4 generous cups blueberries (24 ounces) ½ cup sugar
¼ cup unbleached all-purpose flour ¼ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 ¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour ¼ teaspoon salt
dash of cinnamon (optional) ½ cup sugar
10 T (1¼ sticks) butter, melted 1 cup walnuts or pecans
Makes: 2 Servings
It is rare that my oldest daughter is home and we get to cook together. Yesterday was one of those treats. Together we whipped up a delicious Caesar Salad and turned it into a hearty entree by adding a flakey, pan seared salmon fillet and homemade croutons. The creamy dressing is light and tangy. This is an easy dinner prepared in less than 30 minutes. We enjoyed it out on the back patio. The meal together was heaven on earth!
I only recently discovered ras el hanout, the dynamic spice blend from Morocco. I found a jar of this flavorful blend at Williams-Sonoma. I seasoned the chicken with this and just a little salt and pepper…Oh so good! This recipe pairs the chicken with a yummy sauce of greek yogurt, shredded cucumber, lemon and garlic along with a simple but classic tabbouleh.
Makes: 2 Servings
Calories: About 700 Per Serving
Cooking Time: 25 to 35 minutes
Add 1/4 cup salted water and the quinoa to a small pan and boil on high. Once boiling,reduce heat and cover and cook 12 to 14 minutes, or until tender. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork.
While the quinoa cooks, wash and dry the fresh produce. Quarter the tomatoes. Pick the mint leaves off the stems; discard the stems. Peel and finely mince the garlic or use a zester so it resembles paste. Use half of the cucumber for the tabbouleh and half for the yogurt sauce. For the tabbouleh, medium dice 1 half and for the yogurt sauce, grate the other half and squeeze if out to remove excess water and prevent yogurt sauce from being too runny. Quarter and deseed the lemon. In a medium bowl, combine the yogurt, grated cucumber (water removed), half the garlic paste and the juice of 2 lemon wedges; season with salt and pepper to taste.
Pat the chicken dry with paper towels; season with the ras el hanout, salt and pepper on both sides. In a large pan, heat 1 T. of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the seasoned chicken and cook, loosely covering the pan with aluminum foil, 3 to 5 minutes per side, or until browned and cooked through. Transfer to a cutting board and set aside to cool slightly. Wipe out the pan.
Make the tabbouleh:
While the chicken cooks, to the pot of cooked quinoa, add the tomatoes, diced cucumber, half the mint (cut into small strips with scissors just before adding), remaining garlic paste and the juice of the remaining lemon wedges. Drizzle with olive oil (optional) and stir to thoroughly combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
When cool enough to handle, thinly slice the cooked chicken on an angle. Top with the remaining mint and pistahio pieces if desired. Serve with the tabbouleh and yogurt sauce on the side. Enjoy!
Easy and refreshing, this quick salad recipe is great for summer. I love to mix up the tomatoes for a unique twist. It takes just 5 minutes to prepare and is big on tangy flavor. Include it at your next BBQ!
Approximately 1 pound of tomatoes (I like small heirloom tomatoes, combined with grape and cherry tomatoes, quartered or halved lengthwise depending on the size)
1/4 red onion (or sweet Maui Onion) peeled, halved lengthwise, and thinly sliced
1 Kirby cucumber, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
A generous drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, about 2 tablespoons
1-2 splashes of red wine vinegar
1 splash of apple cider vinegar
Coarse salt and black pepper
Dress the tomatoes, onions, and cucumber with olive oil, vinegars, salt, and pepper.
Let stand to allow onions to mellow and flavors to blend, about 20 minutes. Re-toss and serve salad with crusty bread for mopping up juices and oil.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pound medium raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
3-5 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or more, to taste
1/4 cup vegetable stock
Zest of one lemon
Juice of 1 large lemon
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 1/2 – 2 pounds (4-5 medium-sized) zucchini, spiralized
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves, optional
Melt butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add shrimp, garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring occasionally, until pink, about 2-3 minutes.
Stir in lemon zest, lemon juice and 1/2 of chicken stock; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bring to a simmer; stir in zucchini noodles until well combined, about 1-2 minutes. Add remaining vegetable broth if it seems to dry.
Serve immediately, garnished with Parmesan and parsley, if desired.
2-3 nectarines sliced into wedges (select ones that are just a little bit firm, not too soft)
2-3 tomatoes sliced into wedges
4-5 fresh mint leaves chopped (I like to slice them with a scissors)
¼ cup good EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
1/8 cup good balsamic vinegar (I like 41 Olive’s lemon-infused balsamic)
¼ cup pine nuts or chopped walnuts
Salt and Pepper
Arrange the nectarine and tomato slices in a circle on a round platter overlapping them slightly.
Drizzle with oil and vinegar followed by the nuts and mint.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve immediately.
Note: you can also serve this salad on individual plates if you prefer.
Dressing:
In a small bowl, whisk olive oil, lime zest, lime juice and salt and pepper and set aside.
Salad:
In a large bowl, combine quinoa, black beans, bell pepper, green onions and cilantro (hold the mango for now).
Stir up dressing once more and drizzle over quinoa salad. Toss to distribute evenly.
Then add mango chucks and toss gently. Add additional salt and pepper to taste.
Chill and serve.
Pad Thai, is a savory, saucy, stir-fried noodle dish that I adore. Though the dish itself is said to have originated in China, it spread throughout Thailand in the 1930s and 1940s as street food. Using local ingredients and produce, Thai cooks transformed the dish’s flavor profile into what we recognize today. With peanuts, lime juice, ginger, chile sauce and coconut milk, this simple stir-fry has an array of harmonious flavors. I stumbled upon this yummy vegan dish by Blue Apron chefs. It’s easy to make, and a quick and delicious meal perfect for any season.
Prepare the ingredients:Wash and dry the fresh produce. Heat a large pot of salted water to boiling on high. Trim off and discard the snow pea stems; pull off and discard the tough string that runs the length of each pod. Halve the snow peas on an angle. Cut off and discard the root ends of the scallions; thinly slice the scallions, separating the white bottoms and green tops. Trim off and discard the ends of the gai lan stems. Quarter the lime. Peel and mince the ginger. In a medium bowl, whisk together the coconut milk powder and ¼ cup of water.
Cook the aromatics:
In a large pan, heat 2 teaspoons of oil on medium-high until hot. Add the white bottoms of the scallions and ginger. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes, or until softened and fragrant.
Add the vegetables:
Add the snow peas and gai lan to the pan of aromatics. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes, or until the gai lan has wilted. Turn off the heat.
Cook the noodles:
While the vegetables cook, add the noodles to the pot of boiling water. Cook 4 to 6 minutes, or until tender. Drain thoroughly and set aside.
Make the peanut sauce:
While the noodles cook, in a medium bowl, combine the peanut butter, sweet soy sauce and as much of the Sriracha as you’d like, depending on how spicy you’d like the dish to be. Whisk in ¼ cup of water; season with salt and pepper to taste.
Finish & plate your dish:
Add the peanut sauce and coconut milk powder mixture to the pan of vegetables; stir until thoroughly combined. Add the cooked noodles and the juice of all 4 lime wedges. Cook on medium-high, stirring to coat the noodles, 2 to 3 minutes, or until heated through. Turn off the heat and season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide the finished noodles and vegetables between 2 dishes. Garnish with the peanuts and green tops of the scallions. Enjoy!
NOTE:
Coconut milk powder is an ingredient in most Southeast Asian cooking and is not the liquid inside a coconut. Coconut milk is classified as thick, thin, or coconut cream. Canned coconut milk separates naturally and the top layer is the coconut cream. This top layer is dehydrated to make coconut milk powder. In a pinch, you could use canned coconut milk to replace the coconut milk power and the 1/4 cup water that the recipe calls for.
Don't Forget the Secret Ingredient 