SALMON IN CEDAR PAPERS

Cedar papers soak for 10 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

2 salmon fillets
2 Tbsp. soy sauce, divided
1 Tbsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. fresh grated ginger
1 grated carrot
1 thinly sliced shallot
1/3 zucchini, with peeler take off skin and make long strips


DIRECTIONS:

Soak cedar papers in water for 10 minutes.  Then remove and drain off excess water.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place oil, 1 Tbsp. soy sauce and ginger into a small baggie.  Add salmon, seal bag and marinate for 10 minutes at room temperature.

Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables and mix with the remaining soy sauce. 

Remove salmon from marinade and season with salt and pepper.  Place one fillet in center of each paper and top with equal amount of vegetables.  Fold paper's edges toward each other until they overlap; secure with cotton string if desired.

Finally, place packets seam side down in baking dish and bake for 15 to 18 minutes, depending on thickness of fish.

Remove and serve cedar wrapped salmon straight to the dinner table.

tamari, fermented soy, shallots, carrots, papers

arrange all in the soaked cedar papers

cooked bundles

cedar wrapped salmon with kale from the garden

VEGAN FENNEL AND TOMATO SOUP

This soup freezes well, so you may want to double the recipe to save half for later.

found this one in Vegetarian Times / serves 6

dice the fennel bulb

INGREDIENTS:

3 Tbsp. olive oil

1 large fennel bulb, diced (4 cups)

3 vegan Italian sausages, sliced into 1/2 inch thick rounds (2 cups)

1 tsp. fennel seeds (I used fennel powder)

2 Tbsp. dry vermouth, dry white wine, or water

4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

1 - 28oz. can crushed tomatoes, preferably San Marzano

3 Tbsp. chopped fresh Italian parsley

DIRECTIONS:

Heat oil in soup pot over medium heat.  Add fennel, and saute 3 to 5 minutes.

Stir in sausages and fennel and cook 5 to 7 minutes, or until fennel seeds are slightly softened and bits of sausage are stuck to bottom of pan.

Add vermouth, and cook 5 to 10 seconds to deglaze pan, scraping up any brown bits.

Add broth, tomatoes, and parsley; cover, and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer about 25 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper, if desired. 

this "sausage" has bits of sun-dried tomatoes running through

saute the fennel and "sausage"

fabulous flavor from very few ingredients

REINVENT LEFTOVER RICE

After taking home Chinese food, I wanted to create another meal using the leftover rice.  You can use anything in your frig, here's what I came up with:

INGREDIENTS:

1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic
3 carrots, peel and diced small
3 stalks celery, sliced
1 cup frozen peas
olive oil
dark sesame oil
fresh grated ginger
tamari
salt and pepper
leftover rice

DIRECTIONS:

Saute the onion in a small amount of olive oil and sesame oil.  Add salt.  When slightly cooked, add the garlic and carrots.

Next add the celery and frozen peas.  Cook until still a bit crisp.  Add a few splashes of tamari, fresh grated ginger, coarse black pepper.  Cook another couple of minutes. 

Finally stir in the rice and stir-fry till all is mixed and rice is starting to stick. 

On day two of this dish, I'll add 2 scrambled eggs to extend the servings. 

when I have the time and ingredients, I also like the addition of cashews or tofu

VEGGIE SAUCE

simmering sauce

INGREDIENTS:

2 jars basil sauce

olive oil

1 large red onion

4 cloves garlic, sliced

2 bags frozen eggplant (previous blog on freezing garden vegetables)

2 cups frozen or fresh tri-color pepper strips

red wine

1/2 tsp. or more red pepper flakes

black pepper

dried basil

dried oregano

DIRECTIONS:

Heat the oil and saute the onion till translucent.  Add garlic, eggplant and peppers.  Season with salt and pepper.  Saute till all starts to wilt and stick.

Add the 2 jars of sauce.  Rinse out both with generous helping of red wine.  Add this to the mix. 

Add all of the seasonings and simmer about 45 minutes.  Adjust the seasonings and serve with vegan Parmesan.

serve on whole wheat pasta

PIZZA HUMMUS

another low fat hummus - PIZZA!

INGREDIENTS:

1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried basil
3 cloves garlic
3 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed, 1/2 cup liquid reserved
1/4 cup tahini
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
Kosher salt

DIRECTIONS:

Heat the olive oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. 

Add the tomato paste, oregano, and basil and cook until slightly toasted, about 2 minutes.

Transfer the tomato paste mixture to a food processor. 

Add the garlic, chickpeas, chickpea liquid, tahini, lemon juice and 1 tsp. salt. 

Puree until smooth and creamy.

LENTIL AND MUSTARD GREENS SOUP

simple, easy to make

this soup gets better and better every day!

Found this one via the net.  It's actually a Lebanese recipe and can be eaten cold in summer or hot in winter.  It's healthy and yummy.  The mustard greens come fresh from my garden.

INGREDIENTS:

1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 large onions
1 Tbsp. salt (adjust to your taste)
1 cup dry red lentils, rinsed and drained
6 cups water
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 bunch mustard greens or collard greens, rinsed, stemmed and thinly sliced
1 Tbsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 Tbsp. minced garlic
1/3 cup lemon juice

DIRECTIONS:

Using your frozen reserved vegetables, make a pot of soup stock.  Drain.

Heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, stir in onion and salt; cook until softened and translucent, about 4 minutes.

Stir in lentils, and cook for 1 minute.  Pour in some of the soup stock from the other pan, bring to a boil over high heat, then turn heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the lentils are tender, about 15 minutes.  Turn off the heat.

Meanwhile, in the pot of soup stock, add the greens, the cumin, cinnamon, garlic and lemon juice.  Cook about 30 minutes or more.  Then add the pot of lentils and onions. Cook about 10 more minutes.  Adjust seasoning.

I love serving this with tamari, coarse black pepper and vegan Parmesan cheese

INEXPENSIVE GOOD WINE

for me this has become a good substitute for the more expensive Chateau St. Michelle

I found this smoother than expected.  Better yet, on sale, a mere $5.69.  almost unhear of!!!

The everyday price is still very reasonable and hovers around $8.

Look for this at Publix Grocery stores. (even cheaper on line but shipping boosts the price)

read more reviews:  http://www.snooth.com/wine/rex-goliath-cabernet-nv/