I had the great pleasure this morning of being a guest presenter at the Annual Fitness Expo hosted by Lifetime Fitness here in Parker, CO. I want to say thank you to the small but attentive and most delightful group that attended my presentation. I hope that you were able to take away a few morsels (pun intended) of goodness that you can incorporate into your lives.
I promised to post the website for grass-fed beef: http://www.backcountrybeef.com/. It has been worth my time to make this investment as the beef is so much more flavorful and digestible.
And by the way, the agave nectar that I gave away this morning was by Madhava out of Lyons, CO. Another great way to support our local economy. They also have a line of honey. I get it at Vitamin Cottage which has the best price on their products.
Following is the energizing way I started such an important day. (And I warned you to stay tuned for a great way to use some of that quinoa you prepared for dinner a few nights ago!!)
Cream-of-Sweet Breakfast
2 Servings
1 1/2 cups prepared quinoa
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
2 Medjool dates, pitted & diced
4 dried apricots, diced
1/4 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp flax seed, ground or whole
1 tsp toasted slivered almonds
1 Tbsp agave nectar
Put all ingredients in a saucepan, mix well & heat through on medium heat for a couple of minutes. Almond milk will absorb. Enjoy & get ready to feel energized & alert!!
A note on almond milk: You will find this product on the dry-food shelves (sometimes on the baking isle). Blue Diamond Almond Breeze Original is my favorite. Purchase it unsweetened & unflavored...this makes it more versatile. It is shelf stable until the seal is broken (watch the "best if used by" date) & then will last about 10 days in the refrigerator after opening. Go to www.bluediamond.com for a coupon.
Dates (the kind that grow on trees...): very nourishing & energizing; great source of potassium which is beneficial for our cellular function, hearts, muscles, & nerves to name a few; very alkalizing to the body; help with hypertension & maintaining hydration
If you attended my presentation this morning & read all the way to the end of this post...Thank You!! In addition, if you are one of those attentive guests, be the first to email me with your name & address (you have that address on my business card) & I will send you a complimentary 3 day menu complete with recipes, shopping list, & pre-prep ideas!!
Bon Appetit,
Cenee'
Showing posts with label dates. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dates. Show all posts
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Cooking for Michael Buble'...
I love a man who will sing for his supper...or better yet, sing for MY supper. While Michael croons away, I throw on my apron and put on the show!
On the nights I'm flying solo, I'll get a little creative. Try out something I've been brainstorming or try to re-create a dish I've enjoyed in one of my culinary outings (which are few). These are the nights I know I can't go wrong. I have seriously NEVER been known to complain about the chef.
On The Menu: Bay Scallops with Toasted Sesame Quinoa & Swiss Chard & Morrocan Salad with Almond Vinaigrette
Bay scallops happened to be on sale this week...so that was a given. And this particular salad has been on my mind for over a year now...about time to give it a go. I happen to like simple meals...with lots of flavor. I also like components of a meal that can be used...oh say, tomorrow. Here's how this all came together...
Swiss chard -- about 3 cups leftover from making my soup (Mushroom Swiss Chard Soup in a previous post), already rough chopped & sitting in my crisper ready to go
Quinoa -- pronounced "keen-wah", my favorite grain, a near perfect protein full of amino acids, very light with a wonderful nutty flavor, super versatile, so I prepared a double portion & will be using some of it for breakfast tomorrow (stay tuned).
Arugala -- you can see that I already had a salad with this earlier in the week with a completely different flavor profile, surprisingly also very versatile considering how peppery it is & besides, it is too good to let any of it go bad
Preparing Quinoa: Rinse your quinoa in a small sieve so that it won't be bitter. Prepare in a ratio of 1 part quinoa to 2 parts water (i.e. 1/2 cup quinoa in 1 cup water). Bring your water to a boil. Add rinsed quinoa. Reduce heat to a simmer and cover. Cook 15 minutes and then remove from heat. The little quinoa grains will open up and look like tiny little spirals. You will fall in love with this grain...I promise!!
Tip: While your quinoa is cooking, prepare your salad dressing. You could also prepare these a day ahead to save some time!!
Almond Vinaigrette
3/4 cup
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/4 cup almond oil (can use grapeseed oil but almond is worth the investment)
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
3 Tbsp water (could also use unsweetened coconut juice)
1 Tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
Heat oven to 350. Place the almonds on a baking dish in a thin layer and bake for 5 minutes, until just golden. Remove from pan to let cool.
Put all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Add a bit more water if necessary. It will be thick (think Ranch dressing from a bottle). This makes 3/4 cup. You will only use about 1/3 of it and it will keep well in the fridge for about 5 days.
Moroccan Salad
2 servings
3 cups Arugala
4 Medjool dates, pitted & rough chopped
Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
Toss arugala with 2 generous Tbsp of vinaigrette. Top with dates & gorgonzola.
Toasted Sesame Swiss Chard & Quinoa
2 servings
1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1 cup prepared quinoa
3 cups swiss chard, stems removed & rough chopped
Heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic and saute for about a minute. Add quinoa and saute for an additional minute. Add chard to pan, mix well and saute down until chard is wilted. This is a yummy side dish for just about any meal.
Pan Sauteed Bay Scallops
2 servings
1/2 Tbsp butter
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1/4 cup white wine (I use an inexpensive Pinot Grigio -- Fish Eye $5 bottle)
1/2 lb tiny bay scallops
In a medium pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add garlic and saute for one minute. Add wine and bring to a boil. Add scallops and cook for 1 to 1-1/2 minutes. You don't want to overcook them or they will get rubbery.
Remove the scallops from the pan with a slotted spoon and serve them on top of the cooked chard. (I started my scallop dish at the same time I added the swiss chard to it's dish & they were ready at the same time. I already had my salad plated so my scallops didn't get cold while waiting.)
Serve immediately & Enjoy!!
A note on the oils: I love having these special oils on hand. They add a whole lot of flavor and make your dishes really special with no additional effort. Olive oil is always a good backup, but I like to add variety and this is a really easy way to do that. Just keep all your oils in the refrigerator so that they will stay fresh--rancid oils are very bad for your body. Your olive oil will solidify, but all you need to do is run it under some warm water for a minute before you use it or set it out a little before cooking time.
I have it on good source that Elvis may be coming for dinner next week! I plan to break him out of his jelly-filled doughnut and peanut butter banana sandwich phase while he sweetly sings Love Me Tender :)
Bon Appetit,
Cenee'
On the nights I'm flying solo, I'll get a little creative. Try out something I've been brainstorming or try to re-create a dish I've enjoyed in one of my culinary outings (which are few). These are the nights I know I can't go wrong. I have seriously NEVER been known to complain about the chef.
On The Menu: Bay Scallops with Toasted Sesame Quinoa & Swiss Chard & Morrocan Salad with Almond Vinaigrette
Bay scallops happened to be on sale this week...so that was a given. And this particular salad has been on my mind for over a year now...about time to give it a go. I happen to like simple meals...with lots of flavor. I also like components of a meal that can be used...oh say, tomorrow. Here's how this all came together...
Swiss chard -- about 3 cups leftover from making my soup (Mushroom Swiss Chard Soup in a previous post), already rough chopped & sitting in my crisper ready to go
Quinoa -- pronounced "keen-wah", my favorite grain, a near perfect protein full of amino acids, very light with a wonderful nutty flavor, super versatile, so I prepared a double portion & will be using some of it for breakfast tomorrow (stay tuned).
Arugala -- you can see that I already had a salad with this earlier in the week with a completely different flavor profile, surprisingly also very versatile considering how peppery it is & besides, it is too good to let any of it go bad
Preparing Quinoa: Rinse your quinoa in a small sieve so that it won't be bitter. Prepare in a ratio of 1 part quinoa to 2 parts water (i.e. 1/2 cup quinoa in 1 cup water). Bring your water to a boil. Add rinsed quinoa. Reduce heat to a simmer and cover. Cook 15 minutes and then remove from heat. The little quinoa grains will open up and look like tiny little spirals. You will fall in love with this grain...I promise!!
Tip: While your quinoa is cooking, prepare your salad dressing. You could also prepare these a day ahead to save some time!!
Almond Vinaigrette
3/4 cup
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/4 cup almond oil (can use grapeseed oil but almond is worth the investment)
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
3 Tbsp water (could also use unsweetened coconut juice)
1 Tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
Heat oven to 350. Place the almonds on a baking dish in a thin layer and bake for 5 minutes, until just golden. Remove from pan to let cool.
Put all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Add a bit more water if necessary. It will be thick (think Ranch dressing from a bottle). This makes 3/4 cup. You will only use about 1/3 of it and it will keep well in the fridge for about 5 days.
Moroccan Salad
2 servings
3 cups Arugala
4 Medjool dates, pitted & rough chopped
Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
Toss arugala with 2 generous Tbsp of vinaigrette. Top with dates & gorgonzola.
Toasted Sesame Swiss Chard & Quinoa
2 servings
1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1 cup prepared quinoa
3 cups swiss chard, stems removed & rough chopped
Heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic and saute for about a minute. Add quinoa and saute for an additional minute. Add chard to pan, mix well and saute down until chard is wilted. This is a yummy side dish for just about any meal.
Pan Sauteed Bay Scallops
2 servings
1/2 Tbsp butter
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1/4 cup white wine (I use an inexpensive Pinot Grigio -- Fish Eye $5 bottle)
1/2 lb tiny bay scallops
In a medium pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add garlic and saute for one minute. Add wine and bring to a boil. Add scallops and cook for 1 to 1-1/2 minutes. You don't want to overcook them or they will get rubbery.
Remove the scallops from the pan with a slotted spoon and serve them on top of the cooked chard. (I started my scallop dish at the same time I added the swiss chard to it's dish & they were ready at the same time. I already had my salad plated so my scallops didn't get cold while waiting.)
Serve immediately & Enjoy!!
A note on the oils: I love having these special oils on hand. They add a whole lot of flavor and make your dishes really special with no additional effort. Olive oil is always a good backup, but I like to add variety and this is a really easy way to do that. Just keep all your oils in the refrigerator so that they will stay fresh--rancid oils are very bad for your body. Your olive oil will solidify, but all you need to do is run it under some warm water for a minute before you use it or set it out a little before cooking time.
I have it on good source that Elvis may be coming for dinner next week! I plan to break him out of his jelly-filled doughnut and peanut butter banana sandwich phase while he sweetly sings Love Me Tender :)
Bon Appetit,
Cenee'
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