Mango, Blueberry and Caramelized Onion Salad....

Believe it or not, this is one of the best salads I have had in my life!
Simply make this recipe just as it says and wow your mouth!

Mango, Blueberry and Caramelized Onion Salad

Illustrated and edited by: Brenna Bowers

Ingredients:

Balsamic Vinaigrette:

1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

½ Tablespoon dijon mustard

1 Tablespoon sugar

Salt and pepper

Salad:

¼ cup pine nuts, toasted

1 large red onion, sliced in 1/8” thin half moons

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon brown sugar

1 medium mango, peeled, seeded, cut in into bite-size pieces

2 cups fresh blueberries

2 ounces goat cheese

12 ounces fresh arugula or spinach (about 4 cups)

Directions:

Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing:

Whisk the balsamic vinegar, sugar, mustard and garlic together. Slowly whisk in the olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste

Salad:

Toast the pine nuts in a skillet over medium heat until they are slightly browned. Set aside to cool. In the same skillet, sauté the onions in the olive oil, add the balsamic vinegar and brown sugar (Tip 1). Cook low and very slow stirring once in a while until the onions turn a golden brown color all the way through.

Meanwhile, slice the mango and wash the blueberries and greens. Place all the ingredients (caramelized onions, mango, blueberries, crumbled up bits of goat cheese, pine nuts and greens) into a large bowl and add half of the dressing and toss(adding more dressing only if necessary).

Tip 1: Caramelizing Onions: The purpose of caramelizing onions is to draw out the natural sugars that are in onions. The trick to caramelizing onions is to keep the flame at a low temperature. This process takes quite a bit of time but is well worth the wait! You never want the onions to just brown on the edges (that means they are burning) rather you want the onions to turn golden brown all the way through. The key is to stir the onions once in a while and if you feel they are beginning to burn, add a dash of water to steam the mixture. Caramelizing onions is a labor of love….but worth it!

Carrot and Apple Salad with a hint of Mint....

Recently I attended a free cooking class at the UCSD Medical Center in San Diego, CA. The class is called the  "Healthy Eating Program".

"We believe that food nourishes the body, nurtures the spirit, and is essential for health and healing. Our Research focuses on helping people adopt diet and other lifestyle changes that can help prevent and control diseases like cancer. We are now offering counseling services to the public." (UCSD Medical Center)

Check out their website to sign up for these amazing classes at:
http://www.healthyeatingucsd.org/

This past week, the topic was about Phytochemicals. These are compounds that occur naturally in bright colored food such as fruits and vegetables. Phytochemicals contain many nutrients for your body and may help reduce future ailments and cancers.

This recipe was taught in the Healing Foods class but I have adjusted it to my liking! Hope you enjoy as well!

Carrot and Apple Salad with a hint of Mint

Author: Brenna Bowers (adapted from Healing Foods Class)

Makes: 8 servings

Ingredients:

6 Tablespoons rice vinegar

2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 Tablespoons honey

4 apples (Fuji, Gala or Pink Lady….an apple that is high in sugar content)

4 large carrots, peeled and shredded

1 Tablespoons fresh grated ginger

1 cup dried cranberries

½ cup toasted slivered almonds

Dash of salt and pepper

½ cup torn fresh mint leaves

Directions:

In a blender, mix the rice vinegar, balsamic vinegar, olive oil and honey. Blend until it is smooth and emulsified (mixed all together and does not separate).

With a food processor, shred the apples (skin can be left on), carrots (peeled) and ginger (peeled).

Toss the apples, carrots, ginger, cranberries and slivered almonds in a bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour the dressing over the mixture and stir until it is evenly coated. Garnish with the torn mint leaves. 

Refrigerate or eat!

Grapefruit and Lemonade Spritzer....

Something bubbly - something sweet - something with a tang - something with amazing flavor.......

How about a Grapefruit and Lemonade Spritzer!?

I created this recipe with summertime in mind. This is the perfect beverage for a party or to make you feel refreshed.

Grapefruit and Lemonade Spritzer

Author: Brenna Bowers

Makes: 1.5 liters

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar

1 cup filtered water

1 Liter Sparkling Water (Club Soda or 7UP work too)

3 fresh squeezed lemons

1 large fresh squeezed grapefruit

Ice

Springs of mint (optional)

Directions:

In a small sauce pot, bring the one cup filtered water to a boil. Stir in the 1 cup of sugar. Remove the mixture from the heat and stir until the sugar is fully dissolved. Pour the sugar water into a pitcher. Add the sparkling water, lemon juice, grapefruit juice, (sprigs of mint) and ice.

Serve on a hot summer day!

Crostini with Fresh Berries and Honey Goat Cheese...

I know what you are thinking! What is Crostini???

Crostini (meaning "little toasts" in Italian) is an Italian appetizer consisting of small slices of grilled or toasted bread and toppings. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crostini)

Honey Goat Cheese from Trader Joe's is amongst one of my favorite products on the market. It is a flavorful cheese made of goat's milk and has a hint of sweetness because it is infused with honey. This goat cheese tastes wonderful with the fresh summer fruits that are available right now!

Below you can see pictures of the Crostini with Fresh Berries and Honey Goat Cheese that I made for an event recently. It was quite a hit! I made about 200 of these little bite size foods and not a single one was left!

The crostini has been topped with strawberries, blueberries and raspberries

 

The Trader Joe’s Honey Goat Cheese can be found in the refrigerator section of your local store and the product’s name reads “Chevre with Honey” . 

“What is Chevre?”, you may ask? That is the French word for "goat"-practical huh!?

www.traderjoes.com/pdf/onthecounter-honeygoat.pdf

http://www.notsuperhuman.com/2010/08/this-is-good/ (picture source)

A creamy goat's milk cheese with a hint of sweetness from the honey.

 

Crostini with Fresh Berries and Honey Goat Cheese

Author: Brenna Bowers

Makes: 20-30 bite size Crostini

Ingredients:

1 Plain French Baguette (1 ½” diameter) (Tip 1)

8 oz. Honey Goat Cheese

1 small package fresh berries (blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, etc…)

About 3 Tablespoons honey

Directions:

Preheat the oven to "broil" (this is a setting on the oven where the heat comes from the top of the oven only and gives off intense heat).

Begin by slicing the French Baguette into ½” thick rounds. The more evenly you slice the crostini the more evenly the will bake. Place all the bread rounds on a dry cookie sheet in a single layer (if you have extra, place them on a second cookie sheet). Place the cookie sheet with the bread slices in the oven and broil for about 4 minutes (or until the bread hardens and turns very light brown) (watch it very carefully for it burns fast!).

Spread a small amount of the Honey Goat cheese on each crostini with a knife. Top each crostini with fresh berries and drizzle with honey.

*best if made the day of service

Tip 1: When purchasing a French Baguette (plain French Bread) for this recipe, look for something long and skinny. If you want to cut down on preparation time, you can purchase pre-made Crostini at many local bakeries or grocery stores.

Walnut Encrusted Salmon with White Wine Mushrooms...

Its time to eat fish! Don't be scared of it but rather just try it! This is a simple recipe, full in flavor, and rich in nutrients! Fish is lean, so it is less fatty than red meat or pork and it full of "good fats" called omega-3. This dish is good for you and has the potential to become your families favorite!

Let's get cooking!

Walnut Encrusted Salmon with White Wine Mushrooms (and Yorkshire Pudding)

Salmon with onion-garlic-butter mixture and nuts...ready to be baked

You can tell it has been cooked because it has turned opaque orange

White wine mushroom mixture

Time to EAT!

Walnut Encrusted Salmon and White Wine Mushrooms

Author: Brenna Bowers

Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients:

16 oz. fresh caught salmon (with skin) (about 1” to 1 ½” thickness) (about 4 oz per person) (Tip 1)

3 Tablespoons butter, divided

1 small white onion, minced and divided

3 cloves of garlic, minced and divided

1-2 springs fresh rosemary, minced

3 leaves fresh basil, chopped finely

½ cup toasted walnuts, roughly chopped

1 Tablespoon olive oil

2 cups mushrooms, sliced thin

Salt and pepper

½ cup white wine

½ cup Milk (2 percent is best)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In a small pan, melt 2 Tablespoons of the butter over the stove. Add in half of the minced garlic, half of the chopped onion, all of the fresh rosemary, basil, and add in a pinch of salt and pepper. Allow the mixture to cook on low heat about 2 minutes or until the butter begins to smell fragrant and sweet (pull from the heat if the butter or onions start to brown).

Place tin foil on a baking sheet, spray with olive oil and place the salmon skin side down. Pat the salmon dry with a paper towel. Pour the butter-onion-garlic mixture over the fish and spread evenly. Place the toasted walnuts on top and press them lightly onto the salmon. Place into the oven for 12-18 minutes. (Tip 2)

In a large sauce pan, add the remaining 1 Tablespoon of butter, 1 Tablespoon of olive oil, the other half of the chopped onions, and all of the mushrooms. On low and slow heat, sauté the mushrooms (they should begin to melt down and shrink in size as they release their juices). After about 5 minutes, add in the garlic, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally for 2 more minutes and add in the white wine. Allow the mixture to simmer for 5 minutes and then add in the milk. Stir this mixture and cook until the mushrooms are tender and the sauce thickens and reduces (about 10 minutes or more).

Assembly:

Cut the salmon into serving sizes, leaving the skin on or off depending on your preference. Place the salmon on each plate and top with the mushroom mixture.

*I served my meal with Yorkshire Pudding” on the side

Tip 1: To choose a good salmon, look for the bright color orange, you do not want it to look slimy or feel slimy (that would mean it’s a little old).

Tip 2: To know when your salmon is ready, you want to look for the color of the fish to turn form vibrant dark orange to a lighter and opaque orange color. Poke a knife into the center of the thickest part of the fish and look to see if the color has changed all the way through. Remove from the oven as soon as the color has changed almost completely through and cover with foil. Let the fish rest on the counter about 5 minutes to allow it to finish cooking and retain the juices.

Grilled Hearts of Romaine with a Homemade Vinaigrette and Gourmet Cheese...

Summer is finally here!!!!! Therefore it is time to light the BBQ, call out your friends for a dinner party and make a new summery yet trendy dish.
This is the easiest salad to make and will make your guests say "YUMMMM!"
My grandma was the first to tell me about this recipe and I have since then tweaked it to be my own recipe....hope you and your friends enjoy!

Grilled Hearts of Romaine with a homemade Vinairette and Gourmet Cheese

Homemade Vinaigrette

Romaine cut in half and ready to be brushed with Olive Oil

The grill is hot and the Romaine ready to be chared

Place the Romaine cut-side down on the hot grill

You want the golden brown color and just some char to the leaves

Grill for 1 min then turn at a 45 degree angle for beautiful grill marks

ENJOYYYYY!

Grilled Hearts of Romaine 

with a Homemade Vinaigrette and Gourmet Cheese

Author: Brenna Bowers

Makes: 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil (or any oil will work), divided

1 Tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice

1 small clove garlic, minced

½ teaspoon Dijon (or grainy mustard)

1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire

2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 Tablespoon honey

¼ teaspoon pepper

1/8 teaspoon Italian seasonings

Dash of salt

2 or 3 Whole heads of Romaine Lettuce

1/8 cup toasted walnuts, roughly chopped

3 Tablespoons Gourmet Cheese (crumbled Parmesan, Feta, Blue cheese, or Goat Cheese)

Directions:

Dressing:

In a small bowl, whisk 2 Tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil, fresh lemon juice, garlic, Dijon (Tip 1), Worcestershire, balsamic vinegar, honey, pepper, Italian seasonings and salt. Set aside or chill.

Hearts of Romain Lettuce:

Wash the heads of Romaine lettuce and pat it dry with paper towels. Remove any wilted outer leaves if necessary. With a sharp knife, slice each Romaine heart in half length-wise.
Brush or drizzle the cut-side up Romaine hearts with the reserved 1 Tablespoon of olive oil.

Assembly:

Heat up the grill/BBQ to very high heat. When you place your hand over the heat, it should be too hot to leave your hand there for more than 2-3 seconds. Place each of the Romaine hearts cut-side down for about 2 minutes; or until grill marks appear and you have charred the edges. Immediately remove the lettuce from the heat and set aside. So serve, place the Romaine hearts on each plate and drizzle with the homemade dressing, crumbled cheese and toasted nuts.

Tip 1: Dijon is added to the dressing not just for flavor but because mustard helps act as an emulsifier. Now less shaking is required for your dressing and it will be less separated.

Brenna Bowers Scrumptious Scones Cooking Class (April 2011)

Through trial and error, I have finally created a recipe that I find to be "the perfect scone". It is soft, moist and just the right balance of sweetness with the berries. It has taken quite a few tries to prefect this recipe but now I am happy to share it with YOU! So follow the instructions closely, bake with time and love and you are bound to be satisfied!

I taught this Sconce Class on a warm sunny day in San Diego to eight women! We had fun in the kitchen as the class was hands on so that confidence in the kitchen would be built. Cooking is an experience and such a joy once you give it a try!

Moist and delicate Blueberry Scones made by the class!!!!!!

Prepared for class

Measuring out ingredients

Getting your hands into the mixture is part of the fun of this class!

Shaping the dough to add the blueberries

Slicing the scones to form their desired shape and size

Notice how the blueberries are dispersed among the entire scone.

The final product with Vanilla Bean Glaze

Make these and enjoy with friends and family!

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