Basic Bircher Muesli

I had this delicious breakfast for the first time just last month.  My husband and I were on a Caribbean Cruise and I came across it on the breakfast buffet.  Breakfast is a hard place to find real food, and when you are eating out every meal 7 days in a row, you kinda want to find stuff that your body is used to so that you feel good.  The problem is there is so much sugar and refined foods, all the waffles, pancakes, bagels, pastries and muffins are made with white flour.  Scrambled eggs are usually made with powdered mixes and the diary is all skimmed, ultra pasteurized junk.

I mostly stuck to fruit and water, which is really a great light breakfast to eat when you are overeating for lunch and dinner.  Except on the days that we spent off the ship, we wanted a nice hearty breakfast that would last us into the afternoon so that we didn't have to stop to eat.  Luckily they did have smoked salmon and eggs over-easy, there is no tricking with egg powders there.  This was standard hearty breakfast, but I decided to try the muesli to round out the meal, even though I knew the dairy in it was terrible stuff.  What can I say?  I'm bad to the bone. It was so filling and took me through the day!  We would get back on the boat as late as 4pm without eating since breakfast without a problem.

I did come back with some wickedly congested lymph nodes thanks to that crappy dairy I suppose, but now I can make my own healthy version at home :)  I am so glad I picked this one up because it is so quick and easy to make.  It can also be changed up to incorporate different flavors.  I have listed my base recipe, but have come across some fun variations online by adding different dried and fresh fruits, nuts, spices, nuts. I saw many with grated apple, which I will definitely be trying.  The one in the picture I made super cinnamon-y.

I have found that I like to add fresh fruit and nuts just before serving, they are not as pleasant when they are soaked with the oats.  I add in some rye flakes when soaking because I heard somewhere that this helps the oats to be more digestible and now it is habit, totally your preference.  I also have been soaking this in the fridge verses the counter because I want it to be cold in the morning and I don't think ahead enough to get it started in the morning.  I have made up big enough batches to serve it a second day and it was just as good.

1 cup whole milk yogurt
1/3 cup rye flakes
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup raisins
2-3 tablespoons maple syrup
1 1/2 cups milk
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup chopped almonds
1 cup fresh fruit

The day before, place yogurt, grains, raisins, maple syrup, milk, cinnamon and vanilla in glass bowl or jar.  Mix well, cover and refrigerate.  In the morning, sprinkle with salt, mix and serve up portions in bowls.  Top each bowl with nuts, fruit and additional milk or yogurt if desired.
links; Works for Me Wednesday, Real Food Wednesday, Things I Love Thursday, Ultimate Recipe Swap, Simple Lives Thursday, Pennywise Platter

Smoked Salmon Avocado Salad with Garlic-Lime Dressing

I have learned to love smoked salmon the last couple years, especially with eggs.  It is expensive, so it is a good thing that la little goes a long way.

This salad is my new favorite; I ordered a similar one at a small lunch spot called “J’Box” in California.  It is a great combination of salty fish, sweet tomatoes and sour, creamy dressing.  I threw in a good bid of purslane because it is so abundant in my garden right now, but could easily be replaced with baby spinach, or omitted

For all leafy salads make sure to dry the lettuce thoroughly and toss the dressing with the greens only, then add the rest.  This makes it easier to get even servings instead of ending up with all the heavy stuff at the bottom of the bowl.  And always dress a salad when possible.  Dressing drizzled on after it is on the plate is so uneven and diminishes the quality of the salad.  If you are traveling with the salad keep the toppings in a separate container than the greens.  Dress no more than 30 minutes prior to serving.  Softer lettuces like green leaf should be no more than 10 minutes as they wilt faster.  If you are feeding a crowd and want to be able to save the left over salad, dress only a portion at a time and refresh with more salad, dressing and toppings as needed.

1 large head of romaine or 6 cups of mixed greens

1 cup purslane (optional)

¼ lb smoked salmon sliced or flaked

1 large avocado, diced

20 small grape tomatoes, halved

½ inch slice of red onion, sliced very thin.

Dressing

1/3 cup homemade mayonnaise

juice and zest from 1 lime

1 garlic clove, pressed

¼ teaspoon salt

Combine ingredients for dressing and toss well with lettuce and purslane.  Top with salmon, avocado, tomatoes and onion, lightly toss and serve.

Links: Whole Foods for the Holiday's, Tuesday Twister, Meatless Monday, Monday Mania, Wholesome Whole Foods and Homemaker Monday

Butternut Squash Gnocchi

Ever since my beloved Pasta Pomodoro shut down in Mesa, I have been searching for a recipe that replicates the unbelievable flavor of their butternut squash ravioli. It was kinda like a, fall-flavored sugar cookie if you can imagine that! Mmmm. One thing I learned when experimenting with homemade ravioli is that it ain’t easy. The dough, the filling, the assembly, then the boiling and finally the sauce. There was too much to go wrong. I usually ended up with a pot of boiling orange water and floating squares of pasta, a huge mess to clean up and only a few prized ravioli that held together.

So on to gnocchi; it is a dense dumpling type pasta, typically made with only potatoes and flour. I really found it quite enjoyable to make and although mine didn’t come out looking so hot, they tasted delectable. The whole grain sprouted flour takes away from the brilliant orange of the squash leaving you with more of a brownish gnocchi, but that was all made up for in taste.

I consider this pasta super healthy if paired with the right sauce. Many people think that means low fat, but fat is just what this pasta needs. An unhealthy sauce in my book is one that starts with a stick of margarine, fat free “cream”, or a can of Campbell’s Soup. I like a brown butter crispy sage sauce or a really thin white sauce made with real cream and a strong cheese. I wouldn’t recommend marinara for this flavor combination.

butternut squash (3 lbs)
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
5 cups sprouted flour

Cut the squash in half, scrape out the seeds and roast at 400 degrees for 50 minutes. Let cool and puree in blender or food processor. Spread evenly on two half-sheet pans and let cool to room temperature. Transfer to mixing bowl, season to taste with salt and pepper, add almond extract if desired and mix in the flour with dough hook for 3 minutes. The dough should be very tender and smooth and slightly sticky. Divide into 12 pieces, using extra flour roll each portion of dough into a ½-inch thick snake. Using a dough scraper, cut the snake into ½-inch pieces. Continue rolling and cutting with each piece, as you work, arrange the gnocchi in a single layer on a silpat-lined baking sheet. Let dry for up to 2 hours. Freeze flat and transfer to a container or bag once frozen, keeps in freezer for 3 months.

To cook gnocchi, boil a large pot of water, add gnocchi (frozen is fine). Continue to cook until they float to the surface. in 2 or 3 batches in a large pot of boiling, salted water, stirring occasionally, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until they float to the surface of the water. Toss in a simple sauce and top with parmesan cheese.

This post is part of Real Food Wednesdays, Whole Foods for the Holiday's

Spinach, Fig and Prosciutto Pizza

A pizza for the winter season. I have loved getting feed back on my pizza creations, as unusual as they are. This one was inspired by the local restaurant Le Grande Orange. It is so perfect for this time of year; the lemons are just starting to ripen and the spinach will soon be flourishing (that is if I can keep the rabbits off of it). I have never tried it with fresh figs, but would imagine that would be good too. Prosciutto is a dry cured ham, it is super flavorful, a little goes a long way. I have found the best place to get it is Trader Joe’s.

Pizza is just the thing to mix up those thanksgiving-dinner leftovers. Spread the dough with cranberry sauce or gravy, add turkey, maybe a little dressing or potatoes and top with cheese! Mmmm. It’s really good, trust me. So there you go, a two for one on this thanksgiving eve day.

Per Medium Pizza:
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup fresh spinach
4 dried figs, sliced
1 slice prosciutto, thinly sliced and cooked
1/2 fresh lemon

Preheat oven and pizza stone to highest setting (mine is 550) Roll out the dough and place on parchment paper. Sprinkle ¼ of the cheese evenly on dough. Lay spinach leaves as flat as possible on cheese. Layer figs on spinach, sprinkle with cooked prociutto and remaining cheese. Bake for 5-7 minutes, until crust is brown. While still hot, grate lemon zest on top of cheese and sprinkle lemon juice over entire pizza.

This post is part of  Whole Foods for the Holidays, Real Food Wednesdays.

Roasted Sweet Potato Salad

Sweet potatoes are super nutritious and extremely versatile. We love baked sweet potato fries and whipped sweet potatoes with cinnamon and butter, but have you tried them cold? Liberty Market in Gilbert has this awesome sweet potato salad that I have been working to recreate. I feel I am close enough to call it just as good even if it is not quite the same. It is slightly smoky, salty and sweet with a little kick.

The flavors take a few hours to marry, so this is best to make a day or two ahead. I love having a bowl of it ready to serve up for a quick snack or a side with lunch. I think these sweet potatoes would even be great as a thanksgiving side instead of the ewwy gooey marshmallow kind. This would free up oven space for that nice free range turkey and yummy homemade butter rolls!

Chipotle peppers are spicy (they are smoked jalapeños), you can adjust it to your taste. One pepper is just enough to notice, but not at all overpowering. I get the peppers in a can and puree the whole thing, then freeze it in tablespoon portions since I never use a whole can at once and never use them whole, it is a convenient way to use them. 1 tablespoon is equal to about 1 pepper.

3 pounds sweet potatoes

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, pureed

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

2 teaspoons salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

1/3 cup dried cranberries

½ cup pecans, chopped

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Preheat oven to 400 degrees (convection works best). Peel and cut potatoes into 1” pieces. Toss to coat with 2 tablespoon of olive oil and arrange in a single layer on two baking sheets. Roast for 35 minutes. Mix 2 tablespoons oil, pepper puree, vinegar, salt and pepper to make a dressing. Combine cranberries, pecans, chives and cooked sweet potatoes in a medium bowl, drizzle with dressing, cover and refrigerate until chilled.

How do you like your sweet potatoes?

links; Whole Foods for the Holiday's

Chicken Avocado BLT Pizza

As a teenager I worked at a pizza place called The Pizza Ranch (a chain in the Midwest). It was new in town and very popular. All of the pizzas had funny western names like “trailblazer,” “bronco,” and “round up”. One of the pizzas that were hardly ever ordered was the BLT. It was a bacon pizza that was topped with mayonnaise, lettuce and tomato after baking. Yes, mayonnaise. I thought that was the weirdest thing ever to put on a pizza.

Now that I am a creative pizza connoisseur and have a delightful mayonnaise in my fridge: why not? Since this is a sauce-less pizza, I like to up the flavor by adding roasted onions to the dough. Just slice two onions, toss in olive oil and bake at 350 for 30 minutes, stirring once. Once cooled, they can be added right to the mixer and kneaded in with the dough. Roasting onions takes all the bite out of them while making them tender and sweet. They melt away in the dough and leave nothing but great flavor to enjoy, so don’t be afraid to make this for onion haters.

1/2 batch roasted onion dough
parchment paper
1 1/2 cups cooked chicken, chopped
4 slices bacon, chopped and fat rendered and saved
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup mayonnaise
3 cups shredded lettuce
2 avocadoes, sliced
1 tomato, diced

Let dough rest while prepping the toppings. Preheat oven to 550 degrees. Divide dough in half, roll out each round and place on parchment paper. . Brush the dough with the rendered bacon fat, sprinkle with cheese. Arrange chicken and bacon evenly, top with 1 cup cheese per pizza and bake on hot pizza stone for 6 minutes. Let cool slightly, spread each pizza with 1/2 cup mayonnaise and slice. Then, top with lettuce, avocado and tomatoes and dig in because you deserve it.

Green Chili Enchilada Sauce

This one is dedicated to my SIL Jill who frequently asks "do you have any new recipes?" Because of this simple inquiry, I was able to resurrect this lovely recipe from my sent mail. Three cheers for Gmail! I worked hard on this recipe tweaking this and that and the end result was amazing. I made triple batches and canned this stuff so I hadn't made it in a while, recreating would have been a long time coming.

I got inspiration from Cafe Rio's medium enchilada sauce--heavenly. Ask for a sample next time. We had burritos last night, I had one again for lunch today. So yummy! I use the sauce to flavor my brown rice, pinto beans, shredded beef or chicken and then pour some over the top "enchilada style." Really, I can't get enough. Control the level of heat with cayenne pepper and thin it out with water if needed.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoon fresh ground cumin seed
2 teaspoon Mexican oregano
cayenne pepper to taste
1 large can (27 ounce) Hatch green chilies, chopped
2 tablespoon white bean flour (or other flour)
2 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons sucanat
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Saute onion in olive oil until soft. Add garlic, and spices, stir until fragrant. Dump in chilies with juices, sprinkle with flour and mix well. Let cook until paste forms and juices evaporate. Stir in stock and sucanat. Simmer for at least 15 minutes. Blend slightly with immersion blender. Take off of heat and stir in vinegar. Salt to taste.

Vegetable Korma

Indian curries--Yummm. A curry is a loose term for vegetables and/or meat in a spiced vegetable-based sauce. Traditionally served with basmati rice and a flat bread called "naan." My first experience with this dish was in California, since then I have found that state has a lot of GREAT Indian food. This korma was inspired by a little restaurant in Ventura, CA called The Taj Cafe. It is creamy and sweet and so different than anything American. It is even better left over, when the flavors have time to marry and mellow. If you like some heat, which typically comes with Indian fare, add a sprinkle or two of cayenne. I leave it out so the kids will like it.


This recipe does not freeze well. The sauce separates, the vegetables get rubbery and the potatoes fall apart and are gritty. The vegetables are your choice, just leave out what you don't like, you could even add chicken if you desire. There is an Indian restaurant on Gilbert and Baseline called Guru Palace, it is one of my favorites. I have enjoyed every curry I have tried there except, ironically, their vegetable korma.


Want an easy, tasty naan recipe? I just use day old pizza dough. The slight sourness give the same effect as the yogurt in traditional naan. Roll it really thin, cook it on a 500 degree skillet on the stove top, 45 seconds per side and brush it with garlic butter. For the rice, I just put 1/4 cup of the korma sauce and salt with the rice and water as it cooks.


1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves
2 teaspoon grated ginger
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped fresh green beans
1 cup chopped potatoes or cauliflower
1/2 cup green peas
1/4 cup raisins
1/3 cup cashews
1/2 cup heavy cream or coconut milk
1 teaspoon honey
salt to taste


Saute onion in oil and cook until tender. Mix in garlic and ginger and cook 1 minute. Stir in tomato sauce, cayenne pepper, turmeric, coriander, garam masala, 1 tsp. salt and cayenne if desired. Place mixture in blender, pour in water, blend until smooth. Pour sauce into a pressure cooker or stove top pot. Mix in carrots, potatoes, pepper and beans. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and simmer 30 minutes, until potatoes are tender. Or pressure on high for 4 minutes, natural release. Stir peas, raisins, nuts, cream and honey into the pot with the vegetables. Heat through. Season with salt to taste.

links; Whole Foods for the Holidays

Grains as a Side--The Formula

In most meals I am able to incorporate grains into the main dish. However, on occasion I need the grain to stand alone, like here with my simple preparation of salmon (Costco's vacuum packed Wild Alaskan Salmon). Inspired by True Foods Kitchen's Farro and Fig side dish, I came up with a formula to follow that allows for variety in matching a specific dish, your specific taste and the kitchen's specific supply.

Start off by sauteing a grain (I chose 2 that cook similarly, black quinoa being mostly for looks). I have divided the grains I cook with into 3 groups for easy reference. The long cooking grains generally cook like brown rice...pressure on high 15 minutes, 2.5 cups water to 1 cup grain OR simmer 45 minutes, 3 cups water to 1 cup grain. The short cooking grains generally cook like white rice...pressure on high 7 minutes 2 cups water to 1 cup grain OR simmer 20 minutes, 2.5 cups water to 1 cup grain. The other grains listed will be covered in a later post and are cooked by other methods then stated in these general categories. When combining grains you MUST choose 2 from the same cooking time category OR cook one through first and add it into the finished product.

Long cooking grains:
Barley
Brown rice
Farro
Kamut
Lentils
Oats
Spelt
Wheat

Short cooking grains:
Hulled buckwheat
Millet
Pearled barley
Quinoa
Sorghum
Steel cut oats

Alternate methods/non cooking grains:
Amaranth
Buckwheat
Flax seed
Popcorn
Teff

Second, choose a liquid. I am a fan of chicken stock, I always have plenty on hand, it is flavorful and healthy. You could choose water, potato water, juice, vegetable broth, beef stock or any combination.

Third, choose a dried fruit. This is optional of coarse, but the added sweetness is nice. You could choose dried fruit because it holds up well when cooking. You could choose cranberries, cherries, figs, dates, apricots, apples, pears, raisins...

Next the veggies or aromatics if you will. Just enough to give an extra level of flavor (this hardly counts as a serving of vegetables.) You could choose onions, celery, carrots, peppers, even olives, sun dried tomatoes or peas. While you are at it choose an herb. Fresh can be added at the end, while dried should be added with the vegetables.

Sometimes I feel like a nut, sometimes I don't (but I never feel like an Almond Joy or Mounds.) So there you have it all my mad scientists - THE FORMULA - have at it! Don't worry, I included a recipe to get you started.

1 tablespoons butter
1 cup millet
2 tablespoons black quinoa
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup water
5 dried pear halves
1 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 onion, diced
1/2 orange bell pepper, diced
2 tablespoon pine nuts
handful parsley

Sautee millet in butter 3 minutes. Pressure 5 minutes on high with quinoa, water, pears and stock. Quick release. Sautee onions and pepper, add to cooker. Pressure 2 minutes on high, Garnish with pine nuts and parsley.

Herbed White Chicken Pizza

I've met some health foodie gals in Gilbert and we recently met up at a local restaurant, Liberty Market. I have been by there before, but judging by the sign had no desire to stop and dine. Let me tell you, I am so glad I did. The place was charming, had delicious food, helpful waiters, interesting bathrooms, a friendly chef who grows produce out back and puts the leftovers out in a cold case for customers to enjoy (and that I did). I had the Farmer Sandwich, recommended by a Liberty Market regular (Shari). It was pretty much the perfect sandwich.

A big menu item is pizza, specifically the highly recommended "White Pizza." I have a problem ordering pizza at restaurants because I make such fabulous pizza at home. My mom, in all her wisdom, gave thought to my lovely husband at home with the kiddos (wish it had been my idea). So we tried a nibble and the combination was almost perfect...chicken, bacon, pine nuts with a little (too little) bit of arugula. Those greens tantalized me until every leaf was gone. Yes, I ate all that peppery goodness rationalizing to Mom that it won't save well (we had a 30 minute drive you know).

Back to the combination...if I had arugula on hand I would have piled it high. Sadly, I didn't in my last minute urge to create, but when I spotted the red peppers I knew could make this work. I started with a basic white sauce and kicked it up with herbs from the garden. If I didn't have fresh sage on hand I would have used dried thyme, dried sage is yucky.

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 clove garlic
2 tablespoons fresh sage, chopped
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
1/2 cup parmesean cheese, grated

Cook butter and flour for 2 minutes on medium heat. Add garlic and herbs, cook 30 seconds and add milk. Stir constantly and add salt, pepper, nutmeg and cheese until melted. Add more milk to thin if needed.

Once the flavorful sauce was under control I focused on the toppings. I had some procuttio ready to go from last week's pizza, so I used that in place of the bacon. I sliced red peppers and heated a pan really hot, sprinkled with a little sugar (sucanat for me) and salt. Sizzled those for about 2 minutes in a bit of oil. (This is a great way to soften and brown vegetables for a flavorful, less watery pizza topping. Then just chopped up some chicken, sprinkled on the pine nuts and mozzarella and baked to yummy perfection. And yes, I reuse my parchment paper until it falls apart.

Restaurant Review

Click on the button to read my review on the best restaurant in Mesa.

Thai Chicken Pizza

It is so fun to expand on the possibilities of pizza toppings. Thai pizza is a completely different flavor combination that the traditional, which means you can use your leftover dough from yesterday’s dinner right now!

The Sauce:
3 tablespoons peanut butter
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon thai chili sauce
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 garlic clove, pressed
2 teaspoons honey

Mix all ingredients thoroughly. Smear a thin coat on the dough and toss the chicken with the rest. My favorite toppings include; bean sprouts, grated carrots, green onions, thinly slices bell peppers, crushed peppers, cilantro and provolone cheese.

Fideo

I love doing this blog because it motivates me to get the recipes floating around in my head down in black and white. Often times we have a great meal and when I go to recreate it it’s not so good. After a couple of failed attempts it becomes lost forever. This creation has been in the back of my head for a while and today I brought it to life.

We had a Café Rio buy one get one free card with unlimited usage for 2008, so we ate there A LOT. Our whole family could have a great meal for about 8 bucks. I did however, get “Café Rio Salad burn-out.” As I started trying different things I came across the Friday special, Fideo – a Mexican pasta. It was good for something different, but there was room for improvement. We haven’t been back since the card expired but this recipe has been brewing.

What’s for lunch? Jarom has Monday’s off which means instead of grazing on vegetables throughout the afternoon, I need to make something substantial. I had leftover carne asada in the fridge from Saturday night’s fajitas. This is another Costco secret. It is called Bill Bailey’s Carne Asada and comes with all the seasoning already on the meat. So you just slice it in strips and it cooks in 3 minutes. Jarom’s friend Jackson has been making this for get-togethers, we always go home talking about how we gorged ourselves on it. Jarom finally got the dish at the Christmas party, that’s one food men can talk and talk about – MEAT. While Jackson grilled his meat which is VERY manly, I prefer to slice it first so as not to burn my delicate hands on hot meat which means I pan fry. I’m also stocked up on vegetables, who can pass up the deals at Superstition Ranch market? 6 for $1 bell peppers! So my fideo recreation was a hit and I have it recorded so we can have it again in the future!

1 lb. brown rice thin spaghetti
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 bell pepper, finely chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
salt
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
14 oz can diced tomatoes
¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped (reserve some for garnish if desired)
1/2 lb. carne asada
3 cups Colby jack cheese, shredded
1-2 avocados, diced as garnish
Sour cream as garnish

Boil pasta to al dente, be sure to salt the water (1 tablespoon is good). Drain and set aside. Heat a large fry pan to medium, sautee onions, peppers and carrots 5 minutes. Add salt, garlic, cumin and tomatoes. Transfer to pot with pasta, toss with cilantro and dump into baking dish (2 -9 inch pie dishes). Turn up heat to high and cook 3 minutes, turning the meat for even browning and separating the strips. Arrange meat on top of pasta and cover with cheese. Broil 5 minutes on medium until cheese is bubbly and beginning to brown. Top with garnishes and serve.

Kale Salad

Kale is one of those super foods that have immense health benefits (see chart for it’s impressive specs). The problem is that most people don’t know how to prepare it…at least not well. This recipe was inspired by True Food’s Kitchen’s kale salad that really impressed our table of food savvy women. The dressing is light and refreshing. Be sure to start with perky leaves that are not browned or wilted to ensure a crisp, fresh tasting end product.

1 bunch kale (about 8 leaves)
Zest of one lemon
¼ cup lemon juice
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup agave
¼ cup parmesan cheese, grated
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Tip: place cut leaves in a pasta

steamer so that you can dunk the

kale and get it out quickly and easily.

Cut tough stems from the center of each leaf of kale. Cut leaves in strips. Blanch leaves by dunking in boiling water. 5 seconds, just enough time to push all the strips under water. This will really bring out the color, while softening the texture. Immediately transfer to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Combine the rest of the ingredients and whisk thoroughly. Spin the kale dry and toss kale with dressing. Serve immediately after dressing.

links; Whole Foods for the Holiday's

Fish Tacos with Chipotle Yogurt Sauce

Ever eaten something at a restaurant and thought, “I can make this”? These tacos were inspired by an entrée at On the Border, it has become one of our favorite meals. It is a little elaborate, but everything but the fish can be prepared ahead of time. I have to say, these are delish. Even my brother in law who is an avid fish hater enjoyed these.

We eat fish quite often and have found that quality counts. My dad brings us crappie from his Minnesota fishing trips, and a fisherman in our ward shares his surplus. I highly recommend making friends with a fisherman, it is very rewarding. When buying fish I look for 2 things; does the sales person know anything about the fish? Was it previously frozen? Farm raised or wild caught? When was it cleaned? If they don’t know, assume the worse. I look for fresh fish, cleaned same day. If it is frozen, I want to buy it frozen. Frozen fish is usually cleaned and frozen right on the boat which is great for quality, but if it has been thawing in the grocers’ open case for days the quality has diminished. I prefer wild caught, but is not as important as the other issues. I also like the fish in the frozen foods sections that are in vacuum sealed packages. Costco has nice frozen salmon and tilapia for around $6 per pound which can be worth the convenience.

Fish
1 lb. white fish (tilapia, cod, dad’s crappie), cut into 1 inch thick strips
½ cup rice flour
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
Dash cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons light olive oil
Combine flour, salt and peppers. Dredge fish strips. Fry in heated oil

Cabbage Mix
1 shredded carrot
1 ½ cups shredded cabbage
Combine.

½ cup cheddar cheese

Pico de gallo:
1 medium tomato, diced
1 tablespoon chopped onions
2 teaspoons cilantro, chopped
Combine all ingredients, let set 20 minutes.

Chipotle Yogurt Sauce:
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon cumin
2 teaspoons honey
1 cup yogurt
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon salt
Place all ingredients in blender on high, blend well. Store in a air tight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Makes a great salad dressing for Southwestern salads.

Assembly:
Tortilla. Cabbage mix. Sauce. Fish. Cheese, Pico.
Enjoy.

Muliti Grain Crust and Pear Walnut Pizza

Pizza night is a treat night in our house. It's the one night that vegetables are optional as long as lunch vegetables have been consumed. What is ironic is that the kid's favorite topping is spinach. Though I can't fit 2 whole servings on one little pizza, I feel warm and fuzzy that at our worst we are better than most.

I am a variety girl, so our pizza toppings are constantly evolving. Pear Walnut is one of my long time favorites, adapted from my sister in law, Reachel's remake of a California Pizza Kitchen selection. This crust is the perfect balance of sweet, chewy, crispness. Letting the dough rise after mixing is optional. I usually use the time to prepare my toppings and preheat the oven. A pizza stone is a must, it draws moisture out so you can avoid the inevitable infliction; soggy bottoms.

Also check out my Sourdough Spelt Pizza

Multi Grain Pizza Dough
1 1/2 cup water
1 cupsour dough starter
2 cup spelt flour
1 cup amaranth flour

1/3 cup honey
1 tablespoon Real salt
3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoon yeast
2 cup white flour

Combine water, sourdough starter and whole grain flours. Mix and let sponge (rest) covered at least 12, but no more than 24 hours at room temperature (can sponge longer in fridge). After the soaking period, Place all ingredients except white flour in mixing bowl, yeast on top. Turn on mixer. Add white flour until dough pulls away from sides and center post. Knead 8 minutes. Preheat oven to 550 degrees (convection is best) Let dough rest 30 minutes in an oiled bowl covered with plastic wrap (optional). Divide dough in fourths, roll out on a floured surface, transfer to parchment paper. Top and bake on a preheated pizza stone for 6 minutes or until crust is crisp. Let cool 5 minutes for cheese to set before cutting.

Pear Walnut Topping
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 firm pears, sliced
½ red onion, sliced thin
2 tablespoon sucanat
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup walnuts
3 cups mozzarella cheese
1 cup feta cheese

Saute pears on medium high heat in a large pan until browned, add onions, sucanat and sugar, cook. Turn off heat and mix in walnuts. Let cool slightly before arranging on dough, top with cheeses.

Links; Whole Foods for the Holidays