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How to re-create this recipe:

Ingredients:

(Serves 1)

• 2 Eggs
• 1 tsp of chopped Cilantro
• 1 tsp of chopped Parsley
• 1 Tbsp of Butter
• 2 Tbsp’s of grated Manchego Cheese
• 2 Tbsp’s of Sofrito
• small handful of tri-color grape tomatoes

For the Sofrito:

• 1 and 1/4 cups of Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 Large Spanish Onions, finely chopped
• 1 tsp of sugar
• 1 tsp of kosher salt
• 10 ripe plum tomatoes
• 1 tsp of sweet pimenton (paprika)
• 3 Bay Leaves

Putting it together (make the Sofrito in advance to use as a topping for your omelette):

1. Using a 8-inch non-stick skillet, drop the butter in and melt over medium heat. Whisk the 2 eggs in a small bowl and pour the egg mixture into the skillet. Using a spatula, slowly stir the mixture for a few minutes, pushing it towards the middle of the skillet. Tilt and rotate the skillet to allow the uncooked egg to flow into empty spaces.
2. When the eggs are almost set, sprinkle your herbs all around and sprinkle the grated Manchego Cheese down the middle. Slip Spatula underneath and fold your omelette onto itself. Let that cook for another minute or so.
3. Re-heat about 2 tbsp’s of your Sofrito and garnish your omelette with it.
4. Slice a few grape tomatoes and sprinkle with some salt. Enjoy!

To make Sofrito:

1. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over med-low heat. Add the onions, sugar, and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and golden brown, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. You want the onions to caramelize but not get too dark.
2. Slice the plum tomatoes in half and grate the cut sides of the tomatoes on the large hole side of a flat or box grater. Set in a bowl and discard the skins.
3. Stir the tomato puree, pimenton, and bay leaves into the onions and cook for another 20 minutes or so over medium heat. You’ll know when the Sofrito is ready when the tomatoes have broken down and deepened to an almost rust color and the oil has separated from the sauce. Remove from the heat and disgard the bay leaves. This will yield about 5 cups of Sofrito and can stay fresh up to 2 weeks in an air tight container in the fridge.

Nourishment for your body: Eggs are a great source of inexpensive protein. They contain vitamins B2, B6, B12 and D and 9 essential amino acids. They are low in calories and can help with portion control, as they may help you feel full longer. Tomatoes contain lycopene; one of the most powerful antioxidants which protects your body from disease and toxins. The highest concentration of lycopene is found in tomatoes. 

Tips when cooking: For an added layer of depth and flavor, you can add about 1/4th of a tsp of Saffron during step 3. The Sofrito is wonderful to use as a topping for anything from pizza to chicken to beef to fish. You can use it in place of a traditional tapenade on toast. I recently used it as a topping for a Steelhead Trout I made and it was absolutely delicious!

How to re-create this recipe:

Ingredients:

(Serves 2-3) 

• 1 Cup of Frozen Mango chunks 
• 3 Cold Brew Ice Cubes 
• 1/2 cup of Milk
• 2 Tbsp’s of Nutella 
• 1/4 of a cup of Cocoa Nibs 
• Cinnamon for garnish (optional) 

Putting it together:

1. Place 3 Cold Brew ice cubes, 1 cup frozen mango chunks, 1/2 cup of milk, and 2 Tbsp’s of Nutella in a blender. 
2. Blend on high until you reach a very smooth consistency. Place in a bowl and garnish with your Cocoa Nibs and as much cinnamon as you like. Enjoy! 

Nourishment for your body: I always keep a bag of frozen mangoes in my freezer. Frozen mangoes have a much longer ‘shelf life’ then fresh mangoes. It’s nice knowing that they do not lose any nutritional value and retain very high amounts of the daily recommended intake for Vitamins C and A. Mangoes also contain high amounts of copper (helping to produce collagen and ATP/energy) and potassium (helps to maintain electrolyte balance and healthy nerve, muscle and heart functioning). We like to snack on frozen mangoes and I regularly add them to smoothies. 

Tips when cooking: This dessert was pretty spur of the moment.  I wanted to whip up a quick, cold, and creamy treat with items I typically have lying around. This was probably one of the best things that I ever made in a blender! The flavor is rich and chocolatey and tastes good with the hint of mango. The Cocoa Nibs add a nice crunch and another chocolate note.  To make cold brew ice cubes, grind coffee beans of your choice coarsely and combine the grounds with water (ideally filtered water). It is suggested to steep 3/4th’s of a cup of grounds to every 4 cups of water. Let that steep overnight, up to 12 hours and strain.  Freeze the coffee in an ice cube mold afterwards overnight or until frozen solid. If you want to buy a delicious cold brew coffee to turn into cold brew ice cubes, I highly recommend a brand called Stok. 

How to re-create this recipe:

Ingredients:

(Serves 2) 

• 1- 9 Ounce bag of Shaved Brussel Sprouts 
• 1 finely minced Shallot
• 3 Baby Red Beets sliced thinly
• 2 Tsp’s of Cranberries
• 1 Tbsp of toasted Hazelnuts
• 2 Ounces of Crumpled Goat Cheese
• Olive Oil, salt and black pepper as needed
• Sumac for garnish (optional)
• Pomegranate Molasses for garnish (optional)

Putting it together:

1. Pre-heat your oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit, line a small pan with parchment paper and toast your Hazelnuts for about 6-8 minutes. 
2. Afterwards crank the heat up to 500 degrees/Broil mode and line another sheet tray with parchment paper. Spread your Brussel Sprouts across it, drizzle with Olive Oil and a generous amount of salt and black pepper. Give the Brussel Sprouts a good toss so the seasoning is well distributed and Broil for about 10-12 minutes until they look nice and charred. Give them a toss a couple of times throughout cooking so they can get evenly charred. Let them cool to room temperature .
3. Spread your charred brussel sprouts on a nice platter and top them with your minced shallots, sliced beets, crumpled goat cheese, cranberries and Hazelnuts. 
4. Sprinkle some Sumac powder on top and garnish with pomegranate molasses.  Enjoy!

Nourishment for your body: Brussel Sprouts are rich in vitamins and minerals. They contain vitamins C and K as well as have folate, calcium, iron and potassium. Having a diet that is high in cruciferous veggies such as Brussel sprouts, cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower is said to reduce certain types of cancers.

Tips when cooking: If you do not have pomegranate molasses you can substitute with a balsamic reduction glaze. The sumac can be substituted with grated lemon zest. If you are using a toaster oven, you will probably need to make the sprouts in two batches, otherwise you will crowd your pan and the sprouts will not get evenly charred. If you cannot find shaved Brussel sprouts you can make them at home either shaving them on a mandoline or pulsing them in a food processor (with a blade attachment after you removed 1/8th of an inch off  the root end of them). 

How to re-create this recipe:

Ingredients:

(Serves 6) 

• 8 ounces of Raw Kelp Noodles 
• 8 ounces of Green Cabbage (shaved thinly) 
• 1 Shallot (finely chopped)
• 1 Red Bell Pepper  (sliced thinly)
• 1 Cup of Baby Kale (rough Chopped) or Romaine lettuce (sliced thinly)
• 1/2 a cup of Cilantro (finely chopped)
• 5 ounces of thinly sliced Surimi (imitation crabmeat) 
• Furikake Seasoning (for garnish, optional)

For the dressing:

• 3/4th of a cup of Sesame Oil
•  1 Tsp of Sriracha
• 4 Tbsp of Soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp of Rice Wine vinegar
• Juice of 1/2 a squeezed lemon
• 2 Tsp of Red Boat Fish sauce 
• 1/2 a tsp of ground ginger
• 1/2 a tsp of ground garlic powder

Putting it together: 

1. Soak your Kelp in a bowl of cool water while you prep your veggies. 
2. Have a medium sized bowl handy. To that bowl add your shaved Green Cabbage, thinly sliced Red Bell Pepper, thinly sliced Surimi, and your chopped Kale, Cilantro and Shallots. 
3. Drain your kelp noodles and add them to your bowl. 
4. Make your dressing by combining the soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, lemon juice, fish sauce, sriracha, ginger and garlic into a small bowl. Whisk in your sesame oil.
5. Combine the dressing with your salad and mix all ingredients well until the dressing coats the entire salad. Garnish with Furikake seasoning, adjust seasoning to your liking and enjoy!

Nourishment for your body: I stumbled upon this product while at Whole Foods recently.   I thought this was a cool product because the noodles are so incredibly crunchy, versatile, and healthy for you.  They are made by combining water, brown seaweed and alginate (a substance derived from brown seaweed to improve the texture of many foods). Kelp noodles are high in iodine, calcium,  and contain almost no carbohydrates. It does not contain cholesterol or sugar and is great for people with a gluten sensitivity, as It is not made with it. 

Tips when cooking: These noodles can be added to stir-fries, soups and casserole dishes.  You can find them in the refrigerator section next to Tofu or in the Asian food aisle. 

How to re-create this recipe:

Ingredients:

(Serves 4)

• 2 Pounds of Corned Beef Brisket
• 1 Quart Organic Beef Broth plus 1 cup of water
• 1/2 a (2 oz) jar of ‘Gravy Master’ browning and caramelizing seasoning
• 3/4th of a Green Cabbage
• 3 Carrots (or 6 baby carrots)
• 4 Red skinned Potatoes
• 6 garlic cloves (sliced thinly)
• 1 Cinnamon Stick
• 3 Bay Leaves
• 1.5 tsp of Fennel Seeds
• 1.5 tsp of Mustard Seeds
• 1.5 tsp of Caraway Seeds
• 1.5 tsp of Cumin Seeds
• 1 tsp of Black Peppercorns

Putting it together:

1. Prep your veggies first. Peel your carrots and cut them in medium sized chunks. Cut your Green cabbage into medium chunks, afterwards pull apart most of the leaves. Quarter your Red Skinned Potatoes after giving them a good rinse.
2. Cube your Brisket into 1.5 x 1.5 inch chunks. Add 1 oz of the ‘Gravy Master’ into a 4 inch deep Saute Pan and sear the meat on all sides on high heat. Add the quart of Beef Broth and all your spices, cover with a lid and simmer for 2 hours.
3. After 2 hours add 1 cup of water,  the potatoes and carrots and continue to simmer until your veggies are fork tender and there is almost no resistance.
4. Add your Green Cabbage and continue to simmer for about 15-20 minutes until it appears entirely cooked and wilted.
5. Transfer to a nice serving dish and enjoy!

Nourishment for your body: Cabbage contains a plethora of nutritional goodness. It is low in calories and high in fiber. It contains vitamins A and C and is loaded with antioxidants. The vitamin C and Lutein strengthens the immune system and can protect against certain type of cancers, premature aging and is a excellent source of beta carotene to promote healthy eyesight. Cabbage is said to contain potassium as well as lower cholesterol levels. 

Tips when cooking: Cabbage can be used in many cooking applications. You can shave it raw to eat in salads or tacos and add it to various stews and soups. This dish is comforting , hearty and a big crowd pleaser. I enjoy making it for my family during a holiday. I’ve played around with this recipe a little in terms of different spice blends and cooking times. My Irish friends recommend using mustard as a condiment when serving. Cooking the beef for almost 3 hours definitely makes it more tender and adding the           ‘Gravy Master’ is a little shortcut to add much more depth and richness of flavor.  You can find the ‘Gravy Master’ in almost every supermarket including Walmart.