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Category: Uncategorized

12
Dec
2014

My Ultimate Sandwich Creation- Organic Oroweat Bread Giveaway

categories: Giveaways, Main Dishes, Miscellaneous, Quick Meal, Recipes, Reviews, Uncategorized

If you follow my blog posts on a regular basis you know that I am super picky about what I put in my body. I like to eat organic whenever possible, especially when it comes to products/ingredients that are notoriously GMO (genetically modified) or filled with preservatives.

Oroweat recently asked me to review their line of organic breads and come up with an ultimate sandwich. Even though they sent me coupons to try the bread and a gift card to buy ingredients for an ultimate sandwich, it was a no brainer to review the bread. Not only is this bread already a staple in our household, it has been approved by my pickiest eaters, and more importantly by me.

The bread comes in two varieties, Grains & Seeds and Whole Wheat. Both are fantastic, and made with all USDA certified organic ingredients. *There are only 17g of carbs in each slice (, making it friendly to my carb counters. *No high fructose corn syrup, and 3g of fiber. The slices have a wonderful texture and hearty in size. Best of all I buy it at my nearby Target. No need to go to a specialty store to buy a healthy, delicious bread option. Click here to find a store near you!

I was challenged to create an ultimate sandwich using the organic line of breads. I love my sandwiches. Since lunch is when I eat the highest amount of carbs, sandwiches are usually what I gravitate to. They fill me up and keep me happy till snack time around 3 p.m.

I personally am super sick of turkey sandwiches at this point. I know the barrage of turkey is happening again in a couple of weeks, so I decided to take another route. After much thought, I decided to go with a Greek Chicken Salad Sandwich.

I’m so glad I went with a Mediterranean inspired sandwich. It was easy to make and woke up my taste buds. This sandwich is a protein powerhouse with chicken, hummus and greek yogurt based tzatziki sauce. The addition of cucumbers, roasted red bell peppers and spinach make the sandwich crunchy and nutrient dense.

In case you are wondering, this sandwich is an awesome addition to any lunch box. I made one, stuck it in my sandwich container and left it in the fridge. Four hours later when I went to eat it, it was exactly the same as the one I made fresh. That is huge to me, I strongly dislike soggy sandwiches.

Want to recreate my mediterranean masterpiece? Follow the recipe below. Want to win your own coupons and gift card from Oroweat? Of course you do! To follow Oroweat on Facebook click here.

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______________________________

Recipe

6 slices of Oroweat Organic Whole Wheat Bread

Greek Chicken Salad on Organic Oroweat Bread

2 roasted chicken breasts, cubed (great use for leftovers!)

1/3 cup roasted red bell pepper, diced

1/2 cup cucumber, diced

1/2 cup tzatziki sauce, (see recipe below or used organic store-bought)

6 tablespoon hummus

baby spinach

Tzatziki Sauce

1 cup 0% organic greek yogurt

1 tablespoon dried dill weed

1 tablespoon organic lemon juice

1 tablespoon organic olive oil

3 garlic organic garlic cloves, minced

sea salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Make the tzatziki sauce by mixing all the ingredients together and chilling for at least 4 hours.

2. Mix together 1/2 cup of the tzatziki sauce with the chicken, bell peppers, and cucumber.

3. To assemble sandwich place 1 tablespoon of hummus on one side of bread. Place about 1/4 cup of the chicken salad on one slice of bread, top with a handful of spinach, and top with the another slice of bread. Serve immediately or save for lunch time.

Disclosure: I was given 3 coupons for 1 loaf of Oroweat Organic bread and a $25 gift card to purchase ingredients related to my sandwich creation. All opinions are my own. All facts regarding the bread are directly from Oroweat.

*Nutrition information given was taken directly from the Whole Wheat bread package.

09
Dec
2014

Potato Leek Soup with Bacon – DYP Book Review – PLUS Giveaway!

categories: Dairy Free, Giveaways, Main Dishes, Quick Meal, Reviews, Uncategorized

Potatoes notoriously get a bad rap. Dieters exclude them from their menu plans, grouping them with the bad carbs such as the ones in bread. Casting them aside afraid they will add more unwanted pounds.

The round, eye filled root vegetable has been type cast as the evil villain due to its role as the greasy french fry and calorie dense chip. I’m here to tell you that the poor potato has been misunderstood. His good qualities need to be highlighted and celebrated by the health seeker. Potatoes are high in fiber, vitamin c, B-complex, and magnesium. They can lower blood pressure, cholesterol, improve brain function, prevent kidney stone formation, protect against cancer, and boost antioxidants.

With that being said, there are so many different types, how is one to know which to use in a potato salad versus a stew. Well, let me make it really easy for you. Bake a russet and use Dutch Yellow Potatoes (DYPs) in everything else. It’s really that simple. Dutch Yellow Potatoes are so versatile they work for just about everything, even dessert. On November 18th, I was at the book launch at Melissa’s Produce for their latest cookbook DYPs The Perfect Everyday Cookbook. Since the DYP is exclusive to Melissa’s Produce it was only natural for them to compile a book full of the best recipes for the golden tuber.

I learned some interesting facts about potatoes at the event. For instance, did you know that if a potato has a green hue to it you should not eat it. The green hue is a warning sign that the potatoes have gone bad. Amazingly, the DYP will not ever get the green hue, due to their extraordinarily long shelf life. That fact is important considering the normal harvest time is August to October. The potatoes are stored in giant temperature climate-controlled storage rooms for the rest of the year where they are harvested in Idaho.

DYPs are the most versatile potato because of their waxy texture and edible skin. They cook quickly, about 6 – 10 minutes and won’t fall apart and get mushy. It’s hard to over cook these adorable little guys. I added them to my Pork Chili verde, simmered them for an hour, and they were perfectly cooked. I used the Pee Wee size DYP for the chili, so there was zero prep before adding them into the green saucy goodness. Look for the recipe in an upcoming post!

I have to encourage you to try a potato based dessert. Especially the Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Cookie Sandwiches (pg. 261). It’s no secret that I love peanut butter. These cookies were to die for! I would have never thought to use potatoes as a gluten-free option in a dessert. Well played Melissa’s! I may have snuck a lot of them out the door that day. I only shared one.

Whether you mash, roast, use them in a salad or dessert, you should keep always keep DYPs around. I see them in my local Von’s year round. Chances are they are in your local grocery store as well.

Yes, potatoes have carbs, but they are good carbs. Carbs that if you are working out, you need as fuel. They are a clean fuel that your body knows how to process. Yes, you should eat them in moderation. But, they are what I call happy carbs. They are satiating so you actually have to eat fewer of them to feel full.

To give you a taste, pun intended, here is one of my favorite recipes from the DYP cookbook, DYP and Leek Soup. Not only is it the simplest soup recipe I have ever come across, it’s so luscious and comforting. Not to mention it’s also topped with crispy bacon. To die for.

If you are interested in learning more about the perfect potato and how to use them in every season, click here to purchase this incredible DYP cookbook. OR enter my giveaway to receive the book and a bag of potatoes! You can enter in the box below (or if the box does not come up click on the rafflecopter link)!

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5.0 from 1 reviews

Potato Leek Soup with Bacon - DYP Book Review - PLUS Giveaway!

Author: Sharon Hernandez & Ida Rodriguez

Recipe type: Soup

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 30 mins

Total time: 45 mins

Ingredients

1½ cups DYPs, diced small
1 package Melissa's Belgian Style Leeks, sliced lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 1 inch pieces (about 2 leeks)
2 tablespoons butter
2 cups water
2 cups vegetable or chicken broth, plus more for thinning
¾ teaspoon sea salt
white pepper to taste
3 slices thick cut bacon, cooked and crumbled

Instructions

Place the DYPs in a bowl and cover with water to prevent discoloration.
Set a large stock pot over low heat and add butter. Add the leeks and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened. Drain the DYPs and add them to the leeks, along with water and the broth, sea salt, and white pepper.
Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for 30 minutes, or until the DYPs are very soft.
Pour the soup mixture into a blender, in batches if needed, and puree until smooth. (Be careful with hot liquids in blenders). Return the pureed soup to the pan and add broth to reach the desired consistency. Continue to cook over low heat till heated throughly.
Serve in bowls topped with bacon.

Disclaimer: I was not paid to promote or sponsor this post. I was given a bag of DYPs and the DYP Cookbook from Melissa’s Produce. All opinions are my own. Please see disclaimer in the giveaway for details regarding to the prize and details of the contest.

26
Nov
2014

The Big Book Of Sides – Cookbook Review – Whole Roasted Cauliflower

categories: Low Carb, Miscellaneous, Quick Meal, Reviews, Side Dish, Uncategorized

This is the time of year I spend hours scouring the internet looking for the most impressive side to impress our relatives with at holiday gatherings. Half the time I get distracted on Pinterest looking at other things besides a mouth-watering side. Hours later I have nothing to show for it.

A couple of weeks ago I attended a cookbook release event at the Melissa’s Produce test kitchen in Vernon, CA. The Big Book of Sides by Rick Rodgers was presented to an entire room of hungry bloggers. We were treated to several recipes from the book, prepared by Melissa’s amazing chefs. Life as a food blogger does not suck.

Rick is an Award winning cookbook author of more than 40 cookbooks. This isn’t his first rodeo. His past experience has helped create an impressive collection. This compilation of inventive and traditional sides is the only place I will need to look when trying to impress the relatives.

There is something for everyone from stuffing and gravy to homemade green bean casserole and macaroni and cheese. There are healthy sides and decadent comfort foods. Even homemade dressings and step by step instructions to the perfect risotto. If you have any occasion you need to bring a side dish for this book covers it all.

Among the dishes we were served was:

Roasted Beet and Orange Salad

Homemade Green Bean and Mushroom Casserole with Crispy Shallots

Mexican Christmas Eve Salad

Also on the menu was Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Bacon and Maple Syrup, Butternut Squash and Potato Gratin, and Ricks perfect Gravy. When I say perfect, I mean perfect.

One of the recipes that jumped off the page and into my kitchen this week was the Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Za’tar Crust (page 67). Not only would this make a great holiday side, but it is a fast, easy, tasty middle of the week side. Middle eastern spices mixed with greek yogurt create an almost parmesan like crust over the entire cauliflower head. If you haven’t decided what to bring to Thanksgiving dinner bring this. As the description in the book says, “It’s a show stopper!”. Below you will find the recipe card for this show stopping side dish.

To add this wonderful book to your collection you can click here or on the image below. The book would make a great Christmas present for anyone who loves to cook or is learning to cook.

Disclosure: I was not compensated for any portion of this post. The book was given to my courtesy of Rick Rodgers cookbook launch event. All opinions are my own. My opinion is that you should click the link above and get this book into your hot little hands now.

Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Za'tar Crust

Author: Rick Rodgers

Nutrition Information

Serving size: ⅛ of the head

Recipe type: Vegetable, Side dish

Cuisine: Middle Eastern

This is a show stopper- an entire head of cauliflower roasted with a yogurt topping to a golden brown turn. For such a simple dish, it gets points for its dramatic appearance and complex flavors.

Ingredients

¾ cup low-fat plain yogurt (I used greek)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
1 teaspoon ground sumac
2 garlic cloves, crushed through a press
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 head (about 2 lbs) cauliflower, green leaves trimmed

Instructions

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
In a medium bowl, whisk the yogurt, oregano, thyme, sesame seeds, sumac, garlic, salt and the pepper until smooth. Stand the cauliflower on the baking sheet and spread the yogurt mixture all over the top and sides.
Roast until the topping is deep and golden brown and the cauliflower is tender when pierced with a long, thin knife, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Cut the cauliflower into wedges and serve.

21
Nov
2014

Simple Cranberry Sauce

categories: Condiments, Dairy Free, Gluten-Free, Miscellaneous, Side Dish, Uncategorized

Signs are everywhere. It’s all over our radios, every mall, every store and even our children’s art work. It’s coming like an earthquake in southern California. The holidays are sneaking up on us and shaking our worlds with reckless abandon.

For some reason 2014 has gone by faster than any other in history. Wasn’t Thanksgiving a month ago?! If another person tells me how many days there are till Christmas I think I’ll scream. I want to live in ignorant bliss. Although, thanks to my obsessive compulsive tendencies I am fully aware that there are only 35 days till ‘C’ day. Crap.

But first we have Thanksgiving to deal with. The first of the over load our belly holidays. The beginning of the winter weight season.

I know a lot of people go with the theory that everything is ok in moderation. I personally do not believe in that theory. Holiday food is a gateway ‘drug’ to, “Oh one of these buckeyes won’t hurt. I never eat like this so it’s o.k”. At least in my experience it is. Once I open that can of worms it’s so hard for me to close it.

So I prefer to make versions of holiday food that are healthier and cleaner than their original versions. Over the next week I am going to try to post as many of them as possible. We shall see how that goes. No promises people.

First, I would like to introduce you to the simplest recipe on the face of the earth. Simple ingredients, simple instructions, simple beauty. One container of ruby-red cranberries is simmered together with fresh orange juice, ginger and honey. No high fructose corn syrup here. The mixture is reduced, and that is it. Simple cranberry sauce, no fluff.

This sauce should be shown in all its simplistic glory on your Thanksgiving table. But, should also be slathered on your post Black Friday shopping turkey and stuffing sandwich. The tart, slightly sweet and tangy condiment will become a new holiday tradition.

I’ll be honest though, there is one thing I will miss about not using canned cranberry sauce. You guessed it, the darn can lines. Why are those so appealing? I guess I should start working on a healthy version of jellied cranberry next. Then nothing will be missing!

I hope you and your family have a wonderful Thanksgiving. There are so many things to be thankful for, especially the little things. Even can lines on the cranberry. Those lines mean I can afford to eat.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Simple Cranberry Sauce

Author: Rebekah Gusman

Nutrition Information

Serves: 1 cup

Serving size: 1 tablespoon
Calories: 27

Carbohydrates: 5.7
Sugar: 3.4
Sodium: .7
Fiber: 1
Protein: .3

Recipe type: Condiment

Prep time: 2 mins

Cook time: 15 mins

Total time: 17 mins

A simple, clean cranberry sauce sweetened with agave and orange juice.

Ingredients

7.5 ounces fresh or frozen cranberries
1 cup orange juice
2 inch piece of fresh ginger, skin removed
2 tablespoons honey
½ teaspoon of cayenne (optional for the adventurous foodie)

Instructions

Combine all the ingredients in a small heavy sauce pan
Bring to a gentle boil over medium low heat. Cranberries will begin to pop.
Reduce heat and simmer till reduced for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Sauce is done when all cranberries are cooked and resembles a jam like consistency.

Notes

Can be stored in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

13
Nov
2014

Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

categories: Appetizers, Main Dishes, Miscellaneous, Uncategorized

There are so many reasons I love fall. The cooler weather. The sporadic but present Southern California rain. The Halloween candy bags filled with Reese’s Peanut Butter cups left for me to steal from my own children. Yes, I steal candy from my children, don’t judge, you know you do it too.

My absolute favorite part of fall is the ability to make soup and grilled cheese for dinner without breaking out in an unattractive sweat. Yes, that is important. No one wants to start eating a hot bowl of creamy tomato soup and start sweating into it. Yuck!

I am sure you are wondering how in the world do I eat tomato soup and grilled cheese while still making it healthy. I do and don’t at the same time. Yes, very contradictory.

As I mentioned in my last post, all of October, and now into November, I am eating all unprocessed foods. I was eating mostly ‘clean’ foods before, but I still consume a lot of processed healthy and unhealthy foods. I didn’t realize the amount of processed foods I was putting into my body until I completely took them out.

In the October Unprocessed challenge I didn’t eat anything I couldn’t make in my kitchen. I made tortillas for the first time and loved them! They were thicker than store-bought, but incredible. I made wheat bread (from veganbaking.net) for my kid’s school lunches. They went crazy for it because it was pretty much the tastiest, healthy wheat bread we have ever had.

It was hard at times to keep on the unprocessed route. I ate more peanut butter than I ever have in my entire life to fuel myself. I love me some PB so it was fine by me. I have never felt better in my life. I have never had more definition and fewer headaches. I never post ‘progress’ pictures, but I felt this time it was appropriate. This is what eating unprocessed for 30 days can do:

I’m pretty proud of myself! I’m actually starting to see ab muscles!

Because I was making everything unprocessed, some nights I was tired of cooking by the end of the day. Plus I had a lot of events that I was attending that needed new recipes or required me to cook. One night I was over it. I wanted something simple. So I grabbed one of the home-made loaves of whole wheat bread, some Kerrygold Dubliner cheese, roasted jalapeños and Kerrygold butter. The marriage of these ingredients created a melty, crunchy grilled cheese baby that I dipped into a pool of creamy tomato soup.

I loved the combo so much that I brought it to share at my monthly IEFB (Inland Empire Food Bloggers) meeting at fellow member Natalie Orozco’s (The Devil Wears Parlsey) house. Of course I had to dress it up for the event, since our meeting was a Halloween theme. Vampire blood test tube shots with Frankenstein and Bat grilled cheese fit in nicely among my fellow member’s awesome contributions.

Top: Silly Cupcakes from My Imperfect Kitchen, middle left: Autumn Harvest Croissants from It’s Okay to Eat the Cupcake, middle middle: Meatloaf Skulls from The Devil Wears Parsley, middle right: Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies, bottom: Halloween Cookies with assorted frosting from The Devil Wears Parsley.

I hope you all had a healthy and fun Halloween. Do those two words even go in the same sentence with Halloween? Sure, why not? Even if they don’t I hope I have inspired you to take an unprocessed challenge of your own. It doesn’t have to mean only fruits and vegetables. Just make your own clean foods and see what changes take place. I dare you.

Disclosure: I was not compensated for any portion of this post. The Kerrygold cheese and butter was supplied to me by Kerrygold. All opinions and ideas are my own unless otherwise stated.

Dairy Free Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

Author: Rebekah Gusman

Nutrition Information

Serves: 4-6 servings

Serving size: 1 cup
Calories: 129

Fat: 6.8
Saturated fat: .9
Carbohydrates: 13.2
Sugar: 7.9
Sodium: 977
Fiber: 3.8
Protein: 4.8

Recipe type: Soup

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 70 mins

Total time: 1 hour 20 mins

Adapted from Nordstrom Cafe's Tomato Basil Soup A hearty tomato soup that will stand up to your pickiest grilled cheese accompaniment.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil
4 large carrots, peeled and diced
1 large onion, diced
1 tablespoon dried basil
3, 28 ounce cans organic diced tomatoes
1 quart chicken stock (preferably homemade)
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

In a large, heavy saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add carrot and onion and cook until beginning to soften, 10 minutes, then add basil and cook until vegetables are completely soft, about 5 minutes more.
Add tomatoes and broth, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 30 to 45 minutes.
Allow the soup to cool somewhat, then purée until smooth in a blender or food processor or using an immersion blender.
Season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve warm.

13
Oct
2014

Good Cheap Eats & October Unprocessed

categories: Healthy Lifestyle, Miscellaneous, Reviews, Uncategorized

The most frequent complaint I hear about eating healthy or even just eating clean is how expensive it can be. I do a lot of work to make our grocery bill fit within the budget. I wrote Top 12 Tips for Eating Healthy on a Budget in March to give my readers an insight into how I do it. But honestly, it takes a lot of planning. For those of my readers who need, “healthy, yet frugal” meals in one book, Good Cheap Eats is for you.

This book could not have come at a better time for me. October 1st marked the first day of the “October Unprocessed” Challenge. If you are unfamiliar with it, click here to read the official guide. In summary, each person who pledges to go through all of October eating only food with whole ingredients. If you can’t pronounce it, you don’t eat it.

Each individual can make their own exceptions and rules so they don’t set themselves up for failure. For instance, last weekend I did a mud run and camped all weekend with 30 other people. I am made exceptions because of this. They are my own personal exceptions. But I am writing them down and making clear rules for myself to abide by. For you that might look like giving up soda. Or not eating blue box mac n’ cheese. For everyone it will be different.

Although Good Cheap Eats does not solely focus on unprocessed foods, Jessica Fisher is a huge proponent of making meals from scratch, using whole ingredients. Jessica defines this book best in her about section. She says, “This book is a road map toward shopping wisely, choosing ingredients carefully, and planning meals that your family will enjoy; and of course, it’s full of recipes to help you do it with taste and style, all while staying under budget”. Each dinner for four people is $10 or less. Music to a healthy frugalista’s ears.

There are a few recipes that stand out to me the most for my unprocessed challenge. The first one is the Homemade Corn Tortillas. Tortillas have been on my ‘make my own’ list for quite some time. For some reason they seem so daunting. Thanks to the 30 day challenge I can add these to the list of must have home-made pantry items.

Another recipe that immediately caught my eye and was super easy to make was her Skillet Poached Eggs with Spinach. The picture alone should sell you on its pure awesomeness. Protein paired with detoxifying greens, makes for a perfect breakfast, lunch or dinner for the super busy individual. I’ve posted the recipe below to give you a taste of Good Cheap Eats.

Not only do you get 200 money-saving, clean recipes, but also advice on how to eat out on the cheap, and how to make your menu even more budget friendly. She also offers tips to save you time and a list of kitchen equipment that will ‘set you up for success’.

Like I said, this book could not come at a better time. I have used it multiple times this week alone for unprocessed meal ideas. Not only do I love these meals, but my family does too. They are simple yet awesome eats.

Click here to purchase your copy. Not only will you be purchasing valuable recipes, and ideas, but supporting an awesome mom. Win, win!

Disclosure: I was not compensated in any way to review Good Cheap Eats. I was given the book, that I will happily keep in my cookbook collection. All opinions and comments are my own.

5.0 from 2 reviews

Skillet Poached Eggs with Spinach

Author: Jessica Fisher

Nutrition Information

Serving size: 4
Calories: 234

Fat: 17.1
Saturated fat: 4
Unsaturated fat: .7
Carbohydrates: 7.6
Sugar: 1.8
Sodium: 164
Fiber: 2
Protein: 13.9
Cholesterol: 390

Recipe type: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

You can adjust the greens to ones that you prefer, and add ingredients like mushrooms and peppers or bacon. Use whatever you have on hand.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 leeks, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise into half-moons
5 ounces baby spinach
8 large eggs
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Instructions

In a large skillet with a lid, heat the oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the leeks and sauté until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the spinach. Stir gently and cook until slightly wilted.
Spread out the spinach mixture to create 8 small wells. Crack an egg into each well. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Cover and cook until the desired doneness is reached for the eggs, 5 to 8 minutes.

25
Sep
2014

Artichoke Goat Cheese Dip

categories: Appetizers, Gluten-Free, Low Carb, Miscellaneous, Snacks, Uncategorized

It’s that time of year again. Football season has made its way into almost every American home. That means it’s also the time of year where winter weight starts appearing. Game day food is the culprit for much of the winter weight football lovers and haters gain. I added ‘haters’ or shall I say I ‘could not care lessers’. Unless it is USC, I could care less. So how is it that I can still gain weight during this ‘football widow’ season? I would rather eat than watch the game.

Before everyone starts giving me a hard time, I have tried to get into football for my husband’s sake. He’s tried teaching me. We even did our own Fantasy Football League one year. I lost interest half way through and admitted defeat. It’s just not my thing. Trying to figure out who is injured, who is good/bad, and ugly is a lot of work.

So what is a girl to do that doesn’t want a fatty winter coat? Bring healthier options. Lets face it, most people don’t care or think about healthier options when football is involved. So you are going to have to do it yourself. Or not. There is a quote that I love, “Summer bodies are made in the winter”. Keep that in mind as you attend a multitude of game day parties.

Options, they are plenty. You can always go with a standard crudite platter (veggies and dip) but I like to fancy up my apps. You can’t go wrong with my baked Strawberry Hot wings. Or my Assyrian family recipe for Jajic dip. But I’d like to introduce you to an upscale, lightened version of the artichoke dip. I call her Artichoke Goat Cheese Dip.

This spicy, creamy, yet chunky dip is everything I look for in a crowd pleasing appetizer. I combined lightly caramelized shallots, with garlic, red pepper flakes and a touch of sea salt. Then added the savory combination to goat cheese and 0% greek yogurt. As if the mixture wasn’t already to do for, I added in chopped artichoke hearts.

I feel compelled to share with you my newest find in the realm of already steamed artichokes. Raise your hand if you hate veggies in a can. I raised both, because I hate them that much. Canned veggies contain added salt, BPA, and sulfites. Nothing you want in your body if you are trying to eat clean.

Melissa’s Produce has recently come out with a new way to buy cooked artichokes. No cans! The artichokes are steamed then vacuumed sealed and packaged in a cute little box. No nasty chemicals to rinse off. What I loved the most about the product is there is no chemical after taste, just pure artichoke goodness. I measured out over a cup of artichoke hearts in the package. Due to the lack of liquid in the packaging the weight is all artichokes!

I only used half the package in the dip. I have scrumptious plans for the other half. Stay tuned.

Disclosure: I was not compensated for this post. All opinions are my own. Artichokes were provided by Melissa’s Produce.

5.0 from 1 reviews

Artichoke Goat Cheese Dip

Author: Rebekah Gusman

Nutrition Information

Serves: 16

Serving size: 2 tablespoons
Calories: 32

Fat: 2.1
Saturated fat: 1.2
Carbohydrates: .8
Sugar: .5
Sodium: 106
Protein: 2.5
Cholesterol: 3.3

Recipe type: Appetizer

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 15 mins

Total time: 20 mins

The perfect solution to your unhealthy game day options. A lightened up, upscale version of traditional artichoke dip.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon Earth Balance Butter or Olive Oil
1 large shallot, sliced
2 garlic cloves, smashed (I used the bottom of a glass)
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
¼ - ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 oz plain goat cheese
⅓ cup 0% plain greek yogurt (I like Fage)
1 cup Melissa's Steamed Artichoke Hearts, chopped

Instructions

In a small saucepan heat the butter or oil
Over medium-low heat sauté the shallots, garlic cloves, salt, and red pepper till the shallots turn a golden brown color. About 10 -15 minutes. Do not over cook them. Remove from heat and cool.
In a medium sized bowl, using a fork, smash the goat cheese with the yogurt till combined. Fold in the artichoke hearts.
Add the cooled shallot mixture into the goat cheese mixture, cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
Serve with sliced cucumbers or Fig and Olive Crackers from Trader Joe's. They are delicious!

25
Aug
2014

The Great Pepper & Hatch Chilie Cookbook Review {giveaway}

categories: Breakfast, Dairy Free, Desserts, Giveaways, Main Dishes, Reviews, Uncategorized

I talked about my life long passion for cookbooks in one of my last posts. I can honestly sit for hours and read them. I get excited about learning new things and love seeing a traditional recipe tweaked into a modern version.

Yes, I am a culinary geek to the core. My library of cookbooks is pretty vast. Although I love finding new recipes on the internet, nothing is better than sitting with a book, feeling the page between your fingers, finding new inspiration at the turn of each page.

The Great Pepper Cookbook is no exception. Melissa’s Produce doesn’t hold anything back when they create a new cookbook. I have personally been to their test kitchen and tasted the recipes made by their chefs. They are talented and inventive. The recipes in this book speak to that.

Of course when I received the books I immediately started going through them. In each book, the first section talks all about the scoville scale (how hot a pepper is), describes each pepper type in detail and how to prepare fresh and dried.

I love spicy food! I actually carry around packets of tabasco in my purse, just in case there is an emergency. True story. I like some spice to my food, not overpowering, but a wake me up, warm me up spice.

In the Great Pepper Cookbook I found a multitude of recipes I wanted to make. But there was one that HAD to be made first. It combines my two food lusts together, spicy and chocolate. Chile Chocolate Truffles, oh em gee, come to me. I’ve had a love for spicy chocolate since I had it the first time at the San Diego Food & Wine Festival. I couldn’t wait to taste that duo together again.

Making the truffles was actually very easy. I changed the heavy cream to coconut milk in my version due to my intolerance. You simply heat the cream/coconut milk together with spicy peppers, combine with the chocolate, sesame seeds and raisins. Then cool the concoction in the fridge for two hours. Scoop the chocolate with a melon baller, roll into balls and toss in walnuts. Yup, pretty much the best truffle I have ever had. No joke. I will have these babies in the fridge from her on. Each truffle is only 80 calories. Serious bonus!

Now onto the Hatch Chile Cookbook. I actually have had this book for over a year. I went to the recipe tasting event at Melissa’s test kitchen when they launched the book. I was able to taste the Honey Mustard Pretzel Crunch, Hatch Chile Corn Bread, Hatch Chile Deviled Eggs, Hatch Chile cookies, and even a lemonade infused with hatch chili ice cubes. Every single item was incredible.

I’ve made a lot of the recipes from the Hatch Chile book and even developed this Hatch Chile Corn dog because I love the flavor so much. I wanted to showcase something new and different for you. I love stuffing portabellos, I’ve made them into BBQ Chicken Pizzas, and every now and then I crave one stuffed with creamed spinach. I never thought to make them into a frittata. Kudos on that idea Melissa’s!

You have to make the Frittata-Stuffed Portobello Stuffed Mushroom Caps. Such a fun, spicy way to serve eggs. It would be amazing as a brunch item during the holidays. The colors are even perfect with the addition of tomato, hatch chilies and basil.

Lucky for you it’s Hatch Chilie season and during this time of year you can attend a live roasting! Click here to find a location roasting chilies near you. Then go buy the book, it is a chile lovers must have.

Melissa’s produce has always been extremely generous with me. Not only did they supply all the produce for this post, they have allowed me to share both recipes I mentioned. AND, they offered up FOUR of The Great Pepper Cookbooks to giveaway! Entering is super easy! Just follow the instruction in the Rafflecopter link here ——-> a Rafflecopter giveaway

For more awesome sneak peeks at these cookbooks check out what my fellow IEFB bloggers did: My Imperfect Kitchen, The Devil Wears Parsely & It’s Okay to Eat the Cupcake.

5.0 from 1 reviews

Chile-Chocolate Mole Truffles

Author: Melissa's Produce

Nutrition Information

Serves: 36 (1 truffle)

Serving size: 1 truffle
Calories: 80

Fat: 6g
Saturated fat: 2.5g
Carbohydrates: 7g
Sugar: 5g
Sodium: 0mg
Fiber: 1g
Protein: 1g
Cholesterol: 5g

Recipe type: Dessert

Prep time: 20 mins

Cook time: 15 mins

Total time: 35 mins

These truffles are an exotic, subtly spicy, decadent treat

Ingredients

10 ounces semi sweet chocolate chips (can use vegan)
1 tablespoon white sesame seeds, toasted
2 tablespoons seedless raisins, minced
5 ounces heavy whipping cream
¼ ounce (about a 1 x 2-inch piece) dried ancho chile pepper
½ teaspoon ground dried chipotle pepper
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon fresh lime zest
1 cup walnuts, toasted and finely crushed

Instructions

In a metal bowl, combine chocolate chips, sesame seeds, and raisins. In a small saucepan, heat cream over medium heat; stir in ancho chile, chipotle chile powder, cinnamon, and zest. Bring just to a simmer; immediately remove from heat. Remove and discard ancho, pour cream mixture over chocolate chip mixture, stirring constantly until chocolate is melted and mixture is completely blended. Let cool to room temperature; cover and refrigerate until firm, about 1 to 2 hours.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. On a plate, spread the walnuts in an even layer. Using a ½ teaspoon measuring spoon (or melon baller) scoop out cooled chocolate mixture, form into a 1-inch ball, roll in crushed walnuts, and place on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining chocolate mixture to form 36 truffles. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 5 days. Serve.

Notes

Nutrition facts are for original recipe, not with coconut milk.

5.0 from 1 reviews

Frittata-Stuffed Portobello Mushroom Caps

Author: Melissa's Produce

Recipe type: Breakfast

Ingredients

Oil for cooking spray
12 large eggs
Melissa's My Grinder Organic Italian Seasoning
Melissa's My Grinder Rainbow Peppercorns
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 large heirloom tomato, top and bottom removed, thickly sliced into 4 rounds
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
10 fresh basil leaves, cut into ribbons
2 Hatch Chilies, roasted peeled, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
4 large Portobello mushrooms stems and gills removed (see note below)
4 ounces cream cheese, cubed

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a baking dish.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and a few grindings of the Italian seasoning and rainbow peppercorns. Set aside.
In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat and cook the tomatoes, turning once, just until the tomatoes release their moisture, about 1 to 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then add the basil and chilies and continue cooking just until the basil begins to wilt, about 1 minute.
To stuff the Portobellos, fit 1 tomato slice into each mushroom cap and one-fourth of the basil and chilies. Pour in egg mixture to nearly fill the mushroom. Top each Portobello with a few cubes of cream cheese.
Bake the stuffed mushrooms in the prepared baking dish for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the filling is set.

Notes

Gently scooping out some of the meat of the mushroom cap often helps the stuffing fit nicely.

22
Aug
2014

Lemon Panna Cotta with Dragon Fruit Gelee

categories: Dairy Free, Desserts, Gluten-Free, Snacks, Uncategorized, Vegan

My new kick of trying and making new things continues. I can officially say that panna cotta and dragon fruit can be checked off the list. I have always wanted to try them. They both sound so mysterious and foreign to me. So why not get crazy and try them at the same time!

I’ll be honest, I was not sure what to expect with the dragon fruit. She looked (yes she) so exotic and travelled. I was scared and excited. The outside surface looks scaly and feathery. I needed to open her up and check her out.

The flesh of the fruit is stunning! Nature’s pallete is simply amazing. It was the brightest pink I could ever imagine seeing, speckled with seeds reminiscent of a kiwi. Some varieties has white flesh too.

What I thought it was going to taste like and what I got were completely different. I expected a sour, yet sweet, but strong flavor. In reality it was mild, slightly sweet, with a gentle texture less firm than a kiwi.

I can’t even remember why I thought to pair the dragon fruit with a panna cotta, let alone a lemon panna cotta, but it just sounded refreshing. It was five thousand degrees outside and I wanted some relief.

What exactly is panna cotta? Translated from it’s Northern Italian roots it means ‘cooked cream’. Hmmm. Well cream doesn’t get along with my stomach very often so I knew I would have to be creative to make it “me” friendly. In it’s orginal form cream is combined together with sugar, vanilla and gelatin over heat and then sets in the fridge. It can be served with fruit or plain. I am so not a plain Jane, I knew the bright dragon fruit would be the perfect accessory for the panna cotta to shine.

Not ever having a panna cotta I had to do some serious research on what I was getting into. So to the internet I went. Apparently I am the only one that has never had panna cotta or made it. There is a plethora of recipes out there. Not one really screamed to me, so of course I made up my own hodge podge of a billion recipes.

So lets recap. I have never made a panna cotta in my life and made up my own recipe for it. Then I decided to serve it to 3 other very experienced food bloggers at our second Inland Empire Food Bloggers meeting. Not my brightest moment. THANK GOD it worked. Phew. Although I have nothing to compare it to I thought it was darn good and my fellow bloggers liked it as well.

You will be excited to know that in addition to dragon fruit’s beauty she also has many health benefits; high in vitamin C, full of antioxidants, good fats and protein from the seeds, and 1 gram of fiber per 100g of fruit.

Typically pitaya is grown in South and Central America, Asia and Mexico. When shopping for this beauty of a fruit look for skin that isn’t blemished and not molded.

Since I chose to make my panna cotta without any dairy this baby is pure vegan, gluten-free and scrumptious.

Now that you are armed with the knowledge to pick the best dragon fruit and make panna cotta, you should go for it. Speaking of, there is a panna cotta in the fridge with my name on it. Toodles!

*Disclaimer* I was not compensated for this post. All opinions are my own. The dragon fruit was supplied by Melissa’s Produce. To purchase this product and many other incredible products click here.

Lemon Panna Cotta with Dragon Fruit Gelee

Author: Rebekah Gusman

Nutrition Information

Serves: 6

Serving size: 1
Calories: 203

Fat: 7.6
Saturated fat: 5
Unsaturated fat: .3
Trans fat: 0
Carbohydrates: 32
Sugar: 30
Sodium: 44.2
Fiber: .4
Protein: 3.5
Cholesterol: 0

Recipe type: Dessert

Cuisine: Italian

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 15 mins

Total time: 20 mins

A bright and tangy dragon fruit gelee tops a light and tart lemon panna cotta.

Ingredients

Lemon Panna Cotta
6 tablespoons lemon juice
3 teaspoons, unflavored powdered gelatin
1 cup full fat coconut milk
1 cup almond milk
½ cup honey (maple syrup for vegans)
2 tablespoons lemon peel, grated or minced
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dragon Fruit Gelee
2 ounces of boiling water (can be done in microwave safe mug)
2 teaspoons, unflavored powdered gelatin
½ dragon fruit, pureed
3 tablespoons honey (maple syrup for vegans)
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Instructions

Lemon Panna Cotta
Sprinkle gelatin over the lemon juice, let sit for 10 minutes.
Combine the remaining ingredients in a heavy saucepan until steam forms. Stir the gelatin into the warm mixture till dissolved over low heat.
Pour mixture evenly into ramekins, mason jars or small glasses.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate till set.
Dragon Fruit Gelee
Stir the gelatin and water together till dissolved.
In a medium bowl combine the dragon fruit juice, honey, and lemon juice.
Combine the gelatin and dragon fruit mixtures.
Distribute the dragon fruit mixture evenly over each set panna cotta.
Refrigerate till gelee is set, about 4 hours.

18
Aug
2014

Pork Tenderloin with Fig and Grape Compote

categories: Dairy Free, Gluten-Free, Main Dishes, Miscellaneous, Uncategorized

One can only hope that as we get older we learn and grow progressively. I discovered my love of cooking as soon as I was able to read. At five years old I received my first cookbook, I was instantly hooked. I read that book over and over again. Then moved on to the Joy of Cooking, which I destroyed reading so much.

Present day my cookbook collection has tremendously grown in size, now including Juila Child, Bobby Flay and Jamie Oliver. In each of these cookbooks there are recipes that intimidate the crap out of me. So naturally I see these scary recipes as a challenge.

I made a goal for myself this year to do things that truly challenge me. Make and develop recipes that I have never done before, while keeping them healthy. I’ve been sticking to the things that I am comfortable with for too long. It’s time to break out of my culinary comfort land and add new skills to my growing repertoire.

Melissa’s Produce recently sent myself and three other talented Inland Empire Food Bloggers (IEFB) a mystery box of their seasons best. We challenged ourselves as a group to make recipes using the ingredients that came, whatever they were.

The day it came I was like a little kid on Christmas. I had been having a crudtastic day and this box of goodness brightened my day like only a great box of produce can.

This simple, but heavy brown box was filled with four types of grapes, three types of figs, a young coconut and two dragon fruit. Christmas was the wrong holiday to use to describe this box. It felt much more like crisp, comfortable fall meets a tropical vacation. Sounds like my kind of trip.

The grapes were a huge hit in our house. All four varieties had my boys coming back to the kitchen for more. They hated waiting for the green light to devour them after I finished with what I needed. Among the quad of grape flavors were black muscato, red muscato, champagne, and cotton candy. I loved them all, but the red muscato were my favorite.

Grapes have a whole host of benefits including:

supports muscle recovery
fights diabetes
fights fat
improve brain power
fat cell storage reduction
protects heart
fights inflammation

The trio of figs made me anxious. The last time I had a fig I was seven. If you follow me you know that there is only one food that is on my do not eat list, beets. It’s not that I don’t like figs. Actually the extreme opposite. I ate so many figs straight from my grandfather’s friend’s tree when I was seven that I made myself extremely sick. Why no one stopped me before I devoured 20 raw figs I can’t say. All I know is that I never wanted to touch one after that.

So as you can imagine I was concerned when I opened the box. I cautiously tasted each of the figs; Mission, Brown Turkey, and Tiger. I was brought back to why I devoured so many in one sitting. Figs are sweet, fiber and calcium filled treats. The 5.5g of fiber per fig explains my stomach issues after eating too many. I am happy to say that eating an appropriate amount I was perfectly fine.

I can’t wait to tell you about the dragon fruit and young coconut, so stay tuned for another post where I gush about them in detail!

Being that both grapes and figs have a high sugar content I wanted to make a savory dish. It also needed an acid component to cut through the sugar. Wine immediately came to mind. after searching through recipes I finally decided this was a time to challenge myself. Not only have I never made a compote, I have never actually had one either. Not knowing what to expect in the end was going to make this even more challenging. Challenge accepted.

The final product made my taste buds sing. I have learned that a compote is a reduced, yet chunky sauce. The fruit doesn’t break down completely, but the sugars release and create a syrup like base for the fruit. The gentle spice of the garlic and ginger in the pork make this a perfect pairing to the light sweetness of the compote.

It may sound like a complicated dish, but it couldn’t be easier. The pork can be marinated and frozen up to three months (thaw in the fridge overnight). The compote can be made up to 3 days in advance or frozen up to 3 months, defrosted in a pan over low heat till heated through.

The bright raspberry color of the compote and yellow dots of mustard seed make this vibrant dish a dinner party must. Impress your friends with this stunning dish. You can even pretend it took all day. I won’t tell, I promise!

For step by step directions, scroll down to the recipe below.

Want to see what my fellow bloggers did with their mystery box from Melissa’s?

My rockin’ fellow blogger Natalie from The Devil Wears Parsley made an out of this world Fig & Grape Pork Loin Roulade Sandwiches w/ Coconut Gravy & Dragon Fruit Greens.

The extremely talented Sara from My Imperfect Kitchen made a mouth watering Fig Grape and Walnut Spread.

Sue, the vivacious writer of It’s Ok to Eat the Cupcake came up with a dazzling recipe for Quinoa with Roasted Grapes and Grilled Chicken.

To find a store where these succulent fruits are sold please click here.

*Disclaimer* Thank you to Melissa’s Produce for sponsoring this post through supplying the figs, grapes, coconut and dragon fruit. I was not compensated for this post. All opinions are my own.