Ingredients
2 large heirloom tomatoes
1 package of BelGioioso Truffel Burrata
1 C arugula
Salt and pepper to taste. Olive oil to drizzel.
Directions
Plate arugula onto 4 salad plates and drizzle lightly with olive oil. Slice heirloom tomatoes and place slices on top of arugula.
4 servings
Ingredients
1 pound Visalia onions. Cut into 1/3 to 1/2 inch slices and separate into rings
3 C buttermilk
2 C flour
1 C yellow cornmeal
2 T cumin
1 t salt
3 T ancho chili powder
1 t cayenne
4 C peanut oil
Directions
Heat oil to 365 degrees F in large deep skillet. Mix flour, cornmeal, cumin, chili powder,cayenne,salt,and pepper in large bowl.Pour buttermilk into large bowl and add onion rings. Dredge onion rings in flour. Add coated onion rings to oil and cook until golden brown about 2 – 3 minutes. Transfer to cookie rack covered with layer of paper towel to drain. Ready to serve.
Chunky caulifower cheddar cheese soup that is a favorite on cool fall evenings.
Ingredients
1 carrot chopped
1 medium onion minced
2 garlic cloves minced
2 T olive oil
1 medium cauliflower
4 C vegetable broth
2 T butter
2 T flour
2 C milk
2 C shedded cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper
Directions
Serves 4-6
Cut cauliflower in half and decore. Coarse chop florets and set aside in medium bowl
Add olive oil to large sauce pan over medium high heat.
Add carrots and onion and saute for two minutes, Add garlic and cook until fragrant.
Add chopped cauliflower and broth and bring to boil and then cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
Remove about 1/3 of the caulifower mixture to bowl and puree using immersion blender and then add back to large saucepan.
Melt butter in medium size skillet and add flour and stir for 3 minutes. Add milk gradually while whisking and cook for 5 minutes.
Add cheese and mix until blended and simmer for 5 minutes.
Add into cauliflower mixture and stir until combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper
Simmer for 15-20 minutes and serve with green salad and crusty rustic bread.
NOTE:
Toppings such as chives, croutons, crispy onion flakes, sour cream, or popcorn can be added.
If you desire a thicker soup. Make the roux with 3 tablespoons of butter and flour.
If I have leftover soup, I cook pasta elbows* and add in the leftover soup. Pour into baking dish. Pour 1/2 cup shedded cheese on the top. Cook in the oven at 350º F for 15 minutes. I serve this as a side dish. * Amount of pasta depends on how much leftover soup.
This is a busy day for the family as we have birthday parties and two basketball competitions that require our participation. We need a delicious but satisfying lunch. A crispy lavash/flatbread painted with lemon hummus and topped with a flavor packed curly kale salad.
Ingredients
Lavash
1 lavash(9 inches by 12 inches)
1 T olive oil
1/2 – 2/3 C hummus
Salad
1 bunch curly kale
Dressing
1/2 cup olive oil
5 garlic cloves minced
1/3 cup Parmesan Reggiano grated plus 1/4 cup set aside
1/3 cup lemon juice
2 t Dijon mustard
6 ounces fresh raspberries or blackberries¹
1/3 C spiced pecansSugar Spiced Pecans
Salt and pepper
Directions
Serves 2 or 4.
Preheat oven to 420º F.
Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
Salad Dressing
Pour into bowl, lemon juice, minced garlic, mustard and cheese and combine. Stream in olive oil while vigorously whisking until emulsified. Pour into salad bottle and set aside.
Kale Prep
Remove kale ribs, wash and spin and tear into bite size pieces or if in a hurry rough chop. Transfer to large bowl.
Flatbread Prep
Place flatbread on baking sheet and paint both sides lightly with olive oil.
Transfer to oven and bake about 2- 3 minutes per side and remove from oven and cool.
Assemble
Salad
In large bowl containing kale, add salad dressing and toss to coat kale leaves. Season with salt and pepper. Then add 1/3 C parmesan and gently toss.
Spread flatbread with hummus.
Top hummus with salad.
Dress with berries, pecans, and cheese.
Serves two or four.
Notes:
¹I use the berries in the salad that are on sale.
Organic kale and berries are in season now. There is such an abundance that most of the markets have fresh produce on sale regularly.
Roasted beets have beauty and sweetness–a great combination for any meal. They are especially good in salads. They also are a good source of minerals and vitamins.
Ingredients
4 beets small size
3 beets medium size
1/3 C olive oil
Salt and pepper
Directions
Preheat oven to 375º F. Cover baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Cut greens about two inches above top of beet.
Gently clean the skin in water and then dry.
Paint with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Brushing the olive oil on reduces wasted use of olive oil in the bottom of the pan.
Wrap each beet individually in foil.
For Small Beets:
Bake for about 35-40 minutes.
For Medium Beets:
Roast for 55-60 minutes.
Test for doneness by sticking knife or fork into beet. If the beets puncture easily, they are done.
Remove from oven and rest for 10 minutes.
Using paper towel remove skin.
Ready to serve as vegetable or in a salad.
Notes
*This is not a roasted carmelized beet.
To boil or roast is the debate for best flavor. I have done both — boiled beets with stems on and roasted beets. I have not been able to discern a taste or texture difference between the two ways of cooking, My grandmother taught me to leave the whole beet intact before boiling. I boiled beets using her technique and I did have some bleeding. To me, roasting is less messy, and I have barely any bleeding. Either way I get al dente, sweet flavored beets.
Roasting brussel sprouts turns them from a bitter despised vegetable into a delicious carmelized vegetable. They are sweet with some crunchy leaves.
Ingredients
2 C sliced brussel sprouts
3 T olive oil
Salt and pepper.
Fresh squeezed lemon juice and 1 t lemon zest(optional)
Directions
Preheat oven 400º F. Foil cover baking sheet. Serves 4
Rinse and dry brussel sprouts. Cut off the tip end and remove outer layer of leaves. Slice in half and place on baking sheet. Pour olive oil over them and toss until all sides are coated in oil.*
Sprinkle with salt and pepper and place in oven. Roast 8-10 minutes then toss and roast another 8-10 minutes on other side until outer surfaces are carmelized. Remove, add lemon juice and zest. Toss and serve.
Note:
*This step could be done in a bowl.
Lemon adds brightness to the dish.
Brussel sprouts have become the favorite vegetable of out family and our guests. We enjoy them year round. In the warm months when we have the grill going, this is an easy to grill vegetable.
An easy to make salad with few ingredients that delivers a crunchy texture with sweet and salty flavors. It goes well with meat, fish, and pasta dishes.
The salad ingredients below are for a two-person salad. Increase the salad ingredents for a larger salad with more servings.
Salad Ingredients
2 small bunches romaine lettuce
1 pear
1/3 C Manchego cheese shaved
Dressing Ingredients
1/2 C olive oil
1/4 C lime juice
4 t maple syrup(real)
1/2 C Fromage Blanc or sour cream
1/2 t cumin
1/4 t red pepper flakes
Directions
Wash and dry 6 whole romaine leaves. Line salad bowl with 6 romaine leaves. You may need more romaine leaves for a larger bowl.
Chop remaining lettuce and place in bowl.
Make a light dressing such as a the dressing above or use a vinaigrette.
Toss lettuce with dressing.
Add Manchego and pears. Drizzle light amount of dressing over the top and serve.
How to Serve
We served this salad as part of an easy-to-fix meal with grilled steak, roasted fingerlings, lemon sorbet and fresh blueberries. Big flavors, little cleanup.
Notes
Use firm pears to add more texture. The Manchego should be an aged manchego that easily slices.
The dressing was made with Fromage Blanc which is a fresh cheese. Sour cream may be substituted, but will increase acidity. Balance acidity with more or less maple syrup.
Chunky tzatziki sauce with dill and lemon. With 2% low fat greek yogurt, this dip is low calorie and big-flavored.
Ingredients
1 C Greek yogurt plain
1/2 cucumber de seeded, grated or diced*
1 garlic clove grated
2 t lemon zest
1 T lemon juice
1 T white wine vinegar
1 T dill chopped
1/2 t salt
Pepper to taste
Directions
Place double layer of paper towels in small bowl. Place yogurt on paper towels to de water for 30 minutes. At same time de water cucumbers by placing in double layer of paper towels.
Combine all ingredients in small bowl and adjust seasoning. Cover and rest for 4 hours to over night. Ready to serve with pita, vegetable sticks, topping for vegetables, fish, or chicken.
Note
* Cucumbers can be peeled
Ingredients
1 pound green beans
4 garlic cloves minced
1/4 C seasoned mirin
1/4 C sweet mirin
1/4 C peanut oil
1 T sesame oil
1/4 C soy sauce
1/4 C black bean garlic sauce
2 t red pepper flakes
2 t Sichuan crushed pepper corns
2 t rooster sauce or Sriricha sauce
1/2 C dry roasted salted peanuts.*
Directions
Oven temperature 410º F
Destem, wash, and dry green beans.
Combine remaining ingredients except peanuts and pour into flat sided dish or gallon plastic bag. Marinate for 4 hours. Remove and place beans on foil lined 13″ by 18″ baking sheet. Drizzle with remaining marinade and roast for 8-10 minutes. Toss them half way through and add additional marinade if needed. Remove and plate. Sprinkle peanuts on top and serve.
Note:
Peanuts can be deleted for people with nut allergies.
Vegetarian burgers with salad and a pita pocket. A great way to eat fast, healthy, and vegetarian.
Ingredients
2 pitas sliced in half
4 slices of pepper jack cheese
4 Boca chic’n patties
3 C chopped salad including lettuce or slaw, spinach,tomato, peppers, broccoli, onion, celery, carrots, black olives,and cucumbers.*
1 sliced avacado
Paul Newman’s® Sesame Ginger Dressing
Directions
Heat oven to 410º
Place 4 patties on baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes and then turn them over and bake for another 5-7 minutes.
Insert slice of cheese per half pocket and place them on baking sheet. Place them in oven about 3-5 minutes to melt the cheese.
While patties cooking make a chopped salad and slice the avacado.
Remove patties and pitas from oven. Place a pattie in each pocket and liberally stuff them with chopped salad and avacado. I like salad pouring out of the pitas.
Serve with Paul Newman’s Sesame Ginger Dressing
Notes:
* Salad can be made with any vegetables on hand.
*Another dressing to try is Paul Newman’s® Lite Raspberry & Walnut Salad Dressing.
