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

Asian flavors · Rice · Salad

Sushi Salad

May 26, 2019October 21, 2020 Belinda

What is better than sushi? Sushi salad!

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Serves: 4

1.5 cups (300 g) frozen shelled edamame beans
4 cups (740 g) cooked brown rice
4 Persian cucumbers, sliced into rounds
2 small handfuls baby spinach leaves, julienned
1/3 cup pickled ginger, chopped
1 splash extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon (+ more for decorating) sesame seeds (white, black, or both), toasted
2 packs of roasted seaweed snack 1/2 crumbled into the rice and 1/2 julienned over the top at the end or 4 nori toasted seaweed sheets cut into strips
1 pinch sea salt
1 pinch black pepper

Sesame-Miso Dressing

3 level tbsp miso paste
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
1 tbsp mirin
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp sesame seeds (white, black, or both), toasted

Bring a small pot of salted water to the boil and add the edamame.
Cook for 1-2 minutes, until they are tender yet still crunchy.
Drain and run under cold water.

To make the dressing, whisk together the miso paste, sesame oil, mirin, sugar, and 1-2 tablespoons of water until well combined—you want the consistency of cream. Stir in the sesame seeds.

In a large bowl, combine the rice, edamame, cucumber, spinach, pickled ginger and crumbled toasted seaweed. Toss together gently, adding the dressing a little at a time, plus a splash of olive oil. Taste, and season to your liking.

To serve, transfer salad to a serving platter and top with some black sesame seeds and nori strips.

Fish · Gluten Free

Creamy garlic, lemon & spinach salmon

March 22, 2019 Belinda

This is a lovely 20-minute salmon supper for two which works really well served with sweet potato mash. Recipe c/o BBC Good Food

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2 sweet potatoes
1 tbsp olive oil or rapeseed oil
2 salmon fillets, skin removed
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
6 oz baby spinach
1 lemon, zested and ½ juiced, ½ thinly sliced
3 oz mascarpone
5 tbsp milk
Salt and lemon pepper

Heat the oven to 400F.
Pierce the sweet potatoes a few times each and microwave on high for 5 mins until soft (or alternatively, bake for 35-40 mins). Keep warm until ready to serve.

Season the salmon on both side with salt and lemon pepper
Heat half the oil in a frying pan and lightly brown the salmon on both sides – don’t worry about it being cooked through at this point.
Transfer the salmon to a plate, wipe out the pan and heat the remaining oil. Cook the garlic for 30 seconds, without letting it brown, then add the spinach, lemon zest and juice and some seasoning.
Stir in the mascarpone and 2 tbsp of the milk and cook until the spinach has wilted.

Tip the spinach mix into an ovenproof dish and top with the lemon slices and salmon fillets. Bake for 5-8 mins until the salmon is cooked through.

Meanwhile, scoop the sweet potato flesh from the skins and mash with the remaining milk, some butter and seasoning.
Serve the sweet potato mash alongside the salmon and creamy spinach.

Appetizer Vegetarian · Asian flavors · Dairy-free · Gluten Free · Vegan · Whole30 compliant

Meet my beets.

March 4, 2019July 23, 2019 Belinda

This is such a lovely (and quick) recipe with a really super combination of flavors

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Recipe and photo c/o Lakshmi Sundar on the website “Food 52”

Serves: 4
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min

2-3 beets
2 cups fresh spinach leaves, cleaned
4 tbsp freshly grated coconut (or 2 tbsp coconut milk)
1 tsp mustard seeds
1-2 dried chili pods
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp olive oil or avocado oil
1 tsp salt (or to taste)

Wash and peel the beets and cut into small cubes.
Heat oil in a pan.
Add the mustard seeds and dried chili pods to the hot oil.
When the mustard seeds start popping, add the beets, salt, and turmeric powder. Stir, cover and cook till the beets are cooked, yet crunchy (about 10-15 minutes).
Add the spinach, fresh coconut or coconut milk and toss a few times.
Serve

Asian flavors · Fish · Whole30 compliant

Stir-fried sesame shrimp and spinach

January 5, 2019 Belinda

More clean-eating recipes, this one from Martha Rose Shulman

The classic Chinese way to clean shrimp and ensure a succulent flavor and crisp texture is to use a combination of salt and water, either dousing the shrimp in two rinses of heavily salted water or rubbing the shrimp with salt, then rinsing with water. I recommend bunch spinach for this; you don’t have to stem it, just cut away the base of the leaves and rinse well.

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1lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
Salt to taste
⅛ tsp sugar (leave out if on Whole 30)
2 tbsp light sesame oil
1 tbsp minced ginger
1 tbsp minced garlic
¼ to ½ tsp crumbled dried red chili
2 tbsp sesame seeds
1 generous bunch spinach (about 1 pound), stems trimmed at the end, rinsed in 2 changes water
2 tsp dark sesame oil

Place the shrimp in a large colander and rinse with water. Sprinkle generously with salt and toss together for about a minute. Rinse with water and repeat. After rinsing one more time, drain on paper towels. Pat dry with more paper towels.

Combine 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt (to taste) and the sugar in a small bowl and place close to your wok.

Heat a 14-inch flat-bottomed wok over high heat until a drop of water evaporates within a second or two when added to the pan. Swirl in 1 tablespoon of the oil by adding it to the sides of the pan and swirling the pan, then add the garlic, ginger and chili flakes and stir-fry for no more than 10 seconds. Push to the sides of the pan and add the shrimp in one layer. Let cook undisturbed for 1 minute, then add the remaining oil and stir-fry for 1 minute.

Add the sesame seeds and spinach and stir-fry for 1 minute, until it has begun to wilt but the wilting is still uneven. Add the salt and sugar, sprinkling it evenly over the spinach, and continue to stir-fry until the spinach has wilted but is still bright and the shrimp are cooked through and bright pink, about 2 more minutes. Remove from the heat, drizzle on the sesame oil, toss together and serve, with rice, noodles or other grains.

Fish

Tuscan butter salmon

November 1, 2018 Belinda

A delicious and easy salmon recipe that has a smooth, silky sauce and the fresh pop of cherry tomatoes and fresh basil.

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SERVES 4

2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
4 (6-oz) salmon fillets, patted dry with paper towels
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 tbsp. unsalted butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
2 cups baby spinach
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup Parmesan
1/4 cup chopped basil, plus more for garnish
Lemon wedges, for serving (optional)

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil. Season the salmon all over with salt and pepper. When the oil is shimmering but not smoking, add the salmon skin-side up and cook until deeply golden, about 6 minutes. Flip over and cook 2 minutes more. Transfer to a plate.

Reduce heat to medium and add butter. When the butter has melted, stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the cherry tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Cook until tomatoes are beginning to burst then add the spinach and cook until the spinach is beginning to wilt.

Stir in the heavy cream, parmesan and herbs and bring the mixture to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the sauce is slightly reduced, about 3 minutes.

Return the salmon back to skillet and spoon over the sauce. Simmer until the salmon is cooked through, about 3 minutes more.

Garnish with more herbs and squeeze the lemon on top before serving.

Breakfast · Egg based

Green Shakshuka

August 26, 2018 Belinda

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Serves 3 to 5

3 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 lb baby spinach
1 shallot (or scallions), minced
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
5 large organic eggs
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco, divided
1/2 avocado, thinly sliced
salt and pepper to taste
micro cilantro or more cilantro leaves for garnish

Place a large skillet over medium heat and add 1 tbsp oil. Add spinach and sauté until wilted, 3 to 4 minutes.
Transfer to a colander and drain excess water by pressing into the spinach with the back of a wooden spoon (squeezing out with your hands if needed). Set aside.
Place the skillet back over heat and add 1 1/2 tbsp oil. Add the shallots and garlic and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the cumin and coriander, continue to sauté for 1 to 2 minutes and season with salt and pepper.
Add the spinach back to skillet and lightly season with salt and pepper Sauté for 1 minute. Stir in the cilantro.
Transfer half of the mixture to a food processor and puree with remaining 1 tbsp oil, until mixture is smooth. Pour the puree back into the skillet and stir to combine. Spread the mixture into an even layer and create 5 wells in the spinach mixture.
Carefully crack an egg into each well and cook the mixture for 2 to 3 minutes.
Pour the water around the edge of the skillet and cover for about 2 minutes, allowing the mixture to steam and the egg whites to set.
Remove the lid and sprinkle with half of cheese. Lightly season with salt and pepper.
Remove the shakshuka from the stove and lightly season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. Finish with sliced avocado and more cilantro.
Serve immediately with toasted baguette or pita.

Gluten Free · Vegetable sides · Vegetable-related

Spaghetti squash with cheese, garlic and spinach

April 28, 2018 Belinda

This gorgeous recipe comes from a vegetarian blog called “Peas and Crayons”

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AUTHOR JENN LAUGHLIN – PEAS AND CRAYONS

YIELD 2-4 SERVINGS

1 medium spaghetti squash
2.5 tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp olive or avocado oil
5 oz fresh spinach, chopped
1/2 cup cream
1 tbsp cream cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus extra for topping
salt and pepper, to taste
grated or sliced mozzarella for topping, to taste

Pre-heat oven to 400F.
Slice your spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds.
For easy cutting, feel free to stick your squash in the microwave to soften it up just a tad. Pierce it a few times with a knife (to help vent so it doesn’t burst) and cook for for 3-5 minutes. The knife slides through way easier this way! Smaller squash will need about 3 minutes while larger ones will be good to go at 4-5 min.

Next grab a lipped baking sheet or a rimmed baking dish.
Rub the cut side of the squash with a teeny bit of olive oil and place on your baking dish/sheet and roast face-down for about 40 minutes, or until tender and easily pierced with a fork. Cooking time will vary a bit depending on the size of your squash, and larger squash will need to roast a bit longer to tenderize. Once ready, the once rock-hard exterior of the squash will be visibly softened with a tender interior.

The squash can be roasted and stored in the fridge for a few days if you’d like to meal prep and plan ahead for a speedier dinner.

While the squash roasts, start on the sauce.

In a medium pot or skillet, bring a drizzle of olive oil to medium-high heat and sauté the garlic until fragrant.
Next add the spinach and stir until wilted. Add your cream, cream cheese and parmesan cheese and stir well.
Season with salt and pepper to taste and remove from heat.
Once the squash is done roasting, allow to cool until easily handled or pop on an oven mitt and use a fork to separate and fluff the strands of spaghetti squash.
Pour your sauce over each squash boat, stir to mix, and top with a little mozzarella cheese and additional parmesan cheese, if desired.

Bake at 350 degrees F for around 20 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

For a golden cheesy topping, flip your oven to broil on high for just a minute or two until lightly browned.