Harissa is a smoky North African chili paste made from smoked chiles, olive oil, spices, and sometimes tomatoes. Heat and flavor vary from brand to brand. This recipe was made with our Harissa infused olive oil.
2 Tbs. Harissa olive oil
2 medium leeks, white and light green parts thinly sliced (2 cups)
3 Tbs. tomato paste
3 Tbs. creamy peanut butter
1 ½ Tbs. chili paste
2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
1 tsp. ground turmeric
¾ tsp. ground cumin
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced ¼-inch thick (5 cups)
3 ½ cups low-sodium vegetable broth
3 oz. spinach leaves, thinly sliced (2 packed cups)
Lemon wedges, for garnish
Directions:
Heat your skillet to medium-high heat. Add in oil, garlic, leeks & sweet potatoes. Sauté 5 to 7 minutes.
Add all into your slow cooker. Stir in tomato paste, peanut butter, chili paste, garlic, turmeric, and cumin; Add broth, and 1 1/2 cups water, and simmer over medium-low heat for 2-4 hrs, or until sweet potatoes are tender.
Blend mixture with an immersion blender, adding more water if soup is too thick. Bring soup back to a simmer, and stir in spinach leaves. Serve with lemon wedges.
The spice responsible for curry powder’s golden color, turmeric is an ancient Indian treatment for digestive disorders and arthritis. Turmeric boasts extraordinarily potent anti-inflammatory properties. Because inflammation is a problem in virtually every disease process, including arthritis, cancer, and heart disease, curcumin is the subject of extensive cutting-edge research.
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil (for sautéing garlic, onions and kale)
1 clove garlic
chopped 1/2 medium onion
chopped 1 cup chopped kale (dinosaur or Tuscan)
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese (jack, Muenster or fontina)
1 large chicken breast chopped
1 can of drained black beans
2 Tbsp. Vegan butter olive oil, Tuscan, Persian or Garlic for Blending
½ cup of spicy salsa
Salt and pepper to taste
Sweet potatoes, beans and Kale are high in beta carotene, vitamin K, vitamin C, lutein, zeaxanthin, and rich in calcium & Fiber.
Directions:
Pierce scrubbed sweet potatoes several times with a fork. I cheat: Place in Microwave for 2 potatoes or until done. Let cool before cutting in half length wise.
While sweet potatoes cool, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the chicken, garlic and onion and cook for 3-4 minutes, until they begin to soften. Add the kale and cook, stirring occasionally, for 7-8 minutes, until kale is wilted, but not done completely.
Remove from pan and transfer to a mixing bowl. Use a spoon to scoop out the cooked flesh (you may need to leave a thin layer of flesh close to the skin to keep the skin from tearing). Place scooped-out sweet potato flesh into the mixing bowl with the Chicken, garlic, onion, bean, salsa & kale mixture and set the skins aside (you’ll use them later).
To the bowl, add most of the cheese (reserve a few pinches to top the sweet potatoes). Add in our Vegan butter olive oil, Persian lime or Garlic, use a fork to mash the whole mixture together. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Divide the mixture between the empty sweet potato skins and top each with a pinch of the shredded cheese and place the stuffed sweet potatoes on the baking sheet. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the cheese on top begins to bubble and brown. Serve immediately.
Makes 4 servings. You can use regular potatoes also and add chili, turkey or anything else you enjoy.
Directions:
Heat olive oil in your skillet on medium-high heat. Working in batches if necessary, add the beef (do not crowd the skillet, or the meat will steam and not brown) and cook, without stirring, until nicely browned on one side, then use tongs to turn the pieces over. Add garlic, onion, potatoes and carrots then sauté 1 minute. Transfer all to a slow cooker crock pot.
Add beef stock, Pomegranate Balsamic Vinegar, red wine, tomato paste, sugar, basil, thyme, Worcestershire sauce and bay leaves. Stir to combine. Cover and let heat to a simmer for 2-3 hrs.
Discard bay leaves. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.
Some corn muffins would be perfect with this dish.
Personally, I would have added in broccoli, snow peas or spinach, but my husband doesn’t like anything “green in color”. Little does he know…… Boil your Fettuccine in boiling water after adding salt & a splash of EVOO in the water for about 12 min or until done, but still a little firm. Rinse with cold water to remove the starch. Save your water in case you need to thicken your sauce. Set to the side (I added more extra virgin olive oil to keep from sticking).
Line or just coat your skillet with an EVOO of your choice. I used the garlic infused olive oil. Sauté half of a sweet onion, 4 garlic cloves, 2 large diced mushrooms and add Italian/Mediterranean spices and herbs to taste. Dice up partially frozen chicken breasts, approx.2-3. Then add into your veggies and herbs. Brown your mixture for about 15 min. until all is done and tender.
Add in low salt Fettuccine white sauce (half and half) with Vodka red sauce, with a cup of white wine. Let simmer and thicken. Add in several teaspoons of Marscarpone Cheese, along with, cheddar and any other cheese of your choice. Toss in your pasta and reduce heat to warm.
Dice up some cherry tomatoes and throw in with added herbs. Layer (finishing oil) some of our Porcini Mushroom Olive Oil after plating. 40 min. Enjoy.
In a medium sauté pan heat Vegan Butter olive oil over medium-high heat. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper and any other herbs you enjoy.
Sauté chicken breasts, skin side down first, until golden brown, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer chicken breasts to a baking sheet and bake until cooked through, about 12 minutes depending on thickness (160 degrees on a meat thermometer).
Meanwhile, pour off all but 1 tablespoon of fat from sauté pan. Add onions and mushrooms; season with salt and pepper. Sauté until browned, about 5 minutes. Add Red Apple Balsamic Vinegar and simmer until reduced by half. Remove from heat, put half of the mushroom sauce on each plate and top with a chicken breast and drizzle the Porcini Olive Oil onto the chicken breasts.
Instructions:
Combine first nine ingredients in a bowl and stir to blend well. Heat both oils (Harissa and Persian Lime) in a heavy medium sized skillet till hot but not smoking. Add chicken mixture and sauté until chicken is just cooked through (about 5 minutes). Halfway through cooking chicken (2.5 min) add a splash of blackberry ginger balsamic vinegar. Transfer chicken mixture to a platter and arrange lettuce leaves around edges. Serve, passing the chopped green onions, bean sprouts, and/or chopped roasted peanuts if you are using these. Add soy sauce or blackberry ginger for additional taste.
Defrost 4 chicken breasts (but keep slightly frozen because it makes it easier to cut into small strips). Sauté strips of the chicken in either our Garlic or Tuscan Olive Oil with onions & peppers. Keep your broth & add in a cup chicken stock. Add in a little cracked pepper, basil, oregano and sea salt until done.
Boil your rice or couscous & set to the side while crisping up your bacon and two types of shredded cheese ( I use a strong cheddar and Asiago). Place half a cup of your pasta on a plate and layer with the chicken, cheddar and bacon.
Place in microwave for 35 sec. to melt the cheese or you can do an entire casserole in the oven. Bake for about 25 min. on 360.
While keeping dish warm, you can sauté your vegetables in our same oils, but keep them some what under cooked so they don’t get mushy.
½ pound of baby octopus (already de-beaked/frozen is best)
1 whole sweet onion
1 whole garlic bud sliced and smashed
2 cups of Clamato Juice
2 cups of Spicy V-8 Juice
1 tsp. Basil, oregano, thyme & smoked paprika, cracked pepper, & a dash of sea salt
2 tbl. of dried seaweed
1-2 tbl. of chili paste
1 tomato diced
1 cup of your favorite red wine
2 shakes of our Tuscan Olive Oil and our jalapeno balsamic vinegar.
Saute all of your spices together in a stock pot (onion, garlic, chili paste, salt, pepper, basil, etc.). When onions are opaque and carmelized, add in the juices above and wine. Bring to a boil. Add in octopus and reduce heat to a simmer for about 30 min. Add in clams, seaweed, olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Let simmer & keep warm for another 20 min. while you work on your pasta.
Boil any pasta (usually linguine or angel hair to grab and hold the sauce). Top with fresh Asiago, or Parmesan Cheese and cracked pepper, Drizzle seafood and sauce over noodles and serve.
A LITTLE HISTORY:
Though it originated in Galicia or the neighboring region of Leon, pulpo a feira, as it is known in Galician, or pulpo a la gallega, as it is called in Spanish, is now popular throughout Spain. It is usually served on wooden plates with cachelos, potatoes that have been boiled or roasted in embers with their skins on. Frozen octopus works particularly well, since the freezing tenderizes the otherwise quite tough meat.
