Tag Archives: avocado

CARROT GINGER SOUP and CINNAMON BUN BALLS

18 Thursday Feb 2016

Posted by in bars and cookies, Recipes, Soup

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A friend began the year with a raw food challenge – spending a month on a diet of uncooked, unrefined fare. I was enthralled with the process and wanted to know about recipes and food preparation and how the temporary change in lifestyle affected daily life. She graciously brought by some of the dishes she had made, and I shared a couple that I had tried out of interest.

CARROT GINGER SOUP

carrot ginger soup

5 carrots

1 green apple

1 avocado

juice from 1 clementine

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh ginger

1/4 teaspoon allspice

1 cup water

Put all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until thick and smooth, adding more water or juice if desired.

Enjoy!

CINNAMON BUN BALLS

cinnamon bun balls

1/2 cup walnuts

5 Medjool dates, pitted

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

1 tablespoon finely chopped walnuts

Blend 1/2 cup walnuts, dates, cinnamon and cardamom together in a blender until almost smooth. Roll mixture into little balls. Place finely chopped walnuts in a shallow bowl and roll balls in finely chopped walnuts to coat. Stir in the refrigerator.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Allrecipes

allrecipes.com/

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GUACAMOLE

07 Sunday Feb 2016

Posted by in Appetizers, Recipes

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My husband seasoned and roasted chicken wings for our Superbowl party, and my daughter baked bread. I mashed avocados, chopped, squeezed, stirred and served a  fresh dish of Guacamole.

GUACAMOLE

guacamole

3 ripe avocados

1 lime, juiced

1 firm tomato, diced

1/2 jalapeno, seeds removed, finely chopped

leaves from 6 cilantro stems, finely chopped

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Peel, pit and mash the avocados. Stir in the lime juice, tomato, jalapeño, cilantro, salt and pepper.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Allrecipes

allrecipes.com/

 

BLT SALAD WITH OLIVE VINAIGRETTE and OLD FASHIONED COBB SALAD

13 Thursday Aug 2015

Posted by in Recipes, Salad

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Although both of these wonderful salads include tomatoes, bacon, hard-boiled eggs and blue cheese, they both have unique ingredients that blend together to create two completely different meals.

BLT SALAD WITH OLIVE VINAIGRETTE

blt salad with olive vinaigrette

Cook 8 slices of bacon until crisp. Chop. Toss 1 pint of cherry tomatoes, halved, with 1/4 cup Kalamata Olive Vinaigrette, add salt and pepper to taste. Chop leaves from 1 to 2 romaine lettuce hearts. Arrange on a platter, along with 1/3 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped. Top with 4 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and quartered, the tomatoes and bacon. Sprinkle with 4 ounces of Gorgonzola cheese, coarsely crumbled. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with remaining vinaigrette.

KALAMATA OLIVE VINAIGRETTE

Whisk together 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/3 cup finely chopped Kalamata olives, 1/4 cup red wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons each chopped fresh basil and oregano, 2 minced garlic cloves, and 1/2 teaspoon sugar. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Southern Living, July 2013

www.southernliving.com/

OLD FASHIONED COBB SALAD
old fashioned cobb salad

chopped romaine lettuce

2 pints cherry tomatoes, halved

2 cooked chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

12 strips bacon, cooked until crisp and chopped

6 hard-boiled eggs, sliced

1 cup crumbled blue cheese

2 avocados, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Old Fashioned French Dressing (see recipe below)

Place lettuce in a bowl. Top with cherry tomatoes, chicken, bacon, eggs, cheese and avocados. Serve with dressing.

OLD FASHIONED FRENCH DRESSING

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 teaspoon sugar

juice of 1/2 lemon, freshly squeezed

1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 clove garlic, minced

1 cup olive oil

Shake all ingredients except oil together in a large jar. Wait 15 minutes. Add oil and shake again. Set aside for an hour before using.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from The Wall Street Journal, June 2011

www.wsj.com/public/page/magazine-food.html

 

 

SALAD WITH AVOCADO DRESSING, PICKLED STRAWBERRIES, FETA CHEESE AND CANDIED PECANS and STRAWBERRY LENTIL SALAD

13 Monday Jul 2015

Posted by in Recipes, Salad

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I love the combination of the sweet strawberries with the salty, flavorful feta and fresh, crunchy greens in these two salads.

SALAD WITH AVOCADO DRESSING, PICKLED STRAWBERRIES, FETA CHEESE AND CANDIED PECANS

Tuscan Salad

CANDIED PECANS

1 cup pecan pieces

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup almond milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

shake of cayenne pepper

Heat oven to 350F. Spread nuts in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast for 8 to 10 minutes or until done. Stir together sugar, cinnamon, salt and almond milk in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat for 8 minutes or until the mixture reaches the soft ball stage, 236 degrees. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Add pecans to sugar syrup and stir to coat well. Spoon nuts onto waxed paper and immediately separate nuts with a fork and let cool.

PICKLED STRAWBERRIES

1 cup strawberries

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

Rinse strawberries and trim off leaves. Cut in half. In a small saucepan, combine the vinegar, sugar and water. Mix well so everything is dissolved and pour over the strawberries. Marinate for an hour.

AVOCADO DRESSING

1 avocado

2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon agave nectar

shake of cayenne pepper

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth.

Place salad greens on a plate, top with strawberries, candied pecans, pickled strawberries and feta cheese. Drizzle with dressing.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from The Hive

www.thehivebentonville.com/menu/

STRAWBERRY LENTIL SALAD

strawberry lentil salad

4 teaspoons white balsamic vinegar

4 teaspoons olive oil

juice from half an orange

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

salt

freshly ground black pepper

2 cups baby lettuce

4 strawberries, sliced

3/4 cup cooked lentils

2 tablespoons crumbled feta

To make dressing, whisk together vinegar, oil, orange juice and mustard in a small bowl, season generously with salt and pepper.

In a medium bowl, toss lettuce with 2 teaspoons of the dressing, divide between two plates. Add lentils to the remaining dressing and toss well, top arugula with lentils and strawberries. Sprinkle with feta and serve.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Shape Magazine, May 2015

www.shape.com/

 

GRILLED SHRIMP TOSTADAS WITH LIME and TEX MEX TURKEY BURGERS

28 Thursday May 2015

Posted by in burgers and sandwiches, Recipes

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These toasted tortilla sandwiches are perfect for a deliciously light lunch or dinner.

GRILLED SHRIMP TOSTADAS WITH LIME

grilled shrimp tostadas with lime

SHRIMP

24 shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon salt

BLACK BEAN SALSA

1/4 cup chopped green onions

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon minced chipotle chiles in adobo sauce

1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

AVOCADO TOPPING

1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt

1 teaspoon lime juice

1 avocado, peeled

1 cup chopped seeded tomato

8 corn tostadas

4 lime wedges

TO PREPARE SHRIMP, combine shrimp, garlic powder, cumin, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a bowl. Let stand 10 minutes.

TO PREPARE BLACK BEAN SALSA, combine green onions, cilantro, olive oil, red wine vinegar, chipotle chiles, garlic, salt and black beans in a medium bowl. Toss to coat.

TO PREPARE AVOCADO TOPPING, combine yogurt, juice, and avocado in a small bowl, mashing with a fork until smooth. Stir in tomato. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add shrimp to pan, grill 2 minutes on each side. Top each tostada with 1/4 cup bean mixture, 3 shrimp and 1 tablespoon avocado mixture. Serve with lime wedges.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Cooking Light, July 2014

www.cookinglight.com/

TEX MEX TURKEY BURGERS

tex mex turkey burgers

1 lime

1/4 cup finely chopped red onion

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup fresh corn kernels

1 avocado, peeled and chopped

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves

1 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided

1 pound ground turkey

1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chiles

1 egg, lightly beaten

3/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs

6 tostada shells, warmed

Toppings: cilantro, crumbled queso fresco, salsa verde

Heat grill to 350F. Grate zest from lime to equal 1 teaspoon. Cut lime in half, and squeeze juice from lime to equal 1 tablespoon.

Saute onion and garlic in hot oil in a medium skillet 1 minute. Add corn, and cook 2 to 3 minutes or just until corn begins to brown. Transfer mixture to a medium bowl. Stir in lime zest, lime juice, avocado, cilantro and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Combine turkey, green chile, egg, cumin, breadcrumbs and remaining 1 teaspoon of salt. Shape mixture into 6 patties.

Grill patties, 4 to 5 minutes on each side or until done. Serve on tostadas with corn mixture and desired toppings.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Southern Living, August 2014

www.southernliving.com/food

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE WALNUT COOKIES

05 Thursday Feb 2015

Posted by in bars and cookies, Recipes

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I made these cookies because the recipe looked so interesting, and took them to a recent gathering at a friends beautiful new home.

Kids and adults alike ate them up and exclaimed how good they were – even when I explained they contained avocado and applesauce.

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE WALNUT COOKIES

Double chocolate walnut cookies

Heat oven to 350F. Spray 2 baking sheets with cooking spray. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat together 1/2 cup raw sugar, 1/3 cup dark brown sugar, 1/4 cup mashed avocado, 1 tablespoon unsweetened applesauce, 1 egg white, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract until sugar dissolves.

In another bowl, whisk 1/2 cup whole wheat flour, 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1/4 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients in two batches until batter is well mixed. Fold in 1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips and 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts (dough will be very sticky). Cover bowl and refrigerate for 15 minutes. Drop tablespoons of dough 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets. Bake until almost set, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes, transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Oprah, October 2014

www.oprah.com/app/food.html

FRESH CRAB AND AVOCADO DIP

06 Saturday Dec 2014

Posted by in Appetizers, Recipes

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We were recently invited to a casual back yard gathering with friends. They had made the decision at the beginning of the year, to place their focus on family, in order to be able to spend quality time together amidst their hectic schedules of sports and work-related travel. Therefore, they hadn’t been entertaining as much, so a potluck brunch was a perfect, relaxing way to visit, yet still maintain their resolution. They served the main course and a delicious Prosecco, and friends arrived with an array of appetizers.

FRESH CRAB AND AVOCADO DIP

crab and avocado dip

4 ripe avocados, peeled and pitted

1/4 cup sour cream

3 to 4 tablespoons of fresh lime juice, divided

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives

15 ounces fresh crabmeat, squeezed dry

1/2 cup mayonnaise

3 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil

1 red chili, finely chopped

tortilla chips

Mash the avocados with the sour cream, 2 to 3 tablespoons of the lime juice and the chives, in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon evenly into a large serving bowl.

Lightly mix crab, mayonnaise, basil, jalapeño and 1 tablespoon of lime juice in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon evenly over avocado layer. Cover and refrigerate until serving or up to 8 hours. Serve with chips.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Taste of Home, June/July 2012

www.tasteofhome.com/recipes

PISTACHIO GUACAMOLE and PECAN AND TARRAGON STUFFED APRICOTS

12 Wednesday Nov 2014

Posted by in Appetizers

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Friends called in for cocktails and appetizers on their way out to dinner at a nearby restaurant – loved our casual catch up over Pistachio Guacamole and Pecan and Tarragon Stuffed Apricots.

PISTACHIO GUACAMOLE 

pistachio guacamole

2 avocados, diced

1/4 cup onion, finely chopped

3 tablespoons lime juice

3 tablespoons chopped pistachios

3 radishes, thinly sliced

In a bowl, mash together avocado, onion and lime juice. Stir in 2 tablespoons of pistachios and season with salt. Transfer to a serving bowl and top with remaining pistachios and radishes.

Enjoy!

PECAN AND TARRAGON STUFFED APRICOTS

pecan and tarragon stuffed apricots

26 dried apricots

1 1/4 cups apple juice

herb and garlic flavored cream cheese

1 bunch tarragon, separated into leaves

26 pecan halves, toasted

Soak the apricots in apple juice for 8 hours, or overnight (or for as long as you can – I probably had about 2 hours!).

Drain apricots and blot dry with paper towels. Stuff each apricot with about 1 tablespoon of cream cheese, top with a pecan half and tarragon leaf.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from The Arkansas Democrat Gazette, April 2014

www.arkansasonline.com/news/features/food/

ROASTED SALMON COBB SALAD

07 Thursday Aug 2014

Posted by in Recipes, Salad, Summer

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A wonderful array of fresh and fabulous ingredients has made this one of my favorite salads of the summer.

ROASTED SALMON COBB SALAD 

salmon cobb

FOR THE SALAD

2 to 4 salmon fillets

1 tablespoon olive oil

salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 slices bacon

1 romaine heart, chopped

3/4 cup diced tomatoes, or cherry tomatoes cut in half

2 hard boiled eggs, chilled and diced

1 avocado, peeled and diced

FOR THE DRESSING

1 tablespoon sherry vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon sugar

salt

3 tablespoons olive oil

freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oven to 400F. Brush salmon with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast until just cooked through, about 10 minutes. Let cool.

Meanwhile, cook bacon in a non-stick skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Chop when cool.

To make the dressing, combine vinegar, mustard, sugar and salt in a small bowl. Whisk in olive oil, and season with a good grind of pepper.

In a large bowl, toss romaine with half of the dressing and transfer to a large, flat serving platter. Roughly flake the salmon, and arrange with the bacon, tomatoes, eggs and avocado in rows over romaine. Serve with remaining dressing on the side.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Shape Magazine, May 2014

 

 

AVOCADO AND FETA DIP

17 Thursday Jul 2014

Posted by in Appetizers, Dips, Recipes

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This delicious dip accompanied friends and I for happy hour on the back deck. A lovely and tasteful combination of ingredients and flavors.

 AVOCADO AND FETA DIP

avocado and feta dip

1/2 pound cherry tomatoes, cut into quarters

3 avocados, cubed

1/2 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, chopped

1 (8 ounce) package of crumbled feta cheese

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

tortilla chips

Toss together the tomatoes, avocados, basil and feta in a large bowl. Whisk together the oil and vinegar in a small bowl, pour over the tomato mixture and toss gently to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with tortilla chips.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Southern Living, May 2014

http://www.southernliving.com/food