Veggie Stew

The Ingredients

1 can of garbanzo beans

5 Japanese (small) eggplants

6 small green peppers

3 large tomatoes (heirloom or beefsteak)

4 cloves of garlic

1 small onion

2 cups veggie broth

cumin

coriander

crowberry chili salt

1 tbsp avocado oil

I love my Dutch oven. So much that I try to use it as much as possible. It creates amazing sauces and broths!

Coat the Dutch oven with enough avocado oil to fully coat the bottom. Dice the small onion and add to the oil. Cook at medium heat for several minutes, until it caramelizes. Then, mince the garlic and add it to the mixture. This should also brown. 

Then, add the veggie broth. I had some frozen that I had made a few months ago that is a go-to for any type of stew or soup recipe. Let simmer on medium heat for a few minutes. In the meantime...

Chop eggplants, peppers and tomatoes. Add to the broth mixture. Add spices and salt to taste. Then, cook for 45 minutes at 350 degrees, until the liquid has reduced by about half. This is the magic of a Dutch oven- sauces and soups are so flavorful when prepared this way because they reduce in amount and not in flavor. Add chickpeas (drained) and enjoy! 

After some stewing 

The final product! 

Chocolate Licorice Meringue

The Ingredients

4 egg whites 

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1 tbsp licorice powder

I was super excited to use my kitchenaid stand-up mixer. I also love meringue and have only made it once in my life because I never had a proper mixer to get those stiff peaks in egg whites that meringues are famous for. There are few ingredients in meringues, but the whole process is a labor of love. 

First, egg the egg whites into the bowl of a mixer and beat on medium-high for several minutes. Stiff peaks should form. Then, mix in the sugar, a little bit at a time. Same goes for the cocoa and licorice powders. It should take a few minutes for the mixture to be fully blended.

It should look like this:

Scoop out the mixture with a spoon and put on a baking sheet. Cook the meringues at 200 degrees for two hours. 

Boom! Crunchy, yet chewy, with a lot of flavor. The chocolate-licorice combination is delicious! 

pre-baking

Ready to eat- and dusted with some licorice powder to make them look a little fancier. 

Hemp + Chia Cocoa Cookies

The Ingredients

1/2 cup baking cocoa

1/4 cup flax seed meal

1/2 cup rice/lentil flour (can be found at Patel Brothers)

3/4 cup sugar

1 tsp licorice powder

2 eggs

4 tbsp coconut oil

1 tsp baking powder

1 pinch of salt

2 tbsp chia seeds

2 tbsp hemp seeds

2 tbsp flax seeds

I had just purchased some licorice powder in Iceland that I wanted to experiment with. I also had several types of seeds in the fridge that I knew would be expiring soon, so they had to be used!

Mix all ingredients but the eggs into a bowl. Add eggs last and make sure they are mixed well into the concoction. The consistency should be like a thick cookie dough. I flattened mine into thinner patties to help with cook time. Because of the coconut oil and because I love my silicone baking sheets, there is no need to grease the baking pan- the cookies will cook without sticking to it. Cook them at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. 

The licorice powder helps to enhance the chocolate flavor and evens out the sweetness with the slight bitterness. Enjoy these cookies- they are pretty healthy but don't taste like it!

before cooking

Ready to eat! Serious nom noms.

Basil Cilantro Chutney

The Ingredients

10 basil leaves

bunch of cilantro

2 cloves of garlic

2 jalapeños

1 cup water

2 tsp crowberry chili salt

1/2 cup sugar

juice of 1/2 lemon

2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 tbsp crushed coriander

pinch of sumac

I was inspired by some crowberry chili salt that I got in Iceland while on my honeymoon. Thanks to my wonderful mother in law, I also had some fresh peppers and basil that I refused to let go to waste. So, I created this recipe as a little dressing/chutney!

First, I used a mortar and pestle to grind the coriander and crowberry chili salt together. Since the salt was flaky, I knew it would release some great favor along with the spice. Set aside. 

Mince the garlic and jalapeño. I used a mezzaluna to break down the cilantro and basil- my new favorite kitchen tool. It makes me feel fancy! 

Add the salt, coriander, garlic, jalapeños, basil, and cilantro into a bowl. Then, mix in the sugar, water, lemon juice, and vinegar. Top off with the sumac. Let the mixture mix together for a few hours. I used this is a dressing (with added olive oil) on a cucumber and tomato salad and also used this again for a kohlrabi slaw. So tasty! Tangy, sweet, and a little spicy! 

Purple crowberry chili salt

Chutney is ready to marinate

cucumber and tomato salad with basil cilantro chutney

kohlrabi slaw- my fav! 

Chicken and Pork Pho

The Ingredients

1 box chicken stock

2 tbsp miso

2 tbsp soy sauce

2 cups water

1 lemon grass stick

3 bay leaves

2 chicken breasts

3 small pork loins

dried chili peppers

Cut the chicken breasts and pork loins into small strips, removing some of the fat. Set this aside. In a pot, mix all other ingredients and bring to a boil. Simmer on medium-high heat and then add the meats. Cook slowly for 30 minutes. Remove the bay leaves and lemon grass stick and serve. 

On the side, I added fresh cilantro, lime wedges, bean sprouts, and hot sauce. Yum! 

The simmering broth

Side fixins

PHO-nal product! 

Heart of Palm Topped Portobello Mushrooms

The Ingredients

1/4 cup raw cashews

1/2 cup basil

4 hearts of palm

2 cloves of garlic

1 tbsp olive oil

salt 

pepper

5 portobello mushrooms 

Combine all ingredients and mix in a food processor so there are chunks and it isn't perfectly smooth- you want some texture! Set aside the mixture- it will be used in a bit.

Please the five portobello mushrooms in a baking pan and cook for seven minutes at 350 degrees. Remove them from the oven and top with the heart of palm mixture. Then, cook for 12 minutes. Enjoy! 

Mixing it up

The mixture

The final product! 

Zucchini Flower Fritters

The Ingredients

Zucchini flowers

1 packet of active dry yeast

1/2 cup chick pea flour

1/2 cup water

salt

pepper

avocado oil

My mother-in-law had some serious zucchini flowers in bloom, so I made sure to take them for a tasty dish. They apparently open up really nicely in the morning, so I picked them off the zucchini (which did not need to be picked and can be eaten later). The recipe found here is what I know from my nonna and mother- the way they are made in Italy. (The right way :P). 

In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup warm water with the active dry yeast. Let it activate for 30 minutes and set aside. In another bowl, mix the flour with salt and pepper and coat the zucchini flowers with the mixture. Add the yeast mixture to the zucchini flowers. This will be sticky. 

Coat a skillet with some avocado oil- which does excellent in higher heat. Keep the skillet on med-high heat and drop in the zucchini flower fritters. Cook for a few minutes on each side until golden-brown. They make an excellent side dish or appetizer. Wait- these are vegan AND gluten-free. Woohoo!!! Enjoy! 

Frying time

As a side dish to my chicken and swiss chard- recipe to come! 

Falafel

The Ingredients

1 can of garbanzo beans

1 green onion

2 generous sprigs of parsley

1/2 cup cilantro

2 cloves of garlic

1/2 cup chickpea flour

cumin

coriander

cayenne

cardamom 

salt

pepper

olive oil

I had a can of garbanzo beans I wanted to use up so I decided to make my own falafel. Chop the parsley, cilantro, green onion, and garlic and add to the food processor along with the chickpeas. Add salt, pepper, and spices to taste. Then, add the chickpea flour so the mixture thickens up and becomes more cohesive. Form small balls- I don't like mine too large because it increases the cooking time. Mine are like golf balls in size which is perfect to add to a salad or small pita. Once the falafel balls are prepped, you can cook them in a skillet on medium heat with some olive oil, making sure to turn them over when needed. This tasty treat is both vegan and gluten-free. I like serving mine with a yogurt sauce, though. 

Pre-cooking

Golden brown and ready to eat! 

Strawberry Basil Chia Pudding

The Ingredients

1/2 cup chia seeds

2 cups almond milk

zest of 1/2 lemon

1/2 cup strawberries

1/2 cup basil

honey to taste

Combine the chia seeds and almond milk into a bowl. Add the lemon zest and let soak for a minimum of four hours. It will have the same consistency of a tapioca or rice pudding- nice and thick! When it is ready to eat, mix in honey to taste. Add strawberries and basil (which I like to chiffonade into small strips) and enjoy. A super healthy treat with lots of flavor. 

Veggie Frittata

The Ingredients

4 eggs

1/2 cup Greek yogurt

1 green onion

1 tomato on the vine

10 broccoli florets

2 cups kale

5 small sweet bell peppers

2 cloves of garlic

1/2 cup fontina cheese

salt

pepper

olive oil

I got a new Le Creuset skillet that I was dying to use. Lucky for me, I had four eggs I needed to cook and a ton of produce. The first idea that came in mind was an omelette, but then I realized I could amp it up. 

First, I chopped up the garlic cloves and cut the green onion using kitchen shears. I coated the bottom of my skillet with some olive oil and then threw in the garlic cloves. Then, I added the kale so it would cook down a bit. I knew I needed to bring down the veggie-to-egg ratio by breaking down the kale and cooking it first. I lightly sautéd the kale with garlic and olive oil for a few minutes and set it aside in a bowl. Turn off the skillet. 

Then, chop up the broccoli florets, green onion, and tomato. Season with salt and pepper to taste. This should all be mixed well in a bowl. 

Once the vegetables are seasoned and mixed together, add the 4 eggs and Greek yogurt into another bowl. Add the vegetables. Lightly coat the skillet with olive oil once it has cooled and add the egg and vegetable mixture. Top with sliced fontina cheese (or any other good-melting cheese) and cook at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. 

ENJOY!

Slow-cooked pork with Israeli couscous

The Ingredients: pork

6 pork loins

1/4 cup dried figs

1/4 cup dates

1/4 cup maple syrup 

1/2 cup miso 

1 cup water

Mix the miso, maple syrup and water in a slow cooker. This should be a nice, salty-sweet juice. Turn the heat on low. Trim up the pork loins of any fat and dice into small cubes. I used kitchen shears for this- very quick and easy! Add the pork to the mixture and let cook on low for 3 hours. 

The Ingredients: couscous

1 box of Israeli couscous

2 tbsp olive oil

6 mini bell peppers 

1 shallot

cumin

coriander

paprika

salt

Coat a pot with olive oil. Throw in the couscous and sautée. Chop the shallot and mini bell peppers (make sure to remove the seeds!) and sautée with the couscous until golden-brown. Add spices and salt and water. Bring to a boil. The couscous will absorb all the water like rice. When pork is cooked, serve over the couscous. Enjoy! 

Artichoke Chicken

The Ingredients

4 chicken cutlets

1 bag of frozen artichokes

2 cloves of garlic

1/2 cup cherry tomatoes

2 tbsp olive oil

lemon juice from one lemon

parsley

salt

I lucked out and was able to use some pre-made all-natural cutlets that my father prepared for his restaurant. However, you can alternate with dipping the cutlets in egg, then flour, then egg again, and breadcrumbs. Gluten-free and wheat flour are great alternatives to making the cutlets healthier. Fry with olive oil and set aside. Use paper towels to absorb the oil. 

In a pan, add olive oil and chop the garlic. Lightly brown and add the artichokes and cherry tomatoes to the pan. Sautée and add mixture to the chicken cutlets. Top with lemon juice, parsley, and salt to taste. Yum! 

The finished product! 

Italian-style Codfish

The Ingredients

2 codfish filets 

2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 cup of white wine

2 garlic cloves

1 cup of cherry tomatoes

several sprigs of parsley

kalamata olives

capers

Chop garlic into small pieces. In a pot, add olive oil and lightly sautée the garlic until a caramel color. Then, add the cherry tomatoes and cook until they soften. Add the white wine. Then, add the filets. Add just enough water to fully cover the fish. Let cook for around 15 minutes and cover. Then, add capers, olives, and parsley. Enjoy! 

Smoked Salmon Yogurt Dip

The Ingredients

2 cups Greek yogurt

3 sprigs of dill

several pieces of smoked salmon

juice from half a lemon

Blend all ingredients and enjoy! Super tasty with some crunchy crackers.