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“In New Yooooork! Its where foodie’s dreams are maaade oooof…there’s nothing I can’t eat! Oooohhh…”

New York: a food lover’s dream.  My mouth starts to water just thinking of all the delectable choices.  Before my trips to New York, my type-A personality comes out and I scour the Internet for the newest and hottest restaurants to visit: eating in the dark, the best vegan food in town, or a famous chef’s newest establishment.  It’s all right there, in one city, and I get to taste-test it all! However, despite my best efforts to be organized, one of my best friends that lives in New York always scoops me up and takes me to a different place.  Low and behold, it’s the best sangria and scallops I’ve ever put into my mouth.  New York, you never disappoint!

During my last visit, I was actually visiting for a food-photography and styling workshop with the very talented Bea Peltre of “La Tartine Gourmande” (that’s a whole other blog post in its own!). After the first day of cooking, styling, photographing and taking in every word that poured from Bea’s mouth, I was ravished! I rushed to meet my friend and we headed over to a restaurant called the “Spice Market” in the meatpacking district.  Now if anyone has been to this area, or even New York, I’m sure you have heard of it.  It’s exactly what the name entails: spices, spices, spices! First glance at the menu and I knew I was in trouble: I want everything! We land on a few dishes to share and one in particular sticks in my memory to this day: the crispy Brussels sprouts with honey, lemongrass and mint.  Oh my, the flavor combinations! I knew I had to recreate this dish to the best of my ability when I got home.  So, that is what I have done here. I have no idea how they made that dish, however, I have played around in my kitchen quite a bit to come up with a close second. Originally this dish did not come with soba noodles, but I really like the addition of the Asian noodles with the lemongrass and mint flavors.  The lemongrass-ginger-infused honey can be made in bulk and used for other Asian dishes.  If you don’t want to bother making the infused honey, regular honey will work but will lack the flavor profile of the infused honey.

Brussels sprouts are great for liver support, increasing the production of liver-detoxifying enzymes.  Actually, any vegetable from the cruciferous family is the liver’s best friend: broccoli, kale, cabbage, cauliflower, etc.  The cruciferous family also has anti-cancer nutrients and protects against heart disease: not a bad group of vegetables to have in your fridge!

 

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If you have never had soba noodles, you must try them! They are actually noodles made from the whole grain ”buckwheat” and are safe for celiac’s who require gluten-free grains.  Buckwheat also contains “rutin”: a natural phyto-chemical that strengthens blood capillaries.  I used Eden Organic buckwheat soba noodles; the only ingredient is buckwheat flour.

 

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 I hope you enjoy this dish as much as I did.  If anyone has ever had the original, I’m sorry I couldn’t replicate it exactly, but I think you will be happy with this version. 

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Crispy Brussels Sprouts: lemongrass, honey, mint
Serves 4
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Prep Time
1 hr
Cook Time
20 min
Total Time
1 hr 20 min
Prep Time
1 hr
Cook Time
20 min
Total Time
1 hr 20 min
GROCERY LIST
Lemongrass and ginger infused honey
  1. 1 1/3 cup honey
  2. 1 lemongrass stalk plus 2 inches from a 2nd piece; reserve 3 inches from the larger end of the 2nd piece for the remainder of the recipe
  3. Approximately 2 inch x 1 inch piece of ginger, skin removed with a grater, cut in half
Brussels Sprouts and Soba Noodles
  1. 15 oz. of Brussels sprouts or approximately 25 small Brussels sprouts (the smaller the better!)
  2. ½ a package of soba noodles (about 4 oz.)
  3. 2 small garlic cloves or 1 large garlic clove, minced
  4. 3-inch piece of lemongrass (reserved from the 2nd lemongrass stalk used in the honey) stem end trimmed, minced
  5. 2 Tablespoons coconut oil, divided
  6. 1/16 teaspoon of sea salt
  7. ½ a mild pepper of your choice, sliced, seeds removed
  8. 1 green onion, sliced
  9. Mint leaves and sesame seeds to garnish
Dressing
  1. 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  2. 1 1/2 tablespoons lime juice (approximately 1 lime)
  3. 1 ½ teaspoon sesame oil
  4. ½ teaspoon rice vinegar
  5. ½ teaspoon tamari or soy sauce
  6. ½ teaspoon ginger-lemongrass-infused honey
DIRECTIONS
Prepare the lemongrass and ginger infused honey
  1. Cut the lemongrass into 2-3 inch pieces. Gently bruise the outside of the lemongrass with the back of your knife. Once all the lemongrass is cut and bruised, tie the pieces together with a piece of kitchen twine.
  2. In a saucepan, bring honey, lemongrass stalks and ginger to a low simmer. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat without removing the lid and let the honey steep for at least 1 hour. The longer you leave it, the more flavorful it will become (I left mine for 8 hours). Remove the lemongrass bundle and ginger, or keep them in the honey indefinitely for a stronger flavor. Transfer the honey to a jar with a tight fitting lid; can be kept in the fridge for up to 6 months.
Prepare Brussels sprouts and soba noodles
  1. Trim the stem ends and cut in half lengthways from stalk to top. Peel off the outside layer of leaves. Set Brussels sprouts aside.
  2. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil; add the soba noodles and cook for 7 minutes or according to package instructions. Drain, rinse under cold water and set aside.
  3. While the noodles are cooking, prepare the dressing. Mix the extra virgin olive oil, lime juice, sesame oil, rice vinegar, tamari, and ginger-lemongrass-honey to the lemongrass and ginger you transferred to a bowl earlier. Stir to combine.
  4. In a skillet or non-stick fry pan, heat coconut oil, garlic and lemongrass over low heat; sauté over low heat for 5 minutes. Be careful not to brown the garlic and lemongrass; we want to allow the lemongrass to become fragrant, not to burn. Remove a 1/8 of a teaspoon of the garlic and lemongrass and transfer to a separate bowl for the dressing. Transfer the remaining garlic and lemongrass to a bowl with the Brussels sprouts and toss together.
  5. The coconut oil will probably be cooked away, so add another tablespoon of coconut oil to the skillet. Sprinkle salt over the Brussels sprouts and add the Brussels sprouts in batches to the skillet, cut side down, along with the sliced peppers. Brussels sprouts should be in a single layer. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, depending on size. Stir and cook for another 2 minutes. Remove Brussels sprouts and transfer to a bowl; drizzle with a bit of the lemongrass-ginger-infused honey. Be careful not to use too much honey! A little goes a long way! If you need to cook the Brussels sprouts in more than one batch, wipe the pan after each use and add more coconut oil each time.
  6. Mix soba noodles, Brussels sprouts and peppers and toss with the dressing. Garnish with plenty of mint, sesame seeds and the green onion.
Love & Garnish — A Nourishing Kitchen https://loveandgarnish.com/

 

 

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  • Steve Pearson - Looks and tastes unreal.ReplyCancel

  • Brittany - I am making this for dinner tonight. My husband and little girl love Brussels sprouts so this will be perfect. Thank you for this beautiful recipe.ReplyCancel

  • Patti - My favourite go-to “meatless Monday” dish. I’ve made this several times already and can’t get enough.ReplyCancel

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Whenever cold weather sets in, all I want is a stew or soup. Something with all the nutrients you need right there in one big, comforting pot.  This soup is perfect for a chilly winter day like today and provides all the fiber, protein and nutrients one could need in a meal.  It will warm your soul, nourish your body, and make you want to curl up by the fire with a cute little puppy named Harvey…or so I imagine, because that’s what it makes me want to do!

Bouillabaisse is one of my favorite soups: the complexity of the flavors, the richness of the creamy broth, and the beautiful array of color.  I wanted to do my own spin on the soup with vegetables only: a nutrient dense soup that is just as satisfying as the original.

vegetable bouillabaisse

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Since it is winter, I used seasonal root vegetables like beets, parsnips, and carrots.  You can also switch this up and do a spring bouillabaisse with summer squash, asparagus, green peas and whatever else is in season at your local farmers market.  Eating seasonally is a great way to give your body the nutrients it needs for that particular climate.  Do you ever wonder why in hot climates, fruits like pineapple and papaya are in abundance then in colder climates, root vegetables are the go-to ingredients? That’s because nature gives us what our body needs to stay fueled and protected from the elements of each season.  Winter produce normally takes a bit longer to cook, but that’s because these denser foods are required to generate energy and heat in the body.  Cooling foods like pineapple and mango are perfect for hot summer days.  

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Take a bit longer in the kitchen today, warming the soul and the body with these seasonal beauties. And don’t forget to start the fire!

(I used tofu for the “cream” but if you prefer to use cashews, click here to see the recipe for cashew cream; both are delicious alternatives to heavy cream.)

 

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Winter Vegetable Bouillabaisse: saffron, orange, parsley
Serves 4
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Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
50 min
Total Time
1 hr 10 min
Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
50 min
Total Time
1 hr 10 min
GROCERY LIST
  1. 1 tablespoon of coconut oil
  2. 1 leek, washed, sliced in half length-ways, and chopped
  3. ½ red onion, diced
  4. 3 garlic cloves, minced
  5. ½ cup white wine
  6. 3 1/2 cups veg stock
  7. 1 inch square piece of orange peel, orange reserved
  8. 1 bay leaf
  9. 3 thyme sprigs
  10. 1/8 teaspoon anise seed, ground
  11. 1 tomato chopped
  12. 2 sundried tomatoes, chopped
  13. 1 tablespoon of fresh orange juice from the orange used above
  14. 4 beets, peeled and cut into small chunks (you can also use leftover, already-roasted beets! Just add them at the very end.)
  15. 1 parsnip, peeled and sliced into ½ inch pieces
  16. 1 carrot, peeled and sliced on the diagonal, ½ inch thick
  17. A large handful of green beans, ends trimmed
  18. 1/8 teaspoon of fresh saffron threads plus a pinch more
  19. 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
  20. 2 radishes, julienned for garnish (optional)
Tofu Cream
  1. ¼ cup organic silken tofu*
  2. 1 teaspoon almond milk
  3. ¼ teaspoon honey or coconut nectar
  4. pinch of salt
Directions
  1. In a large dutch oven or soup pot, combine the coconut oil, leeks, red onion, and garlic. Sweat the vegetables (cook over low heat) for 5 minutes, ensuring not to brown the vegetables.
  2. Add the white wine, vegetable stock, orange peel, bay leaf, thyme sprigs, anise seed, tomato, sundried tomatoes, and orange juice. Simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. For a jazzier presentation, you can strain all of these ingredients out of the soup after 10 minutes, or leave them in for more nutrients, as I did.
  3. Add the beets, carrots and parsnips and simmer over medium-low heat for 12 minutes. Add green beans and simmer for an additional 3 minutes.
  4. Add the saffron to the soup, cover the pot and remove from the heat. Let it stand covered and steep for 15 minutes.
  5. While the saffron steeps, make your tofu cream. In a high-powered blender, blend silken tofu, almond milk, honey and salt. Set aside
  6. Remove the bay leaf, orange zest and thyme sprigs if you didn’t already do so in step 2. Stir in ¼ cup tofu cream or cashew cream and parsley.
  7. Divide between 4 bowls and garnish with radish.
Notes
  1. *If you prefer not to use tofu, click here and scroll to the bottom for a cashew cream recipe. Both are delicious alternatives to heavy cream!
Love & Garnish — A Nourishing Kitchen https://loveandgarnish.com/
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  • Naomi - I love your website. This bouillabaisse looks so amazing. I can’t wait to make it. I’ll be following you regularly!ReplyCancel

  • Anise Thorogood - Thanks Naomi!! Let me know how it turns out!ReplyCancel

  • Joyti - This looks so delicious, comforting AND elegant, which is a difficult combination.

    Gorgeous photography too 🙂ReplyCancel

  • Emily - Made this last week – tasted delicious but it turned totally purple because I didn’t cook the beets separately. Unless you want it to turn into more of a borscht than a bouillabasse, I would cook the beets first and add them later. Still delicious, though!ReplyCancel

    • Love & Garnish - Oh yeah, those beets will get cha! I used golden and candy cane beets so they added to the golden colour. Glad you still enjoyed it!ReplyCancel

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Ok, my Instagram friends!  When asked what recipe from my Instagram account you wanted revealed on Love and Garnish, there was no ignoring the feedback for this one! I so appreciate all my amazing Instagram followers who have given me the courage to start this blog.  This recipe is for you! The red pancakes are just in time for Valentine’s day as well!

Red velvet cake is a true staple of southern culture.  Have you ever seen the movie “Steel Magnolias”?  Did I hear a “no” out there?!  Please run out and rent the movie now! There is one scene in the movie where a red velvet cake in the shape of an armadillo is used as the groom’s cake at a classic southern wedding….a blood-red armadillo cake.  Priceless….

I grew up in Mobile, Alabama, so needless to say red velvet cake and cupcakes were everywhere.  And it had to have the classic cream cheese frosting! Unfortunately, the classic version is full of processed sugar and white flour; although delicious, definitely not the pinnacle of health.  I wanted to recreate a unique and healthy version of red velvet cake in the form of pancakes that still tasted delicious. Instead of using food coloring, which unfortunately has been linked to hyperactivity in children, I used fresh beets and beet juice. The beets give the pancakes an understated sweetness and with the help of our little friend “cocoa” you will forget there are even veggies in there.

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Red Velvet Pancakes: beets, tangerines, cashew cream cheese
Yields 8
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Prep Time
35 min
Cook Time
10 min
Total Time
45 min
Prep Time
35 min
Cook Time
10 min
Total Time
45 min
GROCERY LIST
Pancakes
  1. ½ cup brown rice flour (super fine brown rice flour preferred)
  2. ½ cup quinoa flour*
  3. 2 Tablespoons ground flax seed
  4. 1 Tablespoon baking powder
  5. ½ teaspoon sea salt plus a pinch
  6. 1 Tablespoon cacao powder
  7. 2 organic, free range eggs, yolks and whites divided
  8. ¾ cup organic almond milk or milk of your choice
  9. ¼ cup coconut sugar
  10. 1 Tablespoon raw honey
  11. 1 Tablespoon melted coconut oil
  12. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  13. ¼ teaspoon almond extract
  14. 2 Tablespoons fresh pressed beet juice
  15. 2 Tablespoons pureed cooked beets (in a food processor or blender)
  16. 1 Tablespoon coconut oil
  17. 2 tangerines, peeled and broken into segments
  18. walnuts, chopped
Cashew Cream Cheese Sauce
  1. 1 ½ cups cashew cream, unflavored**
  2. ½ Tablespoon lemon juice
  3. 1 Tablespoon raw honey
  4. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  5. ¼ teaspoon almond extract
  6. pinch of sea salt
Directions
Prepare the cashew cream
  1. Blend cashew cream, lemon juice, raw honey, vanilla extract, almond extract and sea salt in a high-powered blender until well incorporated. Set aside.
Prepare the pancakes
  1. In a medium-sized bowl, mix all dry ingredients: brown rice flour, quinoa flour, flaxseeds, baking powder, salt and cacao powder. In a separate medium-sized bowl, whisk all wet ingredients together except egg whites: 2 egg yolks, almond milk, coconut sugar, honey, coconut oil, vanilla extract, almond extract, beet juice and pureed beets. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. In a small metal bowl, beat the 2 egg whites with a pinch of salt until peaks forms. Fold the egg whites into the pancake mixture.
  2. In a non-stick frying pan, melt coconut oil over medium heat. Ladle pancake batter into the pan, and cook each pancake for 2-3 minutes then flip and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
  3. Transfer the pancakes to a plate, drizzle with the cashew cream cheese and garnish with the tangerine segments and chopped walnuts. Enjoy immediately!
*A note on gluten-free flours
  1. The two flours I used here are my most commonly used gluten-free flours along with almond flour. If you are looking for a couple to start your gluten-free collection, I would recommend these three: brown rice flour, quinoa flour and almond flour.
**Cashew Cream recipe from Chef Tal Ronnen’s cookbook, “The Conscious Cook “
  1. Soak 1 1/2 cups raw cashews in fresh filtered water, covered in the fridge overnight. Drain the cashews and rinse under cold water. Blend on high with enough water to cover plus an inch for several minutes until thick and creamy. Use in savory or sweet dishes by adding whatever flavors you like: honey and vanilla or a bit of salt.
Love & Garnish — A Nourishing Kitchen https://loveandgarnish.com/
 

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My first blog post….aaaggghhhh! I have been planning and dreaming to start this blog for almost a year now.  I’m sure everyone I have mentioned it to over the past year was starting to wonder if I would ever actually publish it!  But the day is finally here when I feel ready: recipes are tested, photography workshops have been attended and the food-blogging world isn’t getting any younger!  I am beyond thrilled to launch Love and Garnish and finally share my passion for cooking and health with not only my friends and family but with you: my new food-blogging world of friends! I wanted my first blog post to be something special: something that means a lot to me and will be a dish you will love to cook time and time again.  

Enter salmon: my favorite fish of all time.  My obsession for salmon began when I moved to Canada.  Being close to British Columbia and the Pacific Ocean, salmon is no doubt a common dish on every menu as well as in most households. My husband goes fishing off the coast of Alaska every year and brings back so much salmon we had to get another freezer! Needless to say, it’s a staple in our home.  Roasted, baked, poached, smoked, candied, grilled… the possibilities are endless with this baby.

Wild salmon is a beautiful, nutrient-rich protein, full of Omega-3 fats, specifically EPA and DHA (two types of Omega-3 fats; check out my “Lifestyle Lowdown” page for more information on these essential fats.)  Omega-3 fats are like the gold of the nutrition world in my eyes: rare in our diet yet very valuable. They are anti-inflammatory, aid in mental and emotional health, lower the “bad” cholesterol (yes there is a good kind too!), boost immunity, lower blood pressure, and are required for the absorption of fat soluble vitamins such as A, D, E and K. Oh, and ladies, you are going to love this: Omega 3 fats also keep our skin youthful and hydrated!  Bonus!

You can’t go wrong with a fruit salsa over fish: its light, refreshing, and the perfect balance of flavors and textures to compliment the tenderness of fish.  For this recipe, I chose to pair tart pomegranates with spicy fennel and add a bit of freshness with lime and mint.  

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Serve this stunning dish with a side of wild rice and your favorite vegetable or vegetables alone for a lighter meal.  The best part? You can get this done in under 20 minutes!  Let me know what you think and thanks for stopping by Love and Garnish! 

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Quick Roasted Salmon: pomegranates, fennel, mint
Serves 4
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Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
10 min
Total Time
20 min
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
10 min
Total Time
20 min
Grocery List
Salmon
  1. 4, 4 oz. wild salmon filets, skin on, bones removed
  2. 1 Tablespoon of coconut oil*
  3. Juice from half of a lemon
  4. Salt and black pepper to taste
Salsa
  1. 1 cup chopped fennel (approximately 1 small fennel bulb, fronds removed)
  2. 1/2 cup pomegranate, seeds** (seeds from approximately ½ a pomegranate)
  3. ½ a jalapeno, deseeded and minced (or more depending on your taste)
  4. 3 green onions, sliced small
  5. 1 Tablespoon of fresh lime juice
  6. 1/8 teaspoon orange zest
  7. ½ Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  8. 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  9. 2 Tablespoons of chopped fresh mint
  10. 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
  11. Sea salt and pepper to taste
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 450F.
  2. Prepare your salmon filets. Arrange the 4 filets on a plate and drizzle the fresh squeezed lemon juice over the fish. Sprinkle the salmon with a bit of sea salt and pepper.
  3. In a large iron skillet, heat the coconut oil over medium heat. When the pan is hot, add the salmon filets, skin side down and cover. Cook for 4 minutes, until the skin is nice and crispy. Move the salmon filets around the pan to ensure they aren’t sticking. (Please be careful of the hot oil! I held a lid between the pan and myself and wore an oven mitt.)
  4. Transfer the skillet with the salmon to the oven and bake at 450F for another 4-5 minutes for medium-moist or until opaque in the center. Time will depend on the thickness of the fish and the desired doneness, so please check after approximately 4 minutes.
  5. While the salmon is cooking, prepare the salsa. In a medium bowl, gently mix chopped fennel, pomegranate seeds, jalapeno, green onions, fresh lime juice, orange zest, extra virgin olive oil, sesame oil, mint and sesame seeds. Add a pinch of sea salt and a bit of fresh cracked pepper. Taste and add more seasonings if necessary. Set salsa aside.
  6. Remove the salmon from the oven and divide between 4 plates; top with the pomegranate and fennel salsa. Enjoy your beautiful omega 3’s!
*Coconut Oil
  1. If you don’t have coconut oil, I highly recommend investing in some! Coconut oil is the only healthy oil that can be heated to very high temperature without going rancid. If you use extra virgin olive oil you won’t be able to heat it as we do in this recipe because it goes rancid with high heat. Oils that go rancid create free radicals in the body, which can cause damage. The only other substances I recommend to use at high temperatures are organic butter and ghee.
**Removing Pomegranate seeds
  1. Cut the pomegranate in half and hold in your palm, cut side down. Holding the pomegranate over a bowl, give it a light whack with the back of a spoon and watch all the lovely pomegranate seeds fall into your hand and out into the bowl. This will allow you to catch any of the white membrane that may come out as well. You only want to use the actual seeds and the juice. Seeds are completely edible.
Love & Garnish — A Nourishing Kitchen https://loveandgarnish.com/
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