Crispy Halibut with Sweet and Sour Sauce

This is a delicious way to make halibut. Please enjoy and use organic products as much as possible.

Makes 4 Servings

Ingredients:

2 lbs. boneless halibut fillets
1 cup pineapple chunks
2 cups pineapple juice
1/2 cup red bell pepper, sliced to strips
1/2 cup green bell pepper, sliced to strips
1/2 small onion, sliced to strips
1 tsp. juice from fresh ginger
1 tbsp. tomato catsup
1 tbsp. vinegar
1 tsp. seasoning sauce
1 egg
4 tbsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. cornstarch
salt and pepper
avocado oil

Cooking Process: 

Cut halibut fillets into 1-inch serving cubes. Season with salt and pepper.

Whisk together the 4 tbsps. cornstarch and egg.

In a frying pan, heat oil, enough to cover the fish during frying. Dip and coat halibut cubes in cornstarch mixture. Deep-fry in hot oil for a shot time until golden brown and crispy. Remove from pan and once you have cooked all of the fish, fry each piece again for a short amount of time to make them extra crispy then set aside.

In another skillet, heat a little oil. Saute pineapple cubes until with a very slight tinge of brown, around 1-2 minutes. Remove and set aside.

In the same skillet, adding more oil as necessary, saute onions until tender. Remove and set aside. Saute red and bell peppers until slightly tender. Remove and set aside.

Peel and grate fresh ginger and draw juice by squeezing fibers. Combine pineapple juice, catsup, vinegar, and ginger juice. Dissolve 1 tsp cornstarch in pineapple mixture. Mix well, eliminating lumps.

Pour into skillet, stirring constantly. Season with salt and pepper to taste. When the sauce is slightly thickened, add halibut, onions, peppers and pineapple cubes. Stir and combine until ingredients are fully coated with pineapple sauce. Allow to cook for an additional 1 to 2 minutes until peppers are tender, yet crisp.

Homemade Seasoned Salt

Ingredients:
1/4 cup salt
4 tsps. ground black pepper
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. ground red pepper

Instructions:
Stir salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper in an airtight container, seal, and shake to combine.

Apple, Pecan Green Salad

You can use either of these dressings below for the salad. They are both delicious.

Salad:

Spring mix
Apples
Candied pecans (See Healthy Carmelized Pecan recipe)
Purple onion
Feta
Bacon
Pomegranate (optional)

Balsamic dressing:

1/4 cup olive oil
2 T. balsamic vinegar
1 T. fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp. pure maple syrup
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
dash of salt
ground black pepper

Raspberry Vinegar Dressing:

3 Tbsp. raspberry vinegar (or unseasoned rice vinegar)

1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

1 Tbsp. honey

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Homemade Dry Onion Soup Mix

Ingredients:

1/4 cup dried onion flakes

2 Tablespoons beef bouillon granules, or bullion paste, or 6 beef bullion cubes, chopped

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon dried parsley flakes

1/8 teaspoon celery seed

1/8 teaspoon paprika

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

• Mix all ingredients together. Store in an airtight container. Use in recipes that call for one envelope of dry onion soup mix.
• To make as a dip, mix recipe with one pint of sour cream.

Best Slow Cooker Pot Roast

We love a pot roast with cream of mushroom soup and dry onion soup mix, but one day I realized that I didn't have cream of mushroom soup (There is a dry onion soup mix on this blog. Look up Homemade Dry Onion Soup Mix) so I found this recipe from Kimberly Killebrew's blog, The Daring Gourmet. It is yummy.

Ingredients

• 4 pound beef round roast or chuck depending on how lean you prefer it
• 2 tablespoons oil (use one with a high smoke point - I use avocado oil)
• 2 carrots roughly chopped
• 2 stalks celery roughly chopped
• 1 yellow onion diced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 2 strips bacon cut in half
• 2 1/2 cups beef broth
• 1/2 cup dry red wine optional
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 bay leaves
• For the Rub:
• 2 tablespoons sweet paprika
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon rosemary
• 1/4 teaspoon thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon basil
• 1/4 teaspoon parsley
• For the Gravy Slurry:
• 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour mixed into a slurry with 1/2 cup canned beef broth

Instructions:

1.  Rub the roast all over with the rub mix.

2.  Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over high heat and liberally brown the roast on all sides. Place the roast in a slow cooker.

3.  Add the broth to the skillet, return to a boil, and whisk to loosen up the browned bits. Add the tomato paste, wine (if you want to use it), and salt and whisk to combine.

4.  Add the carrots, celery, onion, garlic, and bay leaves into the slow cooker around and on top of the roast. Lay the strips of bacon alongside and on top of the roast. Pour the beef broth/tomato paste mixture over everything.

5. Cook on low setting for 8-9 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.

6. Pour the liquid from he slow cooker into a stock pot, leaving the roast and the vegetables in the warm slow cooker. Bring to a boil and whisk in the gravy slurry and continue whisking the gravy until it is thickened. Season with salt and pepper.

7. Place the pot roast on a serving platter and spoon the vegetables around it. Discard the bay leaves and bacon. Pour a little of the gravy over it and serve with gravy on the side along with potatoes and your choice of sides. 

No Bake Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites (Vegan)

Ingredients

• 3.5 ounces organic quick cook oats (feel free to use gluten free oats, or rolled oats – just grind them into more of a flour consistency)
• 4.5 ounces organic cashew butter (or nut butter of choice)
• 3 tablespoons organic maple syrup/agave nectar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 ounces vegan chocolate chips

Preparation

1. In a mixing bowl stir together the cashew butter, maple syrup and vanilla extract
2. In a separate bowl, mix the oats, flour and chocolate chops and stir until combined
3. Add the ‘liquid’ to the flour bowl and mix until all is combined (if it’s a little dry or finding it hard to stick together, add a drop of water)
4. Roll the mixture into 18 even balls, pop in the fridge for at least 10 minutes, then enjoy!

Fresh Peach and Goat Cheese Salad with Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing

SALAD:
4 cups mixed greens
1 yellow peach, sliced
16 candied pecan pieces (see Candied Pecans or Caramelized Pecans (Healthy) recipes)
2 oz. goat cheese, crumbled

DRESSING:
2 T. fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp. honey
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1 1/2 tsp. poppy seeds
1 T. extra-virgin olive oil

INSTRUCTIONS:

Prepare dressing: Combine the dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Whisk thoroughly
and refrigerate until serving time.

Prepare the salad: Divide the mixed greens, peach slices, candied pecans, and goat cheese between 2 salad plates. Drizzle on the dressing and serve. Makes 2 servings.