Weekly Menu

Happy Monday and Happy Birthday to my Dad!  :)  I hope you all had a great weekend.  Did you do anything to celebrate Cinco de Mayo?  We spent the morning at Disneyland, but I made sure to have a little tequila in the afternoon.  You have to be festive, right?  We picked up SO MANY things at the farm for this week.  We have spinach, kale, romaine, Swiss chard, carrots, beets, sugar snap peas, broccoli, sweet Maui onion, zucchini, and strawberries.  Here is how we will be enjoying this delicious selection:

• Gardein Beef and Broccoli over Rice
• using the broccoli and sweet Maui onion

• Spinach and Cheese Ravioli with a Tomato Basil Cream Sauce, House Salad with Homemade Ranch, Baked Zucchini Fries, and Roasted Beets 
• using the romaine, carrots, zucchini, and beets

• Double Decker Mushroom Tacos with Mexican Roasted Chard
• using the chard, romaine, and sweet Maui onion

• I will be making smoothies using the spinach, kale, carrots, beets, and beet greens.  I will have the Massaged Kale Salad for lunches, sugar snap peas for snacks, and strawberries for dessert.

Pecan Crusted Chicken Salad

This is another fantastic entree salad.  I always feel so good having a big salad for dinner, don't you?  This salad is loaded with textures and delicious flavors.  Even better, the chicken is actually served cold, so you can prep everything ahead of time!  You can easily use chicken breasts, but I use Gardein to make it vegetarian, and let me tell you, it's wonderful even for my meat-eating relatives.  This recipe uses a simple yet very flavorful balsamic vinaigrette that is whipped up in your blender in a matter of seconds.  This meal will be in permanent rotation in my house for sure.  I hope it will be for you too!  :)

Ingredients

Pecan Crusted Chicken

4 chicken breasts (pounded to about 1/2" thick) or Gardein Chick'n Scallopini

1/2 C pecans, finely chopped

1/2 C panko

1/2 tsp salt

2 eggs

3/4 C milk

1/2 C flour

1/2 C coconut oil (for frying)

Balsamic Vinaigrette

1/2 C canola oil

1/2 C olive oil

1/3 C balsamic vinegar

2 Tbsp dijon mustard

4 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

3 garlic cloves, crushed

Salad

1 large head romaine, chopped
1/2 C dried cranberries
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1/2 C pecans, finely chopped
1/3 C celery, thinly sliced
4-5 mandarin oranges (or Cuties), peeled and separated
1/4 C blue cheese

Directions

1. Start with the chicken since that is served cold.  Place the flour in a shallow bowl.  Whisk together the eggs and milk in another shallow bowl.  Combine the chopped pecans, panko, and salt in a third shallow bowl.  Heat the coconut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Dredge the chicken in the flour, then the egg, then coat in the pecan mixture.  Working in batches, if necessary, cook the chicken until golden brown on both sides, about 7 minutes total.  Set aside to cool.
2. While the chicken is cooling, make the dressing.  Combine everything in a blender, except for the garlic.  Blend on a low speed for only a few seconds.  If you blend too long, the dressing will be very thick.  Pour into a small bowl and mix in the garlic.  Chill until ready to serve.  
3. To plate the salad, combine the romaine and celery.  Toss with about 1/3 C dressing.  Transfer to individual plates or bowls for serving.  Sprinkle with cranberries, chopped pecan, and a pinch of brown sugar.  Top with orange slices.  Add the sliced chicken on top and finish with some blue cheese.  

Inspired by TGI Friday's Pecan Crusted Chicken Salad

Perfect Party Potato Salad

Oh, the weather is getting warmer.  That means it's time to get ready for summer BBQs, picnics, and potlucks!  Yippee!  :)  I love being able to enjoy the warm and sunny evenings and eating more meals outside on the patio.  This weather just calls for getting together with family and friends and sharing a big ol' meal.  One of my favorite things to bring to a summer BBQ is my potato salad that I have been perfecting over the years.  This is the best potato salad I have ever had!  It is perfect with burgers, hot dogs, grilled meats and veggies, just about anything you want to eat during the summer.  The relish gives it a sweetness, while the yellow and dijon mustards give it a slight tangy flavor.  The celery salt is my favorite addition.  I hope you try this recipe sometime this summer and let me know how you like it!

Ingredients

5 medium russet potatoes

1/2 large onion, chopped

6 hard-boiled eggs

1/4 C sweet pickle relish + some relish juice

1 1/2 Tbsp yellow mustard

1 1/2 Tbsp dijon mustard

1/2 C mayo

1 Tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp celery salt

Directions

1. Boil the potatoes until tender.  Allow to cool.  Peel and dice them to desired size and place them in a large bowl.  Add the onions. 
2. Separate the egg whites and egg yolks.  Place the yolks in a small bowl and set aside.  Chop the whites and add them with the potatoes and onions.  Add the relish.
3. To the yolks, add the mustards, mayo, sugar, salt, and celery salt.  Mash everything together.
4. Add the yolk mixture to the potato mixture and stir to combine.  Cover bowl and chill for a few hours before serving.

Adapted from Meet Me in The Kitchen

Weekly Menu

Happy Monday!  Hope you all had a great weekend.  I got to watch my nephew's T-Ball game!  The whole family was there to cheer him on and it was so much fun!  The weather was perfect for a fun day with the extended family.  We also had a great trip to the farm.  I am still on my smoothie kick and spinach was on special, so I got a TON!  :)  We also picked up some romaine, sweet Maui onions, cilantro, celery, kale, and strawberries.  With that, we will be making the following meals this week:

• Veggie Burgers with Perfect Party Potato Salad
• using the romaine and sweet Maui onions

• Ultimate Mexican Pizza with Restaurant Style Salsa
• using the cilantro

• Pecan Crusted Chicken Salad
• using the romaine and celery

• The spinach will be for my daily smoothie, I will be having Kaleslaw for lunch, and we will be freezing some of the strawberries and enjoying the rest for dessert.

Sliced Beet, Goat Cheese, and Arugula Salad

A caprese salad is one of my favorite summer dishes.  I just love the fresh flavors and the sheer simplicity of the dish.  I am so excited to have found an off-season variation using beets, goat cheese, and arugula.  You can easily roast the beets ahead of time, making assembly a breeze.  These three ingredients compliment each other so very well, and the presentation is elegant yet effortless.  For younger ones, I simply cut the beets into smaller pieces, crumble the goat cheese slightly, and tear the arugula into smaller pieces.  They won't have the pretty plate, but they can easily eat it that way.  My kids devoured it!  I hope you give it a try as well!

Ingredients

1 bunch beets, washed and green removed

1 tsp balsamic glaze

2 Tbsp olive oil, divided

4 oz goat cheese log

1 C baby arugula

salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Heat your oven to 400 degrees.  Place the beets in a glass container and pour in 1 Tbsp olive oil. Using your hands, cover each beet in olive oil.  Place foil over the container and bake until the largest beet is easily pierced with a knife, about 45-60 minutes.  Set aside to cool.  
2. Once cool, slice off the ends of the beet and peel off the skin.  Slice the beets into 1/4" thick rounds.  Place them in a shallow bowl and add the balsamic glaze.  Use your hands to evenly coat each slice.
3. Slice the goat cheese into desired thickness.  
4. To serve, place a beet round on a plate, top with a slice of goat cheese, then a few arugula leaves.  Continue until appropriate serving size is achieved.  Lightly drizzle salad with olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper.  Enjoy!

This is an original recipe

Creamy Bowtie Pasta with Peas and Arugula

I love the convenience of one-dish meals.  There's so much less to clean up afterwards!  This is a favorite option of mine.  We love pasta at our house, but we usually have a salad or vegetable side dish with it.  This pasta is great because the salad is right on top!  I love to add TONS of crispy arugula on my pasta because the flavor is great and I eat less overall pasta.  If your little ones don't like the taste of arugula, you can easily leave it out.  My girls do, so I just tear the leaves into small pieces for them.  

Ingredients

16 oz farfalle pasta

16 oz frozen peas

2 C heavy cream

1 1/2 C Imagine No-Chicken Broth (or vegetable broth)

1 C freshly grated Parmesan cheese

salt and pepper, to taste

3 Tbsp toasted pine nuts

5 oz baby arugula

Directions

1. In a large pot, cook the pasta according to package directions.  Add the frozen peas 1 minute before the end of cooking.  Drain and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, combine the cream and broth in a large skillet.  Over medium-high heat, bring to a simmer and cook until thickened, stirring often.  This may take 15-20 minutes.  Stir in Parmesan until melted. 
3. Add the pasta and peas into the skillet and toss to combine.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  To serve, place the hot pasta on a plate or bowl, top with pine nuts and arugula.  

Adapted from Martha Stewart

Weekly Menu

Happy Monday!  I have to tell you, I have recently begun enjoying homemade smoothies.  It is my new favorite thing!  My girls and I love making a new recipe each time.  We pack it full of greens and fruit.  I am so excited to enjoy them all summer long!  We have a lovely selection of produce from the farm for the week.  We gathered some spinach, romaine, kale, broccoli, sugar snap peas, beets, and strawberries.  With that assortment, we will be enjoying the following:

• Broccoli Cheddar Quiche
• using the broccoli

• Creamy Bowtie Pasta with Peas and Arugula with a Stacked Beet Goat Cheese and Arugula Salad
• using the beets

• Red Robin Chicken Tender Salad
• using the romaine

• We will be using the spinach and beet greens in smoothies, enjoying the sugar snap peas for snack.  I will be having the Massaged Kale Salad for lunch and strawberries for dessert.