A few weekends ago, I threw a belated celebration party for my husband’s winter paddle tennis league. As a food blogger, there is always a little pressure when I entertain – people expect good food and homemade food, not take out or convenience foods. I love cooking, so that’s usually the easiest part of entertaining for me. Cleaning up the house to make it presentable is my biggest stress (after all, I live in a house full of males).

Coming up with a menu for a party usually takes me a few days, including shopping and writing down what I need to do by what day/time (I get pretty anal about that). The weekend I threw this particular party, one of my kids had a basketball tournament, which meant I wasn’t going to be home almost the entire day, so most of the food had to be made or prepped ahead of time. I also came up with a few shortcuts – easy recipes that would take just minutes to put together.

This Fresh Tomato Burrata Cheese Pesto Dip is so easy, I felt like I was cheating – it’s a super easy assembled appetizer, made with fresh burrata cheese (I bought it from Trader’s Joes), fresh tomatoes, and homemade pesto. There’s no shame in assembling a few dishes rather than cooking elaborate dishes (Ina Garten does that a lot when she entertains).

Burrata is a fresh Italian cheese, made from mozzarella and cream – it is decadent, so definitely not something you should eat everyday, so think of it as a special treat for your guests. The consistency inside the burrata cheese is very rich and creamy. This dip recipe is the perfect way to spread the wealth (and the calories) around. Serve with crostini (French bread slices, lightly brushed with olive oil and toasted until crunchy).

Today, I’m participating in Food Network’s Sensational Sides event where Cheesy dishes are being served up. Please be sure to check out what all my foodie friends made this week:

Jeanette’s Healthy Living: Fresh Tomato Burrata Cheese Pesto Dip
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Roasted Asparagus With Balsamic Vinegar and Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese
Red or Green: Grilled Vegetable and Cheese Quesadillas
Feed Me Phoebe: Skillet Lasagna With Zucchini, Arugula and Fontina Cheese
Cooking With Elise: Cheesy Chicken Quesadillas
Weelicious: Cheesy Corn on the Cob
Domesticate Me: Seared Scallops With Spring Vegetables
Devour: Cheese-Filled Summer Side Dishes
Made by Michelle: Broccoli Cheese “Meatballs”
The Heritage Cook: Creamy and Cheesy Potato Casserole (Gluten-Free)
Dishin & Dishes: Baked Squash Casserole
The Sensitive Epicure: Frico: Parmesan Cheese Crackers
Virtually Homemade: Easy Cheesy Enchilada (Gluten-Free)
FN Dish: Cheesy Spring Sides

This post has been linked up to Tidy Mom’s I’m Lovin’ It.

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Noodles were actually introduced to the Philippines by the Chinese, and are traditionally served at birthday celebrations. We have four birthday celebrations in our family between April and June, so lots of noodles are being eaten. Although gluten-free noodles are a fairly new product in American markets, Asians have long eaten noodles made with gluten-free flours, including rice, mung bean, sweet potato and buckwheat flours. In fact, gluten-free noodles are a lot less expensive at local Asian stores and they come in all different widths.

Today, I’m using two different types of noodles in my Stir-Fry Rice Noodles – thin rice noodles and mung bean noodles. Although thin rice noodles are typically used for this dish, a woman at the Asian grocery store suggested I try using both rice and mung bean noodles for a more interesting texture in the final dish. Mung bean noodles are a bit gelatinous while rice noodles are firmer.

These Stir-Fry Rice Noodles can be made with various proteins (chicken, shrimp, pork) and vegetables (cabbage, carrots, snow peas, celery, onions). I chose chicken and shrimp as the proteins and a mixture of cabbage, red bell pepper, carrots and shitake mushrooms for the vegetables.  The typical seasonings include soy sauce, fish sauce and calamansi juice (a citrus fruit that has a sweet rind but sour flesh). Since fresh calamansi is unavailable locally, I used fresh lemon.

Most of the work is in prepping the ingredients – cutting the chicken into thin strips and preparing the vegetables. For a shortcut, I used thin sliced chicken breast and cut them into thin strips. I also used large frozen peeled shrimp which I cut in half lengthwise to “multiply” the amount of shrimp in the dish. Once all the ingredients are prepared, everything is simply stir-fried together. I did use a Chinese technique of marinating the proteins prior to stir-frying that I think results in more tender chicken and shrimp. I think this small step makes all the difference in the texture of the chicken and shrimp in the final dish.

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This past weekend, I hosted a celebration barbecue for my husband and his paddle tennis team buddies and their significant others. This Chopped Mexican Salad was one of the healthier dishes I made for the party. It’s always a challenge coming up with healthy dishes for my husband’s friends that are mainly meat eaters and act like kids when it comes to eating their vegetables. The topping is based on the same ingredients as my Roasted Corn, Black Bean and Avocado Salsa recipe, just without adding the seasonings (since the seasonings are in the dressing).

This chopped salad reminds me of one of my favorite salads at a local restaurant – they call it Picadillo Salad – which has all the ingredients I’ve included in my recipe plus jicama. Chock full of black beans, roasted corn, red bell peppers, tomatoes, avocado and red onion, this salad is fun to eat. I made a bright Cilantro Lime Dressing to go on top, simply blending fresh cilantro, fresh lime juice, olive oil, some honey, salt and pepper together. You can serve this salad with baked tortilla strips (or crumbled baked tortilla chips) for some extra crunch if you like. I’ve had it with and without the tortilla strips/chips and it’s refreshingly good.

Today, I’m participating in Food Network’s Sensational Sides event where Salads are being featured this week. Please be sure to check out what my fellow foodie friends made:

Jeanette’s Healthy Living: Mexican Chopped Salad With Lime Cilantro Dressing
Feed Me Phoebe: Grilled Chicken Paillard With Chopped Nicoise Salad
Cooking With Elise: Garden Spring Rolls
The Cultural Dish: Arugula Salad With Beets and Goat Cheese
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Mixed Greens Salad With Shrimp and Oranges
Red or Green?: Spring Salad Greens With Spicy Chiocciole Pasta and Pine Nuts
The Sensitive Epicure: Green on Green Chopped Salad
Weelicious: Southwestern Salad
Made by Michelle: Mixed Greens With Grapeseed Oil and Balsamic
FN Dish: Vivacious Pasta Salad Sides

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I used to make Sloppy Joes for my three older boys when they were young, but hadn’t made them in years. Somehow the topic of using mushrooms in Sloppy Joes came up in conversion with my sister a few months ago, and I’ve been thinking of trying a recipe I found on Cooking Light that uses mushrooms to stretch the filling out and make it lighter.

If you’ve never had a Sloppy Joe, it’s typically made with ground beef in a sweet and tangy tomato sauce, and served on a hamburger bun. I went a step further, and added carrots and red bell peppers to the Sloppy Joe filling in addition to lots of mushrooms. In fact, one pound of ground turkey with all these healthier additions made enough filling to make eight Sloppy Joe sandwiches!

I served my youngest son his very first Sloppy Joe the other night. He was curious what this sloppy dinner was going to be all about. Not only did he love it, but it was fun to be allowed to eat something so messy with his hands. As the filling oozed out the sides of the bun and tomato sauce got all over his face, I had to chuckle. It reminded me of when he was a baby and always had food smeared all over his face and hands.

This recipe uses just one pound of ground turkey and two boxes of mushrooms. I know that may sound like a lot of mushrooms (they shrink as they cook), but trust me on this – the mushrooms are chopped in the food processor until they resemble ground meat, so the texture melds right in with the Sloppy Joe mixture. Since the sauce is on the tangy side, I snuck in a few carrots and a red bell pepper (remember my Super Healthy Tomato Sauce recipe?). I also topped this sandwich off with some Greek Yogurt Coleslaw, so this dinner was packed with vegetables.

The Worcestershire sauce, fish sauce, tomato paste and mushrooms add lots of umami flavor. If you don’t have fish sauce, you can substitute soy sauce. These Sloppy Joes are so packed with flavor, no one will miss the beef.

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I try to mix things up on a daily basis by serving different vegetables each night. This approach has not only expanded the number of vegetables that my kids eat, but it has also allowed me more flexibility in how I prepare them, e.g., roasting, grilling, steaming, or stir-frying.

I’ve made these Stir-Fry Green Beans numerous times over the years. They are so easy to make – there are just three ingredients in this recipe, and it only takes five minutes to cook. To make things even easier and faster, you can buy pre-trimmed hericot vert green beans like I did (hericot verts are the skinny green beans you see at the supermarket).

Here’s a quick video I made to show you how to stir-fry green beans.

I’ve started making some short cooking videos to go along with some of my recipes because I think it’s easier for people to see how something is actually made rather than just reading the directions. I’m trying to keep these videos short (2-4 minutes) so you can get cooking. The idea is to read through my recipe and watch the video. I hope this makes it easier for you to try more of my recipes.

I’d love to hear if you think these videos are helpful or what I can do to improve them (I realized after I took this video that my phone was vertical, not horizontal – lesson learned!). I’m still learning, so hopefully, the quality will continue to improve. Please let me know what other recipes you would like me to demo on video.

Today, I’m participating in Food Network’s Sensational Sides event where Kid Friendly foods are being featured. Please be sure to check out what all my fabulous foodie friends made:

Feed Me Phoebe: Radish and Basil Thai Fried Rice
Jeanette’s Healthy Living: Easy Stir-Fry Green Beans
The Cultural Dish: Authentically Homemade Guacamole
Devour: Kid-Friendly Baked Ziti
Domesticate Me: Skillet Cornbread
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Healthy Carrot Cake Cupcakes With Maple Cream Cheese Frosting
Red or Green? Spicy Chickpea Burgers With Cabbage Slaw
The Heritage Cook: Duck Fat Fries, a Kid’s Favorite Snack!
Virtually Homemade: Mini Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
FN Dish: Kid-Friendly Veggie Sides

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I love Huevos Rancheros as a hearty brunch. The fresh salsa, avocado and cilantro toppings add lots of color and texture. It’s a filling meal, but healthier than the typical breakfast platter of eggs, bacon and potatoes.

Although there are lots of components to Huevos Rancheros, they are all easy to prepare. If you don’t want to make your own salsa, you can buy prepared salsa at the supermarket. Don’t like cilantro? Substitute chopped scallions or onion.

During the school week, I typically stick to quick preparations. Oatmeal, egg in a hat, yogurt parfaits and omelets make a regular appearance. Leftover Mini Frittatas are also a favorite.

But when the kids are home on break,  I like to make a big breakfast for them. Sometimes, pancakes and Strawberry Banana French toast casserole make an appearance on vacation days. I decided to try these Huevos Rancheros Breakfast Tacos on them recently.

My kids love tacos, so I thought serving breakfast taco-style would be a fun treat. These Huevos Rancheros Tacos were terrific. Not only did they fill their bellies up, but I loved the fact that some whole grains, beans and vegetables made their way onto the breakfast plate. I think a Huevos Rancheros Breakfast Rice Bowl would be terrific too, all the same toppings served over some warm (leftover) brown rice.

For more inspiration, check out Start The Day Off Right Pinterest Board – there are lots of recipes to look through.

What’s your favorite leisurely breakfast meal?

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This brain-boosting Ahi Tuna Sandwich with Spinach Avocado Pesto is packed with antioxidants and anti-flammatory ingredients, made in hopes of preventing Alzheimer’s Disease through the foods we eat.

Recently, I’ve been reading about the healthy benefits of the Mediterranean Diet (a 30% reduction in the risk of major cardiovascular events) as well as the connection between what we eat and epigenetics (read more about this in my post on The Longevity Kitchen). I find the topic of Food As Medicine fascinating.

So, when I received a review copy of The Alzheimer’s Prevention Cookbook written by Dr. Marwan Sabbagh and Chef Beau MacMillan, I was curious what Dr. Sabbagh had to say – are there really foods that we can eat to prevent Alzheimer’s Disease? Many of you probably know someone who has been afflicted by Alzheimer’s Disease.

There are currently 5.4 million people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease in the United States, and by mid-century there are expected to be some 16 million people suffering from Alzheimer’s at a cost of $1 trillion a year. Worldwide, there are an estimated 27 million people with Alzheimer’s Disease.

Alzheimer’s disease is an irreversible, progressive brain disease that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills and, eventually even the ability to carry out the simplest tasks of daily living. In most people with Alzheimer’s, symptoms first appear after age 60. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia among older people.

Although treatment can slow the progression of Alzheimer’s and help manage symptoms in some people, currently there is no cure for this devastating disease. Most people with Alzheimer’s disease have “late-onset” Alzheimer’s, which usually develops after age 60.

Alzheimer’s Disease is believed to develop because of a complex series of events that take place in the brain over a long period of time (20 years before symptoms occur). It is likely that the causes include some mix of genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors.

Research suggests that a host of factors beyond basic genetics may play a role in the development and course of Alzheimer’s disease, e.g., heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity. New research suggests the possibility that a nutritious diet, physical activity, social engagement and mentally stimulating pursuits, and other factors also might help to reduce the risk of cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease.

Although there are unmodifiable risk factors (e.g., age, genetic influences, female gender), there are also modifiable risk factors (such as hypertension, elevated cholesterol, diabetes, heart disease, obesity) that can be mitigated through the foods you eat.

There is no known cure for Alzheimer’s Disease today, but eating better when you’re in your 30′s through your 60′s might help your brain work better and help stave off Alzheimer’s Disease. The Alzheimer’s Prevention Cookbook is all about prevention and risk reduction. The information in this book is based on Dr. Sabbagh’s critical review of various studies and published literature on this topic. Currently, there are no general guidelines for diet that might prevent Alzheimer’s Disease, so Dr. Sabbagh’s book is an attempt to provide some guidelines that people can follow. His guidelines follow closely with the Mediterranean Diet.

The idea is to treat your brain right while you’re still healthy. And, unlike medication, healthy foods are available to everyone at minimal expense and have no negative effects. The 100 recipes in The Alzheimer’s Prevention Cookbook reflect Chef Beau MacMillan’s (executive chef of Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain) culinary interpretation of ingredients that could prevent Alzheimer’s Disease, packed with antioxidant-rich and anti-inflammatory foods (from a variety of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, beans, grains, and spices), foods rich in omega-3′s (fatty fish) and low in saturated fat.

Although more scientific studies need to be done, why wait to change your food choices and lifestyle? The same foods that could prevent Alzheimer’s Disease will also help reduce susceptibility to inflammatory diseases such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes. The Mediterranean Diet has been proven to substantially reduce the risk of heart disease, and it may help prevent or slow down the progression of Alzheimer’s Disease. So, why not start today?

Today, I’m sharing a brain-boosting recipe for Ahi Tuna Sandwich with Spinach Avocado Pesto, based on a recipe from The Alzheimer’s Prevention Cookbook. I’ve put my own twist on this sandwich, but you’ll get the idea – this recipe is packed with omega-3 rich tuna, polyphenol-rich spinach, and healthy fats (avocado, olive oil).

And now for the Giveaway! I’ve got one copy of The Alzheimer’s Prevention Cookbook to giveaway. It’s a great resource for anyone who’s interested in learning more Alzheimer’s Disease (many studies are referenced) and to get some great recipes using antioxidant rich and anti-flammatory foods.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sources:
Interview with Dr. Marwan Sabbagh
National Institute on Aging – Alzheimer’s Disease: Alzheimer’s Basics

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These Creamy Mashed Cauliflower and Potatoes are really good – I mean it. I’ve served it multiple times to my kids and no one has uttered a word except to say that these are REALLY good!

Recently, I served these mashed cauliflower and potatoes with some Barbecue Chicken Meatballs (and steamed Broccoli with Toasted Garlic Olive Oil) which my kids loved – a plate of pure comfort.

I’ve also made Turkey Shepherd’s Pie with these Mashed Cauliflower and Potatoes as the topping.

I know some of you think that vegetables should be served front and center, and I used to be in that camp 100%, but I can’t help myself sometimes, especially if it means I get to sneak in a few extra servings of vegetables at dinnertime. You see, I know my kids rarely eat vegetables at lunch, and unless I make them an omelet for breakfast, they almost never eat vegetables at breakfast time. So, the only opportunity to squeeze in their daily dose is at dinnertime.

You might recall my Balsamic Glazed Roasted Vegetable Meatloaf (I actually served these mashed cauliflower and potatoes with it), my Super Healthy Tomato Sauce (that I’ve used generously in baked ziti and lasagna, and served with meatballs), or my Kale Artichoke Pumpkin Seed Pesto (that I’ve snuck into grilled cheese sandwiches). By using these admittedly sneaky techniques, I have managed to double (and triple sometimes) the amount of vegetables my kids eat at dinner because I also serve a vegetable (or two, or a double portion) with their meal.

I made these Creamy Garlic Mashed Cauliflower and Potatoes in one pot – the potatoes were in the bottom of the pot and the cauliflower steamed on top of the potatoes. Then, I pureed the cauliflower until smooth in a food processor. I whipped the potatoes separately, then added the cauliflower and continued whipping the two together; potatoes would have turned gluey in a food processor.

Some fresh garlic flavors these mashed cauliflower and potatoes and Greek yogurt gives them a nice creaminess. Topped with some chopped chives, these Creamy Mashed Cauliflower and Potatoes remind me of one of my favorite baked potato toppings – sour cream and chives.

It hasn’t always been easy getting my kids to eat their vegetables. In fact, it’s taken me a number of years to get them to eat as many and as large a variety of vegetables as they do today. The good news is that rarely do I hear any complaining (just a few jabs here and there about how many vegetables I sometimes squeeze on my kids’ plates), and my kids have been a lot healthier over the years.

This week, I’m participating in Food Network’s Sensational Sides event where Something Mashed is being featured. Please be sure to check out what all my foodie friends made:

Weelicious: Mascarpone Mashed Potatoes
Jeanette’s Healthy Living: Creamy Garlic Mashed Cauliflower and Potatoes
Cooking With Elise: Savory Banana Corn Cakes
Virtually Homemade: Three-Onion Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Mashed English Pea Spread on Garlic-Rubbed Bruschetta With Roasted Salmon
Red or Green? Smashed Potato Tacos With Guacamole & Tomato Salsa
Devour: Easy Mashed Plantains Recipe
Domesticate Me: Mashed Sweet Potatoes With Goat Cheese
The Sensitive Epicure: Italian Style Smashed Potatoes
The Heritage Cook: Whipped Ginger-Cardamom Sweet Potatoes
Dishin & Dishes: Truffled Mashed Potatoes With Prosciutto and Rosemary
FN Dish: Mashed Spring Sides

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As most of you know, I don’t make a lot of sweets, but when I do, I try to lighten them up a bit. My boys love cheesecake, so to indulge their wishes, I made these Skinny Strawberry Cheesecake Parfaits the other day for a special treat. Traditional cheesecake recipes are packed with saturated fat, mostly from all the cream cheese. Some recipes also include sour cream and heavy cream in the cheesecake filling.

Over the holidays, I made a Skinny Berry Cheesecake Trifle that was a hit at our Christmas Open House Party.

Today’s recipe is a spin-off from that recipe. Instead of angel food cake, I used gluten-free graham crackers as a layer in these parfaits. To lighten up this recipe from my holiday version, I also cut the sugar in half for this recipe and did not sweeten the strawberries, so this dessert is not overly sweet. If you like, you can add a little sweetener to your strawberries, but my kids didn’t miss it.

Making individual parfaits is a great way to manage portion control. Although I used regular size wine glasses to make these parfaits for my boys, I used a mini wine glass for my own. This is a nice treat when you’re craving Strawberry Cheesecake, but don’t want all the fat and calories of the full-fat version. It’s light, not dense.

My boys really enjoyed these Skinny Strawberry Cheesecake Parfaits, and my youngest son came back looking for another the next night, but alas, they were all gone.

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A few years ago, our family vacationed in Hawaii and one of my favorite things to do was to try all the different varieties of Hawaiian Poke at the local supermarkets. Imagine a deli case filled with eight to ten different pokes (tuna poke is the most popular) instead of potato salad.

Traditional Hawaiian poke typically consists of fresh raw fish (think sushi quality) that is mixed with sea salt and limu seaweed. Nowadays, poke is made with other types of seafood such as octopus, crab and oyster, and additional ingredients like tomatoes, onions, hot sauce and wasabi. Poke reminds me of  fish tartare except the fish pieces are typically bigger chunks.

My kids are not big fish eaters, but they do like sushi. I’ve been trying to get my boys to eat more fish over the years, and so far, fish tacos, Salmon with Thai Coconut Curry Sauce, and sushi are their favorites.

Last week, I found some sushi quality fish at a local Korean supermarket. The pack came with tuna, salmon and some sort of white fish. I decided to make a deconstructed sushi in the form of a Mixed Fish Avocado Poke Tower – it reminded me of the way I’ve seen tuna tartare served in some restaurants.

The addition of avocado was an afterthought after seeing a recipe for a Tuna Tartare Slider on Cooking Light. I didn’t think the boys would eat raw fish on a bun, so instead, I served this Poke Tower sushi style, with some snack-size seaweed sheets (you can find these at the Asian grocery store, Trader Joe’s and Costcos), and steamed rice. To enjoy this sushi style, just put a little steamed rice on a snack-size piece of seaweed, top with a spoonful of Poke, and eat – fun finger food.

This fits into my category of small bites – it can be served as an appetizer, or alongside other small bites. My kids love it when I put out a smorgasbord of little plates with lots of different little dishes to choose from.

This week, I’m participating in Food Network’s Sensational Sides event where No-Cook Sides are being featured. Please be sure to check out what all my foodie friends made for this event:

Jeanette’s Healthy Living: Mixed Fish Poke Tower
Feed Me Phoebe: Smoked Tofu Summer Rolls
The Lemon Bowl: Asian Cabbage Slaw With Mint and Scallions
The Cultural Dish: Caprese Salad
Cooking With Elise: Good for You Guacamole
Dishin & Dishes: Chicken Salad With Dried Cherries and Walnuts
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Cilantro, Ginger and Garlic Dip
Red or Green?: Avocado and Three Chile Salsa
Weelicious: Avocado Honey Dip
Devour: No-Cook Kale Salad Recipes
Made By Michelle: Swiss Chard Pesto
The Sensitive Epicure: No-Cook Vietnamese Spring Rolls
Domesticate Me: Shaved Brussels Sprouts and Cauliflower
FN Dish: Go Raw With Shaved Salads

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