Well kids, here we are. Can’t believe it’s Christmas…………again.

The Missus and I just got back from a brilliant weekend back in Austin, Texas, sort of early Christmas if you will along with a big Texas piss up to celebrate my father-in-law’s 66th. All the in-laws were in attendance and I’m not sure there are enough words to describe all the madness. Or maybe there’s too many words…either way, we’ll keep it in the family as they say. Of course while there we had to hit up another famous barbecue joint, Stubb’s BBQ. The food wasn’t as killer as the Salt Lick but the ambiance was cool. It’s a huge live music scene but we only had time for some grub. Let me tell you, it’s true what they say about Austin being the ‘Live Music Capital’ as there’s live music ALL. THE. TIME. What a scene!
We hit up The Continental Club on a Saturday afternoon and the gaff was jointed! Live rockabilly & country music with dancers–great craic. Little known fact (just because it’s Christmas) I used to rock the cowboy boot look back in the day in Dublin–waaay before anyone else was rockin’ that look. (Cool? Debatable. I thought so. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.)

Anyway, it was another great trip to Austin, family and food-wise. Has anyone eaten at Guero’s on Congress? It’s a fun taco bar where they make their own corn tortillas fresh right there in front of you. On my last visit to Texas I saw fresh flour tortillas being whipped up and this time it was corn. Gotta love those fresh tortillas and now I get why Texans love tortillas. If only I had that recipe!

(Photos by Andrew Collins and orthogonalthought.com)

After eating my way through Austin it’s a good thing we booked a catering gig for today, Christmas Day, so I can work off my tortilla belly. I’m lookin’ forward to it actually. Christmas is all about family for me (and everyone else) and since all mine are back in the homeland I’m happy to work (with the Missus in tow of course). I’ve got quite the menu planned for this event–how does this sound: Brined Roast Heritage turkey with homemade gravy & cranberry relish, Balsamic-Agave Glazed Ham, Butternut Squash Soup, Twice Baked Sweet Pots and Smashed Roasted Mini Pots, Sauteed Green Beans with Sun-dried Tomatoes, Roast Seasonal Farmers’ Market Veg, Cornbread Muffins, Mixed Baby Greens with Shaved Fennel, Spiced Pumpkin Seeds, Goat’s Cheese and homemade vinaigrette. Whew. Let’s not forget dessert(s)!!

So that’s my day. We’ll celebrate on Saturday in true LA style by probably heading to the beach. Could be worse right?

I hope you guys all have a very Happy & Healthy Christmas!

As we say,

For the next week or so I’m going to be giving you guys some Christmasy recipes that are perfect for this time of year. A lot of the Christmas food I grew up eating is similar to the Thanksgiving food here as it seems the two holidays are very similar food-wise. You have all the usual suspects of turkey, ham, gravy, stuffing, spuds, veggies, cranberry sauce and whatever other family tradition you might have. With Thanksgiving done and dusted I’ve already made some great seasonal turkey recipes that are also interchangeable for the Crimbo, like my Persimmon & Couscous Stuffed Turkey or Rice n Herb Stuffed Turkey along with other seasonal bits n pieces like a delicious seasonal Persimmon Salad or Pumpkin Soup. I’ve got lots of ideas throughout the blog though I’m always on the lookout for some new variations of the old reliables and this green bean recipe is definitely a festive idea.

Although I’d love to take credit for this recipe…..I can’t because I saw it in Cooking Light Magazine. They used the dish as a salad but I’ve made it a few times now as a side dish at home. It’s not only delicious but the colours are vibrant and Christmasy yet most of all it’s also healthy.

Enjoy!

RECIPE:
Serves 8 servings (serving size: about 3/4 cup)

1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2  garlic cloves, minced
3  tablespoons pine nuts, toasted and divided
2  tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
16 large basil leaves (about 1/2 cup)
1 1/2  pounds haricots verts
3 tablespoons chopped ready-to-use sun-dried tomatoes

DIRECTIONS:

Heat oil and garlic in a small skillet over medium heat; cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; cool slightly. Combine garlic mixture, 1 tablespoon nuts, vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, pepper, and basil in a food processor; pulse until well combined.
Cook beans in boiling water 4 minutes or until crisp-tender; drain. Rinse under cold water; drain. Place in a large bowl. Add basil mixture and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt; toss to coat. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons nuts and tomatoes.

NUTRITIONAL INFO:
Calories:              76
Fat:                       4.9g (sat 0.5g,mono 2.5g,poly 1.4g)
Protein:               2.3g
Carbohydrate:    7.6g
Fiber:                  3.3g
Cholesterol:       0.0mg
Iron:                    1.3mg
Sodium:              150mg
Calcium:             40mg

All recipes are made with the finest quality farmers market whole foods, natural and non-processed ingredients as much as possible.

The countdown to turkey time is on, not to mention the nap that comes after it so I figured I’d give you guys a light healthy salad as well as an option for the veggies who might be headed your way. I’ve been doing a few things with persimmons recently (Persimmon stuffed turkey) since I got them in my CSA box. With my missus being a veggie I thought I’d make her a salad for lunch the last day so this is what the end result was. We grow our own lettuce so I have to say it’s quite cool being able to go out and just pick the lettuce from the back yard. The crunchiness of the persimmons are dynamite here as well and really work well with the other ingredients.

RECIPE:
Serves 4

1 large head of butter lettuce, Boston lettuce or any lettuce from your garden as I used
3 medium-size firm but ripe Fuyu persimmons – peeled & diced
1 ripe avocado – peeled & diced
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
1/4 cup chopped toasted hazelnuts

CHAMPAGNE VINAIGRETTE
2 tablespoons Champagne vinegar
1 tablespoon shallot – minced
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 tsp agave
1/3 cup olive oil
S&P to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Combine vinegar, shallot, agave and mustard in small bowl or food processor. Gradually whisk in oil. Taste and season dressing with S&P.

Place lettuce in large bowl. Sprinkle with persimmons, cheese, nuts and avo. Drizzle champagne vinaigrette over the top and you’ve got yourself one gorgeous delicious Thanksgiving salad!

All recipes are made with the finest quality farmers market whole foods, natural and non-processed ingredients as much as possible.

Fig season is winding down but would you believe I still have some on my tree, which I’m either giving away as tips/birthday/wedding/(early) Christmas pressies or I’m making something with them. This is a salad that my missus made herself for lunch the other day. The toasted walnuts really add a great flavor to this salad.

RECIPE:
Serves one

large handful of fresh lettuce leaves
3 fresh figs, sliced in quarters
1 oz. walnut halves, toasted dry in a pan
sprinkling of blue cheese
2 tbsp. homemade balsamic dressing

Balsamic Vinaigrette:
2 1/2 tbsp mustard
4 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup fresh oregano
1 1/2 cups olive oil
1 tsp agave / honey
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 pepper

Directions:
Put all the ingredients,  except the oil in a blender. With the machine running, drizzle in oil. Vinaigrette will emulsify.
Taste for additional seasoning if required.

Store refrigerated for up to 3 weeks.

Alternatively if you do not have a blender use a recycled, clean, pasta or condiment jar. Put all the ingredients in the jar and give it a good shake.
NOTE: Fine chop the herbs first before mixing.

All recipes are made with the finest quality farmers market whole foods, natural and non-processed ingredients as much as possible.

I can hear it now across the pond…’What is Kweenoah anyway?’ That was you Mr. Eske, was it not?
Pronounced KEENWA, this is an ancient “grain” native to South America. It is high in protein and has light, fluffy texture when cooked. Its mild, slightly nutty flavour makes it an excellent alternative to rice or couscous. I actually started making this recipe with couscous so if you can’t find quinoa in your local health food store, substitute couscous and you’ll be good to go–delicious either way.
Not only is this dish packed with nutrients but it also makes a brilliant light summery side dish perfect for barbecues, picnics (Labor Day anyone?), lunches for the kids or even just as a snack in the fridge.

QUINOA & LENTIL SALAD

Serves 6

1 cup lentils (I used regular green lentils)
1 cup quinoa (I used red quinoa)
3 tbsp white-wine vinegar
2 tsp salt
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup fresh mint, finely chopped
2 tbsp lemon zest
S&P to taste

DIRECTIONS

Begin by rinsing the lentils under cold water. In a small saucepan add enough water to cover the lentils by 2 inches, add 1 tsp salt and simmer until tender but not falling apart, about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, place quinoa, 2 cups water and 1 tsp salt in another saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer, cover and cook until all water is absorbed, about 15 minutes, approx.
When lentils are done, drain well. Remove hot lentils to a large mixing bowl and stir in 1 tbsp of vinegar, salt and pepper to taste. Cool lentils completely, stirring occasionally.
When quinoa is cooked, drain any excess liquid. Cool and add to lentils in mixing bowl.

In a small bowl whisk together remaining 2 tbsp vinegar, oil, S&P to taste. Combine lentils, quinoa and dressing. Add in mint and zest. Mix well. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

I also throw in a little fresh chopped lemon balm if I have some in the garden, which adds another dimension. I’ll definitely be making this for the weekend!

All recipes are made with the finest quality farmers market whole foods, natural and non-processed ingredients as much as possible.

It all started when our lovely neighbor, Erica (the green thumbed guru in our Urban Gardens series), brought me a big bunch of fresh parsley plucked from her garden. The timing couldn’t have been better. I had already started making this tabbouleh but I was going to make it without parsley because I had just used my last bit in homemade veg stock. Now my recipe just got better!

Traditionally Tabbouleh, a Lebanese dish, is predominately made of up of parsley with the bulgur and other ingredients taking the back seat. The Americanized version has bulgur being the main ingredient and everything else is used to complement that flavor, such as this version. This recipe still has the Middle Eastern flair though, from the addition of cumin and coriander to spice it up. Both of these spices are renowned as having health and nutritional benefits not to mention adding great flavour.

Coriander is considered both an herb and a spice since both its leaves and its seeds are used as a seasoning condiment. When I first moved to the States I had to adjust to coriander being called ‘cilantro’, with coriander referring to the seeds. In Europe coriander refers to the leafy plant as well as the seeds. To clear up any confusion, the leafy cilantro/coriander plant produces seeds which, when dried, are the portions used as the dried spice, and like cumin, coriander seeds are available whole or in ground powder form. That’s a mouthful! Along with containing a healthy dose of vitamins and minerals, coriander is known to aid in digestion, is believed to help lower cholesterol and ongoing studies are showing coriander might contain a powerful weapon to naturally fight the Salmonella bacteria. Good to know, especially these days!

RECIPE:
Serves 8

2 1/2 cups bulgur wheat
8 oz sugar snap peas
2 cups frozen peas
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves – minced
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
4 tbsp (1/4 cup) fresh mint – chopped
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
3/4 cup fresh parsley – chopped
1 lemon – zested
1/2 lemon – juiced
S&P to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Begin by putting the bulgur in a large mixing bowl and cover with plenty of cold water, about an inch above the grain. Let soak for 30 minutes. Once soaked, drain and using your muscles, squeeze out the excess liquid. In a small bowl add all remaining ingredients except for peas. Whisk ingredients together and pour over bulgur. Mix well. Taste and season with S&P. Let stand for 30 minutes to absorb flavour.

Meanwhile, in a preheated large saute pan, add sugar snap and garden peas with 1/2 cup water. Loosely lay sheet of foil over and cook peas for 1 minute. Give them a stir after 30 seconds.
Drain and pat dry. Add to bulgur mixture and combine all ingredients together. Taste and season and you’re ready to rock!

All recipes are made with the finest quality farmers market whole foods, natural and non-processed ingredients as much as possible.

Welcome to our 3rd and final installment for turmeric week. I suppose when I asked myself, ‘could I do more?’ I wasn’t messin’ about! I had a blast trying out all these new recipes and I definitely learned some new skills. I hope you enjoyed this week as much as I did.

If you’re not familiar with quinoa, it’s time to try it out! Quinoa is packed full of nutrients and is cooked very much like rice although it has more protein than most other grains. I’m a big fan of using quinoa in place of rice because it adds a nutty flavor, which also adds a new dimension. It’s not as heavy as rice tends to be, it’s light and nutty—just like my Missus. (Ha! I’ll get some brownie points for that!)

RECIPE:
Serves 4

1/2 can garbanzo beans (15 oz can) Also known as chickpeas.
1  tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 lemon – zested
2 1/2 tbsp olive oil

1 garlic clove – minced
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp sweet paprika
1/4 tsp cinnamon

1 cup veg broth / water
1/2 cup quinoa – rinsed (any color quinoa works–I used Inca Red)
1/4 tsp salt

2 zucchini, topped and tailed, sliced in half lengthwise, sliced in diagonal slices 1/4″ thick
3/4 tsp ground cumin

2 green onions (scallions) – thinly sliced
1/8 cup chopped parsley

DIRECTIONS:

Begin by adding beans, lemon juice & zest and olive oil in a small bowl. Combine and let stand for at least 15 minutes.
Preheat medium saute pan on medium heat for 1 minute.
In small pot add broth and quinoa. Cook for 15 minutes, partially covered until tender. While that’s going, add 1 tbsp olive oil to a saute pan and add cumin seeds, turmeric, paprika and cinnamon. Mix together for about 30 seconds over low heat. Add in zucchini and minced garlic and continue sauteing on medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Once quinoa is cooked, drain.
In a large bowl, combine the cooked quinoa, spiced zucchini and add in ground cumin, green onion and parsley to finish. Mix well. Taste and season. Serve warm or at room temp.

Here’s another great quinoa recipe to try out.

Now, the first time I made this I realized I forgot to buy quinoa. Luckily I had couscous in the pantry, which is my usual substitute for quinoa as they’re similar-ish in texture. So yes, you can use couscous instead if you wish.

One good one down, one to go.

To accompany my couscous I made a traditional Tikka Marinade, which I decided to use with a lovely piece of wild salmon. I thought the flavours would work really well together. They did but….the salmon didn’t turn out as I had expected. It wasn’t bad but it wasn’t great. It happens, right?
I decided to post it anyway, in hopes that you could help me out. Here’s what I did:

Tikka Marinade
Serves 2

1″ piece of ginger, minced or finely grated
2 garlic cloves, crushed to a fine paste
1/4 cup non-fat Greek yogurt
1 tbsp lime juice
1/4 tsp ground turmeric
1/8 tsp cayenne
3/4 tsp garam masala
1/4 tsp cumin (plus an extra dash)
1 tsp peanut oil
1/4 tsp salt

DIRECTIONS:

Mix the garlic and ginger into a paste-like mixture. In a bowl, mix together the paste, yogurt, lime juice, garam masala, cumin & salt.

Heat the oil in a small sauce pan over medium-high heat for about a minute or until hot hot. Then add in turmeric and cayenne–you should hear them sizzle upon contact with the hot oil. Mix quickly for just a few seconds so it doesn’t burn, then stir this into the yogurt mixture.

I then marinated the salmon for about 2 hours and baked on 400F for 15 mins approx. At first guess I think I put too much marinade on the fish. What do you think? Where did I go wrong and how can I make it better?

Ah, the glory of cooking!

All recipes are made with the finest quality farmers market whole foods, natural and non-processed ingredients as much as possible.

We’re midway through our Spice Week with Turmeric as the main player. I’ll admit, I do like a good curry. I didn’t always though. It all started when I went to London for work where I found out, curry and beer on a Friday night after work is a tradition.
No’ a lo’ o’ people know tha’! (Name that movie)
That’s when and where my eyes and taste buds were opened. I really only got back into eating them recently when a great little Mom and Pop Indian restaurant opened around the corner. Also had a good bout with it right about the time we got the idea for Spice Month!

Now the question is, can I cook with these spices, especially turmeric? Well, if you base it on my Okra dish I think I have potential, but could I do more? I’ve been taking this task very seriously, can’t you tell? (You can only imagine what my house has been smelling like!)

So after some thought I decided to pair what else, potatoes (!) with these lovely spices. Now there’s really no excuse for you homelanders not to try it–but just do me a favor, buy local Irish spuds to support your local farmers. Would you believe local Irish spud sales are down across the pond? Say it isn’t so and get crackin’ on this recipe!

RECIPE:
Serves 2

8 oz mini potatoes 9 whole or halved if bigger
1/4 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp fresh ginger – minced
1/4 tsp dried coriander
pinch of cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tbsp olive oil

2 cups baby arugula

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 375F.

Place all ingredients in large mixing bowl and toss thoroughly. Lay on a foiled oven tray in a single farm. (What? I must have dozed off for a sec.) Let’s try that again….Lay in a single layer. Pop in the oven. After 15 minutes simply shake the tray to make sure the potatoes are all cooking evenly.
Remove after 25 minutes or when cooked through.
Toss warm potatoes with raw arugula and serve.

Reminds me of that song (feel free to sing along) “I’m bringing potatoes back. Yeah!”
Let me know how you get on!

All recipes are made with the finest quality farmers market whole foods, natural and non-processed ingredients as much as possible.

Summer is the best time for beautiful vibrant colors in the garden and it’s the best time for tomatoes! I couldn’t resist picking up these brilliant heirloom tomatoes at the weekend. I’ll warn you, they were pricy (3-4 bucks a pound!) but their taste is worth it, I promise you. In order to ‘qualify’ for this weeks Summer Fest I put them together with some French Beans (Haricot Verts) and since our herb garden is booming, we have cilantro out the ying yang so I decided to make……cilantro pesto. A lovely fresh twist on the usual basil pesto!

The key here with the beans is to just cook them until they go to this bright green color and are still nice ‘n’ crisp. The contrast of the sweet tomatoes and the fresh taste of my garden cilantro is light yet full of flavor. If you’re having bbq this weekend, make this–It’ll go down a storm.

RECIPE:

3 lbs heirloom tomatoes – make the trip to your Farmers’ Market–defo worth it for these!
1 lb French beans – trimmed

Cilantro Pesto:
Makes 2 cups (extra for another time)

2 bunches cilantro – packed
2 cups baby spinach – packed
1 lemon – zested
1/2 lemon – juiced
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts – toast in a dry heated saute pan for 3-4 minutes stirring periodically until browned
1/4 cup grated Parmesan (low fat preferably)
1 1/2 cups olive oil
S&P to taste

Add all pesto ingredients in a food processor, except for olive oil. Blend and while blitzing gradually pour in olive oil. Season with ¼ tsp. salt and ¼ tsp. pepper. Done.

Blanch the beans in a pot of boiling salted water for 30 seconds until bright green color. Drain and refresh in bowl of ice water until completely chilled, Drain.
To assemble salad: Lay slices of the heirlooms around platter. Toss the french beans in enough pesto to coat and lay in middle of platter. Drizzle a little pesto over each tomato and season with S&P to taste. That’s it! Don’t be afraid to try all the colors of heirloom tomatoes. Ask your local vendor which ones will be the best and tuck in!

All recipes are made with the finest quality farmers market whole foods, natural and non-processed ingredients as much as possible

A little while ago I had asked if anyone had any requests for recipes. Our buddy, Robb, wanted to know how to cook fish on the grill the healthy way (meaning NOT the fish & butter foil packet idea, the one way he knows well). Our favorite tiny person, Grace, had a request for a healthy summer-inspired lunch idea, other than the obvious choice of leftovers and Robyn wanted to know why she has paprika in her spice rack. All excellent requests so thanks guys! I hope I killed two three birds with one stone with this idea!

Now, let’s get down to brass tacks:

Believe it or not, there are several types of paprika ranging from mild and sweet to hot and spicy. OK, I hear you, Robyn–What exactly IS paprika? Paprika is made from ground peppers (think bell peppers or tomato peppers). “Paprika” is actually the name of the spice and any kind of fresh pepper in Hungarian and along with Eastern European foods, paprika is a staple in both their cuisines.
In American cooking it’s usually considered a garnish (think the infamous deviled egg).
But no stranger to the paprika spice are the Spanish, though their version is a smoked sweet Spanish “pimenton”. Pimenton gets its intense flavor because it is dried over wood smoke.
Then there’s the Californian variety, which is mild and sweet. I’m guessing the kind you have in your cupboard is this variety (and is probably way out of date so get yourself and new bottle!) Paprika has a limited shelf life and should be kept out of direct sunlight and in an airtight container.
If you’re like me you might have two bottles labeled, “Sweet Paprika” and just “Paprika”. The difference? By the smell and taste (and according to some other sites), the stuff is the same.

Ready to try it now?

RECIPE:
Serves 4
4 x 4-5oz wild Alaskan salmon fillets (boneless, skinless)

Salmon Rub:
2 tsp paprika
2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 lemon – juiced

Salad Ingredients:
4 cups baby spinach – raw
3 Roma tomatoes – diced
1 cup fresh corn kernels
1 cup brown rice – cooked
1 cup black beans
2 tbsp fresh basil – chopped
1 avocado – sliced

Salad Dressing:
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp Agave / Honey
5 tbsp olive oil
squeeze lemon juice
pinch S&P
Whisk together in small bowl. Taste.

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat barbecue to high heat. Mix salmon rub together in a small mixing bowl and add salmon to coat. You might think that grilling fish directly on the grill is a scary thought, that it will stick like a mofo’, but it won’t if you follow how I do it. Once grill is up to temperature, spray barbecue grate liberally with olive oil spray. Place salmon down directly on grill and don’t touch for 3 minutes. Gently lift up one end of fish to see if it’s a nice golden brown color. If so, gently pick up with tongs and turn over.
Let cook for additional 3-4 minutes or until middle of fish is cooked through and flesh is firm to touch.

TIP: To check if fish is cooked, pierce center of salmon with a small knife then remove and touch your lip with it. If it burns you, you’re good. Pretty good, right?

As fish is cooking begin to assemble salad by layering as follows: Spinach, tomatoes, corn, rice, black beans and avocado.
This is a very rustic family style dish so don’t get too hung up on the layering. Improvise!
Prepare dressing. Can be made ahead.

Once salmon is cooked let rest for 1 minute. Drizzle some (or all) of the dressing over the entire salad and place the salmon on top.
Garnish with fresh chopped basil and squeeze fresh lemon juice and that’s your healthy lunch (or dinner)!

This is a great dish to serve on a buffet or an informal dinner party. Just put the dish on the table and let everyone help themselves. A grill pan works great, too.

OK guys, it’s as easy as that! Keep the requests coming!

Cheers!

All recipes are made with the finest quality farmers market whole foods, natural and non-processed ingredients as much as possible.