I thought it would be interesting to make a salad with three flavors of carrots. Each color of carrot has a naturally different flavor and I picked different spices or seasonings that influenced me by their colors. This is a very light salad that is healthy and low in fat. Not too spicy but flavorful. Every bite is different because the three carrots have been seasoned differently.

Ingredients

2 Cups Cooked Millet

6 Rainbow Heirloom Carrots (Cut in small bite sized pieces)

About a pound of Heirloom Tomatoes (Cut in small pieces)

2 cloves Garlic (minced)

1 small Hot Pepper (minced I used a Chili de Arbol)

Handful of Korean Leek Tops (minced)

About 2 Tablespoons Fresh Chopped Parsley

Juice from 1 Meyer Lemon

About a Cup of Non-Fat Farmers Cheese

Handful of Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Extra Virgin Olive Oil (for drizzling)

1/2 teaspoon Yellow Curry

1 tablespoon Date Molasses

good pinch of Saffron

1 teaspoon Kosher Salt

Fresh Ground Sea Salt

Fresh Ground Black Pepper

Prepare your Millet similar to preparing arborio rice or Israeli Cous Cous. Put your millet in pot and toast with a little Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Eyeball (or measure) You need 2 parts water per one part Millet. Add your water and about a teaspoon of Kosher Salt and bring to boil, Cover and let simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and fluff. Set aside.

Your oven needs to be set at 400 degrees.

Top your cut tomatoes with the minced garlic, hot pepper and Korean Leeks. Drizzle with Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Your Heirloom Carrots need to be separated. Either use three small pans or use aluminum foil to make them separate. The Carrots should have been drizzled with Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Sprinkle the yellow carrots with curry

Pour about a tablespoon of Date Molasses on the red carrots

Add a Good pinch of Saffron to the Orange Carrots

the carrots need about a 1/4 cup of water each and need to be covered with foil.

Put your Covered Pan of Carrots on your middle oven rack.

Put your uncovered tomatoes on your lower oven rack.

After about 1/2 hour your tomatoes should be done. Remove tomatoes and set aside. Season with fresh crushed Sea Salt and Fresh Ground Black Pepper.

Your carrots should be fork tender. Remove foil and put them back in the oven on your upper rack and let them cook 15 more minutes so they brown up a little bit.

Add your Tomatoes, Carrots, Fresh Meyer and Lemon Juice to the millet and stir. Season with more Fresh Crushed Sea Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper to taste. Top with dabs of Farmers Cheese, Fresh Parsley and Roasted Pumpkin Seeds.

Some substitutions can be made but the end results will differ.

 

 

 

 

 

Yummy delicious Chestnuty tasting Kabocha Squash is often paired with brown butter,  sage and Chestnuts in American and Italian Recipes.

I made some very light Kabocha Squash Dumplings and thought of an original really delicious sauce using my leftover squash.

Place your squash on a pan with a little water and cover it with foil.

You roast your squash in a 375 degree oven for somewhere usually between one and two hours depending on it’s size, or until fork tender. Then when the squash is cool enough to handle cut it in half and remove the stringy seeds.

Then scrape out the flesh.

You are left with creamy soft Kabocha Squash.

I removed 1 pound of squash for the dumplings and the leftover I used for my sauce. I didn’t measure it but I’m guessing it was around three cups.

Ingredients

Around 3 cups of cooked soft smooth Kabocha Squash

1 cup of vegetable stock

splash of heavy cream

pinch nutmeg

pinch white ground pepper

pinch saffron.

Directions

Cook in Fry Pan till it reduces to desired consistency.

It was delicious over Kabocha Squash Dumplings

It was the saffron and other delicate spices that really make the squash pop with complimentary flavors that weren’t over powering.

This side dish is made of some Asian Ingredients in it but really is only mildly Asian scented and just delicious. The Black Garlic doesn’t taste like garlic it’s more of a sweet prune kind of taste. I think what makes the salad pop are the leftover Lotus Root I had. The Lotus Root was already boiled a few minutes in water with some white vinegar and a little salt. Then it was sautéed in a small amount of garlic and a hot chili so it already had a nice flavor and texture that adds interest to this combination. I also added non-traditional roasted pumpkin seeds to this dish. I thought the look and taste went really well with these flavors.

Ingredients

About 5 Baby Bok Choy (cut down the center in 4 -6 wedges)

2 cloves Garlic (minced)

1 small hot chili (minced) either a Thai or Chili de Arbol

A big handful of Korean Leek Tops (already chopped up)

3 different Heirloom Rainbow Carrots (sliced somewhat thin)

about 1/2 a Lotus Root that was leftover from last recipe. (The Lotus was sliced somewhat thin. The root was already boiled a few minutes in water with some white vinegar and a little Kosher Salt. Then sautéed in a little oil with a small amount of garlic and hot chili.)

About 1/2 inch of grated fresh ginger root

2 heads of Black Garlic (just the clean cloves)

2 Tablespoons of Sugar

Splash of Ponzu

Couple Splashes of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

3 or 4 Splashes of Dry Sherry

A handful of Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

A few Cilantro leaves

Directions

Heat up your fry pan on medium high heat with your Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Garlic, Hot Chili, and ginger.

When the garlic turns clear looking toss in the Carrots and Korean Leek Tops. They only need a few minutes.

Now add the Ponzu, Sherry, Sugar and Black Garlic and stir and let it cook a few minutes.

Place the Bok Choy on Top and cover with foil and let it steam only a few minutes.

Remove foil add The Already prepared Lotus Root stir and serve with some toasted pumpkin seeds and a small sprinkle of fresh cilantro.

The different textures and taste go together really well. The lotus root really adds interest to this dish.

Ingredients

One Bunch of Korean Leeks

A few Pats Butter

Maybe two Cups of Vegetable Stock

Lotus Root

Some White Vinegar

Fresh Crushed Sea Salt or Kosher Salt

A few Eggs

One Heirloom Carrot

2 Cloves Garlic

1 Thai Chili

A couple Tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

I like Korean Leeks because they taste more like green garlic and  less dirty than regular leeks.

You need to remove the Green Tops and Roots. Save the Green Tops and use like green garlic that’s a little tough.

Braise the Korean Leeks for about 10 minutes on medium heat with either butter or oil and let them brown.

 

Cover the Korean Leeks with Vegetable Stock, cover with foil and turn the heat to low and let it go about a half hour till soft.

Lotus Root is back in season so I picked up one.

Last time I made the Lotus Root I made it into tasty chips but this time I thought I’d cook it more traditional that means boiling a few minutes in water with vinegar. First I pealed the Lotus Root and then sliced it somewhat thin.

 

The Lotus root goes into boiling water with a little salt and a couple splashes of vinegar. The vinegar removes any bitterness the lotus root might have.  Just Boil it a few minutes.

Remove the lotus root and set aside. Since you still have boiling water you can drop in a few eggs and let them go 5-5 1/2 minutes pull out and carefully peal and you will have easy soft cooked eggs.

Next you heat up some oil in a pan and then add your minced garlic and one small minced hot pepper till soft.

Add your Lotus Root and your carrots. They only need a few minutes. Then add your Green Tops from the Korean Leeks and cook that maybe a minute more. Add Fresh Crushed Sea Salt and Black Pepper.  Serve on top of braised Korean Leeks and add your soft cooked Egg and season the egg.

This is one of those super easy recipes you can throw together quick and not really measure. The Quinoa and Lentil Mixture comes out very much like cooked ground beef.  You can flavor it a multitude of ways but it also good plain with a dipping sauce of your choice.

 

Ingredients

Lentils about 1/3 of a medium strainer (rinsed)

Quinoa about 1/3 of a medium strainer (always rinse quinoa even if it’s pre-rinsed)

A carrot

a pealed Whole Onion

about 3 cloves of garlic minced

one small hot pepper minced (I used Chile de Arbol)

about a teaspoon of thyme

about a teaspoon Kosher Salt

about 1/2 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper

Brined Grape Leaves

Directions

Add your Quinoa, Lentils, Onion, Carrot, Chile de Arbol, Garlic, Salt & Pepper to your sauce pot add water to look maybe double of what you have in pot and Bring to Boil and then turn down to simmer and cover. Let the pot simmer 20-25 minutes till the lentils are soft.  Discard the Onion and Carrot.

Taste and adjust seasonings and when cool enough to handle make into small log shapes and place in the vein side up Grape Leaf.

Serve as desired.

Freeze leftovers.

Ever since I tasted the Spaghetti Squash with Harissa from the FnB Restaurant in Scottsdale AZ I just have to make my spaghetti squash in a similar way.

You just put your spaghetti squash(s) in a covered pan with a little over a half inch of water in the pan and roast it in a 375 degree oven. Depending on the size of your squash it will take about an hour up to an hour and a half.  I like the squash strands to be firm so the squash is still almost hard when I remove it from the oven but also is fork tender.

You open up your squash and scoop out the stringy seeds. Then you scoop out the spaghetti squash strands.

 

Now you top it with your Harissa Vinaigrette that you might want to warm up to go on your warm squash.

Harissa Vinaigrette

2  Roasted Red Peppers (skin and seeds removed and pepper chopped up)

1/2 teaspoon ground Cumin

1 teaspoon Caraway Seeds

2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

3 Cloves Garlic minced

3 Hot Chiles (I used Thai Chiles)

2 Tablespoons Tomato Paste

Fresh Juice from one Meyer Lemon

2 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar

Fresh Ground Sea Salt and Black Pepper

Blend it up. It makes about 8 ounces. It is spicy and flavorful about a number 7 on the Thai scale out of 10. If you want it milder use one or two chiles and garlic cloves.

I added some Heirloom Tomatoes and a small amount of cilantro.

 

 

 

Pickled Beets have such a great flavor and you can add them to other normal everyday things to make something forking interesting. For this Pickled Beet Flatbread just set your forking oven to 400 degrees get two pieces  of parchment paper, your baking sheet and a rolling pin and you can make this tasty flatbread in minutes.

Ingredients

1 Cup Whole Wheat Flour

1/4 Cup Corn Meal

1/4 teaspoon Baking Powder

1/4 teaspoon Baking Soda

1/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt

1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/2 Cup Your Home Made Pickled Beets and fill the rest of the cup with Beet Liquid

 

Then Blend your Beets.

1/4 cup extra Beet Liquid

Mix well and roll flat between two pieces of parchment paper. (Or use one silicone mat and parchment paper.

Remove upper parchment and bake flatbread on parchment on baking sheet in a 400 degree oven for about 10 minutes.

Decorate as desired.

Just a Salad with the previous Meyer Lemon Mint Tahini Dressing Recipe taste really forking good on Pickled Beet Flatbread.  I’m thinking of several other combinations with this one. There’s a bunch you can do with this one.

 

 

A little Twist on the classic Lemon Mint Flavor. Very forking tasty this recipe is a keeper.

Ingredients

2 small or one large Garlic Clove minced

2 Medium Sized Meyer Lemons (The Juice from both and at least one of the zest)

2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 Tablespoons Tahini

1 Chile De Arbol minced

1 teaspoon dried mint

1 teaspoon Hibiscus Syrup

A small amount of fresh crushed Sea Salt and Black Pepper

Depending on how thick your tahini is you might need to add some water to thin. You just mix ingredients well and you have a delicious dressing to make a salad special.

It takes a forking long time to make Gumbo the trick is low and slow so you need prepare for that and also need a just roasted chicken with saved Chicken Fat for that deep chicken flavor you want. The Red Bell Peppers and Heirloom Tomatoes added extra sweetness to this gumbo.

 

Ingredients

1/4 Cup Chicken Fat (saved from your fresh roasted chicken)

1/4 Cup Flour

1 Red Bell Pepper diced

1 Sweet Onion Diced

3 Stalks Celery Diced

1 Roasted Hatch Chili minced (or any very hot pepper you have)

3 Cloves Garlic minced

2 Cups Chicken Stock

2 Bay Leaves

About a pound of Heirloom Tomatoes Diced

1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried Thyme

1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt

1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper

11/2 teaspoon File Powder

2 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce

1/4 Cup Dry Sherry

About 8  ounces of your fresh roasted Chicken Pulled or Chopped

About 2 teaspoons Fresh Parsley Chopped

About 2 teaspoons Scallions Chopped

 

Directions

Cook Chicken Fat and Flour on low heat till it’s Milk Chocolate Color but make sure you don’t burn anything along the way or all is forking ruined.

Add 2 cups of stock and it will thicken forking fast.

Drop in Bell Pepper, Onion, Celery, Hatch, Bay Leaves, Garlic and let simmer till vegetables are soft.

Add Worcestershire, Sherry, Salt, Black Pepper, Cayenne,  and Tomatoes

and cook down till Desired Consistency about two hours more on low heat.

 

Remove Bay leaves and add your fresh roasted Chicken and File.

Taste and determine if you want to adjust seasonings.

Garnish with Parsley and Scallions.

Serve over rice. Makes about 4 Cups or two hearty Bowls.

 

 

Something a little different to do with Eggplant without breading it. You just broil or grill and season (S&P) your peeled eggplant in thin slices. A heirloom variety will work best because they’re never bitter and are always sweet.

Then I took the eggplant slices and filled them like tacos with fresh cooked spinach and ricotta cheese mixture. (other ingredients used were Vegetable stock to cook the spinach, Sea Salt. Fresh Ground Black Pepper, sweet onion, carrot, garlic and Extra Virgin Olive Oil)

Each folded Stuffed Eggplant got topped with Provolone Cheese-

A slice of Heirloom Tomato, a sprinkling of Sea Salt, Crushed Black Pepper, oregano, basil, and small or half fried sage leaves or a basil leaf would be good.

Bake at 400 degrees about 10 minutes.

Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and reduced balsamic vinegar.