Lunch is Served

Lately on Saturday afternoons, instead of running out for a family lunch, when my men return from boot camp and I come back from yoga  we have been settling in to beautiful lunches at home. As my husband always says of late, "why go out when we have much better quality than what is offered in most restaurants and we cook it simply to our taste - clean food at its best." He's right, as long as he pitches in and we all do it together!!
This Saturday we made salmon grilled in a marinade of oranges, lemons and grapefruit juice all fresh  with chopped mint, olive oil, salt and pepper. Seared the salmon with great lines three minutes each side then a slow cook to medium- I like it cooked through.I served it with a great side dish of cous cous and heirloom tomatoes. This time of year the tomatoes are amazing and my garden is producing such a beautiful array!

Cous Cous and Fregola  Tomato Salad:

Cook cous cous and Fregola separately according to package directions  (Option you can just double either grain, I like using both)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Use 8 large vine ripened tomatoes and 1 1/2 cup yellow cherry tomatoes halved, (or any variety you prefer) as well as any other beautiful large tomatoes you  find in heirloom variety, look for purples and orange colored ones- so sweet.
If you get excited when you see tomatoes just dbl the recipe-it only gets better over a couple of days! Think bruschetta, tomato sauce etc.
To the tomatoes add:
1/2 Cup Olive oil;
3/4 tsp brown sugar;
1 TBL good balsamic vinegar;
2 TBL chopped oregano, tarragon, and mint;
1 garlic clove, crushed; and
cook tomatoes for 15-20 minutes...
Allow the tomatoes to cool,  add to warm grains,  season to taste with salt and pepper.
Optional- add some feta, goat or parmesan cheese to top- Yum!

Add some gorgeous grilled asparagus, and lunch is served!

xo ginny

That Mahi Sandwich...

On my last blog I mentioned I was on the way to the keys to watch my son's lacrosse game after stopping to eat a mahi sandwich. Well this was no ordinary mahi sandwich...

I will start with some background on my eating to begin with. I am just not comfortable eating sandwiches. I do not like all the bread, if I eat some I like it to be specialized, such as  hemp, millet,  ezekial, or manna,
with some avocado, or almond butter on top for breakfast.

I am more comfortable with salads and veggies. It is what works for me and what I enjoy. I never feel deprived, when I want a bite of something I don't normally eat, I have it, and am usually very satisfied. I like my body to feel strong and yet light, agile in its movements. Eating primarily vegetarian, with fish thrown in, maintains it that way, it just works for me.

However I had made up my mind when I heard how outrageous this sandwich was at Craigs Famous Fish Sandwich Restaurant (Tavernier mile marker 89-across from Coral Shores HS) to totally indulge.

We sat down, we noticed it came with American cheese. I was surprised and thought how gross, cheese on a fish sandwich?... and I definitely don't eat American. My husband convinced me to sub it with provolone and go for it. Did I ever! It came so fresh on toasted bread with grill marks, I piled on the pickles, tomatoes, even some tarter sauce and ketchup. (my husband says it was quite the site watching me handling the plastic tarter sauce bottle-I don't know why that is the vision that stands out the most to him.) It was a 6 paper napkin sandwich, so messy! I ate every last bite, talked about each bite as I ate it and am so glad I did indulge.

I was describing the sandwich to a friend and they made mention it almost sounded orgasmic. Funny how a description of food can sound that way.  Food does give  such pleasure, if we are not battling against it.

Am I glad I ate it?  Yes, because I did not eat it mindlessly. I decided to eat it, relished it, savored it. Will I eat it again this week at the district finals back in the keys?  No I prefer my mahi over greens, but what fun it was!!   xo ginny

Florida Keys or Bust!

          Driving along to watch our son's lacrosse game in the Keys...

Thinking about the upcoming Mahi-Mahi sandwich we are so excited to eat before the game. 

Don't get me wrong, the game will be great, but, ahhh nothing like a Florida Keys Mahi-Mahi sandwich...it makes me think of summer, so I would like to share a favorite new dish of mine.  xo ginny

Roasted Cauliflower with Golden Raisins *use organic where ever possible!

A great light dish. Perfect for the upcoming warmer days.

1 head of cauliflower- cut into small florets

2 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp white balsamic vinegar

Salt and pepper

2 tbsp golden raisins

1/4 cup freshly grated pecorino Romano cheese

1 tbsp chopped parsley 

Preheat oven to 375'C. 

Spread the cauliflower on a large, rimmed baking sheet.

Drizzle 2 tbsp of olive oil and the vinegar. Season with salt and pepper and toss well. 

Roast for about 40 min until tender. Transfer to a bowl.

In a small skillet, heat the remaining 1/2 tbsp of olive oil. Add the raisins and cook on medium heat until hot, around 1 minute. Add the raisins to the cauliflower. Sprinkle with cheese and parsley before serving. Enjoy!

Thinking of Sunday Morning...

I am flying home at this moment somewhere in the sky between Dallas and Miami.
I have had a great week. I'm feeling restored, and anxious for my two boys waiting at home, the lovely Miss Bear, a great yoga class, to turn on beautiful music, and be in my kitchen creating the homey feeling that tells my boys all is right in the world, and that we are all together again. 

I know exactly what I will cook first. I want my boys to wake to this new recipe I indulged on while I was away.

Thank you to the incredible staff at Amangiri resort for sharing this recipe as well as a couple of more treasured ones which I will share in future blogs. Don't let the fact that this is a gluten- free recipe turn you off, if you are not a convert yet... it is so delicious!!


Here's to the beautiful smells of baking, morning papers, pjs, a weekly treat of a latte, a few dishes in the sink and Sundays. May it be a beautiful one.  xo ginny



Gluten Free Zucchini Bread
**Note can use carrot, banana, or pumpkin instead of zucchini
Ingredients
1  1/2C shredded zucchini
1 C chopped walnuts
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1  1/2 C gluten free flour mix
1/2 C olive oil
2 eggs
1 C sugar
1 vanilla Bean

1. Mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt
2. In another bowl combine oil, eggs, sugar and vanilla
3. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients
4. Add in zucchini and walnuts
5. Pour batter into greased loaf pan
6. Bake at 350*F for about 1 hour (until knife comes out clean)

**remember always bake in a preheated oven