Asia Nelson

Hot Ashtanga Flow w Asia @ Moksha Yoga Waterloo

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Beautiful, Bastardized Bechamel

Normally I don’t go all in for the cream sauces, but I have to say - this one is ripping my heart out. It is the perfect balance of subtle and savory, with a waft of white wine balanced with sweet, green grapes.

What you’ll need:

A complete abandonment of any desire to be vegan or incredibly healthy. This is all about flavour and indulgence. Prepare yourself, accept it, and approach without reserve. It’s really not that bad - it’s just a little sinful in parts …

2-4 tbsp of both flour and butter for the roux

2-4 tbsp of butter for the sauce pan

1-2 shallots (if you love shallots, use 2)

12 seedless grapes, washed and sliced in half

A meat/main. I used 4 filets of Ontario Lake Trout, but you can use chicken or even mushrooms.

2oz (minimum) of white wine (I used Riesling)

8 oz fish stock

3 1/2 oz of cream minimum 35% fat (whipping cream)

4 sprigs of fresh parsley, chopped

1 lemon (I love a big slice of lemon, about 1/4 for each of my 4 filets)

Sea salt to taste

Begin by mixing equal parts soft butter and flour, about 2-4tbsps of each (depending on how thick you want your sauce). Mix until it has a toothpaste consistency. This is your roux. Set it aside for now.

Now, butter a sauce pan liberally. Yes, LIBERALLY. Just do it. Heat the pan to a medium temp and when the butter is melted add one or two shallots (depending on how much you want to have that texture and flavour - I used two).

Once your onions are translucent but before they’re brown (‘sweated’), add your dozen seedless green grapes.

Now add your meat/main. I used trout but chicken works, or mushrooms for vegetarians. Once you’re back to a good sizzle, add about 2oz of white wine (I used Riesling). Let that sizzle return and then slowly add about 8oz of fish stock.

Cover (with a cartouche if you know how to make one) and poach gently for 5-10 min (less if you’re not serving right away, so the fish stays slightly undercooked and will be perfect when you heat it next).

Gently remove the meat/main and reduce the sauce to 1/3. One spoonful at a time, add your roux. Do this slowly, as it will take a moment to tell how thick the roux is making your sauce. It should be just thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon while still running off of it (ie not a paste texture). You can’t abandon your sauce at this point - it’s very vulnerable and will tend to get too thick, or ‘curdle’ which is just nasty. Stay close, keep stirring.

When you’ve got the right consistency, now comes the big heavy: Add about 3 1/2 oz of 35% cream. Again with this ingredient, go slowly and watch for when you hit the sweet spot of perfect consistency.

Add sea salt to taste as desired.

Before serving, chop about 4 sprigs of fresh parsley and sprinkle on top. Serve with a freshly cut lemon wedge to act as the perfect acid to the entire dish.

< drooling >

The Best Vegan Burger, Ever. Improved.

A few years ago the Pranababes (graduates of my Pranalife Yoga Teacher Training course) and I did a ‘Thrive in 30’ vegan challenge: for 30 days we ate a vegan diet, informed primarily from Brendan Brazier’s The Thrive Diet. Some of it rocked, some of it didn’t (pancakes got an almost universal thumbs down), but the clear winner of Favourite Recipe was the Almond Flaxseed Burger.

A few days ago I pulled out the recipe and whipped it up, only this time I added two new ingredients that made all the difference. They not only added an extra zip-tang to the taste but made the burger stick together a bit better and be juicier. Here’s the updated recipe - easy, delicious. Enjoy!

Almond Flaxseed Burger: V 2.0

2 garlic cloves

1 cup sliced almonds (you really don’t want to use whole almonds unless you soak them first, or you have a powerful way to blend this concoction)

1/2 cup ground flaxseed (don’t grind these too fine or for too long - the heat can destroy their valuable omega-3 oils. I use my coffee burr grinder, on a semi-coarse setting)

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp coconut oil or hemp oil (I used one of each)

Sea salt to taste

+ 1/4 white onion (be creative - any onion or even a shallot could be great!)

+ 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Add all ingredients into a blender and blend until a ’ raw hamburger’ consistency. Form into patties and either serve raw or (as I prefer) heat them for a few minutes per side in a frying pan. Set on a plate of kale or field greens and top with relish, dijon, ketchup, (fresh onion rings) and a few grilled tomato slices (grilled in olive oil, with salt and pepper added).