Octopus Salad

(2 servings)

1 can octopus in olive oil
shredded lettuce/ handful
sliced red cabbage/ a few spikes for color
sesame seeds
2 tablespoons Dulse seaweed flakes (available at Whole Foods or health stores, this is very high in trace minerals and is extremely healthy for you!!)
1 lemon, juiced
1 teaspoon thyme
cracked pepper

Drain the octopus reserving the oil for the dressing. Arrange your lettuces and top with the octopus. For the dressing, take the oil from the can and add the juice of 1 lemon, the thyme and some pepper to taste. Drizzle the dressing over the salad, then sprinkle the Dulse Seaweed flakes, sesame seeds and additional pepper or salt to taste.

Pretty. Tasty. Very economical. Tons of Protein.

Delicate Crab Soup

1 quart lobster broth (you could use clam broth, or other fish broth)
bits of yummy meat from lobster
1/2 can crab meat
1 cup "cream"
1 teaspoon tarragon

I bought myself a lobster the other night to celebrate finishing my taxes. After dinner, I saved the carcass and took out the bitter parts, put the rest back into the steaming water, added more, and some sea salt and continued to simmer to render a tasty broth. I also picked the meat out of the backfin portion of the lobster. There are lovely, tasty pockets of flesh to be had in the deep parts of the thorax portion. I reserved those in a little bowl. Today I simmered the broth, added the lobster bits, and added 1/2 can of crabmeat. I added about 1 cup of Fat Free "Cream", about 1 teaspoon of tarragon and a sprinkle of Old Bay Seasoning. Garnished with tomato slices

Cranberry Orange Relish

Cranberry-Orange Relish

1 bag cranberries
1 cup organic cane juice sugar
1 orange: zest of 1 orange plus segments
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon almond extract
8 anise stars
water to cover

Put the whole mess in a pot and boil for about 40 minutes until everything is syrupy and mooshy. I served mine with fat free yogurt and applesauce. Yummy and good for you, too!

Chicken Broth with Rice, Arugula and Yogurt

Chicken Broth with Rice, Arugula and Yogurt

I always have a quart of chicken broth in the fridge and a quart in the freezer. Once a week I make broth with the roaster bones from Sunday. I freeze a tray of cubes as a treat for Lux, or to use in cooking in making swift sauces. I also steam rice daily, for the kids snack after school, for dinners, to add to Lux's dinner, whatever. Sometimes I eat hot rice with milk and maple syrup and ground flax seeds for breakfast! For this soup I combined the broth and rice and added lovely leaves of crispy and spicy arugula and topped it off with a spoonful of fat free yogurt. A tasty snack after stomping in the 34 degree woods for 2 hours this morning!

Black Soy Noodles with Turkey Bacon, Leeks, Peas and Walnuts

Black Soy Noodles with Turkey Bacon, Leeks, Peas and Walnuts
(serves 2)

1 serving of soy pasta per person (I used the black for extra drama)
4 slices of turkey bacon
1/2 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup walnut pieces
4 tablespoons walnut oil
2 cups leeks, chopped
1/2 cup chicken or veggie broth
salt and pepper to taste

Cook the leeks, bacon and walnuts in the walnut oil until bacon is crispy and leeks are wilted. Add the peas and broth and simmer until warm through. Add salt and pepper to taste. In the meantime, cook the pasta following directions on the box. Drain the pasta, top with the yummy bacon, leek mix and sprinkle with Romano cheese if desired.

Corn Tortilla with Shredded Chicken

Home made corn tortillas with shredded chicken

I made the tortillas using my press, but you may make them by rolling out the dough and cooking them in a frying pan as well.

1 cup corn flour
3/4 cup water
2 Tablespoons oil ( I use walnut)

Cooked chicken, shredded
Taco sauce
shredded cheese
lettuce
sliced tomatoes

Mix the flour, water and oil until it forms a dough. Knead until smooth. Pinch off golf ball sized globs and roll on a floured surface until flat. Place on a hot griddle or pan and flip after a minute or so.

Place shredded chicken, chopped lettuce, tomatoes and cheese on top. Top with taco sauce. Yummy!

Wilter Arugula and Grapefruit Salad

Wilted Arugula and Ruby Red Grapefruit Salad (serves 4)

1 handful of arugula per person
1 ruby red grapefruit, segmented ( I used a knife and cut slices without membrane)
2 tablespoons walnut oil (olive is ok, too)
1 ripe avocado

Place oil in a pan and toss in the arugula and grapefruit. Toss until wilted and warmed. Place this on a plate and top with thin slices of avocado. Simple. Pretty. Tasty.

Baked Apples with a Corriander Crust

Baked Apples with Coriander Crust

Two organic Granny Smith apples
1 lemon
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup Earth Balance spread or similar (plus extra pats for top)
1 1/3 cup AP flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground coriander
2 tablespoons sugar
4 tablespoons ice cold water

In a metal bowl place the flour, salt, sugar coriander, and "butter". Using a wire whisk, pounce upon the butter, quickly pushing up and down on it, incorporating the flour into it, until it resembles a coarse meal. Add the cold water by spoonfuls, mixing with a spoon or your hand, until the mass forms a loose ball. Turn the ball out onto a floured surface and gently PUSH the dough on all sides, forming a thick disk. Wrap in plastic wrap (or better still, waxed paper), and put in fridge for about an hour.

Cut the dough in half and roll each out until 1/4 inch thick.

Peel and core the apples. Rub them with lemon juice and place each on a crust circle. Gently push and form the dough around each apple.

Pour the maple syrup, into the hole in the apple and sprinkle with cinnamon. Add walnuts and/or raisins (optional) Top with a pat of butter.

I sprinkle the tops of mine with grated lemon and casting sugar.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Corntatta

Corntatta

(serves one for main, 2 for starters)

1/2 bag organic frozen corn kernels (5 oz)
2 eggs
1 cup skim milk
1/4 cup fat free ricotta cheese
2 oz low fat cheddar grated
1 teaspoon tarragon leaves, crushed
1 tablespoon corn meal
1 tablespoon finely grated romano cheese

Beat the eggs within an inch of their life. Add milk, and take out more aggression thereon. Plop in the ricotta and have-at-it again. Same with the cheddar and tarragon. Stir in the corn. Pour into a greased baking dish (a small one). Mix the corn meal and the romano and sprinkle on top. Place in a 385 degree oven for 3o minutes or until the top looks browned lightly, and the custard has set.

Crispy Pita Chips

Tasty and Healthy Pita Crisps

I usually have these on hand. My kids love to munch on them and they are a much healthier alternative to chips. We make these a lot at the catering company, too. They are strong enough for hummus dips and such, and are very inexpensive to make.

Simply buy a bag of pita bread. Using a knife or pizza wheel, cut into eight sections, peel apart the segments' top from bottom, place on a cookie sheet and spray or drizzle with oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake in a 375 degree oven, but stay near, they turn brown quickly!

Healthy Sunflower Seed Snack

Sunflower Seed Snack

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2 cups roasted unsalted sunflower seeds
1/2 cup sesame seeds
3/4 cup rice malt syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla

Pam spray (or similar) Spray the pan, the spatula and the measuring cup to assist in lessening the "sticky" factor.

Stir the syrup and vanilla into the sunflower seeds, sesame seeds and turn out onto a greased cookie sheet. Spread to an even thickness of about 1/4 inch or so. Bake at 350 on the bottom rack for about 15 minutes, until it is bubbly and lightly browned, (it will look "foamy" for a while. Then it will appear less so, and that is when you need to look more often) checking frequently to assure it won't burn. Run a knife through to cut into squares while still warm (but not HOT), then allow to cool completely before eating. Sometimes the squares from the middle of the pan are more chewy, not as crunchy, but I like them that way,too.

Sunflower seeds are high in protein and good oils, and sesame seeds are high in calcium. Rice malt is sweet, but not overly so, and has a lower glycemic index than other syrups.

Breakfast of the Champions

Fruit Compote with Fat Free Yogurt and Walnuts

This is my breakfast this morning!

1/3 cup fat free organic yogurt
1 handful of walnuts
1 cup frozen berry mix warmed on the stove with 1 tablespoon of Agave Nectar
and, of course, the best part...Whipped Cream (a moderate and demure little dollop)

Pretty and Healthy Breakfast

Pretty and Healthy Breakfast

My kids love this!

grapefruit slices
honeydew melon slices
fat free ricotta cheese
honey
sprinkles (optional)

Mix 1/2 cup fat free ricotta with 1 tablespoon of honey. Scoop using a small ice cream scoop or melon baller. Alternate the pink and green fruit. Top with the ricotta. Sprinkle away! Very "Spring" looking, eh?

Blue Cheese and Walnut Ravioli with Shallots and Dried Cranberries

(serves two as an appetizer of three each)

Won Ton wrappers
2 oz crumbly blue cheese
handful of walnuts
three shallots
olive oil
1/2 cup dried cranberries

Whip up the cheese and nuts in a blender or food processor until it resembles a coarse meal. Moisten the edges of the won ton wrappers and place a spoonful of the cheese/nut mix in the center. Crimp and press edges. I use a cookie cutter to make them pretty (also cuts down on the carbohydrates!). Steam the raviolis. I use a plate on an inverted cup in a wok with water in the bottom. They take about 5 minutes. During this time, slice shallots and cook them in about 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Toss in a few walnut pieces for texture and protein. Add the dried cranberries and toss all together. Plate the ravioli on top of the shallot mixture. Serve with white wine, a sauvignon blanc or fume blanc is great. Champagne is even better!

Shrimp Ravioli with Butter and Garlic

Ingredients : (figure on 3-4 per person for a first course)

Won Ton wrappers
1 bag of 16-20 count peeled/de-veined cooked shrimp (count on 1 large shrimp per 2 raviloli)
1 brick of cream cheese
1/3 cup cocktail sauce
butter
garlic
sea salt
scallions

Thaw shrimp. Be sure to take the tail caps off. Place shrimp, cream cheese, and cocktail sauce in a blender or processor. Pulse until chopped medium-fine. Place a measuring teaspoon of filling on one wrapper, cover with another wrapper and press along the edge especially along the edge of the filling. I cut mine with a round cutter for presentation. It looks pretty that way. Fill a wok 1/3 full with water, place chopsticks in the base and lower an oven safe plate onto the sticks. Alternatively, use an oriental steamer. Ladle a little water on the plate so the pasta does not stick. Gently move the ravioli onto the plate, cover and steam for about 5 minutes. In the meantime, melt some butter with crushed garlic and cook slowly to avoid burning of the garlic, which would turn bitter. Plate in a decorative manner, placing droplets of the butter along the rim. Garnish with finely chopped scallions.

Hot Red Pepper Jelly (It's not really that hot)

Your Daily Dose of Wicked-Good Food:

Image by Me: cheese, crackers and hot pepper jelly

Ingredients:

• 4 large red bell peppers
• 4 tablespoons crushed dried red pepper
• 7 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 cups white vinegar
• 2 bottles liquid pectin, (6 oz each)

In a food processor or blender add the peppers, vinegar and sugar and pulse until finely chopped. Place in a pot and bring to a full boil; reduce heat to low and simmer 10 minutes. Add pectin. Stir well. Bring mixture to a boil over high heat; reduce heat and boil 1 minute. Remove from heat and pour mixture into hot dry, sterilized half-pint jars, leaving a scant 1/4-inch head space. If you plan on saving this for a while, place the jars in a hot water bath for 15 minutes for a vacuum seal. I find that I give away most of the jars and rip through the few I have rather quickly, so I just store them in the fridge. You may reduce the ingredients by 1/4 for smaller batches.

Makes 8 pints

Yummy Eggs atop Stuffing

Yummy Eggs atop stuffing



2 cups stuffing cubes
1 tablespoon butter or oil
1/4 cup diced onion
1/4 cup diced red pepper
1/2 cup broth
2 eggs
grated cheese
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Cook the onions and peppers in the butter/oil until translucent. Add the stuffing cubes and stir well. Add the broth and stir more. turn off the heat and let that sit for a few minutes to absorb. Grease a baking dish and place the stuffing mixture on the bottom. Crack the eggs and place them over the stuffing. Sprinkle the cheese on top. Place in the oven for about 12 minutes or until the eggs appear to be cooked to your liking.

Mini "pizza"appetizers

Mini "pizza" appetizer

Ingredients:

(for the four pieces pictured-multiply ingredients as needed)

2 pieces whole grain bread
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic

1 Italian plum tomato
four small slices of cheese (I use goat's milk cheddar or chevre)
olive tappanade (olive spread) or bruchetta
sprigs of fresh oregano

Toast the bread and cut out circles using a cookie cutter. Brush them with olive oil that has smashed garlic in it. Spread tappanade on the toasts. Cut tomato into circles and place one on each toast. Top with slice of cheese. Broil on High until the cheese melts and is bubbly. Top with fresh oregano.

Poached Pears

Simple Poached Pears:

I used Bartlett pears for this. I prefer to leave the skin on as I enjoy that somewhat gritty texture, plus lots of essential vitamins are packed into the skin. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Spray pears with Pam (or similar) and place in deep baking pan. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup brown sugar. I added two tablespoons of brandy (yum) to mine, thought that is not necessary if you have none. I added about 1/2 cup of water to the bottom of the pan. Bake for 30 mins or until a knife slides easily into the flesh of the fruit. Serve with the caramelized juice from the bottom of the pan drizzled on top. (I finished mine with sparkley casting sugar)

Wild Blueberry Pie

Ingredients:

for crust:
3 cups flour
1/2 c fine corn meal
1/2 c sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tablespoons grated lemon rind
6 tablespoons cold water
8 tablespoons shortening

for filling:
1 12 oz bag of frozen wild blueberries (regular is okay, but the wild ones are more intense)
juice of 1 lemon
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour
dash of cinnamon

Make the crust:

In a bowl, combine the flour, salt, sugar and lemon rind. Add the shortening one tablespoon at a time, pinching the shortening with your fingers in the flour, mooshing until the mass begins to look like coarse meal. Add the water and using your hands, gently gather HALF of the dough together and turn it out into a pie plate. Using your fingers press the dough along the bottom and edges of the pie pan. Reserve the remaining dough for the top crust.

(edit: If you want to cheat, get the pre-made pie crusts in the refrigerated section at the grocery store, just don't tell em I said to do that. It would ruin my street cred)

Put the berries into a bowl and toss them with the additional flour, the juice of lemon the sugar and cinnamon. Pour this into the pie crust. Roll out the remaining dough on a floured surface and drape it over the pie. Cut steam vents.

Bake at 375 for 40 mins or until the pie is bubbly and the crust is browned.