In The Kitchen

Ingredients:
4 smaller grapefruits
3 cups sugar
1 ½ cups water
200 grams (approx. 2 bars) 55% dark chocolate

Directions:

1. Cut the top and bottom ¼ inch off the grapefruit.
3. Lay grapefruit on a cutting board and cut along the outside taking away ½ rind and ½ flesh.
5. Once the outside is cut off cut these pieces into ¼ inch slices.
7. Add sugar and water to the pot on medium heat and dissolve all the sugar into the water.
9. Bring a second pot of water to a boil. Briefly blanch grapefruit slices in the water (about 30 seconds) and then immediately cool in an ice bath for one minute. Do this process three times.
11. Once the sugar is dissolved into a simple syrup, add the grapefruit slices to the pot and cook on a very soft boil until the grapefruit slices are translucent, about three to four hours.
13. Take grapefruits out of the syrup and place pieces on a drying rack for one day until the sugar has dripped off and pieces are more dry.
15. Melt chocolate.
17. Place grapefruit pieces on a sheet of wax paper allowing one inch in between each slice.
19. Cover each grapefruit slice with chocolate and let cool until chocolate becomes hard.

Makes four servings

Ingredients:

1 ½ tbs canola oil
2 Sweet Onions, sliced thin
5 tsp lamb jus (look for prepared jus at your local grocer/fine food market)
¾ lb yellow oyster mushrooms
4 lamb chops
2tbs extra virgin olive oil
7 medium sized red potatoes
3 bay leaves
3 sprigs thyme
Parchment paper
10 inch round baking pan

Directions:

1. Add Canola oil to a pot at medium-low heat. Add thinly sliced onion to pot and cover. Cook for about 30 minutes stirring occasionally. Make sure the onions begin to caramelize.
2. Add 5tsp lamb jus to onions and stir so that flavor is throughout.
3. Cut rack of lamb so chops are individual. Sprinkle both sides of lamb chops with a bit of low-sodium sea salt and black pepper.
4. Heat pan to medium-high heat. Add 1tbs olive oil. Cook lamb chops about three minutes per side or until it has a good brown crust. Remove from heat and set aside on a plate.
5. Heat a non-stick pan on medium-high heat with 1tbs olive oil. Add mushrooms and continually stir so they do not stick to the bottom of pan. Finish when they are tender. Remove and set in a bowl.
6. Thinly slice potatoes either with a knife or a mandolin. Begin layering the bottom of a baking pan with the potatoes.
7. Once the entire bottom of the pan is layered with potatoes add caramelized onion and mushrooms on top. Make sure to spread both evenly across potatoes.
8. Place Lamb chops on top of potatoes, caramelized onions, and mushrooms.
9. Cover lamb chops with another layer of potatoes, onions and mushrooms. Finish with a final layer of potatoes.
10. Cover with 3 cups of unsalted beef stock. Lay bay leaves and thyme on top of potatoes.
11. Cover with parchment paper and cook for one hour at 400F.

Remove, plate, eat!

Ingredients:

Fig Balsamic Reduction Sauce:
1 cup red wine
½ cup water
2tsp Lamb demi-glace/jus (reduced stock you can buy pre-made at grocer).
2tbs fig balsamic vinegar

Lamb Chops:

10 center cut lamb chops
3tbs butter (clarified butter if you have it)
3 garlic cloves, lightly crushed

Directions:

Fig Balsamic Reduction Sauce:

1. Combine water and red wine into a pan.
2. Cook mixture on medium-high heat and add in lamb demi-glace. Mix until dissolved.
3. Add fig balsamic to the pan.
4. Cook medium heat and reduce mixture until you reach your desired thickness.

Lamb Chops:

1. Lightly rinse lamb chops and dry completely.
2. Bring pan to medium heat and add the butter.
3. Once butter is melted add the crushed garlic cloves.
4. Add lamb chops to the pan but make sure none of them are touching.
5. Cook lamb chops about five minutes per side and about two minutes on each of the perimeter sides
6. Remove lamb chops from the pan, set in a warm spot and cover with foil.
7. Finish cooking the rest of the lamb chops to desired likeness.

Fig Balsamic Reduction Sauce:

Makes four servings

Ingredients:

2 Salmon Filets of about 6-8oz in size
2tbs extra virgin olive oil
4tbs shallot, finely minced
4tbs white wine (Sauvignon)
2tbs dry Vermouth
1 cup rice milk original classic flavor (easy/healthy alternative to cow’s milk)
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream (Way less than classic prep.)
8 Sorrell leaves, finely sliced

Directions:

1. Add oil to a pan on medium-high heat. Once oil is hot, add finely minced shallots and cook for a about five minutes until they become translucent.
3. Add white wine and cook for about two minutes.
5. Add dry Vermouth and cook for about two minutes.
7. Add rice milk and cook for about five minutes or until reduced by half.
9. Add cream and cook until you reach the consistency you like.
11. Very thinly slice sorrel leaves and add to the sauce at the very end of cooking.
13. Lay the salmon skin side down on the cutting board
15. Take your knife and begin to cut the corner of the filet where the skin and the flesh meat.?Carefully cut along this line so you are able to separate the flesh from the skin.
17. Once you have separated the flesh from the skin make sure to cut off the brown remains that may have been left from the skin.
19. Lay the filet flat on the cutting board and slice in half horizontally. It is important to make each escalope as close as possible to being uniform thickness so they cook evenly.
21. Heat a non-stick pan to medium-high heat. Put a dab of olive oil on a paper towel and coat the bottom of pan.
23. Once pan is hot gently place escalope of salmon in the pan and cook about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove fish when it is tender to the touch and cooked to about medium-well. You want the inside to be a bit pink.

Place salmon on plate. Add just enough sauce. Sprinkle on some extra finely cut sorrel leaves. Enjoy!

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

Brown rice
1 stick of butter
½ cup flour
1 ½ cup chopped celery
2 cups chopped onions
1 ½ cup chopped red or green bell pepper
2 cloves minced garlic
2 cups reduced sodium chicken stock
2 tablespoons Garrett’s Kickin’ Spice (see separate recipe)
1 ½ cup peeled & diced tomatoes
2 lbs shrimp
3 tbs chopped green onion
2 tbs flat leaf parsley

Directions:

1. Melt butter in a medium to large pot.
2. Create a roux by mixing the butter and flour thoroughly so that there are no clumps. Your roux will be used for thickening and for creating a smoky/nutty flavor. Keep stirring. A darker roux is often used for gumbos. I like my roux between the colors yellow butter and peanut butter. This might take anywhere between 10 and 20 minutes, depending on your stove.
3. Add the chopped celery, onion, and red or green pepper. Cook until these are soft.
4. Add one tablespoon of Kickin’ Spice, all the garlic, and the tomatoes. Mix, bring to a soft boil, and turn to a simmer.
5. Add the chicken stock, and bring back to an easy boil.
6. Add the shrimp and the second tablespoon of spice.
7. Once the shrimp have begun to turn pink and curl, add the chopped parsley and green onion.
8. Simmer on low for 10 minutes.

Serve over brown rice and enjoy!

Makes four servings

Ingredients:

1 ½ tbs extra virgin olive oil
10 pearl onions
20 Brussels sprouts
2tbs extra virgin olive oil
1tbs garlic, finely minced
1 ½ tbs Dijon mustard
1tsp honey

Directions:

1. Remove outer skin from pearl onions. Cut onions into quarters or even eights depending upon how big they are.
2. Add olive oil to a pan at medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until translucent.
3. Add finely minced garlic to the onions and continue to cook until onions begin to caramelize and garlic is very lightly browned. Be careful not to burn the garlic.
4. Wash Brussels sprouts and remove dirty or rotted leaves. Cut Brussels sprouts into quarters or eights depending upon how big they are.
5. Add Brussels sprouts to the pan and cook for about three minutes.
6. Add mustard and honey to the pan and combine everything thoroughly.
7. Transfer all ingredients to a baking pan bake at 375F for 30 minutes or until Brussels sprouts get a bit browned.

Ingredients:

1 ½ – 2 bunches Kale of your choice
1lb Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved (quartered if they’re big)
½ tsp low sodium sea salt
1tbs extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup sugar
pinch cayenne pepper
½ cup toasted walnut pieces (you can coarsely chop whole walnuts if needed)

Vinaigrette:

1 garlic clove, minced into a paste
1/3 cup fresh orange juice
zest from 1 orange
2tbs honey
3tbs white wine vinegar
½ cup vegetable oil

Directions:
Trim kale so that the center stem is taken out. Wash and dry. Slice up into desired thickness for your salad.
Brussels Sprouts:

1. Toss Brussels sprouts, low sodium sea salt, and olive oil together to coat thoroughly. Spread into a baking sheet with raised edges (so you can mix during baking).
2. Bake at 450 for about 25 minutes until the edges are brown and the sprouts are tender. Stir once during cook time.

Candied Walnuts:

1. Mix cayenne into sugar.
2. 2. Heat sugar mixture in a skillet over medium-high heat until sugar begins to melt.
3. Once melting begins stir sugar as it continues to melt and reaches a caramel color.
4. Remove from heat and add walnuts to the pan. Mix thoroughly so that all walnuts are coated.
5. Pour walnuts onto a baking sheet to cool. If they are stuck together simply break them into smaller pieces.

Orange Vinaigrette:

1. 1. Wisk together garlic, orange juice & zest, honey, and white wine together.
2. 2. Slowly add in the oil, whisking until everything is combined.

Assemble salad by combining all ingredients together in a large bowl. Sprinkle pomegranate seeds on top. Add optional cheese crumbles (I recommend Feta).

Ingredients:

6 hard boiled eggs
½ cup mayonnaise
3 tbs finely chopped onion
2 tbs finely chopped celery
2 tbs finely chopped tarragon
Few grinds of black pepper

Directions:

1. Hard boil eggs in boiling water for about eight minutes
2. In a bowl mash up eggs with mayonnaise. (If you need/want more mayonnaise feel free to add it)
3. Add onion, celery, tarragon, and black pepper to the bowl.
4. Mix everything together well and serve on a whole grain bread.

Note: Egg salad will keep in the refrigerator for about two days.

Ingredients:

3 ½ lbs butternut squash
3 cups rice milk
3tbs marzipan
slivered almonds
nutmeg to taste

Directions:

1. Cut butternut squash in half the long way and scoop out seeds and guts.
3. Place butternut squash on a baking pan and cover flesh with aluminum foil.
5. Roast in the oven at 375F for one hour, or until tender.
7. Scoop flesh of butternut squash out of skin and put in a blender.
9. Add rice milk and marzipan to blender. Blend until smooth.
11. If you like a more liquid consistency you can add a bit more rice milk.
13. Adjust taste to your liking with more or less marzipan.
15. Top with sprinkled nutmeg & almonds.

Ingredients:

1 Large Fennel bulb
1 Large Pear (Bartlett)
3 cups rice milk “original classic” flavor
Juice of 1 large orange

Directions:

1. Cut stalks off the fennel bulb and discard. Also cut the very bottom sliver off of the bulb.
2. Slice fennel bulb into pieces and put in a pot.
3. Slice the pear into pieces and place in the pot.
4. Cover Fennel and pear in the pot with the rice milk.
5. Bring pot to a slow boil and cook for about 30 minutes.
6. After cooking transfer contents in the pot to a blender or VitaMix. Puree.
7. Add the juice of one orange and puree once more.
8. Serve cold.

Ingredients:

1 & ½ container (6cups) of original rice milk
1 cup white wine
1 carrot or ½ cup diced
1 stalk celery or ½ cup diced
1tbs minced garlic
¼ large white onion, diced
6 ears of sweet corn or 4 cups
20 small fingerling potatoes or 4 cups sliced
1lb shrimp cut up into chunks
3tbs butter
2tbs whole-wheat flour
1 ¼ tsp paprika
1tsp low sodium sea salt
¼ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
1 large bunch of fresh chives

Directions:

1. Peel and devein shrimp. Save shells.
2. In a pot add shells and rice milk together and cook on medium-low heat for 30 minutes.
3. In a large pot melt the butter at medium-high heat and add the flour to create a roux.
4. Add diced carrot, celery, onion, and garlic to the roux and cook for about five minutes or until veggies begin to soften and lightly brown.
5. Add the white wine, potatoes, and corn to the pot and incorporate thoroughly. Cook for five more minutes until potatoes begin to lightly soften.
6. Strain shells out of the shrimp stock and add the rice milk to the large pot with veggies.
7. Cook for about 20 minutes on medium until potatoes are soft.
8. Add shrimp and gently stir together.
9. Add spices and incorporate thoroughly.

Serve and enjoy.

Ingredients:

¾ cup rice milk
1 ½ tbs white vinegar
½ cup whole-wheat flour
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
1 egg
1 tbs clarified butter

Directions:

1. Mix all dry ingredients together in a bowl.
2. Crack the egg into a separate bowl and whisk.
3. Add rice milk, vinegar, and melted butter to the whisked egg and combine.
4. Pour liquid ingredients into the dry ingredient bowl. Slowly & gently mix ingredients together with a spatula. We want the batter to stay nice & thick. Mix lightly for a minute, then let rest for a few minutes. Repeat until the batter is clump free.
5. Heat a non-stick pan to medium heat. When the pan is hot, pour batter into the pan at desired pancake size.
6. Cook on one side until you see the edges beginning to firm & cook. Flip & cook until the cake is firm to the touch.

Ingredients:

1 cup oats
1 cup almond milk
1 cup water
2 tbs milled flax-seeds
3 tbs almond butter
3 tbs blueberry jam

Directions:

1. Add oats, almond milk, and water together in a pot. Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer
2. After simmering for 10 minutes mix in the flax-seeds and stir in completely.
3. Stir in the almond butter and blueberry jam.

Enjoy.Feel free to add more almond butter or jam if you like.

Ingredients:

¼ cup maple syrup
½ cup brown sugar
1/3 cup canola oil
1/3teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
4 cups old-fashioned oats
4 ounces whole, raw almonds
4 ounces pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
½ cup whole-wheat flour
½ cup nonfat dry milk powder
2 tablespoons flax seeds
4 ounces dried apricots, chopped
4 ounces dried cranberries

Directions:

1. Place the oven racks on the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 300°F.
2. In a small saucepan combine the maple syrup, brown sugar, oil, and salt. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the brown sugar is dissolved.
3. Stir in the vanilla.
4. In a large bowl combine the oats, almonds, pepitas, wheat flour, dry milk powder, and flax seeds.
5. Pour the warm syrup mixture over the dry ingredients and use a rubber spatula to combine well.
6. Divide the moistened oats evenly between the two baking sheets
7. Bake for 20 minutes, then stir with a metal spatula and rotate the sheets to opposite racks to ensure even baking
8. Bake another 20 minutes, then stir and switch pans again
9. Bake until the mixture has a fragrant, toasty aroma, about another 15 minutes
10. Cool the granola in the pan, breaking up any large clumps with a spatula. When the mixture is completely cool, mix in the dried apricots and cranberries and store in an airtight container.

Note: Nonfat dry milk gives granola a great crunch.

Makes four servings

Ingredients:

1 1/2 tbs canola oil
2 Sweet Onions, sliced thin
5 tsp lamb jus, buy the prepackaged jus at Central Market
3/4 lb yellow oyster mushrooms
4 lamb chops
2tbs extra virgin olive oil
7 medium sized red potatoes
3 bay leaves
3 sprigs thyme
Parchment paper.
10 inch baking pan (circular)

Directions:

1. Add Canola oil to a pot at medium-low heat. Add thinly sliced onion to pot and cover. Cook for about 30 minutes stirring occasionally. Make sure the onions begin to caramelize.
2. Add 5tsp lamb jus to onions and stir so that flavor is throughout.
3. Cut rack of lamb so chops are individual. Sprinkle both sides of lamb chops with a bit of low-sodium sea salt and black pepper.
4. Heat pan to medium-high heat. Add 1tbs olive oil. Cook lamb chops about three minutes per side or until it has a good brown crust. Remove from heat and set aside on a plate.
5. Heat a non-stick pan on medium-high heat with 1tbs olive oil. Add mushrooms and continually stir so they do not stick to the bottom of pan. Finish when they are tender. Remove and set in a bowl.
6. Thinly slice potatoes either with a knife or a mandolin. Begin layering the bottom of a baking pan with the potatoes.
7. Once the entire bottom of the pan is layered with potatoes add caramelized onion and mushrooms on top. Make sure to spread both evenly across potatoes.
8. Place Lamb chops on top of potatoes, caramelized onions, and mushrooms.
9. Cover lamb chops with another layer of potatoes, onions and mushrooms. Finish with a final layer of potatoes.
10. Cover with 3 cups of unsalted beef stock. Lay bay leaves and thyme on top of potatoes.
11. Cover with parchment paper and cook for one hour at 400F.

Remove, plate, eat with relish!

Makes four servings

2 Salmon Filets of about 6-8oz in size
2tbs extra virgin olive oil
4tbs shallot, finely minced
4tbs white wine (Sauvignon)
2tbs dry Vermouth
1 cup rice milk original classic flavor (Very successful and healthy substitution.)
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream (Way less than classic prep.)
8 Sorrell leaves, finely sliced

Directions:

1. Add oil to a pan on medium-high heat. Once oil is hot, add finely minced shallots and cook for a about five minutes until they become translucent.
2. Add white wine and cook for about two minutes.
3. Add dry Vermouth and cook for about two minutes.
4. Add rice milk and cook for about five minutes or until reduced by half.
5. Add cream and cook until you reach the consistency you like.
6. Very thinly slice sorrel leaves and add to the sauce at the very end of cooking.

Salmon:

1. Lay the salmon skin side down on the cutting board
2. Take your knife and begin to cut the corner of the filet where the skin and the flesh meat. Carefully cut along this line so you are able to separate the flesh from the skin.
3. Once you have separated the flesh from the skin make sure to cut off the brown remains that may have been left from the skin.
4. Lay the filet flat on the cutting board and slice in half horizontally. It is important to make each escalope as close as possible to being uniform thickness so they cook evenly.
5. Heat a non-stick pan to medium-high heat. Put a dab of olive oil on a paper towel and coat the bottom of pan.
6. Once pan is hot gently place escalope of salmon in the pan and cook about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove fish when it is tender to the touch and cooked to about medium-well. You want the inside to be a bit pink.

Place salmon on plate. Add just enough sauce. Sprinkle on some extra finely cut sorrel leaves. Enjoy!

Makes 6 ½ to 7 cups

Ingredients:

3 1/2lbs butternut squash
3 cups rice milk
3tbs marzipan

Directions:

1. Cut butternut squash in half the long way and scoop out seeds and guts.
2. Place butternut squash on a baking pan and cover flesh with aluminum foil.
3. Roast in the oven at 375F for one hour, or until tender.
4. Scoop flesh of butternut squash out of skin and put in a blender.
5. Add rice milk and marzipan to blender. Blend until smooth.
6. If you like a more liquid consistency you can add a bit more rice milk.
7. Adjust taste to your liking with more or less marzipan..

Caramelized Brussels Sprouts & Pearl Onions

Makes four servings

Ingredients:

1 1/2tbs extra virgin olive oil
10 pearl onions
20 Brussels sprouts
2tbs extra virgin olive oil
1tbs garlic, finely minced
1 1/2tbs Dijon mustard
1tsp honey

Directions:

1. Remove outer skin from pearl onions. Cut onions into quarters or even eights depending upon how big they are.
2. Add olive oil to a pan at medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until translucent.
3. Add finely minced garlic to the onions and continue to cook until onions begin to caramelize and garlic is very lightly browned. Be careful not to burn the garlic.
4. Wash Brussels sprouts and remove dirty or rotted leaves. Cut Brussels sprouts into quarters or eights depending upon how big they are.
5. Add Brussels sprouts to the pan and cook for about three minutes.
6. Add mustard and honey to the pan and combine everything thoroughly.
7. Transfer all ingredients to a baking pan and cook in the oven at 375F for 30 minutes or until Brussels sprouts get a bit browned.