Peas + Salmon Pasta Salad

I got some fresh shelling peas at the farmer's market this weekend. My almost 9 month old son thinks it's great to smoosh them with his fingers, roll them around in his mouth and throw them from his highchair. And I think that fresh peas taste fabulous with pasta salad and salmon. So, why not whip up a salmon, pea, pasta salad and call it fresh and summery. That is just what this recipe is, a crowd pleaser for mature tastes. Also, this recipe is a great way to start using some of those beautiful and tasty fresh herbs. I have an herb garden and love to prune and pick some daily to use in recipes. I just love how fresh herbs will flavor and nourish all in the same bite. Plus, when cooking gluten and dairy-free you sometimes just need a little something to put some shine and hollar into your dish.

Some people are curious in how to use fresh herbs. Well, let's just say that parsley, basil and cilantro make anything fresh taste even fresher. So experiment with fresh herbs, you really can't go that wrong. You will learn what pairs well with what, and if not.... search around on the internet for a while and I bet you could come up with some yummy fresh herb recipes to try.

In the meantime, I will be shelling my peas to enjoy. They are so cute and sweet. Hm... my favorite way to eat them is out of the pod, but also they taste best and are "cooked" by steaming. Just steam them (or you could boil) for just a few minutes until them become bright green, and then you know they are cooked enough. Something incredible about the pea is that they are packed with protein. A cup of peas has around 5 grams of protein...which is a nice amount for any small green thing. So, if you haven't shelled your own peas before, I suggest you find a local farmer (maybe at a local farmer's market?) and buy some of these sweet thing from them. Try something new. It's fun and its a lot more interesting than buying peas in a can or bag. I can promise you that. ***There are also snow peas and sweet peas that you can buy that can be eaten in the pods they come in and are a bit different than shelling peas.***

And, here I am going on and on about peas. But this salad also contains the great protein source of salmon. I used 2- 6 ounce cans of wild caught (skinless and boneless) salmon in this dish. But you could also use a fresh 10-12 ounce cooked salmon steak. Salmon is one of my favorite proteins because it contains so much rich flavor, and also a great amount of omega 3 fatty acids....which I know my body could use more of being a nursing momma. This salad will keep you moving and does not disappoint! So it seems like I should get to this recipe already and stop blabbing about herbs, peas and salmon. You gotta love fresh food!

Peas+Salmon Pasta Salad Recipe

1 cup of lightly steamed green peas

*may be called sweet peas, but make sure if you buy peas in pods that they are shelling peas

1 cup of finely diced celery

1 cup of finely diced scallions or green onion (also found fresh at market this week)

1/2 cup of chopped fresh parsley (or sub some cilantro as well)

*fresh oregano, basil and thyme could also be added for a touch more flavor

2 TB of fresh squeezed lemon juice

2 TB of extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup of organic mayonnaise (or non-egg option of veganaise)

1 TB of curry powder

enough sea salt and pepper to taste

Mix in a large mixing bowl the above green things, seasonings and "salad dressing" together. Mix well and then add the salmon...

2- 6 ounce cans of wild caught salmon (boneless and skinless is less hassle).

*Or use the cooked salmon meat from a 10-12 ounce salmon steak.

Make sure you mix well, and then add the already cooked 16 ounces of gluten-free pasta. It can still be warm from boiling, and in fact the warm pasta will help absorb the flavors as it cools together.

16 ounces of cooked al dente brown rice gluten-free pasta (my favorite is tinkyada pasta)

*I used shells for this salad, but any of the pasta shapes could do.

Add in the pasta and then still all together. Mix well and make sure not to allow pasta breakdown (that means you cooked it too long!) Mix well, and then add fresh herbs and lemon on top to serve. Viola- dinner, or lunch is served!

Some Notes:

*I find this recipe very simple and satisfying. Lots of protein, and easily packed up and brought to cookouts, picnics or in the fridge for lunch for a few days.

*Also, if you are avoiding mayonnaise for any reason, you can omit it, and just add 1/4 cup of olive oil and more lemon juice. It will be less "creamy" but you will still enjoy all of the same flavors.

*I find this salad to be a one-dish meal. Very satisfying. Yet, if you wanted to spoon some over fresh lettuce or greens, that would just be perfect. No need for bread or any more starch...just add some fresh lettuce.

I have throughly enjoyed this fresh pasta and salmon combo, along with using fresh herbs. It is a perfect summer salad in my opinion and I hope if you like salmon you give this simple recipe a try.

Enjoy and much love to you today!

Gluten-Free Pan-Fried Fish and Garlic Kale Wildrice on the side

I thought I would share a nutritious dinner idea with you this week. I work a lot of hours away from my kitchen throughout the week and sometimes I just don't feel like making the most nutritious meal within the crunchtime between work and dinner. But here is a quick and cost effective nutritious meal that leaves you full and satisfied, and you also have leftovers for the next day's lunch. So let me share....

I never used to be a huge seafood fan. I still don't like shrimp, or any shellfish, but occasioanlly I get the craving for some fresh quality tasting fish. Salmon is my favorite :) and then any kind of white fish falls behind that. The best white fish I have ever eaten was in a small country in Africa on the shore of a large fresh water lake called Lake Tanganyika in Burundi Africa. (ask me why I was there another time :) Maybe I thought it was so good because I wasn't eat much of anything but raw food bars and trail mix, but seriously... it was fresh and the flavor was awesome. Every chance I got to eat fish there I did. That fresh fish is hard to find here in Michigan, and so I usually buy it frozen that was caught in the wild somewhere off the Northwest coast of the USA. The hard part about making a good crust on some pan-fried fish is that most of those mixes are made with wheat flour. So I decided to venture and try to make a mix of my own. So here we go...

Fish Batter:
1/2 cup of ground almonds (in coffee grinder or food processor)
1/2 cup of millet flour
1/2 cup of brown rice flour
1/4 cup of cornstarch
sea salt and cracked pepper to taste
1 TB paprika
1 TB minced onion
1 TB dried sweet basil
1 ts. ground mustard
1 ts. ground coriander

Mix all the dry ingredients on a bowl and set aside.

Then whip up:
2 farm fresh eggs with 1/4 cup of water added

Set up a drudging station to coat your fish.

The main ingredient:

1 pound of pan fish, like wild perch or any kind of white fish


Coat the fish fillets in whipped egg and then dunk it in the dry mixture. Set on a plate to get ready to fry. Use a large frying pan on the stove or electric frying pan. Pour 1/4 cup of olive oil or ghee (clarified butter) in the pan to make sure the fish fries up nice and crunchy.

Cook 2 minutes on each side and it's done to make sure see if the meat is white and not translucent anymore and opens up to the pressure of a fork.

It is a very quick way to prepare fish, so make sure you have your other parts of the dinner ready because the fish cooks up so quickly. It can also be kept warm in the oven if need be.
The side dish I was making on the side was a way to get some whole grains and some fresh greens into the meal...

Wildrice Garlic Kale side-dish:
3 cups of cooked wildrice mix of choice
3 garlic cloves minced
2 cups of chopped fresh kale
1/4 cup chopped fresh sage
salt and pepper
olive oil to coat pan
1 TB of agave
1 Tb of wheat free tamari sauce

Saute the garlic and the kale for a few minutes in the oil and then add the rice, tamari and agave with the fresh sage and salt and pepper to your taste. If you want to add more veggies or other herbs, go for it! The greens and the rice are filling and dense with nutrients, so it will satisfy your body's hunger. Simple... yes, but delish and good for your body! Rice and greens are a good combo with fresh fish as well. If you have any more ideas, then send those my way. I hope you have a great week and can hopefully take some time to make a healthy meal for yourself and your family.

And maybe some Raw Coconut Mango Icecream pie for dessert.... I guess that will be my next post then :)

Salmon Coleslaw Salad

Sometimes I feel like I am missing energy in the middle of the day, do you ever feel like that? A good protein-filled nutritious lunchtime meal usually helps me. It helps keep the digestive fire moving through the busiest hours of the day. And I know I always feel best when I am consciously eating a balanced nutritious meal around the lunch hour and it keeps me from snacking in the later afternoon. So here is a simple lunch recipe to top on your favorite gluten-free crackers or bread. My most favorite convenient gluten free bread is from Sami's Bakery... the millet flax bread is the best! After trying this bread, you will never miss "real" bread again. I am a busy woman, and if I have the time to make a gluten-free bread then I will, but most of the time it is nice to pick up a loaf of this bread at the local health food store. The bakery is out of Florida and they ship to many stores, and they do to some of the local stores in Grand Rapids. I really love this bread and swear by it being the best gluten-free bread out there.

This recipe can be enjoyed in a variety of ways, but if you like salmon and you like coleslaw, then why not mix them and have a duo. Enjoy!!!

Recipe:
2 cans of boneless wild Alaskan salmon (or 5-6oz. of baked/grilled fresh salmon)

1/3 cup of organic mayonnaise

2 cups of chopped red cabbage

2 cups of chopped green cabbage

1 small yellow onion diced very small

1/4 cup of mustard

1 TB of balsamic vinegar

cracked pepper and sea salt to taste

Fresh herbs (thyme, oregano, and basil) for added flavor and fresh-ness

Optional:

dried cranberries (1 /4 cup for added taste)

crushed pecans or almonds (1/4 cup) for added flavor and crunch

Mix all the above ingredients after chopping and mixing up for consistant texture. It's that easy, and a great way to add fresh cabbage and herbs to a summer-day lunch. Why not, right?!

Vegan Berry Mango Smoothie

I make a smoothie almost every morning in the warmer spring/summer months. It's nice and refreshing to eat a fresh fruit smoothie after a long winter of eating porriage and hot cereal to keep warm. I like to add different fruits depending on what I got available in the kitchen, but sometimes you just find a nice combo that you like to keep making. Eventaully, I find myself craving a cold fresh smoothie right when I wake up. My favorite is using frozen cherries and blueberries that I have frozen from when I picked or bought them the past summer.Another favorite is using mango because it makes the mixture so smooth and creamy. I sometimes make a "greens" smoothie with spinach and other greens, but I would much rather prefer to eat my greens and not drink them every day, so I guess that is why I stick to the fruit and vegan protein powder combo more often.

It is important if you eat gluten-free and dairy- free to make sure if you are going to find quality protein powder to make sure there is no whey or other gluten-grains protein. I also avoid soy protein because it is more processed and harder to digest. So that leaves me with either a brown rice protein powder, or a vegetable protein powder. Both I enjoy, but make take a little getting used to after being used to using dairy or soy. One of the best brands I have found out there is the MLO vegan brown rice. It is a quality vegan product and is not very expensive either.

Another great addition is adding in some quality Omega-3 oil to add to the enegy and brain health in the morning... and what a great way to add it into something without really realizing it.
I buy a quality fish oil that has an orange flavoring and so that also adds to fruit flavor combo. A quality fish oil has many health benefits ranging from decreasing depressiona nd anxiety along with other behaviour issues all the way to helping heart health and cardiovascualr system. The high levels of Omega-3 and essentail fatty acids will also strengthen your brain tissues and promote all around better health. For more questions research..this link.

My favorite combo inclues:
1/2 to whole fresh mango slices (about 1 cup)
1 ripe banana chopped or smashed
1/2 cup of frozen cherries
1/2 cup of frozen raspberries
2 spoonfuls of flax oil, or a quality fish oil
2 scoops of a quality vegan rice protein powder or vegan vegetable protein powder
1 cup of almond or hemp milk
1/2 cup or so of apple, grapefruit, or orange juice
5-6 ice cubes
Optional: spinach pieces and kale pieces about 1/2 cup of each

Put all in your blender and blend until smooth and pour it in a to go cup or a glass to stick a straw in and ENJOY! This recipe will probably feed 2 people, or 1 hungry person. So make the adjustments you need to make more or less.