Cilantro Pesto

Spring has sprung! I'm so happy to see flowers blooming all around and the local farmer's market in full swing. As the days grow longer and the weather warmer, we begin to see more and more fresh produce in our grocery stores and gardens alike.

In this post I will share with you my very own recipe for cilantro pesto, a favorite of mine this time of year. Cilantro is a very easy herb to grow, but if you don't have space for a garden at your home you shouldn't have a problem finding it for a reasonable price at your local health food store. 

Use this pesto as a salad dressing, a dip for veggies, on top of you eggs in the morning, over chicken, pasta or whatever you desire! It is absolutely scrumptious and adds great color to any meal. I combine plain yogurt and lemon juice for a creamy and tangy punch and little kick of garlic to spice things up a bit, creating the perfect compliment to the fresh cilantro.

Cilantro Pesto:
Yields about 2 cups

Ingredients
2 large bunches fresh cilantro (stems and all)
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup plain, whole milk yogurt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large clove of garlic
Juice from 1/2 a lemon
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Place all ingredients into a food processor and blend until smooth and creamy.

Use liberally on your favorite foods and enjoy! Refrigerate and use within one week.

Goat Cheese Frittata w/ Fennel, Leeks, Beets, and Garlic

Breakfast is by far my favorite meal because it really sets the pace for the rest of my day. If my morning is kicked off with plenty of veggies and protein I feel like I can do anything.
I wasn't a morning person for the longest time until I got into a routine of eating breakfast. I realized that the only thing standing in my way of a productive morning, free from the groggy haze that lingers over most of us in the early hours of the day is to eat a warm, delicious meal!
Breakfast time has helped stabilize my metabolism and gives me energy that I've never had before. I find that it's extremely important to eat foods that aren't full of refined sugars, like many breakfast cereals and pastries often have. These foods will spike your blood sugar dramatically giving you a quick wake up, but will soon fade and leave you with a foggy feeling in no time. If you want to feel great in the morning, take a little extra time for yourself and eat breakfast!
 Many people tell me that they don't have an appetite in the morning and wait until it's way past noon to even begin to think about eating. If you are someone who feels the same, my advice is to start with small meals and work your way up. Once your body gets used to having a real meal in the morning as opposed to 3 cups of coffee and a power bar, it will crave more nutrients upon waking and you will soon be in full breakfast swing!

A frittata is an excellent choice to make for a delicious breakfast. It is a baked egg dish with various ingredients used as filling. It is very similar to a quiche only without the crust. The recipe below is easy and can last you several days if you double the ingredients. Any left overs can be reheated for the next morning, and a slice of frittata is also great cold if you are on the go. All of the vegetables I've used are abundantly grown in the winter and make for an outstanding flavor combination! Make it on the weekend or your days off when you have a bit more time to devote to your frittata, as the beets can take up to an hour to boil until tender.


Prep and cook time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Serves 2-4

Ingredients:

• 1 medium or 2 small beets, any type or color is fine
• 1 small-medium fennel bulb
• 1 small-medium leek
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 oz. chevre goat cheese
• 6 eggs
• 1/4 cup goat milk (or any milk or cream that you desire)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• Plain yogurt, black pepper, paprika, and fennel tops for garnish

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

Place your beet in a small pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook for 45 minutes to an hour or until soft enough to easily stick a fork in.

While waiting for the beet to cook, cut the fennel bulb width-wise and coarsely chop. Leave the tops for garnish. 

Do the same with the leek but slice the entire leek, green parts and all. Make sure you rinse it thoroughly because dirt can often get stuck in between the leaves at the top. Many people only use the white part of this vegetable, but the green part is just as edible and brings a nice color to the dish.

Add one tablespoon olive oil to a medium pan and saute the fennel and leek over medium heat, about 5 minutes.

Once the beet is fully cooked, remove from stove top and place it in a bowl. Transfer to the sink and run cold water over the beet while you remove the skin. Skin will easily slip off by rubbing your fingers over the beet, leaving you with a more colorful and tasty layer underneath.

Once the skin is removed, cut the been into thin, one inch slices.

Take your baking pan and grease with one tablespoon olive oil. I like to use a cast iron skillet, but any medium baking dish that you have available will work just fine. Layer in the sauteed fennel and leeks, sliced beets and minced garlic. Crumble the goat cheese on top.

Crack eggs into a separate bowl. Add goat milk and salt. Whisk until thoroughly mixed together. 

Pour the egg mixture over the ingredients in the baking dish.

Place into your preheated oven and bake at 375 degrees for about 25 minutes. Frittata is done once the egg mixture is firm and slightly browned on top.

Garnish with plain yogurt, fennel tops, black pepper and paprika. Serve immediately.

Nice to Meet You! Have Some Soup.

It’s all about stayin’ fresh and keepin’ it real.  Healthy, seasonal, whole foods. No chemicals, hormones, antibiotics, unpronounceable additives, or heavy refining. Just good quality food as locally sourced and seasonal as you can manage.  

The fact of the matter is, whether you like it or not, the food you eat affects you inside and out. From obesity to mental health, many of the health problems humans face today are related to the diet they choose. If you eat great quality food everyday it will positively add to your overall well being. If you eat crappy, heavily processed food as your main source of sustenance,you are bound to run into problems down the road. 

The Flavor Effect is here not only to encourage you lovely readers to think differently about the choices you make when it comes to the food that you buy, but to also get into the kitchen and try out some new recipes that are sure to impress your taste buds. Whether it’s your New Years resolution to learn how to cook or you are an avid foodie who is constantly on the search for some new flare for your recipe repertoire, this blog is for you. I'll be sprinkling each post with some nutritional information and health benefits that I have acquired through my personal experiences and research. 

So, with that being said, let's kick off this blog with a lovely winter dish!

Creamy & Garlicky Parsnip Leek Soup w/ Lemon and Thyme:

It's winter time and a perfect season to hang out and warm yourself up in the kitchen. Although the bountiful autumn harvest is behind us, there is still plenty of delicious produce to choose from this time of year. One of my favorite root vegetables, the parsnip, is in full swing! I love parsnips because of their unique flavor- sweet, almost buttery, and a tad bit spicy. They are also a great source of dietary fiber and rich in potassium and vitamin C. Instead of going with the more common recipe for potato leek soup, I wanted a dish with a bit more of an edgy sensation and the parsnip definitely brings that to your palate. Leeks are also abundant this time of year, are high in fiber and rich in vitamin A. I'm not shy about using garlic in this soup, or for that matter, really any recipe that has garlic in it. Garlic is one flavor that takes your dish from boring to brilliant in just a few quick stokes of a knife. The lemon and thyme are lovely subtle additions that really make this soup sing. I use goat milk to create a creamy texture and flavor because it's a lot lower in lactose than cow dairy, but if you absolutely can't handle any dairy you could use coconut milk instead. It would change the flavor profile of the soup but would make for an excellent substitution. 

Prep and Cook time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

• 2 medium parsnips
• 2 medium leeks
• 8 cloves of garlic
• 1 quart chicken broth (or vegetable broth if you prefer)
• 2 cups goat milk
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Juice and zest from 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, minced + several sprigs for garnish
• 1 tablespoon salt (or more if desired)
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

Begin by cutting the parsnips into 1 to 2 inch cubes. Place in a medium pot and add about two inches of water to the bottom of the cubes. Cover and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook until thoroughly tender and almost fall apart when you stick a fork into them. 

While you are waiting for the parsnips, cut the leeks width-wise creating little rings using only the white end parts. *Do not discard the rest of the green stalks and leaves up top! Those can be sauteed and used for future meals. The white part is used in this recipe purely for aesthetic reasons since it will be blended up with the parsnips and will be similar in color.*

Using a medium saute pan, heat the olive oil over  a medium flame and add the leek rings. Cook until leeks become translucent. 

Once the parsnips are cooked, transfer to a food processor or blender and add 2 cups of the chicken broth, all 8 garlic cloves, and cooked leeks. Blend until thoroughly smooth.

Place mixture into a large soup pot and add remaining broth, the goat milk, thyme, lemon juice and zest, salt and pepper. 

Cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes then reduced to low heat and simmer for about 30 minutes. 

Garnish with thyme sprigs and enjoy!