Lemony Garlic Cauliflower

There is something so wonderful about a simple vegetable side dish.  Something clean that you can enjoy with a variety of main dishes.  This cauliflower is so delicious.  You can really taste the vegetable since the lemon and garlic are merely enhancers.  It is an easy dish that comes together in minutes and requires very little tending during the short roasting process.  Sprinkle some parmesan and fresh chives on top and you are set.  The whole family loved this dish and it will become a regular at our house.  

Ingredients

1 head cauliflower, cut into 1 inch florets

3 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp thinly sliced garlic

juice of half a lemon

salt and pepper to taste

3 Tbsp freshly grated parmesan

2 Tbsp chives, finely chopped

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees
2. Place cauliflower florets into an 8x8 baking dish.  Drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice.  Evenly sprinkle the garlic, salt and pepper on top. 
3. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.  
4. Remove from the oven and top with parmesan and chives.  Serve warm.  

Adapted from Emeril Lagasse   

Weekly Menu

Happy Monday!  I hope it was another wonderful weekend for you all.  I am really having fun getting a chance to enjoy some of my favorite summer recipes.  Sure, I could make them off season, but they just taste so much better with fresh, local produce!  This week we picked up some sweet corn, white and purple sweet Maui onions, romaine, cilantro, tomatoes, cauliflower, and strawberries.  It waas a small haul, but a delicious variety!  With this selection, we will be enjoying the following meals:

• Penne Alla Vodka with Lemony Garlic Cauliflower
• using the tomatoes and cauliflower

• Mushroom and Black Bean Tacos with Corn and Black Bean Salad
• using the tomatoes, romaine, white and purple sweet Maui onions, and corn

• Hearty Breakfast Burritos with Restaurant Style Salsa
• using tomatoes, sweet Maui onions, and cilantro

• We will be enjoying the strawberries for dessert.

7-Layer Burrito

As a former fast food junkie, there are certainly times I miss some of those foods.  One of them in particular is the 7-layer burrito from Taco Bell.  It's got everything you would want all wrapped up in a tortilla.  But...it's also filled with GMO's and conventional produce.  By making it at home, you can use all organic ingredients as well as fresh, homemade salsa and guacamole.  Not to mention it tastes a MILLION times better!  I didn't list quantities of the ingredients below as you can customize it to your tastes.  So the next time you are craving a drive thru burrito, make this version instead.  You won't be disappointed!

Ingredients

flour tortillas

refried beans (make your own!)

rice (any kind, though we use brown)

finely grated cheddar cheese

romaine, thinly sliced

pico de gallo

guacamole

sour cream

Directions

1. Warm the tortillas and load them up to your liking.  Enjoy!

Weekly Menu

Happy Monday everyone!  We had a wonderful and busy weekend!  My daughter had her first dance recital on Saturday and we spent Father's Day at Disneyland.  Many fun memories made in the past 2 days.  :)  We had a great trip to the farm as summer is in full swing!  We loaded up on romaine, chard, kale, beets, plums, peaches, bell peppers (I picked them from the vine myself!), carrots, corn (tons!), sweet Maui onion, green beans, strawberries, and blueberries.  What a great selection, huh?  With this great variety, we will be enjoying the following this week:

• BBQ Tofu Sandwiches with Basil Butter Corn on the Cob
• using the sweet Maui onion, romaine, bell pepper, and corn

• Pot Pie Pizza and Classic Caprese Salad
• using the green beans, corn, carrots, tomatoes, and backyard basil

• 7-Layer Burrito Supreme
• using the sweet Maui onion, romaine, and tomatoes

• I will be making a modified Rainbow Smoothie (without spinach) for lunches
• using the kale, chard, beets, and carrots

• We will be enjoying the plums, peaches, strawberries, and blueberries for snack and dessert

Mexican Skillet Cabbage

I love finding new vegetable based side dishes for Mexican food.  In the past, I have always gone for Spanish rice, which is delicious but not very healthy.  This Mexican Skillet Cabbage gives you the same flavors as Spanish rice, but with no carbs!  It is another super easy dish that has about 5 minutes of hands on time (including slicing and mincing!) and the rest of the time is spent in the skillet with very little attention needed.  It was a tad spicy for my 4 year old because of the diced green chiles, but it was absolutely fine for my hubby and me.  We loved it!

Ingredients

1 Tbsp olive oil

4-5 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 head of cabbage, thinly sliced

1 15oz can of fire roasted diced tomatoes with green chiles

salt and pepper

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
2. Add the cabbage and tomatoes and stir to combine.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Cook for about 20-30 minutes, until the cabbage is soft.

Adapted from Food.com

Strawberry Salad with Feta and Raspberry Balsamic Dressing

I enjoy fresh strawberries almost every single day they are available locally grown.  It's one of my favorite times of year.  :)  I usually just enjoy them plain for dessert, but every now and then I like to mix it up.  This salad has such an amazing combination of flavors and textures with the strawberries, feta, toasted almond slivers, and raspberry balsamic dressing.  This is a delicious salad to compliment any meal!  I highly recommend getting a brick of feta in brine and crumbling it yourself instead of using pre-crumbled feta.  I was amazed at how much better it tasted!  

Ingredients (makes enough for 2 large salads or 4 small side salads)

1/2 C slivered almonds
1/2 tsp honey
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
4 Tbsp raspberry vinegar
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1/4 C olive oil
1/4 C canola oil
1 large head of lettuce, torn or chopped
1 C fresh strawberries, sliced
4 oz feta cheese, crumbled

Directions

1. Toast the almonds in a small skillet over medium heat until golden.  Set aside.
2. Make the dressing by whisking together the honey, Dijon mustard, raspberry and balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, olive oil, and canola oil in a medium bowl.
3. Serve the salad by placing the lettuce in a large bowl.  Top with the strawberries, toasted almonds, and feta.  Pour dressing to your liking.  Toss and enjoy!

Adapted from MSChef

Weekly Menu

Happy Monday everyone!  I'm back after a much needed week off.  It was nice to slow down and recharge before the summer season.  Speaking of summer, the produce is slowly changing!  I just missed the first selection of corn and tomatoes, but they will be there next week and I can't wait!  I did pick up my first basil of the season (YAY!) along with romaine, cilantro, kale, garlic, celery, baby sweet Maui onions, cherries, blueberries, strawberries and plums.  There was also a head of cabbage and some summer squash that I totally forgot to put in the picture because I left the bag in the car, whoops!  With this wonderful selection, we will be enjoying the following this week:

• Crispy Pesto Gnocchi and a Strawberry Salad with Feta and Raspberry Vinaigrette
• using the garlic, basil, romaine, and some of the strawberries

• Hearty Vegetable Spaghetti with a Summer Squash Saute
• using the celery, summer squash, and garlic

• Make Your Own Quesadilla with Restaurant Style Salsa and Mexican Skillet Cabbage
• using the baby sweet Maui onions, some left over sweet Maui onions from last week, cilantro, garlic, and cabbage

• I will be having the Massaged Kale Salad for lunches 
• using the kale

• We will be enjoying the plums, strawberries, and blueberries for dessert

• We will be freezing the cherries for a wonderful summer snack.  There is nothing better than frozen cherries on a hot day!