Taboule with a Twist

Taboule with a twist

On Saturday I hit killarney with my healthy, tasty morsels. It was The Summer Fest, that time of year again and Sarah O' Brien had decided to facilitate a "pop up market" with artisan foods and crafts in the Outlet Shopping Centre next to the station in Killarney. The weather [this years main topic] was  mixed. Loading up my car huge sheets of rain bounced around me. "Great the shopping centre will be packed, and with all those fantastic events for kids there will be lots of hungry parents looking for that healthy alternative"!  As i drove towards killarney the sun did what we were about to do: it popped up and shone like a real live summer day, fantastic.
Our beautiful healthy food created a stir from the beginning, and what was most popular was the Ten-a-day salad and an unusual Taboule salad made with a mixture of bulghar and wholemeal cous-cous.
The Former is something we have on every one of our markets and the recipe is easily found in The Phoenix Cookbook. The Taboule has a twist away from the classic Lebonese version and is equally good for festive occasions, big picnics and in this case - event markets.
This recipe makes lots, it will keep and is lovely used the next day as a stir fry.

1 mug [200grams] bulghar
1 mug {200grams] wholemeal cous-cous
[in both cases organic if possible]
1 tin chopped tomatoes
1heaped teaspoon vegetable boullion
2 mugs boiling water
1 mug cold water
2 tbs whole cumin
2 tbs Sunflower oil for frying
2 onions, peeled and diced
4 cloves garlic, peeled and diced
2 small chilli, chopped
1 handfull currants or sultanas, chopped
2 sticks celery, diced
1 leek, diced
The Raw Ingredients
10 cherry tomatoes, quartered
1/2 cucumber , diced
1 handfull black olives, chopped
1 bunch spring onions, chopped
1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped
a few sprigs fresh corriander , chopped
The Dressing
juice of 1 lemon
pepper, salt
2 tbs olive oil

This recipe has three sections:
First mix the bulghar, veg boullion, and the boiling water, stir briefly, cover and rest for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile dry roast the cumin seeds in a wok, when hot to touch add the sunflower oil, onion, garlic, chilli, currents and saute until glassy. Add the leek, celery and fry briefly until the veg is barely cooked and remove from the heat.
Add the cous-cous, tinned tomatoes and cold water to the bulgur and then stir in all the cooked ingredients. The flavours will permeate. Cool and rest for about ten minutes.
Finally add all the other raw ingredients including the dressing and rest for one hour before serving.
This salad can be made hours in advance, which will even improve it; however if  the mixture is a little stiff before serving add more dressing or even a dash of cold water. Decorate with edible flowers, toasted seeds and serve with a colourful selection of salads from The Phoenix market stall.

The Power Of Raw Red Hummus

Sprouting is a wonderful way to squeeze every bit of nutrition out of seeds,  grains or pulses. It is so amazing that all you need is water to create a valuable and relatively cheap power food that can be used in salads, sandwiches, stir frys and more.
For this hummus soak the chick peas for about two days, they will begin the sprouting process quite quickly and if you don't want to use them pop them in the fridge where they will keep quite happily for about a week. Simply wash and rinse them every second day.

4 mugs sprouted chick pea
A dash of water
Juice of 2 Lemons
2 - 4 cloves of garlic
1/2 mug olive oil
2 freshly grated beetroot
2 juicy pears, cored and peeled
sprig of parsley, chopped
2 tbs. tahini
A twist of pepper and salt to taste

Place the liquid ingredients and the garlic into a blender and pulse.
Add the chick peas, beetroot, pears and seasoning and pulse until really smooth, you may need a dash more water, depending on the water content of the sprouts. Finally add the tahini.
This is going to be pink and potent. Sometimes I will add a fat red chilli to the blend for - when we like it hot! Now slice up bright orange carrot sticks, some long crunchy celery put your feet up and press PLAY.

Eggs Florentine a la Phoenix

Eggs Florentine [a la Phoenix]
I cook in our commercial kitchen like a house wife. I hate waste and because our bread is usually home made with organic spelt flour I  religiously  bake all the left over bits and make very healthy breadcrumbs.
Of course there are only so many breadcrumbs you can use, especially in a kithchen that is mainly gluten free.
My mum used to make Treacle Tart with hers, oodles of treacle - bread crumbs a handful of oats - all on top of a good rich pastry base; sugary, buttery and lots of calories.
Here is a delicate twist on an old classic and one of our breakfast specials.

1 Teaspoon butter
3 Teaspoons breadcrumbs
2 Leaves chard or perpetual spinach, finely chopped
1 Egg
2 Tablespoons cream
2 Tablespoons grated cheese
Sprinkle of garden fresh herbs -any that are in season
Grate of nutmeg
Twist of pepper
2 Baby tomatoes halved

Melt the butter in a small balti or mini wok .
Add the breadcrumbs and spinach, and gently saute until everything is warm to touch.
Add the egg, making sure the yolk stays whole.
Top with the cream, cheese, pepper, and nutmeg and arrange the tomato halves prettily around the edges.  Cover with a second wok or a piece of tin foil.
Set the timer for 4 minutes and allow to cook slowly.
Check the consistancy of the egg - the egg yolk must be soft and the white cooked; depending on the size of the egg it may need another minute..
Serve with bread soldiers to dip.
As an alternative vegan version: Soak a slice of tofu in tamari or soya sauce to replace the egg and use a little hummus lightly mixed through with  finely chopped spring onion or leek to replace the cheese, drizzle on some soya cream and cook in the same way.

Holistic Open Day @ The Phoenix Restaurant

Last sunday we hosted a Holistic Open Day at The Phoenix. As the restaurant filled up with therapists setting up their displays there was an atmosphere of calmness and anticipation. Who would come to a rural restaurant to talk about - Homeopathy- Sound and Chrystal healing- Herbs for Health- the Raindrop Massage Technique - Reiki - CBT and Tapping for Success? The day brightened and by midday there was enough sun to comfortably seat customers outside and there was already a steady stream of guests.
Each table looked inviting and all the therapists became  busy chatting to interested people.

Viveca magical turf figures
 from the bogs of Kerry 

All through the day there were talks in the original front room of the house,

Susan Browne EFT Tapping for Success-
a technique that is so simple and makes
 you feel good

Ruti Lach Music For Tots and more

During Erina Mc.Sweenies talk on nutrition some  one noted that it is a slow change in food reform and the majority of the people eat very unhealthy fast food. "We are the converted", where are all the other people "  said another. Looking around the lovely room with its original fireplace and cooking crane in place, and remembering that this was the room that twenty one years ago, before we bought the house, had bales of hay and cows wandering in and out; I thought change is inevitble and is happening here and now and  that The Phoenix has risen again.