Author Archives: The Cooking spoon

Macadamia-Cashew Bars with fresh berries

There is just something so great about indulging and not having to feel guilty about it. Although these do have a lot of calories because of the nuts, but at least they are good for you.

I was very sceptical a few years ago when I stumbled upon the whole “raw”movement. I tried it for a month or two to give it a fair judgement and although it’s not for me, I do admire people who can live that way.

I found it hard to follow and I missed cooking too much. The great thing I discovered were the raw desserts. I mean, they really are the business, again, very calorie rich but also very rich in flavour and nutritious at the same time.

I guess what really works for me is to take the best from various life styles and put them all together.

Makes 16

Ingredients;

Base:
1 cup of pitted dates – soaked in warm water for 10 minutes
2/3 cup of almonds
2/3 cup of walnuts
2 tbsp cacao
1 tbsp coconut oil

Cream top;
1 cup cashews, soaked in water overnight
1 cup macadamia nuts, soaked in water overnight
1/2-1 cup coconut water
1/2 cup coconut nectar
1/2 cup coconut oil
dash of salt
dash of vanilla

Fruit top:

2 C. mixed berries or other fruits of choice

Method;

The Base:
Into a food processor add your dates, and pulse for 10 seconds.
Add the rest of your ingredients and pulse for 10 seconds, until combined. Don’t pulse for too long or your mixture will end up in one big lump.
Transfer your base into your 8×8 tray lined with baking parchment and pat down evenly. Put in the freezer to set!

Cream base:
Into a blender add your nuts, 1/2 cup coconut water, coconut nectar, oil, salt and vanilla. Blend till smooth. Add more coconut water to get a good consistency.
Put on top of the Base layer, and then freeze.
Let it sit in the freezer for about two hours before cutting in to squares and decorate with a variety of fruits.

Crispy Fish Fajitas with Pomegranate, Avocado Chunks, pickled Onion and Cilantro Tzaziki.

7 Replies

Crispy fish in a Taco is one of the better things in Life. The soft Tortillas and the crispy fish with the cooling sauce is just food heaven.

I can’t say that its super fast to make because there’s a bit of prep work involved. But you could easily just make the fish and use store bought Tzaziki if you are short of time. Any leftover Tzaziki can be used on sandwiches.

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb. firm white fish cut in large-ish chunks
1/2 C. fine polenta + 1/2 C. white flour, mixed
2 eggs beaten
1/4 C. milk
1/4 C. vegetable oil for frying
Taco seasoning
2 large onions, sliced thin
1/4 C. lemon juice and some beet juice (optional)
2 Avocados, peeled and sliced in to wedges, sprinkle with lemon juice

Cilantro Tzaziki:

1 cucumber, washed and grated coarse
1 C. Plain Yoghurt
1/4 C. mayonnaise
1 clove of garlic, peeled and grated
salt and pepper
a handful of Cilantro, chopped

To serve:

8 Tortillas to serve, whole wheat or regular
2 C. shredded Iceberg lettuce to serve
Lime wedges to serve
1/2 C. pomegranate seeds to serve (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS:

Start by grating the cucumber, put everything in a tea towel and squeeze out as much juice as you can. Next put it in a bowl. Add the yoghurt, mayonnaise, cilantro, garlic, salt and pepper. Mix and set aside.

Next put the fish chunks in one bowl, season generously with taco seasoning.

In an other bowl, beat the two eggs and add the milk.

In a third bowl, mix the polenta with the flour.

Dip the fish in the egg mixture, then the polenta-flour and put on a separate plate.

Get out a frying pan and heat the oil. Fry the fish for about five minutes on medium high heat. Take out of the pan with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.

Meanwhile heat the tortillas. To serve spoon a generous amount of the cilantro tzaziki on the tortilla and some shredded iceberg lettuce, then the crispy fish on top. Add some avocado wedges and sprinkle with onion slivers and pomegranate seeds. Serve with lime wedges.

Enjoy

Looking for more great recipes to try? Be sure to check out this Cajun Jumbo Shrimp Tacos with Corn, a Peach & Koriander Salsa and Roasted Pepper Aïoli

Cambozola Grilled Chicken on Peperonata with Parpadelle

3 Replies

Serves 4

I bought one of those big bags of red bell peppers on the market the other day without really having a plan. Ghee….

When I came home I realized that I had tons and tons of tomatoes too so I thought it best to start making a Peperonata, to freeze some, to have some straight away and keep some in the fridge for over sandwiches and pizzas.

Then when dinner time came around, I wanted to use some of the Peperonata so I came up with this recipe.

Grilled Chicken and melted Cambozola complemented the sweetness of the peppers just perfectly.

Cambozola is a cow’s milk cheese that is a combination of a French soft-ripened triple cream cheese and Italian Gorgonzola. It melts perfectly!

Lets make the Peperonata first.

Ingredients;

5 red peppers , washed. Green stalk removed and cut in strips
4 tomatoes, green tip removed and cut into chunks
4 onions , peeled and sliced
4 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 C. water
A handful chopped parsley
4 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced
1 tbsp. honey
2 tbsp. Capers
2 tbsp. Black (Greek Thassos)* olives
Salt and pepper

Method:

In a large pan heat the olive oil and add the onions and garlic, glaze for three minutes or so and the add the peppers. Sauté 5 minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes and add the water.

Cook for about 10 minutes, until the peppers are tender. Add the parsley, capers and olives.

Cook for an other 10 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature.

You can even preserve the Peperonata in sterilized jars!

Ingredients for the dish;

4 small chicken breast, flattened with a mallet
olive oil cooking spray
salt and pepper
12 oz. Parpadelle
1 C. Peperonata
4 thick slices Cambozola

Method;

Bring a large pan of water to the boil. Add a good amount of salt and add the parpadelle.

Cook al dente for about 7 minutes or according to package instructions.

It is best to flatten the chicken breasts between two pieces of cling film or baking parchment.

Heat a griddle pan on high. Meanwhile season the chicken breast and spray on both sides with oil. Cook in the griddle pan for 3 to 4 minutes on each side. After turning the first time put the slices of Cambozola on the chicken and let them melt.

Drain the pasta, toss with a little olive oil.

To serve, place some parpadelle on a plate, cover with peperonata and top with grilled cambozola chicken.

Buon appetito!

Greek Thassos olives are dried salty olives. I love them but feel free to use any black olive you like or have in your pantry.

Green Beans with Chorizo & Thyme

7 Replies

Serves 4 as a side dish

This is a wonderful side dish, crispy green beans blanched and then sauteed with crispy smokey Chorizo.

Chorizo is a Spanish Pork Sausage with lots of smoked Paprika in it. There are various types of Chorizo. The large whole Chorizo that is sliced and eaten as is, or the smaller variety that needs to be cooked. For this dish I have used the precooked type, that is sold sliced or cubed. The fresh Chorizo would crumble in to bits and I like to see the bits of chorizo in the dish in this case.

You could even eat this as a main dish with plenty of Oven Potato Chips.

Ingredients:

1 lb. green beans, washed and tips removed

4 oz. cubed Chorizo

5 sprigs of Thyme

1 tsp. smoked paprika powder

1 tsp olive oil

1 C. Chicken Stock

Method:

In a large frying pan over medium heat add the olive oil and cook the Chorizo until it’s slightly crispy, add the green beans and the paprika powder.

Sauteé a few times.

Meanwhile remove the Thyme leafs from the twigs, you should end up with about 1 tablespoon of fresh leafs. Add to the frying pan along with the stock. Simmer half covered with a lid for 5 minutes, remove the lid and cook for another 5 minutes until most of the stock has evaporated and the beans are tender but still with bite.

Enjoy

Myra Xo

Serve straight away. I serve this with Pollo al Ajillo, Chicken in Garlic Sauce .

Makes 16

Ingredients;

Method;

Share this:

INGREDIENTS:

INSTRUCTIONS:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: