Kale Salad with Cashew Pesto

Ingredients: 

1/2 cup cooked quinoa
1 bunch of kale
1 cup cooked butternut squash
1/4 red onion 
1 avocado

Pesto:
2 cups cilantro, packed
1/2 cup cashews
4 cloves garlic
1/2 cup olive oil
salt & pepper to taste
1 lime, juiced
pinch red pepper flakes

Directions:
Cook the quinoa, per the instructions on the box. Make the pesto: combine cilantro, cashews and garlic in a food processor. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Season with salt, pepper, lime juice and red pepper flakes. Blend until smooth and creamy. Combine the warm quinoa, chopped kale, butternut squash, red onion, avocado and pesto. Mix well with a big spoon and season to taste with salt and pepper, if necessary.

The "Best" Basil Pesto

It's easy. It's quick. It tastes 1000% better than anything you can buy at the store. Do yourself a favor and make the most delicious, fresh pesto you've ever had. 

Ingredients:
4 cups of basil leaves, tightly packed
4 cloves of garlic
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup grated parmesan
1/2 cup olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
dash of red pepper flakes
salt & pepper

Directions:
Toast the pine nuts. Blend all ingredients except the parmesan, until smooth. Add in the parmesan and blend. Stream in EVOO as needed until smooth. Taste and adjust salt & pepper as needed.

Note: I have also tried making the pesto with pecorino romano for a stronger kick.

Spiralled Zucchini Bowls

How great are infomercials? Seriously, I love them. The demos, the sales pitch, the products that you can't live without!  C'monnnn, at home facial kit, knives that cut through bricks, or my latest obsession, the vegetable spiralizer all qualify as necessities right? The Paderno Spiralizer may or may not be another ploy to trick the recipe testers into believing zucchini noodles taste just like pasta. But so far its working!

Ingredients:
3 zucchinis 
3 heirloom or cherry tomatoes 
2 ears of corn, cut off the cob
1/2 cup of pesto
Salt & Pepper to taste


Directions:
Spiralize the zucchini into noodles. Preheat oven to 400 and soak the ears of corn in water for 10 -15 minutes. Place the corn on a baking sheet and allow to cook in the oven, for about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and cut the corn kernels from the ears of corn. Halve the tomatoes, and mix with zucchini and corn. Toss with the pesto, and season with salt & pepper as needed.

Shaved & Shredded Salad

Wasn't the first day of Spring was just lovely? I had lunch in the sun, got in a nice run, hung with my Momma! No complaints from this little lady. Well, aside from the six "detox" emails in my inbox this morning. Listen Gwyneth, not all of us have to face bikini season in the South of France, so a tri-weekly juice diet sounds a tad aggressive. And if you live in SF, and you're laying in Fort Mason in a bikini, I am judging you. However, I do appreciate some hearty greens to get you feeling back to neutral. Even if it's washed down with a glass of buttery chard... don't worry, I'm sure you've earned it :)


Ingredients:
large bunch of tuscan kale, shredded
1 bag of pre-shredded brussel sprouts
1 avocado
1/2 cup shaved almonds
1/4 cup shaved pecorino or parmesan

Dressing:
Juice of two lemons
1 tbs dijon mustard
1 tbs minced shallot
2 garlic cloves
1/4 cup EVOO
Salt & Pepper to taste

Combine all of the dressing ingredients in a mini-food processor, blend. Depending on how heavy you like your dressing, add more EVOO and lemon juice. Massage the kale until bright green. Combine with the brussel sprouts. Top the greens with avocado, almonds and pecorino. Dress and serve!

Butternut Squash and Black Bean Enchiladas... for Jesus

To tell them if it is meatless and healthy or not... that is the question. If it's spicy and filling enough, usually my recipe testers don't mind a meal off the beaten path. So for Ash Wednesday, I opted for a meatless meal that did not disappoint. Making healthy Mexican food can seem impossible, but these enchiladas were totally guiltless, and super easy to make! JC would have totally approved. 

Ingredients: 

1 cup red enchilada sauce

1 tsp olive oil

1 bag of pre-cut butternut squash

1 small onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 jalapeno, seeded and diced

10 oz can Rotel tomatoes with green chilies

1 can reduced sodium canned black beans, rinsed and drained

1/4 cup cilantro

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/4 cup water

salt and pepper, to taste

8 medium white corn tortillas

1 cup reduced-fat shredded Mexican cheese

2 tbsp chopped scallions, for garnish
reduced-fat sour cream, for garnish

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place 1/4 cup enchilada sauce on the bottom of a large baking dish. Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in large skillet. Add onions, garlic, and jalapeno and cook 2-3 minutes until onions become translucent. Add cubed butternut squash, Rotel tomatoes, black beans, water, cilantro, cumin and chili powder and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the squash is tender, about 30 to 35 minutes.

Place about 1/3 cup filling in the center of each tortilla and roll, place on the baking dish seam side down. Sprinkle cheese inside the filling if desired. Repeat with the remaining filling. Top with remaining enchilada sauce and cheese and bake, covered with foil until hot and the cheese is melted, about 10 minutes. Top with scallions and eat with sour cream.

Kale Avocado Salad

Ya, ya we know, kale is all the rage these days. Salads, smoothies, soups...everyone is getting their fix. Took me a while to get on board, but I finally found a recipe that even the most anti-kalers will love. It's a word, trust me. I think my recipe tester was finally sold when I mentioned that kale doesn't get soggy overnight with dressing. Fun fact :) The key is massaging the kale, yes I just told you to massage your food. It completely changes the texture and taste. So get out there and get handsy with some kale. 

Ingredients:

For the Dressing:
1 ripe avocado

Juice of 1.5 lemons

1/3 cup of olive oil

2 Tbs cilantro or basil

Salt and pepper to taste

Salad:

1 bunch of dino kale

1 can of corn

1 basket of cherry tomatoes
1 avocado
1/2 cup of slivered almonds
1/4 cup shaved parmesan

Directions:
Combine all of the ingredients for the dressing in a food processor. Taste and adjust as needed. I've found adding more EVOO and lemon juice helps to thin it out if the avocado wasn't very ripe. Set aside and start to prep the kale. Wash and dry the kale well. Lightly massage the kale until it is bright green. Add corn, tomatoes, almonds and sliced avocado. Toss in the dressing and top with shaved parmesan. 

Spicy Spaghetti Squash Tacos

You were warned, slightly obsessed with anything and everything spaghetti squash as of late. A few months ago I bought the Smitten Kitchen cookbook, and immediately got that salivating, fat kid moment while looking at the pictures. Somehow this one slipped through the cracks, but I am so happy I finally made it! I would have never thought lime juice would go well with spaghetti squash, but it is the perfect combo. And I just really, really wanted some tacos.

Ingredients:

1 large spaghetti squash

2 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice

1/4 cup cotija cheese 

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp ground coriander 

1/2 tsp salt 

16 6-inch flour or corn tortillas 

1 15oz can black beans, drained & rinsed

1/4  cup finely diced red onion 

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Optional garnish: Tabasco sauce, chopped pepperoncini, salsa, avacado

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut the spaghetti squash in half, length wise. Scoop out the seeds and pulp. Season with a little EVOO, salt and pepper. Cook for 35 min, face up. 

Whisk together the lime juice, chili powder, cumin, coriander, and salt. 

Remove the spaghetti squash from the oven and set aside until cool enough to handle. Once it is cool, start to shred out the squash with a fork.  Pour the dressing over the strands of squash and gently toss together. Taste the squash and adjust the seasoning as desired.

I stuffed the tortillas with squash, beans, onion, and salsa. Sprinkle with cotija cheese, and cilantro. Line up all of the tacos in a pyrex dish and broil for about 5-7 min. Finally garnish with sliced avocado and hot sauce of your choice. 

Original recipe courtesy of Smitten Kitchen

Sauteed Mushroom Bruschetta

Do you ever get really excited about a new recipe, run to the store, buy all the ingredients, only to realize.... I didn't need cilantro and parsley? Maybe I'm just so ecstatic they are both still in stock during the Sunday night rush, I go into hoarding mode. Either way, this is one of the many products of my over indulgence! 

Ingredients:
1 pound crimini mushrooms
3 roma tomatoes
fresh sourdough baguette
3 cloves of garlic
basil
salt
pepper

Directions:
Heat enough olive oil to cover sauce pan and add minced garlic. Once oil is hot, add sliced mushrooms and saute until tender. Add chopped tomatoes and torn basil leaves. Cook on medium heat for 5 min. Season with salt and pepper.  In the meantime, toast sliced baguette in the oven until lightly crisped. Remove the pan from heat and top the bread with a heaping amount of tomato/mushroom mixture. Add shaved parmesan if desired!

Chipotle Lime Shrimp

Ingredients:

1 chipotle chili in adobo

2 teaspoons adobo sauce

1 teaspoon cumin 

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 lime 

2 tablespoons cilantro 

1 pound shrimp 

Directions:

Chop the chipotle and mix with adobo sauce, cumin, brown sugar, lime zest, lime juice and chopped cilantro in a bowl.  Let marinate for 20 minutes. Skewer the shrimp.  Grill the shrimp until cooked, about 2-3 minutes per side. Garnish with cilantro and a touch of lime. Serve with spicy cabbage coleslaw. 

Tips and Tricks: I have made these in a stir fry pan. They turn out really well, but beware the spice doesn't cook off as much as on the grill. Hold back on the seeds in the chilis if you're guests are sensitive to heat! 

Loaded Mushroom Risotto

Ingredients:

4 cups low-sodium chicken stock

1 1/2 ounces dried porcini mushrooms

3 tablespoons butter

1 medium onion, diced

1 1/2 cups Arborio rice

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

3/4 cup (3 ounces) Gorgonzola, crumbled

1/4 cup chopped fresh chives

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

In a medium saucepan, bring the stock to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the porcini mushrooms. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside for 30 minutes until the mushrooms are tender. Using a slotted spoon, remove the mushrooms and set aside. Reheat the stock to a simmer and keep warm over low heat.

In a large, heavy saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onion and mushrooms and cook until the onions are tender but not brown, about 3 minutes. Add the rice and stir to coat with the butter. Add the wine and simmer until the wine has almost evaporated, about 3 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of warm stock and stir until almost completely absorbed, about 2 minutes. Continue with remaining stock, adding 1/2 cup at a time, and allowing each addition to be absorbed, until the rice is tender to the bite and the mixture is creamy, about 20 to 25 minutes. Stir in the Parmesan, Gorgonzola, chives, salt and pepper. Let sit on very low heat for about 5 min, then remove from heat completely. Transfer the risotto to a serving dish. Serve immediately.

Original recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

Zucchini Carpaccio

If you've been to Jackson Fillmore, then you have surely tried this signature dish. So simple, and so delicious! Jack was generous enough to share the video so we could attempt to recreate at home. Even the most picky eaters will devour their veggies with this Italian favorite. Mangia, mangia!!! 

Ingredients:
2-3 zucchini 

Slice of lemon

Olive oil

Shaved Pecorino

3 tablespoons toasted almonds

Directions:

Wash and dry the zucchini. Using a mandolin, shave thin ribbons. Reconstruct the zucchini and chop into small strips. Heat up 1-2 Tbs of olive oil. Toast almonds until golden brown. Remove pan from heat and toss in the zucchini to warm up. Immediately move to serving dish. Squeeze a small amount of lemon over the vegetable ribbons and drizzle with olive oil. Season the salad with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with thick slices of Pecorino.

Check out the video here! 

Original recipe from Jackson Fillmore Restaurant, SF

Seared Ahi Tuna Dip

Ingredients:

1lb tuna steak

olive oil

kosher salt

black pepper

zest of 1 lime

juice of 2 limes

1/2 tsp wasabi paste

1 tsp soy sauce

5 dashes of tabasco

1 avocado sliced

2 minced scallion - white and green part

1/4 red onion

1 tbs toasted sesame seeds

Directions:

Brush tuna with olive oil, salt, pepper. Cook for 2 1/2 min each side. Still a little rare. Whisk 2 Tbs olive oil, lime zest, lice juice, wasabi, soy, tabasco, salt, pepper. Cut tuna into cubes. Toss avocado in dressing, add tuna, red onion, scallion, sesame seeds. Chill for at least 30 min. And if it still not spicy enough in 30 min, mix a mini addition of the dressing and then toss again. Serve with pita chips.

Recipe courtesy of Kathleen Whittell

Grilled Asparagus with Roasted Garlic Toast and Balsamic Vinaigrette

Ingredients:
1 medium head garlic, unpeeled
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons minced shallot
1 1/2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1 1/2 pounds thick stemmed asparagus
4 slices sourdough bread

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Coat the head of garlic with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place on a baking sheet, and roast 45 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden brown. Once the garlic is roasted, cut the head in half horizontally, exposing all the cloves. Squeeze both halves into a bowl, discarding any skin. Whisk in 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
3. While the garlic is roasting, place the minced shallot in a bowl with the balsamic and red wine vinegars for about 30 minutes to let the flavors blend. Whisk in remaining olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Place asparagus spears in the mixture until ready to grill.
4. Preheat grill for medium-high heat.
5. Place asparagus in a large skillet or directly on the grill. Grill the asparagus, turning over once, until tender, about 10 minutes. While asparagus is grilling, spread the roasted garlic mixture on the bread. Grill bread until toasted. Arrange the bread and asparagus on a plate, and drizzle with the remaining shallot and vinegar mixture.

Recipe Courtesy of Allrecipes.com

Bruschetta with Sauteed Sweet Peppers and Gorgonzola

Ingredients:
Good olive oil
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into thin strips
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and sliced into thin strips
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon capers, drained
2 tablespoons julienned fresh basil leaves
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Baguette
3 ounces creamy Gorgonzola or other blue cheese, at room temperature

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the peppers and cook until soft, about 12 to 15 minutes. Sprinkle with the sugar and continue cooking for 2 more minutes. Stir in the capers and basil, and season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Slice the baguette crosswise into 18 thin round slices. Brush the bread rounds lightly with olive oil on 1 side. Arrange them in rows, oil side up, on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and toast in the oven until lightly browned, about 7 to 10 minutes.

Top each toast round with a teaspoonful of the pepper mixture. Place 2 small pieces of Gorgonzola on top. Return the toast to the oven for 1 to 2 minutes and warm through. Serve immediately.
Recipe courtesy of Food Network

Fingerling Rosemary Potatoes

Ingredients:
fingerling potatoes
EVOO
kosher salt
fresh ground pepper
rosemary

Directions:
Preheat oven

Cut potatoes in half (long ways). Spread with EVOO, rosemary, salt and peper. Bake on a cookie sheet until browned and crispy.

Recipe courtesy of Taylor Whittell

Roasted Green Beans with Garlic

Ingredients:
1 lb green beans
1/4 cup EVOO
3 cloves garlic, smashed
3 thyme sprigs, each cut in half
salt and pepper
3 anchovies fillets, mashed
finely grated zest if 1 lemon
2-3 tsp fresh lemon juice to taste

Directions:
Preheat over to 450 degrees (upper level rack). Toss beans with EVOO, garlic, and thyme in large baking dish. Season with salt and pepper. Spread beans out in single layer and roast, tossing occasionally until tender and lightly browned, less then 10 minutes.

Discard thyme sprigs and transfer the beans to a bowl. Add the anchovies. Lemon zest, lemon juice and toss to coat. Serve warm

Recipe courtesy of Taylor Whittell

Wild Mushroom Quesadillas with Warm Black Bean Salsa

Ingredients:
Quesadilla -
2 Tbs EVOO
16 crimini mushroom caps or baby portabellos, with stems and thinly sliced
12 shitake mushrooms, no stems, thinly sliced
coarse black pepper and salt
1 Tbs fresh thyme leaves, chopped, or 1 tsp dried thyme
4 large flour tortillas
2 cups sharp white cheddar shredded

Salsa-
1 Tbs evoo
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
1 can black beans, drained, rinsed
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1/2 cup sundried tomatoes in oil chopped
1/2 cup smoky barbeque sauce
salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions:
Heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the EVOO, two turns of the pan, and the sliced mushrooms to the hot skillet. Season mushrooms with black pepper, salt and thyme. Saute the mushrooms 10 minutes, or until dark and tender, then remove from heat. Transfer the mushrooms to a dish and return the skillet to the stove over medium.

Add another turn of EVOO to the skillet and add the onions, garlic and jalapeno pepper; saute for 2-3 minutes, then add beans and corn to the pan. Stir in chopped tomatoes and barbque sauce, then seaon salsa with salt and pepper. Transfer warm salsa to a serving dish.

Heat a griddle pan or large nonstick skillet over medium to medium- high heat. Add a drizzle of EVOO to the pan and one flour tortilla. Cook tortilla 1 minute, then turn it over. Sprinkle 1/2 cup sharp cheddar over half of the flour tortilla. Cover the cheese with a quarter of the cooked sliced mushrooms. Fold the plain half of the tortilla over top of the filling and gently press down with a spatula. Cook the filled quesadilla 30-60 seconds longer on each side to lightly brown and crisp the quesadilla and melt the cheese. Remove the quesadilla to a large cutting board or transfer to a warm oven to hold, then preate with remaining quesadilla ingredients.

Cut each quesadilla into wedges and serve with warm salsa.

Recipe courtesy of Rachel Ray

4 Fabulous Artichoke Dipping Sauces

Herbed Mayonnaise

1 cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon each chopped parsley and chives (or green onions, green part only)

¼ teaspoon chopped tarragon

Mix all ingredients well.

Pesto Mayonnaise

1 cup mayonnaise

3 tablespoons or more pesto sauce (frozen is best for color)

Mix thoroughly. Adjust amounts to your taste.|

Low Calorie Dill Dip

1 cup plain yogurt

¼ cup reduced calorie mayonnaise

2 tablespoons minced green onion

3 teaspoons chopped capers

¾ teaspoon dried dill weed

Combine all ingredients well. (4 servings, 104 calories)

Honey Mustard Dip

¼ cup prepared mustard

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons honey

Combine all ingredients; mix well. Makes about 3/4 cup.

Corn Salsa with Blue Corn Chips

Cook Time: 20 min

Level: easy

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

1 can of corn

5 tsp vegetable oil

1/2 cup sour cream

3 tbs fresh lime juice

1 tsp minced garlic

1/3 tsp chipotle chili powder

1/2 tsp Emeril's Southwest Essence

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1/4 finely chopped green onions

1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

1/3 cup diced red bell peper

2 tbs freshly chopped cilantro leaves

1 avacado, diced

Blue Corn Tortilla chips for serving

Directions:
In a separate small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, lime juice, garlic, chili powder, Southwest Essence, salt, and pepper. Add the sour cream mixture to the cooled corn kernels, add the green onions, jalapeno pepper, red bell pepper, and cilantro, and stir to combine. Adjust seasonings, as needed. Cover and chill for 1 hour.

Place corn salsa in a serving bowl, garnish with avocado (you can also fold the avocado in with the corn salsa) and sprinkle the crumbled queso cotija over the top. Serve with blue corn tortilla chips.

Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse

Mini Caprese Salad

Prep Time: 15 min

Level: easy

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

1 lemon juiced

1 small clove garlic, minced

1 cup basil leaves

1/3 cup evoo

1 pint heirloom cherry tomatoes, mutlicolored if available, halved

1 cup bocconcini(bite-sized fresh mozarella balls), drained, halved

salt and freshly group black pepper

Directions:

Combine lemon juice, garlic, basil in food processor or blender, process and stream in evoo to form a smooth dressing. Combine tomatoes, cheese and dressing in a bowl and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Garnish with a few torn basil leaves.
Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray