Icelandic Smoked Trout Dip with Skyr

One of my girlfriends recently returned from a holiday in Iceland and it sparked my interest. What is the food like there? When I think of Nordic food, I think of the cliché pickled herring and Rose Nylund’s cringeworthy recipes from The Golden Girls. But seriously, I had very little knowledge of their culinary scene so I did a little internet creeping to find out some popular foods in Iceland. Of course I found the expected smoked fish and pickled herring but it became abundantly clear there was one traditional favorite: Skyr. Skyr for breakfast, skyr for lunch, skyr for dinner…you get the point!

Between the smoked trout and skyr this dip is a protein powerhouse!

Skyr is Iceland’s version of Greek yogurt and it has been a staple in their cuisine for over a thousand years.  It is believed that Icelanders first started making skyr when settlers from Norway arrived in the 9th century. Yaaaa guys, THAT long! I think they’ve got this covered.

It has the consistency of a thick yogurt, with a mildly tart flavor. It’s super high in protein and has virtually zero fat or artificial sweeteners. AMEN! Because skyr contains live active cultures it must be consumed within 5 days of opening, so keep this in mind when you buy it.

Serve this healthy dip alongside crackers, endive leaves, cucumber slices or celery sticks.

I found Siggi’s Icelandic Skyr at Whole Foods and have to say, I’m really happy with it. I will definitely be adding this to my grocery list. It’s a healthy product you can feel good about eating and I can see me using this in my recipes.

This Icelandic Smoked Trout Dip with Skyr is great to make when entertaining because it’s healthy, delicious and different. Spice things up and add this new dip to your list of tricks in the kitchen!

Enjoy! xx

Icelandic Smoked Trout Dip with Skyr

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

1 hour

Total time

1 hour 10 mins

 

Author: Peony

Recipe type: Appetizer

Cuisine: Nordic

Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 8 oz skinless smoked trout filets, broken into ½ inch pieces (approximately 2 cups)
• ¾ cup Skyr (a thick Icelandic style yogurt)
• ¼ cup crème fraîche
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tbsp prepared horseradish, drained
• a medium sized dill pickle, finely diced
• ¼ cup fresh dill, roughly chopped
• ¼ cup green onions, thinly sliced (white and light green parts only)
• 1 tbsp capers, strained
• freshly ground pepper
• flakey Icelandic sea salt

Instructions

1. Using an electric mixer, beat skyr, crème fraîche, horseradish and Worcestershire sauce. Transfer mixture into medium bowl. Stir in smoked trout, dill pickle, green onion, capers and fresh dill. Season with freshly ground black pepper and flakey Icelandic salt.
2. Let dip chill in the fridge for 1 hour prior to serving.
3. Serve with endive leaves, sliced cucumber, celery sticks or crackers.

Notes

You can use hot smoked salmon in this recipe if you don't have access to smoked trout.
You can find Siggis Skyr Yogurt at Whole Foods but you can sub greek yogurt in a pinch.

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Bacon & Egg Baked Breakfast Cups are equally convenient if you’re cooking for one or feeding a family of five.

I suck at breakfast! There is no denying it anymore. My fiancé is always getting on my case about not eating breakfast and he’s starting to sound like a broken record (it’s been almost 3 years). I know it’s super important but it’s always been difficult for me to eat in the morning. For years my daily breakfast of champions consisted of a large coffee with cinnamon and maybe a banana when I’m flying. Don’t judge! I’m challenging myself to break this habit so be prepared to see more breakfast posts from me.

I like to serve this with a simple cucumber and avocado salad with sriracha greek yogurt dressing.

Let me just say I love a recipe that gives you a ton of freedom to modify ingredients depending on what you have available. Bacon & Egg Baked Breakfast Cups is absolutely one of those recipes. You can use a variety of ingredients: mushrooms, onions, peppers, tomatoes, spinach and cheese to name a few. This weekend I used my leftover Sautéed Shishito Peppers and they were stellar diced up and added to this recipe.

Local & Organic Pasture Raised Eggs from Lonely Mountain Farms CA

Another thing I love about this recipe is how easily you can cater to individual preferences. Maybe someone dislikes mushrooms or wants to include every vegetable known to mankind. You can put whatever you want in each muffin cup and everyone will be happy at breakfast. This recipe is equally convenient if your cooking for one or feeding a family of five. This recipe is simple enough that you can easily adjust the ingredients depending on the number of mouths you need to feed.

These Bacon & Egg Baked Breakfast Cups are making breakfast easier than ever! It’s a great way to use leftover veggies or whatever you have at home! So many options!

I’ve experimented with this recipe quite a bit because the first time I made it, the yolks were too hard and the bacon was undercooked. Well that’s just not going to fly. Challenge accepted!

After I line around the muffin tin with a slice of bacon, I bake it in the oven for about 10 minutes to jump-start the cooking process. The bacon takes longer to cook than the eggs so I precook the bacon to end up with a crispy outer shell. I also prefer to scramble each egg individually in a small bowl and add 2 tbsp of whatever ingredient before adding to the muffin tin. I prefer the texture and find everything cooks more evenly if it’s mixed together. This is totally personally preference.

Enjoy! xx

Bacon & Egg Baked Breakfast Cups

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

35 mins

 

Enjoy Bacon & Egg Baked Breakfast Cups this weekend for brunch and then take them to go for breakfast during the week. It's the meal that keeps on giving! Set yourself up for success and don't skip breakfast!

Author: Peony

Recipe type: Breakfast

Serves: 12

Ingredients

• 12 eggs
• 12 slices of bacon (I use applewood smoked)
• 1.5 cups total or 2 tbsp per muffin tin of your desired ingredient(s)
• salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Line each muffin cup with a piece of bacon
3. Put bacon lined muffin tin in the oven and bake for approximately 10 minutes. You want the bacon to look half cooked before adding the eggs.
4. While bacon is in the oven prepare your desired add in ingredient(s) like peppers, mushrooms etc. You should allocate for 1.5 cups total or 2 tbsp per muffin cup.
5. In a small bowl lightly beat 1 egg and add 2 tbsp of desired ingredient(s). Pour egg mixture into bacon lined muffin cup and repeat the process for each egg.
6. Bake for 20 minutes or until done. Everyone likes their eggs cooked differently so take a peak at about the 15 minute mark. They might be done to your liking!

Notes

I served this with a simple cucumber & avocado salad with a Sriracha greek yogurt dressing.

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Enjoy a bowl of Mussels with a White Wine & Fennel Cream Sauce this weekend !

Being from Nova-Scotia, loving shell fish like lobster, scallops and mussels is practically in my DNA.  I recently returned from a blissful vacation back home on the East Coast, where we indulged in all of my favorites.  

Mussels were a staple in my house growing up and I always loved dunking them in garlicky lemon butter. It’s funny how nothing really changed (well maybe my glass of sauvignon blanc). This humble East Coast favorite has continued to be a special dish into my adulthood. It was the first meal I ever made for Rez and whenever I make it at home it brings back happy memories, both old and new.

Fennel lends a sweet licorice flavor to the dish. Don’t worry, it’s not overpowering and the flavor mellows out as it cooks.

At the time I was living in Vancouver and we had been dating long distance for a couple of months. We had met in Hawaii Thanksgiving weekend, had our first date in Montreal on NYE and in January I went to visit him in San Francisco. It was quite the whirlwind! Now it was his turn to come see me in Vancouver and not on buddy pass!

Side note for those of you who are not in the airline industry: Although our career allows us to travel freely and cheaply, long distance relationships can be equally or more taxing on our end. When you fly for a living, doing all of the commuting in a long distance relationship can be draining, especially when it’s not appreciated. It’s a test in a way, to see if they’re willing to put in the work and not ask for the ‘golden ticket’ immediately.

Discard any mussels that don’t open in the cooking process. Important! Don’t forget!

Rez was due to arrive right around lunchtime so I decided to make him an old school favorite of mine; Mussels. They’re easy to make, use few key ingredients and are rather addicting once you sample a few. The broth is really what ties everything together, with thick slices of fresh bread for dipping. This certainly isn’t a fancy dish and that’s part of its glory!

Served best with thick slices of fresh bread. The bread takes it from appetizer to entrée.

We’ve created a tradition of staying in for big nights like Valentines Day or Anniversaries. We get our favorites wine & foods and spend the night at home, instead of going to super crowded and loud restaurants. Don’t get me wrong, I love those places and I’m actually late getting ready to go out for dinner & drinks. But those special nights I like being at home, hidden away from the craziness of the city, with my favorite person in the world, in our own private retreat. We always include mussels in the mix on those special days. One of us always reminding the other of that first home cooked meal together.

Enjoy! xx

Mussels with a White Wine & Fennel Cream Sauce

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

25 mins

 

This East Coast favorite

Author: Peony

Recipe type: Appetizer or Main

Cuisine: Seafood

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 3 pounds mussels, scrubbed and de bearded
• ¼ cup butter, ½ stick
• 1 fresh fennel bulb, thinly sliced
• 2 shallots, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 teaspoons fennel seeds
• ½ bottle dry white wine
• ½ cup heavy whipping cream
• a small handful of flat leaf parsley
• garnish with lemon wedge

Instructions

1. Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium-high heat.
2. Add chopped fennel, shallots, garlic and fennel seeds. Sauté until fennel is tender, about 5 minutes. Add wine and cream and boil until liquid thickens, about 10 minutes.
3. Add mussels. Cover and cook until mussels open, about 5 minutes. Discard any mussels that do not open. Ladle broth overtop and sprinkle with flat leaf parsley.
4. Garnish with lemon wedges and serve with fresh bread!
5. Enjoy!

Notes

Before cooking I always sift through the mussels to check for any damaged and cracked shells.
Once mussels are cooked I discard any mussels that do not open.
I normally serve this family style at home but feel free to separate into individual bowls and ladle the broth overtop.

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This Blueberry Lemon Loaf is a slice of summer

This blueberry lemon loaf is a slice of summer! This was the first time my fiancé and I have ever argued over the last piece of anything! For real. This super light and moist loaf raised the bar for my newbie baking skills. The sweet and tangy combination is addicting and I would serve this recipe at a summer brunch or as a dessert.

MANGANESE, FOUND IN BLUEBERRIES HELP TURN CARBS, FATS AND PROTEINS INTO ENERGY.

I found some super sweet blueberries at the farmers market and bought a ridiculous amount. You would swear I was buying for a family of ten. Where to go from here? Sure, I can freeze them for smoothies later in the year but that doesn’t help me much right now, does it? Who else is all about the instant gratification?

Full disclosure: I’m pretty boring when it comes to enjoying blueberries. I normally just grab a handful in passing or sprinkle them overtop greek yogurt for breakie. What a bore right? I don’t really cook with blueberries and I can’t help but wonder if I suffer from post traumatic stress as a result of my childhood.

We spent a lot of time at our cottage in the summertime and my mom would make my brother and I go deep into the woods to pick blueberries. I hated doing this! We had to cover every inch of our bodies to avoid getting eaten alive by mosquitos and horseflies. For two kids, it felt like we were going to battle. I remember my brother tripping into poison ivy on one occasion and us running straight to our dad, conning him into taking us for ice cream. My mom called picking blueberries ‘fun’ and we called it ‘child labour’. You can be the judge.

A HANDFUL OF BLUEBERRIES WILL HELP WITH YOUR DAILY FIBER INTAKE.

Blueberries are one of the few fruits native to North America. They have the highest antioxidant capacity amongst all fruits and vegetables and freeze incredibly well. Why are antioxidants good for us? They go to battle with the free radicals in our body that damage our DNA and the structure of our cells. Unlike other foods, freezing your blueberries won’t do damage to the antioxidant nutrients. This is great news for those who freeze heaps of blueberries in peak season to use during the winter.

THE GREEK YOGURT IN THIS RECIPE ADDS THE PERFECT TOUCH OF CREAMINESS

The first time I made this Blueberry Lemon Loaf I went a little overboard with the blueberries. I added 2 heaping cups thinking ‘the more the merrier’ but it ended up being too moist and difficult to keep together. I can now attest that more isn’t always merrier, so keep your blueberries to 1 cup.

Remember to let the loaf cool for a good 20 minutes before trying to remove it from the pan. If you’re not in a rush I would suggest letting it cool for even longer. Because it is such a moist and light loaf, it can fall apart if it’s still warm.

I hope you like this Blueberry Lemon Loaf as much as I do!

Enjoy! xx

BLUEBERRIES ARE A GREAT SOURCE OF MANGANESE, WHICH IS IMPORTANT FOR BONE DEVELOPMENT

Blueberry Lemon Loaf

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

60 mins

Total time

1 hour 15 mins

 

Author: livewellbakeoften.com

Recipe type: Dessert

Serves: 12

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour + 1 tablespoon, divided
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• ½ tsp. salt
• ½ cup. oil (coconut, vegetable, or canola)
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup plain greek yogurt (or sour cream)
• Zest & juice of 1 lemon
• 1 cup blueberries
• Lemon Glaze
• ¾ cup confectioners sugar
• 1-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x5 loaf pan with cooking spray and set aside.
2. In a small bowl, toss the blueberries with 1 tablespoon of the flour and set aside (this helps to prevent the blueberries from sinking).
3. In a large bowl, whisk together 2 cups of flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
4. In a separate bowl, mix together the oil, vanilla, eggs, sugar, greek yogurt, lemon zest, and lemon juice.
5. Combine the wet and dry ingredients, just until smooth. Do not over mix or your bread will come out tough.
6. Lightly fold the blueberries into the batter.
7. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and bake for 50-60 minutes. The bread will be finished when a wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
8. Once bread is finished, remove from oven and allow to cool for about 20 minutes in the loaf pan. Remove from loaf pan and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
9. Once bread has cooled, whisk together the confectioners sugar and lemon juice. Start with one tablespoon of lemon juice and whisk well. If your mixture is too thick, slowly add up to one more tablespoon of lemon juice. You want the glaze to be thin enough to drizzle, but thick enough to set up on the bread.
10. Using a spoon, drizzle the glaze on top of the bread. The glaze should harden up a little more after about 15-20 minutes.

Notes

If bread begins to brown too much on the top, tent with aluminum foil. I used some foil for the last 10 minutes of baking.

This is a super moist loaf so let it cool for longer than you usually would another loaf. I made the mistake of attempting to remove it from the pan too early and the cake partially fell apart.

Store in an airtight container on the counter for up to five days. Bread will freeze well for up to two months.

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This Smoked Salmon Benedict with Avocado is gluten-free for my celiac friends!

One thing I absolutely LOVE about living in San Francisco, is how seriously people take brunch! San Franciscans have definitely gotten brunch & day drinking down to a science. Some popular restaurants are only open for brunch, 9am-3pm. It’s so popular they are able to shut their doors in the afternoon and probably laugh amongst themselves at all of the patrons nursing their hangovers with bottomless mimosa’s.

The people watching in these line ups are pretty amusing to say the least! If you were to ask some of these people to wait 3 minutes for an uber, 10 minutes for a drip coffee or behind 3 people at Trader Joe’s; forget it! However,  if you ask them to wait in line for over an hour at their favorite local brunch spot, they will do it with pleasure! I’m touched by the commitment and my fiancé & I partake in brunch shenganigans once a week. On the other day, we enjoy a leisurely brunch at home.

AN INDULGENT BRUNCH YOU DON’T HAVE TO FEEL SUPER GUILTY ABOUT!

Today I was super excited to try a new brunch recipe for the blog! Eggs Benedict is without a doubt my favorite brunch item but it’s pretty unhealthy! I wanted to create a lighter recipe that would still satisfy my craving for this high fat dish. I also opted to make a gluten free benny for my celiac friends out there. Whaaat whaaat!

Smoked Salmon is a great source of healthy oils and fats, dietary protein and iron but like everything else, moderation is key. Even though there are many wonderful benefits of eating smoked salmon, it is rather high in sodium, so don’t eat it all day, everyday. Alright?

Removing the english muffin and swapping it with avocado is such an easy way to get rid of unhealthy carbs. I’m trying to eat less bread these days and the struggle is definitely real, but with this dish I didn’t miss it! This Smoked Salmon Benedict with Avocado was all I dreamed of and more. My fiancé is already asking me to make it again next weekend.

WHO SAYS YOU CAN’T ENJOY RESTAURANT QUALITY FOOD AT HOME?

Please note that this recipe only serves 2 people so keep that in mind when buying your ingredients.

Drizzle my Herbed Crème Fraïche Dressing over top of the benny and enjoy!!

Smoked Salmon Benny with Avocado

 

Print

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

20 mins

 

This is a great low carb & gluten free alternative to Eggs Benedict! Try this recipe at home this weekend!

Author: Peony

Recipe type: Brunch

Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 5 ounce piece of smoked salmon, divided in two pieces
• half an avocado, sliced lengthwise
• 2 eggs, poached
• 2 tsp white vinegar
• 1 tsp salt
• salt & fresh ground pepper, to taste
• 1 tbsp minced chives to garnish

Instructions

1. Add enough water to come 1 inch up the side of a narrow, deep 2-quart saucier.
2. Add 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 2 teaspoons white vinegar and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
3. Meanwhile, crack 1 cold large egg into a small dish or bowl.
4. Use the handle of a whisk or spoon to quickly stir the water in one direction until it's all smoothly spinning around.
5. Carefully drop the egg into the center of the whirlpool. The swirling water will help prevent the white from "feathering," or spreading out in the pan. This 'whirlpool method' only works for 1 or 2 eggs. If you're making a larger batch, do not stir each time you add a new egg.
6. Turn off the heat, cover the pan and leave for 5 minutes. REALLY leave it for 5 minutes. As in don't lift the cover and peak! This will ruin your poached eggs!
7. While eggs are poaching, slice avocado and place 3 flat piece of avocado on a plate.
8. Place a piece of salmon on the avocado.
9. Using a slotted spoon, remove the poached egg from the sauce pan and place on top of the salmon.
10. Top with Herbed Crème Fraïche Dressing and minced chives!
11. Enjoy!
12. Lift it out: Remove the egg with a slotted spoon and serve immediately. Alter
13. Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/perfect-poached-eggs-recipe.html?oc=linkback

Notes

Please use my Herbed Crème Fraïche Dressing to drizzle over the Smoked Salmon Benny. It will not be close to the same without the sauce!

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Drizzle this Herbed Crème Fraîche Dressing over my Smoked Salmon Benedict with Avocado

Lately I’ve  been trying to eat more salads for dinner but am SO bored of the same old recipes. I had some hot house smoked salmon in the fridge and wanted to build a dressing around it. It didn’t take me long to reach for the crème fraîche. Indulgent I know, but a couple of tablespoons really make this dressing something to talk about.

The crème fraîche lends the perfect amount of creaminess to the salmon without being overpowering. The chives & dill add so much flavor and the apple cider vinegar brings a subtle zing!

I’m really happy with how this turned out! This salad dressing just seems fancy and decadent to me. Try this drizzled over my Smoked Salmon Benedict with Avocado for brunch or over your favorite salad for lunch.

This Herbed Crème Fraîche Dressing will keep in the fridge for 2 days so you can try it would a couple of dishes.

Enjoy! xx

Herbed Crème Fraîche Dressing is so quick & easy to whip up!

Herbed Crème Fraîche Dressing

 

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Prep time

5 mins

Total time

5 mins

 

This fresh and flavorful dressing is perfect drizzled over a salad or my Smoked Salmon Benny with Avocado!

Author: Peony

Recipe type: Salad Dressing

Serves: ½ cup

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 tbsp crème fraîche
• 1 tbsp honey
• ½ tsp spicy mustard such as dijon
• 1 scallion, thinly sliced (white and light green parts only)
• 1 tbsp chives, minced
• 1 tbsp dill, minced
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp freshly ground pepper

Instructions

1. Whisk all of the ingredients together and put in the fridge until ready to serve.

Notes

This recipe yields ½ cup dressing and will keep in the fridge for 2 days.

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