Raw Brussel Sprout Salad with Pomegranate and Apple
Every five weeks, after I get my hair done, I go shopping at Whole Foods, because it’s so close to my salon. It’s my little guilty pleasure. When I was there, I saw baby brussel sprouts, and while I have scarring childhood memories of eating brussel sprouts, I wanted to give them another chance, with bacon. While I was in the produce area, there happened to be someone showcasing brussel sprouts in a fresh salad!! I was intrigued. I tried it. I liked it!!! I thought it would be a perfect salad for Christmas dinner. So, that’s what I did. I had no idea of amounts of anything. All I knew was the ingredients I needed.
I took this picture at Whole Foods, so that I would remember what I needed to buy.
I made enough salad to feed many people. It’s a nice salad to adjust easily for a small or large crowd. I, also, used a mandolin to shave my brussel sprouts, but you could easily use a knife. Just make sure to slice them thinly.
To release the pomegranates from their skin, I like to use a meat tenderizer, instead of the wooden spoon that is so often suggested. I just don’t find that the spoon does the trick. But, in a pinch, you can easily find pomegranates ready to eat. You will just pay quite a bit more.
For the almonds: I toasted mine. You can do this in the oven, but I did mine in a pan over the stove, with no oil or butter. This process doesn’t take long, so don’t leave them sitting for too long without moving them around.
For the vinaigrette: Usually for a dressing like this, follow the general rule of 1 part acid (in this case, lemon) to 3 parts oil. Add about 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Shake, shake, shake.
Raw Brussel Sprout Salad with Pomegranate and Apple
Ingredients
- 1 pound brussel sprouts shaved
- 3/4 cup shaved almonds toasted
- 1 to 2 apples sliced like matchsticks (or julienne)
- 1 Pomegranate seeds removed
- 1 lemon juiced
- 1/2 to 3/4 cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Mix the lemon, olive oil, salt and pepper together and set aside.
- Shave the brussel sprouts.
- Add them into a salad bowl with the apple and pomegranate.
- Drizzle with vinaigrette and top with almonds.
- Enjoy!
Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps
Chicken salad may seem mundane and boring, but this one is different! It has natural sweetness from the apple and a crunch from the almonds. It’s satisfying and healthy and a keeper of a recipe! When you are following a food plan that eliminates dairy, finding something to eat that is creamy is kind of special! Here’s what happened…
First things first, if you can’t eat sugar, you need to make homemade mayo. If you can, store bought mayonnaise will work just fine here.
Here’s what you need to do..
Chicken Salad
2 boneless skinless chicken breast, cubed and seasoned with salt and pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 shredded carrots
1 diced celery stalk
1 large apple, diced
1/4 cup almonds, chopped
2 to 3 tablespoons homemade mayonnaise, or store bought
1 or 2 scallions, diced
Paprika (optional)
In a non-stick pan, cook chicken in olive oil until cooked through. Allow to cool slightly. Add the carrots, celery, apple and mix together. Add mayonnaise and adjust the amount if you feel it needs more. Just before serving, add in the almonds, scallions and salt and pepper, if necessary. Sprinkle with paprika. Serve with romaine lettuce leaves.
Enjoy!
(Source: adapted from https://goodcheapeats.com/2013/04/chicken-salad-wraps/|)
Pork, Sweet Potato and Apple Sauté
I haven’t posted anything in a while. We went home to my parents house in Windsor for Easter and ended up staying there over a week because my daughter became so sick, we didn’t feel comfortable travelling with her in her state. She ended up being diagnosed with pneumonia, was put on the right medication and was finally able to sleep through the night without spiking a temperature of 104 F.
While we were there, my sister and brother-in-law somehow convinced both my parents and my husband and I to join them in doing the Whole 30 program. It’s basically a 30 day plan to help reset your system and help people identify foods that may be affecting them negatively. So, that means, no dairy, gluten, legumes, grains, soy, or alcohol. FOR THIRTY DAYS!!! What’s left? Lots of eggs, meats, fish, nuts, vegetables, and fruit. Day 8 starts tomorrow, and while things are going pretty well, I miss my wine and cheese.
I’ve learned with this plan that planning and creativity in the kitchen are important or deprivation will set in. So, I began to think of some recipes that might work with the ingredients I can use. This recipe, I’ve made many times in the past. It’s very satisfying and kid friendly, which is a bonus. The original recipe calls for butter, which I can’t currently use while on Whole 30. But, I can use clarified butter, or ghee. We didn’t notice the difference. It was exactly what I needed on a night where I was craving sugar! The natural sweetness of the sweet potato and apple in this recipe worked to curb my cravings! Here’s what happened…
You want to start by getting all of your ingredients sliced, cubed and diced. Salt and pepper your pork medallions at this point as well.
In a large skillet, over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon each butter (or ghee in this case) and oil and add your chopped sweet potato, so that they are all in one layer. Don’t stir them too much, as you want them to crisp as much as possible. This step will take about 10 minutes. After that, put 3 tablespoons of water in the pan and cover with a lid to finish cooking.
When the sweet potatoes have cooked through, remove them from the pan and add another tablespoon of butter and olive oil. Add the apple and onion together and season with a bit of salt. About 1/2 teaspoon. Cook until both have browned slightly. Stir in grated ginger*. Add 2 tablespoons each water and apple cider vinegar to the apples and onions and then remove them, adding them into the bowl you have set aside with the sweet potato.
*Ginger lasts longest in the freezer and grates really easily with a microplane. Peel the skin of the ginger with a spoon, and place it in the freezer until you need it. Grate it when frozen and put it back into the freezer till the next time.
Add another tablespoon each butter and oil to your pan and now add your pork medallions. Cook a few minutes, each side.
It should look like this. Remove the pork from the pan. Add 2 more tablespoons each water and apple cider vinegar and scrape up all the bits of goodness left on the bottom of the pan.
Return the sweet potato, apple and onion mixture into the pan and heat through.
My picture isn’t the greatest. But, this dish is worth the risk! It’s yummy!
Don’t be taken by the butter and olive oil in this dish. This is a nicely balanced, healthy dish!
If you have any parsley, use it to add a punch of color to this dish.
Here’s what you need to do:
Pork, Sweet Potato and Apple Saute
1 Sweet Potato, peeled and cut into cubes
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 apple, cubed (any apple will do, recommended: Golden Delicious)
1 medium pork tenderloin
salt and pepper for seasoning
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1 inch piece of ginger, grated
4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons parsley (optional)
Cut up your pork, sweet potato and onions and set aside until ready to use. Season your pork medallions with salt and pepper.
In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon each butter and olive oil. Add sweet potato in one layer and season with salt and pepper. Sauté until potatoes begin to crisp, about 10 minutes. Add 3 tablespoons water to the pan and cover to let the potatoes finish cooking. Uncover and transfer to a bowl.
Raise heat to medium high and add another 1 tablespoon each butter and olive oil. Add both the onion and the apple together and season with a little salt. Cook until slightly browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in ginger and cook for another minute. Pour 2 tablespoons each water and cider vinegar, mix into apples and onions and remove and place mixture into bowl with the sweet potatoes.
Add another tablespoon each butter and olive oil and add the pork medallions. Cook for about 2 minutes a side or until they are lightly brown. Transfer the pork to a plate. Carefully pour the remaining 2 tablespoons of water and cider vinegar and scrape up all the bits of goodness left on the pan from the pork. Return the sweet potato mixture into the pan, and heat through. Serve with 2 or 3 pork medallions.
Enjoy!
(Source: Fine Cooking One-Pot Meals Winter 2013)
THE Apple Sauce!
I can’t very well be the ‘Boss Of The Apple Sauce’ without having a go-to apple sauce recipe! This recipe is from my favorite blogger, Ree Drummond, aka, The Pioneer Woman. It’s plain and simple, good. AND, it’s plain and simple!! You really can’t mess up this recipe! I’ve made several different apple sauce recipes for my daughter, Leila, since she was old enough to eat it! But, this recipe is by far the winner. The worst part of the preparations is the peeling and cutting of the apples. No. Big. Deal. Here’s what happened…
The original recipe calls for 6 pounds of apples. What does that look like, right?? Like this! 🙂 Honestly, it depends on the size of the apples. About 2 to 3 per pound, depending on size. I wanted to show you the apples I used to show you that you can use any apple variety you want. There are Granny Smith, Pink Lady, and Royal Gala in this recipe. All will work here.
The beautiful part of this recipe is, after you get done with the nitty gritty of the peeling and cutting of apples, you just need to toss all of the ingredients together and wait…and stir, of course. I accidentally juiced the entire lemon in this batch and it turned out just fine.
I started blending and then remembered to take a picture! So, the mushy center you see is not from the cooking process, but my forgetfulness!
I did deviate from the original recipe and cooked these apples down far longer than the recipe suggested, especially because of the granny smith I had in this recipe. They just take longer to break down. But, you’ll know if your apples feel too firm enough to blend. My apples were on the stove for easily 45 minutes.
If you have an Immersion Blender, use it for this! Using a food processor, is fine, but really messy and has to be done in stages. You would be better to blend this in a blender than a food processor. But, whatever you have, use it. It needs to be pureed.
It’s important to note that you have to exercise some caution when blending or pureeing anything that is hot. It can definitely burn you, so be careful!
This is what 6 pounds of apples, turned into sauce, gets you!! This freezes beautifully!!! Make this. I promise it’s good.
Here’s what you need to do:
THE Apple Sauce
6 pounds apples, peeled, cored and cut into eighths
1 cup apple juice
juice of half a lemon
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Place all of the ingredients in a heavy bottomed pot and cook over medium to medium-high heat for about 30 to 40 minutes, or until apples are no longer firm. Stirring occasionally. Once apples are at desired tenderness, blend the mixture until completely pureed. Store in airtight container. Let cool before you refrigerate or freeze.
Enjoy!
(Source: Adapted from https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/applesauce.html)
Ree Drummond’s Mulligatawny Soup
I follow many food blogs. Reading all of them is what made me want to start my own! I was astounded how many exist! But, the best food blog I have ever come across belongs to Ree Drummond, The Pioneer Woman. She also has a show on The Food Network. I love her. I haven’t come across many recipes of hers that I haven’t liked, and there is never really much about them that I need to change.
I watched The Food Network episode where Ree was making this soup for her BFF. While it was easy, I’ll be honest, it didn’t seem all that appetizing to me, at the time. Until one afternoon, I was wracking my brain, trying to think about what to make for dinner, without having to make a trip to the grocery store, and I thought of this soup. I had all of the ingredients, so I decided to give it a try! I was so glad I did! It’s surprisingly delicious. The longer you let it sit, the better it gets, so keep that in mind! Here’s what happened…
The original recipe calls for one whole boneless, skinless chicken breast. If you’ve ever bought your chicken from a butcher, you will know that a whole breast actually looks like two breasts connected to each other. So, in reality what you buy at the store is actually half a breast. In this case, use the whole breast, or 2 halves, also known as, 2 chicken breasts. Confused yet?
Season your chicken pieces with salt and pepper and cook them in a dutch oven over medium high heat with 2 tablespoons of butter. Don’t stir the chicken too much, as you want it to caramelize and form those brown bits on the bottom that you can see in the picture. Once the chicken is cooked through, remove the pieces to a plate and set aside.
This picture looks pretty unappetizing, doesn’t it? It gets worse before it gets better, but trust me! The end result is worth it. Once you’ve removed your chicken, add 2 more tablespoons of butter and saute your onions and garlic, lifting up all those little brown bits left behind from the chicken.
A little tip to get that pesky skin off of the garlic is to smash your garlic cloves with the flat side of a knife. Just sit the knife over the clove, form a fist and hit the knife with the underside of your fist.
In this picture, I’ve already added the flour and incorporated it into the onions. I was pretty liberal with the amount of curry I used. It’s easily a heaping tablespoon of curry that I add.
I told you the pictures would get worse before they get better! There is nothing burnt on the bottom of my pan. This is all flavor. You want to incorporate all of that yummy curry into your onion mixture before adding your broth.
As you add your broth, begin by adding only a little, so that you can see and lift all of the goodness that is stuck to the bottom of the pan. Once all the broth is added, let it cook for about 5 minutes before adding the half-and-half.
My one and only deviation from Ree’s recipe, if I can even claim it as such, is that I let my half-and-half come to room temperature before I added it to the broth. I’ve made this soup many times, and when I put cold cream into hot broth, guess what happens? It separates. Still tastes great, but doesn’t look as pretty. Letting your cream come to room temperature will give your soup a nice creamy, even texture. Add your tablespoon of sugar at this point. Allow your cream to settle into the broth for about 5 minutes on medium heat before adding your chicken back into the pot, along with the apples.
Your apple pieces should be similar in size to your chicken pieces.
This doesn’t look very good, does it? I know! Give the flavors some time to marry. Adjust your seasoning. You will find it needs quite a bit of salt at this stage.
End result is this! It’s creamy, earthy, with a hint of sweet. Yummy! Even my 3 year old loves this soup! Adding cilantro when ready to serve is not only a must for flavor, but as you can see, it adds a lot of visual appeal. Serve this soup with Naan bread for dipping. Try this soup. I promise you will be pleasantly surprised!!
Here’s what you need to do….
Ree Drummond’s Mulligatawny Soup
1 whole boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into pieces, seasoned with salt and pepper
4 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, diced finely
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 cup flour
1 tablespoon curry powder
32 oz, or 4 cups, of low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups half-and-half, brought to room temperature
1 granny smith apple, peeled and diced
1 tablespoon sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
Brown your chicken over medium high heat with 2 tablespoons of butter until chicken pieces are cooked through. Remove chicken from the pan, reduce your heat to medium and add your onions with another 2 tablespoons of butter. Add your minced garlic and cook until onions are transparent. Add your flour and incorporate into the onions. Add your curry powder and do the same. Pour your chicken broth over the onion mixture and let cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Next, add your cream and sugar and continue cooking another 5 minutes. Return the chicken to the pot along with the apple pieces and adjust your seasoning, adding salt and pepper to taste. Simmer on low for at least 10 minutes before serving.
Enjoy!!
(Source: https://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/12/easy-mulligatawny/)
Recent Comments