Grapefruit Salad with Spiced Pecans and Bleu Cheese

So this was lunch today.  I thought about posting just the Grapefruit Vinaigrette, but really the whole thing deserves credit.

I love grapefruit.  I think grapefruit is one of those things you either love or hate, and I love it.  Since citrus season is in full effect, the fridge is chock-full of 'em.

Citrus pairs remarkably well with bleu cheese.  Toss in some spicy pecans and some sweet grapefruit vinaigrette and you have the makings of an awesome salad.  I should mention that although the vinaigrette is made with grapefruit juice, it really isn't sour.  Of course, if you want it to be more sour, up the juice or decrease the amount of honey.

P.S. - I'm also not going to tell you how much stuff to put in your salad.  I think that's up to you.

Grapefruit Salad with Spiced Pecans and Bleu Cheese

Mixed Salad Greens
Grapefruit Wedges
Bleu Cheese crumbles
Spiced Pecans

Grapefruit Vinaigrette

1/2 cup grapefruit juice
1 tablespoon honey
Salt and Pepper (to taste)
1/4 cup olive oil

You can do this in a food processor, blender, or bowl.  Put the grapefruit juice and honey in the mixing container of your choice.  Mix and while processor or blender is on (or if your using a bowl, whisk furiously), slowly add olive oil and emulsify.  Add salt and pepper to taste.   

For Salad:
Put mixed greens on a  plate.  Top with grapefruit wedges, bleu cheese, spiced pecans, and grapefruit vinaigrette.  NOM!

Spiced Pecans

Mmmm... spiced pecans.  I like mine without all the sugary stuff and just straight spicy.  They are awesome to munch on as a snack, but usually I throw them in salads.  You can really use any nut for this recipe, pecans are just my favorite.


Spiced Pecans

1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 garlic salt
2 cups shelled pecans
2 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat Oven to 325 degrees.

Mix together spices in a small bowl and set aside.  In a large saute pan, heat olive oil over medium low heat.  Add spice mixture and cook until fragrant (no more than 1-2 minutes), stirring frequently.  Add pecans and stir until coated with spices.  Transfer pecans to baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.  Allow to cool, serve.

Whole Grain Banana Nut Coconut Muffins

Quaker makes these toasted coconut banana macadamia nut granola bars that are seriously the best thing ever.  The only problem is, I've only ever found them at one Target in Strongsville, Ohio.  I blame my mom for introducing me to them and then making me live without them (Hi Mom!  If you're reading this, I'm not too old for care packages :D)  Until I can make it back home to stock up, I've had to improvise.

Is it possible for something so good to be good for you?  If you're not a believer, you will be after these muffins.  The only thing that would make them better?  Add a little coconut to the top before baking so you get a yummy toasted coconut crust.  I would, but Ben isn't a fan of straight coconut (not the taste; the consistency). 


Whole Grain Banana Nut Coconut Muffins


1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
3/4 cup old fashioned rolled oats (not instant)
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt (if your nuts are salted, omit)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup coconut milk
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2 medium)
1/2 cup chopped nuts (I used cashews because that's what I had, I think anything except peanuts would taste good)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  

Mix together flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt (if using), cinnamon, nutmeg, and nuts in a large bowl.  Set aside.  Combine egg, vanilla, oil, honey, coconut milk, and bananas in a medium bowl.  Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until dry ingredients are moistened.  Fill greased or lined muffin cups 2/3 full.  Bake 15-17 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.  Yields 12-18 muffins.

Oatmeal Waffles with Strawberry Jam Syrup

Sometimes on Sunday mornings, I like to make big breakfasts.  I think it makes the perfect start to a super lazy day.

Most baked good I've had with oatmeal as the main ingredient are heavy and dense.  That is not the case with these waffles.  These oatmeal waffles are awesome.  Crispy and brown on the outside, and super light and fluffy on the inside.  They are also extremely versatile.  Add fruit or nuts to the batter before cooking and they still come out great.  Same goes with the syrup, if strawberry isn't your thing, any jam works great.  

Oatmeal Waffles


2 eggs, separated, room temperature
3 cups old fashioned rolled oats (not instant)
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 cup flour (white or wheat, use wheat to keep these whole grain)
1 1/2 cups milk
1 stick butter, melted and cooled
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Strawberry Jam Syrup


2/3 cup seedless strawberry jam
3 tablespoons water
1 cinnamon stick
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Preheat a waffle iron.  Warm jam with water, cinnamon stick, and nutmeg over low heat until warm and smooth.  Remove cinnamon stick, but keep syrup on low heat until ready to serve.  If syrup gets too click, or clumps again, just add another tablespoon of water.

Beat egg white in a small bowl until stiff, set aside.  Mix together the dry waffle ingredients in a large bowl, set aside.  Combine egg yolk, milk, melted butter, and vanilla.  Add to dry waffle ingredients, mixing only until large lumps disappear.  Fold in beaten egg white until just blended.  Do not over beat batter.

Spray the waffle iron with non stick cooking spray or brush with oil and cook waffles, keeping them warm and crisp in a low oven.  The batter should fill a 4 section iron 2 times, making 8 waffles.  Serve waffles topped with fresh fruit (optional) and drizzled with strawberry jam syrup.

Hawaiian Fried Rice

Im not really sure if I can call this recipe Hawaiian Fried Rice, but Scallop and Pineapple Fried Rice is just too long of a name.  Besides, I forgot the egg, so I'm not even sure if I can call this fried rice, but for brevity's sake I'm calling it Hawaiian Fried Rice.

There's a local restaurant near me that very infrequently has a special called Hawaiian Fried Rice.  They serve it in a scooped out, halved pineapple and it is by far my favorite fried rice.  They serve it so infrequently that I can't even remember what's in it, except for scallops and pineapple.

This recipe pays homage to that special, and it's pretty tasty if I do say so myself.

TIP:  It helps to have everything prepped and ready to go when making fried rice, since everything goes so fast (hence why I forgot the egg).

Hawaiian Fried Rice


2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
1 pound sea scallops
Salt & Pepper
1/2 large onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
1 cup frozen corn (this is just what I had available, feel free to substitute peas or a vegetable medley)
1 cup pineapple, diced
6 cups cooked, cool rice (I used brown rice, but anything except for sushi rice will work)
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon sugar
3/4 cup chopped cashews (or macadamia nuts)
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup green onions, chopped (garnish)
2 eggs, beaten (optional)

In a large saute pan or wok, heat the 2 tablespoons oil on medium high heat.  Pat the sea scallops dry with a paper towel.  Season with salt and pepper.  Sear the scallops in the hot oil,  3-5 minutes per side until cooked through.  Remove the scallops from the pan and set aside.  Add the onions, garlic and ginger to the pan.  Saute until the onion is translucent.  Add your frozen vegetables and pineapple to the pan.  Saute for 2-3 minutes, or until vegetables are warmed through.  Add the rice, soy sauce, sesame oil, and sugar to the pan.  Mix everything together.  At this time, if you are adding the egg, make a small well in the rice.  Pour the beaten eggs into the well and scramble the eggs.  When they are cooked, incorporate the rice into the well, mixing the eggs into the rice.  Add the cashews, raisins, and scallops (with any juices that may have collected) to your fried rice, mix everything together and saute until everything is warmed through.  Serve immediately and garnish with green onion.

Peanut Butter Yogurt Pops

Stonyfield should give me a patent for this.

As the owner of two very smart and active puppies (well, one is very smart, the other is just freaking cute), it has become a challenge of wits to come up with treats that can occupy their minds and jaws for at least 30 minutes so we can have some semblance of peace and quiet in the house.  I've tried just about every store bought thing you can think of, most of which lasts about 5 minutes.

This little godsend of an idea came over summer when frozen dog treats are everywhere.  My local pet store sells them for $5.99 a cup!!  Freaking ridiculous, so I decided to make them myself.  My dogs LOVE these yogurt pops, and I love them because the puppies are so quiet as they intensely try to get the frozen yumminess out of the cup.

I use Stonyfield Organic Low Fat Plain yogurt cups ($1 at Giant Eagle) because I'm flavoring the yogurt and I don't think my dogs need the extra sugar in the flavored varieties, but it's all based on preference.  You can use any yogurt cup of your choosing, just make sure it's safe for your dog.  Feel free to try different flavor combinations, this is my dog's favorite.

WARNING:  Please supervise your animal when giving them this treat.  Do not let them eat the plastic yogurt cup, that would be bad.

Peanut Butter Yogurt Pops

1 Yogurt Cup (I use Stonyfield Organic Low Fat Plain yogurt)
1 Dollop of Peanut Butter (I can usually fit about a rounded teaspoon)
1 Squirt of Honey (about a teaspoon)
A couple shakes of cinnamon
1 6 inch Bully Stick (optional, I get a variety pack online that always has these short guys that I don't know what to do with)

Open the yogurt cup and discard the lid.  Put the peanut butter, honey, and cinnamon on the surface of the yogurt.

Mix well with a spoon.  I plunge a spoon in and kind of wiggle it on the bottom, so that all the stuff doesn't come spilling out of the cup.  Insert bully stick in the middle (if using).  Put the yogurt pop in the freezer for 4-6 hours, or until it's frozen solid.  Give to your puppy and let them enjoy, but always under supervision.

   

Bacon and Lentil Soup

The best part of cleaning out my refrigerator?  Finding a pound of bacon I didn't know I had.  After pondering for a few minutes about what I was going to do with my unexpected find, I had an epiphany.  

I'm going to make Bacon and Lentil Soup.

This soup was the greatest idea I've ever had.  Not only is it just really, really good, it's really inexpensive to make and (minus the bacon and bacon fat) good for you!


Bacon and Lentil Soup


1/2 lb bacon (about 5-6 slices)
1 large onion, chopped
3 large carrots, chopped
1 cup lentils (I used regular brown, but I'm sure green or red would be great too)
8 cups chicken broth, divided
Salt and pepper to taste
Splash of balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup green onions, chopped

Cut the bacon in strips.  In a large pot, cook the bacon over medium heat until the fat is rendered and the bacon is crispy.  For best results, put the bacon in the cold pot and let them come up to temperature together.  Low and slow is the key to rendering bacon fat.

Transfer the crispy bacon bits to a paper towel to drain.  Drain excess fat from the pot, leaving about a tablespoon of fat in the pot.  Saute the onions and carrots over medium heat until the onions are translucent.

Add the lentils and 4 cups chicken broth.  Simmer for about 40-50 minutes until the lentils are tender.  Taste the lentils, that is the only way to tell if they are ready.  Add the remaining 4 cups of stock.  Season with salt and pepper to taste, this will vary depending on the bacon you use.  Add a splash of balsamic vinegar and the reserved bacon bits.  Simmer for an additional 10 minutes, or until soup is warmed through.  Serve with chopped green onions as garnish.