Blue Cheese, Garlic and Green Chilie Guacamole

As soon as I found out my sister was expecting a baby in February, we decided to spend a week of vacation in Cleveland to meet my nephew. We chose Memorial Day to take advantage of the three day weekend,and figured it would hopefully be warm in Cleveland by then! My sister was an incredibly gracious hostess and tried to pack in as much fun and relaxation as possible. We had an amazing week, and I almost forgot at times that we had one week to pack our house and move when we got back to Jacksonville! And let me just say I do not recommend going on vacation a week before you have to move... stressed was an understatement!

One of the highlights of our vacation was our parents night out. A few months prior, JJ and I saw an episode of Diners, Drive Ins and Dives where Guy went to Momocho, a restaurant specializing in guacamole and other upscale Mexican dishes. We had an amazing meal at Momocho, my favorites being the specialty Margarita sampler (especially blood orange) and the amazing guacamole combinations. We actually played rocks, paper, scissors to see who got to lick out the bowls!

The four main guacamoles we tried were blue cheese, goat cheese, pineapple and crab (each with a few other supporting ingredients!) My absolute favorite was the blue cheese, with the pineapple as a close second. I knew I had to recreate this guacamole since we're now a far, far drive from Cleveland!

While it may seem strange, the blue cheese adds a huge punch of flavor, the avocado is a subtle base flavor, and the garlic and green chiles keep it bright and each bite is different, some with a large chunk of blue cheese, some with a piece of garlic.

After dinner, we headed to Progressive Field to watch the Indians game. Coincidentally, they were playing the Reds. Too many Summer Shandys were shared by my sister and me, I don't even remember who won the game! But we had so much fun.

The rest of the week was much more family friendly, we had a great time with the kids at the Memphis Kiddie Park and the Children's Museum of Cleveland. While people joke about Cleveland, it really is a great city and we had so much fun there. And Baby Eli is truly the best baby ever, it was such a joy to get to finally meet him in person!

Blue Cheese, Garlic and Green Child Guacamole

adapted from Momocho

2 ripe avocados

1/2 lime, juiced

Kosher salt

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

3 oz. chunk of blue cheese, crumbled

2 tbsp. diced green chilies (canned)

1 head of roasted garlic (or roasted garlic cloves in olive oil from salad bar)

Halve avocados, remove pit and spoon flesh into a mixing bowl.

Add lime juice, a sprinkle of salt and cumin, mash avocado with a fork.

Crumble blue cheese into avocado mixture, add green chilies and garlic, gently mix with a fork until just incorporated.

Taste and add more salt and lime juice, if desired.

Serve immediately with a lime wedge and tortilla chips.

Zesty White Bean Burgers

In my never ending search for the perfect veggie burger I came across this one from The Sweets Life, and immediately put it on the menu. It can be hard to get a good texture when making a bean-only burger, but this one was crisp on the outside and full of flavor on the inside. The thick layer of cheese made it decadent, and the cool avocado toned down the heat. I topped it with a little chipotle ranch and served sweet potato wedges on the side. I will definitely be making a big batch to form and freeze for quick, weeknight dinners!

Zesty White Bean Burgers

slightly adapted from The Sweets Life

2 c. cooked great northern beans

1 4.5 oz. can chopped green chilies, undrained

1/4 large red onion, minced

1 garlic clove, minced

1 c. old fashioned oats

1 egg, beaten

Salt and pepper

1 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 c. cornmeal

2 tbsp. canola oil

Sliced pepper jack cheese

1 avocado, sliced

Toasted buns, if desired (we omitted)

Place beans in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until chunky and slightly mashed.

Transfer to a large bowl, add chilies, onion, oats, egg, salt, pepper and cumin.

Shape into 4 patties, then place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to firm up.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high, and preheat oven to 400*

Add oil, bring to temperatre, then add patties. 

Cook until golden brown on the first side, about 4-5 minutes, then flip.

Transfer to the oven and allow patties to cook for 15 minutes, or until cooked through.

Top with cheese, turn the oven off and allow cheese to melt.

Remove from the oven, top with avocado and place in buns, serve. 

Homemade Sushi - No special gadgets necessary!

I have been wanting to try homemade sushi for a very long time, but I was always intimidated. Having a sushi place on every corner here in Jacksonville made it so much easier to just call in an order than try. As I browsed the aisles while grocery shopping last weekend, sushi rice and nori were on sale at Whole Foods. I decided to bite the bullet and give it a try. I spent the next three days trying to find a bamboo rolling mat, but had zero luck. I did a youtube search on how to make sushi without a bamboo mat, and it seemed easy enough. By the time I purchased the rice, vinegar, nori and all the various fillings, it did get a little pricey, but it was probably still cheaper than eating out, plus I could make custom rolls! 

I decided to try making brown rice sushi as well as white rice. I used Whole Foods short grain brown rice and prepared it the same way as the sushi rice, but I definitely preferred the white rice. I could have eaten the whole bowl full! The seasonings make it a little tangy and delicious. My only complaint about the sushi was I left it uncovered in the refrigerator, in roll form to set before I cut it, and then for the next few days, it stunk of seaweed! 

For my rolls, I used about 1/3 c. (dry) rice per roll, so the amount of rice you make compared to how many rolls you want can be multiplied that way. 

Vegetarian Sushi Rolls

1 package of nori, dried seaweed (I used this) - 3 sheets needed for 1 c. rice

1 c. sushi rice

1 1/3 c. water

1/4 c. rice wine vinegar

1 tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. salt

Optional fillings:

-Beet, Scallion and Goat Cheese

-Avocado, Cucumber, Carrot and Tofu

-Sweet Potato and Scallion (I used a few baked sweet potato fries!)

-Avocado and Mango

-Avocado and Peanut

-Avocado, Asparagus and Cucumber

To make the rice:

Rinse rice in a fine mesh sieve until it runs clear.

Add water and rice to a pot, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, stirring every few minutes.

Turn heat off after 15 minutes, and let rice sit until water is absorbed.

Add rice to a mixing bowl, season with vinegar, sugar and salt, stir well, cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

To roll:

Wet a dishtowel, ring dry. 

Lay flat on a counter top, add one sheet of nori.

Spoon rice over nori, using a plastic spatula, press into nori in an even, thin layer.

Add ingredients to center, fold nori over the fillings and press, then continue the roll and squeeze.

Unroll and place on a plate, seam side down.

Refrigerate until ready to slice and serve.

Watermelon Radish Salad with Avocado Viniagrette

A few weeks ago when I got the weekly email from my CSA Farm and saw Watermelon Radishes were in our share, I was so excited. I have seen these elusive radishes on other blogs before, but haven't seen them at the farmer's market or in the grocery store. I'm really not a fan of radishes, but this particular type of radish looks so pretty and neat that I had to try it.  It was spicy, crisp, and beautifully pink. I did a little browsing for a recipe so I could actually show you a fun way to prepare it, and came across this one from Williams-Sonoma. It's very simple, and really showcases the bright, fun radish. The avocado cools down the spice and offers a nice creamy alternative to the crunch of lettuce and radish. The lemon brightens the salad and the cilantro - also in my share this week - adds a nice spice.

Watermelon Radish Salad with Avocado Vinaigrette

from Williams-Sonoma

1 shallot, finely diced

1 1/2 tbsp. fresh lemon jice

1 1/2 tbsp. white wine vinegar

Salt, to taste

1 avocado, halved, pitted and sliced

1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil

1 head of romaine lettuce, washed and torn into large pieces

1 watermelon radish, thinly sliced

1/4 c. chopped cilantro

In a small bowl, whisk together shallot, lemon juice, vinegar and a pinch of salt.

Add the avocado slices and gently toss with finger tips, season with salt.

Add the olive oil and whisk to create a vinaigrette.

In a large bowl, arrange lettuce and radish slices.

Add avocado and pour the remaining vinaigrette over salad, top with chopped cilantro.

Serve immediately. 

Christmas Colors Salad

In my CSA share last week was a green with red speckles all over it, and I thought to myself, how fitting to get a Christmas color lettuce this week! It inspired me to create a salad full of red and green ingredients, and a little white 'snow' on top. I love eating fun, restaurant like salads at home, but never plan them out enough to make sure they have a variety of toppings. This salad would be a great first course for a dinner party this holiday season, or for any time of year!

Christmas Colors Salad

Veggie by Season original

1 head of lettuce, washed well and torn

2 small red beets, roasted, peeled and cut into wedges

1 granny smith apple, cored and sliced

1/2 c. pomegranate arils

1 avocado, diced

1/4 c. toasted nuts (pistachios would be great, but I had walnuts)

1/4 c. crumbled goat cheese

Dressing:

1/4 c. pomegranate balsamic (or any aged balsamic)

1 tbsp. honey

1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil

Kosher salt and pepper

Arrange lettuce in a salad bowl, top with apples, beets and avocado.

Sprinkle pomegranate arils, nuts and goat cheese on top.

Whisk together dressing ingredients, drizzle half of dressing over salad, serve the rest on the side.

Quinoa, Garbanzo and Spinach Salad with Smoked Paprika Dressing

As much as I hate to admit it, some of the cheapest organic produce I can find comes from Sam's Club. The reason I feel so much shame is because I've developed a relationship with the farmers at the market, and believe they deserve my business. I would have to research more, but I assume Sam's Club has a greater carbon footprint with their produce. However, they have giant tubs of organic spinach for about $4, 5 lbs. of organic baby carrots for $5, and occasionally I'll spot some other organic goods, like apples and pears. I've read that when given the choice between organic and local, it's best to choose local. Spinach is #6 on the dirty dozen list, so I feel that choosing organic is more important than local in this case. But do you ever feel like the more you learn, the more torn you are? I'm so happy there's a wealth of information available, but it leaves me wondering if I'm making the best choice. 

I haven't yet read the Omnivore's dilemma, but have you? Does it touch on these issues? 

I found this recipe in the July issue of bon apetit magazine, and added it to my "to-make" list right away. Not only is it vegetarian, full of protein, cool and easy, it had a very interesting twist - smoked paprika! I absolutely love the smoky, sweet and interesting flavor of smoked paprika. It's definitely one of those spices that adds so much character and depth to a dish. I especially like to sneak it in any cumin/chili powder combination recipe. I had a hard time finding it a few years ago, so I bought a pound from Penzey's. Needless to say, I try to find recipes that use it up. A pound of Smoked Paprika goes a very, very long way! 

Keeping up with the in-season produce can be pretty obvious, it's what's available at the farmer's market, and what's at rock-bottom prices in the grocery store. However, if you're interested in learning more, I added a widget on the left side of the blog that shows you seasonal produce. You can use the drop down arrows to choose the state you live in, and the month you're looking for. Right now, avocados are in season here, so I added them to this dish, but kept everything else as written. 

This dish was fantastic when I had it for dinner, but I have to say the leftovers were possibly better! The ingredients had time to marinade together, the spinach wilted a bit more, and the feta softened a bit and melted right into the dish. 

VBS Tips and Trades:

-If you're interested in learning about the "Dirty Dozen" and "Clean 15", go to this website, enter your email address and you can print off a small guide to take with you on your food shopping trips. I have it taped on the inside of my coupon carrier! 

-If you don't have sherry vinegar on hand, try using a squeeze of lemon juice to freshen up the dish a bit more.

Quinoa, Garbanzo and Spinach Salad with Smoked Paprika Dressing

slightly adapted from bon appetit, July 2010

1 c. quinoa, rinsed well

2 c. water

4 c. baby spinach leaves

1 15 oz. can chick peas

1 c. cubed English cucumber

2 heirloom tomatoes, seeded and diced

1/4 c. mint leaves, torn

1/2 c. crumbled feta 

3 tbsp. sherry vinegar

2 tbsp. EVOO

Salt and fresh cracked black pepper

2 tsp. smoked paprika

1 avocado, diced

Bring water to a boil in a small stock pot, add quinoa.

Bring to a boil, turn heat to low. 

Cook for 12-16 minutes, until tender, set aside to cool.

Add spinach to a large bowl, top with quinoa, toss a bit and set aside to allow warm quinoa to wilt spinach.

In a small dish, whisk together vinegar, EVOO, salt, pepper and paprika.

Add chick peas, cucumber, tomatoes and mint to salad, toss well to combine.

Add crumbled feta and avocado, drizzle with dressing and gently toss.

Serve at room temperature immediately, or refrigerate until serving. 

Tofu Tacos al Pastor

Slowly, my husband has been coming around to tofu. When I told him I was going to make this dish and I could sub chicken for him, he surprised me by saying he'd eat the tofu. I think what put him over the edge was the fact that it would be marinated, grilled, and served in a taco with avocado and grilled pineapple, two of his favorites. I decided to finally take the extra step in draining and pressing the tofu, freezing it overnight, thawing it and pressing it again. Though it was a few more steps, the end product was well worth it. It had a much different texture, and it really soaked up the marinade well. 

I got the idea for these tacos from Bridget's Tacos al Pastor, made the traditional way with pork. Since well pressed tofu tends to soak up liquid faster than meat marinades, I cut the time to 30 minutes. I also made a simple cabbage slaw and served these with hot sauce and greek yogurt rather than the two chile salsa Bridget made. I do plan to make these again and try the salsa, but to keep this a quicker, weeknight meal, I went without it. 

The flavor in the tofu was deep, and the sweetness of the pineapple paired with the creamy avocado was perfectly balanced. You really can't go wrong with this combination! 

Tofu Tacos al Pastor

adapted from Bridget at The Way the Cookie Crumbles

1 14 oz. package Extra Firm Tofu

6 corn tortillas

1 pineapple, peeled and sliced (less 2 slices)

1 avocado

1/4 small red cabbage, shredded

1/4 c. cilantro, minced

1 lime, juiced

marinade (as written, I halved this):

2 slices of pineapple, cored and chopped

1 small yellow onion, chopped

1/2 c. orange juice

1/4 c. distilled white vinegar

1/4 c. guajillo chile powder 

3 garlic cloves, halved

2 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 large chipotle chilie and 2 tsp. adobo sauce from canned chipotles in adobo

Drain and press tofu for 10 minutes.

Wrap in plastic wrap, freeze until solid, or overnight.

Thaw, drain and press again for 10 minutes.

Slice tofu, place in a bowl.

Add all marinade ingredients to a blender, puree. 

Pour over tofu, stir to coat and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Slice cabbage very thin, add to a bowl, toss in cilantro, lime juice, salt and pepper.

Refrigerate.

Heat a grill over medium-high heat.

Place tofu and pineapple on the grill. 

Cook for 4-5 minutes per side, until grill marks appear.

Remove from the grill, slice pineapple into matchsticks.

Serve with sliced avocado, slaw, and warmed corn tortillas. 

Lemon Cumin Quinoa with Avocado, Raisins, and Apricots

Well, if you haven't seen a quinoa recipe lately, you must be living under a rock. In recent months/years, quinoa's popularity has grown because of its superfood status. It's a personal favorite of mine because it is kind of a protein/carb combo, and I'm always looking for meat-free protein options.

For the first two years of my cooking blog, I selected a country, researched it, and blogged many popular and traditional dishes and ingredients (see the links on the right side of my blog for countries completed). When I chose Bolivia one week, I read about the history of quinoa. Here's what I wrote in my blog 2 years ago, "For this week's country challenge, I decided to go back to South America. What struck me most were the number of recipes using Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah), a grain native from the Andes. The Incas spread the use of Quinoa all over South America. Quinoa is naturally bitter, and must be rinsed many times. It declined in popularity in the nineteenth centry due to widespread belief that it was killing pigs owned by peasants. They stopped growing it, and it almost disappeared. Recently, I have seen quinoa appear in many cooking magazines and shows because of it's health benefits. The dishes I have chosen for Bolivia all use quinoa in one form or another, showing it's versatility."

So when I saw this recipe on Erin's Food Files, I immediately starred it and put it on the menu. I knew my husband would love it because of the avocado and raisins, and I love dried apricots and cumin. The recipe was intriguing, many big flavors and seeminly random ingredients, but they paired so well and this dish was delicious.

Lemon Cumin Quinoa with Avocado, Raisins and Apricots

via Erin's Food Files  adapted from Fine Cooking

3 tbsp. raisins

3 tbsp. dried apricots, thinly sliced
1 cup quinoa, rinsed well
Kosher salt
1 large lemon
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp. ground coriander
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. sweet paprika
1 medium firm-ripe avocado pitted, peeled, and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
2 medium scallions, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
3 tbsp. toasted sliced almonds
Freshly ground black pepper

In a medium bowl, soak the raisins and apricots in hot water for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.
In a 2-quart saucepan, bring 2 cups water, the quinoa, and 1/2 tsp. salt to a boil over high heat.
Cover, reduce the heat to medium low, and simmer until the water is absorbed and the quinoa is translucent and tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
Fluff the quinoa with a fork and turn it out onto a baking sheet to cool to room temperature.
Finnely grate the zest from the lemon and then squeeze 1 tbsp. juice. in a small bowl, whisk the lemon zest and juice with the olive oil, coriander, cumin, paprika, and 1/4 tsp. salt.
In a large bowl, toss the vinaigrette with the quinoa, raisins, apricots, avocado, scallions, and almonds.
Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

Tex-Mex Chili Topped Sweet Potatoes

All of the Superbowl buzz and meal ideas has caused me to have chili on my mind, as well as potato skins. Two things that can be very unhealthy, depending on how they're prepared. I decided to kind of pair the two and make chili topped potatoes, but with a healthy twist. This meal is so full of color, nutrients, vegetables, spice, and freshness. It was so hearty, and totally filled my cravings for chili and potatoes.

Tex-Mex Chili Topped Sweet Potatoes

2 sweet potatoes, scrubbed
1 red onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 orange bell pepper, diced
Salt and pepper
1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes (with green chilis, lime, cilantro, etc. if preferred)
1 heaping tsp. chili powder
1 heaping tsp. cumin
1/2 heaping tsp. corriander
1/2 heaping tsp. smoked paprika
Sprinkle of cayenne powder
1 15 oz. can dark red kidney beans, drained
1/4 cup minced cilantro
1 avocado, sliced
1/4 cup shredded cheese (I used pepper jack)

Heat oven to 400 degrees.
Pierce potatoes, place directly on oven rack.
Bake for 45 minutes to an hour, depending on the size.
Heat a pot over medium heat, add 1 tbsp. EVOO.
Add onion, garlic and bell peppers. Season with salt and pepper.
Saute' for 5-7 minutes, until softened.
Add tomatoes, spices, and kidney beans.
Bring to a simmer, stir and cook for about 20 minutes.
Taste, adjust seasonings.
Plate potatoes, top with chili, avocado slices and cheese.

Tex-Mex Squash and Bean Bowl

For dinner tonight, I was once again faced with my remaining 3 lbs. of butternut squash. I decided to make a big bowl of comfort, using some pantry items, and combining some new flavors. Organic canned beans were on sale at Whole Foods, so I really stocked up. I thought black beans seemed to pair the best with Butternut. I also had an avocado and queso fresco, so Tex-Mex seemed to be the way to go! This dish was so filling (I assume this is because the squash and beans are so high in fiber), but it was also full of flavor, and very healthy.

Tex-Mex Squash and Bean Bowl

3 cups diced butternut squash

1 tbsp. EVOO

1 tbsp. light brown sugar

Salt and pepper

1 tsp. chili powder or adobo sauce

1 15 oz. can of organic black beans, drained and rinsed

1 tsp. ground cumin

2 garlic cloves, minced

Juice of 1 lime

1 Avocado, sliced

1/2 cup crumbled Queso Fresco (or Monterey Jack, Goat Cheese, anything you have on hand!)

Tobasco sauce

Chopped cilantro

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment.

Add squash, oil, sugar, salt, pepper and chili powder. Toss to coat.

Roast for 25-30 minutes, until squash is caramelized.

Add beans to a soup pot with 1/2 cup water or stock.

Season with cumin and salt.

Bring to a simmer over low heat.

When squash is cooked, remove from the oven and plate.

Squeeze lime juice into beans, then spoon over squash.

Top with avocado, cheese, cilantro and hot sauce.

Sweet Potato Fries with Avocado Dipping Sauce

Tonight I am blogging about the SuperFood Avocado! Usually I just chop it up and put it on salads, or make guacamole, but I wanted to do something different. I saw this recipe on Kelly's blog, originally by Ingrid Hoffman of Food Network.

The fries have delicious flavor, and the avocado dipping sauce was superb! I changed it a bit by subbing yogurt to make it low fat/cal. JJ absolutely loved it, and we'll definitely be using it as a sandwich spread and dip.

I served it with Mango Chicken Sausage from TJ's and broccoli because I loaded up last week - it was on sale :)

Sweet Potato Fries with Avocado Dipping Sauce

by Ingrid Hoffman

as see on The Pink Apron

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled or unpeeled, cut into 4-inch long and 1/4 to 1/2-inch thick fries
2 tablespoons olive oil, or more as needed
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
Coarse ground rock salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Avocado Dip, recipe follows

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F.

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and set aside.
Place the sweet potatoes in a large bowl and toss with olive oil until the sweet potatoes are coated.

Add the paprika, chili powder, coriander, salt, and pepper; toss to distribute evenly.
Arrange the coated fries in a single layer on the prepared pan.

Bake for 20 minutes on the lower rack until the sweet potatoes soften.

Transfer the pan to the upper rack of the oven and bake 10 minutes longer, until fries are crispy. Serve with Avocado Dip.

Avocado Dip:
1 Haas avocado,
1/2 cup plain lowfat organic yogurt
2 tbsp. light sour cream
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped.
2 scallions, white and light green part only, chopped
1 lime, juiced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place the avocado, yogurt, sour cream, jalapeno, scallions, and lime juice into a blender or small food processor.

Blend for 1 minute or until you have a smooth paste.

Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Serve as a dip for the Sweet Potato Oven Fries.

Summer Rolls

I saw a photo of summer rolls on the cover of a cookbook last week when I was at the library, and I instantly put them on the menu. They are so easy to make, so fresh tasting, and very healthy. I made mine with tofu and vegetables, but you can use crab, shrimp, fish, or any other protein. I also made a big bowl of steamed veggies tossed in TJ's Island Soyaki, which I love. It has big chunks of fresh ginger, sesame seeds, pineapple juice, and is very fresh tasting. It is a bit sweet for me, so I don't use too much.
After I made my rolls, I did have issues with them sticking together, anyone have advice on how to keep the rice paper from sticking?

Summer Rolls

Makes 8

8 rice paper wrappers

1 oz. rice noodles, cooked

1 block of thai marinated tofu, sliced

1 yellow pepper, julienned

1 english cucumber, julienned

2 carrots, julienned

1/2 avocado, julienned

Dipping Sauce:

1/4 c. soy sauce

1 tsp. Chinese Mustard

1 tsp. Thai Chile Paste

Prepare all vegetables, set on a cutting board.

Dip wrappers one by one in a bowl of warm water.

Place on parchment paper, add noodles, tofu, carrots, cucumber, peppers, and avocado.

Roll up like a burrito. Repeat.

Refrigerate until ready to eat.

Mix all dipping sauce ingredients in a small bowl.

A Year Ago: Irish - Chicken with Bacon, Cabbage and Cider, Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes

and, I absolutey LOVE these: Rolled Carrot Cake Bunny Cookies

Black Beans and Rice Stuffed Poblanos & Creamy Corn and Avocado Salad

I haven't made any tex-mex food lately, and I had a craving. I saw some gorgeous poblanos at Kroger, so I decided to make stuffed poblanos. Again, keeping it vegetarian, I stuffed them with a black beans and rice mixture. Since the poblanos and rice had a kick, I served a cool corn and avocado salad on the side. This dinner is very healthy and flavorful!

Black Beans and Rice Stuffed Poblanos

and

Creamy Corn and Avocado Salad

Poblanos:

4 poblanos, 3 sliced lengthwise and gutted, 1 diced

3/4 red onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 12 oz. can diced tomatoes (mine were chipotle lime flavored)

1 c. chicken stock

1 c. quick cooking rice

2 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. chili powder

Dash of hot sauce

Salt and pepper

1 can black beans, drained

1 c. shredded cheddar cheese

Corn Salad:

1 c. frozen corn kernels, defrosted but cold

1 avocado, diced

1/4 red onion, minced

1 tbsp. minced cilantro

1/4 jalapeno, minced

Juice of 1 lime

Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400.

Place 3 of the peppers in a baking dish, put in the oven while you prepare rice.

In a pot over medium heat, add 1 tbsp. EVOO, red onion, garlic, 1 diced poblano, salt and pepper. Saute vegetables for a few minutes, until slightly softened.

Add tomatoes, stock, spices, and bring to a boil.

Add rice, stir, bring back to a boil, cover, turn to low and simmer 15 minutes, or until rice is cooked.

Stir in black beans.

Take poblanos out of the oven, spoon beans and rice mixture into pepper cups, top with cheddar cheese, place back in the oven and cook for another 15 minutes, or until cheese is melted and peppers are soft.

To make corn salad: Add corn, red onion, cilantro, jalapeno, lime juice, salt and pepper to a bowl. Mix well.

Add avocado, gently fold in avocado, do not break it up too much.

Keep chilled until serving.

A Year Ago:

This Argentinean dish is one of my favories of 2008 - Polenta Rellena con Jamon y Queso (Polenta with Ham and Cheese Filling)

And TWD Snickery Squares - these were also delicious!

Ensalata de Endivas Palmitos, y Paltas (Belgian Endive, Hearts of Palm, and Avocado Salad)

I wanted to make a vegetable side to go with the potatoes and sausage, so I looked thru the salad portion of The South American Table. I found this Colombian recipe, and it was very interesting. I'm sure I've had hearts of palm, but I can't remember preparing them before. I love endive, so I decided to go for this salad. It was good, but a little random to me. I did notice that taking a bite of the salad with each ingredient made it taste better, the avocado softened the bite of the endive. The hearts of palm did taste a little like the tin can, I'd be very interested to try them fresh. I don't know that I'd make this salad again, but it was interesting nonetheless!

Ensalata de Endivias, Palmitos, y Paltas

Belgian Endive, Hearts of Palm, and Avocado Salad

from The South American Table

1 14 oz. can of hearts of palm

1 c. pitted black olives

4 Belgian endive

2 tbsp. parsley (omitted)

2 Haas avocados

Vinagrete Clasico:

1/4 c. EVOO

2 tbsp. lemon juice

1 tbsp. dijon mustard

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1 tsp. sugar

Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl, set aside.

Drain the hearts of palm, rise thoroughly. Cut into 1/4" slices.

Drain and rinse the olives.

Core the endive and cut into 1/2" slices.

Peel and pit the avocados, then cut into 1/2" cubes.

Place all ingredeints in a mixing bowl, toss with the dressing.

Serve immediately.

Mexican Flag Quesadillas

For our dippers with the Black Bean Soup, I made quesadillas to keep with the tex-mex theme. I decided to use the colors of the Mexican flag to keep it cute and themey. I love queso fresco, so I decided on that as my white, I had some roasted red peppers on hand for the red, and chose avocado for the green since the meal was very low in fat (yes, avocado is a good fat, but it's still a fat!)

Mexican Flag Quesadillas

4 whole grain tortillas

4 oz. queso freso, crumbled

1 avocado, sliced

2 roasted red peppers, sliced

Heat a nonstock pan over medium heat.

Place 2 tortillas in, folded back to back.

Top with cheese, adovaco, peppers, and more cheese.

Flop the top half over, and press with another pan.

Flip after 3-4 minutes, and cook the second side for 2-3 minutes.

Slice and serve with black bean soup.

Smashed Green Olive and Ruby Grapefruit Salad

When I stumbled upon this recipe, I knew I had to make it. Not only is it a superfood/anti oxidant rich salad, but it's got so many elements that contrast and pair so well, and it's delicious! Also, I finally found pomegranates in season! After removing the seeds (and a tiny bit of juice), I understand why a bottle of pom 100% juice is $5! This was a wonderful salad!

Smashed Green Olive and Ruby Red Grapefruit Salad

Serves 4, I halved it

8 oz. green olives

2 grapefruit, peeled and segmented

1/4 c. flat leaf parsley

3 1/2 oz. watercress

1/2 c. hazelnuts (subbed with almonds)

1 avocado, sliced

1/2 c. pomegranate seeds

2 tbsp. EVOO

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Fresh black pepper

Smash the olives with a rolling pin or the back of your knife.

Whisk lemon juice, pepper and EVOO together.

Arrange salad in a bowl, top with viniagrette.

7 Layer Dip

7 Layer dip is a family favorite for football games, so I made a big bowl for us to snack on during the Ohio State Game. It may not look pretty, but it tastes great! There are a million ways to make 7 layers, but this is my favorite...

7 Layer Dip

1 brick of lowfat cream cheese, softened

2 c. thick salsa

1 28 oz. can vegetarian refried beans

2 c. guacamole

1 sack of shredded iceberg lettuce

1 c. shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 c. light sour cream

1/2 c. salsa or pico de gallo

Optional: Chopped jalapenos, olives, or red onion

In a bowl, mix cream cheese and salsa. Spread into the bottom of a clear, deep dish.

Spread beans over cream cheese layer.

Make guacamole, spread over beans.

Top with lettuce, cheese, sour cream, salsa, and other toppings.

Serve with tortilla chips.

Guacamole:
4 haas avocados

2 lime, juiced

2 tsp. salt

3 garlic cloves

1 tsp. ground cumin

Chop the garlic and sprinkle with salt, paste it together. Dice the avocado, add to a bowl, squeeze lime juice over, add garlic paste and cumin, stir and cover with plastic to keep from browning.

Dippers Trio

I wanted to have a few dipper options for the party, keeping with the tex-mex bbq theme, so I did Guacamole, Pico de Gallo, and Mango Tomatillo Salsa.
I made my standard Guacamole and Mango Salsa, but I switched up the pico a bit by grilled the veggies.

Guacamole

4 haas avocados
2 lime, juiced
2 tsp. salt
3 garlic cloves
1 tsp. ground cumin

Chop the garlic and sprinkle with salt, paste it together. Dice the avocado, add to a bowl, squeeze lime juice over, add garlic paste and cumin, stir and cover with plastic to keep from browning.

Mango Tomatillo Salsa

1 mango, peeled and coarsely chopped

6 tomatillos, husked and chopped, and pureed in a food processor

2 tbsp. minced grilled red onion

1 tbsp. minced grilled jalapeno

¼ cup lime juice

¼ cup chopped cilantro

1 tsp. honey

Salt and pepper

Mix all ingredients in a bowl, refrigerate for a few hours to let the flavors develop

Grilled Pico de Gallo

2 cups tomatoes, diced
¼ cup grilled red onion, diced
2 tbsp. cilantro, minced
½ lime, juiced
1 jalapeno, grilled and minced
Salt and pepper

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Refrigerate to let flavors combine.

Avocado Salad

I love to eat a salad with pizza to help balance the meal. I was browsing through the Cuban cook book and found this salad. I decided to serve it over a bed of mixed greens to bulk it up. I also added some cilantro to the dressing to tie in the flavors. It was very simple, yet refreshing!

Avocado Salad

4 c. mixed greens (added by me)
2 c. diced red pepper
2 c. avocado, sliced
½ c. red onion
Salt and pepper


Dressing:
½ c. EVOO
½ c. lime juice
½ tsp. cumin
Pepper
1/4 c. cilantro (added by me)

Blend dressing ingredients. Set aside.

Arrange salad, pour on dressing.

Three Guys from Miami Celebrate Cuban, Glenn Lindgren. Gibbs Smith, Layton, 2006.