Happy Dill Salmon Family Style

Taking the time to eat together is more than just a good idea. It is a great idea!!

So why do we wait for huge holidays to enjoy meals as a family? Finding time to eat together is more than just eating, it is actually healthy!

Studies show families that enjoy meals together have a significant impact on children.

They are less likely to do drugs and drink, have suicidal thoughts and eating disorders.

Sitting down and enjoying a meal together leads to better grades, learning new things and knowing what fork to use.

First we are going to create a Happy Hemp Dill sauce to marinate the salmon. In a blender combine 1 clove garlic, 4 sprigs of dill, 1 TBSP of olive oil, 4 TBSP of Happy Hemp, S and P to taste… Blend.

Pour the sauce of the salmon fillets, cover and put in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Tonight I am going to compliment the salmon with new potatoes and roasted brussels sprouts all served family style.

Potatoes: First clean the potatoes and place into a pot of water. Place on high heat. When water comes to a boil turn down to a low-medium flame. Cook for approx 20 min or until tender. Drain the potatoes and place back in the pot. Add to the potatoes fresh dill and drizzle olive oil. Right before serving turn on low eat and give a couple quick tosses.

Brussel Sprouts: preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove the outer layer of leaves off each sprout and cut in half. Place halves on a cookie sheet. lightly salt and drizzle with olive oil. Place in heated oven for approx 30 min.

Salmon: Add salmon into the heated 350 degree oven. Cook for 1o min. Take out and spoon sauce from sides on to the top of the fillet and place back in oven. Cook for another 10 min. Prepare a plate of lemon wedges to be served on the side.

Take out a large platter and place salmon, sprouts and potatoes.

Enjoy a warm meal over great conversation with the people you love!

Happy Steak Veggie Salad

I have a check list when cooking these days….

• Time: I do not want to spend a half a day slaving in the kitchen. Like to keep it right around 30 min.
• Taste: Need big taste. Yum!
• Health: I want my meal to be filling but healthy. 5lb weight loss goal.
• Fresh: I want fresh local ingredients. Farmers’ Market!

It does not take much time to prepare a tasty, healthy, fresh meal.

1 Tomato, chopped

4 Basil leaves, choped

2 Mozzarella slices

1/2 Avocado sliced

2 TBSP Happy Hemp

1 Filet Mignon

In a skillet over medium heat, sear the filet mignon to desired temperature and slice.

Rare approx 4 min on each side.

Medium rare approx 5 min on each side.

Well done approx 8 1/2 min per side.

Remove from heat and slice.

In a bowl, place all ingredients and lightly drizzle olive oil on top.

Ready to eat… Enjoy!

Happy Saute 101

Sautéing veggies is a simple way to have a quick healthy tasty dinner. The word sauté literally means “to jump” in French,

hence the flipping of the food in the pan.

First you need the right pan… a traditional sauté pan is shallow with a flat bottom.

High temperature is used to evaporate the water from the vegetables, which brings out the flavor.

Let’s try this out…

I picked up some amazing kale at farmers’ market this weekend.

Chop up the kale in 1 inch strips and 2 cloves of garlic.

Heat up 2 TBSP of peanut oil in a pan and add in the chopped garlic.

We are using peanut oil due to the high heat.

Next add in the kale strips. Cook until the become a brilliant green, about 5 minutes.

Place on a plate and add 2 TBSP of Happy Hemp.

This is perfect as a meal or as a side dish.

The most important thing to remember about cooking…Have Fun!

Enjoy!

Happy Peanut Butter, Honey and Bananas

This recipe is courtesy of a soon to be world renown chef.

This heavy weight in the food world stands at 2’8 and at 3 years old,

she is changing the food industry with her ground breaking recipes.

Put a 1/2 cup of peanut butter (I like crunchy) in a bowl with 2 TBSP of honey, microwave for 20 seconds.

Add in 3 TBSP of Happy Hemp and mix.

For the finishing touch, a sliced banana on the side for dipping.

Holy Bananas this is Bananas Good!!

Thanks Millie you are a true genius.

A perfect snack for 2.

Happy Stuffed Avocado with Tuna

Since moving to Austin, I have been partaking in many of the outdoor activities. One of my favorite things in life is hiking with my dogs. We headed out on a new adventure in search of the highest point in Austin. After getting lost and taking a couple wrong turns..so me…we arrive at Mount Bonnell.  With not one cloud in the sky, the blue back drop was the perfect setting. What a great way to start the day!!

After our adventure I came home with a lion of an appetite. Starving…. I wanted to whip up a something quick, however I want health and fresh to be apart of the ingredients. This takes a whole 15 min to whip up!!

Ingredients:

• One Avocado
• One Lemon Wedge
• 2 Sprigs of Fresh Dill
• One Garlic Clove
• 4 TBSP Happy Hemp
• 1/2 Cup Olive Oil
• 1 Can of Tuna, drained

In a blender….combine dill, garlic, Happy Hemp and olive oil.

On a plate half the avocado and fill with tuna.

Drizzle the dressing over the avocado boats.

Enjoy!!

Happy Kale Goat Cheese Scrabble

Keeping with my new YOU resolution, getting up and making breakfast every morning is a new regular task. One of my favorites to get the day started is a quick and easy scrabble eggs. I love to add whatever veggies I have on hand in the fridge. Today I had a bunch of kale in need of use and some left over goat cheese. Not sure how the kale will work, but with “new” being the theme… Why not!?

So before the chopping, cooking and cleaning can commence, we need to get the love flowing in the kitchen. Pandora station: Florence and the Machine…on.  Fresh hot cup of coffee…poured. Alright grab a clove of garlic.. clean, chop and set aside. 1 cup of kale washed, cut and chopped. Place a skillet on medium heat with 2 TBSP of olive oil. Saute the garlic and kale together for about 5 min or until the kale wilts.

Grab your eggs and let’s start cracking. Here is a little egg person chart I use… 1 person 2 eggs, 2 people 3 eggs, and so on. I prefer more veggies to less eggs, again keeping it yummy and healthy!  Whisk your eggs with 2 TBSP of milk. Add the eggs to the kale, turn to low heat and mix together.

Cooking tip: I was once told by a chef, the key to perfect fluffy eggs is a low flame.

Using a spatula or a wooden spoon as eggs set push towards center. Keep repeating until eggs are completed the journey from liquid state to set state. After eggs are set.. flip them over a couple times to ensure they are completely cooked. Place the gorgeous kale and eggs on a plate. Place a 1 TBSP of goat cheese on top with 2 TBSP of Happy Hemp.

For the moment of truth. Fork, bite, mouth….mmmmm good!

Now that is good… Enjoy your day!

Happy Avocado Goat Cheese Spread

It is 3 pm and I am starving…I need a snack!! I don’t want to grab a quick sugar fix, so I open up the fridge to see what I can create. I find the following… goat cheese, lemon, avocado, Happy Hemp and left over focaccia bread. I decide to create a spread for the bread.

I grab a bowl and combine 1 avocado and 2 TBSP of goat cheese, 1 TBSP of lemon juice and 2 TBSP of Happy Hemp. Mash all the ingredients together and salt and pepper to taste. Through the Focaccia bread in the over and lightly toast.

This easy snack was healthy, fresh and simple!!

Enjoy!!

Happy Kale Tomato White Bean Soup

Are you a fan of Kale? If not you should be. This beautiful emerald gem is pact full of minerals, vitamins and protein. Being single and cooking for one can be a challenge. Cooking a big pot of soup is the perfect single option. The extra is evenly distributed in tupperware and throw into the freezer for a later date. In a pinch I grab one out of the freezer and have a hot healthy meal, instead of a quick fat fix.

Happy Single. Happy Chef. Happy Hemp.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound kale, stems removed and leaves washed
• 1 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 can whole tomato, drained and chopped
• 2 cans cannellini beans, (14.5 ounces each), drained and rinsed
• 4 cups water
• 2 cups chicken stock, or reduced-sodium canned broth
• 8 tablespoons of Happy Hemp (2 per serving)
• Salt and pepper
• 1 French Baguette
• Grated Parmesan cheese, (optional)

1. Cut the kale into 1 inch strips.
2.  In a medium saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat.
3. Add onion to the saucepan and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.
4. Add half of the beans and lightly mash with a fork.
5. Add water and stock, and bring to a boil.
6. Stir in kale, tomatoes and remaining beans.
7. reduce flame and simmer for 30 min or until kale is tender.
8. Ladle soup into bowls. Sprinkle with Parmesan and Happy Hemp.
9. Tear off a piece of bread and serve on side.
10. Enjoy!

Happy Forging of the Perfectly Flawed

Last night I watched The Big Waste on the Food Network. The premiss of the show was to make a gourmet meal for 100 people from ONLY foods being thrown away. I loved the concept, but honestly is that truly possible? Do we throw that much viable food away?  Celebrity chefs headed out to local markets, farms and distributors in searched of unwanted edibles to complete their challenge.

I understand the concept of perishable food due to life span, such as fish and meats. What I was unaware of is a crime I commit on a daily basis, I have become a food snob. I search for and buy only the perfect shaped colored vegetables. When I see flaws and bumps my brain had been trained to think rotten, bad, not good, trash.

I adopt and rescue animals… I second hand shop… I go out of my way to be a kind non-judmental person of ALL living things… expect for my food?   After watching this eye opening show on how we have been trained to demand perfection in Mother Nature, which in turns creates THOUSANDS of pounds of perfectly good food waste, I was disgusted. Millions of people go hungry in the US on a daily basis… all the while we throw away perfectly good food cause we don’t like the way it looks?  What? I am going to personally make a choice to change the way I view my foods. I will see love in odd shaped peppers, I will see nourishment in discolored tomatoes and I will see flavor in bruised potatoes in hopes that forging the flawed could prevent excess waste.

Happy Flaw. Happy Forge. Happy Hemp.

Happy Greek Yogurt, Honey and Allergies

I always share how Austin has been an amazing move. The people are far out in that groovy sort of way.  The music makes my heart sing. The outdoor activities are never ending. Surely there has to be one thing wrong with Austin…. well I have found it. Or should I say it found me?

I have had minimal allergies my 35 years of existence. Apparently that is all going to change with my glorious move to Austin. Ever heard of Cedar Fever? I have sneezed, blown, rubbed more than I care to in the past 48 hours. The holidays are over and I look like rudolph the red nosed reindeer. URG!!

One of the best things to combat allergies in nature is honey from your region. These days I have been dipping my Zyrtec in honey and also adding it to my yogurt. 2 TBSP of Happy Hemp sprinkled on top is great for boosting your immune system!!

So Austin is not perfect, but pretty damn close. Sending lots of love and sniffles from Austin!!