Yep, Wednesday IS the best day of the week, as this lil image says! Why not set aside a day to completely and utterly share the adoration for our female foodies!? Though we are usually in the kitchen cooking away one of our honorees’ recipes (and doing a bit of wacky singing and dancing), today we are doing a recap. Why? Well, I am not home today to do it, but also I realized it has been a while since I did a review and it is always good to savor the sweetness of these totally inspiring and gorgeous gourmet gals! Since our last recap back in mid November, we have had six more infatuations, which is a lot of love being spread around the culinary world and some yummy food being made, so lets have a reminder shall we?
Ree Drummond, also known as The Pioneer Woman, embodies a wonderful American family fun essence. Her humor, her love of her cowboy hubby (along with the kids and animals on their farm) and of course her deeply satisfying food, are endearing! The pumpkin sheet cake recipe of hers was a winner, especially for Thanksgiving! Here is the link, and you too will be drooling over this delicious dessert! Not to mention you’ll fall in love with her red hair and dimples!
With all the amazing grins and utter sweetness, we had to make another week of desserts for Giada De Laurentiis. On the day, we made her famous Lemon Ricotta Cookies! Here is the link, and trust me, they are delectable. My hubby ate four cookies before I even blinked! Though Giada is an American, she was actually born in Italy. And so her ethos in the kitchen reflects that. Stunning ingredients with loads of flavor, and that passion for food makes you completely fall in love with her! Not hard to do, I mean look at that smile! With a new restaurant in Las Vegas, I think we hit the jackpot with this #WCW recipient.
We traveled back to my soul home the Emerald Isle for our tenth #WomanCrushWednesday honoree. Not only an amazing chef, but also a restauranteur, Clodagh McKenna warmed our hearts and our bellies with her lovely Butternut Squash and Coconut Soup. So light and so satisfying, and perfect for these cold winter months. Here is the link and besides wanting to recreate her soup, you might want to check out her new line of aprons. My aunt and uncle got one for me for Christmas and I absolutely love it!
Someone told me that Nigella Lawson is the Queen of Christmas. Wow, then we definitely had to do some Christmas Crushing on her and of course make her deliciously decadent Rocky Road! No joke, it was divine and a bit addictive. Here is the link to see what I’m talking about! Though Nigella hails from the U.K. she is so popular all over the globe and it’s understandable. She is the original Domestic Goddess and she makes cooking and eating beautiful, as she herself emits beauty inside and out!
Another U.K chef, Ella Woodward (aka Deliciously Ella) is a perfect advert for clean eating! She glows! So we took on her incredible carrot cake cookies. So yum! You won’t feel the slightest bit guilty! Here is the link to her special #WCW and the recipe, which you need to make! ASAP! This time of year everyone is on the straight and narrow, and Ella’s food is not only good, it’s good for you! It is a perfect New Year’s Resolution! And with her just opened Mae’s Deli, if you don’t want to make her recipes, you can pop in there for a bite and meet Ella in person!
For Little Women’s Christmas (or Nollaig na mBan in Irish) we had to honor an Irish chef, and who better to get crushed on but the adorable and accomplished chef Catherine Fulvio. As we were in the middle of Salad Scentral Week we made her Smoked Salmon and Mango Salad recipe which was heaven on a plate. Just click on the link to see how superb it looks, not to mention how scrumptious it tasted! And you can read about the fun we had on the day as we also focused on all that she has achieved. What an inspiration, as are all of our lovely ladies in the culinary world.
Now it is your turn! If you are reading this right now, think about all the women in your life who have either fed you personally, or fed your inspiration for food and cooking. Click on the comments section here and let me know who they are and why you think they should be honored. If you don’t want your comments published, no probs, just note that. But I think it would be great to make this a communal culinary admiration society. Then watch this space next week to see who gets Yankee Doodle Paddy’s spotlight. And as I have said before, it is in no way an offense to the fabulous male chefs out there. I have massive appreciation for so many that are creating food that is off the charts good. But this is a special place where each week we bring some love to the female foodies.
I hope you are having a great Wednesday. Look at it this way, those that follow me on snapchat (username: blissbakery) are getting an auditory respite from my bad singing while we do a look back at what a fun day this popular Woman Crush Wednesday has become! Thanks to all of you for the support!
Salad Scentral was a success my friends! What a great week it was sharing different salads everyday. Starting with Monday’s selection of four different salads. Then on Tuesday trying a warm salad to heat our insides for the winter. Then incorporating the salad theme with our famous Woman Crush Wednesday. Having a little fun with a Musical Mexican Themed Salad on Thursday. And even going on a mini Foodie Fieldtrip Friday after our ‘free of everything’ ABC salad! Here they are just to recap…
Tuesday: I Feel Good Salad which was packed with superfoods kale and Brussels sprouts and served warm.
Wednesday: Smoked Salmon and Mango Salad recipe from Catherine Fulvio was so flavorful and healthy with watercress too!
Thursday: Musical Fruit Salad packed with watermelon (and even served in one), corn and black beans (aka our musical part of the salad) but oh so tasty!
Friday: ABC Salad which is as easy as 123! Free from everything, meaning no dairy, no sugar, no wheat, no meat, no onions or garlic. But one thing it isn’t free from is taste. It is beyond satisfying with the Avocado, Beets and Citrus.
On Monday though I had four salads on offer for the snapchat tutorial (username: blissbakery), I only posted the one Irish strawberry salad recipe. So I wanted to give you the recipe for the amazing Courgette and Carrot Salad. It is super easy to make and looks beautiful on a platter at a buffet, or in a bowl on the table. Or quite simply on your plate for lunch or dinner! It can be jazzed up with some cheese of your choice and some seeds or nuts, as I have done in this picture. The key is having either a mandoline (on my wish list for one day) or else you can use what I do which is a veg/potato peeler that is flat. My son gave me the one I have and it is quite old, but they look like this one here.
Courgette and Carrot Salad
Serves 6
2-3 medium courgettes, thinly sliced*
200 g (7 oz) carrots, peeled and thinly sliced*
1 Tbsp (15 ml) red wine vinegar or lemon juice
3 Tbsp (45 ml) Extra virgin olive oil
1-2 Tbsp freshly chopped flat leaf parsley
2 Tbsp (10 ml) honey
salt and ground pepper to taste
Prepare the dressing by placing the last five ingredients in a screw top jar and shaking well to combine .
Place the courgettes and carrots in a large salad bowl. Drizzle with the dressing and serve.
You may wish to add chopped nuts such as cashews for a bit of crunch or even a bit of crumbled cheese (such as feta) as well.
*It is important to slice with either a mandolin or a wide peeler and peel lengthwise to make long ribbons
It was great to receive messages from the other snap chatters saying they were inspired with the salads this week and actually sent pics of their re-creations. It does help to feel that “we’re in it together” and have the support to do so. It can be overwhelming, especially this time of year, with all the eating plans, workout routines, and detoxes. However, just a basic but important change of adding more salads into the week can help. In fact, Hubby even thanked me Friday night for a week of salads. He admitted he felt lighter and more energetic as a result. As I said before he isn’t really into salads normally. But with a few bits and bobs added like seeds, nuts, cheese and a protein for instance, and he will even go for seconds! I had a lovely cookery student who once told me she never really ate salads until she attended my classes. After tasting some of mine, she too began to play around with all the fun ways you can create a myriad of salads with just a little invention.
If I could sum up Salad Scentral week in one word it would be color (or colour if you are on this side of the world). Looking back at all the pictures, not only of my own creations, but the ones at Ottolenghi and the beautiful salad made from Catherine Fulvio’s Woman Crush Wednesday, they all capture the eye. Like a rainbow on a plate! And the saying goes that you eat with your eyes first. So many times I have seen a salad with iceberg lettuce, a tomato or two and some white creamy processed dressing from a bottle. Not very exciting, or healthy for that matter. I only just discovered this link here that elaborates on the important health advantages of eating different colors, and what each color in our various fruits and veg can do to help our bodies work better.
So I hope you too are inspired to try out some salads. Mix and match flavors and textures. Add some fruit, along with the veg and maybe some beans or lentils. Try serving your salad in a hollowed out melon, or papaya (as I did on Monday with the turkey salad). In the winter months heat your bodies on the insides with a warm salad. Enjoy making, serving and indeed eating salads and you too will reap many health benefits from them. My mentor Darina Allen has a mixed leaf salad with every dinner. She eats it after her main meal, as they do in France, as it is believed to aid digestion. Darina is gorgeous, energetic and youthful even at sixty-seven years young. That right there confirmed my belief in the power of some good, real, clean and tasty food such as salads!
Colorful Love,
YDP
P.S. Though many people only know me for my baking and sweet treats (yes that’s me I love my goodies) I adore salads of any description. I guess I don’t feel as guilty with the odd splurge when I’ve been good having my healthy doses of salads! So don’t fear, even if you jump on the Salad Scentral Express, with the odd treat every now and again, you too will have the stamina to stay the course!
Today, my friends, it is not only Woman Crush Wednesday but it is also Nollaig na mBan (for my non Irish speakers that is Women’s Little Christmas). This is my perfect day with all the stars and moon aligned! January 6th is the Feast of the Epiphany and traditionally the end of the Christmas Season. But in Ireland, tradition states that on this day the women would get a day to relax and men would do the housework. Some people might also refer to this day simply as Little Christmas (or Nollaig Bheag) but I’m thinking since it’s our #WCW day, we will stick with the more festive female title. Which means that we had to choose an amazing female foodie to infatuate over for the occasion! And our lucky lady is the beautiful and talented Irish chef, award winning cookery book writer and well known television star Catherine Fulvio!!!
Catherine was born and raised in County Wicklow, Ireland and is part of the Ballyknocken House and Cookery School family. Though less than 30 miles south of Dublin, this well respected Victorian House (and almost 300 acres of farmland) is a holiday retreat for anyone wanting a great Irish experience of delicious food and warm hospitality. Catherine is involved of course, but also busy raising a family of her own with her Italian born husband. And she travels the globe doing cooking demos, promoting Irish brands and filming fabulous television programs. Plus all the exploring gives great inspiration for her cookbooks.
I met Catherine personally at the Ballymaloe Lit Fest back in 2014. She is what you would expect and more. Absolutely stunning, and truly the nicest person ever! I attended a cookery demo she did with Martin Shanahan (of Fishy Fishy) and Paul Flynn (of the Tannery). They are all presenters for RTE television and you would think it was for cooking AND comedy. I have never laughed so hard at a cooking demo. Yet they all take their food seriously.
Catherine is so calm, nurturing, caring and detailed when she demonstrates a recipe. After the demo I asked her to sign one of her cookery books that I bought as a gift for my daughter. She was very sweet and gladly chatted away, even introducing me to her husband and her young son who were with her.
Though on the day she made a gorgeous chocolate breadcrumb almond cake, since we are doing a Salad Scentral week on Yankee Doodle Paddy, I decided we would recreate her totally Irish style, Smoked Salmon, Watercress and Mango Salad. It is simple, light and very healthy. It has a super homemade salad dressing (all of Ballyknocken’s salad dressing are well regarded by the way). I love the colors of this salad too! Especially during these dark days of winter we need something to brighten our plates! Since I visited some smokehouses when I was a student at the Ballymaloe Cookery School, I learned that Irish Smoked Salmon really is the best! Here is a link if you want a look see at my blog from back in the day where I share the smokehouse experience. And did you know that watercress is seriously the Irish grandfather of superfoods? Yep, as I mentioned on here before, St. Brendan was eating it daily and lived to be 180! So well done Catherine for creating a supercharged healthy salad to get us all reset for the New Year!
Ingredients
100 g smoked salmon or smoked trout, torn into strips
150 g watercress
0.5 cucumber, cut into ribbons
0.5 mango, thinly sliced
for the dressing:
4 tblsp extra virgin olive oil (or rapeseed oil)
zest of lemon
2 tblsp lemon juice
2 tsp wholegrain mustard
1 tsp runny honey
salt and pepper to taste
crusty bread to serve with the salad
Method
Using a vegetable peeler, cut slices of the lemon and then cut again into narrow strips. Cook for a couple of minutes in boiling water. Remove and allow to cool.
In a small bowl whisk together the dressing ingredients. Check for seasoning and add salt & pepper as desired.
Place the mango, lemon strips, cucumber and watercress in a separate bowl.
Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss gently.
Plate the salad and arrange the smoked salmon on top.
Finish with cracked black pepper and serve with crusty bread.
As I have said before, the thing about salads is besides being quite easy to prepare, they really are good for you. And our gorgeous gourmet gal Catherine Fulvio is also good for you! All of her recipes are wholesome and made with real unprocessed ingredients. While she is super accomplished as a chef, she makes even hard techniques seem easy for the masses with the way she guides you through step by step. I am so excited that she is our #WCW this week and I do hope that her sweet hubby is spoiling her today on Nollaig na mBan!
Thank you Catherine for being an inspiration. You are such a hard worker, yet you do it all with the utmost grace! You have a lot fans out there cheering you on! Several of my snapchat followers in fact requested that you be one of our honorees, so I hope you feel the LOVE today and always!
Le grá agus buíochas,
YDP
P.S. If you want to follow along on Snapchat my username is: blissbakery. I do a bit of bad singing and dancing, but there is always a good recipe like this one today! I like to have background music in the Woman Crush Wednesday tutorials, but this is the first time I have used the music from one source. A couple of weeks ago my sweet Hubby discovered TG Lurgan and shared it with me. It is an all Irish Youtube channel. These young kids take popular songs and redo them with the Irish language. They are stunning! I was a bit concerned I might tear up during the snapchat today because somehow this language penetrates my Irish soul (the Paddy part of Yankee Doodle Paddy). I really miss Ireland and so today was a great day celebrating Catherine, Nollaig na mBan and this fantastic music!!!! I am putting the Youtube links to the songs below, but the artists and titles are in English. Funny how after seven years of living in Ireland its only now that we’ve just moved to London that we are enjoying this!
No, that isn’t a typo in the title. Scentral is my own concoction of the words central and scent. Cuz today, and every day this week, we are gonna be going salad scentral crazy over here. This, being the first Monday of the new year, is the day most people perceive as walking the tightrope of “to do” things: To detox, to give up alcohol, to quit sweets, etc etc etc. And because many people have been off work during the holiday period, this day is also the big “to go back to work” day. Argh! Lots of grumpsters out there with a HOLIDAY HANGOVER! With so many self imposed demands and restrictions no wonder the sad faces. But I have a recipe for you to brighten your week with colors and flavors that look good, smell good, and taste good. These tick all the boxes of the revamped food resolutions too. And they might even make going back to work a bit more pleasant! Either pack them in your lunchbox to save a few bucks, or, instead of going to the burger joint for lunch, pick up a salad to go.
I did a salad slam tutorial… the featured one on today’s post and three others for my snapchat (username: blissbakery). Clockwise from top: Papaya Boat Stuffed with Low Cal Turkey Salad, Irish Strawberry Salad, Carrot & Courgette Ribbon Salad, Apple, Grape and Goat Cheese Salad
I am an admitted salad addict. Therefore it is easy for me to be a cheerleader for the gorgeous greens. I’ve even posted several salad recipes here on the blog: Cauliflower Salad, Fig and Green Bean Salad, Butternut Squash Salad, Brussels Sprout Salad, Sweet Potato and Chorizo Salad. Truth be told, I have to have one with every meal. Even with breakfast, I’ll have a fruit salad (or at least a selection of berries and bananas on my porridge). I just love the way fruits and veg make me feel. Without them, my meal seems incomplete. And since I don’t own a scale, don’t believe in diets (as I have said before I try to avoid things with the word “die” in them) and only recently began taking vitamins, I rely on the goodness of salads for my health.
My trusty chalkboard, which is often featured in my snapchats, I used to emphasize the difference between DIE and LIVE by taking “Diet for the New Year” and erasing DIE and writing LIVE it!
When you read all the magazines and newspaper articles this week recommending you drink more water and cut the crap out of your daily routine, having a salad is actually a bit of both. It is proven that fruit and veg are naturally loaded with water. And because of their fiber content they help you feel full so you are less likely to crave the crap. But the best advert for a good salad in my book is how it affects all of your senses. Does it taste, smell, and look good? And does it feel good in your mouth when you are chewing it? If it has lots of different textures it will defo give your daily calorie intake some pizazz. Today’s recipe is all of those and more! Normally I am going on about how good the house smells with all the baking I do. Well today the scent is actually fresh, bright, crisp and farmlike! A healthery instead of a bakery!
Often as we begin the school/work week we hear about Meatless Mondays. I think it is great notion. But personally, I need a bit of protein too. Salads can easily be modified to add a bit of that with some leftover roasted chicken, or by adding nuts and cheese to it. It makes it more substantial (and is about the only way I can get Hubby to eat a salad by the way). I’ve told you before about the Flavor Bible which is a great resource for understanding flavor combinations and foods that work as alternates. So say for instance if you found a cool recipe online for roasted pumpkin salad and you can’t find any in the shops, you’ll have learned that you can substitute it with butternut squash.
If I were an artist I would draw an interactive diorama of salad ingredients to show you how you could mix and match depending on your taste, dietary restrictions, and what is available in your fridge/pantry. Basically, a salad schematic. I would break it into six sections: 1. Greens (spinach, kale, iceberg, arugula/rocket etc) 2. Veg (broccoli, cauliflower, butternut squash, courgette/zucchini etc) 3. Fruit (strawberries, pomegranate, dried cranberries etc), 4. Cheese (blue, parmesan, goat’s etc), 5. Nuts (pine nuts, pecans, almonds etc), and 6. Protein (salmon, chorizo, chicken, bacon etc). This would also have an addendum that included different salad dressing options as well. It could be on your iPad for reference or even as a handy kitchen gadget that resembles an artist’s color wheel thingy that you could hang on your refrigerator door. But there are some other good helpful salad visuals available here and here to get you going.
It is also important to note, some salads are also best served warm (which I appreciate since living in Dublin and now London, where winters are not cold salad conducive). I would urge you to not only try incorporating more salads into your life, but also to be creative with your plate and put together your own combos depending on your likes and dislikes. In other words, if you see a salad recipe and you think, that sounds pretty good, but I don’t like blue cheese. Well then omit it or substitute it for a cheese you do like. Go on, have fun with it! Because all this deprivation, having to eliminating this or that, isn’t fun. But instead when you start adding things to your life (like a daily healthy salad) and make it fun like a game, then you’re likely to stick to it for the long haul!
To start us off this week, I am going to give you a recipe for a super simple yet shockingly satisfying Irish Strawberry Salad. This is actually my daughter’s favorite salad that I make and she even posted it on her blog a few years back which you can see here. I decided that it would be a good one to start with, especially in light of the fact that in two weeks time I will be traveling to America to see her and her family!
Ingredients: I have not put amounts as it depends on how many you are serving and how much of each element you want in it.
Salad greens of choice (I use a mixture of organic baby spinach, arugula/rocket and watercress leaves) washed and dried (important)
Strawberries (organic if possible and Irish Wexford strawberries if you are so lucky) washed and sliced
Nuts of choice (I like to use toasted flaked almonds, but you can use pecans or whatever you prefer)
Dubliners Cheese (okay no way are you allowed to switch up this ingredient) grated
Dressing of your choice (for store bought, I use Newman’s Own) or homemade vinaigrette (see below).
Preparation:
Pop all the ingredients in a bowl, pour the dressing on and toss it all together. That simple! This is a good recipe to add some protein to such as roasted chicken if you have it on hand.
What is great about this salad is that it has veg and fruit together! If you can’t find fresh strawberries (or refuse to buy them in the shops in the middle of winter because they are flown in from Egypt) then exchange it for dried cranberries instead. Again, have fun with it guys! Speaking of cranberries, I have a great recipe for a vinaigrette which I make in a nearly empty cranberry sauce jar. So it actually gives a bit of zing to the recipe!
1/4 cup vinegar ( I used sherry vinegar)
3/4 cup oil (I used organic extra virgin)
1 tsp cranberry sauce
1 tsp minced shallots (optional)
1 Tbsp chopped parsley (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
Shake everything up in the jar and pour over salad just before serving. There is a great resource for salad dressing combinations here. Basically, it is a 1:3 ratio of vinegar to oil. It is nice to use a third ingredient (also called an emulsifier) to help bind the oil and vinegar together. Such as my cranberry sauce, or you can use mustard, or honey for instance. Also, you can add minced garlic or chopped fresh herbs for more depth of flavor.
Again, have fun, play around, and make adding salads to your day dreamy not drudgery! Here’s to a sensational week, month and year ahead!
Some Salad Love Slathered on Ya!
YDP
P.S. One of the best compliments a chef can receive is to see someone enjoying a dish they’ve prepared. This past summer when I was at my daughter and son in law’s I cooked dinner for some of their friends. One of their guests apparently doesn’t eat salads. And I had made an acorn squash salad for a starter. Well guess what? He ate the whole thing! Everyone around the table, in fact, commented on it. So if you are one of those, thinking you just can’t get into the fruit/veg trend, maybe try it with me this week and see if you join the salad scentral society (of which I am the founding member)!
If you know me at all, you know two things. One, that Wednesday is my favorite day because it is an opportunity to crush on a special female foodie. And two, I am all about the LOVE and look for it in all aspects of life, even hosting a #LOVEfest competition. With that said, today’s honoree is the absolute perfect choice. Ella Woodward, or Deliciously Ella as she is most widely known, is one of the most popular foodies out there at the moment, be it male OR female. Lucky for us she happens to be a lovely lady! Not to mention that she is also a big fan of LOVE. In fact, on her new book cover she is wearing a cool sweater (jumper for my UK/Irish followers) with, what else, L-O-V-E on it!
I realize we have a couple more days of decadence before the New Year’s resolutions kick in. But this is actually the best time to start thinking about how to tackle January with some good healthy food. Ella is just the person to help us with that endeavor. This super sweet and beautiful young lady (and yes she is young, only 23 years old) has had her own journey to clean eating and better health. I thought I was a sugar fiend until I read about Ella’s sweet tooth. But in order to overcome a debilitating medical condition, she did more than just go on the straight and narrow for the New Year. She overhauled her entire eating regime giving up sugar, dairy, gluten and meat. As well, she adopted exercise such as yoga into her routine. From someone who couldn’t get out of bed 95% of the day a couple years ago, she completed her first half marathon in the autumn of this year. She chronicled all this on her blog which garnered a massive loyal following as well as a super popular social media presence. And her cookbook Deliciously Ellahas broken all sorts of sales records and won numerous awards. With her second book due out very soon, she also has a brick and mortar in Marylebone that just launched called The Mae Deli. This new venture is with her fiancé Matthew (the M, and she being the E part for the name of Mae’s Deli) is already getting loads of delicious buzz.
And speaking of delicious, while all of Ella’s food is delicious, I thought I would recreate her Carrot Cake Cookies for #WCW. I think in order to be successful at a New Year’s resolution, I’d better be well equipped or else there is temptation to grab something naughty. With this recipe I think I can whip out a batch and keep them on hand so when Jan 1st rolls around I will still be able to have my treats without guilt or feeling deprived. If you want you can follow along with my snapchat tutorial (username: blissbakery) while I make these super simple but oh so good goodies!
Ingredients
270g of oats * (I used organic Irish oats)
3 ripe bananas (about 340g) *(I used organic free trade)
3 red apples (about 350g)* (I used organic Gala)
2 carrots (200g) * (I used organic)
150g of sultanas * (I used California raisins)
3 tablespoons of date syrup *(I didn’t have this so I used maple syrup instead)
2 tbs of nut butter – peanut butter is especially good (although you can ignore the nut butter totally if you don’t eat nuts) *(I used organic almond butter)
1 tablespoon of coconut oil
3 teaspoons of cinnamon
1 teaspoons of nutmeg
1 teaspoon of ground ginger
Method
Preheat the oven to 200C
Grate the apples and carrots (no need to peel them) and mash the bananas. Then mix them with all the remaining ingredients in a bowl.
Grease a baking tray with coconut oil.
Scoop a heaped tablespoon of the mix and pat it into flat cookies shape on the tray, do this until all the mixture has been used. Try to get an even amount of sultanas in each cookie as those that are heavier with sultanas are more likely to burn. The mixture should make about 25 cookies.
Then bake the cookies for about 30 minutes until they turn golden brown, at this point take them out the oven and let them cool slightly.
I am a crazy carrot cake aficionado, so of course I had to go for this recipe. I thought eliminating the cream cheese frosting, so indicative of a typical carrot cake topping, would be a tough one for me. But the flavors in these cookies are so incredible and the texture so moreish you just don’t miss it. While all of Ella’s recipes are plant based, she has stated she doesn’t miss meat in the slightest. I am pretty reliant on needing some protein, especially since I had gestational diabetes both times I was pregnant. I had to inject insulin daily in my second pregnancy so I’m lucky it went away after both of my children were born. Which is why indulging my sweet tooth isn’t so good for me on a regular basis. However, these little gems packed with vitamins are not only healthy but also have the hint of sweetness that I crave.
Most articles written about Ella Woodward are going to make mention of the fact that she is part of the Sainsbury Grocery Store family. But I have a hunch that soon enough, any article about Sainsbury is going to mention that they are related to Deliciously Ella and The Mae Deli fame. She has really brought a whole new perspective to how food can be used to heal the body instead of hurting ourselves through the misuse of processed food. It isn’t about losing weight folks it is about feeling better by eating clean! Her natural radiant beauty and vivacious energy is a great advert for her way of life. And though she has included chicken and salmon options at her deli (of which I am grateful) she says it is a place for health and happiness.
What a great way to start the new year folks with Ella’s kind of positivity! I hope you take time to learn a bit more about her and support her new book, book signing tour, supper clubs and cooking classes. Ella is a self taught chef and is working hard to impart all her kitchen and nutritional wisdom. But we need to be open to it and soak it all in as well.
Thanks Ella for your effort to share your own journey and for inspiring so many others to find a healthier self. Your warmth towards and support of your followers does not go unnoticed. You practice what you preach and do it all with gentleness and grace. You are truly one of a kind and deserve all the good things that are coming your way. Including today’s Woman Crush. Though I’m sure it will continue well on past just Wednesday! Happy 2016!
Peace and Love!
YDP
P.S. Tomorrow I am taking my snapchat friends along on a “Thursday Thrill Trip” to The Mae Deli since I won’t be able to do the usual Foodie Fieldtrip Friday because of New Year’s Day. So stay tuned for more crushing on all things Ella Woodward folks! Very excited to see all the healthy food she has on offer there!
With a little break from the popular Woman Crush Wednesday series (due to YDP’s participation last week in the Great Blogger Cookie Swap) we are back with passion! This is the day we honor one of the wonderful women from the culinary world. And who is getting crushed on today? Well, we are infatuated with one of the U.K.’s most recognizable foodies, none other than the amazing Nigella Lawson! For the first time, this week readers and snapchat followers joined in with their suggestions to help choose which cook should get the Yankee Doodle Paddy Spotlight of LOVE. And with Christmas just a couple days away, Nigella has been chosen to get all sorts of fondness showered on her today!
Nigella‘s new book, Simply Nigellaseems to be on everyone’s Christmas list. It is called the “Feel Good Food” book and pretty much anything she makes will leave you feeling good! She already has nine best selling cookbooks to her credit, numerous television series under her belt, a popular app, and umpteen awards such as the 2014 Observer’s Readers’ Award as Best Food Personality, just to mention a few of her phenom accomplishments. She really is a Domestic Goddess (as was the title of one of her books) and has been a ‘go to’ for many looking to up their kitchen game. She has made cooking and eating an unabashedly beautiful art form. And all of this from someone who doesn’t even like to be called a chef.
Nigella didn’t study culinary arts but she has perfected a way to translate them to the masses. Adored by women, men, well known chefs, people here in the U.K. and all around the globe. Her warmth, openness and willingness to engage with her fans has really helped create a protective net around her. Which is why when she went through some recent difficulties she had a legion of supporters behind her wishing her well. And this latest book and accompanying television series has been just the thing to get back on track, for all of us! Cuz life does have its ups and downs. I can relate to Nigella’s notion of cooking being a wonderful way to make sense of the world around us as I have shared on here before. I love her quote in a recent article, ““I was thinking how ushering forth this cake induced in me a feeling of cosiness and serenity, and I felt I’d got to the stage in my life that what I was creating in my new home and my new kitchen… it’s about feeling an enormous sense of light. The food is uplifting and the comfort you get from it makes me feel restored and full of vitality.”
So I am going to create some light with her amazing Christmas Rocky Road recipe. It is currently being featured on her website as a “Cookalong Competition” whereby you make one of the suggested monthly recipes and upload a photo for a chance to win a signed cookbook. And I will be doing it live on snapchat (username: blissbakery) if you’d like to follow along. It will be viewable for 24 hours until it disappears, but I would urge you all to give this delicious recipe a try yourself and enter the contest. Because what Nigella has nurtured is a wonderful sense of community both on her website and her social media. She includes a regular “#follow of the day” on her Instagram that certainly gives those chosen a massive boost. I’m not just talking about more followers to their account, it is the overwhelming sense of joy that someone as wonderful as Nigella Lawson would lend her seal of approval.
Chop both sorts of chocolate small, or use chocolate buttons made for melting, and then put into a heavy-based pan to melt with the butter and syrup over a gentle heat.
Put the biscuits into a freezer bag and bash them with a rolling pin to get big- and little-sized crumbs; you want some pieces to crunch and some sandy rubble.
Put the Brazil nuts into another freezer bag and also bash them so you get different-sized nut rubble.
Take the pan off the heat, and add the crushed biscuits and nuts, whole glacé cherries and mini-marshmallows. Turn carefully to coat everything with syrupy chocolate.
Tip into a foil tray (I use one 236mm x 296mm / 9¼ x 12 inches), smoothing the top as best you can, although it will look bumpy.
Refrigerate until firm enough to cut, which will take about 1½–2 hours. Then take the set block of rocky road out of the foil tray ready to cut.
Push the icing sugar through a small sieve to dust the top of the Rocky Road. Then, if you like, add a sprinkling of edible glitter for some festive sparkle.
With the long side in front of you, cut into it 6 slices down and 4 across, so that you have 24 almost-squares.
MAKE AHEAD TIP:
Make the Rocky Road and refrigerate to set. Don’t add the icing sugar yet, but cut into bars, then store in an airtight container in a cool place for up to 1 week. Decorate with icing sugar and edible glitter about 1–2 hours before serving.
FREEZE AHEAD TIP:
Make the Rocky Road as above and freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in a cool place. Decorate as above.
Though I’m not a professional photographer, these bars are so gorgeous even I can make them look pretty! Perfectly festive treats to give as gifts or take to holiday parties!I don’t normally put in two pics of the final product, but I couldn’t resist a close up shot. I love all the colors and textures in these Christmas Rocky Road Bars! I didn’t have edible glitter on hand, so I just put a few mini Christmas trees I had to make it look wintery.
One of the things I love most about Nigella is her willingness to offer help and suggest tips for finding success in the kitchen. For me, one of my kitchen challenges has been the transition from America to this side of the pond where everything is in metric! It would do your head in trying to sort out all the conversions. But she effortlessly (as with everything) has both versions available with the click of a button. Thanks Nigella!
Being a mom of two kids myself, I know how important the holiday time is for family. I just want to take this opportunity to wish you Nigella a most wonderful Christmas and send lots of love and light your way. I also want to thank you for being an inspiration in more ways than one. There are so many of us out there that appreciate the passion and respect you have for food and cooking. And your humility about your influence in the culinary world is as beautiful as you are! But trust me, when loads of your fans eagerly tear off the wrapping paper on Christmas morn to find they have received your cookbook, you’ll likely hear the sound of many ovens being fired up! Cuz there will be a whole lotta Nigella’s recipes on the go!
Lots of love to THE Domestic Goddess,
YDP
P.S. True story, it was destiny that Nigella would be today’s #WCW because besides the help from the snapchat followers, my friend (who also made our moving announcements) the awesome Holly Shortall and her BFF Jamie Tuohy met Nigella in Dublin not long ago! As well when I was on one of my Foodie Fieldtrip Friday’s recently, I spotted a giant billboard ad for her book and I had to take a picture. So it is a lovefest that has been marinating!
Today is the Winter Solstice. December 21st (or the 22nd depending on where you live) is the shortest day of the year. Whilst everyone might be focused on the impending Ho Ho Holiday in a few days time, I like to savor this special day for a couple of reasons. One, starting tomorrow we gain another few minutes of daylight each day. Second and most importantly, this is the day that a select few lucky people get to witness first hand the miracle of Newgrange. Though I have put my name in the lottery every year for the last eight years, I have yet to win a coveted space to be in the chamber at the first hint of dawn. Not familiar with it? Well I have been to Newgrange so many times I could get a job there as a tour guide by now! It is an ancient structure north of Dublin airport that archeologists believe was used as a pagan worship tomb on the Solstice. This feat of architecture allows the first bit of daylight on the darkest day of the year to penetrate and illuminate the inner sanctum of the stone structure (as you can see by the pic at the top). It is theorized that the stone age burial spot became a holy place for these early Irish people. So that is why today, of all days, I decided to do my YDP “best of” short list on my favorite place, Dublin! Because this my friends is (unofficially) one of the wonders of the world! And it is right in Dublin’s backyard!
I’ve already given you tips on Los Angeles and London on here for the first two installments of “YDP’s best of short list”. While Newgrange is a bit outside of Dublin, it is only fitting that I share with you my tips on where to stay, eat and things to do in a very special place which is close to my heart. As you know if you’ve been reading this blog, Ireland is my soul home. It is the “Paddy” part of Yankee Doodle Paddy. Though we relocated to London after seven years in Dublin, we hope to move back soon, God willing. And yes, Newgrange is gonna be on the ‘best of ‘ list today folks, cuz it is THAT good! You just HAVE to make the short trek out there if you are in Dublin! It isn’t everyday that you can experience a Unesco World Heritage Site that is 5,000 years old! That is older than the Pyramids of Egypt and Stonehenge in the U.K! And the irony is that in one of the rainiest countries in the world, this Neolithic structure is totally waterproof! My first visit there I almost didn’t make it, but that is a story to read about here from my “back in the day” blog when I was a student at Ballymaloe Cookery School.
Now on to all the ‘best of’ places! Since it is nearly Christmas, and seriously, Dublin is one of the prettiest places this time of year, what with the Grafton Street shopping and all the festive lights and decorations, and Brown Thomas‘ famous window displays….. Oh, and Bono (you know him from U2) and some famous friends often do a bit of holiday busking around there as well! So, I am going to give you a lil gift of my own! I am going to give you a plethora of choices in each of the categories!
Places to stay:
Splurge: While you can’t go wrong with a classic like The Shelbourne (I mean it is a 5 star legend) the Marker is making its own mark (corny pun intended). Situated just south of the main city center right on the Grand Canal Docks, it is very posh and super hot right now. I haven’t stayed there but know people who have and they rave about it. I was there simply to purchase some Cronuts. They were the first place in Dublin making and selling the wildly popular cross between a donut and a croissant. And it is important for me to maintain my up to the minute research on all new food trends (LOL). They were running a promotion where by if you bought one of their limited edition boxes of cronuts you might have a chance of finding a golden ticket inside. The golden ticket would allow you to book a reservation in the hotel bar. Right! That is how busy this place is! While my food research was a success, no golden ticket was found!
But I think having stayed at the Shelbourne back in 1995, and having dined there on numerous occasions (I particularly love their High Tea time) it really is a nice traditional and sophisticated place. It went under major renovations a few years ago and is the ‘go to’ for all the celebs and dignitaries in town. Plus it is situated right on St. Stephen’s Green. So you could go for a lovely walk through the park, feed the ducks, then head over to the Little Museum of Dublin for a true telling of the story of Dublin through their thoughtful exhibits.
Mild on the old pocketbook: The Schoolhouse or The Dean are both excellent choices in this category. Before moving to Dublin, Hubby and I took a reconnoissance trip to finalize his work commitment and look for housing. We stayed at the Schoolhouse and it will always have fond memories for me. It is super quiet, convenient and I love that it is converted from an historic schoolhouse. While I haven’t stayed at The Dean I have been there for parties and dining. It is not quiet at all (but they have a disclaimer on their website) because this place is happening and in the midst of one of the most trendy areas of the city. But it is very hip and I love the decor, food and drinks. I do want to stay there one of these trips back to Dublin, just so I can go on the swing that is in the entrance to the Sophie’s dining room. Which by the way, besides The Guinness Storehouse, Sophie’s has the best view of Dublin!
Cheap and Cheerful: B&Bs truth be told are really the best way to get the essence of the Irish warmth and hospitality. This tiny island nation isn’t called the “Land of a Thousand Welcomes” for nothing. It would behoove your wallet and your experience to let a lovely Irish household serve you a nice pot of tea and a full Irish (breakfast that is) before sending you off to do your sightseeing. Cuz you’ll get loads of great chat and craic that you won’t get at any where else! Check out Trip Advisor for suggestions or the link at the beginning of this paragraph for options.
Places to eat:
When I announced to my family and friends back in 2006 that I was going to sell my house in L.A. and move to Ireland for cooking school they said, “Whaaaaat? As in Irish Stew and Irish Soda Bread Country?” But they just didn’t know the truth! Ireland (and of course I am biased) is an amazing foodie gem in the world. Sure the restaurants are still up and coming, but it is the raw ingredients that are phenomenal and are seen on menus all around the globe at the finest restaurants. Irish dairy, particularly cheese and butter (hello Kerrygold), fish (particularly smoked salmon), grass fed meat (yes that includes the amazing lamb for stew) and produce (particularly Wexford strawberries in summer) are the best in the world!! And all of the suggestions of places to eat are those who highlight what is best about Irish food. Thank goodness I myself was blessed to have gone to one of the best cookery schools in the world. Darina Allen and family provide a curriculum focused on the importance of sustainability and seasonality of real, whole and natural food. Today there are a handful of fab foodies in Dublin continuing to spread the word through their cookbooks and videos, such as Susan Jane White and Donal Skehan.
Since Avoca is better known as my “happy place” I had to include this. They have several locations around Dublin (though the original, which was a woolen factory, is in Co. Wicklow) and all have food halls for a quick bite, or sit down cafes for a more leisurely meal. And though I am not a shopper, they do have some pretty gorgeous clothes and gifts, so you could pick up a few bits and pieces while you are there. As well K.C. Peaches, which was started by an American woman who was living in Dublin, has sprouted to include several locations around town. Tasty food at a decent price, and you can pop it all in a “take away” container to eat on the run, or dine it, your choice.
Johnnie Fox’s is under the places to eat category, but bonus, it is also something to do! They are famous for their “Hooley Nights”. It is situated in the Dublin mountains, hence it brags it is the highest pub in the city! The food is pretty darn good for pub food, and the musical backdrop is super fun! In fact, I have been so many times now I know all the musicians by name! There is a traditional Irish dancing segment (think Riverdance but a bit smaller) just to get your heart pounding with the steps.
Here is a pic from one of the many trips to Johnnie Fox’s my “go to” place to take out of town visitors!
Dylan McGrath was all the rage when we moved to Dublin in 2008. His restaurant Mint had earned a Michelin Star and he earned a reputation for his kitchen antics. But before we could even get a booking the restaurant closed. However, Dylan bounced back and now has several restaurants around that are equally fabulous. I love the concept of Rustic Stone and have dined there several times. The food was so healthy, delicious and seasonal (we ordered an entire meal of beets, served various ways). I have also dined in Fade Street Social and attended functions there as well. There is a great buzz and tasty nibbles and snacks.
Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud and Chapter One are both Michelin Star restaurants (three and one respectively). Both are definitely on the pricy side, but you will not be disappointed. It is a treat well worth splurging for in my opinion. Patrick Guilbaud is fancier and more French influenced (not surprisingly since the owner is French). Chapter One is elegant but a bit more casual feeling. And the cool thing about Chapter One is there is the option of dining at the Chef’s Table which is situated in the kitchen, so you can see all the excitement right there in the control room! Hubby treated me to both for birthday dinners (Patrick Guilbaud in 2008 and Chapter One in 2012) and I can still remember each dining experience like it was yesterday. The dishes were beautifully presented and the taste was exquisite. Fun fact, both have had their food photographed by my fav Barry McCall (see pic on my About page). When you’re finished dining, why not purchase one of the cookbooks as a souvenir and continue to savor the meal while drooling over Barry’s unctuous photos!
No that isn’t a spotlight! That was our waiter at Patrick Guilbaud trying to snap a pic of Hubby and I after our amazing dinner!
Things to do:
It isn’t a surprise that the Guinness Storehouse is the number one tourist attraction in Dublin. My son (who is now 30) said when I took him there for the first time, “Mom this is Disneyland for grown ups!” He even showed his excitement on his first visit when he got to test his hand at pouring the perfect pint! He’s been multiple times at this juncture, and one time in particular when he and his wife were visiting us in Dublin, he challenged her to a Guinness “pour off” contest!
And when you are over in that part of Dublin checking out Guinness why not pop in to the Jameson Whiskey Factory for a tour of their original premises. And you get a booze blanket to boot! I didn’t know what that was. But when I took my son there and tasted the whiskey for the first time I said, “Hey Hun, my legs feel warm” and that was when he enlightened me to the benefits of whiskey!
Trinity College which houses the Book of Kells is a must see whenever I have guests visiting. The Long Room in the Library is breathtaking and the beauty of the incredibly detailed illumination of the Book of Kells (the books of the Gospels) is an experience not to be missed! As well, for any history buffs or anyone interested in human rights, the Kilmainham Gaol (a former prison) is a powerful and haunting journey back in time to see what the early Irish patriots suffered.
Looking into one of the cells from the peep hole, and its ‘s touching to see that a prisoner had painted the image of Our Lady on the wall.Hubby sitting inside a cell reflecting on what it must have been like.
While Dublin is fascinating with loads to do, it is also small in comparison to other major cites. That is a good thing because it means you can get away for a day trip that isn’t too far, but yet you feel like you’ve gone to another whole land all together. I tell people all the time that if you only see Dublin, than you haven’t experienced the whole essence of Ireland. It is important to see some of the vibrant greens and smell the fresh country air. Yet when folks are on a short stay they think it isn’t possible to leave Co. Dublin. But I say YES it is!
There are two places I recommend (and depending, you can do one or both, but not in the same day) and one of them is Glendalough. It is the ancient monastic site of St. Kevin and is tucked away in the most beautifully green and wooded area on a lake in Co. Wicklow, just south of Dublin. Wild Wicklow Tours offers great rates and picks up at convenient locations around Dublin. Plus they make a pit stop at my happy place along the way, Avoca! Helllooo people! And it is always a hoot to take the Paddywagon!
Now finally we shall end where we started and that is with Newgrange in Co. Meath. Promise me you will go? I will even offer to be your tour guide! You don’t need to rent a car to get there either as there are many day bus tours that go out there. Mary Gibbons operates tours there, from Dublin City Center, which are recommended by Rick Steves. Here are just three pics (taken at separate times) out of the many visitors I have introduced to Newgrange (top pics left to right: my son, my daughter and granddaughter, bottom: my brother).
If I could only spend my life in one place for eternity it would be Ireland. While my family hails from the Western part of the country (Galway and Sligo) I found our time in Dublin to be fun, enriching and yes sometimes challenging. But I can hardly wait to move back! And I encourage anyone and everyone to make it a point to travel there. It is a city rich with history, music, art, food and literature (some of the greatest writers in the world have come from Dublin). I think it is one of the best places to go for a long weekend get away. You will not only pack in loads of things to do, but you will also take away the most incredible memories… mainly of the wonderful Irish people!
Is breá liom tú ireland,
YDP
P.S. Just to note, I am not getting paid or compensated for any of these recommendations. They come from my heart. But if you read the ABCs of YDP you’ll understand.
