Quick Chicken & Fish Marinade

Happy 4th of July!

With the temperatures soaring and the summer holidays just around the corner, I've been grilling a ton. It's a healthy, easy, clean way to cook. I also love the whole process—standing outside, smelling my food cooking, pulling it off the grill and having a whole meal ready to go.

More than anything else, I love grilling fish. I've shared my homemade marinade receipt with my FaceBook friends on many occasions. It finally occurred to me that I should post it here.

I made it with salmon (as pictured above). It's great for chicken and fish. I throw the meat in a dish and cover it with organic raw apple cider vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, Bragg's Liquid Amino Acids or gluten-free tamari (a type of soy sauce). That's just the beginning. Then I add Trader Joe's Everyday Seasoning (but any sort of BBQ rub will work), fresh thyme, and fresh grated ginger.

It's kind of an everything but the kitchen sink deal.

Got other fresh herbs? Throw them on there. Got other spices you want to try out? Add them in. Don't have apple cider vinegar? Try white wine or even lemon juice. Want to go vegan? It's great on tofu too.

After I marinade the meat for about half an hour or longer, I throw it on the grill. I often make grilled vegetables to go along with the protein for a complete meal.

Quick Chicken & Fish Marinade
Makes about 2 portions
Gluten free; dairy free
Prep thyme: about 5 minutes

Marinade Ingredients
2 tablespoons organic apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons Bragg's Amino Acids or Tamari (soy sauce)
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
1 teaspoon Trader Joe's Everyday Seasoning or other BBQ Rub

Marinade Directions
1. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, and Bragg's or tamari. Pour over the meat until well coated in the sauce

2. Next season the fish with the seasoning, thyme and ginger. Let marinade for about thirty minutes to an hour, occasionally spooning the marinade over the top.

3. Fire up the grill and cook to perfection!

Cherry Clafoutis (Gluten Free)

In case you missed the memo...

...it's cherry season!

This short season only lasts three weeks. I may have been overdoing it slightly. My husband came home last week with an enormous bowl of cherries. They were a

mix of Bing and Rainier, super sweet and tart and amazing. We ate as many as we could over the weekend, but it quickly became clear that something else had to be done with all these cherries.

Enter the clafoutis!

I have my own recipe that I make from time to time when I want to whip together a quick, yet delicious desert. I've made it with blackberries (you can see the recipe here). But this week, I made it with cherries. That's the classic way to make clafoutis.

My recipe is gluten free (though you can use regular flour if you desire). It's also milk free, though you can use regular milk if you'd like. I do use butter in the recipe, but you can substitute nondairy butter like Earth Balance if you'd like.

Did you know that cherries have tons of health benefits? You can read about a few of them here. The clafoutis came out delicious! So enjoy...

Cherry Clafoutis 
Serves about 6 people
Cooking time: 50 minutes (including baking time)
Gluten free; vegetarian

Ingredients
1/2 cup gluten free all purpose flour
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
pinch of salt
3 large eggs
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
finely grated zest of 1 lemon
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk
1 1/2 cups fresh cherries, pits removed
confectioners' sugar for dusting (optional)

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Butter a 9-inch gratin dish. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar and a pinch of salt.  Whisk in the eggs, butter and lemon zest until smooth. Add the almond milk and whisk until light and very smooth (about 3 minutes). Pour the batter into the gratin dish and add the cherries.

Bake for about 30 minutes until the clafoutis is set and golden. Let cool slightly. Dust with confectioners' sugar if desired and cut into wedges. Enjoy!

Vegan Curried Broccoli Soup

I hope everyone is enjoying their holiday weekend. I've had some excellent meals—Park's BBQ (my fave Korean BBQ joint), Hungry Cat (killer fresh seafood), and last night we dined at Night + Market (super spicy amazing Thai). It wouldn't be a holiday without excellent eating, right?

After I returned from Italy, I made this soup as part of my post-trip detox. I shared photos on FaceBook and received many recipe requests. 

So... here it is!

My Vegan Curried Broccoli Soup. It's a nice variation on traditional broccoli soup, which is usually loaded with cream and often topped with cheese. This healthier version gets its creaminess from potatoes (a very traditional Indian ingredient). The Indian spices and flavors like ginger make sure this soup packs a big bunch.

Did you know that many of the spices in curry are super good for you? In fact, I might have a turmeric addiction. I eat it every single day, adding it to scrambled eggs for breakfast and other dishes throughout the day. 

So without further ado... here you go!

Vegan Curried Broccoli Soup

Serves 4 to 6 people

Cooking time: about 30 minutes

Vegan; gluten-free

Ingredients

2 bunches of broccoli

1 yellow onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and chopped

4 cups vegetable stock
1 russet potato, peeled and chopped

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons curry powder

salt and freshly ground pepper

pinch of chili flakes (optional)

chopped cilantro for garnishing (optional)

Directions1. Remove the tough lower stalks from the broccoli. Roughly chop the florets and stalks. 

2. Heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until beginning to soften, about five minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, chili flakes (optional), and curry powder. Stir to combine and cook for another two minutes.

3. Add the stock and potato and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to simmer, cover, and cook for about fifteen to twenty minutes, or until the potato and broccoli are tender. Puree in a blender or with an immersion blender until smooth. 

4. To serve, drizzle with good olive oil and top with cilantro. Enjoy!

Healthy Yogurt Dill Potato Salad

Summer has arrived in Southern California!

It's going to be 100 degrees this week.

Needless to say, I haven't been wanting to cook lots of hot food. I had some friends coming over for dinner, so instead of my usual roasted potatoes, I decided to make potato salad. I used a mix of heirloom potatoes, but normal red ones or Yukon golds will do. Other fun ingredients included dill and shallots. I like to leave my potatoes unpeeled for a more rustic feel to the dish.

This recipe is simple yet delicious.

My big substitution was using nonfat plain Greek yogurt in place of sour cream for a lighter yet still yummy flavor. I often sub yogurt for sour cream. It's one of my recipe tricks. This dish is perfect of summer entertaining, or just a fun addition to lunch. I love it as a side dish with anything grilled.

Summer Yogurt Dill Potato Salad
Serves 6 to 8 people
Cooking time: about 25 minutes
Vegetarian; gluten-free

Ingredients

2 pounds small yellow, red or white potatoes

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar 

1/2 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon Dijon or whole grain mustard

1/4 cup shallots, peeled and chopped

1/4 cup fresh chopped dill or 1 tablespoon dried dill

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. To cook the potatoes, add them to a large pot and cover them with 1 1/2 inches of water. Season the water with salt (1 teaspoon for every quart of water). Bring water to a boil then reduce to a low simmer. Cook 15 to 20 minutes, or until the potatoes can easily be pierced with a fork. Drain the potatoes and add to an ice bath or rinse them with cool water. 

2. Once cooled, chop the potatoes into cubes and add them to a large bowl. Toss them with the vinegar and a little salt (the vinegar really brings out the flavor in the potatoes). 

3. In a medium bowl, combine the yogurt, mayonnaise, mustard, shallots and dill. Add the dressing to the potatoes and gently stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with more dill and a pinch of paprika, if desired. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Notes: This recipe can be made a day in advance. The flavors really blend together that way. Keeps for up to three days in the fridge.

Vegetable Frittata with Red Chard, Cherry Tomatoes & Goat Cheese

Sorry it's been a little while since I've posted a new recipe.

I blame it mostly on my traveling. Forgive me. A few short weeks ago, I attended the 2014 Sirenland Writers Conference in Positano, Italy, where I studied with Meg Wolitzer (one of my favorite authors!). It was an unforgettable experience—the location, the food, the company, and yes, the workshop. You can read my nifty little article about the experience on Shelf Pleasure:

Click here for the link to my post on Shelf Pleasure

Me with Gina Fattore in front of the Positano View!

I had many lovely meals abroad, but I'm happy to be back home and cooking in California. I made this frittata before I left and got so many requests via FaceBook to share the recipe that I thought I should post it here. Frittatas and homemade muffins are my staple brunch items. Is there anything better? I tend to make my frittatas loaded with lots of farmers market veggies.

In this case, I used some gorgeous, deep green and red leafy chard and delicate yellow cherry tomatoes. I finished it with crumbled goat cheese and fresh thyme. I always make my frittatas in my prized cast iron skillet (bought years ago at Target for 20 bucks).

This recipe is a great base. Though I used chard and cherry tomatoes in this case, feel free to substitute any vegetable combination. I always let my ingredients dictate the dish.

Want to make the whole meal? These tasty little muffins complete the picture:

Click here for my Raspberry Walnut Kefir Muffin recipe

Vegetable Frittata with Red Chard, Cherry Tomatoes & Goat Cheese
Serves 4-6 people
Cooking time: about 20 minutes
Gluten-free

Ingredients
8 eggs
2 heaping cups chard, thinly chopped
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

1 shallot or small onion, peeled and chopped
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese
salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

1. In a cast iron skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallots or onion and saute for a few minutes, until softened and translucent (about four minutes). Add the chard and continue to cook until wilted. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Meanwhile, crack the eggs into a bowl and beat until the yolks and whites are mixed together and the entire mixture is slightly frothy. Season with a little salt and pepper.

3. Pour the egg mixture into the cast iron skillet over the vegetables. Place the halved cherry tomatoes cut side up on top of the egg mixture, gently pressing them down. Top with the crumbled goat cheese, fresh thyme, a little salt and pepper, and drizzle with olive oil.

4. Continue cooking stove top for a few minutes until the frittata begins to set. Finish the frittata under the broiler until cooked through. Enjoy!