POTATO ECLAIRS...ideas and recipe...POTATOES ARE BACK IN FASHION!

OK! I  admit these are not new, but they are very healthy and it is time they were re-introduced to Family Dinners.
They can be filled with anything you like, a great vehicle for leftovers and perfect for anyone who is GF.
Potatoes are high in vitamins and potassium, and because they are baked in sea salt, they are healthy.



Preheat oven 400f


Pour a thin later of sea salt over a roasting pan.
Wash and scrub your starchy potatoes well, no need to prick first, and place on the bed of salt and bake 45mins -1 hour depending on size ( I prefer to use 6-8ozs potatoes), until they yield to being squeezed (and who doesn't?).

If you bake 4 potatoes you will have 2 completely filled

Remove from oven and cool in pan, when cool enough to handle, split  almost through like  a clam shell, and allow steam to escape.

Carefully remove all  most of the cooked flesh into a bowl, it is a good idea to leave about 1/4 inch around the skin  for support in standing for re-baking.

Mash the cooked flesh with butter, and any other ingredient (cheese should be grated and any vegetables cooked and minced, these are great filled with mashed cooked dried beans & cheese).
I only add raw fresh herbs and or scallions.

Carefully fill the potato halves with lots of the filling, (I allow 2 baked potatoes for one filled),

Place in a greased baking sheet and bake at 350F for 30 mins or until golden brown.

Serve with a fresh tomato sauce, ratatouille, steamed greens with raisins, or a good salad.
Or serve with a great fresh salsa and guacamole.

Multi Colored Slaw with Mustard-Cream Dressing A wonderful year-round salad

Here is a great salad (a few years ago would have been described as a nutritional powerhouse but that is no longer trending) with simple ingredients that can be changed depending on the season...use kale, watercress, broccoli and spinach when in season.

this easily serves 4 as a side dish

2 cups shredded Red cabbage
2 cups shredded green cabbage
1 cup shredded carrots
4tsbp lemon juice (juice 2 lemons)
1/2 cup minced parsley
3tbsp minced canned/bottled/roasted peppers/pimento
2tbsp minced onion or scallions
1/2 tsp sea salt

 Dressing:
1/4 cup light/single cream or plain live yogurt
2tbsp tomato ketchup
2tsp prepared Dijon Mustard
2 tsp cider vinegar
1/4 tsp sea salt
2 tsp honey (optional)
pinch ground black pepper
pinch ground paprika
pinch ground  cayenne

This salad should be dressed 20 mins before serving

In a large bowl, combine the cabbages, carrots, onions, parsley add  the 1/2 tsp salt.
Mix in the pimento and mix well to combine.
In a jelly jar add the cream and rest of dressing and shake well.
Pour over the raw vegetables, mix very well and wait 20 mins before mixing once more before serving.

Variations:
add 1-2 cups any chopped raw nut
add 1-2 cups any dried fruit (wash well and maybe soak them in a little water for 20 mins, draining well, before adding).
When in the height of season add some sliced ripe bell peppers.

Replace the minced parsley with cilantro or fresh mint.

In summer weather add any chopped fresh fruit except melon which is too wet.

I also like to add some fresh grated ginger to this salad for extra zing, also helps with digestion.

 
 

 

Lentil Kale soup; vegetable and almond milk soup; Hot Cross Buns; Whole wheat fruit and spice breads; Vegan stuffed peppers with walnuts and butternut squash..Photos for Spring Menu

Making the crosses for the buns

This fantastic and easy recipe for the buns and bread (same recipe) is in my book "Baking a Name for Yourself" www.amazon.com/kindle

The filling for the stuffed peppers saute onions, celery and carrots. Add butternut squash, walnuts and sherry, cook slowly in vegetable stock and add cooked rice. Stuff the cooked pepper halves and slowly bake in marinara sauce

Cooking the pepper halves in boiling salted water makes for a complete tender eating experience