EatingWell Wednesday - Tomato & Provolone Sandwich

Continuing on my EatingWell recipe tomato obsession, I decided to the try the Tomato & Provolone Sandwich . My daughter is crazy for tomatoes and found shopping for this recipe particularly fun as we were looking to buy Heirloom aka 'Ugly' Tomatoes. This is a great sandwich for a refreshing kick on a summer afternoon.



What are your favorite types of Tomatoes?

By the way, when you pick up the August edition of EatingWell, flip to the Editor's Letter and see who has a cameo :)

EatingWell Wednesday - Tomato & Corn Pie

This weeks' EatingWell Wednesday will be different because I am starting off with some big news: Savor the Thyme is featured in the August issue of EatingWell! Right there in the middle of the Editor's Letter. I am greatly appreciative of the mention and an honored to be in this magazine.

When the issue arrived, I flipped right to the Editors page (page 8) and after reading the article, knew right away that the next recipe I would be trying out was the Tomato-Corn Pie. I just finished making it for dinner tonight and must say that this pie is fantastic. However, next time I make it, I will double the recipe so that the pie is thicker as it was only about a 1/2 inch thick.



The only thing I did differently in this attempt was to mix the sharp cheddar with some reduced fat cheddar. Oh, and if you do not enjoy thyme, try basil. I bet it would be awesome.

Since my mom was here and she loved making pie crusts, she took that part on but if you prefer to skip that step, find a quality pie crust at the grocery store.

Stonyfield Luncheon at EVOO

Yesterday was the most glorious day: amazing weather, grandma with kids, a luncheon with amazing food bloggers AND the CEO of Stonyfield and then coming home to an amazing family and home. Since I have so much to share with you in regards to the luncheon, I am going to start first with the food at EVOO. Being that the lunch was with Stonyfield, the chef incorporated their yogurt into the dishes.

While chatting and waiting for the actual starter course, we munched on a bread course with a EVOO, balsamic vinegar and parmesan cheese (one of my favorite ways to start any meal)

Photo courtesy of HealthyandSane

Starters
Asparagus, Peas, Fiddleheads, Radish and Arugula with Great Hill Blue Cheese, Herbed Yogurt Dressing and Course Crumb Crunch.

OR

New Jersey Asparagus Soup with Parmigiano Reggiano, Red Chili Flakes and EVOO.



I chose the soup and my goodness, it was amazing. They pureed it perfectly as it still had some great texture and small pieces of asparagus. I think they need to add garlic in the description as I am now able to ward off vampires..while smiling ear to ear thanks to this soup.

Mains
Seared Atlantic Golden Tilefish with Organic Potatoes, Fiddleheads, Wild Ramps, Cilantro, Curried Potato Broth and Minted Carrot Salad



OR

Seared Misty Knoll Farms Chicken Breast with Red Fire Farm's Spring Dug Parsnip Manicotti, Shaved Fennel, Orange Segments, Arugula, Parmigiano Reggiano, Garlicky Chicken Jus and Hazelnut Crunch

OR

Chinese Box Full of Crisp Fried Mustard Glazed Tofu, Asparagus, Gingered Vegetable - Cashew Salad and Organic Brown Rice

I chose the tilefish as I have been wanting to it for a long time and it was well worth the wait. I am one who prefers a lighter texture and flavor in my fish and this fits the bill. The fish was cooked perfectly and no single flavor over powered the other. The chef Incorporated the yogurt into the minted carrot salad

Dessert
Stonyfield Organic Yogurt with Balsamic - Basil Glazed Strawberries



All I can say is that I am going to do my best to replicate this dessert. When the chef came out, I asked him about the topping, assuming it was made with the Yogurt. However, I was surprised that it was the tart where he Incorporated the yogurt not the topping. This tart was truly amazing and the perfect consistency.

Chopped Pasta Salad

If you recall, I hosted Rhode Island's Food Blogger Bake Sale back in April at The Pizza Place Restaurant. Not only are the people at the restaurant top notch but their Chopped Pasta Salad is a Legend in these parts.

In fact, the simple addition of Ditalini makes it a salad that my son is crazy about and he does not voluntarily eat mushroom and tomatoes. Now the recipe usually calls for Gorgonzola cheese but I use Feta. Scrumptious!

The photo was shot before I added the turkey bacon.

Organic Romaine Lettuce

Red Onion, sliced thinly

Tomato, chopped

Baby Bella Mushrooms, chopped

Feta, chopped

Chicken, cooked and diced

Bacon, crispy and chopped

Ditalini pasta, cooked

Prepare all ingredients, toss well with balsamic dressing of your choice.

EatingWell Wednesday - Spring Chicken & Barley Soup

Do you often find yourself with some leftover chicken and with one of the following scenarios:
1. Not enough for everyone?
2. You do not want the chicken as is?

Well, here is a great way to use up that leftover chicken (or non-leftover) called Spring Chicken & Barley Soup from EatingWell magazine. I honestly think the best thing about this recipe is the garnishes. The orange and basil make this soup stand out. I strongly recommend you add a good amount of it to the entire pot at the end. Feel free to put some fresh when you serve it.

EatingWell Wednesday - Sugar Snap Pea and Shrimp Curry

I love when you have a dish that is so wonderful that you can mix it with Brown Rice and get away with it. That is the case with EatingWell's Sugar Snap Pea and Shrimp Curry recipe.



The only changes I made were:
1. I used plain curry and then added some Hot Madras Curry Powder onto my husband's serving.

2. Used less than 1/4 cup lemon juice

3. I also tossed some chopped parsley on when I served it.

Can you tell my son (who swears he does not like shrimp) liked it?
Photo left: Just put some in his mouth
Photo right: This was his reaction when I wanted to have my bowl back.

Strawberry Mice - Getting kids to eat Fruit at a Birthday Party

This past weekend including a birthday party for my daughter and in addition to the fruit and vegetable platter which kids would probably overlook, I wanted to give them something irresistible. It came in the form of eating mice. What you say? Yup, I wanted the kids to eat mice.

The idea came from Family Fun however, I modified it and used some items we already had. The eyes were mini-chocolate chips and the nose was some icing I had used on the kitty-cat birthday cake. Instead of running out to get some strings of licorice, I simply made some 'tails' on the plate behind each mouse. The kids went nuts for them and even though I thought someone would pull the almond slices out, they were too enthralled with popping a mouse in their mouth than paying attention to the fact that the ears were almonds.

A step by step pictorial here on Whrrl

EatingWell Wednesday - Tomato & Corn Saute

In an ongoing effort to exploit the fact that the kids are currently in love with corn and that my daughter is obsessed with tomatoes, I decided to try a Corn & Tomato saute. I know, these items are best and freshest in the spring but I love to switch things up and was not going to wait.

Since I was out of shallots, I used some garlic and onions and parsley for the herb. I loved the flavors and think this would be great as a topping on your favorite protein or as a cold leftover salsa. I found that it took a higher heat to brown the corn but that may have been due to the fact it was thawed and a bit wet, versus fresh.

Black Angus Steaks & Parmesan Couscous- A Valentine's Meal

There are certain occasions when you want to make something extra special and Valentine's Day is one of those times. My husband loves Beef and Scallops and I decided to buy Black Angus Beef 100% Vegetarian Fed, Top Sirloin Filet (a mouth full) and Scallops and that I found at Trader Joe's.

For a side dish to accompany a salad, I went to the beefitwhatsfordinner website and as soon as I found Parmesan Orzo, I knew that would complete the meal. However, I did not have orzo, so I simply substituted Isreali Cousous.

I first marinated the steak in a simple mixture of soy sauce, lime juice and garlic for 30 minutes. During that time, I prepared and baked the scallops. I then put the oven on broil and started the steak and couscous. I broiled the steaks about 6 minutes on each side. I hope you enjoyed your Valentine's Day with whomever you choose to share it with.

By the way, please enter the $100 Omaha Steaks Giveaway. You can then choose your favorite cuts or try something new!

I wrote this post while working on a “I Heart Beef” campaign with TheMotherhood.com on behalf of The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association.

EatingWell Wednesday - Parmesan and Butternut Squash Pancakes

My mom is visiting and loves to try all sorts of different recipes. She mentioned making some type of potato pancake so while browsing ideas on EatingWell, I found this one called 'Parmesan and Squash pancakes and I knew it was one to be tried.

The only change I made was to use Butternut Squash instead of Summer Squash. Although I tried to squeeze out the excess water and felt I did a good job, I did notice water building as the mixture sat a few minutes. I was a bit concerned but plowed ahead and there were no ill effects.

I enjoyed the flavor but my husband did not enjoy the texture so I think the way to address that is to make 6 thinner pancakes instead of the suggested 4. I also think this could be a fun party appetizer if you made them mini -sized (shorten cooking time)

Let me know what you think if you give this a try.

Eating Well Wednesday - Onion Rings (Tip # 6)

In some circumstances, trying to replicate a fried favorite with baking, proves a failure but this is an exception. EatingWell has done an amazing job at creating a fantastic and satisfying baked onion rings recipe. Let me also say this: My husband was not thrilled when I said I making baked onion rings as he expected that would not able to compete with the fried version but he loved them.

Tip #6: Try making your favorite fried items (FF, chicken tenders, poppers) into a baked version. Your circulatory system will approve!



I altered to things in this recipe: I used whole wheat flour (I wonder why they do not) and I used sweet onions but can see how the yellow would be even better as their flavor is a bit stronger.

EatingWell Wednesday - Tangerine or Orange Scented Green Bean

Shopping Sunday mornings alone is an event I look forward to each week. It is relatively quiet and without children, I can often have a clear head to brainstorm. Today I saw the pile of Tangerines at the produce end-cap and knew that Tangerine scented green beans were in our future.

Luckily, my children enjoy many citrus fruits, but I tell my friends to always try foods in a different way: raw, roasted, mixed in with favorites. Basically, think outside the box, I also like to show the family how you may not necessarily enjoy a food in one form, but find joy in another. This includes the rind of a tangerine.

Once I arrived home, I headed to EatingWell and followed their Orange Scented Green Bean recipe however, I used thawed organic frozen green beans (score on the sale!) and tangerine peel.

EatingWell Wednesday - Apple Cupcakes

There are times where you want or need to make a little dessert or 'treat' so why not take the opportunity to up the nutritional value? I found this tasty apple cupcake recipe on EatingWell. Now, I actually changed it a bit but I am certain in it's original state, it is fabulous as well.

Since I did not have dried apple or cake flour, I went off on my own. It also came out more like a muffin to me than what I think of as cupcake consistency so give both my version and EatingWell version and see which is your favorite.


photo pre-icing

Recipe:
I omitted the dried apples and used regular unbleached AP flour in lieu of cake flour. If you use this recipe, add 1.5 teaspoons cinnamon so there is more of a cinnamon presence. I found it to have a muffin consistency.

The icing is perfect as is.

Mini-Quiches & Shrimp Coconut Curry using Carnation Evaporated Milk

There are a few statements I have made a number of times: Keep your pantry stocked and give some variety in the kids' lunch box. Both are important to be able to make good meals quickly and offer kids some variety. One item that I usually have in my pantry is a can of Carnation Evaporated milk (low fat). I have it in my pantry for two reasons: The first being that my mom requests it to make a baked dish when she is visiting and the second is that I use it in a special dish that I make for my hubby, called Shrimp Coconut Curry.

Since I genuinely use the product, I was happy to take part in the campaign from One to One Network and Carnation. They asked if I would make one savory dish from their new holiday cookbook (check it out!) as well as one of my own original dishes that I substitute evaporated milk for regular milk (they also covered the cost of the food). I mean, did you know you could cook with evaporated milk as well as bake? The reason I prefer the evaporated milk in the curry dish below is because the consistency and thickening is a one step process versus the milk and cornstarch process I used to use and it definitely gives the consistency we enjoy. Did you know that you can choose from regular, lowfat or fat-free? My preference is the low fat as I still get the smoothness and thickening power but less fat content.

From their cookbook, I chose to make the mini-quiches as I thought it would be a great item to put in my daughter's lunch box and as a grab on the go in the morning. I was able to use mostly organic ingredients and used a the red pepper from our garden. Since the store only had one can of low fat, I used the regular evaporated milk for this recipe.

My verdict (and both companies even want the truth): We did enjoy it as you can see below. These are quick, fast and convenient. I also tossed some in the freezer! Note from the photos that my picky little eater son was crazy about them. I thought for sure he was going to throw one of his little fits but I guess he figured he loves eggs so much that these would be worth trying with no grievances. I loved pointing out to him that he also ate broccoli and pepper (after item was consumed)

I think these will be great with the low fat version as well. If you also prefer a low fat diet, be sure to use the low fat version and maybe even low fat cheese. I also used organic whole wheat flour since I did not have any all-purpose white and the consistency was great.

Party-Perfect Mini-Quiches from the Carnation Holiday Cookbook

1 can (12 fl. oz.) CARNATION® Evaporated Milk

3 large organic eggs, beaten

2 tablespoons all-purpose whole wheat flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 cups (8-oz. pkg.) shredded organic mild cheddar cheese

2 cups chopped, frozen organic broccoli, thawed and drained

1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper from our garden
Now onto one of my husband (and friends) favorite dishes:

Shrimp Coconut Curry

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon canola oil
1-2 red bell peppers, seeded and chopped

3/4 large sweet onion, chopped
1/2-1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced. Vary amount depending on heat you enjoy

2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground coriander

5 teaspoons curry powder
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 12-ounce can low-fat evaporated skim milk
1 cup unsweetened light coconut milk
1 pounds (51-60) uncooked large shrimp, peeled and deveined
Fresh cilantro: Trust me, this makes the dish!
Salt & freshly ground pepper

Preparation
1. Heat the oil in a large pan or wok over medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2 Add the garlic, jalapeno pepper, coriander, cumin and curry powder and cook, stirring, about 2 minutes.

3. Then reduce the heat to low and add the evaporated low-fat milk and coconut milk. Mix well and bring to a simmer but be sure to continually stir it to prevent scorching. Simmer for a few minutes.

4. Add the shrimp and cook until the shrimp are pink and approximately 10 but be sure not to overcook.

5. Stir in cilantro and season with salt and pepper to taste. I serve this over brown rice.

So, do you think we could convince Carnation to try making an Organic version?

EatingWell Wednesday - Fruit & Chicken Salad

I posted earlier about this fantastic broccoli and bacon salad I made for the Time for Lunch Campaign. However, I held out on you as the other lovely salad I made was EatingWell's Fruit & Chicken Salad.

Gosh, we all devoured both of those salads and I was thrilled to find that I still had everything I needed to make my own for a late night snack last night. Yum!


(photo pre-feta and dressing)

In case you were wondering what the kids thought, they were mad that I made the watermelon and cantaloupe into 'balls' so they marched off and stuck to the corn and grapes.

EatingWell Wednesday - -Shrimp with Watermelon and Pineapple Salsa

It's true, it is. There is one food that my kids swear they do not like and it is shrimp. They swear that can not stand it but I know that that is only true when it is naked. You know, when it is not covered in a batter. I do not necessarily mean fried as they eat my crunchy baked shrimp, but simply coated.

Taking this into consideration, I decided to do what I normally do not do: make 2 dinners. My hubby and I wanted to have a 'date night' but since my daughter had a fever, a sitter was out, so we dined in. The kids ate early and I gave 'Shrimp with Melon and Pineapple Salsa' from EatingWell a shot.

The only deviations I made are as follows: I used 51-60 shrimp as that is what I had in the freezer. For melon I used watermelon and I did not use mint as sorry but I still despise it. I said and I feel free.

If you are a person that is a huge fan of sweet balanced with spicy than you will love this! The freshness of the melon with the heat was really noticed by my husband and he does not usually comment on such things.

EatingWell Wednesday - Sugar Snap Pea Salad

I admit it, I am getting used to certain foods in their raw state as simple snacks on the go. Sugar snap peas are one of them. The kids love them crunchy out of the bag so the idea of a boil was not appealing however, I saw that EatingWell was only instructing a 2 minute boil and then a quick cool off so I was willing.

This also seemed like such a quick, easy and cheap side dish to make but would come out looking impressive so I made it in less than 5 minutes and we all like it....yes, all four of us. Therefore, the Sugar Snap Pea Salad is going to be filed under 'entertaining' as it looked tasted as good as it looked.



I know, you do not believe me: I simply told the five year old that it contained snap peas, red pepper and vinegar and she took a fork full as she likes each of those individually. The three year old, yes, more of a task. He ran from me. In response, I simply turned my back and walked away stating that I was glad he would not eat any because I could have it all to myself. He came running after me and sat at the table. He then proceeded to grab the fork, flip some off the plate while trying to stab some and then ate, smiled and told me he did not like it....and then ate the rest. Stinker.

EatingWell Wednesday: Lime & Agave Nectar Chicken

Another crazy hump day and all I had done as far as dinner plans was to make sure I had some chicken breasts. So I went to my trusted resource: EatingWell magazine. I typed in chicken breasts and up popped Lime & Honey Chicken. Although I thought I had honey, I found that I did not so I made the quick decision to use organic agave nectar. I also deviated by using boneless, skinless breasts and I only marinated half of the chicken with red pepper flakes so that I could spare myself the complaints from little ones with a pepper flake stuck in their molars-yikes!

This as super fast and easy to make so give it a try. If you are super short on time, do not make the glaze.

I asked the kids to give a thumbs up if they liked it and here was the response.

I think sticking (no pun intended) with honey is best as it is a bit thicker than the nectar.

Martha Stewart and I make Cinnamon-Oat Pancakes

Saturday morning was already going to be an extremely busy morning but the kids had asked me on Friday to please make pancakes in the morning. I said yes remembering I wanted to create an oatmeal pancake recipe. Sure enough early Saturday morning came and as soon as I remembered my obligation and realized I had not planned ahead, I ran to Martha Stewart online for a recipe. The first recipe that popped up is 'Cinnamon-Oat Pancakes' so off we went to the kitchen.




Since I rarely find myself following a recipe exactly and I am always try to up the nutritional content in some way, I opted to vary the recipe by using 1 cup of unbleached organic flour to 1 cup of organic whole wheat flour. I then followed the recipe to a 'T'. The result was tasty and the kids enjoyed them however, I think they would have been less dense if I had cut the oats down to 1 cup.

Do you like your pancakes light and fluffy? If yes, then follow her instructions and see how they come out but I have to wonder: Which is better nutritionally? To use all AP flour with all the oats called for OR use some whole wheat flour but cut down on the oats?

Paprika Shrimp & Green Bean Saute

I purchased a magazine the other day that caught my eye called 'Eating Well'. I ran across this recipe and knew it was the first one I wanted to try. My instructions below are a bit different so use mine or click on this link to follow theirs exactly. I thought this was a great recipe however, I am glad I used half the amount of beans.



Ingredients:
16 oz. bag organic green beans, frozen
1 tablespoon water
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 large cloves garlic, chopped
2 teaspoons paprika
1 pound raw shrimp (21-30 per pound) peeled and deveined
1 16-ounce cans large butter beans or cannellini beans, rinsed
1/3 cup red-wine vinegar
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup chopped fresh parsley, divided
Freshly ground pepper to taste

Instructions:
1. Place green beans and water in a microwave safe bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and cook on high setting for 5 to 6 minutes. Stir and check for doneness (thoroughly heated and crisp-tender). If necessary, add a touch more water, recover and cook an additional 1 to 2 minutes.


2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and paprika and cook, stirring constantly, until just fragrant but not browned, about 20 seconds.

3. Add shrimp and cook until pink and opaque, about 2 minutes per side. Stir in beans, vinegar and salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 2 minutes. Stir in the parsley and green beans, stir and serve.