Featured Recipe – Pistachio Crusted Salmon

WS-Pistachio-Salmon-5Lisa Corrado, a long-time resident of New Canaan, is the owner of Lisa Corrado Nutrition  and author of a Moment in a Busy Life blog. This week, she shares a  super-easy recipe is special enough to serve for company. Reap the anti-inflammatory benefits of the wild salmon, olive oil and pistachios. It’s so delicious, you’ll forget how healthy it is. Serves 4
Pistachio-Crusted Salmon 
Marinade:
½ cup white wine
¼ cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
4 (5 ounce) wild salmon fillets with the skin on
1 cup finely chopped pistachios 
Preheat oven to 400º. Mix marinade ingredients in a non-reactive bowl (glass, Pyrex). Add salmon, turn to coat and marinate for 10 minutes. After removing the salmon, reserve the marinade. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil on medium-high heat, in a large non-stick sauté pan. Sauté the fillets, skin-side up until seared, 2 – 4 minutes. Remove fillets and place on a foil-lined baking sheet, skin-side down. Lightly brush with marinade. Press chopped nuts on tops of fillets and spray with a little olive oil. Bake for 4 – 8 minutes, until salmon is cooked to desired doneness and crust is golden.
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Skinny Philly Cheesesteak Dip Recipe

Skinny Hot Philly Cheesesteak Dip
Jeanette Chen, a resident of New Canaan for 20 years, is the busy mom of 4 boys and author of a popular health and wellness blog, Jeanette’s Healthy Living. She was recently nominated for Best Health Blog by Healthline and is always looking for ways to make healthier meals for her family and friends. This Skinny Philly Cheese Steak Dip is perfect for March Madness – it’s deceptively rich tasting and will satisfy the meat lovers in your crowd.
Skinny Philly Cheese Steak Dip (gluten-free)
Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups 1% milkfat cottage cheese
  • 1/4 cup 1% low-fat milk
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded low-fat sharp cheddar cheese
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1 bell pepper, finely chopped
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 1 8-ounce package mushrooms, finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 pound ground turkey or chicken
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried mustard
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • salt and pepper
  • paprika, if desired

Directions

  1. Place cottage cheese in food processor and process until smooth. Add milk, cornstarch and shredded cheese and process until combined.
  2. In a large pan, heat oil and saute bell pepper, onion, mushrooms and garlic until onions are softened, about 3-4 minutes. Add ground turkey and cook until browned, breaking up pieces.
  3. Add mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook a minute or two for flavors to develop.
  4. Stir in cottage cheese mixture and turn off heat. Stir until cheese is melted and dip is creamy. Transfer to serving bowl and sprinkle with paprika if desired.
  5. Serve with tortilla chips or whole grain crackers.

Jeanette’s Balsamic Glazed Roasted Vegetable Meatloaf

Roasted-Vegetable-Meatloaf-DinnerJeanette Chen, a resident of New Canaan for 20 years, is the busy mom of 4 boys and author of a popular health and wellness food blog, Jeanette’s Healthy Living. She was recently nominated for Best Health Blog by Healthline and is always looking for ways to make healthier meals for her family and friends. The Balsamic Glazed Roasted Vegetable Meatloaf recipe she’s sharing today has become a family favorite and is packed with vegetables which add nutrients and moistness. Made with lean ground turkey, chicken or beef, and oatmeal, it’s a healthier and tastier version of your traditional meatloaf, and it’s gluten-free adaptable.
All you need are some mashed potatoes (use chicken broth and non-fat Greek yogurt, low-fat milk and a little extra virgin olive oil for a lighter version) and steamed broccoli to complete this comfort meal. For the complete post, click here.
Balsamic Glazed Roasted Vegetable Meatloaf
Serves 6-8.
Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large zucchini, finely diced
  • 1 red bell pepper, finely diced
  • 1 8-ounce package mushrooms, finely minced (I used the food processor and pulsed them)
  • 3 cloves garlic, smashed to a paste with kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 2 pounds ground turkey, chicken, lean ground beef or a mixture
  • 1 cup gluten-free oatmeal (processed in a food processor) or gluten-free breadcrumbs (use ends of gluten-free bread)
  • 1/2 cup grated Romano cheese
  • 1 cup ketchup, divided
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add zucchini, pepper, mushrooms, garlic paste, and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Cook until vegetable are just softened, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside to cool.
  3. Put eggs, thyme, ground meat, bread crumbs, cheese, 1/2 cup ketchup, 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, and cooled vegetables in a large bowl and mix until just combined.
  4. Mold meatloaf into a loaf shape on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Whisk together remaining 1/2 cup ketchup, 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Brush mixture on top and sides of meatloaf. Bake for about 1 hour, depending on how thick the meatloaf is. If meatloaf is browning too quickly, turn oven down to 325. Let meatloaf rest for 10 before slicing.

Roasted-Vegetable-Meatloaf-Topshot

Pair with Field Stone Convivio Merlot/Cabernet Blend from Stewart’s Spirits

Valentine’s Recipe – Strawberry Jam-Filled Scones

Strawberry Jam SconesNew Canaan mom of two young children, Eila Johnson, writes the full plate blog. The site, which was named to Forbes’ Top 100 Sites for Women and Forbes’ Top 10 Sites for Parenting and Homemaking, teaches busy parents how to make simple, nourishing recipes for their families and friends. This month, Eila is sharing her favorite Valentine’s treat, Strawberry Jam-Filled Scones. “I’m not a huge baker,” says Johnson who loves to come up with delicious, whole foods options when it comes to entertaining and feeding her family, “but I have a few special treats I always come back to. Everyone absolutely loves these scones, and they make a perfect classroom treat if you’re on snack duty!”

Homemade Strawberry Jam-Filled Scones with Lemon Glaze

(Makes 28 3” scones)

For the scones:
2 cups King Arthur unbleached all-purpose flour
2 cups King Arthur 100% whole wheat flour
1 cup Turbinado (or raw) sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
12 Tablespoons organic butter (1 1/2 sticks, cut into 1/2″ pieces)
2 cups organic heavy cream
lemon zest (optional)
1 cup strawberry jam
For the glaze:
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
vanilla (optional)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375. In a Cuisinart, pulse the flour, sugar and baking powder until combined. Add the chilled butter and pulse until it’s the consistency of coarse meal. Add the cream and pulse, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Transfer dough to counter, divide in half and roll the first half of the dough to 1/4″ thick. Using a cookie cutter, cut into desired shape and place scones on parchment lined baking sheet. Make a small indentation in the center of each scone with your thumb or a spoon, and fill with a dollop of jam. Roll the remaining dough, cut into same shape and place a second scone on top of each one. Gently press down the top scone down on the bottom one. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool for 30 minutes, then top with glaze.
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Super Bowl Side – Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread


iStock_000021952159Small (1)Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread
Lisa Corrado, a long-time resident of New Canaan, is the owner of Lisa Corrado Nutrition  and author of a Moment in a Busy Life blog. This week, she shares a great cornbread recipe that will be perfect for your Super Bowl Chili. You can make this cornbread as hot or not as you like. Heck, leave the jalapeños out if you want. What she loves about this recipe is that it is much lower in fat than regular cornbread and very delicious. It freezes well too.
Serves 8 – 10
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 eggs
¾ cup plain nonfat yogurt
½ cup sweet potato purée (try baby food)
1/8 cup canola oil
2 jalapeños chopped (remove seeds for milder heat)
1 cup shredded part-skim sharp cheddar cheese, divided
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
Preheat oven to 350º. Prepare an 8-inch square or 9-inch round baking pan by spraying with cooking spray, or lightly oiling with oil. In a large bowl, beat the brown sugar, eggs, yogurt, sweet potato and oil until frothy. Stir in jalapeños and ½ cup cheese. Sift the dry ingredients together into a smaller bowl. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just mixed. Pour into prepared baking pan. Top with remaining cheese. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes, until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Featured Recipe – Simple Lentil Soup

Jeanette Chen, a resident of New Canaan for 20 years, is the busy mom of 4 boys and author of a popular health and wellness food blog, Jeanette’s Healthy Living. It’s getting cold out, so this week, she is sharing a simple lentil soup recipe that can be added onto with pantry items. She made this soup at Lapham Community Center and everyone loved it.
Simple Lentil Soup (makes 12 cups; can be frozen)
Ingredients:
1 cup red lentils, rinsed and picked over for small stones
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
2 celery stalks or 3 celery hearts, chopped
1 teaspoon dried oregano
12 cups (or three 32-ounce boxes) low sodium vegetable stock or chicken stock
salt and pepper
1 bunch fresh leafy vegetables (spinach, Swiss chard, or kale), cut into thin slivers
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
Optional Add-In’s:
1/4 cup brown rice or barley
1 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes (fresh or one 15-ounce can chopped tomatoes)
2 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 sprig fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon Herbes de Provence
Directions:
Place lentils, onion, carrot, celery, oregano and stock in a large soup pot along with any “Optional Add-In’s.” Bring to a boil, then turn heat to low, and cook, covered, for about 1 hour, or until lentils are soft. Season with salt and pepper.
Stir in leafy vegetables and cook until they are just tender (spinach takes about a minute; kale and collard greens take longer).
Garnish with chopped parsley
This recipe makes a lot but can easily be frozen in serving size containers.
Yum!

Featured Recipe – Eggnog Bread Pudding

New Canaan mom of two young children, Eila Johnson, writes the full plate blog. The site, which was named to Forbes’ 2012 Top 100 Sites for Women, teaches busy parents how to make simple, nourishing recipes for their families and friends. Though she has been honing her cooking skills for years, it wasn’t until she had children that she really appreciated make-ahead recipes that allow her to be a super (busy) mom… and also sit down as a family for delicious meals with minimal effort. This month, Eila is sharing one of her favorite (and totally decadent) holiday brunch recipes, which can also be served as a festive dessert, drizzled with homemade caramel sauce. Eila has adapted this recipe to work with the 2 lb. Sclafani Panettone sold at Walter Stewart’s (which can be found on seasonal rack up by checkout), and she has written this recipe both to be baked in small disposable tins, wonderful for gifting… and in larger baking pans, perfect for gathering as a crowd this holiday season!
Eggnog Bread Pudding
(makes six 4-serving pans or two 13×9” pans*)

  • 2 lb loaf of panettone
  • 9 eggs
  • 6 cups (1 ½ quarts) of eggnog
  • 3 or 4 Tablespoons of vanilla
  • zest of an orange (optional)
  • six 8 x 5 ¼” disposable baking dishes (optional)

Preheat your oven to 350. Cut the panettone into roughly 1″ cubes and place the bread in the baking dish. In a mixing bowl, combine the eggs, eggnog, vanilla and orange zest (if you are adding it) and mix until well blended. Pour eggnog mixture evenly over bread. Let this sit and continue to soak while the oven is warming up. Bake on middle oven rack uncovered for the first half of the baking time, then covered for the second half, so the top doesn’t brown too much.
For six small (8×5 ¼”) disposable baking dishes:
Your cook time will be about 40 minutes.
For two 13×9” baking dishes:
Your cook time will be between 1 hour, and 1 hour 15 minutes.

You’ll know it’s done when a butter knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
This dish can be made-ahead, either fully baked (and then warmed in the oven, covered loosely with foil) or you can pour the egg mixture over the top and pop it into the fridge, and bake it the next day if you want to wow your family/friends/house guests with an absolutely amazing smelling kitchen. If it’s going straight from the fridge into the oven, the smaller pans will take about 1 hour to cook, and the 13×9” pans will take more like 1.5 hours to bake.
The recipe is decadent and delicious, as is. But, I also made it with homemade caramel sauce this year and oh, my goodness it was amazing. If you would like to make the caramel sauce, it takes just a few minutes, and can be whipped up while the bread pudding is baking…
Caramel Sauce
(makes 2 cups, which more than enough…)

  •  1 lb box dark brown sugar (about 3 cups)
  • 2 sticks butter (1 cup)
  • 1 cup heavy cream

In a saucepan, whisk brown sugar and butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat until butter melts. Whisk in cream and continue stirring with a whisk until sauce is smooth, about 5 minutes. Extra caramel sauce is wonderful served over ice cream!
Here is the recipe in photos, for those who enjoy a visual. I hope your family enjoys this recipe as much as mine does!

Featured Recipe – Roasted Vegetable Lasagna

Lisa Corrado, a long-time resident of New Canaan, is the owner of Lisa Corrado Nutrition and author of a Moment in a Busy Life blog. This week, she shares a veggie-packed lasagna sure to be a crowd pleaser. No need for a side salad with this lasagna! It freezes beautifully and there’s no need to cook your lasagna noodles first, just make sure they’re covered in sauce. Note: Lisa give you the option to keep it vegetarian or the Flex-Able options to add one pound of very lean ground meat, cooked.
Serves 8
Flex·Able option: 1 pound very lean ground meat, cooked

  • 2 pounds eggplant, cut into chunks
  • 3 medium zucchini, cut into chunks
  • 2 yellow bell peppers, seeded and quartered
  • 1 medium yellow onion, cut into chunks
  • 1 head of garlic
  • 1 (28 ounce) can chunky tomato sauce
  • 1 (4 ounce) can tomato sauce
  • 1 ½  cups part-skim ricotta
  • 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
  • 2 egg whites
  • salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 9 whole wheat lasagna noodles (no need to cook)
  • 1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 400º
Scatter eggplant, zucchini, peppers and onion on cookie sheets; spray with olive oil and lightly season with salt & pepper.  Cut off the top of the garlic bulb, lightly spray with olive oil, and wrap in foil.  Roast the vegetables until tender and browned, about 30 – 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Roast garlic until softened, about 45 minutes.  Let vegetables cool slightly.
Pour both tomato sauces into a food processor.  Squeeze the garlic cloves in as well, plus the roasted vegetables.  Process for about 15 – 20 seconds, until smoother, but still with some definition.
In a bowl, combine the ricotta, Parmesan cheese, basil, egg whites and ground pepper.
Spread a thin layer of the vegetable mixture in the bottom of a 13” x 9” baking dish, top with 3 lasagna noodles.  Top with half of the cheese mixture, half the cooked meat (if using) then about 1 cup of the vegetable mixture. Top with 3 more lasagna noodles.  Top with remaining cheese mixture, remaining cooked meat, then about 1 cup vegetable mixture, then remaining 3 noodles.  Top with remaining vegetable mixture and sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese.
Cover tightly with foil and bake until bubbly and a knife inserted indicates that the noodles are tender, about 1 hour.  Remove foil and brown cheese under broiler for 30 – 60 seconds.

Featured Recipe – Orange-Infused Delicata Squash with Pistachios

Busy New Canaan mom, Eila Johnson, writes the full plate blog. The site, which was named to Forbes’ 2012 Top 100 Sites for Women, teaches busy parents how to make simple, nourishing recipes for their families and friends.
While she loves traditional stuffing and cranberries, Eila also enjoys bringing a new Thanksgiving side
to the table each year. She recently asked her readers what sort of side dish recipe they most-wanted to see. The responses ran the gamut from recreating one reader’s memory of her mother-in-law’s marshmallow-topped sweet potatoes that had orange juice in them…to another reader’s wish for a
sweet side that didn’t have lots of added sugar or dairy. And another reader said she wanted to make acorn squash, but lamented the lack of space in her oven Thanksgiving Day. So, Eila created this
simple, orange-infused recipe, which makes use of local delicata squash… that can be made on the stovetop. The side dish was a total hit with her young family, and will be included in this year’s family feast… plus, it was so simple and delicious that it will no doubt make appearances at normal Fall/Winter family dinners from time to time too!

Orange-Infused Delicata Squash with Pistachios

(makes 10-12 servings)
2 large delicata squash (about 1 lb. each)
2 Tablespoons olive oil
3-4 shallots, halved and thinly sliced
zest of 1-2 large orange(s)
1 ½ cups fresh-squeezed orange juice
salt & pepper, to taste
¼ cup roasted, unsalted pistachios, rough chopped
 A note on ingredients: with the exception of olive oil, salt and pepper, all ingredients are found in Walter Stewart’s produce department. I chose to purchase fresh-squeezed orange juice (also found in the produce department), but you could also purchase a few more oranges and juice them yourself, if you’d like. The pistachios are found in the tubs on the top shelf of the produce department. They come in several varieties, including raw, roasted and roasted/salted. I used roasted/unsalted in this recipe.

  1. Washed the squash well, as you will be leaving the skin on. Then, cut each squash in half lengthwise, and scoop the seeds out using a spoon. Slice each squash, about ¼” thick, crosswise.
  2. In a large skillet or fry pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add shallots and sauté until softened and beginning to turn golden brown (just a few minutes).
  3. Add the squash, orange juice, orange zest and salt and pepper to the pan. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cover. Cook for about 10 minutes until the squash is fork tender, stirring once halfway through. (Fork tender means you can pierce the squash with a regular fork, but before the squash gets too tender—you don’t want it getting mushy!)
  4. Uncover the pan and continue cooking the squash until all of the orange juice is absorbed, stirring occasionally to ensure even cooking (about 10-15 minutes more).
  5. Sprinkle pistachios over the squash just before serving. Can be made in advance and warmed in the oven before serving, or served room temp.

Here is the recipe in photos, for those who like a visual. I hope your family enjoys this recipe as much as mine does!

Featured Recipe – Apple Pie Parfaits


Eila Johnson is a New Canaan mom of two young children and author of the full plate blog, which was recognized by Forbes as one of the Top 100 Sites for Women. This month, she shares a simple, family-friendly recipe with Walter Stewart’s shoppers that takes advantage of local apples that are in season. This recipe has quickly become one of her children’s favorite breakfasts and after school snacks!
Apple Pie Parfaits
(makes 6 individual parfaits)
6-8 organic apples, washed, skin on, rough chopped*
4 cups Greek Yogurt *
2 cups granola *
maple syrup* (optional)
cinnamon* (optional)

In a medium-sized saucepan, heat the rough chopped apples with about ¼ cup of water, until apples begin to soften. This should take about 12-15 minutes. You may leave the applesauce as is (chunky), or run it through a food processor if you prefer it smoother. (We leave ours chunky.) The applesauce will store for several days in the fridge. I like to get this step done when I have a few minutes to cook, then assembly of the parfaits takes mere minutes on busy school mornings, or as a quick after school snack!
To make the parfaits, simply alternate: applesauce, a sprinkling of granola, a dollop of yogurt, and a drizzle of maple syrup (optional) until cup is filled.
*Note on ingredients: I have not specified exact brands, since this recipe is easily adaptable with your favorite brands/flavors of yogurt and granola. But, if you’d like to follow along exactly, here’s what I used and where each item is found in Walter Stewart’s Market:

  • 4 organic Braeburn and 3 organic Honeycrisp apples (produce section)
  • 17.6 oz tub Fage Greek Yogurt Total (dairy case)
  • Ola granola, No Nut Vanilla variety (cereal aisle, up top at the end where the freshly baked La Brea breads are displayed)
  • Highland Sugarworks Grade A Medium Amber Maple Syrup (aisle 7 next to the baking supplies)
Here is the recipe in photos, for those who like a visual. I hope your family enjoys this recipe as much as mine does!