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.

World's Greatest BLT

For dinner last night, I decided to make something simple and fast. It's not so much a recipe, just sandwich elements that are delicious when put together! I used Morningstar Farm Vegetarian Bacon, which is actually pretty good.
For the side, I made Kale chips. I saw them first on Kath Eats Real Food, and thought they sounded interesting. I kind of mounded them too much because the edge ones got very crisp but the center ones and bottom just kind of steamed. Overall it was an easy, fun, and delicious dinner!

World's Greatest BLT

4 slices of whole grain sandwich bread

2 oz. herbed goat cheese at room temp.

1/2 avocado, sliced

1 tomato, sliced

4 lettuce leaves

6 slices of bacon, crisped

Toast the bread, smear with goat cheese, top with avocado, tomato, lettuce and bacon.

Kale Chips

4 c. kale, chopped

1 tsp. Emeril's Essence seasoning

1 tbsp. EVOO

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Toss kale in oil and spices on a baking sheet.

Roast for 10 minutes.

Serve with hot sauce and ketchup.

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.

Ajiaco de Pollo Bogotano (Creamy Potato Soup with Chicken)

When I decided to blog about Colombia, it was because I found this recipe. It's a very traditional dish from Bogota, with many variations. What surprised me the most was when I looked at the garnishes. I don't know about you, but I don't consider a piece of corn on the cob a garnish!

I have a severe addiction to carbs, so seeing a soup with 3 kinds of potatoes was heaven for me! This was the perfect warm soup, filling but not very heavy.

Ajiaco de Pollo Bogotano

Creamy Potato Soup with Chicken

from The South American Table

1 whole bone in chicken breast, about 1 1/2 lbs. (I used 2 large boneless, skinless)

5 c. chicken stock

1 onion, peeled

2 carrots, peeled

2 scallions, white part and 1" of green

1 clove garlic, peeled

1 bay leaf

1/2 tsp. dried thyme

1/4 tsp. cumin

4 sprigs cilantro

10 black peppercorns

3/4 lb. yukon gold potatoes

3/4 lb. new red skin potatoes

1 tbsp. tomato paste

1 lb. Idaho potatoes, sliced 1/4" thick

2 c. water

2 c. beef stock

1 c. peas

Garnishes:

4 ears of corn, cooked

1/2 c. whipping cream mixed with 1/2 c. sour cream

Capers, drained

Avocado slices

1/2 c. chopped cilantro

In a large dutch oven, combine chicken, stock, onion, carrots, scallions, garlic, bay, thyme, cumin, cilantro, and peppercorns and bring to a boil.

Skim as froth rises to the top.

Cook about 20 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.

Remove chicken and carrots, set aside.

Strain the broth thru a fine mesh strainer, add tomato paste, gold and new potatoes. Cover and cook until potatoes are soft.

While potatoes cook, add Idaho potatoes to another sauce pan with water and beef broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and cook until they fall apart. Drain.

Remove 1/4 of the potatoes and put in the other pot, puree the rest, and pour into the pot.

Remove chicken from bones, chip and put into soup pot.

Cut the carrots into disks and put in the pot.

Add the peas, bring back to a boil and simmer 5 minutes.

Plate, serve with garnishes.

Last year: Goat Cheese Chicken with Risotto and Roasted Winter Vegetables and the leftovers were revamped into Roasted Winter Vegetable Soup

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.

Cabo Chicken Subs

When JJ and I were in college, we frequented Quiznos. Our favorite was a sandwich that was only around for a few months - the Cabo Chicken. It is based on a cobb salad. I did my best at replicating it, and I think it was very authentic and very delicious to eat while watching the NASCAR race in California!

Cabo Chicken Subs

2 whole wheat sub buns (I made homemade)

1/4 c. guacamole

1/4 c. Chipotle Sub Sauce, recipe follows

1/2 lb. Boars Head Oven Roasted Chicken, sliced

1/4 c. 2% cheddar, shredded or slices

1 large tomato, sliced

1/2 c. romaine lettuce, chopped

4 slices of center cut bacon or turkey bacon

Chipotle Sub Sauce:

2 chipotles in adobo, minced

2 tbsp. light sour cream

Splash of buttermilk

Whirl together in a magic bullet or whisk in a small bowl. Use immediately.

Preheat broiler to high.

Split buns, top with chipotle sauce on each side, then bacon, turkey, and cheese.

Place under the broiler for 2 minutes or until cheese is melted and edges of bun are crisp.

Top with lettuce, tomato, and guacamole.

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.

Southwest Cobb Salad with Quesadillas and Avocado Ranch Dressing

One of JJ’s favorite restaurants is Chilis. He loves their Cobb salad and their Quesadilla Explosion salads, so for dinner tonight I combined the two salads. I’m not exactly sure what’s in theirs because we haven’t been in a while, but I just thought of what would be the tex mex version of the ingredients in a cobb salad. For the quesadillas, I just used peppers, onions, cheese and salsa, very basic. I used a jalapeno from my garden in this dinner, my first harvest!

I hope you enjoy this fresh summer salad!

Southwest Cobb Salad:

1 head of romaine lettuce, chopped

½ avocado, diced

3 tomatoes, seeded and diced

½ jalapeno, minced

¼ red onion, minced

1 tbsp. cilantro, minced

1 chicken breast, sliced (I used a Morningstar Farms Chik'n patty)

¼ c. shredded cheddar cheese

3 slices bacon, crumbled (optional, but traditional)

½ c. grilled or roasted corn

Avocado Ranch Dressing:

½ avocado, diced

¼ c. light sour cream

3 tbsp. buttermilk

1 tbsp. hidden valley ranch seasoning

Quesadillas:

1 roasted red pepper, peeled and sliced

½ c. Monterey jack cheese

½ jalapeno, roasted, peeled and sliced

½ red onion, sliced

½ c. prepared salsa (TJ’s Pineapple Salsa)

Turn skillet on medium, spray with nonstick spray, and add quesadillas. Top with peppers, onions, cheese, and salsa. Brown on first side, about 5 minutes, flip and brown on the other.

Mix all dressing ingredients in a blender, set aside.

Mix chopped onions, tomatoes, cilantro, and jalapeno in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper, set aside.

Arrange salad components in rows over the lettuce, top with dressing and stick quesadilla wedges around the sides.

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.

Taco Night!

JJ has been asking for plain hard tacos for a long time. I finally made them for him, and made myself a taco salad. Since they're pretty basic, I'm only blogging my secret spice mix and how I prepare the beef filling.

Beef Taco Filling

8 oz. 96% lean ground beef
½ red onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ c. chicken stock
Spice Blend:
1 tbsp dark mexican chili powder
1 tbsp ancho chile powder
1 tbsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp onion powder
½ tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp cocoa powder
½ tsp. dry oregano
¼ tsp cayenne powder
½ tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp. salt

In a large skillet, brown beef, add onions and garlic. Saute over medium for 5 minutes. Add stock and spice blend, simmer for 10 minutes. Taste for additonal seasoning.

For more/less heat, adjust cayenne

For more/less smoke, adjust cumin and chili powder

If you like more tomato flavor, add 1-2 tbsp. tomato paste

Twist on a Classic

I love to take a classic dish and put a spin on it somehow. I wanted to try out soyrizo, and the grocery store has had some beautiful poblanos, so I decided to make a tex-mex macaroni and cheese. I made JJ's with regular chorizo links that were fully cooked, and I used soyrizo in mine, which has a ground beef consistency. If all your market has is mexican style chorizo (the crumbly kind) that can be used, but the spanish style chorizo, precooked and dice-able is preferred in this recipe.

Tex-Mex Mac and Cheese

½ lb. pasta, any short cut (recommended barilla plus elbows)

2 poblano peppers

1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1/2 red onion, diced

salt and pepper

1 tomato, diced

½ Haas avocado, diced

2 chorizo links

2 tbsp. flour

1/2 cup chicken stock

1 cup milk (or a little more)

2 cups shredded monterey jack cheese

Turn broiler on high.

Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil.

Place poblanos on a baking sheet, place under broiler. When the pepper is charred, turn over until all sides are charred, about 3-4 minutesper side. Place poblanos in a bowl with plastic wrap or a food storage container with a lid. Let peppers sit for 10 minutes.

While poblanos are cooking, heat a large skillet to medium high heat. Add diced chorizo and sautee until golden brown and some fat cooks out.Add pasta to boiling water, cook 7-8 minutes until al dente. Peel skin off peppers, and slice into strips.

Scoop chorizo out of the skillet onto a paper towel. Add diced red onion to the pan, sautee for 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle with flour and allow it to cook until no long white, about 2 minutes. Whisk in milk and chicken stock, add seasonings and bring to a bubble. Add in cheese and whisk until smooth. Add pasta and poblanos to skillet and heat through.

Scoop into a bowl and top with diced tomato and avocado.