503-705-4762

Category: Recipes

Fresh Blackberry Sauce

I hope you had a great Labor Day weekend! I was in central Oregon this weekend and huckleberries are in season. They taste sort of like a small not so sweet blueberry. Here is an easy, four ingredient fresh berry sauce recipe for you. The recipe calls for blackberries but you could sub blueberries, huckleberries, or raspberries. Use this on grilled chicken or pork, or as a topping on vanilla ice cream or yogurt.

Ingredients
• 3 cups blackberries
• 2 tablespoons brandy
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• 3 tablespoons raw honey

Directions:
1. Set aside 1 cup of berries. Puree the remaining berries in a food processor with the brandy, orange juice and honey. Transfer the mixture to a sieve set over a medium bowl. Press the puree through the sieve and discard the seeds.
2. Just before serving, stir in the reserved whole berries.

French Grated Carrot Salad

I was at the farmer’s market this week and picked up some carrots. Here’s what I decided to do with them.

This is a take on a classic French salad and is traditionally made with a salad oil rather than stronger-tasting olive oil. I suggest subbing extra-virgin olive oil because it is so good for you. I have also subbed apple cider for sherry vinegar again for the health benefits. My great grandmother, who we called Grannie Bird used to take a shot of apple cider vinegar every morning because she believed it helped ease her arthritis pain. I also added a squeeze of honey but if your carrots are very sweet you may not need it. Try this and let me know what you think.

French Grated Carrot Salad

  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon of honey
  • 1 pound carrots, peeled and grated
  • 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

To make the dressing whisk together the lemon juice, vinegar, salt and pepper, mustard, oil and honey

Toss dressing with the carrots and parsley in a large bowl.

Taste and adjust salt.

Let salad rest in the refrigerator for at least an hour, toss again and serve.

Spring Asparagus Pesto

I’m on roll with the asparagus recipes, what can I say – it is one of my favorite vegetables and is in season now.

Pesto literally means paste. It is traditionally prepared by crushing pine nuts and garlic in a mortar and pestle, then adding basil, salt and olive oil. I prefer walnuts (and the use of a handy dandy food processor). While this recipe uses asparagus you can also experiment with basil, cilantro, arugula or throw in a sprinkle of hot pepper flakes if you are in the mood for spicy. Try this over pasta, baked potatoes or steamed veggies for a quick and easy meal.

Asparagus Pesto

  • 1lb of fresh asparagus
  • Ice bath (large bowl in the sink filled with a few ice cubes and water)
  • 1/2 cup of walnuts
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 1/2 cup of freshly grated Romano or Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste

1. Rinse the asparagus and snap off the woody ends.

2. Steam asparagus stalks for 5 minutes, or until the asparagus is bright green and fork tender. Remove from heat and plunge into ice bath. Chill for a few minutes, then strain.

3. Place the walnuts in the bowl of a food processor and pulse. Add the garlic, cheese and asparagus and pulse again. Slowly add the olive oil and pulse until blended. Add salt a pepper to taste and pule a few more times. Go easy on the salt as the cheese will be salty to begin with.

Store in the fridge for up to a week.

 

Fluid Book Review “A Year In The Village of Eternity” Asparagus Frittata recipe

I am reading “A Year In the Village of Eternity” by Tracey Lawson. She describes her time spent in Campodimele Italy where the residents have gained fame via their unusually long lives. Most residents enjoy a quality of life not seen in other cultures including low incidents of common diseases like high blood pressure and high cholesterol, leading healthy vibrant lives into old age. Can you imagine your 80 year old grannie riding her vespa up and down cobblestone streets to tend to her olive trees, feed her chickens and gather fresh eggs for breakfast?

What I love about this book is each chapter includes several recipes from the locals, including this asparagus frittata recipe. You will have to read the chapter “Looking for Mamma” if you want to learn more about the hunt for the elusive green stalks – evidently very similar to truffle hunting. To prepare the asparagus the author suggests you hold the root end of the spear, snap off the tip and continue snapping down until you come to the root end which you discard. I don’t know why I never thought of doing this but it makes much more sense than snapping off the ends then chopping them into pieces.

Wild Asparagus Frittata:

  • 20 wild (or young fresh green) asparagus spears
  • olive oil
  • 10 fresh organic eggs
  • sea salk
  • flat leaf parsley

Wash the asparagus, drain them and snap into pieces as described above. Heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a non stick pan over medium/ high heat. Cook the asparagus for two minutes. Meanwhile crack the eggs into a bowl and add a pinch of salt and a handful of parsley and beat vigorously. Pour the eggs into the pan and cook for about four minutes. When the underside of the frittata is golden and crispy remove the pan from the heat, place a plate over the top and quickly flip the pan so the eggs are now cooked side up. Slide the frittata back into the pan and return it to the heat. Cook for another minute, then slide it onto a plate. Slice it into squares and serve either warm or at room temperature. Serves four to six.

Recipe adapted from “A Year In the Village Of Eternity”

 

Curried “Mashed” Cauliflower

Cauliflower is a member of the cruciferous family along with broccoli and cabbage and it contains several anti cancer phyto-chemicals. These compounds have proven benefits against prostate, breast, cervical, colon, ovarian cancers. It is loaded with B vitamins and an excellent source of vitamin C; a proven antioxidant that helps fight against harmful free radicals, boosts immunity and helps prevent infections and cancers.

Turmeric (the spice that makes curry powder yellow) has anti anti inflammatory properties and may improve your memory. It too has cancer fighting properties.

Try this easy cauliflower recipe and let me know what you think. I paired mine with roasted chicken and a baked sweet potato. yummy.

Ingredients:

  • 1 – 2 Tbsp. coconut oil
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 1/2 tsp. ginger root, grated
  • 1 Tbsp. curry powder or to taste
  • 1/4 tsp. cayenne
  • 2 heads of cauliflower, rinsed and chopped
  • ¼ cup water
  • Sea salt to taste

Instructions:

Sauté onion, garlic, ginger root, curry powder, and cayenne in oil. Add cauliflower and water. Simmer until tender. Add sea salt and adjust seasonings if needed. Enjoy!

When I made this I cooked my cauliflower until it was the consistency of mashed potatoes (hence the “mashed” in the title – get it?) about 30 minutes from start to finish.