Ingredient: Olive Oil

Buttermilk Avocado Dressing

Buttermilk Avocado Dressing
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Servings
1 Cup
Servings
1 Cup
Buttermilk Avocado Dressing
Print Recipe
Servings
1 Cup
Servings
1 Cup
Ingredients
Servings: Cup
Instructions
  1. Heat a small fry pan and add the olive oil, swirling to coat the bottom of the pan.
  2. Add the garlic and saute for 2 minutes or so. The garlic should be fragrant but not brown. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes.
  3. Scoop the avocado flesh into a deep bowl or the pitcher of a blender. Add the buttermilk and cooled garlic and olive oil mixture.
  4. If using the bowl, blend with an immersion blender until smooth. If using a blender, whirl until smooth.
  5. Add the herbs and spices, if you choose, along with a pinch of salt. Whirl/blend one more time and give it a taste.
  6. Adjust the seasonings to your liking and transfer to a bowl or jar with a tight fitting lid. Refrigerate for an hour or so to let the flavors get better acquainted.
  7. Serve as a dressing on salad, a sandwich spread, a dip for veggies or chips, a topping for chicken, or just lick it off of a spoon.
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Grilled Chicken Sausage Kabobs with Farro Risotto

Grilled Chicken Sausage Kabobs with Farro Risotto
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Servings
4
Servings
4
Grilled Chicken Sausage Kabobs with Farro Risotto
Print Recipe
Servings
4
Servings
4
Ingredients
Sausage Kabobs
Farro Risotto
Servings:
Instructions
Chicken Kabobs
  1. Combine the zucchini, whole tomatoes, onions, and whole mushrooms in a large container. You can use a skewer to create a "pilot hole" in the vegetables. This may help the marinade to penetrate more as well as make skewering easier later.
  2. In a jar with a tight fitting lid, combine the oil, vinegar, garlic, chili flakes, herbs, and salt. Cover tightly and shake to completely blend.
  3. Pour the dressing over the vegetables. Toss to coat and store covered in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours and as long as overnight.
  4. When you are ready to assemble the kabobs, slice the sausage into 1 inch chunks. Remove the vegetables from the marinade with a slotted spoon. Save the dressing to baste with later.
  5. Skewer the sausage and vegetables in random order. (Don't worry about a pattern unless that's your thing).
  6. Heat the grill to high ( or as high as it will go) and lightly coat with grill spray. Place the skewers on the grill and brush with the reserved dressing.
  7. Continue to grill, turn, and baste until everything is beginning to brown. This will take 15 - 20 minutes depending on the heat of your grill.
  8. Remove the kabobs from the grill and carefully slide the meat and veggies off the skewer.
Farro Risotto
  1. Heat the olive oil in a large fry pan, swirling to coat the bottom. Add the farro and cook for 5 minutes or so until it begins to brown. Add the garlic and cook another minute or so.
  2. Add the vermouth (or dry white wine) and cook for 2 - 3 minutes. Most of the wine should evaporate.
  3. Add the spinach and about 1 cup of the stock. Allow to simmer, stirring frequently until most of the stock has been absorbed.
  4. Add the red pepper and another cup of stock. Continue the simmering process allowing the stock to be absorbed.
  5. Give the farro a taste at this point. If you like the texture, it's done. If you like it softer, add a little more stock and continue to cook until the texture makes you happy.
  6. Season with salt and pepper to your taste and serve it with the kabobs.
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Meatless Minestrone for Mondays and Beyond

Meatless Minestrone for Mondays and Beyond
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Servings
4
Servings
4
Meatless Minestrone for Mondays and Beyond
Print Recipe
Servings
4
Servings
4
Ingredients
Servings:
Instructions
  1. Heat a large soup pot over medium high heat. Add the tablespoon of olive oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the onions and carrots and a pinch of salt. Cook for several minutes until the vegetables begin to soften.
  2. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes and the bay leaves to the pot and cook another minute or two, stirring frequently.
  3. Pour in the can of tomatoes, juice and all and the vegetable stock. Bring up to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook covered for 20 minutes or so, stirring occasionally. At this point you can cool the stock and refrigerate until the next day. You can also complete the recipe at this time if you want.
  4. Coat a non-stick pan with olive oil cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Add the artichoke hearts and cook for 5 - 6 minutes or so turning once until lightly browned on both sides. Remove from pan and set aside.
  5. Repeat the above process with the zucchini slices.
  6. When you are ready to complete cooking the soup, (re)heat the stock to a simmer. Add the chickpeas ans pasta and cook for 5 minutes, stirring it once or twice.
  7. Add the green beans and cook for 4 minutes or until they are the amount of tender crisp you like.
  8. Add the browned artichokes and zucchini and simmer everything gently until it is all heated through. This should only take a couple of minutes. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.
  9. Ladle into four soup bowls and top each with two of the toasted bead slices (recipe follows) and a drizzle of olive oil.
Cheese Toasts
  1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly coat the bread slices on both sides with olive oil cooking spray and place them on a foil lined baking sheet. Toast for 8 minutes, turning once. Top with the cheese and return to the oven set on broil and cook until the cheese is melted and slightly brown.
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Smoky Roasted Almonds

DIGITAL CAMERAWhen it comes to snacks, I’m a crunchy-salty kind of gal. Potato chips, cheese curls, tortilla chips all have graced my snack tray. There’s something so comforting and satisfying about the crunch on the palate, the salt on the lips, and the oily residue on the fingers that these snacks provide.

Sadly, these tasty treats have become a very occasional indulgence, but for my taste, there is still nothing like a salty crunchy snack. What’s a gal to do? Oh, nuts! Really, I mean nuts. In their natural state they are a healthy and satisfying snack. With a little imagination and some mostly healthy ingredients they can become the perfect cure for that salt with crunch craving.

There are many good for you nuts out there that provide healthy fat, fiber, and protein to your diet. They are nutrient dense and their rich taste lets a little go a long way. Right now, I’m sharing a recipe for almonds so lets see what this tasty little seed (it is the seed of the fruit of the almond tree) has to offer.

Twenty three almonds (about an ounce) provides about 160 calories, 3 grams of fiber, 6 grams of protein and 14 grams of healthy fats. There’s also a generous dose of vitamin E. It boasts many health benefits including aiding in lowering bad (LDL) cholesterol and blood sugar. Most of the almonds we eat are grown here so that means you are eating American. The U.S. is the number one producer and California is the epicenter.

Enough about the wonders of almonds, let’s talk about how to make them even tastier. To create the smokey flavor I use a generous dose of sweet smoked paprika. I use a touch of garlic powder and sugar, along with a little salt.DIGITAL CAMERAThe almonds get tossed with some olive oil before the savory ingredients are added.DIGITAL CAMERAA slow roast in the oven and they’re read to eat.DIGITAL CAMERA

You can make this as spicy or sweet as you want. I often add some rosemary and a little black pepper, but let your herb and spice preferences be your guide.

 

 

Smokey Roasted Almonds
Print Recipe
Servings
16
Servings
16
Smokey Roasted Almonds
Print Recipe
Servings
16
Servings
16
Ingredients
Servings:
Instructions
  1. In a medium size bowl, toss the almonds with the olive oil until they are nicely coated.
  2. Mix the remaining ingredients together in a small bowl. Add to the almonds and toss to coat evenly.
  3. Spread the almonds out on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast in a 300 degree oven for 18 - 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes or so.
  4. When the almonds are light golden remove the pan from the oven and allow to cool completely on a rack.
  5. Store in an air tight container. Enjoy in moderation if you can.
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Spaghetti Squash Lasagna

Spaghetti Squash Lasagna
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Servings
2
Servings
2
Spaghetti Squash Lasagna
Print Recipe
Servings
2
Servings
2
Ingredients
Servings:
Instructions
  1. Cut squash in half and the remove seeds. Spray a baking sheet with olive oil cooking spray. Spray the cut sides of the squash as well and place cut side down on the baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. The shell should give slightly when pressed with a finger. Turn right-side up and allow to cool a bit.
  2. Heat 2 teaspoons of the olive oil in a medium fry pan. Add the onion and cook for 1 -2 minutes. Crumble the sausage into the pan and add the garlic. Cook 5 - 7 minutes until the sausage is cooked, stirring often.
  3. Add the tomato paste and raise the heat to medium high. Stir to coat the sausage mixture. Cook for 3 minutes adding chicken broth as needed to prevent scorching.
  4. Add the marinara sauce to the pan and reduce the heat to low. Simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat
  5. In a small pan heat the remaining teaspoon of olive oil. Add the spinach and Italian herb blend. Cook stirring frequently until the spinach is wilted. This should take 2 - 3 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
  6. Combine the ricotta, egg, garlic powder, and 2 tablespoons of the Romano cheese in a small bowl. Stir in the cooled spinach.
To Assemble
  1. Use a fork to loosen the squash threads slightly. Divide the ricotta mixture between the two squash halves. Spoon the sausage mixture on top of the ricotta. Sprinkle with the remaining tablespoon of Romano Cheese. Top each half with the Italian cheese blend.
  2. Bake uncovered at 375 degrees for 20 - 25 minutes. If you prepared and assembled ahead of time increase the cooking time to 30 minutes or so. The mixture should be bubbling slightly.
  3. Turn oven to broil and cook until the cheese is light golden, about 2 -3 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to rest 5 minutes before serving.
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