Salad Savoy has come up with this incredible, edible cauliflower! Now all good readers know that cruciferous veggies like cauliflower are high in folate, pantothenic acid and potassium. A good source of minerals such as iron, magnesium, phosphorus and zinc. Are very low in cholesterol and saturated fat, and are an important source of protein and calcium, as well as a great source of dietary fiber. However, which one of us can honestly say we’re craving a bit of cauliflower right now, or any time for that matter? Yeah. . . that’s what I thought! So Here comes Salad Savoy with the solution! Through unique growing techniques they’ve packed these heads of powerhouse nutrients with even more good things. I’m not sure exactly how the color gets in there, if it’s extra nutrients or a little coloring-but I do know chef’s all over Dallas are using this in almost every way they can think of-except for boiling, which on the website is specifically frowned upon. I’ve eaten it at staff meal and think the purple tastes a bit like it has some beta-carotene in it! Which could possibly explain the color. Whatever the cause, Salad Savoy has a website that should be checked out for sure: www.saladsavoy.com and they offer a list of major grocery chains which carry this product along with some of their other edible offerings. They offer colorful greens for steaming, sauteing and braising such as “Bright Lights” Swiss Chard, “Salad Savoy” Leafy Vegetable (a bit like kale and cauliflower grown in one as a nice, hearty leafy green, or purple and white in this case), “Steamin’ Greens” a medley of steamable bite sized pieces of “Salad Savoy” and “Bright Light’s” packed with vitamins and color, and of course the star of the blog today, “Carnival Cauliflower”

“Bright Lights” “Salad Savoy” “Steamin’ Greens”

Here’s a recipe for Carnival Cauliflower Salad from the Salad Savoy website itself!

From the Executive Kitchen of Salad Savoy Corp.:
Carnival Cauliflower Salad12 servings

• 6 cups Carnival Cauliflower florets (1 to 2 heads)
• 3/4 cup chopped pitted Kalamata or brined black olives
• 3 Bright Lights chard stalks, thinly sliced on the diagonal
• 1/4 cup chopped red or yellow bell peppers
• 2 tablespoons drained capers
• 1/2 cup drained caper berries
• 3 tablespoons champagne vinegar
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 6 flat anchovy fillets, or to taste
• Steam cauliflower for 3 to 5 minutes.
• Drain cauliflower well and place in a large bowl.
• Toss with the olives, chard slices, peppers, capers, and caper berries.
• Make a vinaigrette dressing by combining the remaining ingredients in a blender and blending until well combined.
• Add vinaigrette to salad, toss well, and season with salt and pepper.

SERVING TIPS: This salad will improve in flavor if kept covered and chilled for at least 1 day and up to 3 days. Bring salad to room temperature before serving.

So in the future I will definitely be adding this fun, nutrient packed, power-house, ingredient to your diet! In the meantime try Salad Savoy’s recipe with or without anchovies and know that you are eating what’s right and what’s good for you in a way that is FUN and satisfying!

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Whole grains are an important component of your diet. Especially good for keeping you satiated and feeling full for longer periods of time without spiking your blood sugar. High in fiber and also just tasty when prepared with love.

 One of my favorite women that I’ve had the pleasure of working with is Robin Asbell author of The New Whole Grains Cookbook. Chef, cooking instructor, freelance writer, and recipe developer, Robin has worked with me at Cooks of Crocus Hill in Minneapolis, MN. I purchased her cookbook and have the fortune to have it autographed as well. She details grains in her book and explains all about their origin and nutrition and ease of preparation, then goes into possible cooking techniques from there, such as steaming, baking, pressure cooking, or pasta-style cooking. Some examples of grains she includes are: Bulgur, Quinoa, Amaranth, Teff, Millet, Buckwheat, Barley, and Rices.

Here is her recipe for “Power Buns with Flax, Soy, and Blueberries:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F

 3 1/4 Cups Whole Wheat Bread flour, divided

 1/2 Cup soy flour

 1/4 cup flax seeds

 1 tablespoon quick-rise yeast

 2 teaspoons salt

 1 1/2 cups hot water

 1/4 cup canola oil

 1/4 cup honey

 1/2 cup dried blueberries

• In a stand mixer or large bowl mix 3 cups of the whole wheat flour with the soy flour, flax seeds, yeast and salt.
• In a small saucepan, stir together the hot water, oil and honey.
• Take the temperature of the mixture, and heat the mixture if necessary to adjust the temperature according to the yeast package directions.
• Using the dough hook, or by hand, stir the liquid into the dry ingredients.
• Knead until the dough is well mixed, then knead for 10 minutes more.
• The dough can be a little sticky; add some more flour to make a supple dough if needed, but don’t add too much more or the buns will be tough.
• Knead in the blueberries.
• After kneading scrape the dough into a large, oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside to rise for 1 hour to at least double in bulk.
• Oil a sheet pan when the dough has risen.
• Punch down the dough then tear off pieces, each about 1/2 cup in volume.
• Shape into rolls and place on the prepared pan.
• Cover loosely with plastic wrap and put somewhere warm to rise for 30 minutes.
• When they have almost doubled, bake them for 15 minutes at 375 degrees F.
• They should be golden brown and sound hollow when tapped at the bottom.
• Transfer to a rack to cool.

These take a little time but are well worth it and freeze well. They’re great as a snack or for breakfast with some Greek style yogurt and some fresh fruit. They take about 2 hours from start to finish to make but if you have a helper it can be a fun thing to make once a week and store in the freezer either unbaked or baked until needed! If you choose to freeze the dough do so after mixing it. Then follow the steps as it comes to room temperature for proofing it (i.e. letting it rise in a warm place and punching it down, forming it and rising again) before baking!

Although a fantastic recipe, I would suggest substituting the 1/4 cup canola oil in this recipe with 1/4 cup good olive oil to fit more with the Pain Free Diet. You may also use dried cranberries, or other dried fruits which you prefer! Enjoy, and I recommend purchasing Robin’s book so that you understand the world of whole grains isn’t a bland one, and that it can be very unique, approachable, and above all TASTY.

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Hello and welcome to Virginia on Diet For A Pain Free Life. I’ve created this blog so I can share more of myself and what I think about foods and cooking methods in hopes that it might add to your dieting experience.

What I want to talk about first is the goodness of olive oil. If you’ve read the book you know it’s the thing to use when cooking. But did you know that using extra virgin oil is not necessary for sauteing? If you go to any ethnic food store or even your corner grocery they should offer something called Pomace Oil. It is basically what is left after the first pressings which extract the extra virgin and virgin oils. It is the pits so to speak, but in a good way! This is heat extracted to squeeze out every last bit of olive oil and what remains is a LOT sturdier and just as tasty as the extra virgin oil. Though not as floral or grassy, pomace oil has a quality which makes me adore it; a Higher smoke point! About 310 degrees Fahrenheit is it’s smoking point, which basically means that it won’t begin to burn until it gets that hot! So use it! Go get some and saute away. Fry with it! Use it to your healthy heart’s content and if you ever feel so inclined to blend it with any other heart healthy oils do so. It will only make it that much more stable. I buy it at international stores off the beaten path, like Arabic stores. I buy 1 gallon tin containers imported anywhere from Greece to Palestine! Make sure you get Pomace Oil in your kitchen. They range from $10.00 to $40.00 depending on country of origin, if it’s blended or just pure pomace. I recently got one from Sicily which has a grassy green color and very light meadowy olive oil taste to it, but I didn’t buy it to make salads with! Either way I paid only $15.00 for a Gallon of Sicilian oil which I use for Everything. Incidentally it is a great oil treatment for the skin and hair as well. Hey if the ancient Greeks and Romans did it why not me?

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Rigatoni is a tube shaped pasta that is great for hearty sauces and really fills you up.

You will need:

1/2 box whole wheat rigatoni pasta or 8 oz.
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 leek, sliced in half and sliced crosswise
1 pound saltwater prawns or other large shrimp
1/2 granny smith apple, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
1 teaspoon freshly chopped tarragon
1/4 cup Calvados or other brandy
1/2 cup chicken stock (low sodium)
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1/4 cup finely shredded Pecorino or Asiago cheese
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste.

• Cook pasta according to directions in salted, boiling water. Drain and reserve.
• Meanwhile in a large saute pan, heat oil until it ripples slightly and you can smell it.
• Add prawns or shrimp and saute until cooked pink.
• Season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.
• Add apples and saute until softened.
• Add tarragon to the pan and stir for a minute.
• Add brandy and chicken stock.
• Lower heat a tad to medium and cook until slightly reduced, about 8 minutes.
• Add evaporated milk and cook until thickened slightly.
• Check for seasoning and adjust accordingly.
• Toss with pasta and garnish with cheese if desired.Serves 4-6
  Preparation time: about 15-20 minutes
  Variations: Toss in some sliced calamata olives, 1 chopped anchovy (reduce salt if doing this) and capers with some drained, canned tomatoes for a more Mediterranean dish.

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Friday, June 27, 2008

A Simple Salmon with fruit relish and a Swiss chard and Carrot slaw
 
Just thought I’d quickly toss this dish at you since I have a few moments to reflect upon delicious and healthy things I’ve eaten that would be good to offer you in your dedication to the Pain Free Diet. One in particular comes to mind and it’s a baked salmon with a ginger fruit relish.

It’s so easy and probably will take you 30 minutes or less to make it and toss a simple carrot and Swiss chard slaw together to enjoy with it. (Of course if you prefer Salad savory please do so!)

4-6oz. salmon fillets, skinned and around an inch thick
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons good olive oil
about 1 inch or 1 tablespoon peeled, minced fresh ginger. (grating is easy too)
1 tablespoon good honey
sea or kosher salt and fresh black pepper to taste

For the relish
1 medium red onion, small dice or fine shop
1 bell pepper, red, green or yellow (your choice)
1/2 cup seeded cucumber, small dice or chopped
1 ripe mango, peeled and diced small or chopped
some fresh chopped parsley or cilantro (some people don’t like cilantro!)
about an inch or 1 tablespoon peeled, chopped ginger
1 8 oz. can crushed pineapple in juice. (reserve in juice)
juice of 1 medium lime, or 2 tablespoons
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon good honey
sea or kosher salt and fresh black pepper to taste

So preheat your over to 400 degrees F and start the relish while that is going on:
Just combine all the ingredients, stir a bit and cover with plastic and store in refrigerator while you bake the salmon.

To prepare the salmon:

• Combine honey, ginger, olive oil, mustard, and a little fresh black pepper in a bowl.
• On a non-stick baking pan or sprayed with non-fat cooking spray, place fillets with the side the skin used to be on down touching the pan.
• Rub the mixture or brush onto the tops of the salmon and stick in the oven for about 15 minutes.
• Serve with the yummy relish!

A good accompaniment for this would be a yummy carrot and Swiss chard slaw that you could make ahead of time when you do the relish or while the salmon is baking.

For the slaw:

1 large or 2 medium bunches Swiss chard, sliced diagonally (about 3 cups)
4 carrots julienned or shredded (about 3 cups)
1 medium onion, julienned
handful fresh, chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon each: cardamom, cumin, garlic powder, fresh ground black pepper, sea or kosher salt ( mix together if you like in a small bowl)
1 pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup champagne or apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup good extra virgin olive oil

• In a small bowl whisk the honey, vinegar and spices.
• Add Dijon mustard and salt.
• Slowly whisk in the olive oil to form a dressing.
• Add all veggies to a bowl and toss with the dressing.
• This is especially good if done a day ahead or several hours.

Hope you enjoy! Use up those good veggies I recommended with lots of colors and nutrients!

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