turkey patty with broccoli, celery, and fennel

This is a great meal: turkey patty served on a bed of grilled iceberg lettuce, kale chips, and asparagus and tomato-olive dressing with Canadian bacon and onion. Putting broccoli and celery in the turkey patty adds moisture and also crunch–not to mention increasing your daily vegetable portion!

Turkey Patty with Broccoli and Fennel

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 4 minutes per patty
Servings: 5 patties

Ingredients
1 pound lean ground turkey (93% or higher)
1/2 cup broccoli stems, chopped
1/2 cup onion, minced
2 tablespoons celery, minced
1 tablespoon Trader Joe’s South African Smoke Seasoning Blend
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 egg, beaten

Preparation
Put all ingredients in a large bowl and combine. Cut a wide sheet of wax paper. Dip a 1/2 cup measure in water. Scoop up some of the turkey meat mixture and scrape off the excess. Empty the scoop onto the wax paper sheet and repeat. Press each patty to flatten slightly. This much seasoned turkey mixture yields  five patties.

Cook’s Note: Dipping the 1/2 cup measure in water helps to release the patty.

I used the George Foreman grill to cook these patties. It took just four minutes per patty. Patties can also be broiled or pan-fried in a skillet sprayed with cooking spray. Cook until each patty reaches an internal temperature of 165˚F.

asian grilled tofu triangles with thai cabbage salad

This recipe was inspired by the South Beach Diet Cookbook. That recipe originally called for tempeh but as I’m not a tempeh fan I decided to use its first cousin, extra firm tofu. This recipe takes longer to make because you need to press out the excess water from the tofu and then marinate it for at least 4 hours. After it was grilled, I was a bit disappointed in the taste–the ginger and garlic flavors were overshadowed by the sesame oil. Next time I make this I will increase the garlic and ginger by one tablespoon each.

Asian Grilled Tofu Triangles

Prep time: 40 minutes
Marinating time: 12 hours
Cook time: 12 minutes
Servings: 4

1 pound extra firm tofu drained and cut into triangles
1 tablespoon canola oil (can use peanut oil)
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon grated ginger
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons scallions sliced thinly on the diagonal for garnish (optional)

Press the tofu. Spread two layers of paper towels on a medium rimmed baking tray. Spread the tofu on top of the paper towels. Put another layer of paper towels on top. Cover the paper towels with a small rimmed baking tray. Place canned goods and or books on top to weight down the small baking tray. This will press out the water and flatten the triangles to about half the size when they were sliced. It takes about 20 minutes to remove the excess water.

Cook’s Note: The tofu may need a change of paper towels and an additional 20 minutes if the triangles have not reduced in size significantly.

Make the marinade. In a small bowl, whisk the oils, ginger, garlic and soy sauce until they emulsify. Put the pressed tofu in an 8” square pan and pour the marinade on top. With a pair of tongs, gently turn the tofu several times to coat. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least four hours. I let them sit overnight in the marinade.

Grill the tofu triangles. The next day, I heated up the George Foreman grill and grilled the tofu 4 minutes. That was enough time to cook them and also get that wonderful burnt grill lines. If desired, sprinkle sliced scallions on top. Serve at once.

Cook’s Note: Save the marinade as a dressing for the grilled tofu. The tofu turned out slightly sweet and with a delicate flavor.

To accompany the grilled tofu, I made my favorite coconut kale recipe (kale, coconut oil, pepper flakes and Maldon’s sea salt. Yum!) and tried a new recipe for Thai Cabbage Salad from epicurious. I adapted the measurements because there was enough to feed everybody at a pot luck supper and then some. I think I could even halve the recipe one more time.

Thai Cabbage Salad

Prep time: 30 minutes
Servings: 6-8

1/4 head each red & green cabbage (sliced thinly)
3 carrots grated
1 medium cucumber diced small
1 large red pepper diced small)
1/2 cup scallions (sliced thinly)
1/2 cup cilantro (chopped coarsely)

Dressing:
1/4 cup rice vinegar or mirin
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1-2 tablespoons sesame oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon chili garlic paste
2 Thai chilies (minced)
4-6 cloves garlic (minced)
2 tablespoons sugar (optional)
1/2 cup peanuts

Do ahead: make salad dressing in a large jar and store in the refrigerator up to one week

Toss all salad ingredients together. Twenty minutes before serving, add dressing to salad and toss. Let sit 20 minutes to let flavors develop. Sprinkle peanuts on top.

bolivian spiced grilled pork cutlets with split peas

Now that Andy is here in New York, I am determined to make sure he eats healthy. Living on his own in Bangkok has led to all sorts of unhealthy eating habits–like eating ham hocks. I brought my South Beach Diet cookbooks when I came back from Bangkok in January, so I looked up interesting Phase One recipes. This one, to my astonishment, included a ham hock and pork loin chops. I decided I would make it without ham hock and pork chop. Though I knew that I could use lean pork tenderloin instead of pork chops there is absolutely no substitute for the meaty smoky flavor of the ham hock.  I had read about the concept of umami sometimes called the “fifth taste” that rounds out the four basic tastes: bitter, sour, sweet, and salty. Umami is savory. I decided to add powdered dry porcini mushrooms because it has an earthy savory flavor. To get back the smokiness I added a few generous twists of Trader Joe’s South African Smoke Seasoning Blend. It was perfect.

Bolivian Spiced Grilled Pork Cutlets with Split Peas

Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 60 minutes

Split Peas
2 1/2 tablespoons EVOO
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 large onion, chopped fine
1 parsnip, finely chopped
2 ribs celery, finely chopped
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon ground cumin
4 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon powdered dried porcini mushrooms
1 bay leaf
Trader Joe’s South African Smoke Seasoning Blend
1 1/4 cup split peas, rinsed

Pork Cutlets
Rub
1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin
3 teaspoons ground cardamom
3 teaspoons ground coriander
1/2 tablespoon red pepper flakes
zest of 1 lemon (about 3 teaspoons)
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper

1 pork tenderloin trimmed of fat and silver and cut into eighths

Make the split peas: In a medium saucepan over medium low heat, heat the olive oil. When it is hot, add the onion, celery, and parsnip. When it starts to sizzle, add the garlic. Cook until the vegetables become softened, about 3 minutes. Add the pepper flakes and cumin. Stir and add the chicken broth, umami, peas, bay leaf, and the Smoke. Let it come to a simmer, reduce the heat to low, and cook about 45 minutes or until the peas are tender. Remove the bay leaf and discard.

Make the pork cutlets: In a small bowl, combine the cumin, cardamom, coriander, pepper flakes, lemon zest, salt and pepper.  Pound each cutlet flat, about 1 inch 1/2 inch thickness. With your fingers, work a half teaspoon of the rub onto each side of one cutlet. Put the cutlet aside on a plate and repeat with the rest of the cutlets.

I grilled the cutlets in 3 batches for 4 minutes per batch in the George Foreman grill. Alternatively, you can cook the cutlets in a skillet sprayed with cooking spray until done. The cutlets are cooked when they reach an internal temperature of 165˚F. I served these cutlets with the split peas, Tennessee-style cole slaw, and tomato-avocado salsa.

brown and wild rice turkey burgers with Tennessee-style cole slaw

Last weekend was beautiful. The sky was blue and the sun was shining. It was warm. We went to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden to walk down the Cherry Esplanade with hundreds of other people. I am glad we went last weekend because I’m sure there are no more blossoms left on the trees after today’s rain!

Picture collage personalized with Smilebox

It finally feels like spring! After we had such a long cold winter here in New York followed by an unusually cool spring, the weather got warm and beautiful enough to enjoy the cherry blossoms at the BBG. However, cherry blossoms have absolutely nothing to do with this next recipe! I found a recipe for wild rice turkey burgers in the South Beach Diet cookbook but I tweaked it a bit. It had a delicious nutty flavor from the wild rice and a tartness from the extra sharp Cheddar, which melted wonderfully as the meat cooked. So here we go:

Brown and Wild Rice Turkey Burgers

Prep time: 35 minutes (includes cooking time for rice in a rice cooker)
Cooking time: 16 minutes in the George Foreman grill

1 pound lean ground turkey (93% lean is recommended)
1 cup cooked brown and wild rice mixture, cooled slightly
1/4 cup tonkatsu sauce (I happened to have this on hand; use barbecue sauce if you prefer)
1 egg, beaten
salt and pepper to taste (about 1 teaspoon each)
4×1 inch cubes extra-sharp Cheddar Cheese

Do ahead: cook the rice ahead of time and let cool. I used a rice cooker.

For the next step, I used my George Foreman grill but you can do these patties in the oven or in the broiler.

In a large bowl, combine the meat, rice, sauce, egg, salt and pepper. Pack a half-cup measure with the meat mixture and unmold it onto a plate or a baking tray. Gently flatten the patty until it’s about 2 inches thick. Now this is where it’s fun: make a dent in the middle of the patty, but not so deep that you poke a hole all the way through. Insert a cheese cube in the dent and cover it over with meat. Repeat with the remaining meat mixture.

I grilled each patty in the George Foreman for 4 minutes. I tested the patty to see that it registered 165˚F on an instant read thermometer. Be sure not to insert the thermometer in the center or you will hit the cheese. Instead, go as close to the center as you can and be careful not to poke the thermometer all the way through. In any case, the patties were fully cooked in an average of four minutes per patty.

If you prefer, you can bake the patties at 350˚F for 10 minutes but it will not have a grilled appearance. You can achieve this by popping them in the broiler instead. Of course, you can also fry them on the stove. To cut calories, fry them on medium high heat after spraying the skillet with cooking spray.

To cut calories further, I dispensed with the bun and served each patty on a thick slice of grilled iceberg lettuce. No fries but roasted root vegetables, my favorite accompaniment to any grilled meat, and a delicious Tennesee-style cole slaw from saveur.com!

Tennessee-Style Mustard Coleslaw
SERVES 6
1⁄2 cup mayonnaise
1⁄4 cup prepared yellow mustard
1⁄4 cup apple cider vinegar
1⁄4 cup sugar
2 tsp. kosher salt
2 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp. celery seeds
1 medium head cabbage, shredded

I never know how much mustard to use when using dried powdered mustard. So I just put in enough powder in a one cup measure that I judged was to my taste–about 2 tablespoons–then added enough water to come up to the 1/4 cup level. Then I whisked the mustard with the mayo, vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper, and celery seeds in a bowl. Shred cabbage and toss with dressing in a large bowl. Chill until ready to serve. This cole slaw has a delicious “bite” from the mustard!

gluten-free broccoli-zucchini pie

I haven’t blogged in a week because I’ve been busy with dissertation revisions. The weather is still in that funny inbetween state, between winter and spring. It’s been a long cold winter that’s reached into spring and touched me with the sniffles.  What a bother! This pie I made on a whim and threw in the brown rice flour instead of wheat flour. Who’d a thought! It’s delicious, substantial,  and colorful too. 

Gluten-Free Broccoli-Zucchini Pie

Prep time: 10 minutes
Baking time: 25 minutes
Servings: 6-8

Ingredients:
2 cups broccoli florets, chopped
1 medium zucchini, halved and sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup sweet bell pepper , chopped (I used yellow for color contrast, but red or green will do)
1/2 cup red onion, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano (or dill, tarragon)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary (or thyme, sage)
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon grated Peccorino Romano cheese
1/2 cup brown rice flour (Bob’s Red Mill)
1 teaspoon baking powder
2/3 cup fat free milk
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 large eggs, beaten
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
fresh cracked pepper to taste
cooking spray

Preparation
Preheat oven to 400°. Lightly spray a 9 inch pie dish with cooking spray.
Heat olive oil in a large dutch pot. When the oil is hot, add the broccoli and cook it until it is bright green and slightly wilted. Add the pepper and onion an cook until slightly softened. Add the zucchini and cook until softened slightly.
Mix broccoli, zucchini, peppers, onions, herbs and cheeses in a large bowl.
Sift flour and baking powder in a medium bowl.
Add milk, 1 teaspoon olive oil, beaten eggs, salt, pepper, to flour mixture in the bowl.
Combine flour mixture with vegetable mixture, and mix well. Scrape into prepared pie dish.
Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until knife comes out clean when pierced near the center. Let it stand at least 5 minutes before serving.

apple cake with crumb topping and mixed berry compote

This recipe is a mash-up of  three recipes: Marie-Hélène’s apple cake, Martha Stewart’s crumb topping, and Can’t Stay Out of the Kitchen’s Mixed Berry Compote. It is truly a Sunday morning treat, a mouthful of not-too-sweet hot apple with the crunch of cinnamon-sugar, the smooth caress of butter,  and the whole thing made cool with tart berries in sauce, a ruby-red eye-candy.

Marie-Hélène’s Apple Cake with crumb topping
I thought this cake had a nice light apple flavor. However, it looked pale and wan and underdone after 60 minutes in the oven. I think my caramel apple cake recipe has a better texture. The advantage of this recipe is that it doesn’t require a mixer, just 3 mixing bowls, a whisk, and a silicone spatula. 

Prep time: 40 minutes
Baking time: 50 minutes
Yield: 8 servings

Apple Cake (adapted from Marie-Helene on Epicurious)
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
4 large apples (if you can, choose 4 different kinds)
2 large eggs
3/4 cup superfine sugar
3 tablespoons dark rum (or 1/2 teaspoon rum extract plus 2 1/2 tablespoons water)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Martha Stewart’s Crumb Topping (adapted from Martha Stewart)
1 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (1 stick)

Crumb Topping
Mix all ingredients the except butter in a small bowl. Cut the butter into the sugar mixture with two knives until the butter is roughly the size of peas. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Cake
Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously butter an 8-inch spring form pan and set it aside.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in small bowl. Peel the apples, cut them in half and remove the cores. Cut the apples into 1- to 2-inch chunks. Put apples in a large bowl of cold water so that they don’t discolor.

In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with a whisk until they’re foamy. Pour in the sugar and whisk for a minute or so to blend. Here the advantage of using superfine sugar becomes apparent; it’s easier to incorporate because the crystals are finer than granulated sugar. Whisk in the rum and vanilla.

Cake Baker’s Note: I used 1 teaspoon vanilla because I didn’t have rum, then added 2 1/2 tablespoons water to the batter to keep the liquid measurements the same.

Whisk in half the flour until it is just incorporated, then add half the melted butter,mixing until it is just incorporate. Repeat with the remaining flour and butter. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with the spatula so that it’s even, making sure the batter goes all the way to the sides.

Sprinkle the crumb topping on top. You might have left over crumb topping. Just refrigerate leftovers for future use on another apple cake, coffee cake, quick bread or muffins,

Slide the pan into the oven and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until the top of the cake is golden brown and a tester inserted near the center comes out clean. Transfer to a cooling rack and let the cake rest for 5 minutes.

Cake Baker’s Note: Test the cake after 50 minutes. If the tester comes out moist, let it bake another 10 minutes. It took 60 minutes with the topping.

Carefully run a thin blade around the edges of the cake and remove the sides of the springform pan. Check to be sure no apples are stuck to the sides. Allow the cake to cool until it is just slightly warm or at room temperature, about 1 hour. To remove the bottom of the springform pan, wait until the cake is cooled, then run a long spatula between the cake and the pan bottom, cover the top of the cake with a piece of parchment or wax paper, and invert it onto a rack. Carefully remove the bottom of the pan and turn the cake over onto a serving dish.

Serving the cake
The cake can be served warm or at room temperature, with a little softly whipped, barely sweetened heavy cream or a spoonful of ice cream. I recommend a mixed berry compote in the recipe below.

Storing the cake
The cake will keep for about 2 days at room temperature. Leave the cake on a plate and just press a sheet of plastic wrap or waxed paper against the cut surfaces. After two days, it must be refrigerated.

Mixed Berry Compote (adapted from Can’t Stay Out of the Kitchen)

1 lb. strawberries, hulled and sliced
1 cup blueberries
1 cup blackberries
1 cup powdered sugar (or granulated sugar or honey)
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon water

Wash berries. Place in medium-sized saucepan. Add sugar and vanilla. Cook over medium heat about 5 minutes. Add mixture of cornstarch and water to thicken sauce. Remove 1/3 to half of the compote ingredients and puree in blender about 5 seconds. Add back into compote. Heat through. Serve over pancakes, waffles, or ice cream. Makes 5-6 cups compote.

sesame chicken nuggets with sweet and spicy dipping sauces

Sesame Chicken Nuggets with Panko Breadcrumbs

Prep time: 2 hours 45 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Serves 4

For Chicken Nuggets
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/8 cup salt
Cold water to cover
1/2 cup olive oil
2 cups panko bread crumbs (can use whole wheat panko)
4 tablespoons cilantro, minced
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 teaspoon white pepper

Sweet Honey-Ginger Mustard Dipping Sauce
2 tablespoons honey (substitute: agave syrup)
2 tablespoons mustard
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
Juice of half a lime (substitute: lemon)

Nam Jim Spicy Thai Dipping Sauce
1/4 cup fish sauce
2 scallions, minced
1 chili pepper, minced
1 garlic clove, minced, or pressed through a garlic press
Juice of half a lime (substitute: lemon)

Preparation

1. In a large glass bowl, put the salt and fill 1/3 with cold water. Add the chicken breasts and fill with enough water to cover. Let the chicken brine for 2 hours. Meanwhile, make the dipping sauces and set aside.
2. Heat the oven to 400˚F. Line 2 large rimmed baking trays with sheets of aluminum foil. Spray with cooking spray. Set aside.
3. In a large pie plate, put the half cup olive oil and set aside. In another pie plate, put the breadcrumbs, cilantro and seasonings. Mix well. Set aside.
4. Remove the chicken breasts from the brine and slice into 1 1/2 inch cubes. Dip each chicken cube in the oil and then in the breadcrumb mixture. Lay each coated chicken piece in a single layer on the prepared baking trays.
5. Bake for 10-15 minutes. Serve at once with the dipping sauces. I recommend serving the chicken nuggets with a fresh salad and sweet potato fries.

spring vegetable risotto

It’s a cool day today, perfect for this spring vegetable risotto. The time it took standing over the stove to tend lovingly to the rice was well worth it. The risotto has the crunch of asparagus and the tartness of lemon in it. The gremolata was refreshing–I could taste the mint, the parsley, and the lemon zest.

Spring Vegetable Risotto (America’s Test Kitchen)

Total prep and cook time: 2 hours
Servings: 4-6

Ingredients
Gremolata
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves, stems reserved
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh mint leaves, stems reserved
• 1/2 teaspoon finely grated zest from 1 lemon
Risotto
• 1 pound asparagus , tough ends snapped off and reserved, spears cut on bias into 1/2-inch thick pieces
• 2 medium leeks , white and light green parts halved lengthwise, washed, and sliced thin (about 4 cups),
• 2 cups roughly chopped dark green leek leaves, reserved
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth (substitute vegetable broth)
• 3 cups water
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
• 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 1/2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese (about 3/4 cup), plus extra for serving
• 2 teaspoons juice from 1 lemon

Preparation
Make the gremolata: Combine parsley and mint leaves and lemon zest in small bowl. Set aside.

Make the broth for the risotto: Chop tough asparagus ends and leek greens into rough 1/2-inch pieces. In a large saucepan over high heat, bring chopped green leek leaves, reserved parsley and mint stems, broth, and water to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover, and simmer 20 minutes. Strain broth through fine-mesh strainer into a small saucepan, pressing on the solids to strain as much liquid as possible. Discard solids. Cover the strained broth and set the pan over very, very low heat to keep the broth warm.

Cook the asparagus and peas: Heat 1 tablespoon butter in large saucepan over medium heat. When the butter melts add the sliced  asparagus spears, a pinch of salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, until asparagus is crisp-tender and bright green, for about 4 to 6 minutes. Add peas and continue to cook 1 minute more. Transfer vegetables to a plate and set aside.

Cook the rice (This is the long part):

1. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in now-empty large saucepan over medium heat. Add leeks (the white and pale green parts), garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until leeks are softened, about 4 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring frequently, until grains are translucent around edges, about 3-4 minutes. Add wine and cook, stirring frequently, until fully absorbed, 2 to 3 minutes.
2. When wine is fully absorbed, add 3 cups of hot broth to the rice in the pot. Simmer, stirring every 3 to 4 minutes, until liquid is absorbed and bottom of pan is almost dry, about 12 minutes.
3. Stir in about 1/2 cup hot broth and cook, stirring constantly, until absorbed, about 3 minutes; repeat with additional broth 3 or 4 times until rice is al dente. (Cook’s Note: It took just 3 additions of broth.) Turn off the heat, and stir in the remaining tablespoon of butter, Parmesan cheese, and lemon juice; gently fold in asparagus and peas. The consistency will be like a very thick congee. If the risotto is too dry for your taste,  add up to 1/4 cup hot broth to loosen the risotto. Serve hot, sprinkling each serving with gremolata and passing Parmesan, red pepper flakes, and fresh ground black pepper  separately.

Related articles

• Spring Vegetable Risotto with Poached Eggs (seattlefoodshed.wordpress.com)
• Spring Vegetable Risotto with Bacon (hauteapplepie.com)

homemade ginger ale

Today was the first day of 2013 that I did not wear a coat outside! The temperature went up to 76 degrees. Summer comin’ fe true. So tonight for dinner I made homemade ginger ale to go with the pepperoni pan pizza I made almost-from scratch. I saved time by buying fresh pizza dough from Whole Foods today. The ginger ale recipe, which came from epicurious,  has the freshness and sharpness of ginger. It’s very refreshing and so easy to make.

Homemade Ginger Ale (from epicurious)

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Rest time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4-6

1 1/2 cups fresh ginger root
2 cups water
3/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons lime juice
about 1 quart chilled unflavored club soda or seltzer

Peel the ginger root with a spoon. Slice it into rounds, cut each round into sticks, then dice the sticks. Put the diced ginger  a small saucepan and cover with 2 cups water. On a low simmer, cook the ginger and water for 45 minutes partially covered. I rested the lid on two wooden chopsticks. Remove the pan from heat. Cover the pot tightly and let the ginger and water steep for 20 minutes.

Pour the ginger and water through a sieve set over a large bowl. Using the back of a spoon, press the liquid out of the ginger. Discard the solids. Return the ginger liquid to the pot. Add the sugar and cook until all the sugar is dissolved, about 1-2 minutes. Cool the syrup then pour it into a glass jar and refrigerate.

When the syrup is chilled, get a tall drinking glass. In it, pour 1/4 cup syrup, 1 1/2 teaspoons lime juice, and 3/4 cup club soda/seltzer. Mix and add ice cubes. This makes one serving.

tomato avocado mozzarella salad

This salad can be served on a bed of chopped romaine lettuce too. I used fresh mozzarella cheese because it tastes better, and kalamata olives because the salad needed something sour. Emeril Lagasse’s Simple Balsamic Vinaigrette is easy to make too, full of flavor–I do love garlic. I made one addition to the vinaigrette– a tablespoon of Dean Ornish’s Little Italian Seasoning.

Tomato Avocado Mozzarella Salad (inspired by Can’t Stay Out of the Kitchen)

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: –
Servings: 2-4

Ingredients

2 ripe Italian plum tomatoes
2 ripe avocados
1/3 cup mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives
4 tablespoons balsamic vinaigrette
Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

Chop the tomatoes and avocados. Put them in a medium bowl. Chop the cheese into 1 inch pieces and add to the bowl. Top with olives. Pour the vinaigrette over all and gently toss. Add salt and pepper to taste

Balsamic Vinaigrette (adapted from Emeril Lagasse)

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: –

Ingredients

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
3/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon Little Italian Seasoning (recipe to follow)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
2 teaspoons brown sugar

Preparation

In a small bowl or two cup measure, add the vinegar and oil. Use a garlic press to squeeze the garlic into the bowl or measure. Add the Little Italian Seasoning, salt, pepper, and brown sugar. Whisk to emulsify the mixture. Store remainder, covered, in the refrigerator.

Little Italian (adapted from Dean Ornish)

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: –

Ingredients
2 tablespoons each of:

• dried basil
• dried marjoram
• dried oregano
• ground coriander
• dried thyme
• dried rosemary
• dried savory

2 tsp hot red pepper flakes
1 tsp fennel seed
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground allspice

Preparation

Blend all spices together and store in the refrigerator. Use it to flavor salad dressing, meat, chicken, or fish.