MOZZARELLA CHEESE WITH A TASTY TOPPING ON A TOSSED SALAD
Prep time: 15 minutes. Cooking time: 5 minutes. Serves: 4
Note: Serves 4 as an entrée or 8 as a side salad
Salad:
4 cups chopped or torn romaine lettuce
4 cups torn baby spinach
1 small jicama, peeled and cut into thin slices (about 1-1/2 cups)
½ cup chopped walnuts
Garnish: Toast 4 slices of bread, cut each in half and 8 cherry tomatoes, slightly roasted
Mozzarella Topping:
5 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp. dried crushed red pepper
1 Tbsp. minced fresh oregano
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 Tbsp. capers
12oz. fresh water-packed mozzarella cheese, drained, cut into 3/4-inch-thick slices
1/2 lemon
Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in small skillet over very low heat. Add garlic and crushed pepper and stir just until garlic is fragrant about 3 minutes (remove if garlic starts to turn brown). Remove from heat; stir in oregano, capers, salt, pepper, and remaining oil. Toss salad with balsamic and olive oil or your favorite dressing. Divide the salad ingredients onto individual plates. Place 2 pieces of toast on each salad and top with cheese, along with 2 roasted tomatoes. Spoon Mozzarella Topping over cheese slices and finish with a squeeze of lemon juice.
BRUSSELS SPROUTS AT THEIR BEST
Prep time: 10 minutes. Marinating time: overnight. Serves: 4 or more
1 lb. Brussels sprouts, cut in half or quartered
Juice of 1 lemon
1 Tbsp. olive oil
Garlic salt, paprika, and pepper, to taste
In a gallon size ziploc bag, combine the lemon juice, olive oil, paprika, garlic salt, and pepper. Add in the Brussels, seal bag and toss around, until well coated. Refrigerate overnight. When ready to roast, preheat oven to 400ºF, remove Brussels from bag and place in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes. Hint: I like mine crispy. Feel free to eat the whole pan or share
SAUCY RICE STIR-FRY
Prep time: 15 minutes. Cooking time: 15 minutes. Serves: 4
Sauce:
1 cup tamari or soy sauce
1 cup vegetable stock
4 Tbsp. rice vinegar
2 tsp. agave nectar or pure maple syrup
3 clove garlic, minced
1-1/2 Tbsp. grated ginger
2 Tbsp. arrowroot starch
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
Stir-fry:
4 Tbsp. grapeseed oil
12 oz. mixed shitake and portobello mushrooms, sliced
2 cups broccoli florets
1 cup frozen peas
4 cups cooked wild rice
5 green onions, sliced
In a bowl, mix together the sauce ingredients and set aside. Heat the grapeseed oil in a stir-fry pan over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, broccoli florets, and frozen peas; cook and stir for about 5 minutes. Add the sauce and cook for about 2 more minutes or until the sauce starts to thicken. Add the rice and green onions: stir for another minute or so. Serve and heat hot.
QUICK PARFAIT
Prep time: 10 minutes. Serves: 4
2 cups frozen strawberries
1 cup raw cashews
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 cups vegan granola
Garnish: Pomegranate seeds
Blend all the ingredients, except the granola and pomegranate seeds, in a high-speed blender until smooth. Assemble in cups by layering the cream and granola. Garnishing with pomegranate seeds, adds texture and taste.
MARINATED TOMATOES WITH RED ONIONS, OLIVES, AND BLUE CHEESE
Preparation time: 10 minutes. Sitting time: 30 minutes
Chilling time: 30 minutes. Serves: 4
3/4 cup red wine vinegar
Sea salt
1 small red onion (or 1/2 of a big onion)
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup chopped chives
Freshly ground pepper
1 ripe medium size red tomato
1 ripe medium size yellow tomato
1/2 cup chopped pitted Calamata olives
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
Mix together in a medium size bowl the red wine vinegar with 1 tsp salt until dissolved. Peel, halve and thinly slice onion crosswise. Add to vinegar mixture. Add water if the onions are not completely covered. Let sit about 15 minutes.
In another bowl, whisk the olive oil, balsamic vinegar and chives. Season with salt and pepper. Core and cut the tomatoes in half lengthwise and then cut each half into slices. Put the tomatoes in a wide serving bowl. Pour the vinaigrette over and marinate for at least 15 minutes.
Drain onion and pat or squeeze out excess vinegar. Add the onions and olives to the tomatoes and toss. Add more pepper to taste, top with blue cheese and serve.
Jan Robinson, Health Coach, Charter Yacht Consultant, 2019 CYBA Hall of Fame, Chef Competition Coordinator/Judge, and author of the Ship to Shore Cookbook collection; available on Amazon and www.shiptoshoreinc.com CaptJan2@gmail.com
