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$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.

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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: , , , ,

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: , , ,

Orange-Walnut Oatmeal Mini Muffins

February 22, 2012 By 6 Comments

This Orange-Walnut Oatmeal Mini Muffin recipe is a marriage of the Orange Cake my grandmother had in her handwritten cookbook (with notes that it was my grandfather’s favorite), and an Oatmeal Muffin Recipe I found in a vintage McCall’s cookbook.  The “zippy” flavor of the orange zest used in this recipe, along with the richness of the plenitude of walnuts, seemed perfect for mini-muffins.  Enjoy!

Orange Walnut Oatmeal Muffin Recipe
5.0 from 3 reviews
Print
Recipe type: Dessert – Muffins
Author: Robin Gagnon
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 15 mins
Total time: 30 mins
Serves: 12
Orange Walnut Oatmeal Mini Muffins with Orange Glaze.
Ingredients
  • 1 cup old fashioned oats
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1/4 cup orange juice (plus approx. a tbs. for glaze)
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp group cinnamon
  • zest of a large orange
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup oil (canola or vegetable)
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 tbs. baking powder
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts (make sure pieces are small)
  • 1/2 cup confectionery sugar (for glaze)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and flour the mini-muffin pan.
  2. Put oats, buttermilk, orange juice, salt, vanilla & cinnamon in large mixing bowl, stir and set aside, while doing other prep work, so oatmeal can absorb some of the liquid.
  3. Zest the entire orange, make sure the pieces are not too long, chop if necessary. Add to oatmeal mixture.
  4. Add egg and oil to mixture and beat well.
  5. Mix the flour and baking powder in separate bowl, them add to oatmeal mixture.
  6. Add the chopped walnuts last. Stir well to make sure they are evenly distributed.
  7. Scoop up 1 tbs. of mixture, and place in each muffin tin.
  8. Bake 14-16 minutes, until pick pulls clean from center, and edges are starting to show a little color.
  9. Once cooled. Mix the confectionery sugar, and about a tbs of orange juice ( a little more will likely be needed). Brush over the muffins.
Notes

This recipe makes approx. 36 mini-muffins. Serving size 3 pieces.

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Filed Under: Desserts & Sweet Baked Goods, Food, muffins, Recipes

How to Roast a Pepper

February 20, 2012 By 4 Comments
roasted peppersRoasting peppers is so easy, that paying the exorbitant prices asked for fresh roasted peppers in the market is, well, crazy.  If you don’t know how to roast a pepper, no worries, you will in about a minute, and with a little work you will be enjoying your own.  They will taste better than most you have had too.

Pretty much any pepper can be roasted.  I usually stick to sweet red, yellow or orange varieties, but occasionally roast Pablanos or other mildly hot peppers (they go wonderfully in home fries).  End of summer abundance, or slightly shriveled reduced produce finds, can really bring down the cost of making your own roasted peppers.

O.k. here we go…

How to Roast a Pepper
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Recipe type: vegetable
Author: Robin Gagnon
Prep time: 1 min
Cook time: 30 mins
Total time: 31 mins
Once you make your own roasted peppers, you will never buy the again.
Ingredients
  • Peppers (yup, that’s it. anything else is optional)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Rinse and dry peppers.
  3. Put peppers on baking sheet.
  4. Roast for about 15 minutes, then turn. Smaller peppers like the ones shown here will only need one turn, and will be done in about 1/2 an hour. Larger peppers will need to be turned a few times, and roasted longer, 45 minutes should do it for those.
  5. Remove pan from oven, and set aside to cool.
  6. Once the peppers are cool and shriveled, peel off the skin and de-seed them. Avoid the temptation to rinse the seeds out, you will lose a lot of flavor that way.
  7. Put your finished roasted peppers in container and pour the juices from the pan in with them, for extra flavor.
Notes

You can add olive oil, a little Kosher salt, roasted garlic or herbs to your roasted peppers if you like, but they will be quite tasty served simply in their own juices, as shown above.

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how to roast a pepper
how to roast peppers

Filed Under: Food, Recipes, Vegetables Tagged With: , ,

Low Fat Chocolate “Cheesecake” Pie (105 calories!)

February 19, 2012 By 3 Comments
low fat chocolate cheesecake pieLow Fat Chocolate “Cheesecake” Pie (105 calories!)
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Recipe type: Dessert
Author: Robin Gagnon
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 10 mins
Total time: 25 mins
Serves: 16
At 105 calories there is no need to skip dessert!
Ingredients
  • (Chocolate Filling)
  • 2 packages of lite silken tofu
  • 1 package fat free cream cheese
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
  • 2 tbs. sugar
  • 3 tbs. cocoa powder
  • 1/2 cup boiling water
  • 1 packet of gelatine
  • 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 8 individual packets of Equal
  • (Peanut Butter Crust)
  • 6 low fat graham crackers
  • 2 tbs. Peanut Butter
  • 2 tbs water (plus more if needed)
Instructions
  1. (To Make Crust)
  2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  3. Finely grind the graham crackers in food processor.
  4. Pulse in peanut butter.
  5. Add 2 tbs. water. Pulse. Add another tsp. if small wad of mixture will not loosely hold together.
  6. Dump mixture into spring-form pan, spread out and press lightly until bottom is evenly covered. (you may need to use the back of a spoon, which has been coated with cooking spray)
  7. Bake at 350 for 10 mins.
  8. (To Make Filling)
  9. Put the drained tofu, cream cheese & vanilla in mixing bowl and mix on med-high until smoothly combined.
  10. Add cinnamon and cocoa. Beat well.
  11. Measure the chocolate chips and set aside.
  12. In mixing cup, add gelatine to boiling water, stir, then immediately add the chocolate chips. Mix well.
  13. Pour the chocolate mixture into the tofu/cream cheese, Mix well.
  14. Add 6 packets of the Equal beat well, taste. It will probably need 2 more packets, but suit to your taste.
  15. The mixture should be light, from all the air incorporated in mixing.
  16. Pour into spring-form pan over Peanut Butter Crust.
  17. Refrigerate overnight.
Serving size: 1/16th of pie Calories: 105 Fat: 4 Protein: 7
Notes

Pie was originally cut into 8 pieces, but the consensus was that it was too filling (more like a meal). 1/16th is the perfect after dinner dessert portion.

Serve some sliced strawberries or banana with this low fat dessert, if you want a little more color on the plate.

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I love cheesecake, but very rarely have it.  Who can afford the calories, never mind the mind-boggling amounts of fat, in most cheesecakes.  After a good deal of investigation, and a couple failed attempts, I’ve come up with a low fat chocolate cheesecake, with yummy peanut butter crust. It has only 105 calories per serving, so there is no need to skip dessert.  The texture, and flavor ended out being about half-way between cheesecake and chocolate pudding pie, hence the addition of the word pie to the name.

 

low fat cheesecake - chocolate pie

Filed Under: Desserts & Sweet Baked Goods, light recipes, Recipes

Spicy Shrimp and Tomato Cous Cous Recipe

February 14, 2012 By Leave a Comment
spicy shrimp and tomato cous cous
This Spicy Shrimp and Tomato Cous Cous Recipe is perfect for a light lunch, or first course.    At just 220 calories per serving, 3 grams of fat and about 20 minutes from start to table, it is sure to fit in with your busy healthy lifestyle.

Spicy Shrimp and Tomato Cous Cous Recipe
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Recipe type: Entree
Author: Robin Gagnon
Prep time: 5 mins
Cook time: 17 mins
Total time: 22 mins
Serves: 6
Ingredients
  • 2 cloves garlic (crushed minced)
  • 1/2 Vidalia onion (rough diced)
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 jalapeno pepper (minced)
  • 1/2 tsp curry powder
  • 1 lb. shrimp (raw peeled/deveined)
  • 1 cup dry cous cous
  • 1 1/2 cup chicken broth (hot)
  • 1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves
  • 1 cup chopped tomato
Instructions
  1. Place large non-stick wok or skillet on med-high heat, add olive oil.
  2. Once hot add garlic and onion, saute, until onion is cooked through.
  3. Chop the shrimp into bite size pieces.
  4. Add jalapeno, curry powder and shrimp. Saute until shrimp is just cooked.
  5. Add cous cous, stir.
  6. Add hot broth, cover, then remove from burner.
  7. After 3 minutes, add cilantro and tomato. Recover.
  8. Cous cous should be ready to serve in couple more minutes, once liquid is all absorbed.
Calories: 220 Fat: 3 Protein: 5
Notes

Perfect for lunch

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

Meyer Lemon and Peppadew Baked Fish

February 13, 2012 By 4 Comments

meyer lemon and peppadew baked fishI was in Whole Foods a couple days ago, and they had Hake on sale.  I have never made this fish before, but was feeling adventurous, and the fish monger told me it was quite similar to cod in flavor, just less flaky.  After cooking it myself, I would say his description was pretty accurate.

Since Meyer lemons are currently in season (milder, with a spicy lemon-orange flavor), I grabbed one for the dish.  Pickled Peppadew peppers seemed like they would be the perfect way to round out the tangy and slightly sweet sauce I had in mind.  They would of course add a little spice too.  Garlic-Cilantro Cous Cous would be the side dish (curry was a last minute addition).

The results were both healthy and delicious.  I will certainly be making this recipe again… next time I may double up on the Meyer lemon, pepperdew & agave,  since the sauce was wonderful on the cous cous too.

Meyer Lemon and Peppadew Baked Fish
4.5 from 2 reviews
Print
Recipe type: Entree
Author: Robin Gagnon
Prep time: 8 mins
Cook time: 22 mins
Total time: 30 mins
Serves: 2-3
Fish baked with Meyer lemon and Peppadew peppers. Low in fat, bursting with flavor.
Ingredients
  • 3/4 to 1 lb. of mild fish (such as cod or hake)
  • 1 Meyer lemon
  • 6-8 pickled Peppadew peppers
  • tbs. olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp agave syrup (substitute tsp sugar if this is not on hand)
  • kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Spray pan with cooking spray and arrange fish in pan.
  3. Juice 1/2 the Meyer lemon, cut the rind into 3-4 pieces and reserve.
  4. Whisk together the lemon juice, oil, and agave (or sugar).
  5. Pour the mixture over fish.
  6. Cut up the Peppadews, and place them and the lemon rind on top of fish.
  7. Sprinkle with a generous pinch of Kosher salt and a few grinds of fresh black pepper.
  8. Cover tightly, and bake for 20-25 minutes.
Notes

Serve with slices of Meyer lemon. Curried Garlic Cilantro Cous Cous makes a good side dish for this fish.

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meyer lemon and pepperdew fish

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

Vegetarian Stuffed Eggplant Recipe: Love Kraft Singles

February 10, 2012 By

I adore cheese, perhaps a little too much…lol.  Lucky for me I’ve been able to enjoy cheese in my dishes, by  using Kraft Singles, the 2% Singles to be exact.  Kraft Singles are real cheese, actually made with milk, not some weird artificial stuff, like those similarly packaged cheese products that taste like wax.  Being able to get real cheese in this packaging, is very convenient for me, each slice is a standard size, so tallying fat, calories, protein, etc. for recipes is easy.  In addition to the convenience of the packaging, Kraft Singles melts like a dream.stuffed eggplant recipe vegetarianThis afternoon, I made Vegetarian Stuffed Eggplant for lunch, and the addition of Kraft Singles not only brought great flavor, but also provided 20% of my calcium requirement and 4 grams of protein, all for just 45 calories, since I was using the 2% variety…  just look at that gooey yumminess :) I’ve included the recipe below for your convenience.

Convenience without sacrifice… got to love it.  That is why,  I love Kraft Singles.

Stuffed Eggplant Recipe (vegetarian)
4.8 from 11 reviews
Print
Recipe type: Entree
Author: Robin Gagnon
Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 25 mins
Total time: 35 mins
Serves: 2
Ingredients
  • large eggplant (cut into planks – you will need 4 for 2 servings)
  • 2 egg whites
  • 1/4 cup low fat milk
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
  • 1/4 cup sliced sweet onions
  • 1/4 cup sliced mushrooms
  • pinch thyme
  • salt to taste
  • 4 vegetarian meatballs
  • 2 Kraft 2% Singles
  • Marinara or other pasta sauce of choice
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Whisk together egg whites and milk in one bowl, flour and bread crumbs in another.
  3. Dredge eggplant slices in egg mixture, then crumb mixture.
  4. Place on sheet pan and spray both sides with cooking spray.
  5. Bake 10 minutes, flip eggplants, and bake another 10 minutes.
  6. While eggplant is baking saute the mushrooms and onion, and heat pasta sauce.
  7. Remove eggplant from oven and allow to cool enough to handle.
  8. Lightly break up a veggie meatball, and place about an inch from end of eggplant.
  9. Top with mushrooms & onions, place 1/2 a Kraft Single on top of that.
  10. Roll up, starting from the stuffed end. Place rolls side by side, so they won’t unroll.
  11. Put in oven until cheese melts, then plate and top with sauce.
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making stuffed eggplant

I’ve told you why I love Kraft Singles, now it’s your turn.  Go to their Facebook Page and them them why you love Kraft Singles.  You will get your spot on their Facebook map and get entered to win a grocery gift card worth up to $500!

I am one of several bloggers selected by Kraft Foods to participate in the KRAFT Singles “Put Your Love on the Map” program.  While I have been compensated for my time, my opinions are my own, and I have not been paid to post positive comments.

Grocery Gift Card Giveaway is now closed.

Filed Under: Entrees, light recipes, Recipes, Vegetarian

Easy Baked Cod Recipe

February 8, 2012 By 9 Comments

easy baked cod recipeHere in New England, baked cod is standard fare.  Most every restaurant has fresh baked cod with a crumb topping or stuffing, on the menu, it is an easy and quick dish to prepare.  While some places add a bit of seafood to the topping, others may add some herbs or even top with a tomato sauce, but I usually keep my preparation of oven baked cod very simple.  The fish is delicate and I want to be able to taste it.

Easy Baked Cod Recipe
4.6 from 5 reviews
Print
Recipe type: Entree
Author: Robin Gagnon
Prep time: 5 mins
Cook time: 15 mins
Total time: 20 mins
Serves: 4
Easy oven baked cod recipe, with cracker crumb topping.
Ingredients
  • 2 lbs. fresh cod (or haddock)
  • 1 1/2 sleeves of Ritz crackers
  • 2 tbs. butter or margarine
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Coat baking dish or oven safe non-stick skillet with cooking spray.
  3. Arrange the fish in the pan. Place it snugly together, and fold under any thin edges (this keeps fish moist)
  4. Crush the crackers, in plastic bag or food processor.
  5. Mix butter/margarine into the crumbs.
  6. Top the fish evenly with the cracker crumb topping and gently press into place.
  7. Bake until translucency of fish is gone (approx. 15 mins.)
  8. Serve with lemon.
Notes

This goes great with ginger glazed carrots and oven fries or rice pilaf.

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Unlike fried fish, leftover baked fish is still rather tasty.  It can be gently reheated, or used for other recipes like fish cakes.  The pictures here are actually of cod that was prepared the evening before.  I had guests, and had run late with a renovation project, so there was no time for photos when the fish completed cooking.  As you can see the dish has handled the time delay well.

oven baked cod

Filed Under: Entrees, Food, Recipes, Seafood
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