Wednesday, January 24, 2018

Fluffy Meatballs & Cauliflower Rice

Here's a dinner that's ready in twenty minutes- but for REAL. I love preparing saucy things to serve over cauliflower rice because it sops up all the flavor- and even though it isn't real rice- it is a very good rice substitute. These meatballs are the perfect balance of flavor; they're salty, and full of nice texture, and fragrance from the onions and herbs. This is a healthy comfort food dinner that you don't need to feel bad about if you're down for seconds. 


Ingredients
1.5 lbs ground beef
2 yellow onions ( 1 onion small chopped, 1 onion julienned)
2 large eggs
1/2 bunch cilantro, finely chopped
1/2 bunch parsley, finely chopped
1/4 cup + 1/3 cup soy sauce OR coconut aminos
1/3 cup water
1 tsp coarse black pepper
1 tsp kosher salt 
1 tsp granulated garlic
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
16 oz sliced cremini mushrooms
4 cups steamed cauliflower

Directions
Preheat oven to 400° and position rack to the middle of the oven. In a large bowl add ground beef, small chopped onion, eggs, cilantro, parsley, 1/4 cup soy sauce, water, pepper, salt, and garlic until mixture is completely combined. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a 2tbsp- cookie dough scooper or spoon, form meatballs and line on cookie sheets (will make between 30-35 meatballs). Bake in the oven for 18 minutes until centers are cooked through. 

Meanwhile, heat a large pan over medium high heat. Once pan is hot, add oil and julienned onion. season with a pinch of salt and pepper. stir onions and let them sauté until lightly golden. Add the sliced mushrooms to the pan and continue to sauté; letting the liquid from the mushrooms cook out, and vegetables are browning and lightly crisping up 10-12 minutes. Add remaining 1/3 cup soy sauce to the pan and stir vegetables. Let them cook over a high flame for 4 more minutes, until half the liquid is remaining. 

Serve onions and mushrooms over cauliflower rice and top with meatballs. 

Yields: 4 servings 

Monday, January 15, 2018

Quick Pickled Onions

Quick pickled red onions are up there in my top refrigerator/pantry staples. I love how unfussy they are to make, and how much flavor they add to any dish. These onions give a brightness and brininess to every sandwich, go well over fried fish, and add crunch and the perfect amount of acid to salads; we pack these into schnitzel sandwiches, eat them over gravlax, and toss them into kale salads, but the options are really endless. 

Ingredients 
2 red onions, thinly sliced
2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
1 Tablespoon kosher salt
3/4 cup water
1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar 

Directions
In a microwave proof bowl combine the onions, sugar, and kosher salt. Whisk the water and vinegar together, then pour over onions. Make sure onions are submerged in liquid. Microwave onions for a minute then stir, and microwave for another minute; repeat this three times. Let onions cool to room temperature. store in air tight containers and refrigerate over night. Onions will keep for two weeks.

* You can do this on a stove top as well. Bring a small pot of all ingredients (with onions submerged) to a small simmer. Keep pot covered with a lid- you do not want to lose brine. Put onions over a very low flame for 5 minutes. Than bring to room temperature and jar. 



Wednesday, January 3, 2018

Salmon En Papillote

   Salmon En Papillote-- which literally means, "salmon in a bag," is so simple to make. This process of steaming salmon is fast, and keeps nutrients intact, and the fish buttery soft. 
New year's resolutions for most people include, "eating better." Whether or not this is your resolution, I think we all feel the post holiday effects. Here's to eating more mindfully in 2018. 



Ingredients 


8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, 

stemmed and thinly sliced 

1 bunch asparagus, 

trimmed and large chopped

1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced 


1 bunch cilantro, roughly chopped 


1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil


1 lemon, juiced + 

2 lemons cut in wedges for serving

2 tsp truffle zest 


2 tsp coarse salt 


2 tsp coarse black pepper 


4 wild salmon fillets



Directions 


Preheat oven to 425°. Cut four 12-by-17-inch pieces of parchment paper. fold each in half to make a crease, then unfold and lay flat. In a large bowl toss mushrooms, asparagus, scallions, and cilantro with oil, lemon juice, truffle zest, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper. 


Place one salmon fillet along the crease of each piece of parchment paper. lightly salt and pepper each piece of salmon. Evenly divide mushroom mixture on top of salmon fillets. squeeze a little lemon over each as well. fold parchment over ingredients. starting from the top corner fold parchment closed- continuing to make pleats all the way around the salmon to seal the parchment shut. Once you have reached the end, tightly twist the last corner of the parchment paper closed and fold under. 


Place pouched on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes. Bake until packets are lightly puffed. Open packets, squeeze with lemon and serve immediately. 


Wednesday, December 13, 2017

Linzer Torte Bars

 These jammy bars are the perfect holiday dessert. They're quick and easy to make, and pretty enough to gift. I made these with toasted almond flour however, regular almond flour will work just fine-- and if you'd prefer to use all purpose flour instead of white spelt flour that works just as well too. These taste like everything cozy and wintery; packed with toasted almonds, cinnamon, and fresh raspberry preserves. 

Ingredients
2 cups toasted almond flour
3 cups white spelt flour 
2 tsp. ground cinnamon 
1 tsp. kosher salt 
1 cup brown sugar 
1 cup + 2 tbsp butter 
1 1/2 cups raspberry preserves 
1 Tbsp. grated lemon zest
1 Tbsp. grated orange zest

Directions
Preheat oven to 325°. In large bowl whisk together the Almond flour, spelt flour, cinnamon, salt, and sugar. Cut butter into small pieces and gently work into the flour mixture until dough forms pea size crumbles. Reserve one and a half cups of crumble for topping. Grease a 9x13 pan. Evenly pack remaining dough into the pan. In a bowl stir together raspberry preserves, lemon, and orange zests. Then gently spread over the dough. Top bars with the reserved one and a half cups of crumble. turn oven heat up to 350°. bake bars for 30 minutes until golden brown and jam is slightly bubbling.


Tuesday, December 12, 2017

Pan Seared Cod & Winter Cabbage Slaw


I was inspired to make this recipe while I was trying to gather some quick dinner ideas, and spotted this in a Real Simple magazine. This dinner was a complete hit. I made the slaw right before we ate dinner, and loved that the cabbage was still cold and crisp. The recipe says it takes twenty minutes to make and I can vouch- it really did take exactly twenty minutes (which is all I have these days). I added some fresh jalapeño, a handful of mint, more cilantro- since we love throwing that into everything around here, and a light drizzle of avocado oil. This is so quick to make, healthy, family friendly, and if you do need a carb for your meal- would be great flaked over a taco, or served along with brown rice.


Ingredients 
1 medium head cabbage, finely shredded 
1 medium carrot, shredded
1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced
2 limes, juiced + 1 lime cut into wedges 
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
1/4 cup cilantro, lightly chopped
2 jalapeños, seeded and smalled diced
1/4 cup avocado oil 
1 tsp. kosher salt + some for seasoning fish
1/2 tsp. coarse black pepper
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter or vegetable oil
4 5oz. skinless cod fillets

Directions 
Combine cabbage, carrot, scallion, kosher salt, pepper, mint, cilantro, jalapeños, and avocado oil. Set aside. In a large nonstick skillet over medium-high melt butter, or heat oil. Rinse and pat dry fish fillets. season with kosher salt and black pepper on both sides. add fish to skillet. Cook until golden. About three minutes on each side. 
Yields: 4 servings 



Sunday, December 10, 2017

Cauliflower Latkes With Herb Yogurt & Olive Dipping Sauce


 These are not to replace potato latkes. Do not get me wrong- I dream of eating a crispy potato latke on Chanukah, all year round. However, I do not get dreamy about the over stuffed feeling, calorie exploding, instant sleepiness, attached to my latke pleasure. I figured it would be a good idea to come up with a second option for this Chanukah; I do plan on having one-- or who's kidding who here-- two potato latkes this holiday- but still feel that a healthier option is in order. These Cauliflower latkes, are lightly seasoned and tinted with turmeric, and stirred together with minced onion. You have the option to bake these- or lightly fry them in a couple tablespoons of oil. The herb and olive yogurt sauce adds a refreshing, and festive flavor, and makes these latkes an exciting Chanukah party appetizer.

Ingredients
3 cups riced cauliflower, steamed (fork tender)
1 medium onion, finely grated 
2 large eggs
3 tbsp white spelt flour
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon coarse black pepper
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
3 tablespoons vegetable oil

Yogurt Sauce
1 packed cup parsley
1 bunch chives
3 crushed garlic cloves
1 bunch scallions
1 cup pitted Manzanilla olives (or green olives of choice)
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt 
1 teaspoon coarse black pepper
2 cups full fat, plain Greek yogurt

Yields: 10 latkes + 1 tiny taster :)

Directions:

Prepare a wire rack over a large cookie sheet. In a large bowl mix together cauliflower rice, onion, eggs, flour, turmeric, salt, pepper, and garlic. Over a medium- high flame heat a large non stick pan. Once the pan is hot, add the oil. With a ice cream-or cookie dough- scooper, scoop batter into pan. Do not over crowd the latkes. Once the bottom sides are a golden brown- about 3 minutes per side, flip. Move latkes to the wire rack, keeping them crisp, and let excess oil drip off. Eat latkes while hot. 

Yogurt sauce: In a fitted bowl of a food processor- or a blender, add the parsley, chives, garlic, scallions, olives, oil, salt and pepper. Blend until ingredients form a thin paste. Stir paste into a bowl of plain greek yogurt. Serve with Latkes. 



Thursday, July 27, 2017

Savory Summer Vegetable & Cheese Tart


This tart recipe is very simple, and can be made with a store bought pie crust, or prepared in any tart crust. Looking for healthier options during the nine-days I decided to go with a more wholesome dough, however you can use whatever you'd like. 

Ingredients 
2 cups almond flour 
1/2 cup whole wheat flour 
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 large eggs 
1 teaspoon kosher salt 

filling 
5 oz fresh baby spinach 
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 bag Trader Joe's frozen sliced peppers
1/3 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
10oz cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 
2 tsp kosher salt 
1 tsp coarse black pepper
1 cup freshly grated cheese (manchego, cheddar, gouda)
1 tsp crushed chili flakes 

Directions
 Preheat oven to 375°. In a fitted bowl of a food processor, combine all tart dough ingredients until it forms a ball. gently roll dough on the counter and thinly spread to line a nonstick tart pan. prick light fork holes on the base of the tart crust and bake for 6-7 minutes in the oven until lightly toasted. 

 Heat a large nonstick pan over medium high heat. Add olive oil. Once olive oil is hot add the garlic, peppers, mushrooms, kosher salt and black pepper. stir and let cook until light browning, about 10 minutes. Add one bag of fresh spinach and lightly toss. Once spinach is wilted, remove pan from flame, and stir in freshly chopped parsley. 

 Sprinkle half of the cheese on the bottom of the pie crust. Top with all the sautéed vegetables. Sprinkle remaining cheese, and crushed chili flakes. Bake tart in the oven for 10 minutes, until cheese is sizzling and lighting golden.