I've created this page to share some of my favourite go-to's in the world of culinary delights with those who share a passion for beautiful, healthy, delectable dishes that are as lovely for the palette as they are for the body. This is a living page, with new recipes making their way here as they find their way into my kitchen - Enjoy! xx
__________
Healthy, Decadent Cuppa Cacao
Using the whole-food (organic, cacao paste) with every shred of it's health supporting nutrients makes this delicious, velvety cup of wellness the highlight of the day. Serve it warm in a mug, or chilled over ice. Use your favourite "milk" and sweetener. Should you opt out of the orange oil, t's equally as good. And of course, add anything your heart/taste desires to make it perfectly yours.
_____
INGREDIENTS
1 serving
- 1 oz cacao paste
- 1/3 C water
- 1 C milk or milk alternative of choice
- Organic, liquid stevia, monkfruit or sweetner of your choice (add to taste)
- 1 drop organic, sweet orange essential oil
Steps:
- Chop 1oz cacao paste
- In a milk warmer/frother, heat 1/3 C water for about 1 minute. If using a pan and whisk, gently heat water (do NOT boil).
- Add chopped cacao paste and one drop of sweet orange extract; mix for 15-30 seconds
- If serving hot: add milk of choice and mix until fully warmed (again, if mixing in a pan over heat do NOT let mixture come to a boil). If serving cold: pour cold milk of choice over ice in a glass, then add the warm contents of pan/frother and mix with spoon or straw.
__________
Honey Mustard Garlic Butter Cabbage with Yogurt Tahini Ranch
Cabbage transformed into a tender, velvety, decadent delight. Sweet and savory, tender and rich - this healthy yet hearty dish will be a favourite for one, or the family. Perfect for all seasons with the richness of the warm cabbage and the cool dressing. Serve it chilled for a picnic dish, or as an impressive for a group cookout. If dairy is not in your diet, substitute the yogurt with a plant based yogurt, and do as I do by swapping out the butter with Earth Balance soy-free 'butter'.
_____
INGREDIENTS
3-6 servings
For the butter:
- 7 tbsp unsalted butter, softened/slightly melted
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp yellow mustard
- 2 tbsp chopped scallions
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
For the cabbage:
- 1 medium head cabbage, sliced into 6 wedges
For the ranch:
- 1/4 cup tahini
- 1/4 cup plain yogurt or plant based yogurt
- 2 tbsp chopped scallions
- 2 tbsp fresh chopped parsley
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp ranch seasoning
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 2-3 tbsp water
Toppings:
- Chopped pistachios
- Chopped scallions (optional)
- Preheat the oven to 400. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- Make the compound butter. Add the butter or Earth Balance, honey, mustard, scallions, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper to a small bowl. Use a fork to mix together to create a paste. Set aside.
- Add a spoonful of the butter to each of the cabbage wedges, spreading evenly over the tops. Flip, then generously coat the other side and the sides in the butter. Place them in the oven and roast for about 40-50 minutes, flipping after about 30 minutes. The bottom should be caramelized. **Note: if the edges look as if they are getting too dark, then cover with foil for the remaining time.
- While the cabbage roasts, make the ranch. Add the tahini, yogurt, lemon juice, scallions, ranch, salt, pepper and water to a high speed blender. Blend until smooth. For thinner consistency, add more water one teaspoon at a time.
- Serve topped with the ranch, scallions, and pistachios.
__________
Braised White Beans and Greens With Parmesan
Warm and deeply satisfying, this delish-dish is both hearty and healthy. Quick and easy with a speedy, 30-minute prep time, you'll be out of the kitchen with fork in hand in no time. A baguette or loaf of crusty bread is the perfect dipping companion.
_____
INGREDIENTS
4 Servings
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 small fennel bulb, trimmed, cored and small-diced
- 1 small yellow onion, small-diced
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary or thyme
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ teaspoon red-pepper flakes, plus more to taste
- 1 large or 2 small bunches escarole, kale or Swiss chard, stems removed (10 to 12 ounces)
- 2 (15-ounce) cans cannellini beans, rinsed
- 2 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella (optional)
- 3 tablespoons grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan, plus more for serving
- Toasted country bread, for serving
PREPARATION
- In a 12-inch skillet or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium. Add the fennel, onion and rosemary, and cook for 4 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Add the garlic and red-pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Begin adding handfuls of the greens, cooking and stirring until leaves wilt.
- Add the white beans, broth and ¼ teaspoon black pepper, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to low and simmer, mashing some of the beans with a wooden spoon, until the liquid has reduced and thickened, 6 to 8 minutes.
- Off the heat, stir in the lemon juice, then the mozzarella, if using, and Pecorino Romano. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Divide among shallow bowls and top with more Pecorino Romano. Serve with toasted bread and a dish of red-pepper flakes on the side.
_____
Turmeric and Ginger Latte
- 1 tsp Fermented Turmeric Tea Powder, or turmeric powder of your choice.
- 1/2 tsp (or more to your taste), grated, fresh ginger tsp (or more to organic, ground ginger root. (If using fresh ginger root, you'll want to use a fine-grate, microplane.
- 1 pinch finely ground black pepper
- 1 pinch sea salt
- 1 TBS coconut sugar, or 3/4 TBS honey, or 3-5 drops organic liquid stevia
- 5 TBS Sown Organic Oat Creamer, Unsweetened OR unsweetened coconut milk
PREPARATION
- In milk warmer/frother add water to lowest line inside of heater/frother, and while it's running, add tumeric powder, ginger, sweetener of choice (above), sea salt, and let run until heater/frother turns off. If using a saucepan,
- Add oat creamer or coconut milk and let run for 1-2 minutes.
- While unit is running, add water until at capacity. Let run until auto-shut off
- Pour into a glass or mug, garnish with black pepper.
________________________
Roasted Garlic and White Bean Dip with Rosemary
INGREDIENTS
- 1head garlic
- 1teaspoon, plus 5 tablespoons olive oil
- 2(15-ounce) cans white beans, like cannellini, Great Northern or navy beans, drained and rinsed
- 3tablespoons lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
- 1tablespoon roughly chopped fresh rosemary leaves, plus 1 full sprig
- ¼teaspoon black pepper
- 1pinch of cayenne, plus more for garnish (optional)
- 1tablespoon hot water
- 1¼teaspoons kosher salt
PREPARATION
-
Step 1
Roast the garlic: Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Peel off most of the garlic's outermost skin but leave the whole head intact. Trim about ¼ inch off the top of the garlic to expose the cloves. Place the garlic on a large piece of aluminum foil, then drizzle 1 teaspoon olive oil over the exposed cloves and close the foil into a pouch. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until you can pierce the center of the head with a knife. Let cool slightly.
-
Step 2
Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves into the bowl of a food processor. Add the white beans, 4 tablespoons olive oil, lemon juice, rosemary leaves, black pepper, cayenne (if using), hot water and salt. Purée until smooth, then taste for salt, pepper, rosemary and lemon juice. Adjust as necessary. Transfer to a serving dish.
-
Step 3
Heat remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a small heavy skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the remaining rosemary sprig — it should sizzle. Cook until brown and crisp, flipping once, about 1 minute per side, then transfer to the top of the dip as a garnish. Pour or spoon the remaining olive oil, now infused with rosemary, over the top of the dip. Sprinkle with cayenne for a little additional heat.
- The roasted garlic can be made up to 2 weeks in advance. Wrap well and store in the refrigerator.
________________________
Panzanella With Mozzarella and Herbs
INGREDIENTS
- 4 ounces baguette, preferably stale, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 3 cups)
- 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, more to taste
- ¾ teaspoon kosher sea salt, more to taste
- 2 pounds very ripe tomatoes, preferably a mix of varieties and colors
- 6 ounces fresh mozzarella, torn or cut into bite-size pieces
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion, about half a small onion
- 3 garlic cloves, grated to a paste
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, more to taste
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano or thyme (or a combination)
- Large pinch red-pepper flakes (optional)
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Black pepper, to taste
- ½ cup thinly sliced Persian or seedless cucumber, about 1 small cucumber
- ½ cup torn basil leaves
- ¼ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, roughly chopped (optional)
- 1 tablespoon capers, drained or 5-7 chopped oil cured olives
PREPARATION
-
Step 1
Heat oven to 425 degrees. Spread the bread cubes on a rimmed baking sheet and toss with 2 tablespoons oil and a pinch of salt. Bake until they are dried out and pale golden brown at the edges, about 7 to 15 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack.
-
Step 2
Cut tomatoes into bite-size pieces and transfer to a large bowl. Add mozzarella, onions, garlic paste, 1 tablespoon vinegar, oregano or thyme, ¼ teaspoon salt and the red-pepper flakes if using. Toss to coat and set aside.
-
Step 3
In a medium bowl, combine remaining 1 tablespoon vinegar, the mustard, ¼ teaspoon salt and some black pepper to taste. While whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in the remaining 4 tablespoons olive oil until the mixture is thickened. Stir in cucumbers, basil and parsley.
-
Step 4
Add bread cubes, cucumber mixture and capers to the tomatoes and toss well. Let sit for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours before serving. Toss with a little more olive oil, vinegar and salt if needed just before serving.
