The farmers’ markets are filled with beautiful courgettes & summer squash — I couldn’t pass them up!
If you made my homemade Teriyaki sauce over the weekend you may have some extra sauce in the fridge. Here’s a great vegetarian recipe to try using the leftover Teriyaki sauce.

YELLOW SQUASH RECIPE:

3 yellow squash – sliced thinly (use a mandolin to make this easy and quick!)
1 tsp fresh mint – chopped
1 tsp fresh lemon balm – chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 fresh lemon – juiced
lemon zest for garnish

TERIYAKI TOFU RECIPE:

Homemade Teriyaki sauce
2 x packets of Organic tofu – firm or extra firm – sliced in half from side to side

DIRECTIONS:

Marinate tofu in Teriyaki sauce (in just enough to give a good coating without drowning the tofu) for approx 2 hours. Tofu pretty much absorbs any flavour if you give it enough time to marinate.

When ready, preheat oven to 450F. Lay tofu in single layers on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 20 mins approx or until they start to turn a golden brown color. When they’re done, change the oven to broil, wait until it’s up to temp, then slide the tofu underneath the flames, which will create a lovely caramelized ‘crust.’ Keep an eye on the tofu as you don’t want it to burn–probably only needs about 4-5 mins MAX. under the broiler.

While the tofu is in the broiler, preheat a large saute pan on med-high heat. Toss sliced squash, herbs, S&P together. Add in a nice drizzle of olive oil and saute the squash for about 4 mins. Add in the fresh lemon juice and continue to saute until tender, about 3 more mins. Taste and season. Serve with tofu and a sprinkle lemon of lemon zest.

Quick lunch or dinner and that’s all she wrote folks!

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

In case you’re thinking I made a typo in the title, you saw correctly with pluot (PLEW-OT). I came across these at the farmers’ market and was instantly intrigued. Pluots are a cross between plums and apricots and they are brilliantly juicy and sweet. There are about 20 different varieties of pluots (who knew!) and as I watched the kids scarfing down the samples I thought, that’s a seal of approval if I ever saw one! SOLD! Turns out they’re not only delicious but they’re believed to be a great source of vitamin C, vitamin A and fiber, just like their ‘parents’.

Now that I had them what was I going to do with them? I saw this interesting recipe in an old Eating Well Magazine that used a peach salsa and thought why not try it with pluots and plums and while I’m at it how ’bout some cherries? After all, this week’s theme for Summer Fest is Fruit from Trees. I thought the brilliant red colors would not only look lovely together but taste amazing so I gave it a go. My work family loooved it and really, how could you not? Just look at all that goodness!

Good for the body, good for the kids (they’ll think this is fried!) and good tasting! Can’t beat that with a stick!

RECIPE:
SERVES 4

1 lb Organic or grass fed turkey breast, cut lengthwise into 4 x 4oz portions
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
3 large egg whites
1 1/4 cup Ener-G gluten free breadcrumbs or regular crumbs if preferred.
1 cup finely chopped pecans (Pulse in food processor for rough chop or by hand)
1 tbsp lemon zest
2 tbsp olive oil

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven 400F.

With a meat mallet or a rolling pin, pound the turkey between sheets of plastic wrap to 1/4″  thickness.

CLASSIC BREADING TECHNIQUE:
This is a classic three step process for meat and fish: flour, egg, breadcrumbs. TIP: When you dip the turkey in the flour (both sides) you must make sure you shake off any excess flour (it has to be very fine dusting) then dip in the beaten egg white and finally the breadcrumbs which in this case is our Pecan crust.

Grab your three bowls and an oven tray–
#1: Combine flour, paprika, chili powder, S&P and lemon zest together in medium bowl or dish.
#2: Beat egg whites together slightly and add to a second dish.
#3: Mix breadcrumbs and pecans together in another dish.
#4: Oven tray ready

The simplest way is to set up an assembly line with the flour, egg ,breadcrumbs and a foiled oven tray at the end. You’ll work from left to right.
Dredge the turkey in the flour on both sides, shaking off the excess flour into the flour bowl. Next dip the turkey in the egg whites and coat both sides. Let the excess egg drain off over the egg dish. Finally lay the turkey in the breadcrumb dish and pat down so the coating sticks to both sides. Lay on oven tray. Once all turkey is coated, refrigerate ’til needed. This step can be done a couple hours ahead of time if needed.

CHERRY PLUM SAUCE

RECIPE:

1 cup fresh cherries – halved, pitted
1/2 cup fresh plums – small dice
1/2 cup fresh pluots – small dice
1 tbsp fresh ginger – grated
1 cup water
1 tbsp Agave nectar

DIRECTIONS:
Pop your cherries in a small saucepan along with the water, ginger and Agave. Bring to a boil and immediately reduce to a simmer and continue cooking for 5-6 minutes. When done remove from heat and fold in diced plums & pluots. Stir and let stand.

Meanwhile as cherries are cooking, preheat large non-stick saute pan. Add 2 tbsp olive oil and once heated place 2 turkey cutlets in the pan to brown. Cook 2-3 minutes each side until golden.  Once browned, remove to a foiled oven tray. Using a kitchen towel wipe out pan and add 2 more tbsp olive oil. Repeat browning process.

Once all turkey has been browned pop in preheated oven for 4 minutes to finish cooking.

Serve with warmed or room temp fruit compote. Mmmmmm Delicioso!

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

I had a request for a healthy lunch idea, preferably not a salad, and coincidentally I kept seeing Jack in the Box commercials for their new Teriyaki Bowls. If you’re not familiar with Jack, it’s a fast food joint here in the States, definitely not known for their healthy meals, though their ads are quite funny.

Too bad you can’t eat an ad though it would probably be better for you than these. Packed with more than 1/2 your days worth of salt and 25 grams of sugar, these bowls may look like a healthy option but….well you get the idea. So I started thinking, why not make your own teriyaki bowl for lunch?

Of course you could take the easy route here with bottled teriyaki sauce but read the ingredients the next time you’re at the store. I just counted 15 ingredients from one, a couple of which I can’t even pronounce, which isn’t good. My version has just 5 ingredients and I swear it doesn’t take long to make. The beauty is that you can make a batch of it and keep it in the fridge for quick use, making this a perfect weekend culinary project.

RECIPE:

Serves 2

2 x 4 oz organic chicken breasts – boneless, skinless

Teriyaki Sauce:
1/2 cup soy sauce (I like San-J’s organic wheat free tamari)
1/2 cup sake
1/2 cup mirin
1 tbsp + 1 tsp agave
1 1/2 tsp lemon zest
Yields approx 1 cup

DIRECTIONS:
Add all teriyaki ingredients in a small sauce pan and bring to a boil.  Simmer over low heat for 20-25 mins approx to reduce the liquid.  It’s not going to be as thick as the bottled stuff but if you take it off the heat and let it sit for about 30 mins it will thicken up a tad more. You could use arrowroot or cornstarch to thicken it up but I prefer to let it go au natural. That’s all there is to making homemade teriyaki folks!

Next, preheat large grill/saute pan on medium-low heat for 1 minute.

Brush both sides of chicken with the teriyaki sauce then saute for 3-4 minutes on each side or until cooked through with an internal temp of 165F.
Because of the agave, the chicken will caramelize when grilled and therefore get dark. Don’t panic, it’s not burned unless, of course you burn it!

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Carrot, Sugar Snap Combo
1 large carrot – peeled, sliced on diagonal 1/8″
8 oz sugar snap peas (Don’t forget to watch my unbelievably informative quick video on prepping these little guys)
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 tsp fresh ginger – grated

Add the broth, ginger and carrot in a saute pan with lid and cook on medium heat for 10 minutes. Once carrots are almost cooked through add peas and return the lid. Turn up heat and cook for 2 minutes until peas have turned bright and vibrant green.
NOTE: Add 1/4 cup additional broth when adding sugar snaps if needed.

To assemble:

Thinly slice the chicken and serve with 1/2 cup brown rice and vegetables. Can use this recipe with beef or even tofu. Suck on that, Jack. Viva la healthy teriyaki bowl!

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

Aw man, if you’re a regular follower you know that I steamed mussels is one of my favorite dishes. In fact, I’m becoming quite the worldly connoisseur of mussels. Most recently moules frittes in Paris, mussels in Ireland, and both the east & west coasts of the U.S. and it has all been heavenly. Come to think of it, I love any and all fresh seafood, probably due to my upbringing on Ireland’s west coast where everything was fresh off the boat.

Fennel

Depending on where you live, fennel season runs from Summer to Autumn, or from Fall to Spring. I see fennel sporadically all year round at our farmers’ markets and I think it’s because I live in a coastal climate. I love fennel because the entire plant is edible and nutritionally it’s high in vitamin C, fiber and antioxidants. It tastes like licorice and anise yet it’s a tad sweeter and it’s crunchy like celery. You’ve probably seen fennel most notably in  Mediterranean & Italian cuisines. I happen to love fennel with seafood and did I mention it’s a renowned as a digestive herb?

Star Anise

We go from the Med to China and Vietnam, where star anise is a regular staple. It’s one of the spices in Chinese five-spice powder and like fennel, it has a distinctive licorice taste. In China, star anise is prescribed as a digestive aid. Not to be confused with plain anise, though since they’re pretty similar, they can be substituted for one another.

This is a great example of taking two regional staples and creating one harmonious dish. So without further ado, I give you sweet licorice mussels that are good for the tum:

RECIPE:

Serves 2

2 lbs mussels (25-30 approx) – washed and cleaned
1/2 fennel bulb – core cut out, very thinly sliced
2 star anise – whole
1 cup white wine (whatever you’re drinking will work)
1 Roma tomato  – small dice
2 black peppercorns
1 tbsp olive oil

DIRECTIONS:
Begin by rinsing the mussels and clams in cold water. Search through them to make sure the shells are all closed. Discard all opened or cracked shells.

TIP: For slightly opened shells, tap lightly on your work surface and if your shells close, they’re good to use.  My motto here: When in doubt, throw it out.

Preheat deep sauté pan on medium heat for 2 minutes.
 Add olive oil and sauté fennel and star anise for 1 minute.  Add shellfish, wine and tomatoes.
Cover with lid and steam for 4-5 minutes or until all the shells have opened.

NOTE: Discard any unopened shells after cooking as well as the star anise.

Using a slotted spoon, divide the shellfish between 2 dishes.
Ladle the tomato broth over the mussels.
Finish dish with some freshly chopped parsley and crusty bread. Oh yeah!

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.