Multi-Olive Tapanade

Tapanade is a really a great method of making a beautiful olive based spread.

And you all know I love my dips and spreads!

What I really love about a tapanade recipe is that there is no way to screw it up and you can make it flavoured to suit your taste buds. I'm going to let you in on a little secret. Olives used to be in my top 2 most hated foods, right beside lamp - I know! I would make a terrible Greek. But after a little taste bud persuasion I have began to like olives more and more, so much so that I now want to eat them pulverized and spread all over bread!

Its simple all you will need is olives, capers, garlic, anchovies, some olive oil and pepper.

Put these ingredients into a blender, I used 3 different types of olives: Moroccan dried black olives, green Sicilian olives stuffed with sun dried tomatoes and big black Cerigola olives.

3 cups in total of olives
1 jar of drained capers
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
3-4 anchovies
2 splashes of olive oil
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
pepper to taste.

Add the olives, capers and garlic into a food processor and pulse until chopped, add the remaining ingredients and pulse again until it reaches you desired consistency, I like it a little chunky. Also remember there is no reason to add salt as the olives are plenty salty enough. Taste and add a little more of something if it makes you happy!

Serve with bread and enjoy!

Happy Cinco De Mayo! Guacamole

You know I just can't help but feel like I mis-spell Guacamole every time... such a funny word, but what a great taste. And for Cinco De Mayo pair it with some crisp corn chips, a refreshing margarita and this creamy guacamole will provide a party in your mouth. Its no wonder why they're always smiling south of the border.
This is one of my go to recipes, I love it! Here it is:

2 ripe avocados
1-2 Roma tomatoes
1/2 red onion
Juice of 1-3 limes
salt

I keep it simple and always go by my instincts, for recipes like this you really need to adjust it based on the quality of your ingredients until you have a prefect symphony of salty, limey and creamy with pops of juicy tomato and sharp onion.

I dice the avocados and mash them with the back of my fork in a bowl, then I squeeze the juice of 1/2 a lime and stir it together to prevent the oxidization of the avocado (brownness) then I chop the tomato and onion to roughly the same size, I like my guacamole chunky so I leave them about the size of my thumbnail, do what ever you prefer. mix them in and then season with salt. Remember that you can always add more salt, but trust me! you can never take it away, I had to learn that the hard way.
Anyways I add the salt and squeeze in more lime, I then taste it and adjust to my preference. I like just a bit of bright lime, and a decent amount of salt to taste.

Then I have to get a chip and eat it right away!

Roasted Garlic Hummus

Tasty hummus so savory and delicious. What else would I do first with a whole kilo of roasted garlic? Such a power food, chickpeas are loaded with fibre which has been known to fight heart disease and to keep us full longer, it is also leaded in protein, and protein from any plant source is good in my books. I also read that these little suckers help to lower cholesterol and are full of folate to help keep our brains sharp and our skin beautiful. I read all of this from various sources and won't claim any of them are fact but if you do want some info you can check out WHFoods. Anyways hummus is still delicious and a great clean snack.
Here's the recipe:

1 can (about 3 cups) of chick peas
2 heads of roasted garlic
1 lemon (zest and juice)
about 1/4 water
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
s&p

I keep it simple with hummus. Just put the chickpeas, garlic, and lemon zest in a food processor, and buzz it, basically until it stops, when this happens add the olive oil and add water until it gets to the consistency you like, at this time squeeze in the lemon juice and add the salt and pepper. I always just add a little, whiz it up and give it a taste, adding more if I want to.

Serve with pitas, veggies, crackers whatever floats your boat.

Coconut Squash Dipping Sauce

I am totally digging the coconut! I just made the coconut marinaded chicken again, although this time I slowly poached it in the the marinate and then broiled it to add some color - it wasn't as tender after the broiling. The true success tonight, however; was this absolutely fabulous creamy and rich Coconut Squash Dipping Sauce.


Here is what I have decided to dip-d-do the chicken into:

Half a Can of Coconut Milk
1/2 Cup of Roasted Squash
2 Tablespoons of Shredded Coconut
A 1 cm slice of Ginger
Salt & Pepper

Add the all of the ingredients to a saucepan and allow them to get to know each other. After it simmers for about 3 minutes remove the ginger and buzz it all together with an immersion blender. Go on give it a taste. Its an amazing winter pick me up. Just the right blend of cozy veg and Caribbean flair. I topped it with roasted squash seeds that turned out so yummy I'm including the recipe separately.

Nutritional Note:
Winter squash is outrageously high in Vitamin A and has been known to support optimum overall health, but particularly lung health. Also as it is harvested late in the season it has the opportunity to develop its nutrients for a longer period of time creating a healthy and delicious heath boost! Also to make the sauce a little less calorific as the coconut milk can sneak them in: use a light coconut milk!

Oh and here's how the Coconut Marinade looks after a good hot tub!

And here's how I served it, with a corn and bean salad, some avocado and a few chips, this makes a great dinner, lunch, or in a smaller portion a snack. Have a look...

Mmmm... Dippy Dips!

One of my favourite dips is Baba Ganooj, I tried it the first time because the recipe looked so simple but now have created my own version. It is so easy, delicious and healthy, I even used it last thanksgiving and my guy friends had no idea it was so good for them. One even asked for the recipe! I'm sure he was to 'cheerful' to remember. And by cheerful... I mean drunk!

The Recipe is so simple! Here it is:

1 Large Eggplant
1 Yellow Onion
1 Head of Garlic
Half a Lemon
Salt & Pepper

Roast the Eggplant, Onion and Garlic in a 350 degree oven until lightly brown and soft (I love roasted veggies!) I ususally roast them whole then remove from the less attactive skin and pop it all into a food processor, whiz it up and give it a taste. Add your preference of salt and pepper and enough of the squeezed lemon juice to liven up the party.

I usually ganish with some lemon zest and serve with veggies and pita. It really isn't very pretty but it makes up for it in taste!


Here is another dip that I made while the food processor was out!
I call it Left Over Lunch Dip, because thats what it was, my left over lunch all whizzed up!


I just added equal parts cottage cheese and tomatoes with a big handful of fresh basil. Season with Salt, Pepper, and a little garlic if you like it spiced up! Serve with crostinis or crackers, even you won't remember that it was leftovers! The flavour is so fresh because of the tomatoes! mmmm!!