Asian Pear Spaghetti Squash Pomegranate Salad

    
            
What is that expression.. iimitation is the sincerest of flattery.
These last two post, seem to be inspired by my latest trip to Colorado. Once again, Denver has it right, with the fine dining, and gluten free alternatives, Root Down is an amazing restaurant, with an awesome menu. My recipe here is inspired by a dish that I ate, while at Root Down.   With some simple tweaks, by omitting the Star Anise Vinaigrette sauce because it had rice and making my own little vinaigrette, and using an aged Cheddar I was wanting to create a dish that would satisfy my craving until I can get back for a visit! 


I felt slightly hesitant that my family wouldn't love this dish as much as I did. My husband who does not like Spaghetti squash loves this dish, and had seconds, and will be taking some to work tomorrow. It turned out amazing, even though we were unable to make it precisely the same.


Ingredients


1 Spaghetti Squash
2 Asian Pears (sliced)
4 Tablespoons of Pomegranate
1 cup of Candy Walnuts (paleo Recipe here)
3/4 cup of sliced mushrooms
2 garlic cloves
2 Chicken Breast (if desired, but not needed)
Kosher Salt
Pepper
4 tablespoons of Olive oil 
1 tablespoon of butter
4 cups of Arugula


Dressing
1/2 cup of olive oil
2 tablespoons of Balsamic vinaigrette
1/4 tsp of pink Himalayan salt 
Dash of pepper
2 teaspoons of lemon juice ( fresh squeezed)
Dash of granulated garlic


Pre- heat oven for 425 degrees, and roast Spaghetti Squash 45 minutes to an hour. If you are new to roasting Spaghetti Squash I have a standard recipe here. This is great time to salt and pepper your chicken and bake it covered for 30 minutes or until done. 


While Spaghetti Squash is roasting, roast your sliced pears for 10 to15 minutes. Sprinkle one tablespoon of olive oil or grape seed oil on top, to keep moist.

Start Candied Walnuts. 

Saute diced garlic, and sliced mushrooms in one tablespoon of butter for ten minutes. 


Once Spaghetti squash is roasted, and soft. Take your fork along the inside of the squash, and shave out the squash. 

Layer, the squash on the bottom adding all the other ingredients as you desire them. Add cheese if you chose, we used Kerrygold Dubliner cheese, Toss and serve!

Powerful Antioxidants, and adds so much color to this dish!

Halibut Tomato Zucchini Roast

A brief apology for my two month absence. Summer has flown by so fast and I have been chasing three active girls around, losing track of all time. We have still been trying to follow close to our Paleo diet, but I have found myself slacking and consuming more sugars from fruits and chocolates than I would like to admit.

In an attempt to get our eating back on the right track, I am trying to focus more on fresh seasonal produce, which is not hard when you live in Oregon. This time of year fresh produce is abundant and inexpensive.

Courtesy of Rachel Coward

 When they said Eat the Rainbow, I am sure those researchers must have been thinking of the typical Oregonian Diet. Tomatoes are also a excellent source of antioxidants that can protect your skin against UV's , and is a great anti-aging vegetable.

Halibut Tomato Zucchini Roast

• 1/3 Cup of Olive Oil + 1 tbsp of Olive oil
• 2 (10) ounces of heirloom Sweet tomatoes
• 1 cup of Mushrooms
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1 juice of lemon
• 1 Zucchini
• 1 Pound of Halibut
• 1 tsp red pepper
• dash of Kosher salt
• dash of black pepper 
• 1 tsp. peppercorn
• 4 ounces of goat cheese
• Fresh torn spinach leaves about 7

Pre- Heat oven to 350

Steps

1. Slice Tomatoes lengthwise in halves
2. Slice mushrooms 
3. Slice garlic cloves lengthwise
4. Pour 1/3 c. of olive oil in a dutch oven
5. Place halibut in and rub olive oil on fillet
6. Sprinkle red pepper on and peppercorn
7. Squeeze lemon about half
8. Pour remaining ingredients, tomatoes, garlic, zucchini
9. Sprinkle with salt and pepper
10. Squeeze remaining lemon
11. Line a deep platter with Fresh torn spinach leaves

Bake @ 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes. Or until fully cooked but still tender. Stir in Goat Cheese. Serve and enjoy!!! 

Halibut, olive oil, and garlic

Slice Tomatoes and Mushrooms lengthwise in halves

Spicin it up

Fresh Seasonal Zucchini, and tomatoes

Bake 350

Opt for fresh organic spices!

creating a recipe!

Slice and stir in, I used 4 ounces

And Eat

Broccoli Bacon Soup

It has been a while since my last post. We have been cooking, and taking photos, and chasing our kids! Mainly chasing kids! Which is why I love this recipe that I am about to share with you today! It is fast, and loaded full of vitamins. It took me under 35 minutes to prepare the whole dish.

Green Goodness!

Recently, I went over to a girlfriends house for a fun night of Bunco, and indulged in a delicious blueberry muffin. The recipe, was from the new cookbook My Father's Daughter, by Gwyneth Paltrow. Everyone knows that I have a deep love of cooking and cookbooks, I would consider it more of an obsession, to be honest.

Last week, I bought the book, and made an amazing broccoli  soup. Broccoli soup was more of an experiment to see if my daughters would eat the broccoli, with no complaints. It was a pleasant surprise when they devoured their bowls with no complaints. They loved this soup, so much they had two servings. I did modify it, it a little. Next time to add more life to the soup I will add diced tomato. We will be making more of it this week, and freezing it.

• 2 tablespoons of Olive Oil, Napa
• 2 teaspoons of Granulated Garlic, or you could use 3 fresh garlic cloves sliced
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 3 Medium Broccoli stalks, cut into small florets
• 32 ounces of Chicken Broth, or Vegetable stock
• 1 teaspoon of Celtic Salt
• 1 teaspoon of black pepper
• 5 slices of cooked bacon (omit for vegan option)
• 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese, or sprinkle of Parmesan cheese (optional, if dairy free)

This recipe is really simple. In a skillet add olive oil, and then toss in onion, broccoli, granulated garlic. Cook on medium high for ten minutes to fifteen minutes, until broccoli is green and tender but firm. In a dutch oven, add the broccoli mixture, broth, salt and pepper. Then use the skillet to fry up the bacon. While bacon is cooking simmer soup mixture on a medium high for ten minutes, and then add bacon and heat at a medium for ten more minutes.

Pour soup into a large bowl, and puree. I use my Cuisinart Smart Stick Hand Blender. 

Serve and enjoy!

Messy looking, but tasty

Two thumbs up from our picky eater!

Thumbs up from V

My family loved this recipe so much it was gone as quickly as it was made.

Creamy Cauliflower Soup

Creamy Cauliflower Soup

Many people turn their noses up to Cauliflower, thinking that it is flavorless. However, this vegetable is highly versatile, low in fat, high in dietary fiber, folate, water and vitamin C, and an excellent source of carotenoids. With phytochemicals, indole-3-carbinol, cauliflower is known for aiding and blocking growth of cancer cells, and can actually prevent and slow the grown of cancer and tumors. Cauliflower also may assist the liver in detoxing carcinogenic substances. Feel free to play with this recipe, it can easily be made vegetarian, dairy free, and of course gluten free!

• 1/2 stick Butter or olive oil
• 1 garlic clove minced
• 3/4 of a cup of Green onion, sliced and divided in half
• 2 whole Carrot thinly sliced
• 1 stalk Celery, well Diced
• 1 whole Cauliflower Heads
• 2 Tablespoons Fresh Or Dried Parsley
• 32 ounces of organic Chicken Broth Or Stock or vegetable Broth
• 2 cups Almond milk ( or milk)
• 1 cup Half-and-half (optional)
• Sprinkle of salt and Pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon of paprika
• 1/2 cup of Sour Cream (optional)
• 4 slices of Turkey Bacon (Applegate) (optional)
• 1/2 cup of red Bell Pepper diced
• 1/2 cup of tomato diced

In a Dutch oven brown bacon.Remove, and then melt butter or add 1/4 of a cup of Olive oil.

Add minced Garlic, whites of onions, reserve the green Chives Saute for 2 minutes

Add carrots and celery and continue to saute for 5 minutes then add Cauliflower and cook for 10 more minutes.

Add Chicken or vegetable Broth, cook on medium heat for 20 minutes. Add 2 pieces of diced Bacon

salt and pepper. And 1/2 teaspoon of paprika.

Now you can either get your blender and Puree, or what I find easiest is to pour contents into a bowl and puree with my Smart Stick Blender. Once the soup is pureed, pour it back into the dutch oven and add Milk/ Cream, and sour cream, perhaps more pepper if desired or even better a pinch of RED Pepper! Stir well.

Spoon into bowls, and top with the remaining 2 pieces of diced Bacon, a tablespoon of red bell pepper, some chives and parsley. The tomato is optional.

This dish is pretty filling, and very delicious.

Spicy Avocado Prawn Salad with steak

Spicy Avocado Prawn Salad
This recipe is one of my favorites! I adapted it from a Paley's Place recipe. It is one of my favorite restaurants in Portland and they are known for their Northwest flair. This summer, I made the Warm Spot- Prawn, Tomato, and Feta Salad. It was an amazing dish. This recipe is similar, and yet so extremely different with the addition of salsa and avocado, and omitting the capers and Persillade.  I encourage all my reader to play with their recipes, experiment, and never be afraid to try something new!

• 1 large onion
• 1 pound of sirloin strips
• 1/4 cup of extra- virgin olive oil
• 1 medium head of Red Leaf Lettuce
• Fresh Pre-made salsa
• Pinch of Red pepper flakes
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1 ripe Avocado
• 20 prawns
• 1/4 cup of dry white wine
• Juice of a lemon
• 6 to 8 ounces of feta or sheep's cheese

Preheat oven to 400
Slice and roast onions on a baking sheet, sprinkle with Kosher salt and pepper and drizzle olive oil.  Roast until edges are golden, this will take about 20 to 30 minutes


Saute steak individually. Season with pepper and salt.


Wash and prepare lettuce. do not tear the leaves..
In a skillet pour the olive oil and red pepper flakes with the sliced garlic and saute for about 30 seconds. Add salt and pepper, then prawns, cook for around 2 minutes, then add white wine, lemon juice, and cook until done. For about 2 or 5 minutes. Remove from heat and then Add to hot pan feta cheese. 


Place whole leafs on plate arranged beautifully, then add onion rings. Top with prawn mixture, and then 2 tablespoons of salsa, and top with 1/4 cup of avocado.


Serve, relish in delight, and enjoy!