Poached BOULDER BLUES Salmon Crostinis

An easy, fun and healthy appetizer to make a party of twenty or two.

Poached BOULDER BLUES Salmon Crostinis

Yields: 12-16 appetizers                 

Cooking with Tea Technique: Poaching

Ingredients:

- 1 whole wheat baguette, 12 -16 crostinis

- 1 lemon, 8 slices 1/4 in thick

- 1 TBS Boulder Blues green tea, loose

- 1 TBS parsley, leaves finely chopped, stems reserved

- 1 TBS tarragon, leaves finely chopped, stems reserved

- 1 shallot, minced

- 1 cup dry white wine

- 1/2 cup water

- 1 lb salmon fillet (1 1/2 in thick), medium diced

- 1/2 cup crème fraiche or sour cream, low-fat 

- 1 TSP Dijon mustard

- 1/2 lemon, juice & zest

- Salt & Pepper to taste

- Garnish: capers

Preparation:

1. Crostinis: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice baguette (1/4 in thick). Place on baking sheet and sprinkle with olive oil, salt & pepper. Bake until edges are golden brown, about 5-6 minutes. Reserve.

2. Arrange lemon slices in a single layer at the bottom of a 10 in skillet. Scatter, Boulder Blues, parsley stems, tarragon stems and 1/3 of minced shallot over lemon sliced. Add wine and water.

3. Lay salmon fillets in the skillet, skinned side down, on op of lemon. Set the pan over high heat and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook until the sides of the salmon are opaque and thickest part registers 125, about 8 10 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Using a spatula, transfer salmon and to a paper towel lined plate. Combine crème fraiche, Dijon, lemon juice & zest.

4. To serve: Spread lemon crème fraiche on crostini. Place salmon on top and sprinkle with finely chopped parsley and tarragon leaves.

5. Garnish with capers.

Daily Rituals

Everybody seems to have some kind of daily ritual. Whether it is working out, eating dinner with the family, kissing a loved one goodnight or taking a bath; a daily ritual is something you do everyday that is a part of you. I know I have few daily rituals and when I don’t do them I feel incomplete that day. My favorite daily ritual is more of luxury then a routine and I do it every morning, mid-morning, noon, mid-afternoon and night. A luxury done at least 5 times a day everyday, your probably asking yourself how could I afford to that, especially in these economical times…Well, on my journey for a healthy living I began to incorporate tea in my daily lifestyle. After awhile I began to recognize how taking time to enjoy a simple and flavorful cup of tea is not only not only healthy but affordable.

Every morning I wake up and steep a big cup of Bolder Breakfast. It has a generous amount of caffeine, about 1/3 the amount of a cup of coffee without the mood swings, jitters and stomach cramps. After teaching an aerobics class, another one of my daily routines, I drink an oolong tea because it helps to increase the metabolic rate and has a little let caffeine then black tea. After lunch I usually make myself a cup of the Green Roasted Mint because the peppermint helps with digestion and the green tea has a little less caffeine then oolong and is a good source of anti-oxidants. My happy hour tea is usually the Meditative Mind, a white with jasmine pearls and rosebuds, this tea not only helps me to unwind but also gives me just a little boost caffeine to help me get through the rest of day. My sleepy-time tea is usually the Red Rocks, a herbal tea blended with vanilla and almonds, this tea not only helps hydrate by body but also quenches my sweet tooth, especially if I add a little soy milk and a touch of agave.

Needless to say, although I drink tea all day long I usually only drink about 120 milligrams of caffeine, which is the equivalent to 1-8oz cup of coffee. And more importantly, I feel so much better. Are you trying to replace your daily cup of coffee with a daily cup of tea? If so, I would like to hear about it and help you with your transition…