And we all settled in for a nice winter’s lunch…. This recipe is from St. Francis restaurant in Phoenix.

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 large leeks (chopped into large chunks)
• 1 large onion, large dice
• Salt to taste
• 1 large head cauliflower, separated into florets (discard core) and rough chopped
• Water
• 1 cup cream
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, fresh, leaves picked
• 2 dashes Tabasco
• Salt to taste
• Cracked pepper to taste
• 1 lemon juiced, to taste

Sweat onion and leek in butter for 8-10 minutes. Season with salt.

Add cauliflower, and water to cover. Add thyme and cream. Cook until cauliflower smashes against side of pan about 15-20 minutes.

Puree, and you can pass through strainer if desired.

Add Tabasco and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.

Ideas for garnish:

Capers, re-hydrated golden raisins

Caper raisin emulsion

Three colored cauliflower small florets, blanched

Chives

Croutons

Serves 8

This casserole features fish and lots of vegetables sprinkled with olive oil. Mediterranean dishes are receiving a lot of attention these days as this type of diet is said to be very good for your health. This recipe was featured in Family Circle magazine.

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound small white potatoes, cut into quarters (pieces should be small)
• 2 large Italian frying peppers, thinly sliced
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
• 4 3/4 inch-thick U.S. Pacific-caught cod or halibut fillets, about 5 ounces each (tilapia works well)
• 1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped
• 2 plum tomatoes, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch wedges
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease an oval 2-quart casserole dish with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Spread potatoes and peppers over bottom of the dish. Season with 1/8 teaspoon each of the salt and pepper. Bake at 400 degrees F for 35 minutes or until potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally.

Scatter garlic over potatoes and peppers. Season fish with remaining 1/8 teaspoon each salt and pepper and place on top of the potatoes. Distribute olives and tomatoes over the casserole. Drizzle with lemon juice and remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Sprinkle with parsley.

Bake at 400 degrees F for 25 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.

Serves 4

Super Bowl Sunday is synonymous with bad snacking. Here’s a healthy spread to serve with fresh cut up vegetables as a great alternative to the usual lineup. This recipe is from Heidi Swanson’s Super Natural Every Day.

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 2 cups cooked white beans (or 1 15 oz. can, rinsed and drained)
• 3/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
• Fine-grain sea salt
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus more if needed
• 1/4 to 3/4 cup hot water
• Grated zest of 1/2 lemon
• Whole grain crackers and cut up vegetables: carrots, zucchini, peppers, cucumbers, celery, etc.

In a small saucepan combine the olive oil, rosemary and garlic. Over medium-low heat, slowly warm the mixture until the oil just barely starts to sizzle, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside for 10 minutes. Pour the oil through a strainer and discard the garlic and rosemary bits.

In a food processor, combine the beans, two-thirds of the almonds, a scant 1/2 teaspoon salt, the lemon juice, and two-thirds of the rosemary oil. Pulse a couple of times to bring the ingredients together. Add the water 1/4 cup at a time (you won’t need much if using canned beans), pulsing all the while, until the mixture is the consistency of thick frosting. You might not need all the water; it really depends on how starchy your beans are and how thick you’d like the spread to be. Taste and adjust with more lemon juice or salt, if needed.

Scoop the spread into a small serving dish and make a few indentations in the top. Sprinkle with the lemon zest and the remaining almonds and drizzle with the remaining rosemary oil. Serve with the crackers and veggies.

• 4 large artichokes
• 2 lemon, quartered
• 1-1/2 cups olive oil
• 8 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper

Fill a large bowl with cold water. Squeeze the juice from one lemon wedge into the water. Trip the tops from the artichokes, then cut in half lengthwise, and place halves into the bowl of lemon water to prevent them from turning brown.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, preheat an outdoor grill at medium-high heat.

Add artichokes to boiling water, and cook for about 15 minutes. Drain. Squeeze the remaining lemon wedges into a medium bowl. Stir in the olive oil and garlic, and season with salt and pepper.

Brush the artichokes with a coating of the garlic dip, and place them on the preheated grill. Grill the artichokes for 5 to 10 minutes, basting with a dip and turning frequently, until the tips are a little charred. Serve immediately with the remaining dip.

Serves: 4

• Lemons (squeezed) - 24
• Sugar - ½ cup
• Mint (diced fine) - 1/4 cup
• Honey - 1 tbsp

Mix and serve on the rocks!