Red Berry Risotto Oatmeal

I saw this recipe at My Kitchen Cafe and wanted to try it because it was so different. I had not heard of using rice and oats together, but it really works out. The end result is a rich and creamy oatmeal and the berries add amazing flavor. This is a healthy, filling breakfast even my little picky eater ate right up!

What You Need:

1/2 cup old fashioned oats or steel-cut oats

1 cup arborio rice

1/2 cup heavy cream, half and half or milk

6 cups water

1 tablespoon vanilla or 1 vanilla bean scraped

1/2 cup sugar or sugar substitute

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup raspberries, strawberries, blueberries or mixed

OR 1 bag frozen berries

Directions:

In a rice cooker or large pot add all the ingredients, except the fruit. Cook until done {almost all liquid is absorbed and rice is tender}. If using a pot, bring the mixture to a quick boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook, covered, for about 25-30 minutes, stirring often. Add the berries and stir to combine until the berries turn the risotto a light pink. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Greek Pizza on the Grill

So I guess you could view this post as cheating a little, as it combines recipes I've already posted into one new idea. I wanted to use the leftovers from the gyros and came up with this. I basically love it because it throws together two of my very favorite recipes from the summer!

What You Need:

Pizza Dough {Recipe Here}

Marinated, Cooked Chicken, {or skip to make meatless}:

Marinade:
4 cloves garlic, smashed
Juice of 1 lemon
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 heaping tablespoons plain yogurt
1 tablespoon dried oregano
Salt and pepper
1 1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Toppings:
Kalamata Olives or an olive tapenade
Feta cheese
Tomatoes
Red Onion
Fresh Basil would be great
{I also added a little goat cheese to mine}


Directions:
If you are not using leftovers from gyros like I did, prepare the chicken marinade and let the chicken marinate for at least 2-4 hours. Cooking the chicken is your preference whether you want to grill it, bake it at 375 {20 minutes or until center is no longer pink} or sautee in a fry pan. Set aside.

Prepare pizza dough and have your grill and toppings ready. Again, the recipe and directions are here. It is very easy!

Once one side of your pizza dough is grilled, remove and place on a cookie sheet to put on your toppings. Make sure you are putting the toppings on the browned side! Place your pizza, ungrilled side down, back onto the grill until that side is browned and toppings are hot. Enjoy!

Strawberry Citrus Refresher

I know I post a large amount of recipes that use berries. If you don't like them or can't eat them, please hang in there with me. Its really is just a summertime addiction. They are just too good right now for me not to use them! This is a nice refreshing summer drink that would be great for get-togethers or just to have for your family at home. My little boy thought it was fun squeezing all the lemons, limes and oranges so that might be a fun project for your kiddos too!

What You Need:
1 pound strawberries, hulled and sliced
1 1/2 cups sugar {or you can use a sugar substitute}
2 cups boiling water
1 1/2 cups fresh lemon juice { about 8-10 lemons}
1 cup fresh orange juice {about 4 oranges}
½ cup fresh lime juice {about 6  limes}
6 cups cold water

Directions:
Combine berries, sugar and boiling water until sugar is dissolved. Use a potato masher or muddler to crush the berries. Let steep for 30 minutes.

Stir in lemon juice, orange juice, and lime juice. Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a large pitcher, pressing down on the berries to extract as much juice and pulp as possible. Stir in cold water and serve over ice. Enjoy!

Southwest Rice and Bean Salad

I will tell you, I am not a fan of sandwiches for lunch so I like new things to try. This is a nice change up on a salad but it is so filling it is easily a candidate for a main dish. Very tasty and healthy, I think you'll like this. I found it over at My Kitchen Cafe. Now for me, I am the only one in the house who will eat a salad so next time I will cut the recipe in half. I ended up with way too much for just one person. But this would be a fabulous recipe for a potluck or other get together!

Photo courtesy My Kitchen Cafe

6 cups cooked rice, warm or at room temperature
2 teaspoons salt
1 (16-oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (16-oz.) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups cooked, cubed chicken
1 (12-oz.) can corn, drained
4 green onions, chopped

Dressing:
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
2/3 cup canola oil
4 pickled jalapeno pepper rounds {I find near the salsa and diced green chiles in a jar}
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin

Directions:
Combine all of the salad ingredients together in a large bowl. Combine dressing ingredients in blender until peppers are finely minced. Toss with salad. Serve warm or at room temperature. Enjoy!

Almond Banana Smoothie

Here is a smoothie/drink recipe that I adapted from the South Beach Diet summer cookbook. We make a lot of smoothies for breakfast at our house. I find it is a good way to get things into my preschooler without a fight. He loves to help make them, too. I thought this one was a good twist on the usual ingredients and it packs at least 5 grams of protein into a 3/4 cup serving. Now, the original recipe calls for you to puree sliced almonds with water and you can surely do that if you like. However I decided to take a shortcut and just use almond milk, which is easy to find at any regular grocery store near the rest of the milk. If you decide to do the puree thing, use 1/4 cup of sliced almonds with 1 cup of water. I also decided it needed an extra banana!

What You Need:
1 cup almond milk
2 bananas, peeled {obviously!}
1 cup low-fat plain or vanilla yogurt
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
ice cubes

Directions:
In a blender, combine all ingredients until mixture is smooth and thick. Fill four 8 oz glasses with ice and pour  over ice. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Pizza on the Grill

Yes, pizza on the grill! I think that anytime you can avoid turning on your oven in the summer time, you should take advantage. So when I saw this idea at Crazi Beautiful, I tried it and am very glad I did! If you like wood-fired pizza, you will love this. You'll get that nice, puffy dough with the smokiness and great flavor. This was really easy, too and everyone {even the picky eater} loved it! Customize with whatever toppings you like such as chicken and bbq sauce, fresh tomato and basil, pineapple and ham, fresh veggies, or traditional mozzarella and pepperoni. This pizza dough recipe will make four 7-8 inch pizzas.

What You Need {Pizza Dough}
3-5 cups flour
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon oil, heaping
1 cup warm water
1 tablespoon yeast
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

Mix all pizza dough ingredients together, except the flour. Add flour and knead for a few minutes until flour is well combined and a soft dough is formed. Your dough is ready to use immediately.

You will also need ready:
Olive oil
A cookie sheet
Spatula
Four pieces of tin foil
Your choice of pizza toppings

Directions:
1. Turn your grill on and set it to high. While the grill heats up, roll out your dough. Roll it out to about 7 inches in diameter and 1/4-1/2 inch thick. Roll out your first piece of dough and brush one side with olive oil. Place oil side down on a piece of aluminum foil and brush the other side. Then top with a piece of foil. Follow this same process with the next piece of dough. You are making a little stack of oiled dough in between foil pieces. The oil keeps the dough from sticking to the foil and grill and adds to the flavor of the crust. You will use the foil to flip the dough onto the grill.


2. Now you’re ready to grill the dough. Turn the grill down to medium. Place the dough on the grill. Take off the top layer from your stack using the foil and flip it on the grill. Once the dough is all on the grill close the lid and let it cook for 2 minutes. Check for the dough to be puffy and browned. If not let it go a little bit more. Now you want to have a cookie sheet nearby.

3. Remove the dough from the grill with your tongs and place on the cookie sheet grilled side up. Top your pizzas however you like. Start with the sauce followed by cheese and then your toppings. Once topped carefully place the pizzas back on the grill with the spatula, to cook the underside of the dough. Turn the grill down to low at this point. Close the lid again and cook for another 5-7 minutes until the cheese is all melted. Remove from the grill using your spatula and enjoy!

Fresh Fire Roasted Salsa

Recently we tried a new brand of jarred salsa that none of us liked. Not wanting to waste it, I've served it a few times but a few nights ago I just didn't want to do it anymore! I came across a recipe for home made fresh salsa and with a few variations, decided to make it. We liked it so much that I think next time I will double or triple the recipe and freeze the extra in small containers. One more step in the direction of reducing the processed food and very good! Use whatever spices you like and add salt to taste.

What You Need:
1/2 small red or sweet onion, peeled and quartered
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1/4 cup drained jarred pickled jalapenos (found near the salsa or condiments)
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 (28-ounce) can fire roasted diced tomatoes, drained
season to taste

In the bowl of a food processor (or a blender), pulse the onion, cilantro, jalapenos, lime juice, garlic and salt and cumin until coarsely chopped.

Add the drained tomatoes and pulse until combined. The nice thing about this is if you like a chunky salsa, pulse less and if you like a smoother salsa, pulse more. Transfer to a bowl and serve. (The salsa can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days.) Makes about 3 cups. Enjoy!


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Slushy Fruit Cups

I have been so busy this past week or so but I am back and have tons of recipes I'm wanting to share. The last post was a Father's Day post with four recipes included and I'd like to separate those out and repost them so they are more searchable. Those are some I don't want people to miss! But back to today!

 When I made the Asian Beef Flank Steak, it called for unsweetened pineapple juice and the only one I could find was a huge can. I needed to do something with what was left. Besides that I also had some kiwi that needed to be used so this is what I decided to do. My little boy just loves these and plus he had fun helping make them. This is a great recipe to use as a healthy snack or a nice change up for breakfast.

What You Need:
8 oz unsweetened pineapple juice
1 can (6 ounces) frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 medium firm bananas, sliced
1 package (16 ounces) frozen berries
1 can (15 ounces) mandarin oranges, drained
1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple
4 kiwi, peeled and sliced
10-12 clear plastic cups (10 ounces)

In a large bowl, mix pineapple juice, orange juice concentrate, water, sugar, lemon juice and fruit.

Spoon 3/4 cupful into each plastic cup. I placed cups in a baking pan so they would not tip and placed them in the freezer until slushy. Once frozen and for future days, remove from the freezer 15-20 minutes before serving. Grab a spoon and enjoy!

Lemon Sugar Crusted Blueberry Muffins

Last night was pizza night at our house, so to make up for it (not that you ever have to make up for a night off) I made these this morning and they are fantastic. I found this recipe at My Kitchen Cafe, where I find many great things, and knew I had to try them. I'm not gonna lie, there are some extra steps making these a little time consuming. But in an effort to eat less processed foods and making more and more from scratch, I'm finding I'm getting used to the extra time involved. These are as good (if not better) than any gourmet muffin from the bakery and you'll save some bucks. The only variation was I used half whole wheat flour, which is something I do often. Next time (and there will be a next time) I plan on using raspberries. Another thing I think would be great is to use orange zest in place of the lemon.

What You Need:

Lemon-Sugar Topping:
1/3 cup sugar
zest from one lemon

Muffins:
2 cups frozen blueberries (or 2 cups fresh)
1 1/8 cups (8 ounces) plus 1 teaspoon sugar
2 1/2 cups (12 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
4 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled slightly
1/4 cup oil (vegetable or canola)
1 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:
For the topping, stir together sugar and lemon zest in a small bowl and set aside. (I know many of my recipes including zesting. If you don't have a plane grater, invest in one. They are good for grating cheese, ginger, nutmeg, etc). *Tip: Whenever a recipe calls for orange or lemon juice, I throw the cut squeezed halves into a freezer bag and save them. The next time you need zest, pull them out and run them under water to use for the zest.*

For the muffins, adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a standard muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray (or use muffin cups). Rinse one cup frozen berries under cold water and spread on a double layer of paper towels to dry well. Bring remaining one cup berries and 1 teaspoon sugar to simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, mashing berries with a spoon several times and stirring frequently, until the berries have broken down and the mixture is thickened and reduced to about 1/3 cup, about 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and cool to room temperature, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. Toss the berries that have dried on the paper towels in with the flour mixture. Whisk remaining 1 1/8 cups sugar and eggs together in a medium bowl until thick, about 45 seconds. Slowly whisk in the butter and oil until combined. Whisk in the buttermilk and vanilla until combined. Using a rubber spatula, fold egg mixture into flour mixture until just moistened. The batter will be lumpy with a few dry spots of flour – don’t overmix. This is the key to moist and tender muffins.

Using ice cream scoop or large spoon, divide the batter equally among prepared muffin cups (batter should completely fill the cups). Spoon a teaspoon of cooked berry mixture into the center of each mound of batter. Using a skewer (or a chopstick), gently swirl the berry filling into the batter using a figure eight motion. Sprinkle lemon sugar evenly over the muffins.

Bake until the top of the muffins are golden and just firm, 17-18 minutes. Cool muffins in the muffin tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and cool 5 minutes before serving. Yum!

Spinach & Strawberry Salad

Many of you have probably had this a time or two, but if you are like me, you "forget" about good recipes sometimes. This is one of my favorite salads ever. There are so many variations on this out there including some that add mandarin oranges or kiwi, and balsamic vinegar. I like it just as is- simple & quick, with perfectly balanced flavor. Plus it is packed with nutrients! I know the spinach might turn some people away but don't knock it 'til you try it!

What You Need:
1 bag washed spinach
1 pound strawberries, washed, hulled and sliced
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1 bottle of poppyseed dressing (I am a fan of Brianna's brand)

OR, you can always make your own dressing. There is a recipe and directions listed for one of many dressing ideas below.

Salad Directions:
Combine spinach, strawberries and almonds. Add dressing to taste when ready to serve. Best served same day.

Dressing if making:

1/2 cup sugar
1 cup oil
1/3 cup raspberry wine vinegar
1 tsp dry mustard
1 1/2 tbsp poppyseeds

Directions for dressing:
Blend the sugar, oil, raspberry wine vinegar, and dry mustard in a blender or food processor for 2 minutes. Stir in the poppyseeds. Pour into a bowl, cover, and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Cinco de Mayo Black Bean Salsa

You can call this a salsa, salad or dip but it is super simple combo you can serve with tortilla chips or over rice, chicken, etc. My favorite way to eat this is topped on a  crostini. I just use a baguette, slice, brush with oil and toast under the broiler. (Similar to a bruschetta-type bread). Great recipe for a get-together! The Caribbean black beans are just near the regular black beans but I notice sometimes my store has them and sometimes they don't. This is just a type seasoned with spices and tropical flavors. If you can't find them, just use the regular black beans.

What You Need:
1 can Caribbean black beans
1 can diced tomatoes
1 onion, chopped (green, sweet, whatever your preference)
1 diced avocado
chopped cilantro (or parsley if you prefer)
Optional ideas:
1 drained can of sweet or mexican corn
2 Serrano, yellow or chipotle peppers, julienned or diced
1 diced mango

Dressing:
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (3-4 limes)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
or, salt and pepper to taste
OR, use your favorite spicy bottled vinaigrette.

Combine ingredients and set aside. Mix dressing and combine with salsa mixture. Let sit refrigerated overnight!

Orzo Salad with Cranberries and Almonds

I love everything about this salad. It would make a great lunch or dinner and is perfect for this time of year. If you want to use this as more of a main dish, add some grilled chicken. This is a great dish to bring to a party or picnic because it is delicious, simple and looks really pretty too. If you want to make this even more quick and easy, skip making the dressing and use your favorite bottled vinaigrette. This recipe came from All Recipes, one of my favorite websites because everything is rated by people who have actually made and tried the recipes! Speaking of which, if you try a recipe from here (and even if you don't) I would love to see comments from you!

What You Need:
1 cup orzo, uncooked
3/4 cup toasted sliced almonds
About 3/4 of a 6 oz bag of baby spinach, thinly sliced
3/4 cup dried cranberries
4 oz gorgonzola or feta cheese, crumbled

For the dressing:
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds (I toast in a nonstick skillet over medium heat for about 5 minutes)
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
1-2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons minced onion
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/3 - 1/2 cup oil (I prefer olive oil)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Cook orzo according to instructions on package, set aside to cool.

In bowl, whisk together sesame seeds, poppy seeds, sugar, onion, paprika, vinegar, oil and pinches of salt and pepper.

In a large salad bowl combine orzo, almonds, spinach and cranberries. Gently toss ingredients with 1/3-1/2 amount of dressing, add more or less to your liking. I am sort of bad and like extra dressing on my salads. Add cheese and gently toss again. Serve immediately at room temperature or slightly chilled.

Penne with Butternut Squash

So here is a recipe that can be served warm or cold, so it is a great take-along for a picnic, party or food delivery to someone. The original recipe calls for goat cheese, reason being is that it is a very soft cheese that will melt when the hot penne is added, creating a creamy sauce. I personally love the flavor of goat cheese but realize it may be too strong for others. Good substitutions in this case would be Brie, cream cheese, or Ricotta, which are all much more mild in taste. If you can think of another extremely soft cheese, try it! Either way, adding butternut squash to pasta is one of my all time favorite things.

What You Need:
Vegetable oil cooking spray
1 (2-pound) butternut or kombucha squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1 onion, diced into 1/2-inch pieces
Olive oil, for drizzling
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound penne pasta
1 cup (8 ounces) goat cheese (or other) cubed
 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted (see note)
1 packed cup chopped fresh basil leaves (optional
1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan


Directions
Put an oven rack in the upper third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Spray a baking sheet, liberally, with vegetable oil cooking spray. Set aside.
Mix the squash and onion together and arrange in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bake for to 40 to 45 minutes until the vegetables are golden and cooked through. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly.

While the squash mixture is cooling, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and reserve about 2 cups of the pasta water. Put the pasta, goat cheese and 1 cup of pasta water in a large serving bowl. Toss until the cheese has melted and forms a creamy sauce. Add the squash and onion mixture, the walnuts and the basil. Toss well and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Garnish with Parmesan and serve.

 Note:
To toast the walnuts, arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven until lightly toasted, about 6 to 8 minutes Cool completely before using.

Overnight Swiss Oats

A couple of years ago I found this recipe and was really impressed. Its easy, healthy and a nice change from cold cereal or regular oatmeal. This time of year especially many people are trying to lose weight and this is definitely a good recipe for that or those just trying to use heart-healthy recipes. Its always nice to have something you can assemble the night before and have ready to go on a busy morning.

What You Need:
 3 cups uncooked oats (quick-cooking or old-fashioned)
2½ cups skim, 1/2% or soy milk (I use vanilla soy milk and love it with this recipe)
 1/4 cup honey
1 tsp ground cinnamon
Combine above and soak overnight

-In the morning add:

 6 cups any variety of your favorite fresh or dried fruit such as banana, kiwi, any kind of berries (my personal favorite), apple, raisins, dried cranberries, cherries or apricots.

Then add 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, pecans or almonds. I like slivered almonds! Serve cold.