HEALTH COACH: Romance Your Vegetables and Love Your Health Part Two

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Carrot Cucumber Terrine

Arabian Carrot Dip
3 carrots, peeled and grated
1 T olive oil
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 t naturally-harvested salt

½ c coconut yoghurt/kefir/vegan sour cream

2 T lemon juice

2 T chopped fresh mint

⅓ c pine nuts, toasted

Bahārāt Spice Mix

1 t ground black pepper

1 t cumin

1 t paprika

½ t ground coriander seed

3 cloves

¼ t nutmeg

¼ t cardamom

a pinch of cinnamon

Prepare the spice mixture. Simply add all the ingredients in a dry non-stick skillet and heat, stirring until it begins to smoke ever so slightly and become aromatic. As soon as it begins to smoke, add the oil, carrot and a pinch of salt and heat until the carrot is just cooked through. It should be just tender and fragrant. Set aside to cool down a bit – and don't forget to pick out those 3 cloves! In a small pan, gently toast the pine nuts on a medium heat until lightly golden.

In a food processor or blender, combine the carrot, pine nuts and all remaining ingredients and pulse until the desired consistency is reached.

To assemble the terrine: Line a dish with thinly sliced (cut lengthwise) cucumber. Layer the carrot dip with minced purple onions, slices of cucumber, and capers inside the molded cucumber slices. Allow to set for at least two hours in the fridge. Cover top of bowl with serving plate and turn the terrine onto the plate. Garnish with fresh cracked pepper and celery leaves. Serve with toasted (brushed with oil) artisanal bread.

Le Week-End official trailer

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peach salsa-stuffed

Avocado Truffles

2 Avocados

President's Choice Blue Menu

Ancient grains and super seeds blend

Peach Salsa

micro-dice:

1 medium sized garden fresh tomato

1 peach

green onion

garlic

add:

fresh-squeezed lime juice

naturally harvested salt to taste

hot sauce

Slice ripe avocados horizontally, remove seed. Using a small spoon, enlarge the seed hollow, and peel the avocados carefully. Roll avocado halves in seeds that have been put in a small bowl. Plate and add salsa. Recipe inspired by Golubka's Kitchen

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Labneh Seed Toast

Labneh

Lebanese Yogurt Cheese

16 c plain yogurt

1 t naturally-harvested salt or to taste

1 T lemon juice fresh

1/4 c olive oil

garnish with dried mint leaves sumac or za'atar

Line a large strainer with a cheesecloth. Stir salt and lemon juice into the yogurt, and pour the yogurt into the cheesecloth. Set the strainer in a bowl to catch the liquid as it drains. Leave to drain for 24 hours or if making into balls let it drain 48 hours in the fridge.

After draining for the 24-48 hours, transfer the resulting cheese to a bowl. Stir in the olive oil. or if after 48 hours make into balls roll in spices like dried mint, za'atar or sumac, put into a container and pour in olive oil. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator.

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Vegetable seed toast: toast slices of whole grain bread. Layer labneh and vegetables of choice, and garnish with fresh mint leaves, sumac, or za'atar, mixed seeds, and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

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Parsley-Walnut Pesto

Pasta Salad

Parsley Walnut Pesto
½ c unsalted, roasted walnuts
4 c (packed) flat-leaf parsley leaves
¾ c chopped scallions
a few cloves of garlic
¾ c grape seed oil
½ c finely grated Parmesan
fresh cracked black pepper

Pasta salad
pasta
olives
fresh roasted raw walnuts
fresh parsley, chopped
finely grated mozzarella cheese

Prepare pesto: process all of the pesto ingredients together until desired texture and flavour are attained.

Combine pasta, pesto, and all other salad ingredients.

2023 update: I am growing garlic in my garden and I made garlic scape oil recently. Finish plating the salad with a drizzle of garlic scape oil and fresh cracked pepper and salt.
Toss. Devour.

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Zesty Black Bean Tostadas

with cilantro lime yogurt sauce

2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained

1 t chili powder

1 t cumin

1/4 t cayenne pepper (more for spicy)

salt and olive oil

3–4 tomatoes, chopped

1 medium avocado, cubed

2 c shredded lettuce

4–6 small flour tortillas (or cut to size)

Cilantro lime yogurt sauce

2/3 c plain yogurt or sour cream

1/2 c packed cilantro leaves (more to garnish)

1-2 t fresh squeezed lime juice

2 cloves garlic

1 t naturally-harvested salt

Puree the black beans, chili powder, cumin, and cayenne in a blender or food processor, adding a tablespoon of oil (or water) at a time to help the mixture move. I pureed for a minute or two but still left some texture.

In a food processor or blender, puree the cilantro, yogurt, garlic, and salt, adjusting the seasoning to your preference.

Place tortillas in an oiled frying pan until both sides are golden brown and crispy.

Top the crispy tortillas with black beans, tomatoes, avocados, and lettuce. Drizzle with cilantro sauce. Inspired by Pinch of Yum

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Okonomiyaki

savoury Japanese cabbage pancake

½ c sweet rice flour (glutinous rice flour/Mochiko)

1 large egg

¼ c chicken stock or water

2 t fish sauce

2 packed c finely chopped cabbage

2 green onions sliced

1 t oil

In a bowl, whisk together the rice flour, egg, chicken stock, and fish sauce. Add the chopped cabbage and green onions. Cook the cabbage pancake mixture in a frying pan, shaping around the edges as it cooks, about 10 minutes each side until golden brown. Top with okonomiyaki sauce, Japanese mayonnaise, sliced green onions, toasted sesame seeds, and pickled sushi ginger. from Kitchen Frau

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Eggplant Parmigiana Burgers

eggplant, cut into 4-5 inch rounds

artisanal burger buns

1/2 c all-purpose flour

1 eggs, beaten

1 c Italian-style breadcrumbs

mozzarella cheese, sliced into rounds

vegetable oil, for frying

2 c garlic herb tomato sauce

Slice the eggplants lengthwise into ½-inch thick slices and cut out 4-5 inch rounds using a bowl or cutter. Place the eggplant rounds in a colander and toss them with 1½ teaspoons salt. Let them drain in the colander over a bowl in the sink for 45 minutes to remove excess moisture.

Bread the eggplant rounds in batches by coating them in the flour, egg, and then the breadcrumbs.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add enough oil to liberally coat the bottom of the pan. Pan-fry the breaded eggplant rounds 2 to 3 minutes, flipping them once until both sides are golden brown. Remove the cooked eggplant rounds and immediately transfer them to a paper towel-lined plate.

Halve the brioche slider rolls and add 1 tablespoon of tomato sauce to the bottoms of the rolls. Stack an eggplant round atop the sauce, top it with another tablespoon of sauce and a piece of sliced mozzarella, transferring them to a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

Preheat broiler to high, and broil the open-faced burgers until the cheese melts (3-5 minutes). Immediately cap off the sliders with the tops of the buns and serve. Pictured: double eggplant burgers. inspired by Just a Taste

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Fairy Cakes

with labneh frosting

1 c all-purpose flour

(I use organic whole wheat flour)

3/4 c sugar

1 t cinnamon

1 t baking soda

1/2 t baking powder

1/4 t salt

1 1/2 heaping c grated carrots

2/3 c neutral oil (I use grapeseed oil)

2 eggs, beaten

Labneh frosting

1 c labneh

4 ounces cream cheese

4 T butter

2+ c powdered sugar

1 t vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the grated carrots and the oil. Slowly add the flour mixture, stirring until just mixed. Add the beaten eggs and stir a few times (like 15 or less around the bowl – the fewer the better)

Grease a muffin tin or use paper liners. Scoop the batter into a muffin tin, filling each muffin tin about 2/3 of the way up the side. Bake for 13 minutes, check how they’re doing, and add a few minutes if necessary. I find that the baking time varies greatly with oven, so just check for the right golden brown color and springy tops. Allow the cupcakes to cool.

For the frosting, blend the labneh, cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until smooth. Slowly beat in the powdered sugar until smooth. Transfer to a plastic bag or similar tool for piping the frosting evenly on the cupcakes. recipe by Pinch of Yum

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Spiced Apple Zucchini Cake

with honey butterscotch glaze

3 large eggs

2 c Demerara brown sugar

1 c extra virgin olive oil

1 1/2 t cinnamon

1 t freshly ground nutmeg

1/2 t baking powder

1 t baking soda

1/2 t salt

3 c flour: 1 oat flour + 1/2 c whole grain flour + 1/2 ground flax + 1 c all-purpose flour

4 c shredded zucchini, gently drained

2 small Macintosh apples, peeled, cored and small dice

1 1/2 c rough chopped almonds (substitute walnuts or pecans)

Preheat oven to 350 °F - lightly butter and flour a bundt pan, tapping off any excess flour.

In a very large bowl whisk the eggs, sugar, and oil together. Blend in the spices, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Fold in the flour, then zucchini, apple, and nuts. Turn into the bundt pan and smooth out if necessary.

Bake for 60 minutes, or until golden and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out without wet batter clinging to it (moist crumbs are fine).

Let cool, then invert onto a platter or cooling rack. Let cool completely before glazing.

Pour the glaze over the cooled cake and top with a dusting of crushed nuts.

Honey Butterscotch Glaze

1/2 c Demerara brown sugar

1/4 c unpasteurized honey

1/2 c cream

1 T butter

pinch of naturally-harvested salt

Combine sugar and honey in a medium pan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves and you have a liquid. Continue to cook without stirring, swirling pan occasionally. Mixture will bubble and start to darken in colour.

Once mixture is butterscotch brown, stir using a wooden spoon and remove from heat. Carefully pour in the cream and stir until combined. Add butter and stir until smooth. Add salt and stir once more.

Let sauce cool completely before using on the cake! This can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator. Allow glaze to come to room temperature before using so that it pours easily.

garnish

fresh-roasted, chopped whole almonds (with skin on)