aLL FooD ReciPeS

Cake Recipe: Coconut-Almond Strawberry Shortcake

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 13 Aug 2015 07:55:00 +0000

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Makes: 6 shortcakes

3 cups strawberries, washed, hulled and halved
3 tablespoons coconut sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup Gluten-Free Flour Blend (below)
1/3 cup almond flour
2 tablespoons coconut flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
6 tablespoons frozen unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
One 6-ounce container plain Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut, for sprinkling
Whipped coconut cream, for serving

Place the strawberries in a medium bowl, sprinkle with the lemon juice and 1 tablespoon sugar; gently toss and let sit for about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. In a food processor, combine the gluten-free flour, almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda and 2 tablespoons of the coconut sugar. Add the butter and pulse until coarse crumbs form. Add the yogurt and vanilla; pulse to combine.

On a flour-dusted piece of parchment paper, pat out the dough until about 3/4 inch thick; cut into 6 equal portions. Brush the tops with water and sprinkle with shredded coconut. Bake until golden, about 12 minutes; let cool on the baking sheet. To serve, split the biscuits in half; top with the strawberries and their juices and whipped cream.
For the gluten-free flour blend:
3 cups (435 grams) white rice flour
1 1/2 cups (187 grams) tapioca flour
3/4 cup (123 grams) potato starch
1 tablespoon (8 grams) xanthan gum
1 1/2 teaspoons (5 grams) salt

Make the flour blend: In a large bowl, whisk together the rice flour, tapioca flour, potato starch, xanthan gum and salt.

Per serving: Calories 278; Fat 18 g (Saturated 10 g); Cholesterol 31 mg; Sodium 20 mg; Carbohydrate 27 g; Sugars 5 g; Fiber 5 g; Protein 6 g

Recipes: veggie shepherd's pie

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 07 May 2015 08:19:00 +0000

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Comfort food comes in many forms, and finding a new, healthy edition of a dish such as shepherd's pie is welcome in this space. I received this recipe for Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie from Soyfoods and had to try it. If you are not interested in the vegetarian meat substitute from Yves Veggie Cuisine, skip it or use regular ground meat. It works both ways. Also if you happen to need gluten-free options, use rice flour instead of all-purpose wheat flour. I tested it; my research team - my Chronicle co-workers - loved it.

Ingredients:

Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie

Makes 4-6 servings

1½ pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped (or baked)

2 tablespoons soft, non-hydrogenated margarine

2 teaspoons canola oil

1 package Yves Veggie Cuisine Veggie Ground (vegetarian ground meat substitute)

1 green bell pepper, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (or rice flour)

1 cup vegetable broth

1 cup mixed vegetables

¼ teaspoon fresh ground pepper

Instructions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cook the potatoes by peeling, chopping and boiling until tender, or baking in their skins and removing skins following the baking. Add the margarine to the cooked drained (if boiling) potatoes and mash until smooth. Set aside.

In a nonstick skillet heat the oil. Cook the veggie ground, green bell pepper and garlic, stirring for 5 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Add broth to the skillet and bring to a boil. Add the mixed vegetables and ground pepper.

Spread the vegetable mixture in the bottom of an 8-inch square baking dish. Spread the mashed potatoes on top. Bake for about 15 minutes or until the top is browned and the mixture is bubbly.

Recipes: Andouille Shrimp and Grits

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 09 Apr 2015 03:20:00 +0000

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Serves 4.

For the grits:

1 cup grits (not instant)

1 ½ cups white cheddar cheese

½ cup heavy cream

Salt and black pepper to taste

For the shrimp:

1 pinch saffron threads

4 ounces Andouille sausage cut into ¼-inch cubes (about 1 cup)

Olive oil, for pan (if needed)

1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 pound butternut squash, cut into cubes (about 2 cups)

1 teaspoon paprika

For the topping:

¼ cup crumbled goat cheese

Chopped scallions

Bring 2 ½ cups water to a simmer in a large saucepan. Gradually whisk in grits. Reduce heat to low. Gently simmer, stirring often, for about 20 minutes. Stir in white cheddar cheese and cream. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and keep warm.

For the shrimp topping, soak saffron threads in 1 tablespoon warm water; set aside. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage and cook until crispy, about 10 minutes; transfer to a bowl with a slotted spoon.

Return skillet to medium-high heat. If skillet seems dry, add a splash of olive oil. Cook shrimp until just opaque, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to bowl with sausage. Add squash to skillet and cook over medium-high heat until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in cooked sausage and shrimp, along with saffron mixture and paprika. Cook until liquid is thickened and shrimp is heated through. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Spoon warm grits into bowls. Top with shrimp mixture, crumbled goat cheese and chopped scallions.

Source: Adapted from Breakfast for Dinner: Recipes for Frittata Florentine, Huevos Rancheros, Sunny-Side-Up Burgers and More! by Lindsay Landis and Taylor Hackbarth (Quirk, 2013)

Vegetarian recipe: HALOUMI WITH EGGPLANT & CHICKPEA SALAD & GREEN OLIVE & PARSLEY SAUCE

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 09 Apr 2015 03:18:00 +0000

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Serves 4

Green olive & parsley sauce:

1/2 cup pitted green olives

1/2 cup flat-leafed parsley

1/4 cup grapeseed oil

1 teaspoon white wine vinegar

Puree the olives and parsley in a small food processor, then with the motor running, slowly pour in the grapeseed oil until you have a smooth sauce. Add the vinegar and process to combine. Set aside.

For the haloumi:

grapeseed oil for frying

1 large egplant, cut into 3cm cubes

4 tablespoons liquid honey

4 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 cloves garlic

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

400g can chickpeas, drained, rinsed

1/3 cup golden sultanas, soaked in warm water for 10 minutes, drained

1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika

400g haloumi, cut into 1cm-thick slices

METHOD:

1. Heat 1/2cm oil in a frying pan over medium heat until hot but not smoking, then add the eggplant cubes and fry evenly on all sides for 10 minutes or until browned and tender.

2. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and put in a colander to drain. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then combine the honey and vinegar and mix with the eggplant while it is still warm.

3. Add a further 1 tablespoon of oil to the frying pan, then fry the garlic and cumin seeds until they are popping and coloured. Add the chickpeas, sultanas and paprika and continue frying until the chickpeas are coated and have some colour. Remove from the heat and mix with the eggplant.

4. Increase the heat and in the same pan, with no extra oil, fry the haloumi slices for 2 minutes each side or until lightly browned. Top the eggplant and chickpea salad with the haloumi and drizzle with the green olive sauce.

Recipes: How to make Kashmiri Dum Aloo

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 07 Apr 2015 08:29:00 +0000

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Kashmiri Dum Aloo

Preparation Time: 15 mins | Cooking time: 30 mins | Serves 4

Ingredients
800 gms baby potatoes
8 cloves (laung)
1 inch cinnamon stick (dalchini)
2 bay leaves (tej patta)
½ tsp hing (asafoetida) dissolved in 2 tbsp water
2 tsp dry ginger powder
2 tsp mango powder (amchoor)
4 tsp fennel powder
2 tsp powdered dry fruits (almond, cashew and pistachio)
4 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
2 black cardamoms (badi elaichi)
1 tsp garam masala
Salt to taste
Oil for frying

Method
* Pressure cook potatoes with 2 cups of water till one whistle. Put under running water and cool the potatoes
* Peel and prick the potatoes all over with a toothpick or fork.
* Heat oil and shallow-fry potatoes in a pan until golden brown in colour. Set aside
* Heat 4 tbsp oil in a kadhai; add cloves, bay leaves and cinnamon. Sauté for a few minutes on medium-high flame.
* Add hing water (be careful as the oil will sputter when you add water; reduce flame and cover the wok until sputtering ends)
* Add red chilli powder. Sauté for a minute. Add 2 cups of water.
* Add all other ingredients. Sauté for a minute
* Add fried potatoes to the gravy.
* Cover and simmer till the gravy thickens and oil floats on top.
* Break one potato. The colour of chillies must penetrate the centre. If not add some more water and simmer.

Recipes: Whole grain banana bread waffles

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 26 Mar 2015 05:53:00 +0000

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Ingredients (for 2 waffles)

1/2 cup (60 g) spelt flour (you can sub whole wheat flour if preferred)

1/3 cup (30 g) oat flour (made by blending oats in a food processor)

2 tsp ground flaxseed (this is optional)

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 ripe banana, peeled and mashed

1 egg

1/2 cup (125 ml) milk

1 tsp vegetable oil

For the cinnamon-sugar

1 tbsp butter

2 tbsp superfine (caster) sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

Method

Stir together the first 6 ingredients in a large jug. Add in the vanilla, banana, oil, milk and egg and stir together with a fork until smooth. Leave it to sit whilst you heat up your waffle iron.

Scoop the batter into the waffle iron - about 1/3 cup - and cook according to the waffle iron's instructions until golden brown.

Stir together the 1 tsp of ground cinnamon into the superfine sugar. Use a knife to lightly swipe the waffles, hot from the waffle maker, with butter then sprinkle with the cinnamon-sugar.

Recipes: Waffles with hot chocolate sauce

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 26 Mar 2015 05:49:00 +0000

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Ingredients (Makes 12)

For the batter

325g plain flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

pinch of salt

60g caster sugar

2 large eggs, separated

450ml whole milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

100g unsalted butter, melted and cooled

For the hot chocolate sauce

75g cocoa powder

75g caster sugar

50g dark chocolate (60–70 per cent cocoa solids), finely chopped

Method

To make the batter, put the flour, baking powder, salt and half the caster sugar in a large bowl and whisk together. In a large jug, whisk together the egg yolks, milk, vanilla and melted butter, then pour it into the flour mixture, whisking until you have a smooth batter. Put the egg whites in a clean, grease-free bowl and, using an electric mixer, whisk until they hold soft peaks. Continue to whisk while you slowly pour in the remaining sugar until the meringue is stiff and glossy. Add the meringue to the batter and gently fold together. Cook the batter according to your waffle iron’s instructions.

To make the chocolate sauce, put 200ml water in a medium pan and add the cocoa powder and caster sugar. Whisk together until smooth. Put over a medium heat and bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes or until the syrup has thickened. Remove the pan from the heat and leave to cool for a few minutes, then add the chocolate and stir together until melted and smooth. You can serve the sauce warm or cold, but it gets a lot thicker as it cools down. If you have any sauce left over it can be kept in the fridge for up to a month and then reheated at a later point.

Tip

This recipe makes quite a lot of waffles, so you could, of course, halve the quantities, but you can also freeze the cooked waffles. Leave them to cool completely then wrap them in a double layer of clingfilm. When you want to serve them, leave them to thaw fully before reheating them in the oven at 120c (100C fan oven)/gas ½ for about 10 minutes or until heated through.

Recipes: Red Velvet Waffles

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 26 Mar 2015 05:46:00 +0000

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Ingredients (Serves 6)

2 cups all-purpose flour 

1 teaspoon baking soda 

1 teaspoon baking powder 

1⁄2 teaspoon table salt 

4 tablespoons (1⁄2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

1⁄4 cup packed brown sugar 

3 large eggs, separated 

2 cups buttermilk 

1 1⁄2 tablespoons natural unsweetened cocoa powder 

1 tablespoon red liquid food coloring

Method

Preheat the oven to 200° F and preheat a waffle iron. Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl to combine.

Combine the melted butter and brown sugar in a separate large bowl. Whisk in the egg yolks and buttermilk. Mix the cocoa powder and red food coloring in a small bowl to make a smooth paste, then whisk the paste into the butter mixture. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients just until moistened (the batter should be slightly lumpy).

Beat the egg whites in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Stir one-quarter of the egg whites into the batter to lighten it. Then fold in the remaining egg whites gently but thoroughly.

Spray a waffle iron with nonstick cooking spray or brush with melted butter. Cook the waffles according to the manufacturer’s instructions. As they’re done, put them on a baking sheet and slide them into the oven to keep them warm while you cook the remaining waffles.

For the Cream Cheese Drizzle

Ingredients

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

¾ cup confectioners’ sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

A pinch of table salt

3 to 4 tablespoons milk

Method

To make the cream cheese drizzle: Beat the cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and salt in a bowl. Beat in enough milk to make a pourable mixture.

Recipes: Crater Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 26 Mar 2015 05:42:00 +0000

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Ingredients:

Batter:

3/4 cup milk

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup sugar

2 cups Bisquick

Topping:

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup brown sugar

8 marshmallows, each cut in half

Method:

Grease and flour a 9-by-9-inch pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine first three wet ingredients in a medium mixing bowl, then add sugar and Bisquick, mixing until smooth and no lumps are visible. Pour batter into the prepared pan.

Combine nuts and brown sugar in a small mixing bowl, then sprinkle evenly over batter. Place marshmallow halves on top, evenly spaced in four rows of four.

Bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.

Note: Greasing a knife with butter makes it easier to cut the marshmallows in half. Betty Peters uses Crisco to grease the baking pan. The cake will also work in an 8-by-8-inch pan, too, but “watch your baking to make sure you don’t over-bake it,”.

fOOD rECIPEs:CHICKEN A LA KING

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 05 Mar 2015 09:12:00 +0000

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Fancy-shmancy just got easy-"pea"sy with our recipe for Chicken a la King in a Hurry! This comforting dinner recipe is said to have been created for a King, who loved it so much he put it on his hotel menu the very next day. Now your whole gang can enjoy having it on their menu!

Serves: 4
Cooking Time: 15 min
What You'll Need:
3 tablespoons butter
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 (10-3/4-ounce) can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups chunked cooked chicken (about 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts)
1 cup frozen green peas, thawed
1 (2-ounce) jar diced pimientos, drained

What To Do:

1. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter; saute mushrooms 4 to 5 minutes, or until tender. Add soup, milk, salt, pepper, and chicken; mix well and cook 3 to 4 minutes, or until hot.

2. Stir in peas and pimientos and continue cooking 5 to 7 minutes, or until warmed through.

Serve over warm cooked egg noodles or buttermilk biscuits

Recipes : Chicken Quesadilla with Spicy Mexican Salsa

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 05 Mar 2015 09:07:00 +0000

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Whenever we are craving to eat something spicy the first things that comes to our mind is Mexican food.
Loaded with lots of fiery flavours Mexican food is just great. But it is not only just about being spicy, you will be excited to hear that it's also about health too.
It's full of protein, fibres and healthy carbohydrates. So that means that you can enjoy Mexican cuisine as often as you want without feeling guilty. So now if you are bored of eating regular boring food and want to spice it up a little bit and if you have a pan, then we have a plan for you.

Ingredients:
(Makes 1 Quesadilla)
Tortilla: 2
Red onion: 2
Garlic cloves: 2
Red chili flakes: 2 tsp.
Chipotle chili or dried red chilli: 1
Dried oregano: 2tsp
Chicken mince: 250g
Mozzarella cheese: 4tbsp
Cheddar cheese: 4tbsp
Salt and pepper
Lime juice (optional): 1tsp
Oil: 1tbsp

For Salsa
Chipotle chilli or dried red chilli: 2
Tomatoes: 2
Garlic cloves: 4
Coriander bunch: 1
Lime juice of 1/2 lime
Salt and pepper
Oil: 1tbsp

Preparation
1.   First let's prepare the stuffing: Chop the onion, Heat oil in a pan and sauté onion till pink.

2.   Finely chop cloves of garlic and add to the pan. Sauté for two minutes.

3.   Now add red chili flakes, chipotle chili or dried red chili, and dried oregano.

4.   Now in a bowl, season the chicken mince with salt, pepper and paprika and add to the pan. Sauté till cooked completely.

5.   Now let's prepare the spicy Mexican Salsa: Chop the garlic, not fine but little big pieces. Also, chop the tomatoes and chipotle chili.

6.   In a pan, heat oil, add garlic, season it little bit, sauté till golden, add chipotle chili or dried red chili and tomatoes. Season it a little bit and sauté till tomatoes are slightly soft.

7.   Now In a blender add the bunch of coriander and the tomato mixture.

8.   Squeeze the lime juice, adjust the seasoning and give it a good blend.

9.   Now let's assemble our Quesadilla. Heat up a pan, preferably griddle pan, drizzle over little bit of oil, place the tortilla. Spread the cheddar cheese and mozzarella cheese properly on it.

10.   On top of cheese, spread the chicken mixture and then again on top of chicken mixture spread the cheese, and now top it with another tortilla.

11.   Now for the little difficult part, flip your quesadilla and let the other side get sautéed for just one or one and half minute.

12.   Now take it out on a chopping board and cut it in four quadrants. Serve hot with spicy salsa.

Mexican Recipes: Jalapeno and aged-cheddar corn bread

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 05 Mar 2015 09:03:00 +0000

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Medium cooking: 30 minutes - 1 hour
Serves: 4-6 persons

Cornbread - traditionally served with barbecued food like ribs and pulled pork - is best served warm. This goes really well with any barbecued meat you like, especially if it is slow-cooked and pulled apart.

Ingredients

3-4 fresh corn cobs (about 450g)

180ml canola oil

2 free-range eggs

230ml crème fraîche

5 spring onions, finely sliced

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp sea salt

220g yellow or white cornmeal (check gluten-free as some corn flours are derived from wheat)

2 pickled jalapeño chillis, finely chopped

100g good-quality aged cheddar, grated

2 tbsp lard

Method

Preheat oven to 200°C. Cut the corn kernels from the cobs and purée in a food processor. Place puréed corn in a bowl and mix with the oil, eggs, crème fraîche and spring onions. In another bowl, mix the baking powder, salt, cornmeal and chilli. Fold these two mixtures together with the grated cheese to create a batter. It will be a bit lumpy, but don't worry.

To bake the corn bread, use a 20cm-22cm ovenproof cast-iron pan for best results. Melt the lard in the pan in the oven and ensure it coats all the pan evenly. Pour the batter mixture into the hot pan and place back in the oven to bake for about 30 minutes - until the top is golden brown, the sides have pulled away from the pan and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Remove pan from oven and rest corn bread for 10 minutes in the pan before cutting and serving while still warm.

Serving suggestion: Serve with Neil Perry's smoky chicken wings.

American Recipes: Southern-style smoky chicken wings with goat's curd dressing

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 05 Mar 2015 08:34:00 +0000

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Difficult cooking : 1 -2 hours
Serves: 4 -6 persons

Slow down, cowboy - take time out to prepare a little southern comfort food. It's well worth the wrangle. You'll need to brine the wings for two hours before cooking on the barbecue. Brining the wings first will result in more tender, juicy meat and more crispy, caramelised skin. It is so worth the effort.

Ingredients

1 1/2 kg chicken wings

For the brine

2 litres water

1 tsp black peppercorns

4 small dried chillies

4 whole cloves

4 whole allspice

1 piece whole cinnamon (about 4cm)

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp coriander seeds

3 tbsp sea salt

2 whole garlic cloves, smashed

For the rub

¼ tsp black peppercorns

¼ tsp cumin seeds

¼ tsp coriander seeds

¼ tsp dried oregano

¼ tsp hot smoked paprika

2 tsp caster sugar

1 tbsp brown sugar

1 tbsp salt

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

For the cold-smoking

barbecue coals or 4 briquettes

90g hickory woodchips

For the goat's curd dressing

¼ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves

¼ cup coriander leaves

400g goat's curd

2/3 cup buttermilk

Method

Combine brine ingredients in a saucepan, bring to a boil, then simmer for 10-15 minutes to infuse flavours. When brine is completely cold, add chicken wings and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Toast the peppercorns, cumin and coriander in a dry pan for around 4 minutes until fragrant. Grind and mix with remaining ingredients to create a rub. Remove the chicken wings from the brine and pat dry with a paper towel. Evenly coat the wings with the rub.

Cold-smoke the wings. Heat coal or briquettes in a small aluminium tray beneath the grill rack of your coal barbecue. Wait until briquettes are burnt down a little (about 15-20 minutes), then place a third of the woodchips on top. Once chips are smoking, lay out wings on grill rack, close the barbecue lid and smoke for 20 minutes. Keep an eye on the woodchips: if they catch fire, blow out to continue smoking. Lift up the rack to replenish with another third of the woodchips, smoke for another 20 minutes, then repeat again; the wings should be smoked for 60 minutes in total.

Remove the wings and clean the grill bars. Let the barbecue burn down to hot, glowing coals - don't cook over flames as it gives the food an acrid taste. Grill the wings until they are crispy and slightly charred, about 3-4 minutes on each side.

Add herbs to goat's curd and mix in buttermilk to create a dipping consistency. Serve with the wings.

Suggestion: Serve with Neil Perry's cheddar corn bread.

SPANISH RECIPES:Bullhorn chillies stuffed with preserved lemon freekah

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 05 Mar 2015 08:29:00 +0000

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Easy cooking : 30 minutes - 1 hour
Serves : 4 - 6 persons

A stuffed vegetable is a super way to get more nutrients and wow factor in a dish and there are so many things to stuff with different grains that taste great. You can use meat as a stuffing, or freekah as I have with these peppers. Burghal wheat (aka bulghur) and quinoa work too, and paella makes an excellent stuffing. if you can't find bullhorn chillies, use red capsicum instead.

Ingredients

1 brown onion, roughly diced

3 sticks celery, diced

3 garlic cloves, chopped

2 bay leaves

1 tbsp butter

200g freekah (or quinoa for gluten-free option)

400ml water

2 tomatoes, diced

1/2 bunch coriander including stalks, chopped

1/2 tbsp preserved lemon, finely diced

*1/2 a ball of shanklish

6 green bullhorn chillies (or red capsicums)

extra virgin olive oil

* A soft aged cheese ball often rolled in herbs; you can find it in Middle Eastern grocery stores.

Method

Sweat the onions, celery, garlic and bay leaves in the butter in a medium-size saucepan.

Add the freekah and water and bring to a simmer then cover with a lid and reduce heat to low. Cook until liquid has evaporated, about 15 minutes, then remove from the heat and cool slightly.

While the freekah is cooking, preheat oven to 180C.

Put the cooked freekah into a bowl, mix with the tomatoes, coriander, preserved lemon and crumbled shanklish, reserving some of the cheese for the topping.

Lay the chillies on a cutting board and slice them lengthways on one side. Open the cut gently so you don't crack the pepper, remove the seeds then spoon in the stuffing.

Crumble the remaining shanklish over the top, drizzle with olive oil then bake for 20 minutes.

Recipes: Healthier Jambalaya

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 18 Feb 2015 06:03:00 +0000

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Our healthy jambalaya made with whole grain farro and succulent shrimp. Who could resist this spicy supper?!

Especially during the cold months, I love cooking jambalaya, a classic Louisiana Creole dish made with rice and spices. I enjoy it so much mainly because it’s an easy one-pot meal that tastes special and unique, with lots of rich and bold flavors.

In other words, it’s a hot, delicious, and complete meal to enjoy without a lot of dishes to wash later – that’s a win-win recipe in my mind!

The version of jambalaya that I’ve been cooking these days is sort of an update or “healthy makeover” to the classic dish, which is often filled with several meats such as Andouille sausage. To make my jambalaya lower in calories and fat, I use shrimp and white beans instead. These two ingredients are perfect, scrumptious complements to the rich spices and tomato-based sauce in this dish.

Also, instead of rice, I use farro. Farro is a grain that is very similar to rice, but it cooks faster and contains more healthy fiber and filling protein. I also prefer the taste of farro as compared to other grains such as rice – it has a chewy, nutty flavor that holds up really well in a one-pot meal like this one.

To make this dish rich in flavor, I begin by sautéing the classic Creole trinity of onion, celery, and green bell pepper.

Then I add the farro along with some chopped tomatoes, vegetable broth, and a special blend of spices (the spices are the key to unique and bold Creole flavor of this dish). The spice blend includes garlic powder, bay leaves, chili powder, and smoked paprika. Regular paprika also works well in this recipe, but I recommend smoked paprika if you can get your hands on it - it adds such a rich, savory flavor to the final dish.

When the veggies and farro have simmered away and are tender, add some cannellini beans and plenty of wild-caught shrimp (I use frozen uncooked shrimp that has been peeled and deveined to save lots of time and work – just toss the shrimp into the pot and it cooks in about 5 minutes!).

And the dish is ready to serve!

This jambalaya is savory, smoky, and richly flavored, with a hint of spiciness. And the fresh veggies and spices simmered in tomato broth are so delicious with the white beans and shrimp (and so packed with nutrition too)!

It’s a complete, richly flavorful, healthy meal, all in one pot!

Healthy Jambalaya Recipe

Healthy Jambalaya will intoxicate your senses with the wonderful spices. Not to mention the healthy farro and succulent shrimp.

Ingredients

· 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons

· 1 small onion, chopped

· 5 stalks celery, chopped

· 1 cup green bell pepper, large, chopped

· 1 cup farro

· 2 bay leaves

· 1 1/2 tablespoons garlic powder

· 1 tablespoon smoked paprika

· 2 teaspoons chili powder

· 13 ounces strained tomatoes, or tomato puree

· 3 cups organic vegetable broth

· 1 15 oz can cannellini beans, thoroughly drained and rinsed

· 30 wild caught frozen uncooked shrimps, peeled and deveined

· salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large, deep sauté pan over medium heat.
Add the onion and cook until softened, about 2 minutes.
Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, celery, bell pepper, farro, bay leaves, garlic powder, paprika, chili powder, and strained tomatoes. Stir until well combined, and season with salt and pepper.
Add the vegetable broth, stir until combined, and bring to a boil.
When broth begins to boil, reduce to a light simmer, cover, and cook, stirring frequently.
When most of the broth is reduced down and vegetables and farro are nearly tender, after about 15-17 minutes, add the white beans and shrimp.
Stir until well combined, and season with salt and pepper. When the shrimp are cooked through, after about 5 minutes, serve.

Recipe offers mix 'n' match : Do you love MACARONI and CHEESE?

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 18 Feb 2015 06:00:00 +0000

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OK, so let's try this one: How could you love macaroni and cheese even more?

Now we're talking. Because there are all sorts of simple ways to doctor an already awesome pan of basic mac and cheese to take our love of this dish to a whole new level. But let's start with the basics — our classic take on macaroni and cheese. Everyone is pressed for time, so we kept it simple with a stovetop version that will have you ready to eat in about 20 minutes.

But we didn't sacrifice flavor to get that speed. Four cups of cheese — a blend of cheddar and Gruyere — keep this dish rich and gooey. Want to push it even further? Add some grated Parmesan cheese and maybe even aged gouda. Now you've got yourself a four-cheese mac and cheese.

You could enjoy it as is, but we'll also walk you through three ways to up the ante. Want to keep it simple? How about a crunchy-salty topping of crushed potato chips? Or maybe you're looking for a little spice in your life. Our Midwestern take combines jalapenos and smoked paprika for kick. And no one would think less of you for combining both those ideas — perhaps a Midwestern mac and cheese topped with barbecue chips.

Or if you're trying to be virtuous, our green goddess version adds asparagus and a whole mess of fresh herbs. You can pretend all that greenery cancels out all the cheese.

CLASSIC MACARONI AND CHEESE

Start to finish: 30 minutes

Servings: 8

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

¼ cup all-purpose flour

3 cups milk

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

2 cups shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese

2 cups shredded Gruyere or comte cheese

Kosher salt and ground black pepper

1 pound small pasta, such as shells or elbows, cooked according to package directions

1. In a large saute pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes. Whisking continuously, pour in the milk. Cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens and comes to a simmer, about 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the mustard and both cheeses, ½ cup at a time, stirring to melt. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the pasta. Serve immediately or follow one of the variations below.

Nutrition information per serving: 550 calories; 240 calories from fat (44 percent of total calories); 26 g fat (16 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 80 mg cholesterol; 51 g carbohydrate; 2 g fiber; 6 g sugar; 26 g protein; 580 mg sodium.

Variations

POTATO CHIP BAKED

Spoon the macaroni and cheese into individual gratin dishes or a large casserole dish. Crush a bag of potato chips, then sprinkle them over the mac and cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, or until golden and bubbly. For added punch, use flavored potato chips, such as salt and vinegar, ranch or barbecue.

MIDWESTERN

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, saute 1 diced yellow onion, 1 diced red bell pepper and 1 cup chopped ham in 1 tablespoon vegetable oil until the onion is translucent. Add 2 teaspoons smoked paprika and 2 tablespoons chopped jarred jalapenos. Stir into the macaroni and cheese, then serve.

GREEN GODDESS

Cut 1 bunch of asparagus into 1-inch pieces. Cook in a skillet over medium-high in 1 tablespoon butter until just tender. Add to the macaroni and cheese along with ¼ cup each chopped fresh chives, tarragon and basil, the zest of 1 lemon, and an additional tablespoon of Dijon mustard. Mix well, then serve.

Recipe: Indian-style chicken curry

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 12 Jan 2015 08:30:00 +0000

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Ingredients

200g (¾ cup) plain yoghurt
2 tbsp chilli flakes
1 tsp ground cloves
3 tbsp ground cumin
2 tbsp ground coriander
1 tsp sea salt
1.8kg whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces
10cm piece ginger
9 garlic cloves
1 large brown onion, roughly chopped
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp ground turmeric
1kg desiree potatoes, peeled and cut into 1cm pieces
600g roma tomatoes, chopped
200ml white chicken stock
80ml (1/3 cup) vegetable oil, extra
16 curry leaves
Steamed basmati rice and naan bread, to serve

Method

1. Combine the yoghurt, chilli, cloves, cumin, coriander and salt in a large glass or ceramic bowl. Add the chicken pieces and turn to coat in the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 1½ hours.

2. Coarsely chop the ginger and garlic, then put in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Remove from the food processor and set aside. Finely chop the onion in the food processor and set aside. Heat the oil in a large heavy-based saucepan over medium heat. Add the ginger and garlic and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until golden. Add the chopped onion and turmeric and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes or until the onion is soft. Add the potatoes to the pan, reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring regularly and scraping any caramelisation from the base of the pan, for 5 minutes.

3. Purée the tomatoes in the food processor and add to the pan with the marinated chicken pieces and any remaining marinade left in the bowl. Add the stock, increase the heat to high and bring to the boil.

4. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer, stirring regularly, for 45 minutes, until the chicken is tender and cooked through. Season with salt, to taste.

5. Heat the extra oil and curry leaves in a small saucepan over medium heat. When the leaves begin to sizzle and crisp, remove them using a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

6. Serve the curry scattered with the fried curry leaves and accompanied by steamed rice and naan bread.

Recipes:Salmon frittata

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 22 Dec 2014 02:37:00 +0000

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Ingredients

2 red onions, cut into 5 mm (¼ inch) slices
2 tablespoons olive oil
150 g (5½ oz) baby English spinach leaves
8 eggs
2 spring onions (scallions), finely chopped
200 g (7 oz) sliced smoked salmon
100 g (3½ oz) ricotta cheese

Method

1. Preheat the grill (broiler) to high. Spread the onion on a lightly greased tray, lightly brush the onion with a little oil and cook for 2–3 minutes, until browned. Flip the onion over, brush with a little more oil and grill for 2–3 minutes. Remove from the tray and set aside. Turn the grill down to medium.

2. Blanch the spinach in a pan of boiling water for 30 seconds. Drain, refresh in cold water, then squeeze out any liquid. Chop the leaves.

3. Beat the eggs in a bowl, season, then stir in the spinach and onion. Heat the remaining oil in a 20 cm (8 inch) non-stick frying pan, add the spring onion and sauté over medium heat for 1 minute, until soft. Stir the spring onion through the egg, then pour the mixture into the pan. Arrange the salmon and ricotta over the frittata.

4. Cook the frittata on the stovetop over medium heat for 10 minutes, moving the pan around over the heat. When the frittata is half cooked, put the pan under the grill and cook for a further 5–10 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the frittata is cooked through. If it starts to brown too quickly, cover it with a piece of foil.

5. Turn out onto a plate and cut into wedges. This is good with sour cream on the side.

Recipes : Spaghetti nicoise

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 18 Dec 2014 07:19:00 +0000

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Ingredients

350 g spaghetti
8 quail eggs (or 4 hen eggs)
1 lemon
550 g tinned tuna in oil
60 g pitted and halved kalamata olives
100 g semi-dried tomatoes, halved lengthways
4 anchovy fillets, chopped into small pieces
3 tbsp baby capers, drained and rinsed
3 tbsp chopped flat-leaf (Italian) parsley

Method

1. Cook the pasta in a large saucepan of rapidly boiling salted water until al dente. Drain well and return to the pan to keep warm. Meanwhile, place the eggs in a saucepan of cold water, bring to the boil and cook for 4 minutes (10 minutes for hen eggs). Drain, cool under cold water, then peel. Cut the eggs in half (or the hen eggs into quarters). Finely grate the zest of the lemon to give 1 teaspoon of grated zest. Then, squeeze the lemon to give 2 tablespoons juice.

2. Empty the tuna and its oil into a large bowl. Add the olives, tomato halves, anchovy, lemon zest and juice, capers and 2 tablespoons of the parsley. Toss the pasta gently through the tuna mixture. Garnish with the egg and the remaining parsley to serve.

Recipes:Linguine with flaked salmon and asparagus

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 12 Dec 2014 06:11:00 +0000

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Serves 4

Ingredients

2 × 200 g (7 oz) salmon fillets
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon olive oil
350 g (12 oz/2 bunches) asparagus, trimmed
300 g (10½ oz) linguine
2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
6 bulb spring onions (scallions), finely chopped, including half of the green stem
150 g (5½ oz/1 bunch) rocket (arugula), stems removed, leaves chopped in half

Herb salsa

2 garlic cloves, peeled
2 anchovy fillets
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon finely chopped basil
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
1 tablespoon baby capers, rinsed and squeezed dry

Method

1. Put the salmon fillets in a large bowl. Add the lemon zest, oil and salt and pepper and massage well into the fillets. Arrange two large squares of baking paper on a clean surface and wrap up each fish fillet to make a secure parcel. Make sure you fold in the sides as you go so that no juice will escape during the steaming process. Place the wrapped fillets in a steamer and cover with a lid. Sit the steamer over a saucepan or wok of boiling water and steam for 10 minutes, or until the fish is just cooked all the way through. Remove the fish from the baking paper and pour off any juices, then set aside to cool.

2. Meanwhile, cut the asparagus spears into 4 cm (1½ inch) lengths on the diagonal. Place the asparagus in the steamer and steam for about 3 minutes.

3. To make the herb salsa, crush the garlic and anchovies with a mortar and pestle. Combine the paste in a bowl with the oil and lemon juice. Stir in the basil, parsley and capers and season with freshly ground black pepper.

4. Cook the linguine in salted boiling water for 8–10 minutes, or until al dente. Drain.

5. Combine the pine nuts, spring onion, asparagus and linguine in a large bowl, add the salsa and and toss through gently. Carefully flake in the salmon and add the rocket leaves. Lightly toss all of the ingredients together, season to taste, then serve the pasta with an extra grind of pepper.

Recipe:Indian style masala pasta

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 12 Dec 2014 05:36:00 +0000

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Recipe Cuisine: Indian/ Fusion | Recipe Category: Lunch/ Dinner
Prep Time: 10 mins | Cook time: 25 mins | Serves: 2

Ingredients:

Pasta (I used Farfalle)	1 cup
Onion	1
Tomato	1, large
Garlic, finely chopped	1 tblsp
Red chilli powder	1 tsp
chopped carrot, peas	1/4 cup
Chopped capsicum	1/4 cup
Turmeric powder	1/4 tsp
Garam masala powder	1/2 tsp
Black pepper powder	1/4 tsp
Kasoori methi	A pinch
Any Italian seasoning	1/2 tsp
Chopped coriander leaves	2 tblsp
Salt	As needed

To temper

Olive oil	3 tblsp
Jeera/ cumin seeds	2 tsp

Method:

Boil 4 cups water and add the pasta, required salt. Cook for 10- 12 mins or as per the package instructions.
Drain in a metal strainer, once the pasta is done. reserve 1/4 cup water drained for later use. Boil water and keep the tomato immersed for a minute. Water should be really hot. Or you can also boil for a minute with the tomato.
Take out the tomato, run through cold water, peel off the skin. This is called blanching. Grind coarsely.
Heat a kadai with oil and temper with jeera. Do not let it burn, so do it in medium flame. Add garlic and give it a stir for half a minute.
Add finely chopped onion and fry until transparent. Add the vegetables. Add required salt and fry for 2 minutes in medium flame. Add pureed tomato, red chilli, garam masala, turmeric powders, kasoori methi, italian seasoning.
Fry until the oil separates. May take a couple of minutes in medium flame. Add chopped capsicum lastly and fry for a minute.

SAlMon ReciPes:Smoked salmon and dill croquettes

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 09 Dec 2014 04:11:00 +0000

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Ingredients

90g butter
100g onion, finely chopped
Salt and pepper
185g flour
625ml milk
40g cornflour
150g hot-smoked salmon, skin removed, flesh flaked
1/4 cup chopped dill
1/2 cup chopped parsley
90g parmesan cheese, grated
2 tbsp capers, chopped
Vegetable oil for frying
1 cup breadcrumbs
2 eggs beaten with a little milk

Method

Melt butter in a heavy-based saucepan. Add onion and season with salt and pepper. Cook until soft, without allowing onion to colour, about 15 minutes. Add 85 grams flour and cook, stirring continuously, for 20 minutes.

Gradually add milk then cook for a further 10 minutes or until mixture boils. Sift in cornflour and mix well. Stir through salmon, dill, parsley, cheese and capers. Check seasoning, then allow to cool.

Preheat a fryer to 180C or heat oil in a saucepan. Roll into balls and coat in remaining flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs. Deep-fry croquettes until golden. Serve with lemon wedges.

Tip: The mixture can be made the day before, then rolled into balls, coated and fried when needed.