Salted Crown | Food, Fashion, and All things in between. - Page 2 of 3 - A blog about food, fashion and all things in between.

Baked Egg with Polenta and Prosciutto

03/02/2014

Doesn’t that name just sound all fancy? Saying it makes me feel all sophisticated and what not. I feel like I should be in some elegant dining room admiring fine china on display while a guy in a cute little tux and an accent is serving this meal to guests on a silver platter. Okay, maybe not quite that fancy, but you catch my drift. Maybe it’s the prosciutto that gives it that fancy feeling. Who knows. Maybe I’m just being a weirdo who gets over excited about experimenting with new ingredients. That’s probably a little more accurate. Either way, the recipe is doggone delicious. The combination of ingredients is out of this world. It’s so good, in fact, that you might even catch yourself singing,”Glory, glory HALLELUJAH!” after taking bite number one. It could happen… You’d actually be surprised at just how easy it is to make, which you know is the way I roll around here. You will also notice that I didn’t go too specific with measurements of ingredients because honestly, I didn’t measure much. I fit as much of each ingredient in my ramekins as I would want to eat. For example, I LOVE cheese. Therefore, I made sure I had plenty of extra room for more cheese. Hopefully that makes sense.

Now whip out your best foreign accent and get out your silver platter because this is a recipe you’re going to want to serve to folks.

sliced prepared polenta, about 1/2 in. thick (or substitute with prepared grits-either way is magnificent)
thinly sliced prosciutto
shredded cheese (I used a four cheese blend – Asiago, Fontina, Parmesan, and Provolone)
organic purple kale, shredded
sea salt
pepper
organic brown eggs
non-stick cooking spray

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Lightly spray ramekins with non-stick cooking spray.
Place two polenta slices in each ramekin.
Next add some kale on top.
Take one slice of prosciutto per ramekin and layer on top of the kale.
Sprinkle a generous amount of cheese.
Crack an egg on top.
Season with sea salt and pepper.
Top with more cheese.
To stabilize ramekins while cooking, place on baking sheet and cook for about 18 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly.
Let cool slightly before eating.
Enjoy!

Ramekins – Bobby Flay | Measuring Cups – West Elm – similar here | Cutting Board – IKEA

Kale & Pesto Flatbread

01/23/2014

Ever had one of those days where the LAST thing you feel like doing when you get home is to cook? I definitely fall victim to that on occasion/once a week. It often would be so much easier just to go grab some takeout, put your feet up, and call it a day. The times I have fallen captive to this situation are always followed by a tummy ache, regret, and mourning over the loss of leftovers in the refrigerator. It never ends good. Next time you feel like that could be your evening, just say no to that greasy pizza. It’ll make you really fat anyway (totally just kidding. It helps me say no when I tell myself that. Whatever works, ya know?) Your new quick and easy dinner option: flatbread! It’s so pizza-like it’s not even funny. Also, this one comes grease free and you never have to leave the house. WIN.

The other night, I was unsure of what I wanted to make for supper. As I began my usual,”I forgot to meal plan. What the heck am I going to cook tonight?!”, I just decided to get creative. It’s so much fun to use what you have at home and end up with something better than you expected! I happened to have flatbread pitas that I had originally purchased for fajitas, some leftover pesto, and some frozen fire roasted corn. Put it all together and boom, new favorite recipe! And I know, I know, I’m back at that kale stuff again.Starting to see a pattern here? I mean obviously I can’t seem to deviate from recipes without it lately or so it seems. I just can’t stay away. It’s a good problem though, right? I mean, it definitely could be worse. I could be obsessively stuffing my face with white chocolate chips while no one is looking (which may or may not have happened also, but that’s neither here nor there). This time I’m using it as a flatbread topping. Oh yes, it’s just as good as it sounds. This flatbread will knock your socks off it’s so good. The corn and sauteed onions give it a slightly sweeter taste which is never a bad thing if you ask me. It’s way better than that ole greasy takeout pizza anyway. :)

Whole wheat flat bread pita
Parmesan & Romano cheese blend, shredded
Asaigo cheese, grated
1/4 of a sweet onion, chopped
1 c. fire roasted corn (I found this in the freezer section at Whole Foods)
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing onto flatbread
1/2 c. kale, chopped
basil pesto

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a skillet, add 1 tbsp. olive oil. Saute chopped onion until golden brown.
Add in frozen corn and cook until corn softens.
Brush some olive oil onto flatbread.
Brush pesto onto flatbread.
Top with cheeses.
Add sauteed onions and roasted corn.
Finish with adding kale to top.
Bake for about 8-10 minutes or until flatbread is a golden brown and kale is slightly crisp.
Enjoy!

*side note: if you need to alter amounts of ingredients, totally go for it. I made enough for 2 pitas so if you make more, add more of the toppings!*

Cheese Grater Box – West Elm – similar here & here | Basting Brush – West Elm | Cutting Board - IKEA

Spinach and Brussel Leaf Salad

01/07/2014

Hey y’all!! I’m back FINALLY! So sorry for that super long sabbatical. December was an incredibly hectic month to say the least. Between wrapping things up at work before the holidays to bouncing from one side of the country to the other makes things difficult. But, nobody likes excuses, so nevertheless I’M BACK and ready to go! I truly hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and New Years. This year is going to be great…I just know it! I hate New Years resolutions because I can’t stick with them and normally forget what my resolution even was to begin with. I’ve really got it together if you can’t tell. I have made one resolution that I am going to stick with no matter what: I’m going to stay consistent and bring the most amazing posts everrrrr (well, I’m sure our ideas of amazing might be slightly different, but you feel me). That’s not an impossible resolution. I mean it’s not like I’m promising to go to the gym 6 times a week.

My darling husband is one of the best gift givers in the history of ever. He got me several cookbooks, all of which I had on my secret wishlist that no one knew about. He’s just that good. One book in particular was a book from The Sprouted Kitchen. I haven’t had tons of time to look at it, but from what I’ve seen so far, it’s amazing. While scanning through it one day, I came across a recipe that I’m literally obsessing over right now. It’s not something I would typically go for but it was rather intriguing to me. I will be the first to admit that I absolutely do not like brussels sprouts. Never have, and honestly thought I never would. Then along came this recipe and it rocked my taste buds. I’m a brussels sprout fan and I don’t care who knows! I’ve changed some things around to better suit my liking and it’s phenomenal. I want to eat it every single day until the end of time. Did I happen to mention it’s like the fastest cooking meal of all time? I will never bad mouth brussels sprouts again as long as I live.

1 lb. of brussels sprouts, trimmed and leaves separated
3 1/2 c. baby spinach leaves
3 cloves garlic, minced
bacon bits
extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp. white wine vinegar
1 tbsp. organic agave nectar
Parmigiano Reggiano, for topping
sea salt + pepper, to taste

Warm olive oil a large pan over low-medium heat.
Add garlic to pan and cook for about a minute or so.
Add in brussel leaves and saute for about 30 seconds.
In a small bowl, mix together vinegar and agave nectar and add to pan.
Toss to coat.
Add spinach and bacon bits to pan and cook until just wilted.
Top with Parmigiano Reggiano and salt + pepper (if needed) and serve immediately.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from The Sprouted Kitchen Cookbook

salad servers – IKEA | bowl – Christmas gift from my AMAZINGLY thoughtful brother [handmade in an Ecuador market] – similar here |
Pot holder – West Elm

Pomegranate Quinoa Scones

12/10/2013

Check out this recipe video!

I’m totally on a dessert kick lately, if you haven’t already noticed. Can someone just go ahead and make it a rule that all normal food be replaced with sweets? I mean, the world would be a happier place, don’t you think? I’m sure I’m not the only one who thinks that way. Unfortunately, desserts generally lack nutritional benefits (sigh). But, there is good news. If you want a healthier alternative to a dessert, this one is for YOU, friend! It’s especially fantastic for those that are on a gluten free diet. And for those that aren’t, well, you’ll love it just as much!

The name hints to a unique and interesting treat. When I first came upon this recipe, naturally I wanted to know more when I saw that it had quinoa. Quinoa in a cookie? What?! I love quinoa in everything, but a cookie?? Yes!! So, I read on and instead of regular flour, quinoa flour is used. All those on gluten free diets I’m sure are very familiar with this but it was something all new to me. The quinoa flour gives the cookies somewhat of a nutty taste. Combine that with the juice of pomegranate seeds and you have quite a delightful cookie on your hands!

1 1/4 stick unsalted butter
1/2 c. unsweetened coconut milk
lemon juice + zest
seeds of one pomegranate
1 c. organic buckwheat flour
1 c. oats
1/3 c. quinoa flour
1/3 c. tapioca starch
1/3 c. organic cane sugar
1 tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 eggs
blonde coconut sugar
agave nectar + powdered sugar, for topping

Place butter in freezer for about 30 minutes before using.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a medium bowl, whisk coconut milk and juice of a lemon and chill for a few minutes.
In a large bowl, mix together buckwheat flour, oats, quinoa flour, tapioca starch, cane sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and lemon zest.
Remove butter from freezer and grate butter.
Fold grated butter into flour mixture.
Whisk 1 egg into coconut milk mixture. Add to butter and flour mixture. Fold in pomegranate seeds.
Roll mixture out. Use a floured cookie cutter to cut out scones.
Whisk 1 egg in a small bowl.
Brush egg wash on top of scones and sprinkle with coconut sugar.
Bake scones for 18 minutes.
Let them cool on baking sheet for about 15 minutes and then finish cooling on a baking rack.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar and drizzle agave nectar on top.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Small Plates and Sweet Treats

**Big thanks to my sweet friend Rachelle for letting me shoot this video at her place! Love you, friend!**

Dress (sold out) – similar here & here | Plate – Anthropologie

Cherry Vanilla Crisp

12/05/2013

Check out this recipe video!

Y’all know by now that I have a thing for sweets. I also have a big thing for Food Network. I read every magazine of theirs that I can get my hands on. I found this fabulous recipe in an older edition and fell in love. I had to use some restraint to keep from eating the whole thing. My absolute favorite part of the dessert is the cherries. HELLO, YUM!! When cooked, they’re warm, soft, and gooey and just add so much sweet flavor. Even though it’s amazing on its own, my husband thought that it would be amazing on top of homemade vanilla ice cream. Talk about tasty!

It’s simply a perfect year-round dessert. t’s versatile enough that other fruits could easily be substituted in place of the cherries. I think it would be amazing if you used apples or peaches. Oh my, I think I feel new ideas coming on. Apples, cinnamon, caramel…oh yes. I’m going to have to work on that. In the meantime, try this out! If you make your own twist on it, I’d love to know allllllll about it! :)

1 lb. pitted cherries, fresh or frozen (thaw before using)
3/4 c. sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 c. + 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. sliced almonds
2/3 c. rolled oats
pinch of salt
1 stick unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a large bowl, add cherries, 1/2 c. sugar, vanilla, and 2 tbsp. flour, cinnamon, and salt. Toss to coat.
Transfer to baking dish.
To make topping, whisk the remaining flour, oats, almonds, and sugar. Stir in melted butter.
Sprinkle topping over cherry mixture.
Bake until topping is golden brown and cherries are bubbly, about 45 minutes. Serve warm.
Enjoy!

Recipe found on Food Network

Candied Sweet Potato Rounds

11/28/2013

Happy Thanksgiving, y’all! I’ve been so excited and anxious for this time to finally arrive! I can’t wait to practically eat my weight in all the Thanksgiving food goodness. I’m spending this evening and tomorrow morning wrapping up my additions to this wonderful feast (’cause I’m a last minute girl – it’s just what I do). This recipe I’m sharing with you today is one I’m rather fond of, and I hope my family will be also! It’s a bite-sized treat that will make you smile with satisfaction. I’m a big promoter of sweet potatoes. I’m blaming it on the fact that I have a sweet tooth the size of Texas. At least it’s something healthy though, right??

Try not to overindulge on all the food tomorrow, but most importantly, enjoy the company you spend the day with. Treasure the moments and give thanks for the people that surround your dinner table.

2 sweet potatoes, slices into rounds
2 tbsp. coconut oil, ,melted
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. pecan halves
1/2 c. dried cranberries

for pecans:
1/4 tsp. salt
1 c. cane sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 c. milk
1 tbsp. vanilla

Heat oven to 400 degrees. In a bowl, whisk together coconut oil and brown sugar.
Place sliced sweet potatoes on a parchment-lined backing sheet.
Brush coconut oil and sugar mixture on both sides of potato slices.
Bake for 15-20 minutes.
Once done, flip potatoes and bake again for about 12 minutes or until they turn a more golden brown.
Let cool slightly.
While potatoes are in the oven, prepare the pecans.
Mix salt, can sugar, cinnamon, milk together in a medium bowl. Bring mixture to a slight boil, stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat and add vanilla and the pecan halves. Stir them in until pecans are evenly coated.
Remove coated pecans from mixture by using a fork and place them on a sheet of wax paper.
To assemble, top each caramelized potato with cranberries and candied pecans.
Enjoy!

Foodie Gift Guide

11/26/2013

I’d like to say that I’m the kind of gal who has all her gift shopping done before Thanksgiving arrives (like my Gram does! What?!) Unfortunately, I am far from that. I’m always on the lookout for gifts that I know others would love, but wouldn’t necessarily think to buy for themselves. We all know there’s a food lover in every family. People like that can be really tricky to buy for, that’s for sure. Here’s a quick inspiration guide for the food lover in your life! Hopefully this will inspire both you and me to get a move on Christmas shopping!

Crushed Large Bowl – Muuto | Salt Cellar – Scandinavian Design | Copper Cook’s Tools – West Elm

Quinoa & Pomegranate Squash

11/19/2013

I really do love this time of year. It’s cool, but not yet freezing. It’s time for warm, cozy sweaters and boots. More importantly, it’s nearing one of the most exciting holidays: Thanksgiving! In my opinion, are few greater things than Thanksgiving food. It’s making my mouth water just thinking about it! Both of my grandmothers always make enough food to feed the whole town for a week. They make all of the best dishes: sweet potato casseroles, turkey and dressing, sweet potato pies, you know! This year will be the first time I’ll be adventuring into cooking a lot for this fantastic holiday (wish me luck!). As much as I do love all the incredible meals that comes along with this holiday, I know that many, like myself, don’t really want to go hog wild with all the not-so-healthy food options that will likely be under our noses. I plan on making this dish because it’s not only beautiful, it’s also healthy and guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser! I’m also going to bring this recipe out again when Christmas comes. It’s just so festive!

Feel free to alter the recipe to your liking and you can add more or less depending on the size of the crowd. Don’t write off this recipe if you can’t find/don’t like certain ingredients. For instance, say you can’t find quinoa. Grab some brown rice instead! That’s the beauty of cooking – you don’t have to stick strictly to a recipe. Incorporate what you love and make it all your own!

seeds of one pomegranate
1 c. quinoa
4 acorn squash
toasted sunflower seeds
2 c. vegetable broth + extra
salt + pepper, to taste
olive oil
sprinkle of nutmeg
fresh mint, for garnish

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Cut squash in half, lengthwise.
Scoop out all the seeds inside.
Place squash cut-side down onto a greased baking dish.
Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until squash tenders. (I found that puncturing holes in the outside of the squash and then microwaving for a couple minutes sped up the baking time.)
While squash is baking, cook your quinoa (1 c. quinoa to 2 c. broth). Cook until all the liquid is absorbed (about 20 minutes).
Once done, remove from oven. Turn the squash cut-side up.
Brush with a small amount of olive oil. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Fill the inner part of the squash with vegetable broth.
Place squash back into the oven and bake for 5 minutes, or until the outer edges are a beautiful, golden color.
Fill centers of squash with quinoa.
Top with pomegranates, toasted sunflower seeds, and mint for garnish (can add more salt, pepper, or nutmeg, to taste).
Enjoy!

ikat

11/16/2013

I’m such a sucker for Ikat print. When we found these pretties at West Elm, it was love at first sight. Naturally, I feel the need to have at least two or three bowls of each print.

Kale & Quinoa Patties

11/14/2013

Check out this recipe video!

This recipe is my mouth’s “happy place”. It is mouth-watering, mind blowing, yummy, and healthy all wrapped up into one dish! Did I mention it’s meatless? With that kind of description, you should already be wanting to try this. It was simply just too tasty to hide it away in my recipe stash. Behold the most glorious meal I’ve yet to come across: Kale & Quinoa Patties! (que applause). Since the discovery of this recipe, I’ve made it several times for my hubby, friends, and my mother-in-law and all seem to adore it as much as I do. (Hint to all those needing brownie points with the in-laws! ;)) If you’re not one for a meatless main dish, let me challenge you to just give this recipe a try just once and see if you change your mind. I know it seems like everybody and their mama have a reason to stick kale in a recipe because it seems to be the most trendy go-to green. I was skeptical of adding a new green leafy food to my normal routine purchases, but I thought why not give it a chance. Honestly, my first time eating kale was when I made this recipe for the first time. It’s now taken the sweet spot that spinach once held in my heart. Surprisingly, kale is just so tasty all by itself. I often steam it, lightly drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, and season with salt and pepper for a quick and easy side dish. So since we’re friends and we trust each other, go ahead and prepare yourself this goodness. You know I wouldn’t dare steer you wrong. Your mouth will thank you.

patties:
1 c. quinoa
2 c. water
4 eggs, whisked
½ c. Parmesan cheese
1 half of a large red onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/3 c. steamed kale
1 c. seasoned whole wheat breadcrumbs
1 ½ tsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. salt
pepper, to taste
½ tbsp. parsley

topping:
sliced avocado
olive oil
lemon juice
parsley
freshly ground pepper

Rinse your quinoa thoroughly. Add water and quinoa to a medium sized pan. Let the quinoa soak for about fifteen minutes or so. Bring to a boil.
Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and put the lid on the pan. It should take roughly 20 minutes.
In the meantime, steam the kale until it’s a slightly darker green color and is more tender – around 30-45 seconds.
Chop kale in smaller pieces.
Once quinoa and kale are both finished, let them cool slightly.
In a large bowl, combine quinoa, kale, eggs, garlic, onion, Parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, salt, pepper. Mix all ingredients well and make sure the liquid is absorbed.
Form the mixture into small patties (I’ve found that smaller patties tend to stay together better while cooking than large ones).
Heat oil in a large skillet over low-medium heat.
Cook patties 4-5 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Remove from skillet and place on a cooling rack until ready to serve.
Add preferred toppings. My favorite are avocado, lemon juice, freshly ground pepper, sprinkle of parsley, and drizzled with olive oil.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Heidi Swanson’s Super Natural Everyday Cookbook

Baked Egg with Polenta and Prosciutto

03/02/2014

Kale & Pesto Flatbread

01/23/2014

Spinach and Brussel Leaf Salad

01/07/2014

Cherry Vanilla Crisp

12/05/2013

Candied Sweet Potato Rounds

11/28/2013

Foodie Gift Guide

11/26/2013

Quinoa & Pomegranate Squash

11/19/2013

ikat

11/16/2013

Kale & Quinoa Patties

11/14/2013

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