Today’s recipe is a quickie as I gear up for the St. Paddy’s Day madness. ‘Nuff said.

RECIPE:
Serves 4

2 lbs Organic/grass fed beef fillet
2 tbsp olive oil
drizzle grape seed or olive oil (for searing beef)

12 oz baby bella mushrooms
2 lg shallots – thinly sliced
2 tbsp fresh tarragon
1/2 cup red wine (whatever you’re drinking will work)
2 cups organic beef broth
S&P

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 420°F

Preheat saute pan for 1 minute on medium heat. Add 2 tbsp olive oil and saute mushrooms & shallots for 4 mins to soften. Add red wine and reduce heat to simmer. Reduce wine by half (2 minutes) and add broth and tarragon. Simmer for 10 minutes. Taste and season with S&P.

Preheat another skillet on high for 1 minute. Season fillet on all sides with S&P. Add drizzle grape seed (excellent for cooking on high temps) or olive oil in hot pan and sear fillet on all sides until browned, 2 minutes each side approx.
Once fillet is seared remove to a foiled oven tray. Pop in oven for 8-10 minutes for medium rare.
Let rest for 10 minutes when cooked to let the juices redistribute back into the meat.

Spoon sauce over sliced steak and Bob’s your uncle!

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

It seems like I have a penchant for stuffing meat. (hmm, that doesn’t sound right. Ah well you know what I mean!) Turkey (stuffed with persimmon-couscous, rice & herbs, wild mushrooms & rice ), fish (sole stuffed with spinach), pork (stuffed with apple & breadcrumbs)…and now for all you red meat eaters it’s your turn. I think I like the stuffed concept because depending on what you stuff it with it’s like an all-in-one meal. Also, these healthy “stuffings” can be interchanged among the different proteins, which ensures dinner never gets boring. Could also have something to do with the minimal amount of dishes used, which of course means there’s less stuff to wash up. Valid points don’t you agree?

I tried this recipe before using skirt steak and it didn’t quite pan out that well. The meat was too thin and wasn’t big enough to roll the filling so this time ’round I used flank steak and it worked out great. After tenderizing a bit the beef was large enough to hold all the goods and was the perfect thickness, meaning it needed less time in the oven for a perfect juicy med-rare. Mmm taashtee!

RECIPE:
Serves 6

1 1/2 lbs flank steak, organic or grass fed

8 oz baby spinach
1/2 cup red pepper – small dice
1/2 cup white onion – small dice
1 large garlic clove – minced
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup pine nuts – toasted in saute pan
4 tbsp olive oil
S&P to taste
cooking twine

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat large skillet on medium heat for 1 minute. Add 2 tbsp olive oil. Saute peppers, onions and garlic for 2-3 minutes, stirring. Cook until softened. Next add in the white wine (whatever you’re drinking). Simmer for 1 minute, reducing the liquid, careful not to let it evaporate completely. Next up add the spinach and saute for 1 minute combining everything. Drain all into a colander, cool and fogedaboudit.
Once drained and cooled, taste and season with S&P.

Place the steak on a cutting board, cover with plastic wrap and using a mallet or, as I’ve done in the past, a heavy bottomed saucepan, give the meat a few belts to thin out a little, which will tenderize it.

When you’ve got all your aggressions out, lay some plastic wrap on your work surface and on top on that lay 4 pieces of twine of equal length, approx 10″ long perpendicular to you. Place the tenderized steak across parallel to you counter but perpendicular to the twine. (See photos, it’s easier.)

Use as many twines as needed to securely tie it all up. Once the twine is in place season the meat with S&P. Place the spinach filling in an even layer spread out on the meat and pat down. Begin rolling the meat like a Swiss roll nice n tightly ensuring the filling stays inside. Once rolled get yourself an extra pair of hands if you can and begin tying the strings tight enough to hold together.

Preheat large skillet on high heat. Add 2 tbsp olive oil. Season all sides of the rolled beef with S&P. Sear for 2-3 minutes each side ’til golden brown. Set on a foiled oven tray.

TO COOK:

Preheat oven to 400°F. Pop beef in for 30 minutes approx or until internal temp 140°F. Remove and let rest for 6-8 minutes to let the juices redistribute back into the meat.
Don’t forget to snip the strings and discard them before eating.

Serving suggestion: Twice baked potatoes, the healthy way!

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

Sick of regular roast chicken? Looking for something new to impress the fam bam? Here’s an easy-to-do recipe that’ll give you a delicious falvourful bird. (Sounds like an infomercial doesn’t it?)

That being said, I had a slight mishap with the photos. The bottom line is…..they were not up to scratch. I made this recipe for Spice Month as a simple but delicious recipe highlighting thyme but because I wasn’t happy with the photos I never ended up using it. While I never retook the photos I decided to have a change of heart posting the recipe because at the end of the day the most important thing is is that it’s really really tasty.

So please forgive the photos and trust me when I say “Just Cook It.”

RECIPE:

5lb organic chicken
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 bunch thyme
1/2 an orange

Brine Recipe:

1 gallon water (or more)
1 cup salt
1 bunch of fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
1 cup fresh ginger – chopped
1 large orange – cut in wedges
2 tbsp peppercorns

Brining is my secret weapon to ensure moist and tender birds. It’s a great technique to use especially with Thanksgiving coming up–we can all admit there’s nothing worse than a dry bird!  A wet brine typically uses water and salt sometimes combined with an assortment of herbs and spices for flavor. Submerging chicken (or turnkey) in the flavored salted water for a good 24 hours infuses a ton of flavor and moisture into the flesh so that the bird comes out moist and juicy not dry and flaky.

You’ll want to use a large enough bowl or container for the bird to be fully emerged. Place all brine ingredients in the bowl followed by the chicken. Add more water if necessary to make sure the entire bird is covered. Refrigerate for 24 hours in order to maximize flavor.

DIRECTIONS:

Remove brine from fridge 1 hour before cooking.

Preheat oven to 400°F.
Drain the bird and rinse in cold water. Lay on kitchen towel and pat dry. Stuff some kitchen towels in the cavity of the bird to soak up excess water.
Once the bird is reasonably dry, lay on foiled oven tray. Drizzle olive oil all over the skin, sprinkle with S&P and massage seasoned oil into the skin. Stuff the cavity with the thyme and the half orange.

Pour broth on the tray surrounding the chicken and pop in the oven for 1 hour to 1 1/4 hours. This is another one of my special techniques. The broth will help create steam in the oven and along with the brine, it creates a fantastically moist bird.
Once cooked (internal temp 165°F) let rest for 10 minutes before carving. This allows the meat to relax and the keeps the juices in the bird and not all over your cutting board.

NOTE: To check to see if it’s done, cut between the drumstick and the breast and if the juices run clear you’re good to go.

Don’t forget to save your chicken carcass for making homemade chicken stock!

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

Would you believe I’ve made this dish three times in hopes of getting a good photo? Ah well, this is me best. Good thing it’s mouthwatering good! You’ll have to trust me on this one.

Recipe:
1 x 5 lb organic chicken – portioned (2 breasts, 2 drumsticks, 2 thighs, 2 wings)
12 oz jar marinated black olives – pitted
1 x 7 1/2 oz jar marinated artichoke hearts – drained (or 1 lb. fresh artichoke hearts – steamed)
1/4 cup marinated sun-dried tomatoes – drained (optional)
3 bay leaves
1 tbsp black peppercorns
1 red pepper – thinly sliced
1 garlic bulb – halved crosswise
1 bunch fresh tarragon – tied together with string
1 quart low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup white wine

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375F.

Preheat large saute pan on medium high heat. Season the chicken portions with S&P on both sides. Add 2 tbsp olive oil to pan and and sear chicken for 3-4 minutes each side until golden brown. Once browned remove and set in large oven proof casserole dish. Drain excess oil from pan. In same pan add another tbsp olive oil and saute the peppers quickly for 1 minute. Add wine and de-glaze the pan, scraping all the nice caramelized bits from the bottom of the pan. FOR HOW LONG?  Add liquid to chicken along with all other ingredients. Cover with foil and pop in the oven for 1 1/2 hours approx or until chicken is fork tender.

I like to serve this dish family style with brown rice on the side.

Healthy cooking doesn’t have to be bland nor does it have to be complicated. These types of meals are pretty simple to make and they’re packed with flavor and nutrition.

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

The Missus found this brilliant green bean recipe a couple of months ago in our Eating Well Magazine. Since we had the side determined we just had to sort out the protein to go with it. Wild Alaskan salmon was fresh so I decided since whole grain mustard was in the beans, I’d make a glaze out of that for the salmon. Done!

Luckily fresh green beans are available year round here, but they are best in early winter, early summer, and early autumn. Some say the peak season is May to October. It being October and early autumn I’d say it’s a perfect time to scoop ‘em up. They are a good source of vitamin A and an excellent source of vitamin C, and 3/4 of a cup of is only 25 calories. Paired with heart-healthy wild salmon and you’ve got yourself one nutritious dinner! Another plus is that both recipes are super quick to prepare. Delicious, nutritious and quick? How good is that?

RECIPE:

SALMON:
Serves 2

2 x 4-5 oz Wild Alaskan Salmon

1 tbsp whole grain mustard
1 tbsp agave
1/4 tsp balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp dried chili flakes
1/4 tsp toasted sesame oil
1/2 tsp Thai basil (optional) – fine chop

GREEN BEANS:
Serves 2 (with leftovers)

1 lb green beans, trimmed
4 tsp chopped fresh dill
1 tbsp minced shallot
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp whole grain mustard
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 420F.
Spray foiled oven tray with olive oil spray.
Place the salmon skin side down (if you have the skin on) on the foiled oven tray. Add all the salmon glaze ingredients together in a bowl and mix well. Pour on top of salmon. Pop in the oven for 15 minutes approx or until internal temp 160F.
TIP: The easiest way to see if your fish is cooked through is to pierce the center, very carefully, with a small knife to the center of the fish. Remove and touch your lip with the end of the knife. If it feels hot, you’re good.

TO COOK THE BEANS:

Bring an inch of water to a boil in a large saucepan fitted with a steamer basket. Add green beans, cover and cook until tender-crisp, 4-5 mins approx. Remove from heat. Whisk dill, shallot, oil, lemon juice, mustard, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add the (still warm) green beans and toss to coat. Cover. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving to blend flavors.

So tasty!

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

There’s an all out taste war going on over here between El Pollo Loco and Kentucky Fried Chicken (we’re talking fast food) ever since KFC, as they’re now known, launched their “Kentucky Grilled Chicken” in April. El Pollo Loco acted fast, challenging KFC to a public taste test and has since gone as far as exposing a few shockers in KFC’s grilled chicken recipe. Check this out:

Pretty clever marketing on EPL’s behalf and yes, it’s true. I just checked out their ingredient list myself. Pretty sneaky addition, especially for those who are off read meat, wouldn’t you say? Now I’ve never eaten at either place before so I’m not in favor of one or the other. Just stating facts here. I’m pretty sure both companies don’t use grass-fed or organic chickens, not that they claim to, but after seeing the movie Food, Inc. I’m rather skeptical of any fast food chain’s food quality. (I encourage you to see Food, Inc. if you haven’t already.)

So I decided to issue my own taste challenge, if you will. KFC vs. THI (The Healthy Irishman). My goal here is to prove that you can still get the same great taste of fried chicken without it actually being fried, saving you tons of saturated fat, calories & sodium AND to prove that you can make a homemade healthy meal for the family in basically no time at all. Think of it this way, if you’ve got time to drive to KFC, get the food and drive home, then you’ve got time to make this!

RECIPE:

1 whole organic chicken portioned (2 breasts, 2 drumsticks, 2 thighs, 2 wings)

2 cups bread crumbs (I used Ener-G Gluten Free bread crumbs)
3 egg whites – whisked
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp salt
olive oil spray

DIRECTIONS:

Arrange all the ingredients in a row in the following order: the chicken pieces, the flour with paprika and salt mixed together, the egg whites, the breadcrumbs. Begin by dredging the chicken pieces in the flour followed by the egg and then coat in the breadcrumbs. Lay on a foiled oven tray. This assembly line is a great time to get the kids involved!

Once all the pieces are crumbed spray liberally on all sides with the olive oil spray.

Pop in the oven for 15-20 minutes until internal temp of 165°F and the crumbs are crispy and ‘fried’. That’s all there is to it! Once you get the basic recipe down you can always add in more spices to the flour mix like a little cayenne if you like it spicy.

I served this with sweet potato mash and sauteed spinach. So the taste-off begins. Which version would you rather eat?

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

It’s hot enough here that I could, if I wanted to, fry an egg on my bald head, which means barbecue season is still hangin’ in there….. just like the smoke over LA. I’m definitely not complaining since the poor Paddies have barely had a chance to put a flame to the barbecue this year. Ironically my parents have 3 barbecues (couldn’t tell ya why) but unfortunately they’re mostly used as gatherers of rust and leaves. With this being Labor Day weekend everyone here is in full barbecue mode so this is a great easy tasty recipe that can be done in advance and brought to the beach or just throw them on the grill if you have some peeps comin’ over. Either way there’s some good eatin’ here. Shit, I’m starting to write the way my Texan missus speaks, yikes. Think I need a trip to Kerry to sort me out!

RECIPE:
Serves 4

5 lbs organic chicken, portioned

Marinade:
1/4 cup fresh cilantro – rough chopped
1 large garlic clove – minced
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/2 cup low-sodium tamari (soy sauce)
3 tbsp agave
1/4 tsp sesame oil
1/2 cup olive oil

Directions:
Mix all the marinade ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. Add chicken to bowl and, with clean hands, mix the marinade into the chicken. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours up to over night.
Once ready to cook, fire up the grill.
Grill all chicken pieces to desired temperature knowing that any dark meat chicken will take slightly longer to cook.

TIP: When grilling meat I like to cook by indirect heat. I have one side of my grill fired up on high heat and the other side on low heat. I sear or brown the meat on the high heat side on both sides and then move it over to the low heat side. Close the lid. By using this method the grill becomes more like an oven and the meat cooks slowly through thus not burning and remaining juicy and moist.

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

I got some pictures yesterday of my niece’s first day at big girl school (what a dote!) and then it hit me–summer is almost done, or for those of you across the pond it never really got started. Sorry ’bout that.
Here Stateside we celebrate Labor Day on Monday, meaning it’s a bank holiday weekend and our last official Summer hoo-ha before Autumn starts creeping in. We’ve been suffering a heat wave here this past week, so I made some refreshing ‘burgers’ that are a great idea for your last ’summer’ weekend.

RECIPE:
Serves 4

1 lb sushi grade Ahi Tuna
2 tbsp low-sodium tamari (soy sauce)
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp wasabi paste
1 lime – zested
squeeze of lime juice
1/4 cup fresh cilantro – chopped
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

For Garnish:
sprouts (if you’re into them)
avocado
lettuce

DIRECTIONS:
Chop the tuna into chunks and add to a food processor. Pulse a few times to break down tuna.

In a large mixing bowl add olive oil, tamari, lime juice and zest, cilantro, ginger, S&P. Mix and add to tuna. Blend until well combined, (1 minute approx) mimicking ground meat.
Form into 4 x 4oz burgers.
Preheat large non-stick saute/grill pan on medium heat for 1 minute. Sear burgers for 2 minutes each side for rare or longer for more well done.
Serve with fresh sprouts and avocado on a toasted whole wheat bun. If, like me, you like a condiment with your burger try my ginger spiced homemade ketchup to give a great contrasting sweet n sour flavor.

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

Suferrin’ Succotash! Remember that saying from Sylvester the Cat in the Looney Tunes cartoon? That was pretty much the only time I had heard the word succotash and as a kid I had no idea what it was or meant. Come to find out succotash is food (no wonder why I liked the saying!) The Missus had me believing this dish originated in the South, which would make sense why I had never heard of it, apart from the cartoon. But during my research on what the name means I found out it all began in the Rhode Island area, if you can believe that. The name is taken from the Naragansett Indian word msickquatash, “boiled whole kernels of corn,” from the Narragansett language once spoken on Narragansett Bay, which is present-day Rhode Island.

How ’bout that for research!

Succotash is a dish consisting primarily of corn and Lima beans, though now it’s been adapted all over the states. In the South any mixture of vegetables prepared with Lima beans and mixed with butter is considered a succotash. In Indiana, according to our Hoosier buddies (Indiana people), succotash is made with green beans and corn instead of Lima beans. Bet you didn’t know succotash was so interesting did you?

I happen to really like this succotash idea because I’m a big fan of all the components that are in the dish. Lima beans are a very good source of cholesterol-lowering fiber and have good significant amounts of folate and magnesium, all of which are beneficial for your digestive system and your heart. Corn is chock-a-block full of nutrients including fiber & vitamin C. Speaking of C, the peppers are loaded with it and the red pepper is also a great source of vitamin A. Basically you’re nourishing your body naturally, with a brilliant dinner to boot.

RECIPE:
Serves 4

3 x 8 oz Organic chicken breasts with skin (skin to be removed after cooking if desired)
1 cup chicken broth

1 red bell pepper – diced
1 yellow bell pepper – diced
1/2 red onion – diced
2 garlic cloves – minced
2 fresh corn on the cob – kernels removed  or  1 x 15 1/4 oz can corn (go fresh since corn is in season!)
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes
2 cups Lima beans (butter or Madagascar beans)
1 tsp chili flakes
1 tbsp fresh cilantro – chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
S&P
olive oil spray

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 420F.
Begin by preheating your barbecue grill on high heat until up to appropriate temperature. You can saute the chicken indoors on your stove if you don’t want to hook up your grill or use a grill pan.
Season chicken breasts with S&P on both sides.

TIP: Double the amount of salt you would normally use simply because when you grill (or saute for that matter) some of the salt will fall off and the meat will actually end up being under seasoned.

Spray your grill liberally with olive oil spray and sear the chicken for 3-4 minutes, skin side down or until golden brown. By keeping the skin on the breast it will protect the flesh from charring and becoming tough when cooking.

Once chicken is seared on skin side, flip over and sear for 1 minute. Once seared,  place on foiled oven tray to finish in oven. My favorite tip for this is to add broth to the roasting tray and pop in oven for 5 minutes or until internal temp of 165F. Since chicken breast is very lean it has a tendency to dry out so this method will create steam in the oven while the chicken is roasting, keeping it nice ‘n juicy. Once cooked let rest for 2 minutes before cutting. This will help the meat to relax and redistribute the juices back into the meat.
Meanwhile (or while the chicken is in the oven), heat a large saute pan on medium high for one min. Add 2 tbsp of olive oil then add in the peppers and onions and cook for about a minute, stirring. Stir in garlic, corn, chili flakes and tomatoes, saute together for 4-5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium then add in the lima beans and saute along with the other ingredients for 2 more minutes.
Taste and season with S&P. Add chopped cilantro to finish.

Serve family style with the grilled chicken on top. How ’bout that for a quick healthy family dinner!

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.