YUMMY Cauliflower Crust Pizza With Heirloom Tomatoes, Basil, Garlic, and Mozzarella

 

Crust:

2 C grated cauliflower (about 1/2 a head)

1 egg, beaten

2 Tbsp mixture of Italian herbs

Dash of sea salt

1 C Grated Mozzarella Cheese

1 T Minced garlic

1 T. Chopped red hot peppers or Jalapenos

Toppings & Sauce : 

Pizza Sauce (White or Red)

1/2 C of grated mozzarella

2 T Minced Garlic Red Chili Pepper Flakes

1Medium Size Heirloom Tomatoes (Sliced)

Chopped basil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees

2. Grate the cauliflower with a cheese grater

3. Place 2 C of grated cauliflower into a clean, thin dish towel. Microwave the cauliflower for 8 minutes and get all the access water with a cheese cloth

4. Place the dry cauliflower into a bowl, add egg and spices

5. Mix everything together

6. Place the cauliflower “dough” onto a pizza pan with parchment paper. Spread the dough and make it is about 1/2 inch thick. (If it's too thin, it will not hold together and will fall apart)

7. Bake the crust for 25 to 30 minutes

8. Remove crust from the oven

9. Add pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese, tomatoes, garlic and red chili pepper flakes

10. Bake the pizza for another 10-15 minutes and add fresh chopped basil 

Enjoy & be creative with your favorite toppings!!! :) 

Brussels Sprouts, Turkey Bacon Ends, & Balsamic Vinegar

Who loves Brussels Sprouts? I do!! I often love the oddest foods and a lot of people think only old people eat Brussels Sprouts. I must admit that they don't exactly have the best aromas and not everyone is very fond of the smell. However, I think if you have a good recipe it can definitely change peoples minds about Brussels Sprouts. I know my guests were asking for seconds and thirds! :)

1 Pounds of Brussels Sprouts
2 T. Minced Garlic
1 1/2 C. Sliced Cabbage
3/4 C. Chopped Turkey Bacon Ends
1 T. Olive oil
2 T. Balsamic vinegar
Salt
Pepper
Red Pepper Flakes

1. Wash and chop Brussels Sprouts in half
2. Place Brussels Sprouts in a baking dish or cast iron skillet
3. Add sliced cabbage and minced garlic
4. Mix the vegetables together with olive oil
5. Add chopped turkey bacon ends over the vegetables
6. Bake at 425 degrees for 20-30 minutes (Until the Brussels Sprouts turn brown & Bacon is cooked)
7. Once everything is cooked, drizzle 1 1/2 to 2 T. of Balsamic vinegar
8. Add Salt, Pepper, Red Pepper Flakes to taste

Vegetarian Burger

 

 Lately, I've been attempting to reduce meat in my diet. Before you think "I'm crazy", the reason I have been reducing meat in my diet is because I tend to get a reaction after any meals that has meat in it. I would either get really tired or fatigued. Mainly with red meat! After shopping at the Farmer's Market last Sunday, I realized I had a lot of lentils in my pantry and a package of tofu. So I decided to give some home made vegetarian burgers a try! The tofu & beans definitely gives it a "meat like" appearance and is very hearty. I hope everyone enjoys these burgers as much as I did with my friends! :) Happy Sunday!! ~ J. Chan

1 Large Onion (Chopped)

2 Carrots Chopped

3 T Chopped Garlic

1 Bundle of fresh Chives (Chopped)

1 1/2 Cup of Oatmeal flour ( You can make the flour by blending it in a food processor)

2 1/2 Cups Cooked Lentils

1 Can of Black Beans

1 Cup of chopped walnuts (Note: Chop the nuts in a food processor)

1 Cup of chopped Almonds

2 Jalapenos Chopped

1 Package of Extra Firm Tofu (Chopped into extra small cubes)

3 Eggs (If you're vegan you can use flaxseed as a substitute)

2 T Curry Spice

Salt and pepper

Olive oil

1. Saute onion, carrots, garlic, chives, lentils, salt, pepper, and black beans together

2. Add 1 T of Curry spice and chopped jalapenos

3. Cook for 5-8 minutes and set aside

4. Heat ¼ cup oil on a pan and add chopped tofu with 1 T of Curry

5. Let it cook for 5-8 minutes. Set aside the tofu and let it cool

6. Once everything is cooled, mix all the ingredients together in the bowl including the chopped walnuts, almonds, and oatmeal flour

7. Add 3 eggs into the mixture until everything is blended

8. Heat oven at 400 degrees

9. Grease a 9X13 pan or glass dish

10. Divide mixture into patties and place them in your baking dish/pan

11. Cook 10 minutes on each side and let it cool

12. Once the patties are cooled down you can place them in burger buns or pita bread with your choice of vegetables and condiments

Salmon Salad with Creamy Dijon Garlic Dressing

Ingredients:

1-2 Pounds of salmon (Wash and pat dry)
Salt
Pepper
3-4 Shallots (Minced)
1 1/2 T. Olive oil

Dressing:

1 T Dijon mustard
1/2 C. Light Mayo
1. T Lemon juice
1/2 T. Minced garlic
Salt

1. Mix all the dressing ingredients together. You may add salt if the dressing is too sour for you.

Note: I like to make the dressing a few hours before so you can taste the garlic in the dressing. 

Salmon Recipe:

1. Add salt and pepper over salmon
2. Heat pan or dutch oven pot over medium high heat
3. Add Olive oil and minced shallots
4. Once the shallots start to sizzle, add the salmon & cover over medium low heat for 15-20 minutes
5. Let the salmon cool for 10-15 minutes

Creating the salad:

I like to use local greens from the Farmer's market. I love using Organic spring mix an arugula with salmon, however, you can use whatever lettuce you enjoy the most. To make the salad more fun, I love adding sprouts such as : Wheat sprouts, lentil sprouts, pea sprouts, onion sprouts, and alfalfa sprouts. If you don't have that in your kitchen, you can always add sliced red onions and sun flower seeds. You can also add flax seed if you're a health nut like me! ;)

A little secret about my cooking......I NEVER buy ingredients for a particular dish. If I did that, it would create a huge hole in my wallet. ;) I try to use whatever I buy from the farmer's market and create a healthy dish for either breakfast, lunch, or dinner. I currently do meal planning to help assist people who work full time and don't have enough time to cook but would like to eat and live a healthier life style.

Spring is in the AIR!!!!

Spring is definitely in the air!! With the temperatures getting warmer, more and more people are visiting the Farmer's Market's during the weekends. A lot of fruits are coming out and several farmers are setting up their stations to sell their produce that they've worked so hard for over the season. I was more than excited when I saw several strawberry stands appearing at the Sunday's Farmer's Market. I couldn't resist from buying a basket of Strawberry's during the end of March. However, I must say, this is the time to get them. They are starting to get sweet and they are a perfect match with snacks, salads, juice, yogurt, and of course cocktails!!

Due to high volumes of e-mails that I receive every week, I will try my very best to update my food blog at least once of month. Please visit my website @ www.facebook.com/j.chans.corner

Pictures are posted almost every 2 days and I currently do meal planning on the side with my clients. This also means I work full time outside from J. Chan's Corner. This is my passion and I absolutely LOVE helping others create amazing dishes at home. :)  If you would like to contact me, please e-mail me through Facebook and I will respond as soon as humanely possible. Please feel free to ask any questions you may have in regards to my cooking, meal planning, or if you need assistance with finding a recipe!

 Basil chicken/lentil meat balls with my homemade tomato sauce

 Sweet and Spicy stir fry green soba noodles with shitake mushrooms, snap peas, green onions, shallots, sweet onions, and roasted cashews. Following my mother’s rules when it comes to Asian cooking…”Sometimes the best dishes are created by throwing a bunch of things together and using basic ingredients that the Asian culture uses. SIMPLE creates flavor!!!”

Sweet Alaskan Cod for dinner!!

 
Spinach/Arugula salad with tomato, basil, and cucumbers. Topped with a variety of sprouts, local goat cheese, and flax seeds. Drizzled with my secret dressing. ;)

 

Strawberry-kumquat salad with onion sprouts, walnuts, arugula flowers, and purple edible flowers from Shared Abundance Farm! Dressing: Walnut oil, Balsamic Vinegar, Grapefruit juice, Pomelo Juice, and local honey. 

 Lunch ready for the week!!! Fresh basil and tomatoes from the Farmers Market this morning. ♥ Shrimp pasta cooked with basic ingredients!!

Paleo Recipe: Large shrimp simmered in onions, garlic, Serrano peppers, lime juice, tomatoes, avocado, orange/green peppers, and cilantro. Option (If you're not on a Paleo diet): Add rice and beans with Corn Tortillas!! :)

 Roasted fingerling potatoes and brussels sprouts with homemade dressing.

 Elegance/Arugula salad mix with sliced strawberries, pomelo, feta cheese, flax seed, sun flower seeds. Drizzled with local wild flower honey, walnut oil, and passion fruit white balsamic vinegar.

 Teaching Luis how to cook his first salmon. Adding some finishing touches for him. He did good! :)

Sesame Soba noodles with Chinese mushrooms and Kimchi. Topped with pickled Daikon/ Carrots

 

Grilled Indian Eggplant with Sweet Orange Ginger Sauce

A couple of weekends ago, I spotted some Indian Eggplants for $1.50/lb. Normally, I like grilling my eggplants and making a sweet peanut butter sauce that melts in your mouth. This time I wanted to try something new! This recipe is simple an easy to make. Traditionally, I like using Indian Eggplants with curry or quickly frying them and adding a curry sauce. This dish is extremely light and pairs well with Basmati rice.

Ingredients:

10-15 Indian Eggplants (Cut in halves)
Olive oil
Sesame seeds
1 Packet of Katsuobushi (Japanese fish flakes)
2 Serrano peppers chopped or sliced

Sauce:
1/3 C. Fresh Orange juice
3 T. White rice wine vinegar
3 T. Soy Sauce
1 T. Minced ginger
1 T. Minced garlic
1/2 C. Brown sugar
1 t. Sesame oil

Sauce Recipe:

1. Combine all ingredients together and blend with a food processor or blender.
2. Pour sauce into a small pot over medium high until it starts boiling.
3. Turn off the stove once the sauce starts to boil and let it cool down before pouring it over the eggplants.

Eggplant Recipe:

1. Pour olive oil into a flat dish and dip eggplants into the olive oil on both sides. (Optional, you can brush the olive oil onto the eggplants as well)
2. Heat up your skillet and medium high. (I like using a skillet or pan that create grill marks on them)
3. Place the eggplants onto the skillet face down and cook for 2-3 minutes until the bottom starts to turn brown.
4. Flip the eggplants and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
5. Once the eggplants are cooked, place them onto a flat dish and add the Orange Ginger Sauce. I like adding some sesame seeds, Kastuobushi, and chopped Serrano peppers to give it a little kick. You may also add Siracha as well.

Enjoy!! :)

March MadNESS

 

 

 

 

 

Purple Kale

Grilled eggplant with Asian sauce

Tomato stuffed with organic ground chicken, sweet peppers, onions, kale mix, and herbs. Topped with Italian cheese and home made cilantro garlic dressing.

 

 

Add caption

Blood oranges and Ruby red grapefruit

Heirloom tomato basil soup in the making!

Habanero chicken

Beet salad with basil dressing

Spring Mix w/ Arugula and Pea Sprouts

Kangaroo pasta

Cucumber salad with lentil sprouts feta cheese, red peppers, sweet basil, pea sprouts, and radishes. Drizzled with orange/lemon dressing!

Dino kale salad with quinoa, garbanzo beans, basil, red onions, and red cabbage with garlic lemon/orange dressing.

Tri-tip Sandwich with roasted beets salad

Orzo with parmesan, basil, roasted brussel sprouts and cremini mushrooms.

Bariani Olive Oil at the Sunday's Farmer's Market

 

 

Sauteed carrots

Blood orange beets salad with arugula

Rice penne pasta with walnut pesto sauce

Pan seared quail with garlic pluots and peppers sauce