What makes it easier to eat well? / Use Citrus with US Thanksgiving Food / Roasted Chickpeas

Blog Post: Guest posts: what makes it easier to eat well?

While I have many, many thoughts and opinions on ways to eat healthy food, I’m aware that one perspective can be limited. So I started this series to find out what other people were doing.

Article & Recipes: Use citrus to lighten Thanksgiving meal, not its impact

Whether it comes from orange, lemon or lime, the acid in citrus fruits balances fat, the way vinegar balances oil in a dressing. It invites salt and awakens the palate. Citrus zest offers bite with its intensely fragrant oils. Used together -- as in the lemon-lime sweet potatoes here -- the juice and zest create levels of sweet-sour-bitter

Citrus-Soy Sauce Turkey with Gravy ... Orange Pecan Stuffing ... Sweet Potatoes with Lemon-Lime Vinaigrette ... Citrus Mincemeat Crumb Pie ... Citrus Thanksgiving Side Dish Trio

Recipe: Roasted Chickpeas

Roasting cooked chickpeas in a little oil — first briefly on the stove and later in the oven — leaves their insides tender while adding crunch to their exterior; they make both a great side dish and a perfect snack. After you take them out of the oven, try dusting with a little chile powder, curry powder, or other spice mixture, or drizzle with a little extra-virgin olive oil, some lemon juice, and a lot of black pepper.

Key Lime Pie / Nyonya Style Pumpkin & Prawn Curry / Barbacoa Beef Cheek Tacos

Blog Post & Recipe: Key Lime Pie

I like this recipe because of the lime zest in the graham cracker crust. The filling is sweet and the zest gives some bitterness to the crust and creates a very nice flavour.

Blog Post & Recipe: Nyonya Style Pumpkin and Shrimp Curry

Now, let us get back to today’s recipe. This curry turned out relatively mild as the red chilies found here are not that spicy and the sweet pumpkin did neutralize the heat a little.

Blog Post & Recipe: Cook the Book: Barbacoa Beef Cheek Tacos

For those who are unaccustomed to cheek meat, braising it for tacos does wonders to accessibility because, after all, there's really nothing all that scary about a taco (right?). But odd cuts aside, these beef cheek tacos are pretty incredible. They're marinated in a mole-esque blend of spices, chiles, coffee, and peanut butter with a deep yet mellow spiciness that permeates the cheeks beautifully.

Concept: braise beef cheeks

Key Lime Pie / 2 Marinated Garlic Recipes / Spinach Strata

Recipe: Fresh Key Lime Pie

The key to making this pie delicious is the homemade crust and whipped cream.

Blog Post & Recipes: Marinated Garlic… two ways

As I strolled the aisles of my international food store the other day, I saw jars of marinated garlic. Inspiration struck! Here are the two versions I came up with… Herb & Spice Marinated Garlic and Japanese-style Soy-Miso Marinated Garlic. Enjoy!

Blog Post & Recipe: Spinach Strata

To me, spinach + olive oil + lemon is a trio made in heaven. At dinner, I love the leaves dressed simply - with a drizzle of olive oil and a squeeze of fresh lemon. But at breakfast, fresh spinach decorated throughout a rustic strata and combined with a bit of feta and oregano is the perfect way to start the day.

Saag Paneer Pasta / Leftover Rice Cake / Tomato Chili Lime Marmalade

Blog Post & Recipe: Saag Paneer Pasta

The spinach yogurt curry sauce went perfectly with the pasta. The chunks of fried cheese were a nice crunchy texture balance with the soft noodles.

Blog Post & Recipe: Leftover rice cake

It’s like a massive vege burger in a way, with grilled cheese on top, crispy crumby cheese edges, and a nice moist middle. The bonus is that you don’t need to get your hands dirty shaping any patties, and you don’t need to dip the patties into breadcrumbs. I’m considering making all my vege burger recipes like this from now on – you can still cut them into wedges and put them in a sandwich or bun.

Blog Post & Recipe: Tomato Chili Lime Marmalade

I wasn’t sure whether to call this a marmalade or a relish, I think really it would be a relish because of the tomatoes but the tang of the lime rind really gives it that marmalade edge. So what do you use such a marmalade relish for? Well we have eaten it on toast, with cheese and I have even dipped my fish & chips into it! You could use it to spice up grilled fish or chicken, adding it to the dish before serving or you could just offer it as an extra condiment at the table.