What I love about entertaining at home, is spending time with my friends and family, so that means, not being in the kitchen all day, while everyone is having a good time in the other room. Who doesn’t want to be a part of the party? I even bought our new house with that purpose in mind, to be with my guest, while I am preparing food for them. We all sit around our 8 foot island and just connect with one another over an excellent bottle of wine and eat as each course comes out.
Creating recipes that are loaded with flavor and doesn’t take a lot of time, but will make your guest feel like it did, is the key. My to go to recipe, my Sundried Tomato Risotto, because it seems, difficult, it looks fancy, but psst… IT’S NOT and it’s pretty darn delicious.
Risotto is one of those dishes you can truly make it your own, you can flavor it with all kinds of mouthwatering possibilities, with spinach, sweet peas and mint or you could do butternut squash and fried sage with just a pinch of nutmeg. Just allow your imagination to run wild, serve it with steamed veggies or a nice salad, some crusty bread, excellent wine, and you will be the hostess of the year, will maybe of the month, it is risotto and not coq au vin, LOL, 🙂
So here’s the recipe I hope you will enjoy it with your friends and family as you Set the Table with Love.
Sun dried Tomato Risotto
Sundried Tomato Risotto photo by: Noi Tran Photography
Ingredients:
1 cup of water
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup Arborio rice
1 ounce sun-dried tomatoes (not packed in oil, I used pre sliced ones)
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup of white wine
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
finely chopped fresh basil leaves for sprinkling the risotto after cooking
Directions:
1. In a saucepan add the water and the bring the liquid to a simmer, and keep it at a bare simmer. In a large saucepan cook the onion and the garlic in the oil over moderately low heat, stirring, until they are softened, add the rice, stirring until each grain is coated with oil, and stir in the tomatoes.
Sundried Tomato Risotto Photo by: Noi Tran Photography
2. Add 1/2 cup of the simmering liquid and cook the mixture over moderate heat, stirring constantly, until the liquid is absorbed. Continue adding the liquid, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly. Once you have added all the water and broth liquid add the 1/2 cup of white wine remember to allow each portion to be absorbed before adding the next, until the rice is tender but still al dente)
3. Stir in the Parmesan and salt and pepper to taste and sprinkle the risotto with the fresh basil. I like to drizzle a little olive oil over it all at the end. Makes 4-6 servings
So here it is guys! The recipe from my Facebook Live this morning. I love love granola bars, but it’s hard to find some without nuts, especially when nuts are not an options. I love to eat all kinds of nuts, but sometimes we don’t get along, but I will not bore you with that drama. LOL. 🙂
Today it’s all about this recipe. It’s easy and very delicious and you can add your own favorite seeds or dried fruit. Food is truly one of the best places to explore endless possibilities. What I love the most about this recipe is the quinoa element. The quinoa is toasted along with the seeds and gluten free oats. The toasted quinoa, lends a wonderful nutty taste to the granola, lots of crunch and not to mention, it’s a complete protein. So why not?
Oh yes, share with your friends and family as you Set the Table with Love.
Nut Free Cranberry and Quinoa Granola
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats (gluten free, if desired)
1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds
2 tablespoon Earth Balance buttery spread
1/3 cup honey or maple syrup (vegan)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon clove
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 cup flaxseed meal
1/2 cup cranberries
1 -2 tablespoon orange juice
Nut Free Cranberry and Quinoa Granola
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Add oats, quinoa, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds to a large baking sheet and spread around evenly. Once oven is preheated, toast the oats and quinoa for 8-10 minutes. Once done toasting, pour oats and quinoa into a medium bowl and set aside.
While quinoa and oats are toasting, add Earth Balance buttery spread, honey, vanilla, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg and sea salt to medium saucepan over low heat. Stir until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes, then add to the bowl with the oats and quinoa. Stir well to incorporate. Fold in flaxseed meal and dried cranberries. Add half of the mixture into a food processor with a tablespoons of orange juice and blend until mixture incorporates together and looks like dough.
Line an 8×4 or 9×5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper; pour mixture in and spread out evenly, then press mixture down in the pan very firmly.
Place pan in freezer for 30 minutes or until mixture has hardened. Remove bars from pan and cut into desired amount of bars. Store bars in the fridge.
Yes! It’s winter and our bodies are craving those wonderful comfort foods, like l a big bowl of chili with jalapeno and cheddar cornbread or some creamy mac and cheese, but it’s good to give the digestive tract a little rest, even in the cold wintry months.
Today I was missing summer, so I decided to make this wonderful pasta and salad dish. I used one of my new favorite gluten free pastas, brown rice penne fromJovial Foods I love the nuttiness of their pasta and it holds up to it’s form.
This recipe honors a few of spring and summer’s produce, mint, lemons and sweet peas. I roasted some cherry tomatoes to give it a nice burst of smoky citrus flavor and a few pieces of mint leaves with a bit of lemon zest, well just say, it’s summer in your mouth.
The Green Apple Mint salad makes a wonderfully refreshing side. I love making my own vinaigrettes and this balsamic mint dressing could be one of my favorites. I hope you enjoy a bit of summer in these recipe. Make sure you stay warm and Set the Table with Love.
Brown Rice Penne Pasta with Peas and Roasted Tomatoes with a Green Apple Mint Salad
Penne Pasta
Ingredients:
1/2 cup Jovial Penne Pasta
1 cup cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup organic sweet peas
2 tbsp lemon juice
lemon zest
mint leaves, for garnish
cracked black pepper and kosher salt to taste
drizzle of good Extra Virgin Olive oil
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Toss the tomatoes lightly with olive oil on a baking sheet. Spread them out into one layer and sprinkle generously with kosher salt and pepper. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, until the tomatoes are soft. Once roasted set aside.
Add penne pasta to a pot of salted boiling water. Cook according to package direction. Drain and place back on the stove on low heat, add peas and lemon juice. Allow peas to just heat up and remove from heat. Add pasta, peas and roasted tomatoes into a bowl, add lemon zest, mint leaves and gently toss. Drizzle with some good extra virgin olive oil and add a squeeze of lemon juice.
Brown Rice Penne Pasta with Peas and Roasted Tomatoes with a Green Apple Mint Salad
Green Apple Salad
Ingredients:
1 medium green apple
Bib lettuce or your favorite leafy greens 🙂
Cranberries
Pumpkin seeds
Sunflower seeds
Baby mint leaves, as garnish
Instruction:
Cut the apples, as desired. Gently tear the bib lettuce into desired pieces and place in a bowl, top with the cut apples, cranberries, pumpkin and sunflower seeds. Add drizzle with the Balsamic Mint vinaigrette.
Balsamic Mint Vinaigrette
Ingredients:
1 teaspoon finely minced shallot
3 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Directions:
Place the shallots in a small glass jar with a secure lid. Add the balsamic vinegar, the salt and the pepper. Pour the olive oil into the jar. Put the lid on the jar tightly, and shake vigorously, and add to the salad right before serving.
This week I am sharing recipes from my cookbook, Set the Table with Love. I hope you enjoy these recipes and share them with your family and friends. I had so much fun doing this shoot with my friends and eating all the yummy food afterwards. Photography credit: ROB POLANCO. Art Design by: KEEGAN LEIBA. Love you guys!
Who doesn’t love good recipe for guacamole, well I have one for you. It’s simple and refreshing, because it’s stuffed in these zucchini cups. I love using this recipe for when I having a small dinner party or just for a nice afternoon snack. A lot of my wellness clients are looking for ways to incorporate more veggies into their diet and this is a great way to do. I hope you enjoy this recipe and remember before the plates, glasses, silverware and candles, Set the Table with Love. 🙂
Stuffed Zucchini Cups
4 zucchini
2 tbsp. cilantro finely chopped, and enough leaves to garnish to top of the cups
1 tbsp. fresh lime or lemon juice
1/2 red onion, minced (about 1/2 cup)
2 ripe avocados
1/2 – 3/4 cups red bell pepper, diced
1/2 tsp. of sea salt and a dash of black pepper, to taste
1. Cut zucchini into 2 inch thick slices, discarding ends. Use a sharp spoon or melon baller to hollow out a cup in each zucchini slice, leaving just over 1/4 inch of zucchini flesh. Be careful not to get too close to the skin or the cups will leak the guacamole.
2. In a medium bowl, mash together the avocados, lime juice, and salt. Mix in onion and cilantro. Stir in salt and black pepper. Fill each cup with guacamole. Top with red bell peppers and cilantro.
Today on my Facebook Live video, I talked about eating Antioxidant Powerhouse foods. Here’s the deal, we get these list of foods to eat, and then what? How do we convert them into delicious and balancing meals? Well no worries, I got you. Today I made a Spaghetti Squash Bowl using foods high in antioxidants. So, what’s an antioxidant?
“Antioxidants include some vitamins (such as vitamins C and E), some minerals (such as selenium), and flavonoids, which are found in plants. The best sources of antioxidants are fruits and vegetables. You can find flavonoids in fruits, red wine, and teas.” Source: WEBMD.
Antioxidant Powerhouse Spaghetti Squash Bowl with sprouted lentils, kale, sweet and smoky pecans and sunflower seeds, dark cherries, and cranberries
I truly believe, our well being is in the foods we eat and drink. This recipe is loaded with vitamin C, E, beta carotene and flavonoids. It’s very simple, healthy and above all, super delicious! You can switch out some of the ingredients to truly make this recipe your own. Instead of lentils you can use chickpeas, instead of spaghetti squash, use butternut squash. The possibilities are endless. But, before we get into the recipe, let me share with you a list of delicious super antioxidant foods you might want to try incorporating in your menu this week and some reasons why you should eat them:
Slower signs of aging, including of the skin, eyes, tissue, joints, heart and brain
Healthier, more youthful, glowing skin
Reduced cancer risk
Detoxification support
Longer life span
Protection against heart disease and stroke
Less risk for cognitive problems, such as dementia
Reduced risk for vision loss or disorders like macular degeneration and cataracts
Antioxidants are also added to food or household products to prevent oxidation and spoilage Source: Dr. Ox
Antioxidant Powerhouse List:
Dark Beans
Dark Chocolate
Small Red Beans ( adzuki)
Pecans
Red Grapes
Apples
Plum
Extra Virgin Olive oil
Blackberries
Winter Squash
Carrot
Raspberries
Sweet Potatoes
Black Beans
Kiwi
Green Tea
Clove
Butternut Squash
Sweet Cherries
Kale
Blueberries
Cacao Powder
Spaghetti Squash Bowl Recipe
INGREDIENTS:
1 spaghetti squash
2 tbs olive oil, divided
1 cup sprouted lentils
1 cup chopped kale
1 mini red, orange and yellow bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1 tbs honey
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 cup chopped cherries
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1 tbs chopped fresh basil
1 tsp orange zest
1 tablespoon orange juice juice
salt salt and black pepper to taste
Antioxidant Powerhouse Spaghetti Squash Bowl with sprouted lentils, kale, sweet and smoky pecans and sunflower seeds, dark cherries, and cranberries
INSTRUCTIONS
To prepare the spaghetti squash, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for easy clean-up. Use a very sharp chef’s knife to cut off the tip-top and very bottom ends of each spaghetti squash. Stand the squash upright on a stable surface and slice through it from top to bottom to divide it in half.
Use a large spoon to scoop out the spaghetti squash seeds and discard them. Drizzle each squash half with 1 teaspoon olive oil and rub it all over the inside and outside of the squash, adding more oil if necessary. Sprinkle salt and pepper lightly over the interiors of the squash, then place them cut-side down on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 30-40, until the interiors are easily pierced through with a fork.
Meanwhile, sauté the chopped kale over a medium heat. Add a tbs of olive in a sauté and chopped kale, a little sea salt and stir. Cook the kale until it has withered just a bit, you want it to still have some crunch, so about 2 minutes on medium heat. Remove from heat and set aside. In another sauté pan, add the nuts, honey, paprika and a pinch of sea salt over a medium heat. Stir and allow the nuts and seeds to heat up, for about a minute, Remove from heat and add to a bowl, so they can harden.
Once the squash is done, remove with from the oven using oven mittens. Being to assemble the bowls, use a fork to remove most of the squash, add spaghetti squash to a bowl. Add a little olive to the spaghetti squash, then add the kale, chopped peppers, some of the nuts and seeds, set a few aside as a garnish, add the cherries, cranberries, fresh basil, and orange zest. Toss and drizzle some of the juice from the orange over everything and a little more olive oil, if desired. Add the mixture into the spaghetti squash bowls and garnish with the remaining nuts and seeds. Enjoy.
Today on my Facebook Live post I talked about something I love sharing with my clients. Most of them have super busy schedules, but want to incorporate a healthier lifestyle and perhaps lose a few pounds, but do not need all the fuss. I like to call this my S3 plan, Smoothies, Salads and Soups, we also do a +1 for those who like to incorporate fresh green juices.
The plan is pretty simple and just takes a little creativity and prep work on your part, but I am going to get you started. So what’s the plan? Here’s the deal on S3. It’s smoothies in the morning, that consist of fruits such as, cherries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, apples, peaches,oranges, papaya, melons,guava and kiwi. These fruits can be added to your smoothie. I like using unsweetened non dairy milk as my liquid. Remember S3 is a gentle cleansing plan, so dairy is not included. I do suggest if you must have dairy, use yogurt. You can also add to your smoothie, nuts such as almonds, cashews, walnuts, and pistachios. This will add more protein to your smoothies. I also like to add a vegan protein mix, that’s low in sugar and carbohydrates. Get creativity! Try out new fruit and nut combinations, it’s easy, just throw it all in your blender and go for it.
For the salad: When we think of salads we think, lettuce, tomatoes and cold vegetables with yucky carrots stripes that are dry and just unappealing. You can make a salad without lettuces, but if you do use greens, make sure they are leafy greens, like kale, swiss chard, butter and bib lettuces, romaine lettuce, add different type of spinaches. But a salad can be sautéed vegetables, with some chickpeas added, some fresh herbs and dried cranberries or golden raisins. In the S3 plan, I make all kinds of vegetable salads, french lentil salads and green salads as well. The point here is to use as many vegetables you enjoy, cooked or raw and make your own vinaigrettes or buy a really good healthy one. That’s the key here, use vinaigrettes on your salads, instead of heavy creamy dressings.
SIMPLE VINAGRETTE RECIPE:
You can be so creative with vinaigrettes, add chopped strawberries, finely chopped blueberries and blackberries, if you like and there you have a fruit vinaigrettes.
INGREDIENTS:
1 small shallot, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
1 small clove garlic, minced (about 1/2 teaspoon)
2 teaspoons organic honey
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar or balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon water
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
DIRECTION:
Combine shallot, garlic, honey, vinegar, and water in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in olive oil. Alternatively, place all ingredients in a tightly sealing jar, seal, and shake vigorously until emulsified. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Vinaigrette will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Now for the soups, here you have a world of possibilities just as with the smoothies and the salads. The catch here is to only make broth based soups, lots of broth, this will add in elimination. Today I made a french lentil and porcini mushroom soup, it was brothy and earthy and just plan delicious. All of the carrots, onions, garlic and celery helped give me a good fiber based. When you are making your soups you want to pack them out with lots of herbs, dry and fresh, seasonings, such as turmeric, cayenne pepper, garlic, cumin, coriander, ginger,smoked paprika, chipotle and red chili peppers. All of these are anti inflammatory spices.
Here on S3 you can eat all the Smoothies, Salads and Soups you want. When you need to snack, make sure to have nuts, seeds, and vegetable and fruit handy. I would suggest the ones I listed above under what fruits are good for a S3 smoothie. You can do this plan for 3 days, 3 weeks or even 3 months. Your basically eating a vegetarian diet. I like to add eggs to make soup, a poached or boil egg gives me that extra protein I may need. You can also add eggs to your salad. If you need to eat something more than vegetarian, I would suggest fish, such as trout, salmon or mackerel. Here’s the deal, keep it simple and it will not be complicated.
How are we feeling about S3? It’s super simple and easy, it can be done.
Let’s talk about what you want to avoid during S3: Whatever time period you have decided to do this plan you want to cut back or all together avoid, processed sugar, alcohol, caffeine, red meats, high fat foods, such as chips, pastries, etc. You want to consume plenty of water, that includes, green tea, coconut water, that is just pure coconut water and you can juice your
BELOW THIS RECIPE IS MORE S3 RECIPES YOU CAN TRY.
FRENCH LENTIL AND PORCINI MUSHROOM SOUP
French Lentil and Porcini Mushroom Soup
Ingredients:
1/4 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
1 cups boiling water to re-hydrate them (save liquid for soup)
3 tbs good cooking extra virgin olive oil
2 small carrots, chopped
2 small celery stalks, cleansed and chopped
1 small onion, peeled and roughly chopped onion
1 cups French lentils or any lentils you prefer
4 cups good low sodium vegetable stock
fresh thyme, about 1 tbs, minced
sea salt and ground cracked pepper to taste
Directions:
Re-hydrate the mushrooms in boiling water, cover with plastic wrap and let sit 30 minutes.
In a heavy bottom soup pot over medium heat and olive oil, then add our vegetables, MAKE SURE TO CUT THE VEGETABLES THE SAME SIZE and season with salt and pepper and add a sprig of thyme.
Cook stirring often for 15 minutes or until vegetables start to caramelizE, YOU WANT JUST COLOR, NOT BURNT VEGETABLES, :)!
Add lentils, vegetable stock, mushroom liquid, broth then bring to boil, then turn down to simmer.
Cook until lentils are just tender.
Serve immediately, I like to drizzle a few drops of extra virgin olive over the soup.
A FEW RECIPES YOU CAN TRY. ENJOY AND REMEMBER TO SET THE TABLE WITH LOVE
Raw Double Cacao Smoothie with Go Raw Super Raw Chocolate Shavings
I love trying new things. My new love outside of poaching white fish in butter, is this making confits. What does confit mean: Confit (/kɒnfi/, French pronunciation: [kɔ̃fi]) comes from the French word confire which means literally “to preserve,” a confit being any type of food that is cooked slowly over a long period of time as a method of preservation. Usually you hear this word in fine dining restaurants, duck confit or goose confit, meaning the bird has been cooked in it’s own fat. Yes! Actually. I prefer making confits with citrus. A lemon confit is the same idea, but I am using olive oil to slowing cook the meyer lemon rinds in. It makes an excellent condiment to any dish. You can use it on toasted breads, drizzle on salads, vegetables and as I did today on a piece of broiled pacific cod. This is a very simple and easy recipe, that I adapted from Naomi Pomeroy Taste and Technique Recipes to Elevate Your Home Cooking.
Meyer Lemon Confit
Ingredients:
Lemon Confit
Rinds of 3 lemons
1/4 teaspoons dried fennel seeds
1/4 teaspoons red chili pepper flakes
2 teaspoons organic cane sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
2 cups extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic
Directions:
Cut away most of the spongy white pit of the rinds, leaving only the yellow peel. Cut the trimmed rind pieces into strips 1/8 inch wide and 1 inch long.
Place the strips in a 2 quart saucepan and add the fennels seeds, red chili pepper flakes, sugar, salt, olive oil and garlic cloves. Place over very low heat and slowly simmer. You want it simmer to point you see tiny little bubbles. You will need to stir this often, to make sure the sugar and salt dissolves. You do not want the mixture to fry the lemon rinds, so keep a close eye on it. I had to take mine off the heat at least 3 times and put it back on the low heat, so it would not fry. Naomi suggest using a diffuser, but I did have one of those. If you keep it on a low heat and just keep a good eye, it will be fine. It takes about 20 minutes for the rinds to simmer and cook until they are soft. Take a fork and remove one out from the oil to check the consistency. Once they are soft, remove from heat and set aside, covered, at room temperature to allow the flavors to come together overnight. Store in airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 months.
I poured my meyer lemon confit over this beautiful piece of pacific cod.
Broiled Pacific Cod with Meyer Lemon Confit, Sautéed Kale with Garlic and Blistered Cherry Tomatoes
What a fun day?! I so enjoy coming out and cooking for the customers and staff of Williams Sonoma in the Forum. The staff is like family! I have been demoing and educating the customers about eating and supporting local farmers for the past 6 months and it has been a beautiful partnership. So many times we do not eat in season, we eat the same things week after week. I am so very grateful for the support of such an icon, like Williams Sonoma, to be able to showcase local farmers and share with their customers, creative and healthy ways to eat local. Today we used my favorite local farm, Fry Farm in Bethlehem Ga, early spring produce, red kitten kale, baby chantenay carrots, nobel spinach and baby cress.
I wanted to put up a couple of the customer’s favorite recipes, before hitting the sack. I hope my readers will enjoy these simple and delicious farm to table recipes as well, just as we all did today.
Until next time remember to Set the Table with Love and Eat Local. 🙂
SET THE TABLE WITH LOVE
FARM TO TABLE EARLY SPRING MENU
White Asparagus, Red Spinach and Pancetta Tart topped with Baby Cress
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed and rolled out
¼ – ½ cup pancetta, crisped and cooled
1 cup shaved white asparagus, cutting off the spearheads and chopping them finely to add to each tart.
3/4 cup gruyere, or more based on your preference
1/2 cup grated parmesan, plus more for topping (optional)
1 tsp fresh thyme
¼ cup milk
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 large shallot, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cups red spinach, chopped
baby cress, as garnished
extra virgin olive, sea salt and a lemon juice to dress the baby cress, optional.
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone-baking sheet. In a saucepan on medium heat, cook the pancetta, until crispy, set aside to cool.
Combine the shaved white asparagus, crispy pancetta, gruyere, parmesan, milk, thyme, nutmeg, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Set aside.
Place the olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat.
Once hot, add the shallots and garlic and sauté for about 1 minute. Add the spinach and cook until wilted. Remove from heat and transfer to the bowl with the cheese mixture.
Stir together until well combined.
On a floured surface roll out the puff pasty and using the smallest cookie cutter cut out several circles, as many as you can with each pastry sheet. Place the cut pieces into a lightly mini muffin pan, mold the pastry to make a small cup in the muffin pan. Use a fork to prick holes in the bottom, so the pastry doesn’t puff up. If the pastry puffs up after your blind baking, just gently press the middle down, before adding the filling.
Blind bake the tarts in the oven for 5-7 minutes. Remove from the oven gently push down the middle of the tarts, if has puffed up a lot. Leave whilst to add the filling.
Spoon in a little mixture into each tart.
Brush each puff pastry with the remaining beaten egg and top with a sprinkling of extra parmesan and gruyere, if desired.
Bake in the oven for about 10-15 minutes, until golden brown around the edges.
Remove from oven, let cool a few minutes before serving.
Gently toss the baby cress in the olive oil, lemon and sea salt. Add to the top of each tart.
White Asparagus Red Spinach Pancetta and Gruyere Tart
GRILLED SMOKY AND SWEET MAPLE BABY CHANTENY CARROTS, MAPLE SYRUP
INGREDIENTS
1 bushel of baby chantney carrots
1 and ½ tablespoons oil
Sea salt
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
2 teaspoons chipotle seasoning
2 – 3 teaspoons butter
2 – 3 teaspoons pure maple syrup
Fresh chopped mint
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 375. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with aluminium foil (for easy clean-up) and set aside.
Wash the baby carrots and drain well, chop off tops.
Tip the carrots onto the lined baking sheet (don’t crowd them, you want them to roast, not steam). Drizzle with the oil. Sprinkle with the sea salt and smoked paprika, chipotle seasoning, then toss the carrots gently to coat them with the seasoned oil.
Roast in the oven for 30-40 mins or until almost done.
In a saucepan on medium heat, melt the butter, and maple syrup, sea salt, and one juice of a medium blood orange, and reduce heat, until sauce has thicken. Add roasted carrots into the saucepan and toss, until the carrots are completely covered.
This is one of my favorite holidays. I am such a hopeless romantic. I love Love.❤❤❤
Valentine’s Day can be decadent and nourishing. We usually see quinoa used for savory dishes, but this is one of my favorites. You guys know how much I love quinoa. Check out all the delicious recipes here on my blog, but try this one first. 😘
< y Chocolate Heart Shaped Quinoa Macaroons is one you will come back to often. Enjoy these on Valentine’s Day or any day of the week. It’s an awesome recipe to share with your kids as well. b>Ingredients 6 tablespoons egg whites (from about 3 large eggs)
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 1/2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
1 cup cooked white quinoa. Follow package instructions.
Pinch of sea salt
Instructions:<<<
bine the egg whites and maple syrup in a heatproof bowl.
Begin by tempering the eggs, which will create a nice crispy cookie exterior. Place the bowl over a pot with boiling water and whisk the eggs and maple syrup together until creamy and warm. When they’re warm to the touch, they are ready to go.
Remove the bowl off the heat and add in coconut, quinoa and salt, mix well.
Chill in the fridge for at least two hours.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F and line a baking sheet with a non-stick baking mat or double parchment paper,( so they will not burn under the bottom)
Spray canola oil inside a heart shaped cookie cutter. Using an ice cream scoop, place the mixture in the heart shaped cookie cutter and fill to the top.<<<
tly press down the mixture into the cookie cutter, molding it into a heart shape. Remove the cookie cutter and continue until you have used all the mixture. Separating the cookies about 1 inch apart.
Bake in the center of a warm oven for 15 minutes until the cookies are nice and golden brown.
Let them cool for at least 10 minutes or until completely cooled.
Top with Chocolate Ganache<<<
colate Ganache
4 oz dark or semi milk chocolate baking bar, chopped
1/2 cup milk or organic almond milk or any non dairy milk or heavy cream
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Easy version<<<<
ce chocolate pieces in a large bowl. Heat milk on medium high until it comes to a boil. Remove from heat and immediately pour milk or cream over chocolate and stir until completely mixed and glossy. Add a pinch of cayenne pepper and stir. Drizzle over cooled heart shaped macaroons and Enjoy!!<<<<
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I am so excited about cooking and sharing on Fox 5 Good Day Atlanta, how you can stay Fit and Fabulous for 2017, using 5 main ingredients under 30 minutes.
This salad was inspired by that simple challenge. We can do it and we can do it deliciously, with hardly no effort at all, using some of my easy recipes. It just takes some preparing and a bit of creativity. I love this salad, because it has over 26 grams of protein, that is vegetarian and about 15 grams of carbs. I love those numbers.
I hope you tune in to Fox 5 Good Day Atlanta Thursday Feburary 9th at 9:00 am, but until then, enjoy this salad. Oh yeah! Do not forget to always Set the Table with Love.
Pear and Beet Salad Fit and Fabulous
Pear and Beet Salad
Ingredients:
4 small roasted or marinated beets, (I used Love Beets, already peeled and marinated or roasted for you and they are organic and delicious.)
1 bosc pear
2 cups of your favorite greens, chopped, ( I used romaine lettuce.)
2 tbsp of your favorite cheese, ( I used parmesan, vegetarian.)
1/2 cup roasted pumpkin seeds
Directions:
Add the lettuce to a salad bowl. Place the beets around in different places around lettuce, add the pears on top of the lettuce, sprinkle the cheese and the pumpkin seeds. You may have pumpkin seeds left over, eat them as a snack later.
Add a pinch of sea salt, cracked black pepper. Drizzle a little balsamic glaze and olive oil. Salad done.
You can also use nuts, instead of seeds. You can also add other veggies, like sautéed zucchini and yellow squash.
There is nothing like a beautifully delicious salad, but sometimes it’s really hard to eat salad during the winter. So I opt out to making warm salads. Yes, salads can be warm, you still get your greens and veggies but sautéed a bit. Here is one of my favorite salads. I love mediterranean ingredients, like artichokes and kalamata olives. This salad includes them both, but with a little twist. The great thing about salad, you can throw in all your favorite ingredients. Instead of just putting the olives in this salad I made an olive tapenade and spreader it on gluten free toast is a great alternative. In a later post, I will show you how to pump up your olive tapenade with plant based protein. But, until then enjoy this recipe. Always remember to Set the Table with Love.
Mediterranean Kale, Chard and White Bean Salad with Artichokes and Gluten Free Toast with Olive Tapenade
Ingredients:
1 can white beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup red onions, diced and extra tablespoon for garnish
1/2 cup red bell peppers, diced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and diced
2 tablespoons olive oil, in a sauce pan, to sauté veggies
1 tablespoons garlic herb seasonings
1 teaspoon garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
2 bunches of kale, rinsed, dried with a paper towel, leaves roughly chopped
1 bunch of chard, rinsed, dried with a paper towel, leaves roughly chopped
1/2 cup artichoke hearts, marinated
Directions:
Add 1 tablespoon of oil to a sauté pan, on medium heat and then add the diced onions and peppers. Sauté until soft. Add diced garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Add beans and stir. Add the spices and stir gently, to keep the beans in tack. Cook for another 5 minutes. Set aside once cooked. Add the remaining oil into the pan on medium heat. Add the kale and chard, sauté for 2 minutes, you are just welting the leaves. Remove for heat and set aside
Olive Tapenade Ingredients:
1 cup pitted black olives
6 small capers
1 garlic clove
3 tablespoons olive oil
Directions:
Mince the garlic clove. Place olives, minced garlic, capers and olive oil in blender. Blend until you reach a smooth spread. Add to the gluten free toast. To Assemble: Add the kale, chard, in a salad bowl, top with beans and gently toss, place artichoke hearts sparingly throughout the salad. Garnish with diced red peppers, season with sea salt, cracked black pepper and a drizzle of good extra virgin olive oil.
Who says that vegan food cannot be beautiful and elegant? Well you haven’t tried my roasted purple potatoes with lemon and thyme. This makes an excellent side dish or main course with a side salad. The recipe is super easy.
Roasted Purple potatoes with lemon and thymeRoasted Purple potatoes with lemon and thyme
All you would need to do is preheat your oven at 35o. Roasting time 1 hour or until potatoes are tender.
You will need:
4 petite purple potatoes, sliced, read below how to slice the potatoes or you can skip this step.
1 medium lemon, sliced into circles about 1/2 inch thick
2 sprigs thyme
olive oil
Mediterranean course sea salt
DIRECTIONS:
Using a sharp kitchen knife, carefully start making a series of vertical cuts width-wise through the potato, making sure not to cut all the way through – cuts should only be 3/4 of the way through the potato.
Next, slice lemons into circles about a half inch thick. Place the lemons on parchment paper on a cookie sheet and add the potatoes on top of the lemons, drizzle the lemons and the potatoes with olive oil generously, season with the Mediterranean Sea salt and top with thyme sprigs.
Roast for 1 hour or until potatoes are tender. Once cooked, remove from oven. Set aside to cool a bit. Transfer everything onto a plate and drizzle with olive oil and a little lemon juice.
Some encounters bring you back home to what your soul is yearning for. This year has done that for me and my family. I have been around people and places that have made me feel like, I was coming home. One of those encounters inspired me to move my culinary creative juices back to Raw Foods. Raw foodism is the dietary practice of eating only uncooked, unprocessed foods. It only includes, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds. Now I AM NOT A RAW FOODIST, VEGAN OR VEGETARIAN, but my diet is about 80% plant based. I believe eating whole foods is better for my body, mind and spirit. So, how did I come back home to raw foods? My best friend. She wanted to take a yoga class one morning and I did have the time, I had so much work to do. I was behind schedule on several projects, I felt run down and just wanted to work and maybe catch a nap in. However, inside of me, my spirit was calling from some release, so I went.
The funny thing is, as we were driving to the studio, it hit me where we were going, to my old yoga studio. The place I learned about the healing beauty of yoga and meditation, ironically another one of my best friends introduced me to this studio, 13 years prior. I got some teacher training here from some the best yoga teachers in the United States. I was very ill during that time, fighting kidney disease and trying to take care of a toddler.
The yoga studio was a place of love and great healing for me. As we walked into the yoga studio, there on her mat was the owner and one of my first yoga teachers. My heart felt so much joy. I felt like I was back HOME. The class was amazing and I felt more energy in my body and spirit, plus so much peace.
My yoga teacher and I caught up and we talked about health issues. She shared with me her journey of healing and it hit me why I was there. Food has been a healing art for me. So of course, my best friend and Creative Marketing Director of my wellness company, mentioned what I had been up to lately with food. My yoga teacher was excited, she had been eating raw to heal, but she runs three businesses and doesn’t have time to prepare the food. She asked me to help her and of course it was my pleasure to say, YES. The yoga studio and her classes brought me so much healing and now I could give back. Life is always trying to bring us home, if we just take the time out to slow down and listen.
Here are three ways you can use my Raw Chocolate Ganache.
Raw Chocolate Ganache: You can use this for many other desserts
Ingredients:
1 cup maple syrup
1 cup cacao powder
1/4 cup coconut oil, pinch of sea salt
Directions:
Using your blender, mix together syrup and coconut oil until well combined. Add in your cacao powder and a pinch of sea salt, and process until smooth – scraping down the sides as needed. Use immediately, or keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a couple weeks. If using the ganache after being refrigerated, simply place the container in warm water for a few minutes to let it soften up a bit, or roll out ganache truffles using a melon scoop. 🙂
Raw Chocolate Ganache Torte with Pistachio Dust and Black Berries
Raw Chocolate Ganache Torte with Pistachio Dust and Black Berries
1/2 cup black cherries, thawed out frozen cherries
3/4 cup Raw Chocolate Ganache
1 tbsp maple syrup
crushed pistachios and a black cherry
Using a blender Blend everything together, using a biscuit cutter, place on a sheet pan with parchment paper . Pour the ganache mixture into the biscuit cutter, almost to the top, leave room to add the pistachios. Add the pistachios and top with a black cherry. Put into the freeze and allow to set over night or for at least 2 hours to get it very firm. When ready to serve, allow to set room temperature for about 2-3 minutes, this will make it easier for you to push the torte out of the biscuit cutter. Gently remove, by pushing up from the bottom with a frosting spreader or the back of a spoon.
Serve and enjoy immediately because the base is made of coconut oil, it must be eaten immediately or kept frozen.
Raw Chocolate Ganache Torte
Pears Dipped in Spicy Raw Chocolate Ganache topped with walnuts and cardamom with a side of cardamom coconut cream
Ingredients:
1 pear cut in half and seeds removed
Raw Chocolate Ganache, in it’s liquid form. if using the ganache after being refrigerated, simply place the container in warm water for a few minutes to let it soften up a bit.
crushed walnuts
whole coconut milk
1 tsp cardamom and a little more to dust over the pears
1 tbs maple syrup
Pears Dipped in Spicy Raw Chocolate Ganache topped with walnuts and cardamom with a side of cardamom coconut cream
Directions:
Super simple. I add a little lemon juice to the pears, so they would not brown. Dipped them into the ganache. I dipped half of the pears here, added crusted walnuts, sprinkled with cardamom, you can also drizzle maple syrup, honey or agave over them for more sweetness. Put the pears into the fridge for an hour or overnight so the ganache can harden on the pears properly. The coconut cream is also super simple.
Open up a can of coconut milk and remove the creamy top part and add to a bowl. Using an electric hand mixer whisk attachment, beat the cream until fluffy and smooth. Add in maple syrup and cardamom. Put whipped cream in the fridge to harden a bit, about 10 minutes. Remove the pears and whipped cream from the fridge. Add whipped cream to the pears and serve immediatley.
NOTE: This ganache has a coconut oil base so it will melt fast, so keep it in the fridge until ready to serve.
Pears Dipped in Spicy Raw Chocolate Ganache topped with walnuts and cardamom with a side of cardamom coconut cream
Last one, but oh so good. My grandson helped me make these, notice the heavy handed areas of pistachios. Love it.
Raw Chocolate Ganache Bark with Peppermint and Pistachios
Ingredients:
3 tbsp cacao
2½ tbsp raw virgin coconut oil
1 1/2 tbsp maple syrup
small pinch sea salt
2 tbsp crushed pistachios
1 crushed soft peppermint stick
Raw Dark Chocolate Ganache Bark with Peppermint and Pistachios
Instructions
Whisk together melted coconut oil, raw cacao and maple syrup in a small bowl until completely smooth.
Add a pinch of sea salt and combine well.
Add nuts and peppermint
Line a cookie sheet with non stick parchment paper.
Pour the chocolate mixture into the lined cookie sheet and spread out evenly using the back of a spoon, spread it thick so you bark doesn’t melt so quickly when eating it. 🙂 Add the goodies on top.
Place the container in the freezer for 30 minutes until the chocolate is completely hard.
Break up the pieces and serve immediately.
Store in the freezer. PSA
Since the base of this bark is coconut oil it will melt at room temperature, so please keep it in the freezer, until ready to serve. Eat immediately.
I love Mac and cheese. It is definitely a holiday favorite . This year I wanted to do something different . I wanted to see if I could make my mom’s incredible mac and cheese recipe and make it a little healthier. My mom made the best mac and cheese ever, buttery , cheesy, creamy and loaded with lots of flavor. I knew this would be a feat.
So how would I do this? I believe it’s best to use what you have first. A lesson my mom taught me growing up. I looked on my counter and there was a butternut squash. I love butternut squash and the color reminds me of sharp cheddar cheese. Now how will I I corporate this in my recipe. Substitute the cheese. Now the butter, that easy, make the roux with olive oil instead . The milk also, no biggie, use 2% or a non dairy unsweetened milk . I went for the 2%.
I got an opportunity to try out my recipe on a local talk show, Women on the MOVE, hosted by Kim McNair. You have check out her talk show, it’s very inspiring highlight incredible women here in the Atlanta area and local celebrities that are making a difference in our community.
Okay back to the mac and cheese . The crew tore right into and loved the flavor. I think my mom would be proud. Of course, she would say Lisa you should have added a little butter.
I hope you enjoy this recipe and remember this holiday season to Set the Table with Love and holiday cheer.
Ingredients
1 pound elbow macaroni, cooked according to package directions
1 large butternut squash
6 tablespoons olive
¾ cup all-purpose flour
7 cups 2% milk
pinch of nutmeg
1/4 cup smoked gouda shredded
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
1/4 mozzarella, shredded
1 1/4 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded save 1/2 cup for the top of the mac and cheese
1/2 cup herb Japanese panko breadcrumbs
Salt
Pepper
Directions
Heat oven on 375.
Peel the squash, cut the butternut squash in half, remove seeds and cut the squash in cubes. In a large pot of boiling water add the squash. Cook until squash is tender. Drain squash and add to a blender. Purée until smooth.
Make cheese sauce. Add olive oil in saucepan. Add flour. Stir to make a roux and cook 3 minutes, stirring the entire time. Add 3 cups milk, pinch of nutmeg and stir until thickened. Add the rest of the milk and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Add shredded cheese, (leaving out 1/2 of the sharp cheddar cheese out) and stir until melted. Season with salt and pepper.
To assemble the dish: Place cooked elbow macaroni in large bowl. Pour half of the cheese sauce over and add puréed butternut squash. Fold together. Add the remainder of the cheese sauce according to your cheese preference. Top with the remaining sharp cheddar, panko breadcrumbs and a drizzle of olive oil. Place in an ovenproof dish and cook until cheese is melted and golden brown.
I remember growing up and going to those cafeterias with my family, that served the, Blue Plate Special, which included one meat, two veggies, bread and a drink. My family loved these deals, they were inexpensive and you got a good amount of food for the price. It was a great deal for a family of 5 and my dad and brother could eat, so they were in heaven.
My favorite thing was the veggie specials. You got all these yummy vegetables on your plate . I would fill my plate with collard greens, green beans and potatoes, sweet potato mash, corn and a big piece of cornbread. Well, here is my version of a veggie plate special.
Veggie Plate Special of the Day ~ Roasted Eggplant, Charred Okra, Lemons and Sautéed Northern Georgia Candy Squash.
The awesome thing about this version, it’s totally Farm to Table and still very inexpensive, but much fresher and a bit more creative. Hope you enjoy! Hey, let’s eat more veggies and support local farmers. As always, remember to Set the Table with Love.
Roasted Eggplant
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Slice the eggplant in half lengthwise, then cut each half crisscrossed. Drizzle olive oil over them and sprinkle dried thyme and sea salt over each eggplant.
Roast in the preheated oven until softened and golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes.
Charred Okra and Lemon
For the okra:
Trim the stems from the okra and cut each pod in half lengthwise. Place in a large bowl, add the salt, and toss to combine; set aside.
Heat a large, cast-iron skillet over high heat until very hot, about 3 minutes. Working in 2 to 3 batches so as not to crowd the pan, add the okra, cut-side down in a single layer, and sear undisturbed until charred on the bottom, about 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the okra and cook until crisp-tender, about 30 seconds more. Remove to a medium bowl.
Remove the pan from the heat, add the okra in the bowl. Recipe from Chowhound: Charred Okra
For the lemon:
Cut a medium lemon into slices . Add the lemon to the okra pan, allow to cook until caramelized, about 1-2 minutes. Remove from pan and place in a separate bowl.
Sautéed North Georgia Candy Squash
Peel the squash. Cut it in half, right in the middle of the squash, where you have rings of the squash. Remove the seeds, cut the squash into 1/2 inch rings. In a large sautéed pan, add enough olive oil to cover the base of the pan, cook on medium heat. Add the rings, add salt and smoked paprika to the rings and allow to cook until golden brown on one side, 2-3 minutes, flip them over and sauté the other side, add salt and the smoked paprika and sauté into golden brown and tender.
Serve the veggies on a nice plate and even add a piece of Gluten Free cornbread
Veggie Plate Special of the Day ~ Roasted Eggplant, Charred Okra, Lemons and Sautéed Northern Georgia Candy Squash.