Classic Hummus

CLASSIC HUMMUS 
Printable Recipe

• 1 cup garbanzo beans, cooked 
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice 
• 3 tablespoons tahini, optional 
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin 
• 1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper  
• 2 tablespoons olive oil 

 1. Put everything except the olive oil in a food processor.

2. Blend to a puree & add a little water if necessary to make it smooth. 

3. Season with sea salt, ground black pepper, & top with olive oil & paprika. 

PLATE FINISHED PRODUCT

STORY BEHIND THE DISH

Hummus is one of my favorite healthy dips, I use it a lot in substitute of mayo for sandwiches & wraps.

MODIFICATIONS

Hummus is a Middle Eastern & Arabic dip or spread made from cooked, mashed chickpeas, blended with tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and garlic. If you do not have tahini just leave it out of the recipe, no need to substitute it. You can flavor hummus in many ways, roasted garlic, roasted red pepper, artichoke, basil, cilantro, olive, etc.

Classic Tapenade

CLASSIC TAPENADE
Printable Recipe

• 1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted
• 1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
• 1 handful flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped 
• 10 basil leaves, roughly chopped 
• 1 teaspoon capers 
• 3 tablespoons olive oil 
• pepper to taste 

1. Roughly chop parsley & basil. 

2. Put first 5 ingredients in a food processor.

3. Blend to a rough paste. 

4. Add olive oil in a stream while chopping until you reach the desired consistency. 

5. Season with fresh ground pepper. 

PLATE FINISHED PRODUCT 

STORY BEHIND THE DISH

  Tapenade is mostly seen in South France & I had it a few times when I spent a month in Spain. It can be used as an appetizer, served with crackers, & crusty bread similar to a hummus or other dip. It can also be used as a condiment.

MODIFICATIONS 

Tapenade is a puree of olives, capers, anchovies, & olive oil, since I am not an anchovy fan, I just used garlic instead.

Kale, Apple, & Bacon Salad

KALE, APPLE, & BACON SALAD 

Printable Recipe

•  1 8-ounce bunch kale, stems discarded, leaves shredded
• 1 small head radicchio, shredded
• 3/4 cup pecans, toasted
• 1-2 sweet apples, sliced
• 4 ounces cooked bacon, sliced
• 1/3 cup canola oil, or olive oil
• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup pure honey or maple syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

 1. In a small bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, honey, salt, & pepper.

2. Slice radicchio into thin strips. 

3. Slice cooked bacon into strips. 

Someone heard the word bacon! :) 

4. Slice apples into thin strips.

 

5. Combine the radicchio, kale, apples & pecans in a bowl. Toss while adding the dressing, little by little, until salad is well dressed. Taste & adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

  

PLATE FINISHED PRODUCT

6. Garnish with crispy bacon & serve.

STORY BEHIND THE DISH

Kale, the super food, is a great green to keep in the fridge at all times. It stays fresh much longer than most super food greens such as spinach & arugula, & there are so many things you can do with kale. I decided to make a little twist on a salad I had at a lunch a few months ago. I am pretty sure I hit it the recipe spot on, but I am guessing they used pancetta in place of bacon but since I had bacon in my fridge it worked out well.

MODIFICATIONS 

  There are so many modifications that can be done to this delicious salad. You can add any type of nut in place of pecans, also  candied nut would be great & add some sweetness. Also any apples work but I prefer red over green, but it's your choice. The bacon can obviously be replaced with pancetta & if you had the time, I would suggest making a reduction with the bacon or pancetta grease using the dressing ingredients. I went the healthy route but it would add a bit more flavor. If you have champagne vinegar it would work well too & if you need to mild down dressing add a bit more oil. You can always top the salad with some blue cheese or goat cheese.

Strawberry & Avocado Spinach Salad

STRAWBERRY & AVOCADO SPINACH SALAD

• 2 cups fresh baby spinach 
• 1 cup arugula 
• 1 avocado, diced 
• 4-5 large strawberries, sliced 
• 1/4 cup slivered almonds 
• 2 tablespoons Gorgonzola or blue cheese, crumbled 
• 3 tablespoons olive oil 
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt & pepper 

1. Dice avocado, slice strawberries, & crumble cheese. 

 2. In a mixing bowl, gently mix together spinach, arugula, avocados, strawberries, cheese, & almonds. 

 3. Whisk together oil, vinegar, salt, & pepper. Lightly toss salad with dressing & serve. 

Plate Finished Product 

STORY BEHIND THE DISH

I have made so many versions of this salad but this one is my favorite, quick, easy, & delicious. It pairs well with fish or chicken dishes & is wonderful for a pot luck & entertaining. 

MODIFICATIONS 

You can use any type of greens for this recipe, spring mix also works well. If you do not have strawberries, or if they are not in season, blueberries & raspberries also work great. Almonds are my first choice for this salad, but I have used pine nuts or pecans. If you want a sweeter dressing, add a 1/4 tablespoon of sugar or use candied nuts. 

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

CHICKEN LETTUCE WRAPS

CHICKEN 

• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 cup teriyaki sauce (Kikkoman purple label)
• 1/4 cup water 
• 1 can water chestnuts, sliced

TOPPINGS 

• 1 head of living or butter lettuce 
• 1 bag bean sprouts 
• 1 bag broccoli slaw mix 
• 1/8 cup toasted almonds, sliced 
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds 
• Thai peanut sauce (optional) 
• teriyaki or soy sauce (optional) 
• Chives (optional)  

COOKING CHICKEN

1. Place chicken, fresh or frozen, in a 

Crock-Pot/slow cooker. Add teriyaki sauce & water, 

cook for 3 hours on HIGH or 6 hours on LOW. 

LOW is alway more tender.

2. When chicken is done, or when there is 30 minutes or less remaining, remove chicken & place on a plate, leave liquids in the Crock-Pot. Use two forks to shred the chicken into small pieces then place chicken back in the Crock-Pot. 

Dice water chestnuts & add them to chicken in the Crock-Pot. 

 3. Let chicken finish cooking or if cook time was done allow chicken mixture to sit on warm or LOW for 15-20 minutes. 

 4. When chicken mixture is done cooking, strain out the liquids. 

5. Plate shredded chicken & top with chives and sesame seeds. 

MAKING THE WRAPS 

6. While chicken is cooking, separate lettuce into pieces, wash, & pat dry. Place toppings, broccoli slaw, bean sprouts, almonds, sesame seeds, & sauces in serving dishes. 

PLATE FINISHED PRODUCT 

7. Place one leaf of lettuce on a place, add chicken, broccoli slaw, bean sprouts, almonds, sesame seeds, & top with sauce.

STORY BEHIND THE DISH

I have always loved chicken lettuce wraps & I have tried many variations in the past. These are good, easy to make, healthy,

 & are great for entertaining. 

MODIFICATIONS 

There are many things that will pair well with these wraps. Mushrooms, peppers, onions, etc. I believe less is more but since it is such a light dish I usually serve brown rice & veggie noodles on the side. 

Chicken & Herb White Pizza

CHICKEN & HERB WHITE PIZZA

PIZZA 

• pizza dough 
• cooking spray 
• 1 tablespoon yellow cornmeal 
• 1-2 cups rotisserie sliced chicken 
• 1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced 
• 1 tablespoon fresh oregano
• 1 tablespoon fresh chives
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley

SAUCE

• 1 tablespoon butter 
• 2 garlic cloves, minced 
• 2 tablespoon flour 
• 3/4 cup low fat milk
•  1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup grated fresh pecorino Romano cheese 

 PREP PIZZA

1. Place pizza dough in a bowl & spray with cooking oil, let sit for 10-15 minutes. Prep all ingredients, slice chicken & onions, shred cheese, mince garlic, chop all fresh herbs, & 

measure butter, milk, & flour. 

2. When pizza dough is ready sprinkle flour on a flat surface, kitchen counter, table, or cutting board, place dough on the floured surface & roll out with a rolling pin, add flour as needed. Spray a cookie sheet or pizza pan lightly with cooking spray, sprinkle cornmeal onto the pan, then lay dough flat over cornmeal & poke lightly with a fork 4-5 times. 

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

MAKE SAUCE

3. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic, cook for 30 seconds while stirring. Add flour & pepper, cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly with a whisk. Gradually add milk continue stirring. Cook 3 minutes or until sauce thickens, stir constantly with a whisk. Remove from heat, add cheese, stir until cheese is melted & well mixed. 

 4. Spread sauce over dough leaving 1/2 inch border for crust.

5. Lay chicken evenly over white sauce & top with sliced onions.

6. Bake at 450 degrees on the bottom rack for 15-18 minutes 

or until crust is golden. 

 7. Sprinkle with herbs.

 8. Cut, plate, & serve. 

STORY BEHIND THE DISH

I found this recipe in a Cooking Light magazine & since I had left over chicken from lunch that day & pizza dough in the fridge I figured I would try it out. 

Great recipe & the pizza dough cooked perfectly!

MODIFICATIONS 

If you don't eat meat you can add other veggies in place of the chicken. I used part of a rotisserie chicken but you can always grill a few chicken breasts. Other toppings that would pair well with this dish are, mushrooms, bell peppers, or artichoke hearts.