Eye for a Recipe

This fun recipe from Food and Wine bakes flour tortillas into a crisp bowl for a salad of coleslaw and shrimp, topped with radishes and avocado. The recipe suggested using an inverted muffin tin to shape the tortillas but I used soup bowls instead and it worked very well.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Check the shrimp, tortillas, cumin and chili powder to make sure they are additive-free. Use freshly squeezed lime juice and pickled jalopenos without preservatives. I used President’s Choice brand.

Place the flour tortillas in bowls

Bake until crisp

Cook the shrimp

Mix together the coleslaw ingredients

Place the coleslaw in the bottom of the tortilla bowl and top with shrimp, radish, cilantro and avocado

Ingredients:

Four 10-inch (25.4 cm) flour tortillas

1/3 cup (75 ml) mayonnaise

2½ tablespoons (37 ml) fresh lime juice

½ teaspoon (2 ml) ground cumin

8 cups (2 L) shredded green and red cabbage (1 pound/454 g)

1 cup (250 ml) chopped cilantro, plus more for serving

3 pickled jalapeños, seeded and thinly sliced (¼ cup/60 ml)

Kosher salt

Pepper

¾ pound (340 g) large shrimp, shelled and deveined

¾ teaspoon (3 ml) chili powder

2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

Sliced radishes and diced avocado, for serving

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 400° F (200° C). Invert a jumbo muffin tin on a work surface. In 2 batches, gently stuff the tortillas between the upturned muffin cups to form bowls. Bake for 15 minutes, until crisp; cool.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, lime juice and cumin. Add the cabbage, 1 cup (250 ml) of cilantro and the jalapeños and toss. Season with salt and pepper.

In a large bowl, toss the shrimp and chili powder; season with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the shrimp and cook over moderately high heat, turning once, until just white throughout, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Fill the taco shells with the slaw and shrimp. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro, radishes and diced avocado. Serves 4.

From Food and Wine

This recipe from Canadian Living calls for halibut, but any firm-fleshed fish would do. I used salmon and it worked very well. Make the croutons, sauté the tomatoes and garlic and then combine the salad ingredients while the fish cooks. A healthy and tasty dinner is ready in no time!

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Make sure the bread is additive free and that the butter and Parmesan do not contain colour. Use balsamic vinegar with no sulfites added and freshly squeezed lemon juice.

Make the croutons

Toss the greens and onions together

Sauté the tomatoes and garlic until the tomatoes begin to shrivel

Buttery halibut (or salmon in this case) with balsamic cherry tomatoes and arugula salad

Ingredients:

2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil

1- ½ cups (375 ml) cubed sourdough bread

1 pkg (255 g) cherry tomatoes

1 clove garlic, finely grated or pressed

2 tsp (10 ml) balsamic vinegar

¼ tsp (1 ml) each salt and pepper

4 skinless halibut fillets (about 450 g total)

1 tbsp (15 ml) butter

2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil

1 tbsp (15 ml) lemon juice

½ tsp (2 ml) liquid honey

pinch each salt and pepper

6 cups (1.5 L) lightly packed baby arugula

¼ cup (60 ml) thinly sliced red onion

1/3 cup (75 ml) shaved Parmesan cheese

Preparation:

In large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tbsp (15 ml) of the oil over medium heat; cook bread, stirring occasionally, until crisp and light golden, about 3 minutes. Scrape into bowl. Set aside.

In same pan, heat 2 tsp (10 ml) of the remaining oil over medium heat; cook tomatoes and garlic, stirring, until tomatoes are beginning to shrivel, about 2 minutes. Stir in vinegar and half each of the salt and pepper; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Scrape into bowl with bread; toss to combine. Set aside.

Sprinkle fish with remaining salt and pepper. In same pan, heat remaining oil over medium-high heat; cook fish, turning once, until golden and fish flakes easily when tested, about 7 minutes. Add butter; cook, swirling pan, until butter is melted and fish is coated. Remove to plate.

While fish is cooking, in large bowl, whisk together oil, lemon juice, honey, salt and pepper. Add arugula, red onion and Parmesan; toss to coat. Divide among serving plates; top with bread mixture and fish. Serves 4.

From Canadian Living

Arroz con pollo — rice with chicken — is a traditional dish of Spain and Latin America. The ingredient list may seem long for this recipe from Epicurious.com, but the results are worth it, yielding moist and tender chicken and flavourful rice.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Use freshly squeezed orange and lime juice and butter that does not contain colour. Saffron may contain colour, so I substituted turmeric. Look for a white wine with no sulfites added, and canned tomatoes and chicken stock that are preservative-free, I used Unico tomatoes and Imagine stock. President’s Choice pimento-stuffed olives are additive-free, as are Unico pimientos.

Brown the chicken well and set aside

Saute onion and peppers

Bake chicken and rice until tender, then scatter peas, olives and pimientos on top

Arroz con Pollo

Ingredients:

For chicken

3 large garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh orange juice

2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh lime juice

1 ½ teaspoons (7.5 ml) salt

¾ teaspoon (3 ml) black pepper

1 (3 ½ – to 4-lb/1.6 to 1.8 kg) chicken, cut into 8 serving pieces

1 tablespoon (15 ml) vegetable oil

1 tablespoon (15 ml) unsalted butter

For rice

1 lb onions (454 g), chopped (2 ½ cups/675 ml)

2 green bell peppers, chopped

3 large garlic cloves, minced

¼ teaspoon (1 ml) crumbled saffron threads

¼ cup (60 ml) dry white wine

2 teaspoons (10 ml) ground cumin

2 teaspoons (10 ml) salt

1 Turkish or ½ California bay leaf

1 (14- to 15-oz/414-444 ml) can diced tomatoes, including juice

1 ½ cups (375 ml) low-sodium chicken broth

1 ½ cups (375 ml) water

2 cups (500 ml) long-grain white rice

1 cup (250 ml) frozen baby peas, not thawed

½ cup (125 ml) small or medium pimiento-stuffed green olives, rinsed

¼ cup (60 ml) drained chopped bottled pimientos, rinsed

Special equipment: a wide 6- to 7-qt (6-7 L) heavy pot (about 12 inches/30 cm in diameter and 4 inches/10 cm deep)

Preparation:

Prepare chicken

Purée garlic, orange juice, lime juice, salt, and pepper in a blender until smooth. Put chicken pieces in a large bowl and pour purée over them, turning to coat. Marinate chicken, covered and chilled, turning occasionally, 1 hour.

Transfer chicken, letting excess marinade drip back into bowl, to paper towels, then pat dry. Reserve marinade.

Heat oil and butter in 6- to 7-quart (6-7 L) pot over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then brown chicken in 2 or 3 batches, without crowding, turning occasionally, about 6 minutes per batch. Transfer chicken as browned to a plate, reserving fat in pot.

Prepare rice and bake arroz con pollo

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat to 350°F (180°C)

Sauté onions, bell peppers, and garlic in fat in pot over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally and scraping up brown bits from chicken, until vegetables are softened, 6 to 8 minutes.

While vegetables cook, heat saffron in a dry small skillet over low heat, shaking skillet, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add wine and bring to a simmer, then remove from heat.

Add cumin and salt to vegetables and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, 2 minutes. Stir in saffron mixture, bay leaf, tomatoes (including juice), broth, water, and reserved marinade and bring to a boil.

Add all chicken except breast pieces, skin sides up, and gently simmer, covered, over low heat 10 minutes. Stir in rice, then add breast pieces, skin sides up, and arrange chicken in 1 layer. Return to a simmer.

Cover pot tightly, then transfer to oven and bake until rice is tender and most of liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes.

Scatter peas, olives, and pimientos over rice and chicken (do not stir) and let stand, pot covered with a kitchen towel, until peas are heated through and any remaining liquid is absorbed by rice, about 5 minutes. Discard bay leaf and serve. Serves 4.

From Epicurious.com

This Greek salad from Canadian Living has a twist – fried halloumi cheese. Halloumi is a semi-hard, unripened, brined cheese typically made from goat’s and sheep’s milk. Its high melting point makes it perfect for frying or grilling. It’s a delicious addition to salads and to other meatless meals.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Pita can contain additives; I used Pita Break brand. Look for a red wine vinegar with no sulfites added, such as Eden Organic. Check the ingredients in the olives; I use Pilaros brand from Costco.

Combine salad ingredients and dressing in a large bowl

Fry or grill halloumi slices

Top salad with fried halloumi and pita chips

Ingredients:

Herbed Pita Chips

1 Greek pita

1 tsp (5 ml) olive oil

¼ tsp (1 ml) each dried basil and dried oregano

Salad

Half pkg (260 g pkg) halloumi cheese, cut crosswise in scant 1/4-inch (5 mm) thick slices

2 tbsp (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

1 tbsp (15 ml) red wine vinegar

1 clove garlic, minced

¼ tsp (1 ml) dried oregano

Pinch pepper

5 cups (1.25 L) mixed baby greens

1 sweet green pepper, chopped

1 pkg (250 g) cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes, halved

Half English cucumbers, chopped

Half red onion, thinly sliced

½ cup (125 ml) pitted Kalamata olives

Preparation:

Herbed Pita Chips: Brush pita with oil; sprinkle with basil and oregano. Cut into 8 wedges; arrange in single layer on rimmed baking sheet. Bake in 350°F (180°C) oven until crisp and light golden, about 8 minutes. (Make-ahead: Let cool completely; store in airtight container for up to 2 days.)

For salad, in large bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, garlic, oregano and pepper. Add baby greens, green pepper, tomatoes, cucumber, red onion and olives; toss to coat. Divide among serving plates

In nonstick skillet, cook halloumi over medium heat, turning once, until light golden, about 3 minutes.

Top salad with halloumi. Serve with pita chips. Serves 4.

From Canadian Living