The Naturopathic Gourmet

Blood Orange Sea Salt

2012-01-28T09:04:00.002-05:00

GLUTEN-FREE

Citrus sea salt adds fantastic flavor to special dishes. You can stir it in during cooking or save it for a finishing touch. Either way, even simple dishes become extraordinary.

(Last night I did both. I used Blood Orange Sea Salt to season a chicken before I roasted it, then I sprinkled a bit over sautéed Brussels sprouts just before I brought them to the table.)

I choose blood oranges for this citrus salt because I wanted to extend their short season. You can use any citrus fruit, just be sure to avoid fruits that have been sprayed with pesticides or other chemicals.

Most of the citrus flavor is in the peel, thanks to the essential oils found there. It also contains antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer compounds.

My citrus salt recipe differs from others. I use more zest because I like a stronger citrus flavor. It enables me to use less salt and I can always adjust the seasoning later with regular sea salt if need be.

Also, I don't dry my citrus salt in the oven. Instead I set it aside to cure for a day or two before I grind it. Salt is a natural drying agent and preservative, so the heat is unnecessary. Heat can also make citrus zest bitter, it causes the flavorful essential oils to evaporate, and it can destroy the healthful compounds.

You'll need:

1 organic blood orange, zested, about 1½ to 2 tbsp, or substitute limes or lemons

½ cup sea salt

Rinse the oranges well and allow them to dry completely before you zest them.

When you remove the zest from the oranges, take only the colorful layer, leaving the bitter white layer underneath. Zest the fruit over a glass bowl. Add the sea salt and stir to break up any clumps, distributing the zest as evenly as possible.

Cover and set aside for 24 to 48 hours.

Once the zest has been allowed to cure, transfer it to a clean electric grinder and grind until smooth.

(Alternatively you can use a mortar and pestle.)

Taste for seasoning and add more sea salt if the citrus flavor is too strong.

Transfer the finely ground citrus salt to glass containers.

Cover tightly and label the jars with the contents and date.

Simple Salmon Spread

2012-01-22T09:05:00.002-05:00

GLUTEN-FREE

This simple salmon spread is an easy make-ahead appetizer. And it's full of healthy the omega-3 fats that support good brain and heart health.

I used gravlox made from wild Alaskan salmon but you can substitute smoked wild salmon if you like, or even canned wild salmon, but be sure to avoid farm-raised salmon. Also use strained or Greek yogurt and organic lemon zest. If you use regular yogurt or add lemon juice, the finished product will turn out too runny.

I served this spread with cucumber slices, to keep it grain-free and gluten-free, but it can also be slathered onto toast triangles or a crusty baguette.

You can also serve it as a dip with celery sticks and bell pepper strips. Or use it to fill up the center of avocado halves, so you'll get a small bite of the salmon spread with each spoonful of avocado.

4 ounces gravlox

1 cup organic whole milk Greek yogurt

Zest of 1 organic lemon, about 2 tablespoons loosely packed

1/4 cup loosely packed dill fronds

1 cucumber to serve

Add all of the ingredients to a food processor and pulse until smooth.

Transfer the mixture to a serving dish, cover and chill for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.

Thinly slice a cucumber. Serve the chilled spread with the cucumber slices. Garnish with fresh dill fronds.

Yield: 1⅓ cups

Leek Shiitake Soup

2012-01-14T09:35:00.005-05:00

GLUTEN-FREE

This mushroom soup is great for cold and flu season.

Mushrooms have been revered as both food and medicine for thousands of years in Asian countries. As powerful modulators of the immune system, they play an important role in protecting the body against pathogenic microbes and abnormal cells. In Japan and China, shiitake mushrooms are used to cure the common cold and increase energy.

I used fresh thyme and oregano in this recipe, but you can use any herbs you like. If you don't have fresh herbs, use dried herbs instead. Substitute one teaspoon of dried herbs for each tablespoon of fresh herbs.

2 portobello mushrooms, caps wiped clean
Extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt
Ground peppercorn
7 large shiitake mushrooms, caps wiped clean
3 medium leeks, halved, cleaned and thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, grated, crushed or minced
1 tbsp fresh thyme
1 tbsp fresh oregano
4 cups beef, vegetable or mushroom broth

Pre-heat the broiler. Place the portobellos on a baking tray, gill-side up. Drizzle them with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and ground peppercorn. Broil until the mushrooms are browned and the gills are crispy, about 7 minutes. Set aside to cool. Once cool, dice them into 1-centimeter pieces.

Cut off the stems from the shiitake mushrooms and save them for soup stock. Thinly slice the caps.

Add 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil to a soup pot over medium heat. Add the sliced leeks and shiitakes and saute until soft, about 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic. Stir until the garlic becomes aromatic, about 30 to 60 seconds. Do not burn the garlic.

Add the broth, raise the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes.

Stir in the fresh herbs and taste for seasoning. Adjust if necessary and serve immediately.

If making in advance, cool to room temperature. Transfer it to the fridge within 2 hours and gently re-heat it when ready to eat.

Red Bean Chili with Dark Chocolate

2012-01-07T09:58:00.001-05:00

GLUTEN-FREE | VEGETARIAN VARIATION

This satisfying stew is not a regular chili. Made with shredded grass-fed beef instead of ground beef, and finished with a bit of dark chocolate, it's exceptionally rich and savory.

It's also a good way to use less expensive cuts of grass-fed beef and a fine example of how to eat meat as a condiment in a plant-based diet.

I top this dish with a dollop of strained whole milk yogurt and chopped cilantro. Substitute fresh chopped tomatoes for the yogurt if you want a dairy-free version. For a vegan version, follow the variation at the end of the recipe.

However fancy it may appear, this chili is easy to make. But it does require some advance prep and a few hours to cook, so plan ahead.

If you can, season the meat and soak the red beans 24 hours in advance. Red lentils are so small and tender that they don't really require soaking, although you certainly could do a short soak. I used a combination of adzuki and pinto beans, a half cup of each, but you could use a full cup of one or the other.

1/2 cup dry adzuki beans, pre-soaked for 8 to 24 hours

1/2 cup dry pinto or kidney beans, pre-soaked for 8 to 24 hours

1 lb organic grass-fed beef for stew, cut into large chunks and seasoned 24 hours in advance if possible
Sea salt
Ground peppercorn
8 cups water

1/2 cup red lentils

2 cups crushed or pureed tomatoes

1 heaping cup diced red onion (1 large onion or 2 small)

2 heaping cups bell peppers (2 medium)
1 fresh chili pepper, thinly sliced in cross section (optional, remove seeds for a milder flavor)

3 garlic cloves or more, grated or finely chopped

2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp Three Alarm Chili Powder (recipe follows)
1 oz dark chocolate, 70 to 85%
Whole milk plain yogurt to garnish, Greek, strained or other (optional)

Season the beef cubes with sea salt and ground peppercorn (do this in advance if you can, to allow the seasoning to penetrate the meat). Add the seasoned beef chunks to a large soup pot. Add 8 cups of water and bring to a boil.

Once the water comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low. Skim off any foam that rises to the surface. Simmer until the beef is tender enough to be shredded easily with a fork, about an hour and a half. Meanwhile, prepare the other ingredients.

Remove the beef from the pot and set aside to cool slightly. Add the soaked beans and red lentils to the pot, along with the tomatoes, onion, green pepper, garlic, chili pepper, tomato paste and Three Alarm Chili Powder. Stir to combine. Before it cools too much, shred the beef with two forks and return it to the pot. If you wait too long it won't fall apart so easily.

Stir together all of the ingredients and return the mixture to a boil. Once it starts to simmer, reduce the heat to lowest setting. Continue to simmer gently for another hour, until the beans are tender.

Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary. Poke the dark chocolate down into the chili, cover the pot, and set it aside for 2 hours.

Once the chili has rested, stir to thoroughly incorporate the chocolate into the stew and taste. Adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve immediately or transfer to the fridge for future use. When ready to eat, re-warm the chili gently over low heat. Do not let it boil.

Garnish with strained whole milk yogurt, chopped fresh tomato, and/or chopped fresh cilantro.

Three Alarm Chili Powder:

1 dried ancho chili pepper (dried poblano chili pepper)
1 dried red chili pepper
1 dried chipotle pepper
1 rounded tbsp coriander seeds
1 rounded tbsp dried oregano leaves
1 rounded tbsp peppercorns, black, white or mixed
1 rounded tbsp ground cumin
1 rounded tbsp ground paprika
½ tsp ground cinnamon

Use clean kitchen shears to cut the chili peppers into pieces and add them to an spice grinder with all the other ingredients. Grind to a powder and store in an airtight container, labeled with the contents and date. Alternatively you can use a mortar and pestle.

Vegan Variation:

Omit the beef. Cook all of the ingredients, except the chocolate and any garnish, with 2 cups of sliced mushrooms until the beans are tender. If desired, add 2 cups cubed tofu or tempeh and cook until heated through, about 15 more minutes. Add the chocolate and finish as directed above.

Almond Butter Cookies

2011-12-28T09:09:00.000-05:00

GLUTEN-FREE | DAIRY-FREE | FLOURLESS

These quick cookies take just a few ingredients and make a healthy snack. Unlike traditional peanut butter cookies that contain sugar and flour, this recipe calls for almond butter, a small amount of honey, and unsweetened coconut. An egg helps hold it all together.

The batter will be stiff but there are two things that will make it easier to work with:

Warm the almond butter before you start (and the honey if it's thick or crystallized). Place glass jars in a saucepan of barely simmering water or transfer the almond butter to a glass or stainless steel bowl and place it over a saucepan of slowly simmering water until warm.

If you have it, use an electric mixer to finish the batter. (If you don't have an electric mixer, you can do it by hand.)

1½ cups raw almond butter, warmed

¼ cup raw, local honey

½ cup unsweetened finely shredded coconut

1 egg, beaten

Pinch sea salt

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Once the almond butter is warm, stir it until the texture is consistent and smooth. Stir in the honey and sea salt. Add the coconut and beaten egg, then mix until all of the ingredients are incorporated thoroughly.

Use 2 spoons to form the mixture into balls and place them on a baking sheet. Use the back of a fork to gently press the balls into disks. Rotate 90 degrees and press again. Sprinkle with unsweetened shredded coconut or sea salt.

To achieve a perfect texture that is chewy but not crumbly, bake the cookies until their edges become brown, about 10 minutes. Watch them closely near the end of baking and take care to not over-bake them. But don't under-bake them either. If the edges aren't brown when you take them out, they may not hold together well once cool.

Yield: 20 cookies

A Healthy Holiday Seasonal Side Dish

2011-12-21T09:13:00.000-05:00

Looking for a healthy and delicious seasonal side dish this holiday season?

Try this simple dish: my Creamy Brussels Sprouts Sauté.

Brussels sprouts are a healthy choice because they are a good source of fiber and they contain compounds that assist the liver in eliminating environmental toxins.

Duck Confit with Savory Blueberry Sauce

2011-12-10T09:06:00.003-05:00

GLUTEN-FREE | DAIRY-FREE

This famous French dish, confit de canard, or duck confit, sounds fancy but it's really quite simple. Developed as a food preservation technique, confit is a method of slow-cooking and storing meats in fat. It sounds greasy, but it's surprisingly not. The meat stays moist and fall-apart tender while excess fat melts out during cooking.

This recipe does require a large amount of duck fat. I happen to have a jar in my fridge because I save rendered fat whenever I cook duck (it keeps for months in the fridge). But it's also sold by the jar. Look for D'artagnan duck fat in specialty groceries or buy it online.

This recipe also requires several duck legs. When I found them fresh, I bought a bunch to make this dish. If you have a hard time finding duck legs, ask around at your local farmer's market or have your butcher to order some for you. Alternatively, you can use a whole duck, fresh or frozen and thawed, cut into pieces.

Properly prepared, duck confit will keep in the fridge for several months. To store it, you'll need a glass or ceramic container. A covered crock or wide-mouth 2-liter canning jar works well.

I served the finished product with a savory sauce made of blueberries and fresh rosemary. You'll find that recipe at the end of this post.

6 duck legs

Sea salt

Duck fat, 4 cups or more

At least 24 hours in advance, generously season the duck legs and set them aside in the fridge.

Allow the pre-seasoned duck legs to come to room temperature.

Preheat the oven to 275F.

Wipe off any excess salt from the duck legs and arrange them inside a cast iron Dutch oven. Cover them with duck fat and warm over low heat until the fat has liquified and you're sure there is enough to cover the legs completely.

Cover the Dutch oven and transfer it to the oven. Roast the duck legs for 2½ hours, then remove the Dutch oven and allow it to cool to room temperature.

Once the duck legs have cooled, transfer them to a clean, dry glass or ceramic container.

Very carefully, pour the duck fat over the legs. The duck legs must be completely covered with duck fat, so if there isn't enough, add more.

Cool the jar completely to room temperature. Cover it tightly and place it in the fridge until ready to eat.

When you're ready to eat the duck confit, bring the jar to room temperature. If you plan to serve it with the blueberry sauce, take the blueberries out of the freezer to thaw.

Preheat the oven to 400F.
Carefully remove the duck legs one by one, wiping away most of the excess fat (you'll want to leave a little to prevent the meat from sticking to the baking dish) and placing it inside a baking pan. If you have a hard time pulling out the duck legs, place the jar on the oven as it preheats so further soften the fat and ease removal. Cover the remaining confit and put it back in the fridge.

Roast the duck legs, uncovered, until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, mix up the Savory Blueberry Sauce (recipe follows).

Savory Blueberry Sauce

To make this sauce, I used my immersion blender and a wide-mouth pint-size canning jar. You can also use a regular blender or a food processor. If you need more volume to make your machine mix, you can double this recipe.

1/2 cup frozen organic blueberries

1 tbsp aged balsamic vinegar

1 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary

Sea salt to taste

Ground peppercorn to taste

Purée all of the ingredients until smooth. Taste for seasoning and make and necessary adjustments. Serve the sauce within two hours or store it in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to eat.

Alternative to Canned Beans

2011-12-03T09:15:00.006-05:00

Beans are a wonderful source of vegetarian protein. I add them to salads, soups, veggie burgers, and scrambled eggs (topped with salsa and plain yogurt). Beans from a can are convenient, but unless they come in BPA-free cans, you should cook your own.

Cooking beans at home doesn't require a lot of effort, just good timing. Soak them in advance for 12 to 24 hours and cook them whenever you're in the kitchen anyway. Make a big batch, store them in their cooking liquid, and freeze what you don't use within a week.

Frozen cooked beans are almost as convenient as canned cooked beans. It's true that they have to be thawed, but in some cases you can skip that step, like when you're adding them to soups and stews.

I add epazote to my beans while they cook because it adds flavor and improves their digestibility. Epazote also reduces gas formation.

Epazote

I foraged for epazote in Central Park and dried what I didn't use fresh. If you plan to pick it yourself, make 100% sure you have a positive identification.

Otherwise, look for it grocery stores that carry Mexican and Central American groceries ingredients. In Manhattan, find epazote at Kalustyan's on Lexington Avenue.

Take care to not over-cook the beans. Longer soaking makes for shorter cooking times, and beans that were dried recently cook much more quickly than those dried long ago. Soaked overnight, the black beans I buy from Pure Cayuga Organics at the farmer's market cook in only 45 minutes.

1. Soak the beans for 12 to 24 hours.

2. Rinse the pre-soaked beans well and add them to a pot with plenty of fresh water. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer until the beans are tender, checking periodically to gauge cooking time.

3. Cool the cooked beans in their cooking liquid.

4. Strain the cooled beans, reserving the cooking liquid.

5. Toss the strained beans with a pinch of sea salt, then transfer them to clean glass jars, leaving an inch of space at the top. Pour the cooking liquid over the beans, making sure that they are completely covered and leaving at least an inch of space at the top (unless you don't plan to freeze the jars). Tighten lids on the jars. Save any excess cooking liquid, or bean broth, for soups, stews and chili. Use it as you would mushroom or vegetable broth. It too can be stored in a clean glass jar in the fridge or freezer. Allow an inch of space at the top if you plan to freeze it.

6. Transfer the beans and any excess bean broth to the fridge. If you plan to freeze them, allow the jars to chill overnight first. Transfer the chilled jars to the freezer and leave the lids askew to prevent them from cracking if the contents expand. Tighten the lids the following day, after they have frozen completely.

Using The Whole Bird

2011-11-23T09:41:00.001-05:00

Looking to use all the parts of your turkey this year?
Try my recipe for Turkey Liver with Balsamic Reduction. It takes just a few ingredients and you may have already them on hand.

Simple Thanksgiving Starter

2011-11-19T09:12:00.003-05:00

Looking for a simple starter this Thanksgiving?
Try my Pumpkin Soup. It's festive, seasonal, and easy to make ahead. It's also a full serving of vegetables.

Fall Detox Soup

2011-11-12T09:05:00.047-05:00

GLUTEN-FREE
DAIRY-FREE

It really feels like fall in the Hudson Valley and I'm in the middle of my annual autumn cleanse.

This soup looks autumn in a bowl. It's bright yellow and orange colors are reminiscent of changing fall leaves. I used golden beets, yellow bell peppers, and an orange tomato because I happened to have them on hand. You can certainly substitute other colors, red or heirloom tomatoes, and green or red bell peppers. (If you substitute red beets, be prepared for your soup to turn purple.)

This dish is my version of lime soup with chicken, or Sopa De Limón.

Wait a minute, why am I eating meat during a detox?

Because protein and healthy fats are essential.

It's being used as a condiment in a plant-based diet.

This meat was raised on pasture and never exposed to antibiotics, hormones or pesticides. (Look for pasture-raised chicken at your local farmer's market and make your own bone broth.)

Beets support biochemical detoxification pathways in the liver (specifically phase two) while cilantro helps remove heavy metals from the body. Cilantro is one of my favorite herbs, so I added quite a bit to this soup (almost an entire bunch). Use as much as you like or substitute parsley if you prefer.

Chili pepper spices up this dish and adds anti-inflammatory benefits.
I chose chipotle because the smokey flavor pairs so well with cumin, but feel free to substitute cayenne pepper or a fresh chili pepper. If your lime isn't organic, omit the zest.

1 pasture-raised chicken, 3 to 4 lb

2 large stalks celery, about 2 cups chopped

2 large onions

4 cloves garlic

2 large orange tomatoes, chopped

2 large roasted yellow bell peppers

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, first cold pressing

4 small golden beets, peel intact, diced

Sea salt

1 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp ground chipotle, more or less to taste

1½ cups bone broth

2 to 3 limes, the zest of one and 1/3 cup lime juice

More cilantro or diced avocado to garnish

Prepare in advance:

Season the chicken (24 to 48 hours in advance if possible) and place it in a pot large enough to fit comfortably. While you chop the celery and one of the onions, reserve any trimmings. Set aside the chopped vegetables and place the trimmings inside the pot with the chicken. Roughly chop one tomato and the remaining onion, and add them to the pot with 2 or more cloves of garlic, smashed.

Fill the pot with enough cold water to cover the chicken by at least an inch. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low. Simmer it slowly until a thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh reads 165 degrees Fahrenheit, about an hour.

While the chicken cooks, roast the peppers. Cut them in half through the stem end and remove the seeds. Place them cut-side down in a baking pan under the broiler until blackened. Cover and set them aside. When cool, remove the skins and chop them into 1 cm pieces, and set them aside.

Once the chicken is fully cooked, carefully remove it from the pot and set it aside to cool. Continue to simmer the broth and vegetables over low heat. Cut the chicken meat from the carcass and return the bones to the pot. Simmer slowly for 2 to 4 hours. Chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces, reserve 2 cups for the soup and the rest for another use.

Cool the broth completely. Strain and discard the solids. Use it immediately or store it in air tight glass jars in the fridge or freezer. (If you're going to freeze the broth, use wide-mouth canning jars, leave an inch of space at the top, and chill the filled jars in the fridge first to minimize the chance cracking.)

To make the soup:

In the bottom of a heavy soup pot, warm the olive over medium heat. Add the onions, celery, beets, and a large pinch of sea salt. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the vegetables start to soften and brown, 15 minutes or more.

Add the roasted pepper, tomato, cumin and chipotle. Grate in 2 cloves of garlic (or more). Once the tomato has broken down and dissolved the brown bits on the bottom of the pan, add 1½ cups of bone broth. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer until all of the vegetables are tender, 30 minutes or more.

Once the vegetables are fully cooked and not yet mushy, turn off the heat. Add the lime zest, lime juice, reserved chopped chicken and cilantro. Add water if necessary to achieve your desired consistency, more for a soup and less for a stew. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Cover and set aside for two hours.

When ready to serve, taste soup again and adjust the seasoning and/or liquid level if needed. Gently warm the soup over low heat until hot. Ladle into bowls and garnish with cilantro.

If you're not on a detox, you can place some cooked brown rice in the bottom of a soup bowl and ladle some Sopa De Limón over the top. Garnish with cilantro and/or diced avocado.

Vegetarian Variation:

Omit the chicken and add instead 2 cups of pre-soaked, slow-cooked white beans. Substitute vegetable broth for the bone broth.

Quick Refrigerator Pickles

2011-11-05T09:00:00.002-04:00

GLUTEN-FREE
DAIRY-FREE

These pickles can be made in the fridge in just 24 hours. I kept the seasoning simple with garlic and chili pepper, but feel free to add some herbs, like a sprig of fresh dill or tarragon.

They will keep in the fridge for several weeks. I like to offer them alongside richer and heavier foods, like paté or roasted meats, because their sharp flavor and crisp bite are a lovely contrast. You can serve these pickles with whatever you wish.

1/2 cup white wine vinegar

1/2 cup water

1 tbsp honey

2 cloves garlic, smashed

Pinch red pepper flakes or minced fresh chili pepper

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 large unwaxed cucumber

In a small saucepan, combine the vinegar, water, honey, garlic, red pepper flakes and sea salt. Warm over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the honey dissolves. Remove the mixture from the heat, cover and cool to room temperature.

Thinly slice the cucumber. Place the slices inside a clean glass jar. Pour the vinegar solution over the cucumbers, cover the jar tightly, and shake to thoroughly distribute the liquid. Place the jar in the fridge for at least 24 hours. Strain and serve.

Garlic Green Beans

2011-10-29T09:48:00.013-04:00

GLUTEN-FREE
DAIRY-FREE

While fresh beans are still in season, make this simple side. It only takes a few ingredients and minutes to throw together.

1 pound fresh string beans

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt to taste

Ground peppercorn

1 to 2 cloves fresh garlic

Wash the beans and trim their stem ends. Leave them whole or cut them in half.

Warm the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the beans with a pinch of sea salt and ground peppercorn. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender-crisp, about 10 minutes.

Turn off the heat. Grate the garlic over the beans, then toss them to distribute it evenly. Cover for 1 minute. Toss again and taste for seasoning. Adjust if necessary. Serve immediately.

Cajun Roasted Cod

2011-10-22T09:25:00.002-04:00

GLUTEN-FREE
This fish dish is fast and easy to prepare if you have Cajun Seasoning already on hand. (If you don't, you can mix up your own in minutes). Because it contains sea salt, it's the only seasoning you'll need.

You can use this seasoning with any protein, so if you don't have cod, substitute shrimp, Alaskan halibut, chicken or triangles of tofu.

Balance the heat by serving this spicy dish with something cool. I used my favorite fresh tomato: green zebras.

Their cool, clean, and slightly sweet flavor pairs well with the spicy Cajun seasoning. If you don't have fresh, ripe tomatoes (of any color) serve a green salad instead.

1 lb Alaskan cod, whole fillet or individual portions, at room temperature
Cajun Seasoning

Preheat the oven to 375F.

Lightly coat a baking dish with butter or extra virgin olive oil.

Sprinkle the Cajun seasoning over the fish and place it inside the baking dish.

Transfer it to the oven and roast until flaky and just cooked through,
7 to 10 minutes for individual portions, 15 minutes or more for whole fillets.

Serve the fish on a bed of diced tomatoes or salad greens.

Cajun Seasoning

2011-10-21T19:35:00.002-04:00

GLUTEN-FREE

Use this versatile spice blend to season beans, fish and poultry.
Stir it into a pot of lentils, use it as the flavor base for chili, rub it on chicken before you grill it, or sprinkle it over fish before baking.

Don't make more than you'll use in a month or so, unless you plan to share. Once herbs and spices are ground, they quickly lose their flavor. If you prefer to add salt separately, omit it from this recipe.

1 chipotle pepper, stemmed and torn into pieces

2 tsp mixed peppercorns, or substitute black peppercorns

2 tsp smoked sea salt

2 tsp cumin seeds

2 tsp dried rosemary leaves

1 tsp corriander seeds

2 tsp smoked paprika

Add all the ingredients to a spice grinder. Pulse and grind until you achieve a fine texture.

Transfer any excess seasoning to an air-tight container and store for future use.

Healthy Halloween Treats: Chocolate Nut Clusters

2011-10-15T09:35:00.014-04:00

GLUTEN-FREE

These Chocolate Nut Clusters taste so good, people may not even notice they're good for you too.

A simple combination of dark chocolate and nuts, they are quick and easy to assemble. And they're free of added sugar, emulsifiers, stabilizers and preservatives.

Look for a good quality chocolate with a high cocoa content, 70% or more. It’s the cocoa powder that contains healthy compounds shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, heart attack, stroke and cancer.

I used cashews, walnuts and coconut. Other nuts would be good too, like pecans, pistachios, macadamia nuts or almonds. Or make mixed nut clusters.

If you're avoiding nuts (nuts are among the top ten most common food allergies), you can substitute unsweetened dried fruit, like tart cherries, blueberries, apricots, or chunks of fig.

I made these clusters in a silicone mini-muffin pan. Silicone molds of other shapes and sizes would work well too.

This recipe makes about 20 clusters: 8 coconut, 6 cashew and 6 walnut.

8 oz 70% dark chocolate

18 raw cashews

1/4 cup walnut pieces

3/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

Warm the chocolate in a glass or stainless steel bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, covered, until just melted.

While the chocolate melts, divide the nuts into the mini-muffin cups, 3 whole cashews or a few walnut pieces per cup.

Once the chocolate is just melted, remove it from the heat and stir it until smooth. Drop a spoonful of the melted chocolate into each cup, over the nuts.

Transfer the cups to the fridge to set, about 10 minutes.

Stir the unsweetened coconut flakes into the remaining chocolate. The coconut should be generously coated with chocolate. Set the bowl aside to allow the coconut to soften while the nut clusters set.

Once the chocolate nut clusters have set, transfer them to a serving platter or an air-tight storage container.

Drop spoonfuls of the chocolate-coconut mixture into the cups.

Transfer them to the fridge to set. Once set, transfer to a serving dish or an air-tight storage container.

These nut clusters are best served at room temperature. If you're making them ahead, plan to take them out of the fridge half an hour before you serve them.

You can package the dark chocolate nut clusters for trick-or-treaters, offer them as a hostess gift, or serve them as a healthy dessert.

Pumpkin Soup

2011-10-08T09:15:00.043-04:00

GLUTEN-FREE

I serve this soup as a simple starter when I'm short on time. It's easy
to throw together and doesn't take long to cook, if you have pumpkin purée already on hand and a well-stocked spice cabinet.

Pumpkin is full of fiber and disease-fighting nutrients like vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium, iron, calcium and magnesium. It also contains
B vitamins and trace minerals like copper and manganese that are essential for healthy bones. My recipe contains turmeric, a powerful antioxidant with anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties.

This soup is stand-alone good, but feel free to finish it with a dollop of whole milk plain yogurt or more coconut milk.

Fresh chopped cilantro, toasted pumpkin seeds and/or coconut flakes make great garnishes too.

For a dairy-free, vegan version, omit the yogurt and use olive oil instead of butter.

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil or butter

1 medium red onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, grated

1 inch of fresh ginger, grated

Pinch cayenne

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground coriander seed

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp turmeric

Ground nutmeg to taste

Ground peppercorn to taste

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 cup vegetable broth

14 oz canned pumpkin
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk

To garnish:

More coconut milk

Organic whole milk plain yogurt
Fresh cilantro, chopped
Oven-toasted pumpkin seeds

Unsweetened shredded coconut or coconut flakes

In a medium pot with a heavy bottom, warm the butter or olive oil and sauté the onion until soft and starting to brown.

Grate in the garlic and ginger. Stir to combine. Add the rest of the spices: cayenne, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, turmeric, nutmeg, pepper and salt. Stir to coat the onion evenly with the spices. Continue to cook until they spices warm and start to stick to the bottom of the pan.

Add the vegetable broth and scrape up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Bring it to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until nearly ready to serve, 10 minutes or more.

To finish the soup, add the coconut milk and purée with an immersion blender until smooth. Continue cooking to bring the soup back up to temperature, then remove it from the heat.

Garnish the soup with yogurt or coconut milk and pumpkin seeds, shredded coconut, and/or fresh chopped cilantro.

Serve immediately.

Cajun Lentil Soup

2011-10-01T09:29:00.000-04:00

GLUTEN-FREE

Soup is one of my favorite things about fall. As temperatures cool, I crave warm and satisfying foods, like this simple lentil soup.

Lentils are a good source of vegetarian protein. I used two kinds here, the regular brown variety that hold their shape and also some red lentils that dissolve to thicken the broth. The red lentils are so tender and small that they don't need to be pre-soaked. Ideally, the brown lentils should be soaked. In a pinch, you could get away without soaking them, but this extra step makes them easier to digest and their nutrients more bioavailable.

This recipe calls for pasture-raised bacon. You can skip it if you prefer a vegetarian version, but it does give this soup a savory, smokey richness. And it's a good example of how a little meat can go a long way. Use it as a condiment in a plant-based diet, rather than the main course.

My mandolin makes quick work of chopping the onion and carrot
(I used the thin julienne blade) but a knife works just fine.

The Cajun seasoning is an aromatic mixture of cumin, coriander, paprika, rosemary, peppercorn and chipotle pepper (a smoked jalapeno). If that's enough spice for you, omit the fresh chili pepper.
I like the extra heat and the fresh chili flavor, so I use both.

3 slices pasture-raised bacon, chopped

2 cups finely chopped carrots

2 cups finely chopped onion

1 fresh chili pepper, minced (optional)

3 or 4 cloves garlic, grated or minced

2 cups chopped fresh tomato or crushed tomatoes

2 tsp Cajun seasoning (recipe follows)

2 cups dry lentils, soaked 8 hours or more, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup red lentils, rinsed and drained

2 cups concentrated home-made bone broth (chicken or turkey)

Whole milk plain yogurt to garnish (optional)

Fresh oregano or other fresh herbs to garnish (optional)

Warm the chopped bacon in a heavy soup pot over low heat until the fat has rendered and the bacon has browned. Stir in the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds more, until the garlic becomes aromatic. Stir in the onion and carrot and continue cooking until they start to brown.

Add the tomatoes and Cajun seasoning. Stir to combine, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Once the tomatoes have broken down and formed a sauce, add the brown lentils, red lentils, broth and enough water to cover all of the ingredients generously.

Increase the heat and bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to the lowest setting and simmer until the broth has thickened and the lentils and vegetables are tender. Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary.

Serve immediately, garnished with yogurt and fresh herbs if you like, or cover and set it aside if you're making it in advance. Once it cools to room temperature, transfer it to the fridge if you're not planning to eat it within 2 hours of turning off the heat.

Grapefruit Fennel Salad

2011-09-24T09:36:00.013-04:00

GLUTEN-FREE
DAIRY-FREE

This crisp and refreshing salad is naturally sweet and sour. Serve it as a stand alone dish with grilled fish or, if you're serving several courses, in between heavier plates to lighten things up and refresh your palate.

Grapefruit is a good source of vitamin C and lycopene, an antioxidant with anti-cancer activity. Fennel is anti-inflammatory, promotes good digestion, and dispells intestinal gas.

This recipe makes enough salad for 1 or 2 people. If you're expecting more, increase the ingredients as needed and aim for approximately equal amounts of grapefruit segments and sliced fennel.

1 young fennel bulb

1 large grapefruit

Extra virgin olive oil, first cold pressing

Sea salt

Freshly ground peppercorn

Clean the fennel, reserving the fronds and removing the core and any tough outer layers. Thinly slice it using a mandolin or very good knife skills. (The thinner, the better.)

Cut away the grapefruit peel: Slice off enough of the stem end to find fruit underneath, repeat with the other end, and set it upright. Cut off the sides, keeping as much of the fruit intact as possible. Cut out the segments and drop them into a bowl with the fennel. Squeeze the juice out of the remaining membrane into the bowl. Do the same with any pieces of peel that has fruit still attached.

Drizzle some olive oil, sprinkle a little bit of sea salt, and grind some peppercorn into the bowl. Toss everything together and taste. Adjust the seasoning if necessary. Serve the salad immediately if you like it crunchy or set it aside for up to an hour to allow the grapefruit juice to soften the fennel. Garnish with the reserved fennel fronds.

I like to serve this salad in bowls with spoons so I can scoop up the sauce as I eat it.

Peach Clafouti

2011-09-17T09:15:00.001-04:00

The best time to make clafouti is now. Fresh fruit is still in season and the weather has cooled off enough to turn the oven on again.
I used peaches, but you could substitute any fresh and ripe fruit, like berries, nectarines, plums or even apples.

Clafouti is a healthy dessert, made mostly of fruit, yogurt, milk and eggs. Traditional recipes contain flour and sugar, but my version calls for only small amounts of whole wheat flour and honey.

The texture of clafouti is soft, between a custard and a pancake. Because you don’t have to bother with a crust, you can mix it up in minutes. It's best make clafouti ahead and serve it at room temperature. That makes it a perfect pick for packing lunches and picnics.

This recipe makes one big clafouti (10 inches in diameter) and serves eight. If you prefer to make individual clafoutis, divide the peaches and batter among small ramekins and bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Butter for baking dish

Several ripe peaches sliced into wedges, enough to fill your baking dish

2/3 cup Greek or strained yogurt

2/3 cup whole milk

2 eggs at room temperature

Pinch sea salt

Seeds from 1 vanilla bean or 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour

Preheat the oven to 375F.

Butter the inside of your baking dish. Arrange the peach slices in the dish and set it aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the yogurt, milk, eggs, sea salt and vanilla. Add the flour and whisk until just combined. Pour the batter over the peaches.

Transfer the baking dish to the oven and bake for 45 minutes or more, until the top is puffed and golden brown.

Serve the clafouti about an hour out of the oven, when it is barely still warm, or at room temperature once it's completely cooled.

It's delicious as is but feel free to garnish it with a dollop of freshly whipped unsweetened cream, or raw sliced almonds.

Frisée Salad with Poached Eggs

2011-09-10T09:04:00.338-04:00

GLUTEN-FREE

This simple and satisfying salad is the perfect dish for the end of summer. It's my version of the French Salade Lyonnaise. The traditional recipe calls for home-made croutons, but I prefer walnuts. They give the salad a creamy component, add healthy omega-3 fatty acids, and keep it free of refined carbohydrates.

Frisée is an endive in disguise. Its leaves look lacy and delicate but it's really a sturdy, bitter green vegetable. It works well in this salad because the warm bacon vinaigrette softens the leaves and balances any bitterness. Like other bitter greens, frisée is good for digestion and full of fiber. It's also high in vitamins and minerals including vitamin A, beta-carotene, folate, iron and potassium. If you don't have frisée, substitute escarole, dandelion leaves, beet greens, or any other bitter green leafy vegetable.

This salad is a good example of how meat can be used as a condiment, rather than the main course, in a plant-based diet.
Use only bacon from pigs raised on pasture and never exposed to antibiotics or pesticides, because these chemicals can accumulate in animal fat. Find pasture-raised bacon at your local farmer's market or order it online. It's more expensive than conventional bacon, but a little goes a long way.

If you're planning ahead, the eggs can be cooked in advance. I recommend cooking them lightly, until the whites are done but the yolks are still runny. When you eat the salad, runny yolks become a second sauce. They leak out and coat everything with a creamy richness.

The eggs can be served warm or at room temperature. If you poach them in advance and want to serve them warm, re-heat them briefly in gently simmering water just before serving. Alternatively, you can sauté or boil the eggs.

If you don't eat eggs, top this salad with some cooked white beans or crumbled blue cheese instead.

2 slices pasture-raised bacon

1 to 2 cloves garlic

Sea salt

3 to 4 teaspoons red wine vinegar

4 pasture-raised eggs

1 tsp Dijon or home-made mustard

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, first cold pressing

Fresh ground peppercorn

6 to 8 cups frisée or curly endive
Heaping 1/2 cup raw walnuts

Thinly slice the bacon and add it to a small skillet over low heat
(I recommend enameled cast iron cookware). Cook it slowly, stirring occasionally, until the fat has rendered and the bacon bits are crisp. Turn off the heat and use a slotted spoon to lift out the bacon bits, draining any excess fat back into the skillet, and transfer them to your largest salad bowl.

Replace the skillet on the hot burner with the heat off. There should be a tablespoon or two of rendered fat in the skillet. Grate the garlic into the rendered fat, stir it in, and set it aside to allow the flavor of the garlic to infuse into the oil.

Meanwhile, poach the eggs in plenty of water:

Fill a large, shallow pan with 2 or 3 inches of water and bring it to a slow simmer. Once small bubbles start to rise to the surface, add a pinch of sea salt and crack an egg into a cup. Hold the cup as close to the surface of the water as possible and gently slide the egg into the water. Repeat with the other eggs.

(Some people add vinegar to the water to prevent the egg whites from spreading too far and too thin but I find it doesn't make a difference.)

Once the whites start to set, slide a slotted spoon underneath them to make sure they don't stick to the pan. Cook the eggs until the whites solidify and turn white, 3 or 4 minutes if you like your yolks runny, 6 or more if you like them cooked through. Use the slotted spoon to gently lift them out to check their doneness and, once they're perfectly cooked, transfer them to a clean kitchen towel to drain. Sprinkle a few grains of sea salt on each one if desired.

In the skillet with the rendered fat and garlic, whisk in 3 to 4 teaspoons of red wine vinegar and scrape up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Add the Dijon, olive oil and ground peppercorn. Continue whisking until everything is well-combined. Taste for seasoning and make any necessary adjustments.

Add the walnuts to the bowl containing the bacon bits. Fill it up with frisée leaves chopped into bite-size pieces. Pour the warm vinaigrette over the greens and toss until it is evenly distributed. If you are short on vinaigrette, drizzle in a little extra olive oil to help distribute it evenly.

Divide the salad among 4 small plates or 2 large plates and top each portion with 1 or 2 eggs.

Makes 2 main courses or 4 appetizer portions.

Béarnaise Sauce From Scratch

2011-09-03T09:10:00.000-04:00

GLUTEN-FREE

This cheerful yellow sauce is one of my favorite condiments.
It's light and fluffy, yet thick and creamy, and smooth and silky. Béarnaise sauce is an elegant accompaniment to a special meal, and making it from scratch is easier than it looks. Tarragon gives it the signature flavor, so make it now while fresh herbs are still in season.

You'll want to slather this sauce on everything in sight, but I
think it's best served with red meat like grass-fed beef, buffalo,
or venison, and with white fish and seafood like halibut, haddock, shrimp and lobster. Vegetarians can spoon it over broiled portobello mushrooms, tamari-marinated tofu triangles, and grilled vegetable skewers.

This recipe is a slight departure than a traditional Béarnaise sauce. I used red wine vinegar and red onion (they didn't ruin the bright yellow color) instead of white wine vinegar and shallot because their flavor is a bit sharper and because I always have them on hand. I also added the zest of the lemon, instead of just the juice, for a little extra zing and because anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer compounds are found there. If your lemon is not organic, omit the zest.

Whipping up a good Béarnaise does require a few different steps, but none are terribly difficult and the results are greater than the effort. This sauce can be prepared in advance but it's best served fresh, at room temperature, within an hour.

This recipe makes about a cup of sauce. Store any excess in an air tight container in the fridge. It will be a bit thicker after it's been refrigerated, so allow it to come to room temperature and serve it with very hot food.

1/4 cup Sauvignon Blanc or other dry white wine

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 cup minced red onion

1/4 cup loosely packed fresh tarragon leaves, plus 1 tbsp minced tarragon

1 organic lemon

Several grinds of peppercorn

3 egg yolks at room temperature

1 stick best quality butter (grass-fed or organic), at room temperature and cut into 8 pieces

Sea salt to taste

In a small sauce pan, combine the white wine, vinegar, onion and tarragon. Zest half of the lemon into the mixture and add several grinds of peppercorn. Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer over low heat until it has reduced to about 2 tablespoons of liquid. Pour it through a fine mesh strainer into a medium glass or stainless steel mixing bowl. Press out and discard the solids. Set it aside to cool.

Prepare a pan of simmering water on the stove to use as a double boiler.

One by one, whisk the egg yolks into the strained liquid until smooth. Set the bowl on top of the pan of simmering water and continue whisking. The mixture should get foamy and once it starts to thicken, add a piece of butter. Continue whisking and just before the butter has fully dissolved, add another piece. Continue until all of the butter is fully incorporated.

Remove the bowl from the heat. Whisk in the lemon juice, the remaining tarragon, and a generous pinch of sea salt. Taste the sauce for seasoning and make any necessary adjustments.

Serve the Béarnaise sauce immediately or set it aside at room temperature for up to an hour while you prepare the rest of the meal. If the sauce is still warm and you plan to serve it later, whisk it until it cools to room temperature. This should happen rather quickly once it's off the heat.

Store any leftover sauce in an airtight container in the fridge.

Creamy Peach Pops

2011-08-27T09:09:00.002-04:00

GLUTEN-FREE

While peaches are still in season, make these simple summer popsicles. They're just peaches and cream, so be sure to use the freshest, ripest organic peaches you can find and unsweetened organic or grass-fed cream.

This recipe makes four 8-ounce popsicles:

2 large organic peaches, perfectly ripe, about 2 cups diced

Unsweetened grass-fed or organic cream, about 1/2 cup

Clean and dice the peaches, then add them to a 2-cup glass measurer. Pour enough cream, about a half cup, over the peaches to fill the liquid level up to 1¾ cup.

Transfer the peaches and cream to a blender and puree until smooth. (Add a bit more cream if necessary to blend.)

Pour the peach mixture into BPA-free popsicle molds and freeze for 2 hours or more.

Simple Summer Chopped Salad

2011-08-20T09:29:00.000-04:00

GLUTEN-FREE

This summer salad is a simple composition of bite-sized vegetables. I used what caught my eye at the farmers' market: cauliflower, white corn, red bell peppers, red onion and scallions. I also used a small bit of local honey in the vinaigrette.

Feel free to use whatever vegetables are in season for you. Grilled summer squash, or steamed string beans would also be good.

This is a good salad to make ahead and keep in the fridge. Preparing it in advance gives the flavors time to marry and makes meal time easy. If you wish, make extra vinaigrette and keep the excess for other salads. It will last in the fridge for a few weeks.

Simple French Vinaigrette

3 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 to 2 cloves garlic, grated or minced

1 tbsp honey

1/2 tbsp Dijon mustard

Pinch sea salt

Ground peppercorn to taste

4 to 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, first cold pressing

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all ingredients except the olive oil until well-combined. Allow it to sit for a few minutes if you have time, for the garlic to soften and the honey to fully dissolve.

Whisk in 4 tbsp olive oil, until smooth, and taste. Add more olive oil if you wish and adjust the seasoning if needed.

To make the salad:

The individual components of this salad are made in advance, then everything is mixed together. I usually roast the red pepper and steam the vegetables while I'm in the kitchen doing something else. Roasting peppers in advance makes them so easy to peel. Just cut them in half and use clean fingers to rip out the core and seeds. Place the halves cut-side down on a baking pan and broil until blackened. Cool and store them cut-side up in the fridge until ready to use. Excess liquid will pool at the bottom, loosening the skin from the flesh and allowing you to pull it easily off.

2 cups steamed cauliflower florets

2 large cobs corn, steamed and kernels cut off (about 2 cups)

1 red bell pepper, roasted

1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions, both white and green parts

Oregano, parsley or other fresh herb to garnish

To the big bowl with the vinaigrette inside, add the cauliflower, corn, red pepper, red onion and scallions. Toss everything together until the vegetables are evenly coated with the vinaigrette. Cover and transfer to the fridge.

To serve, toss again and taste for seasoning. Adjust it if necessary, then toss in some fresh oregano leaves or chopped fresh parsley. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with more fresh herbs.

Summer Quesadillas

2011-08-13T08:58:00.006-04:00

Who doesn't love a good quesadilla?

I avoid ordering them in restaurants because they're made mostly of white flour and cheese. Don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of cheese, but I also want vegetables and protein.

Made at home, I can add as many vegetables and as much protein as I like. This recipe calls for summer squash, scallions, black beans, aged cheddar and cilantro (perfect for Meatless Mondays).

You can use whatever you find fresh at the farmer's market or in your CSA. Creative combinations of vegetables, protein, cheese and fresh herbs can satisfy vegetarians and omnivores alike:

Spinach, mushrooms, crumbled tempeh, sheep's milk feta and thyme
Tomatoes, Swiss chard, shredded chicken, Parmesan and oregano
Red pepper, eggplant, ground lamb, goat cheese and basil

Home-made quesadillas are also healthier when made with whole grain tortillas. For this recipe I used Whole Grain Flour Tortillas from Trader Joe's:

Because each whole grain tortilla contains 5 grams of fiber and

4 grams of protein, they'll have more favorable effects on blood sugar and insulin levels compared to white flour tortillas.

(Diets high in refined carbohydrates like white flour and chronically elevated levels of blood sugar and insulin increase the risk for diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, cardiovascular disease and cancer.)

I wanted to add a smoky heat to my quesadilla, so I added ground chipotle pepper (a smoked jalapeno). You can substitute a fresh chili pepper if you want (remove the seeds for a milder heat) or leave it out completely.

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, first cold pressing

1 medium summer squash, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced

Sea salt to taste

Freshly ground peppercorn to taste

Freshly ground dried chipotle pepper, to taste (optional)

4 scallions, white and green parts thinly sliced

1 cup cooked black beans

2 cloves garlic, grated or minced

1 handful of fresh cilantro, or substitute parsley

4 whole grain tortillas

Plenty of shredded cheese

Salsa to serve

Organic whole milk plain yogurt to serve

Warm the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the summer squash and season with sea salt and ground peppercorn. Sauté the squash until they are soft and starting to brown, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chipotle, scallion and black beans. Sauté for 2 minutes more, stirring occasionally. Stir in the garlic and cilantro. Cook for one more minute, until the garlic becomes aromatic. Turn off the heat. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

In a clean, dry skillet over low heat, warm the tortillas briefly on each side. Pile the filling on half of each warm tortilla: shredded cheddar, the summer squash mixture, then more cheese. Fold the empty half over the filled half and fill the other tortillas. Place the quesadillas inside dry skillets over medium heat and cover. Warm them until the cheese is melted, about 2 or 3 minutes on each side.

Cut each quesadilla in half and serve immediately with salsa and a dollop of whole milk yogurt, if desired.

Strawberry Creamsicles and Real Cocoa Pops

2011-08-06T09:01:00.172-04:00

GLUTEN-FREE

Cool off with these simple summer popsicles. One is full of fruit, blended with whole milk yogurt. The other one uses coconut milk as the base and it's dairy-free.

Strawberries and cocoa powder are both full of antioxidants, making them a good summer treat. An antioxidant-rich diet can help counteract the oxidizing effects of the sun. And some antioxidants, like the flavonols found in cocoa powder, have been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, heart attack, stroke and cancer.

Strawberry Creamsicles

I happened to have a lot of very ripe strawberries on hand, so they went into this recipe. You can use whatever fruit you like, as long as it is very ripe: peaches, apricots, raspberries, blueberries, melon, etc. (In a pinch or out of season, you could substitute frozen, thawed organic strawberries.)

The honey in this recipe is optional. Taste the fruit and yogurt blended together before you decide whether to use it. (Unsweetened foods are always better, but if you're going to sweeten something, honey is a good choice).

If you don't eat dairy, substitute hemp, almond or coconut milk (or a mixture) for the yogurt. If you'd prefer a non-creamy pop, use herbal tea instead. Hibisus, rose hip, peppermint and chamomile teas would all work well.

To make four 8-ounce creamsicles:

2 cups hulled and roughly chopped very ripe organic strawberries

Whole milk plain yogurt, about 1/2 cup

1 tbsp honey (optional)

Place the chopped strawberries in a 2-cup measurer.

Stir in enough yogurt to fill in the gaps. The mixture should measure 2 cups.

Transfer the yogurt and berries to a blender. Purée until smooth and taste for sweetness. If desired, add the honey and blend again.

Pour the mixture into BPA-free popsicle molds and freeze for 2 hours or more.

Real Cocoa Pops

This mixture makes enough for six 8-ounce popsicles. If your mold only makes 4 popsicles at once, store the extra mixture in an air-tight container (a lidded glass jar works great) in the fridge until 2 spots are emptied.

1 can (14 oz) coconut milk

5 tbsp cocoa powder (non-alkalinized)

2 tbsp honey
1/2 vanilla bean, seeds scraped, or 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract (optional)

Mix all of the ingredients in a blender until smooth. Or, mix them by hand with a whisk until perfectly smooth.

Pour the mixture into BPA-free popsicle molds and freeze for 2 hours or more.

Cucumber Salad with Yogurt Dill Dressing

2011-07-30T09:01:00.001-04:00

GLUTEN-FREE

This simple summer salad is a perfect for entertaining because it's made in advance. Allowing the cucumbers to marinate in the yogurt sauce softens their texture and marries them with the other flavors.

2 cucumbers

1/3 cup organic whole milk plain yogurt

1 tsp honey

Pinch fresh organic lemon zest, about 1/4 tsp loosely packed

1 tbsp freshly-squeezed lemon juice

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/4 cup thinly sliced onion, red or other

2 tbsp fresh chopped dill, plus more for garnish

If your cucumbers are waxed, or if they are not organic, peel them. Thinly slice them using a mandolin or a sharp knife.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the yogurt, honey, sea salt, lemon zest and juice. Toss the cucumbers, onion and dill with the sauce. Cover and transfer to the fridge overnight.

When ready to serve, toss thoroughly. Taste for seasoning and make any necessary adjustments. Use clean hands to arrange the cucumber slices on a serving platter or use a slotted spoon to transfer the salad to a serving dish. If desired, spoon some of the sauce down over the top of the salad or serve it on the side. Garnish with fresh chopped dill and serve.

Dark Chocolate Pots de Crème

2011-07-23T09:11:00.009-04:00

GLUTEN-FREE

This deep dark chocolate dessert is one of my new favorites.
It calls for just a few ingredients, yet the finished product seems more than the sum of its parts.

Pots de Crème are usually made in advance and served cold, which is perfect for hot weather and convenient for entertaining, but I also like to eat them freshly cooled to room temperature, about an hour or two after they come out of the oven.

Either way, they will be creamy and silky and smooth. At room temperature they have a soft, custard-like consistency. Once chilled, they become a bit thicker.

½ cup whole milk

1½ cups heavy cream

Pinch sea salt

4 oz dark chocolate, 70% or darker, roughly chopped

6 egg yolks

1 tbsp honey (optional)

Preheat the oven to 300F. Place six 6-ounce ramekins or glass cups in a shallow baking dish.

Over low heat, warm the milk and cream in a covered saucepan until hot, just before it boils. Turn off the heat and stir in the chocolate. Cover and set aside.

Heat a pot full of water (tea pots are good choices because they are easy to pour) until boiling. You'll use it for a water bath later.

Add the egg yolks to a large mixing bowl with the honey and sea salt. Whisk until smooth. Set aside.

Once the chocolate is melted, whisk it until the mixture is smooth. Set it aside to cool slightly.

Add the chocolate to the egg yolks in a slow, gradual stream, whisking continuously. Don't rush this step, or the eggs may scramble.

Once all of the chocolate has been incorporated into the egg yolks and the mixture is smooth, divide it evenly among the ramekins. Pour boiling water around them, enough to come half way up the sides. Take care not to pour any water inside the ramekins. Transfer them to the oven and bake for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, the custard should be set. Remove the pots de crème from the oven and allow them to cool to room temperature.

Eat them within 2 hours or, once cool, cover and transfer them to the fridge until ready to eat.

Lavender Lemon Iced Tea

2011-07-16T09:16:00.001-04:00

GLUTEN-FREE

I love cold tea on hot days. Not only is it refreshing, but it's a healthy alternative to sweetened beverages.

Tea, from the Camellia sinensis plant, contains powerful antioxidants. One in particular, a catechin called epigallocatechin gallate-3 or EGCG, has been shown to fight cancer by inhibiting angiogenesis (the growth of new blood vessels to feed tumors) and inducing apoptosis (cancer cell death).

EGCG also reduces inflammation and activates enzymes in the liver that detoxify toxic compounds and facilitate their removal from the body.

Studies have shown that regular consumption of black tea is associated with preservation of bone mineral density and protection against cardiovascular disease and cognitive decline
in older adults.

This Rishi Earl Grey Lavender Tea was a gift from my good friend Andrea. It's a blend of black Earl Grey tea, lavender flowers, and essential oils of bergamot and lavender.

But it's easy to make your own lavender-black tea blend. I used black Darjeeling tea because I recently brought some back from India, but you can use any whole leaf black tea you like.

Find dried lavender flowers in stores that sell dried herbs and teas. (In New York City, find them at Flower Power in the East Village or at Kalustyan's.)

2 parts whole black tea leaves

1 part dried lavender flowers

1 part fresh lemon zest

Stir all of the ingredients together until thoroughly combined.

Steep 3 heaping tablespoons of tea in 1 cup of boiling water (or as much water as you need to fully submerge the tea). Cover and allow it to sit for at least five minutes.

Add 2 cups of cold water to a glass pitcher. Strain the tea into the pitcher. Taste it to evaluate how strong it is, then add more water as needed. Consider that the tea should be on the strong side because it will be diluted when served over ice. Chill thoroughly.

Serve the chilled tea over ice, with or without a slice of lemon.

Rishi lavender black tea blend:

My lavender black tea blend:

Moroccan Lamb Sliders with Lemon Yogurt Sauce

2011-07-08T07:41:00.002-04:00

GLUTEN-FREE

These two-bite burgers are bursting with flavor. Savory lamb
pairs well with aromatics like fresh cilantro, ginger and garlic,
and ground spices like cinnamon and turmeric. Golden raisins
give it a sticky sweetness and pine nuts help hold everything
together.

Turmeric has powerful anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer actions in the body, so every cook should keep it handy and use it often.
Because it is not well-absorbed alone, turmeric should always be combined with black pepper and cooked with some form of fat. A study in India found that combining black pepper with turmeric increased its absorption by 2,000 percent.

This recipe calls for quite a few spices. If you don't have turmeric and black pepper, buy them. If you are missing another spice or even a few, don't sweat it, a variation will likely be just as good. If you don't have golden raisins, dried unsweetened apricots would be an excellent alternative.

Serve these sliders with a big salad instead of a bun. They can be prepared in advance and cooked on demand. The Lemon Yogurt Sauce can be made ahead as well and it couldn't be more simple. (It's just lemon and yogurt.)

This dish is a real crowd-pleaser, even for folks who think they don't like lamb. When prepared like this, almost everyone likes lamb. Find grass-fed and pasture-raised lamb at your local farmers market or search the Eat Wild database for other options in your area.

1/2 cup raw pine nuts

1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves and stems, packed

2 or 3 garlic cloves, smashed and roughly chopped

2 or 3 tsp fresh grated ginger

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup golden raisins

Sea salt

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/4 tsp ground black peppercorn

1/2 tsp ground coriander seed

1/4 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp allspice

Pinch ground cardamom

Pinch or more cayenne pepper

1.5 pounds ground grass-fed lamb

Toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet over low heat, until aromatic and just starting to brown. Set them aside to cool.

Add the cilantro, garlic, ginger, onion, raisins and pine nuts to a food processor with 1/4 tsp of sea salt. Pulse until everything is finely chopped. Set it aside to allow the dry raisins to soak up some moisture.

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the turmeric, peppercorn, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, allspice, cardamom, cayenne, and 1/4 tsp sea salt.

Go back to the food processor and puree the mixture until smooth. Transfer it to the mixing bowl and stir in the spices until everything is well-combined.

Using impeccably clean hands, add the ground lamb to the bowl and mix it with the spice mixture. Do not over-work the meat, but make sure that the spices are thoroughly incorporated.

Warm a small amount of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Make a small test patty, cook it on both sides and taste it for seasoning. If necessary, make any adjustments to the raw mixture, and test and taste again.

Form the lamb mixture into small balls, then gently flatten them into patties. Cook them right away or store them in the fridge until you're ready to eat.

Warm a small amount of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. (You won't need much because the lamb will release its own fat.) Cook the lamb patties on both sides until browned. Serve immediately with the Lemon Yogurt Sauce (recipe follows).

If you're making a big batch to feed a crowd, consider baking them instead. Place the patties in a pre-heated 450F oven until browned, about 10 minutes.

If you want to make kofta instead, mold the lamb mixture around stainless steel or soaked wooden skewers. Bake them in a pre-heated 450F oven for 15 to 16 minutes.

Lemon Yogurt Sauce

This sauce doesn't need a lot of seasoning because the sliders are so full of flavor. You can add a pinch of sea salt and ground peppercorn if you wish, but I don't think it needs it. Left unseasoned, leftover Lemon Yogurt sauce makes an excellent dip for fresh strawberries.

1 organic lemon, zest and juice
1/2 cup Greek whole milk yogurt or regular whole milk plain yogurt

Stir all of the lemon zest and a teaspoon of the juice into the yogurt. Taste and add more juice if desired.

Reference:

Shoba G et al. Influence of piperine on the pharmacokinetics of curcumin in animals and human volunteers. Planta Medica. 1998 May;64(4):353-6.

Home-Cured Gravlox with Lemon and Dill

2011-06-30T17:29:00.000-04:00

GLUTEN-FREE

I love smoked salmon, but because smoked meats (yes, even fish) can contain polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, compounds linked to cancer, I eat gravlax instead.

Some people use the terms smoked salmon, lox and gravlox interchangeably, but they aren't the same thing. Smoked salmon is, obviously, smoked, while gravlox and lox are salt-cured but not smoked at all. Gravlox (also spelled gravlax) is cured with salt but also with seasoning like dill or black pepper.

Curing salmon at home is easy. It's also much more affordable than buying the finished product. I used a frozen wild Silver Coho salmon fillet from Trader Joe's, for which I paid $7.99 per pound. To compare, gravlox with dill at Zabar's costs $49.00 per pound.

Most graxlox recipes use both salt and sugar to cure the fish, but the sugar isn't really necessary. (I've read recipes that use honey instead of sugar but I haven't tried this technique yet myself.)
My recipe is sugar-free.

Most recipes also call for wrapping the seasoned salmon with plastic wrap and placing a weight on top, but I skipped these steps too. Dangerous chemicals can leech from plastic wrap into food, especially fatty foods like salmon, so instead I cured my salmon in an airtight glass container. I didn't use a weight and don't believe it's necessary. The salt will draw out the moisture, with or without a weight.

I used a small salmon fillet weighing in just over a half pound. If your fillet is bigger, make extra Lemon Dill Salt. Save any leftover salt for another seasoning purpose, as long as it hasn't come into contact with the raw fish.

3 tbsp sea salt
Zest from 1 organic orange

2 tbsp dill fronds, gently pulled from their stems

1 wild salmon fillet, deboned, with or without skin

Using a mortar and pestle, grind together the sea salt, lemon zest and dill until finely chopped.

Dry the salmon. If your salmon has skin, place it skin-side down in a clean glass container. Spread a generous amount of Lemon Dill Salt over the surface and use clean hands to rub it in thoroughly.

If your salmon does not have skin, sprinkle about a tablespoon of the mixture onto the surface where the skin was removed. Rub it in thoroughly and turn the salmon over. Spread the rest of the salt mixture over the top of the salmon and rub it in thoroughly.

Be sure to coat every bit of flesh, right up to the edges.

Cover the salmon tightly and store it in the fridge for 2 or 3 days.

Once the salmon has cured for at least 48 hours, remove it from the fridge. The flesh will have firmed up and the fish will be sitting in liquid.

Drain away the liquid. Remove the dill and lemon residue, and wipe the surface dry. The more thoroughly you wipe it, the less salty it will taste.

If the gravlox is too salty, you can rinse it, but ONLY just before you serve it. Once it's cured, the salt has killed any surface bacteria, so the gravlox will last a couple of weeks in the fridge.
But if you put water on it and put it back in the fridge, bacteria can start to grow again. So never wash gravlox unless you are ready to eat it.

Use a very sharp knife to slice the cured salmon as thinly as possible.(If you live in New York City, sign up for a Knife Skills class at the Natural Gourmet Institute.)

Serve it any way you like:

Place small pieces on top of cucumber rounds and add a dollop of whole milk Greek yogurt

Arrange thinly sliced gravlox over eggs scrambled with asparagus or mushrooms

Make a Salad Nicoise by tossing salad greens with a French-style vinaigrette and topping them with sliced hard-boiled egg, steamed green beans, fresh tomato wedges, black olives, and a few slices of gravlox

Strawberry Rhubarb Mousse

2011-06-22T19:30:00.000-04:00

GLUTEN-FREE

When fresh rhubarb is in season, it's one of my favorite desserts.

The sourness of rhubarb pairs well with the sweetness of strawberries. Because I cooked them down into a sauce, I used frozen strawberries instead of fresh. Either way, be sure to buy them organic because strawberries are the third most contaminated produce item.

The base of this mousse is a strawberry rhubarb compote. With what I had leftover, I later made a parfait, which was also very good.

To make Strawberry Rhubarb Compote:

4 cups chopped rhubarb, about 7 stalks

12 ounces frozen organic strawberries

Pinch sea salt
Splash water

Pinch cinnamon

3 tbsp honey

Add the chopped rhubarb to a large pan with the strawberries, sea salt, and a splash of water. Cook the mixture over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until a sauce starts to form. Stir in the cinnamon.

Continue cooking until the fruit has completely broken down and the sauce has thickened, about 15 minutes or more.

Stir in the honey and taste for seasoning. Make any necessary adjustments.

Serve this sauce warm, at room temperature or chilled,
alone, with yogurt or a dollop of freshly whipped cream.

Cool and store what you don't eat right away in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.

To make Strawberry Rhubarb Mousse:

1/2 cup unsweetened organic heavy cream

2 cups strawberry rhubarb compote

If you have time, place a stainless steel bowl and whisk (or whisk attachment if you're using an electric mixer) in the freezer to chill.

Pour the cold cream into the cold bowl and whisk it until the cream holds its shape. Fold the whipped cream into the chilled rhubarb compote: Use a rubber scraper to cut down through the middle, scrape along the bottom and up the side closest to you, then rotate the bowl and repeat the process until the mixture is just combined. Do not over-mix.

Transfer the soft and airy mousse to individual dishes and serve it immediately or chill it to serve later.

To make Strawberry Rhubarb Parfait:

Layer the chilled Strawberry Rhubarb Compote with whole milk plain yogurt.

Or serve a dish of yogurt and top it with the compote.

Or serve a dish of compote and top it with a dollop of yogurt.

Tomato Candy and a Summer Salad

2011-06-15T08:35:00.001-04:00

GLUTEN-FREE

These oven-roasted tomatoes are just like candy: sweet,
soft and delicious.

A stretch of cooler days prompted me to put a pint of cherry tomatoes in the oven, and then I ate them all in one sitting.
(I advise making extra.)

Fresh tomatoes are good for us, but roasted tomatoes can be
even better. Compared to fresh ones, roasted ones have higher concentrations of the cancer-fighting antioxidant lycopene.

I picked the fresh herbs from my window garden: basil, oregano, sage and lemon thyme. You can use any herbs you like.

Serve these tomatoes as a side dish or add them to anything,
from scrambled eggs to summer salads.

Tomato Candy

2 pints cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

Extra virgin olive oil, first cold pressing

Sea salt

Ground peppercorn

2 tbsp fresh chopped herbs

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Toss the tomatoes with enough olive oil to coat and add them to a baking dish. Season the tomatoes with sea salt and ground peppercorn. Transfer them to the oven and bake until they start to brown, about 45 minutes to an hour.

While the tomatoes roast, finely chop the fresh herbs and place them in a glass or ceramic bowl.

Once the tomatoes are soft, shrunken and starting to brown, remove them from the oven and add them to the bowl. Stir until they are thoroughly coated with the chopped herbs.

Serve immediately or cool to room temperature and store in the fridge for future use.

A Summer Salad with Oven-Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

This salad does require a few preparations, like soaking and cooking the beans and roasting the peppers and tomatoes.
But they can easily be done in advance with little effort.

1 cup dried garbanzo beans, sorted and soaked overnight

2 bay leaves

Sea salt

1 to 2 pints oven-roasted cherry tomatoes

1/2 cup pitted and chopped olives, Kalamata or other

1 cup chopped roasted red pepper (I used 3 large halves)

1 organic lemon

Ground peppercorn

Extra virgin olive oil, first cold pressing

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

Fresh herbs for garnish (optional)

Rinse the soaked beans and transfer them to a pot. Cover the beans with plenty of water and add the bay leaves. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer the beans until tender, about an hour. Once they are cooked, season the water generously with sea salt. Allow the beans to cool in the cooking water.

If you're making the beans ahead, store them in their cooking water in the fridge. (Pint-size Mason jars work well for storage and hold about as much as a can of beans.)

While the beans cook, roast the tomatoes, and broil and cool the bell peppers. Once the peppers are roasted and cooled, remove the skins. Do not rinse them. Chop the roasted peppers and add them to a large bowl, along with the roasted cherry tomatoes. Chop the olives and add them to the bowl as well.

Once the beans have cooled, drain them and discard the bay leaves. Transfer the beans to the bowl with the peppers, tomatoes and olives. Zest half of the lemon over the bowl, then season with ground peppercorn and a bit more sea salt. Drizzle some extra virgin olive oil over the top, about a tablespoon. Squeeze some fresh lemon juice, as much as you like. Toss everything together.

Just before serving, gently fold in the feta. Taste the salad and adjust any of the individual components if needed. Garnish with fresh herbs and serve.

Summer Rolls with Smoked Tofu and Almond Butter Dipping Sauce

2011-06-07T19:07:00.001-04:00

GLUTEN-FREE

This dish is everything you want in a quick meal on a warm day. It's light, yet full of protein, and portable.

On a recent trip to Chinatown, I couldn't resist some smoked tofu made just across the East River in Long Island City. (Smoked tofu doesn't contain the cancer-causing compounds that smoked meats do.) Firm and flavorful, it's perfect a filling for summer rolls.

The day I made these rolls, I didn't get too elaborate because my goal was to prepare a quick lunch. I just used smoked tofu, cilantro and scallion, but other colorful veggies would be great additions:

Strips of bell pepper
Cucumber sticks
Avocado wedges
Grated carrot
Grated beet

Feel free to experiment with your favorite vegetables or use up the ones you find in your fridge.

I love a lot of cilantro in my summer rolls, but if you're not a big fan, or if you don't have any, you can substitute shredded cabbage, lettuce or any other leafy green.

If you don't have smoked tofu, use baked tofu instead, or tempeh strips sautéed in olive oil then drizzled with tamari. Cooked shrimp and leftover roasted, shredded chicken are other good options.

For the Rolls:

When making summer rolls, strive for two things: a roll that is full but not over-filled, and one that is tightly rolled. The more fillings you have, the less you should use of each one. And be sure to line them up so that they fit together snugly. Use the leafy greens to fill in the gaps.

Like anything, practice will improve your technique. It's always good to have extra sheets of rice paper handy in case of tears.

4 sheets round rice paper (spring roll skins)

8 strips smoked tofu (about 4 oz)

1 bunch cilantro

2 scallions

On the stove top, warm an inch of water in a skillet just big enough to accommodate your spring roll skins. Once small bubbles start to form, turn off the heat.

While the water warms, assemble the other ingredients. Slice the tofu into strips. Roughly chop the cilantro leaves and stems. Cut the scallions in half lengthwise, then into 2 or 3 pieces, similar to the length of the tofu strips.

Once the water is warm and the heat is turned off (you can turn it back on later if it gets cold before you finish), add one sheet of rice paper. Allow it to soak until it softens, about a minute. Carefully transfer it to a dinner plate (it won't stick to the ceramic surface).

Line up the tofu and scallions in the middle then mound a handful of cilantro on top. Take the edge of the rice paper closest to you and fold it away from you, over the mound. Gently pull it back, over the ingredients mounded in the middle, curling them underneath your fingers. While squeezing the center with gentle pressure, fold each side in toward the center, then roll the mound away from you.

Transfer the summer roll to a glass or ceramic serving platter. Repeat with the remaining ingredients to make 3 more rolls.

Serve the summer rolls with Almond Butter Dipping Sauce
(recipe follows).

Makes 4 rolls.

For the Almond Butter Dipping Sauce:

½ cup almond butter
¼ cup hot water
2 tbsp tamari
4 tbsp unseasoned rice vinegar
2 tbsp grated fresh ginger
1 clove garlic, grated
Pinch cayenne pepper
Cold-pressed raw sesame oil to taste

Stir together the almond butter and hot water until well combined, then whisk in the tamari, vinegar, ginger, garlic and cayenne. Add a few drops of sesame oil and whisk until the mixture is smooth and consistent. Taste it and add more sesame oil if desired. Adjust the seasoning if necessary.

Cover the sauce and set it aside until you're ready to serve it, up to 2 hours at room temperature or longer inside the fridge.

Country Paté with Pistachios and Portobello

2011-05-27T18:50:00.004-04:00

GLUTEN-FREE

Making paté is a good way to use up scraps of meat and leftover parts like liver. It is an inexpensive yet impressive appetizer, but I also like to serve it with a salad for a main course.

The method is not difficult, but it does take some time before it's ready to eat. Allow it to cure in the fridge for 2 or 3 days before baking it, then let it rest again overnight before you serve it. It will keep in the fridge for a week or more, so it's a great thing to make in advance for dinner parties, pack for lunch, or have on hand for a quick and easy meal.

This paté de campagne, or country paté, is full of traditional ingredients like shallot and cognac, but my method is not traditional. I made mine grain-free by eliminating the panade, a mixture of starch (often white bread) and liquid commonly used to bind everything together. A couple of eggs did the job just fine.

Also, terrines are usually lined with plastic wrap to facilitate an easy removal, but I want to avoid cooking in plastic to prevent dangerous chemicals from migrating into my food. So instead I greased my mold with butter before I baked the paté, and used a warm water bath to loosen it before unmolding.

Like the paté I made last spring, this version contains pasture-raised chicken livers. But unlike last year's paté, it also contains ground pork and cream instead of butter, and I've added some internal garnishes. Tucked inside and revealed in cross section, portobelllo and pistachios add flavor, color and texture.

I made this paté with my food processor but you could use a meat grinder instead. If you do, the texture of your paté will be more coarse, very much in the style of a paté de campagne, and it will be equally delicious.

1 medium portobello mushroom cap

Extra virgin olive oil, first cold pressing

Sea salt

Freshly ground peppercorn

2/3 pound livers from pastured-raised chickens

1 to 2 tbsp butter

1/4 cup finely chopped shallot (1 small)

2 cloves garlic, minced or grated

2 large eggs from pasture-raised chickens

1/4 cream from pasture-raised cows

1/2 tsp ground peppercorn

1 tsp Five Herb Seasoning or ground dried rosemary or thyme

Pinch allspice

2/3 pound ground pasture-raised pork

1/4 cup raw pistachios

Step One: Preparing and Chilling

Before you mix the paté, all ingredients must be chilled, so start by broiling the portobello and cooking the chicken livers. These steps can be done in advance.

Preheat the broiler. Wipe clean the portobello mushroom cap and place it gill-side up in a shallow baking dish. Drizzle it with olive oil and season it with sea salt and freshly ground peppercorn. Broil it until crispy on top, about 5 to 7 minutes. Set it aside to cool, then transfer it to the fridge.

Rinse and dry the livers. Trim away any connective tissue and season them with sea salt and ground peppercorn. Warm a tablespoon of butter in a skillet over medium heat. Once it melts, add the chicken livers, seasoned side down. Season the other side. Allow them only to brown, not to cook through. Once browned on both sides, transfer them to a plate to cool.

Add the shallots and a bit more butter, if needed, to the skillet. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue cooking until the shallots start to brown. Add the garlic and stir until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Add the cognac and stir to incorporate any brown bits on the bottom of the pan into the sauce. Cook until thickened and reduced by half, just a few minutes more. Pour the sauce over the chicken livers. Once cool, transfer them to the fridge to chill.

Place your food processor bowl, metal blade, and cover in the freezer to chill.

Step Two: Mixing and Curing

Butter the inside of a 3-cup (0.8 liter) terrine or loaf pan.

Once the chicken livers and broiled portobello are thoroughly chilled, cut 4 or 5 long slices from the center of the portobello and set them aside for an internal garnish. Roughly chop the rest of the mushroom and reserve any juices.

Now that all of the ingredients are ready, remove the food processor parts from the freezer and assemble them. Add the chopped portobello and any reserved juices along with the eggs, cream, peppercorn, Five Herb Seasoning, chicken livers with shallots and cognac, and 1 teaspoon of sea salt. Purée the mixture until smooth.

Break up the ground pork as you drop it into the food processor. Cover and pulse until the meat is well-combined with the other ingredients and the mixture is sticky.

Warm a small amount of olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add a spoonful of the paté mixture, flatten, and cook through. Taste for seasoning and adjust the uncooked mixture as needed. Cook and taste again if necessary.

Press 1/3 of the paté mixture into the bottom of the terrine. Arrange the pistachios in a single layer on top. Add another 1/3 of the paté mixture, making another layer over the pistachios.

Press down firmly to fill in any air pockets. Arrange the portobello slices in a single layer.

Cover the sliced portobello with the remaining paté mixture. Again, press down firmly, and level the top.

Cover the terrine and transfer it to the fridge. Allow it to cure for 48 to 72 hours.

Step Three: Baking

Preheat the oven to 325F. Bake the terrine in a hot water bath until a thermometer inserted into the center reads 160F, about an hour and a half. Do not overcook.

Remove the terrine from the oven and cover the paté with a weight (1 to 2 pounds). The weight should cover as much of the paté as possible yet be small enough to sink down inside the terrine as the paté cools and shrinks down. Cool it to room temperature, then cover and transfer the terrine (with the weight) to the fridge. Allow it to sit overnight before serving.

Step Four: Serving

Once the paté has rested again, it can be served from the terrine or unmolded.

To unmold, place the terrine in a shallow pan filled with an inch of water. Warm it over low heat for 10 minutes, then loosen the sides with a knife and use a flipper to apply pressure to the sides of the paté to loosen the bottom. Turn the terrine over onto a plate and allow it to fall down onto the plate. Give it a few minutes, but if it stays put, return the terrine to the warm water bath and heat it a bit more before trying again.

Once the paté has been unmolded, use a sharp knife to carefully cut individual slices.

Serve this rich paté with a crisp salad and a sharp vinaigrette. I made a simple one with red wine vinegar, grated garlic, Dijon mustard, extra virgin olive oil and freshly ground peppercorn. I tossed it with some greens (and purples) from the farmers' market and served it cornichons (small French pickles). If you don't have cornichons (find them at Trader Joe's) you can substitute any pickled vegetable.

Arugula Salad with Grilled Zucchini and Nectarines

2011-05-21T19:23:00.001-04:00

GLUTEN-FREE and VEGETARIAN

This was the perfect late lunch on a lazy Saturday afternoon.
It has a little bit of everything: spicy arugula, savory grilled zucchini, sweet and juicy nectarine, tangy goat cheese and creamy walnuts. Tossed together with an orange champagne vinaigrette, it was light but satisfying.

I used goat cheese brie in the shape of a log because it's easy to slice. You could also use a creamy goat cheese and crumble it, or even blue cheese. If your nectarine isn't fully ripe, skip it or grill
it along with the zucchini.

2 small or 1 medium zucchini

Extra virgin olive oil, first cold pressing

Sea salt

1/4 cup orange champagne vinegar, or other vinegar

1 or 2 cloves garlic, grated or ground into a paste

2 tbsp Dijon mustard or 1 tbsp ground mustard seed

Ground peppercorn

6 cups fresh arugula

1/2 cup raw walnuts

1 ripe nectarine, thinly sliced

2 oz goat cheese, sliced or crumbled

Trim the ends of the zucchini and cut them into slices. Warm a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet or grill pan. Add the zucchini in a single layer and sprinkle sea salt on top. Cook until browned, then flip the rounds over and brown the second side. Remove the zucchini from the hot surface and set them aside to cool.

In a clean glass jar with a lid, add the vinegar, garlic, mustard,
1/2 cup olive oil, a pinch of peppercorn and a pinch of sea salt if desired. Close it tightly and shake until well-combined. (Or whisk the ingredients together in a small bowl.) Taste the vinaigrette for seasoning and adjust it if necessary.

Add the arugula to a large mixing bowl. Roughly chop the warm zucchini and scatter it over the arugula. Add the walnuts, nectarine and goat cheese. Drizzle some vinaigrette over the top, enough to dress all of the ingredients but not so much that it weighs them down. Toss everything together and serve the salad immediately.

Chocolate Stuffed Figs

2011-05-18T07:36:00.001-04:00

GLUTEN FREE

I like this dessert because it's easy to whip up at the last minute using ingredients I usually have on hand.

Or I can improvise. The figs and cocoa powder are essential, but you can substitute other raw nuts for the almonds and walnuts, like pistachios, cashews or coconut. Or you can use raw sunflower or pumpkin seeds.

12 to 15 dried figs
1/4 cup raw sliced almonds
1/4 cup chopped raw walnuts
2 pitted dates
1/4 cup cocoa powder
Pinch cinnamon
Pinch sea salt
1 to 2 tbsp honey
1 orange

Preheat oven to 300F.

If the figs have tough stem ends, trim them. Use a kitchen scissors to cut the top of each fig in half, leaving the bottom third of the fig intact.

Rotate it 90 degrees and cut again.

You should be able to separate the quarters enough to place some filling inside.

Set the prepared figs aside.

Finely chop the almonds, walnuts and dates in a food processor or by hand. Mix in the cocoa powder, cinnamon, sea salt and zest from the orange if it is organic (otherwise, skip it). Drizzle in the honey, enough to cause clumps to form, and use a rubber spatula to mix it thoroughly. Be patient, this is a sticky job.

Fill each fig with a spoonful of the chocolate mixture and stand it up in an oven-proof dish large enough to accommodate all of the figs but small enough to make them fit snugly.

Juice the orange and pour it over the figs. There should be about a centimeter of liquid in the baking dish. If not, add a little water.

Transfer the figs to the oven and bake, uncovered, for 25 to 30 minutes, until the figs have warmed and the sauce has reduced.

Transfer the figs to a serving dish and pour the sauce over the top. Serve immediately.

Smokey Peach Barbecue Sauce

2011-05-11T08:21:00.000-04:00

GLUTEN-FREE

I've been eating up my stored foods, like dried fruit, in anticipation of the fresh foods coming as spring stretches
into summer.

I still have some dried peaches in my pantry, so I used them in this sauce. It's a healthy alternative to bottled barbecue sauces that contain sugar, high fructose corn syrup, modified food starch, preservatives, emulsifiers, stabilizers, artificial flavors and colors.

My barbecue sauce is made from whole foods. The subtle sweetness of the peaches pairs well with the smokey flavors of the fire-roasted tomatoes, cumin and chipotle (a dried, smoked jalapeno pepper). The peaches also help thicken the sauce.

If you don't have dried peaches, substitute 1/3 cup golden raisins or chopped dried apricots. If you can't find fire-roasted tomatoes, use regular crushed tomatoes.

Slather this sauce on grilled chicken, slow-roasted pork, grilled vegetables or tofu triangles.

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, first cold pressing

1 cup chopped red onion

1 large orange

4 dried peach halves

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced or minced

1/2 cup crushed fire-roasted tomatoes

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

Sea salt

Ground peppercorn

1/2 tsp ground cumin

Pinch ground allspice

1 dried chipotle

Warm the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Sauté the onion until browned and caramelized. If it starts to stick, stir in some sea salt. (It will draw moisture out of the onion and prevent it from sticking, but it will also take longer to brown.) Take your time with this step and be sure that the onion is brown before you move onto the next step.

While the onion browns, juice the orange and set it aside. Thinly slice the dried peaches and set them aside as well.

Stir in the garlic and continue cooking until it becomes aromatic, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, vinegar and 1/2 cup of the orange juice. Sprinkle in some sea salt and grind in some peppercorn. Use kitchen shears to cut up the chipotle pepper and add the whole thing if you like your sauce spicy, or just some of it for a more mild sauce. Stir in the dried peaches.

Bring the mixture to a slow simmer, then cover it and reduce the heat to the lowest setting. Simmer it for 15 minutes, then turn off the heat and allow it to cool, covered, to room temperature. Don't rush this step because the residual heat will continue to soften the peaches, allowing them to become fully re-hydrated.

Purée the mixture until smooth, using an immersion blender, stand blender or a food processor. (The sauce fits perfectly in a pint-sized wide-mouth mason jar, and so does an immersion blender.)

Once it is smooth, taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Serve it immediately or store it in an air-tight container in the fridge for future use.

Scrambled Eggs with Ramps and Goat Cheese

2011-05-05T08:47:00.003-04:00

Ramps are a spring delicacy. They are a wild member of the onion family, reminiscent of scallions but with broad, flat leaves and purple stems. Ramps taste like onions and also like garlic, and their unique flavor can complement all sorts of savory dishes.

As you would with scallions, trim away the roots and eat everything else: green, white and purple parts. Also like scallions, ramps can be eaten raw or cooked. Try adding them to:

Lettuce salads and chopped salads
Soups and stews
Stir fry
Summer rolls (raw)
Whole grain pilaf
Bean dishes
Home-made fish cakes and veggie burgers
Quiches, omelets and egg scrambles

Ramps are in season for only a short time, and the time is now. Find them at your local farmer's market. (I recently picked some up at the Union Square Greenmarket.)

Scrambled Eggs with Ramps and Goat Cheese

GLUTEN-FREE

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, first cold pressing

2 ramps, thinly sliced, greens separated from white and purple parts

4 eggs

2 tbsp organic whole milk or water

Sea salt

Ground peppercorn

1 tbsp chopped fresh leafy herbs like oregano, basil or parsley

1/3 cup crumbled goat cheese

Warm the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-low heat.
Add the white and purple parts of the ramps to the skillet and cook until soft.

Meanwhile, whisk together the eggs, milk or water, and a pinch each of sea salt and ground peppercorn.

Once the ramps are soft, sprinkle them with a small amount of sea salt. Add the green parts of the ramps and cook for 1 or 2 more minutes, until the white parts start to brown and the green parts wilt.

Pour in the egg mixture and continue cooking, stirring occasionally with a rubber scraper. Once the eggs are nearly scrambled, add most of the fresh herbs (reserving some for garnish) and continue cooking until done.

Stir in half of the crumbled goat cheese, then transfer the mixture to a serving dish and top with the remaining goat cheese and herbs. Serve immediately.

Serves 2.

Hot and Sour Salmon

2011-05-01T07:42:00.000-04:00

GLUTEN-FREE

This dish is colorful, healthy, and easy to prepare. The bright red color and sweet-sour flavor comes from blood oranges, while the heat comes from ginger. You can give it an extra kick by adding a bit of cayenne if you wish, but it's good either way.

If you don't have blood oranges, use tangerines, tangelos or oranges, and add a splash of lemon juice at the end for a sour note. I cooked a wild salmon fillet on the stove top using a cast iron grill pan, but you could use an outdoor grill or a stove top skillet. Salmon steaks also work well.

1 lb wild salmon at room temperature

Sea salt

Ground peppercorn

3 blood oranges, enough for 1 cup juice
1 small organic lemon

1 tsp freshly grated ginger, or to taste

Pinch cayenne (optional)

Pinch sea salt

Ground peppercorn

If you haven't already, take the salmon out of the fridge to come to room temperature.

Zest the lemon and oranges, if they are organic, and juice the oranges. (If your citrus isn't organic, omit the zest.)

Add 1 cup of blood orange juice, 1 tablespoon of blood orange zest, all of the lemon zest (about 1 tablespoon), the ginger and cayenne to a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk the ingredients together and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until thickened and reduced by about half, whisking occasionally.

Once the sauce has reduced and thickened, whisk in a pinch of sea salt. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. If it's not sour enough, add some lemon juice. If it's too sour, add a bit of honey. Set the sauce aside while you prepare the salmon.

Preheat a grill pan over medium heat. Cut the salmon into individual portions and brush each one with olive oil, then sprinkle with sea salt and ground peppercorn.

Once the pan is hot, place the pieces of salmon on top and do not move them. Reduce the heat to medium-low and allow them to cook until they release from the pan and grill marks appear, about 4 or 5 minutes. Flip them over and cook the other side for a few more minutes, until flaky and just cooked through. Do not overcook the salmon.

While the salmon cooks, re-heat the sauce over low heat until warm.

Once the salmon has finished cooking, serve it immediately with the hot and sour blood orange sauce.

Dark Chocolate Mousse Cake

2011-04-25T19:27:00.003-04:00

GLUTEN-FREE

Most flourless cakes are heavy and dense, but this one is light and airy. Like a mousse, its fluffy texture comes from whipping the eggs and cream before folding them into the batter. There are some extra steps involved, but the results are truly worth the effort. It may be the best chocolate cake I've ever made.

(And as far as desserts go, because it's high in antioxidants and protein, free of grains, and sweetened with just a little bit of honey, this cake is one of the healthier choices.)

This recipe is my version of what I saw Julia Child whip up on a recent re-run of her "Chafing Dish Dinner" episode (Julia Child & Company). I omitted the sugar, substituted a small amount of honey, and skipped flouring the pan to make this cake gluten-free. I also omitted the vanilla because I used a fragrant rum from Martinique and didn't want too many other flavors competing. And I served mine with a simple raspberry sauce.

This cake calls for a whole pound of dark chocolate. Be sure to use a good one, because the finished product will only be as good as its initial ingredients.

1 lb (16 oz) dark chocolate, 70% or darker

Butter to coat the baking dish

6 eggs at room temperature

1/4 cup honey

Pinch sea salt

1/4 cup espresso

1/4 cup rum

1 cup heavy cream

Place a medium glass or stainless steel mixing bowl and the whisk you'll use to whip the cream in the freezer to chill.

Warm the chocolate slowly in a covered double boiler over low heat.

While the chocolate melts, preheat the oven to 350F and prepare a 9" by 7" glass baking dish. Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit the bottom, then coat the inside of the dish and both sides of the parchment paper with butter. Place the prepared baking dish inside a larger baking dish that you will use for a water bath. Set it aside and put some water on to boil.

Add the eggs, honey and sea salt to a large mixing bowl. Whip them for several minutes, scraping down the sides occasionally, until the mixture increases in volume and becomes silky, foamy, and thick enough to form ribbons when drizzled from a spoon. Take your time with this step, but don't over-beat the eggs either.

Once the chocolate has melted, whisk in the espresso and rum. Once smooth, pour the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and fold them together until almost combined.

In the chilled bowl from the freezer, using the chilled whisk, beat the cream until it increases in volume and forms soft peaks. Immediately fold the whipped cream into the chocolate and egg mixture, until it is just combined. Do not fold the batter more than you need to.

Pour the cake batter into the buttered baking dish. Pour boiling hot water in the larger baking dish to create a water bath around the cake, but take care not to add any water to the batter. Transfer the ensemble to the oven.

Bake it for about 1 hour, until a knife inserted into the middle comes out clean. Remove the pans from the oven and allow the chocolate cake to cool to room temperature inside the water bath.

Once cool, or still a little bit warm, use a knife to loosen the sides of the cake from the sides of the baking dish. Invert the baking dish onto a serving platter and remove the parchment paper. Cut the cake and serve it with a Simple Raspberry Sauce or freshly whipped cream.

Wild Rice Pilaf with Spinach and Shiitake

2011-04-20T07:17:00.001-04:00

GLUTEN-FREE

This simple side dish can accompany a wide variety of other courses. I served it with grilled wild salmon, but it would also pair well with grass-fed beef, venison, duck, turkey or chicken. Or make it part of a vegetarian feast.

1 cup dry wild rice, cooked*

2 tbsp butter

1 medium onion, chopped

6 large shiitake mushroom caps, thinly sliced (reserve the stems for stock)

2 cloves garlic

Sea salt

1 cup thawed and drained frozen chopped spinach

1/2 cup pine nuts, raw or toasted in a dry skillet over low heat

Ground peppercorn

* To cook the wild rice, pre-soak it if you have time then simmer it in a generous amount of water with a pinch of sea salt until tender but not mushy, and drain. The individual grains of rice should not have all split open and they should have a tender but still-chewy texture.

Warm the butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Sauté the onion until starting to brown. Add the mushrooms and cook until they become tender.

Grate in the garlic and stir until it becomes aromatic, about 30 seconds. Stir in a pinch of sea salt, then add the pine nuts and spinach, breaking apart the clumps of leaves as you drop them in. Reduce the heat to low and continue cooking until the mixture is hot.

Serve immediately or cover and set aside for up to 2 hours. If you are making it further in advance, transfer it to the fridge once it cools to room temperature.

Serves 6 to 8

Urfa Biber and a Stunning Spice Blend

2011-04-13T08:09:00.003-04:00

Aged Balsamic Salt, Hiwa Kai Lava Salt, Harissa, Vintage Merlot Salt, Tea Malsala, Urfa Biber

On her recent visit, my good friend and colleague Dr. Patti Kim brought me some stunning spices. One was completely new to me and now it's a favorite: urfa biber.

"Biber" is the Turkish word for pepper and this one is cultivated in the Urfa region of Turkey. The chili is sun-dried by day and wrapped tightly by night, so it retains natural oils and stays soft and moist. It has a beautiful deep red-purple color (almost black) and tastes fruity and slightly sweet, like a raisin. It's also smokey and mildly spicy, with a hint of chocolate.

Now that's a winning combination.

Urfa biber is the star ingredient in this unique seasoning blend. I used it as a dry rub to season grass-fed beef, but it would also be good with lamb, venison or wild salmon. Vegetarians can use it to season grilled tofu triangles and it can also be incorporated into marinades, sauces, soups and stews (like Three Alarm Chili).

Urfa biber is available at Kalustyan's in New York City and Spice Station in Los Angeles.

Urfa Biber Seasoning Blend

1 part urfa biber, crushed or ground

1 part mixed peppercorns, or substitute black peppercorns

1 part sea salt

1/2 part cumin seeds (or 1/2 part ground cumin)

1/2 part freshly ground dried rosemary leaves

Grind all ingredients in a spice grinder or with a mortar and pestle until sufficiently fine.

Use immediately or store in a labeled, air-tight container for future use.

Grass-Fed Fillet Steak with Urfa Biber Seasoning

Tempeh Burgers with Coconut and Cilantro

2011-04-08T12:44:00.001-04:00

GLUTEN-FREE

Coconut, cilantro, ginger and garlic work so well together.
You may not expect to find these flavors in a veggie burger,
but here they taste just right.

I based this burger on tempeh because I wanted a patty high in protein. I love the chewy texture of tempeh and because it's a fermented food, it promotes good digestive health.

This recipe may appear aggressively seasoned, but because the base ingredients - tempeh and raw sunflower seeds - don't have a lot of flavor on their own, they are best paired with a good amount of aromatic ingredients. I love cilantro and used a whole bunch (it was on the small side) but if you don't love cilantro, you can use less. Or substitute parsley or basil or fresh jalapeno.

Some home-made veggie burgers can crumble and fall apart, but these patties hold together well. Ground coconut is not only a great binder but also a good source of healthy fat.

The uncooked mixture will be stiff, but it will be easy to work with. Sautéed in a little extra virgin olive oil, the patties become crispy on the outside, tender and chewy on the inside.

Which is exactly what I want from a veggie burger.

1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds

1/2 cup roughly chopped red onion

1 bunch roughly chopped cilantro leaves and stems

4 garlic cloves or more, smashed

8 oz tempeh (cultured soybeans and brown rice), chopped or crumbled

1 tsp freshly grated ginger, or more

1/4 to 1/2 tsp sea salt

Ground peppercorn

2 eggs

2 tbsp raw, cold-pressed sesame oil

1/4 to 1/2 cup coconut flour

1 to 2 tbsp cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil
1 lime

Add the sunflower seeds, onion, cilantro and garlic to a food processor. Pulse and purée until finely chopped.

Add the tempeh, ginger, sea salt and peppercorn and pulse until finely chopped.

Add the eggs, sesame oil and 1/4 cup of coconut flour. Pulse to combine and then evaluate the texture. If it's too wet, add more coconut flour. Purée until well mixed and homogenous, or if you prefer more texture in your burger, pulse until just combined.

Form the mixture into balls, then flatten the balls into patties.

To cook, warm the olive or coconut oil in a skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the tempeh burgers and sauté until golden brown on one side. Flip the burgers and cover the skillet. Cook until they have browned on the other side. Squeeze half the lime over the burgers and cut the other half into wedges. Serve the tempeh burgers immediately, with the lime wedges on the side.

I placed my patty atop a salad with plenty of vinaigrette, so sauce wasn't necessary. If you are going to put yours in a sandwich, add a dollop of real mayonnaise or whole milk plain yogurt, or a drizzle of sesame oil.

These patties can be made in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer for future use.

Makes 6 to 8 patties

Vegan Variation:

Omit the eggs. Leave out the coconut flour initially, until you assess the moisture of the mixture. Add the coconut flour accordingly. Garnish with sesame oil instead of mayonnaise or yogurt.

Grass-Fed Ribeye with Peppercorn Sauce

2011-04-01T08:15:00.005-04:00

GLUTEN-FREE

Thinly sliced, this 1-pound ribeye could easily feed four people when served with an appetizer and a generous portion of broiled asparagus on the side.

Steak au Poivre sounds complicated, but it's surprisingly easy. Just season your steak, sautè it to perfection, and then, while it rests, make a quick pan sauce. The sauce should be minimal and only used as a condiment. It will be rich and highly seasoned, so you'll only need enough to drizzle over the top.

The secret to a good steak is seasoning it in advance (24 to 48 hours if you can) and allowing it to come to room temperature before you cook it. I love a good ribeye, but you can use another cut if you wish. If you don't have cognac, you can substitute white vermouth.

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 grass-fed ribeye steak, seasoned with sea salt and plenty of freshly ground peppercorn, at room temperature

1 clove garlic

1/4 cup cognac

1 tbsp cream

Warm the olive oil in a medium sautè pan over medium heat. Once hot, add the steak and cook until browned on one side, about 4 to 5 minutes. Flip it over to brown on the other side and cook it to your desired doneness (about 5 minutes more for medium rare, depending on the thickness of the cut).

Transfer the perfectly-cooked steak to a plate and cover to keep warm.

Reduce the heat to low. Add the garlic to the sautè pan, stir and cook until it becomes aromatic, about 30 seconds. Add the cognac and stir to incorporate any brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Cook until reduced by about half, then add the cream. Continue cooking until the cream warms up, but don't allow it to boil. Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary.

Slice the steak and serve it immediately, with the peppercorn sauce drizzled over the top or served on the side.

The Art of Salad and an Easy French Vinaigrette

2011-03-22T08:05:00.106-04:00

GLUTEN-FREE

In the cold months, I tend toward winter greens like cabbage, kale, mustard greens and other leafy vegetables.

But as spring approaches, I get hungry for salads. Simple salads make refreshing side dishes (I like to serve them after the main course, to refresh the palate). Complex and composed salads can make stunning stand-alone main courses when they incorporate protein like chick peas, nuts and seeds, goat cheese, hard-boiled egg, tofu, tempeh, sliced grass-fed steak or wild salmon.

The best thing about salads is that they can be thrown together in minutes using whatever you have on hand. You'll need some sort of green leafy vegetable, extra virgin olive oil and vinegar, and anything else you wish to add.

I never tire of salads because the possibilities are endless. Sometimes I add pistachios, tangerines and olives. Other times feta cheese, roasted red peppers and chickpeas. Or avocado, tomatoes and black beans. Or cucumbers, walnuts and cubes of baked tofu.

And I usually have several kinds of vinegar on hand - red wine, white wine, apple cider, brown rice, balsamic - so simply substituting one for the other can dramatically transform the flavor of my vinaigrette.

This salad isn't fancy, it's just an example of what can be thrown together quickly. I added Dijon mustard and grated garlic to the vinaigrette, tossed in some carrot, red onion and walnuts I happened to have on hand, and topped it with goat cheese. It only took five minutes.

To make a great salad, there are some essential steps. If you follow these five guidelines, you will always have a crispy, perfectly seasoned salad:

1. Clean the greens in advance. When you bring them home, discard any damaged leaves and submerge the rest in a generous amount of cold water. Swish the leaves around to loosen any debris and soak for 2 or 3 minutes (longer if leaves are wilted). You can use a clean sink, the bowl of a salad spinner, or another large vessel.

2. Rinse the greens thoroughly. I usually rinse each leaf individually to make sure I remove as much of the dirt as possible. (Nothing spoils a salad like biting into something sandy.)

3. Remove most of the water from the leaves. This will keep them fresher longer and prevent your salad dressing from becoming watered-down. But they shouldn't be completely dry, or they will wilt. I use a salad spinner to remove excess water and to store the leaves in the fridge. If you don't have a salad spinner, use two large, clean kitchen towels instead. Place the lettuce leaves inside one towel, gather the corners and edges, and spin it around. Then arrange the leaves in a single layer on top of the second, dry towel, roll it up and place it in the fridge.

4. Chill the greens. After you've cleaned and dried them, allow them to chill inside the fridge for several hours to make sure they are crispy and cold.

5. When you serve a lettuce salad, toss it together at the last moment to prevent it from getting soggy.

Here's my fool-proof recipe for a basic French vinaigrette. It's so easy to whip up whenever I need it that I seldom make a large batch in advance. I also like making it to order because I can select the ingredients that best complement the other salad components and/or other courses.

An Easy Vinaigrette

I usually don't add sea salt to my vinaigrette because I never think it needs it. Others insist it's essential, so do as you prefer.

1 tbsp red wine vinegar, or substitute apple cider vinegar
1 tsp prepared Dijon mustard or ground mustard seed
1 clove garlic, grated or crushed

Ground peppercorn to taste
3 tbsp cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil, or more to taste

Add all of the ingredients, except the olive oil, to the bottom of a large bowl. I use the largest bowl I have because I make big salads but also because I like to have plenty of room to toss everything together thoroughly, ensuring that every leaf is evenly seasoned.

Whisk until thoroughly combined. If you have the time, allow it to sit for a couple of minutes at this stage so the salt can dissolve, if you've added some, and the vinegar can soften the sharp garlic flavor. Drizzle in the olive oil and continue whisking until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

Except lettuce, spinach and any other delicate additions, add your other ingredients to the bowl. This layer will form a barrier between the dressing and the lettuce, keeping the leaves from becoming soggy.

I added thinly sliced red onion, carrot shavings and raw walnuts. If there are ingredients that you want seasoned but not tossed together (like grilled chicken that you want to arrange on top), reserve a little vinaigrette to drizzle over later.

Tear the lettuce leaves into bite-sized pieces and place them in the bowl on top of the other ingredients.

Set it aside until you're ready to eat it and toss it together at the last moment.

An Easy Vinaigrette

2011-03-21T17:38:00.000-04:00

I usually don't add sea salt to my vinaigrette because I never think it needs it. Others insist it's essential, so do as you prefer.

1 tbsp red wine vinegar, or substitute apple cider vinegar

1 tsp prepared Dijon mustard or ground mustard seed

1 clove garlic, grated or crushed

Ground peppercorn to taste

3 tbsp cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil, or more to taste

Add all of the ingredients, except the olive oil, to the bottom of a large bowl. I find it easiest to collect the mustard with a clean whisk, estimating the amount I'll need. And I use the biggest bowl I have because I make large salads but also because I like to have plenty of room to toss everything together thoroughly, ensuring that every leaf is evenly seasoned.

If you have the time, allow it to sit for a couple of minutes at this stage so the vinegar can soften the sharp garlic flavor and the salt can dissolve, if you've added some.

Whisk until thoroughly combined. Drizzle in the olive oil and continue whisking until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

Except lettuce, spinach and any other delicate additions, add your other ingredients to the bowl. This layer will form a barrier between the dressing and the lettuce, keeping the leaves from becoming soggy.

I added thinly sliced red onion, carrot shavings and raw walnuts. If there are ingredients that you want seasoned but not tossed together (like grilled chicken or a veggie burger that you want to arrange on top), reserve a little vinaigrette to drizzle over later.

Tear the lettuce leaves into bite-sized pieces and place them in the bowl on top of the other ingredients.

Set it aside until you're ready to eat it and toss it together at the last moment.

My Favorite Asparagus

2011-03-15T08:40:00.008-04:00

GLUTEN-FREE

This is the most simple and delicious way to prepare asparagus.

(Seriously, I can easily eat an entire bunch in one sitting. Maybe more.)

Cooking asparagus quickly under the broiler helps it retain a tender texture inside without getting overcooked, while the outside becomes slightly browned and crispy.

In my book, a little bit of sea salt is all the seasoning it needs. But feel free to drizzle it with your favorite vinaigrette or serve it with a home-made aioli for dipping.

1 bunch asparagus (or more)

Extra virgin olive oil, first cold pressing

Sea salt

Snap off the ends of the asparagus where they naturally break (save them for soup stock) and toss the stalks with enough olive oil to lightly coat. Arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet and sprinkle with sea salt.

Transfer the asparagus to the broiler and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until they are lightly browned. Serve immediately. Cooking time will depend on the thickness of the stalks.

Dark Chocolate Ice Cream

2011-03-08T08:49:00.004-05:00

This ice cream is a healthy alternative to store-bought versions.

Instead of sugar, it is sweetened with honey. It's also full of antioxidants from real dark chocolate and cocoa powder, and a good source of calcium. Use cream and milk from grass-fed or pasture-raised cows for a healthy dose of omega-3 fats.

You will need a large airtight container to chill the ice cream mixture in the fridge and to store the ice cream in the freezer.
A lidded 7-cup Pyrex container works perfectly.

3.5 oz dark chocolate, 70% or darker

¼ cup honey

2 cups cream

½ cup pure unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup whole milk

Pinch sea salt

4 egg yolks

Special equipment: ice cream maker

Warm two inches of water in a medium saucepan. Add the dark chocolate and honey to a large glass or stainless steel bowl and set it on top of the saucepan. Cover and warm until just melted. Turn off the heat, remove the bowl from the saucepan and set it aside.

Empty the water from the saucepan, carefully wipe it dry (it’s hot) and return it to the stove. Add the cream and cocoa powder and warm over medium-low heat. Whisk to combine the cocoa powder and cream until thoroughly incorporated and hot but not boiling. Turn off the stove and pour the cream and cocoa into the bowl with the honey and chocolate, using a rubber scraper to wipe the pan clean. Place a fine mesh strainer over the bowl and return the saucepan to the stove.

Break the egg yolks into a heat-proof bowl and whisk them briefly. Add the milk to the saucepan with the sea salt and warm over low heat. Once small bubbles start to appear at the edges of the pan, whisk the eggs continuously while you add about half the milk, pouring in a thin stream. Slowly pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan, whisking continuously, and cook until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Do not overcook or the milk will separate.

Pour the milk and egg mixture through the fine mesh strainer into the bowl and whisk to combine. Transfer the mixture to a blender and puree until smooth, taking care to vent the lid and prevent a heat explosion. Transfer to an airtight container, cover and refrigerate over night.

Freeze the chilled mixture in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Five Herb Seasoning

2011-03-01T07:49:00.016-05:00

My Five Herb Seasoning is a blend of herbs traditionally found in poultry seasoning.
There is no sea salt or ground peppercorn because I will add them later as needed, depending on what I'm cooking.

This versatile seasoning can be used to flavor marinades and sauces, ratatouille and risotto, soups and stews. Use it as a dry rub for poultry, meat and fish. And as a seasoning for vegetables, beans, tempeh and tofu.

2 parts fresh dried sage leaves

1 part fresh dried lemon thyme leaves

1 part fresh dried oregano leaves

1 part fresh dried savory leaves

1 part fresh dried rosemary leaves

Grind all ingredients in an electric grinder or with a mortar and pestle.

Transfer to an air-tight container and label with the contents and date.

Roasted Beet Risotto

2011-02-22T19:35:00.001-05:00

This deep red risotto is as pleasing to the palate as the eye. Roasted beets and red pepper give it a complex flavor and a beautiful color.

Beets and red peppers are good sources of phytonutrients with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer and liver-protective properties. And if you eat grains, this is a good way to go: in their whole form and with lots of vegetables. Here I use one cup roasted beet purée and one bell pepper per cup and a half of brown rice.

Risotto is usually made with white wine. But because my risotto is red, I used red wine. I chose a dry and flavorful Merlot, but feel free to substitute another dry red wine, like a Syrah or Pinot Noir.

1 bunch beets

1 organic red pepper

1 quart vegetable stock

2 tbsp grass-fed butter

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 medium red onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic or more, grated, crushed or minced

Sea salt

1½ cups short-grain brown rice, soaked overnight if possible

1/2 cup red wine, merlot or other

4 sprigs of savory, or substitute rosemary

Pinch crushed red pepper (optional)

Black peppercorn to taste

To prepare the beet and red pepper:

This step can be done a day or two in advance.

Preheat oven to 400.

Place the red pepper inside and roast until soft and brown. Cool, remove skin, chop roughly and set aside.

Scrub the beets and remove all but 1 inch of the greens (reserve the greens for another purpose). Wrap the beets in aluminum foil and roast until tender, about an hour. Open the foil, drain and reserve any juices, the set the beets aside to cool.

Once the beets are cool, remove the tops and roots, leaving the peel intact. Chop roughly and purée with reserved juice until smooth. If you don’t have a food processor, dice them into bite-sized cubes and add the juice later with the wine. Set aside 1 cup of beet purée or a heaping cup of cubes for this recipe. Reserve the rest for another use (serve the purée like you would mashed potatoes or any vegetable purée, or use it to make borscht).

To prepare the risotto:

When the beet purée is ready, warm the vegetable stock in a sauce pan over low heat.

Warm the butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and a pinch of sea salt. Stir and cook until the garlic becomes aromatic (less than a minute). Do not burn the garlic.

Add the rice to the skillet and stir to coat each grain thoroughly. Cook for 3 minutes, until the grains start to toast. Stir in the wine and cook until most of it has been absorbed. Add the beet purée, savory sprigs, crushed red pepper, black peppercorn, and another pinch of sea salt. Stir to combine. Once the beet mixture is warm, start adding the vegetable stock a ladle or two at a time and stir frequently, until the rice is tender and the sauce has thickened. If you anticipate needing more liquid as you use up the stock, warm a teapot full of water and keep it on standby.

Once the rice is tender and the sauce has thickened, remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in the roasted red pepper pieces and most of the fresh dill and grated Parmesan, reserving some to garnish the dish. Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary. Cover the risotto to keep it warm and set it aside for 10 minutes before serving.

Stir the risotto again, then transfer to a serving dish or individual plates and garnish with reserved dill and Parmesan. Serve immediately.

References:

Georgiev VG et al. Antioxidant activity and phenolic content of betalain extracts from intact plants and hairy root cultures of the red beetroot Beta vulgaris cv. Detroit dark red. Plant Foods for Human Nutrition. 2010 Jun;65(2):105-11.

Ingram D. Diet and subsequent survival in women with breast cancer. British Journal of Cancer. 1994 Mar;69(3):592-5.

Gluten-Free Apple Crumble

2011-02-18T19:12:00.001-05:00

This humble apple crumble is always a hit. You can throw it together in minutes and bake it in anything: individual ramekins or a baking dish or a pie pan.

It's hard to make a good crumble topping without sugar and flour, but I've perfected the recipe. Ground dates add a natural sweetness, while nuts and seeds add protein and healthy omega-3 fats. And because there is no flour, there is no gluten. It's just fruit and nuts and seeds.

Here I used almonds, walnuts, and pumpkin seeds, but you can substitute what you already have on hand or what you like best. Other good choices include pecans, cashews, sunflower seeds, hemp nuts, ground flax seeds and unsweetened coconut flakes.

This recipe makes enough for 4 apples. If you plan to make fewer servings, or if you have fewer apples, save the crumble topping you don't use for future desserts. Wrapped air-tight, it will last in the fridge for a week or more, or for months in the freezer.

6 tbsp cold butter, cut into chunks (keep it in the fridge until you're ready for it) plus more to coat the ramekins/baking dish

2 tbsp honey or maple syrup

4 organic apples, Golden Delicious or other, skin-on, chopped apples

1/2 cup raw almonds

1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds or pepitas

1/2 cup raw walnuts

1/2 cup roughly chopped pitted dates

Pinch sea salt

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 375F.

Coat the insides of 4 one-cup ramekins or a baking dish with butter. Add the chopped apples and pack the pieces in well because they will lose volume when they cook. Drizzle the apples with honey and set aside.

Add the almonds, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, dates, sea salt and cinnamon to a food processor and pulse until the mixture is finely chopped. Add the cold butter and continue to pulse until clumps form. Remove it from the food processor and distribute the crumble mixture evenly over the apples.

Transfer the apple crumble to the oven and bake until the apples are soft and the top turns golden brown, about 45 minutes. Cool slightly or cool to room temperature before serving, alone or with a dollop of unsweetened freshly whipped cream.

2011-02-11T19:15:00.010-05:00

Simple Raspberry Sauce

1 cup frozen raspberries, thawed, with juices

1 tsp honey

Allow the raspberries to thaw in a dish at room temperature for up to 2 hours (or overnight in the fridge), then stir in the honey. Allow the mixture to sit for at least 5 minutes more, so the raspberry juice can dissolve the honey.

Serve immediately or store the sauce in an air-tight container in the fridge for future use.

Dreamy Dark Chocolate Mi-Cuits

2011-02-10T17:40:00.004-05:00

GLUTEN-FREE

These delicious little chocolate cakes are called "mi-cuits" in France (pronounced “mee-kwee”), which translates to "midway cooked."

Because their centers are soft and gooey, they may appear only partially baked, but believe me, they are cooked to perfection.

At the moment you can find them on every good dessert menu in Paris, but if France is too far, you can make them yourself.

Mi-cuits must be prepared in advance and frozen solid, but once you have them in the freezer, they can be baked on demand in minutes.

This Valentine's Day, treat your sweetheart (or another lucky person) to this chocolate lover's dream. Home-made desserts are always something special and this is a healthy one. My recipe is free of refined carbohydrates and gluten, and it's a good source of protein, omega-3 fats, and antioxidants.

Use dark chocolate with a high cocoa content, because it’s the cocoa powder that contains healthy compounds shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, heart attack, stroke and cancer.

I like to pair this dessert with the simplest home-made raspberry sauce. But if you prefer your chocolate without distraction, feel free to skip it.

Butter to coat ramekins

7 oz dark chocolate, 70% or darker

1 stick butter (8 tbsp)

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1/2 cup almond flour

Pinch sea salt

3/4 tsp baking powder

3 eggs

Special Equipment:

5 or 6 six-ounce ceramic oven-proof ramekins

Electric mixer

Coat the insides of the ramekins with butter. Set aside.

Warm the chocolate, butter and honey in a glass or stainless steel bowl over a pot of slowly simmering water. Cover and heat until melted, stirring occasionally.

Once melted, remove the chocolate mixture from the stove. Use an electric mixer to incorporate the cocoa powder, almond flour, sea salt and baking powder. Once smooth, beat in the eggs, one at a time, and mix well for a minute or more.

Divide the mixture among the prepared ramekins. Cover tightly and transfer to the freezer until frozen solid (overnight or longer).

To serve the mi-cuits, preheat the oven to 375F. Transfer them from the freezer to the oven and bake, uncovered, for 15 minutes or more, until the sides are cooked and the center is still shiny.

Taking care not to burn yourself, run a knife along the inside of each ramekin and unmold on to a plate, held upside down, then inverted.

Serve immediately, alone or with this simple raspberry sauce.

Simple Raspberry Sauce

1 cup frozen raspberries, thawed, with juices

1 tsp honey

Allow the raspberries to thaw in a dish at room temperature for up to 2 hours (or overnight in the fridge), then stir in the honey. Serve immediately or store in an air-tight container in the fridge for future use.

Broccoli Salad

2011-01-26T11:45:00.012-05:00

GLUTEN-FREE

Broccoli and other vegetables in the Brassicaceae family help the liver eliminate carcinogens and other toxins we're exposed to every day. They are also a rich source of antioxidants with anti-cancer activity.

Because these special compounds are destroyed by boiling, eat these vegetables steamed until crisp-tender or raw, like in this salad. A surprising combination of tender broccoli, crunchy pecans, soft blueberries, sharp red onion and a creamy yogurt dressing make it an unusual but delicious dish.

This salad also calls for bacon. Many people think of bacon as an unhealthy and artery-clogging food, but saturated fats don't cause cardiovascular disease (sugar and oxidized fats do). And when meat comes from animals raised on pasture, it can be part of a healthy diet for those who choose to eat it.

Unlike grain-fed meat, grass-fed meat is a good source of anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids. Meat that comes from animals raised on grains, like corn and soybeans, is high in pro-inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids.

Consuming too many omega-6 fats from grains, grain-fed meat, and processed foods made with soybean oil or corn oil, is certainly a significant factor in the current crisis of inflammatory illness. Chronic and deadly diseases linked to both diet and inflammation include cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer. Together, these three conditions currently kill two out of every three people in the United States.

To protect your health, seek out meat, milk and eggs from animals raised on pasture. These products are often more expensive than their grain-fed counterparts, but remember that quality is more important than quantity. It's better to eat smaller amounts of grass-fed meat than larger amounts of grain-fed meat. A little meat can go along way, so think of it as a healthy condiment for a plant-based diet.

This broccoli salad is a great example, and it's my version of a family favorite. I dressed it up with dried blueberries, but you can substitute any other unsweetened, dried fruit, like cranberries or cherries. If you can't find grass-fed pork, or if you don't eat pork, skip the bacon and make a vegetarian version of this salad.

It's a great dish to make ahead of time. I often prepare it on the weekend and eat it throughout the week. But be sure to keep the dressing separate from the other ingredients until you're ready to eat it.

For a crunchy salad, toss it with the dressing just before you serve it. For a softer salad, toss it 15 to 30 minutes prior.

4 slices heritage bacon from pasture-raised pigs

1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds

1/2 cup raw walnuts, pecans or pistachios

2 tbsp whole milk plain yogurt from grass-fed cows

2 tbsp real mayonnaise, or substitute more yogurt

2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 tsp maple syrup

Sea salt to taste

Ground peppercorn to taste

1 bunch broccoli, chopped into small bite-sized pieces

1/2 cup red onion or scallions, finely chopped

1/4 cup dried unsweetened blueberries, cherries or cranberries (no oil or sugar added)

1/4 cup dried unsweetened golden raisins (no oil or sugar added)

Sauté the bacon until most of the fat has rendered. Cool to room temperature, chop or crumble and set aside.

If desired, toast the sunflower seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant and lightly browned. Repeat with the pecans. Set aside to cool.

In the bottom of a large bowl, whisk together the yogurt, mayonnaise, vinegar, maple syrup, sea salt and peppercorn until smooth. Add the broccoli, blueberries, raisins, sunflower seeds and pecans to the bowl and toss to combine. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with chopped bacon. Serve immediately or within one hour.

If making farther in advance, make the dressing in a small bowl and combine the other ingredients in a separate large bowl. Toss everything together when ready to serve.

Home-Made Apple Sauce

2011-01-19T08:47:00.005-05:00

Home-made apple sauce is so much better than the store-bought version, and it's surprisingly simple to make.

I like to use a variety of apples to give my sauce a complex flavor. If you're not sure which varieties make the best sauce, ask around at your local farmer's market. The friendly folks from Locust Grove Farms helped me pick out the Opalescent, Stayman Winesap and Granny Smith apples I used in this recipe.

Eat this apple sauce by itself, hot or cold, stir it into organic whole milk plain yogurt, or add it to cooked oatmeal. You can also serve it as a compote to accompany savory dishes, like slow-roasted heritage pork.

If your orange isn't organic, do not use the zest.

Use organic or unsprayed apples and leave the peel intact to take advantage of all the antioxidants and fiber found there.

I chopped the apples in my food processor while they were still raw, to avoid having large chunks of peel in the finished sauce and to give it a lovely texture. If you chop your apples by hand, you will most likely get a chunkier sauce. For a smooth sauce, purée it at the end.

4 to 5 large organic apples

1 organic orange

Pinch sea salt

Cinnamon to taste

Allspice to taste

Zest and juice the orange.

Core and roughly chop the apples. In two batches, transfer them to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Transfer them to a large sauce pan with the freshly-squeezed orange juice. Cook the apples over low heat, stirring occasionally, until they break down into a sauce, about 30 minutes.

Remove the apple sauce from the heat and stir in the orange zest, sea salt, cinnamon and allspice. Taste and adjust the seasoning if desired.

Serve immediately or cool completely and transfer to an airtight container in the fridge.

Yield: 5 to 6 cups sauce

Pineapple Ginger Sauce

2011-01-12T07:54:00.024-05:00

Fruit sauces are a winter staple. Whether you use apples, pears or pineapple, the strategy is the same: cook chopped ripe fruit with a little bit of liquid, a pinch of sea salt, and any spices you like, until soft.

Here I added orange, ginger, and a hint of cayenne.

This is a very versatile sauce. I served it with a slow-cooked ham, but it would also be great with duck, chicken, fish or tamari-marinated tempeh. You can also add it to a smoothie, stir it into yogurt, or eat it with oatmeal.

1 fresh pineapple

1 organic orange, zest and juice

1 tsp fresh grated ginger, or to taste

Pinch cayenne pepper (optional)

Pinch sea salt

Slice off the top and bottom of the pineapple. Stand it up on end and cut down the sides to remove strips of the outer layer. Chop the fruit into 1-inch chunks (core included) and add it to a food processor. Pulse until very finely chopped, then transfer the pineapple to a saucepan.

Stir in the rest of the ingredients and turn on the burner. Over medium heat, bring the mixture to a slow simmer. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 30 minutes or until the sauce has reduced and thickened to a pleasing flavor and consistency.

Serve immediately or cool to room temperature and store in an air-tight container in the fridge.

Easy Baked Eggs

2011-01-05T08:55:00.000-05:00

GLUTEN-FREE

Looking for a New Year's resolution?

What about eating more non-starchy vegetables?

Breakfast is a good place to start. For most people, this is a meal made mostly of flour and sugar: processed breakfast cereal, cereal bars, toast, Pop-tarts, pastries, croissants, jelly, doughnuts, French toast, waffles, pancakes and syrup.

Instead, eat protein and veggies for breakfast. If they are healthy choices for lunch and dinner, why wouldn't they be healthy choices for breakfast?

This recipe is a simple way to add more vegetables to your diet. It makes a quick, nutritious breakfast on busy mornings, but it can also be served for brunch, lunch or dinner. Two eggs are ideal for a main course and a single baked egg makes a nice appetizer. If you're feeding a crowd, bake the eggs in an oven-proof dish instead of individual ramekins.

I used leftover crushed tomatoes, mixed with some garlic and herbs, but you could use other vegetables (this is a great way to use up leftovers). Try sautéed vegetables, steamed spinach, ratatouille, lentils, or anything else you can nestle an egg into.

Because it melts so beautifully, I topped my eggs with a few pieces of Munster cheese. You could use another cheese, or skip it if you prefer. A sprinkle of fresh chopped herbs would be ideal.

Crushed tomatoes or other cooked vegetables, 1 cup per serving

Pasture-raised eggs, 2 per serving
Sea salt
Ground peppercorn
Slices of Munster cheese or other cheese
Fresh chopped herbs to garnish (optional)

Preheat the over to 400F.

Fill individuals ramekins or a large baking dish with the tomatoes. Make indentations, enough to accommodate all of your eggs, then crack one egg into each indentation. Sprinkle with sea salt and peppercorn. Top with cheese.

Transfer the eggs to the oven and cook for 10 to 20 minutes, depending on how thoroughly you like your yolks cooked. Serve hot.

Blood Orange Balsamic Vinaigrette

2010-12-29T07:56:00.023-05:00

GLUTEN-FREE

As a conscious omnivore, when I eat meat, I eat as much of the animal as possible.

I like to treat fruits and vegetables the same way.

I save scraps like leek tops and shiitake stems for soup stock. I buy beets with their greens attached and eat those too. I roast the seeds from squash and pumpkins (one of my favorite snacks). And I always eat the outer layer of fruits and vegetables whenever possible because they are most nutritious with their skins and peels intact.

Citrus peels contain flavonoids like nobiletin and tangeritin that have anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor effects in the body. Studies show that these flavonoids can induce the death of cancer cells (apoptosis) and reduce the chance that tumors will spread to other parts of the body.

Limonene, a monoterpene compound found in the essential oils of citrus fruit peels, also has anti-cancer activity. It stimulates enzymes in the liver that break down carcinogens and alters gene expression in cancer cells to inhibit their growth. Monoterpenes like limonene have been shown to prevent cancers of the breast, colon, liver, lung, pancreas and skin.

Because pesticides are often concentrated on the outer layer of produce, only eat peels from citrus fruits that have not been sprayed. When your citrus fruits are organic, always eat their zest.

Blood Orange Reduction

If you can't find an organic blood orange, omit the zest and use only the juice.

Zest of 2 organic lemons (save the juice for another purpose)

1 organic orange, zest and juice

1 organic blood orange, zest and juice

Pinch sea salt

Add all the ingredients to a small saucepan and warm over medium heat. Once the mixture starts to simmer, turn the heat down to low. Swirl occasionally and allow it to reduce until it becomes a few spoonfuls of a thick sauce. Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary. Cool completely and store in an airtight container.

Blood Orange Balsamic Vinaigrette

This recipe is the perfect amount for a big salad. If you want to have some leftover, double or triple the batch.

1 tbsp blood orange reduction

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, first cold pressing

Ground peppercorn to taste

Pinch sea salt (optional)

Whisk all ingredients together until smooth. Use immediately or store in an air-tight container in the fridge.

References:

Rooprai HK et al. Evaluation of the effects of swainsonine, captopril, tangeretin and nobiletin on the biological behaviour of brain tumour cells in vitro. Neuropathology and Applied Neurobiology. 2001 Feb;27(1):29-39.

Crowell PL, et al. Human Metabolism of the Experimental Cancer Therapeutic Agent D-Limonene. Cancer, Chemotherapy and Pharmacology, 1994;35:31-37.

Crowell PL and Gould MN. Chemoprevention and Therapy of Cancer by d-Limonene. Critical Reviews in Oncogenesis, 1994;5(1):1-22.

Dietary Phytochemical Research Demonstrates Potential for Major Role in Cancer Prevention. Primary Care & Cancer, 1996;16(7):6-7.

Foods That May Prevent Breast Cancer: Studies Are Investigating Soybeans, Whole Wheat and Green Tea Among Others. Primary Care and Cancer, February 1994;14(2):10-11.

Haag JD et al. Limonene-Induced Regression of Mammary Carcinomas. Cancer Research, 1992;52:4021-4026.

Hensrud DD and Heimburger, DC. Diet, Nutrients, and Gastrointestinal Cancer. Gastroenterology Clinics of North America, June, 1998;27(2):325-346.

Lee YC et al. Nobiletin, a citrus flavonoid, suppresses invasion and migration involving FAK/PI3K/Akt and small GTPase signals in human gastric adenocarcinoma AGS cells. Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry. 2011 Jan;347(1-2):103-15. Epub 2010 Oct 21.

Leonardi T et al. Apigenin and naringenin suppress colon carcinogenesis through the aberrant crypt stage in azoxymethane-treated rats. Experimental Biology and Medicine (Maywood). 2010 Jun;235(6):710-7.

Orange Peel Oil Studied as Cancer-Fighting Agent. Medical Tribune, May 30, 1991;11.

Potter JD. Your Mother Was Right: Eat Your Vegetables. Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2000;9(Suppl.):S10-S12.

Schardt D. Phytochemicals: Plants Against Cancer. Nutrition Action Health Letter, April 1994;21(3):7-13.

Stavric B. Role of Chemopreventers in Human Diet. Clinical Biochemistry, 1994;27(5):319-332.

Steinmetz K and Potter JD. Vegetables, Fruit and Cancer II: Mechanisms. Cancer Causes and Control, 1991;2:427-442.

Steinmetz KA and Potter JD. Vegetables, Fruit, and Cancer Prevention: A Review. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 1996;96:1027-1039.

Fish Cakes with Lemon Yogurt Sauce

2010-12-23T11:45:00.001-05:00

GLUTEN-FREE

Fish cakes are a quick and easy way to eat tinned fish. Serve them like you would crab cakes: as an elegant appetizer or atop a large salad for a main course.

Or form them into balls and serve them wrapped inside lettuce leaves, skewered with cherry tomatoes and cucumber chunks, or as finger food. Crunchy outside and soft inside, kids will love them and have fun dipping them into the yogurt sauce.

I buy tinned fish with the bones (they are a great source of calcium) and zip them up in my food processor in no time. Here I season them with fresh cilantro, ginger, lemon zest and red onion, but you could just as easily substitute your favorite flavors or whatever you happen to have on hand: parsley, basil, thyme, oregano, chili pepper, scallion, shallot, garlic or lime zest. If you don't have fresh herbs, use ground dried herbs. If your citrus isn't organic, omit the zest.

Fish cakes can be prepared in advance, which can make dinner a breeze on busy nights. You will have just enough time to steam some spinach or make a salad while they cook.

Fish cakes:

1 organic lemon

7 oz tinned sardines with bones, drained

1/2 cup roughly chopped red onion

1/2 cup tightly packed fresh cilantro

1 tsp fresh grated ginger, or to taste

1 egg

1/4 cup chick pea (garbanzo bean) flour

Sea salt

Ground peppercorn

Extra virgin olive oil, first cold pressing

Lemon Yogurt Sauce:

1/3 cup plain Greek or strained yogurt

1 tbsp Dijon mustard (optional)

Fresh lemon zest and juice

Ground peppercorn to taste

Zest half of the lemon into a food processor. Add the sardines, onion, cilantro and ginger. Process until finely chopped. Add the egg, chick pea flour, and a pinch each of sea salt and ground peppercorn. Process again until thoroughly mixed. Form the mixture into cakes (or balls).

Zest the rest of the lemon into a small bowl. Add the yogurt, mustard and peppercorn. Stir until smooth. Set aside.

Warm the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Once hot, sauté the cakes until golden brown on both sides. Transfer to a serving plate.

Cut the zested lemon into slices. Squeeze one or two over the fish cakes and serve immediately, with the rest of the lemon slices and the yogurt sauce on the side.

Yield: 3 medium cakes or 10 balls

Wild Salmon with Orange Ginger Sauce

2010-12-16T08:38:00.003-05:00

GLUTEN-FREE

This dish is a winner because it's so simple to make and you may have the ingredients already on hand.

I always keep wild salmon stocked in my freezer for fast dinners when I'm short on time. After you thaw it overnight in the fridge, it cooks quite quickly. You have just enough time to make a sauce and toss a salad before it's ready to eat. Dinner can be ready in 20 minutes.

I buy organic citrus fruit because it's important to eat the zest. The essential oils in citrus zest are the most flavorful part of the fruit and they have important health benefits too, notably anti-cancer effects. If you have other organic citrus fruit, like tangerines or grapefruit, feel free to experiment. If your oranges are not organic, omit the zest from this recipe.

A stove top grill pan is my favorite way to cook salmon and I always start with room temperature fish (take it out of the fridge in advance). Because there is minimal contact between the fish and the pan, the meat won't dry out if you don't overcook it.

Avoid overcooking the salmon because it will quickly lose its flaky and tender texture. I prefer cooking salmon on the stove top (rather than in the oven) because I can keep a good eye on it.

2 organic Valencia oranges, zest and juice, or other oranges

Fresh ginger

Sea salt

1 pound wild Alaskan salmon at room temperature, fillets or steaks, cut into 4 ounce portions

Extra virgin olive oil, first cold pressing

Ground peppercorn

Tamari (optional)

Zest and juice the oranges into a small saucepan. Grate enough ginger to taste. (I like my sauce spicy so I use a teaspoon or more.) Add a small pinch of sea salt, but not too much because you will want to adjust the seasoning at the end. Warm the mixture over medium-low heat until it starts to boil, then reduce the heat to low. Simmer until the mixture reduces by half, about 15 minutes.

While the sauce reduces, brush the salmon with olive oil and season it with sea salt and ground peppercorn. Warm a stove top grill pan (or skillet) over medium heat. Once hot, place the pieces of salmon inside and do not move them once you put them down.

Cook until the fish detaches and develops grill marks, about 4 minutes depending on the thickness of your fish. Along the side it should look halfway cooked: the bottom half will be opaque and the top half will be translucent. Turn the fish over and turn the heat off. Cover loosely and allow to rest for 5 or more minutes, while the residual heat finishes cooking the fish.

Once the orange ginger sauce has reduced and thickened, taste it for seasoning. If it needs more salt, add a few drops of tamari (or more sea salt if you prefer). For a teriyaki-like flavor, add more tamari, to taste.

The fish is ready to eat when it is just cooked through. It should be opaque but soft and moist. It should flake apart easily when prodded with a fork.

Transfer the fish to a serving plate. Drizzle the Orange Ginger Sauce over the fish or serve it separately.

Apple Pecan Tart with Chestnut Pastry and Cinnamon Whipped Cream

2010-12-08T07:47:00.001-05:00

This healthy dessert contains whole fruit, nuts and whole grains, with just a touch of maple syrup. It's a healthy alternative to traditional pecan and apple pies laden with white flour, sugar and sometimes even corn syrup.

The filling is a mixture of pecans, which make it nutty and creamy, and apples, which make it soft and smooth. Because I leave the apple peels intact, this dish is an excellent source of fiber and antioxidants.

When I was cooking the apples for the filling, I added a dry rosé of Cabernet Franc from the Finger Lakes, because I happened to have an open bottle in the fridge. Any sort of liquid is helpful in getting the sauce started, so feel free to substitute a dry white wine, apple cider, the juice of an orange, or even a splash of water.

I bake my tarts in a lightly-buttered 9-inch square tart pan with a removable bottom, but you can use any pie dish.

For the pastry:

1/2 cup roasted, shelled, roughly chopped chestnuts (or 3.5 oz vacuum packed)

1/2 cup raw oats

1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1/4 tsp sea salt

1 stick or 1/2 cup grass-fed butter, cubed

5 tbsp ice water

Chill the ingredients before you begin: place the butter and chestnuts in the fridge and freeze the oats and flour in the bowl of a food processor, with the blade, for 20 minutes. Prepare a glass of ice water and a tablespoon measure.

Assemble the food processor and pulse the chestnuts, oats, whole wheat flour and butter together until pea-sized pieces appear. Continue mixing while you add just enough water (4 to 5 tablespoons of water) until the dough forms a ball. Gather the dough together and wrap it in aluminum foil before you transfer to the fridge for at least one hour to rest.

For the filling:

4 medium apples (Opalescent, Stayman Winesap and Granny Smith work well)

Splash of dry rosé wine

Pinch sea salt

Cinnamon to taste

Nutmeg to taste

1 cup raw pecan pieces

Core and dice the apples (the smaller the pieces, the faster they will cook). Add them to a large sauce pan with the wine, sea salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Cover and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the apple pieces break down into a sauce, about 30 minutes. Stir in the pecans and set aside to cool.

Once cool, pureé until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning if desired.

For assembly:

2 apples that will hold their shape (McIntosh, Cortland, Macoun)

Preheat the oven to 400F. Remove the dough from the fridge and allow it to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare a clean, dry, smooth surface lightly coated with whole wheat pastry flour.

Once the dough has lost its chill, roll it out from the center, turning frequently, until it is an inch or two larger than your tart pan. Gently lift it into the pan and fit the dough into the corners and along the sides. Do not stretch the dough. Trim off any extra dough along the edges. Line the tart dough it with aluminum foil and fill it with dry beans to hold the shape. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove the foil and beans (save them for future baking projects) and bake for 5 more minutes.

While the tart shell bakes, quarter the apples and remove the seeds. Thinly slice each quarter into 6 pieces. Set aside.

Spoon the apple-pecan purée into the pre-baked tart shell and smooth the top. Arrange the thin apple slices on top of the filling in any pattern. Bake for 50 minutes or more, until the apples start to brown on top. Cool completely.

If you'll be serving freshly whipped cream with the tart, place a stainless steel or glass mixing bowl and a whisk or attachments for an electric mixer in the freezer to chill while the tart cools.

To serve:

I like to serve this tart with organic cream, unsweetened and freshly whipped with a pinch of cinnamon.

Fresh grass-fed cream

Pinch cinnamon

Pour some fresh cream, about 1 tablespoon per person, and a pinch of cinnamon into the chilled bowl and whip until sufficiently light and airy.

Cut the pie into individual portions and serve with a dollop of cinnamon whipped cream.

Turkey Bone Broth

2010-12-01T16:41:00.001-05:00

Broths made from bones have been revered as both food and medicine since ancient times. Rich in minerals and glistening with fat droplets, bone broth has even been called "liquid gold."

It's not just delicious, it's nutritious too. The nutrients and protein in bone broth are well absorbed and the gelatin acts as a natural digestive aid. It's a traditional food for sick individuals and those with a weak constitution. Bone broth is also a healthy base for soups, stews and sauces.

Like all things, the quality of the finished product can only be as good as the quality of the original ingredients. Use bones from animals raised on pasture, fed their natural diet, and never exposed to hormones, antibiotics, pesticides or other chemicals. Bones, meat and organs from these animals are a good source of healthy, anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids. But bones, meat and organs from animals fed grains (even if those grains are organic) contain too many unhealthy, pro-inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids.

Chop up the bones if you can, to expose the bone marrow. I add a splash of apple cider vinegar to my stock because the small amount of acid will maximize the release of minerals (calcium, magnesium, potassium, etc.) and gelatin from the bones as the broth simmers.

Turkey carcass, preferably with some meat left on the bones, broken into pieces
Fresh turkey neck
Giblets (save the liver for another use)
A head of garlic cut in half through the "equator"
Several cups of roughly chopped aromatic vegetables like celery, carrots, onion or leek tops
A pinch of sea salt (not too much, you can adjust the seasoning later)
1 teaspoon whole peppercorns
2 or 3 dried bay leaves and some fresh herb sprigs like thyme or parsley if you have them
1 handful of dried beans (adzuki, white, pinto) to give the broth more nutrients and a little bit of body
Splash of apple cider vinegar

Add everything to a large stock pot and add enough cold water to cover all of the contents generously. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to the lowest setting. Cook the stock at a boil so gentle, just a few bubbles rise to the surface at a time. Skim off any foam that rises to the surface. Simmer the stock, tasting occasionally, until all the flavor has been extracted from the bones, about 4 to 5 hours.

The broth must be completely cooled, strained and placed in the fridge within two hours (to reduce the risk of food-borne illness). I find the easiest way to cool it down quickly is to remove as much of the solids as possible with a slotted spoon and transfer them to a large bowl lined with a colander (placed next to the pot). I discard the solids and pour any liquid that collected at the bottom of the bowl back into the pot. Once it has cooled slightly, I pour it through a fine mesh strainer placed over the large bowl. I use a glass liquid measure with a pouring spout, dipped it into the bowl, to portion the broth into clean, labeled glass jars.

Once the stock has completely cooled, or after two hours, screw the lids on the jars and place them in the fridge overnight.

Once the stock is completely chilled, transfer to the freezer all the jars you don't plan to use in the near future. Leave the lids unscrewed, as the liquid will expand as it freezes and you don't want the jars to burst. The following day, when the stock is completely frozen, screw on the lids.

Yield: 6 to 7 pints of stock

Turkey Liver with Balsamic Reduction

2010-11-26T15:28:00.003-05:00

When I eat meat, I try to eat as much of the whole animal as possible.

The day after Thanksgiving, I use the turkey carcass, preferably with some meat left on the bones, and the neck and giblets to make a nutritious stock.

And if I haven't already served the liver on Thanksgiving or used it to make paté, I make this dish the day after, to use it while it's fresh and to put something new on the table if we're eating leftovers. And unlike other holiday dishes, it takes just a few ingredients that I always have on hand.

This easy and elegant first course has been known to turn liver-skeptics into liver lovers. I used balsamic vinegar to make the sauce because it appeals to many palates, even when liver does not. But you can deglaze the pan with another liquid instead: port wine, red wine, cognac or turkey stock.

Liver is a good source of protein, B vitamins, vitamin A, and minerals like iron, selenium, phosphorus and zinc. But like any animal product, it can also contain heavy metals and environmental contaminants. It is not necessarily due to the nature of the organ (the liver acts as a filter for the body but it is not a sponge; it changes toxins in the blood into excretable compounds). Contamination is usually a result of the way the animal was raised, so always choose livers (and eggs, meat and dairy products) from animals who were raised on pasture, fed their natural diet, and never exposed to pesticides, antibiotics, hormones or other chemicals.

This recipe serves 2 or 3 people. If you will be feeding more, serve liver slices on whole wheat toasts, drizzled with the balsamic reduction. Or roughly mash the cooked liver with a little bit of room temperature grass-fed butter and the balsamic reduction, and serve it as a spread.

Turkey liver(s) at room temperature
Extra virgin olive oil, first cold pressing
Sea salt
Ground peppercorn
Aged balsamic vinegar

Trim away any connective tissue from the liver. Season the whole liver, in one or two pieces, generously with sea salt and peppercorn.

Warm the olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the liver and sauté it for 3 minutes on each side. Do not overcook the liver; it should still be slightly pink inside. It will be done when the outside has browned and it feels firm yet slightly tender in the center. If it feels soft, cook it longer. Once it's done, transfer the liver to a plate and cover to keep warm.

Add 2 splashes of balsamic vinegar (or one per serving), enough to coat the bottom of the pan. Swirl it around to incorporate any brown bits stuck to the skillet or stir it with a wooden spoon. Simmer until the vinegar reduces and thickens, just a minute or two.

Thinly slice the liver and arrange it on a serving dish. Pour the sauce over the top and serve immediately.

Cranberries With Orange and Cognac

2010-11-24T11:56:00.004-05:00

Need a last minute host or hostess gift? This one is perfect: flavorful, healthy and home-made.

Cranberries are full of antioxidants and research studies have shown they can help protect cells against cancerous changes, prevent plaque from forming on teeth, increase good HDL cholesterol, prevent urinary tract infections, and kill H. pylori bacteria that play a prominent role in the development of ulcers and stomach cancer.

Home-made cranberry sauce is so different from store-bought varieties that are packed with sugar. This version is naturally sweetened with orange juice and a touch of cognac makes it something really really special. When a holiday favorite like this is so easy to prepare, there is no excuse for serving it out of a can.

It's easy to whip up the night before and so very versatile. If your hostess has already planned the cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving dinner, she can drizzle a spoonful into the bottom of each champagne flute and fill with sparkling wine for a Cranberry Kir Royale, the perfect holiday apératif. Or she can save it to stir into yogurt or oatmeal, making breakfast a breeze, or serve it at another meal to accompany chicken, duck, pork, halibut or grilled tofu triangles.

If your orange is not organic, omit the zest. If you don't have cognac or prefer your cranberries without it, substitute additional orange juice, red wine, or a splash of water if you need more liquid.

This recipe yields 2 cups.

12 oz fresh cranberries
1 organic orange, zest and juice
Pinch sea salt
1/4 cup cognac (or substitute brandy)
2 tbsp maple syrup or honey

Add the cranberries, orange juice, orange zest and sea salt to a medium sauce pan over medium-low heat. Cover and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting and simmer, stirring occasionally, until most of the cranberries have burst, about 20 minutes.

Stir in the cognac and continue cooking over low heat, uncovered, about 5 minutes more, until the sauce has thickened and reduced to the desired consistency. Use the back of a spoon to mash any remaining whole cranberries.

Stir in the maple syrup and taste. Adjust seasoning if necessary.

Serve the cranberry sauce hot or at room temperature. If you're making it ahead or giving it as a gift, transfer the sauce an air-tight jar container and store it in the fridge until show time.

Celeriac Leek Soup with Crumbled Blue Cheese

2010-11-22T08:09:00.009-05:00

This simple soup is an easy but elegant starter. Make it ahead and serve it up on Thanksgiving for an unexpected yet seasonal first course.

Celeriac is an unusual root vegetable. It has a gnarled exterior and a green leafy top. Inside, the flesh is clean and crisp and white, and it's flavor is slightly nutty and reminiscent of celery. Look for bulbs that weigh in under a pound and have a firm stalk end. To prepare celeriac, cut off the top and bottom, then slice off the rest of the peel. (Because the peel has an uneven texture, I find it easiest to do this with a knife.)

I picked fingerling potatoes for this recipe because they were irresistible at the farmer's market this week and because their creamy texture works well with this soup. You can substitute another variety of potato if you wish, but make sure to leave the peel intact because that's where all the nutrients and fiber are found.

I garnished this soup with a wet and creamy Bleu D'Auvergne, but you could use another variety of blue cheese if you wish. You could substitute crumbled goat cheese if you prefer, but the striking flavor of blue cheese is a perfect compliment for this nutty but mild soup.

If you don't like blue cheese or don't eat dairy, garnish it instead with pine nuts lightly toasted on the stove top or grains of cooked wild rice. For a vegan version, substitute extra virgin olive oil for the butter and use vegetable broth as the cooking liquid.

-2 tbsp grass-fed butter
-3 medium leeks or 2 large leeks, white and tender green parts, about 5 cups chopped (reserve the tough green tops for soup stock)
-Sea salt
-2 celeriac bulbs, trimmed and diced, about 2 heaping cups
-1 dozen fingerling potatoes, cut into 1-cm chunks (similar in size to the diced celeriac), about 2 heaping cups
-5 cups cooking liquid: chicken stock, duck stock, vegetable broth or bean broth
-1 bay leaf

Melt the butter in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the leeks and and a pinch of sea salt. Sauté until soft, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Add the celeriac and potatoes and cook for 5 more minutes, stirring frequently.

Add the bay leaf and cooking liquid, more if needed to cover the vegetables. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes, until the vegetables are very soft.

Remove the bay leaf and purée the soup with an immersion blender or by transferring the soup in batches to a stand blender (in this case, cool the soup a bit before blending and cover loosely to prevent a heat explosion).

Serve immediately or cool completely and transfer to an airtight container in the fridge for future use.

Garnish each bowl with crumbled blue cheese.

Fresh Dried Herbs

2010-11-15T17:10:00.001-05:00

Store-bought, dried herbs in a bottle are often bland and who knows how long it's been since they were fresh.

Once ground, dried herbs quickly loose flavor. So it's no wonder they are scorned by chefs and can quickly accumulate in the back of your cupboard before you even remember when or why you bought them.

A better alternative, if you don't have a year-round herb garden, is to buy them fresh and dry them yourself.

Before they disappear from local farmer's markets, pick up the herbs you'll need most this winter. Use what you can while they're fresh and dry the rest:

1. Line a shallow baking dish with a cotton or paper towel and arrange fresh herb sprigs on top in a single layer. Cover them loosely with another cotton or paper towel. If you are short on space to dry them or pans to dry them in, you can place multiple single layers of herbs and towels in the same dish, as long as they are loosely packed and there is plenty of room for air to circulate (they may take longer to dry). Set them aside at room temperature in a dry place where they will not be disturbed.

(If you are short on space, like most Mahanttanites, you can keep them in your oven while they dry. But be sure to put a sign over the button you use to turn your oven on as a reminder that they are inside. You wouldn't want to accidentally heat up the oven before you take them out.)

2. Once the herbs are completely dry, remove the leaves from the stems and store them in an air-tight jar. Label the jar with the contents and the date.

3. Before you use them in soups, sauces and marinades, grind the whole dried leaves in a spice grinder or crush them with a mortar and pestle to release the essential oils.

If the label shows that it's been several months since you dried them, chew on a leaf to make sure they're still fresh. If they no longer taste good, neither will the dish you plan to use them in, so throw them out and start again.

Beef Stewed with Pumpkin and Cider

2010-11-09T12:30:00.013-05:00

Now that Halloween is over, you can cook up those (uncarved) pumpkins you've been using as decoration.

This dish is full of complex flavors: savory, spicy and slightly but naturally sweet, thanks to the apple cider.

Many of the herbs in this recipe are medicinal. Rosemary, thyme, oregano, garlic, cinnamon, cayenne and turmeric all have anti-cancer actions (they inhibit angiogenesis, the growth of new blood vessels necessary for the growth of tumors). Cayenne and turmeric are also powerful anti-inflammatories. Cinnamon supports good digestion. And garlic is good for the immune and cardiovascular systems.

Once herbs and spices are ground, they can quickly lose freshness and flavor. So I like to buy them whole whenever I can, and grind them as I need them. If you only have ground spices, substitute a similar amount for this recipe. (For example, use 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin instead of 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds, ground). The difference will be minimal.

Because this recipe calls for several herbs and spices, if you are missing one or a few, the others should be sufficient. I used three different fresh herbs - rosemary, thyme and oregano - because I already had them on hand. If you don't have fresh herbs, you can substitute a couple of dried bay leaves and this dish will still be a winner.

When preparing the pumpkin, reserve the seeds for roasting (see the note that follows this recipe). There is no need to peel the pumpkin. The outside is edible, but can be a bit tough. Once thoroughly cooked, the flesh easily falls away from the peel.

Slow-cooking works well with inexpensive cuts of meat, which may start out tough but become melt-in-your-mouth tender after a couple of hours in a low oven. Season the meat in advance if you can; 24 to 48 hours is ideal.

½ tsp cumin seeds, or substitute ground cumin
¼ tsp coriander seeds, or substitute ground coriander
¼ tsp cardamom seeds, or substitute ground cardamom
½ tsp peppercorns, or substitute ground peppercorn
½ tsp sea salt
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
¼ tsp ground allspice
¼ tsp ground turmeric
1 pound grass-fed beef for stew, cubed, at room temperature
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, first cold pressing
2 cups fresh-pressed apple cider, unsweetened
2 cups beef stock
2 carrots, cut into chunks
2 parsnips, cut into chunks
Several fingerling potatoes
10 Cipollini onions, blanched in boiling water for one minute, then peeled and trimmed (or substitute 1 large onion, cut into wedges)
1 large sprig rosemary
Several sprigs lemon thyme
Several springs oregano
1 small pumpkin, cut into chunks, seeds reserved for roasting

Grind the cumin, coriander and cardamom seeds with the peppercorns in a spice grinder or with a mortar and pestle. Add them to a large bowl with the sea salt, cinnamon, cayenne, allspice and turmeric. Stir to combine and toss with the beef cubes until thoroughly coated. Set the seasoned meat aside while you prepare the other ingredients or if seasoning the meat in advance, transfer it to an airtight container in the fridge for up to 48 hours.

Preheat the oven to 300F.

Warm the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the beef and cook, turning occasionally, until brown on all sides. Add the apple cider and stir to incorporate any brown bits at the bottom of the pan.

Nestle the fresh herbs into the middle and add the carrots, parsnips, potatoes and onions. Pour the beef stock over the vegetables and place the pumpkin pieces on top, flesh-side down, to steam.

Bring the mixture to a simmer on the stove top, then cover tightly and transfer to the oven. Bake for 2 hours.

To serve, arrange the vegetables and meat in shallow bowls. Strain the broth to remove any stray leaves from the herbs, then ladle it over the top.

Alternatively, remove the flesh of the pumpkin from the peel and mash. Arrange the mashed pumpkin on individual plates, place the other vegetables and beef cubes on top, and spoon some sauce over everything. The mashed pumpkin will soak up the sauce.

To roast the pumpkin seeds:

Remove and reserve the seeds from the pumpkin. Discard any stringy material. Rinse and drain the seeds. Transfer them to a baking sheet, toss them with olive oil, and sprinkle them with sea salt. Roast them while the stew bakes, stirring them every 10 minutes, until crispy, about 40 minutes.

You can use the roasted seeds to garnish the stew, but because they quickly become soggy, I prefer to save them for a snack.

Cranberry Beans with Rosemary and Garlic

2010-11-02T20:22:00.002-04:00

GLUTEN-FREE

Fresh beans are fantastic. Dried beans are good too, but I like to buy them fresh when they're in season. Fresh shell beans are easy to prepare and cook much faster than dried varieties.

Beans are a healthy vegetarian protein and full of fiber. They can help balance blood sugar, regulate the digestive tract, and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer.

Just like their pods, uncooked cranberry beans are white with splashes of red. The spots disappear as the beans cook, turning them white or a light purple color.

If you don't have cranberry beans, you can make this recipe with another variety of fresh shell beans (but cooking time may differ). You can also substitute dried beans if you don't have fresh ones, but make sure to soak them first (and the cooking time will definitely differ). Avoid canned beans unless the cans are labeled "BPA-free."

In this recipe I used smoked bacon from pasture-raised pigs, but if you prefer, you could substitute another bold and salty flavor like anchovies or cured olives. I also used an orange heirloom tomato, but any fresh, ripe tomato will do.

This dish is a good example of how meat can be used as a condiment in a protein-rich dish, rather than the main ingredient. A little bit of bacon goes a long way.

2 cups shelled fresh cranberry beans, about 2 pounds whole beans
2 sprigs rosemary, plus more to garnish
2 bay leaves
2 slices pasture-raised bacon, chopped, or 2 tbsp grass-fed butter
1 small onion
2 cloves garlic, grated, or more
1 large tomato, chopped
Sea salt
Ground peppercorn

In a sauce pan, cover the beans, rosemary and bay leaves with a generous amount of water. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until they become tender, about 30 to 40 minutes. Allow the beans to cool in their liquid (which may be strained and reserved as stock for soup).

Add the bacon to a large skillet over medium heat. Allow the fat to start rendering while you chop the onion. Once the bacon starts cooking and some fat has rendered, add the onion and sauté until soft. Stir in the garlic and continue cooking until it becomes aromatic (less than a minute). Stir in the chopped tomato, a pinch of sea salt and ground peppercorn.

Strain the beans and reserve the cooking liquid. Discard the rosemary and bay leaves. Add the beans to the skillet and continue cooking until they warm through and the tomato breaks down to form a sauce, about 15 minutes. If the beans become too dry, add some of the reserved bean cooking liquid.

Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Transfer to a serving dish. Finely chop the rosemary reserved for garnish and sprinkle it over the top, or arrange the reserved sprig on the dish with the beans as a garnish.

Dinner with Juliah

2010-10-27T07:34:00.005-04:00

Only a feast is fitting when long-lost friends come to visit.

My dear friend Juliah recently returned from a year-long journey around the world and to celebrate her return, we cooked up quite a dinner.

We found fresh mussels at my local fish market and built the meal around them. Some dishes simply needed to be assembled, none were complicated, and I made the dessert in advance, so it was an easy meal to throw together while we caught up.

Heirloom Tomato Salad Green zebra tomatoes, orange heirloom tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, home-made hemp nut pesto

Mussels in Vermouth Cream Sauce Blue mussels, shallot, garlic, vermouth, Santa Julia Chardonnay, organic cream (Recipe below)

Broccoli with Red Wine Vinaigrette Steamed broccoli, red wine vinegar, garlic, Dijon mustard, extra virgin olive oil, sea salt

Coconut Chocolate Ice Cream Coconut milk, cocoa powder, honey, vanilla (Recipe below)

Fresh Fruit Plate Concord grapes and white figs

Jasmine Pearl Green Tea

Mussels with
Vermouth Cream
Sauce

It’s best to cook mussels as soon as you buy them, but if you get them in advance, keep them on ice in the fridge. (Place a sheet of aluminum foil between the bivalves and the ice to prevent them from being submerged in water as the ice melts.) Always cook the mussels just before you serve them.

The fresh herb we used in this dish is savory. A member of the square-stemmed mint family, it's related to sage, rosemary and thyme. It has a surprising peppery flavor that works wonders with savory dishes.

If you don’t have savory, substitute another fresh herb, like dill, basil, thyme, rosemary or bay.

2 two-pound bags of live mussels

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, first cold pressing
2 tbsp grass-fed butter
¼ cup finely chopped shallot
3 cloves garlic, or more, grated or crushed
Several sprigs savory
½ cup dry white vermouth
1 cup dry Chardonnay or other dry white wine
2 to 4 tbsp grass-fed cream

Scrub the mussels, remove the beards, and discard any that are open and do not close when tapped. Set them aside in a strainer.

In a large pot with a tight-fitting cover, preferably one that is more tall than wide, warm the olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add the shallot and saute until soft. Add the garlic, stir, and continue cooking until it becomes aromatic (less than a minute). Do not burn the garlic. Add the savory and vermouth. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 2 minutes. Stir in the white wine and add the mussels.

Cover the pot and allow them to steam until just cooked through, checking after 15 minutes. Cooking time will depend on the size of the mussels. Do not overcook them.

Remove the mussels from the pot and discard any mussels that did not open. Cover to keep warm.

Strain the sauce and stir in 2 tbsp cream Taste and adjust as necessary, adding a bit more more cream or a pinch of sea salt (most likely it will be salty enough).

Fill individual bowls with mussels and pour some sauce over the top. Serve with soup spoons and an extra empty bowl to collect the shells.

If you' re not serving a separate green vegetable or salad, place 1/2 cup steamed chopped beet greens (or chard or spinach) at the bottom of each individual bowl before you fill it with mussels and add the sauce.

Coconut
Chocolate
Ice Cream

This delicious dairy-free dessert has only 4 ingredients and really is more than the sum of its parts. If you don't have a vanilla bean, you can substitute a teaspoon of pure vanilla extract.

Because the coconut milk will solidify in the fridge and may separate, I blend the mixture again briefly before I put it in the ice cream maker to ensure it will be smooth and well-mixed. I find it most convenient to chill the mixture in the glass pitcher from my blender.

2 cans unsweetened coconut milk (not low-fat)
½ cup plus 2 tbsp natural cocoa powder (non-alkalized)
¼ cup honey
1 vanilla bean, halved and scraped to collect the seeds

Place the freezer bowl of an ice cream maker in the freezer overnight.

Place the coconut milk, cocoa powder and vanilla in a blender. While mixing, drizzle the honey into the blender until completely incorporated. Transfer the mixture to the fridge and chill overnight.

Once the coconut milk mixture is thoroughly chilled, blend it again briefly and then pour it into the frozen ice cream bowl of an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Initially, the frozen mixture may be soft. Transfer it to a glass container (a 7-cup Pyrex dish is perfect and comes with a cover) and place it in the freezer to harden.

This ice cream is best served after it's been in the freezer for an hour or two. If you freeze it overnight, it can become quite hard, so take it out in advance and allow it to sit at room temperature until it becomes easy to scoop.

Serve as is or garnish with unsweetened coconut flakes.

Mizuna with Tomatoes and Garlic

2010-10-19T18:59:00.006-04:00

GLUTEN-FREE

As temperatures drop and fall settles in, salad greens give way to dark green leafy vegetables, at the farmer's market and also in my kitchen.

Mizuna is a green leafy vegetable native to Japan and a member of the Brassicaceae family, well known for its antioxidant and anti-cancer benefits. Sometimes referred to as Spider Mustard, it has long and feathery leaves, tender and juicy stems, and a peppery flavor that is reminiscent of mustard greens.

Smaller leaves can be added to salads and larger leaves stand up well to cooking. Mizuna can be prepared like any other green leafy vegetable: added to stir fry or soup, or simply steamed and drizzled with vinaigrette.

Mizuna was abundant at my farmer's market last Friday so I bought plenty and cooked it up with garlic, onion and orange heirloom tomatoes. I started the dish with anchovies, which gave the sauce a nutty, savory and complex flavor.

If you don't have mizuna, you can substitute another dark green leafy vegetable, like beet greens, Swiss chard or kale.

If you're not a fan of anchovies, I encourage you to try them anyway. They are full of healthy omega-3 fatty acids and, surprisingly, they don't make this dish taste fishy. Alternatively, you can start the dish with finely diced pancetta from pasture-raised pigs or add olives and/or capers at the end.

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, first cold pressing
3 anchovies
1 small onion, chopped
Pinch crushed red pepper
2 cloves garlic or more, grated, crushed or minced
2 large tomatoes, diced
Ground peppercorn
2 bunches mizuna (or other leafy green)
Sea salt (optional)

Warm the olive oil over medium heat and add the anchovies. Cook until they break down, a couple of minutes. Add the onion and sauté until soft. Stir in the crushed red pepper and garlic. Continue cooking until the garlic becomes aromatic (less than a minute). Do not burn the garlic.

Add the tomatoes and ground peppercorn. Cook until the tomatoes start to break down and form a sauce, about 5 minutes. Add the mizuna, working in batches if necessary, and toss them with the sauce. Cover and cook until tender, stirring occasionally. Do not overcook.

Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary (it may not even need sea salt). Serve immediately.