Thursday 29 September 2011

Cabbage Slaw - Tart and Tangy

Cabbage Slaw -
I love eating outdoors and if I was spending my time outdoors enjoying the pre autumn sun, I’d be elbow deep in my favorite Cabbage Slaw. This raw cabbage dish has the benefit of a pre-made fresh meal, and is light and tangy, a leap forward from the old cup of creamy limp stuff that came with the fried chicken. 

 BEST PART: These veggies can be cut up for a couple of days and will wait eagerly in the fridge for their final curtain call. If slaw is not ringing your bell, consider something else – use the veggies for stir fry, soup, or added to an omlette, all in tip top shape and ready to rock. 
Cabbage Slaw - outdoors, as it should be 7-2011 

Cabbage Slaw -
Veggies
 Now cut it up
1 half head red cabbage
Thin sliced and bite sized
Now’s the time to pull out the Mandoline, easy on the fingers.

1 half head green cabbage
3 – 4 carrots                           
3 – 4 celery sticks
Peppers – red, yellow & orange
Green onions
Thin cut – try diagonal

               
Dressing

Apple cider vinegar
 1 part
Olive oil
2 parts
Grated Ginger
Thumbs size – but I like a lot of ginger
Orange marmalade or honey
1 – 2 tsp


This Slaw goes to 11

Toasted almonds
Toasting the seeds is pretty much necessity to improve the flavor.
Sesame seeds
Sunflower seeds
Toasted Cashews
Chillies
Apples or pears - crunchy
Sliced & diced very small
cut up bit sized

Cut these all up and place in large containers – use what you like for dinner and set the rest up for chilling til you need them again.

Mix the dressing in no particular order, in the bottom of a large wide bowl.
Add in the veggies and mix 
Then pile on top everything that brings this slaw to 11.
PS add apples or crispy pears for sweetness instead of honey to the dressing.

Crunch away in good health

Broccoli Bloody Hell


Like ever person walking the earth I have a love hate relationship with broccoli, I love to hate it. But that’s hardly good for any person to hate an excellent dark green veggie. 
According to “Incredible Edibles” (Okamoto – 1994) Broccoli is chalked full of Vit A & C, and calcium. It lowers risk of cancer at both ends of the intestinal track, but note, ensure your broccoli entrance point is still top side… 
and can help prevent cancers in the respiratory track too. Miracle food! This is a must share.
Mom and dad give the thumbs up while on Skype. 7/2011

1 Head of Broccoli cut bite sized
1 Red Pepper – cut in tiny cute squares
2 TBSP pickled red onions (I haven't discussed my new fav fridge pickle yet - next post :)
2 TBSP pickled onion juice
1 lemon zest
1 TBSP of Mayo or Greek Yogurt
crack of pepper

Prepare the dressing in a lovely salad bowl, Mayo/yogurt, lemon zest, pickled onion juice, stir to combine.
Add the broccoli, peppers, & pickled onions, stir to combine and finish with cracked pepper.

Enjoy and feel smug about eating your raw brassica. And go skype with your parents while making it – your mom will be so proud.

Tuesday 20 September 2011

St. Cherry of Golden Saffron Cake

Cherry & Rose Water & Saffron Cake
I recently had the chance to be touched by the new holy trinity and felt it needed to be piously honored,
I get it, your mind is spinning & a whirl wind of thoughts are trying to mend together scent and taste. But be still your cranium jello dusty devil. Just make the cake and trust in what the Persains have been right about all along.  


The Rightious Ingredients
1 Tbsp butter,softened
2/3 cup non-fat milk
1 tsp saffron threads
1-1/3 cups cake flour
1-cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 egg or 1/4 cup thawed frozen non-fat egg substitute
2 Tbsp rose water 1-1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup of fresh pitted cherries
Rose/Holy Water Syrup:
3/4 cup sugar 
3/4 cup water 3 tsp rose water - or to taste. 

The Ritual: Prepare a 9-inch cake pan with butter. 
Combine 2 tablespoons non-fat milk and saffron threads in small saucepan. Heat and stir just to simmering. Remove from heat.
Add the dry ingredients together, flour,  1 cup sugar, baking powder and baking soda. 
In a seperate bowl mix your wet ingredients and mix well. saffron/milk, remaining milk, egg, rose water and vanilla. 
At this point I like to asking St. Honorious, patron of bakers to watch over the oven, protect me burns and help divert those pesky pet hairs from finding their way into my batter.
Mix the wet and dry ingredients together. easy on the mixing, spare the rod, save the cake. 
Put your batter in the pan & drop the cherries on top 
Bake at 375 degrees F. until wood pick inserted in center comes out clean.


While the cake cooks add 3/4 cup sugar and 3/4 cup water in a pan, heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Take off the heat and add the Rosewater and allow it to cool. 


Spoon the rose water syrup over the cake. Cut in pretty diamond shapes and go ahead and eat this cake on the good china. 


Welcome, you are now converted, baptized in the warmth of a hot oven. 
Now, go convert the masses.