FOOD IS LOVE

BY FAITH ANAYA | PHOTOGRAPHY BY JAMES STEFIUK

NOTHING SHOWS LOVE LIKE SHARING FOOD OR MAKING FOOD WITH OR FOR ANOTHER. HERE ARE SOME FESTIVE AND VERSATILE IDEAS FOR A SPECIAL BREAKFAST, DINNER OR DESSERT. THE GRANOLA AND SHORTCAKE RECIPES USE STRAWBERRIES; HOWEVER, THEY CAN BE DRESSED UP WITH YOUR FAVORITE FRUIT OR EVEN MULTIPLE TYPES OF FRUIT. AS IS MY PREFERENCE, THESE RECIPES USE ONLY A FEW EASY-TO-FIND INGREDIENTS, ARE ECONOMICAL AND ARE NOT COMPLICATED OR TIME-CONSUMING TO PREPARE.

Speedy Granola

I keep a jar of this granola on my counter at all times. It’s breakfast, it’s a snack, it’s a topping for fruit at the end of a meal. The recipe uses honey, but maple syrup would work too.

INGREDIENTS:

3 cups whole oats

2/3 cup pumpkin or sunflower seeds or a combination of both

¼ teaspoon coarse grain or Kosher salt

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

3 tablespoons canola oil

3 tablespoons honey

½ teaspoon vanilla

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Combine the oats, seeds, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl and set aside. Combine the oil, honey and vanilla in a glass measuring cup and microwave for 15-30 seconds just to heat slightly.

2. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and combine thoroughly. Spread the mixture evenly onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until golden brown. Watch carefully toward the end that it does not over bake. Remove from the oven and cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

3. Serve as a topping for plain yogurt and fresh fruit — strawberries are perfect here. Makes 6 servings.

Variations: Add 3 tablespoons of sliced almonds to the dry ingredients. Chopped walnuts work nicely, too.

Cook’s Note: This recipe can be doubled.

Adapted from: Cooking Matters in the Garden

Nutrition information per serving: 300 calories; 18 g fat (1.8 g saturated; 0.03 g trans fats; 8.5 g monounsaturated); 0 mg cholesterol; 100 mg sodium; 43 g carbohydrate; 9 g fiber; 10 g sugar; 11 g protein.

Slow Roasted Salmon with Cucumber Noodles, Lemon Dressing and Mint

This dish is inspired by two cookbook writers: Joanne Weir in Kitchen Gypsy and Diane Morgan in Salmon: A Cookbook. I love the wide strips of cucumber that result from using an old-fashioned vegetable peeler. Both the salmon and cucumber are brightened by the lemon and mint. If you have never slow roasted salmon, you are in for a treat.

INGREDIENTS:

4 salmon filets, 4–5 ounces each

1 teaspoon canola oil

Pinch salt and freshly ground pepper

LEMON DRESSING:

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 tablespoons good quality olive or canola oil

Salt and pepper to season

CUCUMBER NOODLES:

2 English cucumbers, unpeeled and halved crosswise

2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint, plus 4 small sprigs for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil. Place the salmon on the baking sheet and brush each filet with oil. Season with a pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper. Roast at 250 degrees for 18–20 minutes until the fat between the layers begins to turn whitish and opaque and the fish flakes slightly.

2. Make the lemon dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice and oil until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

3. Make the cucumber noodles. Using a vegetable peeler or mandolin, slice a cucumber half into long, thin ribbons until you reach the seeds. Rotate the cucumber to slice more ribbons and continue until you have reached the core on all four sides. Discard or compost the core and repeat with the remaining three cucumber halves. Place the ribbons in a bowl and toss gently with the chopped mint. Keep cool until ready to serve.

4. Check the salmon. The salmon is done when an instant read thermometer inserted in the center registers 125–130 degrees. When the salmon is cooked gently at such a low temperature, the fish looks underdone because the color is so beautifully pink and vivid, but it is fully cooked.

5. To serve. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the lemon dressing and toss the rest with the cucumber mint ribbons. Divide the cucumber between 4 plates, place a salmon filet on top of each. Brush the remaining lemon dressing over the top of the salmon and garnish with a sprig of mint. Serve immediately. Serves 4.

Variation: Substitute spiralized zucchini noodles for the cucumber noodles. Prepare them while the salmon is roasting by sautéing for a minute or two to soften, then keep warm until the salmon finishes. Dress and serve as directed for the cucumber noodles.

Nutrition information per serving: 350 calories; 24 g fat (4.4 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 0 mg cholesterol; 5 mg sodium; 6 g carbohydrate; 2 g fiber; 3 g sugar; 28 g protein.

Strawberry Shortcakes

This recipe, adapted from Alice Medrich’s Bittersweet, uses a basic cream scone recipe as a shortcake base for strawberries. It makes a simple, sweet finish to any meal. The recipe is adaptable to any favorite fruit — blueberries, blackberries, peaches or cherries would also be delicious.

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups flour

¼ cup sugar, plus sugar for sprinkling

2½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1¼ cups heavy cream

1 tablespoon milk or cream for brushing tops

3 cups sliced strawberries or other favorite fruit

DIRECTIONS:

1. Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 425. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together thoroughly. Make a well in the center and pour the cream into it. Use a rubber spatula to push the dry ingredients from the sides into the well, cutting and turning the mixture just until the dry ingredients are almost entirely moistened, and the dough looks rough and shaggy. Gather the dough into a lump and knead it gently against the sides of the bowl five or more times, pressing in the loose pieces, until the dough just holds together (it should not be smooth) and the sides of the bowl are fairly clean.

3. On a lightly floured board, pat the dough into an 8½-inch round about ¾ inch thick. Cut into 12 wedges. Place them at least 1 inch apart on the baking sheet and brush the tops with milk or cream. Sprinkle very lightly with sugar. Bake until the tops are golden brown, 12–15 minutes. Let cool on a rack and serve warm or at room temperature split and filled with strawberries and topped with a spoonful of freshly whipped cream. Makes 12.

Variation: Add ¾ cup dried cranberries or ¾ cup mini chocolate chips to the dry ingredients and serve as a scone instead of a shortcake.

Nutrition information per serving: 92 calories; 68 calories from fat; 8 g fat (5 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 17 mg cholesterol; 102 mg sodium; 28 g carbohydrate; 1 g fiber; 10 g sugar; 3 g protein.

Faith Anaya runs nutrition-based cooking programs for kids in Central Arkansas. She can be reached at info@kidscookarkansas.com.