Lemon Sugar Scrub

Not only is this a delicious-smelling way to brighten up and hydrate dry winter skin, but it is easy and economical and contains only natural ingredients (in fact you could eat it if you wanted!!)

LEMON SUGAR SCRUB

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1/4 cup coconut oil

1 lemon

• Place sugar into a large mixing bowl.  Set aside.
• Measure out 1/4 cup of coconut oil and place in a microwave safe container.  Heat for 30 seconds or until liquid.  Pour over sugar and combine thoroughly.
• Zest the rind of the lemon.  Cut lemon in 1/2 and juice, removing seeds.  Add to sugar mixture and stir well to combine.
• Put into mason jars and store next to the bathtub or in the shower!
• ENJOY your newly soft skin!!

*If the mixture is too wet once the lemon juice and coconut oil is added to the sugar, simply add 1/2 cup more of sugar.

Citrus Salad with Fennel

This was an easy and delicious salad that doesn't wilt easily so it's perfect for leftovers!!!

CITRUS SALAD WITH FENNEL

Ingredients:

1 small fennel bulb, thinly sliced (remove top and root ends)

2 carrots, finely julienned

2 small pickling (Lebanese) cucumbers, thinly sliced

4 navel oranges

Zest of half a lemon

2 tbsp of chopped capers

4 tbsp olive oil

Salt and pepper, to taste

• Divide the oranges into segments, taking care to retain as much of the juice as possible.  Set aside.
• Place all sliced vegetables and the orange segments in a bowl.
• In another small bowl, mix orange juice with capers, lemon zest and olive oil.  Whisk all.
• Add dressing to salad and mix well.
• ENJOY!!

Better Than Take-Out Lemon Chicken!

 

In a quest to find something fast, easy and tasty to create for our busy Thursday nights, I found this recipe in amongst my pile of recipes torn from magazines.  Served with basmati rice and steamed broccoli, it makes a complete and VERY tasty meal!!!

BETTER THAN TAKE-OUT LEMON CHICKEN

Ingredients

  1 1/2 pounds chicken breast or chicken tenders, cut into chunks

1/4 cup all-purpose unbleached flour*

1/4 tsp garlic powder

Pinch ground ginger

1/4 tsp coarse salt

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 tbsp coconut oil

1 tbsp rice wine vinegar

1/2 cup chicken broth or stock

8 ounces (1 cup) prepared lemon curd**

1/4 cup hot water

1 lemon, zested

2 green onions, thinly sliced

• Coat the chicken cubes lightly in flour, seasoned with a little salt, the garlic powder and ginger. 
• Heat a large skillet or a wok-shaped nonstick pan over high heat. Stir fry chicken until golden in the oils for 3 or 4 minutes. Remove chicken from the pan and return pan to heat. Reduce heat to medium.
• Add a splash of vinegar to the pan and let it evaporate. Add stock or broth to the pan and scrape up any drippings with a whisk. 
• Thin curd by stirring in a little hot water. Add curd to broth and whisk to combine. 
• Add chicken back to the pan and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes to thicken sauce and finish cooking chicken pieces through. 
• Remove the pan from heat, add the green onions and zest, and toss chicken pieces well to combine zest and green onions evenly throughout the sauce. 

*Since we don't eat wheat flour, I dusted the chicken in brown rice flour which made them really crispy!
**Lemon curd can be found in the jam and jelly aisle in your local grocery store.

Eggplant with Lamb, Rice & Currants

I am ashamed to admit that I had two beautiful eggplants from my summer CSA box sitting in my fridge for a couple of weeks - and were needing to be used QUICKLY!  So I searched through my recipes and discovered this one from Martha Stewart Living magazine.  It was delicious and surprisingly, something that all members of the family enjoyed!!!

EGGPLANT WITH LAMB, RICE & CURRANTS

Ingredients:

1 1/2 tbsp of olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

3oz ground lamb

Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 2/3 cups of chicken stock

1 cup short-grain brown rice

3 tbsp dried currants

4 small eggplants (or 2 large in my case!)

1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped

Finely grated lemon zest of 1 lemon

• Preheat oven to 400F.  Heat 2 teaspoons of EVOO in an ovenproof pot over medium heat.  Cook the onion, stirring often to prevent sticking, until soft and slightly caramelized (approx. 10 to 12 minutes).  Add the ground lamb, breaking it up with a wooden spoon.  Season with 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.  Cook until lamb is cooked through and no longer pink (3 to 4 minutes).  
• Add stock, rice, and currants.  Bring to a simmer.  Cover and transfer to the oven on the lowest rack.  Cook for 1 hr. and 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, slice eggplants in half lengthwise, brush each cut side with 1/4 tsp oil.  Roast, cut side up, on a rimmed baking sheet on top oven rack until centres are soft and tops are browned (about 40 mins).  Let cool.
• Gently scrape eggplant flesh into a large bowl, reserving skins*.  Stir in lamb-rice mixture, chopped herbs, and lemon zest.  Divide stuffing among eggplant skins.  Garnish with more herbs and lemon zest.
• Enjoy with some toasted flat breads!!

*As I didn't tell my children there was eggplant in this recipe until they finished, I threw the skins away and opted to mix everything together and serve in bowls!  

Minted Bulgur With Pomegranates

I spied this recipe in the latest "Chatelaine" magazine and since I had all the ingredients, thought I would give it a whirl ~ and boy am I glad I did!!!  Not only is this super-easy to put together, but it is chewy and tastes great hot or cold.  Pomegranates are in season now and bulgur is as easy to use as couscous but has far more nutrients!

MINTED BULGUR WITH POMEGRANATES

Ingredients

1 tbsp butter

1 small onion, finely diced

1 cup coarse, uncooked bulgur

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

Zest from one lemon

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup pomegranate seeds (approx. 1/2 pomegranate)

1/4 cup sliced almonds

2 tbsp chopped fresh mint, or 1 tsp dried

• Melt the butter in a large saucepan and saute the onion, bulgur and cinnamon for approx. 1 min.
• Add the chicken broth and bring it to a boil.  Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, until all the liquid is absorbed and the bulgur is tender (approx. 15 mins)
• Stir in the lemon zest and juice with the pomegranate seeds and almonds. 
• Remove from heat and sprinkle with the mint before serving!

*This dish is delicious both as a side dish warm, or room temperature as a salad!  To remove the pomegranate seeds, simply slice the pomegranate in half lengthwise.  Hold it cut-side down over a bowl and hit the skin side firmly with a wooden spoon.  The seeds will drop right out!!*