The theme for this zodiac year is caring. As food prepared with Love has been one of the ways families have shown their caring for each other for centuries, what better way to continue that tradition with recipes to honor each of the new Zodiac Goddesses.
Aries Ewe Goddess
Conscious Chef Donny Frate of St. Helena, CA created these food recipes to herald the transition of the Aries Ram turning over his scepter to the Aries Ewe Goddess.
Lamb with Red Wine and Mushrooms
Donny usually cooks for 7-10 people, so please feel free to adjust any portions or just have delicious leftovers!
1 leg of lamb with no bone cut into 1 to 2 inch cubes
1 yellow or sweet onion diced
1 pound of fresh mushrooms sliced
(Shitake or brown Crimea mushrooms are Donny's favorites)
Olive oil
1 good sized sprig of rosemary
2 to 3 cloves of fresh chopped garlic
1 bottle of decent red wine
(Have some for yourself while you cook)
1 can of beef consomme
Heat a good sized saute pan and add olive oil (notice I didn't say extra virgin; it gets ruined when it gets too hot) and add the lamb a little at a time and brown (10 minutes) add the onions and cook an additional 5 minutes. Add 1-1/2 cups of wine (the rest of the bottle is for you. You are all done chopping so you should be safe). This will deglaze the pan for all that yummy flavor. Add whole can of consommé and reduce the heat to simmer for about 15 minutes. If the liquid gets low, add some water.
While the lamb is simmering, heat up another sauté pan and cook the mushrooms and garlic until soft. Add to the lamb and throw the whole rosemary sprig in the mix for another 5 minutes.
Now I don't thicken this, but you can if you like. Add flour and water mixed with a little of the sauce.
Serve with organic white or brown rice, your favorite vegetable and more wine!
Aries Ewe Goddess Spring Salad Recipe
(Created by Conscious Chef Donny Frate)
1 bag of prewashed spinach (6 oz)
1 red onion sliced thin
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced thin
1 fennel bulb, halved and sliced thinly
1 roasted beet, sliced and diced
1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
5 to 6 oz goat feta cheese.
The dressing is what makes this salad great!
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 6 Meyers lemons (they're a cross between a lemon and an orange)
1 T each, fresh oregano, thyme, rosemary and basil chopped fine
2 cloves of garlic
1/2 tsp black pepper
Donny likes to make the dressing a few hours ahead of time to let the flavors blend. He also makes enough to use on other dishes like orzo pasta salad and grilled chicken.
Taurus Cow Goddess
To herald the passing of the cosmic baton from Taurus the Bull to Taurus the Cow Goddess, Conscious Chef Donny Frate of St Helena, CA created these food recipes.
Cow-a-Bunga
3/4" thick New York cut Steak
Garlic
Salt
2T Crushed Black Pepper
3/4 Cube Butter
Mushrooms
Green Peppercorns
1/2 cup Red Wine
1/2 can of Campbell's Beef Consume
Blue Cheese
Dijon Mustard
Grass fed beef, if you are eating red meat, is the way to go. I get a 3/4 inch thick New York cut, stay away from the steaks that have a gristle line in them unless you are a "well-done meat kind of person", then it doesn't matter.
Coat the steak in a little garlic, salt and 2 tablespoons of crushed black pepper (You can use a coffee grinder for your herbs). Heat the sauce pan and put in a 1/2 cube of butter (MoreCow is a good brand of butter). When butter melts, put the steak in the pan and sear for 3 minutes, flip the steak and continue to cook an additional 2-3 minutes.
Add the fun stuff on the flip; mushrooms, green peppercorns first. Add 1/2 cup good red wine (no cheap stuff). Remove steak after adding the wine. Now add 1/2 can of Campbell's Beef Consume. This is the best Donny knows of. Reduce the sauce down to about a 1/2 inch in the pan. Add a little blue cheese (MoreCow brand), Dijon mustard and 1/4 cube of soft butter, stir continuously until butter is completely dissolved, pour over the top of the steak and enjoy the best damn steak you've ever had (today!)
MMM Good Baked Potato
Russet Potatoes
Butter
Salt
Pepper
Worcestershire Sauce
Scallions
Shredded Cheese
Cow-a-Bunga steak sauce (optional)
Clean up the potato (russets are what Donny uses), coat the skin in a little butter, salt and pepper. Bake for 1 hour in a 350 degree oven.
Remove from oven, let cool for 5 minutes. Slice open the top and squeeze the ends from the bottom toward the middle to open the tater up. Add lots butter, salt, pepper and a little Worcestershire sauce, chopped scallions and your favorite shredded cheese on top.
If you made the Cow-a-Bunga, pour some of the steak sauce over your tater too!
Gemini Twin Goddess
These recipes were created by Gemini Conscious Chef Donny Frate of St. Helena, CA. They are to honor the Gemini Male Twins turning over the cosmic wand to the Gemini Twin Goddesses.
Hummus Dip
2 Artichoke hearts
2 cans organic Garbanzo Beans (Trader Joes has good ones)
2 T Organic Tahini
2-3 Clove Garlic
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes
1/8 cup Kalamara Olives, pitted
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 oz ( 1/2 jar) Roasted Red Peppers (Trader Joes has good ones)
Raw vegetables and/or organic pita chips or organic bread for dipping
Blend garlic, 1/4 cup oil, artichoke hearts, olives, Sun Dried tomatoes, Peppers and Tahini together in a small food processor. Add the Garbanzo beans and puree until smooth!
Use raw vegetables and/or organic pita chips or organic bread for dipping.
Pickled Roasted Beets
Beets (allow 2 per serving)
Salt
Pepper
Olive Oil
Rice Vinegar
Caraway Seeds
Cut beets in half, put on baking sheet, flat side down. Sprinkle with salt & pepper. Drizzle with olive oil and rice vinegar. Roast in oven for 1 hour at 350 degrees, let cool. Slice and put into serving dish. Add 1/2 cup rice vinegar. Add toasted caraway seeds.
