Venison Mixed Rice

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Ingredients

3/4 Cup White Basmati Rice (uncooked , cook according to package instruction)
1 Lb. Ground Venison
2 Medium Carrots
2 Celery Stalks
1 Clove Garlic (crushed)
2 Tbsp Finely Chopped Parsley
2 Tbsp Red Palm Oil (or Coconut Oil)
3/4 Cup Chicken Broth (or Water)
2 Tsp. Ground Cinnamon
2 Tsp. Tumeric
1/4 Tsp Ground Saffron
1 Tsp. Herbes de Provence
1/2 Tsp. Pink Himalayan Salt
Freshly Ground Pepper (to taste)

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Method

1. Start by cooking your rice according to package instructions.

2. Wash and finely dice the carrots and celery stalks.

3. Add the oil to a large skillet and brown the ground venison. Once the venison is brown and completely crumbled, add carrots/celery/garlic and spices and stir. Cook uncovered over high heat for about 2-3 mins.

4. Add the broth (or water) and stir. Cover the skillet and cook on medium-high heat for about 20 minutes or until most liquid is absorbed (but not to dry!).

5. Add the cooked rice and stir. Turn off the heat, add the chopped parsley and mix until all ingredients are thoroughly mixed. Enjoy!

I like to serve this with a big green salad and some minted sheep yogurt!

Serves  3.

Squash Rice Pudding

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My inspiration for this recipe came partly from a traditional Iranian dessert called “Shole-Zard” (saffron rice pudding), and partly from the need to use up some squash puree sitting in my fridge 🙂 I’ve made this pudding several times now and love it! I have used both white Basmati rice and white sushi rice and I think I prefer the sushi rice version which turns out creamier. I’ve used homemade red kabocha squash puree each time (I’m really fond of this squash!), but I am pretty sure pumpkin puree is going to be just as good.

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Ingredients

1 Cup White Rice
5 Cups Water
3/4 – 1 Cup Maple Syrup (depending on how sweet you like it)
1/4 Tsp. Salt
1/2 Tsp. Saffron + 1 Tbsp. Hot Water
1-1/2 Tsp. Ground Cinnamon
1/2 Tsp. Ground Cardamom
1 Cup homemade Red Kabocha Squash or Pumpkin Puree
2 Tbsp. Ghee or Coconut Oil (for vegan option)
1/4 Cup Rosewater

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Method

1. Rinse the rice until the water runs clear and soak it for 2 hours or more (preferably over night).

2. Before starting to cook the pudding, add the saffron with 1 Tbsp. of hot water and set aside.

3. Rinse the soaked rice and add to a large heavy-bottom pot with the water and salt. Bring to a boil and skim the white foam from top.

4. Cover and gently simmer over medium heat for about 30 minutes  or until the rice is very soft.

5. Add the maple syrup, cinnamon, cardamon, saffron water, ghee and/or coconut oil, cover and cook over low heat for another 30 minutes. Stirring occasionally until the mixture thickens.

6. Add the rose water and pumpkin puree and stir until completely mixed and smooth. Cook over low heat uncovered for another 30 minutes, stirring frequently otherwise the pudding will stick to the bottom of the pot!

7. Chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours (again preferably over night). If you like the pudding to have a finer consistency (we both like it to have some texture to it!), you can blend it briefly before chilling.

8. Garnish with cinnamon, almond slivers or pumpkin seeds and serve. Enjoy! 🙂

Serves  8-12 (depending on portion size!)

Celeriac and Squash Soup

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I make this soup every fall as soon as celeriac hits the farmer’s market! Celeriac which is sometimes called “celery root” is a root vegetable which is although a member of the celery family, it is NOT actually the root of the vegetable you buy called celery! It is a very bumpy bulb-type root and looks like a large ugly turnip. Celeriac has a distinctive taste (which I LOVE!) similar to but milder and sweeter than celery with a nutty twist. The texture is like potatoes which is what makes this soup very creamy without any added cream. I love the combination of creamy roasted celeriac with sweetness of the squash and all the warming spices. I’ve used many types of squash with this soup but my favourites are butternut and red kabocha (shown in the picture). I sometimes top the soup with a bit of coconut milk and/or chopped cilantro. My husband who loves spicy food always adds some hot sauce to his bowl of soup! Hope you enjoy this soup as much as we do!

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Ingredients

1 Medium Celeriac (peeled and cut into chunks)
2 Medium Carrots (washed and chopped)
2 Stalks of Celery (washed and chopped)
1 Clove of Garlic
1 Tbsp. Virgin Coconut Oil
1/2 Tsp. Ground Cinnamon
1/2 Tsp. Ground Cumin
1/2 Tsp Herbamare Salt
Freshly Ground Pepper
About 1 Cup Boiling Water
3 Cups Homemade Chicken Broth (or good quality Vegetable Broth for Vegan option)
1 1/2 Cup Homemade Squash Puree
1 Small Piece of Fresh Ginger
1 Small Piece of Fresh Tumeric

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Method

1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Add the chopped vegetables (celeriac, carrot, celery), garlic clove (unpeeled), ground cinnamon and cumin, salt and pepper, and coconut oil to a large baking dish and stir well to coat all the veggies with oil and spices. Add about a cup of boiling water to the baking dish and roast for about 45 mins (or more depending on how fine you chopped the vegetables) until the vegetables are soft.

2. Add the broth to a large pot. Squeeze the roasted garlic clove out of its skin and add to the pot with all the other roasted veggies. Finely grate the fresh turmeric and ginger into the pot and bring it to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook for about 20 minutes.

3. Blend everything with an immersion blender or in a regular blender (that’s what I do!) in batches until completely smooth. Taste the soup and add more salt and pepper if needed. I like the thickness of this soup with the mentioned amount of broth, but if you like your soup thinner you can add more broth (or some coconut milk) and stir well before serving. Serve hot and enjoy!

Serves 2-4 (depending on portion size!)