I love grapes. They are the perfect snack food. I love them fresh as well as frozen. If you have never tried them frozen before give it a try.

Did you know that there is less calories in in a 1/2 of a cup of grapes then there is in raisins (dried grapes)? A half of a cup of grapes is only 30 calories where as a half of a cup of raisins is a whopping 250 calories.

Raisins do have more antioxidants then they do in grape form, but they also have a concentrated amount of sugar (natural sugar), making them a poor choice for Diabetics.

You don’t often see recipes that utilize grapes. Personally I have never cooked with grapes. I have tossed some sliced grapes on top of salad, but I’ve never actually cooked with them.

From mid-November until the end of May Grapes are in season in Chile, one of the supplies of grapes in the United States. So now is a great time to explore some recipes that use grapes as one of their main ingredients.

Here is a yummy recipe, compliments of the Chilean Fresh Fruit Association. Not only does the recipe include grapes but also Pecans, another favorite of mine.

Bon Appetit! 

Pork Chops with Roasted Chilean Grape-Pecan Sauce

Ingredients:

2 cups grapes

1/2 cup chopped pecans

4 3/4-inch-thick boneless pork chops (about 2 1/4 lb.)

1/2 tsp. salt

 1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper

3 Tbsp. olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon

1/4 cup finely chopped shallots

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 cup white wine

1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

1 Tbsp. butter

Directions:

Preheat to 425°F. Place grapes on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake at 425˚ for 18 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally to turn the grapes.  Add pecans to pan; bake 7 minutes longer or until grapes are shriveled. Remove from oven, and gently combine the grapes and pecans (mixture will be sticky). Set aside.

Meanwhile, season pork chops with salt and pepper.  Heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet; cook pork chops over medium-high heat 4 to 5 minutes or until browned; turn and cook 4 minutes longer (a meat thermometer inserted into thickest portion should register 150°). Transfer pork chops to a platter and keep warm.

Pour off the fat in the skillet and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil to pan. Add the shallot and garlic; cook over medium-high heat 1 minute or until shallot is tender. Add wine and bring to a boil; cook 2 to 4 minutes, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet, until liquid reduces by half. Add the chicken broth, thyme, and mustard; reduce heat to medium and simmer 2 to 4 minutes or until sauce thickens slightly.  Remove pan from heat; stir in butter, grapes, and pecans.  Serve grape sauce over pork chops.

Serves: 4

Prep: 20 min., Bake: 25 min., Cook: 15 min.

Nutritional Information: 433 calories, 24 gms fat, 216 calories from fat, 5 gms saturated fat, 81 mg cholesterol, 787 mg sodium, 1 gm dietary fiber, 36 gms protein. 

Recipe from the Chilean Fresh Fruit Association. For more recipes please visit www.ChileanFruitOnline.com.

 

Kimberly

*I was not compensated for this post. I posted this recipe for the enjoyment of my readers. Any opinions expressed are my own. The recipe is compliments of the Chilean Fresh Fruit Association.

 

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It’s a beautiful sunny day. The landscapers are here cutting the grass. There is nothing that says “Spring” like fresh cut grass. Ahh… I wish someone could truly capture it’s essence in an air freshener so we can enjoy the fresh cut grass scent year round.

When you think of Spring what comes to mind? Rain showers, flowers, allergies…? Many pick think “green”. After a long Winter the color green is a welcome sight such as green grass, green leaves and seasonal green fruits and veggies.

Speaking of seasonal and “green”, here are some healthy and delicious recipes from Pritikin Longevity Center & Spa’s* Executive Chef, Anthony Stewart. Chef Stewart has won accolades worldwide including five goal medals in top culinary competitions for his masterful use of foods, like fresh seafood and tropical fruits from his native Jamaica. 

Enjoy these flavorful recipes, compliments of Chef Stewart.

Puree Green Pea Soup

Ingredients: 

2 quarts clear vegetable stock

2 onion chopped

1 head fennel chopped

3 tbsp. chopped garlic

1 pound potato peeled and chopped

4 pounds green peas (frozen ok)

½ tsp. Baking soda or baking powder

3 tbsp. Pritikin shake it table blend (optional or use another blend)

3 tbsp. No salt added mustard

2-tbsp. Chopped fresh thyme leaves

2 tbsp. Chopped fresh basil

1 tbsp. chopped fresh dill

1 tsp.   Wasabi powder

Directions: 

In a stockpot sauté onion, garlic and fennel. Add vegetable stock and potato and cook until soft and potato begin to break apart.

Add thyme, mustard and shake-it blends and cook for another 5 minutes.

Turn the flame off and add baking soda, when it begin to foam add green peas, wasabi powder and remaining ingredients. Let sit for 5 minutes.

Blend and serve.

Spinach Mashed Potatoes

Serves 18

Ingredients:

5 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes (If unavailable, any potato variety will work.)

2 cups frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

¼ cup diced onion (optional)

2 cups nonfat milk

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

½ cup fat-free sour cream

Directions: 

Boil potatoes in water until soft (about 25 minutes). 

Sauté spinach and onion in nonstick skillet until hot.  Add milk and nutmeg, and bring to a boil.  Remove from heat.

In a large mixing bowl, mash potatoes with a wire whip.  Add spinach mixture and sour cream.  Whisk until potatoes are fluffy.  Serve immediately.

Edamame & Broccoli Dip

Serving size 1/2 cup

Ingredients: 

1 pound shelled and cooked Edamame (soy) beans, often available in frozen food sections

1 pound over-cooked (softened) broccoli florets

3 tablespoons chopped Vidalia onion

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

¼ cup fat-free sour cream

3 tablespoons fat-free plain yogurt

3 tablespoons freshly chopped basil

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 tablespoons lemon Juice

Directions:

In a food processor, puree the Edamame beans, broccoli, onion, and garlic for 2 minutes.

Transfer to mixing bowl.  Add sour cream, yogurt, basil, and black pepper. Blend until smooth and creamy.

Add lemon juice to taste.

Serve with vegetable sticks, such as carrots, celery, and jicama, or with whole-wheat low-sodium chips.

Enjoy! 

Kimberly

*I was not compensated for this post. I shared these recipes for the enjoyment of my site readers. Any opinion expressed is my own. These recipes are compliments of Chef Stewart and Pritikin Longevity Center. Pritikin Longevity Center and Spa is a 650-acre fully renovated private wellness spa and weight loss health program, complete with exceptional fitness trainers, award winning chefs, nutritionists and renowned spa treatments. The center boasts experts from health to nutrition and fitness to spa and wellness. People from all over the world travel to Pritikin to get their health back on track and get their bodies back in shape. For more information, please visit www.Pritikin.com.   

 

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I enjoy sharing recipes with my readers. I especially love recipes that are quick, easy and budget friendly.

This week Chef Tim Love introduced an amazingly delicious and oh-so-simple recipe for Caesar-Crusted Chicken as part of Hellmann’s Chicken Change-Up.

Check out the video. For those of you reading this via e-mail you can see the video here along with other Hellmann’s video recipes, http://bit.ly/HQVQUm.

Here is the recipe for your convenience. You can print it out and add it to your recipe box.

CAESAR-CRUSTED CHICKEN

4 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes  Cook Time: 20 minutes    

Ingredients: 

1/2 cup Hellmann’s® or Best Foods® Real Mayonnaise

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1-1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard

1 tsp. lemon juice

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 1-1/4 lbs.)

1/2 cup Italian seasoned or garlic croutons, finely crushed

4 cups mixed salad greens

1/4 cup Wish-Bone Light® Italian Dressing

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 425°. 

2. Combine Hellmann’s® or Best Foods® Real Mayonnaise, cheese, mustard, lemon juice and garlic in medium bowl. Arrange chicken on baking sheet. Evenly top with mayonnaise mixture, then sprinkle with crouton crumbs.

3. Bake 20 minutes or until chicken is thoroughly cooked. Serve with mixed salad greens drizzled with Wish-Bone® Italian Dressing.

Also terrific with Hellmann’s® or Best Foods® Light or Canola Cholesterol Free Mayonnaise.

TIP: Don’t feel like chopping? Use 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder instead of chopped garlic.

You can find this and other great recipes on the Hellmann’s Facebook page, www.Facebook.com/Hellmanns and on Hellmann’s official website, www.Hellmanns.com.

While you are visiting the Hellmann’s Facebook page be sure to enter their daily sweepstakes for a $50 grocery gift card. You’ll also be entered to win the grand prize of a $500 grocery gift card.

Kimberly

*I am a Hellmann’s brand ambassador, however I was not compensated for this post. I posted this for the benefit and enjoyment of my site readers. Any opinions expressed are entirely my own and are not influenced in any way.

 

 

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What is it about chicken nuggets that kids love so much? Even the pickiest of eaters always seem to love chicken nuggets. Many adults love them too. I have to admit that I am a fan of chicken nuggets as well.

Speaking of picky eaters – do you have one in your home? My kids can be picky. Not as much as they used to be, but it’s still frustrating. Especially my daughter. She tends to be the picky one.

According to the Journal of Pediatrics, thirty percent of children are labeled by their parents as “picky eaters” and we know the frustration is felt far and wide – from the son who won’t eat anything green to the 19 year old teen who has only been eating pizza for the past six years.  

I think I would go nuts if my kids were THAT bad. LOL! Thankfully my kids eat broccoli, spinach and other green things. However my daughter prefers her veggies raw (except broccoli – she wants it steamed).

Hellmann’s has a terrific EASY recipe for kid-friendly Chicken Nuggets with BBQ Sauce that your kids are going to love. There are only five ingredients (all of which you probably already have in your kitchen) and you can have them on the table in a little over 15 minutes.

These are great for both lunch and dinner too!

Check out Chef Tim Love’s video that shows you how to make this tasty recipe. If you are reading this via e-mail you can view the recipe here, http://bit.ly/HGZ9xt.

Here is the recipe that you can print out and put in your recipe box.

CHICKEN NUGGETS WITH BBQ SAUCE

This smoky chicken has big BBQ flavor and is on the table in 30 minutes or less!

4 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes     Cook Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

3/4 cup Hellmann’s® or Best Foods® Real Mayonnaise

1/2 cup barbecue sauce

1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 6 oz. ea.), cut into nuggets

1/2 cup Italian seasoned dry bread crumbs

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 375°.

Combine Hellmann’s® or Best Foods® Real Mayonnaise, barbecue sauce and mustard in small bowl. Reserve 1/2 cup sauce; set aside. Evenly coat chicken with sauce, then bread crumbs. Arrange chicken on baking sheet.

Bake 15 minutes or until thoroughly cooked. Serve with reserved sauce.

You can find a lot more great Hellmann’s recipes on their YouTube channel, www.YouTube.com/user/HellmannsMayonnaise. 

More videos can be found on the Hellmann’s Facebook page, www.Facebook.com/Hellmanns. While you are there before to enter the Hellmann’s Chicken Change-Up Sweepstakes where you could win $5,000 grocery gift card. You can enter daily for your chance to win a $50.00 gift card too. Every day that you enter the daily contest you also get an entry in the Chicken Change-Up Sweeps too.

For more information you can check out the official rules on the Hellmann’s Facebook page.

If you want even more recipes check out the Hellmann’s website, www.Hellmanns.com.

Kimberly

*I am a Hellmann’s brand ambassador, however I was not compensated for this post. I posted this for the benefit and enjoyment of my site readers. Any opinions expressed are entirely my own and are not influenced in any way.

 

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I thought I would give my readers a “heads up” to a FREE tasting event that will be held at participating Sam’s Clubs across the country.

To kick off the start of grilling season, Sam’s Club is inviting Members and non-Members alike to visit their local Sam’s Club from April 27 to 29 for a special, free Spring Taste of Sam’s Club tasting weekend. 

From BBQ pork ribs and beef franks to sweet corn and asparagus, families can taste and stock up on grillings must-haves without a surcharge during the Spring Taste of Sam’s Club event. And, with the Sam’s Club’s 200% guarantee on meat, produce and bakery items, you can serve up their favorite foods to family and friends with confidence.

Visit SamsClub.com/Meals for additional information about the event. While you are there you should really check out their recipe section. There are a lot of fabulous recipes found on their site. Most are incredibly simple too, using products that most of us purchase on a regular basis (no gourmet ingredients required). Some yummy recipes you’ll find there include Tex-Mex Pasta Salad, Cranberry-pecan Chicken Salad Sandwiches and Bourbon Cheesecake Shots. 

Another delicious recipe is the Dijon-BBQ Sliders.

Dijon-BBQ Sliders Recipe

Total time: 30 minutes

Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 2 cups rotisserie chicken
• 2 cups shredded coleslaw mix
• 4 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 tsp sugar
• ½ cup barbecue sauce
• ¼ cup Dijon mustard
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• 8 slider sized hamburger buns or dinner rolls split

Directions

• Mix shredded rotisserie chicken meat with barbecue sauce and Dijon mustard in a medium bowl until well coated. Warm the mixture is a saucepan over low heat.
• In another medium bowl, stir together the vinegar, sugar and black pepper. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Add the coleslaw mix and toss to coat the cabbage.
• Place the barbecue chicken evenly onto the bottom halves of the 8 rolls. Then top the chicken with the coleslaw and the other half of the roll.
• TIP: For a Southern punch try adding your favorite hot sauce to the barbecue-mustard sauce. For a southwest barbecue spin, add a slice of smoky bacon to your slider.

I read somewhere that you can cut up hot dog rolls to make slider rolls, or use Hawaiian rolls. In the past I have also used biscuits and English Muffins.

Don’t forget to mark your calendar and stop by your local Sam’s Club April 27th, 28th or 29th for the FREE tasting event.

Kimberly

*I was not compensated for this post. I posted this for the enjoyment of my site readers. Any opinions expressed are my own. The recipes was given to me to share with my readers.

 

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I know many readers enjoy it when I share recipes. Every now and then someone sends me a recipe that is just too good not to share. That is why I love to share them with my readers.

Celebrity chef, restaurateur, and entrepreneur, Todd English, has a really interesting recipe made with Soy Milk, which is something I don’t come across often. It sounds really good and I can’t wait to try it.

The dessert is pictured above. Here is the recipes.

Soy Milk Panna Cotta with Crushed Blackberries

“I’m constantly driving my team crazy by “Todd-izing” classic recipes.  But I love finding one unique twist on classics.  Soy Milk has never tasted as good as it does in this version of Panna Cotta.  The creamy texture of the soy milk is complimented by the bright, clean flavor of the blackberries.   I love this dessert because it’s so balanced in its sweet and fresh flavors, and it just leaves you with that feel-good, satisfied feeling at the end of your meal.”

Ingredients:

Vanilla bean, 1 split

Unflavored gelatin, 1 Tbsp.

Unsweetened soy milk, 2 cups

Sugar, ½ cup

Kosher salt, 1 tsp., divided

Plain soy yogurt, 2 cups

Fresh blackberries, 1 pt.

Sugar, 2 Tbsp.

Garnish: crushed amaretti cookies

Directions:

1. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean.

2. Stir together gelatin and ¼ cup water in a small bowl.

3. Bring milk, ½ cup sugar, ¾ tsp. salt, and vanilla bean and seeds to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat; reduce heat to medium.  Whisk in gelatin mixture until well blended. 

4. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly, and cook 1 minute.  Remove from heat, and discard vanilla bean.  Stir in yogurt until blended.  Pour mixture through a fine wire-mesh strainer into a bowl; discard solids.

5. Divide mixture among 6 (6 oz.) ramekins.  Cover and chill 3 hours or until set.

6. Stir together blackberries, 2 Tbsp. sugar, and remaining ¼ tsp. salt in a bowl.  Gently crush blackberries against sides of bowl until berries release their juices, using a fork.  Let stand 10 minutes. 

7. Cook berry mixture in a small skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, 3 minutes or until liquid begins to thicken.  Let cool 5 minutes. 

8. Hold each ramekin in warm water 5 seconds; invert onto serving plates.  Top with blackberry sauce.  Garnish, if desired.  6 servings.

Did you know that Chef English has a line of eco-friendly cookware? His HSN GreenPan collection is a great way to stay away from harmful chemicals that have been found in some cookware.

Living up to its name, the GreenPan collection with Thermolon non-stick technology is the first completely PTFE-free non-stick cookware utilizing revolutionary Thermolon technology, which is PFOA-free in manufacturing, and FDA compliant.  The GreenPan collection is a great eco-friendly option because, since it is PFOA-free, it does not leave any imprints on our environment.  Unlike most other non-stick cookware, these pots and pans can tolerate a high temperature (pans to 850 degrees, lids to 420 degrees) so they can easily go from stove to oven!

 Here is a really nice set - GreenPan Elite Copperfused 6-piece Supreme Spring Entertaining Set ($199.95!) :

 -   Tarnish-resistant copperfused exteriors offer the beauty of copper without the high-maintenance hassle.

-    Fast-heating aluminum bodies offer even cooking and tolerate high temperatures well on the stove top and in the oven.

-    Non-stick Thermolon technology perfect for easy cleanup.

-    Stainless steel double-riveted handles.

I’m going to look into these pans further. Not only do they look nice but I also like that they are “green”.

Kimberly

*I was not compensated for this post. I posted this for the enjoyment of my site readers. Any opinions expressed are my own. This recipe was shared with me and approved for sharing with my readers.

 

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