Beverly Hills Farms

Smoked Salmon, Tomato and Cream Cheese Omelette with Fresh Dill

beverlyhillsfarms — Thu, 02 May 2013 21:24:54 +0000

The perfect pair, salmon and cream cheese, together again. This omelette is quick and easy enough to make on a weekday but also works well for a fancy brunch. It’s especially versatile because it’s equally delicious at room temperature as it is hot off the pan. Cooking the eggs this way allows them to steam in the pan so they stay moist and fluffy. If you want a subtler flavor leave out the capers and chili flakes. If you want to spice things up, throw them in. Either way you simply cannot be grumpy when you start your day off with this. Enjoy! Jacq

Ingredients:

1/4 Onion, thinly sliced

1/2 Tomato, chopped

4 Eggs

1 oz. Wild Alaskan Smoked Salmon

2 Tbsp Cream Cheese

1 Tbsp Fresh Dill, chopped

Splash of Milk

Olive Oil

Salt & Pepper

1/2 tsp. Capers (optional)

Pinch of Chili Flakes (optional)

Heat oil in a skillet over medium low heat, add onions and sauté until onions are soft and translucent. Add tomato (and if desired chili flakes and capers) and stir. Beat eggs with milk and pinch of salt and pepper. Cut salmon into small pieces and add to pan, toss to coat with oil. Spread everything evenly in the pan then pour eggs over. Cover pan for 3 minutes then remove lid and sprinkle with dill. Dot with cream cheese. Recover and cook 1 minute more then turn off heat. Allow to sit covered approx 3 minutes more until eggs are firm but not dry. If eggs are not set, turn on heat for another minute then allow to sit covered until done.

Greens Agrodolce with Marcona Almonds and Crispy Fried Shallots

beverlyhillsfarms — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 03:22:22 +0000

This is my favorite way to eat greens- italian style sweet and sour with meaty almonds and savory shallots. This is the kind of recipe that will change skeptics minds about leafy greens. You can use a single type or a mixture, either way these greens are anything but boring!

Ingredients

1 lg bunch Mustard Greens, Kale, Swiss Chard or Beet Greens

1/2 small Onion, sliced 1/4 inch thick

1 Shallot, thinly sliced

1/4 cup Marcona Almonds

1 Tbsp Honey

1 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar

Olive Oil

Pinch of Red Chili Flakes

Salt & Pepper

Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-low heat, add onion and stir to coat. Tear any tough center ribs from the greens, chop ribs and add to onion. Sauté until onions are soft and just beginning to brown, about 6 minutes. Chop remaining greens, add to pan and mix to coat with oil. Sprinkle with vinegar, honey, chili flakes and a pinch of salt and stir occasionally. Meanwhile in a small frying pan heat enough olive oil to coat the bottom over medium heat. Add shallot and fry until brown, remove from oil with a fork and set on a plate covered with 2 paper towels to crisp. Remove greens from pan with tongs or a slotted spoon when greens are completely wilted and just beginning to turn from bright green to a darker green color. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Top with almonds and shallot. (My mustard greens have gone to flower so I sprinkled a few on top for color, a nice but certainly not necessary touch.) Enjoy! Xx, Jacq

Great as a side dish or in a hearty lunch bowl with farro, chickpeas & roasted chicken.

Green Spring Clean

beverlyhillsfarms — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 23:01:27 +0000

Here are some great recipes for DIY natural cleaners to use this Spring from Sparkpeople.com

Glass: Mix 1/4 cup vinegar with 1 quart of water in a spray bottle. Spray on glass and wipe clean with old newspaper or a lint-free cloth.

Countertops and bathroom tile: Mix 2 parts vinegar and 1 part baking soda with 4 parts water. Apply with a sponge, scour, and wipe away.

Floors: Mix 4 cups of white distilled vinegar with about a gallon of hot water. If desired, add a few drops of pure peppermint or lemon oil for a pleasant scent. After damp mopping the floors, the smell of vinegar will dissipate quickly, leaving behind only the scent of the oil.

Wood furniture: Mix equal parts of lemon juice and olive and oil. Apply a small amount to a cloth, and rub onto the furniture in long, even strokes.

Toilet bowl cleaner: Sprinkle a toilet brush with baking soda and scrub away! Occasionally disinfect your toilet by scrubbing with borax instead. Wipe the outside of the toilet clean with straight vinegar.

Disinfectant: Mix 2 teaspoons borax, 4 tablespoons vinegar, 3 cups hot water, and 1/4 teaspoon liquid castile soap. Wipe on with dampened cloth or use a spray bottle. Wipe clean.

Mold and mildew: Wipe with straight vinegar.

Air freshener: Sprinkle essential oil on a cotton ball, and stash it in a corner of the room. If you have kids, make sure it is out of their reach as essential oils are very strong and could irritate their skin. Lavender is a relaxing scent that is great for bedrooms, and cinnamon, clove, and citrus oils are great for the rest of the house. You can stash a few in the car too—try peppermint, which may help you to stay alert.

For more ways to clean green check out 25 Green Spring Cleaning Tips from Sparkpeople.

Rainbow Roots Salad

beverlyhillsfarms — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 22:40:59 +0000

This salad is very easy to make and a real show stopper. The key is to use a mandolin to slice the veggies so they are just thick enough to hold their shape. The sweet apples and golden raisins perfectly balance the earthy flavor of the roots. I have written this in spring so I included cucumbers and flowers but most of these vegetable are commonly available as fall and winter crops so simply omit them when they are out of season. Isn’t it just so beautiful?…
Serves 6 as appetizer

Ingredients

1/2 Red Beet, peeled

1/2 Yellow Beet, peeled

1/2 Chioggia (striped) Beet, peeled

1/2 small Turnip, peeled

4 round Radish, preferably Easter Egg (colorful)

1 persian Cucumber

1 Fuji Apple, cored

1/4 Fennel bulb and fronds

2 Carrots, preferably purple

4 French Breakfast Radish, sliced in half lengthwise

4 cups Mixed Greens

1/4 cup roasted salted Pistachios

1/4 cup Golden Raisins

4 oz. Fresh Goat Cheese (optional)

2 + 1 Tbsp Pistachio Oil

1/2 Orange

1/2 Lemon

Kosher Salt and Black Pepper

Pansies or other edible flowers for garnish if available

First very thinly slice the red beet into a small bowl using a mandolin, (keeping it separate will keep everything from turning pink.) then thinly slice next 7 ingredients into a large bowl. Tear Fennel fronds from stalks and add to the bowl. Slice Carrots lengthwise into ribbons using a vegetable peeler and add to the bowl along with the French breakfast radish. Squeeze the orange over the veggies and a 2-3 Tbsp pistachio oil and a splash of red wine vinegar. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss to coat.(Dress the red beet in its separate bowl.) In another bowl squeeze the lemon over the mixed greens, add a 2 Tbsp pistachio oil, season with salt and pepper and toss. Spread greens on a platter and layer vegetables on top using tongs. Tuck red beet slices into the salad. Sprinkle with pistachios and golden raisins and dot with goat cheese. Garnish with a few edible flowers. Et Voila! Bon appetit! xo, Jacq

Cleansing Carrot Soup

beverlyhillsfarms — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 01:45:52 +0000

This is the time of year for spring cleaning which not only means dusting the top of the fridge, (when was the last time?) but now that Easter/Passover holidays are over, it’s also a good time to do a little cleaning from the inside out. I usually do a juice cleanse this time of year but since I’ve been eating healthfully and exercising regularly I decided to takes less Draconian measures this time around. So for about a week I will forgo my beloved burratta but in addition to juices will have all-fruit smoothies and vegetable soups. Still no oils, dairy, soy, animal protein or added sweeteners. Fruits and Veggies, that’s it! Ok and herbs and spices. And tea. And I’ll admit I had a cup of coffee today. But it was ORGANIC. OK, so this might not be the strictest cleanse but It’s been 4 days and so far Im feeling not just great physically, but also happy! And in the end isn’t that what it’s all about? Here is a soup I made for dinner, without oil or cream the rich, sweet flavor of the carrots really stands out and the ginger gives it an extra bite. I garnished with some edible flowers from the veggie garden. The yellow are bok choy flowers which have a nice green vegetable taste and the white ones are cilantro flowers which taste, well, like cilantro. If don’t have or can’t find edible flowers you can garnish with a little chopped chive, italian parsley or cilantro instead. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

4 cups organic Vegetable Broth

5 Large Carrots cut into thirds

1 Onion quartered

2-3 cloves Garlic peel

Pinch of organic Chili Flakes

2 sprigs fresh Thyme

1 inch piece of Ginger

Edible Flowers or Herbs for garnish

Add broth, carrots, onion, garlic, thyme and chili flakes to a pot. Bring to a boil then lower heat to medium low and cover. Cook 15-20 minutes until carrots are tender but not mushy. Meanwhile run the ginger through a juicer. Remove the thyme with a fork and pour the veggies and the ginger juice into a blender or processor (wear an apron and mitts!) if using a blender hold the top firmly (seriously, wear mitts, otherwise you might get burned.) and purée briefly for a chunkier texture (my preference) or longer for a smooth consistency. Garnish with edible flowers or herbs and sprinkle with fresh cracked black pepper if desired. bon appétit! xJacq

P.S. I made a variation of this for my boyfriend which turned out really well. I wanted to make it heartier for his lunch so I added a peeled potato to the pot, but then added 1/2 of a raw tomato before blending, to add a little brightness. I may have liked it even more than the original, see what you think…

6 Edible Flower Recipe Ideas (theflyingfugu.com)

Cilantro Mint Parsley Pistachio Pesto

beverlyhillsfarms — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 20:31:52 +0000

There is no better way to use up your fresh herbs from the garden or farmer’s market than making a delicious pesto. Use it on Pasta, chicken, fish, sandwiches or on crackers with a little goat cheese and a sun-dried tomato slice as a quick appetizer.

Before

Ingredients:

1 cup Cilantro, lightly packed

1/4 cup Italian Parsley, lightly packed

1/4 cup Mint, lightly packed

1/2 cup Roasted Shelled Pistachios

2 cloves Garlic

1 oz. Aged Parmesan Cheese

2 Tbsp Lemon or Lime Juice

3/4 cup Olive Oil

1/8 tsp Salt

pinch of Pepper & Paprika

Puree ingredients until desired consistency is reached. (it’s like peanut butter. Do you like it chunky or smooth?) Scrape down sides as needed. Enjoy!- Jacq

After

Ate it all and feeling guilty? Check out this article on the health benefits of parsley and cilantro. That’s better, right?

Touchdown! Ribs

beverlyhillsfarms — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 00:40:26 +0000

To anyone who has remodeled their home this may be a familiar story. It started with a failed valve on a toilet requiring the floor in that room to be replaced and snowballed into a complete overhaul. The phrase “while we’re doing that we might as well do…” was uttered far too many times. So rather than just replacing the floor, we had a new, bigger plan, a plan our contractor said would take six months. It took over a year. But thankfully our story did not end in separation or bankruptcy as some of those remodeling horror stories do. No, ours ended with a super bowl party. The house was finally ready for entertaining so we invited all of our friends over. I made ribs and my top-secret veggie chili along with roasted purple cauliflower and sautéed mustard greens from the garden. When I looked out at all our friends having a great time watching the game, loving the food, in a space that is just the way we want it, the hassle of the past year disappeared. Touchdown!

As far as these ribs go, I had two southerners, one from Memphis and one from Alabama, tell me they were the best ribs they had ever tasted. I almost cried. Not really, but kind of. These ribs are slow cooked in the oven and finished on the grill so you can use either baby-back or St. Louis style ribs. I cooked them in the oven over night so I didn’t have to worry about getting up early to have them ready in time. Each rack of ribs serves 3 unless you’re serving large hungry men which have been known to eat an entire rack on their own…

Touchdown! Ribs

Heat oven to 200*

Ingredients:

1/4 cup Kosher Salt

1/4 cup Black Pepper

1/4 cup Berbere Spice*

1/4 cup Brown Sugar

1 Tbsp dried Tarragon

1 Tbsp Fresh Rosemary, Chopped

1 Tbsp Coffee, Fine Ground

2 racks Baby-Back or St. Louis style Pork Ribs

Hickory Wood Chips (optional)

Place ingredients in a jar and shake. Rinse ribs with water and pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle spice mixture onto ribs and spread evenly with your hands on both sides. Place ribs on a large sheet of foil, place another sheet on top and fold the ends and sides over a few times to make a packet. Make a separate packet for each rack of ribs and place on a baking sheet in the oven. (They can be stacked if you are making several) Bake for 6-7 hrs. Remove from oven with mitts and carefully open foil packs in the sink, hot juices will flow out. Use tongs to place ribs on a platter. Heat grill or BBQ to a medium high flame, add wood chips as directed and cook ribs approximately 5 minutes on each side until nicely browned. Enjoy! Jacq

*Berbere is a delicious Ethiopian spice blend available at specialty and ethnic food markets and online or you can make your own. You may substitute with chili powder and a pinch of ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg if unavailable, but do try to get some for next time!

Kale, Chicken and Smoked Cheese Omelet

beverlyhillsfarms — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 21:01:24 +0000

I never tire of eating kale. In fact, even though I know the plant needs some leaves on for photosynthesis to occur so it can make more, I’m often tempted to eat all the leaves off my 3 plants. Patience is indeed a virtue, one which I possess little of. Next year I’ll plant more! This is a delicious, easy omelet. I used organic free-range chicken from Mary’s Farm and herbs and veggies from the garden. My boyfriend insisted tomatoes on the side should be part of the recipe. I explained to him that in most parts of the country you can’t get locally grown heirloom tomatoes in February like you can in Southern California so that wasn’t really an option, but I’ve included them in the photo as a compromise. Enjoy! xJacq
Ingredients:

4 Dinosaur Kale Leaves

1/2 Cooked Chicken Breast, cut into chunks

1/2 Onion, cut into 1/4 inch slices

4 Eggs

2 oz. Smoked Gouda or Cheddar

1 Thyme Sprig

Fresh Italian Parsley

Olive Oil

Splash of Milk

Kosher Salt, Black Pepper, Paprika

Heat olive oil in a frying pan over medium-low heat, add onion and stir to coat. Tear any tough center ribs out of the kale, chop ribs and add to onion. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Allow onions to slowly brown stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Chop remaining kale and stir into pan along with chicken and thyme leaves from the sprig. Beat eggs in a bowl with a pinch of salt, pepper and paprika and a splash of milk. Pour eggs into pan, spread ingredients evenly around pan with a fork. Turn heat to medium and cover. Cook for 2 minutes then turn of heat. Allow to sit covered for 5 minutes. Remove cover and sprinkle with cheese and Italian parsley leaves. Re-cover and turn heat to medium for 1 minute. Turn off heat and allow to sit for approximately 3 minutes or until desired doneness. Repeat if necessary. Bon Appetit!

DIY Natural Room Sprays

beverlyhillsfarms — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 22:01:00 +0000

Sure, room sprays make a room smell nice, but they do much more than that! Studies have shown lightly scenting a room using essential oils can have a variety of beneficial effects ranging from invigorating to calming depending on the oil you choose. Add one cup of water and 20-30 drops of essential oils to a spray bottle and shake well. Here are some proven blends or experiment using your favorite oils to create your own personal scent. If you are drawn to a particular smell, chances are it will benefit you, so go ahead and trust your intuition.

Office or Study Room: 15 drops Lemon, 10 drops Rosemary

Lemon is energizing and uplifting with its crisp, bright aroma. Rosemary has a long association with memory, and recent studies show it may improve short-term memory. Its potent, fresh scent stimulates mental alertness perfect for test taking or late nights at the office.

Bathroom or Sickroom: 10 drops Tea Tree, 20 drops Lavender

Tea tree oil is known for its cleansing and purifying properties. Lavender is a gentle, calming oil with antiviral, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory powers. Of the many therapeutic attributes of Lavender oil, respiratory relief would be one of the most consistently reported benefits.

Patio: 20 drops Lemon Eucalyptus, 10 drops Grapefruit

Both Lemon Eucalyptus and Grapefruit oils have a fresh, uplifting aroma and are known natural insect repellents.

Bedroom: 10 drops Lavender, 10 drops German Chamomile, 10 drops Sandalwood

With its balancing and calming effects, Lavender is especially effective at bedtime and is often used as a treatment for insomnia. Chamomile has a warm, sweet aroma and has long been used as natural sleep aid. Sandalwood helps relive anxiety and muscle tension. It is revered in many cultures for its ability to inspire spiritual insight and generate a sense of well-being. Use this spray on pillows and sheets for a great nights sleep.

Resources- http://www.auracacia.com purveyor of sustainable essential oils and http://www.edenbotanicals.com one of the few outlets selling organic essential oils.

Whole Roasted Maple Ginger Carrots

beverlyhillsfarms — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 23:03:36 +0000

These carrots are a sweet and spicy treat you wont be able to resist! I just ate the whole bunch of carrots after testing this recipe, oops! This works best with medium-sized carrots that are fairly uniform in size. If the carrots are very large, slice in half lengthwise. You can even deglaze the pan after using a little broth and white wine to make a lovely sauce for roast chicken or grilled tofu.

Preheat oven to 425*

Ingredients

1 bunch Carrots

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

1 Tbsp Maple Syrup

1 inch piece of Ginger, peeled

1/8 tsp Salt, Pepper, Cayenne, Cumin

Cilantro for garnish

Trim carrot tops to 3/4 inch. Scrub carrots very well or peel. Place carrots in a baking dish in 1 layer. Grate ginger into a bowl, add olive oil, maple syrup, water and spices and whisk. Pour over carrots and toss to coat. Place in oven for 20 minutes, remove and sprinkle with cilantro leaves. Turn carrots using tongs, careful not to break them. Add a spoonful of water if carrots look very dry. Roast approximately 10 minutes more until carrots are soft and wrinkly on the outside but still a bit firm in the middle. Enjoy!

Beverly Hills Farms

Smoked Salmon, Tomato and Cream Cheese Omelette with Fresh Dill

Greens Agrodolce with Marcona Almonds and Crispy Fried Shallots

Green Spring Clean

Rainbow Roots Salad

Cleansing Carrot Soup

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Cilantro Mint Parsley Pistachio Pesto

Touchdown! Ribs

Kale, Chicken and Smoked Cheese Omelet

DIY Natural Room Sprays

Whole Roasted Maple Ginger Carrots