Summer Salad Dressing

Salad@eduardolife

Visiting the abundance of farmer stands is one of my favorite Summer rites.  And nothing complements an splendid summer day as a salad containing all those delectable vegetable finds. I think it's rather silly to give recipes for a green/vegetable salad; so instead I am presenting my favorite summer salad dressing by itself, which can complement your favorite veggies.  The lemon/lime combo in this dressing is so evocative, I promise you will absolutely love it.  This is also so simple and healthy that you won't have to worry about adding extra fat/calories to your summer diet.  Learn this dressing recipe and you forever will have the power to transform any salad into a Summer Delight - all year around!

What you need: Juice from 1 lemon (zest is optional), Juice from 1 lime , 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt, 1/4 teaspoon of grounded white pepper

What you do: Whisk all ingredients together in a large bowl and let it stand for five minutes (neither shake nor mix with a fork; I'm telling you whisk!).  That is it; combine with your favorite salad ingredients.  Enjoy.

Cool Cucumber And Avocado Soup

It’s that time of the year when Summer is upon us, and all of Winter’s extra calories and Spring’s extra allergens catches up with our bodies.  As we progress into our Spring Cleaning, it is also a good time to do some good Digestive Cleaning.  This Cucumber and Avocado Soup is a great Spring/Summer addition to your Detox recipes.  The green color is so mesmerizing and the flavor is soothing and just kewl. This is what you need:

zest of 1/2 lime

juice of an entire lime

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cucumber, peeled and seeded, roughly chopped

1/2 avocado, peeled and roughly chopped

This is what you do

Blend everything together until totally creamy and smooth.  I love drinking this at room temperature, but I can’t see why it would be a problem warming it up a bit if the idea of a cold soup isn’t appealing to you.

This is a 1 serving recipe, who else is going to join you for it  and it only takes 1 minute to make, you got no time to waste!

Enjoy!

The Fast and Furious: Caprese Salad to Go

Fasten your seatbelts, this is the fastest recipe in history.  If you ever wonder if there was a healthy  appetizer that will take no time in making and could single handed change the course of a cocktail party; wonder no more.  My favorite go-to-domestic0-maven Joannie Coles shared with me this recipe which turns out to be a favorite anywhere it goes.  I believe she got it from Rachel Ray, originally called "Caprese Antipasticks" and who wouldn't  love that name or  the bundle of smile Rachel Ray is.   In Joannie's own words, this isn't so much a recipe as it is an assembly instruction.  Enjoy. This is what you need

• 1 package 8-inch bamboo skewers
• 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
• 2 (1 pound) tubs bocconcini (small balls of fresh mozzarella), drained
• 24 leaves fresh basil
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
• Salt and pepper

This is what you do

For caprese sticks, skewer tomatoes and bocconcini bites, placing basil leaves between them. Drizzle these sticks with extra-virgin oil and season with salt and pepper, to your taste.

Cucumber Apple Salad - a break from breakroom treats

I worked in retail for so long that I tend to ignore the holiday decorations and music, gliding oblivious to the fact that the end of the year is approaching.  To me, the holiday season starts the moment all the home made treats appear on the break-room tables across America.  New recipes get tested, excess sweet treats get recycled, sugary gifts get re-gifted...you name it; temptation lurks around the corner.  Unless you are made out of stone, you will succumb.   When I do, I always tell myself what I imagine Iyanla Vanzant would tell me: ' Beloved - I love when she says that- you must first forgive yourself, don't blame the sweets, don't blame yourself, ask instead what can you do to bring  the caring and wellness that you deserve back into your life?' Nothing serves me better than a nutritious, light and fresh lunch.  Below is one of my favorite cleansing salads.   The crunchy apples and watery cucumbers always taste heavenly during this time of the year.  Enjoy.

This is what you need

1 Apple- cored and diced.  I tend to use green apples, but you can try your favorite kind.

1 small cucumber, peeled and chopped with seeds removed

1/4 small red onion, diced

1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar

sea salt and fresh pepper

Sometimes I add a little mint or any other fresh herb I may have at hand.  A little bit goes a long way with these simple ingredients.

This is what you do

In a bowl, toss all ingredients together and serve!  I love any recipe this easy.  I promise the flavor of this small lunch will be so big you will be satisfied till snack time.

Roasted Pumpkin and Arugula Salad

My new friend roof-top-sparklers-show-Angel gave me a the biggest pumpkin to take home the other day and I have taken it as a personal mission to use every ounce of this pumpkin.  I have incorporated the darn thing in all my fall recipes and I still have some pumpkin left,  so I dusted my recipe box and found this glorious arugula-pumpkin salad recipe in there.  I am not sure where I found this little treasure, but I feel I should give credit to Martha Stewart.  I think we all should give credit to Martha Stewart even when it is not her recipe.  Just reading the recipe makes me salivate in anticipation; partnering the sweet pumpkin with the tingling flavors of arugula and peppers is, well, just genius.  Enjoy. This is what you need

• 1/4 cup pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds)
• 1 pumpkin (3 1/2 to 4 pounds), peeled, seeded, and cut in 1 1/2-inch chunks
• 5 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, unpeeled
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• Coarse salt and black pepper
• 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup (you can use honey if you don't like maple syrup)
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (sometimes I use lemon juice or white wine  if I don't have time to go to the store)
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 1/2 pounds arugula (2 to 3 bunches, thick stems removed), washed and dried
• 6 ounces feta cheese (you could opt this out if you are vegan)

This is what you do

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.  Spread pepitas on a large rimmed baking sheet; toast in oven, tossing occasionally, until fragrant and beginning to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Set aside.
2. On a large, rimmed baking sheet, toss pumpkin with 2 tablespoons oil, garlic, red pepper, salt, and black pepper. Roast, tossing occasionally, until pumpkin is tender, 25 to 30 minutes.  IMPORTANT TIP:  If you tend to forget that you have things in the oven, like I do, set your timer to 10 minutes at a time so you remember to toss/flip the pumpkin- the pumpkin will burn if you forget to toss.
3. Remove garlic cloves from sheet pan; set aside. Drizzle pumpkin with 2 tablespoons maple syrup; toss to coat. Return to oven and continue roasting, tossing every four minutes, until pumpkin is glazed, 8 to 12 minutes more; let  it cool.
4. Meanwhile, cut off root ends of garlic cloves; squeeze out garlic and mash to a paste with the side of a knife. Transfer to a large bowl. Add lime juice, mustard, and remaining maple syrup; season with salt and pepper. Whisking constantly, add remaining oil in a steady stream; once emulsified set aside.
5. Add arugula and pumpkin and toss to combine. Serve salad sprinkled with toasted pepitas and crumbled feta cheese.

This is good for 4 servings.

Cinnamon Spinach Recipe

Cooler temperatures connect me with my kitchen and all the delights I tend to experience during these harvesting months.  Vegetables are so readily available and the kaleidoscopical transformation of the trees inspires me to use spices in some very irreverent ways.  Cumin mayo, mustard seeds dressings, paprika syrup, and the conspicuous cinnamon with pretty much any vegetable- what a decadent experience for the senses. Just the other night I concocted a very simple and delightful recipe using cinnamon.  I am calling it, well, Cinnamon Spinach.  It is a perfect side dish, but be aware that it will be the main attraction on your plate.  Below see the recipe and right after I am listing ten + one benefits of cinnamon.  Enjoy…

This is what you need (serves 2)

1 Lb of washed spinach

1 Tbl. spoon of olive oil

½ Tea spoon of Cinnamon

Salt

This is what you do

This recipe doesn’t take a lot of time so prepare when you are ready to serve dinner.  To begin, add the olive oil to a medium size skillet and heat for one minute.  Add all the spinach to the skillet and begin to stir it with a fork.  Add the cinnamon and salt to taste.  If you are new to cooking spinach, don’t panic looking at the overflow of spinach in the skillet, when cooked it will shrink considerably.  I love the earthy and voluptuous flavors that the cinnamon brings out in this simple side dish.

When it comes to food, I am a believer that when you listen to your senses and your body’s reaction, you can tell a lot about the benefits of food, but for those that need more information these are at least ten benefits I found listed for cinnamon:

1.  Studies have shown that just 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon per day can lower LDL cholesterol.
2. Several studies suggest that cinnamon may have a regulatory effect on blood sugar, making it especially beneficial for people with Type 2 diabetes.
3. In some studies, cinnamon has shown an amazing ability to stop medication-resistant yeast infections.\
4. In a study published by researchers at the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Maryland, cinnamon reduced the proliferation of leukemia and lymphoma cancer cells.
5. It has an anti-clotting effect on the blood.
6. In a study at Copenhagen University, patients given half a teaspoon of cinnamon powder combined with one tablespoon of honey every morning before breakfast had significant relief in arthritis pain after one week and could walk without pain within one month.
7. When added to food, it inhibits bacterial growth and food spoilage, making it a natural food preservative
8. One study found that smelling cinnamon boosts cognitive function and memory.
9. Researchers at Kansas State University found that cinnamon fights the E. coli bacteria in unpasteurized juices.
10. It is a great source of manganese, fiber, iron, and calcium.
11. Delicious!!!!!

Sugarless Lemonade

The allure of a freshly squeezed lemonade has the promise of nostalgia, relaxation and cooling.  Every summer I indulge in the nectar of the citrus-gods, only to face the consequences of too much processed sugar.  So I armed myself with a bag of sunny lemons (blessed be Trader Jo's super affordable lemons) and alternative sweeteners to find the perfect lemonade recipe without process sugar and, after many trial, here are the recipes. Agave Lemonade

This version tastes the best, I would even say that it taste better than traditional lemonade.  I know, I said it.  Just be aware that if using raw agave syrup the color be be rather dark - think of it as a tanned lemonade.

1 cup of lemon juice

1 cup of agave nectar

8 cups of water

Shake mixture as hard as you can,  you can add more water or agave nectar according to your taste, but this is a good basic recipe.  If doing an individual glass, squeeze half a lemon into a glass, add equal volume of agave nectar and then fill the glass with one cup of water.

Honey Lemonade

I thoroughly enjoy the taste of honey, and this is my favorite lemonade.

1 cup of honey

1 cup of hot water

3/4 cup of lemon juice

8 cups of cold water

First you have to prepare a honey syrup by stirring in the honey with the hot water, over low heat till blended.  Let the mixture cool.  Sometimes I prepared the syrup ahead of time and you have keep it in the refrigerator, the honey won't precipitate out of the mixture.  To prepare the lemonade, add lemon juice and cold water to the honey syrup and stir well.  If you want to do an individual batch, you can use the juice of half a lemon, about 4 tablespoons of honey syrup and add 1 cup of cold water.

I enjoy mixing lemon and limes when preparing lemonades,  I find the mixture irreverent and uplifting.  So next time summer gives you lemons (or limes), you know what to do.

Freedom Scone

I called these decadent biscuitlike treasures, freedom scones, because all the ingredients break the prison of lethargy that other sweets tend to build around my day.  I find that a cup of hot herbal tea is the perfect companion to them (yes, I always have more than one, if you try them you will know why). I adapted this recipe from Jenny Nelson' Clean Eat, but quite frankly the scones are so good, it makes me feel a bit dirty eating them, and preparing them is a fun mess, totally worth it.  These guys are vegetarian, vegan and delicious.

These are the ingredients that you need

3/4 cup coconut oil + 1 teaspoon for greasing the baking sheet...don't try to substitute this with other natural oil,  coconut is the one that make this work, also measured the oil in liquid form (~77 F)

1/4 cup water

1 cup of coconut oil

1/2 cup of dates, pitted

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup gluten free all purpose flour +1 tablespoon gluten free flour (for dusting)

Pinch sea salt

2 oz organic dark chocolate, coarsely chopped (you could skip this, I guess, but WHY?)

1/2 cup raw, organic walnuts, coarsely chopped (I have use other nuts, but the bitter taste of walnuts makes it my favorite)

This is what you do

Preheat oven to 350 F (you can place the jar with coconut oil near the oven and that helps melt the oil)

Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl.  In a separate bowl, mash the dates until you have a thick paste and set aside (see picture).  Add melted coconut oil to date paste with vanilla and water.  Add the wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until combined.

Dough should hold together. It may stay a bit runny, when this happens, I place the dough in the refrigerator for five minutes to make it easier to handle.

Form the dough into a round and place on a lightly floured (leftover dash of gluten free flour from above) surface and cut in half. Roll each half into another round. Cut one of the rounds in half and then cut each half into thirds and repeat with the second round so you have 12 wedges - it is OK if wedges are messy, it will taste just as good. Lightly grease a baking or cookie sheet with the coconut oil and place the wedges in the oven for 14-16 minutes (rotating the pan after 8 minutes).    Let them cool as the chocolate will be too hot to enjoy - trust me on this one.

Namaste

Alive by Raw Chocolate

I recently met this beautiful girl, Christine McSpedon.  She is a Holistic Health Counselor from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition.  I know; I asked the same question.  She specializes in working with those who are transitioning into including more plant-based foods into their lifestyle and people who just want to eat what is right for them.  Oh, I so need a health coach.  To learn more about Christine and for a free health history visit her website at www.Christinemcspedon.com. I met Christine while she was looking for the perfect gift packaging for chocolate truffles.  I know; I asked her the same question.  She makes the truffles herself.  She told me that she began making raw vegan chocolate truffles to healthfully satisfy the sweet tooth of many of her clients.  And then, one night at a networking party Christine’s truffles took on a life of their own . To her surprise people wanted to buy her truffles and NutsBalls Truffles was born. In between helping her wonderful clients achieve balance and wellness and rolling out boxes of chocolate goodness, Christine also hosts workshops on green smoothies and healthy cooking.  She is my nutritional heroine.

I was able to extract from Christine the basic recipe for raw chocolate truffles.  This recipe can be the solution to the infamous dessert Death by Chocolate, which leaves you, well, dead.  These babies are raw, vegan, organic, and dairy & gluten free!  Before you read the recipe, here are some kewl fact about raw cacao that Christine shared with me:

It Keeps you Young! Cacao contains the highest amount of antioxidants than any other food (including red wine!)

It’s Mineral Rich! Cacao is a high source of Magnesium, Iron, Chromium,  Manganese & Zinc!

Enhances Mood & Concentration Cacao contains: •    Phenylethylamine - a chemical group naturally produced by our bodies when we fall in love. •    Anandamide -an endorphin also known as the “Bliss Chemical”. •    Trytophan -an essential amino acid that produces serotonin

This is what you need

A food processor (or a Molcajete!) ¼ cup organic raw cacao powder 6 dried organic apricots ½ cup soaked raw organic almonds 2tsp warmed (so its liquid) organic coconut oil 2 tsp organic raw organic agave 1tsp warmed organic raw coconut butter ½ vanilla bean Pinch of pink Himalayan sea salt

This is what you do In a mini food processor  blend cacao, vanilla bean, coconut oil. Add apricots and agave. Remove and put to the side. Process almonds until very fine. Using a medium processor /batches in mini or simply mixing with hands combine ingredients and mix adding coconut butter and salt. Roll into teaspoon size balls.

For different flavors try adding nutmeg & cinnamon (pumpkin spice), lemon zest, almond extract, coconut flakes. Roll in nuts, cacao powder or dip in chocolate.

I know; I asked her the same question.  If you just want to try these delicious Nuts Balls Truffles, you can contact Christine for ordering information and current flavors nutsballstruffles@hotmail.co.uk or you can even call her 914.319.54.14

Are my spices too old?

I originally posted this back in 2009 in Al-Abode, but I feel it was worth posting again. This is my favorite time of the year to cook and try out new recipes. I can already smell the earthy flavors of the fresh roots roasting in the oven and the ambrosial aroma that spices can bring out from any dish. To prepare for this coming feast, I decided to re-organize my spices and in the process I started questioning the freshness of some of my bottled friends. I bought some of these spices when the Spice Girls were coming out with their first album--OK, I had to mention the Spice Girls somehow, forgive me.

I consulted the McCormick's site, they had some good tips to determine if you must edit your spices and replace them. To remember these tips think CASH (after all it cost some cash to replace spices)--Color, Aroma, Storage and Humidity. Here is the run down in my own words,

Color: Check to see that the color of your spices and herbs is vibrant. Pastels are not vibrant colors, I don't care what Martha says. If the color has faded, so has the sass--kind of the highlights on your hair. No color, toss. (of course, if the spice is cream or light to begin with, use your intuition)

Aroma: Rub or crush the spice or herb in your hand, smell it. (You can follow this rule in dating as well). If the aroma is weak and flavor is not apparent, toss it.

Storage: Store herbs and spices in a tightly capped container, and keep away from heat, moisture, and direct sunlight. There were wars fought over spices and expensive enterprises were device just for spices - Columbus' journey, any one?  Spices are expensive, spend some time and effort in keeping them in the proper container. If you haven't stored the spices properly, chances are they need to be replaced.

Handling: Try not to sprinkle spices and herbs directly from the bottle into a steaming pot. OK, I do this all the time. Repeated exposure to heat and moisture will ruin the whole thing - think about the hair analogy again. Measure them into a cup, measuring spoon, or bowl and then add to your recipe. If the spice is moist, it needs to be tossed.

While doing my research, I found this very useful picture:

Determine if your spice needs replacement

I love how Vanilla extract lasts "indefinitely"...guys, take note: diamonds may last forever, but vanilla smells better!

Have fun cleaning up your spices and if you have any questions let me know.

Storing Ginger - vodka pickled ginger

Whenever I can, I use fresh ingredients.  One of my favorite flavors to add to any zesty meal is ginger root (by the way not really a root, but an underground stem or rhizome).  Minced or grated, the fresh aroma of ginger root will evoke voluptuousness and its spicy flavor will delight you every time.  Fresh ginger root is like the Scarlett Johansson of spices!  But just like any starlet would tell you, it is not easy to stay fresh. Typically, one only uses a small amount of fresh ginger root in a dish .  So I always ended up trying to store the rest so I could have it available when I needed more.  I tried or heard of many methods: wrapping on paper towel and placing in the refrigerator (only good for a week storage); pickle ginger in Madeira wine (I never tried this, but it sounds odd); wrapping in aluminum foil in the freezer (stores well for a long time and the flavor is great, but texture and handling is awful), and burring it underground in a small pot in the kitchen and keeping it moist (OK Martha, I have a hard time remembering to water the plants that I can see!).  So after many years and trial, this is the method that gives the best results:  vodka pickled ginger.  This is a variation from a Japanese technique I heard in which ginger is stored in sake.  I however, always trust vodka over any alcohol (I think Scarlett does too)  This will provide you with fresh ginger for up to a year.  A bonus is that you can prepare ginger martini, nothing is wasted.

Things you will need

ginger root

a vegetable peeler and a metal spoon

a clean glass jar (this is why you keep those around)

vodka

permanent marker

This is what you do

Peel the ginger root using the vegetable peeler for the straight sections and the spoon for the curvy ones.  Place the ginger root inside the jar.  Add vodka till the root is submerged.  Place the lid on the jar and write the date on the lid.  This is the best way to preserve your ginger.  Fresh, crunchy, light color, every time.  Keep in the refrigerator for up to a year.