Category Archives: Healthy

by | July 27, 2012 · 7:45 am

Roasted Beet & Goat Cheese Salad with Maple Candied Walnuts

One of my favorite places to dine in the Milwaukee area is Parkside 23, a great farm to table restaurant with fresh, local ingredients and unique flavors. Twice I’ve eaten their roasted beet salad and I’ve been thinking about it ever since. I have never been a beet person and usually think they taste like the ground they came from, but this salad changed my mind. I love the addition of the golden beets, which are not quite as earthy and the apple cider vinaigrette boosts the flavor. I just picked apart the salad and kept the idea in my head and attempted to make it at home. And with good results! The critics actually preferred this salad to the original.

Roasted Beet & Goat Cheese Salad with Maple Candied Walnuts
1 lb red beets
1 lb golden beets
2 oz goat cheese
1 C walnuts
2 TBSP brown sugar
4 TBSP pure maple syrup, divided
1 C spring greens
3 TBSP apple cider vinegar
1/3 C extra virgin olive oil
1 TBSP dijon mustard
1 TBSP honey
salt to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Wash beets. Trim greens and tips off of beets. Individually wrap each beet in aluminum foil. Place on a rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan. Roast in oven for 45 minutes to one hour. Check every 20 minutes, timing may vary depending on beet size.

Meanwhile, heat a non-stick skillet to medium-high heat. Add walnuts. Mix in 3 TBSP maple syrup and brown sugar. Stir often, allowing syrup to thicken. Heat for 8-10 minutes. Spray rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray. Remove nuts from heat and place on tray. Add to oven. Bake for 8 minutes – moving nuts around with a spatula every 2 minutes to make sure they don’t burn. Remove from oven.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, add vinegar. Slowly add olive oil, whisking quickly to emulsify the liquid. Continue to whisk and add honey, maple syrup, dijon mustard and salt. Set aside.

When the beets are completed. Unwrap and set aside to cool enough to handle. Peel the beets using either a sharp knife or just peel within your fingers. The roasting should make this easy. Dice the beets and add to a mixing bowl. After the beets are fully cooled, drizzle a tablespoon or two of dressing into the beets. Add walnuts and mix. Crumble goat cheese and gently stir. Spoon into ramekin. Add spring greens around the outside.

This salad serves 4-6 people as a side dish.

I hope you enjoy it as much as me! Or at least go to Parkside 23 and try the original version.

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by | July 17, 2012 · 8:12 pm

Grilled Salmon Tacos with Watermelon Salsa

With the Salmon-a-Rama fishing tournament (yep, you read that right) in full swing in Milwaukee my fridge is overflowing with fresh fish. Which is a good thing since the drought situation we’ve got going on has left me with a garden that’s struggling to survive.

I don’t usually make tacos with salmon but I figured, why not? Grilled with a simple, spicy dry rub and paired with a crunchy-creamy cool salsa they made for a light and healthy dinner to beat the summer heat.

Grilled Salmon Tacos
1 lb salmon fillets, skin removed and de-boned if needed
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp chipotle powder/chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp salt
1 Tbsp olive oil
8 small tortillas

In a small bowl, stir together garlic, chili powder, cumin and salt. Form a “cookie sheet” of aluminum foil and place on a plate or cutting board. Place fish on the aluminum foil and gently and evenly apply olive oil, then dry rub to fish. Heat grill to 400. Transfer “cookie sheet” to the grill and grill for about 6 minutes. Salmon should be opaque and slightly flaky.


Watermelon Radish Salsa
1/2  C watermelon, diced
6-8 radishes, trimmed and diced
1/2 C cucumber, diced
1 avocado, diced
1 1/2 Tbsp chopped cilantro
1 lime, juiced
pinch kosher salt
pinch cumin

Dice watermelon, radishes and cucumber into evenly sized pieces and transfer to a small bowl. Toss together. Chop cilantro and mix into salsa. Season with salt, cumin and lime juice and toss. Dice avocado and gently toss into salsa, taking care not to smush the avocado.

Place salmon in tortillas and top with salsa and hot sauce if desired.


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by | July 6, 2012 · 9:17 am

Mango Strawberry Smoothie

When it is 104 degrees outside, cooking is the last thing on my mind. Smoothies are one of my favorite ways to beat the heat. They replace the need for ice cream and are filled with great ingredients to help your body stand up to the heat. Recently, I’ve been using mango in my mixtures. It gives the smoothie a wonderful creaminess. When it is too hot to even drive to your nearest frozen yogurt stand, try this recipe out!

Mango Strawberry Smoothie
1 C no-fat vanilla yogurt (I use Stonyfield Organic)
1 mango, sliced
1 C sliced strawberries
1/2 TBSP agave nectar
1 C ice cubes

In a blender, add yogurt, mango, strawberries and agave nectar. Blend until smooth. Add ice cubes and crush until smooth. Pour and enjoy!

I promise this will be my last recipe involving strawberries for a while. I just can’t help myself!

What food or drink recipes do you make to beat the heat?

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by | June 22, 2012 · 8:00 am

{Skinny BBQ Series} Tropical Grilled Chicken with Spicy Strawberry Salsa

Just like Anne, I am no stranger to strawberries. The fam and I went on our second annual strawberry picking excursion out in Cedarburg, WI last weekend. We outdid ourselves this year. With over 20 lbs of strawberries, I’ve been looking for ways to incorporate these delectable juicy berries into every meal possible. I’ve made some less healthy (but delicious) strawberry almond muffins and strawberry rhubarb crisp, but I’ve also incorporated strawberries into fresh salads and this skinny BBQ recipe: tropical grilled chicken with spicy strawberry salsa.

I’ve found pairing strawberries with different flavors (spicy, tangy, etc.) really balances out flavors and brings the strawberries to life in a different way. This strawberry salsa would also be great on grilled fish or fish tacos. Chicken breast is always an alternative for skinny BBQ but so often it comes out over cooked, dry and bland. This simple marinade brings sweet and tropical flavors and keeps the chicken nice and juicy.

Tropical Grilled Chicken with Spicy Strawberry Salsa

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
6 oz. pineapple juice
1/4 C low-sodium soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 C fresh strawberries, diced
1/2 large jalapeño pepper, diced
1/4 C cilantro, chopped
cracked black pepper
salt

In a shallow dish, mix pineapple juice, soy sauce, garlic, cumin and onion powder. Place chicken breasts in the dish, coating in the mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour.

Preheat grill to high.

In a small bowl, mix together strawberries, jalapeño and cilantro. Add a pinch of coarse black pepper and salt to taste. Set aside.

Reduce grill to medium high heat. Place chicken breasts on grill. Cook for 7-8 minutes on each side. Do NOT keep moving and turning the chicken. Remove chicken from grill.

Place chicken breast on plate and top with heaping spoonful of strawberry salsa.

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by | June 18, 2012 · 7:39 am

Pork Chops with Cherry Saison Relish

It’s hard for me to resist the bags of ruby red cherries that abound this time of year. Even though they can be a pain to eat, I’m a sucker for the sweet-tart flavor. To amp up our standard grilled pork chops over the weekend, I put together this easy but complex cherry saison relish using items I had on hand, including a home brewed Belgian saison ale. Sweet, tart, savory and a touch spicy thanks to a sprinkle of chipotle, it has everything you could want in a summer sauce.

Pork Chops with Cherry Saison Relish
serves 2
1/3 C chicken stock
1/3 C Belgian saison ale (or wheat beer)
2 Tbsp stone ground mustard
2 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp corn starch
small pinch chipotle powder (optional)
kosher salt
fresh cracked black pepper

Remove stems and pits from cherries. Roughly chop cherries and transfer to a saute pan. Begin to heat on medium heat. Add chicken stock and saison ale to cherries, whisking to combine. Whisk in corn starch, brown sugar and mustard so that there are no clumps and let simmer until mixture reduces and begins to thicken, about 5-7 minutes. Reduce heat to low and add chipotle powder. Whisk well and let mixture continue to reduce and stay warm while your chops are being grilled.

Season chops on both sides with kosher salt and black pepper. Grill chops on raised rack of grill at 400 degrees for about 5-6 minutes per side based on thickness. Top chops with cherry sauce.

Recipe for sauce can be increased to support more chops and could also be paired with chicken.

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by | June 8, 2012 · 8:00 am

{Skinny BBQ Series} Tortilla Chicken Brats with Southwestern Sauerkraut

The grills have been rolled out and dusted off. The propane tanks filled. The charcoals are burning. It is grilling season again. Great news for the taste buds, bad news for the waistline. Enjoying a good brat or burger off the grill is a Midwesterners favorite pastime, but it can wreak havoc on your summer weight loss routine. This summer, we are running Skinny BBQ Series, lots of great grilled recipes from apps, to entrees, to desserts that you will not need to feel guilty about.

My good friend from college hails from the great state of New Mexico. If there are two things he has taught me, they are: tortillas and green chilies. We often grilled in college and never seemed to scrape enough money together to have buns lying around, so we would wrap our hot dogs and brats in tortillas. It cuts back on the carbs and calories and is surprisingly delicious! Now the chilies we are able to buy in cans here in the Midwest pale in comparison to the ones mailed straight from New Mexico, but they still get the flavor across.

When the lovely people at Gold’n Plump sent us some of their new chicken sausages, I was excited to create a meal that mixed my Germanic routes with my taste for Southwestern cuisine. Using Gold’n Plump’s new chicken bratwurst, I made a lean and spicy new twist on an old Wisconsin favorite.

Tortilla Chicken Brats with Southwestern Sauerkraut
1 package Gold’n Plump Chicken Bratwurst
5 Flour or Corn Tortillas (Use whole wheat for an added health bonus)
1 TBSP Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 jalapeño, seeded and diced
1 jar green chilies
1 16 oz. jar of sauerkraut, rinsed, drained and squeezed dry
1/2 tsp chipolte powder
1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. cumin
BBQ sauce (optional)

Preheat grill to medium-high heat.

In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil. At a medium-high heat, sauté garlic for one minute, stirring constantly. Add onion and jalapeño. Sauté for 4-5 minutes, until softened. Add green chilies and reduce heat to medium. Stir in sauerkraut. Mix throughly. Add chipolte powder, pepper, paprika and cumin. Simmer at medium to low heat until ready to serve.

Add bratwurst to grill. Grill for 15-18 minutes, turning on all sides to cook evenly at even intervals. In the last 2 minutes of grilling, add tortillas to the grill. Heat until slightly crisp edges form, watching closely to make sure they do not burn.

Lay tortilla flat. Add bratwurst and large spoonful of sauerkraut. Drizzle about 1 TBSP of your favorite BBQ sauce (I love Saz’s!) and wrap.

These chicken brats only have 7 G of fat and 150 calories. If I did not know it was chicken, I would never have guessed. Sauerkraut may add a little extra sodium but no fat and virtually no calories. The extra tablespoon of BBQ sauce may add about 20 calories or so, but I think it is well worth it. This meal tastes sinfully bad for you, but packs in at less than 500 calories! Now that is what I call skinny BBQ!

*Disclaimer: Gold’n Plump provided Haute Apple Pie with the products utilized in this post, however the content, images, recipes and opinions are all our own.

 

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by | May 25, 2012 · 1:24 pm

Honey Almond Frozen Greek Yogurt

Summertime means…ice cream! Or for those a little more health conscious, frozen yogurt! The recent warm weather put me in the mood to whip up my first batch of frozen treats for the summer. I love Greek yogurt and currently use it in everything. So why not try it frozen? This cool concoction is packed with protein for a truly nutritious and heat beating experience.

Honey Almond Greek Frozen Yogurt 
1 32 oz container of vanilla Greek  yogurt
1/2 C 2% or skim milk
1/2 C sugar
1/2 TBSP almond extract
1 TBSP honey
1 C honey roasted sliced almonds

In a large bowl, add greek yogurt, milk and sugar. Stir until blended. Add honey and almond extract. Stir until mixed in. Cover and place in refrigerator for 3 hours or overnight.

In a food processor, pulse almonds until roughly chopped. Set aside.

Add yogurt mixture to ice cream maker. Churn on low for about 15 minutes. With about five minutes left, add almonds.

Either place in container to freeze for later use (which will produce a harder consistency) or serve it up soft serve right out of the bowl.

Enjoy!

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by | May 18, 2012 · 8:00 am

Dole Summit Part II & Poppy Seed Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps

Last week I shared my adventures in lettuce from the Dole Salad’tude Summit in Monterey. This week, I want to share some innovative salad ideas that Dole shared with us, plus a fresh greens recipe of my own. The final reception and dinner for our event took place outside at the InterContinental in Monterey. Gorgeous venue for a delicious night of salads. Set up in stations, our night was filled with innovative ways to incorporate greens into your different events. Right up the Haute Apple Pie alley!

First I had to share the perfectly suited centerpiece ideas. This is a cheap, easy and beautiful way to spiff up a table, especially when salads and greens are on the menu. The tall tables were adorned with square wooden boxes with a full head of butter lettuce, surrounded by candles. One of the larger tables had a rustic farmers market quality to it with a large wicker basket filled with different shapes and sizes of greens and artichokes. An edible arrangement – reusable for dinner the next day.

Our salad reception did nothing if not let me know that salad doesn’t have to be in a regular bowl. We were served salad in all shapes, sizes, colors and consistencies. Grilled Romaine for a barbecue, Huevos Rancheros atop a bed of lettuce for brunch, lettuce bruschetta and the one that wins the prize for most intriguing – the salad shooter. The Dole Southwest Salad mix was tossed together and put into a blender to make what basically tasted like a cold tortilla soup shooter. Surprisingly good, great presentation and a great conversation piece.

I have to admit that my salad trip (as well as the emergence of summer and farmer’s markets) has really gotten me into a fresh veggie kind of mood. This week I whipped up this Poppy Seed Chicken Salad in a lettuce wrap. It is great to make ahead of time and eat for lunch or dinner. It is the perfect meal to take to work or on a picnic!

Poppy Seed Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps

1 head butter lettuce
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast
2 C chicken stock
4 C water
3 radishes, thinly sliced
1/2 Granny Smith apple, thinly sliced
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 TBSP fresh chopped chives
1 TBSP poppy seeds
2 TBSP Olive Oil Mayo
2 TBSP Plain Greek Yogurt
Salt and cracked black pepper, to taste

In a large pot, boil chicken stock and water. Add chicken and boil until cooked through, about 12-15 minutes. Remove from water and thinly slice or shred. Allow to cool.

In a large bowl, add chicken, radishes, apples, celery, poppy seeds, chives, mayo and greek yogurt. Stir to combine. Add salt and pepper to your liking. Refrigerate or serve immediately.

Tear off large pieces of butter lettuce. Scoop chicken salad onto lettuce leaves and serve.

I’d like to leave you with the names of a few more fabulous blogs to check out!

Bran Appetit
Dana Treat
Closet Cooking
Diet, Dessert and Dogs
Eat the Love
Bella’alimento
She’s Becoming Doughmesstic
Food Loves Writing

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by | May 7, 2012 · 8:08 am

Thai Venison Noodle Salad

I’ve mentioned many times that I’m always looking for new ways to use the wild game the hubs brings home, especially venison and especially ground venison. In general there are only so many things to be done with ground meat and I’ve pretty much tried them all in some form or another.

So lately I’ve been steering into totally new venison directions with Asian flavors like curry or this Thai inspired dish. Using the venison and beefing up (pardon the pun) the vegetables from the original recipe made this a light but filling meal and a good detour from the standard venison tacos and chili.

Thai Beef (or Venison) Noodle Salad
adapted from Food & Wine
Serves 4
1 lb ground venison or beef
1/2 C chopped sugar snap peas
2 carrots, chopped
1 cucumber, julienned
3 scallions
1 inch piece ginger
2 cloves garlic
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
1/8 C fish sauce
1/8 C soy sauce
1 Tbsp lime juice
1 Tbsp olive oil (if using venison)
2 1/2 Tbsp sesame oil
2/3 package angel hair noodles
2 Tbsp fresh mint, finely chopped
sriracha to taste

In a large saute pan, add begin cooking ground beef or olive oil and venison over medium heat. When meat begins to brown, add garlic, ginger and jalapeno and cook for 1-2 minutes until they begin to become aromatic. Add the snap peas and carrots and continue cooking until meat is nearly cooked through.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, salt well and add angel hair noodles. Cook according to package instructions.

Add 2 Tbsp sesame oil, soy sauce, fish sauce and lime juice to meat and vegetable mixture. Stir and reduce heat to low and let flavors simmer for 2-3 minutes.


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by | April 30, 2012 · 7:45 am

Beet Barley Salad with Feta

Ah, the lowly beet. I’d always been skeptical of beets and had this belief that they tasted like dirt. And let’s be honest, half the time they DO taste like dirt or are gross gelatinous mush cakes sliding out of a can.

But I’ve had a few salads at restaurants lately that opened my eyes toward what a beet should really taste like. Inspired to give them a try, I concocted this side dish-turned-healthy lunch grain salad for my first foray with cooking beets at home. The key for me was roasting. You get a sweet earthiness (not dirt-i-ness) that’s surprisingly enjoyable – especially when combined with other strong flavors like pungent greens and tangy feta (goat cheese would also be delicious). It even had my similarly skeptical husband sneaking seconds.

Beet Barley Salad with Feta
1 C quick cooking pearl barley, cooked
1 large beet, peeled and roasted
1 Tbsp olive oil
2-3 oz feta cheese
1/4 C slivered almonds
3-4 stalks rainbow Swiss chard
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 Tbsp stone ground mustard
1/4 tsp kosher salt
freshly cracked black pepper

Preheat oven to 400. Peel beet and chop into small cubes, placing them on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast beet for 25-30 minutes or until edges are beginning to crisp and beet is tender.

Meanwhile, in a large pot, combine 2 C of water with barley. Bring to a boil and add a dash of salt. Cover and reduce to a simmer. Let barley cook, about 10 minutes until water has been absorbed. Barley should be slightly al dente.

Trim chard along the stalk to separate off the leaves. Roll leaves into a tube shape and julienne. Run your knife through the julienned shreds once or twice to avoid super long, stringy pieces. Place chard in a saute pan and drizzle very lightly with olive oil, just to prevent burning. Saute over medium heat until chard is just limp, about 5 minutes.

Transfer cooked barley to a large bowl. Mix in almonds and feta. Mix in Swiss chard. In a small bowl, whisk together vinegars and mustard and toss with barley mixture. Season salt and pepper and mix to combine. Finally add the beets and very gently toss to combine.


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