ramen noodle bowl (gluten free) with chicken and vegetables

I am so happy to have discovered a new ramen that is gluten free and totally delicious. Here is what I tried for the first time just last night, no tweaks, it's so rare to nail a recipe the first time, so cool.

There is a dish at momofoku noodle bar in New York that I am dying to recreate with these noodles.

Stay tuned.


4 cups chicken stock (really good recipe on this blog)
1 pkg of king soba ramen (4 serving package)
1 organic carrot
1 cup broccolini or regular broccoli
4 cooked chicken thighs with the skin on
2 hard boiled eggs, quartered
4 green onions
2 tbsp braggs liquid aminos
2 tbsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp dried chili flakes

beans sprouts to garnish (optional)

Bake chicken thighs for 25 minutes at 400 for crispy skin with a little chinese 5 spice and some braggs liquid amino acids. Cut from bone and set aside, keeping all the juices and skin.

Boil a large pot of water and cook the noodles for 4 to 7 minutes, rinsing them afterwards to remove the excess starch. Set aside.

Bring 4 cups of your stock to a boil and add the vegetables cooking them until just al dente. Carrots first for 3 minutes then broccoli for 4 minutes. Check these to make sure they are cooked how you like them. They will continue to cook in the soup.

Divide noodles into 4 separate bowls placing the chicken, eggs and onions on top. Pour the broth over the noodles and garnish with a teaspoon each of braggs, sesame oil and a sprinkle of chili flakes. Top with bean sprouts.



Serves 4

Rosemary Chicken with Lemon

Rosemary Chicken with Lemon

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

2 tbsp olive oil

1/4 cup lemon juice

2 garlic cloves, pressed

2 tbsp or 1 tbsp dried

1/4 tsp Himalayan sea salt

Combine the olive oil, lemon juice, rosemary salt and garlic and pour over chicken breast. Allow to sit at least an hour longer covered in the fridge.

Prepare a medium/hot grill and cook for 6 minutes per side, (you can cut into the breast, parallel along the side to make sure its done). I keep the lid down, it seems to retain moisture, giving you a really juicy breast. Let rest 5 minutes and serve with fresh lemon wedges.

This is a staple here at our house, we buy our meat from Fieldgate organics at Covent Garden Market in London when we can get there. It is a beautiful winter dish and one that hits all those home cookin savory buttons that are triggered this time of year. So excited about the change in our seasonal menu.

I serve this with roasted carrots and brussel sprouts or sometimes roasted baby reds.

In spring time this is really good on salad but lets not get ahead of ourselves. 

Enjoy!

shrimp with coconut milk and kaffir lime leaf

This recipe was in the works for a while and I tried many different versions but this is the best one and is fantastic served on brown jasmine rice or buckwheat soba noodles.

A note on coconut milk, Thai kitchen brand doesn't list any sulfites added, so I use that when I don't have time to make my own.

Kaffir lime leaf and galangal is available in most asian grocery stores.

1 lb fresh shelled de veined shrimp

10 small bok choy (outer leaves removed)
20 snow peas
1 cup coconut milk
2 tbsp fresh squeezed lime juice
5 kaffir lime leaves
1 sliced shallot
1 clove garlic, pressed
1 tbsp fresh grated ginger or galangal
1 tsp fish sauce
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp cornstarch (or more if you like your sauce thicker)

Over medium high heat in coconut oil, saute onions, kaffir lime leaf, garlic and ginger until onions are soft and translucent.

Add shrimp and saute for 2 minutes.

Whisk together fish sauce, lime juice, coconut milk and set aside.

Add bok choy to pan and saute for 1 minute more.

Add the sauce to the pan cover and let simmer for 2 minutes then add the snow peas and toss for 1 minute.

Remove everything from pan with a slotted spoon on to a serving tray.

Bring sauce to a boil and reduce heat then add the cornstarch whisking as you go until desired consistency is reached.

Pour over shrimp and vegetables and serve immediately with fresh lime wedges, fresh cracked pepper and cilantro.

Dig in.

Cabbage sesame salad

Its been a while since I posted a new recipe and this will be the last one, focusing on raw until next spring. Fall is upon us and most of us will just naturally be transitioning into eating heartier, more savory foods over the next month. I am already excited for this.

If your anything  like me you will be pulling out your crock pot.

I get really excited this time of year to research, create and discover new recipes. So stay tuned for the next recipe, I'm anticipating something with kaffir lime leaf, but we will see. I also have some curry leaves in the freezer.

 I love this salad and it lasts a long time in the fridge.

You will need:

1/2 head of green cabbage

1/2 cup chopped raw almonds

2 tbsp black and white sesame seeds

2 tbsp lemon

2 tbsp lime

2 tbsp apple cider vinegar (optional)

2 tbsp sesame oil

Dice cabbage into small chunks and set aside. Whisk lemon, lime, vinegar and oil together briskly. Finely chop almonds and add to the bowl then add the sesame seeds. Pour dressing over salad and toss well. Store in fridge for up to 5 days. For a more alkaline based salad you can omit the vinegar and add more citrus to taste. Enjoy.

white escolar tuna with shaved radish on sesame rice

Spring is definitely here is your body calling for spring like foods? Fresh salads, more vegetarian, more raw and some of this...

I first tried this recipe in winter but it's an ideal dish for spring and summer, it is really easy to prepare and the flavor payoff is huge.

8 to 12 oz white escolar tuna (or sushi grade if you can't find)

1 large red radish thinly sliced with a mandolin (I used soiled reputations)
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp coconut sugar

1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
1 tbsp braggs

1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
2 tbsp sliced green onions

1 cup of jasmine rice or sushi rice (you can use brown rice too but this is the one dish I really like with white.)

Marinate sliced radish with the whisked rice vinegar  and sugar in a flat bottom dish for 2 hours. Make rice. Thinly slice the raw tuna(so its almost see through). Heat the sesame oil and braggs until just warm. Scoop the rice into a bowl and place marinated radish on the rice. Place sliced tuna on the radish and pour the warm sauce over top. Garnish with green onions and toasted sesame seeds.

Serves 2

The best ever chocolate cupcakes with raspberry cashew cream

This recipe will satisfy even the worst critic about how tasty gluten free baked goods can be. As for the chocolate lovers well, I double dare you to not fall all over these gems.

The Best Ever Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes with Raspberry Cashew Cream

*Dairy free *Wheat free *Soy free

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

4 eggs (room temperature)
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup olive oil or grape seed
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup brown rice flour
½ cup millet flour
1/3 cup dutch cocoa
1 tbsp baking soda
1 tsp xanthan gum
½ tsp salt
½ cup almond milk (room temperature)

In a medium bowl whisk wet, except the almond milk, add the sugar. In a separate bowl whisk dry. Add dry to wet and mix, then add almond milk and mix until just blended, not to long. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from pan and allow to cool on a wire rack. Top with raspberry cashew cream before serving.

Raspberry Cashew Cream

1 cup of cashews (soaked overnight)
¼ frozen or fresh raspberries
1 tbsp agave

Once the cashews have been soaked, rinse them and put them in a vitamix with just enough water to barely cover them. Blend on high and add agave. Once the cream is smooth add the raspberries, you may have to stop the blender a few times and scrape the sides. Pour into a container and store in the fridge for up to a week but not before you try one.

Talapia with Tomato Caper Salsa

Spring is approaching and just like every year my body is making the shift from wanting heartier meals to wanting raw, fresh and lighter meals in general. From oatmeal or eggs for breakfast to juice and smoothies. From grain bowls and soups for lunch to raw salads, sprouts and beans. From root vegetables and meats for dinner to fish and cold salads. This is a meal I look forward to each spring. Enjoy!

This works with halibut and cod also.

If you like, try checking the Oceanwise site to see which type of fish is currently the best choice, here is the link.

http://oceanwise.ca/seafood

Or if you are lucky like me and live in Stratford, Ontario, just ask Shawn from Simple Fish ;)

Talapia with Tomato Caper Salsa

4 fresh talapia filets

1 tbsp lime juice2

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp olive oil 

2 roma tomatoes diced

2 tbsp fresh cilantro

1 medium sized diced shallot

2 tbsp capers

fresh cracked pepper

1 clove garlic minced

4 slivers of lemon for garnish

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Rinse and pat dry talapia filets and place them on a baking tray lined with a piece of parchment. 

Brush with 1 tbsp of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and cracked pepper. bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until fish flakes with a fork. 

While the fish is baking mix together tomatoes, shallot, garlic, lemon, lime. cilantro and fresh pepper. You can add a bit of salt here but I find the capers offer more than enough. Set aside. 

Once fish is done, remove it from the oven, top with the tomato caper salsa and a slice of fresh lemon. This is great served with steamed green beans and wild rice or your grain of choice. Deeeelish!

Asian Slaw with foraging flowers

1/2 head asian(wrinkly) green cabbage cut in half cored and sliced thin
1 large carrot julienned
1/4 cup raw almond butrer
1 tbsp lemon
1 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp fresh grated ginger
1 tbsp agave
1 tbsp toasted sesame oi
1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds 
1/2 cup foraging flowers for garnish

1. Place chopped cabbage and julienned carrots in a large stainless steel bowl.
2. Toast sesame seeds on low until they are golden about 5 minutes.
3. While the sesame seeds are toasting, in a separate bowl, combine almond butter, oil, lime juice,lemon juice, ginger and agave mixing with a wire whisk.
4. Toss vegetables with dressing.
5. Add sesame seeds.
6. Plate and top with  foraging flowers.
7. serve with fresh wedges of lime.