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Pickled Zucchini

Spicy Pickled Zucchini Who has leftover zucchini from their garden?This is a delicious way to put it to good use (and it goes on the BLT you will most definitely want to make). Trust me, it’s incredible and worth the time. I was skeptical at first but have made it 3 times in the last week. The onions are to die for as well! 3 medium zucchini, thinly sliced 1 medium white onion, thinly sliced 2 shallots, thinly sliced 2 garlic cloves, peeled and halved 1 1/2 TB sea salt 1/4 C fresh dill sprigs 1 small fresh red chile pepper, very thinly sliced 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes 1/2 TB yellow mustard seeds 1 TB Black peppercorns 3/4 cup cider vinegar 3/4 cup white wine vinegar 1/3 cup sugar Cut the zucchini into thin slices. Place in jar along with the cloves of garlic. Add remaining ingredients (except dill) in a sauce pan. Set it over medium heat and bring just to a boil. Remove from heat and carefully pour over zucchinis and garlic in the jar. Top with…

Tuna Salad with Avocado and Cucumber

The best tuna salad you’ll ever eat! I don’t make tuna nearly enough but when I do, I go big and I keep it healthy. 4 cans White albacore tuna, drained Light mayo, 1Tb Dijon mustard, 1-2 TB Lemon juice and zest, 1 lemon Avocado, smashed Dill pickles, chopped Cucumber, chopped Purple onion, chopped Pickled jalapeño, chopped Relish, 1/4 C S&P (Sriracha salt ) Combine all ingredients and refrigerate overnight. ETC. I hate draining tuna, so I toss all tuna into a strainer and push out the liquid that way instead of each individual can. emoji I actually made 8 cans of tuna this week so these measurements are a rough idea. emojiI love adding a big spoonful to lettuce cups, in a wrap, or on top of toasted wheat bread. Take out any ingredient you don’t like or add something you do. You can never have enough lemon juice or zest in your tuna salad! I crumbled the TJ French onion cheese on top which was a delicious way to add just a little bit of flavor.

Caprese salad with Lemon Spinach and Avocado

Farmers Market Spoils Heirloom tomatoes Mozzarella Lemon Spinach Avocado Balsamic EVOO Sriracha salt Ground Pepper ETC. If you haven’t tried lemon spinach (farmers market) or Sriracha sea salt (Harmons) you’re in for a treat!

Jazzed up Edamame

Jazz up your edamame with red chili pepper spread (or any spicy jelly) and kosher salt.

Tomato soup with cornbread croutons and jalapeño cream sauce

Fall food at it’s best: Tomato soup with cornbread croutons and jalapeño cream sauce and an open faced pastrami melt. Tomato soup- Roast (on the Traeger or oven) tomatoes, peppers, mirapeaux (already chopped TJ mix is the best), drizzled with EVOO and a lot of s&p. After they’re cooked through, blend roasted ingredients in a blender with a can or two of fire roasted diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, vegetable broth (if you need to thin it out) and boxed tomato soup (if you want to add more volume). I leave it slightly chunky so blend to your desired consistency. Cornbread croutons- cube and toast store bought cornbread (freeze what you don’t use) Jalapeño cream sauce- in a blender, combine roasted jalapeños that have been deseeded and sour cream. Pastrami melt- toast wheat sourdough bread Layer-mustard, pastrami, low fat Swiss cheese and Trader Joes sauerkraut with Persian pickles (the best out there)

Shishito Peppers

Next time you’re in an Asian market, do yourself a favor and pick up a bag of shishito peppers. Spicy, salty, and a delicious little snack. Blister the peppers in a little evoo (extra virgin olive oil) on a medium hot pan. Take your time, it may take 10-15 minutes. Sprinkle just a dash of lemon juice and kosher salt. Most aren’t very spicy but you could run into one that knocks your socks off.

Maple Cumin Carrots

I walked around the house last night mumbling to myself, “oh my gosh, I love those carrots, those carrots are so good, wow those carrots were amazing”. So here you go. Trader Joes has these great multi colored carrots, don’t miss them! I peeled and cut the carrots in half and boiled until al dente (can you say that with carrots? You don’t want them mushy). Run them under cold water to stop the cooking process once they’re done. Meanwhile, boil maple syrup and sage leaves until reduced by 1/2. Set aside and take out sage leaves. Mix together equal parts (1 tsp-ish) cumin, brown sugar, coriander, salt, and chili powder. In a large cast iron skillet heat butter and EVOO until bubbling. Add 1/2 of carrots and 1/2 of herb mixture to the pan. Only flip once so you get a nice crust on carrots. Add second half of carrots and rest of herb mixture. Plate carrots and top with sage maple syrup and juice and zest of one lime. Trust me these are worth the extra effort.

Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

I made these Stuffed sweet potatoes for a cooking segment I did this past month and I can’t imagine going back to sweet potato casserole ever again. 12 large sweet potatoes 3/4 cup butter 3/4 cup light brown sugar 3/4 cup all-purpose flour Dash of ground cinnamon Dash of salt 1 cup toasted pecans 1 cup mini marshmallows Wash and prick the sweet potatoes and place on a cookie sheet. Bake or TRAEGER for about 45 minutes or until soft and squishy inside. Mix the butter, brown sugar, and flour together until it’s crumbly-looking. Add the cinnamon, salt, pecans, and marshmallows until combined. Once the sweet potatoes are done baking, slice them down the center and open up to make room for topping. Stuff the sweet potatoes generously with the topping and return to the oven or grill. Bake for another 20 minutes, or until the topping is bubbly and brown. These are especially amazing on the Traeger with that hint of smoky sweet flavor.

Jamaican Street Corn

Jamaican Street Corn! 6 ears of fresh corn on the cob, leave them whole or cut in half 2 c. coconut flakes, toasted 1/2 c. mayo 1/2 tsp. grated ginger 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon 2 1/2 Tbsp. curry powder Lime wedges Mix all the ingredients for the mayo together and set aside. Grill the corn until caramelized. Once off the grill, brush the ears with a coat of the spiced mayo and then roll the ears in the coconut.

Vegetable Soup

A new year calls for Vegetable soup to help keep all those New Years resolutions. I love this soup because it’s so healthy, versatile, and keeps in the freezer. I made a huge pot and plan to eat it for most lunches over the next couple of weeks and we just had it for dinner last night. Anything goes for this soup so don’t be exact, throw in any fresh ingredients you have around. Heat EVOO in a large pot. Add diced onions, garlic, and leeks- stir until softened Add carrots, celery, zucchini, and bagged cabbage- stir until cooked through Add fresh tomatoes and 3-4 cans of fire roasted diced tomatoes- continue cooking Add 2 cartons of your favorite stock and your favorite herbs. I added basil, thyme, bay leaf, garlic powder, onion salt, and s&p. Simmer for 2-3 hours My favorite part about this soup is the add-ins. Today we did kielbasa, parmesan, basil, and red pepper flakes. Other favorite add-ins are pasta, brown rice, chicken, beans, beef, anything goes! Keeping you healthy and happy in 2015.