Delicious Cuisines

Ingredients

2 tablespoons dry white wine
2 teaspoons finely minced shallots
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
½ teaspoon Nielsen-Massey Pure Lemon Extract
? teaspoon white pepper
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
5 ounces blue cheese crumbles
2 pints cherry tomatoes (approximately 48)

Method

1. Combine the wine and shallots in a small bowl. Let stand.
2. Combine the cream cheese, garlic, lemon extract, white pepper, cayenne pepper and shallot mixture in a mixing bowl. Beat until well blended using an electric mixer. Fold in the bleu cheese with a wooden spoon. Cover and chill.
3. Rinse the cherry tomatoes. Remove the tops by slicing a small amount off each tomato. Scoop out the seeds with a small measuring spoon. Cut a small slice off the bottom of each tomato so it will stand upright when plated. Fill each tomato with ½ tablespoon of the chilled Lemon-Bleu Stuffing using a pastry bag or spoon.

Recipe courtesy of Nielsen-Massey Vanillas

Ingredients

Vanilla Balsamic Marinade
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 shallot, diced
1-1/2 teaspoons dried organic parsley
1-1/2 teaspoons dried organic basil
½ teaspoon dark brown sugar
½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Bean Paste

Salmon
8 (4 to 6 ounce) 1-inch thick Salmon fillets
canola oil
salt and freshly ground pepper

Method

1. For the marinade, combine the olive oil, shallot, parsley, basil, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard and vanilla paste into a blender container and puree. Pour evenly into two containers and set one container aside.
2. For the salmon, preheat the grill. Brush each fillet with canola oil and season with salt and pepper. Brush the tops of the fillets with the marinade, discarding any remaining marinade. Place the fillets marinated side down on a grill rack over direct heat. Grill for 6 to 8 minutes or until dark grill marks appear and the marinade begins to caramelize. Turn the fillets and grill for 3 to 4 minutes longer. Serve with the reserved marinade. Serves 8.

Recipe courtesy of Nielsen-Massey Vanillas

Ingredients

1 baguette, sliced thinly along the bias
¼ cup olive oil, divided
2 T unsalted butter, divided
½ white onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 t dried basil
1 t dried oregano
¾ cup canned navy beans, rinsed and drained
2 tomatoes, cored and cubed
2 T balsamic vinegar
Kosher salt and pepper
Olive oil for drizzling

Method

1. For the bread, slice the baguette on the diagonal into thin slices (about 12 for a baguette). In a large sauté pan, heat 1 T of the olive oil and 1 T of the unsalted butter on medium heat. Place the bread slices in the pan and cook on medium high heat until sizzling and golden. Just before flipping the bread, add an additional tablespoon of olive oil and butter to the pan. Flip the bread and cook second side until golden.

2. For the topping, cook the onions and 2 T of the olive oil over medium heat in a medium sauté pan until the onions are very soft, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic, basil and oregano and cook another minute or two, until fragrant. Add the beans and continue cooking for another five minutes on low heat and season with salt and pepper. Add the tomatoes and turn off the heat, allowing tomatoes just to take on the warmth of the pan without cooking. Drizzle the balsamic vinegar into the pan and gently stir.

3. To serve, scoop heaping spoonfuls of the tomato-bean mixture onto the grilled bread, sprinkle with kosher salt, and drizzle with additional olive oil.

Yield: 4 servings, 3 slices each
Prep time: 15 minutes
Ease of preparation: Easy

Recipe courtesy of Melissa d’Arabian developed for the Grain Foods Foundation

Ingredients

8 ounces dried penne pasta
3 T olive oil
1 slice bacon, cut into matchsticks across the shorter length of the strip
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 carrots, grated
1 zucchini, grated
1 t dried thyme
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups fresh spinach
¼ cup grated parmesan
2 T bread crumbs
Salt and pepper

Method

1. In a large sauté pan, cook bacon in olive oil until almost crisp, about five minutes. Add onion and cook until tender and translucent. Add the remaining vegetables and cook until tender, about five minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant.

2. Meanwhile, cook penne according to package directions, salting the water liberally. One minute before the pasta cooking time is done, add raw spinach to the pasta water and cook with the pasta for the final minutes. Remove ¾ cup of pasta water just before draining and set aside. Drain pasta and spinach and toss in pan with vegetables. Add pasta water as necessary to coat pasta so it doesn’t stick. In a small bowl, mix bread crumbs and parmesan, and sprinkle on top of pasta to serve.

Yield: 4 servings
Prep time: 20 minutes
Ease of preparation: Easy

Recipe courtesy of Melissa d’Arabian developed for the Grain Foods Foundation

Ingredients

3 chicken breast cutlets
4 slices sandwich bread, white or wheat or mixed (or large baggie of reserved bread crusts)
½ c grated parmesan cheese
½ t paprika
1 t dried basil
¼ cup flour
3 T vegetable oil
2 T butter
1 large egg
2 T water
Salt and pepper

Method

1. Cut cutlets in half. Place each slice between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound with meat mallet until chicken is about ½”. Pulse the bread in food processor into large breadcrumbs (do not toast bread before processing; stale bread is fine). Add parmesan cheese, basil, paprika, salt and pepper, and pulse a few more times. Keep crumbs large and fluffy.

2. Prepare a breading station: In a shallow bowl or plate, place the flour along with salt and pepper. In another shallow bowl, beat the egg with 2 T of water, until the egg is no longer stringy (about one minute).

3. Heat a large sauté pan over medium high heat, and add vegetable oil and butter. Dip the chicken in the flour to dust lightly, then in the egg and finally the crumbs. Cook the meat about three minutes each side. Once cooked, remove and place on a plate covered with paper towel to blot excess oil. Salt and pepper and serve.

Yield: 4-6 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Ease of preparation: Easy

Recipe courtesy of Melissa d’Arabian developed for the Grain Foods Foundation

Ingredients

8 slices white bread
3 T light cream cheese, softened
1 T light mayonnaise
1 t garlic powder
1 t dried oregano
2 medium tomatoes, chopped and lightly salted
4 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
¾ cup red or green leaf lettuce, chiffonade (roll and cut into ribbon-like strips)
Salt and pepper
Olive oil for drizzling

Method

• Heat oven to 375°. Remove crusts from bread and, using a large spoon, gently press the slices of bread down flat until thin and almost doughy. Brush with olive oil on both sides. Place the slices in the muffin tin, pressing them into the muffin shape, to create a tartlet shell. Bake for 12-13 minutes, or until golden and crusty.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, use a fork to mix the cream cheese, garlic powder, mayonnaise and oregano with salt and pepper until smooth and creamy.
• Once the bread is golden, remove the shells and place them on a cooling rack to assemble. To make the tartlets, place a teaspoon of the cream cheese mixture on the bottom, followed by the bacon, tomatoes and the lettuce. Top with salt and pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.

Yield: 4 servings (2 tartlets per serving)
Prep time: 15 minutes
Ease of preparation: Easy

Recipe courtesy of Melissa d’Arabian developed for the Grain Foods Foundation

Ingredients

2 T olive oil plus 1 teaspoon, divided
1 t dried basil
1 garlic clove, peeled and smashed
4 thin slices ham
4 slices sandwich bread
4 slices mozzarella cheese
½ tomato, thinly sliced
Salt and pepper

Method

1. In a small bowl, mix 2 T of the olive oil, basil, smashed garlic clove and salt and pepper with a fork to release flavors and let sit while preparing the rest of the sandwich (at least five minutes).
2. In a small sauté pan, cook the ham in a teaspoon of olive oil over medium heat 2-3 minutes per side, or until beginning to crisp. Toast the bread.
3. Lay the cheese on one slice of the toast and brush generously with the flavored olive oil, using a pastry brush.
4. Add the ham, and top with tomatoes. Brush the tomatoes with the olive oil, and top with the second piece of toast. Repeat for the second sandwich.

Yield: 2 servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Ease of preparation: Easy

Recipe courtesy of Melissa d’Arabian Recipes – Developed for Grain Foods Foundation

Summer season is equated with relaxation, fun in the sun, and plenty of gatherings with friends and family. But with the warm weather cheer comes BBQs and beach parties nearly every weekend, and even in a season when the layers are peeling off, the pounds can still come on! This time of year can be as hard on your body as the holiday season.

To help you plan a fun, healthy, summer soiree, AgroLabs Liquid nutrition provides the below recipe,  perfect for a festive party without worrying about your waistline.

Ingredients:

1/3 cup chopped shallots
½ - 1 jalapeno pepper (to preference), seeded and chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup Naturally Pomegranate™
½ cup catsup
¼ cup rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 ½ teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/8 teaspoon cayenne

Method:

• In a small saucepan, sauté the shallots and jalapeno in olive oil over medium heat until soft, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Add the blueberries, Naturally Pomegranate™, catsup, vinegar, brown sugar, mustard and cayenne and stir to combine. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring often.
• Puree the sauce in a blender or food processor until smooth. Season to taste with salt. Strain through a fine mesh strainer, using a rubber spatula to push as much sauce as possible through the mesh. Return the sauce to clean small saucepan to quickly reheat just before serving.

Calories: 101, Protein: 1g, Fat: 5g, Sat. Fat: 0.5g, Choles: 0mg, Dietary Fiber: 1g

Makes 2.5 cups (10 servings)

Here’s a place which is great for after dinner desserts, especially if you like cold stuff.  Aptly named, IGlool Snow Ice is located at King’s Centre (the corner lot where HSL was formerly situated before they moved to Spring). I also just learned that it has an outlet in The Spring Shopping Centre as well.

IGlool Snow Ice tastes different from regular ice cream because of its’ texture…..it’s light, fluffy and powdery. There are just soooo many flavours to choose from but what makes this a less sinful dessert to indulge in is because it is low fat and low sugar. Personally, I thought it was something different but what actually tastes good will depend on the toppings/flavours you choose.

I actually like the concept, environment plus deco. There’s even a special kiosk to place your own order and if you have kids, there’s also corner for them to play while parents enjoy their dessert in peace ;)  Currently, there’s a 3 for $10 promotion too, definitely a great deal if it’s your first time there.

Created by the authors of the popular cupcake decorating book Hello Cupcake!™. This is a fun Easter project to make with the kids or with your baking friends. All it takes are easy-to-find ingredients, fun food dye colors and delicious frosting. Easter Egg Cupcakes aren’t hard to make — but they’re sure to impress as gifts, or to decorate your holiday table.

 Servings : 12 cupcakes

Ingredients:
• 12 unfrosted Moist Deluxe Devil’s Food Cake Mix cupcakes baked in white paper liners
• 12 honey graham crackers
• 2 cans (16 ounces) Creamy Homestyle Classic Vanilla Frosting
• Green, yellow, orange, blue, purple, and pink food coloring
• 2 tablespoons each mini and regular white, pink, green, and blue decorations

Baking Instructions:
1. Tint 2 cups of the frosting light green. Spoon 1 1/2 cups of the light green frosting into a zippered plastic bag. Tint 1/2 cup each of vanilla frosting pink, light blue, light purple, orange, and yellow. Spoon 2 tablespoons each into zippered plastic bags. Press out the excess air in each of the bags, seal, and set aside.

2. Using a serrated knife, trim the graham crackers into an egg shape 3 1/2 inches long and 2 1/2 inches wide. Snip a small corner (1/4 inch) from the bag with the 1 1/2 cups of green frosting and pipe a small dollop on top of each cupcake and place a graham cracker on top, pressing down to secure. The cracker will hang over the edge of the cupcake. Freeze the cupcakes for 10 to 15 minutes to set.

3. Place the remaining 1/2 cup of each tinted frosting into a separate microwavable bowl. Working with one color at a time, microwave the frosting, stirring frequently, until it is the texture of lightly whipped cream, 20 to 30 seconds. Holding a chilled cupcake by the paper liner dip the graham cracker into the melted frosting to coat, turn right side up and let stand. Continue with all of the cupcakes and graham crackers making two eggs of each color.

4. Snip very small corners (1/8 inch) from the bags with the 2 tablespoons of frosting. Pipe decorative dots, lines, and dashes on top of the frosting-coated crackers. Using the bag with the 1 1/2 cups of light green frosting, pipe dots of frosting around base of each egg always pulling the peak away from the egg (be sure to cover any exposed cupcake).

5. While the frosting is still wet add candy decors to create decorative patterns.

Recipe courtesy of Hello Cupcakes and Duncan Hines