This mouth-watering salad is a virtual farmer’s market in a bowl and is perfect for your next picnic or cookout. The fresh crunchy veggies, bittersweet charred sweet corn, and chewy quinoa tossed in a bright, acidic dressing are the perfect summer flavors to accompany your favorite protein. You can make the salad in advance and store in the refrigerator, however, bring it to room temperature to serve.
I’ve had this recipe for years but recently realized I hadn’t made it in a while. Apparently back in the day, I was ‘old school’ calling these sweet, cakey delights ‘blonde brownies.’ The new hip name is to call them blondies. Okay, sure, I get it. I don’t care what we call them, either way; they’re delicious!
I was never a huge fan of the vegetables I found in my pot pie when I was a kid, mainly the peas and carrots. However, I absolutely loved, loved, loved the flaky crust, the tender chunks of chicken and the rich, flavorful gravy.
This recipe is a more adult version of my childhood favorite, instead, I used sweet, tender lobster, delicate shrimp and briny crawfish as the proteins, and replaced the chicken broth with clam juice. The clam juice adds another layer of that great briny seafood flavor without it tasting too fishy. And much to my mother’s delight, I now have no qualms eating peas and carrots, in fact, they’re an absolute must for that nostalgic look and flavor.
There’s nothing like the flavor of an authentic Greek gyro sandwich. The marriage of the flavors and textures from the slow roasted tender lamb, the warm, chewy pita bread, the creamy, tangy Tzatziki sauce, and the crunch from the fresh spinach and red onion hit all the senses.
Cauliflower is a very mild vegetable and is most often seen on veggie trays because it has a great crunch and holds up well with thick dips. Roasting cauliflower brings out a sweet, nutty flavor that’s quite unexpected the first time you try it. The preparation in this recipe by keeping the cauliflower head whole creates wonderful little pockets for the spicy green curry sauce to seep into while it bakes. And look at the beautiful caramelization on the outer crust!
I was first drawn to forbidden rice due to its health benefits and beautiful deep purple hue, but after one bite, I quickly fell in love with its flavor. For those of you who haven’t discovered forbidden rice yet, keep reading!
Americans love fried chicken. The conundrum for anyone trying to eat healthily is the word ‘fried.’ This recipe is my healthier play on ‘General Tso’s Chicken’ using tempeh which is a fermented soy product. Tempeh’s fermentation process retains the whole soybean which gives tempeh a higher content of protein, dietary fiber, and vitamins. The outer crunchy coating on the tempeh is a mixture of cornstarch and aromatic ingredients like ginger, garlic, and sesame oil. I kept the sauce fairly traditional to continue the deep flavors of the ginger, garlic, and green onions, plus a generous amount of chile paste for a little kick.
This company-friendly, quick, flavorful spread is a wonderful appetizer, especially when paired with some fresh, crusty bread and a bowl of marinated olives. The Great Northern (also known as cannellini) is a rich and creamy bean and pairs beautifully with the grassiness from the fresh thyme, the deep, citrusy flavor of the lemon infused olive oil and the acidity from the lemon juice.
Serve the spread with warm pita bread cut into triangles.
Here’s one more chili recipe for the season, this time inspired by flavors of Mexico and just in time to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. After slow cooking for hours, and filling the house with an amazing aroma, this chili is infused with smoky Mexican spices and the deep, slow roasted caramel malt notes from the beer. The addition of the sweet potatoes adds a healthy dose of vitamins B and C, plus their inherent sweetness balances the heat from the poblano peppers.
The chili itself is very hearty and filling; however, if you have a noodle-head at home as I do, the addition of the pasta works great here. Either way of serving, it’s sure to be a family favorite.
One of my favorite childhood memories is coloring Easter eggs. Even today years later, whenever I smell white distilled vinegar, my mind instantly goes back to Easter eggs. The next logical progression for our beautifully colored eggs was either egg salad or deviled eggs. When you’re a kid, stuffing half of a deviled egg into your mouth was fun and totally expected. When you’re a grown up not so much. So this version is a bit more mature and refined, however, you still get those wonderful flavors of rich egg yolks, spicy mustard, and creamy mayonnaise, but then there’s just a hint of heat from the Sriracha followed by the salty brine of the pickle juice.
And when no one is looking, you can stuff as many of these in your mouth as you can and still feel like a kid!