We went on vacation and I didn't have asparagus.

Last week we went on a cruise.  In an effort not to gain 25lbs in a week, I tried to eat as many greens as possible, as little bread as possible and try asparagus!!  The asparagus didn't happen, more on that later.

Here's what I did try!

Jalapeno Potato Soup

This soup was DELICIOUS!!! I'd had it before and it was even better this time!  I'll recreate this in the fall when it's time for comfort food! 

Conchiglioni Pasta filled with Spinach & Ricotta served atop Marinara w/ a Pesto Drizzle

This dish was pretty good.  I'm not a huge fan of Ricotta cheese, so when I make it,  I'll make a Mozzarella/ Parmigiano Reggiano filling instead!

Bresaola Carpaccio

Yes...that is meat on the bottom of that dish.  No...I did not eat it.  BUT, the potato salad stuff on top was FANTASTIC!!!  So much so, that Miss J had them bring her a dish of it!!!  Potato Salad is great!!

I really wanted to try asparagus....I tried (well, sort of).  Anyway, I felt so strongly about it, when I got home the first thing I picked up from the store was asparagus.

I've always been a bit intimidated by asparagus.  It looks so...treelike, and fibrous.  Nonetheless, I bought it cooked it and...hid it...in pasta. :)  There's nothing like stir fry!

Here's what I did:

Vegetable quantities are estimated.   Feel free to add more of what you like, and less of what you don't.  I did!

1 julienne cut Carrot.

2/3 cup of Snow Peas (cut into bite-sized pieces)

1 tablespoon Fresh Italian Parsley

1/2 cup chopped Red Pepper

1/2 cup chopped Green Pepper

Zest & Juice of 1 Lemon

1 large clove of fresh Garlic minced (or Garlic pressed)

3/4 Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese - Finely Grated

1 tablespoon of Olive Oil

1/2 Tablespoon of Unsalted Butter

Salt & Pepper to taste

Morton's Nature's Seasoning Blend - to taste

1lb cooked pasta (Your choice)
1/4 cup Green Onions

1 cup Asparagus (chopped) - Miss J said I'm exaggerating a bit about the quantity, but whatever, this is my recipe!

I sauteed the veggies in butter and olive oil until crisp tender.  Tossed the veggies with the cooked pasta and added cheese.  Toss until mixed well and serve.

...

Ok, I admit it.  I cheated the asparagus, by hiding it in pasta...and cheese.  I feel a little bad about it too.  (sigh)

I guess I'll have to make it again, especially since I cheated the snow peas too.  :/

Everyone loved it though and that stands for something in my book!!!

How do you prepare Asparagus or Snow Peas?  Do you tend to hide them too?  Any recipe suggestions?

I'd love to hear from you!  Please comment, follow & subscribe!

Organic Fennel & Saffron

Fennel was the vegetable of choice this time!

Fennel is rich in fiber, folate, vitamin C, and potassium! As a result,  when consuming fennel,  you are helping to boost your immune system, lower high blood pressure, and remove toxins from the colon! (Source:WHFoods.com)

I had always stayed from Fennel, because I'm not a fan of licorice....unless it's the red kind you eat at the movies.  So, this one was a bit of a stretch!  Nevertheless, I made Fennel with this recipe:

Toasted Orzo with Saffron and Fennel

For more flavor I added Organic Better than Boullion (more info. on this product coming soon). 

The Fennel was a fail.  No one liked it.  The licorice flavor of the fennel did not appeal to any of our taste buds.  I tried to slip it in my husbands lunch, since he wasn't home for dinner.  He REALLY didn't like it.  My bad...

 I will admit that the raw fennel was not so bad.  

The texture of Fennel is similar to celery, but I found it to be less stringy.   The fresh taste was initially really nice, until I got to the licorice notes.  It would probably be very nice on a salad, if you are a fan of licorice or anise.

On another note...

This recipe also required us to try Saffron for the first time.  We loved it!!!  

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

Saffron is the stamen of the crocus plant and actually is beneficial to good health.  Saffron has been shown to improve vision and memory, lower cholesterol, and improve digestion among other benefits.   In addition, it can be made into a paste and applied to bruises, bug bites and burns to expedite healing. (sources: Benefits of Saffron &  Natural News)

Although saffron is the most expensive spice in the world, I found a small packet at my local Marshalls/ HomeGoods store for $1.99.  The recipe called for 1 tsp. of saffron and that is exactly the amount the package contained! 

The kids and I tasted the prepared orzo, before the Fennel was added.  The saffron had a mild, spicy flavor that was very tasty! I will definitely make this recipe again, minus the fennel.

Until next time!

Denise

Organic Kale

Organic Kale

This week we decided to try another green, leafy veggie... Kale!

Kale is high in vitamins K, A, and C and has been shown to lower the risk of breast, colon, prostate and ovarian cancer.  In addition, Kale can be also be useful for detoxification purposes.  Kale is recognized for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits and can help lower cholesterol.  All in all, Kale is good stuff! (source: whfoods.org)

First, I used it to make a green smoothie via the VitaMix.

AFTER

BEFORE

The flavor was better than the Rainbow Chard!  The kids and I were pleasantly surprised. :)

 In the future, I may use a small amount of kale, in addition to a larger portion of spinach, which is almost tasteless when blended.

The second recipe was:

Crispy Kale Chips on the Food Network

These tasty little chips were easy to make and just fine to snack on while dinner was in the works.

Here's the verdict....

Denise (That's Me) - They're tasty...they remind me of pumpkin seeds...kinda.

J (Husband) - He tasted two Kale Chips "Not good, but not nasty." (I'll take that as a no.) 
 

Miss J (Daughter - 15) -"They're OK...better than I expected."
 

JB (Son - 10) - "They're pretty good. They remind me of pumpkin seeds." (scary) (He didn't eat any more of them.)

Nobody loved them.  Nobody hated them.  So...

I decided to try the Kale one more time with this recipe:

Red Kale - Before

  Kale with Garlic, Sauteed Onions, and Cranberries

Recipe info:  The best way to prepare Kale to get the biggest bang for your body is to steam it for 5 min.  So, I steamed the kale in a steamer basket.  Next, I sauteed onions, and Better than Bouillion - Organic Vegetarian (for more flavor) in a separate sauce pan.  Finally, I tossed everything together gently.  The texture of the Kale was really nice.  It was quite a bit firmer than cooked spinach, which I really liked.  In the comment section of the recipe, someone added sauteed onions, so I thought I would give it a try.  Personally, I didn't think they were necessary.  In my opinion, the recipe would have been better without them.  The cranberries added a great chewy texture and the sweetness was nice. 

This recipe is a Winner!!!

 The Verdict...

Me - I liked it...pretty much...considering what it was.  I would eat it again and will add it to our diet.  The health benefits are phenomenal and I found myself going back for more....after a really small first taste. :)

J (Husband) - J liked it as well.  He said it was really good and he'd like to have it again.  He thought there was too much garlic in the recipe, so I will include less next time.  He was pleasantly surprised and thought it was way better than the Rainbow Chard.  
 

Miss J (Daughter - 15) - Didn't go for it.  She said the cranberries were good, (blank stare) and that was it for her.  Thumbs down...(big surprise)

 JB (Son - 10) - He liked it.  After waiting for me to taste it, he cheerfully ate his portion and gave it a thumbs up!!

Organic Rainbow Chard

 

Rainbow Chard....The First Veggie!!!

Why Chard? 

 Chard is super healthy!  It's a member of the beet family and is full of vitamins and phytonutrients (healthy stuff).  It's good for your heart, helps regulate blood sugar, and is antioxidant rich.  Chard is also full of vitamins A, K & C. (Source: The World's Healthiest Foods)

 The first application was a green smoothie.  I forgot to take a picture of it, but that's OK, because it was greenish brown and looked pretty gross.  It won't go into a smoothie again, the flavor was way too....well...green. 

Next, I tried this recipe:

Spicy Swiss Chard on the Food Network

I really enjoyed preparing this recipe!  It was fun and easy to make.  I love to chop, saute and all that, so I had a blast! The chard was flavorful and I thought it was beautiful!  Unfortunately, the taste reminded me of cabbage, which I don't really care for.  So, if you're a fan of cabbage...go for it!  You'll love it!

Here are the results: 

 

Denise (That's Me) - I wasn't crazy about it.  I'd eat it again, but not cheerfully.
 

J (Husband) - He liked it!  Thumbs up!

Miss J (Daughter and pickiest eater next to me) - Thumbs down.

JB (Son) - Thumbs up! "That's pretty good!"