Spinach, Tuna and Pomodori e Cipolla Rossa Pesto Pappardelle

Dear followers,

 First I will apologise for not having blogged in a while. I have no help and need some urgently, LOL.  I cook every night, still take pictures but I must admit that on more than one occasion I have ended up with only half the recipe photographed and worst not writing down ingredients. This is mostly because I come home tired from being at the gallery all day or in and out of meetings and I am rushing to put food on the table, and to be honest i am usually the one who is hungriest.
 Tonight my last appointment finished at 7:45 and it was 8 pm before I walked in the door and the whole family was starving. I always try to have a fridge that is stocked but tonight I had not planned ahead, no meat or chicken defrosted no fresh assortment of veggies.(I'm a mess lets put it simply). But one thing that I have learned to accept is I can't do it all.. and sometimes in survival mode we get the best results. My mom, from her recent visit, left a package of egg pappardelle, a really nice pasta that is made with an egg base and is very soft even if cooked al dente.. a beautiful consistency perfect for ragù. Then in the back of the pantry I found my little saviour, a jar of the Barilla Pomodori e Cipolla Rossa Pesto (Tomato and red onion ) and a can of tuna...I think if you look through the blog you will find I have more than one pasta recipe with tuna- not to be repetitive but hey when in doubt pasta with tuna always saves the day. I don't think I am telling any of  you something you don't already know or experience yourself, how busy and hectic life can be and still when you get home you have to get on with the program. So no winging.. this is an easy recipe and it will take only 10 minutes.

The pasta tasted so nice, that even though I'm totally exhausted I'm still here typing away because it was totally worth it..hope that if anything it inspires you to put together ingredients that can save the day in case you had not planned accordingly.

Recipe goes:

1 garlic clove
1/2 red onion sliced thinly
1 jar of Barilla pomodori e cipolla rossa (tomato and red onion)
300 g or a bag of fresh spinach
1 can of tuna (regular size can)
Olive oil
350g of Pappardelle all'uovo (egg pappardelle).

Chop the garlic and red onion. In a pan pour  2 table spoons of olive oil wait for the oil to heat up and throw the garlic and onion in, stir and wait for it to start browning..once the garlic and onion have browned place the drained tuna in and stir evenly.

Cook together for about 2 minutes and then add the spinach. You will notice the spinach will become soft quickly then add the whole jar of the Barilla  tomatoes and red onion pesto.
Mix everything evenly allow to cook for 2 minutes then remove from the heat. I do not add any salt or pepper because the Barilla pesto has a very strong flavour.

Easy.

Cook the papardelle in a large pot filled with salted boiling water, this pasta needs lots of water to move in. You may add a drop of olive to the water but only very little. This pasta should only cook for 4 to 5 minute read the package carefully. Stir often.

Place the tomato and red onion Barilla pesto, spinach and  tuna sauce in a bowl. Once the pasta is cooked drain it but leave a little bit of water this will allow the pasta to mix more evenly with the sauce. Mix the pasta in the large bowl before serving. At this point you will notice if you need to add more olive oil or not.

You may, as a finishing touch, add some fresh basil and chilli along with parmigiano reggiano cheese.

xxx

Broccoli, Salmon and Cream Cheese Penne

Hey guys I am on a roll with my pasta recipes today...

Sometimes for me this is the quickest thing to prepare and I know it will be a complete meal for everyone.
This recipe is child tested and approved...Hurray!!

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups of broccoli (lightly pre steamed so that they are still green and chopped.)
1 yellow onion chopped
3 garlic cloves (2 if really large)
1 large piece of fresh salmon
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt & pepper
Chili flakes  (optional)
100 g of Philadelphia cream cheese
1/2 a cup of parmiggiano cheese
1 table spoon Basil from Gourmet Garden or fresh basil ( 6 leaves will be enough)
Penne Barilla or other kind of pasta of your choice but stick to a short pasta.

In a large pan add a small amount of olive oil enough to brown the chopped onion and garlic.
Make sure they become slightly golden brown. (don't burn them)

In the mean time prepare your water for the pasta. It should be on high to boil quickly. 
When it boils add abundant salt to the water and get ready to throw in your penne pasta.


Barilla penne cook in 11 minutes. So  your pasta should be ready and al dente just in time for your sauce to be ready.  
(if you don't yet feel comfortable cooking both sauce and pasta simultaneously, then cook your sauce and do the pasta afterwards).

Add the chopped pre steamed broccoli to the browned onion and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes.
Then add the salmon pieces you have cut from the larger fillet. Remember to remove any visible fish bones from the salmon and cut off the skin.

Cook for another 5 minutes until the salmon starts turning light pink.
Add a dash of garlic salt and pepper. You can also throw in some chill flakes, which are optional.

Add the cream cheese and stir until mixed evenly, add more cream cheese if you would like.  I just felt half a stick package of philadelphia cheese was enough.

Then add about a table spoon of Basil from Gourmet garden or some fresh cut basil, what ever you have available.
Keep stirring.

Drain you pasta. Add the pasta directly into the pan or if you feel that could get messy place first a small amount of the broccoli/cream cheese and salmon sauce in a bowl. Then pour the pasta and add the remaining sauce on top and mix evenly. You may add little olive oil to help you stir the pasta evenly then add parmiggiano and you are ready to enjoy your pasta.
Crack more fresh pepper before serving, if you wish.

 

BUON APPETITO 

xxx

My very "Cheery" Cherry Tomato & Barilla Zucchini Pesto Caserecce Siciliane

Hello my loyal followers.

First of all thank you for your patience and thank you for following The McGrath's Kitchen blog.
I have been very busy in the last two months and have not been able to post as often as I would like. I can assure you that I am always creating content for the blog, as at home I cook 90% of our meals. I can't help it, somehow for me its easier to prepare a meal at home than book reservation at a restaurant. I am very lucky though, because of our lifestyle I get the chance to go to many restaurants. This is great because not only do I get spoiled I get new ideas of how I can translate those fancy restaurant meals into a quick one for the whole family.
 As many of you may know Glenn is the main ambassador for Australian Year of the Farmer and I have been lucky enough to jump on the band wagon. I recently had the opportunity to cook at the Woman's Weekly test kitchen and also join Lyndey Milan in the Super Market Challenge at the Royal Easter Show.
It was a great experience and certainly an intimidating one to be in front of a large crowd on stage with a microphone chatting away....but I guess once you realise how nice the crowd is and how generous people are, by listening to what you have to say, it gets easier and one can ease into the points that need to come across.
They were all very lovely to help me promote the McGrath's Kitchen Blog and give me the opportunity to talk about the importance of buying local produce from Aussie farmers, as well as creating awareness about how we go about educating our children about healthy eating habits. It was a real honour to be amongst these fantastic women.

Another reason that the McGrath's Kitchen has been a bit slow is because after almost two years of researching, planning, and networking we have finally been able to open MCLEMOI GALLERY.

MCLEMOI GALLERY is our new art gallery, please go to WWW.MCLEMOI.COM to see the fantastic contemporary artists that we will be showcasing in Chippendale (suburb of Sydney).
If you are a lover of contemporary art you will thoroughly enjoy our current exhibition "Decepcion" by Luis Gispert.

You can make a day trip with the family and come visit us in Chippendale, it is a fantastic suburb that is changing the face of the arts scene in Sydney. We are not the only gallery in the area, on the contrary you will notice we are only a block away from the White Rabbit Gallery, NG Art Gallery and Mission Cafe, Galerie Pom Pom, The Commerical Gallery (soon to open) and many other galleries and artist run initiatives.

There are also some very nice spots to eat, my favourite and one where I can easily say I am a local at is Bar Mattino on the corner of Meagher and Abercrombie St.; owned  by Sigrid and Chef Sebastian. (He makes a delicious snapper, so if I can get him to divulge the recipe it might end up on the McGrath's Kitchen, it's divine and he accompanies it with spinach and celeriac mash that I can still taste in my mouth it was that good...yummy.)
Anyway, that is my little anecdote for this post and a bit of an update on what is happening in my world.

HOME GROWN CHERRY TOMATOES & BARILLA ZUCCHINI PESTO

I came home one day to a cherry tomato plant totally grown with mature juicy cherry tomatoes right by our garage. It must have been seeds that were planted randomly by a neighbour or a bird planted them. I know that because out of the things I might be good at, gardening is absolutely not one of them.
My plants either die by over-watering or forgetting to water them at all...I know it's very bad of me.
So I guess that was my lucky day, just by the car port hundreds of the sweetest little tomatoes ready for me to make dinner with. (To be honest I almost contemplated a veggie garden but it would turn into a catastrophe so I will not even attempt it.) So for those of you who do have a veggie garden you know the satisfaction of cooking with the veggies from your own garden.

A while back I received a lovely package from the team at Barilla (my favourite pasta brand.) They knew that even though I like making my own sauces from scratch, it would be nice to receive some of their pesto pre-made sauces.  I enjoy both making my own or using Barrilla's pesto jars; they are great and can make your life very easy. (I caught my mom using one of them when I went to Italy, and she make the best pesto from scratch, so I figured if it passed my mothers test then it's safe for me to use.) Once again it is a prepackaged product, so please take you own measures to assure that they meet and satisfy the eating requirements of your entire family.

I have used the pesto, not in the traditional way that you would imagine, but have used it to marinate the zucchini. (In the past I have also marinated the zucchini; cut in large chunks and then placed them on the BBQ, very tasty.)

I cook this pasta recipe in two parts and use Casarecce Sicialiane, which is a type of pasta.
It is ideal for this and many other recipes.

 

photos are from the Barilla website. http://au.barilla.com/product/pasta/collezione/Casarecce_Siciliane.htm, please visit their website for all the information on their products and different varieties of pasta available. 

Recipe:

Olive oil

Garlic salt

1/2 a red onion

1 scallion

1 large garlic clove

2 cups of zucchini - cut into cubes

2 to 3 cups of cherry tomatoes

1 jar of pesto alla genovese from Barilla

1 large can of tuna in olive oil

400g of Casarecce Siciliane

Salt & pepper

100g of Parmiggiano 

Fresh basil

Peperoncino/ chill flakes - if you wish to add some spice

1st part: In a pan add a little extra virgin olive oil the red onion and garlic. Once the onion and garlic have browned add tuna; you don't have to drain the oil. Cook the tuna so it picks up the flavours of the onion and garlic.  You may add a dash of garlic salt...but very little..then add the cherry tomatoes.

2nd part: In a separate a bowl marinate the zucchini in the pesto sauce for 5 minutes...the important thing is that they are evenly coated in the pesto sauce. Add a little extra virgin olive oil and fry the scallions until soft, then add the zucchini marinaded in the pesto. Pour the all the pesto sauce and cook the zucchini until soft.

 

When both are ready combine the two (cherry tomato/ tuna and the zucchini pesto) and once the pasta is cooked and you have drained it, stir everything together (you can add fresh basil at the end.)

The reason I cooked the zucchini and the cherry tomatoes separate, is so that they both equally soak up the flavours of the most intense ingredients. I add the drained pasta directly to the pan then add a tiny bit of extra virgin olive oil and mix it all throughly.

I add a little bit of parmigginao cheese and it is ready to serve, also some fresh basil maybe pepper or chill flakes if you prefer spicy. 

ENJOY!!!

xxx

Honey Mustard Pork Chops

Every time I turn on the TV, which is not often, I see ads for PORKFEST with Julie Goodwin!!! (She is such a lovely lady and also a proud supporter of the McGrath Foundation, how can you not love her.) Well this got me to google what PORKFEST was all about. I founds a lot of useful information on the website http://www.PorkFest.com.au. Please check it out and you can read about all the myths and facts of pork; also Julie's recipes are divine. I am looking forward to trying them out!!!

Honey Mustard Pork Chops is my contribution to PORKFEST. I don't always buy pork, mainly because  our family is accustomed to eating chicken, beef and lamb. I love pork and growing up in a Latin American community in the US pork is huge. Cuban's love making pork, my favourite is Pan con Lechon, which involves many hours of cooking pork and then simply placing it in Cuban bread (which is a white soft loaf)...it is so good it's worth a trip to Havana or Miami just to try the deliciousness of this tender juicy pork sandwich. My mother makes pork the Venezuelan way, which also involves cooking the pork for many hours, it has a sweet flavour to it and is absolutely divine. One of the reason that I don't usually buy pork is because I grew up eating it and knew it to be a very lengthy cooking process...but of course, yes, if we are making a whole pork it would take a long time but there are a lot of different lean cuts that are fantastic on the grill or roasted, which cook quickly.

So the other day I went to my local butcher in Miranda and the lovely lady there, Mary, who is always happy to see me, gave me the nicest cuts of pork loin on the bone. I like the ones with the bones because I like having that last bite to sink my teeth into...says the carnivore in me..LOL

Anyway, so I take the pork home, think of how to cook it and remember a recipe I used to make at university, HONEY MUSTARD PORK..how could I forget.

You see, when I was at university my mother; in an attempt for me not to have to spend my money on food; would kindly stock up my freezer with a semesters worth of all kinds of meats...of course as most students are broke, I was broke but had a freezer filled with meats, a valuable currency when you need help studying for your exams...My deal was always to have study groups at my house "I'll cook...you can tutor me." and it paid off...My best friend and accounting/finance guru Bojana, always loved my honey mustard pork. So I was happy to make "Boki" her favourite meal, and I passed accounting.

This recipe is relatively child friendly as long as your children don't mind the chili, which is optional.

*Also if I can add a restaurant tip please go to MOMOFUKU at the Star Casino for a fantastic pork. 

(If you are in Sydney and are keen to try what I think has been the best pork I have had in Australia, please go to MoMoFUKO at the Star Casino adjacent to the Darling Hotel and book yourself for a degustation meal. The meal is an explosion of delicate flavours and its grand finale is the most magnificent soft, sweet and moist pork. The pork is cooked for over 15 hours...OMG it was so good. I can't wait to go again and eat there.)

Please note that incase you don't eat pork for religious or other reasons you may substitute this recipe with prawns or chicken.

Ingredients:

3 pork chops (or prawns according to amount of servings)
3 tablespoons of honey
3 tablespoons of mustard
Garlic salt
Apple cider vinegar (a dash)
1 1/2 tablespoons of mild chili (Gourmet Garden)
1 abundant teaspoon of ginger

Make your marinade by mixing in a bowl: honey, mustard, garlic salt, mild chilli and ginger.
Then cover the pork with the marinade, you can either place it in a plastic zip lock bag and leave it over night or you can just spread the marinade over it, like I did, and cook it right away.

Place the marinated pork in a pan at low to medium heat. The idea of pork is that you have to cook it all the way through, a bit of pink in the pork is not good...
Allow it to cook slowly and if it needs more marinade add it in the pan. Add a dash of Apple cider vinegar and make sure the heat is on high so that it evaporates quickly.
When the pork is almost ready raise the temperature so that you nicely brown the chops.

You can cook the chops in the oven as well. Keep the oven at 160-180 degrees Celsius, keep the chops covered with foil, so that the marinade doesn't burn and they remain moist...then 20 minutes later uncover so that they brown.

As you can see I have served the pork chop with white rice and string beans very simple easy and shouldn't take longer than 15 minutes to cook all up. I am very glad for how tender and tasty this meat was, everyone loved it!!! 

Thank you again for visiting my blog. Please also note that all your contributions are welcomed, themcgrathskitchen is not only a place for my recipes but it is also a place that you can share your cooking triumphs.  Sharing is caring...

Enjoy your meal! 

XXX 

PINK BOW TIE PASTA - Holly's Favourite

Pink Bow Tie Pasta - or Pink Farfalle is Holly, my step daughter's, favourite pasta. I first called this pasta 'surprise pasta',because I learned quickly you don't tell kids everything you put in your recipes, as the first response will be "Gross I'am not eating that"!!!
Then fitting that we are a very pink family I have renamed this dish 'Pink Bow Tie Pasta'.

This recipe is one that is really special to me because my mom used to make it when I was little (her version is different to the one I make for Holly I will give you that recipe later.) Holly my beautiful, funny and charming step daughter has always been very difficult with food; I think that many children these days are. I could give you a list of what she used to like because it is much shorter than what she didn't like. She loved french fries (chips), chicken schnitzel, vegimtie sandwiches and that is it..oh and of course chocolate..but I don't even consider that food. The other thing that she ate outside of white food, fried food or chocolate was feta cheese dipped in beet root juice.  I figured this was a peculiar combination but not one that was foreign to me. So my goal at the beginning was not only to get her to eat healthier but to eat a variety of things. 

At the beginning I thought it was not normal for children to not eat what was on their plate, since as a kid I ate everything my mother cooked. (Plus I had no children of my own to compare the experience.)  I have asked other parents and everyone seems to be having some sort of a problem or another getting their kids to not only eat healthy but eat everything on their plate. It is hard folks, it's like we are torn between saying- eat everything on your plate kids in Africa are starving and/or don't eat all of that junk you don't want to get fat and sick... ahh 

Anyway, I have slowly won my battle with food and it has taken lots of love and patience. We are now at the point that my step daughter eats meats like lamb, beef, and salmon and will eat cauliflower and other veggies besides the staples (peas, carrots, corn)...and eats pasta. HURRAY!!!

( Two useful tips I read that have made sense to me and explain why our kids today have bad eating patterns is because they snack too much. So when its dinner time they have no appetite for the healthy things we put in their plate. Also if there is a lolly/chips or chocolate drawer in the house maybe it is best for kids not to have direct & easy access to it, as they will eat and you will not notice. The clue there is monitor your pantry)

This pasta is fun because it is PINK, kids love the colour...beetroot juice will make the cream go pink... it's a fun way to mix it up a bit...plus Aussies love beetroot :)  Not everyone may like this recipe but it has worked for me and when its one of those days that I really don't know what to cook I know she will be happy with her PINK BOW TIE Pasta :) 

THE PINK BOW TIE RECIPE IS EASY...

Ingredients:

150g of Bow Tie (also called Farfalle)

1/2 of a cup of fresh cream 

1/4 of a cup of beetroot juice (from the can) 

100g of feta cheese (1/2 a pack of the regular size feta cheese)

1/2 a table spoon of butter 

Dash of garlic salt

(If you feel that the flavour is too bitter for you add another kind of cheese even Tasty cheese is nice or any cheese your child eats). 

Cook your bow tie pasta in boiling water (remember to add a dash of salt to the water) for as long as instructed.

In a sauce pan pour the cream and then the beetroot juice, stir and  let it cook slowly on low-medium heat...

Add the feta cheese and butter, plus a dash of garlic salt...and any other cheese you may want to add.

 Let it cook until the bow tie pasta is ready. Once it is ready mix the pasta and the sauce together and your pasta is ready!

(I have no luck with pictures...these are so small...have tried to make them bigger but no luck, just get close to the screen LOL xx Enjoy )

If you have success stories about how you got your children to eat or try different foods I want to know so please share your story!!!! xx

VEGETABLE QUINOA

I love QUINOA. It is available in almost every supermarket, and the whole family can enjoy it.  It's also great if you are trying to loose weight, have a wheat allergy or are just tired of rice. It is very easy to make and goes with practically any meat or vegetable. Some recipes even use it as a dessert, as it has a nice and easy nutty flavor. There are many brands but I usually buy this one ('macro wholefoods market') and both my health food store and larger super market chain carry it. Any brand is fine (I have no loyalties with quinoa brands yet.) You will also find that there is a darker black or reddish quinoa, I have used them before and it has a stronger flavour, it also needs a bit longer to cook.

I have also discovered puffed quinoa, which is great as a substitute for cereal. I like adding it to my Kefir yoghurt (the highest probiotic on the market) with some blue berries, pomegranate or back berries. Sprinkle Chia seeds and you have a super breakfast or quick snack. 


Now here is my veggie recipe...enjoy and don't be scared of over cooking the QUINOA. 

Ingredients:

1 knob of ginger (finely sliced)

1 garlic clove (finely chopped)

2 chives (coarsely sliced)

1 green pepper

1 carrot

1 bunch of asparagus

1 bunch of cilantro/coriander

5 mushrooms

2 cups of quinoa

2 tomatoes

Olive oil

Lemon (fresh)

Chop all of the ingredients.

First start with your veggies, as they take longer.  Throw the ginger, garlic and chives in a pan with olive oil. Once the aroma starts to seep out toss in the green peppers, carrots and asparagus.  Then sprinkle fresh cilantro/coriander…plenty.  Finally toss in the mushrooms and let it all cook together until the vegetables are evenly cooked. 

(Yes I have a new pan and I'm not cooking with these anymore, it's an old picture. Sorry it sometimes takes me a while to post.) 

With quinoa, boil 1 cup of quinoa in 1 ½ cups of water with a bit of olive oil so that the quinoa doesn’t stick together.  This should be cooked for about 10-15 minutes…it is ready once all of the water is absorbed and the quinoa grains seem to have popped open into small whitish grains. (The cooking time may vary by brand).

Once the quinoa is fully cooked and drained toss it into the pan where your veggies are mix them together so all of the flavours are absorbed and distributed evenly.

Now your quinoa is ready to serve.  I add some chopped tomatoes on top and a little bit of lemon for that extra zest.

Salmon Pesto and Ricotta Bow Tie Pasta

As I promised, here is a quick and easy pasta to enjoy made from the left-over salmon from my last post.
Now, if you have not made my salmon recipe the night before I will forgive you so don't worry, you can use tin salmon to make life easy.

If you have been following my blog you know that I never promote pre-packaged sauces or products that are heavily processed. However, a while back I received a very kind package from Barilla (pretty much a 6 months supply of pastas and sauces.)  I have recommend Barilla to you in my recipes because it is my favourite pasta brand...ha, they didn't need to send me free food for me to talk about a product I have been faithfully using for the last 15 years...anyway, in this lovely package I was also sent some pre-made sauces that I have seen at the supermarket for years, and well I had been skeptical about using them because I love making my own sauces. It makes me feel in control to have my own sauces, this way I really know what is in them with out a doubt.
Pesto is very easy to make so I would normally just make my own but when you have 30 bottles of 'Barilla Pesto Genovese' sauce in your pantry it can get tempting to use.  Now, I did not use the whole jar, only a small portion of it to give the recipe a hint of pesto. I carefully read the package details and saw nothing that is harmful, and if used moderately in my recipe it can be as good or bad as garlic salt or any other ingredient in my kitchen (if you have a nut or cheese allergy do not use this product because it contains both !!!) Once opened these products only last 5 days. I have used this pesto sauce as a marinade for grilled zucchini as well ... It was VERY VERY nice!!!

I choose bow tie pasta because they are fun and its nice to change things up a bit. I used regular Barilla bow tie pasta, made from wheat. If you do not wish to eat this kind of pasta or can't, don't despair there are other great brands made with alternative grains. My favourite kind is KAMUT pasta, it is a perfect substitute and it also holds the consistency when you cook it. My second choice of pasta would be rice or corn pasta. These have less of a nutty flavour than the Kamut but you will have to watch the cooking time, in my experience they tend to go soft quickly.
To keep this meal at a healthy calorie range I suggest a serving of no more than 60g of pasta per person, and trust me that is one heck of a plate. If I had to serve myself the pasta I would have a 70/30 ratio of salmon to pasta, no more than 40g on my plate. Keep the protein high and decrease the carb a little.


Ingredients:

200g Barilla Bow Tie Pasta, or any pasta of your choice
1/2 a cup of ricotta
2 tablespoons of Barilla Pesto Genovese, or your own pesto mix
Salmon left-over (I used one whole piece)
Garlic salt
1 fresh tomato
Couple of fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
3 tablespoons of olive oil
2 whole chives, chopped

In a bowl add the olive oil, tomatoes, basil, chives and salmon (Use a fork to flake the salmon and make sure you remove any small bones the fish may have.)
Then add in the pesto and ricotta, and sprinkle some garlic salt (Taste it, if its too salty it does not have to be a problem because you still have to add the pasta and that will bland the sauce.)

(You can still add more ingredients. For example if you have some steamed green beans cut those up and add them in... Please modify this recipe to your liking, everyone liked it but I'm sure you can add more things to it. If you don't have salmon who cares, use tuna. If you like it spicy add chilli flakes.)

When boiling the pasta please don't be stingy with the water, lots of water for pasta is a good thing. The more space the pasta has to cook the less space for it to stick.
Now the key to a good pasta is to throw it in only when the water is salted and is boiling at its max. Keep an eye on the cooking time and stir the pasta while it is boiling. Eating over-cooked pasta is not the same experience as a pasta that is al dente...I see so many people who add oil to the boiling water....WHY??? You do not need oil in the water unless the pasta is made of egg, such as tagliatelle, etc...it will be specified on the package when they are made out of egg. Sorry but I have to mention this, it is my pet peeve...

Okay so you have drained the pasta, leave a little bit of water (make sure your bow ties are not dry...
Then start mixing the pasta into the bowl with the salmon and other ingredients...Yummy
You may add a dash of parmiggiano regiano, but only a little; please we want this recipe to stay lean.

Okay you are now ready to enjoy your Salmon Pesto and Ricotta Bow Tie Pasta!!!

Oven Baked Herb & Ginger Salmon

I love my salmon and now it's one of the fish we all eat together at the table. It has been my biggest success!!! I can't stop stressing the importance of OMEGA 3, salmon is a fatty fish but it has the good fats...
I make mine very simple, if you have been following this blog you know I love to cook a lot of my meat and fish in the oven wrapped and closed in foil. I do this for many reasons, my best reason is that it keeps the kitchen from being a mess and grease splashing everywhere.  This way of  cooking is ideal for fish because the flavours are sealed in and the moisture produced within the foil keeps the fish moist. No one likes dry fish!!!

This recipe is simple and will take 20 minutes max to cook.

Ingredients:

Salmon (1 piece per person)
lemon juice, from 1/2 of a lemon
1 table spoon of extra virgin olive
1 1/2 table spoons of ground ginger
1 table spoon of Gourmet Garden Chives
1 table spoon of Gourmet Garden Dill
1 table spoon of Gourmet Garden Parsley
1 table spoon of Gourmet Garden Thai Seasoning (Lemon Grass, Ginger, Coriander, Chilli)
Garlic Salt (a pinch)
Salt & pepper

Wash and pat dry the salmon. Place the pieces in an oven pan, covered in foil (enough to cover and close the salmon.)

In a bowl mix the lemon juice, olive oil, garlic salt, ground ginger and all the gourmet garden seasonings. If you don't have access to the Gourmet Garden Spices use these fresh herbs by cutting them thinly and whisking them together in the same way (so have ready fresh parsley, chives, coriander, dill and lemon grass to chop up.)  You may add red chilli flakes if you would like it spicier.

Whisk them all together and you have a lovely dressing that you will pour over the salmon...make sure the salmon is covered evenly with the dressing. If you would like to add a bit of white wine, half a cup, it adds a je ne se quoi (it will however add more calories to the dish.)

Close the fish up in the foil. Place in the oven at 200 degrees Celsius for max 20 minutes. Im very comfortable at cooking it at this temperature..if you want it lower then cook for a bit longer.

When you open the foil your kitchen should be filled with the aromas of the ginger and herbs.

I like to serve this dish with either a side of sautéed broccolini or string beans and potatoes.

I happened to have sweet potatoes in the fridge that night so I decided to make those as a side so that the potatoes wouldn't go to waste. Everyone liked the combination of flavours. The key is you have to have something green on your plate at all times.

The sweet potatoes are very easy to make:
Cut them into medium to small pieces. Drizzle olive oil and add salt & pepper. Place in the oven, do not cover them, let them get a bit crunchy.
They cook as fast as the salmon does, so I cook them at 180 Celsius for 20 minutes.

I hope you enjoy this dish. I like making a little extra salmon so that with the left overs I can make a salad or a pasta. Stay tuned and you will see what crazy yummy pasta I make with the left overs!!!

SARA’S HEALTHY EATING TIPS

I'm not a nutritionist but some basic rules can keep you and your family lean.

1# Fruit juice is out. I just don’t touch it. Or any soft drink for that matter. (Yes we are human and yes occasionally I have one..but don’t make it a part of your life. Fruit Juice has lots of empty calories..so one glass of juice could equal a full meal..the sugar in sodas is scary) 

2# Moderation. My blog has a recipe for mascarpone stuffed dates. I love them. But they are to be eaten in moderation. Anything is to be eaten in moderation, better to leave the table not feeling super full.

3# Diets that restrict one food group don't always equal long term weightloss. We need carbs they are the bodies fuel. (stay away from white bread and white rice) healthier option is brown rice and breads with grains/seeds etc. (1 slice don't eat  1/2 a loaf for breakfast).

4# Make cooking a healthy meal a priority it shouldn’t take a long time. There are so many great quick recipes that can be done in minutes.

5# The chemicals in processed foods are very strong they are addictive and will harm taste buds. When you eat a very processed food and then have a vegetable it will taste bland because your taste bud have been over powered by the  salts and additives. Avoid them at all costs. I don’t like to eat processed foods… and avoid fast food..

6# Eat lots of lean meats, whole grains, vegetables and keep the fiber coming..Fiber unless you have a colon problem is your friend!!

7# Make wise food choices and especially informed decision when buying chicken or other meats that may contain harmful hormones...I don't trust the hormones...but that is me...

8# Children should not be deprived of chips, cookies and soft drinks because in my belief it creates to much emphasis,like they are forbidden, then they will want more of it...(obviously they should be consumed moderately a birthday party, weekend etc) Every parent knows what is best for their child. 

9# Chew food slowly...(I'm the fastest eater in the world and I always have to remember to chew my food slowly. 1st and most important part of the digestion happens in your mouth)

10# Do not sit at home and watch shows about over weight people unless you are on your treadmill at home!!! Weight loss is maths you have to out put more than you input!!!!

XXX 

SUPER KALE SALAD

Well it is great to be back home after a nice lengthy vacation. We vacationed in Whistler where the whole family enjoys spending the days on the magical Canadian slopes. You can imagine that a day of skiing can really get your appetite going. I love skiing, it's is a great work-out and being in nature just makes it even better. We also love how every year we just keep getting better. We conquered black runs and many of the very difficult blue runs, luckily without breaking any bones. I like to think of my ski vacation as my get fit vacation, unfortunately this year I indulged in maybe one too many BBQ Rib meals and just plain comfort eating because of the cold, temperatures on some days were as low as -25 degrees Celsius...So a nice warm clam chowder soup sounded just perfect...Well halfway into my vacation those Roxy pants were not fitting any looser...So I immediately made a correction and looked out for better, wiser and leaner food choices...One of my favourite cafes in Whistler is the Lift Company Coffee Shop...They not only make the best soy lattes...(had one two many of those as well)...
One of their specialties is their SUPER KALE SALAD.. to be honest I did not ask them what was in it, but from what I can remember, the ingredients listed below are very close to the mark.
I like this salad because it is extremely high in nutrients and super foods...all the goodness you need in one quick meal. This salad can be made and stored for a couple of days because the Kale is very sturdy and will not wilt like lettuce or other leafy vegetables.
It is very lean and can be a complete meal on its own. Its great for vegetarians and if your pants are fitting a bit too tight!!!

ENJOY

Ingredients :

1 bunch of kale
300g of cherry tomatoes or more if you like
1 cup of uncooked barley
1 can of chick peas
7 or 8 sundried tomatoes
1 small red onion
1 large scallion
5-6 olives
1 handful of pine nuts
1/2 can of black beans (optional)

Dressing Ingredients:

Juice from one lemon
Olive oil
Garlic salt
Pepper
Gourmet Garden Thai seasoning (lemon grass, ginger, coriander, chilli)

Chop up the kale finely (don't use the stalks as they are too chewy, but if you like the texture keep them.) and place in a large bowl...

Cut the olives, tomatoes, sun dried tomatoes, scallion and add to the kale.
Empty a can of chick peas (wash and drain) then add them to the kale as well. Also add black beans if you like. Pine nuts are also a great addition make sure to toast them before you add them in.

Boil the barley for 20 minutes, depending on the brand it will say on the package. I boil it in lots of water and some salt.
When it is ready drain and add to the kale and other ingredients.

The dressing is easy just stir in all the ingredients until you have an even consistency...please add as much or as little olive oil as you like. I probably use 3 tablespoons maybe a bit more...it depends if you like it to taste tangy or less tangy.

TOSS TOSS MIX MIX and your salad is ready.