have a particular recipe. I just soak the almonds overnight. The next day I put them in my foods processor until pureed (add a bit of olive oil - careful with the olive oil, you don't want the strong olive flavor to take over- and water if too thick). I then season the almond butter with what ever I have on hand. You can use; shallots, garlic, sea salt, cayenne pepper, fresh herbs....anything really.
What I really love about nut butters is their versatility. Use them as a spread on crackers or in your sandwiches instead of cheese. Include them in your salad dressings. I love to use them for sauces, they are a wonderful thickening agent and add a wonderful flavor to your sauces. Your guests will think you used some heavy cream.
Try it and leave me a comment to let me know how you liked it!
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Sunflower and Flax Seed Bread
It's name is Excalibur. It's a dehydrator and I am sooo totally in love with the thing! I am incredibly lucky that a charming nice lady (Hi Kathie :0)) thought it would be a good idea to give it to me since she had no use for it. Well, I think it was a fabulous idea!!
I have used it already a whole bunch. Actually, it's constantly running. Right now, I am dehydrating some bananas, pears, mangoes and a mango roll. Yesterday, I did this fabulous bread that you see in the picture (above) as well as a pie crust with dates and coconut flakes. Before that, I did some beautiful crackers with almond flour and I also made some beef jerky for James. What I love about the dehydrator is that you can make bread, pizza dough, pie crust, tortillas, crackers etc. with veggies, nuts and grains and because it dehydrates at very low temperature all the nutrients and vitamins remain intact.
It just makes me feel so good to know that when I eat a piece of bread, no only it's delicious but it fills my blood stream with all sorts of antioxidants and vitamins that will boost my immune system and take me to a maximum level of health. Yeah baby!! ;0)
The recipe for this bread comes from Ani's Raw Food Kitchen. She says in her book that if you don't have a dehydrator, as a last resort, (and if you really, really want to try this recipe), you could use your oven. Turn it on to the lowest setting, and let it begin to get warm. The bread should dehydrate at no more than 105 degrees, which is just warm to the touch. Once warm, turn it off. Place your bread in the oven until the oven cools off. Keep turning the heat back on and off when it gets warm. Keep repeating until food is dry.
I realize that it might not be a practical recipe for most of you but my goal is to introduce you to different methods of preparing super healthy foods.
1/3 cup whole flax seeds
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tbsp yellow onion, chopped
1 tbsp of fresh rosemary (my addition), chopped
1 1/3 cups water
2/3 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup black sesame seeds
Mix ground and whole flax seeds, salt, garlic, onion, and water. Add sunflower and sesame seeds and mix well. Use the back of a spoon to spread batter evenly on one dehydrator tray (or baking sheet if using the oven). Dry at 104 degree F for 4 hours. Flip and score bread into nine slices to make it easy to break in straight lines. Dehydrate another hour before serving.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Seared Tofu with Mushrooms, Tomatoes and Spinach
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Heidi Espresso Banana Muffins
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Creamy Raw Sweet Potato Slaw
Happy New Year everyone!
I wish all of you a year full of happiness and health. What else can anyone wish for really? If you're happy and healthy you are the richest person in the whole wide world.
Try this sweet potato slaw. It's surprisingly good and done in no time. Yes, you can eat sweet potato raw and they are delicious. That's what I had for lunch today. Nothing else, and it was more than enough. I gave James a bowl and he thought it was some cheesy noodles. I tricked him (not on purpose though) but he loved it. The avocado dressing does give it a cheesy texture. That's what I love about it. This might become one of my favorite raw/fast recipe.
Ingredients
Makes 2 main meals or 4 side dishes
2 medium sweet potatoes, grated
1 branch of celery, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
2 queen green olives, chopped (optional)
1 jalapeno, chopped
1/4 small onion, chopped
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
Salt and Pepper
Mix all ingredients in a medium size bowl. I used my food processor for all the chopping and the grading. It's sooo much faster. I love my food processor. It's such a time saver. I chopped the jalapeno, onion, olives and parsley together.
Dressing
1 avocado, smashed with a fork
1-1/2 tbsp of red wine vinegar (or lime/lemon juice - I didn't have any on hand)
1 tsp of cumin powder (or to taste)
2 tbsp water
1 tsp of Nama Shoyu or soy sauce
Salt and pepper
Mix all ingredients and combine to salad.
Friday, December 11, 2009
Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Shrimps with Cilantro, Jalapeno and Lime
Ingredients
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Leek and Potato Gratin
Last week I stopped by my local organic store and they had beautiful young leeks. I love the taste of leeks, it's sweeter and more delicate than onions. For a more sophisticated and subtle flavor use leeks in your recipes instead of onions. Leeks are full of dirt and sand. To clean them, cut each stalk in 1/4" inch thick slices. The slices will then have to be cleaned in a large bowl of cold water. Once the leeks are in the water, separate each ring from the slices and swish the pieces around in the bowl for a minute or two. Scoop the leeks out of the water. Do not strain or the dirt (which is now in the bottom of your bowl) will return to the leeks.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Onion Pie and Garlicky Kale
I have had in mind to do an onion pie for a while. I was browsing through my recipe books and magazines in search of inspiration. I found a few but they were or too long or not healthy enough. So I added a bit of this, removed a bit of that, replaced this with that and...Voila! There it was, my very own onion pie :0). Like Julia Child used to say: The only real stumbling block in cooking is fear of failure. So I say; don't be scared to transform a recipe to your liking. I do it all the time. What are they going to do?? Fire you?? :)
Garlic: it is primordial in the kale recipe (and all recipes actually) that the garlic is added at the end and that it is not browned or burnt or it will loose it's flavor. Cook it on medium-low heat and add it only in the last 30-60 seconds of cooking.
For the Onion pie
Crust
1 1/2 cups of Spelt flour (or whole wheat or even white if you insist)
12 tbsp (1 1/2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
2 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
Place flour in food processor. Add butter. Pulse 4-5 times or until mixture resembles bread crumbs. Add egg yolks. Pulse a few times until dough gathers together. Place dough on floured surface and form a ball. Refrigerate dough for 30 minutes (but you can also cook it right away if you're in a rush - you just have better results when chilled). Pre-heat oven to 400F. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to line a 10-12 inch cast iron skillet, creating a border with the edges by folding dough over. Bake for 20 minutes, reduce heat to 325F and bake for about 15 minutes more or until the pastry is nice and gold. Remove from oven.
Filling
3 tbsp unsalted butter
1 pound yellow onions, finely sliced
2/3 cup light cream
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
Celtic salt and fresh ground pepper
Melt butter. Add onions and cook over low heat for 30 minutes. Do not let onions brown (not too much anyways). Mix the cream, eggs, nutmeg and seasonings. Place cooked onions in the baked crust, carefully pour in the egg mixture, and then return the pie to the oven to cook for 25-30 minutes. Server warm or cold.
For the kale
2-3 tbsp coconut oil
1/2 tsp red crushed chili pepper
1 bunch of kale
1-2 tbsp dark balsamic vinegar
1 big garlic clove, minced
Celtic salt and pepper
Heat coconut oil in skillet on medium heat. Add chili pepper, cook for 20 seconds or until oil is flavored. Add kale. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until completely wilted. Add balsamic vinegar, cook until vinegar is evaporated. Add garlic, cook for 30-60 seconds (do not let the garlic brown). Add salt and pepper. Serve with onion pie.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Kale & Red Lentil Soup
If you've been following my blog, you already know that I am a huge fan of kale, and guess what comes with fall? That's right. Kale does. Ye!!
Since nothing compares to a hot bowl of soup during the cold days of fall, and since the Living Tree -my local organic produce supplier - hi Teresa! :0) - received some beautiful fresh kale, I had, had, absolutely had, to make a soup and eat it outside, with the sun shining on my face, all cuddled up under a blanket, sitting on my porch watching the birds and the squirrels getting ready for the cold weather.
2-3 tbsp of olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup of red lentil
1 quart of beef stock (or vegetable stock)
1 bay leave
6-8 baby potatoes, cubed 1/2"-inch
4-5 tomatoes (from can - preferably San Marzano), chopped
1 bunch of kale
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
Celtic salt and pepper
Heat olive oil on medium heat. Sautee onion until transparent, 3-4 minutes. Add lentils, beef stock (or vegetable stock) and bay leave. Cook on medium heat for 15 minutes. Add potatoes and tomatoes. Cook until potatoes are tender. Add kale and cook no more than 2-3 minutes or until wilted. Add garlic and season with salt and pepper.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Belgium Endive, Radishes and Baby Bella Salad
1 small jalapeno, seeded and coarsely chopped
1 ½ tsp honey or agave syrup
¼ tsp cumin
¼ cup canola oil
Celtic salt (or sea salt) and freshly ground pepper
Monday, August 24, 2009
Asian Salad
I have been wanting to post a recipe for the last two weeks but I just didn't have the time. Today I had a day off. Although I was suppose to work on my final assignment (I"m finishing a web design certificate), I decided to give priority to my blog and post a well overdue recipe for you my favorite Mouth Teaser readers, before you start to think that I forgot all about you or that I don't love you anymore :0)
I ate this salad just like this, by itself, nothing else. It was a nice light lunch. It would also be great with grilled chicken or pork for a more substantial meal.
Ingredients
Serves 2
Mix greens or frisee lettuce
1 carrot - julienned
1/2 cucumber - julienned
1 1/2 cup Bean Sprout
Green beans - Approximately 20 - blanched in salted water for 4 minutes and transfered to ice bath to stop cooking.
2 small red baby potatoes - cooked, cooled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds
Place mix greens on plates. Mix carrots, cucumbers and bean sprouts and drizzle a bit of the dressing over them, mix to coat. Place over greens. Arrange green beans and baby potatoes on each side of the plates. Sprinkle each salad with toasted pumpkin seeds.
Dressing
Fresh Cilantro
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 1/2 tbsp maple syrup
1 1/2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1/4 tsp red crushed chile pepper
Combine all ingredients and mix well.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Lemon and fresh Fennel Salsa
This is a great salsa that works very well with any kind of white fish. It's crispy, sweet, sour, cool, fresh and summery! I dusted some grouper fillets with a mixture of Quinoa flour, lemon zest, freshly grated Pecorino-Romano, salt and pepper and sauteed them in a bit of olive oil until nice and brown. Fish, salsa and a crispy green salad with fresh herbs and a light lemon dressing turned out to be a very simple, yet elegant and satisfying dinner.
Ingredients
- 1/2 small fennel bulb (reserve some of the leaves), cut in half lengthwise, cored and cut in thin slices crosswise
- 2 small lemons, peeled, cut in half lengthwise, and cut again lengthwise to have thin half moons
- 1/2 medium cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded (I like to use a spoon to scrape the seeds) and cut thinly crosswise
- 2 scallions, chopped
- 1 jalapeno, chopped (with or without seeds)
- 10 big green olives, cut in half lengthwise, than cut thinly lengthwise
- 1 bunch of cilantro, chopped
- 2 tbsp of the reserved fennel leaves, chopped
- 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
Let me know how you like it!
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Addendum for the No Bake Blueberry Pie
Since the corrected recipe is not being emailed I thought I would create a new post (this one) to let you know. Voila!
Also see the Note on Coconut Oil (at the end of the original-revised recipe ;0))
Sorry about that people!
Mimi
No Bake Blueberry Pie
- It's delicious
- It's fast and easy to put together
- It's a no bake recipe. Who needs an oven when it's so hot outside!
- It's all raw, so you have all the vitamins and nutrients
- It's gluten and lactose free
- It's packed with only super healthy ingredients
- It's a 100% guilt free dessert
- Because of the blueberries: In laboratory animal studies, researchers have found that blueberries help protect the brain from oxidative stress and may reduce the effects of age-related conditions such as Alzheimer's disease or dementia. Researchers found that diets rich in blueberries significantly improved both the learning capacity and motor skills of aging animals, making them mentally equivalent to much younger ones.
Crust
1 3/4 cups of almonds
2 tbsp of lemon zest
2 cups of pitted dates
Place almonds and lemon zest in food processor until mixture resemble tiny little peas (you want some crunch). Remove almonds and set aside. Add dates to food processor and pulse until you get a paste like texture. Add almonds mixture to dates and process until well combined. Dust pie dish with flour to prevent dough from sticking (you can also line your pie dish with some plastic wrap if your intention is to serve it on a pretty platter). Press dough in the bottom of your pie dish. I like to use a glass or a cup and use it to press all over the bottom and sides of my dough. The result is a tighter and more even crust. Set dough aside until filling is ready.
Filling
3 cups of Cashews, soaked for 2 hours
1/2 cup of fresh blueberries
1/2 cup of amber agave syrup (maple syrup would also work)
Juice of 3 limes (approximately 1/2 cup - taste and adjust quantity of lime juice to your liking)
3/4 cup extra virgin coconut oil, melted (coconut is a very healthy fat, for more info please read: http://www.coconut-connections.com/res2.htm)
1/4 cup of water (add a little more if your filling is too thick - your filling should be like a thick smoothie)
2 tsp of vanilla extract
2 pints of fresh blueberries for topping, washed
Place everything (except the blueberries for topping) in your food processor (or blender) and mix until very smooth. Place filling in your prepared dough and refrigerate until set (about 3-4 hours but preferably overnight). Top with fresh blueberries just before serving or as soon as filling is set.
You would never think it's an all raw, no cook Blueberry pie. Actually, the people I served it to, thought it was a cheese cake.
Try it, you'll like it!
Note: Do not substitute the coconut oil for another oil. The coconut oil becomes solid when cold (just like butter or shortening) giving the pie it's nice, rich texture.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Shrimp Toast with Poached egg and Spinach
Monday, June 29, 2009
Green Beans and Cucumber Salad
Here is a simple salad perfect for a picnic on the beach.
Serves 4 (as a side dish)
For the Salad:
1 pound of green beans, blanched in boiling salted water for 3 minutes, then immediately transferred to an ice bath for cooling and to stop cooking (so you don't want to loose all the nutrients).
1/2 English cucumber, sliced paper thin with your mandolin
Place cooled green beans and cucumber in a large mixing bowl.
For the dressing:
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
1/4 cup of olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
Juice of 1 lemon or to taste
1 hand full of fresh mint, chopped
1/2 tsp of red crushed pepper
Celtic salt or any other sea salt
Mix all ingredients, adjust seasoning. Add to mixing bowl with green beans and cucumber. This salad is great with grilled chicken kebabs.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Quiche with asparagus, zucchinis and sundried tomatoes
The trick to have a flaky dough is to have all your ingredients ice cold and not to process the dough too much after you added the water. Measure your flour and stick it in your freezer for 30 minutes prior to making your dough. Cut the butter and drop it in a bowl half way full of water and tons of ice cubes. You want to butter to break in hundreds of tiny pieces when incorporated in the flour, that is how you achieve a flaky dough. If your butter is not cold enough, it will melt and not break. The ice cold water will keep your butter super hard.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Bake crust until golden about 15 minutes. Cool 5 minutes. Reduce oven
Monday, June 8, 2009
Spaghetti a la Vongole
Serves 2
Ingredients
Olive oil - enough to cover the bottom of your skillet plus 2-3 tbsp
4-5 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1/2 tsp chile pepper
1-10 oz baby clams
1-14.5oz tomatoes
Fresh parsley
8 oz spinach spaghettis, cooked to directions
Directions
Heat olive oil on medium heat. When oil is hot but not burning (olive oil is sensitive to heat and will become saturated if over heated) add garlic, reduce heat to low and continue to cook for 10 minutes (this will infuse the olive oil with the garlic taste and also it will caramelized the garlic). Remove garlic from oil (keep garlic infused oil in skillet you will need it in a minute) and smash it with the side of the blade of your knife on your chopping board to create a paste, set aside. Strain clams directly over the skillet, set clams aside. Reduce clam broth by 1/2 by simmering for approximately 5 minutes. Puree tomatoes in food processor and add to clam broth. Simmer for 5 minutes to reduce the liquid a bit. Add clams, simmer for an additional 2 minutes. Add garlic paste, fresh parsley and a bit of salt.
Serve over your spinach pastas and enjoy!
Monday, June 1, 2009
Chile Sin (without) Carne
Ingredients
2 medium size tomatoes
1/2 large portabella cap
1 bunch fresh cilantro
1 small jalapeno
2 cloves of garlic
1- 15 oz can black beans
1/2 cup olive oil
2-3 tsp cumin powder (to taste)
Celtic salt
Directions
Place tomatoes in your food processor and pulse 2-3 times, until the tomatoes are chopped in small pieces but not pureed, chunks are good! Transfer to large mixing bowl. Pulse portabella cap in food processor 2-3 times until it resemble a minced meat type texture (that is your ground meat). Transfer portabella to mixing bowl with tomatoes. Place jalapeno, cilantro, garlic and olive oil in food processor until minced (not pureed - a bit smaller than chopped). Transfer to mixing bowl with other ingredients. Place 1/4 of the black beans into food processor and this time, do puree it (this will give a nice thick consistency to your chili). Add black bean puree to mixing bowl with the remaining of the whole black beans. Season with cumin and salt. Mix well and serve with corn chips!
Monday, May 25, 2009
Raw Corn Chowder
Serves 4
Chowder
3 cups fresh corn kernels (I figured that 1 corn is almost the equivalent of 1 cup of kernels)
1/2 - ¾ cup walnuts or cachew (not salted)
3/4 extra virgin olive oil
1-2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 tsp celtic salt
2 1/2 cups almond/rice milk or water
Chowder Toppings
1 cup corn kernels, reserved from above
1 avocado, chopped in 1/2 inch cubes
1 bunch cilantro leaves, chopped
Dash cayenne pepper or chipotle pepper or paprika
From the 3 cups of kernels, reserve 1 cup for dressing the chowder. Put all remaining ingredients in your food processor and blend until smooth. Transfer chowder to bowls and dress with the reserved corn kernels, the avocado cubes, the fresh cilantro and sprinkle with a dash of cayenne peper.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Kale a health superstar!
I was telling a friend of mine the other day that when I'm not cooking it, I simply break a piece and drop it in my smoothie. Guess what she said??? Probably the same thing you are thinking right now.....which is: YOU'RE A FREAK!!
Of course I busted out laughing. I know it sounds totally strange but you know what? Mixed with bananas, strawberries, almond milk and agave syrup you totally don't taste it but you get the benefits...so my dear girlfriend...I am a freak but a healthy one.
Here's what I found on www.whfoods.com on Kale. Read it and you will understand why I include it in my smoothies and who knows, you might even want to give it a try :0)
Sulforaphane, which is formed when cruciferous vegetables such as kale are chopped or chewed, triggers the liver to produce enzymes that detoxify cancer-causing chemicals.
For the Tofu: Cut tofu into 1" cubes and saute, on low heat, in olive oil with 2-3 minced garlic cloves for approximately 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cooking garlic on low heat will flavor the oil and give a very good taste to the tofu.
For the Portabellos: Slice thinly, saute in olive oil on low heat for approximately 10 mins, sprinkle with a dash of Celtic salt.
For Rice Noodles: Cook according to package's directions. Rinse over cold running water and drizzle with a bit of sesame oil (so they don't stick). When ready to serve, heat up in a skillet with a bit of coconut oil and sprinkle with some black or brown sesame seeds.
For the Kale: Chop kale into small bites. Cut 1 medium size tomato into 1" cubes. Mix kale and tomatoes. Dress with sesame oil (3 portions of oil for one portion of lime juice), tamari (or Nana Shoyu - 1-2 tbsp - start with one and add slowly), 1 minced garlic clove, fresh ginger (2 tbsp), lime juice and a hand full of cilantro. Marinate 10-15 minutes.
Plating: Place kale salad on bottom of big bowl. Arrange tofu, mushrooms and rice noodles over the kale but not hiding it completely so you see all the nice colors.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Oat Groats with Apples, Pecan nuts and Coconut Oil
Of course the more processed the oat is the less properties you will have from it. So I say: Go for the "real McCoy", the Oat Groats. I much prefer the texture of the Oat Groats, it's not mushy like the Quick or Old Fasion, it's firm and there is a small crunch under your teeth. I love it.
Rinse oat 2-3 times under fresh running water. Simmer Oat until tender (approximately 40-45 minutes - water/oat proportion is 1 to 1). When cooked, remove from pot (drain extra water if necessary), transfer to bowl. While still hot, add 1 tbsp of coconut oil, chopped apples (or other fruit), chopped pecan (or other), 2 tbsp of agave syrup or non pasteurized honey and sprinkle with Chia Seeds.
This breakfast will keep you going all the way to lunch without feeling the urge to snack.
For my Frenchies: Le "Oat Groat" c'est la graine d'avoine et non le flocon.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Here is what a Kohlrabi looks like
Kohlrabi and Goat Cheese Omelet
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Poached Egg with Swiss Chard, and Sauteed Baby Turnips
First I cut them paper thin with my mandolin, then, I slowly sauteed them in 1 full tbsp of coconut oil and sprinkled them with oregano and a bit of celtic salt. The coconut oil gave them a very nice sweet taste and a crunchy bite which was a nice contrast with the greens and the egg.
Friday, May 8, 2009
Kasha with Portabello and Asparagus
This was my express lunch today. I had some Kasha left over from the night before. So all I did really is saute some onions, garlic and portabello mushrooms in 2 tbsp of coconut oil and at the end I added the asparagus, which I sauteed for no more then 30 seconds, then I added my Kasha and a bit of Tamari. It was fast and truly delectable.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Zucchini, Banana and Nutmeg Muffins
- Replace coconut oil with 1/2 cup or 1 stick of organic butter
- Replace honey with 1 cup organic sugar cane
- Replace carrot with 1 small grated zucchini (thin 6-7 inches long) and 1 ripe mash banana
- Reduce flour quantity to 1 cup instead of two
- Add 1 tbsp of nutmeg
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Gluten and dairy free Carrot Muffins
Ingredients
1 cup almond milk
1 cup rolled oat (old fashion of course)
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 cup Tupelo honey
1 cup of coconut oil, melted
1/2 cup pecan nuts, chopped
Directions
Heat up oven to 350F.
Grease and dust your muffin pan with quinoa flour.
Mix almond milk, oat, egg, honey, coconut oil and carrot pulp. Let stand for 20 minutes. In a separate bowl mix all remaining ingredients. Combine dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Transfer to muffin pan (try to scoop equal amount of batter for each muffin in order to achieve an even baking.)
Bake for 30 minutes or until toothpick comes up clean. If you would like some kind of icing, I suggest to mix some cream cheese with a bit of maple syrup...that is yummy!!
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Sushis
Makes 10 rolls
Ingredients
500 ml Sushi Rice
Sea salt for seasoning rice
Directions
Wash the rice several times until the water runs clear when drained. Let your washed rice strain for 30 minutes. Transfer the rice to your pot, add water and some salt. Turn heat until rice starts to boil hard, cover tightly and simmer on low allowing the rice to steam for 15 minutes. You must leave it covered... no peaking! Remove your pot from the heat and let stand covered for another 15 minutes. Take a wooden spatula and fold the rice to cool it a bit. Be gentle as you do not want to smash the cooked grains.
Mix the vinegar, sugar and salt together in a small saucepan. Heat the mixture until the sugar dissolves, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and let your sushi vinegar cool to room temperature. Put the hot rice into a mixing bowl and add 1/4 of the sushi vinegar solution. Mix with a folding motion so as to not smash your perfect sushi rice. Repeat until all sushi vinegar is used. After mixing, fan the hot rice mixture (you can use a magazine to fan the rice) for about 5 or 6 minutes in order to remove excess moisture and create a glossy shine to your rice. Your rice should have a slight chewiness and be sticky to the touch.
Sushi
Ingredients
1 sheet nori (seaweed
Desired fillings (such as; carrot, zucchini, cucumber, avocado, crabmeat, smoke salmon, tuna, cooked shrimps)
1 recipe Wasabi Sauce
1 recipe Honey-Ginger Sauce
Pickled ginger
Directions
Lay seaweed, shiny side down, on a sushi mat topped with plastic wrap. With damp fingers, spread 1 cup of sushi rice on nori sheet, leaving ½ inch unfilled at far side. Arrange desired vegetables or seafood on the edge closer to you. Roll seaweed into a spiral, rolling around filling toward unfilled edge. Pressing down firmly on your sushi mat to make sure the roll is nice and tight. Continue rolling mat over sushi all the way to the edge. To serve cut each roll in half and each half in 3 pieces. Serve with sauces.
Wasabi Sauce
Ingredients
¼ cup soy sauce
1 tsp wasabi
Directions
In a small bowl, stir together soy sauce and wasabi.
Honey-Ginger Sauce
Ingredients
1/3 cup honey (preferably non pasteurized)
2 tbsp bottled plum sauce
2 tbsp shoyu
1 2-inch long piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly chopped
Directions
Combine all ingredients in small bowl and transfer to serving dish.
Garnishes
The garnishes can be used inside or outside your rolls. If you use it outside the roll, then drizzle some of the ginger mayo first and then sprinkle with toasted Panko/crispy onions/black or white sesame seeds.
Toasted Panko
Heat a medium size skillet on medium. When skillet is hot add 1 tbsp of sesame oil, when oil is hot, place about 1-2 cups (depending on the amount of Maci Rolls you are planning on doing) of Panko in a skillet and cook stirring constantly until nice, crispy and brown.
Crispy onions
Slice onions thinly and sauté on low for about 30-45 mins or until crispy, then chop and transfer to serving dish.
Seasoned Mayonnaise
Mix 1 cup of mayonnaise (preferably homemade) with 1 minced garlic clove, ½ inch of fresh minced ginger, a dash of lemon juice and a hint of sea salt. Add a bit of water if texture is too thick.
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Salad with left over pork roast and mango salsa
This salad is made with left over pork roast, but you could very well make it with left over chicken or fish. The mango salsa is really what makes this salad special.
I'm not going to give you ingredients or instructions for the salad, just make your own with what you have on hand..all you really need is the recipe for the mango salsa.
Ingredients
1 mango, cut in 1/2 inch cubes
1/4 red onion, chopped in small cubes
1/4 of red bell pepper, cut in small cubes
1 hand full of cilantro, chopped
1/2 inch of fresh ginger root, minced
1/2-1 lime, juiced (depending on how you like it)
1 splash of olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
Directions
Mix all ingredients in medium size bowl, toss and serve.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Cucumber, asparagus and mango salad
This recipe would work very well with salmon, pork or chicken. It's very summery and fresh and of course healthy!
Ingredients
1 small cucumber, sliced thinly with a mandolin
10 asparagus, cut into 2 inch pieces
half a corn on the cub, kernels removed
1/2 mango, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
2 tbsp toasted almonds or peanuts
Direction
Mix all ingredients in a large bowl, toss dressing (slowly, you might not need the whole thing)over veggies and transfer to serving platter.
Dressing
1/4 cup of Marukan rice vinegar (if you can't find the Marukan rice vinegar, you can use any other brand but you might need to add some natural sugar (agave syrup) - like 1 tbsp- since Marukan is a sweet vinegar generally used to season sushi . Unless you live in a very remote area you shouldn't have any problem finding it.)
2 tbsp of sesame oil
2 tbsp of water
1 tsp crushed chili pepper
I suggest you taste the dressing and adjust the ratio rice vinegar/sesame oil to your liking, depending on how acidic you like your dressing.
What does “Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil” Mean To You?
Hydrogenated vegetable oils (HVO), now referred to as “trans fatty acid” bearers,
went mainstream in the 1920’s with a wonderful new substance, margarine, advertised as
being a beneficial substitute for artery hardening butter. Not only have the butter and
dairy farmers taken a financial hit, but national green group “Sustainable Enterprises’ ”
researchers state that cardiac arrest has been going up ever since (also animal studies
prove cancer from HVOs).
Today, it is almost impossible to go to a supermarket and find a food that does
not contain Hydrogenated vegetable oils or its sweet industrial counterpart, high fructose
corn syrup (HFCS). Both of these substances were created by big industry to promote a
food’s “shelf appeal” and it’s “shelf life.” These industry buzz words unfortunately do
not translate into health promoting foods as you will learn the process of hydrogenation
and refining oils renders them toxic to the human body (read on oils).
Hydrogenation requires the heating of oils in the presence of Raney’s Nickel (50%
nickel, 50% aluminum) at temperatures above 400 degrees F for up to 8 hours. This new
substance not only cannot be properly digested or metabolized, but it depletes our bodies
of mineral and vitamin stores, adds aluminum associated with Alzheimer’s disease and
may even facilitate cancer as animal models have shown. Dr. Erasmus calls these refined
oil products, “protein-less, de-mineralized, de-vitaminized, fiberless, empty calories
which are nutritionally equivalent to refined white sugars (read on soda) and white flour,
which facilitates fatty degenerative diseases such as diabetes, multiple sclerosis, kidney
and liver degeneration.”
Some of our best doctors and notable researchers, Christiane Northrup, MD,
Andrew Weil, MD, Mary Enig, PhD, Paul Pitchford, Udo Erasmus, PhD, Hulda Clark,
PhD, ND, just to name a few, believe that these trans fatty acids disrupt immune function
and can even cause cancer. Linda Page ND, in her book, Healthy Healing, (1997) lists
daily consumption of margarine as a contributing factor to essential fatty acid deficiency
which is linked to cell membrane insufficiency, decreased hormone production and nerve
and immune function impairment. Samuel Epstein, MD states that cancer rates are up
40% (children’s brain cancer) t o 200%(multiple myeloma) since the 1950’s due to
innumerable chemical additives in our consumer products.
This one is sneaky though, so you must read your labels even if you think the
food is a natural or healthy food. Even regular olive or corn oils can have trans fatty acids
if they have been refined (read on oils), so again, check those labels and use only
unrefined oils.
In 1999, the FDA proposed that trans fatty acid amounts be added to the
nutrition label on foods. This will at least give the consumer the knowledge of its presence
and have the ability to choose whether or not they want to eat these biologically toxic
substances. Of course, neither the FDA nor the big industries will take these disease
causing substances off the supermarket shelves. Big business has too much money
invested to even think about protecting the health of the nation, but at least the FDA is
hinting that these hydrogenated oils are not healthy to eat. Paul Pitchford stands firmly
that, “refined oils should not be ingested,” period.
Remember, that you should use your strongest political power by making
thoughtful consumer decisions: