Make Monday Marvelous with a Cherry Float

Hi all!  We wanted to share one of our first blog posts that is perfect for this beautiful week ahead. This is a must try for your family and friends, courtesy of Cool. Enjoy!!!!!!

It's "What the What?" Wednesday and that means it's hump day! It's the middle of the week and everyone could use a simple "cool" and sweet recipe that makes the week go by a little faster. The type of recipe that is a great "go to" recipe when you want to impress your friends and family and trick them into thinking you have been in the kitchen for hours! The type of recipe that others offer to do the dishes if you make it. The type of recipe that is so good that people might say "What the what? Why is this so good?"

You should be happy you're reading this because I have just that recipe for you. It is such a sweet treat. It was the official start of summer Saturday so what better recipe for this week than one that had frozen yogurt in it. I know most people think of ice cream but at our house yogurt wins by a landslide. It is one easy recipe that will make your summer a little brighter and make you smile a little bigger.

I feel like I am not a brand specific person usually but lately I find myself finding small differences in competing brands that make me more brand specific, and make me spend the extra money because it's worth it. I will tell you that the Kemp's vanilla bean frozen yogurt is delicious, it is so light, creamy, and full of vanilla flavor.

With that being said.... the ingredients and set up!

What the what? Is that all? Only 3 ingredients and one appliance? You betcha, that's all! A cold bottle of cream soda, frozen sweet cherries, and Kemp's vanilla bean frozen yogurt is all you need!

I will also let you know that if you enjoy blueberries, you can substitute them out for the cherries and it is also amazing! Yes you can use fresh fruit, but just remember that if you use fresh cherries you have to pit them which makes the frozen cherries so much easier and with being Wednesday we all deserve a simple easy treat for making it this far in the week!

All three ingredients in the blender waiting to be all mixed up and made into something REAL special!

Aaaahhhhhhhh, can't you just taste it? So good! So delicious and so refreshing!

I hope you try this recipe out for your friends and family and let me know what you think!


-Cool


Cherry Float Shake

All you need:

1 (12oz) bottle cream soda

2 cups frozen sweet cherries

5 scoops of Kemp's vanilla bean frozen yogurt

All you do:

Place the ingredients in the blender in the way they are listed and blend on high. Serves 3-4 people.

For the Love of Radishes

Ok, I may have a little obsession with radishes. They are one of my favorite vegetables. All things cruciferous make me happy. My love started when my eyes were mesmerized with the beautiful hot pink/red color they are.  

Radishes are members of the Brassicaceae family. The root is related to kale, broccoli, cauliflower, and one of my favorites, horseradish.  They can grow anywhere, but California and Florida are the top producers. They grow quickly, so it's a fun veggie to have in your garden. Radishes, like other cruciferous veggies contain isothiocyanate. This is an anti -oxidant compound called sulforaphane. These have a proven role against prostate, breast, colon and ovarian cancers by virtue of its cancer-cell growth inhibition, and cyto-toxic effects on cancer cells in various studies. 

The best part about radishes....wait for it.....1 cup is only 16-20 calories.

They are delicious in salads and are great roasted. There a multiple varieties and different degrees of "hotness."  My next radish purchase is the Daikon. But for today, wanted to share with you one of my favorite salads with these ruby red gems. 

 

Edamame, radish, onions, fresh dill and a yogurt ranch dressing make this a great spring side dish. 

 

Get a bunch of fresh radish and chop off the greens. Save them for later because they are perfect mixed in with your lettuce leaves or sautéed with a little garlic and olive oil. Dice the radishes.  Don't worry about a few blemishes here and there, but if there is a brown or dark spot, feel free to thinly slice that off. They don't have to be perfect!

Dice a bunch of green onions, cube 1 avocado and roughly chop about 1/4 cup of fresh dill. 

Add all your greens to the bowl, including 1 bag of thawed and shelled edamame.

To make the sauce, you mix 1/2 packet of friend ranch dip, 1 small container of plain Greek yogurt, 1/4 cup skim milk and 1/4 cup of fresh dill. 

Mix yogurt mixture with veggies and refrigerate overnight. Taste before serving and salt and pepper it to taste. 

Radish and Edamame Salad

1 bunch of radishes, diced

1-10 ounce package of frozen, shelled edamame

1 bunch of green onions, diced 

1/2 cup fresh dill, roughly chopped and divided 

1 avocado, diced

1 5.3 ounce container of plain Greek yogurt

1/2 package of dried ranch dip mix

1/4 cup skim milk

2 tablespoons of lemon juice

salt and pepper, to taste 

1. Dice radishes, green onions, avocado, and dill. Add all vegetables and 1/2 of dill to a bowl and combine. Mix in edamame

2. In a separate bowl, combine yogurt, ranch mix, dill, milk and lemon juice.  

3. Pour dressing over vegetables and mix well. 

4. Refrigerate overnight and before serving, add salt and pepper to taste. 

I hope you enjoy the peppery and spicy flavors of my favorite spring dish!

~Crazy

Farro and Feta Salad with Asparagus and Grape Tomatoes

Oh man I just love when food thoughts in my head turn out to be as delicious as I thought they would be.  On Monday Anne and I had a little throwdown at work to see who could make the best dish that had spring vegetables in it.  We each make a different dish with a specific theme, like Spring vegetables, and then have people vote on the "better" dish.  I decided that asparagus was going to be my secret weapon because how can you go wrong with asparagus in spring?  Also I have been on a huge farro and feta kick so I knew those things needed to be in it.  I then knew I needed a little color to spruce up the dish so some grape tomatoes made the cut and then all I had to figure out was some kind of dressing or flavor to add to the salad.  Since I use balsamic dressing to marinade vegetables for grilling a lot I decided that would be the perfect pair.  

Look how lovely it turned out.  It would be delicious with a burger or chicken or even hearty enough and fancy enough to pair with a steak or pork chops.  

 

I know I say this often but this recipe is so simple.  It has 6 ingredients in it and 1 of those is water.

So first I start with cooking the farro.  All you have to do is add the farro and water together in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.  Then reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for about 25- 30 minutes until farro is tender.  Drain off any excess water.

 

Farro has the same consisitency of barley so it is a little chewy.  If you haven't tried farro, do yourself a favor and try it.  If you need a gluten free option quinoa or wild rice would work well as a substitution.

 

 

So while the farro is cooking you will have time to cut the asparagus, which I just use a bunch of asparagus which is around a pound. First thing is preheat the oven to 400 degrees, and then cut off the tough ends of the asparagus.

 

 

Next cut the asparagus into about 1 to 1 1/2 inch bite size pieces.

 

 

Add the asparagus to a medium bowl and add in a 1/4 c. of balsamic dressing and mix until combined.  Lay it out on a sheet tray that has either been lined with foil or spray with oil.  Bake the asparagus for about 10-13 minutes until the asparagus is tender but still crisp. 

 

**Note: I usually cook mine for about 8-10 minutes because I like the extra crunch, but cook to your liking.**

 

While your farro and asparagus are cooking you can cut up your pint of tomatoes which will give you roughly 2 heaping cups of tomatoes.

 

Doesn't the bright colorful and fresh tomatoes just want to make you eat healthier?

When the farro is done cooking, add the halved tomatoes, and balsamic dressing and mix.

And when the asparagus comes out of the oven it should be nice and bright green, tender but still crisp.

 

Pour the asparagus into the bowl with the farro and tomatoes, and even get what dressing is left on the pan.  Mix until all is incorporated and pour into a serving bowl of your choice. 

 

 

Top with feta cheese and you have a wonderful looking spring salad. 

 

*Recipe Note:  You can serve this salad warm or cold and it's good either way.  If you do serve this salad cold you will want to add another 1/4 c. of balsamic dressing to the salad before serving because the farro soaks up the dressing.  Just remember to taste the salad before serving and add salt and cracked black pepper to your liking*

 

 

Happy Cooking!

 

Farro, Asparagus, and Tomato Salad

¾ c. farro                                                             1 pint grape tomatoes, halved

2 c. water                                                            ¼ c. crumbled feta cheese          

1 lb. fresh asparagus, cut in 1 in. pcs.            Salt and pepper, to taste

½ c. balsamic dressing, divided

In a medium saucepan add the farro, water, and stir to combine.  Bring to a boil over high heat.  Reduce to medium low heat, and simmer until farro is tender, about 30 minutes.  Drain off any excess water and set aside.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  In a medium bowl add the asparagus and ¼ c. of balsamic dressing and mix until combined.  Lay out the asparagus onto a sprayed sheet tray and roast for 10-13 minutes, until tender but still crisp.  Add the farro, roasted asparagus, tomatoes, and remaining ¼ c. of balsamic dressing and mix until all incorporated.  Top with feta cheese add salt and pepper to taste.  Salad can be served warm or cold.

 

-Cool

A Dietitian's Top 5 Foods in the Grocery Store

The other day, I was wandering around a home improvement store looking for one little itty bitty item. Goodness!  I am too proud to ask for something until I just can't find it and on this day, I had to ask. Thank you to Frank who kindly lead me right to the product, otherwise I probably would have walked out without it. 

As I paid for my item; I realized, the feeling I had just now is exactly how most people feel in the grocery store. There are so many times in the store, so many choices and so many similar products. How does one find or choose the right one? 

Since I work in a grocery store everyday, it is easy for me to know exactly what I want and exactly where to find it. I thought I would share with you my Top 5 Food Items that I think should be part of every trip to the grocery store and why.

#1 Blueberries

These are truly one of the healthiest fruits you can eat. 1 cup is only 80 calories, and virtually no fat. They are full of antioxidants, especially Vitamin C, and fiber. The fiber in these little beauties help you feel fuller longer. And did I mention you get a WHOLE cup for only 80 calories. Yummy!! 

#2 Spinach

Another nutritional powerhouse found in your friendly produce aisle. Lots of vitamins, minerals and fiber. Plus you can sneak this veggie into almost anything (my favs include smoothies and anything with marinara sauce).  Want to know the best part? The nutrients intensify when it's cooked, so even better in your lasagna!! Freeze fresh spinach and forgo your ice cubes in your smoothie. 

#3 Salmon

High quality protein, heart and brain healthy Omega 3 fatty acids, and a multitude of delicious ways to prepare this fish, make it my top protein food. Grill it, bake it, grind it for burgers and make your own sushi rolls. Salmon provides other nutrients like Vitamin D, B Vitamins and even a little calcium. It's a must eat at least once a week. 

#4 Oatmeal

In a previous post, I asked "what oat floats your boat?"  Meaning all oats, any kind, are a great addition to breakfast, lunch and to your favorite recipes. Oats pack fiber known as beta-glucan that has been studied to help lower blood cholesterol. It also is a source of magnesium which many of our diets are extremely low in, causing issues with digestion and muscle fatigue. Oats also have immune boosting zinc. Try oats savory and sweet, use instead of breadcrumbs in recipes and blend up for a thicker smoothie. 

#5 Milk

Milk is the only naturally occurring nutrient-rich beverage. When choosing low-fat to fat-free milk, you have a perfect little package. It has the right carbohydrate to protein ratio to be a balanced snack and is a superior source of calcium (remember friends, bone loss occurs around age 30-35 so you can build those stores before and maintain those stores after). This is also one of the few foods we get Vitamin D from. With all the other choices of "milk" options, this one reigns supreme in my book. Why?  Just check out the ingredient list.  There is more to milk than just drinking a glass.    

Hope this helps your next shopping trip a little bit easier and a lot more healthier.

~Crazy