Berry Blender Sorbet

Given the record-breaking heat yesterday, it turns out I was correct in wishing for more summer days. A cool, summer, refreshing treat seems in order. Also, my sister is doing this 8-weeks-to-a-better-you challenge, so I thought I'd give her something that is sweet, but completely natural and healthy.

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups frozen berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, boysenberries are all great)

1 cup plain yogurt

1 Tablespoon lemon juice

DIRECTIONS:

In a blender, mix all ingredients until smooth (or slightly chunky, if you prefer). Given the absence of liquid, this will likely require the use of a rubber spatula to scrape the sides and multiple pulses of the blender, but be patient, it will pay off. 

If you're really having a hard time getting your ingredients to blend, add a little bit of water or milk. 

Enjoy!

Chickpea Salad with Fresh Herbs, Tomatoes, and Carrots

(photo by Bradford Fishback)

I seem to come up with my favorite creations when I only have about five minutes to plan and thirty minutes to cook. This mediterranean-inspired dish is light, but filling at the same time. Also, it's a great use of fresh herbs! (Something I've been aiming to use more of lately.)

UPDATE (09.08.10): When I first made this, I was in a very garlicky mood apparently so I threw in five cloves of garlic. After eating this again as leftovers, I have realized that five cloves is far too much and I've changed the amount to two cloves of garlic.

INGREDIENTS:

1 can chick peas, drained

2 vine-ripened tomatoes, cut in half and then quartered

2 carrots, peeled, quartered, and chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1/4 onion, chopped

1 big handful parsley, finely chopped

1 big handful cilantro, finely chopped

2 Tablespoons olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

lemon juice

DIRECTIONS:

In a large pan, heat 2 Tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. When oil is glossy, add onions and garlic and cook until onions are transparent, about 2-3 minutes. 

Add carrots, cover with a lid and cook for about five minutes until carrots are just tender (but still with a bit of crunch). 

Add chick peas and cook for another five minutes. 

Next, stir in tomatoes, parsley and cilantro. Let all ingredients meld together for a few minutes, then season with salt and pepper to taste. 

Serve with a lemon wedge, or sprinkle with lemon juice just before serving. 

SERVING SUGGESTION:

Cheese Toast and Yogurt with Cucumbers: Place a piece of gouda cheese on slices of bread and toast in a 450 degree oven for 10 minutes. Serve salad on top of the toast and use the toast to help scoop up juices from the salad. 

You may also include a side of plain yogurt with diced and skinned cucumbers...a true Mediterranean staple. Maybe someday, I'll make tzatziki. 

Cooking for One: Stuffed Pepper

Did you know that one yellow bell pepper contains 569% of your daily value of Vitamin C? By comparison, one orange has 160% of your Vit-C daily value. Bell peppers have a strong, crisp consistency which several people don't like but when cooked well, they develop into a softer shell which works perfectly for stuffing.

This is a great recipe for one or two (if doubled).

INGREDIENTS:

*to double the recipe, double each ingredient except for the tomato sauce and egg

1 medium bell pepper (color of your choice)

1/4 lb. ground beef

1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce, divided

1/8 cup uncooked rice

2 Tablespoons shredded cheddar cheese, divided

1 Tablespoon chopped onion

1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 egg, beaten

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare the pepper by cutting the top off, removing the seeds and blanching in a pot of boiling water for five minutes. Drain and rinse in cold water. Set aside.

In a bowl, combine beef, 1/4 cup tomato sauce, rice, 1 Tablespoon cheese, onion, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, and egg. Mix well (with your hands if you feel the need). Stuff the peppers with the mixture.

Place the stuffed peppers in a small ungreased baking dish (I used a loaf pan) and pour the remaining tomato sauce over the pepper. Cover with a lid or tin foil and bake for 45-60 minutes or until meat is no longer pink and pepper is tender. 

Sprinkle with the cheese and return to the oven for another five minutes, or until cheese is melted. 

Enjoy! 

Mango Slaw with Cashews and Mint (or Cilantro)

I do not like coleslaw. There is too much mayonnaise, in my opinion. But I do like mango slaw. This salad is perfect as a summer accompaniment to any grilled meal, including burgers, steaks, or chicken.

*adapted from Smitten Kitchen

INGREDIENTS:

2 mangoes, peeled, pitted, and julienned

1 half head cabbage

1/2-1 red pepper, julienned

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

6 Tablespoons fresh lime juice, from about two limes

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

2 Tablespoons oil of your choice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/4 cup thinly slices fresh mint leaves (I accidentally bought cilantro at the store, instead of mint so I used that instead--still great and maybe even better if you're making this to accompany a Mexican dish)

1/4 cup toasted cashews, coarsely chopped

DIRECTIONS:

Toss mangoes, cabbage, red pepper and onion in a medium-size serving bowl. In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together lime juice, vinegar, oil, salt, and red pepper flakes. Drizzle over mango mixture and serve immediately or cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to let flavors meddle for about an hour. When ready to serve, mix in mint (or cilantro) and cashews.

Enjoy!

Seasoned Tilapia with Mango Avocado Salsa

Summer is here! Can we sing the Hallelujah praises now? I spent all day yesterday in a swimsuit and fell asleep with  sunscreen on my skin and a bit of sand in my toes. The grills have been smoking in our apartment complex and, well, I could go on and on with reasons why I love summer, but this is a food blog, not a summer blog. But I will list just one more reason why I love summer: dishes like this. Simple, flavorful food with fresh ingredients that speak for themselves. Avocados and mangoes are a magical combination.

For tips on how to cut a mango, click here.

INGREDIENTS:

(for the fish):

3-4 fillets tilapia (or other white fish)

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon (or less) cayenne pepper

salt and pepper to taste

juice of one lime (or 1 Tablespoon lime juice)

olive oil

(for the salsa):

3/4 cup red salsa

1 mango, chopped

juice of two limes (or 2 Tablespoons lime juice)

1/2 avocado, chopped

DIRECTIONS:

Place the fish on a plate and sprinkle with cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil and juice of one lime. 

Preheat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the fish and cook until golden on the outside. Remove from heat and cover, until ready to serve.

Make the salsa. In a medium bowl, combine 3/4 cup red salsa, mango, 2 Tablespoons lime juice, and avocado. Serve immediately with fish. 

SERVING SUGGESTION:

This also works well as fish tacos. On a small corn tortilla, layer chopped lettuce (cabbage or iceberg works best), then fish, then salsa. Let the warm summer nights begin. 

Cherry Tomatoes and Goat Cheese

Sometimes Almost always, simple is better. The other day, I read something on CuisineNie about simple and whole foods that rings so true. I think this is one of the best bits of advice for anyone who wants to cook good food.

"It’s amazing how little one can do to screw up good foods in their whole form. For example it’s nice to behold each spoonful or forkful as it makes its way to my palate and be able to say, 'this is a beet because it looks just like it did when Jane plucked it out of the garden'."

With that, I give you a dish that is delicious because of the way these ingredients come out of the earth (or goat?). Read on.

INGREDIENTS:

1 pint cherry tomatoes 

2-3 oz. goat cheese

Olive oil to taste (very little)

Balsamic vinegar to taste (very little)

DIRECTIONS:

Slice cherry tomatoes in half with a serrated knife. Place in a bowl and crumble goat cheese over the top. Drizzle with a tiny bit of olive oil and an even tinier bit of balsamic vinegar. Mix gently and enjoy.

SERVING SUGGESTION:

Lay 4-6 slices of sourdough bread on a baking sheet. Lightly butter the slices and sprinkle with garlic and parmesan cheese. Toast in a 350 degree until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Serve tomato and goat cheese mixture as a spread on the toast. Mmmmm.....

Rita's Simple and Perfect Hummus

My grandparents raised their children in the Middle East and as a result, whenever I get together with family on my dad's side, we have Middle Eastern food, talk about funny stories from their childhood travel adventures, and enjoy the amazing hospitality the Arab world has to offer. The staple of every Parker family get-together is my Grandma's hummus. When I was a kid, to be honest, I couldn't stand the taste. Now, I can't get enough. The recipe requires one unique ingredient: tahini. Tahini is a sesame paste made from lightly roasted sesame seeds. You can usually find tahini at a health food store or in the international foods section of your grocery store. Once you have that, chick peas, and three other simple ingredients, you're on your way to hummusland!

INGREDIENTS:

1 can chick peas (boiled for 3 minutes, then pour off liquid)

1/3 cup (or more) lemon juice

1/2 flat teaspoon salt

5 Tablespoons sesame tahini (mix well before measuring)

2 cloves of garlic or 2 teaspoons garlic salt

DIRECTIONS:

Mix all ingredients well in a blender and if a little too thick, add water. Place in a flat bowl and pour a little olive oil on top with sprigs of parsley or toasted pine nuts for decoration. Serve with pita bread. Delicious and satisfying!

Blueberry Vinaigrette Salad Dressing

We are big fans of blueberries in this household. We've recently discovered dried blueberries, and they are the perfect pre-dinner snack. As Brad says, it's a party in your mouth. We also have a habit of stocking up on fresh blueberries when they're on special at the grocery store. So, I figured it would be a good idea to develop a cache of recipes that use this fine, fine fruit.

*adapted from twinberryfarms.com

INGREDIENTS:

1 6 oz. package fresh blueberries

1/4 cup canola oil

3 Tablespoons sugar

2 Tablespoons rice vinegar

Pinch of sea salt

DIRECTIONS:

Blend all ingredients in a food processor or blender. Pour into a creamer or gravy boat and toss with fresh mixed greens, cucumber, feta cheese, red onion, and dried blueberries.*

*Some other good salad choices are: fresh spinach, pine nuts, pecans, walnuts, goat cheese, sliced grapes, celery, red pepper, and snap peas.