Salmon with Orange and Black Olive Salsa

Maybe it is living in the US southwest, maybe it is summer heat, but somewhere along the way, I’ve developed a keen taste for fresh salsa not as a condiment for Mexican foods, but as a zesty way to dress up grilled and roasted fish fillets. Or chicken and pork tenderloin.

In this case, salmon.

Juicy orange, kalamata olives and garden-fresh basil join together in flavorful harmony enhancing the pleasure of every bite atop grilled salmon. No grill? No problem, simply roast the salmon fillet in the oven.

I like to serve this with CMF Rice or CMF Quinoa with the crunch of toasted pecans.

I’ve even served it with Quinoa Tabbouleh for a colorful summertime dinner. Add a spinach salad with sliced red bell peppers or grated carrots and toasted sunflowers seeds and dinner is a visual and tasty delight.

For dessert, Epicurious: Plum Kuchen

Variations:

  • Cilantro or parsley instead of basil
  • With or without olives
  • Green onion instead of red onion
Salmon with Orange Olive Salsa
Print Recipe
Servings
4 servings
Servings
4 servings
Salmon with Orange Olive Salsa
Print Recipe
Servings
4 servings
Servings
4 servings
Ingredients
Adjust servings: servings
Units:
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400
  2. Peel oranges, cut in slices removing center, and dice into small pieces. Place in a medium mixing bowl.
  3. Chop black olives and add to oranges. Add chopped olives, basil, green onions, balsamic vinegar and olive oil.
  4. Mix. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  5. Roast salmon in oven for 12 minutes or until center is barely cooked. Remove from oven and let rest a few minutes.
  6. Serve with orange olive salsa on top.
Share this Recipe

Quinoa Tabbouleh

Love this! It’s a fun twist on traditional tabbouleh, which is made with bulgur. This dish comes out of my kitchen with  frequency during the summer months. It is very versatile; I make it as as a one-dish dinner served over a bed of spinach or as a side to grilled chicken, or roasted pork tenderloin.

It’s perfect for summer dinner parties, enjoyed by vegans/vegetarians and omnivores alike.

I’ve made it as a simple lunch for girlfriends; served on a bed of baby kale tossed with CMF Lime Vinaigrette, along with Olive Tapenade, fresh feta and pita bread.

Finished off with Peach and Blackberry Crisp served with a small scoop of plain Greek yogurt drizzled with honey and voila! Happy tummies filled with Mother Nature’s food.

As usual with my leftover grains, they get rolled into a wrap with greens and a spread of hummus or pesto. Or tossed into a salad with greens, perhaps shaved cabbage or grated carrots, whatever I have on hand.

Variations:

  • Skip tomatoes and cucumber to make it simple side dish
  • Add crumbled feta or goat cheese
  • Add feta and pitted black olives cut in half
  • Replace tomatoes with diced red bell pepper for more crunch
  • Replace tomatoes and cucumbers and add chopped roasted red bell pepper and garbanzo beans

Eat it for pleasure. Eat it for life!

Not just a delight to eat with its bursts of crunch, zing of lemon and aromatic mint, but it is so good for our bodies too.

MindBodyGreen: Why Tabouli is Such a Healthy Dish

Quinoa Tabbouleh
Print Recipe
Servings
4 servings
Servings
4 servings
Quinoa Tabbouleh
Print Recipe
Servings
4 servings
Servings
4 servings
Ingredients
Adjust servings: servings
Units:
Instructions
  1. Toast quinoa in saucepan over medium heat until it starts to make popping sounds. Add water and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until quinoa is tender, about 25 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, uncovered, until cool. Fluff with a fork.
  2. Meanwhile, whisk lemon juice and garlic in a small bowl. Gradually whisk in olive oil. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper.
  3. Transfer to a large bowl; mix in 1/4 cup dressing.
  4. Add cucumber, tomatoes, herbs, and scallions to bowl with quinoa; toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Drizzle remaining dressing over tabbouleh
  5. Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Recipe Notes

Modified from: Epicurious: Quinoa Tabbouleh

Share this Recipe

Moroccan Chicken Tagine with Apricots and Almonds

An authentic tagine is a stew that takes its name from the heavy earthenware pot in which it is slow cooked, traditionally over an open fire, or bed of charcoal.

I don’t have an actual tagine ceramic pot, but I LOVE making tagine stews. The flavors are a feast, with the added bonus that the flavor compounds in spices are powerful antioxidants.

Tagine dishes are slow-cooked savory stews, typically made with meat, poultry or fish together with vegetables or fruit. Spices, nuts, and dried fruits are also used. Common spices include ginger, cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, and saffron.

Although tagines are usually served on their own, I like to serve this over quinoa or couscous along with a green salad.

Chicken Tagine with Apricots and Almonds
Print Recipe
Servings
4 servings
Servings
4 servings
Chicken Tagine with Apricots and Almonds
Print Recipe
Servings
4 servings
Servings
4 servings
Ingredients
Adjust servings: servings
Units:
Instructions
  1. Stir together ground cinnamon, ginger, turmeric, pepper and salt in a small bowl.
  2. Heat olive oil in skillet over moderate heat, add onion and sauté until it begins to turn translucent. Add mixed spices and chopped garlic, mix 2 minutes.
  3. Add 3/4 cup water, mix. Add chicken, cinnamon stick and apricots. Tie cilantro in a bundle, add to pot.
  4. Cover and simmer 25 – 30 minutes.
  5. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a small skillet over moderate heat and cook almonds about 2 minutes just until golden. Cool and coarsely chop.
  6. Discard herbs and cinnamon stick; serve chicken with almonds sprinkled on top.
Recipe Notes

Modified from Epicurious: Chicken Tagine with Apricots and Almonds

Share this Recipe

Orzo with Garbanzo Beans, Goat Cheese and Basil

Quick and easy, this recipe is handy for weeknights.

Fresh herbs add exceptional flavor and are rich in nutrients.  Since ancient times they’ve been used for their health benefits. Now science is discovering their unique antioxidants, essential oils, phytochemical and other nutrients that help our bodies fight germs, toxins and boost our immune system.

Herbs are easy to grow even without a garden; put a pot of two in a sunny window.

As a general rule, I use three times as much fresh herbs as dried.

Variations:

  • Replace orzo with other short whole-what pasta (penne, fusilli etc)
  • Use feta or shredded Parmesan instead of goat chase
  • Use other herbs  ( such as mint, cilantro, parsley) instead of basil
  • Use asparagus or green beans instead of broccoli
  • Add cooked shrimp or leftover chicken (chopped)
Orzo with Garbanzo Beans, Goat Cheese and Oregano
Print Recipe
Servings
4 servings
Servings
4 servings
Orzo with Garbanzo Beans, Goat Cheese and Oregano
Print Recipe
Servings
4 servings
Servings
4 servings
Ingredients
Adjust servings: servings
Units:
Instructions
  1. Bring a medium pot of water to boil. Add orzo, cook 5 minutes; add broccoli and cook another 3 – 5 minutes just until orzo is tender. Be careful not to overcook orzo or it becomes mushy
  2. Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic and cumin to blend in large serving bowl.
  3. Add garbanzo beans, cooked orzo, broccoli and chopped fresh oregano; toss until mixed.
  4. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  5. Gently add crumbled goat cheese and olives (if using).
  6. Serve orzo salad warm or at room temperature.
Recipe Notes

Modified from http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Orzo-with-Garbanzo-Beans-Goat-Cheese-and-Oregano-242471#ixzz2priVLJgg

Share this Recipe

Asparagus, Snap Peas and Green Beans with Mint

Serves 8

Setting out to create my Easter menu, asparagus was one of the first thoughts that came to mind. Ever since I read Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver years ago, I associate asparagus with spring.
I’ve learned to look for tender stalks as they have the most delightful taste; beware those with thick stalks; they tend to be “woody” and flavor diminishes.
Snap peas at the Farmer’s Market were too delicious to pass up so they came home with the asparagus along with some delightfully crunchy fresh green beans. Steaming them seemed to be the way to go in to preserve as much of the crunch (and nutrients) of these lovely spring farm-fresh vegetables. And voila’, this dish came to be. Hello spring!

Note: The snap peas, green beans and asparagus can be steamed the day before; make sure not to overcook or they become mushy.

Variations:
– Add 2 tablespoons chopped toasted almonds (or other tree nut, pine nuts would make a special treat!)
– Use edamame instead of snap peas, or even frozen peas (defrosted)
– Serve over a bed of quinoa (adding the above nuts) for a lunch entrée

Asparagus, Snap Peas and Green Beans with Mint
Print Recipe
Asparagus, Snap Peas and Green Beans with Mint
Print Recipe
Ingredients
Adjust servings:
Units:
Instructions
  1. Cut green beans in bite size pieces.
  2. Cut asparagus into bite-size pieces. Set aside asparagus tips.
  3. Steam green beans, asparagus (except for tips) and snap peas for 6 minutes. Add asparagus tips and steam another 2 or 3 minutes. Remove from steamer.
  4. Place on serving platter. Gently mix in mint and green onion.
  5. Sprinkle on salt, drizzle lemon juice and extra-virgin olive oil over the vegetables and gently mix again.
Recipe Notes

A Color My Food original recipe

Share this Recipe

CMF Basic Salad Dressing

Store-bought salad dressings generally contain

  • high-fructose corn syrup
  • transfats and
  • MSG and other additives.

6 Shocking Facts About Your Salad Dressing

Homemade salad dressing is quite simple and takes only minutes to make. With practice, measuring isn’t necessary,  just whisk and go, adjusting by taste.

[su_expanding_quote_book source_author=”Sally Fallon” source_title=”Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats” full_quote=”We should avoid all bottled and commercial salad dressings, which are invariably made with cheap, low-quality oils that have been stripped of their nutrients and rendered dangerously rancid by high-temperature or solvent extraction processes. Bottles dressings are further adulterated with many ingredients including stabilizers, preservatives, artificial flavors and colors, not to mention refined sweeteners. Almost all bottled salad dressings—particularly low-fat varieties—contain neurotoxic MSG, hydrolyzed vegetable protein or similar substances. These flavor enhancers are not always listed on the labeled. Ingredients listed as “natural flavors” or “spices” may contain MSG.” short_quote=”We should avoid all bottled and commercial salad dressings, which are invariably made with cheap, low-quality oils that have been stripped of their nutrients”]

Variations:

  • Lime Vinaigrette: Use fresh squeezed lemon (or lime juice) instead of vinegar
  • Balsamic: Use balsamic vinegar instead
  • Dijon: Add 1/2 – 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard (season to taste)
  • Creamy: Add 1 – 2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
  • Add 1 garlic clove minced (I always include garlic unless the salad has fruit in it)
  • Add 2 tablespoons onion, finely chopped
CMF Basic Dressing
Print Recipe
Servings
1 cup dressing
Servings
1 cup dressing
CMF Basic Dressing
Print Recipe
Servings
1 cup dressing
Servings
1 cup dressing
Ingredients
Adjust servings: cup dressing
Units:
Instructions
  1. Mix salt an apple cider vinegar until salt dissolves
  2. In a slow steady stream add extra-virgin olive oil, whisking
  3. Whisk in 2 tablespoons water. Add 1 – 2 tablespoons water if to strong for your taste. Adjust salt and pepper
Recipe Notes

[su_original_recipe]

Share this Recipe

Bell Pepper Coleslaw

Cabbage used to make only a once-in-a-long-while appearance in my meals, but learning of the nutritional power of this mighty cruciferous and discovering the kitchen mandolin which slices it in a jiffy, cabbage is now a regular part of my salad repertoire.

“Cruciferous vegetables (cabbage is a cruciferous) are twice as powerful as other plant foods. In population studies, a 20 percent increase in plant food intake generally corresponds to a 20 percent decrease in cancer rates, but a 20 percent increase in cruciferous vegetable intake corresponds to a 40 percent decrease in cancer rates. One or more servings of cabbage per week reduces the occurrence of pancreatic cancer by 38 percent.” Super Immunity by Joel Fuhrman M.D.

Bell Pepper Coleslaw
Print Recipe
Servings
4 servings
Servings
4 servings
Bell Pepper Coleslaw
Print Recipe
Servings
4 servings
Servings
4 servings
Ingredients
Adjust servings: servings
Units:
Instructions
  1. Mix salt and lime juice in a small bowl. In a stead stream pour in extra-virgin olive oil, whisking constantly. Add water and whisk again.
  2. Mix cabbage, bell peppers, green onion in a bowl.
  3. Drizzle in salad dressing, and toss.
  4. Add cilantro and toss again. Serve
Recipe Notes

A Color My Food original recipe

Share this Recipe
 

Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Mushrooms and New Potatoes

Something magical happens in roasting vegetables, imbuing them with an aromatic flavors and softened luscious textures. This seems especially true for Brussels sprouts. Many a person who vowed not to like Brussels sprouts has been surprised into enjoying this dish.

This blend of vegetables is not only richly flavorful, it packs a mighty nutritional boost. Brussels sprouts, mushrooms and onions are GBOMBS – a group of the most nutrient-dense, healthy promoting foods on the planet.

[su_expanding_quote_book source_author=”Joel Fuhrman, MD” source_title=”Super Immunity” full_quote=”Certain plant foods contain significant amounts of substances that enhance human immune function and defenses against acute illness and chronic disease…Cruciferous vegetables (Brussels sprouts) are twice as powerful as other plant foods. A 20% increase in cruciferous vegetables intake corresponds to a 40% decrease in cancer rates…Mushrooms contain many unusual disease-fighting compounds that empower the body to react quickly and powerfully when we are exposed to viruses and bacteria.…Compounds in the onions have anti-inflammatory actions that protect against osteoarthritis and ward off infections.” short_quote=”Certain plant foods contain significant amounts of substances that enhance human immune function”]

Variations

  • Use 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary instead of thyme and mix in as indicated
  • Use 1/2 – 3/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes instead of herbs
  • After roasting, add 1/2 cup finely chopped mint or parsley – or a combination of both

 

Serving suggestions

  • For a vegan meal, serve with a quinoa pilaf with cranberries and toasted nuts (walnuts, almonds, pecan etc) and a leafy green salad.
  • For a special dinner, serve with Baked Salmon with Cranberry Thyme Crust or Rosemary and Garlic Roasted Pork (if you choose this option, make the Brussels Sprouts dish with mint or parsley instead of rosemary) and a Spinach and Orange Salad.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Mushrooms and New Potatoes
Print Recipe
Servings
4 servings
Servings
4 servings
Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Mushrooms and New Potatoes
Print Recipe
Servings
4 servings
Servings
4 servings
Ingredients
Adjust servings: servings
Units:
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400
  2. Toss all ingredients together in a roasting pan and place in oven
  3. Roast 35 - 40 minutes. Test a Brussels sprout, if it is tender, remove pan from oven, if not roast for another 5 – 10 minutes.
Share this Recipe
 

Lemon Roasted Green Beans

Sometimes the simplest foods are most enjoyable.

Roasting the green beans brings out a different texture and flavor than boiling or even steaming them. The lemon zest gives this dish a delightful zip.

Or punch up the color and micronutrients by adding red bell pepper.

For a change of flavor, add chopped fresh herbs when the green beans come out of the oven. Experiment with fresh basil, parsely or dill instead of the mint.

Asparagus can also be prepared this way, simply use in place of green beans.

Variations

  1. Add 1 red bell pepper, chopped and toss with green beans and minced garlic.
  2. Add 1/4 cup pine nuts (or chopped almonds) with the green beans and minced garlic
  3. Omit lemon juice and lemon zest and toss with 2 tablespoons finely chopped mint.

 

 

 

 

 

Lemon Roasted Green Beans
Print Recipe
Servings
8 servings
Servings
8 servings
Lemon Roasted Green Beans
Print Recipe
Servings
8 servings
Servings
8 servings
Ingredients
Adjust servings: servings
Units:
Instructions
  1. Preheat to 450°F. Brush a baking dish with 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil.
  2. Combine green beans and minced garlic,. Drizzle with oil, and toss well.
  3. Roast vegetables 15 minutes. Mix. Continue roasting until green beans are tender about 10 more minutes.
  4. Remove from oven, toss with lemon juice and lemon zest.
  5. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Recipe Notes

A Color My Food original recipe

Share this Recipe

Crunchy Cruciferous Salad

Leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables (such as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower) have more micronutrients than any other food. Micronutrients (vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and fiber) are essential for our survival and longevity.

This salad is great on its own, but I often make a double batch to use as a base for different salads throughout the week.

Variations:

  • Exchange the broccoli or cauliflower with shredded cabbage or Brussels sprouts
  • Replace carrots with beets
  • Toss some Crunchy Cruciferous Salad  with leafy greens (spinach, arugula, mixed greens  – whatever is on hand).
  • Mix with leftover grains (rice, quinoa) for a quick meal
  • Or make a tortilla wrap adding greens and an extra drizzle of salad dressing.

 

Crunchy Cruciferous Salad
Print Recipe
4 servings
Crunchy Cruciferous Salad
Print Recipe
4 servings
Ingredients
Adjust servings:
Units:
Instructions
  1. Whisk together lemon juice mustard, garlic, salt, olive oil and 2 tablespoons water until thoroughly blended. Adjust flavor by adding water (1 tablespoon at a time), salt and pepper to taste.
  2. In a bowl mix broccoli, carrot, green onion.
  3. Add salad dressing, mix well. Add 1 tablespoon of seeds/nuts, toss.
  4. Serve with remaining seeds/nuts on top.
Recipe Notes

Variations

  1. Use other cruciferous vegetables (cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, cabbage) instead of broccoli
  2. Use raw beets instead of, or in addition to carrots
  3. Toss with leafy greens (spinach, arugula, romaine etc)

A Color My Food original recipe

Share this Recipe