quick and easy rack of lamb

We were out working on our river canoe skills today. On the way home we stopped at the market and bought a rack of lamb (already frenched), some red yams, parsnips & broccoli. This meal was prepped and ready to eat within 20 minutes.

Ingredients:
1 rack of lamb.
salt, to taste,
pepper, to taste

2 cups of red yams, 1 cup of parsnips, cut into small cubes
2 cloves garlic, chopped
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste

1 1/2 cups broccoli florets
1 Tbsp. butter
2 cloves garlic, chopped fine
1/2 lemon, juice of

Directions-

1. preheat BBQ to high. salt and pepper the rack of lamb and place on grill, cook, turning when brown and a few more time until an instant read thermometer reads, 125° F (about 15 minutes). take the lamb off the grill, tent it under some foil and let it sit for 5 minutes before cutting between the bones and serving.

2. toss the red yams, parsnips, chopped garlic, extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper in a bowl, place in side a foil packet that you make and seal it shut. barbecue on high, turning the packet frequently for about 15 minutes.

3. Steam the broccoli for about 3 minutes. In a non stick skillet, sauté the garlic in the butter for a minute or so, add the steamed broccoli and toss and heat through. Add the lemon juice and toss and heat through for 30 seconds or so. remove from heat and serve.

Tangy, Cranberry and Mint Quinoa Salad

I have just finished making this to bring with me hiking this weekend. Quinoa is full of protein and all these fresh delicious ingredients will fuel my hiking and canoing adventures. My second mom made this for us last weekend. It was so tangy and delicious I asked her for the recipe. Like most moms she said, well you take some quinoa and cook it in some orange juice and water and then add some of this and some of that...... haha. I have given you measurements to how I made it. you can switch them around as much as you like.


Ingredients:
1 cup Quinoa (pre rinsed)
1 cup orange juice
1 cup water
2/3 cup red onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup organic dried cranberries
1/2 cup celery, finely sliced
1/4 cup parsley, chopped fine
1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped fine
1/2 lemon, zest of and juice of
1/3 cup walnuts, quickly chopped
1 Tbsp olive oil
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Combine the orange juice, water and quinoa in a med/large pot. Bring to boil over high heat. Stir once, cover and reduce heat to simmer and cover. Cook for about 15 minutes or until all the liquid has been absorbed and the quinoa has expanded to little swirls. stir, and set aside to cool.

2. Once the quinoa is cooled, add the celery, parsley, mint, red onion, lemon zest and juice, cranberries and walnuts. stir well to combine. add the olive oil and salt and pepper and stir again. refrigerates nicely for a couple of days.

Pink Grapefruit Vinaigrette

Pair this dressing with delicate mild-flavored greens (like butter lettuce or green leaf lettuce) or even more robust greens (like spinach and romaine.) I simply threw the rest of the grapefruit on top and some walnuts. You could use oranges or a little stilton (if you eat dairy) , whatever you like. The lettuce is from my MIL's garden again. I brought home A TON of lettuce so I will be eating salads for the next few days. :)

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp. pink grapefruit juice
2 pink grapefruit segments (peeled)
1 tsp. fresh ginger, minced
1 tsp. shallot, finely minced
1/2 lime, juice of
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. cut off the skin and pulp of the grapefruit, Over a med bowl- using a sharp knife, cut between the section skins and free up the segments. Squeeze out the remaining juice and set aside.

2. Puree the grapefruit juice, 2 grapefruit segments, ginger, shallots and lime juice in a blender. add the olive oil and blend until well mixed. salt and pepper to taste.

Garden Fresh, Spicy Vegetarian Escabeche

I was lucky enough to get access to my mother in laws garden yesterday. I came home with more lovely little carrots and fresh green beans. I also had some chipotle peppers left over in the fridge and some mushrooms that I meant to use, so I decided to create a veggie Escabeche with what I had. I made it hot. As in Spicy. As in knock your socks off that tastes soooo good spicy. I ate mine wrapped in organic corn tortillas. You can eat yours however you like. Rice would be nice, grilled fish or meat would go well.
I liked this a lot.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups button mushrooms
1 1/2 cups fresh green beans, trimmed and blanched
1 1/2 cups fresh baby garden carrots quickly cut up into reasonable sizes
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup water
1 med onion roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 tsp. dried rosemary
3 whole cloves
6 chipotle chilli's (from a can of adobo sauce), finely chopped
1/4 tsp. fresh ground pepper
1 small cinnamon stick
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 1/2 cups water
2 Tbsp. sucanat
salt, to taste

Directions-

1. clean the mushrooms, place the mushrooms and 1 1/2 tsp. salt into a hot, dry pot (med high) and stir for a minute and 1/2. Add 1/3 cup water and cover. Leave for 3 minutes then lift lid and stir, replace lid and let steam for another 8 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

2. In a large pot sauté the onions and garlic in olive oil until soft. add all the spices and stir, add chopped chipotles and stir.

3. Add the vinegar and 2 1/2 cups water. Add the sucanat. Bring to boil. and add salt to taste.

4. Add the carrots to the pot replace lid and cook until tender, remove the cooked carrots with tongs and set aside in a med bowl.

5. Add the blanched green beans, replace lid and cook until tender, remove the green beans from the bowl and set aside with the carrots.

6. Add the steamed mushrooms, replace lid, cook until tender (maybe 3-5 minutes) remove and add to carrots and green beans bowl.

7. Drain the remaining stock through a mesh strainer and pour the strained liquid over the veggies.

8. serve with rice or on fresh tortillas. would be nice with guacamole (and sour cream for those who eat dairy)

Adobo Shrimp

Ingredients:
1/2 pound fresh shrimp, deveined and peeled.
3 chipotle chilli's, (from a can of chipotle chilli canned in adobo sauce), chopped fine
3/4 cup fresh orange juice
handful of fresh cilantro, chopped
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
salt, to taste

Directions:

1. In a med bowl, combine the chopped chipotle chilli's, orange juice, cilantro and olive oil. stir well until marinade is combined.

2. Place shrimp in a medium non-reactive bowl, pour chipotle/ orange juice marinade over to coat. Marinate for 20 minutes.

3. Heat grill to high, remove shrimps from marinade and sprinkle them with salt before placing on grill. Grill the first side for 1 1/2 minutes, turn and grill until finished (about 3-4 minutes total cooking)

4. remove from heat and start eating!

Jalapeño pepper & roasted peanut slaw

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups roasted unsalted organic peanuts
3/4 medium cabbage
1 1/2 cups cocktail tomatoes, washed and cut into quarters
1 or 2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and diced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped fine

1 1/2 limes, juice of
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt

Directions:

1. Cut the cabbage into quarters, cut out the core and using a sharp knife cut each section into very thin slices.

2. Combine the cabbage, diced jalapeño and cilantro in a large non reactive bowl.

3. In a med size bowl combine the Olive oil, lime juice and salt. Pour over cabbage mixture and toss well.

4. Add the peanuts, toss again, and lastly add your tomato slices and toss once very lightly (so you don't get mushy tomatoes)

5. season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

Blackened Chicken with grilled eggplant, zucchini, mushrooms, tiny tomatoes and jalapenos with balsamic drizzle

Ingredients:

Cajun Blackening Spice-

5 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. ground white pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Directions for Cajun blackening spice
1. mix all together in an airtight container. (will keep for quite a while)

Ingredients- chicken-

garlic butter- (2 Tbsp Butter mixed with one pressed garlic clove)
2-6 boneless chicken breasts with skin on. (we simply washed and cut up a whole chicken as we were grilling anyhow. That way there are plenty of leftovers for hiking on the weekend)

Directions-

1. Liberally toss or sprinkle the Cajun spice on the chicken breasts.
2. place on hot grill, skin side down. 5-7 minutes (once they are black) and flip breasts over, rub with garlic butter and cook for 5-7 minutes and flip and rub the other side with garlic butter. Grill until an instant read thermometer says the inside of the breast is- 165 F.


Ingredients for Eggplant and vegetables:

1 large eggplant, trimmed and cut into 1/2 thick rounds
1 zucchini, trimmed and cut into 1/2 inch rounds
2 cups tiny tomatoes, skewered onto pre-soaked bamboo skewers
2 cups mushrooms, cleaned and trimmed, skewered onto pre-soaked bamboo skewers
2 jalapeno peppers, trimmed, cut in half and deseeded
4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
balsamic vinegar for drizzling
salt, to taste
fresh ground black pepper, to taste


Directions for veggies-

1. Place the eggplant slices in a shallow bowl and drizzle with a couple Tbsp. olive oil. These will take the longest to grill, up to 20 minutes. place them on the grill and turn when there are nice grill marks, grill other side.

2. Place the zucchini slices in a shallow bowl and drizzle with a Tbsp. olive oil. place them on the grill and turn when there are nice grill marks. These take a little less time than the eggplant.

3. Brush the jalapeno slices, skewered mushrooms and skewered tomatoes with olive oil, place on grill and grill until nice grill lines appear, turn and grill other side.

4. When all the vegetables are done, plate them and drizzle lightly with balsamic vinegar. Salt and pepper to taste.

Forever Summer Salad

What to do with all those cucumbers? How about a delicious and fresh dinner salad.

Ingredients:

1 Organic avocado, removed from skin,deseeded and cut into cubes
1 Organic English cucumber, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
2 cups organic fresh strawberries, washed, trimmed and cut in halves
1/2 lb. fresh shrimp (buy the kind that has already been deveined)
1 organic lime, juice of
2 Tbsp. extra virgin Olive oil
salt, to taste
fresh ground pepper, to taste


Directions:

1. Cook the shrimp by dropping them into boiling water and leaving in the water for 3 and 1/2 minutes. Take them out of the pot when done and rinse them in cold water to cool them down.

2. In a small bowl, mix together the lime juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Set aside.

3. Place the cooked shrimp, cucumber, cut strawberries and avocado in a large bowl, pour the dressing over and toss lightly. adjust salt and pepper. Serve it right away.

oh yummith!

fresh garden beans and carrots - spicy noodle salad

My MIL gave me the key to her garden while she is away on a cruise. I decided to use the fresh beans and carrots in a salad tonight. crunchy, satisfying and spicy. mmmmm

Dressing Ingredients:
1 lime, juice of
1 1/2 Tbsp cold pressed canola oil
1 1/2 Tbsp gluten free soy sauce
1 Tbsp sucanat
1 tsp. blue agave nectar (this is sweeter than sugar so add more if you are using sugar)
1 Tbsp sesame oil
2 or 3 cloves garlic minced
1/2 Tbsp orange zest
2 hot red chilies, chopped very thin
salt, to taste
fresh ground pepper to taste

Salad Ingredients:
2 cups green beans, trimmed
2 cups carrots, thinly sliced
1/2 cup green onions, thinly sliced
250 grams rice vermicelli

Directions:

1. Combine dressing ingredients in a medium bowl, set aside for 1 hour.

2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil on high, add the green beans. cook for 2 minutes and remove with a slotted spoon into a separate bowl of icy water to cool quickly. when cool, remove from water and drain well.

3. Add the rice vermicelli to the now empty pot of boiling water. turn off heat, stir to separate, and remove noodles from hot water in about 4 minutes (or when done). rinse noodles under cold water, drain well, lay out on a cutting board and slice the noodles in half lengthwise (easier to eat).

4. Combine the green beans, carrots, green onions, rice vermicelli and dressing in a large bowl and toss to coat. serve right away or chill for later.