Salmon with Orange Sauce

Ingredients:

1 lb salmon fillet, cut into two equal-sized pieces
Pinch of Salt
Dashes of ground black pepper
1 teaspoon oil, for pan-searing
Orange slices, for garnishing
Sesame seeds, for garnishing

Orange Sauce:

1/3 cup ‘Japanese cooking sake’ or Chinese rice wine
2 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons orange juice
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch

Instructions:

Season the salmon with some salt and black pepper.

Mix all the ingredients for the Orange Sauce in a saucepan. Heat on low heat until the sauce is thickened and slightly reduced. Set aside.

Heat up a skillet with the cooking oil on medium to high heat. Pan sear the salmon until cooked through, about 4-5 minutes for each piece, depending on the thickness of the salmon.

To serve, drizzle the Orange  Sauce on the salmon. Topped with some sesame seeds and serve with orange slices and steamed rice.

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Sangria Cupcakes

Ingredients

Cupcakes

         1 & 1/2 cups flour

         1 tsp baking powder

         1/2 tsp baking soda

        1/4 tsp salt

       3/4 cup sugar

       2 eggs

       1 stick butter, melted

         1 & 1/2 tsp vanilla

         1/2 cup sour cream

        1/2 cup chopped strawberries

         zest of 1 orange

         1/4 cup blueberries or diced apples

To top the cupcakes

           Orange slices, strawberry slices and blueberries.

Buttercream

        1 stick butter, room temperature

        1/2 cup vegetable shortening

        2-2.5 cups powdered sugar

      1/2 tsp vanilla

    2 cups red wine 

   1/4 cup sugar

Instructions

Cupcakes

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a small bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar. Whisk and set aside.

In a mixing bowl combine the eggs, melted butter, vanilla, and sour cream until combined.

Slowly add half of the flour mixture to the liquid, stirring to combine. Repeat with the rest of the flour mixture. Add in the chopped strawberries, orange zest, and blueberries or chopped apples. Stir to mix.

Divide the batter among a muffin pan lined with muffin liners, fill the muffin cups to be about a little more than 1/2 full.

Bake for 14-16 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Red Wine Syrup

In a saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the red wine and sugar to a boil. Once the wine starts to boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, you still want to see the wine boiling, just not a rigorous boil. Allow the wine to thicken and reduce, about 20-30 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow it to cool at remove temperature. This is where the wine will begin to thicken. Once the wine has cooled to room temperature, you can place the saucepan in the fridge to help speed on the cooling process.

Buttercream

In a mixing bowl, combine the room temperature butter and shortening, beat using an electric mixer for 2 minutes, until light and fluffy.

Add 1/4 cup of the red wine syrup and mix. You can add more later, but you do not let the buttercream to become too wet.

Begin to add in the powdered sugar, about 1 cup at a time. Slowly beat the mixture until the powered sugar is incorporated. Continue this process, adding enough powdered sugar to make sure the frosting isn't too wet. You can add more red wine syrup at this time if you’d like the flavor to be stronger. You may have to add more powdered sugar too.

Transfer a portion of the frosting to a large ziploc bag or piping bag fit with a piping tip. Push or squeeze the frosting down, getting rid of any air pockets. If using a ziploc bag, cut half one corner, making a hole between the size of a dime and a penny.

Begin to pipe the frosting onto a cupcake, starting with the outside edge and working your way into the center of the cupcake, progressively stacking the frosting as you go around in circles.

Top each cupcake with a small orange slice, strawberry slice and one blueberry.

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Blackberries Sangria

INGREDIENTS

(makes 6 small snow cones)

1/2 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
1/2 cup pomegranate juice

3/4 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
10 blackberries (more for garnishing)

2 cinnamon sticks (more for garnishing)
2 cups  Dark Wine

INSTRUCTIONS

In a large pot, combine the sugar and water and heat on low until melted.

Add in the pomegranate juice, orange juice blackberries and cinnamon sticks. Bring to a slight boil, then simmer on low for 15 mins. Let all of the ingredients infuse together until the blackberries lose their color.

Remove the blackberries, pour in the wine and simmer for another 5 minutes.

Remove the cinnamon sticks.

Pour into a deep container, such as a metal loaf pan.

Freeze overnight.

Use a fork to shave the sangria.

Serve in a snow cone cup with a blackberry and cinnamon stick.

                                                                    Enjoy it!

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Chocolate and Orange Cake

Ingredients:

For the cake
1/2 spent (juiced) orange, cooked and puréed
300g | 10.5 oz chocolate buttons
100g | 3 1/2 oz or 7 tsbp unsalted butter
200g | 1 cup light brown sugar
100g | 1/2 cup ground almonds
150g | 1 1/4 cup self raising flour
2 tbsp cocoa powder
3 eggs

2 tbsp Campari or orange juice

1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
Pinch salt

For the syrup
Juice of 1 orange
Equal volume of water
100g | 1/2 cup caster sugar
2-3 tbsp Campari (or other orange liquer)

For the chocolate glaze
150g | 5.5oz dark chocolate buttons (or mix dark and milk)
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp honey
Orange peel strips to decorate

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 180C | 350F. Grease 1x20cm/8inch bundt tin.

Juice the orange. Keep the orange segments and set the juice aside.

Chop half of the juiced orange (peel and all) in small pieces and put in a pot. Cover with water and boil for 10-15m until soft. Blitz in a food processor (or small food chopper) with a couple tablespoons of water until puréed.

Melt the chocolate over a bain marie (or in a microwave but be careful the chocolate doesn't burn). Set aside to cool. Sift the flour, cocoa, soda, salt and almonds together.

Beat the butter and sugar for several minutes until light and creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, with 1 tbsp of flour. Beat until well incorporated. Add the puréed orange and 1/3 of the flour and beat on low speed until well mixed.

Fold the melted chocolate and remaining flour mix  into the batter with a wooden spoon. The batter will be quite thick. Pour into the bundt tin and level.

Bake for 1h - 1h 10m until a skewer inserted in centre comes out clean or with a few small crumbs attached. Check the cake is firm on top. Cool in the tin and then carefully invert on to a drying rack.

To prepare the syrup, put equal amounts orange juice and water plus the sugar in a pot. Bring to the boil then simmer until syrup is reduced - about 5 minutes. Take off the heat and stir the Campari in. Brush the syrup over the cake with a pastry brush.

To make the glaze, melt the chocolate in a bain marie (or microwave), add the butter and honey and stir together. Put the cake on a rack with a piece of baking paper underneath. Pour or spoon the melted chocolate over the cake. Decorate with orange strips.

The cake keeps well at room temperature. In fact, it tastes even better on the second day when the flavours have had a chance to mellow. Server with some whipped cream and a spoonful some of the syrup.

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Best juicer recipes!

A few tips to make your juicing quick and enjoyable! 1.Buy local and organic fruits and vegetables whenever possible so you’re getting the freshest and most nutritious produce available to you and your family and remember to always rinse everything you juice before juicing. 2.You will get the best juice from firm, ripe fruits and vegetables. If it is over ripe or too soft you will extract more pulp than juice. 3.Avoid juicing bananas and avocados, they are soft and will clog your juicer screen. 4.When juicing melons, don’t remove the interior white rind or peel because much of the nutritional value is in this section of the fruit. 5.With citrus fruits (oranges, grapefruit and tangerines) remove the rind, but keep as much of the white pith as possible because it’s full of nutrients. You can juice lemons and limes whole without peeling. 6.Always take proper care of your Native Juicer. Rinse quickly after use, fruits and vegetables dry quickly and will become more difficult to clean. Recipes Carrot ‘n Greens (Bone Health Juice) - 5-6 carrots - 4 kale leaves - 4 sprigs of parsley - ½ apple Maximum Greens (High Potassium Drink) - 3 large carrots - 2 stalks of celery - 1 apple - handful of fresh parsley - handful of fresh spinach - ½ lemon, peeled Spicy Tomato (High Antioxidant Juice) - 2 large tomatoes cut into quarters - 1 stalk of celery - 1 cucumber - ½ red bell pepper - ½ teaspoon sea salt - 3-5 grinds of fresh ground black pepper - 1-3 shakes cayenne pepper Wrinkle Free (Skin Health Juice) - 2 cucumbers - 1 1- inch knob of ginger root - 2 medium oranges peeled (leave the white pith in side the skin) Beach Juice - 1 1-inch thick pineapple round - 3-4 tangerines, peeled - small handful of parsely Fog Lift (Muscle Juice) - 2 medium apples - 1 bunch of spinach - ½ lemon, peeled Be Cleansed - 3 carrots (greens removed) - ½ cucumber or ½ zucchini - ½ beet with greens Yum Yum Calcium (Bone Health Juice) - 1 apple - 2 large carrots - ½ C fresh broccoli - small handful of fresh parsley - ½ lemon peeled - 1 tsp agave nectar added after veggies have been juiced Lettuce Wrap - 3 large carrots (greens removed) - 6 spinach leaves - 4 large romaine lettuce leaves - ¼ large turnip - 4 sprigs of parsley Strawberry Pineapple Juice - 1 orange, peeled (leave pith on) - 2 1-inch pineapple rounds - 5 strawberries Cucumber me Celery - 1 cucumber - 2 large apples - 1 ½ stalks of celery

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Easter Cheesecake Cake (raspberry, orange & lemon)

Ingredients

Raspberry Cheesecake

·         1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, room temperature

·         1/4 cup (50g) sugar

·         1 large egg

·         1 teaspoon (5g) McCormick® Raspberry Extract

·         2 drops McCormick® Red food coloring

Lemon Cheesecake

·         1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, room temperature

·         1/4 cup (50g) sugar

·         1 large egg

·         1 teaspoon (5g) McCormick® Pure Lemon Extract

Orange Cheesecake

·         1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, room temperature

·         1/4 cup (50g) sugar

·         1 large egg

·         1 teaspoon (5g) McCormick® Pure Orange Extract

·         1 drop McCormick® Red food coloring

·         1 drop McCormick® Yellow food coloring

White Sheet Cake

·         1 cup (230g or 2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

·         2 cups (400g) granulated sugar

·         2 large egg whites, room temperature

·         2 teaspoons McCormick® Pure Vanilla extract

·         1/2 cup (120g) sour cream, room temperature

·         2 and 1/4 cups (285g) all-purpose flour

·         1 teaspoon baking soda

·         1/2 teaspoon salt

·         1 cup (240ml) whole milk

Whipped Cream

·         1 cup (240 ml) cold heavy whipping cream

·         1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

·         1-2 tablespoons (15-25 grams) confectioners sugar

·         1 tablespoon meringue powder (optional)

Instructions

Raspberry Cheesecake

1.    Place cream cheese into bowl of stand mixer fixed with paddle attachment. Mix on medium-low speed for 30 seconds. Add in sugar and egg and beat on medium speed until smooth, 3-5 minutes.

2.    Scrape down sides of mixer bowl.

3.    With mixer on low speed, add in extract and food coloring.

4.    Prepare an 8-inch cake pan (grease and/or butter pan then line with parchment paper) and then pour the filling into the pan.

5.    Bake until cheesecake is set, 18-24 minutes at 325 degrees in a convection oven or 350 degrees in a regular oven. (Cheesecake can be slightly golden but not brown)

6.    Set the cheesecake on a wire rack and let it cool completely. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before assembling cake.

Lemon Cheesecake

7.    Place cream cheese into bowl of stand mixer fixed with paddle attachment. Mix on medium-low speed for 30 seconds. Add in sugar and egg and beat on medium speed until smooth, 3-5 minutes.

8.    Scrape down sides of mixer bowl.

9.    With mixer on low speed, add in extract.

10.  Prepare an 8-inch cake pan (grease and/or butter pan then line with parchment paper) and then pour the filling into the pan.

11.  Bake until cheesecake is set, 18-24 minutes at 325 degrees in a convection oven or 350 degrees in a regular oven. (Cheesecake can be slightly golden but not brown)

12.  Set the cheesecake on a wire rack and let it cool completely. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before assembling cake.

Orange Cheesecake

13.  Place cream cheese into bowl of stand mixer fixed with paddle attachment. Mix on medium-low speed for 30 seconds. Add in sugar and egg and beat on medium speed until smooth, 3-5 minutes.

14.  Scrape down sides of mixer bowl.

15.  With mixer on low speed, add in extract and food coloring.

16.  Prepare an 8-inch cake pan (grease and/or butter pan then line with parchment paper) and then pour the filling into the pan.

17.  Bake until cheesecake is set, 18-24 minutes at 325 degrees in a convection oven or 350 degrees in a regular oven. (Cheesecake can be slightly golden but not brown)

18.  Set the cheesecake on a wire rack and let it cool completely. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before assembling cake.

White Sheet Cake

19.  Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Prepare a 12x17 inch half sheet/jelly roll pan by spraying with non-stick spray then lining with parchment paper.

20.  Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together and set aside.

21.  In the bowl of stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the softened butter for about 1 minute on medium speed.

22.  Add the sugar on medium speed and beat until fluffy and light in color, about 2 minutes.

23.  Add in egg whites and mix until incorporated.

24.  With mixer on low speed, slowly pour in vanilla and then sour cream. (scrape bowl if necessary)

25.  Mix for 1-2 minutes on medium speed or until ingredients are fully incorporated.

26.  With mixer on low speed, pour half of the flour mixture into the creamed butter mixture.

27.  Now pour in half of the milk.

28.  Repeat with the rest of the flour and milk and mix until combined and smooth, about 30 seconds. Spread the cake batter into the prepared pan using a small offset spatula. (be sure it is nice and level!)

29.  Bake for 18-22 minutes or until the top is lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

30.  Place in freezer until ready to assemble cake.

Whipped Cream

31.  Place your mixing bowl and wire whisk in the freezer for about 15-30 minutes.

32.  In stand mixer, whisk whipped cream for 1-2 minutes. Add in remaining ingredients and beat just until stiff peaks form. (If you need a more stable whipped cream add in meringue powder. If using immediately, you can omit the meringue powder.) Chill until ready to use. Makes about 2 cups (480 ml) whipped cream.

To Assemble Cake

33.  Make sure cheesecakes and white sheet cake are chilled. Place clean 8-inch pan on top of sheet cake and run a sharp paring knife around the edge. You now have a perfect 8-inch round white cake disc. Do this again so you have 2 total.

34.  Remove chilled orange cheesecake from pan and set on cake stand. (this is a thin cheesecake and when very chilled, can be easily popped out of the lined cake pan. You can also use a spring-form pan)

35.  Place one 8-inch white cake on top.

36.  Remove lemon cheesecake from pan and gently place on top of white cake.

37.  Place other 8-inch white cake on top of lemon cheesecake.

38.  Remove raspberry cheesecake from pan and gentle place on top of white cake.

39.  Cover cake in chilled whipped cream and serve. (You can refrigerate for up to 24 hours before serving.)

*Tips for success:

You will see that I baked a white sheet cake instead of two 8-inch rounds. This is purely for vanity purposes! I wanted the top, bottom and sides to not have any browned bits. You can certainly bake your white cake in 8-inch round pans to save yourself one step.

I loved the subtle flavors in this cake, but I encourage you to taste as you go. See if 1 teaspoon of raspberry (and lemon and orange) is enough for you and feel free to add more if it isn’t.

Food coloring is not essential in this recipe, but using just the tiniest amount helps add to the wonderful Spring theme!

Make sure everything is chilled before assembly. Working with an almost frozen white cake and very chilled cheesecakes is ideal.

You can make this over the course of 2 days if that is easier. Just make sure cheesecakes and cake are sealed in airtight containers/plastic wrap so they stay fresh before you assemble.

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