Jeanette’s Mexican Corn Quinoa Salad

Mexican-Corn-Quinoa-Salad-Topview1Jeanette Chen of Jeanette’s Healthy Living shares this festive, summer salad, whose idea comes from the Mexican street food called Esquites, which is served in little cups. It’s a mixture of boiled or sautéed corn, mayonnaise, Cojita cheese, cilantro and chili powder. Sometimes jalapeño peppers are added too. What she loves about this recipe is the combination of sweet (from the corn), spicy (chili powder), and salty (Cojita cheese). This recipe is on the milder side but you can spice it up by adding additional cayenne pepper or chili powder. This serves 25, buffet style, so feel free to half it for a smaller crowd.
Jeanette’s Mexican Corn Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
2 teaspoons olive oil
3 cups corn
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups cooked quinoa
2½ cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1½ cups cooked black beans
1 cup cojita cheese (feta or romano cheese would also work), crumbled
3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, minced
3 tablespoons scallions, minced
2 limes, juiced
1½ teaspoon chili powder
a few dashes of cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
sea salt, to taste
fresh ground pepper, to taste
Directions
Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Sauté corn and garlic until corn has some brown spots (that’s the caramelization that makes the corn even sweeter). Transfer to a large bowl and toss in the rest of the ingredients. Season to your liking with additional chili powder, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper.
Follow the delicious recipes of Jeanette on her website: http://jeanetteshealthyliving.com

Sweet and Sour Cole Slaw

This fresh and simple take on a classic from Stonewall Kitchen is the perfect side for your next cookout and a delicious addition to your Father’s Day BBQ!
Sweet and Sour Cole Slaw
Total prep time 20 min; makes 8 Servings
Ingredients
2 cups red cabbage
2 cups green cabbage
2 cups carrots, shredded
1/4 cup Stonewall Kitchen Red Pepper Jelly
1/3 cup seasoned rice wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
2/3 cup canola oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Core the red and green cabbages, remove the outer leaves and shred using a food processor or hand grater.
Shred the carrots.
Place shredded cabbage and carrots in a serving bowl.
In a separate bowl combine the Red Pepper Jelly, rice wine vinegar and ginger. Whisk continuously while adding the canola oil.
Add the oil mixture to the cabbage and toss gently.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Click here to view this recipe and more from Stonewall Kitchen

Lisi’s Grapefruit Cake

grapefruitcake_webLisi of Lisi’s Luscious Desserts shares this flavorful confection that is great to make with the family. This is more citrus tasting than grapefruit so please don’t shy away. The cake has three little parts – but each part is easy to do together.
Grapefruit Cake
Ingredients
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons finely grated grapefruit zest
2 grapefruits
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened to room temp
2 eggs, room temp
2 teaspoons grapefruit juice
1 1/3 all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup buttermilk well shaken
syrup
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
glaze
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
pinch of salt
Directions
Prepare pans – grease then line the bottom of a 9×5 pan (other sizes will work, just adjust baking time) with parchment and grease again. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Zest the grapefruit (rem to wash and dry first) and just take the outside part of the skin.  The inner white layer is bitter.  Rub the zest into the sugar with your fingers to incorporate the flavor. With paddle attachment, beat butter and the zested sugar on medium high for 3-5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time. Scrape down the bowl, mix in the vanilla and scrape again. Combine whisk the dry ingredients.
With mixer running on lowest speed, add the 1/3rd of the flour mixture, follow it with half of the buttermilk.  And repeat, ending with the flour. Do not over mix.  Remove from mixer and fold 2 or 3 times to make sure all butter is incorporated. Pour into prepped pan. Bake until toothpick comes out clean and the cake is nice and golden. Let sit 10 minutes. While it sits, make the syrup. Bring grapefruit and sugar to a boil (mix to incorporate first) – boil for one minute.  Be careful as it is hot!
Poke many holes in the cake with a toothpick.  Brush the syrup all over the cake and continue as it gets absorbed. Let cool completely. Invert and remove from pan. Make the glaze by mixing the confectioners’ sugar and juice – and the tad of kosher salt.  Spread over the syrup soaked cake.

Lisa’s It’s So Easy Being Green Salad

brussels-sproutsThis week we are sharing a super healthy and light summertime salad from Lisa Corrado Nutrition. Bright green and crunchy with a yummy dressing, this pairs beautifully with roasted salmon. And it’s a nutritional powerhouse, so you can feel very virtuous while enjoying a delicious meal!
It’s So Easy Being Green Salad
Serves 4
1½ pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and cut in half
olive oil spray
salt & pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 cups arugula
⅓ cup chopped pistachios
½ cup Roasted Lemon Vinaigrette (click here for recipe)
Preheat oven to 400°.
Spread Brussels sprouts in an even layer on a cookie sheet (use more than one sheet if needed). Spray with olive oil cooking spray, then sprinkle with a little salt & pepper and dried thyme. Toss to coat evenly.
Roast sprouts until softened, about 20 – 30 minutes. stirring them with tongs every 15 minutes and checking for doneness. Allow to cool to room temperature.
Meanwhile, heat a small sauté pan over medium heat and toast chopped pistachios until lightly browned and fragrant, about 6 – 8 minutes. Stir frequently and watch for burning.
Toss the roasted Brussels sprouts with the arugula and lemon vinaigrette. Sprinkle with toasted pistachios.
Click here to view the recipe on Lisa’s blog.

Skinny Berry Cheesecake Trifle

Strawberry-Cheesecake-Trifle1This is the ultimate dessert to bring to the cookout this year! Jeanette Chen from Jeanette’s Healthy Living shares this light version to this recipe. Each serving is about 40% lower in calories and has 75% less fat than a version made with full fat cream cheese, full fat sour cream, and butter pound cake. Thought it may be light on calories its a real fresh and delicious party pleaser. The recipe serves 16.
Skinny Berry Cheesecake Trifle
Ingredients
2 cups non-fat or low-fat cottage cheese
2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup non-fat or low-fat sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ teaspoon almond extract
1 cup whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon sugar
1 Angel Food cake, cut into 1″ cubes
1 quart fresh strawberries, sliced
1 quart fresh raspberries
2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons amaretto
fresh raspberries, for garnish
Directions
Place cottage cheese in food processor and process until smooth. Add powdered sugar, sour cream, vanilla and almond extracts and process until mixed well. Beat whipping cream until light peaks form. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon sugar. Continue to beat until stiff peaks form. Fold whipped cream into cottage cheese mixture. Add cake cubes and gently fold together until cake pieces are coated with cottage cheese mixture. Mix strawberries, raspberries, 2 tablespoons sugar and amaretto together. Place a layer of strawberries and raspberries in the bottom of a trifle bowl. Top with a layer of cake mixture. Add another layer of berries, then another layer of cake mixture. End with a layer of berries. Garnish with additional fresh berries.

Grilled Cajun Shrimp with Remoulade Sauce

deane_grill_recipeLet’s grill it up this weekend. This recipe by Julia Deane of Culinary Works is sure to please the crowd. You can control the spicyness of the shrimp buy how long you let them marinate in the Creole seasoning. The Remoulade sauce acts as a complex but deliciously tasting dip. Or alternatively, serve as a salad to make dinner easy!
Grilled Cajun Shrimp with Remoulade Sauce
Ingredients
2 lbs fresh shrimp –16-20 count, peeled and deveined
Olive Oil or Grape Seed Oil – you need a high smoke point oil.
Creole Seasoning:
1 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoons garlic powder
1.5 teaspoons black pepper
2 teaspoons onion powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons dried thyme
Remoulade Sauce:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
3 teaspoons Dijon Mustard
1 teaspoon Vinegar
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
3 teaspoons drained capers,
1 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
2 tablespoons finely chopped scallions
1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
1 tablespoon ketchup
1/2 teaspoon paprika
Salt and fresh pepper
Directions
Place cleaned shrimp in a bowl and refrigerate. Combine all dried ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. Lightly coat shrimp with oil and generously season it with spice mixture. Let sit for at least a half hour. Preheat grill to medium high. Grill shrimp on both sides turning only once. It will take 3-4 minutes total. If you think they are done they are! Take them off as they cook very quickly and they will continue to cook when you take them off.
For the Remoulade sauce, just combine all the ingredients into a bowl. Serve on a platter with your Remoulade Sauce for dipping. OR: Place shrimp on a bed of greens (maybe a few shredded carrots or sliced tomato) like butter lettuce and serve with sauce drizzled over shrimp.

Tomato Corn Potato Sausage Pesto Frittata

Screen Shot 2016-05-02 at 12.09.21 PMThis Frittata is a colorful Mother’s Day Brunch option to consider. Jeanette Chen from Jeanette’s Healthy Living shares this healthy alternative to follow. This hearty option takes advantage of a lot of the fresh produce is and the addition of the Kale Mint Basil Pesto is quite a colorful entrée.
Tomato Corn Potato Sausage Pesto Frittata
Ingredients
1 tablespoon Garlic Scape Paste (or substitute 1 tablespoon olive oil and 2 cloves minced garlic)
1 large Yukon gold potato, peeled, sliced thin
1 small onion, chopped
6 nitrate-free chicken breakfast sausage links, cut up
1 cup cooked corn
salt and pepper
8 eggs
1 tomato, chopped
⅓ cup shredded pepper jack cheese or cheddar cheese
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons Kale Mint Basil Pesto
Ingredients for the Kale Mint Basil Pesto
1 bunch lacinato kale
1 bunch basil
1 bunch mint
6 garlic cloves
¼ cup pine nuts, toasted
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
Directions
Heat Garlic Scape Pesto in a large non-stick skillet. Place potato, onion and sausage in pan, add ½ cup water and cover; cook until potatoes are tender. Add corn and heat through; season to taste with salt and pepper.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk eggs; add tomato and pepper jack cheese. Pour into skillet.
For the Kale Mint Basil
Blanch kale in boiling water for 20 seconds; drain and put in a bowl of cold water to stop cooking; once cool, squeeze dry and roughly chop. Place blanched kale, basil leaves, mint leaves, garlic cloves and pine nuts in food processor bowl; process until finely chopped; add oil through feeding tube until pesto is blended. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Once done, add dollops of Kale Mint Basil Pesto on top. Using a spatula, lift up sides of frittata and tilt skillet to let uncooked eggs slide underneath frittata. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top and put skillet under broiler for 2 minutes until top is cooked.
Here are links to both recipes to enjoy:

Vegetarian Asian Stuffed Portobellos

asianstuffedportobellos(web)Our friend and nutritionist Lisa Corrado shares this vegetarian recipe takes a little time, but the efforts are worth it. Meaty mushroom caps pair beautifully with the umami taste of a miso marinade. It makes good use of arame, a dried sea vegetable loaded with nutrients. Topped with flavorful vegetables, these mushrooms are a vegetarian meal that everyone will enjoy. Makes 4 mushrooms
Asian Stuffed Portobellos
Ingredients
For the mushrooms:
4 portobello mushrooms
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 teaspoons miso paste
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
for the filling:
½ cup dried arame (dried sea vegetable, found in the Asian food section)
1 package extra firm tofu, pressed, drained well and crumbled
2 tablespoons packaged miso vinaigrette
1 tablespoon freshly ground ginger
5 ounces baby spinach leaves
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 red or orange bell pepper, chopped
2 medium leeks, white and light green parts, sliced
1 tablespoon tamari sauce
4 scallions, thinly sliced
Directions
Marinate the mushrooms:
Trim the stems from the mushrooms and wipe caps with a dry paper towel to remove any dirt. Place caps in a large baking dish or mixing bowl.
In a small bowl, whisk together the 3 tablespoons oil, rice vinegar, miso paste and black pepper. Pour over the mushrooms and toss to coat with your hands so that the caps are evenly coated. Marinate for at least 15 minutes or up to 2 hours, refrigerated.
Marinate the tofu:
In a small bowl, whisk together the miso vinaigrette and fresh ginger. Pour over crumbled tofu and toss to combine. Refrigerate at the same time as the mushrooms.
Rehydrate the arame by soaking it in cold water for 15 minutes. Drain well and set aside.
Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, rounded tops down, and cook for 10 – 12 minutes total, flipping halfway through. The mushrooms should be tender in the thick center.  Remove from pan and set aside. Add the baby spinach leaves to the same pan and cook, tossing frequently with tongs until the leaves are just wilted, about 2 – 3 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a separate large sauté pan. Add the peppers and leeks and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the arame and tofu and stir to combine. Cook for 5 minutes to blend flavors. Season with tamari sauce and sprinkle with sliced scallions.
To assemble the mushrooms:
Place mushroom caps rounded top down. Top with cooked spinach. Mound tofu mixture on top. Serve hot or at room temperature.
Check out this recipe and more at Lisa Corrado Nutrition

Grilled Flank Steak

Sliced beef barbecue steak with chimichurri sauce, top view, rustic metal background
Let’s get grilling! Julia Deane of Culinary Works has some great tips to make that flank steak a great entree. Follow the instructions below of the perfect steak. This Chimichurri sauce is a great way to spice up your spring grilling too and can be made ahead of time. Do not forget to taste for seasoning, use a piece of bread to taste it with, because it will be a little strong with out it.
Grilled Flank Steak 
Ingredients
The Steak
1.5 lb. flank steak – serves 4-6
Olive Oil
Salt and fresh pepper
Chimichurri Sauce
1/2 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons white vinegar
1 shallot- finely chopped
2 Serrano peppers, seeded and diced (seeding is optional, less heat if you remove the seeds and ribs)
1 small bunch flat leaf parsley, chopped (equal to 1cup)
1/2 bunch chopped Cilantro (1loose cup)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Oregano
4-6 medium cloves fresh garlic, finely minced
1 bay leaf
Kosher salt
Directions
Bring your steak to room temperature.Lightly coat the steak with olive oil and season it very generously with salt and pepper on both sides. Let steak sit out for 20 minutes+ before grilling. Preheat the grill on the highest flame. Grill the steak about 5-6 minutes per side for medium rare. Turning only once and do not move it around on the grill. Transfer steak to a cutting board and let stand 10-15 minutes. Holding a sharp knife at a 45-degree angle, cut steak across grain into very thin slices.
Chimichurri Sauce
Combine all the Chimichurri ingredients in a large bowl, mix well and set aside. Make the Chimichurri well in advance of cooking. It can be prepared 2 days in advance and kept refrigerated for up to a week.
Alternatively, you can combine all ingredients in a food processor in this order:
1. Serrano pepper, garlic and shallot, pulse well.
2. Parsley, Cilantro, Oregano
3. Remove from processor to bowl, add vinegar, olive oil and salt, pepper to taste.