Poached Fish

About this recipe:

Poaching is a super easy and healthy way to prepare fish. Its great for those who don't like the smell of fried fish in their house. You basically make a stew of flavors in which you drop the fish. I made this one with a 'lemon beurre blanc' which was made with coconut butter and oil. The result was a very tasteful and tangy sauce. Try it at home!

Ingredients:

• some of your favorite fish files. I used Sole.

• 1/2 bottle of white wine. I used a cheap sauvignon from Trader Joe's.

• 1/2 c. water

• large piece of ginger, peeled and sliced

• handful of cilantro

• 20 black pepper corns

• 1 or 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 shallot, minced

For the coconut beurre blanc:

• 3 T. coconut oil

• 3 T. coconut butter

• juice of 1 lemon

• pepper & salt

1. Poor de wine and water in a large stockpot, bring to a boil.

2. Add all the flavoring ingredients (everything on the list except the fish).

3. Boil for 20 minutes, all the flavors will really come to live.

4. Turn off the burner. Drop in the fish files. Just let them sit there for about 5 minutes or until they are done (depending on how thick your file is). The point is to never boil them as they will fall apart. Scoop the fish out with a slotted turner or ladle.

5. For the coconut beurre blanc: Add the lemon juice to a small sauce pan and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes, add the coconut oil and butter, add salt & pepper to taste. Serve right away.

Thai Curry Banana Leaf Packets

About this recipe:

These banana leaf packets are the perfect way to steam a curry. The nutty flavor of the banana leaf transfers to the curry, giving it that added flavor. You can find the leaves in the freezer of your local asian or mexican market. This dish can be made with chicken, fish or even tofu. Its a show stopper at your dinner party!

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Ingredients:

• 1 packet of frozen banana leaves

• 2 chicken breasts or 2 fish filés

Ingredients for the curry:

• 1 shallot, chopped

• 2 gloves of garlic, minced

• thumb size piece of ginger, peeled & sliced

• 2 t. coriander seeds

• handful of basil leaves, chopped

• handful of cilantro leaves, chopped

• 1/2 can of light coconut milk

• 1 t. red chili paste

• 1/2 jalapeno (with or without seeds, depending on how spicy you like it)

• 1 t. chili powder (optional)

• dash of cayenne pepper (optional)

• dash of paprika

• juice from 1 lime

1. Cut the meat in bite size pieces, set aside in a deep bowl.

2. Place all the ingredients for the curry in a blender, blend until smooth and creamy.

3. Poor the curry over the meat, cover and refrigerate for at least two hours (or overnight).

4. Fill the sink up with warm tap water. Submerge the frozen banana leaves to thaw. When thawed, wash the leaves on both sides. Transfer to flat work surface.

5. Open up the leaves, cut the side (this is the hard center vain of the leaf) and set aside. This will later come in handy to tie up our packets.

6. Select a piece of the leave that has no tears. Cut about 6 (horizontal) letter sized pieces. Its best if the 'grain' of the leaf goes horizontal too, this will make wrapping easier.

7. Take a leaf and lay it on your flat surface (grain horizontal). Scoop a couple of tablespoons of your curry onto the center of the leave. Fold top and bottom, than fold both sides towards the middle (kind of like an envelope). Be careful not to crack the leave as the curry will run out. Use the cut off center string to tie the packet together. You can also use a toothpick.

8. Put your packets in a pyrex dish, bake in the oven for about 20 or 30 minutes on 350F.

9. Serve the packet on a place or for the real traditional way, just use the leaf as your plate. 

10. Salt to taste, goes well with steamed vegetables.

Gluten Free Pizza Pesto

About this recipe:

I never thought making pizza was so easy, I always thought about having to flip up pizza dough above my head but is as simple as just following the instructions on the box. Finally you can decide what exactly what you put on it. Here's a simple pizza pesto.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 box (11 oz.) of pizza mix

• couple of scoops of arugula pesto, to learn how to make it click here

• green veggies to your liking, I used broccoli and sautéd spinach

• 6 sun dried tomatoes, soaked for 2 hrs, sliced finely

• your favorite pizza topping, I used feta but you can easily use a vegan cheese

• pine nuts

• pepper to taste

1. Prepare the pizza dough according to the box. My box told me that one whole box would yield two pizzas. Because I like my dough super thin, I decided to half it. Make sure to half all measurements accordingly. In the end I had enough dough for two thin crust pizzas.

2. After the dough has risen, split it in half. Drop one half on a greased pizza sheet. Spray some canola oil spray on your hands and press the dough out into a nice pizza bottom. Just make sure to make the outside a bit thicker.

3. Drop the pesto on the pizza bottom, spread out evenly with a spatula.

4. Decorate with your veggie toppings. 

5. Sprinkle with the cheese of your choice, sprinkle pine nuts.

6. Bake according to the directions on the box. Mine took 12 minutes at 450F.

7. When done remove from oven, let it cool for just a minute. Score with pizza roller.

8. Refrigerate left overs.

Will make two 13 inch thin crust pizzas.

Macadamia Pesto Salmon

About this recipe:

Salmon is high in protein and full of 'good fats' such as omega-3 fatty acids. It also has a ton of vitamin D, B12, B6, niacin, selenium, calcium and magnesium. Salmon seems to have lower levels of mercury than other fish. Just make sure to buy wild salmon to reduce your exposure to higher levels of heavy metals and contaminants such as present in most farmed fish.

Preheat the oven to 400F.

Ingredients:

• 2 pieces of fresh wild salmon

• handful of raw macadamia nuts, chopped

• two handfuls of arugula leaves

• small handful of raw pine nuts

• splash of olive oil

• dash of cayenne pepper

• pepper & salt to taste

1. To make the pesto, chop the pine nuts in a blender with an S blade. Add the arugula leaves and olive oil. Blend until you have a nice smooth pesto. Set aside.

2. Clean the fish under cold running water. Dry with a paper towel.

3. Drop the fish - skin down - in a pyrex oven dish, sprinkle with cayenne pepper. This will aid the digestion of the protein.

4. Brush the top of the fish with pesto. Sprinkle with chopped macadamia nuts.

5. Brake at 400F for about 15 to 20 minutes. Make sure to not burn the nuts.

6. Serve hot paired with steamed asparagus or broccoli.

Serves two.

Spinach Stuffed Chicken Wrapped in Puff Pastry Dough

About this recipe:

This is a classic recipe that easily impresses a fancy dinner setting. I altered it a little bit to make it fit to the candida diet. Pairs well with sage butter and steamed green veggies.

Ingredients:

• 2 skinned and boned chicken breast havles

• 1/2 t. salt

• 1/2 t. pepper

• three large handfuls of fresh spinach, thoroughly washed and chopped

• 1/8 c. raw pine nuts

• 4 cloves of garlic, minced

• a dash of nutmeg

• 1 sheet of gluten free puff pastry, thawed

• 1 small egg, lightly beaten

• 1 t. water

• ghee for sautéing

1. Place each chicken breast between two layers of heavy duty plastic wrap. Flatten with a meat mallet (flat size). Sprinkle each side with pepper & salt, set aside.

2. Melt some ghee in a non stick skillet and sauté the spinach. Add minced garlic, pine nuts and nutmeg. When done, remove from heat and cool.

3. Divide spinach mixture in two, place in the center of each chicken breast. Fold chicken over spinach (make a roll).

4. Roll the sheet of puff pastry out and cut into two pieces to where the chicken will fit.

5. Place chicken in the center of dough and fold sides together, making it into a package.

6. Combine egg and water, brush on the seams, pinch the seams to seal.

7. If you want, you can cut out decorative shapes out of left over pastry dough. Stick these on top of the chicken bundles.

8. Brush the remaining egg mixture on the bundles, chill for one hour, bake on parchment lined cookie sheet at 350F for about 20 to 25 minutes. Check regularly to make sure they don't burn.

Serve immediately.

Serves two.