Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Green Beans With Feta & Dried Cranberries




1 1/2 green beans, washed and trimmed
2 tbsp EVOO or grapeseed oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2/3 cup dried cranberries
4 oz crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup chopped parsley
salt and pepper to taste

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add green beans and cook until tender, about 3 to 4 minutes.
2. Drain well and transfer to a large bowl and toss with oil, vinegar, salt and pepper, and transfer to a large platter.
3. Scatter cranberries, feta cheese, and parsley over the top and serve.

Monday, April 2, 2012

Zucchini Ribbons with Parmigiano-Reggiano and Pine Nuts

I still had a couple of those chili-lime chicken burgers left over, but wanted a lite, summery, veggie side dish to pair with it and came across this recipe:



1 lb zucchini, cut paper thin (I used my potato peeler and it worked great!)
1/4 cup natural grapeseed oil
juice of a lemon
sea salt and cracked black pepper
3 tbsp pine nuts
6 tbsp shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano


1. Lay out the cut zucchini across a platter, overlapping in a large pile
2. Whisk 1/4 cup grapeseed oil and juice of a lemon in a measuring cup with spout. Drizzle over zucchini.
3. Add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Distribute pine nuts and Parmigiano-Reggiano on top and serve immediately.

This was a great substitute for a side of fries and much healthier!

Friday, March 30, 2012

Le Gruyere and Proscuitto Pizza

 


1 tbsp Roasted Garlic Grapeseed Oil
1 large onion
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1 (12-in) pre-baked whole wheat pizza crust
1/3 cup sour cream
3/4 cup Le Gruyere cheese
2 oz sliced proscuitto, cut into thin strips


1. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat and add onion, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and caramelized.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and place pizza crust on a baking sheet.
3. Spread the sour cream evenly over pizza crust and sprinkle with the onions, Le Gruyere, and proscuitto.
3. Bake 12-14 minutes.

Note: I actually doubled this recipe, except for the onions and made one pizza with the onions and one without since I have little eaters that I knew wouldn't be a fan of them. And this pizza was DELICIOUS! All 3 girls asked for seconds!

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Lemon Shrimp Scampi



1 lb fresh shrimp (I bought a frozen bag and let it thaw)
2 tbsp Butter lavored Grapeseed Oil (WT)
1 lemon, thinly sliced
Zesty Lemon Grapeseed Oil (WT)
Scampi Blend seasoning (WT)

1. Preheat over to 350 degrees.
2. Cover the bottom of a 9x13 glass baking dish with the 2 tbsp butter flavored grapeseed oil (you can also use olive oil).
3. Place lemon slices on bottom of dish.
4. Spread out shrimp on top of the lemon slices and brush some lemon grapeseed oil over the shrimp with a basting brush.
5. Sprinkle seasoning over the top of the shrimp. I used my Wildtree Scampi Blend seasoning, but you can use any seasoning of your liking.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

Enjoy!

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Red Grape & Feta Salad



2 tbsp Zesty Lemon Grapeseed Oil (WT)
1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice (I used a fresh squeezed lemon)
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 lb red seedless grapes, halved
5 oz mixed salad greens
6 oz crumbled feta cheese

In a large bowl, whisk together oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Add grapes, greens and feta and toss well (I use my CLEAN hands - it works better).

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this salad! I would eat it every single day if I had all the ingredients available.

***Anytime you see me type "WT", I am referring to Wildtree products. I am actually a Wildtree Rep and use their products faithfully. Wildtree products are amazingly tasty and they are all natural - no preservatives, artificial flavors, etc. The purpose of this blog is not meant to endorse Wildtree, but if you are interested in their products, feel free to visit my website: www.mywildtree.com/thowe. I've had people ask me about Wildtree before, so I may write up a future blog entry about the company, products, etc.

Baked Mini Ravioli with Marinara Sauce



Marinara Sauce
1 tsp olive oil
1 clove garlic
1/2 medium yellow onion (chopped)
1 can crushed tomatoes
Italian seasoning (I used basil and oregano)

Ravioli
1 pkg frozen mini cheese ravioli (9 oz)
1 cup bread crumbs
2 egg whites
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and line a baking sheet with foil.
2. Set out 2 bowls. In 1 bowl, whisk 2 egg whites with a dash of sea salt and pepper. In the 2nd bowl, add bread crumbs (I actually toasted a couple slices of whole wheat bread and chopped in the food processor), oregano, thyme, sea salt, pepper, and parmesan cheese.
3. Coat each ravioli in the egg white mixture and roll around in the breading mixture and place on baking sheet. Repeat this for the rest of the ravioli.
4. Bake at 375 degrees for about 25 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, add oil to a medium pan over medium high heat and saute onions until translucent.
6. Add garlic, tomatoes, and Italian seasoning and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 25-30 minutes.
7. Add sauce to a food processor and cover hole at the top with a towel to allow steam to escape. Blend until desired consistency. Pour into small serving bowls.

I paired this meal with a Red Grape & Feta Salad. Stay tuned for that recipe...