RAW CASHEW LEMON CHEESECAKE

Every now and then I like to flip through one of the many cookbooks on my shelf for inspiration and ideas.    Over the years I've dabbled in raw cuisine, testing out recipes from books now and then.  For the most part I've really enjoyed the recipes I've tried, especially the desserts!  A really lovely raw "un"cook book that I bought a while ago called "I am Grateful" by Teres Engelhart has some really yummy desserts.  Today, I decided I had to make the cashew lemon cheesecake.  It is so simple to make and incredibly delicious.  I ate two pieces and can't wait to go back for more tomorrow.  (By the time I got around to photographing this the light wasn't so great, so I apologize for the crappy photo!)

RAW CASHEW LEMON CHEESECAKE

adapted from "I am Grateful" by Teres Englehart

makes a 9 1/2 cheesecake

For the crust:

2 cups organic almonds

1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/8 tsp sea salt

1/4 - 1/2 cup organic dates (I used about 16)

For the filling:

3 cups soaked organic raw cashews (soaked 8 hours in water)

1 1/2 cups homemade organic almond milk

1 cup organic lemon juice

1/2 cup local honey

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

2 pinches sea salt

3 Tbsp organic non-gmo lecithin granules

3/4 cup raw unscented coconut oil

Garnish:

Top with organic lemon zest and/or slice and wild blueberries (fresh or frozen)

Method:  Make the crust first by finely chopping the almonds, vanilla and sea salt in the bowl of your food processor fitted with the "S" blade until finely crumbled.  Continue to process while adding the dates in small amounts until the crust sticks together.  Press crust into the bottom of a 9 1/2" spring form pan.

     To make the filling, blend all the ingredients except the lecithin and coconut oil until smooth.  Add the lecithin and coconut oil and blend until well incorporated.  Pour onto the crust and sprinkle with the blueberries.  Set in the fridge or freezer until firm (about an hour).  

CITRUS BRAISED LAMB SHANKS

I love the library.  Most of the time they have books that I would love to buy, so instead of buying them, I borrow them.  If after checking them out I discover I shouldn't live without it, then I go and buy it!  It's so much fun showing up and finding all these great books waiting for me on the reserve shelf.  And so it was the day I arrived to find The River Cottage Meat Book.  As you may have already guessed, it's a book about meat.  A manifesto on the importance of eating GOOD meat.  Honouring the animal by treating it right during it's life and then continuing that respect by the care you take in cooking it.  It's such a huge book, full of so much information, I might just have to buy it just so I can actually get through all of it.  The biggest reason why I will probably buy it though is because it's so good.  I especially love the section on barbecuing, where he outlines the proper way to cook meat on an open fire without burning it.  Anyway, so this recipe is from this book and it turned out really deliciously.  Definitely not a hot summer day kind of meal, but I made it anyway because lamb shanks are some of the only cuts we have left in our freezer!

CITRUS BRAISED LAMB SHANKS

from the The River Cottage Meat Book by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall

4 organic, pasture raised lamb shanks

2-3 Tbsp e.v olive oil

1 organic carrot, finely diced

1 organic onion, finely diced

2 organic celery stalks, finely diced

a few sprigs fresh thyme

2 organic bay leaves

2 organic cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 Tbsp tomato paste

1/2 bottle white wine

1 cup lamb stock or water

juice and zest of 1 organic lemon

juice and zest of 1 organic orange

sea salt and pepper

chopped organic parsley to garnish

Method:  Heat some of the olive oil in a large flameproof casserole, add the diced vegetables, and sweat, without browning until tender.  Add the thyme, bay, garlic, tomato paste, wine, lamb stock, along with most of the citrus juice and zest (save a few pinches of zest and a tablespoon each of the juice).  Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer.

     Heat a little more oil in a separate pan and brown the lamb shanks on all sides, seasoning with salt and pepper as you go.  Add them to the casserole and cover with its lid.  Transfer to a low oven (250*) and cook for about 2 1/2 hours, until the meat is completely tender and falling off the bone.  

     Remove the shanks from the pan and keep warm while you finish the sauce by skimming off some of the fat, then taste the liquid for seasoning.  Boil to reduce, then stir in the reserved zest and juices.  Serve the lamb shanks on plates spooned over mashed potatoes or soft polenta.

EASTER FEASTING

I spent my life celebrating two Easters every year.  Greeks follow a different religious calendar whose main difference as far as I've noticed is the day that Easter falls on.  This year though, they fell on the same day.  The last few days have been all about preparing to celebrate Spring with family and friends.

     I managed to take some photos of the meal preparation but totally forgot to take after shots of the meal before we ate it all!  Sorry....suffice it to say it was beautiful and delicious.  And it included lots of roast lamb, because I am Greek after all, and it isn't Easter unless there's lamb. Growing up my father always roasted a whole lamb outside on the spit, rain or snow or shine. Even though my parents in Ontario were only having my brother and his family over for dinner, my Dad ordered half a lamb and they are cooking it on the BBQ....a head and all!  I didn't go that far and settled for two small legs of lamb.

ROAST LEG OF LAMB

1 leg of organic lamb, 5-6 pounds

sea salt and pepper

6 cloves organic garlic

3 Tbsp fresh oregano

3 Tbsp fresh thyme

3 Tbsp fresh rosemary

juice of 1 organic lemon

1/4 cup e.v olive oil

Method:  Preheat oven to 450*.  Make 4 slits with a knife all over the lamb.  Insert half a clove of garlic into each one. In a suribachi, smash the rest of the garlic with some salt and the herbs.  Rub all over the lamb with some olive oil and salt and pepper.  Then squeeze and rub the lemon all over the lamb.  Roast the lamb in the oven at the high heat for 10-15 minutes, then reduce to 340* for about 1 hour and 15 minutes.  Take out of the oven and let rest for 10 minutes then carve.

GREEK LEMON POTATOES

8 large organic russet or Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 4 wedges

juice of 1 lemon

1/4-1/2 cup homemade chicken stock

1/4-1/2 cup e.v olive oil

sea salt and pepper

fresh or dry oregano

Method:  Preheat oven to 350*.  Combine all ingredients in a roasting pan, being sure not to crowd the potatoes.  Bake in oven for about 60 minutes or until the edges start to brown.  Serve hot with the lamb.

SPRING SALAD with Lemon and Feta

Organic spinach

Organic baby romaine

Organic feta

Organic spring onions, sliced thin

Fresh dill, minced

Organic lemon juice

sea salt and pepper

olive oil

Method:  Combine the lettuces, feta, onion and dill in a large salad bowl.  Drizzle with olive oil, squeeze some lemon on top and season generously with salt and pepper.  Toss and serve.

Naturally dyed eggs using turmeric, handmade organic chocolate bunnies and chicks, organic spelt arrowroot butterflies, lambs, bunnies and tulips nestled in a bed of straw and moss.

LEMONY FINGERLING POTATOES AND HORSERADISH CARROTS

A surefire way to get the most smiles and compliments about dinner from my husband is to make a meal that features meat, and lots of it.  After taking two steaks out of the freezer to thaw, I discovered that Scott was working late tonight.  This sucked for two reasons; now I had to BBQ them, and he wouldn't be here to eat with us.  No worries though, the BBQ'ing was actually kind of fun.  I just had to make sure Faegan was all dressed to play outside, and coordinate the rest of the meal so that nothing burned or got cold before the steaks were done.  The other bonus was I got to cook them well done.  Scott like his steak really rare but he wasn't here to complain, was he?

FINGERLING POTATOES with Fresh Spring Onion and Lemon Juice

20 organic fingerling potatoes

1/2 organic lemon, juiced

2 organic spring onions, sliced

a few glugs extra virgin olive oil

sea salt and pepper to taste

Method:  Bring the potatoes to boil in a large saucepan.  Add a pinch of salt to the boiling water and cook the potatoes until they are fork tender.  Drain the water and add the onion, lemon juice, olive oil, sea salt and pepper to the potatoes, stir and serve.

ROASTED CARROTS in a Creamy Horseradish Sauce

1 pound organic carrots, peeled and cut either in two or four sticks

2 Tbsp natural horseradish

2 Tbsp organic mayonaise

sea salt and pepper to taste

minced garlic chives or parsley

Method:  Preheat oven to 375*.  Steam carrots for a few minutes, being careful not to cook them too long, you want them to still be crispy.  Then combine the carrots with the horseradish, mayo and sea salt and pepper, stir and spread out in one layer in a cast iron skillet or baking sheet.  Roast in oven for about 20 minutes or until they are tender but not mushy and starting to brown on the edges.  Sprinkle with the chives and serve.

Lunch for Me

The other day I was browsing around Sobey's.  I love grocery shopping and just checking out what is available.  This is especially fun at Sobey's because I don't normally shop there and so I never know what to expect to find.  To my great surprise I came across some organic Atlantic salmon from Ireland.  This was very exciting, especially since I started to crave salmon as I was walking past the fish department.  You see, ever since I found out about the sad state of salmon farming I have opted to not eat farmed salmon.  Which is really sad for me because I love Atlantic salmon.  It is very easy to find Pacific wild salmon in the stores, but I prefer Atlantic salmon which apparently is illegal to catch these days.  So I scooped up a pack and brought it home to cook for supper.  I was disappointed in the flavour and texture of this organic salmon and all my hopes for a new life of salmon eating disappeared forever.  I am hoping it was just in the Sobey's freezer for too long, so I will try another batch from a city Sobey's to see if there is a difference.  Anyway, so I had one more fillet left and decided it would taste ok in something like a fish cake.  I had some leftover mashed potatoes from supper the other night which made lovely fishcakes for lunch.

SALMON FISHCAKES with Sweet Potatoes and Capers

1 organic salmon fillet, cooked and flaked (about 4.5 oz)

1 cup organic mashed sweet and white potatoes

1 organic egg, beaten

1 very small onion, minced

1-2 handfuls of organic breadcrumbs

2 Tbsp organic parsley, chopped

2 Tbsp capers

sea salt and pepper

Method: Combine all ingredients in a bowl.  Mix together and then shape into patties.  Heat a cast iron skillet over medium low heat.  Melt some butter and fry the patties about 5 minutes on each side.  Serve over spinach salad

FALL SPINACH SALAD with Feta and Carrot in a Lemon Dressing

Organic baby spinach

Feta cheese, crumbled

Organic carrot, grated

Organic sunflower seeds

Organic lemon

Olive oil

Sea salt and pepper

Method:  Layer the vegetables, cheese and seeds in a bowl.  Squirt with some lemon, drizzle with some oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Toss and then add 2 warm fishcakes on top.