The ever popular Corned Beef & Cabbage!

There’s only 4 days left until St. Paddy’s Day. Are you gearing up for a tipple or two to celebrate us lovely Irish people?
As you know I’ve been showcasing Irish food all week (new & recycled recipes) and to be fair, I didn’t think I could shove any more Irish food in one week’s blog but they just keep appearing! Today’s recipes are two stellar Irish classics, Cottage & Shepherd’s Pie (left) and one mighty fine adapted version, Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie (right).

So far I’ve covered some really traditional Irish fare but one veg that doesn’t get a lot of attention in the States is the parsnip.
Here are two videos I did nearly 2 years ago (boy I’ve changed!) which show off this great veg. Since I was still getting used to the video stuff I may have left out my ‘healthified’ tips so here goes:
Olive Oil vs. Butter: it’s true parsnips love butter but your arteries and arse may not appreciate it as much. Olive oil contains the “good fats” and works just fine on those taste buds.
Honey vs. Sugar: parsnips are also partial to sugar but as we all now that’s a no-no as much as possible. Lean towards honey, agave, or even pure maple syrup to get the effect but without using refined sugars. Parsnips tend to be sweet on their own so you’ll be amazed how easy it will be not to use sugar.
Curry Powder: bloody good stuff on ‘em!

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

One week until St. Paddy’s Day and everyone is gearing up for the celebration, myself included! If you’re planning on throwing a bash you’ll definitely need some Irish food and I’ve got you covered. Of course all of my dishes are made the healthy way but that’s so you have room for the drink (I’m always thinking ahead!)

Kicking off our countdown is one of my favourites, Irish Stew. Traditionally Irish foods use simple, basic and cheap ingredients and tend to be very simple and rustic. Though there are many versions of Irish stew out there, it is only a traditional “Irish stew” if using lamb or mutton (a lamb over 1½ years old). Using other meats such as beef is not considered a traditional Irish stew. Bet you didn’t know that did you? Although I have kept the original ingredients I have put my own spin on the style and presentation of the dish. Believe me though the flavour is all there.

RECIPE
Serves 4

3 lbs. grass fed Lamb shoulder
3 large parsnips – peeled & sliced in ¼” rounds
½ lb. baby carrots
3 garlic cloves – peeled
1 lb. mini potatoes – halved
1 Bouquet garni – rosemary, thyme, bay leaf
1 cup white wine (whatever you’re drinking will work)
7 cups organic beef broth
olive oil
S&P

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Begin by preheating a heavy bottomed sauté pan on high heat for 3-4 minutes. Add 2 tbsp olive oil. Season each lamb chop with S&P and sear in hot pan for 3-4 minutes each side until golden brown. Remove to large roasting tray. De-glaze sauté pan with white wine for 1 minute and scrape all carmelised bits from bottom. Add to lamb along with bouquet garni, garlic and broth. Cover with foil and place in oven for 1 ½ hrs. Reduce oven to 375°F. After initial cooking time add vegetables (baby carrots, parsnips and mini potatoes). Cover and return to oven for additional hour or until veg are fully cooked and meat begins to fall off the bone. That’s how tender it should be! Taste and season to desired taste.

NOTE: Never season your gravy before braising meat. The saltiness of the dish will intensify too much over the long cooking period. Always best to season just before serving.

In addition to this one I’ve got a couple more new Irish recipes I’m working on but I already have a ton of recipes out there so this will be the start of the Irish recipe round up. Looks like it will end up being in several posts so keep checking back all week for great ideas. Nobody does healthy Irish food like yours truly (at least that’s what I keep telling myself!)

Starting off the round up is an all time Irish favourite, Beef & Guinness Stew. This is brilliant party grub since it can be made it big batches and it’s pretty easy to do. Even now I wish I had this in front of me to tuck into! Hard to imagine this video is nearly two years old. (Notice I’m rockin’ the Topo tee?)

Though this stew is brilliant on its own, having some brown soda bread and a good ol’ pint would get you into Heaven (plus the soda bread is good soakage!) It’s super easy–watch me make it in record time!

If you’re whipping up a batch of soda bread you might as well slap some Irish Smoked Salmon on top! It’s a brilliant easy appetizer.

This is just the beginning. More Irish classics to come!

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

This is a great time of year for comfort food and you’ve got to agree that a good healthy lasagna is as good as it gets. I love pasta but along with everything else in life, all things in moderation. Typically lasagna is filled with heavy meats and cheese thrusting you into a food coma but this recipe is lighter since I cut the typical amount of cheese in half and used fresh veg. Combining seasonal squash with mushrooms is the business and it works brilliantly here with the earthy fresh herb flavours.

I had two different types of squash I had picked up at the Farmers’ Market, butternut and what I think was a Carnival or Kabocha squash, so I used half of each. You don’t have to mix the squash, you could use all butternut if you wish, but I really liked adding in something different.

RECIPE:
Serves 8

2 1/2 cups white onions – chopped
8 oz “baby bella” mushrooms – sliced (baby portobellas)
1/2 a butternut squash – peeled, seeded and cut into 1/4″ slices
1/2 a Carnival or Kabocha squash – peeled, seeded and cut into 1/4″ slices
2 cups veggie broth
3 tbsp fresh thyme – chopped
4 tbsp fresh sage – chopped
1 lemon – zested
1 x 15 oz container fat-free ricotta cheese
1 x 8 oz container fresh buffalo mozzarella
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese (optional for topping)
2 tbsp Olive oil
2 cups organic marinara sauce
12 no-boil lasagna sheets
S&P

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat large saute pan for 30 seconds. Add 2 tbsp olive oil and saute onions for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Don’t brown. Add sliced mushrooms and continue sauteing for another 4 minutes until mushrooms soften. Season with S&P to taste and remove to a plate.
Return same pan to heat and add sliced squash, broth and herbs. (Leave some herbs for sprinkling on top once the lasagna is fully assembled.) Bring to a boil and once boiling reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook until squash is almost tender, 5 minutes approx. Uncover pan after allotted time so some of the broth can evaporate and when squash is fully cooked, remove pan from heat. Set aside.
Meanwhile mix the ricotta with the lemon zest, S&P to taste.

To Assemble:
I used a 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass Lasagna dish.
Begin by brushing the baking dish with oil (to prevent sticking) and spread a thin layer of the ricotta mix on the bottom of the baking dish. Also spread a thin layer on one side of all the lasagne sheets.

Ricotta side up, lay down 4 lasagna noodles. Using a slotted spoon gently drain the squash and place on top of the lasagna in a thin layer. You’ll be making two layers of the squash so just use half now. Next spoon half the mushroom mixture on top of the squash and finally tear the mozzarella in small pieces and sprinkle around.

Repeat as above ie, ricotta-side-up lasagna noodles, drained squash, mushrooms and dollops of mozzarella.

Top with the final 4 lasagna sheets this time ricotta side down. Spread marinara sauce on top evenly so you coat the entire lasagna. To finish sprinkle with parmesan cheese (optional) and remaining fresh herbs.

After a serving of this bad boy you actually won’t get that ‘I can’t walk’ feeling!

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

As you saw in my last post Thanksgiving was spent in the land of cowboys, BBQ and the Ewings. The brother and I headed back to Cali on Sunday after our quick trip and were all set to grab a quick Subway sangwich (as we call it) for the plane. The father-in-law was quick to jump in and suggested we try his local sub shop, Thunder Cloud Subs. I was game so off we headed. It looks like a regular sangwich emporium in a strip mall except for the fact that the guys behind the counter actually had some personality. To most people a sangwich is just a sangwich, bread, meat, veggies, mustard, mayo, but for me, being the picky mo’fo I am, I like a little extra. A little banter with the sandwich guy is always cool but that aside they actually had a lot more variety. My missus being a veggie usually gets the usual boring veggie sub but this place had homemade hummus, fresh mushrooms, sprouts and their special olive oil dressing as well as the usual go-to veggies. Going that extra mile makes all the difference so I was well pleased. If you’re in the Austin or San Antonio area be sure to hit ‘em up and let me know what you think. So far Texas has served me well!

I’ll admit, sometimes it’s easier to make food choices with blinders on. Choosing a restaurant that makes sustainable efforts is downright work let alone choosing the ‘right’ ingredients at the market. It can be a drag trying to figure out what all the labels mean, but it’s work well done especially when picking out your holiday meals. If you’ve seen the movie, Food, Inc. you know why it’s important to know where your food comes from and it’s important we have a voice in what food we eat. Our purchases are our voice. Plus, there’s nothing better than cooking food from your heart for the ones you love, even if your loved ones are nuts (that’s what the Americans tell me!)

Picking out the right turkey can be a bit confusing. Gone are the days of “fresh or frozen,” which were my choices growing up in Ireland. Today there’s a plethora of labels to go with the many different birds available for consumers. How do you know which one is right for you?

If you’re like me, you’re looking into Local Organic, Sustainable or Heritage varieties. What’s the difference? Even I was confused with all the new labels in these categories. I found a great article on the National Resource Defense Council’s site which cleared up a lot of confusion.

CERTIFIED ORGANIC Turkeys must be raised without antibiotics or growth hormones, eat only organic feed that did not contain chemical fertilizers or pesticides and they must be given access to the outdoors. Organic farming generally falls within the accepted definition of sustainable agriculture, though there is a difference between the two.

SUSTAINABLE Turkeys are usually certified organic turkeys but sometimes a small farm that is not organic-certified might be using organic guidelines and be self-sufficient by recycling all the farm’s waste. This is why it’s important to know where your turkey comes from and what guidelines that particular farm adheres to. “Sustainable” refers more to a philosophy about agriculture than “organic,” which is bound by its legal definition. Sustainable describes the practices of farmers who preserve the land, treat their animals and workers humanely and help support the local community.

There is no single set of standards for sustainable agriculture, there are several labels for which high standards have been set, which go beyond the “organic” label. I was surprised and delighted to see these labels, even more delighted to know exactly what they meant.

• Animal Welfare Approved: Sets high standards for health, shelter and handling, including a requirement that animals spend most of their life in pasture. Prohibits growth hormones; allows antibiotics only for sick animals.
• Certified Humane: Sets high standards for health, shelter and handling; prohibits growth hormones; allows antibiotics only for sick animals.
• Food Alliance Certified: Requires low- or no-pesticide policy; advocates worker welfare, habitat protection, well-managed agriculture and humane care of livestock.
• American Grassfed: Requires that animals eat grass only, and if they receive antibiotics due to illness they must be removed from the program. Growth hormones are prohibited.

HERITAGE Turkeys are like the heirloom tomatoes of the turkey world. In the States there’s a movement to bring back old-fashioned, diversified breeds from small turkey farmers. Ninety-nine percent of all turkeys raised in the US at the present time are the Broadbreasted White variety, sometimes called the Large White. While conventional wisdom would suggest that the heritage turkey might be stringy and the Broadbreasted White juicier, in a blind taste test quite the opposite turned out to be true: Heritage birds–the Midget White and Bourbon Red in particular–proved superior in flavor to factory-farm birds. I hear Jersey Buff’s aren’t bad either. Buying heritage turkeys are more expensive but think about what you’re helping to accomplish, which is helping to preserve small farms and endangered breeds while helping to break the monopoly corporations now have on our food supply. Though it might be too late to order yours for this Thanksgiving think ahead to Christmas or even next year’s feast. Bookmark heritagefoodsusa.com.

Did anyone catch last night’s Top Chef? You’d think I’d be all cheffed-out by the end of a long day of cooking but this season is, I think, one of the best yet. It’s chock full of talented chefs as well as providing some excellent messages, such as last night’s episode. The guest judge was Rick Moonen, owner of RM Seafood located in The Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. If you don’t know who this guy is, make note because he is what many of us chefs aspire to do: passionately cook sustainable food. In this case, Rick’s passion lies in seafood. As stated on his website, “Passionate doesn’t even begin to describe how Rick feels about the importance of buying, selling and serving seafood that only comes from abundant wild populations or has been caught or farmed in a sustainable manner.” He doesn’t just talk the talk, he puts his commitment to this cause on the menu refusing to sell favorites like Chilean Sea Bass, Japanese Hamachi, Monkfish and Grouper because of their dwindling populations. Kudos to Top Chef for highlighting Rick and his mission though they could still learn more lessons from him. It used to piss me off when I’d see contestants buying Chilean Sea Bass from Whole Foods (bad on you WF for selling it!) NOTE: As of today 10/28/09 a comment from Stephen informed me Wholefoods are now re-introducing a sustainably fished Chilean Sea Bass to their stores. Please see his comment below and check the great links he added.
In this day and age Top Chef needs to get on board in many areas (lose the produce plastic bags, promote grass-fed meats, etc). They have a huge audience so they need to take advantage of their influence but that’s another post!

Before I knew much about Rick, I had the pleasure of dining in his restaurant. It probably marks as THE best dining experience I’ve ever had. As you can imagine, I can be a bit picky when it comes to eating out, but this upscale eatery was spot on from start to finish. The Missus and I were enjoying our first anniversary (before we tied the knot—must be an American thing but I wasn’t complaining about taking a trip to Vegas!) so we booked a romantic table at RM not knowing much about it. I think it was referred to us since we both love seafood. We sat upstairs dressed to the nines in a not-so-crowded room. Not sure why it was so quiet that night but the service certainly didn’t lack in spite of. Right off the bat we were well impressed because they changed the Missus’ white napkin to a black napkin so she wouldn’t get the white fluff on her black dress. Something that simple made a huge impression on us (the saying is true–it’s the little things that count). I’m pretty sure each of us ordered a tasting menu, which was the business. Then we got a tour of the kitchen. Through the sliding glass doors we went into the spectacular kitchen. What a great night!

I can definitely appreciate Rick’s passion here and commend him for sticking to his guns and giving like minded peeps a place to eat, conscientiously.

It’s never been easier to find out what fish are considered sustainable. Nearly a year ago I wrote a post called “Phone for Fish” which was about using your cell phone to find eco-safe fish via texting, providing instant sustainability info when you need it. Not only does Blue Ocean Institute provide this service, they also have a great website dedicated to increasing consumer understanding in order to drive demand for sustainable seafood. I often reference my seafood guide while shopping or out eating sushi (they will send you a free copy in the post or you can download it). That way I am not only buying sustainable seafood, I’m using my recipes here to show you which seafood to use. I also reference the Environmental Defense Fund’s Seafood Selector website, which is more of the same, and thanks to Rick’s site I’ve discovered more useful links, including Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch regional guides, which contain the latest information on sustainable seafood choices available in different regions of the U.S. (I’ve put all these links under the Links section of this site and even posted a widget for fast reference.)

If you live outside the US and have links to regional sites like these please leave a comment with the info. Let’s help each other around the world to make better sustainable choices!

PS–Cheers to Price Albert of Monaco for being the first territory in the world to ban Bluefin tuna, taking this regional favorite off the menus and banning their sales in Monaco’s shops and restaurants. I think a little more research is in order just to verify that this is indeed true so I’m accepting all donations to get my arse over there!

I posted a video a few days ago of the trailer for the movie FOOD, Inc.,which basically outlines where our food comes from. The movie’s been out for a month or so but I only just got around to seeing it last night. Man, this is an eye opener.

A lot of people might assume that our food comes from actual farms but unfortunately the fact of the matter is that a lot of it is mass produced in factories by under paid illegal immigrants. Myself and the missus went to see it and she, being a veggie, well you can imagine her delight when they started showing chickens and cattle being abused. They’re not the only ones–the workers are also being abused. It was an ugly truth. There was so much info in this movie that it would be hard to relay all of it to you guys but to give you just a taste here’s what resonated with me:

• There’s an average of 47,000 items in any supermarket and the entire lot is controlled/produced by just 4 or 5 companies. Imagine having that much control over what we, the consumer, can buy. Now, just picture all those different brands and selection of products available in your local and just know that 4 or 5 companies control ALL those items. Even ‘green brands’ have gone big corporate: Tom’s of Maine? Now owned by Colgate-Palmolive. Naked Juice is Pepsi. Odwalla is Coca-Cola. Kashi is Kellogg’s. You get the picture.

• The common ingredient and most farmed product here (which is in a lot of these items) is corn. These food companies have been very clever in utilizing corn in a number of supermarket items from Twinkies to sweets (candy) to ketchup to batteries to diapers. It’s obviously a very versatile crop and has made these companies a bucket load of cash. Money is the name of the game.

• They are now growing chickens in a third of the time they used to take and twice as big. The conditions under which these chickens are farmed are deplorable and the TYSON brand is a huge culprit, forcing farmers to raise chickens in complete darkness and with the coops filled to the gills. They are also engineering chickens with bigger breasts because people prefer more white meat. Those chicks sound like they could be from LA! (Sorry there lads, just a bit of humour.) But seriously, you wouldn’t believe how scientific our food has become.

• On to beef.  There are so many problems with the beef industry I don’t know where to begin. Think about it, how is it possible that say McDonald’s can offer a dollar menu with a ‘juicy burger’ on its list but we can’t even by broccoli for a buck? Think that’s proper and safe meat they’re selling? Think again. E-Coli is a huge thing these days, mostly in part due to the way the animals are mistreated (think feces) and the fact that they’re serving them CORN for food = parasites. So to remedy this FOOD, Inc. spoke with a company called IBP (have a look and see who just happens to own IBP) that has found a solution. They make a meat filler for the burger meat and in order to eliminate any chance of contracting E-coli they rinse the filler in………..ammonia. So the next time you order your burger and fries from a fast food chain be confident in the fact that you may not get E-Coli but you have just eaten a mouthful of ammonia. Umm tasty!

• Then there’s soybeans and diabetes….I’m telling you, so much info was covered in this documentary.

I don’t want to come off all preachy about this movie but people really need to become more aware and more informed about what they’re eating and to get everyone talking about how we can create change for our food. The first thing the Missus and I talked about after the movie was, “Now What?–What more can we do?”  First off, we’ll be researching these large companies and will boycotting them (will keep you posted) and of course we’ll continue to support our local farmers. Here are some other tips from the FOOD, Inc. site to help people change how we eat (and think). The Eat Well Guide is a handy resource which lists local farmers markets, farms, restaurants and Community Supported Agricultural programs in your area (US and Canada), all of which offer organic and sustainable foods, including meats. For Ireland I found this map for fresh food.

I’d really like people to make up their own minds and go see it. If you’ve already seen it I’d like to hear from you guys and/or if you’ve seen any of the other movies that also discuss this topic.

Keep me posted.

Cheers!

Ever wonder where your food comes from….and I don’t mean the supermarket (for all you comedians out there). This video is from a movie that came out last month called Food, Inc. I looked up the website and I’m slightly annoyed at myself for not having had my shit together sooner and gone to see it even though, would you believe I have a flier up on my fridge! I only realized what the subject matter is and believe me I’ll be checking it out asap. Those of you that know me know how passionate I am about food and especially the quality of food I use so this is something that’s right up my alley.

Go ahead and watch this clip and make your own mind up.

I want to hear your thoughts on this, whatever your stand point is, so leave a comment below.

“How much do we really know about the food we buy at our local supermarkets and serve to our families?”

Intrigued? Here’s another snippit from the opening of the movie. From what I’ve read and seen it’s worth supporting. Tell your friends.  Together we can create change for the better.

Cheers

Finally my hours spent on the various blogging sites are starting to pay off. My latest blogging community, Iowa Avenue, has been a great experience. It’s a healthy living community focused on health, fitness, and weight loss. As I was checking out other members’ profiles I came across a trainer, Douglas Robb aka DR, who’s website was chockablock full of brilliant health and fitness information so I contacted him. Turns out my timing was spot on. He had been thinking of adding a cooking section but had one problem: “My culinary skills are almost non-existant.”

The fact that he liked my work was exciting so of course I jumped at the chance to work with him as a contributor to his blog. Kicking off the weekend, every Friday (starting today!) I will be posting a recipe on Health Habits so be sure to bookmark it! Along with my goodies, you’ll read great info from Doug.

Here’s a little bit about DR and Health Habits:

My name is Douglas Robb, and for a long time now, I have helped others bring health and fitness into their lives. I live in Toronto, Canada. I am married to a fantastic woman. I love to push the limits of my physical fitness and I own and operate an in-home personal training service. Health habits is about: bringing the best information and advice about health & fitness to you. To that end, we will go beyond nutrition and exercise to include motivation, mental health, emotional health, structural balance, athletic performance, health in society, scientific breakthroughs, family health,etc. More than that, Health habits is about using all of this great information to enact a change in your daily habits to bring order to your mind and body.

Sounds like it’s a win-win for all you guys! Health, fitness and food all in one spot!