Archive for May, 2010
Memorial Day Weekend Specials!
May 27th, 10
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Mashed Cauliflower – Better than Potatoes, and better for you!
May 21st, 10
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This recipe is one of my all time favorites, and I’ve been doctoring it into many different versions for the past few years. I love making it for family dinners and surprising people with my healthy “mashed potatoes”.
My latest version is Mashed Cauliflower with Sun dried Tomatoes
Ingredients:
- One head of cauliflower
- 1 oz of sun dried tomatoes
- olive oil and/or butter
- salt/pepper to taste, if desired
Directions:
There are two options for preparing (or softening) the cauliflower before blending or processing:
- Steam cauliflower until soft OR
- Roast cauliflower in oven until soft (350-400 degrees, toss with oil)
Steaming
Roasting
*Do NOT boil. This will produce too much water and cauliflower will be soggy
- Place cooked cauliflower in food processor or blender (I prefer processor)
- Add olive oil and/or softened butter (2-4 tablespoons depending on taste preference)
- Add sun dried tomatoes
- Add seasoning
- Blend until smooth & creamy
Served with grilled Salmon
Another versions of this recipe I have made include:
- Mashed cauliflower with crumbled feta cheese
- Mashed cauliflower with roasted garlic
- Mashed cauliflower with caramelized onions
Salmon Pate
May 21st, 10
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Did you think pate was some fancy food, and its ingredients a bit of a mystery? I used to! But after a few daring tastes and a bit of inquiry, I discovered that pate is just a fancy french name for “ground meat & fat”. Now how simple is that! You can make pate out of almost any meat, and its surprisingly quick & easy to do.
I came up with this Salmon pate on my own (though I’m sure there are a ton of similar recipes online), mostly because I love salmon and wanted to come up with other ways to eat it. The great thing about this pate is that it is quite nutritious – high in quality protein & omega 3’s. Enjoy!
Salmon Pate
Ingredients
1. Canned Wild Alaskan Salmon
2. 1-3 tbsp lemon juice (depends on your taste. I usually squeeze a 1/2 lemon in)
3. salt/pepper
4. chopped dill (optional)
5. 1 tbsp softened butter OR 1-2 tbsp olive oil (this makes the pate smoother, but it’s not necessary)
6. food processor
Directions
1. Place all ingredients in food processor and blend until you get a smooth, rich texture. That’s it!
2. Serve room temperature or chilled. It’s delicious on those Nut Crackers I posted. 
*You can add whatever you like to the recipe, or as a topping
*I often top the pate with kalamata olives
Couscous Cauliflower Rice
May 21st, 10
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I’ll admit it, sometimes I miss the chewy denseness of white rice, which is why I was really excited to try this grain-free substitution I found online a few weeks ago – rice made strictly from cauliflower. I know, I know, “how can it be so”? But I am telling you, this recipe is so on point that I have made it as a side dish at least four or five times since I found it. And it’s gotten better each time.
Here’s one version I made a few nights ago and served with pan fried Alaskan Salmon. The cauliflower turned out so good; the taste and texture reminded us of couscous, so I think that’s what I’ll call it.
Couscous Cauliflower Rice
Ingredients
- One head of raw cauliflower
- food processor
- 1 or 2 garlic cloves – finely chopped
- 1 onion (I used red) or 2 shallots – finely chopped
- Butter or olive oil. Even better, Coconut oil (found at health food stores or online) – very healthy fat & protein. Perfect for lactose intolerant, great tasting & great for cooking with high heat
- Black pepper
- Dash of sea salt
Instructions
- Scrub cauliflower head with soap & water. Rinse well
- Cut cauliflower head into medium chunks and place in food processor
- Process on high for 10-20 seconds, or until chunks are gone and cauliflower is the size of rice (see photo)
Raw cauliflower processed into rice size
4. Add oil or butter (or both) to heated saute pan
5. Add garlic & onions
6. Sprinkle with dash of salt & black pepper
7. Saute for 5- 7 minutes or until onions are caramelized
8. Add cauliflower to pan
9. Continue to saute for 4-5 minutes
10. Then pile “rice” in center of pan & cover with large lid
11. Continue to heat for at least 5 minutes, rotating rice once or twice from bottom to top of pile
12. Remove when satisfied with taste test (the only way I know it’s done!)
13. Serve while piping hot
14. Enjoy your Couscous Cauliflower without the “rain guilt” or insulin spike
Coconut oil looks more like a dense butter or lard. Delicious!!!
I can’t wait to make this Cauliflower rice with a curry sauce, as it was pictured in the original recipe. I’ll be sure to post that one for you!
Nut Crackers (grain-free) – A Delicious Snack
May 21st, 10
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Now that I no longer snack on popcorn & tortilla chips (sigh), I’ve discovered a perfectly fine crunchy snack that can be eaten alone or with your favorite dips.
Nut Crackers - these crackers are so easy to make, and you can personalize them to your taste by adding whatever seasonings you like
Ingredients
1. Any nuts really – I use a combination of sunflower seeds & almonds. I believe I’ve also made a batch with mostly walnuts. Experiment. You can adjust the amount depending on how many batches you want to make. I never measure.
2. Water
3. Sea Salt and/or additional seasonings
4. Olive oil or butter
5. Food processor
6. Parchment paper
7. Rolling pin (or canned good)
Directions
*Preheat oven to 250 degrees
1. Grind/pulse nuts in food processor, adding small amounts of water until it’s ground into a thick consistency, almost dough-like *Don’t worry too much about this part, you will be able to tell if it’s too watery or too dry.
2. Place the dough on lightly greased parchment paper (I just spray a little olive oil on the paper)
3. Place another piece of greased parchment paper on top of the dough
4. Roll the dough flat with rolling pin – roll as flat or as thick as you’d prefer your crackers
5. Carefully remove top paper
6. Sprinkle with salt or other seasonings (you can also add your seasoning to dough before rolled)
7. Use a knife to draw lines in dough (not all the way through) that will form & shape your crackers * this isn’t all that important. They are just as delicious if you break off pieces from the whole square
8. Bake for 18-20 minutes
9. Remove & let cool
10. Break off crackers where you placed your lines
*I’d love to give specific credit for this recipe, but I can’t remember where I found it. Maybe marksdailyapple.com? I’m always modifying recipes, so I can’t be certain how exact this is to the original. But I love it! Make your own changes, and please share them if they’re good!
Enjoy.
