Fruit Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

Here's my take on a summer fruit salad. The twist is a Balsamic Vinegar infused with peaches or another flavor of your choice. This can be drizzled over any ripe fruit to give it a fresh tang.

Two small plums

One white peach

One nectarine

1/2 cup wild blueberries

1/2 lemon- fresh squeezed juice

One tablespoon peach infused balsamic vinegar

Chop the plums, nectarine and white into small equal sizes cubes- no bigger than an inch. Add fresh or frozen wild blueberries. Combine in a bowl. Squeeze the juice of half a lemon over everything and add one vinegar. Stir and taste. More vinegar can be added.

You can also try fig, vanilla or any other dessert flavored infused vinegar to give your fruit salad a summery taste.

I'm eating the same food as my dog!

Yes, it's true, my dog and I are on the same diet. Surprised?

Two months ago my vet diagnosed my 10 year-old dog with severe back pain. Pepe, my Bichon Frise-Cockapoo mix started a course of steroids for the pain. Little did I know that the aspirin he had gotten the day before, combined with the steroids, would upset his stomach and result in a bleeding colon for five days.  After going through a series of emergency vet visits to get my dog stable, I decided I was going to try any natural healing methods I could find to help stabilize my dog's digestive system, so I visited my local holistic pet store.  

I explained to the storeowner all the issues going on and she suggested, "You should just feed him natural table food. It's much better than the dog food out there. It's much healthier for him."

Bing. A light went off in my head. Over the last year I have drifted off my very healthy diet. My schedule got busier and my diet slid downhill to a menu supplemented with frequent off-hour visits to fast food restaurants. I've been trying to get myself back on track and maybe this is exactly what I need... to eat what my dog eats. Yes, that's it!

To start, I knew Pepe would be eating a few blueberries a day. I had been told by our vet that blueberries would help get rid of the red discharge collecting under his eyes. So out comes the bag of wild frozen blueberries at dinnertime and it gets mixed in with his food. For me, a half-glass of bubbly seltzer with the frozen blueberries floating on top. Yum. Fizzy, chilly and I know it's good for me.

Since my new commitment to my dog's health, my shopping is now honed in on fresh green beans, carrots, zucchini, sweet potatoes and Idaho potatoes. My dog can eat endless amounts of cooked veggies. He loves everything! He likes more veggies than I do. So in this ironic role reversal, my dog is my Jenny Craig, my weight watchers buddy, my "personal consultant." I just look into his deep, dark eyes and think, "If it's good for you, it's good for me."

Baked Potatoes and Carrots

It's a spring Sunday and I'm feeling the need to have a lot of veggies for dinner. I was looking for a recipe that would help you prepare the perfect baked potato. I found this one on FoodNetwork.com. What I like about the recipe is that you coat the potatoes in oil before baking.

I used convection bake at 325 and I added carrots into the mix. The carrots cooked a little faster then the potatoes, so if you like them slightly al dente, I suggest removing them early. My oil of choice, olive oil. A dash of sea salt when ready. Yum. Healthy too.

Santoli's Spanish Chicken In a Crock Pot

This recipe was passed along to me by editor extraordinare Rich Santoli.

I made a few changes. I up'd the amount of olvies to 3/4 - 1 cup and instead of tomato paste I used one small can of diced tomatos. I also added a little extra beer and used Sam Adams.

Once the dish was cooked, I added about 2 cups of basmati rice and let all the juice cook the rice. It took about another 30 minutes to finish and was utterly amazing. The flavor of the olives really comes through, so if the green olives aren't your thing stick to the original recipe.

We just couldn't stop eating this!

Here's the link: http://www.crock-pot.com/Recipe.aspx?rid=268

Roasted Fingerling Potatoes

Lately it seems whenever I open a vegetarian cookbook or turn on the Food Network, I'm seeing a recipe for roasted fingerling potatoes. When I spotted them in the market the other day I grabbed a container along with a container of beautiful Cipollini onions.

There's all kinds of recipes for roasting these things. You can roast them whole sprinkled with olive oil and sea salt. You can cut them up and toss them in herbs and spices. The possibilities are endless.

Here's a few ideas to get you started. Purchase a small container of fingerlings-- about 15 potatoes. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl mix together your favorite spices.

My ingredients:
Cumin
Paprika
Cayenne pepper
Fresh black pepper
Sea salt
Adobe seasoning
Garlic powder

You can choose to add more or less of the spices you like. You can also some fresh chopped parsley or basil.

Add about 1/4 cup of olive oil to the bowl and mix all the spices together. Set aside.

Cut your potatoes. You can roast these whole but I cut them into lengthwise sections, either 2-3 sections per potato. Toss potatoes in olive oil and spices until well coated. Place on baking sheet.

I also cut some Cipollini onions, tossed them in the mixture and added them to the baking sheet. Note: there is a special way to peel these onions. I didn't have the time to do it correctly, so I cut them into quarters and removed the outer skins.

Bake for 45 minutes to one hour at 350 degrees. Turn once after 30 minutes. Place under broiler for a few minutes for extra crispy skins.

Rapunzel's Soup Marathon- Three Soups, One Day

After a hectic week I hadn’t gotten to cook much and I’ve been experiencing a serious withdrawal from stove time. I made up for it yesterday—three soup in 2.5 hours! It really wasn’t as hard as I thought.

I laid out my three recipes and chopped all the veggies at once and divided them up per dish. I started the first soup and when it was ready to simmer, I turned on a new burner and started the second and so on.

The first soup I made was Ina Garten’s Ribollita. This Tuscan vegetable soup is a mixture of earthy vegetables including white beans, kale and Savoy cabbage. Tons of fiber and healthy ingredients. The soup ends with the integration of sour dough bread right into the pot to thicken it. I omitted the bread but sautéed a little pancetta in with my vegetables to add more flavor to the base. I also used half vegetable broth and half chicken brother, rather than entirely chicken broth. Here’s the recipe: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/ribollita-recipe/index.html.

The next soup I made is a hearty Beef Barley Stew with Spinach from The New Whole Grains Cookbook, by Robin Asbell (http://www.robinasbell.com/.) I used lean beef and hulled barley purchased at Whole Foods. (Barley is a great source of fiber.) It turned out great except I didn’t pick the right cut of beef. The recipe calls for tenderloin, but I used the tips they sell for stir fry. Still tasty but a bit tough. The only version of the recipe I could find online is from a TIDE site: http://tidefans.com/forums/recipe-forum/68583-filet-mignon-barley-stew-spinach.html


The third soup I made is from 100 Best Vegetarian Recipes by Carol Gelles. The recipe is for Lentil Spinach Soup. Right at the top of the page it said, “If you like escarole, it’s excellent here.” Being a huge fan of the stuff that’s what I went for. I used the Traders Joes precooked lentils in my version. It was just easier for me that way. But the lentils they sell are very small, and may have worked better mixed with rice or other vegetables in a stew. Still the soup is absolutely delish. A base of vegetables and celery leaves gives it a really savory flavor. For this recipe, I started with a bit of pancetta and onion for the base. You can easily omit it but I think it adds some nice flavor. Here’s some information about the soup: http://www.foodsiteoftheday.com/100%20best%20vegetarian.htm

It’s important to let your soups cool to room temperature before storing them. I packed all my soups into reusable containers. They first go into the refrigerator overnight and then to the freezer the next day.

Spring Risotto

My friend Pam gave me the most beautiful cookbook for the holidays. It’s Lorenza De’Medici’s “Tuscany The Beautiful Cookbook”. This over sized book is filled with vivid photos and authentic recipes from all the provinces of Tuscany. Sunday night, my husband and I made Risotto All’Erbe (Risotto with Spring Greens). For this risotto you can use any spring greens available like swiss chard, spinach, chicory or arugula.

I cut the original recipe in half which made 6 good size servings. I also made a few substitutions based on what I had in my refrig and pantry.

Ingredients
4 cups of organic chicken stock
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ medium yellow onion finely chopped
1 pound of Swiss chard, with large stalk sections removed and chopped
1-1/2 cup of Arborio rice
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

This recipe is fairly easy to make. Heat up your stock in a small sauce pan and keep it at a simmer just below boiling.

In a separate large sauce pot or pan, heat up the oil and cook the onion and Swiss chard until the onion is slightly translucent. Add the rice and stir for a few minutes. You will see the rice turn slightly translucent as it begins to absorb the flavors of the onion and Swiss chard. Add one ladle of stock to the rice and stir. Once liquid is absorbed add another ladle and stir. Continue doing this until you have used all the stock or until the rice is fully cooked. It takes about 15-20 minutes. The last step is to stir in the cheese and add salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.

When I reheated this the next day, I simply added some stock to the rice and repeated the same process.

Potato, Leek & Tomato Bake

This is an incredibly delicious, completely low fat dish. I was very surprised at how yummy it turned out. The recipe is from: Complete No Fat Low Fat Cookbook, published by Hermes House.

I also found it online at plaincook.com, and it's the exact recipe published in the cookbook.

http://www.plaincook.com/tomato-leek-and-potato-bake-Recipe-2007-05-07

Notes: I added some basil and garlic to the stock. I also sprinkled my layers with parsley and a little Parmesan cheese.

Hearty Kale and White Bean Soup

I never fully understood what kale was until last year. My girlfriend made us a holiday dinner and served kale sauteed with garlic and olive oil. It was delicious. Then she explained that this leafy green vegetable is full of all kinds of nutrition, including calcium.

Here's a recipe I found at chowtimes.com! I made a few changes and my notes are below. You won't be disappointed. This soup is hearty, healthy and delicious!

http://chowtimes.com/2008/03/04/kale-and-white-bean-soup/print/




My notes:
-Replace the bacon with turkey bacon to reduce fat.
-Add one chopped celery heart with leaves to cook with the carrots and onions.
-Add one cup vegetable stock when simmering soup at end.
-Substitute dry beans with one can 14.5 oz of canned beans.
-Add 2-3 additional teaspoons of salt.
-Add extra fresh ground pepper to taste.

Kale is super healthy, so you can't lose with all the nutrition you get from this soup! Here's a few links about the health benefits:

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=38
http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Health-Benefits-of-Kale&id=136177
http://www.everynutrient.com/healthbenefitsofkale.html

Thanksgiving Day Vegetable Soup

We’re eating with my husband’s family today and being Italian they don’t make a traditional Thanksgiving Day dinner. Usually it’s an endless spread of appetizers, soup and then meat and potatoes. I decided since I was going to indulge in Italian meats, rich appetizers and desserts all day, I should make myself something healthy to eat for the days to follow. I grabbed all the veggies in my refrigerator this morning and put this soup together.

INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 small russet or yellow potatoes diced
2 large carrots diced
½ medium red onion diced (about ¾ cup)
3 stalks of celery diced (use one inner stalk (s) and leaves and two large exterior stalks)
3 cloves garlic minced
½ flat leaf parsley- rough chopped
2 cups of escarole sliced thin
Fresh ground pepper
1-1/2 teaspoon sea salt (add more for taste as needed)
½ teaspoon ground cumin
Low Sodium chicken stock (free range/organic) 32 oz.
Grated Parmesan cheese

In a Dutch oven (Le Cruset 5-1/2 qt. round), add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and two tablespoons of butter. On low heat melt butter, and then add potatoes. Stir so they are well coated and cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes. Add carrots, stir and cook for 2 minutes. Add diced celery and diced onion and cook for 2-3 minutes. You want to get all these veggies roasting in the oil and butter. If they stick to the pot, that’s good, just scrape them away with a wooden spoon. All that roasted stuff on the bottom of the pan will add great flavor to the soup.

Add minced garlic and stir. Add ½ cup parsley rough chopped, and stir. Add 5 turns of fresh ground pepper, cumin and sea salt and stir. Add chicken stock and escarole. Stir and loosen and incorporate any of the browned coating from bottom of pan. Bring soup to a low boil and then reduce heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes.

After letting soup simmer, give it a taste. Add more salt as needed. Ladle into soup bowls and garnish with fresh grated Parmesan cheese.

*Add additional water or broth if you want more liquid.
*This recipe adds very little salt to start. Adjust salt to taste or dietary requirements.
*Omit butter to reduce fat content.

Servings: 4-6

Tips: Save the ends of your Parmesan cheese. Add a rind to your soup before simmering. The cheese will melt and add a nice nutty flavor to the soup.

Stock- Trader Joes makes a low sodium, organic chicken stock

Parsley & Basil Pesto Pasta with Seared Shrimp

I found a recipe in Cooking Light that I really liked, but I added a few of my own modifcations. The CL recipe called for all parsley in it and only walnuts. My version adds shrimp, basil, pine nuts and red pepper flakes into the mix.

Ingredients

3 cups parsley leaves (flat leaf)

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

1/4 cup pine nuts

3 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

pinch red pepper flakes

3 cloves garlic minced

1 pound spaghetti

15 shrimp medium size

First, make the pesto and defrost your shrimp if they are frozen.

Pesto: Combine all ingredients in food processor and blend until smooth. I find that you have to add a coinsiderable amount of olive oil to the mix in order to get the leaves to process.

3 cups parsley leaves (flat leaf)

1 cup basil leafs
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 cloves garlic minced

olive oil as needed

Once you have the mixture, place it in an air tight container and cover the top with a small amount of olive oil.

In a large non-stick pot, heat 2-3 tablespoons olive oil. Once the oil it hot add a sprinkle of red pepper flakes. Once you begin to smell the flakes cooking (may be about 10-20 seconds) add shrimp and reduce heat to medium. Let shrimp begin to cook a bit and then add one clove of minced garlic. Stir so the garlic gets distributed on the shrimp. Turn off heat, so shrimp don't over cook and set pan aside.

Bring pasta water to a boil. Remember to salt your water. Cook 1 pound of spaghetti.

Rough chop about 1/4 or less of walnuts. You can use your own judgement here on how much walnuts you want in your dish.

Remove shaghetti from heat just before it is done. You want it almost al dente. Transfer it into the pot with shrimp to finish cooking. I do this by scooping it out with a pasta ladel. You can also use a regular collander but be sure to save some of the pasta water. This will help thicken your sauce. Combine shrimp and pasta and begin to add pesto. Stir it in bit by bit over medium heat until you get the desired amount of sauce. Add small amounts of pasta water as you go. This will help distribute the sauce and finish cooking the pasta. Once the pasta is al dente (about 2-3 minutes) sprinkle walnuts on top and combine. If you like you can also sprinkle on some parm cheese. Enjoy!

Substitutions:

Whole wheat or organic pasta

Skip basil and use only parsley

Delish Caponata Appetizer

Here's a little homemade caponata recipe I whipped up for my girl friends. It's fresh, healthy and easy to make too.

Ingredients

1 medium zucchini
1 red bell pepper
10 calmata olives
1 clove garlic
parsley
olive oil
Adobo seasoning (store bought or home made)
sea salt
pepper
Italian bread or baguette


Slice zucchini and peppers in thin strips length wise to grill. Heat up outdoor grill or use a grill pan. If using a grill pan, coat pan with non-stick cooking spray. Lay zucchini and peppers flat on grill or pan. Sprinkle with a little olive oil (do this prior to putting on grill) Adobo seasoning, salt and fresh ground pepper. Grill on both sides until well browned but not too soft in the middle. You want a little crunch and texture left in your veggies.

Remove peppers and zucchini and allow to cool for 2-3 minutes. Once cool rough chop zucchini and peppers and place into a small pan. Remove pits from olives and rough chop. Add olives to pan. Snip in from fresh parsley. Add add additional olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.

For this recipe I prefer to use a small load of whole wheat Italian bread. Slice bread into think slices (bruchetta style) and toast or broil in oven on cookie sheet.

Once the bread is done, warm up the caponata on the stove. You want to warm this up just enough to get the olives warm. Be careful not to over cook it.

I like to arrange each portion on small plates for all my guests. One each plate plate three slices of the toast fanning out. Add to it a nice portion of the caponata. I like to give my guests a small fork so they can choose whether to place the caponata right on the bread, scoop it up or take alternate bites of the bread and veggies. Salute!

Servings: 4

Substitutions: Italian multigrain bread holds more nutritional value. You can also use any Italian style loaf or baguette.

*Created from scratch and out of hunger.