PESTO RECIPE: for those allergic to nuts

When I go over to my cousin's house for their wonderful Christmas and Easter celebrations, I always admire her culinary skills.

My cousin's step son is anaphylactically allergic to nuts. Fortunately, he can have sunflower seeds, which is technically not a nut. Plus (added bonus!) sunflower seeds are much cheaper than pine nuts - by a long shot!! (the same amount of seeds would have cost at least $20!)

Here is the recipe she gave to me - since I was just handed a huge bag of organic basil leaves and and recently bought a bag of already peeled garlic cloves for $1 at the local farmers market!

PESTO

2 cups of fresh basil leaves: Packed
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2/3 cup roasted unsalted sunflower seeds
2 garlic cloves (I used 4 because I have so many and I love garlic!)

Place all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped and well combined. Do not puree. To store pesto : place in a jar, top with a skim of olive oil, tightly seal and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.


I put mine in small snack size zip lock baggies - approximately 3 tbsp in each and then put into a large freezer bag or container. You can also put them into ice cube trays and freeze and throw into a glass storage container for the freezer.

When you thaw to use, just add a touch more olive oil. A little pesto goes a long way. It's great added to pasta, or spread on french or Italian bread, and even instead of a tomato paste on a pizza!

It only took me a 1/2 hour (on my work break at home!) to make it!! Easy!!






I always keep shredded Parmesan handy: $6
Sunflower seeds $3
I keep the extra cloves of garlic in the freezer. $1

Free bag of fresh basil leaves!

I bought the mini food processor for only $6. Good investment!


I still have to add the parmesan....oops! forgot it!

It tastes sooooo good! Best of all, it only cost me $10 for the whole batch! If I were to have bought it......it would have definitely come to at least $40 pre-made. And I definitely wouldn't be able to feed the store-bought pesto to anyone with a nut allergy!


Bon Appetit!

Holy Sh*t!

You may have seen my blog post on "Holy Crap!" - the Breakfast Cereal recently popularized by a Canadian TV show: the Dragon's Den (Shark's Tank is the offshoot).

Here is the company's website for "Holy Crap" in case you can't be bothered to make it yourself. You can order 3 packages of 225gms each for $39.95

My cousin came up with a similar recipe which she calls "Holy Shit!"

You can create variances that appeal to your own taste.

This is how I make it:

1/2 cup chia
1/2 cup hulled hemp hearts
1/4 cup toasted buckwheat
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup sesame seeds*
1/2 cup dried apple (crumbled)
1/2 cup dried Thompson seedless raisins**
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves*

Mix all together in a seal-tight container
Store in cool dry place - or refrigerator

I use all organic ingredients found at local natural food stores.
For a lower calorie version you can leave out the raisins, apples, cranberries and sesame seeds.

*are my own additions
**raisins are in original Holy Crap but I don't bother with them

I mix 2 heaping tablespoons with low fat natural yogurt for a great morning breakfast.   You can also use milk.   I put it in the fridge overnight, which softens the dried hemp/chia/buckwheat.

It's great for the bowels. 
Safe for pregnant and breast feeding moms.

Another Yum!

Cilantro Soup. You LOVE it.

Nothing better than soup on a cold day in the North.

It can also taste good in hot weather - when it's cold!

When I lived in California, one of my nurse buddies brought in a soup for us to taste.

It's the perfect hot-weather soup - refreshing! - and for those who like Cilantro...it's the perfect thing to make.....AND it doesn't require turning on a stove!

I haven't been able to find this recipe online - tell me if you have.

To accomplish: just put each soup in a pouring container and pour each on opposite sides at the same time - very carefully!

Emerald Soup


1 cup tightly packed cilantro leaves (2 1/2 oz)
Hold back a couple sprigs of cilantro for garnish
3/4 cup scallions, coarsely chopped
29 oz chicken broth (or if you are a vegetarian: vegetable broth)
2 cups plain low fat yogurt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper


Place cilantro, scallions, parsley and 1/2 the broth in a blender.
Process for 30 seconds.
Add yogurt and blend additional 15 seconds.
Pour into 6 cup container and whisk in remaining broth.
Chill overnight.
Garnish with cilantro leaves and freshly ground pepper.

This cold soup is easy to make, is delicious and gets rave reviews whenever I serve it!

Believe me when I say - Yum!

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I did find an alternative - made with avocado that sounds just as delicious!

I have also made a cold squash soup and poured 1/2 cilantro/ 1/2 squash soup into the bowl for a very pretty combo!

random internet photo, but very similar to what it would look like

Easter Brunch

If you are ever making a brunch or having a group of people over for breakfast, here is a very easy recipe that will have your company ooh!-ing and ahhh!-ing - making them think that you have slaved away all day preparing this fancy little treat for breakfast/brunch!

Put a small amt of water in empty holes to save your tin from damage

Grease your muffin pan with olive oil
Line with finely sliced ham (spicy ham would be tasty!)
Crack a whole egg into each lined tin

Pour one Tablespoon of cream over the egg
Sprinkle one heaping Tablespoon of Swiss Cheese (or other flavorful cheese) over egg/cream
Sprinkle fresh chopped basil or dried basil over cheese

Bake in 350F oven for 20 minutes (depending on how well you like your egg done! Soft maybe 15 min)

Lift out of tin and place on buttered toasted 1/2 English muffin
Serve on buffet or each individual plate

This is what my plate looks like.  I put salsa over my egg nest

It definitely is a quick and easy breakfast - and less mess to clean up!   Plus - you get your whole breakfast all-in-one.....and much classier than an egg mcmuffin!!!

The buffet with egg nests at the end

Secret Recipe: Shrimp Salad- for a hot day

My husband says I make the BEST salads in the world. I am wondering where he has been eating salads because I am not sure anything I make is particularily special.

However - this shrimp salad is hands down the BEST I have ever tasted - and it is our SECRET FAMILY RECIPE. You WON'T find this recipe ANYWHERE because it is one my mother got from the radio in the 1960s.....and I have scoured the internet and have yet to find it. There are a few that are similar, but none the exact same recipe. We used to have a restaurant 40 years ago... and this is one of the salads offered on the menu.

I have made it many times - and every time - it *almost* doesn't make it to the table because of all the "sampling" that goes on by my friends. For this reason, I usually make a double batch. It is quick and easy to make, most ingredients can be kept on hand for last minute preperation and it is a refreshing salad on a hot day!

SHRIMP SALAD
1 - 15 oz can pineapple bits (you can substitute with the fresh equivalent)
1 tin mandarin oranges
1 tin large whole shrimp (you can sub with the fresh equivalent - I put in more than what the recipe calls for!)
Celery hearts - approximately 5-6 stalks
Dressing:
3/4 cup miracle whip
1/4 tsp curry (I usually put in a "titch" more!)
dash garlic
dash tobasco
1 Tbsp lemon juice

Drain the pineapple and orange pieces. Drain the shrimp and rinse. Cut celery hearts into thin pieces - finely chopped.

Mix dressing ingredients together and mix lightly with fruit and celery and shrimp. Decorate the bowl with the leafy tops of the celery.
It is a very refreshing salad on a hot day.
If you make this recipe....let me know what you think!