Herbed Salmon Turmeric

Turmeric is a favourite spice in my house. Can you tell from the beat up old label on the spice jar?

A member of the ginger family, turmeric has been recognised for its health benefits for generations in South Asia. And its power as an anti-oxidant has been investigated in medical studies in the United States in recent years. Read more about turmeric…

I use it in all sorts of things - from curry to salad dressing to scrambled eggs. It gives them a bright orange colour and an earthy, peppery flavour. Mr. PL even sprinkles it on popcorn.

Herbed Salmon Turmeric was a recipe I made up to make use of some leftover potatoes. It was even better than I thought it would be, given that it had so few ingredients and was so easy to make.

I had some nice fresh baby bok choy.

And I was lucky that a generous gardener had just shared a huge bunch of fresh herbs.

Herbed Salmon Turmeric
Serves 2

2 boneless, skinless salmon fillets, chopped into large chunks
4 medium potatoes
2 cups mixed fresh herbs, chopped (chives, oregano, basil, green onions and radish greens)
1 cup baby bok choy, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 teaspoon of turmeric
a few shakes of garlic salt
fresh ground black pepper
2 Tablespoons olive oil + more as needed

Cook potatoes - bake them, boil them - however you choose. I started with leftovers. Cut potatoes into cubes and set aside. In a large frying pan heat the olive oil and add the onions, stirring often and cooking until soft and translucent. Add the salmon and potatoes and turmeric, cooking on medium heat until the salmon is cooked through. Add more oil if needed and add the baby bok choy and herbs. Sautée until greens are wilted and salmon and potatoes are browned. Season with garlic salt and black pepper.

In the pan...

And on the plate...

Green Eyed Monster Cookies

Guaranteed Smiles....

There is a place in Toronto that is guaranteed to put a smile on the face of anyone who visits.  We discovered it one evening in the middle of last winter. Looking for somewhere to grab a little dessert, we were sad to see that most of the little bakeries in the area had closed at 6 p.m. But then we saw the warm glow of a light on, a door opening onto the frozen street, and we ducked inside a little bake shop.

We were initially a bit disappointed. There seemed to be very little on offer, except a few cookies in the front showcase. But our sweet tooth needed satisfying, so we were mulling over the choices when an employee appeared and asked "Is this your first time here? Let me tell you how it works..."

Sweet Flour Bake Shop is a magical place. The concept is "bake your own cookie" and it's brilliantly executed. It seems so simple and yet so ingenius at the same time. You choose your cookie dough then you choose two mix-ins from a selection of brightly coloured candies, nuts, dried fruit, and chocolate pieces. And then the best part - the warm fresh cookie is baked and in your hands in only 2 minutes.

My first time there I chose what has since become my all time favourite cookie. I picked oatmeal dough with toffee bits (little pieces of Skor bar) and pistachios. I was even asked to name it for their wall, calling it "The Green Eyed Monster." The pistachios look like green eyes, the melted toffee gets really gooey and spread out - looks like a monster to me - and I like to think that everyone else is jealous of my delectable cookie :) It's a fantastic little shop. It's a great place to bring friends, the prices are reasonable and the whole experience is just a lot of fun. (Please note: Sweet Flour didn't offer me free cookies or anything to post this...I just like it there...)

That being said, sometimes you just need to bake some cookies at home. Which is why I ran out and bought a truck load of toffee bits from a bulk food store. I've made Green Eyed Monster cookies several times now, but to change it up I've also posted a slight variation on the recipe which I made recently (shelled unsalted pistachios are not always available at regular grocery stores). Toffee Almond Oatmeal Cookies are also delicious and they're the cookies pictured below. (Please note: This is my own regular oatmeal cookie recipe - I don't have Sweet Flour's...)

Green Eyed Monster Cookies
Makes about 30

1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup whole wheat flour
1 cup rolled oats
½ teaspoon of sea salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup lightly packed dark brown sugar
1 large egg
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
½ cup plain yogurt
½ cup toffee bits
¾ cup shelled unsalted pistachios, chopped coarsly

Preheat oven to 350.
Combine flours, oats, salt and baking soda in a bowl. Set aside.

Put butter and sugar into large bowl and mix on medium speed of electric mixture until pale. Add egg and vanilla and beat until light and moussy. Fold in yogurt. Add flour mixture and stir until combined. Stir in toffee bits and pistachios.

Drop dough in 1 ½ inch balls onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake cookies until lightly golden brown and set, about 12-13 minutes. Cool on sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a plate to cool completely. Store in air tight containers or freeze.

Or, you could just eat them.

Toffee Almond Oatmeal Cookies
Make the recipe as above, but substitute ¾ cup natural slivered almonds for pistachios.

Start with this...

Which turns into this...

Add some of this...

And you get these!