Sasha’s Potato Salad

Mar27

Vegetables, a light dressing and some fresh herbs – no mayo here!

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil

2 large russet potatoes, cut into 1″ cubes

1 yellow onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 handful dill, chopped

Salt/pepper

Dressing:

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp white vinegar

1 tsp horseradish mustard

Place the potatoes in a pot and cover with one inch of water, season with salt, cover with a lid and bring to a boil. Then crack lid and turn heat down to a simmer. Simmer until the potatoes are fully cooked, 5-10 min, and drain.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet on medium heat and add the vegetables. Season with salt and pepper and saute 5-7 min, stirring frequently.

To make the dressing, whisk together all the ingredients until emulsified. Then combine all the ingredients, re-season if necessary, serve warm or at room temp.

*I had to lend out my good camera for two weeks, so I’m forced to revert back to my old Nikon Coolpix : (

Lentils.

Jan21

A long time ago, in a restaurant of which the name I cannot recall, in the company of enigmatic person-X from my past, I had green lentils braised in red wine as a side dish for beef. Though I may not recall other details of that day, I never forgot that side dish.

Not too long ago, I found this recipe on Christine Cooks and it’s been bookmarked ever since. It finally came in handy this week.

Lentils are a power food because of their high levels of protein, fiber and iron. They are flavorful, nutritious, and chic enough for your next dinner party.

I followed the recipe exactly, except that I halved it to make the right amount for four people.

Starting the day right.

Jan19

It is not often that I get to have a long breakfast at home, the kind that entails actual cooking, not just opening a Quaker packet, and Italian espresso. Fortunately today was one of those mornings and I made myself this omelette.

Eggs are indeed a power food. One egg contains all types of vitamins and minerals (mostly in the yolk), six grams of protein and only 70 calories. And although there is a considerable amount of cholesterol in egg yolks, it has not been officially proven that eating too many eggs is unhealthy.

Besides nutrition, a great thing about omelettes is that you can use whatever ingredients you have – vegetables, herbs, meats and/or cheeses. So here is a basic recipe for a beautiful, yummy omelette.

(Yield: One omelette)

Ingredients:

A pat of butter

1/2 c baby spinach leaves

1 egg + 1 egg white

A splash of milk

Salt/pepper to taste

Chopped tomato and Parmesan cheese for garnish

Melt the butter in a small non-stick pan on low heat. Add the spinach and cook just until wilted, 1-2 min. In a bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Pour into pan. With a spatula, swish the egg from the outside towards the middle for about the first 20 seconds until it starts to set (this will help it cook evenly). Then let it cook for about another minute until the egg is almost fully solidified. Then fold it in half and cook for another 30 seconds. Plate, garnish, serve with toast, and enjoy the rest of your day : )

Asian-Style Pork Noodle Soup

Jan14

Here is my newest soup recipe. The ingredients and preparation are really simple, and the result is delicious, healthy and filling.

Ingredients:

1/2 lb pork loin

1 yellow onion (whole) + 1/2 onion (sliced)

1 carrot

1 celery stick

1 tbsp salt

1/2 box spaghetti, broken in half*

2 c baby spinach leaves

1 tbsp soy sauce

*Egg noodles will work too.

Place the pork in a soup pot and fill with just enough water to cover the meat. Bring to boil and spill water out. Replace with new water (about 5 cups) and add the whole onion, carrot, celery and salt to pot. Bring to boil again, then turn heat down and simmer for 40 minutes with a cracked lid.

Discard the onion, carrot and celery, and remove meat from pot. When cool enough to handle, shred the pork by hand or with fork. Set aside.

While the broth is boiling, add the pasta, stir and cook until al dente, about 6 min. Then add soy sauce, sliced onion, pork and spinach. Stir and cook until spinach is wilted, about 1 min. Re-season if necessary.

Apples Flambé Parfait

Sep23

This is the first dish I decided to make with my Karoun products. The first layer of this parfait is 2% Karoun yogurt, the second is apples flambé and the third is homemade granola. This parfait is absolutely delicious and can be served as a fancy breakfast or brunch item, or as an unpretentious dessert.

The flavor and texture combination is divine: the yogurt is cold and tangy, the apples are warm and sweet, and the granola is crispy and aromatic.

Here is how I make granola,

Ingredients:

1 1/2 c old-fashioned rolled oats

3 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tbsp brown sugar, light or dark

1 tbsp + 1 tsp honey

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350F.

Combine all ingredients, except oats, in a large bowl. Then add oats and mix with your hands. Knead the mixture until oats are evenly coated. Spread mixture onto baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 10 min, then stir and bake for another 10 min.

Granola should be stored in an airtight container and may be kept for up to 10 days.

And now for the star of the show, apples flambé. The ingredients yield one serving, as I was cooking only for myself, so adjust accordingly. Flambé is French for flamed and it’s a cooking technique in which the flames are caused by the addition of alcohol.

Ingredients:

1 apple, peeled, sliced

1 tbsp butter

1 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 splash of cognac

Place first 5 ingredients in pan on medium heat. Sauté, stirring frequently, for 5 min, until a sort of syrup forms. While keeping back loose clothing, hair and other body parts, pour cognac into pan, tilt slightly toward flame and shake pan back and forth. A flame will rise and it should extinguish in a second.

Now, in a tumbler glass or bowl, layer 1/2 cup yogurt, apples and granola. Ta-da!

Grilled Vegetable Salad With Yogurt Dressing

Sep9

Hello all : )

I’m not sure how the idea for this salad was born but I’m glad that it was. What I love most about this dish is the contrast of the warm vegetables and the cold dressing.

(Yield: 4 servings)

Ingredients:

About 3 c mesclun greens

1 large purple onion, sliced

1/3 c balsamic vinegar

4 plum tomatoes, quartered

Olive oil

Salt/Pepper

Dressing:

3 tbsp plain yogurt

2 tbsp lemon juice

2 tbsp chopped dill

1 garlic clove, crushed

1/3 tsp salt

1/3 tsp black pepper

Toss the onion in balsamic vinegar and ½ tsp black pepper. Marinade for 20 min.

Lightly grease a grill pan with olive oil and heat on medium heat. Place onions on half of the pan in a single layer. After three minutes, stir onions, and place tomatoes, flesh-side down, on the other half of the pan. Grill 3 minutes on each side, until tomatoes are warmed through and grill marks have appeared. Stir onions as well.

Place greens on a large serving platter. Then layer onions on top. Then tomatoes. Combine the ingredients for the dressing in a separate bowl and pour over salad. Enjoy immediately.