February is a suitable month for dying. Everything around is dead, the trees black and frozen so that the appearance of green shoots two months hence seems preposterous, the ground hard and cold, the snow dirty, the winter hateful, hanging on too long.
- Anna Quindlen, One True Thing
February, when the days of winter seem endless and no amount of wistful recollecting can bring back any air of summer.
- Shirley Jackson, Raising Demons
Although I am a big fan of winter, I have to admit that February and its uniform skies, blizzardy snowfalls, heavy sleet storms, anesthetizing as well as frigid north winds and fair share of viruses can be quite a trying, unforgiving and monotonous month. Although the season of renewal is getting closer by the minute and the first signs of spring can already be witnessed (catkins hanging from trees, chaffinches and blackbirds singing crazily, snowdrops flowering, daffodils and primroses peeking out of the ground, etc...), this in-between period of the year is definitely not my favorite as it has the aura of a dull Soviet no-man's land or of a waiting room in a Bolshevik hospital.
Painfully murky and depressingly characterless days endlessly follow one another until the point where all this blandness numbs us and the zombie mode kicks in. It is an indubitable fact that dense opaque fog, serious lack of sunlight, bitter air and polar temperatures get the best of us as this lethal combination contributes to weakening our immune system and deminishing our high spririts. Hence it is extremely important that we don't forget to take good care of our mental and well as physical wellness.
It is totally normal to feel exhausted and a little feeble when the weather is so unfriendly and our lifetsyles go against the cosmic rhythm. After all, we cannot constantly be 110% productive and ask our bodies to be invicible if we don't comply to earth's laws, pamper ourselves and accept that we are not limitless machines. So, eventhough our lives are full of unchosen obligations (going to work no matter how we are feeling and having to be equally productive on a constant basis, adopting artificial schedules dictated by our modern world, suffering from insufficient sleep and peace, etc...), it is nonetheless our responsability to nurture our well-being and inner harmony as much as humanly possible given the circumstances.
This is the reason why I try add harmony to my existence, slow down whenever I can, have activities which uplift my soul (listen to music, read, watch movies, cook/bake, meditate, go out for walks, etc...) and eat particularly wholesomely during Jack Frosts' reign. As a result, illnesses rarely affect me (I usually only get a runny nose and sore throat), my energy level is mostly high, 90% of the time my brain is active like a rat, I am generally fairly chirpy and the only blues I experience is played by talented musicians...
The beet is the most intense of vegetables. The radish, admittedly, is more feverish, but the fire of the radish is a cold fire, the fire of discontent, not of passion. Tomatoes are lusty enough, yet there runs through tomatoes an undercurrent of frivolity. Beets are deadly serious.
- Tom Robbins
Salad "freshens without enfeebling and fortifies without irritating.
- Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin (1755-1826)
One of my preferred health allies is beetroot. Not only is this globe vegetable fantastically versatile, mighty scrumptious and remarkably colorful, but it is also a great source of potassium, magnesium and iron as well as vitamins A, B6 and C, folic acid, carbohydrates, protein, powerful antioxidants and soluble fibre; ideal for boosting stamina, reducing risks of osteoporosis, strokes and heart attacks, bringing down blood pressure, stabilizing blood sugar, lowering cholesterol, helping slow the progression of dementia, treating anemia and fatigue. A highly nutritious and powerful ball of goodness which I am never tired of transforming into mouthwatering meals and seeing in my plate!
I'm not sure if it has something to do with my body sending me subliminal messages or if Mother Nature's imminent awakening is in cause, but lately, beets, oranges and wonderfully crunchy raw vegetables have been a lot on my mind and I have been constantly dreaming of bringing vibrant hues to the table as well as yearning for citrusy flavors.
Cravings can be very strong and as a rule, it is rather difficult to get rid of them, unlless they have been fulfilled. Anyway, thankfully for me my urge for hearty fare was legitimate and represented no threat to my organism (I would have resisted it otherwise), so I had no other choice than to enter my culinary temple in a jiffy and proceed to create a delightfully tasty, psychedelic and nutrient-ladden "Beetroot and Orange Salad" which I served for supper.
This zesty, refined and substantial cold dish met a frank success and brought happiness to the dinning table. P. asked for seconds and thirds, and we fiercely devoured it, leaving no leftovers. Had it been a platter of homemade pasta or a juicy steak, I don't think it would have gone down any faster or better. Simply perfect!
Beetroot And Orange Salad
Recipe by Rosa Mayland, February 2013.
Serves 2 (as main course) or 4 (as side dish).
Ingredients For The "Salad Dressing":
The juice of 1 organic lemon
1 Clove garlic, crushed (optional)
2 Tbs Olive oil
1 Tsp Mild soy Sauce
1 Tsp Yellow or sweet mustard
1 Tsp Runny honey
1/2 Tsp Sriracha
1 Pinch ground allspice
Sea salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Ingredient For The "Salad":
1 Big raw beetroot, peeled and finely shredded
2 Tarocco oranges, filleted (see method)
1/4 Cup (30g) Hazelnuts, roasted and coarsely chopped
The rind of one organic lemon
Sprouted alfalfa
Method For The "Salad Dressing":
1. Whisk all the ingredients together and set aside.
Method For "Plating The salad":
2. Place the grated beetroot* on the plates.
3. Drizzle the salad dressing* over the beetroot.
4. Prettily arrange the orange segments* over the beetroot.
5. Sprinkle the hazelnuts* and the grated lemon rind* over the salad.
6. Top with a handful of sprouted alfalfa*.
7. Serve immediately.
Remarks:
You can replace the allspice by 1/2 Tsp ground cumin, the Tarocco oranges by Moro or Navel oranges and the sprouted alfalfa by any other sprouted seeds of your choice (beetroot, onion, sesame, etc...).
The clove garlic is totally optional. Instead, try flavoring your salad with an onion which you'll cut in half and slice very thinly, then arrange nicely over the grated beetroot (before adding the orange segments).
Serving suggestions:
Serve this salad as main course, with slices of pumpernickel bread or as side dish in accompaniment to a casseroles, gratin or some barbecued meat.
* In equal quantities (either 1/2 or 1/4, depending on how many people you are going to serve).
Salade De Betterave À l'Orange
Recette par Rosa Mayland, Février 2013.
Pour 2 personnes (plat principal) ou 4 personnes (plat d'accompagnement).
Ingrédients Pour La "Vinaigrette":
Le jus d'un citron bio
1 Gousse d'ail, écrasée (facultatif)
2 CS d'Huile d'olive
1 CC de Sauce soja douce
1 CC de Moutarde douce
1 CC de Miel liquide
1/2 CC de Sriracha
1 Pincée de Poudre de piment de la Jamaïque
Sel de mer, selon goût
Poivre noir fraîchement moulu, selon goût
Ingrédients Pour La "Salade":
1 Grosse betterave crue, pelée et finement râpée
2 Oranges Tarocco, découpée en quartiers (voir méthode)
30g de Noisettes, torréfiées et grossièrement hachées
Le zeste d'un citron bio
Pousses d'alfalfa/luzerne (graines germées)
Méthode Pour La "Vinaigrette":
1. Mélanger ensemble tous les ingrédients pour la vinaigrette et mettre de côté.
Méthode Pour La "Présentation De La Salade":
2. Disposer la betterave râpée * sur les assiettes.
3. Verser la vinaigrette* sur la betterave.
4. Arranger joliment les quartiers d'orange* sur la betterave.
5. Saupoudrer avec les noisettes* et le zeste de citron râpé*.
6. Déposer une petite poignée de luzerne germée* sur le dessus de la salade.
7. Servir immédiatement.
Remarques:
Vous pouvez remplacer le piment de la Jamaïque en poudre par 1/2 CC de cumin en poudre, les oranges Tarocco par des oranges Moro ou Navel et la luzerne germée par les graines germées de votre choix (betterave, oignon, sésame, etc ..).
L'ail est totalement facultatif. Afin de donner plus de saveur à votre salade, un oignon finement coupé fera parfaitement l'affaire (ajoutez-le juste avant les quartiers d'orange).
Suggestions d'accompagnement:
Servir cette salade comme plat principal, avec des tranches de pain pumpernickel ou comme plat d'accompagnement avec un plat au four, un gratin ou de la viandes grillée.
* En quantités égales (soit 1/2 ou 1/4, selon le nombre de personnes que vous allez servir).
If you don't stand for something you will fall for anything.
- Malcolm X
The day I entered the blogging world and launched Rosa's Yummy Yums, I made a promise to myself that under no circumstances would I ever transform my site into an advertizing platform or sell my soul to the god of freebies. My aim has never been to metamorphose into a food bloggers who reviews any samples just because they are gratis, promotes more giveaways than articles and turns his/her site into a hideous podium for big brands as well as multinational companies in order to boost his/her traffic and gain a few bucks.
Of course, every individual is free to do as he or she pleases, nonetheless this form of media harlotry is definitely not my cup of tea since it goes against my convictions; I definitely don't want to sponsor mafia-like businesses or fascist food corporations (Monsanto and allies for example) which are hell-bent on destroying our mind (brainwashing), health (obesity, cancer, etc...) and environment (pollution, anihilation of forests, etc...).
Whenever it comes to speaking about a product, I am extremely selective and do everything in my power to keep my integrity as I refuse to be dishonest with my readers (check out this interesting article on the subject of advertisement) and become a cash cow or marketing puppet for a certain branch of the industry which I despise. It is for this reason that I exclusively endorse people who deserve attention, support enterprises (size doesn't matter, but their politics certainly do) I can relate to and whose merchandise I fully appreciate and consider worth putting in the limelight. Hence, 90% of approaches are turned down and I rarely give any positive following to the numerous e-mail offers which land in my message box. I have ethics and love my independance, thus maintaning 100% editorial control over my blog is crucial to me.
There is a very good reason why we gave our family name to the
olive oil we produce. And that is because we wanted our clients to know
that the olive oil they chose to consume is created by one family that
overlooks the entire procedure, from the cultivation of the trees to the
delivery of olive oil -no companies, merchants or middlemen involved
- Marinos Kallaras
So, if I choose to present Marinos* Kallaras' gourmet extra virgin olive oil here today, it is because I am genuinely impressed by the quality of it and want to show my support for a Greek family of artisan producers from Corinth (in the Peloponnese) who are dedicated to creating a natural - zero chemicals, additives and preservatives - and authentic produce which carries the experience and tradition of generations (centuries).
Kallaras olive oil is extracted from freshly picked Manaki olives, a regional variety of slow-repening olives which are renowned for their distinctive soft sapidity, low acidity and high phenolic content. As a result, the oil obtained by cold-pressing the fruits is wholesome, pleasantly smooth in flavor (mildly fruity), has a wonderfully rich fragrance and a slightly tangy edge as well as pungent attributes of medium intensity.
I always have a good
quality extra virgin olive oil. A cheap quality oil will end up cheapening your
dishes...
- Nadia Giosia
This harmonious and delicate tasting golden-green elixir of health is perfect for seasoning, enhancing and preparing cold dishes such as salads, carpaccios and uncooked** specialities like sauces, dips and spreads (mayonnaise, dressings, relishes, salsas, pestos, etc...) or drizzling over rice, pasta, vegetables, beans, meat, fish and seafood.
When one is lucky enough to be in possession of such an awesome olive oil, one has the obligation to use it to its fullest potential and to pair it intelligently with ingredients that will not spoil its subtle aromas. That's why I've decided to incorporate it to my latest vegetarian creation to date: a hearty and seasonal "Beetroot Pesto" packed with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.
Experimenting in the kitchen is one of my favorite activities and I must admit that the earthy, highly colorful, refined, deftly spiced and exquisite condiment I invented is just amazing. Not only is this soulful paste easy to put together and budget-friendly, but it is also a real crowd pleaser - you should have seen how both Patrik and my friend C. delighted in it when I served it as accompaniment to chicken kebabs and brown basmati pilaf with button mushrooms and caramelised onions.
Try this Middle East meets West (inspired by the cuisines of Lebanon, Scandinavia and Italy) fusion pesto and you'll be immediately conquered by its uniqueness and lusciousness!
* Actually, the man behind Kallaras olive oil is a mechanical engineer. However, he has always been working on his parents olive groves (whenever he is free) and dedicates a lot of time during the harvest period to personally undertake all the tasks which an olive oil producer typically performs.
** Please remember to NEVER cook with it or you'll kill its nutritional value and comprises its value and top-notch savor.
Love beetroot dishes? Then head over to Great British Chefs and make sure to check out their mounthwatering recipes!
Beetroot Pesto
Recipe by Rosa Mayland, January 2013.
Makes about 1 1/2 cups pesto - serves 4-6 people.
Ingredients:
1/4 Cup Almonds, toasted
1/8 Cup Sesame seeds, toasted
1/4 Cup Virgin olive oil
1 Clove garlic
1 Tsp Ground cumin
1 Tsp Dried oregano
A pinch Ground coriander
360g Cooked beetroot, cut in pieces
2 Tbs Lemon juice
1 Tbs Pomegranate molasses
1 Tsp Nutritional yeast
Fine sea salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Method:
1. In a food processor, mix together the almonds, sesame seeds, olive oil, garlic, cumin, oregano and coriander until you obtain a smooth paste.
2. Add the beetroot, lemon juice, pomegranate molasses, nutritional yeast, salt and pepper. Mix until the mixture is pastelike and homogenous (use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the food processor as necessary to make sure that the ingredients get blended well).
3. Serve.
Remarks:
Store in a jar or airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
This pesto freezes well, so why not double the recipe and keep half of it in the freezer in a plastic container
or frozen first in an ice tray for mini-portions and then kept in a sealed freezer bag?
Serving suggestions:
Serve this pesto with pasta, spread it on bread/crackers or use it as dip.
Pesto De Betterave
Recette par Rosa Mayland, Janvier 2013.
Pour 4 à 6 personnes.
Ingrédients:
40g d'Amandes, torréfiées
18g de Graines de sésame, torréfiées
52ml/g d'Huile d'olive
1 Gousse d'ail
1 CC de Cumin en poudre
1 CC d'Origan séché
1 pincée de coriandre en poudre
360g de Betterave cuite, coupée en cubes
2 CS de Jus de citron
1 CS de Mélasse de grenadine
1 CS de Levure maltée (alimentaire)
Sel de mer fin, à volonté
Poivre noir fraîchement moulu, à volonté
Méthode:
1. Mettre les amandes, les graines de sésame, l'huile d'olive, l'ail, le cumin, l'origan et la coriandre dans le bol de votre mixer et mixer jusqu'à obtention d'une pâte homogène.
2. Ajouter la betterave, le jus de citron, la mélasse et la levure nutritionnelle. Mixer à nouveau afin que le mélange ait la consistance d'un pesto (bien racler les bords du bol du robot pour ramener les ingrédients vers le centre).
3. Servir.
Remarques:
Ce pesto se conserver une semaine (maximum) au frigo, dans un bocal.
Il peut aussi très bien être congelé, alors pourquoi ne pas doubler la recette et mettre la moité au congélateur (mini portions ou non)?
Suggestions de présentation:
Servir avec des pâtes, sur du pain et des crackerse ou comme dip.
