Author: creativeculinarytherapy

How to re-create this recipe:

Ingredients:

(Serves 1-2)

• 1 Asian Pear
• 1 Fennel Bulb
• 1 package of Skinless and Boneless Sardines
• 4 Mint Leaves
• 1 Tsp of Roasted Pepitas (A.K.A. Pumpkin Seeds)
• 1 Tsp of Sunflower Seeds
• Micro Greens to garnish (optional)
• 3/4 of a cup of good quality Olive Oil
• Salt and Black Pepper to taste

Putting it together:

1. Pre-heat a grill pan on high heat. Pour 3/4 of a cup of your Olive Oil in a shallow dish. Prepare your Fennel Bulb by discarding the outermost, fibrous leaves. Lay the Fennel Bulb on it’s side and slice it vertically into about 1/2 inch slices (you will typically yield 4-6 slices depending on the size of the bulb).  TRY TO KEEP THE SLICES IN TACT. 
2. Coat each slice in the Olive Oil and sprinkle salt and black pepper on each side. Grill each slice for about 3 minutes on each side until you get nice dark grill marks and your slices appear slightly wilted. Set aside when they are done.
3. Stack your mint leaves together and cut them into very thin slices.
4. Peel your Asian Pear and prep it by slicing as many slices as you can get out of it.
5. Drain your Sardines and measure out your Pepitas and Sunflower Seeds.
6. You can pop the grilled fennel rings out and assemble your salad using the above picture for some inspiration.
7. Garnish with Micro Greens.

Nourishment for your body: Sardines are high in protein and low in fat. They contain some of the highest levels of Omega-3 fatty acids. Sardines are known for having anti-inflammatory properties, will strengthen bone health, are high in an array of vitamins and minerals. Sardines are also low in mercury and pollutants. They are also a highly sustainable species. Getting into the habit of eating seeds and nuts such as Sunflower and Pumpkin seeds can improve your heart health, aid in weight loss, digestion, and promote bone health. Also providing you with essential vitamins and minerals.

Tips when cooking: It helps to use a a set of tongs while making the grilled Fennel. Keeping the Fennel slices in tact while grilling will save you time on cooking and space in your grill pan. There is no need to make a salad dressing for this salad because all ingredients have flavors that stand on their own. The smokiness of the Sardines seem to pair well with the grilled Fennel. This salad has a nice balance of smoky, salty and sweet flavors with some crunch from the seeds. Sardines can be found in almost any grocery store. They have a long shelf life and because they are such a great pantry item, they are a good source of protein to use to bulk up any ordinary salad. I prefer to buy Sardines that are canned in water, that way I can build the flavor of my salad up and the different flavors don’t overwhelm each other. You will find that there is a variety of canned flavors that they come in; Olive Oil, Hot sauce , Tomato Sauce,  and Mustard Sauce.

How to re-create this recipe:

Ingredients:

(Serves 2)

• 2- 4 oz Fillets of Wild Striped Sea Bass (skin on)
• 1/2 a cup of shelled Walnuts
• 1 Lemon Peel
• 1 knob of Celery/Celeriac
• 8 Baby Purple Potatoes
• 4 Tablespoons of room temperature Unsalted Butter
• 1/2 a Tsp of Garlic Powder
• 1 Tsp of Yellow Curry Powder
• 1 Watermelon Radish
• 1/2 a cup of Olive Oil
• 1/2 a cup of Grape seed Oil
• Salt to taste
• Micro greens for garnish (optional)

Putting it together:

1. Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Fill 1 small stockpot up halfway with water and bring it to a boil. Fill 1 medium stockpot up halfway with water and bring it to a boil. Add some salt to both stockpots.
2. While waiting for your water to boil you can make your Walnut and Lemon Zest Dust. With a vegetable or cheese peeler, peel 1 slice of Lemon zest off a lemon and cut it into small pieces. Add 1/2 a cup of shelled Walnuts and the pieces of lemon zest to a food processor and process on high until the mixture looks like a sand consistency. Put aside in a small storage container until all the other food is prepared and clean out your food processor b/c you will need it again.
3. Prepare your Celery Knob by shaving the entire outside of knob off with a vegetable peeler and then dice the Celery Knob into 1 inch chunks.
4. Once the water comes up to a boil, boil the baby potatoes for 15-20 minutes until they are fork tender.  Boil the celery Knob for 25 minutes until fork tender. Before spilling the water out from cooking the Celery Knob, reserve 1/2 a cup of that liquid (if you give it a try it will taste slightly earthy).
5. Add the Celery chunks to a food processor with 2 tablespoons of butter and 1 tsp of salt. Blend on high and while the mixture is blending, slowly pour in 1/2 a cup of Olive Oil. Make sure to adjust the amount of Olive Oil you use until you get to a creamy mashed potato looking consistency.
6. Next you can make a simple sauce that you will coat the potatoes in. Get a small Saute pan and turn the heat on high. Add the 1/2 cup of the reserved Celery stock to that pan with 1/2 a tsp of garlic powder, 1 tsp of Yellow Curry powder, 2 Tbs’s of butter and salt to taste. Whisk all ingredients together until butter fully melts. Slowly and carefully add that mixture to a blender (make sure that your blender has its lid on it tightly so you don’t burn yourself) and blend on high for about 2 minutes. Toss your potatoes in this mixture.
7. The last step is searing the fish. Clean out your small saute pan, on high heat add 1/2 a cup of Grape seed oil. Sprinkle salt on both sides of your fish and place the skin side down first into the pan (the oil should be very hot and you should hear the fish sizzle). Use a spatula and press down firmly so that the fish and skin remains flat. Continue to press down with the spatula for 3 minutes, flip fish over and sear the other side for 3 minutes. Place the fish in your oven that’s set at 400 for an additional 5 or 6 minutes.
8. While fish is in oven, using a mandoline shave a few slices of Watermelon Radish and then quarter the slices.
9. When fish is done cooking, you can assemble your dish using the picture above for inspiration.

Nourishment for your body: Striped Bass is high in protein and low in calories. It also contains Omega 3 fatty acids, vitamin B-12 and Selenium.  Celeriac/Celery root has a high amount of potassium, Vitamin K, and Phosphorus. Purple Potatoes are loaded with antioxidants and disease-fighting phytonutrients.

Tips when cooking: If you do not have Walnuts or don’t prefer how they taste, you can substitute for any nuts you prefer. Keep in mind you will have a lot of this “dust” left over and you can sprinkle it on salads or meat dishes. You will also have a nice chunk of the Watermelon Radish left over. If you place the Radish in a plastic zip lock bag it will store  well in the fridge for up to several weeks.  The Celeriac Puree is a good take on mashed potatoes. It tastes like celery with earthy and nutty tones. Using Olive Oil instead of heavy cream makes this dish significantly lighter. When searing your fish, it is best to use a Cast Iron Skillet if you have one. It is also important when searing, to use a oil that has a high smoke point. Other oils that can be used are vegetable oil, Sunflower oil, coconut oil, and Palm Oil. When cooking fish,  a rule of thumb is that for every inch the fish is, cooking time will be about 6 minutes.

How to re-create this recipe:

Ingredients:

(Serves 2)

• 1 Hoagie roll
• 1- 8 oz package of organic Tempeh
• 1 Carrot
• 1 Cucumber
• Chives (about 10 stems)
• Shredded Red Cabbage (about  1 oz worth)
• 2 Tbsp’s of Mayonnaise
• 2 Tbsp’s of Olive Oil (plus a little extra to spread on roll for toasting it)
• 2 Tsp of Tamari Soy Sauce
• 1 Tsp of Thyme
• 1/4 Tsp of Paprika
• 1/4 Tsp of Cumin
• 1 1/4 Tsp of Chipotle Chili Powder

Putting it together:

1. Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Make your marinade first; in a small bowl measure out 2 Tsp of Tamari Soy Sauce, 1 Tsp of Thyme, 1/4 Tsp of Paprika, 1/4 Tsp of Cumin and 1/4 Tsp of Chipotle Chili Powder. Whisk in 2 Tbsp’s of Olive Oil until all ingredients are well blended.
3. Place your Tempeh in a small shallow oven proof dish and pour your marinade all over it, making sure the entire Tempeh has an even coating. Once oven reaches desired temperature, cover the dish with foil and bake in the oven for 20 minutes. When timer is done, take the foil paper off and bake for an additional 15 minutes.
4. While Tempeh is cooking you can prep the rest of your ingredients. With a serrated vegetable peeler, make carrot strips and cucumber strips (about 1 oz worth of each). You can buy shredded red cabbage (again 1 oz worth is all you need).
5. To make the Mayo spread for your sandwich, just simply place 2 Tbsp’s of Mayonnaise in a small bowl and whisk in 1 Tsp of Chipotle Chili powder.
6. Drizzle some Olive Oil on your Hoagie and toast it until it is nicely browned.
7. When Tempeh is done cooking, you can cool it down a bit and then slice it in Half and again into 8 even strips.
8. With a off set spatula or butter knife, spread the Mayo on the toasted hoagie, add all your fixings on both sides of the bread and your sliced Tempeh. Slice sandwich in half and enjoy!

Nourishment for you body : Tempeh is a Soybean product from Indonesia. It is made by fermenting the soybeans and forming it into blocks. It is minimally processed and just one serving contains 16 g of protein! It is a great source of iron and is low in sodium.

Tips when cooking: Banh Mi Sandwiches were invented in the 1950’s in Vietnam. They typically contain a variety of meats, pickled carrots, Daikon radish and fresh herbs (Cilantro). If you want to go the extra mile and make quick pickled carrots bring 1/2 a cup of vinegar , 1/8 cup of sugar (about 7 sugar packets), 1 Tbsp of kosher salt , 1/2 a Tbsp of black peppercorns, 1 Tsp of Fennel Seeds, and 1/2 a Tbsp of Mustard seeds to a boil in a small stockpot. Once all ingredients meld together (after just a few minutes of boiling) pour the liquid into a glass jar that is filled with your carrots. Let it cool to room temperature and then cool in the fridge for at least 2 hours before serving. You can of course make pickled veggies days ahead of when you plan on making this recipe. The pickled veggies cut through the richness of the Tempeh and Mayo.

How to re-create this recipe:

Ingredients:

(Serves 3)

• 1 Sushi Grade Ahi Tuna steak (if possible request a 0.5 Lb portion or the smallest one the store carries because you will only need about 6 oz worth of fish)
• 1/2 a cup of dried Roasted Buckwheat
• 1 cup of water
• 2 oz of shelled and pre-cooked Edamame
• 2 oz of shredded Red Cabbage
• 1 small Avocado
• 1 small Mango
• Furikake Seasoning (Black or white Sesame Seeds will also do)

Ingredients for the sauce:

• 3 Tbsp Sesame Oil
• 1 Tbsp Ponzu Sauce
• 1 Tbsp Tamari Soy Sauce
• 1 Tsp Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce (plus extra for garnish )
• 1 Tbsp fresh squeezed Lemon Juice

Putting it together:

1. Bring a small pot filled with 1 cup of water to a boil. Add about a Tsp of salt and the 1/2  cup of dried Buckwheat. Reduce heat and simmer for about 15-20 minutes until all water is absorbed.
2. While you are waiting for the Buckwheat to be cooked, you can make the sauce. Measure out into a small bowl the Ponzu Sauce, Tamari Soy Sauce, 1 Tsp of Sriracha Chili Sauce and 1 Tbsp of Lemon Juice. Using a small whisk, whisk in the 3 Tbsp’s of Sesame oil. Set aside.
3. Prepare the rest of your ingredients by cutting 12 slices of Avocado and 12 slices of Mango. Measure out the pre-cooked Edamame and shredded Red Cabbage (or just eyeball it. You need just a small handful in each bowl.)
4. You can ask your fishmonger to pre-slice your Tuna steak into 15 pieces or do it yourself. Using a sharp knife cut slices against the grain of the Tuna steak at a 25 degree angle.
5. Scoop a few Tablespoons of cooked Buckwheat into the bottom of a small bowl. Spoon some of the sauce on the Buckwheat (you can squeeze some Sriracha hot sauce directly on the Buckwheat for extra heat). Add all the other ingredients on top, using the picture above for some inspiration. Spoon some sauce over all the other ingredients as well.
6. Garnish with some Furikake Seasoning or Sesame seeds. If you like your food very spicy you can squeeze a little more Sriracha on each tuna slice for garnish.

Nourishment for your body: Poke Bowls originated in Hawaiian cuisine. They are typically made with rice and garnished with raw fish and different types of vegetables. You might be wondering why this recipe is called “Back to the USSR.” That’s because most Russian and Ukrainian households will have Buckwheat in their pantry’s as well as Red Cabbage in the fridge. Eastern Europeans probably consume Buckwheat the way Asian  people consume their rice. Buckwheat (also known as groats) is a seed that is high in protein and fiber. It is also Gluten free. It is known to improve heart health, may prevent diabetes, and is packed with vitamins and minerals.

Tips when cooking: You can buy a small bag of shredded Red Cabbage in most grocery stores. Red Cabbage stores well in the fridge for a long time or you can freeze it for up to 2 months. Red Cabbage can be used in a variety of dishes. You can also find pre-cooked and shelled Edamame. Furikake seasoning is a great item to have in your pantry. It is a Japanese table condiment that is made with Nori Seaweed and toasted white and black sesame seeds. It’s perfect to sprinkle on meat, fish, rice and noodle dishes. Ponzu is a savory Japanese sauce that is made using rice wine, rice vinegar, bonito fish flakes, and seaweed. It is infused with citrus fruit extract afterwards. It has a tart flavor that is similar to soy sauce and is typically used as a marinade. Poke Bowls is something that seems to be gaining a lot of traction in the food industry. You can get pretty creative with them and use anything as a base for your main ingredients. You can use salad greens or different types of rice if you wanted (Brown rice, Black rice, Jazmine rice, etc). You can also use another type of raw fish if you don’t prefer Tuna.

How to re-create this recipe:

Ingredients:

(Serves 2, Yields 2-2.5 cups of Juice)

• 2 Handfuls of Spinach
• 2 Horse Carrots
• 1 Granny smith Apple
• 2 Celery Stalks
• 2 Lemons
• 1 English Cucumber
• 1/2 of a Large Red Beet or 2 baby Red Beets

Putting it together:

1. Rinse all your fruits and  vegetables off with cold water.
2. Using a sharp knife and cutting board, cut your carrots, celery and English Cucumber into medium sized pieces (about 1-1.5inch long). You do not have to peel any of your vegetables. Cut the gritty base off of your Red Beet and chop the Beet into small chunks. Quarter your Apple and then cut the Quartered slices in half. Set all ingredients aside.
3. For the lemons, slice off both sides of the lemon so that you can stand them upright and shave all the sides of the lemon off with your knife. Then Quarter the lemons. If you do not do this, your juice will taste very bitter.
4. Using a juicer, juice all the ingredients and then stir the Juice with a spoon or small whisk so that it blends well.
5. Pour into a tall glass over ice and enjoy.

Nourishment for your body: Juicing helps the body absorb vitamins and nutrients better. It helps with weight loss, boosts the immune system, detoxifies our bodies, and aids in digestion.  Many people have a misconception that they “NEED” or “HAVE TO HAVE” caffeine in the mornings to wake up and get their day started. And before they know it they need to keep the caffeine flowing throughout the day to keep them alert and energized. This is simply not true. Juicing will make you feel just as energized if not more! There is nothing necessarily wrong with coffee, espresso, or however you take your caffeinated beverages,  however adding all the creamers and sugars multiple times a day can negatively impact your body. You can feel fatigued, have stomach upset, irritable, bloated and have difficulty sleeping at night, not to mention an increase in your anxiety levels.  This post is meant to encourage people to occasionally take a break from their “NEED” for coffee and incorporate healthy habits into their lives.

Tips when cooking:  A Juicer machine is one of the best investments you can make as far as your future and your overall health and wellness is concerned. People are willing to spend a lot of money on a lot of different things; electronics, clothing, makeup, shoes, trips, food, concerts. People place a high priority on these things. There is nothing necessarily wrong with any of these things but shouldn’t our health be a priority too? Juicers range in price anywhere from $60.00 to $400.00. The Breville and Omega are reputable brands.  Of course you can get creative with what you put in your juice. The fruit and/or vegetable combinations are endless. You can play around with the flavors and create your own juice to your liking.