Zucchini Summer Squash Tomato Gratin Recipe

Screenshot 2015-07-21 15.14.53Everything’s coming up zucchini! Jeanette Chen of Jeanette’s Healthy Living shares this lovely French inspired summer dish from her kitchen. This gratin is basically a zucchini tomato summer squash casserole that has goat cheese sprinkled on top. First thought, there’s a layer of sweet sautéed onions and garlic at the base of a casserole dish. Then, sliced zucchini, tomatoes and summer squash are alternately layered row by row. The trick is to use zucchini, tomatoes and summer squash that about the same diameter so the gratin looks as uniform as possible. Save the other pieces for a saute for another day.
Serves four to six people.
Zucchini Summer Squash Tomato Gratin Recipe
Ingredients
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 onions, halved, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 zucchini (~ 1 pound), cut into ¼” slices
2 summer squash (~ 1 pound), cut into ¼” slices
7 small tomatoes (~ 1 pound), cut into ¼” slices
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
2 teaspoons Herbes de Provence
2 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray bottom of 13x9x2 inch casserole dish with cooking spray or brush lightly with oil.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet; add onions and saute until translucent; add garlic and saute another minute; transfer to casserole dish and spread to cover the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon Herbes de Provence.
Alternately layer zucchini, summer squash and tomato in casserole dish. Drizzle remaining olive oil on top. Season with salt, fresh ground black pepper and remaining Herbes de Provence. Cover dish with foil and bake for 40 minutes; uncover dish, sprinkle goat cheese on top and continue baking, uncovered, for another 30-35 minutes, until browned.

Kale Salad with Feta, Tomatoes and Garlic Panko Crumbs

Kale-Salad-with-Garlic-Panko-Crumbs-and-Poached-Egg-51Kale is a great hearty salad base which will stand up nicely to all your grilling this summer. Jeanette of Jeanette’s Healthy Living  shares this unique salad which is simple and fun. The salad is topped with not only a slow poached egg that’s then fried, but it’s served with crunchy garlic panko crumbs and feta cheese. Easy to make for a crowd and individual servings. This is great for 4-6 people but can definitely be doubled if need be.
Kale Salad with Feta, Tomatoes and Garlic Panko Crumbs
Ingredients
8 cups kale leaves, torn into bite size pieces
Salad Dressing
2 tablespoons rice vinegar or red wine vinegar
4 tablespoons olive oil
Garlic Panko Crumbs
2 tablespoons olive oil
4-6 cloves garlic, minced, depending on how garlicky you like it
¾ cup gluten-free panko crumbs
sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Toppings
1 large tomato, chopped
½ red onion, thinly sliced or 1-2 scallions, chopped
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (~ ¾ cup)
16 kalamata olives, pitted
4 slow poached eggs that have been briefly fried in a little oil
fresh ground pepper, to taste
Directions
Place kale in a large salad bowl.
Whisk together Salad Dressing.
To make Garlic Panko Crumbs, heat olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and panko crumbs; saute until light brown. Season with salt and fresh ground pepper. Set aside.
For a crowd
Top kale with chopped tomato, onion, and feta cheese. Sprinkle with Garlic Panko Crumbs. Drizzle with some of the Salad Dressing and toss lightly. Season with fresh ground black pepper.
For individual portions
Divide kale among 4 bowls. Top each bowl with some chopped tomato, onion, feta cheese and olives. Carefully place a fried slow-poached egg on top of each bowl. Sprinkle with Garlic Panko Crumbs. Serve dressing on the side, along with a pepper grinder.

Grilled Thai Chicken Recipe

Screenshot 2015-06-08 13.59.17Ready for a great barbecue marinade for the summer? Jeanette from Jeanette’s Healthy Living shares this recipe, which is good for both chicken and fish. Both are best marinated overnight, so try to plan ahead; otherwise, if you marinate it in the morning, you’ll be good to go. One trick Jeanette uses when she grills chicken or fish is to place the chicken or fish on a baking tray lined with a piece of lightly oiled foil. She slides the whole thing on to the grill – this makes it so much easier to turn the pieces of chicken or fish and there’s no grill scraping in involved. This recipe serves four and can be doubled.
Grilled Thai Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
2½ pounds chicken pieces on the bone (Also good for fish)
Thai Chicken Marinade
4 tablespoons fish sauce
1 teaspoon curry powder
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup coconut milk (canned)
2 tablespoons garlic, minced
2 tablespoons cilantro roots or stems, minced
Directions
Mix together Thai Chicken Marinade in large bowl. Add chicken and toss well to coat all pieces. Marinate in refrigerator overnight. Grill until done.
Click here for the full recipe
Grilled-Thai-Chicken-3

Low Carb Pasta with Asparagus Pancetta and Pine Nuts

Low-Carb-Pasta-with-Asparagus-Pancetta-Pine-Nuts-2Pasta is always a favorite for Jeanette Chen of Jeanette’s Healthy Cooking, but too much of a good thing could pack on the pounds! Jeanette decided to swap out pasta with gluten-free, low-carb tofu shirataki noodles. Visually, these shirataki noodles look just like spaghetti, although their texture is a bit crunchy. One serving has just 10 calories and 3 grams carbs. You may also sub in Soba Noodles for Shirataki.
Low Carb Pasta with Asparagus Pancetta and Pine Nuts
Ingredients
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
2 ounces diced uncured antibiotic-free pancetta
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed, cut into 1½” diagonal pieces
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 ounces tofu shirataki noodles, rinsed and drained
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
fresh grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 tablespoon toasted pine nuts
fresh lemon wedge
Directions
Place olive oil and pancetta in saute pan and cook until pancetta crisps up; use slotted spoon to remove pancetta to a bowl; reserve.
Add asparagus and garlic to same pan and saute until asparagus is crisp and a little tender, about 3 minutes. Add shirataki noodles and toss until heated through. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Transfer to serving bowls. Sprinkle with cheese, pine nuts and reserved crispy pancetta. Squeeze lemon wedge over pasta. Serve.
Click here to view Jeanette’s post

Jeanette’s Roasted Shrimp Cocktail

Roasted-Shrimp-CocktailThis shrimp cocktail recipe from Jeanette Chen from Jeanette’s Healthy Living blog is a spicy twist on the traditional favorite. This healthy alternative adds a lot of flavor and you can prepare this in the morning prior to your event. Jeanette incorporated the flavor of Garlic Shrimp with a touch of Spanish smoked paprika into these roasted shrimp. For the sauce, try using a bit of Jeanette’s Ghost Chile Carrot Hot Sauce to spice it up!

Roasted Shrimp Cocktail

Serves: About 45 pieces of shrimp

Ingredients

Roasted Shrimp

3 pounds (15-count) shrimp, peeled and deveined

1½ tablespoon good olive oil

3-4 cloves garlic, minced

¼ teaspoon Spanish smoked paprika

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

½ teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Cocktail Sauce

11 ounce bottle seafood cocktail sauce

½ cup organic ketchup

1 tablespoon prepared horseradish

2 teaspoons Ghost Chile Carrot Hot Sauce  or other hot sauce

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Directions

Roasted Shrimp

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, toss shrimp with olive oil, garlic, smoked paprika, pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Spread on baking sheet in a single layer. Roast for 8-10 minutes, until shrimp is just cooked through. Set aside to cool. Arrange on a platter with a bowl of Cocktail Sauce.

Cocktail Sauce

In a bowl, stir together all the Cocktail Sauce ingredients.

Ghost-Chile-Carrot-Hot-Sauce-2

Potato Turnip Mushroom Gratin

This Potato Turnip Mushroom Gratin is an example of a traditionally rich holiday dish that Jeanette Chen of Jeanette’s Healthy Living has lightened up with a few key ingredients. First. by using half turnips and half potatoes, this gratin is lower in carbohydrates than the standard potato gratin. Although the texture and taste of turnips are different from potatoes (they’re firmer and have a stronger flavor), the color is the same, so this half and half mixture is a great way to sneak in some healthier vegetables. Turnips are high in dietary fiber and vitamin C too, so it’s makes an excellent swap in for potatoes. Jeanette used a food processor to slice the turnips and potatoes which makes prep time much shorter. You can also use thin sliced carrots in place of some of the turnips or potatoes.

Potato Turnip Mushroom Gratin

Ingredients

4 cups thinly sliced peeled potatoes

4 cups thinly sliced peeled turnips

1 cup asiago cheese

1/2 cup low-fat organic milk

1  8-ounce pack Pacific Organic Vegetable Stock

.5 ounce (~1/4 cup) dried mushrooms blend

1 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup non-fat Greek yogurt

1 egg, beaten

1 cup raw gruyere cheese, shredded

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Toss sliced turnips, potatoes and Asiago cheese together in a bowl. Heat milk, vegetable stock, dried mushrooms, thyme, salt and pepper in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer, then remove from heat and let steep for 20 minutes. Whisk together Greek yogurt and egg. Whisk into liquid mixture.

Lightly grease baking pan. Spoon turnips and potatoes into pan. Pour liquid mixture on top. Sprinkle with Gruyere cheese. Cover with lightly oiled aluminum foil. Bake covered for 35-40 minutes. Uncover pan and continue baking for another 20 minutes or until top is nicely browned.

Enjoy Jeanette’s entire post on this recipe here 

Blueberry Cranberry Walnut Aged Goat Cheese Salad

Blueberry-Aged-Goat-Cheese-Walnut-Salad-2Jeanette Chen from Jeanette’s Healthy Living blog just loves this time of year when all the farms are bringing the blueberries to market and so do we! It’s hard to find someone who doesn’t enjoy these rare fruits in nature that have a brilliant blue color and fun to eat. Jeanette especially loves the combination of fruits and nuts in green salads, and the tanginess of the aged goat cheese complimented the blueberries nicely. Enjoy!

Blueberry Cranberry Walnut Aged Goat Cheese Salad

Yield: 6

Ingredients 

6 cups romaine lettuce, cut into bite size pieces

1 1/2 cups blueberries

6 tablespoons dried cranberries

6 tablespoons walnuts, toasted

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

6 ounces aged goat cheese, crumbled

fresh lemon juice

flax seed oil

salt

fresh ground pepper

Directions 

In a large bowl, toss together lettuce, blueberries cranberries, walnuts, onion and aged goat cheese. Just before serving, squeeze fresh lemon juice on top and drizzle on some flax seed oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Pesto Pasta Salad

Fresh-Tomato-Mozzarella-Pasta-SaladThe beginning of beefsteak tomato season is here! Cecarelli Farms of Northford, CT just brought us some native field-grown tomatoes perfect ready to enjoy. Jeanette Chen of Jeanette’s Healthy Living blog shares this simple recipe which really brings out the flavor of the tomatoes. This is enough pasta salad to serve 10-12 when served with other dishes at a barbecue or over lettuce for the family.

Pesto Pasta Salad

Ingredients

3 cups chopped chopped tomatoes

4 small pieces fresh buffalo mozzarella cheese, cut into bite size pieces

1/3 cup fresh pesto 4-5 cloves fresh garlic, minced

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil salt

fresh ground black pepper, to taste

a handful of fresh grated Parmesan cheese,

optional 1 pound dried gluten-free or whole grain pasta

Directions

In a large serving bowl, toss together tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, pesto, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper. Let marinade for an hour or longer. When ready to serve, cook pasta according to package directions; drain, reserving 1 cup of pasta cooking liquid. Toss hot pasta with tomato mixture, adding some pasta cooking liquid to loosen up sauce. Serve. Click here to read Jeanette’s wonderful post.

Jeanette’s Corn Tomato Avocado Salsa Salad

Corn-Avocado-Tomato-Salad-text-1What’s the difference between a salsa and a salad? It seems the lines are blurred these days. Jeanette Chen of Jeanette’s Healthy Living comes to the rescue with these thoughts: She used to think of salsa as the tomato salsa you find at Mexican restaurants. But lately, salsas seem to be everywhere and include corn, beans, fruit, cucumbers and just about any vegetable. This past weekend, she fired up the grill to make grilled chicken with an assortment of salads, including this Corn Tomato Avocado Salsa Salad. The original intention was to serve this on top of the grilled chicken but as Jeanette got thinking about what vegetables she would serve alongside the chicken, she decided to serve this as a salad instead.
Corn Tomato Avocado Salsa Salad
Yield: 8 as a side dish
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cups corn (frozen works fine)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 avocado, chopped 1 scallion, minced
1/4 cup cilantro, minced
1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeds removed, minced
juice of 2 fresh limes
a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
sea salt
fresh ground black pepper
Directions
Heat oil in pan and add corn and garlic. Sauté until corn has some brown spots. Toss all ingredients together in a large bowl and serve.

Corn-Tomato-Avocado-Salad-Collage

Jeanette’s Loaded Turkey Taco Nachos

Jeanette Chen of Jeanette’s Healthy Living Blog shares these loaded turkey taco nachos, which are fun food for a hearty after-school snack or entertaining. The key is in the toppings. More the merrier depending on the crowds preferences. We topped with tomato, red onion and peppers but black beans and fresh chopped avocado would be great toppings too. Enjoy!

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