Chicken Paillard
Caroline’s Quinoa BowlI LOVE trying to come up with healthy recipes. Unfortunately, my very Southern husband is not a very good guinea pig. So when my best friend, who was busy with kids and work, asked me to make her some healthy meals, I was very excited. I came up with a few recipes but the absolute favorite was my quinoa bowl. Quinoa, the super star of the health food circuit of the last few years is a super power protein food (actually it’s a seed) that is low-fat, nutrient dense, gluten free and it’s easy to store and make. The recipe options are endless…and I love the idea of piling up your Quinoa bowl with other healthy favorites…just grab a fork and dig in! Breakfast, lunch, dinner, hot or cold you are going to love this satisfying new twist on living and eating well. Here’s a favorite version that even my husband lapped up greedily!
Laura’s ‘’Mrs. Green’s” Green SmoothieThe first recipe is a super jacked up vitamin and mineral packed green smoothie. I love to feel like I am eating healthy, but it has to taste good or I won’t want to make or eat it again. The good news is that by combining super greens with some lemon juice and a delicious high fiber apple and juicy ripe pear you get a truly delicious delivery system for all the veggies you can pack into your blender. ***{put recipe here} You can add whatever healthy ingredients you like, I add fresh ginger root to give it a kick of flavor. Ginger has been proven to have many health benefits, it has powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties and it aides in digestion just to name a few! Smoothies are easy to digest, keep you hydrated (especially when you add coconut water as your liquid) increase your energy, get your skin glowing, and more.
Lobster and Mushroom RisottoRisotto and Lobster are two of the most luxurious foods on the planet, and when you combine creamy risotto with the succulent lobster meat and then kick up the flavor with mushrooms you end up with a velvety, heavenly mouth-watering dish worthy of all your favorite friends and family.
Lamb Sausage in Puff PastryWe wanted something with meat on our holiday cocktail buffet and we needed it to be compact and easy to eat. Leave it to Ina to come up with these perfectly delicious little sausage stuffed puff pastry roll-ups…no assembling anything at the table and they are definitely not the usual “pigs in a blanket”. The dijon mustard, sausage and buttery pastry was a great addition to our menu. We used pork sausage, but any sausage you prefer will work.
Chipotle and Rosemary Roasted NutsI have made these so many times and just adore them. Roasting nuts just screams holiday and the chipotle heat combined with the sweetness of the orange juice and maple syrup and then add the rosemary to that combination and you know it is going to be good. Plus the recipe makes a lot and you can store them in an air tight container for a week and keep enjoying!
Cranberry Tequila CosmopolitanTequila is most definitely the hottest thing in the cocktail world these days so we decided to replace vodka in one of our favorite drinks and serve a Cranberry Tequila Cosmopolitan at our holiday party. I know most men hear the word cosmo and smirk, but when we added tequila to the mix they seemed to let go of their machismo and join in on the festivity of the cocktail…and don’t we all feel like we’re on vacation when tequila is in our glass no matter what the season!?
Goat Cheese Herbed SandwichesA sandwich can be a handy addition to any cocktail buffet, they are easy to eat while standing and chatting, and easy to assemble. These are so perfect and fresh, the creamy tangy goat cheese and herb spread mixed with the graininess of the bread and sliver of cucumber is refreshing and also hearty, which is important when making sure your guest have enough in their belly’s to handle all the adult refreshments!
Caviar DipCaviar-conjures up images of champagne, crystal, and evening gowns…love that! Ina’s dip (which is divine) is made with cream cheese and herbs and is a wonderful way of delivering caviar and all that glam to a crowd. We made Rori’s chip which requires a bit of patience and a lot of cookie sheets. When I make this dip again (which I intend to do immediately!) I think I will purchase a good store bought chip and save some time. We also served crudites along with the chips, which is a good way to get your vegetables at the holidays.
