This is another favorite recipe I developed for my client Seven Barrels using their Meyer Lemon Olive Oil and Raspberry Balsamic Vinegar to make a lovely sweet and tart dressing, perfect for salads around the holidays. I wanted to make a recipe that incorporates Thanksgiving leftovers and create something light and easy after such a big, rich, and heavy meal.
This Wild Rice + Turkey Bowl with Citrus Vinaigrette uses all that gorgeous leftover cooked turkey, some wild rice, crisp romaine, fresh oranges and orange zest, crunchy celery, red onion, dried cranberries and toasted walnuts, drizzled in a gorgeous lemon and raspberry vinaigrette dressing with a touch of cinnamon, cumin and tarragon.
Feel free to experiment too with the bowl ingredients – you can substitute any other healthy whole grain like quinoa or farro or brown rice, and you could also try using cooked chicken in place of the turkey and try dried tart cherries and pistachios in place of the cranberries and walnuts. Any way you make it..I promise it will be delicious!!!
Wild Rice + Turkey Bowl with Cranberries and Oranges
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield: Serves 4
This is a great recipe for using leftover Thanksgiving turkey - a healthy delicious bowl salad with wild rice, romaine, orange, celery, red onion and dried cranberries and toasted walnuts, drizzled in a gorgeous lemon and raspberry vinaigrette dressing with spices and tarragon.
Ingredients
Turkey
2 cups roasted turkey (light and/or dark meat – large slices or shredded)
Prep the cooked turkey breast by shredding the meat into bite sized pieces or slicing it into large pieces for the salad.
For the vinaigrette, whisk together orange juice, Seven Barrels Raspberry Balsamic Vinegar, Seven Barrels Meyer Lemon Olive Oil, tarragon, grated garlic, 1 teaspoon orange zest, cumin, pepper, salt, and cinnamon.
For the bowl, combine cooked wild rice with 1 teaspoon orange zest. Toast chopped walnuts in a small sauté pan over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes until lightly golden brown, set aside.
Divide cooked turkey, rice, romaine, orange segments, celery, red onion and dried cranberries among four serving bowls; drizzle with vinaigrette and garnish with toasted walnuts.
Notes
You can also substitute dried tart cherries, and cooked chicken breast for the cranberries and turkey.
Try experimenting with other grains too - quinoa, farro, or brown rice in place of wild rice.
hey guys..the holidays are rapidly approaching and we all know what that means…parties, parties and more parties…full of friends and family sharing delicious food and drinks together. It’s the best time of the year!
I recently did some recipe development and a photo shoot for one of my clients, Seven Barrels, maker of premium infused Italian olive oils and vinegars with delicious flavors from natural ingredients. For the holidays I created a series of recipes featuring their Raspberry Balsamic Vinegar and Meyer Lemon Olive Oil – a delicious, sweet and tart flavor pairing that’s perfect for the holidays.
I decided to make some party food because we all like parties and appetizers / small bites are the way to go to keep them fun and social! My recipe for Sausage and Mushroom and Cheese Turnovers is an absolute flavor bomb and they’re super easy to make!
They’re stuffed with sweet Italian sausage, ricotta cheese, green onions, mushrooms, cranberries and mozzarella all wrapped up in buttery flaky baked puff pastry topped with sesame seeds. They’re the perfect crunchy, savory, cheesy bite in your mouth, with a hint of sweet and tart from the cranberries, lemon olive oil and raspberry vinegar for dipping.
You’re definitely gonna want to make these for all your holiday parties..trust me, they won’t last long 😉
Heat 2 tablespoons of Seven Barrels Lemon Olive Oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook for about 5 minutes until it starts to brown, crumbling while cooking to separate the meat. Add the green onions and mushrooms and cook for another 5 minutes until the veggies are soft and meat is cooked through. Drain the fat and excess liquid, set cooked mixture aside to cool.
In a large mixing bowl, combine cooked sausage mixture with dried cranberries or tart cherries, ricotta, mozzarella cheese, 1 beaten egg and 1 tablespoon Seven Barrels Raspberry Balsamic vinegar to make the filling. Season with a dash of Italian seasoning, salt and freshly ground black pepper.
On lightly floured surface, roll one sheet of puff pastry into a large 12-inch square. Cut pastry sheet into 9 (4-inch) squares and brush edges with egg wash.
Place 1 rounded teaspoon filling on each square; fold to make a triangle; seal with fingers or fork. Place the triangles on parchment paper or a silicone baking mat on a large rectangular baking sheet and brush egg wash over the top of the turnovers, pierce 3 slits on top of each one, and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Bake at 400 degrees F for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Meanwhile, repeat steps above with the remaining sheet of puff pastry and sausage, mushroom and cheese filling to make 9 additional turnovers. Bake again at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes.
Sprinkle sea salt and chopped rosemary (or thyme) on top of the turnovers for garnish. Serve immediately with Seven Barrels Raspberry Balsamic vinegar for dipping.
Notes
You can also substitute spicy Italian sausage or ground beef for the sweet Italian sausage.
To make a thicker dipping sauce (Balsamic Glaze), heat the vinegar in a saucepan over medium high heat until it reduces by half, drizzle over turnovers or serve as a dipping sauce on the side.
I recently was approached by Steviva to compete in the Sweetin It-Up Blogger Recipe Challenge and decided to make a sugar free, gluten free Kung Pao Beef with Cauliflower Rice. I love Asian food, but oftentimes it has many hidden sugars in the sauce, so I thought it would be cool to make this savory dish for the challenge.
Steviva has a wide range of stevia-based products and I chose to use Necteviaand Erysweet for my recipe to replace the normal sugar in the sauce. Erysweet is a pure, non-GMO erythritol that is naturally derived and can be substituted cup-for-cup for sugar in recipes. Nectevia is an organic blue agave nectar infused with premium 100% pure stevia extract – and has only 1/4 the calories, carbs and sugars of regular agave, or table sugar with a warm honey flavor.
Kung Pao is made with chicken or beef marinated in soy sauce, sesame oil, and rice wine, which is then sautéed in a wok on high heat with crunchy bell peppers, water chestnuts, garlic, ginger, green onions and hot chilies.
I made a sweet and spicy sauce made with more soy sauce, rice wine, Chinese black vinegar, chicken broth, Erysweet and Nectevia in the pan with the cooked meat and veggies and tossed in some spicy peanuts, which was thickened into a luscious sweet/spicy/savory pot of yum. To serve, I topped the dish with fresh cilantro and more crunchy peanuts along with some yellow cauliflower rice sautéed with soy sauce and sesame oil and some fresh cilantro tossed in to keep it gluten free. Absolutely delicious without all the sugar and carbs!
Kung Pao Beef w/ Cauliflower Rice (Sugar + Gluten Free)
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 4-6
Serving Size: 1 cup
Ingredients
MARINADE:
1 3/4 pounds boneless beef sirloin
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon rice wine
1 egg white, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
KUNG PAO:
2 tablespoons peanut oil
4-6 dried red chilies
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1/2 tablespoon ginger, grated (or ginger paste)
1 teaspoon red chile flakes
3 scallions, sliced on the bias, 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced into strips
1 can water chestnuts, sliced in half
2 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons rice wine
1 tablespoon Chinese black vinegar (or balsamic)
2 tablespoons Nectevia Original
2 teaspoons Erysweet
1 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water
3/4 cup roasted spicy peanuts
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
Cauliflower rice sautéed with soy sauce, sesame oil and cilantro
Instructions
MARINADE:
Trim the fat from the steak all over and cut into 1-inch cubes. Combine the marinade ingredients in a large bowl and mix in the beef. Stir together to coat well, and place covered in the fridge for at least an hour to overnight.
KUNG PAO:
Heat the peanut oil in a wok or large sauce pan over medium heat, add chilies and cook for a minute until they begin to brown. Add garlic, ginger and cook for another minute. Turn heat up to high and add scallions, peppers, water chestnuts and chile flakes; saute for about 5 minutes until they begin to get soft and lightly browned. Add steak (remove from marinade and discard excess) and cook for about 3 minutes or so until beef begins to brown. Add soy sauce, rice wine, Chinese vinegar, Erysweet, Nectevia and chicken broth. Mix in the cornstarch, stirring well, to thicken the sauce. Toss in the roasted peanuts and serve over cauliflower rice with chopped cilantro, additional peanuts if desired.
Hope you enjoy making this recipe – please let me know what you think if you made it in the comments below! And feel free to share this post on social media tagging #theartfulgourmet and #steviva with a link back to the original post on this blog.
For more info on Steviva products, check them out online and social media:
Disclaimer: This was a sponsored post by Steviva Brands and I received products to create recipes and photos for this post. All opinions, images, and text are my own.
So Fall is finally here guys! My absolute favorite time of the year – cooler temperatures, the leaves changing, sweaters, jeans and boots, leather jackets, crickets late in the day along with spectacular sunsets… and especially the FOOD!
I had some gorgeous porcini linguine that I bought at the RochesterDowntown Farmer’s Market on hand, and thought a Spicy Beef and Mushroom Ragu sauce would be the perfect compliment for a savory tasty Fall pasta dish.
I added someCrushed Hot Chili Pepper Spread to the beef and mushroom mixture sautéed with shallots and garlic, which took the flavor and heat up just a notch…then added a little spicy marinara sauce, but not too much…
After I cooked the pasta, I mixed the beef and mushroom ragu back into the pot, and tossed it all together with some of the reserved pasta water and lots of parmesan cheese, just because.
Of course I topped it all of with a generous sprinkle of freshparsley and torn mozzarella cheese, salt and pepper… and it happily made my day.
This pasta dish has a savory umami flavor from the porcini mushroom linguine, along with a spicy beef and mushroom ragu zested up with some red chile pepper paste, shallots and garlic. Super healthy and delicious with some crusty Italian bread and olive oil and a glass of red wine.
Ingredients
* 1 pound porcini mushroom linguine
* 2 tbsp olive oil
* 3/4 pound ground beef
* 6-8 baby bella mushrooms, sliced
* 2 shallots, sliced thin
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 2 tablespoons spicy hot chili pepper paste (Colavita)
* 3/4 cup marinara sauce
* 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
* Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
* 2-3 slices fresh mozzarella cheese, torn into pieces
* 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
Cook pasta in salted boiling water for about 9-10 minutes until al dente, drain, reserving 1 cup of pasta water, and set aside.
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a sauce pan over medium heat, cook the ground beef, about 5-7 minutes, drain and set aside.
Add the additional tablespoon of olive oil and cook garlic, mushrooms and shallots for another 5 minutes or so until soft and cooked through. Mix into the cooked ground beef mixture and add spicy chili pepper paste and marinara sauce with some of the reserved pasta water until it's soft and mixes together into a sauce (but not overly saucy). Feel free to add more sauce and water to your liking for the desired consistency and thickness / thinness of the sauce.
Toss the meat ragu in with the cooked pasta, add parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve pasta with fresh torn mozzarella and chopped fresh parsley.
Hey guys! Can you believe Summer is almost halfway over (or more??) Time really does fly when you’re having fun, doesn’t it! Summer is truly my favorite season and as August rolls in, I’ve had a great one so far! Lots of trips to see family and friends in Upstate New York, my guy down in South Florida and West Coast Florida to St Petersburg and Clearwater Beach, and fun weekends in the city and beaches in NYC.
As much as I love the beach and warm weather and sunny days, I start thinking about the crisp Fall days ahead – and all the delicious comfort food recipes and seasonal produce coming into play that makes my heart skip a beat..cozy soups, fresh gorgeous salads and hearty casseroles and pies and roasted dinners..mmmmm. But wait..it’s only August…
So to celebrate the season, here’s a few shoutouts to some of the amazing and fun places, people, recipes and things I’ve been loving on this Summer – it’s not quite over yet! Hope you’re having a fantastic one yourselves and getting plenty of delicious bites and drinks, travel, quality time with friends and family, and some sun, sand and surf in too.
Cocktails at Sandbar in the sun…and gorgeous sunsets on the west coast of Florida…and that’s just the beginning.
So here’s a salute to the best Summer ever and a few of my favorite things worth a shout out….
I recently visited Boston’s Sand Bar in Delray Beach with my boyfriend after a day at the beach and what a fun place this is! They have great happy hour specials everyday with 1/2 price beer, wine and cocktails and beach bar bites like Smoked Fish Dip, Conch Fritters, Peel and Eat Shrimp, Mojitos and Margaritas.
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Definitely a fun casual spot with a Tiki Bar and beach vibe for a relaxing weekend afternoon in the sun on the patio…cornhole, music, beach, cocktails, sun, loungy couches…what else can you ask for?
I don’t know about you, but there’s nothing better in the Summer than a baked fruit cobbler – especially fresh peaches topped with crisp buttery pastry and vanilla ice cream – definitely something to scream about and a fav refreshing, juicy Summer dessert!
I am such a sucker for Summer Arts Festivals and I found this awesome soap, candles and lotions company at the Park Avenue Festival in Rochester, NY last weekend! The scents are amazing and made with all natural ingredients – I absolutely LOVE their Sandalwood soap and Tobacco Leaf & Amber candle. Divine.
My boyfriend and I stopped in here last minute on our way back home from St Pete, FL one night to take a quick break from driving and make a pit stop. We stumbled upon the town of Punta Gorda, a sleepy little marina town in Florida and discovered the Fisherman’s Village on Charlotte Harbor, where this place is located, and it had the most stunning sunset and waterside views I’ve seen in quite a while. It’s a fun, casual bar and restaurant (thinkPopcorn Shrimp, Crab Cakes, Raw Oyster Bar and Grouper Sandwiches – yum!) and definitely worth a stop if you’re driving down the coast of West Florida. They even have this amazing Sea Foam sugar scrub in the bathrooms to add to the ambience.
This is one of my favorite Summer recipes ever. I created it for my client 7 Barrels, with their delicious Sweet Basil Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar to make a gorgeous fresh tomato sauce with garlic and onions and then topped it the pasta with fresh basil, ricotta and parmesan cheese. So easy and light – it’s truly Summer in a Bowl.
A few weekends ago my Sister came to town for The Classic East concert which was amazing! All the classic 70’s bands were playing over 2 days out at Citifield stadium. We saw Journey, The Doobie Brothers, Fleetwood Mac, Earth Wind and Fire, Steely Dan and The Eagles! All my favorite bands on the planet!!!
On Sunday that same weekend, we decided to meet up with my Aunt Bonnie and Uncle Jim for some Dim Sum at theGrand Restaurant in the New City Mall in Flushing, (Chinatown in Queens). If you have never had Dim Sum before, you’re in for a treat! They basically sit you down at a big table and the servers come by with rolling carts full of Chinese appetizers and small plates and you order whatever you want off the cart and they tally up your bill as you go! We had delicious dumplings in all flavors, fried shrimp, sautéed Bok Choy, a delicious Coconut Gel, Mango Rice Pudding and Custard Egg Tarts for dessert. So delish and fun! But beware, all those small bites add up fast!
I just discovered the awesome food blog, Son of a Southern Chef, who is nominated for a Saveur Blog Award this year – I love his Southern comfort food recipes, writing style, graphics and sassy voice and attitude! This Green Chile Chicken Lasagna is definitely on my list of recipes to try, along with his Mac & Cheese, Shepherd’s Pie, etc..yum!
I just stumbled upon this Instagram page of Love Ceramics today and absolutely love their gorgeous colors and patterns! Perfect props for my food photography and just all around artsy and cool. LOVE is right 😉
I recently discovered these guys at the Park Avenue Festival in Rochester NY last weekend too and love their organic muesli..especially the Cocoa Cherry Chai flavor! This recipe for no-bake protein bars sounds awesome for the Summer for a quick high protein snack when you need some energy.
I have not made this drink yet but I absolutely love Pisco Sours and anything made with chocolate and cherries. So there ya go. On my bucket list to make before the end of summer. YUM. And Drinking with Chickens is the funnest name EVER for a cocktail blog so you need to vote for them in the 2017 Saveur Blog Awards for best cocktail blog because – thechickens. #OMG.
Another fun place my BF and I discovered on our little road trip down the West coast of Florida a few weeks ago for his birthday. It’s a fun crab shack nestled on the coast of Naples, where you can eat to your heart’s content a massive amount of fresh seafood at Happy Hour from 4-7 pm. 1/2 price drinks and super cheap goodies like peel & eat shrimp, clam chowder, crab legs, and raw oysters for $1 with a killer view on the water? Fork, yeah.
Um, yessss. More peaches. Mixed together with tons of lovely ingredients to make a super delish salad – cilantro, lime, fried halloumi cheese, chicken, greens, all tossed in a vinaigrette dressing and topped with tortilla chips and jalapeños. Could this be the perfect salad in my life? Yeah, I think so.
OK so Summer isn’t over yet right? And let’s not put away the grill too soon either! Culture Mag does it again with these five awesome grilled flatbread recipes – Corn Chowder Flatbread, Eggplant Relish and Ricotta, Shrimp and Mixed Herb Pesto, Prosciutto-Melon, and Tomato-Peach with Blue Cheese and Basil. YUM!
Oh, and don’t forget to check out my Artful Gourmet Facebook page too for more adventures and photos and videos. Hope you guys are having a rockin’ Summer! Stay tuned for my Fall favs next month 🙂
Summer is in full swing, and we all know what that means…TOMATO SEASON! I’m sure you all have a bountiful crop of tomatoes lying around from your garden..and if not, a plentiful supply of them from the farmers market or grocery store. So what better recipe to make with them than a gorgeous, easy Summer pasta dish?
Now I know this may sound weird, but I am not a fan of raw tomatoes. Never have, never will. Yeah, I am THAT person. But, when they’re cooked with a plethora of fresh ingredients to sweeten them up and break them down into a gorgeous sauce or salsa? I’m a huge tomato fan once they are transformed into some sweet and savory deliciousness…so here we go. Balsamic Tomato Basil Pasta with Fresh Ricotta.
This is truly Summer in a Bowl, my friends. This pasta dish is so simple and fresh you’re gonna love it. I made a lovely chunky sauce with a batch of chopped fresh tomatoes, simmered in 7 Barrels Balsamic Vinegar and their Sweet Basil Olive Oil (omg #LOVE!), with sautéed sweet onions and garlic, red pepper flakes and chicken stock. Then I tossed the pasta with a little bit of the pasta water, added the cooked balsamic tomato sauce, and topped it with fresh basil, some big dollops of fresh ricotta, and lots of Parmesan cheese. Juicy, sweet, tangy, savory perfection.
This is truly Summer in a Bowl, my friends. Made with fresh tomatoes simmered in 7 Barrels Balsamic Vinegar and Sweet Basil Olive oil, with sautéed sweet onions and garlic making a lovely chunky tomato sauce..topped with fresh basil and ricotta cheese and more Parmesan cheese! And it's so easy to make that you won't be slaving over the stove in this hot weather either. Juicy, sweet, tangy, savory perfection.
Ingredients
1 pound of pasta, reserving some of the pasta cooking water
1 tablespoon Seven Barrels Sweet Basil extra virgin olive oil
4-6 large tomatoes, diced
1 small onion, diced (about 1/2 cup)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
1/2 cup Seven Barrels Traditional Balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup fresh ricotta cheese, for garnish
1/4 cup fresh basil, torn into pieces, for garnish
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and set aside.
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add tomatoes, onions, garlic and red pepper flakes.
Reduce the heat to medium and cook 3 to 5 minutes over medium heat, until onions begin to get soft and lightly browned and tomatoes release some of their liquid.
Place balsamic vinegar, chicken stock, and cornstarch in a small bowl and whisk well. Carefully add it to the skillet and continue to cook for a few minutes more until the sauce slightly thickens; remove from the heat.
Add the cooked pasta to the skillet with the tomatoes, and toss together over low heat for an additional few minutes until the sauce coats the pasta. Add a small amount of the pasta cooking water if the mixture is too dry, to your desired sauce consistency.
Place the pasta in large bowl and top with fresh grated Parmesan, ricotta cheese, and basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve hot, immediately with some crusty garlic bread.
Summer is here and almost half way over at that! I love grilling anything and everything during the warm weather months so I’ve created a super delish recipe for Sriracha Mango Chicken Wings with a Ginger-Lime Sour Cream dipping sauce and a Spicy Michelada to pair it with.
Once again, I’ve used a fantastic infused balsamic vinegar from Seven Barrels, one of my favorite clients ever. The Sriracha Mango vinegar is delicious on chicken so I made a glaze with fresh mango, sriracha, vinegar, fresh lime zest and orange juice to toss the wings in after I grilled them a bit, then glazed them again for extra flavor at the end.
They’re spicy and sweet, and oh so good. And I made a lovely Ginger-Lime Sour Cream dipping sauce to cool off the heat a bit, along with a Spicy Michelada made with Mexican beer (Corona) and a dash of the Sriracha Mango vinegar, a dash of salt, and a fresh squeeze of lime juice.
Heat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat (spray or brush pan with a light coat of cooking oil). Toss the chicken wings in 1/4 cup Seven Barrels Lime Olive Oil, and season with salt and pepper. Cook wings on the grill for about 15 minutes, flipping halfway through, until no longer pink and skin starts to get charred with grill marks.
To make the glaze, add the mango, orange juice, Sriracha, Seven Barrels Sriracha Mango Vinegar, Seven Barrels Lime Olive Oil, honey, soy sauce, garlic, chile pepper and cilantro into a food processor and process until smooth. Place the sauce into a saucepan over medium-low heat and let simmer until warmed through while the wings are cooking. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from the heat to a large mixing bowl.
Once the wings are finished cooking, toss them gently in the Sriracha Mango Lime glaze and let them marinate for about 5 minutes or so. Return wings back to the grill for an additional 5 minutes, flipping over once. Remove wings from the grill on to a large platter and let them cool to give them a nice caramelized glaze.
To make the Ginger Lime Sour Cream dipping sauce, stir together the sour cream, Seven Barrels Lime Olive Oil, garlic salt, lime zest and grated ginger in a bowl and serve with the wings with celery and carrot sticks.
NOTE: Alternatively, you can bake the wings for 1 hour at 375 degrees on a large baking sheet covered with foil (and toss them in the sauce at the end).
Makes approximately 24 wings, 1 cup of glaze and ½ cup sour cream sauce.
To make the Michelada: stir all the ingredients into the beer and garnish with a lime wedge.
This really is the quintessential recipe pairing for Summer now, isn’t it?
You can also try the glaze on pork chops or even add some grilled shrimp – it’s absolutely delicious and you can always adjust the heat by adding or removing some of the Sriracha hot sauce. Or maybe making it even hotter by adding in a dash of habanero hot sauce to the mix – now, this recipe is on FIRE!
Perfect for a lovely evening outside with friends, watching the sun go down…that’s #howisummer 🙂
Hey guys! I’ve been so busy working on client projects I haven’t had the time to post many new recipes lately so I wanted to share a super delicious one I created for a client that I know you’re gonna love!
This recipe for Maple Balsamic Quinoa Salad is absolutely delicious! I made a dressing with Seven Barrels Maple Balsamic vinegar and olive oil and tossed it with quinoa, chickpeas, dried tart cherries, arugula, celery, green onions and crunchy pecans.
Not only is this super healthy and light but absolutely delicious! It has the perfect balance of tangy vinegar with a slight sweetness from the maple balsamic, agave and tart cherries, and a delightful crunch from the celery, chickpeas and green onions.
This is a perfect side dish to make ahead for a Summer picnic and it’s full of protein and veggies and fiber making it the perfect meal on it’s own.
You can also substitute dried cranberries for the tart cherries if you can’t find them, and use a variety of nuts like cashews, almonds, or walnuts instead of pecans. Throw in some edamame or black beans too if you want more protein. Or how about a little crispy bacon???? YUM.
Cook quinoa according to package directions. Let cool completely.
Toast the pecans for about 5 to 7 minutes over medium-low heat in a saute pan, let cool and chop coarsely.
Make the dressing: Whisk together the olive oil, Maple Balsamic vinegar and agave syrup (or honey) in a small mixing bowl.
Add 3/4 cup dressing to the cooked quinoa. Mix in the chopped toasted pecans, tart cherries, celery, scallions, and sea salt. Serve refrigerated or at room temperature; just before serving, stir in remaining 1/4 cup dressing, arugula and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Notes
You can also substitute dried cranberries for the tart cherries and use any type of nuts (cashews, walnuts, almonds).
Hey guys, it’s the 4th of July! One of my favorite holidays ever. Sunshine, pool parties, beach days, picnics on the patio, campfires, grilling, and the season of FUN.
I’m sure you’ve had your fill of July 4th recipe posts this week and to be honest, so have I. We all love to grill and have backyard BBQs with tons of picnic salads, burgers, ribs, chicken, hot dogs, strawberry shortcakes and berry pies. Thanks to everyone who has shared their recipes as I always love to see what everyone is making and get some fun ideas for future posts and food parties! So, this year I’ve decided to actually ENJOY my holiday — by relaxing, reading, hanging out with the fam, cooking, eating and drinking, and spend less time working, stressing and blogging. I always think it’s the perfect time to focus on blogging and my portfolio because I have extra time, but I really just need a BREAK. I’m sure you can relate.
But, I couldn’t pass up posting this outta control good recipe for my Best Deviled Eggs EVER – they’re creamy with mayo and mustard and eggs, with a delicious tang of vinegar and hot sauce and seasonings, plus an irresistible crunch from the dill pickle relish, finely minced celery and sweet onion. OMG. I could eat the whole tray. REALLY. (And I”m pretty sure you will too, my deviled egg lovers in the universe! 🙂
These are the best deviled eggs ever. Creamy and crunchy with finely chopped celery and onion, dill pickle relish and seasonings...these will be a hit at your July 4th party and gone in seconds!
1 teaspoon Deliciously Dill Blend (The Spice Hunter)
2 dashes hot sauce (RedHot or Crystal), plus more for serving
Dash of paprika, plus more for garnish
Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Place eggs in a large pot of salted water. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook eggs 7 minutes. Turn off heat and let eggs sit in hot water for about 5 minutes. Drain and rinse eggs in cold water and transfer to a bowl of ice water; let sit until cool. Peel eggs under cold water once cooled.
Meanwhile, whisk mayonnaise, celery, dill relish, sweet onion, mustard, vinegar, herb seasonings, and hot sauce in a mixing bowl; season with salt and pepper to taste.
Halve eggs lengthwise. Mix the egg yolks into mayo-mustard-relish mixture andplace whites on a plate.
Gently mash into a dressing; season with salt and pepper. Using a small fork or spoon, fill egg halves with yolk mixture.
Top eggs with freshly cracked pepper and more paprika and serve with hot sauce.
Notes
Make Ahead: Eggs can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill egg
whites and filling separately; fill just before serving.
You can also garnish the eggs with some minced chives or green onion or bacon.
I was recently invited as a guest for the FoodyDirect.com Expert Interview Series to talk about great tasting and looking food, and I’m honored to share the interview with you! I discuss my background and how I got into Food Styling and Photography as a full-time freelance profession, along with some of my favorite things to cook, food trends, hot spots in NYC and some simple rules for great food photography on social media.
I also included one of my favorite go-to recipes in the article, my Rochester-Style Chicken French with Broccolini which I know you’re gonna love!
Check out the interview below or on FoodyDirect.com(the best online mail order source for gourmet food and gifts!
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Kristen Hess is a New York City food stylist, photographer, recipe developer, and author of the food blog, The Artful Gourmet. We recently chatted with Kristen about her favorite cuisines, cooking trends, and NYC eateries, and also asked her to share her food stylist expertise with us to help foodies take better photos of their gastronomical creations.
Tell us a bit about yourself. Why did you decide to dive headfirst into learning about cooking and food photography?
I’ve always loved food and cooking but never considered it as a full-time career until I moved to NYC and started taking a series of cooking classes at The Institute of Culinary Education. I was working in advertising at the time and thought it was a fun hobby, but then that hobby became more serious as I discovered food media as a blossoming career path and started taking more classes in food styling, photography, and food writing and then started my blog. Out of all of the different styles of cuisine and cooking in your repertoire, which one was the most fun to learn about?
My all-time favorite is Italian food because I love the simplicity of the gorgeous ingredients, rustic flavors, and cooking techniques. Whether it’s homemade pasta and sauce, homemade pizza, a gorgeous salad, an antipasti dish, or a roasted chicken with vegetables, I love it all!
Name a cooking trend, tool, or category that you’re currently excited about.
Alternative flours and coconut everything! I try to live a healthy lifestyle, but sometimes it’s hard when you work in the food industry (esp. in NYC!) surrounded by delicious temptations every day. Alternative flours made out of chickpeas, coconut, almond, bananas, brown rice, farro, buckwheat, chia, and arrowroot are great for low-carb and paleo/gluten-free cooking – and they’re healthier, too. You can make pizza crust, bread, pasta, pancakes, tortillas, pastry, crepes, socca, and all kinds of dishes with it. And I love coconut oil, cream, and milk as an alternative to full-fat regular dairy sometimes because it has a nice subtle coconut flavor and is great to cook with at high heat. I’ve made curries, smoothies, baked goods, and more with it. Great stuff.
Many people have a basic idea of what a food stylist does – but could you tell us about some types of food photography that you’ve done that people may not associate with the craft?
I do some interesting gigs with agencies for their food clients who are doing on-site media tours promoting food products and recipes to food editors for all the major food magazines. For example, The Jackfruit Company launched their new products and I toured around with the owner and PR agency making tacos, salads, burgers, and sandwiches on-site in the editors’ board rooms while they pitched the product to the editors and writers (to gain press and brand affection, of course!).
Another new type of job that is getting popular is styling food for Facebook Live segments for cookbook authors and chefs, health experts, and bloggers. I did quite a few of these for Keri Glassman and Andy Boy Broccoli Rabe, making recipes for them which were demoed live on Facebook at PureWow Magazine and Cosmo.com. I also did this for Halloween making super fun recipes by blogger Elise Strachan at People Food and Food and Wine.
When you see people posting pictures of food on their social media pages, what are some of the “mistakes” you see that make the dish look really unappetizing?
I always say lighting is a huge factor for any good food photo. If it’s too yellow or too blue, you need to fix the hue or it looks unappetizing. Also, never use flash or take photos with overhead lights as they give harsh shadows and blow out the food. Try to shoot food with natural light as much as possible. Bad angles are a no-no too. Don’t shoot burgers or sandwiches overhead. You can’t see what’s inside. Pizza is great for overhead shots because you want to see what’s on it. Don’t be afraid to crop into the shot too for some detail. Finally, consider your composition; what’s the hero in the shot? Focus on that dish. Not the glass behind it. Let the hero shine!
Finish this sentence: “If you’re a true foodie, the next time you visit New York City, you definitely need to stop by…”
For pizza, you need to check out DiFara on Ave J in Brooklyn. The wait is kinda long, but it’s soooo good and super worth the trip and the wait. I also love RubiRosa pizza in Soho.
Pearl Oyster Bar in the West Village is amazing for fresh oysters, seafood, wine, etc.
My favorite taco joint is La Esquina in Nolita. They make authentic Mexican style tacos on small corn tortillas with fresh cilantro, pork, steak, chicken, and homemade salsa. Plus, the grilled street corn is to die for!
You can’t go to NYC without getting a delicious burger, fries, and milkshake from the Shake Shack in Madison Square Park. Again, the line is long, but so worth the wait!!!
And lastly, go to Katz’s Deli in the Lower East Side for a pastrami on rye New York City style. Delish.
What types of desserts do you enjoy making for friends and family?
I’m definitely more of a savory cook than a pastry cook, but I absolutely love making pies and tarts. I always make lovely fruit-based pies or tarts in the summer around the 4th of July using berries, peaches, and mascarpone on a puff pastry sheet. Thanksgiving is always fun; I love experimenting with new pie recipes (something different than pumpkin or apple pie) like Christina Tosi’s Crack Pie or my Bourbon Buttermilk Pecan Pie.
Finally, could you share with us one recipe that’s always a hit when you prepare it?
I have so many recipes that I love but one of my absolute favorites is my “Rochester-Style Chicken French with Broccolini.” It’s actually not a French recipe; it’s an Italian recipe similar to a piccata dish, but with a light coating of egg batter, butter, white wine, lemon, and parsley on thinly-pounded chicken, sautéed in a pan and then coated in the luscious buttery lemon sauce. It’s easy to make, tastes amazing, and everyone loves it. I serve it with sautéed broccolini, but you could also serve it with green beans or sautéed spinach, over pasta or rice, or alongside some crusty french bread to mop up the sauce. Goes great with a tangy white wine like Pinot Grigio and a simple green salad with shaved Parmesan cheese and a tangy wine vinaigrette.
This delicious Italian dish originated in Rochester, NY and is a great meal for a special occasion or any night of the week. Thin chicken cutlets are coated in a light egg and parmesan batter then sautéed until crispy and brown. They are coated in a luscious lemon butter and wine sauce and served with a side of fresh broccolini. Goes great with a crisp white wine such as Pinot Grigio and a green salad with shaved Parmesan and a tangy vinaigrette.
Ingredients
CHICKEN FRENCH:
1/4 cup olive oil/canola oil blend for sauteing (I used Colavita Garlic Oil Blend)
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast cutlets
2-3 eggs
1/4 cup shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
Dash of cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
1/2 cup of superfine flour (Pan Searing flour or Wondra)
LEMON BUTTER SAUCE:
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup white wine or sherry
1 cup chicken broth
Juice from 1 1/2 lemons (about 1/4 cup)
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
2 tablespoons cold butter, cut into pieces
Lemon wedges, for garnish
1-2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley, for garnish
BROCCOLINI:
1 bunch broccolini, trimmed
Lemon Butter sauce (see above)
lemon, S&P for garnish
Instructions
CHICKEN FRENCH:
Heat oil in a large non-stick saute pan over medium heat.
Meanwhile, whisk together eggs, cheese, salt and pepper, cayenne, and fresh parsley in a large mixing bowl.
Place flour in another flat bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Rinse and pat dry chicken breasts, then dredge each one in flour first (left hand), then egg mixture (right hand).
Place chicken into the heated saute pan and cook for 6 minutes on one side. Flip chicken over and saute for another 6 minutes until golden brown.
Remove from pan and set aside, covered with a foil tent.
LEMON BUTTER SAUCE:
In the same skillet, saute the minced garlic for 1-2 minutes, being careful not to burn.
Add the wine and bring liquid to a boil over high heat, scraping up the brown bits in the pan.
Pour in the chicken broth, lemon juice, and red pepper flakes (if using) and let reduce by half, another 5-7 minutes.
Stir in the butter and whisk until it melts.
Add chicken back into the pan with the sauce and let simmer another 5-10 minutes.
Place chicken on serving plate with the steamed broccolini and spoon lemon butter sauce over the top of both.
Garnish with lemon wedges and additional chopped parsley if desired.
BROCCOLINI:
Steam broccolini for about 5 minutes, covered. Remove lid and steam for another 5 minutes until fork tender but still bright green.
Top broccolini with Lemon Butter sauce, additional lemon, salt, and pepper to taste.
Notes
You can also substitute veal for the chicken or artichokes for a vegetarian option.
