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Blueberry Recipes: Get Your Blueberry On!

May 20, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Looking for some blueberry recipes with flair, something a step away from the traditional pie, muffin or cobbler.  Here are some wonderful selections from some of my favorite food & family bloggers.  Enjoy.
white chocolate blueberry cheesecake
When a dessert is lovely, as well as delicious, it hits a home run.  Jaclyn has certainly achieved that with her version of White Chocolate Blueberry Cheesecake, featured on her blog Cooking Classy.

blueberry raspberry scones with lemon glazeI adore scones, and these Blueberry-Raspberry Scones with Lemon Icing, from Cat Davis of Food Family Finds look divine.  Perfect Sunday morning comfort food.  Keep them in mind, next time you have overnight guests… of course they may never leave, if you give them these scones…lol

blueberry pie ice creamKate’s Blueberry Pie Ice Cream from her blog Grin and Bake It, simply has me drooling.  I will be digging out the ice cream maker to whip up a batch of this very soon.  The promise of bits of graham cracker interspersed with the sweet blueberries and cream is such a tease.

Gingery Blueberry Shortcake SlidersLooking for a dessert that won’t blow your diet, and that your family will still eagerly devour? These Light Gingery Blueberry Shortcake Sliders, from MiscFinds4U might just fit the bill.  I usually think of strawberries with shortcake, but these little blueberry ones are a wonderful twist. I would love a bite myself :)

blueberry cakeMarla from Family Fresh Cooking, has really outdone herself with this Blueberry Layer Cake.  Not only are there blueberries in the cake, frosting and on top, but this is even gluten-free to boot, increasingly important since so many people are gluten intolerant these days.  Yes, I am impressed.

blueberry biscuits recipeThis Blueberry Biscuits Recipe from Shop with Me Mama, is a little something different  from Blueberry Muffins, and they look delish.  The pic of Kim’s little daughter proudly helping her make these is worth a visit in itself.  Too cute!

Filed Under: Desserts & Sweet Baked Goods, Food Tagged With: ,

Nonni’s Biscotti Bites: Sweeps, Thoughts and Recipe

May 17, 2012 By Leave a Comment

nonni's biscotti bitesBiscotti are among my favorite cookies, but they are usually pretty large and hard to break without making a mess.  Since I have been working on dropping a few pounds before summer starts, I had been skipping them the past few months.  My coffee was lonely.

Lucky for me, Nonni’s recently introduced Biscotti Bites.  They are smaller biscotti.  For me, they were just the right size.  Sometimes I want a little sweet fix, not a big production, just a couple bites. Biscotti Bites are perfect for this.  Each one is in the 30-40 calorie range, so one or two with coffee, or as a quick snack won’t be problematic for the waistline.

I liked the Caramel Milk Chocolate variety the best, closely followed by the Almond Dark Chocolate.  My daughter also seemed most taken with the Caramel Milk Chocolate bites too.  When we got to the Classic Almond flavor, I decided to experiment with using the biscotti to make dessert cups.   The biscotti certainly packed more flavor than graham crackers, and added an Italian flair to the resulting dessert.  The small size of the Biscotti Bites, enabled me to simply empty the bag into my food processor, to grind them up .  I was very happy with the crust, and will be using it again in the future for other desserts too.  Ricotta Pie would ROCK with a crust made out of these biscotti!

biscotti cupsI filled the cups with homemade vanilla filling and blueberries.   I will be posting the recipe very soon, but in the meantime, why not enter Nonni’s Biscotti Moments Sweepstakes .  Nonni’s encourages you to take a well deserved break, just like their Facebook page to enter to win a grand prize of a trip to Hollywood, complete with spending cash & a new digital camera.  Upload a picture of your “Biscotti Moment”, and maybe you will win one of the weekly prize winners of a Nonni’s Biscotti Gift Basket.   Since I get a great deal of satisfaction in a new recipe creation coming out well, this is a Biscotti Moment for me, just as much as relaxing and noshing on a few would be, so that is what I submitted… to each their own right.biscotti bites

I wrote this review while participating in a campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Nonni’s Biscotti and received a product sample to facilitate my review and a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.

Filed Under: Food, Food & Beverage

Bacon, Tomato and Onion Bulgur Recipe

May 14, 2012 By 1 Comment
bacon tomato onion bulgur recipeI am sort of hooked on wheat bulgur these days.  It is lower in calories than most starches, as a whole grain it has a good amount of fiber and it cooks much faster than many other whole grains.  It have been using it in place of anything I would typically use  rice for, with excellent results.

In this Bacon, Tomato and Onion Bulgur Recipe, I swapped out the jasmine rice I would typically use, with wheat bulgur, and used 2 strips of nitrate free bacon, instead of the 3-4 slices of the standard stuff I used to put in the  old version of this dish.  The quantity of bacon is sufficient for flavor, and the bulgur cooks in about the same amount of time the rice would have… brown rice would have taken forever.

The recipe gives you the feeling you are being, just a little bit bad, but in reality you aren’t…lol .  Great with BBQ meats, or even by itself.

Bacon, Tomato and Onion Bulgur Recipe
Print
Recipe type: Side Dish
Author: Robin Gagnon
Prep time: 5 mins
Cook time: 15 mins
Total time: 20 mins
Serves: 4-6
Easy whole grain side dish. Just enough bacon to give flavor, without making dish fatty. We all need a little bacon fix on occasion.
Ingredients
  • 2 strips bacon (preferably nitrate free)
  • 1 cup chopped sweet onion
  • 1/8 tsp. dried thyme
  • 1 cup dry wheat bulgur
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 med tomato diced
Instructions
  1. Chop bacon strips into small bits (about the size of a nail head … yeah, I have household projects on the brain again).
  2. Drop bacon into non-stick skillet or wok, on med-high heat.
  3. When bacon is just starting to brown, add onion, thyme and bulgur. Continue cooking, while stirring frequently, until onions and bulgur have started to brown.
  4. Add chicken broth, bring to boil, then reduce heat to med-low, and cover.
  5. Cook until broth is absorbed, then add diced tomato. Stir, and turn off burner.
  6. Allow to set for a few minutes before serving, to ensure all liquid is absorbed.
Notes

While great as it is, chopped parsley or basil are nice to mix in the finished bulgur. Parmesan cheese makes a great topping too.

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Filed Under: Food, Sides

$10,000 Dole California Cook-Off Contest… and My Submission

May 10, 2012 By 2 Comments

Curried Pina Colada Chicken kabobs over bulgur saladThere is no reason lighter healthier eating can’t be delicious!  These Curried Pina Colada Chicken Kabobs  provide a full serving of fruit and meat, and are naturally sweetened with pineapple juice and honey.   Serving over wheat bulgur mixed with chopped salad greens adds whole grains and vegetables, as well.  Complete nutrition, in a sensible portion size, and a big serving of flavor.  Perfect summer fare, especially since all the cooking can be done on a grill with side burner.

I published the recipe on Foodie.com, and you can find it here: Curried Pina Colada Kabobs over Bulgur Salad

I also entered the recipe in the Dole California Cook Off Contest.  Top recipe creators will win a trip to Los Angeles, to compete for a grand prize of $10,000!  The contest will be judged by Celebrity Chef Ben Ford, and in addition to the grand prize, two runners up will each receive a $1,000 cash prize.

To enter, create your own original recipe for a starter or appetizer, that includes at least 1  Dole  product, and up to 7 additional ingredients.  The recipe must also be prepared on a grill.  So, fire up your grill, grab a few great Dole products, and get creative.  Complete rules can be found here.

Not up to creating a new recipe right now?  You can still get in on the fun.  Enter the Fan Judge sweepstakes to win a trip to Los Angeles for the cook-off and be one of the judges, right along with Chef Ben Ford.  The sweeps winner will also be given $500, in addition to the trip.

dole logo

pina colada chickenCompensation was provided by Dole via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Dole.

Filed Under: Appetizers, Entrees, Food, light recipes, Poultry, Recipes, Salads Tagged With: , , , ,

Pure Leaf Ginger-Peach Iced Tea for Kentucky Derby Day

May 1, 2012 By 4 Comments
ginger peach ice teaI have been watching the Kentucky Derby every year for quite some time.  For many years, Derby Day meant Mint Juleps for me, but these days my viewing companion is my preschooler, so non-alcoholic beverages are more in order.  As the race is coming up this Saturday (May 5th), it seemed the perfect time to share a drink recipe with you.

Kentucky Derby Ginger-Peach Iced Tea
5.0 from 1 reviews
Print
Recipe type: Beverage
Author: Robin Gagnon
Prep time: 2 mins
Cook time: 5 mins
Total time: 7 mins
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • walnut sized piece of ginger
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 cup fresh or frozen peach slices
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 (18.5 oz.) bottles of unsweetened Pure Leaf tea
Instructions
  1. Cut the ginger into quarters, and give them a good bash with the back of a skillet.
  2. Put the ginger, water, peaches and sugar into a sauce pan, and bring to a boil. Stir frequently, while boiling for 4-5 minutes.
  3. Take off burner and strain. (toss out the ginger, reserve the peaches to add to drink, or for desserts).
  4. Once syrup is cool, put 3 tbs. of it into an ice filled tall glass, and top with unsweetened Pure Leaf Tea.
Notes

*optional add, the reserved or frozen peaches. Mint would make a nice garnish.

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If you are having a Derby Party, having bottles of several varieties of Pure Leaf Tea in a large bin of ice would be very inviting for guests, and fit well into a Derby theme.  The well blended teas are delicious on there own, or as a mixer for both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.  Check out Pure Leaf’s recipe page for more ideas.  If you liked my recipe, you may want to look at Gail Simmons Lemon-Ginger “Tulep” and her Peach-Ginger Fizz on the Pure Leaf Facebook Page, they are in a rather similar vein, and you might prefer her recipes, after all she is a Top Chef judge.

ginger peach simple syrup

Ginger Peach Simple Syrup before straining.

I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Lipton Pure Leaf. I received product samples and a promotional item to thank me for participating.

Filed Under: Beverages, Food Tagged With: ,

Italian Wheat Bulgur Salad Recipe

April 30, 2012 By Leave a Comment
italian bulgur salad recipeAs part of my healthy eating changes, I have frequently been preparing wheat bulgur, with vegetables.  This Italian Wheat Bulgur Salad Recipe is similar to tabuoli, but with a focus on the popular flavors of Italy.

Italian Wheat Bulgur Salad
Print
Recipe type: Salad
Author: Robin Gagnon
Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 10 mins
Total time: 20 mins
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 1 tbs. olive oil
  • 1 cup chopped sweet onion
  • 1 small zucchini squash (quartered & sliced)
  • 1 clove garlic (crushed/minced)
  • generous pinch of thyme
  • 1 cup wheat bulgur (dry)
  • 1 3/4 cup chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1/4 cup white wine
  • 1 cup diced tomato
  • 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
Instructions
  1. Heat oil on med-high, in large wok or dutch oven.
  2. Lightly saute the onions, zucchini, garlic & thyme. 1-2 minutes.
  3. Add the bulgur and saute another minute.
  4. Add broth and wine, bring to boil, then cover & reduce to simmer*.
  5. Once liquid is absorbed, remove from burner, and add the tomato & basil.
  6. Can be served warm, or cold.
Notes

*Bulgur is simmered, rather than shutting off to absorb liquid, to cook wine.

Optional: Add diced chicken, shrimp, garbanzo beans or sliced fresh mozzarella, for a more substantial mean and additional protein.

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italian wheat bulgur salad

Filed Under: Food, light recipes, Recipes, Salads, Vegetables, Vegetarian Tagged With: , , ,

Spinach Almond Chicken: A Twist on a Classic from Hellmann’s

April 26, 2012 By 1 Comment
spinach almond chickenDuring my participation in their Chicken Change Up project, I’ve enjoyed trying out some new-to-me easy chicken recipes from Hellmann’s.  This Spinach & Almond Chicken recipe is my favorite among the ones I’ve tried.  I loved the flavor, as well as the use of healthful ingredients.  The only changes I made were using 4 chicken breasts rather than 6, since that was all I needed, and I thought the extra topping on each would be good and cutting the bake time down to 15 minutes, since the breasts I used were not that large.  The chicken came out juicy, and the topping had a nice crunch to it.

Here is a short video of the meal preparation process, so you can see how easy this recipe really is.

Hellmann's Chicken recipes

Spinach & Almond Chicken
5.0 from 1 reviews
Print
Recipe type: Entree
Author: Hellmann’s Website
Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 20 mins
Total time: 30 mins
Serves: 6
Ingredients
  • 2 Tbsp. Hellmann’s® or Best Foods® Real Mayonnaise
  • 1 cup loosely packed baby spinach leaves, chopped
  • 2 Tbsp. chopped almonds
  • 1 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 Tbsp. plain dry bread crumbs
  • 6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 1-1/2 lbs.)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 425°.
  2. In medium bowl, combine all ingredients except chicken. On baking sheet, arrange chicken, then evenly top with mayonnaise mixture.
  3. Bake 20 minutes or until chicken is thoroughly cooked.
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spinach almond chickenCheck out Spinach & Almond Chicken along with many other recipes from Hellmann’s on their website.

$5000 Grocery Gift Card Giveaway

Grocery gift card giveawayFrom now until April 30, 2012, parents across the country can participate in the Hellmann’s®Chicken Change-up by trying one of the featured Hellmann’s® chicken recipes, sharing their recipe reviews and providing their own advice for managing dinnertime obstacles. After participating, consumers can enter into a sweepstakes for the chance to win a $5000 grocery store gift card and other daily prizes.

This is a sponsored post.  Hellmann’s product and additional incentives were provided to me.  All opinions stated are my own.

Filed Under: Entrees, Food, Poultry Tagged With: ,

Lemon Balm Salmon in Parchment

April 24, 2012 By 4 Comments
lemon balm salmon in parchmentLemon balm is an under utilized herb in the kitchen.  It has a relatively mild flavor, but lovely lemony perfume to it, which is perfect for infusing into seafood, poultry and pork.  It is an easy to grow and attractive herb, which is readily available at most plant nurseries.  Many of you may have it in your garden already.  Later in the season, when the leaves are large, I sometimes take a few of them and wrap a piece of fish in them, then put the packet directly on a low grill.  Here, as it is early in the season and the leaves are smaller, I’ve packed them in with wild salmon in parchment and a drizzle of honey, for baking.

Lemon Balm Salmon in Parchment
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Recipe type: Entree
Author: Robin Gagnon
Prep time: 7 mins
Cook time: 13 mins
Total time: 20 mins
Serves: 1 per
Easy salmon recipe featuring lemon balm.
Ingredients
  • wild salmon filets (4 oz. each one per person)
  • kosher salt
  • honey
  • fresh lemon balm
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
  2. Place each filet on a large piece of parchment.
  3. Sprinkle a generous pinch of Kosher salt over the filet.
  4. Drizzle with honey.
  5. Tuck a few sprigs of lemon balm under the fish, then top with one or two more sprigs.
  6. Wrap the parchment paper into a pouch.
  7. Bake for 13-15 minutes.
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lemon balm salmon in parchment

Salmon with lemon balm and honey ready to be wrapped in parchment.

lemon balm honey salmon in parchment

Lemon Balm Salmon parchment opened.

salmon in parchment with lemon balm and honey

Lemon Balm Salmon served with a mixture of grilled sweet onions and roasted yellow peppers.

 

Filed Under: Entrees, Food, Gluten Free Recipes, light recipes, Seafood Tagged With: , ,

Asian Salmon Green Bean and Quinoa Salad Recipe

April 23, 2012 By 4 Comments
asian salmon quinoa green bean saladIf you are a regular reader, you know I have been experimenting with quinoa (keen-wah) a great deal lately.  It has quite an impressive nutritional profile, and I have enjoyed the challenge of creating recipes featuring it. For each quinoa recipe that makes it on the blog, several concoctions did not. While easy to cook, it can be a little tricky to use in recipes, but once you become accustomed to preparing meals with quinoa, you will be glad you did.  In addition to the recipes found here, check out the compilation of quinoa recipes featured on Cooking Light, for more great ways to add this healthful food into your family’s diet.

This  Asian Salmon Green Bean and Quinoa Salad Recipe, utilizes the “grain” to add to the dish in a way most ingredients would not be able to.  While I broiled some fresh salmon to prepare the dish, it would also be a terrific way to use up leftover salmon.

Asian Salmon Green Bean and Quinoa Salad
5.0 from 1 reviews
Print
Recipe type: Entree
Author: Robin Gagnon
Prep time: 5 mins
Cook time: 15 mins
Total time: 20 mins
Serves: 2
Ingredients
  • 1 tbs. balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tbs. orange juice
  • 1 1/2 tbs. low sodium soy sauce (gluten-free if that is a concern)
  • 1 tbs white vinegar
  • 1 tsp. curry powder
  • 1 tsp agave syrup (substitute honey if not on-hand)
  • 6-8 oz. wild salmon
  • 12 oz. bag frozen green beans (steamer bag)
  • 1/2 tbs. olive or canola oil
  • 1/2 tsp fresh grated ginger
  • 1 cup cooked quinoa
  • 1 tsp. sesame oil
Instructions
  1. Whisk together balsamic, orange juice, soy sauce, white vinegar, curry & agave.
  2. Take one tbs. of the sauce and use it to marinate the salmon.
  3. Steam the green beans, minus 1 minute on the cooking time.
  4. Heat olive oil on med-high heat, add beans and ginger, stir fry 1 minute.
  5. Add quinoa and sauce. Stir over heat for another minute.
  6. Add sesame oil, mix in, then remove from burner.
  7. Broil or grill the salmon med-rare to med.
  8. Break the salmon onto the green bean & quinoa mixture, in large chunks.
  9. Stir to coat.
  10. Serve warm or cold.
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Filed Under: Entrees, Food, Gluten Free Recipes, light recipes, Seafood Tagged With: , ,
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