Monthly Archives: June 2012

Fresh summer fruit & red quinoa balsamic salad.

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This quick and easy salad is perfect for a refreshing summer dinner.  We are off early tonight to head to a swim meet and this protein-packed dinner.  You can certainly use whatever free stone fruit and berries that you have on hand and make this your very own.

Ingredients:

1 cup of red or white quinoa, cooked and cooled
1 quart of strawberries, hulled, washed and chopped
2 peaches, stone removed and chopped
1 nectarine, stone removed and chopped
Juice from 1/2 of a lemon
Zest from half of a lemon
15 mint leaves, chopped
1/4 cup of good quality balsamic vinegar

Directions:

Add all of the ingredients to a bowl and stir well.  I leave this sit on my countertop for about 20 minutes prior to serving to let the balsamic seep into the fruit.  Serve alongside chicken, fish or pork.  Enjoy!  Would also make a great breakfast :)

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Balsamic Cucumbers.

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We harvested our very first cucumber yesterday and I made my favorite, super easy, refreshing salad with it.  Although this recipe can be made with any normal grocery store balsamic, I’m a huge proponent of buying a much better quality balsamic when you’re eating it pretty much straight.  Aged balsamic vinegar has such a wonderful complexity of flavors, smooth and doesn’t have that bitter bite afterwards.  I use Olivier Aged 25 year balsamic.  One bottle lasts me typically half the summer – and I use it in many dishes that I make.

Ingredients:

2-4 cucumbers, peeled and sliced into 1.5 inch slices
salt and pepper
3 tablespoons balsamic (eyeball the amount more/less depending on the quantity of cucumbers that you use)
1/8 tsp of better quality dijon mustard (I used Maille)
1/2 tsp of fresh chives, sliced into small pieces

Directions:

Add your cucumbers to your bowl and season with salt and pepper.  Set aside.  In a small bowl combine 3 tablespoons or so (again depending on how many cucumbers you’re using) and of dijon.  Whisk to combine.  Pour over the cucumbers and toss.  Top with the chives and serve or refrigerate until serving.  Must serve this dish nice and chilled :)

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Blueberry Lemon Thyme Corn Muffins.

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I have a wonderful lemon thyme plant in my garden that I’ve been anxious to use.  I created this recipe they are so lovely with a cup of a tea & a good book.  My daughter loves these for breakfast or a snack.  This is a more dense, flavor-packed muffin with a complexity that you won’t soon forget.

Ingredients:

1 stick of butter at room temperature, (1/2 cup butter)
1/4 cup of vanilla or non-fat plain Chobani yogurt
3/4 cup of sugar
3 tablespoons of honey
Juice from half of a lemon
2 large eggs
3 cups of all-purpose flour
1 cup of yellow cornmeal
3.5 teaspoon of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons of lemon thyme leaves, stems removed
Zest from one lemon
1/2 cup + 2 teaspoons of almond milk
1 pint of blueberries, washed and tossed in 1 tsp of all purpose flour
Turbinado sugar

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Spray your muffin pan with non-stick flour baking spray and set aside.

In your stand mixer, with the paddle attached, add the butter, yogurt, sugar, honey and juice from half of a lemon together.  Then add the eggs, one at a time.  In a separate bowl, add the flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt – whisk until blended.  Add the flour mixture in thirds to the butter/yogurt mixture.  Blend after each addition.  Avoid over-mixing.  Add the milk slowly, running the mixer on the lowest setting.  Then add the lemon thyme and zest, blend.  Then add the blueberries, by hand, and mix till blended.

Scoop into each muffin tin, about 80% full.  Sprinkle the tops with Turbinado sugar and bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown.  Let cool and enjoy!

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Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies.

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These could very well be the best chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever tried!  Pretty big compliment as I’m 40 years old and have had the pleasure, and sometimes displeasure, of sampling chocolate chip cookies my entire life.  Now, I rarely, EVER, make unhealthy cookies for my family but with our first swim meet tonight… I wanted to make them a special treat :)

Ingredients:

6 ounces of softened reduced fat cream cheese
3/4 cup of softened butter
3/4 cup of brown sugar
1/3 cup of sugar – I used Truvia.
2 tsp of vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups + 3 tablespoons  of all purpose flour
2 cups of chocolate chips (dark 60% cocoa)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Cream together butter, cream cheese and sugars until fluffy in your stand mixer with the paddle attachment on.  Add the vanilla.  The sift all of the dry ingredients and then add to the butter mixture.  Blend but avoid over-mixing.  Add the chocolate chips and stir by hand.

Drop with scooper onto your cookie sheet.  Leave 1-2 inches in between each one.  Bake for 14-18 minutes depending on your oven.  Should be golden brown along the edges.

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Sunshine Award.

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This award is a new one for me and I’m truly honored, especially since it came from one of my dear foodie friends, Carrie @ Carrie’s Experimental Kitchen. She is an incredible friend and awesome inspiration to all of us in the vast foodie universe.

The Sunshine Award is an award given by bloggers to other bloggers. The recipients of the Sunshine Award are: “Bloggers who positively and creatively inspire others in the blogoshere.”

The rules: Thank the person who gave you the award and link back to them. Answer 10 questions about yourself. Select 10 of your favorite bloggers, link back to them and let them know they have been awarded the Sunshine Award! Don’t forget to copy and paste the award on your blog!

1. Favorite color: Depends on what it’s for.  Cars – black!  Summer dresses – bright colors. It all depends :)
2. Favorite animal: I’m torn.  Dogs and cats :)
3. Favorite number: 89
4. Favorite drink: Water (non-alcoholic), Margaritas (for alcoholic)
5. Facebook or Twitter: Facebook. Although all of the changes are increasingly annoying.
6. Good Book or a Good Movie: Book – any day!!!
7. My Passion: Family
8. Giving or getting presents: Giving!!!
9. Favorite day of the year:  Christmas :)
10. Favorite flowers: Tulips, hydrangeas, Gerber daisies, peonies… I love them all!
And now, to pass this along to 10 other bloggers.  Hard to select just 10 blogs… I love all of my friends!
1. The Paper Cup Kitchen
2.  Rich and Sweet
3.  Lauren Kelly, Certified Nutritionist
4.  Running with Deviled Eggs
5.  Toriology
6.  Groovin Moms
7.  Full Belly Sisters
8.  ChinDeep
9. A Gluten-Free Vegan Mom Who Knows
10.  Mia’s Domain 
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Peach salsa.

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Eating the rainbow just got a whole lot tastier!  This fresh peach salsa is perfect alone with chips or atop chicken, pork or fish.  Tonight, it will sit along a lovely grilled pork tenderloin.

Ingredients:

2 peaches, pitted and chopped
1/4 of a red onion, diced
1/2 jalapeño, diced
1 yellow pepper, finely chopped
1 red pepper, finely chopped
1 handful of cilantro leaves, washed, chopped
1 lime, juiced
1 tablespoon of good quality balsamic vinegar
1 tsp of olive oil

Direction:

Add all of the ingredients to a bowl.  Toss and refrigerate for 2 hours or so to let the flavors meld.  Enjoy!

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Chocolate Black Bean Coffee Brownies.

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You put WHAT in these brownies?  Black beans!  Yes, sounds oh so NOT appetizing but the beans replace the flour (hello gluten free) AND add a ton of protein with less carbs.  I promise you, you will NOT detect the beans at all.  In fact, my youngest daughter, who by far is the pickiest of eaters, LOVED these!  Much to my chagrin!

Ingredients:

1 15.5 ounce can of low sodium black beans, rinsed and drained
3 eggs
1/2 cup of unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup of fine cocoa powder
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1/8 teaspoon of salt
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
3/4 cup of sugar *
1 teaspoon of ground coffee
1/2 cup of white and dark chocolate chips (optional)

*If using straight Truvia – use 4 tablespoons + 2 tsp.  If mixing Truvia with regular granulated sugar – 1/4 cup Truvia + 1/2 cup of granulated sugar.  Or you can use granulated sugar at 3/4 cup.  

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Spray your 8×8 or 9×9 glass pan with non stick baking spray with flour and set aside.  In your food processor, blend all of the ingredients through the ground coffee. Blend for around 1 minute.  The mixture will be creamy.  Pour into the prepared pan.  Add your toppings (chocolate chips etc.) to the top and bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.  Let cool completely.  Slice and enjoy!

 

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Frozen chocolate banana bites.

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Who’s up for a frozen chocolatey treat?  I am!!!  Chocolate + banana + coconut + chocolate chips + sea salt = Ohhhhh MY GoOdNesS!

Super easy & equally fabulous tasting.  A must-do recipe this summer.

Ingredients:

2 bananas, cut into 2 inch chunks
8 ounces of dark 60% chocolate chips
1 tsp of canola oil
Sea salt
Toasted coconut
Mini dark chocolate chips

Directions:

Line a cookie sheet with parchment or wax paper.  Set aside.  In your microwave, melt the chocolate chips and oil.  If your microwave has a melt setting, use that.  If not, melt and check on every 30 seconds.  Avoid overheating or the chocolate will burn.  Stir until just melted.  Dip your banana bites into the chocolate and coat.  Place onto your lined cookie sheet.  Top with your favorite toppings.  Freeze for at least 30 minutes.  Then… EnJoY!!!!

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Turkey Sausage, Peas & Quinoa Salad.

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Looking for a super fast weeknight meal?  This is perfect!  Quinoa, organic peas and spicy turkey sausage make this one dish meal a filling, quick dinner plus, leftovers for lunch tomorrow!

Ingredients:

1 cup of cooked quinoa, according to the package directions
1 one pound package of turkey sausage links
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 tsp of olive oil
1 bag of frozen peas, I used Cascadia organic

Directions:

In your grill pan, add the olive oil.  Once heated, cook the turkey sausage links until cooked throughout.  Remove and slice into 2 inch pieces.  Add back to the pan with the chopped garlic.  Toss to coat.

In a separate pan, cook the frozen peas according to directions.  Then add to the cooked quinoa.  Toss the meat mixture in and mix thoroughly.  Serve and enjoy!

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Sage & bacon wrapped chicken tenders.

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Oh these are always so well received when I make them.  I couldn’t resist because my sage is growing like mad and I need to start using it.  Perfect quick dinner idea. We served it with grilled zucchini and a garden salad.

This recipe doesn’t require a lot of information.  Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.  Get a 13×9 in pan ready for the chicken.  I took as much chicken as I needed to feed my family, rinsed it and patted it dry.  Seasoned with salt and pepper.  Holding the chicken breast or tender flat, lay several (3-4) sage leaves on the top of chicken and then carefully wrap one slice of bacon around it (keeping the sage in place).  Then transport it to the baking dish.  Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the chicken is completely cooked throughout and the juices run clear.  Remove from the oven and tent with foil for about 6 minutes to let it rest.  Then plate and serve.  Makes a great appetizer or dinner :)

 

 

 

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