Tag Archives: Mustard (condiment)

Edamame Snap Pea Salad from The Lemonade Cookbook and a Giveaway!

22 Replies

ncEdamSnpPeaSal2nm

the-lemonade-cookbook-southern-california-comfort-foodIn 2007, Chef Alan Jackson opened what is now L.A.’s favorite modern cafeteria–Lemonade, serving up healthy comfort food Southern California-style. This popular eatery has 10 locations and is still growing. Like me, if you didn’t live in Southern California, you were missing out…until now. Chef Jackson and coauthor JoAnn Cianciulli have come out with The Lemonade Cookbook (hardcover, St. Martin’s Press), filled with 120 unique, easy-to-make, tasty recipes and lots of great full-color photos of many of these dishes.

I received a review copy from the publisher, plus a copy to give away to one of you! See the end of this post for details on how to win this book! I’ll share a little more about it here, along with a recipe I made.

In The Lemonade Cookbook, there are recipes for salads, veggie sides, unique sandwiches, soups and stews, and desserts. Some of the recipes include:

  • Fingerling Potatoes with Dill and Lemon-Saffron Vinaigrette
  • Heirloom Tomato, Crushed Basil, Fleur de Sel Salad
  • Greek-Marinated Chicken with Tzatsiki
  • Buttermilk-Baked Chicken
  • Citrus-Poached Salmon with Mustard Sauce
  • BBQ Brisket
  • Turkey with Dried Cranberry and Sage Gravy
  • Caesar Club (with Turkey, Ham, and Tomato)
  • Egg Salad Sandwich with Bacon and Heirloom Tomato
  • Creamed Cauliflower Soup
  • Mac ‘N Cheese
  • Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies
  • Lemon Drop Cupcakes
  • Caramel-Butterscotch Pudding

So you see, there’s quite a variety of recipes to try! And there’s even a chapter of recipes featuring their popular lemonade concoctions including Peach Ginger, Pear Basil, Cantaloupe Sage, and Blueberry Mint!

I decided to make one of the veggie salads, Edamame Snap Pea Salad with Sesame Vinaigrette, which was wonderful! I don’t know of many ways to serve edamame, but this is a great one! It’s easy to make and very healthy! It’s a slightly crunchy, tangy salad mix of edamame and sugar snap peas, and has a great Sesame Vinaigrette mixed in. If you aren’t familiar with edamame, it’s another word for green soybeans-it’s best to use non-GMO edamame. Here’s the recipe so you can try it out!

EDAMAME SNAP PEA SALAD WITH SESAME VINAIGRETTE from The Lemonade Cookbook

Makes 4 cups

This lean green edamame and snap pea dish adds just the right crunch, while sesame, shallot, and chive add another level of texture by coating the vegetables. The best part about this dish is it’s so simple to whip up.

  • 1/2 pound sugar snap peas (2 cups), ends trimmed
  • 2 cups shelled edamame (green soybeans), frozen, thawed, and cooked
  • 1 large shallot, minced
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
  • 1/2 cup Sesame Vinaigrette (recipe follows)
  • 1 Tablespoon black sesame seeds (I just used regular sesame seeds)
  • 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil over high heat. Prepare an ice bath by filling a large bowl halfway with water and adding a tray of ice cubes.

Blanch the snap peas for only about 2 minutes; they become tender very quickly. Using a slotted spoon, remove the snap peas from the water and plunge into the ice bath to “shock” them, i.e., to stop the cooking process and cool them down right away. This procedure also sets the vibrant green color of the peas. Drain the snap peas in a colander.

Put the blanched snap peas in a mixing bowl. Add the edamame, shallot, chives, and vinaigrette, tossing to coat. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds, salt, and pepper, tossing well. Serve chilled.

SESAME VINAIGRETTE

  • 1/2 cup seasoned rice vinegar
  • 2 Tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup canola oil (it’s best to use non-GMO canola oil)
  • 2 Tablespoons sesame oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

In a small mixing bowl or mason jar, combine the vinegar, sesame seeds, garlic, mustard, soy sauce, canola and sesame oils; season with pepper. Whisk or shake to blend. Keep any left-over vinaigrette covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Makes 1 cup.

the-lemonade-cookbook-southern-california-comfort-foodThe Giveaway Is Now Closed!

Now for the Giveaway…if you’d like to enter to win a copy of The Lemonade Cookbook, leave a comment on this blog post between now and Saturday, November 23, at 11 p.m. (CST)–the random drawing will be made from the comments on this post only! The winner will be chosen randomly via Random.org and announced on Sunday, November 24. Winner will be notified via email (if winner does not respond in 3 days, I’ll do another drawing). Giveaway limited to readers in the Continental U.S. and Canada.

First entry: Leave a comment on this post–it would be great to hear what your favorite kind of side dish is!

Bonus entry: If you are a new or existing follower or subscriber, you can leave one extra comment telling me the way (or ways) you are following.

This is a great book for anyone who loves trying unique recipes and using fresh, healthy ingredients! It would also make a wonderful gift! 🙂

Advertisements

Classic Deviled Eggs

18 Replies

ncClassicDevEgg1nm

One of my favorite summer dishes is the classic deviled egg. In fact, if I had to choose between a deviled egg and a piece of chocolate, I think I just might choose the deviled egg! And that says a lot, because I’m a big chocolate-lover. I found a great basic deviled egg recipe over at Favorite Brand Name Recipes.com. These are your basic egg, mustard, and mayonnaise deviled eggs and they are really good! I ate three of them right after making them…I really do have a weakness for these! 🙂 So, next time you have a deviled egg craving or are planning a summer picnic, be sure to try these out! This recipe makes 12 servings.

CLASSIC DEVILED EGGS slightly adapted from Favorite Brand Name Recipes

Makes 12 servings (24 deviled egg halves)

  • 12 hard-cooked eggs, cut in half
  • 6 Tablespoons low-fat or regular mayonnaise
  • 2 Tablespoons yellow mustard
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground red or black pepper
  • Paprika for garnish

Remove yolk from egg whites using a teaspoon. Mash yolks with a fork in a medium size bowl. Stir in mayonnaise, mustard, salt, and pepper; mix well. Spoon or pipe yolk mixture into egg white halves. Arrange on serving platter. Garnish with paprika. Cover and chill in refrigerator until ready to serve. VARIATIONS suggested by Favorite Brand Name Recipes:  Stir in one of the following…

  • 2 Tablespoons minced red onion plus 1 Tablespoon horseradish
  • 2 Tablespoons pickle relish plus 1 Tablespoon minced fresh dill
  • 2 Tablespoons each minced onion and celery plus 1 Tablespoon minced fresh dill
  • 1/4 (1 ounce) cup shredded Cheddar cheese plus 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
Enjoy your deviled eggs! What special or unique ingredients do you like to add to yours?

Tomato Corn Salad

5 Replies

ncTomCornSal3nm

I came across this recipe in a Taste of Home magazine, and having never eaten Tomato Corn Salad, I was curious to see how it tasted. I liked all the ingredients I saw listed in the recipe–in addition to the tomatoes and corn, there were red and green onions, some fresh cilantro and basil…all tossed with a light dressing of balsamic vinegar. There’s also a little Dijon mustard in the original recipe, which I substituted with honey mustard, for just a touch of sweetness.

I really liked it when I tried it out…the balsamic vinegar gives a nice tangy taste to the salad, and the corn-tomato-onion combination is great, too. If you’re growing your own corn and tomatoes in your garden this summer, this is a great way to use your fresh veggies! I also like it because it’s a different way to serve corn–I don’t have very many recipes that include corn, so it’s a great addition to my recipe collection. And it’s just 140 calories per 3/4 cup serving, so it’s light and healthy, too! This recipe makes about 7 servings.

TOMATO CORN SALAD slightly adapted from Taste of Home

  • 3 large tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced
  • 1/3 cup chopped green onions
  • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons minced fresh basil
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 4 cups fresh corn (about 9 ears of corn–or you can substitute thawed frozen or canned corn)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced or thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon honey mustard (or Dijon mustard, if you prefer)

Combine the first eight ingredients in a large bowl. In a large skillet, saute corn and garlic in oil until tender. Stir in mustard. Add to vegetable mixture; toss to coat. Serve with a slotted spoon. 

Do you have any favorite recipes you like to make with fresh corn?

Mediterranean Blend Veggies with Fresh Lemon Dressing and Southwestern Blend Veggies ‘n Chicken

4 Replies

I made these delicious and healthy organic veggies the other day, using the Whole Foods Market 365 Everyday Value Mediterranean Blend frozen vegetables. I added a Fresh Lemon Dressing on top, which was a nice lemony, tangy, finishing touch.

ncMedVeg2nm

I also made this yummy chicken and veggie dish with the organic Southwestern Blend frozen vegetables, also from Whole Foods.

ncSWChnm

I mentioned in an earlier post that these are some of the new organic frozen food products in the Whole Foods Market 365 Everyday Value line. There are so many veggies and fruits to choose from, ncWFVeggiesbut the Southwestern and Mediterranean Blends are among their newest products. They can be used in soups, stews, casseroles, and many other ways. And they’re great just the way they are as a side dish with your meal.

Here are my recipes if you’d like to try them out. They’re really good and good for you!

MEDITERRANEAN BLEND VEGGIES WITH FRESH LEMON DRESSING 

  • 1 (16-oz.) package Mediterranean Blend frozen vegetables (a blend of zucchini, yellow squash, carrots, green beans, red peppers, and onions)

 FRESH LEMON DRESSING (adapted from Lowe’s Creative Ideas )

  • 4 teaspoons finely shredded lemon peel
  • 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 cup light sour cream or Greek yogurt

Prepare vegetables according to package directions.

To make  lemon dressing, combine lemon peel, lemon juice, garlic, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in olive oil until thickened. Whisk in sour cream or yogurt.

To serve, drizzle dressing over cooked veggies or serve dressing on the side and dip veggies in dressing. The 16-ounce package of frozen veggies makes about 4 to 5 side servings and the dressing makes 6 to 8 servings, so you’ll have a little dressing left over–you can save that for a salad!

SOUTHWESTERN BLEND VEGGIES WITH CHICKEN

  • 1 (16-0z.) package Southwestern Blend frozen veggies (a blend of onions and red and green peppers)
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 cups cooked, chopped-up chicken (I used a rotisserie chicken I had purchased)

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Carefully add frozen vegetables to the skillet and saute 5 minutes. Add chopped chicken and saute 2 more minutes, or until heated through. Season to taste with salt and pepper or your favorite seasoning and serve. Makes 4 servings.

These are both really quick and easy recipes, and so healthy! Hope you get a chance to try them sometime!