Alliteration Rations

Holidays always get me messed up.  It's Tuesday now, not Monday, right?

Celeriac Seafood Pie
Here's another recipe from the 8-week Blood Sugar Diet Book. Too bad you have to be wealthy to eat healthy!  Celeriac, known in the States as Celery Root, is $6 per pound!  A single Leek is nearly $2.  This is NOT an inexpensive dish.  Still, the celeriac topping is much healthier than mashed potatoes, and tastes better too.  Not really very celery-ish, just right.  The filling could use a bit more seasoning than listed -- maybe a couple teaspoons of your favorite go-to general seasoning like Old Bay or Everglades, or...  Serves four easily.

1-1/4 lb Celeriac (Celery Root) peeled and cubed
1 Onion, diced
1 Leek, sliced
1/4 cup Half & half
3-4 Tbsp Butter
1/4 cup chopped Parsley
4 oz cooked Salmon
4 oz cooked Cod
12 Medium Shrimp, peeled and cooked with Cajun seasoning
4 oz sliced Mushrooms
1/2 cup frozen Peas, thawed
1/2 tsp dried Dill

Boil the celery root for 20-30 minutes until tender.  Drain, then take it for a spin in the food processor, with a couple tablespoons of butter, a pinch of salt, some black pepper and a splash of dairy until it's smooth and creamy.  Reserve.

Poach, bake or microwave the fish until flaky.  Cook the shrimp with the Cajun spice. Flake fish and reserve.

Saute the onion, leek and mushrooms with a bit of butter until tender.  Cool.

In a baking dish toss together the sautéed vegetables, flaked fish, peas and herbs.  Top with the celery root mash.

Bake at 400F for 30 minutes until heated through.


Simple Soup & Salad

Butternut Squash Soup
1 large Butternut Squash - 2-3 lbs, peeled, seeded, and shredded or diced small
1 large Red Onion, diced
2 medium Red Apples, chopped
2 tsp Cinnamon
2 tsp Coriander
1 tsp Nutmeg
4-5 cups water
3/4 cup Half & half

Cook everything except the milk together until the squash is tender -- say half an hour.  Put 3/4 of the squash mixture in the food processor and take it for a spin until it is well and truly pureed.  Return puree to the pot with the remaining chunky bits, stir in the dairy and heat through before serving.

Not my best soup photo...sorry.

Simple Salad
Simple?  I'd say so.  All salads are essentially simple -- some greens and some chunky bits and a dressing.  Try this:

2 cups chopped Romaine
2 cup chopped Kale
1/2 Beefsteak Tomato, chopped
1/2 Yellow Tomato, chopped
1 Red Bell Pepper, diced
1 medium Apple, chopped
2 Shallots, sliced
2" length of Cucumber, chopped
2 handsful Walnuts
1/8 cup Toasted Sunflower seeds
2 Lemons, juiced
1 Lime, juiced
EVOO

Toss together everything except the citrus and EVOO.

Juice the lemons and lime into a sealable container.  Add about 1/3 that volume of EVOO, and shake vigorously to combine.  Drizzle over servings of salad as desired.


Tasty Tacos
Tacos are not really a recipe; they're a technique that everyone applies differently.  These tacos substitute (rather successfully) cauliflower rice for ground beef.

Saute some onion and bell pepper in medium skillet.  Then add "some" riced cauliflower -- for 2 people about 3 cups is good.   I used frozen, you can make it yourself if you're so inclined.

Cook the cauliflower for a minute or two to take the chill off.  Then add a packet of taco seasoning mix, or a blend of spices of your choice.  I used a packet of Badia brand Sazon Tropical seasoning with a little added cumin, some smoked paprika and a pinch of red pepper flakes.    Stir to combine and cook for 4-5 minutes to blend all the flavors.

Along the side you'll have your usual taco toppings -- diced tomato and onion, slices of avocado, shredded cheese, salsas, wedges of lime for squeezing, etc.  I added spicy roasted garbanzos for a bit of bite and crunch.  Plus tortilla, of course.  We like soft tortillas, but crispy taco shells are fine too.

You can always spoon everything into soft tortillas, roll then up and make burritos; either way it's darn tasty.