Meatballs stuffed with Smoked Mozzarella
Ingredients
Vegetable oil cooking spray
2 large shallots, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained (5 or 6)
1/3 cup packed fresh basil leaves
1/3 cup shredded mozzarella
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 pound 10-percent fat ground beef (I’ve also used Buffalo)
1 pound ground pork (I’ve also used ground turkey)
6 ounces smoked mozzarella, cut into 30 (1/2-inch) cubes
1/3 cup olive oil
3 cups marinara sauce, warmed
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a baking sheet with vegetable oil cooking spray. Set aside.
In a food processor, pulse together the shallots, sun-dried tomatoes, basil, shredded mozzarella, Parmesan, tomato paste, red pepper flakes, and salt. Process until blended. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl.
Add the beef and pork and, using a wooden spoon or clean hands.
Stir until well combined.
Form the mixture into 30 equal-size meatballs (about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inches in diameter).
Insert 1 cube smoked mozzarella cheese into the center of each meatball and form the meat around it, completely enclosing the cheese.
In a large nonstick skillet, heat half the oil over medium heat. Add half of the meatballs and cook, turning occasionally, until well browned on all sides, about 5 minutes.
Drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining oil and meatballs.
Place the browned meatballs onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes for medium doneness.
Top with marinara sauce and have extra for dipping.
These stuffed meatballs make a great main dish or can be served as appetizers.
They also freeze well so make a double batch and put half in the freezer for another future meal.
Grapefruit Avocado Dressing
My husband loves dressing with his salad. I’ve never seen anyone who pours so much dressing on his salad, it’s a wonder he can even taste the lettuce and other ingredients. As you know prepared dressings in the grocery store can be quite expensive, especially when you are going through them so fast. So I’ve decided to start making my own dressings. I love Ina Garten’s Grapefruit and Avocado Salad recipe. So that is where I got the inspiration for this Grapefruit Avocado dressing.
Ingredients
1/3 cup orange juice
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons honey
1 medium halved peeled avocado, seeded and cut into 1/2 inch chunks
4 basil leaves
1 large pink grapefruit (zested and juiced)
salt and pepper
Preparation
1. Combine first 5 ingredients in a food processor or blender and process for 1 minute until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
2. Zest 1/2 of the grapefruit and add to blender.
3. Add juice of grapefruit and blend until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Serve over field greens.
If you don’t use all of the dressing, you can transfer the remaining dressing to an airtight container and refrigerate. It will be good for up to 5 days.
Hot Banana Bread Beverage
It’s turned back to winter here in Virginia, after a week of over 70 degree days. I was getting a little spoiled. I’m a little glad for the cold weather today (only a little) because it gives me a chance to try out this Hot Banana Bread Drink.
It’s thick, smooth, creamy, sweet, satiating, infused with warm spices – this drink has it all. And it’s not a frivolous treat. It’s packed with plenty of health-promoting nutrients, so there’s no need to feel guilty. Here’s why:
Walnuts. These guys are packed with good fats like omega-3 fatty acids, which the body uses to reduce inflammation, prevent blood clotting, regulate insulin and promote heart health. The ample presence of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory nutrients in walnuts make them an anti-cancer food, too.
Bananas. The electrolyte potassium, found in bananas, is an important nutrient for nerve transmission and muscle contraction, as well as for regulating water balance in the body. Bananas are also a good source of Vitamin C, fiber and Vitamin B6 (which is involved in more than 100 enzymatic reactions in the body and decreases the risk of inflammation). Pick bananas that have lots brown spots on them, as this means the starches have turned to sugars. They’ll be easier to digest and won’t give you a stomach ache.
Dates. Like bananas, dates contain potassium and are an excellent source of fiber. They’ve also got minerals like calcium, iron and magnesium, as well as plenty of B vitamins to help with energy.
Cinnamon. Cinnamon contains cinnamaldehyde, a potent anti-inflammatory phytonutrient, plus it’s anti-microbial, helps control blood sugar and boosts brain function. And it’s got manganese, calcium, iron and fiber.
Serves: 1
3/4 cup hot water
1 peeled ripe banana
2 tablespoons chopped raw walnuts
2 pitted dates
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 inch knob fresh ginger
Place all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Enjoy!
Easy Gluten Free Croque Monsieur
Years ago I went to France and was introduced to Croque-Monsieur, the French version of a toasted ham and Swiss sandwich. According to About.com the word croque comes from the verb croquer or “to crunch”. So a Croque Monsieur roughly translates to “Mister Crunchy”. The feminine version, a “Croque Madam”, includes a fried egg on top.
I thought is was absolutely the most delicious sandwich in the world. Remembering how amazing it was, I just had to have one (well, maybe it was two) when I went back to France last year. Being gluten sensitive, it didn’t sit very well with me but it was still fabulous going down.
When I got home, I decided to create my own version of the croque monscier. Traditionally, croque monsieurs use Gruyère cheese and have a béchamel sauce. I’ve taken liberties with this French treat and make is easy and gluten free.
Serves 2
Ingredients
2 Tbsp Earth Balance Natural Buttery Spread (or you could use butter)
6 thin slices of Black Forest Ham
2 slices of Manchego cheese, medium sliced
1/2 parmesan cheese, grated
4 slices of Gluten Free Bread (I use Udi’s or Rudi’s brand, but recently I found a Tapioca bread that is really good.)
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Begin by putting Earth Balance Natural Buttery Spread on one side of each of the slices of bread. On pizza stone, put two slices of bread butter side down. Put one slice of Manchego cheese. Put other slice of bread on top, butter side up.
Place in oven for about 10 minutes. Take out of oven.
Get your broiler going on 475 degrees.
Generously spread parmesan cheese on top of each sandwich.
Place this under the broiler until the cheese is nice and bubbly, roughly 1-2 minutes.
Remove the sandwiches from the broiler, and place on a serving plate. Dig in!
This one is super delicious and has become a regular lunch in our household. It has that sort of impact. Trust me.
Sweet Potato and Carrot Mash
Love mashed potatoes, but want to be a little healthier? Try this easy sweet potato and carrot mash. Full of flavor without all of the calories and fat.
Serves 2-4
Ingredients
1/3 cup hemp oil
1/2 of large onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-3/4 inch pieces
4 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
salt and pepper
4 cups water
Chives, chopped (optional)
Directions
In a saucepan or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes.
Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the sweet potatoes, carrots, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cook for 5 minutes until slightly softened.
Add the water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the sweet potatoes and carrots are tender, about 25 minutes.
Drain water (reserve some of the liquid for mashing). Working in batches, blend in a food processor or blender adding the reserved cooking liquid as needed. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with chives.
Brussels Sprouts with Toasted Pecans
New to Brussels sprouts or not a big fan? I know I wasn’t a big fan of them. They either tasted bland or bitter. I didn’t know that they could taste good until my husband and I went to Walker’s Grille (a local restaurant) recently. I had one of the specials, Seared Hudson Valley Duck Breast and it was served with mashed potatoes and sauteed Brussels sprouts. I was just going to give them to my husband…that is until I saw them. They looked delicious, so I had to take a bite. Fabulous!
So, if you feel the same way about sprouts that I did maybe you just need to try a different method of cooking them. The first time I made them at home, I roasted them. I liked them but my husband said that he prefers sprouts steamed. So that’s what I did this time…steamed them…and then spruced them up a bit at the end.
Try this simple yet delicious recipe for Brussels sprouts with toasted almonds.
Serves 6-8
Ingredients
1 lb fresh brussels sprouts
2-3 Tbsp Hemp oil
2-3 Tbsp of Earth Balance (or butter or more hemp oil)
1/2 onion, chopped
Salt and Pepper
1/2 of lemon
1/4 cup toasted slivered almonds
Directions
Clean and discard old looking outer leaves. Steam brussels sprouts for 5-8 minutes until tender. They should be cooked almost all the way through. Split one in half to test. Drain the hot water and place the sprouts in a bowl of ice water. This will stop them from cooking and allow the bright green to stay. When sprouts are slightly cooled, cut them in half.
Heat 2-3 Tbsp of Hemp oil in a large sauté pan on medium heat. Add the onions and cook until translucent, about 4-5 minutes.
Add 2-3 Tbsp butter and the brussels sprouts halves. Increase the heat to medium high and cook for several more minutes.
Salt and pepper to taste, while the brussels sprouts are cooking.
Do not overcook! Overcooked brussels sprouts are bitter and are the main reason why some people don’t like them.
Remove pan from. Squeeze lemon juice over sprouts and half of the toasted almonds. Add salt and pepper to taste. Place in serving dish and garnish with remaining toasted almonds.
Super Greens Smoothie
Since my last green smoothie went so well, I thought I’d make one for breakfast today. Every morning I have 1/2 cup of Pomegranate juice mixed with 1/4 cup of Aloe Vera juice so I thought I would mix those into my green smoothie.
Here’s what I came up with – my Super Greens Smoothie.
Ingredients
1/2 cup Pomegranate juice (Pomegranates have many health benefits, you can read about them here)
1/4 cup Aloe Vera juice
1 handful each of kale, spinach, rainbow chard and dandelion greens
1/4 cup frozen pineapple
1 Tbsp of pomegranate powder (optional)
4 tsp. of Antioxidant Blend from Nativus Naturals (optional)
1 cup ice
Directions
Put ingredients in blender and mix well.
Note: I originally made this smoothie without the frozen pineapple and my husband said with was like “being a cow and eating grass” so I decided to add the frozen pineapple to give it a little sweetness. Much better.
You can see on the top the remnant of the Antioxidant blend that didn’t get blended so well, but it makes it look pretty.
Roasted Beets with Feta
Beets…I’ve been hearing a lot about them. They’re supposed to be good for you. So I thought I would give them a try with this Roasted Beets and Feta recipe. So this is my first time both making and eating beets. I’ll have to say that I like them.
Ingredients
4 beets, trimmed
1/4 cup minced shallot
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut beets in half and a baking sheet or stone. Bake beets in preheated oven until easily pierced with a fork, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Once done, remove from oven, and allow to cool until you can handle them. Peel beets, and cut into 1/4 inch slices.
While the beets are roasting, whisk together shallot, parsley, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and red wine vinegar in a bowl until blended; season to taste with salt and pepper, and set aside.
To assemble the dish, place the warm, sliced beets onto a serving dish, pour vinaigrette over the beets, and sprinkle with feta cheese before serving.
POM Pomegranate Mango Smoothie
Today’s smoothie combines pomegranate and mangos. I love both of these fruits, especially pomegranates. I remember eating them as a child. Recently, I started adding them to salads and sauces. Pomegranates have many health benefits.
Health Benefits of Fresh Pomegranate
Pomegranates are packed with anti-oxidants and are known to be good for the blood. There’s even a study reporting that, similar to the consumption of watermelon juice, long-time consumption for pomegranate may help combat erectile dysfunction!
Here’s an article highlighting 11 health benefits of pomegranate juice. It states that, based on research findings, drinking pomegranate can:
- Fight breast cancer
- Prevent lung cancer
- Slow prostate cancer
- Keep PSA (prostate-specific antigen) levels stable
- Protect the neonatal brain
- Prevent osteoarthritis
- Protect the arteries
- Prevent Alzheimer’s Disease
- Lower cholesterol
- Lower blood pressure
- Protect dental plaque
Ingredients
1 cup POM Pomegranate juice
1 cup frozen mango (or you can use fresh)
1 cup ice
1 Tbsp Hemp Powder (optional)
Directions
Put ingredients in blender and mix well.
Avocado Spinach Smoothie
Try Avocado and Spinach Smoothie and notice how your body feels. Spinach has lots of key nutrients, and the avocado has such healthy oil your body will love you for it!
Ingredients
1 handful spinach (organic, if possible!)
1 scoop of avocado ice cream (or 1 ripe avocado)
1 cup of Hemp Milk
1 cup ice
1 Tbsp of Maca Root Powder (or other protein powder of your choice)
Directions
Blend and blend and blend until it’s perfect (about 30 seconds). Drink and enjoy!
