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Pesto Zucchini Caprese Salad

Pesto Zucchini Caprese Salad

Pesto Zucchini Caprese Salad

Yield: 4
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Easy and Delicious. The perfect garden fresh summer dish.

Ingredients

  • PESTO SAUCE:
  • 2 tablespoons pine nuts
  • 2 packed cup of organic basil
  • 3-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 small garlic cloves minced
  • My Sage Gourmet Tuscan Herb Seasoning
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • ZUCCHINI NOODLES:
  • 2 medium zucchini
  • CAPRESE:
  • 4 half-inch thick slices of tomato
  • 4 quarter-inch thick slice of mozzarella cheese (2oz each)
  • 1 Tablespoon Basil or Garlic infused olive oil, to drizzle overtop.
  • My Sage Gourmet Tuscan Herb Seasoning and freshly ground black pepper- to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
  • 4 basil leaves, cut chiffonade style (in thin ribbons)

Instructions

PESTO

  1. Place all of the pesto ingredients into a food processor and pulse until creamy. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.

ZUCCHINI NOODLES (We use a spiral slicer for these. See NOTES below .)

  1. In a big bowl, combine zucchini noodles and pesto sauce. Using hands or rubber spatula, Gently combine until noodles are well coated.
  2. Strain off excess liquid then place zucchini noodles on four small plates, followed by one tomato slice, one slice of mozzarella and a light drizzle of olive oil/balsamic vinegar mixture
  3. Add a pinch My Sage Gourmet Tuscan Herb Seasoning and freshly ground black pepper. Top with basil, evenly distributed.

Notes

Zuke Tips to consider-
Don’t peel your zucchini before spiraling. When you peel the zucchini, moisture leaches out, causing it to become mushy. Keeping the skin also retains nutrients in the skin!
Don’t pre-salt or salt your zucchini once in the pan salting renders the zucchini lifeless and salty.
Don’t overcook. The longer zucchini cooks, the more moisture sneaks out and becomes mushy. A little crunch retains the fresh tasting flavor.

We recommend the VEGETTI SPIRAL SLICER

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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 314Total Fat: 30gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 23gCholesterol: 9mgSodium: 131mgCarbohydrates: 8gFiber: 3gSugar: 3gProtein: 6g

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© Carol Takakura
Cuisine: Healthy,American / Category: Vegetarian
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Sauteed Scallops Over Spaghetti Squash

 

Sauteed Scallops over Spaghetti Squash

Sauteed Scallops over Spaghetti Squash

Yield: 5-6
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 lb. spaghetti squash, cut in half lengthwise and seeded
  • 2 tablespoons The Olivique, Mediterranean Extra virgin Olive Oil, plus more for baking pan
  • 4 leeks, white and light-green parts only, thinly sliced lengthwise
  • 2 medium-sized shallots, peeled and thinly sliced lengthwise
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 10 large sea scallops, sliced in half
  • 1 teaspoon My Sage Gourmet Mediterranean Blend, or sea salt to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 3/4 cup dry white wine (op1tional)
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
  • 1 tablespoon minced chives
  • 1 teaspoon (or more) red chili flakes

(Optional)

  • Finely chopped wild mushrooms and/or chopped Asparagus tips
  • My Sage Gourmet Garlic Herb

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Place squash, cut-side down, on an oiled baking pan. Cook until easily pierced with a knife tip, about 45 minutes. Using a fork, separate the flesh into strands and transfer to a bowl. Cover.
  3. Rinse and dry scallops with a paper towel and sprinkle lightly with MSG Mediterranean Blend or sea salt and pepper. Set aside
  4. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a saute pan over medium-low heat. Cook leeks and shallots, stirring, until crisp, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
  5. Place flour in a small bowl; dredge scallops. Return pan to heat; add remaining tablespoon oil. Sear half of scallops at a time until golden, about 3-4 minutes on first side. (Do not move or disturb them during this time.) Flip and sear 2nd side for about 1 minute. Season with My Sage Gourmet Mediterranean Herb Seasoning (or salt) and pepper. Cook remaining scallops.
  6. Increase heat to medium high; add wine or 3/4 cup water. Using a wooden spoon, scrape up any brown bits on bottom of pan. Cook until liquid has reduced by half.
  7. Slowly whisk in the butter until sauce begins to thicken, about 2 minutes. If adding wild mushrooms and/or asparagus tips, do it when you add the butter. As sauce begins to thicken, check seasoning. If needed, add another dash of My Sage Gourmet Mediterranean Herb Seasoning , My Sage Gourmet Garlic Herb, or salt and pepper.
  8. Divide the squash and leek mixture among four dinner plates. Top with scallops.
  9. Drizzle with sauce and garnish with chives and red pepper flakes.
  10. Serve.

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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 5 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 249Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 23mgSodium: 339mgCarbohydrates: 32gFiber: 5gSugar: 9gProtein: 9g

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© Carol Takakura
Cuisine: Healthy / Category: Fish and Seafood
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Chicken Tofu Stir Fry

This Chicken Tofu Stir Fry recipe is so versatile and quick, it can be made in as little as 20 minutes.

I suggest the use of organic and free range meats whenever possible.

 

Chicken Tofu Stir Fry

Chicken Tofu Stir Fry

Yield: 4-5
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Quick and versatile, can be made in as little as 20 minutes.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. ground chicken
  • 2 tablespoons Sesame Oil
  • 1 tablespoon Coconut Oil
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon My Sage Gourmet Garlic Herb
  • 2 tablespoons Ponzu sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Fish sauce
  • Sriracha sauce to taste
  • 1 teaspoon dried lemongrass or fresh if you have it-shredded
  • Two handfuls kale (center rib removed, leaves torn into bite-size pieces)
  • Handful Napa cabbage torn into bite size pieces
  • 3-4 scallions
  • 2 8.8 oz. packages of Brown Basmati Rice (I recommend Full Circle Market)](http://fullcirclefoods.com)
  • I-16 ounce package extra firm tofu, drained

TOFU MARINADE

  • ½ Cup Ponzu Sauce
  • 2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 1 teaspoon
  • 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
  • Sriracha Sauce to taste
  • 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
  • 1 tablespoon Sesame Seed Oil

Instructions

  1. Prepare the tofu: Drain and slice about 1/4-1/2 inch thick.
  2. Dry Fry: Heat large skillet to medium heat. Do not coat pan. The purpose of the dry fry is to remove moisture allowing better absorption of marinate.
  3. While tofu cooks, mix together marinade. Set aside.
  4. Once tofu has lightly browned on both sides, place in a deep dish in one layer.
  5. Pour reserved marinade mixture over tofu, turning once to coat well. Cover tightly and refrigerate.
  6. In the same large skillet, heat Sesame and Coconut oil over medium high heat (no higher!) Crumble ground meat into pan. Brown meat then drain off excess liquid.
  7. While meat is cooking , cook your rice according to package directions. If you prefer to use a different rice, be sure to allow for cooking time!!
  8. Once meat is cooked and drained, add remaining ingredients (black pepper through scallions) to skillet. Stir to mix. Reduce heat to low simmer for 10 minutes.
  9. Remove from heat. Add tofu to skillet, turning gently to mix.
  10. Serve over cooked rice.

Notes

Makes a great lettuce wrap if grains are not your thing.

You can also eliminate the chicken and still have plenty of protein from the kale and brown rice.

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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 569Total Fat: 40gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 28gCholesterol: 121mgSodium: 1242mgCarbohydrates: 16gFiber: 3gSugar: 7gProtein: 41g

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© Carol Takakura
Cuisine: Healthy

 

Enjoy, and please share!

 

About Full Circle Market  Brown Basmati Rice packets

I don’t usually go for heat-and-eat packets since I try to avoid microwaving but these little packets are delicious in any stovetop stir fry or fried rice recipe.

Find out more about their products at FullCircleFoods.com

 

DISCLAIMER–As a food and fitness blogger, I often receive free samples to review but I am never paid for my opinions. The views expressed here are based solely on personal experience with the products and my interactions with the company’s staff. Your experiences and sentiments may differ from my own. 

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Kid Friendly Pizza

This is just one of my Kids in the Kitchen friendly recipes for you to try out.

Depending on the age of your little ones, they may be able to do many of the prep tasks in this recipe. Use this guide to help you decide what will be age/ability appropriate. I will tell you that my little one did most all of the tasks (except oven/grill) with my supervision and she is just 4 years old.

Check out my blog post on Kids in the Kitchen

 

Shows an image of a little girl making mini pizzas

Kid friendly Pizza

Yield: 6
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Easy Kid friendly Pizza recipe to enjoy with your kiddos.

Ingredients

  • 6 whole grain or sourdough English muffins
  • 1 tablespoon mild BBQ sauce mixed with one teaspoon filtered water
  • 3 (1/2-inch-thick) fresh or canned (drain if canned) pineapple slices
  • 1 (4-ounce) cooked chicken breast, sliced (about 1/4 inch thick)
  • Winona pure Cooking spray **
  • 2/3 cup organic pizza sauce
  • 4 ounces organic grated mozzarella cheese
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. Remove English muffins from package and split into 12 halves
  2. Arrange English muffins on cookie sheet sprayed with cooking spray or covered in parchment paper
  3. Place BBQ sauce/water in a medium bowl. Add pineapple and cooked chicken breast toss to coat. Drain sauce, then add pineapple and chicken to grill or grill-skillet rack coated with cooking spray; grill 3 minutes on each side or until well marked. Remove from grill/grill skillet; cut into 1-inch pieces.
  4. Preheat oven or BBQ grill to 325 degrees
  5. Spread marinara evenly over pizzas, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Arrange pineapple and chicken over pizzas; sprinkle with cheese.
  6. Place pizzas in oven or on grill rack or BBQ and grill pizzas 5-8 minutes or until cheese melts.
  7. Sprinkle with pepper.
  8. Allow to cool to avoid burns from the cheese


**WINONA PURE COOKING SPRAY can be found here

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© Carol Takakura
Cuisine: Healthy / Category: Entrees, Snacks

 

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Grilled Cod with Mulberry Fennel Glaze

 

Grilled Cod with Mulberry Fennel Glaze

Grilled Cod with Mulberry Fennel Glaze

Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 4 6-oz wild caught Pacific cod fillets
  • 1 bottle Mulberry Love’s Organic Green Tea with Organic Mulberry Juice
  • 3/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
  • 1/2 cup, plus two tablespoons Ponzu soy sauce
  • 1/2 medium fennel bulb (trimmed, cored and thinly sliced crosswise)
  • 1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
  • 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 1-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 2 fresh thyme sprigs
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed peppercorns

Instructions

  1. Pat fish dry with paper towels to get rid of excess moisture, then place on a large rimmed plate in the fridge until your grill is ready. If the fish is wet, it will steam not sear.
  2. In a small saucepan, mix together all remaining ingredients. Heat just to boiling then reduce heat to a low simmer, cover pan and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, cool and strain. You can sauté the veggies and herbs (minus the bay leaves) and serve on the side if you wish. Grilling them on top the fish is a bit of a comedy routine as you try to keep the pieces from falling between the grates on your BBQ!
  3. Remove fish from rimmed plate, then add enough of the prepared sauce to cover the bottom of the plate.
  4. Return the fish to the plate and pour just enough sauce on top to cover the fish (reserving the remaining sauce.) Cover tightly and refrigerate for 30 mins. but no longer
  5. Prepare: the grill with cooking spray or wipe it with canola or grapeseed oil, then preheat to high-medium. (Oils that can withstand high temperatures are best)
  6. Place fish directly on the grill for about 4-6 minutes and baste with reserved sauce. Do not flip the fish too soon, (see below for tips).
  7. Flip the fish and baste again.
  8. Cook fish for a total of 8 to 12 minutes or just until it begins to flake easily when tested with a fork.
  9. Serve remaining sauce on the side or pour over plated fish.

Notes

FISH GRILLING TIPS

Don’t try and move the fish until you can see sear marks and it has a nice crispy look to it. If you're not sure when to check the fish, try sliding a fine-edged metal spatula under the long edge of the fish and carefully peak underneath. If it doesn’t lift easily, it probably isn’t ready to turn yet. Give it another minute, and then check in 30 second intervals.

When it's time to flip it, try using either two fine-edged spatulas, one of either side of the fillet or if the fillet is on the thicker side you can use a large fork. Slide the fork under the edge on one side and a spatula under the other, then gently flip like a pro.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 641Total Fat: 42gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 35gCholesterol: 94mgSodium: 545mgCarbohydrates: 24gFiber: 2gSugar: 18gProtein: 41g

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© Carol Takakura
Cuisine: Healthy / Category: Fish and Seafood

 

A WORD ABOUT FISH SAFETY

I believe it is important to know where the food you eat is sourced from so you can better understand what you are eating, I use Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch for my updates.  They update their information consistently in accordance with

The following was taken directly from their site which I encourage you to check out. You may be very surprised by what you find there.

ABOUT COD

“Vikings, medieval Basques and early New Englanders all relied on cod. Most Atlantic cod is imported to the U.S. from well-managed fisheries with healthy fish populations. However, Atlantic cod from the Gulf of Maine and the Georges Bank is generally considered an “Avoid.” The exception to this is, the ‘Good Alternative’ handline fishery on Georges Bank, which is more selective and does not catch any other depleted stocks. In the Pacific, cod from U.S. fisheries is a “Best Choice” or “Good Alternative.” All Pacific cod from Japan and Russia is on the “Avoid” list because so little is known about the health of cod populations in the Japanese and the Russian Pacific. Some sources of cod are certified as sustainable to the Marine Stewardship Council standard.”

 

ABOUT MULBERRY LOVE

If you haven’t tried their products yet, you are in for such a treat. With a wide variety of delicious, clean product choices your taste buds will most certainly be doing the happy dance. I recommend their Organic Green Tea with Organic Mulberry Juice. Delish!

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