Roasted Asparagus Salad

Asparagus is one of my favorite veggies! I didn't really "discover" it until I became an adult but now I love it. The only thing is that I'm really picky about how it's served. It must be fresh, still crunchy and served warm.  So without further ado, check out this quick and easy side.

Here's what you'll need:

1 1/2 lb fresh asparagus
1 tbsp. olive oil
Sea salt, to taste
Fresh ground white pepper
2 tbsp vinegar

Here's what you'll do:
Preheat oven to 350F.

Prepare the asparagus by cutting off the last inch or so of the woody stalk.

Place the asparagus stalks on a baking sheet or wrap them in aluminum foil. Brush them with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Roast in the oven for 10 minutes, until the stalks begin to get slightly tender on the outside. (Thin asparagus spears will take less time than thick spears).

Toss with the vinegar. Serve and Enjoy!

Summer Fruit Salad

Ok, so what's better than ice cold fruit on a hot summer night? Try ice cold fruit over ice cream! A yummy treat for after dinner during the week or a quick and easy pot luck contribution.

Here's what you'll need:

1 c. mixed berries

1 mango peeled, pitted and cubed
1 nectarine pitted and sliced
2 tablespoons orange juice
Ice cream or sorbet (optional)

Here's what you'll do:
Mix the fruit in a bowl. Sprinkle with orange juice. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Use as a side dish or serve over ice cream or sorbet for dessert.

(Serves 4 as side dish and about 6 as ice cream or sorbet topping)

Guacamolé

I'm super excited to share this recipe with you. I got the basic recipe from a Frenchman at the office (I know, right?!?) it was SO good, but I thought I could kick it up a notch so I've added my own special ingredients. I bring this recipe to EVERY pot luck, backyard BBQ, holiday, dinner, party, cookout, get together I'm invited to. Be careful - once you introduce this at parties you will be asked again & again to bring it. I introduced it to my family last year and now my Dad won't eat anyone else's guacamole recipe. It goes great with any Mexican food dish, veggies, chips, even grilled chicken!



Here's what you'll need:
4 ripe Haas avocados
1 ripe tomato, seeds and pulp removed, chopped
1/2 c. red onion, minced
2 Serrano peppers, stems and seeds removed, minced
1/4 c. cilantro, finely chopped
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. garlic salt
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 garlic clove, minced
1/8 c. lemon or lime juice
Sea salt, to taste
Freshly grated white pepper, to taste


Here's what you do:
Prepare all the ingredients before cutting the avocados and lemon or lime, keep separate.

Cut the avocados in half. Remove seed. Scoop out avocado from peel and put in a medium mixing bowl.

Using a fork, mash the avocado. Stir in lemon, chopped red onion, garlic, cilantro, tomato, serranos, garlic, garlic powder, garlic salt, cumin and cayenne pepper.


Nestle two avocado pits (seeds) in the top of the guacamole, cover tightly with plastic wrap to prevent oxidation from the air. You can also use additional lemon or lime juice to prevent oxidation and add a tangier flavor which I LOVE! Refrigerate until ready.

Uncover, remove the avocado pits, and ENJOY!


Love avocado, try these shrimp stuffed avocados!

Potato Salad Success for Summer BBQs!

In the spirit of summer, Independence Day, and outdoor dining, here's an Ah-mazing (!) recipe for a potato salad that's sure to be a crowd pleaser!

Here's what you'll need:
5 lb bag of red potatoes
1 c. mayonnaise (NOT salad dressing)
1 bunch of green onions, chopped
1 tsp. celery seed
Sea Salt, to taste
3 boiled eggs

Here's how you make it:
Clean and roll potatoes in paper towels. Bake in microwave. You should be able to do several at a time.

Cool slightly and then chunk into a large bowl. Leave skin on.

Add salt, chopped green onions and celery seed. Then add may to your desired consistency (so you may use more or less than 1 c. of mayo depending on what you like). Mix well.

Chop and stir in eggs.

Serve at room temperature. Enjoy!

National Pudding Day?!?

Did you even know such a day existed? In the spirit of pudding, I thought I'd throw one out for all the low fat, low sugar, eating "healthy", guilt-free friends out there in blog-land. My dad was recently diagnosed with diabetes so for his first "diabetic holiday" my nephew and I made him this chocolate mouse pie, so we were all able to enjoy a piece of the same dessert!

Here's what you'll need:

1 1/2 c. skim milk (cold)

2 packages of chocolate fat-free/sugar-free gelatin instant pudding mix
1 pre-packaged low-fat graham cracker pie crust
1 8 oz. tub of fat-free non-dairy whipped topping (optional)



Mix the milk and gelatin instant pudding mix in a large mixing bowl.

Beat with an electric mixer for about 1 minute or until well mixed. (It will be a thick consistency)

Fold in the fat-free non-dairy whipped topping.

Pour mixture into low-fat graham cracker pie crust.

Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Serve & Enjoy!

Variations:
To make a frozen chocolate mousse pie: Put the completed pie in the freezer for 4 hours instead of the fridge!

For a frozen (or regular) chocolate mint mousse pie: Add 1/2 teaspoon mint extract to the pudding with the whipped topping. Pour mixture into low-fat graham cracker pie crust. Freeze or refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Black Bean & Corn Salsa

Looking for something quick and easy to take to the potluck tomorrow or a fun new dip for game day? Try this yummy salsa! Serve with corn chips, veggies, or pita bread for a fun snack.

What you'll need:

1/4 c. mayonnaise
2 tbsp lime juice
1/2 tsp cumin
1 can black beans (rinsed & drained)
1 can whole kernel corn (rinsed & drained)
1 c. quartered cherry tomatoes
1/2 c. chopped red onions
2 tbsp chopped cilantro
1 tsp. chopped Serrano pepper, diced (optional)

Blend mayonnaise, lime juice and cumin together well in a medium bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients. Chill for at least 30 minutes prior to serving.

Try this with Fish Tacos!

Tilapia Parmesan Saute

The great thing about tilapia is that you can buy individually wrapped frozen fillets in the freezer section at the grocery store. I often will just pull out one or two for dinner and a package will last me the entire month. Tilapia is a nice fish to "ease into" cooking. It is really hard to mess it up & it defrosts quickly in a bowl of room temperature water.

What you'll need:

4 - 4 oz. frozen tilapia fillets
1 tbsp olive oil
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tbsp parsley flakes
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp garlic powder

Mix parmesan cheese, garlic powder, parsley flakes; set aside. Heat a large saute pan and add olive oil, butter, and lemon. Saute fillets 2-3 minutes per side until white and flaky. Sprinkle cheese mixture on fillets and saute each side for another minute, then serve & enjoy!