Cooking 101: Baked Salmon and a few side dishes…

You know how everyone has a staple dish or recipe?! It’s a wham-bam-thank-you-m’am kind of culinary creation that is quick, easy and perhaps even healthy!? The one recipe that you could cook with your eyes closed (although not recommended or endorsed by Braude’s Bites).

For those who need a bit of Cooking 101, this is one of the first recipes that I usually share with the “culinary challenged”.

My mother has been baking this dish for years so I give credit, where credit is due.
Without further adieu, I present:

Baked Salmon:

Ingredients:
Salmon Fillet

Mayonnaise

Paprika
Garlic Powder

Instructions:
1. Wash fish under water and pat dry.

2. Spread a thin layer of mayonnaise on the top of the fish

3. Sprinkle a bit of paprika and onion powder

4. Bake in your toaster oven or in the oven at 350 F for 15 minutes (Put your oven fan on so that you don’t stink up your kitchen)

5. Feel free to broil the fish for the last 1-2 minutes to get a crusty flake on top (be careful not to burn your fish)

This dish goes well with these easy side dishes:

Sautéed Kale (inspired by the recipe from the restaurant Westvill in NYC)

1. Clean kale and pat dry
2. Chop the kale like it was lettuce
3. Add 1 chopped shallots with 1 tbsp of olive oil to frying pan
4. Heat on low until onions are transparent (be very careful when heating oil!)
5. Add kale and ½ cup of white wine, dash of salt and pepper
6. Cover lid on pan until the kale is cooked
   
   

Baked Potato

1. Wash and scrub potato
2. Stab potato repeatedly with a fork
3. Place in microwave for 10 minutes on high
   
   

Roasted Asparagus

1. Clean asparagus
2. Sprinkle with 1 tbsp oil and a dash of salt and pepper
3. Put asparagus on a roasting pan for 15 minutes at 350
   
   

Steamed Asparagus

1. Clean asparagus
2. Insert asparagus in a Pyrex dish
3. Fill Pyrex dish with a centimeter of water
4. Cover Pyrex with saran wrap and microwave for 6 minutes
5. Careful of steam when removing saran wrap
6. Remove asparagus from water
7. Upon serving, sprinkle with salt, pepper and fresh lemon juice
   
   

Roasted Veggies

1. Slice and clean all veggies (Ideas: mushrooms, onions, peppers, baby carrots, beets, parsnip)
2. Put on a baking sheet and drizzle with 4 tbsp oil, 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar, 2 tbsp of Italian seasoning and a dash of salt and pepper
3. Bake for 30-40 minutes at 350

Keep in mind that bikini season is on its way.

Also please note that Sherri has been a tad occupied feeding this lil guy, meet Justin -formerly known as Junior. He isn't into solids just yet but he has exhibited behavior of wanting to eat everything. Future Braude's Bites Guinea Pig.

Enjoy.
Chef Cara

The Perfect Summer Salad: Avocado & Hearts of Palm

Every time I go back home, I go through my mother's new cookbooks and photocopy the good stuff. I got this recipe from Panache, a kosher cookbook put together by 100 young Montrealers for the Montreal Jewish General Hospital's emergency department. This was light, fast and perfect for a BBQ (see my new suburban tag for BBQ suggestions!). It appealed to Naomi, who is a healthy one, and to the boys who were chowing on dogs and burgers.

It's easy, healthy (without screaming "healthy") and impresses a crowd. I made some edits...

Avocado & Hearts of Palm Salad
Montreal's Panache Cookbook
20 minutes
Serves 6-8 people

Dressing:
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp dijon or spicy mustard
1/2- 1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp pepper

Salad:
Pint of chery tomatoes, halfed
can of 14 oz hearts of palms (drain and slice or by them already sliced at Whole Foods)
2-3 scallions, sliced
1-2 avocados, peeled and cubed
2-3 Tbsp pine nuts (I am obsessed with Sahale nuts lately, so I used Valdosta Pecans instead and yum! You can get them at most places now)
1-1 1/2 lbs steamed asparagus, cut into chunks (I skipped)

Combine dressing ingredients. Place tomatoes, asparagus, hearts of palm and scallions in a serving dish. Add dressing. Toss gently. Add avocados and nuts just before serving.

Bon Appetit!

Steak and Pepper Fajitas

I was skimming through Fitness Magazine on the eliptical machine & stole this recipe! I made it for Cara and Lee and they both raved about it....It is going to become a staple in our house- 416 calories, 32 g protein, 38 g carbs, 16 g fat (4.3 g saturated) & 7 g fiber! Less for me since I hate cheese :)

Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook time: 25 minutes
Makes: 4 servings

1 lb flank or hanger steak (I used flank)
Juice of 1 Lime
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp mild chile powder
3 tsp oil
1/2 red onion, sliced
3 bell prepper (red, yellow and orange)
1/2 cup corn
8 small tortillas (I use whole wheat)
2 tbsp cilantro (I skipped!)

I also made it with my guacamole (other people add low fat Monterey Jack and sour cream, but you know how I feel about dairy!)

2 ripe avocados
1 small onion, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
4 tsp fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp cumin
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
3 tbsp cilantro
kosher salt
pepper
splash of tabasco
chopped tomatoes at end

Marinate steak in lime juice, salt, garlic and chile powder in sealed back for 20-30 minutes (love that you don't need to prep ahead!). As it is marinating, make guacamole!

Heat a large skillet over high heat for 5 mins. Add 2 tsp of oil to pan. Add red onins, bell peppers- toss frequently for 5 mins. Add corn and continue until peppers are charred and soft, about 3 more minutes. Transfer veggies to a bowl and keep warm.

Wipe skillet with paper towel and heat for another minute. Add remaining oil. Remove steak from marinade and pat dry w pape towel. Lay steak in pan, reduce heat to medium high and cook 8 mins for medium rare, turning once halfway through. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes! Make sure to let it rest to let it soak up juiciness!

Slice steak across grain and make fajitas!

Nigella's Mirin Glazed Salmon

We got home from vacation yesterday with a few extra holiday lbs. Unsure of what the culprit could have been; guacamole every day? margaritas during the day? vino and dessert every night? Or maybe the pain au chocolat I had with my breakfast in Mexico everyday...Was I not in Paris?

Anyway, after visiting the newest and cutest addition to the Colla family, I scooted over to the new Gourmet Garage for some ingredients for a home cooked meal. Got in a cab home 40 blocks= $27.00 and 30 minutes...go home tourists.

Good news is this healthy recipe took 8 minutes all in. The salmon was perfectly pink in the middle and the heat formed a gorgeous, sweet outer crust. I bought Nigella Express @ the 2008 NYC Food and Wine Festival "Nigella Talks". She was the buxom babe you see on TV...

I admit I have way too many unused cookbooks. My resolution for 2010 is to use them more to find quick & light creations like this one!

Mirin Glazed Salmon

Nigella Express, serves 4

"This must be the fastest possible way to create a culinary sensation. You do scarcely a thing — just dip some salmon filets in a dark glossy potion, most of which you get out of jars — and what you make tastes as if you had been dedicating half your life to achieving the perfect combination of sweet, savory, tender, and crisp." Mirin and Rice vinegar are in the Asian aisle of all grocery stores.

1/4 cup mirin (Japanese sweet rice wine)

1/4 cup light brown sugar

1/4 cup soy sauce

4 4-oz pieces of salmon, cut from the thick part of the fillet so that they are narrow but tall rather than wide and flat

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

1–2 scallions, halved and shredded into fine strips

1. Mix the mirin, sugar, and soy in a shallow dish that will hold all 4 pieces of salmon, and marinate the salmon in it for 3 minutes on the first side and 2 minutes on the second. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet on the stove.

2. Cook the salmon in the hot, dry pan for 2 minutes and then turn it over, add the marinade, and cook for another 2 minutes.

3. Remove the salmon to whatever plate you're serving it on, and add the rice vinegar to the hot pan.

4. Pour the dark, sweet, salty glaze over the salmon and top with the scallion strips. Serve with rice or noodles as you wish, and consider putting some sushi ginger on the table, too.

Applesauce Carrot Cake Muffins

One more from Step Up's Goddess Baking Night....

These are great. They don't photograph well, but the volunteers and teens of Step Up do, so I photographed them instead. They're a close runner up to Ellie Krieger's apple muffins that I love. In fact, one disappeared from the fridge and was eaten by my husband- he's not a muffin guy, so it's a testament to their tastiness. This recipe was developed by Marisa Angebranndt, the p(resident) baker of wannahavacookie as a healthier way to make carrot cake.

I enjoyed one for breakfast this am, they're very moist and tasty- didn't keep me full for that long though- need to pair it with a fruit next time.

Applesauce Carrot Cake Muffins

Yields 25-30 muffins, prep time: 30 minutes

4 eggs

2 cups Splenda baking sugar

1 cup natural unsweetened applesauce

1/2 cup veg oil (is it healthier to use canola oil?)

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups all purpose baking flour

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp table salt

2 tsp ground cinnamon

3 cups grated carrots (8 medium carrots)

Preheat oven to 350. Grate carrots. Mix dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon) into a bowl, whisk and set aside. Line muffin tins with muffin liners. Mix wet ingredients into a bowl (eggs, Splenda, applesauce, veg oil, vanilla extract) and whisk to ensure there are no lumps.

Mix in dry ingredients and carrots and stir. Scoop mix into muffin pan until they are 2/3 full- don't overfill. Bake for 25 minutes and switch trays half way through to ensure they get evenly baked.

Healthy Baking Goddess Day

This past week, I went to a "Teen Goddess Healthy Baking Night" at Step Up Women's Network.

I got to meet a lot of nice people, bake some new healthy treats and teach the teenaged girls how to bake with a little less fat and still have fun...

Marisa, a Step Up Member and (P)resident Baker from wannahavacookie, came in to show the girls some of her healthy baking tips while networking with other women who could help her promote her new business venture! Mission accomplished- too bad my blog has 5 readers.

We made awesome cherry almond dark chocolate clusters. I don't even like cherries and I kept sneaking them from the fridge last night. My only regret is not taking more when I left.

It's an Ellie Krieger recipe- she has great "luscious recipes for a healthy life" as her cookbook promises...the night of baking inspired me to flip through her book to find some more gems.

I met her a few weeks back at The Taste of the Upper West Side, where she was enjoying a chilled illy issimo espresso courtesy of yours truly...here she is with her husband, she was as nice as she was on TV.

Ellie Krieger's Cherry Almond Chocolate Clusters
Yields 12 clusters or 24 mini clusters, prep time- 20 minutes
155 calories, 10 grams of fat, only 3 grams of saturated fat (for a regular cluster, not mini)

1 cups almonds, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup dried cherries, coarsely chopped
6 oz dark chocolate, finely chopped

In a medium bowl, toss together the almonds and the cherries. Line a baking sheet with waxed paper. Microwave chocolate in a microwave safe bowl for 20 seconds, repeat 5-6 times until mostly melted. Remove with an oven mitt and stir for a minute to dissolve all lumps.

Stir the fruit-nut mixture into the chocolate. Spoon out heaping tablespoon-sized clusters of the chocolate mixture onto the baking sheet about 1-inch apart. Put them in the refrigerator to set for 15 minutes. Store and serve at room temperature.

Charna’s Tomato and Basil Spaghetti Squash

The first time I ate Spaghetti Squash, I hated it. Odd consistency and tasted like a water logged noodle. In my opinion, it was a wanna-be carb that would never be approved by Chef Boyardee. I held my ground and refused to eat it - that's until I was invited over to my friend Charna’s house and guess what was being served as the main dish? Now Charna can cook, so with a bit of hesitation and being the polite guest that I am - I indulged. Wow. That's all I need to say.


If Charna’s creation wasn’t convincing enough, the next factoids might have you making this recipe sooner then you thought. Spaghetti Squash has been coined the “dieter's dream” since a a four-ounce serving of spaghetti squash has only 37 calories. Spaghetti squash contains many nutrients including folic acid, potassium, vitamin A, and beta carotene.

Spaghetti Squash can be stored at room temperature for about a month - buy it, forget it about it and voila, just when you think that you’re all out of groceries and that you might need to order in....Spaghetti Squash to the rescue.

Last but not least, if you’re celebrating passover, this is a great carb substitute that won’t leave you feeling icky (sorry I couldn’t be more eloquent and refined).


Ingredients
serves 4

1 Spaghetti Squash

1 Package of Chopped Fresh Basil

2 Packages of Cherry Tomatoes or Grape Tomatoes Halved
1 small block of Crumbled Feta Cheese
1 diced Yellow Onion (Charna doesnt use an onion)
3 Cloves of Crushed Garlic
2-3 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Salt

Pepper

Directions

Clean spaghetti squash and then cut it in half length wise and discard of the seeds and the membrane. 

In a glass baking dish arrange the squash halves, cut side down and pour 1/4 cup water around it. Cover the dish tightly with microwave-safe plastic wrap. Microwave the squash at high power (100%) for 12 minutes, or until it is soft when pressed, and let it stand, covered, for 3 minutes.

To prepare the tomato sauce, use a stock pot on the top of the stove at a medium temperature. Cover the base of a stock pot with 1-3 tbsp of Extra Virgin Olive Oil and add the crushed garlic, chopped yellow onions and the tomatoes and cook for 8 minutes with the lid on. Cook the onions until they are translucent and the tomatoes become mushy, add the chopped fresh basil, salt and pepper and continue to cook the sauce covered for another 8 minutes. Stir the tomatoe sauce continuously and keep an eye out to make sure that it doesn’t burn.

Turn off the stove, add the Spaghetti Squash to the tomato sauce in the stock pot while it is still hot and add the crumbled feta cheese. Stir it all together, Serve and Enjoy!

Chef Cara (see Charna's modifications in the comments)

Hadassa’s Raisin & Spinach Salad

I eat at least one salad a day - no Im not a rabbit and no you cant tell (yet!!!!) from looking at me, but I am always looking for new way to make my salad exciting! Yes, I just used the word exciting and salad in the same sentence - if you dont believe me, I challenge you to make this salad below.


This salad is dedicated to my friend Natalie, who will only eats one type of lettuce - Spinach. I'm sorry Natalie if this is a sisterly secretive secret that I wasnt supposed to share with the thousands of subscribers to Braude’s Bites, BUT what are you going to do now that the cat is out of the bag?



This salad originates from Hadassa Srulovicz, who has taught me many recipes over the years and should be awarded for maintaing a constant supply of homemade israeli food in her refrigerator to keep up with the constant demand of the 3 very hungry men in her life. Without further adieu...

Salad

1 pkg Baby Spinach
4-5 Shallots
2 cups Bean Sprouts
1 pkg Mushrooms
1-2 cups Parsley
1 cups Pine Nuts
½ cup Raisins

Dressing

2 cloves Garlic
¼ cup Soya Sauce
½ cup Olive Oil
1 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar

Enjoy!

 Chef Cara

Tofu Scramble with a kick

A couple of months back, I finally went from looking at the gorgeous "101 cookbooks" blog to trying some of the healthy & natural recipes. I dipped my foot in the water with Heidi Swanson's edamame with lemon vinaigrette- it was tangy and delicious. I'm not a vegan, a granola or a hippie- I just love to cook, bake & keep it healthy most of the time. Her blog is fantastic- so far, I have made 3 of her recipes & resounding success everytime! There is nothing like trying a new recipe, especially a time consuming one, to find that you've wasted your precious time, money and excitement (like last week's average mushroom barley soup that got rave reviews online). Her blog, so far, has proven to be a one stop shop for 5 star healthy and QUICK recipes with relatively few easy to find ingredients.

Here is the recipe:

http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/garam-masala-tofu-scramble-recipe.html

Don't let the word "scramble" turn you off- there are no eggs, I hate eggs!

I substituted pistachios & dried cranberries for chickpeas and almonds- you could put in whatever you have in the pantry & fridge.

My apartment smells beautiful and now I have 2 lunches for this week waiting in the fridge.

Perfect for a busy week when I start my new dream job working on launching a new line of authentically Italian illy chilled espressos in New York. How bad could a job be where they send you to illy's coffee university in Soho for 2 days? It would only be appropriate that I make you some illy mocha chip gelato in the coming weeks. Stay tuned!

Deep Purple Smoothie

I've been making this smoothie for a couple of months. It's a quick, healthy snack made with ingredients that can stay in your fridge for a while...It's also the "recessionista" version of the $5 I used to blow at Jamba Juice...impressive, right?

All you need is a blender. Blend these ingredients together:

1/2 cup mixed frozen berries
1/2 cup orange juice (as you can imagine, I will recommend the orange juice of champions: Minute Maid or Simply Orange)
lemon juice (from 1/2 lemon)
1 Splenda or 1 tsp of sugar
2 ice cubes
1/4 cup plain fat free yogurt (today I used Fage greek yogurt cause I like their magazine ads!)

You can throw in some flax seed, change the fruit used...ENJOY!

tangy edamame

I found a recipe to lemon edamame on a blog I really like called 101 cookbooks.

It's not Braude's Bites, the woman is out of San Francisco and has a zillion readers and is actually a photographer (needless to say her food looks more appealing than mine on the canon elph). She is always in the epicurean magazines.

I've made it twice already and Lee & I both love it. The salmon next to it was phenomenal as well...I will blog it next time, it's from Nigella Express, the cookbook I bought last week and had Nigella sign.

It is so easy and quick to make, you can make it last minute and the ingredients don't go bad in the fridge, this edamame is made with stuff you already have in your fridge. It tastes better the day after you make it and is a great protein filled snack for work.

Funny enough, this week, Harley Pasternak, a Canadian nutritionist & trainer who trains celebs in LA, was our guest speaker at a Coca-Cola women's conference. He was a great speaker and has a very sensible approach to eating well and exercising.

He did a cooking demo of healthy recipes like apple smoothies & whole wheat pizza & oatmeal frtittata that you can make quickly with 5 or less ingredients. This recipe is fabulous and is the same deal as the recipes he made: it is quick, uses easy ingredients and is super healthy. I edited a bit, she calls for shiso leaf that's only in asian grocery stores- who has time for that mid week?

Edamame with Lemon Vinaigrette
Serves 4
adapted from 101cookbooks.com

3 cups shelled edamame (about 12 ounces)
2 Meyer lemons or regular lemons
2 tablespoons fruity extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons maple syrup (i left it out this time cause i can't find it and it tasted the same!)
Kosher salt & pepper

Buy a bag of frozen shelled edamame in the freezer section. Cook the edamame according to the package's instructions. Drain, place in a serving bowl, and let cool to room temperature.
Zest one lemon and set aside. Squeeze the juice from the lemon (about 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon). In a blender, add the lemon juice and zest, the olive oil, vinegar, and maple syrup. Add the salt and pepper to taste. Blend well and gently mix the dressing with the edamame.

If you want, zest the other lemon and sprinkle the zest on top.
Enjoy! I gotta go, Barefoot Contessa is premiering now! Woohoo!

Chickpea Salad with Ginger

The New York Times published this recipe in their "recipes for health" section in early September. It has a simple ingredient list, an easy cook process, it's quick and it stays in the fridge as a great snack.

Chickpea Salad with Ginger
4 Servings

1Tbsp ground cumin or cumin seeds
3 cups canned chickpeas (I used low sodium), rinsed and drained
2 red, orange or yellow peppers (cored, seeded and diced)
1 red onion, diced
1 inch pc ginger, peeled & minced (I got a trusty tube of ginger I have been using!)
1 Tbsp sugar, optional
3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
s&p to taste
chopped fresh cilantro
*1 Tbsp of Olive oil to moisten it up a bit (A Sherri addition to moisten it up and make it more "restaurant" tasting

Toss all ingredients together except cilantro and refrigerate.
Taste and add salt, pepper and lemon juice if needed. Add cilantro when ready to serve.

A Midsummer's Night Dream

This week has been all about new things. I taught my friend, Jay, how to cook for his new wife, Jennie, via email and cell phone. He went from Kraft Dinner (EW) and eggs to espresso and chili rubbed steaks and roasted asparagus in a few emails. This from someone who once said that my blog was useless! His calls were all day entertainment.

Q: "How do I buy asparagus"
A: "Umm, walk up to the asparagus sign, choose asparagus and pay for them"

Q: "Can I get ebola from the filet mignon?"
A: No, that's e. Coli

Q: "What do I do with the garlic?"
A: Open up the head, take out some cloves and peel them (I will show him how to smash like on Food TV at a later time!)

At the end, he e-mailed me telling me it was a total success and he was so proud. So proud that he is cooking again tonight!

Next, I got on a bike for the first time in years and ended up biking for 3 hours all over the West Side Highway with my friend, Todd.

Then, I decided to order gazpacho at 'WichCraft and loved it. Until last week, gazpacho was of no interest to me. I came right home & found Ina's recipe for her bestselling gazpacho from her days at Barefoot Contessa in East Hampton...I made it yesterday for the first time and it was chunky with a bit of a kick. It's perfect to take for lunch with a sandwich during the summer and looks beautiful for entertaining as well (bonus- you can make it day before and it looks great in martini and shot glasses).

Ina Garten's Gazpacho- The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook
Serves 4 to 5

1 english (also called hothouse) cucumber, halved & seeded, but not peeled
2 red peppers, cored and seeded
4 plum tomatoes
1 red onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups tomato juice (the Contessa highly recommends Sacramento brand, I used Campbell's)
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup good olive oil
1/2 tbsp kosher salt
3/4 tsp ground black pepper
few drops of Tabasco (I added!)

Roughly chop cucs, peppers, tomatoes and red onions into 1 inch cubes. Put each vegetable separately into a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until it's coarsely chopped. Don't overprocess- it shouldn't be pureed.

After you process each vegetable, combine them in a large bowl and add the garlic, juice, vinegar, olive oil, s&p, Mix well and chill before serving. The longer it sits, the better it is. I also added 4-5 drops of Tabasco.

Salsify- a rare find!

A couple of months ago, I was ordering dinner at CraftBar & asked the waiter what roasted salsify was. It came with grilled scallops and I immediately thought it may be a chutney or salsa. That night, I discovered salsify for the first time.

Salsify is a root vegetable that is uncommon in the United States, but apparently very popular in Europe. As soon as I got home, I did some research and got on chowhound to see where I could get the stuff. Someone told me I could get it at the Union Square Farmers' Market, but I never really looked that hard. Turns out you can find it at the Paffenroth Gardens stand at the Greenmarket. I have had the dish at CraftBar a few times since and it turns out their chef is on a mission to get this vegetable out of obscurity.

Anyway, yesterday after a brutal workout (I have been on vacation for 2 weeks, which meant my running shoes were in my suitcase, but they didn't get used! Next time, I may pack a bit lighter!), I met Geneve at Chelsea Market. Considering we both love food so much, we found it quite surprising that we both don't spend more time there...After brunching at 202 and sampling some mint chip gelato and fatwich brownies, we stopped by the Lobster Place & The Fruit Exchange. Emeril is always in these places on his show (Food Network tapes upstairs), not that I am a fan.

We were looking around with amazement- such amazing variety (star fruit, rare chilis, all varieties of eggplants) and great prices when BANG! SALSIFY!! I introduced Geneve to salsify and she took out her trusty Canon Elph to take a pic for my blog....

Tonight, I roasted it with my favorite swordfish recipe (roasted with lime juice, olive oil, s&p at 425 and then take it out of oven and refresh with a bit of the same) and it was delicious.

Roasted Salsify

1. Wash & Peel & cut salsify (4 large stalks is perfect for 2!)

2. Place on baking sheet with olive oil, kosher salt & pepper at 350 degrees for an hour.

When it came out, I sprinkled some za'atar on it. Za'atar is a Middle Eastern spice that I picked up in Israel...it's delicious, they eat it on pita.

You could easily include carrots, beets and/or parsnips as well!

Thank you Manhattan Fruit Exchange.

I heArt-ichoke

In prepping my lunch in the cafeteria I often get a few “ohhh’s” and “ahhh’s” from my co-workers admiring my special of the day. In an effort to be healthy, I find its important to re-invent the wheel so that when 12’oclock strikes that you’re excited about your dejeuner.

As an alternative to the salad bar, I’ve added a steamed artichoke to my repertoire of lunches. The nutritional information is in: one large artichoke is fat free, contains only 25 calories, 170 milligrams of potassium, and is a good source of vitamin C, folate, magnesium and dietary fiber. In keeping the artichoke healthy, it’s important that the accompanied dipping sauce is as well.

Its not the traditional lunch and according to my co-workers it seems very high maintenance – I’m here to prove them wrong! Given that it’s not as easy as a microwaveable frozen lean cuisine, both the preparation of the artichoke and the dipping sauce are fairly simple.

Ingredients:

1 Large Artichoke
1 Lemon

When buying your artichoke from the grocery store the tighter and more compact the artichoke, the fresher it is. Prep Time: Fill up a sauce pan with water and half a lemon and let the water come to a boil. Trim the stem of the artichoke and add it whole to the boiling water with the lid on, leave it in the water for 40 minutes. Once the 40 minutes have passed, discard the water and you artichoke is ready.For the finishing touch – the low fat Ginger Dipping sauce only requires three ingredients to be combined!

Ingredients For Sauce:

1. 5 tbsp Low Fat Mayonaise

1 tsp of Fresh Ginger or 1 Cube of Frozen Ginger
1-2 tsp of Tamari Sauce (similar to Soya Sauce)

Artichokes are intimidating and for those of you who haven’t yet encountered an artichoke, how one eats an artichoke is not obvious from its appearance so here is a helpful diagram (instructions & pictures courtesy of http://www.elise.com/):

1. Pull off outer petals, one at a time, starting from the base. Dip white fleshy end in the sauce.

2. Tightly grip the other end of the petal. Place in mouth, dip side down, and pull through teeth to remove soft, pulpy, delicious portion of the petal. Discard remaining petal.

3. Continue until all of the petals are removed.

4. With a knife or spoon, scrape out and discard the inedible fuzzy and prickly parts (called the "choke") covering the artichoke heart. The remaining bottom of the artichoke is the heart. Cut into pieces and dip into sauce to eat.

Sherri and Lee are traveling to Israel and Greece this week, which coincides very well with this post since artichokes are very popular dishes in both of these countries! Looking forward to SB’s next blog, hopefully it will be on her new international culinary discoveries….

Cara

Bodacious Bulgur

Happy St-Jean Baptiste, Happy Canada Day, Happy 4th of July – no matter what holiday you’re celebrating you’re probably enjoying your celebratory days off. With the summer heat FINALLY upon us, enjoying family and friends company is at the forefront which usually means that people are starting to light up there BBQ’s and grill just about anything in site.

Having recently been invited to a Non-BBQ BBQ (half way through prep my friend realized that her BBQ was still hibernating in her shed), I offered to bring a healthy and low fat side dish to accompany her culinary creations. A new bulgur salad that I recently discovered online at Fresh Direct was my choice. Midway through my recipe I threw in my apron and gave it a bit of a free styling twist – it was a dangerous attempt, but the final result was a success!


At first glance, other BBQ attendees thought this was a cous cous concoction – not so much. That’s like mistaking a piece of White Bread for a piece of whole wheat bread with multi-grains.

So, What is Bulgur? Bulgur is what's left after wheat kernels have been steamed, dried, and crushed. This cereal grain has been a food staple for years because it offers an inexpensive source of low-fat protein, making it a wonderfully nutritious addition to your low-calorie meal plan.

High in fiber and protein, and low in fat and calories, bulgur is another food that offers bulk and nutrients to fill you up without adding pounds. One thing to keep in mind, a cup of bulgur has fewer calories, less fat, and more than twice the fiber of brown rice. (quoted from http://recipes.howstuffworks.com/natural-weight-loss-food-bulgur-ga.htm)


This recipe produces an unusual but exquisite salad! Its easy to make, tastes amazing and is a great dish to introduce your friends and family to a healthier cous cous alternative.


Ingredients

3/4 cup Light Bulgur – Medium Grind #2

1 cup boiling water
1 teaspoon salt
1 pinch of Pepper
1-2 tsp of Cumin
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp of fresh chopped mint
½ cup green seedless grapes cut in half
½ cup Pistachio Nuts
½ cup Cranraisins
½ cup Golden Raisins
½ cup Chopped Dried Apricot
3 green Onions/ Shallots

Directions

1. Combine the bulgur and salt in a heatproof salad bowl and pour in the boiling water. Cover tightly and let sit for 30 minutes. The bulgur is similar to cous cous as it requires minimal cooking and it will increase in volume by two times or more. After 30 minutes, drain remaining water and fluff it with a fork.

2. Stir in the cumin and the olive oil. Stir well to make sure that cumin and oil are distributed evenly.

3.Put dried apricots, golden raisins and cranraisins in microwavable bowel and add enough water to cover the bowel. Cover the bowel with saran wrap and microwave the dried fruit for 1-2 minutes in order to soften the dried fruit with the steam. Remove from microwave and let it sit on the counter for a few minutes, drain any remaining water.

4. Add the grapes, pistachio nuts and shallots to the bulgur. Add the dried apricot, raisins and cranraisins once they are not too wert.

5. Adjust the seasoning with pepper and cumin, if necessary. This salad can be served cold, hot or at room temperature.

Yieds: 4-5 side dishes.

Enjoy,
Cara Braude

Grilled Tuna with Basil Pesto

In my last post, I alluded to the grilled tuna with basil pesto that I enjoy everytime I'm at my new stomping ground, Bar Stuzzichini. Tonight as I was thinking about what I was going to make for dinner, a thought came to mind. Why not use the basil I bought for my couscous (Ellie Krieger recipe from her new cookbook, will keep you posted on results) to try to replicate my Stuzzichini tuna? Not a bad idea considering the fact that everytime I buy basil, I always let it go bad. Those who know me know that my meals are rarely invented...I follow recipes to the tee and leave little room for creativity.

Good news- job well done by me! The result was a delicious, healthy grilled tuna with a phenomenal basil pesto...It was quick, easy and perfect for a weeknight. Bonus- my apartment doesn't reek since tuna only needs to be grilled for 90 seconds on each side! I froze the extra pesto in an ice cube tray so I could thaw it and make this meal even easier next time.

Let me know how it goes for you!

Sherri's Grilled Tuna with Basil Pesto
Serves 2

8 oz wild yellowfin tuna

kosher salt & ground pepper

1 cup of basil

1 garlic clove

1/8 cup of pine nuts

1/2 cup of olive oil plus a tsp for brushing the steaks

Equipment: food processor and grill pan or BBQ

Combine basil, garlic and pine nuts in a processor. While machine is running, slowly add in 1/2 cup of olive oil. Add kosher salt and pepper to taste.

Brush tuna steak with very little olive oil, place on grill pan for 90 seconds on each side.

To serve, drizzle basil pesto on the tuna.

Bon Appetit!

Cauliflower & Curry

Recently my mom bought me Norene's Healthy Kitchen, a cookbook written by Norene Gilletz, who is a culinary goddess amongst the Canadian crowd and now a subscriber to Braude's Bites! I was looking through it for new ideas on vegetables and ended up finding delicious recipes for both roasted broccoli and roasted cauliflower that I have made frequently over the past few months. I will never steam either of those vegetables again, they lose their flavor and are never beyond average. Both Norene's roasted veggie dishes are tasty, easy and healthy. Even better, they are company quality- not just for your everyday.

Curry Roasted Cauliflower
Norene's Healthy Kitchen
Yields 4-6 servings

1 large cauliflower
1 red pepper, seeded and cut into long, narrow strips (I always leave it out for some reason)
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup fresh chives or scallions for garnish (I also leave it out)

Preheat the oven to 400. Wash the cauliflower well and cut into florets. Place in pan with red pepper strips, drizzle with olive oil, curry powder and salt. Spread on a single layer on the baking sheet. Roast, uncovered, for 40-45 minutes until golden and crispy; halfway through, toss them to get them all! They taste really good when they are a bit blackened. Remove from oven and sprinkle with onions or chives.

It turns out cauliflower and curry are a delicious combo and the cauliflower has a really buttery taste. A few weeks after rediscoverin cauliflower, I was at Wichcraft, my favorite sandwich chain and they were not serving my spicy carrot soup with vanilla oil, so my friend, Corryn, convinced me to try the cauliflower soup. It was my first time having cauliflower soup. I enjoyed it so much, I made this recipe from Epicurious.com last night and really enjoyed it!

Quick curried cauliflower soup
Adapted from Bon Appétit January 2003
Makes 8 to 10 servings.

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
4 teaspoons curry powder
8 cups cauliflower florets (from 1 large head), chopped
10 ounces Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, diced into 1/2-inch cubes (about 1 1/4 cups)
7 cups low-salt chicken broth
1/2 tsp crushed red peppers
Kosher salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté until translucent, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Add sugar and curry powder; stir 1 minute. Add cauliflower and potatoes; stir 1 minute. Add broth and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 35 minutes. Season with salt, pepper and crushed red peppers. Let cool and puree soup with a hand blender.

Note: The original version was bland, by adding spices to taste you will get a great velvety soup with a bit of kick! It's very quick and makes your house smell delightful!

Enjoy!

Roasted Sweetness

I have recently become addicted to roasted beets. I had never even tried a beet until I ordered a yellowtail and beet appetizer at Telepan on the Upper West Side. Since this summer, I have been making them almost weekly at home. When beets are roasted, they taste so sweet that you wouldn't believe they are good for you. You can pair them with candied walnuts and goat cheese to make a beautiful looking salad. Golden beets are yellow/orange are just as delicious. They're high in potassium, fiber and folacin, yet low in calories. Another benefit is that they keep in the fridge's crisper for a week or two before you roast them and stay in the fridge for a couple of days after you make them. They make a great and filling snack, so make extra!

Sherri's Roasted Beets (Serves 4)

5 Red or Golden Beets

olive oil

kosher salt

pepper

1 Orange

Preheat oven to 400. Cut off beet leafs, wash and peel beets. Cut them up into small 1 inch pieces, so they roast faster. Spread out on a baking sheet and mix with kosher salt, pepper and olive oil. Roast for 40 minutes, turning them around once half way through.

Place beets in a bowl, squeeze orange juice onto beets and place in fridge.

Serve cool or at room temperature.

Marinated Mushrooms

After our trip from Spain, I decided to host a tapas party at Casa Sparaga. We loaded up the fridge with Sangria and put together a Spanish menu from "The New Spanish Table" and Cook's Illustrated. We enjoyed delicious patata bravas, tomato and red onion salad, sizzling garlic shrimp, meatballs, marinated mushrooms and even a cheese plate (no, I didn' do it! Corryn handled all cheese-related chores). For dessert, my signature molten cakes.

The mushrooms were very easy and tasted delicious. I made them the day before and pulled them out of the fridge an hr before guests arrived. They are also only 110 calories per serving.
On Sunday after the party, I had leftovers for breakfast with some baguette and tomato while reading Travel & Leisure. That's the life.

This week, I also capped off a work day at Boqueria on 19th Street between 5th and 6th for the first time. I enjoyed some great red wine, pan con tomate, blistered peppers and patata bravas. Highly recommend it.

Marinated Mushrooms (another hit from Cooksillustrated.com)

Skillet size limits the yield of this recipe; if you would like to double it, cook the mushrooms in two separate batches but marinate them together.

Thyme, parsley, or basil makes a good last-minute addition--use only one, however, not all three.

INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil , plus 1 tablespoon for finishing
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Table salt
1 pound cremini mushrooms or white button mushrooms, cleaned, left whole if small, halved if medium, quartered if large
2 tablespoons lemon juice from 1 lemon, plus 1 tablespoon for finishing
1 medium clove garlic , sliced very thin
1 large shallot , chopped fine (about 1/4 cup)
1/4 small red bell pepper , chopped fine (about 1/4 cup)
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or basil
Ground black pepper

1. Heat 3 tablespoons oil, red pepper flakes, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add mushrooms and 2 tablespoons lemon juice; cook, stirring frequently, until mushrooms release moisture, moisture evaporates, and mushrooms have browned around edges, about 10 minutes. Spread mushrooms in single layer on large plate or rimmed baking sheet; cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes. When cooled, transfer mushrooms to medium bowl, leaving behind any juices. Stir garlic, shallot, and bell pepper into mushrooms, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 6 or up to 24 hours.

2. Before serving, allow mushrooms to stand at room temperature about 1 hour. Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and thyme and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper just before serving.