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.

There are a few dishes that are well known Irish dishes: bacon & cabbage, Irish stew and the old reliable potato (in any form). This soup has one of those staples and is probably one of the easiest soups to make. I had all the ingredients in my CSA box and I promise, making this soup with recently picked fresh ingredients makes it really delicious. The earthiness of the thyme works a treat here and if you’re still looking for a quick appetizer for Santa Day, look no further.

RECIPE:
Makes about 4 cups

2 large leeks – whites only, sliced & rinsed (But keep the greens for your homemade stock)
2 white potatoes – peeled, chopped
1 tbsp thyme
1 quart low-sodium veg broth or even better, homemade stock
2 tbsp olive oil

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat soup pot on medium heat for 30 seconds. Add olive oil and leeks and saute for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add thyme and potatoes and combine with sauteed leeks.

Add broth and stir. Partially cover with lid. Bring to a boil and once boiling reduce heat to simmer. Cook for 20 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender.

Puree in food processor in batches.

NOTE: Do not fill your blender above half way with hot liquid. Hot liquids expand when pureed so be careful. Place a kitchen towel on the lid when blending so you don’t burn yourself when the liquid expands.

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

The first time I had brisket was when I was working for a caterer at a Hanukkah dinner here in LA. I was fresh off the boat so I wasn’t versed in this Jewish tradition, though over the years I’ve become well versed in the variety of foods served around this time of year. This is in honour of all my Jewish peeps.

I’m a huge fan of braising meats because this technique of slow cooking over longer periods of time makes the meat super tender and intensely flavourful. Plus it’s hard to mess up. What I’m doing with this recipe is laying flavours on top of each other so that when the meat is cooked it’s tender like ‘butta’ you get this deep rich flavour that shows how much care and time has been put into preparing it. Now, I know brisket is more of a Hanukkah type dish but for those beef eaters coming ’round for Christmas dinner, this’ll go down a treat and can (and should) be done ahead so all you need to do is reheat. Doesn’t get any easier than that!

RECIPE:

2 1/2 lbs brisket (go for grass-fed beef for maximum flavour)
2 cups red wine (whatever is in your hand right now will work)
1/2 bunch fresh sage, thyme & rosemary (each)
2/3 bay leaves
1 lb shallots – peeled
2 quarts beef broth
1 tbsp black peppercorns
S&P
2 tbsp grape seed oil*

*NOTE: Use grape seed oil will if you have it because it reaches a higher searing temp than olive oil but you can certainly use olive oil if that’s what you’ve got on hand.

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 380°F.

Preheat large skillet on medium high heat for 2 minutes. Season brisket liberally with S&P. Drizzle oil and sear brisket for 3-4 minutes each side until golden and caramelized. Once browned remove to a large oven dish and reduce heat to medium. Using the same pan add wine, shallots & herbs, cooking for 1 minute while scraping any of the caramelised bits from the pan. Add the liquid to the brisket along with beef broth and peppercorns.

Cover dish with foil and pop in oven for 3 hrs. Once cooked remove brisket and let cool. Refrigerate.

NOTE: Brisket is best cooked a day ahead and let to cool completely.

Once cooled slice into 1/4″ slices and place in a casserole dish. braising liquid and pour over the brisket and cover.
Reheat in preheated (400°F) oven for 30 minutes.

Discard any stems from the herb before serving.

Serving Suggestion: Parsnip & potato mash and sauteed green beans. Brilliant like!

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

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.

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 everyone have a good Halloween? Now what to do with all those pumpkins? You could try this idea–

(How cool is that?)

Or you could make some tasty dishes such as these:

Fresh Roasted Pumpkin Puree
Southwestern Pumpkin Burgers
Pumpkin Risotto Cakes
Pumpkin Banana Bread

I’ll be making some more pumpkin recipes soon so keep checkin’ back.

Cheers!

The name says it all!

RECIPE:
Serves 2

1 bunch baby beets (red and golden)
1/2 red onion – thinly sliced
1 fennel bulb – halved, stem removed, thinly sliced
1 lemon – zested
1/2 lemon – juiced
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp white pepper
2 oz goat’s cheese

DIRECTIONS:

Begin by trimming the stalks from the beets and cook them in boiling salted water until tender, 20-30 minutes approx. While the beets are boiling, add the sliced red onion and fennel to an ice bath. This will crisp them up and add a beautiful crunchiness to the salad. Once beets are cooked, drain well and peel skins under running cold water. Cut into quarters and chill in the fridge until cool. When cooled, drain onion & fennel and pat dry with a kitchen towel.
To assemble salad simply mix all the components together. Taste and season.

Happy 4th!

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