CategoriesMain Dish

Enchiladas with Baklouti Chili Sauce

The highlight of these enchiladas is the sauce! Once you make your own sauce, going back to the canned variety should no longer be an option. What makes this sauce great is that the extra virgin olive oils already come with the chili flavors. Baklouti Chili olive oil gives the sauce a nice heat with a fresh chili pepper taste while the chipotle olive oil adds a subtle smokiness. If you like spice, by all means use only Baklouti chili olive oil! Feel free to double the sauce recipe when more is needed. Filling is pretty simple and can be made with or without meat.

Enchiladas

What you’ll need:

Sauce:

1 tablespoon Baklouti chili extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons Chipotle extra virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons all-purpose, unbleached flour

1 8 oz. can of Muir Glen organic tomato sauce

1 1/2 cup vegetable stock

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon sea salt or to taste

Enchiladas:

1 green pepper, chopped small

1 red pepper, chopped small

1 small red onion, chopped fine

1 15 oz. can black beans, drained

1 lb. ground turkey or beef (optional)

1 teaspoon garlic power

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

6 – 7 flour tortillas

1 1/2 cup Mexican cheese blend

Here’s how:

Sauce:

In a small sauce pan, heat the Baklouti chili and chipotle olive oils on medium heat. Whisk in the flour, garlic, cumin, paprika, oregano and sea salt. Allow it to slightly bubble and cook for about 2 minutes. Then whisk in the tomato sauce, and then the vegetable stock until the sauce thickens. If needed, add more salt to taste. There you have it. Enchilada sauce!

Enchilada filling:

Heat olive oil in a large pan. Brown ground meat with the onions and peppers while adding the garlic powder and salt. Drain the fat from the cooked meat. Mix in the black beans and cumin.

Enchiladas:

Preheat oven to 375°F. Pour about 1/3 cup of the enchilada sauce in a 9 x 13 inch baking dish and spread until the bottom is coated. Grab a flour tortilla and place some of the filling (about 1/2 cup) on to the tortilla. Then wrap one side of the tortilla over the other side. Place the seam side down on to the baking dish. Continue with the rest of the tortillas. Pour the enchilada sauce evenly over the wrapped tortillas allowing the edges to peak out. Then sprinkle on the cheese. Bake it in the oven for about 20 minutes until cheese is melted and golden brown. Remove it from the oven and allow it to cool for about 5 minutes. Garnish with cilantro. Enjoy!

CategoriesMain Dish

Caramelized Onion and Mushroom Chicken

What you’ll need:

1 1/2 pounds free-range, boneless skinless chicken thighs or breast tenders.

1 large sweet onion sliced thin

8 oz. assorted wild mushrooms, sliced

4 inch fresh thyme, stem discarded

1/4 cup Traditional Balsamic

2 tablespoons of fruity-floral Hojiblanca, Picual, or Koroneiki, or Wild Mushroom Sage olive oil

1/2 cup heavy cream

sea salt & fresh ground pepper to taste

Here’s how:

Season the chicken on both sides liberally with salt and pepper. Add the olive oil to a pan or cast iron skillet and allow it to heat for a minute over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and saute for a few minutes until golden brown on both sides. Remove the chicken to a plate and reserve. Add the onions to the drippings in the pan. Cook for about five minutes, stirring frequently until the onions become a soft golden brown. Add the mushrooms. Saute for approximately three more minutes over medium high heat until the mushrooms are browned and slightly caramelized. Add the fresh thyme leaves and balsamic to the mushrooms and onions, de- glazing the pan by scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Cook to reduce for a minute. Add the cream and stir to combine. Add the reserved chicken. Allow the pan to come to a simmer. Cook for another two minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce thickens. Season generously with sea salt and fresh ground pepper. Serve over pasta, rice, or cooked whole grains.

CategoriesMain Dish Sides Vegetables

Harvest Bowl

We’re calling this the Harvest Bowl. It includes the wonderful abundance available in the fall such as winter squash, brussel sprouts, dried cranberries, and pumpkins seeds. We used acorn squash in this recipe but any winter squash may be used. We roasted the squash and brussel sprouts in butternut squash seed oil and finished the dish with it, along with the Neapolitan herb dark balsamic vinegar. It makes a great side dish or a main meal.

What you’ll need:

2 cups Brown Rice, cooked

2 cups Quinoa, cooked

2 pounds Brussels Sprouts, cut in half

1 Acorn Squash, cut and cleaned with skin

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

1/4 cup Dried Cranberries + 2 tablespoons for sprinkling

2 tablespoons Butternut Squash Seed Oil + more for drizzling

Neapolitan Herb Balsamic Vinegar for drizzling

Sea salt

Here’s how: 

Preheat oven to 400°. On a large baking sheet, add brussels sprouts on one side of the sheet and the squash on the other side. Add butternut squash seed oil and sea salt and then mix until well coated. Roast it in the oven for about 30 minutes. In a large bowl, mix together brown rice, quinoa, brussels sprouts, and dried cranberries. Add salt to taste. Lay the roasted squash around and on top of the mixture. Sprinkle on the pumpkin seeds and cranberries. Drizzle with butternut squash seed oil or roasted pumpkin seed oil and Neaopolitan herb balsamic.

CategoriesMain Dish Vegetables

Spicy Salmon Kebabs

These spicy salmon kebabs are inspired by the flavors of the Carribean with the combination of our Cayenne Chile agrumato extra virgin olive oil, fresh ginger, garlic, thyme, and honey. Whole cayenne chile peppers and olives are crushed together to make this exquisite spicy olive oil. Any one of our other spicy extra virgin olive oils will work just as well; chipotle, harissa, or baklouti chili. Not a fan of fish? Use chicken, beef, or tofu. Pair together with pineapple coconut couscous and you’ll have a Carribean inspired meal!

What you’ll need:

Marinade:

4 tablespoons Cayenne Chile Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 lemon, juiced

1 tablespoon honey

1 garlic clove, minced

1 teaspoon thyme

1 teaspoon ginger, roughly chopped

1 teaspoon sea salt

Salmon Kebabs:

1 pound wild caught salmon, boneless, cut into cubes

1 red pepper, cut into chunks

1 yellow pepper, cut into chunks

1 orange pepper, cut into chunks

2 small zucchinis, sliced into rounds

1 medium red onion, cut into chunks

wooden skewers

Here’s how:

For the marinade, whisk all the ingredients in a small bowl. In a shallow dish, add salmon and vegetables. Pour the marinade over the salmon and vegetables and mix until well combined. Allow it to marinade for 15 to 30 minutes. Add salmon and vegetables to skewer, alternating until the skewer is full. On a hot preheated grill or cast iron grill pan place the skewers down. Reduce heat to medium/medium high. Allow it to cook and occasionally turn until it’s nicely cooked through. Enjoy it with our Pineapple Coconut Cousous recipe.

CategoriesAppetizers

Baked Feta Tomato Medley

The baked feta and tomato medley is a fantastic summer dish because it’s a great way to show off the numerous tomato varieties available in the summer. Not only that, it’s a carefree recipe that anyone can make. Rosemary and thyme give it a nice earthy rustic flavor, and a robust extra virgin olive oil help to bring out the flavors. Use any tomato variety; whether it’s from your garden, local farmer’s market, or even the grocery store, it does not matter. You can add more herbs, use less garlic, add more olives, whatever inspires you.

What you’ll need:

1 lb. block of feta, sheep’s milk recommended

6 cups of tomatoes, multiple variety

1/2 cup of green olives, non-oil cured, cut in half

Cloves of one garlic, peeled

3 tablespoons Robust Intensity Extra Virgin Olive Oil, plus more for drizzling

2 tablespoons Traditional Balsamic

3 – 4 rosemary sprigs

5 – 6 fresh thyme

1/2 teaspoon sea salt or to taste

Fresh ground pepper

Here’s how:

Preheat oven to 375°.

Cut feta in 1/4 inch slices and lay on large baking sheet, leaving about an inch space between each slice. Slice smaller tomatoes in half, quarter the larger tomatoes, and place in a large bowl. Add olives and garlic cloves to the tomatoes. Remove and roughly chop the leaves from the rosemary and remove thyme leaves by sliding leaves down the stem. Then add rosemary and thyme to the bowl. Add olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Mix all the ingredients until well combined. Add the tomato mixture in between and on top of the feta allowing a portion of the feta to remain uncovered.

Place in preheated oven and bake for about 30 minutes. It’s done when feta is slightly golden brown on top. Drizzle on some more olive oil and enjoy with a fresh loaf of crusty Italian bread!

Find this recipe on Pinterest!

CategoriesMain Dish

Lemon Thyme Chicken & Potatoes

Lemon, thyme, garlic, and a medium intensity extra virgin olive oil are mixed together, adding an earthy, lemony flavor to the chicken and potatoes.

What you’ll need:

1.5 lbs chicken breast

1.5 lbs small red potatoes

1 large onion

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil (medium intensity)

2 lemons, one for juicing and other for slicing

5 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablepoons dried thyme

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

salt & pepper to taste

Here’s How:

Preheat oven to 400°. Cut chicken breast into cubes and place in a large bowl. Then cut small red potatoes in half, slice an onion, and add to the chicken.  In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper. Then add the mixture to the chicken and potatoes. Stir until everything is well coated. If desired, add more salt and pepper and stir. Pour mixture in a 9 x 13″ backing dish and spread it out evenly. Slice a lemon and add each slice in between the chicken and potatoes. Bake in oven for about 45 minutes until chicken is cooked through and potatoes turn a golden brown. Enjoy with a spring mix salad!

*See video for a visual.

CategoriesMain Dish Sides

Tuscan Bean Bake

As the weather cools, one pot meals are the way to go because you can easily just add all the ingredients together at once and just let it cook. This Tuscan Bean Bake recipe is just one of those dishes. It can be made as a side dish or as the main meal with a nice warm loaf of crusty bread. This recipe also calls for a dutch oven, but if you don’t have one, a large baking dish is fine too. You’ll just need to use aluminum foil to cover the beans. I believe that dutch ovens make the food taste better so it’s well worth the investment. The cheese is entirely optional and bread crumbs mixed with olive oil may be substituted as a topping.

What you’ll need: 

1 pound bag of cannellini beans

3 leeks

5 cloves of garlic

3 tablespoons So Olive Tuscan Herb Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 tablespoons thyme, dried

1 tablespoon oregano, dried

4 cups vegetable broth

Sea salt to taste

1 cup mozzarella, shredded (optional)

1/4 cup parmesan (optional)

Here’s how:

Soak beans for at least 4 hours or overnight in a large bowl of cold water. After beans have soaked, drain the water.

Preheat oven to 225°F. Trim the the dark green tops of the leeks and discard.  Cut leeks in half and rinse out any dirt between the white layers of the leeks. Then thinly slice the leeks. Mince the garlic. I use a garlic press. In a dutch oven, sauté the leeks and garlic until leeks are softened. Then add the soaked beans, thyme, oregano, vegetable broth, and sea salt. Place lid on dutch oven and place on third lower rack of oven. Bake for 3.5 hours. In between check on the beans to see how much water has absorbed. Add a 1/2 cup of water if needed. Once the beans have cooked through and water has absorbed take beans out of the oven.

In the mean time, increase the oven temperature to 450°F. Add the cheese, then place the dutch oven without the lid back into the oven for about 15 minutes until cheese is slightly brown. Then take it out of the oven. It’s ready to eat. Goes great with a slice of crusty bread and a garden salad.