Mussels in White Wine Sauce

Posted by Elise on Mar 28, 2012
Filed under Gluten-Free, Low Carb, Seafood

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My friend Guy (that's pronounced "Gee" with a hard "g") grew up in Southern France, in Provence, near the sea. And like so many people from Provence, Guy has a passion for all things seafood, especially mussels, or as the French call them, "moules". Mussels steamed in white wine and served in a sauce made from the cooking liquid with butter and shallots is a classic French preparation of mussels, moules mariniere. This is Guy's method for moules mariniere, the way he grew up making it in France, and one of the easiest and loveliest ways of preparing mussels. It is wonderful for an appetizer or a light lunch, and excellent with a glass of white wine and some crusty bread.

Mussels in White Wine Sauce Recipe

• Prep time: 20 minutes
• Cook time: 15 minutes

When purchasing mussels be sure they smell like the ocean, not fishy. Don't buy any whose shells are cracked or open or any that refuse to close their shells when you handle or tap them, those are likely dying or dead. Try to cook the mussels immediately (unwrap them as soon as you get home), but if you have to wait place them in a bowl and cover them with a damp towel so they can breathe.

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Ingredients

• 2 pounds mussels, scrubbed clean under running water
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1/4 cup minced shallots
• 1 Tbsp minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons flour (optional, omit for gluten-free version)
• 1/4 cup minced parsley

Method

1 Put the mussels in a bowl of salted water (1 Tbsp salt per quart of water) for 10-15 minutes. Throw out any that are wide open or refuse to close when you handle them as these ones are likely dead. Looking over the closed mussels, see if any still have their beards (long hairy byssal threads which help anchor the mussel to surfaces) and pull them out, pulling slowly and strongly towards the hinge of the shell.

2 Put 1/2 cup of dry white wine in the bottom of a large pot (at least 4-quart). Add the mussels to the pot. Cover and bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to low. As the mussels cook, they will release their highly flavored water into the pot. Cook until shells have opened, and the mussels are just cooked, looking steamed and soft, 5 to 7 minutes. Take care not to overcook, or the mussels will be rubbery and hard. Once the mussels are cooked, carefully remove them from the pot to a bowl, one-by-one using tongs, including those that have broken loose from their shells. Do not discard the water in the pot!
3 Let the water in the pot settle for a minute. Any grit will settle to the bottom. Gently pour out the cooking water into a measuring cup, leaving the grit in the pot to discard of later. If the water you've measured out is still a little gritty, filter out the grit using a sieve.


4 Melt the butter in a medium-sized saucepan. Add the shallots and cook a couple minutes until translucent. Add the garlic and cook a minute more. If you want your sauce to be a little thick, add a teaspoon or two of flour to the pan, stir to combine. (Otherwise skip the flour.) Slowly add about a cup of the filtered mussel cooking water to the saucepan, stirring to create a smooth sauce. Add the minced parsley to the sauce.
5 Place mussels in serving bowls. Pour some sauce over each bowl of mussels.
Serve immediately. Serve with crusty bread for dipping in the sauce.
Yield: Serves 2 as a meal, 4 as an appetizer or side dish.

Zucchini-Ribbon "Lasagna"

Source:Whole Living

Serves 9

Ingredients

• For the Sauce (makes 3 cups)

  • 1 can (28 ounces) whole peeled plum tomatoes, with juice
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped (1 cup)
  • 1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
  • 12 ounces ground turkey, preferably dark meat
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
  • 2 teaspoons coarse salt

• For the Lasagna

  • 2 medium zucchini, trimmed
  • 1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
  • 1/4 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • Freshly ground pepper
  • Garnish: Fresh oregano

Directions

1. Make the sauce: Pulse tomatoes with
   juice in a food processor until finely
   chopped. Heat oil in a large straight-sided
   skillet over medium heat. Cook
   onion and red-pepper flakes, stirring
   occasionally, until onion is tender,
   about 8 minutes. Add turkey; cook,
   breaking up any large pieces, until
   browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Add tomatoes;
   bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer
   until thick, about 20 minutes. Stir
   in oregano and salt. Let cool.
   
2. Make the lasagna: Preheat oven to
   375 degrees. Slice zucchini lengthwise into
   thin strips (about 1/8 inch thick) using
   a mandoline or a sharp knife. Place 5
   or 6 zucchini slices, overlapping slightly,
   in the bottom of an 8-inch square
   baking dish. Top with 1 cup sauce. Dot
   with 1/4 cup ricotta. Repeat twice with
   zucchini, remaining sauce, and 1/2 cup
   ricotta, alternating direction of zucchini.
   Top with remaining zucchini,
   alternating direction; brush with oil.
   Dot with remaining 1/4 cup ricotta. Season
   with pepper. Bake, uncovered, until
   lasagna bubbles and top browns,
   50 to 60 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes.
   Garnish with oregano.
   

Does Your Past Still Rule Your Life? 6 Questions to Create More Freedom

By Sarah Starr

Are you ready to create a life without fear or judgment? What would it take to let go of the past and discover what else is possible?

As we acknowledge our limiting beliefs and judgments, we transcend the stories of our past, loving every part of ourselves to finally be the joy and potency we came here to be. We are not our stories. We are not our past, our labels, our jobs, our titles, or the judgments we’ve taken upon ourselves. Whatever you’ve lived in your past does not need to drive your future; it was over the moment it happened. Are you ready to let go of all of that is not you and never was?

I’ve spent the better portion of my life presenting to the world "the perfect me." I allowed only the parts of me that were acceptable and “normal” to surface. I did everything that was expected to make others happy. Nobody had any idea of the troubled relationships, alcohol abuse, destructive eating habits, and low self-worth that lie hidden beneath the surface. Over time, when these “issues” were brought to light, they could be recognized and I could deal with them. In doing so, they lost their hold on me.

How do you go from being ruled by your anger, fear, and judgments of the past to being in love with life, eager for each day? Can you see your past as a gift? If it looks ugly, can you let it go? As I began to release self judgment and replace it with unconditional love, the shift could begin. It was in this space that I could let go of my unhealthy habits and replace them with a life of enjoying a yoga practice, tuning into my body, and becoming the love I was always searching for outside myself.

Here are a few questions to create new freedom and possibilities...

1. How much resistance and alignment are you in about your past?

2. If you let go of your past, would you have more of you or less of you?

3. Do you feel you need to hold onto the past to make yourself right about all the "limitations" you may have chosen? Would you rather be right or free?


4. What does judgment accomplish in your life? What if your job was to let go of the judgments of you and your past that weren't working for you anyway?

5. How much of your past are you resisting or trying to hide? The only way to be free from any energy is to be in total allowance, which means you’re never resisting or aligning with it.

6. Are you ready to let it go? In letting go of self judgement, we can help the collective consciousness of the world release this energy as well.

Expansion and growth never end, and ten years later I continue to uncover the parts of me that hold me back from becoming the larger part of me, my higher self. In cleaning up our own mental backyard, we can assist in the healing of the world. Instead of living in denial and pushing these parts of ourselves below the surface, choose to understand. It may seem easier to stay distracted, become a cynic or indulge in resentment, but this will never create change and it actually takes more energy to hold onto these patterns. It’s like trying to hold a beach ball beneath the water; it takes a lot of work and eventually it pops up anyway!

Know that every judgment that comes to the surface is not true and never was, as they are not you! It’s just a perspective! Welcome it all, thank it for showing up, so now you can release it. You don't even need to figure out where it came from or why it is showing up now. Simply remember to breathe, love the self for another opportunity to get clear, and let it go.

5 Superstar Spring Foods for Your Liver

By Kate Sciolino

According to Chinese Medicine, spring is the season flush toxins from your liver and to cleanse your body in general. Why? Because nature is already doing it! Watch how the rivers surge with fresh water as snow and ice melt, pushing all dead leaves and debris that have accumulated out of the way so the river can flow with ease and purpose. Your liver craves that kind of movement to push through stagnancy so you can feel alive with the hope and enthusiasm of spring.

You may have needed that extra bit of cheese or hot cocoa to make it through the cold, dark winter months, all of which congest and tax the liver. Stagnant liver energy can leave you feeling frustrated, resentful, irritable or depressed.  Now is the perfect time to get with nature and start a clearing out project of your own. You may find that you are already naturally craving lighter, leafier foods, so go with that feeling. 

In the spring, Chinese Tradition recommends eating less greasy, heavy, or starchy foods like animal products, dairy, bread and sugar, and choose instead foods that cleanse the entire body and heal the liver in particular. 

5 Superstar Spring Foods for Your Liver:

1. Chives dry up excess dampness in the liver caused by alcohol and greasy foods.

2. Cucumbers push stagnant heat out of the liver and gallbladder.

3. Asparagus contains glutathione, which cleanses the liver.

4. Kale and all bitter greens detoxify, rejuvenate and cool an overworked liver.  Also try lettuce, watercress, alfalfa and collard greens.

5. Turmeric stimulates a stagnant liver and clears excess heat. Try adding it to your morning veggie juice!

Bonus Tip: Avoid alcohol, dairy, eggs, sugar and all sweeteners, and white flour (or all gluten) while cleansing. These are difficult to digest, cause build-up in the body, and demand the most work from your liver. 

I also recommend making an appointment with an acupuncturist for a seasonal tune-up.  Treatment will help rejuvenate and detoxify the liver, so you will feel lighter, more energized, and in harmony with the season, while keeping symptoms of dis-ease at bay.  

Mind, Body,Green

Appreciate Everything You Have

By MindBodyGreen

"If all you did was just look for things to appreciate you would live a joyous, spectacular life. If there was nothing else that you ever came to understand other than just look for things to appreciate, it’s the only tool you would ever need to predominantly hook you up with who you really are. That’s all you’d need."

- Abraham-Hicks

Strawberry- Mint Mojito

The Gardener's Eden

Strawberry-Mint Mojito

Ingredients (makes one cocktail):
6-8     strawberries washed and quartered, plus extra for garnish
1-2     tsp white sugar
1/2     lime cut into quarters
4         sprigs of mint – (pinch first 3-4 sets of tender leaves and tip)                             {ideally Mentha villosa & p.s don’t stint on the mint!}
2         ounces of fine Puerto Rican white rum*
1/2     cup of cracked, not crushed, ice cubes
Club soda to top glass

BRUSCHETTA

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients:

2 tomatoes, chopped into about 1/2-inch pieces, with as much seeds removed as possible

6 basil leaves, chopped

1 tsp balsamic vinegar

1 baguette or country loaf cut into about 1/2-inch or 3/4-inch slices

olive oil

fresh garlic

salt and pepper to season

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, stir together the chopped tomatoes with the basil and balsamic vinegar. Set aside.

2. Lay out the slices of bread on a baking sheet and brush the tops with olive oil. Toast in a 350-400º oven until bread is toasted, golden-brown and crisp.

3. Remove from oven and immediately rub the top of each slice with fresh garlic. Top with tomato mixture and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Roasted Red Bell Pepper-Jalapeno Hummus

I have been crazy about Red Pepper Hummus lately so I decided that I should make my own. I buy at least one tub of hummus a week for about $4.00, which can get pretty costly. This recipe is easy to make and will last you for at least a few days. Here is my homemade recipe:

Roasted Red Pepper-Jalapeno Hummus

3 cans of garbanzo beans
1 red bell pepper
1 jalapeno
1/2 cup of garlic cloves
1 cup of lemon juice
1/2 cup of tahini

Roast red bell pepper & jalapeno until brown. Remove from oven. Put garbanzo beans, garlic cloves, lemon juice, tahini, red bell pepper, jalapeno, & sea salt in food processor.

Do It Yourself~Fresh Pesto

 Posted by Michelle in O.P.P.Style♥

Picture from cooking channel

Basil Pesto!
5 1/2 pounds genovese basil, weighed before picking leaves
1/2 pound walnuts, toasted
6 extra large cloves of elephant garlic, or more depending on flavor
4 cups extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for topping jars
1 1/2 pounds parmesan cheese, rough chopped or store bought corsely grated
2 teaspoons sea salt or more to taste
18 Kerr's Wide Mouth 8oz mason jars or 8oz plastic deli containers
Prepare an ice bath in a clean sink or large bowl. In a large non-reactive pot boil moderately salted water for blanching. In batches blanch basil for 2 seconds, remove immediately and plunge into ice bath. Drain and set aside in refrigerator. Repeat until all basil is blanched, changing blanching water if it turns green. Cut garlic cloves in half, remove tiny germ inside, and blanch in boiling water for ten seconds, remove to ice bath.
Due to the large quantity of ingredients this pesto is best made in a few batches that are equally divided. In a food processor fitted with a metal blade add garlic and walnuts and pulse to roughly chop. Add basil pressed dry of water, and cheese. Pulse to chop while drizzling olive oil. This must be done quickly. If the food processor's motor gets too hot it will begin to turn the basil black.
Mix separate batches together, check for correct seasoning and adjust. Fill jars just below screw mark level and top with 1/4" of extra virgin olive oil. This will help to seal the pesto so it doesn't turn color.
Pesto can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Or frozen for 3 months.

Which oils are better for you?

Posted by Michelle in Ocean Pacific Papaya Style

the huge variety of oils at the store have always put me on overload. which ones are the best? why? what are they all for? well i decided to put my research hat on and find out a little bit more about them. here is a quick overview of the best oils, and some resources to boot. which oils are your favorite?

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

this one is the big winner, woohoo! that’s good, because this is the one i use the most. evoo is a less processed and (therefore) more flavorful oil than other oils and wins for best oil because of it’s monounsaturated (that’s the good one) fats and plant compounds that protect against heart disease and cancer. lucky for us, it also tastes oh-so-good.

Sesame Oil

It is derived from toasted sesame seeds and may help to lower blood pressure. it’a also great in asian inspired dishes.

Flaxseed Oil

Flax oil is a big component of how we get our heart-protective omega-3 fatty acids in each day. these essential fatty acids protect against bone loss and reduce inflammation in people with arthritis. heating flaxseed oil will destroy it’s nutrients, so keep this one in the fridge and use on salads or in smoothies. (hint: we also add about 1 tbs to toaster’s food each day! it keeps his coat shiny and skin extra healthy.)

Walnut Oil

i haven’t used this oil very much, but i know one thing, i do love walnuts! walnut oil contains a specific antioxidant that helps prevent cancers (say no more!). it turns bitter when heated, so this is another one to keep in your fridge and drizzle over salads or pastas.

 Sunflower Oil  

you got it, this one is made from sunflower seeds! it has a light taste and contains vitamin e, which reduces your risk for heart attack.

 Did you know?

it’s best to store your healthy oils in a dark, dry cabinet away from heat or sunlight (preferably, in the fridge). nut based oils such as walnut, flaxseed and sesame need must be refrigerated as they can turn rancid at room temperature.
for a more in depth look at oils, read this great article on cooking oils.
source:simple living

Garden Catch All Salsa Recipe by Amanda Joy

I have an absolute love for tomatoes!! I love making salsa!! It is so yummy on my fish, chicken, or shrimp tacos. It is also good just by itself ♥ I came upon this recipe on Bonnie's Seasonal Recipes. Yummy! Enjoy!!

Posted by Michelle in Ocean Pacific Papaya Style

ingredients:

4 large tomatoes, chopped
2 medium peppers, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
1 avocado, chopped
1 can corn, drained
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp fresh chopped cilantro
2 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp vinegar
2 tsp olive oil
1 tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1 tbsp chili powder
dash of hot sauce
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~♥

Bohemian Style

Traditionally the word bohemian means "a gypsy". Bohemian also means an unconventional or eccentric behavior. A person who is a nonconformist or someone who disregards traditional or conventional norms of behavior is called a bohemian. Very often artists and creative people are associated with having a bohemian life style. Not only are they unconventional in dress and mannerisms but also in their outlook. They would rather live by their rules rather than live life the usual way.

You know who you are, but know not who you could be.

~William Shakespeare

The flower symbolism associated with the daisy is purity, innocence, loyal love, beauty, patience and simplicity.

Stevie Nicks

Black beans with smoked poblanos topped with blackened shrimp, lemon Greek yogurt, and egg!

A friend of mine made this yummy breakfast this morning. I had to share. By Mark Butler

All things GREEN~

MUDMAID♥

Herbal Living

Basil, a popular herb in the same family as peppermint, is used to season sauces, soups, salads and pasta dishes all around the world. In addition to its versatile flavor, basil also offers many important health benefits that will have you scrambling to add a little basil to your next meal.
One of the primary medicinal uses for basil is for its anti-inflammatory properties. This effect stems from eugenol, a volatile oil in basil that blocks enzymes in the body that cause swelling, making basil an ideal treatment for people with arthritis.
 Basil, especially as an extract or oil, is known to have exceptionally powerful antioxidant properties that can protect the body from premature aging, common skin issues, age-related problems and even some types of cancer. The herb also contains the flavonoids,orientin, and vicenin, which are plant pigments that shield your cell structures from oxygen and radiation damage.
(source:b-o-h-oteacup)

There is a pleasure in the pathless woods,
There is a rapture on the lonely shore,
There is society, where none intrudes,
By the deep sea, and music in its roar:
I love not man the less, but Nature more.
~George Gordon, Lord Byron, Childe Harold's Pilgrimage

Everyone wants the look of a mature, weathered garden. A quick trick for getting that look in a rock garden is to cultivate moss on the rocks themselves. Here’s David Beaulieu’s twist on the old buttermilk recipe for getting moss to grow on rocks and stone. About.com

Healthy Eating Habits