Red quinoa salad with mango, lime & ginger

June 1, 2019 Belinda

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1 cup red quinoa
1 cup snap peas, stem removed
1/2 cup cashews, (roasted, unsalted)
5 -6 scallions, rinsed and trimmed
2 mangoes, peeled
1–2 serrano chilies (or Thai bird chilies or jalapenos — whatever hot chilies you like best)
an inch-long (or slightly bigger) knob of ginger, peeled
kosher salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 to 2 limes, juiced

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Meanwhile, place the quinoa in a fine-meshed sieve and rinse under cold water. When the water comes to a boil, add the quinoa and simmer for 9 minutes.
Drain in a fine-meshed sieve and run under cold water until cool. Set aside to dry.
Meanwhile, prepare the remaining ingredients:
Slice the snap peas on a bias and set aside.
Roughly chop the cashews.
Slice the scallions (white and light green portions) thinly.
Slice down around the pit of the mango to remove, then dice the flesh.
Remove the seeds from the chilies, then finely dice.
Grate the ginger on a box grater or finely dice with a knife or purée in a food processor. You need about a tablespoon (or more or less to taste) of minced ginger flesh/juice.
Place the drained and dried quinoa into a large mixing bowl.
Season all over with salt (I used one teaspoon kosher salt to start) and pepper to taste.
Add the snap peas, cashews, scallions, chilies, mangoes (or not if you have time to let the salad marinate in the fridge for a bit), minced ginger, olive oil and about two tablespoons of lime juice to the bowl.
Toss and taste. Adjust seasoning as necessary.
I added two more tablespoons of lime juice and a pinch more salt. Let the salad marinate in the fridge for an hour, if possible.
Fold in the mangoes just before serving.

Gluten Free · Salad

Shaved fennel salad with avocado, lemon and currants

June 1, 2019June 1, 2019 Belinda

A few tips for this gorgeous, light, summery salad.

* A mandoline is not essential, but it’s very helpful for slicing the fennel thinly. What’s great about using a mandoline for this recipe, is that there’s no need to core the fennel bulbs — when shaved thinly, the core is fine left intact.
* If you soak the currants in a little bit of hot water and vinegar — they will soften/plump up a bit.

* The original recipe (from “Piatti”) calls for snap peas, however they can be tricky — when they’re good, they’re amazing; when they’re not good, they’re stringy and tough. This recipe subs in raw, shaved asparagus, and they worked beautifully. Later in the summer, raw, shaved zucchini will be a nice option here, too.

* Swap in other herbs for the parsley: mint, chives, or dill would all work nicely here.

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Serves 4

1 tablespoon dried currants
A splash white balsamic vinegar
2 fennel bulbs, sliced thinly on a mandoline or with a knife
1/4 cup (or more) loosely packed fennel fronds
1/4 lb. asparagus, peeled with a peeler, see notes above or snap peas (100 g) snap peas, stemmed and sliced on the diagonal
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 – 1/2 cup finely chopped parsley
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste
2 tbsp olive oil, plus more to taste
salt, (I use Maldon sea salt)
freshly cracked pepper to taste
1 avocado, thinly sliced
Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese or Pecorino Romano, shaved with a vegetable peeler

Place the currants in a small bowl.
Splash in some vinegar (maybe a teaspoon) and then cover with hot tap water — about a tablespoon. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the fennel, fronds, asparagus or snap peas, onion, and parsley.
Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Toss.
Add the olive oil and fresh lemon juice and toss again. Taste. If it’s too tart, add more olive oil by the tablespoon till it tastes right. If it needs more dressing, add more olive oil and lemon to taste. If it’s not tart enough, add more lemon (or a splash of vinegar).
Drain the currants and add to the bowl. Add the avocado, and toss again.
Shave in Parmigiano-Reggiano to taste. Toss. Taste.
Adjust seasonings as necessary, and serve.

Baking · Dairy-free · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Vegan · Whole30 compliant

Purely nuts and seeds bread

May 30, 2019September 7, 2022 Belinda

This is a non-dairy, grain-free Paleo/Whole 30/Keto complaint recipe.

Use a combination of whole nuts and smaller seeds. Use whatever you have lying around, it will work as long as you follow the rest of the directions.
Do not cut the whole nuts, they slice beautifully in the finished product.
Do not omit the flax seed, and if possible use ground flax seeds. These, along with the egg, serve as a binder for the bread.
Cook for the specified length of time.
Be sure to grease the pan well so the beautiful seed bread pops right out.

It’s SO easy to make!

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3 cups mixed nuts and seeds left whole, for example;
1/2 cup pistachios
1/2 cup almonds
1/2 cup flax seed (try and use ground flax seed, as it’s a great binder)
1/2 cup walnuts
1/2 cup sesame Seeds
1/2 cup cashews

Other ingredients
3 eggs
1/4 cup oil
1/3 tsp salt

Preheat the oven to 325 F
In a large bowl, mix everything together.
Pour into a greased loaf pan.
Bake at 325F for 45 mins and then let the pan cool for 10 minutes.
Turn out the bread and let it finish cooling.

Accompaniments · Dairy-free · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Vegan · Whole30 compliant

Roasted garlic confit

May 30, 2019September 7, 2022 Belinda3 Comments

Confit garlic is nothing more than the peeled cloves slow cooked in a bath of seasoned oil. This strips the raw cloves of their acidity, removes their sharp heat, and concentrates their sweetness. Use these soft cloves anytime butter or garlic is called for in a savory recipe, and especially if raw garlic is too harsh for you.
Garlic confit will last forever (okay, a month) as long as you put it in a clean jar, refrigerate it, and refrain from double dipping. If the spoonful of confit touches other food, don’t put that same spoon back into the jar for more. This calls for 4 cups total of oil. If it isn’t enough to cover the garlic cloves completely, add more. To freeze, first puree the cloves and store in 3-tablespoon portions in small resealable plastic bags. Let thaw before using.

Not only is it Paleo/Keto/Whole 30 compliant, the garlic cloves become soft, buttery and very sweet, it’s like eating candy! Peeling the garlic is a bit of a pain, but it’s so worth it.
ALWAYS have some of this in your refrigerator to add to so many dishes, or just to mash onto some toast.

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4 cups olive oil (always have more incase you need it)
4 cups peeled garlic cloves
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, ripped
1.5 tsp black peppercorns
1 tbsp Kosher salt
8-10 good-sized sprigs of rosemary or thyme
2 bay leaves

Preheat the oven to 300°F.

Place the garlic cloves, bay leaf, thyme or rosemary, salt, and peppercorns in a heavy-bottomed, oven-proof pot. Spread out evenly and make sure the garlic cloves are submerged in the oil.

Pour the olive oil over to cover. Cover, transfer to the oven, and bake until the garlic cloves are pale gold and tender (you should be able to smash them with the back of a spoon), about 50 minutes.
Cool to room temperature.

Transfer the cloves and oil to a clean, wide-mouthed resealable jar.
Store in the fridge for up to 6 weeks and don’t worry if the oil becomes solid, just remove it from the fridge for 30 mins or so until it becomes liquid again.

** When you use the garlic, sprinkling it with a good quality salt is really nice.

Accompaniments · Appetizer Vegetarian · Dairy-free · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Vegan · Whole30 compliant

Roasted, spiced pumpkin seeds

May 29, 2019September 7, 2022 Belinda

We love to live the Whole 30/Paleo lifestyle at home as it makes us feel good, energetic and healthy.
We rarely snack except on fruit, nuts and seeds, and this recipe is a wonderful way of having something a little different available when you’re peckish or to bring out when friends drop by.

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Spice Mix
1 cup raw hulled pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
3/4 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp kosher salt
3/4 tsp granulated garlic (NOT garlic salt)

1 tbsp olive oil

Mix together until well combined in a small bowl; the smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, kosher salt and granulated garlic. (You can of course experiment with the amounts after you’ve tried it this way)

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a sturdy frying pan, add the pumpkin seeds. Stir continuously, as they start to brown, for about 6 to 7 minutes. If they start to char, then turn the heat down.

Remove from the heat, add the spice mixture and stir in well. Return to the heat for about 2 minutes, stirring well and then remove from the heat.
Let cool and keep in a container or jar with a tight-fitting lid.
Enjoy!

Dairy-free · Gluten Free · Poultry · Whole30 compliant

Creamy Tuscan Chicken

May 28, 2019May 28, 2019 Belinda

This is a one-pan, dairy-free, gluten-free (Paleo & Whole 30 compliant) recipe that is really delicious. From the blog, “Real Simple Good”

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Serves 4

1 shallot, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp pepper
4 chicken breasts
2 tbsp ghee
1/4 cup chicken broth
2 tbsp arrowroot starch
1.5 cups full fat coconut milk
1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes
1/4 cup basil chopped
3 cups spinach
Chopped parsley optional topping

Prepare shallot and garlic as noted. Place Italian seasoning, sea salt and pepper in a small bowl and mix.
Place the chicken breasts between two pieces of parchment paper and pound them down to make them even in thickness. Sprinkle each side of the chicken with the Italian seasoning mix.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add ghee.
Once hot, add the chicken to the pan (you may have to cook the chicken in 2 batches depending on the size of your pan). Cook, without disturbing for 3-4 minutes, until a nice brown crust has formed. Flip and cook another 3-4 minutes on the other side, until the chicken is mostly cooked through.
While the chicken is cooking, whisk together chicken broth and arrowroot starch.
Remove chicken from the skillet and set aside. Lower the heat to medium.
Add more ghee if needed and add the garlic and shallot to the pan. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes.
Add coconut milk, chicken broth, sun dried tomatoes and basil to the pan. Stir to mix, scraping up any browned bits remaining in the pan from when you cooked your chicken.

Add the chicken breasts back to the skillet with the sauce. Cover and turn heat down to low. Simmer for about 5 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked.
When the chicken is almost finished, add in the spinach. You might have to add it in in batches. Stir the spinach in until wilted.

Serve with vegetables, potatoes, rice or cauli rice.
Spoon some sauce over everything for serving. Sprinkle with chopped parsley

Dessert · Gluten Free

Slow-Roasted Sweet Potatoes (for Dessert!)

May 26, 2019 Belinda

This is the most interesting and easy dessert.

Recipe by Josh Cohen:
Slow-roasting sweet potatoes brings out their natural sweetness and delicate soft texture—so why not serve them for dessert? A post-roast broiling adds a slight charred smokiness that pairs beautifully with rich maple syrup. Coconut-flavored yogurt and the addition of orange zest and freshly ground black pepper make the entire dish feel surprisingly light. —Josh Cohen

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Serves: 6-8 people

4 sweet potatoes (long, skinny sweet potatoes are best)
Olive oil
Maple syrup or honey
1 cup coconut yoghurt, or more
2 Navel oranges
Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 300° F.
Rinse the sweet potatoes, pat them dry, and place them on a rimmed baking sheet lined with a silpat (or parchment paper). Rub the outside of each sweet potato with just enough olive oil to coat.
Roast the sweet potatoes for approximately two and a half hours. Pierce them with a fork to test for doneness; the flesh should be very soft, the potatoes cooked all the way through.
Remove the sweet potatoes from the oven.
Set the oven to broil.
Use a sharp knife to slice a slit across the top of each sweet potato long-ways. Drizzle maple syrup over each sweet potato (about 2 teaspoons per sweet potato). Place the sweet potatoes under the broiler and cook them until the edges of the potato skin begin to char and crisp (approximately five minutes, and no longer than 10 minutes).
Keep a close eye on the sweet potatoes while they are broiling to make sure they don’t burn.
When the sweet potatoes look slightly charred around the edges, remove them from the oven.
Wait until the sweet potatoes are warm or room temperature before serving.
To serve an individual portion, place two large spoonfuls of coconut yogurt at the bottom of a plate or shallow bowl. Place half of one sweet potato on top of the yogurt.
Using a fine microplane, garnish the sweet potato with orange zest.
Add a crack or two of freshly ground black pepper over the top of your sweet potato.

*If you have a sweet tooth, add an extra drizzle of maple syrup.

Gluten Free · Sauces

Blue cheese & pink peppercorn sauce for steak or beef

May 20, 2019 Belinda

There is nothing better than a great sauce to have with a roasted fillet of beef, or rib-eye steak. This sauce is a killer, as it has the fruitiness of the pink peppercorns and the saltiness of the blue cheese.

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For the sauce
1 tbsp pink peppercorns
1 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp finely chopped shallots
1/4 cup brandy (nothing fancy)
1/2 cup cream (don’t use half & half; it could separate)
salt
3-4 oz blue cheese, either Gorgonzola or Cambazola.

Grind the peppercorns with a mortar and pestle, and chop the shallot.

Make the sauce.
Pour off the fat in pan and melt the butter in it over medium flame. Add the shallots and cook until they begin to soften, about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove the pan from heat and add the brandy… carefully—it may spatter.
Return the pan to heat and cook for 1 or 2 minutes, scraping up any browned bits, until slightly thickened.
Add the cream and peppercorns to pan.
Salt generously and stir to combine.
Raise the heat slightly and cook the sauce until it reduces by half, stirring frequently. Crumble the blue cheese into the hot sauce and stir through as it melts into the sauce.
Stir in any accumulated juices from the steak plate.

Appetizer Vegetarian · Gluten Free · Vegetable sides · Vegetable-related

Paprika-Seared Potato Wedges with Olive-Date Tapenade & Date Sour Cream

May 3, 2019 Belinda

Another great recipe from the food blog “The Original Dish”, author, Kayla Howey
I love the way she is so inventive with vegetables and highly recommend going on her blog and signing up.

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Serves 4
Date Sour Cream
8 oz pitted Medjool dates
1 cup cream sherry
8 oz sour cream
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper

Paprika-Seared Potatoes
2 lbs russet potatoes, scrubbed and wedged (about 4 large potatoes)
2 tablespoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ lemon

Olive-Date Tapenade
4 oz pitted Medjool dates, finely chopped
5 oz black pitted olives, finely chopped
1/2 oz capers, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon lemon juice
¼ teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 tablespoon olive oil
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper

Combine the dates and cream sherry in a small saucepan. Bring the sherry to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for about 25-30 minutes until the dates have absorbed most (but not all) of the sherry. Let the mixture cool.
In a food processor, blend the cooled date mixture until smooth. In a mixing bowl, combine 3 ounces of the date mixture with the sour cream, salt and pepper. Whisk until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a mixing bowl, toss the potato wedges with the paprika, salt and pepper. Make sure each wedges is coated with paprika. Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. When the oil is sizzling hot, add the potato wedges (you may need to work in batches; you don’t want to overcrowd the pan).
Lower the heat to medium and sear the potatoes until golden brown, a few minutes per side. Transfer the pan to the oven to finish cooking the potatoes, about 10 more minutes. Squeeze the lemon over the potatoes as soon as they come out of the oven.

Combine the dates, olives, capers, lemon juice, lemon zest, parsley, olive oil, salt and pepper in a mixing bowl. Mix to incorporate.

To Serve
Spread the date sour cream on a plate. Place the potato wedges on the plate and spoon the olive-date tapenade over the top. Alternatively, serve the date sour cream in a bowl with the tapenade on top and potato wedges alongside.
notes

** To lighten this dish up, try Greek yogurt instead of sour cream. You also will have extra date puree. Save this to flavor other dishes or to make the sour cream again. You can freeze it if needed.