Roasted Vegetables

I love roasting vegetables in the winter time. They make the house smell heavenly and they are so warming. You can serve these roasted vegetables over couscous with chickpeas, on toasted baguette slices with goat cheese, alongside roasted chicken or baked fish or even on a homemade pizza.

Roasted Vegetables

serves 6

1 (1-lb.) eggplant, cut lengthwise into 8 wedges

2 zucchini cut lengthwise into 4 wedges

3 large leeks (white and pale parts) cut lengthwise

into halves and cut crosswise into 2 1/2-inch pieces

1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch strips

10 unpeeled garlic cloves

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary or 1 tsp. dried rosemary

1 tbsp. chopped fresh thyme or 1 tsp. dried thyme

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Arrange the eggplant, zucchini, leeks, bell pepper, and garlic in a single layer on 2large baking sheets. Brush with the olive oil and vinegar. Sprinkle with the rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper.

Roast for 45 minutes or until the vegetables are tender, turning occasionally. Cool slightly and cut the vegetables into 3/4-inch pieces. Peel the garlic and coarsely chop.

Winter cleanse group!

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Would you like to reset your metabolism?

Do you have a few winter pounds to shed?

A Winter Cleanse date has been set!

February 26 from 9:00-11:00am & March 12 from 9:00-11:00am

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Easy Entree

This is a delicious vegetarian entree when you add the chickpeas or it can be just as delightful as a side dish, served along side grilled chicken. Try it with a dollop of Stonewall Kitchen Old Farmhouse chutney for an additional kick!

Curried Apple Couscous

serves 6

2 tbsp. butter, divided

1 tbsp. curry

1 medium apple, cored and sliced into 1/2-inch chunks

3 scallions, washed, trimmed and thinly sliced

1 cup whole wheat couscous

1 3/4 cup broth

salt and pepper

1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

optional: raisins and chickpeas

In a saucepan over medium heat , add 1 tbsp. butter and add the apples, curry powder and a small pinch of salt. Cook for about 3 minutes, or until the apples soften and absorb most of the curry. Remove apples from the pan and set aside.

In the same pan, add the remaining 1 tbsp. of butter and saute the scallions until they soften a bit, about 3 minutes. You do not want to brown them. Add the water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, add the couscous, cover and remove from the heat. Let sit -10 minutes. Remove cover and fluff with a fork. Add apples, almonds and cilantro. Season to taste with salt and pepper and more curry if desired.

Split Pea and Barley Soup

A lovely, warming soup on a cold winter night!

Split Pea and Barley Soup

Serves 6

1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, diced

1 stalk of celery, diced

2 large carrots, peeled and diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

8 cups chicken or vegetable broth

1 cup green split peas, rinsed

1/2 cup barley, rinsed

2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced

1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped

2 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 tsp. black pepper

2 cups baby spinach

Salt and pepper

Lemon slices to garnish

In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, carrots,

and garlic. Cook, stirring for about 7 minutes. Add the broth, split peas, barley,

potatoes, parsley, oregano, and pepper and bring to a slow boil over medium-high

heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the

peas are tender, about 1 hour. Stir in the spinach and salt to taste. Cook over low

heat for about 15 minutes. Garnish with thin lemon slices.

New website!

Please view my new website www.nourishyourbodytoday.com

I am in the process of linking it to the blog and a facebook page.

It will list upcoming workshops if you are interested in joining!

I look forward to seeing you all soon.

Tangy mustard sauce

I made this mustard sauce to go on chicken last night and it was wonderful!

I grilled chicken and served it on top of garlicky greens (picture and recipe below)

and topped with this sauce.

A perfect light winter dinner (and kid friendly).

Tangy Mustard Sauce

Yields 1/4 cup

1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1/4 cup dry white wine

1/4 cup chicken or vegetable broth

2 tbsp. maple syrup

2 tbsp. dijon mustard

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Stir in the wine, broth, maple syrup and mustard. Bring to a boil and cook until reduced to 1/4 cup (about 5 minutes), stirring occasionally.

Garlicky Greens

serves 4

2 bunches of kale, spinach, or Swiss chard, rinsed, dried & stems removed

2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper

4 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced

1/4 cup Parmesan

Red pepper flakes

Cut the greens into 1/4-inch strips. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the greens and a pinch of salt. You want the greens to hiss and spit a bit when they hit the pan. Stir the greens until their color gets bright green, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic. Saute for another minute and remove from the heat. Stir in the parmesan cheese. Taste, add more salt and pepper if needed. Top with the almonds and serve immediately.

Great Grains!

Looking for an easy, healthy side dish with dinner? Look no further...

These two grain dishes go beautifully with grilled chicken, fish or chickpeas.

They are quick to cook and well liked my young food critics.

Whole wheat couscous with orange zest and pistachio

serves 4

Couscous is a tiny pasta, so technically it is not a whole grain. Regardless of its categorization, it is high in protein and fiber, so it measures up pretty well.

1/2 cup whole wheat couscous

1/2 cup boiling water

2 tbsp. finely chopped scallions

1/2 tsp. grated orange zest

Pinch of sea salt

1/4 cup chopped pistachio nuts, lightly toasted

Place the couscous in a medium bowl.

Pour in he water and cover the bowl with a plate. Let stand for 30 minutes or until water is absorbed. Stir in the scallion and orange zest, and add a pinch of salt to taste. Serve warm or at room temperature, topped with pistachio nuts.

Bulgur with Olive Oil and Lemon

serves 4

1/2 cup bulgur

1/2 cup boiling water

1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 tbs. freshly squeezed lemon juice

Pinch of sea salt

1/4 cup finely minced fresh parsley

Place the bulgur in a medium bowl. Pour in the water and cover the bowl with a plate. Let stand for 30 minutes or until the water is absorbed. Stir in the olive oil and lemon juice, and add sea salt to taste. Stir in the parsley and serve warm or at room temperature.

Porcini Risotto

When the weather is cold, nothing warms me up like a creamy, risotto.

This recipe comes from Food and Wine magazine and is on my weekend menu.

I plan to make sauteed garlicky greens to gone along side this delicious dish.

You could also serve alongside grilled chicken or sausage if you like.

Have a wonderful weekend!!

INGREDIENTS

1. 1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
2. 2 1/2 cups boiling water
3. 3 cups chicken stock
4. Salt and freshly ground pepper
5. 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
6. 1 small shallot, minced
7. 1 garlic clove, minced
8. 1 cup arborio rice (7 ounces)
9. 1/4 cup dry white wine
10. 1 small bay leaf
11. 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
12. 1 tablespoon mascarpone
13. 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (3 ounces)
14. 1 pound fresh porcini or cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
15. 1 thyme sprig

DIRECTIONS

1. In a heatproof bowl, soak the dried porcini in the boiling water until softened, 10 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the soaking liquid; rinse the mushrooms to remove any grit. Finely chop the porcini and reserve in a small bowl. Pour the soaking liquid into a medium saucepan, stopping before you reach the sediment at the bottom. Stir in the chicken stock and season with salt and pepper. Warm the stock over low heat.
2. In a large saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil until shimmering. Add the shallot and garlic and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, 2 minutes. Add the rice and dried porcini and stir to coat. Add the wine and bay leaf and cook until the wine has evaporated. Add about one-fourth of the warm stock and cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly, until nearly absorbed. Continue adding the stock in batches, stirring constantly until the rice is al dente and suspended in a creamy sauce, about 20 minutes. Discard the bay leaf. Stir in the butter, mascarpone and cheese; season with salt and pepper and keep warm.
3. In a skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. Add the fresh porcini and thyme and cook over high heat, stirring, until softened and golden, 8 minutes. Discard the thyme. Season the porcini with salt and pepper, spoon over the risotto and serve.

Simple Sandwich

Well, as of right now, I believe we have 12 inches of new snow and it just keeps on coming.

Going to the store today is not an option since our town snow plows are beyond aggressive. So I decided to create a meal with the ingredients I have on hand. Here is what I came up with- delicious simple sandwiches. I am going to broil the veggies since, needless to say, it is not really grilling season here in Maine. You could use any veggies you have and substitute the goat cheese with feta or mozzarella. Arugula tossed with olive oil and lemon juice would be a beautiful side with these delicious sandwiches, as would a crisp glass of Pinot Grigio...

Stay warm and eat well.

Grilled Eggplant, Red Pepper, Zucchini, Red Onion with Goat Cheese and Balsamic Vinegar on Ciabatta

Makes 4 sandwiches

1 eggplant

2 zucchinis

2 red bell pepper

1 red onion, thinly sliced

goat cheese

3 tbs. extra virgin olive oil

3 tbs. balsamic vinegar

4 ciabatta mini rolls

Cut the eggplant and zucchini into 1/4-inch slices. Cut each red pepper into 4 pieces removing the stem. Place the vegetables on a pan, salt, pepper and drizzle olive oil to coat them and place them on the grill 7-10 minutes on each side. Peel the skin off the peppers and drizzle some balsamic vinegar on the vegetables.

Place assorted vegetables on the bread and top it with goat cheese and serve.

*You can also broil the vegetables in the oven for about 30 minutes or until they start to brown.

Silence is Golden.

This is just how I felt this morning- I had three hours this morning, yes three hours with no children, no work, no phone ringing, just silence. Feeling fully restored, I am posting yet another fabulous chicken recipe.

Healthy, easy and delicious is this rustic meal.

I hope your day holds moments of silence as well.

Rustic Chicken with Mushrooms, Olives and Tomatoes

serves 4

2 tbsp. olive oil

4 boneless chicken breasts

1 onion, sliced

1 tbsp. minced garlic

1 large portobello mushroom, brushed clean, stemmed and cut into 1/4 inch slices

Salt and pepper

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes with juices

1/2 chicken broth

1/4 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved

2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

2 tsp. minced fresh rosemary

Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat and cook chicken just until golden, about 3 minutes on each side. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.

Reduce the heat to medium, add the onion, and saute about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring often, about 3 minutes longer. If the pan seems dry, add another tbsp. of olive oil. Add the mushroom slices and cook until they release their juices and begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Add the wine and scrape up any browned bits from the pan. Return the chicken to the pan and simmer until the wine is reduced by half, about 3 minutes.

Add the tomatoes and their juices, broth, and olives and reduce the heat to low. Simmer the chicken, uncovered, turning occasionally, until it is cooked through and tender, about 30 minutes

Transfer the chicken breasts to a platter or individual plates and cover with foil to keep warm. Add the balsamic vinegar and 1 tsp. fresh rosemary to the pan and boil for 2 minutes. Pour the sauce over the chicken, sprinkle with rosemary and serve right away.

*can be served over pasta or rice or just alongside a green salad.

Winner, winner chicken dinner!

Easy and delicious for everyday or for entertaining. I hope you enjoy this as much as I do!

Chicken with artichokes, peppers and capers

serves 6

2 tbsp. olive oil

6 boneless chicken breasts

1 cup onion, chopped

1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

2 cups sliced mushrooms

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 tsp each salt, pepper, basil, oregano

1 cup each dry white wine, chicken stock

1 cup artichoke hearts

1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives

1 tbsp. flour

1 tbsp. butter

3 tbsp. capers, drained

2 tbsp. parsley, minced

3 cups cooked brown rice or pasta

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add the chicken and saute until lightly golden about 3 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to a plate, over and keep warm. Lower the heat to medium and add the onion to the pan. Saute for about 5 minutes. Add the red pepper, mushrooms, garlic, salt, pepper, basil and oregano. Cook stirring, about 2 minutes until pepper is softened. Add the wine, stock, artichoke hearts and olives. Cover and simmer 15 minutes.

In a small bowl, stir together the flour and butter until a smooth paste is formed.

Whisk the butter mixture into the sauce, stirring until the sauce is thickened, about 3 minutes. Return the chicken to the pan and add the capers. Simmer 10-12 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and serve over rice or pasta.

Citrus Sensation!

Seared Halibut with Orange Salsa

serves 4

For the salsa:

3/4 cup fresh orange juice (about 2-3 medium oranges)

3 small clementines, cut into segments, segments cut in half

2 Tbs. minced red onion

1 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro

1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil

1 Tbs. finely grated orange zest (from 1 medium orange)

salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the halibut:

1 tsp. finely grated orange zest (from 1 small orange)

1 1/2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme

salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 6-oz. skinless halibut fillets

3 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 425°F.

For the Salsa: In a small saucepan, boil the orange juice over medium heat until reduced to 1/4 cup, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool.In a medium bowl, combine the reduced orange juice, orange segments, onion, cilantro, olive oil, and orange zest. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

For the haddock: In a small bowl, mix the orange zest, thyme, 1-1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper. Rub the mixture all over the halibut fillets. Heat the oil in a 12-inch ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is shimmering hot, arrange the fillets in the pan. Sear for about 2 minutes without moving; then use a thin slotted metal spatula to lift a piece of fish and check the color. When the fillets are nicely browned, flip them and put the pan in the oven. Roast until the halibut is just cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and transfer the halibut to serving plates. Spoon some of the salsa over each fillet.

*This dish is amazing served over mashed potatoes!

Eggs-cellent!

There are some nights when I am running behind and need a quick, easy dinner. Eggs always seem to be the solution!

They are a perfect, affordable, quality source of protein and I never hear complaints from the family...

Please spend the extra dollar or two on organic eggs (or simply befriend someone with chickens). The living conditions, along with the genetically modified feed for non-organic chickens is an absolute turnoff and will not deliver the same health benefits as the organic.

Delicious & Easy Omelette Wrap

2 large (preferably organic) eggs

a tiny pinch of sea salt

2 tablespoons of chopped chives

1tbsp. pesto

A bit of goat cheese, feta or ricotta cheese

a small handful of mixed salad greens

Use a fork to beat the eggs and salt in a small bowl. Beat well, until the eggs are mostly uniform in color.

In your largest non-stick skillet over medium heat, pour the egg mixture and give it a good swirl so that they spread out thinly across the entire pan. Alternately, you can use a crepe pan or crepe maker - this works beautifully as well. Sprinkle the eggs with some of the chives and let them set, this happens quickly depending on the heat of your pan - 15 seconds to one minute. Run a spatula underneath the omelette and slide it out of the pan (flat) onto a large cutting board. Spread the pesto across the surface of the omelette and then sprinkle with the cheese and salad greens. Starting with one end, roll the omelette away from you. Cut in half on a deep diagonal. Season with a bit more salt if needed and serve garnished with a few chopped chives.

This omelette is delicious served with roasted potatoes and marinated tomato slices for a quick and easy dinner.

Holy Guacamole!

Every now and then I really miss my days that I spent living in San Diego; the obvious reasons being 360 days of sun, miles of public beaches, and the laid back lifestyle, yet what I really miss most is the fabulous Mexican food. While I was living in La Costa, there was a little stand that sold the best salsa known to man. I would stop at this stand (after my 10 mile, 1 hour commute) and buy salsa, perfectly ripe avocados and handmade tortilla chips. My idea of a fabulous meal!

Since I could not possibly reinvent the salsa, I thought I would give you a great recipe for guacamole. Loaded with good fats that will nourish your skin and hair; avocados are a winner in my book. Try this guacamole on eggs, veggie sandwiches, grilled chicken, black bean quesadillas or just simply eat it right out of the bowl, when no one is looking of course...

Classic Guacamole

makes 4 servings

2 ripe avocados

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 small green onions, chopped

1 serrano chile, seeded and minced

1 garlic clove, minced

Salt

Baby carrots, red bell pepper strips & radishes to dip

Halve the avocado’s lengthwise and remove the pits. Place the avocado flesh in a small bowl. Mash the avocados with a fork. Add the lime juice, cilantro, green onion, serrano chile, and garlic. Mix the ingredients until well combined. Season to taste with salt. Serve right away alongside fresh veggies.

Seasonal Food~

The long winter months are a testament to the pleasure of watching the seasons change. When the wind is howling and the snow is blowing, I want to eat something that is hearty, wholesome and above all, nourishing. My thoughts turn to red wine, root vegetables and yes, bread. Just think of how wheat soaks up all the sun’s energy during the summer to deliver it to us during the dark days of winter. I look forward to creating soups and stews that will simmer for hours, filling the house with enticing aromas.

What I love most about the winter months is that they inspire me to become creative in the kitchen since what is available in my area, becomes minimal. At times it can be quite a challenge but it is important to remember that it is all a cycle and even though winter is the end of the cycle, it is also represents a new beginning.

What is in season in during the winter months?

Beets

Broccoli

Cabbage

Kale

Leeks

Lemons

Carrots

Radishes

Citrus

Dried beans

Endive

Parsnips

Shellfish

Winter Squash

Turnips

Potatoes

Avocados

(Pinkerton, Haas & Bacon varieties)