Mashed Parsnips with Country Crock Spread

This post is sponsored by Country Crock. I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective, and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Let's talk about mashed potatoes. I make them all the time and I'm pretty damn good at it. The only problem is that I don't particularly like eating them all that much, but I make it because others do. I've seen recipes for mashed cauliflower and other root vegetables floating around, though I've never bothered to try any until now.

The requirement for this promotion was to make a vegetable dish from the Clare Crespo cookbook, which is a collection of family-friendly vegetable dishes made with Country Crock spread. The recipes are on the whimsical side, and since I have no reason to play with my food I didn't follow those steps. If you like to engage your kids in what they're eating, though, this is the e-book for you. There are a few other recipes from the e-book that I'd like to try, like the zucchini boats.

Cooking with Country Crock is a good alternative to butter. The flavor might be a little different, but I've always liked the taste of spreads (I know...) and it works well with vegetables. This spread is free from hydrogenated oils and trans fat and there is a selection of spreads from which to choose, like the calcium+vitamin D spread I am using today. One aspect of this spread that I like is that it's spreadable straight from the fridge.

As for the recipe, all you have to do is boil the parsnips with onions until tender, which takes about ten to fifteen minutes. Near the end, stir in some frozen peas.

I changed the recipe a little since I don't have to worry about picky eaters. The additions and substitutions I made were to add a little parsley and fresh garlic, and replacing the heavy cream with Greek yogurt.

The mixture is pureed until smooth in the food processor along with two tablespoons of Country Crock spread. It comes together quickly and would be perfect for a busy weekend night.

However, and this is my personal opinion, I don't think this would make a good recipe for picky kids. The parsnips on their own have a rather sweet taste and might not be suitable for the palate of a small kid. I also felt that this recipe was a little bland, even with the changes I made. I guess more salt would have helped. Roasting parsnips would probably be better if you're introducing parsnips to your children for the first time.

Other than that, I liked it. It was different from mashed potatoes, but I liked the lighter consistency. I have to admit that even I was not used to the sweetness, so I would make sure to pair it with the right entree. (I served it with fish and rice pilaf.)

Recipe after jump.

Are you looking for quick and simple tips and recipes to make serving veggies more fun? Download the free Clare Crespo Cookbook here for fun and whimsical recipes your family is sure to love!

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Pureed Parsnips with Parsley and Peas
Recipe adapted from the Clare Crespo Cookbook by Christina Provo

Serves 4-6

Ingredients -

4 parsnips, peeled and chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup lightly packed parsley, rinsed
1 clove garlic, smashed
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons Country Crock spread
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Directions -

1. Place parsnips and onion in a medium pot with enough water to just cover the parsnips. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to maintain a rolling simmer and cook until parsnips are just tender, 10-15 minutes. Add frozen peas once parsnips are barely tender and cook another 3-5 minutes.


2. Reserve 1/2 cup liquid; drain the parsnips and place in the bowl of a food processor. Add the remaining ingredients and process until smooth, adding tablespoons of reserved water if needed if the puree is to thick.

Fresh Black Bean and Corn Salad with Cilantro Vinaigrette

One of my favorite salads (or side dish, rather) is this fresh black bean and corn salad. There are many different versions out there and this one is mine. It pairs well with fish, chicken, steak, or solo and I have yet to meet the person who does not like it (not that I would be friends with the person who refuses to see how great this dish is).

I said "fresh", though you'll notice I have a bag of frozen corn. I normally slice corn off the cob, and I feel the milkiness of the fresh corn adds a lot to this recipe, though I had tons of bags of frozen corn in the freezer and it saved me from buying an additional ingredient. Besides, frozen vegetables are actually fresher than their canned counterparts, so the texture wasn't much different compared to corn on the cob.

Aside from the corn, the other ingredients are canned black beans, mini peppers, jalapenos, red onion, and the cilantro vinaigrette.

Usually, I just toss everything with fresh lime juice, olive oil, chopped cilantro, minced garlic, and a little salt, but this time I created this versatile vinaigrette. I have no doubt that this recipe can be used like a chimichurri sauce (which contains parsley) on meat, fish, or on salads. It's pretty good, and tasted better the longer it rested.

In the vinaigrette was cilantro, half the jalapenos, garlic, fresh lime juice, and olive oil, blended until the everything emulsified into a smooth green sauce. I thinned it out with a little water, then poured it over the salad.

The only downside to this recipe is that once you make it, you will have to keep making it forever. I hope you can live with that.

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Fresh Black Bean and Corn Salad with Cilantro Vinaigrette
Recipe by Christina Provo

Ingredients -

2 16 ounce cans black beans, rinsed
2 cups fresh or frozen corn (if using frozen, rinse under cool water until thawed)
1 cup finely chopped multi-colored mini peppers, seeded
3 jalapeno halves, seeded, deveined, and finely chopped
1/2 a red onion, finely chopped
1 cup lightly packed cilantro, rinsed
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1 1/2 jalapenos, deveined and finely chopped
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
2-4 tablespoons water

Directions -

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the black beans, corn, peppers, jalapenos, and red onion.
2. Place the cilantro, garlic, jalapenos, olive oil, lime juice, and salt in a blender. Puree until smooth, adding tablespoons of water if needed. If the vinaigrette is too thick, thin it out with more of the water, aiming for a thick, pourable consistency.
3. Pour vinaigrette over black beans, tossing to coat. Refrigerate an hour or more prior to serving. Serve chilled.

quinoa salad with toasted almonds

In need of a healthy and tasty lunch? Look no further than this salad, featuring protein-packed quinoa and toasted almonds. Using Martha Stewart's recipe as my starting point, I switched out various vegetables and added other ingredients. I also used dried thyme instead of fresh. Otherwise, I followed the cooking method exactly as written.

The ingredients were prepped and I began sauteing the green onions, onions, garlic, and red pepper flakes. After the onions soften, the quinoa is added along with water, thyme, and salt. Halfway through, sliced zucchini is mixed into the quinoa. The total cooking time to cook the quinoa was about 17-20 minutes.

As the quinoa cooked, bacon was cooking in a skillet and almonds were toasting in the oven. The remaining ingredients were prepped and ready to be tossed with the quinoa.

Place the cooked quinoa into a large mixing bowl to toss with additional ingredients.

The flavor of the thyme with the heat of the red pepper is really delicious. I would recommend that you do not leave out the toasted almonds because they add a lot of flavor and crunch. Each portion is packed with a lime wedge to be squeezed over the salad before serving, which adds another dimension of flavor. I would recommend adding chopped flat-leaf parsley, too.

Besides packing for lunches, this would make an excellent light dinner or tasty side dish.

Caramelized Onion Latkes with Aioli

I love hashbrowns. My earliest memory of making them was during the '90s when I was 7ish. My dad often made them for weekend breakfasts, and I started making them, too. What I like about hashbrowns is that more of the potato surface is exposed to the heat, creating a great ratio of crispy potatoes to fleshy innards. It's like French fries for breakfast, and who wouldn't like that? So, as part of the recipes I created for Newman's Own by Foodbuzz Tastemaker, I had to include latkes, because "latkes" sounds better than "Homemade McDonald's Hashbrowns.

Many countries have their own version of latkes as part of their cuisine, and they're also a popular Jewish dish during Hanukkah. Besides potatoes, latkes include onion, garlic, flour and egg to bind the potatoes together. In my version, I caramelized the onions first to bring a delicious, subtle sweetness to the potatoes, and served them with an aioli sauce instead of applesauce, which is traditional.

Latkes would make a good appetizer before the meal, or a side dish. They're a bit time consuming to prepare, so you could go ahead and fry the latkes earlier on, and reheat in the oven prior to serving. Preparing the potato mixture ahead of time isn't a good idea since the potatoes "weep" and the batter gets watery. However, the aioli can be prepared a day in advance.

Recipe after the jump.

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Caramelized Onion Latkes with Aioli
by - She Runs, She Eats

Caramelized onions add a nice flavor to these traditional favorites. Topped with a quick aioli and you're all set for a light meal.

Top Five: Onions, potatoes, egg yolks, garlic, olive oil
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 55 minutes
Serves: 5

Ingredients:

4 cups onions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 pounds russet potatoes, enough for 2 1/2 cups shredded potatoes
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
2 large eggs, beaten
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
Canola oil, for frying

Aioli:

2 large egg yolks
3 cloves garlic, minced and pressed to a paste (doesn't need to be completely smooth)
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

1. In a large skillet on medium-high heat melt butter and olive oil until sizzling. Add onions, salt, and sugar. Stir to coat. Let cook for 5 minutes, then lower heat to medium and continue cooking for another 20 minutes, stirring often, until onions reduce and take on a deep brown color. Make sure they aren't beginning to char. Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl. When somewhat cool, place on a cutting board and chop finely.


2. Meanwhile, two large bowls with just enough water to submerge potatoes. As you peel the potatoes, place them, whole, into one bowl. Grate potatoes onto a cutting board; place shreds in second bowl. Continue until you have grated all the potatoes, then let them soak for 3 minutes. Drain in a large, fine mesh sieve for 5 minutes. Place potatoes on a cotton dishtowel, roll up, and wring out as much liquid as possible. Put potatoes in a mixing bowl.


3. To the shredded potatoes, add caramelized onions, lemon juice, eggs, flour, and salt. Stir to combine. Spoon into the sieve and place over a bowl. Set aside while you prepare the aioli.


4. In a medium bowl, blend egg yolks, garlic paste, lemon juice, honey, mustard, and salt with a mixer. With mixer on medium high, slowly stream in olive oil until emulsified with egg yolks.


5. Prepare a baking sheet by placing a cooling rack on top; cover with a single layer of paper towels. Heat enough oil to coat the bottom of a large skillet over medium high heat. Lower a bit if smoking. Scoop 1/8 cup portions of potato mixture and pat onto the palm of your hands. Gently place in skillet and press out into 3-inch circles with the bottom of a spatula. Cook four at a time. Fry for two minutes; flip carefully and cook for another 2 minutes or until both sides are a deep brown. Remove to cooling rack. Repeat with remaining mixture.


6. To serve, dollop each latke with aioli.

Newman's Own Lighten Up Caesar Orzo Pilaf

If you remember my Newman's Own video post, I received a package of Newman's Own products thanks to a Foodbuzz Tastemaker program. Well, my recipes didn't end with the recipe I created to feature in the video. I also made a tasty side dish to accompany the chicken cutlets I cooked.

It's pretty cool to have received all these items, and to show my appreciation I want to utilize them by making a few more recipes with the products. Also, stay tuned for a giveaway. I haven't been able to locate Newman's Own pizzas in the grocery stores around here so my plan is to give away the two coupons I received, each good for one pizza. Hopefully you guys will have better luck! It'll begin Monday.

This is a very quick recipe that cooks in under twenty minutes. Orzo is a unique pasta because it's small and can be used in ways similar to rice. Using Newman's Own Lighten Up Caesar dressing, the flavor is infused into the orzo as it cooks. I opted to do this instead of stir it in after it had cooked because I felt the flavors of the dressing would stand out more.

What is a pilaf? Shortly, it's a rice dish with vegetables, but cooked with chicken (or vegetable broth) and wine. The rice is also browned a bit with the vegetables, afterward it's cooked like you would plain rice. It's a great dish for special occasions and doesn't take much more effort to make.

How can you make it with orzo? Pretty much the same way. After sauteing the vegetables, mushrooms, onions, and garlic here, you add the orzo and saute for a few minutes until it begins to look somewhat brown and toasted.

The broth and Caesar dressing are added. The mixture is then returned to a boil and cooked until the orzo is al dente. Unlike with rice, you don't have to cover it with a lid. A few minutes near the end, I added frozen peas (which were somewhat thawed). I didn't add them earlier because I wanted to reserve their bright green color.

My pilaf came out with a bit extra liquid, though most of it had soaked into the orzo. I liked it a little saucy because it reminded me of risotto. The dressing really stood out and flavored the dish nicely, and the romano cheese from the dressing lends a complexity of tastes. It's light enough to serve alongside a heavier main dish. Perfect for spring, perfect if you have a bottle of Newman's Own Lighten Up Caesar Dressing waiting to be used!

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Newman's Own Lighten Up Caesar Orzo Pilaf
Recipe by Christina Provo, adapted from quick orzo pilaf.

ingredients -

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups finely chopped button mushrooms
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
8 ounces dry orzo pasta
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 cup Newman's Own Lighten Up Caesar Dressing
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
2 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped

directions -

1. In a medium pot heat olive oil and butter over medium heat. And onions and salt; saute for 3-5 minutes or until it begins to turn translucent. Stir in garlic and mushrooms; cook for one minute. Stir in orzo and saute for 4-5 minutes, or until orzo begins to brown.


2. Meanwhile, heat the broth and the Caesar dressing until warmed. Add to orzo and bring to a boil. Reduce to a rapid simmer; cook for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally to keep orzo from sticking to bottom of pot. Mix in peas and continue cooking for an additional 3 minutes, checking to see if orzo is al dente.


3. When pasta is cooked, remove orzo pilaf to a serving bowl; stir in parsley. Serve immediately.

baked onion rings

Please vote for my cupcakes!

I was perusing blogs and came across a recipe for baked onion rings. What drew me to try them was that they really did look like the real deal, minus the hassle of frying. The coating evenly coated the onion rings and the mixture remained intact. After baking, the crunchy coating was evenly crisp with a perfectly cooked onion in the center. I was sold, and knew that the effort would pay off with crunchy deliciousness.

To start, you prepare a thick buttermilk mixture with flour and seasonings. You'll want to make sure this is properly seasoned since all the flavorings are mixed into the buttermilk mixture instead of the coating (which you can also jazz up with an herb blend, if desired).

For the coating, the directions call for cornflakes and bread crumbs, though I didn't have any. Rice Krispies make a good substitution, as well as bran flakes or any light, relatively flavorless cereal. I replaced a bit of the rice cereal with oatmeal ground to a powder. I liked the flavor it added, though the coating was a little mealy. Not enough to detract from the taste, so I might do it again.

A few pointers to ease the coating process:

• Make sure all excess buttermilk mixture has dripped off the onion rings, otherwise it'll leave to many clumps in the crumb mixture.


• Work with half the crumb mixture at a time, adding more when you get low. This will prevent more of the mixture from clumping.


• Use your other hand to coat the rings with the crumbs, preferably using a fork. The less you dip your fingers in the mixture, the less messy it'll be.

I found that the rings, once coated in both mixtures, can be left to air dry for a couple of minutes, or even up to an hour. You might then be able to freeze the rings and cook later. If you opt to try this out, freeze in a single layer on wax paper lined baking sheet. Transfer to a gallon size ziploc bag to freeze for up to a week.

To bake, a few tablespoons of oil are heated on a rimmed baking sheet in the oven before the rings are placed on the sheet. This most likely assures maximum crispiness and mimics the frying technique. It produces a very crisp ring with a light and crunchy coating. The flavor was great, and these make a nice addition to hot dog, sandwiches, and burgers as well as soups, or simply for general snacking. Serve alongside your favorite dipping sauce and you're good to go.

Recipe after jump.

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baked onion rings
Recipe from Martha Stewart

Serves 4

ingredients -

1 1/2 cups cornflakes
1/2 cup plain dried breadcrumbs
1 large egg
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Coarse salt (I used around 3/4 teaspoon) and ground pepper
1 medium sweet onion, such as Vidalia (or 2 regular white onions), sliced crosswise into 1/4-1/2 inch slices and broken into rings (discard small center rings)
3 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil

directions -

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a food processor, pulse cornflakes and breadcrumbs until fine crumbs form, then transfer half to a medium bowl. In another medium bowl, whisk together egg, buttermilk, flour, and cayenne and season with salt and pepper.


2. Dip onion rings in egg mixture (letting excess drip off) and dredge in cornflake mixture (adding more when needed); place on a large plate. Rings can stand for up to an hour. Pour oil onto a rimmed baking sheet. Place in oven and heat 2 minutes. Remove sheet from oven and tilt to coat evenly with oil. Arrange onion rings on sheet. Bake, turning once, until onion rings are golden brown, about 16 minutes.

Candied Sweet Potato Casserole

A favorite side dish around here for Thanksgiving and Christmas is Candied Sweet Potato Casserole. My mom found this particular recipe a long time ago from America's Test Kitchen. What she liked was the cooking method and the ability to make the dish, up to a point, ahead of time to help cut down on Thanksgiving Day cooking.

The sweet potatoes are peeled, sliced, and added to a skillet with melted butter along with brown sugar, salt, pepper, and water, then covered and cooked until tender.

The lid is then removed and the heat raised so the liquid is reduced to a glaze. Since we usually double the sauce ingredients you can remove the sweet potatoes after 10 minutes and continue cooking down the sauce if it still hasn't reduced enough. I think you're aiming for a slightly thickened glaze as it will continue to cook in the oven. This is the point where you can refrigerate until needed.

Normally you put the sweet potatoes into a casserole dish, but for the sake of now I'm showing two different toppings in small amounts in my ramekins. One is the candied pecan topping and the other is the classic and beloved marshmallow topping. Since the marshmallows get added last, I covered the ramekin with foil. Both should have been covered, and the ramekin with the pecans uncovered for the last 5 minutes. The heat at which the casserole cooks is high and my pecans burnt along the edges. (I also toasted the pecans a bit to help with the flavor, so possibly that's why.) The reason I would suggest covering both is that the uncovered sweet potatoes dried out more and weren't as saucy.

After removing from the oven, turn the broiler on to high. Broiling the marshmallows instead of baking them until toasted is the preferred method for two reasons: Reason 1, it's quicker. Reason 2, since it's quicker, the marshmallows retain their shape longer because the innards haven't yet been heated as much.

We actually prefer the version with the marshmallows because it adds a different flavor when paired with the sweet potatoes and the sauce. It's quite delicious.

What's your favorite Thanksgiving side dish?

(recipe after jump)

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Candied Sweet Potato Casserole
from America's Test Kitchen

Serves 10 to 12

For a more intense molasses flavor, us dark brown sugar (Me: we usually use dark brown sugar) in place of light brown sugar. To make ahead, follow the recipe through step 2. refrigerate the sweet potato mixture in a large microwave-safe bowl, tightly wrapped with plastic wrap, for up to 20 hours. When ready to bake, poke several vent holes in the plastic wrap covering the potatoes and microwave on medium-high power until hot, 3 to 5 minutes. Continue to assemble and bake the casserole as directed in steps 3 and 4.

Sweet Potatoes ~

8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), cut into 1-inch chunks
5 pounds sweet potatoes (about 8 medium), peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 cup light brown sugar
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ cup water

Pecan Topping ~

2 cups pecan halves, toasted in a hot oven for 5 minutes
½ cup packed light brown sugar
1 egg white, lightly beaten
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
Pinch cayenne pepper

directions ~

1. For the Sweet Potatoes: Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven (Me: we use a large, deep skillet) over medium-high heat. Add the sweet potatoes, brown sugar, salt, pepper, and water; bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook, stirring often, until the sweet potatoes are tender (a paring knife can be slipped into and out of the center of the potatoes with very little resistance), 45 to 60 minutes.


2. When the sweet potatoes are tender, remove the lid and bring the sauce to a rapid simmer over medium-high heat. Continue to simmer until the sauce has reduced to a glaze, 7 to 10 minutes.


3. For the Topping: Meanwhile, mix all the ingredients for the topping together in a medium bowl; set aside.


4. Adjust oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 450˚. Pour the potato mixture into a 13 by 9-inch baking dish (or shallow casserole dish of similar size). Spread the topping over the potatoes. Bake until the pecans are toasted and crisp, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve immediately (Me: it can sit for a few minutes if you have any last-minute preparations for other stuff)

Palm Island Sea Salts Review + Butternut Squash Aioli on Blanched Asparagus

I received an assortment of Palm Island Premium Sea Salts from the company that I've been waiting to review. This is one of my favorite brands of sea salt ever since I first stumbled upon the salts in the grocery store a few months ago. I was excited because the flavors of the salts seemed unique compared to other varieties I know about.

Starting clockwise on the top left, we have Bamboo Jade sea salt. Certified organic bamboo-leaf extract is mixed with the salt and has one of the most unique scents and tastes available. The salt crystals are large in size and have a very pretty light green coloring. The suggested use is to enhance Asian recipes. I've sprinkled this salt on top of oatmeal cookies before being baked. Really lends a unique flavor that takes the cookie from typical to outstanding.

Next is White Silver, which is the base for all the other salts. The salt, which is harvested from the Molokai waters, is allowed to dry under Hawaii Kai's original "Solar Seal", their method of preserving the trace minerals present naturally in salt. The ingredients list goes, "Natural Pacific sea salt, premium Hawaiian sea salt, and Hawaii Kai Ocean Essence". The crystals are sparkly and the taste of this one is a bit saltier, but not tinny like most table salts.

Red Gold Sea Salt includes the White Silver mixed with rel alaea clay. The clay they select is purified and bonded with the White Silver. The texture is slightly clumpy when you pour the salt from the bag, but the taste is great. This is the salt featured in the recipe I used for the review.

Last is Black Lava. Hawaii Kai uses premium activated charcoal, which they say is an antitoxin and digestive aid, mixed with their White Silver. The presentation factor is outstanding with this alt. The flavor is deep and earthy and would be great as a finishing salt on meats. (That's how I've used it.)

Any of these salts can be used however you want as a finishing salt, you just need to match or contrast the flavors.

To feature the salt, I paired the Red Gold sea salt with a butternut squash aioli on top of blanched asparagus. I used the same recipe for aioli that I've used in the past, only I omitted the honey and stevia. I didn't have any lemon juice so I subbed white wine vinegar. Also, I doubled the garlic and added a little horseradish mustard. I seasoned lightly with regular flake kosher salt to bring out the flavors, knowing I'd be sprinkling the Palm Island salt on top later. Don't make it too salty!

To make this dish a bit more fall-centric, I roasted a butternut squash until tender, then scooped and mashed the flesh. I added 1/2 cup squash to the finished aioli. The light orange color is beautiful! The aioli can be prepared days ahead of time and stored, covered, in the fridge for a while. This is a great way to sneak in more vegetables into your diet as well as using what's in season. Just make sure the squash is roasted completely and mashed smoothly so it blends with the aioli. I always prick the squash with a fork, microwave on high for 5 minutes. This makes the squash easy to slice open. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and stick in a hot oven (375° is what my oven was on) until the flesh can easily be stuck with a fork and scooped.

I saw these small, tender asparagus stalks at Martin's and knew that I wanted to do something with them. My goal was to keep prep minimal, so instead of roasting I opted to blanch. Blanching is the process of cooking whatever for a brief amount of time in boiling water, just until the color pops, then removing to a bowl of really cold or ice water to halt the cooking process. The result is tender vegetables that look beautiful and have a snap. Difficult to overcook, really. So I trimmed the asparagus, plopped in boiling water, and it was ready in no time. You want to make sure you pat the asparagus dry or else it'll make the aioli watery. All that remained was the finishing touch of the Red Gold Sea Salt, which clearly contrasts nicely against the subtle orange of the aioli.

If you see any of these salts at a grocery store near you, don's hesitate to purchase a bag. They're also available online.

Bossa Nova Juice Review and Recipe

Bossa Nova recently sent me some of their juices to review. The concept here is using superfruits, acai, mangosteen, acerola, and goji berry. Lightly sweetened with agave, these juices contain all natural and organic ingredients that contain nutrients, antioxidants, and vitamins.

Bossa Nova offers a line of individual serving sizes a few different flavors (check the website to see them all). The goji berry with tart cherry was surprisingly pleasant with its smooth tartness. It was the least sweet of the four, but still very good. Both the mangosteen with passion fruit and mangosteen with dragon fruit were both slightly thicker in texture than the acai and goji berry. I really like the taste of the mangosteen with dragon fruit because it had a smooth, tropical flavor that I liked over the juice with passion fruit.

As seen in the first picture, there is also a line of 32 ounce bottles of juice in three flavors. The juices were all delicious and I liked tasting the blends from different fruit combinations. I'd definitely recommend looking for Bossa Nova juices in the store if you feel like grabbing something easy to consume and offers a sweet dose of healthy things to keep you feeling great.

While these would make a great juice addition to the fridge, you can also use the juices to make recipes, from cocktails to fruit punches, granita, and more. I decided to mix the acerola with mango into a recipe for miso vinaigrette, and use it on top of stir fried eggplant.

This is a really quick recipe to prepare, taking just around 15 minutes to cook the eggplant, though you'll need to prepare the vinaigrette first. I'll also be using the juices in another recipe, so stay tuned for that.

The miso vinaigrette is incredibly delicious and offers the benefits of miso in a light tasting, tangy dressing that can be used on salads, vegetables, to dip bread into, or even as a marinade.

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stir fried eggplant with Bossa Nova Acerola-Mango miso vinaigrette

Vinaigrette recipe ~
Recipe adapted from this link

ingredients ~

1/2 cup white vinegar (or lemon juice)
2 tablespoons sweet, white miso
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon honey
2-3 tablespoons Bossa Nova Acerola-Mango juice, or water
1/4 cup fresh parsley, basil or chives
1 cup olive oil

directions ~

1. Whisk vinegar through parsley together in a medium bowl. Slowly drizzle in olive oil, whisking quickly, until combined and mixture is emulsified. Set aside.

To prepare the eggplant ~

ingredients ~

2 pounds baby or Japanese/Chinese eggplant, sliced on the bias
A few slices sliced fresh ginger
3 garlic cloves, smashed and roughly chopped
1/4 cup vegetable oil
Coarse salt and pepper
Prepared vinaigrette

directions ~

1. Heat oil on medium-high heat in a large skillet with ginger for about 2 minutes, stirring the ginger so it won't stick to the bottom. Add eggplant and garlic, stirring to coat in oil. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Stir fry for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.


2. Lower heat to medium and pour in 1/2 cup vinaigrette. Stir to coat, then cover and let cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until eggplant is softened but not mushy. Remove to a serving dish and drizzle with more vinaigrette if desired.

USA Dry Peas, Lentils, & Chickpeas Blogger Challenge

Hope everyone had a great Memorial Day weekend! It's one of my favorite holidays because it gets you thinking outside of yourself, and remembering and honoring those who paused their own lives for the safety of ours.

So, it's going to be a busy couple of days (and by couple, I mean many) around here, and I'll tell you why in a bit. First off, my second race of the year is on Saturday, the Sunburst 10k. I'm looking to hit a personal record, and if I run a smart race (i.e., refrain from starting too fast) I shouldn't have a problem with this. I've also decided to attempt a running streak for June. I feel I run better when I streak because I am almost forced to pay more attention to issues like hydration, nutrition, and recovery. I also simply enjoy being able to run everyday. The first two weeks will be tricky since I'm going to be busy not only with blog stuff, but after the Sunburst I have a 5k roughly two weeks after, the Traffic Jam 5k in Chicago. I'll see what I can do, and I do promise this time to make a concerted effort to at least post a weekly running recap.

On the blog front, I was contacted a week or two back about taking part in a blogger challenge hosted by USA Dry Peas, Lentils, & Chickpeas. The challenge is to come up or uniquely adapt our favorite dried pea or lentil recipes, six in total, and post about them, starting today. After two weeks, we choose our favorite of the recipes created to enter into their contest.

To help jump start the process, I was generously given a Le Creuset Legumier pot, and a monetary compensation for ingredients to the grocery store of my choice. I chose Martin's Super Markets, a locally owned grocery store that's been around since 1947. Not only are they involved in the community, but much of their produce is locally grown when in season. Of course, they (USA Dried Peas & Lentils) also gave me... Guess what? Dried peas and lentils to use!

Since their generosity doesn't end there, you guys can also get in on some of this action, too. Later on, I'll be hosting a giveaway that I'll expand upon next week, so stay tuned.

I started off simply with a lentil dish flavored with jalapenos, cilantro, lime zest, and sprinkled with queso fresco. The method of cooking I used here is similar to that of a risotto, where the liquid is added a little bit at a time until the lentils are cooked until tender, but still retain their shape. Besides the ingredients listed above, the lentils are cooked in a fresh-tomato infused base with chardonnay and chicken or vegetable broth. The resulting dish is flavorful, but as it's a side dish the flavors won't overwhelm the rest of the meal.

Recipe after the jump.

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lentils with jalapeno, cilantro, and queso fresco
Recipe by Christina Provo

Ingredients ~

2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 jalapenos, deveined and seeded, diced
3 garlic cloves, minces
1/2 cup chardonnay
1 2/3 cup grated fresh tomatoes (stem tomatoes, slice in half, and grate; discard skin)
1/4 teaspoon sugar
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 1/2 cup brown lentils, picked over and rinsed
coarse salt
1/2 cup lightly packed cilantro, chopped
1/3 cup crumbled queso fresco
grated zest of 1 lime

Directions ~

1. Heat olive oil on medium heat in a large skillet. Add onion, jalapenos, and 1/4 teaspoons salt and saute for 5 minutes, or until onions are soft. Onions should not brown. Stir in garlic, then add chardonnay. When wine is bubbling, add tomatoes, sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a rolling simmer and cook for 10 minutes, or until sauce cooks down and thickens slightly.


2. Meanwhile, heat chicken or vegetable broth until hot in another pot.


3. When sauce is ready, stir lentils and two cups chicken broth. Heat to a boil, then reduce heat, maintaining a constant simmer. After 10-15 minute, or until much of the chicken broth has been absorbed by the lentils, stir in half a cup of chicken broth and continue to simmer, stirring often. Repeat, using up all chicken broth, for 30-35 minutes or until lentils are tender to the bite, but still holding their shape. Turn heat off; cover with a lid and let stand for 10-15 minutes.


4. Stir in all but 2 tablespoons cilantro, and lime zest. Check for seasonings, adjusting if necessary. Serve, garnished with queso fresco and additional cilantro.

garlic fries

Garlic fries are one of the tastiest fries I've ever eaten that I've never had at a restaurant. I'm not sure where I could go around here to find some, but why bother when I can make them just as easily myself!

Most complaints with oven roasted fries is that they don't get as crispy as regular french fries. After looking around and remembering a process I tried earlier, I settled on my version that produces really crispy fries with a garlicky topping made by infusing oil with minced garlic.

This method requires that the potatoes, sliced into 1/4-inch sticks (peeling isn't necessary), are briefly boiled in water and patted dry. Boiling them sort of jump starts the cooking process so that the outsides cook along with the insides, and it seems to make them crispier, though that could just be how they are roasted.

Minimal oil is added to the potatoes, just enough to coat them lightly, but enough so that they crisp without sitting in a pool of grease. The oven temperature is quite high, and the cooking racks are placed at the highest and lowest position inside the oven. The baking sheets are rotated between the top and the bottom for 15 minutes at a time until the potatoes take on a uniformly roasted and crispy appearance.

With a little extra preparation and attention to timing, you can serve these alongside hamburgers, or just as a snack to munch on whilst movie watching.

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garlic fries
Recipe by Christina Provo

ingredients ~

5 cloves minced garlic
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
6-8 large russet potatoes, sliced into 1/4 inch sticks
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley

directions ~

1. Preheat oven to 475°, making sure the oven racks are at the lowest and highest position. Heat a pot of water to a boil with 1 teaspoon salt. Have ready two large baking sheet lined with paper towels.


2. In a small saucepan, heat garlic and oil together for 2 minutes. Strain the garlic from the oil and set both aside.


3. In batches, boil potato matchsticks in water for 1 minute; remove with a slotted spoon and drain on baking sheet. Repeat with remaining potatoes until all have been boiled, making sure the potatoes have been patted dry.


4. Divide potatoes among two baking sheets and toss each batch with 2 tablespoons oil, 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.


5. Place both sheets in the oven and set the timer for 15 minutes. When the time's up, remove both sheets and carefully toss the potatoes. Switch sheets so that the sheet on top is now on the bottom and the bottom sheet is on top. Set the timer for 15 minutes. Repeat process until the potatoes look fairly uniformly roasted and crispy.


6. After removing sheets from oven, place the fries in a large bowl and toss with the parsley, reserved garlic, and more salt if required.