Strawberry Cinnamon Smoothie

Yum

Happy Labor's Day!  I hope everyone is enjoying their holiday. Here's a quick and easy recipe I wanted to share with you today.  


You may not know that I love a good farmer's market and now I'm fortunate that we have one that sets up every Wednesday in our work complex.  It's heaven to be able to go to the farmer's market during the week!  There is one particular stand that sells the best organic fruit and vegetables.  I was in heaven looking at all the food, and walked away with much more items that I should have.

One treat was their strawberries!  Plump, juicy, deep red strawberries that promised to be sweet and luscious!  I couldn't wait to get these home and make a smoothie with them.  Smoothies fall in the "fast and fresh" category and are simple, quick and absolutely delishhh!

So a strawberry smoothie is very tasty but also quite ordinary.  So let's amp this baby up a bit and make a Strawberry Cinnamon Smoothie!  Have you every had cinnamon and strawberry?  Well, you are about to venture on a wonderful sweet and earthy journey with your taste buds.  This combination hits you with the sweet flavor of the berries and then on the way down you get that kick of heat and spice from the cinnamon.  HEAVEN!

What a great combination for a smoothie plus the health benefits that you get from both strawberries and cinnamon.  It's a win win in our house!  Let it be one in yours too by trying this right away.  There are still plenty of strawberries around so get them while they are still ripe and try this drink today!

Enjoy!





Strawberry Cinnamon Smoothie

serves 2

1 6 oz lite vanilla yogurt
1/2 pint of strawberries, hulled
1/2 frozen banana
1/4 cup lowfat milk
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup ice

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend on high until all incorporated and ice has crushed.

Pour into two glasses and serve immediately.

Fast & Fresh: Balsamic Glazed Green Beans

I have a perfect side dish as my newest "Fast & Fresh" entry.

My Balsamic Glazed Green Beans are the perfect seasonal side dish.  They compliment most every dish, and utilize fresh green beans, straight from the farmer's market (or grocery store!).  I recently made them with my Lemon Cilantro Chicken Scaloppini and they were great together.  


The fresh seasonal ingredients, minimal preparation, and quick cooking time qualify these as "Fast & Fresh"!


I adore this side dish, but I'm partial to green beans.  I'm sure that you and your families will enjoy this, and possibly become a favorite of your too!

Tell me, what is your favorite way to use green beans?


Balsamic Glazed Green Beans 


serves 4-6


3/4 lb fresh green beans
1 T. butter
3 T. shallots, minced
2 T. garlic, minced
1/4 c balsamic vinegar
salt & pepper


Blanch 3/4 lb. of fresh green beans in boiling water for 4-5 minutes, until tender crisp.  Remove from water.  While beans are cooking melt 1 T. butter in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add 3 T. minced shallots and 2 T. of minced garlic.  Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly.  Add 1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper.  Cook for 2-3 minutes, allowing to thicken slightly.  Add green beans and toss to coat.  Serve.

Fast & Fresh: Turkey Salad Sandwich

Today I'm making you a Super Sandwich!

A classic sandwich that's been updated so it's easy to prepare at home but every bit as tasty as the version you get in a restaurant.


Today's sandwich is a variation of the classic Chicken Salad Sandwich.  Every bit as good, but with a twist by using fresh roasted turkey instead.  How fun is that?  I was in the store the other day and having a comfort food attack, so I bought a fresh roasted turkey breast half.  You should be able to pick one up next to the rotisserie chickens.  I wanted to have turkey and mashed potatoes and gravy...longing for Thanksgiving I guess!  So when I bought this we had our wonderful dinner but only ate several slices off this gigantic half breast that I bought.  I was going for the medal on this one, picking the biggest turkey breast thinking it was so juicy, and tender (which it was!) but not thinking of all the leftover turkey. Ha!


So what to do with the leftovers???  Well a couple of things came to mind.  But since I had some beautiful croissants on hand, why not make a Turkey Salad Sandwich!


I made this for dinner last night.  I always say a great meal doesn't have to be flashy and complicated to satisfy you.  This sandwich is all about "less is more".  The ingredients are simple, but the best part is  that it is made with olive oil mayonnaise and plain Greek yogurt so it's low in calories, and tastes good too!


To give this sandwich a little zip, I added dried cherries, and fresh tarragon.  A little further variation from the classic.


Do you all know about Greek yogurt?  This yogurt is popular all over for it's creaminess.  It's thick and mild tasting as well.  It's gaining more and more popularity in the US every day.  It's usually made with whole-fat cow's milk, and is good for you.  Make sure to check it out if you haven't tried it yet.  Makes a great dip too!


So if you want a nice light dinner that's Fast & Fresh, turn to this sandwich.  It would be equally  good served without the bread, in a lettuce cup.  Or you could seve it in tortilla or wonton cups that you've baked and molded in the oven.  As popular as this is everyone will enjoy this version.

Turkey Salad Sandwich


Serves 4


4 c chopped turkey
3/4 c diced celery
1/2 c dried cherries
1/4 c olive oil mayonnaise
1/4 c plain Greek yogurt
1/4 c fresh parsley, chopped
1/3 c minced green onions
2 T fresh lemon juice
1 T fresh tarragon, minced
salt & pepper
1/2 c cashews, roughly chopped
4 croissants, cut in half
4 leaves of green or red leaf lettuce


Combine the turkey, celery, cherries, mayo, yogurt, parsley, green onions, lemon juice, and tarragon in a bowl.  Mix together to combine.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Chill until ready to serve.  


Just prior to serving add cashews.  To serve, take each split croissant and add 1 leaf of lettuce on the bottom side.  Add turkey salad, dividing among the 4 croissants.  Serve immediately, and store and leftovers in the refrigerator up to two days.

Fast & Fresh: Tomato Stack Salad

I'm bring back my summer series of Fast & Fresh recipes!

Let's beat the heat by keeping it light, using fresh ingredients, and keeping the kitchen heat to a minimum.

"Fast & Fresh"

Simple ingredients
Fresh and healthy
Easy prep
Delishhhh taste!

First up...another great side dish.

A salad in fact!

Salad's make a great addition to your main protein in your dinner.  They are also perfect as a main course for lunch.  They lend themselves to many variations, so creativity flows when it comes to salads.  MGG absolutely loves salads!  He usually eats some type of salad every day.  I'm beginning to think he is part rabbit!  

I saw this particular salad being demonstrated in my mom's Publix in TN.  It was a combination of tomatoes and chicken stacked and served as a light lunch.  So inspiration set in and I made my version of an all veggie stack salad!  It came out so pretty!  Take a look at all the colors that scream "fresh".   I decided on two colors of tomatoes to give it more interest.  Since it isn't tomato season yet...this was really good, but would be killer in August or September!

I think this makes a great side dish, and wouldn't say it would fill you up as a main course.  MGG literally RAN to this salad.  I actually think he ate two stacks, cause my leftovers were missing again!  He's known to do that...

What is your favorite salad?  What do you like to do with tomatoes?

How Fast & Fresh was that?  Hope you enjoy!


Tomato Stack Salad

serves 6

1 red tomato
1 yellow or orange tomato
1 cucumber, peeled
feta cheese crumbles, for garnish
cilantro, chopped for garnish
Red wine vinaigrette

Slice both tomatoes in 1/4 to 1/2" slices.  Slice the peeled cucumber the same width.  

To assemble:  On a platter, layer slices of yellow tomato, red tomato, and cucumber, at least two layers.  Sprinkle with with crumbled feta cheese and cilantro.  Drizzle with vinaigrette.  

Caprese Salad with a Basil Puree

Farmer's Market Day!

Do you have a special farmer's market that you like?  We seem to have several areas around here that setup farmer's markets on a weekly basis.  One of my favorites is the one in Encino, Ca, but I hear that there is a killer one over in Calabasas.  On my to do list of places to go!

We are lucky to have a large variety of vendors from as local as Oxnard, Ca to all the way from Redlands up north.  They bring such wonderful produce.  Organic and not.  I even spied a fresh herb vendor selling a variety of plants you don't normally see.  Chocolate oregano?  YUM!

So today I happened upon some wonderful organic arugula.  I love the spicy, peppery flavor don't you?

At the next booth I found the most gorgeous little cherry tomatoes.  They are almost all gone for the season, but I managed to get some great, sweet ones, and scooped up the last of some heirloom tomatoes while I was at it.  It's been a nice tomato season around here, and I'm gonna miss it.

So I decided to make a wonderful fresh salad with my bounty.

Off for home I go!

This is a Caprese Salad with a Basil Puree.  Simple to make, with a little extra special touch with the basil puree.  The basil puree is basically fresh basil and olive oil pureed together to make a tasty drizzle that you use over the salad to enhance the flavors.  It is a wonderful thing to have on hand.  You can freeze it in ice cube trays, and later add it to soups, sauces, and salad dressings.  You can drizzle it over grilled meat and vegetables for added flavor as well.  How smart is that!

This is definitely a Fast & Fresh recipe!

Caprese Salad must have 3 ingredients...tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil.  This salad varies dramatically with the use of the ingredients but I think you will find this a simple but rather tasty take on the traditional version.

So no step by steps needed on this one.  The recipe for the salad and the basil puree are below.  Here are some pics to drool over.

 

I hope you try it!  Make sure to leave me a message and let me know if you like it.

Caprese Salad with a Basil Puree

serves 1

1 1/2 c. arugula, washed
8 whole cherry tomatoes
6  bocconcini - tiny mozzarella balls
2 T basil puree (see recipe below)
3 T balsamic vinaigrette
crostini, optional

Wash and dry your arugula.  Place it on your serving plate.  Place the cherry tomatoes and the mozzarella balls around the salad.  Drizzle the basil puree over the salad.  Drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette.  Enjoy with some toasty crostini.

Basil Puree

1 c loosely packed fresh basil leaves
1/4 c olive oil

Process basil leaves and olive oil in a food processor or blender until basil is finely chopped. Use immediately.

To freeze:  spoon mixture into ice-cube trays, and freeze. Store frozen cubes in freezer bags up to 6 months.

Cucumber, Tomato, & Dill Salad

I love cold summer salads, don't you?


So the other day I told you that MGG and I went to the Hollywood Bowl.  We had a fantastic time!  One of our favorites things to do there was to take a picnic and enjoy our food before the performance.


If you missed my post about the bowl and our menu you can read it here:  Hollywood Bowl & Jalapeno Mustard Dipping Sauce

One of the items was a cold salad.  It was the perfect accompaniment to our sandwiches and chicken.  And when MGG is "Mmmnnning" while eating it, I know it's a winner!

This is a very easy salad to throw together.  It only takes a few ingredients and is done in minutes.

So let's make my Cucumber, Tomato, & Dill Salad!

Peel and seed your cucumber.  Chop into cubes.  Seed your tomato.  You don't want the extra juice.  Then go ahead and chop or dice your tomato.  Place both items in a medium bowl.

Next add your yogurt, garlic, dill, and a pinch of salt.

Mix it altogether.  At this point you can chill it and serve it later, or serve immediately.  Be aware that the longer it sits, the yogurt will start to turn a little runny from all the juices going on.  Just drain that off if you like.  It doesn't ruin the flavors of the salad.

Simple and soooo YUMMY!

  

Cucumber, Tomato, & Dill Salad

Adapted from Pillsbury

3 large Roma (plum) tomatoes, seeded, diced (1 1/2 cups)

1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded and cubed (1 cup)
¼ cup plain yogurt
1 small clove garlic, finely chopped
½ teaspoon dried dill weed
Pinch of salt

Directions:

Seed and dice tomatoes.  Peel and cube cucumber.  Place tomatoes and cucumbers in a medium bowl.

Add yogurt, garlic, dill weed, and salt.  Mix all ingredients until evenly coated.

Chill or serve immediately.

Fast & Fresh: Blackberry, Blue Cheese, and Spinach Salad

With all the fresh produce of summer it's hard not to take advantage of them. 

This year has been a "Berry" year for me.  I've made more dishes with berries than ever before, and I absolutely love them!

During these hot end of summer days a fresh salad always comes to mind.  I like salads, but I seem to crave them more in the summer months.  Cool, light, crisp, refreshing, and unique flavors to add some zip to a plain old salad.

Today's salad is part of my Fast & Fresh series. 

"Fast & Fresh"

• Simple ingredients
• Fresh and healthy
• Easy prep
• Delishhhh taste!

This salad is perfect for lunch or as a side salad with dinner.  Of course I had to use "berries" in it!  Why wouldn't I?

So I created a Blackberry, Blue Cheese, and Spinach Salad.  YUM!  The flavors of this salad are sweet and tangy.  It has just the right amount of blue cheese and blackberries, and is topped off with a lemon vinaigrette.  All on top of a bed of fresh spinach leaves.  Sounds good huh?

First you make the dressing.  I use a cute little canning jar for this so I can just shake it up and store any left overs in it for a couple of days in the refrigerator.  So to a jar or bowl add your lemon juice, dried thyme, Dijon mustard, salt & pepper, and your olive oil.  If you are making this in a bowl whisk in your olive oil as your slowly drizzle it in to get the dressing to emulsify.  Easy as that!

Next, arrange your spinach on your plates, top with blackberries and drizzle on some salad dressing and toss to coat well.  Then add your blue cheese crumbles.  Your done!  So fast, easy, and oh soooo tasty!

 

So I hope you enjoy this recipe.  It only takes minutes to make but the results are delishhhh!

Blackberry, Blue Cheese, and Spinach Salad

serves 4

Ingredients
 
1 ½ T fresh lemon juice
1 t dried thyme
1/2 t Dijon mustard
1/4 t salt
1/4 t black pepper
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 c fresh spinach
1 c blackberries
2 ounces mild blue cheese, crumbled

Directions

In a small bowl or a jar add olive oil, lemon juice, thyme mustard, salt, and pepper.  Whisk together or shake up to mix together.

Divide among 4 salad plates the spinach and berries.  Gently toss with dressing to coat thoroughly.  Crumble blue cheese on each salad. Enjoy!

adapted from a Sunset recipe

Fast & Fresh: Blueberry Butter

Take advantage of summer's tastiest berry, and start your day off right!

Make some Blueberry Butter.  This is a fast & fresh way to use the end of summer berries and would be perfect on breakfast breads, muffins, crackers, or bagels.

This is really easy to make, and would lend itself to other berries as well.

Hope you enjoy this great little treat!  Let me know what you think.

Blueberry Butter

Ingredients:

½ c butter, softened
3 ½ T blueberries, chopped

Directions:

Mix softened butter with chopped blueberries until well incorporated.  Don’t mix to roughly or you will break down the blueberries and end up with purple butter.

Take a piece of waxed paper and place the butter mixture on it.  Shape butter in to a log.  Wrap up tightly in the waxed paper.  Twist each end like a candy wrapper and push both ends toward the middle to get a good condensed roll.  Chill until firm.

Slice into round discs and serve.

Fast & Fresh: Greek Pizza

Sometimes you just want an easy throw together meal.  

That was today for me...

So instead of calling out for a pizza I decided to make my own.  But hey, let's try a different style of pizza than my normal standby. 

Let's make a Greek Pizza!  Sounds good huh? 

Like a Gourmet pizza in a flash!

You'll love the tasty toppings on a ready-to-go dough or a pre-made crust.  Even make your own dough if you are so inclined.  But the ease of this is making it fast.  This uses the oven for only a short time, and having a tasty, satisfying meal ready when you are!

Many supermarket's sell ready to use pizza dough.  I got a whole wheat dough at "Henry's Market" (aka Sprouts) and I've seen them at Trader Joe's.  But a Boboli will do as well if you like.

So let's make a Greek Pizza!

First preheat your oven to whatever degree your dough package states.  Mine was 425 degrees.

Roll out your dough and shape it as desired.  Brush on some olive oil over the crust and bake it for 5 min.

Scatter thinly sliced, seeded Roma tomatoes all over the pizza.  Sprinkle with minced fresh Oregano, Mint leaves, and Garlic.  Make sure to leave about a 1/2' border around the pizza.

Add some Lemon zest, and crumbled Feta Cheese.  Drizzle with some more olive oil and bake until the crust is golden brown, about 10 min.

YUMMY!

Fast & Fresh!



Greek Pizza

Using a pre-made dough.  Preheat oven as directed on package.  Roll out dough.  Brush with Olive Oil.  Bake 5 min.  Leaving 1/2" border around the pizza, scatter thinly sliced, seeded Roma Tomatoes on pizza.  Sprinkle with minced, fresh Oregano, Mint leaves, and Garlic.  Add Lemon zest, and crumbled Feta Cheese.  Drizzle with more olive oil.  Bake until crust is golden brown, approx. 10 min.


Linked to:  Melt in Your Mouth Monday
Linked to:  Your recipe my kitchen
Linked to:  Tuesdays at the Table

Fast & Fresh: Grilled Chicken and Avocado Pitas

The other night MGG (my greek god...) and I whipped up a great dinner.

It was pushin' 100 degrees outside and it was getting late, so we wanted something that was quick and light!

So we decided upon my Grilled Chicken and Avocado Pitas.  How often do you turn to a sandwich for a light dinner?

Sandwiches are great to make.  They are so versatile and lend a blank canvas for mounds of creativity!  Just think of all the types of bread there are to set the scene...ciabatta, sourdough, tortilla, naan, country wheat bread, and pitas!

So many options...endless opportunity!

And the best part is that it's full of flavor, quick, doesn't require an oven, light, and fresh.  It's my newest Fast & Fresh entry!

My Grilled Chicken and Avocado Pitas are a little Asian in flavor, using a wasabi mayo for the spread. 

Wow, what a spread!  Spicy and creamy, with a hint of soy!

Grilled chicken, avocado, tomato, and green leaf lettuce round out the ingredients.  This sandwich packs a punch!  Great for a picnic, lunch, dinner, on the go...you get the idea!

Hope you love this dish...it's easy to make, and you can't beat that!

First let's make the spread.  In a small bowl stir together your mayo, wasabi paste, soy sauce and rice wine vinegar.  Stir, Stir, Stir.   What's wasabi paste you ask?  It's sorta like Japanese horseradish. The green stuff they serve with Sushi.  Here what it looks like...!

You should have a nice creamy spread.  You will need to put this in the frig until time to use.

Next you will want to grill some chicken.  Seasoning with salt and pepper.  The chicken doesn't need a marinade as the flavor is in the spread and you don't want to detract or compete with that.  (more on the asparagus later...!)  I used tenders so they would cook faster.

Then as this is grilling prepare your add ins.  Sliced tomato, green leaf lettuce.  And leave the diced avocado until the end so it doesn't turn.  (or dice now and sprinkle with lemon juice).

Heat your pitas to warm them, on the grill for just a few seconds, or in a dry skillet turning them over until warm.

Cut your grilled chicken into bite sized cubes.  Assemble your sandwiches by cutting the pita in half and opening the pockets up.  Place the spread on both of the insides of the pita.  Add green leaf lettuce, your cubed chicken, sliced tomato, and diced avocado.

Voila!  You're done and it's fantastic!!! 

MGG ate his so fast that I hardly had one bite down and he was looking for seconds!!!

Enjoy!


 

Grilled Chicken Avocado Pitas

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 tablespoon wasabi paste
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 pound boneless chicken breasts
Salt & pepper
2 pita breads
1 ripe avocado, diced
4 leaves of green leaf lettuce
1 medium tomato, seeded and sliced

 

Directions

In a small bowl, combine the wasabi paste, soy sauce, vinegar, and mayonnaise. Refrigerate until use.

Sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides of chicken breasts. Cook chicken on a preheated grill over medium-high heat about 6 minutes per side until fully cooked, with the lid down.  Remove from grill.  Toast your pita breads until tender and heated, about 1 min.  If you leave them to long the pita will turn crispy.

Cut chicken into 1 inch cubes.  Cut pita rounds in half and spread some wasabi mayo on both of the insides.  Fill each pita half equally with green leaf lettuce, chicken, avocado, and tomatoes. 

Linked to: Let's Break Bread Together