NEW AGE SOUL FOOD
Greek Pasta Salad
8 Servings
Ingredients
1 pound pasta (orzo, elbow macaroni, bow tie, etc.)
2 quarts water
sea salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium red bell pepper, diced
1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes, diced
2 cups baby spinach, torn
1/2 – 1 cup kalamata olives, sliced
1 small red onion, diced
1 cup diced or crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon basil leaves
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1/2 teaspoon granulated onion
Method
Bring water to a boil, add pasta to the boiling water and stir gently.
Let water come back up to a rapid boil, remove pot from the heat and cover.
Let pasta sit covered and undisturbed for the amount of cooking time as stated on the box. Orzo is usually 9 minutes.
Remove from heat and rinse quickly with cold water to stop the cooking. Drain well.
Transfer to mixing bowl, add 1 tablespoon oil and 1 teaspoon sea salt and mix thoroughly.
Place pasta in the refrigerator and let it cool for approximately 1 hour.
Once cold, remove from refrigerator; mix in bell pepper, tomatoes, spinach, olives, onions, and cheese.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, basil, oregano, granulated garlic and onion. Pour dressing over the pasta and mix until all ingredients are combined.
Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Peppercorn Crusted Salmon
4 Servings
Ingredients
4 salmon fillets, 6 ounces each
¼ cup whole peppercorns
¼ cup Dijon mustard
Instructions
To crush the peppercorns, put them in a plastic bag and smash them to bits with a rolling pin or mallet. Then dump the cracked peppercorns on a plate.
Using a pastry brush (designated for seafood), paint both sides of the filet with mustard, and then roll it in the peppercorns until both sides are coated.
Heat grill, when grill is hot wipe the rack with oil to prevent sticking and place filets on grill.
Grill for 5 minutes on the first side, then turn and grill 5 – 6 minutes on the second side.
Note: There’s a delicate balance between perfectly cooked fish and overcooked fish.
First of all, remember the principle of residual heat: an item will hold heat when it’s removed from the heat source, continuing to cook for several minutes.
For best results, cook fish until it’s almost done, then remove it from the heat source and let it stand for a few minutes to finish cooking.
Cajun Roasted Brussels Sprouts w/ a Balsamic Creole Honey Mustard
Servings: 4
Ingredients
1 pound Brussels sprouts, halved
½ red onion, sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 ½ teaspoon Cajun seasoning
1 ½ tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons honey
1 ½ teaspoon creole mustard
Method
Preheat oven at 425 degrees F.
In a large bowl, mix together all the ingredients until the sprouts are completely covered. Spread evenly into a baking sheet.Roast for 25 to 30 minutes. The Brussels sprouts should be tender and slightly browned. Remove from heat and serve hot.
Sweet Potato Tortilla Soup
With an Avocado Cream Sauce
4 Servings
Ingredients
For the roasted sweet potatoes:
2 pounds sweet potatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 teaspoon granulated onion
For the preparation of ingredients:
2 limes
2 shallots1 poblano peppers
To start the soup:
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons taco seasoning
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 teaspoon granulated onion
½ teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon celery seeds
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
10 ounces corn
4 cups of water
For the avocado cream:
½ cup guacamole
½ cup sour cream
Garnish:
2 ounces tortilla strips
Method
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
To roast the sweet potatoes: Peel potatoes and cut into ½ inch dice. Place sweet potatoes in a bowl and toss in the olive oil, sea salt, black pepper, granulated garlic, and granulated onion, mix until potatoes are well coated with the oil and seasoning. Transfer potatoes to a baking sheet and spread out in a single layer. Bake in a hot oven until potatoes are done, approximately 15 minutes.
Prepare the ingredients: Cut the limes in half. Squeeze the juice from 1 of the halves and cut the remaining halves into wedges.
Peel and mince the shallots.
Remove the stem and seeds from the poblano peppers and cut into ½ inch dice. Note, poblano peppers vary in spice levels most are mild, but some can be hot.
Start the soup by placing a large pot over medium heat and add 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Add the shallot and poblano pepper to the pot and stir occasionally until softened. Add the dry seasonings and stir until aromatic then add the corn and water. Bring the pot to a boil then lower the heat to a simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the sweet potatoes then remove from the heat.
To make the Avocado cream sauce: In a small bowl, mix together the sour cream, guacamole, and 2 teaspoons of fresh lime juice.
To serve, garnish the soup with the tortilla chips, a slice of lime, and top with the avocado cream sauce.
