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Grilled Maple Mustard Salmon

April 16, 2012 By 4 Comments
grilled maple mustard salmonMaple Mustard Salmon is one of my favorite grilling recipes.  I came up with the recipe recently, after getting a great deal on some lovely wild Sockeye salmon.  The marinate/glaze is a very easy 1-1-1 mixture, so it is simple to adjust it for large or small quantities.   You are likely to come back to this marinating glaze for grilling other seafood or white meats, as well.

Be careful about substitutions in this one.  Whole grain Dijon mustard is not as pungent or vinegary as other mustard styles.  I strongly recommend picking some up, you will find it to be a great addition to many dishes.

Grilled Maple Mustard Salmon Recipe
5.0 from 2 reviews
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Recipe type: Entree
Author: Robin Gagnon
Prep time: 5 mins
Cook time: 7 mins
Total time: 12 mins
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 3/4 – 1 lb wild salmon
  • 2 tbs. maple syrup (real)
  • 2 tbs. low sodium soy sauce
  • 2 tbs. whole grain Dijon mustard (I used Maille Old Style)
Instructions
  1. Whisk together the maple syrup, mustard and soy sauce.
  2. Cut the salmon into 3-4 oz. portions, and add to marinating glaze.
  3. Marinate for 1/2 hour (up to a day).
  4. Preheat grill. Sear top down, to nicely mark, then place skin side down.
  5. Baste with a bit more of the glaze, put the lid down and cook to preferred temperature.
Notes

Grilled Maple Mustard Salmon goes great with couscous, or a simple salad of mixed greens.

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maple mustard salmon recipe

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

Kid Veggies: Zucchini Boats with Carrot Fish #veggieworld

April 15, 2012 By Leave a Comment

This post is sponsored by Country Crock. I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective, and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

zucchini boat with carrot fishGetting kids to eat their veggies can be very challenging for many parents.  Over the past few months, I’ve been using far more vegetables in my cooking.  My daughter and I enjoy them anyway, so it isn’t a particularly difficult change for us, but I am one of the lucky ones.

Emphasizing vegetables, lean meats and  whole grains, in our diet, has already made a difference for me personally. I enjoy cheese, so I am extra watchful  about the types of fats I use in dishes.  By substituting a buttery spread such as Country Crock, which has  70% less saturated fat, zero trans fat and 30% fewer calories than butter.  I leave myself wiggle room to add a bit of my beloved cheese. I’ve dropped a few pounds since the change, and my recent annual check-up was all good news.  Helping my daughter learn to eat this way young, will make healthier eating choices easier for her as she grows up.

I recently  checked out the Clare Crespo Cookbook (free download available below), which is full of fun and novel ways to present veggies to your kids.  So often, people drown out the flavor of vegetables, with over seasoning and over cooking.  In the cookbook Clare puts the emphasis on enjoying the real taste of fresh vegetables, accenting them with Country Crock.  I tried the Zucchini Boats recipe from the cookbook, as you can see in the pictures, I made mine into a schooner and added some silly fish.  The only change I made to Clare’s orginal recipe was swapping out chopped American cheese, for the Feta that my my preschooler won’t eat.  A fleet of these veggie boats would be perfect to serve at a kid’s pool party, don’t you think?

Claire Crespo’s Zucchini Boats
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Recipe type: Appetizer
Author: Claire Crespo
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 2 medium zucchinis
  • 1 large carrot, peeled
  • 2 Tbsp. Country Crock® Spread
  • 1/2 small onion, diced
  • 1 clove garlic, fi nely chopped
  • 1 cup cooked couscous
  • 1/4 cup reduced fat feta cheese
  • 1 Tbsp. fresh parsley, oregano or
  • mint, fi nely chopped
  • 1/8 tsp. salt
  • 1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350°.
  2. Bring a large pot of water to boil.
  3. Cut zucchinis in half lengthwise. Cut 2-1/2 inches off bottom of carrot and cut in half lengthwise, then cut each half on the diagonal.
  4. Boil zucchini and carrot “sails’’ for 5 minutes. Remove and let cool until you can handle them. With a small knife or pointed spoon, scoop center of zucchini out (leaving 1/2 -
  5. inch thickness to zucchini “boat”).
  6. Dice scooped out zucchini and remaining end of carrot.
  7. Heat Country Crock® Spread in skillet. Add onion and garlic, cook until onion is soft, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.
  8. Add carrots and zucchini and cook for about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  9. Remove from heat and add to cooked couscous. Stir in feta cheese, herbs, salt and pepper.
  10. Place zucchini halves on baking sheet. Scoop couscous mixtures into zucchini halves, pressing firmly to form mounds.
  11. Bake 25 minutes.
  12. Remove from oven. Carefully place carrot ends on small skewers or toothpicks and stick sails in boats.
Calories: 130
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veggie boatIf boats are not your kid’s “thing”, no problem, the cookbook has many other cute and quirky ideas, such as gnomes made from mushrooms and brains made from potatoes.  A recipe there is sure to either be a fit for your child, or inspire you to come up with your own whimsical veggie creation.

For more ways to eat healthy with Country Crock visit their Facebook page and follow Country Crock on Twitter
country crock
Are you looking for quick and simple tips and recipes to make serving veggies more fun? Download the free Clare Crespo Cookbook here for fun and whimsical recipes your family is sure to love!

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

Spring Scallion Fettuccine

April 11, 2012 By Leave a Comment
spring scallion fettucinni

My daughter’s favorite pasta is fettuccine, and she loves scallions, so this simple recipe was made for her :)

Spring Scallion Fettuccine
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Recipe type: Pasta
Author: Robin Gagnon
Ingredients
  • 2-3 nests of fettuccine
  • tops from about 5 scallions
  • 1/2 tsp crushed garlic
  • 1/2 tbs. butter or spread
  • tsp. of grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
  1. Drop the fettuccine into boiling water, and cool al dente.
  2. Melt butter/spread in pan over med-high heat.
  3. Add garlic and lightly saute.
  4. Add the pasta and scallions. Cook until scallions are wilted.
  5. Top with Parmesan to serve.
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spring fettucinni recipe

Filed Under: Food, Pasta, Vegetarian Tagged With: ,

Quinoa and White Bean Fritters: A Gluten Free Vegetarian Recipe

April 10, 2012 By 10 Comments
quinoa white bean fritter recipeI’ve been experimenting with quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) a good deal of late, and this Quinoa and White Bean Fritter recipe is the most recent result.  Quinoa is a pseudo grain, that is high in protein, and gluten free, so it is a perfect match for both vegetarian and gluten-free diets.  These fritters include beans, as well as quinoa, so they are particularly high in both protein and fiber.   They would already be filling, the frying makes them even more so, thus it only takes a few for a portion.

I served them with a pickled jalapeno “tartar” sauce, but they would also go well with a wide variety of dipping sauces, or even served in a sandwich.

Quinoa and White Bean Fritters: A Gluten Free Vegetarian Recipe
5.0 from 2 reviews
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Recipe type: appetizer or entree
Author: Robin Gagnon
Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 15 mins
Total time: 25 mins
Serves: 4-8
Ingredients
  • 2 cups cooked golden quinoa
  • 15 oz. can of small white beans (drained but not rinsed)
  • 1/2 sliced sweet onion
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp. Mrs. Dash seasoning
  • 1 tsp. powdered vegetable bouillon
  • 1/2 tsp. curry powder
  • 3/4 cup corn flour
  • 1 tbs chopped fresh parsley
  • *1/2 cup of oil for frying
Instructions
  1. Place 1 cup of the quinoa, 1/2 the can of beans, egg and the onion in food processor, and puree.
  2. Place in mixing bowl, and add remaining ingredients, including the remained of the beans and quinoa. Stir well, then set aside for a few minutes.
  3. Heat the oil (med-high heat).
  4. Drop a few dollops of the quinoa and bean fritter mix into the hot oil.
  5. When the bottom gets golden brown, flip to cook other side.
  6. After both sides are crisp and lightly browned. Remove from oil and set on paper towels or rack, while cooking the rest.
Notes

Substitute the white beans for black, and the parsley for chopped cilantro or jalapeno, for a Southwest flair to the recipe, and serve with ranch dip.

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quinoa white bean fritters

Filed Under: Appetizers, Entrees, Food, Gluten Free Recipes, Vegetarian Tagged With: , , ,

Black Bean and Quinoa Soup: Gluten-Free Recipe

April 2, 2012 By 4 Comments
black bean quinoa soup
I have been experimenting with different whole grains a lot lately, especially quinoa.  This Black Bean and Quinoa Soup is one of the more successful of resulting recipes.  The texture is somewhat thick (stew may have been a more appropriate title), so it is filling.  This bean and quinoa soup is very high in protein and fiber.  It also provides a good deal of iron and lycopene, from the addition of spinach and tomatoes.  It doesn’t get much healthier than this one.

Black Bean and Quinoa Soup
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Recipe type: Soup
Author: Robin Gagnon
Serves: 12-15
Ingredients
  • 1 lb. black beans. (pre-soaked and rinsed)
  • 1 tbs. olive oil
  • 2 cloves of garlic (crushed/minced)
  • 3/4 cup carrot (small diced) approx.1 extra large carrot
  • 1 cup dry quinoa
  • 9 cups (2 qts. plus a cup) chicken or vegetable stock
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 15 oz. can of petite diced tomatoes
  • spinach (1 can, or an 8 oz. bag of fresh baby spinach)
Instructions
  1. Rinse and soak the beans overnight. Drain and rinse again. Set aside.
  2. Put oil in large stock pot or dutch oven, over medium heat.
  3. Once hot add carrots and garlic, saute, until garlic is cooked through.
  4. Add the quinoa, stir and cook another minute.
  5. Add all the remaining ingredients except the spinach. Cover and simmer.
  6. After 2 hours, add spinach, and continue to cook until beans are soft.
Notes

Nice served with diced tomatoes and fresh herbs, as shown above. Also great with: salsa or sour cream. Tortilla chips or whole grain rolls make a great side with this soup.

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carrots and quinoa for soup

The carrots, garlic, quinoa and bay, before adding remaining ingredients.

Filed Under: Food, Gluten Free Recipes, light recipes, Soups, Stews & Chilis, Vegetarian Tagged With: , ,

Easter Sandwich: What to Do with Easter Leftovers #EasterMeals

March 27, 2012 By 18 Comments
Easter SandwichWhen most people think of post-holiday sandwiches, turkey, stuffing & cranberry sauce come to mind.  While this now iconic sandwich is certainly delightful, I beg to say, Easter leftovers can make for a worthy rival of a sandwich.

After Easter dinner, many families are left with an overwhelming bounty of colorful boiled eggs, and a large quantity of remaining ham.  Here, I’ve teamed these two common leftovers with asparagus (grilled asparagus recipe), which plentiful this time of year, and served it up on a freshly grilled Ciabatta, with Swiss cheese and a Buttermilk, Horseradish and mustard sauce. The combination would work for any mealtime.

The Ecce Panis Ciabatta bread used in this recipe is the perfect choice, since it is made to have the baking process finished off in the oven, but I’ve found, it comes out great on a med-low grill.  With the warm temperatures we have been getting in much of the country, not using the oven to make fresh bread, could be a real bonus.  It is also exactly the right size for Swiss cheese slices :)

Here is a printable coupon link to save $0.55 on Ecce Panis bake at home bread! http://bit.ly/EccePanisCoupon

ecce panis ciabatta

Check out my full Google+ shopping story here: https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/100455156656642801134/albums/5721830271693052033

Easter Sandwich
4.8 from 9 reviews
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Recipe type: Sandwich
Author: Robin Gagnon
Prep time: 5 mins
Cook time: 16 mins
Total time: 21 mins
Serves: 2
What to do with Easter leftovers.
Ingredients
  • Ecce Panis Ciabatta bread
  • 1/4-1/2 ounce thinly sliced ham.
  • 2 slices Swiss cheese
  • 2 hard boiled eggs sliced
  • 6-8 cooked asparagus spears (preferably grilled or roasted)
  • 1/3 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tbs. buttermilk
  • 2 tbs. horseradish
  • 1 1/2 tbs. old fashioned whole grain Dijon mustard
Instructions
  1. Preheat grill to low/med.
  2. Place Ciabatta loaf on grill, and flip after about 5 minutes. Grill another 5 minutes. If you don’t have precooked asparagus, grill it on the other side (marinate in olive oil & balsamic).
  3. While the bread is grilling, whisk together buttermilk, mayonnaise, horseradish and grain mustard to make your dressing.
  4. Slice bread horizontally. Place ham, then Swiss on one side.
  5. Grill both pieces. The empty side will grill inside down, to crisp up.
  6. Once the ham is warm and cheese is melted, top with sliced eggs, then asparagus.
  7. Serve with dressing on side, so it can be applied during the meal.
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asparagus and ecce panis ciabatta on grill

Ecce Panis Ciabatta bread cooks wonderfully on the grill, as does asparagus.

Buttermilk Horseradish Mustard sauce

Buttermilk Horseradish Mustard sauce is quickly whipped up while bread & asparagus are on grill.

ham sandwich on the grill

Warm the ham, melt the cheese & crisp the inside of the bread on the grill

easter leftovers sandwich

Top with sliced hard boiled egg. There are always plenty of those arounf after Easter.

ham egg asparagus ciabatta sandwich

Place asparagus spears on top, in alternating directions. Generously douse with the Buttermilk, Horseradish and Mustard sauce.

To keep up to date on Ecce Panis and other Pepperidge Farm products, follow them on their Facebook page.

This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias. All experiences, opinions and recipes presented here are my own, unless otherwise noted.  #CBias

Filed Under: Eggs, Entrees, Food, Pork, Sandwiches Tagged With: , ,

Baked Buffalo Chicken on a Stick

March 25, 2012 By 11 Comments

baked buffalo chickenJust because I have Foodie in the title of this blog, does not mean I cook a lot of expensive food.  Quite the contrary, part of my motivation in home cooking is saving money.  For what it would cost to feed a family fast food for dinner, a delicious spread of healthy food could be prepared.

This Baked Buffalo Chicken recipe from Hellmann’s is very budget conscious.  I have been purchasing organic chicken for the most part lately, and this still cost less, than ordering take-out chicken fingers and fries for my daughter and I.  Choosing Hellmann’s Light or their reduced fat Olive Oil mayonnaise, and teaming it with oven fries and a tomato herb salad, makes for a healthy moderate fat meal.  I prepared the chicken skewered, as suggested in the recipe notes, and reduced the amount of cayenne by half (more 4 year old friendly that way).  We enjoyed it very much.  I bet your family will too.baked buffalo chicken recipeHellmann's Chicken recipes

Baked Buffalo Chicken
5.0 from 1 reviews
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Recipe type: Entree
Author: Hellmann’s Website
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 12 mins
Total time: 27 mins
Serves: 4
An easy chicken dinner with a cayenne pepper kick!
Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup Hellmann’s® or Best Foods® Real Mayonnaise
  • 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper (or to taste)
  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 1-1/4 lbs.), cut into strips
  • 1/2 cup plain dry bread crumbs
  • 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400°.
  2. Combine Hellmann’s® or Best Foods® Real Mayonnaise and cayenne pepper in small bowl; reserve 1/2 for dipping. Combine breadcrumbs with parsley. Coat chicken with remaining mayonnaise mixture, then coat with bread crumbs. Arrange chicken on baking sheet.
  3. Bake chicken 12 minutes or until chicken is golden brown and thoroughly cooked. Serve with reserved dipping sauce.
Notes

For a fun twist, serve cooked chicken strips on wooden skewers (as I did here).

Also terrific with Hellmann’s® or Best Foods® Canola Cholesterol Free Mayonnaise.

Cost per recipe*: $6.80 Cost per serving*: $1.70
*Based on average retail prices at national supermarkets.

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Grocery gift card giveawayFor nutritional information for this recipe visit: http://www.hellmanns.us/promotions/chickenchallenge/recipe-mouthwatering-baked-buffalo-chicken.aspx.  Be sure to check out the rest of the recipes on their as well.  They have a significant collection to browse.

From 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.

Prize Pack Giveaway

hellmanns prize pack giveawayOne lucky Mom Foodie reader will win a prize pack containing all the items above, courtesy of Hellmann’s.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

One winner will be randomly selected from all valid entries, and will have 48 hours to respond to their prize winner email notification. If winner fails to respond, within that time period, a new winner will be drawn. Giveaways hosted on Blommi are sponsored by third parties. Site owner will of course endeavor to see all prizes are fulfilled, but is not responsible for missing or damaged prizes. Contest ends April 11, 2012 at 11:59 pm CT. Open to US residents , age 18+.

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: ,

Grilled Balsamic Asparagus

March 24, 2012 By 15 Comments
grilled balsamic asparagusTo say Grilled Balsamic Asparagus is popular at my house, would be a gross understatement.  I love the stuff, when my ex was here, it was one of the few veggies he was interested in eating, and my preschooler noshes down on it like most kids eat candy.  This asparagus recipe is very easy, and is easily adapted to the oven, if it is too cold outside.

I’ve turned a few asparagus haters into lovers with this basic recipe. Rather than continuing to put your asparagus through the indignity of boiling, give grilling it a try.  2/3 of this particular batch of grilled asparagus, was devoured by my daughter, and she went looking for more… twice.

Grilled Balsamic Asparagus
5.0 from 6 reviews
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Recipe type: Vegetable
Author: Robin Gagnon
Prep time: 5 mins
Cook time: 10 mins
Total time: 15 mins
Serves: 4
Easy recipe for grilled asparagus.
Ingredients
  • bunch of asparagus
  • 2 tbs. olive oil
  • 2 tbs. balsamic vinegar
  • 1 small clove of crushed minced garlic
  • generous pinch of dried thyme
  • generous pinch of Kosher salt
Instructions
  1. Mix oil, vinegar, garlic, thyme and salt in bowl long enough to accommodate asparagus spears.
  2. Cut off ends of asparagus spears, and add them to marinate, coat them well.
  3. Preheat grill to medium.
  4. Place spears on grill, being sure to put tops as far from flame as possible.
  5. Turn after a few minutes, be watchful that the spears don’t burn. Some will have to be removed sooner than others. You just want then cooked to tender.
  6. Put grilled asparagus back in the marinate bowl, and toss to coat.
  7. Serve warm.
Notes

I sometimes substitute 1/2 tsp. of Mrs. Dash original, for the garlic & thyme.

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grilled asparagus

Filed Under: Food, Vegetables Tagged With: , ,

Are You Unwittingly Feeding Your Kids Pink Slime!

March 21, 2012 By 5 Comments

pink slime logoI rarely eat beef, and the few times my daughter and I do,  the beef is cut not ground.  After seeing this video, I am very thankful of that.  The process of grinding the meat is not the problem.  What is the problem… something dubbed  “Pink Slime” , that is being added to it, to boost corporate coffers, potentially to the detriment of our kids.  This stuff is nasty, and it is in 70% of ground beef products served in the United States.

I don’t share videos often, but this video from Jamie Oliver explains the whole thing, and I feel I would be doing a disservice to my readers by not sharing.  There is also a website he has devoted to the topic (www.stoppinkslime.org).

P.S. Don’t skip watching it because you think you won’t be able to eat hamburgers after, it’s not gross like that, and Jamie will tell you how to get hamburger without this junk in it.

It is time to tell the FDA we don’t want Pink Slime in ground beef!

Filed Under: Food, Health Tagged With: ,
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