Stove Top Potpourri

 Stove Top Potpourri

Some combinations to try:

*Orange slices, or even just the peel, rosemary sprigs, whole vanilla bean, and a bay leaf

* Lemon slices (or just the peel), mint leaves, rosemary sprigs, and a whole vanilla bean

*Apple slices, orange slices (or just the peel), peeled ginger root, cinnamon sticks, cloves and cardamom

Place your items in a pot or Dutch Oven, cover them with water, bring to a boil, then reduce the temperature to a low or simmer.  As it cooks down, you can add more water.  You can even refrigerate it, add more water and reheat it.

Turkey Lettuce Wraps with Green Goddess Dressing

Wrap:

4 large lettuce leave (Boston, Butter, Romaine)

1/3 cucumber sliced very thinly

Tomato thinly sliced, a few slices

8 oz. organic turkey or ham, thinly sliced 6 pieces

Green Goddess Dressing:

1 avocado

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

2 tablespoons chives

3-4 tablespoons fresh tarragon

1 teaspoon anchovy paste

1 1/2 fresh lemon juice, or more

Fresh ground black pepper

Make the dressing:  Place the avocado, mayo, chives, tarragon, anchovy paste and lemon juice in the blender, blend until smooth and creamy, thin with lemon juice.  Taste and season with pepper.

Place slices of turkey atop unfurled lettuce leaves, spread with dressing and add cucumber and tomato and roll up to create a wrap.

NOTES:

The original recipe calls for salt.  With the anchovy paste, there is enough salt in the dressing.

The original recipe calls for avocado mayo (which is pricey.)  Just use regular mayo.

I found it makes a real mess to try and wrap this sandwich.  Instead, I put turkey on top of the lettuce with some dressing on top of that.

I didn't bother with the tomato, and I had the cucumber and small pile of dressing on the side to dip into.  That worked for me.

Apple Pie Smoothie

Apple Pie Smoothie

1 apple, cored and diced

1 cup almond milk, unsweetened and unflavored

1/3 cup full fat coconut milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 tsp to 3/4 tsp. ground cinammon

Pinch of nutmeg (optional)

1 scoop protein or collagen powder

2 low cal sweeteners like Truvia

Ice, in smaller pieces

Dice the apple into tiny pieces (this helps it blend faster and smoother.)  Add apple, almond milk, coconut milk, vanilla extract and cinammon to blender and blend.   Taste for flavor in case adjustments have to be made.  Add ice and blend again.

NOTES:

I core the apple then cut it into tiny pieces as I think it speeds the blending process along.  

I have used the pinch of nutmeg in the paste, but it's so overpowering for me (even a pinch,) that I just skip it.  That way I truly get an apple taste.

If you were serving for a guest, you could add two thin slices of apple on the rim of the glass, or in the center of the glass top, depending on the size of the glass.

 

Shrimp with Artichoke Hearts, Tomatoes and Olives

 

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 of a yellow onion, diced

2 garlic cloves

1 15 oz. can of unsalted diced tomatoes

1 8 oz. can of sliced black olives or 1/3 cup of other olives, sliced

1 15 oz. can of artichoke hearts, drained and cut into quarters

3/4 to 1 lb. shrimp, cut in half

1/8 cup of Italian parsley

Pinch of salt

Pinch of red pepper flakes

Black Pepper, a few grinds

Parmesan Reggiano Cheese, grated to taste

In a large pan or Dutch oven, add the onion and garlic and sautee over low heat.  Add tomatoes, olives, artichokes.  Keeping on low heat, simmer for five to ten minutes.

Add the shrimp and parsley and simmer for five more minutes.

Grate parmesan reggiano cheese over the mixture, to taste

NOTE:  You can serve this with a small portion of cooked pasta either mixed in, which I prefer, or the vegetables places on top of the pasta.  You can also use a variety of zoodles or rice.  You can also serve it as a side dish with a protein.

Raspberry and Chocolate Smoothie

 

1 cup unsweetened unflavored almond milk

1/3 cup full fat coconut milk

1/2 cup to 3/4 cup raspberries

use cocoa powder, or chocolate protein powder, or Ensure (a small portion) or chocolate syrup or chocolate chips to achieve the chocolate flavor.  I used about a third of a cup of Ensure for this drink.

1 scoop collagen or protein powder

2-3 drops vanilla extract

sweetener, such as truvia, as needed

ice

Put all of the ingredients, minus the ice, into a blender and run until smooth.  Add 1/2 or more ice to blender and blend well.  Garnish with a few fresh raspberries if you want the drink more decorative.

Four Mushroom and Barley Soup

 Four Mushroom Barley Soup

1/3 cup dried mushrooms like porcini

1 pound of mushrooms (varied.)  White, brown-cremini, shitake. Sliced or diced.

2 tablespoons oil

1 medium onion, diced

1 medium carrot, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup of barley, farro, or spelt

6 cups low sodium salt free beef broth (vegetable or chicken can be subtituted)

1/4 cup dry sherry

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 tablespoon sherry vinegar

Prior to cooking put dried mushrooms in a separate bowl and pour 1 cup boiling water over them, letting them set for 20 minutes while you prepare the rest of the soup

Trim, slice and dice the rest of the mushrooms.  Where there were stems, I diced them.  The caps were sliced thinly.

Pour oil in a dutch oven and saute diced carrot and onion over medium heat, about ten minutes.

Add fresh mushrooms and cook until they release liquid, about ten minutes.  If the pot seems dry, pour a tiny bit of water in.

Add broth, add reconstituted dried mushrooms.  I add the garlic at this point so it hasn't burned in the earlier process.  Add the barley, dry sherry, tomato paste and sherry vinegar.

Season the soup with salt and pepper.  

Cook on low-medium heat for about 40 minutes until the grains are tender.  Adjust seasonings and serve.

NOTES:

* I did use four different mushrooms, including reconstituted dried porcini.  You could use one, if doesn't really matter.  I like the variety of tastes and texture.

*  I did use sherry products, but I imagine you could use red wine.  I did have a tiny splash of balsamic vinegar to add.  Also, a few shakes of Louisiana hot sauce if you wanted heat.

* I almost always use the Italian tubes of tomato paste now rather than even the tiniest cans which means an open can of leftovers.  The tube can allow you to get a tablespoon at a time and refrigerate it until needed again.

* You could turn this into a cream of mushroom soup with a litte cream added.  You will get a very dark broth as you see in the photograph, which I wanted to reflect a January winter meal.

*  I think you could also slightly increase the amount of grain, if people wanted that for a carb substitute, rather than bread on the side.

Peach & Almond Butter Smoothie

Peach & Almond Butter Smoothie

1 cup unsweetened, unflavored almond milk

1 tablespoon almond butter

1-2 drops almond extract

1 peach, pitted and diced or 1 cup frozen peach slices

1 scoop of protein powder or collagen power

Sweetener (2 packs Truvia)

Broken down ice, about one cup

Pinch of nutmeg (optional)

In a blender, combine all ingredients, minus the ice (if using.)  Go through first blend, then add ice and blend again.  Garnish with a fresh peach slice or a pinch of nutmeg.

Notes:

*  I use fresh peaches, seasonally.  During the cooler months, I use sliced frozen peaches.  I've also used white peaches, which have a sweeter flavor.

* Even though the original recipe says you can use nutmeg, I find even the smallest amount is still too much for the delicate flavor of this smoothie.

*  When I've been short of almond butter, I have also resorted to using regular peanut butter, crunchy or smooth.