Showing posts with label recipes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label recipes. Show all posts

Tuesday, August 6, 2013

Quinoa Salad with Lemon Basil Dressing Recipe

Ok, so we know I've been taking baby steps toward becoming a better cook and hopefully someday will achieve kitchen greatness like my sister, Mom, and Gram...someday, someday.

But this quinoa salad with lemon basil dressing recipe is
1) easy and came be made quickly
2) loaded with greenery and healthy goodness
3) another stand-by recipe for summer picnics and parties #FTW

I found and pinned this Quinoa Salad with Lemon Basil Dressing on the beloved Pinterest and made a few tweaks for my liking. (Original recipe from two peas & their pod).

Here's what you'll need to make Quinoa Salad with Lemon Basil Dressing:

Serves 4-6

For the Dressing:
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon honey or agave nectar
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the salad:
2 cups water
1 cup quinoa
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup of frozen chopped asparagus spears
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (to prevent the avocado from browning)
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup of edamame
1 avocado, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup chopped basil (I love basil and added a wee bit more)

Quinoa Salad Recipe
Perfect summer picnic salad: add some greenery to your scenery!

Directions:

1. In a small bowl or medium jar, combine the dressing ingredients. Whisk to combine or shake with the jar lid on tight. Set aside.
2. Add water, quinoa, and salt to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil for 5 minutes. Turn the heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until water is absorbed. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork.
3. While the quinoa is cooking, this is the part you can be ambitious or take the easy route...baby steps, right? Either cook the fresh asparagus and peas, or use the frozen kind (I opted for frozen chopped asparagus spears and peas and popped those bad boys right in the microwave.)
4. In a large bowl, combine quinoa, asparagus, peas, edamame and avocado. Pour the dressing over the salad and stir until well coated. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in the fresh basil and serve. Boom. Easy peasy!


If you'd like more colorful, colorful in language too, healthy recipes-- be sure to check out ThugKitchen. Absolutely hysterical, tasty recipes, healthy lifestyle choices and a whole lot of expletives and...they just announced they inked a book deal. For the %$#^@! win. Keep JAMmin fellow bloggers and creative cooks!

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

JAM Mulberry Apple Cobbler Recipe

As I mentioned in my last weekend recap post, I made my Dad a (bomb) cobbler recipe for Father's Day. There is a giant mulberry tree growing in the backyard and I was curious as to how to craft up a good recipe from it. I picked an entire colander of mulberries, wowzer! I had my work cut out for me!


The best way to describe mulberries, if you have never tried them, is the size and shape of a raspberry, not as fleshy, not as sweet. See?


So I perused Pinterest and found this super easy mulberry cobbler recipe from a fellow Ohio blogger, Columbus Foodie. I tweaked the original recipe to add in a lil more JAM and it turned out fab! Here's what you'll need:

MulberryApple Cobbler
8 in. square metal dish

2 1/2 – 3 c. mulberries
2 apples diced
1/2 c. sugar
6 tbsp. butter
3/4 c. flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 c. milk
pint of vanilla bean ice cream

  • Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Clean your mulberries and chop apples.  Set aside.
  • Next in a separate large bowl mix sugar, flour, baking powder, salt.
  • Melt the butter and pour it into an eight inch square metal dish.
  • Add the milk to your dry ingredients and mix until a thick batter; remember to keep the berries separate! A very important step in this recipe is to pour the batter into the dish. You do not want to mix the batter when it is in the dish because the butter is there first for a reason.
  • Now that the batter is already in the pan you can add your mulberries and apples.
  • Sprinkle them all over the top of the batter like so...
  • All poured and ready for the oven
  • Pop that bad boy in the oven for 20-25 minutes, time may vary according to your oven.
    Boom!
  • Test to see if it's done by inserting a toothpick in the center to see if it comes out clean. If so, allow the cobbler to rest for 5 minutes before cutting.
Yumminess!!!
 
  • This is a more "light" cobbler upside down recipe as opposed to the traditional biscuit style cobbler. Honestly, I prefer this recipe more since it's a great post-cookout dessert that doesn't make you feel like you're going to explode.
  • Finally, cut and serve in large wine glasses for added effect. Scoop a dollop of fresh vanilla bean ice cream on top of the warm cobbler.
  • Serve and receive many compliments and happy bellies. 
For more recipes, follow my board on Pinterest!  And keep JAMmin!

What's your favorite dessert to top off a cookout? What's your go-to easy summer dessert recipe? Have you ever tried mulberries?