Crock Pot Barley Pilaf with Summer Squash, Sugar Snap Peas and Fresh Berries with Citrus-Mint Dressing

This is another recipe that I came up with out of necessity for a few reasons.

One.  It's to stinking hot to even consider turning the stove on. The thought of it makes me tired and cranky.

Two.  My budget is less than glamorous at the moment and so I'm having to get really creative with my meatless dinner recipes so as not to have a full on revolt happening. Four meat loving kids and a hungry husband can be dangerous unless I come up with something filling and flavorful for dinner.

Three.  I have a big bag of barley in my pantry that has been staring at me for the last several weeks asking me why it's been neglected.





Well, necessity is the mother of invention right? And this one turned out so very good that I decided to share it with you lovely people. Barley is a whole grain and very healthy. When I think of barley my mind goes straight to barley soup made with mushrooms, carrots and maybe beef. I can't even imagine eating soup while it's 118F degrees outside so I went with my usual flawless plan; a crock pot, more veggies and a bit of fruit to sweeten it up. Bravo!



Throwing the barley and dried mushrooms (best invention ever) into the crock pot with home made chicken stock was simple and sweat free. I tossed in some summer squash and sugar snap peas, raw and threw together a simple mint vinaigrette using my cute little hydroponic mint plant really pulled this together into a sweet dinner. Even the kids liked it!



TIME    4 HOURS (CROCK POT)        SERVES 6

Ingredients:

1 cup dried barley
3 cups chicken broth (preferably home made)
handful of dried mushrooms (I used shitake)
1 teaspoon salt
3 summer squash (yellow)
large handful sugar snap peas
large handful fresh blueberries
4-6 fresh strawberries, sliced
1/2 cup slivered almonds or nut of choice
chopped lettuce to serve on (I used a head of red leaf because it was cheaper)


Place barley, broth, salt and dried mushrooms in crock pot. Cook on med-high heat for about 4 hours checking after 3 hours.

Meanwhile, chop squash into small bite size pieces, slice strawberries and sugar snap peas. When barley is done spoon on top of chopped lettuce and sprinkle veggies and fruits and nuts over top. Serve with Citrus Mint Dressing.  (A Strawberry Vinegraitte would be nice too)


FOR THE DRESSING

1/4 cup fresh mint leaves from your cute little indoor herb garden
1 clove garlic or shallot
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lime or orange juice depending on your fancy
1/4 cup EVOO or  grape seed oil
if you prefer you could use vinegar instead of citrus. I've used both.
1/3 cup white wine or champagne vinegar

Blend all ingredients in a blender until combined. You can whisk if you'd like but I find the ingredients tend to separate much faster.

This post is linked to:

Fresh Food Friday
Seasonal Saturdays
21st Century House Wife
Tasty Tuesday's

Tomato, Fresh Mozzarella, Roasted Pepper on Whole Wheat Bread

Rustic whole wheat Italian bread, fresh mozzarella, summer tomatoes, basil and balsamic vinegar. My favorite meatless sandwich!

I live two blocks away from a really great Italian ravioli store called Pastosa. Aside from the best homemade raviolis they carry an amazing array of fresh breads from Brooklyn, homemade fresh mozzarella, roasted peppers, and lots of other temping goodies. It's actually dangerous walking in there as all their mouth watering goodies are displayed right there in front of you.

Today I had a plan and didn't stray, I picked up some roasted peppers, tomatoes, a wonderful whole wheat loaf and fresh mozzarella, sliced thin (great trick to keep yourself from using too much as it is not low in fat!) I came home and picked some basil from my garden and put this delicious and satisfying lunch together.

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

My Secret Weapon to Beat the Heat. Strawberry-Coconut Smoothies P.S. Dear Monsoon: Please hurry.

Rain would be a true God send right now here in Phoenix. It always looks like even the cacti are going to give up and die during the endlessly long summer's here. I guess too much of anything can wear on one's nerves. Come July, after most people get tired of mindlessly commenting or joking about the stifling dry heat, all one can do is wipe off the continual beads of sweat rolling down their necks and pray for the monsoon.

Monsoon season is nothing short of a true miracle. Natures wrath at her finest. After months and months without a single drop of rain the sky darkens without notice and beautiful violent rains pour from the wakened sky and hit the hard, cracked desert floor. There is no drier dust than that found in the Arizona desert in July. Just when the cacti start to wilt and the weary desert animals are ready to call it quits, God sends them relief. And He doesn't skimp on the job. 

The smell is my favorite part of the monsoons. It's no ordinary rain. The layers of dust and sand that have accumulated on the streets and in my nose can only be washed away by the heavy rains of August. I wait anxiously starting mid July for the chance to sit outside amidst the sheets of rain and furious winds that wash every trace of dust from the startled desert. It lasts only for a few minutes but is enough to quench the deserts thirst for many more months. It is energizing   refreshing   uplifting invigorating and restores even the most lifeless soul.


During these long, hot months in the desert it is difficult to want to eat, let along cook anything. We need to save every single ounce of energy that we have so that the heat doesn't drag us down and reduce us to ashes. Water is our best friend but my secret weapon is coconut water which instantly rejuvenates me and gives me the energy to make it through the entire days obstacles which includes getting the mail while the sun is still out.

You think I'm joking?

Coconut Water + Frozen Berries =  Extreme Heat Blaster

When I'm feeling like I want a sweet treat and need some extra refreshing, I always go for these Strawberry-Coconut smoothies. They take all of 3 minutes to make and are a gazillion times healthier (and tastier IMO) than milk shakes or fast food smoothies. I think it important to note that even the drinks labeled "Real Fruit Smoothies" are not in fact good for you. At all. Period. And that includes popular Juice Joints. Sorry.


I keep a big bag of frozen berries from Costco in my freezer and plenty of coconut water around to make these smoothies throughout the summer months. They taste even better when sitting in the pool oddly enough. :)



This post is linked to

Fresh Food Friday

Grilled Chicken Sandwich with Avocado and Tomato

An open faced sandwich on Ciabatta bread with mashed avocado, sliced tomatoes and grilled chicken. A perfect way to use up leftover chicken.

Avocado is a wonderful healthy option in place of mayonnaise and it adds such great flavor. Yesterday I mentioned how good tasting bread is crucial for me in the sandwich making process, and Ciabatta is another fat free option I love to use. Although it's usually fat free, always double check the labels.

I made this an opened open-faced for the photo, then realized once I started eating it that it's easier to eat if it's closed and it's also more portable for lunch on the run. I'll leave that up to you!

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Roast Beef, Arugula and Shaved Parmesan on a Baguette

Crusty bread, peppery arugula and fresh shaved Parmesan cheese makes an everyday cold cut like roast beef taste like a gourmet sandwich. Perfect for lunch on the go, pack along some veggies and fruit on the side and you have yourself a meal.

When I make a sandwich, I like using good crusty bread like a baguette or French bread, which is a perfect fat free bread option. A trick I like to do when I make a sandwich is to scoop out some of the inside of the bread, which allows me to make a larger sandwich, and it leaves room for the meat and lettuce. I personally enjoyed most  of my sandwiches dry but if you prefer adding mayo or dressing, you'll have to adjust the points. I bet horseradish mayo would be lovely on this!

I've been getting lots of emails from working folks who need help preparing quick and easy lunches on the go that don't require heating up the kitchen. I am dedicating the rest of the week to healthy sandwiches. If you have a sandwich you would like to share with everyone feel free to comment and maybe I'll post your recipe!

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Tomato Mozzarella and Arugula Tower

A beautifully presented salad made with summer tomatoes, arugula, part skim mozzarella, balsamic, basil and olive oil. This makes a wonderful vegetarian or low carb lunch for two, perfect for a hot summer day.

To enjoy this as a side dish, cut it in half down the middle and make this 4 servings.

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Skinny Strawberry Fool

Fresh strawberries cooked with agave get folded into Greek yogurt and whipped topping to create pretty swirls of fruit and cream.  Serving this in a clear glass cup or champagne flute allows the pretty ribbons of red and white to show through.

For those of you that may be unfamiliar with a fool, a fool is a quick and easy dessert that is made with fresh fruit that has been simmered with sugar and folded with fresh whipped cream. This skinny version tastes just as good as the full fat version, making it a perfect summer treat.

I have yet to figure out how to make a low fat whipped cream from scratch, but I recently found an all natural whipped topping at my organic market called truwhip.  It contains neither high fructose corn syrup nor hydrogenated oil, and is delicious! Their website has a store finder so you can locate it at a store near you. If you prefer to use Cool Whip Free, I've given you the nutritional info for that as well for you to decide.

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Broiled Fish with Summer Grape Tomato Sauce

Broiled fish topped with a quick garden tomato sauce using summer grape tomatoes, fresh basil and garlic. I served this over orzo for a complete meal.

This simple sauce is also great over pasta or chicken.
Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Pineapple Shrimp Fried Rice

A fried rice dish made with brown rice, shrimp and pineapple. A wonderful combination of savory, sweet and spicy.

Penang in Soho used to be one of my favorite places to eat, when they closed down I was so upset. They had the best roti canai appetizer and a pineapple fried rice which they served in a hollowed out pineapple. That was the inspiration for this dish. If you rather not go through the extra work of hollowing out a pineapple, you could simply serve this in a dish. I had my friends over for dinner and they were really impressed with this flavors and presentation of this dish. My husband however thought the serving sizes should be larger, so if you're feeding hungry men, you may want to make extra. The ladies were perfectly happy with this, and it left room for dessert!


Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Low Fat Vanilla Bean Frozen Yogurt

If you like the tangy taste of yogurt you'll love this low-fat homemade frozen treat made with a combination of Greek yogurt and plain yogurt and real vanilla bean.

It's National Ice Cream Month and to celebrate I've been playing with my new ice cream maker. This frozen yogurt is so easy to make. This is best served soft and topped with fresh fruit. Serve it right out of the ice cream maker or let it thaw a few minutes before serving.

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Pink Lemonade Confetti Cupcakes

Sweet and tart pink lemonade cupcakes – these cupcakes just scream summer!

A few months back I had a request to do a make-over for pink lemonade cupcakes. The original recipe was totally decadent loaded with butter and buttercream icing and I wasn't sure how I would pull it off. I played around with this one several ways, and this is what I came up with. I chose to keep them naked and simple since they are sweet enough as is. If you like tart and sweet, these cupcakes are for you!

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Got Time for a Quickie? A post people....... Great Give Away and a Wonderful New site.

First, I just wanted to remind you all that tomorrow is the last chance to enter for the case of Alaskan Salmon. An entire case! Honestly, it was really good stuff. Pure Alaskan Salmon's site says that it is sold retail at Whole Foods so since we've already managed to devour the case they sent us I guess I'm going to have to trek on over to the nearest Whole Foods near our home.

Enter here and please spread the word if you will. tweet tweet.

Also, I find it interesting that my blog is finally getting a little bit of attention lately. Just a little, I'm sure I won't let it go to my head, no worries. I am so excited to have been invited to be a contributor at a newly launched site called Bliss.com by Glam Media. I love that this space is dedicated to total healthy living and well being. Eating Well and Fitness articles as well as Mind, Spirit and Body, Self Empowerment and more. Do head over and say hi!

I have to leave you with this random, fun photo I found while surfing the web.

xo



Halibut and Shellfish Soup

A great tasting hearty seafood soup made with halibut, littleneck clams and shrimp. Serve this with a crusty piece of bread and you have yourself a complete meal.

This soup takes less than 20 minutes to prepare, peeling the shrimp is probably what takes the most time. Cod fish would work in place of halibut and you can easily substitute any shellfish for what is listed here.

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Easiest Pasta and Broccoli Recipe

This is one the easiest pasta dishes I make for my family, I make it at least twice a month when I need a quick meal and they all devour it. With just a few ingredients and only one pot, this recipe will put dinner on the table in 15 minutes.

I'm really not sure why I haven't posted this sooner, this is the recipe my daughter wants to learn how to make when she is away at college. In fact, as I was photographing this today, she was standing right next to me with a plate and bowl in hand.

A few quick tips for making this perfect every time. Don't overcook the pasta, there is nothing worse than mushy pasta. Reserve some of the pasta water before draining, you'll add some of it back in after without having to add too much oil. And most importantly, use good cheese! I like Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano Reggiano, don't buy the cheap stuff, it just isn't the same. If you like a little spice, add some crushed red pepper flakes.

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Summer Squash and Chive Pancakes

Squash fritters made with summer yellow squash and fresh garden chives. A perfect summer side dish to eat with chicken, meat or fish.

My childhood BFF is visiting from Tennessee and she made me squash pancakes the other night with squash from her garden. Today I remade her recipe with fresh chives from my garden, and I added garlic and parmesan cheese and they were delicious. Any fresh herbs would work great in place of the chives.
Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Low Fat Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread

A super moist zucchini bread loaded with chocolate chips in every bite. I used a whole wheat blend and lots of apple sauce and the results were moist and delicious.

It took a few tries to get this one perfect, but it was so worth it in the end. Everyone loved this from my one year old to my husband who couldn't get enough of it. Give this a try, I'm sure you'll agree, a perfect way to get your kids to eat zucchini!

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Pecan Crusted Sweet Potato-Salmon Cakes and a Give Away!

For those of you who were thinking that you were going to skip right on down to the give away part of this post,  I've got news for you....

You're just not allowed to. Furthermore, you'll be sorry if you do.

Why?  Because I said so. That's why.

 That was said in my sternest 'mommy' voice just so ya know. 

I'm really excited about this recipe and I truly hope you will try making this in your home. It's a keeper. We love salmon here and would eat it every single day if I could afford it. Salmon is so good for you especially if you choose wild and not the farmed a.k.a. "Fresh" or "Atlantic" varieties. When wild salmon isn't in season or if your budget is tight like mine is, canned salmon is a wonderful option. Again, just make sure your choosing wild salmon vs. farmed. How can you tell the difference? It should be labeled farmed somewhere on the packaging. A good rule of thumb is to choose salmon from Alaska or Canada.

You've probably already heard about Omega-3's and how essential they are to your health and well being. Alaskan salmon are a nutritional powerhouse, rich in protein, long chain Omega -3 fatty acids, Vitamin D, calcium, along with many other vitamins and minerals. You’d be hard-pressed to find a food more nutritious than Alaska salmon. Which may be why over 90% of Americans are deficient in Omega fatty acids.







Wild Alaska salmon are some of the richest sources of long-chain Omega-3 fatty acids.
The human body cannot manufacture it’s own omega-3’s, so it is from food that we must obtain them.
Omega-3’s are thought to provide substantial health benefits for people of all ages; providing a nutritional foundation for optimal heart, brain, mental, visual, immune system and pregnancy health.


O.K. onto the recipe because it is pretty awesome spectacular  a culinary piece of genius that should be honored for all of time and I know you're going to want to make it tonight for dinner.
Exaggerate? Who me? Not this time my friends, not this time.

I can't take all of the credit for this perfect dish. Pure Alaska Co. was nice enough to send me some cute recipe cards along with their salmon. One of the recipes was for this Wild Salmon Sweet Potato Cakes which I slightly altered and embellished a bit as I tend to do.  I can say with all honesty that this is the best tasting canned salmon by far that I have ever had, and mamma knows salmon.

Pure Alaska Salmon Co. practices sustainable fishing which is important on more levels than many of you you may be aware of.  I encourage you to visit their website which is informative and actually quite interesting. I really liked this quote found on their website.

"Most of us do not have time to be social activists, but in our food choices we have the ultimate and most powerful “vote”: our dollars — money talks."

O.K., o.k. here's the recipe. Geeesh! Now you can save the recipe and please, please do enter the give away!!! I love sharing the love.

A couple of tips:

1. Remember not to use Olive oil for frying. It's not meant for high heat and will taste bitter and change the chemical make up making it unhealthy.
2. I boil my sweet potatoes whole, with the skin ON for about 30 min. This helps retain the nutrients. I then cut the potato and throw it in my blender with the skin ON for added fiber.
3. Do not discard the skin and bones from the salmon. They are choke full of vitamins and nutrients such as calcium and I SWEAR you will not notice them.
4. Do not make cakes to big, they will fall apart. Do not cook on to high of heat, they will burn before they cook.

TIME 30 MINUTES        SERVES 6

Ingredients:

1 large sweet potato, roasted or boiled and mashed

3 – 7.5 oz cans Redhead and/or Thinkpink, drained

2-3 tablespoons grape seed oil (good fat, high heat tolerant)

½ cup red pepper, finely diced

½ cup sweet onion, finely diced

¼ cup Italian parsley, chopped fine

2 tsp salt
1/4 teaspoon Jamaican allspice (combination of cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg if you don't have)
1 teaspoon Bragg's Organic Sea Kelp Delight seasoning

1 cup whole grain bread crumbs (about 2 pieces of bread)
1 1/2 cups pecans, ground

Garnishes:

Green onions

Parsley

Lemon

Tomatoes

Kale or Baby Spinach

In a large stock pot, boil whole sweet potato with skin on 30-40 minutes till fork tender.
Remove from water and pulse in blender till smooth.

In a food processor (or you're awesome, do all Ninja blender) pulse pecans till finely ground, remove. Pulse bread till ground. {I make my own bread crumbs in batches then freeze in a Mason jar, cheaper and tastier than the store bought stuff}

Heat a skillet on medium heat, then add oil. Saute peppers and onions until browned and softened, about 2 minutes.

Combine sauteed vegetables, drained salmon (including the highly nutritious skin & bone),  parsley, salt and spices. Mix well.

Put bread crumbs and pecans in a shallow dish, sprinkle with a bit of salt. Form cakes in desired size, about ½ inch thick.

Cook in skillet at medium heat 3 to 4 minutes each side, or until well browned.

Serve on top of Raw Kale and with and a squeeze of lemon or lime if desired.

For the Give Away:

Pure Alaskan Salmon Co. is giving away an entire case of their canned salmon to one lucky reader.

To Enter you should leave a comment and please be a subscriber of Simply Healthy Family
For extra entries:
Follow Simply Healthy Family on Twitter
Join Simply Healthy Family on Facebook
Tweet or Share this Give Away on either Facebook, Twitter, StumbleUpon or another sharing network
Please remember to leave a separate comment for each.
A winner will be chosen randomly on 15th and notified via email (leave a link or email address so I can notify you!)





This post is linked to

Fun with Food Friday's
Seasonal Saturday's
Tasty Tuesday's

Cherry Sorbet

A cherry-licious ice cold treat on a hot summer day.

I've been playing around with my new ice cream maker and I'm having fun with all the possibilities, you should expect to see a lot more frozen treats in the weeks to come!

First on my list was sorbet. Cherry ice is my favorite summer flavor but I was really amazed at how much better cherry ice tastes when using real cherries and not the artificial cherry flavor we are all used to. The deep red color is all natural, no color added. Although pitting the cherries is a bit time consuming, it's well worth the end results.

These would make great tasting ice pops too if you don't have an ice cream maker. Use your sweetener of choice, Stevia of course could be used in place of the sugar or agave if that is what you prefer, without the sugar a serving is 2 points+.

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Heirloom Tomato Sandwich

A juicy open faced summer tomato sandwich on crusty bread drizzled with extra virgin olive oil, a chiffonade of fresh basil, kosher salt and fresh ground pepper. Simplicity at it's best!

I bought the tomatoes at the farmer's market and since my air conditioner wasn't working I knew this would be my lunch. I love using fresh herbs from my garden, they always seem to taste better just knowing I grew them myself.

If you want to make a great tasting sandwich, use only the finest ingredients, period. The bread is the most important part of the sandwich in my opinion. If the bread tastes good on it's own then you know you're sandwich will be delicious. I used a fresh baked ciabatta, it has a crisp crust and a moist interior.

This sandwich required minimal effort and I'm not going to lie, I ate both servings for an 8 point lunch!

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Mexican Shrimp Cobb Salad

A beautifully layered salad with shrimp, avocados, grilled corn, black bean salsa, cucumbers, tomatoes and cheese. I served this with creamy cilantro tomatillo dressing.

Because there is no cooking involved, this makes a perfect summer potluck dish and the presentation is beautiful. One of my facebook fans mentioned she always brings a trifle dish to a party and gives the host the dish as a gift, cute idea! If you don't have a trifle dish, you could always layer this in a large platter in neat rows. Shredded chicken can be used in place of shrimp.

As a main course salad this would be more than enough for six people, if you are bringing this to a party where it will be eaten as a side, this would certainly serve a lot more.

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Triple Berry Crisp

When summer berries are at their peak, make this warm berry crisp and enjoy it with a scoop of frozen yogurt or whipped cream. This is delicious with any combination of berries and leftovers makes a great breakfast with some yogurt.

Triple Berry Crisp
Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 8 • Serving Size: 1/8th • Old Points: 4 pts • Points+: 6
Calories: 210.5 • Fat: 6.9 g • Protein: 2.9 g • Carb: 40 g • Fiber: 5.1 g • Sugar: 23.3 g
Sodium: 11.5 mg

Ingredients:

For the filling:

• 1 1/2 cups sliced strawberries


• 1 1/2 cups blueberries


• 1 1/2 cups raspberries


• 1/4 tsp cinnamon


• 1 tsp lemon zest


• 2 tsp cornstarch


• 1/4 cup sugar or agave nectar

For the topping:

• 1 cup Quaker quick oats


• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour


• 1/2 cup light brown sugar, not packed


• 3/4 tsp cinnamon


• 1/4 cup (half stick) butter, melted

Directions:

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Combine strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, agave nectar or sugar, 1/4 tsp cinnamon and lemon zest in large bowl. Sprinkle with cornstarch. Toss until fruit is coated. Place fruit in an ungreased pie dish.

Mix remaining ingredients. Sprinkle over fruit. Bake about 40 minutes or until topping is golden brown and fruit is tender.

Watermelon Arugula and Feta Salad

A refreshing summer salad, made with sweet watermelon, peppery arugula and feta cheese.


The first time tried this salad I was in a very trendy neighborhood eatery in Brooklyn and this salad was a wonderful surprise. All the ingredients compliment each so well and it's so pretty to look at too. Give this a try, it's perfectly yummy with grilled dishes!

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...