Heirloom Tomato Salad

Ingredients:

• Heirloom Tomatoes various colors
• Sunflower Sprouts
• local radishes (from Ann Arbor's Farmer's Market)
• Colavita Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• sea salt
• fresh ground black pepper (Teliicherry peppercorns)

Method:

1. Your design =)
2. Enjoy!

Arborio Stuffed Heirloom Tomatoes

adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Serves 6

Onion, garlic, red pepper flakes and Arborio rice

Basil and Parsley

Arborio Stuffed Heirloom Tomatoes served with Gordon Ramsay's Coriander, Ginger, and Chile Butter Chicken

My wife came across this recipe from Smitten Kitchen when we were thinking of what would go well with Coriander, Ginger, and Chile Butter Chicken.  I knew right away that I wanted to use Heirloom Tomatoes (since they are in season).  To me an important element of cooking is taking an ingredient and allowing its natural flavors to present itself.  You can use any tomato for the recipe, but I just love the natural beauty and clean flavor of the heirloom variety.  These came out amazing and delicious!  I hope you enjoyed them just as much as we did.

Ingredients:

• 6 medium to large Heirloom Tomatoes
• 1/2 cup Arborio Rice
• 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• sea salt
• red pepper flakes, to taste
• 1/2 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 6 Tbsp Parsley, Oregano and/or Basil, chopped
• Bread Crumbs, Panko 

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F, lightly coat an ovenproof baking dish with olive oil
2. Tomato Prep: Cut the tops off the tomatoes and scoop out tomato seeds and flesh into a large bowl.  I used a paring knife to make the initial cut on the tomatoes so that it'll be easier to scoop out the seeds.  
3. Lightly salt the inside of the hollowed out tomatoes, turn them upside down and allow the excess water to drain onto the plate.
4. Stuffing Prep: Using a food mill or blender - coarsely puree the tomato flesh/seeds.  
5. In a large pan, heat olive oil on medium.  Add onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes.  Sauté for 2 minutes.
6. Add Arborio rice and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning.
7. Add tomato puree and bring to simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low.  Season with salt and cover pan with a lid.  Allow it to simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until rice is par-cooked.  
8. Reassemble Tomatoes: Remove from heat, stir in 4 Tbsp of the herb mixture. Arrange tomatoes right-side up in baking pan.  Spoon mixture into tomatoes, leaving some room on top for the bread crumbs.  (Mix the remaining herbs with the bread crumbs, adding salt and black pepper)  
9. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until rice is finished cooking.  Serve hot. Enjoy!

Chickpea Edamame Salad

adapted from Cookie and Kate

serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

• Two cans of Chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup edamame* soybeans, shelled
• 1 cup roasted red and/or yellow peppers, diced
• 1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives, sliced 
• 1/2 cup grape tomatoes, sliced
• Small bunch of parsley, minced
• Scallions, chopped
• 2 clove garlic, minced
• Juice of 1/2 to 1 lemon 
• Zest of 1/2 lemon (optional)
• extra virgin olive oil
• salt and fresh ground black pepper

Method: 

1. In a large bowl, combine chickpeas, edamame, roasted peppers, kalamata olives, tomatoes, parsley, scallions, garlic, and lemon zest.
2. In a small bowl, whisk olive oil and lemon juice. Add fresh ground black pepper and salt to taste.  Then drizzle over salad and Enjoy!

Edamame Notes:

• We like 365 brand Edamame from Whole Foods Market.  Any brand will be fine. 
• Cooking instructions should be on the package.  If it is not, bring 4 to 6 cups of water to a boil, then add frozen edamame pods and bring to a boil again.  Cook for 4 to 6 minutes, drain and take edamame out of the shell.  
• They also have shelled edamame, that may be easier.  We like the shells because you can serve them by itself with a pinch of sea salt and it is delicious! 

Indian Inspired Chicken

Serves 2-3

Served with lemon garlic brussels sprouts!

Ingredients:

• 3 chicken breasts
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 2 tbsp. canola oil
• 1/2 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and cut into matchsticks
• 4 bay leaves
• 2 tsp. garam masala
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp. ground turmeric
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1 fresh thai bird chili, finely sliced
• sea salt to taste
• ground black pepper to taste

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Season chicken with sea salt, black pepper and olive oil.  Cook each side for 20-25 minutes.  Then set aside to cool.
2. In a large saute pan on medium high heat add 2 tbsp oil.  Then add ginger, garlic, bay leaves.  Stir.  Add chicken (sliced) once garlic starts to brown.
3. Turn to medium low heat, then add garam masala, cumin, tumeric, cayenne pepper, green chile and salt.
4. Add 2 tbsp. of water and cover.  Cook for 5 minutes. 
5. Stir in black pepper and lemon juice.

Lemon Garlic Brussels Sprouts

adapted from What's Gaby Cooking
serves 4

Ingredients:

• 2 lb brussels sprouts
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 3 tbsp gruyere, grated (optional)
• 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• sea salt 
• ground black pepper

Method:

1. After rinsing the brussels sprouts, remove the outer layer and trim off the ends.  Cut the spouts in half.
2. In a large pan, bring the olive oil to medium-high heat.
3. Once heated, add the brussels sprouts - cut side down and cook for 7 minutes or until fully cooked.
4. Add garlic and reduce the heat to low.  Add lemon zest and juice.  Salt and pepper to taste.
5. Stir to combine ingredients. Serve and top with gruyere.  Enjoy!

Fantastic Juicing Recipes

My colleague (Kirsten) and I were talking about the health benefits of a juice cleanse and the 3-day juice cleanse that Babo in A2 offers.  She recommended that we watch the documentary "Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead." So we did.  Here's the synopsis written by my wife (Link).  The documentary was good, however like us if you need the "clinical aspect" of how vegetable and fruits can reverse poor health - I recommend that you watch the documentary: "Hungry for Change".        

So...
Before we invested in a juicer, I wanted to try "juicing" with our blender. I figured we had the Breville Hemisphere Mini and it was worth the shot.  I was wrong.  What we needed was a machine that was designed to extract the juice out of the fruits or vegetables instead of "blending" everything together.  (1 apple, 2 beets, 2 carrots, and a piece of ginger was wasted because I was being stubborn.)  

We bought our juicer (Breville, Ikon multi-speed juice fountain)  from Bed Bath & Beyond because their 20% coupons NEVER expire (expired coupons are accepted) and they had the best pre-coupon price.  Another added bonus, if we weren't completely satisfied with our purchase (EVEN after using it) - with the receipt, we can get a refund or store credit without one.  

3 oranges, 2 beets (raw), & 1 inch piece ginger

Success! It was really really good.

   Tropical Juice

• 1 Fuji apple
• 1 whole pineapple, quartered and cored
• 3 mangos, seeded (we used Ataulfo mangos)
• 1 beet, raw and remove stem
• 1 orange, peeled
• 7 carrots 
• 1 inch piece of ginger
• Put ingredients in Juicer and Enjoy!

Another Benefit of Juicing: Having FUN!

"Fresh" Apple Juice

• 10 Fuji apples, quartered and seeded
• 3 cucumbers, peeled
• 1 inch piece of ginger 
• 2 cups of spinach
• Put ingredients in Juicer and Enjoy!

Pineapple & Greens

• 1 whole Pineapple, quartered and cored
• 6 Fuji apples, quartered and seeded
• 4 navel oranges, peeled and cut in half
• 2 cups spinach
• 8-10 celery stalks
• Put in Juicer and Enjoy!

For more Juicing Recipes:

• 30 Days of Juicing - The Williams Sonoma Blog
• 3-day Juice Cleanse - Babo: A Market by Sava, Ann Arbor, MI
• Juice Cleanse 101 - What's Gaby Cooking
• Green Kitchen Stories blog
• 3 Day Detox Plan - Hungry for Change
• Juicing Recipes - Reboot with Joe - "Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead"
• Smoothie Recipes - Martha Stewart
• Healthy Blends - Women's Health Magazine

    

Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup

adapted from Cookie and Kate
serves 6

Ingredients:

• 8 tomatoes, cored and quartered (Any variety, we chose roma)
• 3 red bell peppers, seeded and quartered
• 2 small yellow onions, cut into wedges
• 8 cloves of garlic, unpeeled
• 5 cups vegetable broth
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika (We used Hungarian sweet paprika)
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• sea salt and black pepper, to taste
• olive oil

Method:

1. Preheat Oven to 375 degrees F with two racks placed in the middle of the oven.
2. Using two baking sheets: Place tomatoes, skin side down, on one of them.  Place onions and red peppers (skin side down) on the other.  Lightly drizzle with olive oil and add salt and pepper. Place the unpeeled garlic on the sheet too.
3. Bake for 45 minutes.
4. Heat the vegetable broth on medium-high heat and add the peeled garlic.  Add roasted vegetables and simmer for ten minutes.
5. Purée the soup using an immersion blender or transfer the soup to a blender - blending a few cups at a time.
6. Serve with a french baguette or a grilled cheese sandwich! Enjoy!   

Artichoke Spinach Breakfast Sandwich

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 1 can of artichoke hearts, chopped (We like Trader Joe's brand)
• 2 eggs, boiled
• 2 pieces of bread, toasted
• baby spinach, 2 -4 handfuls
• extra virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1. Add cold water, enough to cover eggs, to small pot and bring to a boil.  Once boiled, cook for 6 minutes and 25 seconds.  Then remove from heat and put eggs into a ice bath to stop the cooking. Peel and set aside.
2. In a large pan with olive oil, heat at medium high.  Then add spinach, sauté for 1-2 minutes.  Then add artichoke hearts and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
3. Toast the bread and then top it with artichoke and spinach, and the egg.  Enjoy! 

Jalapeno Chicken Burgers with Guacamole

adapted from What's Gaby Cooking
serves 4

Enjoy this with the Breakfast Stout from Founders

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground chicken
• 1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons chopped jalapeño
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• sea salt and black pepper
• 4 hamburger buns
• chipotle salsa (Frontera Brand - optional)
• spinach (optional)

Ingredients (Guacamole):

• 3 avocados
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1/4 red onion, finely chopped
• 1/8 cup chives, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoon of your favorite salsa (We like anything Frontera brand)
• salt and pepper to taste
• Mix ingredients together!

Method:

1. Prepare an indoor or outdoor grill over medium heat.
2. In a large bowl, mix ground chicken, onion, cilantro, garlic, jalapeño, cumin, paprika, salt and black pepper. Using your hands, mix everything together - allowing all the ingredients to be evenly dispersed. 
3. Form 4 patties with the mixture.  Grill burgers over medium heat until cooked through, 5-7 minutes per side.
4. Serve each patty in a burger bun topped with spinach, guacamole and chipotle salsa.  Enjoy!