Superfood recipes from local chefs
Boost your health from the inside out with these tasty dishes.
Eat good, look good, feel good
Chef Mark Emerson shares a healthy recipe from the Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa wellness menu.
Roasted organic salmon with red quinoa
Ingredients
6 ounces salmon
3/4 ounce of red quinoa
1 1/2 ounces peas
1/2 ounce radish shavings
3/4 ounce walnuts
1/2 ounce dijon mustard
2 tablespoons mint pesto (recipe below)
3/4 ounce of butter
A few leaves of affilla cress (garnish)
Directions [1] Marinate the salmon with salt, pepper, lemon juice, and dijon mustard. [2] Sear skin side down to achieve crispy skin; finish in the oven. [3] Cook the red quinoa in boiling water until tender. Add the peas, radish shavings and lemon juice. Mix with mint pesto (save some for garnish). [4] Place the quinoa mixture in the center of the plate. Add the salmon on top of it. [5] Garnish with the affilla cress and toasted walnuts. Drizzle some mint pesto around the plate.
Ingredients (mint pesto)
1 1/2 ounces mint pesto
3/4 ounce pine nuts
3 ounces olive oil
1 ounce of parmesan
Directions [1] Add all ingredients in a blender except for olive oil. [2] Start blending and slowly add olive oil until it is a smooth puree. Reserve in a refrigerator until use.
Salad from “Chopped” judge Marc Murphy
New York City-based chef and restaurateur Marc Murphy has been cooking for over 30 years. Murphy is a judge on Food Network’s top-rated shows, “Chopped” and “Chopped Junior,” and has appeared on “Guy’s Grocery Games,” “Beat Bobby Flay” and the “Rachael Ray” show among others. He is in town for the Chamber Ball on Feb. 1 and was kind enough to share this awesome kale salad recipe.
Kale salad
Ingredients (Serves 4)
1/4 cup slivered almonds
2 bunches Tuscan kale (also called lacinato,
cavolo nero, or dinosaur kale)
1/2 cup Castelvetrano olives, pitted and chopped
1 shallot, minced
Juice of 1/2 lemon, plus more as needed
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons (4 ounces) fresh goat cheese, crumbled
Directions [1] In a small, dry skillet, toast the almonds over low heat, shaking the pan occasionally, until golden brown and fragrant, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer the almonds to a small plate. [2] Trim the bottom 2 inches off the kale stems and discard. Cut the kale, including the ribs, into 3/4-inch-wide ribbons (you should have 8 to 10 cups) and place in a large bowl. [3] Add the toasted almonds, olives, shallot, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste, and drizzle lightly with olive oil. Toss everything to combine. Taste and adjust the seasonings, adding more lemon juice if desired. [4] Divide the salad among four bowls, top each portion with 1 tablespoon of the goat cheese, and serve.
Salmon that’s up to par
Wild-caught salmon is one of the healthiest foods in the world, and when prepared correctly, it’s one of the tastiest fish in the sea. Chris Carge, the executive chef at Poseidon, shared his method for salmon over ancient grains, using par-cooked vegetables. The par-cooked term is used in the restaurant industry to describe partially cooked foods that are finished later. The technique allows foods to be quickly heated prior to serving. Since the second reheat finishes the cooking process, foods come out perfect — not overcooked like reheated leftovers.
Bronzed salmon over ancient grains
Ingredients
1 cup of grain blend (our ancient grains include brown rice, wheat berries, faro, spelt and pearled barley)
Kosher salt
2 pieces of your favorite salmon
1/2 cup blackened spices
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup olive oil
Par-cooked broccoli
Par-cooked squash
Roasted kale
Par-cooked cauliflower
2 ounces jumbo lump crab
Directions [1] Mix the blackened spices with the brown sugar and heat the oven to 400 degrees. [2] In a heavy bottom saucepot, add 1 cup of grains, 2 cups of water, a pinch of salt and set over high heat. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. [3] Cover with lid and cook until all liquid is absorbed and grains are tender. Remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes. [4] Heat two sauté pans on medium heat. Add 4 tablespoons of olive oil to each. In one, add all the par-cooked vegetables with a pinch of kosher salt. Sauté for 3 minutes. [5] Take your salmon and dredge one side of it in the sugar spice mix. In the other sauté pan, add the salmon fillets. Sauté for 2 minutes then put pan in the oven for 2 minutes to finish cooking. [6] While salmon is finishing in the oven, toss the grains with the sautéed vegetables and put onto the center of the plate. [7] Remove the salmon from the oven. Keep the crust side up and place on top of the grain and vegetable mixture. Place 1 ounce of the crabmeat on top of fish. Drizzle the rest of the olive oil around the plates. Serve and enjoy!
How to par cook your veggies [1] Add salt to a pot of boiling water. [2] Fill a large bowl with ice water. [3] Boil vegetables until soft. [4] Strain, then drop into the ice water to stop the cooking process. [5] Once the vegetables have cooled, strain and use as needed.
Smooth move
If you don’t have time for breakfast, this smoothie recipe shared by TidePointe executive chef Jim McLain is a quick, easy and healthy way to start your day. People trying to lose weight often skip breakfast but end up snacking between meals. The maca powder, flax seed and banana in this concoction offer many nutritional benefits, and can help you feel full until the lunch bell rings.
Morning Thunder Smoothie
Ingredients
1 tablespoon maca powder
1 tablespoon flax seed
1 banana
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2 tablespoon ginger powder
6 ounces oat milk
1 dash ground cinnamon (topping)
Directions Blend all ingredients (except cinnamon) and pour into your favorite mug or travel cup. Finish with a dash of ground cinnamon.
Orange you glad?
Tumeric has been used for thousands of years as a spice and medicinal herb in India. It has been used to treat inflammatory conditions, skin diseases, wounds, digestive ailments, liver conditions and depression.
No grain, no gain
As the name implies, ancient grains date back thousands of years. They fell out of fashion over the years, making way for higher yield (and higher profit) crops such as wheat and corn. Thankfully, they’re making a comeback in kitchens across the country. Chef Pascal Vignau at Vineyard Bluffton offered this sophisticated ancient grain risotto with charred avocado and red beet straws.
Ancient grain risotto, charred avocado & arugula salad
Ingredients (Serves 4)
3 ounces farro
3 ounces green lentils
3 ounces Sea Island peas
3 ounces quinoa
2 tablespoons shallots, chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 large avocado, charred
1 arugula, small bag
1 red beet, small
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 tablespoons feta cheese, crumbled
Fresh arugula
Directions [1] Cook all grains separately in salted boiling water until soft or to your taste. Remove and strain all in the same strainer. [2] In a sauté pan, place shallots and cream, add all grains and warm up slowly. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook until creamy consistency. Add more cream if necessary.
Charred avocado: Cut avocado in four equal segments. Place on a metal sheet pan or stainless-steel sheet. Using a blow torch, apply flame to the fruit until charred black to your liking. Cut into big chunks. Red beet straw: Remove the green top from the beet. Rinse under running water to remove any dirt. Leave skin on. Set your Mandoline to flat cut. Slice the beet to the thinnest slice possible. Stack the slices and Julienne cut the stack to ultra-thin. Place in cold water to keep crisp. Arugula salad: Place arugula in a small bowl with red beet straw. Add olive oil and lemon juice. Mix well. Salt and pepper to your taste.
Assembly Scoop the risotto in a serving bowl. Top with seasoned arugula, beet straw, avocado, feta and serve.
Have a soup-erb day!
Feeling the cold? Put on your coziest PJs and fuzzy slippers, grab your favorite blanket and boost your immune system with a big bowl of this delicious and nutritious soup from the team at Michael Anthony’s Cucina Italiana.
Michael Anthony’s Cucina Italiana
Ginger, carrot & sweet potato soup
Ingredients
4 tablespoons coconut oil
1 small onion, diced
1 medium garlic clove, minced
2 teaspoons ginger, freshly grated
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
5 cups chicken broth
1 cup coconut milk
1 medium lime, juiced
1/2 cup chopped parsley
Directions [1] Heat the coconut oil in a Dutch oven or saucepan. Add the onions, garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. [2] Add the sweet potatoes, carrots and seasonings; stir until coated and add the broth. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.[3] Transfer the soup to a blender and blend until smooth, pureeing in batches if necessary. Pour soup back into the pot and add the coconut milk and lime juice. Simmer until heated and serve garnished with the chopped parsley.
The power of ginger
Ginger is a common folk treatment for upset stomach and nausea. Certain chemical compounds in fresh ginger also help your body ward off germs and helps keep viruses at bay. Ginger’s antibacterial power may also brighten your smile by keeping oral bacteria from growing.
