Category Archives: Recipes

Baked Peppers and Baby Tomatoes

Posted on June 22, 2012 | Leave a comment

I just love creating a menu that is as colorful as it is tasty.  We’re so fortunate to have year-round access to all the bright and vibrant vegetables. Remember, the more color on your plate the higher the antioxidant value of your meal.

Fresh Vegetables

With warm weather upon us, dishes that can be served warm or cool are welcome.

I adapted this recipe from the Naked Chef.  It’s a showy side dish to serve beside grilled meats or pasta and can be easily transported to a picnic table. The colors make a lovely addition to your summertime dining table.

Recipe

  • 4 organic peppers, red and yellow
  • Sea Salt and Black Pepper
  • 35 – 40 organic cherry tomatoes
  • 1/4 c. fresh marjoram
  • 1/4 c. fresh basil
  • 4 organic garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 2 Tbs. whole wheat or gluten-free bread crumbs
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar

tomatoes

Preheat oven to 400ºF.

Cut peppers in half and remove seeds. Place in a lightly oiled baking dish and season with a little salt and pepper.

Cut a small slit in each cherry tomato and drop in boiling water  for about 45 seconds.  Run cold water over them as you peel them.

Toss them gently with the herbs, garlic and bread crumbs, and divide them among peppers, placing them in the cavities.

photo credit: Naked Chef

Drizzle with oil, and cook in oven for 15 minutes lightly covered with aluminum foil, then remove foil and continue to bake for 30 minutes.

Take out of the oven and sprinkle with the vinegar.

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South of the Border Chicken Salad

Posted on June 18, 2012 | Leave a comment

Warm weather calls for cool dishes.  This is a favorite to serve at a picnic lunch, or outdoor get together.

You can prepare the chicken a day ahead. I adapted the Capital Chicken Salad recipe, courtesy of the National Chicken Council, to fit with a healthier diet plan by removing the sour cream and modifying the sweeteners called for.

South of the Border Chicken  Salad

Makes 4 servings.

  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
  • Tangy Marinade (recipe follows)
  • 1 c. garbanzo beans, drained
  • 4 Tbs. chopped green chilies
  • 2 avocados, peeled, diced
  • 2 medium tomatoes, cored, seeded, diced
  • 1 head Romaine lettuce, cut in thin strips
  • 1/2 c. Spicy Lime Dressing (recipe follows)
  • 28 blue corn tortilla chips
  • 4 tsp. soft tofu, blended till smooth with 1 tsp. lemon juice
  • 4 Tbs. bottled tomato salsa

Place chicken in Marinade and refrigerate about 4 hours.

On prepared grill, cook chicken about 10 minutes, turning once, or sauté in heavy fry pan lightly sprayed with olive oil.

In large bowl, mix together garbanzo beans, chilies, avocados, tomatoes, lettuce and Spicy Lime Dressing; gently toss.

On individual plates or bowls, arrange 6 tortilla chips around edge with portion of salad mixture in center. Cut each chicken breast half into 4 or 5 strips and place on top with l tortilla chip in center topped with 1 teaspoon Tofu cream and l Tbs. salsa.

Tangy Marinade:
In blender, place:

1 1/2 c. fresh pineapple juice, 2 Tbs. honey, 1 Tbs. sesame oil, 1/2 c. cider vinegar, 4 cloves garlic, 4 Tbs. ground chili, 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander and 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin.

Blend until smooth.

Spicy Lime Dressing:

LimeGarlic...
In blender, place

  • 1/2 clove garlic
  • 1/2 shallot
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground chili
  • 2 Tbs. red wine vinegar
  • 2- 1/2 Tbs. fresh lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 3/4 teaspoon pureed Ancho chili
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon pepper

Process on medium speed, slowly adding ½ c. extra virgin olive oil.

Enjoy!

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Chicken with 40 Garlic Cloves

Posted on June 16, 2012 | 4 Comments

There is probably no need to ramble on about the wonderful benefits of including garlic in one’s diet, so I will just add that…

Garlic has been found to be most advantageous in the prevention of esophageal, stomach, and colon cancers. It also may play a role in prostate, breast, and lung cancer.

It’s best to add garlic at the tail end of your recipes, since over-cooking robs it of its health benefits.

The garlic in this recipe mellows as it roasts, imbuing the finished sauce with a subtle flavor. I have reserved 10 of the cloves to add in the last 10 minutes of cooking for the reason stated above.

Accompany the chicken with Root Vegetable Puree and Steamed Green Beans.

 Serves 8

  •  2 organic free-range chickens, each 4 lb., cut into 8 serving pieces
  • Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
  • 3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 40 garlic cloves, peeled
  • 1 Tbs. minced fresh rosemary
  • 1 Tbs. minced fresh thyme
  • Zest of 2 lemons
  • 1 c. chicken stock
  • 3 Tbs. unsalted organic butter, at room temperature, cut into pieces

Preheat an oven to 400°F.

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. In a wide Dutch oven over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Working in batches, brown the chicken, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.

Add 30 garlic  cloves to the pan and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the chicken, rosemary, thyme and lemon zest and stir to combine. Cover the pan, transfer to the oven and roast for 20 minutes.

Baste the chicken with the accumulated juices. Continue roasting, uncovered, until the chicken is cooked through and the juices run clear when the meat is pierced with a knife, about 30 minutes more. Add remaining 10 cloves of garlic after first 20 minutes.

Transfer the chicken to a platter; leave the garlic in the pan. Cover the chicken loosely with aluminum foil.

Set the pan over medium heat and mash the garlic with the back of a spoon. Add the stock and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.

Whisk in the butter a few pieces at a time. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the sauce to a sauce-boat.

Serve the chicken immediately and pass the sauce alongside.

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What the Farmer Cooked for Breakfast

Posted on June 8, 2012 | Leave a comment

When I was growing up, we had chickens, a flock of sheep and a goat or two.  Our eggs were always fresh, many with double yolks.

Mom always shopped for produce from local farms or roadside stands, where the veggies would have been picked that morning. We’d either go into the fields and fill bags, or wait while the farmer brought back what Mom needed.

I remember sitting in her lap in back seat of the car, after our shopping sprees,  eating a juicy, red tomato still warm from the sun. Nothing comes close to that memory.

You probably know from experience that produce purchased from a farm, or farmer’s market, that has been allowed to vine ripen is far superior in flavor to any store-bought produce.  But more than that, if it comes from an organic farm that rotates crops and takes care of the soil, then there is an added blast of goodness!

So this is what I imagine a farmer might like to have for breakfast.  The recipe makes about 6 servings.

Farmer’s Breakfast Casserole

3 c. shredded hash browns                          ¾ c. shredded Jack cheese
1 c. diced cooked Canadian bacon            ¼ c sliced organic green onion (2)
4 omega-3 eggs, beaten                                  1-½ c. milk or almond milk
1 Tbs. organic tomato, chopped                 4 button organic mushrooms, sliced
1/8 tsp salt                                                            1/8 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. dillweed                                                 Pinch of cayenne pepper

Lightly grease a 2 qt. square baking dish. Arrange potatoes evenly in the bottom. Sprinkle with cheese, bacon, green onions, tomato and mushrooms.

In a bowl, combine eggs, milk, salt and peppers.  Pour egg mixture over potatoes.

Bake uncovered in a 350 degree oven for 40-45 minutes, or until knife inserted comes out clean.

Cool 5 minutes before serving.

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Banana Pineapple Smoothie – Non-Dairy

Posted on June 6, 2012 | Leave a comment

Smoothies are a smart way to get your teens and your spouse to stop long enough for breakfast during the week!

This is a refreshing and nutrition packed Smoothie. Keep frozen pineapple in your freezer, and some variety of juices (fresh or frozen) to toss this together.

This recipe serves 4 – 6 depending on serving size.

Recipe

  •   1 10.5-ounce package  soft lite silken tofu
  •   1 medium  banana
  •   2 cups  unsweetened orange-pineapple juice — chilled
  •   1 8-ounce can  unsweetened crushed pineapple — chilled
  • 1 Tbs. freshly ground flax seeds
  • Mint leaves, for garnish

Combine all ingredients in electric blender; cover and process until smooth. Pour into glasses and garnish with mint.

Serve immediately.

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Wrap it in a Leaf

Posted on June 6, 2012 | Leave a comment

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Fancy but Simple… Citrus Ricotta Figs

Posted on May 31, 2012 | 2 Comments

Figs are sweet and unique in flavor.  They are a perfect fruit to accompany cheese, and look lovely on an appetizer tray, lending it class!

They are featured much more often in the menus of Mediterranean countries, joining lamb dishes, rice dishes and desserts.  Fig jam with a hint of anise is simply out of this world.  This is a quick and elegant treat to serve your family or guests.

Remember not to touch your eyes after peeling or handling the peel of figs.  For some people the skin residue can be an eye irritant.

Recipe

Serves 6-8

  • 12  medium-sized ripe fresh figs (I prefer the purple ones)
  • 1 c. low-fat ricotta cheese
  • 5 Tbs.  honey
  • 1 tsp.  grated lemon peel
  • 1 tsp. grated orange peel
  • 3/4 tsp. vanilla
  • 2 Tbs. chopped pistachio nuts or other nuts
  • Cinnamon (opt.)

Remove stem ends from figs and cut each in half lengthwise.

Combine ricotta, honey, lemon peel, orange peel and vanilla in small bowl until well blended.

Measure 1-1/2 Tbs. of ricotta mixture for each serving.  Drop ricotta mounds on each fig half and place on a serving platter or individual appetizer plates. Garnish with chopped nuts and one drop of honey in the center.

You may add a light sprinkle of cinnamon to finish off.

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Peach Chicken Salad

Posted on May 31, 2012 | Leave a comment

Here is a twist on Chicken Salad…instead of grapes, how about peaches? 

They’re beginning to show up on organic grocery store shelves, and they’re tangy-sweetness goes nicely with poultry.

  • 1 lb. cubed organic cooked chicken
  • About 3 fresh organic peaches or nectarines, peeled and cubed
  • 1 med. organic English cucumber, chopped
  • 3 Tbs. finely chopped organic red onion
  • 1/2 lb organic string beans, cut into 1″ pieces, and steamed lightly.

Mint Vinaigrette:

  • 1/4 c. white wine vinegar
  • 1 Tbs lemon juice
  • 1/4 c. honey
  • 1/4 c. fresh mint, finely chopped
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 1/8 tsp. pepper

In a large bowl, combine the peaches, chicken, cucumber, string beans, and onion; set aside.

In a blender combine the vinegar, lemon juice, honey, mint, salt and pepper. Process until smooth. Adjust the flavor to taste.

Pour over chicken mixture and toss to coat.  Optionally, cover and refrigerate to chill.

Serve over chopped lettuce, with thin toasted whole wheat pita chips. (Serves 4)

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Summer Time and Feta Turkey Burgers

Posted on May 30, 2012 | Leave a comment

Summer is around the corner, and barbecues and hammocks are getting spruced up.

Making food outdoors, or preparing it for eating outdoors is a wonderful feature of warm weather. We enjoy potlucks where the many nephews and nieces (all in their 20′s and 30′s) can join in. There is always a huge salad…Tabbouli or Garden variety… and baked beans and corn.

These burgers area quick and easy to prepare, like most burgers, but taste like a gourmet burger. The recipe takes advantage of a combination of Mediterranean flavors.

Recipe

  • 1 lb. organic Ground Turkey Breast
  • 8 oz. fresh organic Mushrooms, finely chopped
  • 1 medium organic White Onion, finely chopped
  • 1 Tbs. organic Parsley, chopped fine
  • 1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 c. crumbled Feta Cheese
  • 1/2 tsp. Sea Salt
  • 1/4 tsp. Cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp. Pepper

Preheat Grill or oven Broiler.
Mix together well the ground turkey, mushrooms, onion, parsley, Worcestershire sauce, and 1/4 c. of the Feta.

Add seasoning, and form into 4 burger patties.Place patties on grill or in broiler pan, sprinkle half the remaining Feta on top, and cook about 10 minutes, then turn over to second side.

Sprinkle the rest of the cheese on each burger, and cook until done… (see note below). The burger should be dark brown.

Serve with your favorite condiments, tucked in pita bread or a whole wheat bun.

Suggested condiments:

Green leaf lettuce, tomato slices, hummus, red onion slices, Vegenaise, tomato paste mixed with a little olive oil and cider vinegar, cucumber pickles.

Note: Unlike regular beef burgers, turkey burgers cannot be served ‘rare’ and must be cooked through thoroughly. Internal temperature should be at least 165 degrees.)

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Fruit Salad with Honey Lime Dressing

Posted on May 28, 2012 | Leave a comment

As the weather continues to warm up, my desire for refreshing after dinner dessert turns to fruit and ices. Or a combination of both!

Take advantage of summer season fruits to create this simple treat.  A dollop of lime or raspberry sorbet would go very well with the dressing.

Recipe

Serving Size : 4

  • 1/2 c.  honey
  • 1/2 c.  lime juice
  • Pinch  nutmeg or cinnamon
  • 1 quart  sliced fruit (a combination of berries, apples, melon, peaches, apricots, etc.)

In blender or food processor, combine honey, juice and seasoning; blend until smooth.

In medium bowl, toss fruit with dressing and chill until ready to serve. Garnish with fresh mint leaf, and a dollop of fruit sorbet.

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