EatingWell Wednesday - Melon & Apple Granita

Last week proved to be a scorcher here with 103F last Tuesday so I went to work making my first granita. What is a Granita you ask? It is a semi-frozen dessert made from sugar, water and various flavorings however, the recipe I am making does not include added sugar.



The recipe for this Melon & Apple Granita used Apple Juice as a sweetener and it is exactly what we needed. Yes, making a granita requires a bit more effort that scooping out some sorbet but with the assistance of a timer, I had no issues staying on track.

Summer Time 'Chicken' Burger

How was everyone's July 4th weekend? Our was great but after all the beach, sun, burgers and hot dogs, I was drained and needed something easy and to use up some leftovers. So, I turned to my freezer and produce bin. I had an aging avocado, half a red pepper, some red onion, salad mix, 4 corn on the cob and some whole wheat hamburger rolls. And in my freezer, I had some BOCA chick'n patties so I went to work.

I first put water on the stove for the corn and then mashed the avocado. I tossed in some cilantro from our garden together and salt in with the avocado and mixed it well. I then heated the chick'n patty, assembled the remaining ingredients on the bun and was ready for dinner.

The buns I used were sent to me as part of the FoodBuzz featured publisher program as Nature's Pride is trying to overhaul their bread line. They are removing all the artificial flavors and preservatives and that I applaud.



1 Avocado, mashed
Cilantro, chopped
Salt, to taste
Red Pepper, cut into strips
Red Onion, slivers
Salad Mix
Boca chik'n patties
Whole Wheat hamburger rolls

Prepare the BOCA patties as directed on the box. Mash the avocado with the cilantro and salt and set aside. Prepare the red pepper and onion. Layer the avocado and other ingredients onto the bun and place patty atop.

**Join me tonight as I panel a BOCA twitter party along with a panel of experts as we discuss the joys of sensible living and summer grilling. RSVP http://bit.ly/bocagno **

Summer Picnic Salad

Tonight we will attend the annual 'Summer Pops in the Park' and I wanted to bring a light salad to nibble.

What other vegetables or herbs from the farmer's market or your garden would you include?



1/2 pound, farfalle pasta, bioled, drianed and cooled
2 vine variety tomaotes, chopped
1 yelloow zucchini, diced
1 scallion, chopped
1 handful fresh parsley, chopped or torn
1 handful fresh basil, chopped or torn
4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil

Combine all ingredients, toss with vinegar and oil. Season with salt & pepper to taste

Basil Vinaigrette

You may recall the basil pesto that I made recently but I had not shared with you what else I did with that pesto. Yes, you can freeze some and use some as a spread but you can also use it in a vinaigrette.

I grabbed a few teaspoons, placed then into a mini-processor, added a few tablespoons of red wine vinegar and pulsed it until it was well emulsified. Smart eh? You can then add more vinegar, oil and mustard until it is the consistency and flavor you desire.

What else could you use pesto to make?

EatingWell Wednesday - Basking in Basil

Each year when we starting getting basil (and cilantro but that is another post) we end up with so much that we start wondering what to do with all of it. So, I went on a hunt for some great ideas from Eating Well Magazine in addition to some ideas of my own.

*Pesto - Think outside the box with my Roasted Yellow Tomato Pesto



*PBT (Portobello, Basil & Tomato Sandwich)

*Marinara Sauce and you can freeze them in small and large batches. The handiest tool to use when making an amesome marinara is a hand-held blender. You can then control the texture of the sauce and do not need to transfer to a blender.

*Roasted Corn with Basil-Shallot Vinaigrette

*A Caprese Salad



*Basil-Cinnamon Peaches

EatingWell Wednesday - Spring Chicken & Barley Soup

Do you often find yourself with some leftover chicken and with one of the following scenarios:
1. Not enough for everyone?
2. You do not want the chicken as is?

Well, here is a great way to use up that leftover chicken (or non-leftover) called Spring Chicken & Barley Soup from EatingWell magazine. I honestly think the best thing about this recipe is the garnishes. The orange and basil make this soup stand out. I strongly recommend you add a good amount of it to the entire pot at the end. Feel free to put some fresh when you serve it.

A Year to Savor the Thyme - Tip # 17 Lemon Zest

Making use of an entire lemon. This is a great way to add flavor to butters, marinades, dressings and to any side dish. In addition, I love to place some lemon peel onto a freshly glazed bundt cake or as a garnish to any plate.

What do you use citrus peel or zest on/for?

Cold Cereals that The Kids Love

Many of us know that preparing a home cooked breakfast each morning does not always happen so we need some quality cold cereal's to count on. Now, many of you know that I am a big label reader so I have a few criteria for cereals: I look for acceptable sugar levels, the quality of ingredients and whether there are vitamins and minerals provided. Although many cold cereals are not the best nutrition you can choose for a breakfast, the cereals below are some of our favorites that I am not ashamed to serve.

Kashi: You can not go wrong with any of Kashi cereals really but these are the kids absolute favorites: Mighty Bites & Honey Sunshine.

Mighty Bites: My children call it the 'little people' cereal. They are quite affordable and I find them at Shaw's or Trader Joe's. These little guys are mighty indeed as they are packed with tons of vitamins & minerals!



Honey Sunshine: These are referred to as 'little pillows' in our house and I must admit, they are my little snack when no one is looking and I am craving some crunch and sweetness.



Cascadian Farms: The newest in their line of Organic cereals is Fruit O's. They state that their foods are 'grown without synthetic pesticides, chemical fertilizers or genetically engineered ingredients'. And no artificial flavors or preservatives. The O's contain 25% DV of Iron, Niacin, Vit. B6 and Folic Acid. The other vitamins & mineral levels are also impressive.



Mom's Best Naturals: Now, I was actually planning on writing these folks to see if I could get some samples when they wrote me asking if they could send some to me. In fact, they sent me two full boxes. I had been interested in trying them as they promised no artificial 'junk' and had a great price point. So, why do I like these? They are made with whole grain wheat and rice, no artificial ingredients, no added hydrogenated oils and no high fructose corn syrup. They taste great and I found them at a generous 'family size' box at Walmart for a great price. I do not have anything negative to say about the two options I tried so these are staying on our list of cold cereals that I will buy. I am planning on trying their oatmeals next.

Toasted Cinnamon Squares


Oat and Honey Blend

Baked Tortilla Chips: Salt, Chili-Lime & Garlic-Cayenne

A few weeks ago, I had bought 2 packs of Whole Wheat tortillas because they were on sale as a Buy 1 Get 1. After having quesadillas one night, I had a choice to make: freeze the other package or use them in a recipe. I decided that it would be fun to make our own baked tortilla chips and have some fun with the kids while experimenting with flavors.



We made three flavors: Salt only, lime-chili and a cayenne-garlic. We started by cutting the tortillas into 8 wedges, spraying them with Pam Olive Oil Spray and then baking them until crispy. The kids loved being able to shake all the seasonings on the chips (minus the cayenne) and then pick their favorite flavor.

I was a bit concerned that we would regret using the Whole Wheat tortillas and wishing we had saved this experiment for Corn Tortillas but we truly enjoyed the flavor and texture.



Ingredients (Salt):
Whole Wheat Tortillas
Pam Olive Oil
Coarse or Sea Salt

Ingredients (Chili-Lime):
Whole Wheat Tortillas
Pam Olive Oil
Coarse or Sea Salt
True Lime - 1 packet
Chili Powder

Ingredients (Garlic-Cayenne):
Whole Wheat Tortillas
Pam Olive Oil
Coarse or Sea Salt
Garlic Powder
Ground Cayenne

Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F

2. Cut each tortilla into 8 wedges and place them in a single layer on a cookie sheet.

3. Combine the seasonings (I did not measure them out so have fun with it) in a small bowl and set aside.

4. Spray the wedges with Olive Oil spray and dust with the seasoning mixture. Flip the wedges over and repeat.

5. Bake for 7 minutes, flip the wedges over and bake another 7 minutes. You can probably skip flipping them over and simply rotate the pan if you prefer.

Cleaning your Produce and Saving Money with the Oxo Salad Spinner & Giveaway

When you come home from the super market, do you place all of your lettuce, fruits, vegetables and herbs right in the refrigerator? You can greatly lengthen the time the items are fresh and in turn, save yourself money by cleaning them first. I do this for many of the items using a Salad Spinner.

Let me start off by telling you that not only do I show you how to use the salad spinner in the video below but I also want to tell you why I have this items in my OpenSky Shop: because it is a great value. This is a product that I have used for 10 years and it has proven itself invaluable. See how.

Not only do I want to save you money on produce, but I also want to save you $27 by giving one Salad Spinner away! That's right, simply click here to be entered to win! When you do so, you will also receive a 10% off coupon as well!

In case you are wondering why I opened a shop with Opensky, it's because it is my Shop. They asked me to choose items that I am passionate about and told me how they are a passionate company: passionate about their shop keepers, product quality and customer service.

I also wonder what else you would use the salad spinner for?

Whole Wheat Panko Breaded Tilapia with Vegetable Relish

Sometimes, you want to make a meal look a bit fancier, when the truth is that you are really using up some vegetables and running low on time. This recipe may seem like it takes lots of effort, but I swear, after a bit of assembly line prep, it is rather quick but looks time-consuming.

Savory tips:
a. Make the relish while the fish is in the oven.
b. Use white panko crumbs if that is all you have
c. Whisk together your own o.o. & vinegar if you do not have an appropriate dressing



Ingredients (4 servings):
¾ cups whole wheat Panko bread crumbs
1 teaspoon garlic powder
¼ c grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup lemon juice
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
Olive oil cooking spray
¼ cup frozen corn, thawed
½ red pepper, minced
½ green pepper, minced
1 teaspoon fresh parsley, chopped
1/3 cup Newman's Own Olive Oil & Vinegar Dressing (or make your own o.o. & vinegar)

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2. Prepare breading by combining bread crumbs, garlic powder, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.

3. Place lemon juice in a bowl and a cooling rack in a baking pan.

4. Create the following ‘assembly line’: lemon juice, breading, cooling rack. Spray the cooling rack with cooking spray.

5. Dip the fish into the lemon juice, and then coat both sides with the breading and place onto the rack. Repeat until all 4 pieces are done.

6. Bake for 18 -20 minutes depending on the thickness of the fish.

7. While the fish is baking, prepare the relish by combining the corn, peppers, parsley and dressing in a bowl and mix well.

8. Place relish over fish when serving.

My favorite prep bowls are the break and chip-resistant ones that I offer in my OpenSky shop. They are also microwave safe, 'nest' together for neat, easy storage and are Dishwasher & freezer safe. Brilliant!

Balsamic Chicken Kabobs

One reader recently asked via Twitter, 'How can I make chicken more interesting for a picky family?' Well, in my opinion, one way is to change up the presentation and make it more fun. Even in the dead of winter, I will make a more 'summer-like' meals and presentation using an indoor grill.

Oh, and forget to vote for your favorite foodie (hint) for the Hot Bloggers Calendar.

Ingredients:
6 wooden skewers
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into chunks
1 red pepper, chopped into large pieces
1 20oz. can of Pineapples slices, drained and cut into large chunks
¼ & ¼ cup Newman’s Own Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing
2 teaspoons fresh parsley, chopped

Yields: 6 servings (1 kabob per person)



Instructions:
1. Immerse skewers into water and set aside for 30 minutes. Chop the chicken breasts into large chunks and marinate in the first ¼ cup of dressing for 30 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, chop the peppers and pineapple.

3. Heat the outdoor or indoor grill to medium.

4. Alternate placing the chicken, peppers and pineapple on the skewers.

4. Pour the remaining ¼ cup dressing onto the skewers and place them on the grill for approximately 3 minutes, flip and cook another 3 minutes. You may need to cook them longer, depending on the size of the chicken pieces.

5. Place the skewers on a bed of rice or couscous and garnish with the parsley.

Here is a fantastic indoor grill that you would find useful year round.

Popcorn Trail Mix - Snack in a Bag

Spring time is finally here and we are all going to be spending more time outside and that means we need to bring snacks along for the ride. And since we all love popcorn, feel free to utilize it in this trail mix.

Hey, no picking out popcorn and cereal allowed, only handfuls with fruits & nuts to be consumed.


Ingredients:
3 cups plain or lightly buttered popcorn
½ cup unsweetened dried cranberries
1/3 cup whole raw almonds
1 cup honey nut O cereal

Instructions:
1. Pop the popcorn according to manufacturer’s instructions

2. Meanwhile, place the cranberries, almonds and cereal in a bowl.

3. Add the popcorn, toss well and distribute 1 cup each into a bowl or plastic bag for easy transport.

Yield: 4 servings at 1 cup each

Bison 'Chop Suey' or 'American Goulash' : An updated 70's Classic

Ground Bison, Whole Grain Pasta & Sauce = simple, quick, affordable and nutritious!



If you are wondering what the thing on the pan is, it is a splatter screen. I love my splatter screen. I use it when I saute, brown etc. and really love it when I am warming or making marinara sauce. You ever turn up the heat and walkaway to find that suace is all over the stovetop and wall? You can find it in my Shop.

Also, the 15% off for the Curious Chef measure and prep gift set expires tomorrow -> take advantage of this offer using code CURIOUS15.

Oh the recipe is simple: While the pasta is boiling, simply brown the meat and then add in some marinara sauce, toss the pasta in after draining and mix well.

Sahale Snacks = Snack Better

A while back, you may recall a did a Whrrl story about some new snack options at Starbuck's. I frequent Starbuck's as I use it as my 'office' each week and noted some new snacks they had. I immediately grabbed a bag of the pricey but exotic and promising 'Almonds with Apple, Flax Seeds, Date, Balsamic Vinegar + Red Pepper'. I mean how often does your snack have that kind of title? I love how they have a delicate sweetness and the heat from the red pepper had me sold.

Since then, I have had the Almonds with Cranberries, Honey + Sea Salt and my son's favorite Cashews with Pomegranate + Vanilla .

So why else does this line appeal to me? A quote straight from Shale Snacks : "The company was founded on a simple idea: take all-natural ingredients, add a dash of culinary magic, and produce great tasting snacks."



Try some and feel free to share them with the kids.

Horseradish Crusted Salmon

I was browsing a copy of Good Housekeeping magazine while waiting (and waiting) at a doctor's office last week and one recipe caught my eye: Horseradish Salmon. I knew right away that this would be popular at home as my kids enjoy Salmon and my son loves a Boar's head Horseradish Sauce.

I bought the sauce a few months back figuring my hubby would love it on sandwiches, steaks etc. and since kids love trying what we like (especially daddy), I know must keep it in stock for the youngest as well.



Ingredients:
2 (5 to 6 ounces each) boneless wild caught salmon fillets
1 tablespoon fresh thyme and parsley
1 tablespoon(s) olive oil 1/2 cup(s) panko (coarse bread crumbs)
2 tablespoon(s) Boar's Head horseradish sauce
A few dashes of salt and pepper

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Line a pan with parchment paper.
2. In small bowl, combine panko crumbs, horseradish sauce, thyme, parsley and oil. Place the salmon on the pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Press panko mixture evenly on top of fillets. Bake salmon 8 minutes or until golden brown on top and opaque throughout.

Roasted Edamame

I have been snacking on edamame beans from Trader Joe's for weeks so I decided to switch things up a bit. The results: a tasty little snack/side dish with enhanced flavor thanks to the roasting.

Feel free to use whatever seasonings suit your taste buds.



Ingredients:
Shelled & thawed Edamame
Olive oil
Chile powder
Paprika
Salt and pepper

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

2. Stir together the oil, chile powder, paprika, salt and black pepper in a small bowl. Add the beans to the bowl and toss to coat.

3. Arrange the beans in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast for 15 minutes (may be a minute or two less-remove if start get too brown.)

4. Eat hot or Cool. Refrigerate any leftovers.

EatingWell Wednesday - Tomato & Corn Saute

In an ongoing effort to exploit the fact that the kids are currently in love with corn and that my daughter is obsessed with tomatoes, I decided to try a Corn & Tomato saute. I know, these items are best and freshest in the spring but I love to switch things up and was not going to wait.

Since I was out of shallots, I used some garlic and onions and parsley for the herb. I loved the flavors and think this would be great as a topping on your favorite protein or as a cold leftover salsa. I found that it took a higher heat to brown the corn but that may have been due to the fact it was thawed and a bit wet, versus fresh.

A Year to Savor the Thyme Cooking Tip #12 : A fast way to cook frozen Green Beans

A Year to Savor the Thyme Tip #11 -> Trying New foods with your Kids

Trying new foods with kids can be fun, rewarding and frustrating. I make sure we bring new foods into the house regularly as well as have the favorites available. We all have different taste preferences so sometimes the foods are a hit and sometimes, they may only be appreciated by one of you. Do your best to expose the family (and yourself!) to new foods and remember, you often have to do this a number of times before the kids may even try them but do not give up after one attempt.

As you can see, I have one that is willing and one that is not so so I can sympathize with you. Keep the foods out, let them look, smell and explore with them. And yes, after the video, my son ate 2 figs but did not care for the golden raspberries.