Citrus Sesame Cinnamon Rolls

The celebration for Chinese New Year starts this Thursday, February 19^th and continues for fifteen days. According to the Chinese zodiac, 2015 is the Year of the Sheep. It’s a year of kindness, serenity, sensitivity, gentleness, and stability. I love this year already.

I’ve never celebrated Chinese New Year before, but when I received a supply of mandarinquats from my friends at Frieda’s Produce and learned more about the qualities associated with the Year of the Sheep, I decided I wanted to celebrate. 

When I think of calmness, I think of being in my kitchen with the people I love most. I think of the first time I ever made cinnamon rolls – I was 13 and my grandma was visiting from out of town. She bakes and cooks the way most grandmas do – not by following a recipe, but by trusting her gut – she knows when there’s enough butter and if the recipe needs more milk. She’s got great instinct.

These cinnamon rolls are different from Grandma’s original recipe. This recipe calls for sesame oil, a common ingredient used in Asian cuisine, as well as mandarinquats -- a hybrid of mandarins and kumquats, which can be eaten whole, rind and all! 

I hope this recipe brings you calmness in the kitchen. But, more importantly, I hope you feel calmness, kindness, and serenity both in and out of the kitchen all year long.

Mandarinquat Sesame Cinnamon Rolls

With its hint of sesame oil, dense consistency, and marmalade-like flavor, these are a unique, yet special take on your typical cinnamon roll recipe.

Ingredients:

dough:

1 (1/4oz) envelope of active dry yeast (or 2 1/4 teaspoons)

5 mandarinquats

1/3 cup cane sugar

1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened

2 eggs

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 cups bread flour

filling:

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon cinnamon

2 teaspoons sesame oil

glaze:

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 tablespoon mandarinquat juice

Directions:

1. Blend whole mandarinquats in food processor until pureed.

2. Warm 1/2 cup of puree in small bowl to about 110 degrees. Stir in packet of yeast and allow to stand for at least 10 minutes.

3. Beat together softened butter and sugar in a large bowl or stand mixture.

4. Add eggs, salt, and the mandarinquat-yeast mixture.

5. Add flour, one cup at a time, until soft dough forms.

6. Place dough in large lightly greased bowl, cover, and allow to proof in a warm area for 2 hours.

7. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface and roll into a rectangle about 9"x18".

8. In a small bowl mix together the brown sugar, cinnamon, and sesame oil.

9. Spread filling over the dough, and gently roll up starting on one long side.

10. Cut into 12 slices and place into a lightly greased 9" round baking pan, cover, and allow to proof in a warm area for 1 hour. *

11. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Uncover rolls and bake for about 25 minutes until golden brown.

12. Combine powdered sugar and mandarinquat juice in a small bowl. Pour over rolls after removing from the oven.

*Dough rolls can be prepared ahead of time, covered, and refrigerated overnight. Bring to room temperature before baking.

Disclaimer: I was given a free sample of mandarinquats from Frieda's Produce. I was not additionally compensated for my time. 

The Season of Green

It’s difficult not to associate the month of March with green. Spring solstice is just weeks away – signifying the start of a season known for blue skies, blooming flowers, and  vibrant, green grass. And let's not forget about a certain holiday we celebrated yesterday...St. Patrick’s Day certainly doesn’t skimp on the green food coloring.

While we’re all for celebrating a new season, holiday, (or anything for that matter), we generally like to skip the food coloring and celebrate with foods that are naturally festive and colorful. And isn’t it neat that when it comes to in-season produce, green veggies have a bold presence this time of year?

They include: artichokes, asparagus, avocados, and broccoli.

Image printed with permission from Healthy Aperature & A Family Feast

While asparagus makes for a great side dish to any gourmet meal (think: roasted asparagus and potatoes with a serving of fish or chicken), it’s equally delicious to add asparagus to a fresh spring time salad. A cup of asparagus has 27 calories, 5 grams of carbs, 3 grams of protein and 3 grams fiber. But the goodness doesn’t stop there. Asparagus is also packed with vitamin K, folate, and vitamin A. When you’re buying asparagus at the farmer’s market or grocery store, pass on the spears that appear dry and limp and instead, look for firm stalks with vibrant color, and compact, tight heads.

Other colors you’ll often see this time of year are bright yellow and orange. Grapefruit, kumquats, lemons, oranges, and tangerines are also in season.

It’s no surprise that we’re fans of citrus fruits as we’ve touched on their nutritional perks previously. And there’s no denying that we love their sweet, slightly tart flavor. Yet, we still have yet to discuss  tangerines. A medium orange or tangerine is only 50 calories and is what us nutrition professionals call a “nutrient dense food.” This means that for such a small amount of calories, you’re getting a lot of nutrients.   For example, one medium tangerine can provide over 30 percent of your Vitamin C requirements for the day.

And now, for a recipe.

Asparagus, Tangerine & Blue Cheese Salad with Lemon-Thyme Vinaigrette

This fresh, crisp salad, complimented with the sweetness of tangerines just screams “spring time!” Serve it with toasted whole grain bread for a light, yet satisfying lunch.

Serves 4

Ingredients for Tangerine-Thyme Vinaigrette

3 - 4 tablespoons tangerine juice

Zest of one tangerine

1 shallot, finely chopped

1 teaspoon fresh thyme, minced

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

 3 - 4 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Ingredients for Asparagus, Tangerine & Blue Cheese

1 head Bibb lettuce, or other tender spring lettuce

4 tangerines, peeled and sliced horizontally into discs

2 ounces Pt. Reyes Blue Cheese

½ pound fresh asparagus, blanched until crisp-tender

2 ounce walnuts, toasted

Directions:

      1. First, make the dressing.  Whisk together the tangerine juice, zest, shallot, thyme, salt and pepper.  Let the shallot sit in the juice for 10 – 15 minutes to mellow the flavor.  Slowly whisk in the extra virgin olive oil.  Set aside.

      2. To blanch the asparagus, bring about 2 inches of water to a simmer in a large pan.  Add asparagus and let cook only 1- 2 minutes, until it turns bright green and is crisp-tender.  Drain asparagus and immediately plunge into a bowl of ice water.  Drain and set aside.

      3. To toast the walnuts, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Spread the walnuts on a baking sheet and bake about 8 minutes, or until golden and fragrant.

      4. Arrange the salad by placing several whole, large leaves of Bibb lettuce.  Arrange tangerine slices, blue cheese, asparagus and walnuts over leaves.  Drizzle each salad with 1 – 2 tablespoons of Lemon-Thyme Vinaigrette.

These seasonal tips & recipe appeared the March 8^th

issue of the Santa Clarita Valley’s Signal Health & Family Guide.

Pick up the next issue on April 12^th for more in-season tips & recipes.

Heart Healthy Citrus Salmon

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, we think you should put aside all the unnecessary pressure and heightened expectations the day often brings. Simply think of Valentine’s Day this year as a good excuse to share a delicious meal with someone you love – or even to make a delicious meal just for yourself!

 

And let's face it, a delicious meal usually involves some fats. It wasn’t long ago when everyone was afraid of fats – they were thought to be responsible for weight gain as well as being the culprit for causing disease. Now, we know better!  Food scientisits and registered dietitians now know that it’s not so much the amount of total fat that clogs your arteries; it’s the type of fat you choose.

 

Take salmon, for example. Salmon is a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids - a type of polyunsaturated fat, found mainly in cold water fish like salmon, herring, mackerel and halibut. Omega 3s help to lower blood pressure and reduce the level of triglycerides (fat) in the blood.

 

And now, for a recipe.

 

Citrus Baked Salmon

Salmon and is oh-so delicious when paired with citrus flavoring. Oranges and lemons are in season this time of year and boast high levels of Vitamin C –the most well-known antioxidant for promoting a healthy immune system. High citrus-fruit intake is also linked with a 40 to 50 percent reduction in risk for several cancers.

 

 

 

Serves 4

4 (4 ounce) wild skinless salmon fillets

1 tablespoon olive oil
Sea salt, to taste
Lemon pepper, to taste
Juice of one lemon
4 slices fresh lemon
4 slices fresh orange
4 sheets of aluminum foil

 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat both sides of the salmon with olive oil. Season with lemon pepper and sea salt. Place the salmon fillets into the center of each piece of aluminum foil. Squeeze a small amount of lemon juice over each fillet. Cover each fillet with one slice of orange, one slice of lemon.

Fold the sides of the foil over the fish, covering completely and sealing the packets closed. Place the foil packet in a 9 x 13 baking pan. Repeat until all of the salmon have been individually wrapped in foil and placed on the baking sheet.

Bake for approximately 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until salmon is cooked through. You may need to open one of the packets to check.  Serve immediately.

 

 

Enjoy this Valentine’s Day recipe for yourself, or with the one (or ones!) you love.

These seasonal tips & recipe were featured in the February 8th issue of

The Health & Family Guide for The Santa Clarita Valley Signal.

For more “In Season” tips & recipes, pick up the next issue of

he Health & Family Guide on March 8th.

 

Craving Summer

I admit it. I'm a sun worshipper. And sometimes I forget to wear sunscreen. It's awful, I know. In fact, the sun is one of the many things I love about living in California.

When the groundhog saw his shadow on February 2^nd, declaring another six long weeks of winter it did little to affect our sunny lives here in Southern California. Luckily for us, winter in California still means we have access to a wide variety of some of the freshest and most vibrant fruits and vegetables on the planet. Buying fresh foods, picked at the peak of their season equates to buying foods with their maximum nutrient content. Americans are encouraged to eat more fruits and vegetables because they contain a variety of essential nutrients, are associated with reduced risk of many chronic diseases and, when prepared without added fats or sugars, are relatively low in calories.  

My CSA box makes me very, very happy

So, if you're in need of some sunshine - or at least craving summertime -  we encourage you to take advantage of your local farmer's market and stock up on these in-season foods:

Avocados, broccoli, grapefruit, kumquats, lemon, oranges, tangerines, and mushrooms.

When cooler weather is getting you down, citrus fruits have this wonderful way of lifting your spirits. Even though they’re peak season is winter, they just taste like summer. Not only are they refreshing and crisp, but they’re packed with nutrition. Grapefruits, lemons, oranges, tangerines, and kumquats all boast high levels of Vitamin C – perhaps the most well-known antioxidant for promoting a healthy immune system. By enjoying citrus fruits as part of your meals and snacks, you also improve the absorption of iron in your body’s cells –a nutrient in which many people are deficient.

Love the lemon tree in my backyard

Speaking of craving summertime, while avocados also taste like summer, they are luckily still in season during the winter months. For this reason, Hass avocados are a staple in most Californian diets. It wouldn’t be a meal without a side of avocado, right? Being touted as "nature's mayonnaise" for their naturally creamy texture and rich flavor, Hass avocados are our favorite. They are a delicious source of healthy mononunsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, and are one of the most nutrient dense foods out there. One-fifth of a medium avocado (1 oz.) has 50 calories, contributes nearly 20 vitamins and minerals and contains less than 1g of sugar. Fresh avocados used as spreads or dips in place of other processed products can reduce your intake of saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium and calories.

Image reprinted with permission from
www.katherinemartinelli.com & www.healthyaperature.com

And now for a few recipes.

We thought we would share the recipe for our second favorite food, fish tacos. (Pizza is, and always will be, #1). While we've had some wonderful moments sharing pizza together, we've had some equally wonderful moments sharing fish tacos.

Our Favorite Fish Tacos with avocado crema & citrus slaw

Serves 6

 Start by making the citrus slaw and avocado crema.  Serve the tacos topped with slaw and crema, or serve them on the side.  Enjoy, preferably with those you love!

 Citrus Slaw

 1 jalapeno, seeded

1/2 cup cilantro

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon honey

juice of one large lime, about 1 tablespoon

juice of ½ grapefruit, about 3 tablespoons

zest of 1 lime

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

½ cup grapeseed oil

1 small head red cabbage, cored and thinly sliced

1 small head green cabbage, cored and thinly sliced

1 carrot, shredded

1/2 bunch green onions, thinly sliced

Make the dressing.  Blend the first nine ingredients, jalapeno through salt and black pepper, in a blender.  With the blender on a low speed, blend in the grapeseed oil until emulsified.  Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.

The heat of the dressing will vary, depending upon the spiciness of the jalapeno pepper.  Adjust the amount of honey to temper the heat to taste.  The dressing will keep in the refrigerator for about a week.  Just whisk to reincorporate all of the ingredients.

Toss the cabbage, carrot and green onion with about ¼ - ½ cup of the dressing.  Do not overdress the slaw.  It should only be lightly coated with the dressing.  Place in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Avocado Crema

 1 large ripe Hass avocado

4 ounces Greek yogurt

Dash hot sauce

Juice of 1 lime, about 2 tablespoons

Sea salt, to taste

In a small bowl, mash together the Hass avocado, yogurt, hot sauce, lime juice and salt.  Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary.  Serve as a topping for tacos or a dip for homemade tortilla chips. 

Halibut Tacos

1 tablespoon ancho chili powder

1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 1/4 pound fresh halibut

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil , or grapeseed oil

12 6" corn tortillas

Blend all spices together in a small bowl. 

Cut halibut into large 1" dice.  Sprinkle spice mixture over halibut and toss to coat. 

Add two tablespoons of oil to large skillet over medium heat.   Add halibut and cook about 4 minutes, or until halibut pieces are just cooked through.  Remove from heat and place halibut pieces on a plate.

Grill corn tortillas on flat top grill, about 1 minute per side, or until blistered.  To each corn tortilla, add a few pieces of the cooked halibut, a little of the citrus slaw, and a drizzle of the avocado crema.  Repeat with remaining tortillas and serve with a wedge of lime.

These seasonal tips & recipes were featured in last month’s Health & Wellness Guide for

The Santa Clarita Valley Signal. For more “In Season” tips & recipes us, pick up the next issue of The Health & Wellness Guide on April 13^th.