Tag: dinner

Fake Away: Mongolian Beef with Sesame Cauli Rice

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I made this Fake Away a couple of weeks ago, and after some tweaking it’s finally ready to share! I am quite obsessed with cauliflower, can you tell? I use it in everything, even in smoothies when I don’t have an avocado or banana on hand, it adds a thickness.

This is a quick and delicious alternative to the traditional take away.

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Mongolian Beef

Ingredients:

Serves 3

1 lb flank steak (buy in strips or slice; I bought in cubes), or replace with mushrooms or tofu

1/4 cup cornstarch or flour

1/3 cup of soy sauce or coconut aminos

2 tbsp coconut oil

1/2 white onion, diced

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 cup water

6 tbsp honey

1/2 tsp grated ginger

mix of bell sliced bell peppers

Method:

In a measuring cup or small bowl, whisk the soy sauce, ginger, honey and water until well combined.

unnamed-9Heat the coconut oil in a large sauce pan over medium heat. Sautee the onion and garlic until soft.

Pour the soy sauce mixture into the sauce pan. Let it come to the boil, then add your cornstarch or flour. Continue to whisk until the mixture thickens, this should take about 2-3 minutes.

Add the meat, being aware not to overcrowd the pan and pieces of meat. Cook through. Then add your vegetables. Serve over Sesame Cauliflower Rice.

Sesame Cauli Rice

Ingredients:

1 head of cauliflower

1/2 of white onion, diced

1 clove of grlic minced

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

1 tablespoon vinegar

Method:

In a food processor, blitz a head of cauliflower until flour like consistency.

In a pan, sautee onion and garlic in a tablespoon of coconut oil. Add sesames seeds. Then add cauli rice and sautee until slightly golden. Pour in vinegar and stir. Top with Mongolian Beef.

Enjoy!

 

 

 

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Pineapple Lime Salmon and Lime Cauli Rice

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This week marks teaching at Burn Pilates SIX MONTHS! It’s been a whirlwind and it really does feel like six months, yet it also feels like I just started. It is truly inspiring to see client’s transformations(mentally and physically), and lately, maybe it was the Rihanna vs Beyonce Playlist I had for them today, but clients have been PUSHING! Like 150%. So if you’re a Burn client and have been to my class, THANK YOU for working hard!!

I really have been feeling inspired by my clients/classes to stay on track. Not only does staying healthy give me the energy I need to teach, it allows me to perform better when I attend fitness classes. Working out makes me feel strong and clears my mind, while eating right is my fuel.

After teaching my Sunday double, and doing a home workout, I needed some refuel. This is the perfect balance of sweet, savory, spice, and packs a BIG NUTRIENT DENSE PUNCH!

PINEAPPLE LIME SALMON AND LIME CAULI RICE

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Ingredients:

Serves 1

Salmon filets (1 per person)

Fresh pineapple chunks

1/2 clove of garlic minced (use 1 whole one if cooking for more than one)

1/2 teaspoon paprika (more for an extra kick)

1 teaspoon of roughly chopped parsley

1 lime

1 head of cauliflower

2 tablespoons white onion, diced

 

Joy Loops Hot Pepper Mix

Pinch of Himalayan salt and pepper

Method:

FOR SALMON:

Preheat oven to 400F. Tear of enough foil to wrap around salmon filets.

Zest the lime(you may only end up using a little bit, but why not put some in your Paddy’s Day cocktail later this week?!). Then cut in half. Using one of the halves, cut three slices. With the other half, juice it. unnamed-3

Lay foil flat on baking tray, and drizzle a little bit of oil(olive or avocado). Play two slices of lime. Then place two slices of lime. Top with your salmon. Add two pinches of lime zest, paprika, salt and pepper, garlic, pineapple, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Drizzle with a tiny bit more oil.

Wrap up the foil and bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes, or until salmon is flakey.

 

FOR CAULI RICE:

In a food processor blitz the cauliflower until rice like consistency. I only used about less than half a cup of cauli rice, feel free to use more or less! Store the rest in fridge, for the recipe coming up next!

In a sauce pan melt two teaspoons of oil or butter of choice, I used Earth Balance Vegan Butter. Then saute the onion until translucent, add in the cauliflower for about 2 min. Stir in lime juice(pan will sizzle) and 3 big pinches of zest, season with salt and pepper, and BOOM! Cauli rice in under 5 minutes that is flavorful!

PLATE UP: Just top a bed of the cauli rice with the salmon, serve with a side of greens, and drizzle a tablespoon of Joy Loops Hot Pepper Mix! Enjoy!

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Cauliflower Crust Pizza

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What do you make when you can’t eat junky white processed flour but are a pizza lover?! CAULIFLOWER CRUST PIZZA!!

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Pizettes Two Sauces: Traditional Marinara Sauce and Sweet Potato Sauce

There are SO many more benefits to this alternative-you’ll feel good, which means you’ll look good! Well, I do, ever since giving my food a makeover. I TRY to stay clear of eating white processed flour-and really any sorts of processed foods. So I turn to this Crust Recipe when I’m craving a takeaway. It’s all veggies so it is a guilt-free pizza pie-YUM!

Ingredients

Cauliflower Crust 

(Makes 1 large round pizza or 4 small pizzettes)

1 small head of cauliflower

1 clove of garlic

pinch of Himalayan or sea  salt

Tablespoon of dry, mixed herbs (Oregano, Basil, Parsley)

1 flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flax+3 tablespoons water-rest for 15 min)

 

Sweet Potato Sauce

1 large BOILED or ROASTED sweet potato

tablespoon of nutritional yeast

pinch of salt

Pizza toppings that pair great with this Sauce: sauteeed mushrooms, sauteed onions,  spinach, and walnuts

Method

Preheat oven to 450F.

To make the crust: Wash and dry cauliflower. Cut off the floret. In a food processor, pulse all ingredients EXCEPT the flax egg until it looks like the consistency of rice.

Put the cauliflower in a mixing bowl and add the flax egg.

Spoon the mixture onto a baking tray. Pat and shape with your fingers into a circle.

Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the edges are golden brown (this may take up to 20 for the larger pizza/depending on your oven).

While the base is baking in the oven you’ll want to make your sauce and toppings.

To make the Sauce: Siimply mash the sweet potato with a fork until smooth. Mix in the nutritional yeast and smooth.

Back to the Crust: Take the Crust out and spread the Sauce. Add the Toppings. Bake for another 10 minutes.

Enjoy!

Anna-Jane’s Thyme to Eat Salmon Fish Cakes and Mango Salsa

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I have been following Thyme to Eat, and I’ll admit, drooling over Anna-Jane’s dishes for some time now! So I am really excited to have her as a Guest Blogger and feature her recipe!

Her passion for food and for healthy cooking really shows through on her blog, social media, and demos. There’s really something for everyone, and her recipes are regularly featured in major publications; she has also appeared on IrelandAM.

If you have mashed potatoes from your Sunday roast leftover, this is an excellent lunch or dinner idea! The Mango Pineapple Salsa is a colorful addition, and adds that summery feel, especially with weather turning grey as of lately.

Fish cakes are a fantastic way of introducing kids and other fish phobes to the wonderful world of seafood. Not only do they taste great and provide some brain love in the form of omega 3, they’re also the perfect way to use up left over mash and create lunch or dinner in a flash!

The Mango and Pineapple Salsa adds another healthy element to the dish, as well as marrying all the beautiful flavours.

Serves: 4 large fish cakes

Creative serving suggestion – Present the fish cakes as fish burgers in a seeded or brioche bun with some tasty condiments and a side of sweet potato fries.

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Ingredients – Fish Cakes

  • 300g of mashed potato
  • 213g of tinned pink/red salmon (freshly cooked salmon is also an option)
  • Pinch of sea salt and black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon of paprika
  • 3 spring onions or scallions
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • Some flour for dusting (use tapioca flour for a gluten-free version)
  • Rapeseed/Olive Oil for frying

Ingredients – Salsa

  • 1 medium sized mango
  • Equal part pineapple to mango
  • ¼ of an onion
  • 1 red chili
  • Handful of fresh coriander
  • ¾ lime
  • Pinch of sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon of paprika

 

Method:

  1. Place the cooled mashed potato in a large mixing bowl.
  2. Add the drained salmon, salt, pepper and paprika to the bowl and mix into the potatoes.
  3. Dice up the scallions and garlic and heat a small frying pan with one tablespoon of rapeseed oil.
  4. Over a medium heat,sauté the scallions and garlic for about a minute, then add these to the potato mix.
  5. Next, flour a chopping board or work surface with some flour.
  6. Start preparing the potato patties by using a tablespoon or ice-cream scoop – two spoonfuls is enough for one patty.
  7. Shape them in your hands and coat each side of the patty with the floured board.
  8. Heat a large frying pan on a medium to high heat with four tablespoons of rapeseed oil.
  9. Add the patties to the pan and allow them to cook on each side for five minutes. While each side is cooking – start preparing the salsa.
  10. Dice up the mango, pineapple, onion and chili into fine pieces. Add everything to a large bowl and add the juice of the lime, the sea salt, paprika and the roughly chopped coriander. Mix everything really well and taste.
  11. Once the fish cakes are ready – serve them up two per person for dinner or one as a starter with a side of salsa. As mentioned previously, creating fish burgers is another delicious way to serve these up to kids or guests.

 

 

 

How-to: Whipped Ricotta Two Ways

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Fancy toasts have been on blogs, in cafes, and pictured on Insta for quite some time. Personally I can’t get enough avocado toasts-smashed avocado with a good sprinkle of chili flakes and squeeze of lemon juice. Another variation of these faWncy(pish-posh accent) toasts is using ricotta cheese. It’s my go-to snack as of lately. Sweet or savory, you’ll be making these for yourself for breakfast or lunch on the go, or for the wee ones after school.

I use the Sweet Ricotta on toast or pancakes! I use the Savory mix on toast, bagels, crostini, even as a dip for carrot and celery sticks!

For the photo pictured, I used Irish Soda Bread(my go-to recipe is the one I learned at Ballymaloe!), Irish honey, and wild blackberries that I foraged down in West Cork.

Here is my quick ‘How-to’ for Whipped Ricotta:

 

Ingredients:

All you need is about a cup of ricotta cheese

 

For Sweet Ricotta:

A teaspoon of vanilla (I like to also scrape a tiny bit of the beans out of the pod to add an extra punch of flavor)

Drizzle of honey, agave nectar

Toppings: Berries, coconut shavings, or almond slivers

 

For Savory Ricotta:

A teaspoon of lemon juice

A teaspoon of thyme leaves (dried is totally fine, but fresh is that bit nicer!)

Sea salt and pepper

Toppings: Tomatoes, green olives, smoked salmon

 

What to do:

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the ricotta until fluffy (just about 4-5 minutes). Remove the bowl from mixer and add either your Sweet or Savory ingredients.

It’s that easy! And there are so many ways to mix up the flavors. I even sometimes smash berries into the Sweet Mix, it creates a cool color effect.

 

Enjoy!

Spicy Prawn Salad

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Sun’s out in Dublin, and it’s beautiful! Such a change from yesterday. Maybe you’re hosting or going to one last summer BBQ? Or just don’t feel like cooking a massive meal?

This is a super quick and easy salad recipe, but there is a lot of flavor. It’s a colorful and bright dish, but the marinade really steals the show! It’s a good go-to for get togethers. Although it’s only August, this would make for a great, and very refreshing, starter at Christmas time.

The prawns are from Castletownbere, where the seafood is unreal. If you ever find yourself in West Cork, picking up some seafood is a must! Top chefs all over Ireland use, and give high praise to, West Cork’s seafood.

I made this Spicy Prawn Salad at my cooking demo earlier this month, and it was such a hit! Thanks again for those who came out.

 

CARMEL’S SPICY PRAWN SALAD

Serves 5-6

 

INGREDIENTS:

6 ears of fresh corn

1 lb cooked prawns

10 ounces cherry tomatoes

1 red bell pepper

 

1 teaspoon cumin powder

1 teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon paprika

¼ cup tablespoon olive oil

2 cloves of garlic, minced

sprinkle of chili flakes

 

2 tablespoons parsley

2 tablespoons lime juice

2 tablespoons white vinegar

salt and pepper

 

METHOD:

Marinade the prawns for at least 45 minutes(the longer the better!). Marinade is: olive oil, cumin, turmeric, paprika, garlic and chili flakes. While marinating the prawns, cook the corn. Place the corn in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to boil, then drain and rinse. Set aside to cool. Whisk together parsley, lime juice, vinegar and salt and pepper. Put corn, prawns, tomatoes, and bell pepper in bowl. Pour the parsley dressing over. Serve alongside BBQ and enjoy!

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AVAILABLE NOW, my EBook!

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I’m so excited! My recipe EBook is available now!!

It’s full of my most popular recipes from my blog, as well as two exclusive recipes just for the EBook. All the recipes are more from my ‘Saintly’ category.

It was challenging at times, but I love a challenge. It also made me tweak current recipes, tasting and testing my skills even more.

This will be the first of several!

Purchase here:

https://www.amazon.com/Quick-Easy-Cookin-Carmel-Recipes-ebook/dp/B01KG4VN6O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1471868893&sr=8-1&keywords=Quick+and+Easy+Cookin%27+with+Carmel

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First look at my recipe eBook!

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Here’s a peak at my FIRST recipe eBook! A handful of my blog’s most popular recipes, as well as two exclusive recipes just for the eBook, and some of my favorite pantry essentials!

I wanted to keep the cover clean looking and keep it fairly short. So the theme is quick and easy, and for the most part, it showcases more ‘Saintly’ than ‘Sinful’.

I’m just tweaking the layout and it’ll be ready for purchase!

It’ll be available August 21–keep your eyes out for more updates/news!

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COOKING DEMO NEXT WEEK

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In West Cork next week?! I am giving a cooking demonstration on Bere Island! It’ll be at 5pm in the Community Center.

There’s a lot of fun activities on Bere Island happening over the next week, check out the line-up:

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Sweet Potato and Red Lentil Turmeric Curry

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This is a quick and easy meal to put together. It’s ideal in this Irish summer! It’s been pretty rainy this week, so a bowl of this is just what I needed. And I’m sure by now, you have noticed my little obsession with turmeric. I love the flavor and the amount of benefits you can get from turmeric-whether it be in a dish like this one or as a DIY Face Mask!

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Sweet Potato and Red Lentil Turmeric Curry

Ingredients

olive oil or coconut oil

1 red onion, diced

2 Sweet Potato, diced

150g Red Lentil

1 can chopped tomatoes

1 tablespoon Turmeric

1 tablespoon Curry Powder

Teaspoon chili flakes

Sprinkle of The Laughing Oyster Seaweed Flakes

Salt and pepper for taste

Optional: Chickpeas and Spinach

Method

In a large pot sweat the onion in the oil. Add the spices and Seaweed Sprinkles. Then add the sweet potato and tomatoes(and chickpeas if adding). Adjust with salt and pepper. Simmer for about 20 minutes. Stir in the spinach.

Serve with basmati rice or naan bread! A great and much healthier alternative to a takeaway!

You can make A LARGE batch of this and it easily freezes.