Cauliflower “Parmesan”

February 13, 2018 nmalekan@gmail.com Comments 0 Comment

Oh glorious cauliflower, how we love you so. A blank canvas which you can do so much with- from roasting, to sauteing, to ricing and beyond. Because of the relatively mild flavor, cauliflower works nicely with vibrant flavors like lemon, caper and herbs, as in our favorite Chimichurri sauce or our golden roasted recipe with a tangy tahini sauce.

On any given week, roasted cauliflower is on the dinner menu as a side dish in our home. But this humble vegetable can be the star, especially all dressed up in spicy tomato sauce and bubbly, melty cheese.

One of my personal favorite recipes, I present to you the Basil & Roses Beautiful Cauliflower Parmesan! It’s our healthy take on an eggplant or chicken Parm. Flavorful and satisfying with a lovely presentation for a feast for your eyes.

The presentation of this dish is simple but stunningly beautiful. Pair with a lovely Italian red wine like a Chianti Classico or Montepulciano and enjoy with someone special- or just make it for your own fabulous self and relish in the simple elegance of perfectly paired ingredients.

Ingredients:
1 whole head cauliflower
1 1/2 cups of your favorite tomato sauce ( I like Dave’s Gourmet Spicy Heirloom)
2-3 tablespoons Olive Oil
1 cup shredded Mozzarella Cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1-2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried garlic powder
1-2 teaspoons red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)
Kosher salt + pepper to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425°.
Carefully cut cauliflower into 3 thick pieces, holding carefully so florets don’t crumble.
Lay flat on cookie sheet and drizzle with olive oil.
Sprinkle with salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, oregano and garlic powder.
Roast for about 30 minutes or until slightly golden.
Remove from oven.
Sprinkle a thin layer of Mozzarella cheese.
Generously cover with Marinara sauce.
Sprinkle with a pinch more dried oregano.
Sprinkle remaining shredded Mozzarella cheese on top of sauce.
Place back in the over until cheese melts and is nice and bubbly.
Remove from oven, serve with grated Parmesan cheese and freshly gated black pepper.

Roasted Cauliflower with Tangy Tahini Sauce

July 30, 2017 nmalekan@gmail.com Comments 2 comments

Cauliflower is a wonderful ingredient to cook with. This cruciferous vegetable has a mildly earthy and nutty flavor. It’s easy to cook, a nice source of vitamin C and quiet filling as vegetables go.

I try to incorporate vegetables in most meals, but once a week I like to highlight them in my Meatless Mondays. It is a simple way to not only diversify the week’s meals, but also experiment with whatever seasonal vegetables tickle your fancy at the moment.

The are many ways to cook with cauliflower. Simply roasting with olive oil, salt + pepper will result in a nice gold brown texture which enhances the nutty flavors. Combined with the sweetness from the caramelized onions and the tangy tahini sauce- you have yourself a flavor explosion made from a few simple ingredients.

Ingredients:
1 head of cauliflower, broken into small florets
1 medium red onion, roughly chopped
2-3 teaspoons red chili flakes (adjust to preference for spice level)
1-2 tablespoon of mint, lemon thyme or dried oregano (mint nicely compliments the tahini dressing)
3-4 tablespoons olive oil
salt + pepper

Directions:
Place cauliflower florets + onion in a baking sheet.
Add herbs, sprinkle with salt, pepper and red chili flakes, then drizzle with olive oil.
Using your hands, mix ingredients well until everything is evenly covered with oil.
Bake in a 375 degree oven for 25-35 minutes or until golden brown.

Serve over yellow lentils or your favorite greens- drizzle with tahini sauce and enjoy!

Check out this page for the Tangy Tahini Sauce Recipe.

Tequila-Lime Baked Fish Tacos

May 23, 2017 nmalekan@gmail.com Comments 3 comments

Fish tacos, how we love them so… truly one of my favorite things to eat. I enjoy indulging in crispy fried versions once in a while, but in general prefer a healthier baked or grilled version. With the immense flavor of this tequila-lime recipe nothing will be lost, promise! There is just something so gratifying about a good fish taco. All you need is a nice flaky fish, a zesty salsa with a kick, guacamole, a crunchy slaw and of course a nice amount of citrus and spice and everything nice!

My family loved this recipe and I hope you enjoy it too. With summer just beginning, this is the perfect dish to make for warm afternoons in the backyard served with a refreshing margarita!

¡Buen apetito!

Ingredients:
1 lb. wild-caught Cod fish
1 cup tequila
1/2 cup lime juice
3/4 cup olive oil
1 cup cilantro, chopped
1/2 of one jalapeno, chopped (remove veins/seeds for less heat)
salt + pepper
8 small corn or flour tortillas

Directions:
Cut fish into smallish pieces (approx 3-4 inches long).
Make the marinade by combining tequila, lime juice, olive oil, cilantro and jalapeno, S+P in a bowl.
This smells amazing! The alcohol burns off during cooking but the tequila flavor is awesome!
Place fish in the marinade and cover. Let sit for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
In the mean time, you can make the fun accompaniments for the tacos.
Once marinaded, place in preheated oven of 325 degrees F.
Bake for approximately 20 minutes.

Vibrant and Colorful Mango Salsa

May 23, 2017 nmalekan@gmail.com Comments 1 comment

This colorful salsa is fun to make, fun to eat and a feast on the eyes! The gorgeous colors make the table festive and the sweet and sour flavors are explosive! Great on fish tacos or as a dip.

Ingredients:
4 large and ripe mango, chopped
1/2 of one jalapeno, chopped (remove veins/seeds for less heat)
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 red onion, finely chopped
2/3 cup cilantro, chopped
3 tablespoons lime (adjust to taste)
3 tablespoons olive oil
Tortilla chips to scoop up all this flavor (I used these Tostitos Multigrain Scoops), they handle the chunky salsa well.
Salt + Pepper

Directions:
Combine cubed/chopped mango, red pepper, red onion and jalapeno.
Add cilantro, olive oil, lime juice, salt + pepper. Adjust to taste based on preference.
Fold gently to combine ingredients together.
Enjoy this savory, sweet and sour delight!

Versatile Salmon, done 3 ways

February 1, 2017 nmalekan@gmail.com Comments 1 comment

Beyond being nutritious and tasty, salmon is also an incredibly versatile ingredient to work with. I only use wild caught salmon. Stay away from the farmed variety. The diet the fish are fed are is bad for our bodies and pollute the water. They also have 1/10 of the omega-3 fatty acids which is one of the main reasons I like to have this nutritious protein in my diet.

Here I highlight a few simple but elegant ways to prepare this wonderful protein:

Smoked Salmon and Creme Fraiche Canapes with Fresh Dill

Sesame Crusted Salmon Fillet

Cold Salmon Salad

I love to entertain often, but don’t always have time to prepare extravagant menus. The smoked salmon canapes with creme fraiche are easy to make yet quite elegant. Simply place small pieces of smoked salmon on a thin cracker of your choice or pumpernickel cocktail bread. Top with a dollop of creme fraiche and sprig of fresh dill and voila! These are a hit every time.

Smoked Salmon & Creme Fraiche Canapes with Fresh Dill

Sesame Crusted Baked Salmon

This recipe is great for dinner any night of the week or on a large salmon fillet for entertaining.

Ingredients:

1 pound wild salmon (can do a smaller or larger piece depending on size of group you’re serving)

2-3 tablespoons olive oil

Juice of 1 lemon

1/2 cup sesame seeds

Lemon wedges + fresh herbs for garnish (optional)

Directions:

Squeeze the juice of 1 lemon on the salmon.

Drizzle with olive oil or sesame oil.

Season with salt + pepper.

Coat entire top of salmon with white or black or mixed sesame seeds.

Bake at 375 degrees for approximately 25 minutes.

Garnish with herbs, lemon wedges and serve with any pasta, rice or grain you like.

Cold Salmon Salad or Sandwich

What’s better than a fabulous dinner? A new fabulous lunch with the leftover.

I love cold salmon sandwiches or salmon topped on a bright and colorful salad.

You can choose any veggies you like in your salad.

Here I mixed arugula and spinach with chopped tomatoes, raw cauliflower, red beats and chopped onion.

Toss with lemon juice + good olive oil, then top with leftover salmon.

An important final step: delight in a healthy, colorful, nutritious and fabulous salad while you reflect on the beautiful food you’ve made and the people you’ve shared them with…

Persian Cucumber Salad with Red Onion & Thai Basil

December 14, 2016 nmalekan@gmail.com Comments 0 Comment

This salad is light n’ lovely. It’s aromatic and refreshing. It’s also a great choice when you need lots of flavor but don’t have a lot of time. I use Persian cucumbers because the fresh and fragrant taste is an important part of the success of this dish. The basil’s slightly sweet, lemony and minty aroma delightfully compliments the green and fruity fragrance of the cucumber.

If you don’t have Thai basil, sweet basil works great too.

Ingredients:
Salad
5-6 Persian Cucumbers, chopped
1 medium red onion, cut into into rings
1/2-1/3 cup sweet or Thai basil, chopped

Dressing
3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
2 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon honey (adjust to sweetness preference)
1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
Salt + Pepper to taste [Expert tip: limit salt when using soy sauce even if using low sodium]

Directions:
Cut onions into thin rings.
Soak raw onion in water. [Expert Tip: Soaking raw onions in water reduces the pungent bite]
Cut cucumbers into rings, then cut into half moon shapes (or whatever shape your heart desires).
Chop basil.

To make dressing:
Combine rice vinegar, soy sauce, salt, pepper, honey.
Slowly add in Sesame oil and whisk. This helps emulsify the dressing so it won’t separate.
Toss Cucumber, onion, basil + dressing together and enjoy!

Rosemary & Sea-Salt Baked Potato Chips

December 12, 2016 nmalekan@gmail.com Comments 1 comment

These baked potato “chips” are great as a snack on their own dipped in ketchup, or work well as a side dish to any weeknight dinner. They’re super easy to make too!

Ingredients:
10-12 small russet potatoes
1 tablespoon coarse sea salt (adjust to taste)
3/4 tablespoon black pepper
1/4-1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes (adjust to taste)
1-2 tablespoons rosemary
2-3 tablespoons olive oil

Directions:
Preheat over to 350 degrees.
Wash + dry potatoes and cut into thin rounds.
In a bowl combine potato slices, rosemary, salt, pepper and red chili flakes.
Toss to coat.
Place potato slices flat on a baking sheet.
Limit overlapping too many pieces, otherwise you sacrifice crispiness.
Bake for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown.
Sprinkle a bit more sea salt while potatoes are still hot.
Delight in the healthiest “potato chip” you’ll ever have!