1 Kings 13:15 Then he said unto him, Come home with me, and eat bread
Abba's Word about food
is still as valid today as in the biblical times!
We can live longer, healthier and feel happier
when we feed our bodies with the best Yahweh has for us.

So let's remember to always listen for that 'still small voice'
and follow the leading of Ruach ha'Kodesh, Holy Spirit
into all truth and enjoy every blessing that Life has to offer
in keeping with good nutrition for good health!
Love ♡ Blessings ♡ Shalom
...Enjoy!
~Cyndi Maria Jesse~

Sunday, May 7, 2017

Hemp Blueberry Spinach Smoothie

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Hemp Blueberry Spinach Smoothie
serves 1
You will need:
  • 1/2 cup frozen Blueberries
  • 1 cup baby spinach Spinach
  • 1 cup Hemp or Almond Milk
  • 1 tbsp Hemp Powder
  • 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 1 tsp Cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp Hemp Hearts/Seeds
Assembly:
Place all ingredients minus the hemp hearts into a food processor or high speed blender. Blend until smooth. Transfer to glass & sprinkle with hemp hearts.
Enjoy!
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Blessings to: SundayMorning

Greek-Style Lentil Salad

Traditional Greek salad is so delicious on its own—the creaminess of the feta against the crunchy cucumber and sweet tomatoes is a perfect combination. And adding lentils is an easy way to up the protein. This classic salad is just the lunchtime pick-me-up I need to give me energy to attack the rest of the day. Add grilled salmon, chicken, or shrimp for even more of a protein boost if you're extra hungry.
Greek-Style Lentil Salad Recipe
Makes 6 to 8 servings

What You’ll Need:
  • 2 cups lentils du Puy
  • 6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
  • Zest of 2 lemons
  • 6 tablespoons of fresh squeezed lemon juice
  • 4 tablespoons of chopped fresh oregano
  • 2 tablespoons of chopped flat leaf parsley
  • 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh mint
  • 1 small red onion, chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, grated or minced
  • ½ pint of grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
  • ½ greenhouse cucumber (or mini seedless cucs), cut in ¼ inch cubes
  • 6-8 oz. feta cheese
  • Salt and fresh ground pepper

What to Do:
1. Place the lentils in a saucepan with 4 cups of water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for approximately 20 minutes, or until lentils are tender. Strain and set aside.
2. Whisk olive oil, zest, lemon juice, salt and pepper together in a bowl. It should be well seasoned (heavily salted and peppered) as it will be tossed with the rest of the ingredients.
3. Add vinaigrette to the lentils and allow lentils to fully cool. When cooled, add the chopped herbs, onion, tomatoes, and the cucumber. Stir gently to combine.
4. Transfer salad to a large serving platter and crumble feta over the top.

Enjoy!
Blessings to: greatest.com

Sunday, December 13, 2015

Potato Latkes



Ingredients
  • 2 Eggs (I use Local Organic Free Range)
  • 2 lbs Potatoes (I use Organic Red)
  • Oil for frying (I use Coconut Oil)
  • Salt (I use few pinches of Pink Himalayan)
Directions

Peel and finely grate the potatoes. Put them straight into cold water, then drain and squeeze them as dry as you can by pressing them with your hands in a colander. This is to remove the starchy liquid, which could make the latkes soggy.

Beat the eggs lightly with salt, add to the potatoes, and stir well. Film the bottom of a frying pan with oil and heat. Take serving-spoonfuls, or as much as 1/4 cup, of the mixture and drop into the hot oil. Flatten a little, and lower the heat so that the fritters cook through evenly. When one side is brown, turn over and brown the other.

Lift out and serve very hot... Enjoy and Be Blessed!

Sunday, September 27, 2015

Roasted Butternut Salad with Danish Feta, Cranberries and Pumpkin Seeds


Roasted Butternut Salad with Danish Feta, Cranberries and Pumpkin Seeds
Serves: 4-6

Ingredients
  • 1 butternut, sliced into wedges/rings
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • salt & pepper to taste
For the salad
  • 4-6 cups fresh baby spinach
  • ½ cup dried cranberries, soaked in boiling water until plump and juicy
  • ¼ cup pine nuts
  • ¼ cup pumpkin seeds
  • 1 cup Danish feta, cubed
For the dressing
  • 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2-3 tablespoons raspberry vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • ¼ teaspoon sugar (or sugar substitute)
  • salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
  • Pre-heat the oven to 200°c.
  • Place the butternut on a baking sheet then drizzle with olive oil and season to taste.
  • Place in the oven and allow to roast for 15-20 minutes until golden brown and cooked through.
  • Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.
  • In a frying pan, toast the pine nuts and pumpkin seeds until golden brown and fragrant.
  • Remove and allow to cool.
  • Arrange the baby spinach leaves, roasted butternut, cranberries, nuts, seeds and feta cheese on a large platter.
  • For the dressing, whisk together all the ingredients then pour over the salad and serve immediately


Blessings to: Simply Delicious

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Avocado Caprese Wrap


Avocado Caprese Wrap
Ingredients
  • 2 whole wheat tortillas
  • ½ cup or so of fresh arugula leaves
  • 1 ball fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced
  • 1 tomato, sliced
  • 1 avocado, pitted and sliced
  • basil leaves
  • olive oil
  • balsamic vinegar
  • kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
  1. Layer slices of tomato, mozzarella cheese and avocado on ⅓ of the tortilla. 
  2. Add a few torn pieces of basil leaves then drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. 
  3. Season with kosher salt and pepper
  4. Fold the tortilla in thirds and serve

Blessings to: foodiecrush

Friday, January 30, 2015

Caprese Salad in Phyllo Baskets w/ Olive Tapenade Vinaigrette

caprese salad in phyllo baskets with an olive tapenade vinaigrette
caprese salad in phyllo baskets with an olive tapenade vinaigrette
caprese salad in phyllo baskets with an olive tapenade vinaigrette
Caprese is one those classic and very simple salads that relies heavily on using the best possible ingredients in order to make it perfect. With only 3 main components – tomatoes, mozzarella and fresh basil, you really should buy the best of the best. It also needs a stand out olive oil in order to make it shine.

Tomatoes: Use the ripest, sweetest and best possible red tomatoes you can find. In South Africa, I find the best that we have are the Mediterranean rosa and baby tomatoes (on the vine), so I like to use these. If necessary allow them to ripen at room temperature which further intensifies their flavour.

Mozzarella: It has to be a proper fior di latte or buffalo mozzarella for the caprese. I wanted to use bocconcini but my grocer was out of stock, so I cut up one larger ball.

Basil: I like fresh young basil leaves for the caprese salad, they are fragrant and packed with flavour.

Olive oil: use the very best quality extra virgin olive oil you can afford and I used Marbrin, delicate extra virgin olive oil from the Breede Valley in Robertson.

I then added my own twist. As a textural eater, I like a bit of crunch in my food, so I thought the caprese would be wonderful in little phyllo baskets – which are way easier to make than they may look, and I added olive tapenade to the dressing give it another flavour dimension.

Marbrin - a boutique and family-run table olive and olive oil producer, recently won 3 gold awards in all 3 categories (Delicate, medium and Intense) at the recent 2013 SA Olive oil awards. This is a spectacular achievement and all the results can be seen here. They won a whole bunch of awards in 2012, so are clearly going from strength to strength. When I tasted the oil, I knew it was something exceptional and have been keeping it to use for my salads and to drizzle over prepared dishes only. A top quality olive oil should not be used in cooking, as the high temperatures denature it and destroys some of its delicate flavor.

Caprese Salad in Phyllo Baskets with an Olive Tapenade Vinaigrette
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 9 small phyllo baskets

Serving Size: serves 4

Ingredients
  • 2 cups of cherry or rosa tomatoes, cut into half or quarters
  • 3T chopped basil
  • 1 fior di latte mozzarella ball / about a cup (250g weight in liquid)
  • extra basil leaves to garnish
  • 3 sheets of phyllo pastry
  • 20g butter, melted in the microwave
  • dressing
  • 2t olive tapenade
  • 5T extra virgin olive oil
  • 2T good quality red or white wine vinegar
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed
  • sea salt and pepper
Instructions
  1. Pre heat the oven to 180 C / 350 F and grease 9 cups in a 12 cup non-stick muffin tray.
  2. Working quickly, lightly brush a sheet of phyllo pastry with melted butter and then cut it into 9 roughly equal squares. Place the square of pastry, buttered side up, over the muffin hole and gently press it in. Repeat with the other two sheets of phyllo, overlapping the pastry as you place it over the previous piece. You want to have 3 squares of pastry per muffin hole, overlapped.
  3. Bake for 10 - 15 minutes until it is golden brown (make sure you watch this carefully).
  4. Remove and allow to cool.
  5. Cut the tomatoes into roughly the same size pieces and toss in the bowl with the basil.
  6. Cut the mozzarella ball into equal size pieces and mix with the tomatoes and basil.
  7. Put all the salad ingredients into a glass jar and shake vigorously, tasting to adjust the seasoning and intensity as you go. Add more tapenade or oil to suit your preference.
  8. Just before you are about to serve, pour enough dressing over the salad to coat it well, toss and dish up into the cooled phyllo cups. garnish with fresh basil leaves.
Notes -
  • You can make the phyllo baskets ahead of time or the day before and store in an airtight container. If you want to intensify the olive flavor, drop half a teaspoon of tapenade into the bottom of each phyllo basket before you add the salad.
  • Marbrin also produce fabulous table olives (Kalamata and Mission cultivars), and tapenade (Traditional and a Garlic, lemon and nutmeg variant)
  • I used the Traditional tapenade (which has anchovies, capers, garlic, salt pepper and lemon) in this recipe along with their delicate olive oil. Mixed into a simple vinaigrette, it worked perfectly with the caprese salad. It would be lovely on other salads too, or drizzled over cooked meat, grilled fish or pizza.
*Disclaimer ~ Marbrin have sponsored this recipe post
caprese salad in phyllo baskets with an olive tapenade vinaigrette
caprese salad in phyllo baskets with an olive tapenade vinaigrette
caprese salad in phyllo baskets with an olive tapenade vinaigrette
Blessings to: drizzleanddip

Friday, November 28, 2014

One-Pot Cheesy Turkey Tamale Pie


One-Pot Cheesy Turkey Tamale Pie
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Serving Size: 4-6


Ingredients:
Polenta
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups milk
1 cup polenta
4 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese shredded, plus 4 ounces more for topping
1/4 teaspoon salt + pepper
2-4 tablespoons butter (your preference)
Turkey Mixture
2 cup leftover turkey, shredded
1 cup leftover gravy (or 1/2 cup extra enchilada sauce)
1 1/2 cups red enchilada sauce
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt + pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 red pepper, diced
1 1/2 cups cooked black beans (rinsed + drained if using canned)

To Serve:
diced avocado
pomegranate salsa (or any salsa)*
4 ounces queso fresco or cotija cheese, crumbled
fresh cilantro, chopped
crushed tortilla chips (I forgot to add these in the photos, but you should do this!)

Instructions:
  • Start by making the polenta. Pour the chicken broth and milk into a medium size brasier or high-sided skillet and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium and slowly whisk in the polenta. Cook, stirring frequently, until the polenta is soft and thick, about 15 to 20 minutes. Keep warm and then just before serving, stir in the cheddar cheese and butter, season with salt and pepper. If the polenta seems a little thick you can add a tablespoon of butter or extra milk.
  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
  • While the polenta is cooking, mix together the turkey, gravy, red enchilada sauce, chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, salt and pepper in mixing bowl. Stir in the red pepper and black beans. Once the polenta is done cooking, smooth it out into a single layer and then pour the turkey tamale mixture over, spreading it in an even layer. Top with cheese. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the pie is bubbling and the cheese is melted. Allow to sit 5 to 10 minutes and then serve with fresh cilantro, salsa and queso fresco or cotija cheese. Enjoy!
*To make a quick pomegranate salsa, combine 1 1/2 cups pomegranate arils with 1 small seeded + diced jalapeno, juice of 1 lime and 1/4 cup cilantro.
Blessings to: Half Baked Harvest

Sunday, October 26, 2014

Cranberry Walnut Swirl Bread


Cranberry Walnut Swirl Bread
The perfect bread for your left-over turkey sandwiches! Great plain or toasted. Also nice toasted with marmalade. I’ve included my cranberry sauce recipe at the end of the instructions, in case you need one.

Ingredients
For the bread:
  • 14 oz / 3 1/4 cups unbleached bread or all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp. fine salt or 1 1/2 tsp. coarse kosher salt
  • 2 1/2 Tbsp. white or brown sugar
  • 2 1/2 tsp. instant yeast1/2 cup lukewarm water, about 95°
  • 1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp. lukewarm buttermilk or milk
  • 2 Tbsp. melted, unsalted butter or vegetable oil
For the filling:
  • 1 1/2 cups cranberry sauce (not too runny – drain a bit of liquid off, if necessary)
  • 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
  • In a large bowl of the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a kneading hook, combine 2 cups of the flour, the salt, sugar and instant yeast. Mix to combine. Add the lukewarm water, milk and melted butter or oil. Mix to combine. Begin adding the remaining flour, 1/4 cup at a time, until you have a soft and smooth dough that is moist, but not tacky. Remove dough to a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise until doubled, 45-60 minutes.
  • Remove dough to a floured surface. Roll in to a rectangle, approximately 12 inches wide by 18 inches long. Spread your cranberry sauce over the surface, leaving a 1-inch margin on the longest sides. Sprinkle with chopped walnuts. Starting with the long sides, roll the dough jelly-roll style (the best technique here is to lift gently and flop forward), until you reach the end. Pinch seams and ends together.
  • (If you’d like a visual of the shaping technique, it is shown in my Cheese Bread Recipe) Using a sharp knife, cut down the centre of the roll from one end to the other. Carefully place the two pieces side by side, with the cut side facing up. Pinch together the two pieces of dough at one end. Proceed to braid the two pieces together, by lifting on piece over the other and then repeating a couple of times. Pinch together the other end.
  • Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan. Using a spatula or a bench scraper, carefully lift the braided dough in to the pan. Spray a piece of plastic wrap with cooking spray and place over top of pan. Allow to rise until dough has risen about an inch above the pan in the centre.
  • Pre-heat oven to 350° F. Once bread has risen, remove plastic wrap. Bake for 30 minutes. Check at 30 minutes and rotate the pan front to back. If bread is already well browned, cover loosely with a piece of aluminum foil and bake an additional 10-15 minutes, until bread is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped. (Or about 200° F. when tested with a thermometer). Allow bread to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then run a knife around the edges and remove bread from loaf pan and cool on a cooling rack.
  • Allow bread to cool completely before slicing.
Cranberry Sauce recipe:
Combine 1/2 cup white sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup orange juice and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add a 12 oz. package of fresh cranberries. Cook, stirring regularly, until the cranberries start to pop (about 10 minutes) and liquid thickens slightly. Remove from heat, and transfer to a bowl. Cranberry sauce will thicken more as it cools.

** This bread is lovely plain or toasted. It’s great for turkey sandwiches, or just with butter or marmalade. Would be nice used for French Toast or bread pudding, as well.

Prep time: 20 min | Cook time: 40 min | Total time: 2 hours 40 min
Number of servings (yield): 1 9×5-inch loaf

 
Blessings to: seasonsandsuppers

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Homemade Hot Apple Cider


Homemade Hot Apple Cider
10 large apples, such as Honeycrisp, Fuji, Gala, etc.
1 L water
1 vanilla bean
3 cinnamon sticks
6 whole cloves
1 tablespoon brown sugar (optional)
1 tablespoon maple syrup (optional)


Quarter the apples and removes the core and stems. Place into a large pot and add the water, vanilla bean, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and sweeteners if desired. Bring to a boil over medium heat and boil for 30 minutes. 

Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes or so.

Turn off the heat and let cool. Remove the spices and vanilla bean. Using a blender or immersion blender, puree the apple mix until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth. Store in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Enjoy!

 ..


Blessings to: hintofvanilla

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup


Ingredients
- 1 medium squash
- 6+ cloves garlic
- yellow onion
- extra virgin olive oil
- fresh thyme sprigs
- 4 cups chicken stock
- salt & pepper
- 1/4 cup 1/2 and 1/2 or heavy cream (optional)

Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Cut squash in half length-wise and scoop out the seeds. Place on baking sheet, and fill empty cavities with at least 3 cloves garlic and 2-3 thyme sprigs each. Then drizzle halves with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Carefully flip the squash over on its belly so the cut side is down, being careful to keep the garlic and thyme underneath. Roast for about one hour, until it's nice and tender and caramelized (you can check this with a fork - if it sinks into squash with ease, it's done!).

Meanwhile, in a medium pot on medium heat, sauté the onion in a tablespoon or two of oil until it begins to brown. Once the squash is finished roasting, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool for a bit. Put garlic aside and toss the thyme. Scoop out the squash flesh from the skin (be gentle, because the skin tears super easily). Dump squash and reserved garlic into the pot with onion, and turn up the heat a bit, allowing the squash to caramelize a bit. Break up the squash with a spoon and stir it so it doesn't stick to the pot.

After the squash is nicely caramelized, add the chicken stock to the pot. Stir, and allow it to simmer for 10-15 minutes. Using an immersion blender, puree until smooth. Remove from heat and add 1/2 and 1/2, if you're using it! Taste, and add salt & pepper as needed. You can also add 1/2 and 1/2 or greek yogurt or heavy cream to make it a bit creamier! Enjoy!

Blessings to A Daily Something.
Photos by Anna Clair Photo