Creole Coleslaw

As you might have discovered my family likes our food a little bit on the spicy side. This means that a lot of the traditional dishes had gotten a more fiery version around here, so also with the coleslaw. Sine our youngest member of the family can't eat either carrots or apply this coleslaw has just the shredded cabbage. (that I most of the time by already shredded for convenience)

Ingredients;


2 cups shredded cabbage (I buy the fine shredded one, angel hair)

Dressing;
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp white wine vinegar
1/4 cup mayo
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tbs dijon mustard
A handful parsley, chopped (can also be added to the shredded cabbage directly)
Creole seasoning (as little or as much as you like)

Add sugar to the vinegar and whisk until combined. Add the remaining dressing ingredients except the creole seasoning. Blend until combined. Season with the creole seasoning until the dressing is spicy enough.

Add the dressing to the shredded cabbage, blend until well combined. You will need a big bowl for this to make sure it doesn't spill.

This is a great side dish for meat or fish or can be used as a starter salad!

Enjoy!

Morrocan Spiced Beans

This is a Moroccan version of the american/mexican/cuban baked beans although I would be surprised if it is a traditional Moroccan dish, it seems to me a bit more like some cross over type of dish. Anyway it tastes extremely good.

Ingredients;

2 cans white beans like kidney beans (or you could use dry ones and soke them overnight...my planning is most of the time not good enough for that version)
1 onion
4 cloves garlic
2 carrots finely diced
3 stalks of celery finely dices
1 leek finely diced
2 oranges
4 tomatoes, finely diced but not as small as the other vegetables
Olive oil for the casserole
1 oz bacon, diced
1 tbs tomato paste
1 bunch thyme
2 tbsp Ras el Hanout
1 can (14 oz) chicken stock (or more or less, this  depends on how liquified you want your beans)
Salt

Peel and dice onions and garlic. Wash, peel and dice the rest of the vegetables (I did not peel the tomatoes). Peel the orange, remove the white skin, half and slice.

Heat olive oil in a casserole, brown onions and bacon (diced). Add the vegetables (not the tomatoes) and garlic and brown at medium heat. Add tomato paste, drained beans, oranges, tomatoes and thyme and season with the Ras el Hanout, salt and pepper. Simmer until the spices has blended well and the liquid has reduced to your liking. Taste and season more if needed. Remove orange slices.

This bean casserole works well with all kinds of meat but I especially like it with lamb or chicken!

Apple Bran Muffins

This recipe is from another favorite cook-book of mine, "Power Foods" by the boss her selves (Martha Stewart)

I make it when we crave something different and a little bit on the sweet side for breakfast but still not to unhealthy and filling enough to keep us going until lunchtime.

Ingredients;


2 cups unsweetened applesauce
About 1/2 cup pitted and chopped dates
1 cup wheat bran
1/2 cup low fat buttermilk
1 large egg
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 tbsp ground flaxseed
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (not instant)

Vegetable oil cooking spray if you're not using muffin baking cups like I did.

Cook applesauce and dates in a saucepan at medium heat until mixture is reduced to 1 1/4 cup. Make sure you stir frequently to make sure it doesn't burn. This takes about 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and let cool.

When the applesauce mix has cooled completely add bran, buttermilk, egg, honey, ginger and vanilla and stir to combine. Let the mixture rest for about 10 minutes.

In another bowl whisk together flour, flaxseed, baking soda, salt, allspice and oats then add to the applesauce mixture and blend.

Either coat two muffin pans with the cooking spray or use the baking cups. Spoon the batter into the prepared cups, filling each to the brim.

Bake at 375F, rotating the tins halfway through, until a tester comes out clean, about 20 minutes.
Let cool completely in the tins on wire rack.

Can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days but they are most likely gone before that!!!

Low Carb Bread

I have tried several recipes for low carb bread and this is the best I have tried so far. I keep it in the refrigerator, that way it stays fresh for several days. Tastes sooooo good with Norwegian goat cheese (geitost) that you can by in the cheese section at Whole foods.

Ingredients;

4 eggs
1 tsp baking powder
2/3 cup butter milk
3 tbsp sunflower oil
60 gram bran
40 gram flax seeds
50 gram sesame seeds
50 gram sunflower seeds

Whisk the eggs, sunflower oil and buttermilk together in a bowl.
Mix all the dry ingredients in another bowl and then add to the liquid. Mix with a ladle until combined. You should have a rather wet dough by now. Add the dough to a nonstick loaf pan (I spray with no-stick cooking spray even though it's supposed to be nonstick) and bake in the oven on 350F until a cake tester comes out clean.

This takes approx. 30 minutes depending on your oven.
Place on a rack until cool.

Cut in hearty slices and enjoy with your favorite topping!

Mmmmmm!

Scampi salad with Lemon Dressing

In my last post I used my lemon dressing in a skirt steak salad but as you will see it works perfectly with seafood as well. This time I'm using Costco's Cilantro marinaded scampi (If you don't live near Costco you can just marinade fresh scampi in olive oil, lemon juice, cilantro, red chili, garlic, salt and pepper or just use plain scampi. Heat a wok and add the scampi, when they turn pink they're done.)
Note that I have not specified how much you will need of each ingredient. If you like something more than the other then use more. It's all a matter of taste. Some like a lot of dressing some not. Also when it comes to salad I always try to use what I have.

Ingredients;

Scampi
Arugula
Baby spinach
Spring mix, baby greens or some other salad mix
Scallions
Cherry tomatoes
Mango
Avocado
Aspargus
Lemon dressing

Bake the tomatoes in the oven with a drizzle of olive oil, some salt and pepper on 400F until shrunken.

Heat a pan with some olive oil, add the asparagus divided in 3 and cook until just tender. Remove from heat. Add salt and pepper.
Cut the scallions, avocado and mango in pieces.
Add all the ingredients (except for the lemon dressing) to a salad bowl making sure you get all the juices from the scampi and the baked tomatoes. Blend well then add the dressing and toss one more time.

Enjoy your meal!

Mixed salad with skirt steak!

At least once or twice a week I serve salad. Often when I do it's to clean out the vegetable drawers in the refrigerator. If I have corn I use that and if I have asparagus I use that so have that in mind when you read the recipe. If you don't have green beans use some other beans or perhaps asparagus if that's what you have. The ingredients list is sort of a blend of what was in my drawers that day but it turned out good I must say!!!

Ingredients;

Skirt steak
Mojo marinade
Spring mix salad blend
Arugula
Exotic mushroom blend
Cherry tomatoes
Green beans
Cheddar cheese in small cubes
Salt and pepper
Lemondressing

First put the skirt steak in a ziplock with some mojo marinade and put aside. Then add the tomatoes to a shallow oven-safe dish, sprinkle with a good olive oil, salt and pepper.

Bake in the oven at 400F until the tomatoes are soft and a shrunken.

While the tomatoes are in the oven add the mushrooms to a frying pan and cook on high heat in a little olive oil. When done add some salt and pepper.

Also while the tomatoes are in the oven put a pot of water on the stove and bring to a boil. Add salt and the green beans and cook for a few minutes until almost tender. When done put in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. Set aside.

When the tomatoes are done take them out of the oven and set aside.

Now its time for the meat. (Make sure the grill is ready, if it needs five minutes to heat you turn it on five minutes ahead)
Take the meat out of the bag and remove the marinade. Grill according to your grills instructions and your preference. If you like your meat well done thats the way you make it but if you like it rare make sure you don't forget the meat on the grill.

When the meat is done leave it to rest on a cutting board while you assemble the salad.
Mix the salads, mushrooms, green beans, tomatoes and cheese in a big bowl. Make sure you get all the juices from the mushrooms and tomatoes as it will blend nicely with the salad dressing.

Cut the meat in strips and add any meat juices to the salad. You can either put the meat into the salad or serve it on the side, same goes with the dressing.

Enjoy your salad!

Lemon Dressing

This is a dressing I use all the time as it is really good and can be used on almost all kinds of salads. I use it with shrimps, chicken, fish, meat and on a plain green salad as well. You can make it sour or "not" by adding more lemon juice or honey.

Ingredients;


Lemon juice from 1 lemon
A good squeeze of honey (runny honey from a squeeze bottle)
Salt/pepper
Garlic (as many cloves as you like) finely chopped
Chile red, finely chopped (You have to taste the chile before you decide how much to use, take a small bite of the tip since that is the spiciest piece of the chile. If the chile is really hot perhaps use only 1/4 of a chile, if not use 1)
Olive oil


Whisk a lll the ingredients except the olive oil. Taste to see if it's got the right balance of sweet and sour and remember this is really a matter of preference as much as it's a matter of right and wrong. Some like it sour, some like it sweet.

When you're happy with the taste add the olive oil gradually while whisking vigorously. When the dressing  is done it should have a nice thick consistency and the taste should be just the way you like it. Neither the lemon nor the olive oil should be overpowering the other.

Use as you like!!