For future healthy recipes check out my new blog

Greetings!

As of today I will only use this blog to post recipes and other information related to French culture.

For those who would like to read upcoming posts on health tips, food topics and healthy recipes, check out my new blog:

Mesquite: what’s not to love

Here’s an alter written by an alter ego of sorts in which you can learn about the many health benefits of mesquite. The ground pods is becoming one of my favorites as a flour and a sweetener. And my carrot patty recipe is at the bottom of the article…Enjoy!
http://www.naturalnews.com/029479_mesquite_blood_sugar.html

Dandelion Salad with Spicy Hemp Dressing

Ingredients for 2:
1/2 bunch dandelion leaves, rinsed, dried and chopped
1 carrot, peeled and sliced
1 zucchini, washed and diced
1/2 cup ground raw unsalted cashew nuts
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon coconut oil
2 tablespoons hemp butter
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 pinch salt

Mix all spices, vinegar and oil with hemp butter until you have a smooth and fluid dressing. If it’s too thick, add a little water.
Toss in with dandelion, carrot, crushed cashews and zucchini. Let the leaves and vegetables soak up the dressing a bit so wait around minutes before serving.

Chewy Carrot Coconut Cookies

This was my second experience with a dehydrator, here’s the recipe:

Ingredients for 10 cookies:
2 carrots, peeled and shredded
1/2 cup coconut shavings
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1-2 tablespoons raw honey
1 cup raw unsalted walnuts, ground (a coffee grinder is great for it)
2 teaspoons mesquite powder
1 teaspoon maca powder
1 pinch clove
1 pinch nutmeg

Mix all ingredients well, making sure the honey is spread evenly throughout the batter. You can use your clean sprightly fingers, or a wooden spoon. Once you have an even, dense and sticky paste, make ten little disks (of the cookie shape you like) and flatten them on a dehydrator.
Turn the dehydrator to 105F (41C) and dehydrate for about 4-6 hours. My advice is to check at 4 hours and see how chewy you want them to be (the denser you like them, the longer you want to keep them in).
You can serve them as soon as they’re out of the dehydrator, or keep them in the fridge for a few days.

Carrot Salad Boost

I just made this two days in a row: the first time with chicken, the second time replacing the chicken with coconut meat. Both times were delicious, slightly sweet, refreshing… and a nice energy boost!

Ingredients for 1 (main course) or 2 (appetizer):
1 small cucumber, peeled and diced
2 carrots, peeled and shredded
1/3 cup shredded cooked (not fried) chicken breasts or 1/3 cup coconut meat
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 tablespoon shredded fresh ginger
1 teaspoon ginseng honey (or 1 teaspoon honey with a pinch of powdered ginseng)
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 pinch clove
1 pinch salt

At the bottom of a bowl, whisk honey, ginger, apple cider vinegar, coconut oil, cinnamon, close, salt, chili and turmeric together. Add, cucumber, carrots and either chicken or coconut meat. Place covered in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Stir a little and serve nice and cold!

Mediterranean Brunch

Ingredients (serves 2)

2 eggs
1 pack anchovies in olive oil
2 courgettes (zucchini), washed and chopped
2 large tomatoes, washed and chopped
mixed Provence herbs
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil

in a skillet over medium, pour the anchovies and their oil. When the mix starts to sizzle add herbs, pepper and the zucchini. heat 2 minutes then add tomatoes, stir well and cover, reducing the heat slightly. Simmer for 10-15 minutes. Don’t add salt as the anchovies are very salty.

In a little frying pan over medium, pour the olive oil, when it sizzles add the two eggs. Fry gently until the whites are fully cooked. Soak with a few tablespoons from the anchovies vegetables mix so the white don’t burn. When the yolks are hot but still runny, take away from heat and serve 1 egg per plate, with the anchovies-vegetable mix next to it.

If you’re not an egg person, you can replace it with roast turkey.

I don’t eat bread, but a slice of country bread and a little goat’s cheese is also a nice addition to this dish.

Bananas may cause liver cancer

To all my dear friends who are reading this because you clicked on my link:

POISSON D’AVRIL!!!!!!

…meaning….

APRIL FOOLS!!!!

That’s right, it’s April 1st.

Yours trully,

The Little French Girl

Petit marin aux lentilles

This recipe is a marine rendition of the more traditional “petit sale aux lentilles du puy.”

Ingredients (for 2):
1 cup puy lentils, rinsed and soaked overnight
200g (6-8 oz) smoked kippers
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 onion, peeled and chopped
sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
2 tbs apple cider vinegar
1 tbs oil (grape seed, sunflower or walnut)
1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
water

heat oil in a deep skillet over medium high heat and sautee onion, garlic and carrots. When onion starts to be translucent, add lentils and pepper and stir for 1-2 minutes. Add kippers and cover the whole with water and the vinegar. Bring to a boil and turn down the temperature to low. Over and simmer for 20-30 minutes, checking occasionally. When it is nearly ready, add a pinch of salt, turn heat off, stir and let sit covered 1 minute.

Serve hot in plates or stew bowls, with hot Dijon mustard on the table.

Note: this recipe is very cheap to make in France as smoked kippers can be found for 1-2 euros/bag, which may not be true to all countries…

Algae Guacarama (with a vegan option)

“Guacarama” is a term I just invented for a spread which is a healthy hybrid of guacamole and tarama. More on the healthy properties of lemons, avocados, algae and fish roe soon, but for now: it’s great for a mid-winter breakfast (think fatty acids, vitamin C, and minerals).

ingredients (for 2)
1 ripe avocado
about 30g smoked cod eggs (or 2 big tablespoons)
fresh ground pepper
the juice of half a lemon
1/4 cup dried or fresh algae salad

Mash the avocado and the smoked cod eggs together, add the pepper and the lemon juice and mash or blend until you have a smooth purée with still a few chunks. If you are working with drie algae, rinse it if needed and soak it in a little water to it regains its natural form (discard excess water). Add the algae in your guacarama.

You can serve it as a dip, or spread it on a cracker/slice of bread, or add it to a salad, or to warm quinoa.

Note(s):
1/for the algae mix, I like using a mix of palmaria palmata, ulva, and porphyra (dulse, sea lettuce, nori/gim), or add wakame to the same dulse, sea lettuce and nori mix.
2/if you are vegan/vegetarian, replace the cod eggs with another alga: spirulina (1-2 teaspoons)

Flourless & Lactose-Free Chocolate Cake

Ingredients for 6-8:
170 ml (6 fl oz) + 1 tablespoon walnut oil (or olive oil)
170g (6 oz) organic chocolate (70% cocoa or more depending on taste), roughly chopped
1 cup (200g) unrefined sugar
4 eggs (+ 2 egg yolks)
1/2 cup ( unsweetened cocoa powder

Oil a 10-inch (25cm) round or square cake pan with 1 tablespoon of the oil, and preheat your oven to 350F (180C).
Over a double boiler (bain marie), melt the chocolate. Stir in the rest of the oil and mix until smooth. Turn off the heat and stir in the sugar. Remove from heat and gradually whisk in the eggs vigorously. Finally, lightly add the cocoa powder and whisk batter until it’s smooth and even again.
Pour the batter into the pan and bake for about 30 minutes or until the blade of a knive you stick in the middle of the pan comes out completely clean.
Take out and let cool 10 minutes, then carefully invert the cake onto a platter, makeing sure it doesn’t break.

You can serve this cake warm with:
a scoop of ice cream such as walnut, caramel, chocolate or vanilla are great if you use the walnut oil…or almond, chocolate and fig are wonderful with the olive oil
a little home made whipped cream
a cold vanilla creme anglaise

You can also serve it cold with:
raspberry coulis
strawberries poached in wine

Or simply eat it on its own!