Recipe: Salmon with lentils and beets

The inspiration for this dish came from an amazing meal I had at The Farm on Adderly, one of my favorite restaurants in Brooklyn.

I decided to try my hand at making this recipe for myself and was really pleased with how it came out. I love how the beets add a nice color to the lentils, making this a very attractive dish.

Try if for yourself. You will not be disappointed.

Serves 4

1.5 cups french green lentils
2 small carrots, diced into 1/4 inch cubes
3 small beets, peeled and diced
1 clove garlic
a sprig of fresh rosemary and thyme
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 salmon fillets, about 1/2 pound each, with skin on
minced fresh parsley (for garnish)

Rinse and pick over the lentils then place in a large saucepan with water to cover. Simmer over medium heat until they begin to soften, 15 to 20 minutes, then add the carrots, beets, garlic, bay leaves and herbs. Continue to cook, adding water as necessary (keep this to a minimum), until the lentils and vegetables are tender, about 45 minutes in total. Season with salt and pepper, add the olive oil and keep warm.

Brush salmon fillets with olive oil and cook in cast iron pan over high heat. Three minutes on each side.

Divide lentils equally over three plates. Rest salmon fillet on top. Garnish with parsley.

Recipe: Salmon, Sweet Potatoes & Kale

I love it when a dish comes together without doing all that much planning. This dish was made from a few basic ingredients that I like to keep in the house - namely some frozen fish, root vegetables, and dark leafy greens.

Sometimes a meal can be comprised of three simple dishes, rather than one complex one. It's the way I like to cook and recommend trying it for those that get turned off by elaborate recipes. This meal only took about 30 minutes to make.

To prepare I first diced the sweet potatoes. I coated them in olive oil and thyme and roasted in the oven for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, I sauteed some kale with olive oil and garlic. And lastly seared the wild salmon on a cast iron pan with some coconut oil, cooking 5 minutes on each side.

That's it. Dinner is served.

Recipe: Roasted Brussel Sprouts and Sweet Potatoes

I've just noticed that it's been a while since I've posted a recipe. In fact, my overall posting has been down considerably in the last month.

With my wedding only three months away, my mind has been focused towards other things. Instead of dreaming up new ways to eat whole grains, vegetables, and legumes, I've been focused on finding a DJ and designing our invitations.

It doesn't mean I've given up on eating well. Rather I'm sticking to simple food preparations and tried and true recipes (e.g. beans and rice, salmon and greens, vegetables and whole grains). These are dishes that I can make intuitively, and almost feel odd posting a recipe.

This dish for Brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes is one of my favorites from the last couple of weeks. And regardless of where you stand on cruciferous vegetables, I am confident you will like this recipe. I never liked Brussels sprouts until I tried them roasted. You'll want to make sure they get nicely browned in the oven. They go well with sweet potatoes and quinoa.

I hope you enjoy this recipe and may it serve as a reminder that good food doesn't have to be complicated.

Serves 2

10 Brussels sprouts, buds removed and cut in halves
1 large sweet potato, diced
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 sprigs of thyme or rosemary
1/2 tbsp butter (optional)
1 cup cooked quinoa

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2. Place cut Brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes in a small baking pan. Coat with olive oil, sea salt and either thyme or rosemary. And if desired throw in a few pats of butter. Mix well. Roast for 25 minutes, removing halfway to stir.

3. Serve with cooked quinoa

Recipe: Potato Celery Root Pancakes

I've always been fan of potatoes. Maybe a little too fond. My mom credits it for my weight gain when in high school. She was probably right about that.

I gave up the potatoes for a couple years, but I couldn't give them up for long. They are one of my favorite foods. And this time of year there is nothing wrong with a little bit of added weight (think of it as nature's way of providing a little bit of insulation).

Originally, I was prepared to make my usual recipe for potato pancakes (latkas). I decided to add celery root to the mix after my friend Ella (The Regan Vegan) suggested it. If you'd rather try the traditional method, the celery root can easily be substituted for another potato. I think you'll enjoy them either way.

Also, note this recipe calls for gluten-free breadcrumbs. Instead of creating another item to purchase, I prefer to grind up whatever crackers I have on hand. For this recipe, I used some Brown Rice Sea Salt Crisps sold by Trader Joe's.

I recommend serving the latkas with applesauce and labne (a Middle Eastern yogurt cheese similar to sour cream). Enjoy!

Serves 4

2 large Russet or Yukon potatoes, peeled
1 medium celery root, peeled
1 large onion
1 egg (maybe 2)
1/2 cup gluten-free breadcrumbs from crackers
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 cup olive oil

Grate potatoes, celery root, and onion in food processor or by hand. Place in large bowl with one egg, gluten-free breadcrumbs, and sea salt. Mix well and let sit for five minutes.

With clean hands, roll dough into a ball and flatten into a pancake. Add an additional egg, if the batter does not hold together. Set aside until you've used up all the dough.

Heat a large skillet (cast iron recommended) over medium high heat with 1 tbsp of olive oil. Cook four pancakes at a time, a minute or two on each side. Should be golden brown in color. Remove from skillet and place on a large plate. Repeat process, making sure to add some additional olive oil to the pan.

Serve hot with applesauce and/or sour cream.

Recipe: Potato Fennel Soup with Dill

Last week I was in the mood to use a new ingredient. And so I selected fennel. It is one of those things I love, but I rarely cook with.

So I bought a big ole bulb of the stuff and used it in two separate meals. The first half was used in this recipe, along with potatoes and dill to make a really amazing soup. I braised the other half with some olive oil and white wine and served on top of some trout later in the week.

I developed a taste for fennel after consuming its seeds at the end of meals to stimulate digestion. Especially at Indian restaurants that serve food using a lot of cream or dairy. I love its anise-y taste. I think you will too. Enjoy!

Makes 6 servings

2 potatoes, diced
1 carrot, diced
1 leek, diced
1/2 bulb fennel, diced, sprigs removed
2 sprigs celery, chopped
1 tsp sea salt
thyme
1-2 tbsp butter or olive oil
water
2 sprigs dill, chopped (for garnish)

In a large soup pot, saute leeks with butter or olive oil over medium heat for a couple minutes. Add carrot, celery, fennel, and thyme, cooking for an additional 5 minutes. Add potatoes and cook for another 5 minutes.

Next, add water to pot. Immerse vegetables in water with an additional inch or so of water. Increase heat to high. When reaches a boil, reduce to simmer. Leave for 20-30 minutes or so until potatoes are soft. Add sea salt. Blend using immersion blender or transfer to food processor.

Add chopped dill and serve.

Recipe: Sweet Potato Rice Crust Pizza

Tomato season is over, but that doesn't mean you still can't enjoy a pizza with fresh, seasonal ingredients.

This recipe was another creation by Swati, my resident sweet potato expert. I was delighted by how good it turned out. The Parmesan cheese complements the sweet potatoes well, without overwhelming them. And the fresh herbs make you want to devour this pizza the moment it comes out of the oven.

You can find a brown rice pizza crust at most natural foods stores. We purchased one made by Nature's Hilights, which makes a thin crispy crust using only brown rice and potatoes. Regardless if you are gluten free or not, I think it serves this pizza well.

Serves 2

1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced
1 brown rice pizza crust
1 small onion, chopped
freshly grated Parmesan cheese
fresh thyme or rosemary
salt and pepper
olive oil

Preheat the oven to 350. Toss the sweet potato with olive oil, half of the chopped onions, salt and pepper. Place in the mix in a roasting pan and put in the oven for about 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft. Remove from oven and raise the temperature to 450 degrees.

Prepare the pizza crust based on the instructions on the box. Spread the roasted sweet potatoes, the remaining onions, thyme, salt and pepper on the top of the crust. Toss or grate some Parmesan cheese directly over the toppings. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes and serve.

Warming up to root vegetables

It is just over 30 degrees here in Brooklyn. So it should come as now surprise that yesterday marked the end of the growing season, and with it my CSA share.

Gone are the strawberries and bright colorful fruits and veggies from when the season opened in June. This week's loot was noticeably more rooty. With veggies like potatoes, carrots and celery root.

Normally, these ingredients don't sound all that appetizing, but surprisingly I've been craving them recently. If these hardy foods can stand up to the weather, well then, perhaps they can help me stand up to it too.

I think all root vegetables do well with a nice roasting. Yesterday, I took several of my roots that had been collecting for a while (potato, sweet potato, turnip), and made a great meal with them. I simply cut them up, and threw them in a roasting pan with some olive oil, salt and thyme. Then put them in the oven at 425 degrees for 25 minutes or so, taking them out halfway through to mix. I served with some broiled fish, brown rice and garlic collard greens. Yum!

I also enjoy making soups with root vegetables (see my recipe for Celery Root Soup). I'd love to hear other creative ideas too. Please share!

Recipe: Celery Root Soup

It's getting cold here in Brooklyn - and nothing stands up to the chilly weather, than a bowl of warm soup. And given the big ole celery root I received in my CSA share last week, I was inspired to create this 'intuitive' recipe.

In the past, I've enjoyed this soup in restaurants, loaded with cream. Seeing as I don't keep cream in the house, I thought to try making this without the added dairy. So I used a potato instead, which when blended gives it the same creamy consistency.

Feel free to add more or less of any of the vegetables listed. You'll find you can't really go wrong with soup. One of the many reasons I like to make it! It also stores well and can be enjoyed days later.

Serves 4-5

1 leek, diced (white and light green parts only)
1 carrot, diced
1 potato, diced
1 celery root, peeled and diced
2 tbsp butter
water
2 tsps or more sea salt

In a large soup pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Saute the leek for a couple minutes, adding remaining ingredients. Cook for another 10 minutes. Fill up pot with water, a couple inches above the vegetables and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and partially cover. Continue cooking for 25 minutes or longer until potatoes and celery root are soft. Add salt to taste. Remove from heat. Use immersion blender (or transfer to food processor) for a smooth, creamy consistency.

Optional: Serve with chopped scallions (pictured)

Feeling spacey? Eat your root veggies

Have you ever desired more focus or concentration? Or the ability to be more decisive and hold your ground? Before you convince yourself you have ADD, try eating some more beets. I'm confident these root vegetables will bring you down to earth.

This ancient remedy has been on my mind ever since a session with my client Sejal yesterday. She was in high spirits, but had a hard time staying focused during our call. As a result we ended up jumping from one topic to the other. It was clear she needed some support to 'get grounded.'

In my view, Sejal was operating 'in her head.' A condition I see often with academics, like her, and those in highly analytical professions. While this mentality has helped her formulate brilliant thoughts, it has also left her disconnected from her physical body.

Beets can help us get back in touch with ourselves - a traditional remedy that like many things has gotten lost in this time of industrial agriculture and modern nutrition-speak.

And to understand you may have to suspend your beliefs on what is possible through food. When we consume a plant or an animal we take on more than just its nutrients and vitamins - we also take on its energy! This can mean the swiftness of a wild deer or, yes, the groundedness of a root vegetable.

I first learned of this theory from Steve Gagne, author of the book The Energetics of Food. In regards a plant, the energy comes from how it is grown. Beets and other root vegetables collect nutrients from the soil around it and grow downward. When we consume them we bring energy to the lower parts of our bodies - contributing to the sense of firm footing, and enhancing other bodily functions. (Yes, beets are also great for constipation!) Consequently, food that grows upwards, like fruit and sugar, bring energy to the head.

This simple theory might seem out of place in the world of genome mapping and genetically modified crops. Yet there is something about its simple straightforward nature that appeals to me. A sign that mother nature had a plan. Perhaps the question of what to eat, does not require a PhD after all!

I enjoy beets roasted in olive oil and on a simple bed of arugula with lemon juice. Find them at your local farmers market.

*Photo courtesy of huumbug on flickr