Grilled Sweet Potatoes with Cilantro Lime Pesto

Today is a great lazy afternoon.  Just finishing writing some pages on my novel and grilling outside - makes for a wonderful Sunday afternoon.  

It seems about 3o'clock I always want to eat lunch.  I'm not sure what is wrong with me but I can't get a on a regular schedule lately.  Today I had some chicken to grill and thought I would throw on a few sweet potatoes.  When I grill sweet potatoes I like them to have a little bite, a little al dente.  It's gives them some texture and not so mushy.

I just love cilantro pesto and wanted it give it a little zinger so I added some grated lime zest and a sqeeze of juice just before tossing with grilled sweet potatoes.

  

When I make pesto I like to chop it by hand to give it more chunks and texture.  It really looks better than a pesto that is over processed.  This pesto is good with the grilled chicken too.  Just use it as  a side condiment.

BIG - BOLD FLAVOR!

Cilantro Lime Pesto

1/2 Cup  Fresh Cilantro

1/2 Cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese

1/2 Cup Pecans, Raw

1 Garlic Clove

3 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Zest of Half Lime

2 Tbsp Lime Juice

Himalayan Pink Sea Salt (to taste)

Freshly Cracked Black Pepper (to taste)

Finely chop garlic, cilantro, Parmesan cheese and pecans.  Mix in olive oil to make moist, add lime zest and juice and mix together.  Season to taste with Himalayan pink sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper.

Toss with grilled sweet potatoes while still warm!

Handcrafted Mayonnaise

Taking the time to make some food items from scratch that you would usually use store bought convenience items for are all part of the process in making healthy mindful changes that in time will change the health of your body.  By using ingredients that have “value” or contribute to nourishment is the key.

Store bought mayo is convenient and cheap.  It’s filled with unnecessary soybean or vegetable oils, extra chemicals and preservatives and honestly, once you make your own mayo you will be smitten and never look back!  Besides being extremely easy to make, it changes the way food you use to mix with mayo and of course makes it Wickedly Delicious!  Need I say more?

Last night I was craving old fashioned chicken salad and wanted it so bad that I whipped it up using some leftover pouched chicken I had from Sunday night dinner.  

This mayo took less than 1 minute to prepare.  Pretty Easy!

Handcrafted Mayonnaise

2 Large Organic Eggs (See Note)

1 tsp Raw Coconut Vinegar

2 tsp Lemon Juice, Fresh Squeezed

½ tsp Himalayan Pink Sea Salt

¼ tsp White Pepper

½ Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

¼ Cup Coconut Oil (Warmed)

Dash Coconut Aminos

Egg Note:

If using raw Eggs - Wash fresh eggs in shells in soapy water first and rinse thoroughly to help avoid any salmonella.

Coddle Eggs – A coddled egg will give the mayo a smoother creamier texture and will kill any bacteria associated with salmonella.  Good for people with low immune disorders or elderly.

To Coddle Egg – Simple bring a small pot of water to boil and place egg in water for 45 seconds.  Plung it in ice water to stop the cooking process. 

Combine all the ingredients except the oils in a container and using an emulsion blender, blend ingredients together.  Then very gradually in a thin stream, while blending, add the oils.  Adjust seasoning with any additional salt and pepper.

Refrigerate to chill.  This should last for approximately 5 days in the refrigerator.

Add your favor herbs and use as a dip or sauce to hot or cold vegetables.  In this case, I made homemade chicken salad.

Red Curry Coconut Soup

Check out my new novel (Take the journey)

 
With cooler weather a nice soup in the evening is always welcome. This soup is fragrant and easy to throw together as long as you have a few essential items in your pantry on hand. 

Canned Coconut Milk, Red Curry Paste, Canned Organic Fired Roasted Tomatoes and Organic Vegetable or Chicken Stock.  Plus I always keep on hand in the refrigerator fresh herbs whether it's fresh cilantro in a cup of water (which by the way will last a week as long as you cut the stems and put in fresh water when you get home from the grocery store) or a packet of fresh basil.

Adding fresh herbs to any dish will immediately brighten it up and make a blah dish spectacular. Cilantro is super cheap and always packs the punch!

Red Curry Paste is a combination of chili peppers, lemon grass, garlic and galanga (a root that is similar to ginger), coriander, kiffer lime and peppercorns - it can blow up the heat quickly so be sure to taste as you go so you don't over power your dish. Look for Red Curry Paste in the Asian section of the grocery store in jars. Once opened keep in the refrigerator. You can add it to sauces, eggs and stews and it will add a little kick and a great depth of flavor to a lot of dishes.

Red Curry Coconut Soup

1 Tbsp Coconut Oil

1 Sm Onion, Diced

1 Tbsp Ginger, Minced

1 tsp Red Curry Paste

14 oz Fire Roasted Organic Tomatoes, Diced

4 Cups Vegetable or Chicken Stock

6 oz Dry White Wine

14 oz Canned Coconut Mil

1 Tbsp Sesame Oil

1 tsp Coconut Sugar

1 tsp Himalayan Pink Sea Salt (or to taste)

½ tsp Black Pepper, Freshly Cracked

Fresh Basil or Cilantro, Chopped (Garnish)

Fresh Lime, Wedges

In a medium stock pot over medium high heat, add coconut oil and sauté onions, ginger and red curry paste.  Cook the onions until they are translucent, approximately 5 minutes.

Add the chopped tomatoes and cook for 1-2 minutes, then add in the vegetable or chicken stock, white wine and coconut milk.

Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a low simmer.

Allow soup to simmer on low for about 20-30 minutes so that the curry seasoning has a few minutes to blend with the other ingredients.

Take an emulsion blender and blend together to make smooth.

Season with sesame oil, coconut sugar, Himalayan pink sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper.

To serve garnish with freshly chopped basil or cilantro and a squeeze of fresh lime!  

Herbs de Provence Chicken & Pecan Kale Salad

I'm starting to love Kale.  It's so easy to throw into a dish and add some nutrients quickly.  A raw kale salad is easy to make and so delicious.  Last night I wanted some chicken and decided to use some mini cherry tomatoes, garlic and Herbs de Provence seasoning I make with my Himalayan Pink Salt and it was perfect as a nice sauce to spoon over the chicken.

This week has been to start of the vortex that will start to transpire the next few month at work. (I manage a catering business so holiday season is pure madness!)  We have a joke at work that when our mini bat cookies fly out the door at the retail stores during Halloween, that all hell is about to break loose!  So this week has been a week the calm before the store but hectic getting employees in line to do the work of flood.  It was a week of quick dinners, but with big flavor and minimal preparation.

The best way to prepare quick meals is to have the right ingredients on hand to pull it out and whip it up! I always have cherry tomatoes on my counter, kale in my fridge and pecans in the cabinet.  Chicken is always in the freezer.

Pecan Kale Salad

Kale, Stems Removed & Chopped
Raw Pecans
Raw Coconut Vinegar
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Himalayan Pink Sea Salt (to taste)
Black Pepper (to taste)

Remove stems from Kale and chop.  Add raw pecans and drizzle EVOO and a splash of Raw Coconut Vinegar.  Season with Pink Himalayan Sea Salt and freshly cracked Black Pepper.

Herbs de Provence Chicken

2 Chicken Breasts (butterflied)
1 Tbsp Butter (grassfed - I prefer Kerrygold from Ireland)
1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 Garlic Cloves, Sliced
1 Cup Cherry Tomatoes, Sliced in Half
1 Tbsp Herbs de Provence Seasoning (I make my own with Himalayan Pink Sea Salt)
1/4 Cup Port Wine

In a large cast iron skillet, add butter and olive oil.  When butter starts to stop bubbling add garlic and cook until light golden brown.  Remove garlic with slotted spoon and set aside.

Add Chicken Breasts seasoned on each side with Himalayan Pink Sea Salt and Black Pepper.  Cook on each side 2-3 minutes until golden brown.

Remove Chicken Breasts and add Herbs de Provence seasoning, browned Garlic and Cherry Tomatoes.  Toss around for approximately 1 minute.  Add Chicken back in and add the Port Wine.  (Be careful to move off the heat when adding the wine so it doesn't flair up on you).  

Turn on a low simmer and cover; cooking approximately 10 minutes.

To serve:

Remove chicken from skillet and spoon tomato sauce over chicken.  Serve with Pecan Kale Salad.

Lime Kissed Shrimp & Horseradish Cocktail Sauce

Tired, Hungry, Quick and Tasty - Describes this quick and easy late afternoon snack that packs a punch of flavor!  There are only about 6 calories in a piece of medium size shrimp.  So a pound of 16/18 ct size shrimp is only about 108 calories.  Since I used a ketchup sweetened with agave nectar it was only 20 calories per tablespoon.  So this snack was under 200 calories.  

Last night I pulled out some shrimp in freezer and left in the fridge to thaw.  So today when I got home from work I wanted something to eat to hold me over till dinner and thought I would just quick cook the shrimp and whip up a horseradish sauce.

I used an agave nectar sweetened organic ketchup as my base and then zest it up with some extra seasonings. 

I can control the ingredients and it was the best cocktail I think I've ever made.  Plus the lime on the shrimp with Himalayan pink sea salt and fresh cilantro take it up a notch.  I thought it was better than old bay boiled shrimp!

Lime Kissed Shrimp

1 lb Shrimp, Peeled & Deveined
2 Limes
1/2 Cup Fresh Cilantro, Rough Chopped
1 tsp Himalayan Pink Salt Salt

In a pot of boiling water add 1/2 tsp of the Himalayan Pink Sea Salt and slice 1 Lime in half and squeeze juice in the water.  Add the Shrimp and boil until it turns a bright pink.  Transfer Shrimp out of water and shock in ice water.

To Serve - Blot Shrimp dry and season with additional 1/2 tsp Himalayan Pink Sea Salt and squeeze of fresh Lime.  Garnish with chopped Cilantro. Serve with Fresh Horseradish Cocktail Sauce for dipping!

Fresh Horseradish Cocktail Sauce

1 Cup Organicville Brand Agave Sweetened Ketchup
2 Tbsp Fresh Horseradish, Grated
1 tsp Coconut Aminos
1 tsp Raw Coconut Vinegar
1 tsp Lime Juice

Mix ingredients together and chill.  Serve with boiled shrimp.

Perfect snack for afternoon delight...

Stormy

Nothing Fair...About the Fair!

October…In Dallas is the State Fair of Texas.  It’s a BIG event that many look forward to each year.  Me, on the other hand think there isn’t anything fair about the fair.  The cost of rides and entertainment is outrageous, the food is downright awful and for some reason they have decided that we have a Deep South food group to have fried foods…all kinds of fried foods and we aren’t just talking corn dogs my friends.

This morning I caught the news and they were featuring…drum roll please…

Fried Girl Scout Cookies!

Yes, you heard that right - Deep Fried Semoa's.  Now I know that a good Girl Scout Cookie shouldn't be any harm if you only eat one or two right?  They are tasty.  But to take an already 45% fat cookie and then deep fry it…it’s just wrong on so many levels.

The Samoa Cookie serving size is (2 cookies)

40 Calories and 7 grams of Fat

1 Gram of Fat  = 9 Calories

And according to Susan Powter’s Fat Formula! (love her)   

That comes out to 45% fat before those suckers are even fried!  So I can only imagine how much fat they have once fried. 

Not to mention that we are taking a cookie that these little girls sell for money to support their program and wrap them in pie dough and fat ass it up more by deep frying it and then finishing with another drizzle of caramel and chocolate!   

It is possible to make food that's fun to eat and make it healthy.

Sounds like The State Fair of Texas could use a challenge -

To start offering a contest on Healthy Foods instead of trying to find everything they can put in the deep fryer.  What's wrong with people?