What we've been eating...

I've been trying some new things around here as well as bringing back some of the healthier dishes I've made in the past.

Miso glazed salmon over Forbidden Rice with homemade peanut sauce topped with chopped unsalted peanuts and cilantro.

If you haven't tried Forbidden Rice, you must! It's a revelation!

I always cook my rice in vegetable stock instead of plain water.

I find rice to be bland otherwise.

I mix some soy sauce, jaggery, lime juice, fish sauce and miso and glaze the salmon with it as it bakes.

This is an oldie around these parts and also a favorite! You'll want to lick the plate.

The peanut sauce recipe can be found here.

Pan seared haloumi over a water cress salad with radishes, pumpkin seeds, heirloom tomatoes with a yogurt dill dressing.

This is new. I have always wanted to try haloumi ever since seeing it in the beautiful pages of Donna Hay Magazine years ago.

I finally got around to it and it was well worth it.

I simply cut it into slices, heated a nonstick pan with a scant amount of olive oil and seared it until it was brown on both sides.

The dressing is a couple tablespoons of yogurt, the juice of one lime and dill (fresh or dry). It doesn't get much easier than that. 

Haloumi (if you don't know) is a hard cheese similar to the taste of feta but far less crumbly.

Sprouted lentil pate.

Now, the original recipe calls for cooked lentils but I like to raw this one up as much as possible so I spout the lentils a few days ahead of making this. I love to have it around to spread on crackers or dipping veggies. You could spoon it into endive leaves as an hors d' oeuvres or use it as a spread on a sandwich.

Lentil pate

adapted from Angelica's Kitchen

2/3 cup sprouted lentils

2 cups walnuts

1 tbsp. avocado oil (you can use olive)

3 cups diced onion

1 tbsp. chopped garlic

1 tbsp. mirin

4-5 chopped cornichons

1 tbsp. Ume plum vinegar

1 1/2 tbsp. 

1 tbsp. dried basil

Start the lentils sprouting about 3 days ahead. When they're sufficiently sprouted, saute the onion and garlic (you can leave them raw too but I like the sweetness it adds when they're cooked).

Add all the ingredients to a food processor and blend until smooth.

If you need to loosen the mixture add a bit more vinegar and oil until you reach the desired texture.

Stuffed Zucchini with pine nuts.

I found this one through foodgawker and immediately though of G. He has a slight obsession with zucchini (soup and tomatoes too).

I served it with a salad.

Recipe.

Roasted Beet Risotto.

Ok, this is probably one of my all time favorites.

Follow a basic risotto recipe.

Before you start though, clean 2 medium sized red beets and wrap them in foil. Roast them at 375F for about and hour or until tender.

Remove from oven and let cool until they're able to be handled while making risotto.

When the risotto is almost done, peel the skins of the beets and throw them in the food processor. When they're smooth mix them into your risotto.

I saute wild mushrooms and toast pine nuts and then top the risotto with them.

I also chop up a good amount of fresh basil and sprinkle that on top.

If you want to get crazy (which I do) a drizzle of truffle oil will take this dish to the moon and back!

I hope to improve my food styling.

I even bought the David Loftus Pak on Hipstamatic.

By some miracle I think this will help. 

We'll see.

I also have some exciting things going on and I can't wait to share it all with you.

Soon.

Happy Monday Everyone!