Ceviche Made Easy

I love the way great-tasting, nutritious food connects us with people and places. An evening play date between my son and his BFF, Brooke, resulted in me sitting down at my neighbor’s kitchen bar with a glass of wine and a bowl of Ceviche a few hours later. It was fabulous! I ate two bowls full! I was amazed by the way the flavors of the cilantro, lime, peppers and tomatoes really popped in my mouth. I could not leave without the recipe. Thanks, Chris!


If ceviche is new to you too, here's a little intro. Ceviche is simply citrus-marinated seafood (fish and shellfish). I told you it was simple! Lime and lemon are most commonly used as a marinades. The acid in the fruit causes the proteins in the seafood to break down or "cook" without heat. Typically, the seafood marinates for ~ 3hrs. Some recipes require shorter marinating periods.

You can eat ceviche by the bowl like I did, or you can add spoonfuls to a warm whole-wheat torilla, add slices of avocado, wrap and enjoy!

Ecuadorian Shrimp Ceviche (http://www.cevicherecipe.org/)
Serves 4-6
What you need:

2 pounds of cooked shrimp (41-60ct)
1 large red onion, diced
3 medium tomatoes, diced
3 cups of fresh orange juice (preferably use sour oranges or you can use Tropicana pure natural orange
         juice with no pulp)
1 cup of fresh squeezed lime juice
5 tablespoons of ketchup
1 tablespoon of mustard
1 tablespoon of fresh chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons of olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

What you do:

1. Cut the onion into long thing strips -julienne style. Place them in a bowl with water and 2 tablespoons of salt and let it settle for 10 minutes. Then gently rinse with water. This will remove the bitter bite from the onion and make it sweeter.
2. Dice tomatoes. 
3. In a large bowl, mix the onion, tomatoes, orange and lemon juice, ketchup, mustard, cilantro, olive oil, salt and pepper. Add shrimp and mix.

Delicious Summer Food

Farmer’s markets and veggie stands are popping up all over the Triangle from Wake Forest to Raleigh to Chapel Hill. There is a growing interest in fresh, local food and thankfully, our neighboring farmers are rising to answer our call.

During this time of year, NC farmer’s markets are brimming with baskets full of vibrantly colored, nutritious natural foods just waiting for the tasting. Visit any market right now and you are likely to find green beans, blueberries, cabbage, cucumbers and LOTS of squash.

Squash are available in both summer and winter growing seasons. Summer squash varieties include marrows, zucchini, crookneck and pattypan (scallop) squash. Their attractive bright colors, affordable price, nutritional quality (rich in Vitamin A), and ease of cooking make these natural gems nearly irresistible. Make a special trip to a local farmer’s market and while you’re there, be sure to throw a couple of squash in your reusable tote. You do use reusable shopping totes, don’t you?

Don’t shy away from fresh produce. If you’re looking for simple, great tasting recipes for farmer’s market produce, I encourage you to pick up a copy of Vegetarian Times Magazine Farmer’s Market Cookbook (it’s called a cookbook but it looks more like a magazine) on newsstands until October for $7.99.


Zucchini-Tomato Gratin

Serves 4
Source: Vegetarian Times Magazine

What you need:
2 large tomatoes, cut into ¼ inch-thick slices

3 medium zucchini, cut in half and sliced length-wise ~ 1/8 inch-thick

1 tbsp plus 1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil, divided

4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced (or 2 tsp minced garlic)

2 tbsp roughly chopped kalamata olives, optional

¼ cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves

1 cup finely shredded romano or asiago cheese, divided

1 tsp course sea salt

What you do:

1. Drape tomato slices over colander, sprinkle with sea salt, and let drain 45 minutes.

2. Spread zucchini on baking sheet, and sprinkle with salt. Let stand 30 minutes to sweat out excess moisture. Rinse well, and pat dry with paper towel.

3. Preheat oven to 375°F. Heat 1 tsp. olive oil in cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté half the zucchini 3 to 4 minutes, or until golden brown on each side. Transfer to a plate. Sauté remaining zucchini, adding more oil between batches if necessary.

4. Mist 8-inch-square baking pan with olive oil. Layer half of zucchini slices on bottom of baking pan. Top with half of tomatoes. Sprinkle with half of garlic, 1 tbsp olives, half of basil, and 1/2 cup shredded cheese; season with freshly ground black pepper.

5. Repeat with remaining zucchini, tomatoes, garlic, olives, and basil. Drizzle top with 1 tbsp oil, and sprinkle with remaining ½ cup cheese.

6. Cover baking pan with foil and bake 10 minutes. Remove foil and bake 20 minutes more, or until cheese is melted and gratin is bubbling.

7. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

gotta cook tonight

I was doing a bit of grocery shopping in Super Target this morning when a HUGE clearance end cap on the spice and seasoning aisle caught my attention. Usually, when I check the clearance shelves I only find dented cans, crushed cookies, broken pasta and undesirable, highly processed items. But not this morning!

I came across gotta cook tonight all natural seasoning packets in a variety of interesting flavors including Madras Curry, Moroccan Tagine, Tandoori, and Goulash . When I checked the ingredients list on each packet, I happily found coriander, mustard, chili pepper, ginger, nutmeg, white pepper and other natural spices. I bought all four! The Madras and Tandoori packets do include an anitcaking agent as the very last ingredient (indicating it is least of all ingredients). So, these 2 seasoning packets are not 100% natural, but they are pretty close to it.

Each packet includes a simple recipe prep on the back. Tonight I am giving the Madras Curry a try with a few simple Inspiring Cook substitutions. This seasoning packet is sugar-free and gluten-free. Here's my version of gotta cook tonight's Madras Curry. Give it a try and leave me a comment to let me know how you like it.

The Inspiring Cook's Favorite Tools for this recipe:
Dutch Oven
Wooden stirring spoons
Vidalia Chop Wizard - Food Chopper

What You Need:

•20 jumbo, cooked shrimp (peeled, cleaned, deveined) (31-40 count shrimp per lb) 

•2 large white onions, diced

•1 can of lite -coconut milk (Thai Kitchen brand, 13 oz can)

•1 cup of chicken stock

•Madras Curry seasonings packet

•1 cup golden raisins

•1 can fire roasted tomatoes

•1 large tomato, diced 

•3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 


What You Do:

1. In Dutch oven, saute onions in 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil for ~10mins. Onions will turn translucent.
2. Combine coconut milk, chicken stock, and seasoning packet in a small bowl. Add mixture to Dutch oven, stir and cover pot.
3. Simmer mixture over med to med-low heat for 1 hour , then add 1 diced tomato, 1 can fire roasted tomatoes with juice and the shrimp, cook for an additional 20 minutes.
4. Serve over Jasmine rice prepared according to package directions. 

Makes 4-6 servings.

Mediterranean Soul: a unique foodstyle

I believe in food wisdom. Food wisdom means eating foods that make sense. For me, this translates into eating foods rich in culture, variety, flavor and nutrition. If you read my blog, you know my food philosophy is simple - food should taste good, nourish the body and preserve health. The onset of food manufacturing has made food more complex. The food that passes across many American plates today, (i.e. the Standard American Diet (SAD)) is so far removed from its natural state that it would be unrecognizable to our great-grandparents. Overconsumption of non-nutritive foods promotes undernourishment, obesity and related diseases. That’s why I say “no” to the highly processed, fake food that lines our supermarket shelves and restaurants menus. These high-salt, high-sugar, high-fat, highly processed foods are predicated upon convenience and economics, not the health and longevity of consumers.

I ditched the Western way of eating years ago (losing 30 pounds along the way) and adopted a foodstyle that celebrates the food wisdom of two rich cultures. As an African American, I come from a legacy of authentic cooks from the Southern US and West Africa. The traditional diet of my ancestors is steeped in nutritious fruits, vegetables, meats and grains. In pursuit of greater food wisdom and variety, I began to explore healthful cuisines of other regions. I have since thrust myself into the traditional diet of the Mediterranean, specifically Greece. Blending my own deep culinary roots with one of the healthiest diets in the world, made sense to me. The foods I live by are a unique union of Mediterranean and NeoSoul (healthy soul food). Let me inspire you to be nourished by the delicious, simple, life-giving foods of Mediterranean Soul cooking.

Quinoa Breakfast Combo

The other day I was browsing Martha Stewart Living while standing in the grocery line and came across a breakfast recipe for quinoa. Not many people think of quinoa when they think of breakfast food. Until then, quinoa for breakfast had never crossed my mind. I don’t cook quinoa as often as I should, considering what a healthy grain it is, but when I do, it is usually eaten for lunch or dinner and paired with beans or leafy green vegetables.

Aside from eggs, grits and bacon, there are a whole host of nourishing alternatives to help you get your day off to a great start. If you are not familiar with quinoa at all, you’ll be happy to know that it is a great source of fiber and is easily digested. Quinoa is a flat oval shaped grain that expands to nearly 3 or 4 times its size when cooked. It has a mild taste, usually taking on the taste of whatever it is cooked with, kinda like couscous. Quinoa is also rich in protein, iron, potassium, vitamins and minerals. It is what I consider a super-grain! I tend to buy grains in bulk from my local Earth Fare or Whole Foods because it tends to be a bit cheaper. Plus I love the healthy focused ambience of healthy grocers (weird right?), so it gives me an excuse to stop by. But you don’t have to buy quinoa in bulk, you can also find bags or boxes of quinoa in most grocery stores on the grain aisle with rice.

What you need:
1 cup milk, 1% organic
1 cup water
1 cup quinoa, rinsed
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/4 tsp cinnamon
honey
chopped walnuts

What you need to do:

1. Bring milk and water to a slow boil over medium heat. Leave uncovered.
2. Add quinoa.
3. Reduce heat to maintain a slow, rolling boil. Stir frequently.
4. Cook quinoa for ~20minutes or until done.
5. Add raisins and cinnamon.
6. Turn off heat and cover. Allow combo to rest for 5 minutes.
7. Spoon into a bowl. Garnish with honey or agave and chopped walnuts.

Be inspired to cook!

Japanese White Sauce and other recipes

Although cooking at home is highly important to me, there are occasions I grab a meal out. When I opt for eating out, I tend to gravitate towards traditional Asian-style restaurants because it is quite easy for a health-conscious eater like myself to find a nutritious meal. Over the course of a week of driving to meetings and running errands, I have noticed at least 3 new Japanese restaurants in my local area that I can't wait to try. I’m not saying the restaurants were built in a week, but they sure weren’t there a couple of months ago.


Most Asian restaurants (Japanese, Chinese, Thai) offer fresh vegetables, whole-grain brown rice, lean meat, fish and sauces without MSG if you request it. I really enjoy Hibachi dishes with Soba noodles and white sauce. At lunch the other day, I began to wonder what was in the “white sauce” – you must admit the name is not a dead give-away. I believe is it essential to know what’s in your food, whether you are cooking at home or eating out. So when I got home, I started my research…….

I was surprised to see that many other Japanese food lovers are mystified by the tangy white sauce speckled with hints of orange that is found at almost all Japanese restaurants across America. Depending on the restaurant, white sauce can also be called shrimp sauce, yum yum or yummy sauce, or sakura sauce. Names for the sauce may vary, but the taste remains the same – delicious! The thing that really surprised me was that white sauce isn’t even a part of traditional Japanese cuisine. White sauce was invented in America. But the more I think about it, most Asian dishes we eat in America have been modified to suit Western palates so it seems as though the origin of white sauce is no different.

I found out a great recipe for Japanese White Sauce for you to try at home. Thanks Chuck!

Japanese White Sauce Recipe
 
Japanese food is quite easy to prepare at home. By preparing it yourself, you gain more control of your ingredients (I always add more fresh broccoli and less sautéed onions) and can gain the pride of learning to cook another type of cuisine. Here are links to a few great sites that offer Japanese-style recipes you can try at home.

Japanese Cooking at Home
Japanese Food Recipes
About.com - Japanese Food
Epicurious.com - Japanese Recipes
AllRecipes.com - Japanese Recipes

Be inspired to cook!

Moussaka - Tasty and Greek

I have been fond of Mediterranean (Greek) food for a few years now. I recently looked through my stash of favorite cookbooks and realized two things: that most of my cookbooks are about Greek cooking and that I bought my first Greek cookbook back in 2007. Since then, I've dabbled a little bit here and there with a few of the recipes. However, a few months ago I made a decision to follow my culinary passion, get over my fear and begin to incorporate more Greek cooking into my daily life. Then came the questions from family and friends.......

Mediterranean food is incredibly delicious and healthy for you. In fact, the Mediterranean Diet is considered the healthiest diet in the world. This is one of the reasons why I am so attracted to this cuisine. The word "diet" is actually a misnomer though, because the Mediterranean diet is more of a lifestyle than a diet. People eating a traditional Mediterranean diet eat plenty of antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, olive oil and moderate amounts of red wine.

Mediterranean food offers much more than just appealing taste. Eating Mediterranean style food is a great way to prevent disease, particularly lifestyle-related diseases like diabetes, heart disease, hypertension and some cancers. So in addition to contemplating the taste of Mediterranean prepared dishes, think beyond the borders of taste and begin to consider all the benefits foods of the Mediterranean can offer you. Do you want MORE energy, MORE health and MORE freedom in 2010? You can get off to a great start by beginning to connect with foods of the Mediterranean. Try this simple recipe for Vegetable Moussaka.

Nine Simple Elements of the Mediterranean Diet: (www.mayoclinic.com)

1. Eat your meals with family and friends

2. Eat a generous helping of fruits and vegetables

3. Use healthy fats like olive oil and canola oil

4. Use herbs and spices instead of salt to flavor foods

5. Eat small portions of nuts

6. Drink red wine, in moderation (optional)

7. Eat red meat sparingly

8. Eat fish or shellfish at least twice a week

9. Avoid hydrogenated products and derivatives (i.e. trans fat)

Vegetable Moussaka (adapted from Perfect Greek)

Here's what you need:

1 large eggplant, peeled and sliced thickly

2 medium zucchini, sliced thickly

2 white onions, sliced thick

2 red bell peppers, washed, cored and julienne

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 eggs, beaten

1 1/4 cups Greek yogurt (Fage is good)

14oz canned chopped tomatoes in juice

1/3 cup Greek feta cheese

Here's what you do with it:
1. Put eggplant, zucchini, onions, bell peppers, and garlic in roasting pan. Drizzle with oil, toss together, then sprinkle with salt and pepper.

2. Roast in preheated oven at 425 degrees for 30-35 minutes, turning the pan halfway through the cooking, until vegetables are golden brown and tender.

3. Beat together the eggs, yogurt, salt and pepper. When vegetables are cooked, reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.

4. Put half the vegetables in a layer in a large ovenproof dish. Spoon over the canned chopped tomatoes and their juice, then add the remaining vegetables. Pour over the yogurt mixture and crumble over the feta cheese. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour until golden brown.

5. Serve hot, warm or cold.