Category Archives: Salads

Just Coconuts…dreaming of a Tropical Escape.

02 Thursday May 2013

Posted by in Dairy, dinner, Divorce Musings, General Rants & Thoughts, Healthy Eats, Salads, Sarah's Holiday Recipes, Shavout

≈ 2 Comments

my life is coco – NUTS!

there is really nothing I can say

it never ends.

when I think I have things under control

conquered the hurdles & obstacles…

another one pops up

I feel like I am the the hamster in that carnival game…

every time I finally pop up on my feet…

someone comes with a hammer…

& knocks me down.

I truly need to escape…run..hide – get away from the insanity

because I have no idea

how I am actually getting the strength to pop that hamster head up again.

that hammer has no mercy…won’t even give me a day of rest…

literally and I kid you not…

within the last 3 hours…

I have been bopped on the head

HARD

3x….

I am bruised…badly

hurting…praying it to end …

praying for a chance to just get as far away from the hammer that

is making it hard for me…

to keep on going…

but I have no choice…

pop up little hamster

pop up……

 

Salmon Coconut Balls with my “Tastebuds” Tropical Salad

I had so many plans for the blog for this pre-Shavout season. I had created so many new  recipes galore that I was and hopefully still can share with you.

I just don’t have the time or the energy  these days to post. Just another thing for me to deal with right now…LOL. But I appreciate all of you who have been following my drama ad have been so gracious in the emails and comments….every kind word sent my way adds to my power bar that gives me the strength to get up – So thank you from the bottom of my heart.

I created this recipe close to 2 years ago & the drama of tastebuds had already started (my excuse as to why I look like dreck in this video!) It is really easy and for those of you who remember my Tropical Salad from the cafe – the Coconut covered salmon balls – just make it all the more fantastic and delicious.

Check out the You tube video for step by step instructions – also let me know if you guys like seeing me cook – I am seriously thinking about starting my own You Tube Cooking & Home Channel!

Also if you live near or in Lakewood – I am cooking and selling many of your favorite Tastebuds & Dairy Gourmet dishes for Shavout – orders are coming in quick – so if you would like to get the price list please comment with your email address or email me at thepatchkeprincess@yahoo.com.

Salmon Coconut Encrusted Balls Recipe

Ingredients:

½ cup corn starch

2 tsp. kosher salt

½ tsp. cayenne pepper

1 cup coconut milk

1 ½ cups shredded unsweetened coconut

¾ cup panko crumb

1 can salmon

1 egg, beaten

Vegetable oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375

Mix the corn starch, salt and pepper in a plastic bad. Pour the coconut milk into a bowl. Combine the coconut, panko and a pinch of kosher salt in a paper plate.

Drain the salmon from the can and pour into a small mixing bowl. Add 1 egg and mix well. Using your hands take some salming and roll into a small ping pong ball size ball. Lay the salmon ball onto a parchment lined baking sheet until you are ready to start coating.

Toss the salmon ball in the corn starch mixture in the plastic bag. Remove  and then dip coated salmon in the coconut milk. Then finally dredge the salmon  in the panko mixture; and set on a parchment lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining salmon pieces.

Bake in oven for 15-20 minutes until salmon balls are a light golden brown.

For Tropical Salad Romaine Salad

Ingredients:

1 cup Mandarin oranges

1 red pepper, diced

½ cup Crushed walnuts

1 Mango, diced

Directions:

Plate as desired

 

Tropical Dressing:

¼ cup Mayonnaise

¼ cup apricot preserves

2 tbsp.  duck sauce

Q tsp. garlic powder

1 heaping tsp. ginger powder

1 pinch cayenne pepper (optional)

Directions:

Mix all the ingredients for dressing in a bowl well serve over salad.

 

 

 


 

the root of it….

07 Thursday Feb 2013

Posted by in Healthy Eats, Purim, Salads, side dish (pareve), VEGAN, Whats for Dinner Tonight?

≈ Leave a Comment

Tags

,

20130207-151405.jpg

it’s time to get to the root of it…
literally…
today I woke up
after a night of tossing & turning…
and realized…
for every two steps I feel like I am getting ahead…
the next day…
It feels like I am taking 3 steps back.
the question I should really ask myself…
what is it I want? What is it that would make me feel like things are going to be…
all right?
everyone says time…and a plan is all I need…
well…no
I need something more…
just not sure what
or where…or..
anything.
it’s time to get to the root of it…
anyone else ever feel like this?

Root Vegetables with Toasted Almonds & Raisins

Ina Garten of the Barefoot Contessa has one of the best root vegetables recipes I have ever made. This is not it. This is my version of a delicious root vegetable side dish that is super easy to make and goes with about any main dish you can think of. The truth is I make this to eat alone – I throw it on top of some greens, or some brown rice if I want it to be a meal onto itself.

WIth the added toasted almonds and raisins, I gave it a little Moroccan twist, and for me there is nothing more tasty than the crunch of the almonds with the soft spiced veggies. The occasional delighted surprise when you pop a raisin and it’s burst of added sweet flavor is just another reason why I make this recipe every chance I get.

Tip: (If you want to keep this totally dietetic – can use non-stick oil spray to coat your pan and vegetables

Ingredients:
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 large butternut squash, diced into cubes
1 large fennel bulb, diced
2 large parsnips, diced
1 medium onion, cut into 1/4 inch thick slices
1 large turnip, diced
1 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. basil
2 tsp. dried thyme
2 tsp. dried rosemary
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. ginger powder
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup raisins
sea salt & pepper to taste

Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 400F
Prepare a large baking sheet with non stick spray, or coat the bottom with good olive oil.
In a large bowl, toss together everything well, but the almonds and raisins. Add slat & pepper to taste. Put into oven and bake for about 25-30 minutes until vegetables are soft enough to pierce through with a fork.

In a small skillet toast the almonds and raisins on medium low heat for 2-3 minutes. Stirring frequently.

Remove vegetables from oven, add additional salt & pepper if needed and serve with the almonds and raisins as a generous garnish.

20130207-163728.jpg

keeping my cool…in the kitch

21 Thursday Jun 2012

Posted by in dessert, dinner, Fish, Salads, Whats for Dinner Tonight?

≈ 8 Comments

Tags

, , ,

 

NewImage

man it is hot outside

I love it

better to be hot than cold

but today…sorta ridiculous with the heat index 110 @8AM

this morning I realized

after the last week in the kitchen

testing..and testing recipes

I just want to keep my cool…

in the kitch

what does that mean?

well now that I am trying my best to eat well

not diet…just eat well

because dieting never works

BELIEVE me! (you all know I am saying the truth!)

Since Monday I have made myself a promise…

I am determined to think before I eat

plan my menu out…instead of scrounge

when I am hungry

but today..I am keeping the ovens OFF

the challenge…making delicious food

that is satisfying…yet requires no cooking

and Tunie B will actually eat with me!

i got this covered…a piece of cak.. carrot ;)

Have an awesome day all – me & Tunie B will!!

xxx Sarah

ps.. I am trying to build this site..and I can use all of your support. So if you like what I am doing please like my page on Facebook, join me on twitter and or subscribe to my emails. Much appreciated!! You can also follow me on interest and instagram

Here is Today’s Keep it Cool Menu:

Breakfast:

Watermelon Feta Salad

This salad satisfies both my sweet and savory tastebuds as well as being perfect for breakfast. After a nice size plate of this salad, i am good to go.

I know rules say that you should eat most of your calories and protein at breakfast, but I find I like to keep breakfast on the lighter side, I am just not that hungry in the morning.

Recipe:

NewImage

½ seedless watermelon, sliced into bite-size chunks

1 cup feta cheese, crumbles

For the Lemon Vinaigrette:

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

2 Tbsp. olive oil

 1 ½ packets Splenda or 1 Tbsp. sugar

Pinch of kosher salt

 Fresh mint for garnish

It is best to plate each salad individually rather than mixing it all in a large bowl; the feta tends to melt when you add liquid.

On each plate, place a generous amount of the bite-size watermelon. Sprinkle chunks of the feta cheese on top as you desire. In a separate bowl whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, and Splenda. Drizzle lightly over the watermelon and feta; top it off with a sprinkle of kosher salt. Garnish with fresh mint and serve.

lunch:

Smashed Chickpea & Avocado Sandwich

NewImageUsually it is lunch time that I am starving and most times I am never home and have not thought ahead. Sadly to say most times I push off lunch till later in the day and have a lunch supper with Tunie..then another supper by myself. So not good!!!

Today I am planning ahead and packing lunch for me and Tunie as we go have our first summer day off together…NO SCHOOL – HELLO BEACH!

This is a great sandwich recipe that I got from www.twopeasandtheirpod.com (a really great blog!)

And because Tunie B. will eat ANYTHING with Avocado…she wolfs this lunch down every time I make it for her!

recipe:

1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas

1 large ripe avocado

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

2 tablespoons chopped green onion

juice from 1 lime salt and pepper, to taste

bread of your choice fresh spinach leaves or other sandwich toppings: lettuce, tomato slices, sprouts etc..

 

dinner:

Spinach Salad with canned Salmon

 

I find that I enjoy canned salmon more than Tuna, and so does Tunie B. (ironic considering her name lol) She eats hers with pretzel chips and the veggies. I eat mine topped on a bed of Spinach leaves with more avocado & cherry tomatoes.

Tip: to keep my dressing under control I have these 2oz plastic cups that you get in the stores when you buy a salad. I refill them and viola…instant portion control.

recipe:

1 can salmon

3 tbsp. mayo

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. fresh black pepper

2 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped

1 tsp. curry (optional)

Spinach leaves

cherry tomatoes

avocado

Mix the canned salmon with the mayo and spices.  Plate salad according to taste.

For dessert:

Because in my house there is ALWAYS dessert! – My favorite thing…Frozen Banana.

Frozen banana tastes exactly like ice cream and is super delicious..if you have never tried it…well do it SOON!

 

And of course no day goes with out a snack!

These days I have found a new bar that I love that has great flavors and has anywhere between 150-210

calories depending on the flavor.

You can find these all over your groceries and local starbucks!

Kind bars

I am also a huge fan of the simply bars – but have not seen them in my local grocery lately.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hikca -MOMMY!

07 Thursday Jun 2012

Posted by in Salads

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

, ,

Hikca -MOMMY!

IMG 3199

My

Tunie B.

gotta LOVE that kid.

decided to potty train herself… yes you heard me..

decided that she had just about enough with that old diaper thing!

It’s ONLY Hello Kittty underwear…if you please.

My days are now filled with cries of…

MOMMY!..MOMMY! Come See…

and as I race from kitchen to bathroom

to behold what wondrous “surprise” is waiting of me.

I know…

that this is what it means to love unconditionally.

Because why else would I be

(happily & willingly)  doing  my 100th  version of it’s a Poo Poo Potty Dance. (thank u elmo)

waving & jumping ..singing with unabashed glee

It is a Potty Party..every-time!

for me and Tunie B. are the only guests

and each time..is as if we won the mega million lottery!

But with all this.. there is just a little hiccup in my joy.

where is my baby? please I need her to stop growing up -so fast.

and am I being selfish?

if I wish my Tunie B. will just wait a month or two more..

so mommy can get things settled in the new home

get organized in the chaos that happens with change?

just a few more day of relief…to not have to ask every five minutes…”do you need to go potty?” in every store we go.

But NO..it is not to be.

my Tunie B. is a mini me

and when she wants things done..

well… she does them herself.

I should have guessed :)

NewImage

If you happen to be one of those mothers who want to potty train your child  - and personally I really believe on letting things happen organically with no pressure from me or anyone else, I think this elmo video started it all. I happen to have downloaded on one of our flights to Israel..well lets just say..by the end of the plane ride Tunie B. had seen it about 10 times and I kid you not…the guy siting next to us..was singing the lets go potty song by the end of the ride.

I actually had a college professor who I loved, Mr. Rosenfeld, who in our advance interpersonal communication class, did an exercise with us that made us recall our first memory of when we used the toilet.

The point being..that out of the 20 of us in the classroom, ALL 20 of us had some type of horror memory about going potty. According to Mr. Rosenfeld, it is the start of anxiety and fear development in children, and the less pressure we put on them, the more we are likely to have a child with a little less neurosis than, we, sitting in that room had. Sorta makes sense and rings true no?

IMG 3201

Jicama Salad

And because everything is ultimately about food for me.. well its JICAMA (hik-kama) season..and I ADORE this vegetable. It is a cross between an apple and a potato and has just light sweetness that is so delicious. They are really the perfect crunchy, refreshing light vegetable to add to any salad I am making, and I particularly LOVE them grilled on the BBQ.

Here is a Salad that I make as often as I can in the summer.

Ingredients:

l lb bag Fresh baby Spinach leaves (or any of your fav lettuce)

2 cups sliced Jicama

1 cup fresh blueberries

1 pint yellow cherry tomatoes, sliced

Dressing:

1/2 cup favorite strawberry preserve

3 tbsp. Balsamic vinegar

Directions:

Assemble your salad ingredients. In a small bowl whisk together the dressing ingredients  - plate and dress salad. Serve immediately.