Apr 10 2014

Raw Broccoli Slaw

Posted on April 10, 2014 by aHeapingCup

This salad is a fun little play on coleslaw. It’s got lots of great textures: chewy raisins, crunchy almonds and crisp shredded broccoli. It’s super big on flavor too, the dressing packs a punch and is a handy salad dressing/dip to have in your repertoire. I never thought I would write repertoire. Especially not twice in the same paragraph.

So this is what you need. (Side note: I only used half the amount of broccoli in the picture, and twice the amount of raisins and almonds in the picture. So sorry for all the confusion.)

So, the first thing you wanna do is get your broccoli prepped and shredded.

Allow me to demonstrate:

I used a food processor, if you don’t have one a grater works just as well and doubles as cardio too!

Oh, hi.

Chop up the raisins and almonds and add that to a bowl with the shredded broccoli.

Time to make the dressing. Mix all the ingredients for the dressing (found in the recipe card at the end of the post):

It’s basically a spiced-up savory version of coleslaw dressing.

Add it to the bowl with the broccoli, raisins and almonds.

Stir and enjoy! It’s great after it’s had some time to sit so the flavors can meld.

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Apr 9 2014

Mint & Fruit Cooler

Posted on April 9, 2014 by aHeapingCup

Man. Yesterday was hot. 90 degrees hot. Between sticking my head in the freezer and taking ice-cold showers like a serial killer, I made a cool and refreshing drink to beat the heat.

I think the mint in this drink is really key. It’s cooling (hence the name, cooler) and light. The fruits and sweetener are flexible for this cooler. All you need is the juice of any fruit you like and, if you like, a little extra sweetness which you can get from honey, stevia or agave nectar. Or regular sugar. Pick your poison. I chose to use my lemongrass syrup and it added the perfect fragrant, citrusy sweetness.

Any fruit for garnish is fine. Blueberries would look nice, or some round citrus slices of orange, lemon and lime. Use your imagination.

So this is what I used:

First thing you want to do is make the mint tea, so it has time to cool. If you’re in a rush, a trick I love is called pulling. It’s just pouring the tea back and forth from one container to another to help it cool quicker. It’s an art-form in some countries. Check this guy out. It’s just a 30 second video. And if you have 2 minutes to spare, this dude just takes it to a WHOLE other level.

Then you can just stick it in the freezer to chill really fast.

Anyway, you need two tablespoons of dried mint leaves in your teapot. Or french press. Oh la la. Bevery Hills, Chi, Chi, Chi! (Do you know who I’m quoting?)

Steep for about a minute, depending on how strong you like your mint tea.

Strain out the leaves and allow the tea to cool down. In the meantime, squeeze about a cup of juice out of the oranges.

I got 1 1/4 cups out of 4 juicy oranges.

Once the mint tea has cooled add the orange juice to it.

Then add your simple syrup (a cup of sugar dissolved into a cup of water over heat, can be flavored with any herb, spice or fruit you like).

Remove your mint from its stems and leave the leaves whole. Then slice your strawberries.

Add both to the pitcher you will be using.

Pour the mixture into the pitcher and chill in the fridge.

Make sure your dog doesn’t try to knock over your mint cooler while you try to take a picture of it. Poor guy was loving the mint smell and just couldn’t take it anymore.

Pour over ice and enjoy! And spike!

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Apr 8 2014

Mint & Garlic Shrimp

Posted on April 8, 2014 by aHeapingCup

I love mint. I love garlic. I loooove shrimp. Actually these are prawns. Prawns are bigger than shrimp. I found they taste the same, but the meatiness of the larger prawns gives them an amazing texture.

The sauce is really fresh and light and perfect for spring.

This is what you need for the sauce:

Also, make a spice rub to go on your crustacean.

You need these spices:

I used 1 tsp of paprika, and 1/4 tsp of all the other spices. The amount of red chili flakes is up to you and how spicy you like it.

It looks like a paw print. Awww. A spicy paw.

Mix.

Ok now it’s time to prep your shrimp if you bought them with the shell on.

I bought these prawns from Whole Foods and when I got home I noticed something … well something that caused me to scream, cry and rock back and forth in the fetal position.

Look closely. Do you see it?

How about now? Do you see those little orange bubble things. That’s roe (a.k.a eggs). Yes, those are hundreds or billions of eggs! I screamed. I cried. I googled.

Apparently these are female prawns who were carrying (read: protecting) their prawn-spawn (so proud of myself for that one) when they got caught. Tear. It’s a little too real for me. I wondered if it was safe to consume and found out that some people believe it’s great fortune to get prawns with roe and consider it a delicacy as well.

Not me. Not now. Not ever. I feel like a hypocrite because I always ask for sushi rolls to be modified with tobiko on the outside (smelt egg/fish roe) and it looks exactly like what my prawns were holding on to. Except the mother fish wasn’t holding on to the tobiko on my sushi. This is a very big difference.

So I totally psyched myself out and was like I have to touch the eggs to get rid of them. I’m gonna die. The eggs are going hatch inside of me.

Then I put my big girl panties on and decided to proceed how I would with regular, egg-free shrimp. I started by cutting down the back of the prawn to remove the vein.

Then, instead of grabbing the legs like I usually do, I decided to pull the prawn out of the shell and it came out so easily! I didn’t even have to touch the eggs! The only thing is they leave a bit of orange coloring behind but it doesn’t smell or taste like anything and it’s undetectable in the final product.

Excuse my mani.

Once I had all my prawns prepped, I moved on to the sauce.

Chop up everything like this:

Heat some oil in a pan.

Add the garlic first. Cook for about a minute.

Then add the green onion and sauté until they have softened.

Add the tomatoes.

Season with S&P.

Cook until the tomatoes have broken down.

Add most of the chopped mint.

Keep cooking while you season your shrimp with the rub you made. Use enough of the rub to coat the shrimp.

Once the sauce looks like this:

Make a well to make room for the shrimp:

Cook for a few minutes on each side unit the shrimp are white and pink.

Once the shrimp are cooked through mix everything together and turn off the heat. You don’t want to overcook the shrimp, it becomes really rubbery.

Add a final sprinkling of mint and squeeze of half a lemon and you’re done!

It’s so light and fresh, but the spices give it a warm heartiness that hits the spot.

You can eat it alone:

Or with sautéed spinach:

Or with pasta.

Sorry. I don’t have a picture of that.

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Apr 7 2014

Pomegranate & Balsamic Glazed Brussels Sprouts

Posted on April 7, 2014 by aHeapingCup

Glazed brussels sprouts are the shit. They are like mini-cabbages that have caramelized and developed this amazing sweet-savoury flavor that is sooooo delicious.

This recipe uses a tiny bit of pomegranate molasses to add a little kick. The recipe is amazing with just balsamic but if you can get your hands on some pomegranate molasses you won’t be sorry. Unless you really don’t like tart flavors then you will be very sorry. Anyway, you can find it any Middle Eastern market.

So you need the following items:

You want your balsamic vinegar to be syrupy. You can achieve this by either buying an aged vinegar or you can just reduce regular balsamic vinegar by pouring it in a saucepan and simmering it until it reduces by half and has a syrupy texture.

Oh, and you need brussels sprouts to make glazed brussels sprouts. Not sure if that was clear.

You need to rinse and trim them as well.

Once you trim them you can peel off the outer layers that may have some grit or bruising on them.

Then slice them in half.

Place them on a lined baking sheet. As you do, rub them to release some of the leaves (they will become crispy and yummy).

Can you spot the loose leaves? I used to love those I-Spy books as a kid. Did you? No? You have no idea what I’m taking about? Ok. I’m glad we had this conversation.

Drizzle a little olive oil and as much S&P as you like. I like a lot of freshly cracked black pepper. Or “black crack” as it’s known on the streets (I have no idea what I’m taking about. Shhhh.)

Toss and bake for 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes toss again and cook for another 10 minutes.

When they come out of the oven they should be nicely browned like this:

These babies are great just like this. Roasted brussels sprouts caramelize on their own a little.

I wanted to make them a bit more special, so I drizzled on some thick and sweet balsamic vinegar and a few drops of the pomegranate molasses (a little goes a very long way).

Toss for one last time and take in the amazing smell.

Put these in a bowl and go to town!

When pomegranates are in season I think I’m going to try making this again and sprinkling fresh pomegranate seeds on top for a little sweet surprise. Drool.

This is a great side dish that goes with almost anything. Except, maybe not with curry.

Enjoy!

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Apr 6 2014

Cows and Dogs and Ducks! Oh My!

Posted on April 6, 2014 by aHeapingCup

Um, ya. That is exactly what it looks like. Uh huh. And yes. Yes, I took a picture of it.

This post isn’t a recipe because I haven’t gotten around to cooking today. I’m trying a new farmer’s market tomorrow instead of my usual Saturday one so, I should be cooking up a storm soon. Today, instead of going to the farmer’s market, hubby and I grabbed (or gently coaxed) the dogs to come on a scenic drive to the park.

We had to stop for gas on the way and the dogs (Primo the Chihuahua and Raiden the Siberian Husky) were not at all concerned when hubby got out of the car to pump the gas.

On the way to the park we drove by a beautiful reservoir with a colorful shore (it’s not a shore but like the edge? I dunno man, I just cook).

The scenic drive was definitely scenic. The clouds were breathtaking:

The landscape was so green and lush.

Primo was taking it all in.

Then he got really excited:

And then we saw cattle grazing on pasture.

We got closer.

And closer.

Holy shit! What the fuck. And I actually took a picture and then zoomed in and took another.

Then I threw up in my mouth a little. And then we drove up some more and saw another cow. Or heifer. Or heifa.

Mmm. Grass-fed beef. Tasty. (IDGAF)

We finally made it to the park!

The dogs were giving me major shade. Bitches.

As we were walking around, I noticed a duck strutting her stuff (I’m assuming it’s a her) by the pond.

I was like “Get it honey! Work it!” And she was like, “Flap, flap, flap!”:

Which in duck language means “Thanks, bitch!”

Then she found some guys and was all, “Girl, bye!”

So, we went along our merry way:

They were merry. I was walking backwards trying to take the picture above without falling all over myself.

Then I saw the duck again and she totally recognized me!

Then she ditched me again. This time for another duck. 🙁

All in all it was a fun day filled with animals and their distinct stench 🙂

Primo was so tired by the end of it.

What did you do this weekend?

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Apr 5 2014

“Sugar, Spice & Everything Nice” Cocktail

Posted on April 5, 2014 by aHeapingCup

Yum. My Friday just got a whole lot more interesting. I just put this little concoction together and I’m currently sipping on it right now. I hope to love myself a bit more by the end of this post. Or end of this drink.

So I used my homemade spiced rum and my lemongrass syrup as the basis of this cocktail. I added a few more ingredients to make this “Sugar, Spice and Everything Nice” cocktail.

Here’s what you need for this cocktail (the cocktail shaker and the jigger are optional):

The jigger is a helpful measuring tool for making cocktails but you can use a small liquid cup measurer or your can eyeball the amounts if you wanna walk on the wild side.

I like my cocktails ice cold and I also like imagining myself as a bartender from Coyote Ugly, so I use a cocktail shaker. If you don’t have one don’t let it stop you from making this cocktail. Just stir the ingredients (as you tell yourself James Bond didn’t know shit about cocktails) and pour over ice.

If you’re using a cocktail shaker, now would be the time to fill it up with ice.

Next add 1 oz of spiced rum. This is the “spice” part of this cocktail’s name.

Then 1 oz of lemongrass syrup (or honey, or any other syrup you have). This is the “sugar” part of the cocktail’s name (I hope it doesn’t sound like I’m talking to you like you’re retarded).

Then you want to add 1 1/2 oz of Pom Hula (or any other fruit juice you like or have on hand). This is the “everything nice” part of the name. Ok, I’m stopping now.

Then add the same amount of water.

Finally, just to brighten the whole thing up, add the juice of half a lemon.

Put the top on your shaker and shake it like a polaroid picture. Ahahah eheh eh. Me so funny.

Pour it over ice. Or you can be like me and pour it in a fancy glass first before realizing the drink is way better over ice and then changing the cup you used. Whatever. All roads lead to Rome. (I don’t think they actually do though).

Then garnish said glass and take pics and then change your mind and use another glass. It’s all part of the process.

No.

Yes. Very yes.

Enjoy the weekend!!!

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Apr 4 2014

Crusted Salmon Salad

Posted on April 4, 2014 by aHeapingCup

By now I’m sure we all know how good salmon is for you. Omega-3’s and all that shit. Sometimes salmon can taste bland, boring or worst of all, fishy. Blech.

Of course, picking a good fillet of salmon is the first step, but even the best wild-caught Alaskan salmon can taste like wild-caught Alaskan poo-poo. It’s all about seasoning and how long you cook it.

In terms of how long you cook it, that depends on personal taste. My mother happens to HATE undercooked salmon, she likes her salmon dry and super flaky. My friend on the other hand, likes her salmon borderline sashimi-style. I’m somewhere in the middle. I want a flaky light pink salmon that is also moist and juicy. I find that 375F for about 25-30 minutes works for me. So at the end of the day, do you boo boo *In Katt William’s voice*.

Ok, so I forgot to take a shot of all the ingredients (stop rolling your eyes, I can see you!) The ingredient list is on the recipe card at the end of this post. Sorry, that means more reading.

Ok time for more photos!

This is my little salmon friend:

I froze it before I cooked it so that weird off-white thing on the edge of the salmon is because of that. I’m sure Alton Brown knows exactly what that is. Ask him. Because I’m sure you know him well enough to do that.

A little S&P. Go easy on the S though, you will be adding seasoned salt next.

Next, crush your coriander and fennel seeds. Use anything heavy to crush them if you don’t have a coffee/spice grinder. A heavy can or rolling pin does the trick.

Sprinkle some seasoned salt and crushed herbs on the salmon.

As a final touch to make this salmon extra special, finely dice the garlic, ginger and parsley. Mix them together and top the salmon with the mixture.

I hope you preheated your oven to 375F, because it’s time to pop this little sucker in the oven for about 20-30 minutes until it reaches desired doneness.

In the meantime, make your salad. Chop and rinse the lettuce.

Dice and season the cuke, slice the onion and finely chop the parmesan and parsley together.

Now it’s just a matter of assembling, dressing and tossing.

Place the lettuce in bowl and top with the cucumbers:

Then add the red (it’s actually purple WTF) onion:

Top that with the heavenly parmesan-parsley mixture:

Sprinkle on a little balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil:

Toss:

Once the salmon is ready, place the salad in a bowl:

Top with the salmon:

Eat!

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Apr 2 2014

How to Make Homemade Labneh (Kefir Cheese)

Posted on April 2, 2014 by aHeapingCup

Labneh. Pronounced Leb-Na. It’s the Middle Eastern version of cream cheese. Except it’s way less fattening and it has all the beneficial probiotics of kefir cheese or yogurt. It’s basically yogurt without the whey (the liquid separated from yogurt). Ok whew. Now that that’s out of the way let’s get to it!

This is what you need:

Oh, and these too:

Ok. Now you’re good to go. You’re about to make cheese! This is so easy you won’t even believe it.

First stir some salt into your yogurt. You can add other spices you like too. This is the basic traditional recipe that can be altered to be sweeter or more flavorful. I’m already thinking of different labneh flavors to make…

Line your strainer with cheesecloth.

Pour in the yogurt.

Tie up the yogurt in the cheesecloth.

You should immediately see the whey dripping down into the bowl. If you don’t then you probably have too many layers of cheesecloth, I used four.

Place this whole contraption above ^ into the fridge and let it sit for at least 18 hours. The longer it sits, the firmer it gets 😉 . I took mine out after one day.

This is how much whey I strained out:

It was about two cups of whey.

This is the yogurt before straining:

This is after straining:

Stir the labneh and get it all swirly.

Yum. If you like greek yogurt you will love this. Plus, it’s really good for you.

Traditionally, it is prepared with a drizzle of olive oil:

Then add Za’atar (a mixture of dried thyme and sesame seeds found in Middle Eastern markets or online)

Scoop this dip up with warm pita bread, or anything else you might like. Enjoy!

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Apr 1 2014

Mystery Ingredient: Week 4

Posted on April 1, 2014 by aHeapingCup

This week’s mystery ingredient is one that I’ve loved in things other than food. Particularly, in soaps, candles, perfumes and hand sanitizers. I love the citrusy-floral smell. So when I saw it for the first time at the farmer’s market I instantly knew it was going to be the mystery ingredient.

Want to know what it is?

Here’s a picture:

Did you figure it out?

If you did, good for you! You get a golden star that I can’t give you right now!

If not, it’s ok, I still love you.

Here’s another photo:

It’s lemongrass!

Lemongrass (a.k.a cymbopogon) is a tall, perennial grass with a subtle lemon flavor native to India and Asia and is used in lots of Asian cuisines. I got that from our lord and savior Wikipedia.

So I decided to make a lemongrass infused simple syrup to use with the spiced rum (click here for the recipe) I made the other day.

All you need is sugar and water. And lemongrass, of course. I used unbleached sugar, but you can used any kind of sugar you want, suga.

First, peel the outer leaves of the lemongrass and rinse it thoroughly to remove any grit. Cleaning and prepping lemongrass is very similar to cleaning and prepping green onions (a.k.a spring onions, a.k.a. scallions). Then, chop up the lemongrass and pound them a little to release some more flavor.

Cut them short enough to fit inside the pot you will be using. Oh, I almost forgot, you need a pot.

Place the lemon grass in a pot.

Pour the sugar.

I use a 2:1 ratio of water to sugar. Traditionally, it’s 1:1 for simple syrup. So if you like things pretty sweet, go for 1:1. That’s 2 cups of sugar and 2 cups of water.

Pour the water.

Turn the heat on at medium/high. Stir until sugar dissolves and the syrup begins to simmer.

Turn the heat off and allow the syrup to cool down in the pot on the stovetop. Once cooled, strain into an airtight container.

Store in the fridge for up to a month.

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Apr 1 2014

Homemade Spiced Rum

Posted on April 1, 2014 by aHeapingCup

Spiced rum is a classic. It’s like a warm and fuzzy blanket for your insides and your emotions. Making your own is as easy as pie. Or actually, it’s easier than pie.

You need the following items (use a vanilla bean pod instead of the paste if you want, it’s a bit pricier though):

You can also use aged golden rum to start with to give the final product a bit more depth. I decided to go with white rum so that I would have a cleaner flavor base to allow the different notes of the spices to really shine through. Ppppft. Buuuullshiiiiiit. I’m lying. They only had white rum at the store and I was NOT about to make another stop. You almost believed me though? Riiightt???

Oh ya, and you need these spices. You can play around with the proportions if you particularly like a certain spice.

From top left: Nutmeg, allspice, cloves, black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon sticks and lonely little coriander seed at the bottom.

Ok. Let’s begin spicing up the rum. First thing you wanna do is take out your frustrations by beating the shit (ew or the flavor) out of your spices.

Observe:

Ahh. I feel better just looking at all that crushing and cracking. It’s therapeutic.

Ok, now put all your crushed spices into an airtight container large enough to hold the spices and the rum. I find that a quart sized mason jar works perfectly.