Matty’s FAVOURITE SALAD OF ALL TIME

Celery, chopped

Lettuce, chopped

Green beans, lightly steamed

Green pepper, chopped

Green olives, a couple handfuls, smashed or roughly pulverized

Shallots or red onion, sliced

Cucumber, chopped (omit if you are going to keep in fridge for a few days.  It gets soggy)

Parsley, chopped

Canned tuna with oil (don't bother draining it)

Freshly ground black pepper

Zest of a lemon

Juice of a lemon

Vinegar (champagne or red wine is good)

Olive oil

Mix everything up.  I don't measure a thing.  You can't screw it up. Oil to vinegar is roughly 2:1 ratio.  Steamed broccoli and cauliflower are also nice in this.  So are radishes.

 

 

Source:  Matty Matheson

Bazlama (Turkish Flat Bread)

500 grams (4 cups) flour

375 ml (1.5 cups) warm water

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon instant yeast

pinch of salt

olive oil

 

Mix all ingredients; knead 5-6 min.  Place in oiled bowl and let rise 40 minutes.  Punch down and separate dough into eight parts.  Roll into balls, flatten to 1/4 inch thick.  Do not stack.  Cover with a towel so the dough does not dry out. 

Heat a cast iron skillet or griddle over medium-high heat. Place one dough round in the skillet and bake until brown spots appear on the bottom, about 1-2 minutes. Flip the bread and bake for an additional minute or two.

Picadillo

• 1 green pepper, diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 6-7 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 1/2 lbs ground meat (I use a mixture of beef/pork or venison)
• a couple handfuls chopped green olives.  These are important.  Don't omit!
  
• capers (optional)
• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 28 oz canned tomatoes  
• hot sauce

 

Spices

 

freshly ground pepper

salt

cinnamon

cloves (scant)

bay leaf

Brown ground meat with vegetables until meat is brown and onions are translucent.

Add remaining ingredients and simmer for about an hour until mixture is thickened and juice has evaporated.

Adjust seasonings as you go.

Serve with rice and black beans

Saag - Instant Pot

Ingredients

 

• 2 tablespoons butter
  
• 2 onions diced
• 4 teaspoons minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons minced ginger
• 2 lbs greens of any kind, rinsed.  I like to use a combination of mustard greens and spinach
  

Spices

• 2 teaspoons salt
  
• 1 teaspoon  ground coriander
  
• 1 teaspoon  ground cumin
  
• 1 teaspoon  garam masala
  
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
  
• ½ teaspoon cayenne
• ½ teaspoon turmeric
•  Pinch dried fenugreek leaves
• Ghee or butter for serving

Instructions

 

• Press the “saute” button on the Instant Pot and add the butter. Once it melts, add the onion, garlic, ginger and spices to the pot and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes.
• Add the greens, stirring until it wilts and there’s enough room to add everything.
• Secure the lid, close the pressure valve and cook for 15 minutes at high pressure.
• Naturally release pressure.
• Remove the lid and use an immersion blender to puree the contents of the pot (or pour the contents into a blender and then add the blended mixture back into the pot).
• Stir in the dried fenugreek leaves.
   
  You can add paneer at the end of you like.  My recipe for Finnish Bread Cheese works well.  
  
   
  Source: adapted from My Heart Beets

Honey Baklava

3 cups chopped walnuts (360 grams) or any mixture of nuts. 

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

1½ cups butter

½ cup honey

1/2 package (16 oz) filo pastry sheets

 

1. Preheat the oven to 325˚.

2. Combine walnuts, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in a medium bowl. Stir well until the spices seem evenly distributed.

3. Set aside ½ cup of the butter and stir the honey into the remaining 1 cup of clarified butter.

4. Brush the bottom of a 13x9x2-inch baking pan with butter.

5. Open the filo pastry. Cover it with waxed paper and a damp kitchen towel to keep it from drying out. Every time you take out a sheet, cover it up again.

6. Place a piece of filo in the pan and brush it with the clarified butter. Repeat with 9 more sheets, brushing each one with more butter, for a total of 10 sheets.

7. Spread 1/3 cup of the walnut mixture over the filo. Place a sheet of filo over the walnuts and brush it with the honey/butter mixture. Add a second sheet of filo and brush it with the butter mixture.

8. Repeat Step #7, adding 1/3 cup of walnuts and two sheets of filo, each brushed with the honey/butter until you have used all of the nuts.

9. Top with 10 or 12 more filo sheets, brushing each one with clarified butter.

10. With a sharp knife, cut the baklava lengthwise into fourths, being careful to cut all the way through.

11. Cut diagonally across the first cuts to make diamond shapes.

12. Bake at 325˚ for 45 minutes.

14. Remove from the oven and immediately spoon the cool honey syrup over the Baklava.

15. Cool on a rack.

 

Leftover baklava can be frozen. When ready to eat, place the unwrapped pieces on a baking sheet in a 325˚ for about 12 minutes, or until heated. Allow to cool before eating.

 

Nuts can also be roughly ground rather than chopped. 

 

Optional: Add a tablespoon or two of flavorful booze or a teaspoon of vanilla to the honey sauce.  

 

 

Source: several recipes floating around the internet.

Beet Salad

 Spring mix or red leaf lettuce or any variation thereof
1 pear or granny smith apple, chopped 

3 beets

Handful of roasted pecans, chopped

Red onion, thinly sliced

Feta cheese

Balsamic vinegar

Olive oil

Freshly ground black pepper

Almond Pulp Hummus

Good use of leftover almond pulp from making almond milk.  This is just as good, if not better, than real hummus.  However, it does not keep NEARLY as long as real hummus.  Best to eat it within a day or two.

1 c. almond pulp  

Juice of 1 lemon

1/2 c. tahini

2 cloves garlic

salt

cumin

olive oil

Puree in food processor until creamy and garlic cloves are fully incorporated.  Add olive oil slowly until creamy consistency is achieved.  

Fish Tacos with Mango Salsa

 Fish 
2 lb cod or other firm white fish, chopped in 1-inch pieces
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. cumin
Juice of 1/2 lime
 
Toss and set aside to marinate.
 
Mango Salsa
1 mango, peeled and diced
2 T. minced red onion
2 tsp. fresh lime juice
pinch of salt
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 avocado, diced
 
Crema
Equal parts sour cream and mayonnaise (1/4-1/2 c.)
1/2-1 avocado
Juice of 1/2 lime
1/4 c. cilantro
1 jalapeno
1/2 tsp. cumin
Blend in food processor until well incorporated.
 
Olive or avocado or coconut oil for frying
Heat oil in skillet or wok until smoking.  Drain fish and pat dry with paper towels (this will ensure it is crispy). Fry fish in batches until crispy.  Drain.  
 
Serve in tortilla with shredded cabbage and chopped cilantro.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Nearly Dairy-Free Quiche Base

1 14.5-oz can coconut milk, full fat
5 eggs, beaten
1/2 tsp salt

Cooked filling of your choice: 2 cups or so; sauteed mushrooms, wilted spinach and nutmeg and onion, cooked bacon or sausage, other sauteed vegetables or any combination thereof. 

Shredded Gruyère cheese, 2-4 oz  (This is optional but all egg and no cheese makes Stella a dull girl).

1 recipe Almond Flour Pastry Crust


Prepare crust, separate evenly into two balls of dough, roll out and fit into two pie dishes.  Bake at 325 for 10 minutes; remove from oven and raise heat to 350.

Mix filling, divide in half, and distribute equally between the two precooked pie shells.  Top with shredded cheese and bake for 35 minutes,or until knife inserted in middle comes out clean. 

Bacon Jam

1 package bacon (1 lb)
2 12-oz yellow onions, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar or maple syrup (I use brown erythritol)
1/2 cup water
Ground cayenne pepper, depending on how much kick you want
2 tsp. balsamic vinegar

Mince bacon and fry over medium low heat until crispy and dark.  Add onions and cook until translucent.  Add remaining ingredients and cook down slowly, stirring frequently until mixture has cooked down into a lovely gloppy jam-like mass.  Adjust seasonings and puree a bit with a boat motor if you like to establish a smoother consistency.  Serve warm or at room temperature. Phenomenal on hamburgers.

Erythritol Lemon Bars

1 cup lemon juice
zest of 2 lemons
1 c. almond flour
1/2 c. plus 2 Tablespoons melted butter
Erythritol- over 1 1/2 cups
Confectioner's erythritol
7 egg yolks
3 eggs
1 egg white
coconut flour

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Line 9-inch baking pan with aluminum foil and butter liberally.

Mix almond flour, 1/4 c. erythritol, 1 egg white and 1/2 cup melted butter.  Add coconut flour a spoonful at a time until it forms a soft pie dough consistency.  Press in bottom of pan and bake until it begins to brown.  Remove.

Mix lemon juice, lemon zest, erythritol, 7 egg yolks, 3 whole eggs in medium saucepan.  Cook stirring constantly over medium heat until mixture has thickened (about 170 degrees).  Add more erythritol until it is sufficiently sweet (I think it was at least another 1/2 c. or so). Whisk in 2 T butter. 

Pour mixture in pan containing the shortbread and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, until center of filling jiggles slightly.

Chill completely and sprinkle with powdered erythritol. 

These are best the day they are made.  Erythritol tends to crystallize the longer it sits.

Cauliflower Mash, No cheese

2 heads cauliflower
1 head garlic, peeled
1/2 stick of butter
Salt & Pepper

Steam or boil vegetables until tender.  Drain.   Masticate veggies until creamy using a boat motor or food processor.  Add butter and season with salt and pepper. 

Drum Coffee's Chocolate Beet Torte

This is the actual recipe from Drum!

Cake

• 1 can drained beets, pureed
• 2 c unsweetened almond milk
• 1 T cream of tartar
• 1 ½ c sugar
• ½ c coconut oil, melted
• 1 T vanilla extract
• 1 ½ c oat flour
• ¾ c almond meal
• 1 c unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt

Frosting

• 3 oz chocolate, melted
• ⅓ c almond milk
• ⅓ c coconut oil
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 3 c powdered sugar (more as needed)
• Pinch of salt
• 1 oz espresso

Line two springform pans and grease. In a food processor, blend drained beets until it looks similar to apple sauce. Add the almond milk and cream of tartar and allow to stand for about 5 minutes (melt the coconut oil during this time).

Going down the list in order add each ingredient. Once everything is measured out in the food processor, blend the mixture. Make sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to check for anything that did not get mixed in. Blend once more. Divide the batter evenly between the two pans, using a scoop for accuracy. Bake at 320 for 25 minutes, spinning halfway through. Cool before frosting.

For the frosting, place chocolate, salt, vanilla, and almond milk into a small bowl. Bring a small pot of about 3 c water o a boil. Once boiling, turn the water off the heat and set thebowl on to of the pot. Allow the chocolate to melt, stirring occasionally. Once Melted, add in the powdered sugar, sifting one cup at a time, and adding more or less until a thick, almost fudgy consistency. Once all the sugar is added, pull the espresso, and mix until the frosting is one consistent texture. Add ½ c frosting per cake, leaving an unfrosted edge around the cake.

Allow the cakes to cool in the freezer for 1 hour. To cut the torte, use a pitcher full of hot water, dip a sharp knife into and allow to heat up. Wipe down the knife with a dry towel, and cut the tortes into 8 equal pieces.

Best Dairy-Free Sugar Free Pumpkin Pie EVER

Pureeing then cooking the non-eggy portion of the filling and adding it to the raw eggs is KEY to achieving the silky texture of this pie. 

1 14.5-oz can pumpkin puree
1 1/3 cups coconut CREAM (Refrigerate 2 14.5-oz cans of coconut milk; the cream will rise to the top of the can and solidify.  Strain cans, discard the "whey" and keep the cream).
1 cup erythritol (I use confectioner's; it dissolves better)
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. cloves
1/8 tsp. black pepper (optional)
1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp. pure maple extract  (I use Boyajain)
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
4 large eggs

1.  Process the pumpkin puree, coconut cream, erythritol, spices and salt in a blender or food processor for several minutes.  Transfer to a saucepan and bring mixture to a simmer.  Cook for 5 minutes or so, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat.

2.  Process the eggs in the blender and slowly add hot pumpkin mixture until well combined, 30 seconds to one minute.  Scrape down sides, ensure everything is well combined.

3.  Pour hot pie filling into warm, partially-baked pie crust and bake at 300 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until the center of the pie registers 175 degrees.