Archive | April, 2015

Avocado ‘Hollandaise’ with Black Garlic & Roasted Asparagus

Published on in Breakfast, Condiment, Keto-friendly, Nightshade-free, Salad dressing, Sauce By |
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Hollandaise still gives me anxiety. It takes me back to cooking school when it was always part of the practical exam and later to high end restaurants, where we had to keep it warm, but not too warm or it would split and you’d have to make it again mid-service, which was far from ideal. High food cost, chef scowls, rapid heartbeats -hollandaise-fear was a real thing, even once it became second nature. I still have hollandaise-mares.

My version of it is much more laid back, and frankly, suits my personality way better. It is totally plant-based, no eggs betting against you, and your biggest stressor will be adding the acids in time to the avocado once you cut it open so that it doesn’t oxidize. That’s not really stress though, just life.

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Mexican Cauliflower Rice & Refried Black Beans with Fresh Salsa

Published on in Breakfast, Condiment, Legumes, Main course By |
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I have found that the less preamble before a meal the better. If you set someone up for something new and wonderful for dinner, some recipients can become suspicious and mentally prepare themselves for something scary. You know who they…..or possibly you are.

For instance, it is more effective to say ‘Ha! There was no dairy at all in that mac and cheese that you just said you loved!’ (you can word this more maturely if that’s your style) than ‘You are going to loooove this mac and cheese, you can’t even tell it’s dairy-free’. Even if you are cooking food for adults, in my experience, unless they are your fellow nerdy nutritionist friends or vegetable-appreciating sisters, it is usually better to be sneaky.

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Celery Root Rémoulade with Green Apple & Walnuts

Published on in Fruit, Nightshade-free, Nuts, Raw, Roots, Salad, Salad dressing, Snack By |
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Did you know that you can eat celery root raw? If you have ever cozied up to French cuisine you probably did (the land of cooked cucumber and raw egg yolks, so bizarre and brilliant). It does however, seem as though celery root is more famous these days in its roasted, caramelized state, or as a creamy soup (both great). It has a nice bite when left raw though, it’s not weird at all, and it holds up well to a heavier dressing. It tastes like celery but with less of a watery crisp and more of a dull crunch.

Celery root is actually the root of a celery plant, but not the same sweet celery that we have come to know and love (more bitter and hard to find unless you grow it yourself). Aesthetically, celery root belongs in the movie Pan’s Labyrinth (minus the scary). It has roots for days (and so much dirt trapped in those roots) that you literally just cut away and discard while you peel the rest, exposing the smooth, pale interior.

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Spiced Almond & Brazil nut Chia Pudding

Published on in Breakfast, Fruit, Keto-friendly, Main course, Nightshade-free, Nuts, Raw, Seeds By |
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I recently learned that ‘chia’ is the Mayan word for ‘strength’. It only makes sense to start off our day with a bowl of ‘strength’ and a cup of ‘love’ (the Mayan word for green tea) (just joking, the Mayan word for love is kimchi).

But seriously, what is for breakfast once croissants, toast, yoghurt and an elephant-sized spoonful of peanut butter are off the menu? Unless it’s chilly out, I do love the idea of raw foods in the morning. Starting off your day with lots of energetic enzymes and clean, undamaged fats and nutrients is a really good thing. I also like the idea of a hydrating breakfast, because water in our food is some of the easiest water to consume.

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